Review Istana Malaysia Restaurant - Wellington

Hard to fault. The staff were impressively efficient...and very obliging. The food was wonderful. We had very pleasing evening! We would happily come back here. BYO corkage was $8.50 per bottle.

This restaurant provides halal menu. We had mamak lamb soup, rojak, mee curry and lamb martabak. All were tasty. Prices are reasonable considering that it is a fine dining restaurant. The owner is so friendly and considerate. Highly recommended, and I would definitely come again to this restaurant in my future visit to Wellington.

Best Nasi Lemak I've ever had. Taste was very authentic, almost like a generational recipe handed down. Sago dessert very good too. Decor had good ambience and was very tidy and clean. Staff attentive and friendly. Immediately greeted as I entered. Food came out quickly. Other patrons all looked happy and engaged. Prices very reasonable.

What a wonderful place and set up for a wedding reception. Enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Definitely keen on coming back to this one for sure!!

The food was really nice and it's affordable. But the ice cream my friend ordered was so little compared to mine. And the cost is almost the same.

Been here a few times now. Very good customer service. Good value for money. The food is incredible. They are open till 10pm as well. Went there at 0945pm in our last visit as a walk in. Had no problem serving us. The only distaste we had was that the table was a bit small. There wasn't adequate space to place the food ordered for 4 party. 4 plates of mains, 4 drinks and 1 entrée. This was not a deterrent, we will go back here in the future.

Authentic Malaysian restaurant in the heart of the city. We tried the Curry Laksa - decent size bowl with fragrant curry broth. I was somewhat expecting large seafood specimens but perhaps to achieve a lower price point (only $1 more than the chicken version) smaller ones were used. Char Kuay Teow was very good - appropriate 'wok hei' and is probably the best halal one I've ever had. Fried meehoon was very yummy, some larger prawns were used - was also happy to find clam meat. All in all a worthwhile place to dine if you're looking for authentic Malaysian food.

We came from Auckland and contacted Meri prior. We are very grateful for her kindness and preparing the meals for our group. The food was very tasty. We ordered Chicken Curry, Lamb, Mee Goreng, Tofu Sambal and Nasi Goreng. Everything was packed properly and ready on time. It's clear they are a busy restaurant and the atmosphere is great. Great service and I hope to come back again.

Good food and taste. We were 4 adults and 3 kids. We had fire vege dish. Prawn dish and lamb dish. Can’t remember the exact names. Pratha or martabak were really nice. With satay chicken skewers. And soft drinks . Overall bill 210$. This was expensive mainly bcuz we went over board with chicken skewers and ordered 5 otherwise the bill shd have been around 175$. Definitely worth visiting. And it’s halal.

If you’re looking for great Malaysian food in Wellington, look no further than Istana Malaysia. They’ve been going for almost 30 years, and it’s easy to see why. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid, and the food tastes just as great now as it did all those years ago. The Beef Rendang & Char Kway Teow are absolute must-haves. Thank you for a wonderful experience!

Mary is a very hospitable and welcoming host who made us feel like home😘The dishes she recommended were very delicious! In the celebration of the 27th anniversary, the restaurant offers free sweets for guests, and they are tasty too! Highly recommend Istana Malaysia!

Come here again today as it was closed yesterday. Worth the wait! We are so satisfied with the delicious dishes served to us. My son finished 3 sets of roti canai which is unbelievable 😂 DEFINITELY highly recommended 👍 and we will always come back here again whenever down to Welly in future. Thanks for the great hospitality!

One of my favourite restaurants. Always great food and service. Best roti bread in Wellington.

You won't be disappointed, is written on the sign outside. Best place to bring family if your looking for somewhere to eat. The food is amazing, and the service and is wonderful.

A real Wellington icon with 29 years & counting of happy customers. On this night we were very well served by the attentive Andrew & effervescent Wen, & our taste buds treated to a truely delicious beef rending & whatever she was having. Fully recommend. 🤗💖👍👌

The chicken 🐓 sambal dish had good spices 🌶 and the meat was cooked perfectly. It complimented well with my stir fried veggies, which was seasoned and flavoured with oyster 🦪 sauce. <br/><br/>However, the service was exceptionally friendly, where they make the extra effort to make me feel comfortable with table adjustments and get feedback on the dishes.<br/><br/>Do give Istana Malaysia a try if you are at the Wellington CBD, I certainly will be back to try out their mee goreng 🍲 + other chicken/fish curry 🍛 dishes.

