I tried this buffet couple of times, but every time I just liked their garlic naan and one vegetable. Just one starter, which is not that good. I love desserts but both the times gulab jamun were so ordinary that I could not eat them. I tried this on week days, do not know about weekend buffet. I have decided not to go there again! We have better Indian restaurants around!
(2)
Michelle K.
I love this place! The food is fabulous and the staff is extremely friendly. They always have a chefs special and it is always delicious.
(5)
Frank F.
My wife and son stopped in here during a weekend trip. The food was superb and the service was excellent! We ate the leftovers driving home the next day! I wish we lived closer to this restaurant!
(5)
Hemal M.
Worst issue with indian restaurants make sure u walk in 45 to60 mins before closing time for Buffett quite unprofessional n intercultural to say customer well u have 20 mins..inner sense one can make out is eat all u can in 20 mins but it takes some one to acknowledge a customer walk in 5 mins I will spend my money where I feel welcomed n not a problem
(1)
Judy B.
Migesh is back. We haven't been in a while because though the food has been great they seemed disorganized. Under Migesh the restaurant is back to what we love. Great food and great service. Our favorite place for Indian food. And if you want it spicy, ask for Indian hot. They will get you something very hot.
(5)
A P.
Just wanted to give a quick update. Still, by far, best Indian food around. However, they have increased the price of the buffet. Weekend buffet is $12.50. now. While most people, especially white people, can eat more than $12.50 of Indian buffet....their price was one of the factors that allowed them to beat out Saffron down the road. THM (Take Home Message): If price goes up anymore....I think it's basically a toss up b/w here and Saffron....I wouldn't hold on to any allegiance to Dawat.
(4)
Becca C.
Bummer! We had two good experiences here before (good = good food, mediocre service). Tried to take an out of town group here tonight, and we walked out empty stomached after more than an hour of waiting for our food. Never ever come here with a group! What a bummer on a holiday.
(1)
Vasanth A.
Poor service and food - described in two words! First - Poor Service: The reception at the restaurant is cold and makes you feel not at home. Second - Poor food: Food was very ordinary. I ordered Navaratan Korma and it was too buttery, so was the tomato soup, ended up vomiting. Chicken Korma was okay. The above two stars for the Chicken Korma. Follow up: Will never go there a second time neither will I recommend this to a friend.
(2)
Yongji F.
Not as good as I expect, there are better choices around. Skip this one.
(1)
Jeremy P.
I've eaten here twice and had great food on both occasions. Fresh, hot, and flavorful. Service was attentive and the bonus was both times they had at least one unique beer on tap beyond all the usual big brewery stuff. They also have a fully stocked bar if you prefer spirits. The decor inside is quite nice too so you would do just fine taking a date here or showing up in more formal clothes or for a business meal. If you've just got jeans and a shirt however like me, you'll be just fine.
(4)
Al J.
Best place in the area for Indian food. Food is great and service too. I have been there multiple times to dine in and for pickup. What sets this place apart is the service. I was loyal to saffron until the service took a dive on multiple occasions. Great job Dawat.
(5)
Mayur D.
One of the best Indian lunch buffet places in the triangle. Food was fresh and tasty with a lot of selection. Naan bread was brought fresh to the table and was heavenly. Highly recommended.
(5)
melissa f.
Tamarind used to be our go-to Indian place and we are moving (along with the owners) to Dawat. Dawat is everything Tamarind is - but just a little bit better. The service is friendly and prompt; the atmosphere is nice, clean and comfortable; and most importantly - the food is excellent. I especially recommend the Palak Paneer and garlic naan though I don't think you can go wrong. We have only gone for dinner but I am looking forward to trying to buffet to give everything a try!
(5)
Priti B.
The most awful service we ever experienced, food took almost 2 hours to be on table & it came in batches, if there was curry dish, there was no naan & vice versa, they didn't bother to apologize for delay, they didn't know what who had ordered??!!! Most of the staff had bad attitude including the owner & no compensation was offered for their inefficient service, last but not least, the quantity was very less compared to prizes they ask, on the whole, will never recommend if u want to go in group & if u want to have a pleasant eating experience!! total thumbs down!!:(
(1)
Jeff B.
$11 lunch buffet with the same vegetarian (eggplant, daal, mixed veg) and meat options. Tandoori chicken, ginger chicken, chicken tikka masala, etc. The crunchy fried spinach pakora are greasy and delicious. Quick RTP lunch and good deal. Ask for the chili naan.
(4)
Mahendran S.
Food pathetic. These people are racist. If you are asain you will not be treated gently. They started serving only if you are white, others need to wait. Explanation for biryani was mouth watering ! When asked is there any biryani in buffet ..he explained ..mix white rice with goat curry and that's the yummy biryani ! WOW!! YELP didnt support to put neg or zero star :( This place Really SUCKS !!!
(1)
Pranav R.
Decent lunch buffet. Not many options for meat lovers. There was no chicken biryani for the buffet. There were many vegetarian options and they were good. Can try it once. Search goes on for a good Indian restaurant in RTP.
(3)
Bruce G.
I don't eat Indian food all that often, but I have been to Dawat a few times now and have enjoyed my meals there. It's a fairly small place, nicely decorated very well staffed. If you go in the evenings it probably won't be too crowded as I think they do most of their business in the weekday lunch with the Morrisville/Cary/RTP work crowd (both times I have been were for dinner). I have had their lamb vindaloo and prawns (AKA skrimps) in spicy tomato sauce (can't remember the actual name). The dishes come with rice, but naan will cost you extra. I think their naan is very good though, so worth it. I would day this is a 3.5 place to me. Rounding up to 4 stars for the food and upscale decor. Service can be spotty as other reviews mention, and they have trouble with large groups. Also dinner is a bit pricey (around $30 with a King Fisher beer on my last visit).
(4)
Yeshanth J.
Rating for their lunch buffet. Service was a bit lethargic to start with. I wouldn't complain too much about the buffet spread. The usual fillers(chole, dhaal) are their regulars. I found their dishes oily and some were very creamy which in turn drowned the spices. They provide both garlic and plain naan. Desserts are a plus in their buffet. Bottom line: Meh.
(3)
Amy H.
Poor service continues to be a problem. Once again, I ordered my dish Indian spicy and got something medium spiced at best. My waiter also smirked at me when I ordered my food indian hot. yeah I'm sure there are some people who order really hot food and send it back but that doesnt mean everyone does. let me be the judge of what i can and cant handle seeing that im the customer and im the one paying. after i complained about the food not being hot, i was brought out this weird sweetish hot sauce to put on my food. it didnt look like anything ive ever had at an indian restaurant and it did not help my dish at all. Once again, I ordered a drink that never came. Unacceptable. my waiter disappeared for forty five minutes after dropping off my very disappointing meal. its a shame this place cant get their act together because the food actually is good when they actually give you what you order. the one time i did receive really spicy food, it was excellent (though even then I had to complain and send it back to get it how I wanted). this place has definitely lost a customer and ill look elsewhere for my go to indian restaurant.
(1)
Meadow D.
I like this place a lot and go there regularly for lunch and even venture up to the area for dinners. The food is always delicious and fresh, and I really like that they have plenty of vegetarian options from which I can choose. I've always felt like it was reasonably priced and that the service was good. I'll continue to go there.
(4)
Fenina K.
Worst customer service we got there 30 Mints before they closed for lunch we were in town for business . As soon as we hit there the man sounded like he wasn't happy to see us. Sounded like he was in a hurry to close . We had no option but to eat there because we didn't have time to go to another Indian restaurant because all the restaurant close around 2:30-3pm . Food was cold WORST WORST WORST
(1)
Anila Y.
Hopefully this review is as objective as possible, considering my friend and I are two grad students, 600 miles away from home, in desperate need of comfort food. All in all, I was happy with the food for a buffet. The pros: -They have a little "assemble your own" chaat area which was a pleasant surprise. -I thought both their green chutney and red chutney were really good. -Their naan was perfect, and not overly dripping with oil/butter. -THE SHAHI PANEER WAS SO GOOD! I loved the flavors, too bad it wasn't spicy. -Their onion chutney was really good too. -Great ambience/location -Even selection of meat/vegetarian options The Cons: -The selection is no where near as extensive as Udupi Cafe or other lunch buffets I have been to. -Price was a little higher than advertised. They apparently hike up the price by 4 dollars on weekends. -Awkward service, but not so bad that I would knock off a star -Besides the Shahi Paneer and the onion chutney, everything else was mediocre. The samosas were dry and the navratan korma was very potato heavy. -No spicy options!! I would probably want to scope out the other Indian buffets before returning here to see if they match in quality!
(4)
Led Z.
This place continues to disappoint. I won't give it another chance and waste my money. There are plenty of great Indian restaurants in the area and around. We arrived late afternoon but before the posted lunch hours and were denied service. We were told very rudely that we could either order takeout or eat our food in 5 minutes. There was absolutely no shred of courtesy or hospitality which is the cornerstone of an Indian restaurant and culture. Very disappointing. For the owner - You're going to continue to loose customers this way. Unfortunately your place needs an overhaul in service personnel who know and practice restaurant etiquettes.
(1)
Akansha S.
It's n okay place. The food is nothing great, especially the chicken dishes. The chicken is hard to bite on and the chicken tikka was one of the worst I have ever had. The vegetarian dishes are fine but I feel they can work more to make the food better. The food quality does not match with the name of the place at all.
(3)
Vibhor M.
Been here twice in two days in Raleigh.. Must eat: non veg platter and chilly paneer with Scotch.
(5)
Michelle K.
