I've lived in the Gaithersburg area long enough that I've tried most of the Indian spots around…read morehere, and Royal Tandoor has become one of the ones I keep going back to when I just want something solid without overthinking it. The place has a warm, comfortable feel--nice décor, good lighting, and enough space that it never feels cramped. I've been for both the lunch buffet and regular dinner, and the food has been consistently good. Their butter chicken is reliably creamy and well-seasoned, the garlic naan comes out soft and fresh, and the lunch buffet has a solid rotation of dishes that actually hold up under the heat lamps. Nothing is trying to reinvent the wheel, but everything tastes the way you hope it will. Service has always been friendly and attentive in my experience. They're good about checking in without hovering, and they've been helpful when I've asked questions about spice levels or recommendations. It's not the most adventurous Indian restaurant in the DMV, but for a local spot that's convenient, consistent, and doesn't disappoint, Royal Tandoor does the job well. It's the kind of place I end up recommending to friends and family when they ask for a reliable option close by.

This is just an awesome place! Beautifully decorated -- with the absolute most gorgeous ceiling…read morearound! -- you sit on stately seating and receive superb service. Sometimes, there is just so much to say that one is left agog -- and so it is for me with this place! I've been several times and to say I've never been disappointed with anything here at all would be an extreme understatement. I just don't quite know how to best sum it all up, so I have hesitated and put off writing this review. It is a place I know I can go to with much anticipation and have my high expectations upheld. The name is very fitting! Some places may say they are royal, and you could be left feeling ... less than that. This is not that kind of place. You will be made to feel like royalty here! The delicious dishes and their presentation is ... just wow! Nothing here is ordinary. Everything here is spectacular! I've tried so many things, I cannot remember them all -- but I do know that I love the Dal Makhani! It's one of my all-time faves, being so rich and creamy, mmm .... The Mango Lassi comes beautifully presented and literally dripping in dark orange goodness against the lighter milky-mango look of yoghurted-up blended mango ripeness! (Don't worry, the drips are all inside the glass!) The starter crunchy rice crips are very fun and tasty, as well. It's overall just really exquisite, what can I say? Very highly recommended -- a total, all-around Yay! :-D

I absolutely love Spice Life. My company took me out to lunch for my 1 year anniversary and of…read morecourse I chose Spice Life. The service and good is always great. We ordered plenty of appetizers. All delicious. For apps we ordered the Salmon Tikka, and the Fish Fry. The Fish fry was my favorite. They used tilapia fish which was very well seasoned. The salmon Tikka was delicious as well as it had great flavor and cooked to perfection. For our entrees I ordered lamb curry spicy and garlic naan. I absolutely love their naan. The lamb curry was good and flavorful but was not at the level of spice that I desired unfortunately. I asked for really spicy and I received mild spice. For dessert we ordered the rice pudding, gulab jamnun, and the carrot pudding. The rice pudding was my favorite. It was very light and refreshing with just the right amount of sweetness. The carrot pudding and the gulab were good but not really my thing. The ambiance was great. Spice Life is a dine in and take out restaurant. Many people dine in during the evening hours so their weren't a lot of people during lunch time when we visited. However, it was still a good time. They had good music playing and some games playing on the tv. Of course I will visit again soon! Cheers!

Saturday 1/24/26…read more Made a re-visit today to use a $5 coupon I received, which I appreciate, but also I wanted to update my rating as I may have been a bit too quick to crown it in one of my previous reviews. Also, in roughly 9 months, prices have gone up nearly $2 for specific items that I had gotten previously, which isn't a good look. All in all, I still do believe that it's still up there for some of the best Indian food I've had in Maryland, but it's not worthy of the 5-star, as the 4-star fits it better. -- #issa.cheatday

Reminder: Place a reservation or be prepared to wait a while. We placed a reservation for 1:30pm on…read morea Sunday, and every table was filled or waiting for reservations to arrive. The menu is extensive! We ordered the cheppankizhangu and wished more placed offered it on the menu. The appam w/egg and way bigger than we had thought, the coconut cardamom was delicious. The masala dosa had great chutneys & sambhar, only thing I wouldn't recommend is the cardamom creme brule as it was moreso a flan because there was no crisp topping and had a structure as compared to creme brule, on the sweeter end. We'd love to come back if we're in the area and lucky enough to place a reservation.

If you're looking for authentic South Indian cuisine, especially the bold and distinctive flavors…read moreof Madurai, this place is absolutely worth a visit. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and creates a warm, inviting atmosphere that complements the dining experience. I tried the Thattai Idli with sesame podi, and it was incredibly flavorful, satisfying, and filling. For dessert, I had the halwa, which tasted wonderfully traditional and brought back authentic flavors. It was a little sweeter than I personally prefer, but the recipe itself was spot on. My friend ordered the Paneer Lababdar, and it was easily one of the best versions I've had anywhere in this area--rich, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. I'm already planning to come back with my daughters to try their famous Family Dosa, which is so enormous that it's served across four large plates! The restaurant is about an hour's drive for me, and I can honestly say it was well worth the trip. If you're craving authentic Tamil cuisine with generous portions and excellent flavors, this place deserves a visit.

Dosa was paper thin…read more Rasmalai nicely balanced Flavorful delight Decor was pleasant Waitstaff courteous The menu has some dishes that will compel my return

Cute mom and pop dosa spot, don't expect great service. The dosas were crispy and delicious and the…read moreMasala potatoes were mildly spicy, but not overpowering. The Sambar and the crispy Samosas were quite spicy. My family came here for a late lunch on Saturday and the restaurant was completely empty. I can see why. The service was stand-offish as both staff members frowned at us and rudely served us. While the food is 4 stars, the service brings it down a notch. If you're in the area craving dosa, try it out but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.

