Pretty good option if you're looking for a classic take on an Indian lunch / dinner buffet

Flavorful food, a beautiful interior, and great service make Shikara an Indian restaurant worth trying. I'm a discriminating (read: picky) eater. I can't digest dairy, so no cream. I don't eat anything with coconut oil (WAY too much saturated fat); I like a little heat, and I don't want my chicken swimming in a pool of oil. My server processed my preferences, answered my barrage of questions, and recommended the chicken chili and an order of Roti (like flatbread). The food was delicious. Of course I overate, but when the flavors are this good, it was difficult to stop. Downers Grove is a long way from home, but if I ever roll through here again, I'll be sure to come back for a second helping. read more

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Nice experience here last night. I came here last night with my wife and 2 friends of mine for dinner. I was in the vicinity and I LOVE Indian food so why not?! Stopped in here and got the butter chicken. Our waiter was nice & helpful. My wife realized that she seen him somewhere before & discovered that he also use to work at Viceroy of India (in Lombard) and they're under the same owner. Lol just a small fun fact. Anyway, my meal was good. I loved the flavor and consistency of the butter chicken along with the perfectly cooked rice. We also got some naan which was good as well. The waiter also gave us some complementary Mango Yogurt smoothies since we knew him which were also good. Good spot, worthy of a return! read more

Shikara - Butter Chicken - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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Great flavor! ordered delivery and it was all packaged well very fresh. My son who is 15 months old is very picky when it comes to biryani. He loved it! That's how I know it's good we also enjoyed the lamb vindaloo, palak paneer, chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, roti and naan. read more

What an amazing experience! Food I wanted to come here for a family dinner but decided to try out the lunch buffet before making plans. This is by far the best lunch buffet I have ever seen and experienced . Lots of options, all fresh and well prepared. I enjoyed all of the paneers, naan, chana masala, tandoori chicken, goat, a stew made of okra(forgot the name), rice pudding..and more. All were delicious! It's great that there were multiple vegetarian options and meat options. Oh yea when you check in via yelp there's a free mango lassi or smoothie option. I went with the mango lassi and it was kiss your fingers good! Service Since I did the lunch buffet I didn't have to interact much with the wait staff. I must say that the staff was prompt with removing used plates, refills and checking up on me. I met The infamous Rocky and he is such a gem! Rocky definitely made my day! He was polite, informed me on the yelp deals and struck up authentic conversation. Price Super affordable and worth it. I'll be back with the fam! read more

I've been going to Shikara for buffet lunch for years. Their food is delicious. I just got takeout for dinner which was amazing. My favorites are dal mahkani and chicken tikka masala (order w/soft garlic naan) and chana masala and either saag or mattar paneer (depending if you are in the mood for spinach or peas). I eat the veggie dishes with rice. It's not included; but, it's only $3. Their samosas are amazing bathed in that mint/cilantro (green) chutney. Their prices are reasonable. And, the staff is attentive, even for buffet lunch customers. Sometimes, I want a dish that's missing from the buffet and they make it for me. Really great team/customer service! read more

Underwhelmed. Food was great; service (waitstaff manners) needs a bit of a refresher. I would go back but with hopes that they'd adjust that. read more

They had very caring staff. The food was tasty & fresh. Delicious dessert & very good lassis.

Best Butter chicken I've ever had! So flavorful!! If it's your first time trying Indian food! I would come here for the best! Make sure you get garlic naan read more

My first time here and I really enjoyed the food. Parking available and I rarely find the restaurant busy when I stop by a few hours before closing. read more

Lunch buffet (tried on a Friday) is a waste of time and money ... ur taste buds will curse you

