This was the worst Indian food restaurant I've tried in my entire life. It started when we sat down and asked for water with lemon (very kindly). The waiter didn't respond. So my fiancé said it again and he gave a dirty look and said "yes after I fill those other glasses on other tables". How rude! He could have simply said that without giving us the silent treatment. The food is another story. The food was bland, the chicken was undercooked and had a strange texture to it. As my fiancé and I were driving home, we felt sick to our stomachs! We were thinking of using this place as a caterer for our wedding. You can bet that isn't happening! Avoid this place at all costs! read more

I enjoy the food but I'm sorry. 19$ for a small tub of Chana masala is ridiculously overpriced. You can get similar food much cheaper elsewhere. Lunch Buffet is the better deal. read more

A nice break from cookie cutter Indian restaurants. They have all the standard dishes but also some harder to find dishes from Southern India. We especially liked the Lemon Rice and the lentil crepe with peas and potatoes. Service was spotty. We were never sure who our server was. People randomly came by. Our order was taken by the hostess after we'd sat for a while. read more

Masala Art - Nice decor. Very clever lighting. - Indian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

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This is a really delicious weekend buffet. I am gluten-free and vegetarian and there's plenty to eat. The food is on the spicy side and the flavors are really rich. The interior is really lovely as well. read more

We visited Masala Art upon the recommendation of a good friend on the way back from a weekend trip to New England. It was a great way to end the trip. The owner was very welcoming and recommended some dishes that he though we'd like based on our tastes. The Malai Shrimp sure did live up to its reputation. Arriving in a sizzling plate it was juicy, packed with shrimp flavor and had a slightly sweet enjoyable coating on the outside. We also got to try the chicken version of this dish that was equally as delicious. We tried two types of breads: naan and Methi Poori. Naan was lighter compared to others I tried in the past. Outside was nice and crisp while the inside was soft. Methi Poori had fenugreek embedded into the dough generating a unique taste and texture. Long grain Basmati rice infused with the essences of cardamom and saffron was my friend's favorite part. It was a good accompaniment to the butter chicken and chicken korma. Both of these dishes had thick sauces that mixed well with the rice. The korma was a creamier mild sauce with a hint of sweetness while the butter chicken had more of a savory spice profile. I enjoyed the green cardamom gimlet cocktail. Cardamom dominated the drink and actually cancelled out much of the bitterness from the juniper used to make gin. Hendrick's gin was used in this drink which has some rose and cucumber flavors in it that complimented the cardamom well. Next time I'm in the area I'll be sure to stop by again to try some more dishes. read more

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Some of the staff have an attitude. We asked if we can sit at any of the 4 tables in the middle row (for lunch buffet). They told us that all the middle row tables were reserved and we can't. It remained open the entire time. When we asked him at the end of our lunch, they said - Oh, reservation was cancelled. The tables were never reserved, but they wanted to force us to sit at a particular table. Poor customer service. read more

I have been very impressed with Masala Arts focus on customer. We had selected them as our caterers for my daughter's wedding in May 2021. It is my son-in-law's favorite Indian Restaurant in the Boston area.  We selected them early and put a deposit to hold the date very early (2019).  The pandemic hit and we realized we could not have a big gathering in May of 2021. Masala Art (Sorabh, the manager / owner) was very accommodating / reasonable. We discussed a few options for my deposit refund. We aligned on a plan and he has continued to deliver on his commitments. I am very pleased with their focus on maintain their customer base, even in this hard-hit pandemic period. I also just recently ordered some take-out from the restaurant and was very pleased with the dishes I ordered. Keep up the good work Sorabh and team. I would enthusiastically recommend Masala Art for their food /catering, and commitment to customers read more

We ordered the Paneer Jalfraze... it came with raw onion , raw bell peppers, raw carrots and big green chili... and that was cooked in some tomato sauce which was terrible. The yellow daal had so much turmeric that it was inedible. read more

This place has amazing food and service. It was 2:45 in the afternoon and they close buffet at 3:00pm. We just went in and asked if we can still have buffet. We were told sure. By the time we finished our meal it was 3:40pm. They came and told us that they were talking away food, if we want to get anything. We said we are fine. After five minutes friend of mine said He want dessert. I asked the server and she got big bowl of dessert for all of us. You don't find this kind of service at most places. Food was really good and they have nice bar too. I will go there when ever I am in area. read more

