Taj has excellent Indian food. My wife and I are both Indian thus if we are looking for North Indian cuisine (we're south Indian and our food is quite different) we only go to Taj. Skip the rest because Taj is the real deal. EVERYTHING we ever try is balanced perfectly with the appropriate spice level an Indian is in search of. Also, much like other ethnic restaurants, if you see plenty of Indians dining at any Indian restaurant- rest assured that restaurant knows what it's doing.
(5)
Cassandra D.
The flavors used in Taj's dishes are masterfully blended; the food is almost a symphony. Maybe I'm not much of a critic. I'd only tried a handful of Indian places before Taj, and honestly, I'd never truly been disappointed with Indian food. But Taj proved to be something entirely different from what I'd expected. The paneer makhani is excellent - my favorite by far. The spices crackle in your mouth without being overpowering. If you're looking for something really, really spicy, make sure you tell them to lay it on strong; they seem to have a scale of three notches - mild, medium, and spicy, and other reviewers were right in saying that it does run a little on the mild side if you're used to hot Indian food. But don't despair. The food is masterfully done, and unless you're out for hotness alone, you won't be disappointed. The portions may not look generous right at first, but my partner and I are able to get three meals out of our helping of rice and paneer, two if we're really hungry (the one at the restaurant, and the leftovers we take home). While you're there, indulge in the crispy flatbread and the mint, tamarind, and onion sauces they provide. I've never had better. The one downside is the service. The waiting staff are friendly, but they do leave you alone for the most part, especially on busy nights. The food is every bit as good if you get it to go, and compared with some other places I've tried, they can be somewhat generous with the rice (and the sauces, if you ask for them). Everyone has their own favorite places, and everyone has their own opinion on what constitutes good Indian cuisine. But when my partner and I move, we're honestly worried we won't find a place with food as good as Taj's. Even with the (at times) lax service, we've never had a bad experience here. 5/5. :)
(5)
Bryan A.
I've only gone for the lunch buffet but it's so good. The tandoori chicken is killer. Reasonably priced for lunch too. I had the chai tea which was a good way to end my buffet lunch. Not too busy around the noon time which is nice.
(4)
Courtney G.
Great food and cute place but service is weak.
(4)
Jane E.
In a desperate situation, I needed my Indian food fix and decided to stop by. I got the biryani and channa masala dish. Both dishes tasted good but were similar to the boxes that you see at Indian grocery stores. Also the price was a lot for just two dishes. I think they are overpriced for the quality of the food and for the location. For the amount of money I spent, I could have gone somewhere else and gotten fresh and a lot more amount of food. I will likely not go again as they were not that interesting or unique. For others you may just want to try to get an idea.
(3)
James U.
This place was some good indian food. I went at night, so I didn't get to partake in the buffet everyone raves about, but I had some great korma and breads. The complimentary papadams have a really intense flavor to get the juices flowing, a great appetizer every sense of the word. The korma and rice were just great, they really herb up the naan, which I liked, and the bhature was cooked just right without being greasy. The best part was the enormous amount of food I got. For about $20 I had dinner and 2 lunches, hard to beat! My only major complaint would be that the food was not spicy enough, even though emphatically said 'spicy!' when she asked. So if you like it hot, be sure to have them kick it up a bit (more than they do when you ask for it spicy).
(4)
Izzy G.
We met a few friends here for dinner. On a Tuesday evening at 6:30 the restaurant was nearly empty, but a few people did filter in after we got there. In the past, when I've had Indian food the spices usually range from mild to OH MY GOD WHAT THE EFF DID I DO TO MY MOUTH, but I was a bit disappointed to find that even the very hot wasn't particularly scorching. We started with samosas. An order comes with large and very delicious ones - fried to crispy perfection. Everyone recommended the butter chicken, as it's their specialty, so of course we have to be sheeple and order like everyone else! We also got the chicken vindaloo but ended up fighting over the butter chicken. The garlic naan was delicious as was the paneer naan.
(4)
Jacqueline L.
I don't know what some of y'all are complaining about with the service below me, because I had one of the best experiences with service here tonight. They were prompt (and friendly) with seating us, they served us water right away and asked for our drink orders. This was my first experience with Indian food and I have to say, I am a huge fan if it is all as good as the dish I had this evening. The place is quite dimly lit, but that is really my only complaint. They refilled our glasses before they were even half empty, they were quick to remove dishes we were done with and were very friendly with every exchange made. I can't wait to bring the boyfriend here!
(5)
Mike S.
After enjoying the lunch buffet, we brought a friend for dinner and it was her first try at Indian food. We and she were well pleased, and she has now done a Yelp review promising to bring others....thereby confirming the YELP word-of-mouth impact on good restaurants. I tried the mix of appetizers and Tandoori.....all excellently seasoned and sauces, with leftovers to bring home.
(4)
Rachel H.
I came on a Sunday after church and my lunch was fabulous. There was plenty of open seating and no line for the buffet. Everything was hot and there was a great selection of veggie and meat dishes which I appreciate. My favorite dishes were the eggplant and chana masala. Both had lots of flavor and a good spice to them while not being intolerable. There was an ample amount of fresh naan and it wasn't hard as a rock as many indian buffets can dole out. I may or may not have gone back for thirds of the naan. No shame when it comes to indian food. (That really shouldn't be my motto). Service was good and my water was refilled as soon as it was empty. My ONLY complaint was that I called for the price of the buffet and was told $9.95 and was charged $12.95 for my lunch. No big deal, it was a great buffet and I had no problem buying it but there was that one little blip. Otherwise, great food and service.
(4)
Ambermarie D.
Butter chicken so good, but service could be better. It's a bit of a wait if you want their food, but in my opinion it us completely worth it.
(4)
Shasha S.
One of the worst Indian restaurants in Tampa. Butter Chicken: not properly cooked gulab jamun: stale tandoori chicken: not cooked properly and cold. they don't even heat the items properly spoons were dirty and not polished correctly. finally, they don't have much variety. most of the items on the menu were far from good. matar paneer was good though. we left the restaurant in less than 15 min.
(1)
Ali H.
Best Indian food in Tampa, the place is so nice and romantic for couples. service is great they have great plates like mix grill, tekka chicken masallah, butter chicken
(5)
Paul D.
Took my wife here for Valentine day dinner. Great atmosphere and Service. Now the food. We ordered chicken tika massala. It was amazing. Spices were on point and flavor was top notch. The chicken madras was great and had an amazing depth of taste. We also got naan bread and keema naan. Both cooked to perfection and crispy soft I love this place and by far best Indian in the Tampa bay area
(5)
Cindy L.
Love this place. When we are out and about on a Saturday or Sunday around lunch time, we generally hit the buffet. This particular visit was on Sat. Aug 1st. We arrived shortly after they opened. I have never ordered from their menu as their lunch buffet has more than enough choices! I started off with chickpea and red onion slaw, tandoori chicken, basamati rice and naan! Everything was hot and delish! Second helping was the matar paneer and more tandoori chicken and naan. I also helped myself to a bite of my husband's goat curry (which having never tried it before was very tasty- but not enough for me to want more than a bite). The butter chicken is much better than anywhere else I have tried. I rarely eat dessert, but I wanted to try their delightful looking mango custard. It was so creamy and flavorful, I had seconds! There were tiny chunks of mango and white grape mixed in, i was in heaven! Being that there are a few Indian Buffets in the area, this is my favorite and will be coming back for more soon!
(4)
Tarun R.
Indians expecting indian spice might find it bit less to expectation It seems they have blended themselves to serve the world ..which is good for Americans trying indian cuisine Also service needs betterment
(3)
Cassie D.
