This buffet has a few dishes with unique twists rather than the same old choices that other Indian buffets might offer. With construction going on at neighboring businesses, they need to put up a bright sign that says, "Open" I was seriously going to keep driving, but luckily, I decided to call to see if they were actually open. Staff was attentive and helpful. Good value. read more

Bowl O Biryani - Onion pakora, biryani, dal, chili chicken, baby corn Manchurian, butter chicken, curry. - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

On a recent visit to nearby Lombard, a colleague was craving Indian food and Bowl O Biryani popped up high on the list on ole Yelp! So, naturally we grabbed an Uber and made our way there. Sadly, we did not scope the website and when we showed up, they were closed for dine-in and only available for pick up and/or delivery. Not wanting to be defeated or change plans too much, we placed a quick online order and our Uber driver was chill enough to hang out with us. We waited around 15 - 20 minutes from time of order, and gave them a ring, letting them know our situation too. They were super kind and friendly and made sure to push things through fairly quickly. We ended taking the food back to hotel where we enjoyed at a table in the lobby. For starters, we scooped up a few varieties of naan, including garlic and chilli. For meals we went biryani and curry respectively. I went with the chicken biryani and my peer the lamb curry. The naan was phenomenal and the mains were delightful as well. The food was fresh and definitely authentic. I wish we could have enjoyed on site, but I feel we still got a good representation of what they offer! Overall, solid Indian spot that I definitely recommend when the craving hits! read more

Good heavens, this place is huge! Unplanned date nights and driving under the influence of hangriness can lead to confusing decisions. We passed up dark, quaint, romantic places and followed ol gps to this strange, desolate plaza. And yonder sitteth Bowl O Biryani. Like I said, so large, I'm sure it echos when you flush the men's room john. It felt like the server was trying to get us to guess the word "lethargy"..we could hear her slides and socks combo shuffling to us from miles away. Yes, service was kind of slow. Food was not bad. I don't know why we got the mixed grill platter, so noob. It was good. I've had Indian restaurants serve me day old chicken before, thinking I wouldn't notice. Bowl O Biryani did not do that. The platter was colorful and fresh, marinated,and not so spicy. The giant paneer square was my favorite. Lamb saag was a winner. It was firey! We took a goat biryani to-go which was also good. Naan was soft. Desserts were okay. I'd come back if I'm in the area. read more

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Horrible food. Inside is very dim and looks very cheap, service is unprofessional. I ordered 5 dishes, it was extremely bad, I threw them away. Never going back again. Worst Indian food I've ever had. read more

I came here with a friend for dinner and we had a less favorable experience with the service here. Overall, the food was pretty mediocre compared to other Indian places I've been to. Chicken biryani- we asked for this dish to not be spicy and it came out way too hot for any of us. We specifically asked to really minimize the heat but they declined to do so and still charged us for it. Fish curry - the fish didn't really have any unique twist to it. They just threw the fish with bone into the curry and cooked it. The curry was excessively oily and didn't taste great. The ambiance is very empty here and they did not want us sitting at a booth by the window. read more

Bowl O Biryani - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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The food was good but very spicy. We asked them to make it medium spicy but my mouth was burning at the first bite. My partner enjoyed it though, so if you like spicy food, this is a great place for you. They only offer takeout at the moment since they are undergoing renovation. read more

Let's call this place BoB. It doesn't look like much outside, but you'll want to check out the lunch buffet. It's in the middle of a quiet plaza, and resides in what used to be a night club. The service is prompt and stays out of the way. The buffet has a nice variety of foods which includes naan, rice, vegetarian options, curries, chickens, and more. Of course you'll find some Gulab Jamun which hits your sweet tooth. Overall a spacious place that could use an interior designer's touch to make it feel more lived in and inviting, but the food is pretty good. read more

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We had dinner here this past Friday night. We walked in a little after 5 and were literally the only 2 people in the huge place. A little nerve wracking - but we carried on and stayed and had dinner. So glad we did. I imagine they do quite well for the buffet lunch - and going in at 5:15 on a Friday night is not a populate time! We started with the Chicken 555 appetizer - and had it medium spicy. It was perfectly spiced and definitely had a kick. We thought the dish was huge and really enjoyed it. For entrees - we had House Special Shrimp Biryani and Mysore Masala Dosa. Both dishes were quite large and we brought half of them home - especially after having the chicken app. My husband thoroughly enjoyed the biryani and would recommend that to everyone. While awkward to be the only ones eating in the restaurant - it was definitely worth it for the food/flavor. read more

Great food but they are under construction right now and no dine in is allowed. We ordered butter chicken, naan, biriyani and cashew curry. The receptionist is not rude but just there. No hi or thank you. So don't expect much in terms of greeting. read more

The food here is amazing and the service is impeccable! Great choices of Indian food and drinks. I highly recommend especially the lunch buffet! read more

