Taj Palace Indian Restaurant

We have been enjoying Taj Palace cuisine for years and are never disappointed. The food us superb and service is outstanding. Reasonably priced we always keep Taj Palace on our restaurant dining list.

Pros: Delicious selection to choose from

Posted 11/23/09

The best Makhni Chicken ever. Love getting it for take out and even have enough for lunch the next day. I have been to their lunch buffet as well and it is good but a little pricey for me. Naan bread is fluffy and crispy at the same time, besides fresh.

Pros: Best Makhni Chicken

Cons: Buffet a little pricey

Posted 11/18/09

We go there all the time, take our friends for lunch too, the cook is very good.

Pros: Fast Service, great cook

Posted 11/16/09

Great food, awesome lunch and dinner buffet, real friendly staff, and kid friendly.

Pros: Great buffet

Cons: none

Posted 11/13/09

Taj Palace is a first class restaurant. The service is friendly and warm. The staff is polite. The atmosphere is calm and can be romantic. The food is all excellent. Everything is spiced wonderfully. You can go from mild to burn your face off hot. Try it!

Pros: food and service

Cons: A bit pricey

Posted 11/11/09

Taj Palace is the best Indian restaurant in Austin. Their buffet is awesome, and the service is great!

Pros: everything is delicious!

Posted 11/11/09

This is a great indian food restaurant. They have great curries, fresh nan bread, a real tandoori pit, and good sized portions. The best thing on the menu is Chicken Makhni. The buffet is a little pricey and not spicey enough for my taste, but their menu items are delicious. I've eaten here at least 20 times in the last year.

Pros: Great Indian Food

Cons: Buffet a little pricey, could be spicier

Posted 11/11/09

I've been going to Taj Palace for years. I moved away for a few years, but recently came back--and tried Taj Palace again, and it's still great. Its always been consistent and delicious. It's better than most of the Indian food you can get in Austin and even New York, for that matter.

Pros: great, traditional Indian food

Posted 11/10/09

My wife an I have been going to Taj Palace since we moved to austin in 1995. We've tried others in town, but nothing compares in consistency, flavor and friendly staff.

We love to order off the menu and they are always happy to accomodate us. Want things spicy, just ask. Want things mild, just ask. Want chick peas in masala, or potatoes in sag, just ask.

These guys rock,

ddanenfelzer

Pros: Best Indian this side of the Pacific

Posted 11/10/09

This is probably our favorite Indian restaurant. The food is always wonderful and freshly made, the service has always been excellent, the atmosphere is terrific. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Taj Palace to anyone.

Pros: Food is always fresh and excellent

Posted 11/10/09

My favorite place for the that special Indian flavor. I have been going to the Taj Palace buffet regularly for the past year and can say this place is fantastic! Yes, the buffet is somewhat small. However, this enables Taj Palace to replete their buffet with consistently good food. I have been to many others here in Austin, thus far none beat Taj Palace for yummieness!

Posted 11/04/09

This was the worst experience in my life..! Oh boy! what a hopeless buffet they had for the New Year's eve (31st Dec 2008). Food is worst and above it, damn expensive. The place is terrible and very bad service. Let me just put it this way, please, please, please... for God sake, avoid it. I bet you, this could be one of the worst buffet for you as well. PLEASE KEEP AWAY.

Pros: NOTHING TO MENTION

Cons: EVERYTHING

Posted 12/31/08

I'm surprised to see the negative reviews for the buffet. I ate there for lunch about 2 weeks ago on a weekend and it was delicious. There was a large variety (7-8 warm items) plus pakoras, samosas and an entire separate table of cold items like fruits, salads, desserts and raitas. The manager was very helpful in explaining what some dishes I am unfamiliar with were. And one customer requested more paneer in the Saag Paneer and they immediately ran to get more...some of us tend to pick it out!

I thought it was a great value - for the lunch buffet our total bill was maybe $25 for 2 and we left stuffed! There was plenty of meat. I am not sure how much the dinner buffet costs but I'm sure it's a bit more. Still the quality and atmosphere would make it worth more at dinner. There is a coupon on their website too.