Chicken korma was gritty texture and had no flavour. Was overcharged for my meal- and not for the first time. Will absolutely not go back.

Date night ..... loved it, wonderful service and menu. Service was excellent, food excellent, ambiance brilliant. Highlight for me - Vegetable Pakoras - out of this world, fresh and tasty. Will definitely be returning to try more of the delicious choices.

Stumbled upon this Malaysian restaurant in Wellington and wow...the food was authentic at par if not better with what you can expect in Malaysia. Ordered Nasi Lemak Beef Rendang and Mee Goreng, both were excellent! Totally impressed with the level of spice and the Beef Rendang is highly recommended. In addition to this, the service level is typical of Malaysian hospitality, great one not to be missed!

We went to Istana Malaysia as a group on the 24th, it was not a first for me as I've been there a couple of times, but those who were with me were impressed. The food is great as always. I had Me Goreng, which had been kissed by the pan, and had a char-grill flavour just the way I wanted. Also, the Curry was cooked to perfection. The chef is the king of making Curry. The food is made with a labour of love, attention and care. Love the presentation. The staff are sweet. They ensure that our needs are satisfied, and are happy to go over the menu with you. The space has a comfortable feel, its adorned with candles and flowers, which makes for a perfect night out or romantic dinner. The food is so good, I am left lost for words. I hope you give it a try. I cant wait to go back.

Very tasty food and also fast and great service from the wonderful staff! Will definitely be coming back here to eat again some time soon and will get a dessert next time!

I loved my visit to Istana Malaysia. <br/>I reckon they serve the best Nasi goreng! I couldn’t get over how good it was! <br/><br/>The service was great and they provided me with an extra chair for my leg (as it’s in a cast)

We ate the honey butter chicken and the fish curry which was epic! Also,The lady at the restaurant who served us was really friendly. Would definitely visit again.

Our family enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Istana Malaysia. Really delicious food, fantastic service, friendly atmosphere. I would definitely recommend this lovely place.

Went to Istana Malaysia last night with a big group for a birthday dinner. Never have I received such appalling service. The older woman (manger) was very unprofessional glaring and yelling at us through out the night for not ordering enough food. (Though overall we each spent a minimum of $15 as discussed with the waiter on the phone.)There were a lot of free tables throughout the restaurant, giving no need for the unwelcoming behavior- it made the whole experience very awkward and uncomfortable. It was disgusting how viciously money driven she was, there goes twenty five people that will never come back.

Had a fabulous dinner last night at Istana Malaysia. Food was absolutely delicious and the service was exceptionally friendly. Will come again and highly recommend.

Good for those who want a mild Malaysian cuisine experience, but a bit lacking in flavour for our palates. Curry had good sauce but lacked punch and char kuay teow was a bit bland. A safe but uninspiring experience.

Went to a birthday dinner at Istana Malaysia. The food was really tasty, but most of the meals had really small serving sizes for the expensive prices (bar the Mi Goreng). The service we received from the main lady was also unfortunately quite passive aggressive which made it an uncomfortable experience.

A Friday night dinner calling took us to Istana. Reached here around 7 pm. We had a 8 month old kid with us so we asked for a high chair, which we got..... only after 40 minutes. We placed our orders in about 10 minutes of getting seated. We got the food about 50 minutes later. And this was the same time we got our starter in. So there go all the points for service. Having said this, the staff was friendly. <br/>For food, the order contained; Pan fried prawns, Roti canai, Chicken Murtabak, Fish Curry. Average food. The gravy of roti canai chicken and fish curry was pretty much the same base.<br/><br/>Pricewise: $120 for 4 including 4 drinks<br/>Returns: Nah.

I have never been here before, although this restaurant has been open for 22 years. This place has amazing food, service, and ambiance. The wait time was a little bit long but the food was definitely worth the wait. I will be going back to this place.

This place had great service, the food was very nice and delivered in a timely manner. I would definitely come to this restaurant again. 4 stars.

Been here a few times now. Love the food, there are heaps of great options. Great service and a welcoming environment. A personal favorite of mine is the  chicken Nasi-Goreng. To go with the great food and service, I felt the prices were very fair.

