Alounak

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Review

475 reviews

#3,669 of 21,249 Restaurants in London₹₹ - ₹₹₹, Indian, Middle Eastern, Persian

+44 20 7229 4158+ Add website

Hours

Sun

12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Mon

12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Tue

12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Wed

12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Thu

12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Fri

12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Sat

12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

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Ratings and reviews

4.0

475 reviews

#3,669 of 21,249 Restaurants in London

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

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PRICE RANGE

₹0.00 – ₹3,935.00

CUISINES

Indian, Middle Eastern, Persian

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Halal

meals, features

Location and contact

44 Westbourne Grove, London W2 5SH England

Paddington

+44 20 7229 4158

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Is this an Indian restaurant?

Yes

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PRICE RANGE

₹0.00 – ₹3,935.00

CUISINES

Indian, Middle Eastern, Persian

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Halal

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, After-hours

FEATURES

Takeout, Seating, Highchairs Available, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, BYOB

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4.0

475 reviews

Excellent

183

Very good

160

Average

Poor

Terrible

Mobe87

London155 contributions

FOOD NICE BUT NOTHING ELSE!!!

Sept 2020 • none

So went here on the eat out help out scheme in August (50% off) if I had to pay full price it would have less stars not because of the food but the service. Good points ▪️food was nice, it was succulent pieces of meat and salad etc was fresh ▪️ prices are reasonable for this area of London THATS ALL FOLKS Bad points ▪️menu was ripped and hard to read ▪️made us sit right next to oven and extractor fan was off so almost died of smoke inhalation ▪️took over 30 mins to get food although only 2 other people in restaurant ▪️staff lacked English so much it was difficult to just tell them what we wanted or ask directions to the toilet ▪️after finding where the toilet was be prepared to walk up a thousand stairs ▪️small restaurant To summarise I would go again because the food was good but expect long delays and bad bad customer service. Plus this is not a place for disabled people who use wheelchairs.

Written 5 September 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Fatma_Q

Kuwait City21 contributions

Great food

Nov 2022 • family

I loved the food, I would rate it among the top 5 Iranian Food I ever had in my life including food I had in Iran itself. I love eggplant dishes and theirs were excellent ( they are listed in the appetizer section though they were kinda small for that price). The bread is made right there in the dining hall in front of you using a traditional clay stove. Smelled amazing. I went with my family, my brother loved the marinated meat kebabs but I liked the kobideh kebab more which is not marinated. The rice was perfectly cooked, be sure to mix in the butter while the rice is hot 👍🏻 It is a small restaurant so make sure you go early, there could be a line. It is more expensive than average but totally worth it. You can order a delivery through uber eats but you will not feel the spirit of the place. I started humming an old song about the city of Esfahan to myself because the decorations reminded me of it.

Written 14 November 2022

Ted N

10 contributions

A tale of two halves

Nov 2021 • friends

We visited Alounak as a trio on Wednesday evening, hoping for an authentic and tasty Persian experience. We were greeted by a very friendly and knowledgeable team and our starters of hummous and bread cooked before our eyes were delicious. However, our mains left much to be desired. The ‘vegetarian curry’ (only vegetarian main on the menu) lacked in seasoning and taste. The skewers we ordered were really quite tasty, but served only with a mound of plain rice and crudely chopped salad (pickles, jalapeños, lettuce, tomatoes) which made for quite a dry experience. All in all, not the type of place to go if looking for a memorable evening, but if you’re just looking for a quick meal then it won’t do any harm.

Written 13 November 2021

DianaOxford

18 contributions

A fall like that of the Persian empire

Jun 2021 • none

Sadly, this beautifully decorated restaurant, which used to have queues of customers outside, has now lost its flavour. Not only is the rice the most dry and tasteless out of all Persian rice dishes I've had; not only is their chicken shish completely dry and lacking in good marinade; but their customer service is appalling too! The waitresses too young to know what to do, deceiving and making us wait for over 45 minutes to get our food. And to top it all, when I politely complained to the management in an email, they didn't even have the courage and dignity to respond! All they have to do is replace the chef and get the manager to be in the restaurant to address customer issues. It's not a hard job.

Written 12 July 2021

Arthur B

3 contributions

Alounak Westbourne Grove

Feb 2022 • friends

We have visited this restaurant for many years but after our last experience we will not be returning. The staff were unfriendly and rude and the food was was plain and tasteless. It was a very sad and disappointing occasion especially as it used to be such an excellent place

Written 11 February 2022

Jetset

Reading2 contributions

Food and service is good but a bit expensive if you are hungry.

Jun 2020 • none

We have been here twice before the pandemic. We usually get mixed grill meat with rice and bread and starters. The atmosphere is ok unless they take you to the restaurant next door when they get full. We had the same older female waitress on both occasions and the service was good. The dishes we ordered were tasty and I love the fresh bread. The only thing which may prevent me from returning is that it is expensive for a meal for 2.

Written 3 May 2021

833ploj

1 contribution

Trash!

