The Spice Room was recommended to us by our hotel receptionist. Very close by, so walking distance for us. Had a lot of positive reviews, so expectations were high (‼️ note: read the end). Thankfully, we got seated even without a reservation, as they looked quite busy. They offered complimentary pappadums that had delicious sauce accompanied with it. We ordered butter chicken ($33.9), kadai chicken ($33.9), chicken chettinaad ($33.9) and lamb Rogan Josh ($35.9) as well as garlic and herb naan x2 ($13 total) and some steamed rice 🍚 ($6 ea). Beautiful butter chicken (best we’ve ever had!), lovely kadai chicken, but the chettinaad and lamb Rogan Josh were a mixed bag - some of us found it good, the others did not. Plus, the naan wasn’t very thick. The staff weren’t too friendly, but there was a cool vibe to the place. Indian music played in the background as well, which was a nice touch. I did notice though, that the reason they have so many reviews (that are mostly positive) is because, sometimes, at the end of the meal, they’ll ask you to leave them a review (giving you a QR code to scan and everything). However, they did not ask us to do so, and I am writing this review honestly.

Great location and amazing food. Every thing tasted awesome and portion size was okay. One star off for the service. Staff was sort of off putting, with unnecessary comments. And when we requested two more cups for the tea pot, they refused that they can only give two cups. We were not asking for more tea but the cups. Simple things can make big difference in the experience. I hope staff gets more customer friendly.

I visited The Spice Room with my family to celebrate my birthday, and unfortunately, the experience turned out to be quite disappointing. I had high expectations from this place, especially considering its reputation and the nice ambience, but the visit didn’t live up to it. To start with the positives, the service was prompt and efficient. The staff attended to us quickly, and the overall vibe and décor of the restaurant were warm and inviting, which initially made me feel like I had made a good choice for a special day. The appetisers were actually quite nice, and for a moment I felt hopeful that the rest of the meal would follow the same standard. But the major letdown came with the main course. Except for the butter chicken, which was decent, everything else fell flat. The flavours were lacking, the dishes didn’t feel fresh or well-balanced, and overall the food simply did not match the expectations we had. It was disappointing enough that we couldn’t even finish our meal — we left most of it, which is never a good sign, especially on a day meant to be enjoyable. Overall, while the service and ambience were good, the food just didn’t deliver, and that overshadowed everything else. For a birthday dinner I was really looking forward to, it turned out to be a letdown. I hope they improve the quality of their main course dishes, because the place does have potential.

Had an amazing time at The Spice Room celebrating one of my siblings birthday! The food was absolutely delicious,the drinks menu had great variety also the ambience was warm and inviting. The staff were incredibly kind especially Mr.Gaurav, the manager,made us feel so welcome.Highly recommend!

The Spice Room has been a favourite for over a decade. The beautifully designed interiors complement the warm service and excellent food. The lovely woodwork and interiors are a treat in themselves to admire. A visit to their bathrooms is a must - the innovative decor there is another little surprise. We went to celebrate a personal milestone and Gaurav and team were just wonderful. They thoughtfully ensured we got a nice quiet table and subtly took care to ensure we had a very nice time. The food is cooked to perfection. Our recent visit was no exception. The Dhaba chicken curry, Andhra chicken curry, naans and pani Puri all came together beautifully. Highly recommend a visit esp when you're planning to be in the Circular Quay area 👍🏽