Maharaja of India — Restaurant in London

Our visit to "Maharaja of India" with my siblings in CHARING Cross on Christmas Day was a letdown, falling short of the festive cheer and warmth one would expect from a dining experience during the holiday season.

The food was passable but lacked the exceptional quality and depth of flavor that sets apart good Indian cuisine. While it was understandable that only the chef was working due to the holiday, the overall culinary experience did not meet expectations, especially given the significance of the day.

The most glaring issue was the hospitality, or rather the lack thereof. The staff's attitude was surprisingly rude, giving off an unwelcoming vibe as if they were doing us a favor by serving. This approach to customer service was particularly jarring on a day like Christmas, when warmth and cheer are the norms in the hospitality industry.

The restaurant's policy of having to order everything at once, from starters to desserts (excluding soft drinks), was another point of contention. This rigid ordering system detracted from the relaxed, enjoyable dining experience one hopes for, especially during a festive occasion.

However, it's worth mentioning that the service provided by Nayeem, one of the waiters, was a silver lining. His efforts to offer good service amidst the overall lackluster environment were commendable and appreciated.

The restaurant's space was another downside. The area felt congested and not particularly suitable for families, especially those with children. This cramped setting, combined with the indifferent attitude of the staff, made the dining experience more stressful than enjoyable.

Regarding cost, the pricing was average, but given the overall experience, it didn't translate to value for money.

"Maharaja of India" did not live up to the expectations of a pleasant Christmas dining experience. The combination of just okay food, unwelcoming staff, an inconvenient ordering policy, and cramped space makes it difficult to recommend. Despite understanding the challenges of operating on Christmas, a restaurant should either commit to providing proper service or not...

My husband and I visited this restaurant with high hopes for authentic Indian cuisine. There were numerous good reviews but our experience did not meet expectations. We waited 15 minutes to be asked what we would like to drink. We ordered a water to start our meal (we did not specify tap or bottle but we were also not asked) which took another 15 minutes to which we received a £6 bottle of still water. We ordered the onion bhaji for an appetizer and chicken tikka masala & Maharaja mix masala for our main course alongside rice and garlic naan. Our food took roughly 20 minutes or so to be delivered which was not a problem at all and was expected. However, once the food was delivered we were never checked on again. This was upsetting considering there were only a couple of tables in the restaurant at this point and our server was nowhere to be found. Upon finishing our meal we stacked our plates and waited for the check. We sat without being acknowledged for another 35-40 minutes before our plates were taken and any employee spoke to us. The server grabbed the plates and dropped off a dessert menu without asking how our meal was or if we were interested in dessert. We then sat waiting for another 20-25 minutes waiting to pay for our bill. We had to flag down the first person we saw for our check and then waited another 15 minutes to actually pay. At this point we were not asked how our meal was or our experience. The server took our card, swiped it, and said have a good night. During the end of our meal while waiting on the check there were a handful of customers (4 tables) that came in and there were 4-5 employees in the building. Watching the experience other customers received compared to our own was quite frustrating. The food was average for the price point on top of a variable 15% service charge was ridiculous for the quality of service...

So, on the contrary to what most reviews mention here about service, my experience with service was actually really good. Despite them being busy, they were very attentive, and continued smiling throughout the way and served us with patience amongst the chaos in a tiny space. The food came really slow, but this wasn't the first time I had experienced such in England, so I took it as normal.

However, the food quality was really subpar. Almost everything was dry and seasoned wrongly, and what I mean by that is that some type of seasoning was too strong while others not enough. The veggie samosas were small and there was some raw potato taste left inside. The king prawn puree had a strong taste that was leaning towards tomato, but not fresh. The paneer tikka was good and the paneer texture was very enjoyable. The biryani was very dry and there was no flavor unless one chooses to use the sauce entirely. The paneer kurma was sweet, and had that strong sweet taste that I wasn't expecting, which was not a bad thing at all.

I am a veggie person, but I wasn't a fan of the lettuce on the side because it was clear that the lettuce was a plate filler more than anything else, and it was clear that it was there without care. When the lettuce came with the biryani, it was so little that it really didn't have to be there at all, because not only having it there itself was an oxymoron, but also the lettuce was immersed with the biryani flavor which was kind of weird.

Sorry, but overall I wouldn't recommend this spot for those around the area, at least based on the dishes I have had. However, once again I must recognize that the service that I had experienced was excellent and kudos to all the...