The flatties and I go there every couple of weeks. Hands down the best curry in town! We love you guys!
Perfect!! Best food in a long time, three choices of rice, I tried 4 different curries and all of them were excellent!
I have so far loved everything I have tried at 'Empress of India'
Clean and tidy restaurant
Professional and friendly staff
Dishes are very authentic
Service is fast
Good place to be with family and friends
Special thanks to "Neha" who is one of the staff there. She always carries a big smile and always provide excellent service.
I recommend this place to everyone.
BEST curry I have had in a very long time. I ordered a butter chicken (med) and a chicken jalfreize (med) and was not disappointed. So many flavours in both dishes with a good amount of heat and super enjoyable. The order was ready in around 20mins which was impresssive considering they were incredibly busy. We ordered take out so I can’t comment on service but the feel of the restaurant was nice & they had authentic Bollywood music playing which gave it a good atmosphere. They also offer lunch and dinner deals every day of the week :) The only critique I could give was that I ordered 2x garlic and cheese naans with extra cheese but I feel that there definitely was not enough cheese in there. Will try again next time!
Had the Mango Chicken curry. Must say this is the first one I’ve had Mango Chicken curry that actually tasted like Mango. Didn’t take long as we pre-ordered before arriving. Great service. Only got $10 for lunch.
All time one and only favourite Indian restaurant, they provide the best customer service and delicious food! The staff are very welcoming and always smiling.
This place is ridiculous! I’m surprised it’s not rated higher.
This is my favourite Indian place in central Auckland. A lot kitsch and constantly playing bollywood movies it’s a little odd inside to say the least. But the food is top notch! Even the slightly worrying “indo Chinese” menu had some stars! Try the chicken 65 (it’s hot) or the chilli chicken as sides. So yum!
My favourite is the Chicken Khadai and Lamb Korma. They add good heat to their meals and if you ask for spicy... gunna be spicy which is refreshing! 🌶 They do a great takeaway deal during the week which is very reasonable and portions are huge! I always get two meals out of it and so does my boyfriend. Love this place and hope it stays just the way it is!!
Good food, reasonable prices and great ambience. Yummy starters specially achari chicken and veg manchurian. In mains goat curry and and chicken biryani are best in Auckland.
Husband always kept talking about this place. So we decided to have lunch here on this long weekend. It was my first time here.
I liked the ambience. Warm, welcoming and simple!
The girl who attended us was polite and friendly.
We ordered Kadhai Paneer, Garlic Naan, Tandoori Roti and Onion Salad. It all arrived in about 20 minutes.
I must say the gravy of Kadhai Paneer was too good and I could taste all the spices in it. The Naan and Roti were soft and tasted fresh.
The only thing I found surprising was the price of the onion salad. I think it was too much 😀
Other than that, I enjoyed eating here. Will definitely come back to try some more from the menu.
Good flavours but a little bit salty - had a very dry mouth afterwards. Tasted like chicken powder or some enhancer had been added to the dish.
Service is the best what I loved at this place. The manager personally coming on a round checking on how the food was just makes more appealing. Amazing place for dine in and the best place compared to the other Indian restaurants around. Great ambiance. Indian food hitting strong right on the buds. The beef biriyani is definitely a must try here.
Empress of India Grey Lynn is pretty decent, they have been around for a while now (couple of years). Butter Chicken with a side of Garlic Naan is always good. The "Lunch" and "Mon/Tue/Wed" specials they have going are definite value for money. If you are ever feeling like Indian food and going past Grey Lynn, this place is a must! to stop over and have a quick and tasty meal. In comparison to many other Indian restaurants around these days, Empress of India sits pretty high on my list as it is well balanced in quality of food/flavour, portion sizing and service.
Paneer Manchurian mouth watering..bit spicy but tender & delicious..Hara bhara kabab tasteful thogh bit undercook. Anyway .good ambience & responsive service..
One of the best if not the best value for money Indian eatery in Auckland. Loved their cheese chilli. All other dishes were good too. Paneer gravy (forgot which one exactly we ordered) was a bit on sweeter side which was a disappointment.
Was very quite when we visited which was a good thing as we were catered well. Good ambiance and service.
It didn't give us a big dent in our pocket which is the best part. Would definitely recommend to others.
This is a great location for quality food . The environment is relaxing and cosy . Good for gatherings as well. It is must try if you love spicy food. There are lot of options to try from . Good customer service but not much in desserts .
