Shikara
1620 75th St, Downers Grove, IL, 60516
Shikara Menu
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Shikara Chefs-recommendations
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Chicken Entrees
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Lamb Entrees
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Rice Specialties
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South Indian Specialties
Healthy Meal suggestions for Shikara
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Shikara Chefs-recommendations
-
Chicken Entrees
-
Lamb Entrees
-
Rice Specialties
-
South Indian Specialties
Visit below restaurant in Downers Grove for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Downers Grove for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
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Address :
1620 75th St
Downers Grove, IL, 60516 - Phone (630) 964-1720
- Website https://www.shikararestaurant.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 3:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
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.
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Anita G.
Love the decor, service and food here! It is a good spot for a special occasion in particular.
(5)Lizzie O.
We went on a Saturday evening and there was only one other couple in there besides us - this may have been due to the heavy snowfall. After waiting about 25-30 minutes for our appetizer to arrive, the server ran to our table, apologizing profusely that he forgot to put in our order. This seemed a bit strange considering the place wasn't packed, but he offered to give us free drinks AND dessert which was really generous. He seemed genuine in his efforts to enhance our visit so Shikara gets a solid 4 stars for that. The meal was good, not the best I've ever had (some dishes here can be a little too oily). I would go again but it wouldn't be my very first choice for Indian food.
(4)Roger K.
Was basically empty when we sat down for dinner at 7pm which was a little unsettling, but it was a Tuesday after a 3 day weekend so I guess most people wouldn't be eating out. The staff was very charismatic and helpful. Our waiter was happy to explain anything on the vast menu and let us upgrade the naan that came with our platters to garlic. I ordered the lamb platter tiki masala style and enjoyed it thoroughly. The only problem I had with the entire meal was that there were only 5-6 little chunks of lamb in the dish, but my companion's order made up for that. The Dinner Sampler (I think this was the name) came with so much food. After setting down his chicken main dish which was twice as big as mine, they also brought out a sizzling plate with various colorful chicken, pork, and fish prepared with various spices. Order this if you want variety and quantity. At the end of the meal we discovered our Kingfisher beers were not on the bill. When we mentioned this to the waiter, he simply thanked us and said they were free this time. With this and the groupon, we almost walked out with a free meal.
(5)anouar b.
Great place!! We go there almost every Friday!! Only down is the size of the plates!!! Wish we could use the larger ones.. other than that, the food is delicious!!
(4)peter d.
We had a very nice meal on a weekday evening. The food was excellent - very tasty, attractively presented, generous portions. We had the seafood platter and a tandoori mixed meat platter - about $18 and $15, plus excellent dessert and "roti" bread - much more than we could eat - the leftovers made a nice lunch the next day. The menu is extensive and fairly descriptive. Prices are a little high, but you're paying for real high quality ingredients. On the negative side, the place typically looks rather deserted. Early that evening there were only four other parties dining, and I think two of those were actually there to arrange banquets, which is the main business of this establishment. But service was prompt and attentive. I've gone by this place many times and not stopped because it looked closed. But I tried it when they had a coupon offer. I will definitely be back. Of the 5 or 10 Indian food restaurants in this area it is by far the best, and the food is worth the price and lack of "ambiance."
(5)Jeff M.
Atmosphere is very hip, but the food is quite bland ... Wanted to like it but just won't be going back. Had the lunch buffet.
(2)Bob K.
Visited for the first time with a Groupon. Butter Chicken was wonderfull, Chicken Vindaloo very tasty, but will order it spicier next time (I really like spicy hot food). Keema nan and regular nan served nicely to dip in the sauces. Veggie samosa was good too. This was the wife's first venture into Indian and she loved it! A Mango Lassi was the perfect finish. We like the decor - it was more upscale than we expected after reading other reviews. oh...and the service was great.
(4)Gerry D.
I was I could give this place 4 1/2 stars! 4 for the food and an addition 1/2 starfor the outstanding size and cleaniless of the restroom!!! I order the chicken vindaloo and keema samosas. The chicken was well seasoned and juicy. The samosas were on point too. The only thing that I didnt like about the place was the weird lighting. I would definitely go here again though!
(4)Jenni E.
I came here in order to try their lunch buffet. I have passed this place thousands of times and always wondered how it compared to my usual, which is on 63rd Street. It ranked about the same. I felt like there were some stand out dishes such as the chicken curry, but I would have liked more variety. The chicken curry had tender pieces of chicken breast in it, which I really appreciated. I have gone to other buffets where the chicken curry was made with unusual pieces of chicken (usually with bones) that make it difficult to eat. I also enjoyed their desserts. They do have Tandori chicken on the buffet, already cooked. Most places that I have been to serve you Tandori chicken fresh on a sizzling plate. While having it on the buffet does lack some presentation, it is less wasteful which I can certainly appreciate. I was concerned when I read in another review that nan is extra, but they did bring me some nan and i was not charged. I do wonder what ordering off the menu was like and after reading some of the reviews that rave about some of my favorite dishes that are not on the buffet, I might try that next time.
(3)D G.
Best Indian buffet had in a long time. Good spread and quality of food was very good. I have eaten at Shikara/Ashyana Buffet a few times and they continue to have consistency in the quality of food and service offered.
(5)Anand P.
Not impressed at all. Very slow and disorganized waiters who don't even know who has which table. I had asked for medium, got our dishes extra hot (spicy). Whether or not the waiter thought it was or not, it was extra hot. He insisted it wasn't hot and offered to do nothing even after noticing multiple times that it was clearly too hot for us. Furthermore, behind the back of half of our party he told the others it wasn't hot. Not the service you would expect...very disappointed.
(1)Ruth F.
I was here for the lunch buffet on a Saturday. They have some dishes I haven't seen elsewhere (fried rice? Mongolian cauliflower; hot and sour soup). I tried the fried rice, which tasted as one would expect fried rice to taste if one started with basmati rice. They had tomato chutney in addition to mint, but it was pretty bland and didn't really taste of anything. I'm always delighted to see samosa on a buffet; however the potatoes were overcooked to the point of being gluey. Had to be eaten with condiments; otherwise there wasn't a lot of flavor. None of the dishes was really standout, though the sambar was good, and the mango ice cream, which never disappoints, didn't disappoint. No rice pudding but a nice, very cardamom-heavy carrot halvah. Naan came out kind of late, and was more chewy than fluffy; the side that had been to the heat source was slightly burned on one piece, making the naan taste almost of burnt popcorn, and just kind of crunchy/chewy on another piece. I didn't finish it (this NEVER happens). Nice decor; they have a banquet room next door and everyone there was Pakistani/Indian except me, but not a standout. They apparently won "Best Indian" in "Best of the Western Suburbs," but I'd disagree; I can name at least one place in Villa Park and another in Oak Brook that are better.
(2)Velina L.
