Me and my husband went here for dinner, first time. We had excellent service so they must have addressed the issues in the negative posts. I had the butter chicken medium+. It was delicious and the exact heat i hoped for. The rice was perhaps a tad dry. My husband had the chicken byriani. It looked like fried rice from a Chinese restaurant at first but he really liked it. The vegetable samosas were very good. Pleasant atmosphere, clean, very very polite and attentive service. We will come back.
(4)
Surya R.
Ordered a delivery from this place twice now. It was quick and the food was delicious. It's a much needed spot in an area that is void of good Indian restaurants.
(5)
Rahul S.
Don't bother. Ok I don't enjoy writing critical reviews but that's really all I need to say about this place. I was sorta excited to see that there was an Indian restaurant in Royal Oak but excitement lasted all of 10 minutes. The food is below average. Period. I have no complaints about the service or the ambiance but if you want good Indian food I'd look elsewhere. As an Indian who spent the first 21 years of my life in Bombay (yes, I still call it Bombay, not Mumbai) I've eaten at at least five other places called Moti Mahal in different parts of the country. This did not even get close to any of them.
(2)
Marshall D.
I had dinner here with my fiance this past Sunday night. Let me start by saying, this restaurant's rating is likely lower because of older reviews. This place is fabulous! From the get go, we had an allergy question. An employee grabbed the manager "Joe" who was very attentive and focused on making sure the food was made in a way that we could eat it. He went through the levels of spice and made suggestions for two chicken dishes. The food was spectacular. We ordered a chicken dish with lentils, butter chicken, raita, naan, and vegetable samosa. All of the dishes were flavorful and spicy to our liking. All of the wait staff took care of us as a team. This isn't a "my section" restaurant, they truly use teamwork. They all will stop to answer your questions, and they are all pleasant and friendly. A real rarity is that they actually give you a lot of meat in your dishes here. You don't order a dish to find out you only get 4 cubes of chicken with a bunch of sauce and rice (like most other Indian restaurants). Your food is kept warm by candle heat while you eat your meal. They have a wonderful philosophy that if you don't have leftovers, they haven't done their job right. They want you to take some home, eat it the next day, and remind yourself of why you ate there. I can't say enough great things. Stop in and give them a try!
(5)
Barbie M.
great service clean fairly priced food was just ok. could have had a lille more pizazz but overall i was happy and so was my belly. I think I will try it again to be fair.
(3)
Zoya z.
I hate writing reviews like this. The service was truly awesome but I'd never be back. Bummer. The presentation of the appetizer platter was nice and most of it tasty. The chicken tikka masala was bland. Very bland. Super bland. Urg bland. You get the point? Garlic naan was bland as well. It was too light in color and there wasn't enough butter nor garlic. The raita was too thick and not the creamy goodness I am used to eating. My friend mentioned that her chicken tandoori was on a dry side. I eat Indian about once a week and while I am no authority on Indian food, I know what I like. The cuisine is known for its robust flavors and I should be able to smell them a mile away. Not here. They don't have an alcohol license so if you like to have wine with your dinner you are out of luck here. The host, waiter and bus people were incredibly polite and lovely. Now if they can just learn how to make some Indian food...
(2)
Kirsten J.
I've been meaning to write a review of this place for quite a while. I wasn't really happy with where I had been getting my Indian fix since I moved here for a while, but didn't know where else to go until a friend brought me here. Not long after, we learned Mohti Mahal delivers to Ferndale and now we're hooked. Not only did they deliver during the biggest snow storm ever last year (Remember 'snowmageddon?') but the delivery person was clad in a tux. Fantastic. I love how helpful they are when I call without a menu in front of me (I'm vegetarian). The food is always delicious and quick and has become our comfort-food go-to when I don't feel like cooking or we feel like having a chill night in front of the TV. On a recent weekday was running around before going to the doctor. I had 25 minutes and was under the weather and realized I could pop in and get some quick mulligatawny or daal here. Lucky for me -- I forgot about the lunch buffet! I paid $8 and had delicious chai tea, my soup I was looking for and 8 of the 11 items on the buffet were vegetarian. Oh, and there was naan of course. I walked in with barely an appetite and walked out stuffed and satisfied. I've never eaten here when it's been super busy, but the staff is always really pleasant and helpful.
(5)
Lis M.
I have dreamed of having a delicious Indian Food place close by for so long, thanks to Moti Mahal I finally have my wish. Don't listen to the haters try for yourself. I don't know if Moti Mahal is authentic, but I know that the service is great, order in or carry out, and I have not had a bad dish. Oh and when they say the Vindaloo is hot they're not messing around. When we crave Indian no questions asked this is where we go. My favorite combo of flavors are the Rogan Lamb, with Aloo Paratha bread, and Raita.
(4)
Chethna S.
I shouldn't have told the wait staff that we had a groupon. The food was barely palatable. I ordered the biryani and it was just some left over rice that they made some concoction out of. Granted, we were here 45 minutes before closing but I don't think it should've been that bad. I had to write a review because it was the worst Indian food I've had in Michigan.
(1)
TJ W.
Spoiler alert - Moti Mahal is a sit-down Indian version of Q'Doba. If you're one of those people who doesn't like reading long reviews, there's the verdict in a nutshell. There are two spectacular Indian restaurants in the Detroit area, but the completist in me would never allow me to leave well enough alone. I have to try every last Indian restaurant (or in this case, "Indian") in Detroit, because you never know when you're going to find that hidden gem. This place is the opposite of that, and that should come as no surprise - it's in Downtown Royal Oak. This place has an exclusively white clientele for a reason...Indian people would never eat garbage like this. It's as authentic as a Gucci bag you bought for $10 at a party store, and waaaay too expensive for what it is. And I know elderly quadriplegics whose love lives are spicier than the food here. Basically, you choose your protein, you choose your slop (I think they call them sauces), then you wait for it to come out. The slop you choose doesn't matter, they all taste the same. The proteins range in texture from stringy to tough, so you basically have to choose whether you'd rather eat the horsemeat or the saddle. If you choose to go vegetarian you don't really have to worry about texture, because it's just going to be like you fed your baby a whole bunch of mashed and boiled vegetables and Indian spices, then ate what your baby spit up. Then they whiten things up by giving you a dish of white basmati rice with your dog food. If you're one of the few people who can stand the slops at Moti Mahal, I'll teach you how to make it. First, go to your local grocery store and buy a bottle of korma. Then, drink the korma (I suggest a funnel). Wait 20 minutes, then vomit the korma into a microwave-safe dish, add your protein, and microwave until your meat is nice and tough. Bottom line, if you don't like Indian food, you'll love Moti Mahal.
(2)
Kelli A.
2.5 stars for service, atmosphere and cleanliness. Very, very nice server. Very, very bland food. The 'chef's appetizer' assortment were just plain awful. Absolutely no flavor and I mean that sincerely. Every single appetizer tasted like it had a biscuit coating with zero spice. So bad. The samosa filling tasted like it should be inside of a pot pie. Ugh. No iced tea/chai? What? We split an order of vegetable balls (malai kofta), hoping for a nice creamy, curry sauce. Nada. They were ok, definitely edible but that's about it. $12.95 at lunchtime??? Sorry, that's outrageous. It came with a small portion of rice and that's it. The garlic naan was under baked. Overall, we were disappointed with the food and probably won't return. If you like this place and don't feel like leaving your house, they deliver free of charge!
(2)
Liz G.
I was here a couple weeks ago, on a date with my boyfriend. I really don;t know what everyone else is complaining about; I love this place! It wasn't hot. There weren't any flies. The wait staff wasn't sweating. It was great. The servers were really nice and even helped us with our meal selection since neither of us have ever had Indian food before. There was a single red rose on each table--a nice, romantic touch in my opinion. Did I mention the food was delicious?! Well, it was. I totally recommend this place. :)
(4)
Toni B.
My friends and I are total groupies at Moti Mahal! They have run groupons consistently so I would check before going for a deal. On this visit I just ordered one of my favorite dishes, chicken korma with rice and naan with a combination platter that included raita and mango chutney. I ordered my entree medium and was surprised to find that it was almost mild. The spices were delicious and the sauce was not too sweet and it was perfectly creamy. The sauce was so amazing that I wish there had been more sauce and less chicken! The naan was fantastic but our waitress forgot the combination platter until a couple minutes before we were all finished eating. We were all so full and none of our entrees were hot enough to warrant the use of the raita that it hardly seemed to matter that it arrived. However, the mango chutney was nice with the naan and I took some home. I kind of love Indian food that can be so spicy and rich in flavor that it makes me wince and that is the only thing I consistently miss at Moti Mahal. But for those of you who aren't sadists about their food and for when I want a pleasant meal without the risk of pleasure and pain - I do love to go here.
(4)
Ron L.
This was my second try at Moti Mahal for lunch. I'll give it marks for convenience in downtown Royal Oak, and a relatively clean interior. But those are less important than great food - particularly in a lunch buffet format. Unfortunately this place is severely lacking. If you're a carnivore, and enjoy many of the north indian chicken or lamb specialities (like I do), you will be absolutely disappointed. In the entire buffet (which was all of 6 dishes), there was one chicken - and it was a poor representation of tandoori chicken. None of the buffet standards like butter chicken, or tikka massala are found here. The ability to mix and match meat dish options is noticeably absent. If you're vegetarian, there will be more options like steamed broccoli and cauliflower. But is this really why you came to an Indian buffet? Most of the presented veggie dishes are unattractive and bland. I get the feeling that they're putting out the least expensive, least complicated dishes for our naiive American consideration. Too bad. The location and decor gave me high hopes. But this is a poor choice for lunch.
(2)
Danielle B.
Went here with my bf the other day. We were craving Indian.. We didn't expect the food to taste like what we had when we went to the UK..but it still went down pretty well. Being from England, my boyfriend was shocked that they don't serve alcohol, yet you can go down the street buy a 6 pack and walk right it in with it (classy!) So yeah, this place is BYOB. Everything was going fine until one of the servers started vaccuming!!!!!! With people still finishing up their meals. I mean seriously? Come on now. Not sure if we'll be back.
(3)
Chris K.
I tried Moti Mahal a few weeks after it first opened hoping that we would finally get a decent Indian restaurant in Oakland County: I left disappointed. The palak paneer was pretty meh, the cheese's texture was tough and it tasted bland, and the spinach was definitely not fresh. The samosas were frozen and then deep fried, not homemade. The butter chicken had no cream in the sauce whatsoever. I generally like to start with some of my favorite dishes and then explore the rest of the menu, but I don't think I'll ever give this place another shot. The service was OK, but nothing to really scream about. Bottom line: this place is overpriced and has lackluster food. If you're craving spice, this place isn't for you.
(2)
Dil F.
Delicious food, great service, comfy interior. My long-winded plaint against the restaurants of Royal Oak has finally reached a full stop. Moti Mahal was awesome. At first glance at the exterior, I certainly had my doubts. The light-display decorating the front awning is a bright string of small blue lights that flash, almost strobe-like, with hypnotic rapidity (epileptics beware). I was worried because of the carnivalesque distraction of the entrance. However, from the moment we walked into the perfectly A/C'ed dining room, the service was fast, full of recommendations, patient, and did a wonderful job putting to rest any of those earlier skepticisms. While we poured over all the options on the menu, we were served up complimentary papadam and its usual condiments - excellent! I noticed the prices were maybe a dollar or two less expensive per dish than the menu at Priya, for a comparison. Also of note, they don't yet have a liquor license - so no beer or wine, but we were told we could bring in our own in the future (who doesn't love a BYOB!). My party of three wanted to share dishes, and one among us being a fish-eating vegetarian, we got a few recommendations to help us out. What followed was nothing short of a regal feast. Vegetable Samosa - these must have just been made. The frying was done perfectly, golden shell, no grease, and the vegetables inside had been cooked into a velvety blend of roots and spices. Fish Tandoori - came out sizzling, plum-red color, with tons of slightly charred onions (in the best way), but the fish held all its juice and flavor. I'd only seen tandoori chicken before, so this was an excellent surprise. Vegetable Dhansak - a lentil-based dish, the vegetable version was almost stew-lie, in a very rich sauce. A little bit of heat, with a noticeable tangy edge, what might have been some subtle lemon zest. Shrimp Balti - Wonderful flavors in a heated gravy kept warm in the candle-lit pot its served in, small cuts of tomato and onion, all brimming with spices. The shrimp itself was large and juicy. All the food could easily stand on its own, but who couldn't resist piling on the basmati rice that comes with the entrees. Even though basmati is always a super flavorful rice, theirs tasted that much better - i think prepared with cardamom. At the end of the night two final gestures capped the kingly feasting. One was that the house sent us over three Gulab Jamun, served warm in a silver cup of the syrup they're cooked in. Outstanding dessert - the best version of this treat I've ever had. The other kind gesture was to accept the promotional coupon (a la Metro Times) I'd brought in but had forgotten to mention until the bill came out - they didn't hesitate to re-calibrate the bill and accept the coupon after the fact. Royal Oak is lucky to have such a great place. I'll be back to try out many more of these dishes, and would recommend the place to everybody.
(5)
Gary V.
I was excited to enjoy their lunch buffet and was quite surprised at the lack of flavor in every selection. No spice at all. They need to tune it up several notches! Use their chutneys liberally because they are quite tasty and will put the flavor where the flavor should already be. On the soft skills side my seat was comfy and the bathroom was very clean. Mmmhmm.
(3)
Matt D.
Good place, made me a fan of Indian food! I like this red curry chicken that comes with Indian bread. I love the art on the walls and I've always had a nice time in there!
(4)
D L.
My wife and I are avid consumers of Indian cuisine, cook at at home, seek out new restaurants, etc. Overall the food good. They do tend to make the food under-salted, however I think that's a good thing. Some people are complaining about this. Many restaurants mask crappy food with a ton of salt. The chef is fairly confident I think in his ability to cook. I will say this though, there's something to be desired for consistency of the taste of the food. Some days the chef seems to half a bad day (either that, or he's out and someone's substituting). Having said that, we go back regularly with and without groupons. The staff are generally very nice and the service is pretty good. Here and again they get a new waiter who isn't so attentive. What I like the most is that the owner is usually out on the floor, talking to people and even taking orders and serving. Very nice guy. We converse with him regularly when we visit. The buffet - is vegetarian mainly. If this isn't your thing, don't bitch about it sucking, because it's actually good. Upon speaking with the owner, we found out that he actually puts a lot of though into the menu items of the buffet - his pet peeve is soggy wilted veggies which sit under the lamp until people serve themselves, so they try to pick out vegetables that hold up better when sitting in heated trays for a little while. My only real gripe is with the complimentary pre-meal sauces (not buffet). The tamarind sauce used to be nice and thick - almost like barbecue sauce, now it's watery. The chili sauces also seemed to have taken a hit as well. They seem to be cutting corners with this. I've left them a survey about this, and have told our waiter on a couple of occasions about it, but didn't get a chance to actually tell the owner (not sure if he'd do anything about it or not). Also Yelp's price range rating isn't very accurate here. Expect something between 8-13 bucks.
(4)
Duncan J.
Excellent service and food. It's BYO alcohol though!
(4)
Robert P.
Meh. I've experienced better for sure... I do appreciate indian food that uses less oil and does not leave me with with the ring of fire 4-5 hours later however i would never sacrifice oil/ghee for flavor...gosh this place just sucked and I am not sure if the biryani was decent along with the rice pudding just because I had nothing else too eat...I have to say that I went for the buffet and never plan on going to dinner here...795 buffet all week...but I guarantee if this place does not fix the flavor and food issues it will be closed in one year or less... I suggest the family go and eat at namaste, bombay, royal, ashoka, etc etc etc every place else...
(2)
Jonny P.
Went for dinner last Friday off of a Groupon and wasn't really impressed. The paneer was 'weird' (yes that's a technical term.) The food overall was surprisingly bland, nothing really popped. I'm interested in eventually trying their lunch buffet to compare it to other Indian restaurants. Foodwise I wouldn't recommend this restaurant for diner over other Indian restaurants I've been to around Detroit. However it is convenient if you're planning on doing something else in the area afterwards...
(2)
Eric P.
I went with a group of friends just last night, and I have to say, I would certainly go again. We went close to closing, so the restaurant was basically empty, but the waiters were more than helpful in moving tables around to accomodate us (we were six). Looking over the menu, the waitstaff was very helpful, asking if we had any questions or anything. Being quite familiar with the fare, however, it wasn't necessary, but very appreciated nonetheless. I had the vegetable korma (typically, navratan koorma, but I'm not going to split hairs) with an order of peshwari naan, and it was all very good. My friends, however, were not as enthused about their meals. One had palak paneer, which I thought was fairly good, if not a bit bland. Another had chicken tikka masala, which looked good, but apparently was mediocre at best. The highly attentive, helpful waitstaff and (my) good food are what earned this new establishment its four stars. I hear they have an excellent lunch buffet, seven days a week, for $7.99. I've yet to try it, but I'm looking forward to it.
(4)
Bonnie C.
I was a fan of Moti Mahal back in the 80s and was thrilled to hear they reopened in Royal Oak. I had the lunch buffet and was really impressed with the selection. They had lots of vegetarian dishes -- eggplant masala, a few vegetable curries. The stewed vegetables were cooked just right and full of flavor -- not soggy. The chicken and broccoli was good as was the shrimp and vegetables. I passed on the chicken tandoori. The staff was courteous and professional and the decor inside is warm and understated. My only complaint is with the exterior. It's deceivingly tacky -- especially the huge buffet advertisement sign on the front. But once you're inside, you'll want to come back!
(5)
Lorna D.
The three stars are for the service and atmosphere. The servers and staff were all young men who were friendly, elegant, and extremely attentive without being overbearing. I dare say some of the best service I've ever had! Our waiter gently poured soup into my bowl as he held a cloth up to protect my ta-tas from soup splashins. Sigh. He even held the door as we left! The lighting is low and romantic...the music soft and soothing. The food was nicely presented and a nice big honkin' platter of rice is brought with your meal. Alas though, I have to agree with many others here and report that the food REALLY needs more flavor and spice. I filled out a comment card to this effect and truly hope they take it to heart. I'd hate to see this place falter, as the people there were SO sweet and pleasant and the atmosphere so enjoyable!
(3)
Lynn M.
I have searched many local Indian restaurant and this is the first to offer a quality, reasonably priced Balti. Since I grew up near Birmingham UK, the home of the Balti Triangle, this has been a quest since I moved here over 20 years ago. The staff are very friendly and the food is perfectly spiced. My family love this restaurant. I particularly enjoy taking our own bottle of wine to enjoy with our meal. The lunch buffet is wonderful too. Good selection of vegetarian food and the wait staff are very helpful if you request vegan.
(4)
Joe T.