The ambiance had a zen feel and the decor was tastfully done with Napalese decorations. (see photos…read morefrom others) Service was good. The staff was attentive and warm. The food ordered was delicious. The chicken momos were moist, juicy, and flavorful with a spicy sauce that complimented the momos. The thali with chicken was delectable. With a variety of small portions of veg, rice, dal, meat, and dessert. FYI They have a lunch special on the thali, and there are specials on their online portal. The only negative is that the entrance is only accessible by stairs. An overall nice experience.

We stopped by for lunch on a relatively quiet day. After being introduced to amazing Nepali food…read morewhile staying near Baltimore, I was highly motivated to try this spot. The restaurant has nice decor and a promising selection of menu items, but the execution of the traditional dishes fell short of my expectations. The Highlights: Timmur Chicken Wings: Absolutely amazing. The flavor profile was excellent and easily the best part of the meal.The Disappointments: Thukpa: I have very fond memories of this dish, but this version was highly disappointing. They altered standard ingredients and added fish oil, which is definitely not characteristic of traditional Nepali Thukpa. Momo: While the dumplings themselves were okay, they were let down by the sauce. What makes a Nepali momo superior is the specific, vibrant momo sauce (achar), but the sauce served here looked and tasted like a generic, store-bought version. Overall Verdict:While the menu features an appealing variety, the execution misses the mark on authentic Nepali cuisine. It has great potential, but they need to stick to their authentic basics.

The food is yummy and the buffet is good. Service is average and ambiance is ok. Go for the food.read more

Minerva in Gaithersburg is not lavishly decorated but we were greeted and seated immediately upon…read morearriving. The staff were attentive, patient, and pleasant. Unfortunately, the dinner Combo noted at the top of the menu as an add-on was not available so we didn't get to taste the wider variety of foods we had hoped. Not sure why that was not available. It doesn't appear to be a lunch only option by the text on the menu. We ordered the Minerva Lamb Special, and the Chattinad Salmon Curry initially. A bit later we added the Paneer Masala Dosa. The food did not disappoint! The lamb was tender and the sauce flavors were not overwhelming but the perfect complement. I normally don't consider salmon to be a good curry protein but this dish was delish! The salmon was not overcooked and it didn't disappear in the sauce. Three cheers for daughter's choice! The dosa was huge with a scoop of paneer curry in the middle. We enjoyed breaking off crisp pieces to dip in the accompanying chutnryb& sandu. We obviously had leftovers and were provided with the perfect containers, including condiment cups for the chutneys and dips, to transport our dinner home for son to enjoy. This place was a bit of a drive for us but I would consider a revisit if in the area again.

Enjoyed the lunch buffet today at this well-lit, comfortable restaurant. Service (plate removal…read moreand filling water glasses) was very good. There's a nice selection of items in the buffet, including some vegetarian items, chicken and goat. The garden salad actually was excellent - very fresh, with tomatoes, red peppers and carrots. The tandoori chicken was very moist and flavorful. There were a few fried items - although I try to stay away from fried foods, they were very good. The lentil dish was nicely spiced. The naan delivered to the table was "ok," not great. There's even coffee available on the buffet - and it was decent coffee. The price for this buffet was under $20. There are a couple other buffets in Gaithersburg at a higher price point and might have an additional item or two, but this buffet is solid and we'll be back.

Love this place. Anyone seen their poster outside of their door advertising their daily special? If…read moreso, post it. Thx

A friend recommended this spot years ago, and I'm honestly kicking myself for waiting so long to…read moretry it. We got there around noon on a weekend, and by 12:30 it was packed--always a good sign! The dosas brought real heat (so good), and I've never seen my kids devour chickpeas like they did with the Channa Bhatura. Everything was flavorful, filling, and just hit the spot. Already planning my next visit!

Woodlands excels at all dishes-- it's hard to imagine tastier and more authentic Indian food,…read moreespecially if you're going for harder to find South Indian dishes. The staff were friendly and brought the dishes promptly while meeting all requests. The decor is clean and modern, worthy of a business meeting or casual meal. Expect all curries to blow you away. The makhani paneer is a go-to for anyone, but also the saag paneer or Chana masala will impress. I can't wait to go back.

Their wraps are so amazing! I wish they were a little bigger but they're flavorful! Their dal…read moremakhani is so so so good. Might even be better than Rasika's. I need to try their chaat palak next.

Just had dinner here with the family ! Had an amazing time. Dolma and Ramsey were amazing with…read moreservice. Came and checked up on us frequently and we gave our order at the counter and the food was quicker than expected. Got some goat biryani and chicken biryani. Some garlic naan and goat curry. Was a great experience ! Plenty of parking space outside as well. Ambience is soothing and plenty seating.

I decided to try this place, despite the mixed reviews, because the food price point was great, and…read morebecause the reviews uniformly said that the samosas were worth going. I wouldn't recommend dining in because the place isn't very nice, as others have said, but when picking up the staff was very nice, even though they were close to closing time. Is it the best Indian food I've ever had? No. But these are the best samosas I've ever had, and I'm glad I got 10 of them!

Samoas are good for parties. They are large and 90 cents each. You can order a large quantity and…read moreyou can order day of. Plan some extra time for pick up. I have never seen anyone eat in the restaurant ever. It's sketchy. Order food to go.