I don't feel like many places deserve one star, but I have given this place multiple chances to enchant me, and it has failed miserably. I'll start with getting into the restaurant...the restaurant is not easily accessible from Davis Drive or the road running perpendicular to the restaurant on the other end (if you're approaching from the Cary direction). Is this really their fault? No. But it's not ideal, and the dining experience that followed was NOT worth the U-turn. The next thing I will say is that the service leaves MUCH to be desired. Multiple times now I have had a terrible experience at Indian restaurants in the Morrisville area with service. Saffron is definitely a step up in the way of service, Cilantro in Apex/Cary has OUTSTANDING service. Dawat, not so much. Our order was taken late, our food was brought late, our food was picked up late (in exchange for something that was actually spicy, like we asked for), and our bill was brought, picked up, and returned late. Terrible. Which brings me to my next point... Our food was appallingly bad. The portions are incredibly small by comparison to Saffron & Cilantro, especially for the price you pay ($$$), and our food was more disappointing than a bad McDouble from McDonald's (ya'll know what I'm talking about). My older brother described the two chicken dishes we ordered perfectly when he said "it tasted like Kirkland's chicken re-heated in a microwave...straight rubber." The texture was terrible. The flavour was bland. And to make matters worse, our stuff wasn't even a hint spicy (when we asked for it full blown). My brother and I are both from an Indian background and really love our food to be very spicy. All I can say is, I am a huge fan of Indian food, so I'm easy to impress in this genre. I even enjoy the occasional microwave "butter chicken" from Trader Joe's. But this place, is just something you should skip. If you are trying to decide between Saffron & Dawat. Choose Saffron. If you don't mind a bit of a journey, go to CILANTRO. It is the absolute best. The service, the portions, and the quality are all outstanding at Cilantro. I am just looking out for all you fans of quality Indian cuisine! (And no, I am not affiliated w/ Cilantro, I just love them lol). Side note: While the decor was actually one of the best I have ever been to, I am not sure why Ellie Goulding was blaring on the sound system??
(1)
Lisa D.
I have bought take out at Dawat every couple weeks for the last year and it has always been good. This Wednesday we got takeout and it was HORRIBLE. They did not give me the Gobi Manchurian I ordered and paid for. I was too tired to drive back and pick it up. Even the Chana Masala was bad, and had a very strange texture. We ordered spicy and the food was bland. Even the colors on the items we ordered were "different". I don't know if they are under new management, or have a new chef but for the $55 price tag on the take out, I am not going back after this experience.
(2)
Megha M.
We went for lunch buffet and while the food was good , it wasn't mind-blowing. The spread was extensive enough but the food was bland and not flavorful enough. Although they were more adventurous than most Indian buffets and had authentic north Indian dishes like - kaddhi, goat curry and dal makhni. The chat items on the menu - Samosa and allo tikki were definitely a plus as you don't see that in buffet menus often. The restaurant was clean and the service was good.
(3)
Annie G.
Delicious Indian Food! Very nice inside with white table cloths and a very friendly staff. I ordered the sauteed cheese app and it was soooo good! It almost looked like a cheese fajita plate and came out sizzling. For my entree I got the chicken tikka masala (my fave) and it was perfect! So flavorful! I got medium spicy and it was a strong level of spice by not too hot. Perfect! My husband got the lamb vindaloo and it was good but I guess we are not use to a vindaloo with such a strong tomato sauce flavor. He said the naan was excellent too. Of course he gobbled up half of my tikka, but that's okay! Already planning on going back for more. Very reasonably priced. About $45 for 2 for dinner.
(4)
L P.
Few colleagues went here for lunch. Food was fantastic. Service was awkward as some have mentioned, but worst of all it was FREEZING in the restaurant. I saw the server turn up the temp before we sat down and an hour later it was only 68. They ration the Naan and that put off a couple of my colleagues. I am personally fine not having easy access to the extra calories, but I completely understand their complaint. I personally feel this is similar to Quality at Saffron with a few obstacles (slower service for drinks and Naan).
(3)
Carol L.
I would give 0 stars, but apparently that's not an option. We arrived at 2:47 to order some food. The man who met us told us he was closed already, although the sign says they close at 3. I asked about the sign said three, and he said it was 3. Anyway, he absolutely refused to seat us, and he was incredibly rude about it. I have come to Dawat many times over the last few years. I used to love it, but it has been going downhill with food quality and service. This is likely my last visit.
(1)
Sandeep R.
Good ambience .. Good service n decent food
(4)
Vinod K.
I was so excited to try dawat after reading so many +ve comments on yelp. what i realized is expectations will hurt some times. I went for lunch buffet on sunday. There is no one at front door to greet you. Service is bad though place is super clean. I tried almost all items on lunch buffet. They do not have my all time favorite biryani on lunch buffet so its quite unfortunate for me. I enjoyed vegetarian items and chat masala. gulab jamun is delicious. naan is fresh.chicken is neither fresh nor tender. tandoori is okay. mutton curry is tasteless.Quiet atmosphere but weird service. If you like to eat without any spice at all then this might be good fit .
(3)
Brek S.
Great Indian food! Ordered the seafood dinner for 2 with my husband and we both enjoyed it. There was a fish appetizer,this was my least favorite, but was still good. The main meal was huge and included a veggie dish, fish dish and shrimp dish. It also included rice and naan. The flavors were great and varied. To top it off we even got dessert of rice pudding that was the perfect ending to the dinner. We will be back in the future to try other dishes.
(5)
Chris T.
My new favorite for for a taste of India. I'm not Indian so I can't tell you if it's like mom makes back home but from an American who loves ethnic flavors of many cultures, this is great food. We ordered the Pallack Paneer (spinach base with cheese), Chana Masala (chickpea dish as I recall), Okra (can't remember the name), chicken tikka and everything was great. Ambiance is elegant yet casual. We'll be back again and again. Gave it a 4 star for the service which was typical but nothing over the top.
(4)
S S.
My wife and I dined here last week. Food was fairly good but NOT great and much overpriced. Some dishes are $22 each, and for an Indian restaurant, that is very odd. For that price I expect to be wowed, and I was not. I don't mind paying $22 per entree if the food is great, but it was just ok. Not worth the trip for the price. Would not return.
(2)
Mage L.
My husband and I stopped in Dawat to try the lunch buffet today. It's a bit of a pain to get to, since if you come from the south on Davis Drive you have to make a U-turn. It's right next to the Triangle Wine Company, in that new little shopping center that just opened last year. We were seated immediately, and the interior is much nicer than Tower and about the same level as Saffron. We both took the buffet without having looked at it first, and both ordered a mango lassi with our food. The buffet is in 3 sections, a cold part, a vegetarian part, and a meat part. The cold part is mostly lettuce salad and some cold desserts, so all I got from that area was the raita and a pickled carrot thing. Since the vegetarian section was next, I loaded up on one of each of everything except the spinach. I started out on the pickled carrots, and it was surprisingly good. It had a very strong, distinct flavor to it, and a good amount of sour and spice. It ended up being the one dish here with the most kick in it. The raita was a bit heavy on carrot; I would have preferred more cucumber. But raita wasn't really needed for the meal anyway, since nothing else was very spicy at all. The vegetarian entrees were all pretty bland, and a lot of them seemed like they were getting cold. We were eating right around noon, so it wasn't like 2pm and right before closing or anything. I would have expected the food there to be fresher and hotter. Out of the vegetarian selections, I liked the paneer best. The paneer had a good texture, and the sauce was good with the naan, though it wasn't spicy at all. Next I tried the meat entrees. They had 3 different varieties of chicken: a tikka masala, curry, and tandoor. The tikka masala had a decent enough sauce for dipping the naan, and the chicken was very moist and tender. The curry wasn't really spicy at all, and didn't have a sauce that was distinguishable from the masala at all. The tandoor chicken was all dried out and seemed like it had been sitting for a while. The galub jamun was good. I don't think it's possible to mess that up though. After we finished eating we waited around for a good 20-30 minutes or so before our waiter came back with our bill. Good thing we didn't need any drink refills or anything. Overall I thought the atmosphere was nice, and I was able to fill up on enough food to make the lunch worthwhile. The service was not having a good day though, and the food was quite a bit more bland than I would have liked. It's hard not to compare it to Tower, where each dish has a very strong, distinct flavor. I'm willing to give it another shot in the future, maybe get a dinner entree with a solid medium spice level. But I think for Indian lunch buffets I would probably go to Saffron across the street, or Tower that's not too far away either.
(3)
Alyssa B.
I was excited to try Dawat with a friend who had never tried Indian food before. Our server was very friendly. We ordered tikka masala and chicken makhani (not on the menu, but order it!) We asked for medium on the tikka masala and it was very mildly spiced - I think it could have been hotter. I asked for spicy on the makhani and they delivered. It wasn't TOO spicy but definitely needed my water. The portions were decent sized, the two entrees with rice were filling for two, with a small amount leftover. We also had regular naan and the herb-garlic naan, and I'd definitely go for only the herb garlic next time. The food took quite awhile, but my friend and I were enjoying our conversation so it didn't bother me. If you're in a hurry it may be frustrating. Also, after we finished our meal and they removed the plates it was at least 20 minutes before the check came (After we asked one of the bus boys). Again - we were immersed in conversation so I wasn't bothered by this, but something to note. Overall it was a great experience, and I would definitely be back to try some of the other dishes.
(4)
Aditi V.
Despicable customer service! Reached the restaurant 25 minutes before closing on a Sunday for lunch when they have a buffet laid out but were shooed away from the entrance saying there's only enough time to pack a lunch to-go! Bye bye forever I say!
(1)
Hui H.
I went here one weekday for a take-out lunch buffet. Great value!! Buffets are a great way to go for people who are unfamiliar with the cuisine. They can try everything in one sitting! You're bound to find something you like! I'm one of those people who like to get a good bang for her buck. So naturally, I filled my box with as much of my favorite Indian dishes as I could (Chicken Tikka Masala, for the win!!). I also tried a few of the other things on the buffet. The naan was soft, warm, and went perfectly with the masala. They also gave me a separate container for dessert! I could easily make this lunch last for at least 3 other meals. :)
(4)
Barbara B.
I've been here twice now - once for the lunch buffet and once for dinner. The lunch buffet is pretty good. There's a pretty decent selection for around $10. I would give it 4 stars for lunch, but I have to dock it a star for the dinner service. Dinner, while still tasty, is definitely over priced and the service was really slow. A group of 4 of us came in a on weekday night and it was painful to try and flag down a waiter for anything (water, refills, more rice, the bill). The food was pretty good, I ordered my usual Chicken Tikka Masala plus cheese naan, which had delicious little bits of cilantro in the bread. My final bill came out to be $20+, which I think is definitely high for the amount of food (pieces of chicken) that I got. I'll probably be back because it's close to the office and where I live, but I'll probably stick to lunch in the future.
