The food at Persis Biryani Indian Grill was flavorful, aromatic, and really satisfying. We ordered biryani along with butter chicken, garlic naan, and a few sides to share. The biryani was fragrant with perfectly seasoned rice and tender meat, while the butter chicken was creamy and rich. The naan was warm and soft, making it perfect for dipping into the sauces. Everything came out hot and fresh, making it a great spot for a hearty Indian meal. read more

Cuisine: 7 Service: 6 Decor: 7 Value: 7 Overall: 7 Finding good Indian cuisine in Lexington was never even a thought. When I drove by this interesting looking restaurant, I had to check it out. What I found is a surprisingly authentic experience. My favorite dish so far has been the Fish Rogan Josh, which they apparently use talapia. The portion looks normal, but there is a lot of fish in the bowl. Saag Paneer and Mulligatawny Soup are pretty good too. On the downside, the Garlic Naan lacked flavor and slightly stiff. Don't bother with the Hot & Sour Soup. I would definitely come and try more of the menu if I lived nearby. Not sure if there are better Indian cuisine in this neck of the woods, but I wouldn't need it with Persis Biryani Indian Grill nearby. read more

See all

Thoroughly enjoyed this place from start to finish. Really great service and food. We had: Butter Chicken Tikka Masala Lamb Biryani Chili Fried Rice Bread Assortment Everyone enjoyed their dish and we served it at our table family style. We will be back!! read more

Persis Biryani Indian Grill - Assorted Bread Basket - Indian Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

See all

I love the amazing flavor of every dish. It's great to be able to eat authentic foods from time to time. The atmosphere is very laid back and great for family or friends. Most dishes have a certain spice level (1-6). I usually get a 5 or 6 and they truly have kick. Tandoori is my favorite type of dish style as it presents with a roasted flavor without the sauce. read more

See all

Great Sunday buffet with live dosa and chaat station. Buffet included masala chai and lassi. There wasn't a whole lot of vegetarian items but I was happy and still ate way too much. Besides the live dosa man, service was non existent. Nobody ever cleared the dirty plates from the table and I had to go ask for cups for the water, even though they had places a container of water on the table. The small bowls that are usually made of stainless steel at Indian buffets were Styrofoam here, which I did not like at all. Prices are higher than what they advertised on their Facebook page. They add a surcharge for paying with a credit card. It was $51 and some change for two of us to eat after tax. Not bad for what we got. I've eaten dinner here too, off the menu and enjoyed my dosa and daal tadka. read more

I tried this place for the first time today while in town. I ordered saag paneer, tandoori chicken, garlic naan and mango lassi. I liked everything but the saag. It is my favorite thing to order at indian restaurants, but this place didn't do a good job. It was too liquidy and lacked flavor. Also I am used to getting a nice full glass of mango lassi, this one was rather small for $6.17. The whole thing cost $47.88 plus tips. The place was nice, clean, and spacious. The server kept wanting me to pay the bill while in the middle of eating and I had to ask what was the rush. Let people enjoy their meal, so I was annoyed by that. Otherwise this place is worth trying. I will stay away from the saag next time. read more

See all

It was very good. Portions were good size and very tasty. Will go back. Will recommend to friends

A very consistent good Indian food. Very flavorful and quality never disappoints. Our main go to for Indian in Columbia.

Excellent place! We have a few decent Indian restaurants in the Columbia area. I finally tried this place after wanting to for years. My son and I had a hankering for Indian food and decided to try it. We weren't disappointed! We had the onion Pakoda as an appetizer, and it was phenomenal. We then ordered Chicken Korma and the Shrimp Masala, both with a spice level of three out of five. It was about what I expected spice-wise and both are quite tasty. The Garlic Naan is the perfect side. I tried the Rasmalai for dessert. It was different, but also good. I washed my meal down with a Kingfisher. The service is really good. The ambiance is good. The food is very good! read more

Great restaurant!! I've been here a few times and it's always been great. Today I caught the Sunday Buffet Special and it was amazing. The staff is friendly and very helpful especially Amin. He's awesome. Comfortable atmosphere will definitely return. read more

Persis Biryani Indian Grill - Indian Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