Probably the best Indian food in Tampa. Been coming here for years as a Christmas Eve tradition and now that I have some friends into Indian food, we try and come once a month or get take out. The Raita is freshly made and SO delicious. Always a fan of the butter chicken (outstanding here). The tikka masala and vindaloo are close seconds. Definitely dont go without checking out the homemade cheese naan bread. It is so amazing! I highly recommend. I keep wanting to be more adventerous, but my favorites are just too good to pass up!
(5)
Max M.
Myself and my Fiance had a wonderful dinner last night. lamb curry was great and she really enjoyed her chicken tika masala. garlic nan was excellent as were the samosa's.
(5)
Leslie D.
Not the best but not the greatest. Staff here are not friendly . Food had no taste and its pretty expensive for an Indian restaurant around the Tampa Bay Area. I would say if you want Indian food go to Bombay masala staff is friendly and the food is fresh . And the staff are friendly.
(2)
Thomas A.
I am of Indian descent and LOVED this buffet. I have tried most of the buffets on both sides of the bay and would rank this among the top of the group in many categories. Four stars is closest to the true rating, but in comparison to so many other disappointing Indian buffets in the area, it really felt like a 5-star experience. (4.5 stars) I appreciated the plentiful, fresh, soft naan. Also, they do a very good kheer (usually a miss at most places if they even offer it). The butter chicken, while somewhat plain, was still fresh and good. Some of the other dishes were quite spicy, surprising for a buffet (but I was thankful for the heat!)
(4)
Tim J.
At least they can make basmati rice properly, but that's about it. The selection was the greatest for a buffet, and I am very familiar with the indian buffets around here. The goat was undercooked- not saw, but so tough it was hard to tell where the meat ended and bone started. I walked in right as they opened, yet somehow they managed to have to food not cold or hot, but room temperature. This is beyond dangerous from a food safety stand point. I normally would expand upon the food to try to sway you to check it out, but I'm just going to recommend the only person who goes here based on my review is the health inspector.
(1)
Nick H.
Being from indian descent, i can personally say this is not good indian food. It isnt even decent indian food. Today I went for the lunch buffet and the place was half empty. I finished my first place of mediocre food and was handed the check and was told to have a nice day. This is insulting service, they try to get you to leave after one plate. The beef curry was dry and tasteless. The butter chicken was plain as well. If indian food came in a can this is what would be served. Highly disappointed. There are several better buffets on fowler than this one.
(1)
Paul D.
Great lunch Buffett. Kids love the naan and butter chicken! Wife loves the vegetarian option . I'm doing low carb so tandoori chicken was awesome!
(5)
Brittany L.
I arrived around 1:40pm on a Wednesday and left at 2:15 to go to work. The restaurant had 8 tables of customers while I was there. This place was much better than the other 4 Indian restaurants I've tried in Tampa. I'm just going to list the reasons but I'll leave off the names of the other restaurants that committed the offenses. 1. Rice is included with entrees. You do not have to pay $4 extra to get basmati rice to go with your curry. 2. The decor is very nice. There are no paper signs taped to the walls and there is art, statues, carvings, and pretty colors on the walls and curtains. 3. There were no rocks in my food. 4. My water glass remained full throughout the meal. 5. Male employee was pleasant and helpful, asked how my food was, talked with me about the different desserts they have. 6. The food was all at the proper temperature. 7. Tap water is free. You do not have to buy multiple $2 bottles of water or pop with your meal. 8. There was some spice to the food. It was not bland. There were no off flavors. It could've been spicier, for me, BUT everyone has to eat from the same buffet and I think they did the balance well. 9. Lots of different chutneys available as well as DIY chaat! Yum! 10. The goat was tender, even if slightly fatty, and there was MEAT present, not just bones in sauce. There was a cold buffet table featuring chaat, salad, chutneys, salad, raita (yogurt w/cucumber and cilantro), mango pudding, and kheer (rice pudding). The hot items were: potato pakora, basmati rice, lemon rice, chana saag (spinach & chickpeas), veggie korma, butter chicken, goat curry, yellow dal (lentils), tandoori chicken, naan (flat bread), and maybe 1-2 other items. I ate a bite of goat and 3 pieces of butter chicken, but mostly I chowed down on the spinach and lentils. YUM! The fried potatoes were good too. Everything I tried was pretty good. I do not think this is the best Indian food I've ever had, but it's the best I've had so far in Tampa. The lost star is because: The female employee was downright sulky and it took 10 minutes to get my check. They ran out of white rice at 2pm and when another customer asked for more, she said they didn't have any. Kheer (rice pudding) had no additional flavoring. Cost of buffet is $10.95. This seems steep for the amount of offerings and considering there is no tea, dosa, or naan included. However, it's about what all the other places are charging so I can't really count this against them. I'll definitely be back for dinner!
(4)
Lisa M.
When I found out that Taj has a lunch buffet I've been a few times. The food is good and plentiful. The jasmine rice, saag paneer, and naan bread are my absolute favorite. Their cold salad items are wonderful, too. Just right for a hot Florida day. I like that I can try different things and not be stuck with a huge amount of something I'm not crazy about. I've not been disappointed in their food. This is close to work, quick service and quick check out when you're done. I will be back.
(4)
Pratigya T.
The tandoori was delicious and the lamb tikka. This place is also a cleaner then lot of the Indian places I've been to. It is a bit pricey compared to others but I guess you get what you pay for
(4)
Michelle N.
I went here for a Friday dinner. The lighting is rather ambient and the atmosphere quiet. I found it a little too quiet since there weren't many people in there for dinner, which is usually a weird sign for a restaurant on a Friday night. We were seated and my water glass was dirty and had lip prints but our waiter got me a new one right away. So I'm a little skeptical at this point but optimistic because I was really craving Indian food so on we went. The server was very nice and accommodating. He explained the menu and answered any questions, though very 'are you sure you don't want an appetizer? Are you sure?' Yes, we were sure. It was all in a very nice way though that my friend and I laughed it off but I could see how others could be uncomfortable. So after this little exchange, I ordered the Butter Chicken mild and she ordered Chicken Vindaloo hot. The waiter was surprised (Are you sure you want hot?) but took down the order as well as for Garlic Naan. They bring poppadom to the table with 3 chutneys, sweet spicy and sour. All soooo yummy. And they bring out the food and looks are deceiving. It doesn't look like a lot but neither if us could finish it. Amazing butter chicken and naan. Soooooo good. I could eat the naan all day. My food was a solid 4.5 out of 5. My friends vindaloo though was definitely beyond mild. No spice at all and she is a spice queen. So if you want it spicy, you might have to be insistent. Hers also didn't have very much chicken and mine had tons. She only had 4 or 5 pieces of chicken and some potatoes. So hers was about 2.5 to 3 stars. The chicken was very tender. For the two of us, the bill was about $38 and we had water, entrees and naan. So if you drink it get dessert I'm sure it would be much more but over all, a decent experience. I loved my food and the quiet was nice but it was a little too quiet and I could see how the low light might be strange in the day. I would say I would go back again.
(3)
E. D.
Food is great, service not so much. I love coming for the lunch buffet but the waitress, who is the same one every time, is often unfriendly. As soon as you get your first plate she will come an throw the check at your table... water refills are hit or miss, and one time she even shot me a dirty look while filling my glass when I said 'thank you.' Through all this, the food keeps me coming back! I think it is $11.95 for the lunch buffet
(4)
Loreal D.
The food here isn't amazing but if you a have an Indian food craving it's worth a try. The price for the lunch buffet was $11 on a Saturday. The naan was okay, nothing special. Oh I recommend not getting the mango lassie, it tasted kinda artificial/powderd to me. Though the service was good and the turnover for food was adequate. Bottomline I would come again for lunch and maybe try to order off the menu.