Good food, bad service. I don't usually review Indian restaurants since I don't feel like I can be a good judge, but I really enjoyed the food here, more than I've enjoyed it at other places. I came with some Indian colleagues who concurred with my evaluation so I think it's safe for me to say that the food was very good. We ordered a smorgasbord of dishes to share family style and my favorites were the malai kofta, saag paneer, lamb vindaloo, and this chicken dish that I forget the name of (please pardon any misspellings). The savory gravies of each of these dishes made me want to wipe my plate clean with the fluffy naan. For me the biggest issue was the service. I'm not sure the waitstaff was properly trained. They cleared some of our plates while other people at the table were still eating instead of waiting for everyone at the table to finish. They also started clearing the main dishes before everyone finished their meal. And when I ordered tea to be served while the rest of my dining companions had dessert, they served it a good 10 minutes after everyone had finished their dessert, despite our many reminders. Too bad for the unsatisfactory service.
(3)J J.
I wanted to give 3.5 stars. We went here for the buffet about a week ago. The place is huge inside and I really like the big open ceiling. Some reviewers said it had strange decorations and poor lighting but I didn't find any problems. Plus I liked the lighting. It gave a blue glow. I thought it was interesting. We were greeted/seated instantly and headed for the buffet. Not all of the entrees were labeled so it was a little difficult to know exactly what we were eating. The food was all pretty good. My boyfriend really liked some kind of chile paneer. I didn't like that the water we were served was warm and it was hard to get refills. The staff was friendly and had no problem taking our coupon and even pointed out that there was an attached coupon that we could use next time.
(3)kenny p.
Very bed food I spend 20.00 but they cook in microwave food so please go to indian harvest but dont go Shikara Reilly u will love indian harvest
(1)Turbo T.
Good buffet.. Generally better on the weekends. Ordered Togo many times , I like the chicken 65. The rating would be 3.5 star for this place
(4)Kathleen F.
We had a great vegan meal tonight. We had a discount coupon which is why we decided to try it. I have eaten lots of Indian food in my life and this was definitely very good. We had the appetizer sampler which they easier changed to be all vegan for us. The chana masala, bhindi masala and baingan bartha were all very tasty. My only issue was a little too much oil was used in cooking. Oh, and no rice came with our food. We had to ask for it. The service was good. The food came out promptly. The bathroom was clean. I definitely recommend this restaurant.
(4)Prabha R.
I really think they should NOT advertise on Groupon. When you visit their restaurant after purchasing on groupon they literally treat you like they are giving the food for free! I Had a horrible experience ever!
(1)Kosho B.
Don't let the location (the corner of a shopping center) or the fact that the huge restaurant is usually pretty empty stop you from trying Shikara. My hubby, son and I were looking for an Indian restaurant near Naperville and Downers Grove and decided to try this one. Indian Harvest was our favorite for years however, the signature dishes we used to get recently changed (new chef?) and we were not as satisfied as we usually were the last few times we've been there, so we were looking for a new place. Shikara was open (it was a Monday night) and was close. The restaurant is tied to a banquet hall, thus the location. (Great loc for banquet hall, kind of outskirts for a restaurant) We walked in and were promptly seated in a big, beautiful dining room. Very modern from decor to architecture. Sitting in there I almost panicked about not looking at prices first. Not to worry, their prices are great for dinner and inline with the other good Indian restaurants we're used to. I ordered the Navrattan Korma, my hubby the Vegetable Jalfrezi, garlic naan and rice. All were excellent. They both had very nice heat (spice) but were not overwhelming or toned down, pretty close to perfect IMO. They brought out the standard "chips" and chutneys. The chutneys were better than most restaurants. The service was prompt and friendly and our water was refilled before the glasses were less than half full. We asked for boxes for our leftovers and they took them, boxed them up and brought them back to our table. Gotta love that!! Restrooms were large and clean. The restaurant started to fill up when were were leaving, around 7:00 pm. I recommend this place to anyone who likes Indian food. I will be going back there again.
(4)David N.
Great dinner option if you're in the Darien area. Dined in around 6:30pm the other day and were greeted and seated immediately. Staff was polite, very informative, and happy to help with any questions regarding the menu. Started off with some King Fisher, a must if dining Indian. Appetizers featured the Veggie Snacks and Suzy Singh's (MasterChef) "Taste of the Mediterranean". To our delight, who stopped by our table to say hi was Suzy herself. Pretty sweet, thanks Suzy! She let us know she would be preparing her dish for us personally, and fresh! A few minutes later, our apps were out, and they were excellent. Suzy's two dips, hummus and baba ghanoush, were paired perfectly with some garlic naan. The dips popped with flavor, and the naan was seasoned perfectly, and cooked just right. The Veggie Snacks all went off without a hitch. Not a huge fan of the deep fryer, but everything was prepared well, temperature was good, great taste, and definitely worth a recommendation if dining with 2 or 3 people. Our entrees consisted of the Mataar Paneer and the Butter Chicken with black lentils. Both dishes were prepared well, temperature was spot on, but they both seemed to be lacking something. Don't get me wrong they were great, but something seemed to be missing. Maybe an extra ingredient or two. Flavor of both dishes seemed just a tad dull. A little extra pepper, salt, maybe garlic in both dishes would've allowed them to stand out much more. I've had both dishes in other places, and I seem to remember a little something more in terms of taste, and possibly substance. Either way, no complaints here from with myself or my wife. Unfortunately we were too full for dessert, otherwise I'm sure it would've been great. Bill was very fair compared to the amount of food we actually ordered. Shikara is definitely top 3 on my Indian restaurant list... We'll definitely be back!
(4)Osmond S.
Updating my review because I just went here for the lunch buffet. I can honestly say that this is the best Indian lunch buffet I've been to yet Typically lunch buffets are not as good as dinner because they usually produce it en masse and don't put a lot of effort into the preparation. Shikara really surprised me... in a good way. The food is excellent. I had 4 large helpings and I didn't want to stop. Great selection of food! They even had Sambar which is not a common dish but really really good. Loved the Mango Kulfi. My wife's not usually a fan of Indian desserts, but she really enjoyed it too. Another thing that was unique was that they bring Tandoori Chicken and Naans directly to the table...fresh! Why don't they all do this?? The only reason it's not 5 stars is because service during dinner was atrocious . I'll go back here for dinner some time and if they fix their issues, I'll bump it up to 5 stars. Overall a must try.
(4)Brandy W.