First time here. Wondered about this place for a long time and decided to try it on a spare of the moment 'we can't be bothered cooking tonight' situation. <br/><br/>Big place, was empty bar one other table. We were here at 5:15pm on a Tuesday. <br/><br/>Friendly staff. I ordered a Tiger beer, my partner ordered a NZ Riesling. Dinner we went straight for mains. I ordered the chicken sambal with garlic roti and chicken mee goreng. <br/><br/>Mee goreng had a slight smokey taste but it was nice. Wasn't overly flavoursome but was enjoyable.<br/><br/>The sambal was full flavoured. Thick paste like sauce with beautifully tender chicken pieces. Good amount too. The roti was nice too. A bit oily but in a good way. Great dish.<br/><br/>We enjoyed it. All up $56.00

New to Wellington and couldn't have hoped for a better restaurant scene. Istana Malaysia was one of the first restaurants me and my partner visited, and have since become regulars. Food here is delicious and reasonably priced. In cold nights I recommend starting with one of the soups and a side of bread , it's everything you need to face the chill. Staff and owners are incredibly nice, and upon hearing we're new to town offered very helpful advice in finding a car and an apartment. In short, they went out of their way to make us feel at home. Cannot recommend this place enough.

Always love this place. Good food and decent corkage on their byo means that it is the perfect start to any night out. The beef rending is lovely and the food always great for sharing. The staff are super friendly and the service is always quick and attentive.

Won a dinner at this place through a promotion they were running. Didn't know what to expect. I'm Indian and I love trying Indian fusion foods. Instana definitely knows how to cook a real good rendang and mee goreng. If you like delicious food this is the place to be!

Lovely atmosphere, great service and nice food. The entrees were ok, but the stir fry garlic prawns as the main was delicious!! Tried the stir fry beef with mushroom which was also good. 💛

I personally did not like the korma lamb curry ,the sauce was not good and wanted more spice from this curry  ,staff were friendly but portion size was small

The place is nice, service is good but I'm still trying to find the chicken in my chicken nasi goreng. No idea if I'm coming back, for $18/20 you can find a lot of places with similar meals.

I had the most fabulous meal on 19th Feb prior to attending the Edinburgh Tattoo. The food was absolutely authentic<br/>Malaysian ( as a Malaysian, I should know ! ), and Meri the <br/>owner/hostess, was most gracious and attentive. The atmosphere was peaceful and pleasant. I would certainly<br/>visit again whenever I am in Wellington   I highly recommend<br/>Istanan Malaysia to anyone who appreciates superb Malaysian cuisine

Been going here since they opened 20 years ago (in their previous premises). My favourite restaurant in the world and I have travelled extensively and lived abroad for over 12 years..... I have only ever eaten the entrees and chicken curry / roti.<br/><br/>No need to try anything else for me, the roti chanai is amazing and every time I am back in Wellington Istana is literally my first stop from the airport!

If you're looking for amazing malaysian food in wellington, Istana Malaysia is the place to be. The beef rendang and coconut rice is a definite hit, which goes to say that it's a must try for those seeking a new favourite dish. Overall great food. The cosy amber lighting and music adds to to the lovely ambiance.

Excellent food and service. I am Malaysian and live in Auckland. Ive tried 5-6 Malaysian restaurants in Auckland and none of them are close to the quality or authentic taste that Istana Malaysia provides. I wish Istana Malaysia was in Auckland!

We came here on Saturday night for a BYO and ordered our food around 8.30pm. The meals did not arrive until 10pm, by which time we had nearly all finished our wine. By this point, it was hard to tell whether the meals were actually good or not because we were so hungry we would have eaten anything.

I like that the food is authentic Malaysian but I'm a sucker for good mee goreng and Istana Malaysia definitely got that right.  My friend said the beef rendang was great.  It is not the most atmospheric in a competitive wellington market place (though getting to watch dinner being cooked if you are at the right table helps) but the service is a clincher.  Really friendly staff, more a family feel.  a lovely place for relaxed dining.

