A solid lunch option. I do like Indian food and I had a light breakfast with the plan of being here for lunch. I arrived just after 1pm and the buffet was still set up and remained well cared for during my one hour visit. Chicken, lamb, vegetarian options, naan, riata, two different rice options plus a biryani. The food was flavorful and spicy but not especially "hot" spicy. If hot and spicy food is a challenge for you, this should be okay. For dessert, they have gulab jamun and a soft-serve mango ice cream. Perfect. The only thing missing was a box of single-use gloves so that I could avoid touching the tongs directly but they did have a bottle of hand sanitizer I used before and after each trip to the buffet. This was a great meal! [Review 1638 of 2025 - 2215 in Florida - 25186 overall] read more

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We ordered two veg and one non-veg lunch specials to go from 5th Element Taste of India, and it was a great experience overall. The portion sizes were huge, especially for a lunch special. Each meal came with two curries, dal, naan, rice, a samosa, and gulab jamun. The food was packed well, stayed hot, and everything traveled nicely. Both the veg and non-veg curries were flavorful and well-spiced, and the naan was soft and fresh. Everything felt generous and satisfying, and the pricing was very reasonable for the amount and quality of food. Definitely a great value for Indian takeout in the Baymeadows/Jacksonville area--we'd happily order again. read more

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I was shown to this place by a friend and I can understand the hype. The portions were huge and the food was ready withing less than 10 minutes. There was a variety of items on the menu and plenty of protein options. My only caution is to be careful about how you order your spice levels. It varies day to day. My medium was quite spicy and I have a decent spice tolerance. The food was great and the staff were friendly. One of the best parts to end the night with was the free soft serve mango ice cream. It definetely also helps with the spice if you are sensitive. read more

Damn good curry. Not my favorite Indian in town, but very tasty. I've had their food catered at a wedding before and it was great then, as well. read more

5th Element - Indian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

This place had a variety choices on the menu and because of the many different pictures of food from other customers on yelp, I was surprised at the variety people chose. The atmosphere was a very old fashioned but it's ok. I came for the delicious food. Customer service was great from my server. The food tasted so good that I forgot to take a picture beforehand. I've been looking for a place that can thoroughly cook the meat nice tender. Well done! I love it here for the taste of the food and fast friendly service. read more

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Hidden gem alert at 5th Element! We ordered off-menu chicken vindaloo (yes, they made it happen!) and WOW--easily the best in town. Spice level 5 actually brought the heat, but with flavor, not just fire. The lamb korma was rich and creamy, total comfort in a bowl. The kid's cheese dosa was a hit too--my picky eater gave it a rare nod of approval. Don't skip the naan! It's soft, fluffy, and basically edible happiness. Oh--and just when we thought we were done, they brought out complimentary mango ice cream! Sweet, refreshing, and the perfect ending. Service was fast and super friendly, and the space feels cozy, clean, and welcoming--perfect for a casual date night or family outing. We'll definitely be back! read more

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It may be newer than the one on Baymeadows, but it is getting nasty. . We had chicken that had blood near the bone. Nope!!

We had the buffet and honestly the food was so good it was the only meal I ate all day bc I couldn't stop! The mango soft serve ice cream was a surprise hit (like seriously, it's free and it's prob the most yummy mango-flavored ice cream I've ever had IN MY LIFE!). But the food in the buffet was organized by vegetarian and non-vegetarian items. All of it was super flavorful, not too spicy, and clean and organized. The place itself was comfortable and the staff were super friendly! Loved this spot!! read more

I've been to Kerala a few times and have been a southern Indian food lover my whole life. Visiting from DC and this is an incredible buffet. The food is clean , high vibrational and authentic! I loved everything I tried all of the dishes and it was all top tier. My favorite part was the chai station and the soft served! Eating here triggered my childhood travels in India I will never forget my time here read more

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Food was good - huge servings. However I have a rule, always use the restroom bet you eat at a new restaurant. If they can't care for the bathroom they can't care for the kitchen. Their restrooms were disgustingly. Filthy, old, worn out, and I don't recall seeing any signs for employees to wash their hands before they return to work. Plus there was a sour smell in the dining area - like spilt yogurt. Really foul. I did enjoy the food but after seeing the restroom, I don't think I want to go back. Message to manager: remodel and maintain your restroom and I bet your kitchen needs a deep clean as well. read more

Just okay. The menu is very extensive which impressed me, but the atmosphere is rather run-down and looks like it could benefit from some attention. I'm all for hole-in-the-wall places when they're outstanding, but that just was not the case here. I would guess they do most of their business either on their lunch buffet or catering: for supper there were a lot of staff people kind of standing around, instead of one waiter we had like five different workers jump in to help, almost like no one was quite sure what they were supposed to even do . The butter chicken and tikka masala were both ok, but just ok, and a bit bland. When you order something at "medium" I think it's fair to expect some sense of spice--just not highly hot. This barely had any spiciness whatsoever. The rice was a bit gloopy, too. It just felt like the kitchen had its attentions elsewhere--which may have been the case because it seemed like they were taking a large catering order out at the same time to a van parked in the front. So I think 5th Element might do in a pinch but otherwise I'm not likely to return given its ample competition right along Baymeadows. read more

