Masala Express is easily my #1 Indian spot in Merced…read more I ordered the chicken tikka masala and man... this was next level. Super tender chicken and the sauce was rich, creamy, and packed with flavor perfectly spiced without being too heavy. With the fluffy rice and warm naan it was one of those meals you don't want to end. What really makes this place stand out though is the service. The owner is always there super welcoming and constantly checking in to make sure you're taken care of. You can tell he takes pride in the food and the experience. Great food top-tier service this place doesn't miss.

This is the fourth Indian buffet. I have eaten at here in Merced. This one was the best. Something…read moreweird though, they had fried chicken and no tandoori chicken. I would like to suggest labels on the trays. I enjoyed the naan and Chai.

Fantastic food and an excellent value for families. My favorite Indian buffet in the Central…read moreValley. Very kind staff and nonstop refills on naan and water.

WHY WE WENT HERE: - dinner…read more THE LOOK (FROM THE OUTSIDE): - located on Park Ave; closest cross street is College Green Dr THE LOOK (FROM THE INSIDE): - blue booth seating - restroom could use work in the cleanliness, but had the essentials (toilet paper, toilet seat cover, soap, paper towels) THE MENU: - appetizers (veg) - appetizers (non veg) we serve Halal meat - tandoori delights (vegetarian dry) - tandoori delights (non veg) we serve Halal meat - vegetarian delicious (served with basmati rice) - non vegetarian delicious - non vegetarian delicious (sea food) - rice and biryani - royal special wrap - Indian bread - raitha - Panjabi salad - desserts - drinks WHAT WE ORDERED: - complimentary bread and sauce - 59. lamb coconut milk curry - 61. goat karahi - 86. veggie kulcha THE TASTE: - complimentary bread and sauce - friend liked it; I didn't; it's more of a chip and dip - 59. lamb coconut milk curry; good! friend liked it more than me - 61. goat karahi; great! I liked this more than my friend - 86. veggie kulcha; good! went well with the curry and karahi we ordered; a nice carb alternative other than the basmati rice CUSTOMER SERVICE: - warm - welcoming - informative - attentive but not overbearing

This place is AMAZING! My favorite samosas in town, they're super flavorful and the sauces they…read morecome with is so good. Lets talk about their fish fry. My wife is extremely picky when it comes to her food, so for her to love this fish fry, it speaks volumes of their food. Their fish fry is full of great flavor. Their rice and naan are always on point! Seriously give this place a try!

Good burger Will recommend…read moreWill try their other items for sure when they are back from their vacation Though they are on vacation until 27th Feb 2025

Went with my family to eat Indian food because we've been craving it, we usually go to Masala…read moreexpress because it's closer but wow the food here was so much different in flavor. Especially the butter chicken and chicken tikka masala, if you're in Merced I'd definitely recommend this place. The staff was very kind and respectful to me and my family. Even though it doesn't matter the restaurant had beautiful cultural art and nice wall displays. If you're in Merced I'd recommend this place. Turmeric has won me as a life long customer.

The food was amazing and so was their service. the owner was very respectful and welcoming and the…read moreservers were very nice and heartwarming. It was a good stop as we were on our way back from Yosemite and it was worth the drive and stop. the atmosphere was very homelike and also welcoming. overall this restaurant is very good and I love it

Amazing food!! Amazing staff!!…read more Rana sir is the sweetest person and has the kindest heart!! Must visit!!

Typical Dhaba style food on I-5 . Discover authentic dhaba style food like Butter chicken and Tawa…read moreroti . No complaints it was good available at a convenient location near the exit . Just the chicken Biryani which we had was too oily . So next time it will be either the saag paneer or the butter chicken with the rotis.

The appetizer we tasted were Chilli Chicken, Gobhi Manchurian and fish pakora. The quality was…read moreexcellent and felt like home made. Staff was friendly and seem well organized. Ambience is great and place is clean. For dinner daal makhani, garlic naan and chilli fish were extremely delicious. Highly recommended.

Awesome and amazing food and sweets. Must visit for awesome chili chicken, seekh kabab, butter…read morechicken and veggie noodles

Got appetizers for my work team! The food was incredible! Best Samosas, chicken pakoras, and veggie…read moresamosas I have had! The dipping sauces were so good as well. The stuffed veggie bread was also very good! 10 out of 10 I recommend! The spice and flavors are incredible!

Great food, sat inside they were very nice and attentive. Prices are great and food was all good…read moreand very flavorful. Have had for take out before and is also just as great.

They make the very BEST homemade samosas and Indian donuts! Two wonderful sauces come with the…read moresamosa. The only place I go to stock up on samosas and tahini. Great prices and food. Thank you!

I called ahead for my lunch order but when I arrived I still had to wait 15 minutes. The food is…read moreactually really good but the portion is smaller than I was hoping. It's inside a grocery store. Parking is easy. Easy to find. They gave me a plate and spoons too. Very nice workers. I'll give them a second chance for sure. I'll call them 30 minutes before I go pick it up.

We live in Oakland and meet a friend who lives in Merced for lunch a couple of times a year. We…read morelook for interesting restaurants that are roughly halfway between Merced and Oakland, and decided to try this one. My husband had Goat Curry, I had Saag Paneer, and our friend had Chicken Tikka Masala. We also had garlic Naan, and it was the best I've ever had. The food was excellent, and so was the service. I would definitely go here regularly if we lived closer.

Really good food, went today with my grandparents for a treat of the Indian buffet. I tried…read moredifferent curries, butter chicken etc. My favorite is the shahi paneer, it's very good. We also got garlic naan, it's a bit crunchy for me compared to soft naan but it was good.

My boss and I were craving Indian food, so we decided to try a spot we found right off the freeway…read more When we walked in, the place was empty, which gave it a bit of a strange vibe--especially for 1 PM. We went ahead and ordered anyway. While waiting, I started reading other reviews mentioning long wait times, but surprisingly, our food came out pretty quickly. Not only that, it was absolutely delicious. That definitely made up for the empty atmosphere. Don't let a quiet dining room discourage you--this place proves the food can more than make up for it.

Placed an order for a lunch prior going out to a graduation. We were informed it would be ready in…read moreabout 30minutes, we gave them about 45min and when we arrived the food was still not ready. We proceeded to wait in the empty lobby just awkwardly while they worker did his best to look busy. We waited an additional 30 minutes with not even an apology or acknowledgement of the fact that the food was not ready even though we were given an estimated time. Mind it, the whole place was so empty! The passive aggressive sign telling them to not even think about using their phone while working in full view of customers was also a bit of a turn off. As for the food, I am pretty sure one of the items that we were served was NOT what we ordered. I have no idea what it was but based on the color and smell, it was not it. It was a weird fuchsia color curry and definitely not tikka masala. We ordered the tandori chicken supreme pizza. Props for being unique and having plenty of ingredients but unfortunately the dough of the pizza just was super dry. Really bad first impression, we wouldnt come back just based off of that.