Food was really solid. Butter Chicken is fantastic. Tikka Masala was great as well. However the Paneer Pakora tasted a little off (A little like dishwashing soap). The service was lacking. Lacking knowledge and no sense of engagement. Good for a takeaway. Not so much for a restaurant.
Victoria Elizabeth Oldfield
+3.5
The food is really good but such long wait times! Some friends and I had to wait an hour and a half for delivery to Herne bay. Really great if picking up takeaways but I would avoid the delivery option unless you're happy to order well in advance. Delicious food though, the cheese and garlic naan is perfection
Delicious food from a great selection of dishes. Each dishes was flavourful and wonderful cooked. Such lovely and genuine staff with warm welcome ad making the great atmosphere -recommendations on what to order And to what heat it should be enjoyed. Best honey cauliflower I have had since Indian itself brilliant music compliment a brilliant order. All the orders seemed to be enjoying themselves too! Reasonable price
As a true curry-lover I've tried many many Indian restaurants. Empress of India stands out for its consistently delicious naans and curries (madras being my favourite). The staff are friendly as well.
Good location with lots of parking. Food is always good and the cheese and garlic naan is 👌🏾. Service is a little slow at times. All staff are very helpful, friendly and are the same bunch I've seen for many years of visiting. Great food!
Great service and awesome food. We have been here a few times now - in group of 25 people as well as just hubby and me. The quality of service and the quality of food has always been consistent. The duty manager is friendly and always has a smile on his face.
Love this place, amazing range of vego options and being able to order online and pre pay too is wonderful. Staff always so nice and the food- so reasonably priced, particularly if you take advantage of 'deals'- is just incredible.
I've tried most of the menu over the years and have been thoroughly impressed. Even now as I think about their delicious pakora, naan and curries my mouth is watering! Exciting, bold flavours and they don't skimp on the chili either, so be warned you wimpy Kiwis!
We often get delivery from here. It's always hot, fresh and amazing. The butter chicken is beautiful, on the sweet side bit you can choose the heat level to tailor it. The Saags are delish and the samosas especially are divine. It gets busy so order in advance.
This is our go-to Indian takeaway. Great portions, meat ratio and tasty naans. Would definitely recommend as an Indian takeaway - staff are reasonably friendly also.
12 group of friends went there on Sunday and this place was packed. Lovely service with lot of smiles . Food served well by a young Lady. Good ambience and atmosphere. The food is consistently excellent. I've recently became a fan of their madras which never really satisfies me anywhere else. I love empress curries Highly recommended.
Service 10/10
Food 10/10
Atmosphere 10/10
:-) :-)
Never eaten in , but always get takeaway. Butter chicken is the best I've ever had! Very sweet and delicious. Naan always goes good on the side
Hands down the best naan bread and pakoras I have had. The naan was massive too, enough for two. The curry while edible was made with cheap cuts of meat and the sauce seemed watery jelly, still very flavourful hence my high rating because for 13.50 including curry, rice and a naan its worth trying and if you want a curry and are saving its still good
love getting takeaways from empress!
i recommned the kadhai paneer, v tasty.
also get the coconut rice.
plus the onion bhaji!
Have always been impressed with the consistent standard of Empress meals. The selection of rice is always an extra treat too.
Dined in this evening with the usual friendly service and, unusually for me, opted for a starter as well as the main and so glad I did. If you haven't tried the pepper chicken you really need to! I've enjoyed all my meals here but this dish was spectacular.
Loads of parking, good menu and drinks list and meal options. Definitely give Empress a go!
Oh my golly gosh!
Sunday - Tuesday the Empress of India has a dinner special of curry, rice and naan for $13.50....
And it's worth every one thousand three hundred and 50 cents.
Their currys are fully of delicious spice and flavour and all very different from each other.
Dry and hot and a little tart or coconutty with a delicately crafted medley of aromatic spices.
The fish is firm but not fishy or stewed. The chicken is all cooked in the tandoor first and is moist and smokey and tastes likes a BBQ joint before its dragged through a bed of Indian sauce.
Lamb is much the same. No tough wedges being lost in between teeth here.
The naan is great with that elastic egg like flavour and the rice! It comes three ways!
Coconut! Saffron! Or plan.
Coconut adds a wonderful sweetness which helps to buffer out that brow beading vindy.
This has to be the best curry in Auckland central by far!
The restaurant was empty so we were seated quickly. The waitress was friendly in a weird robotic and awkward way.
