They have changed a great deal since the last time I was there; no more is it focused about the buffet, but rather making good food fresh I love the samosas, and the garlic naan and butter chicken is pretty good too, It's all the better that they close at 1am Disregard my previous review and hit up Bombay Cafe as long as they keep this current style going read more

This is a horrible place. I dont even know if they want your business??? I asked for a certain item on their menu and the lady said they are short staffed and that it would take them 30 minutes to make i said no problem i even offered to buy something from the buffet to wait. Then she said well dont come ask me after 10 minutes you know its going to take so much time actually i dont even feel like making it. Then we ended up getting buffet food. The chicken was old and smelled like it was from 3 days ago. Nothing is fresh here it is a rip off and all their staff is leaving because the owner is a cheap guy. I would not recommend anyone to come here. Food is gross staff is even more dis respectful!!! read more

3 star food, 4 star value for offering a cheap dinner buffet that rotates its daily entrees. If you overshoot into the Bloom parking lot, the lots are connected so you won't have to turn back onto 29. My dad heard about this place on recommendation by one of his "authentic" coworkers, haha. Don't you love when fobs are politically correct? TLDR: Chicken korma, butter chicken, tandoori chicken, kheer mohn are all-stars. Dinner visit Wednesday with my dad, we claimed a table near the bus cart with enough light from outside to make for good ambiance. Two girls were sitting beside us, plates almost empty, and they chatted away long after we came and went. Chicken korma was pretty good, tender and swimming in a creamy sauce that didn't taste too oily, but I've had better butter chicken. Tandoori chicken was worth a return trip, and I probably got some glares for only snagging drumsticks. Naan was alright, with a good balance of crisp toastiness versus slight puffing; the hand shooting out of the wall with a fresh batch from the kitchen on the other side was a bit startling... and explained why the regulars camp out in eyesight of the aluminum bin. Vegetable pakora was okay, but my palate wasn't enticed enough to reserve any tummyspace for another taste. Biryani was a nice change of pace when I was tired of sopping sauce with the naan. Jamun was okay, though I felt a lot of caloric guilt consuming something sweet, syrupy, and fried. I don't know why, when if you swapped syrup with powdered sugar I would've eaten 6 more of those suckers. Kheer mohn is delicious. I could have a gallon of that every day without regrets. I could bathe in it. I could... no I'll keep this PG. Saturday evening visit, I optimistically drag White Dragon to try it out and miraculously find it again while my GPS overheats in this ridiculous oven weather. Briefly enraptured by the dancing flower in the SUV next to us, and relieved that they're open since I didn't check the hours online before leaving, we go in and snag the same table since I'm a creature of habit. Four fellows have claimed the larger table aimed to provide perfect viewing of the World Cup game on TV, and the naan bucket. The former may have influenced why the kitchen staff were more watchful, with staff coming out every 15 minutes or so to stir the sauced dishes and check on entree volume. Mowed through mouthfuls of vegetable korma, palak paneer, chicken tikka, and malai kabab. All neither distasteful nor memorable. Butter chicken was much improved and not nearly as dry, possibly due to the staff's attentions. Besun burfi squares were further quartered and interesting to taste, with a dense cake-like texture and vaguely familiar flavors. Fountain options are a watery Nestea, plain water, fruit punch Hi-C, Fanta orange soda, Coca-cola, and I think Sprite. Saw a few bottles of unfamiliar alcohol by the register. I generally avoid salad bars at buffets so you'll have to shop elsewhere for a review on that section. Same conflict with the cafe, I'm hard pressed to order individual items when for less cost I can gorge on about $30 of food for the price of $6 cash (it's funny how saying "cash discount" sounds less negative than "credit card fee"). You bus your own plates and refill your own drinks, so customer service for the buffet is really just the register at the door. Wednesday night we got blown off for about 5 minutes, but I didn't say anything since he looked haggard running the counter solo. Saturday afternoon service was fine. Not a bad place if you're hungry and don't mind an absence of lamb. Cue the "We'll be back" a la Schwarzenegger voice. read more

