Went to India Bistro for lunch last weekend and went with the buffet. The food was wonderful! Service was very attentive, accomodating, and paid attention to detail. And the restaurant is nicely decorated. To quote my picky eater daughter about the butter chicken: "That is the BEST chicken I've ever had!" If you're looking for Indian food in this neighborhood, do youself a favor, skip The Bengal Tiger and walk over to India Bistro - you won't regret it! read more

I started going here as an alternative to my favorite Indian place, when that one was just too busy. What I found, I loved. The flavor of this restaurant is an easy match for the other. The owners are lovely (important to me), and they keep a relaxed presence at the restaurant. I love the nonchalance I feel, here. Yet they have a full bar ... two things which don't always go together!! LOVE the Sunday brunch feast. read more

Pretty solid Indian food. I'm far from an Indian food connoisseur but I feel like bad Indian food makes itself pretty obvious. This stuff is pretty damn good. The food is good quality, seasoned well but not overdone, have a good range of spicy to mild, and the portions are fantastic. Between three people we got 4 entrees and 2 appetizers and a beer each and got out of there at 25 bucks a pop and had food left over, pretty damn good. Only compliant is that were were one of two tables at the restaurant and it took us about 15 minutes to get our check. So the staff could be slightly more attentive but stuff like that doesn't really bother me. read more

We're recent transplants to Seattle and my fiancé is Indian, so very particular about Indian food. We've tried a bunch of places in the area and this has been the only one so far that we have been excited about! Service was fantastic for carry out pickup. Portions were a very good size, and the spice level on the extra hot was perfect. The lamb saag was next-level, and the chicken korma was also excellent. Naan was huge and well-cooked. Will definitely be back!! read more

Went for a lunch at India Bistro. The food was great. Great value for money. Cleanliness is the only grudge that I have for this place. The place and cutlery was not clean. Especially the cutlery had left over food from previous use. read more

It's a little pricey but the food is good and they give generous portions. I recommended that you also get the garlic naan- it's awesome!

The absolute most terrible food thus far in years. Went on a Saturday night and only 1 table was occupied...not a good sign. The service was awful and slow yet no one was there. I really did not think the salmon would fantastic but I prefer seafood and not only was it awful it was like both the salmon and chicken had been setting in a freezer for a couple years and then thawed out. This is not fresh food. The farmed mushy salmon was on a sizzling platter of yellow and red peppers and some yellowed broccoli...I asked for mixed vegetables with no peppers or onions but really don't think they have anything fresh. The chicken tikki Marsala (not sure what kind of meat it really was) was tough and lacked any flavor. Indeed the nan bread was the highlight but extremely small portion. My friend is not a picky eater but could not even eat more than 1 bite of the so called chicken breast, so basically just had the rice and bread. We had to flag someone down to get our bill. We saw no need to complain because it was obvious this place does not serve fresh quality food. If you dont mind low quality freezer burned grade d with enough sauce to try and cover the lack of quality then this place would work read more

I love this place. I've only been here a few times but each time always leave thinking that I should come here more often! The big draw for this place is the value. The food is always superb, but when you mix in a lunch buffet for less than 10 bucks count me in. I haven't confirmed, but I also believe they have the same buffet on the weekends which is unheard of. As mentioned previously, the food is fantastic. Their butter chicken is flavored well and the chicken is never overcooked which often happens. They also have a really tasty "tikka potatoes" which I use to pour my Korma, Masala, or Vindaloo sauce all over. All in all, this place is great and I need to make it my go-to Indian spot in the area. I'd highly recommend it if you're in the mood and don't want to take a hit in the wallet! read more

If you are going to go here, make sure it is for dinner. Their lunch buffet can vary from day to day and can good and bad days. Dinner however is very good. My favorite dish is the Mango Chicken. read more

The food was good. I will go back for more. The four star because the staff didnt seem friendly with the person who took our oder constantly staring at us. May be we were too loud but still. read more

