Raj Mahal

ok, the inside of the restaurant is not fancy or modern, which might turn some off. but our meals were DELICIOUS. we were there in the heat of the summer, and the A/​C was off, but fans cooled us down. we did not wait an inordinate length of time to be served, and did I mention the food was DELICIOUS?
for those who did not like the inside of the restaurant — maybe try take-​out?

I would have loved to give 5 stars because the food is amazing, but the building needs a makeover. It’s rundown and needs a good cleaning. Thr food though is amazing so I do like to go.

Stopped in for the lunch buffet, Thursday last. The price was right. The selection on the buffet table was kinda short, heavy on the aloo, no paneer at all. Sauces were watery, short on spice. Once was enough.

Nope. Never eating here again. This restaurant is in a very run down plaza and no attention has been paid to the inside of the dining room. The ceiling tiles are all random, look like they are about to fall on your head, and seem to have been painted multiple times to hide caked on dirt. The carpet is sticky and torn. If the table didn’t have a seemingly clean tablecloth on it I would have walked right out. The food was acceptable, but nothing spectacular. The service was downright awful. It took begging and ten minutes to get water refills. Total time from ordering to food was over 40 minutes, which is insane for a restaurant with 3 tables seated. There are several other local choices for indian food. Every single one of them is better in every regard. This place is a dump. If the kitchen is as clean as the dining room I am surprised I did not get sick.

I want to give three stars because the place looks like it could use a deep clean and a little updating but I have to give four because the food was so good!
Our waiter brought us water right away. No ice in the water, what’s up with that? He also didn’t ask if we wanted anything other than water to drink.
We ordered the mixed naan plate. It came with eight half piece of naan. Some were plain with herbs and garlic. Some were stuffed with potatoes and peas and herbs. They were all yummy.
For my entrée, I forget what it’s called but it’s chicken in a cashew sauce with golden raisins and spices. It was so good! I loved it! Honestly, I could care less about the chicken part. The sauce was just wonderful! I put it over the rice and scooped it up with pieces of naan and it was so delicious. You know when you’re a kid and your mom makes some kind of meat in some kind of sauce and ladles it over rice and it’s warm and comforting? It was just like that. It’s like a hug for your stomach.
Overall, pretty good experience. I’m not sure the prices match the quality of the food. My bill alone came to $ 17 before tip.

My family have always been fans of Indian food, but have struggled to find an authentic Indian location in NE Ohio ever since moving here from Europe. This place however is as good as it gets! The servers are very knowledgable of the full menu, which is large, and are great at explaining and suggesting options. Our food was served in a timely manner and every bite had flavor and was delicious. I had the matar paneer, my favorite Indian dish, and this was possibly the best version I have had. I can not forget to praise them on the Naan breads as well. As any lover of Indian food will know, you can not have an Indian meal with out treating your self to a naan, and at this location, I had to treat my self to TWO because they were that delicious.
I highly recommend this spot if you want authentic Indian food. The location and outside can be misleading, but trust me, the food is top notch.

I’ve eaten at Raj Mahal multiple times over the years and it is absolutely my favorite restaurant. The buffet is a great price and you really get your moneys worth. The staff are so nice and one of the waiters is hilarious. For dinner/​carry out I try and get something different each time cause there’s so many choices, but my favorite meal is chicken makhani, rice and naan. Definitely gonna get some more food soon!

The worst food experience in our life. We just ordered chicken masala and chicken korma, lamb beryani. All of them were so bad to the point we couldn’t eat it more than one spoon. The kitchen is so gross. We been told from the manager that she knew we are gonna complain about the food. What kind of a manger is that. Telling us «we don’t a drama here, just pay and leave» wow that was the rudest female I ever met. Really don’t waste your time giving them a try. Worse Indian Resturant.

Was really happy when I found Raj Mahal some years ago — can’t feel at home without a go-​to Indian place. And IIRC it used to be pretty good. Or at least I think I liked it the first time I went. Then the second time, the lamb was chewy. Then tried the buffet, and it seemed ok, but the next time I had it was disappointed. Is there a pattern emerging here…
Perhaps the fairest way to put this is that RM seems to be consistently inconsistent over the years. I don’t know if they’ve changed up their kitchen staff, or is they have a new owner or what — but it’s definitely NOT a go-​to Indian place for me. There have been times that I’ve gone and been pleased with the meals I’ve shared with friends and family — but unfortunately I’ve had just as many mediocre meals here than good ones. And the buffet is generally disappointing, as many others have said here.
So, you know, if you’re really dying for Indian, and you’re in the area, and it’s open, I guess you could try it. Because, you know, it’s here. Just don’t have too high expectations, and you’ll be fine. And you might catch them on a good cooking night and think I’m nuts — good luck with it!

This place is gross! Just one look at the dirty restrooms will make not want to eat there. If they let public restrooms get this gross I can only image how gross it is where you can’t see !

I love to come in during their buffet hours and eat plate after plate if the chicken masala on rice. It’s a little hole in the wall place, the atmosphere may be a little off point for some people, but it’s one if my favorite places to make an early trip out to.
I definitely recommend trying to go in during the buffet hours for your first time. The price is cheaper and you can get a taste for what you like and don’t like.

I am unable to determine if the current name is «taste of india» or if that is the previous name — both signs are shining together.
On the odd chance that the waitress heard my 4 year old daughter farting almost continuously the entire time we were here, the service is explainable. We had to wait an unusual amount of time for our appetizer and drinks which followed it. I kind of felt like they were avoiding the dining room or maybe could see from afar that I was suffocating.
The food was overly greasy, as though the fryer were running at half the required temperature, just like the dining room (61ish degrees. Kelvin.). It was good though. The veg biryani that my wife invariably orders all 250 times we have gotten Indian food was rather unique — totally lacking any cardamom, no smoky or spicy seasoning we have come to expect. It was more of a sweet and spicy recipe that had a great deal of large squash and mushrooms, kind of like a hibachi biryani. I preferred this recipe, wife preferred the other 249 varieties.
I ordered my eggplant «hot and spicy». I believe they took this to be an arithmetic sum, and did both hot… and spicy. Typically I wait until after my meal comes back out to write about it, as it gives me time to reflect and refine my opinion. However in this case I may not survive to tell the story, so I am writing it in the parking lot along with my will.
For the money, I was less than satisfied, but not disappointed. Will probably not return.

Good food. Good service. It wasn’t busy on a Saturday night, which is a little concerning. More people should check it out. I would definitely go back.

Serviceable Indian food. There is a better one a little south called Bombay Sitar, but not a bad option when in a pinch

We discovered this little Indian restaurant back in early 2013 when my sister-​in-​law moved into Northwest Akron.
We have only eaten there for dinner (no buffet meals), and have made it somewhat of a regular place we visit once a month. Have tried the vegetarian Samosas, the buttery-​garlic Naan, the Shrimp Jalfrezi, the sizzling chicken dishes and a few others. All have been delicious. My brother-in-law’s mother is quite well-​travelled, and when she came in from out of town, we took her to Raj Mahal for dinner. She enjoyed the food immensely and now makes a point to visit it everytime she is in town.
Dinnertime has never been crowded, so we have gotten seated right away. I’ve tried Saffron Patch (in the valley) and Café Tandoor in Cleveland Heights, but I keep coming back to Raj Mahal to satisfy my cravings for Indian food.
Don’t let the outside appearance scare you off. It’s an authentic little ethnic restaurant and the food is delicious! As of September 2014, they had cleaned up the place with a fresh coat of paint, new menus and nice tablecloths.

Don’t let the condition of the building (interior and exterior) scare you away. This place is FANTASTIC! The food is amazing and their weekend buffet is incredibly good with lots of vegetarian options.
Sure, the place could use a deep cleaning and a few ceiling tiles could use replacing, but it’s no different than that crappy little hole in the wall dive bar that you go to.
Raj Mahal has a certain type of charm that not everyone appreciates, I get that. Service had always been warm and friendly, food is excellent, and prices are super good!

Really like this place was concerned with the mixed reviews. clean white tablecloths lovely lunch buffet for only 799 six different vegetarian offerings and four meat offerings was very very good

Ok, so this is an updated review of the Raj Mahal. If you’re interested in my older, more detailed review (I know you’re not), it is here:
Anyway, I’ll keep this brief. I used to love the crap out of Raj Mahal. A few years ago, my friend and would get takeout or dine in quite often. After my friend moved away about a year ago, I didn’t go there very often. Sometime over the past year, they’ve noticeably gone down in quality. I’ve eaten there three times over the past year, most recently just a week ago. My friend was actually in town and we decided to go. Well, he confirmed what I suspected the last couple times I had gone there; it’s just not the same anymore. We got the kadai chicken per usual, and it tasted like it was seasoned from a box, which didn’t always seem to be the case. The price at Raj Mahal is still pretty good, since it’s pretty inexpensive. The food isn’t bad, it’s just not nearly as good as it used to be. If you want cheap Indian food, Raj Mahal is a fine choice. If you want really tasty Indian food, maybe look elsewhere.
Oh, but they’re still BYOB, so that gets bonus points.
Overall ³⁄₅

With no menu to be found online I decided to just call and ask for some more general indian food as well as whatever they recommended to go with it. Fifteen minutes, she told me.
Fifteen minute was perfect. I was hungry and some indian food sounded great. She put me down for Chicken Masala (with jeera rice) and Naan. Later I would find out for the great price of about $ 13.
Upon arrival, maybe 10 or 15 minutes later, I realized the entire place was empty. Now I am scratching my head «why!!!» as the food was delicious! Perhaps just not enough people in the area like indian food.
Now I have a paper menu and perhaps I can be more daring than just Chicken Masala.

I love Indian food, and this place is the best. Skip the expensive place close by this is the real deal.
I have had a variety of things off the menu here, and been for the lunch buffet. Everything has always been excellent. It is a small place and seems to be family run, the wait staff isn;t professionals but they are always good and attentive. My one complaint would be that I think they take their spice levels down a little too much for my taste. I think like a lot of other ethnic food places they are afraid of making it too hot for us Americans who seem to love bland food. Not me, BRING THE HEAT!