The Mango Grove
8865 Stanford Blvd, Columbia, MD, 21045
The Mango Grove Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Columbia for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Columbia for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Columbia for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
8865 Stanford Blvd
Columbia, MD, 21045 - Phone (410) 884-3426
- Website https://themangogrove.net
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 3:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
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 : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
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.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Patrick G.
I've eaten from Mango Grove's lunch buffet at least once every month for the last year or so. I'm a stereotypically uncultured American suburb-dweller, so I can't speak to authenticity of their cuisine, but my taste buds have never been disappointed. As an herbivore, I appreciate that Mango Grove's buffet offers more vegetarian options than most of the local competition. The staff are very friendly, inviting, and accommodating, and the service is usually very quick and efficient. The restaurant itself is spacious and adequately appointed, though some of the booth seats seem to be on the verge of falling apart. I would wholeheartedly recommend Mango Grove to anyone in the Columbia area seeking tasty Indian cuisine. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
(5)Neysan S.
Spectacular delightfulness with a subtle hint of awesome. This place very simply, rocks. The staff are friendly, helpful, and very good at making suggestions on what to order. They showed our kids different spices at the exhibition kitchen and let them watch the dosai making. The flavors of the food are multi-layered, hitting you again and again. The Nargissi aloo was new to us and one of the all time faves. The aloo ghobi was the best I ever had. The portions are good. Get a Dosai as an appetizer. It's like a gigantic crepe of awesome. You can't go wrong at this place
(5)John B.
After trying them at DC VegFest, I finally found my way out to Mango Grove, and I enjoyed it. I was, it must be said, miffed by a couple of things. One, the prices are on the high side. This place is in a suburb of a suburb in a nondescript strip mall that my iphone tells me is halfway in between a Walmart and University of Phoenix. How high can the rent be? My basis of comparison is another vegetarian South Indian strip mall gem, Madras Palace in Gaithersburg, which is significantly cheaper. Second, though it is a vegetarian restaurant, they're really serving two menus in the same space, the other of which is indo-chinese and goes by the name Mirchi Wok. Of course, I eat at non-vegetarian places most of the time and some of those indo-chinese options looked nice, but it was a tad disappointing; eating at a truly vegetarian place is an extra special treat. That being said, the bottom line has to be the food. I went ahead and tried something I'd not seen before, nargissi aloo, potatoes with a bit of some kind of nut-based stuffing, and an equally obscure bread called a cheela (really sort of a mung bean-based crepe). Both delicious. Also, the free mango lassi they gave me for my yelp checkin really hit the spot. And indeed, their menu was quite diverse; few if any other restaurants in the area offer, say, jackfruit, and even dosai are hard to find. It's also a nice space on the inside; the roof is high, the room spacious, it feels new-ish, and there's a lake view out the back. The bathroom area was surprisingly decent. What probably got them the four stars is this. My pet peeve is when a restaurant offers something spicy and it isn't. Unbeknownst to the folks at Mango Grove, I'm just itching to nail someone on Yelp for that. Here, however, the dish I ordered was described as mildly spiced, but they went ahead and offered me a choice of heat level. I went for the spicy, but even having done so, when the first bite came, it knocked me back a little bit. This had quite a healthy burn, and some delicious hot peppers mixed into the sauce. So instead of disappointing me, they surprised me. So, for offering an appealing meal and not diluting the spice, you, Mango Grove, get four stars and likely another visit on the rare occasion I go this far outside the District.
(4)Jessica N.
Awesome food. Great service! I love that the vegetarian and meat dishes are made in different kitchens! And there are plenty of vegan options! You will not leave hungry!
(4)Christina L.
I was not a fan of this restaurant. I'll go as far to say that the food is awful.... But I'm trying to contain myself because the service was so great... I tried it out for the first time during a lunch buffet hour because it was close to where I was, but all the items on the buffet line were subpar and either too salty or lacking flavor. The food tasted unhealthy ... Despite it being vegetarian. And the soup was really the worst part.... I tried mango lassi for the first time because the waiter pushed it on me (I didn't even realize there was a deal for a free cup with a yelp check in lol - funny because I used help to locate this restaurant..) and I was not a fan of that either- it was too sour and appeared to me mixed from a pre packaged yogurt pack. The only good thing about the place is the service- everyone is very friendly. But the food really drives me away... I don't think I will be coming back any time soon. I should have listened to other yelp reviews... I love indian food so I was very disappointed.
(2)Sona R.
The Indian food on their menu isn't amazing (go to Royal Taj for amazing Indian food), BUT they have a great selection of Indo-Chinese food, which I don't think is really available anywhere else in Columbia. And if you haven't had Indo-Chinese food, stop reading and go look it up now! The Chicken 65 and Chili Garlic Chow Mein off their "Mirchi Wok" menu is really, really flavorful and will not disappoint! Sure it's not authentic down-home from India food (read first line of this review), but if you're looking for unique flavors and overall great service, this is it.
(4)Tiffany S.
Had the lunch buffet and felt like my mouth was part of a beautiful Bollywood number! They aren't shy with the spices here, but that doesn't make everything spicy per say. My favorites were the garlic saag and the fall off the bone mutton curry. The only reason this jewel of Columbia only got 4 stars is because certain trays were nigh on empty even though we arrived solidly in the middle of lunch. Must have been busy.
(4)SB S.
Blah food.tried the vegetarian options and they were inferior to what your average south indian restaurant would serve.nothing much to say.i wont go back again
(2)Jennifer K.
My husband and I were regular customers at the Mango Grove's old location, and we're delighted to find that after their move, they've become even more wonderful than before. The mostly Northern Indian cuisine is delicious and refined, with a beautifully-appointed dining atmosphere in which to eat it. The first word that comes to mind to describe the food is lightness, but this could be misleading, because the food is far from bland and you will leave your table full no matter what you order. While Mango Grove specializes in vegetarian and vegan dishes, they are partnered (and co-located) with the fully meaty Mirchi Wok, so others in your dining party can eat the cuisine they prefer. However, I would highly recommend sampling all that Mango Grove has to offer. Their Ayurvedic culinary philosophy informs all of the flavor pairings and textures in their dishes, and results in meals where every bite is a celebration for your taste buds, and yet the usual bloated feeling from too much Indian food never seems to materialize. They hold a mid-day buffet, but the menu is always available. If you do decide to go for dinner, please do save room for dessert. Their mango-choco mousse is a surprising and delectable treat--the perfect foil for anything hotly spiced you may have eaten earlier! Including visits to the old location, my husband and I have visited Mango Grove several dozen times and each visit has been a memorable pearl of culinary delight. With all the amazing Indian food to choose from in the Maryland suburbs, Mango Grove does stand out above the crowd for its succulence and delicacy. I forgot to note: this restaurant is a little hard to find if you're relying only on online map services. Your GPS also will steer you through what looks like an abandoned office park to get there. Ignore those. The Mango Grove is right next to Hanamura and Pub Dog on Dobbin Road. Once you know where it is, it's easy to find, but the GPS and online maps point you to the wrong place!
(5)Madhu S.
We wanted , authentic South Indian meal So we went mango grill . Food was not what we expected. No taste at all idly was dense , Sambar was tasteless and service was Terrible . We won't go there again. MMS
(1)Payal G.
This is a regular place for lunch outings in my workplace. The food is great undoubtedly. Found no fish here, only chicken. The dessert is well made.
(4)Neha J.
Too good...overall food is good..jalebis are awesome and good ambience with good hospitality Just love to dine in at mango grove :)
(5)Courtney C.
Awesome !! Delicious food, buffet option, friendly staff. Twice when I came in for the buffet the staff asked if I was vegan and noted which dishes on the buffet contained dairy. So thoughtful!! Gluten free options available. Delicious fresh naan to every table. A vegetarian's dream lunch spot :) The malai kofta & halwa are amazing!!
(5)Wesley J.
