I've moved away from Knoxville and hadn't been to Sitar in several years, so I was anxious to see if it was as good as I'd remembered. Friends and I met for the lunch buffet. Some of the art has been updated inside, but it is remarkably the same as always. The service is a little terse sometimes, but not rude or ill-intended. They're just way focused on efficient table turning. The food was still excellent, even compared to Indian restaurants in much bigger cities and much fancier places. The lunch buffet remains an excellent value as well. I'm thrilled to have eaten there one again and hopefully introduced a friend to a new favorite. read more

Sitar has one of the most delicious Indian buffets I've ever experienced outside of India. And the dinner isn't half bad either. It's been a family favorite of ours for over a decade. The tandoori chicken comes out sizzling, a tasty skillet of chicken with onions and peppers. The basmati rice is very good. But I think the real star is the Dal Makhani side that comes with the tandoori chicken, a beautifully complex black lentil dish! I highly recommend it! read more

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Ate here recently and enjoyed my meal. Inside the restaurant, the ambiance was a little underwhelming, but the food is what counts :) My group ordered vegetable samosas as appetizers, and they were very good! I liked the plum sauce that came with them as well. For my entree, I got chicken tikka masala with a garlic naan on the side. The naan was very tasty, but the chicken tikka masala was only OK. The beer selection wasn't terrible but I do think they should add some more variety, as it's mostly lagers. Service was decent throughout the meal. Overall, I would come back here, but I would probably order a different entree. read more

I arrived got sat down it was about 145.water ask doing bar or .I said i will check.Can i have a tea.Went to check no food .sat down wated another 10 no service.Asked lady can i have a menu she gave it to me .Then a mint after tall man ... More read more

1/13/2026 The atmosphere here is great and the food is amazing pricing is good. service was very good we will be going back to have more of this amazing food. read more

The food was great, especially the chicken tikka. The service was good and polite. Had a casual atmospheric. The red onion chutney was not a good recipe,very plain and the onion variety was very strong and took away from the flavor of the the other food. Wished they'd change it. read more

Went 1/5/2026 for the buffet. Ill start by saying the place is clean and hygienic which is why it gets 2 stars. The buffet is trash. I grew up in CA next to an indian family and going to indian buffets several times a year. EVERYTHING HERE IS WATERED DOWN. The curry both vegetable and chicken is watery and soupy as well as the tikka masala. Everything lacks flavor. The naan is dense not fluffy. The tandoori chicken tastes a day or two old. The yogurt rice pudding is literally just milk with rice no flavor.the curry vegetable mix comes from .99 frozen bag of CA vegetable mix. Extremely disappointed in this place. I understand we're in a recession and people need to cut corners to save costs but they cut all the corners and more. Buffet is terrible. Go down the road about 10 min to AROMA INDIAN CUISINE. Night and day difference. Seriously. Sitar is ripping you off. read more

Tried this place for the first time for dinner- it was phenomenal. Service is so fast- take a sip of water past the half full line and someone is there to fill it back up. Sigh and say you're just too full? They come over immediately with boxes. Service was phenomenal. Everything we had was good- although the medium korma was a bit too spicy for my partner who can handle some spice. Mango lassi was a great start, mango kulfi the perfect end. The appetizer sampler had spinach pakora, fried cauliflower, potato samosa and fried potato as well as the crispy cracker with mint chutney. So yummy. The lamb in the korma was tender and the biryani with raita was so flavorful. We will be back again!! read more

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I absolutely love this place! The people are fabulous and the owner greets me every time I come in he says hello to me. They make me want to keep coming back for the atmosphere and the food. I'm glad my ex introduced me to this place. Best Indian food around!! Highly recommend. read more

Best Indian food we've had in Knox. Fast service for beverage refills, plate clearing, check, etc. awkward parking lot in chaotic Bearden intersection but worth it! $24 (including tax!) for two adults and the lunch buffet. Favorites: Chicken tikka masala so tender Channa saag (curried spinach with chickpeas) Naan-perfect We will pass on salad next time. The dressing was on it already and had no flavor. This place gets packed but the service is wonderful and they keep the tables moving and the food fresh. Can't wait to go back. read more

No complaints. Restaurant is clean. Staff is prompt and polite and the food was delicious. I'm not familiar with Indian cuisine as a general rule but my visit was pleasant with food being freshly added to the buffet and the selection being very good. read more

I am always looking for a good Indian restaurant. The pale yellow building with a glass entry way has an unassuming posture in the neighborhood. The parking lot accommodates the amount of customers it has for rush hour. The parking spots are nice and wide for big trucks which is a plus for me. Sitar offers a buffet 7 days a week which is advertised. The menu for the Buffett basically stays the same except they do rotate the vegetable dishes and on Saturday they offer a goat dish. The buffet is located on the left side as you enter. The appearance of the set up is dated, but you can tell the heaters are working to keep everything at proper temp. I personally would suggest more shallow pans and maybe the quarter size instead of half size pans to make the food look not dry out and make it look more attractive. That being said the food is still tasty and I only judge that by the amount of people eating from it. I also ordered some food from the menu that was represented on the buffet. The menu as you can see has a lot of variety. It took me a while to decide.I was served first my yellow Dahl lentil soup that was brothy and not thick which I enjoyed. It came with the house specialty which I chose and was the right amount given. Then came the appetizer I ordered which was a crunchy Pakora that was served with a tangy tamarind sauce ( my favorite). Followed closely by chicken Tandori blistered perfectly with a wonderful red hue. It was a little dry, but tasty non the less. I enjoyed the vegetable korma in the medium creamy read sauce. The lamb Josh was tender and served with the same sauce as the korma. I chose medium heat which was pleasant, but I should have chosen hot. The naan was late git And I could have eaten that all day. I did order Piswari Naan to go and it was stuffed with coconut, raisins and cashews. It was my first time eating this type of naan and it didn't disappoint. I had a sweetness but not over the top like a dessert. Finally the big impression is the gaggle of waiters ready to help you with just eye contact and a nod waiting in the front of a very clean and organized dinning room with friendly colors. The bathroom was very clean also, important to me. Next time I'm in the area I will definitely come in for a meal. read more

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Wait we was a little bit long. The atmosphere at ambience was also pretty nice in here. I'd like to see some little bit more arms service was a little bit slow, but he gotta do it. There is pretty much happening read more

Sitar Indian Cuisine - Very crowed only few good indian - Indian Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

10/10 experience each and every time I've been here. The service is amazing, food is wonderful, and the vibe is so happy. I love sitar!

We walked in for lunch on a Wednesday and were greeted by a nice young man and immediately given a table. We were a bit surprised to see a buffet set up to the side, apparently that is the main attraction for lunch, it appeared to offer some of the classic Indian dishes. We chose to order from the menu and ordered some Naan, Saag Paneer, Goat Kadahi Halal, and Chicken Tandoori - with a Mango Lassi and a hot tea. The food was yummy! The servers were very attentive and checked in with us regularly. This was a great lunch stop! read more

We came here as a large group (20+ people) on Wednesday for lunch buffet. Parking was fairly easy. The ambience is fine. All the serving staffs are nice and quick in terms of collecting plates right after people are done with one round of food. The food there was not bad, but flavor and food options could be better. There's only one meat option which is the chicken. Been to many Indian buffet restaurants and usually would expect lamb or prawn. But I guess because of the inflation, it makes sense considering the price. Was just a little disappointed my favorite dessert kheer and my favorite drink mango lassi are not there, which I saw from other people's post. And they could have more paneer dishes such as palak paneer or kadhai paneer for my vegetarian friends and us. The naan was a little bit soggy, could have been much crispier. read more

Sitar Indian Cuisine - Plate 1 and mango pudding. - Indian Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

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Help was great only surpassed by the taste of the food! Service happened really quickly.

Great service. We ate the buffet since never trying Indian food. Everything that we tried was not bad, just different. Would try again. Inside was clean. read more

We went to their lunch buffet they didn't have a lot of options and they don't really refill their food options. You kind of just eat what is left. The service is really good though . They're very attentive. The place is clean and the people are pretty nice. You really can't beat their lunch prices. The options were okay but not great. There's no Indian food here in Knoxville so this will have to do. read more

We order here all the time!! Its amazing every time! It was even more amazing this time around because we got are order wrong and one of the employees literally drove to are house and dropped off the correct order! Like talk about customer service!! Other restaurants need to take notes!!! These guys will get you right every time guaranteed! Thank you! -Maria read more

Sitar Indian Cuisine - Food!! - Indian Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Consistently good food for a decent price. We love going here. Buffet is wonderful and has many classic Indian dishes that everyone would enjoy. Service is prompt and exceptional. Definitely the best Indian in Knox! read more

I LOVE the food here. The buffet is incredible and I always try to go when it is available. If not, the House Special is a great value. My family and I have been frequenting Sitar for many years. It never disappoints. Thank you! read more

Delicious Indian food and great service. Garlic Naan is terrific. Enjoy! Have only tried a couple of dishes. The Tika masala and one of the chefs dishes Wirth mushrooms that is my favorite. Check it out! read more

10/10 food 10/10 service 10/10 environment. One of the best restaurants in Knoxville. Went for dinner and ordered the house special definitely worth it in every way, I will be coming back. read more

Sitar Indian Cuisine - House special - Indian Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

We found this gem on yelp and were way impressed with our experience. My partner and I shared the special combination dinner for two, which began with a delicious lentle soup, nicely seasoned and served piping hot. Shortly thereafter came Tikka chicken and a mint flavored sausage served on a platter w sauted onion, peppers and slice of lemon. Next was a lamb dish and veggie dish, with yummy naan bread and white rice. The food was exceptional and service attentive without hovering. We were only passing thru town or this would be a regular dining location for sure. The evening ambiance was mediocre but food and service so exceptional I give it the full 5 stars. read more

Food is always good with great service. There is Always a good and light atmosphere where you can enjoy with a group or solo. read more

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Exceptionally tasty. Always fresh, very good portions, and somehow different from other Indian restaurants. We've eaten there numerous times and we're never disappointed. The lamb is always fresh. My son constantly raves about the butter chicken. The vegetarian Thali is one of my favorites. read more

First, they are open for indoor seating. There were three of us. We started with the mixed pakora for two, followed by, Chicken Tikka masala, Lamb Korma and shrimp narghisi and two naan. We had it regularly hot, not Indian hot and still needed to order raita to help with the heat. We shared all the dishes. The lamb korma was exceptional, tender and the sauce was infused in the flavor. The chicken was tender with a slightly smokey flavor, the shrimp dish was as close to perfect as I have tasted. To find this restaurant in Knoxville was the biggest surprise, coming from Houston and coming out of Covid-19 one can make exceptions but none was needed here. We added dessert of gulab jamun just because we could. We are just passing through town but will be sure to stop here our next time through. I hope they open a place in Kingwood TX. read more

Sitar Indian Cuisine - The dinner crowd just left. - Indian Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

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I have been meaning to make it to their lunch special Buffay and haven't been able to until today! I decided to see if they could do it takeout style and they could! Not only was it affordable, but it was absolutely the best Indian food I've had! they found a way to perfectly berry spice flavor and health... The saag was so perfect! And chicken tikka masala and curry chicken were wonderful, but my favorite was the chili chicken! Tamarind jenye is my absolute favorite thing in the world and this one did not disappoint, if you haven't been you must go! read more

Sitar Indian Cuisine - Lunch Buffett to go - they didn't even weigh this! - Indian Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

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Buffet is quite good and a great price but I think I find their curry a bit salty. Otherwise it's a great spot to try Indian food so you can get a variety. My go to is the chicken tikka masala with white rice and naan read more

Nice lunch buffet. Definitely a good option when short on time and you don't want fast food. Everyone was pleasant and friendly. Good service and nice atmosphere. read more

I invited an Indian friend to have Sunday brunch buffet at Sitar Indian restaurant. He did not like it! I was very disappointed with the taste and quality. The naan was tasteless, the curry was unimpressive, the goat meat was tough, the chicken masala was boring... This was a Sunday buffet and it was packed and noisy. I don't understand the five star reviews. I don't think I will return. read more

Good place to get some tasty Indian food with a great selection. Staff is overall nice but had a few experiences of being rushed out. The have a buffet option thru the week also read more

This is a four star review, but the lunch buffet price kicks it up to a five. Had a beer and buffet for $18. Everything was fresh and tasted good. The place was packed with a small line waiting at the door. The regulars knew to just help themselves after being seated. I waited about 10 minutes before I asked one of the people picking up plates for help. They might be missing out on beer and soda sales if they don't ask customers. Everybody else seemed to just be drinking water. Mango pudding and bread pudding for desert. read more

All I can say is WOW!! Food, service location...did I mention the service? These people know what there doing for sure!! Cannot wait to come back!! Excellent job!!! read more

Yum, yum and yum!!!! We loved our evening at Sitar! The atmosphere is good for a casual date night or group dinner. The staff were all extremely friendly and so quick- they anticipated our every need. We ordered the Special Combo for two and highly recommend it to anyone else trying this place for the first time. It's a great opportunity to try 3 different dishes, a soup and a side of naan. Safe to say, it's plenty of food! Everything was super fresh, flavorful and filling! We will be returning soon!! read more

Sitar Indian Cuisine - Special Combo for two We had already starting digging in it smelled so good! I almost forgot to take a picture - Indian Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Pleased to see the buffet reopened here. Although Tandur became a nice alternative for my Indian cravings, it just wasn't the same. There is something about Sitar that makes my mouth water just thinking about it. It's a 'no frills' type of small buffet with a large dining area - they greet you, seat you, serve you water, and then you quickly get up to feast on their Indian deliciousness. There's a reason this place stays busy for lunch 7 days a week. And if there's something you miss on the buffet, you can ask for it a la carte. Just do yourself a favor and get you an unlimited plateful for $10. I feel like I need to be rolled out of here every time because I just can't stop eating it. read more

Customer service is among the best you can get at a restaurant. If you look up, they almost run to your table to see how they can help you. If you have a group, this might be good if you have a lot of questions about the food. This review is a simple blue collar review. I had a mild chicken curry. The food was very good but is not served with bread like other locations might be. They have a few choices of bread that you can pay a little extra for. I'd recommend this place for tables of 4-6 for a good group experience and could be quick if you have other plans. No brainer if you are by yourself and want a quick good meal. read more

They were super flexible to make poori for our kid and service was awesome, dal and aloo bhaigan made the day

Delicious and fresh with a variety of hotness levels, even for us wimps. I love the lunch buffet and plan to go back for dinner!