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I am pleased to share that this restaurant has made it to my Yelp folder of restaurants I can't shut up about. It is rare when you go to a place and immediately get that wow factor that you're dreaming of your next bite or your next visit or you can't wait to go again. Better yet you just want to tell a friend about it! I have been wanting to come here for about a year now, and I'm so happy we finally made it happen. Since they're only open after 5 PM, I was lucky enough to visit on my day off. I drove about 40 minutes just to try this place, and it was absolutely worth it. In fact, I'm already planning to come back next week! The samosa was DELICIOUS! I could honestly eat it every day. It was served with three sauces that paired perfectly together: a spicy sauce, a creamy avocado chutney, and a sweet mango chutney. Every bite was amazing. I almost ordered a second one but convinced myself that I didn't need it. Good thing I didn't because I was so full! Also, the rice was HUGE portion. This was definitely shareable for more than 2 people. When we arrived, we walked straight to the back to put our name on the waitlist. There wasn't really a place to sit and wait, but luckily there's a Down to Earth and a Subway nearby. We spent our time browsing aisle by aisle through Down to Earth while waiting. After about an hour, we came back and were told we were next. They probably forgot to call us after seating a couple of people waiting at the door, but honestly, it wasn't a big deal. The restaurant itself is small, but the ambiance makes up for it. The first thing that caught my attention was the beautiful ceiling. It immediately transported me somewhere else and added to the overall experience. We were seated about 30 minutes before closing, and our server was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. She gave me her personal recommendation, and although I originally wanted the butter chicken, I decided to order her favorite instead. I'm glad I did! One of the biggest reasons I wanted to visit was because of their famous giant naan. When they brought it out, I was amazed. Everyone in the restaurant was commenting on how incredible it looked. It definitely lived up to the hype. My friend and I shared the dinner for two along with the giant naan, and it was so much food that I couldn't finish it all. I brought half of my meal home for my partner, and he loved it too. Because the space is small, everyone feels close together, and it created a surprisingly welcoming atmosphere. The tables around us were chatting about the food, complimenting the service, and talking about coming back. It felt like everyone was sharing in the experience together. The service was fantastic from start to finish. The server answered all of our questions, made great recommendations, and helped make the meal memorable. I also asked if they take reservations, and they told me it's first come, first served. Parking was easy. I parked at Longs Drugs right in front, and there is a convenient pedestrian walkway that connects the surrounding businesses, making the wait much more bearable. From the amazing samosas and giant naan to the warm service and unique atmosphere, this place absolutely lived up to the hype. After waiting a year to try it, I can confidently say it was worth every minute of the drive and every minute of the wait.
I had my parents pick up an online order for me from here, and they said the workers were slow and unprofessional. They could see my order on the counter but did not grab it for them or acknowledge them. I order the palak paneer and samosa. Palak paneer has become one of my favorite Indian dishes, but this one was extremely salty. I am usually able to eat it plain, but this definitely needed rice or naan. The samosa was crispy, but the seasonings were different than what I am used to. A lot of people have said this is their favorite place for Indian food in Hawaii, but that was not the case for me. I would definitely like to give it a second try another day.
I always enjoy taking out-of-town visitors who like Indian food to this restaurant. Everything on the menu is good. I haven't tried a single thing that I haven't liked. Honestly, though, I most often get butter chicken because it's my favorite. I think the sauce is on the sweeter side and has lots of butter and cream. It's definitely restaurant-style butter chicken and really not spicy at all. It has so much sauce and you can put your naan bread in the sauce and get it all. It's so good. Palak paneer is also delicious, as is the chicken coconut korma and the chicken vindaloo. The fresh hot naan is excellent for sopping up sauce and you can get buttered naan as well as garlic or stuffed for an upcharge. If you are dining with multiple people, I highly recommend the set dinners where you get an appetizer platter, a choice of entrees, rice, and naan for a set price. For three people, our meal was a base price of $109.99 and you get a huge appetizer platter along with plenty of rice, giant naan, and the entrees, which are a great size portion. Plenty left over for lunch the next day! Service can be a little slow, as this place gets busy and there's not that many servers, but honestly, I've hardly ever been in a good Indian restaurant that wasn't a bit slow. If you're in a hurry, try to go as early as possible as there can be lines later on in the night. Excellent if you are looking for good restaurant-style, not too spicy Indian food with a variety of choices at a reasonable price.
When I first entered, it was like a whole new world! This place was beautifully decorated and the vibe was comforting. The food was amazing too, the garlic naan was my favorite. Standing up at 17, me and my friend devoured this. We got the garlic naan and it was amazing, highly recommend. The butter chicken was also flavorful and he sauce was rich. I personally don't like chicken as much but this was very nice.
This was such a great! experience. This location is a first come, first serve, "once all ingredients are used we close" location. Seating is limited but they do accept reservations. The portions are very large and each entree is enough to share. In my personal opinion, two entree choices are enough for a family of 4! The service was fantastic and extremely pleasant to be around. They were very helpful when trying to decide on dishes and drinks. They were kind and it seemed that everyone who was available was helping out! The dining space is very fun, with a colorful interior and lively atmosphere. Everyone is close together due to the small space, but that just makes it feel like a community' or family event.
Oh man! I can't believe it's taken my husband and I so long to come here! In only a couple short months, we've come twice! We've heard sooo many amazing things about Cafe Maharani, and I'm so glad we finally got here. We came once for our anniversary, ordered the dinner for 2, and left with so much leftovers. The next time, we cane for dinner with our 2 kids and my mother in law after a UH Baseball game. That time, we ordered the dinner for 3, and still left with lots of leftovers. The prices are great for the amount of food, and thebservice is friendly and quick. My favorite dish we've tried is the coconut fish karma! Yuuuummm! It's a dated, but still beautiful restaurant. The beautiful lights hanging from ceiling are definitely a highlight! It's a small spot, so come early if you want to be sat quickly.
The restaurant space is very limited, which isn't an issue. But however big or small, just keep it clean. The glass on the table was sticky. They had windows open and AC turned off. Which might be ok on a good weather day, But it was hot and humid, with none to less breezy. We ordered veg jalfrezi, which we very well know how it's made, but this one was no where near to being authentic. Lots of assorted vegetables and no gravy. Very dry. Chicken Masala curry was alright, not the best. Be careful with ordering garlic naan. They are a good size. We had a lot of naan left. It's a good size naan. They don't cut it for you. So be ready to carve out quarters or halves as you prefer. Mango lassi had a ton of ice, which is atypical of lassi recipes. It got diluted and watery real quick I will not recommend this place. Spice Up and Tadka are by far the best Indian restaurants in Waikiki
First time coming here & we'll definitely be back! Food was 10/10. Everything is made fresh! I got the chicken tikka masala and ohhh man was it delicious. I believe Hubby got the Lamb curry. Pictures don't do justice, trust me! Servings look small but we were able to take home for leftovers.. and let me tell youuu!! Leftovers tasted even better (iykyk). My kids enjoyed the garlic & butter naan. Ambience was also great. Service was quick!! We were constantly checked on which I appreciate especially in a high volume restaurant. We came at perfect timing 6pm & there were lots of tables open, but once we ordered I swear it was a full house! Thanks Cafe Maharani for bomb Indian food!
Naan nomnom . Street parking or I highly rec the Down to Earth parking garage next door. Follow the signs (: My first time dining in -- there's a reason you always see a line of ppl waiting outside! Delicious, richly seasoned Indian cuisine, surrounded by a cozy but vibrant interior, and massive fresh naan made for a wonderful evening. What we shared btwn 3 ppl: - Garlic cheese naan - Tandoori party platter - Chicken masala curry - Saag (i forget what meat) Doesn't look or sound like much but we ate till full n had plenty of left overs to split amongst us and take home. Also, you probably need to request for food to be spicy if you're looking for that extra kick. Removed a star bc we became very skeptical of the seating process ....ppl who arrived AFTER us were called and seated BEFORE us despite our party name clearly next on the waitlist... we waited over an hour for a table...also, use the bathroom next door if you can. Despite all That and the rainy weather - it gave my visiting friend and I the chance to talk story and catch up outside. Plus, enjoying the good food - Finally - rlly lifted our spirits. I'll forever be a huge fan of their colorful light fixtures but will stick to take out from now on. cheers
I visited for the first time in six years. The interior and decor haven't changed and are still very lovely. We arrived around 7:00 p.m. and were seated within about 10 minutes. The customer service was excellent. The lassi, which I hadn't had in a long time, was not overly sweet and was absolutely delicious. The food was just as good as I remembered, and the prices were reasonable for the quality. This time, I'm giving it 5 stars.