(4)
Bruno C.
I must say... I love indian food. And these is a little mediocre... I mean they have a great location. But it seems as if they lost the passion, customer service is the worst. If you want to eat good get there when they are open, because they do not like it when you show up when is almost closing. I go there once in a while because is close to me. But it doesn't fail, i go i eat and i want to punch whom ever the server is... The good: basmati rice is as close as it would get. The mango desert i love it.
(2)
Judith M.
Jessie P is right about the depressing overvibe here, but also correct about the saag. We almost bailed in the echoing empty restaurant on Super Bowl Sunday, but decided to roll with it because we were already there. Pros: the aforementioned saag. The naan. The lamb curry. The veggie korma. COLD BEER. walking distance from USF & the Hyatt. Cons: aforementioned atmosphere. Kind of snarky response to our ordering one dish-the Tandoori Thali (18$) and a beer (Taj Mahal $7) to share. Let me say, this was the perfect amount of food for two of us. We even had left overs. But the waiter actually Rolled his eyes, said "only one dish?" and sighed. No lie. This loses a star people.
(3)
Hermun P.
Sunday buffet: Usually my favorite Indian restaurant in town, but they need to lighten up on the masala in the vegetables. As always, the butter chicken and sag is delicious but the goat was fatty and could've been cut better to avoid the sharp bones. Why is there fried rice on the buffet and not basmati rice? Also, I love the chaat! I will always continue to refer this restaurant to my friends and family and note that anything you order off the menu directly will be delicious.
(3)
Mark H.
Ordered lamb got beef. Sent it back only to get the same beef dish again reheated. Told the waiter I ordered lamb but he said it was lamb. Either they have no idea what they are buying before they cook it or they know exactly. My money is on they are passing beef off as lamb because it is cheaper and the average American has no clue what they are eating. What if I was Hindu and I ate beef.. that would be a sin they would be judged for. *To the owners* what you are doing is unbelievable cheating your customers like that. On the bright side, the music and ambiance was pleasant and relaxing.
(1)
Kushal S.
If you actually know your Indian food, I would not recommend this place. They have a few gravies which they divide into 10 dishes. So a lot of it tastes the same. I ordered chicken tikka masala and it was sweet !!! Didn't have room for desert after it. Ended up spending 31$ per person for a not so satisfying meal. The service is really horrible. Left a tip just out of courtesy.
(2)
Benjina D.
A very average, very over priced Indian restaurant. Hubby and I went here for lunch today. I had the buffet, and he ordered the beef seekh kabab, and naan. The buffet's offerings were ok. The dishes included goat curry, butter chicken, spinach with chick peas, tamarind rice, tandoori chicken, and peas paneer. The food overall was very bland. Both meat curries had a tomato base that overpowered the spices. Apart from being bland, the food tasted stale, the plain rice especially. There were some decent chutneys and yogurts, and the naan was good, too. The dessert really sucked. I'm used to having yummy gulab jamuns, but this place copped out, and instead served a yellow custard with pieces of fruit in it. Kheer (sweet milk with rice) was also on the buffet, but I couldn't get past a bite. There were no nuts, saffron, etc. All I tasted was the days old rice it was made from. Yuck! My husband's seekh kabab was just "ok." for $14, he expected a bit more in terms of spice and freshness. Naan wasn't included, and at $3 for an order, his entire meal was way too costly for the amount of food served. Final verdict: an Indian restaurant that is in an area with 5-8 other Indian restaurant options should serve amazing food or an amazing price. This place offered neither.
(2)
Marianne C.
Update. The Yelp app says they are closed today, Monday but I am here to tell you they are very open so don't discount being able to come on a Monday. Best to call to confirm.
(5)
Jason J.
This place is TERRIBLE! We walk in and the guy just points at a table as he walks off. We sit and he brings to small plates and walks off. We are left looking at each other. Eventually the server comes back and we ask for menus and he keeps saying...buffet, buffet. My friend went up and took a look and said he didnt want to touch any of it. It looked old. We got out food after about a little over an hour. It took us maybe 30 mins to eat and then another 30-40 mins to get a bill. We spent almost 3 hours in there!! I felt sick for the next day and a half afterwards. The food wasnt that tastey. I ate the Saag Ghost. I spoke with my boss the next day and was told that he and his East Indian friend ate there once and the East Indian said its the worst food he's ever eaten. Wish Id known that before!! TERRIBLE food! TERRIBLE service!
(1)
Julius V.
A favorite lunch spot of mine (due to the authentic Indian goodness on the buffet)... stopped in tonight for dinner. The Mulligatawny soup is a MUST. If you're adventurous like me, order it spicy. The sweat on your brow is worth it! Rounded dinner off with the Chicken Vindaloo. Very tasty. Definitely a favorite dinner spot now as well. And P.S. Very vegetarian friendly.
(5)
Divya D.
Nice authentic Indian food . I have been to a lot of Indian restraunts in Tampa .But this one was really gud ..Try the lunch buffet..I give it a 4 since the hospitality was not that great
(4)
Allison L.
I've been going to Taj since they opened. The food has always been amazing, the service warm and friendly and the staff willing to take time to explain dishes etc. I've never had bad food here. Though I must admit I've never done the buffet so I cannot speak to the quality of that.
(5)
Shazia T.
I was in Tampa looking for a place to live and wanted some good desi food to make my trip feel less stressful (b/c desi food = comfort food). here is what had: - paneer makhani: really good, rich; enough curry to last a while - mango lassi. not as good as i hoped....i'm in the market for a good lassi, so holler if you know a place - chicken mulligatawny soup: really good and i think i would love to have this everyday in winter or gloomy, rainy days
(4)
Benjamin M.
First: I'm not Indian (discernible from my profile picture), nor am I an expert on Indian cuisine. In fact this was my first real introduction to Indian food. I got tired of the naan from Publix and decided to venture out to discover real Indian food. I ate here on Wednesday evening around 6:00. Probably a bad time to visit, because the restaurant was dead (only a couple other diners in the whole place). In retrospect, I probably should have gone during lunch (next time!) or a weekend dinnertime. Taj is clean and classy. The servers are very clean-cut and sharply dressed. This is actually a fancier restaurant than I was expecting. I was thankful to still be dressed in office clothes. Blake is right: the papadams + sauces = amazing! However, I would also recommend ordering some naan before your meal. We ordered the original naan, and it was outstanding! Even though we told our server it was our first time to eat Indian food, he wasn't very helpful. He was a quiet, bashful fellow. He did manage to say that the butter chicken was their most popular dish, so that's what I ordered. Frankly it wasn't at all what I was expecting. My meal was basically just a bowl of soupy chicken (with lots of butter) that was served with a plate of white rice. It was just too rich for me. I also tried my friend's chicken vindaloo; I liked it much more than my butter chicken. I guess it's just weird to me that Indian food is basically just rice with a meat. It seems like there should be sides to compliment the meat/rice, especially since I ended up paying ~$25 for my meal. Oh well. Maybe next time I'll have a better server who will do a more thorough job of explaining Indian food. (Or I'll just go with Blake B.) Overall, not a bad experience. However, I think I need to return for the lunch buffet so I can sample a wider variety of food.
(3)
Gabriel N.
Indian restaurants can be hit or miss. Sometimes you have good food with less than stellar surroundings or lavish places with bland dishes. This little gem (tucked away in a strip mall) had both killer food and a fantastic atmosphere. When you walk in you're hit by the great decor of the place. It is not what you'd expect from a strip mall joint. Then when your waiter takes you to your table you notice his impeccably pressed white shirt and black bow tie. The class of this restaurant is a cut above the rest. If you're new to Indian food in general I'd recommend trying their lunch buffet first. This way you get to taste many different flavors without having to try to decipher the names of the dishes from a menu. You'll quickly find out what you like and what you don't like and the next time your waiter swings by you can get the dish names from him. The food and the atmosphere puts this place solidly in the 4 star territory, but the service snags it the elusive 5th star. My buddy and I were going through the buffet and when we got to the Tandoori chicken were dismayed by an empty tray. The manager quickly swung by and told us that a whole new batch would be out shortly. We waited for a bit, but when the line started to back up behind us we retreated to our table. Deep in conversation and already tucking into our plates, we were surprised by the same manager coming to our table with a full plate of Tandoori chicken for us. That was the A+ touch to an already awesome lunch. If you're near Busch Gardens and are sick of the chain restaurants then swing by this little oasis of flavor.
(5)
Betsy B.
Horrible customer service and food was mediocre. We specified spice level and didn't receive spicy and apparently it was our fault do to not having dined there before. We spent $100 and had a lousy experience, will not be back! This was all via takeout. Overpriced Indian , Saffron in Pebble Creek area has better food along with Tandoor in Valrico/Brandon area.
(1)
Melissa L.
I came to Tampa for business and we ordered take out from Taj Indian Cuisine. I will also state that I am not a Indian-cuisine connoisseur, but am also not a novice. Also, since ordering take-out, I cannot give a proper review of the dinning experience. Ordered: Appetizers - Vegetable Samosa, Vegetable Mixed Pakoda Main Meal: Aloo Gobi Masala, Channa Masala Sides: Garlic Naan & Mango Chutney Desert: Galub Jamun The food had a good presentation - It look appealing and smelled authentic. The mango chutney tasted pre-made, the Aloo Gobi Masala tasted dry and old, the Channa Masala wasn't that bad, however the chic peas tasted dry as if they weren't made with the sauce; the Gulub Jamun also tasted dry and the middle was hard. On the other side, the Vegetable Samosas and Pakoda's were very tasty and the Garlic Naan was outstanding! Overall, the presentation was nice, but the food did not deliver. I would not recommend this place. You may have a better chance elsewhere.
(2)
Naj A.
Best indian food, yum yum I cant get enough! They have a great buffet, many choices. I heard the other indian restaurant in Fowler are good but i haven't tried any.
(5)
Blake B.
I LOVE Taj! Ever since I tasted their butter chicken, and their wait staff remembered my name on my second visit, I've been in love with this place. The interior is dim lit and formal, and the staff are very professional. They give you a free basket of Papadams and three very tasty sauces when you're seated. I absolutely love their Masala, Saag and Korma. They offer a lunch buffet for $11 with a moderate selection, and they're good about swapping out the buffet selections each day to keep things interesting - but I'd recommend their dinner service. Not sure why Taj is rated so lowly on here... most of the bad reviews are from '06 - perhaps they had a bad year. I've never experienced cleanliness issues with the dishes as reported by Lothari, and am on a first name basis with most of their staff - so I can't quite understand the rudeness that John experienced. Give Taj a chance, if you're disappointed come back and beat up this review.
(5)
Tim W.
The buffet is decent but doesn't compare to the subtlety and flavor of their main courses. Both are good but the main butter chicken and chicken korma are amazingly tender, don't base judgement off of the buffet or you'll really miss out!
(5)
D S.
Nice place. If you have never had Indian food try the buffet. Otherwise avoid.
(2)
Mark R.
Give me a break people, the frozen food you get from the supermarket is better. Tried their Vindaloo, was the worse I have ever tasted. The service was slow and the staff not very friendly. I've eaten Indian food all over the world and this place is off my radar.
(2)
Sal S.
Service is great but waiters don't see a dime! Food was mediocre at best. Tip wisely.
(2)
Chander M.
If you are in Tampa for Busch Gardens and staying in any hotel around Busch gardens and looking for Indian food.. Go to this place.. Hot, fresh, spicy food coupled with authentic decor makes this place very special... I am not sure when I will see this place again.. if i ever happen to see Busch Garden again.. ..you will find me dining here that night!!
(4)
Deke K.
Great place to enjoy all things Indian! Even my Indian friends love it! Has a lunch buffet so that you can try everything and learn what you like. Nice ambiance, friendly staff. Usually two desserts. I even like the breath freshner "seeds" near the door that you chew! This is a great food experience.
(5)
Jay S.
Average in every way. They've managed to make Indian food plain.
(2)
Da P.
We go to Taj on a regular basis. Once a month for the past 2 years or so. My wife loves their Malai Kofta, Panner Makhni and the Garlic Naan. Their service has always been good, and of course has gotten even better for us since we've become regular customers. Their lunch buffet is good, but we found that the food ordered from the menu is better. They've recently (in March 2010) redone their interior decor, so the restaurant looks nicer and cleaner as well.
(4)
J S.
Went here after a full day of excitement at Busch Gardens. The food was good and we ended up stuffing ourselves to no end because we were supposed to drive back to Orlando later.
(3)
John H.
This might be the most unfriendly service in the Tampa area. I have had them tell me "call back later" then hang-up when trying to place a take-out order.. during dinner hours.. seriously. This used to be a favorite of mine, but the food does not outweigh the "oh crap, another paying customer" attitude.
(2)
Sid S.
I was really excited to go Taj. I haven't had Indian food in a while and i wanted this to be special for me and my buddies. It had a really good atmosphere at first, with the lighting and decor. Also the waiter was very nice and helpful despite the late hour. It started going downhill from there; he brought out the wrong food three times and each time he seemed more confused. Also after taking our orders, he came back and asked if we wanted separate checks; we got a single check at the end. The food was good i had the lamb madras, we also ordered the butter chicken and lamb korma. it satisfied my craving for indian food although i have had better (nothing beat home cooked food), but i will give them benefit of the doubt due to the late hour ( half hour before they closed).
(3)
Susan L.
We have been going to Taj for a number of years as a treat before we go to concerts at Skipper's Smokehouse. This is probably the best Indian you will get in the Tampa area. That being said, as someone who has cooked Indian and had it out in many larger cities, there is a lot of room for improvement, especially in my last two visits. The dishes are fairly flavorful, but multiple attempts to get food medium-hot to hot have resulted in extremely mild dishes. The service is really marginal of late. This past Friday, it took ten minutes to get anyone to the table, our waiter grumbled his way through the order, ordered incorrectly and never came to ask if everything was OK , if we wanted another beer, etc. and we were one of only two tables occupied at the time! That being said, the garlic naan is a winner! Unfortunately, the evening left me feeling as though, me adding spices/heat to Patak's jarred sauce was a better avenue than $57 + tip and I know how to make Indian from scratch! So disappointed as this was part of a big bday weekend for my partner.
(3)
Anonymous P.
Has really gone downhill. This used to be an incredible restaurant. The lunch buffet was amazing. Now the food is totally spiced down, and the place doesn't seem as clean. The glasses are always gross. Disappointing.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
India is the birth place of Chicken Tikka Masala and Curries. Indian foods are prepared with a blend of finely mixed spices quite popular across the region. The spices develop the rich taste in Indian food enough to boggle your mind. The ever-increasing fan base of Indian food around the New York city is steadily increasing because of the large number of Indians who traveled to the land of dreams. The Indians also brought their very own vibrant, colorful, and aromatic authentic dishes for the people in the West. While most of the Indian population is Vegetarian, Indian food is great for people who are looking for vegan or vegetarian food option. If you are a Meat lover, don't get disappointed yet. Indian food also boasts of some popular non-vegetarian dishes too. Few examples are the famous Butter Chicken, Mutton Biryani and Tandoori Chicken are enough to satisfy your taste buds.