We loved it. I also disagree with the other reviewers. We arrived at 6:30 on a Saturday night and perhaps it was a tad early for the crowd, but we were greeted nicely and the waitstaff was incredibly attentive throughout our entire meal and stay up until we left the door. I think the decor is just fine and quite romantic because of the dark lighting. It's quiet and the tables are not too close together. The menu is comprehensive. We've eaten Indian food in about 6 different countries and this was just as good as all of our other experiences. They offer Northern & Southern varieties, but like another person said, they specialize in the Northern a bit more. I'm a vegetarian though my husband is not, so we both find fantastic food options when eating Indian. The Kachumbar with the Poppadoms was excellent, though the chutney was among the most salty I've ever tasted. I LOVE salt... but this was as though I were eating spoonfulls of salt and that can't be good. But, that's the free stuff and since there are 3 sauces and one I loved, I'm pleased. My husband ordered a platter of different chicken preparations on a bed of onions (looked like an Indian fajita with a few drumsticks). I wish there were no bones, but that's okay... I ordered the Bombay Aloo-- a specialty of theirs as they noted on the menu. There are always too many options for me to choose from and I love that. We also ordered Naan and steamed Basmati. When the food arrived, it was hot and plentiful. It looked incredible, though my only complaint would be the price. I much prefer spending between $8-$12 rather than the $16 my husband paid. The average price seemed to be around $15. Vegetarian options like mine were a few bucks cheaper. We had incredible service and are pleased to have found an Indian restaurant in the suburbs... though would prefer to find one a bit closer to downtown Naperville-- our neighborhood. Send me a message if you have any ideas for us! Aside from the slightly high price, this place was fantastic. We will certainly be back. But, next time I intend to try the buffet so I can try all kinds of offers. They have a loyalty card for buffets, too. It's one of those stamp cards and you get a free buffet after a certain amount of purchases. They also advertise in the junk mail that comes in your mailbox and sell gift certificates at a discount on restaurant.com ! We will absolutely be back, but we'll utilize one of those discount options I mentioned above to cut the price a bit. Overall, nice date-night place. Yum.
(5)Sarah T.
This place is amazing; it's the hidden gem of Downer's Grove. It's practically Devon in the 'burbs. I think the trick to fully enjoying this place is knowing what to order; it's too authentic for the average person/foodie. For example, for $19, our table got the Tandoori Mix Grill -- Tandoori chicken, boti kebab, malai kebab, dal and butter chicken with basmati rice and naan. We also ordered keema samosas, bhel puri, pista kulfi, and masala teas. I think their food is a great deal for the price and location, but I wish their menu was written for the non-Indian consumer. For instance, how many of their patrons know that pista kulfi is essentially a pistachio ice cream!? Those keema samosas are the meatiest little pockets of goodness that I've ever tasted. I wish everyone could try one.
(4)Michael B.
Always good food always great service they even give me same seat everytime and know my favorite foods. Great owners and staff
(5)Robert S.
I like everything about this place: -Food is very good, probably the best Indian food in the burbs. -Staff is very friendly and attentive. They not only remember you, but also previous conversations you have had with them. Very friendly and engaging! -Plenty of vegetarian options, of course I don't think that needs to be said about an Indian restaurant. At the buffet the veggie options are in a separate section so there is no need for any detective work. -Buffet!!!! For those of you who are veggie gluttons like myself, you will love it! The options are plentiful and varied. -Atmosphere, Ambiance, etc... is subdued and very open. Space at the tables and booths is always plentiful. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the area!
(5)Pankaj S.
Sometime three months back I had been here for a dinner. I took a family member who was visiting on 4th of July weekend in Chicago. We reached at 2:20PM, they took us in. The waiter gave no option other than just buffet. We wanted to order food. The Buffet food was cold and Nan served was cold. The waiter had no manners plus he had no good service concept. After 20 minutes he announces they will take the food and we have to grab the food, which was disrespectful. Upon complaining about the service manager and waiter thinks it's their job. I would never go for a buffet here, they have an attitude. The staff thinks the restaurant has good food. The good service is NOT their concern. I would not recommend anyone going for Buffet here, plus watch out the service is never good here. So go with your risk that they will may not treat you well for high priced food.
(1)Lucy B.
I bought a restaurant.com cert with no restrictions noted and they would not accept it for lunch. Manager tried to explain that it was a mis print...that's my problem how? He wouldn't even honor the price I paid. Very poor customer service. Food was not that good to offset poor service. I will not be back.
(1)Katelyn B.
I came here on a Tuesday night for a Groupon deal ($10 for $25 worth of food). The location is a bit odd, but the ambiance inside is nice if a little dated. The waitstaff were very attentive and kind. And the food was delicious! I ordered potato samosas ($4) for an appetizer and chicken biryani ($12) for the main dish. It was a great deal given the amount of food I got (still eating leftovers). I would definitely recommend this place, have told friends about it, and will be returning!
(5)Dino S.
This town is in the middle of nowhere, and the food served at most eateries tastes like bland disappointment. Shikara is the one shining light in this pit of despair. Food arrives piping hot, well seasoned (a little on the salty side for some, but just right for me), and efficiently. I could have done with a bit more waiter attention, but I don't really care, because the food was so tasty and spicy that I just let my brain think for a while that I'm not stuck in suburban hell for a while. Also, don't bother with the buffet. Just get any of the main dishes, and eat it. The portions are Midwest ENORMOUS, so you'll be well and truly stuffed from anything you get. They bring you bread for ordering the dishes, so be prepared for a lot of food. Trust me, you're not leaving hungry. The waist lines of this part of the country are the size they are for a reason: portion size is a dirty word, apparently. The food that's supposed to b spicy is nice and hot, with just the right blend of chile and pepper to inflame the tongue. The waiter kept my drinking glass full, so no harm, no foul. We left, waddling, to the car. They have a full bar, so downing a few cocktails also helps you forget you're in suburban hell. The decor is beautiful, and tasteful, AND understated, which is something that I thought my people were incapable of. Kudos, Shikara decorators! Also, I'd consider the food extremely inexpensive for the amount you get, and the flavour of it.
(5)Venkata P.
I had dinner to night with my wife and food taste is pretty decent. While trying to pay money at the counter, I showed my Groupon since bill was around $50 and my groupon works for $25. Since today being Feb-14th, restaurant owner did not accept the groupon. Groupon does not have any clause saying " I cannot use it on Feb-14th". The only clause is "groupon cannot be used on a holiday", but I don't think feb-14th is a public holiday, atleast up to my knowledge. But after some discussion, I had to pay complete cash and get out of the restaurant. I understand that good food is important, but at the same time, good service and customer satisfaction are also important. If the restaurant owner does not want to accept any groupons, why din't he specify that in groupon. Dumb asss..... It really pissed me off on Feb-14th.
(1)Nichole N.
My husband and I ate here for the very first time and I must say that it was a very unique expierence. Food was great and I really love the variety of choices on the menue between vegetable lovers or meat lovers. The satff is firendly and willing to answer any questions you may have as a first timer. You can also order for take out instead of dining in. If you want to try something new give it a try!!!
(4)Sonal G.
