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    Akbar's

    4.1 (120 reviews)
    ModerateIndian
    Open 4:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    Akbar's Photos

    AKBAR'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Classy
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Akbar's

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    Potato and onion bahji veggie starter!
    Claire I.

    They have a G next to dishes on the menu for gluten containing! Happy curry time for gluten free people! Serious points here for Akbar's! What a glorious (yes I said glorious) entrance and waiting area! Great big marble slabs, with big bench seating where you can order drinks from the bar on display at the front entrance. It's stocked full and the Orange juice tastes amazing! However, you won't be there waiting for long. Someone will be with you almost instantaneously to take you away down what seems to be a much more private area from the floor to ceiling glass window front of shop. As you're taken through to the back of the restaurant, you'll notice a few things. The lighting has dimmed, mood lighting is cascaded in different colours on the walls. The chairs and tables look sleek, stylish and so do the staff! They will ask you as soon as you sit down if you require poppadoms/dips/drinks to start off with. You will notice throughout your meal how many times they ask if everything is OK, if you need any more drinks or anything else. The poppadoms are lovely, crisp and light just how they should be and the accompanying sauces are delicious! A little limited but they will gladly bring you more if you ask. We ordered the vegetarian potato and onion bhaji starter to share which came with a tangy lemon dressing and plenty of salad. The bhaji's didn't sit heavy and the potatoes (fried) were light too. They didn't taste greasy like you can experience at other Indian restaurants. For mains I ordered pilau rice with chilli chicken balti. Yummy! Spicy, just the way I like it, the pilau wasn't sticky or stodgy, it was cooked perfectly so it fell off the fork. Sam M. had the egg fried rice and that was complimentary to my dish so I may have stolen a fair bit of his rice... I'd been drinking my glass of house rose wine which seemed to be going straight to my head. It was very very very warm and I looked up to see the air con was on full blast but heated. The tables next to us had also noticed and we asked the staff to turn it off. Even so, it didn't cool down. It wasn't a comfortable environment for the latter part of the meal and the staff noticed we had finished an immediately brought the bill over when we said no to dessert. You could say it seemed a bit like they were trying to push us out quickly but the place wasn't full. This is the only reason I haven't rated it 5*'s.

    Family man
    Kate W.

    After much (hardly any) persuasion I found myself being dragged a long for a curry one cold night after work. I had a certain level of expectations for Akbar's and I'm sorry to say that it did not live up to them one iota. We were seated straight away in the busy side of the huge restaurant and it was super loud but smelt great! We were offered drinks and some poppadoms straight away with all the sauces you expect - they were delicious. I started with the prawn on puri which was the one highlight of the meal. Served on a fresh roti and with a certain kick it was tasty. For the mains we opted to share a couple of the curries with a side of pilau and a family nan (HUGE!) The curries were a complete disappointment with the naan arriving with a sheen of grease and oil on it. The chicken korma was over seasoned with a very strong and sickly coconut flavour being the overbearing taste. The colour was also off putting being what I describe as a fluorescent yellow. The chicken masala wasn't much better arriving with zero sauce and in a bowl of oil again it was lacking all taste... The final curry was ok - a balti served with potatoes and of a medium heat that had a good kick to it. The service was good with extra drinks taken in good time, however we didn't finish the majority if the food.

    Lamb kebab, chicken tikka masala and naan.
    Floriana A.

    Best curry of my life. My review could as well stop here. I reckon Akbar's deserves more words though. I wasn't expecting to find such a paradise for my taste buds when I got to this place a few minutes walking from Deansgate Locks. There are many other Indian restaurants on the way there, but my housemate, a regular at Akbar's, only stopped when we reached the place. I followed his advice, so we shared lamb kebab and chicken tikka masala, along with a huge and scenographic naam bread, soft and delicious. The meat was tasty, well cooked and perfectly flavoured, not too spicy; the sauce was great as well. The service has been considerably quick, and prices are so low! Honestly, great value. We managed to pay less than 20£ for food and drinks (Cobra beers). The fact that at some point all the waiters and the rest of the staff were sitting together having dinner made me think not only that food quality is excellent, but also that there's an incredibly positive vibe here.

    spacious yet cozy waiting area
    Kelli F.

    YES. just trust me on this, yes. Such a great lively atmosphere, friendly/well-attentive staff, and DELICIOUS food. I will let the pictures do the talking!

