We've been coming to Taj Cafe for a while, and yet, I have been hesitant to write a review, because our story together begins with a slightly strange experience. Lately though, they expanded their menu, and holy moly, I had to write this review. They might have changed ownership too? Not sure, but something is definitely different. Generally, the food has always been good, but yesterday, our socks were knocked off by the tastiness of our meal here. First off: They now have deep fried momo's. And holy cow. We've had their steamed momo's which are good, but these deep fried ones are everything you want them to be. Crunchy on the outside and the chicken on the inside has a curry spice to it. It was a little on the salty side, but it didn't deter too much. The curry dipping sauce is also incredible. We also had a baigan bartha (eggplant) and chicken korma - both were way excellent! I feel like they really up'd the game. The chicken korma was so flavorful, even more so than before. I hadn't gotten the baigan bartha from here in a long time, but it was pretty awesome. Likely, they up'd the butter and cream... that's usually how it goes. But I dunno... maybe not just that, there's more complexity to the food. Anyhow, it was amazing. The service here is a little toned down, but not bad. You get the feeling that the workers / owners are pretty new here to the US... which takes me to the strange experience I had early on... On our 2nd time there, we asked for glasses of water, and what they brought out was incredibly hot water in water glasses. It was boiling hot. My husband asked if they could cool bring us cold water, and they were not super happy about that request, but they tried to do it. They came back with less hot water, but still warm. It was weird. You're eating spicy indian food, you want some cold water to cool you down. Anyhow, not sure if there was something going on with their water system, or what. But they were not very communicative, which makes me think perhaps they are new to the US. No judgement - coming from an Asian American myself. Anyhow, nothing weird like that happened afterwards, (they give you cold water) but I do sometimes deter from coming here because it's slightly hole-in-the-wall-ish. The lights are dim, making it feel a bit dingy. I hate to say it but as I get older, I just am less excited about hole-in-the-wall places, even though I loved them when I was younger. Now, I just want to eat in a nice enviornment. Either way, the food is great, and also not too expensive. So, we will continue to come. How can we not get those fried momo's!!! read more

This was my first time at Taj Cafe and it is relatively new. We went during the down time and it was not busy. The server was very nice but seemed a little shy. Not a bad thing. I ordered a CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA and Naan bread. The restaurant was clean and well lit. The meal came out quickly as was hot. The Tikka Masala looked like a small portion, but ended up with lots of chicken and was very tasty. The Naan bread was enormous. I mean it was a lot! I only used about a 1/4 or 1/3 to sop up the yummy sauce. Everything was good. I ended up taking the rest of the Naan bread home and enjoyed it re-heated. Nice place with a casual atmosphere. read more

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First time visiting Taj Cafe and I will definitely return! I noticed the restaurant only a month ago and I was looking forward to trying a new Indian restaurant. It's tucked away in a little shopping strip off of Piner Rd. You'll find plenty of parking as they have a private parking lot. My partner and I ordered pick up, so we had previously browsed their menu and called in our order. They have an extensive menu, tons of vegetarian options to a tandoori list. You'll find chicken, lamb, goat, and seafood, even chowmein and some soups! We wanted to go big so we ordered samosa, momos, veggie pakora, paalak paneer, tandoori chicken, kadhai mushrooms, and cheese and garlic naan. We arrived a little earlier than our quoted time (30mins). We were in and out of there in 5 minutes while we waited for them to pack up our food and check us out. We got home and started our feast. The momos and pakora were very flavorful! The samosa were a big hit, they had a really nice spice to them which we enjoyed! My partner loved the tandoori chicken. The naans and rice were cooked to perfection. The kadhai mushroom was a new dish for us and we loved it! The only thing that was slightlyyyy lacking was the paalak paneer, the flavors weren't 100% there. Perhaps it was just an off batch with how great everything else was. Overall, food was too notch and prices were average. I'll definitely be back to try some other dishes! read more

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I've got two words for you: Mango Lassi! This place is great, but I loved their mango lassi, it was so delicious I had to have two! LOL! The staff was friendly and professional and the food is great. My favorite is the Butter Chicken, I'll admit, I go with the mild. I also really like their coconut chicken. As a starter you definitely need to try some of their samosas, they're very good and well spiced. They also have great naan, my two favorite are the garlic naan and the cheese naan. My wife and I enjoy going to the restaurant and enjoying our meal there. The ambiance is chill, the staff is always super friendly. But we occasionally also order through the food delivery app when we've got to have our fix of Indian cuisine. If you're looking for a good Indian spot, Taj Cafe is the place to go! read more

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Lunch special for $16.99. Chicken Tikka Masala--nice flavor. Mild was spicy enough for me. Veggie Pakora had a little kick as well and it was crunchy and good. Naan was delicious. Great bargain for lunch. read more

Taj Cafe - Chicken Tikka Masala lunch special - Indian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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Taj Cafe is brand new in town with their grand opening a few days ago on May 1st. The menu is extensive with all your Indian favorites from appetizers, vegetarian specialties, chicken, lamb, seafood, tandoor, noodles, rice, naan & desserts. There is something for everyone's taste buds including choosing your spice level (5 levels) so you can get your perfect taste! We went with level 2 mild to medium and it was perfect for us. We started with the veggie momo 's which was oh-so-fresh! Soft wrapper held chopped up veggies inside with the delicious dipping sauce! It was a bit of a wait for these fresh momo 's to come out but trust me, its worth the wait! Next up was the chicken tandoori on the sizzling platter right out the oven! Steaming & full of flavor inside & out! Lastly, all the curries came out with the garlic naan and rice. We ordered the shrimp masala, veggie korma, and chicken tikka masala. These dishes have spice, rich and vibrant with flavors! All dishes are served family style. They also have lunch specials going on for $12.99. With DoorDash, grubhub & ubereats, it's easy to get a taste of Taj Cafe! Keep it up! read more

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Our fiat time trying this new Indian restaurant. In a little strip mall close to our home. It was previously a Chinese restaurant. The owner was there and said they have not yet had a grand opening, that they had opened a month prior. The interior is improved quite a bit from the previous decor, gone is the slimy fish tank, replaced by updated booths and tables. The owner indicated he had previously owned the Cumin restaurant on the other side of town by the Flamingo, which we really enjoyed. We went with the a meat special, I got chicken tikka masala and my wife got the shrimp masala, I got the medium spice, she got the mild to medium spice. Both were very delicious, but agreed the medium spice would have been good for both dishes, additionally the special came with basmati rice and a tandoori chicken ( which is really a 3rd entree. The basmati rice was different than what I am used to, but I believe they have the regular basmati. Additionally we went with plain naan. The tikka masala was delicious with the perfect amount of spice and I would definitely come back for that. The owner was very friendly;y and provided a lot of answers to our questions. Nice to have an Indian restaurant on our side of town. read more

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Had a good lunch here. Food was great and the service was excellent! Can't wait for next time read more

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My car mechanic is on Piner so I decided to have lunch nearby and chose Taj because I love Indian/Nepalese food and the Yelp reviews were very good. I ordered enough to have leftovers to share with my wonderful mechanic and my dog sitter. Everything was delicious and the portions were very generous. The owner is a delightful and welcoming host clearly struggling to survive in a dicey economy. I encourage anyone in the area give Taj a try. It's fairly new and in an easily overlooked little strip mall, with no foot traffic, close to Marlowe. read more

Wonderful food! We got the pakora, lamb biryani, and chicken saag. Their rice was well cooked and separated and everything had great flavor. The owner was so nice too! Would come back for sure! read more

Taj Cafe - Lamb Biryani - Indian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Yummy! Lamb Saag and Garlic Naan was delicious! The cashier was very nice! Must try again!

Great food big portions shocked that no one was in there need to support them Great flavor read more

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I thought they were pretty good. I mean I live off piner so I like convenience but they're closed now so looks like there's going to be a ramen/ Hawaiian grill type place in there read more

Fresh and authentic!!! They did it once again! Everything cooked to order nice and hot! So tasty! This is a hidden GEM! Top 3 restaurants in Rose town! Food & service! read more

Taj Cafe - Indian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Service is excellent. Food taste is wonderful. Naan are very tasty and soft Def recommend this place. read more

We had lunch here last week. The server was very attentive. The food was excellent especially the goat korma and the parathas. The Nepalese ice beer was very refreshing. Will definitely be back read more

Great service and even better food! Incredible flavor on everything we ordered and everything was so fresh and yummy.

the chicken saag was really good. They gave us hot chilli sauce to add which allowed us to spice things perfectly.

This place serves delicious Indian and Nepalese cuisine! They have lots of vegetarian options and can make vegan dishes on request. The service is excellent as well! read more

The quality and taste dropped off a cliff. Eaten here many times before and what we got tonight as a take out order was not just a fluke it was polar opposite from anything we've had there before. The chicken Tikka has no seasoning and was pure white with just a few grill marks, the veggies were raw and not cooked, btw the veggies were a few raw onions, carrots and cucumbers the chicken saag was bland chicken in a tomato sauce with a few pieces of spinach, the Tikka paneer tasted like nothing I've had before, zero flavor, the naan just tasted like white bread. Im really bummed because we loved this place but it's obvious every menu item changed and the recipes must have been purchased from temu. Will never return here again. read more

So our usual spot has really been in decline , so we took a chance on a new place and wow, are we satisfied ! Great place on Piner...interior was simple and clean. Nothing fancy . The service was very pleasant and super attentive ...always welcome. The food was great...momos and the sauce were most excellent ! The tikka and korma was fantastic ...great naan as well. Can't wait to head back for round 2! read more

Have gotten food here several times. Food tastes good but their service is slow and indifferent. Picked up an order to go yesterday and after waiting ten minutes they put a bag on the counter in front of me without saying "Thank you for ordering" or "Sorry you had to wait". The order was complete and tasted good but, as I said, service isn't their strong point. read more

excellent service, very nice family that is running the restaurant. Very very good, they make a very thin nSan that is excellent! all the dishes were very good, specifically the tandoori chicken, chicken tikka masala and all the veggie dishes. read more

best in the county and arguably in the north bay and beyond. (period) authentic and flavors on point. read more

Impressed with my initial visit. Food was delicious, the portions generous and prices were reasonable. Will definitely visit again.

We decidedly to try this place for my Mom's 75th and we're so we glad we did!! Soooo delicious!! We ordered samosas, chicken vindaloo, tikka masala and naan. Everything was delectable! We couldn't stop! The naan was so perfect! Like no other Naan I've had before, I cannot explain it, you just have to try it. My only complaint would be that it wasn't very spicy for medium, but the flavor made up for it. Very friendly staff, very clean, delicious food! Will definitely go back!! Must try!! read more

We ordered coconut chicken and Sag Paneer- delicious!! Definitely deserves a repeat visit! With gracious service, don't miss this place! read more

Best tikka Massala. They are closed on Mondays. Friendly. Bit of a language barrier for telephone orders. Prompt and courteous.

Food was delicious, service was very good. Owner is very friendly. Definitely worth a try.

Horrible customer service! They basically ignored me even though I was the only one there. Asked if I could have more water at the end and got nothing. As for the food, it was meh. Samosas were dry. I won't return due to server rudeness. read more

Very friendly staff and the food was amazing. The butter chicken, garlic naan and samosas

Love this place. Excellent food, not too hot, but deliciously perfect. Great service fast, friendly, and attentive. You can tell they like their job. This cafe has a good vib. Prices were reasonable and atmosphere pleasant. I will eat there again soon. read more

I started coming here shortly after they opened. It was wonderful. Great fresh flavorful food. About 2 months ago the staff changed which is fine and understandable but the orders came to the table wrong. So I went back and back and every time something else was wrong. Today was it. We ordered and they didn't have what we wanted (strange). So we ordered a lunch special. Veggie pakoras and 2 drinks. It was 1 of the worst lunches I have ever had. The pakoras are now totally different, they were smashed like a pancake, no flavor, extremely salty and tastes as if it were frozen prior. The chicken tikka masala was also different. The sauce didn't have any flavor and the chicken was so chewy it was inedible. The naan was soggy not freshly cooked as it was before. There was absolutely not 1 other patron there, it was totally empty. I will miss the place as it was before but we are done. We have given it enough try's. read more

What a nice surprise! We visited Taj Cafe on a whim after seeing it here on yelp. We're very picky about Indian Food (my husband is from Goa) and the food here was excellent. We ordered the meat lovers platter with butter chicken and chicken saag and added prawn vindaloo, our platter came with samosas, a tandoori appetizer platter, and gulab jamun for dessert. Each dish was flavorful, well spiced, and nicely balanced. The service was warm, friendly, and attentive. We will definitely come back again. So glad to have a great new Indian option in Santa Rosa. read more

Very friendly service. Clean. Food was delicious. Ordered take out chicken tikka masala, daal makhani, and baigan bharta. Yummy.

This is the best hole in the wall mom and pop type restaurant!! The interior seating is perfectly lovely and spacious. But let's get to the food! Holy crap, hearty and flavorful without all the pretentious stuff! We ordered lunch specials that came with basmati rice, naan, and pakoras! All for $16.99! Service was friendly and kind. Please come try their food and help out this family and feed your belly some delicious food while you're at it! read more

Great food. If you are looking for really good Indian food in Santa Rosa give this one a try. Great portions and very well made.

This restaurant did not disappoint me, the taste went above my expectations so flavorful different level of spice according to your taste, the serving is huge too for a good price you won't regret, the server and staff's was so friendly and help us with the food we ordered read more

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I love good Butter chicken [chicken makhani] and sadly Delhi belly in Sonoma changed chefs. Taj has great butter chicken, excellent Naan. I am looking forward to trying other dishes. Highly recommended! read more

I'm a big fan of Indian food and this food is top teir very delicious!!! I will be back with my friends and family I'm glad it is so close to my home. read more