Always delicious! Generous servings and consistently good. We enjoy all the dishes especially the Chicken Saag.

I'll be honest. I've been in America for 14 years and I haven't he had Indian food since I came from London. The customer service, atmosphere, precaution around COVID, and mostly the food was impeccable. I had the wings, lamb tikka masala, bread, rice, and I'll say this, it was worth waiting 14 years. I don't see how I can try another Indian place because this truly was an experience for the ages. I also had a samosa. I really don't know how I'll be able to go elsewhere. I didn't even add sriracha to it. And that's not like me. The young man that took my wife's and my order was extremely respectful also. read more

I love Indian food, and the triangle area has a lot of Indian places. After eating here I did realize they are a cafe just like their name. I was surprised that they didnt offer nan, but some generic -out of a bag- wrap that greek fiesta uses for their wraps. The food was tasty, but I felt like I had much better Indian food elsewhere. I would probably be back, for a bite, but if I want some real Indian food, ill go elsewhere. read more

Wow Soo good! i had the opportunity to try their lunch and it was phenomenal. I had the saag panner and I added aloo level 2 spice. Just perfect I had not tried this place and I have been nearby more than a few times. I am glad I did. The place was very clean , nice and it even has an upstairs area. Excellent quality. Congratulations to the cheff and to the owner of this restaurant. read more

One of the best Chicken Tikkas Ive ever had! And the Naan, oh man the NAAN! Came by for lunch as Im driving through the area, so glad this one popped up on Waze!!! Really nice, inviting and clean atmosphere. The fellow that was up front was extraordinarily nice and came to my table immediately after the food was served to see if he could help with anything. LOVE the quotes on the walls too, would he great for a group gathering. read more

Excellent food n dessert are to die for. Family ownes, excellent service . Highly recommend.

Ordered for pick-up and it was amazing!!! Super friendly staff. Tried the butter chicken and lamb tikka masala, both were delicious. The samosas were excellent as well. Glad we tried it! read more

This place has the best north Indian food in the Raleigh area. I have been there multiple times and all the time food was excellent. They have a good variety in the menu and food quality is top-notch. I have tried Samosa, Samosa chat, Saag Paneer, Paneer Makhani, Paneer Tikka Masala, Vegetable Biryani and Raita. They have a decent ambiance and portion sizes are big. I would recommend this place for big groups too. read more

Wonderful food. I have eaten here many times as well as getting carry out. Never disappointed with the food, it's always flavorful and well-spiced. The Samosa Chaat is an excellent start to the meal, and we almost always get this with our meal. The cheesecakes are amazingly good as well. It is some of the best Indian food anywhere. The staff is very friendly and polite as well, always a pleasure to order from them. read more

Ambience really good. You place order at the counter and pay there first. That's confusing cause you have to tip before you get any service. Apart from that food is tasty. Portion sizes are good for 1 person. Like how they put naan and rice together with Curry. Spice level is very good for Indian palate. People who don't like spice should try ordering with less spice level. read more

Cilantro Indian Cafe - Paneer Jalfrezi - Indian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

First time in. Young man behind the counter was very helpful and had a lovely demeanor. We love Indian and have a place we frequent but wanted to try Cilantro. The place is clean and bright, it's clearly been decorated. The food was "ok". Ordered Biryani Chicken and a Fish Korma dish. The chicken was so dry we just picked it out and left it on the side of the plate. The portions are small compared to other Indian places we have been. The fish was tilapia, we ended up liking it but not loving it. This is a serve yourself place, once food is delivered, you are on your own. Not a bad thing just a heads up if you are wanting that experience. For us this was a one and done. We will head over to Biryani Maxx next. read more

I got the Chicken Korma and the Samosas. Both dishes were brought out quickly and were delicious. The service is great and the portions are definitely big enough to have some to take home. They also have a gorgeous assortment of cakes -- I didn't have room for dessert but they looked fantastic! read more

This has been my go-to food for a while now. I have had a real hard time eating from other places that serve similar food because the whole time I'm eating it I'm just thinking, "why isn't this cilantro". By far the best Indian cuisine you will find in the Raleigh/ Cary area. The staff is always exceptional and constantly go out of their way to make your experience enjoyable. Nothing but good things to say about this very special place. read more

