I can't speak about the ambience because I wasn't at this restaurant. I was at a wedding and this Swagat branch catered the event. The items were preordered by the host - sesame chicken, naan, biriyani, plain rice, saag paneer and butter chicken. I had planned on skipping the meal because I have celiac disease and was worried about transmission of substances I couldn't eat. However I asked to speak to one of the men who'd set it up. He told me to avoid the naan and sesame chicken but that everything else was gluten free. His confidence assured me and so I was able to try the meal. The food could have used a little more spice but was delicious. There were huge chunks of paneer which I appreciated. I am so glad that the staff was knowledgeable about their menu. I have now got the confidence to visit the restaurant and try out the other gf options. read more

It's been far too many years since my previous visit to this place. But last night I ended that. A sudden wave of needing a spicy curry or vindaloo overcame my emotions. Next thing I knew I was in the parking lot and searching for Swagat. Because it was a Monday night it had only 3-4 tables of customers, so my order was ready before I was even thinking about it taking too long. The service was very friendly and personable as well. Suggestions were made while I was trying to decide what the last Indian dish I last had, and I'm relieved he suggested what he did. Vindaloo. Spicy beef and make it your top spice level. He started to caution me, but I was very intent about my capsaicin intake. Dall was me secondary items, yellow, and only at the middle point for heat. Plain naan. Very simple and direct. Upon returning home the scent was enormously delicious and inviting. The delicate long grain rice was perfectly cooked and such a subtle item to be actually a star on the dish, rather than a simple starch to take up space. Potatoes were large and delicate while firm. Beef, velvety soft and still not losing its texture. The yellow lentils were a bit different than I'd expected. I last enjoyed them ages ago and my recall was that they still held some of their form. These were cooked further down, not in an unpleasant or overly aggressive manner, just different than I was expecting. Delicious. Beautifully colorful, saffron(?) I'm unsure. Naan. Another item that deserves a starring role in a meal. This was far better than any of the recent times at either of the two nearby Indian restaurants that I've been spending more time than I now think I plan to in the coming months and years. Tonight I'm enjoying the food from last nights dinner. Should've taken some pics. But take out meals aren't artfully prepared. So they don't really matter anyway. read more

Came here with my daughter as both of us love Indian food but my wife does not. I ordered curry lamb and she got butter chicken. Both dishes ran about $20 and each had bout 2 ounces of protein in them. The curry was unlike any I've ever had, a dark brown/gray flavorless lumpy congealed mess. Daughters butter chicken more traditional but still not vey flavorful. Ranks in the bottom of all Indian places in Madison as far as I'm concerned. read more

I ordered take out lunch from here. I thought I ordered non veg dinner for 2, but got veg dinner for 2. Phone order was a disaster. What I got was not what ordered. Better order online. Malai kofta and naan was really good. Mix Vegetable curry was ok. Vegetable samosa was good. I didn't like the chicken tikka masala and palak paneer. Mulligatawny soup was not good as well. I asked for gulab jamun dessert, but got mango kulfi, which was ok. read more

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Must of been an off day. Food on the buffet table was cold. Naan wasn't very tasty. A bit hard. Really disappointed. But I'll give them another chance. read more

Tasty and worth it! Went to lunch and got the special with multiple curries and dishes that had tofu/chicken/lentils that were all tasty. It came with several pieces of naan and even came with a sweet rice dessert that was refreshing. I also tried the Mango shake that was pretty good but nothing to write home about. Left full and not that heavy feeling from American food. TLDR: promo service, tasty special with variety of dishes, good portions. Would recommend read more

Fantastic tasty food. The spices were so perfect in our sabzi. Be careful, spicy will be very (Indian level) spicy. Many many paneer options. Many veg options. Ambiance is beautiful and serene. Lovely vibe. Very luxe feeling. Service was great. We were treated like royalty from the minute we walked in. read more

The buffet was good with a decent assortment, however, most of the food was not as warm as it should've been. Service was excellent and the restaurant is warm and cozy. We would go back for regular dinner to ensure everything is fresh and warm. read more

Being from Monona we rarely venture this far west for dinner. Since we are big fans of Indian food we had heard about Swagat but never ate here especially since we have the excellent Swad right down the street. On a Saturday evening we found ourselves on the west side so we stopped in for dinner. It was pretty empty, probably because it was a beautiful summer evening. The dining area is large and very nicely decorated. The service was very prompt and friendly. We ordered a big Indian beer and also an order of naan, Chicken Korma and Chicken Chilly. They served complimentary papadam. It became immediately clear that the papadam was very stale. We told the waiter and he quickly brought out a fresh plate which was crispy and good. Our mains were both good with the Chicken Chiily almost being a bit more like a spicy mix of Indian and General Tso's Chicken. I liked it a lot. The Chicken Korma also got a thumbs up. Prices were typical for this type of fare these days. If we are on this side of town and need an Indian fix we would eat here again. read more

I've never met an Indian buffet I didn't like...until now. I went with another person at 12:10 PM on a Friday. We walked in and were greeted by the lady up front with one word, "Two?" It was the only word spoken to us by the staff until we went up to the register to pay after we ate. We followed her to a table with a carafe of water where she flipped over two glasses before walking away. She didn't ask if we wanted anything else to drink, and she never told us to help ourselves to the buffet. Just silence. We sat for a few minutes before my companion suggested we just go up to the buffet. When we got there, it was clear that they had just come through a pretty good rush, as several of the pans had nothing but crumbs, or the sauce that had contained an entree. The chicken tikka masala was only gravy. The Shahi Paneer was the same story. Sweet and savory gravy, but no paneer. There was something called Samosa Chaal, which must mean samosas "run over by a steamroller", because while it contained many of the ingredients you'd expect from a samosa, it was mashed up like a weird casserole. The chicken pakora was perhaps the most unappetizing and inedible of all the "foods" on the buffet. The chicken inside the batter was so dry it literally made you choke. If you think you like naan, you haven't had it at Swagat. It was so tough, it felt like you were trying to chew a rubber whoopie cushion. There was a spinach dish typical of an Indian buffet that tasted much better than it looked, and a really delightful grilled fish on a strange bed of raw red onions. I steered clear of the stray Chinese dishes and a few others that looked equally as dry as the terrible chicken pakora. They eventually added chicken to the tikka masala pan, but sadly it turned out to be another dry, overcooked disaster. After a few trips, we both were ready to depart, having resolved to never return. It was bad, but at least it was only $13.95 (as pictured on their website). But there was one last disappointment, as our lunches were rung up at $15.95/each. It takes 30 seconds to update a website and change a 3 to a 5. Covid ruined buffet-style dining. Now restaurants that offer buffets treat you like they're doing you some huge favor for even letting you eat their overpriced slop. Fool me once, shame on you. Don't patronize Swagat. You'll thank me. read more

Swagat - West Madison - A hard, beetle-shaped thing that I bit in the vegetable biryani. It appeared to have antennae, but could've been a fruit. - Indian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I've eaten Swagat probably over 30 times. The food is standard Indian fare. Nothing bad nothing great. It's close to home so easy for pick up. Recently picked up an order. Part of it was incorrect. Had to go back to get it. That was annoying. Would have been nice if they compensated me for that, but they did nothing. Especially since the food is not cheap. I'm not saying I would never go back, but there are other Indian restaurants not too far away I will prioritize over Swagat. read more

Clean and bright. Lunch service was quick. Food was very good and I would love to try other dishes. I went for the buffet, but is only available during the weekend, so check if that is what you are looking for. read more

Swagat - West Madison - Chicken and mushroom with garlic naan - Indian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I have been to Swagat a few times. My family consists of less adventurous eaters than I, so it has usually been to enjoy their lunch buffet by myself. Everything that I've tried there has been delicious. read more

We were in Madison not too long ago and the crew was craving Indian food. Are there any Indian buffets open? We searched and called and finally decided to try Swagat. We had a party of six people and on a Saturday early afternoon, we headed out and were seated quickly. The buffet was in the front room and we were seated in the room just beyond--but still a short walk to the buffet line. As usual, buffets hold so much food, more food than I could possible eat. There was a variety available (as you'd expect in a buffet), with some favorites, palak paneer, naan, pani puri, chicken and goat curries, other vegetable curries, yogurt sauces, salad, plus an array of desserts (I had the custard and galub jamun). We ate and ate. I forgot to take a picture of the food and buffet and everything. But I will say it was quite good. It was just under $24 a person, so a bit on the higher end of Indian buffets I think (but maybe now that's the going rate?), but you'll get a sampling of all kinds of dishes, especially if you're new to Indian food or aren't sure what you want to roder. Indian buffets fall under the category of comfort food for me. It's hard to eat everything in a buffet, of course, and I tend to overeat every time. (How can you say no to trying this or that?) But this was one was good and reminded me of what I come to Indian buffets for. read more

Lovely and extremely kind staff. Best mango ice cream ever! I love swagat. Amazing food! read more

Swagat - West Madison - Indian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Their weekend lunch buffet is back! It's $23.95 now (compared to $15, 4yrs ago). It's only available at the west side location and only on Friday-Sunday. Also, be aware that they open at 11:30am. Google says 10am, but that's the Sun Prairie location. Website and doors says 11:30am. Plenty of parking and packed for the lunch buffet on Saturday. They have an appetizer station, main dishes, and a dessert bar. I really enjoyed the hot & sour chicken soup. An employee told me to only use the appetizer plate for appetizers and not for the main buffet line. They didn't tell the others who did the same. It was just natural to start at the appetizer station and continue to the main line. There was a variety. Fish, chicken and paneer. I wish things were more mild-spicy. Garlic naan was fresh (some piece charred). Plenty of vegetarian options. Great for groups and accommodating. I was there when a family asked to relocate to a different room due to sensory overload. Staff didn't question it and helped them relocate. Price point makes sense due to inflation and the variety of options. read more

We enjoy Indian all over the country, and we were lucky enough to come across this restaurant, truly excellent food! Highly recommended!

Thank goodness Indian Buffets are starting to re-open! Swagat was one of the first to bring back its buffet, so we of course had to go try it out. The price has increased for the lunch buffet, but the selection is still expansive. I personally preferred Swad's lunch buffet (smaller selection, but very good quality), but I can deny the appeal of Swagat's *huge* selection of dishes to choose from. They have fish, soups, salads, sauces and chutneys, different kinds of naan, samosas, tandoori chicken, and tons of curries, rice dishes, etc. For desserts, they offer mango ice cream, kheer, and gulab jamun. The service is good, and while not huge, the dining room is fairly spacious and pleasant. There is plenty of parking in the parking lot of the strip mall. read more

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I came in for lunch on a weekday and ordered the special (it was a Monday). Overall, it was just "ok". The service was good, but I would call the food average at best. It felt like it was underspiced and overpriced. We left for $118 for 4 of us, none of us ordering anything over the top, and no alcohol. Compared to some of the other Indian restaurants in town, it was definitely in the bottom half as far as my experience went. read more

Gave this spot another review after leaving a 3 star review last year. I thought I'd try something different. There are so many raving reviews, I really wanted to see if maybe I was kissing something the first time. Unfortunately the review is going to be mostly the same. The service is great and very professional. Our server was attentive and kind. The ambiance of the restaurant is nice. It's clean. The food is where Swagat continues to fall short. The food is consistently less flavorful than I would like. From the samosa appetizer to the curries (chicken tikka masala and chicken mango), nothing was really impressive or very delicious. The chicken mango was skimpy on the chicken (only a few pieces). It was an interesting sweet and sour type flavor which I did enjoy, but I wish it would have been a bit more cohesive and less watery texturally. The biggest let down that bumped my rating from a 3 to a 2 was the bread. We ordered onion kulcha which I normally love from other Indian restaurants. The bread was filled with plenty of onions. It had a very good texture. The huge glaring issue is that they use artificial butter (possibly even margarine like spray) on the bread rather than real butter. There is a huge lingering taste of fake sprayed on butter with each and every bite of this bread. How cheap of them not to be able to spare a small piece of butter to make their bread taste good. The artificial can sprayed butter taste completely overtook the rest of the bread taste and was a huge disappointment. One last positive to finish this review, though, is the mango ice cream. It's not perfect texturally but it is very delicious and seemingly homemade. read more

Swagat - West Madison - Chicken Tikka Masala - Indian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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"Swagat Indian Cuisine - Deliciously authentic! Chicken Tikka Masala, creamy Palak Paneer, and fresh naan bread. Warm service and rich flavors. 5/5 stars!" read more

I am really upset. Today I went to this establishment to treat myself because things in my life haven't been good lately, and due to a lifestyle change my visit today was to be a special treat. Everything was great, food was delicious; (however the chicken was cold), the staff seemed friendly and accommodating.....until the end of the visit. As I got up from the table I thanked the staff for letting me stay and eat because it was a treat to myself (especially considering I just paid about $20 for a lunch), and as I started walked toward the cashier a few of the staff members started laughing hysterically about something- one even had to turn his back from me and was laughing. Being the only customer in the restaurant at the time I couldn't help but to think they were laughing at me. I speak three languages, but theirs isn't one of them, so given the environment at that very moment I couldn't help but to think they were laughing at me about something. As I walked up closer to where the laughing guy was he turned from me again and was still laughing. I am sure anyone would feel the way I felt. Once I got up to the cashier he asked me how everything tasted, before I could reply he also asked "it wasn't too spicy?" I looked at him and asked why he would ask me that. I asked him if it was because of the color of my skin (assuming I can't "handle" certain levels of spice, etc.). So, I was laughed at for any unknown reason, and then asked if the food was too spicy??? Do you laugh at and ask all your customers if the food was too spicy? I've been wanting to come to your establishment for months to treat myself, and I am left out $20, my dignity, and offended. I will not be returning after this experience today. I recommend trying out some of the other Indian places before this one-but, make sure the ones you consider are not owned by the same group before you do. read more

My sister and I went here for the first time on a Friday night at 5, and we were the only people in the restaurant! Because of this, the service was great! More people started coming in around 6/6:30 though. We started with the vegetarian appetizer platter, and it wasn't my favorite. Most of it lacked flavor, but the samosas were great. The bread sampler we ordered was a combo of a few different naans/flatbreads. The garlic naan was our favorite, and it went well with our main meals. The stuffed was naan was just okay (a little flavorless). My sister got a potato and cauliflower curry, and I got the chicken tikka tandoori. These were both delicious! We got mild and it had the perfect low heat. Huge portions too! The leftovers were great as well. Overall, I'd return, but I would be cautious with what you order for maximum flavor. read more

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I am not horribly familiar with Indian cuisine, so I was thankful to be here with a coworker (from India) to help me navigate the lunch buffet. I was as bold as I could manage, trying things I wouldn't normally think about trying, though I had to draw lines at things that just didn't qualify (like, anything nuclear-hot, etc). I'll say I enjoyed a decent meal. Would I come here again? Sure, if the right situation came up, but I don't think I'll go out of my way for it. It's not because of the restaurant - they did a great job, and I can see why a lot of people come here. The place was clean and the service was friendly. If someone were to ask for a recommendation for a good Indian restaurant, I would point them here in a second. read more

I used to be a huge fan of Swagat, but I've found the quality of their food has really gone down in recent years. It's a shame because this used to be my favorite Indian restaurant. Having lived a few blocks away, I was a very regular customer and always raving to others about their food. Even before the pandemic, it seemed like the quality had already taken a dive. One of the more shocking meals was when I found raw meat in a dish. There's been some ups and downs, but today's takeout meal was a dealbreaker. There were so many small bones in both dishes ordered, and I ended up cutting my mouth while eating. It seems like there are other Yelpers who have also been unsatisfied with them lately. Come on, Swagat. I'm rooting for you to return to the good ol' days! read more

Stopped in to order food at 2:20, Restaurant closed at 3:00. Was dismissed and said the kitchen was closed. Don't have your hours posted to 3, if you're not going to take orders! read more

My roommate and I got 4 entrees between us. As of 7/17 they are still doing the buy 3 get 1 free deal (although the site says through 7/15 - call to confirm!). They also have lunch specials which are very reasonably priced but don't qualify for the buy 2 or 3 deals. I got navratan (veggie) korma and chicken korma plus aloo (potato) naan. I wanted to get a veggie option to be "healthier" but somehow didn't realize I was ordering the exact same thing... note to self: a XX korma is the same sauce with different protein... The medium spice level is measured Midwestern spicy, aka there is a *hint* of spice. I'd go with hot next time. Korma is quite creamy, a much milder flavor than tikka masala. It's good for what it is, but it's a pretty tame flavor and I'd try a different dish if you want interesting flavors. The aloo naan is nice and big with a nice lightly spiced filling. As far as portion size, you could easily stretch a single entree and 1 order of naan (2 pieces) into 2 lunches. read more

Perfect, Quick and excellent. If you are used eating cheese naan in France, here it looks like different. Never mind, bread and food and masala indian tea are delicious !!!!!! And meat and chiken are HALAL. read more

This is a classic toned down Americanized Indian food. We ordered our food medium plus- didn't want to go hot not knowing how they will cook it. We should have gone with hot plus. The food was too mild for our taste. Everything needed extra salt. We started with paneer pakoras. It was really good. The service was fast and courteous. We had egg dosa and masala dosa which was pretty good. The masala dosa stuffing wasn't great and the chutney could be much better. We also had dal makhani, lamb vindaloo and naan. The dal makhani was disappointing. Literal translation of dal makhani and butter dal and I didn't find any butter or cream in the dal. The garnish was poor. The lamb vindaloo had the right flavor but desperately lacked salt. Naan was awesome. Probably the best thing I had tonight. For people looking for authentic Indian food- I have had better. For those looking for toned down version of Indian - may be u should give this place a try. read more

We love coming here, and they have plenty of seating for people who may want a quieter atmosphere or a family with kiddos. Delicious always, but also a fantastic brunch with a selection of both traditional dishes and also Indian "street food" that is authentic and well spiced. read more

Went here with family for our Christmas get together after Christmas. The service was pretty prompt, almost to a fault. The waiter came up and asked us what we wanted, then seemed to try to push some other options. We ordered the appetizers of the fish pakora, punjabi paratha, chapati, and garlic naan. All were pretty good. For our main food we ordered a variety of dishes and all were pretty good as well. The issue was that the food came out, but we ended up waiting 5 minutes for the rice to come out. It was also kind of odd that there seemed to be one main waiter, and then 4 assistants for him. Our main waiter also didn't seem to completely understand when we asked questions, it seemed to more inconvenience him. It seems he would have preferred that we didn't ask anything. Overall, the food is decent, but the portions seem small for the price you pay. read more

Excellent service, amazing amazing amazing food. We had the royal non vegetarian for 2. The food was very tasty. Would definitely recommend. Taj beer is great also. read more

Swagat - West Madison - Appetizers - Indian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Saturday buffet is overpriced and nothing telling you the cost ahead of time. No waiter took an order for drinks. Food was ok but not as good as I was expecting. What looked like meat in some dishes were just chunks of bone or gristle. Reinforced my belief in avoiding buffet meals read more

Went here on Mother's Day, expecting it to be busy.. got takeout they told us a set time and ended up waiting around 20 minutes extra when we got there to pick up. I'm not a Indian food connoisseur but the food was not my favorite. The inside is nice but there's nowhere to really wait except for a couch that's kind of in the way of everything. Overall I wouldn't go there again per my own choice. read more

I like Indian food but generally prefer the buffets at noon. Since the pandemic most buffets have not come back at Indian restaurants so you need to order off of the menu. I had heard so many good things about Swagat so I went there on Super Bowl Sunday with a couple of friends. The place was practically empty at first but gradually filled with a few other diners as it got later in the evening. The wait staff here are very friendly and accommodating. Unusual in my experience dining at Indian restaurants. Very pleasant. We first tried the vegetable appetizer platter. I found it was flavorless and boring. Even the Samosa which I love, was sort of dried out and lifeless. My entrée was the special this evening which was a lamb stew I can't remember the name. The lamb was good, perfectly cooked and tasty except it was completely covered in sautéed onions. I am not an onion fan so spent a fair amount of time picking them out. There were no vegetables included just the protein and the onions. The portion size was not overwhelming like they usually are. A decent amount for a meal but not a lot to take home, which is fine. We knew from other reviewers to be careful with the amount of heat when you order because the food here attends to be very spicy hot. I ordered mine mild and it was perfect. The two diners with me asked for a little hot but not too much and both dishes came way too hot for me and them. One was chicken Marcella, the other a vegetable dish. Beware when ordering. Except for the nice people working here I was not impressed with this restaurant. Maybe some of the other entrées would have been more to what I'm used to but I'm inclined not to go back. I've been told that this restaurant is very busy most days so you need reservations so be prepared. There are other Indian restaurants that are more to my liking. read more

Good food. We had the paneer korma that came with rice. The rice was really good quality basmati and you can ask for more for no charge. We also got the stuffed bread basket which had 3 types of fresh bread(kulchq, paratha and naan) Only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is that I didn't love the aloo tikki chaat. It was too sour and no depth of flavor read more

Swagat - West Madison - Indian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Great food! I will keep coming back, the food is outstanding the service is great. Fish chicken etc. read more

Swagat - West Madison - Indian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Food was good, but we were told to leave before everyone had finished eating. We had a largish group, 6 adults, two infants. We arrived 4/22 for the lunch buffet around 1pm. It was still somewhat busy but not packed. They put us in the private room, which makes sense with two infants. We were about 80% done with our meal when someone comes in with a bill trying to hurry us along as there is a private party coming and they need to get ready. Well we were already close to done so I didn't see an issue, but someone went and paid the bill, we still had a couple people eating ice cream so hung out in the room still. A couple minutes later, the same person told us the other party is here and we needed to get out. We complied, but one person was still eating ice cream so we sat at one of the dining room tables near the door. Very awkward. Also a couple minutes later, no one had gone back into the room to clean up. So, was there a reason to kick us out early? Additionally, we were only there around 45 minutes. If the room was reserved, you shouldn't seat stars reason large group there without letting us know ahead of time that you might have to kick us out. So I see the following: 1. This was a prank 2. They don't like infants 3. They don't like Chinese people I can't really believe their stated reason for kicking us out, since there was no one waiting when we went out, the room wasn't immediately cleaned, and we weren't notified ahead of time that there was a private party. So although the food was good, this treatment left a bad enough taste in my mouth that i felt the need to leave a review the next day. I.e. lost some sleep over it. read more

Swagat is not only delicious. Swagat has the best customer service in town. The staff has provided fantastic recommendations while eating in-person and more recently, a staff member realized we did not pickup our chutney. We were promptly called and informed. They certainly care about your dining experience! My fiancé, parents, and myself have never been disappointed with any vegetarian choice as well! All of the food is excellent. Swagat has become a staple for us. We recommend Swagat with no reservations! read more

what happened?!! this was the best Indian food and my favorite restaurant in all of Madison for years. They must have changed hands because the food is suddenly just terrible. the naan is rubbery pita bread, the tikka masala is flavorless tomato soup... I could go on and on. I'm genuinely so sad. read more