The Standard

I came here with my super fun Oxford friends (yes they exist…) and wow it was an Indian experience of a lifetime.
Lets get the first thing straight — this is not a carbon copy of what you would have in India. No no no… it is better (at least in my opinion because I’m not a fan of the super crazy spicy). I had the Lamb masala and it had the perfect balance gingery flavor, lamb appeal (and lamb is very hard to be cooked right), and excellent balance is subtle spices to put that wow I can’t believe I’m loving Indian food right now (I normally don’t go for Indian) feeling.
Yes the décor might be slightly tacky, but it still presents a clean feel. Oh and yes, the service is splendid as they were happily willing to have us make the reservations last minute and the food was brought out with ease and speed.
Best Indian I have ever had.

So disappointing! I’ve eaten Indian food all over the world… this is the first time I experienced it in the UK. The food only resembles indian food in looks… the taste was nothing like it. No spices… blend…the masala sauce was super sweet and with no other spices. The nan wasn’t really a nan… It is the first time I leave any food on the plate in an Indian restaurant.

Absolutely amazing and delicious. Traditional dishes served in unique ways. Maybe the best Indian meal I’ve had in the UK in 10 years.

I have been there many times, the food and service is excellent, read the comments on tripadvisor.

Oxford isn’t supposed to change and the retro quirks of this place (the booth in green, outré wallpaper, tiny bar) were all much loved. Yet progress is inevitable and on going recently I found (after a spell away from Oxford for a year or two) my tangible memories of quasi1960s furnishings replaced by new floors, decorating and table arrangements. The food is still good (properly spiced, marinated, blended) but I wonder if the chef has changed? Something was slightly different (beyond décor). Still good value for money — and still with crispy poppadoms with inventive fillings, an old favourite this place remains.

This is our favorite take-​away restaurant in Oxford. We’ve tried almost all the Indian places, and this is our favorite. I’ve never eaten in the restaurant, but we get take-​away there about once a week.
They are polite, helpful, fast, and friendly. But, what keeps us coming back is the food. It’s amazing. Just spicy enough! You will love it! As someone else said, they do look closed, but walk on in, they are open!

The Standard Tandoori ought to win some sort of prize for apparently having such adorably low expectations of itself.
That said, I suppose it is rather standard. The menu is certainly nothing special; the dishes on offer are exactly what you would expect in any curry restaurant. However, it is a good spot for students, as the staff are very helpful and willing to accommodate. The décor is great, my favourite feature being the simultaneously shiny and furry wallpaper, with the red and blue ceiling lights coming in a close second. There are large tables at the front of the restaurant, and you can seat about six or seven people around them at a pinch; further back are some cosy booths to share a more intimate meal.
Prices for both food and drinks are average. It can be a bit tricky when you ask for the bill as they don’t always itemise it very well, so splitting it can be confusing, but all told it is pretty much what it claims to be: a standard (probably slightly above-​average) curry restaurant.

You can’t see inside, but don’t let that scare you. The décor seems a bit dated, but the food is great. Takeaway prices give you a real break, and you can serve 2 easily on an order of rice and an order of curry.
I’ve been here a couple times now, and I plan to continue going back. The folks inside are quite friendly, and the place is usually quiet and peaceful.

Standard Tandoori is one of many Indian restaurants in Oxford, but is a definite cut above places like the nearby Jamals in terms of quality and service. The restaurant often looks shut, which may explain its emptiness, but inside it is warm, welcoming and surprisingly dark. Unfortunately, this makes me want to curl up and go to sleep, but the couples I saw in there looked very cosy and romantic. The staff are exceedingly polite and prepared to answer questions about the food with the impressive patience of those who work in such places. I haven’t eaten in, but the food is the same as takeaway, just a bit more expensive. The service I experienced just as a takeaway customer encouraged me that the cost of eating in would be very worthwhile; you feel really spoilt and valued as a customer. The food I had as a takeaway was very tasty, but the curry had a lot of sauce and not much content. I had the prawn korma, which had a few very tasty prawns and an awful lot of sauce. The rice was lovely, but the naan bread was burnt on one side. All in all, worth returning to if only for the service and the unusually good quality of the takeaways, but still quite expensive for what you get, and the food isn’t as good as it could be.