I've been to The Mango Grove twice, most recently on Mother's Day 2015. We had a reservation for a party of 8. We arrived about 5 minutes in advance of our reservation and learned that the host had given our table away. We waited 40 minutes to actually get a table. Once we got our table there was absolutely no service. It took 5 minutes to get any silverware. No one asked us for our drink orders, or even offered. No one brought us water. I had to physically go into the kitchen and ask for a glass for my son, and the waiter said they had no clean glasses. They gave us plastic cups. I cornered a waiter and asked for extra napkins. They came 10 minutes later. At the buffet line there were no clean plates. Mango Grove is a buffet... so you expect them to take your plates, right? We were there for 45 minutes and once we actually got some food no one ever bothered to take our plates. The food is okay. It's decent Indian food but nothing special. During my most recent trip they were short on a lot of things. For example, the dosa plata was empty more often than not. The goat curry was almost all bone. There was no raita. I was very disappointed. Maybe they were overbooked. Maybe they were short staffed. Maybe they don't care. I won't judge them on those aspects, but hands down The Mango Grove is certainly one the worst restaurant I've ever been to. Oh, if you bother to speak to the manager they will just complain to you about their troubles.
(1)Ashley P.
Love their Meatless Mondays buffet! Even on days when this buffet is not going on, they will cater to my vegan and SOS free needs. Staff is very accommodating!
(4)Oliver L.
This is my favorite Indian place in the DC/Baltimore area. The service is always excellent, attentive but not overbearing, and the managers are warm and inviting. A genuine Indian food experience. As a vegan the options are plentiful and exotic. For family and friends, there is a non-veg menu too. Everything is always really delicious.
(5)Victoria B.
I have been going to The Mango Grove for several years, ever since it was located in Dobbin Center. In fact, I am waiting on my lunch date now and then we are heading over there today for the lunch buffet! This is vegetarian cuisine. To appease the masses, there are a few meat dishes set aside. Regardless, this carnivore does not miss the meat! Everything is so flavorful. I am drooling just thinking about it... The service is top-notch. Do you like iced tea? Because they serve amazing iced tea with a little zing to it. I can't get enough of it. Over the years I have introduced Mango Grove to several of my friends, many of which who have never tried Indian cuisine. Now they are hooked!
(5)Reezle W.
Pretty interior, but I got take out. Two full menus, one vegetarian, one traditional Indian meat dishes. I got the chana masala spicy, and the portion was so big, spicy and yummy. The rice was a bit of an extra, could have been better. I also got a tandoori roti which was charred and light and flaky, just the way I wanted it. Would love to come back and dine in!
(4)Mimi L.
This is a vegan/vegetarian haven. I came for the lunch buffet and it was inexpensive and super filling! A lot of choices including dessert and a few meat dishes. The place is very open plus the view of the pond is very pretty.
(5)Adam K.
This is one of my favorite Indian Restaurants. Strictly-speaking, Mango Grove is meat free; at their old location, Mirchi Wok (Indo-Chinese cuisine with some meat options) was located next door and they've maintained their partnership and combined menus at their present joint location. The meat options are fine at the buffet, but I come to Mango Grove for kick-ass Southern Indian food. First off, the buffet is a great way to get your feet wet here. There are so many pickles and chutneys available - more than any other Indian buffet in town. They usually have four meat/fish dishes, which usually included Chicken Tikka Masala and Tandoori Chicken, and the rest is all meat free. They'll bring you naan with your meal and there's also pieces of poori sitting by the chana masala. The dine-in experience is great for dinner with friends, family, or a nice date. I love the appetizer sampler to get a mix of everything. I usually get one of their dosais with their yummy potato fillings. The complimentary sambar (veggie soup) and tomato and coconut chutneys give my taste buds reason to sing. The paneer tikka masala is pretty killer too, especially if you ask them to make it extra spicy! The service is always great and super friendly. If there's an issue, their number one priority is making you happy with the result. The manager is always coming around to make sure everything is satisfactory. I can't recommend this enough. Try out the great food at Mango Grove!
(4)Jethro T.
This is the go-to Indian lunch buffet for me and my coworkers, because they do a few dishes really well and they're not as crowded as Royal Taj. We go to get heaping helpings of butter chicken, tandoori chicken, this dish that involves buttery crispy bread filled with spiced chickpeas (we refer to these as Indian hot pockets) and for dessert gulab jaman (syrupy sweet donuts that threaten to give you diabetes). Four stars instead of 5 because every once in a while, they run out of something REALLY important, like naan. Oh and the mango lassi here is truly delicious.
(4)Jimmy S.
I love the butter chicken and biryani at this location. I have been to this location numerous time and I have not been disappointed.
(5)Nancy A.
I really want to come back and try the buffet. I'm a vegetarian and I am so happy that this place exists. I also appreciated the nod to the Ayurvedic tradition in the front of the menu. The food was very tasty, but the chana masala was a little under cooked for my taste. They even brought a complimentary garlic naan to the table - very nice touch.
(4)Myke B.
I've been coming to Mango Grove for years now since first discovering them back in their old location. I'm always delighted by the range of veg/vegan options that are on the menu, and the helpful manager who will gladly point out vegan offerings and even make specialty suggestions or items that are not on the menu. The veg pakoras are wonderful, bursting with flavor and fried to perfection, and a quick dip into the provided tamarind chutney opens up the flavor and adds a wonderful sweetness. The lunch buffet is also worth a visit, just come prepared to eat! I find it hard to restrain myself and often go back for a second or third plate. And I also often forget that they still bring you a basket of naan and a dosai for lunch.
(5)Vik W.
This place offers a mashup of regional and popular Indian cuisine, from dosas, to a south Indian thali (6 to 8 assorted rice, yogurt, daal/lentil, sabzi/curry small servings in a single stainless steel thali/plate) to fare found in traditional US Indian restaurants, to a sneak peak into other popular urban cuisine like Indo-Chinese. I ate the Madras thali, and came away impressed at the authenticity and quality of the various items served in the thali. It wasn't flavored down, portion sizes were generous, and was actually prepared home style, without much oil, butter, or unneeded chili that masks other rich spice flavors. If you are not very familiar with the myriad flavor profiles of some of the regional cuisine in South India, I'd recommend doing your homework before eating here. Service was excellent. And its a fairly large restaurant space.
(5)Lisa S.
Went there for first time this afternoon. We had the buffet it was really one of the best if not best Indian buffets I have been to. For me the stand outs were the lentil dumpling, and papadum starters, the palaak paneer and the cauliflower and potato main dishes. The broccoli 65 got raves from the rest of the table. I also had a cup of some really fine Indian coffee. The food is spicy, but they have an excellent raita if you are like me and need to cool things off a little and excellent rice pudding or fruit custard to finish cooling the palate. I've been to buffets that may have had more variety but not better taste or value. Wait staff were pleasant, undisruptive, and yet attentive that drinks were kept full and plates discretely removed. It was a typical buffet layout but it didn't feel crowded and it was easy to converse at our table. It was a very good dining experience
(5)H H.
The first time I came here the food was excellent but the service was confusing. I couldn't tell who was out waiter and who was the bus boy. Update: Came here a second time. The food was still awesome and the service was much better than the first time. adding a star.
(4)Darling S.
Very delicious, fresh vegetarian and vegan food. I usually order take-out because I have to go back to work, and it is always hot and ready for me. When I first started coming, I don't think the server woman liked that I was ordering such a small amount for take-out; but hey I'm a small lady and don't eat a lot. Other than that the staff is quite pleasant and the food is prepared well.
(4)Lauren S.
I came here last night on a date. Got saag lamb, chicken 65, garlic naan and mango lassi. The lamb was soft, delicious, so good. I'm getting hungry thinking of it right now. The service was adequate and polite. I will be back!
(5)Andrew M.
My family has been going to Mango Grove/Mirchi Wok for many years now, ever since I discovered it buried and damn near hidden within the fast food cluster off of Dobbin. The food has always been unquestionably excellent, fresh, rich in taste and variety, and in this Yelper's opinion, superior to the likes of the much more popular House of India and Akbar. For example, I've yet to find a more tender tandoori chicken anywhere. Going this past weekend however, raised a few red flags with me. Namely, a 20% auto-gratuity! For 5 people! At a buffet! I'm no stranger to automatic gratuities. But they're usually 18%, for parties of 6 or larger, NOT at buffets, and stipulated SOMEWHERE. The owner knows me and my family. She's seen us for years and we've brought her much business and word-of-mouth superlatives. She personally issued us that check. Sentimentality, comfort, and familiarity aside, I just had to dock Mango Grove a couple stars for that move.
