This is a review after having already gone here once, having a bad experience, and giving it a second chance. Cost is great if you are going for the lunch buffet, but the food was pretty much a letdown when you consider Curry & Kebab is about 15 min away and exponentially better while the restaurant that closed down in University Village (Masala Mischief) had way better and culturally accurate flavors. The flavors here could barely be considered Indian where UCR's dorm food made by non-Indians had more accurate seasoning than here during their lunch buffet. Everything was watered down, cooked until super dry, and unflavorful. I wouldn't be surprised if you told me it was made by an American cook who thought Indian spices were too spicy and got rid of everything. In addition, things that are supposed to be dairy based and runs and tastes like water is very disappointing. All-in-all, the service was ok (food was replenished and we got our naan, but not exactly checking on people all that much) , cost vs filling is fine, but I honestly wouldn't even eat it even if offered for free. The room is on the dark side but at least somewhat comfortable. I'll give it a 2 star because these people seem to be ok people and the plates and whatnot were clean (as I've seen worse elsewhere). Also the naan wasn't bad (I still like elsewhere) but the naan was definitely better than barely edible. read more

We've seen this place a hundred times when they're closed between 3-5pm. Finally making it in for a visit before 3pm we were warmly welcomed. Clean interior with tables or booth seating. The main dining room is open seating. On the left side is their banquet room for special events and private parties. A nice space to hold an intimate gathering. We dug right into their lunch buffet priced at $16.95. They also have a lunch special for $12.95. Buffet had veggie egg rolls and fritters, fish, tandoori chicken, tikka masala chicken or veggie, lentils, potato, rice, chic pea salad, mustard greens, salad station with lettuce, tomato and red onions, with mint and tamarind sauces, oranges and rice pudding. A nice spread of traditional dishes and sides. Fresh garlic nan was brought out in a basket for the table. Not sure if this is refillable we were too full to ask for another. Flavors were tasty and service was great. Overall a cute little spot among the surrounding shops. Parking is plentiful but area can be a little sketchy. read more

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I love the flavors this place uses. Hands down my favorite item is the chicken korma - medium spice. I've had it in so many places and this is my hands down favorite. A close second for me is the Chana masala. Delicious! Paired with garlic naan and white rice and you're all set. The music is authentic Indian music and it always smells good. read more

I went here for the Indian buffet on a weekday after getting excused from Jury Duty. Whew! Pleasantly surprised the moment I walked in the door. This restaurant reminded me of Indian restaurants in the Chunking Mansions of Hong Kong! Why? The aromas, the music, the decor and the small but cozy size. Ended up enjoying the food more than I expected to. Unlike a couple of other Indian buffets I've been to recently, these folks seem to make everything fresh or relatively fresh. The variety of foods is also better than most, and I've been to countless Indian buffets. Looking forward to coming back when that craving hits! read more

Punjab Palace - Indian Near Me - Riverside, California

Went here instead of Curry and Kabab which was a mistake. The guy working here was creepy and offsetting. Definitely not a place any females want to go. Slow service with literally no one dining in. We only only got appetizers which we ordered 45 minutes before we received having waited a while in the restraunt. Definitely a vibe that I wouldn't want to take my girlfriend here to dine in. Yuck read more

2nd Indian food spot in Riverside I tried this month, and it also received 2nd place in my heart. Located off University and Chicago it is definitely not in the nicest area of town - I for sure would not be loitering in the area after dark. When my group walked in at lunchtime it was is that had to initiate contact with the workers there instead of being greeted guests. We were told to pick a seat in the main dining room (there appeared to be a secondary one for when they are crowded or have large groups?). They had a lunch buffet set out with two hot food areas and I guess it was assumed we would want that until I asked for a menu. Water was supplied to us promptly thankfully but other than its initial placement we had to keep trying to find someone to give us a refill. The whole time we were there only one other customer came in and it more so seemed that other employees filtered out from the kitchen area to have their lunches. Ultimately my friends picked the buffet selections and seemed okay with the choices - which were more than the 1st Indian food place we checked out - I think Punjab had roughly 10-12 options. I ordered an eggplant dish since I was not hungry enough for a buffet but it was so blended that I could not enjoy the eggplant flavor. Their partha was better than the other place we went too but also fell flat to what I am familiar with. Overall this place was more pricey, less hospitable, and the food was just not the quality we were looking for. read more