Pros: variety and value of lunch buffet, nicer inside than it looks from the outside

Cons: easy parking and access from IH 35

Posted 07/29/08

My first time there. Definitely the LAST!! The plates were dirty. The service was good for some but bad for me as the lady turned up several times to ask if everything was ok....it became irritating after a while. Specially when we were towards the end of our meal. It was more interruption. The food was warm, clean & tasted average. Keema naan didnt have ANY keema in it, maybe some thinly sliced salami or something but it didnt taste anything like keema. We ordered 2 dishes which as per the menu card were served with side dishes of rice. The lady who took the order said that they (Taj Palace) only gave 1 complimentary rice per table!!! What sort of a rule is that?! She asked us to order bread instead. We were paying for the food we got. There was nothing complimentary!!!! The ambience was noisy. We could hear the kitchen noise, dishes clanking, spoons being thrown all over through out. When the guy came to pick up our dishes he gave me a headache. Banged all of them right in front of me..all the plates & spooons...ugh was so loud!!!
There are better places to get good food. I wouldnt recommend Taj Palace.

Posted 06/15/08

THe buffet on the 31st night is terible and it is one of the worst buffets i ever been to.
And they charged almost 65 dollors for 3 adults and a kid( planning to call them on it)
That day i was in hurry get out of that place..didn't check howmuch they charge me but planning to call them on it. ... Save ur money folks.. don't beleive the reviews..
Thanks.

Pros: Nothing

Cons: Everything

Posted 01/04/08

Pros -
I am a vegetarian and i enjoyed the buffet on tuesday evenings, twice. The food was really good as compared to all the joints in austin. I eat a lot outside and have tried everything around.

Cons -
The reason for not recommending is the attitude of the owner. On the receipt i noticed that the credit card number was printed completely with the expiry date. I thought they were not aware of the fact and hence talked to them about the same. Later, i found out that he had known that issue and said that it does not hurt anyone. He said all the copies of receipts are locked up with him safely. He completely disregarded the concern.

Bottom Line -
Enjoy the food but pay by cash. The food is not worth ones identity.

Pros: Good Food, Slightly highly priced.

Cons: Risk to Identity

Posted 11/24/07

I'm not a picky or highly critical eater whatsoever. But I've eaten at Indian restaurants in many places in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, New England, England, etc., and the buffet here - at least the two times I've had it this year (2007) - was a C at best. The best 2 items I had were a chicken dish and a beef dish, which were somewhat spicy and had a decent sauce, although the beef sauce was fatty. There were not very many vegetable dishes compared to what I'm used to with Indian buffets, and one I had, with cauliflower, carrots, etc. was dry and not very spicy (and I mean both heat-wise and general Indian-spices-wise) - very 'blah'. The 'pappadams' were like nothing I've ever seen, being more deep-fried and greasy than usual. I will definitely look for other Indian restaurants in Austin!

Posted 10/04/07

I have eaten here many times for lunch and occasionally for dinner as well. The service is always excellent and the owners are very nice people. The buffet constantly rotates different items and as noted in other reviews the tandoori chicken and naan(bread) are both consistently excellent. I also love the fried spinach as well as their lentils and despair when these are not on the daily menu. Unlike some Indian places they don't inundate you with the spices but they do remain authentic. I also love the deserts, especially the rice pudding.

Pros: Consistently excellent food and service.

Cons: None to speak of.

Posted 01/19/07

Despite this place being rather far from where I work, my coworkers and I still manage to come out here every month or every other month to enjoy the delicious buffet. The quality of the food is better than many of the other buffets I have been to, but still isn't the same level as a normal sit down restaurant. Nonetheless, the tandori chicken was good (and you can even see where they cook it) and the bread was delicious. I found myself trying hard to stop myself from overeating! The selection includes much for those that are meat lovers and those that are vegetarian. My only complaint was that they didn't offer much for dessert.

