I've lived in the Gaithersburg area long enough that I've tried most of the Indian spots around here, and Royal Tandoor has become one of the ones I keep going back to when I just want something solid without overthinking it. The place has a warm, comfortable feel--nice décor, good lighting, and enough space that it never feels cramped. I've been for both the lunch buffet and regular dinner, and the food has been consistently good. Their butter chicken is reliably creamy and well-seasoned, the garlic naan comes out soft and fresh, and the lunch buffet has a solid rotation of dishes that actually hold up under the heat lamps. Nothing is trying to reinvent the wheel, but everything tastes the way you hope it will. Service has always been friendly and attentive in my experience. They're good about checking in without hovering, and they've been helpful when I've asked questions about spice levels or recommendations. It's not the most adventurous Indian restaurant in the DMV, but for a local spot that's convenient, consistent, and doesn't disappoint, Royal Tandoor does the job well. It's the kind of place I end up recommending to friends and family when they ask for a reliable option close by. read more

This is just an awesome place! Beautifully decorated -- with the absolute most gorgeous ceiling around! -- you sit on stately seating and receive superb service. Sometimes, there is just so much to say that one is left agog -- and so it is for me with this place! I've been several times and to say I've never been disappointed with anything here at all would be an extreme understatement. I just don't quite know how to best sum it all up, so I have hesitated and put off writing this review. It is a place I know I can go to with much anticipation and have my high expectations upheld. The name is very fitting! Some places may say they are royal, and you could be left feeling ... less than that. This is not that kind of place. You will be made to feel like royalty here! The delicious dishes and their presentation is ... just wow! Nothing here is ordinary. Everything here is spectacular! I've tried so many things, I cannot remember them all -- but I do know that I love the Dal Makhani! It's one of my all-time faves, being so rich and creamy, mmm .... The Mango Lassi comes beautifully presented and literally dripping in dark orange goodness against the lighter milky-mango look of yoghurted-up blended mango ripeness! (Don't worry, the drips are all inside the glass!) The starter crunchy rice crips are very fun and tasty, as well. It's overall just really exquisite, what can I say? Very highly recommended -- a total, all-around Yay! :-D read more

Royal Tandoor - This place has got to have the best ceiling around! - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Came with the family over the weekend. Great food and even better service. Loved the big chairs that looked like thrones. Kids had a great time. Peshwari naan was great along with the butter chicken, palak paneer, lamb and aloo ghobi. Plenty of food to take back. They had a good dessert that's yellow and creamy with cardamom and saffron. so yummy. We'll be back! read more

We ordered Vegetable Biryani, Chicken Korma, garlic naan, and samosas. All were delicious. It's a great restaurant for a nice celebratory dinner with friends. We were impressed with the quality of the chicken here - in many places that is a "miss." The biryani was especially flavorful. We will be back! read more

Royal Tandoor - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Pure opulence! A great place to have my birthday dinner because it was so fitting for me. We ordered the tandoori kabob appetizers first with drinks. The mango mint mocktail was too sweet. I did everything to water it down but it didn't help. My son enjoyed the mango lassi. The naan bread was fresh. We ordered more. The servers were very attentive and kept ensuring that we were okay. The portion sizes were large enough that we got full very quickly and had to take the rest home. I ordered the tandoori chicken and could not finish it. I took some to work the next day, and I really enjoyed it with the rice and butter sauce they gave to us. Overall, it was a great experience for my birthday. read more

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I've been royal to this place for last two years, and I saw today a deal for buy one, get one free on doordash. i was so excited and ordered and guess what? they used the small rice bowls to make it two instead of giving us two full sized bowl!!! then why had this deal from the first place? the size is small as iphone. very disappointed! never going to order from this place again. read more

Royal Tandoor - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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I would have give this restaurant a 5 star as the vegetable were superb, but the man at the front was rude to me when I forgot to tip. He yelled at me where is my tip. I asked him what did he do, as another waiter attended to me. Then when I started to write one on my receipt, he snapped it out of my hand, yelling and further embarrassing me. I had the 19.99 buffet meal, very yummy. But this man is rude and needs to be retrained or go home read more