Best indian restaurant in the chicagoland area. Excellent food, excellent buffet choices, great decor. I love it and i wish i was closer to it so i could go there more often. It's different from other indian restaurants b/c 1. Their gulab jamun don't taste like they came out of a box 2. Their ice cream/kulfi isn't a color that doesn't exist in nature 3. They often have samosas in their lunch buffet (which other indian restaurants are too cheap to have) 4. They have a good selection of north indian and south indian foods. 5. I've never been had cold/room temp food just because it's been sitting in the buffet. I'd recommend everyone to try it!!!
(5)J H.
I'm a fan! A great way to try an unfamiliar place is with a Groupon or Living Social certificate. Without them, we would never have even tried Shikara. Not being all that familiar with Indian food, we didn't know what to order. However the waiter gave us some guidance and helped up choose a dish that we both liked. The Shikara Grill/dinner special had a variety of meats (mostly chicken, cooked in different ways) as well as basmati rice and nan. I LOVED the butter chicken, which is included in that dish but comes on the side- had a bit of a spicey sauce that is fabulous on the rice or just used to dip the nan in. We also got a few appetizers, a fried cheese as well as the samosas- which are potato patties- excellent! We had more food than we could eat, so I got to enjoy the butter chicken and rice for breakfast this morning! Service was good, the atmosphere is pretty. Why not think outside the box and give Shikara a try!
(4)Jessica D.
Excessively overpriced for the quantity of food they provide in each serving. And as usual, rice is extra. The dining room looks like it's well appointed to match the "prestige" of the adjacent banquet hall, however, the silver ceiling and halogen lighting create a very blue, dim light that makes it hard on the eyes. Food arrives in a timely manner, but the overselling attempts by one of the attendants/waiters make this not one of those dining experiences I'd like to repeat. Seats are a cushy velvet that's stained in white, cakey matter that made my stomach churn. Cuisine is majorly Northern Indian, with a good, rather comprehensive selection of S. Indian offerings...though the spice level is North Indian all the way.
(2)Shalveen S.
Came here last night and was initially deterred by the limited number of patrons (it was snowing)....until I tried the food and was impressed. The Paneer Makhani and Baigan Bhartha (though a bit oily) were really tasty. The server even gave us dessert on the house which made the experience better. A bit of a drive to the suburbs for this, but would definitely here if I am in the area again!
(4)Teri C.
I love this place. I go there for lunch and enjoy the buffet. The only downside is that you don't know the name of the dishes they are serving so you're going to the unknown. But the unknown is some of the best food I have had. It would be great, tho, if they would at least put a sign above each dish as to it's heat/spice content. The restaurant is very clean; the bathrooms as well. Shikara has a unique look, almost like being in space. The servers are very attentive and efficient. My other comments have to do with lunch. PS-They also have a banquet rooms that are simply elegant. Check it out.
(5)Issa K.
Great food would have given it four stars but they are expensive but not overly so to where you need to sell a kidney for desert but enough to drop a few lbs from you walet. I recommend the mixed platter grill little bit of everything and plenty of curries too.
(3)Bob B.
Very good food considering you are in the Midwest. I came here with a friend who is not vegetarian. We shared a few of their vegetarian dishes, and I found them to be quite good. Could have been a bit spicier, and there was little in the way of fresh ingredients offered. Everything was cooked to perfection however. I was disappointed that rice was considered an extra. We didn't have dessert, but left feeling satisfied. The prices were a bit high given you really are out in the burbs here. $45 for two people with only one beer and a mango lassie. Seems high given that we split an appetizer and only had two main dishes and a single order of naan. $4 for a bowl of rice seems a bit over the top, and one of the reasons I'm giving 3 stars. Service was subdued but attentive. Decor was clean, but rather stark. All in all, I'd go back if I was in the area.
(3)Tommy M.
Wierd decor. A guy at my office took me here as a thank you. We had the buffet, so we didn't even look at the menu (therefore I have no idea what the prices were). Personally I thought the food was pretty good. I've had indian food a few times, but it was usually homemade. Being a buffet, of course you're going to have food sitting out there, and you can tell which ones have been sitting there for a while (so I skipped a few). I had a little bit of everything to taste the variety, and there really wasn't anything I didn't like (then again I'll eat just about anything). I dig the Goat Curry, mmmmm. And their naan was pretty darn good too. Not the best, not the worst. There were barely any people in there, and we were there around noon. That might say something... I'd say check it out for lunch, it's not bad.
(3)GrammaCindy L.
fabulous, fabulous, fabulous, thank you, Natan, and what wonderful times you gave us with our grandson, Julian. xo
(5)lauren f.
I highly recommend the buffet that is available on the weekends. It is quality Indian food and the assortment is great. Very clean and comfortable atmosphere. Friendly staff.
(4)Rahul S.
This place sounds like the singer Shakira...weird. But, I loved the food. It so greasy and oily. Yum yum. Daal was great, nan was great, and everything else was great...sure it was expensive. But you know what, I didn't pay...I'd go again to clog my arteries. I guess I liked it so much because my mom doesn't make indian food that greasy and I don't eat out at indian places like other people might. But I'd go here again.
(4)Ryan B.
Best Indian in the area. Lamb Dahiwali is the best. The place is a little pricey. Don't like how you have to pay for plain rice with your meal. Suggest using a coupon if you go. Good lunch buffet.
(4)M J.
Had been to events here and the food was decent but had always wanted to try the sit-down restaurant. After a last-minute change in plans, we decided to order some carry-out food from Shikara. I called my order in and they told me it would be ready in fifteen minutes. When I walk in they have no record of my order and I have to palce it again and wait another fifteen minutes - not a good start. Hoping the food will make up for the miscommunication and be worthy of the higher-than-normal prices, I wait. We ordered samosas, Butter Chicken and Peas Paneer. The samosas were ok, but the filling seemed smushed and overworked. The butter chicken sauce tasted fine but some of the chicken did not seem fresh. The Peas Paneer, although had a decent flavor, was very lacking in its namesake peas! Every other version I've had had an abundance of peas but this was mostly sauce, disappointingly. Peas are cheap, there is no reason not to have them especially at the prices paid. We found the prices and food better doen the street at Sher a Punjab, though the service was friendlier here.
(2)Humera S.
WORST SERVICE EVER! I went here for brunch with my family and for the hour we were there I never got a refill on my coke! I even placed it at the end of the table so the server might see it. The food was just okay. It tastes to sweet to be Indian/Pakistani food. The decor was nice but honestly I've had better food for a lower price on Devon. Take my advice and take a pass and drive the extra mile to go anywhere else but Shikara.
(1)Trista S.
I wanted to give this place a 3; I really did! The food was really good. However, the service was mediocre at best, which is why I'm rating this place a 2. The host was cranky. The waitress was okay at best. She seemed to be relatively friendly, but had a very difficult time understanding us. I'm not even convinced we received the right appetizer. I will probably go back to give this place another chance. I will amend my rating if necessary.
