Kebab Mahal

Used to be a regular customer, until I moved to London. Went in yesterday fir the 1st time in almost 18 years. Quality of food and service has not changed. Still as good as ever. Also nice to see Mr Khan still running the show!

We ordered a less spicy dish, but it was so spicy that I didn’t even touch it. The table was extremely dirty, as were the utensils. I do not recommend this place.

Lowest food garde , very disappointed with taste and smell. Tried to eat as we were hungry. Just took just few bites to stop. Tastes like we are eating meat that's been kept for weeks .very very oily .USA would invade the shop if they knew the amount of oil found in food. Waste of 30 pounds. Worst Pakistani food!!

Recently indulged in a delightful spread at Kebab Mahal, and here's the lowdown: Favorites: 1. Chicken Tikka Bhuna (£11.95): A true standout, rich in flavor and satisfaction. 2. Chicken Tikka Biryani (£12.95): Fragrant and well-spiced – a biryani worth savoring. 3. Roti (£1.95): The star of the show – simply the best, could munch on it all day. Final Thoughts: The combination of Chicken Tikka Bhuna, Chicken Tikka Biryani, and the heavenly Roti makes Kebab Mahal a must-visit. The flavors are rich, and the variety is impressive. A feast worth returning for!

tasty briyani. the people are nice. the price is reasonable. Tips: do not eat anything other than indian foods here

Nice vegetable curry, lamb curry, and nan bread, the tea is also great, recommended. You can take away if you can't finish your foods at the restauran. The baklava is good. Located near the mosque (you can park your car here; behind the mosque there is parking area). Friendly staffs as well.

We recently purchased a Hot Kebab, Keema Rice Extra Spicy, and Lamb Rogan Josh. We spent £30 to make sure that everything was spicy and fresh unfortunately everything was very disastrous. Especially the Lamb Rogan Josh not spicy and the quantities of the item were below average quality of the rice was very cold and lumped the worst food I ever had in Edinburgh. Am especially don't recommend this store to anyone and my friends

Went for lunch and the Doner Kebab is the bomb. We also ordered a cheese Nan Bread which was soft and tasty. Kebab meat was juicy and they do not skimp on the amount served with the Doner. Veggies were plentiful too. I would definitely come back and try some of the other dishes as everything smelled wonderful.

Sweet family that owns this restaurant. Delicious kebabs, I had amazing chai too. Very reasonable price too

Great food, friendly service. For Pakistani/Indian food this is a wonderful and very affordable restaurant

I'am glad having this kinda yummy hilal restaurent in my townbsjdkd oh whwklwowje djxjsnd Dhehsjs

We traveled across the Atlantic to visit Scotland and all our running about, we forgot about supper. Across the street from our hotel we noticed this simple family-run shop. How good was it?! We ordered take-away for our supper there the next two nights!

The food here was great, but the ambiance makes it a food best enjoyed as takeaway. The line and overall busy-ness of the cafe is a testament to the quality, but it is jam packed and there isn't really anywhere to stand without being in the way while waiting for a seat or your food. There are lots of food choices, and everything we ordered tasted wonderful. I even took the rest of the naan in a napkin in my pocket to have as a snack for later, i liked it so much. Definitely try the yogurt and chili sauces they bring out-they really add to the meal.

Excellent curry in a family run establishment with a total of six tables. The service is quick and the food is great. We had chicken tikka masala (excellent) and lamb bhuna (very good). Thank you, Yelpsters, for a great tip.

I loved the food here. As they say dont judge the book by the cover, dont judge this place by the looks and the board which boasts pizza and doner kebab on it. The food is good authentic indian and tandoori food cooked brilliantly and is cheap. The service is friendly and of course extra friendly for me as I could speak the language :-) The saag panner was excellent as was the bhindi masala. The samosa was spicy and the rotis were huge. Tried the special tea and raas malai for dessert and it was excellent. In fact the dessert was the favourite part of my meal. All up with three courses it was 30 quid for two to have dinner including drinks. Not bad for what was a big meal. I would drop in here regularly if I could :-)

Ghee in all of the vegetarian dishes making them not vegan friendly. Owners or operators not willing to make without ghee. Vegetable oil costs less and is likely better for you, so why not make the exception for vegans? The menu further states that they will make you any curry if you ask, even if it isn't on the menu. Apparently they can't make one without ghee. No money from me.

Vegetarian side dish portions were too small for £4.50. Also, there were only the owner and one extra waiter serving customers. This was insufficient for the (busy) lunch time and service took a bit too long. They should hire extra staff. Decent place otherwise.

The food tasted great. BUT, after a couple hours my stomach began to get quite upset. Without going into detail I had way too many trips to the bathroom after eating there...

Damn, I thought this place was a secret. This place is what Yelp was made for. If you did not know - you would probably would not bother. This place is no secret to folks who love decent curries. Lots of regulars from the local Indian community to be found here and always some student newbies, occasionally with American accents. Mister Khan is really nice fellow and his friends in the back make tremendous curries. You could just wander in here and get a kebab or some pakora. However, the folks who know will sit in the back, get yourself a lovely beverage (no alcohol served - like all of the best Indian restaurants) and enjoy the fabulous curries. The portions are immense and the curries and breads are always well made. Finally, when you leave the price will startle you. It is stupidly low priced. Wouldn't it be great if all of the places that looked Kebab Mahal were this good. A nasty looking off-license with a security screen had some lovely Chimay or Gambrinus in the beer chiller? Or a cheap cafe that served the greatest breakfast ever? So, I told you - yeah it is great - now don't spoil it.

This is an addiction. If I am put into rehab for this addiction I will escape, and find my way back to the palace of Indian food in Edinburgh known as Kebab Mahal. The Taj Mahal has nothing on Kebab Mahal. In fact, seeking asylum in this Mahal will do you much better than the other Mahal. The inscription at the Taj Mahal was obviously mistakenly put there when it was meant to be here, at Kebab Mahal: "Should guilty seek asylum here, Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin. Should a sinner make his way to this mansion, All his past sins are to be washed away. The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs; And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes. In this world this edifice has been made; To display thereby the creator's glory." Wash away your past sins by eating at this mansion of Halal traditional tandoori and curry dishes. For it is here that you will be pardoned.

Do not judge a book by its cover. And certainly do NOT judge Kebab Mahal by its appearance! It will reward you with one delightful indian food experience. From the chicken tikka karahi to lamb tikka bhuna, every plate is delicious and generous on the size. Accompanied with a couple of nans and you have an unforgettable ethnic feast! Our meal ended with a baklava and a kataifi which was equally delicious and we hardly reached a £24 bill. Best Indian in Edinburgh for sure, and if you know the cardinality of the set "Indian restaurants in Edinburgh", that says a lot.

Me and 2 friends were looking for dinner options in Edinburgh and found this place on yelp. We wanted something good and something affordable. This place was both! It was first time having Indian food ever and this place set the bar really high. We visited Edinburgh for 9 days and ate here 3 times.

We've been staying at the house of an Indian chef and got this place recommended as great place to have some proper Pakistani and Indian cuisine in town. And boy, it was delicious. Don't expect haute cuisine dining or even proper seating, this is a small joint where the curries steal all the fame. We had Chicken Karahi, Naan, Keema Rice and tried some more stuff from a friendly Scottish guest who was a regular here. The only thing I personally didn't like was the mixed appetizer plate which was precooked and not crunchy anymore. It didn't pass the excellence test in my book. Yet, there is an infinite amount of two chutneys to go along with the main dishes, so I'd call it a draw. The owners are a friendly bunch and you won't leave this place with an empty stomach, so if you are in need of a good, proper spice cuisine, stop by and throw some money at this place. You won't regret it, it's great.

Erm.... This place is amazing. I've heard about the Kebab Mahal on the Edinburgh grapevine for years. But for some reason I never felt the need to go there. But now I always feel the need to go there. Because the food is fantastic. And oh, so cheap. This is not a posh restaurant. Oh no. It's formica tables and stools and weird items stuffed up the back of the room. There's even two parts to the place, separated by a proper wall and accessible only by going outside and entering another main door. This is what I like to call personality. Me and my other half had an incredible meal here, in the completely separate restaurant from everyone else. We ordered a starter of onion bhajis (three arrived the size of steering wheels) followed by a veritable feast of Indian main courses. I opted for two sides and a naan to keep me filled and the bloke opted for a main course, rice, naan and a side. We couldn't finish it all and took the rest home. All that wonderful food only came to £26. And the service was good too - our waiter was pleasant and we even helped him shift some tables to accommodate us. It felt like a mad family meal - will absolutely, definitely, totally be back for more. Long live Kebab Mahal!

Nothing more to add than the others have said, it's great. Surprisingly extensive menu, unbeatable prices, convenient.

Oh my goodness this place is great! The staff are wonderful, the price is even better and the food is superb. A definite favourite go to, would eat here anytime type place. We usually get takeout, but there is a place to sit and eat which is useful if your buttling around that part of town.

It would be easy to mistake Kebab Mahal for just another place that sells processed shaved meats, its unassuming and dated appearance not doing it any favours however the old saying is true - one should not judge a book by it's cover... The food is excellent - from the mild rich and creamy chicken tikka masala to the more spicy madras or vindaloo which have a good balance of heat and flavour and real kebabs. The only thing ever to take me by surprise is that the chicken pakora is on the bone - delicious but something to be aware of. To sum up, yes it can be very busy, is small and looks dated however if you want good food at a good price Kebab Mahal is one of the best places to get a curry in Edinburgh and I for one hope it never changes.

Cheap curries. The chicken and mushroom was nice. Big chunks of white meat chicken. Sis liked the chicken tikka masala. I thought it was too rich and creamy, but I like mine more "tomatey" and sis doesn't. The aubergine was drenched in oil. Tasty, but super greasy. The naan was huuuuge. It was 4 times the size of the naan that I had at London restaurant. We did experience the MSG thirst a couple of hours after dinner though. The doner kebab is horrifying. Yes, it's HUGE, but the "meat" is dry and awful and the whole thing was drenched in a neon red sauce that just ended up disintegrating the pita bread into a mushy red mess. Don't get that on clothing. You'll never get it out. Popular place for local students. Come at the wrong time and you'll be waiting a while. Call ahead with your order as they advise on the website. Would return, but only for the curries.

Delicious! The Chicken Tikka Masala is the best I've ever had. The Chicken Biryani is also excellent and a very large serving. Has efficient table service. Overall a very good value.

Hands-down my favourite Indian place in Edinburgh. The lamb bhuna is amazing. Aside from near-perfect food, the atmosphere is nice, and the owner is a very gracious man who is eager to take care of his patrons. I miss eating there, and it will be atop my list of eateries when I return to the 'Burgh. And if you haven't tried it, their Baklava is the best I've ever had, and only about a quid per piece.

Decadent. Sumptous. Mouth-watering. Exquisite. Superlatives really do struggle to adequately describe just how good the food is at Kebab Mahal. While their kebabs are approximately one million times better than the sweat soaked doners you'll find in 3am joints, it's the curries that really take the biscuit. Quite simply, they are the best I've ever eaten. Talking about them doesn't do them justice, you simply have to try one for yourself.

I've only been to Kebab Mahal once and that was the first night after I moved into my new flat last summer. Four of us turned up and waited for about five minutes for a table because it was well beyond maximum capacity as it was so busy. I ordered the lamb balti with rice and a naan and we were eventually seated. The atmosphere is particularly special as it is ethnically diverse with cool music and amazing smells wafting from the kitchen. It was a very fortunate thing that it had a good atmosphere because we literally waited for about an 45 minutes for our food arrive, but when it did it was well worth it. The lamb was good quality with virtually no sinuous or fatty bits amongst it and the flavour of the sauce was delicious. It was seriously spicy, but my flatmate ordered the chicken madras which blew my head off after just a mouthful and he was literally dripping with sweat after about five minutes of eating it. Kebab Mahal serves authentic Indian food at relatively cheap prices and is definitely worth a visit for an amazing dinner any night of the week. As the name suggests they specialise in kebabs and, although I haven't tried them myself, they're meant to be incredible.

I had heard amazing things about this kebab house, but not being a kebab lover myself I didn't know how to judge it. I was surprised at how tasty the meat was - I didn't think the huge chunk of meat on the spit looked appetizing until it was sliding down my throat. I must admit I've only been once and it was following a rather liquid lunch, but I'll be back and explore the menu further....but so far so very, very good!

Right, so after my last review of Kebab Mahal, I decided that I was hungry. So I went back to Kebab Mahal, of course! This time I went for the lamb-curry something I hadn't tried before and, being Indonesian and curry-prone myself, I think I died of bliss. I shuffled in, holding my stomach, bent over and clearly in the final stages of hunger-pains. After having placed my order and being greeted by almost all of the friendly clientele and staff the curry arrived. A light opened up above me, trumpets sounded, a harp was gently plucked. And I may or may not have taken a nose-dive into the curry. Look, I'm sensitive to heat and so this burnt my throat and mouth to a point of angst-ridden pain but it was soooo good that despite the pain, I couldn't stop eating. (My fault for trusting them when they said there were very few chillies in there, "almost none"). What am I saying? I'm saying get your bee-hinds over here and have ye some curry! Doesn't get better, really doesn't, and they're so incredibly friendly. As a matter of fact, why .. I do believe it's almost lunch-time .... muahhahaha

This restaurant is very dodgy looking and in sore need of a refurbishment. The food however, is excellent. And ridiculously good value. Very tasty curries with more choice than the Mosque Kitchen, but also very cheap.

This place finds a mention in two travel guides and so my expectations were high. It did not fail me as far as food is concerned but service, interiors and ambience need an overhaul! Kebabs and tikkas are succulent and delicious. Vegetarian side dishes can be asked for in main course portions and they are really good. Baigan bhaji, dal, aloo gobhi in particular. Their snacks (pakora, samosa etc) lack flavour and are best avoided. I would have rated this place higher if their service was better. On more than 2 occasions the waiter brought the wrong order or ignored a special request.

The food and service at this restaurant was awesome. Both dishes that we ordered were just excellent. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. We will definitely go back again if we are in the area. Great value for the money.

They absolutely ruined our dinner. No attention to any detail and if you order in you are on your own. They expect you to make your own kebab and give you far less. I am a loyal customer turned against after an embarrassingly bad visit with people visiting the city. Never again. Screw this place.

Edinburgh has a whole host of kebab shops, probably even hundreds. It can be very difficult to tell the difference between them as they are expensive and most taste the same. However, Kebab Mehal is different. This Turkish diner provides gives you with an excellent portion for a much cheaper price than you would usually expect and it tastes much better. Furthermore, there is a bigger portion of salad so you can even fool yourself into thinking you has a healthy meal. This Turkish restaurant even serves quality food outside kebabs and there were even vegetarian options last time I was there. Finally on both my three visits the standard of hygiene and speed of service have been excellent. It provides a great meal to end any quality night out on a high note!!

I am addicted to this place. I go twice a week. Every week. I can't believe they don't deliver. They won the Best Curry Award for 2009

I love Kebab Mahal. A regular haunt of mine, and everyone who likes desi food in Edinburgh from tourists, to professionals to students. It's a favourite, situation in Nicolson Square on Edinburgh's southside, well known for it's South Asian and Middle Eastern food scene, Kebab Mahal is definitely worth a visit. It is low key, unapologetic in it's roots, and dishes up the tastiest curries in Edinburgh. It loses a star for having such a small seating area (it's really a diner/takeaway with a few seats) but again, that really is just part of it's charm. The pizza and pakora leaves something to be desired, but if you're coming here you really should be having the amazing curries and biryanis on offer.

So CHEAP and so GOOD!!!! I love this place! It is not the coziest restaurant in the world, but man, the food is awesome! The kebab reminded me my days in Istanbul. Perfect combination of meat, veggetables and spices. I cannot wait to come back!

fantasies of you are inspiring me to finish my phd proposal that will be the only hope of our reunion. please don't change. except maybe you could get more tables. and do delivery. and revamp the toilets. but nothing else. if i don't get accepted, or funding, i will be your US rep and together we will conquer a country of generally mediocre indian food. xxoo

Helllllllllllllllllo kebab mahal......you tryin to make me fat??? so goood...one day i'll come to this restaurant not be able to leave the food is so bang on!