Apr 2024 • friends

Terrible service and tasteless food. The rice tasted like packet rice, the chicken had no taste at all, but the lamb was nice. THE SERVICE was vile, as the queues built up outside (God knows why, they must have been giving a discount we knew nothing about) we were constantly asked if we were ready for the bill, when we said we were not ready yet as we were STILL EATING, the miserable faced waitress frequently hovered over our table like a bloomin drone. Out of no where a male waiter or chef, maybe door staff, walked over to our table and told us to be quiet, im still shocked... thee audacity! Soon after we asked for the bill, I asked for the service charge to be removed, the drone waitress then asked "Why?" I explained why but before I could even finish my sentence, she stormed off and took the service charge off. It was laughable at this point, we felt like kids being told off in school. I won't step foot in this place again, even if it was just to ask for a tissue.

Written 20 April 2024

Ash & Karen

London139 contributions

A Persian Speciality Restaurant Alounak, in Bayswater, London has been a cherished part of our lives for 4 decades

Sept 2023 • couples

A Persian Speciality Restaurant Alounak, in Bayswater, London has been a cherished part of our lives for nearly four decades, ever since its inception in 1995. Our visits, whether with family or friends, have consistently been an exceptional culinary journey. The food quality remains at its pinnacle, and the ambiance continues to transport us to the heart of Persia, sparing us the need to travel thousands of miles. During our recent visit, we had the privilege of being attended to by the remarkable Ms. Hasti and her team, including the skilled Ms. Nara and others. They provided insightful narratives about our beloved dishes, which, although familiar, now come with delightful twists that have left our taste buds yearning for more. This enduring excellence is a testament to the dedication of the restaurant's Management, Executive Officers, and the entire staff at Alounak Restaurant, Bayswater, London. We shall appreciate if our compliments are duly conveyed to the Staff concerned, as in addition to making us happy, it will also motivate them and other staff to always strive for their best. Their unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional experiences to their patrons is truly commendable. A journey to Alounak Restaurant, Bayswater, London continues to be an enchanting and delectable adventure, and we eagerly anticipate returning for many more decades to come. Kudos to Alounak Restaurant, Bayswater, London for their continued pursuit of excellence in all their endeavours! Ash-Cash and Ashandkaren

Written 20 October 2023

Joana

109 contributions

Good food but poor service

Oct 2019 • none

I came to this restaurant with friends and I enjoyed the restaurant environment. The food was good but nothing special. I think it is expensive for what you get. I was still feeling hungry after I finished my meal. But what was really annoying was that the waitress kept watching us and was rude. They wanted us to leave. I would still recommend the restaurant but please do not expect a big portion of food.

Written 4 July 2020

fairfares18

London205 contributions

Abundant meal!

Apr 2024 • solo

I checked some of the reviews of this Alounak before going in and was a bit put off! But when I went in they were all proved wrong so I felt I wanted to give them a glowing review! Instead of being disappointed I was heartily pleased! The main course - a meat and rice dish - was stacked high and definitely good value. I had Baklawa with delicious ice cream for dessert so reckon the visit was really worth it!

Written 18 April 2024

Huss810

London10 contributions

The best Iranian restaurant in London by a country mile!

Jun 2022 • friends

I’ve been coming here for years but I now feel compelled to write a review. I can’t describe how many times I’ve been to other Middle Eastern restaurants and said to friends ‘it’s no Alounak’ The starters are superb. The Mirza Ghassemi in particular is my favourite. The mains there’s far too much choice. I suggest going several times and trying everything. The bread… there are no words to describe. The staff there are amazing on top of everything. Make sure you go.

Written 8 June 2022

Vacationer539643

2 contributions

First and last time in this restaurant

Feb 2024 • friends

Went there with friends. The head waitress was very polite, but the other waiter was very unfriendly, not a service with a smile! The food was below overage, except for the freshly baked bread - the rice was not certainly what you would expect from a Persian restaurant! I was looking forward to one of my favourites when going to a Persian restaurant, the paneer sabzi, which was very disappointing indeed - (rubber cheese topped with a walnut..) sabzi/herbs - were drenched and lacking some traditional vegetables, like spring onions, for example. The platter, (£18.90) consisted of 4 starters that were spread very thinly indeed. For what we ate, and the quality of the ingredients used, it was overpriced - I will not go there again or recommend it to others.

Written 7 February 2024

Koroush T

4 contributions

Terrible service

Jan 2024 • couples

Terrible service, arrogant waitress, the picture on the menu didn't correspond to the actual delivered, will go this restaurant again...

Written 30 January 2024

Nino T

United Kingdom5 contributions

The best Persian restaurant in London

Apr 2023 • friends

I have been coming to this place for the last 20 years and EVERY time the experience is the same-Excellent!! The food is so comforting,the staff attentive and whole ambiance is amazing! Nobody is rushing you and even better,you can bring your own wine, All these people who complain should go elsewhere. Five star! Nino

Written 27 April 2023