Shikara Restaurant — Restaurant in Downers Grove

Arrogant manager !!

I like this restaurant, well, used to..and used to go there as often as I can. Last Tuesday I went there with my wife and parents and my 7 month old for buffet lunch. It was pretty empty, just one other couple besides us when we entered. We waited at the door to be seated. A waiter, he said his name is Rocky, like I'll believe...and who claimed to be the manager was taking an order over the phone and we can hear his conversation all the way to the other side of that big dining room when another waiter got us seated. We took the food which wasn't fresh specially the appetizers. When I was on my way to grab the main course, Rocky came up to me and says bowls are to be used for sambhars and desserts only. I was shocked. I wouldn't expect that from a restaurant of that level. I had taken few chutneys in different bowls as I don't liked my food and chutneys mixed on my plate. I didn't say anything when he said it but I heard him saying that to another waiter in Hindi in the kitchen that he told me not to use bowls. I told him that was wrong and the customers must be allowed to use the bowls as they please and since it's buffet and they are serving themselves you should not restrict the use of bowls. I also mentioned that if you do not want people to use bowls for anything else but sambhar then you should mention it in the buffet area, but I still think it's wrong. He argued with me saying that bowls run short. I got another shock. Really??? You are running a restaurant and you don't have enough bowls?? Aren't you the manager, Rocky? Get some freaking bowls, if you don't have enough. It's like don't sit on the chairs we don't have enough in the restaurant. I told him this is not good customer service. First he restricts the use of bowls and then he argued for it. I had promised him a bad review and he said he'd reply. I thought the matter ended and we finished our lunch. He comes back to the table and starts telling me he says that to everybody bowls are meant for just sambhars and desserts. He arronganlty asked if I wrote the review yet, and asked me to go ahead and write he doesn't care. I said wow, really first you say something thats uncalled for and then you arrogantly challenge me to write a review. Nice job as a manager in hospitality business. He judged me saying an Indian will always look at the negative part. The Americans never argued for this. I had to reply, if you judge me for this then look at the hospitality of any American restaurants how they treat their customers and speak to them. They are not this loud on phones and they definitely do not restrict the use of bowls and they are so soft spoken to their customers. I'm not there to teach him how to run the business but this entire incident shouldn't have happened. If you get enough of such reviews it won't take long before all your stars are gone on Yelp and Google. He then apologized, said sorry and left, but also left a sour lunch experience for...

One of the best restaurants for relishing authentic Indian food in the western sub-urbs of Chicago.

I went alone as part of my usual Friday routine to feel the taste of Indian food and finally got a taste of one, a famous one though, in the location.

I had a plate of aloo tikki chana chaat and a glass of mango lassi.

Aloo tikki chana chaat tasted obviously like the usual American-Indian fusion with less or no spices on it but the chutney (sweet red and sour green) added some extra Indian magic to it.

Mango lassi was a bit less thick as expected in its consistency. But the good part is it wasn’t so sweet like that served in most of the similar grade restaurants in the downtown Chicago area.

Although I had visited there alone, Mr. Arnold, my server, gave me company by talking to me about life and his journey in the hotel management field. It felt great to talk with someone from your own country and learning about their struggles to make a better living and upgrade their lives in the United States.

Mr. Arnold gracefully served me two little samosas from the buffet menu as a token of respect.

This made me think what value & role does the ‘costumer relation’ play while setting up a business. Although, this may be a gesture to attract value to a business but I foresee his socialising skills as part of having a great business acumen and wish him all the best for his future.

I also took a look at their co-venture, the “Aashiyana Banquets” where one can organise bday parties, big Indian marriages and other...

Shikara Restaurant is a fantastic Indian restaurant that I highly recommend. I recently ordered takeout from them and was blown away by their delicious butter chicken dish, which I would give a solid 5 out of 5 rating. The chicken was incredibly tender and the sauce was perfectly balanced, with just the right amount of spice and creaminess.

While the butter chicken was the standout dish, I also tried a few other items on the menu, which I would give a 5 out of 5 rating. The flavors were still great, but didn't quite reach the same level of perfection as the butter chicken. That being said, I still enjoyed everything I tried and appreciated the variety of options on the menu.

One thing that really stood out to me about Shikara Restaurant was their pricing. For the quality of the food, I expected to pay a lot more, but was pleasantly surprised by how reasonable their prices were. This makes it a great option for those who want to enjoy delicious Indian food without breaking the bank.

Overall, I highly recommend Shikara Restaurant for anyone who loves Indian food or is looking to try it for the first time. Their butter chicken alone is worth the visit, and their other dishes are also great. With affordable prices and convenient takeout options, this restaurant is definitely worth checking out. I give it a solid 5 out...