Overall: The food is decent for the Circular Quay area and satisfies the craving for Indian food while exploring the harbor side. The menu has a good variety, though the dishes felt more comforting than standout. A solid option if you're nearby, but not necessarily a place you'd go out of your way for. Food: The curries had good flavor and spice levels, but were a little oil-heavy for my preference. Portions were fair, and the dishes came out fairly quickly. Some items stood out more than others, but overall the food was enjoyable without being particularly memorable. Service: Service was efficient despite the busy crowd. Staff were polite and managed the small space well, though at peak hours it can feel a bit rushed because of how packed the restaurant gets. Ambience: The restaurant has a traditional Indian theme with old Maharaja portraits and classic décor elements throughout. The space is on the smaller side, and the décor can feel a bit overcrowded, making it slightly cramped during busy times. Still, it has a lively atmosphere that fits the tourist-heavy Circular Quay area. read more

Had an absolute fantastic dinner tonight at the spice room. Buddy and I shared. We ordered the beef vindaloo, the lamb rojan josh, cheese and chili naan, garlic naan, papadums, mixed hot pickle and rice. The vindaloo sauce was delicious! So much aromatic flavor. The hot cheesy chili naan was also incredible. Left a full happy man! read more

See all

Came an hour before they closed after lunch. The food was amazing. Spices were plentiful and really different than the Indian food I am used to back home. Comfortable seating and overall experience was fantastic. The food was so good that I forgot to take photos :( read more

Probably the most delicious Indian food in Sydney, Australia. Butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, Aloo Gobi, garlic naan simply outstanding, great quick service, food is all handmade, and incredibly tasty. The restaurant is small and quaint, well appointed with an atmosphere of Indian culture. Make sure you make reservations, lunch was wide open. Dinner gets tight. read more

The Spice Room - Butter Chicken, Aloo Gobi, Garlic Naan - Indian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Yes this is one of the best Indian meals we have ever had in all our dining experiences. Great location from the Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney. Great service. All of the dishes were delicious and great proportions. Regular and Garlic naan was outstanding! Shoile not be missed if you are in Sydney! Easy place to have a great conversation! read more

Outstanding food and service. Extensive cocktail menu. Had little creatures pale ale and the Aus Pinot Noir. Some sparking water. Amazing menu with many specials of the house. Our server guided decisions. Chicken Tikki Masala with basmati rice and Naan Perfect spice level. Plentiful serving of chicken and bell pepper and onion Medium spice. Also ordered HYDERABADI DUM KA MURGH SALAN (CONTAINS NUTS) Mid Spiced Chicken Curry Cooked with Sesame, Chilli. Peanuts and Tamarind. Excellent. So tasty perfect spice. Accompanied with rice. Highly reco. read more

Always delicious and wonder service! We order the butter chicken/ cauliflower/ garlic naan and veggies samosas! Perfect amount for 2 with a little bit to take away afterwards. Reservations recommended on weekends. read more

See all

We ate here before going to a performance at the Sydney Opera House. Food was delicious, service was wonderful, location is ideal. We shared Veg Green Goddess (note these items are all fried, which we usually do not have, and these were well done), Gaon Fish Curry, Yellow Dal and rice. Also shared a strawberry rose Lassi for the win - really, this was SO good! We were visiting from out of town but plan to return next time we are there. There are so many more dishes we want to try, and we don't even need to book a show because this restaurant is a destination in its own right. Ambiance is warm and inviting, and there is a genuine temple door as part of the decor. Reservations are likely a good thing if you go much after 6p, but we had no difficulty walking in soon after they opened for dinner at 5p. read more

I made a reservation here because it was near my hotel and Indian food tends to have a lot of vegetarian options (my coworker on this trip is vegetarian). We were seated in the tiny place as soon as we arrived and we ordered. The good was served quickly and was amazing. Everything was hot, fresh and flavorful. This was the best Indian food I had on the trip. Get the naan... you're welcome :) I definitely recommend making a reservation since there are not many tables, but especially if you have more than a couple of people in your group. read more

The Spice Room - Dinner! Rice, lentils, and chicken, oh my! - Indian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

The butter chicken and garlic naan were truly wonderful. The service was very friendly and inviting. I've ate at numerous top-notch Indian restaurants in the States, and the Spice Room stacks up with the best of them. read more

Good food , service and ambience . I ordered the Butter Chicken and Laacha partha and quite enjoyed it

They squeezed us in with no reservation for which we were so grateful. We were uber hungry. Just say no to cocktails, they don't know how to make a martini or a simple mixed drink. Stick with beer. We got a combo platter so some things were a hit or a miss. All the food was too mildly spiced. The siehk kabob was moist, delicious and flavorful. My usual favorite palak paneer was good, not great. The spinach was creamed down to baby food texture so that was odd. It was very tasty (tho, too mild). The goat curry was very good, but again shy on spicing. The naan cooked perfectly, not burned! There were quite a few Indian diners there so they must know to ask to turn up the heat level. We would return again and just get the kabobs. The place is cute and so convenient. read more

So had wrapped up a trip over to Manly beach and was looking for something to eat around Circular Quay so that we could grab lunch and get some rest. It had been a lot of non Asian food for the last few days so decided to give this indian joint a try since a bowl of curry sounded like it would hit the spot. This joint is located near the bus stops that would take you over to Bondi and when you climb a set of stairs you will be immediately welcomed by the smell of indian food. The décor is also quite unique and they did a great job of making you feel you are transported to another world. The restaurant also had mostly pan Asians in the room so it seems to be a hit in Syndey. After sitting down, decided to get the butter chicken curry and then a tandoori chicken starting plate along with garlic naan. The tandoori chicken was quite delicious and it was seasoned well. It was quite juicy and tender as well so cooked very well. I was quite content with the presentation and the naan was hot and delicious on top. The curry was also well made and the garlic naan was the perfect to match by mixing in the flavor of garlic well, being chewy and crispy at the same time. The curry was very savory and offered that deep comfort feeling making it hit the spot. This is a good joint without a doubt... maybe a little pricey but definitely on par with some of my "go to"s in the US. read more

The Spice Room - Butter chicken with garlic naan - Indian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Came here to try their food. But was just told no with no explanation. Poor customer service can't even say anything about the food.

Lovey Indian experience and while most of the beers were 86 there was some NA beer on hand. Pan puri was a delight and location is central. Weak on service. read more

Simply delicious and a must if you are in Sydney, AU. The ambiance is so intimate yet crowded-- and it works. we had the Samosa Chaat, Butter Chicken, Punjabi Spiced Chickpea Curry, and garlic naan. Also a delicious bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from NZ Indian is our favorite cuisine and this is one of the finest. You need to make a reservation because this place is small and popular and did I say delicious? read more

The Spice Room - Indian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

See all

We visited the Spice Room back in April. Very lively and busy restaurant that is conveniently located at the tip of Circular Quay. The staffs were very friendly and the service was great. We ordered Railway Canteen Goat Curry, Chennai Express Beef Curry, Hot Malabar Fish Curry and Yellow Dhal (w/o Spinach). The food was good, but overpriced (I mean, they even charged us for plain white rice!?! Where I'm from in the USA, that's free). But the best part was their interior decos (especially the restroom)...absolutely LOVED it!! I have never seen a restroom filled with s-o many old pics (which I completely adored and enjoyed watching) :) read more

See all

All around great! Food was delicious - had pani puri, samosa chaat, chole, naan - and absolutely no complaints. Service was friendly and felt homey. The decorations in the bathroom were actually a highlight for me. Would definitely go again. read more

They are near Opera , but menu does not have exhaustive North Indian breads like "missi Roti" the yellow dal we got was Channa dal , we asked for "Moong yellow dal ", if in beverages they can add Masala Chai will help all Indians missing Chai read more

Best Indian food I've ever had. Had the butter chicken and garlic and cheese naan bread - best naan bread I've ever had - highly recommend!

The staff was rude and told me they were booked which wasn't the case when I arrived. The food was good and efficiently delivered. We were out of there prior to their more important event. read more

See all

I'm going with a 4 Plus.... star review because today there was absolutely nothing wrong with my meal. In fact it was one of the best Indian meals I've had. That includes many Indian restaurants in the US as well as my favorites in London UK. I had the Chicken Chettinaad which I had not ever had before. Also, some garlic naan and saag. I wanted the heat level high and asked for the chicken dish very spicy. The food was so good, so favorable and the spice level very high but in a super tasty way. I really liked it. The Naan was just plain good, no other description. Quantity was fine all around. At last, finishing my meal, the Chai latte was the absolute best I've ever had. Made the meal superb. This restaurant is right near the Circular Quay and the Opera house. If you are in the area give it a try. They are friendly and serve a great meal. No downside here. read more

See all

More of a 3.5 stars. I do not eat Indian food often but Im glad Ive tried Spice Room. For starter, I tried the vegetarian samosas. They were pretty delicious, went really well with the sauce , but I wish they were a little bigger for what it cost! For the main, I tried the seafood treasure - it's a tomato-based dish, but pretty darn spicy! All the seafood in the dish was cooked to perfection (yay to non chewy calamari). I also had some of my partner's goat curry - not spicy at all but packed full of flavours. I would definitely recommend this dish For drinks, I had the mango lassi. It was a little too sweet for me and not very cold (boo, since it was a really hot day) Service was really good. The waiter was patient with my questions and friendly. We probably had the best seat in the restaurant (windows seat at the back of the restaurant) BUT every time the bartender turned on the blender, the noise drowned out our conversation, so that was quite annoying. The restaurant is a lot smaller than I thought. So make sure you make reservation ahead of time :) read more

See all

I LOVED this place... Yum yum yum! The food here was exceptional and the staff were friendly and helpful. On arrival you given papadums and a dipping sauce while you ponder over the large menu. We started our meal with a deconstructed samosa and the lamb cutlets. After demolishing them I knew we were in for a good time, they were delicious. For mains we had the goat curry, a prawn curry (on the specials board), butter chicken and biryani and naan bread. Let's just say... there was a party in my mouth with every bite. The food was a little spicy (which I love) but not over the top, it just left you with a little tingle to remember your last mouthful. You do need to make a reservation because this place gets very busy and it's not very big. I highly recommend The Spice Room for a great Indian feast and for Sydney CBD I think it's very reasonably priced. I'll be back!!! read more

See all

What a magnificent feast. We've been here twice and loved it both times. A short walk from Circular Quay train station so easy to get to. Started off with the beetroot tikka Bengali - yum - and the nicest corn and red onion fritters I've ever tasted. Next came the paneer and mirch salan, yellow dhal and spinach, rice and a very soft and warm naan. The staff are eager to help and ready with a joke or two. There's a great beer, wine and cocktail menu. Definitely recommended. read more

The Spice Room - Beetrpot tikka Bengali - Indian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

We were really looking forward to an authentic Indian meal, we were met with tasty smells but unfortunately we had to leave due to the rudeness of one of the staff to my 65 year old father who just asked for a better table, he didn't raise his voice, use bad words or touch him, yet that staff threatened to call security. Which really ruined our evening specially my dad's so we had to leave. I have to say the manager was very polite and nice, but she has to discipline the that staff member and not have him as a customer greater , he's better off behind doors not dealing with customer service. I really wish I was reviewing the food rather than the staff. read more

The Spice Room - The front entrance - Indian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Came here for the second time as a result of having been impressed by the pre-theatre menu several months ago. Unfortunately, this visit was somewhat less successful, as they initially offered us the full menu (which we ordered from) and then had to offer us the theatre menu after the fact. Given that I specified what we were there for in my reservation, I was a little unimpressed. Food took a while to arrive--to the point where we were nervously checking our watches--and we ended up paying for drinks we didn't receive, given that the ones we had ordered were not on the pre-fix list and there wasn't time to have a second round. Additionally, we didn't have time for dessert, either, but given that we needed to head out, that was okay. The food itself is delicious, but I'm wondering if this place coasts on its reputation a bit too much. If you're willing to take your chances, the pre-fix menu is still good value for money, but there's not necessarily a guarantee that you'll actually get to eat it all. Next time we will scope out the options at Customs House instead. read more

The Spice Room - Pre theatre menu (with a bit of glare) - Indian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Great Indian food. Possibly the best tandoori chicken ever. Great smoky eggplant dish. A small restaurant so be sure to make reservations. Excellent service. read more

Netflix and Chilis is where it's at - and your laptop could provide the Netflix but the spice is definitely coming from this place! This was the 7th Indian restaurant I ate at during my Australian trip and it was easily the best one on the list by far, and I can't recommend it enough! The place is packed with people and you will definitely need to make a reservation to get a spot or risk waiting for about 25-40 minutes (Maybe an hour on a busy weekend) It's also located right at the pier and the ambience albeit dressy, is very cozy and welcoming. I loved the authenticity and culture of the restaurant packed with Indian princes, kings, old Indian signs which really gave a sense of Deja Vu to the place! And lastly, the good stuff - the food! It was insanely delicious and we didn't even have to wait long! We ordered the Railway Goat Curry along with the lentil dhal and Peshawari seekh kebab. Extremely savoury, loved every bite and devoured the whole thing. Would definitely recommend, although the Seekh kebab can tend to be a little on the spicy side. Topped off the dinner with the best Phirnee I have ever had outside India (this is not a joke!), I ended up having 2! The staff were extremely nice, friendly and had great recommendations as well! Definitely coming back here again if I ever visit Sydney! read more

See all

One of the best Indian restaurants I have ever eaten at! The restaurant itself is beautifully styled (including the bathrooms). There is a beautiful rustic table in the centre for larger groups and Indian artwork and artifacts hanging from the walls. Staff are friendly and efficient and accommodated our request to swap one menu item in the banquet for another. The food was fresh and tasty and despite ordering a banquet so we could try more on the menu, the portion sizes weren't too large. The dessert was also delicious (I never knew of Indian desserts). I can't wait to go back. read more

The Spice Room - entree platter - Indian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Best Indian food I've had!! My husband and I love Indian food and have had the pleasure and good fortune of dining at many great spots in NYC, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and even India! The menu at The Spice Room was extensive with traditional Indian dishes alongside many unique seafood and vegetarian options. We ordered the garlic naan, chicken kebab dakhni, and eggplant bhartha. All were delicious but the chicken was the stand out! You don't often see chicken breast at any Indian restaurant and this dish was incredibly moist and flavorful - we were also told it was dairy free which is even more remarkable for Indian cooking. I will dream of this meal for years and wish it wasn't an entire globe away!! We made a reservation a week ahead of time which I would strongly suggest as it is a popular spot among tourists and locals and isn't a huge restaurant. The only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is that the service was efficient but not very friendly or warm. This was disappointing as many of our other Sydney experiences had been so welcoming. read more

The Spice Room - Indian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

See all

This is a pretty nice Indian restaurant. The ambiance was on point. It's the only restaurant I've been to that has kingfisher on tap. We came here on a Monday night and it was packed however we managed to get seated right away. I was impressed how fast that process was. My fiancé and i love Indian food and eat it once a month. So we have dishes we usually order. For an appetizer we ordered the samosas. They were very good. Next, we ordered the chicken tikka masala, the king prawns( their house specialty), and the palak paneer. We also ordered basmati rice and garlic and herb naan. The chicken tikka masala was good, however it was a little different then what we were used to. I think the region if influence of where this particular restaurant's dishes originate from was different then our usual Indian cuisine. Since they did not have our go to saag paneer, they recommended the palak paneer. This was very good and spicy. It did not disappoint. The rice that accompanied these dishes was fantastic and the naan would just melt in your mouth. The only reason I gave 3 stars and not five was because we had to remind our waitress we still did not get our prawns. We were already done with our meal practically, and it had been 40 minutes since the rest of our food came. I told the waitress we wanted to cancel the order, and we were ready for the check. Then she immediately brought them out. I think I scared her with my dissatisfaction. Well we ended up eating the prawns and they were delicious! Probably the best thing that we ordered. Just was a shame we had no naan left and were full when they came. The service here could use some work. We think our order got messed up because our waitress did not write it down. Moreover they had one waitress taking care of 15 tables which is insane. They need more staff, need to write down orders, and they definitely need to be more attentive because 30 minutes passed when we first got our food till we could get the waitress's attention to tell us we were waiting for the only dish we were strongly looking forward too. Overall the food was good, the price is good, the ambiance was good. But the service needs work. If you're staying near circular quay, you should still check this place out. read more

I have the softest of spots for Spice Room, even if it is quite busy and popular and hard to book a table. The first time I visited Sydney my then fiancé and I came here often for lunch. Those days... full of romance and happiness while having tamarind margaritas here and then taking a stroll by the water and Sydney Opera house, are so special to me, and this place is caught up in that mix. That said, the food here is delicious and the drinks are strong. I have never received bad service here, and I say this while keeping my expectations in check. This is not the US and this place is BUSY, as I stated earlier on in the review. The na'an here is delicious, as well as their chicken tikka masala, which is what my husband always orders. We had the pleasure of visiting Australia again nine months later, and I was so lucky to come to our old lunch place, Spice Room. That evening, I had the luck of trying their special of the day, a coconut curry salmon. Jesus Christ almighty! The most delicious thing I ate during our 20 day honeymoon. The only thing I will suggest is that you book in advance and request a table by the window, which I think is quite nice. Thank you, Spice Room. Maybe one day we will return to you again if ever in Australia. read more

