India Club Restaurant

London, United Kingdom

3.1

21 reviews

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Telephone:
+44 20 7836 4880
Website:
www.strand-continental.co.uk
Address:
143 Strand, London, United Kingdom, WC2R 1JA
Strand
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
260 ftAldwych / Somerset House
350 ftAldwych
370 ftLancaster Place / Somerset House
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Today

Today –
Local time (London) 9:44 PM Thursday, November 28, 2024

Business hours

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Tuesday –
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Description

Specialties

The charmingly eccentric India Club Restaurant has remained much the same since opening in 1946.

Hidden up a flight of stairs, India Club is one of London’s best kept secrets. Enter a timewarp, with portraits of the Independence era on the walls, bottle-​green leather chairs, red lino flooring and wooden laminate tabletops. Despite overlooking the famous Strand, in the West End, diners feel like they are transported back in time to a golden era. It is a British curry house of the first generation. Authentic ‘home cooked’ South Indian cuisine at extraordinary value makes India Club an unforgettable dining experience.

Specialities include Masala Dosa, Mughlay Chicken and Bhuna Lamb.

The India Club Lounge-​Bar on the 1st floor provides an ideal venue space for any event, or just to relax with a glass of wine. Open all day.

Hotel Strand Continental is above the restaurant. Prices start as low as £25 a night, and you would be hard pushed to find a better deal in London’s liveliest area.

History

Established in 1946.

The historically-​rich India Club Bar & Restaurant first opened its doors in 1946 and over half a century later, little has changed. With features untouched by time, and portraits of Gandhi and Dadabhai Naoroji adorning the walls of the restaurant, it is easy to mistake that you are back in 1940’s India. The modern world has passed India Club by, and we now invite you to experience this miracle of steadfastness.

Originally established by Krishna Menon, India’s first High Commissioner to the UK, and founding members including Nehru and Lady Mountbatten, the building was a hub for political activity. It was here that meetings about the newly independent India took place, and was also a home away from home for Indian expatriates and diplomats from the nearby High Commission. With its rich history and faded colonial atmosphere, 143 Strand has become something of an institution.

Meet the Manager

Phiroza M.

Manager

I have been working at India Club for the past 2 years, as an Assistant Project Manager. In my time here, I have been involved in 2 projects:

a) Developing the bar as an independent business unit,.

b) Increasing the online coverage of the hotel.

Vicinity

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21 reviews of India Club Restaurant