I would call this little gem one of Edinburgh's hidden secrets: although judging by all the positive comments on here perhaps it's not that well hidden? From the outside it looks like a ropey kebab shop, but step inside and you'll be treated to some of the best Indian food in town. The naan breads are big soft pillows and the currys are bursting with flavour (yes, even the korma!)

Tasty food for a reasonable price. Not the nicest venue however if I lived in Edinburgh I would frequent this place for sure.

I do not get the hype here. The food was at best average. It is not a hole in the wall... And it is definitely not fast food. It is just a mediocre restaurant. The food was SO oily that I am pretty sure it seeped through our plastic bag. We ordered the mixed vegetable curry, the mushroom bhaji and the tarka dhal. I honestly could not taste much as my mouth was coated in oil. We also waited 20 minutes and watched 8 people who came in after us get their take away before us and get served before while sitting down. No explanation, no apology for how long it took and the fact that we got frog-jumped by everyone and their mothers. The lamb kebab was ok, but coming here was my biggest regret of our trip.

There is nowhere in Edinburgh you will get a better meal for the prices here. It rarely costs more than a tenner a head and I probably prefer it to 99% of the more expensive Indian/Bangladeshi restaurants in Edinburgh. It is not posh by any means but is informal and always has a great atmosphere. We always get a mixed tandoori and the meat packs a heap of flavour and is always cooked just right. The have all the classics which are great but if you are looking for something a little different the keema matar curry is a beautiful mix of spicy minced lamb and peas. You can't drink there so i tend to go on a week night but i guess you can always head to the pub after your food

Very good takeaway kebabs (Afghani or Pakistani style) with a few seats in the restaurant. The proprietors are very friendly making this a great place for a simple, cheap meal.

Need a cheap meal, then this is the place to go! Great sized curry for £4 -£5- was yummy too. Super unfriendly and unhelpful staff though. Cleanliness of the place was a bit gross. Our table hadn't been wiped and floors looked like they hadn't been mopped in a year!

Awesome - even though I wasn't too adventurous with tikka masala (which is my gold standard to compare others to), it was fantastic. Service was excellent and the price was just right.

The curries are so hot in this place that even the onion bhajis were too hot for me! Really cheap, great curry if you can take the heat. Good for both take out and eating in, but it's quite small.

Another amazing trip to Kebab Mahal. The lovely staff and killer food makes this place a secret Edinburgh must.

Tipsy and craving some delicious nighttime kebab? Kebab Mahal will be there for you with a delicious doener filled with greasy meat, drippy sauces, and garlic breath the next morning. Kinda grotty and not the absolute best doener place in Edinburgh, but it will forever hold a special place in my heart (and likely my arteries).

We made a beeline here after the rave reviews and, forewarned, we weren't expecting a fancy place. Maybe it was because we were looking forward to it so much that our expectations were somewhat dimmed. The food was generally average, we felt. My Vindaloo was spicy enough but the meat was a bit tough and, temperature-wise, could've done with being hotter. The naan was not great and didn't seem fresh or have that "just cooked" fluffiness. Service was adequate, but slow, as there was a steady stream of people picking up takeouts. You help yourself to soft drinks from a chiller at the back. The prices were reasonable. Sorry, other lovers of this place, but Mother India is miles better (and not a lot more expensive) so we'll be sticking to that, or Kebabish.

Went to Kebab Mahal during a visit to the Fringe for a snack. I love the mixed pakora which is served with salad & sauce. (Cheaper then you'll get at any of the Fringe venues)We ate in the garden outside the shop as it was mobbed. The interior is not in a great decorative state but any time I have hjad food from here it has been excellant. Try it for yourself & see!

Great for a quick lunch. So tasty. Best kebabs in Edinburgh. Service a bit slow but hey, it's busy for a reason. Small spot- not great for a large group.