Minerva in Gaithersburg is not lavishly decorated but we were greeted and seated immediately upon arriving. 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. read more

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I've been here several times for the lunch buffet, and, more recently, have had dinner here (with a Groupon each time). I have to say that I enjoy the dinners more than the lunch buffet. And I would say that even if I was not using coupon. We started with soups: mulligatawny and Sambar. Both were delicious. Then we shared an appetizer of Ginger Shrimp. The shrimp were lightly fried and coated with a delicious coating. Not "overly" gingered for me. The appetizer came with two sauces (one spicy and one sweeter) that were good, but I didn't think were needed because the shrimp were good on their own. For entrees, we got the Palak Paneer (mild) and Chicken Tikka Masala (medium spice). Again, both were delicious. The rice accompanying the entrees was well prepared. We ordered a Garlic Naan that was deliciously garlicky. The soups and appetizer mostly filled us up, so we took the entrees home and had them for lunch the next day. Everything microwaved well (including the rice) and the leftovers were outstanding. Service is overall good. So now I can recommend both for lunch buffet and for dinner. read more

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Minerva is a very good option for Indian cuisine in Gaithersburg, MD. The business claims to feature menu options from 6 different regions of India curated and prepared by chefs from those regions. Their diversity is evident by their restaurant menu. I appreciate the good customer service and comfortable seating here. They have standard chair and large booth seating available indoors. I like the booth seating because it accommodates large parties. There is no outdoor seating here. I'd categorize the food as authentic, however they certainly can afford to increase the spice level. They haven't completely modified their spice level and flavor to accommodate the region, but it is obvious they have considered their demographic. Overall, a very good Indian restaurant experience and I will visit again when in the area. read more

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

Decent lunch buffet with a good selection. Several of the dishes had a good amount of heat which I liked, they don't dumb it down like most places. I liked the fish curry, the goat curry was really tender, and tandorri chicken was moist. The butter chicken was disappointing as the chicken was really overcooked. They ran out of naan and didn't refresh and the dosa they passed around had little filling. The chicken biryani was good, but thought it was odd they didn't have plain basmati rice on the buffet. I'd try it again to see what other dishes they make well. read more

Not bad and not the greatest Indian buffet. It probably has best selection from all of the Indian buffets around. And the curries had quite a bit of spice kick to it, which I like. Paneer mahkni was good, healthy amounts of paneer in and you didn't have to go hunting for it. Lady walked around with dosas which was fresh and good. They also had gulab jamun and kheer for sweets after the meal. I would totally come back. And for $18.99 this is still pretty affordable for AYCE. Service was super fast and friendly. The place was filled by lunch time. But no wait. Parking also not an issue with the huge lot outside. read more

Minerva has the best Indian Lunch Buffet in the Rockville/Gaithersburg area. The food is always delicious and high quality and the buffet is a great way to try out a variety of items. My favorite dishes are the Channa Masala, Aloo Gobi, and Butter Chicken. Visit Minerva if you want a high quality Indian meal. read more

Minerva - Naan, Chicken Curry, Butter Chicken, Chicken Biryani, and Saag Paneer - Indian Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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I ordered the veg spring roll, chicken tikka masala and garlic naan. The spring rolls had really good flavor but were very crispy (not a bad thing just a note). The chicken was SUPER tender and the flavor of the curry was amazing. The garlic naan was very yummy as well! The staff was very friendly as well when i went to pick up my order. read more

Minerva - Chicken Tikka Masala & Garlic Naan - Indian Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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I love a good Indian buffet, and this one was pretty good. Service was great, even if it was only keeping water glasses full. The space itself was clean. There a TV showing a movie that I later found on Nextflix- that made me giggle. The spice level was actual Indian (read: it's spicy for the average sally and joe, but totally tolerable if you like spice at all. my 10 year old did just fine with it). Everything was good. My only wish is for more vegetarian options. The meat options outnumbered the veggie choices, so I was a little limited in my enjoyment. Other than that, I'd recommend a stop by. It's probably not my go-to Indian buffet in the area, but it's not bad. read more

This place here is a Diamond in the rough!!! At first the service was a little slow and lacking but it could of been the language barrier. Once I got settled in everything was cool. There is a lot of seating, 2 TV's and a buffet bar. The buffet looked good but I ordered the Lamb Vindaloo extra spicy and it was flavorful. I'd do it again! read more

Minerva - Lamb Vandaloo & Mango Lassi - Indian Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

I ought 2 orders of plain Dosa and 1 order of shrimp biryani. The dosa was cold and the curry comes with dosa taste is really bad and smells also terrible in said curry vegetables also cold. " The manager said " kitchen will serve it heated by microwave. I have been to this restaurant many times this is the first time I've experienced this type of food. The quality of the food was very dissatisfying. read more

