Aneesa's Buffet Restaurant — Restaurant in Newcastle upon Tyne

AVOID Aneesa for any events such as weddings and functions.

We held our wedding function at Aneesa - Big mistake.

There was a fundamental lack of communication between the organisers and the people in charge of running the event on the day. The staff on the day did not provide a quality service and instead gave the impression that they couldn’t wait to go home after providing what turned out to be an incredibly rushed service for a small wedding of only 80 guests.

When feedback was provided to Aneesa regarding the day, the response received from both Aneesa and Pav was inadequate, unprofessional lacked common courtesy and any accountability. This is highly unusual coming from an establishment in which hospitality should be their strength. Aneesa did not take constructive criticism onboard, and we suspect that this poor service will continue in the future with more victims that have paid a large sum to Aneesa for their big wedding day for which they have saved much of their life for.

Despite the many failures experienced on the day, they key ones we were disappointed by are:

1. Aneesa promised we would have access to a microphone which we intended to use to inform the guests where they needed to be and to conduct the religious ceremony. This promise was unfulfilled which meant that guests could not participate in the ceremony which was supposed to be the highlight of the day.
2. Aneesa promised we would be able to choose the songs for the day including the songs for both the bride and grooms’ entrance. We were informed that we should have the songs on a USB stick which could be selected on the day. Again, another promise unfulfilled as Aneesa staff informed us on the day of the wedding that the USB could not be used.
3. Many guests complained that within 10-15 minutes of eating, their plate full of food was taken away from them whilst they were eating from the plate. Guests also complained that their mocktails and drinks which they hadn’t even tasted were being removed from them by the waiting staff.
4. We purchased the chocolate fountain as an extra with cakes and fruit for guests to consume. The promise that there would be sufficient amounts of fruit and cake which would be topped up throughout the day for the chocolate fountain did not deliver. There was only a small amount of fruit and cake provided and this was not topped up by Aneesa as the day went on. The chocolate fountain was running with absolutely nothing to dip in the chocolate for many of the guests.
5. Another extra which was purchased were the canapes. When bride and groom questioned Aneesa staff on tasting the canapes on the day, they were informed by Aneesa staff that the majority of canapes were thrown away in the bin 20 minutes into the event. This resulted in most guests not having tried one and was essentially wasted money.

Again, I don’t expect Aneesa to respond to this review in a constructive manner as they are absolutely unwilling to demonstrate any accountability and candour in their approach to constructive criticism. I just hope this review serves as a warning to anyone who intends on using Aneesa services for weddings, events,...

Just got home after having an amazing night at Aneesa's. We went as a party of 18 for a 50th birthday and was not disappointed! We were welcomed in and shown to our table straight away. There was lovely happy music in the background, not too loud but just enough to enjoy the songs. Our waiter Alin was very polite and explained we could go to the bar to order our drinks at any time as not all of our party had arrived yet. At the bar, Jiri kindly asked what we would like to drink and when i asked what selection of flavored ciders they had, he happily told me what was available (which they had quite a few different flavors!). Once all of our party arrived we started going up for food. As its a buffet i thought i would have a small starter then try more of the mains selection. I had chicken tikka starter which had lots of flavour and large size chunks of chicken. The chicken was nicely cooked a had that extra flavour from the grill. I also had chicken tikka wings which tasted amazing! I then picked up chips and a slice of garlic bread with cheese (yes i know that's not indian food) and both had lots of flavour. After i ate my first portion i went up for a second plate which would be my main. I picked chicken tikka massala curry with rice and garlic naan. I also spotted tikka potatoes which looked lovely but had a bit of a spice to them that i wasn't keen on however i would always advise to try them! After i ate my delicious meal i went back to the grill to get some more chicken tikka starter but they had non left, i got chatting to kal who was cooking fresh chicken tikka on the grill. I explained how beautiful the food tasted and how i enjoy going to Aneesa's as this was not my first time. Kal was lovely and talked about how all the foods cooked fresh and temperature checked regularly to make sure its still hot. After clearing our plates the staff were quick to take our dirty plates away from the table which was great because it meant we could sit for a few minutes inbetween and not have to look at left over food. Finally after eating my body weight in fantastic food and desert, the lovely manager came over and asked if we would like to pay a little bit extra for the birthday boy and they would bring out a cake and sing happy birthday. I happily agreed as we had forgot to bring our own cake. The staff then brought out a gorgeous chocolate cake with candles in and sang happy birthday throughout the restaurant. It really made us feel welcome and cared for! The whole night was a wonderful experience and i would 100% recommend to anyone, whether that is for a large group or just a couple going out for tea they cater to all. I will definitely be going back here! As a party of 18 not 1 single person was disappointed tonight...

Fantastic amount of choices as well as good food.

Below was what I ate, noting the quantity/portion sizes also.

X-Small Roast Turkey/beef in gravy 2 Yorkshire puddings Small Paya X-Small Lamb biryani 2 samosas 1 masala fish 2 lamb ribs Mash potato 1 naan 1 Oreo cheesecake (comes small) Gulab jaman (comes small) Ice cream

For the sheer variety on offer and the quality of the food, I recommend visiting once a month at the very least.

To note on other reviewers commenting on a lack of atmosphere. This is not something the restaurant intended to create. This is a buffet, staff are on their feet and serving. Whilst staff in the buffet section lack any personality and are not very communicative, seeming like robot's- Customers are there to eat. The atmosphere is suited to wedding venues where serving of food is the sole aim and not customers feeling mentally confortable.

Throughout the evening birthday songs were played and it was clear there were large groups of people attending for celebrations/parties.

The experience for us was just eating. There is that awkwardness from a lack of interaction from staff who usually stand there all afternoon and evening, but if your expecting an exciting 'experience' in a buffet restaurant, then you will not find this, but good food instead, which was our only need.

Families and large groups enjoyed themselves due to having eachother to speak with. They made their own fun. I feel it.

This is the best restaurant in Newcastle for food. Please don't go here expecting a lively and pulsating atmosphere. Staff are polite and courteous, good Indian music is played, tables are cleaned and food replenished throughout...