Blue Royal — Restaurant in Medford

This is really good Indian food in Medford. So healthy! Spicy! Yummy!

When they first opened Blue Royal, after the only good Indian restaurant (in this same spot) disappeared, I had really high hopes... because I really like the food at Taj in Ashland, and the owner is sister of those who run that restaurant. But when they opened they had some terrible cooks who didn't know what they were doing, food took forever to come out, deliveries were a mess. And that happened for a while. Months. Food wasn't great.

It took me a long time to come back, and my expectations were low. But now? I'm excited. I've come back for that lunch buffet many times, and it's often really, really good. I'm going back again soon. Indian lunch buffets are the healthiest way to stuff your face full of exotic flavors and not regret it. Loads of spice combos, curry, tandoori, and my favorite, the mint cilantro sauce (which is like a salsa, but exquisitely delicious and makes everything good). But the food has to be done right. I've had Indian food done wrong, or even just slightly off, and it's upsetting. But they've got almost everything right now, and even some surprises. Subtle things, like tasty hidden chicken in the spinach dish (Saag). No complaints.

I don't want to oversell it... your mileage may vary... but in Medford, we've been hurting for that good, good Indian flavor profile. Especially with a buffet...

I ordered takeout from this restaurant, hoping for a comforting meal, but unfortunately, it was a disaster. I ordered the Saag Paneer and chai tea. The Saag Paneer was incredibly disappointing—there was so much butter separated and resting on top of the curry that I could literally scoop it out with a spoon. Instead of the creamy, green, and flavorful dish I expected, it was clumpy, flavorless, and had an unappetizing tar-like color.

To make matters worse, the chai tea was only filled halfway in the cup. As an avid chai drinker, I can confidently say it was terrible. I ended up tossing both the food and the tea, as they were simply not worth eating.

When I called to address the issue, the person on the phone said he “didn’t know what to tell me” and offered two options: reorder the Saag Paneer (where I would have to pay for another meal and get two for the price of one) or come in to discuss the issue. Since I didn't have my car at the time, which is why I opted for delivery in the first place, going in was not an option. And I certainly wasn’t about to pay for another order of this disappointing meal.

Overall, I’m incredibly disappointed. My dinner was ruined, and the response I received from the restaurant only made the situation worse. I won’t be ordering...

We frequently visit this restaurant, not because of the amazing food or service, but for the fact that there isn’t any other South Asian restaurant in the Medford area. The food is mostly below average, and even though their menu shows a good number of options, in most cases, you will end up getting similar curry, booked with similar spices.

The service has been disappointing, except for Glenn, who always goes above and beyond. The other tall Indian server is extremely rude and arrogant. He tends to yell at the customers and has no customer skills. He lacks basic manners and is too arrogant to accept his mistake when he messes up someone’s order. His behavior seems to be worse towards people of color, which makes the whole situation even worse.

For this very reason, I’d avoid going to this business. They definitely need to teach their staff how to greet and engage with their customers, who are keeping them in the business. After more than one horrible experience, I would avoid them until they rectify their...