We picked up dinner from Café Maharani and our meal was great. We got the Vegetable Samosa, Saffron Rice, Lamb Saag, Butter Chicken, Garlic Naan, and Butter naan. Everything tasted great and the food held up well for takeout. We ordered through Uber Eats, but there wasn't a way to order the Naan by itself, so we just called and they were able to just add it to our order, and we paid for it there. Accessibility There is a small parking lot behind the restaurant, but that seems to get filled up quickly. There is also street parking available in the front. Food Vegetable Naan - It had great flavor and the outside stayed crispy after bringing it home. It came with two sauces that both tasted great. Saffron Rice - Fluffy and aromatic. It went well with both dishes we got. Butter Chicken - Very flavorful and a nice amount of spice. Lamb Saag - The lamb was nice and tender and went well in this sauce. Garlic Naan and Regular Naan - Both as were expected and went well with the sauces from both dishes. Overall, we love the food here and will definitely go back!
I haven't visited Maharani since my previous review. My friends wanted to try this place and I wanted to give this place another try. We arrived when they opened and were able to get a table immediately. We got the dinner for 2. Eggplant pakora: The eggplant was crispy with a light crispy batter. It came with 3 sauces to dip in. I like the one with the yogurt. It has a mild and tartness taste. Yellow rice: The rice was very salty. We couldn't finish the rice since it was pretty much salt after salt taste. Chicken Masala: The chicken masala was good. It was pretty much only chicken with curry sauce. No additional ingredients like vegetables. Fish Masala: This curry has a stronger tomato taste. It has some vegetables in it which helps balance out the meal. The fish were good. It was basa fish which was soft and flaky with no bone. Plain Naan: The naan was huge. It was fluffy, light and goes great with the curry sauce. Super good. Garlic cheese naan: The naan was stuffed with cheese. It has the ultimate cheese pull. The whole naan itself was like a cheese pizza. Still very good and goes great with the curry. Sweet lassi: Absolutely love this drink. Good thick milky yogurt with a good tart flavor. It wasn't overly sweet. The drink was huge and it was quite filling. Would definitely love to order this drink as a to-go once in a while. Overall, well better than my first experience. Service was good. Our waitress was sweet and patient. The foods were good but the flavor wasn't in depth as authentic Indian flavors and spices. The portion was very generation. There were 3 of us and the dinner for 2 was very filling for all of us. There were quite a few leftovers that the 3 of us were able to split and share.
Been hearing about this place and finally able to visit. We ordered appetizers tandoori plater and it's amazing, they gave a lot and come with 3 different dipping sauce. At that point we knew we ordered too much food. Then comes out eggplant tikka masala, I have to say it's on the sweet side. Second entree lamb Rogan Josh was more to my liking. Ordered also chicken biryani, it came in the traditional looking pot. It's good and again it's a lot of food. My waitress is nice and friendly, there's also a man who helps us with our reservations, he also very kind. The restaurant is small but super unique. The art wall and the decoration on the ceiling was no other. Very impressive place to go.
We did pick up and I didn't run in, I was the driver. I'm not sure where you can park there besides on the street. The food was very tasty and they give large portions. I should have taken an after pic. Haha. All that food was for 2 people. We ate maybe 1/4-1/3 of each dish. The spice level is perfect for us. We can't handle food too spicy. read more
Definitely my favorite Indian Food restaurant on the island. Love their butter chicken, lamb vindaloo, lamb spaghetti, chicken spaghetti, garlic naan, cheese stuffed Naan. It's all good. Located on S. KIng St., they have a small parking lot on the back side of the build, as well as street parking. Chris and the other staff are great. BYOB as well, with no bottle service charge. Forgot to take pics of all the food, but there's one of the appetizer platter. Alooooha and happy eating. read more
Went with a group of 5 and ordered the "feast for 6". Omg it was SOOO much food but so delicious! We tried a bunch of different dishes, my favorite were the shrimp korma, chicken tikka masala, and their rice! We had leftovers for days! Our server Chris was great and so were the other staff members (both also named Chris lol). read more
25 days ago
3 months ago
10 months ago
Ah, Café Maharani, an establishment that survives not by the brilliance of its craft, but by the accident of geography. In Honolulu, where the Indian community is faint and the competition sparse, this place thrives. But put it in Delhi, Mumbai, London, or even a side street in Kuala Lumpur? It would be laughed straight into the shadows. The truth? It isn't bad. Not at all. It's simply... not great. This is Indian food for non-Indians, diluted, restrained, stripped of the reckless joy and perfumed danger of spices that should sing, burn, and seduce. The bread? Let's not pretend. It is not tandoori. It has never kissed the walls of a clay furnace. It is Costco or something similar reheated, fluffed, and dressed up as authenticity. You could buy the same on a Sunday grocery run, and no one would be the wiser. The butter chicken? The sauce carries the same quiet suspicion. That eerily uniform, creamy orange Costco jar or something similar I suspect, poured and simmered with a wink. A forgery wearing a silk robe. The lamb kebabs were seasoned, yes, perfumed in the proper notes of cumin and coriander. But the meat itself was as tough as a leather boot left out in the island sun. Bulk-bought, cheap, and unworthy of its crimson marinade. Is this mall food court level? No. It is a notch above, a polished pretender, dressed in silks but carrying the soul of a chain restaurant. For Hawaiians who crave the idea of India, it will suffice. For those of us who have feasted in Delhi backstreets, or devoured kebabs in Southall, or reveled in the spice chaos of Kuala Lumpur this is little more than a shadow play. And perhaps that is my curse: standards forged in fire, expecting embers in every bite. But here, the embers are cold. Rating: 2.5 stars - 2 stars For survival in exile. For offering illusion where truth and spice should burn and tantalize. 1/2 star for island aloha smiling service . read more
22 days ago
1 year ago
Eaten at this place a few times and the food is always delicious! Ordered the meal for 8 though we had 10 plus people in our party. It was a ton of food and took home a lot of leftovers. We got a variety of dishes including butter chicken, palak paneer, lamb vindaloo, chicken masala, etc. the naan is massive and was the size of an extra large pizza! The appetizer also was served on a huge platter. There was not enough room on our table for all the food! Service was great. The only downside is the restaurant is small and there's no AC so it was hot. read more
2 months ago
10 months ago
I have yet to come across better Indian food on the island so far. My girlfriend and I love the food, the friendly staff, and the general vibe and ambience of the restaurant as a whole. Our go to order is the Tandoori Party Platter to get our protein in, then we get the Lamb Korma with Plain Naan, and sometimes we'll throw in some of the vegetarian Samosas. As you'd expect with Indian food, nothing lacks in flavor but I have yet to come across something I have tried that was even just "okay," assuming you order correctly. Do not underestimate the portion sizes here either as everything is extremely well portioned and is best eaten family style. Ask the staff questions on what to order if you're unsure but do try as much as possible. It's a staple and will be for a very long time! The pictures attached are from our first visit showing the Tandoori Party Platter and the Garlic Cheese Naan which was also very very good but also very heavy lol. read more
We were already seated when my friends and I arrived at the restaurant. This was the first time I had gone there and tried the food. I ordered the Lamb Masala Curry with Plain Naan, and my friend ordered Pepper Chicken with Coconut Naan. The Naan was so big. I didn't expect it to be that big. The Lamb Masala Curry was good. If I continued eating the curry, it was spicy. Overall the food and service were great. I would come again and order the same and try some different food. read more
2 months ago
This place is amazing, the food is delicious and the atmosphere is great. The employees were very welcoming, helpful, and very knowledgeable about this different dishes if you're not sure of what you want to order. The place is a bit small so make sure you go when they open as they fill up pretty quickly. read more
10 months ago
Food was Amazing. Staff was very helpful. Dont be shame to tell them its your first time. The server definitely put us on their combo meals so we could try a little everything. The lamb marmalade curry will probably be bringing me back for sure. read more
If I Could only Recommend One Indian Restaurant? It would have to be this Family Owned Cafe Maharani, they've been serving up authentic Indian Food to Hawaii March 5 will make 25 years. Step into the vibrant flavors of India at Café Maharani From sizzling Tandoori dishes to crispy samosa, rich curry, cheesy naan fresh out of the tandoor, and fragrant Lamb , every bite is a journey of bold spices and authentic taste! Indulge in refreshing lassis like Mango or Falooda for the perfect pairing. Located on South King Street in Honolulu, next to Down to Earth, across from Longs, this cozy spot is known for its generous portions, friendly service, and unbeatable prices. No reservations needed--just come hungry and ready for a feast! read more
5 months ago
First time, now forever long time customer! The atmosphere and colorful vibes are everything, and the food, well that is the cherry on top. Bella was our server , she was very attentive , and friendly. I got there just before the rush and peak time. Non stop customers, a telltale sign of an establishment with good eats. I definitely recommend you try. The food was perfectly seasoned , generous portions and well balanced The menu has a nice variety , and the lemon lassi (oh my!) , Now let's talk about the naan bread, ( chefs kiss) DEVINE! ! Last but not least, the price is very reasonable, Go get 'em! . Shaka 5 top stars ! read more
11 months ago
Very excited to try bec of very good reviews, the guy server very accommodating called us right away to be seated. But our server was different and went downhill fr there. Wanted to order bread sampler, bec very busy got turned down they "usu dont serve it on busy times" she said. But when are you not busy? Maybe there are other hours you are not. Very confused. Never checked up on us the whole time if we ever got our orders or how out food was not until we asked for check. Four other tables after us that got seated got served food before us, a couple sitting across were just ordering fr the menu and they got their samosa right away while they were actually still putting in their Order. Wow what service to others but not to us at all? Did not check our table even once. While we finished our meal, nothing came not even the garlic cheese naan. Our separate order of tikka masala did not come with a separate rice on the side which should have come with. After we saw four other tables that got seated after us got their full on orders, we tried to follow up, we were shutdown and got told by the The girl server "you have to be patient" which was a RED flag for me bec we really waited patiently and were happy customers. Mind you, we just got an appetizer , then there was just 35 min drought of no food coming out for us on our table but all the other 4 tables got there full on orders COMPLETE. Like mindblowing this guy putting out the food just wanted to give this family another palak paneer that they already had. That is how concerning this is. We ordered TIKKA MASALA but got buttered chicken. got told by server that it was tikka masala and the buttered chicken is supposed to be darker in color. Girl please. tasted and looked like butter chicken. Stop confusing people. No refills on water, very bad service. Food was not the best. I have tried other places way better, the people who make the restaurant really is important and i hope they try to do something about it. I understand it is a busy day, but thats their opening hours! so that should be expected. But the service we got from the girl server was the cherry on top and was below the belt bad taste in our mouth(an understatement). Not coming back. Good we tried it for what it was-underwhelming read more
7 months ago
I don't really eat Indian food but this place changed me. The best Indian food I ever had. I will definitely come back whenever I'm back on the island. Everything we had was so Ono. Great customer service and love decor and ambiance. read more
7 months ago
Portions are massive and the food is prepared spicy by default. Sooooo good and perfect for sharing read more
7 months ago
What a find this restaurant is. The wait staff was very good. The food was amazing. Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Boti Kebob and Shahi Korma, vegetable samosas and saffron rice. A lot of food for two but we have dinner for tomorrow. They have appetizer and kebob platters that are huge and very reasonably priced. They do a lot of take out too. We will be back. read more
7 months ago
1 year ago
I've driven by for 25 years. Never ate here till now. Parking is very difficult. 5 stalls in back that are always filled. The chicken sampler was tasty. Although they took all the sauces away before the next dishes. The stews were ok. But tasted better the next day. Service was strange. No one asked if we wanted dessert, coffee or tea. And was quite hot inside. It will prob be another 20 years before I go back. I parked on Coolidge and it took 25 minutes to find that spot. read more
1 year ago
If you're looking for amazing Indian food in Honolulu, MAHARANI is the place to go. This was hands down the best Indian restaurant I've ever been to. The butter chicken was out of this world--perfectly creamy, flavorful, and just the right amount of spice. I could honestly eat it every day. I also tried one of their entrees (I went with the onion one), and it was just as impressive--delicious, and packed with bold, authentic flavors. You can really taste the quality and care they put into their cooking. The staff was super friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere was cozy and welcoming. They are also a BYOB so that's another great thing to add. Whether you're a local or visiting Honolulu, do yourself a favor and eat here. MAHARANI is a must-visit for any Indian food lover! read more
4 months ago
Come here every few months, and we LOVE the vegetarian options. Malai kofta is only done on weekdays but so worth it. Cauliflower tikka masala or eggplant tikka are also our favorites. The samosa chaat is definitely top-tier appetizer. Overall, haven't had somethingwe don't like, and I looooove seeing uncle chef come out and give our food without saying a word. what a cute and special moment every time. read more
4 months ago
1 year ago
We ordered a bunch of different menu items that weren't that memorable. Service was friendly. Please note, this establishment does not accept AMEX. read more
Flavorful curry and tasty naan. Some pieces of chicken are hard in the butter chicken though the curry is tasty. Palak paneer (spinach and cheese cubes) has mild spiciness, and it's a scrumptious dish. Chicken masala curry has a hint of lamb taste, which I didn't fancy as I personally don't like lamb. The cheese naan is good, and the table next to us got butter naan that looked really nice and fluffy too. Recommend the mango lassi, but it's more sweet than tart. Authentic Indian restaurant. Seating is a bit tight and the lighting dim. Portions are huge! We did street parking that's free at night; it seems like there's a paid parking structure next to Down to Earth market. If you go near closing time, they will ask you to order quickly and you may feel rushed. Food comes out fast and you will leave with yummy leftovers to enjoy later. read more
1 year ago
YES I LOVE YOU my husband drunkenly requested we get his favorite Indian on his birthday night, so I ordered it for pick up. Enjoy these pictures of him swimming in your butter chicken read more
8 months ago
Cafe Maharani is so good! I didn't have huge expectations coming into the restaurant. We haven't tried Indian food in Hawaii before the figure why not take a shot? Coming into the café the place is really small and there's not a lot of staff, but it's cozy and I like the setting plus all the Indian music videos are playing on the screens add to the vibe. Many here is huge and can feel daunting, but but the waiters didn't seem to mind us taking our time. In the fact they seem a little short staffed so things come out a little slower. I appreciate that we didn't feel rushed. We tried the eggplant pakora as an appetizer. We have no clue what it was faster having it. I think we're addicted. It's light and crispy and comes with three amazing sauces. After that. We had the saffron rice with the butter chicken on the saffron. Rice was so flavorful I could've eat it on its own. The butter chicken was rich and surprisingly I didn't get sick of it despite that we had an amazing experience here and definitely will be coming back! read more
5 months ago
3 months ago
I was told by a handful of people that this was their to-go place for Indian food and it really lived up to the hype! Everything we tried was amazing. I especially liked their butter chicken and shrimp tikka masala, and the garlic cheese naan was so good! Their food was slightly spicy compare to other places I've tried, so just be prepared in case you're not a spicy food person! They're a small shop, so if you plan on dining in, then be prepared for a little bit of a wait. read more
5 months ago
5 months ago
It's a warm restaurant so be ready for that. For the smaller space, we got a table for 4. Service was good. And we didn't realize the portions are pretty big so we thought we were being smart by getting a dinner for 3 set and added a stuffed cheese garlic naan. Portions were huge and the dinner set came with 3 naans (we opted for garlic) and rice (we chose saffron). Appetizer sampler was good, lots of different fried foods. We picked butter chicken, lamb saag and a veggie korma. Everything was tasty and especially with the stuffed naan. We had so much leftovers! read more
2 months ago
