The manager was extremely rude. I got confused between the name of the dishes n tried to clarify it when the wrong order arrived. The manager was so rude and loud that everybody in the restaurant was staring at us. He later on then gave the corrected dish but the damage was already done. On top of that, he greeted everybody while leaving the restaurant, but didn't even look at us when we were leaving. The managers behaviour felt extremely racist. Would never visit this establishment ever again. Heartbreaking to see this kind of discrimination. read more

We where a group of friends visiting this place for the first time. The restaurant looks really really small and when we entered the others in our group said " are you serious u booked here" Then the smells of the glorious food took over our mind. We booked for 5.15. Which we got seated straight away. Drinks where on table with spiced onions abs popadoms on table within 5 mins. Starters served pretty much instantly and all scalding hot. Tasty and fresh food. Very quick service and always wait staff available for another drink or for anything else. I would highly recommend for any occasion. The food is quality and tasty. Never had an Indian as good as this one. Friendly staff. Portions are great and the food is fresh. Doesn't taste like the reheated slop we have had at other restaurants. Deffo recommend a meal at Charcoal! read more

These guys donate dozens of trays of food to the local homeless shelter, funded by the tips they receive. Thanks for supporting your local community! read more

I had never been here before till Tuesday night when the chance came I wasn't going to say no, I arrived at 7pm to meet up with the group as a table of 14 was booked. When I got to the restaurant the server at the door informed me that there was no table of 14 booked and he never heard of the name before, so off l went across the road to a bar and checked my details to find that l had the right place and the right time all along it was the server who did not have a clue. On entering the restaurant l ordered a main course so not to delay the other guests. The table had been set as if they had 30 seconds notice, I did spot tea lights on some of the tables but they where not lit, the dining room felt a little characterless, with the staff tended to shout out the food orders than remember who they took the order from. The food was really god and would happily rate it 5 stars. The service could have been better with the communication very poor Hence a generous 3 stars. read more

Charcoals - I don't know what this was all about, looks as it has been left there and forgotten - Indian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

Booking here was a little bit of a faff as the original person who answered the phone didn't seem to want to take responsibility for taking a booking for 14 people. I eventually got passed onto someone who could, and that was all sorted. It's a small restaurant, smaller than I realised but Martin R filled me in on the history that it used to be predominantly a takeaway, which makes sense. They have also opened on Trongate now which I'm yet to visit but assume/hope this would be a bigger space. We had a strange table set up in an L-shape but it seemed to work ok unless you wanted to get in/out of the bench seating! The menu was good, lots of dishes and some interesting ones I'd never heard of. I went for veggie pakora and chicken tikka jhatpat (chicken, green herbs and cheese). The pakora was lovely, a big portion of 4 large pieces which were really tasty. I also got to sample the fish pakora (thanks Martin!) which I really liked, the batter had a real spice hit to it. My only pakora criticism was that it was served with the red, spicy sauce rather than the pink, mild sauce. So I made my own concoction from raita and the red sauce. I liked my main but I really struggled to eat much of it, I was pretty full from just the pakora! It was really tasty chicken and unusual with the cheese but in a good way. I had asked for it mild and it seemed pretty hot to me but maybe my tastebuds were being overly sensitive. The naan with it was also pleasant although nothing to rave about. Our lovely Edinburgh guests (Caz & Dave) were having mango lassis so I thought I'd get one as well. Being lactose intolerant I tried to explain that I only wanted it with full fat yoghurt and milk but I'm not sure that was passed on as it really didn't agree with me. That being said the taste was lovely. I also forgot to request my food gluten free (I'm probably the worst person at dining out with intolerances) so I'm sure that didn't help. Service was fine. I didn't think it was overly friendly or helpful and often people seemed to need to shout to get the waiter to stop to take a drinks order. All up it was a great meal with a bunch of lovely Yelpers and I would definitely pop back in for a meal (and remember the GF request!). read more

