Benares

We had a wonderful time at Benaras. We arrived not quite knowing what to order, but the staff were incredibly friendly, offered great recommendations, and were a pleasure to talk to. The service was excellent and the atmosphere was lovely. I especially loved the Essex Farm Chicken Momo — a delicate dumpling served in a rich, flavourful chestnut soup — and the Dal Makhani, which was beautifully prepared and full of depth. The drinks were great as well. For dessert, the Khoya Kulfi and the Rasmalai were particularly interesting, with a unique medley of spices. Overall, the menu leans toward Indian fusion, and everything came together wonderfully.

What an experience! Benares made our 5 year Anniversary super special! The three course set menu had everything to offer. From start to finish every dish was delicious. Service was great, all the staff knew exactly how to make the experience. We will be back again, and this time, it won’t be for our next anniversary, it will definitely before then! Thank you to everyone at Benares

We went to Benares to celebrate my birthday and we were so glad we picked it. A bright warm welcome as soon you enter the restaurant, quick help with the coats and we were immediately shown to your seat. Everything on the menu looked so good but we were drawn the most towards the thali as it gives you so much variety to try out and let me tell you as an Indian, the food was authentic, delicious, perfect temperature, had balance and depth of flavours and everything went with each other. As if the awesome food was not enough we had the pleasure to be hosted by the charming Mr. Singh who put us at ease right from the time we placed our order and made sure we had everything we needed. Special mention to Selsi, our server, for an excellent service. We will be back for sure.

The food in the lunchtime tasting menu was absolutely delicious, each course was cooked with absolute precision and had beautifully balanced spices. Equally excellent was the service we had, the team were 11/10, from the restaurant manager to the sommelier to our wait team. We've been lucky enough to try a few Michelin starred restaurants, some with our own money, and some as a special gifts from family, and we've found in some restaurants you are treated differently if you are dining on an experience voucher. But we used one at Benares and it couldn't be more different, we were made to feel very special and had an incredible experience. Highly recommend to anyone, and can see why they've had so many awards!

Thank you, Benares, for an amazing dinner night with my son. One of the most exquisite dining experiences in the heart of Mayfair. I highly recommend this restaurant as an outstanding Indian dining option. Special thanks to Prabhat for guiding us through the best menu choices and for his exceptional hospitality, which truly made the evening memorable.

We had a great time at Benaras. Prabhat ji recommended the best food and drinks, and was great to talk to! Great service and lovely atmosphere. I specially loved the Essex farm chicken momo, Gatta curry and the dal makhani. For drinks, the Chutney Martini was interesting - a medley of spices. I personally loved the Gimlet and Imperial more.

Benares offers an exceptional dining experience, blending refined Indian flavours with a modern touch. The food is beautifully presented, full of depth and balance, and the service is polished yet warm. A truly memorable restaurant in the heart of London.

Beautiful place with delicious dishes presented in the most beautiful way. Staff are attentive and friendly but not in your face. We went to celebrate a special occasion and were not disappointment, though it is over priced.

Food was incredible and had an amazing atmosphere inside. There is a variety of options with food and even if you are unsure, the waiters provide options based on your style and taste. Amazing service throughout and huge appreciation to the waiter who had served us by the name of Chev who was friendly, approachable and provided us with recommendations which definitely did not disappoint. Would highly advise everyone to try.

Food was excellent and rich with flavour, one of the best Indian food experiences in London. Had lunch on a weekday and only a few tables seated, felt like we had booked the whole floor to ourselves. Atmosphere felt a bit empty at times. Great service and Shiv was very super friendly and helpful.

We opted for the vegetarian and non- vegetarian tasting menus, and both were outstanding! If you’re looking for fine food, with the best flavours and incredible presentation- this is your place!! The tasting menus are thoughtfully curated and a great selection of their signature dishes. Highly recommend

Me and my team came to Benares for dinner and tried the tasting menu. Highly recommended! Hannan provided very attentive and friendly service, and Gaurav made the entire dining experience very comfortable. He also gave great drink recommendations to pair with the food. The dishes were all delicious, and I especially want to mention the mixed berry and guava juice. It was so refreshing and tasty! Absolutely loved it🫶 Thank you for the excellent service; I’ll definitely recommend this place to my friends!