(3)
Lindsay S.
I'm really learning more about Indian culture and food this year and, I must say, that this is a really nice Indian restaurant. They proclaim to be a fine dining restaurant and while I cannot fully judge that at lunch time, I can attest to that based on the atmosphere, decor, and service from my visit alone today that they do fine dining well. This is also a family-owned restaurant and the next venture from the owners of Tamarind. Rumor has it they may be opening other restaurants as well, so that's exciting. For lunch, here at Dawat, they offer a lunch buffet. It's not your typical buffet. I was greeted kindly at the door and led to my table where it was set very formally with a napkin folded like I'd never seen a napkin folded before -- almost like a crown. The table was set very nicely with a glass waiting to be filled with ice water as well. A fresh bowl of naan was also there and I've had naan before, but most of the times I've had it I've found it to be boring. This naan was made with the right texture -- not too thick, not too thin, not crunch; and also had just the right amount of butter and garlic flavoring. The lunch buffet was labeled very clearly and the food was all very fresh. They change their options daily, but each day there is a good variety of appetizers, sauces, vegetarian options, staple Indian dishes, and desserts. Today's had the Chicken Tikka Massala as well as a vegetarian version. I tried the spinach, mixed vegetables, and lentils too and they were all blended just right. We were checked on both in terms of beverages, comfort, and food. For desserts they had rice pudding, a mango pudding made with pineapple pieces, and these sweet doughy balls. I was really impressed. Cultural foods can often be overdone by making the sauces to rich and thick or rushed. Everything was well tended to and very, very good. It's a little far for me to be taking a regular lunch break to, but I'm glad I ventured over there today. The food was fabulous and the service was superb.
(5)
Crony B.
I went there with a friend on Saturday afternoon for a buffet. First of all there was only little quantity of food left and some items were even missing. But as we were hungry so we ate whatever was left. The Chicken dishes are the worst and not authentic real dishes.The rice were almost hard and were not eatable, So we ordered Chappati but then we waited for 15 mins until the server bought the Chappati. We were almost pissed off by this time and didn't eat properly. It was not worth 13.99$/person Buffet. And it's not over here, Now comes the WORST part, As I didnt like the food, so I just gave $2.00 TIP. But when I checked my Credit Card Statements , These people by themselves charged me $5.00 as a TIP. And till this day I never went there again and never suggested any one to go there. Now me and my office colleagues go to buffet every week to Spice & Curry Restaurant.
(1)
Chuan T.
UPDATE: Well, I'm very sorry but I have to take a star away from my original 5-star review. We've started noticing some very disturbing sanitation issues. If you know me, apparent sanitation issues automatically results in a 1- or 2-star review. But I do like this place a lot and have to compare this to other Indian restaurants around the area, which unfortunately fare far worse (Chefs of India had a C-sanitation score at one point). I haven't noticed anything here that wouldn't accidentally happen anywhere else. Service is still good but not as friendly as I first thought. I will still enjoy Dawat, but I'll be extra observant while eating. ORIGINAL REVIEW: This isn't the best Indian buffet in RTP, it's the best buffet period! Take one step into Dawat and you'll immediately notice this isn't your typical Indian restaurant in the area. Attention has been spent on the interior design, at least compared to Tandoor, Chefs of India, Spice & Curry, etc. You won't be awe-inspired, but walk in expecting the interior of a typical buffet place and you will be impressed. Dawat manages to be trendy, clean, and interesting while remaining cozy and intimate. The other thing that sets Dawat apart is the service. Sadly, Indian restaurants in our area aren't known for hospitality. In fact, most people will complain that you're treated like trash at other places. I went with a group of 10 co-workers and we received amazing service. Too good, in fact. I had only taken a sip of my water before it was refilled to the brim again. But the most important thing is the food. Dawat's buffet offerings are better than most restaurants' dinner entrees! Best of all, samosas are part of the lunch buffet. And these aren't soggy, greasy, day-old looking samosas. Because the place stays busy, the samosas are refilled about every 15 minutes. These cost a few bucks each on the dinner menu. The vegetarian options are impressive as well as the meat dishes. And this place is serious about quality and taste. You won't get the overwhelming feeling of butter or ready-made packaged spices here. And the naan is top-notch, not the thin pieces of frozen cardboard at other places. And if the above doesn't have you convinced already. Walk into any other place. Let's take Tandoor for example (which isn't a horrible place by any means. I used to frequent it until they made me feel unwelcome). You won't see any Indians dining there. Walk into Dawat and you'll see many Indian people eating here. Give Dawat a try. You might see me there! Stop by and say hi.
(4)
Jay A.
Completely enjoyed the lunch buffet at Dawat yesterday. There were exceptional choices and every item I tried was quite good. Highlights were the saag, mint chutney, garlic naan, vegetable korma and samosa. The atmosphere and service were lovely as well. Pretty and quite relaxing. I will definitely be back!
(4)
Brilynn C.
We went for lunch and had the buffet. We got there 30 min before they closed for lunch. It was picked over and all the rice was gone. The food that was there was very flavorful. I hate to say it bc it may be the type of food but it looked like slop. I wish they kept labels up of what the different choices were. I was disappointed to be rushed out at 230 when they were ready to close. The staff was not very friendly. I do not want to pay $10 for a buffet ever again.
(2)
Apoorva D.
Excellent restrooms!!! The privacy, the splendor is second to none! 6 ply scented toilet paper feels like using #clouds!!!! The hand dryer is just the right pressure perfectly angled for the most clean hand drying experience ever!!
(5)
Katharine B.
Dawat has a delicious lunch buffet. The naan was fresh and the buffet has a great selection of Indian delicacies. The tables and decor are also very nice with linen tablecloths and place settings. I have also dined here with friends and in the evening the menu is a la carte. Dawat is a very nice Indian restaurant and in a great location.
(4)
Latosha W.
Great buffet food for the price! Chicken Tikka Masala and naan are my faves! The restaurant atmosphere is very nice and staff was courteous! I will return!
(4)
Amber G.
Very delicious food! I've eaten here many times both dine in and take out and it's amazing every time! The restaurant is very clean and well kept. I'm giving it 4 stars because half of the time when I dine in, service can be a little on the slower side. Other than that, I highly recommend this place! I always get their Pan Fried Chili Paneer, Chicken Tikka Marsala, Chicken Corma, Garlic Naan, and Kheer. :)
(4)
Sanjay G.
The food is reasonable quality. The people they employee or the owners not so good. Right next door, there is store named Suvidha Indo-Pak Grocery. An employee/owner from Dawat Restaurant comes in and picks up things from grocery and cuts in front of the line regularly. This is not a good behavior in the community. Suvidha grocery store owner said that they feel they need this restaurant's business and they tolerate this behavior. They attributed this behavior to this sorta of thing goes on in indian/pakistani community. But I don't think Dawat should keep this employee (To the owner - you know who I am talking about, middle aged, pan eating, arrogant person). I need to provide this feedback to restaurant owner so hopefully he will correct his behavior or employees behavior.
(2)
Andrew R.
This place is great, I've been twice now at dinner time and both visits were superb. Naan is always fresh and tasty, and you get plenty of food with your entree. The staff is always attentive and happy to offer recommendations. In addition to the great food, they usually have at least one craft brew on tap. I'll happily be back!
(4)
Trupti T.
This place is pretty decent, we went for the lunch buffet. It wasn't that busy at lunch time and is located in a good area. The best part of this place was their chicken tandoori, I must say one of the best I have had so far. It is just like how it is made at home and truly worth the buffet money itself. Not your typical selections as other Indian buffet but not bad. A good place for beer and tandoori chicken :)
(3)
Rosenzweig A.
The food is amazing just be prepared for horrible service....if it is busy be prepared to wait for 45-an hour for your food. And don't bother asking for an idea of when it will be ready the honestly don't seen to know or care. But honestly the food is worth it.
(3)
Sarah H.
Dawat is without a doubt my new favorite Indian lunch spot. The buffet is priced similarly to others in the Triangle area but they definitely have more options than some of my other favorites. They had an awesome mix of both vegetarian and meat options with lots of sides, sauces, and desserts. The naan, chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, and paneer were all highlights of my meal.
(4)
Ess K.
Been here for lunch buffet.. Food was not fresh and chicken was stale.. There were hard 10 customers.. Standards hav gone down in recent months..I would not go to this place again :-(
(1)
Amanda P.
Very friendly and knowledgable staff. Ordered Palak Paneer, tandoori chicken, meat samosas and Daal. Amazing flavor and spice. The Daal is out of this world!
(5)
Prasad B.
I've had take out here 4x since the beginning of the year. Food quality seems to have dipped. Maybe a new cook. Today we had take out and the rice came in Chinese take out containers. That did not sit well with me.
(3)
Susan W.
We've been dining here for dinner at least twice a month for almost a year, and it has quickly moved up the chart of our favorites. Service is so friendly, and mistakes are rare. We have never waited a moment for a table or for service, though on one Friday night when we'd invited guests we took the precaution of making reservations. As this restaurant deservedly grows in popularity, we expect to have to do so more frequently. Despite being local southerners, we eat a lot of Indian food all over the US and UK, and Dawat is right up there with the best. The papadum that opens the meal comes with the standard trio of sauces that is just a tad fresher and sharper than most. Appetizers especially shine. Cauliflower Manchurian is our favorite, but the Paneer Tikka and the Onion Bhajia are amazing. For entrees, we favor the Goan Shrimp Curry, Chicken Mango, any of the Korma dishes, the Channa Masala, and yes, the chicken tikka masala is to die for, but don't stop there or you won't avail yourself of all this delightful restaurant offers. We haven't had dessert, but our son once ordered what has to be the best mango lassi in the history of Indian cuisine. If you have a sweet tooth, that would be my choice.
(5)
Jim S.
Flavorful and fresh Indian food every time. The tandoori is excellent!
(5)
Jeremy J.