Minerva - Plain Dosa - Indian Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Minerva was excellent. From walking in the tables have enough space between them, glasses of water were filled shortly after sitting down, anytime i went up for more, the plates were gone before i came back. The Tikka masala was the best I've ever had and would've kept filling up my plates with that sound but there were so many other good dishes to try. The tandoori chicken was great, the butter chicken was delicious nothing was bad. The negative about this meal was the spice level. I love spicy food but on the spice level I would put it at a 3/5. Some people can't handle that spice or be expecting it at an Indian buffet. I think I read that this was south Indian as opposed to north Indian so that may contribute to why the spice level was different. Overall, I'm happy. It was $65 for two adults and a child for weekend lunch. I'll be back for more. read more

Disappointed with the food quality. I had high hopes for this restaurant, but unfortunately, the food didn't meet expectations. The goat curry was particularly disappointing-the meat was mostly bone, very chewy and tough and the portion size was quite small. The butter chicken also fell short being over cooked and dry, flavorless chicken that lacked the richness I usually associate with the dish. On the positive note the staff were friendly and attentive which I appreciate. However, the overall quality of the food made the experience underwhelming. I do not recommend this place for what they charge. I did not try their buffet during lunch time but maybe that's probably worth it. I wouldn't recommend this place for dinner. read more

I may have been a bit too harsh in my previous review. Food is nom nom good (their goat curry is the best I've tasted in the area). Service is good. Indian music is good. The place does still feel old and out dated. could use a renovation. read more

I have to say this is one of my favorite Indian restaurants. The manager is very sweet as I ordered a Groupon and did not realize you could not use it for the Buffet and it was a one time use only . they help make it right so I could use it for the non buffet food. my fiancé does not like spicy foods, so he ordered his lunch from the menu. It was tandoori chicken kababs. Great presentation as they came out sizzling and look beautifully prepared. They were a little spicy . The manager told us to just tell them next time to ask for not spicy so now we know. There's so much to select from on the Buffet; the warm carrots for dessert are my favorite . The butter chicken is amazing, the fish masala and more were wonderful. it's a taste bud experience and explosion . Finally the naan-bread is made hot. So good. The restaurant was quiet as we arrive late in the lunch time . I would recommend this place for eat in or to go. I've been coming here for almost 30 years and will continue to patronize. read more

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Nice variety of food for vegetarians, delicious and well prepared. Staff was attentive and friendly and did a good job. Nice touch was offering disposable plastic gloves to avoid touching the serving handles that could spread viruses. Unlike some buffets, the restaurant was cleaner than most. More expensive but worth it. read more

A comprehensive menu with traditional North Indian favorites as well as South Indian style items (dosas, uttapam, vadu) and Indo-Chinese offerings. We used to go to the lunch buffet pre-pandemic and were always pleased with the variety of choices offered. This time just dined in for dinner and ordered their vegetable Hakka noodles and palak chana masala. The former was similar to Chinese style lo mein, but much spicier. The palak (spinach) dish was a rich and well-seasoned curry. The chickpeas gave it an extra texture. Loved both dishes and would like to try other options not commonly seen in other Indian restaurants. read more

Minerva - Back: palak Chana saag Masala. Front: vegetable Hakka noodles - Indian Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

The food here is so mediocre, but what makes things worse is that the owner pockets the waiters' tips when they are paid by credit card. I will be reporting this to the appropriate state and local authorities but other patrons need to be aware of this situation. The bad vibes I get every time I come here make a lot more sense now that I know about this. read more

I love Authentic Indian cuisine. Minerva is the place to satisfy all my cravings. On said day, I had my heart set on tandoori chicken. I ordered garlic Naan, a side order of raita (which is like a yogurt sauce ( similar to tzakiki) its definitely good for cooling the palate. I suggest getting a small size, it's a must, for a small fee. I got mine, medium heat. Although, to me it wasn't that spicy. I think I could have handle HOT. It comes with a small side of basmati rice. The tandoori chicken is pickled with red onion and well seasoned, with generous portions. If your starting out on trying Indian food, Get their butter chicken... mmmm mmm Def load up on garlic Naan. Goat curry is good. Lamb Vindaloo mannnnnn, I need a bottle of tums and a nap. You do not wanna eat this before going to bed. If you like Spice Life in Downtown Crown, you love Minerva. Dessert: get Rasmaili... delicious... time for me to take a nap. Zzzzd read more

