A stylish, contemporary Indian grill with standout flavours, generous sharing potential and generally warm service, though occasional slow service, uneven mains and unclear halal communication warrant checking expectations.
Grilled by Ajay Kumar earns praise for its flavourful grilling and fresh sauces, and its well-informed staff guide diners through the menu. Service attentiveness is friendly and personal, though slow drink and starter timing during busier visits keeps it just short of the very top tier. Its tucked-away city-centre setting feels more charming than destination-worthy.
Grilled by Ajay Kumar is a polished city-centre Indian restaurant with an intimate, booth-led room and a relaxed bar feel. The welcome is often the first win: diners describe warm recommendations, personal attention and a setting comfortable enough for a date or a long drink. The practical caveat is tempo—some evenings run smoothly, while others produce delayed drinks or starters that arrive alongside mains. The cooking is contemporary Indian rather than standard curry-house comfort food, with the grill doing much of the talking. Butter chicken, samosa chaat, lamb chops, biryani and seafood repeatedly earn praise, while the menu adds modern accents such as Portuguese-style vindaloo, brioche vada pav and black-garlic accompaniments. It suits diners who enjoy sharing, sauces and charred meats, and the £20 lunch thalis offer a sensible way into the kitchen. A few dishes—especially rice, paratha and certain mains—have drawn specific criticism, so ordering selectively matters. Families can find approachable choices in chicken tikka, butter chicken, biryani, samosa, pakoras, rice and gulab jamun, with vegetarian options including paneer, dal and chaat. However, there is no clearly listed children's menu, and the contemporary spicing, sharing format and less familiar dishes may challenge picky eaters. This is family-possible rather than child-specialist dining; ask about milder preparations and allergies before ordering.
Area vibe: Busy central area known for shopping, theatres, and nightlife.
Safety: Generally busy with good evening footfall though pickpocketing and late-night rowdiness occur on weekends.
What's nearby: Close to Buchanan Street, Sauchiehall Street, theatres, Central Station and numerous bars and restaurants.
Build a meal around chaat, charred grill dishes, butter chicken, or one of the £20 lunch thalis, but choose selectively because some rice and mains are less consistent.
Expect creative Indian food and an expensive bill, with £20 lunch thalis as the best value, but leave time for uneven service and check dietary details before ordering.
Expect an intimate booth-led setting with a relaxed bar atmosphere, plus the possibility of slower service on some evenings.