By a quirk of fate I ended up coming twice in two nights on the trot. Brilliant both times. (The menu needs updating on zomato to reflect evening menu). Service and food was superb. First night was the roti stuffed with potato, onion, chicken and spices accompanied with a curry sauce. Amazing flavour and textures! Second night came the chicken valuval (a sort of chicken randang) with roti and rice. Guests had the vegetarian curry and the nasi goreng. More roti and peanut sauce went down well. Highly recommended restaurant!!

Came here for dinner with my partner and sister. Got seated instantly. they had a new girl working there at that time and was getting trained. <br/><br/>I decided to go for the "different" one, 'Air Bondong' which was interestingly very nice. And my sister ordered a mango lassi and my partner orders a strawberry lassi. <br/><br/>As for the mains, they were good but weren't amazing. Didn't think it was very (authentic) Malaysian food. Coconut rice which we had to order extra, wasn't very flavoursome... Was close to just having plain rice. Very good service. But overall average tasting food.

Had a week night dinner here with my partner last week. My partner had the fish sambal which was very tasty. I had a lentil based lamb curry which was okay, the lamb was tender but it was not overly flavoursome. The service was good and every one was very attentive. <br/><br/>My one complaint however is the fact that the mains did not come with rice. When paying about $18 or more for a main, I think it is a little much too ask to have to pay for rice on top. The meals were quite small portions so you need the rice. In general for Malaysian food I think there is a lot better in the city for quite a bit cheaper.

We had dinner at Istana Malaysia before a show last night. We were warmly greeted and offered a table by the heater - much appreciated on a cold night and definitely the best place to sit as I noticed others seated towards the centre of the restaurant had put their coats back on. This is a large restaurant with decor featuring bricks and uncovered beams. You can hear and smell dinner cooking in the kitchen, which adds to the ambiance. We shared two mains: a generous serving of seafood mee goreng and a delicious lamb dhallcha (thick dhall curry) accompanied by roti chanai and garlic roti, which I hadn't tried before. Steamed rice had to be ordered separately for the curry dish. In all, a nice reasonably priced meal with great service. We'll definitely be back.

Food was great and service was excellent. Thank you so much. Party of sixteen was happy when we left the restaurant. Atmosphere is friendly, warm and welcoming. Highly notable is the beef rendang. The roti paired with the butter chicken is just absolutely a treat for the palate. And if you are wanting to stay for dessert, try the sago with coconut milk. Highly recommended :)

Lovely atmosphere, good for groups. BYO Wine.<br/>Excellent location to town.<br/>Food was lovely and hot when it arrived, I enjoy my food spicy, but my friends found even the medium quite spicy - so bare that in mind when ordering things with the two chilli rating.<br/>Chicken Varvual (I think that is how it was spelt) was amazing!!!

Years ago (15+) I was invited to come and see the Beef Randang being made at Istana Malaysia. I believe it is the best anywhere in the world. I was not disappointed again when dining again over this last weekend. The owners are committed to providing a great dining experience, excellent fresh food and friendly service. I will travel a long way for great food, lucky I only live 3-4 hours away from Istana Malaysia...

Oh my god, I've been here twice now and so far I've experienced excellent friendly service and such great tasting food! I love Malaysian cuisine and have been to Singapore many times and miss it with all my heart, so going to Istana makes me feel like I'm really there, without all the travel costs :P<br/>The food appears promptly and with such great presentation, I just wish I could rate this place with more stars.

I have been to Istana Malaysia many times since moving to Wellington in 2007. This place has always been top of my list when looking for quality food, friendly service and reasonable prices. There are some many great dishes to chose from but I like the Nasi Lamak for its variety. The hand made Roti's are also a must as they taste much better than the pre-made frozen type you find elsewhere.

Been to many Malaysian and Indian places around Wellington yet I always find myself coming back here. Their freshly made rotis are superb! (not those frozen often overly sweet ones you get at some places).<br/><br/>I love the open kitchen layout and how you can watch the chefs cook your meals. <br/><br/>After reading a few of the comments here, if you go on a really busy night it is understandable that there may be a bit of a delay, as their meals are cooked to order. On really busy nights I would recommend getting an entree to start. Although most the time our food comes out within reasonable time, especially in comparison to other places. To be honest I would rather wait for a freshly cooked meal than get a reheated curry in 5mins... but that is just me. <br/><br/>Would definitely recommend Istana, with my favourite being the mee goreng! YUM