Great Service! Fun Bar. The bar tender was super nice. The food was excellent. Great happy hour! read more

Royal Tandoor - Royal Fashioned Tamarind Margarita Lamb Shank Garlic Naan - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Food was amazing. Staff friendly and decor is brilliant. We order Delhi street food appetizer with spinach, pomegranate, and sweet yogurt. It was a cold dish but very delicious. Then we ordered samosas, butter chicken, Aloo Gabhi, and royal dal makhani to mild spicy which was perfect. Overall a wonderful experience. read more

Royal Tandoor - Decor - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

This was an unexpected surprise! First time visiting. The decor is gorgeous, the staff are great, and the food was amazing! We even got a few freebies too, which was awesome. I can't wait to go back! read more

Royal Tandoor - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

We tried the weekend lunch buffet. The food is good but varieties are basic. Service is fine. The decoration is really nice! read more

Royal Tandoor - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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The interior was nice and the staff was pleasant. I appreciated that they kept the buffet filled and would occasionally walk down the line and stir the various food items so nothing got crusty. As far as the food went... I was not impressed. Even the rice has clumps in it. Their best dish was their Gulab Jamun dessert. I won't be coming back or referring people to this restaurant. read more

Beautiful restaurant, great food, good service. I especially liked the samosa chaat, and the naan. We ordered everything with "medium" spice level and found that some of the dishes were a little too mild. The curries and saag paneer had wonderful flavor, however. At the end, we were served a complimentary dessert - a small (just-right) serving of rice kheer. Lovely way to end a delicious meal! read more

I found a new favorite Indian restaurant in Gaithersburg! I had driven past Royal Tandoor several times, but I'm very picky about Indian food and usually drive about 45 minutes to my usual spots. I'm so glad I finally decided to try it today. The décor is beautiful, lots of gold accents and very clean. I honestly didn't expect the inside to be so elegant. Even the silverware is gold, and the plates have gold trim. It feels upscale but still warm and welcoming. We tried the lunch buffet and it was absolutely delicious. The food wasn't overly spiced, salty, or sweet, everything tasted balanced and made with care, like something your grandma would cook. I went around 1:45 PM expecting the buffet to look picked over or dry (like many places that late in service), but everything was fresh and fully stocked. Great variety, very flavorful, and the meats were well marinated. The staff was friendly and attentive, my water glass was never empty. Lunch buffet is $24.99 per person and absolutely worth it. They close at 2:30 PM and reopen for dinner at 4:30 PM. There's ample free parking and even a party room for larger gatherings. So happy to have found this place. I'll definitely be back! read more

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Buffet lunch today - $19.99 per person. The food is outstanding. Nice variety of vegetarian and non-vegi entrees, naan, appetizers and two desserts (Sewai and Gulab jamun). I tried a little of everything, and it was all delicious. Some items spicier than others, with nothing overpowering - the spice enhanced the flavors as opposed to just providing heat. Although everything was delish, my favorites were the Daal Makhni, Saag Paneer, Vegetable Manchurian, and Tandoori Chicken. The service today was excellent, with water glasses filled multiple times and dirty dishes removed promptly. The restaurant decor is very fancy. It looks like it could be mimicking the inside of the Taj Mahal, with lots of gold everywhere and oversized chairs that, at some tables, look like thrones. It's a little much, but not off-putting. read more

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Decor was very elaborate (felt like you were inside an opulent palace). We were greeted very warmly by staff. Menu is traditional North Indian fare with some Indo-Chinese offerings. We shared a royal chat platter. It had samplings of palak chat, aloo chat papri, and Dahi Bahla. Everything was tasty, loved the palak chat best (fritters were crispy and flavorful). I ordered the baingan bharta and one of our dining companions ordered chicken tandoori while another ordered vegetable Hakka noodles. The baingan bharta was spicy and savory with hints of ginger, onions and tomatoes. The chunks of eggplant were delicate but still firm and held well. It came with fluffy basmati rice (generous portion). The Hakka noodles had good spicy as well. I heard praises about the tandoori chicken. The menu has an extensive drink selection. They also have lunch buffets on the weekdays. read more

