THE PAKORA BAR — Restaurant in City of Edinburgh

To anyone reading this: Pakora Bar is a fancy-looking trap that serves bad, overpriced, and fake food. It’s a shame to Indian food

DON'T TRUST 2000+ FAKE REVIEWS!

To the so-called "Team Pakora" (or should I say, the sensitive, childish person behind this reply),

Your response to my honest review shows exactly how not to run a business. Instead of listening to a paying customer’s concerns, you threw a tantrum like a kid, proving once again that your restaurant is not just a food disaster but also a place full of unprofessional behaviour and sheer incompetence. Well done!

Let me make this very clear: I am not a coward or a liar. I am a customer who paid £85 for a meal that was a total insult to Indian food. Your weak attempt to ignore my feedback by throwing personal insults only shows that you can’t handle criticism—a basic skill needed in any business, especially in hospitality. But then again, expecting good manners from you seems as pointless as expecting good food at your place.

You say I was late for my booking. Yes, I was 20 minutes late—great job keeping track of time! But let’s not forget that your restaurant was almost empty at 3:20 PM on a Saturday. If timing was such a big deal, you could have politely told me that my table wasn’t available anymore. Instead, you sat me down, took my money, and served me a food nightmare. Trust me, I would have happily left and saved myself the £85 I wasted at your so-called "restaurant."

Now, let’s break down your funny attempt to defend your "food" (and I use that word very loosely): Veggie Pakora (6 pcs): Undercooked veggies wrapped in dough that fell apart as soon as I touched them. This isn’t a pakora; it’s an insult to Indian food. Paneer Pakora (6 pcs): A little better, but still ruined by the mountain of chat masala you dumped on top to hide the lack of effort. Here’s a tip: sprinkling masala on bad food doesn’t make it good. Chole Bhature: The only okay dish, as I said in my first review. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Punjabi Chicken Curry: A chili-filled mess that tasted nothing like Punjabi food. You should be ashamed to call this "Punjabi Chicken." Jail would be too nice for this food crime. Butter Paneer Curry: Another chili-heavy disaster with no real flavor of paneer or butter. Did you even taste it before serving? Or do you just like making your customers suffer? 6 Rotis & 2 Naans: Overpriced, store-bought tortillas and ready-made naans charged at £2+. Do you think your customers are blind, or just dumb? 2 Kingfisher Beers: Random beer poured into Kingfisher glasses. This level of lying is shocking. Do you also serve tap water as Evian?

Your claim that I “finished every single item” doesn’t matter and is just silly. If I pay for my food, it’s my choice whether I eat it, take it home, or throw it away. The fact that you’re watching customers on CCTV and using it to defend your bad service is not just creepy—it’s almost crazy. Threatening to use CCTV footage against customers is a serious issue, and I won’t hesitate to report this to the police and authorities. Let’s see how your sensitive ego handles court.

Your regret about not throwing me out is funny. I regret not calling your so-called "chef" out for the joke of Indian food you serve. You serve overpriced, lazy, and fake food to customers who don’t know better, especially non-Indians. Shame on you for tricking them!

I’ve added screenshots of your replies to other Indian customers who dared to criticize your food. Your habit of attacking critics and ignoring feedback is terrible. It’s clear that you have no respect for your customers or the food you claim to represent. You’re not just a bad restaurant owner—you’re an embarrassment to Indian hospitality.

Based on the reviews I’ve seen, it’s clear that your food has made people sick, and I’m glad I didn’t suffer the same. Maybe it’s time for a surprise visit from the health inspector—I’m sure they’d have a lot to say.

Learn hospitality and business. Stop being motivational for free, life is too short...

Pakoras. A beloved staple of Indian cuisine, recognised worldwide for their irresistible flavour and satisfying crunch. Mention Pakora in Edinburgh and we automatically add on the word ‘bar’. The Pakora Bar is an Edinburgh institution, having started off in a wee shop on Hanover street with a bright green exterior that caused quite a kerfuffle! Since then, a move to Canongate on the Royal Mile was good for business but it never felt like that was the forever space. However their latest move to a large indoor and outdoor space on Holyrood Road now feels like home.

