Love this place!! Amazing food options, the channa tastes like my moms from home! The ambience in the restaurant is lovely and the takeout is always high quality! Will always recommend read more

I finally got to try this place yesterday. I didn't realize how small it was on the inside but there were a few tables and full bar. I placed an order for take-out. Nothing came labeled (slightly annoying) but we enjoyed everything even after the hour long ride home. Both the vegetable and lamb samosas were delicious; perfectly crispy, not greasy, and nice flavor. The vegetable one was a little dry but was so spot on with flavor and had a nice spice to it. I actually preferred it over the lamb. The garlic naan bread was good, but the onion was slightly better. The lamb tikka masala was 10/10 excellent. I ordered this mild and it still was a little spicy. A friendly, buildable spice. The sauce was creamy, and the flavor had a ton of depth. I wish I could pinpoint the flavors so I know what to look for in other places, but I cant. It was just really good. The lamb was tender enough to cut with a fork, and rice was cooked perfectly. I've tried a lot of Tikka Masala and this is one of my top three for sure. read more

This definitely lived up to everyone's recommendation - I had read in several places that this was the best food in the area, regardless of cuisine, and our hotel recommended it as well. We took them all up on it and were very glad we did. The menu has most of the usual favorites but also a few different dishes that you don't find everywhere, and my very tasty lamb dish fell into that category. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the mint chutney that came with the samosas - wow. I don't know what they put in that chutney, but it was the best I've had. This place is right off Mass Ave about a half block down a side street right near the Battle Green, so it's pretty easy to find. Make sure you do. read more

One of my favorite Indian restaurants around. Food very flavorful - especially like the mushroom dish. Prices are also very reasonable. Had to deduct one star due to smell. Sat at table nearby kitchen near the end of the night and the smell was almost unbearable. Think we'll stick to takeout from now on. read more

Currently enjoying the lunch special with three sample size entrees, naan and rice. Every bite is full of powerfully spiced flavors textured perfectly with each ingredient. Even the texture and flavor of the chickpeas are seasoned perfectly and stand out while lathered in delicious sauce. For the price, one of the best meals I've ever had, but also just one of the best meals, period. read more

Royal India Bistro - Indian Near Me - Lexington, Massachusetts

I was in Lexington and decided to stop by this small Indian Bistro. The restaurant is off a main road and is tucked away, kinda hard to find unless you have directions. The parking is on street parking, and may be difficult to find one. The outside of the restaurant is cute and the inside is small and quaint. I was greeted by the sever and seated. We had Chicken Tikka masala, rice and garlic Naan. This was the best Chicken Tikka I ever had, savory and fresh. The Naan was good, could have been better. If you're in the area, eat here. read more

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Quite good Indian food. Garlic naan is excellent. Samosas, butter chicken, and matter paneer all solid as well. Nice corner lot in Lexington's Mass Ave strip with friendly staff. read more

Best desi restaurant ever. The owners and servers are so friendly and kind to every guest who comes in. And the food is absolutely delicious. Great, authentic, high quality Punjabi food from a Punjabi family who knows what they're doing. Love the chill vibes inside the space as well - simple, cozy, and clean. Both my mom and I absolutely love this place. Highly recommend! read more

Still slaps. No doubt this is the best Indian in the area. Don't even try to claim otherwise. In all seriousness I've missed this place dearly since moving away a few years ago. Always make sure to stop by or get takeout when I'm in town with family. read more

Lunch crowd builds quickly at this popular Lexington town restaurant. Tables filled with queue by noon. Special Thali lunch $13 comes with choice of 3 of 4 dishes: chicken tikkila, lentils, cheese cubes and vegetables. Ok. Other lunch special $9-$10 comes with small side of choice of meat (lamb, chicken). read more