I love Masala Art! We have been there many times, but last night was the first time since the outbreak of COVID-19. The staff seated us outside, behind the building; it's not the most beautiful setting, but it's clean and safe. There is also inside seating and a take-out option. All staff wore masks, and it was very clear that they are taking COVID-19 guidelines seriously. We were served promptly but not rushed (and we arrived when they were about to close). The food was delicious--a perfect combination of spice and flavor. And, surprisingly for an ethnic restaurant, they have a well-stocked bar and a superb bartender. This is a neighborhood restaurant with a Boston city feel. I recommend it most highly! read more

The buffet for lunch was great. Lots of veg options, a nicer salad bar than most buffets I've seen, great soup, and a nice dessert. The ambiance is nice, too, and the waiters are polite. I would go back and find the negative reviews surprising. I liked the texture of the paneer and the black lentil dish had a nice flavor. I didn't order a drink so I can't comment on the lassis. read more

In all the years I've been dining at Masala Art, I have never once had a bad experience. Not with the wait staff or the food. Granted, it's the lunch buffet I go to more often than not, though I have dined in even evening as well as having gotten take out. The food is always hot and fresh, the flavors are out of this world, and the selection is plentiful. They keep your water filled and the naan coming. Any request I have ever made has been fulfilled quickly and happily. It makes me truly sad to see such delicious food receive these low reviews. Seriously... if you're in Needham, give the lunch buffet a try. read more

My friend and I came around 8 pm on a Saturday night. The service was quick and we sat down immediately. The butter chicken was really really good. I thought that the rogan josh could've had more yogurt in it and the lamb meat could've been more tender, but it was still tasty. My naan was slightly too burnt on the underside however. read more

Masala Art - Lamb rogan josh, garlic naan, and butter chicken with rice - Indian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

My wife and I are Nedhamites. We decided to go out for dinner and chose Masala Art since we hadn't been there in some time. The food was good but the service(our waiter) was really terrible. When our waiter finally came over to our table he seemed annoyed when we told him we wanted some help explaining the different dishes. Once he took our order he never came back. Never. We wanted more water and bread but never got it because no one ever checked on us. Frankly the lack of attention (service) was puzzling and downright rude. When it came time to pay we had to go up to the hostess to get our bill. Really?!? Perhaps the best way to eat at Masala is to NOT eat there and get takeout. read more

The ambience is good, but the food options for vegetarian was very disappointing. There was one paneer, Rajma and Dahi Pakoda and that was it. The non vegetarian options were chicken tikka, chicken biryani, lamb curry, chicken curry. There was no rice for vegetarians, was just plain rice. Just one dessert option and Buffet was 15 dollars per person. I felt I paid too much for what I got. Taste was a little bland. Overall a very average experience. read more

We tried the buffet. It was tasty and the description of the dishes was great. I was just a little disappointed that the only meat dishes were chicken. But good value and no complaints about the flavors. read more

Average and okay restaurant. Their menu is very fancy and makes you want to order everything. Come to know they do not have half of the things on their menu. Ordered kathi rolls and tandoori paneer for appetizer. Kathi roll was okay, paneer was very very chewy. For the entree we ordered malai kofta and garlic naan. The malai kofta was below average. Overpriced and just not worth it. Not going back to this place again for sure. read more

Me and my boyfriend ordered here often because my boyfriend is obsessed with chicken tikka masala and this is the closest place for us to get it. Our food is always inconsistent in taste, even the streamed rice. Today we ordered from GrubHub. When we received it part of our order was missing and the chicken masala was not what we asked for. When we go in they usually ask how spicy we want it, so when ordering online we put "extra extra spicy" in the special instructions box. The food we received had no spicy taste at all. I called to explain my dissatisfaction because they have done this many times before where our order was not right or prepared differently from how we asked. I have never called them to complain but today I felt frustrated. When we called to complain about how part of our order was missing and that the chicken tikka masala was not made as ordered they told us to call GrubHub. ok! We call GrubHub, who placed us on hold while they tried to connect with the restaurant, they did not answer. GH told us they'd try in 10 minutes and call us back. When they did, we were told that Masala Art said they made the tikka masala as spicy as it gets and they would refund the missing part of the order. Instead of them owning up to there mistake, they just claimed we didn't know what we were talking about. I am giving them 1 star because the food is either a hit or miss and they do not quality check. They have many times messed up my order and if it wasn't for my boyfriend's craving of chicken tikka masala I would have stopped ordering from this place a long time ago. After today we both agreed to find a place that takes time to assure the order is correct and will fix their mistake when it is not. read more

