When choosing a restaurant downtown.. you MUST visit Lumbini. Been a Baltimore staple since 2007 serving delicious Indian food in a lovely atmosphere. Got a chance to visit today and dinner did NOT disappoint. Definitely come enjoy!! read more

I mean the food is spicy and sweet at same time the server was very nice and attentive and food was fast with a capital F. I even got an extra mask because the server accidentally spilled some diet coke on it. read more

Lumbini Restaurant - Interior restaurant. - Indian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

This place was fantastic. Unlike some of the other reviewers leaving comments, I actually do eat a lot of Indian food. And, this was some of the best I've had in the States, ever. So, pleasant surprise there. Add to that the fact that I was ordering their food to my hotel via GrubHub -- so they knew that I was likely NOT a repeat customer -- and they still went way over my expectations in terms of quality of food, and quantity. Very nice subtle variations on standard dishes. These made the entrees stand out. I did not plan to eat as much as I did, but I simply could not stop tasting everything in front of me. Terrific menu options. Terrific service and packaging. And tremendous food quality preparation. Really - thumbs up! And, thanks! read more

Do not do business with the owner of this restaurant! Rabina Thapa conned me out of $200 by insisting that i take photos for menu/website while i was a Lumbini for a completely separate photoshoot. Rabina was insufferable from the beginning of my time at Lumbini. She was the most impatient and demanding business owner i have ever dealt with, and i photograph restaurants for a living. I couldn't talk to her because she wouldn't listen to a word i said and continued to talk over me anytime i tried to explain anything to her. Today, upon bringing her an invoice for the work she had me to at Lumbini, she refused to pay me anything after giving her the photos. The claims she made about my photos were her fault entirely, a product of her pushiness and unwillingness to listen to what i was telling/asking her. Do not give your money to this business as they do not pay independent contractors for the work they do for Lumbini. read more

So this place is an interesting place to visit. It's really a carry out place but they do have a couple tables inside. The couple times I have homes in the service was great. I am a big fan of curry dishes and this guy knows his curry. He also knows how to add some heat when you want it. One of my favorite dishes from this place is goat curry don't be all American and act like you can't try it. read more

I would give five stars but the waitstaff be TRIPPIN! The food is outstanding. It's like, WOW! Indians are the creators of ALL food. We have not ever experienced chicken this tender & flavorful. I just want to add that the price was inconsequential for the taste and quality. It is just BEST! ALLOW an update The people who run the restaurant have no self respect. It is as if colonialism (though I haven't the slightest idea of the source) has left them with an extreme inferiority complex in which they feel the restaurant should be peopled with Asians for an exotic feel so the caucasians can feel comfy. It's shameful and sad the way they only want to serve these two groups and one is being used simply as a prop for the other it appears. I was treated horribly and that is typical of my experience with ethnic minorities from around the world who work in the food industry. I spoke up for myself because the female hostess actually lied to the other patrons, attacked my character and stated I am always causing trouble. The trouble of spending hundreds of dollars at night... hmmm. When my husband arrived after parking the car he was very displeased by her comment and looked for the owner in order to surmise the definition of causing trouble. There was none to be found. I stayed and ate and I enjoyed my meal. I was even complimented on my character by a fellow Asian diner who was part of an entourage that had initially criticized me. I apologized for disrupting their meal but made clear that I was suffering a civil rights abuse. The reason I decided to stay is because I am not going to allow anyone to take away my right to be wherever I please. If the staff decides they will live their life bowing to a singular race, that is their decision. As for me I plan to live everyone, everywhere. read more

Lumbini Restaurant - YELP is BIASED! - Indian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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That was a great experience. We stopped by there just before the buffet offer was going to end (maybe 7 minutes till it's official end). They extended their buffet hours for us. There was only one couple besides us. It was actually Xmass day. The food was delicious and we enjoyed it greatly. Masala chai was exactly to my liking and I had a few of them. And the music was so soothing (The combo of great food and music was putting us to sleep..almost). The server told us that it was Nepali meditation music. It was not loud at all. The customer service was great. The price was great . If we happen to be around that place again in Baltimore, I think we will stop by again. read more

Lumbini Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

God the food was bland. I just ordered the chicken korma and garlic naan. Just incredible flavorless

