You can find my full review and other excellently written articles on my blog, CriticSlime. http://criticslime.blogspot.com/2018/08/india-delight-in-marion-your-first-s.html India Delight in Marion: Your First S&M Dining Experience as a Gastronomically Repressed Midwesterner Let's say you grew up in one of those wacky Midwestern American cults that wants to control every aspect of your life, and has polluted your mind with a shame complex about pleasure, contamination, and purity. You might be getting to an age when your body is changing and certain desires begin to arise, such as the desire for rich, pleasurable, gratifying, intensely flavorful relationships with your food. You might start to question the way that your paranoid and hyper-moralistic parents and community raised you, and hopefully you will have the courage to go out into the world and experience it for yourself so that you can form your own ideas on what is right and wrong without some old fat guy with a big ego and a small mind humiliating you in your community for being a real person. I don't think there is a better place for a person of any age in the Bible Belt to satisfy their carnal curiosities of ingestion than Marion's own India Delight on the square in Marion, Illinois. Who knows? Maybe if we give into the temptations that we have been taught to think of as evil and corrupting, we might actually find them to make us more satisfied people who actually live more balanced and moral lives. So take a break from your purity pledge my fellow heartland-dwellers, take off that silly ring, and put on your filth trapping bib to head on down to India Delight for a night of hedonist abandon that you aren't going to forget for a long long long time to come. As a moralist myself with a big ego and a small brain, I am always looking for the lessons in life and art, so that I can share them with my imaginary flock so that they may one day reach the lands of paradise. I highly respect the culinary technique of India Delight's chefs because of what their food teaches us about eating for the soul. You may be surprised that I am now touting India Delight as soul food when I just described it as hedonistic debauchery earlier. You should be. You should also be surprised when I say that being a good person is not just about being righteous or graceful all the time. In fact, it is truly the evil in us that makes us humble, gives us compassion, and helps us develop genuine and respectful concern for the other lost souls and sinners wandering the wastes of the earth. So let me describe to you the ways that an India Delight dining experience shares this wisdom with its patrons by telling you what it is like to consume its holy offerings. Walking into the restaurant, you will notice that the decorations and furnishings are modest. I have been to Indian restaurants before in the USA that look like the bedchambers of a spoiled swinging prince and his harem of lusty sub-missives. India Delight does not look like that. India Delight looks like a place that a humble laborer could go to enjoy a reprieve from his chores in the form of delicious and well-tested staples. In many ways, that is what India Delight serves--the staples of American-Indian cuisine like chana masala, korma, roti and naan. The food is quality but it is not saturated in butter and other rich fats like in most Indian restaurants in the USA. Instead, you get a healthy, balanced flavor that neither leaves your gut feeling busted or your palette displeased. Make no mistake, for people who are not accustomed to spicy food, you may experience some pain while eating this food. I would like to argue that this is not a bad thing. The spices used at India Delight will ignite your pores to open so that the aromatic steam of simmering nutrients can better stimulate the pleasure sensing nerve clusters of your nostrils and tongue. It is through this two-punch combination that the company of India Delight teaches us that in order to get something positive, we may just have to take on something negative. Do not be afraid to eat at India Delight, my friends, because the reward for your palette will be so great that the painful tax the spices levy on your lips will immediately be worth it. India Delight is a soul food dining experience because the chemical reaction taking place in your mouth when you eat their food is a metaphor for the grander nature of the cosmos and humanity's place in it. Eating at India Delight is like eating good karma. You find that your very strong earthly desires for a satisfying meal are met, not because you simply stuffed the most caloric and seemingly flavorful item that you could find into your mouth, but because you suffered over your plate of spicy, nutritious, and light curry. Through suffering you endure, you grow, and you develop a genuine gratitude and overflowing love for something so simple as a piece of bread. At least this is how I felt after my meal. read more

I just signed up for Yelp solely to write this review and to give this establishment the praise that they deserve. I have been to this buffet style restaurant several times. Ive been by myself, with my boyfriend, friends, and family. Every single visit I have made has outdone the last. This place is a perfect place for anybody to come and enjoy and experience excellent Indian Cuisine. Each time I've visited, the owners have been such a delight to speak with. They are always refilling my drink, asking if the food is good, and making sure that the food isn't too spicy for me. Never once has either of them been rude or unkind in any sort of way. Also, each time I have went, they have brought out something different and special for me to try. One time, they brought me and my boyfriend a salsa style sauce and taught me how to properly eat it with the naan. I feel so comfortable and welcome each time I decide to eat. When evaluating these amazing aspects of this restaurant, the price seems like its not enough! My final thought is, this is an incredible business that two clearly hardworking people are putting all of their effort in to make sure that the customer is well fed and has the best experience possible. This place does not get enough business, and I hope my review can help them out. I will ALWAYS choose Indian Delight when I am in the mood for some spice and a pleasant time. read more

