Shalimar
1043 Broad Ripple Ave, Indianapolis, IN, 46220
Shalimar Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Indianapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Indianapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Indianapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
1043 Broad Ripple Ave
Indianapolis, IN, 46220 - Phone (317) 721-7929
- Website https://www.shalimarindianapolis.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- 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 : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
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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Krista R.
Meh. Still eating our first plate from the lunch buffet, we were informed to hurry and get our second and last plate before they closed. When we got up a few minutes later, another waiter gruffly told us the buffet was closed. I understand that they close at 2:30...but please wait to close down the buffet until your customers have all had their share. We were the only 2 there -- we weren't going to slow them down too much. Stop taking customers after 2:00 or so if you want to empty the restaurant by 2:30. Food was average. The paneer butter masala was below average, and the pakoras were incredibly salty.
(3)Amie L.
This is by far my favorite Indian restaurant in Indianapolis or the surrounding burbs. I go for lunch (once a week) and alternate between the buffet ($7.95) and the Indian "chili" AKA Paneer Masala ($9.95). They have (to die for) mint sauce and mango chutney. Slather it on some garlic naan and whoa...heaven. The staff is very friendly and consistently accommodating. I've had take out as well and thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Give it a try...you'll love it
(5)Jessica W.
I love Shalimar! The food and service are fantastic. Even my honey, who despises curry, loves their food.
(5)The Yelp-inator W.
Pretty good Indian Buffet, Not the best....but definitely worth checking out Great Service delicious dishes OK selection OK atmosphere.
(4)Meg E.
Best Indian food in town. Their lunch buffet is great, especially if you're new to trying Indian food and not sure what you'd enjoy best. Their chicken tiki masala is delicious and buttery, great over rice. They have the best naan bread and for dessert, I'm not sure what they're called but they're like donut holes in a sweet honey sauce, mmmmmm. A must try!!
(5)Theresa K.
Shalimar is pretty good. I'll make it that simple. My first choice is India Garden, but Shalimar is good, too, and with India Garden so close, I don't too often. We were going to go to India Garden, but after struggling to find a parking spot there, I suggested we just go to Shalimar. We were in the mood for some Indian, and we would for sure find a parking space in front of Shalimar on a week night. We did- right in front of the door. And there were maybe three tables occupied. I noticed after sitting there for awhile, they probably get just as much, if not more, carryout business than table service. At least that night, they did. It was a bit awkward because while there were only three tables occupied, the server was rushing around like mad, knocking things around in the backroom/kitchen area when he went back there. While he didn't talk a whole lot, he was seemingly friendly. I ordered the Chicken Korma, and when asked about my preferred spice level, I said hot. I don't know that I've had Chicken Korma. I really enjoy Tikka Masala (along with probably every other American, I assume) and the Chicken Vindaloo. I decided to go with the Korma. I had a couple pieces of chicken that were fairly gristly. The bigger chunks were much better. The spice; however, I can't say was even medium- It was more on the mild side. Shalimar does give a frequent diner card- Pretty cool.
(4)Kevin M.
Awesome Indian food! Great vegetarian options. We ordered the nr. korma and the B. masala. Both were delicious. The garlic naan was decent but the service was very fast and friendly and my water glass never reached empty which was quit impressive considering the water glass were small. We will definitely return.
(5)Michayla S.
Awesome Indian food. Their garlic naan (and regular naan,too) is so good. My favorite entree is their lamb curry. It's the perfect amount of spice. I would also recommend the mango lahssi. It's a really great non-alcoholic drink. The lunch buffet is a great value. It has all the entrees that I really like and tons of veggie sides, too. As long as you like Indian food in general, you'll find things you like there. They have milk balls for dessert that are incredibly good. Service is very good, and this place is great for carry out. We do it a lot, and the food holds up at home.
(4)Kyle B.
Food is great, price is fair, and staff is friendly. If you are in the broad ripple area for lunch, this place is worth checking out. Shalimar offers a stamp card that can be used at all 4 of its locations, which can be redeemed for a free lunch buffet after you have purchased nine. This goes by fast if you are dining with another!
(4)Anna B.
I just have to show my love for Shalimar. I have been going here since it opened, after Star of India closed- A LONG ASS TIME. I only go for the lunch buffet, but man is it worth it. It only costs $7.99, but I will let you, my Yelp friends, in on a little secret: there is a dollar-off coupon at coupons4indy.com that the servers will apply to every person's buffet cost if you ask. Essentially, $6.99, for all you can eat, i.e. the pinnacle of human achievement. Here are some of my favorite dishes: garlic naan, any saag dish, lamb meatballs, and the chickpeas in curry. Their chai is most excellent, and they will put some in a giant to-go cup for you when you leave.
(5)Brandon S.
I would love nothing better than to write a spectacular review of Shalimar... but sadly this is not the case. Now I have not had the chance to try the buffet, which is supposed to be dazzling, but I did have dinner. Did I expect it to be better than India Diner on the Southside or India Sizzling on the Northside? No, I expected it to be on-par... but it was not :( First off - Garlic Naan... I love this stuff... but it was full of cilantro. What? Cilantro on naan? Yeah. Second - the Chicken Tikka Masala contained mostly mediocre but tender chicken with a taste bearing an extreme resemblance to chicken nugget... minus the breading. Third - biryani... my favorite Indian dish spiced HOT. There was just too much going on with the biryani. Green beans, corn, potatoes, various meats, lots of onions, oh and cilantro... it was good but not on par with the other biryani... hard to explain what exactly was wrong about it. Let me say this, I like my biryani to be uninhibited... this biryani was chock full of everything in the kitchen.
(2)Ashleigh A.
My favorite Indian restaurant in Indy, I always go for my birthday! The lunch buffet is fantastic. Chicken Tikka Masala is my favorite, the samosas, the rice, my boyfriend likes the lamb, it's all good. And one of the only places in Indy where the gulab jamun are served warm (I don't understand the places that serve them cold!). Prepare for a nap afterward.
(5)Mark V.
Not much to say on Shalimar Restaurant. Been around for a long time and does a great job with serving some of the best Indian food in Indianapolis. So glad it has stayed in business all these years. It seems to me we have had an influx of poor quality Indian food restaurants in the last few years. Great job and some of the best garlic Naan I have ever tasted. Service is always top notch.
(5)Diane E.
