3, almost 3.5, stars. I have yet to be disappointed by Royal Taj. I've also never been really impressed. I tend to count on them for being consistently better than average, and conveniently located, Indian food... and that's something they always deliver. So, if you wanna impress your friends with your taste in curry, I suggest you look elsewhere. But, if you have a deep desire for some naan and tandoori on your drive home, and Royal Taj is there, you can't go wrong. And, yes, you can do tandoori wrong. read more

We went last night for dinner. I really wanted to give this restaurant 4 stars, but I really don't like the condition of the restaurant. My husband told me that the men's restroom was clogged, and womens... out of order. I started to conserve drinking my water, just in case. I was surprised, though, that the food was pretty good. I never order tandoori items, but we did get the variety entree. It was excellent! It came on a sizzling dish... lamb (2 types), shrimps, chicken (2 types). We also ordered the shrimp jal fraze and 3 types of naan. They were all tasty and freshly made. This is a place you want to go for food... not the atmosphere or decor. It's very casual. A lot of people ordered to-go. It make sense... um... looking at the condition of the restaurant and restrooms. *shudder* read more

I've been here a few times but only ordered to-go. The man that answered the phone was never friendly and the staff was even less friendly when I'd come in to pick up my food. The food was always hot and the sauce was plentiful in the chicken tikka masala but there was hardly any chicken in it. The naan was REALLY good and I would always order extra for the next day :) I had one bad experince here and I haven't gone back since. I called in an order to go for two chicken tikka masalas and three orders of naan (my co-worker being as addicted to it as I was and I wasn't in the mood to fight over it) and I was told 20 minutes. So I got there about 25 minutes after and the I was told it wasn't ready. I could see that the cooks were just standing around. I ended up waiting another 15 minutes and when I went up to the counter the guy said here you go and handed me a bag full of naan - I politely said that I had also ordered two chicken tikka masalas as well and he said no you didn't when I could see the food order slip sitting on the counter which clearly said chicken tikka masala 2 naan 3. Tired of waiting and arguing I said keep the naan and I left. read more

This is probably the worst place to eat!! Not just for Indian food but just food in general is the worst I've ever had in my life! I thought 3rd time is a charm but it seems more like food poisoning. The chicken was uncooked and it had a stale stink to it. Just like the service the food stinks... I'm in utter shock that someone would open a place and have the ability to serve such horrendous food to anyone... I've no words to describe my frustration and feelings towards this place. I request you to please please close shop ! read more

It's not that my husband hates Indian food...but given the option, he would always choose the non-Indian food option. In working on not being a controlling Viet chick, I always try to give him a few options to pick from. So I was so happy when N-dawg wanted to grab Indian food for his birthday dinner! N picked Royal Taj, because he's OCD like that, and if he likes 1 item from that restaurant, he'll go there for the rest of his life, ordering just that one item. At Royal Taj, that item is the Chicken Tikka Masala. The sauce for it is delicious. We ordered the vegetable pakora for appetizers, chicken tikka masala, shrimp tikka masala, a lamb stew, basmati rice, and a 3 variety bread basket. The Vegetable Pakora was really good. It didn't even feel like I was eating veggies, and the tamarind and mint dips were done to perfection. The chicken tikka masala did not fail. However, the shrimp tikka masala was more like scrimps....they were TINY. The lamb was horrible. It was really gamy and dry. I love lamb, hate wasting food, and even then, I couldn't bring myself to eating much of it. The bread basket was just OK. The naan was super crispy, so it didn't soak up the dips like how it should. I don't know if the quality of this spot went down, or if our expectations of Indian food is higher now. I wouldn't go out of my way to come back here again though. Using an Entertainment coupon for 1 free entree, and along with a soda w/ unlimited refills and a glass of wine, total for the bill for 3 people with tons of leftovers was $40. read more

This lunch buffet was on point, especially for people looking for more vegetarian options. The food was absolutely delicious, and the staff was super friendly and inviting. I am looking forward to coming back and enjoying the delicious treats that Royal Taj has to offer. read more