Definitely a Delight! Found India Delight on a google search and was very happy to find this one in Marion, IL. I was impressed right away with the chef's greeting and cleanliness of the place. We chose the buffet in order to sample and try all of the dishes...and WOW, we were not disappointed. The wait staff just kept coming to the table with appetizers included with the buffet. Tandoori Ribs, Chicken, Samosas and a warm garlic naan that was incredible. The chef/owners were more than accommodating to insure we were satisfied with the spice level and offered to prepare any dish on the buffet to our desired spice level. The food was fresh and hot .... just AMAZING. My taste buds were in absolute overload with all the exotic spices from the selection of dishes and the pickle assortments. Fresh garlic naan was brought to our table to soak up the sauces...and, well....I just could go on and on. Left stuffed and very satisfied...(and I'm pretty hard to please) you will not be disappointed. I'm ready to go back now! read more

India Delight has the best customer service in Marion! The owner and server have been very attentive each time I have been there. When my sister came with me, a special (non-spicey) bowl of chicken was gladly prepared for her. Buffet line has always been fresh and very flavorful. The naan, lentil soup, chicken curry, and ribs are fantastic. If you go in the evening, Rosemary Maple ice cream is served. You expect tasteful heat, authentic cuisine, and a very delicious meal. read more

We decided to stop here for dinner while traveling the other night and we were both so glad that we did. The food is absolutely amazing and the owners were the nicest people. Definitely try to go there for the dinner buffet. Everything was so fresh and tasty from the naan bread to the trio of appetizers, incredible soups, the most tender chicken tikka masala I've ever had, they even had homemade ice cream. It was such a pleasant surprise to find in Marion IL! read more

The Best Indian food I ever had. Mr. Satish Walia and His Wonderful Wife, have always been good to everyone who visits. Especially to me and my family. Not only Good Cu zine but very humble people. Would visit all the time if I could. The environment is wonderful and clean. The food is definitely a delight. A pleasure in every way possible. Thank You. Mr. & Mrs. Walia. You are indeed a blessing to us all. Dr. Martin & Family PhD read more

I was hesitant to go at first thinking how good could Indian food be in Marion. However, I was very surprised at just how good the food and service are. I travel all over the country and this is one of the best Indian restaurants I have been to. I highly recommend the trying the fish and chicken appetizers. The owners are very friendly and the place is well kept. Well worth the visit, just off the main square. read more

The food is phenomenal and the owners are beyond welcoming. They serve some of the best Indian food I have ever had. If you ever find yourself near Marion (maybe visiting SIU in neighboring Carbondale) I highly recommend you stop by for dinner. Everything I have had there has been stellar, and I especially recommend the lamb biryani and the korma. I can't wait to go back! read more

First time at India Delight and it was phenomenal. The buffet was fresh and all dishes were perfectly spiced and flavorful. The friendly waiter kept bringing small side dishes and we ate a lot more than we expected too. A great option for when you want something a little exotic and delicious! read more

A wonderful experience! The owner treated us like royalty, bringing us appetizers, endless naan (tender, crispy on the outside, just the right seasonings) and the evening buffet was varied and delicious. Try the mango lassie drink--the best I've had. It's worth getting off I-57. read more

Great! Food was delicious, atmosphere was great. We had dinner buffet. We stayed at Marion, IL for one night during our long summer road trip. We were looking for good indian or thai food. Found this one. If we are ever back again at Marion, we will surely go to this place. read more

India Delight is incredible! The food and service alike were both outstanding. Honestly, it was a magical experience. I left full and happy, and after frequenting there last night for the first time, I am CERTAINLY coming back, believe me. I wish I could give it 10 stars!! read more

Food was absolutely fantastic. The owners were some of the kindest people I've ever met in a restaurant. It felt like we were welcomed into their family. I would definitely recommend anyone passing through to stop and feel welcome, and leave bursting at the seams. read more

Went for first time with my wife,mom, brother and sister-in-law. We all had a great time and the food was delicious. The service was top-notch. We will definitely be going back again to try some more of their food. It was interesting to sample something different. read more

if you're feeling a little adventurous, come and eat here! The food is fantastic. The staff is over the top nice and accommodating. Everyone will love the Tikka masala. and they bring fresh Naan bread to your table. we will be back! read more

We have a new favorite place to eat! . The food was unbelievably flavorful and so filling. The naan was out of this world!! The owners were incredibly gracious and helpful. This was by far the best Indian food I have ever had. read more

Great food, awesome staff, and service. If you like spicy food let them know and they will make it for you and give you some of the chef's hot sauce he made (black and golden scorpion). Absolutely incredible! read more

The food is wonderful and the owners are really nice. We love the food and atmosphere. You get a lot of food when doing the all you can eat buffet which includes a couple appetizer and dessert. read more

One of my favorite places to eat! The food is really wonderful and the owners are very welcoming. The chicken tika masala (sp?) is faaaaabulous! Creamy and spicy! Check it out! read more