Great friendly service, open and bright restaurant, fast-casual Indian food vs. full service. You order at the counter, get a number and sit down. The restaurant is two levels. The food here is unapologetic SPICY and this is from someone who likes spicy foods.If you ask for it to be spicy, you are going into the danger zone. Getting it mild here is like spicy everywhere else. The flavors here are different. A bit more buttery, greasy and a little less of that creamy curry flavor. Meats are cooked well. Dessert offerings are unique and tasty. But it's just not my go-to Indian place. read more

Best lamb curry ever had. I have been in India 4 times and this topped any I had there. Truly tasty, tender, spicy and just awesome. Rice fantastic and the Naan really good. Mango lassa could have been more mango tasty, but very minor. I love curry and have had all over world and find the best in Cary. Incredible read more

I have only been here twice for take out but omg, it was delicious!!! Based on other yelp reviews, thought I'd try the samosa chat. Wow!!! Seriously, one of the best things I've eaten in a very long time. Butter chicken was delicious and amazing. Aloo Gobi was also a new item for me which is what prompted me to go back, so flavorful!! Both times the person who took my order in the phone was super polite and everything ready for me to pick up when I got there. Highly recommend!!! read more

Beautiful restaurant, super nice staff, & delicious food!! If I lived in this area I would eat here once a week. Chicken saag was the perfect amount ofa spicy and the naan was on point. The side of chickpea relish cooled everything down and was tasty on its own. But the crowning jewel was the tiramisu! I know, I know...it's an Indian place, but I'm telling you!!! The cashier warned me that it was spectacular but I had my doubts. He couldn't have been more right, it was superb!! read more

FINALLY! Cilantro is up and running! I've been craving my favorite Indian dish for a couple months now! Previously affectionally known as "that awesome indian gas station food", Cilantro is now a full-blown restaurant! *applause* The place looks great! Plenty of room for crowds and they're in a popular area for business people to come have lunch. I truly hope they do well. I wasn't able to stay and eat dinner here this particular night, so I called my order in 20 minutes before coming, and sure enough, they remembered my name! It's family run and they are a very friendly one. The kids are helping out at this place as well and they are just as professional and polite as ever. My food was ready when I got there and I was set! While I was waiting for the people in front of me to order, I took a look around. It looks like they're using the system where you order first, they give you a number stand to put on your table and you seat yourself anyplace you like. They've got a whole case of desserts available too! I'll definitely be trying some of those next time! I'm a creature of habit and I've found my favorite dish there--Chicken Wing Tandoori. But I've never had a bad dish, so I'd recommend trying everything! If you haven't tried Cilantro yet because you were wary of the gas station aspect, then your worries have been solved! Head over to Cilantro to have a nice dinner out with great service and great food. read more

Update: Still delicious! I tried the spinach and salmon dish. It was fantastic!! Absolutely delicious! I tried the samosa chat and a spicy shrimp dish. Both were flavorful and exciting to eat. The ginger tea was better than any tea that a I've ever tasted. I'm a coffee kind of girl, but I'd swap coffee for this tea anytime! read more

It's been far too long since I've had good Indian food...and I'm SO GLAD we found Cilantro! We were a bit wary of the spot when we walked in and weren't instantly greeted by the intense smells of Indian places we're used to, but when the food arrived it had really nice flavor so they must just have a great venting system in the kitchen ;) It's a little different than a traditional sit-down restaurant here. You walk up to the counter and place your order there before choosing a table. I'd recommend viewing the menu online before coming so you kind of know what you want to order because the 'luxury' of sitting around before your waiter takes your order is nonexistent here. Also, we were somewhat confused how to tip here -- tipping before the meal at the register feels kind of awkward. There are two levels of seating here and the interior is very clean and modern. The staff is friendly and helpful too. It did seem, though, that it took a while for our food to come out of the kitchen...a bit too long. Once the food arrived it was very flavorful (as it should be) and had good portion size. I prefer my chicken makhani with dark meat, and was somewhat disappointed with the large chunks of drier white meat in my dish (personal preference), but I did enjoy mopping up the sauce with the naan on my plate. On another visit, I'll probably try the "butter" version of another protein and I'm sure it will be wonderful...or I'll just let my husband take the meat and I'll enjoy the sauce again, haha. My husband and kiddo ordered tandoori chicken and both seemed happy with their dishes. Surprisingly, my carnivorous husband was a huge fan of the chickpeas that came with his dish too! Another pleasant surprise: the mango lassi. This drink actually seemed to be made from real mangoes (there seemed to be some pulp) and not a mix or something. The flavor was really good and not overly sweet. Honestly, we've missed Indian food. Due to the wait and having a squirmy toddler we call our own, we may try the take-out option for our next visit (for others considering take-out, there is a note that says to order an hour in advance on weekends!). No matter the method, we are excited to try more of the menu. Definitely a great Indian spot! read more

Okay... wow... when my parents raved about this place I was a bit skeptical... but then when my foodie bestie raved about it, I knew I had to try it. Its so close to where I live which is very dangerous now that I'm in love. You can't go wrong with any of their chicken dishes. They are amazing.. you can ask them to make it spicier too if you like (which I must have!) So far I've tried the chicken dopiaza, chicken tikka masala, and chicken jalfrezi --- nothing less than perfect. The only lamb dish I tried was the lamb skewers I think and they were not so hot :/ But thats okay because everything else makes up for it! The Moroccan hummus is NOT to be missed. Its not really hummus but its whole chick peas in a creamy sauce and wow. You must order a side of it. MUST. And their shahi biryani is out of this world crazy good. I always do take-out and just a tip- if you are ordering on a weekend, order an hour in advance of when you want to eat because they do have quite a wait- but trust me, it's worth it. read more

I have been a customer of Cilantro for many years, and they have never once failed to deliver on top-of-the line food, service, and atmosphere. I have tried many things on their menu, and each dish seems to be better than the last (somehow!). I would HIGHLY recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys Indian food or for anyone that hasn't tried it before and is willing to give it a chance! Whenever I bring people to Cilantro, they always enjoy their experience, and to new customers that maybe haven't had the opportunity to try Indian food I would recommend their Butter Chicken or Chicken Tikka Masala as an excellent place to start. The owning family is beyond friendly and I genuinely believe everybody that comes to Raleigh should make the time to swing by. Throughout the COVID situation, they have done an incredible job at staying aware of social distancing guidelines and their take-out service is still available. If you haven't been before, seriously, go to Cilantro! read more

See all

Just went to this restaurant in their opening week. I was blown away by the quality and flavor of this food. I am Indian, and it takes a lot to impress me when it comes to indian food, this restaurant was awesome on all counts. Food: I went with a large group and was able to sample a number of dishes. Every dish was unique and savory. I ordered the samosa chat as an appetizer, and it was by far the best I've ever had. In terms of the main courses everything was delicious and you could tell that only the freshest ingredients were used. Decor: Very nice decor with lots of space. Great lighting and sofas to lounge around in. Was also to get on the guest WiFi and watch the end of a basketball game I wanted to catch. Service: Great service. This place is family owned and the sons of the owners took care of all our needs with a smile. Everyone should check out this new spot in town! I have to say it's by far my new favorite Indian restaurant in the triangle! read more

NO NAAN. Need I say more? I guess so. I don't often leave reviews, but I feel suckered by the high Yelp ratings, so here's what I found lacking. Maybe I'll save you some disappointment. #1 - Instead of soft, pillowy naan, you get pita bread. And it's not especially tasty pita bread. More reminiscent of pita you buy at the grocery store and toast up at home. Not bad, but not good either. And NOT naan. Seriously. What kind of Indian place doesn't serve naan? #2 - Undrinkable mango lassi. I *love* mango lassis. In fact, I don't think I have ever met a mango lassi that I didn't like. Until now. I can't fully explain what was wrong with it. It was almost perfumed, and I couldn't taste any mango or yogurt. So strange, as it looked exactly like lassi. It just didn't do it for me. We left ours virtually untouched. #3 - So. Salty. We had chana chaat, chicken tikka masala, lamb korma, and aloo gobi. The channa chaat was interesting--it could have been better if it wasn't drowned in the salty cilantro yogurt sauce. I liked the different textures, but all the crunchy bits sogged quickly. The chicken tikka was too salty, and the chicken chunks were kind of dried out. The lamb was nice and tender, but the sauce was--you guessed it--too salty. Not a bad rendition of aloo gobi, if you like salt. #4 - Set-up. I am flummoxed by the positive reviews regarding ambiance. We found it an odd vast space that seemed almost like a 2-story cafeteria. You order at a counter and then find your own seat. For the prices charged, I'd expect real table service. There is no real service here other than someone who brings out your food. No one checks on you to see how you're doing or how you like your meal, etc. When we pulled someone aside to explain the lassi situation, we got no apology or even a show of concern. We were told we could just get a different drink ourselves from the front. I'm ok with this type of set-up but not at these prices. If you are looking for authentic Indian food, this isn't it. You can do better. In fact, it would be hard to do worse. read more

