First and foremost We went there on a first date and both of us were very impressed with this restaurant! the food was excellent everything was perfect curry was awesome all food was inc readable (The Meat Samosa, Lamb Tikka Masala, Lamb Saag-Wala Garlic Roti followed up with an order of Ginger tea and Gulab Jamun). If that wasn't enough the staff was also excellent, the Manager (Sunil), the cashier,bus boys, waiters even the delivery person were all polite and very professional. I observed their interactions with other customers and they were exceptional with the customers and even their children. We requested a change of tables and were accommodated just as soon as they could facilitate our move in a crowded restaurant w/o question. We are very fond of this cuisine and were very Impressed with the quality, taste and personnel encountered in our trip there. I highly recommend it. read more

If you want authentic Indian food in a beautiful setting, come to Begum palace. This place is such a gem. We got the shrimp curry (amazing with lots of shrimp!) and a paneer. The consistency and complex flavors of the curries were perfect. The medium is not that spicy, so I would recommend going with "spicy" if you're used to Indian food. Great service from an amazing family run restaurant. I can't wait to be back. Oh their ginger chai hits the spot. Definitely finish with that! read more

Have been going to Begum for the last 10 years and have always enjoyed it. Last week I had my parents over and we all love Indian food, so I ordered pickup from Begum for a relaxing dinner at home. It was fantastic ! My Dad loves lamb and was wowed by the Saag Gosht. The three chicken dishes, Tikka Masala, Makhani and Korma are my regulars and were delicious. The Chicken Vindaloo and Kebabs hit the spot. I'd also like to add that we had a few people with dietary restrictions and the lady taking my order was very patient and helpful in helping me ingredient check each item we ordered. Everyone was delighted. See my photo on the photos page. read more

Indian Kitchen & Grill - Wonderful Begum Dinner at home in Madison NJ. - Indian Near Me - Madison, New Jersey

One of the best Indian Restaurants in the State of New Jersey. Trust me! I was born and raised in New Jersey and grew up eating Indian food all my life. The best authentic flavors come to life here at Begum! Love love love the food, ambiance, and new ownership under Sunil & Co... read more

The food was absolutely amazing. The service was wonderful and friendly! I love Indian food and if some days I need it not as spicy they are so accommodating. Atmosphere is very inviting. I am looking forward to my next meal. read more

$17.95 for all you can eat dinner buffet?? YES!!! The buffet had everything I was craving... chicken tikka masala, samosas, unlimited fresh naan brought fresh to the table! This place was packed on a Sunday night so it must be good. Service was SO friendly... seemed like the owner was greeting every guest as if he knew them personally. This is my new go-to for Indian food! read more

We ordered a take out from this place as we wanted to try this out. The food was ready on time and we were greeted very sweetly by the owners. The order was malai kofta, daal makhani and rotis. We liked malai kofta but daal makhani wasn't that good. There was too much turmeric and actually my sister wasn't able to eat it. I am going to give this place another try as it could a one time thing. read more

This is probably a little harsh since it is a decent Indian restaurant but since it changed ownership about a year ago, it has slipped considerably both in terms of food quality and service. We have been coming for over 20 years and everything is just a little off -- the samosas are little too greasy, the basmati a little less flavorful and begum special chicken a little under cooked. read more

Three entrees prepared nicely. Service very good. Staff was friendly. First time and we all agree that we will be returning

We had a baby shower catered by Begum Palace. They were very helpful working with me about the vegetarian items I wanted. All the people from India thought the food was excellent, as did the other guests. I'd recommend this restaurant. read more

3 strikes you're out (for me). The food here is great. The problem is getting to eat it. Eating in is fine. Delivery? Pick up? Forget it. Peak times this place is a complete disaster. Twice I've waited over an hour to pick up, both times the order wasn't ready and there's a herd of people in front of me. I also don't like the way they promote cash over credit, making me feel like credit payment is a bad thing. The staff in charge had no clue with the line waiting, utterly chaotic. Most recently I just left, they didn't seem to care and didn't follow up. Time for other local choices in Indian food .... read more

Great food always, take out or eat in. Friendly staff and will spice up your food if you prefer a more traditional Indian dish.

