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    Royal Taj

    4.7 (1.8k reviews)
    PriceyIndian
    Open 11:30 am - 9:15 pm

    Royal Taj Photos

    ROYAL TAJ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Royal Taj

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    Crème brûlée, tiramisu, cheesecake
    Kelly P.

    Upon emphatic recommendation from a friend, Royal Taj became the destination for my birthday dinner on a Wednesday night. I could immediately see why they made Yelp's top 100 romantic restaurants. The outside is meticulously landscaped and lit with soft, beautiful lighting. We were greeted with a smile and seen to our table: sidled up next to the open floor to ceiling window so we could enjoy the breeze and sunset sky. The staff were highly attentive and professional. We thoroughly enjoyed the food and drinks. The mocktails were delicious, creative, and visually quite beautiful. Even the coffee after the meal seemed of excellent quality. There was some sort of misunderstanding about dessert and while we ordered one to split (and could barely justify getting even one because we were so full), they ended up giving us two more on the house. The candle for my birthday was an appreciated touch, too. One remark about the atmosphere that makes a big difference to me is how well they supplied an atmosphere that felt private despite being in a full room. The main dining area was a great deal louder (due to lively large parties), but our offshoot while busy, had tasteful music and we were without any issues hearing one another at normal conversation volume at our table. An area to improve: the hospitality was delightful but we had to decline alcohol twice (gratis, I believe was the intention) at the end of the meal. There are many reasons people do not drink and it should have been enough for us to decline firmly only once.

    Vegetable samosa chaat
    Angel Z.

    Food: the food was decent, with the samosa chaat being a bit too sweet. They also gave us complimentary chai. Service: the staff were nice and attentive Ambiance: it definitely felt royal in the restaurant, with regal decorations everywhere It was a bit expensive which contributed to my rating (after tax and tip it was about $66 per person)

    Crab tikka masala
    Thomas T.

    This was an amazing experience. A gem in the Columbia area. The food was so flavorful and plenty. I got crab tikka masala and it was perfect. The crab was real and plenty, the sauce was perfectly textured and flavored. Had some spice with coconut to balance it. Was amazing with rice too. Also got the chicken kebab and that was perfectly flavored and tender. The chili garlic naan was spicy! My cousin got salmon and when you put the lemon on it, it tasted great. Only complaint was the lemonade, it had a foul taste and smell. Idk if that's just how they make it or not. The manager, I think, with the bald head. Was super friendly and helpful. We came at night on a Friday without reservation and he quickly sat us down. Genuine hospitality. I defintely would come back. Great place to bring guests as well

    Rose H.

    I absolutely recommend this location! The food was incredible- lots of flavor and extremely tasty. I had the butter chicken and chicken tikka masala. The dessert menu was also very delicious. Service was exceptional (was greeted by the door, walked around to the bathroom, my glass of water was filled each time I took a sip, and was checked on multiple times). The bar was also STACKED with options and the drinks they made looked great. Ambiance was so grand and royal! I'm definitely coming back.

    Christine H.

    Yet another great review for this restaurant. I think the one recommendation I have is to balance the creamy dishes (such as the butter chicken or other "softer" curries) with the more liquid based curries (such as the lamb curry). Otherwise, you do have a mixture of overpowering flavors that may not gel with one another. But nothing beats the service here, the never ending rice, and the absolutely phenomenal flavors that have you wanting more.

    Samosas
    Clara K.

    Really the best Indian food in HOCO. Well decorated, cozy ambiance setting compare to typical Indian places. Perfect to have family celebrations. Their service is fast and great. We usually have Tikka masala and lamb vindaloo. So so good! Highly recommend for those who live in HOCO.

    Demond S.

    Royal Taj, where fine dining meets great Bourbon. I mean from the ceiling to the floor, it was bourbon galore. I did not mean to rhyme but it is true. I was very impressed as I looked around the restaurant. They have by far one of the most extensive bourbon collections in the area. Royal Taj is a tri-fecta; great Indian cuisine, bourbon + Whiskey, and great service. I met the owner, he was awesome. I look forward to my next visit.

    Samosa chaat
    Aaron G.

    This place has amazing Indian food. As someone who is Indian who typically does not like to go out to eat at Indian restaurants, this is definitely one of the exceptions because everything is done well. We went here for my friends birthday and the staff was very attentive. They cut our cake and served it for us, took pictures for us, and even gave everyone a complimentary shot because it was my friends birthday. The food here is great; I really can't find anything that I don't like. For the appetizers I definitely recommend the samosa chaat. It's like a deconstructed samosa with chutney and sauce on top. Very delicious. For the entrees, I really enjoyed the chicken korma, the lamb shag, and the chicken vindaloo. The chicken korma is super rich and creamy - you can taste the nuts that go into the sauce. The lamp shag - lamb with spinach is delicious; the spinach is creamy and rich and it pairs well with the tender lamb chunks The chicken vindaloo is also very delicious - it has that acidic tang to it but it's subtle and more of a complimentary flavor which I can really appreciate. Vindaloo made by my family is typically much more acidic tasting so I actually like this restaurants better. Over all the food was great; the quality is amazing and while the portions may not seem huge, it's really rich and is actually a lot of food! I always recommend family style at Indian restaurants; each dish is so different and it's fun to try a lot of them!

    Chicken Saag
    Debby J.

    Came here today for my breakfast and Royal Taj did not disappoint. The food, service and atmosphere are fantastic

    Klara C.

