Food was delicious, lighting was a little too dim but employees were friendly. Will come again when I'm in the area

I tried this place a few years ago, never having had tried Indian food. WOW!! I always get the chicken Tikka Masala or Chicken Vindaloo!! SUPER SPICY!! How Spicy is the Vindaloo?! My tongue hurts when half way through my meal and it's great! The one drawback is sit down dining - you get smaller portions than take away and its takes forever for some reason. I always get take away and have a great meal. Make sure to get Nan with your orders because you can't leave all that delicious sauce sitting in the bowl by itself! read more

Oh where do I start? The sweet customer service? The wonderful review? The quiet ambience? The perfect food? Saffron is the only, yes THE ONLY Indian place I've eaten at up here where I feel like home. They're from Kerala as well, so they have masala dosa, sambar and rasam, items that most Paki or Gujarat Indian places don't serve. That In of itself is amazing. South Indian food, the only one I've found in the entire Hudson Valley to date, done to perfection. Pricing: The dinner prices are steep. For a better option, do the lunch buffet which also includes naan. The dinner gives you free pappadum and chutneys. That is very kind bc a lot of places charge you ridiculous amounts for a teaspoon of chutney. The sayam payasam is to die for. They don't have it on thr normal menu, only the buffet as a special. The veggie options were so well seasoned I didn't miss the meat, and I felt like I was cheating on being a fake vegan. The mano lassi are perfect and so are the portions. I did not care for the rasam or the rice kheer. It missed something, not sure what, but wasn't my favorite. Anything else I've eaten was delicious but have not has meat. Dosa, A+, samosa, lassi, naan, veggie korma, daal (A++), veggie curry soooooo good. Dosa was not cracker hard like some places. Soft and nice. Praying this place never goes away. They also cater and have a large banquet hall for special events, FYI read more

I found the food here somewhat on the bland side. The Masala Dosa was a nice find, though a bit lacking in flavor. Similarly the Kerala Kootu Curry promised a dish spiced with coconut but I could not taste it. Instead it had large strips of raw ginger which lent it flavor but were a bit jarring compared to the rest of the (bland) dish. As others have said, yes it is in a strip mall, yes it looks like it's closed, but go in anyways, it's much nicer than it looks outside. The biggest disappointment for me was the service, although it was not atypical for Indian restaurants. I really believe Indian restaurant proprietors should occasionally go out to Western restaurants and learn about the standards of service that are expected. Rule #1: one waiter per table! We had a rolling assortment of servers coming to our table, including one who was dead set on ensuring our water glasses were never emptied more than 10% (really....leave it be!) More waiters, and more frequent visits/interruptions from the water filler, does not equal better service! Rule #2: serve the customer. This rolling assortment of servers meant that the soft drink refill we asked for never came, we were asked twice separately if we wanted coffee or tea for dessert, and it took at least 3 tries to communicate that the leftover samosa appetizer should be wrapped up as a take-away. Everything worked out in the end, but it was not a "smooth" experience. Rule #3: see Rule #2. I had a Masala Dosa as an appetizer that I only half-finished and just wanted to keep around to finish with my main meal. This seemed to cause no end of confusion to the servers who tried, twice, to clear off all appetizer items before serving the main meal. Just let it go! I believe this is why it took so long for us to finally receive our main dishes. Finally, we're not from the area and cannot compare prices to other restaurants but this place felt somewhat expensive. $3 for naan? $3 for a roti? $10 for a dosa? Those are the highest prices we've seen for these items at any Indian restaurant that is not in a big city. 80 miles out of NYC we'd have expected something a bit more reasonable. read more

I had the pleasure of eating at Saffron along with my daughter and granddaughters and it was a more than pleasant experience. The owner and staff are super competent and gracious but the key is the greatest Indian food. Three generations and we all enjoyed ourselves feeling relaxed and so full. There is no doubt I will be a repeat customer. My recommendation is you should try it. read more

Delicious. Moved back from California and this is hands down the best Indian food I've had in years.

All around excellent food and service! Incomparable! The very best in Indian cuisine

Excellent Indian food. I enjoy VERY spicy food and they adjusted the level to my liking. Recommend Chicken Vindaloo however their menu has a wide variety of awesome dishes. read more

Delicious Indian buffet at a reasonable price. This is one of our favorite restaurants in the area.

