I went for the lunch buffet. Being from Southern California, I am fortunate to have really great Indian cuisine. Unfortunately, this buffet was not very good. The chicken was rubbery, the nan bread was not cooked in a tandoor (it didn't have any crispy or charred parts), and the lentils were very watery. Maybe in Muncie, this is a great restaurant, but it is not very good and I hope people who gave this restaurant 5 stars will have the opportunity to try Indian food in a large metropolitan city (New York, LA, London). read more

My first and last order from this place. As I am newer to the area and haven't had Indian food since before our move, I looked up this restaurant and was excited to see they had my favorites. I was a little shocked at the prices, but was still willing to pay the price just to squash my cravings just this once. Strike 2 was the added automatic gratuity of 15%. For curbside pickup. On a $40 order. Now.. .I don't mind tipping and likely would have - but to be charged automatically was off-putting. I drove 30 minutes to be able to pick up some much-missed favorite dishes. The ordering process online was pretty easy, I appreciated the text communication, but the timing was off. I was told my order would be ready "after 5:50pm", so I timed my drive accordingly. About 10 minutes into my drive, I received a text saying my order was ready (strike 3). I was charged 5 star prices for 2 star service. Will head to Indy for my next craving! read more

Our Favorite Restaurant in Muncie! It is vegetarian friendly, and the kids love it! If you are tired of boring heat and serve food from a chain restaurant (Did you know Muncie has the most chain restaurants per capita in the United States? Pathetic, huh?). Oftentimes, you will find members of the Ball State Community dining there as well. Very diverse, wonderful group of diners. Additionally, this is the cleanest restaurant in town. They have good old-fashioned, proper service as well. The owner opens each bottle of wine properly, as opposed to some young kid at a chain opening the bottle before he or she even gets to the table. I have never had a bad experience with service. Give it a try! Support the local economy! Enjoy! read more

I can't believe I didn't mention the fresh, homemade naan. It's terrific - best I've ever had. We'll be back.

Great food. Inside the restaurant is clean and very appealing. Service is always good and owner constantly maintains a high standard. Food is good but very reserved. Vindaloo and requests for hot spice is not delivered because they are conservative. The dishes should be served the traditional way and not accommodated for the american palate. Prices are too high. Overall a good experience but one you only go to every now and again due to the price. A slight drop would make sure want to return more frequent. read more

This place came recommended by my bosses, who are regulars. I have had Indiana food before, but not in a restaurant setting. The decor is simple and creates an intimate atmosphere. It wasn't uncomfortably quiet or obnoxiously loud, unless you count the hipsters sitting next to us that wouldn't shut up about how spicy the food was and how much they could handle. On that note, I'm used to spicy. I can handle up to the higher numbers in Thai food (not Thai food from Thailand though because that stuff is pure lava, even if you tell them not to make it spicy), but I don't usually like to get food so hot that I can no longer taste it. At Sitara, we had three options of how hot we wanted it. I chose medium and my boyfriend chose mild. He could taste the spice in his, but he's a wuss when it comes to spice, so his opinion on the matter is unreliable. Mine was spicy, but on the level of putting a lot of black pepper on it. It made me wish I had gone hotter, but it was still really tasty nonetheless. I had gotten a salmon dish, which those come with the risk of being surprised with a fish bone in your gum, but not in this case! The food is fantastic and comes out to you very quickly. I noticed some people on here commenting on the service. I went there half expecting them to be rude to me, but they weren't. They were attentive and checked in on us. Only thing was that the lady (I assume one of the owners) would walk away real quick without saying, "be right back" or anything and it caught us off guard a couple times, since it happened mid-sentence of us saying something. We just kind of laughed about it, but some more uptight people might take offense to it. All in all, I definitely recommend trying them out. I mean, being in Muncie, there aren't a whole lot of options on ethnic food, so it's pretty much a requirement if you wish to broaden your cultural tastes. read more

Our party of two went to Sitara on a weeknight, quite early, around 545. We were seated immediately and all around us tables began to fill up. We started out by ordering naan and samosas. The samosas were very good, served crispy, hot, and served with two flavorful sauces. My companion is a vegetarian and she enjoyed her Palak, I also enjoyed my dish very much. The flavors were excellent in both dishes. The rice that was served on the side, basmati, was also very good and cooked perfectly. I really wish I could have given them four stars but the service was very slow and uncoordinated. I would recommend going very early or maybe doing takeout until they get their groove right. If you don't mind leisure maybe order some apps and naan to tide you over. You will wait, a lot, not for the food, but for refills, for bread, for the check etc. read more

