Golden Swan Indian Cuisine — Restaurant in Falmouth

Most of the restaurants at cape cod closes by around 8 PM and we were stuck with only a few options in Falmouth at 9 PM on a weekend. We did a take away order for a group and after waiting for 1 hour and 45 mins we were given two well sealed large brown Walmart paper bags.

During the wait, I encountered two instances where the guests exchanged heated arguments with the owner and little did we know that it was regarding the quality of the food. The restaurant in charge quickly came and told us that it was regarding a tip that guests refused to pay. Another instance, I saw a group of 4 people yelling and walking out but didn't know what happened. I noticed they had left a lot of food on the table and to this the in charge told that they made a wrong order. The restaurant in-charge was very convincing and polite with the talking.

As soon as I was handed the bill, I noticed that the prices were different from the Menu, and average of $2 higher on every dish. The in charge told that the prices changed recently and the menu was not updated. Wow! we should have been informed of this! After 105 mins of wait, no one would want to argue on that.

Little did we know that we were about to witness two more shocks! When we opened the boxes back home, we got to see that we were fooled with the quantity and to top it, the food was Awful! These guys will put Indians and Indian cuisines to shame.

Peas pulav with tender chicken pieces is called a Chicken Biryani here. Tandoori chicken was not fully cooked. Butter chicken was out of the world and tasted like grease with the same sized tender chicken used in Biryani Chicken tikka had 4 pieces of chicken, thankfully bigger in size served with equally sized potatoes and capsicum ( maybe to fill the parcel) Channa masala had the same taste as butter chicken masala since they used the same base for both. I would have been happy had I ordered channa butter masala instead.

I need to mention that the butter Nans that came without butter and rotis were the only two food which looked and tasted familiar.

A single roti was $15. A Biryani (call it a quarter Biryani) costed $18 Full Tandoori chicken costed $30 with just 4 pieces and again served with large onion pieces, potatoes and capsicum.

I noticed that they didn't print the bill, but just wrote it down manually, else I would have attached it here. Only the final amount was printed on the printed slip. Well, I leave it to the IRS to figure that out.

We spend close to $240 for the food but the price can never ever be compared to the food - way too much money!

In conclusion the whole experience...

Coming back from Martha's Vineyard by ferry in the evening to Falmouth, me and my family (with a kid) decided to have some snacks and Indian tea. Luckily we googled and found an Indian restaurant - Golden Swan close by in Falmouth itself. When we reached there and got seated, the attendant/waiter came to take our order and we ordered some Samosas and Tea for everyone. What happened next had been never experienced by me; the waiter went inside the kitchen and came back saying that if you are just ordering snacks and tea and not any main course then we cannot occupy the table and asked us to just take the items as take away. Later after discussion with him, he again went inside the kitchen, this time to bring a lady along with him who seemed to be one of the owners there. The lady was also adamant on the same and asked us to leave the table so that they can seat other guests who have come for a complete meal. (To be honest, there were no other guests waiting in line nor was it a rush time). Later to avoid any more arguments and wasting more time, we left the table and asked them to provide us the order as take away. But we were still very unsatisfied with the service and the behaviour of the hosts there. Further when I was waiting near the cash counter to collect the order, I asked the waiter (who attended us the first time), can I sit near the bar chair to wait for my order – to increase my agony and frustration the person said I will go inside and check (as if he does not have the courtesy or authority to even allow me to sit and wait). The story does not end here as when I order arrived and when I asked for my check, the waiter started noting down the items with a pen on a plain piece of paper (unofficial receipt). I have never received a manual check from any restaurant and that too he added a tax to it (even though it was not an official computerized copy). The restaurant name and other details were also not mentioned on the piece of paper (I have even clicked a picture of the manual bill which they might be giving to all their customers I suppose). Is that even legal in the US? Worst experience ever in an Indian restaurant in the US which was supposed to be a “Fine Dining...

6/30/23 let me edit my review - which I thought was a very honest and not too bad review. Thx Golden Swan for your response which is laughable & I honestly am not going to read it. If you took the length of time to clean as you did writing your rebuttal to this review, your restaurant would be clean, that broken glass would be fixed, & your sticky floor washed. Let’s face it your restaurant hasn’t changed in years, neither has your service or lack there of. It’s ok - we will just do without your food. And you have lost another customer who has been with you & looked past this for a few years.

This family is sitting on a goldmine. They have prime retail in downtown Falmouth. They have what looks like a fully stocked bar that could bring them in thousands $$. We used to eat inside pre-COVID. The service was meh and the cleanliness was meh. Yet they do not realize what they have! Their food is very good. I’m British and was basically weaned on Indian food. It’s hot it’s tasty it’s spicy it’s great. BUT if you were not aware of how good the food is you would walk in and immediately turn around. It’s dirty, it’s dark, there is a door to the kitchen with broken glass in it. I found my take out order on the bar with other orders. I waited for someone and I waited. I said helloooo a lady sitting on her phone told me to wait. I waited and then called again.. so she called from her phone lol she called them while she was sitting a few feet away! Nothing! Finally a girl came out to talk to her I said excuse me can I pay for my order it’s going cold. She had no idea of the prices! So many people I am sure could help market, update website & menu, they need to learn how to CLEAN - such a shame they could be making a killing because their food is good!! We had chicken tikka masala naan veggie samosas - it fed 2 people comfortably $36. Nice and spicy liked we asked for. Come on get a loan or something - renovate - update menu - learn how to be restaurateurs / customer service - and you are on the map!! Be careful because you are not a “hole in the wall” awesome place. The health dept will shut you down and it will be such a shame!!! Because your...