Pros: Great quality Indian buffet

Cons: A little pricy for a buffet, but still good to try once in awhile

Posted 11/21/06

Austin doesn't have that many good indian restaurants. I believe this is the best of the bunch. The buffet is ok, but the food off of the menu is excellent. It is a bit pricey, but good indian food around here isn't very cheap in general. You can get some of the same items off of the menu at the the Taj Palace food court next door in Highland Mall. Its a bit cheaper and the same food.

Pros: Excellent food

Cons: pricey

Posted 08/10/06

Excellent food, fairly expensive. Went to Vegetarian Buffet on Tuesday night, food was incredibly good, excellent even, especially the Biryani dishes/Naan bread/Samosas; once I got the check I had sticker shock, check was $ 10.00+ for 1 person and I didn't even have a coke! Once I got the bill I realized why they dont advertise buffet prices in print or on the internet. In Austin, Buffet Palace costs same or less for their buffet and is a better deal for the money. Indian food in Austin is disappointing for me, not many Indian places in Austin, most are fairly expensive by comparison with Chinese places in Austin. In Houston, Indian food is readily available in most parts of town, restaurants there normally charge less, prices for Indian take out/buffets in Houston are on a par with Chinese places there. Sure wish Austin had more and less expensive Indian restaurants.

Pros: Food, Parking

Cons: Indifferent service, Relatively expensive

Posted 06/04/06

Wide selection for the lunch buffet.
Excellent tasting food, just the right amount of spices.
Plus it is all you can eat!
A must for anyone who enjoys Indian food.

Posted 05/31/06

I can't remember ever getting a bad meal here during the 3 1/2 years I have lived in Austin. The food has been consistently well-prepared and tasty whether it was ordered from the menu or eaten from the buffet. We eat at Taj Palace regularly on Tuesday nights when they offer a vegetarian buffet that my family loves even though we are not vegetarian. The service is usually impeccable - water glasses are filled before they have been emptied by half.

Pros: Tasty, healthy food, Conveniently located, Inviting atmosphere

Posted 10/11/05

I have given this restaurant two tries, and I will not be returning. The first time, I was disappointed by both the food and the service. However, I am not one to make hasty judgements, so I gave them a second chance. The second time was worse than the first! The server (perhaps the manager I think) was very rude to our whole party. He made snide remarks and took a very long time to wait on us. We ordered off the menu but the food was dry, tasteless, and not freshly prepared. I love Indian food and am honestly not very hard to please, but this place was terrible!

Pros: convenient location

Cons: horrible service, bad food, no ambience

Posted 09/03/05

This place was a great delight. My boyfriend and I ordered the dinner for two, and it was delicious! We will definitely go back again, and perhaps next time, we will go for the lunch buffet!

Posted 08/31/05

My husband and I consider ourselves regular dinner guests at Taj Palace. Dinner is a completely different experience from the hustle and bustle of the lunch buffet. After only 2 visits, the manager, who seats you as you come in, recognized us and made our trip special.

Taj Palace is very quiet in the evenings and my we find it very peaceful. My favorite dish is the Barra Kabab Makhni, a succulent lamb kebab drenched in a creamy and buttery sauce. So good! And their naan is simply outstanding. I have always found the waitstaff very attentive, refilling glasses and taking away empty plates quickly, but quietly without alot of chit chat which I appreciate.

It's not quite as fancy as, say, the Clay Pit, but I felt much more relaxed and comfortable, and the food was much richer, all things I look for when visiting a Northern Indian restaurant.

Pros: Quick seating, Cosy Environment, Delicious Food

Cons: Strip mall location

Posted 07/20/05

Taj Palace is an okay restaraunt in an good location.(Right by a movie theatre) The food is good but the service is so horrible it's in describalble! The waitstaff and the manager are rude and un-helpful.Once I was there and I asked our waiter "How much nan(a type of bread) should we order for 3 people?" He replied sarcastically,"How would I know?" The food was good, especially for the price. Dessert was rather bad. The lunch buffet is really good, maybe bacause you don't have a waiter. The decor in the place is pretty nice. Glass beads make designs such as peacocks and paintings of India are a nice touch. I will not go back again although I think the food was pretty good. If I had to recommend it to someone I would tell the to go, but to expect a horrible, rude, and unattentive waitstaff!