Charcoals - Antics! - Indian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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Thanks to yelp for our dinner suggestion to check out an Indian place in Scotland. Who would have thought instead of trying haggis instead that we would choose an Indian restaurant being it our first time visiting Scotland? We were seated immediately around 630pm on a Saturday night. It got more crowded as the time passed. I would rate the service as 3 stars. I had a water bottle on the table that I've been carrying to drink from touring the city all day and one of the servers told me to put it away and not on the table. What's up with that? I'd understand if I brought another restaurants take out drink into the restaurant but a water bottle? Anyways we ordered garlic naan (super greasy!) which was served fresh and hot. The sauce that came with the naan was a tad sweet. We also got the chicken tikka masala which is their most popular dish and chicken biryani. The chicken pieces in the biryani was dry so I had to compensate by adding more curry from the masala onto it. We ordered both dishes in medium spicy which was the perfect amount our taste buds could handle. Everything was very flavorful and it was overall a great meal and hit our Indian cravings.Our waiter didn't really check up on us often and kept wanting to take away my plate when I wasn't finished. Don't be fooled, it may look like there's no bathroom when you go to the back but it's kind if hidden by the wall that makes an illusion that there is just a wall depending on what angle you're coming from. The bathroom also leads you downstairs so it's quite an adventure, it may feel scary sounds good first but you'll end up at the women to men's stall all the way at the bottom. read more

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So this was the fourth time I've eaten here, and only now am I reviewing it... better late than never though? Chacoals has transformed itself from a takeaway with a couple of tables at the rear to proper small restaurant. Despite it's takeaway appearance from outside, the decor inside is warm and welcoming. The restaurant is split between the front and back, with the waiter's station and drinks serving area in between. As a result, it can feel like the waiters are perched, watching over your every move! This visit was with a bunch of fellow pakora-obsessed Yelpers as we strive to uncover Glasgow's tastiest indian fried snack. Despite a large group of 14, and several other tables occupied with diners, service was efficient and the food was out quickly. My spiced fish pakora was excellent. Five long pieces of delicate but meaty white fish encased in a very light spiced batter. Served with a red spicy sauce the large portion size easily justified the £5 price. The chicken tikka marinated in green spices was flavoursome and generous, served with a small portion of raita. A bit of a protein overload, so maybe accompany it with samosa or bread? I tried a piece of Briony's veg pakora which was very crispy - but didn't regret my own menu choice. On this occasion I didn't have a main course curry. On previous visits I have and found them delicious. A great thing with Charcoals is they ask how hot you want your curry, so you can order anything on the menu, to your own taste. Not the cheapest restaurant by any means, but they do offer a sub-£10 pre theatre deal with starter, main and bread/rice, but only up to 6PM. Looking forward to trying their new venture on the Trongate. read more

Charcoals - Spiced fish pakora - Indian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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Good old Charcoals, always comes in handy for a wee snack after a night out. I'm not so much a party animal and prefer to sit in with a cup of tea these days but during my rebellious final years at school I remember dancing it up at Cube and then heading straight to Charcoals for some chips and kebab sauce before getting the 66 night bus home, nice... I've never actually been here sober, but it's pretty popular so I'm sure the food tastes even better not under the influence. The little restaurant looks very modern and the staff here are nice and friendly. read more

Charcoals - http://www.charcoals.co.uk/ - Indian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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Delicious and fresh! I read that if you're in the UK, the best two cities for Indian food are Glasgow and London. So I had high expectations and Charcoals didn't disappoint. Not only was the food outstanding, but the staff was super friendly. Definitely recommend! read more

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I must confess to only having sampled a few late-night shish kebabs from the takeaway here, but can give it the highest seal of approval. I was big, the salad was fresh, they didn't drown it in sauce, and had a wondeful barbequed, or even charcoaled, taste. These people don't do false advertising. Though it's a kebab I went for on my visits here, the place is actually a proper Indian restaurant with a good reputation. I may only have limited experience of the menu but from what I've tried the quality is excellent, and it comes highly recommended. read more

Charcoals - from official website - Indian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

I had never eaten Indian food before... was visiting from USA and this restaurant came highly recommended . It was wonderful. Wait staff was helpful.. kind and professional. Establishment was clean. Food was amazing and reasonable... table ordered many options from the menu..and all were delicious. My first experience was a good one! Would definitely recommend this establishment read more