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On April 4, 2026, I celebrated my birthday alongside my girlfriend's birthday at a restaurant with a bright and vibrant ambiance. We both adore Indian cuisine, and their samosas are a favorite of ours. I'm vegan, while my girlfriend enjoyed the Aloo Gobi dish, which we found to be decent. I was surprised to discover that the vegetarian biryani contained cheese, so I ordered another one without it; it was satisfactory. The service we received was exceptional, which made the night truly special. As part of the celebration, the restaurant surprised us with an Indian necklace and accessories for the birthday celebrants, and the cake was a delightful addition. Overall, it was a wonderful evening, and I would highly recommend Royal Tandoor for celebrating special occasions! read more

Royal Tandoor - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

This place was wonderful from start to finish. The service was stellar. Everyone was so friendly and attentive. But what really impressed me was the vibe. This place has such a cool ambiance. The oversized chairs, the art, the lighting, etc... it definitely doesn't feel like you're in a strip mall. We started off with the vegetarian sampler appetizer and the samosas were delish with the perfect amount of spice. We had the chicken fried rice, butter chicken, and garlic naan for the mains and they were AMAZING. So flavorful and filling. I had a mango lassi for dessert and that was super well made and served in a fun pineapple glass. Overall the experience was wonderful and we will absolutely be back and bringing friends! read more

Royal Tandoor - Mango Lassi - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Thursday 11/14/24 Made a visit with my family @ 1 pm and first thing you notice is the ambiance of the restaurant which is very well done and nicely set up with decor. The service was pretty good and attentive and most of all the lunch buffet experience (runs from 11:30 am - 2:30 pm) is only $19.99 which is a very fair price. Once you are seated, you can immediately get up to get your food from the buffet (no need to wait). I tried nearly everything at the buffet and for the most part the food was decent but I can't say it's the best Indian food I've had but IT IS the best Indian food EXPERIENCE I've had. My main recommendations would be the basmati rice, butter chicken, tandoori chicken, goat curry, naan, saag-paneer, vegetable Hakka noodles, and lastly my favorite item: gulab jamon (reminds of a pancake ball soaked in syrup). Everything else was either alright/okay or just simply wasn't for me (maybe others would like it). Despite this spot not being the best Indian food I've had, it was definitely the best Indian food EXPERIENCE I've had with: decent food, nice ambiance, good service, and great pricing. I would recommend and be open to returning. read more

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The food was really good and the service was top-tier. They really made my birthday dinner celebration special. Would definitely go back here again. And I liked the decor, very opulent. If you have a low spice tolerance, make sure you ask everything be made mild. read more

Delicious range of curries and other Indian delights. The menu is pretty expansive and also veggie friendly. Ambience is definitely 'extra' as the kids say - looks like the Taj casino! Loved their samosas, saag paneer, and vindaloo. Food was not spicy by Indian standards. Beware the waiters are quite sales-y, they'll push you to order more even if you don't need it! read more

Royal Tandoor - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Stopped by for a quick date lunch; they are still royally good. I do think this is the best Indian Buffett in the Bethesda/ Rockville/ Gaithersburg/ Germantown area. Food is great, service is great, and the atmosphere is phenomenal. You will really feel like royalty eating food that's royally good. They also have a private room in the back in case you want to have a private royal party. Best part is, my wife also agrees this is a 4 Star. And she's got ________ taste. Nom nom nom! read more