(3)Prathyusha K.
We went there for dinner on a weekday. The appetizers (samosa, pakodas) seemed as if they were re-fried from lunch leftovers. I even thought that some of the curries were on their way to the rotten land, but were reheated and served. The manager did come and check how we enjoyed our meal, but we couldn't say anything more than a sad fine because we were still recovering from the bad taste. In hindsight, we should have told the manager right there. Being an Indian, I have been to every possible Indian restaurant in the area and this is by far the worst.
(1)Chef A.
A am a vegan chef from Los Angeles who does not cook with or eat sugar, oil or salt. Needless to say, dining out is difficult and near impossible. I was speaking at a conference in Columbia, Maryland and I heard they made great vegan Indian food so I called and asked if they could make me any food without sugar, oil or salt. There were ten of us and they made us a veritable fest! A potato lentil dish, a spinach dish, an okra dish, a spicy jackfruit dish, a Dahl and my favorite, a lentil mushroom pancake. If they are this accommodating and their SOS food is this good, I can only imagine how great their regular vegan food is! 5 stars!!!
(5)Jules R.
Mango Grove is a decent place to eat Indian food. The service is always excellent, the owner always comes out to ask how your meal is, and it is decently priced. The food tastes good, too. I always get the Palak Paneer and the Chicken Tikka Masala. I tried the lunch buffet once and found it to have many selections, but nothing that I loved. The first time I came here, I had never eaten Indian food before and the owner took her time to explain all of the choices to me, and recommended a few dishes.
(3)Laura K.
Came for the weekend lunch buffet. I really enjoyed what I tried. The butter chicken, garlic naan, spicy broccoli, chickpeas, and mango lassi. I left so full.
(4)S N.
Best indian food in Columbia. Visited them at least 20 times and still amazed everytime with the quality of food and service. Dont miss the sambar when u go.
(5)Linda D.
Good food. Service not great.
(3)Nic E.
Can't say enough about this little gem of a place. The service is the best I've had anywhere, and the food is amazing. They are very cognizant of dietary restrictions, and more than willing to take special requests. The lunch buffet is mostly vegan, and at about $14, is a total steal. We love this place and will continue to bring friends and family.
(5)Abhi K.
This is the new location? I do not want to know how dingy the old location was. The place is set up like a one-room banquet hall. We went on Valentine's day and there were balloons that were limply attached to the backs of chairs as their helium seeped out. They did have a live band to play but it was so loud you could barely hear your company. I would think that for Valentine's day, they would choose to have soft piano music or jazz in the background. On this day especially, the musical act should not be the main event. The whole experience reminded me of being at a '90s bar mitzvah. They rolled out a "special Valentine's Day" menu, which really meant that they limited the menu options to one page and jacked up the prices. Other people have mentioned this, but a "holiday" is not the time to come to Mango Grove. Of course, who knows what qualifies as a holiday, so beware on Flag Day as well. The food itself was not bad. The banana pepper fritters were appropriately spicy and well paired with sauces. The dosas were crisp although the potato filling was not nearly spicy enough. We had to ask for additional hot peppers to mix in. The filling just tasted a bit bland. The sambhar, however, was fine. I've read other people complained about the manager and her staff. They did come off a bit terse, not at all friendly and very business-focused, but perhaps that was due to the added stress of the volume they had. The wait staff, as opposed to the admin, was actually very attentive and prompt with bringing our food, taking it away and bringing any additional things we asked for.
(2)Briana W.
Tastiest vegan lunch in town. Yummy buffet with lots of options. Sit by the window for springtime sunshine.
(5)J P.
I just visited the Mango Grove today and was so disappointed with the service. The owner was so rude. We ordered paneer tikka and malai kofta, 2 naan and the owner forced us to order more as it is one entree per person. We were 4 of us and usually a small appetite. This will be our last time at this restaurant.
(1)Brook H.
I took my vegetarian mother here for her birthday, because she wanted Indian food and we always had problems finding places that were truly vegetarian. Much to our surprise, this place lived up to its claim and we had an excellent birthday lunch! The food is typical Indian fare, but with a wide variety to choose from. I'm not much of a fan of Indian food, but there were even things that I kept going back for more. I would love to list the stuff, but I couldn't even pronounce the names. All I know is that they were good! For those who aren't vegetarian, they usually have a few chicken dishes set off to the side. Other than that, this place is truly for the vegetarian or open-minded. I also have to give kudos for the very attentive management who kept checking on their customers and helping with whatever was needed. So, if you're in the mood for Indian food and/or someplace to take a vegetarian friend or family member... check out the Mango Grove. You won't be disappointed!
(4)Angelica Jayne T.
I adore Indian food so I'm no stranger to Indian buffets. A vegetarian friend and I went here for lunch after church. I was delighted to see many dishes I haven't seen at other buffets. I'm not a vegetarian and the meat offerings were excellent as well. Everything I tried was delicious, the service was good, and I'll be back!! .
(4)M P.
Firstly, I can't believe this place has medium to low ratings. Customers don't be alarmed. The food was delicious and service was great. If you check-in using yelp, then you can get a Mango Lassi to drink while you eat or for dessert to-go. Upon arriving, you are seated w/ elegant dining room table setting w/ two papadaam (Indian crunchy tortillas) and two chutney's (the typical brown and green kinds). I had the Mushroom Onion Bellpepper Ottopaam. It came with Sambar and 2 types of chutney. Wow, was this great! The portion was large enough for two people (if you had ordered an appetizer too, otherwise it is just right for one person). I would definitely recommend this place to all my friends.
(5)Nicholas V.
Went here a few weeks ago for the first time and was blown away by the service and the food. The restaurant was very clean and had a great atmosphere. The staff was very attentive and was happy to help my vegan gf find a dish that was great for her. I highly recommend the masala dosai with mushrooms and onions and cheese. 5 out of 5 I will be back here again!!!
(5)Dan R.
Had a Restaurant.com coupon for $100.00. When we were ready to order we told the order taker that we had the coupon. He went to get the manager who in turn informed us that they have stopped dealing with Restaurant.com and they cannot take the coupon. When we said you were dealing with them when we bought the coupon, so you are obligated to honor the coupon. We were bluntly told "no we will not honor it" and we can order food against payment only. After such humiliation, what else we could have done, just walked out.
(1)R R.
Tasty tasty food. Best food in the area. Very professional staff. Love to go there. Nargasi aloo is great.
(5)Yaka H.
Mango Grove (vegetarian) and Mirchi Wok (the Indo-Chinese and non-vegetarian) offer a delightful buffet that is mostly vegetarian with 4 meat dishes on the far right. The offerings of the buffet is definitely one of the more vast ones, including fresh fruit, papadums, a larger offering of chutneys, and two soups. In addition, freshly made naan in a basket and a masala dosa per person arrives to the table. For the food, I noticed a very different, detailed approach to preparation which I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated. For example, the goat curry at Mango Grove was prepared with macerated pineapple chunks and ginger. I thought it gave it a nice touch to a usually animal-like strong taste of the goat. I really enjoyed all of the dishes, with the Manchurian vegetable curry becoming my favorite of that meal (the eggplant was cooked perfectly). SX, being pretty much a meat-avore, was satisfied with the buffet despite the number of vegetable dishes outweighing meat ones. Indian vegetarian dishes are one of the few vegetable dishes SX will actually eat on his own, so I thought this was a great thing since there are more vegetarian things to try here. The seating of the restaurant is deeply set within the restaurant. Everything's pretty clean with a nice, friendly ambiance. I believe the price per person for the lunch buffet is quite comparable to the other Indian lunch buffets in the area (I believe about $10-11 for weekday lunch and $12-13 for weekend lunch). Mango Grove has now joined the top ranks of my personal Indian buffet list.
(4)Assmaa E.
Been coming to Mango Grove for years- from the time they were by the Chick Fil A!!! Great food, great service =D I've ordered both take out and dine in and the food is so delicious! The staff is friendly and attentive and the atmosphere is quiet and peaceful! Portions are PLENTIFUL!!! We've ordered their chicken biryani for Johns Hopkins Cultural dinners time and time again- every time its the only dish that doesn't haven't one grain of rice left in the plate!
(5)Greg W.