Indian food has gained reputation all over the world especially in the United States. You can find many places serving the appetizing Indian food across all major cities in the US. India is a diverse country with different food culture originated from different parts of the country. While the Northern region boasts tandoori dishes and korma offering royal taste, the Western Ghats offers sea foods that is made in naturally sweet tender coconut milk. The South Indian food servers a quality of different dishes made from rice accompanied with spicy chutneys, curries and famous sambhar. Also, the Indian sweets are a delight to relish. If you ever want to have a burst of sugar syrup in mouth, don't forget to try few Bengali Sweets. Be it spicy, tangy, or sweet flavor, you can find everything in the Indian cuisine. Be assured that the melody of spices will surely bring delight to you.
Ben V.
Taj has excellent Indian food. My wife and I are both Indian thus if we are looking for North Indian cuisine (we're south Indian and our food is quite different) we only go to Taj. Skip the rest because Taj is the real deal. EVERYTHING we ever try is balanced perfectly with the appropriate spice level an Indian is in search of. Also, much like other ethnic restaurants, if you see plenty of Indians dining at any Indian restaurant- rest assured that restaurant knows what it's doing.
(5)Cassandra D.
The flavors used in Taj's dishes are masterfully blended; the food is almost a symphony. Maybe I'm not much of a critic. I'd only tried a handful of Indian places before Taj, and honestly, I'd never truly been disappointed with Indian food. But Taj proved to be something entirely different from what I'd expected. The paneer makhani is excellent - my favorite by far. The spices crackle in your mouth without being overpowering. If you're looking for something really, really spicy, make sure you tell them to lay it on strong; they seem to have a scale of three notches - mild, medium, and spicy, and other reviewers were right in saying that it does run a little on the mild side if you're used to hot Indian food. But don't despair. The food is masterfully done, and unless you're out for hotness alone, you won't be disappointed. The portions may not look generous right at first, but my partner and I are able to get three meals out of our helping of rice and paneer, two if we're really hungry (the one at the restaurant, and the leftovers we take home). While you're there, indulge in the crispy flatbread and the mint, tamarind, and onion sauces they provide. I've never had better. The one downside is the service. The waiting staff are friendly, but they do leave you alone for the most part, especially on busy nights. The food is every bit as good if you get it to go, and compared with some other places I've tried, they can be somewhat generous with the rice (and the sauces, if you ask for them). Everyone has their own favorite places, and everyone has their own opinion on what constitutes good Indian cuisine. But when my partner and I move, we're honestly worried we won't find a place with food as good as Taj's. Even with the (at times) lax service, we've never had a bad experience here. 5/5. :)
(5)Bryan A.
I've only gone for the lunch buffet but it's so good. The tandoori chicken is killer. Reasonably priced for lunch too. I had the chai tea which was a good way to end my buffet lunch. Not too busy around the noon time which is nice.
(4)Courtney G.
Great food and cute place but service is weak.
(4)Jane E.
In a desperate situation, I needed my Indian food fix and decided to stop by. I got the biryani and channa masala dish. Both dishes tasted good but were similar to the boxes that you see at Indian grocery stores. Also the price was a lot for just two dishes. I think they are overpriced for the quality of the food and for the location. For the amount of money I spent, I could have gone somewhere else and gotten fresh and a lot more amount of food. I will likely not go again as they were not that interesting or unique. For others you may just want to try to get an idea.
(3)James U.
This place was some good indian food. I went at night, so I didn't get to partake in the buffet everyone raves about, but I had some great korma and breads. The complimentary papadams have a really intense flavor to get the juices flowing, a great appetizer every sense of the word. The korma and rice were just great, they really herb up the naan, which I liked, and the bhature was cooked just right without being greasy. The best part was the enormous amount of food I got. For about $20 I had dinner and 2 lunches, hard to beat! My only major complaint would be that the food was not spicy enough, even though emphatically said 'spicy!' when she asked. So if you like it hot, be sure to have them kick it up a bit (more than they do when you ask for it spicy).
(4)Izzy G.
We met a few friends here for dinner. On a Tuesday evening at 6:30 the restaurant was nearly empty, but a few people did filter in after we got there. In the past, when I've had Indian food the spices usually range from mild to OH MY GOD WHAT THE EFF DID I DO TO MY MOUTH, but I was a bit disappointed to find that even the very hot wasn't particularly scorching. We started with samosas. An order comes with large and very delicious ones - fried to crispy perfection. Everyone recommended the butter chicken, as it's their specialty, so of course we have to be sheeple and order like everyone else! We also got the chicken vindaloo but ended up fighting over the butter chicken. The garlic naan was delicious as was the paneer naan.
(4)Jacqueline L.
I don't know what some of y'all are complaining about with the service below me, because I had one of the best experiences with service here tonight. They were prompt (and friendly) with seating us, they served us water right away and asked for our drink orders. This was my first experience with Indian food and I have to say, I am a huge fan if it is all as good as the dish I had this evening. The place is quite dimly lit, but that is really my only complaint. They refilled our glasses before they were even half empty, they were quick to remove dishes we were done with and were very friendly with every exchange made. I can't wait to bring the boyfriend here!
(5)Mike S.
After enjoying the lunch buffet, we brought a friend for dinner and it was her first try at Indian food. We and she were well pleased, and she has now done a Yelp review promising to bring others....thereby confirming the YELP word-of-mouth impact on good restaurants. I tried the mix of appetizers and Tandoori.....all excellently seasoned and sauces, with leftovers to bring home.
(4)Rachel H.
I came on a Sunday after church and my lunch was fabulous. There was plenty of open seating and no line for the buffet. Everything was hot and there was a great selection of veggie and meat dishes which I appreciate. My favorite dishes were the eggplant and chana masala. Both had lots of flavor and a good spice to them while not being intolerable. There was an ample amount of fresh naan and it wasn't hard as a rock as many indian buffets can dole out. I may or may not have gone back for thirds of the naan. No shame when it comes to indian food. (That really shouldn't be my motto). Service was good and my water was refilled as soon as it was empty. My ONLY complaint was that I called for the price of the buffet and was told $9.95 and was charged $12.95 for my lunch. No big deal, it was a great buffet and I had no problem buying it but there was that one little blip. Otherwise, great food and service.
(4)Ambermarie D.
Butter chicken so good, but service could be better. It's a bit of a wait if you want their food, but in my opinion it us completely worth it.
(4)Shasha S.
One of the worst Indian restaurants in Tampa. Butter Chicken: not properly cooked gulab jamun: stale tandoori chicken: not cooked properly and cold. they don't even heat the items properly spoons were dirty and not polished correctly. finally, they don't have much variety. most of the items on the menu were far from good. matar paneer was good though. we left the restaurant in less than 15 min.
(1)Ali H.
Best Indian food in Tampa, the place is so nice and romantic for couples. service is great they have great plates like mix grill, tekka chicken masallah, butter chicken
(5)Paul D.
Took my wife here for Valentine day dinner. Great atmosphere and Service. Now the food. We ordered chicken tika massala. It was amazing. Spices were on point and flavor was top notch. The chicken madras was great and had an amazing depth of taste. We also got naan bread and keema naan. Both cooked to perfection and crispy soft I love this place and by far best Indian in the Tampa bay area
(5)Cindy L.