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Unfortunately, I have to return and edit my review after a deeply disappointing and upsetting experience with their online ordering service. I had an allergic reaction to something I ordered online, only to discover afterward that the online menu provides inaccurate or incomplete allergen and ingredient information. Not all items list allergens correctly, and the ordering system does not allow you to specify allergies or leave any additional comments. For someone with a serious allergy, this isn't a small oversight. It's dangerous. Once my reaction began, I checked the website again to confirm what I ordered. The dish I selected did not mention any nuts. However, when I called the restaurant, I was told it contained cashews--and was even told that everything on their menu has nuts. This is simply untrue, as I've dined in before and staff were able to tell me clearly which items were nut-free. I called to inform them that this was a serious issue and that their online menu needed to be corrected for customer safety. Instead of empathy or concern--especially given that I was on my way to the hospital--I was repeatedly cut off and told, "You need to call and ask about our menu." There was no sympathy, no accountability, and no willingness to consider that their online system might be flawed. My mom later called as well, after seeing how I was hung up on, and she was met with the same defensive attitude. We were essentially told the situation was our fault for not calling, despite the website's clear lack of accurate information. As great as the food and my previous dine-in experiences have been, this takeout incident has completely changed my impression of this restaurant--especially due to how poorly they handled the situation. For anyone with allergies: they do not prioritize your health or safety. Instead, they deflect blame onto customers rather than addressing the serious problems with their online menu and their service. read more

Overall: 5/5 Food: 5/5 - We got the chicken biryani and platter and they were both so yummy! We also got some tasty free chips(?) upon arrival and got a free dessert at the end of our meal! Would recommend and come back again to try this again and try something else. Service : 5/5 - Everyone was very nice and hospitable. Our waters were refilled every time and the server was very kind. Value: 5/5 - Everything was a great price for the taste, quality and quantity of what we got! I would definitely recommend and go back. Overall, this place was great and the interior was clean and pretty. I would strongly recommend and come back! read more

Royal Tandoor - Royal Kabob Platter, Naan, Chicken Biryani - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

My husband and I went for the lunch buffet today. The service was attentive, the buffet was very well maintained and the ambiance was on point. There was a good variety and everything tasted really good. The highlights for me were curry chicken, goat curry, aloo gobi, rice pudding (best of all time) and gajar ka halwa (first time ever having this dessert). read more

Great food with no health issue. Good quality. Variety of menu for all you can eat. I also love their rice sheer and biryani and jeera rice. Friendly staff. read more

I love me a solid Indian buffet. Royal Tandoor has just that. Everything at the buffet was packed with flavor and quality ingredients. The meat dishes had chunks of meat, not fat or gristle. There's a wide variety of items for omnivores and vegetarians alike. The interior is beautifully decorated and the bathrooms were clean. There was always a staff member within earshot to ask questions or order a beverage. We all got chai to go with our buffets. Yum! I'm a fan. read more

Royal Tandoor - Second plate. Yum! - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Note this is a review for a carry out from for Uber Eats delivery. DO NOT ORDER FROM HERE VIA Uber Eats. Please take a look at the photos because I feel EXTREMELY slighted from this place. My money was stolen from me. They offered a BOGO so we got: 1. Royal Butter Chicken $52.50 2. Lamb Saag $58 Typically when you order an entree, it comes with one rice so I was expecting at least four containers. Nope. They packed two. And it was less than 16 oz/pint. Strike one - they don't give you 1:1 rice to entree. And it gets worse. The containers they packed the entrees in are SO FREAKING tiny that two of their containers fit into one regular container. So instead of paying about $15 for one regular sized butter chicken at another restaurant, this crap was $52 for one order. THEY SPLIT ONE ENTREE INTO TWO. Let me math for us - I overpaid $37 for one butter chicken and overpaid $40 for the lamb saag. Strike two. WTF! NOT COOL. Also, hair was in my carry out. Strike three. So I paid $111 for essentially one butter chicken, one lamb saag, and some rice when I got it from other Indian places for less than $30. You've been warned - you will be robbed. This is not my first experience they took money from me. I came here for the buffet with three friends and the Asian hostess added 25% gratuity - weird since it wasn't a party for 6 or more. So we accidentally double tipped and when we asked for our money back the manager said they couldn't reverse it but offered me a free meal next time. Did they remember? Nope. Took my money! Check your bill, friends. Other views mention the same. Guys, this isn't cool at all. We are living in a shady world and if you care about kindness and fairness, this is not the restaurant to support. Thanks for the long read. I'm really upset and sad that this happened and wanted to pass on a warning so this doesn't happen to you. Please be kind and support better businesses than this establishment. read more