I am a Kiwi who has lived in both Malaysia and Singapore. I know what real Malay food looks and tastes like having eaten in restaurants and makan stalls the length and breadth of Malaysia. The food and service at Istana Malaysia is stunning. Authentic tastes and smells that take me back to the Sembawang Markets and the streets of JB. Superb restaurant - we need one in Auckland. All the best - Mark

Dined here recently with my family, they were on a holiday in New Zealand. Before leaving back to Malaysia, they requested to have dinner in a place with authentic Malaysian dishes, and Istana Malaysia was the ideal choice. We started off with the Vegetable Pakora and Masala Chicken Salad, which had mango dressing on them. The entree sizes were generous and dipping sauce was really yummy. While waiting for our mains to arrive, we saw how incredibly busy the restaurant could get on a demanding Saturday night. Despite not making a booking, we were lucky enough for being accommodated by their Manager. <br/>For the mains, we had the Fish Sambal, Chicken Varuval, Pan Fried Garlic Prawns and also Lamb Murtabak. The mains blend really well with Acar and a couple of crunchy papadoms. My parents particularly enjoyed the Murtabak which comes with a small bowl of curry as well, for dipping. My best friend, who is a very picky eater, seemed to be very pleased throughout the whole dining experience. All these scrumptious mains are not accompanied with rice, however the concept of sharing; where a group of 4 diners could order 3 serving of rice, which comes in a big bowl and couple of rotis worked absolutely well. The garlic roti is full of flavour and good to be eaten on its own even!<br/>One low light on the dining experience was the wait for the food, but it was totally understandable for it was a real busy Saturday night and we didn’t make any prior bookings. We were more than happy, for it’s a sure sign that the meal quality was not being compromised at any stake. We would definitely return to Istana Malaysia and look forward for another truly Malaysian experience. Istana Malaysia, “A Palace to come home to”, that’s what they say and that’s what we experience!

Visited Istana Malaysia for the first time tonight in a large party and had a less than best experience which is surprising on a street lined with other malaysian restaurants.....<br/><br/>The soft drinks myself and partner ordered both arrived flat - the waitress didn't seem to pleased to have to replace them for us but we remained polite and patient. Our starters arrived and looked somewhat disappointing. The mixed satay were poor - very thin and oily and the pakora (pretty much deep fried vegetables) were dry. The 'side salad' stated on the menu with each entree was coarsely diced white onion and a chunk of cucumber - it looked awful. They did not order one of our entrees, the samosas - so after a reminder, they arrived and looked suspiciously like the ones you can bulk buy yourself. Our mains arrived after and again - were disappointing. My lamb korma was watery (and looked green) and the lamb was gristly. My partners honey butter chicken didn't look any better and the small white bowls they served the meals in, failed to do it any justice. <br/><br/>Divided up, we paid $40 per head which I considered to be a rip off in comparison to some of the other dining establishments we could of gone to in the very close vicinity. It's a shame that the service did not compensate for the poor dining experience.<br/><br/>We wont be returning - and the majority of the reviews on here are a very fair reflection of what you will experience when dining here.

This was my first and last visit to Istana Malaysia, it was a busy Friday night and after arriving at 6pm the waiter took our drinks order then after waiting 20mins bought us our drinks. He dumped them on the table and ran away ignoring my shouts as he hadn't even asked us if we wanted to order yet. Another 20mins later someone came and took our order after me having to go up and ask twice! After an hour and a quarter of waiting for our meals and asking where they were (and being told "their on their way") we left disgusted. I took into consideration that they were busy but this was absolutely ridiculous! I will never be returning to this place and I warn that you only go here if you aren't in a rush and want rude service.

Went there with my family for my brother's birthday, there were 5 of us and we were very well looked after. The manager of the restaurant often came to check in on us and if we were OK and the waitress also was very cheerful and helpful too. It was nice to see the cooks also making the meals and they even welcomed and thanked us on our way out. <br/><br/>The food was astounding and brilliant. Probably one of the best Malaysian food I have ever eaten. We had the chicken satay, vegetable curry, dhaal curry, beef rendang, mee goreng and some sago pudding at the end. Really good food!

