Fantastic Indian restaurant. I went here, because a coworker recommended it. If you love Indian food and you are in Indy, this restaurant is a must. I got chicken vindaloo and it was amazing. It tasted so good and the portion was generous. The rice it came with was so good, too. We also got an appetizer to share and it was amazing. I cannot remember what it was. The staff was very friendly and the service was quick. It is very clean, open, and elegant inside. No matter where you are in Indy this restaurant is a must if you like Indian food. If you don't like Indian food you still should try Mela. It was so good. read more

See all

I've been wanting to go for Mela a long time and the timing has never been right. DH is not a fan of Indian food so I have to catch him on the right night to pitch it. We went on a Friday night and I was super excited to try the buffet that I had heard so much about. Wonk, wonk no more buffet. I was super disappointed that I couldn't try lots of the delicious offerings. I ordered the chicken tikka masala and DH got the Sheekh kabob. The tikka was flavorful but the spices made my lips numb. A smidge hit. DH liked the kabob and the vegetables it came with had a nice acidic flavor and loved mopping the juice/sauce up with naan. They don't have a fountain for drinks and we didn't get ice for the drinks. Service was a little slow too. It's clean inside. I wish they still had the buffet but we will still be back to try other dishes. read more

See all

Best Indian food in Indianapolis. Usual the only ones here so the service is excellent. Super clean and gem of restaurant on southside.

Tried to call to get a carry out order at 6:30 on a Friday no answer. Stopped by to place a to go order walked in, and no one ever came, so I left. Will never be back. read more

Haven't had a single dish that I did not like. Everything from the shareable dishes such as pakora and samosas to their diverse selection of curry. My personal favorite dishes are their samosas and tikka masala. Their staff is always kind, and I never have issues with service. Conveniently located just off Emerson and near 465, this restaurant is a part of my family's regular diet. read more

Clean, neat wall treatments, quiet. Started with simple chai -- creamy, sweet, mildly spicy. Ordered mango lassi with dinner, to counteract the spice -- solid standard preparation. But then the food arrived. Wow. It's been a long time since I've had such good Indian food -- melded myriad spices and flavors, plenty of good basmati rice to go with. I got the lamb mango walla, and my hubby got the goat vindaloo. All of it was brilliant, balanced, perfectly seasoned. And the garlic naan was the best I've ever had: crisp-chewy, perfectly garlicky, buttery. I'm coming back! read more

See all

We've picked up carryout from Mela twice now (in just a few weeks) and it might be our new fave! The online ordering system is super convenient and so is the location for us. Every dish we've ordered has been amazing and we're looking forward to trying more. Portion sizes are generous and we've had plenty of leftovers both times. We haven't dined in yet, but the space looks comfortable and clean. We may have to pop in for lunch one day and try the buffet! read more

Ordered take out once before and the portions were a little small, wanted to dine to see if it was just the take out portion.Restaurant was really clean huge plus! The gentleman that took our order was really nice but service felt a little slower considering we were the only ones there. Last time we tried to eat here website said it was open but the door was locked at lunch time, that's okay we came back. The food was delicious and great flavor! I ordered the shrimp tikka masala and the shrimp felt a touch undercooked but that's okay (we didn't complain) however that might not be ok for someone else. My wife and I were very happy eating here! Will come again! read more

Food is so good! They do more take-away business than sit down for some reason. Atmosphere is nice and clean and we've also had good service. Highly recommend the garlic naan, Butter Chicken and Lamb Korma, the mango lassi as well as the chai read more

Love Preet gave me excellent service and speedy food. Great work! Awesome restaurant.

Exceptionally well done Indian cuisine. I am a person of great taste and I can say that Mela Indian Restaurant has captivated every inch of my taste buds with their delicious food. I ordered a butter chicken with garlic naan and I would definitely recommend to my friends, family, and random strangers on the street.The restaurant has a pleasant environment. It is very open and inviting. I usually do take out but when I dine in, I believe the food tastes 10x better. Please give this wonderful family business a try. You won't regret it. Compliments to the chef! read more

I'm so upset, and it could be because I'm HANGRY (part angry, part hungry)! I really wanted Indian food, despite having food at home to eat. I treated myself. I ordered Chipotle Tandoori Salmon. Per the menu comes with "Marinated fresh salmon with chipotle red peppers baked in a clay oven. Served with dal of the day and Basmati rice." (See the attachments) I love rice, so imagine my surprise when my husband gets back with my food and there is NO RICE! I'm like, ok, mistakes happen. Let me call the restaurant so they can make it right! Nope, they made it worse. The guy argued that my order was correct and my meal didn't include rice. You mean I paid $20 dollars for salmon and a whole onion never mind there were no red peppers! My entire meal was a complete letdown! The guy on the phone said the online menu is wrong, and they will change it. Sucks for me. I don't get my money back or rice. Save your money by not eating here or supporting this business. I believe strongly in Karma. read more