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Spacious and bright LED-lit interior was what struck me right away. My group visited during lunch hour to eat the special for $12.95 (plus tax and tip). We considered the buffet, however the special was plenty! Water is at your table in a carafe. The staff was helpful and ran down what the lunch special included today. They let us know that it does change. It was very large and colorful served on a platter- chicken tikka masala, chicken curry, paneer, rice, and garlic naan. They asked if we needed more naan periodically and refilled our water. Everything was so hot and fresh, and really rich tasting. They were also mindful of our heat tolerance level and sent us plates with mild spice. We opted out of dessert. A pleasant and delicious experience all around! read more

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This place is SO GOOD. We tried curry & kebab and biryani heaven before this and this place is far far above that. The food is so fresh and it tastes so much more authentic. Their raita is thick unlike some of the places I've been to before. Same for the mango lassi it tastes soooo fresh and the color proves it. read more

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Food is mediocre and the service is horrible. The good thing is the price. $18 after taxes

I have been here several times and it has never once disappointed me. The staff is always so sweet and the food is always out super fast. I always feel so cozy in the environment so I would fs give it a try especially during a cloudy day. read more

Food is amazing here! Service is also the best! I used to go to UCR and anytime I wanted Indian food I'd come here. Ambiance is like Indian restaurant, Bollywood music playing and a nice vibe. Their shahi paneer and malai kofta is my go to order. The owner is very sweet and has give us sweets on the house many times. Now that I moved back home from college, I will definitely miss this place!! read more

Punjab Palace - 55. Shahi Paneer 51. Malai Kofta 53. Palak Paneer - Indian Near Me - Riverside, California

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This is the best Indian food I've ever had. Sooooo tasty and fresh. The service was amazing. Very friendly servers and the owners oversaw everything to make sure we will be happy. read more

Punjab Palace - Enjoying our lunch. - Indian Near Me - Riverside, California

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Probably one of my favorite spots to get my curry on... my favorite actually isn't curry though, it's the Korma. They have it with beef, chicken, lamb, or vegan if you're boring like that lol... garlic naan is fire too. Servers keep my water cup full because the food sure is spicy. Nice ambiance with the cultural music too. Check it out. Wish I had more hands to give it 4 thumbs up! read more

So good!!! Murg makhni, palak paneer, garlic naan. kheer.... All of it top notch! For my waistline, it's a good thing I don't live nearby! Leftovers the next day were perfection. Would def go back if I'm ever in Riverside again! read more

Delicious and very affordable meal. The chai was perfect, chicken tikka was amazing and we appreciated the small dessert we received after our meal. Service was great, and the food came out quickly. We were the only dine-in customers, but they had a lot of to-go orders. Y2k Bollywood music videos played while we enjoyed our meal. I love this place! read more

Came here for the lunch buffet and they had the lamb shank that day and WOW was it amazing! I think I'm going to call from now on when I'm free just to see if they have it on their rotating options! It was the most soft and tender lamb dish and the rich marrow was still in the bones waiting to be consumed! For $16.99 the buffet was more than worth it for just that one item alone! read more

I would give five stars if only they would reduce the salt they use. I told them numerous times, but the chef keeps on dumping more salt, especially in the potatoes/cauliflower dish. You can always add salt but can't remove it, OK Punjab Palace? read more

We had the lunch buffet and it was delicious. The price is equivalent to a large Quarter Pounder combo and is 1000% better tasting. Highly recommend! read more

I no longer live in riverside but there is not a day that goes by when I do not think about Punjab Palace. I love the Shai paneer and I miss it every day. I'm just upset that I found this place during my last quarter at UCR. I have yet to find another Indian restaurant that tastes as good as the food here. read more

