As soon as we walked in we knew we found a gem. In the words of my boyfriend: "I like the way the chicken looks. Like if you were to bring it home and grill it." First, not just the chicken, but everything was wonderful. It was evident the naan was fresh made to order, and the rice itself was lightly seasoned and a very good texture. The chicken tikka appetizer was tender, juicy, and delicious. We also had a lentil daal and chicken curry. Both great. What we really enjoyed was the development of the flavors. it was fresh, spicy, savory. very good all around, and the tea! Masala Chai (literally means 'spiced tea') is delicious. We asked our waiter where we can buy some to bring home and he happily lead us to Masala Market in SoPo (another review pending) where we could find all kinds of teas and ingredients. The restaurant itself is bright, colorful, and CLEAN. The seating arrangement is interesting but I really like it. its a good use of a small space. The glasses were very clean, and our waters were always full. Our server did seem a bit nervous, but very very nice and knowledgable. A side note: It can be hard to find this place but its DIRECTLY under the 565 awning on congress st. Its evident by the service and product that this small restaurant really cares about their business, and boyfriend and I are now super fans. We can't wait to go back.
(4)
Adam L.
I had their Lamb Curry ($12.95). It was fantastic! I have a decent tolerance for spicy food, but their "medium" was quite spicy. I'd be nervous to try the hottest! I also had an order of their Samoas and some Naan as appetizers. Both were amazing! I'll definitely go back.
(4)
Joshua B.
Girlfriend and I went there for lunch and it was delicious. I ate the lamb curry and she had the chicken mushroom and everything was very good. The waiter was friendly and accommodating. This place is affordable and the service is fast, definitely a good place to go.
(4)
Ryan C.
India Palace set a signifiant president for me when it comes to quality Indian food in the city of Portland. Since moving here, I haven't found another indian restaurant that serves food as delectiable as that which you can get here. The wait staff is very friendly and eager to serve.
(4)
Daniella L.
My husband I am have been going to this place for years. It is a family-run business and they are always working hard to serve up amazing Indian dishes with flavors that make your taste buds dance! They have great hours and are always open late. We see a lot of people ordering takeout from there in the evening. I highly recommend the onion baji, tomato soup and chai tea. For entrees, we just love Shahi Paneer! We first had that dish in California, and at other Indian restaurants but IP Portland, ME makes it the best!! Tip: Ordering your entre "Regular" spicy has got a touch of heat, where as "Medium" is fairly spicy and has got quite a kick. If you are shy with spice/heat, I would recommend Mild or Regular- love it hot n' spicy? Go for Medium or more!
(5)
Jimmy H.
Had the lamb curry and the spice was spot on! Waiter told me not to go with lamb vindaloo since that may be too spicey. Need to try that next time. Service was very attentive with friendly smile. The tiki Marsala was very tasty!!! Their beers are cheap too!!!!
(5)
Paul W.
I was caught in the snowstorm staying downtown and had a craving for Indian food. Luckily, there was India Palace close to my hotel and I was pleasantly surprised. Their chutneys were uniquely flavored, the garlic naan was crisp and slightly blackened on the edges (very good), the dalshorba soup hit the spot and the lamb vindaloo was perfectly spiced. Service was fast; it helped that it was mostly empty because of the incoming storm. Would recommend.
(5)
Richard E.
Great food! Cool little place! Appetizer sampler was fantastic. All three sauces were tasty. Got Chicken Korma and the wife got shrimp curry... Very, very good! Careful of the spice level... Medium packs a punch... But not overwhelming. Enjoy!
(4)
Noah G.
They failed to return my credit card to my table and then when I drove the 12 miles back to retrieve it, they blamed it on me! When I asked what they were going to do for my wasted time, gas, and hassle, I got a blinking blank stare. Not recommended if you expect good customer service.
(1)
Liam S.
Good. Maybe not the best Indian food that I have had, but still not bad and did satisfy my craving.
(3)
Rajiv A.
[1 visit, 2010] Everything looked as it should, but nothing tasted as it should. The naan was missing the distinctive flavor of the tandoor, leaving a flavor-void akin to wonderbread. The curries all tasted as if they were missing something - butter? flavor? I couldn't put my finger on it, but it was a disorienting and infuriating meal. Not recommended.