This place is consistently good! Service is always top knot here, love the warm welcome when you walk in and they check on you often to make sure everything is good. Portions sizes could be a little bigger but overall highly recommend this place. read more

We ordered from here for the first time through the grubhub app. It took exactly 2 hours for the food to arrive. Not sure if it was the drivers fault or the restaurant. Ordered at 5:24 so just before peak ordering time. 2 hours is a bit much and delivery guy had no explanation. Sang paneer was so spicy I could hardly eat it and gave up after a quarter of it despite adding yogurt to tame the spices. Very lily too. My son said his dish was spicy but it was fine. Not good value for money, sorry. read more

Amazing food. One of the very few restaurants which offers tasty food at decent price and great ambience. I loved everything I have had here. Quantity & quality of food is very good. I have only one complaint, who keeps restaurant closed on Sunday? Seriously! They are closed on Sunday and Monday. I understand that staff needs a break but isn't it unusual for a restaurant to be closed for 2 days? I hope they consider to keep the restaurant open whole weekend. At least for Sunday dinner if not whole day! MUST TRY! read more

Cilantro is a great spot for lunch, with very fast service, reasonable prices, and friendly staff. They have even started stocking lunches to-go for pickup if you're in a hurry, which I haven't really seen other restaurants in the area try. I've been coming here pretty regularly for the last year or so, and have no complaints whatsoever. My favorite dishes are the Chicken Tikka Masala, Saag Paneer, and Moroccan Hummus. All dishes come with a side of Naan, rice, and the chickpea salad seen in most of the photos on here, as well as a fountain drink. Lunch prices range from about $9-14 depending on the protein, and provide plenty of food. Usually the owner will drop by at some point to see how things are going and if he can do anything for you, and then he'll say goodbye when you're leaving as well. Some of the dishes are different from how other Indian places serve them, and the Naan is also a different style of Naan that some people may confuse with a soft pita bread, but it's delicious and goes well with the Cilantro sauce or dipped in a curry. I would definitely recommend Cilantro if you're looking to expand your Indian restaurant options, and more generally if you're just looking for lunch in the area. The immediate area is a bit lackluster in terms of food options, and Cilantro is definitely the best choice in my book. read more

I'd been going to the old gas station location location for awhile, and was confused when I drove up and it was closed. Much to my satisfaction, I found that they have a location in a nearby strip mall. I got the Chicken Saag. My god, this place just keeps getting better and better. The "naan" could still use a LOT of improving, but I can't get enough of the dishes here. One of my absolute favorite restaurants in the area for a quick lunch. Tomorrow I'll try the Chicken Jalfraezi (probably misspelled the hell out of that, but who cares, it tastes amazing). read more

The best. No questions asked. I'm not individually an expert in Indian cuisine, but I do know good food. I know that I've never had anything better, and the consistency with which Cilantro produces complex, delicious dishes is worthy of a lot of praise. My friends (and I've brought several people here for their first visit) from all over the country agree- this is always the best Indian food they've ever had. One word of caution- certain dishes can take a while to prepare. Everything is scratch-made, and one taste of the sauces will help you understand why this is such a good thing. That said, if you're in a hurry or looking for a quick lunch, make sure you order from their "cooking now" menu of dishes that are a little quicker to appear. Also- save room for dessert. The homemade cakes and cheesecakes are always great. It's a little out of the way in MacGregor village, but it's well worth the trip. The space that they've moved into from their previous gas station digs is very well-appointed, and I'm hoping to hear that they plan on putting in a bar, or finding another way to utilize the extra space upstairs. Some spicy food and a very cold beer would definitely be welcome! read more

The peanut butter cake is melt in your mouth unbelievable. One of the best I have had ever!!!!!

Updated review: Our first time wasn't a good experience but the owner reached out and asked us to give them a second chance and I'm glad they did!! The food was absolutely amazing the second time. Probably the best Indian food I've tried in the triangle. Will definitely come back here again! read more

Coming from California, I was spoiled with the diversity of food options from all over the world and the number of great restaurants. Moving to NC has opened my eyes to see how lucky I was. There is less diversity of options available to me here in North Carolina. I love Indian food, and while there are plenty of Indian restaurants, most of them are less than mediocre. Cilantros is the Diamond in the Rough. Their food is delicious. While their kitchen can take a while to make the food, I know it's because my dish is made to order. I am happy to wait for authentic Indian food that not only feeds my stomach, but also my soul. If you are in a hurry during lunch, they do prepare some quick dishes to choose from. The worst thing about Cilantros is their distance from my home. read more

