I found this place by looking for Indian restaurants with plenty of vegan options. Indeed, their menu makes it pretty clear what is or can be vegan. We arrived around 6pm on a Thursday for dinner, and the place was dead. The interior is fancifully set up, and service is very friendly and professional. We ordered: -Vegan tofu curry (£12.50). This was a creamy, mustardy curry, with chunks of firm tofu (seemingly to resemble paneer), drizzled with coconut milk. Rich, creamy, tangy and balanced. Really nicely done. 4.5/5 -Tawa sabzi (£10). This was a drier dish coated with a mustardy curry paste, with cauliflower, potatoes, green beans and peas. The curry has a bit of a sour tang to it but was well-done. 4/5 -Methi aloo gobi (£10). This was also a drier dish, with a fenugreek-driven curry paste coating the cauliflower and potatoes. It was quite similar to the Tawa sabzi, with that sour tang to it. Also well-done but it was too similar to the aforementioned dish. 4/5 We asked for a spiciness level "just above" what they would ordinarily make, and man was it spicy -- not too much for us but bordering that. Overall, tasty food, great service and a pleasant environment. Recommended. read more

See all

I wish to caution somebody willing to book in an event with Itihaas, Birmingham. I had a terrible experience in trying to recover a deposit refund during COVID and eventually ended in losing £ 3,000 in the process. I had booked a Wedding Event for 300 guests to be held in August 2020. We paid £6000 as a deposit for the catering and venue. It was paid by 2 credit cards @3000 each by me and the bride's mother. Unfortunately, the event had to be cancelled with mutual consent due to COVID regulations. As per the prevailing government regulations we were entitled to a full refund barring some expenses incurred by the merchant in the process. We were given a list of expenses incurred amounting to £1494 which were highly manipulated and unreal. We were charged £ 200 for a food tasting event which never happened and charged for the time spend in e-mails, telephone conversation and venue viewing. These, we believed were a part of overhead expenses and were not permissible as expenses incurred by the merchant. We did not receive any services and were entitled to full refund. We still offered a liberal £ 500 to close the dispute but was declined . We were offered a truncated refund of £ 4506 out of £ 6000 as an unconditional offer in April 2020. We had no other option to seek justice and to apply for a charge back from our credit card providers. The process of chargeback was prolonged due to COVID shutdown, and we eventually recovered £ 3000 from one of the credit card providers. Unfortunately, the other credit card providers could not recover our deposit due to delayed and poor representation. We were already frustrated by the ongoing saga and eventually asked Itihaas to honour the initial unconditional offer and pay us the balance of £ 1506 . To our surprise the management refused to pay the balance on the grounds that we used a charge back to seek justice and recover our dues. The management decided to pocket a sum of £ 1506 which was initially offered in the conflict unconditionally. This was extremely appalling, and we felt cheated by the Itihaas management. I will strongly recommend anybody willing to book an event to think twice. You are in for an ordeal and could end up in losing a lot of money. read more

I'm with Erica G. on this one... Definitely not your average curryhouse. I was meeting a friend for dinner and arrived a little early. After a friendly greeting, I was seated in the bar area and offered a drink whilst I waited. The bar area is very well stocked with a leaning towards the more expensive end of the spectrum. I spotted a lot of different wines (and champagne), whisky and good quality spirits whilst I was sitting and taking in the ambiance. Once my dining partners had arrived, we were moved to our table in the main restaurant. This is a fine dining venue without the snobby attitude. The furniture and interior are well planned out and create a plush dining experience but it has a warm and welcoming atmosphere (with other diners chatting and hustle and bustle in the background). After we had, had a couple of minutes to peruse the menu a member of wait staff came to enquire if we were ready to order. As with all the best dining experiences, we had been chatting so much we had barely had a chance to look at the menu. This wasn't a problem though and we were given as much time as we needed to look through and decide our choices. We began the meal with some Poppadoms and dip whilst we awaited our starters. The onion dip was truly sensational and had a lovely traditional taste as well as a hint of tandoori in the mix. The Poppadoms were light (and not greasy at all) making them the perfect way to start our meal. For our first course we opted for some lightly battered and fried fish, spicy prawns, spicy chicken and goats cheese and salmon samosas. Like an Indian style tapas, we all sampled and shared to taste all of the dishes available. Everything was delicious, but I was particularly blown away by the samosas as they were so different to anything I had tried before. Light and fluffy fish with a hint of goats cheese, served in a crisp and very delicate wrapping. Fantastic. After the starters were finished, we were all too full for mains! After a brief discussion it was decided we would go straight to dessert. One look at the menu and I was in love. "Naan bread and butter pudding" was my choice, but between us we ordered the spicy carrot cake with pistachio kulfi and the chocolate samosas to share and sample. Again, everything was delicious. I was dubious as to whether Naan might be too heavy for a bread and butter pudding, but the light taste of raison and the rich creamy texture really leant themselves to this dish. I have to say, my first visit to this venue was superb. I haven't gone directly for the 5 stars as I haven't had a chance to sample the mains as yet (so can't comment on the full dining experience), but will be back as soon as the fates allow to give it all a proper try. read more

