Sunday Brunch...limited amount of food, not replenished often enough. Only one person working it seemed. I just expected better and was definitely disappointed. Not sure why there was a soccer game on the large screen with the volume on. Was hoping for Bollywood and I got Barcelona vs. Madrid. You guys can do better. read more

This establishment symbolizes great tasting Indian cuisine. The buffet was exactly what I was looking for, a variety of delicious food. The naan was always hot and fresh and they kept it coming. Friendly staff, clean environment and great food. All the things needed for an amazing dining experience. read more

This was my first foray into Indian food in Raleigh, and unfortunately it was quite a disappointment. The place was suggested by a member of my book club, so despite the lukewarm Yelp reviews I went to try it out with the rest of the group for Sunday brunch. Let me start with this: I LOVE Indian buffets. In fact, I prefer to go to buffets so I don't have to pick just one entree to eat. Decisions are just too hard to make, ya'll. I thought the decor was nice and absolutely fell in love with the gorgeous metalware the buffet was displayed in, but we were seated to the far side which is illuminated by this strange red ceiling light. It was completely disorienting and unpleasant. It took a while for the waitstaff to notice us--something I've never experienced in an Indian restaurant before-- but when they did, I did appreciate the fresh naan brought to the table. I also loved the array of chutneys and desserts presented. I've never seen a buffet this big; unfortunately they place quantity over quality. Every dish I tried was entirely unimpressive. It wasn't disgusting, it just wasn't the standard I'm used to. The highlight was definitely the samosas. As for the service, we were largely ignored and when we were addressed, the waiter proceeded to spill our waters, knock a book off the table and splatter my friend's dessert on his lap. Not so great. And, after waiting for 10 minutes at the register to check out, my bill came out to $15. I've never paid that much for an Indian buffet before, and definitely didn't expect that. So, meh. I've experienced better. read more

I don't crave many places in town that actually results in me just getting my tush in the car and going there. Royal India does this to me. It's like a nagging ex-significant other that's really attractive. Alwaaaaays tempted to go back. I only come here for the lunch buffet. Sitting down with a menu at an Indian joint is foreign to me, also I am usually working during dinner hours. The food is consistent, with both the selection and the quality. I've never had a problem getting a table, the empty plates are cleared quickly, and beverages are always refilled adequately. I've been to India, this is Indian food. It's cheap and unlimited. Most dishes on the buffet are on the mild side so if you have an aversion to spice this would be a good place to take your training wheels off. PS - the Sunday lunch buffet is Southern Indian cuisine, expect the spicier dishes to be available on this day. read more

My first less than 4 star review. This place used to be my favorite spot for Indian food in the Raleigh area. In fact, I drove close to an hour at times just to get lunch. Sadly, it no longer deserves that coveted status. The food is the same everyday! It doesn't matter if you go this weekend or the next, the lunch buffet would sport the same dishes. The last couple times it was cold, seemed thawed, and just sat there like a neglected kid. Dinner menu is fairly expansive, but fairly expensive, at the same time. The redeeming features include a decent alcohol selection, excellent location, wonderful decor (including pictures of random maharajahs, one with like 78 wives), and large capacity. The only negative is the quality of food, lately, and especially the lunch buffet. If they can fix this, they stand a very good chance to becoming my favorite Indian restaurant in Raleigh once again. read more

Got to taste Royal India's offerings tonight at an Ethnosh event and was impressed! Besides the fact that the meal was a steal ($5 for a sample of their most popular meals) I was very happy with my experience! Everything was spiced really well, and full of flavor. I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to heat,but I wasn't uncomfortable with anything I tasted! Perhaps it would be a bit weak on the spice for someone else, but for me it was perfect! Service was okay, since the food was pre-set, the wait staff didn't check on us much. My drink was re-filled once, and no one really stopped by to see if the food came out alright. I'll chalk that up to them being packed tonight. They seemed stretched a bit thin for such a full house. I can't wait to come back, I hear they have a great lunch buffet! read more

Food was very tasty and authentic. Service was terrible, only one waiter in entire place for dinner, the owner helped out a bit though.

Check out the Royal India Express, which are owned by the same people but closer to the north west part of Raleigh. Although the same, I recently noticed that they're slightly different. The butter chicken sauce at this one is chunkier, with more chicken pieces, while the other restaurant creates a smoother sauce with fewer pieces of chicken. Just something I thought I'd make a note of. Also, can I have a what what, samosas rock. read more

From a picky eater/vegetarian point of view: First off, the food is awesome, I had the lunch buffet, and they have a good variety of vegetarian items. You can take small samples to figure out what you like first and then go back for more. The only problem is that it's all good stuff. I found it to have a good amount of spice; not too much for those that aren't used to it but enough that if you like spicy you get it. The atmosphere is nice too. Music is pleasant, not too loud. There are portraits on the wall that are interesting to look at and things are situated where you don't feel like you're sitting in the middle on display. It's not in a great location, I don't mean crime-wise because you're not in any danger in that area, but I wish it was not on Capital Blvd. The price is okay, I wouldn't say it's high and while it could be lower the quality and variety certainly make it worth it. The staff are very friendly. If you have questions you can find the server right away. I'll definitely be back. read more