Hello! The BEST Indian food out there. We moved from Seattle to Florida (miss this place) and 'every time' we visit Seattle we have to go see Mike and eat at this scrumptous high class* amazing restaurant! We love the bistro!! Thanks so much for making it the best. Be Kind. Yvette&Jerry Orlando read more

Our favorite Indian buffet was shut down, and so we set out a search for a new one! This place was very good! It was very busy at lunch and we had to wait for a table, but it was worth it. I think we found our new place. read more

This is my favorite Indian restaurant. The buffet line is delicous and has lots of options. The newly renovated bar is a fun place to relax. I go there everytime I'm in Roosevelt. read more

This place has the best Indian buffet. Mutter mushroom and paneer bhurji was top notch. Limited but excellent choices of desserts.

Cautionary tale: as you leave India Bistro, you will draw Indian-food-lovers to you like Zombies to live flesh, with the wonderful mixed smells of smoke and spice from the kitchen that you will take out with you. That sounds like it's a bad thing, but it's not. :) They have a really amazing buffet with a nice variety of dishes and levels of heat (they can bring you extra spice if you want to kick it up an extra notch). Moreover, it's extremely reasonable! I've come for the dinner service as well, and it was great! In the dishes we ordered for dinner, the mattar paneer was our favorite. The shrimp vindaloo was good, but was not the same taste as other vindaloos I've had in the past - I think it was just altered by the seafood taste. I might go with some of the meats in the vindaloo next time. The chicken curry was also good. I guess I am a bigger fan of the dishes they had during the buffet, but because I was so busy chatting it up with my colleagues, I didn't pay a lot of attention to the signs... so I couldn't tell you what I liked most. If I had, I probably would have ordered them for dinner. I'll have to report back next buffet visit. Stay tuned... read more

How I heard of this place: My friend Hilary first introduced me to India Bistro in Ballard when we were craving good, authentic Indian food years ago. When the Entertainment book first offered coupons to the Roosevelt location, I sampled it once, and this was my second visit. Type of cuisine: "Cuisine to engage all of your senses." Northern Indian food is served at this restaurant, which offers a variety of options from curries, to chicken tikka and tandoori. "The best known style of regional cooking comes from the north of India. When the Moghuls came to this region, they introduced elaborate dishes that were beautifully presented on gold and silver platters. The dishes were also given beautiful sounding names. When herbs and spices are added to a dish, they act on the ingredients in some specific and wonderful ways. Contrary to what you might think, they don't always make the dish spicy. Only a few spices actually add a hot taste. Most indian spices act as aromatics, which add subtle fragrance to the food. Others are coloring agents, to make classic dishes lovely to behold. Still other spices add tartness or can help to tenderize the meat. Still other spices can lend texture a sauce. In short, Northern Indian cuisine was designed to engage all of the senses. Classic dishes like Biriyani (layered rice and meat garnished with crispy sauteed nuts, crackling onion shreds, and sometimes edible silver sheets) originated in Northern India. Delicious meat preparations include kormas (braised meat), roasts, kabobs, and pullaos (rice pilafs). The cuisine is also known for it's delicate flavors and silky sauces. Often, the dishes are prepared with yogurt, cream fruits and nuts to mellow and velvetize the sauces." Ambiance: Upon entering the darkened space, just below street level in a Roosevelt shopping center, the smells and fragrances of Indian cuisine wafted into our faces and permeated our clothing. The inside of the restaurant extends back along the bar to tables set in front of booth seating that lines the wall and accompanied by chairs across the way. Along the window and towards the back, more seating is found for patrons to dine. Autumn-toned colors make up the walls and exposed wooden beams line the ceiling, and sparse, rustic pieces of artwork can be found on the walls. What I ordered: Three of us dined at India Bistro on this crisp, cold evening and chose one diet Coke ($1.95) and one mango lassi ($) to share between the three of us. For our appetizers, along with the poppadoms, we ordered vegetable samosas ($6): two deep fried pastries with mildly spiced potatoes and peas, two garlic and basil naan ($3 each): leavened bread of fine flour flavored with garlic and basil and one large bowl of murgh shorba ($2.50): delicious lentil soup made with chicken, herbs, and mild spices. For our dinner entrees, we selected butter chicken ($10.95): boneless pieces of chicken cooked in the tandoor, then cooked in a tomato cream sauce, and aloo gobhi ($9.95): cauliflower and cubes of potatoes, cooked with a hint of spice, garlic, ginger sauce and onions. What I loved: Of all of the things we sampled during this plentiful dinner, the soup was my favorite, with an abundance of flavor and a creaminess to its texture. The mango lassi comfortably sweet and perfectly suited to settle the hot food on our plates. Why I loved it: The very friendly staff, efficient, patient and at your service made the experience a delight. The food tasty and spicy and in plenty! Cost: Low to average ($9-$15 per dinner entree) read more

