Usually came here with a friend for lunch buffet but today came here after lunch hours. Too bad I missed their lunch buffet. The place is spacious, good for groups. Server is nice and friendly. Service was a bit slow due to their staff lunch hours but food came out within 15-20 mins. I ordered their mango lassi, chicken pakora, and lamb rogan josh. Mango lassi is refreshing and retains its mango taste. Chicken pakora is tender and juicy with a strong cumin taste. The sauce is runny but rich. Definitely excellent. Lamb rogan josh is awesome too. The lamb was nicely cooked. It's not gamey and the broth was rich and thick. Definitely a good substitute for lamb vindaloo. read more

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Called there at 9 PM. they said they're open till 11 PM. Hours listed on their site say till 10-30 PM. Got there at 9:40 PM. Neon sign said they're OPEN till 11 PM. Woman approached me and said "Take-out?" I said "One." She repeated "Take-out?" I said, "Table for 1." She said, "We're closed." I pointed to the neon sign that said "Open till 11 PM." She said they closed at 9:30 PM. I repeated what its own site says, what I was told when I called 40 minutes ago, what the sign says. She says "We're open only for take-out." I said I'd been there before, as late as 10:15 PM, for dining in. She repeated that they're closed "cause they already cleaned." I asked for the manager. "The manager's not in." Then a big guy comes out and gets in my face looking for a confrontation. Full kitchen staff, at least 3 wait persons, OPEN till 11 PM, but they refuse to serve me, even though they're open for another hour and 20 minutes, and I'm a party of one. I tell them that that's deceptive business practices and false advertising, that I was a long-time customer but will never go there again. No apology. No offer to make up for a wasted trip after getting false info on phone. No manager name info. I suggest getting a party of 75 together, going in at 10:30 PM, ordering take-out, and then taking seats at tables and unwrapping and eating ... slowly. No wonder this place has been mostly empty for the past year. read more

India Pavilion offers a weekday lunch buffet for $16. It has rice, naan, tandoori chicken, chicken tikka masala, curry chicken, saag paneer, and a few more. Nothing out of the ordinary for this. Curry chicken is a bit watery, and the saag paneer could have more paneer. For a reasonably priced and filling meal, this fits the bill. read more

India Pavilion - Indian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Pleasant place in Central Square. Nice staff, nice decor. Solid but not outstanding food. Satisfying if you're in a hurry. read more

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Like many of us I have walked by 100 times and never stopped in. Finally went there for lunch and no we did not do the buffet which looked marvelous. We ordered off the menu and from the start the drinks were wonderful. Her a mango lassi and I got a Darjeeling tea. Our entrees were prompt. portions large. It was totally delicious, a bit spicy but not too. We did not order dessert as we were full. All around a very solid choice for Indian food. read more

This is a place that I walked by countless times but have never entered. I always see the sign for the all you can eat lunch buffet but was hesitant at first. I entered on a Friday afternoon and barely anyone was inside. The staff directed me to my table and said you can grab and eat as much as you want. As far as the food options go, you have your standard Indian cuisine. You have naan, vegetable pakora, butter chicken, saag paneer, basmati rice, tandoori chicken, and daal. For dessert they offer gulab jamun, gajar halva, and kheer. The food was delicious but a little salty for my taste. You have to get your money's worth so I try to eat as much as I can. The food was very heavy and made me want to go take a nap afterwards. The staff was helpful. They came by several times to pick up the used plates and offer water. They do offer a discount if you pay in cash versus credit card so keep that in mind. Overall, this is a cool place. Next time I am in the neighborhood I will plan on stopping by. read more

I've been going to the lunch buffets at India Pavillion for years, but rarely did takeout because I had been anxious about the parking situation. Well, with our usual takeout place going vegetarian, we decided to call in our order at India Pavillion and pick up. There's a convenient little driveway /alley next to the old kebab place to wait at, while one of us ran into the restaurant to grab the order. The chicken tikka masala tastes even better as takeout than at the buffet. Baighan bharta (eggplant curry) was also on point. Chicken dishes here are halal, as a bonus. Hefty portions too. read more

