Excellent lunch buffet! The staff was very helpful with explaining the dishes and providing recommendations. All the food we tried was delicious- we will definitely be back! read more

Shikara - Samosa (1 pc) - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Had buffet here on a Thursday. The food looks fresh and aromatic. I didn't try everything but loved what I put on my plate which included samosa, green chutney, chicken biryani and more I can't remember. The naan is superb! I would come back again. read more

See all

This Place Is Nice. Just Need A Pinch More Spice.. It was a lovely Friday evening when Beau & I dropped by. Upon pulling into the very large parking lot, we saw it was nearly full, as an event was underway! A big wedding it seemed to be, as Ashyana Banquets, is attached to the restaurant, situated right next door.. This banquet hall, we are familiar with, as we had attended a wedding there, from years before. But it was our very first dinner here, at Shikara..The name sounded so romantic, evoking visions of Kashmiri Gondolas !! .. But below, is what we observed about the place & its food. Hence, here is an honest review : The Setting: Large & Lovely in muted neutral shades. Clean & Inviting, with dim lighting. Not too many seated at dinner time, so the mood seemed tranquil. And, despite the party next door, the restrooms were clean. (For the latter, I am especially thankful !!) The Service: The staff are Serious here, being Stiffly Courteous in manner.. What We Ordered: As Appetizers: Dal Soup & Chicken 65 As Entrees: Kadhai Ghosht & Lamb Pasanda As Sides: Naan & Kashmiri Pulao And To Drink: Mango Shake & After Dinner Chai The above dishes, even the Chicken 65, were found too mild in flavor for our liking!! While we are not connoisseurs, we are very acquainted with regional Indian cuisine, & thus found the spice levels: to be Too Lacking!! Even for Mughlai Style Cooking!! However, their complimentary crispy papad, & the accompanying pickle & chutneys, were found flavorful!! Especially the saucy pomegranate chutney!! Sweetly pungent & lovely!! And, it was a near perfect ending, with our After Dinner Chai !! Thus overall, This Place Is Nice !! Just Need To Add A Pinch More of Spice!! read more

This is our go-to for Indian food. Their dishes seem to be really spicy (for me!) but I love them! The Biryani - the best! Garlic Naan - needed all the time, delish! Lamb Pasanda - our favorite! They have a huge parking area, this restaurant doesn't seem to get full - so getting a table is easy. There's a banquet hall attached to it. read more

See all

We tried their lunch buffet. There were lots to try. There were different chutneys to try with the samosa. There were a veggie section with paneer dish, cream spinach and corn, lentils/beans, and a few other dishes I'm not familiar with the names. They also had goat curry, fish curry, and chicken curry. There was other meat dishes that were really delicious. Only a few were lightly spiced. There was basmati white rice and a chicken fried rice. Lots of naan bread. Also for dessert was mango ice cream and rice pudding. There was a fried dough soaked in sugar sweet liquid, Gulab jamon. Very delicious. Definitely recommend to try their buffet to try different Indian dishes. Waiters were really nice and will show you what can ingredients can be put together. read more

We were in the area on business and my British boss enjoys Indian food so we ended up here . Tried the buffet which was subpar , they had a huge variety of options. place was practically empty at 2pm , I am vegetarian on Monday's so none of the veggie dishes wowed me except the good old dal. They made samosas like empanadas which was an interesting take on the most famous Indian fast food . Desert was gulab Jamun and kheer ..... unfortunately the kheer was sour and luckily I stopped my boss from consuming it and maybe get a tummy upset . I informed the restaurant staff who agreed with me. The bathrooms looked unkempt, overall a disappointing experience. read more

Shikara - Buffet lunch - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

I've been ordering from Shikara for about 6 years and used to really love their food. Unfortunately, my last two orders have included spoiled items. The first time, the coconut chutney smelled sour and tasted off, and one of my samosas had raw dough inside. It was surprising to bite into something crispy and then suddenly hit gooey uncooked dough. Since that was my only bad experience in 6years, I decided to give them another chance. Today, though, the masala in my masala dosa was spoiled. The flavor seemed off, and when I tasted the potato filling on its own, it was clear something wasn't right. By that point, I was already halfway through my meal. I'm disappointed to see this pattern, and I'm hoping I don't get sick. After 2 spoiled items in 2separate orders, I don't feel comfortable ordering from here anymore, which is sad since I really used to enjoy their food. read more

Delicious food, all my faves. I love the okra and eggplant dishes. This is our go to for delicious Indian food.

