ROYAL OAK MASALA — Restaurant in Royal Oak

It’s unfortunate that we had to leave early and we were unable to fully get the dine in experience. We came in at 8:30pm and greeted with warm welcome. But that took a turn. Being it our first time at that specific Indian restaurant, we were curious asking questions about the food before we decide which one wanted to eat- the lady failed to understand our questions but gave us some suggestions which we took into consideration. We were finally ready to order and had one finally question about two different lamb sauces (as they had almost 7 types) but were met with (snarky tone) snarky replies like “chicken tastes like chicken”, “lamb taste like lamb”, “this is thick”, “this is thin”… the lady was obviously upset and was projecting this attitude towards my man (making him feel dumb) which was unacceptable and so we left and went to one of our favorite take away Indian spots called Pink Garlic with better services. I'm extremely disappointed with the service I received, which raises concerns about the restaurant's ability to accommodate individuals with diverse needs. As someone who works with people on the autism spectrum, those with sensory sensitivities, non-verbal individuals, and those with significant hearing disabilities, I worry about the level of care they would receive. If the service was inadequate for me, how can I trust that they would provide suitable support for those who require extra assistance? I do hope that we would be able to receive better service...

Had dinner at Royal Oak Masala on Royal Oak Michigan. It was such a wonderful and pleasant experience! The restaurant wasn't too crowded when my party arrived around 7 pm, but more and more patrons began rolling in a little later as we were leaving. I am so glad that it was slow, because the head chef took time to come over to our table to strike up a conversation and enlightened us on India, their culture, the importance of certain foods, and just some fun facts! We ordered the butter chicken, chicken Tikka Biryani, and a dish they call chicken 65 and plenty of garlic and plain Nan, which I guess you could compare it to flat bread or pita! The food was amazingly delicious, fresh tasting, and you could really tell it was cooked with pride. The chef even sent over a dish to be had with the bread! It was so good. The Nan is one of their most dangerous dishes, and you could get into a world of trouble if you are a carb fan like I am! It's by far not a very large place, but it makes up for that by offering some the best Indian food and just a really great atmosphere. It's definitely a gem of a place, among the downtown Royal Oak hustle and bustle that goes on up and down main street. Can't say enough about how great this establishment was. Go see...

Great new Indian restaurant added to the lackluster Royal Oak dining scene; much needed!

Clean inside and nice ambience. Service was outstanding!

Food:

Meat App: Chef Mix Platter: 4/5. Great portion for the price. Only downfall is there is a fried jalapeno which if you are not good with spice will burn your mouth. The server gave me some yogurt and it helped.

Chicken Tikka Masala: 4.75/5: Excellent quality and the sauce was delicious. Large portion for the price. It was a little more sweet than other Chicken Tikka Masala's, however was a welcome change. Ordered mild.

Lamb Biryani: 4.75/5: Large portion for the price and can even take home for a second meal. Lamb was tender and delicious. Rice was perfectly cooked. Ordered mild.

Naan: 5/5: Perfect, buttery naan. Great compliment to the Biryani/Tikka

Overall great experience. One thing I do not agree with is the philosophy of a credit card surcharge. Please be aware Royal Oak Masala charges you 3.5% of the overall bill to use your credit card.

Nonetheless, I would still come back for the great food...