I'd wanted to try Sitara for a while, and finally went with my wife and finicky 5 year-old. The meal was perfect, probably the best I've had in a restaurant in a long time. The atmosphere was really conducive to relaxing, and unlike other restaurants I've been to, the 'mood music' wasn't blaring, or competing for attention. The bread brought to the table is actually a chip, and it comes with a sweet dip (tamarind) and a savory paste (mint cilantro). They were both excellent, but the clear taste winner was the mint cilantro. It was so unusual it took my palate a few seconds to take it all in, but when it figured out what was going on, the overwhelming freshness was really special. We had the chicken saag and chicken vendaloo, and the aforementioned finicky child absolutely demolished the chicken nuggets and rice. Sitara is a wonderful break from the standard '[insert a trendy city name and/or faux foodie catchphrase] steak' entrees so prevalent in the chains now. Highly recommended, and get the spicing at least medium - take your meal up a notch. read more

My wife and I went for the lunch buffet. Still a quite small buffet, but what they had was good. I have no idea how to pronounce most of the dishes. I can't remember what the names were for most of them. I do know they "tickled my tastebuds" though. Even the vegetarian dishes were good. Get there early if you want a seat. By the time we left at 12:30, there were people waiting for a table read more

Sitara Indian Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Muncie, Indiana

I've never had what I ate before and I eat Indian food like it's my job. I even cook Indian food. I've never had basmanti taste quite like that and the potatoes in tomato sauce dish i had was divine. Service sucked but I'm not counting that as we went on Friday of their opening week. So until their service still sucks when I go back next month I'm keeping this at five stars. Went back for lunch on Monday, They aren't open Mondays. And they don't open until 5:30 for dinner. No idea what the lunch hours are. Also I think Shaun is a bit off, I regularly patronize several Indian places, most notably the ones in Little India (near Lafayette Square) Not sure why he gave it one star. Perhaps he was grumpy? Or thinks Indian food = curry. read more

My absolute FAVORITE restaurant in Muncie! Food is authentic north Indian and Nepali cuisine, delicious, and staff is attentive. Lunch buffet is all-you-can-eat, so I always leave stuffed and looking forward to coming back to my next adventure in dining! read more

I reviewed Sitara's opening in depth (check filter if interested). Back again for weekday lunch and weekend dinner WELL after opening. Great food, okay service provided they're not swamped. That bites, but worth a shot seeing as there's no convenient Muncie Indian joints within easy reach. Patience is a virtue/Waiting sucks, fair warning-- the verdict is up to you. Ask and you shall receive is my finding. They DO take dinner reservations, I say it's worth the phone call even on short notice. Here's the deal-- the food is excellent unless you're after spicy heat (during dinner, ASK). The service is genuine but EASILY overwhelmed. It's a small operation and while IT SHOULD BE BETTER, it can be unfortunately pokey... hence the suggestion for reservations and making spice/heat preferences clear to your server. Lunch buffet is small but good, Dinner menu is great if you're clear when ordering. I'm pleased to have Sitara here, but they really MUST improve their service standards. read more

One of our favorites! If your looking for something different this is your place! The tikka masala is one of our favorites. However, we just tried the Sitara Mixed Grill which is cooked in a tandoori oven and that is probably the best cooked meat we've had! The chicken and lamb were cooked perfectly and so juicy! The owner is so professional and made sure our wine glasses were full. Also, the cleanest restaurant I've ever been to. read more

A hidden gem in Muncie!! They have excellent Indian food. I hadn't been before and wanted to order take out and found out that they actually have a buffet during lunch hours!! This was awesome because you can just walk in, grab some to-go containers and fill it up as much as you can! I grabbed some rice, naan, and chicken tiki masala and once I got home it was all so delicious. I only wish they were able to change the spice level the of tiki masala cause I love mine spicy! Otherwise, this place is great and I will definitely be back! read more