Delicious dosas and spicy curry dishes! My friends and I ordered a delightful feast! The food was fresh and not oily. Rava Onion Masala Dosa (5/5) - Hands-down the highlight of the night! It was spongy with a crispy porous texture - perfect. The Masala definitely had a spicy kick! The dosa surprisingly kept well for 30 min+. Typically, dosa is best eaten right away and doesn't kept well for than a few min and starts to get really soggy. The dosa was well-made and tasted like it was just off the griddle! Idly (2/5) - Dense and didn't have the pillowy texture that I was hoping for. 3 idly come in an order. When we reheated the idly, they were rock solid. The sambar was very spicy. Skip it and save some room for the dosa! Samosa (5/5) - Medium, crispy shell with spicy potato and pea filling. Exactly what you expect a samosa to be. The sweet brown and tangy green chutneys were great for dipping. Palak Paneer and creamy Malai Kofta (4/5) - Flavorful, but super spicy. While the creamy Malai Kofta gravy was tasty, the kofta croquettes didn't taste that fresh. Our request for Mild was ignored. We received a bucket-loads of rice which helped to dilute the spiciness. A garlic naan was missing from our order and would have been perfect for mopping up all the curry! Fun to try and would definitely come back for the Rava Onion Masala Dosa! Definitely request MILD. read more

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This used to be my favorite Indian spot but it's become my least favorite. The spice is sooooo overwhelming it's not flavorful. I've asked several times for adjustments to the spice level and been told it's not possible???!! I have to officially stop buying from here. I'll now be going to Curry Palace or something else in the Gaithersburg/ Germantown Area. read more

Whoever made the chicken pakora tonight, 7-31-2024 should teach everyone else how to make it. It is the best pakora I have ever had and I also ordered Saturday but it was not nearly as good. It is fried better, and has better spice today. Thank you. read more

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We held a graduation dinner with family and friends for my daughter. The staff were polite and professional and the food was delicious. Highly recommend for great Indian cuisine and family atmosphere. read more

LOVE! My partner and I have ordered take out from here many times but one day we decided to go in and have a meal. Everything was very pleasant. We were greeted in a timely manner, given water (that water was kept filled consistently; very kind) Once we were ready to order the food only took about 15-20 and once it came, it was amazing. I will always rave about their butter chicken!! The restaurant itself is nice, it's quiet and it has a nice color scheme. I will have to come back for the buffet sometime! read more

Their buffet is very good even though a little bit pricey (for weekday $19 per person) Many choices to try.(the day I went there were about 10-15 food if I can remember - a must try food - chicken biryani, chicken saag, butter chicken, paneer butter, Tandoori chicken, egg masala, goat curry, gulab jamun) Most food looks fresh and yummy. Service is ok, some staff is good, some staff is weird, anyway not big thing to complain. But my one concern is about cleanliness, I saw few tables were dirty from food (my table, too) The tablecloths (white) had a sauce or curry on it, I know it is not easy to clean but you should change a new one. For me, it is not really big problem because their food is delicious but another people, I don't know. I want them improve it even though just a small thing but can make different. That's because I don't want to lose my one of a good place to eat in MD. read more

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The last two times I visited Minerva have been an abysmal experience. I dont know if the owners or management have changed or what, but the food has gone severely downhill. The Chicken Biryani is just a combination of chicken bones and balls of spice. The Butter Chicken is boiled chicken, water and a bunch of spices thrown in. The curry is super spicy while the pieces of chicken are so bland. It is as if they didnt salt the chicken before cooking, and just took it out of a freezer and tossed it into the curry. And the prices, my God! The Butter Chicken is listed for $16.99 (already higher than average, even for the DC area), but when I checked the receipt I was charged $19.44. WTH?! In what universe is a cup of Butter Chicken $20? I brought this to the attention of the Owner/Manager, showing him the menu on their site on my phone, and without even putting his head up, "That is the price." I didn't want to make a big deal as there was a family of 4 behind me, waiting in that tiny cramped reception area. To put their prices into perspective, The Butter Chicken Company on Capitol Hill (one of the most expensive areas in DC) charges $13.99 for a larger portion. I am not saying their Butter Chicken is the best ever, but easily better or comparable to Minerva's. Easily. In conclusion, America is going through a tough time right now. Economy is down, inflation is up, money is tough to come and easy to go. Choose wisely where you spend yours. Go where you are valued. Have a nice day. Cheers. read more

Minerva used to be fantastic but has since gone downhill. The restaurant looks worn, dirty and dated. The food quality has also gone down. We used to love the buffet but now, it looks so unappealing. The food has become so spicy it's inedible; (and I do like some spice). Pakak Paneer isn't supposed to be spicy! Many fewer choices now on the lunch buffet. They're mostly serving rice, bean or lentil filler dishes and -few main dishes with chicken/meat. At $19 per person for lunch this is not worth it anymore at all. The Biryani had only specks of meat in it which most people pick out leaving none left for other diners, so several times I needed to ask service staff if they could please add more meat. The rice pudding now looks like water, and gone are the abundant choices. After trying it 4 times in the last 6 months with the same issues, I'm done. Never again read more

We love Indian food and Minerva is our place of choice when we crave for a buffet. Their food is not spectacular but it is always, dependently, good, with a large variety. The service is quick and efficient and the price is not very expensive. In sum, we have been here many times before and will continue to come here. read more