(1)
Joe R.
Dal Shorba soup was a little dull and bland, but my Chicken Tikka Saag was tasteful. (aside from the lack of chicken) I can say I will go back someday.
(3)
Jim B.
Ended up here after a failed Thanksgiving dinner plan and I couldn't have been happier with the result. The service was rather friendly and food was as good as any Indian I have had.
(4)
Sabrina H.
My favorite Indian restaurant in Portland! Things I love: plain paratha, mixed grill, fish masala, lamb curry. And the cashew rosewater ice cream is not to be missed! Not to mention great service and (more than) reasonable prices. Every visit has been a delight.
(5)
Raz G.
Service too slow. The place is typical Indian style. Food is k. Far frm hme n a typical Sunday brunch can give it a 5.5/10. Surprisingly they have kingfisher beer.
(2)
A Z.
Worst experience ever. We ordered kabobs with special instruction to make it spicy. They were reheated in the microwave, not spicy at all taste like shreded card board. Channa massala was not good. I can cook much better than their chef and I am not a Professional cook even remotely. Prices are overinflated. Naan are OK. Service is not bad at all. Presentation is very poor to say the least
(1)
Emily D.
This place was a quick bite for lunch for me and I was glad I only planned on being there for a short meal. Inside its dark, but like your typical indian restaurant- tables along the wall and some awkwardly in the middle. Food wise.. definitley left much to be desired. I got my usual chicken tika masala with garlic nan. 1. You could tell the nan was not house made- looked like some of the premade stuff you can buy at the grocery store. Was dense and bready, not the light kind of nan you get when its home made 2. The chicken masala was ok, little on the greasy side with minimal flavor. 3. the rice was about the same- very little flavor which is hard to do w/ basmati rice, and it didn't seem cooked all the way. 4. the meal ended up being more $$ than it was worth. I love indian but this is not going to be my joint.
(2)
Sarah G.
It was a little slow when I went on Saturday night so that can sometimes make the dining experience a little more awkward. A friend and I each got soup, a couple appetizers, and we split lamb curry for dinner. The lentil soup I got was delicious. Tea with milk was delicious. The appetizers of stuffed naan and fried vegetable cakes were just okay. The lamb curry could have been spicier, I thought, and the rice was a little dry. I love it when its kinda goey and sticky but it seemed maybe this had been cooked awhile ago. The price is right - If I lived around there I would be back for more soup, tea, and to try something other than curry (which is boring). Try it if you're new at indian food.
(3)
Chris P.
I needed an Indian fix on Easter Sunday - thankfully, they were open! Doesn't seem like much from the outside, since it's just a little narrow doorway, but it opens up on the inside to a very cozy-feeling Indianly-decorated place. I had absolutely delicious paneer nan (cheese nan). I could have just ordered more of that and been happy. Then chicken tikka masala and vegetable biryani, both of which were very tasty. Lunch prices, so the main dish was $6.95 and the rest I don't remember well, but it was tres reasonable. The waiter was like the nicest guy ever, I wanted to help him clean up that's how much he made me feel like he enjoyed having me at his restaurant. Overall, pretty durn awesome!
(4)
Amy B.
We used to go to Tandoor for years but recently we've had food poisoning from the place so we've been trying the other Indian restaurants in Portland. I've now been a few times to India Palace and I think it's at the top of our Indian places in the city (I have yet to try Haggarty's). The place doesn't look like much but the food is great! I've had the chicken korma and the tikka masala and they were both delicious. The waiter was very nice and attentive to us (the water glasses were never empty which is great when you as for your dish to be "hot"). I would recommend India Palace as a great place for lunch. The lunch menu is inexpensive and offers a little bit of everything.
(4)
Chris A.
Some great indian food here, nice variety of options. I had the coconut soup and kima mutter, my wife had the tomato soup and a much spicier lamb dish that I forget the name of. All were excellent, though the coconut soup was much sweeter than I expected, more desert like. It was very nice to cool the mouth off from the wicked hot tomato and onion chutney that surprised me with it's fierce spice mix. We also sampled a trio of breads, the paneer naan was excellent, as was the preshwari naan. The roti was much softer than any I've had before, a very different texture, not bad, just different than i expected.