Super tasty! My chicken vindaloo was perfect. A little spicier that I've had elsewhere and it was wonderful that way. Some of the best that I've had! The somosas were great too especially with their mint chutney. My wife got another appetizer type thing and two other entrees. I don't know what they were but she loved them too. And the garlic naan was delicious! read more

Decor is dirty and low-cost (a paper lantern with no light in it, covered in dust, is tied with white string to the bottom of a light fixture in the middle of the room). We were sat in the back next to a manager on her cellphone, she then charged her phone in the wall socket next to our table. Their printer and fax machine is mounted on a bar in the middle of the restaurant. We listened to their phone ring all night. The male Indian waiter, ignored my table after having a table w 2 Indian men sat in his section. Waiter wouldn't even make eye contact with us after they were sat. He even almost brought our food to their table. A female manager made sure we had everything we needed but our waiter had no clue what he was doing. Way overpriced for the value. The food was good but our entrees shared a small bowl of rice. We had to ask for more. read more

The appetizers sambosa were supposed to be made from mixed veggi and only had potatoes that were bitter,the main dish is supposed to come with side rice and when it was served he got the rice to share and said if u finish it will get another after l asked,well l paid for two !! Chicken and lamb were hardly three small pieces in a bowl of OVERFILLED sauce. Service was slow although we were only ppl in the place added 18% tip on the bill without asking us ! HORRIBLE place read more

Extremely friendly staff! Went for the lunch buffet. The Chicken Tikka Marsala sauce was excellent, the Chicken in it was a bit dry but the Tandoori Chicken on the buffet made up for it. It was very moist and flavorful. Really good fish curry but you have to watch out for the bones! read more

Lumbini Restaurant - Lunch Buffet options - Indian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

This restaurant is racist! To their own people!! I walk in with fiancé and the restaurant is just partially full. They immediately start leading us to the back super far away from the buffet. I ask them if we can sit in the front with all the natural light, the manager and server both deny me. I say out loud that it looks empty and why can't we sit in the front....they tell me it's full...i say no it's not.....no response. I scan the front and see all non Indian people!!! It's like they are putting the white and black people on display at the windows!! We go to the back and there is the only other Indian couple sitting there!! Anyway I'm starving so i sit down and my fiancé is trying to calm me down. The restaurant redeems itself because the food was pretty good and chai was delicious. But I'm disgusted with this attitude and racism! Maybe we'll go with my white roommate and see if they treat us differently. Stay tuned! read more

Second time here . I really like this place . Low key, food is very good. Service good as well all very pleasant looking forward to coming back again as I live in downtown Baltimore . read more

While the food was quick and hot, it was unfortunately very bland. Not worth the price paid. Hopefully things improve after the pandemic.

Food is very bland. None of the food stuck out to me as being memorable. The service was decent. The place was clean.

I really wanted to give this place a shot because it was so close to home and had a amazing naan. I chose to dine in because of their happy hour special advertised on the street, but when I got in the waiting staff didn't know what happy hour was, and they laughed when I pointed to the sign that was displayed outside on the street. Either way, I sat down and ordered a Manhattan and waited for my food. The manhattan came, there was an garnish at the bottom of the glass (usually a cherry, but I think this was a date). As I finished the drink I noticed the garnish had other, floating debris surrounding it. Three gnats. I called the waiter, he didn't believe that the gnat that I pulled out of the glass and put on my plate came from the drink, so I showed him the remaining bugs floating about. He asked if I wanted another- i told him I wanted to see the manager. Manager never came, they left the dirty drink on the table, I left. As I left I noticed the manager sitting down casually on his phone. Rolled his eyes when I walked out the door upset. TL;DR: Horrible customer service, unsanitary practices, ok butter naan. read more