Love this place. When we are out and about on a Saturday or Sunday around lunch time, we generally hit the buffet. This particular visit was on Sat. Aug 1st. We arrived shortly after they opened. I have never ordered from their menu as their lunch buffet has more than enough choices! I started off with chickpea and red onion slaw, tandoori chicken, basamati rice and naan! Everything was hot and delish! Second helping was the matar paneer and more tandoori chicken and naan. I also helped myself to a bite of my husband's goat curry (which having never tried it before was very tasty- but not enough for me to want more than a bite). The butter chicken is much better than anywhere else I have tried. I rarely eat dessert, but I wanted to try their delightful looking mango custard. It was so creamy and flavorful, I had seconds! There were tiny chunks of mango and white grape mixed in, i was in heaven! Being that there are a few Indian Buffets in the area, this is my favorite and will be coming back for more soon!
(4)Tarun R.
Indians expecting indian spice might find it bit less to expectation It seems they have blended themselves to serve the world ..which is good for Americans trying indian cuisine Also service needs betterment
(3)Cassie D.
Probably the best Indian food in Tampa. Been coming here for years as a Christmas Eve tradition and now that I have some friends into Indian food, we try and come once a month or get take out. The Raita is freshly made and SO delicious. Always a fan of the butter chicken (outstanding here). The tikka masala and vindaloo are close seconds. Definitely dont go without checking out the homemade cheese naan bread. It is so amazing! I highly recommend. I keep wanting to be more adventerous, but my favorites are just too good to pass up!
(5)Max M.
Myself and my Fiance had a wonderful dinner last night. lamb curry was great and she really enjoyed her chicken tika masala. garlic nan was excellent as were the samosa's.
(5)Leslie D.
Not the best but not the greatest. Staff here are not friendly . Food had no taste and its pretty expensive for an Indian restaurant around the Tampa Bay Area. I would say if you want Indian food go to Bombay masala staff is friendly and the food is fresh . And the staff are friendly.
(2)Thomas A.
I am of Indian descent and LOVED this buffet. I have tried most of the buffets on both sides of the bay and would rank this among the top of the group in many categories. Four stars is closest to the true rating, but in comparison to so many other disappointing Indian buffets in the area, it really felt like a 5-star experience. (4.5 stars) I appreciated the plentiful, fresh, soft naan. Also, they do a very good kheer (usually a miss at most places if they even offer it). The butter chicken, while somewhat plain, was still fresh and good. Some of the other dishes were quite spicy, surprising for a buffet (but I was thankful for the heat!)
(4)Tim J.
At least they can make basmati rice properly, but that's about it. The selection was the greatest for a buffet, and I am very familiar with the indian buffets around here. The goat was undercooked- not saw, but so tough it was hard to tell where the meat ended and bone started. I walked in right as they opened, yet somehow they managed to have to food not cold or hot, but room temperature. This is beyond dangerous from a food safety stand point. I normally would expand upon the food to try to sway you to check it out, but I'm just going to recommend the only person who goes here based on my review is the health inspector.
(1)Nick H.
Being from indian descent, i can personally say this is not good indian food. It isnt even decent indian food. Today I went for the lunch buffet and the place was half empty. I finished my first place of mediocre food and was handed the check and was told to have a nice day. This is insulting service, they try to get you to leave after one plate. The beef curry was dry and tasteless. The butter chicken was plain as well. If indian food came in a can this is what would be served. Highly disappointed. There are several better buffets on fowler than this one.
(1)Paul D.
Great lunch Buffett. Kids love the naan and butter chicken! Wife loves the vegetarian option . I'm doing low carb so tandoori chicken was awesome!
(5)Brittany L.
I arrived around 1:40pm on a Wednesday and left at 2:15 to go to work. The restaurant had 8 tables of customers while I was there. This place was much better than the other 4 Indian restaurants I've tried in Tampa. I'm just going to list the reasons but I'll leave off the names of the other restaurants that committed the offenses. 1. Rice is included with entrees. You do not have to pay $4 extra to get basmati rice to go with your curry. 2. The decor is very nice. There are no paper signs taped to the walls and there is art, statues, carvings, and pretty colors on the walls and curtains. 3. There were no rocks in my food. 4. My water glass remained full throughout the meal. 5. Male employee was pleasant and helpful, asked how my food was, talked with me about the different desserts they have. 6. The food was all at the proper temperature. 7. Tap water is free. You do not have to buy multiple $2 bottles of water or pop with your meal. 8. There was some spice to the food. It was not bland. There were no off flavors. It could've been spicier, for me, BUT everyone has to eat from the same buffet and I think they did the balance well. 9. Lots of different chutneys available as well as DIY chaat! Yum! 10. The goat was tender, even if slightly fatty, and there was MEAT present, not just bones in sauce. There was a cold buffet table featuring chaat, salad, chutneys, salad, raita (yogurt w/cucumber and cilantro), mango pudding, and kheer (rice pudding). The hot items were: potato pakora, basmati rice, lemon rice, chana saag (spinach & chickpeas), veggie korma, butter chicken, goat curry, yellow dal (lentils), tandoori chicken, naan (flat bread), and maybe 1-2 other items. I ate a bite of goat and 3 pieces of butter chicken, but mostly I chowed down on the spinach and lentils. YUM! The fried potatoes were good too. Everything I tried was pretty good. I do not think this is the best Indian food I've ever had, but it's the best I've had so far in Tampa. The lost star is because: The female employee was downright sulky and it took 10 minutes to get my check. They ran out of white rice at 2pm and when another customer asked for more, she said they didn't have any. Kheer (rice pudding) had no additional flavoring. Cost of buffet is $10.95. This seems steep for the amount of offerings and considering there is no tea, dosa, or naan included. However, it's about what all the other places are charging so I can't really count this against them. I'll definitely be back for dinner!
(4)Lisa M.
When I found out that Taj has a lunch buffet I've been a few times. The food is good and plentiful. The jasmine rice, saag paneer, and naan bread are my absolute favorite. Their cold salad items are wonderful, too. Just right for a hot Florida day. I like that I can try different things and not be stuck with a huge amount of something I'm not crazy about. I've not been disappointed in their food. This is close to work, quick service and quick check out when you're done. I will be back.
(4)Pratigya T.
The tandoori was delicious and the lamb tikka. This place is also a cleaner then lot of the Indian places I've been to. It is a bit pricey compared to others but I guess you get what you pay for
(4)Michelle N.
I went here for a Friday dinner. The lighting is rather ambient and the atmosphere quiet. I found it a little too quiet since there weren't many people in there for dinner, which is usually a weird sign for a restaurant on a Friday night. We were seated and my water glass was dirty and had lip prints but our waiter got me a new one right away. So I'm a little skeptical at this point but optimistic because I was really craving Indian food so on we went. The server was very nice and accommodating. He explained the menu and answered any questions, though very 'are you sure you don't want an appetizer? Are you sure?' Yes, we were sure. It was all in a very nice way though that my friend and I laughed it off but I could see how others could be uncomfortable. So after this little exchange, I ordered the Butter Chicken mild and she ordered Chicken Vindaloo hot. The waiter was surprised (Are you sure you want hot?) but took down the order as well as for Garlic Naan. They bring poppadom to the table with 3 chutneys, sweet spicy and sour. All soooo yummy. And they bring out the food and looks are deceiving. It doesn't look like a lot but neither if us could finish it. Amazing butter chicken and naan. Soooooo good. I could eat the naan all day. My food was a solid 4.5 out of 5. My friends vindaloo though was definitely beyond mild. No spice at all and she is a spice queen. So if you want it spicy, you might have to be insistent. Hers also didn't have very much chicken and mine had tons. She only had 4 or 5 pieces of chicken and some potatoes. So hers was about 2.5 to 3 stars. The chicken was very tender. For the two of us, the bill was about $38 and we had water, entrees and naan. So if you drink it get dessert I'm sure it would be much more but over all, a decent experience. I loved my food and the quiet was nice but it was a little too quiet and I could see how the low light might be strange in the day. I would say I would go back again.