Haven't been for lunch buffet, but was pretty great. maybe it was just me, but I thought the portions were a bit small, but nothing too drastic. Service was great, drinks refilled on the spot. Food was delicious. read more

**UPDATE** Saffron is under new management. After many happy dining experiences over the years, I'm sorry to say that is no longer the case. We ordered take-out and there was some problem with our order. I was asked numerous times about my order and had to wait an additional 15 minutes for it, after waiting 45 minutes already. At home, we discovered one of our main courses was missing I called to tell them about the missing dish and was told I'd get it next time we're there or order take out. I didn't want my meal in 3 months - I wanted it then! Had to take time out from my day off to pick up the missing dish and they refused to compensate for wasting my time and gasoline. The food is good under the new management, but not as good as before. Portions have got smaller and there's no liquor license. The interior now has booths by the windows which are blocked by thick curtains. The old carpet is filthy. The lighting is bright (accentuating the filthy carpet) and only 3 tables were occupied on a Saturday night. Sorry Saffron, you're no longer the restaurant you used to be. read more

Went here looking for Indian food in the area, not expecting anything great for the area. I'm a little snobby, been to India and lived in Los Angeles, DC and NYC. But.. this whole in the wall was amazing, excellent food, good portions, decent pricing and overly attentive service. The decor was really quaint with Indian colors, lighting and art work. The place was packed, but got a seat on a Friday night (7:30) without a problem. Parking is ample because it's a strip mall and the restaurant is large with lots of tables. read more

Best Indian food in the area so far, I don't have to drive to Manhattan to satisfy my Indian food mind. Lunch buffet is always my first choice. read more

Delicious food and attentive service in a pleasant atmosphere. You won't find better Indian anywhere around here. It was nice that the Chef came to check how our experience was. You should definitely give it a try. read more

what a beautiful gem!! absolutely pleased with their service, ambiance, and food. everything so fresh and nicely presented. read more

Yummy lunch buffet at a great price. They had a few veggie dishes, a few meat dishes, naan, rice, and a dessert. Not tons of options, but what they offered was hot, fresh, replenished often and yummy. Oh, and a small salad bar and plenty of condiment choices for those who love spice, and those who do not. read more

Went here for lunch with the family. The food was all very good and they had goat at the buffet which I love. Saag paneer was great as was the tikka masala and tandoori chicken. The service was sub par with plates piling up and empty water glasses but the staff was friendly and the food honestly was very good. They had baby organic spinach leaves fried in chickpea flour that were outstanding and something I'd never had before. They had a great selection of Indian beers behind the bar but since I was driving precious cargo around, I didn't order any. My son who is a very picky eater only ate a plate of rice and a few pieces of naan and when we got the bill, they didn't charge us for him which I though was very nice. They get $10.99 a person for the buffet and only charged us for two. We will be back here for sure read more

I have only been for the lunch buffet. The food is excellent!!! Hot and fresh and so many choices of meats and vegetables for a great price! I go here with my boyfriend who is from southern India and we love it! Service is excellent and attentive which you don't always get with a buffet. Waiter made sure our drinks were full and was super friendly. You will not be disappointed!! read more

while heading home we stumbled upon Saffron. Atmosphere was warm and comfortable. The food was completely solid authentic Indian cuisine. Not one dish had imperfections and everything was tasty! Our waiter RJ was caring, kind and had extreme passion for the food he served. when you have people that work in a restaurant that are confident and take pride in the authenticity of the cuisine, it makes it that much better of an experience for all. Thank you RJ! We will be back read more

If you love Indian food like me, this is heaven. I get all the vegan dishes. Wish they did "fast food take out" but they really don't specialize in that. read more

Probably the worst food and service I ever found... Came here on a Saturday evening after a long hike after reading reviews on Yelp. Ordered Chicken Tikka as a starter which was like a boneless chicken tandoori , very bad to taste., rubbery even. After confronting the staff , we get to hear " That's what we have". VERY RUDE service .. read more

My husband and I go here all the time for the lunch buffet. It's so delicious and a great deal. I love trying all the different foods. Only a couple times did we experience an "off" day, but that's 2 out of probably 100 times we've been there. Lately it's been great though. We always recommend. read more

I've been anxiously awaiting a good Indian place in Middletown, so I was very excited to see one take over the old Ground Round spot. Although a little pricier than you find on Indian Row (6th St.) in Manhattan, the service has been great so far and the food has been very good. Dinner for 4 with a couple bowls of soup, appetizers, bread and two shared entrees, along with one round of wine, was around $80 plus tip. The Mulligatawny was amazing! I was a little less happy with my Saag Paneer, as it was mixed with tomatoes and the spices were not what I'm used to. But pakoras and bread were perfect, and I saw many people ordering and raving about the Tandoori Chicken. They seem to be trying to offer some less traditional dishes, but I prefer the standards, which are also here. We tried the all-you-can-eat Lunch Buffet once, and after adding bread, it was under $20 for two people to eat very well. Third time I visited, I chose to do take out of soups and appetizers and it was wonderful. Delicious and prepared quickly. The wine and drink list is nice and creative. Overall, very good experiences. Let's keep them in business!! read more