Firstly, I adore this space, with an upstairs mezzanine, and Instagrammable ‘garden’ spots, overlooking the downstairs area. The decor is bright, vivid and happy. There’s no way your gonna get any dour vibes in here!

The outside area buzzes during the Summer and actually a pretty decent spot for Winter too. It’s covered, fairly sheltered and the spicy curries and crunchy pakoras will keep you warm.

Secondly, I have to applaud the Pakora Bar for making an absolute belter of a beer. Not only does this Chakke de Phatte beer pack a fruity mango and pineapple aroma, the taste of the tropics lingers right to the very last sip! Superb beer!

Their menu is filled with substantial Punjabi street food delights. Obviously the Pakoras take centre stage but we ate like Kings and Queens trying numerous other dishes too.

Aloo Tiki Chaat (£7). A potato patty with a chickpea curry, chutney and spices

Golgappa - Puni Puri (£5). These are the perfect vessel for every bite

Punjabi Chicken Curry (£15). Bags of layered flavour here with loads of fresh spices and coriander

Chole Bhatura (12.00). Chickpeas in a tangy spiced gravy served with two bhatura deep fried fluffy bread, crispy and easy to tear providing lots of savouring goodness

Chef’s Choice of Pakoras (£7.50). We tried the haggis, black pudding, cauliflower, chicken. You can choose vegetables or meat or a mix of both

At the Pakora Bar their Punjabi street food is a tantalising explosion of flavours one bite after the other. From the spicy tang of their Punjabi Chicken Curry to the fragrant potatoes and chickpeas. You can almost hear the sizzle of their Lambicious Burgers, the aroma of freshly made rotis and parathas, and the irresistible allure of chaat, a delightful medley of crispy fried dough, tangy chutneys, and cooling yogurt. Punjabi street food is a celebration of vibrant, mouth watering flavours and the Pakora Bar know how to serve that up by the bucketful to everyone in Edinburgh!

Hospitality and service is outstanding and the food is downright delicious!

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DO NOT FALL FOR 2000+ FAKE REVIEWS!

My recent experience at Pakora Bar was nothing short of a culinary disaster, and as an Indian, I feel compelled to share this cautionary tale. After sifting through over 2,000 reviews, I had high hopes for this place. Sadly, it turned out to be a colossal waste of time, money, and appetite. Let me break it down for you:

We booked a table, arrived on time, and were seated promptly. The menu seemed promising, so we ordered pakoras (naturally, given the restaurant’s name), Chole Bhature, Punjabi Chicken, Butter Paneer, and a mix of rotis and naans. What followed was a series of disappointments that left us questioning how this place has any positive reviews at all.

The pakoras were an insult to Indian cuisine. The veggies and paneer inside were undercooked, and the excessive chat masala sprinkled on top was a poor attempt to mask the lack of effort. This was not a pakora—it was a disgrace.

The Chole Bhature was the only saving grace, cooked well and flavorful. But that’s where the positives ended. The Punjabi Chicken and Butter Paneer were nothing more than chili-laden sauces with no discernible flavor of the main ingredients. The heat was overwhelming, leaving no room to appreciate the dish. These were, without a doubt, the worst curries I’ve ever had in Scotland.

The rotis were literally heated tortillas—the kind you can buy for 89p at any grocery store. Yet, we were charged £2.95 for two pieces. The naans were equally disappointing—premade, toasted, and tasteless, identical to the ones you’d find at Lidl for 69p. We wasted £18 on bread alone, which is outrageous.

To add insult to injury, the Kingfisher beer they served was not Kingfisher at all. It was some random beer poured into a Kingfisher glass. This level of dishonesty is unacceptable.

In total, we spent £85 (approximately 8,500 INR) on this meal, and I can confidently say it was the worst £85 I’ve ever spent. The food was lazy, the service was deceptive, and the entire experience was a slap in the face to Indian cuisine. Indian food is about love, care, and authenticity—none of which were present here.

If you’re looking for genuine Indian food, avoid Pakora Bar at all costs. This place is a beautifully disguised trap that serves subpar, overpriced, and dishonest food. Save your money and your taste buds—this is not the Indian dining experience you deserve.

Edit: I have replied to your response using my other account, appreciate the way you handle criticism by calling my reviews fake and attacking...