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Visited Salem for the weekend and was looking for Indian food on the way home and saw that this place was highly rated in Lexington. We have some family friends in Lexington and always had dinner at their homes, so this was a first! We ordered some tasty classics: GARLIC NAAN Unleavened white bread with garlic. Oh my gosh if you love garlic and bread then this is for you! Naan is typically teardrop-shaped, bread made from ghee and buttermilk kneaded into dough which is then baked in a tandoor (traditional Indian clay oven). It has that slight char and lightly baked texture to it. It's quite light and very easy to stuff your face with. A better version of pita bread, if you will. Got a great, buttery bite to it. ONIONS NAAN Unleavened white bread stuffed with onions. If you're an onion fan THIS is for you! Finely minced onions were kneaded into this dough and it was delicious. I was worried the onion flavor would be too overwhelming to enjoy, but nope this was light and super flavorful. Loved spooning some biryani and chutney on this. Made every bite so freaking phenomenal. POORI Crispy, deep fried puffy bread. This was so interesting because of its appearance, but the taste was interestingly doughy and almost nutty. The first bite was crispy and it gets a little chewier as you chew, but I spooned some biryani and masala on my pieces and it was delicious! Definitely a vehicle for chutneys, sauces, curry, and rice. Really light and tasty. PLAIN DOSA Enormous thin crepe made with rice and lentils, served with coconut chutney and sambhar. The dosa was crispy and crepe-like, very thin so it was pretty thin and easy to break into shareable sizes for everyone at the table. This is a very popular street food in India, famous for its simple ingredients and savory flavor. I can see why! You can have it with anything, we were served coconut chutney which was so creamy and flavorful to spoon onto and enjoy with. Sambhar also came with it which was really, really tasty; a South Indian stew made with lentils, mixed veggies, tamarind, gerbs, spices and the special spice powder of Sambar. So freaking tasty for just a couple of sides! SHRIMP BIRYANI Basmati rice cooked with shrimp, seasoned with fresh ground spices, toasted cashews and raisins. The basmati rice was cooked to al dente perfection and had the perfect bite. The shrimp was nice and tender, but a little salty for my taste. The fresh ground spices made every bite in your mouth sooo wonderful. Loved the addition of toasted cashews and raisins, gave every bite a little added nuttiness and sweetness. What a tasty dish, wish it wasn't too salty. CHICKEN CHILI MASALA (HOT) Boneless tandoori chicken cooked with green chili, onions, peppers and spices. When they said hot spice level, they were not kidding. It was so yummy. The spice level had us sweating a little and that's saying something. It was divine, the chicken was moist and juicy, but the SPICES just made it amazing. Loved this dish so much! CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA (HOT) Boneless diced chicken tandoori cooked in a creamy tomato sauce. The chicken was cooked to perfection, nice and moist, but again this dish was just a little too salty for my taste. Other than that, the spices, the flavors, everything was so on point. The service here was so friendly and fast. They answered all our questions about the various different items on the menu to choose from and what they recommended. I might come back here if I'm in the Lexington area, but I definitely would probably say something about the saltiness for my own peace of mind. Again, they were so nice and the vibes were so chill in here. read more

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The food, presentation and service is always on point here. The ambiance is nice and cozy. The owners are super friendly and always go out of their way to accommodate dietary restrictions. Even the staff is very friendly and helpful. We love everything on their menu, it is so hard to pick favorites. Their Dal makhani and malai kofta are great and so is the Poori Chole. Their lamb chops are delicious and so are the paneer tikka. We have also had food catered on multiple occasions and it has always been a great experience. This past summer they catered a big event for us and it went seamlessly. They went out of their way to make sure everything was well set up and all our guests are still talking about the food. Cannot recommend enough!!!!!!! read more

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Really great Indian food place near Lexington center. We've eaten in a couple of times which was cozy and nice but mostly do take out which is always delicious. Hrm. Now that I write this maybe we will get dinner from them tonight!! read more

Spicy! Spicy! Indian restaurant! Finally! My bf and I decided to dine in on Sunday night since we were in town for the day. The restaurant is cozy with a few tables for small groups. They have a huge menu to choose from and some dishes already come hot and others you can request spicy. We decided on the shared bread basket because it came with onion naan, regular naan and a different puffy bread. All of which were super yummy! We finally decided on getting a biryani dish because we never do and picked lamb. We also got the lamb vindaloo and a chick pea dish. The service was amazing! It was a hot day and it was nice having our cups of water refilled constantly! The food came out nice and hot and they even had mini cute heat trays to keep our food nice and warm throughout our entire meal. The food was delicious! And we ordered most dishes spicy and they really were! We will definitely come back again! read more

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Food and service here is very good. It's a small restaurant but clean. We ordered meat samosas, lamb biriyani, and lamb vindaloo with a side of garlic Naan, mango Lassi and Rupee beer. Everything was delicious. They can adjust the spice level to your liking. Parking is street metered and also paid lots for a quick walk less than 5 mins. read more

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I loved everything about this place. It's small, family room, great menu, fantastic food, wonderful service. After my first time there, I was craving it again as sin as I finished my leftovers. This is definitely my go-to for Indian food in Lexington, and worth a drive if you love in the general area. Plus, it's close to Rancatores, and what tastes better that their ice cream for dessert?! read more

Amazing food, friendly efficient staff, cozy atmosphere. Great takeout as takeout as well. Literally the best garlic naan ive ever had. The most flavorful and delicious chicken chili masala. I had never eaten here before and then I ended up here twice in one week!! read more

Royal India Bistro - Chicken Chili Masala!!!!! - Indian Near Me - Lexington, Massachusetts

You need to not put plastic in food. Super irresponsible. This was disgusting and ruined my appetite. Get it together. read more

Royal India Bistro - How would you like to bite into your curry and there's pieces of plastic/scotch tape in it? - Indian Near Me - Lexington, Massachusetts

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Royal India Bistro has some of the best Indian food in the area. I was with a big group and we ordered a bunch of various appetizers and entrees for takeout. We ordered online and came to pick up the order, which was ready within a reasonable timespan. While we didn't dine in, I was impressed by the interior when we came to pick up the food. In terms of the food, absolutely everything was delicious! I personally ordered the Lamb Vindaloo, which had the perfect level of heat. I also tried the naan and some of the appetizers, which were all very tasty! My only recommendation would be for the restaurant staff to label the takeaway containers, to make it easier to for customers to know which dishes are which. I hope to dine here in person sometime soon. read more

Royal India Bistro - Exterior - Indian Near Me - Lexington, Massachusetts

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While biking on the minutemen trail and crossing through Lexington , an amazing Indian food smell was blasting. We were hungry and decided to stop. The place is small, cozy and well decorated. Service was fast. We started with vegetable pakoras and aloo tikki, both fresh and delicious ! We then had the lunch special, a choice of 3 dishes (chicken tikka masala, Dal Makhani and Aloo Ghobi) , naan and rice! It was perfect to have little taste of 3 different dishes! Definitely will come back! read more

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You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation! You've got a brand new soul. Mmm, and a cross of gold. But Virginia they didn't give you quite enough information!... It's casual dining on royal food... On a journey Paul Revere would be proud of...Royal India/Bharat Bistro delighted us w. "Butter Chicken", moist in a velvet unctuous sauce, "Lamb Saag" the Irish would say "Sláinte" and all... finished with "Kashmiri Naan" w. cherries and pistachios....Yes, wicked mon..:) Come out, come out, come out! Virginia don't let me wait! You Catholic girls start much too late! Sooner or later it comes down to fate. I might as well will be the one... You know that only the good die young! Best, Avram Sam Adams Jr. read more

Royal India Bistro - Virginia says "Eat This"..:) - Indian Near Me - Lexington, Massachusetts

This is our go-to spot. We love it so much. Absolutely everything is delicious. The tikka masala is divine but I highly encourage trying other dishes! There are so many delicious, moist, amazing dishes to try. It's a small location and gets busy but we always get super high quality, fresh, steaming dishes. We do take out for both lunch and dinner. We order for special occasions, including a birthday & cancer anniversary and everyone was extremely happy. Everything is so fresh. They are great about customizing spice levels as well. We have a mix of spicy lovers and mild lovers and there are always lots of options for everyone. read more

My husband and I LOVE the Royal Indian Bistro! We would eat here every week if we could. I love the Saag Paneer, he loves the chicken masala, and we both love the samosas. The mint chutney is always fresh and delicious, too! read more

Shrimp GOA was amazing. Chutney free appetizer was impressive. The shrimp was plump and juicy and cooked just right. And rice is rice but it also had an especially nice texture. But Indian food is about the sauce and it was so creamy and complex and delicious. Best Indian I've had in Boston. I spent 13 dollars. Seems people know. Very busy at noon on a Tuesday. read more

