I stopped by Taj Caterers & Cafe because I was in extreme starvation mode, and it was the only place that seemed interesting. Actually, I was quite surprised that this restaurant existed because many businesses in this complex looked like those of the industrial sort. Also, there isn't too much foot traffic in these parts. Fortunately, this was a great find for me. It appears that this restaurant is more of a pick up and go sort of spot because I saw only two (maybe) three tables. Fortunately for me (again), there was no one else in the restaurant so I had the place all to myself. Since I was starving, I pretty much ordered the first two appetizers that I saw on the menu, which were the samosas and fish pakoras. Both items were about 20 bucks with tax and tip. While I was not blown away by the food, I thought the meal was delicious and pretty standard. - in other words, I had no complaints. Also, I thought the portions were pretty fair for the price based on my experiences at other Indian spots in the area. Overall, I thought the service was pretty prompt, and the woman who took my order was super friendly and accommodating. Although I probably would not go out of my way to have Indian food here, it's a pretty decent, low-key spot if you live/work/go to the gym in this area. Perhaps, in the near future, I will have an opportunity to try an entree or two. read more

Taj Caterers & Cafe - Samosas - a go to - Indian Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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This was my second time trying the food at Taj Caterers & Cafe. My first experience was through a catered event, and I was so impressed that I decided to try their takeout today. Though it's sad to know the original owner has passed, it's clear his legacy lives on in the delicious food and warm atmosphere. Taj Caterers is a cozy, little spot, and while it seems like most people grab takeout, the experience is always worth it. The food was flavorful, the place was clean, and the prices are fair. The people behind the counter are friendly and welcoming, which makes the experience even better. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

Taj Caterers & Cafe - Indian Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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My family has been eating at Taj Catering for years. The food is so delicious and not only is it our preferred Indian spot in the area, my parents say it is better than 2/3rds of the food they had IN India. While the ambiance of the storefront itself definitely is a hole-in-the-wall, their food massively makes up for it. Our favorite dishes are palak paneer, lamb Rogan Josh, butter chicken of course and Baigan Bharta. Not sure if my spelling is right on those but regardless absolutely recommend this place. read more

I'm often disappointed when I dine out. Not today. The tandoori chicken was splendid. Moist and tasty. Great naan bread too. There was a slight communication gap because of language but everything worked out great. read more

We recently hosted a sweet 16 birthday party and ordered food from Taj caterers. the food quality and chefs, servers were excellent. If you are looking for quality Indian food, try Taj and you will not be disappointed. read more

WOW, every week I tell myself to try something other than the Saag Paneer and I don't. Well, today I tried the Paneer Makhani and was blown away! It was delicious, the seasoning was perfect and both seasoning and sauce was a great combo. We also got the Tandoori Chicken (Half) and Navratna Korma which was very delicious as well. The wheat bread tonight was the best yet!! Love this place. read more

I was in a real bind and needed 36 samosas for a party the next evening. Taj saved the day. This was during Eid al-Adha and none of the usual places were taking big orders. Mondib, the owner, reassured me that he can have 36 samosas with plenty of tamarind and green sauce ready by 4 pm the next day. The next day as the kitchen was finishing preparation, Mondib apologized more than once for the 8 minute wait. The tray was carried and placed in my car. As I was about to head out Mondib apologized again and thanked me for using their establishment. I am definitely getting Indian cuisine from Taj! Fantastic customer service and Indian cuisine. read more