(2)Lisa U.
Me and my husband had the spicy and mild chicken tikka and we loved the mild one the best. The spicy was a bit too spicy for our palates, but we will definitely go here again. The garlic naan was delish!
(4)Laura K.
Excellent Indian cuisine, that's for sure - but they could lighten up a bit! It took me almost nine years of living in the area and driving down 75th Street to bite the bullet and try Shikara. I saw they had a special on Groupon and decided it was a sign to finally get myself to that mysterious, huge Indian megaplex tucked behind Toys R Us (it shares space with a banquet hall). The food was amazing and the vegetarian options are abundant. I ordered a curry dish with cheese and vegetable dumplings. The dish was mostly sauce, with only four tiny pinkie-sized dumplings floating in it. Since it was mostly liquid, I wound up sopping it up with the naan provided to us. Since my boyfriend and I split the basket of naan, we ran out of it quickly. When I asked for more, I was informed by the unfriendly server that I would have to pay for another basket. I told her I would pass and took my leftovers home and served them over rice. The dessert (I ordered gulab jamun) was delicious, but it's overpriced at $4 for two tiny pieces. The ambience is sophisticated, the food is delicious...but it's overpriced. I definitely wouldn't go there without a coupon/Groupon.
(3)Amy S.
I beg to differ with the other reviews. The food here is the best Indian in the suburbs. And the host at the front of the restaurant always greets me as if I'm his long-lost daughter. Service at the table is not anything to rave about, but good. All of the Korma dishes are delectable. The Lamb Saag and Rogan Josh are great, as are Chicken Makhani and Kadhai Chicken. I love their Southern Indian offerings as well. And Riesling pairs nicely with the rich flavors... The buffet is wonderful, although earlier is better with the fried offerings. We drive 40 minutes on a regular basis to eat here and always leave happy.
(5)Robert g.
Ate here last month with my wife and one of our kids. We all loved it, and we are fans of Indian food. Though the food was great, service friendly.
(5)Lin R.
We were in this area on Friday...so went again. It was better then I remembered. Went for the lunch buffet ...didn't have dosai on it, when I mentioned it, was told no problem..we'll make it for you..masala ..very good. A nice assortment of dishes, especially the kadhai paneer, baigan dahlwala, dal makhani,veggie jalfrezi, and loved the pista kulfi. I also liked the mint chutney...but, I really liked the coconut chutney.
(5)Dan C.
Pretty good food, comprably priced to a restaurant on Devon, but without the atmosphere and family pride. To the waiter: stop trying to upsell the fish--we can see right through you!
(3)Elizabeth D.
What can you say that hasn't been said? We regularly make the drive out here because the food is that good. The menu is expansive and they are willing to cook it to your spice/heat preference. The service is very attentive and you'll find a lot of families here having a late lunch or dinner on the weekend. The mango kulfi is excellent and refreshing and doesn't taste like it's made with processed mango juice.
(4)Kate Q.
We got to the restaurant about 5:45 on a Tuesday night. There were only 2 other tables occupied when we got there but more were coming in as we finished the meal. The food was very good. We had a Vegetarian Vegetable type appetizer (the $8 one and there were some things on it that was fantastic). Three adults (and one 2 year old were dining) all had different meals. We mostly ate what we ordered but sampled each others dishes. We enjoy everything that we tried. The only issue with my meal is that I felt it needed rice or bread to complement it (the consistency of the dish called for a supplement.) It was REALLY good on its own (it was a spinach, Indian cheese, spice combo). However, the service was really not good.. We were sat almost right away but had to wait a few minutes to get menus (which were right by the front where you wait). It didn't seem like there was really a waiter there, we were juggled between 3 people, 2 of whom seemed like management. My mom ordered hot tea, never got it. When we asked for an extra bowl of rice, we got it fairly quickly but the man who we asked it from and brought it out made it seem like a big deal we were asking for extra rice. It's not like we were asking for free rice. At the end of the meal, we had a question about the dish my mom got. The person who explained (I believe a manager) was almost rude in explaining what the dish came with. Incidentally, it took almost 10 minutes for the manager to come to the table to answer our question. There were only a few table s in the restaurant too, not crowded at all. They never really checked to see how things were either. In a nut shell, the food was great but the service was bleech. I will give this restaurant another try because the food was good. I hope the funky service was just a fluke tho. If you want to have a nice meal but need to be in and out quick, for now I wouldn't recommend here.
(3)vicky y.
really wanted to like this place but the food was disappointing and decor seemed mismatched. prices were a bit high. cuisine was s. indian.
(2)Bree F.
This is my favourite Indian restaurant in the Western suburbs! My husband and I come here at least once or twice a month! I've seen some complaints regarding the prices, but you definitely get what you pay for! Best Chicken Tikka Masala I've ever had, and the service is impeccable. They also tend to have a a great Groupon offer available if you're interested in purchasing it ahead of time, and they serve a fantastic lunch buffet on weekdays. Endless papadums, an assortment of sauces, full bar, delicious food, and spectacular service are what you can expect from your dine-in experience. 5 Stars for these guys.
(5)Venket S.
This restaurant has to be the best restaurant for Punjabi buffets. Every item in this restaurant tastes good. The taste is very consistent. Good spacious restaurant for families.
(5)Bethany G.
I am disgusted and insulted. Ordered 2 dishes and a side of bread, cost me $22. I cannot believe they can justify charging this astronomical amount for such subpar, measly portion of food. Not even lukewarm, both dishes tasted like mush, almost completely flavorless. I asked for *very* spicy, I tasted hardly ANY heat. What a rip off. NEVER AGAIN. One star for delivery being on time. But you don't need much time to cook up some mediocre, bland, COLD, 4 ounces of slime, do ya??
(1)Vishal B.
I tried the buffet for lunch. Nothing to write home about, although they did have a make your own bhel feature and the falooda in the dessert options was a great point. They did not clearly separate and label the vegetarian from the meat options which caused some confusion for my grandmother, thats where they lost points. I do think they do a better job for dinner where you have more variety.
(3)Aijaz H.
I don't like writing bad reviews because it effects a business and employees. However this restaurant has gotten 2 out of the three things wrong. Food is below average and prices high for below average food. Service is fine but in my mind one goes to a restaurant for good taste and value. Neither is served here! My wife and I got Fish Masala and Lamb chops. Both were ok, quantity was minimal and very oily. Avoid both these dishes. We ordered Garlic Shrimp as an appetizer. This came with gravy, I would recommend this as a main dish not appetizer. Management needs to align its prices with the food quality.
(2)Aneliya A.
I love love love this place. Food is really delicious. The restaurant is so nice and clean. Very neat! The servers are polite and knowledgeable. When you dine in-house you get a little bit better deal then ordering your food to go. The only downside is it is a bit expensive- we dine there only as a treat! But once In a while splurging is OK - especially if it is for great Indian food!
