We were genuinely excited to try this place after seeing it all over Instagram -- the food looked amazing, and we figured Eid would be the perfect time for a family outing. There were only five of us, and we showed up around 10:45 PM -- yes, it was a bit late, but still well over an hour before closing. That should've been plenty of time for a normal dining experience. Instead, what we got was just... a mess.
From the start, things went downhill. We were craving the lamb shank, a qorma, and a few grilled meat options. The server said they were out of kofta and lamb shank but would go check to be sure. Fair enough. When she returned, we placed our order: chicken, lamb chops, chapli kabab, lamb tikka, and lamb qorma.
Then she came back -- again -- and suddenly half our order was no longer available. Now, only the qorma, chicken, and lamb chops were supposedly available. On top of that, they didn't even have the Kabuli topping. Already frustrated, we adjusted our order again. And guess what? A little while later, she returns to say they're also out of qorma. At this point, we're wondering: what did she even check the first time? Why was this all being revealed to us in frustrating, slow-motion waves?
We finally settled on bolani kachalu, mantu (which we ordered as appetizers), chicken, lamb chops, and fish. When we asked about drinks, she said they were out of mocktails and only had soda and water. A little disappointing, but we tried to roll with it.
Then the food started arriving -- and with it, a whole new round of letdowns. The salad was basic, and the sauces were in tiny bowls that were laughably small for a table of five. We had to keep asking for refills, and it took forever each time. Then came the bread: it was cold, stiff, and dry. Not even room temperature -- like it had been sitting out for hours. Naturally, we asked if they could warm it up.
The server took it back, and then disappeared. A long while passed. No bread. We finally asked if it had been forgotten, and she said, "No, it's being warmed -- it just takes time." Um... okay? Are we slow-roasting this naan or what? Eventually, she brought the bread back -- and it was still cold. Not even kind of warm. Not toasted. Not soft. Just sad, cold, chewy bread again. It was honestly laughable at that point -- like a restaurant prank show.
As for the rest of the meal: the bolani was flavorless and doughy, the potato filling clearly old -- dry, crumbly, and lacking any herbs or seasoning. The mantu we ordered as appetizers never showed up. When we reminded the server during the main course, she said she'd bring it. Spoiler: she didn't. When we were literally leaving, we mentioned it to the owner, who handed us a cold box of mantu in a foil takeaway container. No garnish, no sauce, no apology -- just vibes.
Most of the food was meh at best. The chicken was the one highlight -- tender and juicy. But everything else? Bland. Massive portions of plain rice, barely any meat. And the fish? Spoiled. We had to send it back. Not even slightly questionable -- it smelled and tasted off, and that's just unacceptable.
And then, the cherry on top: while we were eating, we saw another table getting mocktails. The same mocktails we were explicitly told were not available. We asked the owner why we were told they were out -- and her response? "Oh, maybe we were busy then."
First of all -- you weren't. When we arrived, there were maybe 2 or 3 other tables occupied. It wasn't some dinner rush chaos. So that excuse made zero sense. How does being "busy" explain straight-up lying to a customer about what's available on your menu?
Between the chaotic service, the cold stale bread situation, the missing items, and the general weird energy of being fed partial truths all night, it was just an incredibly frustrating and disappointing experience.
Save yourself the trouble and just go to Sami's. At least there, when you order food, they actually bring it -- and it's warm. Wild concept. read more