Given that the owner messaged my previous review, I figured these guy should be given a second chance. Everyone loves a redemption story. However nobody loves a constant disappointment. You beg for a second chance, you better deliver. In this case I ordered the Lamb Biryani. Again, portions aren't anything to be wowed about. You would think a catering service would possibly have excess with economies of scale. The one thing they did give me a lot of was white sauce. Why was the container of white sauce so big in relation to the biryani? Maybe cause it was bland. It wasn't terribly inedible, but totally lacking in the flavor and spices I expect from Indian food. They must have thought I had weak American taste buds. For a comparable price, just go to Biryani City for the Goat Biryani off of Boiling Brook Parkway where you can choose to have American or Indian spice levels. On top of that, Taj for some reason charged me a dollar more than their menu price. I'm not one to argue over a dollar, so I'm just knocking them a star and never going to their establishment ever again. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Update: Ravinder here removed his prior comment toward my decade old review. Now his new response completely missed the point of my complaint. Even worse though, he had his 15 year-old kid blow up my phone only for me to drop my harsh truth. The kid explains that his parents are not tech savy and that the website designer they hired had made the first comment. The kid continues to explain BitCart's processing fee. However it did not show up in the final displayed price of my order, I did not receive an email or text notice of the fee, and that it was not transparently broken out on purchase receipt. I understans it's covid time and business is tough, but don't blame your customers for your own failures. I'm aware that the raita comes with your biryani, but my review was specifically addressing the blandness of the biryani itself. My judgement of your food is based on how your establishment thinks it should be presented. You are not a Burger King and your slogan is not "Have it your way". If you want people to tell you how they want the biryani to taste, you need to offer the option ON YOUR MENU! I stand by my review that Biryani City offers a better biryani in both flavor and quantity. read more

Good food and good prices. Though they specialize in catering, individual meals from here are welcome. Stopped in and picked up some carry out. Service was quick and dishes were prepared to order. Not what would be expected in this area of small business. Worth a visit. read more

Taj Caterers & Cafe - Indian Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

One of the best Indian places I've been too... and I've been to a lot! I was getting my car worked on down the street and was looking for some lunch. While walking to the Harris Teeter,  I stumbled upon this place, and decided to wander in. I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala and some Chicken Samosa. I got Rice and Naan.  I don't eat rice, but rice eating girlfriend loved it, a few hours later. The food was delicious, portions were very generous (except the naan, just one piece). Prices were very, very, very good. 2 samosas. Chicken Tikka Masala, with rice or bread (i ended up with both for no additional charge). The only reasons this place doesn't get 5 stars is because they are heavily focused on catering more than Carry-out. But they are doing more Carry-out and their hours, which are Monday to Saturday from morning to 8:00 pm only. A great place to grab some take out, but they don't have many tables there. They only have 3 tables. I plan on picking some up on Friday afternoon for dinner. Very good!! **I have to disagree with some of the folks who are hating towards this business. If y'all are not Indian than don't come saying it doesn't have taste in it. The reviewer below me is not Indian lol, fools like them can talk on yelp but can't say a single shit in there faces cause they some scared ass nigga** read more

Listen. I love this place. I've had a lot of Indian food in my day, and prefer Taj to pretty much anywhere else in the DMV. I eat both meat and vegetables, and am always happy with the quality of the food. I noticed that someone complained about the size of the dishes. Do I also wish there were more food? Sure, SO I CAN EAT MORE. Personal favorites on the menu: whole tandoori chicken, onion kulcha, anything lamb. read more

Over the wrong side of the tracks, located in semi industrial park that really looks like a complex of storage units turned into individual businesses there lies a crown of indian food. It's definitely not what one would expect here. The principal role of the business is catering, not so much as a restaurant since there are only three small tables and a bench as you wait for your carry out and therein lies it's strength for the curry junkie. The smells of curries are overwhelming in the best way possible when you enter the doors and are awash in a sea of ball walls. So, this review is not based on the business as a caterer, but as my favorite new curry take out. Here's the run down: Vegetable Samosas (2): $2.00 Spinach and Paneer Salad: $5.95 Chicken Tikka Masala: $8.95 Lamb Vindaloo: $9.95 Two small containers of rice per main course Two sets of condiments: Cilantro, Tamarind and Raita For two people this a good amount and a good cross selection of the offerings here. And really my way to testing any Indian kitchen is there ability to make samosas, the properly moist and tender tandoori chicken and a properly spicy Vindaloo. The potato and peas samosas were delightful, the right amount of pepper and fennel seeds was just a great way to start off my meal. The salad was lacking it's namesake: Spinach, but was replaced with standard mixed greens. No, big deal. The shredded paneer on the greens made for a nice light salad. It's great use of a light cheese and having it in a salad makes it seem 'meaty' It's texture is softer with it being shredded, but using the Cilantro and Raita as a dressing for the salad gave it a wonderful lift. Chicken from the tandoor oven was moist and tender and with the tikka masala sauce. The amount of coriander and tomato to yogurt was spot on. It was creamy and still engaged my spice levels nicely. The only issue with this dish was that there could have been more chicken. Lamb Vindaloo. Now, here's my issue with most Vindaloo in our area. It's not on the menu and when it is, it is so watered down that the very idea of it being spicy is no longer a mindset. Now, i'm not talking mind searing heat like Phaal, but it should have that proper amount of heat, a little sweet and sour where you can taste the cardamon and still have that heat that makes you blow your nose at least once. I 've had some restaurants make it off menu for me and i've had some that couldn't even make it onto the scoville scale even with a ladder. But here, I found that magical mix of heat and spiciness where the chilies are married properly with the lamb and potatoes. The rice was light, flaky and moist. I know I should have gotten naan, but in my excitement, I forgot. You know how a lot of reviews will call a place a hidden gem or the best 'hole in the wall' joint that they ever did come across. This actually is one. Without it's canopy sign, it is almost indistinguishable from the other storefronts. But, when need a good lunch and have a few moments this is a great spot. The prices as you can see is incredibly reasonable and portioned well for one person. All the food is made from scratch. I'm not sure who they're scratching, but I know it was fresh. So, I would say call ahead, put your order in and pick up for lunch or your way home from work and enjoy one of the best meals. read more

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The food is excellent, the hours are inconsistent due to their catering business, and as my neighborhood Indian takeaway, Taj can do no wrong in my book. 5 stars for takeaway - I wouldn't plan on dining in since seating is sparse. read more

Taj is built around catering, but we grab lunch here sometimes anyway. Lamb Rogan Josh Shrimp Pakora Vegetable Bhajia Delicious bread, too! These folks know how to cook! read more

So I've been craving Indian food for a couple of weeks now and my fiance doesn't really like it. I've been looking for an opportunity to get my Indian food fix, and since he's still at work and it's a cold, rainy Tuesday I finally decided to give in and look for some Indian food around Rockville (North Bethesda area.) I found this place on Yelp and decided to give it a shot. I found the menu online and ordered the Chicken Korma (which came with a container of rice) and I also ordered some Onion Kulcha (really soft, warm bread reminiscent of pita with some onions baked into it.) Everything was delicious! I'm no Indian food expert yet since I've only had it one other time so far at Tiffin in College Park (also super delicious,) but from what my tastebuds tell me this is some good food! The restaurant can be a little hard to find, but it is in the little plaza across from the Charles Automotive plaza (I actually pulled into there first accidentally.) There was only one front of the house employee (cashier), but he was very nice and welcoming. This definitely seems to be more of a take-out/catering place since there are only 2 small tables that seat around 2 people each, but I would definitely try it again as a take-out destination! It hit the spot! =) read more

Taj caterers catered for my wedding reception event recently, and they did a phenomenal job. All our food was specialty 100% Jain food (without onion/garlic or other root vegetables), and Mr. Singh and his team delivered incredible food despite the restriction! Everyone praised the food. I highly recommend Taj caterers for any important event you may have, and Mr. Singh is an absolute pleasure to deal with as well. Thanks Taj Caterers!! -Pathik read more