(4)Elle N.
Favorite Indian restaurant in the western suburbs. I've been to a number of them in the area, and Shikara remains my favorite. (I've always gone for dinner - never their buffet, so I can't speak to that). A few notes: Service can be slow. Waitstaff always seem very reluctant to interrupt conversation and subsequently, it can be slow to get your order in. It's not the cheapest Indian restaurant in the area - but neither is it the most expensive. It's pretty middle of the road. The menu is large and not all the descriptions are terribly helpful if you're unfamiliar with Indian cuisine. (If you look the restaurant menu up online you can get a feel for what's offered but the one in the restaurant actually has more options.) That said? Ask the servers for recommendations! I've been going there for the past two or so years (perhaps six or seven times in total?) and recently a friend and I decided to ask our server what he would recommend. They were tremendously insightful, offered up great suggestions, and our night was great fun - they kept coming back with different options, checking in to see if everything was alright, and had more suggestions based on what we liked (or didn't like). I'd absolutely suggest asking for recommendations (don't worry if you're not a fan of spicy food - you can request something be made mild) and you get exposed to some fantastic options on the menu that I would never have looked at otherwise. The takeaway: I've always appreciated the service at Shikara (the more I go, the more I engage them, and the better my service becomes), the food is fantastic. Serving sizes I've found, aren't small - I always have enough to eat for a meal in restaurant and then take leftovers home for a second meal. Pricing is fair, and there's fantastic variety.
(5)Mathew G.
It's the best within 20 miles. But I've had better outside IL. And if you're strict vegetarian, Shree is better.
(5)Derrick T.
Came here for the 9.95 lunch buffet to check out just what they had. Pros: Lots of options in terms of dishes, the meat is mostly deboned (unlike some other buffets), mango ice cream for dessert included in price! Ambiance is beautiful and new. Simple and quick service, glass of water refilled regularly. Cons: Meat is slightly overcooked, and not as tender as other places (maybe because of deboning?), this includes the tandoori chicken, they're a bit more heavy handed with cinnamon spices, and the naan isn't as puffy/light as I'd like. Verdict: A tasty place to eat, 9.95 lunch buffet was good. The wife wasn't as big of a fan (she focused on the tenderness of meat at other places) so we won't likely bre back... unless I can convince her around the mango ice cream dessert. Yum.
(4)S K.
It was fist time there and was impressed the spicy food and the service. Specially liked palak paneer and very helpful staff regarding their recommendations. Impressive , keep up the good work .
(5)Monica J.
Great ambience and excellent food! My coworkers and I always try to come here a few times a year for our Indian Food outings. We are a mix of meat, vegetarian, seafood eaters and there is always something for everyone here. Pros: *modifications can be made (no butter, less oil, etc.) *the menu has a wide variety of options for any palette *the food tastes excellent and we always leave verity satisfied Cons: *food items are a bit pricey *with most Indian restaurants, you always have more than one waiter, so you end up asking any waiter, when they come by, if you need anything (it is nice to have a consistent waiter) *again, with most Indian restaurants, you have to come before 3pm or after 5pm. *the banquet hall is a decent size but when I last came, I was not a huge fan of the food, but this could be based on what the party-throwers ordered, and not what fit my tastes Overall, for a suburban Indian restaurant, this establishment has the right ambience and tasty food, without the pretentiousness that comes with a lot of nice restaurants, in general.
(4)Justa G.
I had a groupon for this place, and it turned out to be pretty good! After seeing our lost faced looking through their GIGANTIC menu, a waiter came to our rescue and walked us through out options. My lamb platter was pretty tasty, as well as seafood platter which my friend ordered. The service was very quick and enjoyable. I must say, we were a little skeptical to try another indian restaurant after our fiasco at Saffron, but Shikara turned out to be a very pleasant experience! We will definitely come back.
(5)Kavita M.
I have always enjoyed going to shikara but my last visit will not allow me to dine in there ever again. The waiter we had has been there awhile and always has some degree of attitude but this last visit was overboard. When I asked him with an "excuse me" to refresh my naan basket he gave me the hand. Then when I tried to return my water, as something was in it, he accused me of dropping naan in there instead of apologizing. We had some words and he got loud at the point we asked for the manager. The manager apologized n the waiter did not. The manager constantly said the waiter was apologetic but that was not true. Sad bc the food is good but service is awful.
(1)Gourab K.
Tasteless food. Dessert are the worst. They are really redefining Indian cuisine to something that is unpalatable.
(2)Mahesh K.
Still a stellar experience dining at Shikara after so many years. In my recent trip to Chicago, my wife and I went to Shikara for their lunch buffet on a Thursday. I have never seen such an elaborate buffet at any Indian restaurant. They have a good mix of South Indian and North Indian items on the menu. The buffet included uttappams, sambar, coconut chutney, pakodas, mysore bonda, upma, tomato rice, naan, paneer tikka, panner butter masala, navratan korma, palak alu and for dessert they had gajar halwa, gulab jamun, kulfi and assortment of sweets. All this for $11. Perfect food for unbeatable/reasonable price. I don't mind driving 6 hours from St. Paul to Downers Grove just for Shikara's buffet.
(5)S J.
We've been to this place a number of times, since we live in nearby Westmont. We always thought of it as an "occasion" restaurant that is conveniently located. So, went tonight for Valentine's day. We are well aware that this is pricier than your average Indian place ( no shortage of those around Westmont). Well let me begin at the beginning. I had called ahead and asked if we needed reservations, and the guy answering the phone had assured me "just come in, we'll take care of you". When we arrived, we were asked to wait: we waited about 10 min before we were seated. Not a big deal ( it was Valentine's day) but he could have simply taken our reservations when I called. Service: Something overall seemed off compared to our previous visits here. I began seeing what others have talked about here about the surly staff. Someone serving us water ( we weren't asked about a drink choice) plunked down the glasses as if at a mess. Food: Next, in lieu of the papads and chutneys arrived a basket of funny shaped fried things; supermarket ready made "fryums" is the only way to describe them. Cost cutting! We ordered the same choices we always do. When the food arrived, everything was smaller than we had seen before. For God's sake they charge $12 for a side dish and give us a small metal dish of it. The veg biryani also $12 was really a small portion; one person's serving at best! We remember the plate being piled high. It also tasted meh compared to before. Service: we ordered 3 kinds of naan breads, and one didn't show up with the others when the food arrived. Asked a couple of waiters passing by about it, and I think they told the kitchen twice: anyway the bread arrived in short order. Our waiter was ok he kept checking on us as he passed by. When we were nearly done and about to ask for brown bags, one of the staff called Jennifer cleared away our bread basket that still had 3 pieces of naan left in it. We immediately told our waiter who said they would replace it in our bag. They did, and we were not charged for it. Our waiter hovered while I studied the check and asked if I had any questions. None, except that the check was nearly $70 before tip. Definitely pricier than the average local Indian places and unfortunately, short changing the diner on quantity now. Overall: less enjoyable than previously. The service did cover all the bases and corrected mistakes, but food wise, start to finish is now pricey for what you get in return.