I would've probably given Charcoals a 5* stars but the service was a bit strange/rude. Not as friendly and welcoming as I'd hoped for. The Host asked if we had a reservation (at roughly noon) I told him no, and asked "do we need reservations?" he looked at me and said "yes" and then proceeded to turn around and head in the other direction. So we began to make our way out of the restaurant. But then he silently grabbed menus and waited by a table. Luckily we had looked back to see this otherwise we probably would've walked out. And upon further inspection-there were only 2 table currently taken. Just not at all a friendly host. Another couple comes in and he doesn't ask if they have reservations--instead he just seats them. Seriously!? The food however was fantastic. The Tikka Masala was the best I've ever had. FULL of flavor. The Garlic Na'an was very good but I have had better. There was no visible garlic, which makes me think they used a powder or there just wasn't enough. I'd definitely try other indian restraurants in the same area. There are a lot with great ratings on Yelp. Was not a fan of the cruddy service--which can really affect a meal. Luckily we had limited interaction with him after that. read more

Charcoals - Tikka Masala, Basmati rice, and Garlic Na'an. it was amazing! - Indian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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I don't eat Indian food very often but in the city center in Glasgow there are so many options, we gave it a try and glad I did. I had the two course lunch for 7 pounds that included pakoola, butter chicken, and awesome naan. The butter chicken was very good with a smooth and yes, buttery tomato taste. It may be too much butter if you're watching your weight and fat intake but for everyone else, YOLO! Give it a try. The service was outstanding. We sat by the window so the people watching was fun as well! read more

Charcoals - Fresh naan out of the oven! - Indian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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Charcoals is an excellent sit-in and take-away Indian restaurant in the city centre. Nothing out of the ordinary on the menu, but boy is it delicious. I'm a korma junkie and it's a top contender, up against my life-time favourite: my local take-away in the east end. That, my friends, is some tough competition! Their chicken burryani is also one of the tastiest I've ever experienced. No soggy, re-heated leftovers here, everything is as fresh and tasty as you can possibly imagine. I'm not the only one who thinks so, since opening in 2004 they've collected a number of awards from The List and others. The restaurant itself is fairly small, but they make good use of the space. No overwhelmingly loud music and some cool Indian bric-a-brac. No gimmicks, just a taste of the culture and some great food. They also serve some European dishes for the less adventurous, and several vegetarian options. Beer is served on tap or bottled. read more

So I wanted some Indian foods at 11:00 at night because someone told me that curry is the unofficial national dish of the UK. (I took a nap because I was jet lagged and woke-up at 11:00!) Well I was wondering the city center and bumped into this restaurant. One thing I my tell you was the service was excellent. From start to finish. The person that served me was Ali and he was attentive and provided good conversations. But the star of the show was the food. Ali told me everything was freshly made and I can taste it. I also wanted a dish changed to my liking and he had no problem adjusting the ingredients to fit my taste buds. I would even say the food is as good as in India! read more

Pakora Passport night out & my first visit to Charcoals. Great to meet new Yelpers there like myself, getting into the Pakora spirit (or spice more appropriately!) :-D Didn't have to wait anywhere near as long as our previous outing experience. Opted for Vegetable Pakora, Chicken Pakora & Veg Samosa. Veg pakora was lovely, crispy and rustic. One of my chicken pakoras was really chewy, but then the others were fine. Can only put that down to pushing out a table of 14-16 peoples starters out at once. Great flavours. Veg Samosa was just 'okay' - yet to be bowled over by any places samosa to date. Went for a main course for a change of tikka masala and roti. Tikka masala was absolutely devine.. no questions about it. Only criticism, stop cutting up my roti! lol. It's meant to be whole or folded up, not cut into triangles :-D Would I come back here to try out more of their dishes? Absolutely. It might not look the most inviting given location, but it is indeed one of the Indian restaurants in Glasgow you have to put on your list to eat at. You Gotta Eat Here - For Sure!! :-D read more

