Family came in from out of town and we wanted Indian Food! It was important the food be authentic and it was! DELICIOUS! HIGHLY recommend, especially if looking for traditional favorites. Garlic Nan, in particular, was to die for! Service was friendly and fast! I'll be coming back! read more

I purchased a Groupon when I was planning this trip. I checked the fine print to make sure there were no stipulations being Valentine's Day/Presidents Day weekend & there weren't any. We decided to make reservations on Valentines night just in case it was busy, but to our surprise, it was not). Upon entering we were greeted by the nicest server and were seated immediately. Dining area is really warm and inviting with a lovely decor. I immediately informed the server that we had a Groupon and she acknowledged it, as I did not want to have any issues as I had mentioned above. We started off with the hummus and naan appetizer (13.00). I found it a bit odd as I'd never had hummus in an Indian restaurant before, but nonetheless, it was decent and the naan bread (although thin) was very good. As for entrees, I ordered the coconut pineapple chicken curry which came with rice (22.00 + 2.00 extra for white meat). I ordered it with a spice level 3 on a scale of 1-5 and it was pretty good, just too small of a portion for myself, My friend ordered the chicken garlic Malai kabab which did not come with rice and he was told was not spicy (it was with jalapeno slices). We ordered an extra side of rice since he wanted some. He did not care for his entree as it reminded him of chicken fajitas (it came out on a sizzling pan) and he thought it was going to come in a yogurt sauce (it was marinated in a yogurt sauce). As for dessert, we looked at the menu and to be honest, none of the items sounded appetizing, so we skipped it. Now for the drama: to be fair, there were three different servers that had been helping us. The one who brought our bill (not the initial server whom I informed) did not deduct our Groupon so I reminded her. She immediately told me that due to the holiday there were not accepting them on just this day. I told her I had asked the initial server who seated us and she said yes as I would have come back the next day to use it if that was the case. She then told me that it stipulates that on the groupon and I fired back with no, it does not, as I checked beforehand and I would not have purchased it had it stated that (besides that, we are from out of town). She hesitantly deducted it from our bill and waited to see if I was going to tip based on the full amount or on the reduced amount. She asked if I wanted a receipt and I said yes in case we had any issues. When she brought the receipt she gave me this dirty look and handed the receipt to me as if she was going to just drop it on the table. I thought to myself, oh, no you didn't!!! Upon leaving, I walked over to the initial server, whom was sweet as pie, and told her about my experience with the other female server and was honest how she treated us. She was very apologetic and I informed her that I was just being honest and as I said that the rude female server walked by with a fake smile and I pointed out to the (initial) server that she was the one. Lastly, I wanted to point out that the restroom was disgusting! The sink was backed up and you couldn't wash your hands in it! It's also located in an odd area where the kitchen and plates are at. I won't ever patronize this restaurant again. Ick! read more

See all

Food was delicious. I got the lamb shank, saag paneer, garlic naan, paneer naan, and samosas. All with basmati rice it was fantastic.

Tried Royal India in San Diego and left with mixed feelings. The food was overall average -- the pakoda was the highlight, crispy and flavorful. Unfortunately, the rest of the dishes, especially the chicken items, were quite bland and lacked the expected spice and depth. Biryani was good . Naan and veggie curries were average . Chicken tikka was bland. . Achari chicken was good. Service was very slow -- it took about 45 minutes for our food to arrive, which was frustrating. The atmosphere wasn't great either; the tables were cramped and it felt a bit overcrowded. They do have some beer options, which was a plus. Not a terrible experience, but definitely room for improvement in both flavor and service. Average experience . 3 stars read more

See all

Excellent service, food, fairly priced, generous servings. Used a Restaurant.com certificate for $25 off a minimum $50 bill. Tip on the full price, not the discounted. Ambience is a bit loud, but not too loud to converse. Male and female bathrooms. Women's was nicely appointed. Weird location behind the bar area. Service was attentive but neglected to refill water. Very minor omission. My very favorite restaurant for Indian. The Miramar location is equally wonderful. Nice bar area. read more

Over the years we have visited Royal India a number of times. It is located in the touristy Gaslamp Quarters. The ambience is nice and so is the service. The food is excellent. The menu has many vegetarian options. Everything we have tried on the menu here has been great. read more

I travel for work and am always looking for great Indian restaurants. Royal India has been consistently excellent during my month here in San Diego. My go-to dish at any Indian restaurant is chicken korma, and theirs is terrific. The naan is also fantastic-- nice and light with an almost flaky consistency. Really some of the best naan I've ever had. And the basmati rice is perfectly prepared in the traditional Indian style. Don't skip on the vegetable samosas to start! I brought a couple of work friends here, and they were also impressed by the restaurant. If you're in the area and looking for great Indian food, look no further! read more