Amazing Buffet. It is very understandable why the waitstaff steered us to the Buffer rather than menu items. Great large Taj Mahal beer. Service was relaxed and attentive. Ambiance was relaxed and reflective of Northern Indian design. read more

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I am conflicted writing this review because the food I was served recently came out quickly and tasted good, and I've eaten a lot of Indian food. Therefore, this review isn't about the chefs. This review is regarding the service. I arrived at 8 on a weeknight. They seated me near the bar, which was blasting Indian dance music, so it wasn't relaxing at all. It was a slow night. A couple who was on their way out seemed to have had a good time. On their way out, they were given coupons for a future visit. I called the restaurant ahead of time to make sure the dish I wanted to get had no gluten or nuts because I have allergies. The woman on the phone said yes, the dish didn't have either. When I arrived, I flipped open the menu to find they don't even offer this dish. The Yelp menu here is seriously outdated. I mentioned this to the woman who seated me, who, the same woman on the telephone. She said, we don't, but we can make it for you. I said thank you. Sounds like I'm on my way, right? As stated, the food arrived and it tasted good. A separate waiter came over and asked me how the food was. I said it was great. To be honest, I was prepared to tell him that it nearly brought tears to my eyes b/c it's been YEARS since I've had that dish. He then said in a nasty tone, it's not on the menu, so next time you come, you can't order it. I was so dumbfounded that I just nodded without speaking and he walked away. At the bar, he was chatting in a foreign language to his colleagues when I decided to challenge with, "why isn't it still on the menu? Do people not like it?" His response was, we like it, but it's a Northern Punjab dish. I then wondered, did I inadvertently step into some Indian interregional conflict? I'm Chinese-American, and I'm clearly not Indian. If this was a problem, I wish I would have been approached with education, not passive aggression. Furthermore, he never refilled my water, even though I got to the bottom of my glass. The woman passed by my table and told the same waiter to bring me carryout containers, which he did. I can't remember now who brought me the bill, but neither of them came to get my credit card and I waited what seemed like a very long while. In the midst of this, an Indian family the staff all knew came in, and everyone was focused on them instead, smiling and laughing with the family. A different man in a gray sweatshirt (part of the cooking staff?) took my card, brought it back, and said thank you. After I paid the bill, I had intended to stop the person who returned it and ask what their specialties were. But it never happened. That's a loss on their part. I guess they don't care about my business. When I was leaving, I used all my will to smile and say thank you to the waiter at the host stand. He said nothing and looked unhappy. It was not a cheap dinner, and I felt awkward and uncomfortable. read more

Royal Tandoor - Food that shalt not be named because I can't order it anyway... - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

We went here for a family buffet lunch. It was a bit of a drive but worth it! It's a buffet style menu so you get a wide selection of lunch, dinner, and dessert items. We loved every dish. The dessert were so decadent! I loved how gaudy and ostentatious the decor is. The staff were polite and attentive. They were quick to serve more water and ask questions. We realized they charged my daughter for a child status and she's under 4 which should have been free. Definitely check the bill and inquiring if they is the case. Overall, it was delicious and we will be back. read more

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I've been here 3 times to celebrate family birthdays, and each time it is a delightful and scrumptious experience. This is definitely one of the very best Indian places in the area. It's worth the trip even if you live further away from the MD burbs (e.g. DC). Out of state family clamors to come here when they visit. The floor to ceiling decor here is incredible -- it really feels like eating in a palace. The service is very attentive and friendly. They always give us free desserts when we come in large groups, which is very thoughtful. This time, I went on a whim and chose the sharabi tawa combo, which is dark meat chicken, lamb cubes and shrimp cooked in thick Masala, and to our table's delight, set on fire with whisky at the table! It was delicious, tender, and perfectly spiced. Highly recommend coming here. read more