I completely agree with the 6/12/2018 reviewer--do NOT get catering from this place if it's not for a wedding. We got catering from Taj for our condo complex's annual spring brunch party (my wife is on the social committee). The food delivery was an hour late and everyone at Taj was completely unreachable and incommunicado while we waited wondering if the food was going to show up. They said the driver got lost and couldn't find the place--which is remarkably odd because our condo complex is literally just down the road from where Taj is, another social committee member simply walked over here to try and find out what was going on when the food was late (no one was in the building when they dropped by). This whole incident was just baffling. The committee member who placed the order contacted the owner the next day to tell him what had happened and ask for a bit of a refund, the owner said "no, because we did not have a formal written contract for the event, we cannot give you any form of refund, we did our best blah blah blah"--feels like a bit of a scam. We've had other catering places be a bit late but nothing like this, and nothing where we couldn't get ahold of someone or weren't contacted to be told what was going on... one place, Cava if I recall, even gave us some very generous coupons after they were late once... what Taj did was really something else, the other places, I easily forgave and still go there for restaurant meals, what Taj did actually makes me want to warn others about them. Taj's food was certainly good, albeit nothing out of the ordinary, same quality as most Indian restaurants in the area I think, and not on the same level as my two favorites. They also substituted chicken into a lamb dish but said it was lamb, I guess they ran out of lamb. To me that's a tiny issue, nothing compared to the debacle with how late the food was combined with the fact that we couldn't get in touch with Taj to find out what was going on that whole time. However, for a as-important-as-it-gets event like a wedding, if a substitution like that happened, I'd be upset. read more

I've ordered from Taj caterers a few times for individual meals. The food is pretty good. However, if you order for large meals that are not weddings, it's hard to get them to respond or to confirm orders. I tried to place an order for an event for 30 people about 3 weeks in advance of the event, and was always told to come back or call back later because they were too busy at the time. I went to the store and got the cell phone number of the owner who gave me a specific day to call and place the order. I did as instructed, and then was told to call on another day. Again, I did as instructed. And was eventually told that they were too busy and wouldn't be able to cater the event. Their food is good but the service is completely unprofessional. I would not recommend them to anyone and will discourage people I know from using this catering company. read more

I love Indian food so as soon as I saw the sign to this store, I decided to give it a try. The first thing that you will realize when you walk into their store is that it is meant to be a catering and take out facility. So dont plan on coming over with a party of 8 for a 3 hour meal. The food itself was good but not great. My favorite Idian dish is the tikka masala tasted juat fine but it certainly was not fine dinning. Prices were reasonable. read more

Hidden off of Randolph road, down from Harris Teeter is this quiet storefront. They seem to spend the bulk of their time preparing food for catering events. They should probably stick to that. The food is exactly what you would expect from a company that caters. Large portions prepared with little attention to detail. The food itself isn't bad per se'. It just isn't that good either. The portions are small and pricey for what you walk out with. I've eaten here a few times and have traditionally stuck to the butter chicken and lamb vindaloo along with some naan. The service is lackluster and a smile or greeting is hard to come by. Plenty of much better places to get Indian such as Mem Sabib around the corner. I'll spend my money over there instead. You can keep this place. read more

The food is spicy and excellent. If you like Indian Food, this is excellent. My wife and daughter swear the food is authentic- I just think it is excellent. For carryout, of course. They do have a few tables, but this is a carry-out joint. read more

The Taj team is absolutely top notch and did an excellent job for our wedding. The food was the biggest hit at our wedding and there is such high quality and variety. I cannot say enough positive things about how amazing the food is at Taj Caterers, you will not be disappointed. We had 450 people at our wedding that lasted for 3 days, and every type of meal was excellent (Indo-Chinese, South Indian, and North Indian). We love the team and feel they are part of our family now. read more

I wanted to book this restaurant for catering but it's just impossible to talk to this guy Mr. Singh. I don't know how people deal with this guy. He has no communication skills. He's so full of himself. I think success is probably getting to his head. This restaurant is over rated and overly priced but isn't authentic. The only reason I wanted to hire them because there are no other options for north Indian food in the area. Good luck to those who wants to deal with this crap. It's better to get it delivered from Virginia. read more

Wow, Started coming here about 5 years ago, hoping to find some qaulity Indian Food. I struck GOLD!!! The staff , although sometimes hard to communicate with when placing the order, are very nice and offer great customer service. The food is seriously delicious. Butter chicken, samosas, lamb vindalo and chicken biryani are all tasty. They have an onion and pepper naan (onion kulcha) that is great for scraping up all the delicious sauces. Mint chutney and samosa sauce are on point. They are a Catering company , but have a store front that also offers dinner sized portions at very reasonable prices. Will continue to support them for years to come. read more

So clean! The kitchen is open and all stainless steel. You can see from the front counter how clean the back is. Every take-out Indian dish we have ordered here has been delicious. The garlic naan and paratha are melt in your mouth. Best Paneer Makhani (cheese chunks in tomato sauce) we've EVER had. We also love the Veg Biryani (veg and rice prepared four ways). The business feels like you place your order with a family, instead of a restaurant. We get carry-out only. Usually we call in advance then pick it up. But I've gone in afte shopping at Harris Teeter and asked them what's good today, and tried new things that way, too. While there are a couple tables if you want to eat there, in my opinion it's not really a eat-in kind of place. It's in a business park, but they put out a faded sign stand on Nebel that says Taj. They are closed on Sundays. Also, sometimes on Saturdays they are closed, I think because they are out catering. read more

I would recommend this place to anyone. It's a little hidden and in a bit of a random place, but it is definitely worth stopping by. The chicken biryani is my favorite. It goes delightfully with their garlic naan. I've never had fluffier naan. Catering is their main focus, but the takeout is still divine. I'd recommend placing an order ahead of time or stopping by to place the order before shipping at Harris Teeter (which is what I do). The staff is great. The owner is very friendly and such a sweet person! Taj Caterers- you always please me! read more

This place is great. The owner of this restaurant is TERRIFIC. This place is my go to for nights I am not up for cooking!! Definitely a 10/10! Their naan is the softest naan I have EVER put in my mouth! It is most certainly delicious. Planning on making them cater my next event, very stoked! read more

Love this place, never would have found it by myself, was referred by a friend. they have 2 small tables but we always get it carry-out.

A co-worker brought the samosas to work one day and they were amazing. I continue to get lunch and sometime even dinner. I haven't had a dish that has disappointed me. I have gotten the veggie samosas, channe masala, butter chicken, chicken tikka masala. My husband got the lamb vindaloo and didn't care for it much (he says) but he ate it all. The mango lassi is excellent too. Get price for great food. read more

Good food and great service. A hidden treasure.

Terrible. Rude service, inauthentic, and when I ordered a spinach and paneer salad, they gave me a soggy and brown iceberg salad with no paneer and some disgusting tasteless mayo dressing and charge $7 for it. Do not go here. read more

I didn't like the food at all. Chicken tikka was not cooked well. Kadhai chicken had some spices which did not blend well with each other. I will not buy from them again. read more

I liked the food and didn't like the food. The sauces were pretty good. The chicken, however, tasted to me like it had been prepared as a kebob and, after a while, was thrown in the sauce and heated through again. The meat was tough and not very tasty. It didn't taste like it had been cooked in the sauce. The vegetable dish Navratna Korma had a nice sauce but the mixed veggies are those you would find in the frozen food isle of a grocery store (cut green beans, corn, lima beans), they didn't taste freshly prepared. The prices are low and the food is ready fast. Call ahead, carry it out and eat it watching a movie at home and you've done okay, IMO. read more

great food..great taste..they even allowed me to watch while they cooked vegetarian biriyani for me..truly love this place..our friday favourite !definitely recommended.. :) read more