(4)
Don N.
I had a quick dinner there the other night and found it to be a good, if not great place. I had Shrimp vindaloo and a mango Lassy. Teh Lassy was excellent, not too sweet. The curry was tasty, but not very hot - and I asked for extra hot. The price was just right for the quality. The waiter was attentive without being too present. A good experience and I am sure I will return unless I find a place close by that knows how to make something really spicy.
(3)
Matthew P.
Picked up some indian at this place. Marginal food. Inside was nice. The raita was really watery and the breads weren't that good. Portions were just ok and the lamb vindaloo and chicken korma were decent. I'm sure there is better if you look around, but ok if you're in the neighborhood this place will do you fine.
(3)
Maya S.
Decent indian food place. If you are really hungry and going there for dinner, i'd highly recommend the 'thali'...an assortment of appetizer, naan, curries, poppadums, rice and dessert! Totally worth the price and the service is good too. What more can you ask!
(4)
L. Michael F.
This place rocks! Our biggest problem, is not filling up on appetizers. Good service, too.
(5)
Hillary K.
I love India Palace for the attentive service and delicious vegetarian curries. Their lunch menu is very reasonably priced and I'm always full after a meal there. The staff is always so nice and has given my friends and I free extra rice on more than one occasion :) Plus, they have great, flavorful vegan options. Also, their chutneys are fantastic, especially the mint.
(4)
Ali M.
Oh man, this place is my #1 go-to when I want take out. They have tons of vegetarian options, consistently good cooking/service, and the guys in there are super friendly. I usually get their Malai Kofta when I go, which is always delicious. A lot of places tend to make it too salty, but India Palace does it right. I recently discovered one of their desserts, kulfee. Try ittt! It's the best frozen dessert I've ever touched my lips to. I've eaten here about.. 30-ish times since moving to Portland, and it's never sucked.
(5)
Evan L.
Overall, nice atmosphere and service; it was a pleasant, if somewhat typical dining experience in a smaller-sized Indian restaurant. However, although we ordered appetizers and entrees, I did leave hungry. The small portion size keeps India Palace from being somewhere I'd readily return.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
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.
Aly C.
As soon as we walked in we knew we found a gem. In the words of my boyfriend: "I like the way the chicken looks. Like if you were to bring it home and grill it." First, not just the chicken, but everything was wonderful. It was evident the naan was fresh made to order, and the rice itself was lightly seasoned and a very good texture. The chicken tikka appetizer was tender, juicy, and delicious. We also had a lentil daal and chicken curry. Both great. What we really enjoyed was the development of the flavors. it was fresh, spicy, savory. very good all around, and the tea! Masala Chai (literally means 'spiced tea') is delicious. We asked our waiter where we can buy some to bring home and he happily lead us to Masala Market in SoPo (another review pending) where we could find all kinds of teas and ingredients. The restaurant itself is bright, colorful, and CLEAN. The seating arrangement is interesting but I really like it. its a good use of a small space. The glasses were very clean, and our waters were always full. Our server did seem a bit nervous, but very very nice and knowledgable. A side note: It can be hard to find this place but its DIRECTLY under the 565 awning on congress st. Its evident by the service and product that this small restaurant really cares about their business, and boyfriend and I are now super fans. We can't wait to go back.
(4)Adam L.
I had their Lamb Curry ($12.95). It was fantastic! I have a decent tolerance for spicy food, but their "medium" was quite spicy. I'd be nervous to try the hottest! I also had an order of their Samoas and some Naan as appetizers. Both were amazing! I'll definitely go back.
(4)Joshua B.
Girlfriend and I went there for lunch and it was delicious. I ate the lamb curry and she had the chicken mushroom and everything was very good. The waiter was friendly and accommodating. This place is affordable and the service is fast, definitely a good place to go.
(4)Ryan C.
India Palace set a signifiant president for me when it comes to quality Indian food in the city of Portland. Since moving here, I haven't found another indian restaurant that serves food as delectiable as that which you can get here. The wait staff is very friendly and eager to serve.
(4)Daniella L.