The food was pretty decent, but 1 star for their attitude when it came to using our Restaurant.com voucher and for our waiter that went outside to chat with friends throughout the rest of our dinner. He actually never came back to us- a woman took over. But back to the voucher issue: They told us they weren't taking them anymore, which doesn't apply to those who had bought them BEFORE they made that decision, right? Let's just say it was awkward and disrespectful, as well as annoying and infuriating. *********** If you're going to use Groupon, LivingSocial, or Restaurant.com, own up to it and treat the patrons with respect and common courtesy because without these vouchers, NO ONE WOULD GO THERE. That may or may not be true for others, but I can definitely say that if not for these deals, I wouldn't even consider going to half (or more) of the restaurants they're for. Just because we're using a voucher doesn't mean we DIDN'T pay $$ for it. Give us attitude about it and we'll deduct it from your tip (which, btw, we base on the FULL price of the meal). *********** I'm just over this place. We've used a deal here before, and it was the same issue with the vouchers. Time to find another Indian restaurant to enjoy and support. read more

One of my FAVORITE places downtown! I go at LEAST once a week for the all you can eat buffet (11am- 2pm) ** try to go either exactly at 11 or 1ish because if not you'll catch the lunch crowd The food is exceptional and they change the all you can eat menu regularly-- It's a party in your mouth and you never know who's invited until you pick up your plate and fork! I have never been disappointed with anything on their menu-- and I would like to think I have a boujie palette :-) Enjoy! read more

I was excited to try out this place -- Indian food within walking distance of the boothang's apartment? Sign me up! Buuuuttttttt... now I see why they're running deals on a menagerie of discount sites. And even with my $25 restaurant.com gift certificate, our dinner bill set me back a pretty penny. Not cool. From the start, I was put off -- by the waitress sitting outside in a panhandler-esque fashion, the stains on the tablecloth, and the general stickiness of, well, everything on the table, from the menus to the silverware. I thought whatever, as long as the food is good, it shouldn't matter too much, right? Mmm, not so much in this case. We ordered chicken tikka masala, molai kofta, and shrimp saag. I don't know how they butchered (ha) the first dish, but the chicken was dry and there was very little sauce (I wasn't about to ask for more a la a previous reviewer and get charged an add'tl $6!). The molai kofta was almost inedible... the kofta was VERY salty, but made barely palatable by the creamy paneer. Thank goodness the shrimp saag was tasty (though we were crunching on shrimp shells all night... better fresh than fake, I guess?) and the cilantro naan was good, otherwise this would easily have been a one-star review. Lumbini: you're my personal definition of "once bitten, twice shy." read more

Lumbini was okay. It wouldn't have been worth the price had it not been for the Groupon my friend got before we entered the restaurant. Also, they were practically the only restaurant opened on christmas eve at mount vernon, so we didn't have much of a choice. Servings are on the smaller side. So unless you have a small appetite, or you are not as hungry, this place might not be the best option for you. But, it'll work if you want a fancy date with nice ambience. We had the vegetarian samosas, rosh saag lamb, and butter chicken. All of which were not very memorable. However, I may return for their buffet. Seems like quite a number of variety are available on the menu for it. read more

Lumbini is OFF THE LIST. This Indian restaurant on Baltimore's Charles Street was once a regular spot for me to dine. Due to its decent offerings and later hours, it was often the dinner of choice after an evening play or film.. The fact that they offer Groupons increased the appeal. Over the past few years, I have eaten there pretty often & felt it was a solid choice. However, the past few trips have shown serious decline. The most recent visit to Lumbini was in a new (to me) setting. The restaurant moved next door. The new digs looked pretty inviting, with deep red accents, large windows, and xmas lights inside. The wait staff, however, was the same familiar faces. The meal was one disaster after another. Aside from the papadam, it was almost inedible. The naan appeared to have gotten wet - it was so spongey and moist and thick. The entrees have steadily gotten smaller over the last year or so... this would be ok if the quality had been sustained. But it hasn't . A visit during November 2013 left us with watery rice & flavorless runny saag paneer, and tough chicken in a super sweet tikka masala. I will not be giving this place another chance-- it is off the list! read more