See all

The samosas are amazing. The butter chicken, AMAZING. Hidden gem in a convenient location right off the interstate and in the middle of it all​ read more

The sign on the door says they have a buffet for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. We have walked in twice in as many months and there has been no buffet. The first time we walked in a couple months ago, all of the lights were off and buffet line was dark. We went again this evening and the buffet line is gone along with 90% of their tables. This place has to be on its way to closing up shop. read more

Stopped here for lunch on a Friday. We had seen the reviews and were looking forward to trying it. I suppose the fact that the doors were locked long after opening should have been our cue to turn around and try somewhere else. Lights were on, sign said Open, but they clearly did not want customers. After several minutes, someone finally noticed us and let us in. I confirmed that they were open and we were seated. It wasn't even noon, so it wasn't that we had arrived before or after their lunch hours. We scanned the QR code on the table and pulled up the lunch menu (the same one that is on their website). I had already decided on the vegetable platter - like a bento box of assorted items. We also ordered the chicken platter, lunch tikka masala, and samosas. The waiter tried to push me into ordering a dinner combo that I didn't want - more expensive and didn't have the korma that I wanted. I said no several times and showed him the lunch menu item I wanted. The samosas arrived and were very good. Not greasy or overly spicy. When the lunches arrived, I could see we had a problem. No korma. My lunch had kofta, which is not at all what I wanted. And no green salads as were advertised. The food was good, it just wasn't what I ordered. I came for a very specific menu item and didn't get it. The naan was light and not over cooked or bunt like some places. When we tried to order additional samosas to go, the waiter told us he couldn't let us order more food because they were busy getting ready for the dinner buffet. It was t even 12:30 and they are open for lunch until 2:30. We got the bill and they had overcharged by $8, then claimed they couldn't fix it because of their computer. What???? For the food, I would give 4, maybe 5. For the service and frustration, including overcharging and not getting my order - something right there on the lunch menu - correct. There are plenty of other places, so I doubt we'll be back. It was just too frustrating. read more

See all

We ordered two entrees, two orders of garlic naan, and an extra order of rice. That brought our total to just at $60, which in my experience is pricey, even for Indian food. The tikka masala had no flavor and tasted like a bland tomato sauce. The chicken used was breast meat, instead of thigh meat, so it was tough. The chicken biryani only had 4 pieces of meat, all of which were fatty. The naan was not flavorful and was kind of stale feeling. Our go to is Swagat in Whiteland, but since moving we have been trying to find a good place near us. This was not it, unfortunately. Very sad at how much we spent for the quality we received. read more

As we walked in the door at Mela, we were greeted by a very friendly employee, who seated us immediately. The food smelled delicious from the start. It took a little bit for the food to come, but the ambiance was good, and we didn't mind. Everyone enjoyed their food, and the service was great. read more

Mela Indian Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

See all

Ordered one butter chicken lunch portion and one butter chicken dinner portion plus vegetable korma for pickup. When I arrived, I was being charged for two dinner potions. The person who checked me out acted like he didn't know what I was talking about and I ended up paying for both dinner portions. The vegetable korma had a very large layer of grease on it and was definitely not like any other veg korma I have ever had. I called to see what happened and they said that is their vegetable korma. They took my name down and said they'd replace it. So we went tonight to the buffet and I told the waitress I had called and the person who answered took my name down and said to come in for a replacement. She said she'd talk to the manager about it. So we proceeded to dine in at the dinner buffet. Halfway through a guy asked if we were ready for our check, but my son was still eating. He still brought us the check as if to say we had eaten enough and it's time to go. We felt unwelcome and paid our check. They did not discount for the inedible korma, but I paid anyways. I said thank you when the guy brought our receipt back and he just walked away. VERY rude seeing we just spent $55 there. We will NOT be going back. I'm sorry, but you can at least say "You're welcome" or "thank you for dining with us." Definitely won't spend our money here again for a container full of grease and a bad attitude!!! read more

Mela Indian Restaurant - Vegetable Korma - Indian Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I was blown away! The buffet was amazing. I held the door for a couple exiting and was asked if Id been here before, I had not. She raved and said youll love it! Yes ma'am I indeed did. I didnt even think I liked goat but I love it. I just didnt like the way it was prepared elsewhere. Thats the thing with some restaurants, some think you dont know how its supposed to taste and just give you their american take of it. Not here. Its been a minute since I was able to post so I cant recall everything that was offered, but just try it all. Free plain or garlic naan with the buffet. I believe this was just $14.99!!! Crazy deal. If you want buffet takeout, 8.99! Let me tell you the service here is TOP NOTCH. I drink A LOT of water and the staff kept me filled. They were keeping the buffet items fresh and filled. Very efficiently ran, friendly, and professional. The bathrooms were spotless and I really liked that in addition to the sinks inside, they had a communal sink outside the bathrooms with sanitizor. They have a full bar and also a convention room for parties/gatherings. If you cook Indian food, the connected grocery store is fully stocked with anything you'd need. I accidently got too much on my 2nd helping. I felt so bad about wasting in general and the gentleman explained to me, to not have any worries. That I could put it i a to-go box and even add more to it!!!! He explained that what you give out, comes back to you. Karma. What a great mentality and so hospitality. They are definitely doing things right on all levels. read more