When you look forward to having lunch somewhere a few days in advance and then still find yourself struggling as to which dish you want to order the day before you actually go... well, then you know it is good. Cilantro is easily one of the top Indian restaurants in the area and the food has never let me down. The staff is super friendly and the new atmosphere cultivates a modern feel. As a few other reviewers have said, sometimes there can be a lengthy wait, but that is changing for the better. I'm happy to say that our plan of calling in our order 15-20 minutes ahead of our arrival works great and the people that have the "they got their food before us and we were here first" looks never get old. Cilantro also cares about what their customers have to say, because they have started a menu on the counter that tells you what is currently cooking in the kitchen letting you know good choices to make to expedite these delicious meals straight to your mouth. Sometimes the heat is strong, so don't be afraid to order a dish mild. It'll still have tons of flavor and often just enough heat to make you remember. Don't pass this one up ladies and gentlemen. read more

Love Cilantro! Outstanding food and service! I highly recommend the Moroccan Hummus & pistachio cardamom cheesecake! read more

Cilantro Indian Cafe - Moroccan Hummus- FANTASTIC! - Indian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

See all

I'm glad we finally decided to eat here! It's a place where you go up and order first, sit down, and then they bring the food to you. You also get your drink yourself ahead of time and can get refills when needed. We highly recommend to add the paneer to anything you order-its delicious! The samosa chaat appetizer is so good. And the mango Lassi is not only tasty but a great cool down for many of these spicy dishes. To me, most of these dishes are spicy but there's one preparation in particular that is intensely spicy so I make sure to steer clear of it. I cannot remember the name of it at the moment but if you happen to order it, the gentleman will let you know it's the spicy one, lol. They also have to go meals sitting there for people in a rush, which is great at lunch time. Prices are reasonable, portions are a good size, and there are some delicious desserts there. My only gripe is that when we order to go, they never give us the chick pea salad with it, even though it's supposed to come with the meal. Weird. But we still love this place! read more

See all

I've had amazing Indian food, I've had decent Indian food, maybe even so so Indian food that I wouldn't necessarily go to again. This is the only Indian food I've ever had that was offensively bad. Like, this tastes like Indian food I attempt at home where I dry out the chicken and end up with flavorless, oily results. It was actually shocking how bad it was, we were laughing at how terrible it was. The butter chicken was nothing like I've ever had before- flavorless, oily, dry chicken, no creaminess or any deliciousness. The saag paneer had no spinach in it and wasn't the usual green color. In fact, every dish was the same brown color. The naan bread was pita, I'm pretty sure the same pita bread you get at the grocery store and it was microwaved. Please don't go here- there are so many better Indian restaurants to choose from in the area!! read more

Following up on all of the 5 star yelp reviews for Cilantro, this place merits the hype. It turns out that Cilantro started up in a gas station many years ago and opened up this second location in Cary that has been operating for a little over a year. The setup is more fast-casual than casual in that you order your apps/entrees from the front register, pay up for your grub, then take a seat waiting for your food. We feasted on veggie samosas, chicken tikka masala and a curry with cauliflower and potatoes. Everything was excellent, the major caveat is that the default settings for the dishes were spicier than I have had at other Indian restaurants, which likely makes this more authentic, but my mouth was burning only a handful of bites in. Of course, this did not stop me from devouring every last bite. Another plus is that Cilantro is located in a cool shopping center with bars and one of those hipster places where you can drink wine/beer then paint. You can create a solid date night anchored around Cilantro. read more

So many Indian restaurants exist here in the Raleigh area. This is a relatively newer place but one of my favorites. The portion sizes won't leave you miserable later! Everything I've tried here is fantastic but you can never go wrong with their chicken tikka masala. The size chick pea salad is awesome! Make sure you pick up any one of the delicious cake options. My favorite is the chocolate peanut butter!! read more

Cilantro Indian Cafe - Indian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Got the chicken tikka masala add paneer and it was good, albeit very spicy. I'm Indian and I thought it was a bit much on the spicy ness, I think they should ask you for heat level. No naan, instead got pita bread. They advertise Naan with the meal, and that's quite a disappointment when you end up with pita bread. I also tried the mango lassi, and it was the worst mango lassi I have ever tried, it was definitely not authentic and very watery tasting. This was a huge disappointment, I came last year and it was completely different, I don't know what changed, but hopefully they will go back to serving real naan. I will say their chocolate cheesecake was great, and the best part of the meal. read more