See all

Royal India in San Diego touts itself as #1 in San Diego at the front door but my experience fell a bit short of expectations. They have a nice ambiance and a central location in the Gaslamp Quarter near the convention center. Parking: As expected for downtown, parking can be challenging. Street parking is limited, and nearby garages can be pricey, so plan accordingly. I got the butter chicken with naan. The flavors were decent but nothing really stood out. I felt like I've had better flavors from take-out Indian food locations in SoCal. I also felt that the portions were small for the price. It was one piece of drumstick and one thigh for the portion with a bit of rice. The naan was crispy instead of chewy but still tasted good. Overall, the food felt average--nothing bad, but nothing memorable either. Service: Service was okay. There were not a lot of people in the restaurant and it was slow. It wasn't bad, but again, average. Overall, if you're desperate for Indian food in this area, this place has decent food. But the portions and service make it feel overpriced for what you get. I wouldn't go out of my way for this place. read more

Royal India - Tandori Butter Chicken, Lamb, Napa - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

I was very disappointed with the customer service I received from Royal India. The young woman who answered the phone was extremely rude from the beginning of the conversation. I called to ask whether their chai was made fresh. She told me that the restaurant had just opened and that the chai was fresh. I then asked how it was prepared, since many Indian restaurants make one large batch and serve from that throughout the day. She explained that they make chai fresh for each order. Because I am pregnant and trying to limit my caffeine intake, I politely asked if they could prepare the chai with less tea leaves (patti) and more milk. She responded that they do not customize their chai, that the chefs would make it however they wanted, and that it was already made. This was confusing because she had just stated that the chai was prepared fresh for each order. When I pointed out the contradiction, she did not respond. I then told her I would like to order two cups of chai and two orders of samosas. Instead of taking my order, she abruptly said, "You can order when you get here," and hung up the phone. As someone who was simply asking a reasonable question due to pregnancy, I found the interaction dismissive and unnecessarily rude. A little patience and courtesy would have gone a long way! read more

A very middle-of-the-road experience. The atmosphere inside Royal India is nice, and the menu has a solid variety of classic dishes. The food itself tasted okay, but it didn't really blow me away compared to other Indian restaurants I've been to. Prices are reasonable for the portion sizes, making it an okay spot for a standard lunch, but nothing entirely memorable. read more

I came in for quick take out order. They don't particularly have the restaurant set up for take out, but we were able to place our order at the front and wait at one of the tables for our food to be ready. I got chicken tikka, samosas, and garlic naan, which was all pretty tasty. The dining area was pretty nice, so next time I would prefer to dine in to experience the food fresh from the kitchen read more

See all

We ordered for Biryani (Veg and Chicken) for to-go and said Indian spice. It was so spicy that we couldn't even eat it beyond 2 spoons. I can understand that we do eat spicy food but this was beyond spice and also being Indian we do not eat such high level spicy food even in India. This literally burnt our mouth. One of worst food experiences I have ever tasted in US. I hope owner reads this message and takes this review seriously. read more

Delicious food! Comforting, authentic, and yummy! and also excellent, attentive service.

I wasn't insanely impressed by the food or service here, but we were in the area and were hungry for dinner. The dishes were pretty good tasting and portions were good since we had leftovers for the next day. We got naan, paratha, biryani, daal, and butter tarka. Each was pretty good and quite filling, but a little pricey. I also can't blame the restaurant for this, but there was one very loud table next to us and I also didn't like our server as she did some impolite things and I didn't like her attitude. The other staff were very friendly though and since the food was good I'd give 4 solid stars. read more

See all

13 years later. I still come back. it's always good, quality has not declined. service is amazing and it simply feels like home here i take everyone i know here. read more

I took my son here to celebrate his 21st birthday, and we couldn't have asked for a better experience! From the moment we walked in, the service was warm, welcoming, and attentive. The staff made us feel special and made sure every detail of our visit was perfect. Every dish was bursting with flavor, cooked to perfection, and beautifully presented. It was hands down some of the best Indian food I've ever had. Can't wait to come back! read more

Royal India - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

After the first visit - I declare Royal India my favorite Indian restaurant in San Diego!!! Located in the Gaslamp district interior is organized to look old fashioned and "Royal". Bright lights, chandeliers and Royal-style chairs! Food was to die for. I did indulge in vegan dishes starting with Samosa and followed by Aloo Tikki which I had for the first time! Main dish was Channa Masala with extra hotness to it. She had Aloo Gobi which was to die for. Service was good. However - there is a correct stereotype about Indian waiters regardless of the country in which the restaurant is. Good service with fiat personalities. Still always nice! read more

See all

The service was amazing with the staff being so attentive. They gave us a complimentary desert which was amazing and so was the ambience. The food was sooooo good. Definitely recommend the Lamb Biryani, Butter Chicken and Garlic Naan! read more

See all

The restaurant was adorable! We were seated right away and the service was excellent. The menu was outstanding and we had a hard time deciding what to order. We ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala, the Lamb Rogan Josh and the Coconut Shrimp Korma. They were all fantastic and the Shrimp was to die for! Was my daughter's first experience with Indian food and she was thrilled to take home all of the leftovers! read more

This review discusses the recent negative experiences with customer service, which have been quite unsatisfactory. I truly enjoy coming here for the one dish I always order because it is delicious. Unfortunately, during our last few visits, we tried to use the coupon provided for TO-GO orders, and on all three occasions, we were told that they are not valid coupons, even though it clearly states that it is a coupon for buy two, get one free. The aspect of misleading customers is what troubles me the most. I am curious how many other customers have experienced the embarrassment of ordering three meals with the expectation of using the coupon that was meant to encourage repeat business. Misleading your customers will not result in their return. If you do not plan to honor these coupons, please remove them. read more

Me and my family visited California and had to try this spot great food and awesome service great hospitality as well we even tried the desserts for the first time soo good!! read more

See all

Pretty good and fresh. I don't understand what the hate is about. I enjoyed my food. I ordered the chicken tikka plate and everything was made to order read more

I thought the food was excellent, love those large, cold bottles bottles of Taj Mahal beer. The atmosphere is nice and service was good.