    Lauren D.

    Best curry everrrrrrrr!!! I have just come back from Akbars and it was amazing!!!! Having previously gone a couple months back on a works do me and the other half fancied trying it properly. The curry was insanely good, we had poppodoms then lamb chops and onion Bajis for starters, then for main had chicken tikka masala, lamb rogan josh, pilau rice and a huge garlic naan! Every part of the meal was so delicious and tasty and all for only £36 including drinks. Also the staff are lovely they were so attentive and we went to order a family garlic naan and our waiter explained the sizes as it would have been too big, which I thought was really nice of him! Will be returning here asap!

    james b.

    In the dark days before I'd visited Akbar I could never work out whether opening an Indian restaurant somewhere other than the hallowed 'curry mile' was a brave or cowardly move. On one hand I thought- yeah I like the change of scenery, good on them for not feeling the need to line up in Rusholme with all the others. On the other I wondered- can they not stand the heat of major competition? Well now I've been and the answer is clear- Akbar couldn't care less what the other Indian establishments are up to because they have NOTHING to worry about. The Liverpool Rd location makes for a glamorous location that makes Akbar feel unique and untypical. The interior is a lesson in modern design. And the food, my lord the food! I'm going to keep this brief as I risk salivating on my precious laptop- there are restaurants in New Delhi that could learn lessons on Indian cuisine from Akbar.

    Tamir G.

    Best Indian food I have ear experienced. Known this place for 8 years and it keeps it quality. Great beer, food, and ambiance. Spicy and delicious.

    Cod fish

    Overall good Indian food for the price. Cash only. Sunday evening. Fairly crowded, waited for 5 mins to be seated. Good service, speed of delivery was quick. Starters were ok, do recommend lamb chops! Chicken curry was nicely seasoned , just a bit salty for my personal taste. Naan was great, bigger than a regular human head. Chewy inside and crunchy outside. The dessert was a mix of ice cream/whipped cream with hot soft cake ball... very very sweet.

    Imogen J.

    Manchester has its fair share of curry houses but Akbars is the vindaloo of them all. The owner Shabir is a truly formidable businessman who, following success with an Akbars in Leeds, Sheffield, York, Birmingham and Bradford ( is this man attempting world domination?) decided to give it a go in Manchester and I am glad he did. Shabir is a top bloke with incredible business savvy, he knows what works and that if you give the masses excellent food in lovely surroundings they will keep coming back. For a couple years now he has constantly asked, well almost ordered me to dine at his restaurant and finally on a cold evening in January when my stomach needed a little warming up I did just that. On Liverpool Road near to the Museum of Science and Industry, Akbars is a huge building with funky lighting and the unenlightened could almost confuse it with a trendy winebar. Inside is an electric atmosphere and on the Friday night that I visited it it was buzzing with excitement. I had a thirty minute wait but the food more thhan compensated for this. My lamb chop starter was finger-lickin good. My mother told me never to do this in public but I had to! I licked my fingers Mum but at least I stopped at licking my plate ( although I wanted to) . I followed this with a Karahi Chicken which was a mouth-watering blend of subtle spices and fresh juicy tomatoes. Once we were seated, service was fast and smooth; friendly chatty waiters did not awkwardly hover beside your table in a ill concealed attempt to hurry you up. The naan breads were hysterical and could have been worn as hats! It is always a little awkward when you go somewhere that you are familiar with the management . What if you absolutely hate the experience? Trust me, i am no Oscar winning actress and I tell it how it is so I could not lie. I don't have to with Akbars though and the next time I bump into Shabir I will shake his hand and tell him well done. Akbars charges a couple pounds more per dish than your average restaurant but what do you expect? This is a V.I.P of Indian cuisine!!

    Laurenda D.

    Visiting from the US, family recommended Akbar's. Food was great, I had the Chicken and Potato Balti. The drinks were watered down (I returned mine) and service was mediocre. The naan bread was really good.

    Qype User (iamwha…)

    Had it not been for a couple of unfortunate events on the night I visited Akbars, this stylish restaurant would've been glittering with an extra star. The food was tasty and reasonably priced, the service was swift and polite and the atmosphere was comfortable, low lit and relaxed. Unfortunately, Akbars lost points when we found a crustean in the Veggie Mackhani...but in thier defence, the staff were very apologetic, refunded the dish AND surprised my boyfriend with a complementary birthday dessert. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to any indian food lover, but would urge them to venture out on foot, for the climax of my evening in Akbars ended with the theft of our vehicle right on the doorstep... p.s. be warned, the naan breads are ENORMOUS and are served on what looks like a Klingon war-blade...for a party of 7 healthy eaters, we barely made it through one garlic and one family sized naan...