Wonderful Indian food and great service. Have been going there for years. Always a smile A must. Mary Anne Walk

I love coming to eat here because the food is always delicious, the service is warm & attentive, and the ambiance is relaxing. My husband and I always exclaim BEGUM!!! as we pass by and usually have a feeling of regret if we choose another place to eat that day. read more

The best Indian restaurant I've ever been to! Cannot say enough nice things about this place. If you like Indian food this restaurant makes all the dishes you are probably familiar with and plenty you aren't. The service here gets an A++ too. The owner is the nicest man who adores what he does. I guess that's why he's been doing it for 22 years! Check it out, but most definitely make a reservation if you can because this place gets busy. read more

LOVE Begum. This place is the best Indian in the area. Their mainstays like chicken tikka masala, lamb vindaloo are amazing but even some of the other curries we have tried have been really good too (the one I remember is called the house curry). It's byob and the staff is incredible. We go often with our kids and every time we are there they make us feel like family. read more

Decided to give Begum Palace a try given the 4.5 stars. Ordered naan, aloo tikki, saag paneer (medium), chicken tikki masala (medium), lamb vindaloo (very hot). In the decades that I've eaten Indian cuisine, this was the first time I've experienced bland Indian food. No, I do not have COVID. The richness of Indian spices was completely absent. In addition to the lack of complex spice flavors, the saag paneer was sour. There wasn't any "heat" to medium heat. There was a slight heat to "very hot". The naan was leather-like. The lamb vindaloo had a 1/4" of oil floating on top. The aloo tikki was oil soaked and the chickpeas that came with it was flavorless. Beyond disappointing for over $61 worth of food + the drive there and back. read more

Had the shrimp appetizer, garlic naan, Chicken Tikka Masala, all delicious but my favorite dish was their Aaloo Gobi Masala- cauliflower & potatoes. Amazing. Superb service from Kumar as well. Looking forward to coming back with family & friends for Sunday dinner buffett. read more

Even though I am from the area, I had never heard of this place. We wanted to try a new Indian restaurant so I looked at ratings on yelp. I also checked out a few other places since there was only one review on yelp. One place said this restaurant was voted the best Indian food in Northern NJ (dated in 2006). The reviews were limited, but good so we took a chance. I have to say...next time I will wait for more reviews. The first thing I noticed when I walked into Begum was how small and dated it looked. The one good thing...we were seated in about 15 seconds. The waiter was odd, didn't speak, just pointed out the 2 bottles of water on the table. We figured he was trying to ask us which one we wanted. We made our selection and then laughed over how bad of a waiter this guy was. My disappointment increased as I approached the tiny buffet and noticed they had a really limited selection. I get back to our table and try the rice...the rice was horrible. How can you screw up such a staple item such as rice? It was a real let down. The Naan bread was the best part of the meal. That small bottle of Poland Spring water turned out to cost $4. We knew there would be a charge, but this place was not an upscale place at all and had no business charging us $4 for a bottle of water. I have no plans to ever return to this place, it was a tad bit depressing how boring the decor was, the service was laughable and the cuisine was mediocre at best. If you actually know what good Indian food taste like, you will not want to go here. read more

Have to say this is the best Indian food around. Love love love this place. Sonny the owner is one of the most inviting host ever you feel like your at home when your there. Never a dissatisfied meal or service. Love to take friends and family here all the time because we know the food is going to be great. We love using the takeout app when we are on the go or need something delivered to us. This place is a must go to. read more

I really enjoy Indian food, but this was not a good experience. I live very close to Begum palace and thought to try their buffet with a few friends. 1.) food was very salty and seemed to being sitting out for hours! 2.) very limited variety 3.) buffet layout was dark (reminded of a dungeon) 4.) everything looked dirty and unappetizing HOWEVER, my roommate and her boyfriend are loyal fans of Begum palace and eat there whenever they have the chance. I guess everyone has different tastes. read more

I have to start out by saying that I am not a huge Indian Food expert. I really like the stuff I have gotten in Montclair (now Bloomfield) at Natraj Palace and my favorite is Panna in Little India in the East Village....but seldom have I had Indian food that I actively disliked until Begum Palace. For starters, the food is all heavy. Now I know Indian food has a tendancy to be on the heavy side with the yogurt-based sauces and ghee, but this place is especially heavy; even when choosing lighter options like Chana Masala and the roasted vegetables. You eat it and then about 90 minutes later, you have stomach discomfort and feel kinda sluggish. The other thing that bothers me is that the food does not have much flavor. You can't taste the pointiness of the cilantro and creaminess of the yogurt like other Indian food I have gotten...and most of all, you can't taste the spiciness!! The food is all made super-mild! On the positive side, the staff is consistently cool and pretty attentive, and it's a pretty reasonable place for lunch. (about $8.95) If you are just a casual Indian food eater, give it a try and see what you think... If you have other options, take them. read more

Although I'm not in the area since my move, I try to stop in when I visit. Take-out is good, but eating-in is fun. The staff remember both my wife and I, even when it has been months since a visit. Lots of locals frequent when dining as a break from Italian or American food. BYOB is the name of the game as well, so bring your easy-drinking lagers, witbiers, and pilsners, or your white wines with vibrant acidity or sweetness. Recommendations? If you are new to Indian cuisine, go to their lunch or dinner buffet (fairly affordable) and sample a wide assortment to decide what your palette fancies. When not at the buffet, you will then be able to get a good recommendation from the staff once you know your likes and dislikes. I love their Saag Paneer, Mango Lassis, and Assorted Snacks, though I rarely had a dish I did not like. In an area where Indian is not often come upon, Begum was a pseudo-culinary oasis in this area for Indian cuisine. read more

After moving to Union County over 2 years ago, I've been grasping at air for nice sit-down Indian restaurants in the area. Recent reviews drew my guy and me to Begum and I'm glad we came out here last night! Sunil was an excellent host and, as the owner, his passion for food comes through in his words and of course the food! We ordered chicken tikka masala (spicy), tandoori shrimp, plain naan, and white basmati rice. Everything was delicious. The chicken was tender and flavorful, the naan both pillowy soft and crispy, and while I'm not generally a fan of shrimp, the texture was melt-in-your-mouth good. Overall, this meal made a great first impression and we will surely be back. Word of advice - if you like spice, but not "Indian spicy", order your curries medium. The table behind us tonight - not sure what they ordered - but they were not having it with the heat! They seemed to enjoy their food aside from that. I mean they really powered through the heat :P read more

Quality Indian food at a reasonable price can be difficult to find, but Begum delivers and they do it well. It's Jersey, so expect BYOB -- and we do every time with at least 1-2 bottles of wine that nicely complement their dishes. The menu ranges from mild to spicy and you can specify your preference. I recommend the Assorted Snacks to get you started and, like all Indian restaurants, be sure to order plenty of Naan and basmati rice. Every dish I've tried has been fantastic and we've had a great time sharing dishes -- so order 1 per person at a minimum to get the maximum benefit. You will leave fulfilled! read more

This is our "go to" Indian restaurant. Not just because it's extremely convenient and nearby. The staff and owner are very friendly, and the food is always top-notch. We do take out, buffet, and sit-down dinner here and all are good. You can order mild, medium, or hot spice, and the hot is quite hot; in fact, I think one of the chefs is hotter than the rest, so it's probably good to be cautious the first few times. The balance and depth of spices is better than most Indian places I've been too--the food tastes rich and complex. Decor is pleasant--golds and lavenders, with traditional style paintings and pleasant Indian music. The menu is big with chicken, lamb, and other dishes. Most importantly for us, there is a big vegetarian menu with lots of favorites (although I'd really love a paneer tikka masala). Appetizers and desserts are always tasty. The restaurant is BYOB, and there's a decent wine store two doors down in the plaza. It's a good place for larger groups, and is quite busy on the weekend. Recently, they've updated the decor a bit. New booths, chairs, and lights; and a new paint job. It makes the place look quite a bit better as the old booth fabric was quite shot. read more

My family had a wonderfully delicious dinner. We had the Rohan Josh, chicken tandoori, saag paneer, plain naan and garlic naan. A trifecta of ice cream pistachio, mango, Mali (spelling?). This is our go to meal so we are acutely aware of authenticity of dishes. The restaurant food is consistently excellent, Sonny the owner is incredibly welcoming and engaging of all customers. The staff was attentive, quick to fill our water glasses and ensuring we had everything needed. Sonny made some suggestions that added to our dining experience and educating our palates, always a welcome. We went on Friday evening around 6pm we were seated right away the food served without delay. This will be on my short list of restaurants for family dining. read more

I Heart Begum Palace!! I recently started going there a couple of months ago...so I'm thinking it's been fixed up a bit better than the last reviews??? Or so I hope... I've gone several times for the lunch buffet--and the food has always been super fresh and DELICIOUS. The Paneer is always stellar. Naan always fresh, staff always friendly. And I love that it's $8.95 when most buffets around here are $10 (Neelam/Dabbawalla), and they don't offer as much of a selection as Begum. I am enamored with their one Mango custard dessert--I forget the name, but it was DELISH. read more

Amazing! Ordered on DoorDash and everything was perfect! Loved the Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Korma and garlic Nan. Highly recommend.

My fiancé's coworkers were raving about Begum Palace so we decided to give it a try and it quickly became one of our favorites. He's pescatarian and I'm vegan, they have great options for both of us. Not only is the food consistently delicious but the service is outstanding. Love this place! read more

Had a wonderful meal here with my husband and some friends. The service was great and the food was absolutely phenomenal. The place is about 40 minutes away from where we live, but it is WELL worth the drive. We'll be back again and again. read more

This place is definitely more for those who don't know good indian food but are looking for variety. The food is bland, old tasting, and just "off". We wasted $40 and 15 minutes of our life on the dinner buffet. Yup, just 15 minutes, as we could barely take more than a bite of anything on our plate. Again, flavorless and old, like they took the easy and cheap way out for everything. The gulab jamun was ok though. The meat options may have been better but I can only comment on the vegetarian food there. We paid up and went home and had delicious leftovers. read more

I've never been here but I've heard it's excellent from friends. I hear the owners are great and the food is really wonderful. Worth a try.

They really do go out of their way to ensure you have a good experience, and really enjoy your meal. It's a rare combination of delicious dining, and immaculate customer service. It's authentic, it's comfortable, and it's BYOB. I've really enjoyed the Tandoori appetizer, Chicken Begum, and of course the Lamb Vindaloo. My birthday is in March. Gift cards to Begum Palace will be my preference. read more

First time & we went for dinner. I was hoping for the buffet so I can sample a few dishes but it wasn't available that night. I had a special - chicken in a pistachio green curry - absolutely one of the best Indian dishes I have ever eaten. I finished all the chicken but took home some of the left over sauce - it was so good. We will definitely come back. read more

Finally an indian place I can go and spend money on indian food... Delicious and amazing hospitality.

After leaving a bad review, I received an email from the restaurant, they offered refund. I called and was told that the person who sent me the email had not been working at the place for over a year ... read more

Amazing food! Thank you - we ordered for 1st time last night but are big fans of Indian cuisine. Will be back for takeout again very soon.

The Sunday night dinner is extremely overpriced for what is offered and left me disappointed driving 35 mins. I've paid the same, even less, even more for dinner buffets and have been WOWed by presentation, taste and variety. This is more of a spread I've seen at 8.95 LUNCH buffets. The most annoying part is the lack of options they served. Not only that, but what was out wasn't replaced quickly And that was all luke warm. I noticed there was mostly a western clientele which might allude to the lack of flavor and authenticity as they are catering to a different palate rather than someone from India. But still no excuse. There are a plethora of Indian rests in NJ/NY that I've been a patron of. This might be last on my list. read more

The food at this place is actually pretty good, but the customer service is so bad, you won't even notice. Long story short, I went with my mom awhile back, ordered a lot of food, and to our surprise when we went to pay, the head guy who's always floating around told us that the credit card machine had been broken all day... Let me repeat that last part: ALL DAY. Were we told that prior to sitting down? Was there any kind of sign? No and no. We didn't have any cash on us so we had to drive to the ATM, and the dude wasn't even remotely apologetic!!! Wonderful conclusion to our dining experience. Then, stupidly we returned about a week later around noon to be greeted outside by the same aloof owner (I assume) who told us they had to close that day for renovation. :/ read more