The thing that I love most about living in Broad Ripple is the plethora of restaurants in the area. If you ever go hungry while living here or visiting here...it is your own darn fault :-) After my daughter and I spent 3 hours at Splash getting her hair done and my facial, we were starving...we started to discuss what we were in the mood for and we both said at the same time: Indian food!!! We then called my daughter's husband and he was fully on board. My daughter called up their menu on her iphone and we quickly decided on Chicken Curry (SIL), Shrimp Curry (Daughter), and Lamb Saag (Me) with an order of Garlic Naan. The food was delicious...but beware...Hot is REALLY hot. I usually get Medium until I've been to a place a couple of times to gauge the 'heat'. I'm glad I did because my Lamb Saag was a perfect spice level. The red chutney that came with the naan was very spicy. Paired with a bottle of French wine that we picked up from my house and the three of us had a very enjoyable meal together.
(4)Jacob D.
Shalimar has the best Indian Buffet in Indy hands down. I love Indian food and everyone I've ever brought here loves it as well. I believe aside from the obvious (amazing food) it's easy to tell a great restaurant when you see such a diverse mix of people. Young, old, all races/classes and alot of Indian people as well which tells me it's good. This and Taj of India are my favorite Indian restaurants in Indy. Truth be told only "ehhh Indian" I've had was India Garden (had downtown and BR one both once) and bc it was EXTREMELY salty! It's a shame downtown India Garden is always packed by the masses b-c Shalimar is 10 times as good. Amazing Chicken Tikka Masala & Vegetable Korma. One thing I would change is I wish they brought out fresh naan (reg/garlic). It's still good just not always as fresh/crispy as I'd like. Also try BOSPORUS ISTANBUL CAFE.....
(5)Jessie D.
Lunch buffet is great ! Spicy and good Indian food. Dine in is not that good. The lamb was not cooked properly and chicken gravy had too much garam masala. We prefer shalimar lunch buffets over dine in.
(4)Suzie T.
This is a great buffet. The price is right, the servers are extemely attentive, it is casual and seems to draw a great bunch of people. It is close to us and our go to buffet for a Saturday lunch. Their selection maybe isn't quite as much as some, but it never has disappointed, nor do we go away hungry. It's fun to grab the front table and watch the hustle and bustle outside.
(4)Tara M.
Call me a freak but I don't generally like samosas, the Indian deep-friend potato dumpling. I know we're all hard-wired to like deep fried potatoes (and believe me, I have that gene in general), but the samosas I tend to come across are either too doughy or taste like they've been reheated. The samosas at Shalimar, on the other hand, are the best I've ever had - super fresh and perfectly proportioned. Speaking of which, there are few things I do in life as regularly as I eat at Shalimar. Through my non-scientific estimation, I have been there every week for at least 100 of the last 120 weeks. For real. And consider this: i order the exact same thing very time - a vegetarian thali. If I'm feeling crazy I might order a mango lassi. But I never get tired of that damn thali. I dig in with the same fervor week after week. And that, my friends, is why I'm upgrading them to 5 stars. Also note that they are right on the edge of Broad Ripple, they have parking, and they're never packed at dinnertime so can accommodate groups of friends very well.
(5)Brenton A.
My first experience with real Indian restaraunt food. Dinner was too expensive for me, but the Sunday lunch buffet was absolutely perfect and divine. Do yourself a favor-get the buffet, and just try everything. 'Nuff said.
(5)Claude S.
We were in town for business and had several colleagues looking for an Indian restaurant and Shalimar was recommended. This place situated in a small strip plaza on Broad Ripple proved to be quite a find. We all had a great time and the food was plentiful and quite good. The place was able to handle our large party (7) quite nicely and didn't over-tax the staff as it was during the week. We will definitely be heading back there as the Broad Ripple area has quite a large number of entertainment venues for some nighttime activities.
(4)Nadine F.
My mom and I came here for the lunch buffet, and I was rather disappointed. Nothing was spicy at all, and the dry dishes (tandoori chicken, naan, etc.) were way too dry. I understand that you have to tone down the spice at a buffet, but I didn't taste any chilies in anything I tried, which is enough to keep me from coming back. On the plus side, nothing was too greasy, which is often a concern at Indian buffets. If you end up here, however, the most palatable items - in my opinion - were the rice, naan (if it's fresh and hasn't been sitting out too long), the saag paneer, and the gulab jamun.
(2)Allan M.
Came here for the lunch buffet when I was in Indy last summer, after hearing a recommendation for this place. I was very pleased by this place, and it was definitely an above average Indian restaurant. It interestingly reminded me a lot of Himalayan Restaurant in Niles, IL, with the only exception that the dining room is a little smaller. Not much more I need to say, except that I wish I had known about the coupons that often show up in Nuvo....
(4)Lucy H.
We ordered take-away from Shalimar from a coworker's birthday and we all LOVED it, whether we'd eaten Indian many times or none. The staff were very helpful in figuring out how much food we needed and what would be a good choice. I finally tried their lunch buffet last week; even at 1 PM it was busy, and the buffet has a wider variety of foods than the buffet at Taj of India. All very flavourful, and I'm surprised by how much I like paneer.
(5)Andrew P.
Not sure exactly what it is about this place that keeps me coming back. Its certainly nothing over the top or anything in particular that sets it apart from other Indian places so im convinced it must be the overall quality and consistency. The food quality and consistency are there for me every time. When you add in good service - how can you beat that. Best bet here, if you are still a bit unfamilier with Indian food is to get the lunch buffet which has been a very good experience for me on more than one occasion. Here you will get to try many things that you might not otherwise order for dinner. Ive taken dates to dinner here and find it to be somewhat romantic even. The dim lighting, exotic food/smells, nice tables etc... Ive ordered many different items at this location and have yet to be dissapointed in anything. The wait staff is also very attentive but not hovering or pushy. Also whether lunch buffet or dinner, you can request your food as spicy as you can handle but beware as i have hurt myself on the curry this way (in a good way) - very tasty but can be extremely spicy if you go overboard and i love spicy food - i believe i ordered EXTRA spicy which is well beyond regular spicy lol. As always i recommend my favorites - Chicken Tikka Masala, Paleek Paneer and anything curry! Of course the Samosas and Galub Jamun are always pleasant. Try all the sauces too. Eating and trying so many different things is always a pleasant experience here. Also, at the end of the day you know youve eaten something good for you. Good Indian food speaks to my soul. Not to mention its fun to say the name like one of the crazy guys in that one Indiana Jones movie ... Shalimar...SHALIMAR...SHALIMAAAAAAR!!
(4)Ruben L.