Had their Baigan Bhartha after a long time, it was arill amazing. This is definitely their signature dish. Their channa and dal makhani were also excellent. The bread in the bread basket was good, too. Food was brought out quickly, and service was attentive, too. read more

Royal India Bistro - Bread Basket, channa, dall makhani, baigan bhartha - Indian Near Me - Lexington, Massachusetts

Absolute five stars! Was expecting a lot based on the other reviews and they delivered. The chicken tikka masala was so flavorful as was the malai kofta. I was so excited to see dosas on the menu. The dosa masala was fantastic with so much filling. I love that they place the dishes over an open flame to keep hot. Five star service. Was so happy with this meal. Definitely stop in. read more

Royal India Bistro - Malai Kofta - Indian Near Me - Lexington, Massachusetts

Very small hole in the wall... honestly in every expect fast or attentive service at an India restaurant. And they did not disappoint!;) I got chicken Tika and naan with a chai tea. And shared a mixed veggie app with my guest. The food was very good and had just enough spice to make my mouth water. My partner got the butter chicken and said she loved it. The food was very good here but would probably get take out next time. read more

Best local Indian. Appetizers are excellent. All meals taste authentic. Level of spice requested is spot on.

Its not like I remember it back in 2016. The food was good but the rice was a bit pasty. I'll tell you what though, that chutney they have is phenomenal. I can just eat that all day. It's a cute little restaurant which serves liquor. I ordered this spiked lemonade, it has ammeretro in it which is weird and makes it taste nothing lemonade like. So I asked for another one with out the ammeretro and pretty much got lemonade flavor mix. It's supposed to also have vodka. I sat for 20 minutes before anyone came to our table despite there being so many people standing behind the counter. I do like that they work as a team though, but the service can be slow. But as much as that was nice to see it was also what hinders them. I asked for more chutney and didn't get it till after my meal because no one brought it out thinking someone else did. If the person that took the order brought it out I think it would have been less confusing. The price is decent, it's a good serving/portion. It's a great atmosphere. There's a parking lot on the side. read more

Great discovery in Lexington. Cosy dining space. Chicken tandoori was excellent- the meat was juicy, flavorful, fresh, served in a hot plate on a bed of onions and green peppers. The makhani sauce on the side, basmati rice and condiments rounded out the meal. I also ordered a side of papad and mango chutney, and finished the meal off with a steaming, frothy cup of hot masala chai. read more

Royal India Bistro - Masala chai - Indian Near Me - Lexington, Massachusetts

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This place was great and lived up to our expectations based on previous reviews. The staff were friendly and attentive, the food was great (chicken korma and butter chicken w/ garlic and cheese naan). We went for a late lunch so it wasn't overly busy but I appreciate that our two young children were seated in a nook away from other diners to the extent it was possible. We'll definitely be going back. read more

Delicious! Wide verity, and a lunch combo plate allow you to get what every you like!! The vegetable korma with golden raisins is quite good, especially with their classic naan (which is a must have!). The food usually takes a few minutes to be made - so be sure to be diligent about placing your order. Nice fresh interior with paintings and hanging lights, a great addition to downtown Lexington! read more

Wonderful gem of a restaurant in Lexington. We are from the Bay Area in California where we think we have great Indian restaurants. You have a stellar restaurant here in Lexington. From the moment we arrived, the service was prompt and attentive. The Lamb Rogan Josh was delicious with tender and plentiful lamb while the Fish Curry was equally delicious. They got the exact level of spice we requested (we asked for the extra medium level and they got it perfectly. We wish this place was closer to home and we will certainly be back when we're in the area. read more

Best Indian food in the area! Really love the ambiance - super cute and cozy when you dine in with great service

Lovely little Indian spot in Lexington! Very comfy cozy vibes, friendly service and yummy food! I had the chicken chili masala, which was not really spicy at all but just sweet and good. Excellent garlic naan too! Not the greatest Indian food ever but i was very pleasantly surprised and the overall dining experience was really nice. read more

Royal India Bistro - Garlic Naan and Chicken Chili Masala - Indian Near Me - Lexington, Massachusetts

Food was very good and affordable. We ate in the restaurant. Staff was very attentive and efficient. The restaurant is small, but still comfortable. Have not tried take out. read more

Royal India Bistro - Chicken Korma and paneer Naan. Chicken Saag in the background - Indian Near Me - Lexington, Massachusetts