See all

*face palm* Too hungry to take food pictures. We loved our food tonight! 5 orders: Chana masala (Great flavor, low heat), salmon tandoori, butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, and okra vegetarian meal (I forget the name). Everyone loved their dish. Half the table had never eaten Indian food and everyone was very pleased. We had picked up our order and I was delighted to see how beautiful the restaurant was when we visited. I hope to return! Excited to give them our business again. read more

Mela Indian Restaurant - Outside restaurant - Indian Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

We absolutely love Mela! Their Tandoori chicken is always cooked perfectly! They have a side of curry served with their tandoori chicken, which is delicious! The restaurant's atmosphere is calm and great for a date. Their food and service is definitely worth the price! I also live that they serve ooooo dum/ "chips" with chutney when you sit down! We keep coming back to this jewel of the south side! read more

Mela Indian Restaurant - Curry/sauce that comes with the tandoori chicken - Indian Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

See all

First visit. Came here on an Indy Foodies recommendation. Very pleased! The place is bright and clean and the staff is friendly and welcoming. We opted for the buffet. There is not a huge selection but there os enough and everything is delicious and fresh tasting! My favorite is that the food is not so spicy that you can actually taste the difference in the dishes and enjoy your food instead of washing each bite down with water after you eat it! The naan is fresh made and served hot. You are given a choice of garlic or plain. The buffet had choices of butter chicken, goat curry, and tikka masala as well as several vegetable dishes. All were tasty and presented well. Definitely worth the drive. read more

I was really excited to try this place, I love Indian food and it's close. My server was very kind and friendly and my dish was awesome. I'm really looking forward to going back. Additionally...the portions are huge, my poor server was concerned that I didn't like the dish because I took so much home, but it was excellent and now I have lunch for work on Monday. Highly recommend! read more

Delicious...and my husband will go ( normally turns down suggestions for indian food)... but he will come here...he doesn't know what he lokes...and Friday and Saturday there is a dinner buffet so he can try different things and learn what he likes! win win...and not too expensive for a buffet!!$$ will definitely be back again and again! Don't forget...excellent service and atmosphere as well... read more

Excellent food! Just had the Goat curry and Garlic Naan. I think this was the best Goat curry I had in a looong while. The quantity was substantial forb the price. The Naan had real chunky pieces of garlic. Both were made with lots of considerations for the customer. Friendly staff as well. Thank you Mela! read more

Went on a Saturday night and had their buffet. Everything was fresh and tasty. Asked for some Naan and they brought out a fresh order. Plan on going back soon read more

See all

Service was soild, friendly and clean. Foods great, definitely worth stopping in to try. read more

The buffet was very delicious, staff was inviting and helpful. Food was fresh and we all left very full. We went as a family of 6 and had a very enjoyable meal. I highly recommend you try Mela. It's a hidden gem of the southside. read more

Delicious dinner buffet! Food is fresh and hot, servers are very nice. Will def be back.

Just had an amazing dinner at Mela Indian restaurant. We ordered the chili pakora, Lamb Rogan Josh, Shrimp Tikka Masala, and Vegetarian Thali (though it was called something like "Vegetarian Ian platter" on the menu). Each and every dish was an explosion of flavor. My son says the shrimp was the winner, but I think the korma on my platter (which I've never had before and now feel I've been missing out my whole life) was the most delicious. The naan was crispy and delicious; thinner than I've had at other places, but I confess I enjoyed that better. Service was great. The restaurant was very quiet on this Tuesday everting, but several other patrons were coming in as we left around 7:45. I really hope they do steady business, because the food was outstanding, and I'd really love to continue dining here! read more

Love this place! Clean, spacious. Yummy food and fresh naan brought to the table. I've been several times.