Wow! Don't go here on a holiday, they charge 25% more because they claim they are paying their employees the extra for the holiday. Then they had the nerve too charge a gratuity on top of that. I wonder if the employee's will ever see this money? Guess what Mango Grove, there is plenty of competition in the neighborhood. We wont be back!
(1)Danielle M.
Can't wait to try this place have heard good things from vegetarian friends! UPDATE: it was awesome, super veg friendly! though the servers were a bit too helpful (pushy?) but well intended. but we all enjoyed our meals and I got the free lassi for 'checking in' on yelp! a little more expensive than expected but the quality and ambiance were great so its ok. will definitly go back for date night! also the lunch buffet sounds AWESOME, but I am sure it is jam packed with all the local business on lunch break
(4)Jessica L.
Good food. Restaurant itself...not so clean. Was seated in a booth by the window. The windowsill was covered with dead flies. The white table cloth on our table had dried sauce on it from a previous guest. Had to ask the waiter for a clean table cloth.
(2)Diesel L.
Review for Mango Grove. Party of two. Restaurant had 8 parties seated and in various stages of service when we arrived. Between ratings of being "in the weeds" or "steady" the kitchen should have been running maybe slightly above steady with consideration to the level of people in the restaurant and the complexity of the menu. It took 10 minutes before the hostess, not our server but the hostess showed to take our order for appetizers and drinks another 15 minutes before the appetizer showed. At 35 minutes into this misadventure the vodka martini I ordered showed up, but still no server or even hostess to take our entree order. At this point I was no longer hungry or even interested in eating at this restaurant. I returned the martini to wherever it had been shipped from and I paid for the appetizer and left. The manager was snippy and didn't bother to offer an explanation or an apology for the lackluster service as she charged me for the appetizer. This sealed the deal for me as I am big on voting with my wallet. Food is mediocre when you can get it. This restaurant specializes in the lunch buffet. This is the same buffet area that they never totally take down or clean thoroughly between buffet services. When we stopped for the lunch buffet I was underwhelmed by how long it took them to refill the steam table, and the over all cleanliness of that entire section made me question how filthy the kitchen must be. It is very obvious that they do a lot of reheating in this restaurant instead of cooking on demand. This is the lower end of Indian Cuisine I would not bother to come here unless you are looking for a poor experience and bizarrely long wait / service times considering they are reheating food instead of cooking on demand and have never been packed when we stopped for a meal. This was my third and final time going to this restaurant as I believe any restaurant can have a single bad day or evening but by the third time going at various different times you should have a good feel for their offerings. In my opinion Mango Grove does not deserve to survive in the restaurant world. There is another Indian cuisine restaurant a stones throw away on the other side of the sediment pond in that restaurant park. The prices are higher. But you certainly get what you pay for. As far as Mango Grove is concerned if you insist on eating here go during the lunch buffet and you actually stand a chance to get some freshly prepared food at the top of the hour for the lunch buffet.
(1)Kirstin B.
We were really pleased with the food and service! It's rare to find a place that offers something besides just the usual north Indian fare-- this place has not only South Indian but also Indo-Chinese, yum! We had a dosa (large size made the price worth it), an uttapam (also generous size) and also an order of Gobi Manchurian. The Sambar and chutneys that came with the first two orders were also tasty. The waiters were very attentive and we even got extra papadum while we waited for the order. We have traveled and lived in India and we both enjoyed this meal.
(5)Sam G.
Great Indian lunch buffet. Wide choice of vegetarian entrees. There are 3 to 4 meat dishes in separate area.
(5)HowChow B.
Mango Grove is back, and you should be there as well. The Columbia restaurant closed last year when they knocked down its building to build a drive-through Starbucks. They have reopened just off Dobbin Road, and they're back at full strength -- offering both a vegetarian menu and non-veg dishes that they used to serve at Mirchi Wok. As I have said before, Indian is one of Howard County's deepest cuisines. But Mango Grove offers a unique experience that makes it perfect for people who already love Indian food or who want to give it a try. In fact, Mango Grove lets you mix and match your table across three different experiences -- meat curries and kababs like other Indian restaurants, a vegetarian menu that runs down the subcontinent into southern specialities like dosas, and an Indo-Chinese selection that shows how Calcutta merged the two cuisines. The meat dishes hold their own against Mango Grove's top notch neighbors like House of India and Royal Taj. Each kitchen uses different spices mixtures and cuts of meat, but Mango Grove offers standards like tandoori chicken, chicken korma, and even fish curries. When you want to branch out, work the Indo-Chinese menu. The wok dishes were the focus when Mirchi Wok opened in the old location, but the chicken lollypops, Szechwan chicken, and cauliflower dumplings are now more of a supplement. The Mirchi fried rice is a fun way to see how Chinese cuisine gets translated -- in the same way that Americans inspired General Tso's and Koreans inspired black bean noodles. Then push into the separate vegetarian menu, the curries and dosas that make Mango Grove a place that we visit as much as we eat out anywhere. Start with a curry or two -- for example, smokey pureed eggplant in bainghan bharta, rich lentils in dal makhani, or tender potatoes paired with cauliflower, spinach or cubed eggplant. Jazz it up with bread, the plain naan most of the time but a whole wheat roti or a raisin-spiked Kashmiri naan for a break. Then pick a dosa (or "dosai"). At the open station right at the entrance, chefs create platter-sized rice and lentil pancakes and then roll them around mixtures of potato, onion and vegetables. You break off pieces of crispy pancake and scoop filling as you go. I'd start with a masala dosa with its basic filling, but you can come back for variation like the Mango Grove Special, which was more like shards of crispy batter than the simple dosa pancake. If you go with a kid who has gotten past chicken nuggets, take them up to watch the dosa being made. That open station is a great place to show off that the south Indian standard is familiar enough to be like a pancake, but different enough to be some new. The beauty of new vegetarian food is that you can explore without fear of what you're putting in your mouth. At the core, dosas are rice and lentil crisps wrapped about mashed potato. The oothappam are variations that you can top with cheese and all kinds of vegetables. The idli appetizers are mild, steamed rice and lentil cakes that were perfect our family who can't eat spicy food. These are all friendly foods, warm for the winter but light enough to enjoy all year. If anything, Mango Grove has improved in its warm, earth-toned new space. You get many of the friendly faces who used to work at the old location, but the updated dining room offers an enormous lunch buffet and a back-window view over the development's pond. They'll get their liquor license soon, and it will be full steam ahead. Two practical notes. First, I recommend that you stick to curries and idli if you order takeout. The dosas are crisp and delicious right off the griddle. But they will soften in a takeout container. Second, this is a great place to mix vegetarians and meat-lovers. You each get a whole menu. They actually set up two kitchens -- one vegetarian and one for meat.
(5)Pulkit G.
I have been to all of Indian restaurants in Howard County area and this is the one I would not recommend: 4/10 - For service, servers were good and still not good enough. They do not listen to you properly and of my 5 visits I got a wrongly made food thrice. 1/10 on the quality of food - Tasteless, cold, prepared early sometimes, then just heated and served it. 1/10 - Super bad manager - I know what food I want to eat and how, she came in and start giving suggestions which I don't need. And she did this on my every visit - she was so forceful that why did you order "A", should I change it to order "B", this is not how you eat "A", if you are ordering "A", order "C" to00 -- BS. Overpriced - I would go to some other restaurant on any given day. Suggestion - The suggestions were taken just for the sake of taking. Overall going there 5 times with different people - all 5 times all of us had same thought - "We wont come here again"
(1)Rebecca S.
A vegetarian paradise! My husband and I enjoy their lunch buffet almost every weekend, it's amazing and a great deal. The owner and all the staff there are extremely friendly, they seem to know everyone in there.
(5)Deborah G.
