I absolutely LOVE this place. I was lucky enough to live nearby and to be able to have regular curry evenings here with my friends. It’s tucked away in Whitechapel & is about 5 minutes walk from Brick Lane, it might as well be on a different planet as far as the quality of food is concerned!

It’s a bring your own bottle (no corkage charge!) place & the food is truly wonderful & remarkably cheap for what you get.

The place is always full, I’ve never seen it empty, even at lunchtime. It is a truly very bustly place with waiters running around at top speed. You do feel a little bit rushed but you can’t hog the table all night I suppose.

I’ve taken lots of my friends here & it has always been an excellent choice.

It’s one of London’s best kept secrets & blows away any of the Brick Lane Imposters!

Last night, six of us gathered in the smokey, spicy brilliance of the infamous Tayyabs. And the infamy, I’ve decided, is seriously well earned.

I’m a real beer and curry girl so I know a good sizzle when I see one and this, my friends is the real deal. This is food you’d kill your granny for. The tandoor starter got us off to a screaming start. And then, mouths atingling, tastebuds ajumping, the mains dazzled us senseless. Everyone should add their dry meat to one of the things you have to do in London before you die or leave.

I proclaimed mid-meal that it was a gazillion times better than the michelin starred Indian place I’d been to in Mayfair a couple of months ago. When the bill arrived (a mere £80 for six adults - one of them pregnant - all of us eating for two) I loved that it was one gazillionth of the price too. Eat that!

Fantastic pakistani food: lamb chops, masala fish, karahi chicken, dry meat (yes! but it’s good), dal, there’s something for everyone here. Be prepared to queue every day of the week, if you’re clever you can book the day before. Fabulous mango lassis.

Ridiculously cheap - starters £4.50 (that’s for 4 lamb chops or 3 pieces of masal fish) and mains on average £6 for small. Trust me, that’s all you need! Does it get better? Yes! It’s BYO and there’s no corkage.

What are you waiting for? Get down there!

This Pakistani diner is always packed and you’ll be sure to enjoy every bite you take. The lamb chops and sheekh kebabs are tasty and leaves you wanting for more. Do not forget to order the thick creamy mango and the delectably soft and fluffy naans too. An experience you’ll always remember!

A high-quality, fast-turnaround eatery, Tayyabs is a nice change from the nearby Brick Lane curry houses & their tiresome touts. Queues form outside for the powerfully spiced sizzling grilled meats from the tandoor – chicken tikka, seekh kebab & the legendary deep-marinated lamb chops. Traditional Punjabi mains of dry-meat curries served in a karahi (small wok) receive praise too, & rather than rice, opt for a buttery naan or big freshly made roti from the open kitchen. The big portions are ‘cheap as chips’ & ‘always hit the spot’ & costs are further cut by the BYO policy. Service from rushed-off-their-feet waiters is hyper-efficient, most diners understanding that this isn’t a place for lingering, & thus not taking offence at the swift table-turning.

Excellent food, fast and usually efficient service, low prices, bring your own booze….

Quite simply the best low budget Indian in London.

A big downer is how freaking hard this place is to find. Fieldgate street forks, mind you. The neighborhood isn’t quite exactly what you’d like to show off to your folks either -- hasn’t quite got the character-filled, fun atmosphere brick lane has.

BUT THE FOOD. OH THE FOOD. whereas brick lane can be hit or miss depending on which curry-pimp you listen to (and this can be very tiring), tayyab’s is hands down tasty, inexpensive, and very accessible in terms of the crowd -- lots of types here, no need to be in a suit, nor hipper than you in skinny jeans. indeed i don’t recommend the skinny jeans as this is the place to loosen the belt in terms of your tummy. the menu won’t explain things to the unfamiliar (know what all the curries are ahead of time) but you may as well just close your eyes and point, you can’t go wrong, or if you really want to be careful hope that you get one of their more patient waiters who might help clarify. the place is big and the turnaround fast, so pardon the speedy, cold service that’s usually the norm.

Long and short - under any other restaurant I wouldn’t go back, because of how far it is and the service, but Tayyab’s is SO delicious and INCREDIBLE value for money (30 pounds for four people, inc. drinks when i last went) that i would definitely just go ahead and plan a day around it. :-)

You will get fed, presented with the bill and ‘encouraged’ to leave with almost obscene haste, but Tayyab’s can get away with it because the food is so fine, in particular the starters. The tikka paneer is out of this world, and the baby aubergine dish is consistently excellent. Don’t get me started on the meaty starters… my mouth’s watering already.

You can bring your own booze but don’t expect to be able to get through more than a bottle of beer.

One final touch which I like: tap water is provided as standard, and your jug will be topped up regularly.

If you’ve tired of Brick Lane’s identikit, meat-and-sauce curries, this is the place for you.