Banjara At Manekchowk - Scrumptious Flavors of India — Restaurant in Virginia

I decided to try Banjara for the catering order for my daughter’s first birthday after talking to a few other restaurants in the area. The owner, Atul Khanna, went out of his way to accommodate our requests, and provided helpful suggestions on his own which helped us tremendously. Since our menu requests were a little unusual, he introduced us to one of his chefs (Gaurav) for confidence.

We requested for several items that were not in the restaurant menu. This included items like Aampora Sherbat, Galuati Kabab, Salmon tikka, Soya chaap, Pineapple Rabri to name a few. Gaurav was confident though, and the restaurant arranged for a tasting lunch for us. We were also arranging a few items from a different place specializing in Bengali cuisine. Gaurav provided options during the tasting to judge which items would be more suitable to the overall palate. For example, even though we had initially opted for paneer achari tikka, we switched to afghani tikka after tasting both (we were not expecting to be offered Afghani tikka)- which really helped us finalize our menu.

On the D-day the food arrived on time and Banjara left the hot boxes so that the food remained warm. After the food was delivered I realized that I missed getting the serving spoons (I was supposed to arrange this). Since my guests were already present I called the restaurant in panic. Banjara team arrived within 10 minutes a second time with the spoons, and Gaurav himself came to ensure everything was in place. Food was amazing, price was reasonable, but the staff behavior was priceless. The rare blend of American professionalism and Indian hospitality left a very pleasant taste in the mouth. Thank...

I visited Banjara, flavors of India in Ashburn for their Saturday buffet, and unfortunately, my experience was quite underwhelming. The restaurant was packed, but the food did not live up to my expectations.

The shikari chicken, which could have been great, was served cold, and the biriyani was one of the blandest I have tasted in a while. Most of the chicken dishes had many broken bones, which was a safety hazard. Although the other items were decent, there was nothing that really stood out.

What frustrated me the most was the interruption in the middle of our meal by someone who came to our table with a wireless payment processing device to take the bill. Not only did we find it disruptive, but it made us uneasy as we prefer to have an itemized bill before making any payments. It's not like we were trying to run out without paying, and it would have been more professional to handle the payment either before or after we finished eating.

Furthermore, the all-you-can-eat buffet price wasn't disclosed beforehand, and it wasn't until the payment processing device was presented that we found out it was $53, which is quite steep for the selection of only 18 items, including salads and desserts.

Overall, my experience at Banjara, flavors of India was not great, and I don't think I will be going back. I would rate this restaurant a 2.5 out of 5 stars.

If you're looking for a good Indian restaurant in Ashburn, I would recommend trying out some other options before settling on this one.

I hope this review is helpful to those looking for a dining experience...

Title: Disappointing Experience at Banjara

I recently visited Banjara with high hopes of enjoying authentic Indian cuisine, but unfortunately, my experience left much to be desired. From the moment I walked in, I was met with a palpable sense of disdain from the staff.

The atmosphere of the restaurant was overshadowed by the rude behavior of both the waiters and managers. Their attitude was dismissive and condescending, as if they were doing me a favor by allowing me to dine there.

When I asked questions about the menu, the waiter responded with impatience, barely giving me a chance to finish my sentences. It felt like he was annoyed by my presence and couldn't be bothered to assist me.

As the meal progressed, the lack of hospitality became even more evident. The manager, who should have been ensuring a pleasant dining experience, was openly arguing with one of the waiters in front of customers. Their unprofessional behavior was shocking and completely unacceptable.

To make matters worse, the food itself was mediocre at best. It lacked the vibrant flavors and authenticity that I expected from an Indian restaurant. It seemed like they were cutting corners and prioritizing speed over quality.

Overall, my visit to banjara was a disappointing one. The combination of poor service, rude staff, and mediocre food made for a thoroughly unpleasant dining experience. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for genuine Indian cuisine served...