I've been here many times over the years for various wedding and wedding related functions. Never came for a sit down restaurant meal. So only commenting on this as a venue for Desi functions here. It's a nice space with colorful and glitzy Indian decor. They have a huge room which can then be minimized if needed by their movable wall (for lack of a better description). The food is of fine dining quality, north indian fare, and they have an extensive menu. There is a huge parking lot outside and rooms for the brides and grooms to get ready in. Every function I've been to here has never disappointed and everyone feels very regal being there. read more

Went for the lunch buffet the other day. This was my first time at an Indian lunch buffet, which seem very popular, but I had no idea what to expect. I'd say there was 7 hot dishes to choose from, but no tikka masala, korma, or vindaloo, so a bit disappointing. I didn't try anything that I would order again. The buffet was smaller than I expected, but there was hardly anyone there, so I guess it was smart of them not to cook a feast. Very heavy on the vegetarian options, and only 2 meats were out, chicken and goat. Since I don't eat goat, I was left with 1 chicken option. It was ok, a little dry, but tender and this is a buffet and not cooked to order so whatever. The potato and cauliflower was great. The rest of the food was ok, but nothing spectacular. Free naan showed up halfway through my second helping, but I could tell it was fresh. The waiters were very attentive with the water. This place was a lot fancier than I expected, but I was comfortable at lunch in jeans and a hoodie. read more

We choose Akbar for the baby shower event of my wife. It has good food, space for the event and spacious parking lot too. It was about ~165 guest. Decoration and lighting was good. The communication from the manager was very poor in terms of finalizing things, I had to call them again and again. The person with whom I had finalize everything, didn't communicate the final price till the day of event and on top of that, the manager was off on the day of the event so other person helped with the payment etc. It seems like everything was on the fly. One thing I heard from few of my guest after the event is there was panwala guy in the entrance of the hall, he was making pan to everyone. Guests thought its part of the event (obviously they won't thing some shop inside the restaurant). It turn out the guy is running his own show inside, after people have pan he will ask for money ($2 for each). If he wants to open his own shop (thella) inside, he should put the price tag on the top. There is no other way someone would know that you have to pay for it. Just look out for it if you guys planning your event there. (P.S. I am absolutely ok paying for it, if the sign is there. In fact knowing in advance I might have paid for it so that I can get inclusive deal. There was no mention.) read more

The restaurant has lost its quality. I went on a weekday and not a soul. There were 2 managers to greet us and to ask us what we would like but the quality of food has degraded in the last few years. The Subji pulav had just frozen vegetable in a bowl of rice. Absolutely nothing Indian ( no spice as the menu claimed). The chilli chicken and chicken lollipop were so sweet. read more

Their hours are posted as open till 11:30pm. We went in at 10:30pm and they said they're closed. Someone needs to update the inaccurate information. read more

My review is only for the $9.95 lunch buffet. I come here often, and I absolutely this joint. It's not the greatest meal I have ever had, but for 10 bucks, it's rock solid and consistent. They have the usual offerings...tandoori chicken, paneer masala, chickpeas, cauliflower, naan, etc. Service was always great, and there was always enough fresh food in their buffet line. Not sure about banquets or a la carte, but a quick lunch outside of the office is always a good option here. read more

Akbar's lunch buffet options are wonderful and personal requests can be provided. The ambiance is beautiful within, and you may enjoy touring the banquet areas as much as I did...... Many Blessings... Love, Vanessa read more

Great Indian food in an unsuspecting location. Even with a GPS, this place was a little tough to find. It's on the back side of a Holiday Inn, behind a shopping center just off a highway exit. I'm glad I found it, because the food was great! The menu is a little larger than your typical Indian restaurant and the food is mighty tasty. The service was fast and friendly and the ambiance is great; the place is very cozily lit and the decor is over-the-top opulently Indian, from the outside to the inside, complete with indoor water fountain. The prices are a little steeper than I usually pay for Indian food, but the food was good enough that I didn't care. With tip, dinner for one was $30. Overall, I give it four stars. read more

Amaaaazing food and drinks. Be it lunch or dinner, I'd advise to keep a good amount of time with you if you are going in here. Every dish is so good that I overeat every single time I visit this place. Great place for a team get together in my opinion. read more

This is one of the best Indian restaurants I have been to. Food was very good! Waiter was very accommodating and attentive.