We haven been coming to Cafe Maharani for years now. We have noticed more Indian food spots opening up but we just keep coming back to Cafe Maharani. You can't beat the quality and flavor of their food combined with the value and generous portion sizes. We love coming here with a big group. This last visit, they gave us the largest set meal they have ever offered. Apparently we are the first to get to try it! We felt so fortunate! I am not kidding when I say the amount of food was HUGE. Oh my gosh big eaters that we are, we still couldn't finish it all. The cost was so reasonable, as well! We were ecstatic to be able to being home leftovers for lunch the next day. Thank you for another amazing experience at Cafe Maharani! read more
I was craving indian food very intensely one night and STARVING. Calling up multiple places that I've been to previously, they all had a 35-45+min wait times. Only this place had no wait so we headed directly here. Right off the bat the vibes were slightly off, we walked in there was no acknowledgement, we assumed they were decently busy so maybe we just had to walk up to the back where the register was. We sat down to wait as there was a customer at the counter and was eventually greeted and sat at a table. We were handed two menus and no explanation so we didn't realize till later that the menus were different and one had all the naans and other things inside (maybe that was self explanatory ... idk). Before I get into the food some main complaints I had: - Weird that there isn't smaller sized garlic cheese naan. The waitress was nice enough to request for me so my only option was to get two smaller sized garlic cheese naans for ~$7. Not a bad deal but I honestly would've just wanted one. - Why doesn't the curries come with rice? Even just basic rice? I feel like that is the norm in all of the other restaurants i've been to, so I was a bit confused when they asked us to order a rice as they do not come with any? (that's mother ~$7+ upcharge). The food: - The curries were good, both were flavorful. I liked the shrimp korma more than the lamb one as it was the style i'm more used to. I feel like the plates are HUGE (at least for the shrimp) but there was a lot of veggies and curries and not as much meat as it looks like it does. Overall the experience was just alright. I just feel like the price is a bit too much for comparable indian establishments within the mile radius. My main gripe was honestly over the rice LOL. read more
This was definitely a great experience! Although not the 5 stars I would still recommend to try it out! We got there 15 minutes before opening and there was already a line. The restaurant filled up quickly. Food is delicious!! We ordered the 4 person combination-- it was soooo much food we took home containers full! Naan is the best I ever had! Mango Lassi was so yummy!! Service is where I minus out a star. Service was ok. Had to ask for more water a couple times. I think what stood out more is the server not having patience for us to ask questions about the menu and food. Great little "hole in the wall" kind of place! I would definitely recommend and will return! The fat cells definitely did the happy dance on this experience!- Especially for the Naan! read more
5 months ago
Cafe Maharani did not disappoint. Delicious food and good portions. Would recommend and will be back!!! read more
More info about Cafe Maharani
2509 S King St
Honolulu, HI 96826
Mo'ili'ili
Directions
(808) 951-7447
Call Now
Visit Website
https://cafemaharani.com
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Ask the Community - Cafe Maharani
Does this restaurant take reservations?
No - Cafe Maharani does not take reservations- best to get there when it opens - usually many people are waiting outside
Can the curries be made vegan (e.g., with tofu instead of paneer... and using coconut milk instead of cow milk)?
Yes
When will the full menu be avaliable again? Unfortunately, my favorite dishes are not on the Covid-19 menu :(
Full menu is available
Long shot, but are there takeout options during the stay-at-home orders?
Yes! We've always ordered take-out or delivery (through GrubHub, Door Dash or Bite Squad) because the place is so small it can be hard to get a table! We just got some last week! Yum!
If someone in my family has nut allergies, can that be accommodated?
Some of the sauces have nuts in them, so be sure to ask about it if you go.
Do they do catering? Thanks Jocya for answering. But it wont deter me from trying your food :) the…
We are not cartering at this moment
Are there any vegan options here?
Yes, it's very easy to be vegan when it comes to Indian food. Just avoid all of the vegetarian options that have cream in them. The rice and naan are without animal products and then foods like the cauliflower dish, garbanzo beans, etcetera are all… Read more
To the cook: Do you use pre-made spice packets for any dishes? Maybe the vindaloo? Or the Kashmiri chicken?
All of our dishes are freshly made everyday and we use fresh spices. Indian spices like chili powder, tumaric powder, cumin and coriander powder are pre made and we use those spices like everybody else.
Is there ANY MSG in their food?
Steve, Indian cuisine doesn't use MSG in any of their cooking. The taste you get is purely due to spices.
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Cafe Maharani - indpak - Updated June 2026
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