See all

Popped down to Itihaas for lunch. Decor was done nicely mostly black but very spacious. I was given a lunch time menu, which consisted of two choice. A meat variation and vegetarian dish. I opted for the meat dish, which surprisingly was a large steel dish and small selections of Indian curries. I was given a large naan bread, and a small selection of white rice. The selection of curries were a mild almost tandoori like curry, creamy with tomatoes which did lack some spice. A darker lamb curry which the sauce was very similar to a rogan josh which was slightly richer and had more depth of spices. A spicy, salty yoghurt which went hand in hand with the curry's. And lastly a 'daal' which was a lentil vegetarian dish. The large dish lastly and a rice pudding pot which was a nice sweet finish to the flavoursome curries! Great Lunch, don't be scared to add a little SPICE!! read more

Itihaas - Indian Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

This was possibly the weirdest Indian meal I've ever been for, only based on the food. We were a large group without a booking and they were great at accommodating us, getting us seated quickly and the staff were super helpful. Then again this is quite a large restaurant anyway. The restaurant itself is really great looking to the point where you wonder if it's style over substance and you're going to have to pay over the odds for it. Price wise though it's quite reasonable As a large group we were happily sharing and passing dishes round, the staff were great in helping people make their choices based on they types of spiciness and other foods they liked. So far it seems like it was a pretty good night but then the food was weird. Some dishes tasted and appeared more like Chinese food and my paneer sauce tasted like tinned ravioli. As I'd had a few drinks I debated this with the staff resulting in much furore and them insisting on bringing out more food, but not in a complimentary, sorry you're not happy way. Hopefully you might have better luck than me. read more

Itihaas - Indian Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

This restaurant is situated near the canals within the city centre, though not within the main region of the city centre. As you enter, you may find yourself enticed simply by its traditional, yet somewhat modern south asian decor. The waiting staff are dressed in a uniform of a elegant black saree, adding to the atmosphere. The food is fantastic and is presented decoratively. However, it's not the cheapest in town! Great place for a special night out with that special someone. read more

Itihaas - Indian Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

See all

Restaurant Review Itihaas Birmingham We were lucky enough of be invited to the Itihaas Food Bloggers event hosted by our friends at East Village PR on Tuesday. Having managed to grab a quick chat with Executive Chef Raj over some delectable canapés, I knew we were in for a treat. Whilst being shown round the Colonial Private Dining Room (Pictured) Chef Raj explained how the Menu at Itihaas has taken a natural evolution since their launch some 12 years ago. Raj is dedicated to producing authentic Indian cuisine with subtle modern influences. Following canapés, we were seated in the Maharaja Suite downstairs at this stunning venue (also available for Private Hire) and swiftly introduced to the main events. Highlights included Lobster Panchporan, whole Lobster simmered with five spices in a creamed mustard paste. I was extremely impressed with the balanced flavours of this dish and the prepped Lobster was cooked to perfection. The Salmon Grilled in Banana Leaves was again delicious with sweet and lasting notes. Butter Chicken on the Bone was a personal favourite albeit slightly overcooked, the smoked tomato sauce was soul warming. To finish, a selection of sweets including Apple and Cinnamon Samosa which was a personal favourite. The delicate pastry almost strudel-esk! In the company of some of Birmingham's finest Food and Drink enthusiasts it was fair to say Raj and the Itihaas team did a splendid job in showcasing. We will follow the Itihaas evolution with great interest and simply cannot wait to return. Follow on Twitter @Itihaasindian Highly recommended #HootHint #Birmingham #IndianCuisine #BrumBloggers read more

See all

Beautiful place, excellent food, and such friendly staff! Worth a visit! I'd definitely be a regular here if I lived in this city.