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Worst food ever. We have been going to this place for many years but today was the worst experience every. We ordered Masala Dosa which was thick not the thin crispy you usually get. The Potato stuffing was tasteless. The green chutney that came with it had kind of spoilt taste. We also ordered Aloo Paratha which was also tasteless. We were the only ones there and then too the food took more that 30 minutes to be served. The 2 lady wait staff were busy applying nail paint right next to our table. We are not going there again. read more

Enjoyed dinner here at India Pavilion. We came here wanting the buffet but found out they only offer it during lunch hours. This was fine, and we ended up ordering a couple of entrees. The cheese naan was good and we loved the vegetable samosas. I ordered the saag paneer and it was pretty good. Overall solid indian food, would like to come back and try to lunch buffet. read more

I was a bit confused by the low reviews, food lacking flavor, etc. I went during lunch buffet. Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Curry were great, the chicken wasn't overcooked like a lot of places do, was so tender. They are using chicken thighs too instead of chicken breast, so that helps with tenderness. Spices were on point. Baingan Bhartha was a highlight, great balance of flavor in that too. Was it spicy? No, didn't really expect it to be since buffet, but looks like if you order off the menu you can ask for spice level you want. read more

India Pavilion - Buffet. Chicken curry and Baingan Bhartha. - Indian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I visited the restaurant solo this evening, for the first time in perhaps 2 or more decades. I live back home in the Pacific Northwest (Bainbridge Island), but I lived in the Cambridge/Boston area for 26 years after being a grad student at Harvard, and went to the India Pavillion way back when it was first open in the 70s. I loved it then and I love it now. For me, it is the best Indian food I have eaten that was not home-cooked. I asked the waitress if it was the same family that started it way back then. Yes, it is. Those family recipes and masterful preparation make the food superb, not fancy, but perfect from my perspective. Had all vegetarian, opted for the Veggie Thali with Saag Paneer, Mulligatawny soup (vegetarian), and Alloo Chole with some raita on the side. It was quite good, along with some salty lassi and (cheating) a nice prosecco to start. I'm not from India, but I had a friend who taught me to cook some Indian dishes, and have experimented on and off for 50 years. The meal confirmed my recollection of how good it is. read more

I had a deeply upsetting and humiliating experience at your restaurant on [insert date]. After finishing my meal, I politely helped myself to a small spoonful of fennel seeds from the counter -- a common practice in many Indian restaurants. I made sure not to touch the spoon to my mouth, yet one of your staff members falsely accused me of doing so and, in front of me, discarded the entire tray in a very dramatic and disrespectful way. I was shocked by the accusation and how unnecessarily hostile the reaction was. As if that wasn't enough, when I returned shortly after to retrieve my purse, I was further insulted by both the chef and the staff member. Their tone and words were condescending and humiliating -- completely uncalled for, especially toward a paying customer who did nothing wrong. This kind of treatment is unacceptable. I came to your restaurant expecting hospitality and respect, and instead left feeling insulted and publicly shamed. I hope you take this feedback seriously, train your staff on how to professionally handle situations (even misunderstandings), and ensure no other customer is made to feel the way I was. read more

Went with a large group, they accommodated the group well. The food was ok, and the ambience, was decent too.

