Everything you hear about India Grill that isn't a five star surprises me. I'm breaking this down in methods of customer service: Walking in: We were greeted with cups of water. I went with my friend and I for a second time. We requested coke and while asking for ice, we got ice! Next, before they even took our order they gave us a sample of the garlic naan, and it was arguably one of the greatest pieces of bread I've tried. Appetizer: We receive a side of 3 lamb samosas and 3 veggie samosas. No rush then, they didn't interrupt us while we ate like most places. No bugging us about what our entrees would be, just asking if we'd like more drinks to compliment he samosas. Entrees: I ordered the chicken masala and my friend ordered the butter chicken (we're classics). I'm glad we each had one samosa left because dipping it in the food is complimentary as heck. Without us asking, they even gave us two small dishes of rice, with a custom sauce we requested! Finale: I skipped out on dessert, as I have a natural distaste for rice pudding, but I took a spoon, and ate a bite. It's officially the only spot I will eat rice pudding. He said he enjoyed the sweetness and creaminess/texture of the pudding. We each took a sprite home, and the owner brought us our bill without asking. It's as if they know how to naturally treat customers with respect and know what they want. After paying the check and walking out, we were stuffed for the entire day. This was 6:30PM and we left around 8:00PM. Time flies when you're in a great environment. 6/5. read more

We really liked this place. There wasn't much going on but that just meant we got our food quickly. Friendly service. Best Indian food in town! read more

I've never been disappointed by the food here. I usually get a random main dish with samosas, naan and a cup of chai. It's always tasty. They must do a lot of to go orders/catering or something else because the restaurant floor is always empty when I go in. That's not a bad thing though as it means the service is always snappy! read more

This place is so run down and dirty. It is operated by an elderly couple. There is no mask wearing when they cook. It's kind of scary. read more

India Grill - a view of the dining room - Indian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Tried their Farmer's Market stand and was really disappointed. The butter chicken was really bland with sauce more watery than creamy. Adding the hot sauce on the counter made the dish spicy but in a flavorless way. The quarter piece of naan was hard and didn't mop any sauce. The side salad was just a few strips of lettuce. On the bright side there was a decent amount of chicken and it was tender. The lamb samosa was likewise bland, and didn't carry any lamb flavor. The service was nothing to be excited about. As much as I love Indian food, I would not come again. read more

Salty. Which is a word I believe is what the kids are using these days to describe my current attitude - but also the food. Garlic naan was hard and salty without much garlic flavor, and the butter chicken was soooooo salty. Not much butter or tomato flavor, but a metric F-tonne of salt. It would probably taste good on popcorn. But not with naan and rice. read more

India Grill - Indian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Stopped by their farmers market station. Tried the butter chicken combo plate. It was super, super bland. The side spinach was just a pile of baby spinach. I like spinach (even plain spinach), but it doesn't pair well with butter chicken (even bland butter chicken). The basmati rice was watery and not fragrant. Giving a second star because there was a decent amount of chicken and the workers were very friendly. read more

I haven't been here in a long time, but the naan, tandoori, and lamb vindaloo were spot on . It's wheelchair accessible as well. My Hindi friends still recommend it. read more

I ordered the tandoori chicken tikka and it was on point. The chicken was tender and easy to chew. I also had the garlic naan and it was delicious! read more

I tried a veggie samosa at their market stand today. It was the first samosa I ever tried. It's been hours and I'm still thinking about it.

Enjoyed the lunch buffet my first visit. Second visit I had a neck brace on due to a herniated disc, and the owner refused to even acknowledge me when I went to pick up food. Someone who discriminates so horribly against another human because of their medical problems is an ableist, and should be treated as such. Don't go here, don't support bad people! read more

I love Indian Buffet and I look forward to trying every new one in the areas that I'm in as often as possible. Maybe I've been spoiled by a number of terrific Indian Buffet around Greater Seattle but unfortunately my experience at India Grill just wasn't anywhere near even the bar of mediocre. During my visit the restaurant was chilly and very poorly lit. Dreary. Bad light, chilly, no music playing. Where was the effort at creating ambiance for the customer? Nothing about the environment felt warm or inviting. Looking up you'll see a pretty fabric suspended as a ceiling cover but restaurant experience is body and eye level. The price of the buffet was $7.95 per person, which is very common. I was surprised (VERY) that there was no sneeze guard protecting ANY of the food. That's fine at home but an intolerable and completely unnecessary health risk in a public restaurant. Big thumbs down for this management decision. I was also very surprised by how few buffet items were offered. The most limited selection I've ever seen in Indian Buffet for the same price as what I'm used to in other Indian establishments. Maybe for $4.95 or $5.95 comparing and being relative about it. The items prepared that day were all right. Nothing to complain about; nothing to write home about. The dining area was clean. The service was very friendly. I was hoping that I'd love this restaurant as I haven't connected with an Indian restaurant that I adore anywhere in Skagit County yet. Overall experience was disappointing. read more

Food was below average. Host was alone, tried his best to keep up. The appetizer and main course was below the mark. I wish I had eaten McDonald instead. Service was fine. read more

I should've known better than to eat here, but I thought to myself..."Let's just try it out. If it's good, then that's a pleasant surprise, and if it's bad, then I know never to come here again." Well, when I walked in to this place at 7 PM on a Friday night, it was dead. Not a single person in sight. Not a customer, not a waiter, not a cook, no one. Only after my dad decided to go into the back to hunt someone down to let them know that we hadn't walked in just to take a look at the decor were we seated. We waited forever for a couple glasses of water and then even longer for the [waitress/owner/cook?] to come back and take our order. While I don't even remember what we ordered anymore, it really isn't all that important to begin with. There is so much wrong with this place already that you should be able to decide whether to come here or not from everything you've read so far. Needless to say, the food was meh. I've certainly had better (even by Bellingham standards). read more

We had this delivered for dinner by one of the usual suspects. Upon opening-up the bag, we were thinking the driver must have missed a bag as the quantities were paltry. We took a photo of the little mess, and thought we'd been had for $65. There was literally one small tub of rice and we'd ordered two large entrees. Knowing there was no escape at this point, we dug-in. To our surprise, the food was amazing. I'll admit there were a couple of items we never were able to identify. It would have been nice to have a sufficient quantity of rice with which to drown in the various sauces/dishes, but the taste nearly made up for it. Not sure we'd have this delivered again, but when JayDolf finally recovers from his cranial-rectal inversion, we'll be patronizing in person. read more

India Grill - a variety of indian food items - Indian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

It is edible. The samosa is pretty good and big, but a bit too salty for my palate. I've only had their food at WWU's vendor row. They are nice folks and the portions are generous. I have eaten there twice now. I may still try their restaurant, for dinner, not the buffet... maybe things are better fresh. It is a bit bland, but I did not have high expectations going into this due to the local demographic being so monochromatic and they probably had to white-wash their food to stay in business up here. The butter chicken, which looks like tikka masala to me, does't distinguish itself from the curry except by color. The curry chicken doesn't taste like curry and was a bit off tasting the first time I tried it. I didn't get it the second time. The rice isn't the usual fragrant colorful basamati I'm used to. The veggie options are saag chana or something (spinach and chickpeas) and a version of aloo gobi with some extra stuff? ( potato cauliflower) The nan is good, nice and chewy with a bit of taste, I'm sure its better fresh. They also bring chai tea to campus. I've had all styles of Indian food in all areas of the US. This may be an easy "intro" to eating Indian because there are no strong flavors... but if you have Indian and you LOVE it, this is not the place to get your fix. Or as I like to say, this is like going to that auntie's house that does not cook as good as mom or grandma. It's edible but you really don't want to it eat cuz you know better. read more

Favorite Indian restaurant in the area. Great service and reasonable prices. When I lived in Bellingham I'd go there atleast once a week. read more

These people were amazing and so helpful. I orders my dinner on yelp And called. I was staying at the Hotel Leo across the street. My order was confirmed and they called me when it was ready and omg. It was the best I've had in such a a long time. Absolutely delicious. Spot on!! I will return !! Excellent service and food!! read more

At $9.75 after tax, the lunch buffet is where I go for lunch quite often. The all-you-can-eat buffet has tandoori chicken, dal, curries, channa sag, salad, and a few other dishes, with the rice. Basically, you walk in, make a beeline to the plates and pile-up!. Delicious and quick turn-around for cheap, fresh-made naan bread brought to you automatically at no extra cost, as well (unlike all the other Indian places in whatcom). I have been eating the lunch buffet for many years and always enjoy the quiet atmosphere and nice staff. read more

Dined-in for dinner. Food was excellent, particularly the saag aloo and the lamb biryani. Saag was just right: not too creamy, and the aloo, not overcooked. Unlike other spots, where the lamb is sheer fat, here it was tender and meaty. Will return. read more