Ordered delivery and the food was solid! The samosa was large for being 1$, and tasty. The chicken tikka masala was good enough, and a good portion. Just needs a higher spice. The saag paneer was fantastic. Like a creamed spinach/greens with bits of semi firm cheese. Highly recommend that one if you love greens. The aloo tiki was fine. Crispy shell, almost mashed potatoes inside. Probably really good when served fresh. As is, it's fine; not much flavor tho. The garlic naan was better than the roti but that's no surprise since it has more fat, flavor and thickness. The rasmalai was fun. The sauce is floral and creamy, like melted rose ice cream. The balls were a texture I'm not used to, but the flavor is solid. The veggie spring rolls were small but tasty. The orange sauce it comes with really makes a difference read more

See all

I have only eaten Indian food maybe a dozen times in my life and am not knowledgeable about it, so take that under consideration when reading this review. I had eaten Chicken Korma for the first time in Colorado a few months ago and really enjoyed it, so I ordered Shahi Chicken Korma at Shikara. My colleague told me that everyone makes their kormas differently and that held true. I very much enjoyed this version as well, and it was also outstanding as leftovers 2 days later. The thing both kormas had in common were a light smattering of cashews and raisins. When you bite into a raisin it is a little bit of brightness in the rich, creamy, and spice-filled sauce. I'm a fan! Don't forget to order the rice on the side. It isn't included and it is necessary. It was perfect. I ordered the garlic naan and found the garlic to be subtle and not overpowering in any way. The naan wasn't greasy either. I also ordered a mango lassi to cut the richness of the korma, which it did, but I found it a bit too sweet for my taste, at least to drink with dinner. It was definitely tasty, however. I got this as takeout on a Friday night by ordering online. It was ready on time and the service was courteous. read more

Shikara - Shahi Chicken Korma, Basmati Rice, Garlic Naan, Mango Lassi (So many carbs. What am I doing???) - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Came to Shikara on a recommendation. The restaurant is attached to a banquet hall, and it definitely gave you a banquet hall vibe when you walked into the restaurant. However, it does not take away how superb the service or food was! Very clean, and nice and just an overall good experience. They seem to be more popular for take-out. For being there on a Friday night, it was not busy at all. It was our table plus 4 others. Our server offered suggestions, some we went with and some we didn't. We ended up ordering the Lamb Vindaloo, Lamb Saag, Chicken Tikka Masala, basmati rice, and garlic naan. Each dish just burst with so many flavors. You can taste the spices that go into each one. Prices are very reasonable. I saw they offer a lunch buffet, and I will definitely be back to try that. read more

See all

Stopped in for the lunch buffet. All the dishes we tried were good, and some were exceptional, especially for a buffet. Good selection of about a dozen dishes plus a handful of chutneys and desserts. Highly recommended for a better than average Indian buffet experience. read more

Shikara is a nice Indian Restaurant in Downers Grove, the inside is very fancy it's connected to a banquet hall on one hallway and the other side is Shikara. I had the lunch buffet for $20 a person and it was pretty good, there was a huge variety of vegetarian and meat entrees, salads, breads, appetizers and deserts. The service was fine, but buffet doesn't really require much interaction. Wish they had malai Kofta as a buffet option, the food is not very spicy either (I love spicy). Inside lighting of the restaurant is very nice too, cool for the ambiance. The best entree option was the paneer curry. I'd come by again if I was in the area. read more

Shikara - Entrance - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

See all

One of the best Indian restaurants I've been to! My husband and I came here for a date night after Googling some Indian places in the area and came across Shikara. The restaurant is attached to a beautiful banquet hall. The food was delicious - we ordered the butter chicken, palak paneer, baingan bharta (eggplant), and mango lassi. The eggplant delicious had a mild kick to it. I really liked their version of palak paneer. It was heavier on the spinach than cheese side. The dessert looked incredible, but we were too full at the end of our meal to eat more. I hope to try their desserts and lunch buffet next time I came to visit. Service was efficient. Will definitely be back! read more

Shikara - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

I ordered tadka daal and it was very spicy. Manager said he will get us another one which is supposed to be mild. Since we were done eating, asked him to pack it to go. When I warmed up at home, it was same old spicy daal. Very disappointed. Very petty ! Ambience is good. Service is good which is never any issue. read more

Food was actually really good and for a decent price. The lunch buffet was $17.99 so not bad at all. Ambiance wasn't really all there but service was fine overall a good experience read more

Shikara - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

See all

Smaller buffet with great curries, but I wish there was more variety of foods from their catering menu, especially for ~$20/person. The staff is very nice and the restaurant is clean with a calm ambiance. I'm happy I tried it but wouldn't go back again. *safe for nut allergies* read more

Shikara - Assortment of curries with vegetarian and chicken options - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Food was very good. Service is friendly. Recommend trying it out! You won't be disappointed

The food is very authentic Indian food. There is a huge menu and I have liked everything I've tried here. The service is quick and friendly. The restaurant is very pretty and spacious. read more

See all

This is just for takeout. I got the Aloo Gobi Masala and Garlic Nan. The nan was a nice size, and fluffy light texture, but toooo garlicky- overpowering. The other dish was sold as an entree, but more like a sauce or side.. there were potatoes and cauliflower, but mostly sauce... I feel like this should be more of a side dish and not part of the entree choices. It was VERY spicy! I should add that I chose these dishes blindly as I hardly eat Indian food. read more

We went to their Indian buffet opened from 11:30 to 2:45. Every item was top notch. Not one issue. A very good variety of different type of Indian cuisines were offered. I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes food that has great flavor and some spicy items. read more

I wasn't planning on stopping here but sushi city next door had 35 min wait. This place was 10x better than sushi city!! I have had Indian food a few times before and never thought much of it but this place is amazing. The service was awesome our waiter was great and brought over a few things for us to try ( I think he saw the struggle on our faces trying to figure out what would be good ). This is going to be my new go to place when having new people in town! I honestly thought almost everything was amazing! I love the garlic naan and the lamb was amazing in every dish (sorry I don't have more pictures I didn't think I was going to like the food . No worries though I will be going back to update this review :) ). The only thing I wasn't a super big fan of was the chips and sauces ( but maybe it's something I need to try again). To sum this all up the atmosphere, food, and wait staff were amazing! And thank you guys for giving me a new cuisine to explore!! read more

Shikara - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

See all

The food and service at this restaurant are SUPERB! Highly recommend this place either if you want to dine-in or for takeaway. Outstanding friendliness and very fairly priced. A+++ read more

This time, my rating is a 4 vs. 5. The food was still quite delicious but service was not great. I think customer service is as important as the quality of the food. Our server was a taller gentleman who did not smile and barely spoke to us. With regards to the food .. We ordered butter chicken, chicken biryani, and an eggplant dish. The rice was very spicy for us but good. The butter chicken with the garlic nan was excellent as usual. And the eggplant dish was yummy as well! Would recommend and will come back again. Hopefully, we will get another server next time. read more

See all

I am currently pregnant and am unable to stomach eating meats as a result. This place had completely helped me in that they offer so many delicious vegetarian options that I never get tired of ordering from here. So far I have only gotten delivery but I recommend this place to anyone wanting some Indian cuisine. 10/10 will continue to order from here. read more

We had a buffet lunch on Friday. $17 Quite a delicious array of the typical Indian dishes. Butter chicken, different masala's, the paneer masala was very good, aloo matter, roti, yellow dal, chutneys, chicken tika masala, chicken biryani and a few others. The kheer for dessert was very good. I would have given 5 stars - but the temperature could have been hotter on food. The waiter suggested to take from the bottom but my plate was already dished. Definitely will return. Side important non food note - women's bathroom very clean. read more

Buffet is so delicious. Would recommend it 100 times over. Clean. Great atmosphere. I've gone a few times and staff is always consistent with how nice they are. read more

Shikara - Salad - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

See all

I had heard of Shikara, went there on Sunday afternoon. Was informed, they have buffet lunch, 7 days are week. Place was very nice, neat & clean, pretty good ambiance and service. On the whole was impressive. Place was pretty packed, about 18-20 table were occupied, there was constant flow of people. The bus boys picked the used dishes immediately. There was a lot of variety in food. Appetizers were the highlight. Though, they had over 25 items of food, nothing was par excellent - every item was average. 3 choices for desserts was nice to have. Not sure if I will go there again to see if their food had improved. On the whole I will rate them 4. read more

Our second time visiting. The restaurant is to the left as you walk in and to the right is a very nice banquet hall to celebrate any event. The banquet's name "Ashyana" different from the restaurant. Not sure if it's under new management or if it's always been this way. Shikara now offers a buffet Mon.Fri from 11:30 am to 2:45pm. The ambiance is beautiful and the service was spot on. Wait staff was always attentive to ensure empty dishes weren't piling up at tables as the guess ate and my drink was full. All in all a very delightful eating experience. Like I said in the opening of this review, this was our second visit and surely not our last. read more

See all

If you are looking for authentic North Indian flavors then shikara is the place. This place never disappoints in terms of quality of food, service and hospitality. I have been to this place countless times over the years and never disappointed. Saturday buffet is good time to check out the different foods Shikara has to offer. Ambience is warm and cozy with dim lighting enhancing overall dinner experience. read more

Went here for dinner with my best friend! The place was clean, food was great and came fast. My only complaint was that we ordered two Shikara Chef's-Recommendations: The Chicken Platter and lamb platter. They only gave us one basket of Nan when each platter gets their own. Then when we asked for our second basket of Nan they charged us $3 extra. read more

Butter chicken is outstanding. Service to go is quick, can order online or call it in

This review is specific to recent carry out experiences. When the manager is on site and handling orders, you can count on a great meal and prompt service. Great flavors, fresh ingredients, and delicious for all ages! Though the quantity may seem limiting, the food is rich, so you definitely will get your fill (though maybe not have significant leftovers ). I highly recommend the saag paneer, garlic naan, and vegetable biryani. My husband is a big fan of the tandoori chicken. read more

We went here for Mother's Day lunch buffet, it was arranged in their banquet hall, neat and clean ambience, nice staff, the loud music however didnt fit the occasion and was pain in the ear They had plenty of variety in both veg and non veg, decent appetizers, entres were modest too.. to be honest it was one of the biggest buffet spreads that we have tried in Chicago but it was also a case of hit and a miss..‍. Since we enjoyed some of their dishes we will definitely try their buffet once again may be on a less busy weekend. read more

I went for the lunch buffet and ended up with food poisoning. I didn't eat anything else that day so I know it was from the buffet. All of the food except the butter chicken was lukewarm and none of the food was covered. I tried some of the veg and non-veg options and everything was bland besides the tandoori and butter chicken. I've been to many Indian buffets and have never had food that wasn't properly heated or covered. Giving 2 stars instead of 1 because I got takeout from here once and it was good. read more

Great Indian food! Buffet at lunch! Reasonably priced. Place is very clean and service was very attentive. read more

Really Outstanding Quality. You can tell they have a chef with years of experience. It's worth a drive and the variety is impressive. read more

Let me set the stage, I have lived in the area for over 18 years and for me and my wife this is was one the best Indian food restaurants bar none. But (you know it was coming), the "bad" is the taste quality has gone down (for us it had been a slow death) and price went up significantly. A lunch for 4 is $100 (that is expensive). The "good" is they still have a great spread (one of the best) to try everything. read more

*Sigh* When you order food from a place - you would expect that the quantity would be on par with the price. When you are charged $34 for two dishes and some flat bread - to stay in business one should have a decent portion instead of two small tubs. It maybe worth to go in and have the all you can eat buffet or for people hosting your venues here as you are paying $20,000 as we did but the take out restaurant is an absolute joke. Look else where if you want Indian food. There is more authentic stuff at curry leaves even if it is south and not North Indian. read more

Shikara - One extremely small butter chicken and one extremely small malai kofta and some garlic naan. - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

High quality, authentic, spicy. Recommended by an Indian friend and did not disappoint. Had a variety from aloo gobi, paneer, curry, etc.