Bangla Lounge

Living in Harborne, I’ve been to Bangla Lounge a few times now– it’s becoming my go-​to curry place and really reasonably priced restaurant to bring visitors who want a taste of Birmingham’s Indian food and are too lazy to venture out to the Balti Triangle.
The food. Is. Fantastic. Plentiful portions. No artificial colours or flavourings. Lengthy, albeit ‘standard’ Birmingham Indian/​Balti menu. One particular evening the manager was around and talked us through how some of the dishes were made, and seemed quite keen to educate us on the ingredients used.
We often get something complimentary thrown in– tonight we had both a side dish and free ice cream bars! Not sure why this happened, but hey, I’m not complaining!
Despite the low prices, it seems like they are trying to create a ‘fine dining’ experience– during dinner service the staff check on you, plate your food for you, place the napkins on your lap, etc. I have found the service to lag a bit though, although it seems more like they are trying to give you space than anything else– it was easy enough to flag someone over if we needed anything.
All in all, delicious well-​priced curries in Harborne.

We came to Bangla Lounge because we wanted to eat out at low cost and I’m very glad we did.
Service was very, very attentive and the food was very cheap and pretty good. Starters are quite small, but were still good and kept room for the main. Desserts are the standard Indian restaurant ice cream menu.
In addition to the very prompt service, we were given a side, after dinner drinks and coffee for free, and we don’t really know why.
We had a great time anyway and I couldn’t give it anything under 4 stars.

I dont wanna be too hard on this restaurant, because the food, which is ONE of the most important aspects of a restaurant, is not bad at all. However, if you are looking for something a little different, you might need to go elsewhere. If not, and you just want a placethat’s ‘ok’ to eat after work and not spend too much money, this is the place.
Almost hidden away up an alley just off the Harborne High Street, you could be forgiven for walking right past it. The décor is clean and bright, nothing to write home about but definitely nothing to complain about either.
They have a very good promotion during the week: starter, main course and rice (or naan bread) for 7 pounds. In fact, all of the menu is very reasonably priced. Whenever I have eaten there the food has always been good and the staff have always been suitably attentive and pleasant.
You are spoiled for choice with Indian food in Birmingham. The Bangla Lounge doesn’t break any new ground but it will do just fine if you aren’t expecting anything out of this world.

I see my fellow reviewer has deducted marks for the poor service at the Bangla Lounge, which I am going to have to agree to disagree with. I have been several times, and the service has never been less than fantastic. My girlfriend’s family use the restaurant frequently and, unlike many places, the staff have made an active attempt to build a rapport with their regular customers. However, this is by the by if, like me, you love stuffing your face so much the staff could literally be punching you while you eat and you wouldn’t notice, particularly as the curry is some of the best I’ve ever eaten. In another review, I mentioned that Pushkar’s on Broad Street was excellent, but if you want a real, down to earth authentic curry house in a city famed for that cuisine, you won’t go far wrong with the Bangla Lounge. Prices are extremely reasonable, and eating in or taking away, the food has never been less than excellent.

I really like it here but have been a bit stingy with the stars because so many people have told me what rubbish service they’ve received here. Admittedly the last few times I’ve been the waiters have been a bit tardy and the food can take a while to arrive but when it does it tastes pretty good. The usual wines and beers are provided and seemed cheap and the raita in particular was tasty. Maybe one to avoid later when it tends to be frequented by people wanting to soak up several pints of beer but definitely worth a try — you’ll find the Bangla Lounge just off the High Street between HSBC and Mai Thai. Try not to trip over the biffa bins.