We were served room temperature tap water and surrounded by colonies of flies and mosquitos. Not very nice. Despite being first of 3 tables in the restaurant the food took a while to arrive.
We had Tandoori Mix platter ($20) and Lamb Korma with rice and garlic naan ($18).
The seasoning of the tandoori platter was tasty and chicken tender. Mixed feelings on the lamb korma as some were chewy and some immediately melted in my mouth .
The star of the meal was the garlic naan!! Not one burnt part, it was soft and perfectly made with garlic and herbs spread evenly.
Not my favourite Indian restaurant but one to fall back on.
Great food, great pricing, friendly quick service. I travel a bit further to go here rather than my local store and it's always worth it. Just Don't order medium and expect mild , and the hot is definitely HOT. Nice food tho
A few friends and I came here on Monday night for a quick dinner. The restaurant has a Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday dinner special where you get any curry choice + either saffron, coconut or plain rice with plain naan for $13.50 which I thought was excellent value for money. The portion sizes are huge, we all walked away feeling very satisfied and full! Plus the curry was very tasty, one of the best butter chickens I've ever had and I have had a lot of butter chicken in my lifetime.
The service was friendly and fast, the waiter was always filling up our water which, in my opinion, is important in restaurants that serve spicy food. The only let down is the decor of the place, it just seems a bit dull and inauthentic. However it was a really great meal and hopefully I will be returning very soon!
Yesterday i went to this restra with my friends. One of my friend recommended me this restra so we went there. We had ordered veg n non veg both cuisines. Every cuisine was delicious. we had a great time there. Nice1
If you want a good Indian curry with flavour and authenticity then you much check out Empress of India. The food is absolutely amazing and the staff are so friendly.
Always go here for my curry. Monday - Wednesday is super cheap too. Awesome service and even more awesome food. A++++++++ definitely recommend!!
It's hard to give an accurate rating because I only ever eat butter chicken, but the empress of India does a great curry. The $15 special comes with a curry of your choice, rice and a naan bread and it is enough to share between two! They charge a small fee of $3 for delivery which is always super handy and they are always very friendly.
Another great grey lynn local.
Really enjoyed the mixed entree on the hot sizzling plate. We shared a mixture of curries and different rices which was great . Nice decor and a relaxed atmosphere. very reasonably priced night out.
Will be back
Pretty decent location for a local restaurant (1 point). Wait times were average, but the food itself was authentic and tasty none the less (1 point)
The surrounding's were very nice with dim lighting and the Bollywood movie playing in the background, was a nice touch. Only gripe I had was that none of the drinks came with ice. Not a game changer though.
My first time dining in here and I was very happy with the food. We ordered the sampler entree and it was served in a hot sizzling plate which was a nice touch! Everything was well spiced and came with dipping sauces! Ordered the lamb korma for main and the lamb was very tender ! Three different flavoured rices were served which was also a nice touch and very tasty! The only thing was that there was a bit if a wait for the food but other than that the service was good too. Will maybe order 'hot' next time as the medium was not very hot at all 😀 the nan bread was warm, soft and yummo, ordered the cheese and garlic naan!!! Will definitely be back to try something else
I had take away from this restaurant couple of times which has been amazing!
The staff are really friendly and the service is quick. They are generous with the portion sizes and tend have have extra "gifts" with the mean like an extra nan bread.
I would recommend this place to all, great for a night when you don't want to cook.
I like Empress because its consistently good. The prices are reasonable and the food is always great. The wait staff are attentive and not pesky. The chefs are happy to change up what you order. For instance I told the waitress I was trying to reduce my dairy intake and she suggested eliminating the cream from the palak paneer I ordered. It still tasted fantastic. Great affordable Indian food.
I have literally never been so devoted to a restaurant in my life. It ticks so many boxes. The meals are delicious, diverse, sizeable and very affordable. It's BYO, they do deliveries, the service is awesome and atmo is great. I love watching indian satellite TV while I wait. I went traveling around india and ate pretty much just curry the whole time, when I landed in Auckland the empress was the first place I went. I have been to many of Auckland's pricier indian restaurants and still haven't had a better malai kofta. In fact.. I might go get one now..
Value 3.5
Food 4.5
Atmosphere 4
Service 4
OMG!!!!! THE BUTTER CHICKEN IS AMAZING!!!BEST BUTTER CHICKEN IN AUCKLAND SO FAR.I checked up on the price in Zomato I thought it will be 15 dollars but because I went on Tuesday and they only charged me 12 for the butter chicken, then I ordered another garlic narn for extra. very delicious. the ambiance is just like typical Indian restaurant you know like the TV playing Indian songs and everyone else just dancing and stuffs, very authentic :) I will definitely go again!!! Love this place.