    Garlic naan
    Millie F.

    Great restaurant. Best Indian I've been to in a long time. Great service, buzzy atmosphere. Very busy considering it was a Tuesday- just shows how good it is. Well priced. Generous portions. I had the chicken tikka mahkani and pilau rice. Then shared a garlic naan which was huge and hung on a hook. So delicious!!

    Lamb Chops

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    Page 1 of 3

    Akbar's Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Akbar's

    This place is a must for fans of Indian food who fancy a change from the Curry Mile.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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    Bundobust Manchester

    Bundobust Manchester

    (24 reviews)

    ££

    Northern Quarter

    What a fun brewery with such a unique concept! I am a big beer fan and travel the world to find the…read morebest brews, chasing local craft breweries. This definitely hit the spot! These guys had an excellent and a vast selection for any beer fan! All styles and with something tasty for everyone! The Indian street food was a very interesting twist to a regular food offering at breweries. Lots of fantastic veggie options and I really loved that they have so many small (inexpensive) dishes which are perfect for sharing with your group! Have fun!

    Was excited to try this place out because this is one of the top places to eat in Manchester and it…read moredid not disappoint at all. When you first arrive, the waiter will sit you down on a table and then you order by scanning a QR code or going to the bar area. Didn't make a lunch reservation in advance but was still able to get a good table. - Bundo Chaat - Probably one of the best reinvented Indian dishes I've ever had and is a MUST at Bundobust. The crispy samosa pastry mixed in with the creamy yogurt and slightly hot chili sauce is maybe one of the best dishes I've ever had. Usually I'm not a huge fan of cold food, but this was actually so unbelievably good, like eating an unhealthy salad. The potatoes and chickpeas on top were also fantastic. - Chole Saag - Not as big of a fan but still great nonethless. It's kind of exactly what you would expect: chickpea and spinach curry paired with some kind of bread. I will say that for the price, it is incredibly nice and generous that they give you the puri on the side because usually at other Indian places in London, you do need to order it as an extra. Overall, absolutely fantastic place to eat while in Manchester. Do not sleep on the Bundo Chaat at all, probably one of the best Indian foods I've ever had. Also during the weekday they have a lunch deal where's its 2 for £9 which is honestly super nice of them to do and also very filling too.

    Spice Lounge - Tandoori Chicken

    Spice Lounge

    (5 reviews)

    Northern Quarter

    Excellent service and food. Quick serving, even the plate was warm. The chicken was juicy and the…read morelamb was cooked just right. Will definitely come again for other dishes.

    When I first moved to Manchester this was the first Indian restaurant we stumbled across…read more Apart from the garish green lighting and glittery walls this a nice place. When you walk in you are asked to seat at a small coffee table bearing Bombay mix then ushered to.a table. The furniture is swish, with cream leather seats and sturdy tables. Opening a new looking menu it contained the same exciting variety as last time ;). For seafood lovers you can choose from lobster, salmon, sea bass and prawns. For veggies they offer standard veggie dishes to some special Himalayan ones..And for meat eaters the world is your Oyster! We ordered two pints of kingfisher and starters only, wanting to take our time. So two poppdums and daal soup later and we were happy ;) the dips accompanying the poppdums were well made , they consisted of generic mango chutney, lime pickle , raita and a curry sauce. The soup was of perfect consistency .. Potentially a dash more of lemon was required. Starters gone I then chose the curried seabass, rice and chappati. Himself selected the chicken curry. The sea bass was one of the most expensive dishes but when it arrived sizzling on a hotplate I was pleased. On the side it came with a gorgeous veggie curry sauce. The portions were massive unlike some places you go that offer no more than a sliver of fish. Even digesting this with red wine I waved the white flag at half way point. To end we were given segments of orange and the bill. Everything was reasonably.priced, well made and the service attentive. I had the feeling they were offended when we kept telling them we weren't ready to order the main but again we did it so we were not rushed. Honestly try this place I much prefer it to Akbar's

    Akbar's - indpak - Updated May 2026

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