So I had time to kill before a work thang and really fancied a curry (maybe a tad hungover!). So armed with the trusty Yelp app, I stumbled into this place and took advantage of the three course dealio they had on for a shade under a tenner. Without really meaning to do so, I managed to order chicken for both courses, which turned out to be not to bad as the pakora was flavoursome, even if the sauce lacked any punch, and the main Saag was very well cooked. In all the grub was decent without really making my mouth dance a dance of joy in any way. Service was fast to begin with, but slowed a little as the place filled up. I think there was supposed to be an extra waiter on as someone arrived just as I was about to leave and looked a little sheepish (slept in?). Decor wise, it's really not that appealing and feels like they're trying to do something with a space that really does not allow them to do it properly. In all, decent grub, friendly service, but not somewhere I'd bring folks to or suggest hitting unless you want something quick, cheap (ish) and nearby. read more

I ordered the Korma, which is great for those that aren't good with spicy food and don't want to risk ordering something that is too spicy. Really yummy with boiled rice. My boyfriend and I also ordered the pakoras, garlic naan, paneer tikka, mango lassis, and he ordered a separate curry for himself. Everything was really yummy, and we had enough to take some home. The servers were very nice as well. read more

I read the front page reviews and decided to give it a try. I went with my family (four people in all) for a relaxing night out and thought this would be a good place to have to get some nice food. I am not sure if the people who rated this highly have ever had good Indian food, but this restaurant is not the place to go to if you are interested in good food. Let me recap what happened. When we sat down, we didn't get water until after we had received our appetizers. And even then we had to remind them twice to get us some water. We started out with ordering 2 lassis, both of which were watered down milk and tiny portions of yogurt. When we left it standing for even thirty seconds, we could see the water collecting at the bottom. It barely qualified as sweet.... Next we wanted to order some appetizers, so we decided on chilli paneer and a sheekh kabaab. The kabaab was passable; even though the kabba itself didnt have any taste the chutney together with the kabaab was ok. But the paneer had almost zero masala while the chili was non existent. We could barely get any taste from this dish. But the kicker was the main course. We had previously also decided on ordering an aloo tikki and a samosa. But even after ordering all this, the waiter/manager said that we had to order at least 4 main course dishes, stating that it was a "company policy" and he couldn't do anything about it. This is ridiculous and absolutely atrocious. How can such a horrible rule be enforced for this business model? This removes the whole need for appetizers/starters/deserts. How greedy is the restaurant owner that he feels the need to enforce everyone to order and not share food?? What's the use of having all these awards if your whole customer service is pathetic. Overall: Customer service - 0/5 Food taste - 1/5 Food authenticity - 1/5 Food freshness - 2/5 Ambiance - 1/5 Would not recommend ever. read more

We are staying near Central Station and our hotel recommended Charcoals. We are vegetarian and there were lots of options including some of our favorite dishes on the menu. In the "Vegetable" section, you can choose either main course or side dish sizes of any of the dishes, which allowed us to try more things. We had Dal Makani, Saag Paneer, Chana Masala and Mushroom Baji. They were all about medium spicy which I thought was perfect. But this was a bit much for my wife so we got a second Saag Paneer done mild, which was perfect for her and still very flavorful. We thought the food was very flavorful and fresh tasting. It was not oily. The service was very good and they are very accommodating. We spoke with a neighboring diner who said they had prepared vegan dishes for his daughter. I can highly recommend. read more