********UPDATED********* So I revised my rating down to 2 stars after a considerable slide in the food quality and value of this place compared to other Indian buffet's in the area. After being a serial visitor to this place basically since it opened, I have become increasingly disappointed with the poor quality of food during the dinner buffets just about any day of the week. They stopped serving the kheer (sweet rice pudding dessert) for some reason in the buffet line and replaced it with these dry tasteless desserts that no one seems to touch for good reason... at least they left the perennial favorite gulab jamun to continue it's mission of increasing blood sugar levels around the world. Lately it has become more busy than ever which is always good for business, but it seems like it also forces the cooks to bring out food faster therefore dropping quality.... for example, a few nights ago my friend almost ate a little roach that found its way into the butter chicken, unless that's the secret ingredient all this time, I don't think it belonged there. Probably won't be coming back until they clean up their act (and kitchen) and go back to the good old days, for now you'll find me at Preet Palace in Centreville. ****************************** I have been going to this place when it was just the left-side store (they expanded into the store on the right and knocked down the wall). As I recall their dinner buffet was under $7 and worth every penny! In addition the the unlimited fountain drinks, I really enjoy the fresh naan, samosas and desserts (the kheer is very good). Their tandoori chicken is high quality for a buffet, however, once you excessively indulge in any of the foods that are heavily immersed in sauce (i.e. Butter Chicken), it seems to create a negative imbalance in your stomach; be warned. The reason I give this place only 3 of 5 stars though is because the price went up to around $13 as quickly as gas went from $3/gal to $4/gal; completely unexpected. You can't help but notice the large Bollywood mural spanning one entire wall as you gorge away, you also can't help to wonder if this is why they're charging 80% more than they did 3 years ago with no significant improvements to the food! Watch out Bombay Cafe, raise your prices much more and you'll be competing with the arrogant likes of Bombay Bistro, about 5 minutes away! read more

So... my 4 stars arn't equal among restaurants I guess. I give this place 4 stars because I desperately wanted an Indian DINNER buffet. I'm not sure if you've every searched for Indian dinner buffets in the D.C. area, but it super rare. My dad was in town (thus with a car) and we trekked out to Bombay Cafe because it was the only dinner buffet I could find. Yes your food will be on styrofoam.... yes the dinner is only $10.... considering those two facts the food was GREAT! The same food could pass with a better atmosphere for an $18 buffet. There were desserts that were VERY traditional (from what my Indian friends tell me) and the entrees were delicious. My dad and I were the only people speaking english in the place... I think thats a semi-good sign at least.. : ) I would go back, but it's pretty far and I don't have a car. : ( Still I think if you need an Indian dinner buffet, its worth the drive. read more

This is my go-to place for Indian food in Fairfax. It's cheap and quick. For $7, you get rice, naan, dessert, and two sides. The butter chicken is my favorite. There is an equal share of meat and veggie options. If you dine in, you can also have soup from the condiments bar. The platter is can easily feed two people. All in all, your dollar goes far here! read more

This a cheap Indian buffet and you can't beat the price. They offer many varieties in the buffet and don't expect it to be tasty. You get what you pay for. Other bad thing is the floor is little sticky and make you feel very uncomfortable. Only saving factor is the price and they offer buffet all day. I think this place is still surviving because of the same reason. Bottom line: If you want to fill your stomach for little price and do not expect at least 2 star experience, this is the place to be. read more

A great place to grab a quick bite for lunch. Staffs were friendly and the food was great.

We had the real pleasure of having Bombay Cafe as our caterer of choice for multiple events during our wedding held Labor Day of this year. They prepared spectacular assortments of food for every event held, which included two religious ceremonies, a tea time, a cocktail hour, and a reception. The menus were highly customized and specific to each event. It's worth noting that our wedding was a fusion of cultures that required them to complement the best of both Punjabi and South Indian dishes. They went above and beyond in meeting that challenge and keeping all guests coming back time and time again for more! A special and sincere Thank You goes to Davinder Uncle Ji, whose level of involvement and attention to detail was unparalleled to anything we have ever experienced. He began working with us one entire year prior to our wedding, and was instrumental in formulating and customizing our menus with the most unique and flavorful dishes, of which we are still receiving raving compliments about. Davinder Ji personally exercised his craft, spending hours of his time creating innovative and unprecedented dishes to meet and exceed our requirements Examples included, but are not limited to: Rose Milkshake; Pan Milkshake; Dahi Puri Shots; and Spinach Chaat. Other hits included: Chicken Tikka Samosa; Vada; Chicken 65; Paneer Tikka Skewers; and Masala Dosa (prepared and served on demand via a live station!) Davinder Ji was very accommodating to all our requests and stayed engaged throughout the process. He was truly a pleasure to work with. He also proactively coordinated with our venue and visited the hotel on his own accord, to ensure their kitchen space, supplies, and logistics were adequate enough to ensure he could serve his food in the freshest way possible. Both the food and the service were past the caliber of 5 Stars. We will undoubtedly use them again in the future. Thanks Bombay Cafe, for being instrumental in making our wedding a success! read more

$5 buffet ($2 more if you want a drink besides water).. it's not bad. the food is yummy. not a lot of selection though.. but if you're in the mood for cheap Indian food.. or haven't tried it before.. go to Bombay Cafe. Only has about 3 or so meat entress.. and like 3 vegetarian entrees.. then a few sides. small selection.. but tasty. butter chicken.. cheese in curry sauce. delicious. you don't have to tip either.. even though it's a buffet.. you clean your own table. read more

My one friend in Fairfax kept telling me that I had to go to this place for Indian buffet, so he finally convinced me to give it a shot. At first, I was pleased to see that buffet was $7.99 compared to $9.95 buffets in Baltimore. The place was modest and simple, and sadly the food selection suits the place. Not many choices compared to my experience with Indian buffets in Baltimore. There were 2 meat dishes: butter chicken (which I think is chicken tikka masala) and chicken manchurian (chicken meatballs?). I find the names of the dishes odd, but maybe I'm missing something here. I guess for Fairfax, Bombay Cafe ain't shabby, but I'm glad that I have more options in Baltimore. read more

I went to Bombay cafe with my girlfriend (who is Indian) and we absolutely loved it. She has been going here with her family for years and convinced me to give it a try (since it is a bit of a drive from our home) and I am glad I listened! We asked for Aloo Gobi and they were more than happy to make it for us. It was absolutely excellent. So flavorful with the big and bold traditional Indian spices, and also very hot and fresh. We also got the Paneer dish of the day and samosas. The Paneer pieces were so tender and fresh, and the curry they were cooked in was also amazing. I have had many samosas from many different grocery shops, restaurants, and cafes, I have to say that these were the best ones I've ever had. Light and crispy and cooked to a perfect golden brown. They also came with the chutneys that they make in house to complete the tasty snack. The staff also matched the food. They were attentive, friendly, and very prompt. The atmosphere is fine for a quick bite to eat and the prices are very fair and competitive to other Indian restaurants. I would absolutely recommend this cafe and will be returning asap to satisfy my Indian cravings! read more

I have been eating there 2-3 times a week for over a month now. Food is top notch and as long as you get a regular worker the service is good as well. The only downside is when you get someone who hasn't been working there long they get a bit skimpish on the portions. Otherwise the best Indian food I've had. read more

The fresh samosas are my favorite along with the mango lassi. Their sweets are also really good!

This used to be one of our go to places. Recently they left out 2 Bryant dishes, 2 lassis and other items. Charged us full price for somosas when they should've been discount. Check your orders ppl. Problem only started recently. I'm wondering if they are under new ownership?!!? read more

Amazing Palak chana and butter chicken. It's full of flavor and is very filling. I love their tandoori chicken, too. It's really juicy. read more

$5 Indian buffet with dessert! Are you serious? You can't beat a deal like this. Even the raw ingredients would cost me more than 5 bucks, let alone the cost of my time to cook them. The food itself is pretty good. There was butter chicken, tandori chicken, thal, various veggies when I went there. Ambiance is not much to look at since it's laid out like a NY deli cafeteria. Yes and I do smell like butter chicken after I leave the restaurant, but my stomach doesn't give a damn! read more

This place used to be good, but last time around it was terrible. Not clean and very unorganized. Ordered Chole Bhature, and the worst I have ever had! Bhature, were 4 small triangles, full of dough. When you go to Indian restaurant, you expect Bhature to be big, roundish and fluffy. Being a Punjabi place, chole should have been awesome, but had no taste, were cold and just awful. It was a disappointment. read more

I was there last night. Looks like they fell on hard times. It's not a buffet any more. they now do platters. Limited to only two entrees for $5, plus tax. I got cauliflower and dal. I thought the portions were ok.. Mine came with rice and naan. The selections for the platters are not as varied as the buffet had been. Though they do still have both vegetarian and meat dishes. They only had seating for half of what they used to have. You could still see the remains of where the buffet used to be. That area of the place was not being used anymore. And while I was there I didn't see any obviously Indian customers like before. There was was a sign advertising for a dishwasher. I was served on a Styrofoam plate with plastic fork and spoon. Perhaps because they didn't have a dishwasher. I sure miss the buffet. read more

My golden rule for finding the best values on food is simple: Follow the cab drivers. Where there are cab drivers there is sure to be a cheap, tasty, ethnic restaurant with no frills that satisfies the taste buds and gains me heaps of praises from my fellow man for my shrewd ability to sniff out a bargain. My local taxi man tipped me off to this gem a while back, and as far as deals go, it doesn't get any better than this. $5. Seriously. Seriously. How can you give a bad review to a 5$ buffet? Even if it were a bad buffet, it still deserves at least three stars. But this isn't a bad one, it's an awesome one. Butter chicken is almost always on the menu and it's yummy. Tandoori Chicken is a regular too. If they happen to have lamb, it is usually a small piece of meat on a large bone, so I skip it. Rice is fine, naan is usually good. Self serve, no frills, cafeteria style. It's clean and comfortable and always stocked. Oh yeah, it's also $5. Did I mention that already? read more

This buffet restaurant is not much to look at, but the food is very good (okay, the naan could use some work). It is very much a do-it-yourself place where you get to bus yourself. If you feel inspired, you can go to the attached Indian market and get the ingredients to make dinner at home. The restaurant does take credit cards, but the minimum is $10. While it is no-frills, the food makes it worth a trip. read more

Good, cheap Indian food. For $7 you get a Naan, some basmati rice and two entrees, and a small dessert. If you like Indian sweets, you can buy them by the pound. They have a good variety of sugary, boiled milk and cheese style indian desserts. As many have said, the butter chicken is great. I think they use Tandoori chicken in the making of it to give it a great smokey flavor. I had the Dahl to go with it. Rich and creamy. I could eat that all day with basmati rice! I'm used to the variety of all you can eat Indian buffets, but this meal was very satisfying for the price. The only way I would be able to beat that price is to go to the Indian cafe's along Oak Tree Rd., in Iselin, NJ. This is Fairfax after all... You won't be eating like a Moghul, but you won't be eating like an untouchable either. It's more like a meal at an Indian college cafeteria I suppose. Simple decor and it's clean enough. The place is also open late, but I hear you don't get Naan after 10 PM. Labor issue? Or vedic doctrine? I don't know, but that's OK by me. I'll have to swing by one night for a late night snack! Hint: Eat in. If you go to the side of the cafe, there are small foam bowls for you to serve yourself the soup of the day from a heated pot with a ladle. I was expecting it to be Sambar, but when I was there it was a mixed bean vegetable soup. Unless you are dating some earthy-hippie chick, I would not bring a first date here. read more

The food is strictly okay. Every dish lacks flavour and spices like salt and chilly. It is not horrible but it is not good either, not at all satisfying. The indian sweets always disappoint me. read more

Typically I enjoy the food here very much. However, the service does not match the product. Came for take out in a hurry and they continually helped those dining in first. Ultimately I waited over 30 minutes just for naan to be added to my platter orders. read more

I was craving some daal makhani and surprised to see this place was open late (1 AM). The restaurant looks clean, but I didn't stay long enough to give it a full look. I arrived at 23:30 and they had a limited menu, but they still had daal makhani - yay!! The restaurant is still set up buffet style. From my understanding, they don't make food to order. They just take from their buffet set up. However, the food was still hot and ample portions. For an x-large daal, rice and orange juice, I paid ~ $12. That is an excellent deal compared to other local Indian places (usually the daal is $12 just for a small cup). Cons: No tandoori chicken, naan bread or many other menu items after 21:30. They had samosas, but they were cold. When I asked about them, I appreciated that the hostess told me so and didn't charge me for cold food. When I asked if she could heat it up, she said, "no." No big deal. However, I do wish they had tandoori chicken and naan as late as their other dishes. Those are really staples in a typical order and it would be great if they had those later than 21:30. I would still recommend especially if you just want daal like I did. (: Definitely will be visiting in the future. read more

I used to go here every week. I put up with a lot of crap and dingy decor for this place. No more buffet? No thank you. read more

So disappointed when they took out the buffet. It used to be banging. Now its order of the menu. And its nothing special. We ate here anyways. Nothing special. Bring Back the buffet and I will be a loyal customer!! For now 2 stars. read more

$5 buffet (if paid in cash) is so much better than getting a meal at McDonalds. You don't get a lot of choices but what they have to offer is pretty good. It's not a romantic place, especially when you take your own empty dirty dishes to the bin. I hated Indian food so much until I came here. So I guess you could say that the food they have to offer is a bit Americanized, not so pungent. I crave to eat here at least once a week for some reason... I think they put crack on their food or it's just darn good or... I just love the food for the price I pay. read more

Cheap. Strange buffet that resembles a homeless persons soup kitchen of sorts. (Actually there are nicer soup kitchens) "Sur" of the border chefs cooking Indian food?? C'mon now. For $5 (cash) or $7 (using credit/debit) I rather go to McDonalds and know that at least I wont be suffering as though my tape worms are vomiting liquid rapidly. Moreover, there seems to be some sanitary issues which makes me hesitant to EVER return to bizarre place. Save yourself some face and avoid like the plague. 1 Star for providing a place for waistline busting Fairfax County Government employees to congregate during the hours they should be working.... Another 1 Star for offering cheap food to the public. read more

$5 buffet all day. Let me just say that first. Monday-Thursday, the buffet is $5 (cash price, $5.99 for credit) all day from 11:30 to 9:30. On weekends, the price bumps up by $2. For those of us who are cheapskates, this is pretty awesome. Bombay Cafe is a very casual affair. You wait in line to pay on the way in, which is also your opportunity to snag a soda or beer out of the case. I'm not sure if they even have a menu. Once inside, fountain drinks and water are strictly self-service and you bus your own table. They typically have three meat options and three veg options, along with salads, chutney, pakora and desserts. They even had a tub o' papdi chaat, my secret love, which was not so secret actually, because I filled up an entire plate with just that and the lime pickles.. Was the food the best I've ever had? No, not really. Was it the most innovative? No. The greatest variety? Nope. Was it a $5 dinner buffet? Oh my yes. It was pretty good too. I was happy with everything (except those gross little cakes that I already knew I didn't like), and there were no complaints from anyone else at the table either. We left full (even my boyfriend!) and content. Unfortunately, they keep the place freeeeeeeeeezing, possibly to discourage the extra-cheap cheapskates from sitting around to grab another meal once they're hungry again. There's a little comment book by the exit, and they've printed up many of the comments onto a big sign hung by the door. To their credit, they include the negative ones as well. Some memorable comments include "This place is not worth even one dollar!" to "Sikh's don't eat meat!" (sic), but most of them are praise. Bombay Cafe is a great place for a casual, cheap, leisurely meal with a bunch of friends. Just bring a coat. read more