I used to go here a lot before there were more choices for Indian food in the area. We ended up here as Swad was closed on Labor day. Nothing has changed. Still decent food but nothing great. All on the salty side, the place is hot and dirty looking (bathroom is always gross) and the service is not great. The man who is there a lot I assume is an owner and is not appreciative of the business. The place just looks like it could use refreshing and some TLC. For example the handles on some of the serving dishes are long broken off. For Indian food, it will do in a pinch but I would not go out of my way to go there anymore. read more

This used to be our go to place for Indian buffet on the weekends, but the quality as deteriorated of the years. Food is average at best. Price is too high for lackluster food. On Sunday, they have goat, which is nice. read more

Butter Chicken was very tasty while the Lamb Vindaloo was very good with nice heat at Spicy level. Will try very spicy next time

amazing! The spicy level was appropriate and the meal size was good. I would suggest garlic naan.

I have my select list of Indian joints that I frequent, but I like to work Royal India into the rotation from time to time and I'm generally not disappointed. This review is for their lunch buffet because, while I have had dinner there, it was years ago and the experience has dulled with time and beer. There's a lot to like about Royal India. It's spacious, the staff is pleasant, and the food is definitely a step above most buffets. In particular, the Palak Paneer is incredible - probably the best I've had in the Triangle. They must use a lot of cream to make it so rich. That stuff is definitely not healthy, but that's what cardio days are for I guess. Also, unlike a lot of Indian spots, they don't have bread on the buffet. Instead, each person gets a basket of fresh, made to order naan. Huge respect for that as there's nothing like getting some soft, pillowy naan to go with your scrumptious meal as opposed to the sometimes hard, dried bread that has been sitting over a sterno. There are usually two or three choices of dessert, too. Now, there are a few things to not like about Royal India. The first is Capital Blvd, but I guess that's not entirely their fault. The second is the price. For a weekday buffet and a diet coke (unlimited refills, though) I paid a little over $18, which is a bit steep for a Monday. But the food is good-to-really good and there are enough little things done right for me to not begrudge them more than a star. Maybe they're not my go-to, but Royal India is still in the mix. read more

First time dining here and it was delicious. I had the chicken vindaloo and my partner had a paneer dish. Both were very flavorful and excellent. I was also happy that they took a lot of care regarding masking and sanitizing after people left. Definitely a great place! read more

Omg the food is dope and owner is awesome chef. He really want you to enjoy and eat foood.

Incredible food! So flavorful and delicious. Insanely great service :))) Betsy was so kind and so attentive

My husband and I went to Royal India to celebrate my birthday. It was our first time at this place and it didn't disappoint. An overall excellent experience of delicious authentic Indian food & service. We ordered a "feast" platter for two, which included several plates of chicken, lamb, goat and shrimp, rice, freshly baked nann, desserts and tea. We loved the food and we honestly think it's the best Indian food we have tried in the triangle. I would definitely recommend giving this restaurant a try. read more

Excellent buffet! with a large variety of dishes both non-veg and veg with a large choice for vegans as well, the desert choices are varied, the carrot halwa is great and very nutritious as well. A large variety of north indian dishes such as dall makhani well made. Paneer tika masala as well as saag paneer were exceptional. There was a table of appetizers as well, pani puris, chutney and samosas. The service was good, staff is very friendly and we did not have to wait for a table. I would recommend this restaurant very highly! read more

I stopped by here during my lunch break at work. Definitely a good idea! The lunch buffet has so many great vegetarian options. The food is all tasty with good flavor. The buffet is $10, but I think it's worth it for the quality of the food. The service is very very friendly- several of the staff started conversations with me. The restaurant is clean and the food is presented well. They have chaat, main dishes, fruits and desserts (which I need to try next time!) read more

So delicious, I get the chicken biryani most times but everything I've had here is so good

Food is tasty - service leaves something to be desired. I am not sure if yesterday evening was an off night or what but I felt discriminated against and singled out for the cold shoulder for a reason I still can't determine. With the most obvious display coming when the manager made a point to have a short conversation with all the tables excluding ours. I'm not sure if it was because I wasn't particularly dressed up that evening or not but 1. There's no stated dress code that I saw; 2. I had recently finished a day long hike and was looking for some good food (and still I was in a neat black T-shirt and track pants as I changed before coming) and 3. No one else was particularly dressed to impress either. Regardless- my daughter and I were singled out for cold, abrupt, and bare minimum service- and she noticed - which is the largest shame. I won't be returning- I'm sure i can find more welcoming spots. read more

I've been here before for the buffet and was impressed by the food. But the when I asked the waitress what was in one of the dishes she clearly had no idea what it even was. She picked up the spoon and examined it and said ummm peas... potatoes? I was like uh okay thanks. But the food was really good! Then I came a 2nd time and it was downright disgusting. Our food had little gritty pieces in it, like sand. The rice looked a day or two old. The waitress seemed really bothered by our presence. Like annoyed. We were the only ones in the restaurant at 6pm on a Saturday night. Should have been our first sign to get out. We ordered the chicken tikka masala and the dal. The chicken tikka masala tasted good, other than the sand in it? Was not a good experience and will not be returning. read more

If you are looking for an authentic Indian restaurant.. This is NOT it. Taste is sub par and the menu is boring. Another point to note is that many items in the menu are no where close to the original. The decor is taky and dated. The wait staff was cordial and perhaps that was the only saving grace.. read more

I've ordered take out a few times and just ate there (Saturday, noon). The food quality is decent with spice a little hotter than the average Indian in the Raleigh area. The selection is probably this place's strongest quality. Although it's not my favorite Indian restaurant in the area, they did serve goat which is always a plus in my book. The staff was very friendly, and it was overall a good experience. read more

Food quality is bad. When I was ordering food, I specifically mentioned it's for baby shower party and ended up throwing out.

I've eaten here a number of times. It's a really good Indian restaurant. Everything I've tried has been good. Update: I was a little disappointed after eating here recently. The buffet was good, but not great. The naan was a bit undercooked and oily. It took a while for our teas to be re-filled. I'll still go back, but it wasn't as good as I remembered. read more

This place has fantastic food and great service. Been here twice over the last 3 months, and it has been consistently great. I highly recommend Royal India read more

.. from NYC, I'm exposed to good Indian food, and I'm blessed with a native Indian executive as a close friend, didn't expect to find good Indian food in Raleigh - not "Americanized Indian", but close to the real deal. This is a great rendition of the real deal. Friendly proprietor & staff willing to make dishes that suit the non-native palette in style & spice, this hidden gem comes alive with a surprisingly bright & spacious decor. The Sunday-only buffet was no disappointment either with great tastes. read more

Food is good and there's supposedly a vegan buffet that will be starting soon if not already going on! Been going here since I was a kid with my dad. Yellow dal and garlic naan are my two favorite items read more

Excellent Indian food ! Interior is always clean and dishes served with promptness. Excellent selection of different Indian dishes .

I was here for 31st lunch buffet which was same as their weekend buffet. Spread was nice and few of the items like royal chicken and goat curry were surprisingly hot and delicious. I ordered mango lassi and that was also good though little on the sweeter side. Overall food experience was nice and I would have given 4 stars but food isn't all you go to a restaurant for. I particularly found that owner had an air of arrogance. I will recount few instances here: 1. When we entered the restaurant, instead of any greetings or responding to mine, he just asked; "how many?" and showed us to our seats. 2. I complimented him on the nice spread and his response was "ohh ok". 3. I said thanks for refilling water and again NO RESPONSE. I am not saying that he was rude or anything. It's just, I felt that he didn't care. In all fairness he did ask me about the food and asked me to leave a review. So I did. read more

There was a time that I drove two hours to have dinner here. Now I live in Raleigh and the past couple of times I've gone I've been really disappointed with the service. The food has been fine, but the waitstaff seems like their Myers-Briggs would have sent them in a different direction than food service. When they had a booth at the International Festival, I was the only one there and still had to flag someone down, in spite of the fact they looked right at me. The staff has never been blatantly rude to me, but it's a very awkward service. read more

This is one of the restaurants that I love in the triangle. The owner is friendly and the food is fantastic. I have had the sample veggie plate and the butter chicken. Both were absolutely amazing! read more

This was some of the best Indian food I have ever had. The service was quick and the owners were extremely friendly. The environment is really nice and clean. It's definitely worth the price! read more

Worst restaurant experience ever. I really didn't want to give it even this star. The manager served our daughter a dirty plate to eat in and there was no apology for that bad act. Seats were dirty with food crumbs all over, plates were dirty, food was spicy in spite of telling them to make it mild. Food prices were super high and the service was the worst. The owner or manager or whoever he was, seemed to have no ethics at all. Worst restaurant ever. Unhygienic and uncourteous staff with pathetic manager. Don't recommend it at all. read more

Wonderful food! Love this place. Covid protocols are on point as well! Thanks Royal India!!

The food was fantastic! Very fresh and flavorful! The restaurant was extremely clean and the owner came and chatted with us to make sure we were having a great experience! All around great experience! read more

Me and my mom went here for lunch yesterday and it was so delicious!! We got buffet and we both tried a little bit of everything. My favorite was the butter chicken because it was the perfect amount of spicy! We also got the frozen mango lassis and they were so delicious and creamy. Definitely recommend this place to anybody looking for yummy Indian food read more

Love Royal India! So glad they're open during the pandemic so that my husband and I can experience their rich, flavorful food.