Never Again We went to the India Pavilion several nights ago after a nearby event. We (party of three) arrived at around 9:15. The sign on the door and outside said they were open untill 11, so no problem. We were seated, handed menus, and ignored. (There were only two other tables occupied.) When we were finally able to order, we were told our food would take an additional 25 minutes because it had to be grilled. Okay, fine. Since we were waiting and hungry we ordered veggie pakoras. The waitress, seeing there were three of us, asked that since an order consisted of two pakoras, did we want three. We said yes. She then said we had to place two orders, since they couldn't serve just three. Finally, the main courses appeared. We had just started eating when the lights were turned up and another employee started vacuuming. Loudly. Our waitress informed us the restaurant was closing in 10 minutes. This was barely 10 o'clock, big surprise to us. We ended up packing the food in takeout containers, never having gotten the dessert that went with the meal. I have been a long time customer of the Pav, but given the lack of concern for customers, and the fact that the food was just okay, I will not be returning.​ read more

I've been here for the lunch buffet several times now, and it is consistently good, and a good value ($15.98 plus tax). I will likely make it weekly trip. Highly recommend. read more

I've been meaning to eat at this place as every time I passed, it'd be full of people looking like they were enjoying their meal. Overall, I enjoyed the experience and would come back again! We came here on a Friday evening around 6 for dinner and we were the only ones in the restaurant which led to a very quiet but relatively quick dining experience. We placed our orders and got our food pretty fast which was nice. They were also good about refilling our waters and checking on us when we needed attention. The food was very good in my opinion. A little expensive per dish, but it was nice that everything pretty much came with rice. The bread basket was probably my favorite part due to the variety and size of naan. Each dish was tasty and flavorful in their own way as well. Overall, I found the meal filling and I left feeling satisfied. Thanks India Pavilion! read more

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Excellent service- very friendly and helpful service as well as amazing food for an incredible price! Will definitely be hitting this place again when in the area! read more

I was a little disappointed that service was extremely slow even though we were one of maybe four parties seated at the restaurant. The service staff stayed in the kitchen/back of the restaurant so it took them a handful of minutes to notice that we entered the restaurant. After we were seated and looked at the menu, it took a long time for someone to come take our order. We shared the chicken pakora ($5.95), lamb rogan josh ($15.95), and aloo nan ($4.50). The chicken pakora had a texture that I wasn't super used to (to be fair, I've never had chicken pakora before so I am not the best judge for this dish). The breading was very thick and the outside wasn't crispy at all even though the dish was deep-fried. Each chicken fritter was a big size. About 50% of it was breading. It came with tamarind sauce and a very delicious mint chutney. The lamb rogan josh came with a side of rice. The rice was either undercooked or old because it was hard to chew. The lamb itself was pretty tender and the sauce was flavorful. The aloo nan was probably the highlight of the meal! The bread portion was very fluffy and the mashed potato stuffed inside turned this dish into a carb-lover's dream. This place is good for satisfying a craving but I wouldn't consider it my go-to place for Indian food in the greater Boston area. read more

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The food quality is excellent and staffs are friendly, welcoming. This restaurant has upgraded, menus have more optional drinks including different flavors of lassi's and mojitos. read more

The staff really paid attention that I was vegan and served warm ghee on the side to pour onto roti for the company I was with as I shared I could eat only one. We had aloo chole and baingan bharta as entrée complimented with tandoori roti, tawa roti and rice. All very flavorful. We ordered medium spice and ordered onions and green chili on the side - hit the spot! Ordered Gajar ka halwa to take home, they advised to warm it up before consuming (it is best when it is warm which was a nice reminder - thank you!) read more

Despite its Central Square location, this place has managed to keep its prices fairly reasonable, and as far as Indian food in the Boston area goes, its food quality is pretty decent too...not the best or most authentic, but that's an academic point because I have yet to find really excellent Indian food anywhere in this area. (Manosalwa in Somerville by the Market Basket had my hopes up for a while despite their famously erratic opening hours, but has recently closed down for good and their sister restaurant in Everett while more consistently open, has even more schizoid service and food quality.) Most "Indian" food places here are just overpriced and dumbed-down tourist food, beautifully presented in pretty environments but hopelessly bland and boring to suit the local demographics. India Pavilion has a very pleasant ambience and decent service, and their food is just good enough to keep me coming back in light of how dreadful most of the competition is. Their lunch buffet is solid (chicken is the only meat offered, sadly) and their Thali plates are a very safe bet to get a full meal at a reasonable cost, competently done. It shares the same owner as Punjabi Dhabi in Inman Square which is decidedly more downmarket but has more or less the same quality of food, just a very cramped dining environment. In other words, you could do a lot worse. read more