We decided to try this place after driving by it countless times. We mostly do take out. To say the man who answered the phone was surly would be an understatement! At one point during my order he barked "wait!" and put down the phone. Each time I ordered something he said "what!" in an almost accusatory manor. I almost hung up the phone, but it was dinner time and I really wanted Indian food. Then he said "25 minutes" and hung up the phone. So, it didn't start off well. When I went to pick up the food it took a moment for someone (I assume the same man) to come out. The reception wasn't any better in person. No greeting, just a look of "what do you want?" There were only 2 tables occupied at 6:00, so I don't think they can afford to be so rude. After all of this, the food was just OK. Not terrible, but not great. We had the Chicken Tikka Masala and some other side dishes. If the service had been friendly I would have given them 3 stars. As it is, we are still looking for a good, reasonably priced Indian restaurant. read more

Finally I found a place where they really make fresh Indian food. This place is awesome for vegetarians and meat eaters. If you like to eat spicy food, just request your waiter and he will take care of that for you. I love their Paneer Tikka Masala and Fish Pakora. They have one of the best varieties of bread in the bay area. From the Kabuli Naan to Paneer Naan, all of them taste awesome and made fresh. The staff is very helpful also. Very courteous. Have recommended this place to a lot of my friends and they do love it too. read more

This place is decent. Nothing fancy. I stopped by one weeknight to grab some food to go. I checked out the menu. I ordered in person and somehow the guy taking my order still got my order wrong and overcharged me. I knew instantly because I'm good with numbers and corrected him. I waited about 25 minutes for my food and the restaurant was completely empty. I ordered two types of naan and tandoori chicken. The naan was pretty good. No complaints with that but my chicken was cold. I didn't pay $21 and wait 25 minutes for cold chicken. I realize chicken takes time to cook. I would been willing to wait longer for something fresh. I believe I paid a lot for cold chicken. if this place was better I probably go here often, it's right around the corner from me. read more

After reading reviews on yelp, I took a chance on this place. I don't normally like eating Indian out (it's never as good as what mom makes), but this place is great. The location and decor leave a little to be desired, but the place is clean and the server (the guy with a goatee and long flowing hair) is very nice. If you get take-out, they give you much more than you can eat for one meal. Food recommendations: chicken tikka masala (though the chicken is NOT white meat, it is very lean and tasty), paneer tikka masala, chana saag, malai kofta. These are perfect dishes; the right seasonings, the right consistency. read more

The service was great and the restaurant decor is cute but the food is just so-so. (lunch buffet) None of the dishes stood out too much. One of the creamy chicken curries was good, but I don't know what it was called! The naan comes out fresh and hot though, so if you're a fan of that, this place will definitely please in that respect. As others have said, there isn't a huge abundance of choices (which is understandable given the small restaurant size) but if I had really liked a larger proportion of the dishes they had, I would have been more satisfied. 1 or 2 of the 8 they had isn't a great win ratio :) read more

We ate at Royal Taj at the suggestion of B. who loves Indian cuisine. I think B. summarized it best when he described Royal Taj as a place with great Indian food, but someplace you wouldn't want to take a date. His reference to a date place stems from the personality of the wait staff, or rather the lack of personality of the wait staff. Service was efficient and attentive, but robotic and lacking the desirable "c" words -- charming and cordial. I personally like Gaylord's better, but had no complaints about the Chicken Tikki Masala. To give credit to Royal Taj, some of the best Indian dining options dot the Bay Area and the dishes here were good. As Mark would say, "right on"! They earned a solid 3. read more

Umm...I wasn't really a fan of Royal Taj. This was pretty disappointing because my cousin loves the food and gave it a high recommendation. I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala, which I usually LOVE, as well as some Pulav and garlic and plain naan. The naan was yummy and fresh, no complaints there, and the Pulav was also good. The Chicken Tikka Masala, however, was not very good at all in my opinion. The sauce itself was tasty and flavorful, but the chicken was just BAD. It seemed to be thigh meat and was very rubbery and had fatty pieces and tendons in it....sooo not appetizing! I had to cut it up very small to find pieces that were actually edible. I don't know if it was just an "off" batch that I received, but it was a bummer. My husband ordered the Chicken Vindaloo and that seemed to be white meat that was of much better taste and quality. Also, as many Yelpers have mentioned, the host/owner was GRUMPY. He and the tall assassin-looking dude that mans the register stood there with their arms crossed and scowled in our direction literally the entire meal. It was distracting and annoying. Granted, they were super quick on water refills, but it seems like they could have found something to do to pass their time besides stare at us. The gentleman with the ponytail that I believe cooks the food seemed friendly and welcoming....he was the only one that exhibited any customer service skills. I've heard that you can have a completely different experience here if you are more of a regular and/or are of a certain "demographic". That really sucks, but I guess that kind of thing happens at some places. To top off our visit, at least three out of the four of us that ate here had stomach issues for hours that night after we got home. Don't think I'll be back.... read more

I am now lowering my previous 3 star review to one star. As I mentioned in my previous review, we WERE regulars and came to eat there regardless of the management's poor customer skills (mid to late 30's, black frame eye glasses, balding, always looks like he hates his job). Today, my husband and I went to the lunch buffet and decided that we will no longer step foot in that establishment again. 1. When you have a customer waiting, you should not reply unprofessionally with a loud "HUUUH??" when you mistaken "for two" with "to go" and then become visibly upset when we tell you we are both there for the "eat in" buffet. Are you THAT upset to have your customers eat there?? Your treatment was also noticed by the fellow seated near by who acknowledged how awful you were by shaking his head. I wanted to walk out of the restaurant SO BADLY at that moment but my husband decided to stay. 2. You should not give us the bill 10 minutes after being seated, before even giving us our naan! 3. You should not throw the naan basket on the table while customers are eating. 4. You should not show how much you dislike your job and treat your customers like you do not appreciate their business. If you dislike customers so much, maybe you need to change jobs! 5. When customers pay and leave, be THANKFUL! You don't even need to smile if it's so difficult for you, but at lease say THANK YOU!! You just look pissed off, don't say anything and don't even make eye contact most of the time! I sat down eating our food in shock the whole time and left with a very unpleasant feeling. We thought "Why do we come here only to feel so crappy when ever we leave?". The food is great but your attitude just seems to only have gotten worse over time. We will not be ordering takeout from you anymore or come back. You lost a repeat customer that has been coming there since 2005. ---- Previous Review, 3 stars ---- We were huge fans of this place until the new management came in about 3-4 years ago. The guy (in his mid to late 30's, balding, wears glasses, always on the phone) does not appreciate customers (minus one star). At first, he seemed to.. now he doesn't even greet anyone or say anything after paying. The staff working the tables are much nicer than he is though. We are regulars, so he'd see us pretty often. We live close by and in this area, we preferred this restaurant over rangoli or steps of India. We order take-out which is spicier (our preference) than the buffet but also come to the buffet for lunch once in a while. The prices can't be beat and they are better than the others in this area in my opinion that are lacking on spice or variety. They recently take online orders through a link on their site to another site named "MealHi5" and we have used it several times. I don't know who was at fault but somehow my order wasn't fulfilled when I went to pick it up 40 minutes after I submitted it. The manager retook my order and just told me to sit and wait for 15-20 minutes. No apology, and didn't even seem to care to say a thing when receiving the food (minus another star). Never has happened using Eat24 for Rangoli (and by the way, they are nicer and appreciate you there!!) If you don't care about how you're treated, then by all means give this place a try. Unfortunately for us, the cambrian park area lacks in good Indian food (with decent prices and variety in the menu) so I can't say that I won't be back. My favorites on their menu are their Methi Chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Makhanwala, Saag Paneer, Okra Fry, Chana Masala, Rajmah Himachali. Onion Bhajji and Aloo Tikki are also very good starters. read more