Celebrated my birthday surprise dinner here(arranged by my boyfriend). Chef Samir welcomed us and made me a special masala fish curry. That was to die for. Surbhi and Singh helped us with our table , very pleasant experience. Highly recommend celebrating your favourite day here :)

The spot was great. Such beautiful vibes. The venue is so pretty and such good environment with lovely staff. Although we thought one of the team members did not had the knowledge to describe some things but the other team members took offer and recommended good dishes. We were there just for the kid in our family hut did ended up trying few things and we enjoyed every bit of it. Lovely experience!

Everything was top-notch . From the moment I stepped into , it was clear I was in for an exceptional dining experience. The ambiance was sophisticated yet welcoming, with attention to detail in every corner. The service was impeccable—attentive without being intrusive, with staff members who were knowledgeable about each dish. We began with amazing samosa chaat,panner galoti and Rajasthani gatta that were as visually stunning as they were delicious. The paneer amazingly melted in my mouth .The balance of flavors and textures in each dish was nothing short of extraordinary, showcasing the chef's expertise. The dal makhni with layers of flavor that unfolded with every bite. The presentation was artistic, and you could taste the freshness and quality of the ingredients. For the dessert I had the chikoo ice cream and Rasmalai which was very authentic and creative and provided a sweet and satisfying end to the meal. Very amazing service by restaurant manager Mr.Singh ,he took our care throughout the service and I would definitely return back for the food and experience .

Surprisingly, it’s a wonderful experience at the bar in Benares! A warmth and welcoming bartender! We had a wonderful time of our Anniversary. It’s so great ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Thanks a lot for making it so memorable. Highly recommend 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶

Made a reservation here for my sister’s 25th birthday and this place is honestly a 10/10. Not only is it a beautiful restaurant, with amazing food, but the hospitality is the best I’ve ever experienced. The staff were attentive and took care of us, the food tasted incredible and came at a good time. Even though we ordered a dessert, the team gave us a separate birthday cake with a candle and some sweets free of charge, and even took some pictures for us. The food was flavourful, we ordered some of the classics and they did not disappoint! Would definitely come here again!

One of the best Indian food I have had. Would recommend this place for any special occasion. We went for the 3 course menu which was great as we had a good few options to pick from. The food was hot, tasty, and very well presented. Service was top notch as you would expect from a place like this. They even brought out a small happy birthday cake for my wife which was unexpected and a lovely touch. Will definitely be back here again.

The best fine dining experience we have had! Chef Sameer is an absolute genius and the service is top class. We also loved the cocktails and every dish we tried was better than the previous. Thank you for the memorable experience at the chef's table! Highly recommend this place.

Best Christmas lunch in ages. Shiv was the best server we could have asked for. Absolutely exceptional!

Delightful private lunch experience at Benares. It was a celebratory lunch and Chef Taneja and his staff were outstanding. Everything we ate and drank was amazing from the chaat and puchka to the delicious desserts which quite frankly were consumed out of sheer greed rather than hunger because we all were replete by then. We had a vegetarian in our midst and she was blown away by how good the food was. My personal favourite was the hiran boti tikka but I was seriously spoiled for choice. Brilliant experience and will go back again.

Incredible food, outstanding and the most friendly, knowledgeable service coupled with a truly wonderful room make Benares a must visit. Everything was just sublime, visit here, you will love it.

We have been to Benares many times and can recommend it wholeheartedly. It is perfect for groups, date nights, friends, or just dinner (expensive one) with the kids. They do an amazing job of making you feel at home and accommodating all dietary restrictions. I have the pickiest children and the staff not only made sure that they had something to eat, but that they became fans of Indian food forever. It is just a pleasant space to spend an evening - I can't wait to go back!

Amazing experience ! It was my husband’s birthday and they made it truly special for us . Mr Singh and Marco provided us with exceptional service . Would definitely be coming back

Excellent and creative food. Had a tasting menu for corporate event. Truly exceptional food. Nice ambiance. Good service. Highly recommend for modern Indian cuisine.