I was a bit reluctant to try this restaurant due to the 3.5 rating but my daughter wanted Indian and we were in the neighborhood. End of argument. Service was fine, ambience was nice but the food was excellent. If you're thinking twice about trying this place, fear not. You will enjoy the food. read more

We've been getting this pretty much every Sat for the last 12 years or so. A few days here and there have been a miss, but usually it's delicious, especially compared to other places we've tried. I do have to say this past Sat 11/16 was the absolute best out of the well over 500 times we've gotten it. Even eating 2 day leftovers was sublime. I just realized I need to try the lunch buffet there... read more

We've been ordering from India Pavilion for years and it's consistently very very good. One of the few spots that offers fish pakora and we love that the spice level can be adjusted up or down. Faster to pick up than deliver, always; but beware that they give you the right order read more

For a $15 lunch buffet, the choices are plentiful and delicious! They always have fresh baked naan (plain and garlic) and a nice mix of meat and vegetarian selections too! They're even open on holidays, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, so they're a wonderful choice to bring friends and family for a tasty meal. The favorites: saag paneer (spinach with paneer cheese), naan bread, crispy vegetable fritters, roasted chicken tandoori, chicken tikka masala, and a type of aloo gobi curry (cauliflower, peas, potatoes). read more

India Pavilion - Assortment of curry and meat with naan and basmati rice - Indian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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This is overall a decent spot (3.5 out of 5) to have a quick warm bite by yourself or with a group if you happen to be in the central square area. Let me admit I don't have particularly high standard for Indian food. We went on a Friday for dinner. The true story was that we were planning to go somewhere else, but this place smelled very good when we passed it, so we stopped at the door to check out the menu. As we were debating whether to go inside, someone came out of the restaurant and said "you wouldn't go wrong with anything you order here." So we decided to give it a try. I was not a fan of the interior design of the restaurant and I think the tables arrangement was awkward. However, the food was good enough to make me enjoy my overall experience. We ordered mild Shahi Paneer (Fresh homemade cheese simmered in a tomato cream sauce with cashews and raisin), medium Chicken Tikka Dal Masala, plain naan and garlic naan. The naan was delicious! Even though there is complimentary rice, I would recommend trying the naan. Shahi Paneer has a mild sweet taste that blends well with the tomato base. Not the best Chicken Tikka Dal Masala I have ever had, but it meets my expectation. read more

India Pavilion - Chicken Tikka Masala - Indian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Food was good. The staff was ok and polite. However, the manager attitude was very horrible. As soon as i asked if the meat is halal, his attitude completely changed and become very rude. Then I asked him for the tea, and he rudely said tea is not included in the buffet menu. I knew that already tea was not included. His attitude showed like I was begging him for the cup of tea. I felt deeply insulted; therefore, despite the good food, I will never go back to this place, read more

Lunch buffet here is the best, with many options of delicious Punjabi food (palak paneer, Mayer paneer, chicken tikka, chicken tikka masala, veg korma, pakora, samosa, rice and naan). The service is also quick and pleasant. This is definitely my go-to place for a quick weekend lunch. If they keep their prices low, I'll continue cooking for sure as often. read more

India Pavilion - Lunch buffet (pakora, naan, chicken tikka masala and palak paneer) - Indian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

always delicious! tikka masala peshwari nan and biryani are my favorites. Like that you can altar the heat/spice levels. I like medium and that has decent spice for me. read more

Used be good. Now the curries are all watery. For example, the chicken curry was watery, the onions had not been cooked down, and the chicken was boiled and simply added to the sauce. A few years ago, it was great...not sure what happened. read more