    Large parking lot and so I had no problems with finding parking. I don't recall if we made a reservation but we didn't have any problems with getting a seat. I used to live in the area and have never been here but so glad I was able to come here. The food was delicious and the service was top notch. We ordered the Shami Kabob for an appetizer and then I ordered the Goat Biryani and Garlic Naan. The Shami Kabob was well fried and not oily. It had a really great flavor. I loved the Goat Biryani and they do warn you that it has bones in it but it did seem more bone than meat. Overall, the flavors were amazing and the drinks were very good. I would definitely recommend coming here and service was definitely notable.

    Layers of flavor, perfectly spiced  #LambBiryaniLove"
    Sandra S.

    Amazing food and great atmosphere! Royal Taj exceeded my expectations. The flavors were rich and authentic, and every dish we tried was cooked perfectly. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. The ambiance is cozy and inviting, making it perfect for both a casual meal or a special night out. I especially loved their [insert favorite dish, e.g., butter chicken or biryani]--absolutely delicious! Highly recommend Royal Taj to anyone craving authentic Indian cuisine. I'll definitely be coming back.

    Items We Enjoyed
    Lizzi P.

    We were traveling and trying to find someplace good for lunch. We ended up trying Royal Taj and it was delightful. Even at lunchtime, there were no less than 25 staff members standing around, waiting to accommodate the customer with superior service. Numerous employees stopped by to check on us. The second there was a single crumb on our tablecloth, somebody came up and wiped it away. Jesmon expertly answered all of our questions about the food content without having to go back and ask the chef a single time. Clearly they are all well trained. The food was also delicious. And if the service and food were not good enough, the atmosphere was lovely. It was impeccably clean and beautifully decorated. Highly recommend this for a special event or just an every day treat.

    Chicken Biryani
    Salma C.

    This is a Punjabi restaurant and I've grown up eating that cuisine/I cook it. While I didn't order Punjabi dishes, I wasn't impressed with the chai or food. Even if a dish isn't Punjabi per se, a Punjabi restaurant makes everything from chai to any dish FLAVOR PACKED. I purposely got dishes that I don't eat much like Gobi Manchurian and Chicken Biryani. The Gobi (Cauliflower) was just okay- I expected it to be super crunchy and it wasn't. The biryani was meh- I wish it was more spicy (and I told the waiter to make it extra spicy!) Also, the portions are small considering what they're priced for. I have to say the chai was the most disappointing thing. I take my chai seriously and this was a disgrace; I asked for masala chai. The flavor...just no...I tried adding more sugar than I normally take to force myself to finish it. The ambiance is amazing though. You definitely feel transported into the British India/Maharaja Royal vibe. I would give this place another chance MAYBE with different dishes, but honestly I can cook this stuff myself for more flavor and for a fraction of the price.

    Chai

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    5 months ago

    This place is top tier, the best customer service the most amazing tasting flavors of Indian cuisine please go.

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    Royal Taj Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Royal Taj

    Is there a date when the buffet will re-open?

    Right now it's TBD but they are hoping to do it soon.

    Has the buffet opened up since covid?

    Nope.

    What items are on the buffet?

    Specifically I don't know. I believe it changes. However, I've seen it while eating there, it's extensive! The buffet table is more than 30 feet in length!

    Does Royal Taj cater?

    I'm fairly sure that they do not. They're very focused on their location. You could have your event there...it's pretty beautiful.

    What is the current Weekdays Lunch buffet price and Weekend price?

    Weekday buffet is $16. It's a total bargain!!!

    Are there halal options?

    No, but there is a vegetarian menu.

    View All 7 Questions

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    House of India - Biryani and cucumber raita

    House of India

    4.0(272 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    First of all I have te say about to our server Tapa, he…read moremeet with as genial, cheerful and smiling face from the beginning to the end. He was very kind. The was ok. We tried battaniye, meet samos and one of street food of India, (fried Spanich, it was different but tasty) and cucumber Rita. By the way they bring Rita with biryani, too. the place otantik but looks a bit old. There is a buffet, but we were late and nearly things was finished. Tapa also, offerd us traditional dessert at the and.

    Went there on a Saturday for lunch buffet. It's a big disappointment as we entered and saw the…read morefood placed. We still convinced ourselves saying maybe the food tastes good. We saw only a few items , but costing $20+ per person and we were 4 of us. All the food trays were empty and the food was served cold while it was 12 noon. We checked with the manager about this and asked if they could serve the food hot. We didn't get a very positive response but he kept saying the food is hot. We had started eating and were in dilemma to continue eating or just pay and leave. Finally we were frustrated and decided to leave the place. We asked for the bill, and he charged us for two people originally and charged it to one person. We paid the bill and left the place. I didn't want to post this, that's why it took me about 3-4 weeks. But I still wanted to put it out there so that they can take the customers bit seriously for the food they serve and the money they charge. While they run their business to earn dollars they should think that even the customers that visit them work hard thru the week and just want to spend some good time with their family on a weekend, and they pay from their hard earned money. So it's mutual. Don't take your customers for granted, and serve them whatever in the name of Indian food. This is nowhere Indian both in terms of taste or service. Please change your restaurant name anything but India., because I know you are not an Indian restaurant.

    Photos
    House of India - Inside

    Inside

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    House of India

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    Royal Taj - indpak - Updated May 2026

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