After three years in the area, we decided to try some Indian food. We've had Indian in Kolkata, D.C., and London, so we know some of more common dishes quite well. Our group of four started with a shared appetizer called chaat. For those not familar with chaat, I liken it to Indian nachos. Ours had a base of potato samosa (a savory deep fried pastry pocket). The samosas are then covered in a chickpea curry sauce, which is garnished with chopped onion, cilantro, and crunchy bits of sev (chickpeas noodle). My only complaint is the portion. It's small as a shared dish! For our entree's, I had the tandoori chicken. Well, lots of delicious spicy flavor and what a portion--Five large chunks of chicken breast. If you like white meat, this one's for you. The breast were a little bit dry, but that's no fault of the Chef. I think I might like to try it with boneless chicken thighs. My wife had an old favorite: tikka chicken masala. Served over white rice, this classic features tender pieces of chicken simmered in a creamy, spicy tomato tomato sauce. Oh, speaking of spice levels, each entrée can be customized from mild to very hot to suit you taste. Our friends had the butter chicken and the goat curry. (Meat in a spicy brown curry says). Butter chicken is similar to the chicken masala, but not as spicy. The interior of the restaurant is OK but nothing fancy. As you can see from outside picture of the building, it is a converted Mexican restaurant . The service was okay. When we arrived, the place wasn't very busy, but soon filled up in about an hour. There was a little bit of a wait between our bread (warm and delicious by the way) and the entrées, but we were all OK with that. Oh my wife had a mango lassi. Which she thought was great! Highly recommend Persis for authentic Indian food! The menu offers, a high variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices. I'm sure you're going to find a favorite that you love! read more

See all

Came to this restaurant upon a recommendation and it did not disappoint! We ordered a variety of dishes, definitely the standout was the shrimp nawabi badami. They offer a level 1 thru 6 for spiciness and we went with a level 3, and that was just the right amount of spice for my palate. If you can handle more spice you can definitely go for more. Service was very quick, so very easy to do on a lunch break. The restaurant was quiet and a nice aroma of flavor is in the air. Highly recommend if you are looking for Indian food in the area. read more

See all

This is the best Indian restaurant in Columbia. Food and service are superb. We usually get Chicken Tikka Masala with garlic naan. Highly recommend. read more

Really good indian food. Plenty of outdoor parking. This place has a small dining room open so there isn't a lot of space for private discussion but it doesn't matter because the food is amazing. It is reasonably priced, great service, and authentic tasty food. We ordered butter chicken because it is the best! And got food to go, and they did a great job with everything. Will be back anytime the indian food craving hits. read more

When you walk in the aroma of spices fills the air. As anticipated, the food is filled with flavor even if you get "baby spice". For starters, we always get the mango lassi which is always delicious. One kid ordered so many, we stopped counting. So, to get to the nitty gritty. Our appetizers were cheese naan and onion pakoora. The onion pakoora are fried onions with chick pea batter. They come perfectly fried and with a sweet tamarind sauce and a creamy, but spicy sauce. For the entrees, we always get bone-in tandoori chicken which comes out sizzling. The bone-in pieces are thighs and legs which are tender and flavorful. Our second favorite entree is the butter chicken is sweet and savory. And lastly, the sag paneer is ceam and sliggtly spicy. The servings are really enough for 2 people. Remember, this review is for "baby spice" level of spice. If you like spicy, they will spice it up for you. Sometimes there is a wait, so order appetizers. The wait staff is friendly and attentive. read more

Best Indian food in Abe had so far here in Columbia. This place was bust on a Sunday afternoon, but they sat us quickly, we ordered and our food was soo good! I absolutely love onion pakora, but the last place I had it was awful, but this and the lamb vindaloo met my expectations and then some! We WILL be back to try other dishes as they have a wide variety at very reasonable prices. read more

See all

This is my go-to in the Columbia area. The food has been consistently good. The vibes leave a little to be desired. I wish it had more color and music. The service is always thorough and kind. Language barrier is a mild issue, but overall able to communicate my order. read more

Highly recommend this flavorful place with a wide open feel. Authentic dishes, served family style and spiced just right. Honestly did NOT expect to find a place like this in Columbia SC... but I stand corrected! Great date night location because great sized meals and does not break the bank. Only constructive feedback I'd give would be for the service to be more timely - we waited a few minutes and it wasn't that busy. O/w great family place. read more