Had a very pleasant dinner with my wife, son, daughter-in-law, ten month old granddaughter and a couple of speciial guests at Moti Mahal. Everyone enjoyed the food including our granddaughter who ordered a nice portion of yogurt off the menu! We shared a couple of orders of vegetable samosas for starters and then shared several entrees including chicken korma, Malay Kokta, and eggplant masala. We, of course, had naan - plain and one with nuts that was a bit too salty. The raita we ordered was also deliciious and really provided a nice balance to the spicier dishes. Service was prompt and professional. Overall an excellent experience - definitely recommend.
(4)
Jesper G.
Nice, friendly and quiet place with good traditional Indian food. They do not serve alcohol, but you can bring your own or enjoy one of their ok fresh made juices.
(4)
Justin O.
My entire family and I had the chance to check out Moti Mahal this past week, and we were pleasantly surprised! I should start by telling you that I was raised on Indian food. My Father is from the UK and he introduced my Mother to Indian on their first date. Mom had a few Indian friends and they actually taught her to cook traditional Indian dishes like Upma and Moon Dahl Soup, Korma etc... So back to Moti Mahal... The first thing I noticed is how well decorated the restaurant was. It is small, but elegant. The wait staff is outstanding. A gentleman who I will assume is the owner came to our table to explain his lineage and that he is the third generation owner. He comp'd my daughter a bowl of soup so she would not feel left out while we were all eating soup. Very considerate. The food was very good. Very light and not greasy at all (as you know bad Indian food can be quite the opposite). I had the Chicken Tikka Masala and it was very good... less creamy than most, more red sauce. The Garlic Naan was a bit dry and I am not sure if they have an actual Tandoor Oven, because the bread did not quite have that "authentic" flavor a well-seasoned Tandoor will give it. Also, the Raita was very thick, almost like plain yogurt with some cucumbers in it. Not very flavorful at all. They do not have a liquor license yet, which made for an interesting family evening (lets just say we like to unwind and enjoy ourselves a bit more than the average family, ha!) but the food was good, and the service impeccable. I am giving them 3 stars for now because I plan on going back soon. If my next visit is better I will revise this, if it is the same then we have a nice Indian option in Royal Oak...
(3)
Rhonda L.
okay I went there because I had a coupon but i really enjoyed it, both the atmosphere and the food. I don' th think it was especially authentic but it was good.
(5)
Rob M.
My girlfriend and I decided to try Moti Mahal after seeing an ad in the Metro Times. I ordered the Chile Chicken, and is was delicious. It came with a generous portion of rice, and is served in a metal bowl with a tea light candle to keep the entree warm. The decor is nice, with mellow music playing in the background; a great atmosphere for you and your significant other. Service was fine, and the food arrives in about 10 minutes or so. They give you 3 sauces for the free appetizer (I can't remember what it is called) and the orange sauce is one of the hottest things I've ever tasted, and I like spicy food. When they say the Vindaloo is very spicy, they aren't kidding! Most things on the menu are mild, though, so there are plenty of choices for people who don't like spicy food. All and all, a very pleasant experience, and we will be back!
(4)
Melissa T.
I had the chicken curry and garlic nan. Loved every minute of it I thought it was some of the best Indian I have ever had!!
(4)
UniqueRwe2 T.
We went there on 03/13, a Tuesday night. A coupon brought us here. It's been a while since we enjoyed Indian cuisine. They were moderately busy. The service was great, they took time to explain their dishes, contents and preparation. Portion proper, their value was good. We had Butter Chicken and Naan, nothing was left over to take home, need I say more! Excellent... YummY About our dinner... We don't know what everyone is complaining about. No, nothing was salty, it shouldn't be! It was very tasty, well prepared and presented. They don't serve alcohol, we don't drink, so that doesn't matter to us. Service was Great! The decore was plesant. Who cares about their color choices when it works! I would have said it was very clean, but we were seated next to the bar and the items there needed dusting. This is why we rated it a 4. We haven't been there for lunch, yet. Yes, we are going back.
(4)
Amit C.
I went out for Sunday Buffet it was good. :)
(3)
Keith C.
I have eaten here a number of times. The food has always been good, but the service is so 'uneven' (slow and inattentive) that I always leave frustrated. Regardless of how full the dining room is, there never seem to be enough waitstaff to ensure that basic things like handing out menus, taking customer orders, refilling water glasses, providing carryout boxes, etc. are done reasonably promptly. Sometimes an appetizer (crispy naan and sauces) is provided, sometimes not. I think that scheduling an extra person or two would help ensure service that is more attentive, and improve the dining experience.
(3)
Andrew S.
The service and atmosphere is fine. The food is just ok. It's nice for there to be an Indian place in downtown Royal Oak but the food is nothing to write home about. I have been here about 3 times and tried plenty of dishes. Not my preferred Indian place. Drive a little further out to Ashoka in Rochester if you want some serious Indian food. Meh. Meh. Meh agaain.
(3)
Kate H.
Every time I want Indian food, I drive to Troy. It's not exactly a quick trip from my house, so I was WAY excited when I heard about Moti Mahal opening up so close to home and quite hopeful that it could be my new favorite Indian place, or at least be good enough to keep me from preferring the drive to Troy. The decor and location are terrific, although I'm pretty sure this space has had a lot of turnover, so maybe I'm wrong about the location. We were the only ones dining that weekday evening, at prime dinner time, so I'm not sure how they're doing really. And, honestly, while I don't mind being the only one there, it really isn't a good sign. The service was super, some of the best I've had. Kinda formal, very attentive, but not annoyingly so. I typically stick with vegetarian dishes when I eat Indian food, mostly because they rock the vegetarian so well and I eat so much meat otherwise. I loved the way the menu was laid out and how each type of dish was described, including spice level. You basically choose the type of dish you want (Curry, Rogan, Jalfrazie, Korma, etc.) and your protein, or vegetarian in my case. My standard dish, because I love the combo of creamy and spicy, is the Navratan Korma. So, I ordered the Korma with vegetables and asked for it spicy. He tried to talk me out of the spicy, by saying that it was too creamy and sweet for spice, but I wouldn't budge. I've had spicy Navratan Korma at probably every indian restaurant I've ever been to, without them questioning my request to spice it up, and he wasn't gonna be the one to stop me. Bring on the spice! The entree came with rice, but not Naan, which I must have, so I ordered it up. $1.95 isn't bad for an order of Naan, if it's good. It wasn't. I mean, it was Naan, how bad can it be? It wasn't bad, it was just underdone. The Vegetable Korma was good, and had a nice spice level, and the flavor was fine, but it didn't compare to the kormas I've had at my favorites further North. My husband got the Chicken Dupiaza and said it was fine, nothing special. Sigh... So the food was okay, but pricey, and the atmosphere and service really good, other than him trying to talk me out of having spicy korma. I'll probably try it again later, and see how they handle some of my other Indian favorites. There's a lunch buffet (15 items for $7.95 per person) 7 days a week from 11:30a.m. until 2:30 p.m., that I definitely think is worth checking out, and would be my first Indian food buffet experience.
(3)
Regan M.
Moti Mahal is the closest food we can get to having a take-away curry in London.... it is amazing!! You can tell they take pride in their food and in their service. The buffet is a great deal to get a little taste of everything that is most popular on their menu. If you like getting your food spicy... get the Chicken Tikka Madras... my husband loves it!! I love the Chicken Tikka Dansak. Service always friendly and warm. Anyone who doesn't like this place must be crazy... It's hard to find a place that is unique these days... Moti Mahal is definitely a jewel in Royal Oak :)
(5)
Cari M.
I don't have many regrets in life, but eating here is one of them. I believe this is my first One star review. I am a pretty generous star giver here in the yelp world. This review has nothing to do with service, as I ordered carry out. When I picked it up there was no one in the restaurant except staff, and no other carry out orders waiting. The staff I met for a brief moment was friendly and nice. I hate to write a bad review because I know in some way, big or small, it can effect businesses, which effects good peoples jobs, but the food here really needs a makeover. I have to say, you other yelpers warned me not to eat here, but I really didn't want to drive too far from my home in ferndale for good Indian cuisine. I doubted your reviews, but you were right. We ordered Naan, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Kashmir Chicken. The Naan was soggy, flavorless, and well... it wasn't Naan. I've searched everywhere for Kashmir Chicken after having it in Omaha, NE and FINALLY found it here.... I took one bite... meh... took another bite- spit it out. Bleh! It was awful. The texture, the flavor everything was off. It was overwhelmingly sweet and the main flavor was like... terrible raisins. I thought there is no way to get chicken tikka masala wrong.... false. It was insanely greasy, instead of thick, creamy sauce I usually experience in this dish. The sauce had almost a grainy texture to it that was terrible to experience. It also left a VERY strong after taste in my mouth of like metallic/blood type taste. bleehhhh. I had to run and get a spoonful of peanut butter to get the taste out of my mouth. Even the rice got thrown away- along with the 30 dollars of food we ordered. SAD DAY! Was so looking forward to Indian ... but it is way worth the extra 20 minutes to drive and get quality food. I'll never ignore the Yelp reviews again!
(1)
Jen J.
Had the tikka masala and pasawari naan for lunch. It was all good, served freshly made with good portion size. My husband had the lunch buffet and would have given it a better rating if they had a better selection. The service wasn't stellar, but not completely unpleasant either.
(3)
Amanda R.
This place is amazing! Best Indian food I have ever experienced. The Butter Chicken is exceptional!! We moved to Wisconsin sin recently and have been unable to find comparable Indian food there. This is definitely a place I try to hit up when we are In town!!!
(5)
Tom K.
Chicken Kashmir This is the best food I've tasted all year. I have to go eat more. OMG
(5)
John D.
I took my sister there for lunch today for her Birthday. She had never eaten Indian food. We had the buffet, and she loved it. It seems as though a lot of the low star ratings for this restaurant are due to spice/heat issues. I used some of the red sauce that is in a condiment tray near the buffet, and it added a nice punch. This food is well prepared spiced nicely and good for you. What more can you ask for? Service was great, and our server had a great sense of humor as well as being very professional. They did bring over a small pastry ball in an amazing sweet sauce with a candle on it for my sister. Nice touch! I also like Joe's responses to some of the negative Yelp's...he genuinely cares.
(5)
J G.
Tasty, great naan and sauces.
(4)
Akshaya R.
Worst food ever in any Indian restaurant that we have eaten so far. I am an Indian and I like real hot (spicy) food. We ordered one spicy dish for me and other dishes mild and medium for my kids and wife. To our surprise all dishes were spicy, so my wife and kids could not eat at all,. On the top of that, all dishes had no salt at all , so it was horrible in taste. The chicken meal that costs 13.95 uses frozen chicken from boxes and I think they make some gravy in a large pot and add that to all dishes with little variations. I bet they don't do any real cooking. I will never eat in this restaurant, I strongly recommend not to dine in this place....
(1)
Jess F.
This is the best Indian food in town, HANDS DOWN! The service is great and everyone that works there is very professional and polite. My food always turns out perfect and super tasty! I always get super excited when I see this place has a groupon :)
(5)
Nikki B.
I went to Moti Mahal last night for the first time. Indian cuisine is not a cuisine I frequent, it was my 2nd time eating Indian food. We were greeted right away, sat down immediately and had the greatest service throughout our entire stay. Our drinks were refilled before they were half empty, and our food was brought in a very timely manner. I had the lamb curry which was very good, and it was a pretty good sized portion also. My boyfriend had the chilli chicken which was spicy but flavorful. they were both served with a tray of rice. We were offered more rice to finish our meals with at no extra charge. We also accompanied our meal with the garlic naan bread which was just awesome. After our meal, the manager, Joe talked with us for a bit and really gave us his undivided attention. It was a great experience and we will definitely be back.
(5)
N S.
The only really good indian food you'll find in the area. Cheap, generous portions, fast service, and yummmmmmy. Korma, naan, okra! Seriously nice to find a place that has okra on the menu. Makes me so happy. If you are looking for spicy indian food in particular, you aren't going to find it here but try Krishna's in Garden City. However Krishna is strictly vegetarian just to warn meat lovers.
(4)
Dawn N.
Love the naan and the papadam. Chicken tandoori is good too. Good grub! Nice service. Good prices. The lunch buffet is also wonderful .
(4)
Cymyra Y.
This food was so bland and boring. I've never experienced such awful Indian before this place. The service was ok and it was a slow night. I should have known the food would be disapointing since the samosa lacked flavor and were cold.
(1)
Bipin D.
We went there yesterday.Excellent,Personal, service. Excellent food, Very reasonable prices,Not much waiting time after ordering food considering it is freshly made food. No wonder it attracts a large number of non Indian customers, Not spicy if you order mild or medium,Vegetarian thali Delicious,relatively cheap and lots of food to have left overs for the next day.Better than any other restaurants in Oakland County. Need I say more?
(5)
William R.
This was the worse Indian food I have ate in years. I ordered the Chicken Tandori which was was dry and apperared to be reheated from an earlier cooking. I also ordered the chicken samosas which tasted like a poor choice out of a freezer section in a cheap food market. I orderd a chai Tea which tasted like some water with flavoring added...I was then brought a chicken tandori which did have some nice flavor but it equalled a can version that was more like a stew with no clear distict flavoring. This was the worse food I have had in a long time. Rice was ok at best... The managemnet seems to think that everything is ok.. I would skip this place.
(1)
Jane K.
We love Moti Mahal. The food is delicious, with a menu that is much more varied and extensive than most of the Indian restaurants in the area. Terrific service too: genuinely polite, attentive and unobtrusive.
(5)
Liz P.
Bought a $22 Groupon for $10 and had never been, so we went here today. It did not include the buffet but I knew that beforehand. The naan, butter chicken, and chicken korma were all very good, big portions too. The samosas were okay but I've had better. I would definitely return here for the buffet, though I saw there was no rice pudding or dessert which was kind of disappointing. The meals are a little overpriced but still very good.
(4)
Geo B.
Food was delicious, place was clean and staff was really friendly . The wait for our food was long and reason I'm not giving 5 stars. They were receiving more carry-out orders than usual and this may have affected our wait time. But would definitely go back. Ordered the butter chicken and chicken tikka masala w/ naan and was delicious.
(4)
Laura E.
An $8 buffet lunch is hard to beat. This place is quickly becoming a regular haunt for me and my boyfriend. I love the freshly baked naan bread and that they have good mango chutney on the lunch buffet. In addition to white rice they'll also serve a Rice Biryani which is nice. There are always a few options on the buffet which are spicy, and I never know which ones until I try them. At dinner your curry/sauce will come in a small pot with a tea-light below it, for warmth. It's a nice touch. The lamb and butter sauce curry was amazing. Where I think this place could improve is with the service. I've sometimes had trouble flagging down the waiter to bring me the bill, or refill glasses of water. The place is small, so you'd expect better access to the wait staff. I really like this place so far. You don't always get the best service, but I've never been disappointed with the food at lunch or dinner. It's a great place to eat and have a good conversation.
(5)
Ellyn G.
I only eat butter chicken and Naan here. I tried something else it was not good. If you want something that will hit the spot when you crave Indian go for the butter chicken. The staff is friendly. Also look on yelp or living social for the $10 for $20 deals. It's worth it!
(3)
James C.
good foods services is much better Just keep it up
(5)
Aric M.
Indian food is a unique combination of flavors, spices, and tastes. Sadly none of those things are found here. Have eaten here 3 times 2 of my choosing and 1 choice by another. There is no flavor in the food. Indian food doesn't need to be blast your head off, hot and spicy, but there does need to be some flavor some taste. Some spices must be added to turn chicken and vegetables into more than a bland stew like dish. This is a skip for me.
(1)
Nao Saudade S.
Went for the lunch buffet which is pretty tasty but rather on the small compared to other places I've been. But the worst part was their lack of naan!! This is basically a staple for Indian food, so it blew my mind that they were consistently low or out of bread. We even had to wait 20 minutes for the next batch, which by the time the bread came out my food was cold. If they upped their naan output I'd come back...
(2)
Nick B.
Skip it. Over priced and small portions. Tikka is the structure of any Indian restaurant because they put it in so many dishes, just not impressed. The only reason to come here is for the buffet. A lot of vegetarian options and sometimes a complimentary tea is out to sample.
(2)
Chris M.
I'm basing this solely on lunch visits, 5 to be exact. Pros: The service is really good. She, not sure of her name but seems to be family or the owner, is very sweet, friendly and attentive to the customers. The spice-I love spicy food and there is definitely a kick to most of the dishes. The price 8 dollars for lunch on Royal Oak is very reasonable. Cons: The buffet is very limited and isn't maintained very well during the service. There are always 5-8 vegetable dishes and 2 meat dishes, usually both chicken and they have a tendency to have somewhat overlapping flavors. A third meat dish would be nice to see. A variety in the desert would be nice as well. The Naan is Naan existent (I know boooo!). It is usually sitting in a metal tin with a handful of deep fried veggies, and both seem to have been cooked well before the buffet starts. It would be nice to see these replenished as guest come in. If for nothing else, appearance. I obviously like the place and would like to see them succeed. It really seems like they are missing out on a much larger lunch crowd. Heck, charge a dollar or two more and make it awesome. As an example, the lunch menu below is from a place in California I went to recently while traveling for work. I don't expect Moti to go this far but heading this way would be really solid. Typical Lunch Buffet Menu has the following items*. Appetizers: Spinach Pakora/ Vegetable Samosa/ Mong Pakora/ Chana Chat/ Dahi Vada/ Papad. South Indian: Idly/ Vada/ Uttappam/ Sambar. Vegetarian Entrees: Mixed Vegetable Curry/ Vegetable Noodles/ Dal Curry/ Chana Masala/ Vegetable Kurma/ Palak Paneer/Alu gobi Masala/ Alu Mattar/ Potato Curry. Non-Vegetarian(Meat) Entrees: Chicken Masala/ Chicken Maharaja/ Chili Chicken/ Egg Curry/ Tandoori Chicken/ Chicken Tikka/ Lamb Kurma/ Lamb Curry/ Lamb Biryani. Others: Plain Nan/ Garlic Nan/ Basmathi Rice/ Lemon Rice/ Raitha/ Green Salad/ Onion,chili,lemon salad/ Mango Pickle/ Mint Chutney/ Sweet & Sour Chutney/ Coconut Chutney/ Hot Chutney/ Oranges. Desserts: Kheer/ Fruit Salad/ Gulab Jamoon/ Suji Halwa/ Mango Ice Cream.
(3)
Justin V.
Went here for some indian food after a long day at work..we ordered chicken tikka Biriyani, naan and lamb roganjosh..worst indian food I ever had..food doesn't have any indian flavors and service is really bad...stay away from this place...never going back there...I think 1 star itself is too much for this place...
(1)
Shannon S.
As a novice to Indian food, I will have to say that I really enjoyed my lunch here the other day. I'm not too sure of what to order still, so I'm taking things slow...luckily I have great reason to return. I have a groupon, but we went with the entertainment coupon instead (to be safe...better use that up) and when we were finished my coworker and I each received a ten dollar coupon from our server to return...so YES I will be going back to try more Indian pleasures. I really wanted to try the buffet...for $7.95 it looked really good. Our entrees kind of took a while to get to us, but once they did, they were really far out. I ordered Chicken Tikka, and my coworker Olga T. (Another yelper too) ordered Bengal Lamb - we eached tried a bite of one anothers and I really enjoyed her lunch, as much as I enjoyed my own. I really liked the rice (basmati I assume) that accompanied both of our lunches. I also had a fresh Naan with mine...super good! I am on a super Indian kick right now... I am really craving (not sure why, as I've never had it before..lol) butter chicken...it just sounds so delish! Ahh...you'll be hearing more from me on this Indian thing! :)
(4)
Daniel S.
On the good side, they have a cheap lunch buffet that always has a variety of cooked veg and includes spiced tea. Eat your vegetables people. But, Indian food has such potential for flavor that the Moti Mahal folks are missing. I'm talking about the intense flavors from fresh Indian spices... garlic, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom... fresh, fresh, fresh is the key... and lots of it. I want to taste the spices. That's why I love Indian food. That's what they're not doing here. "Meh" is an apt descriptor... it's ok for convenience and getting your veg on at the buffet... but go elsewhere for the real deal.
(2)
Alexander W.
We sat down and it was about 20 minutes until we even had a glass of water. I still wanted to give them a chance because I love Indian food, so I stayed. My dish was very good and there were a few sauces (a spicy mint sauce, a red chili sauce, and another... I think a vinegary one?) so that I could suit it to my own taste. My wife's dish was on the bland side, it was some chicken with some type of tomato sauce that was a bit pasty I thought. Still enjoyed it since I had my Groupon. Would go again with Groupon, wouldn't pay full price though since the service was bad and the tastes were just above average. I did really like this super-thin cracker they served before the meal though.
(3)
Heather Z.
I absolutely love Indian food, and this place does a great job. The spicier, the better for me. Try the Lamb Vindaloo. I would say that its a little pricier here, but you get what you pay for. My downside is their portion size. I always order extra rice per entree.
(4)
Tom W.
I ordered a carry-out with a 20-for-10 groupon, and the service was exceptional. The food was great, and I loved the atmosphere. The naan, chicken, and lentil dishes I had were fabulous. I look forward to going back.
(5)
Mike M.
I'm a little surprised by some of the negative reviews. I have eaten here twice, and I really liked it. I have dined at many Indian restaurants in the Metro Detroit area, and would rank the food here to be very flavorful. The staff is very friendly and prompt. I ordered the Kashmir Tikka (never had it before) and I loved it! The first time I ate here I had the buffet, which was good and very inexpensive. I would prefer they bring fresh naan to the table rather then having it sit on the buffet warmer continuing to cook and get crunchy, but for $8 it wasn't too bad.
(4)
Myrtle M.
Excellent. I've dined here three times now, and each time has been wonderful. I've tried some soups, chicken, and veggie dishes, and each was cooked and spiced to perfection. The service was on top of their game, and now that I'm writing this, I think I need their naan right now. So good.
(5)
Roky P.
I love the lunch buffet here, it never really disappoints. I try to stay away from the spicy dishes, and there are still plenty of things i can choose from. Chicken Masala is my favorite. Would have given 5 stars but the rice pudding seemed to have no sweetness to it all all, it could stand a little bit more flavor too.
(4)
Michael P.
You should give every restuarant a second chance, right? WRONG! I had tried Moti Mahal's lunch buffet a couple months ago, and the food was terrible. Being a big fan of Indian food, I gave it another chance this week for dinner. I walked in with my friend just after opening, we were the only ones in the restuarant, besides the help. We were seated and given menu's and water, after ten minutes I had to get the waitress's attention, because we had wanted to place our order. The food came quick enough, but the vegtables were raw. They had brought some nan to our table earlier, that was cold and hard. We didn't say anything, but they knew it was bad, so without us even telling them, they apologized and brought fresh nan several minutes later. I wonder why they brought the original stale nan in the first place, if they knew it was bad? The other food was edible, nothing special. We were only one of three couples in the place.Our waitress dissapeared for a long time, my mouth was burning because of the extra spices in the food, and my water glass was empty. After ten minutes I went up to the take out guy with my glass, he was playing games on the computer. I had to ask him for water. This may be the only Indian restaurant in Royal Oak, but if this is the best they can do, they should close. If you want good Indian food and good service, go anywhere but here!
(1)
juston m.
i keep thinking it could have been good if it was better. i also keep thinking the lamb vindaloo i get from traders joes had more flavor. we ordered takeout and it consisted of chicken bhoona and dall tarka masala. i'm not an indian afficianado. in fact, i hated all indian food until about 2 years ago. i have however, started to like it and have slightly educated myself. i spent a little time in australia and indian was around every corner. i tried it and found that i loved the vegetarian dishes. amazing flavors and silky lentils enticed me. i have since made many of the dishes i had (over and over again) in australia. these lentils (in the dall tarka masala) were like baby food. i wanted a flavor kick, i got apple sauce. i was happy for the occasional cilantro in the mush. i had to get in my pantry and add spices. the chicken bhoona was just hot. not tasty. i like hot too. my trader joes lamb vindaloo is better. plus, if you're gonna have tomato in a stewed dish and it isn't tomato season, either cook it down to a delicious sugary treat or use canned. all cooks know that. i won't be back. oh, the naan was gross. plus, its expensive. love, juston
(2)
Melissa L.
I actually went to Moti Mahal before having read some of the horrible reviews for the place, and am super glad that I did! I bought a groupon for this place and have been going back since. The food was delicious! I've tried the Biriyana, Chicken Tandoori, and Lamb Balti. The waiters were super attentive (my water cup was never left more than half empty). The decor of the restaurant was also very nice. To say the least, the food was pretty good. I don't know how it compares to authentic Indian food, but I sure will go back!
(4)
Jay F.
My wife and I first learned about this place thru Groupon -- they regularly have a $10 one for $22 worth of food, which is a nice deal (can't use it on the buffet). The $8 buffet is a GREAT deal, because there are plenty of tasty selections available, as well as naan and rice pudding. Tea too, as I recall. We have been to Moti Mahal 3x so far and it's on our list of preferred restaurants. The main negative is that it's in Royal Oak, which I hate for many reasons (though it's very close to me), but primarily because of the ripoff that is parking. At least this is on Washington, which is preferred over Main St. The staff is very friendly, but as another reviewer mentioned, they can sometimes be hard to flag for water refills and such. Not a big deal when the food and overall experience are both very good, but still worth mentioning. These two items are the reason I give it a 4 and not a 5 rating. The quality of the food is great -- I have never had a "weird" piece of chicken (I always get the chicken tikka masala, and wife gets the shrimp one) -- always perfect and the presentation is very good. We love the fresh-baked naan, as well as the crisp snack "bread" with sauces that come out as you wait for your food. We love Moti Mahal and will definitely be back -- again and again.
(4)
Terri W.
I cannot give restaurants more than one star if the food is basically unedible. What is point of good service and a clean environment when the food will not ever bring you back? I have loved Indian food since the 90's when I started meeting a friend for lunch once a week at Priya's. I recently took a 6 week indian cooking course as well. I make my own Byrani and Butter chicken at home with much succcess. My expectations are pretty high when I try new places. I used my Groupon and thankfully did not have to pay full price because I ate basically nothing. It is a good thing my husband is not so picky and he ate most of it and said it was just so-so. I ordered a few of the basics: Lamb Korma, Palak Paneer, and something the waitress suggested when she basically scared us away from the Vindaloo due to the heat. I regret not getting the Vindaloo as it might have been the only dish on the menu with any taste at all. The food was terrible, tasteless, and for me inedible.The spinach was the worst I ever had and deserved no more than a single bite from me. I am not sure where they get that Paneer, but they were like little sponges. $3 for ONE piece of garlic naan that had almost no garlic on it too?Blah. I mean NO spice whatsoever on our medium dishes. We may be American but we come to eat Indian food for a reason. A restaraunt that cannot give me authentic because they are afraid of offending does not get my repeat business. The place was so beautiful and clean. It is too bad I will never see the inside again. I will go to my tried and true that does not coddle the lesser palates.
(1)
Shane H.
Came here on Easter Sunday to celebrate spring in a non religious way. It's our first time here so we decided to go with the 7.99 lunch buffet. The curry fish was GROSS. But somehow the chicken tandoori made up for it. The server was this really friendly indian lady. And the service was great but most of the food was just very bland. Again it's one of those places where quantity is valued over quality. This place is definitely watered down for indian food. This place has the potential to be the BOMB and it just needs a bit more push on the food. Cause who wouldn't love authentic indian food with great friendly service at a reasonable price?
(3)
Sarah A.
Really good food! Really nice service, the butter chicken and the tandoori mixed grill are great!
(4)
Keith H.
I love two Indian restaurants equally: Moti Mahal and Ashoka. The things that Moti Mahal does better is service and naan. Everything is delicious (especially the Kashmir) and I try to go at least twice a month. Keep up the great work!
(4)
AnaLisa R.
BYOB at this place! I recommend the tikka balti (chicken) at medium heat. It's excellent! I will be returning here the next time I'm in the RO area!
(4)
William C.
Bland. Not much else I can say. Indian food should not be bland. Even the Naan was bland. I gave them a second chance. Ordered Vindaloo. Said make it spicy.It was bland. Everything was bland. Samosas-- bland. Bland bland blandy bland. too bad. I was so excited to see an Indian Place in Royal Oak. They should poach the chef from " house of India" off Opdyke in Bloomfield Hills. The food there is special, but the location is terrible and I think they are or have already closed. What a shame
(1)
Jeffrey B.
There are times I want a half a star--or to plead ignorant of the Yelp clarifications of the star ranking system. I fear that I am giving my Moti Mahal experience two stars out of not wanting to call it A-OK. This past week I met my friend Jenny S. at Moti Mahal to feed our Indian cravings. I have read the reviews and will say they are all over the place and figured I would venture out and try it for myself so I could form my own opinion. Walking in to Moti Mahal on a Wednesday night just past 6:30 there were about 3 other parties dining. We were seated at a table in a long row of tables each adorned with a burgundy table cloth and featuring a single rose. Hello romantic circa 1992? After a quick survey of the menu, I decided on the Sag Mutor Poneer, an order of vegetable samosas and the lentil soup. Jenny had the regular Mutor Poneer and an order of samosas. The samosas were the first to come to our table. They appeared as many samosas do--pyramids of curry and potatoes, peas, and other such delights. Sadly what was missing was flavor. I thought it was odd when I wanted to add salt and pepper and both were sitting right on the table! I don't know if I have ever seen salt and pepper on a table in an Indian restaurant? After adding generous dashes of both and a few teaspoons of the green chutney, I conquered the samosas. The soup was brought out in a small pitcher and was poured into a china bowl that had fried onions in it--I will give bonus points for presentation--I kind of liked seeing the soup poured into the bowl in front of me, and the fried onion really did add some flavor. Sadly presentation isn't enough, again I found that the soup was lacking the the strong flavor I associate with Indian cuisine. Dash, dash, dash and resume soup course. Our main courses were brought in their own small chafing dishes, each ignited by the power of a tea light. Another bonus point for presentation, but it was ruined by what I want to call spinach that tasted "slimy". Yes, I know that sounds horrible, but it wasn't really slimy. I don't now what other word to use, but it's like it was too wet when added to the sauce so therefore it just kind of was a wet blob in sauce. I did eat the entire portion, but I was hungry and when mixed with rice and shoveled on to na'an, I decided not to object. The na'an for the record was amazing. After we started eating we realized that our server didn't ask us about spiciness levels. Ack! Dash, dash, dash and a teaspoon of chutney. I did waver back and forth on my opinion of the meal. I would go back again to try the buffet maybe, but if I were seeking out dinner I would drive a little further to Troy or Farmington Hills for a more flavorful meal. I will say the service was very attentive and polite. They were on top of water refills and even offered explanations to other tables when people asked for descriptions. Now only if I could change the lighting, and paint the walls something other than a weird shade of salmon. . . So two stars seems rough? But in reality, Indian food should be bursting with flavor. I don't think I should have to add salt and pepper to anything that should be filled with turmeric, cumin, and curry.
(2)
Sudhir M.
do yourself à favor...please dont ever go to this place. worst food i have ever tasted. not worth it.
(1)
Thula K.
Never going back to this place again. Especially since there are so many more authentic Indian restaurants in the area.
(1)
Danielle A.
We just had dinner at Moti Mahal and it was very bland. We ordered 3 vegetarian dishes, samosa, and nan bread. The nan was good but too thick making it difficult to eat. The 3 dishes were "Americanized Indian" cooked well although lacking flavor and spice. It was disappointing that there was an overall lack of taste at the meal. There is great potential here if a heavier hand was used with spices. Service was wonderful and they were very attentive. Very appropriate portion size. Rice was cooked well although bland. One of the guests stated "I've had spicier whole milk"...unfortunate
(2)
J F.
Deeelicious and great service!
(5)
Laura V.
Long story short, we waited for 45 minutes, still didn't have any food, and gave up. We watched them accidentally deliver our food to a different table and then take it back into the kitchen. We were then avoided by all waitstaff for at least 10 more minutes while others who arrived after us were served. The waitress was walking all the way around the restaurant out of her way to avoid passing our table. Finally, a manager (?) came up to ask us what we had ordered. We said we'd prefer to just leave at this point. He swore it would only be 5 more minutes - probably because he was just going to bring us whatever had already been served to another table and was sitting in the back - but we decided to leave. 45 hungry minutes of my life I'll never get back and a Groupon I will not be using.
(1)
Edward M.
The beauty of Restaurant Connection is that I can't critique the atmosphere because I've never actually physically been there. B and I try to avoid the over populated Cluster F#*k that is Royal Oak at all possible costs. Judging by other previous reviews I'm not missing much. So onto the food... Brad had the #35 Dall Tarka Masala- Lentils with roasted garlic and spices. He loved it! He doesn't normally like Indian food. His reaction was a stop the presses kind of moment for me. I decided on the #31 Aloo Mutor Gobi- curry of potato, green peas, cauliflower and a bit of cream. Delicious! I especially loved the fact that the vegetables still maintained shape and some texture. My usual experience with Indian food is that while tasty, it is usually a non-chewing kind of meal fit more for an octogenarian. Upon opening our carry-out bag we discovered a free calendar... It was the universe at work. I was in line at CVS twenty minutes beforehand and realized I needed one, but knew if I got out of line I would be stuck for hours (The one at nine and Livernois) Seriously, they have the slowest moving employees. OY! Anyway, I got my calendar and some great nibbles! Thanks Universe!!!
(4)
Shawn W.
Decent food, but probably the worst service imaginable. We went in on a Saturday with a Groupon deal. The place was somewhat busy, but not too much for the 4 wait staff to handle. We went there pretty hungry, and waited for at least 10 minutes after we seated ourselves, and no one even greeted us. The wait staff kept walking by as if we didn't exist, and finally we decided to do the lunch buffet instead. Much to our disappointment, almost every selection at the buffet was out or almost gone, and the naan was stale, as if it had been sitting out for hours. We took our plates back to the table, and realized we had no silverware. After waiting at least another 5 minutes while wait staff ignored us and chatted with other customers, we went up to the cash register and asked for silverware, water, and for them to refill the buffet. The way I see it, if they had time to chat with customers, they have time to fill the buffet and serve us. After we finally got silverware and water, it was like pulling teeth to get any wait staff to acknowledge our existence. I started to wonder if we had gone transparent, except the wait staff were very diligent about removing our plates from the table while we were at the buffet, but didn't bother to refill our empty water glasses. The food was okay for a buffet. I have had carryout from the menu and it was decent, but buffets are usually not my cup of tea. The sign at the buffet warns that everything is mildly spiced and to add your own spice if you want it spicier. For most of the food, I was ok with the spice level, but my dining companion complained that the food was practically flavorless because it was so mild. The atmosphere is nice enough, but the music was a lone sitar sound that was grating after about 5 minutes. Overall, I have had way better food, and the service was about the worst I've ever seen. If you're in a hurry or like to have silverware and water, go someplace else.
(2)
Ruth L.
Consistently the best Indian food I've had and Indian is one of my favorites. There are menu items I've never seen elsewhere. The food is not overly weighted with cream, butter or oil as much Indian food is. I've been here three times. The service has been good. I love being able to bring my own bottle of wine and not pay the usual restaurant mark-up and no corking fee!
(5)
Jonathon J.
I'll start with the good things: the atmosphere was nice, the music was standard Indian fare, and the wait staff was pleasant. Also, the buffet was very reasonably priced at just $8 including tea and coffee, as well as keer for dessert, which was quite tasty (with coconut and raisins). However, the rest of the food for the buffet was underwhelming at best. One of the 8 or so things they had (of which only half were vegetarian) was a stir fry, which just looked like a bag of frozen stir fry vegetables - not Indian food. The other vegetarian options were pretty boring too - the channa masala was good, but otherwise there were just variants on "some vegetables with red sauce" - no paneer or kofta or even anything with cream sauce. Also, most of the time I was there, the naan was gone, which made the food all the less interesting. Finally, it took a while to both get the bill and to have it come back after paying. I won't be going back.
(2)
Joe B.
I'll preface by saying that I'm not of Indian ethnicity (in case that didn't occur to you after seeing my profile pic) nor do I eat a lot of Indian cuisine but I was blown away by the food and the service at Moti Mahal. A group of us stopped in during Arts, Beats and Eats to grab a bite. Initially the girls I was with told me it was a sushi joint (beer goggles are funny that way) so without question (or reading the sign on the door) I walked in to grab a seat and immediately heard sitar music. Realizing that I wasn't going to get any sushi here, I sat down and prepared to have my horizons broadened (as my father used to say to me before eating new cuisines that he had me try as a child). The ambiance was dim but colorful with the waitstaff dressed well and exceptionally polite and attentive. I was impressed by the service-it was close to some of the finest restaurants I've enjoyed. There were a few tables filled with larger parties but it wasn't busy per se. For the group I ordered a garlic naan, 2 orders of the sheek kabobs (large portions of ground lamb and spices skewered and cooked-not so aesthetic but very good), and the onion bhaji for starters. All of it was delicious!! For the entree I ordered the Tindaloo Lamb because the description said "very very spicy". After I made my request our waiter made a face of surprise and continued to tell me that eventually they may ask patrons who order this dish to sign a waiver due to the jolokia ghost peppers that they use. At this point I'm a little apprehensive but the show must go on and I've always wanted to try the jolokia prepared in a proper dish. When it came I sampled the sauce which had flecks of the cooked ghost peppers melded into it. They were searing hot spicy in a really great way. The waiter brought out some yogurt with cucumber to cool my palate which was very tasty but not completely necessary. The burn, after all, was what I was after and I got it and it was delicious and perfect. I've been craving the Tindaloo since I finished the little I brought home with me that same evening, which I ate at about 2 am. I can't speak to the authenticity of the food but I can speak to the fact that it was very very good and I'm looking forward to returning to try something different before I reembark on the Tindaloo.
(4)
Vic N.
I ate at Moti Mahal on a blazing hot summer day in July. To start, they had not even turned the air conditioner on. The patrons of this restaurant were sweating profusely, as was I. I'm Indian, so I know my Indian food well, and this restaurant was awful! You can usually tell if an Indian restaurant is good if there are Indian patrons...there was not one in sight!...wonder why? To start with, the tandoori chicken that they were serving was dry and had no flavor, the fried potatoes were not cooked through, and the butter chicken did not have that consistent north Indian flavor....must I go on? In short, every dish at the buffet was awful! And I went there early, so there was no excuse not to have good food. The only good thing in the buffet was the Nan. Luckily this was not screwed up, however, I don't think they cooked it in a clay oven. It lacked the flavor that is reminiscent of bread cooked in a clay oven. If you want good Indian food, you need to go to Troy, and frequent places like Ashoka, or Royal Indian Cuisine. They knock this place out of the water! And Indian people frequent these restaurants regularly. I really hope that we get a nice Indian Restaurant in Royal Oak or Ferndale soon!
(1)
Mercedes H.
Excellent service, great food and a very knowledgable and friendly staff! Affordable and even offers coupons! My latest addiction!
(5)
Laila A.
My boyfriend and I LOOOOVE this place. The food is amazing and the service is great as well. I have to agree that the buffet selection is not the best, or spiciest, but common people it's a BUFFET. The main a la cart dishes that we have tried are WONDERFUL, flavorful, and spicy. In fact the Vindaloo was so spicy I had difficulty eating it, but couldn't help myself because it was so delicious. Our favorite dishes there are Bengal Tiger and Chicken Tikka Masala. I favor the latter. The samosas were delicious as well. I wouldn't order the deep fried veg appetizer (not the best). The naan is delicious and the basmati safron rice hits the spot every time. They did have a period of about a week when they didnt offer chai (I noticed one reviewer mentioned this), but they have it now.
(5)
Stacy V.
I've been to this restaurant twice in the past two weeks. On both occasions, the waitstaff were friendly and knowledgeable. I love the quaint and relaxed atmosphere here. The food is very good, too. On the first trip, I had the Chicken Balti, which was excellent. I also had the vegetable Samosa, which were some of the best I've ever had. The owner came to our table and personally introduced himself. He also gave my husband some of their homemade hot sauce to take home. I love having this great Indian restaurant close to where I live, and I hope it does well.
(4)
Tania C.
The food was okay, although could have used a little more seasoning. The ambiance was nice though, very quiet. The service was interesting - our waiter seemed confused for some reason. Overall, main dishes were okay, pretty average indian food. The samosas and pakoras are really good though, I will give them that.
(2)
Mariano C.
We've been to Moti about eight times now, between dine in and carry out, and have tried most of the offerings. The majority of the dishes have been very good to excellent. I think the soups are outstanding. For it's category, the service here is remarkable...so warm, friendly and knowledgeable...and this compliment extends across the board to every person we've met at Moti. This restaurant shows signs of excellent management, which is something I look for. Since they are doing a great job overall, I can overlook one or two dishes (out of 20+) that perhaps didn't excite my palate. To me, five stars does not require absolute perfection in every facet, on every visit, but rather excellence for its category in the big picture. Congrats to Moti Mahal.
(5)
j h.
We came here to get some dinner before catching a show at Royal Oak Music Theatre. Although we were seated promptly and we ordered promptly, we waited at least 30 minutes for our food. This may have been because a large party arrived shortly before us; sad to say, the food did not make up for it. The vegetarian dish we ordered was cold (cold potato in lukewarm sauce), and the chicken dish was just so-so. I agree with some of the other reviewers that the menu (Protein A + Sauce B = Dish C) is heavily skewed towards timid non-Indians. For instance, okra masala--a standard dish at other Indian restaurants we have tried--is only listed as a side. The decor and furniture are very nice, and the staff was very friendly--which explains why the rating is 2 stars and not 1.
(2)
Cheryl T.
Came in tonight for dinner for the first time, as they JUST opened this place. Small, yet very nice looking inside. Friendly hostess greeted us and we were seated pretty fast. On the waiter's suggestion, we had the Chef's Appetizer, which consisted of a vegetable samosa, fried eggplant, and two other yummy items. For dinner I had the butter chicken, my fiancee had the chicken Rogan and his son had the chicken korma. We also had garlic Naan and rice. Everything was delicious, came quickly, and smelled great! The service was amazing, we were checked on repeatedly, but not in an annoying way. The entrees were about $12-$13 a piece, which seems to be the norm. They are off to a good start here, we will definitely be back!
(4)
Thomas M.
Formally known as Bengal Masala when it was in Hamtramck. Legendary! Highly recommended! Balti and Butter Chicken are good dishes to start with! Excellent spices.
(5)
Indian K.
I recently moved from India two years ago, so i know what authentic indian food tastes like and i can tell you this restaurant is the WORST. First off, the food is just BLAND. We ordered paneer tikka masala and it tasted like paneer with water! It was by far the worst indian restaurant i have tried in detroit. The food was not at all fresh! I would say avoid this place like HIV!
(1)
Jay D.
I have eaten here four or five times, and each time I am reminded that it is just average. It's not the worst Indian cuisine, just somewhere in the middle. The service is great, and that brings me back. However, I've found that if you order take-out you will not get your money's worth. My girlfriend and I ordered 30 dollars worth of food, and when we got home we realized that we got very little for our money. I opened a small plastic container that was about five tablespoons of a twelve-dollar entree. It barely covered a small mound of rice. Also, you only get two half-pieces of Naan. Trust me---eating in gives you a much more reasonable amount. I won't pay for their take-out again.
(2)
Peter S.
The food was very good, but without much spice. The tikka bhoona was delicious. I don't blame the waitstaff for the somewhat slow service as the restaurant was very busy and they were all on the go. I'll definitely be going back. And I hope they get a liquor license...
(4)
Suzy K.
I'm not exactly an expert on Indian food, but the two times I've been here have been great experiences. Came to dinner with some friends and had good food and excellent service, on a Saturday night. Had the buffet this afternoon, and it's really lovely. They have papadums on the buffet, which not all Indian buffets do. The buffet also includes coffee and chai (a pleasant surprise!). It's heavily vegetarian, with just a couple of meat based dishes. The mixed vegetable curry has a great flavor, and the eggplant masala is just wonderful. It's not as large a selection as Priya's buffet, but everything is tasty and very reasonable at $7.95 a person.
(4)
Lisa S.
Poor excuse for Indian food. With so many great restaurants downtown, this was sooo disappointing. Bland food - had to add salt to everything. Worst samoas ever. Small portions. Naan was burnt. Lassi was really just mango juice- no yogurt, and served warm . To top it off, I saw the hostess picking her teeth with her bare hands. Yum. Definitely not worth the money.
(1)
K Z.
The food is amazing and the service was wonderful. The chicken biryani is a must! If you have food allergies they are very accommodating.
(4)
Jeff Z.
I have to agree with the last reviewer about the brunch. Totally wrong....everything tasted the same....not worth coming back to. However, I've had dinner take out several times since then....wonderful tika masala and tandorri. Give it another chance and hopefully we don't have to drive to Hamtramck for a decent buffet in the future!
Save your money and get the frozen food from Trader Joes...it has a lot more flavor and is more authentic. We tried carry out from Moti Mahal on a whim after a long week. If I had more energy, I would have gone to Phulkari Punjabi Kitchen, but Royal Oak was closer to home and I was being lazy. We got the non-vegetarian dinner for two. The samosa was only half cooked, the other veggies were ok. The chutneys looked and tasted like they came out of a jar, except the consistency was too watery. The butter chicken was not much more than boiled chicken and tomatoes - absolutely no flavor. Add some onions and garam masala! Same can be said for the chewy lamb and aloo gobi. I'm not going to pretend I enjoy the pre-fab or frozen naan from the grocery store, but it is better than the naan from Moti Mahal. Overall, my craving for Indian is far from satisfied. So disappointing!
(1)
Taylor F.
Great food and exceptional service. Joe is wonderful and so is everyone else at Moti. This is my favorite place for dinner with my husband.
(5)
Raghu A.
Horrible food. I felt like any amateur messing around in the kitchen can make this stuff. Biriyani is rice w soy sauce. Horrible! Very bland because they are trying to "cater to everyone" according to the sign on the buffet table. Definitely worst Indian buffet
(1)
Kevin M.
The biryani is great every time we go! The only reason it's not a 5 star, is because it's kinda slow. So just allow a little extra time WHEN you go.
(4)
Merlin O.
Wow, what a complete let down. Walking past it smelled good, hints of curry and other aromatic spices, that I now suspect was some sort of aerosol spray because they sure we not being used in the cooking process. Samosas were gummy on the inside, bland filling and the accompanying chutneys were so watered down they hardly stayed on the spoon. And because they had set for a while the water had actually separated, forming a thin layer on top of the chutneys. My husband ordered his Saag Paneer medium it was less than mild, and was soggy with obviously poorly drained spinach. When he sent it back they gave him a more medium heat dish with a lot less extra water, but it still lacked most of the subtle aromatics Indian food is known for. My Matar Paneer was by the barest definition medium, and came with sad lump of cooked to mush onions huddled in the middle. No amount of stirring could get their hold on each other to break apart and I wound up fishing them out rather than try to choke them down. The garlic naan had some bits of garlic clinging to it but managed to have very little flavor. The plain naan was both doughy and slightly burnt, not exactly sure how they managed that. Very disappointing.
(1)
Stitch D.
What an expensive disappointment!!! Saturday night, 10:30PM we arrived and were rudely greeted by host. I asked if we could have a table for 2 and just stared at me. Finally when he spoke I was informed the dining room was closed but u could still order take out. My girlfriend and I have conflicting work schedules so we get 2 dates a month, MAX...October we didn't get to go out at all. The sign in the door clearly indicated 11OM close but we decided it would be ok to just order take out. Host took our orders and was arrogant and pushy, I thought my head would explode if he pushed the butter chicken on us one more time. At the outset, I ordered the curry chicken special and my gf Tikka Masala. I also ordered garlic naan, 1 pics cut in half $2.95!!!! Over $30 and 20 minutes later we received our very forgettable meals and were swept out the door with it immediately locked behind us, still before listed closing time. We were provided no napkins or utinsels, eliminating the opportunity for an auxiliary plan I concocted if eating in the park as a way if salvaging a bit if romance to enhance the meal. As I've said before, if you don't like people don't work in customer service. The food was average, service awful, atmosphere....I can't comment as I didn't dine it. Personally, I will NEVER patronize Moti Mahal again, there are way too many other options available.
(2)
Carl O.
My first experience was a carry out order. Everything went smoothly enough in regards to the ordering process. The food however left me sad. The vegetable samosas were crispy outside but when opened fell completely apart with stewed filling. Was impossible to pick back up. The aloo mutter gobi looked promising but had not flavor at all.
(3)
Lavish J.
Terrible restaurant.... Food is served uncooked.. Never go to this restaurant if it is the last one available open.
(1)
Jessica S.
Great service, great atmosphere, delicious food and decent prices. Highlights included the Chicken Tandoori, Chicken Tikka, Butter Chicken, Palak Paneer, Sag Muttor Paneer and Biryani. Has become my first choice for dinner in Royal Oak!
(4)
Brittiany R.
The smell of Indian food quickly overcame me as I entered Moti Mahal last night... I purchased a Groupon for my visit and also noticed Yelp offers deals for this restaurant so check those out before cashing in! My samosas looked nice and golden but upon cutting into my samosa, I noticed there was a section where the dough did not thoroughly fry. It was still dough-y and tasted like frozen fried items I've purchased from Costco. However, the vegetables inside of the samosa were nicely seasoned and I was pleased to find large chunks of vegetables. The uncooked, doughy section was a small part of only one of my samosas.... I ordered the Chicken Korma which was fragrant and quite savory. The sauce was creamy and rich, with slices of onion to break up the monotony. Somehow, despite all of the fragrance and creaminess of the Korma, there seemed to be something missing, like a spice that was there but just not enough.The chicken was a bit dry and tough.The cheese naan I ordered only had tiny pieces of cheese but it played nicely with my Korma so I literally gobbled it all up. Overall, not the most explosive, delicious Indian I have had but it's the best I've had in metro detroit. Service was friendly and attentive.
(3)
Kris A.
"Frozen stuff". Wayyyy too expensive for they offer. Coupons are deceptive. Your total somehow comes with a magic number, lol, regardless their promotions.
(2)
Jean M.
Hate to give it a 2 but it's slightly below average! Okay, 2.5. Buffet was just so so. Okay selection and kinda bland taste. I have a friend that likes it here a lot so perhaps I'd give it another shot. Pleasant service but the buffet is nothing special. Heard they have good butter chicken so maybe I will order that if I come back.
(2)
Roxy M.
Good food. Great service! The butter chicken and kashmiri entree are tasty. The naans are always fresh too. They serve free papadum's as well.
(4)
Tricia T.
Bland buffet. The sign at the buffet makes the experience worse. Good service. Next time I'll order off the menu.
(1)
Katherine B.
I really enjoy Moti Mahal and go at least once a month .BYOB too as I enjoy a beer with my curry.The service is great really good staff.We love the appetizer platter ...have had a few different chicken and vegetable dishes and liked them all. I think the Naan are good usually have garlic and Peswari...food is hot and tasty ...no complaints
(4)
Mike W.
Food is usually very good. Service can sometimes be slow. Love the garlic masala, chicken curry and tindaloo vindaloo (s/p).
(4)
Maraj P.
I had one of the best family nights of my life here with my mom, dad and my guy. Due to my diabetic diet we were originally going to go to the Inn Season Cafe but (and I say this in the kindest way) FORTUNATELY they had a 45 minute wait. Considering my mom only eats halal she remembered that Moti Mahal wasn't too far and we drove on over there. As soon as got there we were greeted warmly and seated at a wonderful table. Now that I have found out about my type 2 diabetes, whenever I go to restaurants, I have to ask a million questions as far as sugar and carbs are concerned so I have to be "that one" at the table. Lucky for me our amazing waitress Poly (I highly recommend her for every meal eaten here!) was extremely accommodating and even recognized why I was asking as a family member of hers also had diabetes. She was able to tell me the greatest news which was that my favorite dish was A-OK to eat! Thank the heavens!! My stomach was one happy camper. After the food came out (piping hot, just the way I like it I might add), Poly came back constantly making sure we were okay and refilling our water. My mother was the rebel and ordered Kashmeri Chicken while we all ordered Chicken Tikka Masala. When my mother ate a bite of her food she must have swallowed too quickly because a piece of almond seemed to have been stuck. We all stood up trying to make sure she was okay and breathing. As soon she herself stood up and had a drink of water she was back to normal thank God. She then decided not to eat for the rest of the meal but I called our waitress over who was more than understanding and gave her a whole new dish of Saag Paneer mild which was delicious (I snuck a little haha). We all sat around not even feeling rushed and enjoying our time with one another. We ended up needing another spoon and even though the nice young man helping us put it in the wrong dish in his haste, we may have laughed accidentally and he was a good sport about it then brought us another one. The bill finally came and we saw that they had given us a free Naan and discounted my mothers dish. On top of that they gave us two 10.00 off vouchers that never expire! Our experience here before was good but this night just made it absolutely excellent. We'll definitely be back soon.
(5)
Melanee R.
This is our favorite Indian restaurant in the area. The food is delicious and the portions are very generous. My boyfriend and get their "dinner for two" and have enough food for lunch & dinner the following day. We visit once a month and look forward to returning.
(5)
Bobby C.
We went there on Friday night for dinner. First impression wasn't bad. The servers were young and their service was ok. They don't serve alcohol but we were told that we can BYOA. We ordered chefs special Butter chicken and lamb dashnk with naan. Butter chicken was ok but lamb dish didn't have any flavor and it was filled with onions. Naan bread got really hard within few minutes. We also ordered dessert Gulab Jamun which was half cooked in center. Syrup sauce had water in it. It tasted really bad. We won't be going back even we still have one unused groupon. There are better Indian restaurants in other towns.
(2)
Terry C.
My first Indian food experience. We had four people and got the dinner for four. Everything was really good. We will definitely return to this place. Those meat simosas are freaking awesome. Not sure why people are knocking the food here because it is so good. Overall great experience!
(4)
F F.
Yep great place. BYOB and love the sauces
(5)
Kera M.
The waitstaff is still amazing, so sweet & friendly but the food..taste/spice wise isn't as good as it used to be..taste so much more bland! I've been back a few times and wasn't 100% satisfied..only because years ago it was so much better, not sure what happened...I don't know if I'll be back anytime soon but I'm sure I'll come back eventually to see any updates on their food, because I do adore the waitstaff and would hate to see this restaurant go down!
(3)
Ravish C.
Is there any chance to give negative rating...I will give it. The food sucks, service is utter worst. If any non Indian enters this restaurant they will get bad impression about Indian food. People, Indian food is really good but not at this place. Please don't visit this..
(1)
Eve S.
Got home from a long day and was really looking forward to some yummy flavorful indian food... I work across the street but no one ever orders lunch from there.. And tonight I found out why. All three dishes were watery, bland, and just plain gross... The nan was stale, probably left over from this morning, very disappointing. The chicken masala was nasty, dry bland chicken and poorly seasoned. It literally tasted watered down. The butter lamb was rubbery and beyond bland.. My third curry was a spinach something with chicken that was just a mess.. I spent almost $50 and feel ripped off in a major way, what a bummer!!!
(1)
Adam F.
This place is damn good. Food rocks and the service is good. The manager recognized me and my girlfriend from Coming in often and he gave us a $10 coupon, which I thought was pretty cool.
(5)
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
Address :411 S Washington Ave
Royal Oak, MI, 48067
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : 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.
Leslie C.
Me and my husband went here for dinner, first time. We had excellent service so they must have addressed the issues in the negative posts. I had the butter chicken medium+. It was delicious and the exact heat i hoped for. The rice was perhaps a tad dry. My husband had the chicken byriani. It looked like fried rice from a Chinese restaurant at first but he really liked it. The vegetable samosas were very good. Pleasant atmosphere, clean, very very polite and attentive service. We will come back.
(4)Surya R.
Ordered a delivery from this place twice now. It was quick and the food was delicious. It's a much needed spot in an area that is void of good Indian restaurants.
(5)Rahul S.
Don't bother. Ok I don't enjoy writing critical reviews but that's really all I need to say about this place. I was sorta excited to see that there was an Indian restaurant in Royal Oak but excitement lasted all of 10 minutes. The food is below average. Period. I have no complaints about the service or the ambiance but if you want good Indian food I'd look elsewhere. As an Indian who spent the first 21 years of my life in Bombay (yes, I still call it Bombay, not Mumbai) I've eaten at at least five other places called Moti Mahal in different parts of the country. This did not even get close to any of them.
(2)Marshall D.
I had dinner here with my fiance this past Sunday night. Let me start by saying, this restaurant's rating is likely lower because of older reviews. This place is fabulous! From the get go, we had an allergy question. An employee grabbed the manager "Joe" who was very attentive and focused on making sure the food was made in a way that we could eat it. He went through the levels of spice and made suggestions for two chicken dishes. The food was spectacular. We ordered a chicken dish with lentils, butter chicken, raita, naan, and vegetable samosa. All of the dishes were flavorful and spicy to our liking. All of the wait staff took care of us as a team. This isn't a "my section" restaurant, they truly use teamwork. They all will stop to answer your questions, and they are all pleasant and friendly. A real rarity is that they actually give you a lot of meat in your dishes here. You don't order a dish to find out you only get 4 cubes of chicken with a bunch of sauce and rice (like most other Indian restaurants). Your food is kept warm by candle heat while you eat your meal. They have a wonderful philosophy that if you don't have leftovers, they haven't done their job right. They want you to take some home, eat it the next day, and remind yourself of why you ate there. I can't say enough great things. Stop in and give them a try!
(5)Barbie M.
great service clean fairly priced food was just ok. could have had a lille more pizazz but overall i was happy and so was my belly. I think I will try it again to be fair.
(3)Zoya z.
I hate writing reviews like this. The service was truly awesome but I'd never be back. Bummer. The presentation of the appetizer platter was nice and most of it tasty. The chicken tikka masala was bland. Very bland. Super bland. Urg bland. You get the point? Garlic naan was bland as well. It was too light in color and there wasn't enough butter nor garlic. The raita was too thick and not the creamy goodness I am used to eating. My friend mentioned that her chicken tandoori was on a dry side. I eat Indian about once a week and while I am no authority on Indian food, I know what I like. The cuisine is known for its robust flavors and I should be able to smell them a mile away. Not here. They don't have an alcohol license so if you like to have wine with your dinner you are out of luck here. The host, waiter and bus people were incredibly polite and lovely. Now if they can just learn how to make some Indian food...
(2)Kirsten J.
I've been meaning to write a review of this place for quite a while. I wasn't really happy with where I had been getting my Indian fix since I moved here for a while, but didn't know where else to go until a friend brought me here. Not long after, we learned Mohti Mahal delivers to Ferndale and now we're hooked. Not only did they deliver during the biggest snow storm ever last year (Remember 'snowmageddon?') but the delivery person was clad in a tux. Fantastic. I love how helpful they are when I call without a menu in front of me (I'm vegetarian). The food is always delicious and quick and has become our comfort-food go-to when I don't feel like cooking or we feel like having a chill night in front of the TV. On a recent weekday was running around before going to the doctor. I had 25 minutes and was under the weather and realized I could pop in and get some quick mulligatawny or daal here. Lucky for me -- I forgot about the lunch buffet! I paid $8 and had delicious chai tea, my soup I was looking for and 8 of the 11 items on the buffet were vegetarian. Oh, and there was naan of course. I walked in with barely an appetite and walked out stuffed and satisfied. I've never eaten here when it's been super busy, but the staff is always really pleasant and helpful.
(5)Lis M.
I have dreamed of having a delicious Indian Food place close by for so long, thanks to Moti Mahal I finally have my wish. Don't listen to the haters try for yourself. I don't know if Moti Mahal is authentic, but I know that the service is great, order in or carry out, and I have not had a bad dish. Oh and when they say the Vindaloo is hot they're not messing around. When we crave Indian no questions asked this is where we go. My favorite combo of flavors are the Rogan Lamb, with Aloo Paratha bread, and Raita.
(4)Chethna S.
I shouldn't have told the wait staff that we had a groupon. The food was barely palatable. I ordered the biryani and it was just some left over rice that they made some concoction out of. Granted, we were here 45 minutes before closing but I don't think it should've been that bad. I had to write a review because it was the worst Indian food I've had in Michigan.
(1)TJ W.
Spoiler alert - Moti Mahal is a sit-down Indian version of Q'Doba. If you're one of those people who doesn't like reading long reviews, there's the verdict in a nutshell. There are two spectacular Indian restaurants in the Detroit area, but the completist in me would never allow me to leave well enough alone. I have to try every last Indian restaurant (or in this case, "Indian") in Detroit, because you never know when you're going to find that hidden gem. This place is the opposite of that, and that should come as no surprise - it's in Downtown Royal Oak. This place has an exclusively white clientele for a reason...Indian people would never eat garbage like this. It's as authentic as a Gucci bag you bought for $10 at a party store, and waaaay too expensive for what it is. And I know elderly quadriplegics whose love lives are spicier than the food here. Basically, you choose your protein, you choose your slop (I think they call them sauces), then you wait for it to come out. The slop you choose doesn't matter, they all taste the same. The proteins range in texture from stringy to tough, so you basically have to choose whether you'd rather eat the horsemeat or the saddle. If you choose to go vegetarian you don't really have to worry about texture, because it's just going to be like you fed your baby a whole bunch of mashed and boiled vegetables and Indian spices, then ate what your baby spit up. Then they whiten things up by giving you a dish of white basmati rice with your dog food. If you're one of the few people who can stand the slops at Moti Mahal, I'll teach you how to make it. First, go to your local grocery store and buy a bottle of korma. Then, drink the korma (I suggest a funnel). Wait 20 minutes, then vomit the korma into a microwave-safe dish, add your protein, and microwave until your meat is nice and tough. Bottom line, if you don't like Indian food, you'll love Moti Mahal.
(2)Kelli A.
2.5 stars for service, atmosphere and cleanliness. Very, very nice server. Very, very bland food. The 'chef's appetizer' assortment were just plain awful. Absolutely no flavor and I mean that sincerely. Every single appetizer tasted like it had a biscuit coating with zero spice. So bad. The samosa filling tasted like it should be inside of a pot pie. Ugh. No iced tea/chai? What? We split an order of vegetable balls (malai kofta), hoping for a nice creamy, curry sauce. Nada. They were ok, definitely edible but that's about it. $12.95 at lunchtime??? Sorry, that's outrageous. It came with a small portion of rice and that's it. The garlic naan was under baked. Overall, we were disappointed with the food and probably won't return. If you like this place and don't feel like leaving your house, they deliver free of charge!
(2)Liz G.
I was here a couple weeks ago, on a date with my boyfriend. I really don;t know what everyone else is complaining about; I love this place! It wasn't hot. There weren't any flies. The wait staff wasn't sweating. It was great. The servers were really nice and even helped us with our meal selection since neither of us have ever had Indian food before. There was a single red rose on each table--a nice, romantic touch in my opinion. Did I mention the food was delicious?! Well, it was. I totally recommend this place. :)
(4)Toni B.
My friends and I are total groupies at Moti Mahal! They have run groupons consistently so I would check before going for a deal. On this visit I just ordered one of my favorite dishes, chicken korma with rice and naan with a combination platter that included raita and mango chutney. I ordered my entree medium and was surprised to find that it was almost mild. The spices were delicious and the sauce was not too sweet and it was perfectly creamy. The sauce was so amazing that I wish there had been more sauce and less chicken! The naan was fantastic but our waitress forgot the combination platter until a couple minutes before we were all finished eating. We were all so full and none of our entrees were hot enough to warrant the use of the raita that it hardly seemed to matter that it arrived. However, the mango chutney was nice with the naan and I took some home. I kind of love Indian food that can be so spicy and rich in flavor that it makes me wince and that is the only thing I consistently miss at Moti Mahal. But for those of you who aren't sadists about their food and for when I want a pleasant meal without the risk of pleasure and pain - I do love to go here.
(4)Ron L.
This was my second try at Moti Mahal for lunch. I'll give it marks for convenience in downtown Royal Oak, and a relatively clean interior. But those are less important than great food - particularly in a lunch buffet format. Unfortunately this place is severely lacking. If you're a carnivore, and enjoy many of the north indian chicken or lamb specialities (like I do), you will be absolutely disappointed. In the entire buffet (which was all of 6 dishes), there was one chicken - and it was a poor representation of tandoori chicken. None of the buffet standards like butter chicken, or tikka massala are found here. The ability to mix and match meat dish options is noticeably absent. If you're vegetarian, there will be more options like steamed broccoli and cauliflower. But is this really why you came to an Indian buffet? Most of the presented veggie dishes are unattractive and bland. I get the feeling that they're putting out the least expensive, least complicated dishes for our naiive American consideration. Too bad. The location and decor gave me high hopes. But this is a poor choice for lunch.
(2)Danielle B.
Went here with my bf the other day. We were craving Indian.. We didn't expect the food to taste like what we had when we went to the UK..but it still went down pretty well. Being from England, my boyfriend was shocked that they don't serve alcohol, yet you can go down the street buy a 6 pack and walk right it in with it (classy!) So yeah, this place is BYOB. Everything was going fine until one of the servers started vaccuming!!!!!! With people still finishing up their meals. I mean seriously? Come on now. Not sure if we'll be back.
(3)Chris K.
I tried Moti Mahal a few weeks after it first opened hoping that we would finally get a decent Indian restaurant in Oakland County: I left disappointed. The palak paneer was pretty meh, the cheese's texture was tough and it tasted bland, and the spinach was definitely not fresh. The samosas were frozen and then deep fried, not homemade. The butter chicken had no cream in the sauce whatsoever. I generally like to start with some of my favorite dishes and then explore the rest of the menu, but I don't think I'll ever give this place another shot. The service was OK, but nothing to really scream about. Bottom line: this place is overpriced and has lackluster food. If you're craving spice, this place isn't for you.
(2)Dil F.
Delicious food, great service, comfy interior. My long-winded plaint against the restaurants of Royal Oak has finally reached a full stop. Moti Mahal was awesome. At first glance at the exterior, I certainly had my doubts. The light-display decorating the front awning is a bright string of small blue lights that flash, almost strobe-like, with hypnotic rapidity (epileptics beware). I was worried because of the carnivalesque distraction of the entrance. However, from the moment we walked into the perfectly A/C'ed dining room, the service was fast, full of recommendations, patient, and did a wonderful job putting to rest any of those earlier skepticisms. While we poured over all the options on the menu, we were served up complimentary papadam and its usual condiments - excellent! I noticed the prices were maybe a dollar or two less expensive per dish than the menu at Priya, for a comparison. Also of note, they don't yet have a liquor license - so no beer or wine, but we were told we could bring in our own in the future (who doesn't love a BYOB!). My party of three wanted to share dishes, and one among us being a fish-eating vegetarian, we got a few recommendations to help us out. What followed was nothing short of a regal feast. Vegetable Samosa - these must have just been made. The frying was done perfectly, golden shell, no grease, and the vegetables inside had been cooked into a velvety blend of roots and spices. Fish Tandoori - came out sizzling, plum-red color, with tons of slightly charred onions (in the best way), but the fish held all its juice and flavor. I'd only seen tandoori chicken before, so this was an excellent surprise. Vegetable Dhansak - a lentil-based dish, the vegetable version was almost stew-lie, in a very rich sauce. A little bit of heat, with a noticeable tangy edge, what might have been some subtle lemon zest. Shrimp Balti - Wonderful flavors in a heated gravy kept warm in the candle-lit pot its served in, small cuts of tomato and onion, all brimming with spices. The shrimp itself was large and juicy. All the food could easily stand on its own, but who couldn't resist piling on the basmati rice that comes with the entrees. Even though basmati is always a super flavorful rice, theirs tasted that much better - i think prepared with cardamom. At the end of the night two final gestures capped the kingly feasting. One was that the house sent us over three Gulab Jamun, served warm in a silver cup of the syrup they're cooked in. Outstanding dessert - the best version of this treat I've ever had. The other kind gesture was to accept the promotional coupon (a la Metro Times) I'd brought in but had forgotten to mention until the bill came out - they didn't hesitate to re-calibrate the bill and accept the coupon after the fact. Royal Oak is lucky to have such a great place. I'll be back to try out many more of these dishes, and would recommend the place to everybody.
(5)Gary V.
I was excited to enjoy their lunch buffet and was quite surprised at the lack of flavor in every selection. No spice at all. They need to tune it up several notches! Use their chutneys liberally because they are quite tasty and will put the flavor where the flavor should already be. On the soft skills side my seat was comfy and the bathroom was very clean. Mmmhmm.
(3)Matt D.
Good place, made me a fan of Indian food! I like this red curry chicken that comes with Indian bread. I love the art on the walls and I've always had a nice time in there!
(4)D L.
My wife and I are avid consumers of Indian cuisine, cook at at home, seek out new restaurants, etc. Overall the food good. They do tend to make the food under-salted, however I think that's a good thing. Some people are complaining about this. Many restaurants mask crappy food with a ton of salt. The chef is fairly confident I think in his ability to cook. I will say this though, there's something to be desired for consistency of the taste of the food. Some days the chef seems to half a bad day (either that, or he's out and someone's substituting). Having said that, we go back regularly with and without groupons. The staff are generally very nice and the service is pretty good. Here and again they get a new waiter who isn't so attentive. What I like the most is that the owner is usually out on the floor, talking to people and even taking orders and serving. Very nice guy. We converse with him regularly when we visit. The buffet - is vegetarian mainly. If this isn't your thing, don't bitch about it sucking, because it's actually good. Upon speaking with the owner, we found out that he actually puts a lot of though into the menu items of the buffet - his pet peeve is soggy wilted veggies which sit under the lamp until people serve themselves, so they try to pick out vegetables that hold up better when sitting in heated trays for a little while. My only real gripe is with the complimentary pre-meal sauces (not buffet). The tamarind sauce used to be nice and thick - almost like barbecue sauce, now it's watery. The chili sauces also seemed to have taken a hit as well. They seem to be cutting corners with this. I've left them a survey about this, and have told our waiter on a couple of occasions about it, but didn't get a chance to actually tell the owner (not sure if he'd do anything about it or not). Also Yelp's price range rating isn't very accurate here. Expect something between 8-13 bucks.
(4)Duncan J.
Excellent service and food. It's BYO alcohol though!
(4)Robert P.
Meh. I've experienced better for sure... I do appreciate indian food that uses less oil and does not leave me with with the ring of fire 4-5 hours later however i would never sacrifice oil/ghee for flavor...gosh this place just sucked and I am not sure if the biryani was decent along with the rice pudding just because I had nothing else too eat...I have to say that I went for the buffet and never plan on going to dinner here...795 buffet all week...but I guarantee if this place does not fix the flavor and food issues it will be closed in one year or less... I suggest the family go and eat at namaste, bombay, royal, ashoka, etc etc etc every place else...
(2)Jonny P.
Went for dinner last Friday off of a Groupon and wasn't really impressed. The paneer was 'weird' (yes that's a technical term.) The food overall was surprisingly bland, nothing really popped. I'm interested in eventually trying their lunch buffet to compare it to other Indian restaurants. Foodwise I wouldn't recommend this restaurant for diner over other Indian restaurants I've been to around Detroit. However it is convenient if you're planning on doing something else in the area afterwards...
(2)Eric P.
I went with a group of friends just last night, and I have to say, I would certainly go again. We went close to closing, so the restaurant was basically empty, but the waiters were more than helpful in moving tables around to accomodate us (we were six). Looking over the menu, the waitstaff was very helpful, asking if we had any questions or anything. Being quite familiar with the fare, however, it wasn't necessary, but very appreciated nonetheless. I had the vegetable korma (typically, navratan koorma, but I'm not going to split hairs) with an order of peshwari naan, and it was all very good. My friends, however, were not as enthused about their meals. One had palak paneer, which I thought was fairly good, if not a bit bland. Another had chicken tikka masala, which looked good, but apparently was mediocre at best. The highly attentive, helpful waitstaff and (my) good food are what earned this new establishment its four stars. I hear they have an excellent lunch buffet, seven days a week, for $7.99. I've yet to try it, but I'm looking forward to it.
(4)Bonnie C.
I was a fan of Moti Mahal back in the 80s and was thrilled to hear they reopened in Royal Oak. I had the lunch buffet and was really impressed with the selection. They had lots of vegetarian dishes -- eggplant masala, a few vegetable curries. The stewed vegetables were cooked just right and full of flavor -- not soggy. The chicken and broccoli was good as was the shrimp and vegetables. I passed on the chicken tandoori. The staff was courteous and professional and the decor inside is warm and understated. My only complaint is with the exterior. It's deceivingly tacky -- especially the huge buffet advertisement sign on the front. But once you're inside, you'll want to come back!
(5)Lorna D.
The three stars are for the service and atmosphere. The servers and staff were all young men who were friendly, elegant, and extremely attentive without being overbearing. I dare say some of the best service I've ever had! Our waiter gently poured soup into my bowl as he held a cloth up to protect my ta-tas from soup splashins. Sigh. He even held the door as we left! The lighting is low and romantic...the music soft and soothing. The food was nicely presented and a nice big honkin' platter of rice is brought with your meal. Alas though, I have to agree with many others here and report that the food REALLY needs more flavor and spice. I filled out a comment card to this effect and truly hope they take it to heart. I'd hate to see this place falter, as the people there were SO sweet and pleasant and the atmosphere so enjoyable!
(3)Lynn M.
I have searched many local Indian restaurant and this is the first to offer a quality, reasonably priced Balti. Since I grew up near Birmingham UK, the home of the Balti Triangle, this has been a quest since I moved here over 20 years ago. The staff are very friendly and the food is perfectly spiced. My family love this restaurant. I particularly enjoy taking our own bottle of wine to enjoy with our meal. The lunch buffet is wonderful too. Good selection of vegetarian food and the wait staff are very helpful if you request vegan.
(4)Joe T.
Had a very pleasant dinner with my wife, son, daughter-in-law, ten month old granddaughter and a couple of speciial guests at Moti Mahal. Everyone enjoyed the food including our granddaughter who ordered a nice portion of yogurt off the menu! We shared a couple of orders of vegetable samosas for starters and then shared several entrees including chicken korma, Malay Kokta, and eggplant masala. We, of course, had naan - plain and one with nuts that was a bit too salty. The raita we ordered was also deliciious and really provided a nice balance to the spicier dishes. Service was prompt and professional. Overall an excellent experience - definitely recommend.
(4)Jesper G.