I returned to Charcoals for an early dinner this week with my boyfriend on Wednesday. We had booked a table for 5.30.This was my 3rd visit to Charcoals. I was here previously on a pakora sampling trip. The last time I was here, I discovered Charcoals do a pre-theatre menu (from 2-6pm) for £9.95 and i was keen to try it. When we entered we were warmly greeted and seated in a bright window seat. On offer as well as the pre-theatre menu, there was a huge selection of dishes to choose from their a la carte menu. The pre-theatre you get a choice of starters,mains and a choice of either nan or rice. J decided to choose the pre-theatre menu and I on the other hand decided to take from the a la carte, so we could "mix and match" ( I also secretly had my eye on the mango chicken tikka) Starters as always first..J choose the chicken poori and I choose the veg pakora. While we were waiting we were offered poppadoms which came with a selection of dips and spiced onions, which we quickly polished off ! Pakora arrived and also poori both of which were very tasty. For mains J chose chicken balti which was well balanced spice wise it had a good "kick" to it ! I chose the mango chicken tikka..surprisingly (or not).. which came beautifully presented on sizzling hot griddle with onions and a slice of lemon and with a bowl of it's own sauce. We were warned that the dish would take about 20mins to prepare. The chicken was out of this world !! Spiced mild to medium..tangy slightly sweet and very very succulent indeed .Not the slightest bit dry as is sometimes often the case.. totally delicious !! We had a nan and rice as accompaniments. Nan was cut up into pieces ( my only complaint) I prefer to rip it apart as I do like a bit of drama with my meal ! We didn't get a chance to sample desserts as we were totally and utterly stuffed, but there was a good selection of western dishes and also kulfi's. One last note..I couldn't believe how quickly this restaurant filled up while we were there - always a good sign .Staff were extremely polite and attentive. I will definitely be back for visit no 4...5..! read more

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Hit this place on a Friday evening at 19:00, early I think. They asked if we had a booking, we did not but saw several empty tables. We were told no room. So we left in search of another restaurant. We were half a block away when I heard a voice calling "Miss." Our orders were samosas, onion bahjis for starters - both good. He had chicken biryani and me saag paneer. Both, again, were good. Naan was a huge portion. Actually all portions were a good size. All of this including beverages for 40 pounds. Our server was pleasant and fast. As Indian restaurants go, this one is good and we were out well under an hour and very full. We'd prolly go again but still without a booking! ;) Atmosphere is small and cramped, but aren't they all read more

Really Nice Indian restaurant we have stumbled upon by accident. The curries are very authentic and spicy (I have had curries all over Asia). The atmosphere is very cosy. We had the lamb curry and the chicken tikka masala, garlic naan and the chilli cheese naan. Nothing to complain about the food. The service is fast and very friendly. Only downside is that our table was near the entrance to the toilets and I don't like that. But other than that I really recommend this place! read more

Charcoals - Lovely Indian meal in the center of Glasgow - Indian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

Wow! Come here if you love Naan. Really spectacular I'd say. Almost like a buttermilk biscuit if I dare! The chefs specials are quite excellent as well. They have a take away window that lets you see some of their street level food first. It's a treat! read more

We stumbled upon Charcoals while walking through Glasgow. It was a Friday night and very busy. They asked if we had reservations and we did not. They said they had a table for us if we could be out of there within an hour. That was perfect as we were on our way to a concert. The selection was very good. The waiter brought by a chick pea chutney (I think it was Chana Chaat). He said it was compliments of the chef. It was served with a crispy bread and delicious. Between the two of us we ordered Chicken Tikka Masala and Jaipuri. We also ordered some Chilli Cheese Naan. All of the food was great and I would say it is comparable to other good Indian food. read more

Smallish restaurant, but cosy. Service was very good. Food even better. Might have over ordered. They even allowed a table to stay over an hour without ordering, had to turn people away, very rude customers. Unless there is something wrong with you this will be a good choice for dinner. read more

Charcoals - Indian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

My experience about Charcoals was good. Tikka Masala and Pakora was upto my expectations and really good. Only seating arrangement is not very good specially if you are going in a group. Lighting was just Ok, Chairs were OK. Service was average but food is really good. I am also giving marks to their good location... I can recommend others to come and enjoy. read more

I know, I know, this is not my first review of Charcoals, but it simply deserves recognition for maintaining consistently excellent standards. The staff could not be friendlier or more professional, the food is delicious, and the fact that you often receive a complimentary dish is no less delightful for its regularity. Good food, good prices, and great for the gluten intolerant. Make sure you book at peak times, as it is rarely not busy. read more

just had an amazing meal here, the staff are polite and pleasant. Last time the freeby was vodka shots, this time extra chicken nice!