We had a really nice time with a group of 8 so we were able to enjoy quite a few dishes

Great portions and very good flavor, would come back again. We got the Naan Bread, Samosa, Masala Chili Fries, Mango Lassi, Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Biryani read more

Royal India - Naan Bread , Samosa , Masala Chili Fries , Mango Lassi , Chicken Tikka Masala , Chicken Biryani - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

Hands down the best Indian food I have had in San Diego! The ambiance was elegant with a touch of royal flair. For starters we had vegetable Samosas and Aldo Tikki both were extremely favorable. My main course was Aloo Gobi. Man, it was delicious! The was also very good. read more

See all

From the moment I entered the restaurant, the warm and refined ambience created a welcoming impression. The chicken korma was served with an inviting aroma, featuring tender pieces of chicken simmered in a rich, creamy sauce with perfectly balanced spices. Paired with freshly baked naan--soft, warm, and ideal for savoring every bite--the meal was both comforting and flavorful. The combination of exceptional food and an excellent atmosphere made the dining experience truly memorable. read more

Good food. Wine was good. Service excellent. We had the saag paneer and dal tadka. And the chilli naan was delicious

Everything is amazing with lots of flavor. The mango chutney is an excellent side dish. Butter chicken, chicken tandoori, and the lamb dishes are wonderful. You will love Royal India. read more

Great made to order Indian food with customizable spice levels and great service. Eat on the patio for a great evening with great atmosphere! read more

While visiting SD I really wanted to have some Indian food. This was voted top Indian food in SD so I knew I had to give it a shot. It's located in the Gaslamp district with limited to no street parking. I circled around 5-6 times before finding parking two blocks away. I arrived at 4:15 and waited outside for them to open at 4:30. The waiter greeted us and quickly gave us menus and water while we looked the menu over. We ordered the veggie samosas, tandoori chicken, chicken briyani, garlic naan, and chicken tikka. Everything was good. Not exceptional...warranting the title of best in SD but good. Also, be mindful of the costs, each item costs between $16-20 so it adds up quickly. Overall, we had a great experience and had so much food leftover. read more

See all

The service was good. The food was very tasty and nice and hot upon arrival. Decor was very quaint and traditional. Very pleasant experience for my colleagues who hadn't tried Indian food. read more

Royal India - Happy customers - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

I thought the food was just OK but not amazing. I will say that I got the food to go so it might have been better enjoyed as dine in. We ordered a the samosas, biryani, dal, and chicken masala. They entrees were pretty standard but we were not impressed by the samosas (again, this might be from having them as take away rather than eating in). read more

I popped in for an early dinner with a friend. Despite some of the reviews I'd read, I thought the interior was warm, inviting and well lit. We were greeted and seated promptly when we came in. They have a sizable menu with lots of drink and food options. We started with samosas and order the paneer tikka masala and dal makhani both medium heat along with garlic naan. The food came out quickly but we had time to finish the samosas before the entrees arrived. I could have eaten rice alone it was so flavorful. Both the tikka masala and the dal were delicious. The flavors were deep and balanced on both dishes and neither was too hot for my friend. I would recommend this restaurant when you're in the Gaslamp Quarter. read more

Naan Naaan Naaaaaan One of the best naans I have eaten including in India. We were in SD for a conference and ate dinner here on day one then had to go back on day 3. Rest of the food was also decent. Would advise to remove bell peppers from butter chicken. Friendly and fast service. read more

It's nice and decent portions. Fair enough authenticity for nonIndians. On the pricy side for Indian food but still fair value. Samosa chaat was inauthentic still good. Rice solid, Naan a little hard not fluffy but fine. Chicken korma balanced, black dal good, lamb Rogan Josh was alright read more

Everything was so good from atmosphere to service to food! Perfect blend of flavors. When I'm in town this is a must stop!

We come here whenever in town. The food and service is the best. Today was especially good with Bhawna making excellent dinner suggestions and exceptional service with a smile. read more

The best Indian in San Diego The Lamb Chettinad & Chicken Korma & Garlic Naan where outstanding. Will go back. Great area. Downtown Gaslamp on 5th is closed for traffic. Great for walking after eating Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 5/5 read more

See all

The service is shit, the food is very good. Terrible parking. Noon, Sunday, no one here except me. And still no water refill. Prices are a bit above the norm here in S.D. because of the downtown tourist location. You always pay more downtown for everything. I only came here because I had a Groupon. read more

See all