The inside is pretty standard, but the wait staff took a bit long in between visits. Though that's not something I typically care too much about. There was a decent amount of clientele right before closing. The food was fantastic. This was my first time trying Indian food and I will definitely be eating some again. I got the goat curry (4) and my friend and I split a chole batura (4). She got the malai kofta (4) and the bagara baingan (5). *For context, they ask a spice level out of 6. The numbers are the spice levels we chose. The chole batura was decently spicy but really good. The spice didn't overshadow the flavor. The bread(?) that was with it was so fluffy and light, and accompanied the chickpea masala perfectly, and this is coming from someone who doesn't really like chickpeas. My goat curry was what I enjoyed the most. It had a deep rich flavor, and had the perfect level of spice. The goat was nice and tender and went great with some garlic naan. The meal also came with a large bowl of rice for us to split. I took a small taste of my friend's food, and the malai kofta was pleasantly sweet. The bagara baingan was pretty good, but I definitely preferred the goat curry. She enjoyed her food, however. My friend and I both didn't finish our food, and we took home containers filled with our curries/stews and split the rice. You definitely get your money's worth. For dessert she got a mango lassi and gave me a sip. It was very smooth (very yogurt-y). I personally don't like mango, but she was a big fan. I got a strawberry shahi kulfi, and it was so much more creamy than I was expecting. Honestly, this place made me realize that I was pretty dumb for being too scared to try Indian food. Overall: Chole batura: 8.2/10 Goat curry: 8.5/10 Malai kofta (friend's rating): 8/10 Bagara baingan (friend's rating): 8/10 Mango lassi (friend's rating): 10/10 Shahi kulfi - strawberry: 7/10 Total (combined): ~$60.95 (minus gratuity) read more

Persis Biryani Indian Grill - Chole Batura, Goat Curry, Bagara Baigan, and Garlic Naan. - Indian Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

This is always my go to Indian food place in Columbia. This has the most authentic Indian food in the area. The service is always great. The portions are large and the spice levels are on point. read more

A place on the outskirts of town that looked worn, with signage about price increases and obvious pandemic related troubles. But they're producing some quality food, judging by the majestic podi dosa I ordered, a South Indian specialty that isn't always easy to find. For the uninitiated, a dosa is a lentil-based savory crepe, and podi is a spicy powder that the inside is coated with; it also comes with a soup and some chutneys. Even tastier was a chole batura, chickpeas which I asked for spicy and which delivered a solid burn, accompanied with some fresh garnishes and fried bread for dipping. I was a bit miffed that when I asked for water they brought me a single bottled water (and charged me for it without telling me). Maybe there's something wrong with their tap water or maybe they're just trying to find ways to make a buck. Given that South Carolina is not exactly overflowing with quality Indian food, I hope they keep going. read more

See all

We placed an order to go for the vegetable marsala with # 1 in spiciness... Which means mild. It was exactly what we were expecting, & every bite was delicious. The staff was friendly and helpful. read more

The food and service was excellent. We came with five people. They sat us immediately. The food came out quickly and was delicious. We will be coming back. read more

OMG. I can't forget this place. We stoped for one night in the close hotel during our vacation and just wanted to take a dinner. Service was amazing, everyone was so respectful and polite. We ask to recommend the best from menu, and got so much amazing , and so tasty food! Sure it was too much, and we grabbed all left. I finished everything next day... oh, how I want it again. Please, visit this place, it's awesome! Highly recommend! read more

This was our first experience with Indian food. I'm glad I came here to try it out. The staff was very helpful. At first we were going to order take out, but they weren't crowded and Kasim was very helpful with explaining things on the menu. We decided to stay. When ordering he asked what "heat level" we'd like ranging from 1 - 6. I chose 2 and my mom chose 3. I don't do spicy food so I though a 2 was going to be like Bojangles chicken hot, but whew my mouth was on fire! No exaggeration. My mother eats hot food and even she said her 3 was hot so I know I wasn't being dramatic. However, it was still good. We ordered the Butter Chicken (it comes with white rice), Lamb Korma, Naan bread and Mango Lassi to drink. 10/10 on everything. read more

Persis Biryani Indian Grill - White rice w/Butter Chicken - Indian Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

See all

Naan was tough like it was baked yesterday. The heat on the food was ok and as ordered. . Tiny tiny portion of rice to be shared with two people ordering two meals. Think a Mc Ds cheeseburger carton of rice. Ordered the Butter chicken and Assorted Tandoori platter. It says shrimp. No shrimp. The ground "meat" was burnt to a crisp and tough. I'll give 5 stars for making ground meat tough. Butter chicken was fine. Maybe a 3. Overall poor. I eat Indian food all over the world and this is probably where it belongs. As far away from India as possible. Naan from the Publix is better. Could be excellent compared to others around here. A big fail compared to all the others I've had. Probably wouldn't pass as a Sams Club premade dinner. read more

Persis Biryani Indian Grill - The Tandoori platter. - Indian Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

The name in the front of the sign says 'Indian and Mexican' and I was extremely skeptical, but this place was right near my hotel so I figured I would check it out. I eat Indian food a lot, so I think my standards are pretty high, and this place was really amazing. Their Masala Chai is thick and a bit creamy. It's really hard to find good Masala Chai and this is one of the best I've ever had. I ordered the Mulligatawny and my friend got the chilli pepper app, which was delicious. Their chickpea batter was so flavorful, fresh, and perfectly lightly fried. I got the Saag Paneer and garlic naan. The Saag Paneer was extremely flavorful and fresh. I loved it! I got a spice level 3 out of 6, which was spicier than the 'medium' I order at other places, so order spice conservatively! I should also note the menu is extensive. There's a great variety and some dishes you don't see very often at Indian restaurants. This place really pleasantly surprised me. Staff was very nice and service was pretty fast. Highly recommend this spot!!! If I was in Columbia longer, I would definitely come back to try more. read more

Persis Biryani Indian Grill - Butter chicken (top) and saag paneer (bottom) - Indian Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

My family and I wanted to have Indian food for dinner, but there are not a lot of Indian restaurants in Columbia. We decided to go to Persis Biryani Indian Grill which is right next to Hamricks and had a wonderful time and experience. When we first walked in we were greeted by their wonderful staff. The restaurant is decorated beautifully, it feels like you are in India, and the fragrances of the various Indian spices flow through the restaurant and it is a pleasant smell to smell. Persis Biryani Indian Grill originally had an Indian buffet but after Covid they decided to not have it anymore, but their sit down service for my family was a 10/10 our waitress was attentive,kind, and patience with my family because we had a hard time deciding what we wanted because of the variety Persis had to offer. They have vegetarian options, Tandoori(Traditional clay oven), south Indian, soups, salads, bread, and deserts. One downfall I would say is that their menus were not up to date with their prices; what I mean by this is that if you order a $14 meal it would actually be $16. Nevertheless, their food was spectacular; some of my family had the Tandoori Chicken ($14.99), Paneer Butter Masala, and I had the butter chicken ($14.99) and Naan bread ($3.99). The portions were more than enough and mine came with a bowl of rice. One aspect I like about Persis is that you can pick your spice level; what I mean by this is that if you don't like spicy food you can get baby mild, but if you love spicy food then you can put your tongue on fire with very hot. No worries if you are in a hurry and have the urge for Indian food, then you can order at Persis Biryani Indian Grill because they also offer pick up. The environment in the restaurant is very clean, there is no dirt or any dust on the floor, and the staff kept the restaurant up to par, the tables were always cleaned and placed with new dishes and silverware. If you are in the area or want to try some Indian food I would definitely recommend coming to Persis Biryani Indian Grill and indulge yourself in the Indian culture. I will definitely be coming back and trying more of their food options and I hope you do the same. read more

See all

Had an office party there The food was great There are 2 meeting rooms, call early to get the nice one read more

Been here a couple of times now. I'd like to find a better Indian restaurant in Columbia but I haven't tried too hard yet. Ambiance is fine. You kinda sit in the middle of the restaurant on a platform, but it's fine. The service here isn't great. Tonight the server knocked over my beer. He didn't get me a new one nor did he take it off the bill. Or even apologize. They don't clear plates. Just sort of peeved after the beer incident. Food was OK. I've noticed their naan isn't very good - thin and not fluffy - and they don't have a chutney or a sweet dipping sauce. Just a mint sauce which they charged me $1 for and it isn't good. Again, the beer incident has me annoyed LOL. read more

One of the hardest things about relocating to a smaller city has been finding authentic international cuisine. Persis offers both delicious food (say yes to the Samosa) and hospitality generally only seen in family-owned restaurants. Haseeb took care of us from the moment we sat down and we will be asking for him by name moving forward. Great and relaxed atmosphere paired with equally superb hospitality and food cannot be beat! read more