A live Cockroach immediately came out of my bag I ordered with Uber eats. So disgusted. You think that they would take the time to clean their restaurant especially during these covid times. Nope, so customers beware of cockroaches in your food read more

Good food and a great setting. Was visiting town and this was the only place that was open late after 10:30pm. Decor was excellent and place was spacious. Since I ordered carryout, don't know how the service was but the staff was attentive and got the food I ordered out quickly. Food was good quantities but a little pricey. Place was huge and nice atmosphere. Overall, a great place to visit. PS: Just check the credit card bill before signing. He screwed up the decimals!!! Chicken Biryani for $149.99 ;) That Chicken better be the one that used to lay golden eggs. He fixed it later but overall, a good experience. read more

I came here initially for a wedding last year and have been wanting to come back for a meal. The restaurant was packed so I started with drinks at the bar until I was seated. I like gin so I decided to try a cocktail and "Akbar's Kiss" was unbelievable. I kept ordering them throughout dinner and we even stayed to have one more cocktail before we left. For dinner I had the lamb chops and they were so flavorful and juicy. My friend ordered the Kadai Paneer and she also licked her plate clean. The restaurant and service were impeccable and we had a wonderful Saturday night. read more

I just wanted to provide a review because there were a lot of areas that I was really upset with on how it turned out. Firstly, I was told that the hall would be ready by 10:00 AM, but when we got there, we were not let inside until about 10:20 AM. The workers that let us inside was not even aware that there was a function going on. Once I went to the hall, I noticed that - Almost more than half of the seats covers were really dirty. - The drinking glasses placed on the table were dirty. - I had asked for the stage to be set up with a couch but it was set up with a table instead. - The floors were all dirty and was not cleaned up until my brother had asked the worker there to clean up. - The serving tables were all dirty and filled with cake leftovers. - I had asked multiple times to have votive candles set up on the tables, instead lotus flowers, but instead the lotus flowers were placed instead. - The main people who I talked to regarding this whole event, was not present to help me make sure everything was ready - which I think is completely unprofessional. In regards to the food - - I was told that once the biryani was finished, instead of bringing more out, plain rice was brought in. - I was told that the food was not refilled as it finished, and many of the guests only had gravy from most of the entrees options served. - We were charged for 150 + 35 additional guests which should mean that all guests received food and the serving area was catered to ensure that the food was refilled and maintained throughout the event. I was really disappointed with the level of customer service provided. I worked really hard to ensure everything was organized, but due to how unorganized Akbar's staff was - that overshadowed all the preparation that was done on my end. read more

I was dying for Indian cuisine last night, so my sister suggested Akbar's. I dined with my sister and her son... It appears this place is often used for celebrations (weddings and b-day parties). There were lost of decorations and fab Indian decor. Plus there's a really nice courtyard in the back. When we arrived there was a wedding, so parking was really tight last night. I thought we were going to have to park on the side street because EVERY lot was full and coned-off until we saw one spot available (by the way it was 9:30 pm). If that's an issue, they do offer valet service. I'm certain if there is a fee or if it was only for the wedding party. We were promptly greeted by a nice waiter who sat us down and gave us menus. Appetizers: samosas - which were cripsy on the outside and tender inside with yummy spice. Disappointed that one order comes with only two samosas...so we requested two orders. Drinks: Sprite - three (+2 free refills) Dinnner: Chicken Tiki Marsla, Mutter Paneer, and a mixed grill of chicken and lamb chops (arriving on a sizzling platter) + Naan + Basmati Rice (of course). We were asked about the level of spice desired...me and my nephew chose mild and my sister requested "heat" on her combination. The fare was rich and delicious! We shared our meals with each other and we were all pleased. I loved the Mutter Paneer because it was not tomato based, which most I've had and gives me acid-reflux/heart burn. The cheese was tender and not over-cooked or chewy. We were too stuffed for dessert, so we left really happy with full bellies! Cons: Had to ask three different wait staff to get us refills on the Sprites, which comes in a wine glass filled with ice. So you know you are only getting 1/4 or 1/2 cup of Sprite, which goes quickly. There was a 10 yr old b-day party going on in the main dining area with a party of 30-40 people. I think we were short-changed on the service because wait staff was more attentive to that group - no love lost though. Plus there were several other tables with 6+ persons dining...I was just thirsty. Price: $85.57 for three people - not bad, but I was expecting like $70-75.00. Pros: Delicious food. Nice portions. read more

I had checked the reviews of this restaurant to be average but believed one of my colleague who said the restaurant has great food.. To my disappointment, the restaurant just had good structure. The food was below average and service was damn slow. I went there during rush hours but do not expect myself to wait for 5 mins to serve me water. They really need to improve on service and extent food quality as well. Its Thumps down from my side. read more

Went here for my Friend's Daughter Birthday Party. The party hall was nicely decorated. Friend arranged (not Akbar) a nice DJ so party was a blast. These people getting a 2 start because of the food, for appetizer they had Cali-flower manacaiyan (I am not sure I am saying it right) and chili panneer. Chili Panneer was TOO HARD and Cali-flower didn't have any flavor. For Entree they had Palak Panneer, Red Lentils (don't know the name), Veg Noddles, Veg Rice ( i guess veg bareeyani) and malai kofta and mixed bread, only Malai kofta and veg noddles were good, breads were too hard, rest were awful. Anyway we were there for Party and it was tons tons of fun. If you are going there just for FOOD good luck! read more

By far, my favorite place in Edison I went there 2 times so far. I usually get chicken masala and chicken biryani, the food taste really great and always fresh. The atmosphere is really great (very nice if you would like to invite someone for dinner) The people work there are super friendly and welcoming. I would for sure come again read more

Where do I start from...this place serves the best roomali roti in NJ..(want to write USA here) guys palak softa is a must have for spinach and cottage cheese lovers...the ambience, service,food and everything about this place is awesome...once we had ordered a curry by mistake and as it was served we realised that we wanted to order something else and the waiter was so nice to take that back and get us what we wanted!! Definitely a go to place and it accepts restaurant.com certificates too!!! read more

Been here a few times and so far everytime we order here the food is good. I see that they have a lot of low ratings but i guess there are just days they don't do well. Anyways, we usually order the curries, briyani, mango lassi, naan bread, and tandoori. I like their food, it tastes good and the ambience in the restaurant is nice. Try them and see for yourself if it's worth to eat here or not. I would have to admit that it is a little pricey to eat here. read more

This place is clearly used for private parties/receptions/weddings/etc. It is such an elaborately decorated place, beautiful decor and exceptionally dressed staff. The lunch buffet tasted great, but there were a few highlights: fresh naan brought to your table, mango kulfi (if I don't have the right word, it is mango ice cream), and an interesting appetizer I don't normally see at Indian buffets... Chaat. I'd definitely go back, but I would particularly love to attend an event at this place. I am 100% sure that it would be an incredible experience. read more

Absolutely phenominal! I cannot wait to come here again! The place is gorgeous with high-class decor and tables and the wait staff was excellent! I had a great experience from the bottle service to the dessert. The prices are fair, each person was $50 but we had appetizers, naan, an entree with rice, a bottle of wine and dessert. Really worth every penny! Especially since I have so much left over because the portions are large! I will most definitely come here again--and soon! read more

Inventive fancy cocktails with a desi twist, properly made sauces, and tasty authentic northern dishes. Layout is a little awkward, you have to pass through a glass bar to get to the restaurant, and there's a party space in the front. Would probably be awesome for a big group and the outdoor space looks pretty, though it seems underused. It would make a beautiful romantic, summertime dining room... read more

Went on a Saturday night so I guess there isn't a buffet for dinner? Fine because the dishes we ordered a la carte were exactly what we wanted. We had the lamb saag, another lamb dish that came in a creamier sauce, chicken tikka masala and aloo gobi. Then had some rice, garlic naan and paneer kulcha. All of the above were fantastic. Water was refilled consistently (which I deem necessary for spicy foods), and service was just the right amount of attentive without smothering. Minus one star for the appetizers. We also ordered the aloo 65, garlic shrimp and chicken wings. The aloo 65 was fine (I've had better 65) but the garlic shrimp and chicken wings tasted like chinese food - like a mediocre general tso's chicken sauce. The ambiance was quite nice - definitely upscale - and it seemed as if there were a lot of special occasions that were celebrated across the hall in the banquet area. However, for having special occasions there, the bathrooms were rather gross. It just smelled like mold. Whatever, I'm there for the food, which was really great, so we'll be back. Just won't order any appetizers (or go to the bathroom). read more

There's some good things I like about this place, the decor on the outside and inside is quite nice. The interior is spacious, with tablecloths on the table, and pretty stain-glass windows with interesting depictions. The booth chairs surrounding the walls are comfortable. The service is very nice, they try to make people comfortable - refilling the water glasses, giving children balloons, whisking away empty plates. The buffet food was okay to me. I don't eat Indian food often but the made-to-order dosas with spicy potato inside was good. They also have a la crate entrees for order. read more

One look at the menu of Akbar Restaurant and you see these exotic names of Chicken, Lamb, and Fish kebabs, making you feel as though you're in for a real treat. But sadly the food falls short, way short of one's expectations. With great expectations you see these sizzling entrée's' arrive, and the whole thing fizzles when you bite into a chunk of chicken or lamb kebab; there is little flavor other food color. My vegetarian friends didn't feel that great about their food too. We were here for our company's year-end dinner party and ended up ordering a lot of variety - both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. And unfortunately, none of the items we ordered stood out. Everything was O.K and some of them were simply bad. I figure this place is popular because it offers alcohol and has a decent interior. That said, there is nothing else going for this place. read more