Having had been a customer on E 5 ST in the village I've had pretty good intro to Indian food - after living in Middletown 14 yrs I finally heard and tried this nice clean family style restaurant with nice ambiance and very tasty food. I am a fan of the buffet served 11 am - 2:30 pm. Nice people and good service as well. read more

It's was okay, like if you're looking for a quick fix. Nothing spectacular, less authentic and very much altered for us Americans who can't take spice too much. read more

Great food, friendly staff, and superb service. Definitely improved under the new management

The new chef is fantastic! I'd highly recommend the chicken tikka masala. Will definitely be coming back here soon

Went for lunch on Sunday. Had the buffet. Food was fresh and warm. Flavor was very good. Price was also good. Buffet was $12.99. Very fair price. read more

recently moved up to the area and resigned myself to a lackluster social life, bad food and super 24 hour walmarts.... but am happy to say i have been pleasantly surprised by pockets of wonderful dining havens! i cannot BELIEVE there is such a great little place tucked away in the vast wasteland of the playtogs parking lot! everytime i've passed by saffron they've always been busy - goes to show, "if you build it, and they [he] will come...." so saturdays are pretty busy, but if you're new to indian food try the lunch buffet. you can graze (looooove to graze....) and figure out what you prefer without ruining your entire dinner by choosing something you can't choke down. so far i've tried the spinach paneer which was okay- (oddly enough it tasted delicious microwaved the next day .shrug.) if you're not very adventurous (besides the fact of WTH are you doing here?!?!) try the samosas and garlic naan (deep fried indian dumplings and their version of bread with garlic - if you're not salivating already check your pulse- you may be broken) the mango lassi is outstanding- and i mean, it's like a tall glass of heaven. sweet, milky, and perfectly smooth. lamb vindaloo was just too spicy to really taste anything other than the heat. the lamb was tender and perfect albeit soaked in the firebreather sauce. their chicken tikka is outstanding as well as their dipping sauces if you dine in. overall, great food, great service and even better mango lassi. if nothing else stop in and try a glass- you'll thank me. hint - portions are much bigger for take-out. and the only thing better than good food? more of it! read more

Visited this resturant with my husband and it's such a lovely place , great ambience ! The Naans were soft and fluffy which is usually rare ! We loved them ! The Paneer butter masala was perfect- soft paneer , rich tomato gravy with a tinge of sweetness. I would definitely recommend this place for all the Indian food lovers out there . read more

NEVER would I have thought this place would have been SO GOOD in the strip mall that it's in. Although, the Italian pork store sharing the same mall is out of this world, so...goes to show ya'. Went there for the lunch buffet. I LOVE Indian and my husband...never had it before. He says he hates curry. I convinced him that an Indian Food Buffet was the perfect place to see that it's not just curry. The only things I ordered extra were the Mango Lassi and the Onion Kulcha bread. Now THIS bread is BREAD! It came from the oven pipping hot and with only the bread stuffed with those glossy onions and an aroma to die for, my husband was sold and maybe...Saffron needed a second look. The items are placed in small banquet dishes and replenished frequently so things remained warm. The masala...out of this world. Even the rice was different than I had in the past. They offered two different types and both were delish! The chutneys were sweet and another minty and still another lemony, but again, all delicious. There was even GOAT on the buffet and that's something that I love. We went up twice and were completely stuffed. My husband said he wishes he could have eaten more, as it was so good. The service is also fantastic. The waiter was there when we needed him, but a ghost when we didn't. You may not know where you are going, but just look for that bright peach building and you won't be disappointed. read more

I've been back a few times since my first visit. One of the times I had a restaurant.com coupon. I have enjoyed trying some of their appetizers and main dishes, and Saffron will become one of our rotated restaurants in the area. The food is always fresh and tastes authentic. The service is decent. I would love to try more dishes! read more

Love the lunchtime buffet, in and out great service,and always wonderful assortment of food.

Saffron was my first experience at an Indian buffet, back in 2005 or so, and it got me hooked for life! To this day, their chicken tikka masala is among the best I've had. All of the food here, especially the lunch buffet, is actually a pretty solid 4 stars. (I think a lot of people here have gone a bit overboard with the five star ratings... it's very good, but nowhere near five stars.) But I have to take one star off for a combination of other factors, mostly related to their location. Saffron occupies a former Ground Round restaurant in a darkened corner of a pothole-filled parking lot, in one of the worst areas of Middletown, between an abandoned supermarket and what is essentially an indoor flea market. Uber ghetto. It doesn't feel so bad on a Saturday afternoon, when the strip mall is full and busy, but the nighttime vibe is not especially great for a date. Not a first date, anyway. Pretty sketchy. One last thing that is kind of a blessing and a curse is that Saffron is full of newbies. Middletown is not known for its multicultural restaurants; it's the land of Applebees, TGI Fridays, Outback Steakhouse, Ruby Tuesday, Chili's, Red Lobster, Buffalo Wild Wings, and the Olive Garden. So there are always people in Saffron who are kind of loud, confused about what to do, and generally critical of the Indian way of doing things. It makes it a safe place to try curry for the first time (as I said, it was my first) but it can be a little bit grating to hear people ask for ketchup with their samosas. Minor issues with location and atmosphere aside, Saffron is a solid place. By Yelp's definition, 3 stars is "A-OK", which Saffron absolutely is. I wouldn't drive an hour to get there, but if I'm in Middletown I'll happily stop in. read more

A world-class Indian restaurant in Middletown? Who'd a thunk it? I've eaten at more Indian restaurants than you can shake a cinnamon stick at, and Saffron's got 'em all beat hands down. Talk about your hidden treasures. Thank you, my fellow yelpers, for hipping me up to this place. Lunch buffet here was beyond belief. The chef is a mad scientist. What this guy can do with the simplest ingredients (baby corn, cabbage, mushrooms) is worthy of a presidential proclamation. Homey ain't no vegan, but if YOU happen to be of the veggie persuasion, then look no further my frfiend: you have found nirvana here in Middletown. And I don't mean to give short shrift to the lamb, chicken or tandoori offerings. Absolutely killer. Every damned one of 'em. Even the chutneys are worthy of note. Add to that a beautiful room and bar, a mango lassi that's better than angry make-up sex., and a friendly staff. This place is just sensational. So if, like me, you find yourself frolicking nearby in the tie-dyed land of Oz up the road apiece ...(that's Bethel, for you folks who can't remember much since you dropped that bad brown acid during Santana's set)....strap on your Birkenstocks and run down I-84 to Saffron (just a few blocks north of exit 3-West). New York State Thruway's closed, man! But this joint is OPEN, dude!!! read more

The chicken tikka has been pretty good but the last time it wasn't as tender as it used to be. The paneer sag also tasted off. I hope this place isn't going down in taste :/ read more

The buffet is great for lunch. Reasonably priced. The regular menu is good as well. Waiters are attentive with water.

Considering there was a long stretch where not a single Indian Restaurant existed in all of Orange County, NY. ANY Indian Restaurant would have been welcome. But a good one? That would have been simply too much to ask for. Lucky for fans of Indian Cuisine, Saffron is just that: A Middletown Indian Restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere, reliable service and most importantly...excellent food. The Kitchen does a great job with both their daily lunch buffet as well as with Ala carte dinner selections. I have visited with either friends or family 7 or 8 times over the last 9 months and now have a comfortable feel in regard to their consistency. Is Saffron perfect? No. The wait staff although timely and competent has been mostly unsmiling and even times bordering a bit on the surly. They also seem for the most part unwilling to accept special requests past the very basic and are reluctant to pass requests along to the kitchen. Smile! , this is the hospitality business! In regard to the buffet menu, the kitchen at times I feel gets too "gourmet" or "cutesy", even offering 6 dishes in a single day that would all be considered "specialty". For example, one could walk in and find that a goat dish, a fish with sauce and a chicken on the bone are their 3 featured meat items on a given days buffet. On the surface, not bad, but this is Orange County New York, not New York City. I will suggest that the aim should be to bring new fans into the world of Indian Dining (and by extension to Saffron). How do you get them there? By featuring old standbys like Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Curry, Palak (Spinach) Paneer. I am not suggesting that the adventurous fare should be abandoned, but rather strategically placed to compliment classic dishes that will be enjoyed by all and not scare away first time (and hopefully long time) Indian Adventurers. The first time Indian Diner, given Fish Curry and Goat (both excellent, but scary ideas for the novice) will most certainly be only one-time Indian Diners. Please don't misunderstand, I wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant to folks that love Indian food. I wish Saffron prosperity and hope they are around a long time for all of us to enjoy. read more

This restaurant used to be one of my favorites. The last three times I've visited the buffet, they have been out of chicken tikka masala. Today they were out of goat, masala, AND tandoori. It also took us about 20 minutes to get our naan. Granted, it was at about 1:30, so on the tail end of lunch- but the place was full of people who wanted food that wasn't there. The employee assured everyone that this is just proof that it's made fresh, but I'd rather not have to wait to eat. I ended up with rice and masala sauce for lunch. So sad that it has come to this, and I hope to write a happier review in the future. The distant future, because I won't be back for quite a while. read more

I had a great experience here. The staff were incredibly friendly. The vegetables in my dish were well prepared. I tried the garlic naan and it was very fresh and warm. I also got the rice pudding dessert. It was very flavorful and satisfyingly creamy. Reasonably priced to boot. I would come again if I lived in this area. read more