Excellent!!! Great buffet , great atmosphere, great service! We tried the Wednesday night buffet as out of towners. A "10" all the way around! Only wished we lived closer and would be our regular Indian restaurant. I can't recommend this restaurant enough!! read more

It's been 20 years since we left Calgary, and Taj Mahal still offers the same fantastic food. We hail from Singapore, so we know what good Indian food is. You want something much spicier than the "hot" standard, just tell them to "vindaloo" whatever it is you want. The restaurant is brighter than we remember it, but the lack of warm lighting doesn't take away the quality of food. We will be back...again. read more

I was at the Taj Mahal restaurant last Sunday for my company party (group of 20). I read a lot of mixed reviews about this place, but I was excited to try their food. When we first arrived at the restaurant, it seemed as though you were entering someone's house through their back door. The setup of the restaurant is kind of awkward and cluttered. The floors were fine (online reviews had indicated that the floors in this place were horrific) and the decor was okay. Indian music of course was played in the background. The wall embroidery was quite unique. An interesting fact about this place is that it contains a one of two marbled models of the Taj Mahal. Food wise, we ordered their vegetarian platter and some chicken and beef samosas to start. These tasted fine, I did not find that it was any different from any other Indian restaurant. I also ordered a strawberry lassi, which was much more liquid-like (as opposed to slushy) relative to other restaurants. My boyfriend ordered a kabab comb platter which was served on a sizzling plate. The comb consisted of lamb, chicken and beef kababs. I ordered the Balti Lamb, which as the name specifies Balti = bucket was served in a miniature bucket (I thought this was a super cute idea). The kabab platter was quite delicious, although some of the meat may have been a bit over done. The Balti Lamb was SUPER salty...that was literally my first reaction to it. I took some naan bread and dipped it into the bucket and took my first bite. This was actually the most disappointing part of the night. I tried to have some yogurt with my lamb, but even then it was still too salty. It was as if someone spilt a handful of salt into my bucket. I would not recommend anyone order the Balti Lamb, but who knows it might have been just my luck! Our server was quite nice and attentive. My overall impression of this restaurant was mediocre. I have definitely had better Indian food. My company has had several Christmas parties at different Indian restaurants in the past. This is my least favourite of the few. read more

Taj Mahal Restaurant - Kabab Combination Platter - Indian Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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Very nicely decorated. The staff are friendly and attentive. Water was always filled. Unfortunately, I found the food bland and seasoned. I understand that they are catering to North American taste buds. But Indian food should have a bit of a kick to it. I wouldn't recommend the buffet. Underwhelming. Al a carte would probably be better. You can ask them to make it authentic. read more

Just took my parents here for their 30th wedding anniversary and we had the best time. I have visited this place many times before over the past 7 years & they have always been consistent with providing delicious food, service, & overall dining experience. For spice lovers - everything will come mild unless you specify otherwise. I went with hot for everything (not crazy spicy but a good kick) & asked them for their max heat on one dish just to try (it was but delicious) I got the vegetarian platter for 22$ and it came with 4 different small sized dishes, a ton of saffron rice, & two large pieces on naan - great deal if you are indecisive like me & want to try a bit of everything. The owners of this restaurant are so sweet & really try to make sure you have a great dinning experience! All in all great restaurant to support locally in calgary. PS - parking is behind the restaurant just off McLeod! read more

What have I learned from my latest weekend trip to Calgary? Never, ever attempt to leave town at 5pm. What a terrible, terrible choice. The only positive note was that once I arrived in Calgary, I met up with two friends and we went straight to Taj Mahal's for a late Friday night Indian feast. Awesome how they are open late (till 11pm) - when we arrived (around 10pm), we were pretty much the only ones there. The restaurant is located in a slightly random spot, with the entrance being in the back of an alleyway. It is close to Chinook shopping centre, which is convenient if you want to kill two birds with one stone (shop and eat, duh). Walk down the stairs and you are greeted with some pale looking walls. But who cares about the plain/stale decor? Not I. We decided to shares a couple of different dishes: - Taj's non-vegetarian thal ($18.95) - a traditional Indian platter that came with papad, pulao rice, lamb curry, beef keema mutter, alloo gobhi (cauliflower), raita (yoghurt) and naan bread. The lamb was tender, aloo gobhi came with bits of peas and potatoes and the rice complimented the other dishes perfectly. - Naan bread ($2.95) was really good - tasty, fluffy and fresh az I'm iz (yeah, that's right, I just dropped some old school Bow Wow). There was a ton of naan because they combined our order with the non-veg thal naan. - Garlic naan bread ($3.75) and chapati ($1.75) - I love garlic, in naan, it's a match made in heaven. The chapati was also very tasty.  Slightly on the oily side but it had a nice chew/bite to it. - Chawla paneer ($11.95) - this is one of their specialty dishes. A blend of creamy herb and peppery based curry. Definitely creamy, but not too rich, it had a very smooth texture to it. - Daal makhni ($9.95) - black lentils cooked with onions, tomatoes, butter and Indian spices. I enjoyed this one much more than the chawla paneer. Had more character to it, if you know what I mean. The Taj hit the spot for me - a good way to start the first of many good meals during my trip to Cowtown. Great naan, friendly staff and open late for you to satisfy those Indian cravings. read more

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After being seated & ordering our drinks, it didn't take long for me to forget that I'm in Calgary. The ambience definitely absorbs you & so does the food. We ordered Shrimp Biryani, Lamb curry, Daal Makni, & Cauliflower/Potato sides. The portions are not that huge for the price, but they sure do taste great! Definitely get the naans, garlic naan is a must. Wish they hadn't charred the top as much though. Would definitely go back again :) read more

Taj Mahal Restaurant - a table full of indian food - Indian Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

We walked in on a weekday evening. The place had three tables filled. Service was good and friendly. The marble model of the Taj Mahal was a cool addition to decor. I almost always order the Dahl Makhni when I go for Indian so I did so here too. But have to say that I have had better in other Indian restaurants in Calgary. The same goes for the Aloo Ghobi (potato and cauliflower) The Prawn Biryani was good tho and worth a try!...So does the Lamb Curry. The garlic naan was inconsistently disappointing. One piece was burnt on one side. Can't believe they still served it. We didn't want to waste the food so we had it with the curry to mask the bitter flavour of the burnt garlic. On the spice level, if you ask for the food to be mildly spiced, you won't even get a kick. So if you're looking for a spicy taste, don't be afraid to go for it! They'll ask you anyway when you order. And, if you've got a sweet tooth, definitely go for the Mango Kulfi. It is the right amount of sweet after you've had spicy foos. It's made in-house and good to share for two. Overall, it was a hit or miss for us. But because some of the dishes were good, perhaps it's worth a second visit to try other things on the menu. read more

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This restaurant is delicious. I'm not sure if they have the buffet anymore but when they did that was great. Really yummy Indian food. good location read more

I've been coming here for decades! It was just like the food at five star hotel restaurants in Delhi way back when I first started coming here. When the owners changed I was a bit concerned but the food stayed pretty consistent. There is lots of parking off the lane and everyone comes in through the back door. If you get pickup it's 10% off, great deal. read more

Taj Mahal was one of the first Indian restaurants to open in Calgary and for the longest time, it's where my family and I went. The decor of the place is pretty spectacular and when it comes to the ambiance of Indian restaurants in Calgary, the Taj Mahal restaurant is in a league of its own. When it comes to the food however, it's alright. Apparently they have fantastic butter chicken (I wouldn't know first hand) but the carnivores that I generally go with, love it there. I'm not crazy about the food and I find the portions a little small. Now that there is a vast array of other Indian restaurants in Calgary, we barely ever go to the Taj Mahal Restaurant anymore. Yes the experience of dining there stands alone, however as I mentioned, the food is nothing to write home about. I do especially love their chai and the way they pour it without EVER missing the cup, but the skill of their chai pouring isn't enough to keep me going there when i far prefer the food in other restaurants around town. If you've never been, it's definitely worth the trip, but if after having gone you decide that you'd rather try other Indian restaurants in Calgary, I'd totally understand. read more

Taj Mahal has been in existence since 1973 and it's one of the oldest East Indian restaurants in Calgary. I've been going to this restaurant since the 80's. It's my family's favourite rstaurant. We love their Sunday Brunch Buffet. Cost is $16.95/person. The buffet consists of: - a salad bar - ceasar salad, a tomato, carrot and cucumber salad, papri chat (little chips, chickpeas & potatoes, tamarind sauce and raita (yogurt)), a onion salad, fruit salad - vegetarian section: saag (spinach), egglant curry, mushrrom and potato curry, chickpea curry, vege samosa, vege pakora, zuchinni curry - breads: naan and puri - meat section: tandoori chicken, butter chicken, lamb keema, beef curry, hard-boiled eggs curry, meat samosa - saffron basmati rice - condiment table - hot sauce, mint chutney, mango chutney, pickeled hot peppers, achat, hot spices - dessert: gulab jamun. Suggestions: Eat the puri and douse it with the chickpea curry. Sumptious!! Try the meat samosa with mint chutney. The gulab jamun is a nice touch at the end of the meal. So well cooked and sweet. Love the saag! Very healthy. The decor in the restaurant has changed and the colours in the restaurant is more contemporary with hues of blue, green and beige. Full bar service. Try the chai tea. They have a neat way of pouring the chai tea in front of you. ;o) read more

Fairly new to the city, and we definitely just found our go-to Indian restaurant with Taj Mahal. We ordered the papad, butter chicken, palak paneer, garlic naan, and saffron rice. All of the food was amazing, and I really appreciated that they ask you what spice level you'd like. Even the dish that was ordered "mild" was full of flavor and absolutely delicious. I see past reviewers have mentioned the portion size, which I'm slightly confused by as I found the amount of food absolutely perfect. I'm by no means a dainty eater and it was enough for me! Our server and the rest of the staff was very attentive and made sure we were well taken care of and happy. I would absolutely return! read more

Some friends and I went to Taj Mahal on a Sunday night. It was quiet, and is a bit dark since there are no windows, but I find most Indian restaurants to have the same atmosphere. After looking through the menu and deciding on some dishes we ordered our food. 3 appetizers, 4 dishes, an order of rice and 2 naan bread. At first we thought that we may have ordered too much, but when the food came out the portions were a little smaller than expected. I was ok with it since it was pretty damn delicious! We also realized that the prices did accurately reflect the size when we compared them to other places we go to. One of the dishes was an aloo curry which we ordered as hot as we could. Now, my friends and I love spicy food, but it is sometimes hard to get it as spicy as I'd like it being a group of white guys. This was the first time I was satisfied with the intensity! A+ in my books. I would definitely go back, and may try the buffet to sample as many different dishes as I can, though I do realize quality is usually suffered. read more

I have been here a few times now, in the past for the lunch buffet which I always enjoyed. Came in for dinner on Sunday and ordered a 'family style' dinner for four and it was excellent. Initially was disappointed the buffet was unavailable that evening, the assortment in the family style certainly made up for it. Myself, I am open to any foods and can handle strong spices - the rest of the group are about the opposite. Despite that, they all enjoyed and each made comments of the variety of flavours. I found the Tandori Chicken to be fairly dry - however that's exactly how the others in the group like their bird so I can't knock it. The server was new, though he was trading off with another who was really fun. We definitely enjoyed his sense of humour. Their menu is huge and we joked w/ the servers about this and they really took it well and we all had some laughs. The could par it down to 30% though in my opinion. I know they want to serve lots of variety, however I am a believer in less is more. Difficult to provide fresh foods on a massive menu w/o causing stress in the kitchen. If you're looking for a super fancy place, not the place as you feel like you're heading down the the basement...well..you are actually. Don't let that deter you - well worth it. Enjoy, we'll be back. read more

I'm a big fan of Taj Mahal. They have a great buffet dinner on Mondays and Wednesdays (Wednesday is vegetarian). Staff is always friendly and smiling. It's a family run establishment so the people there care about customer service. TIP: Just be cautious if you have a party of 5-6 (or more). They will automatically add the gratuity without informing you. read more