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Place rating: 1
Nation/Vincennes, Paris
Horrible endroit.
On vous oblige à prendre 2 menus à 14£ sous prétexte que le cuisinier est trop occupé sans quoi, si vous commander à la carte… vous allez attendre très très longtemps.
On accepte fair-​play de prendre un menu pour 2 et d’y ajouter un p’tit truc à côté alors.
Là, le serveur nous dit que ce n’est pas possible: on doit prendre un menu à 14£ chacun
J’explique que je n’ai pas très faim et que je souhaite accompagner mon ami avec un petit plat. Refus du serveur et nous partons donc pour n’avoir pas voulu commander pour 2×14£ !
Le lieu est très moche, une salle au-​dessus d’un restau. C’est très simple et ultra bruyant
Place rating: 3
Los Angeles, CA
This is a 2nd floor hole in the wall. Not much on décor and the service was slow. A perfect place to really relax with friends and very tasty food in the big city. I guess if you want bells and whistles, this wouldn’t be for you. Down to Earth and easy.
Place rating: 3
New York, NY
The staff told us that this was one of the oldest Indian restaurants in London. Hm…
This place is not badly priced for the theater district. and perhaps a quaint hidden place to go before or after a show. However, I still think this is no match for Brick Lane where the food has more punch and the portions a little bigger. After spending £12 I was still hungry and felt like I only had half a meal.
Décor looks like. a school cafeteria which may or may not be good depending on your personal preference. I just thought i’d note that.
**TIP**: hard to find — the 2nd floor is the BAR. the restaurant is on the THIRD FLOOR. we got lost. Also maybe it was APPLE MAPS’ FAULT, but IT SHOWED THE RESTAURANT IN THE WRONG LOCATION! We walked around for 20 minutes until we found it. sigh.
Place rating: 2
Oxford, United Kingdom
Went there with 2 friends. We’re in our 20s and found the rude waiter quite funny. Upon our arrival he just chivvied us with his hand to elicit our request for a table for 3! I wouldn’t take my mum here, therefore, but if you can laugh that off then it’s ok. One waiter was quite sweet. The food was below average by English Indian restaurant standards, really. Dry naan, not very creamy curry, or slightly odd. This may well be more authentic mind you. It’s cheap. You get what you pay for. We enjoyed the old fashioned living room style décor. Service was pretty bad, asked for water and didn’t get served. Eventually poached a jug of water from another table when they got up and left. Will not visit again. But it’s a quirky bit of fun for friends or maybe an adventurous date if you want to test someone’s sense of humour.
Place rating: 4
Berlin, Germany
Most unusual place. Even the stairway up to the second floor (no lift) looks between neglected and spooky.
Up there it’s true that you feel put back in time.
Just the courage to keep the place as it is, is miraculous. Also the waiters seems to belong to a different decade, or as somebody wrote, it’s like an Indian canteen.
What we ordered and got was really very good, prawn bhuna (good portion, many prawns) and egg curry (very aromantic!). Also the rest was good, especially considering the low price.
They didn’t have the kebabs (maybe good luck?).
The service was alright.
Considering all and it really being something special we enjoyed it. It is just old-​fashioned in a natural way.
Also that very central location makes to good to know.
Place rating: 1
London, United Kingdom
Really mediocre food — bland and all tasted the same. The naan was stale and tasted like it came from a package bought at Lidl. Bring your own alcohol but don’t expect them to be overly helpful when you need a glass or a bottle opener. It took at least an hour for our group to be served, and yes, we were a large group, but we were offered only one choice — the set menu — so how hard can that be to prepare? Worst Indian food I’ve had in London. And terrible service. The waiters were rude to us on numerous occasions — one of them even shoved a friend’s arm off the table because it was in the way. Tip was included because we were a big group or I never would have left one. Definitely not worth it for the fifteen quid I paid — not even worth 5.
Place rating: 2
Washington, DC
Well, what can I say?
The faded grandeur of this tired hotel and restaurant made me think this would be a real Unilocal treasure when I arrived for a quick lunch.
Instead, I left disappointed. Why?
Prices are reasonable, but there are better values in Central London (i.e. set-​price menu) for lunch. My chicken curry was a small portion and, surprisingly, had more than a few pieces of bone. Plain naan bread was just acceptable.
Chance of returning: slim.
Place rating: 3
London, United Kingdom
Nothing special about this place. It’s hard to find and not as nice as the Sitar restaurant, which is also Indian, right next to it.
Cash only. If you try paying with card, they will tell you, «CASH ONLY!» with an implied «rawr» somewhere in there.
Taste-​wise, the food was about the same as the other Indian restaurants around town.
As everyone has mentioned, this place is old, and it shows. The hotel that this restaurant is hidden above looks broken and a little sketchy. Given that the food tastes the same, maybe it’s an impressive feat, since this old place might still be using 18th century tools to cook.
Place rating: 5
Newport Beach, CA
We went here before catching a show at the Adelphi theater. It is a great little place tucked up on the 2nd floor of an old hotel. Apparently it has been there since 1946. The service was nice and the wait staff take their time so you can enjoy yourself. Don’t come if you’re going to be rushed for time, it will ruin the experience.
The food was great and if you aren’t familiar with the menu, the staff will make recommendations. It is all delicious. I recommend ordering a few things and sharing with someone else.
Place rating: 2
London, United Kingdom
The colonial vibe, cheap beer and friendly staff are all fantastic here, and if you’re happy to put up with duff food for the sake of a fun night out then go for it, but I won’t be returning. The food was just too mediocre — the lamb madras was the only dish of about seven that I sampled which stood out.
I would recommend skipping the food altogether and getting an ice-​cold kingfisher in the delightful bar on the first floor.
Place rating: 4
London, United Kingdom
Went here for dinner. This restaurant defines the «no frills» genre of dining. That said, the prices are great, the staff are friendly, and you can bring your own booze. And the food is quite good.
At first the portions seemed small but they were rich, tasty and filling. I had the chicken curry and my lady friend enjoyed the prawn curry. We also got naan and rice and an order of curried eggplant. Each dish was just spicy enough and not too greasy or anything. Really high quality stuff. Total bill was just under £22.00.