The summary: a very basic Indian place catering to the white palate. You can see that from the reviewers here and the clientale at the restaurant (only 1 Indian couple when we went). They have most of the classic Indian dishes - not very spicy. None of them stand out as good or bad. Most of them seem to have been precooked and heated up to serve. The service was ok, neither super friendly nor inattentive. The only thing that stood out for me was their beer selection - including something called 'India Special Reserve' which I'd never heard of and which was quite good. Overall I am rounding up a 2.5 star though I probably won't go there again 'cept for a beer... read more

Major improvement in food, cleanliness and staff since my last visit. chicken makhanwala (butter chicken) was amazing

I grabbed take out for the first time in December. The food was delicious, and fast. We had Tikka Masala Curry and tandoori chicken. Even my kids loved it. Will definitely go again. read more

I've been going to the Royal Taj for ... years. Not so much lately since I live further, but when I was in my last home I'd get take out. The chicken tikka masala is really yummy, the naan is good, the rice isn't too dry, and the service is "with a smile." It's a tad on the expensive side for take out, but then it would do me for two meals if I remembered to put half away before I started eating (if not, I'd just eat my way through all of it while watching movies or whatever). I've never done the lunch buffet there, but keep meaning to ... I just never seem to remember it when thinking of places to go for lunch (although the fact I'd have to drive to get there during lunch on the weekdays likely has a lot to do with that!) read more

This place has been around forever. We used to come here a lot way back when. We came here late the other night, just as they were closing. We got our order to go, and as we got in the car, we got a call which changed our schedule, and we realized we had time to eat in. We went back into the restaurant to see if we could sit down and eat, and they said no even though the restaurant was 20 minutes from closing. That's not good service. Hospitality really lacking on that point. Still, their food is good. I don't know if they are still the same owners from years ago, but if so, they're still making it happen. This place is out of our neck of the woods, but when we're in this area, we would come back. read more

Good. Came here once and my experience was actually good. The buffets are served everyday, the only problem is that they serve a small item of foods in the buffet line. Don't get me wrong THEY ARE ALL QUALITY ITEMS. So basically -2 because of the small amount of items It's great here though only $7.95 for lunch buffet. YELP! read more

This place is great! Wanted to review because I proably never would have come here just based on appearance. Let me tell you, do not judge a book by it's cover! Got the vegetarian feast and OMG. I don't know what any of the sauces were, but one was absolutely divine. Don't get me wrong, they were all good, but this one was PERFECTION. The waiter was very soft spoken, but extremely attentive. My water glass was literally never ever empty, and he was the only server. One minor thing: The toilet in the women's restroom is finnicky. For the love of God, tell them if you have problems. The woman at the table next to mine used it before me, and as soon as I walked in I could hear the water running. It obviously hadn't flushed properly (there was paper still in it) and I was so pissed that she chose to ignore it rather than inform them of the problem. Being my father's daughter, I just took off the back of the toilet and fiddled with the plug until it started filling again and was able to flush. Sorry for the rant. Not their fault. Again, SUPER delicious, great service, and will come again! read more

1st off if you want to spend more money and have a more artsy food experience please go to Rangoli. I wish I could give this place 3.5 stars because it's actually pretty good and lite on the pocketbook. Restaurant is near a bunch of fast food joints and the interior is very small. Don't bring your date here, you will look cheap. This place is kinda where you take you annoying wife or your aunt Sally from Idaho. Good wholesome Indian food with a lil too much peanut oil but it's okay :) read more

MmmmMMMMmmmmm...who doesn't like Indian food? I have seen this place on Camden Avenue for YEARS, but never tried it. I have this fear...unless I've heard from someone that it's good, I usually won't venture out. Well, a coworker said they had been there, and had remembered it as being yummy. So for lunch one day we went for the 'all you can eat' buffet. Holy MOLY, was it good. There was so much to choose from and everything was HOT and TASTY. The spices were perfect. Oh, and the kicker? They had gulab jamun for dessert. My freakin' FAVORITE. They are like sugary syrup soaked donut holes. YUMMERS! read more