This review comes with a story. My parents are both disabled. They cannot walk and use mobility scooters. I was on my way with them toward another restaurant (my baby in a buggy in tow) and my father's scooter broke down across the street from this location. We were cold and tired, and I walked in and asked if it was possible for them to accommodate us. Not only did they work out the reservations and shift things about, they gave us incredible hospitality and made us feel exceptionally welcome instead of an inconvenience. We had an amazing meal, and the staff was unbelievably helpful, allowing us to park the broken scooter in the waiting area. That's four adults, one toddler, two scooters (one broken) and a buggy, and they made it work for us because we were stranded, hungry, and cold. Exceptional service. I meant to bring them there anyway because I've been here before and the food is excellent, but this sped up the itinerary and I couldn't be more happy. read more

Definitely not your average curryhouse. If you're looking for something tasty and special look no further. You might not be familiar with all of the dishes on the menu, but the staff are more than happy to give advice. You won't find colour and preservative laden tikka masala here, so step out of your take away comfort zone and try something new. That goes for drinks too. My partner had a delicious cocktail and I instantly regretted my boring choice of a house white (wine). The rice with the lamb (I have no idea what it was called on the menu but it was the most expensive order of rice at around £10) was to die for. We actually ordered it by mistake but were glad that we did. It came in a special pot with a lid that probably has some fancy name in Indian, and was more than enough for us both to enjoy alongside our individual main dishes. The quality of the food is of top dollar rate, and therefore it's not a cheap meal out by any means. Yet living nearby I've noticed that there are always a fair few customers dining here- even midweek when nearby restaurants are completely empty. This measure of 'bums on seats' is a pretty reliable confirmation of the value of the food if nothing else. read more

Ok I just got back from this place, all you people moaning about price and how it 'not normal' are complete morons. The price is much the same as any city based Indian that serves quality authentic cuisine. Secondly the food is completely normal as in any authentic north Indian place, exceptional flavours however I cant help but pick up on what someone said about one of the starters tasting like a Chinese dish, I had to agree however it was still delightful. I have done all the top spots for curry in town, Rajdoot, LaSan, the list goes on, this is my favourite, prawns were exceptional, I shall be back. Do not trust these phoney reviews, the average rating of this place has been brought down by people who have visited on a budget or visited expecting a balti with fries, this is for the lover of fine authentic cuisine and I urge you to try it before you diss it! read more

Itihaas is the epitome of delicious Indian cuisine in classy surroundings. Food aside, the superb furnishing of the restaurant makes it worth visiting alone! They have captured a fine balance between contemporary and traditional Indian with Rajasthan-style tables and seating in certain rooms, focus on Indian mango wood, original Indian art and doors! Fabulous. And now for the food! The menu is predominately North Indian cuisine with emphasis on the dining of the Moghul emperors, so you're literally feasting like a king! The food is rich in flavour, vibrant in colour and displayed in such a way on your plate that you don't want to ruin it by tucking in! The service is impeccable. This is no surprise considering they are an award-winning restaurant with accolades ranging from best in the Midlands to best in the UK. I'd recommend you ask to be seated in the Maharaja Suit, which is spacious and you get to view the adjacent canal. Superb restaurant! read more

Nice Indian meal. I came here with a group and the food was good. I recommend making reservations as it was quite busy even though we came on a Wednesday evening. They have a good veggie selection. I got the soya tikka which was very good (a tad spicy) but still very good as I have never had a soya tikka dish before. Only weird thing was we had some extra items added on the bill that wasn't ours but when I pointed it out- it was removed without question and quickly. read more

Itihaas - Vegetarian Tikka - Indian Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