I went back there once a bit later in the year over the summer on a Friday for lunch, & they charged the same higher price as on weekends, but did not have mutton on their menu. WTF How dare you think multiple ways to cook chicken (boring) suggest the same price for full non-veg option selections that are mismatched? I should have been charged $17.99 not $22.99 that day. FYI I guess I could have spoken up & made a scene but did not want to get into the price gauging practices these owners seem to support similar to Comrade Kamala's viewpoints. & for god's sake - Did they learn to upgrade to Aramark premium service to have the appropriate supplies to regularly mop a sticky floor? I mean imagine walking around a restaurant where your shoes make noise moving around the floor... LAME read more

I carried out their lunch specials and the food was great -- flavorful and satisfying. Both vegetarian and non-veg specials are worth checking out. The service was a bit slow, and the dine-in area is huge but doesn't have much of a vibe. Still, the food definitely makes it worth a visit! read more

The food was good. We had two apps and they were excellent. We would definitely recommend the onion pakora and the Karam podi Gobi. We ate so much of it we almost didn't have room for dinner, lol. We then had the masala dosa and the chicken tikka masala. All were good. The service was good enough and friendly. The space was a bit confusing. It's a very large space and we were expecting the place to be packed on a Saturday night but there were only a few tables taken. The music was a bit loud but we could still talk to each other. The only thing thing they could fix would be to get something to let them be seen from Butterfield road. This place is pretty hidden away so if you're not specifically looking for it, you'd never know it's there. We'll definitely be back. read more

I am so glad my husband found this place on Yelp! We had been craving good butter chicken and chicken tikka masala since moving from our place near Streamwood. We used to frequent a place there called India Foodie but had difficulty finding a local Indian restaurant to frequent near Elmhurst. I think we'll honestly be at Bowl of Biriyani 3-4 times a month. It's a nicely decorated, clean, and open restaurant with plenty of seating and social distancing. All the servers wore masks, and some were wearing disposable gloves as well. We ordered the butter naan, butter chicken, and chicken tikka masala. Butter Naan - we ordered two servings. freshly grated garlic with crispy naan. It was a delight! Butter Chicken - a solid butter chicken, smooth, slightly sweet, and delicious! Chicken Tikka Masala - herby, mild, and a solid dish to enjoy The total came out to be $38.28 with leftovers for tomorrow!! Bowl of Biriyani, thanks for filling our stomachs with deliciousness! We'll be back. read more

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What looks to once be a nightclub, now turned Indian joint is how I would best describe this spot. Very spacious inside with more than enough parking. We did some take out via Doordash and it was pretty bangin'. The butter chicken was spot on. Garlic naan went quick, but was a tad over-toasted IMO. Goat dum biriyani was flavorful and had a pretty good kick of heat. Shrimp hakka noodles were sort of the outlier, but I dig it. Would I come back again? Definitely. 'Til next time, cheers! read more

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Came here for lunch with my mom on a Thursday afternoon. It looked closed, but it wasn't. We had lunch specials. I had the butter chicken, which came with rice and naan; my mom had veg biriyani. Both came with dessert (gulab jamun) and an appetizer. The veg came with onion pakoras and non-veg with tandoori chicken, but I asked for pakoras instead. The pakoras were delicious so glad I did! I also got the idly/Vada combo, which came with chutneys, but no sambhar. The Vada was fresh and delicious, but the idli was pretty dense like they didn't let the batter rise long enough. I would def come back here. read more

Bowl O Biryani - Lunch specials - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

This meal was excellent; honestly, the only issue I had was that the location from the outside looks like it is going to be a total bust--in fact, one of our folks drove up and wasn't even sure that this business was still open. Once inside, the place is massive; I'm guessing dinner/weekend service is just busier. I had the butter masala (veg) lunch special, which comes with white rice and naan; excellent, just the right amount of food for someone who hopes to actually get work done in the afternoon, and great value for the price of $11. I wish service was a little faster, since I had to get back to work, but the quality of the food was there for sure. Looking forward to a return visit! read more

Biryani and methi chicken were good. Apollo fish was spicy. Very large seating. Will come back.