Excellent Indian in Roosevelt. Flavorful and they'll make any dish in any degree of spicy-ness. We got everything medium cause several in our group don't like the heat. They use lentil flour, so a plus for the non gluten fans. Awesome naan. Beer on tap, Indian and local craft. Smoothie type coolers, also delish. Entrees size are abundant. Wait staff is prompt and attentive. read more

I eat here all the time. I give 4 stars because he service can be improved. The lamb biryani and the chicken tikka masala are my favorite. I'd recommend ordering from the menu over getting things from the buffet. read more

When I moved to the neighborhood, I was so excited to try their buffet- it's a good deal and they offer a discount for kids' meals. Sadly, so much of it is spicy that my kid is not a fan, so not much point in going back, as she now isn't interested at all. I thought it was pretty good food and good service, but dinner buffet nights I would never be dining alone. They offer a lunch buffet, too- worth trying if you are working in the area. read more

Clean, Beautiful, fabulous wait staff. Nice decor--very tasteful. Love the embroidered pillows and the wall color. Full bar. There is parking in the garage and I even got a $10 off coupon when I paid for my meal! I came for lunch and dinner. The grilled veggies are a nice addition to the buffet. The food was beautifully presented and delicious! Lunch was busy but things ran really smoothly. The dinner was really enough for 2. I ended up having to take it home, and I'm a BIG eater. I had coconut chicken that was savory and spicy and quite delicious. The mango mousse was really nice too. I would like to go back in a large group so I could try more things! read more

We came on a Friday night and the restaurant wasn't even half-full. The service was awesome for an Indian restaurant. The hostess even offered to take group photos of us with our cameras. The waiters kept our water glasses filled. The restaurant is fairly small, the lighting is dim, and the atmosphere is intimate. The food I tried was among my better Indian food experiences: chicken vindaloo, chicken tikka masala, naan, and samosas. The prices are comparable to my other Indian restaurant experiences (all in Austin). We were unfamiliar with Seattle and found a free parking spot along the street a block away. read more

India Bistro offers an inexpensive lunch buffet even on the weekend. The service was friendly and prompt. I would have liked to see more vegetarian options, but all the ones they had were delicious. I am usually not a huge fan of daal as it could be bland. However, their daal was well seasoned and had a bit of kick to it, which I loved. The naan bread was freshly baked and deliciously chewy! I would love to go back and try other dishes! read more

I've only been here for the buffet, which is a fantastic deal and overall awesome food. The lamb was incredible, and the daal and curried vegetables are always worth a second trip back. Ironically, the odd fried potato things served along the grilled veggies are reminiscent of tater tots - be careful, they are addictive! I appreciate the service, the variety of high vegetable based dishes and the myriad of flavors to satisfy my appetite. Points deducted for cold naan served to the table (isn't that a crime somewhere?) and rice pudding which tastes just like oversugared milk. read more

Had the buffet for lunch. Lots of options and the food was solid! Friendly and prompt service. Definitely will be back.