This restaurant is probably the best Indian food I've ever had, but they are getting only 3 stars instead of 5 because of the service. Half the time we go, the employees feel like they don't want to be there, while the other half they are at least communicable.
(3)
Caitlin K.
I came here for the lunch buffet the other weekend and was very pleased. I thought they had a great variety of dishes. I especially loved the samosas (even though they take up a lot of much needed room in my stomach). The service was great other than the slight confusion at the end on how we get our check and pay (the answer was to just go to the register at the bar and tell them how many people you had). I was encouraged when we came in close to when the buffet started and most of the tables were already filled. I will definitely be coming back.
(4)
Judy B.
As this is my second review and my sixth time here, I am still raving about the food. We try a new dish almost every time we come here and are never disappointed. I also want to rave about the service. Everyone is warm and friendly. We have always received great service. They go out of their way to make sure everything is great for us. I highly recommend Dawat for Indian.
(5)
Joseph A.
Outstanding special regional dishes, and a superlative buffet.
(4)
Malvika B.
Had heard a lot about this restaurant so we thought of giving it a try. As far as the ambience goes, the restaurant gets a thumbs up but the layout was a bit strange as the buffet was oddly placed far away from where we were seated. There were a variety of dishes to choose from but the taste was nothing to brag about. Same as the other typical restaurants. The servers need to be more friendly and learn a bit more of meet and greet techniques. There was only one guy running around seating people and hence a lot of people who came in had to wait a bit longer to be seated. He hardly came by our table to check on us and even refill our drinks! Be sure to take the bill from the waiter because if you go straight to pay there is a high probability that you will be over charged as was in our case. And the guy who checked is out ( in black shirt and trousers) hardly bothered to greet, smile or even say thank you as if he was doing us a favor. So will we go back there, well there are a lot of other restaurants we havent tried yet, so probably not so soon.
(3)
Kate T.
This restaurant is fantastic!! Absolutely everything we ordered was done perfectly. Even my little girl couldn't stop eating it and she's the pickiest kid ever!! UPDATE: Things have changed significantly since my first time at Dawat. The food is still good, that's why it's got one star. But the service is HORRIFYING!!! We actually had to find the manager to take our order because our clueless waiter was not to be found. It wasn't even busy there at the time... I think there were three tables occupied in the whole place. We also waited FOREVER for our food. The wait staff is either incompetent or untrained. We had NO SERVICE at the beginning of our meal and by the time we were ready to leave... we had four waiters asking the same questions over and over and two of them trying to refill our water (one actually put her hands around the mouth of the glass, so let's assume that the sanitary practices are lacking here also)! This place isn't worth the hassle. They have an attitude to begin with and terrible, inept servers. One server actually still had her coat on and it was hard to tell if she was actually a waiter. She was so incompetent, I actually saw her turn in a circle a few times... was she chasing her tail?? Seriously, don't bother going here for anything. You will spend a lot of money and have a miserable experience!
(1)
Janine R.
Amazing Indian Food. The waiters are lovely. The food is great. Just don't come here when you are looking for something fast (at least not during dinner). They thoughtfully prepare everything and allow you to enjoy your dinner guests and their food. The Naan is the best I have ever had. I've only ever had dinner there, but I am interested to try the lunch buffet.
(5)
Swati M.
I had been to Dawat for their lunch buffet which had a lot of great options and the food was very flavorful. Tonight was the firast time I went there for dinner, and with a friend who has never eaten at an Indian restaurant before. She ordered the lamb pasanda and thought it was really good! I had the vegetarian thali and it was delicious. I asked for a substitution and the waiters were very accomodating. Even the drinks were great (martinis). I would recommend this place - good, authentic fresh indian food, and accomodating/attentive staff. Prices are reasonable for the quality and portions provided.
(5)
Hanna L.
I am allergic to dairy, and it has been difficult for me to find a good Indian restaurant that doesn't simply drown everything in cream - until I found Dawat. I went for the lunch buffet with a friend and we were both very excited. The buffet is kept fresh and the items are all labeled. I had no trouble finding ample food with no dairy. Everything was delicious. The naan was unusually good, even with no butter! When I explained to the owner that I could not eat cream and I love dal, he made me a fresh portion of yellow dal, very well spiced, with no cream! I am so excited to find this place; I look forward to returning many times. It's true that you have to make a u-turn to get here when you are coming north, but it is well worth it!
(5)
Rebecca B.
Went for the buffet for lunch through the week. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I was unimpressed. Selection was not that great, the okra was burnt to a crisp and the service was, well, serviceable but unenthusiastic or welcoming. It was kind of weird and quiet atmosphere.
(2)
Sandra W.
I just ate at Dawat for the first time. In fact I am polishing off my glass of wine from dinner as I write. A+ on service. I never wanted for anything but was not bothered unnecessarily. I ordered a standard "try it out" Indian meal on the theory that any Indian restaurant should be able to deliver garlic naan and chicken tikka masala. Dawat was right on point. They spiced it medium as I ordered it and it was hot, tender and flavorful. The bread was brimming with garlic. They get extra credit for generous pours on wine by the glass (an almost unheard of bonus in Cary). I eat at Saffron across the street frequently. Food in comparable, although Saffron is spicy and doesn't turn it down. Saffron might have a slight edge on ambience, but Dawat wins hands down on service and wine pours--Saffron is your standard Cary stingy pour. Great job Dawat! I will be back.
(4)
Ganesh R.
very poor service. If you are going as a group, service suckz.
(1)
Nirva P.
If I could give this place 0 stars then I really would!!!! Seriously!!! We went there (husband and I) with the expectation after reading so many of the reviews that this was indeed a place that was different from some of the other places in town that served Indian cuisine. Boy were we disappointed. It all began for me when we walked in where no one and I mean absolutely no one came to greet us. When someone finally came after a few minutes once we summoned a nearby server for help, the person looked so miserable that they may have just as well stayed home! After being seated for a few minutes (there were 2 large tables seated before us as we were waiting), no one came to take our drink order. At this point I just wanted to eat some food and get out and not even order drinks. We ordered some food and it was the most mediocre tasting meal I have ever had. Our server never came and asked how the food was as it clearly meant that he didn't care at all even though he saw how much of the food was leftover on our plates. There are far better restaurants in the Triangle area compared to this place even if they had a 2-3 star rating. The food tab was quite high as well even though we didn't even have any drinks and had placed an order of one naan, one vegetable and one chicken appetizer. Stay away from this place as it is not worth it. If you cannot get the customer service aspect right in a business then you might as well just close shop.
(1)
Jake R.
My girlfriend and I eat here at least a couple times a month. The food tastes great, and the portions are large enough that you can take some home and eat later.
(4)
Kay V.
This place has by far the best Standard Indian Food in the Triangle (Cholanad is better but it's not standard Indian food). Make sure you ask the waiter for recommendations if you need help deciding. Try Chicken 65 and Gobi Manchurian from the Appetizer section. Entree try Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Saagwala and Black Daal. The dessert section could be better.
(4)
David B.
And just like that, Dawat earned a 5th star. Phenomenal performance tonight Dawat, I applaud you. This time, my wife and I ordered the Chana Masala, The Cauliflower Manchurian, and the vegetable Samosas. We also ordered the Mock Champagne and Spiced Ginger beverages. Mock Champagne was non alcoholic while the Spiced Ginger was alcoholic. The naan was beyond fresh! The Cauliflower Manchurian is what earned the "phenomenal" word tonight as well. Dawat's service is somewhat better than last time. The only issue here is with the speed of service. That is it.
(5)
Zoe Z.
We had a little background introduction from an Indian friend. So this place is more of the northern Indian style, aka milder/blander. Well, our tongues got pretty excited to the spices! And they are not too spicy at all, so that diners won't find it intimidating. Buffet is awesome--- desserts, masala, curries... and even a decently big collection of salad. Noticed several reviews on poor service. Personal experience persay, I don't have anything to complain :)
(4)
B. W.
We enjoyed our dinner last night. Tried the Samosa Chaat which was a pleasant surprise! Chicken Tikka Masala was delicious (although a tad sweet for my taste) as was Lamb Vindaloo. Atmosphere here is very nice (music helped to create the atmosphere, even though I was sitting right under a speaker...) Service was disorganized, but we've come to expect this at most Indian restaurants in the area, so not a surprise. After reading another review, we made it a point to check the Sanitation rating, which was an A. Altogether an EXCELLENT meal!
(4)
Michelle E.
Yum! I just ate some chicken tikka masala that I ordered as take out from Dawat. It was fantastic. It was not as spicy as I expected since I did request it to be prepared hot. The Naan was very, very good. The meal was a couple dollars more than other comparable Indian restaurants I have eaten at, but the food was so good and the location is close to my house, so I will definitely be back.
(4)
Matthew W.
The food was good when it got there, but the service was SLOW....
(3)
Nate S.
Came in for Saturday night dinner. The food and the service were both excellent. The value was pretty good as well as we tried the "Dinner for Two" which included appetizer, three different curries (2 meat one vegetarian), naan, and dessert for $42.00. We have tons of leftovers. I will come back.
(5)
Blair G.
The Indian food here is very tasty. One of the things that sets Dawat apart from the other Indian restaurants in the area is the terrific ambiance, friendly wait staff, and strong presentation of the food. My wife and I are finding Dawat as our favorite Indian restaurant in the area and are so thankful they are in Morrisville/Cary! You will be glad you come to Dawat. Everything we've had on the menu for dinner has been tasty. We have not been here for lunch.
(4)
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Address :3735 Davis Dr,Ste 105
Morrisville, NC, 27560
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No 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 : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
India is the birth place of Chicken Tikka Masala and Curries. Indian foods are prepared with a blend of finely mixed spices quite popular across the region. The spices develop the rich taste in Indian food enough to boggle your mind. The ever-increasing fan base of Indian food around the New York city is steadily increasing because of the large number of Indians who traveled to the land of dreams. The Indians also brought their very own vibrant, colorful, and aromatic authentic dishes for the people in the West. While most of the Indian population is Vegetarian, Indian food is great for people who are looking for vegan or vegetarian food option. If you are a Meat lover, don't get disappointed yet. Indian food also boasts of some popular non-vegetarian dishes too. Few examples are the famous Butter Chicken, Mutton Biryani and Tandoori Chicken are enough to satisfy your taste buds.