The whole experience was just good, lovely ambiance beautiful restaurant, but the food wasn't up to the taste In Biryani the chicken was under cooked... chili chicken is worth trying! read more

Masala Art - Hyderabadi Dum Biryani Chili Chicken - Indian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

Food is very average. They have very few options served for the buffet and not worth for 15$. Pani poori and bhatura are good. Interior decor is good except the Ganesha artwork near the Bar area. Definitely not a place for authentic Indian food ! read more

Two words, Malai shrimp. One of my favorite dishes at Masala Art. Whenever I visit Massachusetts I always make my way over to Masala Art. The food is awesome and the people are really friendly. It has a nice ambiance, it works for a date or dinner with the family. Their menu has traditional Indian food but also has some Americanized treats as well like their lamb sliders. read more

Masala Art - Indian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

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Great food, loved the Tandori chicken!! Naan bread was tastey, too! Shrimp Saag was nicely spiced!

Have come here twice now with children around 5/6pm on a Saturday night and it's pretty empty. The sofa window seats offer an interesting experience for the kids with the colorful pillows and movement freedom. Quality of the food was great! I usually despise chicken breast, but the chicken breast in the biryani was marinated and cooked perfectly (bouncy, tangy, smokey and retained juices). Garlic naan and veg korma was delicious. read more

I used to love this place for the authentic Punjabi taste. But for some reason I was really disappointed last weekend. The food was tasteless,I could tell it's not the same cook. I am a regular customer. I love this place, perhaps the only Indian Restaurent I liked. Really sad that that they have reduced their standard of good, I recommended this place to all my friends but now I wouldn't do the same. Hope the cook returns. read more

OK food, HORRIBLE management. I live in Needham and I've eaten here ~6 times for dinner and about ~6 times for take-out. The food is OK -- pretty standard Indian fare (even with their menu updates), a little on the pricey side. However, the management is awful. On Saturday night at 7pm, I went with a friend and we waited 45 mins just to put our name in (this wasn't even the WAIT after we put our name in). The host was so disorganized between taking phone orders, processing order pickups, settling bar tabs (I think?). He seemed shocked when I told him we'd been waiting that long just to put our name in. I mentioned it also to the manager (owner?) in a not-snooty way when he came by and he just stared at me in stony silence and didn't even acknowledge my comment. When we finally were seated, our waiter came to our table and just said "What do you want?" No hello, no greeting. He really seemed like he wanted the night to end ASAP. The dishes were dirty and our naan arrived once we were 2/3 done with our meal Lest you think this is just a one-night fluke, the last time my husband picked up take-out it took him 25 mins to pay for the takeout AFTER it was ready due to the same issue. I thought THAT was a fluke, but after Saturday's fiasco, I think it's a common occurrence. Sigh, I will not be returning. Too bad, it's so close to my house and I love Indian food. read more

I hate eating in the burbs. When you move to Needham or Wellesley, do you trade good school systems for really poor food. Whats with you people? Marsala Art is in the middle of Needham, my old home town...It used to be a candy store and before that a Woolworth's when Old Man Potter ran things. This restaurant is part of a chain of dissimarly named places like Kabob Factory, Bombay Factory, Mantra and Macdonalds(just making sure you are still reading). Most of these are city restaurants, so the food IQ doesn't dip too much The food is actually really good. The Vindaloo will put hair on your chest and the lamb is incredibly tender and flavorful. The service was very attentive...an enjoyable experience...a Solid 7-8 out of 10 for a city place and a 12.83 out of 10 for the suburbs read more

I am not impressed. Last month I order the Navrattan Korma and Pappadum through Dining In. The Navrattan did not have any almonds or cashews in the dish as described in the menu. The carrots were crinkle cut and also tasted as though they may have been frozen. The sauce wasn't even very flavorful. The pappadum was good, but how do you screw that up? After spending $17.75 on my meal I was pissed! I called the restaurant and asked to speak to a manager. The host advised the manager was not available and took my number. They never called me back. read more