This review is of Lumbini's lunch buffet only, which I would give between two and three stars, closer to two. Not sure if I went on an off day, but I was sorely disappointed after reading the stellar reviews on Yelp. The good: Lumbini's sang paneer was delicious and the best I've ever had, which is significant because I usually avoid spinach. I also enjoyed the aloo ko achar. On the dessert side, the kheer was okay ( I made sure to eat it last so that I left with a good taste in my mouth). The lackluster: The naan was a bit greasy, but palatable with the raita, though I think the raita was too liquified and lacked flavor. On the subject of liquefaction, the daal was almost the consistency of water; I was hard pressed to find any solid lentils, although the taste was good. As for beverages, the tea was way too sweet, so much so that my lunchmate (who is actually from Punjab) could not drink it. Nevertheless, I enjoy my tea on the sweeter side... The bad: Unfortunately, the main courses of the lunch buffet were subpar. The fish curry was terrible: chewy, stringy, and so flavorless that at first I thought I was eating a potato from the aloo ko achar. The chicken tikka masala, usually my favorite entree, was soupier than the daal (I noticed on Lumbini's website that they misspelled it as "marsala," perhaps foreshadowing the sea of cream sauce one must sift through to find small scraps of chicken). The gulab jamun was stale and tasted like an old donut hole from a gas station. Unlike most other Indian buffets that I have been to, Lumbini did not offer any biryani, although they did have out plain rice. Overall, I was pretty disappointed with my Lumbini experience. Even by Baltimore standards, which is a far lower bar than DC and Nova, Lumbini's food is mediocre. read more

We decided to order a few different appetizers for a lighter dinner. The chicken pakora, daal soup, garlic naan and Lumbini momo were very good. The garlic naan was a bit dry, it would have been better if we had ordered a dish with a sauce for dipping. The lumbini momo had quite a bit of filling, but they were a bit heavy on the onion and it did overpower the overall flavor. The mango lassi was delicious! It wasn't overly sweet and very creamy. We will add this to a growing list of places to go when we come back to Baltimore! read more

So I came to Lumbini's for the first time on Sunday after reading reviews about their lunch buffets and doing a little compare and contrast with the other Indian Restaurants around town. While I would have loved to try Ambassador's buffet, their price-tag boggled my mind and so while that is a distant goal in the future, I will definitely be coming down to Lumbini's lunch buffet for regular occasions. (Lunch buffet price always $9.99) They had a wide variety of options, both meat and no-meat like vegetable korma; goat curry (with bone); chicken tikka masala (the chicken was so tender and the sauce so creamy and good); mixed vegetables; and more things I can't remember the name of. There was a choice between yellow rice and white rice as well as pieces of naan (those go quickly, so grab it while you can! They replace it, but there's an initial rush when they finally bring out that steaming tray). The naan is less fluffy than places I've been to before (Tamber's), but it is still delicious and great to sop up all the the rich and savory sauces. At the end there were also choices of various Indian desserts--too bad I was completely full from all the regular food from the buffet...I will have to try the desserts next time. Can I also mention that their carrot pakora was amazing and wonderfully spiced? So good. Our party kept going back for more. I also want to try the mango drinks that I kept seeing people order while I was there. As for the interior and atmosphere of the restaurant, I loved the cozy feel of it. The food was served in really cool brass containers and you had the option of getting a regular ceramic plate or a metal platter for the buffet. The Christmas lights they had strung through the place gave it a little cute charm while the paintings and pictures they also had hung up gave everything a warm feeling. The waiting staff was attentive but not overly-so. My glass was always full and they were so nice and courteous. We were also not rushed at all through our meal or to leave the table after paying for our check. A great thumbs up to Lumbini's lunch buffet! Maybe I'll try regular food there some time, but for now, I'll stick with this :D PS: I say good for kids because I saw a number of children while I was here. Seemed perfectly fine for me and the waiting staff didn't seem to mind. read more

Just moved from Jersey City, Nj. Now living here in Baltimore, MD. Random night, decided to stop in to try Lumbini restaurant. Wow!! What an experience! Xetri was the waiter for the evening, great service , amazing food. Great night. Try the tandoori appetizers!! We had a mouth-gasm!! Then came the Chicken Tika Marsala..Mmmhhmm.. But wait, there's more. . The lamb chops (tandori ) was to die for.. Stop in if you want great food, great service and an all around great experience. Dooo it!!! I dare ya! read more

