Hey friends! I haven't had much Indian food before, so Pooja definitely set a HIGH standard for any Indian restaurants I try after them. From customer service to food quality, I loved my experience. I wish they were in MD! I ordered the lamb biryanis. It's loaded with rice, tender lamb, veggies and aromatics. Our order took about 15 minutes as everything was made fresh to order. It was so delicious I had to stop myself from eating it all in one sitting. It's definitely enough for lunch and dinner. +Customer service was very friendly +Plenty of free parking +Prices are average I paid about $20 for my meal. +Plenty of seats for dine-in. I saw buffet set ups so they may have a buffet on certain days! I hope you enjoy! read more

Pooja Indian Cuisine - Indian Near Me - Somerset, New Jersey

Walked in during the evening today (Wednesday) and was seated right away. The restaurant was surprisingly empty. I love that it's in a plaza with plenty of parking. My friend and I both ordered the chicken tikka Marsala ( level 3/6 spicy ). If you're a spicy fan I would recommend going up to 4+. The 3 was very mild to me. We also ordered some garlic naan and the onion stuffed flatbread (forgot the exact name) Before we left, a musician was setting up to play some live guitar. Which I thought was cool. All in all the food was delicious and the service was good. I would definitely dine here again in the future read more

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Haven't been here for a few months, and it did not disappoint. The food on the buffet is always fresh. Sometimes to the point of having to wait for them to replenish. Which I don't mind at all. I had to wait today for the tandoori chicken. I can say it was worth it. Hot, juicy just the right amount of char. Saag paneer , one of my favorite Indian dishes was just wonderful! They had a wide variety of pakora. Potato, jalapeño, & some I could not identify, but were crispy & fried perfectly. All of the dishes were perfectly prepared. Large variety of veg & non veg options . Wait staff were friendly & attentive. The restaurant is nicely decorated. Moroccan style hanging lamps that I really love. ( king tut in Somerville has the same lamps. LOL) This is on my , " Let's go there for lunch " list! read more

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I've seen this place for ever and never went....well my girl love Indian food so I mentioned this place and said it's been around forever, she said it's probably good then. Good? This place is fantastic!!! The food and service were both EXCELLENT read more

Had it with this place! Last few times we ordered it did not go well. Called the phone number on the website to place an order for pickup. Told it would be ready in 30 minutes. Arrived at Pooja in 30 minutes, only to be told they didn't have the order. It had gone to "the boss" on his mobile who was out of the country! So we had to wait another 25 minutes for our food. The young man at the register was snotty and did not care. I presented a $10 off coupon but he only took off $7.00 (10%). I pointed out multiple times it was a $10 not 10% off. Also refused to give us any discount for the negative experience. When we said we would not be returning, he said "that's fine, we have mad people coming here". 7:00 pm on Friday night and there was only one table seated and one other couple waiting for take out. Maybe he meant angry, as we were...... Lots of other Indian restaurants, this one not worth the aggravation read more

The good, the bad and the ugly. The good - the sauces were flavorful and well balanced. The shrimp nargisi was so amazing and creamy. The saag paneer had a beautiful color to it. Masala was meh. The bad - very skimpy on protein. The shrimp nargasi had 5 shrimp, which is outrageous for a dish that cost almost $20 same with saag paneer and chicken masala. Also for dishes that are presented as hot, there was no heat. Good flavor but no heat. The ugly - the rice. Dry and stale. For something that is a staple in Indian cuisine and if you can't get that right, my expectations are very low. read more

Came here for lunch buffet with a friend. I'm not that familiar with Indian food but really enjoyed this place. Wish they had more options for lunch but I can't wait to come back. The curries were all flavorful and delicious. The paneer wasn't soggy. The Naan was always running out but so so good. Service was decent. Hard to understand some of the waiters. Wish they had more descriptive labels on their food. Some of the food wasn't even labeled and some just said the name but not what it was. Desserts were overly sweet and only two options (rice pudding and a fried dough in syrup). Luckily my friend was able to describe it to me. $12 for a lunch buffet is a really solid option. I'll be back! read more

Pooja Indian Cuisine - Different curries with rice, 70. Garlic Naan, and salad. 152. Chana Masala was excellent. - Indian Near Me - Somerset, New Jersey

Popped in for a private lunch meeting. It was assumed we were going to have the buffet, so I didn't argue even though I'm not much of a buffet person. I appreciated the authentic cuisine and that a pot was never empty, but I would have appreciated some better descriptions of the food items. The food that I did have was very delicious. If you like buffets, this a great place to check out for lunch. I would prefer to see a menu though. It's also unclear if you can have more than water. I felt like I was treated like a regular when I walked in. read more

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Just the bad food and service will never go again There was not enough food in buffet tray we have to ask them for refill read more