Nice, friendly and quiet place with good traditional Indian food. They do not serve alcohol, but you can bring your own or enjoy one of their ok fresh made juices.
(4)Justin O.
My entire family and I had the chance to check out Moti Mahal this past week, and we were pleasantly surprised! I should start by telling you that I was raised on Indian food. My Father is from the UK and he introduced my Mother to Indian on their first date. Mom had a few Indian friends and they actually taught her to cook traditional Indian dishes like Upma and Moon Dahl Soup, Korma etc... So back to Moti Mahal... The first thing I noticed is how well decorated the restaurant was. It is small, but elegant. The wait staff is outstanding. A gentleman who I will assume is the owner came to our table to explain his lineage and that he is the third generation owner. He comp'd my daughter a bowl of soup so she would not feel left out while we were all eating soup. Very considerate. The food was very good. Very light and not greasy at all (as you know bad Indian food can be quite the opposite). I had the Chicken Tikka Masala and it was very good... less creamy than most, more red sauce. The Garlic Naan was a bit dry and I am not sure if they have an actual Tandoor Oven, because the bread did not quite have that "authentic" flavor a well-seasoned Tandoor will give it. Also, the Raita was very thick, almost like plain yogurt with some cucumbers in it. Not very flavorful at all. They do not have a liquor license yet, which made for an interesting family evening (lets just say we like to unwind and enjoy ourselves a bit more than the average family, ha!) but the food was good, and the service impeccable. I am giving them 3 stars for now because I plan on going back soon. If my next visit is better I will revise this, if it is the same then we have a nice Indian option in Royal Oak...
(3)Rhonda L.
okay I went there because I had a coupon but i really enjoyed it, both the atmosphere and the food. I don' th think it was especially authentic but it was good.
(5)Rob M.
My girlfriend and I decided to try Moti Mahal after seeing an ad in the Metro Times. I ordered the Chile Chicken, and is was delicious. It came with a generous portion of rice, and is served in a metal bowl with a tea light candle to keep the entree warm. The decor is nice, with mellow music playing in the background; a great atmosphere for you and your significant other. Service was fine, and the food arrives in about 10 minutes or so. They give you 3 sauces for the free appetizer (I can't remember what it is called) and the orange sauce is one of the hottest things I've ever tasted, and I like spicy food. When they say the Vindaloo is very spicy, they aren't kidding! Most things on the menu are mild, though, so there are plenty of choices for people who don't like spicy food. All and all, a very pleasant experience, and we will be back!
(4)Melissa T.
I had the chicken curry and garlic nan. Loved every minute of it I thought it was some of the best Indian I have ever had!!
(4)UniqueRwe2 T.
We went there on 03/13, a Tuesday night. A coupon brought us here. It's been a while since we enjoyed Indian cuisine. They were moderately busy. The service was great, they took time to explain their dishes, contents and preparation. Portion proper, their value was good. We had Butter Chicken and Naan, nothing was left over to take home, need I say more! Excellent... YummY About our dinner... We don't know what everyone is complaining about. No, nothing was salty, it shouldn't be! It was very tasty, well prepared and presented. They don't serve alcohol, we don't drink, so that doesn't matter to us. Service was Great! The decore was plesant. Who cares about their color choices when it works! I would have said it was very clean, but we were seated next to the bar and the items there needed dusting. This is why we rated it a 4. We haven't been there for lunch, yet. Yes, we are going back.
(4)Amit C.
I went out for Sunday Buffet it was good. :)
(3)Keith C.
I have eaten here a number of times. The food has always been good, but the service is so 'uneven' (slow and inattentive) that I always leave frustrated. Regardless of how full the dining room is, there never seem to be enough waitstaff to ensure that basic things like handing out menus, taking customer orders, refilling water glasses, providing carryout boxes, etc. are done reasonably promptly. Sometimes an appetizer (crispy naan and sauces) is provided, sometimes not. I think that scheduling an extra person or two would help ensure service that is more attentive, and improve the dining experience.
(3)Andrew S.
The service and atmosphere is fine. The food is just ok. It's nice for there to be an Indian place in downtown Royal Oak but the food is nothing to write home about. I have been here about 3 times and tried plenty of dishes. Not my preferred Indian place. Drive a little further out to Ashoka in Rochester if you want some serious Indian food. Meh. Meh. Meh agaain.
(3)Kate H.
Every time I want Indian food, I drive to Troy. It's not exactly a quick trip from my house, so I was WAY excited when I heard about Moti Mahal opening up so close to home and quite hopeful that it could be my new favorite Indian place, or at least be good enough to keep me from preferring the drive to Troy. The decor and location are terrific, although I'm pretty sure this space has had a lot of turnover, so maybe I'm wrong about the location. We were the only ones dining that weekday evening, at prime dinner time, so I'm not sure how they're doing really. And, honestly, while I don't mind being the only one there, it really isn't a good sign. The service was super, some of the best I've had. Kinda formal, very attentive, but not annoyingly so. I typically stick with vegetarian dishes when I eat Indian food, mostly because they rock the vegetarian so well and I eat so much meat otherwise. I loved the way the menu was laid out and how each type of dish was described, including spice level. You basically choose the type of dish you want (Curry, Rogan, Jalfrazie, Korma, etc.) and your protein, or vegetarian in my case. My standard dish, because I love the combo of creamy and spicy, is the Navratan Korma. So, I ordered the Korma with vegetables and asked for it spicy. He tried to talk me out of the spicy, by saying that it was too creamy and sweet for spice, but I wouldn't budge. I've had spicy Navratan Korma at probably every indian restaurant I've ever been to, without them questioning my request to spice it up, and he wasn't gonna be the one to stop me. Bring on the spice! The entree came with rice, but not Naan, which I must have, so I ordered it up. $1.95 isn't bad for an order of Naan, if it's good. It wasn't. I mean, it was Naan, how bad can it be? It wasn't bad, it was just underdone. The Vegetable Korma was good, and had a nice spice level, and the flavor was fine, but it didn't compare to the kormas I've had at my favorites further North. My husband got the Chicken Dupiaza and said it was fine, nothing special. Sigh... So the food was okay, but pricey, and the atmosphere and service really good, other than him trying to talk me out of having spicy korma. I'll probably try it again later, and see how they handle some of my other Indian favorites. There's a lunch buffet (15 items for $7.95 per person) 7 days a week from 11:30a.m. until 2:30 p.m., that I definitely think is worth checking out, and would be my first Indian food buffet experience.
(3)Regan M.
Moti Mahal is the closest food we can get to having a take-away curry in London.... it is amazing!! You can tell they take pride in their food and in their service. The buffet is a great deal to get a little taste of everything that is most popular on their menu. If you like getting your food spicy... get the Chicken Tikka Madras... my husband loves it!! I love the Chicken Tikka Dansak. Service always friendly and warm. Anyone who doesn't like this place must be crazy... It's hard to find a place that is unique these days... Moti Mahal is definitely a jewel in Royal Oak :)
(5)Cari M.
I don't have many regrets in life, but eating here is one of them. I believe this is my first One star review. I am a pretty generous star giver here in the yelp world. This review has nothing to do with service, as I ordered carry out. When I picked it up there was no one in the restaurant except staff, and no other carry out orders waiting. The staff I met for a brief moment was friendly and nice. I hate to write a bad review because I know in some way, big or small, it can effect businesses, which effects good peoples jobs, but the food here really needs a makeover. I have to say, you other yelpers warned me not to eat here, but I really didn't want to drive too far from my home in ferndale for good Indian cuisine. I doubted your reviews, but you were right. We ordered Naan, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Kashmir Chicken. The Naan was soggy, flavorless, and well... it wasn't Naan. I've searched everywhere for Kashmir Chicken after having it in Omaha, NE and FINALLY found it here.... I took one bite... meh... took another bite- spit it out. Bleh! It was awful. The texture, the flavor everything was off. It was overwhelmingly sweet and the main flavor was like... terrible raisins. I thought there is no way to get chicken tikka masala wrong.... false. It was insanely greasy, instead of thick, creamy sauce I usually experience in this dish. The sauce had almost a grainy texture to it that was terrible to experience. It also left a VERY strong after taste in my mouth of like metallic/blood type taste. bleehhhh. I had to run and get a spoonful of peanut butter to get the taste out of my mouth. Even the rice got thrown away- along with the 30 dollars of food we ordered. SAD DAY! Was so looking forward to Indian ... but it is way worth the extra 20 minutes to drive and get quality food. I'll never ignore the Yelp reviews again!
(1)Jen J.
Had the tikka masala and pasawari naan for lunch. It was all good, served freshly made with good portion size. My husband had the lunch buffet and would have given it a better rating if they had a better selection. The service wasn't stellar, but not completely unpleasant either.
(3)Amanda R.
This place is amazing! Best Indian food I have ever experienced. The Butter Chicken is exceptional!! We moved to Wisconsin sin recently and have been unable to find comparable Indian food there. This is definitely a place I try to hit up when we are In town!!!
(5)Tom K.
Chicken Kashmir This is the best food I've tasted all year. I have to go eat more. OMG
(5)John D.
I took my sister there for lunch today for her Birthday. She had never eaten Indian food. We had the buffet, and she loved it. It seems as though a lot of the low star ratings for this restaurant are due to spice/heat issues. I used some of the red sauce that is in a condiment tray near the buffet, and it added a nice punch. This food is well prepared spiced nicely and good for you. What more can you ask for? Service was great, and our server had a great sense of humor as well as being very professional. They did bring over a small pastry ball in an amazing sweet sauce with a candle on it for my sister. Nice touch! I also like Joe's responses to some of the negative Yelp's...he genuinely cares.
(5)J G.
Tasty, great naan and sauces.
(4)Akshaya R.
Worst food ever in any Indian restaurant that we have eaten so far. I am an Indian and I like real hot (spicy) food. We ordered one spicy dish for me and other dishes mild and medium for my kids and wife. To our surprise all dishes were spicy, so my wife and kids could not eat at all,. On the top of that, all dishes had no salt at all , so it was horrible in taste. The chicken meal that costs 13.95 uses frozen chicken from boxes and I think they make some gravy in a large pot and add that to all dishes with little variations. I bet they don't do any real cooking. I will never eat in this restaurant, I strongly recommend not to dine in this place....
(1)Jess F.
This is the best Indian food in town, HANDS DOWN! The service is great and everyone that works there is very professional and polite. My food always turns out perfect and super tasty! I always get super excited when I see this place has a groupon :)
(5)Nikki B.
I went to Moti Mahal last night for the first time. Indian cuisine is not a cuisine I frequent, it was my 2nd time eating Indian food. We were greeted right away, sat down immediately and had the greatest service throughout our entire stay. Our drinks were refilled before they were half empty, and our food was brought in a very timely manner. I had the lamb curry which was very good, and it was a pretty good sized portion also. My boyfriend had the chilli chicken which was spicy but flavorful. they were both served with a tray of rice. We were offered more rice to finish our meals with at no extra charge. We also accompanied our meal with the garlic naan bread which was just awesome. After our meal, the manager, Joe talked with us for a bit and really gave us his undivided attention. It was a great experience and we will definitely be back.
(5)N S.
The only really good indian food you'll find in the area. Cheap, generous portions, fast service, and yummmmmmy. Korma, naan, okra! Seriously nice to find a place that has okra on the menu. Makes me so happy. If you are looking for spicy indian food in particular, you aren't going to find it here but try Krishna's in Garden City. However Krishna is strictly vegetarian just to warn meat lovers.
(4)Dawn N.
Love the naan and the papadam. Chicken tandoori is good too. Good grub! Nice service. Good prices. The lunch buffet is also wonderful .
(4)Cymyra Y.
This food was so bland and boring. I've never experienced such awful Indian before this place. The service was ok and it was a slow night. I should have known the food would be disapointing since the samosa lacked flavor and were cold.
(1)Bipin D.
We went there yesterday.Excellent,Personal, service. Excellent food, Very reasonable prices,Not much waiting time after ordering food considering it is freshly made food. No wonder it attracts a large number of non Indian customers, Not spicy if you order mild or medium,Vegetarian thali Delicious,relatively cheap and lots of food to have left overs for the next day.Better than any other restaurants in Oakland County. Need I say more?
(5)William R.
This was the worse Indian food I have ate in years. I ordered the Chicken Tandori which was was dry and apperared to be reheated from an earlier cooking. I also ordered the chicken samosas which tasted like a poor choice out of a freezer section in a cheap food market. I orderd a chai Tea which tasted like some water with flavoring added...I was then brought a chicken tandori which did have some nice flavor but it equalled a can version that was more like a stew with no clear distict flavoring. This was the worse food I have had in a long time. Rice was ok at best... The managemnet seems to think that everything is ok.. I would skip this place.
(1)Jane K.
We love Moti Mahal. The food is delicious, with a menu that is much more varied and extensive than most of the Indian restaurants in the area. Terrific service too: genuinely polite, attentive and unobtrusive.
(5)Liz P.
Bought a $22 Groupon for $10 and had never been, so we went here today. It did not include the buffet but I knew that beforehand. The naan, butter chicken, and chicken korma were all very good, big portions too. The samosas were okay but I've had better. I would definitely return here for the buffet, though I saw there was no rice pudding or dessert which was kind of disappointing. The meals are a little overpriced but still very good.
(4)Geo B.
Food was delicious, place was clean and staff was really friendly . The wait for our food was long and reason I'm not giving 5 stars. They were receiving more carry-out orders than usual and this may have affected our wait time. But would definitely go back. Ordered the butter chicken and chicken tikka masala w/ naan and was delicious.
(4)Laura E.
An $8 buffet lunch is hard to beat. This place is quickly becoming a regular haunt for me and my boyfriend. I love the freshly baked naan bread and that they have good mango chutney on the lunch buffet. In addition to white rice they'll also serve a Rice Biryani which is nice. There are always a few options on the buffet which are spicy, and I never know which ones until I try them. At dinner your curry/sauce will come in a small pot with a tea-light below it, for warmth. It's a nice touch. The lamb and butter sauce curry was amazing. Where I think this place could improve is with the service. I've sometimes had trouble flagging down the waiter to bring me the bill, or refill glasses of water. The place is small, so you'd expect better access to the wait staff. I really like this place so far. You don't always get the best service, but I've never been disappointed with the food at lunch or dinner. It's a great place to eat and have a good conversation.
(5)Ellyn G.
I only eat butter chicken and Naan here. I tried something else it was not good. If you want something that will hit the spot when you crave Indian go for the butter chicken. The staff is friendly. Also look on yelp or living social for the $10 for $20 deals. It's worth it!
(3)James C.
good foods services is much better Just keep it up
(5)Aric M.
Indian food is a unique combination of flavors, spices, and tastes. Sadly none of those things are found here. Have eaten here 3 times 2 of my choosing and 1 choice by another. There is no flavor in the food. Indian food doesn't need to be blast your head off, hot and spicy, but there does need to be some flavor some taste. Some spices must be added to turn chicken and vegetables into more than a bland stew like dish. This is a skip for me.
(1)Nao Saudade S.
Went for the lunch buffet which is pretty tasty but rather on the small compared to other places I've been. But the worst part was their lack of naan!! This is basically a staple for Indian food, so it blew my mind that they were consistently low or out of bread. We even had to wait 20 minutes for the next batch, which by the time the bread came out my food was cold. If they upped their naan output I'd come back...
(2)Nick B.
Skip it. Over priced and small portions. Tikka is the structure of any Indian restaurant because they put it in so many dishes, just not impressed. The only reason to come here is for the buffet. A lot of vegetarian options and sometimes a complimentary tea is out to sample.
(2)Chris M.
I'm basing this solely on lunch visits, 5 to be exact. Pros: The service is really good. She, not sure of her name but seems to be family or the owner, is very sweet, friendly and attentive to the customers. The spice-I love spicy food and there is definitely a kick to most of the dishes. The price 8 dollars for lunch on Royal Oak is very reasonable. Cons: The buffet is very limited and isn't maintained very well during the service. There are always 5-8 vegetable dishes and 2 meat dishes, usually both chicken and they have a tendency to have somewhat overlapping flavors. A third meat dish would be nice to see. A variety in the desert would be nice as well. The Naan is Naan existent (I know boooo!). It is usually sitting in a metal tin with a handful of deep fried veggies, and both seem to have been cooked well before the buffet starts. It would be nice to see these replenished as guest come in. If for nothing else, appearance. I obviously like the place and would like to see them succeed. It really seems like they are missing out on a much larger lunch crowd. Heck, charge a dollar or two more and make it awesome. As an example, the lunch menu below is from a place in California I went to recently while traveling for work. I don't expect Moti to go this far but heading this way would be really solid. Typical Lunch Buffet Menu has the following items*. Appetizers: Spinach Pakora/ Vegetable Samosa/ Mong Pakora/ Chana Chat/ Dahi Vada/ Papad. South Indian: Idly/ Vada/ Uttappam/ Sambar. Vegetarian Entrees: Mixed Vegetable Curry/ Vegetable Noodles/ Dal Curry/ Chana Masala/ Vegetable Kurma/ Palak Paneer/Alu gobi Masala/ Alu Mattar/ Potato Curry. Non-Vegetarian(Meat) Entrees: Chicken Masala/ Chicken Maharaja/ Chili Chicken/ Egg Curry/ Tandoori Chicken/ Chicken Tikka/ Lamb Kurma/ Lamb Curry/ Lamb Biryani. Others: Plain Nan/ Garlic Nan/ Basmathi Rice/ Lemon Rice/ Raitha/ Green Salad/ Onion,chili,lemon salad/ Mango Pickle/ Mint Chutney/ Sweet & Sour Chutney/ Coconut Chutney/ Hot Chutney/ Oranges. Desserts: Kheer/ Fruit Salad/ Gulab Jamoon/ Suji Halwa/ Mango Ice Cream.
(3)Justin V.
Went here for some indian food after a long day at work..we ordered chicken tikka Biriyani, naan and lamb roganjosh..worst indian food I ever had..food doesn't have any indian flavors and service is really bad...stay away from this place...never going back there...I think 1 star itself is too much for this place...
(1)Shannon S.
As a novice to Indian food, I will have to say that I really enjoyed my lunch here the other day. I'm not too sure of what to order still, so I'm taking things slow...luckily I have great reason to return. I have a groupon, but we went with the entertainment coupon instead (to be safe...better use that up) and when we were finished my coworker and I each received a ten dollar coupon from our server to return...so YES I will be going back to try more Indian pleasures. I really wanted to try the buffet...for $7.95 it looked really good. Our entrees kind of took a while to get to us, but once they did, they were really far out. I ordered Chicken Tikka, and my coworker Olga T. (Another yelper too) ordered Bengal Lamb - we eached tried a bite of one anothers and I really enjoyed her lunch, as much as I enjoyed my own. I really liked the rice (basmati I assume) that accompanied both of our lunches. I also had a fresh Naan with mine...super good! I am on a super Indian kick right now... I am really craving (not sure why, as I've never had it before..lol) butter chicken...it just sounds so delish! Ahh...you'll be hearing more from me on this Indian thing! :)
(4)Daniel S.
