Royal Kitchen Indian Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Waikato

Arguably one of the best Indian restaurants I've ever had the pleasure to eat at! The food is absolutely amazing, the prices are incredibly reasonable, and the staff are friendly and very prompt.

If you love a good hot curry (like properly hot) you have to check this place out. I've now enjoyed both their butter chicken and lamb korma at what they describe as a "Kiwi hot" level, and it did not disappoint, and the flavours were still amazing, so they didn't just dump a bunch of chili or cayenne pepper in at the end to make it seem hotter (sadly an experience I've had at other places).

Their naan bread is fresh, soft, and delicious, and their lunch special of $15 for curry + rice + naan has become a favourite of mine, so much so that I eat there at least once a week.

The restaurant is clean, tidy, and nicely decorated in a traditional Indian restaurant style, which creates a lovely ambience for enjoying their exquisite food. I don't know what issue previous reviewers have had with delays, but our food has always been served to the table in under 15-20 minutes (often quicker), even when...

I am so disappointed, we came here because of the good ratings, I found the service to be nice, I got that part, but leaving that aside, the food was the worst I have had... to be more specific the currys were loaded on sugar, my butter chicken tasted like tomato soup or ketchup, I know Indian places here in NZ are used to cook this dish in a "kiwi style" but this was way out of the limits, I couldn't keep eating it so I asked them to make it less sweet, they put more cream I guess and it worked it was less sweet, it was just plane flavor, no spices or taste into it, I just finished bc I was coming hungry after a long day of hiking, My boyfriend ordered a more unusual curry, which he has had before somewhere else here in NZ, it was sweet as well, even the veggies on it were packaged frozen veggie mix. Would have preferred to spend my money in some other local...

We have tried every Indian restaurant from here to Timbuktu, and not one has ever had me craving a good curry like these guys do. The friendly greeting, which possibly is in part due to our frequent visits, is always a great start to the delight our tastebuds are about to experience. I always order lamb vindaloo, super hot. And oh, do they deliver. Rich layers of flavour, with a great level of heat, and a delicious garlic Naan to sop it up whatever is left on the plate. And for my sweetheart, chicken madras, mild to medium. Have to admit, if it weren't for my love of vindaloo, I would be seriously tempted. We have been eating at Royal for close on six years now, and the only time they have ever disappointed, us when they were closed. Ruined my whole week. So, if you get a chance, do yourself a favour, go treat...