Indian food has gained reputation all over the world especially in the United States. You can find many places serving the appetizing Indian food across all major cities in the US. India is a diverse country with different food culture originated from different parts of the country. While the Northern region boasts tandoori dishes and korma offering royal taste, the Western Ghats offers sea foods that is made in naturally sweet tender coconut milk. The South Indian food servers a quality of different dishes made from rice accompanied with spicy chutneys, curries and famous sambhar. Also, the Indian sweets are a delight to relish. If you ever want to have a burst of sugar syrup in mouth, don't forget to try few Bengali Sweets. Be it spicy, tangy, or sweet flavor, you can find everything in the Indian cuisine. Be assured that the melody of spices will surely bring delight to you.
Darshana P.
I tried this buffet couple of times, but every time I just liked their garlic naan and one vegetable. Just one starter, which is not that good. I love desserts but both the times gulab jamun were so ordinary that I could not eat them. I tried this on week days, do not know about weekend buffet. I have decided not to go there again! We have better Indian restaurants around!
(2)Michelle K.
I love this place! The food is fabulous and the staff is extremely friendly. They always have a chefs special and it is always delicious.
(5)Frank F.
My wife and son stopped in here during a weekend trip. The food was superb and the service was excellent! We ate the leftovers driving home the next day! I wish we lived closer to this restaurant!
(5)Hemal M.
Worst issue with indian restaurants make sure u walk in 45 to60 mins before closing time for Buffett quite unprofessional n intercultural to say customer well u have 20 mins..inner sense one can make out is eat all u can in 20 mins but it takes some one to acknowledge a customer walk in 5 mins I will spend my money where I feel welcomed n not a problem
(1)Judy B.
Migesh is back. We haven't been in a while because though the food has been great they seemed disorganized. Under Migesh the restaurant is back to what we love. Great food and great service. Our favorite place for Indian food. And if you want it spicy, ask for Indian hot. They will get you something very hot.
(5)A P.
Just wanted to give a quick update. Still, by far, best Indian food around. However, they have increased the price of the buffet. Weekend buffet is $12.50. now. While most people, especially white people, can eat more than $12.50 of Indian buffet....their price was one of the factors that allowed them to beat out Saffron down the road. THM (Take Home Message): If price goes up anymore....I think it's basically a toss up b/w here and Saffron....I wouldn't hold on to any allegiance to Dawat.
(4)Becca C.
Bummer! We had two good experiences here before (good = good food, mediocre service). Tried to take an out of town group here tonight, and we walked out empty stomached after more than an hour of waiting for our food. Never ever come here with a group! What a bummer on a holiday.
(1)Vasanth A.
Poor service and food - described in two words! First - Poor Service: The reception at the restaurant is cold and makes you feel not at home. Second - Poor food: Food was very ordinary. I ordered Navaratan Korma and it was too buttery, so was the tomato soup, ended up vomiting. Chicken Korma was okay. The above two stars for the Chicken Korma. Follow up: Will never go there a second time neither will I recommend this to a friend.
(2)Yongji F.
Not as good as I expect, there are better choices around. Skip this one.
(1)Jeremy P.
I've eaten here twice and had great food on both occasions. Fresh, hot, and flavorful. Service was attentive and the bonus was both times they had at least one unique beer on tap beyond all the usual big brewery stuff. They also have a fully stocked bar if you prefer spirits. The decor inside is quite nice too so you would do just fine taking a date here or showing up in more formal clothes or for a business meal. If you've just got jeans and a shirt however like me, you'll be just fine.
(4)Al J.
Best place in the area for Indian food. Food is great and service too. I have been there multiple times to dine in and for pickup. What sets this place apart is the service. I was loyal to saffron until the service took a dive on multiple occasions. Great job Dawat.
(5)Mayur D.
One of the best Indian lunch buffet places in the triangle. Food was fresh and tasty with a lot of selection. Naan bread was brought fresh to the table and was heavenly. Highly recommended.
(5)melissa f.
Tamarind used to be our go-to Indian place and we are moving (along with the owners) to Dawat. Dawat is everything Tamarind is - but just a little bit better. The service is friendly and prompt; the atmosphere is nice, clean and comfortable; and most importantly - the food is excellent. I especially recommend the Palak Paneer and garlic naan though I don't think you can go wrong. We have only gone for dinner but I am looking forward to trying to buffet to give everything a try!
(5)Priti B.
The most awful service we ever experienced, food took almost 2 hours to be on table & it came in batches, if there was curry dish, there was no naan & vice versa, they didn't bother to apologize for delay, they didn't know what who had ordered??!!! Most of the staff had bad attitude including the owner & no compensation was offered for their inefficient service, last but not least, the quantity was very less compared to prizes they ask, on the whole, will never recommend if u want to go in group & if u want to have a pleasant eating experience!! total thumbs down!!:(
(1)Jeff B.
$11 lunch buffet with the same vegetarian (eggplant, daal, mixed veg) and meat options. Tandoori chicken, ginger chicken, chicken tikka masala, etc. The crunchy fried spinach pakora are greasy and delicious. Quick RTP lunch and good deal. Ask for the chili naan.
(4)Mahendran S.
Food pathetic. These people are racist. If you are asain you will not be treated gently. They started serving only if you are white, others need to wait. Explanation for biryani was mouth watering ! When asked is there any biryani in buffet ..he explained ..mix white rice with goat curry and that's the yummy biryani ! WOW!! YELP didnt support to put neg or zero star :( This place Really SUCKS !!!
(1)Pranav R.
Decent lunch buffet. Not many options for meat lovers. There was no chicken biryani for the buffet. There were many vegetarian options and they were good. Can try it once. Search goes on for a good Indian restaurant in RTP.
(3)Bruce G.
I don't eat Indian food all that often, but I have been to Dawat a few times now and have enjoyed my meals there. It's a fairly small place, nicely decorated very well staffed. If you go in the evenings it probably won't be too crowded as I think they do most of their business in the weekday lunch with the Morrisville/Cary/RTP work crowd (both times I have been were for dinner). I have had their lamb vindaloo and prawns (AKA skrimps) in spicy tomato sauce (can't remember the actual name). The dishes come with rice, but naan will cost you extra. I think their naan is very good though, so worth it. I would day this is a 3.5 place to me. Rounding up to 4 stars for the food and upscale decor. Service can be spotty as other reviews mention, and they have trouble with large groups. Also dinner is a bit pricey (around $30 with a King Fisher beer on my last visit).
(4)Yeshanth J.
Rating for their lunch buffet. Service was a bit lethargic to start with. I wouldn't complain too much about the buffet spread. The usual fillers(chole, dhaal) are their regulars. I found their dishes oily and some were very creamy which in turn drowned the spices. They provide both garlic and plain naan. Desserts are a plus in their buffet. Bottom line: Meh.
(3)Amy H.
Poor service continues to be a problem. Once again, I ordered my dish Indian spicy and got something medium spiced at best. My waiter also smirked at me when I ordered my food indian hot. yeah I'm sure there are some people who order really hot food and send it back but that doesnt mean everyone does. let me be the judge of what i can and cant handle seeing that im the customer and im the one paying. after i complained about the food not being hot, i was brought out this weird sweetish hot sauce to put on my food. it didnt look like anything ive ever had at an indian restaurant and it did not help my dish at all. Once again, I ordered a drink that never came. Unacceptable. my waiter disappeared for forty five minutes after dropping off my very disappointing meal. its a shame this place cant get their act together because the food actually is good when they actually give you what you order. the one time i did receive really spicy food, it was excellent (though even then I had to complain and send it back to get it how I wanted). this place has definitely lost a customer and ill look elsewhere for my go to indian restaurant.
(1)Meadow D.
I like this place a lot and go there regularly for lunch and even venture up to the area for dinners. The food is always delicious and fresh, and I really like that they have plenty of vegetarian options from which I can choose. I've always felt like it was reasonably priced and that the service was good. I'll continue to go there.
(4)Fenina K.
Worst customer service we got there 30 Mints before they closed for lunch we were in town for business . As soon as we hit there the man sounded like he wasn't happy to see us. Sounded like he was in a hurry to close . We had no option but to eat there because we didn't have time to go to another Indian restaurant because all the restaurant close around 2:30-3pm . Food was cold WORST WORST WORST
(1)Anila Y.
Hopefully this review is as objective as possible, considering my friend and I are two grad students, 600 miles away from home, in desperate need of comfort food. All in all, I was happy with the food for a buffet. The pros: -They have a little "assemble your own" chaat area which was a pleasant surprise. -I thought both their green chutney and red chutney were really good. -Their naan was perfect, and not overly dripping with oil/butter. -THE SHAHI PANEER WAS SO GOOD! I loved the flavors, too bad it wasn't spicy. -Their onion chutney was really good too. -Great ambience/location -Even selection of meat/vegetarian options The Cons: -The selection is no where near as extensive as Udupi Cafe or other lunch buffets I have been to. -Price was a little higher than advertised. They apparently hike up the price by 4 dollars on weekends. -Awkward service, but not so bad that I would knock off a star -Besides the Shahi Paneer and the onion chutney, everything else was mediocre. The samosas were dry and the navratan korma was very potato heavy. -No spicy options!! I would probably want to scope out the other Indian buffets before returning here to see if they match in quality!
(4)Led Z.
This place continues to disappoint. I won't give it another chance and waste my money. There are plenty of great Indian restaurants in the area and around. We arrived late afternoon but before the posted lunch hours and were denied service. We were told very rudely that we could either order takeout or eat our food in 5 minutes. There was absolutely no shred of courtesy or hospitality which is the cornerstone of an Indian restaurant and culture. Very disappointing. For the owner - You're going to continue to loose customers this way. Unfortunately your place needs an overhaul in service personnel who know and practice restaurant etiquettes.
(1)Akansha S.
It's n okay place. The food is nothing great, especially the chicken dishes. The chicken is hard to bite on and the chicken tikka was one of the worst I have ever had. The vegetarian dishes are fine but I feel they can work more to make the food better. The food quality does not match with the name of the place at all.