This restaurant is more of a hype. Ambience-4/5. Food quality- 3/5. Food taste-2/5. Price...very high for food quality Mutter methi malai had no malai. Paneer was decent. Murg lawbdar was good...but chicken needed to be cooked more I would not visit this place again. It has 2 party halls. is more of a good place for having birthday parties or events with cratering read more

Living across the street we just had to write a review about this place! I can't tell you how many times I have been here for anniversary parties or small birthdays. The food is always great and the service is top notch. The last time we can here we used a coupon from restaurant.com and loved the value for what we had. We had chili paneer and papdi chaat for appetizers. The garlic naan is AMAZING! For entre we had Dal Makhni and Malai Kofta! It was delicious! Definitely recommended. read more

The food was really good but the service is where they really shine . Our served named Raj was friendly and courteous and answered all of our questions . Will visit again read more

We are always made to feel welcomed, no matter how crowded they get with parties, whenever we show up for the very nice weekend lunch buffet. The are very friendly & make our visit feel special, even as large parties rage on in this large complex. The buffet food has some solid selections (only thing is Chicken Tandoori is always a little dry, though the pcs. are very large & very tasty.) The curries & other selections have much flavor & are always enjoyable, including nice aptzs. that are always present. The surroundings are a cut above & make one feel as if he or she is having lunch in a far off palace. The breads, drinks, & desserts are all very good as well. While we would like to see a little more selection, they do offer a very fine buffet for a very fair price & we are always happy to return here, from Staten Island, when we are in NJ shopping. read more

This is one of the finest Indian dining places in Central Jersey. The ambiance is great and if you are seated by the window facing the lawn, you get an excellent view. You get a variety of items in their menu. The non-veg platter is must and it tastes excellent. I'd definitely go in for the Goat Handi curry for an entree. I've also been there for buffet and the items are fresh and tasty. The waiters are very cordial and polite and I like their hospitality. read more

Dining Date December 8, 2014 for dinner. Some of my Indian friends took us here to get some authentic Indian food. Akbar was as good as advertised by my friends, as all of the food was delicious! The unfortunate thing is that we allowed our friends to do all the food ordering, an we don't remember the names of many of the dishes. Not that this matters much because every dish was fantastic. I wish we lived closer (we're from PA - Lehigh Valley) because we definitely want to come back for more. Even the service was top notch. read more

Not up to the mark... Biryani is full salty... Roomali roti is not cut in 2-3 pieces it was difficult to cut and eat for us.. Malai kofta was not that great... I may try once more... read more

Akbar Restaurant - Beautiful candle light... - Indian Near Me - Edison, New Jersey

I went for a buffet in Akbar with my family and friends..O boy!! it seems they do not want you to come next time. the food had no taste, cold and was horrible. Veg and Non Veg both were equally bad. Very bad experience!! Last time I went for a bday party and food was not this bad and so I went for buffet..But I am sharing this for others to watch out before going there for buffet. read more

Worst place ever! Do not go at all they were the worst. Very unprofessional, rude, and the food was horrible. Save your money and go somewhere else this was a horrible place to host an event. SAVE YOUR MONEY!! read more

My friend had his Nikka party on July 2nd at 6:O0pm. I just want to say it was an unprofessional event the workers there weren't helpful at all you had to call them multiple times to get their attention and in top of that this place was nasty and dirty. Also my friend told me they where charging alot of hidden fees and in the contract it didn't specify these hidden fees which was completely unfair. read more

I enjoy coming here but don't come frequently. The menu has some great selections once you know your way around it, and if you do the lunch buffet you'll get a great value with an OK selection. Servers are very attentive. 4 stars is well earned, not exceptional but very good nevertheless. read more

Need to order your food and ask for it to be spicy. They do not make it spicy by default. Other than that, the place looks great and the atmosphere is very good. We really liked it, although we did not know that we needed to order or food to be spicy... read more

We went for dinner and its was a horrible experience. The staff was so careless and were just waiting for everyone to leave so that they can just close n go home. I just saw the reviews and went there. The food was good but expensive. The quality was not as expected. Would never go back. read more

Akbar Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Edison, New Jersey

Good welcome & initial response. But there are greedy people in their management so you need to be careful about whom you deal with for a party. We had organised a party at Akbar & some of the experience was pretty bad. They tried to charge us for service we never requested. They subcontracted some service for us without us requesting it & had their subcontractor threaten us for lawsuit. We did handle it well & just asked for any formal agreement where they lost their argument. You need to be very careful with any money matter with them as they tend to put in additional charges as and when they like. read more