I visited today with my family but I was extremely disappointed when I was told they do not have highchairs for babies. My excited eight month old basically had no place to sit so I had to hold him which totally ruined my meal which could have been a good one because the taste of the food was really good. It's the first place I've been to eat without this facility which was ridiculous. read more

One of the most ridiculous places I have been...rather would have preferred never been there... Firstly when asked if any tables are available and were told that no reservations can be made today as it is full booked for the night... Leaving the restaurant dejected, we decided to give it a try by calling and booking and immediately were told that we can come and a table will be reserved for 5 people in 30 minutes... :-o Shocking..... Then after going inside firstly the waiters were not helpful at all..... Then we were told that according to the management policy each person has to order separate Curries....!!!!:@ One of the first and ridiculous decisions I have heard in ages..... Problem is not about ordering separate curries but the wastage we will be having as it's not possible to finish the whole curry..... We just decided to Leave and the staff were not even decent enough to apologise for the same and the manager was no where to be seen....:@ Definitely will avoid it even if it's the last place indian place in Scotland.... :| read more

This is the second time that I've visited Charcoals and it really is one of the best Indians I've ever been to. Firstly make sure you book if you don't want to be disappointed, we went on a Thursday night, and although the majority of walk in's were being seated, on more than one occasion people had to wait. We started with a plate of poppadoms with mango chutney, lime pickle, spiced onions and raita about half way through they brought the first of two freebies for the night, what can only be described as a burnt poppadom with a chick pea and tomato chutney. I'll tell you something. I'll be asking for burnt poppadoms again, it was like eating popcorn without all the kernels getting caught in your teeth. I had salmon tikka to start (I am massive of fan of fish/seafood and Indian spicing) it was just as you imagined a tikka to be blackened by charcoal with a fiery kick but the sweet salmon flavour still shining through enhanced by a squeeze of lemon. As we ate our starters freebie number two appeared, there is no instruction as to what it is, you just eat it and so after a bit of deliberation amongst the 3 of us we decided that it was a form of chicken chaat wing although a fair bit spicier than I usually would expect. For main I had a Chicken (annoying forgot to ask for it tikka style) Patia, a zingier version of it's Chinese sweet and sour cousin without the spice of some of my traditional Indian favourites. The portions are huge and so my love for a peshwari nan, sweet with coconut, was plenty without the addition of rice. Bottles of Cobra come in 660ml bottles which are plenty for the time it takes you to finish your meal and avoids that awkward, should I have another pint debate. The service is tremendous. Quick without being pushy and friendly without being overbearing. It may look the secret back room of a strippers from the outside but look past that and you're in for a taste sensation. Will definitely be back...again! read more

A fine Indian and good food. The menu's were a bit grubby with finger prints and dried food, could have done with a wipe down. Very friendly waiting staff. read more

This restaurant is amazing Very good I recommend this restaurant... the protion are more than adequate... and the safe is amazing the price are fair.... read more

Popular for a reason - good food, great prices, wonderful service. Add it to your list of restaurants to visit.

Went here as part of a big group. Service was very quick. I ordered two starters, the chicken pakora and the meat samosa. Both were delicious and very filling. Very good value for money and will definitely go back read more

Went to Charcoals on a whim the Sunday after a friends wedding. The service was some of the best I have ever seen, not to mention the fantastic food. They treated our group like royalty, pulling out all the stops for the new bride and groom. Despite the fact that it was the day after the wedding and we were a bit toasted after a day of celebrating. Beyond the service, food was excellent- well spiced, well cooked and totally authentic. Best surprise in Glasgow. read more

Service here was wonderful! They kept bringing us tapas while we waited for our food, we couldnt even finish all the wonderful food we ordered. We can see why they won so many awards for their food. I would have given them 5 stars but, the place is need of a refurbishing its not fancy. But, they have nice linen napkins and silverwear, which I enjoy when going to a sit down restaurant, those little things do matter. They are also reasonably priced and provide nice size portions. We would recommend. read more

Went to this restaurant not too long ago and it was fantastic! This restaurant met and exceeded all of our expectations of what we would have expected from Indian food from the United Kingdom. Staff was wonderful and service great, and prices were very fair. Don't miss out on this gem, or you'll regret it! read more

Best Indian food again!!! Pure north indian type of food!!!Suggest you to make reservations during weekends!!!