I tried the Lunch Buffet at Lumbini's today. I usually don't like buffets, I prefer to eat specific dishes when I dine. The food was good as far as buffet standards go. The food items were fresh and plentiful. The Naan was weak, Just plain Naan cut up in triangles. I like fresh hot Garlic Naan with my meals. Judging from the quality of the food on the buffet, I can tell this is probably a good place to order off the menu. I will be looking forward to having a real dining experience here in the near future. read more

If you know your South Asian food [whether you're a desi or not], you're likely to find this standard low-fare composite desi food "tarted up" in odd sit-down American restaurant setting. If you don't, then you don't know any better and might as well reap the benefits of unfamiliarity! read more

Lumbini has consistently impressed me with their food and service every time I've dined in or had food delivered. Their decor takes you to another place, Nepal, Tibet? I'm not 100% sure, but probably somewhere around that region. The service is gratifying and attentive, polite. I like buffets...a lot. Not only can you eat till you pass out, but you have access to a variety of flavors and textures, options, unlike just ordering a meal. So, I always look for buffets, buffets and good oysters really, which are two very hard to find food choices in Baltimore. I digress, Lumbini has the best buffet in Baltimore, hands down. Every dish on the line (which is comprised of very nice serving trays) is expertly made and arguably my favorite version around. They offer all the traditional sauces and condiments, as well as a killer chai tea, sweet and creamy as part of the buffet. oh and giant partitioned stainless steel plates, something I've always wanted to see at a buffet! The food is always hot and tastes fresh, never crusted over or cold, they are serving cooked to order quality in a buffet style, truly. This place is perfect for a nice date night too, you'll be treated like royalty and enjoy amazing food while gazing into each others eyes. Don't forget to order the chai tea, I'm serious, quit screwing around. Any ways, my favorite buffet and therefore probably my favorite restaurant in the city. Do yourself a favor and eat the food. read more

Not being able to go to this lunch buffet on a regular basis was one of my biggest regrets when I moved from downtown Baltimore. The lunch buffet was even on the weekends which is an excellent treat. The buffet selection is excellent. They even have a goat curry if you are interested in that (I tried it and it tasted pretty good). I tend to stick to the tandoori chicken and chicken tika masala (the sauce is excellent) with some rice and fresh naan for the buffet. Then finish it off with a cup of delicious sweet hot nepali tea (it tastes like you are drinking rice pudding) and some kheer or some of their carrot pudding desert (sometimes both). When ordering off the dinner menu, I would recommend the mixed grill which gives you a variety of meats from their tandoor oven. They also have a selection of Nepali dishes that are interesting, although I have only tried the chicken dhani which was very interesting, but may have too much heat for some palates. The atmosphere is kind of cheesy, the service is nothing to write home about, and one time we went there for their lunch buffet and they were not serving the buffet that day(it was a holiday, but I can't remember which one), but we had no prior notice. That is just bad business. If not for these issues it would be a 5. read more

Nope I do not get this place . I was SO happy to try this restaurant because it is so close to my apartment, and... food.. I love food. But - *eh*. Now I am biased because my neighbor brings us home-cooked meals her mom made... and at times she cooks a meal or two... but still.. no it is overpriced, the amount of food you get is moderate, they nickled and dimmed us (I asked for ordered the fish tikka masala and asked for a bit more sauce and they said it would be $6.00... for 3 spoonfuls of sauce.. comeon) and the food does not taste very fresh. not a fan read more

Delivery, delivery, delivery. Woohoo. Since I've moved to Baltimore I have noticed a dearth of places that deliver. Maybe restaurants would be more accessible if I lived in Mt. Vernon, but I don't. So I am left with trying to cook for myself, which would be disastrous, or driving all over the place. Thanks goodness for Lumbini. I am simple gal with simple tastes. Rice and daal is all I want sometimes. And Lumbini is great for simple things. The other items on menu are all decent. Nothing extraordinary your average Indian fare. I am not familiar with Nepalese food, but so far the things I ordered from the Nepalese side have been good too. But I cannot stress how much I love Lumbini, for driving their wares all the way to me in the middle of nowhere and accepting credit cards to boot. read more