*NOM NOM NOM NOM* all you can eat indian cuisine. Love this place and it's SO DARN CHEAP! *NOM NOM NOM NOM* read more

The quality and freshness of the food is horrible. It is flavorless and stale. This is not how Indian food should be. Rude staff. Add it all up and this place is rapidly going downhill. read more

This place was alright. My boyfriend wanted to bring me here. He definitely said that it was a lot better the first time he came. There is no lunch buffet and that was what made this place. What's confusing is that they still have a buffet style display but no buffet. I've had better Indian/Nepali food. read more

This is a terrible place. They used to be an amazing buffet but changed their ordering format and rip you off at every chance they get. They're rude, and the services is slow. In addition to not accepting credit cards, they provide you with tacky plastic containers and flimsy silverware. The food is really delicious but the decor, service, and price just isn't worth it anymore. read more

Bombay Cafe - This is what you eat of ... Disaster. - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

BRUHHH THE BUTTER CHICKEN HERE IS AMAZING.....THE CHANA MASALA......MIND BLOWING FLAVOR.....it feels like there's a Bollywood music video being played in my mouth. WOW, I drive one hour just to come eat at this place. The service is excellent and the fact that they offer two entrees where most of the other places I've been to only lets you choose one!!?!? Bombay offers up to THREE ENTREES WITHIN THE SAME MEAL. I definitely recommend this humble spot. Enjoy read more

The best part of Bombay Cafe is the Whole Tandoor Chicken for $11 which tastes awesome and they always have fresh sweets and the best in NoVA area. I only do carry out as the amazing buffet has gone! Still a regular for Samosas,Tandoor chicken and platter dinner sometimes!! Mango lassi is below avg and hence stay away from it. Dahi Bhalla, Samosa chat, Aloo tiki chat are awesome! read more

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Awesome Punjabi food, haven't had it this good since Punjab Dhaba was sold,then closed on rt 50 falls church a few years back(shout out to Mr. Ram) At Bombay cafe Food is authentic and reasonably priced. They are know for their samosas that are super fresh(fried on the spot and worth the wait)not frozen like some other places. The owner and his son are super nice and accommodating. I wish more people/restaurants were like this !!! Worth the drive it's by Walmart in fairfax. One of my new go to's ! Don't forget the masala chai tea! It's the real deal ,tasty ! read more

Bombay Cafe - Fresh and hot ! - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Great food with great service. You can also grab some sweets and dry snacks, if you like. read more

Bombay Cafe - Bhel Puri and Mango lassi - Indian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

I love the food here!!! I came here twice in this month. I love their platter that I can choose 3 curries with naan & rice & dessert. They also have the red onion, spicy paste and a soup on the day on the side. The service is good. I asked them to fill the red onions and they were happy to treat us :) thank you! read more

You're definitely only getting what you pay for here...and with the buffet priced at about five bucks what can you expect -- so if you just want to get filled up and eat Indian food on the cheap this is the right place - the buffet was a lot better before when it was $11, before the price was dropped -- you even had lamb as a choice -- now the only meet you'll get is chicken, albeit cooked in several ways. This place is really famous for the buffet - but the carry-out is good Indian food -- just don't order anything that is also in the buffet cause you'll get the same stuff that is at the buffet. The sweets (mithai) are excellent! I recommend them...they're always fresh - and that's cause they're made onsite. There is also a $1.00 charge if you wish to use your credit card -- before they had a minimum charge...but since that's against Visa & MC policy I'm sure they had to change it. read more