Royal India Cuisine Restaurant — Restaurant in Reno

First time trying Indian food and Royal India Cuisine in Reno is EVERYTHING 😍

I started with the Mixed Appetizer Platter and wow!

Samosas – crispy little potato pockets that made me say “yes, more please” with every bite.

Chicken Pakora – I thought it’d be spicy… nope! Just crunchy, juicy fried chicken perfection.

Veg Pakora – my absolute favorite. Crispy, light, addictive. I kept stealing them off the platter.

Paneer Pakora – fried cheese with a tofu-like texture. Soft, slightly firm, melts in your mouth. Never had anything like it.

Aloo Tikki – crispy outside, soft inside. Pure comfort food vibes.

Then came the main course.

Butter Chicken – creamy, rich, flavorful, spice level 3 (perfect for me). Not spicy at all, which I loved.

Aloo Saag – potatoes in spinach and cream. Smooth, comforting, full of flavor.

Garlic Naan – soft, pillowy, garlicky. I didn’t even know there were so many ways to make naan but now it makes total sense.

And let’s talk drinks… the Mango Splash (mango juice, vodka, Sprite, lime) is dangerously good. Sweet, fresh, and I may have finished it too fast.

Everything on the plate was amazing. Totally approachable for a first-time Indian food eater. The staff is super friendly, the vibe is cozy and perfect for a date night or just a fun night out. Can’t wait to go back. Ask about 15% off...

Visitng Reno for a day to a work site nearby, it was time for Lunch. The Lunch Buffet experience at the Royal India visit was fantastic. I enjoy the different selections as pictured. First off, the Bmatura - this is some lite and fluffy bread, so soft but filling. I could have had that alone, but let's move on to the good stuff.

The Rice was mellow but provided a partner with the Chicken Mater which was the star of this pairing. The chicken was super tender (separated by the fork by itself) and the taste of the sauce was mild in the spice with a little of the milky tomato taste. Got a side of something with Green Beans and some potato cubes, the taste had a little more spicy flavor which danced throughout my tongue and very tolerable to partner with the other items on the plate.

Also had that Chicken Tandori. Oooou!!!! That rich red color on that Chicken is very inviting. The Tandori was very fall-off the bine tender. Delicious!!!!! To top off my Experience at this Indian food buffet was the Staff is professional, Accommodating and very prompt in service. I give an Super Official 5 Star Rating also because they provide a Veterans discount on the buffet. I...

We’ve eaten at many Indian restaurants, unfortunately we had an exceptionally poor experience last week:

1. We requested medium-heat level on all meals, and one meal was exceptionally hot and the other one had no spice at all
2. Service was slow and lousy, extremely indifferent, careless, no explanations, no smiles, just literally slammed down food and drinks (and the place was NOT busy)
3. Drinks were served drawn out over 15 minutes (not all served together as is customary)
4. Food was poor and greasy, and our so-called "tomato salad" was simply a small pile of sliced tomatoes with a larger pile of raw onions, and NO spice or dressing)
5. Seats were torture - hard benches with totally upright "back rests", no angled backs, just a vertical hard surface, like leaning into a wall
6. Total bill for 2 entrees, 1 sad tomato salad, bread and 2 drinks was about $90.00.... REALLY? We had hoped to find a new favorite Indian restaurant, but this total experience was shockingly bad. I usually don't write reviews, but I...