Many years ago, the owner of Haveli in Ottawa recommended I check out the Taj Mahal here in Calgary, as one of his relatives owns it. Sadly, for some reason I ignored his advice until last year, and I now regret the delay in eating this delicious East Indian fare! (Don't be fooled by the somewhat rundown exterior, which I believe was part of my mistake) I've tried both the full sit down dinner and take out a few times each, and have been very happy with all dishes. A few have been closer to average than most of their vegetarian choices are, but some have been outstanding! Last night the alloo gohbi was pretty darn near perfection: dry, not greasy, cauliflower and potato both tender but not mushy, spicy, and a different blend of spices from the other dishes we paired it with (don't you hate it when some places use the same curry mix in every item? That's not a problem at Taj Mahal). Saag paneer was SO buttery-tasting but did not appear greasy in any way; it may be my favourite version ever. Have not tried the vegetarian buffet on Wednesdays yet, but will definitely do so in the future so I can sample a wider variety of options at one sitting. Service is prompt and friendly when ordering off the menu. Unfortunately, they are not accessible - you need to use the stairs to get down to the restaurant. read more

This little place on MacLeod Trail has a weird little entrance in the alley. Parking in the back is limited, but there is a lot across the alley from the entrance. When you walk in you might think... "oh god, let's leave, this place is a dump". The Entrance and then the walk down the stairs is hardly inviting. Once you get in, the restaurant is a bit tired and could definitely use a face-lift. That is about as negative as this review is going to get. Get inside and the staff there are very friendly and helpful. The place has a wonderful smell from the curries. The menu is pretty extensive and quite a few nights they will have a buffet. I haven't tried all the dishes on the menu, but those that I've tried have been wonderful. The sauces are rich yet not greasy. I've also ordered take-out from them and the food is still piping hot by the time I got to eating it. The prices aren't cheap, but they aren't over the top expensive. I've also stayed and had the buffet. The challenge is to not over indulge, at Taj Mahal, it's definitely difficult to restrain yourself from going back for multiple helpings. read more

One of the best Indian restaurants in Calgary! Prices are comparable to other fine Indian dining establishments. Free Ample parking at the back of the restaurant in the lot across from the alley. We were a party of 9 and had a great experience. We ordered a combo tandoori platter, the famous Chawla Chicken, saag gosht , shahi paneer and butter chicken. The naan bread and tandoori roti were crisp and delicious. Would highly recommend all of the above. They have 2 Indian beers available- Kingfisher and Taj Mahal . Last but not the least the service was excellent. Highly recommend! read more

Taj Mahal Restaurant - Chicken Biryani with Chawla Chicken and Saag Gisht which is lamb in a spinach based paste - Indian Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

I'm a big fan of the Taj. The food is always excellent and the buffet is affordable. My only issue is that their butter chicken doesn't come deboned. I know it's a small pet peeve, but I'm very picky when it comes to butter chicken. Heck, it's 90% of the reason I love Indian cuisine. Other than that little tidbit, I would recommend the Taj to anyone looking for decent grub. 26/30 read more

I don't normally write reviews but this was so disappointing. Tomato soup butter chicken with little bones in it.

I love Indian Food! And I love Taj Mahal - I have been going to this location for over 10 years. I work down the road from this place and it's a favourite of mine and my co-workers for a nice quick buffet lunch. Unfortunately, the prices scare me; especially in this economy. The other night we all decided to head down for Monday night buffet dinner... it was $20.99! I understand the concept; making food for a night that is not as busy increases the costs but $20.99 is just too much for myself and my friends/co-workers. We were actually baffled. I sure will miss this place but needless to say, none of us will be returning. It really is unfortunate. read more

Good food but the people that work here are need to work on their customer service skills a bit.

Indian food walks a fine line with me: I am always pleased to eat it, especially when its in buffet form, but I have had some explosive results in the past. Taj Mahal has never been in the latter category. We usually come here for the buffet, and leave bursting with happiness. The most recent time we came here was in February, when their parking lot was covered in a foot of snow - we came for Krystel's going away/birthday party, and had the dinner buffet for $18. The pakoras were golden brown, the butter chicken creamy and smooth, the beef curry pleasantly tingly, and the naan was like a cloud. Although it was a glorious repast, I did learn a valuable (and hard) lesson: with Indian buffets, you need to stay within two plates unless you are on a suicide mission. read more

Tonight was our first night trying Taj Mahal. We ordered butter chicken, naan, mixed veggies and rice to go. They seemed very friendly and welcoming when we went inside to check the place out. Pretty cool decor and with over 40 years of being in business I'd say they've nailed it. They gave us little zip lock bags of the mint/fennel. Chicken was very tender and flavour full great filling meal for a reasonable price. Thanks guys we'll be back. read more