Yoyo, I lived right down the block for half a year before trying out this joint. I yelped the place 10 seconds before walking in on my pda and I was like mhm... everyone says good food and horrible service. Someone said to check out the tandori oven certification in the front. Yup yup, it's the same thing. Reputation precedes again. Great food, terrible service. The owner dude is a really grouchy pissed off, well-dressed old man. My girl and I shared a vegetarian combo and he was like, anything else? I'm like dude, that's plenty, plus extra naan. He hella scoffed at is and mumbled someone and walked away from our table. WTF? The food and presentation is hella nice. Just wish the owner wasn't such a punk. It totally kills the mood and ambience to have a muggy experience. If you HAD to have Indian and you're in Campbell with no ride.. then I guess lol. read more

Good food (little greasy, but not terrible), large portions means 2 meals per entree for me. The only thing that knocks them down to 3 stars instead of 4 is that the menu on their website advertises prices $1-2 cheaper than their current prices. However, the prices are still reasonable and a bit cheaper than many other Indian food places. All in not, not a bad find. read more

The worst food I ever had. Ordered a Tandoori chicken as a to-go order but it seems that they served me a batch that was made for lunch during dinner time. The food looked stale and taste wasn't really fresh. After trying the food, i called the restaurant back and they insisted that it is fresh and in was put in tandoor just 15-20mins before. Yaa sure it was put in tandoor but to reheat and not to cook. Do not recommend this place. They serve stale food and can cause serious health issues. Adding 2 pics to show the condition of food that was served. read more

Royal Taj - Tandoori Chicken looks stale served at Dinner - Indian Near Me - Campbell, California

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I just love this place, best Indian food at a reasonable price. Can't complain about the service since hubby is a regular they know what to bring and what to order. We always get the chicken Tikka Masala, chicken biryani and chicken tandoori , food made in Indian heaven. read more

Firstly, let me say that I ate here twice about two years ago with friends visiting from India. I let them chose the dishes and remember it being pretty good. We all liked it much better than Rangoli India Restaurant. They liked it enough that we returned for a second visit. They recognized us and treated us very well. I went back tonight and had the Boti Kabab ($9.95), Raita ($1.95), "saffron flavored" basmati rice (wasn't listed on the menu and didn't check the price), and a Taj Mahal lager ($5.50). The bill came to $22.00 for my meal. I've been wanting to try Mullagatawny Soup because of the "Soup Nazi" episode but didn't want to order too much food. I liked the rice and paid attention to the flavor and it did taste as if real saffron had been used. Upon reflection now I don't remember seeing any threads, only color in some of the grains. If I had read the reviews before I went I would have asked. The Raita was good, except it seemed to have small bits of a potato-like substance. It's pretty hard to screw up Raita, although I prefer my home-made version because I use more cucumbers and chill it more. The salad was plain, the only option they offer for dressing was the Raita. I think a simple vinaigrette would have been a better choice and would have suited the meal. The lamb was pretty dry and not that great. The meat seemed to be inferior quality. The portions were pretty large, but I would have been happier with smaller, better tasting portions. The dinning room was pretty empty for 7 PM. I say there were four other parties the entire time I was there. The two guys running the dining area were very nice and attentive. Overall, nothing that made me want to go back. read more

Is the building falling appart? Yes, yes it is. Is the bathroom frightfully disgusting? Well, yeah. Is the carpet soiled to the point of being an irrecongnizable black blob? You could say so, sure. Is the staff shabilly dressed and a bit curt? Uh huh, but who cares? Is their collective concept of sanitation the same as mine? No, but have you ever been to India? Here come the stars. The lunch buffet is top quality. Just outstanding food. And unlike Mr. Whiney Pants Michael R. above, there was steaming fresh naan delivered to my table before I got back from loading my plate full of saag paneer and butter chicken and perfect basmati. I've been eating here since the late 90's and the food has always been killer. I forget about the other trivial things. It's part of the cultural experience in the wild jungle of Camden Ave. Keep up the good work, Taj. read more

I like the Royal Taj. Yeah, it doesn't look pretty on the inside or outside. The service is also good and the prices are reasonable. I like to get the assorted Naan basket, Sag Paneer, and the Samosas. read more

