Taj Mahal
| Address: | 2080 Bennet Ave, Lancaster, PA 17601, USA |
| Phone: | +1 717-295-1434 |
| Site: | tajlancaster.com |
| Rating: | 4.2 |
| Working: | 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 12–3PM 12–3PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 8
A
A Private User
Over the past 10 years, we have eaten at the Taj roughly 6-8 times a year - by all means one of the best Indian restaurants on the east coast. The food and service are fantastic - they are masters in using the tandoori ovens. I am originally from PA but lived in Nairobi for many years working for the UN - Nairobi has a huge Indian population and some of the best Indian restaurants anywhere. The Taj Mahal in Lancaster could easily compete against the best Nairobi offered. In addition, the kitchen is extremely clean! We were there one night with some out of town guests and they had never seen a tandoori oven and we asked the owner if he would take us back to see one of theirs....he took us back at 9:00pm after a busy night...seriously, we were amazed - this place was shockingly clean (even after a busy night). Is the service fast? No. Anyone who knows anything about Tandoori ovens knows it takes time to cook the food. If you want fast food then go elsewhere. If you want a meal that is fresh and flavorful then check this place out. And make sure to order their breads - hot, steamy, and baked fresh to order.
JO
John Schafer
We were in the mood for Indian food, and tried one of our favorite spots to go, but they were full for the evening, so we googled alternatives and found Taj Mahal. Glad we did because the food was very, very good. We tried 2 appetizer sampler plates, one vegetarian & one w/ tandoori meats. We had 3 dinners, one saag, one curry, and one vindaloo. Everything that we had was delicious. Never having been to India, I cannot tell if it is authentic or not, but we all enjoyed it very much. The food is great here, and the service was very good as well. So they rate very highly for the 2 most important things for a restaurant - food quality & service. As to the 3rd area that I look for, the ambiance is mediocre, in my opinion. They did have a sitar player, which added something to the ambiance, but the its pretty much a strip mall type restaurant. If I wanted a nice romantic spot, this would not be the place. But for a family dinner, it works fine. Their pricing is higher than most every other Indian restaurant that Ive been, but as a back-up option, it works.
AN
Anwesha G
Ive traveled near and far in search of good Indian food along the American east coast and this place nails it. Ive never met the chef but every time Im here I make sure I have their staff convey my appreciation for the effort taken by the chef and his staff. From what I understand, everything is made on demand which is a good thing because you know that your food is prepared fresh. It takes a while to have your food at the table so make sure that you order appetizers and main course at the same time. My recommendation would be the sizzling kabab platter and lamb biriyani (spice level not more than 6). You might find this priced a bit higher than expectation but the quality makes up for it. I dont mind paying a few bucks extra for quality food made fresh for you. Its worth it. Staff is always really polite and courteous. Service is never disappointing. They have an amazing Sitar artist who performs on Saturdays. Overall a really warm and welcoming place. If you want quality Indian food please give this place a try, you will not be disappointed!
AL
Alex
This is a great establishment that is just off the main road (Route 741). My wife and I always comment the instant we park the car and get out that the aroma is just drawing us in. Personally, I am absolutely enamoured by their Crab Malabar, but on most trips there, Ill get the buffet. My wife LOVES their chicken or shrimp vindaloo. What I want to emphasize here is their staff is excellent and furthermore on several occasions we were greeted by the owner (who I recognized from the newspaper articles on the wall) and I find that to be a classy touch. He checks in with all the guests and all I ever see are smiles in return from the other guests. Try their saag and chicken tikka masala. Looking for a good lunch? Do the buffet! Its a GREAT way to get a good, healthy lunch that can be as quick or casual as you want. Bottom line: Well managed, well staffed, and there are some truly skilled chefs in the kitchen. Pricing is outstanding for the high quality meals that are rendered.
GA
Gale Hess
Scrumptious dishes with enough different and interesting spices and preparations to be very good, but with some dishes available with less spicy qualities, if you need that (just say you want your food "0/10" hot, not at all hot). They can do hot pretty well, "8, 9, or 10" will all get you looking for ice. Friendly and clean, courteous. Fair prices! Taj clearly bests the local competition who in my experience, leave labels on and dont clean chafing dishes, (and food inspection shows insect infestations), etc. Looks like the 1 star reviews are from Indians, so maybe the reason Taj is #1 in Central PA is because they found the balance between adventure and main stream and dont make all their dishes super spicy. Lunch buffet is well done, $10.29 plus tip is the best thing going. Also recmnd: El Pueblito for Mexican food; Addisu for Indian; JJJ for American.
KE
Ken Krawchuk
My wife and I discovered this place back in 2001, and were back here as often as our travel schedule permits (we live near Philadelphia). We agree with the other reviewer who called it the best Indian on the east coast. Using lamb vindaloo as only one example, the lamb is excellent and not fatty, and the vindaloo is spicy and rich with flavor. Weve never had any problems with the service (except once--the waiter accidentally dropped the big tray with our dinners, but they kept us occupied with complimentary beers until they brought out the replacement meals). We highly, highly recommend the place. Its a shame its a hundred miles away, or wed be here a lot more often.
A
A Private User
I love indian food, so when I moved from Dallas, TX to Lancaster, PA, I was happy to try out different places. I LOVE the Taj! The food is perfect ( I do not eat at buffets, so I refer only to menu items), the service is superior (we love ohm), and the price is well matched to the "you get what you pay for" philosophy - its not cheap - but neither is the taste or the atmosphere/service! It isnt over priced either, though you should spend a few bucks to get an appetizer unless youre not really all that hungry b/c the wait for entrees is LOOOOONG!
SH
Shreemangal Sethi
The Un-Indian restraunt Taj Mahal - Everything seems to be Indian except for the food. The Tava Khada Masala Sabzi was without the Masala (had Broccoli - not used in Indian Cuisine at all :( ), the Dal Makhni without Tadka (without spices), the Laccha Paratha without Laccha and Veg Biriyani had Edamame another thing never used in Indian Cuisine. The only thing worth eating was the Kulfi which we wanted to order the 2nd time but that too was over. Will never ever go again nor recommend to anyone who wants to experience authentic Indian cuisine.