They would do much better if the price is more reasonable and service is better. This is my second time here for lunch. The first time was for lunch buffet. This time we chose to pick from the menu as I have a living social coupon to use. We started with Samosa, Matter Paneer, Lamb Saag, and naan. I usually like spicier Indian food but chose the mild one since my 7 year old son was with us. I really enjoyed both main dishes. Naan was warm and fluffy which was finished very quickly so I had to order (no, it is not free) the second basket. My son liked both naan and samosa. They do really have a separate lunch menu so we ordered from dinner menu. Veggie only dishes are $12 and above. Others like $14 and above. No complimentary naan. One Indian restaurant in Oak Park has $7 lunch with same quantity stuff in the same copper bowl served with complimentary naan. Shikara is definitely overpriced the dishes. If I didn't have the coupon, I would feel it is a ripoff. Maybe adding the regular lunch menu? The host and waiters forgot how to smile or just simply didn't like their jobs. I had call them for ordering food, adding additional items, asking for checks etc. There was no recommending any items when we were ordering; no stopping by to say if everything is OK. I admit that they do have the nice food but I would think twice before back there since the bad services and the price really could push the customer away. read more

First time trying the cuisine and it was delicious! I'd totally go back. A variety of options available.

If you want old food that can give you stomach cramps, go here !! I have been to Shikara few years ago and I liked the food. But when I went there today, I didn't find the food quality to be good. Some old items were passed as fresh ones. The cold Kheer which was kept on top of a ice block has gotten sour and hard. Bread was bad and so were the chutneys. Came back with an upset stomach and cramps after eating here. If you care about your health, avoid Shikara read more

Christmas Review: My family and I originally had reservations booked at another restaurant on Christmas, but we unexpectedly needed a larger reservation. Shikara was one of the few places that had a table available for 11 people on Christmas for dinner. When I arrived, I immediately noticed how beautifully decorated and classy the place looked inside. The restaurant was super busy and it only got busier the longer we were there. They have a full bar for mixed cocktails and also a few beers/wines available to drink. The menu had plenty of appetizers, meat, and vegetarian options available. I loved the mixed vegetable pakora, garlic naan, and chicken vindaloo I had for dinner. I could easily see myself coming back here on a non holiday or holiday again for some delicious Indian food. read more

Our server Melvin was outstanding ! Very nice and hospitable. He answers all of our many questions as well as provided great service . The food is phenomenal!!! We will both definitely be back : ) . read more

No excuse for the poor quality of the buffet during the week. Rock hard vada, burnnt naan, and a pretty meager selection overall. AVOID THE LUNCH BUFFET. read more

A few weeks ago my friend called and indicated that her daughter wanted to try Indian food. Thus I suggested we head to Shikara as I had heard good things about their food. According to the web page we found (not the restaurant web page) the restaurant was open to10 pm. We arrived at 2:45 pm eager to try the food. To our surprise when we arrived no one greeted us and when we did motion to the host he headed over with a visible scowl. We asked for a table of 3. He looked at us more like we we were vagrants than customers before bellowing out "We are closed". He then turned around to head away, but I immediately walked over to him and showed him the web page that indicated a 10 pm close time. Again he bellowed out "We closed", before muttering out they re-opened at 5 and with that he vanished back into the restaurant clearly bothered by customers who dared come in the store at 2:45 looking to enjoy a meal. Clearly this was rude behavior and disappointing not to be treated with respect. My friend and her daughter are African American and they surmised the treatment was related to their ethnicity. I can't make a judgement on my friends feelings regarding her treatment at the restaurant, but my feelings on the experience was one of disrespect and disappointment for such a massive disinterest in our business. We then headed to Priya's in Westmont who like Shikara was temporarily closed for a few fours (we found out this customary for Indian restaurants to be closed for a few hours in the afternoon) but gladly took our order to be ready at 5:30 pm. The food at Priya's was amazing. We had Tikka Missala, Curry, rice, and Naan. Too bad we did not have an opportunity to try Shikara, but Priya's is our go to Indian restaurant now. read more

Great food, ambiance is good too! We generally take out and the quality is always good. Service is friendly too!

Avoid this place at any cost They have increased the price of Buffett and reduced the items in the spread . They removed the chat on week end Buffett. Why would any stupid person pay more to get less ? Our entire family and extended family have decided not to go to that restaurant anymore . read more

If you order one serving of Paneer Pakoda this is what you get. When I called them to ask, they said they serve 6 pieces. I told them I was given 3, smarty pants says we cut 3 pieces into 6 and serve. Be careful with this place. Read the reviews before you dine or order. If I owned an eatery that said "Indian" food, I wouldn't be cheap enough to insult the Indian community for a bunch of money. read more

Shikara - That's Paneer Pakoda for you. - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Went for Sunday buffet. The food is too oily and creamy. Staff was accommodating and allowed us to order off menu during buffet hours. Restaurant was clean. But overall the excess oil drowns out all flavor. read more

I went for the lunch buffet. The number and variety of entrees for $20.00 was not impressive. The food was adequate, not great. The samosas were cold, but tasted ok. Service was nil. The ambiance is average. read more

We tried few other places but food from this place is much better in taste than the rest. If you are looking for proper North Indian food than this is the place to be. read more

Always delicious food and great staff. Love the atmosphere. Very classy. Large menu. Some Indochinese food as well. We love when they have the buffet. Also food is great to order take out/pick up or from Door Dash. If you love Indian food, this is the best place in the area. read more

Very polite when I called in for my takeout order! Amazing food-we had the veggie sampler for an app, lamb vindaloo, butter chicken and vegetable biryani-and garlic naan of course. All of it was AMAZING!!!! My boyfriend is a picky eater and even he loved it Had a good feeling about this place so I grabbed a to-go menu as I was leaving-glad I did because I look forward to eating here again! I can't wait to enjoy a sit-down meal once everything opens back up-the place had good vibes! read more

I found my balance with this restaurant. Given Covid I have had to be patient with their scheduling and their preparedness and their messaging. Finally got to try their buffet today and the food is truly delicious and well prepared. Expect a neutral service experience and very yummy food. read more

I am disgusted and insulted. Ordered 2 dishes and a side of bread, cost me $22. I cannot believe they can justify charging this astronomical amount for such subpar, measly portion of food. Not even lukewarm, both dishes tasted like mush, almost completely flavorless. I asked for *very* spicy, I tasted hardly ANY heat. What a rip off. NEVER AGAIN. One star for delivery being on time. But you don't need much time to cook up some mediocre, bland, COLD, 4 ounces of slime, do ya?? read more

Shikara - Are you KIDDING me? $22?! BEWARE. actual portions should be CLEARLY stated on menu. GREASY TASTELESS GARBAGE. - Indian Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

This town is in the middle of nowhere, and the food served at most eateries tastes like bland disappointment. Shikara is the one shining light in this pit of despair. Food arrives piping hot, well seasoned (a little on the salty side for some, but just right for me), and efficiently. I could have done with a bit more waiter attention, but I don't really care, because the food was so tasty and spicy that I just let my brain think for a while that I'm not stuck in suburban hell for a while. Also, don't bother with the buffet. Just get any of the main dishes, and eat it. The portions are Midwest ENORMOUS, so you'll be well and truly stuffed from anything you get. They bring you bread for ordering the dishes, so be prepared for a lot of food. Trust me, you're not leaving hungry. The waist lines of this part of the country are the size they are for a reason: portion size is a dirty word, apparently. The food that's supposed to b spicy is nice and hot, with just the right blend of chile and pepper to inflame the tongue. The waiter kept my drinking glass full, so no harm, no foul. We left, waddling, to the car. They have a full bar, so downing a few cocktails also helps you forget you're in suburban hell. The decor is beautiful, and tasteful, AND understated, which is something that I thought my people were incapable of. Kudos, Shikara decorators! Also, I'd consider the food extremely inexpensive for the amount you get, and the flavour of it. read more

Wow. I just ate waaaaay too much here but it was so good, I couldn't help myself, I had to try a little bit of everything. I had their lunch buffet, and it was outstanding. Everything was hot and clearly labeled, and employees were very helpful about explaining what was in some of the dishes and how spicy or mild they were. Some favorites were the tandoori chicken, which I think was the most moist I've ever had, the mattar paneer, the pisti kuffi, and the gulab jamon. I also need to mention the outstanding service. My water glass was never empty, dirty places vanished immediately, and everyone I encountered was friendly and very pleasant. Excellent food, great service, and very reasonably priced. Can't ask for more than that! read more

The butter chicken and rice were delicious! The portions of all the food were also pretty big. I definitely would come back here.

My wife and I have been coming to Shikara consistently for over eight years, ever since moving to the area. We come for carryout, dine-in dinner, lunch buffet, and work meetings, and have always experienced top quality food and service. The paneer pakora and vegetarian samosas are excellent appetizers, and our particular favorite entrees are the chicken tikka masala and the paneer makhani with fresh naan. The buffet has a broad variety of different appetizers, sides, entrees, and desserts- just keep in mind that they do rotate dishes, so something you liked on the buffet one day may not be there the next time you go. read more

Updating my review because I just went here for the lunch buffet. I can honestly say that this is the best Indian lunch buffet I've been to yet Typically lunch buffets are not as good as dinner because they usually produce it en masse and don't put a lot of effort into the preparation. Shikara really surprised me... in a good way. The food is excellent. I had 4 large helpings and I didn't want to stop. Great selection of food! They even had Sambar which is not a common dish but really really good. Loved the Mango Kulfi. My wife's not usually a fan of Indian desserts, but she really enjoyed it too. Another thing that was unique was that they bring Tandoori Chicken and Naans directly to the table...fresh! Why don't they all do this?? The only reason it's not 5 stars is because service during dinner was atrocious . I'll go back here for dinner some time and if they fix their issues, I'll bump it up to 5 stars. Overall a must try. read more

We've been coming here frequently over the past couple years and it is easily one of the best Indian restaurants I've been to in the area. We've been here for both the lunch buffet and dinner and I'm very happy that the lunch buffet is just as good as the dinner dishes, which seems to be hard to find. The service there is also very attentive and friendly. Rocky is always there to greet us whenever we come. read more

Decent vegetarian food. Desert is too sweet. New manager is a big idiot. I met a lady who did not know a lot about Indian food so I gave her a mini tour and explained the dishes on the buffet. We talked throughout the lunch and in the end, I wanted to take care of her check as a good will. The manager was arguing with me that "How can I pay for someone else?" and commented to "take care of his checks too!", just to make fun of my intentions. He ruined the entire experience. Hope they get a better manager. read more

We absolutely love the food. They catered our wedding and it was phenomenal. Everyone at our wedding loved the food and could find something they appreciated whether it was the paneer, the chicken, or a veggie dish. Also, we had our sangeet at Ashyana and Shikara catered the food stations. Everyone raved about the food! We love to come here to eat dinner as well with the family. All around great! read more

I order from here more often than I care to admit. The food is always great and spicy. Service is good and staff are friendly! Quiet with music in the back, great for a calm night out. Would recommend and will eat again probably next month. read more

I've been ordering chicken curry, butter chicken curry, and lamb curry Rogan Josh along with garlic naan from them for a while now. Always delicious, flavorful, and just the right portion sizes. I wish the prices are just a tad cheaper, but it's ok. I don't mind supporting my local restaurants during this pandemic. read more

When my wife wants great customer service and delicious Indian Food, we always go to Shikara. Rocky treats us like family and always goes the extra mile. He genuinely likes to make your dining experience a memorable one. Mike the bartender makes the best Martinis and Manhattans. They just taste so delicious, Mike has mastered the perfect amounts of each ingredient which makes for the perfect drink. This is just one man's opinion, I highly encourage you to check it out for yourself. read more

We visited this place with the intention of just getting a snack, but the food and service were excellent and we ended up eating way more than a snack! We ordered two chaat items: the dahi papdi chaat where the papdi was nice and crisp and the yoghurt was chilled. The bhel pure was also good. The puffed rice was crunchy and not soggy even with all the chutneys. So that means it was freshly made. The chicken 65 was coated in an aromatic , spicy batter and fried until crisp. It was a generous portion too! We also got the paneer pakoda which is cottage cheese triangles dipped in a batter and deep fried with a sprinkle of chaat masala on top. Unable to control ourselves, we ordered an egg biryani to go. It was served along with a cucumber raita. The biryani was moderately spicy and had the right mix of the masala rice and a little bit of the plain rice to tame the spice. What impressed us the most was the cleanliness of the restaurant and the surrounding banquet hall. Even with an event going on, the place was spotless, the restrooms were tidy and clean. The staff was very efficient and paid great attention to their customers. read more

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