Nice atmosphere with friendly staff. Recommended for group dining. Will come again for sure

Second time I've been to Akbar's and loved it both times. Unlike many Indian restaurants which tend to be dark, cramped and not very up marker, Akbar's has a bright, spacious, clean and just generally nice atmosphere. There are tons of seats but it works with the layout. Staff are friendly and timely too, which is always a plus. And now... the food. Amazing Indian food. I'm basing this mostly on a butter chicken curry to die for. Basic, but brilliant. The naan is also great and it hangs on a upright stand which is interesting. I also had a daal and some onion Bhajis to start. Both pretty decent. The papadums are no different to other good Indians but are equally good. A classic British curry house doesn't exist without a good range of beers. Akbar's is no exception and is great for groups. There were two birthday groups while we were eating and the music suddenly swapped and started playing some Birthday music. Not the biggest fan and made the place seem a bit tacky. All in all, a great place to come for a cheeky curry, with a group of friends or family but not so great for formal or special occasions. read more

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Forgive me father for I have sinned. That's right; I have a confession to make. I'm not really that into Indian food. I know it's a shocker. It's not that I don't like spicy food because I do, I just don't like curry very much. However, there is a time and place for them and Akbars is one of them. They are well known around the Yorkshire area now and that's because they ooze class. This is how food and a dining experience should be. It's a fab venue and the staff are extremely friendly and helpful. Nothing is too much trouble. As for the food, you know you are going to get a winner here. You can more or less choose anything and it's going to be good. They have great chefs and a great food sourcing system going on. It's quality assured at Akbars. read more

Akbars Restaurant - from official website - Indian Near Me - Leeds, XWY

My first experience of this local chain was in Bradford the birthplace of Akbar's Pakistani Restaurant. It was here that I made a grave mistake I ordered a naan bread. This was not a family naan but a simple naan. It arrived served on hook stuck in a plinth. Now I can eat quite a bit and normally shock many people with this greedy trick but this took the biscuit, no way was I making it though that and my main dish let alone try any dessert. Beware. Aside from this there was an extensive menu but it was rather limited for vegetarians although it is possible to as for the vegetarian alternative. The restaurants are beautiful places to dine and the food matches this. You get treated as a guest when you walk in and the speed and efficiency of the staff is something to be commended. Despite my moaning the naan goes exceedingly well with a dansak or any particularly gravy-some dish and I do recommend this Pakistani restaurant highly for the whole experience not just the food. read more

Akbars Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Leeds, XWY

PREGNANT & POISONED BY AKBARS - AVOID After consuming my order my cousin and I were extremely unwell. We BOTH suffered with severe food poisoning. Even 24 hours after the food was eaten. After contacting the restaurant they did NOT once apologise for the harm they caused me or my unborn child. Food poisoning in pregnancy can cause miscarriage, still birth and pre-term labour. When I spoke to general manager I never got an "I'm sorry" NOT ONCE. They never even offered a refund. The supposed "general manager" then asked that I get a health professional to send them my details to confirm my reports of food poisoning which would ALSO break patient doctor confidentiality - which you'd think a manager of a restaurant would know. They are unprofessional. Unsympathetic. And completely unreliable with no understanding of hygiene or customer service. They don't care about their customers and are clearly NOT following food hygiene procedures. If you value your Health I would AVOID AT ALL COSTS. read more