(3)E. D.
Food is great, service not so much. I love coming for the lunch buffet but the waitress, who is the same one every time, is often unfriendly. As soon as you get your first plate she will come an throw the check at your table... water refills are hit or miss, and one time she even shot me a dirty look while filling my glass when I said 'thank you.' Through all this, the food keeps me coming back! I think it is $11.95 for the lunch buffet
(4)Loreal D.
The food here isn't amazing but if you a have an Indian food craving it's worth a try. The price for the lunch buffet was $11 on a Saturday. The naan was okay, nothing special. Oh I recommend not getting the mango lassie, it tasted kinda artificial/powderd to me. Though the service was good and the turnover for food was adequate. Bottomline I would come again for lunch and maybe try to order off the menu.
(4)Bruno C.
I must say... I love indian food. And these is a little mediocre... I mean they have a great location. But it seems as if they lost the passion, customer service is the worst. If you want to eat good get there when they are open, because they do not like it when you show up when is almost closing. I go there once in a while because is close to me. But it doesn't fail, i go i eat and i want to punch whom ever the server is... The good: basmati rice is as close as it would get. The mango desert i love it.
(2)Judith M.
Jessie P is right about the depressing overvibe here, but also correct about the saag. We almost bailed in the echoing empty restaurant on Super Bowl Sunday, but decided to roll with it because we were already there. Pros: the aforementioned saag. The naan. The lamb curry. The veggie korma. COLD BEER. walking distance from USF & the Hyatt. Cons: aforementioned atmosphere. Kind of snarky response to our ordering one dish-the Tandoori Thali (18$) and a beer (Taj Mahal $7) to share. Let me say, this was the perfect amount of food for two of us. We even had left overs. But the waiter actually Rolled his eyes, said "only one dish?" and sighed. No lie. This loses a star people.
(3)Hermun P.
Sunday buffet: Usually my favorite Indian restaurant in town, but they need to lighten up on the masala in the vegetables. As always, the butter chicken and sag is delicious but the goat was fatty and could've been cut better to avoid the sharp bones. Why is there fried rice on the buffet and not basmati rice? Also, I love the chaat! I will always continue to refer this restaurant to my friends and family and note that anything you order off the menu directly will be delicious.
(3)Mark H.
Ordered lamb got beef. Sent it back only to get the same beef dish again reheated. Told the waiter I ordered lamb but he said it was lamb. Either they have no idea what they are buying before they cook it or they know exactly. My money is on they are passing beef off as lamb because it is cheaper and the average American has no clue what they are eating. What if I was Hindu and I ate beef.. that would be a sin they would be judged for. *To the owners* what you are doing is unbelievable cheating your customers like that. On the bright side, the music and ambiance was pleasant and relaxing.
(1)Kushal S.
If you actually know your Indian food, I would not recommend this place. They have a few gravies which they divide into 10 dishes. So a lot of it tastes the same. I ordered chicken tikka masala and it was sweet !!! Didn't have room for desert after it. Ended up spending 31$ per person for a not so satisfying meal. The service is really horrible. Left a tip just out of courtesy.
(2)Benjina D.
A very average, very over priced Indian restaurant. Hubby and I went here for lunch today. I had the buffet, and he ordered the beef seekh kabab, and naan. The buffet's offerings were ok. The dishes included goat curry, butter chicken, spinach with chick peas, tamarind rice, tandoori chicken, and peas paneer. The food overall was very bland. Both meat curries had a tomato base that overpowered the spices. Apart from being bland, the food tasted stale, the plain rice especially. There were some decent chutneys and yogurts, and the naan was good, too. The dessert really sucked. I'm used to having yummy gulab jamuns, but this place copped out, and instead served a yellow custard with pieces of fruit in it. Kheer (sweet milk with rice) was also on the buffet, but I couldn't get past a bite. There were no nuts, saffron, etc. All I tasted was the days old rice it was made from. Yuck! My husband's seekh kabab was just "ok." for $14, he expected a bit more in terms of spice and freshness. Naan wasn't included, and at $3 for an order, his entire meal was way too costly for the amount of food served. Final verdict: an Indian restaurant that is in an area with 5-8 other Indian restaurant options should serve amazing food or an amazing price. This place offered neither.
(2)Marianne C.
Update. The Yelp app says they are closed today, Monday but I am here to tell you they are very open so don't discount being able to come on a Monday. Best to call to confirm.
(5)Jason J.
This place is TERRIBLE! We walk in and the guy just points at a table as he walks off. We sit and he brings to small plates and walks off. We are left looking at each other. Eventually the server comes back and we ask for menus and he keeps saying...buffet, buffet. My friend went up and took a look and said he didnt want to touch any of it. It looked old. We got out food after about a little over an hour. It took us maybe 30 mins to eat and then another 30-40 mins to get a bill. We spent almost 3 hours in there!! I felt sick for the next day and a half afterwards. The food wasnt that tastey. I ate the Saag Ghost. I spoke with my boss the next day and was told that he and his East Indian friend ate there once and the East Indian said its the worst food he's ever eaten. Wish Id known that before!! TERRIBLE food! TERRIBLE service!
(1)Julius V.
A favorite lunch spot of mine (due to the authentic Indian goodness on the buffet)... stopped in tonight for dinner. The Mulligatawny soup is a MUST. If you're adventurous like me, order it spicy. The sweat on your brow is worth it! Rounded dinner off with the Chicken Vindaloo. Very tasty. Definitely a favorite dinner spot now as well. And P.S. Very vegetarian friendly.
(5)Divya D.
Nice authentic Indian food . I have been to a lot of Indian restraunts in Tampa .But this one was really gud ..Try the lunch buffet..I give it a 4 since the hospitality was not that great
(4)Allison L.
I've been going to Taj since they opened. The food has always been amazing, the service warm and friendly and the staff willing to take time to explain dishes etc. I've never had bad food here. Though I must admit I've never done the buffet so I cannot speak to the quality of that.
(5)Shazia T.
I was in Tampa looking for a place to live and wanted some good desi food to make my trip feel less stressful (b/c desi food = comfort food). here is what had: - paneer makhani: really good, rich; enough curry to last a while - mango lassi. not as good as i hoped....i'm in the market for a good lassi, so holler if you know a place - chicken mulligatawny soup: really good and i think i would love to have this everyday in winter or gloomy, rainy days
(4)Benjamin M.
First: I'm not Indian (discernible from my profile picture), nor am I an expert on Indian cuisine. In fact this was my first real introduction to Indian food. I got tired of the naan from Publix and decided to venture out to discover real Indian food. I ate here on Wednesday evening around 6:00. Probably a bad time to visit, because the restaurant was dead (only a couple other diners in the whole place). In retrospect, I probably should have gone during lunch (next time!) or a weekend dinnertime. Taj is clean and classy. The servers are very clean-cut and sharply dressed. This is actually a fancier restaurant than I was expecting. I was thankful to still be dressed in office clothes. Blake is right: the papadams + sauces = amazing! However, I would also recommend ordering some naan before your meal. We ordered the original naan, and it was outstanding! Even though we told our server it was our first time to eat Indian food, he wasn't very helpful. He was a quiet, bashful fellow. He did manage to say that the butter chicken was their most popular dish, so that's what I ordered. Frankly it wasn't at all what I was expecting. My meal was basically just a bowl of soupy chicken (with lots of butter) that was served with a plate of white rice. It was just too rich for me. I also tried my friend's chicken vindaloo; I liked it much more than my butter chicken. I guess it's just weird to me that Indian food is basically just rice with a meat. It seems like there should be sides to compliment the meat/rice, especially since I ended up paying ~$25 for my meal. Oh well. Maybe next time I'll have a better server who will do a more thorough job of explaining Indian food. (Or I'll just go with Blake B.) Overall, not a bad experience. However, I think I need to return for the lunch buffet so I can sample a wider variety of food.