(3)Phil N.
I definitely enjoyed the flavors this place has to offer I had the royal platter and everything was delicious, especially the boti kebab. The next day for leftovers, the flavors were even better The platter was pricey ($20) but they did give a lot of food and I had plenty for two meals...and I can eat We also really enjoyed the spinach pakora and lentil appetizers Their buffet is always very good as well It's worth checking out
(4)J F.
Service could have been far better. Small portions and pricey for what you get. Everything was a la carte. I had a lamb dish with a yogurt sauce. Cracked Lentil soup was good. I will probably try lunch.
(3)Abha S.
I really love this place for indian food both north and south. I think they have the best buffet's and a lot of variety of food items. This place hasn't disapppointed me yet. :) I remember eating nutella samosas here..with ice cream... heavenly... and their naan's, tandoori chicken, jaipuri aloo are great.. YUM!
(4)Rita P.
First time eating Indian food. The waiter was very helpful. I am in love with garlic Nann. Came here with a Groupon! Everything was yummy from the appetizer to the Mango ice cream. Plenty of parking too.
(4)Angela P.
The Yelp reviews for Shikara are a mixed bag, so I bought a Groupon and let me decide for myself. The lighting in here is different, it's a weird bluish-purple ambient lighting. It didn't bother me, I kind of liked it. The restaurant is very spacious - you wouldn't bump into other diners if you need to get out of your seat or remove your coat. The service was OK. Although my Groupon said I had to make reservations, it was rather empty when we walked in on a Sunday at 7:00 p.m. Also, we were directed to a table almost immediately upon entering. Why hassle me with extra instructions if I didn't need to make a reservation? In addition, the first time I called, I received no answer. It rang about seven times and then gave me options for an extension. I dialed the appropriate extension and it rang a lot more. Then I got a voicemail. So I called again, only to make an unneeded reservation. We ordered keema samosas (the menu indicated they were lamb), but we were served the potato/pea samosas. They were good, but it isn't what we ordered, and since it wasn't what we ordered I didn't like them that much. We also tried the butter chicken, the one standout dish, and chicken tikka masala. The butter chicken was so tender and the flavor and spiciness/heat was incredible. The tikka masala was a miss. My husband liked it, but it wasn't as flavorful as the butter chicken. I mean, this butter chicken was so damn good I'd drive out to DG and try to place an order to go just for this one dish. Now, you do have to pay an additional charge if you want rice or nan. I knew this because I was keen to the previous reviews, but the waiter did not present it that way. When I said, "I'd like the butter chicken," he asked "nan or rice?" in the same fashion you are asked, "soup or salad?" There was no indication that there would be an additional charge. I wanted the garlic nan regardless, so I ordered it. Of course, they got our order wrong again. We were served plain nan. And it wasn't very good. I'm not an expert on Indian food, but I know that I have had better nan. Each entree was $15, and for that price we did get a good portion of butter chicken/chicken tikka masala. But I really think it should've at least included rice or nan. We were served complimentary poppadom (sp?) with chutneys. Two of three chutneys were delicious. With non-alcoholic drinks, 2 entrees and an app, you're looking at spending just under $50/couple. Other than getting the order wrong, I have to point out that the waiter was a bit snotty. My husband's strong point is not foreign languages or linguistics, so he struggles at restaurants when reading off menu items in other languages. Instead of ordering "chicken teeeee-ka masala," he asked for "chicken TICK-ah masala." You'd think the waiter would understand, but like an elementary school teacher he corrected my husband, and paused for a moment as if my husband was going to parrot him back with the correct pronunciation. Yes, pronunciation is one of my pet peeves, but he's an adult and I'm not going to henpeck him or correct him in front of a waiter. If the butter chicken wasn't so damn good, I'd give it one less star. I'll give it 2 stars when I find a better, local Indian restaurant. Also, the owner of Shikara also owns Ashyana banquets and Viceroy of India.
(3)Don U.
The 5 stars are for the lunch buffet. Everything we had was very good. The Chicken 65 was the most outstanding. Best of any other buffet within 15 miles. (or more) I hope they serve it every day. I will call ahead next time to make sure they have it. The Tandoori chicken was also very good even though it was not served fresh. It was on the buffet table, but was not dried out at all. Very good!
(5)Ritu W.
Aha...this is going to be my next favorite Indian restaurant for my remaining in the Dupage county. I went here for dinner on a week day again. One funniest incident happened here- we had ordered kadhai paneer and dal makhani. But the guy served us with someone else's order of "mattar paneer". It was funny because we had taken a few bites by the time the server came back with a new bowl of the real kadhai paneer and took the other bowl back to the kitchen. And truthfully, mattar paneer was a whole lot better than kadhai paneer. Otherwise, the servers were friendly and prompt. everything that we ordered was delicious. I think they did not charge us for the side of yoghurt or rice to make up for the earlier mistake in our order.
(5)Jie S.
They would do much better if the price is more reasonable and service is better. This is my second time here for lunch. The first time was for lunch buffet. This time we chose to pick from the menu as I have a living social coupon to use. We started with Samosa, Matter Paneer, Lamb Saag, and naan. I usually like spicier Indian food but chose the mild one since my 7 year old son was with us. I really enjoyed both main dishes. Naan was warm and fluffy which was finished very quickly so I had to order (no, it is not free) the second basket. My son liked both naan and samosa. They do really have a separate lunch menu so we ordered from dinner menu. Veggie only dishes are $12 and above. Others like $14 and above. No complimentary naan. One Indian restaurant in Oak Park has $7 lunch with same quantity stuff in the same copper bowl served with complimentary naan. Shikara is definitely overpriced the dishes. If I didn't have the coupon, I would feel it is a ripoff. Maybe adding the regular lunch menu? The host and waiters forgot how to smile or just simply didn't like their jobs. I had call them for ordering food, adding additional items, asking for checks etc. There was no recommending any items when we were ordering; no stopping by to say if everything is OK. I admit that they do have the nice food but I would think twice before back there since the bad services and the price really could push the customer away.
(3)Sharad C.
never been to their Buffet but been there for dinner like 10 times in last 1 year. The atmosphere is very pleasant at this place. I love the feeling to eat there as high ceiling and ambiance makes a difference. The taste of the Food is consistent and service is great too. Thanks for being a consistent Indian restaurant.. Sharad
(4)J P.
too expensive, the food is good indian food it's go the right flavors. a really convenient location, but for the price not good value for the food you get. unfortunately not many indian restaurants in the nearby area.
(3)June B.