I very much enjoy Indian food and have been to a handful of restaurants from fancy to bare bones in the area that serve the cuisine and I have to admit at not being wildly impressed with Masala Art after visiting for the lunch buffet with a group of about eight people. i know its difficult to gauge a restaurant by the lunch buffet alone but I imagine its a decent draw so here is my take on it. Overall, the restaurant is very nice, tables are well spaces, and there is plenty of seating. Ambiance there is definitely a plus. The food was fine and about on par with other indian restaurants I would give 3 or maybe 3.5 stars to but where the other restaurants excelled Masala Art missed the mark. The the two times I went up to the buffet there were a number of items down to a spoonful that were not refilled. The service was OK but I got the sense we were a nuisance for some reason which took away from the experience. The naan was good but only about six pieces were brought to the table and I never saw the waiter ask if we wanted more (and with eight people you can imagine we might). And since we were a party of 8 we were charged a mandatory 18% gratuity despite only one person ordering a drink and everyone having the buffet. So our $12 lunch buffet which should have cost $96 cost an nearly $115 excluding tax. I'm not saying one shouldn't tip at a buffet but 18% seems a tad bit high. I'm not prepared to say I wouldn't ever go back but to Masala Art but there are at least three other Indian restaurants in the Metrowest area that I'm inclined to go to before returning. read more

I have only been here once in recent years, so please do take that for what it's worth. The bartenders are friendly and the drinks are ok tasting and large. Which is practically necessary if you're going to attempt to eat the food. Which isn't good as far as my experience goes. And we're pretty sure we got food poisoning. My advice is to not order the appetizers. Especially the shrimp one, and the gluten free skewers.... presentation is awful and taste is worse. read more

Okay, so I met my brother and his girlfriend here before dinner at Sweet Basil. My brother told the bartender that he heard this was the place for drinks... The bartender, Jason, then went on to discuss the fact that he was responsible for a program that people are going to put online and perhaps use across the country. I thought he was kidding. Turns out he's not. He likes to talk, and granted the place was slow, but it was an experience. I had a modified Dark and Stormy, where he flambeed bermuda onions, ginger, mace, and all sorts of other stuff and then put it in rum. It was really good. My advice, order a drink. It's worth the experience to go through the questions and see how your drink turns out. But be careful asking Jason too many questions. He has really long answers and you might not be able to get a word in edgewise. read more

Masala Art is a strange creation. It combines Indian family cuisine with a much more formal and high class feel. A fascinating idea, and absolutely one I get get behind. Except Masala Art has lost the charm of family cuisine, and my 3pm visit did not give off feels of high class either. First off, a customer should never be ignored, even if they are being served at 3pm. NFL games are admittedly more entertaining, but a customer's a customer. At a buffet, plates should be cleared as they pile up. At a high-class restaurant like Masala Art, shouldn't they be cleared as they are finished? It's likewise a pity that the food is quite average. While I'm aware that Chicken Masala isn't a traditional Indian dish, it is a classic at Indian restaurants abroad, and a necessity to get right. And the restaurant is named after it! Oddly, the other chicken dish was much more tender and delicious. I should admit, the service wasn't rude or in any way bad. The food, likewise, was passable. But for what Masala Art wants to do, it has ultimately failed. And that is the ultimate disappointment. read more

Jason, the mixologist at the bar had a really fun custom drink program. I just called to make sure he was going to be there for my friends next week and I learned he left. Jason - where did you go?? read more

Service was strange from the start and only went downhill from there. The waiter didn't come once after taking our order. The kadahi paneer was served without any salt. When we asked if they could please season it sufficiently, it came back over-salted and inedible. We waited for service throughout the meal, and eventually the bartender left the bar to pour us some water. Once we got up to get the check from anyone we could find, 18% gratuity was added to the bill without prior discussion. This was the second and last time we saw our waiter. When we asked them to remove the 18% gratuity so we could decide how to tip, we were treated disrespectfully, especially by the management staff. Without even looking us in the eye, we were told they don't have time to talk to us. He said that management simply cannot address our concerns and that they did not want to talk to us, slapping down the new receipt for us to sign without further explanation. He then swiftly moved on to the next customer as if we weren't even there. It did not seem that he was talking to us as customers or people worth his time. He proceeded to tell us that the owner wasn't there, while the attentive yet overwhelmed bartender later divulged that the owners were in fact in the back. There was no apology or explanation for the notably poor service, his own rudeness, or for the disappointing food. It is concerning that the staff treats customers this way, especially if they have already been treated poorly. In my career working at TripAdvisor, I have never experienced disrespect by any restaurant staff at this level. I would not recommend going to this restaurant, even after being a loyal customer of the establishment for many years. I am disheartened to write this review, but it is an honest account of my dining experience with my family, an occasion which we hoped to celebrate and enjoy together. read more