Akbars Restaurant - Lamb Chops - Indian Near Me - Leeds, XWY

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This Saturday just gone I was lucky enough to be invited for tea with some friends. We'd dithered between choosing take away or actually going out for dinner and ended up going for a staple favourite; Akbars. I'd never been to an Akbars before (it was my company's favourite) and so I was quite excited as I'd heard some great things about their cuisine. Happily, despite being a Saturday, we only had about a fifteen minute wait for a table of five and so stood at the bar with some drinks. Sadly there is no seated waiting area, but given that it wasn't heaving this wasn't much of an issue. I can foresee that if there are a number of you waiting it'd be less convenient and comfortable but with such a short waiting period this was fine. We sat and ordered promptly, opting for starters as well as mains and were informed it'd be about fifteen minutes until they'd arrive, which they did - lovely! I opted for the keema samosas, which were reasonable - the pastry was a little tough, and although I enjoyed the spiciness I could have used a little mint yoghurt to balance it. My friend's onion bahjis, however, were utterly perfect and she was gifted about five which I thought was tremendously generous. For my main meal I picked the lamb paneer, with pilau rice, and we asked for a normal garlic naan to share. The naans are an incredible feat of food engineering. They come hanging from a huge metal spike and there's no way that two people could finish off even a normal sized one between two. Gargantuan just about covers it, and don't even get me started on the family sized naan. Between the five of us we only just finished it! My lamb paneer was great - fully flavoursome with lovely lamb pieces that were tender and infused with spice, and the dish had plenty of kick without too much heat. The only shame was that I prefer a little more sauce to soak up the rice. I tried my friend's chicken mahkani too, and it was out of this world - similar to butter chicken but a little spicier, and I'm certainly going to have that next time! Sadly my stomach athletics just weren't up to scratch, so I ended up leaving about half as I didn't have the space, otherwise it would have been demolished as it was so tasty! My only real criticism of the night was that the service was somewhat patchy. From missing items off out order, to not checking when we needed more drinks and finally clearing our dishes when half the party were still eating that side of the experience was a little lacking and brought home the fact that we were eating in a chain not an independent. Certainly the staff were pleasant and kind, but not perhaps as attentive as would have been nice. The environment and atmosphere is also less intimate than I prefer, what with 'Happy Birthday', being sung at least four times during the evening, the décor being a little standard, and the noise level rather high. (It was a Saturday, so I was expecting this I must admit.) Essentially, I will definitely be back - if for nothing else but the mahkani chicken, but it's definitely a great place to go out and dine if you're after a delicious meal. The quality of the food I ate was of a high standard and I'm certain dining here on a week night would be a fantastic experience! Having spotted the Thai Foot Massage place opposite, I can see what my next treat to myself will be... Dinner and a foot massage! read more

Ended up here on a works night out by popular demand (or was it because the boss said so?). I'm not one who knows the world of curry well but I do have taste buds and I'm not afraid to use/abuse them so I carefully noted each nuance, each spicy mini adventure in order to share some deep and meaningful thoughts. So let me say I rather enjoyed a starter of meat samosa and played my part in consuming the contents of all the pots of dips which were very pleasant. I rather enjoyed the lamb dish I had (the name has now escaped me) but To be honest I've tasted better and received larger portions elsewhere. The staff were very smiley and efficient. One further comment. Even for a restaurant £6 for a pint of larger is a bit excessive. read more

I like to think of myself as a spice-buff - no pansy korma sauce for me! - and I'm also a pescatarian (seafood but not meat), so I'm already an awkward customer. Yet I found (and continue to find) everything I could need at Akbars on Eastgate. After discovering how amazing this restaurant was about 3 years ago I average at least 2 visits per month and am overjoyed with the results about 99% of the time. While I've tried the other Akbars in Leeds and Bradford, Eastgate remains the best. It's almost always busy, but even if you don't book you can usually get a table within 10/15 minutes of waiting in the bar. Yes it's quite crowded and the tables are fairly close together, but this is what happens when a restaurant delivers awesome food at a very reasonable price. The staff are attentive (a little too attentive?) and the menu selection is outstanding - take a punt with something out of the ordinary like the fish balti or paneer mushroom balti, which you can order at any heat you want (my bf always asks for it extra hot and "asian style", so it comes with a side salad). Also, unlike most curry houses, vegetarians won't feel like they're missing out because there's a whole dedicated veggie menu which is imaginative + tasty. I always ask the chef to make paneer tikka, as it's not on the menu in this Akbars, and they always oblige. For two starters, mains, rice, naan and drinks the bill tends to come in at a very reasonable £32, so it's great food for a bargain. PROS: Excellent veggie choice Don't have to book Awesome value for money Best curry I've had (and I've had a lot) CONS: Crowded On the one occasion I had cause to complain (Bradford, not Eastgate), the manager was unbelievably rude and aggresive - stick to Eastgate! read more

Never fails to deliver really good tasting food! The food is reasonably priced and the waiters are always willing to recommend new dishes. The atmosphere is okay, but the alcohol is dear! The only thing that i don't get about this place is the Egyptian décor in a Pakistani/Kashmiri restaurant? read more