(3)Vibhor M.
Been here twice in two days in Raleigh.. Must eat: non veg platter and chilly paneer with Scotch.
(5)Michelle K.
I don't feel like many places deserve one star, but I have given this place multiple chances to enchant me, and it has failed miserably. I'll start with getting into the restaurant...the restaurant is not easily accessible from Davis Drive or the road running perpendicular to the restaurant on the other end (if you're approaching from the Cary direction). Is this really their fault? No. But it's not ideal, and the dining experience that followed was NOT worth the U-turn. The next thing I will say is that the service leaves MUCH to be desired. Multiple times now I have had a terrible experience at Indian restaurants in the Morrisville area with service. Saffron is definitely a step up in the way of service, Cilantro in Apex/Cary has OUTSTANDING service. Dawat, not so much. Our order was taken late, our food was brought late, our food was picked up late (in exchange for something that was actually spicy, like we asked for), and our bill was brought, picked up, and returned late. Terrible. Which brings me to my next point... Our food was appallingly bad. The portions are incredibly small by comparison to Saffron & Cilantro, especially for the price you pay ($$$), and our food was more disappointing than a bad McDouble from McDonald's (ya'll know what I'm talking about). My older brother described the two chicken dishes we ordered perfectly when he said "it tasted like Kirkland's chicken re-heated in a microwave...straight rubber." The texture was terrible. The flavour was bland. And to make matters worse, our stuff wasn't even a hint spicy (when we asked for it full blown). My brother and I are both from an Indian background and really love our food to be very spicy. All I can say is, I am a huge fan of Indian food, so I'm easy to impress in this genre. I even enjoy the occasional microwave "butter chicken" from Trader Joe's. But this place, is just something you should skip. If you are trying to decide between Saffron & Dawat. Choose Saffron. If you don't mind a bit of a journey, go to CILANTRO. It is the absolute best. The service, the portions, and the quality are all outstanding at Cilantro. I am just looking out for all you fans of quality Indian cuisine! (And no, I am not affiliated w/ Cilantro, I just love them lol). Side note: While the decor was actually one of the best I have ever been to, I am not sure why Ellie Goulding was blaring on the sound system??
(1)Lisa D.
I have bought take out at Dawat every couple weeks for the last year and it has always been good. This Wednesday we got takeout and it was HORRIBLE. They did not give me the Gobi Manchurian I ordered and paid for. I was too tired to drive back and pick it up. Even the Chana Masala was bad, and had a very strange texture. We ordered spicy and the food was bland. Even the colors on the items we ordered were "different". I don't know if they are under new management, or have a new chef but for the $55 price tag on the take out, I am not going back after this experience.
(2)Megha M.
We went for lunch buffet and while the food was good , it wasn't mind-blowing. The spread was extensive enough but the food was bland and not flavorful enough. Although they were more adventurous than most Indian buffets and had authentic north Indian dishes like - kaddhi, goat curry and dal makhni. The chat items on the menu - Samosa and allo tikki were definitely a plus as you don't see that in buffet menus often. The restaurant was clean and the service was good.
(3)Annie G.
Delicious Indian Food! Very nice inside with white table cloths and a very friendly staff. I ordered the sauteed cheese app and it was soooo good! It almost looked like a cheese fajita plate and came out sizzling. For my entree I got the chicken tikka masala (my fave) and it was perfect! So flavorful! I got medium spicy and it was a strong level of spice by not too hot. Perfect! My husband got the lamb vindaloo and it was good but I guess we are not use to a vindaloo with such a strong tomato sauce flavor. He said the naan was excellent too. Of course he gobbled up half of my tikka, but that's okay! Already planning on going back for more. Very reasonably priced. About $45 for 2 for dinner.
(4)L P.
Few colleagues went here for lunch. Food was fantastic. Service was awkward as some have mentioned, but worst of all it was FREEZING in the restaurant. I saw the server turn up the temp before we sat down and an hour later it was only 68. They ration the Naan and that put off a couple of my colleagues. I am personally fine not having easy access to the extra calories, but I completely understand their complaint. I personally feel this is similar to Quality at Saffron with a few obstacles (slower service for drinks and Naan).
(3)Carol L.
I would give 0 stars, but apparently that's not an option. We arrived at 2:47 to order some food. The man who met us told us he was closed already, although the sign says they close at 3. I asked about the sign said three, and he said it was 3. Anyway, he absolutely refused to seat us, and he was incredibly rude about it. I have come to Dawat many times over the last few years. I used to love it, but it has been going downhill with food quality and service. This is likely my last visit.
(1)Sandeep R.
Good ambience .. Good service n decent food
(4)Vinod K.
I was so excited to try dawat after reading so many +ve comments on yelp. what i realized is expectations will hurt some times. I went for lunch buffet on sunday. There is no one at front door to greet you. Service is bad though place is super clean. I tried almost all items on lunch buffet. They do not have my all time favorite biryani on lunch buffet so its quite unfortunate for me. I enjoyed vegetarian items and chat masala. gulab jamun is delicious. naan is fresh.chicken is neither fresh nor tender. tandoori is okay. mutton curry is tasteless.Quiet atmosphere but weird service. If you like to eat without any spice at all then this might be good fit .
(3)Brek S.
Great Indian food! Ordered the seafood dinner for 2 with my husband and we both enjoyed it. There was a fish appetizer,this was my least favorite, but was still good. The main meal was huge and included a veggie dish, fish dish and shrimp dish. It also included rice and naan. The flavors were great and varied. To top it off we even got dessert of rice pudding that was the perfect ending to the dinner. We will be back in the future to try other dishes.
(5)Chris T.
My new favorite for for a taste of India. I'm not Indian so I can't tell you if it's like mom makes back home but from an American who loves ethnic flavors of many cultures, this is great food. We ordered the Pallack Paneer (spinach base with cheese), Chana Masala (chickpea dish as I recall), Okra (can't remember the name), chicken tikka and everything was great. Ambiance is elegant yet casual. We'll be back again and again. Gave it a 4 star for the service which was typical but nothing over the top.
(4)S S.
My wife and I dined here last week. Food was fairly good but NOT great and much overpriced. Some dishes are $22 each, and for an Indian restaurant, that is very odd. For that price I expect to be wowed, and I was not. I don't mind paying $22 per entree if the food is great, but it was just ok. Not worth the trip for the price. Would not return.
(2)Mage L.
My husband and I stopped in Dawat to try the lunch buffet today. It's a bit of a pain to get to, since if you come from the south on Davis Drive you have to make a U-turn. It's right next to the Triangle Wine Company, in that new little shopping center that just opened last year. We were seated immediately, and the interior is much nicer than Tower and about the same level as Saffron. We both took the buffet without having looked at it first, and both ordered a mango lassi with our food. The buffet is in 3 sections, a cold part, a vegetarian part, and a meat part. The cold part is mostly lettuce salad and some cold desserts, so all I got from that area was the raita and a pickled carrot thing. Since the vegetarian section was next, I loaded up on one of each of everything except the spinach. I started out on the pickled carrots, and it was surprisingly good. It had a very strong, distinct flavor to it, and a good amount of sour and spice. It ended up being the one dish here with the most kick in it. The raita was a bit heavy on carrot; I would have preferred more cucumber. But raita wasn't really needed for the meal anyway, since nothing else was very spicy at all. The vegetarian entrees were all pretty bland, and a lot of them seemed like they were getting cold. We were eating right around noon, so it wasn't like 2pm and right before closing or anything. I would have expected the food there to be fresher and hotter. Out of the vegetarian selections, I liked the paneer best. The paneer had a good texture, and the sauce was good with the naan, though it wasn't spicy at all. Next I tried the meat entrees. They had 3 different varieties of chicken: a tikka masala, curry, and tandoor. The tikka masala had a decent enough sauce for dipping the naan, and the chicken was very moist and tender. The curry wasn't really spicy at all, and didn't have a sauce that was distinguishable from the masala at all. The tandoor chicken was all dried out and seemed like it had been sitting for a while. The galub jamun was good. I don't think it's possible to mess that up though. After we finished eating we waited around for a good 20-30 minutes or so before our waiter came back with our bill. Good thing we didn't need any drink refills or anything. Overall I thought the atmosphere was nice, and I was able to fill up on enough food to make the lunch worthwhile. The service was not having a good day though, and the food was quite a bit more bland than I would have liked. It's hard not to compare it to Tower, where each dish has a very strong, distinct flavor. I'm willing to give it another shot in the future, maybe get a dinner entree with a solid medium spice level. But I think for Indian lunch buffets I would probably go to Saffron across the street, or Tower that's not too far away either.
(3)Alyssa B.
I was excited to try Dawat with a friend who had never tried Indian food before. Our server was very friendly. We ordered tikka masala and chicken makhani (not on the menu, but order it!) We asked for medium on the tikka masala and it was very mildly spiced - I think it could have been hotter. I asked for spicy on the makhani and they delivered. It wasn't TOO spicy but definitely needed my water. The portions were decent sized, the two entrees with rice were filling for two, with a small amount leftover. We also had regular naan and the herb-garlic naan, and I'd definitely go for only the herb garlic next time. The food took quite awhile, but my friend and I were enjoying our conversation so it didn't bother me. If you're in a hurry it may be frustrating. Also, after we finished our meal and they removed the plates it was at least 20 minutes before the check came (After we asked one of the bus boys). Again - we were immersed in conversation so I wasn't bothered by this, but something to note. Overall it was a great experience, and I would definitely be back to try some of the other dishes.
(4)Aditi V.
Despicable customer service! Reached the restaurant 25 minutes before closing on a Sunday for lunch when they have a buffet laid out but were shooed away from the entrance saying there's only enough time to pack a lunch to-go! Bye bye forever I say!
(1)Hui H.
I went here one weekday for a take-out lunch buffet. Great value!! Buffets are a great way to go for people who are unfamiliar with the cuisine. They can try everything in one sitting! You're bound to find something you like! I'm one of those people who like to get a good bang for her buck. So naturally, I filled my box with as much of my favorite Indian dishes as I could (Chicken Tikka Masala, for the win!!). I also tried a few of the other things on the buffet. The naan was soft, warm, and went perfectly with the masala. They also gave me a separate container for dessert! I could easily make this lunch last for at least 3 other meals. :)
(4)Barbara B.