Some of the best Indian dishes I've have ever had. We had the butter chicken, Somosa, chili paneer with naan and rice. Sooooo darn good. We will be back. read more

See all

After seeing all the great reviews, we decided to give this a try. The food was delicious. We've never had Indian food before so we asked for recommendations. The staff was so friendly and helpful. We got the butter chicken, tikka Marsala and chilli chicken. We got the medium sauce and it was plenty spicy for us. The sauce is rich and filling. We'll definitely be back. read more

See all

Recently tried Mela - great food but the service maybe not so much. We actually started our dinner at the restaurant and had it packed up before the entrees came because we spent so much time waiting and didn't even get waters. Not really mad about it but I wouldn't dine in again. Food was awesome! We ordered the Aloo Gobi, which is a stir fry type cauliflower dish as well as the Milagi Khozi Chettinad which was a Chettinad pepper chicken dish. They were both delicious but the chicken dish was the star. Honestly I've never experienced clove used so well in a curry. Absolutely fantastic and it had a perfect heat level that built and subsided quickly. We had their fresh papadan as well and one of their stuffed Naan bread options. Both fantastic. I love Papad so I'm always happy when it's offered. Finally we ordered the Pani Puri and a strawberry lassi. Those two items I wouldn't necessarily recommend. The Pani was okay but awkward and the sauce was in a styrofoam coffee cup which just felt cheap. The lassi was just not good, no tang, tasted like strawberry kind. We will come back but only for carry out! read more

Excellent and highly recommended new Indian restaurant in the Franklin Township/Beech Grove area. Lots of options, and plenty for vegetarians and vegans as well. Papadum and a green cilantro chutney is given as a free app (think chips & salsa at a Mexican joint). For an appetizer, my wife and I shared the allu tikka chat, which is 2 fried, spiced potato patties on a bed of chana masala, along with some very tasty chutney; more than enough for 2 people. For my main entree, I picked the Vegetable Korma which came loaded with all sort of veggies and beans (cauliflower, potatoes, peas, peppers, zucchini, onions, paneer, chana). Everything was cooked perfectly and piping hot and fresh. I'd have to say that this is one of the better kormas I've had around Indy, or anywhere for that matter. My wife got the Chana Saag, which is a spiced pureed spinach/greens gravy along with garbanzo beans, tomatoes, and potatoes. Again, very fresh and hot, and absolutely delicious. The chickpeas were cooked quite well, and were soft just like they should be. The basmati rice was cooked with cumin seed and possibly a hint of other aromatic spices to enhance its flavor a bit. The garlic naan was fantastic! Had a little bit of browning/charring but was still soft and chewy. For dessert, we got the gulab jamun (always hard to pass up!). Temperature was hot, which I prefer, the syrup was light and had great aromatics, and they also threw in some coconut shreds which added a nice element. The restaurant itself is quite new and looks great. The décor is comfortable and inviting, and the entire place was extremely clean. Great atmosphere all around. They did a great job turning an old Sears building into this beautiful restaurant. The bar area is spectacular and they have a ton of high quality liquor and spirits. Overall, we highly highly enjoyed our visit to Mela. It wasn't very busy but it certainly deserves to be, and I'm sure it will be picking up speed soon. A wonderful addition to Indy's south side! read more

See all

I was in desperate need for some really good curry and read reviews on Mela so I decided to give it a try. It's a little hard to find as it sits on the east end of strip center sorta behind a large banquet hall. When I walked in, about 6:20 on Friday night, I was surprised to see it was only me and 2 other people in the place. The room is nicely appointed and can probably hold 150. I decided to sit at the bar and have a beer with my dinner. The large bottle of Taj Mahal hit the spot so off to the buffet I went. Everything was on point and the staff was very interested in how much I was enjoying my dinner. The Goat Curry was very nice and the spice level was about medium. I generally gravitate towards hot but this was really good. The Tandoori chicken was very tasty which sort of surprised me as it has become something expected but not perfected. If you're interested in very good Indian food and your on the south side, this may be your new stop. read more

Mela Indian Restaurant - Curry Goat and some other stuff I forgot the names of. All is quite tasty! - Indian Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

This location is a tucked away in the strip mall. They seem to have a lot of call in and pick up orders going out. Dining room has pleasant atmosphere and we feel like we are family when we dine here at Mela! read more

See all

Fantastic and delicious. The garlic naan is very authentic with bits of fresh garlic on top and so good. The vegetable Samosas are our favorite. Service was very attentive. They give you space, but if you want it fast, just order it all upfront and they will serve you like a king. Restaurant is clean, nicely decorated, bright. Highly recommend! read more

DELICIOUS FOOD! We've gotten take out from here twice, and it's delightful. So glad to have this place close to us.

My wife and I plus another couple went for the Friday night buffet. The food was really good. My only complaint is I wish they had had a little more variety. Not necessarily more dishes, just more diversity. Example. There was Masala with both Paneer and chicken. A Saag Paneer would have been nice. The Tandoori chicken was some of the best I've ever had. It was moist, tender and very flavorful. The Naan basket was overflowing. The best part, the price. I haven't eaten a meal out lately that cost less. We will definitely be going back. read more