After months of my co-working recommending this joint to me, I finally made it out here. And actually, based on my first visit, I made a return trip for their lunch buffet. AMBIENCE- this is a tiny restaurant. There are a fair number of tables, but they are pretty jam packed in this area. When we went for dinner, it wasn't as noticeable as our group was one of three groups dining. However, during the lunch buffet, you could really see how pressed for room this place can get. It's definitely not a fancy place, but the decor is slightly above hole in the wall. SERVICE- as I said, during dinner we were 1 of 3 groups dining, so we were attended to pretty well. Although when we really needed a server (to get more rice) it's as if they were avoiding eye contact. Still, they were pretty friendly for the most part. A lunch buffet isn't as difficult to tend to, though they were letting a few plates stack up on our table. Overall, decent, not horrible. MENU- their dinner menu looked pretty standard. They broke it up by category, so they had lamb, chicken, rice, and vegetarian dishes listed. They also had a number of appetizers and desserts. As for their lunch buffet, the selection isn't as large as New India, but still solid choices. The day we went they had mushroom saag, chicken tikka masala, chicken curry, lamb meatballs, korma, rice and tandoori chicken. They also had kheer (rice pudding), mango pudding, and gulab juman. FOOD- for dinner, we tried the chicken tikka masala, lamb saag, chicken korma, and another lamb dish that basically seemed to have a tikka masala like sauce. The flavors on each of the dishes were terrific. Initially (and I always make this mistake) when they brought the dishes out, the servings didn't look to be that big. However, after rotating our dishes a few times, we realized there was a good bit of food in those dishes. We ordered all of the dishes medium except for one which was supposed to be mild, but they all seemed to have the same intensity. My only true complaint is that they don't seem to give you enough rice with your entrees. How are you going to skimp out on the rice people!? As for the buffet, the flavors seemed to be less intense, though still very good. As far as quality goes, I think it's one of the better Indian buffets I've been to in Nap Town. Again, the selection wasn't as vast, but I guess it's a personal choice of quality vs. quantity. OVERALL- definitely a fan, and would certainly recommend this place. Dinner is a little pricey, but they have coupons on that indycoupons.com site, and the lunch buffet is a steal at 6.99 (7.99 on the weekends). Celebrity Rating- Dev Patel
(4)Lorand M.
Very nice indeed ! A lovely young lady joined me for a tapping next door at 3 Wise men...the beer there keeps getting better...excellent double brown something..with hops from Australia.....harvested under a full moon by Aboriginal ancestral virgins..or something...anyway...darn good beer ! I cannot attest to the authenticity of Indian food...even if it were served at a Pow Wow... However...we asked the kind gentleman to put together a take away meal for two...whatever he thought would be represntative (hot and spicy) of Indian food and his restaurant...we arrived home to a fantastic meal of hamburgers and french fries....o.k...not really....but the flat breads, rice, and two entrees were outstanding. Great flavors, textures...and tons of heat with depth and nuances of flavor...not just heat. Additionaly, the food was still hot, with no need to re-heat....which rarely happens...always have to re-heat stuff ! Bonum Appetitionem !
(4)Jen H.
My favorite Indian in Indy! Service is always stellar, even when they're busy. It can get crowded during a weekend lunch or dinner rush, but we usually never have to wait long to get a table or get served. To those who complained about the spice levels being too low on the buffet. They do offer a variety of sauces to spice up your individual dishes. A loyalty card is always a bonus in my book. My husband and I have filled and used dozens of them over the years. I recommend going for dinner. The buffet is good, but items such as the bread and pakoras can get soggy and stale if sitting for too long. I think they should take a hint from other Indian places and offer fresh bread with the buffet. Just a minor complaint really.
(5)Paul P.
Nice Place... Staff is very friendly.. I definitely recommend this place if you are a fan of Indian food... Their Samosas are excellent... Overall Great place to eat for vegetarian people as well...
(5)Neal W.
I am a picky eater and only get one dish at Indian restaurants: Chicken Tikka Masala. Does their CTM pass the test? Definitely. Also, the wait staff was exceptionally helpful and quick to refill water. I would definitely go again.
(4)Bill S.
Had the chilli with cheese. Excellent. My friend had a mushroom vegetable dish. Very spicy and very tasty. Wines reasonably priced. Free parking. Naan bread great. Recommended.
(5)Matt B.
I tend to eat here for lunch more often than not. The staff is always very nice, and the food is good. Dinner is even better, to be honest. Always get the onion chutney!
(4)Stephen M.
Our favorite stop along the Monan trail. Doesn't reach the standards of the Indian restaurants up in Fishers, but is tasty nevertheless. Fast, courteous service and reasonable selection on the buffet. A bit less exciting (spicy) than the dishes deserve, but it could simply be appealing to the subdued midwestern tastes.
(4)Neal P.
This review is for the lunch buffet. They don't have the buffet for weekday dinner. (I forgot to check if they have buffet on weekend dinners.) They close the restaurant at 2:30pm until the dinner hour (I forgot to note when when open back up, but I assume it's 5:00pm as is standard elsewhere.) So if you do the lunch buffet, get there before 2:00pm so as not to keep the staff from their break. The lunch buffet price was $10.35 including a soft drink and tax (not including tip.) Basically, everything was good. I'm sorry I've taken so long to get around to this gem. Today, the buffet menu was: (basically left to right) a sweet cooked carrot dessert, fried dough-balls in honey syrup, mango pudding, rice pudding, shredded lettuce, cucumbers, fresh spinach leaves, garbanzo beans, sliced green peppers, onions, cantelope chunks, tomatoes, chutney, mint sauce, 3 other hot/spicey sauces, a creamy yogurt dressing, vegetable pakora, vegetable samosa, aloo tikka pakora (deep fried potato slices), white rice, yellow rice (with a little bit of vegetables), chana (garbanzo bean) masala, batura fry bread (white flour bread deep fried in oil), naan, seasoned naan, navratan korma (mixed vegetable cooked in cream sauce, cashews and raisins), mushroom saag (mushroom cooked in cream spinach), mattar paneer (green peas and cheese chunks), kajar aloo(carrots cooked with potatoes), lamb kafta (meatball) curry, tandoori chicken, chicken tikka masala, and chicken curry. I liked the fact that the salad selections were greater than what you normally see at other Indian buffets where they usually have only shredded lettuce and sliced onions. I used the creamy yoghurt sauce as salad dressing, but the mint sauce was also a good topping. For me, the creamed spinach dish, and the lamb meatballs stood out. The tandoori chicken was not dried out like it can be at some places. Overall, none of the dishes were too spicey. So they seem to tone down the spice level for the typical North American pallate. I got there around 1:45 pm, and all the dishes were fresh, and hadn't sat out too long. The steam tables were clean and tidy. Above the sneeze catcher on the steam tables were names and descriptions of all the dishes. The men's room was clean and modern. Not 5-star, but better than average. Napkins are real cloth. Utensils are stainless steel. Table-tops are glass over cloth tablecloths. Water glasses are glass with stems. Soft drink glasses are plastic tumblers. The waiter was professional, dignified but friendly, and took away used plates in a timely manner, refilled my water glass as needed without asking, and timely asked if I wanted a refill on my soft drink. But he wasn't fluent in English other than standard restaurant vocabulary, so keep instructions simple, and he'll do great. I looked over the dinner menu, and noted that it was very extensive, with lots of descriptions. This place gets my "worthy to impress the boss/wife/gf/inlaws" award. I haven't been to India Garden down the street, so I can't compare it to there. But I'd rate it slightly better than Taj in Castleton, and about equal to New India at 96th and Allisonville.