We ordered take out from here, and while I agree it looks unsuspecting from the outside, the food at Bowl o Biryani is really good! We made sure to ask for everything to be made with mild spice, and it was still quite spicy. We look forward to coming back soon to try more dishes here! read more

I'm going to echo a lot of other reviews when I say I was 99% sure this place was closed when I pulled up, and was very confused when I walked inside. But none of that really matters because the food was AMAZING. I ordered myself a ton of takeout as a birthday treat and had leftovers for days. Ate it three days straight and could have eaten it for another three. Drown me in Malai Kofta. read more

Bowl O Biryani - Samosa, Malai Kofta, and Daal tadka - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Been going here for almost two years and have never been disappointed! I grew up eating Indian food on Devon Avenue in the city and Bowl of Biryani is comparable, even superior to most of that. Highly recommend the dosa, tandoori dishes, madras curries and my favorite: the vindaloo. The weekend lunch buffet is superior to most buffets in the Chicago area. Service is always friendly and there's plenty of space for larger groups. Highly recommended! read more

Don't judge a book by its cover. Located in a distressed looking strip mall, but once you're inside the restaurant you'll immediately be forgiving. Large seating area. Clean interior. The service is a bit slow, which can be improved. The dishes are yummy! You will not be disappointed. A must try! read more

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This restaurant was huge - probably more space than they could fill, but impressive nonetheless. They had a sign claiming they're the largest indian restaurant in chicagoland area. Service was very friendly and accommodating for our family of 5 (including a baby), and the space was clean and comfortable. We ordered the chicken tikka masala, palak paneer, and chicken dum biryani. Since we had kids with us, we ordered non-spicy. However, non-spicy is STILL SPICY, so despite our kids really enjoying the taste of the chicken tikka masala and palak paneer, they were chugging water like crazy. The biryani I felt was a bit dry, but so far I haven't really found biryani I've liked, so maybe I just don't like biryani (but had to try it since it's in the name). Plenty more things to try here in the future, so will come back if we're in the area. As a side note, they had buffet stands, so I wonder if at some point they had that option, but maybe it's not active during the pandemic. read more

Food was really good, make sure you ask for recommendations on how hot a dish is. The place is huge but booth felt cozy and comfortable. Prices were reasonable. We found out there is a lunch buffet on weekends and specials for lunch during the week. If you have a big group this place is just right. Highly recommend. read more

Service is okay. Place is huge and ambiance is great for Indian folks ( contemporary Bollywood music is played ) But food sucks - oily greasy Ordered dosa - the coconut chutney was stale & sour , but when the waiter brought new , it was still stale. I think it's a hit or miss restaurant. read more

The other day, I got a craving for butter chicken, so we went to an Indian restaurant nearby, which ended up being closed due to Covid. Since then, my craving got bigger and bigger, and we found this place in Downers Grove. It is a huge place, and seems it's supposed to be a buffet restaurant, but Covid does not allow them to be. They opened the door at 11am, we were the first ones to be seated. I saw a few more Indian customers after us. Good sign. They have lunch menu for $9.99 per person for vegetarian combo, and $10.99 for meat dishes. Our order: Masala tea Garlic and cheese naan Vegetarian combo w Samosa, Onion pakora, and vegetarian biryani Meat combo w tandoori, curry chicken and butter chicken Tea had a good bitterness and I recommend to use it between each dish. Do not drink much while you are waiting for all the dishes to arrive. Naan were all nice and flaky. My wife loved cheese naan and I loved garlic one. Tasted great! Tandoori chicken was boney and a little tough to eat without knife, but I thought all chicken dishes were 5 stars. Also samosa was very soft and easy to cut through. We did not eat breakfast, so could not stop until gone. For me onion pakora was a little lack of punch compared to other dishes. We can get a huge bag of Indian snacks tasting like this for $3 from an international market nearby. It did not seem that attractive this time. Vegetable biryani was first I felt a bit boring. But towards the end of the meal, it did work better to refresh my pallet, so I was impressed with their calculation. Small item, but useful to order. My choice of the meal here is: Chicken dish. They cooked tender and juicy chicken. I still love Indian butter chicken the best! read more

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Food is great , service is great. Appetisers to eat - chicken Lollipop, chicken sukka, goat sukka Mains - Methi chicken Biryanis are good Catering is equally good. read more

Good food and good value. We went there on a Sunday and again on Friday. The food is plenty, the Chapatis are huge, the place gargantuan.

Laughable. We were the only ones in the entire restaurant for dinner and had the worst service. The staff wore clear gloves but wore the same gloves to clean the tables, fill the buffet with water, then hand us our menu and eventually laid out dishes on our table - he did not even set the table for us, we did it ourselves. The food was good, but slow as can be coming to our table. The second server just walked over, stared at us, and put the food down - didn't even tell us what each dish was let alone to enjoy our meal. Finally, the server did not even come back to pick up the check to run it through their system - had to run up to the hostess station for a young man to check us out who was answering the phone. Will not be back, really surprised at the amount of positive yelp reviews here - don't waste your time or money. There are plenty of great authentic Indian restaurants down the road with great, friendly staff who will make mindful recommendations for what dishes to try and will definitely give you the time of day for your business. It's not this place. read more

Good food and place tucked in an unnoticed location. Service was great as well, as was the ambiance.