The 4 Amigo's trotted along here for a special meal last Night, highly special due to the ill health of one of our group...... We realised we hadn't been for around 2 years, where has the time gone we asked. We were once frequent visitors. On arrival, the place was really busy, we hadn't booked but were seated very quickly indeed in the part that was previously Argos, down stairs. I was pleased to note that the death trap tiled floor has gone, it used to be slippy and quite greasy before. Not all good though, it has been replaced with a carpet, a very badly fitting one at that. It looked shocking as it was at least an inch short around the margins, (trust me, Mrs Laura Ashley to notice that) After sitting down, we were greeted by our friendly waiter, who was attentive and helpful. The wait for the food was longer than we would have liked as we were famished. The wait was worth it though. All of us enjoyed our food and managed to eat everything, (oh dear) Somehow we all went for baltis of one sort or another. The flavours were certainly there and the portions were quite generous all in all, The only criticism I have is that the chicken in my balti, was in really tiny little pieces. They would have been suitable for a baby tbh. This was a bit off putting, I much prefer nice big chunks of chicken to get my teeth into but hey( I was not impressed when the Waiter started clearing our table at break neck speed, this was precisely when we were all going to have a sly dip into each others dishes, but alas, the opportunity was snatched away... All in all a great night, but makes me realise I have become an established, experienced and indeed self appointed Restaurant critic in recent years and my expectations are really high these days. Not a patch on my local takeaway in Outwood( read more

I love Akbars it is simple my fave indian restaurant in the whole of Leeds. I know many people rate the place highly it just seems to get everything right. The only down side is having to que for a table as the place is so popular but they have even managed to solve this problem by expand the size of the restaurant and creating more seating our wait on saturday night was just 10 mins and they have a bar area for drinks so a short wait is not a problem and its really worth waiting for. The staff are lovely here they are always friendly and happy to help. The decoration if fab they have some lovely lighting effects which I find very relaxing. The menu has a great selection of dishes you would expect as well as of chefs special dishes and a handi dish of the prepared how it would be eaten traditional in Indian which I think is a nice touch to menu. To start with your offeres Poppadoms with a selection of dips which include mango chuckney and mint yogurt. After the poppadoms I don't need a starter so just order a main course. I usually have the Chicken Tikka Makhani one of the chefs specials it is a mild dish of chicken tikka pieces cooked in a clay oven & pot roasted in a mild spicy sauce made from tomatoes, fresh double cream all garnished with almonds & cashew nuts it is very mild and creamy which I love and I usually order a naan bread with it too. I have never sampled th dessert menu before as i've had room before. Akbars is very affordable too two of us dined with drinks for 30 pounds great speedy service without feeling rushed. We even got lolly pops when we payed the bill. I love this place it lives up to its reputation and I highly this place if your after a nice indian 10/10 read more

Akbars Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Leeds, XWY

I saw this place advertised on a roundabout. Weird, I know, but I loved their inventiveness. Then somebody told me it was the best curry they'd ever had. And that was it. I had to go. So, armed with some friends and a big appetite, I walked up the Headrow and walked through the doors, demanding the finest food in the north-east. They were fully booked. Two nights later and with some humble forward planning, I sheepishly crept in again. But this time I'd booked. This time nobody was going to stand in the way of me and my naan. And what a naan it was. We went for a family one to share, and it arrived hanging from a hook, crisp, delicious and ten foot high. My onion bhaji was amazing and my fish rogan josh to die for. Tender chunks of fish, juicy prawns and soft mussels in a wonderfully aromatic sauce. The chicken tikka masala was surprisingly spicy, but pleasantly not covered in that creamy gunk that usually accompanies it. In short, my friends, it rocks my socks. But then, I suppose everybody know this already. It's fully booked every night. read more

Amazing Indian. The best Indian in town by far. The nam comes hung up!! Get the saga loo read more

Very busy place. Service is quite slow. They try to hold you off food so you drink more. Found that food was very spicy. Korma was the blandest I have ever had. Nan was suppose to be fruit and nut. But had no nuts. Tastes nice though. Good and moist. Rice comes on small saucers which you have to use to eat your meal. They are to small to eat off and food falls off plate. Restaurant and table space was so cramped. Would have expected better food considering Leeds boasts and authentic Indian heritage. It's also quite expensive. read more

This place delivers a really great curry. The curries are a little on the spicy side for some people, but mild dishes are available. The Eastgate branch has Egyptian decor which can feel a little confused, but the staff and the service there are excellent. I'd recommend booking as the place can get pretty busy, and sometimes you do feel like you're crammed in like sardines. Be sure to order one of the Naan's that come on a massive hanger and are placed on your table. Worth it for the look on your companions face if nothing else. The Tandoori fish starter is also very good. read more

