A long-running Edinburgh Indian restaurant with a loyal following, strong tandoori and lunch-menu value, but inconsistent service and a stubborn share of reviews complaining about rules, waits, and value.
Omar Khayyam delivers solid food quality anchored by well-executed curries, tandoori items, and naan that earn consistent praise from repeat visitors. Service and design are reliable strengths, though uneven attentiveness during busy periods and occasional inconsistencies in seasoning prevent a stronger showing. Mixed Google ratings reflect a restaurant that executes competently but hasn't yet achieved the polish and consistency that approaches grade A territory.
Omar Khayyam feels like one of those old Edinburgh institutions that has seen enough birthdays, business lunches, and late-night rescues from hungry travelers to earn a real following. The room is repeatedly described as clean, polished, and handsome rather than flashy, with one diner calling the atmosphere “stunning” and another noting the place feels properly put together. It is especially well placed near Haymarket, so it picks up a lot of pre-event traffic and practical, hungry-footfall energy. On the plate, the cooking leans traditional and spice-led, with tandoori dishes, curries, biryanis, thalis, and breads doing the heavy lifting. The strongest praise lands on tandoori chicken, Bukhari tikka, naan, pakora, and the lunch specials, while the more skeptical reviews complain about blandness, cold food, or uneven seasoning. In other words: best when it is on form, dependable enough to keep regulars coming back, and much more about hearty, classic South Asian comfort than culinary pyrotechnics. Families can absolutely eat here, and the menu backs that up with kids’ dishes like fish fingers and chips, nuggets and chips, and chicken tikka and chips. That said, the restaurant’s house rules and occasional brusque service have clearly put some families off, especially larger groups or lighter eaters. So yes, it works for children on paper and on the menu, but the experience is safest if you come ready for a full sit-down meal rather than a very flexible, casual grazing situation.
Area vibe: Affluent, quiet residential and professional district with Georgian and Victorian architecture.
Safety: Generally safe and well-lit with steady foot traffic, though quieter late at night.
What's nearby: Near Haymarket, boutique shops, West End bars, Charlotte Square and tram/bus links to city centre.