Pros: Good Food, Great Decor, Next to movie theatre

Cons: Horrible Waitstaff, Bad dessert

Posted 06/28/05

We went for our Anniversary. It was at least as memorable as our honeymoon!! The atmosphere is romantic, exotic, beautiful, and fragrant!

The menu is varied and compelling; we were thankful for the option of sampler platters so we could try many different things in one visit. Both samplers are delicious, the breads are terrific, the lassi was refreshing... I could go on & on... :) I'd skip the mango chutney next time, but don't let that stop you...

I went back and got a dinner buffet To-Go, it was just as terrific the 2nd time!!

As a culinary cheapskate, it is a little more than I spend on a whim, so it is a special event for us, but most would find $50 for 2 adults more than fair. It was worth it and there were leftovers to tote home, I got a lassi to go...

Pros: Atmosphere, Selection, Good Parking

Posted 01/26/05

Taj Palace presents a great dining environment. Food tastes authentic and prices are very reasonable for the quality and quantity of food provided. Service, as always, is awesome, staff is very professional and courteous. Contrary to the belief that Indian cuisine is very hot, the food can be prepared anywhere from very mild to extremely hot. This is definitely one place that you should check out - chances are you're gonna get hooked on to Indian food. First timers might wanna try the daily lunch buffet or the monday/tuesday dinner buffets to get a flavor of the different types/varieties of indian foods. Very strongly recomended.

Pros: Amazing food, Reasonable Prices, Courteous wait staff

Posted 03/12/04

The sauces are suitably rich/spicy if a little thin but for the money paid I cannot recommend Taj Palace due to the small portions and cut corners. We ordered a lot of Naan/Onion Kulchi for our takeaway which isnt cheap at 2.25-2.50 an order. When it arrived they counted one half of a not particularily big naan as a whole order, 6 orders of naan should be enough for 4 people it wasnt! Also its quite unsettling to have paid $13-$15 for a curry and open it and find what seems like a scant few pieces of meat swimming in an ocean of sauce. When you think how much Chinese food you get for $9-$12 an entree paying $14 for a tiny portion seems like a ripoff. Taste of the food was decent but it just felt like you were not getting your moneys worth.

Pros: Fairly Tasty

Cons: Small Portions, Not a good value

Posted 01/01/04

It's hard to judge a restaurant simply on the lunch buffet, but it is a good way to sample the food and judge the overall fare. Overall, this place will suffice for lunch, but it is not worth a long drive, and it is not great value. In general, dishes were a little thin, i.e. too creamy/saucy/runny. The Sag Panner had little Paneer and the dal was more like a soup. The tandoori chicken was well done, however, and the nan was fresh and fluffy. Service, as in most Indian restaurants, was excellent.

Posted 02/15/03

I had no idea where middle fiskville rd was, but I checked it out and drove on over. My mate and I were pleasantly surprised.
All waitstaff were dressed professionaly with bowties, and we were seated promptly by the manager. The lighting was dim and the decor was exotic from India. You can see into the kitchen where the tandoor is too. The waitstaff was very promt and very friendly. Order lots of Naan. Its very very good.

Pros: Ambiance, Food, Hot tea

Posted 01/22/03

Great vegetarian fare. Cream-based sauces are rich... maybe too rich for some people's taste.

Between Taj Palace and Sarovar, I would choose Sarovar, but that's probably more an issue of personal preference than objective quality.

Posted 10/22/02

I have been there several times now. No, you won't get a warm fuzzy from the staff. They are efficient, though. The place also offers a frequent diner card and on my birthday I got a card in the mail offering a free entree. Most Indian restaurants don't do that kind of thing. The food is quite good on the whole although I would skip the samosas.

Posted 05/23/02