I've been here twice now - once for the lunch buffet and once for dinner. The lunch buffet is pretty good. There's a pretty decent selection for around $10. I would give it 4 stars for lunch, but I have to dock it a star for the dinner service. Dinner, while still tasty, is definitely over priced and the service was really slow. A group of 4 of us came in a on weekday night and it was painful to try and flag down a waiter for anything (water, refills, more rice, the bill). The food was pretty good, I ordered my usual Chicken Tikka Masala plus cheese naan, which had delicious little bits of cilantro in the bread. My final bill came out to be $20+, which I think is definitely high for the amount of food (pieces of chicken) that I got. I'll probably be back because it's close to the office and where I live, but I'll probably stick to lunch in the future.
(3)Lindsay S.
I'm really learning more about Indian culture and food this year and, I must say, that this is a really nice Indian restaurant. They proclaim to be a fine dining restaurant and while I cannot fully judge that at lunch time, I can attest to that based on the atmosphere, decor, and service from my visit alone today that they do fine dining well. This is also a family-owned restaurant and the next venture from the owners of Tamarind. Rumor has it they may be opening other restaurants as well, so that's exciting. For lunch, here at Dawat, they offer a lunch buffet. It's not your typical buffet. I was greeted kindly at the door and led to my table where it was set very formally with a napkin folded like I'd never seen a napkin folded before -- almost like a crown. The table was set very nicely with a glass waiting to be filled with ice water as well. A fresh bowl of naan was also there and I've had naan before, but most of the times I've had it I've found it to be boring. This naan was made with the right texture -- not too thick, not too thin, not crunch; and also had just the right amount of butter and garlic flavoring. The lunch buffet was labeled very clearly and the food was all very fresh. They change their options daily, but each day there is a good variety of appetizers, sauces, vegetarian options, staple Indian dishes, and desserts. Today's had the Chicken Tikka Massala as well as a vegetarian version. I tried the spinach, mixed vegetables, and lentils too and they were all blended just right. We were checked on both in terms of beverages, comfort, and food. For desserts they had rice pudding, a mango pudding made with pineapple pieces, and these sweet doughy balls. I was really impressed. Cultural foods can often be overdone by making the sauces to rich and thick or rushed. Everything was well tended to and very, very good. It's a little far for me to be taking a regular lunch break to, but I'm glad I ventured over there today. The food was fabulous and the service was superb.
(5)Crony B.
I went there with a friend on Saturday afternoon for a buffet. First of all there was only little quantity of food left and some items were even missing. But as we were hungry so we ate whatever was left. The Chicken dishes are the worst and not authentic real dishes.The rice were almost hard and were not eatable, So we ordered Chappati but then we waited for 15 mins until the server bought the Chappati. We were almost pissed off by this time and didn't eat properly. It was not worth 13.99$/person Buffet. And it's not over here, Now comes the WORST part, As I didnt like the food, so I just gave $2.00 TIP. But when I checked my Credit Card Statements , These people by themselves charged me $5.00 as a TIP. And till this day I never went there again and never suggested any one to go there. Now me and my office colleagues go to buffet every week to Spice & Curry Restaurant.
(1)Chuan T.
UPDATE: Well, I'm very sorry but I have to take a star away from my original 5-star review. We've started noticing some very disturbing sanitation issues. If you know me, apparent sanitation issues automatically results in a 1- or 2-star review. But I do like this place a lot and have to compare this to other Indian restaurants around the area, which unfortunately fare far worse (Chefs of India had a C-sanitation score at one point). I haven't noticed anything here that wouldn't accidentally happen anywhere else. Service is still good but not as friendly as I first thought. I will still enjoy Dawat, but I'll be extra observant while eating. ORIGINAL REVIEW: This isn't the best Indian buffet in RTP, it's the best buffet period! Take one step into Dawat and you'll immediately notice this isn't your typical Indian restaurant in the area. Attention has been spent on the interior design, at least compared to Tandoor, Chefs of India, Spice & Curry, etc. You won't be awe-inspired, but walk in expecting the interior of a typical buffet place and you will be impressed. Dawat manages to be trendy, clean, and interesting while remaining cozy and intimate. The other thing that sets Dawat apart is the service. Sadly, Indian restaurants in our area aren't known for hospitality. In fact, most people will complain that you're treated like trash at other places. I went with a group of 10 co-workers and we received amazing service. Too good, in fact. I had only taken a sip of my water before it was refilled to the brim again. But the most important thing is the food. Dawat's buffet offerings are better than most restaurants' dinner entrees! Best of all, samosas are part of the lunch buffet. And these aren't soggy, greasy, day-old looking samosas. Because the place stays busy, the samosas are refilled about every 15 minutes. These cost a few bucks each on the dinner menu. The vegetarian options are impressive as well as the meat dishes. And this place is serious about quality and taste. You won't get the overwhelming feeling of butter or ready-made packaged spices here. And the naan is top-notch, not the thin pieces of frozen cardboard at other places. And if the above doesn't have you convinced already. Walk into any other place. Let's take Tandoor for example (which isn't a horrible place by any means. I used to frequent it until they made me feel unwelcome). You won't see any Indians dining there. Walk into Dawat and you'll see many Indian people eating here. Give Dawat a try. You might see me there! Stop by and say hi.
(4)Jay A.
Completely enjoyed the lunch buffet at Dawat yesterday. There were exceptional choices and every item I tried was quite good. Highlights were the saag, mint chutney, garlic naan, vegetable korma and samosa. The atmosphere and service were lovely as well. Pretty and quite relaxing. I will definitely be back!
(4)Brilynn C.
We went for lunch and had the buffet. We got there 30 min before they closed for lunch. It was picked over and all the rice was gone. The food that was there was very flavorful. I hate to say it bc it may be the type of food but it looked like slop. I wish they kept labels up of what the different choices were. I was disappointed to be rushed out at 230 when they were ready to close. The staff was not very friendly. I do not want to pay $10 for a buffet ever again.
(2)Apoorva D.
Excellent restrooms!!! The privacy, the splendor is second to none! 6 ply scented toilet paper feels like using #clouds!!!! The hand dryer is just the right pressure perfectly angled for the most clean hand drying experience ever!!
(5)Katharine B.
Dawat has a delicious lunch buffet. The naan was fresh and the buffet has a great selection of Indian delicacies. The tables and decor are also very nice with linen tablecloths and place settings. I have also dined here with friends and in the evening the menu is a la carte. Dawat is a very nice Indian restaurant and in a great location.
(4)Latosha W.
Great buffet food for the price! Chicken Tikka Masala and naan are my faves! The restaurant atmosphere is very nice and staff was courteous! I will return!
(4)Amber G.
Very delicious food! I've eaten here many times both dine in and take out and it's amazing every time! The restaurant is very clean and well kept. I'm giving it 4 stars because half of the time when I dine in, service can be a little on the slower side. Other than that, I highly recommend this place! I always get their Pan Fried Chili Paneer, Chicken Tikka Marsala, Chicken Corma, Garlic Naan, and Kheer. :)
(4)Sanjay G.
The food is reasonable quality. The people they employee or the owners not so good. Right next door, there is store named Suvidha Indo-Pak Grocery. An employee/owner from Dawat Restaurant comes in and picks up things from grocery and cuts in front of the line regularly. This is not a good behavior in the community. Suvidha grocery store owner said that they feel they need this restaurant's business and they tolerate this behavior. They attributed this behavior to this sorta of thing goes on in indian/pakistani community. But I don't think Dawat should keep this employee (To the owner - you know who I am talking about, middle aged, pan eating, arrogant person). I need to provide this feedback to restaurant owner so hopefully he will correct his behavior or employees behavior.
(2)Andrew R.
This place is great, I've been twice now at dinner time and both visits were superb. Naan is always fresh and tasty, and you get plenty of food with your entree. The staff is always attentive and happy to offer recommendations. In addition to the great food, they usually have at least one craft brew on tap. I'll happily be back!
(4)Trupti T.
This place is pretty decent, we went for the lunch buffet. It wasn't that busy at lunch time and is located in a good area. The best part of this place was their chicken tandoori, I must say one of the best I have had so far. It is just like how it is made at home and truly worth the buffet money itself. Not your typical selections as other Indian buffet but not bad. A good place for beer and tandoori chicken :)
(3)Rosenzweig A.
The food is amazing just be prepared for horrible service....if it is busy be prepared to wait for 45-an hour for your food. And don't bother asking for an idea of when it will be ready the honestly don't seen to know or care. But honestly the food is worth it.
(3)Sarah H.
Dawat is without a doubt my new favorite Indian lunch spot. The buffet is priced similarly to others in the Triangle area but they definitely have more options than some of my other favorites. They had an awesome mix of both vegetarian and meat options with lots of sides, sauces, and desserts. The naan, chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, and paneer were all highlights of my meal.
(4)Ess K.
Been here for lunch buffet.. Food was not fresh and chicken was stale.. There were hard 10 customers.. Standards hav gone down in recent months..I would not go to this place again :-(
(1)Amanda P.
Very friendly and knowledgable staff. Ordered Palak Paneer, tandoori chicken, meat samosas and Daal. Amazing flavor and spice. The Daal is out of this world!
(5)Prasad B.
I've had take out here 4x since the beginning of the year. Food quality seems to have dipped. Maybe a new cook. Today we had take out and the rice came in Chinese take out containers. That did not sit well with me.
(3)Susan W.
