Taj Indian Cuisine — Restaurant in South Portland

Taj Indian Cuisine in South Portland, ME, is a gem and a James Beard Award finalist—and trust me, it deserves all the hype! From the moment I walked in, I knew I was in for a treat.

For appetizers, we started with their samosas filled with potatoes and peas—classic and crispy perfection. But the true star was the pani puri 😍. If you haven’t tried it before, it’s a crispy hollow dough ball stuffed with potatoes, onions, and mint sauce. The flavors hit you all at once in the best way possible—it’s like an explosion in your mouth! Fun fact: pani puri is a popular Indian street food that originated in northern India and has made its way across the globe because of its irresistible crunch and burst of flavor.

Next up, we tried the chicken tikka tacos—such an innovative twist on a classic! I loved how customizable it was with different sauces to suit your mood. We also shared a dosa, which was HUGE! Perfect for sharing, and the flavors were on point. You can’t visit an Indian spot without indulging in some naan and curry, right? The garlic naan was so soft and chewy (filled with sooo much garlic), and the chicken tikka masala was creamy with the perfect blend of spices. My favorite, though, was the saag paneer—this one was extra creamy, and it just melted in your mouth!

We almost tried the biryani rice with chicken. There is a taj special biryani rice only available on Fridays but unfortunately, we missed it (sold out! so get there before it does!). However, I’m definitely coming back to try it next time! Every single bite was a 10/10. From the garlic naan to the chicken tikka tacos to the samosas, it was all chef's kiss 🤤.

The ambiance of Taj Indian Cuisine is fantastic too—perfect for a date night or just a cozy meal with family. It sets the right mood with its warm and inviting vibe. The only thing I’d say is that I gave it an 8/10 for ambiance, just because it was a bit busy when we visited.

In terms of affordability, it was a pleasant surprise. Having grown up with Indian restaurant prices in Massachusetts, where a chicken tikka masala costs around $20-$25, I was happy to see Taj’s prices were much more reasonable—our chicken tikka masala was only $16! Definitely an 8/10 for affordability!

I can’t wait to return to Taj next time I'm in Portland. If you love flavorful, creative Indian cuisine, don’t miss...

21April2025

We ordered dosa, fried rice, and biryani unfortunately, all three were disappointing. The fried rice, in particular, was terrible: it was basically plain rice mixed with tomato curry and battered chicken pieces. It tasted nothing like authentic fried rice. When I brought this up to the server, they offered to replace it but ended up bringing a completely different dish (we ordered chicken 65 but the server gave me chilli chicken which was extremely spicy) and still charged us for it, even though it was supposed to be complimentary as mentioned by server.

Overall, I would not recommend this restaurant. It seems like they’re relying heavily on tourists and foreigners who may not be familiar with the authentic taste of Indian food. Sadly, they’re surviving on that misconception rather than actual quality. Previously I visited this place and at that point it was good but this time it changed completely food quality.

Congratulations Taj on your growth curves which plummeted from 5 star to 1 star..

Replying to your comment - I never asked for full credit and you only mentioned above that I didn’t agree to give back the biryanis. Just coz I ate few spoons, I didn’t wanted you guys to wave that money.. anyway that’s not how you treat your customers.

Oct 2024: I have given 5 star I recently dined at a restaurant in the Taj, and it was an exceptional experience from start to finish. The interiors are beautifully designed, creating an elegant and inviting ambiance that enhances the entire dining experience. The ambiance managed to strike a perfect balance between lively energy and a calm, relaxing atmosphere. It was a truly refreshing experience, allowing me to fully savor each moment and every dish. Every dish we tried was outstanding, showcasing flavors that were both innovative and authentic. I was particularly impressed with the level of cleanliness, even in the restrooms, which were immaculate—a detail often overlooked in busy restaurants. This place exceeded all my expectations, and I highly recommend it for anyone seeking an exquisite dining experience.

Thank you Team for providing a great...

We have moved back to Maine and have been looking for an Indian Restaurant which we can come back to again and again. We tried Taj last night, arriving on a Saturday at 6:45pm. The restaurant was busy but there were still a few empty spots and we were seated right away. We ordered the pakora and masala dosa appetizers, unfortunately dosas were not available so we ordered double the pakoras. That was too bad because we love dosas and this appears to be the only restaurant in the area which offers them. Time to start making at home. 30 minutes passed and we asked if our pakoras were on the way and were told they would be right out. A little while later they arrived. Two plates of mostly batter small pieces with some onion inside and a very bland tamarind sauce. We ate with enthusiasm because we were hungry but they were the least interesting pakoras we have had. We have bought frozen pakoras at an Indian grocery and heated at home which had far more spinach, flavor, body and interest. The sauce was okay but I would have liked mint sauce or some other options. Again, frozen mint chutney we have bought was more interesting than the tamarind which was the most bland tamarind we have ever had. At least 30 minutes passed again and dinner arrived. The star of the show was the garlic naan, it was a five-star naan. Our meals we both ordered "medium" were the Lamb Vindal which, admittedly we didn't know what it was and neither did Google, we assumed it was a typo for Lamb Vindaloo, was not very flavorful or hot. My eggplant dish which was labeled as a Chef Signature dish was also sadly simple. Indian cooking's signature is complex flavors from a blend of spices. We didn't feel either dish held up in terms of complex flavors, and they were also not very spicey but the lack of flavor was the real problem for us. My eggplant had some notes of bitterness which is also a shame. The mango lassi wasn't very tangy or flavorful, mostly just sweet. Our search continues, although we might give one last try at their lunch buffet when we can sample more options and arrive with low...