Vegie biryani (sp?) is freakin bomb!! The first time I've tried this popular dish--- I thought, "peanuts and raisins in rice? What could this do to the dish but make it odd tasting?" Boy was I wrong. The peanuts really made the rice pop. the flavors and ingredients were yum yum yum! We tried the chicken fritters-- which tasted like chicken nuggets (and I am soo all for the chicken nuggets), the fish vindaloo, which was good.. the curry sauce wasn't too thick and it was like eating a stew. It was a good price for how much foodies we got. 22 bucks. Good find! If I'm not feeling the buffet at Bombay here is where I will go! Woot! I can't say the same for the service because I ordered the food for take-out. But the guy helping me pay for the food didn't seem to pleasant...... fyi. read more

The place is not crowded, but lot of to go orders. Have been coming here for years. The food is made fresh and to order. The chicken saag and bhuna gosht are very good. Also the naan is yummy. read more

I went there for the lunch buffet; it wasn't outright terrible, but with all these other excellent Indian buffets around here, this was the "least good" I've ever been to. Selection is tiny, with just two meat curries (both chicken) plus the tandoori chicken. The taste was ok, but nothing memorable, again, "least good". The waiter was grumpy, but very attentive. Burning strong incense didn't help the overall experience. Price with $7.90 is good for an Indian lunch buffet, but I got what I paid for. Any higher price would have knocked down the stars to one. read more

I ordered a carry out. Food was so bland and tasteless. They "forgot" to give me naan that I had ordered, but did not forget to charge me for it. I realized this when I got home. When I called to ask if I can come get it, the arrogant owner said they are not making any more naan and I can have it next time. Way to lose a customer read more

This is an old building which could use some TLC. I usually go for the lunch buffet for $13 including the tip. The buffet has a limited selection compared to others in the bay area. The one thing they have which most others don't is the papadum. The food is just average and the service is not friendly but good enough. Sometimes they do not refill the food which is disappointing. I keep coming back because of the price, location, papadum, curry chicken (flavor of the day). They do have tandori chicken, lentil, green salad and potatoes everyday. Saag paneer is offered on select days. read more

I always go on Fridays for the buff. The selection is small compared to Snaeha (spelling) but is good for the price. The tika masala is OFF THE HOOK, but has dark meat. I love this place, and its less then a block from my house. They are nice, quick to replace your water, and bring HOT @SS nan to your table. I'm in and out in 15.. A lady had to ask to have the bumpin Indian music down. It was a bit loud, but I'm hip, and it had a beat.. What ever... Loved the food.. read more

This is my favorite Indian food in the SouthBay. Take-out is fast, fresh, and delicious. My favorites are the Chana masala, veggie samosa, and the aloo naan. Note: you get a much larger portion with take-out than dine-in. read more

This place was great my first time ordering their paneer tiki masala and samosas ! Good food very authentic. Great Indian food we enjoy it so much read more

Nasty! We thought our first visit might have been an exception, but last night's disaster was their last chance. Seated at 7 pm Wednesday in a near-empty restaurant, we were served a "whole" tandoori chicken that consisted entirely of OLD assorted thighs and legs. I mean old: tough, barely edible. And how can you screw up aloo ghobi? Limp, unappetizing caulifower. The fish pakora tasted, well, less than fresh. They even burned the naan. Our first visit, on a weekend, wasn't as bad--the food was at least fresh, though still sloppily cooked and presented. The place is cheaper than the alternatives, but it's not worth getting sick to save ten bucks on dinner. I can't think of another time that I've been so motivated to write a review, especially a negative one. Save your evening and go someplace else. Any place else. No kidding. read more

This is one of the best, if not the best Indian restaurant dinner value anywhere in the area. Excellent service, high quality ingredients, authentic and delicious flavors, smells, and textures, and a very diverse menu - unlike many places that stick to the simple and safe dished like masalas and tandoors. And on top of all these benefits, the prices are very reasonable, bordering on cheap! Now that was for dinner. For the classic lunch buffet, the place to be, even though it's a few more dollars, is Rangoli a short distance away on Union. read more