I'm from the SF bay area where Indian Buffets are plentiful. 8 bucks for lunch is very doable N reasonable. I wasn't expecting to be blown away but I thought it was a bit limited. 2 meat curries, 4 veggie curries, tandoori chicken and a couple of salads. Fresh naan brought to each table. Where is the lamb? Where art thou,Tikka Masala? Whenever you are, the savoriness of the butter chicken and the curry chicken made up for it. The cleanliness and the service was also top notch. read more

Normally if we're going to get Indian food in this area, we go to Taste of India. Today, though, my family ended up going here for dinner because it was located in a good central spot for everyone to meet. Parking: There is a garage, but it's pretty small and shared with the rest of the building. If you can find street parking that might be easier. We found a spot in the garage this time, though, since it was still early (just after 5 PM). We got the baba ghanoush appetizer, and it is not what you would typically think of as baba ghanoush at a Mediterranean restaurant. The texture and taste was more like what a lot of restaurants serve as an "artichoke dip", served with warm naan. Though it's not quite what I was expecting, it still tasted good. I ordered the Mixed Vegetables Curry at a medium-hot spice level (this was only 3/5 on their scale - Mild, Medium, Medium-Hot, Hot, and Extra Hot). The spice level was about right for me. It was potatoes, cauliflower and other veggies (nine in all, according to the menu) served in a tomato-based sauce. I thought it tasted great. The other members of my group had Chicken Tikka, Veggie Goa Curry, Lamb Goa Curry, Saag Lamb, and Eggplant Bhartha. They all enjoyed their choices as well (except that my partner's food was a bit too spicy for her - she ordered it medium but it tasted about as spicy as my medium-hot entree. Not sure if they heard her wrong or if the spicing can be inconsistent). The presentation of the entrees is excellent. The Chicken Tikka was brought out sizzling, and the other entrees were served in metal dishes with tea light candles underneath to keep the food hot. (And it did stay hot - it was bubbling the whole time!) The portion sizes are generous, with enough left over for tomorrow's lunch. The dining room is nice and upscale looking. However, the hallway on the way to the restroom was a bit sticky. Not a huge deal though. read more

Yes, you could hunt for parking and then wait for half an hour to be seated at those other U-district Indian restaurants, or you could go do India Bistro, which has underground parking and no wait. No, the food is not quite as good, but it's still pretty tasty. The servers are also very polite. We had curried mussels to start, which weren't extraordinary. I recommend the methi lamb curry if you like lamb. The spinach and cheese dish was great too. Most dishes come with rice. They even gave us a free mango mousse for dessert. read more

This is by far the best Indian restaurant i have tried!! I love their buffet always fresh and warm. Every platter they have is tasty especially the butter chicken & the mango chicken. Their naan is really good, the spinach one is special. I am a regular there, because i just love this place. The staff is nice, the cook always checks on us. This is a must if you like Indian food. read more

I came only for the buffet and it was great. It had a good variety and the most important cheap :) The service was very good as well. I would like to try it over dinner. read more

Best Indian buffet in the city. Came Sunday for the buffet and it was great. Awesome to have a buffet open on weekends and the price was fair. The naan is brought to your table and it's hot and fresh. Their dishes were really tasty and seem to rotate. The korma is out of this world and the potatoes tikki were delicious. read more

I've eaten several times at the Ballard location and loved it for years. Therefore I decided to stop in for an early dinner (5:00). There were 5 diners present for 40-50 capacity. Now I like (for the most part) the Roosevelt location. First of all, it's bigger and slightly more upscale. However, I noticed the service is somewhat cool/distant much like the Ballard location. I wish they were more like servers at An Nam Pho a few doors down, oh well. Otherwise, the food is delicious. This time I tried the Mango Chicken for the first time, wonderful. I took my gluten digestion pills and added the Garlic Naan and it was HEAVEN! Finally, my sweet tooth was calling so decided to try the rice pudding (with my handy dairy enzyme pills). They would be better off calling this dessert cold ice milk!!! Never again. To the owner: Please teach your wait staff to smile more and stay off their smart phones read more

The naan was great! Honestly one of the better naans ive had in a while. Plus it was great to dip in the butter chicken sauce. The veggie masala dish was also excellent. Great color and tooth on the okra and veggies, great flavor overall. And the food all stays warm because it it served in mini chafing dishes with candles! read more

I was there last weekend for the buffet, and to be honest, I hated it. The service was rather poor - the naan came 15 mins after we started eating. The food was okay, but nothing special. The Tandoori chicken was dry and not juicy at all. I prefer Bombay Grill anyday. read more

My bf and I are big fans of Bengal Tiger around the corner but decided to try this place cause it seemed much prettier inside. And indeed it is - probably some of the nicest decor for Indian I've seen in Seattle. Definitely date worthy! And the food's quite good too. I'll admit, I was making fun of the reviewer who complained about the candle warming dishes being too hot before I went, but he's actually right. The service is nice enough, but they seem a little clueless sometimes - we had a waitress who couldn't tell us what beers they had on tap or what kind of IPA they had. Plus, if I remember correctly, their 22 ounce beer is more expensive than 2 12 ounce beers - I guess they make a lot of money on people who can't add? read more

It is so hard to find good Indian food in Seattle. Alas, this experience did not prove my salvation. I ordered take-out so can't speak to the ambiance or service (other than that my food was ready when I came to get it). The vegetarian samosas were absolutely astounding! Those being my first taste of this restaurant I was ecstatic to move on to the main course. The garlic naan bread was okay, it was quite greasy. The main dish: my wife had the Korma and I had the Vegetarian Curry. It was bland overall, we got "Hot" (the second to last on their spiciness rating) and the Korma was close to sweet. The rice was average. Summary: bland Indian food all in all, but the vegetable samosas saved it from a one star. read more

I've been here on 3 different occasions during their lunch buffet and I can see that every time its been amazing. The owner (I believe it was) was extremely accommodating. Their lunch buffet is $8.95 and ends at 3pm. But during my second outing, my dining partner and I were late therefore I called ahead and the owner said they'd keep the buffet open since we ventured far to get there. If you have any doubts, than I assure you, this place is amazing. Their entree selection is superb along with the naan (no garlic naan though) but my favorite combo is the pudding along with mango mouse. Its amazing. Easily one of my favorite deserts anywhere in Seattle. read more

India Bistro - Amazing! - Indian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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My son and I came here based off Yelp reviews, but I have to say that I was really disappointed. The food overall was just okay. The mango chicken was actually delicious, but everything else was very lackluster. For example, the butter chicken wasn't the worst I've had, but it was a far cry from the best. The decor, specifically in the bathroom, is in some need of updating. I'm not one who usually points out decor, but it really added to the experience making me think they don't pay much attention to the restaurant as a whole. However, my biggest disappointment was in the service. I pretty much had to beg for another drink on a couple of occasions, and they seemed more interested in us getting out of there than enjoying our food. Overall, I won't be back here as there are many other places which offer better food and way better service. read more

I've been to their buffet a few times before the pandemic. They have some serious authentic dishes and amazing naan (I think all their dishes have a nice Punjabi touch, but not sure exactly where in India the preparation is influenced by). read more

Went for the lunch buffet. Love the mango mousse. Will go again. read more

I was really impressed with the vegetarian selection at India Bistro -- there were 5 or 6 vegetable curries and dals, plus the grilled vegetables and fried dough at the head of the buffet which was a welcome change from the traditional Indian buffet staples. The saag paneer was a great texture and flavor and the turnip masala was an interesting variation on a traditional dish. The butter chicken was quite good and the rest of the dishes we tried were all flavorful. I didn't have enough room to try the kheer or mango yogurt, sadly. They also bring fresh naan to the table which was nice, although we had to seek someone out to ask for more as they didn't offer to refill it. That is probably the only criticism I could give this place--the service was a bit lackluster compared to many other places I've been. We didn't have our water refilled at all while we were eating, and the aforementioned lack of offering more naan. It was quite busy while we were there but I saw several staff members standing around so I don't think that was the issue. Overall a great lunch for a great price ($8.95) -- I will definitely return next time I visit Seattle! read more