Today I was in the mood for a taste of curry so we hopped into the car, set the GPS (actually I don't know how to use it in my husband's new media intensive car) and had my navigator- son guide me on a journey to India at the newly re-opened Mango Grove in Columbia. The old Mango Grove was a victim of a lost lease to a drive-through Starbucks (coffee rules over tea). We used a Google paper map to find its new location and yes we can still read paper maps. The eatery is maybe 5 minutes further away from the old location on Dobbin Road. I kind of liked the old location as it was very cozy and comfortable and the buffet was easy to access from any table. Now they have a more spacious location and I found it okay because it was clean and more open but the buffet was moved a bit further away. The room had light coming in from both ends from large windows and it was done in earthy colors - curry and clay with an open ceiling. The seating is new and there are many more comfortable booths surrounding the rectangular room. I give them their first star for the attractive decor. So what about the food? When you walk in there is a small bar that serves a few beers on tap and some kind of mango liquor drink from India. We did not partake of the alcoholic beverages and drank cold water from a glass carafe (they are very smart to do this as curry can be hot, hot, hot). We also had black tea with cardamom. It was okay but not the best Indian tea I've had around B'more. The buffet service is broken into three serving areas. The first area has two soups, salads, and condiments. The soups were too hot for me (I took a sample) and I could see those hot red peppers floating in the pot which was a "red alert." Naan bread a bit burnt, and somewhat chewy was brought to our table along with a pancake appetizer filled with potatoes that was not tasty. I won't discuss all the foods on the buffet because there were too many and some were not as attractive as I had remembered them. On the two serving areas, the tiki chicken masala, the stuffed potatoes, the yellow dal and the spinach dishes were by far the best. The tandoori chicken was made with dark meat, and I don't like dark meat so I did not eat this dish.The battered fried cauliflower was resting in a brown gooey sauce which destroyed the health benefits of the veggie.Last on the buffet was a chicken chili and goat curry. Not for this foodie as they were quite unsavory looking so I did not take any nor did my son. One star for the good food on the buffet and minus one star for the less appealing. Lastly, I want to comment about the rice and the desserts. At the old MG, the rice was like a soft ride to heaven as it was light and fluffy. I would dream about the rice before going. Now they had two trays of rice - one a basmati (plain) and the other a vegetable biryani. They were both dry and tasteless so I took away another star. Rice, an Indian staple, was not done right! I could not believe this. The two desserts were odd, some kind of an orange spiral of who knows what and some little dough balls floating in light syrup. None of these were what I wanted. I craved the unbelievably good rice pudding that I remembered the old Grove serving.. so i asked, could we have two dishes of that out-of-this world rice pudding and the server said yes. Well this rice pudding made me give them another star for the meal. I could have skipped the food and just had this dessert and been satisfied. We ate it all and scraped the dish clean with our spoons. So what would I recommend...on weekdays the buffet is $10.95 and on weekends the meal is $12.95. I'd go on a weekday as the meal is worth $10.95. Two cups of the okay cardamom tea were $5.90 so drink water to save the $2.95 per cup. Stick to what looks good. Take a small sample of the odd looking foods and go back for more if you like the flavor. Make sure you stir the food up from the bottom because the food in the serving trays is warm on the bottom and cooler on the top. They say you can't go home again and this version of the MG is not what I quite remembered at the former site. However, I would return if I needed some curry and some excellent rice pudding to satisfy my cravings for these foods. My white glove report: The new site is very clean, open and airy. This is a positive. The restrooms looked like they were given a very basic remodeling from the last tenant but were okay. The sink was very clean and there was soap in the dispenser. The paper towel dispenser had a funny handle which was not the most hygienic to use but there was no paper so I resorted to using the air to dry my hands. I reported this to the owner-manager and she thanked me for telling her. The service was attentive and excellent for a restaurant that's only been open for three weeks, The owner advised me that MG does rotate the menu on the buffet as I told her I missed the peas with the cheese in a creamy spicy sauce - Mattar Paneer.
(3)Esther O.
Mango Grove was delicious and introduced me to the craziness of jackfruit. I almost can't believe I was really eating a fruit and not meat - I'm not sure I would have believed it if I hadn't heard about jackfruit before. I saw it on their menu as Kathal Korma, and I knew I had to grab this opportunity to finally try it. As mentioned in other reviews, they have a full vegetarian menu as well as a meat menu, making them a wonderful place to go if you have a mix of diners in your party. The vegetarian menu is over half vegan dishes as well. I also tried the chana masala which was light and flavorful - possibly the best chana masala I have had. Something made it just a little bit special and different, whereas usually one is pretty much like the next. We had the Mirchi Pakora (banana pepper pakoras) for an appetizer, and they were just ok. Couldn't have asked for more attentive service, as at least 5 different wait staff were checking on our table. If you can get a table by the window it is a really pretty location to look out on the lake - and catch a view of some fireflies if you are there at just the right time. :)
(3)Vishal S.
The food here is okayish. Sometimes its good and sometimes its bad. The buffet here is not really good. It is good for all the vegetarian people but not a lot of choices for the non vegetarian people. For the a la carte they have a good south indian selection of food. Their indo chinese selection of food is also really good. Try chicken chilly, manchurian.
(3)Wafi H.
They're buffet kicks ass!
(4)Jared G.
My wife and I have been here several times and we love it! We moved here pretty recently from the San Francisco Bay Area where there are a lot of good Indian dining options. Mango Grove is as good as any place we have eaten in the SF area. The dosas are amazing, but pretty much everything we've had here has been really good. We highly recommend it to anyone and it is our favorite Indian restaurant on the east coast, and we've been to quite a few.
(5)Safiyyah A.
Definitely try the Mango Grove Special Masala Dosai, it's one of their jumbo south Indian crepes, and it's delicious! The samosas are always great too. My fellow diners had the Haleem Lamb dish on the Mirchi Wok menu and the Chicken 65 which they said was awesome. The service is friendly, though pretty slow, but the food makes up for it!
(5)Nik D.
Not Good enough. Expensive and poor quality.
(1)Richard F.
Mango Grove, in its old location, was one of two restaurants in the same building. Mango Grove featured a vegetarian menu and neighboring Mirchi Wok featured Indian meat dishes. In its new location Mango Grove offers two menus, one vegetarian and one with meat dishes. Now, my wife, who enjoys vegetarian dishes, and I, a meat eater, are both happy to chose from the menus in a nice atmosphere among a friendly staff. The buffet is great and the meat dishes are in a separate alcove from the vegetarian dishes. We really like this place and enjoying taking guests here as well.
(4)Augie G.
I would never eat here again if my life depended on it. The service- slow. Manager- rude. Food- HORRIBLE!!! The price is outrageous for this quality of service and food. The decor looks like they bought an old building and attempted to hide that fact. Not worth 1 star...
(1)Trevor P.
I first discovered Indian food about 10 years ago when my boss took me to a cozy little lunch buffet in Rockville. I liked almost everything I tried, including vegetable dishes, and that's saying a lot for this picky eater. Ever since, our family has been a house divided when it comes to Asian food--my wife favored Chinese, and neither of us had much tolerance for the other. Well, today the stand-off ended. After years of talking about visiting Mango Grove for those times when I'm trending vegetarian, we finally tried their lunch buffet in the new location. I thought it was a great selection, everything seemed fresh, and I quickly identified some new favorite dishes; the service was quick and attentive. But the real news, and the reason I have to call it a five-star experience, is that my wife decided she really does like Indian food! She said her eyes had been opened, and that was after her first visit to the vegetarian-only side of the buffet. Thanks to Mango Grove for re-uniting our family (well, now we have to work on the kids)!
(5)Sara S.
If they offer a substitution, just order something else. Somehow, they thought it was okay to send out nan stuffed with cheddar cheese in place of the goat cheese and basil kulcha that I ordered. If I had realized that was going to be the sub, I'd have opted out entirely. It was gross. It really bummed me out. It didn't seem to be worth the effort of making a fuss over so I just didn't eat it, but still paid $7 for it. Tandoori chicken was ok. But, the wilted lettuce on the hot place was off-putting. Everyone else that ordered enjoyed their food. The mango lassi was delicious.
(2)DivZ G.
I have been to this place more than a couple of times. Every time, I go, I expect them to do a better job but naah...it kinda gets worse. As an Indian, I would prefer cooking at home than going to this place. The buffet is very very minutely good if you are lucky. The customer service sucks and if you are an indian, they dont think u deserve any attention. Also, you observe lot of americans and others being at this place as they definitely get this a good service. I remember once going in here for dinner, they give you a full menu but all you tend to get is noodles and no south indian food (dont know why they bother with the menu or atleast can tell us before hand). There was only one person and the manager. They dint look at us or come to our table. The manager was chatting with some american people and entertaining. No offense to any one here but dude we are people too waiting for a table for 5 miniutes. So I strongly recommend no body going in here for indian food. They do not represent good indian food, much better places to go. Ambience - okay-lighting d candle infront of u, so u know how good that looks Food Quality-very pooor Cleanliness - Definitely doubt Customer Service - Horrible
(2)Misty D.