In used to love this place. I don't know if they have a new owner or what. The menu changed and the food isn't nearly as good. Every single thing we normally order isn't good anymore. read more

Royal India Bistro is my family's go to for takeout Indian food! We love the lunch specials - $12 or so, big portion and comes with rice. Great bang for your buck. They've been alternating between offering indoor dining and only doing takeout. Parking lot in the back or metered street parking. My ABSOLUTE favorites are the goa shrimp curry and the butter chicken. goa shrimp curry: coconut curry, creamy, comes with grilled shrimp butter chicken: tandoori chicken inside a buttery tomato sauce read more

Royal India Bistro really met our expectations! With over four stars on Yelp, we were hoping the food will be great, and it sure was. We walked in on a Thursday night and almost all tables were full. That's a good start! We were seated promptly and service was on point all night. We didn't feel hurried, yet we never had to wait. Papads and chutney were served as snacks. We ordered palak paneer and the paneer tikka masala. Yes, two paneer dishes because their menu mentioned they make the paneer in-house and that got us curious. Both entrees came with rice and when we asked if they could sub for naan/roti, alas, it was a no. So we decided to order it separately. But instead of the usual naan, we went for the poori (or puri), a fried flatbread. I requested our server to make sure it's not too oily as we've tried it at a few places where the oil makes a puddle on your plate. And oh my, that poori was so good. Crispy, cracker-thin, and no oil drips. The paneer was soft and both curries were tasty. We finished up the meal with a salty lassi (no straw, please!). The entire meal was very delicious with enough leftover for next day's lunch! Sure to revisit if we're in the area. read more

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Came here for first time for dinner. Hubby and I ordered the mixed appetizer, kashmir naan, poori, shrimp saag, and chicken vindaloo. Total came out to $48 (without tip). What's Hot - Quality. Yummers! All the food was well-seasoned (except the spiciness level), tender, and not greasy. This may sound silly to some, but hubby said he saw their chef, who looked legit. In other words, their chef was Sikh. For any ethnic restaurant, our general litmus test is that the chef is of the same ethnicity. It is not a hard and fast rule that the chef be the same ethnicity and I'm not saying that quality ethnic food can't be cooked well by someone not of that ethnicity. But generally speaking, ethnic restaurants who have a chef of the same ethnicity is a good indicator. - Portions. Pretty good-sized portions, especially for their prices. Definitely enough to make you full and satisfied. - Menu variety. Something for everyone- meat, vegetarians, vegans, seafood, and desserts! They look like they have a pretty decent drink selection, as well. There is mango-tini, lychee martini, and several other types of mixed drinks! I'll admit hubby and I were impressed by their drink selection. - Price. Pretty reasonable given the portions and the service. - Service. Between being seated, ordering, waiting for our food, and the final bill, everything went smoothly and went well. Staff regularly refilled our waters, checked in on us, and refilled sauces. They also provide free papadam, which is great. - Location. Conveniently located in Lexington. It's at the end of a block, which is nice, because it makes it easier to find. Additionally, there's a parking lot behind the restaurant, where there is free parking. - Health and safety. During this second year of the pandemic, when health and safety recommendations are regularly changing, this restaurant appears to be adhering to a pretty good standard. Some of their staff, but not all, including their chef, wore masks. I saw staff wiping down their plates and tables. After walking through the first front door, they have a second front door that opens to the main dining room. Their second front door has a plastic divider, with an opening where a host will ask if you're picking up food or dining in. It's nice to see they're still taking precautions. What's Not - Parking. Parking in the area isn't necessarily the easiest to find. All street parking near the restaurant is paid parking, which sucks. As mentioned previously, there is a parking lot in the back with free parking. - Spiciness level. Hubby's chicken vindaloo was not spicy at all. He asked for the highest level of spiciness, which it wasn't. Definitely a disappointment. I'm not sure if the restaurant's spiciness level is generally weak or because the chef purposely dulled the spice because hubby is white, but the vindaloo wasn't spicy at all. I've come across this concern with other friends, who are not ethnic minorities, but sometimes there is a concern that food isn't prepared spicy enough, because they don't "look" like they can handle it. Point is, the food isn't spicy, which isn't cool. Final Answer Definitely worth coming back. read more

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