Tasty curry with medium having a fair bit of kick. Was given complementary pappadums and salad. Service prompt and friendly.
Only negative is the bollywood pop/club music blaring from the tv. An assult on your ears and just horrid. Hardly the music for a nice restaurant and totally ruined the atmosphere making it more like a night club. I was considering getting it take away last minute just to get away from the noise.
Nice curry - quite like a English curry as opposed to a posh curry or a traditional curry. Nan breads very good too. Only criticism is the poperdoms are like shop bought ones instead of freshly made?
We ordered takeaways for the first time back in January and haven't stopped going back since. The butter chicken is a tad sweet, but still enjoyable. Plain naan is to die for.
Some of the best flavours I have experienced, and at a good price. We had a group of 9 persons and had a wonderful night. Service was great, entrees superb and kindly they gave us a wee break between entrees and mains. Nice touch the three different rice's served with the mains, coconut, saffron and plain rice.
Verdict from a group, "a great place to eat."
First class. We are regular users along with other members of my family and friends. Great food, excellent service, inexpensive in great surroundings with tons of parking. The food and choices are excellent and the portions are more than adequate - even for a big eater. The staff are really professional and ensure that your food is right and that your evening is always most enjoyable. Highly recommended.
We had been underwhelmed by quite a few Indian restaurants around Auckland so were keen to try Empress because it's relatively new in Grey Lynn. It was great. The dishes are tasty, hot, and good with their portions. The delivery service was prompt. Highly recommended.
My partner and I love Indian food, and once we found this place have never been anywhere else ! Food is always fresh and tasty. The staff are really nice too which is rare for most Indian restaurants, (the staff are generally arrogant and not interested) love the authentic options on the menu. Would highly recommend !
I live close by and often get the $10 deal. Food is delicious. Generous servings. Attentive and friendly staff. Recommend it 100%
Beautiful chicken tikka masala from Empress Garden. I always drive by and the big restaurant isn't very full so I didn't have high hopes. But there were lots of people coming to pick up takeaways when I was there. Food was perfect spice, great portion size, only $12 (!) and full of chunks of fresh veges and chicken. Divine I will definitely be back.
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Went here last night wanting to try the place as I had heard great things. There was only one other couple in the restaurant but as soon as we walked in the door, we were greeted and taken to a table. The waiters were absolutely adorable and waited on you hand and foot. Always topping up the water when it was empty, and checking to see if our food was up to standard. We ordered the mixed platter for two which was absolutely delicious. For our mains, we ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Madras. We had heard that their spiciness levels were a lot hotter than normal so we ordered ours mild-medium which was just right. Along with our mains, we ordered the saffron rice which was just beautiful and was really great to have a choice between plain, coconut or the saffron rice. I have never been given that choice before. We also ordered a garlic and cheese naan which was just beautiful. My boyfriend didn't think the flavours were that great in his Chicken Tikka Masala but I thought the Madras was just amazing. The portions were of a very generous size, so it was good to be able to take some home for lunch too.
All in all, I totally recommend this place! The service was top notch, the food was great and the decor was up to standard too.
How can you go wrong with the $10 meals Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights?
Will definitely be coming back to try more of the menu :)
My mother and I eat here 2 times per week. We have had only the most positive experiences. They give you far more food than the cost- it is always piping hot and to the table within minutes. And the place is always very clean. The service is a+. We absolutely recommend it. Oh- and they deliver!
Fantastic food! Best Butter Chicken was creamy, full of chicken perfectly hot not too spicy! And the Garlic Naan was so yum packed with flavor! service was great i felt very taken care of staff were very attentive and happy to help, great atmosphere, nice surroundings and decor i enjoyed my experience here a lot and will be coming back!
Very good, one of the best Indian foods I've eaten around Auckland! At first glance you wouldn't think so but my god did the service and the even better food blow me away. Would definitely go here again
Delicious indian curries! Regularly get the Malai Kofta and Chicken Tikka Masala from here and always pleased with how tasty they both are. Best Malai Kofta I've had in Auckland. I often order this dish at indian restaurants but usually underwhelmed but have finally found this place which never disappoints. Nice, fluffy garlic naans too. Spicy levels slightly higher than most other Indian spots so keep that in mind when choosing your heat/spice level. Very reasonably priced and even do a $10 lunch special 7 days a week. Definitely worth a go.
We had the butter chicken and malai kofta both were very delicious, the samosas were also good and our naan bread full of garlic (which is just how we like it). We had the food delivered, the service was professional and friendly and the food arrived within the time advised. We can't wait to sample the other dishes on the menu.
Just popped in for a curry as we didn't want to cook and can walk to this place. Curry was delicious (ordered a butter chicken and lamb sargwala ) and the naan was good too. Also it was cheap - $10 per main on Mon Tues Wed was good enough for me!
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A few years ago, Indian takeaway places (I'm pointing my finger at the mall ones here in particular) seemed to go through a bit of a decline in quality, and at the same time became more expensive. This is a restaurant that my partner and I now frequent precisely because it bucks the trend. The food is good quality: flavourful, fragrant, and the mild curries still have a bit of heat. I'm ashamed to admit that I usually order mild butter chicken, but it's delicious. I have, on the odd occasion, had the korma (incredibly sweet with bucketloads of cardamom) and the mango chicken (not as sweet as I'd expected and the only time I've ever wished for anything to be different- but I suspect I'd been accidentally given a medium). My partner always gets a hotter curry and a more savoury one: kadhai and jalfraizee are both fantastic here and the latter has converted him from a capsicum hater into a capsicum lover. We've never eaten in the restaurant itself, always opting to take-away, but the restaurant seems to have a lovely sophisticated ambiance. The takeaway orders (which we always phone in) are ready quickly, almost without exception they've been prepared before we arrive to collect them and the service is always polite. We're there every other week, and for good reason!
terrific food, especially the mango kulfi!! The service is impeccable, and what I like about Mon or Tue is that mains are $10 each. The manager is very welcoming. Parking is also very easy, right outside, next to the grog shop. Also, Countdown is 100 metres away, with an excellent selection of wines, to take to the Empress.
The price was lower than average - the quantity was larger than average. The curries and starters TASTED FANTASTIC! I've been coming here for many years, more recently the food seems to have got much better. The Honey Cauliflower was particularly delicious(better ordered in than takeaway).
Highly recommended.
(Two of the one star ratings are from me - completely by accident I clicked and submitted 1 star when I had intended to give 5 stars. Then i could not undo the mistake :-(
Sorry)
Absolutely great food - we visit here as often as we can.
The Empress is able to boast not only the best curry I have tasted in Auckland, but also some of the beat prices - to top it off, their staff are incredibly friendly, always remembering our names and order.
Thanks guys, will see you again soon!
The ambience could be better. But the food and the service were amazing! I forgot how good they were. And was humbly reminded when I went last night.
My friend and I got the butter chicken, chicken fried rice, cheese and garlic naan, and normal galic naan. And all of them were top tier!
Great indian food consistently! Been here dozens of times ever since it opened and rave on about it to my friends and family. Delicious, good-portioned curries and huge naan!
The food is always great and the service is friendly. Never been disappointed ordering from here. Best Indian takeaway I’ve had in Auckland by a long way and the price point is very reasonable too.
Love the food especially the Saagwala and the kids love the butter chicken and cheesy garlic naan. So well priced and decent size meals!
Can be a long wait so call ahead and give enough time after ordering.
Table cloths could do with a clean and the restaurant a refurbishment but staff are really lovely. Really nice food with great menu selection. Really good portions of food and good value for money.
Very nice food always and the rice comes with the meal, not an extra charge like other places. Extra bonus of being just up the road from us.
Delicious. Delicious. Delicious. Wasn't that hungry, ordered in and thought I'd save for weekly lunches. The vege pakora was crisp and so good. I ordered goat vurry, such a treat to see on a menu..and chicken Tikka masala. They were all so yummy I over ate. No regrets. I'll definitely have again. Next time I'll dine in. Yum
Friendly and welcoming service. Great selection of dishes especially vegetarian ones. Clean facilities and amenities. Carpark available, right on the corner of Surrey Cres and Gt North Road which can get pretty busy but view of the roads are clear.
The food was amazing! The most delicious prawn madras I have ever had and the butter chicken was pretty great too. The service was excellent too. Overall an enjoyable evening!
Amazing curries, lovely customer service. Highly recommended...
Been coming here off and on for many years. Always good. But they have gone from good to amazing in the last few months. So so so delicious.
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