Who would ever expect a world class sommelier in Needham, MA at an Indian restaurant? -Robyn L. said it best in her review here on Yelp. "Beverage manager Jason Pierce has an amazing grasp of everything and anything to do with wine. Listening to him I think my jaw dropped at one point. Though he seems a bit like a know-it-all, because he really does know the ins and outs of grape growing, wine making and wine selection, he's just dying to share his knowledge. Give him even a vague sense of the wines you like and he'll recommend something you'll love." If you go here you must sit at the bar and not at a table. It's worth the wait if you can't sit there right away. read more

Poor service and food is not good at all. Requested an appetizer which never arrived despite asking about in several times. Still appeared on the bill and needed to asked 2x to have it removed. No apologizes about that. Mango lassi was warm, Overall,the food was bland (ordered a veggie dish) and tasteless, though I admit I did request it "'mild". The server never once checked in with us about our food. This restaurant used to be quite good, but is no longer. Will not go back. read more

We didn't like the food at Masala art. The chicken had a funny smell to it and everything was overly sweet. Specially the Chilly Chicken tasted more like chicken in maple sauce...it was that sweet and flavorless. The Hostess for the evening seemed quite arrogant and never had a smile on her face. The waitresses were polite and efficient. The garnishing and the presentation of the dishes, were quite impressive . However everything lacked taste. And the portions were very small. We wouldn't be going back to this place again ! read more

Get off the phone, Waiter. Well, that sums it up about their service. The tandoori chicken is hard, raw and feels like it is two day sold. They have rice pudding (kheer) out there but the label says - Gulab Jamun. The waiter was on his phone non-stop playing games. I had to grab his attention twice - once to refill the water and second to get us more naan. What a poor reason for existence. Sad to see this place go down the gutter. read more

Decided to go inside and try out there wknd all you can eat brunch/buffet. And surprisingly it was really good. It was nice to try various entrees and apps. A plus to the buffet is that it comes with fresh plain nan (unlimited) yay! Most of the food on the line was lukewarm and some items was dry. Maybe we came on the later side of the lunch but hopefully I'll get a chance to go back again and give it another try. The BEST part of the meal was the dessert table. They had this donut ball that was smothered some warm syrup sauce. I call it balls of heaven! This made our luncheon and experience. read more

Quite possibly the best Indian food I've ever had, and in Needham of all places! i can't remember what in particular was so amazing, it all left a very good impression. Great hip atmosphere and glorious aromas, those spices really clear up sinuses!! The only downfall was semi-slow service, but it may have been a particularly busy night for them. In general, I would highly recommend if you looking for some tasty Indian flavor. read more

Masala Art - Indian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

It's not often that we find ourselves in Needham, but there we were and I had remembered this restaurant recommendation from a friend. The interior was very hip and the service was very accomodating. Our meal started with a complimentary serving of papadum with mint and sweet chutney. They very cleverly folded the papdum so they looked like little cones, which was fun and creative. My boyfriend had a delicious mango lassi and I went with the Indian iced tea, which was also delicious. For entrees, we split a Boti Kebab Masala (lean pieces of lamb marinated for 24 hours in yogurt and spices, grilled on skewers in the tandoor finished in a tangy, spicy red sauce and a Murg Malabar (A popular dish of sautéed chicken curry flavored with coconut - From the state of Kerala). The lamb was a little tough but the masala sauce was excellent. The chicken was perfectly cooked and the sauce was flavorful and delicious. The naan was a little thin, but not bad. We guessed it would be a bit more expensive than it actually was, so we were pleasantly surprised when we received the check. Overall we deemed it a very enjoyable indian meal and would definitely return should we find ourselves in Needham again. read more