My husband I am have been going to this place for years. It is a family-run business and they are always working hard to serve up amazing Indian dishes with flavors that make your taste buds dance! They have great hours and are always open late. We see a lot of people ordering takeout from there in the evening. I highly recommend the onion baji, tomato soup and chai tea. For entrees, we just love Shahi Paneer! We first had that dish in California, and at other Indian restaurants but IP Portland, ME makes it the best!! Tip: Ordering your entre "Regular" spicy has got a touch of heat, where as "Medium" is fairly spicy and has got quite a kick. If you are shy with spice/heat, I would recommend Mild or Regular- love it hot n' spicy? Go for Medium or more!
(5)Jimmy H.
Had the lamb curry and the spice was spot on! Waiter told me not to go with lamb vindaloo since that may be too spicey. Need to try that next time. Service was very attentive with friendly smile. The tiki Marsala was very tasty!!! Their beers are cheap too!!!!
(5)Paul W.
I was caught in the snowstorm staying downtown and had a craving for Indian food. Luckily, there was India Palace close to my hotel and I was pleasantly surprised. Their chutneys were uniquely flavored, the garlic naan was crisp and slightly blackened on the edges (very good), the dalshorba soup hit the spot and the lamb vindaloo was perfectly spiced. Service was fast; it helped that it was mostly empty because of the incoming storm. Would recommend.
(5)Richard E.
Great food! Cool little place! Appetizer sampler was fantastic. All three sauces were tasty. Got Chicken Korma and the wife got shrimp curry... Very, very good! Careful of the spice level... Medium packs a punch... But not overwhelming. Enjoy!
(4)Noah G.
They failed to return my credit card to my table and then when I drove the 12 miles back to retrieve it, they blamed it on me! When I asked what they were going to do for my wasted time, gas, and hassle, I got a blinking blank stare. Not recommended if you expect good customer service.
(1)Liam S.
Good. Maybe not the best Indian food that I have had, but still not bad and did satisfy my craving.
(3)Rajiv A.
[1 visit, 2010] Everything looked as it should, but nothing tasted as it should. The naan was missing the distinctive flavor of the tandoor, leaving a flavor-void akin to wonderbread. The curries all tasted as if they were missing something - butter? flavor? I couldn't put my finger on it, but it was a disorienting and infuriating meal. Not recommended.
(1)Joe R.
Dal Shorba soup was a little dull and bland, but my Chicken Tikka Saag was tasteful. (aside from the lack of chicken) I can say I will go back someday.
(3)Jim B.
Ended up here after a failed Thanksgiving dinner plan and I couldn't have been happier with the result. The service was rather friendly and food was as good as any Indian I have had.
(4)Sabrina H.
My favorite Indian restaurant in Portland! Things I love: plain paratha, mixed grill, fish masala, lamb curry. And the cashew rosewater ice cream is not to be missed! Not to mention great service and (more than) reasonable prices. Every visit has been a delight.
(5)Raz G.
Service too slow. The place is typical Indian style. Food is k. Far frm hme n a typical Sunday brunch can give it a 5.5/10. Surprisingly they have kingfisher beer.
(2)A Z.
Worst experience ever. We ordered kabobs with special instruction to make it spicy. They were reheated in the microwave, not spicy at all taste like shreded card board. Channa massala was not good. I can cook much better than their chef and I am not a Professional cook even remotely. Prices are overinflated. Naan are OK. Service is not bad at all. Presentation is very poor to say the least
(1)Emily D.
This place was a quick bite for lunch for me and I was glad I only planned on being there for a short meal. Inside its dark, but like your typical indian restaurant- tables along the wall and some awkwardly in the middle. Food wise.. definitley left much to be desired. I got my usual chicken tika masala with garlic nan. 1. You could tell the nan was not house made- looked like some of the premade stuff you can buy at the grocery store. Was dense and bready, not the light kind of nan you get when its home made 2. The chicken masala was ok, little on the greasy side with minimal flavor. 3. the rice was about the same- very little flavor which is hard to do w/ basmati rice, and it didn't seem cooked all the way. 4. the meal ended up being more $$ than it was worth. I love indian but this is not going to be my joint.
(2)Sarah G.