Favorite place for delicious and authentic Indian food. We've been gabbing about this food since we moved here from CA several years ago. I personally recommend the lunch buffet. Their mango ice cream is to die for read more

Very good Food and service. Small place. Wasn't very busy. Staff was very friendly and prompt. read more

5th Element - Lamb Curry Chicken Hakka Noodles - Indian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I have been to many Indian Buffets all over the world. The thing that stood out the most was the description of the dish and the time it was placed on the serving line. Service even though it was a Buffet was very good and the Buffet line was monitored and attended to. Price point was very affordable, every dish had its own WOW factor given the exotic spices that many people met not be familiar with. This is adventure for those who may be trying Indian food for the first time. Price was spot on for a buffet and does not include soft drinks but does include sweets and hot tea. Clean an also a full bar. Sorry I didn't post photos of the food, but didn't want butcher the names. Go and try it for yourself, firstimer or old hand. read more

5th Element - Buffet Line - Indian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Food and service were good. Good price and portions. The place was not too crowded but started to fill up as the night progressed. Take out orders were steady also. read more

I thought the food was amazing. I got the paneer Makhani curry and it was delicious. Hot, spiced right, very flavorful. The service was decent and the food came very quickly. Usually you just get default rice with a dish, however you can get butter naan for no additional charge here. Pricing was reasonable too. They use real butter (ghee) and not soybean oil which is amazing too. I felt very healthy after eating here and plan to come back! read more

5th Element - Paneer Makhani curry and butter naan. Amazing and homemade. - Indian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I stopped into 5th Element in the mist of running errands last week for an impromptu lunch, while running errands in the Town Centre. I came in during their grand opening, they had a beautiful weekend buffet laid out and a brunch special running. I ordered from the à la carte menu; starting with the Chill Garlic Naan, it was great but it didn't taste like chili at all. It came accompanied with an array of herbs, butte, and spices- we rated that an 8 out of 10. Our entrees included the spicy goat curry with naan with a spice level of 8. It was absolutely delicious we also ordered the Chana Masala: a red chickpea stew, one of my favorites! The bathrooms were moderately well kept, despite the heavy foot traffic. Will be back! read more

In the interest of being completely honest: if it was possible, I'd eat Indian food 3 meals a day for the rest of my life! 5th Element doesn't disappoint. I was there for the lunch buffet. It was lavish! They present a wide selection of both veg & non-veg food and a wonderful selection of desserts. The great plus was that the non-veg side had goat curry and the veg side had idli. I was in South Asian heaven! I'll return at least once a week for the foreseeable future! Palak paneer wasn't available but the sag paneer was so delicious that I didn't mind. Go & enjoy! You won't regret it! And your tummy will be delighted! read more

5th Element has been one of my favorite restaurants since moving to Jacksonville. They have an extensive Indian lunch buffet with a variety of meat and vegetarian options. I love their chicken biryani and tandoori chicken. Usually you'd expect the tandoori chicken to be dry at a buffet, but theirs is moist with excellent flavor and seasoning. Service is quick and they keep the tables clean without letting the plates stack. One of my favorite things about this place is their mango soft serve that you can enjoy after eating their deliciously spiced foods. I would recommend this place to anyone looking to try a variety of different Indian foods at a good price with excellent quality. read more

I have eaten at 5th Element several times over and I have to say that they are by far one of the best Indian restaurants I have eaten at. I will easily place them on my Top 5 Indian cuisines here in Jacksonville, locally. Their menu and dish selection is pretty massive and overwhelming, which is either a good or bad thing. Now let's talk dishes. We ordered the Lamb Korma, Butter Chicken, Aloo Matar. All were delicious, nicely blended and spiced. Folks, if you have eaten in enough Indian restaurants like I have, one would find similarity in taste and spices and how most are either over spiced or taste abit overpowering. Well, not here at 5th Element. Everything we tried was off the Indian food-chain. On top of that, service was great. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Prices are reasonable. Best part is, they are relatively a close drive for me. I'll definitely be coming back! Food: 5/5 Price/Portion: 5/5 Atmosphere: 4/5 Service: 5/5 I highly recommend this place. read more

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Very good traditional and American cuisine options. The buffet is always hot and clean. The service is phenomenal.

I enjoyed this location, however it was very warm inside I couldn't finish my food. They did keep a neat and tidy restaurant and servers were kind, friendly, and attentive. I wished they had tofu, they offered cheese that was tofu like so I'd say they stay very true to Indian culture. We had appletinis, they were weak in liquor, but I'm open to trying something else. I was pleasantly surprised they had a bar. read more

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Our go to for authentic Indian food! We love this place as they give you good portion sizes for your buck! I would rate this a 5 star but lately, the customer service has been ehhhh. Sometimes it's really great and other times, it's not the best. We came here on Sunday and the AC was not working so it was really hot in there. I get cold easily and even with the fans running, it was very humid and had an off putting smell at our table. A few of our friends was sweating up a storm. Nonetheless, the food was still as good. The food here is always consistent but to me, the spice level is off. The hottest is 4 peppers listed next to the item but it just tastes mild. I ordered the following: Chicken Tandoori: It comes out on a hot, sizzling plate and it's really delicious! It didn't came with rice which I was disappointed. All it came with was the chicken and lots of onions and a squeeze of lime. The plate is very hot so don't touch it or you will burn yourself. Chicken Tandoori is chicken that has been marinated in yogurt with a bunch of spices and it's usually baked in a tandoori or clay oven. I enjoyed all the flavors of the chicken and with the squeeze of lime, it was really great! The onions added a great contrast to the chicken as well. I just wished it came with a side of rice because it would have been perfect together. I would give this a 8/10. Chicken Tikka Masala: I got this for my sister to go and she said it wasn't spicy enough and had to add in alot of hot sauce. She said the flavors were good but not great. Chicken Tikka Masala is chicken marinated with yogurt in a tomato kind of spiced sauce. My sister said she would not get this again. Her rating is 6/10. Garlic naan: They have really great naan bread! Naan bread is essentially an oven roasted or grilled flatbread. There are many types of flavored naan bread like garlic ones, butter ones, pepper ones, etc. The garlic naan bread here is always our go to! Dipped it in some yogurt or chutney sauce and it's a grand slam! I would give this probably a 8.7/10. Samosas: Their samosas are huge!!! Think of a samosa like a fried pastry but it's filled with meat, veggies, potatoes, fish, etc. It's usually shaped in a triangle. They do not skimp on the filling here and their samosa is like the size of a baseball. I usually get the vegetarian kind and it's filled with like potatoes, carrots, peas, onions, etc. and it's worth it! The flavors and spices are incredible and they fry it to perfection with a nice, crispy golden shell. I never had a bad samosa here! I would rate the samosas a 8.8/10. Tip: Get their mango lassi ice cream!! Trust me, you will not regret it! It's one of the best desserts on their menu! Also, come during lunch time! They have lunch sampler plates consisting of items such as curry, tikka masala, vegetable sides, grilled chicken, etc. Overall, we will definitely be coming back to try other dishes from different parts of India. They show you a map of where each dish originated from, which is very neat! I hope they fix their AC soon because during the summer, it is blazing hot! read more

5th Element - Chicken Tandoori - Indian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I wish I lived closer and could eat at 5th Element every week! Yum yum yum! Service here is outstanding and there always seems to be plenty of wait staff available to help. There's a buffet but just during lunch hours (only downside to this place). The food is flavorful and delicious and served in beautiful silver dishes. At first glance portions may look on the smaller side but it's deceiving because those dishes are deep and full of food! Entrees come with rice or naan. Some of my favorites are the lamb samosas, yellow dal, chicken tikka masala, chicken or lamb korma, and any of the biryani's. Next time I want to try one of the South Indian dishes or the Tandoori which smelled incredible! read more

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The ambiance was really good for a general get-together with friends and family. The food was good as well. The servers were very friendly and over all the restaurant is clean. Major issue was with the glasses which were smelling and we have to request them to change. It is a pleasant surprise in Jacksonville. read more

Just recently inspired to broaden our taste buds with Indian food and heard so much good reviews for 5th element. I would recommend making a reservation if going with a big group Inside seating is nice, warm and not as loud as outside seating when there's someone singing in the stage We tried the lamb curry , eggplant and thali. All were great and the thali is good for couple of person. We tried the Lassi ( mango yogurt drink ) which is ok and the cardamom tea is so so. Would recommend the Thali to share , lamb curry and the garlic naan. read more

5th Element - Non vegetarian thali - Indian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I remember this restaurant was very good in the past, with the buffet and all. After years, visiting again, i found the food to be not as spicy and the flavor was not as strong as before. Not sure if it was just me. The Dosa was still great though! read more

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This is a great Indian spot for Jacksonville. Great variety and good service. Have been coming here for years and excited for them opening a restaurant in the St John's Town center. The new restaurant is beautiful and has kept the great food they are known for. The mango soft serve has no right being as good as it is and is a fantastic way to end the meal every time. read more