The Spice Room - The most delicious thing I ate all trip. Coconut curry salmon. Too bad it was a daily special and not on regular menu. - Indian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

See all

Being south Asian, I am picky with my Indian food and I can honestly say this place was good. Loved the food, atmosphere and staff. Everyone was so friendly accommodating and had the best recommendations. The onion bahji is amazing as well as the butter chicken and garlic naan. Just be sure to make reservations ahead of time as they get booked up quick, not surprisingly! read more

Amazing. We ordered the emperor's banquet or something like that and it was SO. MUCH. FOOD. It was amazing and delicious and we recommend it without hesitation. We would even do the banquet again. read more

The Spice Room is located in Circular Quay - very convenient. We were staying at a nearby hotel and didn't want to travel very far in the rain. Most of the walk is covered if you walk under the train / expressway. The first time we went on a Saturday night, they said the wait was over an hour. There were several open tables so it must have been due to reservations. We made reservations online for the next night and opted for the banquet for 2. Neither of us liked the papadum basket but that may be an acquired taste. The samosas and paneer pakora were both good and we really enjoyed the naan. We had the butter chicken and lamb rogan josh for our main entree. We both preferred the chicken. For dessert we were each given the option of gulab jamun or kulfi on a stick. I chose the gulab jamun and it was good. My husband had the kulfi on a stick which was also good. At this point we were both completely stuffed. We had a ton of leftovers - enough for 2 more meals. Banquet was a fitting adjective for the meal. If you opt for the banquet, make sure you are very hungry when you arrive. The food was good but none of it blew me away. 3 stars. read more

See all

Tiffens are magical things. Two or three metal tiers of joyful food - how had I not heard of these delightful lunch boxes previously? From the moment I spotted these creations on the menu of this new Indian restaurant in Circular Quay, I knew I had to have one. A carafe of cold tap water arrived quickly after I was seated, as did my Kingfisher Beer. I settled on the City Circle Tiffen (Andhra Curry Leaf Chicken, Kadhai Lamb, Basmati Rice and mini Naan) which the server offered to add spice to. At $28.90 it was more than I usually like to pay for lunch for one, but it had to be mine. I must say, it was a good thing I was dining solo, as when my Tiffen was unstacked, it took up so much room I don't think there would have been much room for anyone else at the table. And it was delicious. The fresh chilis they added to the Andhra Curry Leaf Chicken added a nice crunch and a good hit of spice. At around the 30% mark, I was full, but everything was so good I didn't want to stop - I couldn't bear the thought of wasting the food. When my stomach threatened to burst just past the half way point, the server took mercy on me and offered to wrap up the leftovers. "Can I ask you something?" I said, "That's meant to feed 2 people, right?" She laughed and nodded. Turns out that at $28.90 for 2, this place is pretty reasonably priced. I can see myself coming back often. read more

The Spice Room - City Circle Tiffen (not pictured: rice; part pictured: Yelp sunglasses) $28.90. Serves 2. - Indian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

When I landed in Pune, India my first time, I asked my driver where I could get the best Indian meal. He didn't hesitate and responded Sydney or London! Well, turns out he was right. Just had a fantastic meal in a great environment. Much like India, they underestimate the average persons tolerance for spice and even though I asked for HOT, I got medium heat. Otherwise, a very good meal! read more

The Spice Room - Indian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

If you can get in here... DO IT! Uber friendly staff and AMAZING flavors. We ordered the Spice Room Banquet for two. There was enough food for 4!!! So many varieties of food that come with this selection there is something for every palate and every dietary restriction. The mains consisted of Lamb Roganjosh, Butter Chicken and we substituted in the Bhindi (okra) and the flavor explosion was out of this world. Their spice tray brings an amazing array for mango chutney, tamarind compote, raita, diced tomato and onion and other goodies I can't quite remember. Vibrant atmosphere in a small space. Nice variety of specialty cocktails too. Decent priced wine selections. read more

The Spice Room - Mains part of the Spice Room Banquet for 2 - Indian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

See all

Wow this blew me away ! The room is so beautifully decorated it's Devine ! Book first it is so popular this place ! The food is amazing everything we tried was delicious !! Must have Nutella nan for dessert ! This is my fav Indian eat in restaurant in Sydney ! But I always order more food then I can eat to take away for the next day bc Indian food tastes so good the next day .. All the spice flavors are stronger!! I recommend this place to everyone I talk to ! read more