Rao's Bar & Restaurant — Restaurant in London

We were very excited to visit Rao's given all the positive reviews and it's welcomed addition to the Hackney restaurant scene. It seemed like a really awesome menu/concept and we were definitely intrigued (e.g. by the chinese/indian fusion dishes, extensive range of biryanis). The food was different from anything at the lower end of the market (what I would deem "simple indian"), mid end (e.g. Dishoom) and also higher end (e.g. Trishna/Gymkhana) indian restaurants...it is almost creating its own category. Sadly the food was truly awful (my wife and I both felt sick days after eating it...it wouldn't be fair to say it was food poisoning but we both had upset stomachs for ~2 days after potentially due to overspicing + oversalting). I would recommend this new category neither to hungry customers nor budding restaurant entrepreneurs. I come from a mixed background (including indian) and in my 20 years in London I have to say this was some of the worse indian food I have had.

Beyond the food, the service was also largely disappointing and as some others have pointed out in their comments downright bizarre. From taking the same orders multiple times to forgetting drinks to leaving us for large swaths of time with no service.. it was amateur at best.

Between these moments of frustration/disappointment, I have to say the owner and manager were ridiculously friendly. I can only fathom that this is the reason for the many high reviews (alongside the freebies they seem to be offering to those giving high reviews as mentioned in their own reviews...take from that what you will). I think these super friendly/charming guys are clearly in the wrong business. Perhaps they should try their hand at something with more simple operations and more customer relationships/touch points...if they launched another business (that wasn't a restaurant) I would certainly...

Came here as a party of five for Mother’s Day yesterday and there were only two tables occupied. We sat down and gave our order Everyone’s starter choice came 15 -20 minutes apart after each one was placed on the table - even though I had requested that they all arrive at the same time so we could all share and enjoy together. When I complained the server said, “I’m sorry, I’ll bring it now” except as I said 15 minutes passed. This pattern continued with each starter we had ordered (despite us complaining a second time) again, we were forced to wait for another 15-20 minutes when we should all have been enjoying and sharing the starters together. As I mentioned, there were only two other tables occupied - no reason at all for the excessive wait times between each starter. Almost everything we ordered was very spicy especially the chicken masala; the chicken tikka was very dry due to being overcooked, the lamb biryani was good though. When the bill arrived, we requested the service charge be removed as nobody was happy with the service we received and the indignant response from the server was, “But I served you!” As if that wasn’t their job, as if we had the option of collecting my food and bringing it to the table ourselves! 🤦‍♀️ The manager sorted the bill...

I had the most wonderful experience celebrating my birthday at this restaurant From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, making it the perfect setting for such a special occasion. The staff went above and beyond to ensure that every detail was taken care of, and the service was both friendly and efficient.

The food was absolutely incredible. Every dish was bursting with flavor, and you could tell that high-quality ingredients and care went into each one. Whether you’re a fan of traditional dishes or something more adventurous, there’s something for everyone. I highly recommend chilli chicken starter and lamb rogan josh curry– it was a true highlight!

To top it all off, they even surprised me with a birthday dessert that was not only delicious but beautifully presented. It really made my day extra special.

Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better place to celebrate. I’ll definitely be returning and recommending [Restaurant Name] to friends and family for future occasions. Thank you for making my birthday...