This place was great! I dropped in at 5pm on a Sunday and was the only person there, so service was incredibly fast and everything was piping hot! The mixed tandoori was impeccable, everything was well spiced and incredibly moist. The naan was soft and light, and I do not like mango so I thought I would hate the mango ice cream but it was delicious. Only reason for 4 stars not 5 is that the waiter talked me into ordering the chicken 65 after I said I didn't want anything too spicy or fried. Chicken 65 is essentially spicy fried chicken, which I don't really care for. Otherwise great experience though, I want to come back for the lunch buffet! read more

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We love Indian and since we were in Baymeadows area we stopped in after first place we stopped at wasn't open yet. We have ordered from here before but I think only eaten inside once before. It's a very nice setup and looks like may have buffet at lunch. I also love they have mango ice cream in soft serve machine!! read more

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The mango lassi is very smooth, rich and refreshing. The appetizer of Onion Pakora was delicious especially with the tamarind sauce. The palli masala with peanuts and other veggies was a treat! I ordered Chicken Tikka Masala, spicy. My dining companion ordered the lamb vindaloo. He said it was very tender and tasty. The flavor went all the way through the meat. My chicken tikka was flavorful but I don't think that it had been marinated in yogurt. The prices were reasonable and I would definitely come back! read more

Great food I had theChettinadu curry Chicken and it was delish and their Kabuli Naan bread is great it has crushed almonds and cashews yum then to end the meal with their complementary mango sherbet which is so yummy read more

Gray lunch at a great price. I can't tell you what was on my plate but it was so flavorful & delicious. It also came with some nan. Oh and free dessert was a mango soft serve that you go up to the machine & get yourself. I heard they were moving locations. This makes me sad. :( read more

5th Element - Indian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Unimpressed unauthentic garbage, why oh why would you sell store bought Nan, I don't get it? The pricing was reasonable, and that was the get, the give was the fact that the food was bland the Samosas were not authentic fair, the nan-was flat and tasteless. If you anything I f authentic Indian food don't waste your time. read more

5th Element is the best Indian restaurant I've ever. On my recent visit I was escorted by a very efficient and friendly hostess to my luxuriously large booth in less than 2 minutes of arrival. My complimentary water arrived within 1 minute of sitting down, and order placed with a most attentive waiter within 4 minutes. Though a single party, I placed a very large order (gotta have leftovers when driving 6 hours to eat here) for 'eat in' preparation; he didn't have to write down a thing, remembered all perfectly. The mango lassi and coffee came less than 4 minutes post order. My order-ahem-12 garlic naans, 2 saag paneers, 2 baingan barthas, 1 lg rice, were hot, fresh, and on the table within 15 minutes of ordering. You have options of desired spiciness-hotness levels too. Garlic naans are made in traditional clay oven and have impressively abundant and appropriate level of garlic and cilantro, tender with irresistible bubbled up crispy tops. Their consummate ability to layer so many layers of spice, herbs, and boost food flavors ensures I will always return to 5th element on Baymeadows Road. Upon looking around the restaurant, the floors and bathrooms were clean to standard. If you're seeking authentic, unforgettable, delicious, hot and fresh Indian food, you'll get there as fast as you can! Side note, a separate server was very helpful with my cultural table etiquette question, put me right at ease. Next time, I'm hitting the buffet!! read more

The new location is decorated so well, and the food quality is excellent! I also had incredible service. read more

5th Element - Garlic Naan Malai Kofta Gobi Manchurian - Indian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Amazing Western Indian Food! The staff wears masks and ask customers to wear them until they are seated. The Old Fashion wasn't well made but it wasn't bad. I wouldn't have ordered it a second time. The food was hot and fresh, and it came out quickly. We ordered garlic naan, samosa, one old fashion each and dessert. Our bill was $69 for 2 people... but we were thoroughly stuffed at the end of our meal. The best Indian food restaurant I've tried in Jacksonville so far! We can't wait to go back. The servers were quick to clear and offer the check. Only complaint: The woman's restroom wasn't very clean - trash on the floor. read more

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I had the Dosa Masala there a while back. They made it for me because I asked for it and it was delicious. I enjoyed my visit and would return. read more

5th Element - Dosa Masala - Indian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

The mango chicken curry was super tasty! Their biryani is delicious and the lamb is full of flavor; just wish there was more meat!! One of my favorites from here (didn't get it on this trip) is their butter chicken. The butter chicken seems to be a little inconsistent though; sometimes it's amazing and sometimes it is just eh pretty good. One of my favorite things is that they offer complementary mango soft serve! Unfortunately, this visit the machine was broken. The service here is super fast, too! All in all, I love the food here and keep going back for more. read more

5th Element - Mango Chicken - Indian Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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The lunch plate was a great delicious on all levels. The curry goat was on point. The vegetable sides were all good too. The portion size was enough to more than fill me. The mango lasse was tasty, so was the mango ice cream. The nan was baked to perfection, Two times in 8 days and still happy! read more

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