Surbhi at Benaras is brilliant, so kind and welcoming. Went above and beyond to make me feel comfy able. The food is brilliant but service just makes it even better

came for a friends birthday and had the best best best experience! not only the food but also the service❤️❤️❤️ would like to make a special mention for singh!!! for being the best host, his warmth really lit up the table and added to the experience, food felt just like home and i can’t wait to visit again, cocktails were amazing esp the passion fruit chutney one and the imperial and the paneer tikka was my fav

My experience at Benares was truly wonderful. I tried a special cocktail there and honestly, it was amazing. I had asked for something very citrusy and refreshing, and Piyush coordinated with the bartender, Hari Krishna, to make a drink for me. The cocktail was gin-based, with pea flower, mint, and orange liqueur. It was light, super refreshing, and had a perfect balance of mint — I really loved it. It was so good that I actually told both of them that this drink should be added to the menu. Really grateful for their warmth, effort, and the lovely gesture that made the experience special. And thank you, Gaurav, for showing me the entire place.

What a night!! Food was exquisite - had the tasting menu and each dish would surprise you with an explosion of flavours! 10/10 The place is elegant and the atmosphere is really enjoyable - not too posh or casual - the perfect balance. 10/10 Finally, service was impeccable!!! From the moment we sat down, Shiv was exceptional! Great recommendations on the cocktail to start - mine was one of the best I had (Gin & Kaffir lime) had to have 2! His service was professional and friendly! Amazing. 12/10

We went there yesterday to celebrate my husband's birthday. Our expectations were simply good food but we were blown away by everything we found. The food was exceptional. We got the veg and non - veg thali options to try out a bigger variety of dishes. The quantity of the food was generous as well. We were left stuffed and satisfied. Along with that we had lovely service by Selsie and Prabhat. Overall we highly recommend this place for both the food and the experience.

By far one of the best restaurants I have ever been to. The food is great, spicy but not too much, and the cocktail of flavours in every bite is impressive. The food is creative and delicious. I especially recommend the Puchka, which had so much flavour. Thank you, Shiv, for the amazing service; you were a major part of making this experience unforgettable. Will come back!

Very good restaurant, brilliant service and the food was fantastic. However, as a Michelin star restaurant you expect it to be with the very best. In the ‘normal’ world of restaurants I’d say this is amazing you have to try. If you’re looking for an amazing Michelin restaurant this isn’t it. The smaller touches aren’t quite there. I’m not bothered that the table remains with crumbs, a wonky toilet, hand towels in the bathroom fallen on the floor and cheap stick-on toilet signs. But from my experience of Michelin restaurants it fall short of their criteria. When the staff say, ‘please give us a good review’ that would be a fail right there. As younger clientele I feel some of the staff looked down on us a bit. Others were fantastic however and went beyond some staff in other restaurants to explain the finer details of a dish. The price is as high as some 3star restaurants and it falls short of most 1stars. If you turned up with no expectations and not knowing it was a Michelin restaurant you’ll be extremely happy with some of the most amazing flavours and superb cocktails, but just didn’t quite make it for me.

A solid one-star Indian restaurant with excellent food — refined, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The atmosphere is elegant, though it feels a bit dated compared to newer fine-dining spots in London. Still, service is professional, and the overall experience is great. Definitely worth a visit if you’re looking for elevated Indian cuisine in Mayfair.

My first time to a fine dining Indian restaurant. Superb ingredients with more focus on flavours and aromas than heat. Also the first time that I’ve tried an Indian Shiraz. Service was friendly and efficient and the decor is beautiful. Prices are, however, very high. A really good experience but there is a lot of competition for fine dining in this area of London.