(4)Karyn R.
You know when you walk into a place and aren't sure if it is going to be hole-in-the-wall fab or cuddled-up-with-a-bottle-of-Pepto fail? That's Shalimar. But, I'm an adventurous girl with a cast iron stomach so it was definitely game on. The restaurant was packed--Indian buffet on a weekend--but the wait was minimal and the buffet was a total win. I indulged on a good selection of vegetarian options while my daughter noshed from the "meatier" side of the buffet. Both of us left Shalimar full and impressed--with enough cash left over to hit up some of the other local stores in Broad Ripple. If you are looking for fancy, Shalimar isn't going to cut it. If you want some tasty garlic naan (don't forget the mints!) and what my daughter assures me was a rock awesome tandoori chicken--all on the cheap--hit up Shalimar. You won't be sorry.
(4)Benjamin H.
Not bad, but not great. Food always seems a bit dry and lacking in flavor. My co-workers get carryout from here, but I prefer India Garden. I'll eat here if a friend prefers, I generally love Indian food in all forms.
(3)Jon C.
Methinks NEVER again.
(1)Susan F.
So glad that Shalimar is still around. It seems like a lot of the tiny restaurants in this tiny strip in Broadripple tend to survive. Between Shailmar and Thai Cafe, you can't really ask for more within 20 feet! Shalimar is great-- cozy and cheap. It has all the Indian plates that Americans like--not to over generalize, but it's true! Everyone is friendly that works there and the food is always stocked. Great place for a quick bit to eat at the buffet. People fill up on this stuff over and over again it's so good--AND they do catering! If you want Indian in Indiana, come here!
(5)Leigh S.
I really enjoyed Shalimar. I went for dinner on a Friday night. There were definitely more take-out orders than eat-in patrons, but still the restaurant had a nice vibe. I had the tandoori chicken, which was nice and moist, as opposed to the dried out chicken that you normally get at other restaurants. The chicken tikka masala had a stronger tomato base, which I really enjoyed over the typical heavy cream dish. Both were really tasty. The garlic naan was also delicious. The only thing I didn't like was the dal that came with the tikka masala. It was a touch too salty for my taste. The staff was really pleasant and attentive, concientiously filling my water glass and making sure that we had what we needed without being overbearing. I'm definitely a fan of Shalimar's and will definitely find my way back there again.
(4)Emily Y.
I used to go here semi-frequently for takeout - pretty good food, nice people. The last time I went there for take-out, I got home and found a giant roach floating on top of my chicken tikka masala. Just sayin.
(1)Sam W.
This was an excellent lunch buffet. The food was all hot and fresh. I ate there three hours ago and am still full. Peas and cauliflower are deal breakers for me, so finding so many dishes sans peas and not one sprig of cauliflower in sight were major pluses. And, it was under $8. They also had a decent selection of beer (all bottled). I went w/a Singha b/c while some of the others sounded cooler, I was familiar w/it, and some of the others were 22oz. That would have been a little more beer than I needed this afternoon. The wait staff was really nice and attentive. Usually when I went to get more food, the empty plate at my table was gone when I got back. My water glass was always full, even though I drank a lot of water. I was surprised to see so many people in there, but that's always a good sign, ya? Oh, and the dessert was pretty good. They had a carrot/cashew/something else dessert that was soft and gooey w/the crunch of the cashews. It was good. But what I really liked were the Fried Milk Balls in Honey. They were soft and delicious and the honey gave them an invisible crust (like honey does when combined w/any type of bread) that made them amazing. If I hadn't been so full, I would have gotten a few more. Overall, this place was great for some quick and really yummy Indian food. In fact, I talked myself into a 5 star review (up from 4 when I started). If you have the opportunity to grab lunch here, do. I'm interested to see how dinner compares w/lunch.
(5)Rye D.
5 stars is for all the vegAn options and the friendly staff! This was my first Indian experience and I loved it! So much to pick from! And it's only 7.50 a person for the buffet!
(5)Liz Z.
I wanted to really like it, to say it was equivalent to the other place down the street that has less parking, but I can't. I've been disappointed too many times. The flavors are off, especially on my veggie standbys like ratia, palak paneer, korma.
(2)Som P.
I have been there only once. Very descent lunch buffet. I haven't tried anything from their menu though.
(4)Naser A.
Its the same owner as Delhi Palace. The food is mostly identical in taste. I've tasted better, but for Indy these two places taste good. They do have lunch buffets. I highly recommend it getting if you're clueless about Indian food. My favorite dish would the chicken tikka masala with garlic bread, that I use to dip into the masala sauce.
(4)Dana C.
It's a tasty, little Indian buffet in Broad Ripple. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but I was really pleased. It was a smaller selection that expected for a buffet, but for the price it was pretty good. The curries were tasty, the paneer was good, and the mango pudding was bomb. If you're craving Indian, this is a good and really affordable spot.
(4)Abby T.
Are you looking for an ethnic restaurant that is NOT TRENDY!? I WAS! Seriously though.. when I want ethnic food (Indian in this case), I don't want it served by a 20 year old white chick. Shalimar might be nothing like a restaurant in India (I would have no clue... I've never been), but it doesn't try to be anything more than a good Indian restaurant in a market that tends to be all about the ethnic fusion. I usually get the Chicken Makhani because it is so perfectly spicy and savory. The garlic naan is incredible, and I LOVE the vegetable samosas. We've dined in, carried out, done it all! They have cool Indian beer that costs.. like... a dollar. I just love this place. Go!
(4)Rick G.
Shalimar is a good, solid restaurant that has earned my repeat business. The service has always been outstanding, the price is far for the amount of food you receive, and the menu has a lot of choices. For the price conscious, the lunch buffet at 7.99....even on Sunday, is the way to go. Always a nice selection of food. Just keep in mind that it might get quite busy at lunch, but that way the food on the buffet turns over quite quickly.
(4)Chelsea K.
After a long refusal to eat Indiana food, grounded in my childhood picky-ness, I finally gave in and went to Shalimar with my husband. My husband, who was born and raised in Malaysia where Indiana food abounds, insists on getting Shalimar take-out every time he is in the Broad Ripple area. I always nibble on his aloo parathas, and finally decided it was time to give Indian food another go. A long-time fan of vegetarian biryani, my husband went with the vegetarian platter. He was a big fan of the paneer dishes, although the dal was a little bland. Thankfully I settled on the Malai Kofta, another vegetarian dish, over the Dal Makhani. I thought it was excellent. Beyond that, there was enough for 2+ meals for me. It also was delicious on naan. For those of you who like spice, you'll want to take the spicier options here. I cannot handle much spice in terms of heat. I went with "medium" and could have easily gone for "medium-hot." The restaurant was quite busy at 7:30 on a Saturday. We got seated in a somewhat cramped back table by a station where they wrap the silverware out in the open. That was a little awkward. Music was enjoyable and the service was efficient. We are looking forward to trying the lunch buffet.
(4)Sharad R.
Good food, great staff and very pleasant dining experience. Their chai masala could use a little work, but it's certainly not overwhelming to be concerned. And they did keep refilling our chai throughout the dinner, which really made us happy. Also gives you chai to take home if you like. The staff is very polite and helpful. Their Lamb Biriyani was really good. The right amount of spices, and great on the portion. Had enough to eat dinner, and lunch the following day, and still got some leftover.
(4)Clare L.
I. LOVE. SHALIMAR. Literally one of my favorite restaurants in Indianapolis. Located in an unassuming strip mall in Broad Ripple, this is an Indian restaurant with a killer lunch buffet that is not to be overlooked. The wait staff is kind and attentive, always humoring me by bringing a whole pitcher of water to my table, because let's face it, I'm a weenie and some of this stuff is spicy! Normally at buffets I don't waste time on the salad bar - too much other deliciousness to try - but this here salad bar is delicious. Spinach, onions, a chick pea salad that I always use as my salad dressing. I could go on... In my opinion, you can't go wrong with anything on the buffet from there, but the garlic naan, vegetable samosas/pakoras, saag paneer and chicken curry are favorites. My advice: come hungry and wear loose pants. You'll want to go up to the buffet multiple times.
(5)Claire N.
Really good Indian restaurant.I ordered a chicken tika masala with garlic naan and it was super good even though the waitress was kinda rude.
(4)Sara W.
My most recent visit to Shalimar was just three days ago, on a tuesday night. I was also here in November for my dad's birthday. Excellent as always! It was a full dining room on my visit in November. This time, there were only a couple other tables taken. I liked that it was still light out this time because of the time of year, so the restaurant was more dimly lit. Less lights were on and had some sunlight coming in from the windows and door. Not so dim that you can't see what you're eating, just the perfect amount of light for me. =) My dad had the lentils, as always, and it seemed to be great as always as well. I had the #4 on the vegetarian menu, Malai Kofta, I believe it was. It was good, but not quite as good as the #6, Punjabi Bhaji, which we also got an order of to go. We also had vegatable samosas and vegetable pakora and got more of each to take home, too. Delicious! The samosa is spicy, but not too hot and the pakora could pass for chicken, my dad pointed out, but is most assuredly made of vegetables. Basket of a double order of hot naan. And I just LOVE the cracker-like things that they set out on the table before you order. I don't remember what they are called, but I wish they would sell them by the bag full as chips! They are one of the best things I ever ate! Parking was much easier to come by, probably because it was a tuesday night. I personally feel Broad Ripple is overrated for the most part, but it is so worth it to go to that part of town to eat at Shalimar. My dad also had a card that I think was from his WFYI membership which gave us a discount here. They also stamped his Shalimar card where you can earn a free meal, I believe, after so many stamps. And just wanted to remind everyone that this is a great place for vegetarians and vegans as well as meat-eaters. It is a great place to go if your party is a mixture of diets because everyone will be happy. When I was first here in '96, I had, among other things, the tandoori chicken. Whenever I have someone with me who is trying Indian food for the first time, that is what I suggest if they enjoy chicken. It always seems to be a hit and a good way to introduce people to this fine cuisine. This visit, I had a Kingfisher which is a quite decent lager. I have become a lightweight so I got a pretty good buzz off that 12 oz beer. They have larger sizes of this and others. I have to say they have a good-sized beer selection for a small restaurant. Last time I had a Taj Mahal, which is good, but quite large. I just don't drink that much any more. Maharaja is also a good choice from what I remember when I was here in 2012. Our water glasses were consistently full. My dad also noted that their water must be filtered because it does not taste like tap water. (And Broad Ripple tap water is NOT very good at all from what I remember from my youth...) Also worth noting, they have a nice clean restroom in back, down the little hall behind the fun saloon doors. We were admiring the dishes our food came in with the copper-clad bottoms and copper spoons. And the music is quite nice. I have to say I was stuffed and I barely put a dent in my entree. Our waiter was very attentive and kindly bagged up everything for us nicely. I'm so happy I have so many leftovers in the fridge! I've been eating cold samosas as a bedtime snack. ;) Go get yourself some! You won't be disappointed.
(5)Ann L.
Shalimar offers consistently good Indian favorites. The same owners run a number of other places around town, the menus are identical and the quality is consistent based on my experience. I've had many items on their menu and all have been very good. The thalis are particularly fun if you would like to try a variety of items and are hungry! On this most recent visit I had the malai kofta. The dish was flavorful, but medium spice was very mild for this particular dish; when I've ordered other items with medium spice, they have had significantly more heat. The meaning of mild, medium and hot definitely seems to vary with the dish. The naan is always fresh and wonderful, and the mango ice cream is a great dessert when they have it! Service has always been good at this location in my experience. Everyone is friendly and attentive. When we've been on a tight timeline, as we were this time because we were headed to a show at Clowes, they have had no problem making sure we were out on time.
(4)Emily Elizabeth K.
Best lunch buffet in Indianapolis. Everything is perfectly prepared, and they change up the menu from day to day. For every ten lunches you buy, you get a free lunch buffet, if you can keep up with your Shalimar lunch card. We have never been disappointed. Also, the wait staff is very efficient. Your water glass will never be half empty.
(5)Bodie S.
Let's be honest: I had never ordered Indian food before. One day, I said I was going to do it, so I picked Shalimar and made it happen. I was very happy with my choice! It was as simple as looking at their detailed online menu, calling and placing an order, and driving to Broad Ripple to pick it up in under 20 minutes. You really can't beat that. I ordered a plentiful amount of food, because go big or go home, right? First, I'd like to point out that they have a decent beer menu and it's very inexpensive for a restaurant. I started by ordering an appetizer as I was curious as to what it all was. I picked the Aloo Tikki (comes with two), which is a spicy potato stuffing dipped in chick pea batter, breaded, and fried, served with mint and tamarind. Delicious, and filling! I also picked an order of the Naan bread, which is cheap and there's a lot of it. It's fresh-baked! For my entree, I selected the Lamb Curry, consisting of large chunks of lamb, cooked with curry gravy. The meal was served with rice and onion chutney. It was a large meal and I certainly had enough left over for a second meal, which I enjoyed the next day for lunch. Shalimar gets two thumbs up from me.
(5)Kristine L.
My favorite Indian restaurant in the city. Definitely don't miss on the lunch buffet. The food is consistently delicious. The staff is always courteous, attentive, and responsive. In my buffet experiences, that's rare. The price is perfect for what you're getting. Some of the entrees seem to be standard fare and some seem to be part of a rotating special. I just wish I could be lucky enough to be there every time they're serving navratan korma.
(5)Chris D.
For the price, this buffet is excellent! My fiancé and I's favorite dishes were the chicken masala and the mushroom saag. The service was great, everyone was friendly, and the buffet was extremely fresh. We had a few pieces of naan that weren't very fresh and the lamb meatballs were slightly dry, but other than that everything was very delicious! We would absolutely come back here again, and likely go out of our way to do so.
(5)Ron R.
Best Indian ever? No. Great Indian nonetheless? Yup! If you want good Indian food, don't hesitate to come here. Everything is served fresh and hot and the service is great. Being in Broadripple they are used to To-Go orders which makes it great for take-out also. They do nickle and dime a bit with their naan, sauces and such, but that seems to be a growing trend in the Indian cuisine restaurants. I'm sitting here debating between 3 and 4 stars currently. Part of me feels this place deserves 4 stars, and part of me feels that since my craving for Indian doesn't always shout "Shalimar"...it doesn't deserve above 3. In the end, although plain Jane, I think it is good enough for 4 stars.
(4)Jason T.
In my pinons place is pretty much a classic Indian restaurant. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu, I like to always get the chicken tikka marsala or the lamb curry. Medium... I'm not a fan of buffets but they offer one it's pretty good, I suggest going right at 11 o'clock when they open that way it will be fresh and you'll get to try bunch of different items. I feel bad because I go here all the time and I hadn't wrote a review, I've been going here for well over 10 years and I will continue to.
(4)Kinsey C.
I'll admit: I had actively avoided eating Indian food. Perhaps it was the smell or the reputation it has for running through you, but I would choose almost any other cuisine if I had the choice. Encouraged by my curry loving fiance, I decided to order some takeout from Shalimar. I am very glad I did! My party ordered quite a few dishes to go, and were given a estimate of 25 minutes. When we arrived, our food was ready and packaged for us. It was around $50 for three people with a few extra sides. Being an "Indian virgin" I decided to start slowly. I ordered the chicken tikka and garlic naan. Yum! What have I been missing?! The chunks of chicken were so flavorful and juicy, but not overwhelming. This dish is highly recommended with a side of rice and naan. My fellow diners ordered chicken chili which also was delicious and an array of vegetarian sides. All in all, I am happy I gave this place a try. I would recommend the chicken tikka for people who are just dipping their toe into the water of Indian cuisine. Next time I will be more adventurous!
(4)Amber P.
I've been to Shalimar a couple of times before - but the truth is that The Clay Pot in Greenwood is soooooo incredibly good, I really try to save my Indian Food ventures for them. Shalimar does have good food and excellent service so 4 stars instead of 5 is really just based on comparison between them and the Clay Pot. I don't know if it's food quality or experience in the kitchen. Either way - Shalimar is definitely my go to for Indian Food on the near north side.
(4)Heather T.
Best Indian food in Indy! Highly recommend the chicken tikka masala and garlic naan. If you like spicy, get hot. Thought medium would be good enough, but was wishing it was spicier. Calm, quiet atmosphere and pretty good service. Definitely coming back!
(4)Ranjana C.
We've passed by Shalimar so many times that we finally decided to try it. The service was extremely prompt and they always kept your water glass full (even if you'd only had a few sips). They bring out papadam to begin, but unfortunately no chutney to go along with it. A good selection of dishes are available , and they even have 'thalis' , which are huge plates with little samples of many different dishes, including an appetizer and dessert. This is available for vegetarian or non-vegetarian. I chose not to have a thali but I may have to try it one day . The chicken korma and garlic naan I got were delicious. The only small complaint my friend and I would have is that there wasn't a lot of spice in our food. There was a lot of flavor, but I asked for "medium -hot" spicyness and I got a dish that I would consider "mild" in most cases. Wish it could have been spicier since that's what I love about Indian food but I've found that the spicyness scale can vary a lot from dish to dish, even in the same restaurant. Otherwise, a great experience!
(4)Jelly R.
The lunch buffet is good. They are constantly refilling trays instead of letting stuff sit empty or letting it get old. Prices are reasonable. Staff is polite and prompt.
(4)E W.
This is my favorite of the local Indian spots. I feel like their is better tikka masala in town, but I like their rice and their curry better than anywhere else. Get a punch card while you're there. Every 10 meals is a free one. :-)
(4)Anusha R.
One of the rare places I have been to where they serve mushroom curry. The vegetable biryani was really oily, lacked salt, and was just full of spices with no taste. My friends had the chicken curry, it was really good. Will definitely visit this place once again in future, but only for the mushroom curry.
(3)Roneel S.
On the recommendation of the server, we got Chicken Tikka Masala, Nava Ratna Sahi Korma and Chicken Tandoori. We also ordered Garlic Naan. Suffice to say - everything tasted delicious. I have to travel years down my memory lane to say this about Indian Restaurant. Friendly staff. And oh - really fast service.
(5)Payton R.
I had the Lamb Vindaloo, must say, it was pretty good. Incredibly spicy (not for the faint of heart), but delicious. The Naan bread was also quite good. It was nearly empty the entire time I ate and they have a nice ambiance for being in a strip mall. I would recommend it for a casual dinner date. My only qualms were that prices were somewhat steep (extra $$$ for the bread) and the service wasn't anything too impressive. However, I can probably attribute the service to the fact that I wore sweatpants and ate by myself. I probably was stereotyped as a poor tipper. All in all, I would definitely eat there again. I am planning on hitting up their lunch buffet soon. It seemed to be much cheaper and would allow me to sample a number of different dishes. Moral of the story: don't expect great service when you go out to eat in sweatpants!
(4)Erin J.
I always order take out! The food is fresh, tasty, and always ready within 15 min. of the phone call!
(4)Liz S.
I've been here both for lunch buffet and dinner.. I'll talk about both! The lunch buffet is quite plentiful with a LOT of vegetarian selections. You can never go wrong with the variations of Aloo Gobi (potatoes and cauliflower in herbs/sauce). They kept the pots fresh, the place was hoppin' (which of course allowed fresh food to constantly come out) and the service was very friendly! The location is great for their business, but not if you're looking forward to a quick lunch! Even though the food is quick to come out, you got BRip traffic, parking and busy-ness of the restaurant!! For dinner, I went with a couple friends on a Friday night! It was still super quiet, but I loved it that way. They were still quite busy, but not too busy to still pay attention to us! Our waters were constantly refilled, frequently asked if we needed anything (but not to the point of "Please leave us alone!")--it was pleasantly welcoming. I ordered the house special Biryani! For ~$14, you get a HEAPING serving of rice with lamb, chicken, paneer and mixed veggies in your choice of mild, medium, spicy, extra spicy (I chickened out and got medium--but it was plenty spicy!) and it came with a side of Raitha (yogurt) to cool down the spice of the biryani. My husband got the Chicken Vindaloo (he said it was delicious!) and my friends got the Vegetable Korma (he liked it, outside of the filler vegetables that seemed frozen, instead of fresh) and Chana Masala--always a fan-favorite! The service--amazing. The food--pretty tasty (can work on fresher veggies!) But overall, just lovely.
(4)Logan F.
The servers were nice and prompt. Appetizers were tasty. The chicken tikka masala was really good. The only complaint I have is with the saag paneer, it tasted old and a bit "smokey". I have never tasted a dish quite like this.. Definitely not worth 12$ for old spinach and dry paneer.. Other than that I would say this place is pretty decent!
(3)Kimmi M.
My first Indian food experience in Indy. It only took three years! Vegetarian boyfriend had never had it, so the trek had to be made. Shalimar is warm and inviting, and the servers were really nice. Ordered a round of Kingfisher beer, which was super tasty. Then we were kind of left alone and awkward until people who came in after us just went to the buffet. PUT YOUR EATING PANTS ON. I had a full plate even before I got to the curry cart near the end of the buffet. Obviously a second plate was needed. The garlic naan was SCHWING. I would eat that every day if Scott Pilgrim hadn't warned me that bread makes you fat. I was ready to bring in a bucket to fill up with mushroom saag and basmati. The mushroom saag was very reminiscent of the spinach & mushroom etoufee at Yats, although hot sauces didn't seem to be available. The entire buffet was at a very low spice, and I understand why, but some hot offerings or sauce options. I didn't like the chicken dishes, but all of the vegetarian options were stellar. I almost had to be rolled out. It super grossed me out that there were so many people dining at the buffet who were offended when a server told them to get a new plate. Perhaps the "get a new plate each time" sign needs to be bigger or Shalimar can threaten these walking health code violations. Yelp told me that there was a coupon on coupons4indy.com , and I got $1 off my meal.
(4)Katherine L.
This review is based on dinner. Mango lassi, yum. Kheer? Meh. Chicken Tikki Masala, Garlic Naan, and Vegetable Samosas? No. Sides sauces, okay. I had hopes for this place, and I went in hungry with an especially bad craving for indian food. I was sorely disappointed, I didn't even want to eat my food after the first bite. The Chicken Tikki Masala just tasted like butter and oil, with no tomato flavor, in addition it was very bland. The Garlic Naan, I could taste a little bit of garlic, but mostly it had a weird burned taste. The Samosas were generously filled, however, they were over fried and greasy. Now I wish I had gone to the lunch buffet first to try out their food. But I really don't even want to try. I'm afraid that I might just waste my money again.
(1)Kaleend D.
Nice food and a good cheap buffet all days of the week. Very good variety for vegetarians as well. Would give it 4 stars but the only thing is the naan or bread there is nt that fresh, if it was this would be amazing. They serve food in traditional style in handi. Would love to visit them again. And dont forget to take the coupons from online. Usually will get some savings from coupons4indy.com
(3)Jay J.
Food looks like indian but it doesn't taste indian . We ordered hot non veg thali but it was tasteless no salt.. Giving 1 rating becoz water is always full in glass
(1)Jess D.
Shalimar has been my go to Indian restaurant for many years. I've always enjoyed the food and been happy with the pricing. However, last night's service was a little spotty. Our waiter had a hard time remembering what we were ordering, even when writing things down, and seemed to be ignoring other members of our table. Strange, but not the norm. Delicious food made up for it, so will be back again.
(4)Jake M.
India Garden is my usual go to Indian buffet but they've been dropping the ball as of lately so I gave this place a try. I personally wasn't impressed, the food lacked flavor and EVERYTHING there had this really weird oil/grease taste to it, the naan was really tough as well. The food was not spicy at all, not even a little kick. The people were nice and the guys who refilled your drink were on it but none of that matters if the food ain't good. Personally I won't be going back.
(2)Claudia R.
The buffet was cold and when I informed the server that there was a big hair in one of the buffet dishes all he did was scoop it out! Terrible service!
(1)Ariana G.
Always love shalimar. The service, standards and quality of food is constantly high. If you like spicy they will actually make it spicy. Authentic as as far as a white person can tell. Can't say enough good things.
(5)Shelby J.
Yum. So pleasantly surprised. This is a solid restaurant. I had been missing Indian food since moving to Indiana, and this surely hit the spot. Their House Special Biryani, Chicken Tikka, Lamb Saag, and Saag Paneer are all tasty. Also the Paneer Kulcha Naan and the Garlic Naan hit the spot. This review is based on dinner service, as I have not been able to make it for the lunch buffet. The service is always pleasant, and timely. Even when in a rush. I will definitely be back.
(4)Joel M.
Shalimar really dropped the ball on our first visit. My wife and I LOVE Indian food and we thought we couldn't go wrong after hearing good things about this Broadripple spot. I'll just say it out front if you don't want to read the full review - the service was absolutely horrendous and the food didn't come close to making up for it. We were immediately seated in the front, and about one minute later another couple was seated next to us. We put in our full order after about five minutes, which was pretty basic - Tandoori Chicken, Vindaloo Curry, and some Naan. The other couple put their order in about the same time. Over the next hour, we watched the other couple receive their food, eat their food, eat dessert, get their check, pay, and happily leave the restaurant and drive away BEFORE WE GOT OUR FOOD. Keep in mind we have the same waiter and he walked by our table 15 times during this process (we didn't get drink refills during this time either). He finally came by to ask us how things were going...um, not well. His excuse was that our order was made "to-go" instead of for dine-in, but either way he should have been checking on us and realized something was wrong after 5-10 minutes, not a full hour later when we we're both pretty pissed and hungry. I will say they adjusted our check (one free dish) and most of the other patrons seemed to be getting good service, but our service was unacceptable and I cannot recommend this place based on our experience.
(1)Emily C.
This was our first time here and it was a really good experience. We will be back! Service 5/5 We went on a Monday evening at 5:30 PM so the restaurant was nearly empty (there were a lot of take out orders going out though). Our server was very friendly and attentive. I'm not sure if this was because there wasn't much else to do since there was only one other couple dining there. We'll see how it is if it's busy next time we go. Atmosphere/Ambiance 3/5 Clean and pleasant but nothing special. Food 4/5 They started us off with a basket of tasty papadum. I then ordered a cup of their coconut soup which was good. I was expecting a slightly stronger coconut flavor but I still enjoyed it. The coconut was chopped very fine so it had a really nice texture. For dinner I ordered the Chicken Makhani and my husband ordered the Paneer Masala. The waiter asked if we wanted the spiciness level to be mild, medium, hot or very hot and we both chose medium. Everything came out piping hot and were very generous portions. We both liked our entrees, my husband liked mine a little bit more than his though. I would say mine was a bit more bold in flavor than his. The entrees were served with a spicy pepper chutney, although we are wondering if that was supposed to have come out with the chips at the beginning. In any case the chutney was amazing! The level of spiciness of the Makhani was good too, if I was in the mood for spicy food I could have gone for the hot. Overall 4/5 We also got a stamp card...1 stamp for lunch and 2 stamps for dinner. After 10 stamps you get a free entree (of $10 or less)!
(4)Natasha C.
Went there with some friends last night & loved it! Highly suggest the Chicken Tikka Masala! Service was great :-).
(5)Kelly M.
This is my favorite Indian restaurant. They don't have a gluten free menu because they don't really need one. They use mostly chickpea flour so our kind waiter simply pointed out the handful of dishes to avoid. I love the fried cheese app and the very interesting coconut soup. Lamb curry is my favorite entree and be aware that if you get what you ask for when requesting spicy for any of the dishes. They have these cool lentil tortilla things that are yummy and nice to be able to munch on since as a gf gal, I don't always get to munch the free carbs at restaurants.
(5)Ameya A.
Good for service but the ambience was gloomy .tried garlic naan and chicken makhani and was very delicious however chicken biryani tasted like pulav and will not recommend anyone to try it.gulab jamun was not that great but overall was happy with the food but it's not completely worth what you pay for :(
(3)Mike F.
This a truly great place to eat and my second favorite Indian restaurant in town.
(4)Rachel W.
We went to Shalimar a few weeks ago while we were traveling in Indiana. There were six people in our party so we ordered four dishes (lamb korma, saag chicken, tika masala vegetables, paneer masala) and 2 orders of naan. This was plenty of food for the six of us and we readily ate it all. The rice was fantastic. The korma was less creamy than I'm used to eating. Shalimar is probably the best Indian food you can get in Indianapolis, but still not as tasty as Indian food I've tried elsewhere in the states.
(4)Phil Y.
I'm not a expert on Indian food nor have I been to India to eat authentic Indian food, however, I love Shalimar and could only imagine that this is what it would be like to have authentic food from India. The buffet is a great way to try various dishes that you would not normally try as a main dish. For dinner I usually get the Boti Kabab Masala which is a lamb dish. If you are in Indianapolis and looking for a great Indian restaurant head into Broad Ripple for Shalimar.
(4)Aaron D.
Came upon this place almost by accident. They have an excellent lunch buffet, maybe one of the best in town! I love the selection of naan bread they provide, the fact that they have great samosas and chicken marsala. I have a hard time remembering which dishes I like more, because everything I try is so good. I have a tendency to mix the food with the sauces, the mango salsa is my favorite and give a nice sweet compliment to the spices used in the dishes.
(5)Raina R.
Shalimar Restaurant has some good Indian food. It was not that memorable, but the service was memorable. We ended up waiting over 30 minutes to get our bill. It was a disaster. They only had two wait staff and an entirely full restaurant. It was very frustrating. I would go again, but the service was that terrible!
(3)Mark W.
Have gone twice now, first time was for buffet, the second was for dinner. Good Indian food, clean, nice wait staff. Can't ask for much more. But, still prefer Indian Palace or New India Restaurant
(4)Richard H.
Full disclosure: I have only had the lunch buffet. Several times. The food seems OK, but buffet food always is rather unexciting and lukewarm. Decent selection of both vegetarian and non, very friendly staff.
(3)Happy Mama M.
Great indian food. Very much recommended.
(4)Tristan S.
Friendly, reliable, and delicious! I've yet to find anything to complain about - besides their red chutney setting my mouth afire. The mango lassi is to die for, especially when had with any of their many vegetarian dishes.
(5)Albertro F.
The lunch buffet here is pretty kickass. The chutneys are fresh, the naan is hot, and the curries are savory. They seem to do brisk trade on the weekends, so you might wait 10 minutes for the churchies to get their salad plate stocked, but it's worth it. I used to prefer India Garden or Udupi, but this place more or less smokes. Also, you can always find a coupon in Nuvo for a buck or 10% off. Sure, the kitchen guys are Mexican, but the recipes are about as good as you're gonna get for Waspy Naptown.
(4)Giggli T.
A decent indian place if you don't want to search for a place to park. If you don't care, go to India Garden down the street because it's downright amazing. Anyway, naan is decent, Tikka Masala was a bit bland, nice atmosphere, easy parking, and good appetizers. But, as said before, IG is much better.
(3)marcin z.
I am surprised at the reviews from the other users. The place is shady, a typical cheap, generic Indian restaurant. I went there only once, on a Sunday. The food was below average. The only part of the food that was not too bad was the roti we got. I would not recommend the place, but it is not the worst either, just below average.
(2)B R.
Good Indian food, with a lot less cream in the sauces than India Garden, the other Indian place I've tried in town. Shalimar is located in a strip mall, but the atmosphere inside is pleasant. The food is good and the portions are large enough that if you're sharing, you don't all need your own dish.
(3)