Been here on two occasions and had catering done once food and service were amazing. While being in the restaurant. The restaurant is largely size to accommodate people without being too loud but at the same time it's big enough to handle social distancing well. The food is amazing. Kind of surprised at the negative reviews but I have heard this place has new ownership last year. 10/10 fresh fish that was fried lightly but not very oily. The spices were great on the fish but an amazing crisp. 8/10 The butter chicken was very good. 8/10 The malai kofta was also very good, the gravy was different than the butter chicken gravy which is a big plus point. 10/10 The saag was honestly amazing a lot lots of thinly slice a piece of ginger to give the extra kick. Tried to couple other things that were really good as well but these were definitely mentionable. Honestly good service, good food, good prices. The food always feels light and you don't feel very heavy afterwards which is always a concern with creamy food. The garlic naan has tons of garlic but it is still thin which is hard to find. We had catering done and then once had a group dinner at the restaurant both times were taken care of very well by the owner himself Ricky. read more

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I am an avid goer of Indian restaurants. I love Indian food! I went here today after finding their Groupon and because it's close to where I live. I have the various criticisms: I was not greeted at the door and had to seat myself. When I finally got a waiter the food took forever to come out. Something smelled off - I'm thinking the grilled shrimp were past their BBD. When I finally went to pay the cashier told me he had to call his boss to approve the Groupon. I talked sense into him and he reluctantly accepted the Groupon after I threatened to call the health department. Never going here again! read more

Every thing was good .great service good ambiance and food must try you will never regret

The food was great. My nieces wanted to some Indian food and I have been wanting to try this place for some time. Even my picky nieces like the food. The service was great too. We will come back again. read more

Updated review: just recently came here with my family to celebrate mom's birthday. The management has changed recently and I have to say I was heavily disappointed with their food. I ordered the same stuff as before: palak paneer, veg jalfrezi, paneer makhani and the quality of food went down. It lacked flavor... It wasn't as tasty as before. We barely finished the food we ordered because we were heavily disappointed. Miss the old palak paneer and bhindi pyaaz. Don't think I will be coming here again... read more

Their food taste and quality has improved. Good service and friendly staff. Good ambiance.

Food was blend . Not enough food in the buffet . We have ask to refill . Food was tasteless and seems old. Will never go again.

Amazing food, great service, and peaceful atmosphere. Aman was great very friendly and the soojika halvawa is a must try!

Great Indian food from a strip mall location. I finally ate here and always wanting to go and I wasn't disappointed. The staff is very friendly and hospitable, almost like you're eating at a family's house. They have a various traditional Indian cuisine on the menu. Their mango lassi's are delicious and goes well with their food. I ate the Chicken Tikka Masala. It had a good combination of spicy. We also had samosas, very flavorful, soft, hot, and yummy. This is a good place to go for date night and just when you're craving Indian food within the area. Never had the buffet, but maybe I'll bring my fiance here to try it out. read more

Pooja Indian Cuisine - Mango lassi! - Indian Near Me - Somerset, New Jersey

$10 buffet, but expect to get upsold on soda and mango lassi. $15 was my bill. May be they charged for the naan also. But the food was good and had a mix of veg and meat dishes. The decor is more stylish than most and would be fine for a date or romantic dinner. For lunch the lighting was a bit low and the smooth jazz a bit sleepy. We came here as Hoysala was packed with a 30 min wait. read more

Pooja Indian Cuisine - Indian Near Me - Somerset, New Jersey

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The buffet is back in action and I love this place. The variety of veg and nonveg entrees are slamming. I love their array of sauces and fresh vegetables. Plenty of seating and spice!! read more

Highly recommend getting their naan and butter chicken and palak paneer. I got the pakora which was ok but the main entrees were great. They forgot our order so it took 1.5hours to be ready for pick up so taking off a point for that but the food was worth the wait read more

* vijay the total of the bill without gratuity is $36.15 (let me do the math for you: $11.95 + $13.95 + $3.25 + $3.50 + $3.50 = $36.15) 18% of $36.15 is not $7.60 * here is a screenshot of the "fine print." it is not even in a complete understandable sentence, and it does not mention 18% anywhere * what is the purpose of your coupons then? to fool customers? read more

Pooja Indian Cuisine - Calculate the menu items! Gratuity is not off the SUBTOTAL - Indian Near Me - Somerset, New Jersey

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I've never ordered off the menu here, so can't speak to that...but the lunch buffet is one of the BEST Indian buffets I've had in NJ. Easily. The lamb rogan josh is particularly excellent, as is the Indo-Chinese chili chicken. There are a ton of choices too. Definitely check it out! read more

Had a great time with my sister's family during lunch buffet. Various curries and vegetables in harmony. Wish servers pay more attention to when to take emptied dishes and provide more waters in the glasses early enough so that the table is neat while having meals. read more

Wanted to get Indian food and this was the nearest place. I got the butter chicken and garlic naan, the butter chicken did not have any sort of flavor to it and the naans were more on the burnt side. They also did not include and spoons or napkins. This place was not it, they could have done better. read more

When I eat dine in the food is cooked fresh and the food tastes really good. When I ordered takeout though the food was not cooked fresh at all. Other than the dine in is good. read more

I just enjoyed the lunch buffet. Mix of Veggie & meat dishes. This is my 2nd time here. I drive 90 mins to eat here which should tell you how delicious their food is. I highly recommend eating here. Food is scrumptious, comes out quickly, staff friendly, service is good, very clean. I'll be back. read more