This is, hands down the best Indian food in Whatcom county. I've been eating here for 15 years. We've tried many other Indian restaurants, Seattle, Vancouver BC, you name it and we've never had better authentic food!! You should give them a shot. Family owned and operated, delicious food! read more

Kindest family, tastiest food. The flavors and authenticity of this restaurant are why I love this place. Perfect for vegan food! They have really fun holiday events (go for Valentine's Day!) and always make sure their guests find what they're looking for. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and has lofty high ceilings. Amazing value for the lunch buffet! Definitely my favorite in Bellingham restaurant for Indian food. read more

I went to this place for lunch buffet and it was terrible. Watered down curry, low selection and the best part was naan. However, I ordered from them through UberEats twice now and it was great. So - don't go for the lunch buffet -order from the menu instead! read more

I had a very pleasant experience here. The food was excellent the waitstaff friendly and very affordable. If u are looking for authentic Indian food. This is the place for you. read more

Had their food on campus at WWU.... was an insult to actual butter chicken. WAY to watered down (probably to make it last all day) & very bland... tried to eat; couldn't do it read more

India Grill - "Butter chicken" combo (came with a naan; which was good & was the only thing I actually ate) - Indian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Is half a star possible? Or a quarter.....? This place is a set up for absolute disappointment. Cold tasteless "food" that masquerades as Indian cuisine. Half empty serving dishes at full prices. Am surprised anybody with working taste buds can end. PLEASE avoid. read more

Having moved to Washington from California, I expected more than 2 Indian restaurants in the entire city (and surrounding areas). I am used to quality Indian and Pakistani foods, especially being married to a South Asian husband. That said, I was majorly disappointed after trying India Flavors on Meridian. Enough so that I didn't want to try anywhere else! So 2 nights ago when we had a major occasion and needed to celebrate, I bit the bullet and dragged 5 of us to India Grill for dinner and tried them out. WOOHOO!! Finally some decent Indian food!!! In fact it nearly rivals our favorite UK place, Caraway, in East London (we held our engagement party there). The owners and staff bent over backwards appeasing us. The food was great to begin with (we even double ordered the vegi pakora and paneer pakora appetizers because we all liked them so much) and fair portions. Knowing it was our first time there they even gave us extra things to try and sample, much to the delight of my husband. We each ordered the 13 course dinners, which give seemingly small portions of 13 items. I have news for you- those small silver bowls they serve in are misleading! We all had leftovers and everyone one of us has hearty appetites :p PLUS side- Good food, nice ambiance, quiet, relaxing, attentive staff (even the busboy was!), better than that other place- truly, prices are decent for portions, fantastic carrot halwa (the kheer was pretty good too), attentive staff DOWN side- Parking be hit or miss in daytime hrs, mango lassi was a bit tart and not great, one waitress was not on the ball but the rest of the staff eagerly made up for it. Sincerely, 1 Californian, 1 British/Pakistani, and 3 Canadians who will be back there in time for the Diwali buffet and music event in November they promised to be hosting =) read more

Absolutely delicious food. Started with hot chai tea and the cardamom was so freshly ground. The samosas are even better than from the Bellingham Farmers market when they aren't quite as fresh. We had Saag paneer which is much thicker than the typical soup you get at other places. It was fantastic with lots of fresh ginger and was just so fresh. The ambiance isn't the best which might explain why it isn't full always. But the people are nice and the food is awesome. Recommend coming. Prices are totally reasonable and fair too. read more

The water was excellent! We thought this would be a good place to have some Indian food, having been here in Bellingham for two weeks without those flavors. Firstly, the ambiance upon entering the restaurant is dreary. There are some beautiful fabric pieces on the walls and hanging from the ceiling, but lovely fabrics do not a good restaurant make. Upon filling our plates from the un-sneeze guarded lunch buffet (yes, I'm from California), we sat down with great expectations. I had a pile of rice, a piece of naan, some tandoori chicken, a bit of madras chicken, spinach and cheese curd, dal, and a veggie curry. I even ventured forth into the raita and salad. After the first bite, then the second -- what? no flavor? It would have been better to chuck some garam masala or some commercial curry powder into the mix. All I can say is YICK!!! I am tolerant of most foods, and rarely if ever leave a restaurant before finishing a meal. My partner looked at me -- I looked at him. We paid the bill and left. As I said, the water was good. read more

Love this place when I am in the mood for Indian food in Bellingham. Service is always excellent as is the food. I prefer it a little spicier than normal and they are always willing to accommodate me. I believe it has been under the same ownership for over 15 years which makes the quality much more consistent than other local Indian restaurants. read more

Pretty good, not much to say here. Great service, food is what's expected of a buffet with a great price. I stress great price. Good place to stop by on a road trip. read more

Where to start..here's my recent lunch buffet experience: Dark dingy surroundings..turn some damn lights on so I can see the food. Take some pride in what you offer! Lukewarm lacking in flavor. No sneeze guard makes me a little concerned about food safety. Very few offerings, not an extensive buffet by any means. Plan to pay extra if you want samosas or pakoras. Found mold on the naan that was supposedly made fresh, indifferent waitress offered no apology and thought maybe it was some spices or something. They've been in business for years - I have no idea why. Lack of any decent competition? I LOVE Indian food. This place obviously didn't hit the spot! read more

Fresh ingredients, great service, and amazing food. Sauces are full-bodied, meats are tender, and flavors are robust and well-spiced. We eat Indian food in Seattle and Vancouver, and this is by far the best option in Bellingham. Not sure why other reviewers reported poor quality cuisine, as I've never had that experience. Great option for takeout! read more

I would have to agree with the reviewers who criticize the buffet lunch. There isn't really much to choose from, and the food was unremarkable. And the interior is pretty poorly lit. The entrees, though, are excellent. I've eaten here about three or four times, and have yet to be disappointed. Of course, it's possible I have an unrefined palate, as I've never eaten a meal in an Indian restaurant that I didn't enjoy. Here's the thing that stands out in my mind, though: I had to come inside to get change for the parking meter outside, and I asked what appeared to be the proprietor if he had change for a dollar so I could feed the beast. He just handed me some change and told me to keep my dollar. And he had no guarantee I was actually going to eat there! That did translate into a nice tip. read more

Having moved from Seattle where there was an Indian restaurant every 2 blocks, I was disappointed that there are only two real Indian places in Bellingham. I'd heard ok reviews about India Grill's lunch buffet so upon finding out they deliver, my fiance and I decided to order dinner on a nasty rainy night. I live less than 3 miles from the restaurant and was told the food would arrive in 30 mins. Having been a delivery driver myself, I am extremely understanding about "late" deliveries, but this was ridiculous. I had to call the restaurant after 1hr 15mins and I was told the food had just left. When it arrived, the food was cold, greasy and undercooked. The naan was rock hard and even the microwave could not revive it. We ordered our favorite dish (we order it everywhere!) Saag Aloo (pretty much the same thing as Aloo Palak) and it was so awful I wouldn't eat it. The potatoes were crunchy, you could spoon the grease off the top and the flavor had overtones of dishsoap. To boot, I had told the person taking my order than I had a coupon and when my food finally arrived, the driver said no coupon discount had been applied to my total. I'd paid by credit card so I was stuck paying full price! With a place as great as Indian Flavors (out by Bellis Faire) so close by, I cannot understand why anyone would eat at India Grill. read more

It's no joke when I say that India Grill is a staple of Bellingham's food industry. Santok, the owner, and staff are amiable and attentive to the needs of all customers. As a regular customer, I've found my favorite culinary dishes are definitely the Butter Chicken and Tikka Masala along with a cup of Indian Chai Tea. Sometimes I like to finish off my meals with a Mango Shake too! Wonderful restaurant and one I'd recommend to all my friends and family. read more

The lamb curry is delicious. They asked how spicy I like it and made it exactly to my taste. Pleasant atmosphere. Appropriately priced. I'll return! read more

My friend and I were craving some Indian food and decided to try this place. We went here for their $8 buffet, to say the least, the buffet was truly lacking in variety and quality. The food was only mildely warm and seemed to have been pre headed. They decided to put out a tossed salad with old wilted lettuce as well. The empty room should have been our first clue. Poor service. Not impressed.... read more

Went to this place on a lovely rainy day and it was amazing! Started out with 2 veggie samosas, which were very tasty and paired nicely with two delicious sauces. Got myself the 13 course meal for around $16. It sounds like a lot but it was a perfect amount of food! I am usually pretty sensitive to spiciness but it was not an issue. Also, the owners love WWU students! ; ) read more

India Grill - 13 course meal - Indian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

I got the saag paneer delivered to me. While the owners are accommodating, the food is lacking in quality. I received a over salty dish that left me feeling thirsty and bloated. The sooner this place closes, the better for the health of the people of Bellingham. Namaste, bishes. read more