Came in late in the evening. Not many places in the vicinity of the hotel so I thought I'd try this Indian restaurant. I asked to sit at the bar thinking service would be quicker. Was given a menu when I sat down and I started to look it over. The menu had obviously been around for a while because I couldn't even read half the items as the words were worn away. Waited a while before a waiter finally came over (no one actively working the bar unless something is ordered). He asked for my order to which I ordered a drink and asked if they had any spicy items on the menu. He explained that anything could be made spicy on a level of 1 to 6. He then immediately starting making a couple of suggestions. I ended up ordering the Chicken Persis Tikka Masala. He asked what spicy level I'd like and I asked for a 4 thinking it'd have a little heat. The food came out very fast, almost like it was prepared based on the suggestions the waiter had made. The food was good, however it was not spicy at all. Next time I guess I'll get the 6 so I can feel the spicy. read more

Persis Biryani Indian Grill - Rice and Chicken Persis Tikka Masala (level 4 of 6 spicy) - Indian Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Waited over 10 mins to order drinks. The food was okay but over priced. Village of India is our regular spot and it definitely will be our only spot. read more

This is the very best Indian food in the state! I eat here at least once a week, even if I have to drive two hours. The food is always perfect, the service is amazing, and the prices are very reasonable.. and the proportions are all very large. I don't know what I would do without Persis! I love them and recommend it to any and every one, even if it is a catering order. read more

The food was really great. The garlic naan had a great crunch and flavor. The samosas were well done. Tikka Masala was very flavorful as well. Haseeb waited on us. He was very helpful with recommendations and helped my friend who is sensitive to the spice with a lassee. Overall, Persis was great and reasonably priced! read more

I had chicken 65, tandoori chicken, chicken korma and plain naan. All of it was absolute perfection. Just the right amount of spice for someone who likes spicy but mild. I got a level 2 heat level. My boyfriend that came got a level 1 spicy level but it was too much for him bc he doesn't do spicy AT ALL. He wasn't impressed but I was in hog heaven. Beautiful lights and table setup. Lovely classy place! They give you a beautiful canister of water for the meal. I CANT WAIT TO GO BACK!!! Friendly service that can help you choose what to order read more

See all

When I went I ordered the butter chicken (FANTASTIC!). Also, I found a cat outside Persis. She was maybe 2 months old and crying in a bush. I took her home and now she's my cat. I named her Soup. So, safe to say I love this place and recommend. :) read more

I stumbled upon a Groupon for this restaurant and I was thoroughly impressed! I had the butter chicken that was quite delightful. The establishment was clean and welcoming! read more

Persis Biryani Indian Grill - Indian Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Note: I would like to call out that the staff is not wearing masks and not following any kind of distancing from the customers while taking and serving orders. Not many options exist for Indian food in Columbia,SC Only known franchise type restaurant is Persis. I wouldn't say food is excellent but its not bad. But their quantities for the appetizers are pathetic. Not worth for the price they charge. Their curries tastes good. One major major and serious complaint about their boneless chicken biryani is they dump tons of chicken 65 pieces and put very less rice in the order. Once you finish the top layer of rice form your order you should dig and search for biryani rice in the midst of too many 65 pieces. I have complained about this several times but they don't seem to change in that area. read more

See all

I was a bit skeptical when I pulled I to the parking lot. It seemed pretty dead and maybe a touch run down. This all changed once I opened the door and the smell of luxurious Indian spices hit me and I realized that this was the perfect choice. Further once I walked in and saw the customer base it was apparent that this was THE place for Indian. We were seated right away. The waiter spoke very softly which everyone at my table liked a lot. After some deliberation my table figured out what we wanted. I ordered the lamb chettinadu along with the garlic naan. I also ordered a mango lassi as I saw that a bunch of the Indian diners had a glass and figured I should give it a try. After maybe 15 minutes our food came out and it was sooo much food. As you can see from the picture the entire table was covered in food and plates. Not only was the food high volume but also very high quality. My brother found chunks of bone in his goat dish and was elated at this fact. It's clear that these dishes are high quality and cooked for quite a while. The food was very well balanced, a wonderful melange of spices and tender meat. The naan was exceptional! The mango lassi paired very well with the meal and in fact helped to alleviate the burn. My table mates eventually also all order a mango lassi. Overall a phenomenal place I wholeheartedly recommend read more

Persis Biryani Indian Grill - Our meal - Indian Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina