I only gave them one star because that is thw worst rtating I could give. This used to be a great place. The food I got today was horrible. I ordered the chicken vindaloo and what I got was some watery tastless broth with over cooked chicken. If you like indian food stay away from here.
(1)
Dan S.
The food is like gangbusters. Best Indian cuisine that I've ever had. I shared the dinner for two. It was $30, but was easily enough food for 3 or possibly even 4. It was enough for both of us, plus I had two meals out of the leftovers. It came with soup, naan, some deep fried lentil balls, tandoori chicken, lamb kabobs, and two specialty chicken and lamb dishes with spicy Indian sauces. All of it was great. The lamb kabobs were a little dry, but when dipped in the yogurt sauce it was fine. Everything else was just great. I think the other criticisms of bad service are accurate. The service was very slow and the waiter communicated mostly with loud grunts, but I don't really care when the food is this good. Also free parking in the lot behind the restaurant. It is assigned though, so make sure you are in a spot owned by Jewel of India. They serve beer and wine.
(5)
David S.
Really good vegan selection on the menu. Be aware that when you request spicy, you will get SPICY! The food was great, but I will say they need to hire more than just one server who handles everything. She did very well with about 6-10 people in the restaurant, but she was running herself ragged trying to take all of our orders.
(4)
Anika C.
I'm not gonna lie I was literally waiting to go try this restaurant the moment I laid eyes on it. Took my bff/roommate. Firstly walked in at 6:30, prime dinner time. Not only was there lack of ambience but the staff was borderline awkward at best. There were only 2 other tables and the service was still painfully slow. To make matters a little more annoying I ordered kashmiri roga josh -- I'd feed bigger portions to my pet. The meat was well seasoned but nothing special. And the rice portion was appalling. Then when you want some more they have the nerve to charge you $1 per refill. I asked for a lassi and never got one since the server thought I wouldn't want it after I ate. Well guess what I did and when she asked if I still wanted my drink AFTER my meal I canceled simply cos I didn't wanna wait there a minute longer. I asked for water never got that either. Tbh if the food is good I don't care that much about service. But this meal was faaaar overpriced, didn't taste that great, slow service, and if I do ever go back it would be for the buffet. Disappointed would be an understatement.
(1)
Tim R.
The drinks and an appetizer came after the entrees. The rice was under cooked and the waitress was not friendly. It was not great dining experience. The garlic naan was not great. The entrees were not stellar.
(1)
Chris H.
I am reviewing for food delivered via Restaurant Connection, which arrived at my home in the North Loop in about 45 minutes. The food was good but nothing spectacular. I ordered the garlic naan and the mixed grill that included Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Tikka, Seekh Kabab, Boti Kabab and Prawn Kabab. The naan was good but a little dry and not overly garlic-y. The mixed grill was also tasty and came with rice but was dry. The chicken dishes were hard to distinguish and there was only one shrimp--semi-cold and limp, which no one really wants. Am I right, or am I right? There was enough meat and rice to feed two people for sure. Meh, I'm really underwhemled BUT it was delivery so I wasn't expecting to be overly impressed.
(3)
Lance A.
We called in a take out order and the guy wouldn't give us the total over the phone. We knew what we wanted from looking at the menu a few days prior, but haven't ever eaten there. We show up and it's $53 for two people that's extreme for Indian food. If we knew the total, we would have asked how many servings out of an order. We did once we saw the bill and found out what we ordered feeds 4-5 people. The food was maybe 2.5 stars and the dining room was one of the worst.
(2)
Ilsa T.
I'm sorry, but wow. It really is as bad as everyone has said. It was our first time and we ignored the low Yelp rating and lowered our expectations accordingly. The food was OK, but I've never really had terrible Indian food, you know? It's hard to screw up rice and warm chicken Vindaloo. Fine, but definitely forgettable. The service however was unforgettable (in a bad way). I'll save all the little things like being sat at a dirty table in the empty restaurant and our server's strangely abrasive table-side manner that opened with her jokingly telling me my dinner date was cheating on me. Super weird and uncomfortable at worst, slow and absent at best. The final straw of whether or not to add to the Yelp noise came when the charge went through on my credit card today. Our server had upcharged us on literally every item we had (think charging us for lamb when we got chicken, garlic naan when we had regular naan, the $7 glass of wine instead of the $5, etc.). Not noticing this at first, I pointed this out to her after my card had already been run, and she promised to fix it when she closed out the bill (I assumed by taking it out of her tip since she didn't take my card back to re-run). Not shockingly, I was charged the full, incorrect amount. There's too many other, better options nearby. Not worth it.
(1)
James F.
I came here one night about two weeks ago and there was literally no one else in the restaurant. The portions were terribly small, poor service, and sub-par food. I love Indian food, but this place is not worth it. Even our server was complaining about how slow it was that day. I don't want to hear about your problems when I'm eating, and you need to do something about it. Terrible. Do NOT recommend.
(1)
Julia P.
1 star is not enough to express how unhappy I am with my experience. The meaning of "customer service" seems to have been misplaced here. I went with a friend at 5pm on a Monday. I understand that it's not the most popular time to eat but there was no naan and no lamb dishes at all (1/3 of the menu really...). When my friend tried to order a vegetarian dish, that's when we found out the kitchen also was out of that. The waitress proceeded to very impatiently and rapidly point out the list of vegetarian dishes not available. She was very pushy about one specific dish and particularly unhappy when my friend did not order it. The food was very average but we ate thinking we'd quickly leave after. We split the bill (another thing the waitress expressed her unhappiness about) and when our separate checks arrived, the amount was calculated wrong. The waitress was very snappy, extremely rude, and utterly horrible "explaining" the calculations to us as if we were incomprehensible children. Well unfortunately for her, we were right even though she tried to push us to pay more. When a restaurant treats their customers the way we were treated, I don't expect to be back.
(1)
Rebecca R.
Best Indian Food in the city!!! I've been here before and the food was good. We came here again and they have a new chef and his food is BOSS! Two thumbs way up! It is our favorite dinner spot!
(5)
Brandon K.
Jewel of India does not deserve a single star. I walked into the restaurant a little after opening time, only to find no one inside. I was really craving some chicken tikka, so I poked around and found the waitress, who was quick to let me know that they were closed. I inquired as to the hours, and she informed me that they were opening late on this particular Wednesday. However, when I tried to leave, she seemed shocked. "I've got somewhere to be" I explained. "No no," she said, "we can serve you. It just depends on what you want." I decided to try my luck. I ordered the tikka masala, ans she became exited. "Yes! I can make that! The problem is that our cook hasn't arrived." and then she scurried back into the kitchen. Uh oh. My food came to me, and I choked it down as the waitress and cook explained to me how terrible it was working at the joint. I wanted to sympathize, but I was also having an awful dining experience. Once I'd slurped up the last bit of my curry and asked for a check, I was given another surprise. Their credit card machine was broken. I had no cash. So, against my better judgement, I had her take down my number. Nothing bad came of this, but it's no way to run a business. Stay away.
(1)
Dick O.
Good food. Fine service. We had plenty of food. The taste was great. The spice level was accurate. We are eat too much. What's not to love.
(4)
Stella S.
Delicious and fresh food. Attention was over the top. Great price for amazing food! Located in the heart of Minneapolis, lovely restaurant with good music. I highly recommend!
(5)
Mayank G.
Great tasting food for decent price!! Very nice preparation.
(4)
Blank P.
I want to preface this review by saying I will be contacting Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson to report the fraudulent business practices of Jewel of India. But we can get to that in a minute. Let's talk about the rest of the experience, shall we? My dining partner and I stopped in here tonight around 6:30, after discovering our first choice (Malabari) was closed for President's Day. Hungry, we skip checking out the previous Yelp reviews and walk in to an empty dining room replete with dingy carpet, dirty walls, and tables covered with hospital bed-type tissue paper. Having dined in places with a similar appearance, but with five-star service and food, I let it slide. We sit down and the server (owner's daughter?) asks what we want to drink after a quick look at the menu. Dining partner: "I'll have an iced tea." Server: "We don't have iced tea." Dining partner: "I'll have a Coke." " Server: "We are out of Coke. How about a Diet Coke?" Me: "I'll have a mango lassi." She acknowledges my order, but never shows up with my lassi. Again, all three of these beverages are on the menu. We then order our dishes: Dining partner: "We'll have the tandoori dinner for two." Server: "We don't serve that tonight." This is red flag number one. We finally settle on chicken tikka masala and the boti kebab. A minute later, we hear the distinctive ding of a microwave. This is red flag number two. We discuss leaving right then and there, but as we have already placed our order, believe it would only be right to follow through with the dinner. The server delivers our dishes, with cold basmati rice, a soupy cereal-sized bowl of tikki marsala with perhaps five small chunks of chicken, and tough, dry lamb balls served upon a two-tablespoon bed of seared onions and four or five green pepper slices. She doesn't bother checking up on us during our dinner. We finish up what we can, my dining partner excuses herself to use the restroom, and the server informs me that our total is $32.50. No bill, no chicken scratches, nothing. Being new to Indian culture and food, I'm not sure if this is standard operating procedure, and just figure to look at the menu afterward to ensure we aren't getting hosed. I hand over my credit card: "Our machine isn't working tonight. Do you have cash?" "No, I don't. I just have a card." ...To which she emphatically asks, pointing at the empty spot of my dining partner's: "Does he, or she, have cash?" At this point, I'm upset: "No. SHE does not have cash. I HAVE A CARD." "Let me see if I can run it." A minute and a half later - poof! - what do you know? The machine is miraculously working. The inflated $32.50 was actually an even-more inflated $34.21, and at this point - frustrated, disgusted, and just wanting to get out - I sign, leave zero tip, and we leave. This entire exchange is strike three. Tonight, my dining partner and I were scammed, served garbage, and insulted. Guess what? Tonight, Jewel of India scammed the wrong customer, and I will be certain to not only spread the word about your awful establishment (don't try and bribe me with buffet coupons), but also as stated above, I am informing the AG and other relevant entities and agencies about your unlawful credit card/billing scam. Karma's a you-know-what!
(1)
Tiffany C.
Lunch buffet is okay for the price, but I would never recommend going there for dinner and do not even think about ordering online. To get to the parking, you have to cut through the side or risk getting accosted for 5 bucks to park in the lot. When you reassure him you're eating at Jewel, he will angrily point in the back with the 5 spots available. Because I am too lazy to go to the grocery store, get myself some Taste of India sauce, and cook (which would have been a much better option), I once ordered online via their website. I got the naan, chicken vindaloo, and saag paneer. 5 minutes later, I got a phone call from the server telling me the food was ready for pick up. WHAT!? 5 minutes!?!? She told me they were closing early due to the low number of customers, so I needed to hurry up and be there. It was like 6pm. When we got the food, it was obviously reheated leftovers from the buffet earlier. 4 pieces of paneer cubes, dry chicken, and naan as hard as the concrete the building is in. I almost debate whether or not to even post this review, because it might just be a moot point. It seems like the rest of the lovely establishments attached to that building (Bullwinkles, some weird travel agency thing from like the 1980's, and a bizarre Indian thrift store), this restaurant will go bust pretty soon.
(2)
Jason W.
So the manager of Jewel of India reached out to me after my previous experience. He was very kind and sent me 3 free buffet coupons and encouraged me to try the restaurant again. I decided to give it another go. My daughter was unable to come with us this time so it was just my son and I. I decided go at about the same time to hopefully replicate the same conditions. Their was one other family in the restaurant when we arrived. We were able to sit where we wished this time around. The waitress who turned out to be the owners daughter was very friendly and explained to us that the upon out last visit their cook had moved back to India overnight with no notice. That explained the bad food during our last visit I thought. The Naan was not burned this time and was delicious. There was also plenty of hot, fresh and delicious Chai this time! Unfortunately this is where the improvement stopped. I wanted so much to have an awesome experience this time, as I used to have here, but the food was just not good. The pakoras were still over cooked. The rice was watery. The dishes were bland and the meat dry and/or greasy. The chicken tastes as last time.... Dry and tasteless. It just is so sad when a great cook leaves and is replaced with one that is not so great. My friends that used to frequent this restaurant with me no longer come here either. Because of the other improvements and the manager taking his time to reach out to me, I will give it another try in a few months. Hopefully they will have a new and better cook, and my friends , family and I can began frequenting this restaurant again!
(3)
Abhishek A.
I have eaten twice at this place at the Lunch buffet and ordered delivery once. One time at the buffet the food was OK. The other time we went in around 1 hour before lunch end time and the food was cold. For the delivery, I ordered Saag Paneer,Paneer Tikka and Garlic naan. The paneer tikka was not cooked in the tandoor. It was just blocks of paneer fried in a pan with some onion and green pepper. There was no sauce with it. It was tasteless. The Saag panner was bland too. Spicy doesn't mean just adding more red chilli. But apparently that's what the chef's at the restaurant think. Total waste of money. I wouldn't eat at this place again.
(1)
Kalli R.
It doesn't matter how good the food tastes if you have horrific service. Took my friend an hour to place an order due to the fact the option to order online is a falsity although it will appear as it went through. Luckily, my friend called to check on the order when the staff member "Amy" explained the online ordering doesn't actually work, did not apologize, just explained it was "ok" because "they don't charge you online." The staff member then insistent my friend communicate her order by text message which in beyond unprofessional. I saw a text from "Amy" that actually said "don't change your order or I will get mad at you." Terrible.
(1)
Callie T.
I was very disappointed in the buffet. The naan was burnt and most of the food was cold and tasted bad .Waitress did not tell us that she only took cash which we did not have . She rushed us out saying that she was closing in "4-ish " minutes and didn't mention we would need to leave at a certain time when we sat down. The place was very empty and uninviting . I love Indian food but this place was not what I was expecting at all!
(1)
Nesima A.
I came in right before closing time with my co worker and the server was so sweet and accommodating to us. I ordered curry pakora and papadum and my coworker ordered dawani haandi and naan. There wasn't any chai available sadly which is a must for me. My food was spicy and flavorful. I'd definitely come back to enjoy more during the day.
(4)
Gaby G.
Small overpriced meal. I had the lamb tika masala - well seasoned lamb, very small portion though. They charge $1 per rice refill (unlike other places where it is complimentary) Service is slow, and forgetful. I came in with high expectations - most likely not coming back.
(1)
Karen M.
Totally love this place! The food is always great and the service is fast. It is always a pity that there aren't many people. The prices are reasonable. Hope that it picks up in business! The young ladies working there were great, really personable. Will definitely be back again!
(4)
Whitney G.
Definitely like that their buffet is affordable, and pretty happy that they have some of the regular faves. I recommend trying the deep fried bread if you like cream cheese wontons, the flavor and texture are the same. I thought it was unique! Be still my beating heart for curry meatballs! As you may know, if you follow my reviews, meatballs are on my top list of faves, as is curry. Never did I imagine combining the two in my wildest dreams. Pretty darn good! I give it three stars because I didn't see a drink or dessert menu, nor was I informed of any. Though this may seem inconsequential, I am a huge fan of mango! Typically there's a mango pudding set out at least near the buffet area. This wouldn't have been so bad had I seen a drink menu where I could have ordered a mango lassi. I feel like mango is an essential part of the Indian food experience.
(3)
E M.
I had high hopes for this place and Im sorry to review it so poorly. I love and know my indian food but this place wasnt very good. The proces were fair but still mot worth it for the food. On the plus side the seevice was great.
(2)
Brian P.
We walked in and had a hard time finding a table that wasn't dirty. The plates were cleared but the paper covering had food stains all over. Server was more interested in texting than helping us out. We ordered an appetizer, two naans and an entree. The entree came first and ten minutes later still no other food. After walking over to interrupt the server from her phone, she said it was coming right away. Much later it still hadn't arrived. At that point the entree was beyond cold. I took it back to her again interrupting her an she blamed the kitchen. We left and won't go back. Bathroom was FILTHY too.
(1)
Shishir U.
Me and my wife had gone to this place on August 28th for dinner and ordered Veg Thali (caters for 2 people). 1)First thing they said was they had issues with payment system and would not accept card (acceptable and I went and got cash) 2)They served appetizers which was alright, found it to be oily. 3) Soup was servers along with starters and it was horrible and tasted stale and my wife felt it was spoilt. We mentioned to the person serving, who happened to be owners daughter i guess. She plainly said Indian soups taste like that 4)Main course was horrible. Naans were stale, dal was ok and channa masala was spoilt. They provided rice which was kept for few days I guess. 5) When i asked for the bill, they mentioned they had issues with printing the bill and charged by $36 plus. In the menu the rate was mentioned as $29.95 and i am not sure why the extra 6 dollars. Overall it was a horrible experience for me and my wife and we had never tasted such horrible Indian food since our stay in Minneapolis. If you are in downtown and want to get some Indian food, i would suggest to avoid this place. There are other places like Dancing Ganesha, Copper Pot, Bombay Bistro which serve much better food and have better ambiance. I also felt the owner didnt care much as we were Indians and not localities. The person who served was very sarcastic in her comments and sounded like we were not welcome. This will be the last place i will ever go to eat.
(1)
John C.
I've tried the Chicken Tika Masala here x4, and while it's not my favorite around, it's good. The Jewel Goat I found interesting, a bit tomato-y. The lamb Biryani is huge, but the lamb a tad gristley. Maybe I've only been here in the winter, because I associate this place with being cold, and a bit dank. The door is the most basic of single layer no relief, and the blustery breezes just come in uninvited. Or maybe my impression is because of the bathroom in the deep, dark basement. Regardless, I prefer take out here because I don't find the space inviting. It's just a rectangular room with not too much thought put into it. It's fine, I just wouldn't want to live there.
(3)
Tracy R.
Tried this place since out of town. Service & food were fine. Not the best place but was convenient.
(3)
Nahila A.
Ordered take out here from between work and classes. Was told the place was halal, which is a plus. Because I was feeling stressed and needed some comfort, I decide to have a carb love fest. I ordered the veggie samosas, keema naan, and chicken pakoras. It cost a little over $14 which upfront is a lot for appetizers, but the food I got was enough for a couple of meals, so it wasn't too bad. Although I didn't eat at the restaurant, I noticed it was a quaint and simple, yet inviting and clean. My food was ready in about 20 minutes. I really liked the veggies samosas; they were very flavorful and hit the spot (samosas are one of my top 5 favorite foods and also a comfort food for me). The chicken pakoras were good and were generous in portion. The keema naan was ok and could have used some more flavor. It was an overall good experience, but not too exciting. The chutney they was really watery and didn't have much flavor, which was disappointing. It would have been nice to have some flavorful chutney and raita with this meal. I'd go back but not often as it's something that's not affordable for my grad student budget. I plan on trying some other dishes on their menu in the near future since it is pretty close to campus.
(3)
Joel M.
The food is decent, but the service is TERRIBLE. I've never left a one star review before (check my profile), but I feel people should be warned about this place. Our waitress was unbelievably rude and short with us when we tried to ask questions about the food. Our drink orders took about fifteen minutes to arrive, and were both lukewarm and incorrect when we received them. Our food arrived shortly after, but after our meals I couldn't get the waitress' attention to save my life, so I ended up standing at the counter for a five minutes while the staff hid in back. The final bill was also totally off (she was doing the math in her head - they didn't appear to have any sort of computer system). I definitely overpaid by about ten dollars, but was just anxious to get out of there at that point. You may have a better experience if you're ordering take out, but I recommend avoiding the staff at all costs.
(1)
Scott E.
Love how unique this place is. First, the food is always excellent and the prices are low. The fun begins in the parking lot when the old man who I can only assume owns the place asks you multiple times if you are going to eat at the Jewel of India. It could be considered confrontational. At times I have wanted to leave, but continued on. I understand the parking shortage and how people keep his customers from having a place to park, so while his methods are less than admirable, the results equal parking for you when you dine here. The place is an open room, nothing special. Chairs could be improved. Service is good and fast even on nights when the wait staff dont show up. On one of our visits the person taking our order explained he was a friend of the other waiter and was helping out. He was new to this. He did an excellent job. We didnt wait any longer than normal for the good food to arrive. The patrons are dressed in suits or jeans, all feel welcome.
(3)
j e.
People here were nice but the food was my least favorite of any Indian places I've tried in Minnesota. I don't know if it was supposed to be self service but they basically dropped the good off at your table and we got up and searched for silverware and plates which was weird. I do not recommend
(2)
Josie B.
I have only eaten at Jewel of India once (ok, not really AT.... it was delivery) so I'm not sure if my meal was a typical experience. I do know curry however. Its a slightly more than an obsession for me. I ordered the Veggie Samosas, Chicken Tikka Masala (w/ rice), and plain naan: The Samosas were good, a little blander than I am used to... but I am also used to California restaurants that aren't catering to bland, Minnesota taste buds, so I'll remember to order them extra spicy next time. The Tikka was actually very good, no complaints... the rice it was served with was meh. The naan was the worst naan I have ever had. And I've had a lot of naan. Paper thin, flavorless, hard as a rock. And that's when it was warm. As soon as it cooled even a little bit it was inedible. All that being said; yes, I will probably give them another try.
(3)
Alan S.
Upon first entry almost stepped on painting guy.... We were seated right away which was pretty dope. Waitress took our drink orders and explained how our beer beverages my be warm. Obviously we ordered the cold beer. Cold beer was dope. Orders were taken and the fun started. Order after order was cold, every other rice pot was kinda warm? Clearly our food was microwaved. I feel sick... Even our Indian friend was disappointed. I'm drinking whiskey to kill this experience. After a 113 bill, stay away, stay away. May some deity have mercy on your soul.
(1)
Liz M.
We should have left after looking at the lunch buffet. The plates were dirty and my glass of water came with lipstick on it. The food was almost gone, which the waitress said was due to it being "extremely busy" that day, despite the fact that the place was almost empty when we arrived at 12:30 for lunch. We assumed that the food would be replenished, but they were apparently out of everything. What food was there was bland. The waitress was apologetic, but didn't offer any form of compensation. I will not eat there again.
(1)
Ed C.
For the price, the shrimps were tiny. Food was not good and we felt that the portions were small. There are much better alternatives around. Service was not good and don't think we'll return.
(1)
Liv S.
The food is fine but the service is terrible. I've only gone there in the evening. Every time it's the same unpleasant waitress. The first time, she was complaining that she was feeling ill, and after she brought out our food she put her head down on one of the tables and took a nap while we were eating. Someone had to come out of the kitchen and wake her up so we could pay. A second time, we came in to order take out a couple hours before they were supposed to close, and she complained to us that she was late for her mother's birthday party and they wouldn't let her leave. Another time, we made the mistake of ordering online for pickup. She told us the online ordering system gave her the wrong phone number, and they had run out of one of the two dishes we wanted, and she refused to make us something else because again she wanted to close early for some event. Every time I go to this restaurant, the waitress says things to make me feel like I ruined her night by trying to buy food there. I'm not going back.
(1)
Dad H.
This place is a joke. I'm admittedly an Indian food snob but there's no justifying this bland over-priced excuse for an Indian restaurant. I asked for spicy and was told they were "out of spices." They rushed us in and out of an empty restaurant. I'll say it again: this place is a joke. Don't waste your time or money.
(1)
Heidi H.
I went there with a coworker for the lunch buffet. The food and the price were great. We loved everything set out. The cook came out with hot bread (sorry, do not know the names of the various tasty items) and offered it around to folks already seated. He also came out to introduce himself to dinners and ask their opinions on the offerings. It has been a long time since I have had a meal and met the cook. I liked that.
(4)
Scott B.
Wonderful Sunday buffet! Great food - tasty, hot, authentic. Extremely generous. Price is great!
(5)
Ibra M.
It is one of the worst restaurant I have been in. Very bad service. The serve you as they give you free food. Poor menu.
(1)
Kristin H.
I've only ever been here for the lunch buffet, but the food is always, always great- especially considering it's sitting on a buffet line! If you haven't tried the lunch buffet, you've got to!
(5)
Bob A.
Showed up on a Sunday and it turned out they had a buffet going, although you could also order from the menu. I asked if they had any Vindaloo on the menu or in the buffet; they said their Vindaloo is just Chicken Tikka Masala with some potatoes in it. The food I got was okay; my friend and I were not blown away but not offended. There is better Indian food in the Twin Cities (India Palace in Roseville is my fave); I'll probably only come here again if it's convenient.
(3)
Pseudo I.
I was looking for the best Biryani in MPLS and decided to try Jewel of India. Being Indian, maybe I expected too much but this was terrible. It's more like chicken pulao rather than biryani. If you want good biryani I suggest you try: Persis Paradise, Dancing Ganesha, Ipotli.
(2)
Breena E.
Another update: what was once a favorite place really isn't any longer. After attempting to call in an order and showing up for dinner during regular & posted business hours (and if you check their website, there is a live-update type feature that lets you know they're open) three separate times over the past few months and finding out that the business was closed with no notice, I have found that I don't have time for a place like this. The parking attendant was always rude; if you explained that you were there to eat at Jewel's or pick up a to-go order, he wouldn't believe it at first, would tell stories about how people lie to him and then go somewhere else after they've parked for free. Then he sends you to the neighboring apartment building's parking lot (I'm not sure you can even park there? but I was never towed). There was one amazing waiter on staff that was/is always really nice and super timely and attentive, but if you didn't get him good luck. There was a time that they were understaffed and they just used a table to pile dirty dishes and table cloths on while setting new tables to serve more people. Don't they have a sink in back? Is it so much harder to move the stuff out of the dining room? We were once overcharged by about $10, but before they ran our card we noticed the receipt and asked about it. The waitress explained that the keys on the calculator sometimes stuck. She apologized and updated our total. But. It is calculator. Buy a new one and don't charge wrong totals. I've always loved their food, but not enough to deal with all of that other stuff. If you go: bus/walk there, pay in cash, and check your bill.
(3)
Ranjit M.
This place is TERRIBLE! I went in one night at 7pm on a sunday, and it was purely to get my ukranian friends to try Gulab Jamun and Mango Lassi. Turns out they did not have it. Masala chai on a rainy day? Sorry, they were out. The server even made a snarky remark like " We have Gulab jamun but it's not ready yet, won't taste good", clearly making up a poor excuse on the spot. We ordered something and then it came out right away, which made me question whether the food was fresh at all. It seemed like they heated up some frozen curry. The Shahi Paneer and the Malai Kofta was half decent so we were not complaining about that., The server's non-nonchalance is what really bugged me. They tried to hurry us both into finishing even though they were an hour away from closing, standing over you while you're eating and trying to pressure you to finish your meal faster than you'd like to isn't cool. They casually remarked that they really wanted to watch an Indian movie , not cool at all. When it was time for the check, the server decided to announce how much it was individually even without presenting us a bill. It was clearly not adding up to our total but we decided against confronting them about it. Although they were very nice people and the food was great, they need to be a bit more transparent and inviting to guests. Also, having things available on the menu always helps when getting people to come back. I've been disappointed before when I came here, but I thought they might have learnt a lesson or two from all these negative reviews, The only privilege they have is owning the parking lot and prime location for their joint, where unsuspecting hungry passerby's might stumble in without yelping them.
(1)
Terence A.
Jewel of India has good comfort food. There are higher class restaurants out there but this place caters to taste and tradition. They were playing an Indian inspired music record by madlib last time I eat there!
(4)
Jesse D.
Tried to order online. Turns out all of the stuff on the website that leads you to believe this place delivers is not correct. I tried and after some waiting and some more confusion, I found out that I was taking a quick drive. It took few wrong turns, a confusing exchange with a parking lot attendant and $3 for parking but I finally got to the restaurant. We had a strawberry shake which was good. I had the ground lamb and chicken tandoori. Both were pretty good. It may have been the length of time that it took me to get to the restaurant or it could have been the food but the experience wasn't all that great. If I decide to try it again, it will be by going into the restaurant and enjoying a meal. Takeout is not an adventure I would try again.
(3)
Emily C.
A hole in the wall worth stepping into. Went for dinner with a friend who had eaten here the night before & was happy to go back again. After a long day & a brain running on half cylinders our sweet waitresss steered us through the comprehensive menu. Two veggie dishes, pakora apps, naan & beer were a perfect combination. Better than average Indian cuisine & great service. Biggest disappointment was not being able to eat more. I don't come to the twin cities often enough to say I'll be back, but I would recommend it to anyone in the area.
(4)
Jessica E.
I'm looking forward to returning to this little place! We went on a Friday night at about 6:30. Only about half the tables were full, so we were able to be seated right away. Our waitress was very friendly, helpful, and quick. The food was very tasty - it is now my second favorite Indian restaurant in the metro, and I've been to at least eight. I got the dum-aloo and thought it was addictive! The potatoes were soft, but not mushy; the cheese was a perfect consistency to meld with the potatoes and sauce AND it was delicious; the sauce was...different. It's not a flavor I'm used to getting at Indian restaurants, but at the same time it did have a lot of the familiar spice flavors. I asked for it hot - it seemed more medium to me, but I have a high tolerance for hot & spicy foods. I took leftovers home, at them today, and now I want more! I also had the garlic naan - that was so-so. My fiance had the saag paneer - he wasn't crazy about it, but he's also looking forward to going back and trying another dish...I'll be getting the dum-aloo again!
(4)
Andy W.
I understand that some businesses do not place customer service high on the priorities, however Jewel Of India has taken this to a new depth. My first unfortunate example of this was upon being charged three times the cost of my lunch bill. I noticed it in my bank account, e mailed the restaurant (ignored), called and was hung up on three times (they said it was a problem with disconnecting phones, asked me to hold, and then the line went dead). Only after writing something on Facebook did I hear from someone on staff, promising it would be looked into. Weeks pass, nothing- finally I open a case with the credit card company, they contact the restaurant and after months of no response from the restaurant I am refunded. Please check your account after dining here. After months pass, I (suppose foolishly) decided to give the place another try. There was a football game happening nearby and they were renting the parking spaces for $15. After being rudely yelled at I was told to park, and then to move the car to a space as far away as possible. After that, the person in the lot actually yelled at me to "eat quick, fill up, and get out, we need the space". That was the last insult- I've dined at this restaurant for years up until the credit card incident and to be treated that way- really, nobody should be, especially your customers. As for the food itself, it is OK- standard Indian fare, nothing unique but also nothing terrible- a classic case of not reaching too high, but being decently mediocre. It's the disdain the customer is treated with that leaves the worst lingering taste.
(1)
Alfonso S.
Food was ok. As a U of M student I have been there a couple of times. I am upset at some of their antics. Once I was charged 71.23 dollars instead of 17.23. They also charged me the 17.23, and then when they tried to refund the 71.23 they charged it to me again. I disputed both credit card charges, my wife and I don't eat that much. Even though I got my money back, what bothered me was that they took it as far as eh could with the credit card to keep the money. Bad experience.
(2)
Sumit D.
If I had not had indian food in such a long time i would have rated them lower. We (wife n i) went on a saturday night @ 9 15 ish and were reluctantly seated. The place had no wait staff and was being serviced my one man who i think was the owner. We ordered rogan josh and biryani. Although we did ask for spicy, the dishes were made devilishly hot. The biryani was chicken curry mixed with rice so definitely not biryani. The naans were good. Decor was not impressive at all. This is my first indian exp in mpls after all the wonderful place in nyc.and i m disappointed. To be fair the keema naan in particular was good and they took the charge off for the biryani.
(2)
Rebecca W.
Great service. Humble and fantastic. Take out portions are a little small. But very good Indian! Free parking on the behind / side of the where building they are located.
(4)
Tori M.
I really love Jewel of India. I am used to making amazing Indian food in my house and although this is the chubby kind of Indian, I still love it. It's not really the authenticity I love (which if you're going for, you might not find yourself loving this place), but the tastiness. I think it's best to go balls-to-wall here. You can't go wrong with a sumptuous meal of sabzi vindaloo, paneer makhani, with samosa, raita and naan. Also, the tamarind chutney here is to die for and I have sinful dreams about lunch buffet. They also aren't too outlandishly priced, so you can do a nice dinner here for relatively cheap (even if you go balls-to-wall). There are nights when I just refuse to eat anything if it's not Jewel of India... that is how much I love it. If I am in a funk, Boyfriend will surprise me with take-out (which is always the way to my good side).
(4)
Jeremiah H.
Some friends and I went on a little after 6 on a Friday night. Though the place was busy, we didn't have to wait to be seated. It was a very nice surprise. The food is delicious. The four of us went family style, all ordering something different and sharing. I recommend this. It was really hard to choose one thing on the menu, so we all ended up being able to try four things. I can't think of a better way to get to know a restaurant's menu without ordering like Jane and Michael Stern. I highly recommend this place. Our service was a little slow, but that's only because we were in a hurry to get to Theatre in the Round just down the block and service always seems slower when you have somewhere else to go. I'm sure I wouldn't have noticed otherwise.
(4)
Francis Z.
Great Indian food right off campus. Plus great service too.
(5)
Jen B.
Jewel is my go-to place for Indian takeout, not because the food is all that great but because it's close and one of the few Indian places in the downtown area that's open late. I much prefer Bombay Bistro or Passage to India (which I believe has closed at it's Lake Street spot but supposedly is opening in a new Uptown location soon). That being said, Jewel will definitely work in a pinch, i.e, when I'm hungry and Lost is about to start. My favorites are the lentil dishes, chicken vindaloo, chicken tikka, saag paneer (cheese cubes in spinach sauce), dum-aloo and pakoras. Sadly, the naan has been a universal disappointment, flavorless and charred in places. The web site leads you to believe you can place an order for delivery online, but the one time I tried this, the order never showed up. When I called to check on it, I found out that the web ordering doesn't work, and that the staff is well aware of this yet doesn't bother to take it down. I almost always get takeout, but I've been in for the lunch buffet once and the selection was decent and appropriately cheap. The place is kind of an eyesore and the service isn't anything to rave about. Still, my love of Indian food transcends, and I'll continue to come here until someone wises up and puts an Indian place in the North Loop.
(3)
Barry L.
I was disappointed with my experience tonight. It took a solid five minutes for the staff to notice that I was there. I finally seated myself at a table. The chicken makhani was not among the best I've had. The sauce was OK, but the chicken I got was more like partially edible scraps than good moist chunks of tandoori chicken. I think I will stick to vegetables at this place from now on. The thing is, I'm a somewhat captive audience, because this the only Indian restaurant (that I know of) anywhere near the University of Minnesota. But if you have the freedom to go elsewhere, I enthusiastically recommend Bombay Bistro on Marquette or anything in the local chain that includes India Palace, India House, and Darbar. Darbar in particular is amazing.
(2)
Sarah J.
Another disappointing Indian restaurant in Minneapolis. The food is roundly greasy. I typically love Indian buffets, but this one left me unimpressed. And there was no naan for most of our meal. Harumph! Also, it really feels like being stuck in a box. I'm not claustrophobic. And I'm usually very well behaved in public. But I was just itching to get out the whole time I was in here. And the staff didn't pay us a whit of attention. Which was fine, since it was a buffet. That is, until we wanted some water and eventually the bill. Sort of didn't feel like a restaurant at all. Maybe it's a front! The kooky "travel items" store next store sure does look like something illicit is probably going down...
(2)
Sandeep K.
This is a hopeless place. Being an Indian myself, I thought the curries would be good, stopped there a few times, always just one curry sold under different names, and that curry is worth not more than $3 when its marked for whatever price in the menu! If you ate there and liked it, good for you! But that's not what authentic Indian food is like!
(1)
Ken I.
Awful service and boring food. Would avoid this place at all costs.
(1)
Jennifer K.
This is the winner of my very own BEST OF THE TWIN CITIES-INDIAN We had a great date night here Friday. The place was hopping-and we had a great meal, without a long wait. We ordered two entrees and shared them both-a lamb curry and a chicken curry, which came with Basmati rice. Spicy, hot, creamy and wonderful. At the time, they didn't ask how spicy we wanted it, but on our check next to the order they had written "mild". I'm glad we didn't go for hot, because it had a kick to it. Medium and hot would have been too much for me, and I like moderately spicy food. We started off with vegetarian samosas which came out hot and crispy, and with our meal we ordered some Naan and shared a mango milkshake. the drink was so yummy that next time I'll have to get my very own. We used a Happenings coupon, so we got all this food, plus tip for $24.00. You don't get a ton of food, but there was enough left over for my husband's lunch the next day. It was just the right amount, and we left happy campers. They have off-street parking, which is a plus, and our service was marvelous (I think our waiter was the owner!) I'm hoping they are in the new Happenings book that comes out September, so we can eat here on the cheap again soon! (I'm sure we'll be going several more times at full price in the coming year) They do have a lunch buffet (not sure if it's only during the week) but we're not huge buffet fans, so if we had come there for lunch, I'm sure we would have ordered off the menu anyway. Great night-good times. My favorite find of 2009.
(5)
Matthew J.
Meh. This this the Indian restaurant I go to when I am on the West Bank and I don't want to go far or it is past 2pm and all of the other Indian buffets are closed. The food, whether it is on the buffet or ordered, is just kind of bland. If you are afraid of pungent flavors and spice, this is the place for you. Don't get me wrong, I love Indian food, even bland Indian food, so I will still go there. Also, if you give the pudgy guy with the long beard twenty bucks for two buffets, don't expect to get your change back.
(3)
Erin S.
My husband, a friend, and I ate here for dinner last night. Located in Seven Corners, this place is a little Indian place that is right next door to Bullwinkles Saloon. The atmosphere is casual, very no frills. I ordered the Dal Makhni ($8.95), my husband ordered the Aloo Gobi Palak (also $8.95) & our friend ordered the Tandoori Chicken ($9.95). We also ordered plain and garlic naan ($1.50 for the plain, $1.95 for the garlic). I had been craving Dal Makhni, so it was nice to finally be able to have some. I also tried some of the Aloo Gobi Palak, and both where quite tasty. Our friend, Nathan, really enjoyed his Tandoori Chicken (served on what appeared to be a fajita plate, which we hadn't seen before, but doesn't mean it was a bad thing). All in all we enjoyed our experience, however they never asked us if we wanted dessert, & my husband had wanted to get kheer. They just brought us the check, & we did have somewhere else to be, so we let it go. Otherwise, the staff was very nice.
(4)
Laura P.
This place is pretty darn good. When me and my friend arrived, the guy working was just about to close up the buffet, but I was able to work my girlie charms so he left everything out for us for an hour longer. (Girlie charms= cutesy smiley face, twinkly eyes and giggly compliments. Shameless I know. .but a buffet was at stake here) The buffet wasn't too bad. There were about 6 different dishes for us to choose from. I thought each were pretty darn good even if they had been sitting out for a little bit. I figured that since the server was about to close down the buffet, we were probably going to get the nasty left overs from the lunch hour buffet. But, things were still pretty tasty. I loved the pekora, it had a nice kick to it. The rice was starting to get a little crusty from being in the pan for awhile, but I just drenched it in some curried chicken, heavy on the sauce, and it seemed to bring the rice back to life. There was bread at the buffet table that was starting to get a little stale, but after talking to the server and, again, laying on my girlie charm, we were given a nice fresh, warm batch of bread to eat with our meal. I can't recall all the names of the dishes I had, but I there were three that I really really enjoyed. The others weren't half bad either. The restaurant itself is a medium-sized, well maintained space. The decorations are modern-ish and not overwhelming. The space is well lit with some natural light that comes in from the big windows on the store front. The man that was working was not a big conversationalist, but he was very nice and patient with my friend and I. We literally walked in right when he was about to close the store for the lunch-dinner break. So I am pretty stoked on that aspect. My friend and I ended up staying awhile and chatting away and I never felt pressured to hurry up and get out. My friend was a little upset because when he paid, he wasn't given back the change on his $20 to leave a tip, it was just assumed by the server that the entire $20 was for him. The price wasn't too shabby, 2 people for the buffet for under $20. The food was pretty good, restaurant was nice server was pretty cool. I'd go here again for sure! The hours are split up a little because of the buffet times, so be mindful of that when you go to try it. Or just have a giggly, smiley girl go with you :) Then they'll keep the doors open for you like they did for me. Monday-Friday: Lunch= Noon-2:30 Dinner= 4:30-10 Saturday: Lunch= Noon-3 Dinner= 4:30-10 Sunday: Lunch= Noon-3 Dinner= 4:30-9:30 Check it out, yo!!
(3)
S O.
Here's the deal: Buffet = great. Take out or ordering off of the menu = skip it.
(3)
Breezy B.
Good lunch buffett. For dinner ask for the mixed grill. It's not on the menu but it's the bomb. A searing platter of lamb, chicken, and shrimp. A Large portion that could serve two.
(4)
Judson K.
Great service, and consistant amazing food.
(5)
Lance A.
We called in a take out order and the guy wouldn't give us the total over the phone. We knew what we wanted from looking at the menu a few days prior, but haven't ever eaten there. We show up and it's $53 for two people that's extreme for Indian food. If we knew the total, we would have asked how many servings out of an order. We did once we saw the bill and found out what we ordered feeds 4-5 people. The food was maybe 2.5 stars and the dining room was one of the worst.
(2)
Tim R.
The drinks and an appetizer came after the entrees. The rice was under cooked and the waitress was not friendly. It was not great dining experience. The garlic naan was not great. The entrees were not stellar.
(1)
Anika C.
I'm not gonna lie I was literally waiting to go try this restaurant the moment I laid eyes on it. Took my bff/roommate. Firstly walked in at 6:30, prime dinner time. Not only was there lack of ambience but the staff was borderline awkward at best. There were only 2 other tables and the service was still painfully slow. To make matters a little more annoying I ordered kashmiri roga josh -- I'd feed bigger portions to my pet. The meat was well seasoned but nothing special. And the rice portion was appalling. Then when you want some more they have the nerve to charge you $1 per refill. I asked for a lassi and never got one since the server thought I wouldn't want it after I ate. Well guess what I did and when she asked if I still wanted my drink AFTER my meal I canceled simply cos I didn't wanna wait there a minute longer. I asked for water never got that either. Tbh if the food is good I don't care that much about service. But this meal was faaaar overpriced, didn't taste that great, slow service, and if I do ever go back it would be for the buffet. Disappointed would be an understatement.
(1)
Scott G.
I only gave them one star because that is thw worst rtating I could give. This used to be a great place. The food I got today was horrible. I ordered the chicken vindaloo and what I got was some watery tastless broth with over cooked chicken. If you like indian food stay away from here.
(1)
Dan S.
The food is like gangbusters. Best Indian cuisine that I've ever had. I shared the dinner for two. It was $30, but was easily enough food for 3 or possibly even 4. It was enough for both of us, plus I had two meals out of the leftovers. It came with soup, naan, some deep fried lentil balls, tandoori chicken, lamb kabobs, and two specialty chicken and lamb dishes with spicy Indian sauces. All of it was great. The lamb kabobs were a little dry, but when dipped in the yogurt sauce it was fine. Everything else was just great. I think the other criticisms of bad service are accurate. The service was very slow and the waiter communicated mostly with loud grunts, but I don't really care when the food is this good. Also free parking in the lot behind the restaurant. It is assigned though, so make sure you are in a spot owned by Jewel of India. They serve beer and wine.
(5)
David S.
Really good vegan selection on the menu. Be aware that when you request spicy, you will get SPICY! The food was great, but I will say they need to hire more than just one server who handles everything. She did very well with about 6-10 people in the restaurant, but she was running herself ragged trying to take all of our orders.
(4)
Dad H.
This place is a joke. I'm admittedly an Indian food snob but there's no justifying this bland over-priced excuse for an Indian restaurant. I asked for spicy and was told they were "out of spices." They rushed us in and out of an empty restaurant. I'll say it again: this place is a joke. Don't waste your time or money.
(1)
Chris H.
I am reviewing for food delivered via Restaurant Connection, which arrived at my home in the North Loop in about 45 minutes. The food was good but nothing spectacular. I ordered the garlic naan and the mixed grill that included Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Tikka, Seekh Kabab, Boti Kabab and Prawn Kabab. The naan was good but a little dry and not overly garlic-y. The mixed grill was also tasty and came with rice but was dry. The chicken dishes were hard to distinguish and there was only one shrimp--semi-cold and limp, which no one really wants. Am I right, or am I right? There was enough meat and rice to feed two people for sure. Meh, I'm really underwhemled BUT it was delivery so I wasn't expecting to be overly impressed.
(3)
Heidi H.
I went there with a coworker for the lunch buffet. The food and the price were great. We loved everything set out. The cook came out with hot bread (sorry, do not know the names of the various tasty items) and offered it around to folks already seated. He also came out to introduce himself to dinners and ask their opinions on the offerings. It has been a long time since I have had a meal and met the cook. I liked that.
(4)
Scott B.
Wonderful Sunday buffet! Great food - tasty, hot, authentic. Extremely generous. Price is great!
(5)
John C.
I've tried the Chicken Tika Masala here x4, and while it's not my favorite around, it's good. The Jewel Goat I found interesting, a bit tomato-y. The lamb Biryani is huge, but the lamb a tad gristley. Maybe I've only been here in the winter, because I associate this place with being cold, and a bit dank. The door is the most basic of single layer no relief, and the blustery breezes just come in uninvited. Or maybe my impression is because of the bathroom in the deep, dark basement. Regardless, I prefer take out here because I don't find the space inviting. It's just a rectangular room with not too much thought put into it. It's fine, I just wouldn't want to live there.
(3)
Tracy R.
Tried this place since out of town. Service & food were fine. Not the best place but was convenient.
(3)
Rebecca R.
Best Indian Food in the city!!! I've been here before and the food was good. We came here again and they have a new chef and his food is BOSS! Two thumbs way up! It is our favorite dinner spot!
(5)
James F.
I came here one night about two weeks ago and there was literally no one else in the restaurant. The portions were terribly small, poor service, and sub-par food. I love Indian food, but this place is not worth it. Even our server was complaining about how slow it was that day. I don't want to hear about your problems when I'm eating, and you need to do something about it. Terrible. Do NOT recommend.
(1)
Brandon K.
Jewel of India does not deserve a single star. I walked into the restaurant a little after opening time, only to find no one inside. I was really craving some chicken tikka, so I poked around and found the waitress, who was quick to let me know that they were closed. I inquired as to the hours, and she informed me that they were opening late on this particular Wednesday. However, when I tried to leave, she seemed shocked. "I've got somewhere to be" I explained. "No no," she said, "we can serve you. It just depends on what you want." I decided to try my luck. I ordered the tikka masala, ans she became exited. "Yes! I can make that! The problem is that our cook hasn't arrived." and then she scurried back into the kitchen. Uh oh. My food came to me, and I choked it down as the waitress and cook explained to me how terrible it was working at the joint. I wanted to sympathize, but I was also having an awful dining experience. Once I'd slurped up the last bit of my curry and asked for a check, I was given another surprise. Their credit card machine was broken. I had no cash. So, against my better judgement, I had her take down my number. Nothing bad came of this, but it's no way to run a business. Stay away.
(1)
Dick O.
Good food. Fine service. We had plenty of food. The taste was great. The spice level was accurate. We are eat too much. What's not to love.
(4)
Stella S.
Delicious and fresh food. Attention was over the top. Great price for amazing food! Located in the heart of Minneapolis, lovely restaurant with good music. I highly recommend!
(5)
Tiffany C.
Lunch buffet is okay for the price, but I would never recommend going there for dinner and do not even think about ordering online. To get to the parking, you have to cut through the side or risk getting accosted for 5 bucks to park in the lot. When you reassure him you're eating at Jewel, he will angrily point in the back with the 5 spots available. Because I am too lazy to go to the grocery store, get myself some Taste of India sauce, and cook (which would have been a much better option), I once ordered online via their website. I got the naan, chicken vindaloo, and saag paneer. 5 minutes later, I got a phone call from the server telling me the food was ready for pick up. WHAT!? 5 minutes!?!? She told me they were closing early due to the low number of customers, so I needed to hurry up and be there. It was like 6pm. When we got the food, it was obviously reheated leftovers from the buffet earlier. 4 pieces of paneer cubes, dry chicken, and naan as hard as the concrete the building is in. I almost debate whether or not to even post this review, because it might just be a moot point. It seems like the rest of the lovely establishments attached to that building (Bullwinkles, some weird travel agency thing from like the 1980's, and a bizarre Indian thrift store), this restaurant will go bust pretty soon.
(2)
Blank P.
I want to preface this review by saying I will be contacting Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson to report the fraudulent business practices of Jewel of India. But we can get to that in a minute. Let's talk about the rest of the experience, shall we? My dining partner and I stopped in here tonight around 6:30, after discovering our first choice (Malabari) was closed for President's Day. Hungry, we skip checking out the previous Yelp reviews and walk in to an empty dining room replete with dingy carpet, dirty walls, and tables covered with hospital bed-type tissue paper. Having dined in places with a similar appearance, but with five-star service and food, I let it slide. We sit down and the server (owner's daughter?) asks what we want to drink after a quick look at the menu. Dining partner: "I'll have an iced tea." Server: "We don't have iced tea." Dining partner: "I'll have a Coke." " Server: "We are out of Coke. How about a Diet Coke?" Me: "I'll have a mango lassi." She acknowledges my order, but never shows up with my lassi. Again, all three of these beverages are on the menu. We then order our dishes: Dining partner: "We'll have the tandoori dinner for two." Server: "We don't serve that tonight." This is red flag number one. We finally settle on chicken tikka masala and the boti kebab. A minute later, we hear the distinctive ding of a microwave. This is red flag number two. We discuss leaving right then and there, but as we have already placed our order, believe it would only be right to follow through with the dinner. The server delivers our dishes, with cold basmati rice, a soupy cereal-sized bowl of tikki marsala with perhaps five small chunks of chicken, and tough, dry lamb balls served upon a two-tablespoon bed of seared onions and four or five green pepper slices. She doesn't bother checking up on us during our dinner. We finish up what we can, my dining partner excuses herself to use the restroom, and the server informs me that our total is $32.50. No bill, no chicken scratches, nothing. Being new to Indian culture and food, I'm not sure if this is standard operating procedure, and just figure to look at the menu afterward to ensure we aren't getting hosed. I hand over my credit card: "Our machine isn't working tonight. Do you have cash?" "No, I don't. I just have a card." ...To which she emphatically asks, pointing at the empty spot of my dining partner's: "Does he, or she, have cash?" At this point, I'm upset: "No. SHE does not have cash. I HAVE A CARD." "Let me see if I can run it." A minute and a half later - poof! - what do you know? The machine is miraculously working. The inflated $32.50 was actually an even-more inflated $34.21, and at this point - frustrated, disgusted, and just wanting to get out - I sign, leave zero tip, and we leave. This entire exchange is strike three. Tonight, my dining partner and I were scammed, served garbage, and insulted. Guess what? Tonight, Jewel of India scammed the wrong customer, and I will be certain to not only spread the word about your awful establishment (don't try and bribe me with buffet coupons), but also as stated above, I am informing the AG and other relevant entities and agencies about your unlawful credit card/billing scam. Karma's a you-know-what!
(1)
Jason W.
So the manager of Jewel of India reached out to me after my previous experience. He was very kind and sent me 3 free buffet coupons and encouraged me to try the restaurant again. I decided to give it another go. My daughter was unable to come with us this time so it was just my son and I. I decided go at about the same time to hopefully replicate the same conditions. Their was one other family in the restaurant when we arrived. We were able to sit where we wished this time around. The waitress who turned out to be the owners daughter was very friendly and explained to us that the upon out last visit their cook had moved back to India overnight with no notice. That explained the bad food during our last visit I thought. The Naan was not burned this time and was delicious. There was also plenty of hot, fresh and delicious Chai this time! Unfortunately this is where the improvement stopped. I wanted so much to have an awesome experience this time, as I used to have here, but the food was just not good. The pakoras were still over cooked. The rice was watery. The dishes were bland and the meat dry and/or greasy. The chicken tastes as last time.... Dry and tasteless. It just is so sad when a great cook leaves and is replaced with one that is not so great. My friends that used to frequent this restaurant with me no longer come here either. Because of the other improvements and the manager taking his time to reach out to me, I will give it another try in a few months. Hopefully they will have a new and better cook, and my friends , family and I can began frequenting this restaurant again!
(3)
Abhishek A.
I have eaten twice at this place at the Lunch buffet and ordered delivery once. One time at the buffet the food was OK. The other time we went in around 1 hour before lunch end time and the food was cold. For the delivery, I ordered Saag Paneer,Paneer Tikka and Garlic naan. The paneer tikka was not cooked in the tandoor. It was just blocks of paneer fried in a pan with some onion and green pepper. There was no sauce with it. It was tasteless. The Saag panner was bland too. Spicy doesn't mean just adding more red chilli. But apparently that's what the chef's at the restaurant think. Total waste of money. I wouldn't eat at this place again.
(1)
Ilsa T.
I'm sorry, but wow. It really is as bad as everyone has said. It was our first time and we ignored the low Yelp rating and lowered our expectations accordingly. The food was OK, but I've never really had terrible Indian food, you know? It's hard to screw up rice and warm chicken Vindaloo. Fine, but definitely forgettable. The service however was unforgettable (in a bad way). I'll save all the little things like being sat at a dirty table in the empty restaurant and our server's strangely abrasive table-side manner that opened with her jokingly telling me my dinner date was cheating on me. Super weird and uncomfortable at worst, slow and absent at best. The final straw of whether or not to add to the Yelp noise came when the charge went through on my credit card today. Our server had upcharged us on literally every item we had (think charging us for lamb when we got chicken, garlic naan when we had regular naan, the $7 glass of wine instead of the $5, etc.). Not noticing this at first, I pointed this out to her after my card had already been run, and she promised to fix it when she closed out the bill (I assumed by taking it out of her tip since she didn't take my card back to re-run). Not shockingly, I was charged the full, incorrect amount. There's too many other, better options nearby. Not worth it.
(1)
Julia P.
1 star is not enough to express how unhappy I am with my experience. The meaning of "customer service" seems to have been misplaced here. I went with a friend at 5pm on a Monday. I understand that it's not the most popular time to eat but there was no naan and no lamb dishes at all (1/3 of the menu really...). When my friend tried to order a vegetarian dish, that's when we found out the kitchen also was out of that. The waitress proceeded to very impatiently and rapidly point out the list of vegetarian dishes not available. She was very pushy about one specific dish and particularly unhappy when my friend did not order it. The food was very average but we ate thinking we'd quickly leave after. We split the bill (another thing the waitress expressed her unhappiness about) and when our separate checks arrived, the amount was calculated wrong. The waitress was very snappy, extremely rude, and utterly horrible "explaining" the calculations to us as if we were incomprehensible children. Well unfortunately for her, we were right even though she tried to push us to pay more. When a restaurant treats their customers the way we were treated, I don't expect to be back.
(1)
Kalli R.
It doesn't matter how good the food tastes if you have horrific service. Took my friend an hour to place an order due to the fact the option to order online is a falsity although it will appear as it went through. Luckily, my friend called to check on the order when the staff member "Amy" explained the online ordering doesn't actually work, did not apologize, just explained it was "ok" because "they don't charge you online." The staff member then insistent my friend communicate her order by text message which in beyond unprofessional. I saw a text from "Amy" that actually said "don't change your order or I will get mad at you." Terrible.
(1)
Callie T.
I was very disappointed in the buffet. The naan was burnt and most of the food was cold and tasted bad .Waitress did not tell us that she only took cash which we did not have . She rushed us out saying that she was closing in "4-ish " minutes and didn't mention we would need to leave at a certain time when we sat down. The place was very empty and uninviting . I love Indian food but this place was not what I was expecting at all!
(1)
Nesima A.
I came in right before closing time with my co worker and the server was so sweet and accommodating to us. I ordered curry pakora and papadum and my coworker ordered dawani haandi and naan. There wasn't any chai available sadly which is a must for me. My food was spicy and flavorful. I'd definitely come back to enjoy more during the day.
(4)
Gaby G.
Small overpriced meal. I had the lamb tika masala - well seasoned lamb, very small portion though. They charge $1 per rice refill (unlike other places where it is complimentary) Service is slow, and forgetful. I came in with high expectations - most likely not coming back.
(1)
Karen M.
Totally love this place! The food is always great and the service is fast. It is always a pity that there aren't many people. The prices are reasonable. Hope that it picks up in business! The young ladies working there were great, really personable. Will definitely be back again!
(4)
Whitney G.
Definitely like that their buffet is affordable, and pretty happy that they have some of the regular faves. I recommend trying the deep fried bread if you like cream cheese wontons, the flavor and texture are the same. I thought it was unique! Be still my beating heart for curry meatballs! As you may know, if you follow my reviews, meatballs are on my top list of faves, as is curry. Never did I imagine combining the two in my wildest dreams. Pretty darn good! I give it three stars because I didn't see a drink or dessert menu, nor was I informed of any. Though this may seem inconsequential, I am a huge fan of mango! Typically there's a mango pudding set out at least near the buffet area. This wouldn't have been so bad had I seen a drink menu where I could have ordered a mango lassi. I feel like mango is an essential part of the Indian food experience.
(3)
E M.
I had high hopes for this place and Im sorry to review it so poorly. I love and know my indian food but this place wasnt very good. The proces were fair but still mot worth it for the food. On the plus side the seevice was great.
(2)
Brian P.
We walked in and had a hard time finding a table that wasn't dirty. The plates were cleared but the paper covering had food stains all over. Server was more interested in texting than helping us out. We ordered an appetizer, two naans and an entree. The entree came first and ten minutes later still no other food. After walking over to interrupt the server from her phone, she said it was coming right away. Much later it still hadn't arrived. At that point the entree was beyond cold. I took it back to her again interrupting her an she blamed the kitchen. We left and won't go back. Bathroom was FILTHY too.
(1)
Shishir U.
Me and my wife had gone to this place on August 28th for dinner and ordered Veg Thali (caters for 2 people). 1)First thing they said was they had issues with payment system and would not accept card (acceptable and I went and got cash) 2)They served appetizers which was alright, found it to be oily. 3) Soup was servers along with starters and it was horrible and tasted stale and my wife felt it was spoilt. We mentioned to the person serving, who happened to be owners daughter i guess. She plainly said Indian soups taste like that 4)Main course was horrible. Naans were stale, dal was ok and channa masala was spoilt. They provided rice which was kept for few days I guess. 5) When i asked for the bill, they mentioned they had issues with printing the bill and charged by $36 plus. In the menu the rate was mentioned as $29.95 and i am not sure why the extra 6 dollars. Overall it was a horrible experience for me and my wife and we had never tasted such horrible Indian food since our stay in Minneapolis. If you are in downtown and want to get some Indian food, i would suggest to avoid this place. There are other places like Dancing Ganesha, Copper Pot, Bombay Bistro which serve much better food and have better ambiance. I also felt the owner didnt care much as we were Indians and not localities. The person who served was very sarcastic in her comments and sounded like we were not welcome. This will be the last place i will ever go to eat.
(1)
Nahila A.
Ordered take out here from between work and classes. Was told the place was halal, which is a plus. Because I was feeling stressed and needed some comfort, I decide to have a carb love fest. I ordered the veggie samosas, keema naan, and chicken pakoras. It cost a little over $14 which upfront is a lot for appetizers, but the food I got was enough for a couple of meals, so it wasn't too bad. Although I didn't eat at the restaurant, I noticed it was a quaint and simple, yet inviting and clean. My food was ready in about 20 minutes. I really liked the veggies samosas; they were very flavorful and hit the spot (samosas are one of my top 5 favorite foods and also a comfort food for me). The chicken pakoras were good and were generous in portion. The keema naan was ok and could have used some more flavor. It was an overall good experience, but not too exciting. The chutney they was really watery and didn't have much flavor, which was disappointing. It would have been nice to have some flavorful chutney and raita with this meal. I'd go back but not often as it's something that's not affordable for my grad student budget. I plan on trying some other dishes on their menu in the near future since it is pretty close to campus.
(3)
Joel M.
The food is decent, but the service is TERRIBLE. I've never left a one star review before (check my profile), but I feel people should be warned about this place. Our waitress was unbelievably rude and short with us when we tried to ask questions about the food. Our drink orders took about fifteen minutes to arrive, and were both lukewarm and incorrect when we received them. Our food arrived shortly after, but after our meals I couldn't get the waitress' attention to save my life, so I ended up standing at the counter for a five minutes while the staff hid in back. The final bill was also totally off (she was doing the math in her head - they didn't appear to have any sort of computer system). I definitely overpaid by about ten dollars, but was just anxious to get out of there at that point. You may have a better experience if you're ordering take out, but I recommend avoiding the staff at all costs.
(1)
Scott E.
Love how unique this place is. First, the food is always excellent and the prices are low. The fun begins in the parking lot when the old man who I can only assume owns the place asks you multiple times if you are going to eat at the Jewel of India. It could be considered confrontational. At times I have wanted to leave, but continued on. I understand the parking shortage and how people keep his customers from having a place to park, so while his methods are less than admirable, the results equal parking for you when you dine here. The place is an open room, nothing special. Chairs could be improved. Service is good and fast even on nights when the wait staff dont show up. On one of our visits the person taking our order explained he was a friend of the other waiter and was helping out. He was new to this. He did an excellent job. We didnt wait any longer than normal for the good food to arrive. The patrons are dressed in suits or jeans, all feel welcome.
(3)
j e.
People here were nice but the food was my least favorite of any Indian places I've tried in Minnesota. I don't know if it was supposed to be self service but they basically dropped the good off at your table and we got up and searched for silverware and plates which was weird. I do not recommend
(2)
Josie B.
I have only eaten at Jewel of India once (ok, not really AT.... it was delivery) so I'm not sure if my meal was a typical experience. I do know curry however. Its a slightly more than an obsession for me. I ordered the Veggie Samosas, Chicken Tikka Masala (w/ rice), and plain naan: The Samosas were good, a little blander than I am used to... but I am also used to California restaurants that aren't catering to bland, Minnesota taste buds, so I'll remember to order them extra spicy next time. The Tikka was actually very good, no complaints... the rice it was served with was meh. The naan was the worst naan I have ever had. And I've had a lot of naan. Paper thin, flavorless, hard as a rock. And that's when it was warm. As soon as it cooled even a little bit it was inedible. All that being said; yes, I will probably give them another try.
(3)
Alan S.
Upon first entry almost stepped on painting guy.... We were seated right away which was pretty dope. Waitress took our drink orders and explained how our beer beverages my be warm. Obviously we ordered the cold beer. Cold beer was dope. Orders were taken and the fun started. Order after order was cold, every other rice pot was kinda warm? Clearly our food was microwaved. I feel sick... Even our Indian friend was disappointed. I'm drinking whiskey to kill this experience. After a 113 bill, stay away, stay away. May some deity have mercy on your soul.
(1)
Liz M.
We should have left after looking at the lunch buffet. The plates were dirty and my glass of water came with lipstick on it. The food was almost gone, which the waitress said was due to it being "extremely busy" that day, despite the fact that the place was almost empty when we arrived at 12:30 for lunch. We assumed that the food would be replenished, but they were apparently out of everything. What food was there was bland. The waitress was apologetic, but didn't offer any form of compensation. I will not eat there again.
(1)
Ed C.
For the price, the shrimps were tiny. Food was not good and we felt that the portions were small. There are much better alternatives around. Service was not good and don't think we'll return.
(1)
Liv S.
The food is fine but the service is terrible. I've only gone there in the evening. Every time it's the same unpleasant waitress. The first time, she was complaining that she was feeling ill, and after she brought out our food she put her head down on one of the tables and took a nap while we were eating. Someone had to come out of the kitchen and wake her up so we could pay. A second time, we came in to order take out a couple hours before they were supposed to close, and she complained to us that she was late for her mother's birthday party and they wouldn't let her leave. Another time, we made the mistake of ordering online for pickup. She told us the online ordering system gave her the wrong phone number, and they had run out of one of the two dishes we wanted, and she refused to make us something else because again she wanted to close early for some event. Every time I go to this restaurant, the waitress says things to make me feel like I ruined her night by trying to buy food there. I'm not going back.
(1)
Ibra M.
It is one of the worst restaurant I have been in. Very bad service. The serve you as they give you free food. Poor menu.
(1)
Kristin H.
I've only ever been here for the lunch buffet, but the food is always, always great- especially considering it's sitting on a buffet line! If you haven't tried the lunch buffet, you've got to!
(5)
Bob A.
Showed up on a Sunday and it turned out they had a buffet going, although you could also order from the menu. I asked if they had any Vindaloo on the menu or in the buffet; they said their Vindaloo is just Chicken Tikka Masala with some potatoes in it. The food I got was okay; my friend and I were not blown away but not offended. There is better Indian food in the Twin Cities (India Palace in Roseville is my fave); I'll probably only come here again if it's convenient.
(3)
Breena E.
Another update: what was once a favorite place really isn't any longer. After attempting to call in an order and showing up for dinner during regular & posted business hours (and if you check their website, there is a live-update type feature that lets you know they're open) three separate times over the past few months and finding out that the business was closed with no notice, I have found that I don't have time for a place like this. The parking attendant was always rude; if you explained that you were there to eat at Jewel's or pick up a to-go order, he wouldn't believe it at first, would tell stories about how people lie to him and then go somewhere else after they've parked for free. Then he sends you to the neighboring apartment building's parking lot (I'm not sure you can even park there? but I was never towed). There was one amazing waiter on staff that was/is always really nice and super timely and attentive, but if you didn't get him good luck. There was a time that they were understaffed and they just used a table to pile dirty dishes and table cloths on while setting new tables to serve more people. Don't they have a sink in back? Is it so much harder to move the stuff out of the dining room? We were once overcharged by about $10, but before they ran our card we noticed the receipt and asked about it. The waitress explained that the keys on the calculator sometimes stuck. She apologized and updated our total. But. It is calculator. Buy a new one and don't charge wrong totals. I've always loved their food, but not enough to deal with all of that other stuff. If you go: bus/walk there, pay in cash, and check your bill.
(3)
Emily C.
A hole in the wall worth stepping into. Went for dinner with a friend who had eaten here the night before & was happy to go back again. After a long day & a brain running on half cylinders our sweet waitresss steered us through the comprehensive menu. Two veggie dishes, pakora apps, naan & beer were a perfect combination. Better than average Indian cuisine & great service. Biggest disappointment was not being able to eat more. I don't come to the twin cities often enough to say I'll be back, but I would recommend it to anyone in the area.
(4)
Sumit D.
If I had not had indian food in such a long time i would have rated them lower. We (wife n i) went on a saturday night @ 9 15 ish and were reluctantly seated. The place had no wait staff and was being serviced my one man who i think was the owner. We ordered rogan josh and biryani. Although we did ask for spicy, the dishes were made devilishly hot. The biryani was chicken curry mixed with rice so definitely not biryani. The naans were good. Decor was not impressive at all. This is my first indian exp in mpls after all the wonderful place in nyc.and i m disappointed. To be fair the keema naan in particular was good and they took the charge off for the biryani.
(2)
Ranjit M.
This place is TERRIBLE! I went in one night at 7pm on a sunday, and it was purely to get my ukranian friends to try Gulab Jamun and Mango Lassi. Turns out they did not have it. Masala chai on a rainy day? Sorry, they were out. The server even made a snarky remark like " We have Gulab jamun but it's not ready yet, won't taste good", clearly making up a poor excuse on the spot. We ordered something and then it came out right away, which made me question whether the food was fresh at all. It seemed like they heated up some frozen curry. The Shahi Paneer and the Malai Kofta was half decent so we were not complaining about that., The server's non-nonchalance is what really bugged me. They tried to hurry us both into finishing even though they were an hour away from closing, standing over you while you're eating and trying to pressure you to finish your meal faster than you'd like to isn't cool. They casually remarked that they really wanted to watch an Indian movie , not cool at all. When it was time for the check, the server decided to announce how much it was individually even without presenting us a bill. It was clearly not adding up to our total but we decided against confronting them about it. Although they were very nice people and the food was great, they need to be a bit more transparent and inviting to guests. Also, having things available on the menu always helps when getting people to come back. I've been disappointed before when I came here, but I thought they might have learnt a lesson or two from all these negative reviews, The only privilege they have is owning the parking lot and prime location for their joint, where unsuspecting hungry passerby's might stumble in without yelping them.
(1)
Terence A.
Jewel of India has good comfort food. There are higher class restaurants out there but this place caters to taste and tradition. They were playing an Indian inspired music record by madlib last time I eat there!
(4)
Mayank G.
Great tasting food for decent price!! Very nice preparation.
(4)
Pseudo I.
I was looking for the best Biryani in MPLS and decided to try Jewel of India. Being Indian, maybe I expected too much but this was terrible. It's more like chicken pulao rather than biryani. If you want good biryani I suggest you try: Persis Paradise, Dancing Ganesha, Ipotli.
(2)
Jesse D.
Tried to order online. Turns out all of the stuff on the website that leads you to believe this place delivers is not correct. I tried and after some waiting and some more confusion, I found out that I was taking a quick drive. It took few wrong turns, a confusing exchange with a parking lot attendant and $3 for parking but I finally got to the restaurant. We had a strawberry shake which was good. I had the ground lamb and chicken tandoori. Both were pretty good. It may have been the length of time that it took me to get to the restaurant or it could have been the food but the experience wasn't all that great. If I decide to try it again, it will be by going into the restaurant and enjoying a meal. Takeout is not an adventure I would try again.
(3)
Jessica E.
I'm looking forward to returning to this little place! We went on a Friday night at about 6:30. Only about half the tables were full, so we were able to be seated right away. Our waitress was very friendly, helpful, and quick. The food was very tasty - it is now my second favorite Indian restaurant in the metro, and I've been to at least eight. I got the dum-aloo and thought it was addictive! The potatoes were soft, but not mushy; the cheese was a perfect consistency to meld with the potatoes and sauce AND it was delicious; the sauce was...different. It's not a flavor I'm used to getting at Indian restaurants, but at the same time it did have a lot of the familiar spice flavors. I asked for it hot - it seemed more medium to me, but I have a high tolerance for hot & spicy foods. I took leftovers home, at them today, and now I want more! I also had the garlic naan - that was so-so. My fiance had the saag paneer - he wasn't crazy about it, but he's also looking forward to going back and trying another dish...I'll be getting the dum-aloo again!
(4)
Andy W.
I understand that some businesses do not place customer service high on the priorities, however Jewel Of India has taken this to a new depth. My first unfortunate example of this was upon being charged three times the cost of my lunch bill. I noticed it in my bank account, e mailed the restaurant (ignored), called and was hung up on three times (they said it was a problem with disconnecting phones, asked me to hold, and then the line went dead). Only after writing something on Facebook did I hear from someone on staff, promising it would be looked into. Weeks pass, nothing- finally I open a case with the credit card company, they contact the restaurant and after months of no response from the restaurant I am refunded. Please check your account after dining here. After months pass, I (suppose foolishly) decided to give the place another try. There was a football game happening nearby and they were renting the parking spaces for $15. After being rudely yelled at I was told to park, and then to move the car to a space as far away as possible. After that, the person in the lot actually yelled at me to "eat quick, fill up, and get out, we need the space". That was the last insult- I've dined at this restaurant for years up until the credit card incident and to be treated that way- really, nobody should be, especially your customers. As for the food itself, it is OK- standard Indian fare, nothing unique but also nothing terrible- a classic case of not reaching too high, but being decently mediocre. It's the disdain the customer is treated with that leaves the worst lingering taste.
(1)
Alfonso S.
Food was ok. As a U of M student I have been there a couple of times. I am upset at some of their antics. Once I was charged 71.23 dollars instead of 17.23. They also charged me the 17.23, and then when they tried to refund the 71.23 they charged it to me again. I disputed both credit card charges, my wife and I don't eat that much. Even though I got my money back, what bothered me was that they took it as far as eh could with the credit card to keep the money. Bad experience.
(2)
Rebecca W.
Great service. Humble and fantastic. Take out portions are a little small. But very good Indian! Free parking on the behind / side of the where building they are located.
(4)
Tori M.
I really love Jewel of India. I am used to making amazing Indian food in my house and although this is the chubby kind of Indian, I still love it. It's not really the authenticity I love (which if you're going for, you might not find yourself loving this place), but the tastiness. I think it's best to go balls-to-wall here. You can't go wrong with a sumptuous meal of sabzi vindaloo, paneer makhani, with samosa, raita and naan. Also, the tamarind chutney here is to die for and I have sinful dreams about lunch buffet. They also aren't too outlandishly priced, so you can do a nice dinner here for relatively cheap (even if you go balls-to-wall). There are nights when I just refuse to eat anything if it's not Jewel of India... that is how much I love it. If I am in a funk, Boyfriend will surprise me with take-out (which is always the way to my good side).
(4)
Jeremiah H.
Some friends and I went on a little after 6 on a Friday night. Though the place was busy, we didn't have to wait to be seated. It was a very nice surprise. The food is delicious. The four of us went family style, all ordering something different and sharing. I recommend this. It was really hard to choose one thing on the menu, so we all ended up being able to try four things. I can't think of a better way to get to know a restaurant's menu without ordering like Jane and Michael Stern. I highly recommend this place. Our service was a little slow, but that's only because we were in a hurry to get to Theatre in the Round just down the block and service always seems slower when you have somewhere else to go. I'm sure I wouldn't have noticed otherwise.
(4)
Francis Z.
Great Indian food right off campus. Plus great service too.
(5)
Jen B.
Jewel is my go-to place for Indian takeout, not because the food is all that great but because it's close and one of the few Indian places in the downtown area that's open late. I much prefer Bombay Bistro or Passage to India (which I believe has closed at it's Lake Street spot but supposedly is opening in a new Uptown location soon). That being said, Jewel will definitely work in a pinch, i.e, when I'm hungry and Lost is about to start. My favorites are the lentil dishes, chicken vindaloo, chicken tikka, saag paneer (cheese cubes in spinach sauce), dum-aloo and pakoras. Sadly, the naan has been a universal disappointment, flavorless and charred in places. The web site leads you to believe you can place an order for delivery online, but the one time I tried this, the order never showed up. When I called to check on it, I found out that the web ordering doesn't work, and that the staff is well aware of this yet doesn't bother to take it down. I almost always get takeout, but I've been in for the lunch buffet once and the selection was decent and appropriately cheap. The place is kind of an eyesore and the service isn't anything to rave about. Still, my love of Indian food transcends, and I'll continue to come here until someone wises up and puts an Indian place in the North Loop.
(3)
Barry L.
I was disappointed with my experience tonight. It took a solid five minutes for the staff to notice that I was there. I finally seated myself at a table. The chicken makhani was not among the best I've had. The sauce was OK, but the chicken I got was more like partially edible scraps than good moist chunks of tandoori chicken. I think I will stick to vegetables at this place from now on. The thing is, I'm a somewhat captive audience, because this the only Indian restaurant (that I know of) anywhere near the University of Minnesota. But if you have the freedom to go elsewhere, I enthusiastically recommend Bombay Bistro on Marquette or anything in the local chain that includes India Palace, India House, and Darbar. Darbar in particular is amazing.
(2)
Sarah J.
Another disappointing Indian restaurant in Minneapolis. The food is roundly greasy. I typically love Indian buffets, but this one left me unimpressed. And there was no naan for most of our meal. Harumph! Also, it really feels like being stuck in a box. I'm not claustrophobic. And I'm usually very well behaved in public. But I was just itching to get out the whole time I was in here. And the staff didn't pay us a whit of attention. Which was fine, since it was a buffet. That is, until we wanted some water and eventually the bill. Sort of didn't feel like a restaurant at all. Maybe it's a front! The kooky "travel items" store next store sure does look like something illicit is probably going down...
(2)
Sandeep K.
This is a hopeless place. Being an Indian myself, I thought the curries would be good, stopped there a few times, always just one curry sold under different names, and that curry is worth not more than $3 when its marked for whatever price in the menu! If you ate there and liked it, good for you! But that's not what authentic Indian food is like!
(1)
Ken I.
Awful service and boring food. Would avoid this place at all costs.
(1)
Jennifer K.
This is the winner of my very own BEST OF THE TWIN CITIES-INDIAN We had a great date night here Friday. The place was hopping-and we had a great meal, without a long wait. We ordered two entrees and shared them both-a lamb curry and a chicken curry, which came with Basmati rice. Spicy, hot, creamy and wonderful. At the time, they didn't ask how spicy we wanted it, but on our check next to the order they had written "mild". I'm glad we didn't go for hot, because it had a kick to it. Medium and hot would have been too much for me, and I like moderately spicy food. We started off with vegetarian samosas which came out hot and crispy, and with our meal we ordered some Naan and shared a mango milkshake. the drink was so yummy that next time I'll have to get my very own. We used a Happenings coupon, so we got all this food, plus tip for $24.00. You don't get a ton of food, but there was enough left over for my husband's lunch the next day. It was just the right amount, and we left happy campers. They have off-street parking, which is a plus, and our service was marvelous (I think our waiter was the owner!) I'm hoping they are in the new Happenings book that comes out September, so we can eat here on the cheap again soon! (I'm sure we'll be going several more times at full price in the coming year) They do have a lunch buffet (not sure if it's only during the week) but we're not huge buffet fans, so if we had come there for lunch, I'm sure we would have ordered off the menu anyway. Great night-good times. My favorite find of 2009.
(5)
Matthew J.
Meh. This this the Indian restaurant I go to when I am on the West Bank and I don't want to go far or it is past 2pm and all of the other Indian buffets are closed. The food, whether it is on the buffet or ordered, is just kind of bland. If you are afraid of pungent flavors and spice, this is the place for you. Don't get me wrong, I love Indian food, even bland Indian food, so I will still go there. Also, if you give the pudgy guy with the long beard twenty bucks for two buffets, don't expect to get your change back.
(3)
Erin S.
My husband, a friend, and I ate here for dinner last night. Located in Seven Corners, this place is a little Indian place that is right next door to Bullwinkles Saloon. The atmosphere is casual, very no frills. I ordered the Dal Makhni ($8.95), my husband ordered the Aloo Gobi Palak (also $8.95) & our friend ordered the Tandoori Chicken ($9.95). We also ordered plain and garlic naan ($1.50 for the plain, $1.95 for the garlic). I had been craving Dal Makhni, so it was nice to finally be able to have some. I also tried some of the Aloo Gobi Palak, and both where quite tasty. Our friend, Nathan, really enjoyed his Tandoori Chicken (served on what appeared to be a fajita plate, which we hadn't seen before, but doesn't mean it was a bad thing). All in all we enjoyed our experience, however they never asked us if we wanted dessert, & my husband had wanted to get kheer. They just brought us the check, & we did have somewhere else to be, so we let it go. Otherwise, the staff was very nice.
(4)
Laura P.
This place is pretty darn good. When me and my friend arrived, the guy working was just about to close up the buffet, but I was able to work my girlie charms so he left everything out for us for an hour longer. (Girlie charms= cutesy smiley face, twinkly eyes and giggly compliments. Shameless I know. .but a buffet was at stake here) The buffet wasn't too bad. There were about 6 different dishes for us to choose from. I thought each were pretty darn good even if they had been sitting out for a little bit. I figured that since the server was about to close down the buffet, we were probably going to get the nasty left overs from the lunch hour buffet. But, things were still pretty tasty. I loved the pekora, it had a nice kick to it. The rice was starting to get a little crusty from being in the pan for awhile, but I just drenched it in some curried chicken, heavy on the sauce, and it seemed to bring the rice back to life. There was bread at the buffet table that was starting to get a little stale, but after talking to the server and, again, laying on my girlie charm, we were given a nice fresh, warm batch of bread to eat with our meal. I can't recall all the names of the dishes I had, but I there were three that I really really enjoyed. The others weren't half bad either. The restaurant itself is a medium-sized, well maintained space. The decorations are modern-ish and not overwhelming. The space is well lit with some natural light that comes in from the big windows on the store front. The man that was working was not a big conversationalist, but he was very nice and patient with my friend and I. We literally walked in right when he was about to close the store for the lunch-dinner break. So I am pretty stoked on that aspect. My friend and I ended up staying awhile and chatting away and I never felt pressured to hurry up and get out. My friend was a little upset because when he paid, he wasn't given back the change on his $20 to leave a tip, it was just assumed by the server that the entire $20 was for him. The price wasn't too shabby, 2 people for the buffet for under $20. The food was pretty good, restaurant was nice server was pretty cool. I'd go here again for sure! The hours are split up a little because of the buffet times, so be mindful of that when you go to try it. Or just have a giggly, smiley girl go with you :) Then they'll keep the doors open for you like they did for me. Monday-Friday: Lunch= Noon-2:30 Dinner= 4:30-10 Saturday: Lunch= Noon-3 Dinner= 4:30-10 Sunday: Lunch= Noon-3 Dinner= 4:30-9:30 Check it out, yo!!
(3)
S O.
Here's the deal: Buffet = great. Take out or ordering off of the menu = skip it.
(3)
Breezy B.
Good lunch buffett. For dinner ask for the mixed grill. It's not on the menu but it's the bomb. A searing platter of lamb, chicken, and shrimp. A Large portion that could serve two.
(4)
Judson K.
Great service, and consistant amazing food.
(5)
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
Address :1427 Washington Ave S
Minneapolis, MN, 55454
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
India is the birth place of Chicken Tikka Masala and Curries. Indian foods are prepared with a blend of finely mixed spices quite popular across the region. The spices develop the rich taste in Indian food enough to boggle your mind. The ever-increasing fan base of Indian food around the New York city is steadily increasing because of the large number of Indians who traveled to the land of dreams. The Indians also brought their very own vibrant, colorful, and aromatic authentic dishes for the people in the West. While most of the Indian population is Vegetarian, Indian food is great for people who are looking for vegan or vegetarian food option. If you are a Meat lover, don't get disappointed yet. Indian food also boasts of some popular non-vegetarian dishes too. Few examples are the famous Butter Chicken, Mutton Biryani and Tandoori Chicken are enough to satisfy your taste buds.
Indian food has gained reputation all over the world especially in the United States. You can find many places serving the appetizing Indian food across all major cities in the US. India is a diverse country with different food culture originated from different parts of the country. While the Northern region boasts tandoori dishes and korma offering royal taste, the Western Ghats offers sea foods that is made in naturally sweet tender coconut milk. The South Indian food servers a quality of different dishes made from rice accompanied with spicy chutneys, curries and famous sambhar. Also, the Indian sweets are a delight to relish. If you ever want to have a burst of sugar syrup in mouth, don't forget to try few Bengali Sweets. Be it spicy, tangy, or sweet flavor, you can find everything in the Indian cuisine. Be assured that the melody of spices will surely bring delight to you.
Scott G.
I only gave them one star because that is thw worst rtating I could give. This used to be a great place. The food I got today was horrible. I ordered the chicken vindaloo and what I got was some watery tastless broth with over cooked chicken. If you like indian food stay away from here.
(1)Dan S.
The food is like gangbusters. Best Indian cuisine that I've ever had. I shared the dinner for two. It was $30, but was easily enough food for 3 or possibly even 4. It was enough for both of us, plus I had two meals out of the leftovers. It came with soup, naan, some deep fried lentil balls, tandoori chicken, lamb kabobs, and two specialty chicken and lamb dishes with spicy Indian sauces. All of it was great. The lamb kabobs were a little dry, but when dipped in the yogurt sauce it was fine. Everything else was just great. I think the other criticisms of bad service are accurate. The service was very slow and the waiter communicated mostly with loud grunts, but I don't really care when the food is this good. Also free parking in the lot behind the restaurant. It is assigned though, so make sure you are in a spot owned by Jewel of India. They serve beer and wine.
(5)David S.
Really good vegan selection on the menu. Be aware that when you request spicy, you will get SPICY! The food was great, but I will say they need to hire more than just one server who handles everything. She did very well with about 6-10 people in the restaurant, but she was running herself ragged trying to take all of our orders.
(4)Anika C.
I'm not gonna lie I was literally waiting to go try this restaurant the moment I laid eyes on it. Took my bff/roommate. Firstly walked in at 6:30, prime dinner time. Not only was there lack of ambience but the staff was borderline awkward at best. There were only 2 other tables and the service was still painfully slow. To make matters a little more annoying I ordered kashmiri roga josh -- I'd feed bigger portions to my pet. The meat was well seasoned but nothing special. And the rice portion was appalling. Then when you want some more they have the nerve to charge you $1 per refill. I asked for a lassi and never got one since the server thought I wouldn't want it after I ate. Well guess what I did and when she asked if I still wanted my drink AFTER my meal I canceled simply cos I didn't wanna wait there a minute longer. I asked for water never got that either. Tbh if the food is good I don't care that much about service. But this meal was faaaar overpriced, didn't taste that great, slow service, and if I do ever go back it would be for the buffet. Disappointed would be an understatement.
(1)Tim R.
The drinks and an appetizer came after the entrees. The rice was under cooked and the waitress was not friendly. It was not great dining experience. The garlic naan was not great. The entrees were not stellar.
(1)Chris H.
I am reviewing for food delivered via Restaurant Connection, which arrived at my home in the North Loop in about 45 minutes. The food was good but nothing spectacular. I ordered the garlic naan and the mixed grill that included Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Tikka, Seekh Kabab, Boti Kabab and Prawn Kabab. The naan was good but a little dry and not overly garlic-y. The mixed grill was also tasty and came with rice but was dry. The chicken dishes were hard to distinguish and there was only one shrimp--semi-cold and limp, which no one really wants. Am I right, or am I right? There was enough meat and rice to feed two people for sure. Meh, I'm really underwhemled BUT it was delivery so I wasn't expecting to be overly impressed.
(3)Lance A.
We called in a take out order and the guy wouldn't give us the total over the phone. We knew what we wanted from looking at the menu a few days prior, but haven't ever eaten there. We show up and it's $53 for two people that's extreme for Indian food. If we knew the total, we would have asked how many servings out of an order. We did once we saw the bill and found out what we ordered feeds 4-5 people. The food was maybe 2.5 stars and the dining room was one of the worst.
(2)Ilsa T.
I'm sorry, but wow. It really is as bad as everyone has said. It was our first time and we ignored the low Yelp rating and lowered our expectations accordingly. The food was OK, but I've never really had terrible Indian food, you know? It's hard to screw up rice and warm chicken Vindaloo. Fine, but definitely forgettable. The service however was unforgettable (in a bad way). I'll save all the little things like being sat at a dirty table in the empty restaurant and our server's strangely abrasive table-side manner that opened with her jokingly telling me my dinner date was cheating on me. Super weird and uncomfortable at worst, slow and absent at best. The final straw of whether or not to add to the Yelp noise came when the charge went through on my credit card today. Our server had upcharged us on literally every item we had (think charging us for lamb when we got chicken, garlic naan when we had regular naan, the $7 glass of wine instead of the $5, etc.). Not noticing this at first, I pointed this out to her after my card had already been run, and she promised to fix it when she closed out the bill (I assumed by taking it out of her tip since she didn't take my card back to re-run). Not shockingly, I was charged the full, incorrect amount. There's too many other, better options nearby. Not worth it.
(1)James F.
I came here one night about two weeks ago and there was literally no one else in the restaurant. The portions were terribly small, poor service, and sub-par food. I love Indian food, but this place is not worth it. Even our server was complaining about how slow it was that day. I don't want to hear about your problems when I'm eating, and you need to do something about it. Terrible. Do NOT recommend.
(1)Julia P.
1 star is not enough to express how unhappy I am with my experience. The meaning of "customer service" seems to have been misplaced here. I went with a friend at 5pm on a Monday. I understand that it's not the most popular time to eat but there was no naan and no lamb dishes at all (1/3 of the menu really...). When my friend tried to order a vegetarian dish, that's when we found out the kitchen also was out of that. The waitress proceeded to very impatiently and rapidly point out the list of vegetarian dishes not available. She was very pushy about one specific dish and particularly unhappy when my friend did not order it. The food was very average but we ate thinking we'd quickly leave after. We split the bill (another thing the waitress expressed her unhappiness about) and when our separate checks arrived, the amount was calculated wrong. The waitress was very snappy, extremely rude, and utterly horrible "explaining" the calculations to us as if we were incomprehensible children. Well unfortunately for her, we were right even though she tried to push us to pay more. When a restaurant treats their customers the way we were treated, I don't expect to be back.
(1)Rebecca R.
Best Indian Food in the city!!! I've been here before and the food was good. We came here again and they have a new chef and his food is BOSS! Two thumbs way up! It is our favorite dinner spot!
(5)Brandon K.
Jewel of India does not deserve a single star. I walked into the restaurant a little after opening time, only to find no one inside. I was really craving some chicken tikka, so I poked around and found the waitress, who was quick to let me know that they were closed. I inquired as to the hours, and she informed me that they were opening late on this particular Wednesday. However, when I tried to leave, she seemed shocked. "I've got somewhere to be" I explained. "No no," she said, "we can serve you. It just depends on what you want." I decided to try my luck. I ordered the tikka masala, ans she became exited. "Yes! I can make that! The problem is that our cook hasn't arrived." and then she scurried back into the kitchen. Uh oh. My food came to me, and I choked it down as the waitress and cook explained to me how terrible it was working at the joint. I wanted to sympathize, but I was also having an awful dining experience. Once I'd slurped up the last bit of my curry and asked for a check, I was given another surprise. Their credit card machine was broken. I had no cash. So, against my better judgement, I had her take down my number. Nothing bad came of this, but it's no way to run a business. Stay away.
(1)Dick O.
Good food. Fine service. We had plenty of food. The taste was great. The spice level was accurate. We are eat too much. What's not to love.
(4)Stella S.
Delicious and fresh food. Attention was over the top. Great price for amazing food! Located in the heart of Minneapolis, lovely restaurant with good music. I highly recommend!
(5)Mayank G.
Great tasting food for decent price!! Very nice preparation.
(4)Blank P.
I want to preface this review by saying I will be contacting Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson to report the fraudulent business practices of Jewel of India. But we can get to that in a minute. Let's talk about the rest of the experience, shall we? My dining partner and I stopped in here tonight around 6:30, after discovering our first choice (Malabari) was closed for President's Day. Hungry, we skip checking out the previous Yelp reviews and walk in to an empty dining room replete with dingy carpet, dirty walls, and tables covered with hospital bed-type tissue paper. Having dined in places with a similar appearance, but with five-star service and food, I let it slide. We sit down and the server (owner's daughter?) asks what we want to drink after a quick look at the menu. Dining partner: "I'll have an iced tea." Server: "We don't have iced tea." Dining partner: "I'll have a Coke." " Server: "We are out of Coke. How about a Diet Coke?" Me: "I'll have a mango lassi." She acknowledges my order, but never shows up with my lassi. Again, all three of these beverages are on the menu. We then order our dishes: Dining partner: "We'll have the tandoori dinner for two." Server: "We don't serve that tonight." This is red flag number one. We finally settle on chicken tikka masala and the boti kebab. A minute later, we hear the distinctive ding of a microwave. This is red flag number two. We discuss leaving right then and there, but as we have already placed our order, believe it would only be right to follow through with the dinner. The server delivers our dishes, with cold basmati rice, a soupy cereal-sized bowl of tikki marsala with perhaps five small chunks of chicken, and tough, dry lamb balls served upon a two-tablespoon bed of seared onions and four or five green pepper slices. She doesn't bother checking up on us during our dinner. We finish up what we can, my dining partner excuses herself to use the restroom, and the server informs me that our total is $32.50. No bill, no chicken scratches, nothing. Being new to Indian culture and food, I'm not sure if this is standard operating procedure, and just figure to look at the menu afterward to ensure we aren't getting hosed. I hand over my credit card: "Our machine isn't working tonight. Do you have cash?" "No, I don't. I just have a card." ...To which she emphatically asks, pointing at the empty spot of my dining partner's: "Does he, or she, have cash?" At this point, I'm upset: "No. SHE does not have cash. I HAVE A CARD." "Let me see if I can run it." A minute and a half later - poof! - what do you know? The machine is miraculously working. The inflated $32.50 was actually an even-more inflated $34.21, and at this point - frustrated, disgusted, and just wanting to get out - I sign, leave zero tip, and we leave. This entire exchange is strike three. Tonight, my dining partner and I were scammed, served garbage, and insulted. Guess what? Tonight, Jewel of India scammed the wrong customer, and I will be certain to not only spread the word about your awful establishment (don't try and bribe me with buffet coupons), but also as stated above, I am informing the AG and other relevant entities and agencies about your unlawful credit card/billing scam. Karma's a you-know-what!
(1)Tiffany C.
Lunch buffet is okay for the price, but I would never recommend going there for dinner and do not even think about ordering online. To get to the parking, you have to cut through the side or risk getting accosted for 5 bucks to park in the lot. When you reassure him you're eating at Jewel, he will angrily point in the back with the 5 spots available. Because I am too lazy to go to the grocery store, get myself some Taste of India sauce, and cook (which would have been a much better option), I once ordered online via their website. I got the naan, chicken vindaloo, and saag paneer. 5 minutes later, I got a phone call from the server telling me the food was ready for pick up. WHAT!? 5 minutes!?!? She told me they were closing early due to the low number of customers, so I needed to hurry up and be there. It was like 6pm. When we got the food, it was obviously reheated leftovers from the buffet earlier. 4 pieces of paneer cubes, dry chicken, and naan as hard as the concrete the building is in. I almost debate whether or not to even post this review, because it might just be a moot point. It seems like the rest of the lovely establishments attached to that building (Bullwinkles, some weird travel agency thing from like the 1980's, and a bizarre Indian thrift store), this restaurant will go bust pretty soon.
(2)Jason W.
So the manager of Jewel of India reached out to me after my previous experience. He was very kind and sent me 3 free buffet coupons and encouraged me to try the restaurant again. I decided to give it another go. My daughter was unable to come with us this time so it was just my son and I. I decided go at about the same time to hopefully replicate the same conditions. Their was one other family in the restaurant when we arrived. We were able to sit where we wished this time around. The waitress who turned out to be the owners daughter was very friendly and explained to us that the upon out last visit their cook had moved back to India overnight with no notice. That explained the bad food during our last visit I thought. The Naan was not burned this time and was delicious. There was also plenty of hot, fresh and delicious Chai this time! Unfortunately this is where the improvement stopped. I wanted so much to have an awesome experience this time, as I used to have here, but the food was just not good. The pakoras were still over cooked. The rice was watery. The dishes were bland and the meat dry and/or greasy. The chicken tastes as last time.... Dry and tasteless. It just is so sad when a great cook leaves and is replaced with one that is not so great. My friends that used to frequent this restaurant with me no longer come here either. Because of the other improvements and the manager taking his time to reach out to me, I will give it another try in a few months. Hopefully they will have a new and better cook, and my friends , family and I can began frequenting this restaurant again!
(3)Abhishek A.
I have eaten twice at this place at the Lunch buffet and ordered delivery once. One time at the buffet the food was OK. The other time we went in around 1 hour before lunch end time and the food was cold. For the delivery, I ordered Saag Paneer,Paneer Tikka and Garlic naan. The paneer tikka was not cooked in the tandoor. It was just blocks of paneer fried in a pan with some onion and green pepper. There was no sauce with it. It was tasteless. The Saag panner was bland too. Spicy doesn't mean just adding more red chilli. But apparently that's what the chef's at the restaurant think. Total waste of money. I wouldn't eat at this place again.
(1)Kalli R.
It doesn't matter how good the food tastes if you have horrific service. Took my friend an hour to place an order due to the fact the option to order online is a falsity although it will appear as it went through. Luckily, my friend called to check on the order when the staff member "Amy" explained the online ordering doesn't actually work, did not apologize, just explained it was "ok" because "they don't charge you online." The staff member then insistent my friend communicate her order by text message which in beyond unprofessional. I saw a text from "Amy" that actually said "don't change your order or I will get mad at you." Terrible.
(1)Callie T.
I was very disappointed in the buffet. The naan was burnt and most of the food was cold and tasted bad .Waitress did not tell us that she only took cash which we did not have . She rushed us out saying that she was closing in "4-ish " minutes and didn't mention we would need to leave at a certain time when we sat down. The place was very empty and uninviting . I love Indian food but this place was not what I was expecting at all!
(1)Nesima A.
I came in right before closing time with my co worker and the server was so sweet and accommodating to us. I ordered curry pakora and papadum and my coworker ordered dawani haandi and naan. There wasn't any chai available sadly which is a must for me. My food was spicy and flavorful. I'd definitely come back to enjoy more during the day.
(4)Gaby G.
Small overpriced meal. I had the lamb tika masala - well seasoned lamb, very small portion though. They charge $1 per rice refill (unlike other places where it is complimentary) Service is slow, and forgetful. I came in with high expectations - most likely not coming back.
(1)Karen M.
Totally love this place! The food is always great and the service is fast. It is always a pity that there aren't many people. The prices are reasonable. Hope that it picks up in business! The young ladies working there were great, really personable. Will definitely be back again!
(4)Whitney G.
Definitely like that their buffet is affordable, and pretty happy that they have some of the regular faves. I recommend trying the deep fried bread if you like cream cheese wontons, the flavor and texture are the same. I thought it was unique! Be still my beating heart for curry meatballs! As you may know, if you follow my reviews, meatballs are on my top list of faves, as is curry. Never did I imagine combining the two in my wildest dreams. Pretty darn good! I give it three stars because I didn't see a drink or dessert menu, nor was I informed of any. Though this may seem inconsequential, I am a huge fan of mango! Typically there's a mango pudding set out at least near the buffet area. This wouldn't have been so bad had I seen a drink menu where I could have ordered a mango lassi. I feel like mango is an essential part of the Indian food experience.
(3)E M.
I had high hopes for this place and Im sorry to review it so poorly. I love and know my indian food but this place wasnt very good. The proces were fair but still mot worth it for the food. On the plus side the seevice was great.
(2)Brian P.
We walked in and had a hard time finding a table that wasn't dirty. The plates were cleared but the paper covering had food stains all over. Server was more interested in texting than helping us out. We ordered an appetizer, two naans and an entree. The entree came first and ten minutes later still no other food. After walking over to interrupt the server from her phone, she said it was coming right away. Much later it still hadn't arrived. At that point the entree was beyond cold. I took it back to her again interrupting her an she blamed the kitchen. We left and won't go back. Bathroom was FILTHY too.
(1)Shishir U.
Me and my wife had gone to this place on August 28th for dinner and ordered Veg Thali (caters for 2 people). 1)First thing they said was they had issues with payment system and would not accept card (acceptable and I went and got cash) 2)They served appetizers which was alright, found it to be oily. 3) Soup was servers along with starters and it was horrible and tasted stale and my wife felt it was spoilt. We mentioned to the person serving, who happened to be owners daughter i guess. She plainly said Indian soups taste like that 4)Main course was horrible. Naans were stale, dal was ok and channa masala was spoilt. They provided rice which was kept for few days I guess. 5) When i asked for the bill, they mentioned they had issues with printing the bill and charged by $36 plus. In the menu the rate was mentioned as $29.95 and i am not sure why the extra 6 dollars. Overall it was a horrible experience for me and my wife and we had never tasted such horrible Indian food since our stay in Minneapolis. If you are in downtown and want to get some Indian food, i would suggest to avoid this place. There are other places like Dancing Ganesha, Copper Pot, Bombay Bistro which serve much better food and have better ambiance. I also felt the owner didnt care much as we were Indians and not localities. The person who served was very sarcastic in her comments and sounded like we were not welcome. This will be the last place i will ever go to eat.
(1)John C.
I've tried the Chicken Tika Masala here x4, and while it's not my favorite around, it's good. The Jewel Goat I found interesting, a bit tomato-y. The lamb Biryani is huge, but the lamb a tad gristley. Maybe I've only been here in the winter, because I associate this place with being cold, and a bit dank. The door is the most basic of single layer no relief, and the blustery breezes just come in uninvited. Or maybe my impression is because of the bathroom in the deep, dark basement. Regardless, I prefer take out here because I don't find the space inviting. It's just a rectangular room with not too much thought put into it. It's fine, I just wouldn't want to live there.
(3)Tracy R.
Tried this place since out of town. Service & food were fine. Not the best place but was convenient.
(3)Nahila A.
Ordered take out here from between work and classes. Was told the place was halal, which is a plus. Because I was feeling stressed and needed some comfort, I decide to have a carb love fest. I ordered the veggie samosas, keema naan, and chicken pakoras. It cost a little over $14 which upfront is a lot for appetizers, but the food I got was enough for a couple of meals, so it wasn't too bad. Although I didn't eat at the restaurant, I noticed it was a quaint and simple, yet inviting and clean. My food was ready in about 20 minutes. I really liked the veggies samosas; they were very flavorful and hit the spot (samosas are one of my top 5 favorite foods and also a comfort food for me). The chicken pakoras were good and were generous in portion. The keema naan was ok and could have used some more flavor. It was an overall good experience, but not too exciting. The chutney they was really watery and didn't have much flavor, which was disappointing. It would have been nice to have some flavorful chutney and raita with this meal. I'd go back but not often as it's something that's not affordable for my grad student budget. I plan on trying some other dishes on their menu in the near future since it is pretty close to campus.
(3)Joel M.
The food is decent, but the service is TERRIBLE. I've never left a one star review before (check my profile), but I feel people should be warned about this place. Our waitress was unbelievably rude and short with us when we tried to ask questions about the food. Our drink orders took about fifteen minutes to arrive, and were both lukewarm and incorrect when we received them. Our food arrived shortly after, but after our meals I couldn't get the waitress' attention to save my life, so I ended up standing at the counter for a five minutes while the staff hid in back. The final bill was also totally off (she was doing the math in her head - they didn't appear to have any sort of computer system). I definitely overpaid by about ten dollars, but was just anxious to get out of there at that point. You may have a better experience if you're ordering take out, but I recommend avoiding the staff at all costs.
(1)Scott E.
Love how unique this place is. First, the food is always excellent and the prices are low. The fun begins in the parking lot when the old man who I can only assume owns the place asks you multiple times if you are going to eat at the Jewel of India. It could be considered confrontational. At times I have wanted to leave, but continued on. I understand the parking shortage and how people keep his customers from having a place to park, so while his methods are less than admirable, the results equal parking for you when you dine here. The place is an open room, nothing special. Chairs could be improved. Service is good and fast even on nights when the wait staff dont show up. On one of our visits the person taking our order explained he was a friend of the other waiter and was helping out. He was new to this. He did an excellent job. We didnt wait any longer than normal for the good food to arrive. The patrons are dressed in suits or jeans, all feel welcome.
(3)j e.
People here were nice but the food was my least favorite of any Indian places I've tried in Minnesota. I don't know if it was supposed to be self service but they basically dropped the good off at your table and we got up and searched for silverware and plates which was weird. I do not recommend
(2)Josie B.
I have only eaten at Jewel of India once (ok, not really AT.... it was delivery) so I'm not sure if my meal was a typical experience. I do know curry however. Its a slightly more than an obsession for me. I ordered the Veggie Samosas, Chicken Tikka Masala (w/ rice), and plain naan: The Samosas were good, a little blander than I am used to... but I am also used to California restaurants that aren't catering to bland, Minnesota taste buds, so I'll remember to order them extra spicy next time. The Tikka was actually very good, no complaints... the rice it was served with was meh. The naan was the worst naan I have ever had. And I've had a lot of naan. Paper thin, flavorless, hard as a rock. And that's when it was warm. As soon as it cooled even a little bit it was inedible. All that being said; yes, I will probably give them another try.
(3)Alan S.
Upon first entry almost stepped on painting guy.... We were seated right away which was pretty dope. Waitress took our drink orders and explained how our beer beverages my be warm. Obviously we ordered the cold beer. Cold beer was dope. Orders were taken and the fun started. Order after order was cold, every other rice pot was kinda warm? Clearly our food was microwaved. I feel sick... Even our Indian friend was disappointed. I'm drinking whiskey to kill this experience. After a 113 bill, stay away, stay away. May some deity have mercy on your soul.
(1)Liz M.
We should have left after looking at the lunch buffet. The plates were dirty and my glass of water came with lipstick on it. The food was almost gone, which the waitress said was due to it being "extremely busy" that day, despite the fact that the place was almost empty when we arrived at 12:30 for lunch. We assumed that the food would be replenished, but they were apparently out of everything. What food was there was bland. The waitress was apologetic, but didn't offer any form of compensation. I will not eat there again.
(1)Ed C.
For the price, the shrimps were tiny. Food was not good and we felt that the portions were small. There are much better alternatives around. Service was not good and don't think we'll return.
(1)Liv S.
The food is fine but the service is terrible. I've only gone there in the evening. Every time it's the same unpleasant waitress. The first time, she was complaining that she was feeling ill, and after she brought out our food she put her head down on one of the tables and took a nap while we were eating. Someone had to come out of the kitchen and wake her up so we could pay. A second time, we came in to order take out a couple hours before they were supposed to close, and she complained to us that she was late for her mother's birthday party and they wouldn't let her leave. Another time, we made the mistake of ordering online for pickup. She told us the online ordering system gave her the wrong phone number, and they had run out of one of the two dishes we wanted, and she refused to make us something else because again she wanted to close early for some event. Every time I go to this restaurant, the waitress says things to make me feel like I ruined her night by trying to buy food there. I'm not going back.
(1)Dad H.
This place is a joke. I'm admittedly an Indian food snob but there's no justifying this bland over-priced excuse for an Indian restaurant. I asked for spicy and was told they were "out of spices." They rushed us in and out of an empty restaurant. I'll say it again: this place is a joke. Don't waste your time or money.
(1)Heidi H.
I went there with a coworker for the lunch buffet. The food and the price were great. We loved everything set out. The cook came out with hot bread (sorry, do not know the names of the various tasty items) and offered it around to folks already seated. He also came out to introduce himself to dinners and ask their opinions on the offerings. It has been a long time since I have had a meal and met the cook. I liked that.
(4)Scott B.
Wonderful Sunday buffet! Great food - tasty, hot, authentic. Extremely generous. Price is great!
(5)Ibra M.
It is one of the worst restaurant I have been in. Very bad service. The serve you as they give you free food. Poor menu.
(1)Kristin H.
I've only ever been here for the lunch buffet, but the food is always, always great- especially considering it's sitting on a buffet line! If you haven't tried the lunch buffet, you've got to!
(5)Bob A.
Showed up on a Sunday and it turned out they had a buffet going, although you could also order from the menu. I asked if they had any Vindaloo on the menu or in the buffet; they said their Vindaloo is just Chicken Tikka Masala with some potatoes in it. The food I got was okay; my friend and I were not blown away but not offended. There is better Indian food in the Twin Cities (India Palace in Roseville is my fave); I'll probably only come here again if it's convenient.
(3)Pseudo I.
I was looking for the best Biryani in MPLS and decided to try Jewel of India. Being Indian, maybe I expected too much but this was terrible. It's more like chicken pulao rather than biryani. If you want good biryani I suggest you try: Persis Paradise, Dancing Ganesha, Ipotli.
(2)Breena E.
Another update: what was once a favorite place really isn't any longer. After attempting to call in an order and showing up for dinner during regular & posted business hours (and if you check their website, there is a live-update type feature that lets you know they're open) three separate times over the past few months and finding out that the business was closed with no notice, I have found that I don't have time for a place like this. The parking attendant was always rude; if you explained that you were there to eat at Jewel's or pick up a to-go order, he wouldn't believe it at first, would tell stories about how people lie to him and then go somewhere else after they've parked for free. Then he sends you to the neighboring apartment building's parking lot (I'm not sure you can even park there? but I was never towed). There was one amazing waiter on staff that was/is always really nice and super timely and attentive, but if you didn't get him good luck. There was a time that they were understaffed and they just used a table to pile dirty dishes and table cloths on while setting new tables to serve more people. Don't they have a sink in back? Is it so much harder to move the stuff out of the dining room? We were once overcharged by about $10, but before they ran our card we noticed the receipt and asked about it. The waitress explained that the keys on the calculator sometimes stuck. She apologized and updated our total. But. It is calculator. Buy a new one and don't charge wrong totals. I've always loved their food, but not enough to deal with all of that other stuff. If you go: bus/walk there, pay in cash, and check your bill.
(3)Ranjit M.
This place is TERRIBLE! I went in one night at 7pm on a sunday, and it was purely to get my ukranian friends to try Gulab Jamun and Mango Lassi. Turns out they did not have it. Masala chai on a rainy day? Sorry, they were out. The server even made a snarky remark like " We have Gulab jamun but it's not ready yet, won't taste good", clearly making up a poor excuse on the spot. We ordered something and then it came out right away, which made me question whether the food was fresh at all. It seemed like they heated up some frozen curry. The Shahi Paneer and the Malai Kofta was half decent so we were not complaining about that., The server's non-nonchalance is what really bugged me. They tried to hurry us both into finishing even though they were an hour away from closing, standing over you while you're eating and trying to pressure you to finish your meal faster than you'd like to isn't cool. They casually remarked that they really wanted to watch an Indian movie , not cool at all. When it was time for the check, the server decided to announce how much it was individually even without presenting us a bill. It was clearly not adding up to our total but we decided against confronting them about it. Although they were very nice people and the food was great, they need to be a bit more transparent and inviting to guests. Also, having things available on the menu always helps when getting people to come back. I've been disappointed before when I came here, but I thought they might have learnt a lesson or two from all these negative reviews, The only privilege they have is owning the parking lot and prime location for their joint, where unsuspecting hungry passerby's might stumble in without yelping them.
(1)Terence A.
Jewel of India has good comfort food. There are higher class restaurants out there but this place caters to taste and tradition. They were playing an Indian inspired music record by madlib last time I eat there!
(4)Jesse D.
Tried to order online. Turns out all of the stuff on the website that leads you to believe this place delivers is not correct. I tried and after some waiting and some more confusion, I found out that I was taking a quick drive. It took few wrong turns, a confusing exchange with a parking lot attendant and $3 for parking but I finally got to the restaurant. We had a strawberry shake which was good. I had the ground lamb and chicken tandoori. Both were pretty good. It may have been the length of time that it took me to get to the restaurant or it could have been the food but the experience wasn't all that great. If I decide to try it again, it will be by going into the restaurant and enjoying a meal. Takeout is not an adventure I would try again.
(3)Emily C.
A hole in the wall worth stepping into. Went for dinner with a friend who had eaten here the night before & was happy to go back again. After a long day & a brain running on half cylinders our sweet waitresss steered us through the comprehensive menu. Two veggie dishes, pakora apps, naan & beer were a perfect combination. Better than average Indian cuisine & great service. Biggest disappointment was not being able to eat more. I don't come to the twin cities often enough to say I'll be back, but I would recommend it to anyone in the area.
(4)Jessica E.
I'm looking forward to returning to this little place! We went on a Friday night at about 6:30. Only about half the tables were full, so we were able to be seated right away. Our waitress was very friendly, helpful, and quick. The food was very tasty - it is now my second favorite Indian restaurant in the metro, and I've been to at least eight. I got the dum-aloo and thought it was addictive! The potatoes were soft, but not mushy; the cheese was a perfect consistency to meld with the potatoes and sauce AND it was delicious; the sauce was...different. It's not a flavor I'm used to getting at Indian restaurants, but at the same time it did have a lot of the familiar spice flavors. I asked for it hot - it seemed more medium to me, but I have a high tolerance for hot & spicy foods. I took leftovers home, at them today, and now I want more! I also had the garlic naan - that was so-so. My fiance had the saag paneer - he wasn't crazy about it, but he's also looking forward to going back and trying another dish...I'll be getting the dum-aloo again!
(4)Andy W.
I understand that some businesses do not place customer service high on the priorities, however Jewel Of India has taken this to a new depth. My first unfortunate example of this was upon being charged three times the cost of my lunch bill. I noticed it in my bank account, e mailed the restaurant (ignored), called and was hung up on three times (they said it was a problem with disconnecting phones, asked me to hold, and then the line went dead). Only after writing something on Facebook did I hear from someone on staff, promising it would be looked into. Weeks pass, nothing- finally I open a case with the credit card company, they contact the restaurant and after months of no response from the restaurant I am refunded. Please check your account after dining here. After months pass, I (suppose foolishly) decided to give the place another try. There was a football game happening nearby and they were renting the parking spaces for $15. After being rudely yelled at I was told to park, and then to move the car to a space as far away as possible. After that, the person in the lot actually yelled at me to "eat quick, fill up, and get out, we need the space". That was the last insult- I've dined at this restaurant for years up until the credit card incident and to be treated that way- really, nobody should be, especially your customers. As for the food itself, it is OK- standard Indian fare, nothing unique but also nothing terrible- a classic case of not reaching too high, but being decently mediocre. It's the disdain the customer is treated with that leaves the worst lingering taste.
(1)Alfonso S.
Food was ok. As a U of M student I have been there a couple of times. I am upset at some of their antics. Once I was charged 71.23 dollars instead of 17.23. They also charged me the 17.23, and then when they tried to refund the 71.23 they charged it to me again. I disputed both credit card charges, my wife and I don't eat that much. Even though I got my money back, what bothered me was that they took it as far as eh could with the credit card to keep the money. Bad experience.
(2)Sumit D.
If I had not had indian food in such a long time i would have rated them lower. We (wife n i) went on a saturday night @ 9 15 ish and were reluctantly seated. The place had no wait staff and was being serviced my one man who i think was the owner. We ordered rogan josh and biryani. Although we did ask for spicy, the dishes were made devilishly hot. The biryani was chicken curry mixed with rice so definitely not biryani. The naans were good. Decor was not impressive at all. This is my first indian exp in mpls after all the wonderful place in nyc.and i m disappointed. To be fair the keema naan in particular was good and they took the charge off for the biryani.
(2)Rebecca W.
Great service. Humble and fantastic. Take out portions are a little small. But very good Indian! Free parking on the behind / side of the where building they are located.
(4)Tori M.
I really love Jewel of India. I am used to making amazing Indian food in my house and although this is the chubby kind of Indian, I still love it. It's not really the authenticity I love (which if you're going for, you might not find yourself loving this place), but the tastiness. I think it's best to go balls-to-wall here. You can't go wrong with a sumptuous meal of sabzi vindaloo, paneer makhani, with samosa, raita and naan. Also, the tamarind chutney here is to die for and I have sinful dreams about lunch buffet. They also aren't too outlandishly priced, so you can do a nice dinner here for relatively cheap (even if you go balls-to-wall). There are nights when I just refuse to eat anything if it's not Jewel of India... that is how much I love it. If I am in a funk, Boyfriend will surprise me with take-out (which is always the way to my good side).
(4)Jeremiah H.
Some friends and I went on a little after 6 on a Friday night. Though the place was busy, we didn't have to wait to be seated. It was a very nice surprise. The food is delicious. The four of us went family style, all ordering something different and sharing. I recommend this. It was really hard to choose one thing on the menu, so we all ended up being able to try four things. I can't think of a better way to get to know a restaurant's menu without ordering like Jane and Michael Stern. I highly recommend this place. Our service was a little slow, but that's only because we were in a hurry to get to Theatre in the Round just down the block and service always seems slower when you have somewhere else to go. I'm sure I wouldn't have noticed otherwise.
(4)Francis Z.
Great Indian food right off campus. Plus great service too.
(5)Jen B.
Jewel is my go-to place for Indian takeout, not because the food is all that great but because it's close and one of the few Indian places in the downtown area that's open late. I much prefer Bombay Bistro or Passage to India (which I believe has closed at it's Lake Street spot but supposedly is opening in a new Uptown location soon). That being said, Jewel will definitely work in a pinch, i.e, when I'm hungry and Lost is about to start. My favorites are the lentil dishes, chicken vindaloo, chicken tikka, saag paneer (cheese cubes in spinach sauce), dum-aloo and pakoras. Sadly, the naan has been a universal disappointment, flavorless and charred in places. The web site leads you to believe you can place an order for delivery online, but the one time I tried this, the order never showed up. When I called to check on it, I found out that the web ordering doesn't work, and that the staff is well aware of this yet doesn't bother to take it down. I almost always get takeout, but I've been in for the lunch buffet once and the selection was decent and appropriately cheap. The place is kind of an eyesore and the service isn't anything to rave about. Still, my love of Indian food transcends, and I'll continue to come here until someone wises up and puts an Indian place in the North Loop.
(3)Barry L.
I was disappointed with my experience tonight. It took a solid five minutes for the staff to notice that I was there. I finally seated myself at a table. The chicken makhani was not among the best I've had. The sauce was OK, but the chicken I got was more like partially edible scraps than good moist chunks of tandoori chicken. I think I will stick to vegetables at this place from now on. The thing is, I'm a somewhat captive audience, because this the only Indian restaurant (that I know of) anywhere near the University of Minnesota. But if you have the freedom to go elsewhere, I enthusiastically recommend Bombay Bistro on Marquette or anything in the local chain that includes India Palace, India House, and Darbar. Darbar in particular is amazing.
(2)Sarah J.
Another disappointing Indian restaurant in Minneapolis. The food is roundly greasy. I typically love Indian buffets, but this one left me unimpressed. And there was no naan for most of our meal. Harumph! Also, it really feels like being stuck in a box. I'm not claustrophobic. And I'm usually very well behaved in public. But I was just itching to get out the whole time I was in here. And the staff didn't pay us a whit of attention. Which was fine, since it was a buffet. That is, until we wanted some water and eventually the bill. Sort of didn't feel like a restaurant at all. Maybe it's a front! The kooky "travel items" store next store sure does look like something illicit is probably going down...
(2)Sandeep K.
This is a hopeless place. Being an Indian myself, I thought the curries would be good, stopped there a few times, always just one curry sold under different names, and that curry is worth not more than $3 when its marked for whatever price in the menu! If you ate there and liked it, good for you! But that's not what authentic Indian food is like!
(1)Ken I.
Awful service and boring food. Would avoid this place at all costs.
(1)Jennifer K.
This is the winner of my very own BEST OF THE TWIN CITIES-INDIAN We had a great date night here Friday. The place was hopping-and we had a great meal, without a long wait. We ordered two entrees and shared them both-a lamb curry and a chicken curry, which came with Basmati rice. Spicy, hot, creamy and wonderful. At the time, they didn't ask how spicy we wanted it, but on our check next to the order they had written "mild". I'm glad we didn't go for hot, because it had a kick to it. Medium and hot would have been too much for me, and I like moderately spicy food. We started off with vegetarian samosas which came out hot and crispy, and with our meal we ordered some Naan and shared a mango milkshake. the drink was so yummy that next time I'll have to get my very own. We used a Happenings coupon, so we got all this food, plus tip for $24.00. You don't get a ton of food, but there was enough left over for my husband's lunch the next day. It was just the right amount, and we left happy campers. They have off-street parking, which is a plus, and our service was marvelous (I think our waiter was the owner!) I'm hoping they are in the new Happenings book that comes out September, so we can eat here on the cheap again soon! (I'm sure we'll be going several more times at full price in the coming year) They do have a lunch buffet (not sure if it's only during the week) but we're not huge buffet fans, so if we had come there for lunch, I'm sure we would have ordered off the menu anyway. Great night-good times. My favorite find of 2009.
(5)Matthew J.
Meh. This this the Indian restaurant I go to when I am on the West Bank and I don't want to go far or it is past 2pm and all of the other Indian buffets are closed. The food, whether it is on the buffet or ordered, is just kind of bland. If you are afraid of pungent flavors and spice, this is the place for you. Don't get me wrong, I love Indian food, even bland Indian food, so I will still go there. Also, if you give the pudgy guy with the long beard twenty bucks for two buffets, don't expect to get your change back.
(3)Erin S.
My husband, a friend, and I ate here for dinner last night. Located in Seven Corners, this place is a little Indian place that is right next door to Bullwinkles Saloon. The atmosphere is casual, very no frills. I ordered the Dal Makhni ($8.95), my husband ordered the Aloo Gobi Palak (also $8.95) & our friend ordered the Tandoori Chicken ($9.95). We also ordered plain and garlic naan ($1.50 for the plain, $1.95 for the garlic). I had been craving Dal Makhni, so it was nice to finally be able to have some. I also tried some of the Aloo Gobi Palak, and both where quite tasty. Our friend, Nathan, really enjoyed his Tandoori Chicken (served on what appeared to be a fajita plate, which we hadn't seen before, but doesn't mean it was a bad thing). All in all we enjoyed our experience, however they never asked us if we wanted dessert, & my husband had wanted to get kheer. They just brought us the check, & we did have somewhere else to be, so we let it go. Otherwise, the staff was very nice.
(4)Laura P.
This place is pretty darn good. When me and my friend arrived, the guy working was just about to close up the buffet, but I was able to work my girlie charms so he left everything out for us for an hour longer. (Girlie charms= cutesy smiley face, twinkly eyes and giggly compliments. Shameless I know. .but a buffet was at stake here) The buffet wasn't too bad. There were about 6 different dishes for us to choose from. I thought each were pretty darn good even if they had been sitting out for a little bit. I figured that since the server was about to close down the buffet, we were probably going to get the nasty left overs from the lunch hour buffet. But, things were still pretty tasty. I loved the pekora, it had a nice kick to it. The rice was starting to get a little crusty from being in the pan for awhile, but I just drenched it in some curried chicken, heavy on the sauce, and it seemed to bring the rice back to life. There was bread at the buffet table that was starting to get a little stale, but after talking to the server and, again, laying on my girlie charm, we were given a nice fresh, warm batch of bread to eat with our meal. I can't recall all the names of the dishes I had, but I there were three that I really really enjoyed. The others weren't half bad either. The restaurant itself is a medium-sized, well maintained space. The decorations are modern-ish and not overwhelming. The space is well lit with some natural light that comes in from the big windows on the store front. The man that was working was not a big conversationalist, but he was very nice and patient with my friend and I. We literally walked in right when he was about to close the store for the lunch-dinner break. So I am pretty stoked on that aspect. My friend and I ended up staying awhile and chatting away and I never felt pressured to hurry up and get out. My friend was a little upset because when he paid, he wasn't given back the change on his $20 to leave a tip, it was just assumed by the server that the entire $20 was for him. The price wasn't too shabby, 2 people for the buffet for under $20. The food was pretty good, restaurant was nice server was pretty cool. I'd go here again for sure! The hours are split up a little because of the buffet times, so be mindful of that when you go to try it. Or just have a giggly, smiley girl go with you :) Then they'll keep the doors open for you like they did for me. Monday-Friday: Lunch= Noon-2:30 Dinner= 4:30-10 Saturday: Lunch= Noon-3 Dinner= 4:30-10 Sunday: Lunch= Noon-3 Dinner= 4:30-9:30 Check it out, yo!!
(3)S O.
Here's the deal: Buffet = great. Take out or ordering off of the menu = skip it.
(3)Breezy B.
Good lunch buffett. For dinner ask for the mixed grill. It's not on the menu but it's the bomb. A searing platter of lamb, chicken, and shrimp. A Large portion that could serve two.
(4)Judson K.
Great service, and consistant amazing food.
(5)Lance A.
We called in a take out order and the guy wouldn't give us the total over the phone. We knew what we wanted from looking at the menu a few days prior, but haven't ever eaten there. We show up and it's $53 for two people that's extreme for Indian food. If we knew the total, we would have asked how many servings out of an order. We did once we saw the bill and found out what we ordered feeds 4-5 people. The food was maybe 2.5 stars and the dining room was one of the worst.
(2)Tim R.
The drinks and an appetizer came after the entrees. The rice was under cooked and the waitress was not friendly. It was not great dining experience. The garlic naan was not great. The entrees were not stellar.
(1)Anika C.
I'm not gonna lie I was literally waiting to go try this restaurant the moment I laid eyes on it. Took my bff/roommate. Firstly walked in at 6:30, prime dinner time. Not only was there lack of ambience but the staff was borderline awkward at best. There were only 2 other tables and the service was still painfully slow. To make matters a little more annoying I ordered kashmiri roga josh -- I'd feed bigger portions to my pet. The meat was well seasoned but nothing special. And the rice portion was appalling. Then when you want some more they have the nerve to charge you $1 per refill. I asked for a lassi and never got one since the server thought I wouldn't want it after I ate. Well guess what I did and when she asked if I still wanted my drink AFTER my meal I canceled simply cos I didn't wanna wait there a minute longer. I asked for water never got that either. Tbh if the food is good I don't care that much about service. But this meal was faaaar overpriced, didn't taste that great, slow service, and if I do ever go back it would be for the buffet. Disappointed would be an understatement.
(1)Scott G.
I only gave them one star because that is thw worst rtating I could give. This used to be a great place. The food I got today was horrible. I ordered the chicken vindaloo and what I got was some watery tastless broth with over cooked chicken. If you like indian food stay away from here.
(1)Dan S.
The food is like gangbusters. Best Indian cuisine that I've ever had. I shared the dinner for two. It was $30, but was easily enough food for 3 or possibly even 4. It was enough for both of us, plus I had two meals out of the leftovers. It came with soup, naan, some deep fried lentil balls, tandoori chicken, lamb kabobs, and two specialty chicken and lamb dishes with spicy Indian sauces. All of it was great. The lamb kabobs were a little dry, but when dipped in the yogurt sauce it was fine. Everything else was just great. I think the other criticisms of bad service are accurate. The service was very slow and the waiter communicated mostly with loud grunts, but I don't really care when the food is this good. Also free parking in the lot behind the restaurant. It is assigned though, so make sure you are in a spot owned by Jewel of India. They serve beer and wine.
(5)David S.
Really good vegan selection on the menu. Be aware that when you request spicy, you will get SPICY! The food was great, but I will say they need to hire more than just one server who handles everything. She did very well with about 6-10 people in the restaurant, but she was running herself ragged trying to take all of our orders.
(4)Dad H.
This place is a joke. I'm admittedly an Indian food snob but there's no justifying this bland over-priced excuse for an Indian restaurant. I asked for spicy and was told they were "out of spices." They rushed us in and out of an empty restaurant. I'll say it again: this place is a joke. Don't waste your time or money.
(1)Chris H.
I am reviewing for food delivered via Restaurant Connection, which arrived at my home in the North Loop in about 45 minutes. The food was good but nothing spectacular. I ordered the garlic naan and the mixed grill that included Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Tikka, Seekh Kabab, Boti Kabab and Prawn Kabab. The naan was good but a little dry and not overly garlic-y. The mixed grill was also tasty and came with rice but was dry. The chicken dishes were hard to distinguish and there was only one shrimp--semi-cold and limp, which no one really wants. Am I right, or am I right? There was enough meat and rice to feed two people for sure. Meh, I'm really underwhemled BUT it was delivery so I wasn't expecting to be overly impressed.
(3)Heidi H.
I went there with a coworker for the lunch buffet. The food and the price were great. We loved everything set out. The cook came out with hot bread (sorry, do not know the names of the various tasty items) and offered it around to folks already seated. He also came out to introduce himself to dinners and ask their opinions on the offerings. It has been a long time since I have had a meal and met the cook. I liked that.
(4)Scott B.
Wonderful Sunday buffet! Great food - tasty, hot, authentic. Extremely generous. Price is great!
(5)John C.
I've tried the Chicken Tika Masala here x4, and while it's not my favorite around, it's good. The Jewel Goat I found interesting, a bit tomato-y. The lamb Biryani is huge, but the lamb a tad gristley. Maybe I've only been here in the winter, because I associate this place with being cold, and a bit dank. The door is the most basic of single layer no relief, and the blustery breezes just come in uninvited. Or maybe my impression is because of the bathroom in the deep, dark basement. Regardless, I prefer take out here because I don't find the space inviting. It's just a rectangular room with not too much thought put into it. It's fine, I just wouldn't want to live there.
(3)Tracy R.
Tried this place since out of town. Service & food were fine. Not the best place but was convenient.
(3)Rebecca R.
Best Indian Food in the city!!! I've been here before and the food was good. We came here again and they have a new chef and his food is BOSS! Two thumbs way up! It is our favorite dinner spot!
(5)James F.
I came here one night about two weeks ago and there was literally no one else in the restaurant. The portions were terribly small, poor service, and sub-par food. I love Indian food, but this place is not worth it. Even our server was complaining about how slow it was that day. I don't want to hear about your problems when I'm eating, and you need to do something about it. Terrible. Do NOT recommend.
(1)Brandon K.
Jewel of India does not deserve a single star. I walked into the restaurant a little after opening time, only to find no one inside. I was really craving some chicken tikka, so I poked around and found the waitress, who was quick to let me know that they were closed. I inquired as to the hours, and she informed me that they were opening late on this particular Wednesday. However, when I tried to leave, she seemed shocked. "I've got somewhere to be" I explained. "No no," she said, "we can serve you. It just depends on what you want." I decided to try my luck. I ordered the tikka masala, ans she became exited. "Yes! I can make that! The problem is that our cook hasn't arrived." and then she scurried back into the kitchen. Uh oh. My food came to me, and I choked it down as the waitress and cook explained to me how terrible it was working at the joint. I wanted to sympathize, but I was also having an awful dining experience. Once I'd slurped up the last bit of my curry and asked for a check, I was given another surprise. Their credit card machine was broken. I had no cash. So, against my better judgement, I had her take down my number. Nothing bad came of this, but it's no way to run a business. Stay away.
(1)Dick O.
Good food. Fine service. We had plenty of food. The taste was great. The spice level was accurate. We are eat too much. What's not to love.
(4)Stella S.
Delicious and fresh food. Attention was over the top. Great price for amazing food! Located in the heart of Minneapolis, lovely restaurant with good music. I highly recommend!
(5)Tiffany C.
Lunch buffet is okay for the price, but I would never recommend going there for dinner and do not even think about ordering online. To get to the parking, you have to cut through the side or risk getting accosted for 5 bucks to park in the lot. When you reassure him you're eating at Jewel, he will angrily point in the back with the 5 spots available. Because I am too lazy to go to the grocery store, get myself some Taste of India sauce, and cook (which would have been a much better option), I once ordered online via their website. I got the naan, chicken vindaloo, and saag paneer. 5 minutes later, I got a phone call from the server telling me the food was ready for pick up. WHAT!? 5 minutes!?!? She told me they were closing early due to the low number of customers, so I needed to hurry up and be there. It was like 6pm. When we got the food, it was obviously reheated leftovers from the buffet earlier. 4 pieces of paneer cubes, dry chicken, and naan as hard as the concrete the building is in. I almost debate whether or not to even post this review, because it might just be a moot point. It seems like the rest of the lovely establishments attached to that building (Bullwinkles, some weird travel agency thing from like the 1980's, and a bizarre Indian thrift store), this restaurant will go bust pretty soon.
(2)Blank P.
I want to preface this review by saying I will be contacting Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson to report the fraudulent business practices of Jewel of India. But we can get to that in a minute. Let's talk about the rest of the experience, shall we? My dining partner and I stopped in here tonight around 6:30, after discovering our first choice (Malabari) was closed for President's Day. Hungry, we skip checking out the previous Yelp reviews and walk in to an empty dining room replete with dingy carpet, dirty walls, and tables covered with hospital bed-type tissue paper. Having dined in places with a similar appearance, but with five-star service and food, I let it slide. We sit down and the server (owner's daughter?) asks what we want to drink after a quick look at the menu. Dining partner: "I'll have an iced tea." Server: "We don't have iced tea." Dining partner: "I'll have a Coke." " Server: "We are out of Coke. How about a Diet Coke?" Me: "I'll have a mango lassi." She acknowledges my order, but never shows up with my lassi. Again, all three of these beverages are on the menu. We then order our dishes: Dining partner: "We'll have the tandoori dinner for two." Server: "We don't serve that tonight." This is red flag number one. We finally settle on chicken tikka masala and the boti kebab. A minute later, we hear the distinctive ding of a microwave. This is red flag number two. We discuss leaving right then and there, but as we have already placed our order, believe it would only be right to follow through with the dinner. The server delivers our dishes, with cold basmati rice, a soupy cereal-sized bowl of tikki marsala with perhaps five small chunks of chicken, and tough, dry lamb balls served upon a two-tablespoon bed of seared onions and four or five green pepper slices. She doesn't bother checking up on us during our dinner. We finish up what we can, my dining partner excuses herself to use the restroom, and the server informs me that our total is $32.50. No bill, no chicken scratches, nothing. Being new to Indian culture and food, I'm not sure if this is standard operating procedure, and just figure to look at the menu afterward to ensure we aren't getting hosed. I hand over my credit card: "Our machine isn't working tonight. Do you have cash?" "No, I don't. I just have a card." ...To which she emphatically asks, pointing at the empty spot of my dining partner's: "Does he, or she, have cash?" At this point, I'm upset: "No. SHE does not have cash. I HAVE A CARD." "Let me see if I can run it." A minute and a half later - poof! - what do you know? The machine is miraculously working. The inflated $32.50 was actually an even-more inflated $34.21, and at this point - frustrated, disgusted, and just wanting to get out - I sign, leave zero tip, and we leave. This entire exchange is strike three. Tonight, my dining partner and I were scammed, served garbage, and insulted. Guess what? Tonight, Jewel of India scammed the wrong customer, and I will be certain to not only spread the word about your awful establishment (don't try and bribe me with buffet coupons), but also as stated above, I am informing the AG and other relevant entities and agencies about your unlawful credit card/billing scam. Karma's a you-know-what!
(1)Jason W.
So the manager of Jewel of India reached out to me after my previous experience. He was very kind and sent me 3 free buffet coupons and encouraged me to try the restaurant again. I decided to give it another go. My daughter was unable to come with us this time so it was just my son and I. I decided go at about the same time to hopefully replicate the same conditions. Their was one other family in the restaurant when we arrived. We were able to sit where we wished this time around. The waitress who turned out to be the owners daughter was very friendly and explained to us that the upon out last visit their cook had moved back to India overnight with no notice. That explained the bad food during our last visit I thought. The Naan was not burned this time and was delicious. There was also plenty of hot, fresh and delicious Chai this time! Unfortunately this is where the improvement stopped. I wanted so much to have an awesome experience this time, as I used to have here, but the food was just not good. The pakoras were still over cooked. The rice was watery. The dishes were bland and the meat dry and/or greasy. The chicken tastes as last time.... Dry and tasteless. It just is so sad when a great cook leaves and is replaced with one that is not so great. My friends that used to frequent this restaurant with me no longer come here either. Because of the other improvements and the manager taking his time to reach out to me, I will give it another try in a few months. Hopefully they will have a new and better cook, and my friends , family and I can began frequenting this restaurant again!
(3)Abhishek A.
I have eaten twice at this place at the Lunch buffet and ordered delivery once. One time at the buffet the food was OK. The other time we went in around 1 hour before lunch end time and the food was cold. For the delivery, I ordered Saag Paneer,Paneer Tikka and Garlic naan. The paneer tikka was not cooked in the tandoor. It was just blocks of paneer fried in a pan with some onion and green pepper. There was no sauce with it. It was tasteless. The Saag panner was bland too. Spicy doesn't mean just adding more red chilli. But apparently that's what the chef's at the restaurant think. Total waste of money. I wouldn't eat at this place again.
(1)Ilsa T.
I'm sorry, but wow. It really is as bad as everyone has said. It was our first time and we ignored the low Yelp rating and lowered our expectations accordingly. The food was OK, but I've never really had terrible Indian food, you know? It's hard to screw up rice and warm chicken Vindaloo. Fine, but definitely forgettable. The service however was unforgettable (in a bad way). I'll save all the little things like being sat at a dirty table in the empty restaurant and our server's strangely abrasive table-side manner that opened with her jokingly telling me my dinner date was cheating on me. Super weird and uncomfortable at worst, slow and absent at best. The final straw of whether or not to add to the Yelp noise came when the charge went through on my credit card today. Our server had upcharged us on literally every item we had (think charging us for lamb when we got chicken, garlic naan when we had regular naan, the $7 glass of wine instead of the $5, etc.). Not noticing this at first, I pointed this out to her after my card had already been run, and she promised to fix it when she closed out the bill (I assumed by taking it out of her tip since she didn't take my card back to re-run). Not shockingly, I was charged the full, incorrect amount. There's too many other, better options nearby. Not worth it.
(1)Julia P.
1 star is not enough to express how unhappy I am with my experience. The meaning of "customer service" seems to have been misplaced here. I went with a friend at 5pm on a Monday. I understand that it's not the most popular time to eat but there was no naan and no lamb dishes at all (1/3 of the menu really...). When my friend tried to order a vegetarian dish, that's when we found out the kitchen also was out of that. The waitress proceeded to very impatiently and rapidly point out the list of vegetarian dishes not available. She was very pushy about one specific dish and particularly unhappy when my friend did not order it. The food was very average but we ate thinking we'd quickly leave after. We split the bill (another thing the waitress expressed her unhappiness about) and when our separate checks arrived, the amount was calculated wrong. The waitress was very snappy, extremely rude, and utterly horrible "explaining" the calculations to us as if we were incomprehensible children. Well unfortunately for her, we were right even though she tried to push us to pay more. When a restaurant treats their customers the way we were treated, I don't expect to be back.
(1)Kalli R.
It doesn't matter how good the food tastes if you have horrific service. Took my friend an hour to place an order due to the fact the option to order online is a falsity although it will appear as it went through. Luckily, my friend called to check on the order when the staff member "Amy" explained the online ordering doesn't actually work, did not apologize, just explained it was "ok" because "they don't charge you online." The staff member then insistent my friend communicate her order by text message which in beyond unprofessional. I saw a text from "Amy" that actually said "don't change your order or I will get mad at you." Terrible.
(1)Callie T.
I was very disappointed in the buffet. The naan was burnt and most of the food was cold and tasted bad .Waitress did not tell us that she only took cash which we did not have . She rushed us out saying that she was closing in "4-ish " minutes and didn't mention we would need to leave at a certain time when we sat down. The place was very empty and uninviting . I love Indian food but this place was not what I was expecting at all!
(1)Nesima A.
I came in right before closing time with my co worker and the server was so sweet and accommodating to us. I ordered curry pakora and papadum and my coworker ordered dawani haandi and naan. There wasn't any chai available sadly which is a must for me. My food was spicy and flavorful. I'd definitely come back to enjoy more during the day.
(4)Gaby G.
Small overpriced meal. I had the lamb tika masala - well seasoned lamb, very small portion though. They charge $1 per rice refill (unlike other places where it is complimentary) Service is slow, and forgetful. I came in with high expectations - most likely not coming back.
(1)Karen M.
Totally love this place! The food is always great and the service is fast. It is always a pity that there aren't many people. The prices are reasonable. Hope that it picks up in business! The young ladies working there were great, really personable. Will definitely be back again!
(4)Whitney G.
Definitely like that their buffet is affordable, and pretty happy that they have some of the regular faves. I recommend trying the deep fried bread if you like cream cheese wontons, the flavor and texture are the same. I thought it was unique! Be still my beating heart for curry meatballs! As you may know, if you follow my reviews, meatballs are on my top list of faves, as is curry. Never did I imagine combining the two in my wildest dreams. Pretty darn good! I give it three stars because I didn't see a drink or dessert menu, nor was I informed of any. Though this may seem inconsequential, I am a huge fan of mango! Typically there's a mango pudding set out at least near the buffet area. This wouldn't have been so bad had I seen a drink menu where I could have ordered a mango lassi. I feel like mango is an essential part of the Indian food experience.
(3)E M.
I had high hopes for this place and Im sorry to review it so poorly. I love and know my indian food but this place wasnt very good. The proces were fair but still mot worth it for the food. On the plus side the seevice was great.
(2)Brian P.
We walked in and had a hard time finding a table that wasn't dirty. The plates were cleared but the paper covering had food stains all over. Server was more interested in texting than helping us out. We ordered an appetizer, two naans and an entree. The entree came first and ten minutes later still no other food. After walking over to interrupt the server from her phone, she said it was coming right away. Much later it still hadn't arrived. At that point the entree was beyond cold. I took it back to her again interrupting her an she blamed the kitchen. We left and won't go back. Bathroom was FILTHY too.
(1)Shishir U.
Me and my wife had gone to this place on August 28th for dinner and ordered Veg Thali (caters for 2 people). 1)First thing they said was they had issues with payment system and would not accept card (acceptable and I went and got cash) 2)They served appetizers which was alright, found it to be oily. 3) Soup was servers along with starters and it was horrible and tasted stale and my wife felt it was spoilt. We mentioned to the person serving, who happened to be owners daughter i guess. She plainly said Indian soups taste like that 4)Main course was horrible. Naans were stale, dal was ok and channa masala was spoilt. They provided rice which was kept for few days I guess. 5) When i asked for the bill, they mentioned they had issues with printing the bill and charged by $36 plus. In the menu the rate was mentioned as $29.95 and i am not sure why the extra 6 dollars. Overall it was a horrible experience for me and my wife and we had never tasted such horrible Indian food since our stay in Minneapolis. If you are in downtown and want to get some Indian food, i would suggest to avoid this place. There are other places like Dancing Ganesha, Copper Pot, Bombay Bistro which serve much better food and have better ambiance. I also felt the owner didnt care much as we were Indians and not localities. The person who served was very sarcastic in her comments and sounded like we were not welcome. This will be the last place i will ever go to eat.
(1)Nahila A.
Ordered take out here from between work and classes. Was told the place was halal, which is a plus. Because I was feeling stressed and needed some comfort, I decide to have a carb love fest. I ordered the veggie samosas, keema naan, and chicken pakoras. It cost a little over $14 which upfront is a lot for appetizers, but the food I got was enough for a couple of meals, so it wasn't too bad. Although I didn't eat at the restaurant, I noticed it was a quaint and simple, yet inviting and clean. My food was ready in about 20 minutes. I really liked the veggies samosas; they were very flavorful and hit the spot (samosas are one of my top 5 favorite foods and also a comfort food for me). The chicken pakoras were good and were generous in portion. The keema naan was ok and could have used some more flavor. It was an overall good experience, but not too exciting. The chutney they was really watery and didn't have much flavor, which was disappointing. It would have been nice to have some flavorful chutney and raita with this meal. I'd go back but not often as it's something that's not affordable for my grad student budget. I plan on trying some other dishes on their menu in the near future since it is pretty close to campus.
(3)Joel M.
The food is decent, but the service is TERRIBLE. I've never left a one star review before (check my profile), but I feel people should be warned about this place. Our waitress was unbelievably rude and short with us when we tried to ask questions about the food. Our drink orders took about fifteen minutes to arrive, and were both lukewarm and incorrect when we received them. Our food arrived shortly after, but after our meals I couldn't get the waitress' attention to save my life, so I ended up standing at the counter for a five minutes while the staff hid in back. The final bill was also totally off (she was doing the math in her head - they didn't appear to have any sort of computer system). I definitely overpaid by about ten dollars, but was just anxious to get out of there at that point. You may have a better experience if you're ordering take out, but I recommend avoiding the staff at all costs.
(1)Scott E.
Love how unique this place is. First, the food is always excellent and the prices are low. The fun begins in the parking lot when the old man who I can only assume owns the place asks you multiple times if you are going to eat at the Jewel of India. It could be considered confrontational. At times I have wanted to leave, but continued on. I understand the parking shortage and how people keep his customers from having a place to park, so while his methods are less than admirable, the results equal parking for you when you dine here. The place is an open room, nothing special. Chairs could be improved. Service is good and fast even on nights when the wait staff dont show up. On one of our visits the person taking our order explained he was a friend of the other waiter and was helping out. He was new to this. He did an excellent job. We didnt wait any longer than normal for the good food to arrive. The patrons are dressed in suits or jeans, all feel welcome.
(3)j e.
People here were nice but the food was my least favorite of any Indian places I've tried in Minnesota. I don't know if it was supposed to be self service but they basically dropped the good off at your table and we got up and searched for silverware and plates which was weird. I do not recommend
(2)Josie B.
I have only eaten at Jewel of India once (ok, not really AT.... it was delivery) so I'm not sure if my meal was a typical experience. I do know curry however. Its a slightly more than an obsession for me. I ordered the Veggie Samosas, Chicken Tikka Masala (w/ rice), and plain naan: The Samosas were good, a little blander than I am used to... but I am also used to California restaurants that aren't catering to bland, Minnesota taste buds, so I'll remember to order them extra spicy next time. The Tikka was actually very good, no complaints... the rice it was served with was meh. The naan was the worst naan I have ever had. And I've had a lot of naan. Paper thin, flavorless, hard as a rock. And that's when it was warm. As soon as it cooled even a little bit it was inedible. All that being said; yes, I will probably give them another try.
(3)Alan S.
Upon first entry almost stepped on painting guy.... We were seated right away which was pretty dope. Waitress took our drink orders and explained how our beer beverages my be warm. Obviously we ordered the cold beer. Cold beer was dope. Orders were taken and the fun started. Order after order was cold, every other rice pot was kinda warm? Clearly our food was microwaved. I feel sick... Even our Indian friend was disappointed. I'm drinking whiskey to kill this experience. After a 113 bill, stay away, stay away. May some deity have mercy on your soul.
(1)Liz M.
We should have left after looking at the lunch buffet. The plates were dirty and my glass of water came with lipstick on it. The food was almost gone, which the waitress said was due to it being "extremely busy" that day, despite the fact that the place was almost empty when we arrived at 12:30 for lunch. We assumed that the food would be replenished, but they were apparently out of everything. What food was there was bland. The waitress was apologetic, but didn't offer any form of compensation. I will not eat there again.
(1)Ed C.
For the price, the shrimps were tiny. Food was not good and we felt that the portions were small. There are much better alternatives around. Service was not good and don't think we'll return.
(1)Liv S.
The food is fine but the service is terrible. I've only gone there in the evening. Every time it's the same unpleasant waitress. The first time, she was complaining that she was feeling ill, and after she brought out our food she put her head down on one of the tables and took a nap while we were eating. Someone had to come out of the kitchen and wake her up so we could pay. A second time, we came in to order take out a couple hours before they were supposed to close, and she complained to us that she was late for her mother's birthday party and they wouldn't let her leave. Another time, we made the mistake of ordering online for pickup. She told us the online ordering system gave her the wrong phone number, and they had run out of one of the two dishes we wanted, and she refused to make us something else because again she wanted to close early for some event. Every time I go to this restaurant, the waitress says things to make me feel like I ruined her night by trying to buy food there. I'm not going back.
(1)Ibra M.
It is one of the worst restaurant I have been in. Very bad service. The serve you as they give you free food. Poor menu.
(1)Kristin H.
I've only ever been here for the lunch buffet, but the food is always, always great- especially considering it's sitting on a buffet line! If you haven't tried the lunch buffet, you've got to!
(5)Bob A.
Showed up on a Sunday and it turned out they had a buffet going, although you could also order from the menu. I asked if they had any Vindaloo on the menu or in the buffet; they said their Vindaloo is just Chicken Tikka Masala with some potatoes in it. The food I got was okay; my friend and I were not blown away but not offended. There is better Indian food in the Twin Cities (India Palace in Roseville is my fave); I'll probably only come here again if it's convenient.
(3)Breena E.
Another update: what was once a favorite place really isn't any longer. After attempting to call in an order and showing up for dinner during regular & posted business hours (and if you check their website, there is a live-update type feature that lets you know they're open) three separate times over the past few months and finding out that the business was closed with no notice, I have found that I don't have time for a place like this. The parking attendant was always rude; if you explained that you were there to eat at Jewel's or pick up a to-go order, he wouldn't believe it at first, would tell stories about how people lie to him and then go somewhere else after they've parked for free. Then he sends you to the neighboring apartment building's parking lot (I'm not sure you can even park there? but I was never towed). There was one amazing waiter on staff that was/is always really nice and super timely and attentive, but if you didn't get him good luck. There was a time that they were understaffed and they just used a table to pile dirty dishes and table cloths on while setting new tables to serve more people. Don't they have a sink in back? Is it so much harder to move the stuff out of the dining room? We were once overcharged by about $10, but before they ran our card we noticed the receipt and asked about it. The waitress explained that the keys on the calculator sometimes stuck. She apologized and updated our total. But. It is calculator. Buy a new one and don't charge wrong totals. I've always loved their food, but not enough to deal with all of that other stuff. If you go: bus/walk there, pay in cash, and check your bill.
(3)Emily C.
A hole in the wall worth stepping into. Went for dinner with a friend who had eaten here the night before & was happy to go back again. After a long day & a brain running on half cylinders our sweet waitresss steered us through the comprehensive menu. Two veggie dishes, pakora apps, naan & beer were a perfect combination. Better than average Indian cuisine & great service. Biggest disappointment was not being able to eat more. I don't come to the twin cities often enough to say I'll be back, but I would recommend it to anyone in the area.
(4)Sumit D.
If I had not had indian food in such a long time i would have rated them lower. We (wife n i) went on a saturday night @ 9 15 ish and were reluctantly seated. The place had no wait staff and was being serviced my one man who i think was the owner. We ordered rogan josh and biryani. Although we did ask for spicy, the dishes were made devilishly hot. The biryani was chicken curry mixed with rice so definitely not biryani. The naans were good. Decor was not impressive at all. This is my first indian exp in mpls after all the wonderful place in nyc.and i m disappointed. To be fair the keema naan in particular was good and they took the charge off for the biryani.
(2)Ranjit M.
This place is TERRIBLE! I went in one night at 7pm on a sunday, and it was purely to get my ukranian friends to try Gulab Jamun and Mango Lassi. Turns out they did not have it. Masala chai on a rainy day? Sorry, they were out. The server even made a snarky remark like " We have Gulab jamun but it's not ready yet, won't taste good", clearly making up a poor excuse on the spot. We ordered something and then it came out right away, which made me question whether the food was fresh at all. It seemed like they heated up some frozen curry. The Shahi Paneer and the Malai Kofta was half decent so we were not complaining about that., The server's non-nonchalance is what really bugged me. They tried to hurry us both into finishing even though they were an hour away from closing, standing over you while you're eating and trying to pressure you to finish your meal faster than you'd like to isn't cool. They casually remarked that they really wanted to watch an Indian movie , not cool at all. When it was time for the check, the server decided to announce how much it was individually even without presenting us a bill. It was clearly not adding up to our total but we decided against confronting them about it. Although they were very nice people and the food was great, they need to be a bit more transparent and inviting to guests. Also, having things available on the menu always helps when getting people to come back. I've been disappointed before when I came here, but I thought they might have learnt a lesson or two from all these negative reviews, The only privilege they have is owning the parking lot and prime location for their joint, where unsuspecting hungry passerby's might stumble in without yelping them.
(1)Terence A.
Jewel of India has good comfort food. There are higher class restaurants out there but this place caters to taste and tradition. They were playing an Indian inspired music record by madlib last time I eat there!
(4)Mayank G.
Great tasting food for decent price!! Very nice preparation.
(4)Pseudo I.
I was looking for the best Biryani in MPLS and decided to try Jewel of India. Being Indian, maybe I expected too much but this was terrible. It's more like chicken pulao rather than biryani. If you want good biryani I suggest you try: Persis Paradise, Dancing Ganesha, Ipotli.
(2)Jesse D.
Tried to order online. Turns out all of the stuff on the website that leads you to believe this place delivers is not correct. I tried and after some waiting and some more confusion, I found out that I was taking a quick drive. It took few wrong turns, a confusing exchange with a parking lot attendant and $3 for parking but I finally got to the restaurant. We had a strawberry shake which was good. I had the ground lamb and chicken tandoori. Both were pretty good. It may have been the length of time that it took me to get to the restaurant or it could have been the food but the experience wasn't all that great. If I decide to try it again, it will be by going into the restaurant and enjoying a meal. Takeout is not an adventure I would try again.
(3)Jessica E.
I'm looking forward to returning to this little place! We went on a Friday night at about 6:30. Only about half the tables were full, so we were able to be seated right away. Our waitress was very friendly, helpful, and quick. The food was very tasty - it is now my second favorite Indian restaurant in the metro, and I've been to at least eight. I got the dum-aloo and thought it was addictive! The potatoes were soft, but not mushy; the cheese was a perfect consistency to meld with the potatoes and sauce AND it was delicious; the sauce was...different. It's not a flavor I'm used to getting at Indian restaurants, but at the same time it did have a lot of the familiar spice flavors. I asked for it hot - it seemed more medium to me, but I have a high tolerance for hot & spicy foods. I took leftovers home, at them today, and now I want more! I also had the garlic naan - that was so-so. My fiance had the saag paneer - he wasn't crazy about it, but he's also looking forward to going back and trying another dish...I'll be getting the dum-aloo again!
(4)Andy W.
I understand that some businesses do not place customer service high on the priorities, however Jewel Of India has taken this to a new depth. My first unfortunate example of this was upon being charged three times the cost of my lunch bill. I noticed it in my bank account, e mailed the restaurant (ignored), called and was hung up on three times (they said it was a problem with disconnecting phones, asked me to hold, and then the line went dead). Only after writing something on Facebook did I hear from someone on staff, promising it would be looked into. Weeks pass, nothing- finally I open a case with the credit card company, they contact the restaurant and after months of no response from the restaurant I am refunded. Please check your account after dining here. After months pass, I (suppose foolishly) decided to give the place another try. There was a football game happening nearby and they were renting the parking spaces for $15. After being rudely yelled at I was told to park, and then to move the car to a space as far away as possible. After that, the person in the lot actually yelled at me to "eat quick, fill up, and get out, we need the space". That was the last insult- I've dined at this restaurant for years up until the credit card incident and to be treated that way- really, nobody should be, especially your customers. As for the food itself, it is OK- standard Indian fare, nothing unique but also nothing terrible- a classic case of not reaching too high, but being decently mediocre. It's the disdain the customer is treated with that leaves the worst lingering taste.
(1)Alfonso S.
Food was ok. As a U of M student I have been there a couple of times. I am upset at some of their antics. Once I was charged 71.23 dollars instead of 17.23. They also charged me the 17.23, and then when they tried to refund the 71.23 they charged it to me again. I disputed both credit card charges, my wife and I don't eat that much. Even though I got my money back, what bothered me was that they took it as far as eh could with the credit card to keep the money. Bad experience.
(2)Rebecca W.
Great service. Humble and fantastic. Take out portions are a little small. But very good Indian! Free parking on the behind / side of the where building they are located.
(4)Tori M.
I really love Jewel of India. I am used to making amazing Indian food in my house and although this is the chubby kind of Indian, I still love it. It's not really the authenticity I love (which if you're going for, you might not find yourself loving this place), but the tastiness. I think it's best to go balls-to-wall here. You can't go wrong with a sumptuous meal of sabzi vindaloo, paneer makhani, with samosa, raita and naan. Also, the tamarind chutney here is to die for and I have sinful dreams about lunch buffet. They also aren't too outlandishly priced, so you can do a nice dinner here for relatively cheap (even if you go balls-to-wall). There are nights when I just refuse to eat anything if it's not Jewel of India... that is how much I love it. If I am in a funk, Boyfriend will surprise me with take-out (which is always the way to my good side).
(4)Jeremiah H.
Some friends and I went on a little after 6 on a Friday night. Though the place was busy, we didn't have to wait to be seated. It was a very nice surprise. The food is delicious. The four of us went family style, all ordering something different and sharing. I recommend this. It was really hard to choose one thing on the menu, so we all ended up being able to try four things. I can't think of a better way to get to know a restaurant's menu without ordering like Jane and Michael Stern. I highly recommend this place. Our service was a little slow, but that's only because we were in a hurry to get to Theatre in the Round just down the block and service always seems slower when you have somewhere else to go. I'm sure I wouldn't have noticed otherwise.
(4)Francis Z.
Great Indian food right off campus. Plus great service too.
(5)Jen B.
Jewel is my go-to place for Indian takeout, not because the food is all that great but because it's close and one of the few Indian places in the downtown area that's open late. I much prefer Bombay Bistro or Passage to India (which I believe has closed at it's Lake Street spot but supposedly is opening in a new Uptown location soon). That being said, Jewel will definitely work in a pinch, i.e, when I'm hungry and Lost is about to start. My favorites are the lentil dishes, chicken vindaloo, chicken tikka, saag paneer (cheese cubes in spinach sauce), dum-aloo and pakoras. Sadly, the naan has been a universal disappointment, flavorless and charred in places. The web site leads you to believe you can place an order for delivery online, but the one time I tried this, the order never showed up. When I called to check on it, I found out that the web ordering doesn't work, and that the staff is well aware of this yet doesn't bother to take it down. I almost always get takeout, but I've been in for the lunch buffet once and the selection was decent and appropriately cheap. The place is kind of an eyesore and the service isn't anything to rave about. Still, my love of Indian food transcends, and I'll continue to come here until someone wises up and puts an Indian place in the North Loop.
(3)Barry L.
I was disappointed with my experience tonight. It took a solid five minutes for the staff to notice that I was there. I finally seated myself at a table. The chicken makhani was not among the best I've had. The sauce was OK, but the chicken I got was more like partially edible scraps than good moist chunks of tandoori chicken. I think I will stick to vegetables at this place from now on. The thing is, I'm a somewhat captive audience, because this the only Indian restaurant (that I know of) anywhere near the University of Minnesota. But if you have the freedom to go elsewhere, I enthusiastically recommend Bombay Bistro on Marquette or anything in the local chain that includes India Palace, India House, and Darbar. Darbar in particular is amazing.
(2)Sarah J.
Another disappointing Indian restaurant in Minneapolis. The food is roundly greasy. I typically love Indian buffets, but this one left me unimpressed. And there was no naan for most of our meal. Harumph! Also, it really feels like being stuck in a box. I'm not claustrophobic. And I'm usually very well behaved in public. But I was just itching to get out the whole time I was in here. And the staff didn't pay us a whit of attention. Which was fine, since it was a buffet. That is, until we wanted some water and eventually the bill. Sort of didn't feel like a restaurant at all. Maybe it's a front! The kooky "travel items" store next store sure does look like something illicit is probably going down...
(2)Sandeep K.
This is a hopeless place. Being an Indian myself, I thought the curries would be good, stopped there a few times, always just one curry sold under different names, and that curry is worth not more than $3 when its marked for whatever price in the menu! If you ate there and liked it, good for you! But that's not what authentic Indian food is like!
(1)Ken I.
Awful service and boring food. Would avoid this place at all costs.
(1)Jennifer K.
This is the winner of my very own BEST OF THE TWIN CITIES-INDIAN We had a great date night here Friday. The place was hopping-and we had a great meal, without a long wait. We ordered two entrees and shared them both-a lamb curry and a chicken curry, which came with Basmati rice. Spicy, hot, creamy and wonderful. At the time, they didn't ask how spicy we wanted it, but on our check next to the order they had written "mild". I'm glad we didn't go for hot, because it had a kick to it. Medium and hot would have been too much for me, and I like moderately spicy food. We started off with vegetarian samosas which came out hot and crispy, and with our meal we ordered some Naan and shared a mango milkshake. the drink was so yummy that next time I'll have to get my very own. We used a Happenings coupon, so we got all this food, plus tip for $24.00. You don't get a ton of food, but there was enough left over for my husband's lunch the next day. It was just the right amount, and we left happy campers. They have off-street parking, which is a plus, and our service was marvelous (I think our waiter was the owner!) I'm hoping they are in the new Happenings book that comes out September, so we can eat here on the cheap again soon! (I'm sure we'll be going several more times at full price in the coming year) They do have a lunch buffet (not sure if it's only during the week) but we're not huge buffet fans, so if we had come there for lunch, I'm sure we would have ordered off the menu anyway. Great night-good times. My favorite find of 2009.
(5)Matthew J.
Meh. This this the Indian restaurant I go to when I am on the West Bank and I don't want to go far or it is past 2pm and all of the other Indian buffets are closed. The food, whether it is on the buffet or ordered, is just kind of bland. If you are afraid of pungent flavors and spice, this is the place for you. Don't get me wrong, I love Indian food, even bland Indian food, so I will still go there. Also, if you give the pudgy guy with the long beard twenty bucks for two buffets, don't expect to get your change back.
(3)Erin S.
My husband, a friend, and I ate here for dinner last night. Located in Seven Corners, this place is a little Indian place that is right next door to Bullwinkles Saloon. The atmosphere is casual, very no frills. I ordered the Dal Makhni ($8.95), my husband ordered the Aloo Gobi Palak (also $8.95) & our friend ordered the Tandoori Chicken ($9.95). We also ordered plain and garlic naan ($1.50 for the plain, $1.95 for the garlic). I had been craving Dal Makhni, so it was nice to finally be able to have some. I also tried some of the Aloo Gobi Palak, and both where quite tasty. Our friend, Nathan, really enjoyed his Tandoori Chicken (served on what appeared to be a fajita plate, which we hadn't seen before, but doesn't mean it was a bad thing). All in all we enjoyed our experience, however they never asked us if we wanted dessert, & my husband had wanted to get kheer. They just brought us the check, & we did have somewhere else to be, so we let it go. Otherwise, the staff was very nice.
(4)Laura P.
This place is pretty darn good. When me and my friend arrived, the guy working was just about to close up the buffet, but I was able to work my girlie charms so he left everything out for us for an hour longer. (Girlie charms= cutesy smiley face, twinkly eyes and giggly compliments. Shameless I know. .but a buffet was at stake here) The buffet wasn't too bad. There were about 6 different dishes for us to choose from. I thought each were pretty darn good even if they had been sitting out for a little bit. I figured that since the server was about to close down the buffet, we were probably going to get the nasty left overs from the lunch hour buffet. But, things were still pretty tasty. I loved the pekora, it had a nice kick to it. The rice was starting to get a little crusty from being in the pan for awhile, but I just drenched it in some curried chicken, heavy on the sauce, and it seemed to bring the rice back to life. There was bread at the buffet table that was starting to get a little stale, but after talking to the server and, again, laying on my girlie charm, we were given a nice fresh, warm batch of bread to eat with our meal. I can't recall all the names of the dishes I had, but I there were three that I really really enjoyed. The others weren't half bad either. The restaurant itself is a medium-sized, well maintained space. The decorations are modern-ish and not overwhelming. The space is well lit with some natural light that comes in from the big windows on the store front. The man that was working was not a big conversationalist, but he was very nice and patient with my friend and I. We literally walked in right when he was about to close the store for the lunch-dinner break. So I am pretty stoked on that aspect. My friend and I ended up staying awhile and chatting away and I never felt pressured to hurry up and get out. My friend was a little upset because when he paid, he wasn't given back the change on his $20 to leave a tip, it was just assumed by the server that the entire $20 was for him. The price wasn't too shabby, 2 people for the buffet for under $20. The food was pretty good, restaurant was nice server was pretty cool. I'd go here again for sure! The hours are split up a little because of the buffet times, so be mindful of that when you go to try it. Or just have a giggly, smiley girl go with you :) Then they'll keep the doors open for you like they did for me. Monday-Friday: Lunch= Noon-2:30 Dinner= 4:30-10 Saturday: Lunch= Noon-3 Dinner= 4:30-10 Sunday: Lunch= Noon-3 Dinner= 4:30-9:30 Check it out, yo!!
(3)S O.
Here's the deal: Buffet = great. Take out or ordering off of the menu = skip it.
(3)Breezy B.
Good lunch buffett. For dinner ask for the mixed grill. It's not on the menu but it's the bomb. A searing platter of lamb, chicken, and shrimp. A Large portion that could serve two.
(4)Judson K.
Great service, and consistant amazing food.
(5)