Price is the only reason they don't get a 5/5 from me as they are a tad on the expensive side. However they are generally pretty good at giving out 15% off coupons for your next visit. I've tried nearly everything on the menu by now, as I've been there at least 30 times by now. Every time the food has been consistently delicious, even though it takes a while to prepare. Definitely recommend the Balti Lamb, or the Rogan Josh, both are excellent. Just beware if you order it "Vindaloo" you will need to put some toilet paper in the freezer for the next day. read more

Well I finally went and tried this place I was very impressed the food was decent the service was excellent and the owner was very friendly

This was a nice place with a lot of variety. But I found the food the food a little bland - not spicey enough. It is good for accomodating a wide variety of people but if you eat a lot of indian food and are used to, and enjoy the spice you might be a little disappointed. read more

My favorite indian resturant in the city! We have had great success with the menu but love the butter chicken and lamb vindaloo. Always leave happy and with a full belly. read more

Was very disappointed, the buffet was the usual fare minus quite a few items but what was there was not Indian fare, the beef curry was not curry and was dry and stringy, the chicken was dry and over cooked there was no spice, no love in the food, you could be eating at any food court in the mall for what was there! If your going to serve Indian food then give me spice, heat, flavor, that's why I go to have it, because it's something I can't make at home! read more

Order takeaway from here once and a while. We ordered Friday and tried the Kadai chicken for the first time. Unbelievable! So much flavour. Can't wait to order this dish again. read more

Love the vegetarian buffet Wednesday nights! I wish I was Wednesday every day. Service is great, love the big elephant painting on the wall. I've ordered off the menu a few times as well. Also delish read more

We stopped into this cute Indian restaurant after our first choice Chinese place down the street was closed. We were really impressed with the substantial menu, especially the vegetarian options. I'm a vegan and it was really easy to find dishes that suited my dietary restrictions and they were also very accommodating. We were also told that there is a vegetarian buffet on Wednesday that I cant wait to try out! The service was overall really friendly and you could tell that its family run. I only gave it 3 stars because it is in the basement and the atmosphere leaves a lot to be desired. As well as the food is good and they have plenty of options but definitely not anything to rave about. Their debit/credit was also not working the night that we ate there but we weren't told anything until we went to pay which was really inconvenient as we had to go down Macleod to get cash. read more

My favourite Indian restaurant in the city, i've been coming with my family for years and the food is always piping hot and delicious. They have set the bar for Indian restaurants and the others don't compare. We are always treated very well there. read more

Taj Mahal Restaurant - Vegetarian Thali - Indian Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Last night we went there for dinner.. I feel so expensive price and with so less quantity.. If price are high make sense but the quantity of food is tooooo less & i have tried many other Indian restaurant in calary. I dnt like this place at all. The food was not that delicious. So guys check before u go there.. Thank You read more

I took couple of our friends for the Sunday lunch buffet last weekend to Taj Mahal restaurant. We were very disappointed with the food we had there. All food were cold and it seems they just dumped all the leftover food from the previous days. The Chicken dishes are as dried as there is no flavor to it. I never expected this qualities form an oldest restaurant in the town. I would rather go to a different unknown restaurant for good quality food in the future. My requests to the management please try to improve and care for the customers who come there for a decent lunch or dinner. Thanks. read more

I've gone to the Monday night buffet for years. Always tasty, always authentic, always crowded. I have noticed they toned down the spice and when I asked about it, they said it was to have the buffet appeal to the kids who came with their parents. Being a parent myself, I understand, but I kind of miss the zing. They added more spicy condiments to make up for it. Chai tea is always a treat here. read more

I like this place. Great food and great service. This is where I go when I want to try Indian food. Love the spice, flavors it up.

Love this restaurant, meal for 4 fed 5 very hungry adults, service was excellent, my uncle told us about this restaurant he has been going there since 1980 he says the food is always consistent. One of our staples in Calgary read more

Overpriced, service was terrible, portions were tiny, food was average at best- really nothing stood out in a sampling of over a dozen dishes amongst a large group. Did not leave us feeling well afterward. Will not be back for a second visit. read more