We've been dining here for dinner at least twice a month for almost a year, and it has quickly moved up the chart of our favorites. Service is so friendly, and mistakes are rare. We have never waited a moment for a table or for service, though on one Friday night when we'd invited guests we took the precaution of making reservations. As this restaurant deservedly grows in popularity, we expect to have to do so more frequently. Despite being local southerners, we eat a lot of Indian food all over the US and UK, and Dawat is right up there with the best. The papadum that opens the meal comes with the standard trio of sauces that is just a tad fresher and sharper than most. Appetizers especially shine. Cauliflower Manchurian is our favorite, but the Paneer Tikka and the Onion Bhajia are amazing. For entrees, we favor the Goan Shrimp Curry, Chicken Mango, any of the Korma dishes, the Channa Masala, and yes, the chicken tikka masala is to die for, but don't stop there or you won't avail yourself of all this delightful restaurant offers. We haven't had dessert, but our son once ordered what has to be the best mango lassi in the history of Indian cuisine. If you have a sweet tooth, that would be my choice.
(5)Jim S.
Flavorful and fresh Indian food every time. The tandoori is excellent!
(5)Jeremy J.
This restaurant is probably the best Indian food I've ever had, but they are getting only 3 stars instead of 5 because of the service. Half the time we go, the employees feel like they don't want to be there, while the other half they are at least communicable.
(3)Caitlin K.
I came here for the lunch buffet the other weekend and was very pleased. I thought they had a great variety of dishes. I especially loved the samosas (even though they take up a lot of much needed room in my stomach). The service was great other than the slight confusion at the end on how we get our check and pay (the answer was to just go to the register at the bar and tell them how many people you had). I was encouraged when we came in close to when the buffet started and most of the tables were already filled. I will definitely be coming back.
(4)Judy B.
As this is my second review and my sixth time here, I am still raving about the food. We try a new dish almost every time we come here and are never disappointed. I also want to rave about the service. Everyone is warm and friendly. We have always received great service. They go out of their way to make sure everything is great for us. I highly recommend Dawat for Indian.
(5)Joseph A.
Outstanding special regional dishes, and a superlative buffet.
(4)Malvika B.
Had heard a lot about this restaurant so we thought of giving it a try. As far as the ambience goes, the restaurant gets a thumbs up but the layout was a bit strange as the buffet was oddly placed far away from where we were seated. There were a variety of dishes to choose from but the taste was nothing to brag about. Same as the other typical restaurants. The servers need to be more friendly and learn a bit more of meet and greet techniques. There was only one guy running around seating people and hence a lot of people who came in had to wait a bit longer to be seated. He hardly came by our table to check on us and even refill our drinks! Be sure to take the bill from the waiter because if you go straight to pay there is a high probability that you will be over charged as was in our case. And the guy who checked is out ( in black shirt and trousers) hardly bothered to greet, smile or even say thank you as if he was doing us a favor. So will we go back there, well there are a lot of other restaurants we havent tried yet, so probably not so soon.
(3)Kate T.
This restaurant is fantastic!! Absolutely everything we ordered was done perfectly. Even my little girl couldn't stop eating it and she's the pickiest kid ever!! UPDATE: Things have changed significantly since my first time at Dawat. The food is still good, that's why it's got one star. But the service is HORRIFYING!!! We actually had to find the manager to take our order because our clueless waiter was not to be found. It wasn't even busy there at the time... I think there were three tables occupied in the whole place. We also waited FOREVER for our food. The wait staff is either incompetent or untrained. We had NO SERVICE at the beginning of our meal and by the time we were ready to leave... we had four waiters asking the same questions over and over and two of them trying to refill our water (one actually put her hands around the mouth of the glass, so let's assume that the sanitary practices are lacking here also)! This place isn't worth the hassle. They have an attitude to begin with and terrible, inept servers. One server actually still had her coat on and it was hard to tell if she was actually a waiter. She was so incompetent, I actually saw her turn in a circle a few times... was she chasing her tail?? Seriously, don't bother going here for anything. You will spend a lot of money and have a miserable experience!
(1)Janine R.
Amazing Indian Food. The waiters are lovely. The food is great. Just don't come here when you are looking for something fast (at least not during dinner). They thoughtfully prepare everything and allow you to enjoy your dinner guests and their food. The Naan is the best I have ever had. I've only ever had dinner there, but I am interested to try the lunch buffet.
(5)Swati M.
I had been to Dawat for their lunch buffet which had a lot of great options and the food was very flavorful. Tonight was the firast time I went there for dinner, and with a friend who has never eaten at an Indian restaurant before. She ordered the lamb pasanda and thought it was really good! I had the vegetarian thali and it was delicious. I asked for a substitution and the waiters were very accomodating. Even the drinks were great (martinis). I would recommend this place - good, authentic fresh indian food, and accomodating/attentive staff. Prices are reasonable for the quality and portions provided.
(5)Hanna L.
I am allergic to dairy, and it has been difficult for me to find a good Indian restaurant that doesn't simply drown everything in cream - until I found Dawat. I went for the lunch buffet with a friend and we were both very excited. The buffet is kept fresh and the items are all labeled. I had no trouble finding ample food with no dairy. Everything was delicious. The naan was unusually good, even with no butter! When I explained to the owner that I could not eat cream and I love dal, he made me a fresh portion of yellow dal, very well spiced, with no cream! I am so excited to find this place; I look forward to returning many times. It's true that you have to make a u-turn to get here when you are coming north, but it is well worth it!
(5)Rebecca B.
Went for the buffet for lunch through the week. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I was unimpressed. Selection was not that great, the okra was burnt to a crisp and the service was, well, serviceable but unenthusiastic or welcoming. It was kind of weird and quiet atmosphere.
(2)Sandra W.
I just ate at Dawat for the first time. In fact I am polishing off my glass of wine from dinner as I write. A+ on service. I never wanted for anything but was not bothered unnecessarily. I ordered a standard "try it out" Indian meal on the theory that any Indian restaurant should be able to deliver garlic naan and chicken tikka masala. Dawat was right on point. They spiced it medium as I ordered it and it was hot, tender and flavorful. The bread was brimming with garlic. They get extra credit for generous pours on wine by the glass (an almost unheard of bonus in Cary). I eat at Saffron across the street frequently. Food in comparable, although Saffron is spicy and doesn't turn it down. Saffron might have a slight edge on ambience, but Dawat wins hands down on service and wine pours--Saffron is your standard Cary stingy pour. Great job Dawat! I will be back.
(4)Ganesh R.
very poor service. If you are going as a group, service suckz.
(1)Nirva P.
If I could give this place 0 stars then I really would!!!! Seriously!!! We went there (husband and I) with the expectation after reading so many of the reviews that this was indeed a place that was different from some of the other places in town that served Indian cuisine. Boy were we disappointed. It all began for me when we walked in where no one and I mean absolutely no one came to greet us. When someone finally came after a few minutes once we summoned a nearby server for help, the person looked so miserable that they may have just as well stayed home! After being seated for a few minutes (there were 2 large tables seated before us as we were waiting), no one came to take our drink order. At this point I just wanted to eat some food and get out and not even order drinks. We ordered some food and it was the most mediocre tasting meal I have ever had. Our server never came and asked how the food was as it clearly meant that he didn't care at all even though he saw how much of the food was leftover on our plates. There are far better restaurants in the Triangle area compared to this place even if they had a 2-3 star rating. The food tab was quite high as well even though we didn't even have any drinks and had placed an order of one naan, one vegetable and one chicken appetizer. Stay away from this place as it is not worth it. If you cannot get the customer service aspect right in a business then you might as well just close shop.
(1)Jake R.
My girlfriend and I eat here at least a couple times a month. The food tastes great, and the portions are large enough that you can take some home and eat later.
(4)Kay V.
This place has by far the best Standard Indian Food in the Triangle (Cholanad is better but it's not standard Indian food). Make sure you ask the waiter for recommendations if you need help deciding. Try Chicken 65 and Gobi Manchurian from the Appetizer section. Entree try Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Saagwala and Black Daal. The dessert section could be better.
(4)David B.
And just like that, Dawat earned a 5th star. Phenomenal performance tonight Dawat, I applaud you. This time, my wife and I ordered the Chana Masala, The Cauliflower Manchurian, and the vegetable Samosas. We also ordered the Mock Champagne and Spiced Ginger beverages. Mock Champagne was non alcoholic while the Spiced Ginger was alcoholic. The naan was beyond fresh! The Cauliflower Manchurian is what earned the "phenomenal" word tonight as well. Dawat's service is somewhat better than last time. The only issue here is with the speed of service. That is it.
(5)Zoe Z.
We had a little background introduction from an Indian friend. So this place is more of the northern Indian style, aka milder/blander. Well, our tongues got pretty excited to the spices! And they are not too spicy at all, so that diners won't find it intimidating. Buffet is awesome--- desserts, masala, curries... and even a decently big collection of salad. Noticed several reviews on poor service. Personal experience persay, I don't have anything to complain :)
(4)B. W.
We enjoyed our dinner last night. Tried the Samosa Chaat which was a pleasant surprise! Chicken Tikka Masala was delicious (although a tad sweet for my taste) as was Lamb Vindaloo. Atmosphere here is very nice (music helped to create the atmosphere, even though I was sitting right under a speaker...) Service was disorganized, but we've come to expect this at most Indian restaurants in the area, so not a surprise. After reading another review, we made it a point to check the Sanitation rating, which was an A. Altogether an EXCELLENT meal!
(4)Michelle E.
Yum! I just ate some chicken tikka masala that I ordered as take out from Dawat. It was fantastic. It was not as spicy as I expected since I did request it to be prepared hot. The Naan was very, very good. The meal was a couple dollars more than other comparable Indian restaurants I have eaten at, but the food was so good and the location is close to my house, so I will definitely be back.
(4)Matthew W.
The food was good when it got there, but the service was SLOW....
(3)Nate S.
Came in for Saturday night dinner. The food and the service were both excellent. The value was pretty good as well as we tried the "Dinner for Two" which included appetizer, three different curries (2 meat one vegetarian), naan, and dessert for $42.00. We have tons of leftovers. I will come back.
(5)Blair G.
The Indian food here is very tasty. One of the things that sets Dawat apart from the other Indian restaurants in the area is the terrific ambiance, friendly wait staff, and strong presentation of the food. My wife and I are finding Dawat as our favorite Indian restaurant in the area and are so thankful they are in Morrisville/Cary! You will be glad you come to Dawat. Everything we've had on the menu for dinner has been tasty. We have not been here for lunch.
(4)