On the good side, they have a cheap lunch buffet that always has a variety of cooked veg and includes spiced tea. Eat your vegetables people. But, Indian food has such potential for flavor that the Moti Mahal folks are missing. I'm talking about the intense flavors from fresh Indian spices... garlic, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom... fresh, fresh, fresh is the key... and lots of it. I want to taste the spices. That's why I love Indian food. That's what they're not doing here. "Meh" is an apt descriptor... it's ok for convenience and getting your veg on at the buffet... but go elsewhere for the real deal.
(2)Alexander W.
We sat down and it was about 20 minutes until we even had a glass of water. I still wanted to give them a chance because I love Indian food, so I stayed. My dish was very good and there were a few sauces (a spicy mint sauce, a red chili sauce, and another... I think a vinegary one?) so that I could suit it to my own taste. My wife's dish was on the bland side, it was some chicken with some type of tomato sauce that was a bit pasty I thought. Still enjoyed it since I had my Groupon. Would go again with Groupon, wouldn't pay full price though since the service was bad and the tastes were just above average. I did really like this super-thin cracker they served before the meal though.
(3)Heather Z.
I absolutely love Indian food, and this place does a great job. The spicier, the better for me. Try the Lamb Vindaloo. I would say that its a little pricier here, but you get what you pay for. My downside is their portion size. I always order extra rice per entree.
(4)Tom W.
I ordered a carry-out with a 20-for-10 groupon, and the service was exceptional. The food was great, and I loved the atmosphere. The naan, chicken, and lentil dishes I had were fabulous. I look forward to going back.
(5)Mike M.
I'm a little surprised by some of the negative reviews. I have eaten here twice, and I really liked it. I have dined at many Indian restaurants in the Metro Detroit area, and would rank the food here to be very flavorful. The staff is very friendly and prompt. I ordered the Kashmir Tikka (never had it before) and I loved it! The first time I ate here I had the buffet, which was good and very inexpensive. I would prefer they bring fresh naan to the table rather then having it sit on the buffet warmer continuing to cook and get crunchy, but for $8 it wasn't too bad.
(4)Myrtle M.
Excellent. I've dined here three times now, and each time has been wonderful. I've tried some soups, chicken, and veggie dishes, and each was cooked and spiced to perfection. The service was on top of their game, and now that I'm writing this, I think I need their naan right now. So good.
(5)Roky P.
I love the lunch buffet here, it never really disappoints. I try to stay away from the spicy dishes, and there are still plenty of things i can choose from. Chicken Masala is my favorite. Would have given 5 stars but the rice pudding seemed to have no sweetness to it all all, it could stand a little bit more flavor too.
(4)Michael P.
You should give every restuarant a second chance, right? WRONG! I had tried Moti Mahal's lunch buffet a couple months ago, and the food was terrible. Being a big fan of Indian food, I gave it another chance this week for dinner. I walked in with my friend just after opening, we were the only ones in the restuarant, besides the help. We were seated and given menu's and water, after ten minutes I had to get the waitress's attention, because we had wanted to place our order. The food came quick enough, but the vegtables were raw. They had brought some nan to our table earlier, that was cold and hard. We didn't say anything, but they knew it was bad, so without us even telling them, they apologized and brought fresh nan several minutes later. I wonder why they brought the original stale nan in the first place, if they knew it was bad? The other food was edible, nothing special. We were only one of three couples in the place.Our waitress dissapeared for a long time, my mouth was burning because of the extra spices in the food, and my water glass was empty. After ten minutes I went up to the take out guy with my glass, he was playing games on the computer. I had to ask him for water. This may be the only Indian restaurant in Royal Oak, but if this is the best they can do, they should close. If you want good Indian food and good service, go anywhere but here!
(1)juston m.
i keep thinking it could have been good if it was better. i also keep thinking the lamb vindaloo i get from traders joes had more flavor. we ordered takeout and it consisted of chicken bhoona and dall tarka masala. i'm not an indian afficianado. in fact, i hated all indian food until about 2 years ago. i have however, started to like it and have slightly educated myself. i spent a little time in australia and indian was around every corner. i tried it and found that i loved the vegetarian dishes. amazing flavors and silky lentils enticed me. i have since made many of the dishes i had (over and over again) in australia. these lentils (in the dall tarka masala) were like baby food. i wanted a flavor kick, i got apple sauce. i was happy for the occasional cilantro in the mush. i had to get in my pantry and add spices. the chicken bhoona was just hot. not tasty. i like hot too. my trader joes lamb vindaloo is better. plus, if you're gonna have tomato in a stewed dish and it isn't tomato season, either cook it down to a delicious sugary treat or use canned. all cooks know that. i won't be back. oh, the naan was gross. plus, its expensive. love, juston
(2)Melissa L.
I actually went to Moti Mahal before having read some of the horrible reviews for the place, and am super glad that I did! I bought a groupon for this place and have been going back since. The food was delicious! I've tried the Biriyana, Chicken Tandoori, and Lamb Balti. The waiters were super attentive (my water cup was never left more than half empty). The decor of the restaurant was also very nice. To say the least, the food was pretty good. I don't know how it compares to authentic Indian food, but I sure will go back!
(4)Jay F.
My wife and I first learned about this place thru Groupon -- they regularly have a $10 one for $22 worth of food, which is a nice deal (can't use it on the buffet). The $8 buffet is a GREAT deal, because there are plenty of tasty selections available, as well as naan and rice pudding. Tea too, as I recall. We have been to Moti Mahal 3x so far and it's on our list of preferred restaurants. The main negative is that it's in Royal Oak, which I hate for many reasons (though it's very close to me), but primarily because of the ripoff that is parking. At least this is on Washington, which is preferred over Main St. The staff is very friendly, but as another reviewer mentioned, they can sometimes be hard to flag for water refills and such. Not a big deal when the food and overall experience are both very good, but still worth mentioning. These two items are the reason I give it a 4 and not a 5 rating. The quality of the food is great -- I have never had a "weird" piece of chicken (I always get the chicken tikka masala, and wife gets the shrimp one) -- always perfect and the presentation is very good. We love the fresh-baked naan, as well as the crisp snack "bread" with sauces that come out as you wait for your food. We love Moti Mahal and will definitely be back -- again and again.
(4)Terri W.
I cannot give restaurants more than one star if the food is basically unedible. What is point of good service and a clean environment when the food will not ever bring you back? I have loved Indian food since the 90's when I started meeting a friend for lunch once a week at Priya's. I recently took a 6 week indian cooking course as well. I make my own Byrani and Butter chicken at home with much succcess. My expectations are pretty high when I try new places. I used my Groupon and thankfully did not have to pay full price because I ate basically nothing. It is a good thing my husband is not so picky and he ate most of it and said it was just so-so. I ordered a few of the basics: Lamb Korma, Palak Paneer, and something the waitress suggested when she basically scared us away from the Vindaloo due to the heat. I regret not getting the Vindaloo as it might have been the only dish on the menu with any taste at all. The food was terrible, tasteless, and for me inedible.The spinach was the worst I ever had and deserved no more than a single bite from me. I am not sure where they get that Paneer, but they were like little sponges. $3 for ONE piece of garlic naan that had almost no garlic on it too?Blah. I mean NO spice whatsoever on our medium dishes. We may be American but we come to eat Indian food for a reason. A restaraunt that cannot give me authentic because they are afraid of offending does not get my repeat business. The place was so beautiful and clean. It is too bad I will never see the inside again. I will go to my tried and true that does not coddle the lesser palates.
(1)Shane H.
Came here on Easter Sunday to celebrate spring in a non religious way. It's our first time here so we decided to go with the 7.99 lunch buffet. The curry fish was GROSS. But somehow the chicken tandoori made up for it. The server was this really friendly indian lady. And the service was great but most of the food was just very bland. Again it's one of those places where quantity is valued over quality. This place is definitely watered down for indian food. This place has the potential to be the BOMB and it just needs a bit more push on the food. Cause who wouldn't love authentic indian food with great friendly service at a reasonable price?
(3)Sarah A.
Really good food! Really nice service, the butter chicken and the tandoori mixed grill are great!
(4)Keith H.
I love two Indian restaurants equally: Moti Mahal and Ashoka. The things that Moti Mahal does better is service and naan. Everything is delicious (especially the Kashmir) and I try to go at least twice a month. Keep up the great work!
(4)AnaLisa R.
BYOB at this place! I recommend the tikka balti (chicken) at medium heat. It's excellent! I will be returning here the next time I'm in the RO area!
(4)William C.
Bland. Not much else I can say. Indian food should not be bland. Even the Naan was bland. I gave them a second chance. Ordered Vindaloo. Said make it spicy.It was bland. Everything was bland. Samosas-- bland. Bland bland blandy bland. too bad. I was so excited to see an Indian Place in Royal Oak. They should poach the chef from " house of India" off Opdyke in Bloomfield Hills. The food there is special, but the location is terrible and I think they are or have already closed. What a shame
(1)Jeffrey B.
There are times I want a half a star--or to plead ignorant of the Yelp clarifications of the star ranking system. I fear that I am giving my Moti Mahal experience two stars out of not wanting to call it A-OK. This past week I met my friend Jenny S. at Moti Mahal to feed our Indian cravings. I have read the reviews and will say they are all over the place and figured I would venture out and try it for myself so I could form my own opinion. Walking in to Moti Mahal on a Wednesday night just past 6:30 there were about 3 other parties dining. We were seated at a table in a long row of tables each adorned with a burgundy table cloth and featuring a single rose. Hello romantic circa 1992? After a quick survey of the menu, I decided on the Sag Mutor Poneer, an order of vegetable samosas and the lentil soup. Jenny had the regular Mutor Poneer and an order of samosas. The samosas were the first to come to our table. They appeared as many samosas do--pyramids of curry and potatoes, peas, and other such delights. Sadly what was missing was flavor. I thought it was odd when I wanted to add salt and pepper and both were sitting right on the table! I don't know if I have ever seen salt and pepper on a table in an Indian restaurant? After adding generous dashes of both and a few teaspoons of the green chutney, I conquered the samosas. The soup was brought out in a small pitcher and was poured into a china bowl that had fried onions in it--I will give bonus points for presentation--I kind of liked seeing the soup poured into the bowl in front of me, and the fried onion really did add some flavor. Sadly presentation isn't enough, again I found that the soup was lacking the the strong flavor I associate with Indian cuisine. Dash, dash, dash and resume soup course. Our main courses were brought in their own small chafing dishes, each ignited by the power of a tea light. Another bonus point for presentation, but it was ruined by what I want to call spinach that tasted "slimy". Yes, I know that sounds horrible, but it wasn't really slimy. I don't now what other word to use, but it's like it was too wet when added to the sauce so therefore it just kind of was a wet blob in sauce. I did eat the entire portion, but I was hungry and when mixed with rice and shoveled on to na'an, I decided not to object. The na'an for the record was amazing. After we started eating we realized that our server didn't ask us about spiciness levels. Ack! Dash, dash, dash and a teaspoon of chutney. I did waver back and forth on my opinion of the meal. I would go back again to try the buffet maybe, but if I were seeking out dinner I would drive a little further to Troy or Farmington Hills for a more flavorful meal. I will say the service was very attentive and polite. They were on top of water refills and even offered explanations to other tables when people asked for descriptions. Now only if I could change the lighting, and paint the walls something other than a weird shade of salmon. . . So two stars seems rough? But in reality, Indian food should be bursting with flavor. I don't think I should have to add salt and pepper to anything that should be filled with turmeric, cumin, and curry.
(2)Sudhir M.
do yourself à favor...please dont ever go to this place. worst food i have ever tasted. not worth it.
(1)Thula K.
Never going back to this place again. Especially since there are so many more authentic Indian restaurants in the area.
(1)Danielle A.
We just had dinner at Moti Mahal and it was very bland. We ordered 3 vegetarian dishes, samosa, and nan bread. The nan was good but too thick making it difficult to eat. The 3 dishes were "Americanized Indian" cooked well although lacking flavor and spice. It was disappointing that there was an overall lack of taste at the meal. There is great potential here if a heavier hand was used with spices. Service was wonderful and they were very attentive. Very appropriate portion size. Rice was cooked well although bland. One of the guests stated "I've had spicier whole milk"...unfortunate
(2)J F.
Deeelicious and great service!
(5)Laura V.
Long story short, we waited for 45 minutes, still didn't have any food, and gave up. We watched them accidentally deliver our food to a different table and then take it back into the kitchen. We were then avoided by all waitstaff for at least 10 more minutes while others who arrived after us were served. The waitress was walking all the way around the restaurant out of her way to avoid passing our table. Finally, a manager (?) came up to ask us what we had ordered. We said we'd prefer to just leave at this point. He swore it would only be 5 more minutes - probably because he was just going to bring us whatever had already been served to another table and was sitting in the back - but we decided to leave. 45 hungry minutes of my life I'll never get back and a Groupon I will not be using.
(1)Edward M.
The beauty of Restaurant Connection is that I can't critique the atmosphere because I've never actually physically been there. B and I try to avoid the over populated Cluster F#*k that is Royal Oak at all possible costs. Judging by other previous reviews I'm not missing much. So onto the food... Brad had the #35 Dall Tarka Masala- Lentils with roasted garlic and spices. He loved it! He doesn't normally like Indian food. His reaction was a stop the presses kind of moment for me. I decided on the #31 Aloo Mutor Gobi- curry of potato, green peas, cauliflower and a bit of cream. Delicious! I especially loved the fact that the vegetables still maintained shape and some texture. My usual experience with Indian food is that while tasty, it is usually a non-chewing kind of meal fit more for an octogenarian. Upon opening our carry-out bag we discovered a free calendar... It was the universe at work. I was in line at CVS twenty minutes beforehand and realized I needed one, but knew if I got out of line I would be stuck for hours (The one at nine and Livernois) Seriously, they have the slowest moving employees. OY! Anyway, I got my calendar and some great nibbles! Thanks Universe!!!
(4)Shawn W.
Decent food, but probably the worst service imaginable. We went in on a Saturday with a Groupon deal. The place was somewhat busy, but not too much for the 4 wait staff to handle. We went there pretty hungry, and waited for at least 10 minutes after we seated ourselves, and no one even greeted us. The wait staff kept walking by as if we didn't exist, and finally we decided to do the lunch buffet instead. Much to our disappointment, almost every selection at the buffet was out or almost gone, and the naan was stale, as if it had been sitting out for hours. We took our plates back to the table, and realized we had no silverware. After waiting at least another 5 minutes while wait staff ignored us and chatted with other customers, we went up to the cash register and asked for silverware, water, and for them to refill the buffet. The way I see it, if they had time to chat with customers, they have time to fill the buffet and serve us. After we finally got silverware and water, it was like pulling teeth to get any wait staff to acknowledge our existence. I started to wonder if we had gone transparent, except the wait staff were very diligent about removing our plates from the table while we were at the buffet, but didn't bother to refill our empty water glasses. The food was okay for a buffet. I have had carryout from the menu and it was decent, but buffets are usually not my cup of tea. The sign at the buffet warns that everything is mildly spiced and to add your own spice if you want it spicier. For most of the food, I was ok with the spice level, but my dining companion complained that the food was practically flavorless because it was so mild. The atmosphere is nice enough, but the music was a lone sitar sound that was grating after about 5 minutes. Overall, I have had way better food, and the service was about the worst I've ever seen. If you're in a hurry or like to have silverware and water, go someplace else.
(2)Ruth L.
Consistently the best Indian food I've had and Indian is one of my favorites. There are menu items I've never seen elsewhere. The food is not overly weighted with cream, butter or oil as much Indian food is. I've been here three times. The service has been good. I love being able to bring my own bottle of wine and not pay the usual restaurant mark-up and no corking fee!
(5)Jonathon J.
I'll start with the good things: the atmosphere was nice, the music was standard Indian fare, and the wait staff was pleasant. Also, the buffet was very reasonably priced at just $8 including tea and coffee, as well as keer for dessert, which was quite tasty (with coconut and raisins). However, the rest of the food for the buffet was underwhelming at best. One of the 8 or so things they had (of which only half were vegetarian) was a stir fry, which just looked like a bag of frozen stir fry vegetables - not Indian food. The other vegetarian options were pretty boring too - the channa masala was good, but otherwise there were just variants on "some vegetables with red sauce" - no paneer or kofta or even anything with cream sauce. Also, most of the time I was there, the naan was gone, which made the food all the less interesting. Finally, it took a while to both get the bill and to have it come back after paying. I won't be going back.
(2)Joe B.
I'll preface by saying that I'm not of Indian ethnicity (in case that didn't occur to you after seeing my profile pic) nor do I eat a lot of Indian cuisine but I was blown away by the food and the service at Moti Mahal. A group of us stopped in during Arts, Beats and Eats to grab a bite. Initially the girls I was with told me it was a sushi joint (beer goggles are funny that way) so without question (or reading the sign on the door) I walked in to grab a seat and immediately heard sitar music. Realizing that I wasn't going to get any sushi here, I sat down and prepared to have my horizons broadened (as my father used to say to me before eating new cuisines that he had me try as a child). The ambiance was dim but colorful with the waitstaff dressed well and exceptionally polite and attentive. I was impressed by the service-it was close to some of the finest restaurants I've enjoyed. There were a few tables filled with larger parties but it wasn't busy per se. For the group I ordered a garlic naan, 2 orders of the sheek kabobs (large portions of ground lamb and spices skewered and cooked-not so aesthetic but very good), and the onion bhaji for starters. All of it was delicious!! For the entree I ordered the Tindaloo Lamb because the description said "very very spicy". After I made my request our waiter made a face of surprise and continued to tell me that eventually they may ask patrons who order this dish to sign a waiver due to the jolokia ghost peppers that they use. At this point I'm a little apprehensive but the show must go on and I've always wanted to try the jolokia prepared in a proper dish. When it came I sampled the sauce which had flecks of the cooked ghost peppers melded into it. They were searing hot spicy in a really great way. The waiter brought out some yogurt with cucumber to cool my palate which was very tasty but not completely necessary. The burn, after all, was what I was after and I got it and it was delicious and perfect. I've been craving the Tindaloo since I finished the little I brought home with me that same evening, which I ate at about 2 am. I can't speak to the authenticity of the food but I can speak to the fact that it was very very good and I'm looking forward to returning to try something different before I reembark on the Tindaloo.
(4)Vic N.