If you love Indian food then Akbars is definitely one of the higher end choices. It's prices however are still very reasonable but the food is fantastic. Very similar to Mumtaz in many respects, Akbars maintains it's traditional feel while still being distinctly 21st century. The dishes are presented very well, taste great and the garlic naans are huge - one if enough to share between three. They also sell a variety of drinks, including beers, which all accompany the food very well. Recommended eatin' if you're a fan of Indian cuisine! read more

The food's pretty good, if a little on the hot side (The word 'subtle' seems to have a wide range of meanings when it comes to Indian food). There seemed to be some confusion amongst the staff when we arrived and we were left crammed up to the side against the bar for about 5 minutes whilst they found us a table. Nothing offensive about this restaurant, but there is definitely room for improvement. The prices were very reasonable. read more

I wouldn't go back here as they got some of the basics just so wrong. I was in Leeds working and fancied a curry so thought I would try Akbars again, as it was okay last time I went a couple of years previously. I ordered a chicken madras, rice and a garlic naan. The naan was huge and hung off a metal stand and I asked if this was the only size they did as I was certain I saw a smaller one on the menu and there was no way I could eat that on my own. The answer was no. A chef came out with my madras in one hand and a small plate with rice on in the other and he asked me if I wanted a plate.... yes please I replied as I was wondering about how else I would eat. Then instead of putting the rice on the table the chef tipped the full lot onto the larger plate he had just given me. I like to put the rice on my own plate thanks. The madras wasn't great, and made me wonder if they had got 2 dishes wrong combined and was way too oily which spoilt it. The service was good which stops this being a 1 star. read more

Dont go there its horrible better getting Indian food from supermarket you no its safe to eat avoid at all cost if you want to eat there and get food poisoning then go read more

Beautiful. Always love good indian food, and there is nowhere better. Try it once and you will be hooked too!! The naan breads are fantastics, but do not order a family naan unless you are very very hungry, you have been warned. This could be the busiest restraunt I have ever been to, it always seems to be busy. This just proves how good the place is. read more

I was recently in Leeds for business and didn't fancy yet another hotel meal, so I asked at reception if they could recommend anywhere, both the staff said in unison 'Akbars' so I decided to give it a try. During a freezing Tuesday evening walk through town I passed many empty or nearly empty restaurants and wondered what sort of place I had ended up in; my views were soon to change. When I arrived at this very large and buzzing restaurant I asked for a table for one, only to be told that there would be about half an hours wait and would I like to go to the upstairs bar, at least the beer was welcome and cold. I was shown to my table after about 20 min and the size of the naan breads on the other tables was enough to think I must order one. The keema balti was good, but I was surprised by the lack of choice of vegetable side dishes compared to my local eateries in London. Also the prices had more in common with London prices than I would have thought. As the restaurant was large and full the noise would put me off going for a romantic dinner for two, but it would be ideal for a celebration with a group of friends. I would certainly return if I am in the area again. read more

I did not like the Akbar's on Greek Street. Those of you who read my review may recall my complaints, particularly regarding the way that we are sat with hardly any space between us and the table next to us like battery hens. To say I was reluctant to go to the other Akbars when the boyfriend suggested it was therefore an understatement. How thrilling surprising it turned out to be. The space is so much more friendly and more geared towards comfort rather than people-packing. One complaint is that they allow more people to wait for a table than there is strictly speaking waiting space for. We loitered on some stairs between the bar section and the restaurant. We didn't have to wait so long as we thought though and it was well worth it. I think I had the same starter as I did at the other Akbars, though I could be completing making that up as it was a long time ago. At any rate, it was a much more managable portion and I really enjoyed it. For mains, I had a chicken garlic balti. I was very brave; it had a one chilli rating and I tend to stick to dishes with zero chillis. It was delicious though. On our table it was possible to fit all the dishes comfortably, again unlike Greek Street. I will be returning here, and may I also say it was most pleasing to find a curry place I really liked in Leeds. I have lived in Leeds for nearly nine years and expected to come across one before now, still better late than never! read more

Excellent food and service as usuall, can't understand why it says 1st check in here but none the less, chicken and mushroom balti was delicious and the family garlic nans again are superb, I've since joined a gym but can't blame this on Achbars, try and get here early as you can be waiting quite a while and the bar area is boiling. read more

The entire menu is excellent. If you don't know the place (which means you're not from the UK), try their lassi, their chapatti, their tikka masala, korma and naan bread. The only con with this restaurant is its popularity. As a result, it's busy and noisy. Still, it's worth to try it. Actually, on the 25 and more restaurants I tried in Leeds, it's the only restaurant I'd recommend. srlsy. read more

Been here 2 days... Haleem and Butter Chicken are the best dishes here...