It was our first time here and let me tell you.... Service is excellent! They welcomed us and assisted us for ordering our favorite dishes! The food is delicious!!! My family and self ordered from the dinner menu, my children enjoyed it! Definitely will be coming again! Place is clean and sitting is comfortable. read more

me and my boyfriend came to enjoy the lunch buffet and it was so worth it. it was self serve and some of the food was dry tho but it makes sense since it was mid afternoon. the buffet had lots of options between vegetarian and non. service was friendly and attentive, and there were lots of tables to choose from. very spacious with a couple tvs around too. read more

They remodeled and it's definitely an improvement. I think I came on a Saturday for a lunch special take out and I noticed they brought back their all you can eat! I don't know if it's all week or only a weekend thing but I will have to come back to try it. Let's just say I ate Punjab 2x that week. It was delish and I will be back again since it is a great price for what they give. Sometimes they forget the dessert but it's okay. The guys that work there are not rude, just serious but that's culture and it doesn't take away from the experience at all. It's delicious and better than the last time when I had to stop coming. Glad to see they made improvements, super happy for them. I love this place read more

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All you can eat lunch buffet for $16.95! Had a good amount of options, and the food was really good. My favorite were the veggie korma and saag paneer. Naan was fresh and delicious as well. Service was very smooth-- we were sat down immediately and could serve ourselves for the buffet. 100% recommend the lunch buffet if you're looking for a good deal on Indian food. read more

Food is really good especially, tandoori chicken, and garlic nan. Reasonable prices.

I would have wished to have taken the pictures of our food before we inhaled it!!! First time being here and it will not be the last. The food, the ambience , the staff all calmness and polite. I ordered my favorite chicken vindaloo. I told the hostess I wanted it spicy hot! He understood what I wanted. This place is truly the best Indian food restaurant I've been to. And I've visited and yelped only those that truly are the ones that I thought were Yelp worthy and 5 star worthy. Punjab Palace ! You're definitely a 5 star And more. read more

Punjab Palace - 23. Chicken Vandaloo - Indian Near Me - Riverside, California

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Tonight I called in my order @5pm. The gentleman said it would be ready in 30 minutes. I arrived early so I sat in the car and waited. I went in for my order at 5:30. It wasn't ready. The entrance was full of door dashers. To make a long story short my order wasn't ready until just after 6pm. I was so irritated. I'm giving this restaurant 5 stars because the food was absolutely amazing. So flavorful! I now understand why they were so busy. Quality & Quantity was perfect. I ordered Goat curry, Karachi chicken, Aloo Gobi, Garlic Nan, and 2 orders of samosas. It was definitely worth the wait. It's reminding me of the good old days when I would frequent Punjab Palace off Magnolia & Tyler! read more

Punjab Palace - Goat Curry, Karahi Chicken, Aloo Gobi - Indian Near Me - Riverside, California

Been here twice: once for lunch and the other dinner. If you are very hungry, I recommend you coming here. The portions are pretty big and it comes with 3-4 different types of dishes (curry, yogurt, rice, etc) (This is for the lunch or dinner special) The Indian food is probably the best in riverside ( UCR). I haven't really explored other places, but for the most part it was pretty good. read more

Karahi chicken was really good, service was excellent and they made sure everything was okay in terms of the food. The place also has a very chill ambiance, great for going out with friends. read more

They are currently not doing AYCE lunch buffet due to the pandemic, but they are doing a lunch special for only $12. You get basmati rice, 3 different curries, naan, and gulab jamun. A BIG MEAL for only $12. A pretty good price and the quality of the food was great and satisfied my cravings. Very flavorful! They wrap their takeout food pretty well, so there was no spillage in the car ride home. I really appreciated that. The thought of curry spilling in my car... I would have been upset. read more

Punjab Palace - Takeout Lunch Special ($12) - Indian Near Me - Riverside, California

I loved this place,the food was good but I fell like it could do a little better,the food tasted a little dry,but I'm giving it 4 stars because of our waiter,I wish I could give the name of him,but I didn't know it,he was amazing and was just going everywhere doing his job,super polite and nice read more

We ended up here on a random whim for dinner. We used to come for the lunch buffet but I think that went away after covid. We were the only ones in the restaurant when we first got there, with their TVs blaring their Indian music shows. We ordered the chicken Tikka Masada, the chicken korma, the tandoori garlic shrimp, alongside the cheese filled naan. Everything was delicious and came out quickly. The one thing though is that they never asked us if we wanted to get any beverages and seemed bothered when we asked for to go containers for our leftovers as well as asking for another order of Naan to go as well (it never came). The leftover veggies from the garlic shrimp made delicious egg/breakfast tacos by the way! Definitely recommend the chicken Tikka masala! read more