I ate at Moti Mahal on a blazing hot summer day in July. To start, they had not even turned the air conditioner on. The patrons of this restaurant were sweating profusely, as was I. I'm Indian, so I know my Indian food well, and this restaurant was awful! You can usually tell if an Indian restaurant is good if there are Indian patrons...there was not one in sight!...wonder why? To start with, the tandoori chicken that they were serving was dry and had no flavor, the fried potatoes were not cooked through, and the butter chicken did not have that consistent north Indian flavor....must I go on? In short, every dish at the buffet was awful! And I went there early, so there was no excuse not to have good food. The only good thing in the buffet was the Nan. Luckily this was not screwed up, however, I don't think they cooked it in a clay oven. It lacked the flavor that is reminiscent of bread cooked in a clay oven. If you want good Indian food, you need to go to Troy, and frequent places like Ashoka, or Royal Indian Cuisine. They knock this place out of the water! And Indian people frequent these restaurants regularly. I really hope that we get a nice Indian Restaurant in Royal Oak or Ferndale soon!
(1)Mercedes H.
Excellent service, great food and a very knowledgable and friendly staff! Affordable and even offers coupons! My latest addiction!
(5)Laila A.
My boyfriend and I LOOOOVE this place. The food is amazing and the service is great as well. I have to agree that the buffet selection is not the best, or spiciest, but common people it's a BUFFET. The main a la cart dishes that we have tried are WONDERFUL, flavorful, and spicy. In fact the Vindaloo was so spicy I had difficulty eating it, but couldn't help myself because it was so delicious. Our favorite dishes there are Bengal Tiger and Chicken Tikka Masala. I favor the latter. The samosas were delicious as well. I wouldn't order the deep fried veg appetizer (not the best). The naan is delicious and the basmati safron rice hits the spot every time. They did have a period of about a week when they didnt offer chai (I noticed one reviewer mentioned this), but they have it now.
(5)Stacy V.
I've been to this restaurant twice in the past two weeks. On both occasions, the waitstaff were friendly and knowledgeable. I love the quaint and relaxed atmosphere here. The food is very good, too. On the first trip, I had the Chicken Balti, which was excellent. I also had the vegetable Samosa, which were some of the best I've ever had. The owner came to our table and personally introduced himself. He also gave my husband some of their homemade hot sauce to take home. I love having this great Indian restaurant close to where I live, and I hope it does well.
(4)Tania C.
The food was okay, although could have used a little more seasoning. The ambiance was nice though, very quiet. The service was interesting - our waiter seemed confused for some reason. Overall, main dishes were okay, pretty average indian food. The samosas and pakoras are really good though, I will give them that.
(2)Mariano C.
We've been to Moti about eight times now, between dine in and carry out, and have tried most of the offerings. The majority of the dishes have been very good to excellent. I think the soups are outstanding. For it's category, the service here is remarkable...so warm, friendly and knowledgeable...and this compliment extends across the board to every person we've met at Moti. This restaurant shows signs of excellent management, which is something I look for. Since they are doing a great job overall, I can overlook one or two dishes (out of 20+) that perhaps didn't excite my palate. To me, five stars does not require absolute perfection in every facet, on every visit, but rather excellence for its category in the big picture. Congrats to Moti Mahal.
(5)j h.
We came here to get some dinner before catching a show at Royal Oak Music Theatre. Although we were seated promptly and we ordered promptly, we waited at least 30 minutes for our food. This may have been because a large party arrived shortly before us; sad to say, the food did not make up for it. The vegetarian dish we ordered was cold (cold potato in lukewarm sauce), and the chicken dish was just so-so. I agree with some of the other reviewers that the menu (Protein A + Sauce B = Dish C) is heavily skewed towards timid non-Indians. For instance, okra masala--a standard dish at other Indian restaurants we have tried--is only listed as a side. The decor and furniture are very nice, and the staff was very friendly--which explains why the rating is 2 stars and not 1.
(2)Cheryl T.
Came in tonight for dinner for the first time, as they JUST opened this place. Small, yet very nice looking inside. Friendly hostess greeted us and we were seated pretty fast. On the waiter's suggestion, we had the Chef's Appetizer, which consisted of a vegetable samosa, fried eggplant, and two other yummy items. For dinner I had the butter chicken, my fiancee had the chicken Rogan and his son had the chicken korma. We also had garlic Naan and rice. Everything was delicious, came quickly, and smelled great! The service was amazing, we were checked on repeatedly, but not in an annoying way. The entrees were about $12-$13 a piece, which seems to be the norm. They are off to a good start here, we will definitely be back!
(4)Thomas M.
Formally known as Bengal Masala when it was in Hamtramck. Legendary! Highly recommended! Balti and Butter Chicken are good dishes to start with! Excellent spices.
(5)Indian K.
I recently moved from India two years ago, so i know what authentic indian food tastes like and i can tell you this restaurant is the WORST. First off, the food is just BLAND. We ordered paneer tikka masala and it tasted like paneer with water! It was by far the worst indian restaurant i have tried in detroit. The food was not at all fresh! I would say avoid this place like HIV!
(1)Jay D.
I have eaten here four or five times, and each time I am reminded that it is just average. It's not the worst Indian cuisine, just somewhere in the middle. The service is great, and that brings me back. However, I've found that if you order take-out you will not get your money's worth. My girlfriend and I ordered 30 dollars worth of food, and when we got home we realized that we got very little for our money. I opened a small plastic container that was about five tablespoons of a twelve-dollar entree. It barely covered a small mound of rice. Also, you only get two half-pieces of Naan. Trust me---eating in gives you a much more reasonable amount. I won't pay for their take-out again.
(2)Peter S.
The food was very good, but without much spice. The tikka bhoona was delicious. I don't blame the waitstaff for the somewhat slow service as the restaurant was very busy and they were all on the go. I'll definitely be going back. And I hope they get a liquor license...
(4)Suzy K.
I'm not exactly an expert on Indian food, but the two times I've been here have been great experiences. Came to dinner with some friends and had good food and excellent service, on a Saturday night. Had the buffet this afternoon, and it's really lovely. They have papadums on the buffet, which not all Indian buffets do. The buffet also includes coffee and chai (a pleasant surprise!). It's heavily vegetarian, with just a couple of meat based dishes. The mixed vegetable curry has a great flavor, and the eggplant masala is just wonderful. It's not as large a selection as Priya's buffet, but everything is tasty and very reasonable at $7.95 a person.
(4)Lisa S.
Poor excuse for Indian food. With so many great restaurants downtown, this was sooo disappointing. Bland food - had to add salt to everything. Worst samoas ever. Small portions. Naan was burnt. Lassi was really just mango juice- no yogurt, and served warm . To top it off, I saw the hostess picking her teeth with her bare hands. Yum. Definitely not worth the money.
(1)K Z.
The food is amazing and the service was wonderful. The chicken biryani is a must! If you have food allergies they are very accommodating.
(4)Jeff Z.
I have to agree with the last reviewer about the brunch. Totally wrong....everything tasted the same....not worth coming back to. However, I've had dinner take out several times since then....wonderful tika masala and tandorri. Give it another chance and hopefully we don't have to drive to Hamtramck for a decent buffet in the future!
(3)Rozalina B.
My boyfriend and I just left Moti Mahal and we are very pleased. We arrived during opening time, at 4:30 on Sunday. The atmosphere was relaxed but not overly casual, with slightly dimmed lighting and Indian music playing in the background. The bathrooms were clean. We started off with the Mixed Platter 2 appetizer. I enjoyed the onion bhaji and the deep fried pakoras, especially the cauliflower. So flavorful! My boyfriend was a big fan of the meat samosas-the ground beef was spiced to perfection. Next up, we ordered chicken tandoori and butter chicken as our entrees. This was my first experience with tandoori so I can't compare it to anything, but it was quite satisfying. It was delicious and sautéed with spices and onions but there's no sauce, so if you're not a fan of baked chicken on the dryer side don't go for this. The salad it came with was just iceberg lettuce with some carrots and red cabbage thrown in. Nothing special at all but the dressing was refreshing. My boyfriend's butter chicken was creamy and succulent. He got it made with medium spice which was a little too much for us. It didn't take away from the amazing flavor so if you can handle a kick, go for it. Our garlic naan was a soft, flour-y delight but could've had a little more butter. I ordered the chai and it came with a side of milk which neutralized the minty taste a little. It was a nice palate cleanser. My boyfriend enjoyed his sweet lassi (not on the menu, but it reminds me of plain sweetened kefir). The service was fantastic! Our waitress was attentive, friendly and open with ordering suggestions. Overall, a pleasant experience.
(4)Anne M.
Save your money and get the frozen food from Trader Joes...it has a lot more flavor and is more authentic. We tried carry out from Moti Mahal on a whim after a long week. If I had more energy, I would have gone to Phulkari Punjabi Kitchen, but Royal Oak was closer to home and I was being lazy. We got the non-vegetarian dinner for two. The samosa was only half cooked, the other veggies were ok. The chutneys looked and tasted like they came out of a jar, except the consistency was too watery. The butter chicken was not much more than boiled chicken and tomatoes - absolutely no flavor. Add some onions and garam masala! Same can be said for the chewy lamb and aloo gobi. I'm not going to pretend I enjoy the pre-fab or frozen naan from the grocery store, but it is better than the naan from Moti Mahal. Overall, my craving for Indian is far from satisfied. So disappointing!
(1)Taylor F.
Great food and exceptional service. Joe is wonderful and so is everyone else at Moti. This is my favorite place for dinner with my husband.
(5)Raghu A.
Horrible food. I felt like any amateur messing around in the kitchen can make this stuff. Biriyani is rice w soy sauce. Horrible! Very bland because they are trying to "cater to everyone" according to the sign on the buffet table. Definitely worst Indian buffet
(1)Kevin M.
The biryani is great every time we go! The only reason it's not a 5 star, is because it's kinda slow. So just allow a little extra time WHEN you go.
(4)Merlin O.
Wow, what a complete let down. Walking past it smelled good, hints of curry and other aromatic spices, that I now suspect was some sort of aerosol spray because they sure we not being used in the cooking process. Samosas were gummy on the inside, bland filling and the accompanying chutneys were so watered down they hardly stayed on the spoon. And because they had set for a while the water had actually separated, forming a thin layer on top of the chutneys. My husband ordered his Saag Paneer medium it was less than mild, and was soggy with obviously poorly drained spinach. When he sent it back they gave him a more medium heat dish with a lot less extra water, but it still lacked most of the subtle aromatics Indian food is known for. My Matar Paneer was by the barest definition medium, and came with sad lump of cooked to mush onions huddled in the middle. No amount of stirring could get their hold on each other to break apart and I wound up fishing them out rather than try to choke them down. The garlic naan had some bits of garlic clinging to it but managed to have very little flavor. The plain naan was both doughy and slightly burnt, not exactly sure how they managed that. Very disappointing.
(1)Stitch D.
What an expensive disappointment!!! Saturday night, 10:30PM we arrived and were rudely greeted by host. I asked if we could have a table for 2 and just stared at me. Finally when he spoke I was informed the dining room was closed but u could still order take out. My girlfriend and I have conflicting work schedules so we get 2 dates a month, MAX...October we didn't get to go out at all. The sign in the door clearly indicated 11OM close but we decided it would be ok to just order take out. Host took our orders and was arrogant and pushy, I thought my head would explode if he pushed the butter chicken on us one more time. At the outset, I ordered the curry chicken special and my gf Tikka Masala. I also ordered garlic naan, 1 pics cut in half $2.95!!!! Over $30 and 20 minutes later we received our very forgettable meals and were swept out the door with it immediately locked behind us, still before listed closing time. We were provided no napkins or utinsels, eliminating the opportunity for an auxiliary plan I concocted if eating in the park as a way if salvaging a bit if romance to enhance the meal. As I've said before, if you don't like people don't work in customer service. The food was average, service awful, atmosphere....I can't comment as I didn't dine it. Personally, I will NEVER patronize Moti Mahal again, there are way too many other options available.
(2)Carl O.
My first experience was a carry out order. Everything went smoothly enough in regards to the ordering process. The food however left me sad. The vegetable samosas were crispy outside but when opened fell completely apart with stewed filling. Was impossible to pick back up. The aloo mutter gobi looked promising but had not flavor at all.
(3)Lavish J.
Terrible restaurant.... Food is served uncooked.. Never go to this restaurant if it is the last one available open.
(1)Jessica S.
Great service, great atmosphere, delicious food and decent prices. Highlights included the Chicken Tandoori, Chicken Tikka, Butter Chicken, Palak Paneer, Sag Muttor Paneer and Biryani. Has become my first choice for dinner in Royal Oak!
(4)Brittiany R.
The smell of Indian food quickly overcame me as I entered Moti Mahal last night... I purchased a Groupon for my visit and also noticed Yelp offers deals for this restaurant so check those out before cashing in! My samosas looked nice and golden but upon cutting into my samosa, I noticed there was a section where the dough did not thoroughly fry. It was still dough-y and tasted like frozen fried items I've purchased from Costco. However, the vegetables inside of the samosa were nicely seasoned and I was pleased to find large chunks of vegetables. The uncooked, doughy section was a small part of only one of my samosas.... I ordered the Chicken Korma which was fragrant and quite savory. The sauce was creamy and rich, with slices of onion to break up the monotony. Somehow, despite all of the fragrance and creaminess of the Korma, there seemed to be something missing, like a spice that was there but just not enough.The chicken was a bit dry and tough.The cheese naan I ordered only had tiny pieces of cheese but it played nicely with my Korma so I literally gobbled it all up. Overall, not the most explosive, delicious Indian I have had but it's the best I've had in metro detroit. Service was friendly and attentive.
(3)Kris A.
"Frozen stuff". Wayyyy too expensive for they offer. Coupons are deceptive. Your total somehow comes with a magic number, lol, regardless their promotions.
(2)Jean M.
Hate to give it a 2 but it's slightly below average! Okay, 2.5. Buffet was just so so. Okay selection and kinda bland taste. I have a friend that likes it here a lot so perhaps I'd give it another shot. Pleasant service but the buffet is nothing special. Heard they have good butter chicken so maybe I will order that if I come back.
(2)Roxy M.
Good food. Great service! The butter chicken and kashmiri entree are tasty. The naans are always fresh too. They serve free papadum's as well.
(4)Tricia T.
Bland buffet. The sign at the buffet makes the experience worse. Good service. Next time I'll order off the menu.
(1)Katherine B.
I really enjoy Moti Mahal and go at least once a month .BYOB too as I enjoy a beer with my curry.The service is great really good staff.We love the appetizer platter ...have had a few different chicken and vegetable dishes and liked them all. I think the Naan are good usually have garlic and Peswari...food is hot and tasty ...no complaints
(4)Mike W.
Food is usually very good. Service can sometimes be slow. Love the garlic masala, chicken curry and tindaloo vindaloo (s/p).
(4)Maraj P.
I had one of the best family nights of my life here with my mom, dad and my guy. Due to my diabetic diet we were originally going to go to the Inn Season Cafe but (and I say this in the kindest way) FORTUNATELY they had a 45 minute wait. Considering my mom only eats halal she remembered that Moti Mahal wasn't too far and we drove on over there. As soon as got there we were greeted warmly and seated at a wonderful table. Now that I have found out about my type 2 diabetes, whenever I go to restaurants, I have to ask a million questions as far as sugar and carbs are concerned so I have to be "that one" at the table. Lucky for me our amazing waitress Poly (I highly recommend her for every meal eaten here!) was extremely accommodating and even recognized why I was asking as a family member of hers also had diabetes. She was able to tell me the greatest news which was that my favorite dish was A-OK to eat! Thank the heavens!! My stomach was one happy camper. After the food came out (piping hot, just the way I like it I might add), Poly came back constantly making sure we were okay and refilling our water. My mother was the rebel and ordered Kashmeri Chicken while we all ordered Chicken Tikka Masala. When my mother ate a bite of her food she must have swallowed too quickly because a piece of almond seemed to have been stuck. We all stood up trying to make sure she was okay and breathing. As soon she herself stood up and had a drink of water she was back to normal thank God. She then decided not to eat for the rest of the meal but I called our waitress over who was more than understanding and gave her a whole new dish of Saag Paneer mild which was delicious (I snuck a little haha). We all sat around not even feeling rushed and enjoying our time with one another. We ended up needing another spoon and even though the nice young man helping us put it in the wrong dish in his haste, we may have laughed accidentally and he was a good sport about it then brought us another one. The bill finally came and we saw that they had given us a free Naan and discounted my mothers dish. On top of that they gave us two 10.00 off vouchers that never expire! Our experience here before was good but this night just made it absolutely excellent. We'll definitely be back soon.
(5)Melanee R.
This is our favorite Indian restaurant in the area. The food is delicious and the portions are very generous. My boyfriend and get their "dinner for two" and have enough food for lunch & dinner the following day. We visit once a month and look forward to returning.
(5)Bobby C.
We went there on Friday night for dinner. First impression wasn't bad. The servers were young and their service was ok. They don't serve alcohol but we were told that we can BYOA. We ordered chefs special Butter chicken and lamb dashnk with naan. Butter chicken was ok but lamb dish didn't have any flavor and it was filled with onions. Naan bread got really hard within few minutes. We also ordered dessert Gulab Jamun which was half cooked in center. Syrup sauce had water in it. It tasted really bad. We won't be going back even we still have one unused groupon. There are better Indian restaurants in other towns.
(2)Terry C.
My first Indian food experience. We had four people and got the dinner for four. Everything was really good. We will definitely return to this place. Those meat simosas are freaking awesome. Not sure why people are knocking the food here because it is so good. Overall great experience!
(4)F F.
Yep great place. BYOB and love the sauces
(5)Kera M.
The waitstaff is still amazing, so sweet & friendly but the food..taste/spice wise isn't as good as it used to be..taste so much more bland! I've been back a few times and wasn't 100% satisfied..only because years ago it was so much better, not sure what happened...I don't know if I'll be back anytime soon but I'm sure I'll come back eventually to see any updates on their food, because I do adore the waitstaff and would hate to see this restaurant go down!
(3)Ravish C.
Is there any chance to give negative rating...I will give it. The food sucks, service is utter worst. If any non Indian enters this restaurant they will get bad impression about Indian food. People, Indian food is really good but not at this place. Please don't visit this..
(1)Eve S.
Got home from a long day and was really looking forward to some yummy flavorful indian food... I work across the street but no one ever orders lunch from there.. And tonight I found out why. All three dishes were watery, bland, and just plain gross... The nan was stale, probably left over from this morning, very disappointing. The chicken masala was nasty, dry bland chicken and poorly seasoned. It literally tasted watered down. The butter lamb was rubbery and beyond bland.. My third curry was a spinach something with chicken that was just a mess.. I spent almost $50 and feel ripped off in a major way, what a bummer!!!
(1)Adam F.
This place is damn good. Food rocks and the service is good. The manager recognized me and my girlfriend from Coming in often and he gave us a $10 coupon, which I thought was pretty cool.
(5)