We came in a group of 6 ravished and craving Indian food and seeing this nicely 4.5 star rated Indian restaurant, we thought it was going to finish off a great day! However sadly we were met with many disappointments... 1) service was very very slow .. I had to waive over the servers and even the manager saw me wave him over he just looked at me and then never came back. Very sad especially you would expect better service from the manager. I had to literally get out of my seat to order drinks etc. 2) we ordered chicken tandoori and it was raw. Had we not have a pregnant friend who open up the chicken breast and look, we prob would have eaten raw chicken. After we told the server, it took another 30 minutes to get a new dish ... and no comments from the management about their mistake. 3) overall the food took 45 min to come out and we came at 730 on a Monday with plenty of empty tables. The weird thing is there were tables that came in after us that got their food first... 4) the manager that took our order was very unorganized and missed many orders but still charged us. When we tried to order certain dishes he was very condescending where he was saying you should order something else and we are like nah we ok we want this .. lol like I feel he is trying to upsell us on stuff we don't even want 5) food was not bad- garlic nann was good but I wished there was more flavor. Honestly does not meet the high rating that it has. Was very disappointed overall and hope their management gets better and food comes on time and is the correct food... Update ** manager tried to apologize at the end by giving us free dessert which was nice but still I wish he did this sooner since i think he only got this after seeing this or after multiple mistakes. lol read more

Bowl O Biryani - Tandoori Chicken on a hot plate - solid dish but make sure it's cooked ! - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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Wow. I ordered carryout for a family holiday meal. They helped me with choices to meet a variety of individual food requirements: included vegan/spicy/not spicy. The food was amazing. Everyone was very happy and interested in knowing more about the restaurant for future visits/orders. read more

I had take out while traveling for work. The restaurant had no one in it, like it was carry out only on a Monday. Very large portion of tikka masala, the naan was excellent and I even got the mango drink. Very flavorful, very hot even with a 7 minute ride back to the hotel. read more

We keep coming back! This time was during the lunch hour. Staff was super friendly as usual. Didn't take a picture of our Chicken 555. It was just as good. Thank you! read more

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Wanted Indian food randomly and looked up somewhere near , Let's just say they did not disappoint, everything was good and hot ,they asked if we needed anything throughout the meal so good job on service ,the ambiance was nice because the open space an music playing. read more

Bowl O Biryani - Chicken Tikka Butter Chicken Garlic Naan - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

I'm sitting in the restaurant as I write this review. This place is one of the worst in the area. I ordered the Goat Vindaloo. The favor was ok, but they gave me almost all the bones! So I can't comment on the meat. $16.00 for a bowl of rice and some sauce is pretty sad. To add Insult to injury, I ordered a second naan, the lady comes back "that'll be ten minutes." Ok, ten minutes later, "I'm sorry sir, that second naan will be another 15 minutes". WTF! There's two other people eating in here, and they have their food. What's so hard about making some naan? Extra note, if you're ordering delivery from this place, don't expect your food anytime soon. I use to drive for Grub and DoorDash, this place takes forever to make the food. No different tonight as the drivers stood around waiting for their orders. read more

When we first pulled up to the restaurant we almost turned around as it looked very run down and potentially closed, but we're glad we went in. This is some of the best Indian food we've had in the area. The waiter asked if we wanted everything mild, medium, or spicy. We picked spicy for everything and it had some good heat but could have been spicier. The palak paneer was amazing and some of the best I've ever had. We will be going back specifically for this. 5/5 The lamb vindaloo was juicy, tender, and very flavorful. 5/5 The mutton pepper soup was our least favorite thing we ordered. While it had good flavor it was mostly broth with very little meat and was a let down compared to everything else we ordered. 2/5 The chicken 65 biryani was good but had too much cinnamon/spice in the rice for my personal taste. However the rice was better the next day and you get a lot of chicken in the biryani. 3.5/5 We tried Apollo fish for the first time and this was a delight. It was light fried and crispy without being greasy and was very flavorful. 5/5 read more

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The service was good! Restaurant needs more lighting outside! We honestly thought that they are closed. Overall, the food was ok- the butter chicken, and the garlic Naan was really good but the lamb biryani and the lamb masala were not that good as if it was goat not lamb. read more

We placed our order for pickup at 8pm while driving back from Milwaukee. I was told the order will be ready in half hour which was perfect. After getting there we waited for 15 mins. Coming to food. The paneer tikka was not cooked at all. It had the raw marinade paste all over and was hard to bite. Coming to biryanis, we ordered chicken 65 and gongura egg. They should name them pulao instead. Any self respecting south Indian wouldn't call it biryani. read more

Bowl O Biryani - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Great food, we ordered the Chicken Kurma, Chicken Adhya Curry, Roti and Samosa! My Girlfriend has a low tolerance for spice so she really liked the creaminess of the chicken kurma. Good size portions and the dining atmosphere is open and looks great for an event! read more

Bowl O Biryani - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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