(3)Gabriel N.
Indian restaurants can be hit or miss. Sometimes you have good food with less than stellar surroundings or lavish places with bland dishes. This little gem (tucked away in a strip mall) had both killer food and a fantastic atmosphere. When you walk in you're hit by the great decor of the place. It is not what you'd expect from a strip mall joint. Then when your waiter takes you to your table you notice his impeccably pressed white shirt and black bow tie. The class of this restaurant is a cut above the rest. If you're new to Indian food in general I'd recommend trying their lunch buffet first. This way you get to taste many different flavors without having to try to decipher the names of the dishes from a menu. You'll quickly find out what you like and what you don't like and the next time your waiter swings by you can get the dish names from him. The food and the atmosphere puts this place solidly in the 4 star territory, but the service snags it the elusive 5th star. My buddy and I were going through the buffet and when we got to the Tandoori chicken were dismayed by an empty tray. The manager quickly swung by and told us that a whole new batch would be out shortly. We waited for a bit, but when the line started to back up behind us we retreated to our table. Deep in conversation and already tucking into our plates, we were surprised by the same manager coming to our table with a full plate of Tandoori chicken for us. That was the A+ touch to an already awesome lunch. If you're near Busch Gardens and are sick of the chain restaurants then swing by this little oasis of flavor.
(5)Betsy B.
Horrible customer service and food was mediocre. We specified spice level and didn't receive spicy and apparently it was our fault do to not having dined there before. We spent $100 and had a lousy experience, will not be back! This was all via takeout. Overpriced Indian , Saffron in Pebble Creek area has better food along with Tandoor in Valrico/Brandon area.
(1)Melissa L.
I came to Tampa for business and we ordered take out from Taj Indian Cuisine. I will also state that I am not a Indian-cuisine connoisseur, but am also not a novice. Also, since ordering take-out, I cannot give a proper review of the dinning experience. Ordered: Appetizers - Vegetable Samosa, Vegetable Mixed Pakoda Main Meal: Aloo Gobi Masala, Channa Masala Sides: Garlic Naan & Mango Chutney Desert: Galub Jamun The food had a good presentation - It look appealing and smelled authentic. The mango chutney tasted pre-made, the Aloo Gobi Masala tasted dry and old, the Channa Masala wasn't that bad, however the chic peas tasted dry as if they weren't made with the sauce; the Gulub Jamun also tasted dry and the middle was hard. On the other side, the Vegetable Samosas and Pakoda's were very tasty and the Garlic Naan was outstanding! Overall, the presentation was nice, but the food did not deliver. I would not recommend this place. You may have a better chance elsewhere.
(2)Naj A.
Best indian food, yum yum I cant get enough! They have a great buffet, many choices. I heard the other indian restaurant in Fowler are good but i haven't tried any.
(5)Blake B.
I LOVE Taj! Ever since I tasted their butter chicken, and their wait staff remembered my name on my second visit, I've been in love with this place. The interior is dim lit and formal, and the staff are very professional. They give you a free basket of Papadams and three very tasty sauces when you're seated. I absolutely love their Masala, Saag and Korma. They offer a lunch buffet for $11 with a moderate selection, and they're good about swapping out the buffet selections each day to keep things interesting - but I'd recommend their dinner service. Not sure why Taj is rated so lowly on here... most of the bad reviews are from '06 - perhaps they had a bad year. I've never experienced cleanliness issues with the dishes as reported by Lothari, and am on a first name basis with most of their staff - so I can't quite understand the rudeness that John experienced. Give Taj a chance, if you're disappointed come back and beat up this review.
(5)Tim W.
The buffet is decent but doesn't compare to the subtlety and flavor of their main courses. Both are good but the main butter chicken and chicken korma are amazingly tender, don't base judgement off of the buffet or you'll really miss out!
(5)D S.
Nice place. If you have never had Indian food try the buffet. Otherwise avoid.
(2)Mark R.
Give me a break people, the frozen food you get from the supermarket is better. Tried their Vindaloo, was the worse I have ever tasted. The service was slow and the staff not very friendly. I've eaten Indian food all over the world and this place is off my radar.
(2)Sal S.
Service is great but waiters don't see a dime! Food was mediocre at best. Tip wisely.
(2)Chander M.
If you are in Tampa for Busch Gardens and staying in any hotel around Busch gardens and looking for Indian food.. Go to this place.. Hot, fresh, spicy food coupled with authentic decor makes this place very special... I am not sure when I will see this place again.. if i ever happen to see Busch Garden again.. ..you will find me dining here that night!!
(4)Deke K.
Great place to enjoy all things Indian! Even my Indian friends love it! Has a lunch buffet so that you can try everything and learn what you like. Nice ambiance, friendly staff. Usually two desserts. I even like the breath freshner "seeds" near the door that you chew! This is a great food experience.
(5)Jay S.
Average in every way. They've managed to make Indian food plain.
(2)Da P.
We go to Taj on a regular basis. Once a month for the past 2 years or so. My wife loves their Malai Kofta, Panner Makhni and the Garlic Naan. Their service has always been good, and of course has gotten even better for us since we've become regular customers. Their lunch buffet is good, but we found that the food ordered from the menu is better. They've recently (in March 2010) redone their interior decor, so the restaurant looks nicer and cleaner as well.
(4)J S.
Went here after a full day of excitement at Busch Gardens. The food was good and we ended up stuffing ourselves to no end because we were supposed to drive back to Orlando later.
(3)John H.
This might be the most unfriendly service in the Tampa area. I have had them tell me "call back later" then hang-up when trying to place a take-out order.. during dinner hours.. seriously. This used to be a favorite of mine, but the food does not outweigh the "oh crap, another paying customer" attitude.
(2)Sid S.
I was really excited to go Taj. I haven't had Indian food in a while and i wanted this to be special for me and my buddies. It had a really good atmosphere at first, with the lighting and decor. Also the waiter was very nice and helpful despite the late hour. It started going downhill from there; he brought out the wrong food three times and each time he seemed more confused. Also after taking our orders, he came back and asked if we wanted separate checks; we got a single check at the end. The food was good i had the lamb madras, we also ordered the butter chicken and lamb korma. it satisfied my craving for indian food although i have had better (nothing beat home cooked food), but i will give them benefit of the doubt due to the late hour ( half hour before they closed).
(3)Susan L.
We have been going to Taj for a number of years as a treat before we go to concerts at Skipper's Smokehouse. This is probably the best Indian you will get in the Tampa area. That being said, as someone who has cooked Indian and had it out in many larger cities, there is a lot of room for improvement, especially in my last two visits. The dishes are fairly flavorful, but multiple attempts to get food medium-hot to hot have resulted in extremely mild dishes. The service is really marginal of late. This past Friday, it took ten minutes to get anyone to the table, our waiter grumbled his way through the order, ordered incorrectly and never came to ask if everything was OK , if we wanted another beer, etc. and we were one of only two tables occupied at the time! That being said, the garlic naan is a winner! Unfortunately, the evening left me feeling as though, me adding spices/heat to Patak's jarred sauce was a better avenue than $57 + tip and I know how to make Indian from scratch! So disappointed as this was part of a big bday weekend for my partner.
(3)Anonymous P.
Has really gone downhill. This used to be an incredible restaurant. The lunch buffet was amazing. Now the food is totally spiced down, and the place doesn't seem as clean. The glasses are always gross. Disappointing.
(2)