Where do I start? <br/>We had a booking for 8pm on the 29th July for around 20-22 people. When we 1st arrived they had given our table to another group of people so we were all squished in shoulder to shoulder. Our orders were taken at 8.30pm.. we waited and waited and could see that the restaurant was well over booked. 9.20ish 1 meal came out but no others, 10pm our meals finally arrive after all wine had been finished and the 1st meal that arrived had been eaten (cold I might add as he tried to wait for the other meals to arrive) meals were average, 2 meals had to be sent back (the Prawns are NOT fresh!) The time came to pay we refused to pay for the 2 meals that were sent back but they demanded payment and finally agreed that we would have to pay for half. We also refused to pay for the meal that came out 40ish minutes before everyone else’s, where we were laughed at/eyes were rolled/we were argued with/we were told that it was only 15 minutes early (Doesn't matter really the meals should have all came out at the same time) absolutely disgusting service. They were super busy so why should they care about the service they provide? Well that’s 22 less customers plus everybody else we tell not to go there! Very disappointing!

We waited over an hour for our food, and when it turned up was really disappointing. Staff were less than apologetic it had taken so long. <br/><br/>Disappointed also that one had to pay an extra $2.90 for rice - especially when most of the dishes clearly needed the rice! <br/><br/>Manager refused to discount/remove corkage when confronted about the slack service (it already took over half an hour to get half the table's order!) and when I said the 13 of us wouldn't be returning he said "there's not even thirteen of you, so." <br/><br/>Hands down, worst BYO/Malaysian in Wellington!!!

Hadn't been to this restaurant until Christmas 2010. First visit really good experience - good food and excellent service. So impressed that went back a couple of weeks later and we were not disappointed. Very friendly staff and very prompt attention. Will go back again.

Went there with 12 friends. 10 of us really enjoyed our meals. I had mee goring- medium. More mild than medium but very tasty. The 2 who did not like their meals had Lamb Korma. They said the lamb was dry and chewy. Three of our table left early. When the rest of us left they wanted us to pay for their rice. This was very frustating and we refused. If the staff had not asked them if they had rice with their meals and if so they had to pay for it they prob assumed the rice was free (as it should be). Thankfully they agreed and let the cost go.

Best Beef Rendang in town. Danny and Mary are excellent hosts and provide friendly service.

We (2 people) went here for dinner on a Sunday night. It looked busy inside which we thought would be a good sign. We were seated immediately, but after that the service was very slow. So slow, we nearly missed our 8pm concert despite arriving before 7pm. <br/><br/>The food was average at best. We ordered the honey butter chicken which we found watery and tasteless. The mi goring<br/> was okay, but nothing to write home about. There were plenty of staff so we don't know why it was so slow. When we asked about our meal it appeared they may have lost our order, but never explained why. As I was paying the table near the counter (4 people) were also complaining that they hadn't received their mains either and it had been nearly an hour. They arrived before us.<br/><br/>We will not return.

We went there before a going to see a play on a Thursday night. They were not busy and reasonably quite empty. There was 9 at us at our table and it took them a while to bring out all the food and not everyone's was ready at once. It was about 10 - 15 minutes before everyone had everything. <br/><br/>They did not get the hotness quite right for a few of people in our group. One wanted hot and it came quite mild. A bit disappointing and you have to order rice and bread/ roti separately. They didnt even get the coconut rice and normal rice right for half the group. <br/><br/>In saying that, the food was quite nice/ fresh.

food was good and the service was just as good.

I go here regularly for lunches with colleagues and we have always had excellent and friendly service and good food. We have "discovered" a special, not on the lunch menu but available to those in the know. Ask for the Special Nasi Goreng or "Shane's Nasi Goreng". The most wonderful curry you'll ever get, and I'm from a part of the UK where curry is the local dish. You won't regret it :-)

Excellent food, friendly and professional service, great atmosphere.<br/><br/>One of the best in Wellington.

I ate at the Istana Malaysia 4 times during a week vacation and found the food to be some of the best I have ever eaten. I travel all over Europe and haven't found beetter food. The owner and his wife Mary are excellent hoasts. Don't fail to eat there while in Wellington.

Went for dinner on a Friday night and took over an hour for the food to arrive. Taste of the food was quite average. Definitely not worth the wait.

Been there a few times. Excellent food and very friendly staff. Great atmosphere. Will definitely be going back

Not a bad Malaysian, nice simple meals which seem authentic enough