It was a little slow when I went on Saturday night so that can sometimes make the dining experience a little more awkward. A friend and I each got soup, a couple appetizers, and we split lamb curry for dinner. The lentil soup I got was delicious. Tea with milk was delicious. The appetizers of stuffed naan and fried vegetable cakes were just okay. The lamb curry could have been spicier, I thought, and the rice was a little dry. I love it when its kinda goey and sticky but it seemed maybe this had been cooked awhile ago. The price is right - If I lived around there I would be back for more soup, tea, and to try something other than curry (which is boring). Try it if you're new at indian food.
(3)Chris P.
I needed an Indian fix on Easter Sunday - thankfully, they were open! Doesn't seem like much from the outside, since it's just a little narrow doorway, but it opens up on the inside to a very cozy-feeling Indianly-decorated place. I had absolutely delicious paneer nan (cheese nan). I could have just ordered more of that and been happy. Then chicken tikka masala and vegetable biryani, both of which were very tasty. Lunch prices, so the main dish was $6.95 and the rest I don't remember well, but it was tres reasonable. The waiter was like the nicest guy ever, I wanted to help him clean up that's how much he made me feel like he enjoyed having me at his restaurant. Overall, pretty durn awesome!
(4)Amy B.
We used to go to Tandoor for years but recently we've had food poisoning from the place so we've been trying the other Indian restaurants in Portland. I've now been a few times to India Palace and I think it's at the top of our Indian places in the city (I have yet to try Haggarty's). The place doesn't look like much but the food is great! I've had the chicken korma and the tikka masala and they were both delicious. The waiter was very nice and attentive to us (the water glasses were never empty which is great when you as for your dish to be "hot"). I would recommend India Palace as a great place for lunch. The lunch menu is inexpensive and offers a little bit of everything.
(4)Chris A.
Some great indian food here, nice variety of options. I had the coconut soup and kima mutter, my wife had the tomato soup and a much spicier lamb dish that I forget the name of. All were excellent, though the coconut soup was much sweeter than I expected, more desert like. It was very nice to cool the mouth off from the wicked hot tomato and onion chutney that surprised me with it's fierce spice mix. We also sampled a trio of breads, the paneer naan was excellent, as was the preshwari naan. The roti was much softer than any I've had before, a very different texture, not bad, just different than i expected.
(4)Don N.
I had a quick dinner there the other night and found it to be a good, if not great place. I had Shrimp vindaloo and a mango Lassy. Teh Lassy was excellent, not too sweet. The curry was tasty, but not very hot - and I asked for extra hot. The price was just right for the quality. The waiter was attentive without being too present. A good experience and I am sure I will return unless I find a place close by that knows how to make something really spicy.
(3)Matthew P.
Picked up some indian at this place. Marginal food. Inside was nice. The raita was really watery and the breads weren't that good. Portions were just ok and the lamb vindaloo and chicken korma were decent. I'm sure there is better if you look around, but ok if you're in the neighborhood this place will do you fine.
(3)Maya S.
Decent indian food place. If you are really hungry and going there for dinner, i'd highly recommend the 'thali'...an assortment of appetizer, naan, curries, poppadums, rice and dessert! Totally worth the price and the service is good too. What more can you ask!
(4)L. Michael F.
This place rocks! Our biggest problem, is not filling up on appetizers. Good service, too.
(5)Hillary K.
I love India Palace for the attentive service and delicious vegetarian curries. Their lunch menu is very reasonably priced and I'm always full after a meal there. The staff is always so nice and has given my friends and I free extra rice on more than one occasion :) Plus, they have great, flavorful vegan options. Also, their chutneys are fantastic, especially the mint.
(4)Ali M.
Oh man, this place is my #1 go-to when I want take out. They have tons of vegetarian options, consistently good cooking/service, and the guys in there are super friendly. I usually get their Malai Kofta when I go, which is always delicious. A lot of places tend to make it too salty, but India Palace does it right. I recently discovered one of their desserts, kulfee. Try ittt! It's the best frozen dessert I've ever touched my lips to. I've eaten here about.. 30-ish times since moving to Portland, and it's never sucked.
(5)Evan L.
Overall, nice atmosphere and service; it was a pleasant, if somewhat typical dining experience in a smaller-sized Indian restaurant. However, although we ordered appetizers and entrees, I did leave hungry. The small portion size keeps India Palace from being somewhere I'd readily return.
(3)