Rivaj Indian Cuisine — Restaurant in Buffalo Grove

Rivaj is wonderful! The hubs and I came here on a recommendation from my colleague. That is one of the many benefits of working in a multicultural team, you get to learn the best places to enjoy foods from around the globe from those who know how to qualify the really great food from the less authentic versions.

And this was some of the best Indian food we have experienced in the US.

The star of the show - Boneless Chicken Biryani. The spices were so flavorful, the chicken super tender, and the heat level was perfect. Every time I took a bite, I couldn’t help but stop and smile at the savory, balanced flavors.

Chana Masala - this is one of my favorite go-to dishes and it did not disappoint. Perfectly creamy, with a slight body still in the chickpeas (meaning not over cooked or mushy).

Chicken Hyderabadi- this was spiced so well! Enough to leave heat in your mouth, but not to overwhelm.

Garden Salad - pairs perfectly with every dish, and is dressed with some spices, herbs, and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Do not overlook this when ordering, as it really balances everything and the brightness of the red onion transforms already great food to a whole new taste.

Garlic Naan - don’t overlook this either. Their garlic naan is delicious and doesn’t feel overly heavy on the seasoning.

We can’t wait to try other dishes from Rivaj as well! Highly recommend everything we had.

Note: we didn’t ask for any specific spice level, but all the food came out perfectly spiced...

We've ordered delivery from Rivaj at least a half-dozen times and have always been delighted with the food. This was our first time eating in the restaurant.

We dined with a couple that was not very familiar with Indian cuisine and were not sure that they would like it a whole lot. Rivaj changed their opinion quickly and thoroughly! We started with Chicken Kheema Samosa and Lamb Kheema Samosa which were loved by all 4 of us. We suggested Butter Chicken and Chicken Korma for our friends, and they thought those dishes were incredible. I had Lamb Chili Masala, which was delicious, but I should have asked for it to be a bit spicier. We also ordered a Paneer Masala Dosa for the table to share and everyone thought that was a fantastic dish too. The garlic naan was fresh, hot and delicious. We finished with two shared sweets - Pistachio Kulfi and my personal favorite, Gulab Jamun. Both were big hits!

Our friends left extremely impressed with the flavors and varieties of Indian cuisine they had experienced, and vowed to return, either with or without us.

The service was also outstanding, particularly our interactions with Dinesh. The amtosphere is not all that fancy, but it is certainly a very clean and pleasant place to dine.

My wife and I returned a few weeks later and had another wonderful dinner. A few photos are attached showing our potato onion masala dosa, butter chicken, and...

Short version: Delicious food, easy ordering (Eat Streets), fast service. Long version: This was a pickup order. I first tried to order on GrubHub, since I already had an account. The restaurant opened at 5, and I started trying to place my order a couple of minutes before. It offered me the option to place a pre-order to pickup at 6, which was perfect. Went I went to place the order, it said the place wasn't accepting pre-orders (UGH!) and to choose a different time. Earliest available time was 6:30 (DOUBLE UGH!). I almost gave up, but on google maps saw the option to order through "Eat Streets" and it said "ready in 20 minutes." Thought it was probably too good to be true, but decided to try it out. Super easy to place the order, and it would be ready by 5:34 (an HOUR before the other option). When I got to the restaurant (5:55), my food was ready, the host confirmed my full name, and my food was still hot. It was still hot by the time I got home. I opened the bag to a magnificently organized feast, completely un-spillable. I was amazed. I would give 5 stars based on how they packed the bag. The food was fantastic (I knew this, since I've eaten at the restaurant a few times before). This has increased my chances of eating here more often since I now know there's an amazingly easy option to order pickup. Best...