Loved this place! Great location which is walking distance for the T-station. Loved their menu selection and their very reasonable prices. They have both bar and a restaurant, which also means good draft beer on tap. For the sampler in you, they have configurable Tahli (a platter with assortment of dishes) options. The bread (paratha) served with food tasted so homemade. Moderate service pace but overall a good place to get some really good Indian good and reasonable prices! read more

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Food was okay, customer service is good! Ambience was nice ! I can recommend on going to this read more

India Pavilion - Non veg buffet - Indian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

India Pavilion is hands-down my boyfriend's favorite restaurant in the greater Boston area. I'm pretty sure we order takeout from here at least once every month, because it's his comfort food--I'm almost certain he'll never get tired of this place! He always orders the Gobi Kaju Masala since he's vegetarian, and introduced me to it a couple of years ago. It's very flavorful and probably the best Indian curry I've had. We also usually order the garlic naan, and the curry and garlic naan make a great combination. Price wise, I'd say that you get what you're paying for and one curry lasts 1-2 meals in average. We've eaten at India Pavilion a countless number of times, but only one of those times was actually in-person. Service was decent that one time we went, and picking up takeout is usually pretty reliable as well. Can't remember them messing up our orders really, off the top of my head. Give it a shot if you're interested in trying some Indian food! read more

This is the best Indian food in Boston, hands down! Originally we are from NJ but went to school in Boston, and have yet to find a place that is as good as India Pavilion within either state! You will not be disappointed eating here as they have different spice levels for different tastes, but whichever you pick will taste amazing! read more

All you can eat lunch. Around 11-12 bucks/person. reasonable price. There are 8-10 kinds of curry, and some chicken. Two kinds of rice, two kinds of nann and desert. I liked green, and yellow vege curry. So full! One minus point: I found something weird in my mouth....and it was rubber band. Hope not find next time. Other than that, tasty. read more

Indian Pavilion is a Cambridge institution in business since at least the 80s. over many years the food has been consistently very good. Our family always has takeout living close by however the restaurant has a nice dinning area and bar. Most recently we ordered our Xmas meal there and the food was excellent. Many offerings for meat, fish, and vegetarians. read more

After a fun day at Cambridge we came here for a good Indian Dinner. I would like to start with the service - 2.5/5 , it was like the waiters were college kids and they did know what to do next. Water was not served, entree plates were not given and even the order itself was served 25min it's later after questioning about the delay. About the food quality and quantity was great. Food visit again and hope to get a better service read more

India Pavilion is a solid option for Indian cuisine if you're in Central Square, Cambridge. The atmosphere is clean and interesting. Cool lighting fixtures, a couple different dining areas. It's a little dark at some of the tables but not too bad. Service was prompt and personable. Food came out pretty timely for the most part. *My biggest qualm was that the meat portions in the dishes we ordered were a little small. We ordered three chicken entrees and I feel like there could have been a bit more chicken in these servings based in what other Indian restaurants serve. Though the portions were a tad small, the food was delicious. Chicken Tikka Masala was tasty and the chicken was tender. It was a pretty standard tikka masala, not mindblowing but solid. One thing though was the sauce wasn't as hot (temperature) as the Saag that came out at the same time which was interesting. Chicken Saag was very good, had some good spice to it (ordered it medium spice) and the chicken was very tender as well. Was thicker than some saagwala I've had at other places. Definitely would order again as this is one of my go-to dishes when I get Indian. Chicken Korma was delicious. The creamy cashew sauce is perfect on rice and with nan! A must try if you want something slightly different than the standard tikka masala! Garlic nan was buttery and had a nice crisp to it. The pieces were pretty big too. It's a must-have at the table if you ask me! I will definitely will be visiting India Pavilion again! read more

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Of the Indian places to eat in Cambridge, this may be one of the more well put together with regards to the ambiance but the food quality and service has consistently been terrible. I've given this place a few chances now and each time the food was bland, felt extremely watered down, and the service very delayed. The shahi paneer especially was such a let down read more

I had their jerk curry and it was not bad. Spices were very flavorful and the chicken was pretty tender.