I wish that I had read Amit's review before I ventured out to the lunch buffet with my tykes yesterday... Thankfully, I didn't hear or see any rodents! I've also been going to the MG for years. While I've eaten dinners there occasionally, by far the best deal is the lunch buffet ($8.95 weekdays). There's usually a good assortment of entrees, sides, breads, and one or two desserts. My visit yesterday was the most lackluster by far. The tablecloths were not clean, and the dining area felt a bit shabby. Spring cleaning, anyone? The bathroom (in the corridor between the sister restaurant) is a bit grim but now includes a changing table. More importantly, the food just wasn't up to snuff. The appetizers (tapioca cakes and pakoras) were not heated and seemed old. The papadums--a fave of my Chickadee and me--were stale. An entree that featured corn and green beans used frozen, soggy veggies. Eh, no thanks... They also clipped me for $6 for my daughter's lunch (she's 3 and ate maybe a plate of food). Perhaps the Mango Grove is past its prime.
(2)Russell R.
Nice place for Indian food, which is meatless and very tasty. I like the various Paneer dishes, with my favorite being the Palak Paneer. The various breads are wonderful. I really like the lunch buffet but tend to overeat! The booth seating needs updating and the place can be a bit cold in the winter, especially when they first open up, but that's a minor thing because the food is so good.
(3)Samuel C.
The food is good! Now this place is gone. The whole building is torn down... I heard that they making a new starbuck...!!
(4)Hebob B.
Excellent experience!!!
(5)Danny C.
Mango Grove. Re-opened nearby. And although I miss Mongolian Grill a bit, Mango Grove has improved dramatically. Atleast in my own experience(s). Mango Grove and Mirchi Wok are together now. Same space, but different kitchens. I approve. =) This is about the buffet. I went there 7 times in the past 30 days and each time I go there, not only the service but also their food has gotten better. Its the same staff that used to be at Mango Grove and Mirchi Wok. The service is exceptional. Giving us a whole jar of water, then replacing it with another jar before we run out; filling our glasses before we finish. Taking our plates when we come back with new ones, coming around when we finish our bread and crepes? And asking us if we would like more. Friendly service and fast! The owners? From Mirchi Wok and Mango Grove are usually around and greets whoever comes in. They also come by your table to make sure our experience is satisfied. The food? There are less spices in the food than other Indian restaurants, but thats to appeal to a more wider consumer base, which is understandable and perfectly fine for me. There are plenty of Indian restaurants around the area, but nothing like Mango Grove. Oh, their sauces like the raita? Arent the best. But every thing else is! Their breads? Naan bread coming out hot, fresh, and buttery! =) Their other breads, dont know the names but they come in different shapes like circles and squares; when you bite into them, it literally melts in your mouth. Smother the breads and rice with all the fantastic veggie platters and yes, they do have a meat section! Only 4 choices of meat, but high quality. Im a meat lover, so saying this is unusual and rare! Plus we dont need to be eating too much meat anyways right? hehe. Each and every dish you see at the buffet has its own unique flavors and textures. Everything there is fantastic except 2 things. Like I said before, some of the sauces like raita arent the best and sometimes the bread you get at the big round metal plate at the buffet are hamburger buns... =O !!! Even so, there are plenty of options for bread so those buns will be overlooked. And sauces? Well almost every dish in the buffet line have some type of sauce to it. The best Indian restaurant I have ever been to. Thanks to Mango Grove and their exceptional food and service! 10/10
(5)Sofia J.
I really enjoy lunch or dinner at the Mango Grove. My absolute favorite dish are the dosas. There are several filling options but they are all delicious. All of their entrees are delicious. I have never tried any of he meat-based dishes because I'm a vegetarian. As for the service, I have always had very good service and everyone has always been friendly.
(5)Carl T.
Dinner is very, very good here. They offer all the typical Indian selections. The quality is high. The place was very crowded on a Wednesday, which was a good sign.
(5)Steph L.
Ate here for the first time tonight. The food was awesome and the staff were super-friendly. Everything vegan was clearly labeled and there's a vegetarian menu. Highly recommend the okra! Can't wait to go back.
(5)Andrew R.
It's just reopening with a new menu and renovations aren't quite finished, so the ambiance is a little weird. But the service is great, the menu is a good mix of interesting styles and traditional favorites, and the prices are reasonable. I was satisfied. Oh - big portions. We (two mid-20s guys) got an appetizer and two entrees, and we had plenty left to take home.
(4)Dia S.
Meh - that was what our entire group felt about our last dining experience. Mango Grove used to have great food. Now in the new location with the merging of the old mango grove with the new masala wok, the food is very below average. Our order was mixed up for two items. Other people in the group had to wait till the replacement correct order arrived. The owners who were around were made aware of this. They didn't offer to take the item off the list or offer free dessert. If they had just apologized, we would have been fine with the service despite it being slow as well. The ambiance is not bad but the food is pricey, greasy and not tasty. And that was the opinion of 6 indian people and 2 americans who happen to be indian food connosieurs. Avoid.
(1)Mayank D.
It's a little bit pricey but a good restaurant. I love the lunch buffets here
(4)Tony P.
The place is not all about the veggies. When you come in, the left side is reserved for the omnivores. There are a plethora of chicken dishes and veggie dishes to pick from the buffet table. The right door is for the vegetarians. The service is prompt and expedient. The facility is nice and clean with simple Indian decor. The dishes are a little bland for my tastes. But my Indian coworkers like it well enough. The chutney is ok but does not have enough heat. The sweet almond milk pudding dessert is pretty tasty. Overall a good bargain for $10 lunch buffet.
(3)Amit W.
we have been to this restaurant for the past two years and the customer service was always not worth mentioning...but the food was decent...but on our last visit we found that even the food lost the taste.... There are many other great restaurants in the Columbia area.....and I am sorry to say Mirchi wok or The Mango grove is not one of them
(1)Alli J.
I would walk on broken glass for a Mango Grove dosa. I had a dream once that I was swimming in a sea of their palek paneer. The place is entirely vegetarian and has a great selection of Vegan menu items, too. And you get a ridiculous amount of food for not-a-lot-of-money. They don't balk at accommodating large groups and have a decent selection of beers. The food is served in a manner conducive to sharing, so you can family-style your dinner. Or you can throw yourself on top of your tikki channa chaat and scream, HANDS OFF, GRANDMA. GET YOUR OWN. You know, if you're not into sharing.
(5)Sharas R.
We went for dinner. Ordered chicken hot & sour soup, mirchi goat, lacha paratha, and a noodle dish. Very disappointed with all items. Looks like they serve the lunch buffet leftovers for dinner. price is crazy for the quality of food. the near by 'House of India' and 'Royal Taj' are much better comparatively. I tried their food in the old location near Walmart and had same experience, but hoped that they improved the quality in the new place.
(2)Nicole L.
Once a taxi driver raved about this restaurant so after moving away from the area, I made a trip back and found that it was typical indian fare. There're way better places than this one such as Minerva. The buffet was typical curries but with lots more vegetarian items.
(2)Jessica A.
Tender and tasty garlic naan, delicious dosa and paneer. Totally vegetarian so lots of options available if you're avoiding meat.
(3)Shieva R.
My family and i headed over for a nice Indian meal. We ordered a variety of food, and unlike some more perhaps Americanized Indian restaurants every dish we ordered had completely different, delicious flavors. The dishes they had were from all over India as well as Nepal and possibly other places that I'm just not aware of.
(4)Gira P.
This place is probably amazing for vegetarians. I, myself, am not one, but my entire family is (and I used to be) so it's convenient. The waitress felt very pushy and in a rush, even when the place was pretty empty. The food was good. I'm not a fan of most Indian food, but judging by my family's reactions, it's good. I do enjoy paneer with naan, though, and that was wonderful. :)
(3)Pradeep H.
I am a strict vegetarian and I used to love Mango Grove (and Mirchi Wok) 2 years back....Their lunch buffet and dosas and the indo-chinese stuff at Mirchi Wok used to be really great... Of late, there has been a change on management and chef and they have been really disappointing. The food taste has gone down quite drastically. I don't recommend it unless I hear about it differently in the future.
(1)Jennifer S.
Lately, for health reasons, I've tried to maintain a vegetarian diet. After consulting an app on my iPhone called VegOut, I came across The Mango Grove as one of the most highly rated vegetarian cuisine restaurants in Columbia. I went there on a Friday and was pleasantly surprised to find that I'd arrived during the time frame of their very affordable lunch buffet ($8.95). As I had hoped, everything served there was vegetarian. However, had I not been pursuing a meatless path, I still would have greatly enjoyed the items offered. I may not know the names of half of the dishes I ate, but each one was highly flavorful and prepared with care. I can't think of one item I didn't like, and I pretty much tried a taste of everything. The buffet offered everything from salad and appetizers to filling main entrees and scrumptious desserts. The staff was courteous and attentive. The entire experience was pleasant to my senses. I noted that there were some Yelp reviewers that had bad experiences. Maybe the restaurant was having an "off" day, because that certainly wasn't the case when I went recently.
(4)Tracy L.
This is one of my mom's favorite restaurants for when we meet up to grab lunch on work days. The buffet has a wide variety of delicious foods and several types of breads not just the naan. We also like that there are two types of soup, some of the other buffets in the area don't offer soup. The service is usually ok, we've had quite an issue trying to get more water on several occasions. Usually we end up going up to the front and grabbing another carafe ourselves. I really like that all the dishes are vegetarian, when we go to some of the other buffets my favorite sauces usually come over chicken or some meat. I also like that there are always two flavors of rice, steamed white rice, and then some sort of flavored rice with saffron. Parking here during the lunch rush is kind of bothersome. Too many people trying to rush the Chick-Fil-A next door, and there isn't much of a parking lot. Also, I just find Dobbin kind of a pain to get into at all.
(3)K Sera S.
Excellent vegetarian Indian. And I would argue that unless you absolutely MUST have some meat, it is one of the best Indian places in town, veggie or not. And it really doesn't matter much, because they're now affiliated with the restaurant next door (can't remember the name), so I think you can get meat dishes as well. I rarely actually sit down to eat here (nothing to do with them; I just tend to get carry out). NOTE: Add 15 minutes to whatever time they tell you to pick it up. And check your order before you leave. I will say that I have heard horror stories of dreadful if not downright rude service and about checks showing prices other than what was listed on the menu, so perhaps things are getting dicey. I'd say try it carry out first.
(3)Esme O.
This is my favorite restaurant. Delicious food and friendly staff. I am vegan and they are always happy to tell me what's vegan on the buffet (usually at least half of the buffet items are vegan) and the vegan items on the menu are marked with a V, plus they are flexible about modifying things to make them vegan. They can also be flexible about letting you order stuff that's not on the menu. The dosais are delicious and pretty much everything else is too! The lunch buffet is your best bet because you can try a lot of things and they serve special dishes that aren't on the main menu. Yum!
(5)R Shayne F.
Great food. Great service. The owners were attentive, professional and warm.
(4)Charlotte B.
A long time favorite I return to again and again. And, you should know, I'm not a huuuuge fan of Indian food, nor am I vegetarian. I think that speaks to the high quality of the cooking. I appreciate that they have some unique and different dishes. I agree that the Nargissi Aloo is a particular favorite--potatoes that are somehow stuffed with cheese and spices, yet retain their integrity when sliced and served in a lovely, tomato-based sauce. This dish is so good that when I haven't eaten it in a while I find myself thinking about it and planning to come back so I can eat it again. It's that kind of place.
(5)Rick K.
A wonderful vegetarian Indian restaurant with a generous lunch buffet spread. The owner or chef seems to be a bit more daring sometimes trying some of the items recently found on menus in India that may not be considered traditional Indian cuisine in most American Indian restaurants. If you don't go for the buffet, try the Masala or paper dosai. While lunch buffets are quick this is not a fast food Indian place; there are real cloth table cloths. The decor and food are good enough that if you suddenly find out your client is a vegetarian, this is a great option.
(4)Ganesh V.
Undoubtedly the worst Indian restaurant in the area. The food is horrible. Absolutely bland. The service was bad. If you want authentic or near authentic Indian food stay away from this restaurant. The lady who manages this restaurant is curt and is not customer friendly at all.
(1)CrunchyCrystal B.
With Indian being my favorite type of food, I was thrilled to find this little treasure tucked away in one of the many shopping center in Columbia. While I am not a fan of Columbia generally (due to it's over-planned communities and endless strains of chain restaurants), I will say that Mango Grove redeems Columbia...a little. It is hard to find Indian restaurants, let alone good ones, and this one is a true gem! Mango Grove serves vegetarian food and has a buffet most days of the week. Naturally, I sampled every item and my taste buds jumped at every dish! Their potato and spinach curry is rich, spicy, and made with warmth. I highly recommend a plateful of it atop of their fresh rice. Another favorite of mine was the fried cottage cheese. It was broken down, classic Indian cheese crumbles in a sweet yet smokey sauce. Seconds was definitely in order after this dish! Their vegetable mash was very spicy and right up my alley! I must mention their dessert as well. I usually pass on dessert at Indian restaurants, but thankfully I indulged in this one! They offer banana and chocolate mousse which was refreshing and livened up my pallet with cool, silky chocolate flavor and fresh banana. They also had (and this sounds weird, but trust me, it is amazing) fermented butter sticks fried in orange and cardamom. It was unlike anything I had ever had before...almost like an orange funnel cake. Their menu holds a large selection of classic Indian dishes (many of them incorporated paneer, which is always something I am seeking out!), but if you get the chance to get to their lunch buffet, definitely try everything! The service was pretty good and the staff was friendly. Indian food can sometimes be a bit pricey, but Mango Grove was priced a little below than most Indian places I have encountered, and the food was definitely worth more than asking price! Lastly, the environment is calm and relaxed with Buddha statues, small baskets of spices, and luxurious curtains. Mango Grove is a pleasant experiences for those who are tired of the same old bars and grills that stain Columbia.
(5)suma s.
Okay reading all the good things about this place we travelled 20 miles to get here. The food is BAD! Trust me, I am a south Indian, I know how a dosai and idli or an uthapam should look like and taste. We got masala dosai- it was sooo sour. Obviously the batter was fermented too long. the sambar was just plain water mixed with sambhar powder- not one vegetabe in that sambar. we took aloo tikki's the besan coating was not cooked well and it was still raw. Worse was this place is freaking expensive. We ended up paying 35$ just for 2 dosais and 1 alu tikki and 1 mango shake. This would have cost us 25$ in Madras Palace.I cannot understand why people would want to go here - bad food and inflated prices. this place is not even worth 1 star. I would take my Akbhar, Madras palace, bombay bistro and Haandi any day.
(1)Ji K.
This is where I currently go to satisfy my Indian cravings not too far from home...well actually Mirchi Wok since you can order anything from Mango Grove too. Just ask for both menus when you walk into Mirchi Wok. On the recommendation of an Indian coworker, we ordered Biriyani for take out at another restaurant couple years ago and now we are hooked. Mirchi Wok takes care of this fix pretty well. We almost always get chicken biriyani when we visit. Like pandora b. mentioned, the dosas are excellent from the Mango Grove menu. Another item we really like in the Mango Grove menu is Nargissi Aloo. I've seen more Indians dining in Mirchi Wok than in other Indian restaurants in Columbia as well.
(4)Bethany M.
Food was absolutely fantastic! I ordered eggplant curry (extra spicy), and my hubby got the lamb, served hot and sizzling. Now, don't get me wrong I'm sure the other vegetarian dishes were delicious, but the lamb was out of this world good. Tasted like a tender steak, perfectly seasoned, and left me wishing there was more leftover to share! I love the fact that the rice is never ending, and the naan was not bad at all! We will definitely come back! The decor was very nice too. Do not let the outside of look fool you; the interior is no typical restaurant. Rather classy in my opinion...although you don't need to dress up or make reservations. You should try this place if you have any interest at all and love spicy dishes. You will not regret this place.