Punjab Palace - Tandoori garlic shrimp - Indian Near Me - Riverside, California

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We went there for the first time. Had a lunch buffet on Sunday. They had chicken pakora and spring rolls for buffet which usually is not served as part of buffet in other Indian restaurants. We ordered Tandoori Fish also which was super delicious, it was very tender and flavorful. Everything was super tasty and neatly served. Staff was very friendly and polite. Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 5/5 read more

Great food. Reasonably priced. Quiet but friendly staff. Order to go and if you need to wait more than a few minutes they will usually give you a drink or dessert for free while you wait. read more

We usually order via Grub Hub, this place is fantastic. We love the chicken korma and everything we have ordered has been delicious. I've had Indian food in NYC in a couple of great spots, and we used to order from Mantra close to Eastvale and in Rancho Cucamonga, this place is every bit as good if not better than those other places I've tried. read more

I don't like giving bad reviews, but I ordered from here on grubhub. The order was paid for and was set for pick up between 5:30-5:55, when I arrived I noticed that the site was closed. I saw someone inside and decided to knock. I knocked a couple of times and the gentleman sitting inside decided to ignore me. I then decided to call to maybe respect the sign, they didn't pick up either. Fact is if they were indeed closed they should have canceled the order and have the courtesy to inform me of the situation. Bit rude. read more

I have to update my review because the Punjab Palace that we know and love seems to be back! The sauces are creamy and delicious again. The shrimp and chicken dishes that we ordered also had a good amount of shrimp and chicken in them. I am wondering if they changed managers because our last experience was so bad that we tried another place. That place could not compare to the flavors of Punjab Palace, so we gave them another chance. So glad we did! We were so happy with our food again. Definitely try them out! read more

came here because it was late and wanted indian and this is the closest place that closes past 9 pm. i asked for the vegan menu and they have many vegan options, the daal was my favorite. i asked for spicy and it had a good kick to it i asked for vegan naan and the only difference was that they didn't put butter. naan was pretty dry though ngl. the portions for the plates was a good amount, could possibly feed two per dish. idk if i'll be back but glad it's there just in case read more

Punjab Palace - Indian Near Me - Riverside, California

I've been craving Indian food and the drive to come here is my exception for amazing food, generous staff, and friendly owner. My family has been coming here for years and the food consistently gets better! I'm so thankful that thru this Covid, they stayed open!! For New Years Eve, we ordered takeout and they mentioned an hour to pick up. We were amazed how popular they've gotten with people waiting for there food. We waited a bit longer for pick up but we didn't mind. They added extra rice and more sauces for us. The food is hands down the best.. vegetable samosas, chicken tikka, lamb tikka, garlic nan, and the rice. Yummmm! read more

Punjab Palace - a table full of indian food - Indian Near Me - Riverside, California

I've been to Indian restaurants all over the west coast (we're from San Diego and now Seattle) and this is still the best one I've been to. Every time we're in town we stop by here sometimes multiple times because the food is so good. The service is really friendly and make you feel like you're visiting old friends for lunch. The garlic naan that comes with the lunch combo is hands down the best naan anywhere: thin, crispy, and loaded with garlic and cilantro. All of the curries are richly flavored. The methi Matar malai is a house special fenugreek and pea curry that I've never seen anywhere else and is probably my favorite Indian curry. I hope they reopen lunch buffet soon because that would make this the ultimate Indian dining destination. As it is, the prices are very reasonable and the portions generous compared to other Indian restaurants I've eaten at. read more

Punjab Palace - Goat Curry special. It was completely full when I started. - Indian Near Me - Riverside, California

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This was my first time trying Indian food and I am so happy to have experienced my first time here. The food was so flavorful and creamy! The chicken was very tender and full of flavor as well. I got the chicken vandaloo and the chicken tikka masala, I highly recommend those two with the garlic Nan. read more