Saffron Indian Restaurant — Restaurant in Northern Ireland

To Saffron Indian Restaurant & Take Out, Portrush

We recently completed a family holiday to the Causeway Coast from Monday, 21st July to Wednesday, 23rd July 2025. On our final day, Wednesday (23/07), we visited Portrush Curry’s Fun Park from 1:00 PM to 5:15 PM with our two families—4 adults, 3 children, and 3 infants. After the park, we were hungry and looking forward to dining at your restaurant. We had specifically chosen your restaurant because it appeared to offer both dine-in and takeaway options. We were aware that it opens at 5 PM, and we arrived around 5:15 PM, expecting to enjoy a proper sit-down Indian meal. However, to our surprise and disappointment, the staff told us you were only offering takeaway—despite a few customers already seated and dining inside. While we looked at the menu to consider placing a takeaway order, we also noticed that the same staff member (who told us it was takeaway only) was actively taking dine-in orders from other seated customers. There was no notice or signage at the entrance indicating that it was “Takeaway Only” service at the time, and we were not given a clear explanation as to why we were denied a table. This was confusing and disheartening. We had visited many restaurants during our holiday—Indian and non-Indian alike—and were treated with fairness and hospitality. This experience at your restaurant felt very different. As Indian families from Kerala, it was especially disappointing to feel unwelcome at an Indian restaurant. It gave the impression that assumptions were being made about us—perhaps that we would order too little, share meals, or disturb other customers. That is simply unfair, especially since we came with the full intention of ordering a proper meal and enjoying our final evening together. Your menu looked extensive and inviting, but unfortunately, we were not given the opportunity to experience it. Instead, we returned to our car and ordered burgers, wraps, and kids’ meals from a local food truck nearby, where we were welcomed and served with respect.

If we had taken a takeaway with Indian food such as curries, biryani, and other similar dishes, it would have been extremely difficult to eat properly inside the car—especially with children and infants. That’s why we chose not to order from your restaurant at that time and decided to go to the food truck instead.

I don’t know if there was a staff shortage or any other internal issue, but as customers, we deserve to be treated properly. We pay for the food we order—nothing is free—so we expect clear communication and basic courtesy. I also want to make it clear that I don’t have any personal issues with anyone or any business-related competition—I'm not running any restaurant in Northern Ireland or any other place in United Kingdom. I’m simply sharing my experience as a disappointed customer.

As a customer own myself, I strongly believe in the principle that “Customer is King.” Treating families—especially those with young children—with warmth and fairness is essential in the hospitality industry. I truly hope your restaurant reflects on how this situation was handled and considers how every customer should be treated with equal respect in the future.

We will never visit your restaurant again, will never recommend it to others, and will be sharing this experience with our friends and extended family as...

On a visit from England to see our son and take in some sea air. Fancied a curry when his favourite eatery wasn’t serving food. We both went for Onion Bhaji starter which came quite worryingly quickly to the table. It was poorly presented and did not resemble any bhaji I’ve ever eaten before. It was flat like a pancake and very dry (like it was one made earlier in the day). Also rather tasteless, needed a lot of sauce (which we had to ask for) to make it palatable. Politely told the serving waiter this and he explained this is common and that we should have gone for the Pakora - wish he’d have told us this earlier like any decent waiter worth his salt would have done. Alas, we made our way to the main courses, which were plentiful and rather more tasty but not the experience we were hoping for. Totally overpriced and I live in London! They didn’t have the beers that we wanted from the menu explaining (comically) that they don’t get them in as customers just order the Tiger beer (I think) normally. Then why are they on the menu? I’ve had worse curries eaten at worse places, but I’ve also had far better ones eaten at better places for far less than we paid. There also seems to be an ongoing issue with the internet network as we and customers before us had trouble paying using our respective cards. Which is embarrassing and customers should not be put in that position. Just a reasonable tip for the restaurant ,If a customer states something isn’t right (in our case the bhajis) then use some skill in discretion and take them off the bill. It reflects better customer service and...

My God, yesterday we bought 5 chicken biriyani from here, when the cashier asked if we want hot,we said yes but we never expected it to be this much spicy, no human can eat especially children, even if it is Indian spicy eaters. I have 3 kids. After our 4 days stay in Portrush, on the way back to Belfast, we were so hungry and ended up buying food from this place. When we reached home, we tasted the food and it was so spicy and unable to eat. Finally, without any other option we had to wash the rice and give it to the kids as we had no other food to eat. Even after we washed the rice, the kids still couldn't eat. We were sorry to say that this was a very disappointing experience as we wasted 51.50pounds for the worthless food..We have eaten from belfast Indian restaurants before and it was so nice.We felt like chicken boiled and mixed with rice and put a packet of chilly powder in that. No flavour and required masalas. Not even spoons or side salad for takeaway. Anyway very poor experience. From the reviews below, we could find that people who get takeaways can find problems like us.But sit in people find the food okay. Don't know why this is the case. We felt like it was very unhygienic and the chicken was a bit uncooked.Menu was misleading especially for biriyani.chicken biriyani offers 8.9 and while billing 10 and says...