Catered my party on Christmas day. Ordered a per person menu. The cost was not too much/not too little. Easy and did a nice job. Would recommend the catering service based on my experience.
(5)Agnes L.
A bit expensive for Indian food, but we had a Groupon so it alleviated the bill. Airy atmosphere: It actually kind of felt like I was in outer space because of all the silver paint and the high-peaked ceiling over the ginormous open dining room. Enticing entrees: Hubby and I cannot say no to Chicken Makhani (AKA butter chicken) dishes at ANY Indian restaurants. It is a guilty pleasure, so we ordered that immediately. I wanted another differing meat dish, so the Lamb Dahiwala was our second entree to split. I was bit disappointed the naan wasn't complimentary, but we could not eat these saucey dishes without some bread to sop it all up. So we went with our usual garlic naan choice on the side. The entree portions felt a bit tiny for paying around $15 for each. I thought the lamb was more of a standout than the chicken because it had a strong kick that the creamy yogurt gravy balanced out so it wasn't scorching. The chicken was not as buttery as I have had it at other restaurants, but more so tomato-y. And the naan was definitely not as garlic-y as I've recently had it at Omango. I want to be able to smell the garlic before it even hits the table when I order garlic naan. So-so service: First of all, my husband had a weird request to use an I-phone charger, which the server was glad willing to accommodate, so I appreciate that. Secondly, the server was prompt and consistent throughout the night. However, in the end, I would not call the service friendly. We asked him if we made the right choices for dinner and tried to chat with him, but he seemed disinterested, said that they were fine and walked away quickly. It was odd because we were the only table so it wasn't busy, and there were a handful of servers standing around at the front any way. But what really bothered me was when he put the bowl of chicken on top of the basket of bread when we asked him to put the leftovers in to-go containers. That was just unsanitary and a total turn-off.
(2)D. C.
Food Was Delicious!!! Service Was Horrible!!! Ordered a variety of dishes & the big basket of bread. If you like it spice but not so, so spicy, than order mild. If you order medium, be ready to tear ;) The environment is ok. Dress code is casual. Waited 10 minutes before someone finally brought us water. Again, Food is Great. The Biryani Lamp Rice was excellent :)
(4)Dan K.
The price is pretty high and the food is a little lacking in the spice department. I'm not talking about spicy heat either. Just in general, it's a little bland compared to other places. The food is not bad, it's just not as good as some other places. There is ample room though and you dont' feel cramped up like you do at some buffets. The decor is pretty nice and I think I would go back, but there are too many places I'd probably go before I go back.
(3)Mariam S.
This place is very spacious and cute. I really like the ambience. I won't say that the food is the best Indian food you can find however. It is better than many other places. If you are around the area, it won't hurt to go try them out. But it's not something I would drive out to downers grove from Chicago to have some shikara.
(3)Sunitha K.
I cannot write about the food because we walked out of there! I can certainly write about the customer service. We were in a hurry to grab a quick bite...however, we stood there, waiting and waiting and waiting for almost 10-15mins and no one came up to us for seating even though the waiters saw us, they simply chose to ignore!! How rude is that!?? never seen anyone be so careless about customers. No thanks, we are not giving them another chance.
(1)Joseph P.
I am giving this place three stars because the food wasn't terrible but it wasn't spectacular at the same time. seemed kind of plain and basic for Indian food. The food was cooked just right and the atmosphere was good but I just know how flavorful Indian food can be compared to this location. The biggest issue is they are over charging you for mediocre food. You can go to better places for the same price.
(3)Craig S.
I've eaten here off the menu, and I've eaten off the lunch buffet. More often than not, it's the latter we do. This place has a solid lunch buffet, and is a great spot for a large group outing for such a thing. I looove their chicken tikka masala, and their samosas are great (when they're on the buffet). Friendly staff, good food, decent price for the buffet. It's not the cheapest, but the cheaper options aren't as good. And they have a frequent diner card so you can earn free buffets over time.
(5)Sara M.
It's never worth it to go to Indian restaurants and NOT get the buffet. Initial gripe: there are no prices listed on their webpage menu; so you must call to get an estimated price list. This burned me because aside from the big ordering mishap (I ordered something called their bread basket; which I assumed to be around $5. Apparently it was $9 and came with 4 full pieces of naan [I was expecting 4 half size pieces]) a lot of things were just a dollar or two more than I thought they would be. Tonight we ordered because we had a restaurant.com giftcard. This being my first restaurant.com giftcard, I had no idea how it worked. The only limitations listed on the giftcard were that it had to be used Sun-Thurs and could be used for dinner only. So I called for carry-out and placed an order for some delicious yumminess. Initially, my order was quoted at $49. Then I mentioned the giftcard and suddenly I had to be charged "dine-in" prices which were higher than "carry-out" prices. The lady acted like she was doing a favor by jacking up the prices and letting me do carryout even though my giftcard didn't initially say anything about being dine-in only. I am hugely skeptical about this price difference because my order price went from that $49 to $62. Maybe I'm an unexperienced diner, but I have never heard of restaurants having cheaper carry-out food than dine-in food. Ever. The order continues as I'm going through the heat levels of the food with the lady on the phone and it turns out she forgot to put an entire entree on the total and the price was going to jump up by another $10 to accommodate this. No thank you! I guess I just won't add that on to my order. I left the whole ordering experience with a bad taste in my mouth. It just felt so disorganized. So finally, I go to pick up my food and the order wasn't correct so I had to wait for them to fix it. They are so lucky they had the NICEST man in the whole wild world sitting there talking with me because I think I would have blown a gasket after all the ordering unpleasantness; the meal really didn't seem worth it at this point. Anyway, I continued my conversation with their really nice employee until my food was ready and 30 minutes later I was back home with some OK tasting Indian food. The end. All right, maybe not the end because I thought of one more thing to make note of: I'm pretty sure they mixed up our spice levels. I asked for the vegetarian things to be medium/spicy and the meat dishes as mild as possible. My parents dishes (meat) were spicy and mine was very mild.
(2)Chris W.
Ok . . I'm a believer in Indian Buffets . . call it a bit of an obsession so each gets a significant mental and pallet based scrutiny . . .this place is a 4 for sure. Cool dining area which makes you fell like you're in a small Taj Mahal . . . my 4 year old says we are inside "Jasim's castle" . . . if that's what it takes to get a little blondy to eat indian food and love it . . .bring it on! Food is always plentiful and well prepared. Truth be told it's made pretty main stream so I have asked and been rewarded with a little more "indian indian" so after my mouth adjusted to more seasoning and heat I was much happier and sweatier! Awesome! Run out for the buffet on the weekend . . . have a cocktail . . .linger . . .catch up . . . watch the beautiful outfits roaming around from the banquet halls . . go up for a 3rd or 4th trip to the buffet . . .go home and nap for 3 hours!!! Perfection!
(4)