I've been to Sitara twice for dinner and once for the lunch buffet. The food was sooooo good! Like others have said, there were some items on the buffet I've never tried before and they were so delicious. I don't know what my favorite was called but it had green beans and potatoes in it. I love Indian food, and my husband and I have both remarked that Sitara's dishes taste better than a lot of the Indian restaurants in Indy that we've tried. Anyway, I know that there were some problems when they first opened, but they've definitely seemed to smooth out the wrinkles. Service has been friendly and timely at dinner (though because it's a popular joint, the wait can be long if you don't call ahead) and I wish they had a better waiting area because it gets crowded in there on a busy night. When we went for lunch, the buffet was well stocked with lots of yummy things, and I never saw them run out of anything that they didn't immediately restock. I would highly recommend Sitara to anyone! It's a great change of pace from the chain restaurants in Muncie. read more

I have been to Sitara twice now. The first time was for dinner and it was their 3rd night open. They were still working out the gliches as every new restaurant must endure during the first few weeks of being open in a new market with folks who come initially out of curiosity and something NOT chain related. We did not have to wait for a table to be seated, however when we left, folks were lined up waiting for tables as the place was packed. Service was incredibly friendly and professional, replicating fine dining, but not feeling the stuffiness of being in a fine dining environment. Decor is simple and perfectly stated. You feel like you are in a different culture, but not awkwardly so. I don't recall what I got the first visit there because most of the food was fairly new to me (i tend to eat what someone says is good and don't ask questions because i enjoy the adventure of it all!) so the second time I got the Chicken Vindaloo, a tangy sauce made from garlic and dried chilies, and ordered it 'medium'. Let me just say ... when they say things are spicy, the MEAN it! Wow! It was on fire, and I love spicy food, but this was authentically Indian style spice at its finest! LOL no Americana mercies there. My friend got the Chicken Saag ... an incredible creamy spinach sauce covering boneless chicken served with rice, which we actually ended up trading dishes because I love it and it was also a medium spice, but for some reason didn't resonate as intensely as the Vindaloo did. He liked my Vindaloo better so all was well at the dining table. We had the Aloo Paratha as an appetizer which was incredible (its a traditional Indian flatbread filled with a potato mixture). The meals are not pricey per se, but it will easily cost $40 for two dinners once you include gratuity. I love this place, its refreshing to see an authentic Indian restaurant thrive in the middle of chain-restaurant overloaded Muncie. I am looking forward to going there for lunch where I can sample a variety of foods from their buffet I've heard nothing but positive remarks about from many who've 'done lunch' there. I give it two thumbs up and look forward to dining there repeatedly. read more

This is the best Indian restaurant in the Midwest. All the entrees are amazing! The restaurant runs very smoothly and orders don't take long at all. There are lots of vegetarian options. read more

They never answer their phone. Ever. I ate there once because I went in and ordered. I liked it and tried to call several times to order take out and have yet to get an answer on their side. If you can actually get them to pick up the food is pretty good. read more

Best food in Muncie! Lots of vegetarian/vegan options. People are friendly and everything

Going to keep this sweet and simple. My mother and I went in as first time customers...they were out of 4 beers that I had ordered,the server never returned after we finally decided/ordered a beer( we waited for 15mins) that wasn't 86'd ...whilst another table sat down and were greeted and waited on. Also we were the only table in there,minus one other prior to the 7top. The menu was also very lack luster, and not what I have seen in very traditional back alley Indian home cooking, it was a completely skewed mid-western version of what Indian food should/could be....and the attitude from the gentlemen at the door was rather offensive..." why are you leaving! I was bringing you you're beer!".....far too long after it had been ordered,or that we were attended too,seeing if we were ready to order. read more

I have only been once but it was a good experience. Good food & nice host & the waitress was good with the recommendations. The chicken tandoori is so good that I didn't mind waiting the 20 minutes to get some to go after the pan of it on the buffet was empty. I'm sure that was a one time thing. I got there shortly after they opened but at around 12 the place was packed. So I suggest either going early as in immediately after they open at 11am or I assume they're less busy around 2-4 just my guess but I could be wrong. read more

Sitara has been open for about a month now. They had a pretty rocky start, including some unfortunate equipment failures. So you'll see a few reviews about bad or slow service and food running out on the buffet. I've been having lunch at Sitara at least once a week. The service has improved dramatically, the buffet has been fresh and full, and they have several wonderfully spicy dishes. They rotate the items on the buffet, so I've been able to try new things every time I go. The vegetarian dishes are my favorite. Lunch Buffet Standards: Naan, pakora, chicken tandoori, chicken tikka masala Lunch Buffet Rotating Items I've Had: Mushroom saag, chana masala, chicken vindaloo, aloo gobi, chicken jalfrezi and for dessert: kheer and gajar ka halwa (delicious carrot and nut pudding), and more than I can't remember. I love spicy food! I was disappointed to find only mild items on the buffet the first week or so. But they have listened to their customers and added spicy dishes. I've read the comments on their facebook wall from people complaining now about it being too spicy, then there is the inevitable counter-comment saying "NO, it's perfect! Thank you for adding spicy dishes." So they are really trying hard to please everyone, a difficult task when it comes to spiciness. I have only been in for dinner once, with a large group. I was able to try the samosas (my favorite) and they were delicious! I ordered my favorite Indian dish, Baingan Bharta, and I ordered it very spicy. Well it was VERY spicy. I actually ordered it very spicy because I thought medium would taste more like mild to me. I think I'll go medium next time. That said, I love it that they are willing to make dishes fire engine hot! The service we received, especially for a large group, was good. Small businesses take time to get established. Give Sitara a chance to get their bearings. They don't have the resources and money that the big chain restaurants have. They need our support to get better, and they usually do. I heard awful reviews about a new Thai restaurant in town, but by the time I went a couple months after opening, I had an amazing experience. read more

I am so pleased at the positive addition Sitara makes to the Muncie food community! Those of us who have lived in Muncie for awhile have often bemoaned the lack of diverse dining options in this town, or we know people who do. Many an interesting-looking restaurant has gone out of business in Muncie "before we had a chance to try it." It seems clear to me that, in order to change this, we have to show the restaurants here who dare to step outside the chain casual-dining box that it's worth the risk, that we really do want them. How do we show them? Simply put, we eat at them! Sitara is a great place to go! Don't worry if you don't know much about Indian food. Stop in at lunchtime for the buffet and try anything that looks good (all of the dishes are clearly labeled, so you'll know what you're eating). Then, when you fall in love with it and have told everyone you know that it was the best meal you ever ate, come back for dinner and order the dishes you loved from the buffet. Don't forget to add piping-hot naan to your order! Sitara offers a beautiful ambience, nutritious, enticing cuisine, and a culinary perspective that Muncie has sorely lacked. I suggest you try it tonight! And try the anise seeds on your way out ... a surprising taste, but see if you've ever had fresher breath! read more

This was a wonderful find and a thoroughly enjoyable meal. The staff was very nice and atmosphere friendly and laid back, but just elegant enough to make it special. They have an excellent beer selection and the teas were very nice as well. The Roti was very nicely done with tasty chutneys. I had the Samosa Chaat which was spicy and great vegetable and chickpea flavors. Nice garlic naan of course as the side that was not ultra crispy (which I love) but was the thinker and chewier variety. The main entree of Palak Panner (ordered spicy) was tasty and had a nice fresh texture. The cheese too was nicely textured and the combination tasted really balanced. I recommend it very much, but you should order all dishes spicy, my guess is they normally prepare it bland for the local patrons. If you order spicy it will still be mild on the normal Indian scale. read more

I came here from out of town (California). I feel so torn between three or four stars because the food was really tasty but the service was HORRID. There was only two people waiting tables (one of which was the manager). I ordered the Chana bhature for an appetizer, chicken mahkni (butter chicken), and a side of bhatura. The first issue came when the manager started arguing with me that I couldn't order bhatura by itself...it made no sense since they make it there. Finally he gave it and out the order in. All the food was very tasty but it took them at least 10 minutes to even bring me water. Ordering took even longer. After 1.5 hours of waiting for my food in a not even busy restaurant, I asked for my food to go. It ended up spending 2 hours at this place. Overall, I'd eat here again but i wouldn't go if I was in a hurry! read more

I could not be happier that there is an Indian restaurant in Muncie! The decor is dim and simple, which is perfect because it would otherwise be cluttered with how small it is inside. They are always polite and quick to get my to-go order. I have ordered the samosas, basmati rice, channa masala and naan bread. They even accommodated my request for cilantro chutney even though I don't think it's on the menu. The reason I did not leave 5 stars is simply the price. I'd love to see a to-go menu, or a buffet offered all day for those who don't wish to dine in [nor pay the price associated with dining in]. read more

Good Indian food and the only option in town. Miss the lunch time buffet, but takeout has been awesome every time we have ordered it.

Very good butter chicken. Slightly overpriced. Service was good. Happy I went here when I was in town for business.

i love this restaurant love love love best indian restaurant i have been to best bread basket for my curry i love this place

I still like the food here ok, but PLEASE DON'T TIP! You servers don't get any of your tips. The owner keeps all of them. What a complete douche. read more

Like many parents, we come to Muncie to visit our BSU student. Over the past four years, we have made it a point to eat at Sitara whenever we are in town. Sitara is a unique, locally-owned, restaurant in Muncie! Do not let the strip mall location fool you, this is a top-notch dining experience you will not want to miss! The wait staff is efficient, kind and professional. The food is both flavorful and authentic. I LOVE the Tandoori chicken but if you can't choose, I definitely recommend the buffet as there is a great variety to choose from, If you need help deciding which sauce to try, just ask one of the wait staff and they will give you great advice! read more

Amazing service, very friendly atmosphere. The waitress was very patient & helpful with helping me picking out a dish. This was my first time to an Indian restaurant, & that being said I am some what of a picky eater. I got the chicken Marsala & it was AMAZING!!! I was overwhelmed with how good the food was here. It was more then enough to spilt a plate with my wife. We enjoy the naan bread & some appetizers. I kick myself for not being braver & coming to this restaurant sooner. This truly is a hidden gem of Muncie Restaurants. If you have friends or family visit you & your looking to change things up or need to celebrate a special event or date, I would definitely take them out here read more

The food is excellent. We had chicken madras and a vegetarian kafka. You can order mild/med/spicy... And the medium is QUITE spicy. Definitely recommend for date night or a special occasion. Prices are about ~$12-15/ person so definitely not something most people will do multiple times per week. read more

I LOVE Sitara. Their pakora is incredible (though do note that only the vegetable option is gluten free). I tend to get that to start and try something new whenever I go - I've never been disappointed. Nice atmosphere, friendly and welcoming staff, and timely service. read more

I'm kinda on the inside on this one. My wife and I went on the night before opening night. There was a limited buffet. The chutneys were great, the dishes were wonderful, but not as spicy as I would like them to be. I chalk that up to the buffet. The decor is elegant, but not so expensive looking that you feel like you should wear a tie. I need to go back on a paying visit and buy an entree to see how the service, spice and price pan out. read more

I've been here a couple times, for both a la carte & buffet. The palak paneer is good, the korma is ok, & the mushroom dish is ok as well. The gulab jamun is actually pretty good, as I normally hate those things. Still cloyingly sweet, but not as much as usual. The service is lacking a bit & the buffet is extremely limited. There were about 6 dishes total on it, half of which I can't eat as a vegetarian. The naan was also hard & in the half hour I was there, no fresh naan came out. That's not cool, since there was no vegetarian rice available, so I basically ate my palak & korma with a spoon. I'd give it 4, as they had a spicy vegetable dish available, but the buffet was disappointing, especially during lunchtime hours. read more

I had gone with my friends and unfortunately it's not a place where I would take my friends again. small and limited buffet, service was very poor we had to wait for 10 mins for getting spoons and dishes. Food was getting over quickly and it was not being refilled. Chicken curry did not have a chicken in it. over all very bad experience. I had gone with high hopes but it made me sad. read more

Really good food, vegan options, of course. The Pakora is really good, chana masala was great. The two servers were great, very attentive, friendly and super polite. I really love this place. read more

Ate during buffet, the food is bland, the setting was good, not to the standard of what I heard from friends

I went here once on a Saturday with a friend and it was OUTSTANDING!! You must try it! We arrived for lunch shortly before they opened and they let us come in. My friend goes all the time and I wanted to try it. I'd had Indian type food before but never the real deal. I opted for the buffet so I could try several things. The owner walked me through the buffet, told me what everything was, and described it to to me! He was so kind and I will never forget that experience. If you've never tried Indian food you need to come here! They seemed so happy to see us and more than willing to help you find something you'd like. read more