A nice dining experience for those on a budget, those who like good Indian food, or those who like to drink high quality hooch of their own choosing. I would return here.
Place rating: 1
London, United Kingdom
Opened in 1950, and given new flooring some time circa 1970, I’d estimate, this is not on my «must revisit» list.
Perhaps I was unlucky — in a party of four consisting entirely of people who were either from the Indian subcontinent or had spent significant chunks of time there (working, not holidays in Goa.), and covering the spectrum of vegetarian and carnivore, the only thing we had that was up-​to-​spec were the poppadoms and the beer. Presumably neither were made on the spot. My «kebabs» were notable for being not unlike I would imagine fried cow-​flops to be. Vegetarian dishes were pronounced «wierd» or «oversalted». The rice was OK, but I don’t come to restaurants for the rice.
Cheap, but not cheery. You’ll note, on your way in and out, the loose throng of disappointed looking punters from the Strand Continental Hotel, located in the same building. If you have a hankering for Indian food, and can stretch to north of £6−7 per head, try… well, pretty much any other «Indian» restaurant in the UK.
Place rating: 4
London, United Kingdom
A great place to visit! No frills at all but so genuine, and so tasty, that it’s well worth it. As it is BYO, it works out as a cheap night too. I recommend going for the set menu.
Place rating: 3
London, United Kingdom
Don’t let the interior put you off, it’s barely decorated, but the food is good, and at £6.50 a curry it’s fantastic value. It’s popular and so the atmosphere is great and the staff have character. Ideal if you wanna have a low maintenance, lively chatter with your friends. Will hopefully go again.
Place rating: 4
London, United Kingdom
Went back and ordered form the regular menu — much tastier and v reasonably priced (chicken korma, rice and masala tea for a tenner). I’m now a confirmed fan.
I was a bit drunk last time, and I mistakenly decided the menu was «extensive». It isn’t, but there’s enough there, and I look forward to going back time and time again and eating my way through it.
Place rating: 5
London, United Kingdom
I was introduced to this place by a friend when I worked on Arundel St nearby, and it soon became a firm favorite for post-​drinks refuelling. Very good value (£12 set menu especially!) and with great tasting food — for it’s price range and location it can’t be beat :-)
Place rating: 2
London, United Kingdom
Cheap yes. A relic from another age in terms of décor, yes. Good food overall, not quite.
The meat dishes here tend towards the rubbery or plain tough. Vegetarian food on the other hand is rather good. Perhaps the reason for this is that the India Club and caters to many people from the nearby India High Commission (on the Aldwych).
In India whilst it is certainly the case that there are many meat eaters — and many fabulous meat based cuisines — official food culture tends towards the Brahminical and therefore vegetarian type.
If you’re after a cheap meal with authentic Indian flavours, go for it. The ambience is from another age — and somewhat moth-​eaten with it (but fascinating all the same!). The service is generally tepid at best or downright rude at worst.
Step-​free access isn’t possible as the restaurant is on the second floor up some narrow and steep stairs from the street with the recently refurbished toilets on the first floor.
2 out of a possible 5 stars purely because there are now many places in London that serve excellent Indian regional food at similar prices with far better service and facilities. It pains me as an habitué of nearly 15 years standing to state so, but there we are. Times change.
Place rating: 4
Sydney, Australia
Great spot for Indian. On the second floor of the Strand Continental Hotel, this medium-​sized room is a cheap, no-​frills place to eat. It’s sort of old and dingy, but feels a lot more authentic to me than the overwrought explosions of bad decoration that plague some restaurants.
There’s nothing fancy on the one-​page menu, but there’s sufficient meat and veg choice for just about anyone. Chicken bhuna, egg curry, dosas, nice and spicy yellow dahl.
More like home cooking: the ingredients all seem hand-​chopped, not extracted from machine-​prepared packets. All the mains are in the £5.95 to £6.95 range.
They don’t serve alcohol, but you can BYOB.
I’ve got a soft spot for this hidden gem.
Place rating: 3
London, United Kingdom
It’s hard enough to find someplace to eat on the Strand, never mind a place that won’t cost you a fortune. In many ways, the India Club is quite atypical. Hidden away on the second floor, there is nothing flashy about the entrance. The simple formica tables and décor probably haven’t changed since they moved to their current location in the ‘50s. The food is pretty decent, though in canteen-​style your choices are rather limited according to what they have available for the day. If you’re looking for a super-​spicy vindaloo (or super-​spicy anything for that matter), this probably isn’t the place for you. But if you like fried things, a good lamb curry or a dosa, you’ll be able to get a good cheap meal. FYI: BYOB
Place rating: 5
Washington, DC
There are many overused phrases and cliches in the English language.
One that I use too much myself is «the mother of all-​whatevers»
Well, this really is the mother of all Indian restaurants. Literally.
This is the first Indian restaurant that ever opened in the UK — probably in the early 50s, and the décor has not changed much since. The early patrons were the exiles from the Indian embassy across the street.
Now it has a loyal clientele from the people who work in the offices nearby, students and the backpackers who stay in the Strand Continental Hotel.
The food is excellent, it is tremendous value — probably the cheapest curry in central London, and before long they will put one of those blue plaques outside the door to recognise that this humble restaurant is London’s, the UK’s and thus the world’s one and only original Indian restaurant.
Place rating: 4
London, United Kingdom
Not to be confused with the East India Club (the very smart, traditional gentleman’s club in St James) this Indian restaurant is quite a find. Hidden away, up three flights of stairs in between the floors of a cheap hotel on the Strand, the India Club was a particular favourite of mine during my time at King’s College (a few buildings along)
A cheap restaurant with excellent food and the facility to bring your own alcohol makes it a firm favourite with students but also a loyal and longstanding clientele who see the restaurant as something of an institution (it has been going for over 50 years and is one of London’s earliest Indian restaurants)
The décor is faded and a bit sad, but the restaurant has managed to retain its charm. Bring cash and a bottle.