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Came here for Fathers Day, where it was packed, and several times since then. The inside decor is gorgeous like a palace! The service is also incredible- every time we've gone they've offered as complimentary desserts or appetizers, which is such a nice gesture. The food is also really good- even has vegan options, which isn't common for Indian restaurants. The only things I'd recommend are to spruce up the decor outside - I think it'll invite more customers. If at all possible it would also be nice if they have a couple healthier options for those that are conscious (e.g. maybe a dosa option). And on major holidays, such as Fathers Day, make sure they're sufficiently staffed. But we have gone back multiple times with different groups of family and friends! read more

Royal Tandoor - Decor - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

A MUST GO. There are no pics that would do this review justice. Beautiful ambiance, wonderful service, very clean. Family oriented. Portion sizes are generous. I will definitely come back . HIGHLY recommend!!!! 11/10 read more

Royal Tandoor - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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The food I had recently was served quickly and tasted okay (not too authentic, in my opinion); I've definitely had better elsewhere. However, the service is what I was the most iffy about - my friends and I arrived around 6 PM on a weeknight. They initially tried to seat us by the window, but the space was pretty cramped, so we asked to move, which led to some back and forth before we were finally seated at a table that had decent space. One of my friends is Indian, and the waiter awkwardly told her to order for the whole table. During the ordering process, the waiter also recommended a whole chicken dish that wasn't even on the menu, which felt a bit odd and was way too much food for our group. As we were leaving, they were a little pushy about leaving a review, which left me feeling unsure about the whole experience. read more

I had a confirmed reservation for Mother's Day lunch, yet I was treated as if I were invisible. While I was speaking to the host, he completely ignored me to greet a group of six that had just walked in without a reservation. It was clear he knew them, as he immediately prioritized getting them a table while I stood there waiting. When I finally forced a follow-up, he was incredibly rude and told me nothing was available--despite my booking. This was a massive disappointment for a holiday meal. They clearly need serious customer service training. I won't be returning. read more

Recommend lunch buffet, very good, except for desserts which are over the top sugary.

I had an amazing experience at Royal Tandoori in Gaithersburg that left me eager to return.I visited on Sunday with friends and was not disappointed. The restaurant was elegantly decorated and had a warm atmosphere. We were greeted and served promptly by G.P., who took our drink and appetizer orders. All the drinks were made by A.P, everything including the Royal Mule and Royal Mojito, were exceptional; however, my favorite was the Chaitini--perfect for espresso martini lovers. The appetizers, particularly the deliciously spiced samosas and the addictive Chicken 65, were highlights. For our main course, we enjoyed a variety of dishes, including lamb vindaloo, lamb saag, lamb chops, channa masala, and a naan platter. The food was delivered quickly and was incredibly flavorful, with perfectly balanced medium spice levels and generous portions. As yhe restaurant got more full, the service remained attentive and friendly, thanks to the team including A.P. and G.P. They even surprised us with complimentary ice cream sandwiches and we couldn't leave without ordering mango lassis to go. Which were top notch! Today, Thursday just 4 days later, my best friend and I came back for round 2, and the experience was just as delightful. The staff recognized us and continued to provide exceptional service. We indulged in even more Chicken 65, lamb vindaloo, goat saag, and more, enjoying the same warmth and hospitality. We got to meet one of the partners by the name of Neil. It literally felt like I went to eat at my 3 favorite uncles restaurant. They were so friendly and funny and welcoming. They even gave us 2 smoked old fashioned on the house! It was so delicious! We ended our meal with a lovely slice of creamy coconut cake and more mango lassis. Overall, Royal Tandoori offers high-quality, reasonably priced Indian cuisine, incredible drinks, and a fun, family-like atmosphere. It's a true gem that feels like dining with friends who are dedicated to making you feel welcome. Highly recommend! read more

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Food was great, staff was attentive and welcoming. Cricket games on the TVs for the fans. Strong recommendation!

Bland food on the lunch buffet that was more expensive than others so really not worth it!