(5)Adam T.
This is the vegetarian side which goes along with Mirchi Wok. It seems to be a little more formal, but it has great food. I usually go to Mirchi Wok because I like the meat dishes, but there are plenty of vegetarian dishes that I like and during the lunch buffet you can go to both sides.
(4)Carrie F.
Great vegetarian restaurant. I love the food and the buffet setup is awesome! Great price!!! I only wish the service was a little better.
(4)Robin V.
I generally don't like to say something truly unkind in this case it's deserved. Rude manager/owner, grossly improper temperature for held food (on the buffet), dirty serving dishes, what else do you think happened. It's up to you. If they fix the problem - and they need to - you could try it, the location was convenient and we wanted to like it.
(1)Jay C.
This is a very good place to eat the best deal is the buffet. Very good food and service. Mango Lasse is great! I have been to The Mango Grove at least 4 times buffet and restaurant.
(4)Amit P.
First of all, I've been going to Mango Grove for years now. For a long time, it was the best Indian food in the Columbia area. My family and I went to eat here on a Friday night (5/8/09), and the food was pretty decent. The quality was about the same as it's always been. However, the prices have gone up drastically. I understand that the price of ingredients has gone up, but for the serving/portion size, $14-15 is pretty high for an entree, historically speaking. Here's where it gets bad... as we paid for the meal and got our check back at the table, we suddenly hear sounds in the ceiling. CLEARLY, it sounded like a RAT or other large pest scuttling around in the ceiling of the restaurant. And by scuttling, I mean RUNNING a lap around the restaurant ceiling a few times. To say the least, we were very skeeved out, and decided to book it out of the restaurant. The 2 other parties in the restaurant at the time also heard the animal moving above us. I WILL NOT be eating here again. There are better/more affordable places to get Indian food in Columbia. Sadly, The Mango Grove is not as it used to be.
(2)Rasi W.
Haven't been here in a while, so would be curious to see if things have changed. The place is good and their food amazing. There are some dishes (like Jackfruit curry) which are hard to find and is available here. For South Indian dishes like Dosa, it's hard to beat this place. However, the service is where I am disappointed. There were a few times we were made some awkward requests (I'm sorry our credit card machine is broken, you'll have to go and get cash to pay your bill!!!! or if you don't like this dish you clearly don't know what indian food tastes like!) -- I certainly they can improve on this, and like I said, I haven't been here in a while, so I'm hoping that they may have changed now.
(3)Jessica B.
So glad the Grove has reopened! We just went to their new location- it's nice digs, and of course the service and food are great. I'm still thinking about the palak paneer I had last night.. I'm looking forward to becoming a regular again.
(5)Mike S.
Mango Grove is open! Went for brunch on Presidents day and it was wonderful. New space was great and food was amazing.
(5)Thanka A.
This was the worst service I received ever at a restaurant! The waitress didnt even say hello, she was like "Okay....what do you want" And then when we told her she said "That's all ur getting?" Tehn we had a restaurant .com coupon, that were mysteriously" unable to use. And the food wasnt even that good. I'm Indian so I know!
(1)Nanda R.
Food is not worth the money... at all. Service was not too bad.
(1)Pandora B.
Mainly South Indian food, this is the only place outside of India that I have had exceptional Dosas, They're serious about their dosas here. It has been several years and many miles since I've been to Mango Grove, but I still think about coming back here.
(4)Kevin W.
This evening my wife and I tried The Mango Grove for the first time. It was very slow tonight so we got a table right away. The smells were fantastic. ALOT of options on the menu. We noticed that everything on the menu is vegetarian. We asked about this and we were told that the other dining room has meat options. Interesting philosophy. We stayed on the veggie side and settled on a couple of curry dishes and samosas to start. Everything was delicious! The naan was incredible. The dessert was very good but very small. We will be back for sure though.
(4)Cliff E.
Excellant Sunday and Lunch buffet- under $10 buys you home made lemon pickle, and great mushroom curry,
(4)Mary R.
I miss this place sometimes its almost painful. They have an awesome lunch buffet where one can eat themselves stupid for under ten dollars. Also there dinner menu is divine and is perfect for those who occasionally observe a non meat regiment. The service can be slow at times, but all good things come to those who wait. Plus I have never had a bad meal here, ever.
(4)Vidya P.
the food was great but the service was...horrendous. when i received my bill with the total, i handed over my credit card. when the manager brought back the receipt for me to sign, my credit card was missing. i asked the manager where it was and when he came back with it, he handed me an additional receipt, explaining that since they forgot to charge me for a mango lassi in the original bill, they took it upon themselves to charge my card for it. i told the manager that this was strange and he gave me serious attitude about my being distraught over this. in my opinion, there would have been two acceptable ways to deal with this scenario as management, only one being tasteful: 1) forgetting about the charge or 2) coming back to the table, explaining the omission on the bill and asking for my permission to charge my card again or asking for payment in cash. while scenario 1 would have been the only tasteful thing to do, scenario 2 would have been acceptable; however, neither course of action was taken. this experience put a sour taste in my mouth and i consequently cannot recommend that others give their business to this restaurant.
(1)Lindsay G.
I've loved it for so many years. Friendly service, delicious buffet. So good you won't even realize there's no meat. It's more expensive during the weekend, so it's a better deal during the week. Variety is great, and it has just enough spice.
(4)Cynthia O.
Whether you're a vegetarian or omnivore, this place is amazing! Make your first trip a visit to their lunch buffet for maximum variety.
(5)Jennifer R.
This place is great for the take-out lunch buffet! I went to the non-veggie side - Mirchi Wok, and for $11 I was able to take home a ton of food including soup, naan, and dessert - gulab jamun - my favorite Indian dessert ever! The food was excellent as far as I'm concerned - actually it was pretty spicy... I like that. There were two kinds of rice, several chicken options, several veggie options, appetizers, two desserts, and tons of condiments. The servers were very helpful explaining what things were and kept asking me if I wanted to take more! The naan was hot and fresh and I got several take-out cups full of condiments (sauces and such), as well as a take-out up full of dessert, and of course my main meal! Definitely check this restaurant out because it's a great deal and really tasty!
(5)CJ W.
intense vegetable buffet induces meat-like food coma. omnivores will appreciate the variety and depth of flavors offered at the lunch buffet, but the connected mirchi wok is an option for staunch carnivores. don't turn away that dosa as it is some of the best around. soups, chutneys, and an ever changing array of unique indian dishes make this a worthwhile hour away from work. you won't always find your standby indian favorites, but there's more than enough to keep you distracted. just be sure to save room for the pudding. i can rarely exercise the self control to limit myself to fewer than 3 plates, normal human stomachs should plan ahead and try a little of everything. dinner for two can feel limited after you experience the buffet, so come with friends and do half a dozen dishes family style for the full effect. the mango lassi and spice tea are top notch, and even though authenticity takes a back seat to patron tastes (as is sometimes the case with ethnic restaurants stranded in less ethnic areas) mango grove follows through, leaving most of us happy and very very full.
(4)Puneet M.
So after Mango Grove moved I decided to give them another try. Glad I did! The new MG is huge inside with plenty of booths and what looks like a HUGE buffet station. I will say it is much better than the old version, this open airy version has a much better feel. First off the food, they have def kicked it up a notch on all their food. The Mrs. and I ordered Samosa Chaat, a Dosa Trio, and Ghobi (cauliflower) Manchurian. All three were great picks! First the Chaat, it was a large portion and the flavor and texture were spot on. The Dosa's were were nice, thin, crispy and the potato stuffing was very good as well. Lastly the Ghobi Manchurian, was crispy, spicy and the veggies were fresh. The food was good and the Dosa's were much much improved from my last visit. Secondly, the service. It was great actually. The owner and the head waiter were the two that took care of us. Both were great, well informed and when we asked for anything (chuntey, extra sauce, etc) they were almost glad to help, so the service was spot on. So from my bad exp to this good exp, MG has kicked it up a notch with this new move. I am glad I went back and I am sure we will be again! Cheers mates, and I need to cool down with some Mango Lassi! Note: They have a free mango lassi YELP checkin offer so make sure you check in on your YELP app and get your free mango lassi.
(4)Vanessa D.
Very quiet and nice open setting. Food was excellent!
(4)