Brilliant food, the naans are incredible. Always worth a visit. Can get very busy, and noisy, but the service has always been a good standard and the food is good quality with plenty of variety in the menu. read more

Tasty curry a given, but it gets busy and portions seem to be getting smaller & smaller,

Akbars is my favourite place for a fairly priced curry. It's a bit noisy inside and you tend to feel rather rushed as there are often large parties on, so we generally just get a collection order. It's never more than £25 and there's always loads left over. Love their potato, spinach and mushroom balti. Plus the samosas are delish. read more

I'm not a fan of the new look curry houses and this is definetely one of them. They seem to think curry = nightclub with the strange decor and the music if way too loud for such a small place. The tables are way too close together so you end up sat elbow to elbow with your neighbours so you don't get any privacy/intimacy here. Curries should be served in surroundings of gold elephants, flock wallpaper and dodgy red carpets in my opinion. read more

I love to come here with a big group of friends so we can all order a curry and share a massive 'family nan' at only £3.95, there's certainly plenty to go round. If you cannot eat it all, you can take it away in a doggy bag. And for them special moments they have a polaroid photo service for £2.50 a pop. read more

Akbars Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Leeds, XWY

Love this Indian restaurant! It's located at the bottom of leeds city centre near the bus station and is one of leeds best restaurants in my opinion. It is very popular so you might need to book. If they don't have any tables there is a bar at the top where you can wait. They have quite reasonable prices and a large selection on the menu. All the dishes i've had there have been very tasty. The staff are very friendly. The trade mark naan breads are fantastic. They come on a big skewer and everyone just tears bits off. the family naan is huge. Highly recommended. read more

Good indian restaurant, always busy even mid-week. They cope well with groups, & have family sized naans which hang at the end of your table which are fab! read more

The curry here is fantastic, if you like it spicy (which I do). Reasonable prices. Could use a broader beer selection. My main staple is chicken tikka masala and it is always excellent. The Naan bread is also a must-try, as is the special rice. read more

I went here a couple of times, my first time I had lamb chops for appetizers and a couple of curries for the main! It's definitely really good, upscale food! The lamb chops are unbeatable! In fact, the second time I went they became a main! I had some cheesy chicken too, it was grilled in a nice pan, hot and fresh, didn't taste as good as I hoped! Their customer service is amazing, only if there is a problem. Sitting area is lovely! It can get very crowded, even on weekdays, so choose your timings wisely! Bottom line: Must try the lamb chops! read more

The lamb chops are just magical! Everything else is very very average. I'd go to Agraa instead for more flavour and a much nicer ambiance.

In my top 3 of favourite curry houses ever. Visited loads and can highly recommend. Quirky with the MASSIVE nan breads you get on huge sticks to share, recommend the chefs specialities. Nice bar upstairs if having to wait but recommend to book in advance, very popular, good food at very good prices. read more

A couple of years ago, I would have given this place 5 stars easily. However, the last time I went the food was EXTREMELY salty which meant it was pretty much inedible. The time before that we had to wait almost an hour in the cramped upstairs bar. Good vegetarian options though. read more

Been To this restaurant a handful of times over the years was good when first opened last time i went in early sat evening had atmosphere of busy Macdonalds food was poor service terrible two stars given for early previous efforts read more

Excellent food and service. Parking is a problem when it is busy as it it i surrounded by eateries and bars. Food portions are sometimes decent but sometimes very small -a bit hit and miss at time, although the food quality is alwys good. Very child friendly. read more

No doubt..this is one of my best indian restaurants in Leeds..infact this is the only Indian restaurant i'd prefer any time..very nice atmosphere..perfect for b'day parties or friends get together..the food is amazing and the service is absolutely incrediblethe prices of the food is not expensive and they have a bar on the first floor..u get the Cobra beer which is my favourite with any indian curryi have celebrated my 2 birthdays at akbars with my frens and colleagues..they have a special b'day with a surprise..jus love it read more