Good but definitely not worth the price. I went to Benares with a friend on 13/09/25 for lunch. To start we had the Tandoori Ratan, a plate with three different tandoori meats, kebab, prawn and lamb chop. The lamb was excellent, the prawn great while the kebab was merely good. All three were obviously high quality ingredient-wise but seemed somewhat one-note. Then we had Meat and Kabuli Chana Masala (lamb and chickpea stew), Jhinga Moilee (prawn green curry), Dal Tadka (yellow dal) and Podi Aloo (potatoes) with Paratha (bread) and rice. The Kabuli was very nice, the lamb flavoursome and tender, the chickpeas soft but not a slurry. The Moilee was excellent, very generous with the prawns and very rich. The dal was quite mediocre; fairly watery and therefore tasteless. The potatoes were also fairly average, tasty but slightly dry. The Paratha was excellently done, crispy yet not crumbly. The rice was not noteworthy. Overall the food itself was tasty, with the portions being maybe somewhat in the smaller side. The service was attentive, although the wait time for food was maybe a little long. The atmosphere seems to be the highlight at Benares; the wall of candles upon entry into the foyer, the pond with petals, the bar, everything seems fine tuned to impress. Easily the most breathtaking restaurant I’ve been in decor-wise. The overall bill came to ~£180 (90pp). This is the main problem I have with Benares; cheap tasty Indian food is very readily available, not only in London but in the UK generally, even in more rural locations. Although the quality at Benares is obviously higher than an average run of the mill Indian restaurant, so is the price. The price at Benares is 2-5 time that’s of a normal Indian restaurant but is only marginally better taste wise, never mind smaller portions. Thus, I cannot recommend Benares. Benares seems like a restaurant that is committed to luxury and spectacle over their food, and this I find somewhat vulgar. If you want to impress somebody or celebrate with a show of wealth then Benares is the place but if you are looking for really amazing Indian food then look elsewhere.

Quite good food but tiny portions and ridiculously overpriced. Service was spotty. The waiter insisted on ordering several dishes for the table that were mediocre. Very long wait in between appetizers and entrees. Save your money, go to Dishoom.

I booked this place at the last minute when I was debating between Dishoom or this one. Now I know..I should have picked the former. I wanted the tasting menu, but it wasn't available and that's ok because I arrived later in the evening. What I did not like was the Maître d' (I think) who should have been friendlier. While ordering the meal, he's like sorry no dessert, later upon seeing I was also given the dessert menu he changed his tone. Disliked his nerve of making excuses to avoid service maybe because I was a single diner. The food itself was not bad, like the appetizer was expensive still the portions were really tiny. The flavour was outstanding, but the cook on the meat, nah... not good. It was still tough in texture and red on cutting through. The Lamb curry was well prepared but no sides were offered and had to be ordered separately. The dessert was superb...still by that time...I was done for the evening. Also, the prices seemed rather ridiculous, but seems like having a Michelin accreditation gave them the entitlement so they could charge more. I'll still add an extra star for above average flavours overall.

We went to Benares for my birthday dinner last night and were really shocked at the poor standard of food. Given that this is a Michelin-starred restaurant, we expected something truly special, but the experience fell far short. We had the three-course menu, and every dish was underwhelming. The food simply wasn’t full of flavour and lacked any real depth or excitement. Presentation was also disappointing, nothing had that attention to detail or creativity you’d expect at this level. For such a highly regarded restaurant, the whole evening was a real let-down. We left feeling very disappointed and certainly didn’t get the Michelin-star quality we were hoping for.

Extremely over priced and underwhelming food - under cooked chops which were difficult to slice with a knife, we were served burnt paratha not once but twice , the daal had a strange taste and arrived in a small plate. The micro dolls house sized thumb nail appetisers were good but nothing special for the extortionate prices we paid . What a waste of a £250 birthday gift, we’ve left with guilt and will regret by choosing this experience over many others. Nothing was Michelin star at all . Very small portions. Staff were friendly and service was quick, but I will not be back again and certainly do not recommend as this is very substandard food even for a regular cheap take away . The 2 stars left by other guests are correct reviews for the taster menu, both I and my mother left very disappointed with the quality and quantity of food, the other 5 star reviews are questionable . What a scam, I wonder if staff sit there with food on tables to create images and create reviews ??? I’ve had fine dining from kahani in Belgravia and that was brilliant ! We will never return or recommend. This has truly spoiled our evening

My best friend booked a table here for my birthday but unfortunately the experience was very disappointing. When we arrived, there was no one to greet us downstairs and no offer to take our coats. Although we were seated promptly, the service throughout the evening was slow. The décor was subpar and the atmosphere felt flat, giving off boring vibes all around, not what you’d expect from a restaurant of this calibre. The appetisers were enjoyable, but the mains were extremely bland and lacking in flavour. We barely touched them. When we raised this with the manager, he assured us he would “take care of it.” However, when the bill arrived, only one item had been removed, which left us in a very awkward situation. We left hungry and dissatisfied, which is not what you expect from a Michelin-starred restaurant in Mayfair. Sadly, we won’t be returning.