There's a four tiered system of Indian restaurants in Birmingham (I've decided, it's not official, you understand). Let's start at the bottom, tier 4, the dives that are frequented by drunks at 2am for a post lager curry - you know them, the Kohi-I-Noor, and the like. Then there's the tier 3, cheap as chips and tasty, like The Royal Bengal, which we've been to many times. Tier 2 are the slightly pricier places with linen napkins, and generally better service and presentation, such as Maharaja and Celebrity Indian. And finally tier 1, which includes Pushkar, Lasan (actually Lasan are probably a special tier 1++), Asha's, and Itihaas. It is the latter, Itihaas, who have recently had a bit of a makeover and who invited us to a taster evening. It's not lost on the owner of Itihaas, Raj, that the location is a bit tucked away from the city's dining centres, and he wants to draw more people in to eat and drink, and to make it a destination. To that end he's employed the makeover skills of local interior designers Mr. McQueen to redevelop the bar, to make it feel less corporate. The night we attended the makeover of the bar areas wasn't quite complete, but having seen photos since it looks like a Nuvo/MPW type affair but with Chesterfields. Another place in which to be seen. I can't comment on how well the makeover has done because I don't know what it looked like before. What I can comment on is that the main restaurant has an attractive colonial quality (although a zebra skin in an Indian restaurant?), and that the dark wooden panelling and intricate carvings of the private dining "Tiffin" room feels both intimate and impressive. We were served a set menu designed to showcase the cooking skills and ingredients used by the enthusiastic team. Before dinner we had canapés: the Paapri Chaat was light and crisp with a truly mouth-watering topping, and the Amritsari Cod was served with a batter so light and well cooked it was hard to tell if it was batter or crisp cod skin we were crunching. On to starters we tried a spicy chilli paneer, and a fusion salmon and goats cheese samosa. We also had a Koyla Murgh - that's tandoori chicken which is served as complete chicken joints hanging on skewers, apparently this is the traditional serving suggestion rather than having it chopped and plated with lettuce. For mains we had dishes including Kahari Paneer, Makahani Murgh, and lamb chop masala. We also had an impressive dish of Lobster Panchphoran - a whole lobster cooked in coconut curry - not a traditionally Indian dish, but nonetheless it was a showstopper. I'm not a fan of Indian desserts, and I'm afraid they weren't able to win me around. We tried a chocolate samosa with apple and ginger, and halwa pastry filled with chocolate and apple which was served with kulfi. There was nothing wrong with them per se but Indian desserts just don't seem to blow my skirt up. They were served on slate. Ugh. The scourge of many an OCD diner who doesn't want ice cream running off on to the table. The verdict - the food was excellent, seriously tasty stuff. The Tiffin room is a gorgeous space for a special occasion, and the rest of the restaurant is also attractive. It is around £40 a head for a la carte dining excluding drinks, which does put it at the top end of the Indian restaurants in my previously defined "tier 1". We'd go back for a special occasion, but for me at least, Lasan has pipped it to the post for Brum's top Indian restaurant. read more

I've been to Itihaas a few times and every time I'm greeted as though I'm a long lost relative of the managers. As well as the warm welcome they insist on putting me at the 'best seats in house', which might just be a spiel they act out for every customer as the seats we're put in don't seem to differ greatly from any of the other seats. Anyway, the food is consistently tasty here and the price is worth paying for such delicious food in this otherwise luxurious restaurant. The staff do treat me like family in the respect they allow me and my company to stay there for hours, slowly eating our way through multiple courses interspersed with musings about life. They also have a Maharaja suite which they insisted on showing me at the end of the night. I presume this was a even more exclusive suite to rent and eat curry in for particularly special occasions or if you money has nothing better to be spent on. A classy Indian that distinguishes itself from competition with their style, food and service. read more

Good quality food in stylish surroundings. However, a tad too expensive for my likingcall me old fashioned, but I am much more at home in a cheap-and-cheery balti house than an expensive up-market indian. Still, if you are with someone special and are not feeling the credit-pinch, worth a go for a pleasant night out. read more

We were searching for remarkably good Indian cuisine in Birmingham and found it at Itihaas. Each dish was unique in a way that accented what it should be - the type that make you say, "This is the flavor I expected, but wow, this is a little different and so much better!" read more

Went here last night as part of a bloggers event and tried an incredible selection of canapés, main courses, desserts and cocktails. Beautiful decor, lovely staff and the food was gorgeous. I'm not a fan of very spicy food but this was perfectly balanced and not too overpowering. Definitely going back again in the future and taking my friends with me! read more