Going to keep this short and sweet. My old roommate is from India and would spend hours upon hours preparing Indian food, sometimes even days in advance of the meal. The explosion of spices in his dishes kept me asking, "Santhamil, whatcha cookin'?" ...and so began my love affair with Indian food. This place? The service was sub-par, they sometimes weren't listening or even paying attention. Our waiter even had his coat on at one point... Leaving so soon? We ordered two chicken dishes, one curry and the other cooked in yogurt and lemon. They almost tasted identical (minus the difference in color) and gave me the feeling of eating overcooked chicken dipped in thick cream, yuck. I was so excited to have Indian food again and craved the spice after a long hiatus. Maybe we ordered wrong but I was just disappointed by this place. We did have the samosas and they were good so it wasn't a total bomb. Two stars. Sorry ya'll, onto the next for me. Niki R. read more

Delicious food. The lunch buffet is the best value for far, allowing you to try a little bit of everything. Dinner is wonderful too and the restaurant is charming. I love to sit at a little table for two by the front windows and watch people walk by on the street. The food can be heavy, but fragrant, flavorful and delicious; perfect for a cold, wintry day or night. read more

Oh yeahhhhh Indian deliciousity!!! The neat thing about buffets? You're not overdoing til you go back for plate 4....which isn't a hard feat when you're chowing down on curries THIS good. Stopped by Lumbini for the first time last week for a lunch date with my friend. Talk about bang for your buck! For around $10, you get all the naan, savory curried meats, and dessert you can handle. Honestly there wasn't one thing on the buffet I tried that I didn't like, but the winners were the curried spinach dish and the chicken tikka. Oh, and the dessert. I can't even write about their dessert without drooling. Think little donut munchkins, tossed in a sugary glaze. Go get them. Right meow. read more

Once again, I had a Living/Groupon voucher and we checked this place out. The service was very nice and the place was friendly. The BYOB was an added plus as there is a liqour store nearby. I must say that without the voucher, this place would be considered overpriced considering the portions. The chicken tikka masala was 15.95 and the tandoori masala was 18.95. Not too bad but consider the portions are very small compared to other Indian/Nepalese restaurants within a one block radius. The rice pudding for dessert was horrible. I would not return as there are many other preferred choices in the area. read more

5 for food and 1 for the waiter being antagonistic. On average it's a three. I am a frequent customer, I go to this restaurant at least once a week, I bring friends, I tell people how I like the food and service. Today, it so happened that I was given a short time to be the only one eating in their buffet and was very disappointed. I was done eating (2 regular plates and a desert). I don't eat much as I have a small stomach. After my meal, I stayed a little bit while texting my sister telling her about how I like the restaurant, I was also sending her pictures. Meanwhile, I noticed the waiter covering the food containers. At first, I didn't care because I'm done anyway but at the same time I feel disrespected. I do think that it was rude covering all the containers while the costumer is still present. It's a buffet! and I don't know why he was covering the food. Was he thinking that I was resting my stomach and will eat again. When a white guy comes in, he removed the cover of the food containers. Sick! I feel disrespected with that rude behavior. Because of that, you will not see me again in this restaurant. I understand that it's a business and his behavior should not always be a reflection of the owner; however I also believe that the taste of food is somehow dependent on what you see and what you feel around your surroundings. read more

Lumbini Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Came here for the lunch buffet with over an hour left before it ended and they wouldn't replenish the chicken tikka masala. The options were weak when we arrived and were not being refilled. Probably won't be coming here again...at least not for the lunch buffet. read more

Lumbini resturant is a great location for lunch, dinner , carryout, and home delivery within 5 miles radius in Baltimore downtown. I went with my wife on Friday dinner , I ordered momo dumplings which was awesome , tandori chicken , and garlic naan with chicken tika sauce and some gluab Jamon which cost average market price. Service was fantastic, Bishal puri was our server, he give us a mango lassi for test which was great yellow yogurt drink. I will go back as soon as possible next week. read more

I ordered from Lumbini again from the Eat24 service and was not happy with the fact that I had provided a 15% tip with my order but 1) the delivery was 10 minutes past the hour max expected delivery time and 2) when the delivery person came to the apartment building, he calls me from outside and says basically, "come down and get your food." The Tandoori Chicken Masala was ordered medium yet it was extreme hot and it was billed as a whole chicken yet I received a halved breast and leg only. Not so great an experience anymore, Lumbini. read more