It's my most favorite restaurant for Indian cuisine. They have verities of Indian dishes with unique taste. Staff is very friendly and accommodating. I strongly recommend this restaurant to my all friends. read more

We have been to Pooja many times over many years but this was our first time since rhe ownership changed a few months ago. We were quite pleased with the dishes we chose on a Saturay ebvening and look forward to trying the buffet for lunch. read more

My partner and I went to Pooja to celebrate our birthdays and the new management was so welcoming and attentive. The food has been consistently delicious, with large portions and a great atmosphere. The owner even offered us a complimentary dessert to help celebrate our birthdays and played a song in the background which was very sweet. We would recommend-curries are always delicious! Thank you for a great experience ! read more

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No dinner buffet but no worries. The meal was delicious and worth the money. One of my go to in Somerset. Pooja has been around forever read more

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Meh. There's way better Indian buffets, especially in this area. Everything tastes fine, nothing that great. I got there around 1:55, knowing that their lunch buffet ends at 2:30. That's cutting it a little close, but not really. 2-3 of their dishes were empty and they had no intention of refilling them. Like, I still have 30 mins to eat! Not fair. At 2:20 (I checked my watch), the manager came over and asked me if I was getting anything else, so they could start cleaning up. Seriously? Let me eat in peace; you only have to wait 10 more minutes until I leave. They were also working on fixing the bathroom or something, so we kept hearing random hammering sounds. Ugh. read more

Pooja Indian Cuisine - Indian Near Me - Somerset, New Jersey

Heard this place serve better food catered than dine in but during this pandemic I only get to experience pick up. Boy the lamb rogan josh was pretty spot on, the other vegetable entree which I forgot the name was quite good too. If you're around Somerset area, and craving for some Indian food, check this place out. read more

I'm in Chili Heaven. Great staff, really, really good food. First time... I will post several pictures. I'm from out of town... in for training. I will definitely come back when in town next time. Great flavors, great heat. Spicy means spicy here at least for the chili chicken. Had the chili pakora as appetizer, and c chili naan... are you seeing a theme? A big YES! read more

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This review is less for the food, and more for the service. We had a lunch time gathering here for a birthday party and the team of folks that works here was so friendly and helpful. They got us everything we needed when we forgot stuff (scissors, cake knife, etc). I got there early to decorate and was tired (and a wee bit hungover). I mentioned I was hungry and they got me water and plate of pakoras while we were setting up. I was probably a bit rude, but I couldn't have expected more from the staff. The little food that I did have a good. read more

We arrived at the tail end of the lunch buffet but the manager still honored our Groupon. She neglected to point out that our food choices were limited. Not only that, but we were not offered refills. We had to ask for naan because there were none left. That was the highlight of the meal - fresh naan. Despite the subpar food, the service was good. The waiter made sure we had enough water (perhaps because he knew we didn't have much to eat). read more

The food here is a delight!! We always come here for family dinners! Would recommend the place to anyone loves Indian cuisine!! Best, Srinjoy read more

Horrible customer service. I use to love this place. Over the last five years it has been a steady decline. The taste of the food, portions, cooking with care and diligence in order accuracy - all down hill. I placed an advanced online order. When I got there at 7:15 for an order that was not scheduled to be ready until 7:30, I could tell my food was sitting there for two hours. It was prepared immediately when received instead of the requested time. The rice was crunch and reduced in portion. The fish tikka masala was good. The saag paneer was not cooked long enough. Go to Guru Palace instead. read more

Coming from a family of Indian descent, eating out at Indian restaurants is always a struggle because my parents are picky about where we go. However, Pooja has been a staple for us to frequent for over 10+ years. Even after moving houses, we still take the time to drive out to Pooja. The food quality has stayed pretty consistent over the years. Typically, we get butter naan, and 3 curries to share among the four of us - Malai Kofta, Sag Paneer, and Mattar Paneer. The entrees come with rice to finish off the meal. They will adjust the spice level to taste for all entrees. For the most part, the entrees are all flavorful and as authentic as we've been able to find in the area. Additionally, they serve both diverse vegetarian and non-veg options. We'll definitely be back! read more

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I am simply not a fan of restaurants that agree to accept groupons but then penalize you when you do. We went to POOJA restaurant on Saturday for their lunch buffet with a Groupon for their weekend buffet. We were 2 adults and 1 child. Post completion of our meal, the server gave us our check representing a charge for 2 adult buffets. The child buffet was not charged. We presented our Groupon which the Server redeemed. After a minute, he returned with a revised bill showcasing the 2 adult buffet but was now inclusive of a kids buffet + 18% tip. His explanation was that if guests don't use a Groupon the restaurant does not charge for kids buffet nor does it enforce the 18% tip. With a Groupon it does. There is no such 'small print' on the Groupon that qualifies that the restaurant policy is as such. Policies like this get me so angry. This place is so conniving and deceitful. I feel cheated. Unfortunately the food was also sub par - mostly bland or salty. I cannot condone such bad behavior. My guidance to others is that find another place to dine. read more