See all

Itihaas used to be my local curry house, given that it's built into the apartment complex I once lived in. Being a massive fan of eastern cuisine, and intrigued by the swanky exterior and friendly management when I popped in to pick up a menu, I booked my first visit with my girlfriend. Following on from this initial experience, I introduced members of family, friends and workmates to the place, all of whom could do nothing but sing its praises. For a start off, the decor inside Itihaas is luxurious. Clearly a lot of money was spent fitting the place out with high quality furniture and ornamentation. The staff are impeccably turned out and incredibly polite and friendly, and are helpful in suggesting which of the many fine dishes would best suit someone not familiar with Indian fare. When I booked a staff meal at Itihaas, the manager was very patient with me as I booked and re-booked, trying to tweak the menu to try and suit everyone. In the end, the buffet they prepared was utterly superb, with enough of each dish for everyone to get a good portion of what they wanted. The one disadvantage of coming to Itihaas is the price. Given the high quality of the food, the service and the surroundings, you can understand why the menu is a little richer than so many of the other Indian restaurants in town. This is definitely somewhere you book in advance for a special occasion, rather than a place you might stumble at the end of a drunken night, demanding a cheap chicken korma and half a naan. read more

Not the cheapest place to go but good for a special occasion. Bear in mind that the dishes are quite traditional so don't expect to see listings like you would in your normal curry house (chicken tikka, korma,vindaloo etc) Its won awards and you can tell as the food is really high quality with good ingredients used. The staff were very friendly and I'd definately go back again. Check out there website for more information. http://www.itihaas.co.uk/ read more

Ruined my DADS 60th! Waitress even rolled her eyes when we tried to explain we wanted to sit together! Considering Itihaas is rated 3.8 stars I was disgusted at the behaviour of the waitresses and waiters. Considering we were a group of 20 people bringing business to them, they were acting like THEY were doing US a favour. So we booked a month in advance for a gathering of 20 people for my dads 60th birthday! They took £30 for the deposit which wasn't an issue, I quite understand why. But nothing was mentioned that we would have to sit across two different tables! So basically SEPARATELY. Which was ridiculous, why would a group of 20 family members celebrating a Birthday want to sit separately! When we were trying to explain this the waitress rolled her eyes! USING the excuse they "tried to ring us ON THAT DAY and that nobody picked up!" Which I can't understand what difference that would have made! What would we have arranged so last minute! Why wasn't this mentioned when they were taking our money for the deposit! It was clear from our time at the resultant that we were treated different to the rest of the people in that restaurant. We were so disappointed that we decided to take the cake back to the car and cut it at home! The food was cold! My cousin waited 30 minutes for his drink! The lighting for pictures was terrible! Then they come with the bill, WITHOUT ANY acknowledgement on the receipt for the deposit we paid. When we wanted to split the payment across 12 cards there was a issue! They said they can only split across 5 cards! I've been to many many restaurants and this is the first time I've heard of this! It was a whole night of ISSUES! It was like they didn't want our custom! There are so many other restaurants in the midlands that we've been to that are cheaper and less hassle in parking but we wanted a more luxury environment! Something a bit special which this definitely was not! The queen has apparently been to this restaurant, so I think it's quite clear you will be treated differently if your not her! I will never ever ever be going there again! read more

Just love this place. Menu that is instructive at so many levels, along with a kitchen that puts the effort into a blend of authenticity and fusion. My fave Indian subcontinent restaurant at this point. read more

Great chicken, lamb curry and sampler platter. My table of 4 had wine, beer and dinner for ~130£

If you want a cheap balti then go to broad street for the crap and fatty food.. I just died and went to heaven when I had the jumbo king prawns. This place is just amazing.. book early for special dates like valentines, xmas etc as they get booked up very quickly. read more

Great choice of not run of the mill vegetarian dishes, which is always refreshing. Portion sizes were quite small but just enough without making you feel obliged to over-eat. Slightly pricey but the interior is lovely. read more

I took my girlfriend here for her birthday as we are both lovers of good indian food, and this is the best restraunt for indian food by far. Not the cheapest but the service, food and ambiance was delightful in all ways. If you love food, indian food, it is great. if you are looking for a take away style or cheap place to eat, look elsewhere! read more

fantastic service well worth a 5 star review. i have made an account just to write a review for this place. great food with a great service. i travelled from Swansea and wouldn't mind taking the trip again just to have a meal at this place. read more