The food at this restaurant is, indeed - tasty; however, the curries are not healthy because they are made with trans fats or partially hydrogenated fats. The only way that a patron would know would be to order one of their dishes like a curry - and take home the leftovers. The leftover sauce will be hardened. read more

My favorite Indian restaurant in the area by far. I order takeout all the time and love a few things: 1) they don't skimp on the quantity 2) the containers are the Tupperware style takeout so they're easy to refrigerate and reheat the next day The rice is the reason I choose this place over all the other nearby places. It's fragrant, buttery, and delicious. I could honestly eat the rice plain and be happy. read more

I had a dinner party at Minerva for nine people. The service was extremely attentive, friendly, and accommodating for all of my guests. I let them know we were coming, and they set up a beautiful table for us; everything went so smoothly. Everyone enjoyed their food, and the atmosphere was relaxing. The food was absolutely fantastic. I highly recommend Minerva. They also have a lunch buffet which is delicious. read more

Whenever my brother is in town, this is a must go to for lunch. The buffet is great and varies. The service people are very nice. If I lived closer, I would frequent the place. read more

Good food Butter chicken is a fav Has buffet Service is good Food comes out quickly Restaurant itself inside is descent read more

This was definitely good food I can say that for sure. The butter chicken was lovely, it had just the right level of spice where it woke me up and cleared my head. But not to the point where it was unpleasant. Everything was quite good. The garlic Naan was one of the less garlicky ones I've had. Now, that isn't necessarily a bad thing but... im Italian, so unless there's 3-5 cloves of garlic in or on something I basically don't taste it. Still good! Just not enough garlic for me personally. They did forget my silverware which I asked for but not like its the end of the world. It would potentially be a problem if I ordered this... say for lunch at work, but not the end of the world at home for dinner. Good food, good temp, I'm happy. 4/5 would recommend. And would eat again. read more

Minerva - My whole dinner in a pic! - Indian Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

I took my parents here for their birthday and was surprised at the sad buffet. We did arrive around 2 and there wasn't anything left much and it was not being refilled timely. Not worth the trip. I have eaten here before and don't remember it being like that. Nothing like the pictures read more

I'm not one to leave bad reviews but had a pretty bad experience coming here for lunch. My main issue was with the anxious and confusing experience this place gave me. First of all, the only option they have for lunch is a buffet. This is fine, but the price of the lunch buffet was not posted anywhere in the restaurant, on the menu, or online that I could find. Turns out it's $15.99 which felt high for the quality of food and terrible ambiance/experience. It was also seat yourself which is pretty standard with buffet service, but there was no sign or staff around to let me know this was the case, so I stood around awkwardly for a few minutes before just grabbing a plate and sitting down. They have 5 big signs posted in the buffet area about not wasting food, one of which stated their right to charge extra for uneaten food on your plate. I am all for reducing food waste but the number of signs and the tone of them felt really aggressive and made me feel very uncomfortable. I took a very modest amount of food in light of this but still felt full before finishing and was so anxious that I forced myself to eat every bite so I wouldn't be charged extra. I felt like I was being watched and monitored for how much I was eating and had to clean my plate to avoid being penalized. The food was fine - nothing to write home about. There was a nice variety of items but they were fairly bland. The only drinks available are water and a few cans of soda you can pull out of a fridge by the buffet. The place looks and feels run down, with parts of the buffet held together by tape and boxes of items for restock stacked in the open. This place is right downstairs from where I work and I love Indian so I was excited to try it, but I'll never be back. With tip I paid $20 for mediocre food and a stressful unwelcoming experience. Save yourself the disappointment and go to one of the other many good Indian restaurants on the area. read more

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I just wrote a review of the other nearby Indian Buffet. Minerva was our first choice that day but happened to be closed. The food and service at Minerva's are both excellent with a great assortment of dishes from which to choose, or try all! Those dishes that are spicy hot in India were appropriately spicy hot, and delicious, here! I am gluten free and was appropriately advised about the very things to avoid. SADLY, Samosas are wheat based and are now forbidden to me. They looked AWESOME. We WILL return. read more

I went to this place with my wife for dinner. The service was ok, we were waiting quite a while to order, for refills, and for the check. I ordered the chicken saag, and really liked it. My wife ordered the butter chicken which was spicier than any other butter chicken we had before. I liked it, she thought it was ok. While I didn't have it, the buffet set-up is huge and looking at the signs of what they serve is very impressive. read more

Went here for their lunch buffet and it was great. Wonderful service too. The butter chicken was really great

Palak paneer is excellent and luv it spicy and the bryani chicken is mild spicy good. read more

Minerva - Garlic Naan , palak paneer, biryani's chicken mild spicy. All excellent good. - Indian Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland