Bad indian food i ever had ... Even they took the plate before i finished !! The food looks like a stale !!
(1)
Paige J.
I love this place. The people are so friendly every time I go. I worked in India, so this food is like what I had. I love the goat and lamb dishes. Recommend the Goat or lamb Vindaloo or Goat Biryani. Samosas are great too. Haven't tried the buffet yet.
(4)
Joanne M.
This place is great for your quick Indian food fix! Food was ready for pickup in less than 15 mins. Not fine dining Indian food by any means but they have a decent chicken tikka and lamb jalfrezi. Meat samosas were a little over fried and the tamarind sauce wasn't thick or sweet enough. Overall I'd def eat here again when I'm too hungry to wait for food to cook!
(4)
Dwain C.
If you're a fan of Indian food, for the price you cannot go wrong with Taj Mahal. We eat Indian food several times a month and have a few choices close to the same distance away. Consistently we find ourselves going to Taj Mahal. The staff is friendly and the food is good! I usually have the lamb korma. I've noticed over the years that sometimes the sauce can overpower the flavor of the meat. I have yet to have this happen at Taj. Overall, well balanced flavors and spice with good naan! The thing that separates the 4star or 5star for me is that restaurant interiors do matter some when eating out. Their space is a little old and dated.
(4)
Gabriela D.
I seriously don't know why this place is not #1 for KC on Yelp. It should be! The employees were friendly and the food was awesome. Easily one of the best Indian places I've ever been to. The lunch buffet was excellent and everything tasted very homemade and delicious.
(5)
Amy K.
This is for take out only. The restaurant opens at 4:30 pm for dinner. By the time I got there to pick up my order at 5 the door was still locked and an employee had to let me in. :He didn't smile. I paid for my meal. Left a 30% tip in cash. Which he took, turned his back to the jar to drop the money in. Never turned around. So I said "have a good day". He mumbled back turned. Standing to the left was a creepy man, I'm unsure if he was waitstaff or one of the cooks. Just. Staring. So I left. Feeling a little uncomfortable and ready to eat my meal. The food was good though! Chicken tikka masala and garlic naan. The basmati rice was overflowing and delicious. They even gave me a small cup of rice pudding for free. Perhaps to balance out their awkward social etiquette!
(2)
Melisa V.
Craving Indian food a few nights before Thanksgiving, we decided to try Taj Mahal for carry out. For three of us (plus my toddler son who we thought would just enjoy a mango lassi) we ordered plenty of food: Mango Chicken, Baingan Bhartha (eggplant), and Chana Masala (chickpeas), plus Papadum and Naan. They were all pretty good with the Mango Chicken probably being my favorite. I thought the eggplant dish was a bit greasy. My son even asked for (and enjoyed!!) the chickpeas with his mango lassi! Overall, I thought the food was good but not good enough to rush back. There was NO ONE in there at 6:30 on a Tuesday evening, though there were several other carry out bags on the counter. Plus, I didn't find the people at the counter where I paid very friendly. Maybe we'll be back to try the weekend buffet, as long as we aren't the only people there!!
(3)
Brian E.
Decided to check this place out for lunch simce the lunch buffet setup would allow me to sample the largest variety. Overall the presentation was average at most. The selection was about 16 items, most of which was just generic Indian cuisine. Was hoping for a broader selection and honestly a better quality of items and presentation for the $15 I spent. It's about the only Indian cuisine in the Waldo area and it's fast, so if you want a quick lunch you can definitely get it there. Also since it's a buffet there's little chance you'd leave hungry. In the end though I'd probably only go there out of convenience rather than choice.
(2)
Max C.
Stopped by for the buffet several weeks ago and the food was surprisingly cold. My wife got sick a few hours later. Shouldn't be surprised. Much better choices in KC for Indian food. May i recommend Korma Sutra.
(1)
Cathy C.
Hmmm, Seva in Liberty has a close rival now in Taj Majal, in a much cooler neighborhood. Taj has a wide variety of choices on the lunch buffet, all hot and fresh and well stocked. There were at least two chicken and beef dishes, and many more vegetable combinations. My favorite had cabbage and potatoes with seasoning that was new to me. Nothing was terribly spicy, but the ones that have some heat had just enough. They bring warm nan to your table, and the buffet has a crispier version flavored with garlic and herbs. The mango lassis are delicious, but not complimentary like at some places. I saw several foreign-looking beers on display, but didn't partake this time. The service is very polite and unobtrusive, the decor is on the dark side, plush and cozy. We drove down here because of the 2-for-1 on my KCUR card, but even without that it would've been worth the trip. When a craving for Indian food strikes when I'm south of the river, this is where I'll come!
(4)
Brian M.
Fantastic Indian buffet 7 days a week PLUS great food overall - wonderful service (and the best Chai I've ever had)!
(5)
Ankit N.
Didn't enjoy the food all that much. Vegetarian entries were very average and garlic naan was a bit burnt. Nor did I find the ambiance appealing or peaceful. Therefore, will likely not visit again.
(3)
Regina F.
Kansas City is somewhat of a food mecca for those travelling from Kansas, Nebraska, elsewhere in Missouri and the like. What's entirely great about this food mecca, not so ironically, is embodied in the Taj Mahal. If Indian food were ever made of gold, it would be served here. As a pseudo-connoisseur of paratha, I have egomaniacally declared the Taj Mahal's gobi paratha as the best I've ever had. Just buttery enough, the inside of this warm, wheat dough oozes with tumeric and bits of the white vegetable. It's delicious enough to be eaten, even when one is entirely too full of spicy bindi masala and excellent rice.
(5)
Erin H.
The korma here is out of this world. They also feature a wider variety of vegetarian dishes on their buffet than other nearby Indian places. The naan is always perfectly cooked and each of the dishes is well spiced without too much salt. The service is sometimes spotty depending on how busy they are and who's working , but it's mostly fine. Definitely worth a trip to Waldo if you're a fan of good Indian food.
(4)
Brent K.
Oh crap I forgot to write a review about the Taj Mahal!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been coming here since the crazy man at Korma South used to work here, now that was a long time ago. Anyways, when we lived in prairie village, this was our sunday indian fix and now that we live further away, we rarely make it back, and that's a shame, because this place does everything about indian food right. freshly made naan-check, large selection-check, meat/veggies-check, not spiced down for dumbass americans-check. you really could do much worse than this place, and seriously the only reason why I have Korma on a higher plain than this place is because i have had one or two rough times here, which obviously didn't keep me from coming back, whereas at Korma it never fails, never. the place is kinda a dump, but oh well, that's what you get in waldo. (WALDO!)
(4)
Morgan M.
My husband and I wanted to venture out of our comfort zone one night last summer. I stumbled across Taj Mahal's menu and wanted to give them a try because they have quite a few vegetarian options. Although we are always up for trying new things, neither of us had Indian food. From the first bite to the last, everything was exquisite. I am a big fan of chickpeas, so I ordered the Chana Masala. And because I am a huge fan of fried food, we ordered the Vegetable Samosa. Now, Taj Mahal has become a weekly staple for us. The Vegetarian Dinner for two fills both of us up. I love everything that we try: the rice, the mango chutney... Everything. I typically order the following for dinner: Vegetable Samosa (as an accompaniment to my mango chutney) Chana Masala Navratan Korma Kheer I really wanted to give their buffet a try, so one Saturday after going to the gym and the farmers market, we decided to go to Taj Mahal. Although the Chana Masala was not on the buffet menu that day, the Navratan Korma hit the spot. And they had Kheer on the buffet. My husband was more than delighted. I had to take a two-hour nap afterwards. Service is impeccable and I use every excuse in the book to avoid cooking and eating at home to come here. In fact, I have even made up my own holidays to celebrate so I could eat here.
(5)
Shawn C.
The food is awesome and the chai is not too sweet. Dine in and carry out are perfectly fine.
(5)
Rhonda S.
Sara D. and I were at the Waldo Funfest, and were hungry. I spotted Taj Mahol. I'm not familiar Indian food, except for Mirchie's in Lee's Summit. I didn't know what to expect. It was serving a buffet, till2:30. It was about 1:45. We walked in, and to my right was an alter of sorts, with offerings and a brass puja set...I was smitten. We were promptly seated by a charming waiter. He provided us with a water pitcher at the table. We got up to partake in the buffet. The inside of the restaurant is pretty, with a bar on one side, and finely placed tables with fair lighting. It was pretty cool. There were several types of foods, chicken with korma, vegetable selections, I don't know the names. There was a lamb and a goat dish I'd never try. Breaded vegetables called Padorkas that I couldn't get enough of. There was hard bread, and there was sweet gulab jamun soaked in maybe it's agave? I'm not sure. Some of the selections were spicy, some not. The salad bar is lame, but I don't like salad, so I didn't care. Taj Mahol has my heartstrings. I liked all of it. At 2:25, people were entering the restaurant, and the waiter allowed the patrons to get a buffet to go, and was so polite. I found the place clean, and the waiter charming. I will totally be back to Taj Mahol. It's interesting. Not my normal over rated Chinese buffet, but an Indian food buffet. But, if you are vegetarian or like huge salad bars, this isn't for you.
(5)
Heidi B.
My boyfriend has never had indian food. I heard fantastic things about Taj Mahal from a friend and we went for lunch. While I was a little disappointed that lunch is buffet style only, it was still tasty. In my experiences with other Indian food places, they usually have low quality meats and they over season to the point where you feel you're eating spoonfuls of spice only. NOT HERE! Everything is well balanced in flavor and heat. The garlic naan bread was delicious, the chicken tikka masala was delicious. I also enjoyed their mixed veggies and the veggie fritters. My boyfriend enjoyed the chicken chilly and the goat. This place is a must try. We will go back for dinner sometime.
(4)
Thao P.
Good Indian food-- Big dinner specials are the best I went here with a friend during a visit to Kansas City and I was told the Vegetarian Dinner for Two was superb. When I went here, I was immediately embraced and greeted by the owner. He was quite a character. He constantly checked up on me, made jokes, and gave me great suggestions on menu items. My friend and I ordered the Vegetarian Special for Two. They served it on an attractive tiered silver platter. The Saag Panner was to die for. They give you extremely large portions and I took some home with me! Great local place that I recommend!
(4)
Stuti J.
Being Indian, I am very fussy about Indian food in restaurants. Taj Mahal did not impress me at all. The service was good but the food was very average. I had gone there for dinner and was found most of their dishes just about average. The food was very creamy and rich but lacked flavour. I would not being going there again.
(2)
Sara D.
My Yelp buddy, Rhonda S., and I tried to visit the Plaza Art Fair on a Saturday afternoon to no avail. After driving around in circles trying to find parking, we gave up, and decided that we wanted to go to lunch at a place completely new, random, and slightly out of our comfort zone. We drove around and decided on Taj Mahal because we know absolutely nothing about Indian food and eating unknown food is always an adventure. I really appricated their buffet because the signs gave the cultural name and then gave a full description of the item in English. To me, all Indian food looks the same, but I enjoyed the spices that each dish supplied. My favorite were these amazing chewy milk balls, pardon me for not remembering the real name, The biggest turn off for me was the my side of the white table cloth had huge sauce stains. Also, the salad bar portion of the buffet left A LOT of to desired. Then again, this could be a cultural thing? Maybe they only like to eat lettuce as a salad? Overall, I always enjoy trying foods that I'm not familiar with and would recommend giving Taj Mahal a try if you're in the area.
(3)
Scott T.
Why five stars? Let me count the reasons. First, in Lawrence we live about 600 yards from good (OK, the only...) Indian. When we're wanting great Indian we get in the car and drive 45 minutes to Taj Mahal. It's not going to knock your socks off with location and ambiance. What knocks our socks off is consistency, great quality, and predictable pricing. The service is professional, albeit a bit awkward, but that's part of the fun. Tonight they gave us a large helping of rice to go with what was clearly going to be take home, and two orders of Gulab Jamun--on the house. In turn they got a 25% tip. Our favorites are the curries, and they're terrific. The chicken curry in particular is succulent and the chicken always very tender. and cooked to perfection Too many Indian restaurants are cooking their chicken far ahead and it dries out. Never a problem here and we can only surmise they're cooking to order. Heat? Plenty if you order the Indian hot which we do at times, but usually just hot is fine. Tonight a great surprise was the pudina naan (mint, spices) which we opted for instead of garlic naan. Herbal freshness of the mint really offset the heat of our curry. When you're just hungry and want satisfying food, this is the joint. If you're looking for white tablecloths and candlelight, best move on. We're five stars for a bit of joint in a place that serves killer food, and Taj has it.
(5)
Marie F.
Upon entering the place smelled musty and dank... Baby roaches were crawling on the table cloth. They offered to sit us in another booth... and acted nonchalant about the whole ordeal. We had to bail...I can't stand the creepy crawlies.
(1)
Igor C.
I happend to be next door getting new tires and stopped in for lunch. We had the lunch buffet and it was one of the better Indian buffets I've had. High quality ingredients and a nice variety of dishes. I liked the Chile chicken and the goat curry best. My son was very happy with the vegetarian options, they had just as many as the meat choices. I liked it enough to put it into my weekend rotation of buffets.
(4)
DISPLACEDCLEVELANDER C.
Hands down Indian food is one of my favorite types of cuisine. Growing up my best friend's family was from India so I've been enjoying the deliciousness of curry for many years. For the Midtown/Brookside/Waldo area in Kansas City, this is one of the best Indian restaurant around (tied with the place over on 39th Street called Taj-- I think that they might be owned by the same family). Prices are fair (Indian food tends to run a bit pricey). Spice level is normal. Each time I order my food "spicy" and it is reasonably spicy (not inedible). My spouse usually gets the chicken tikka masala and that has large chunks of chicken (not shredded like other cities' versions of the dish). Each time I get take out, they include a small (and yummy!) cup of chai tea. Also included is a small (Dixie cup size) container of rice pudding. In short, if you like curry and/or Indian food and/or deliciousness, I have a strong hunch that you will enjoy this restaurant.
(4)
Reed N.
I am just SOLD on the Chili Chicken and any of the vegetable dishes here. Today there was a medley and a cabbage/rutabaga dish... both of which were flavor revelations! What I can't believe is that there was a table of ten near me and for a solid 45 minutes I never heard one of them talk at all about the food. No WONDER people are screwed up in this world! : ) They have marked vegetarian selections now as well.
(4)
Lindsey W.
My favorite Indian food in KC. They're family owned and take pride in the quality of the food. Sure the decor is a little dated but don't let that fool you - the food is consistently good. I actually like the paintings painted onto the actual walls. The chole saag is delicious. Oh and if you get carry out they'll generally give you something while you wait like chai tea and throw in something like rice milk dessert. Good food. reasonable prices and always tasty.
(4)
Jack L.
You should eat here. Nothing more really needs to be said about it. Amazing.
(5)
Robin S.
To me, this place is the definition of "A-Ok". If you go for lunch, you will be left alone. (See the entire pitcher of water I didn't ask for-and was a party of 1). Typically, I don't like Tandoori chicken, but theirs was flavorful and tender. However, the chicken in the butter chicken tasted as bad as it looked. Saag paneer was pretty solid, but I'm not sure how you could mess this up. The "salad" portion of their lunch buffet was the weakest of any KC Indian restaurant I've seen. The meal was a notch above decent. I used to eat at their former Independence location when I worked in Lee's Summit, and I remember it being so much better than it was today. Or Korma Sutra has spoiled me!
(3)
Jeff H.
First, you need to know that Taj Mahal is CLOSED ON TUESDAYS, and many is the time I've driven across town for lunch only to see a CLOSED sign in their window. Heck, I don't know what day it is half the time. This has caught me on more instances than I care to remember. An Indian colleague at work told me this was her favorite Indian place because the food tasted like what her mother cooked. She was right. Taj Mahal has a very good lunch buffet. The Nan bread is particularly good here. Very good food, I like them a lot, but the Tuesday thing has really got me teed off. C'mon, you guys...
(3)
Joi B.
We were in Waldo on Saturday night in need of food with a bit of *heft* and heat. Mexican or Indian...? We settled on Indian because the K had a burning desire for butter chicken. We drove up to Taj Mahal's strip mall location which didn't concern me, as it's well known that KC has many strip mall treasures. After ordering a glass of wine and having to convince my now favorite waiter in Kansas City that I am in fact over 21 and no, that's not a fake ID, I ordered Saag Paneer "extra spicy" and he believed me. That was one hell of a spicy dish. Problem was, it was more about the heat level than the flavor, so although it wasn't bad, it wasn't something I'd order again (Taj Palace has the best Saag Paneer in town). The quality and portion size of the food at Taj Mahal reminds me of restaurants that line East 6th Street in Manhattan (though they do not have a gazillion strands of Xmas lights up year-round). As in, it's A-OK, but not quite divine. The amount of food you get is considerable, at least 2 meals' worth. Taj Mahal does have other things going for it. For starters, they offer less obtrusive service (besides waiters who think you're younger than you are:) I know, I know, it's the Indian way to hover over your customers. I just can't always be in the mood for such attentiveness, so I would choose Taj Mahal over a couple other places in town where it's just too overbearing. I also like the ambiance here. It's more cozy and less bright, empty and uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, it's still kind of tacky, but at least it's got dim dinner lighting. So, while Taj Mahal doesn't quite have me craving Indian food like Taj Palace or Korma Sutra, I'm willing to give it another chance and order something different next time.
(3)
Chamberlain H.
I've been eating here for at least 10 years, and I don't think I've ever reviewed it. I probably come here 8 to 10 times per year. I'm not sure if its the best all around Indian restaurant I've been to in the KC area because I try not to rate places as "best in the city," but it has enough going for it that it keeps me coming back regularly. Just some things that get my attention: Great location at 75th/Wornall. Lamb (no matter the dish) is always tender, not dry/stringy/fatty. Great breads, pastries, desserts. Average tandoori stuff. Nothing really excites, pretty dry. Weird inconsistencies, such as saag paneer, for instance, looking and tasting one way in January, then in April the same dish looks and tastes like something completely different. Usually its some spice or creaminess adjustment. Not that one is great and the other sucks, but I guess like in any type of cuisine, it depends on the cook who's cooking it, not some standard house recipe. They went through an odd phase (the cook, I assume) a couple of years ago where everything was bland. Not sure of the cause, but it seemed to subside quickly. All in all, its tasty enough to keep me coming back.
(4)
Anne M.
I had the lunch buffet there today for the first time in a long time and it was excellent. I'd been lunching at Ruschi but have become disenchanted with them for various reasons and so remembered Taj Majal in my neighborhood! It was wonderful. Everything I had was spicy, which I like! The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is because at the moment the buffet food was not really very hot at all, when I went back to the buffet for a refill close to noon the food was a much better temperature, hot and not tepid and/or cool. Service was good, atmosphere nice and cool, too.
(4)
Tim B.
My aversion to Indian buffets non-withstanding (see my first review), a solid lunch buffet at a reasonable price. They offered poori and roti at the buffet, which was a first for me, and the real bonus was the gulab jamun served in warm syrup! In the states, these litte cheese balls are usually served cold, but the warm stuff was pretty authentic. The meats were pretty underperforming- I don't understand what the fuss is about the chicken tikka- the chicken meat was weird and dense and overcooked. The vegetable items saved the day, with the winners being the Navaratan Korma and Aloo Baigan. Extra points for the strip mall vibe, weird 80s hair band power ballad coming through the speakers, and the absolutely random furnishings bought from several different auctions-- not to mention (ok to mention) the shell vases displayed in the exterior windows!
(3)
Leah P.
Went to Taj Mahal for the lunch buffet. Very good quality and wonderful service for an EXCELLENT price. I feel like they cater the buffet to a more midwestern sensibility (i.e. the items were not very spicy at all). But the flavor was still very good. The korma and saag paneer were my favorites. Great way to try Indian if it is your first time--you can have a bit of everything!
(4)
Lindsey S.
A few bites in to the appetizer and the words from my husband's mouth, "this place is kicking a$$ so far" haha. Wonderful food! We ordered the meal for two or I should say feast for two.... Got the Tandoori chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Saag Paneer. All excellent. The meal came with rice, two GIANT naans, and keer (rice dessert). Needless to say we have leftovers for a feast tonight for dinner. Pretty amazing deal for around $40.00. Oh and make sure you put the three sauces on everything! They are to die for.
(5)
S.E. A.
Delicious, well-spiced food. I recommend the okra and the lamb saag. Good beer selection. Lively, fun atmosphere on a Friday night, but not too loud to have a conversation.
(4)
Sonal K.
Lunch buffet is good. you get a variety of Veg and non-Veg items. you should try it once.
(4)
Billy Boy F.
Had the vegetarian dinner for 2 . Everything was Amazing . First time eating here. I will be back all the time.
(5)
Megan H.
This little cozy and quiet place has been around for quite some time. Went here again today for lunch. They have a buffet during the week and I couldn't be happier. Fresh Nann, Paneer, Butter chicken, all I can eat. Yes please! But I noticed today things seemed to be a tad on the salty side and that's one good reason for me to stop coming to your restaurant. So I am hoping this was just a one time thing, like I said I have been here many times and it's not been a problem. The staff is great and always happy to see me and my family/friends. As for the decor it is some what dated and the place is very dim. Let's hope it's not because they're hiding something like a certain Thai restaurant use to do. It may not be the best Indian food in town but it's still pretty darn good.
(4)
Payton H.
Taj Mahal would be a 4 or 5 star if they had great Naan. Naan is my Indian food deal breaker. Sure, they give you a ton of it, but it's just not good. It's crunchy and void of flavor, even if you add things to it (cheese, garlic, etc). That being said, the Taj Mahal Dinner for Two is epic. For $36 bucks, you get SO SO much food. We started out with a tasty soup (coming from me, a serial hater of soup, this is a compliment) and a veggie samosa. The Samosa was delicious. Secondly, we got Chicken Korma (one of my favorites), Lamb Tikka Masala. On top of that, they brought three pieces of tandori chicken on a would-be fajita hot plate, with a bead of onions and peppers. Needless to say we had two to go boxes. The Chicken Korma is probably the best I've had in town. I appreciate their attention to detail on butchering the lamb. There were very few bones, and it also wasn't too fatty. The tandori chicken was pretty good, as well. Then, we got both Galub Jamun. These little doughnuts are my least favorite things, usually. They're too greasy and too sweet. Taj Mahal does them as well as I've ever had them; not too sweet, not greasy in the slightest. We also got some rice pudding. I was SO SO freaking full of Indian Food by the time we left. It was a chore to walk back out to the car, especially hefting two full to go boxes of food. If they could get their naan situation under control, they'd have to beat me away with a stick.
(3)
John D.
I love this place and the buffet is totally great. Go for lunch! i go out of my way for this place. Top notch!
(5)
Meghan M.
Great, solid Indian restaurant. Love their buffet and that your naan is made to order. Service is good but not overbearing. I love their mango chicken. I put Taj Palace up there or close to other great KC Indian places, but with a little less glitz and refinement.
(4)
D G.
First off I love Indian food... and I walked in here ready for some good stuff. Simply put I was pretty let down. As someone else stated the food was rather salty and overall just lacking. 2 stars denotes "I've had better" and that's true because I can think of 2 other Indian places in KC which are much better... India Palace and Korma Sutra. Go there for MUCH BETTER Indian food across the board.
(2)
C F.
Food and service were terrific!!!!! They were very kind to answer questions and explain dishes for those new to Indian cuisine. Portions very good and very generous. Service excellent and friendly. Restaurant clean and cozy.
(4)
Shannon M.
Taj Mahal is awesome. I love Indian food, and they have amazing food, and really attentive service. Even when you order carryout, they bring you samples of lassi to try, and everyone is very kind. It's a great dining experience!
(4)
Dustin S.
Best Indian in KC. Bam.
(5)
Matt D.
First of all, let me state that I truly love Indian food, and had noticed the Taj was close to my home that I moved into about a year ago. I had been over in that area before, and the scent that seemed to escape from this place always smelled great. The first time I tried it, I had the lunch buffet. I am not sure why I did this, as buffets in general are pretty gross in my opinion. They always seem to have dried out, of food that has turned into some mush of something you can't quite identify. The buffet had a few things good things on it, but it still was a buffet and not very good at all. Shame on me, I thought, why did I try the buffet and not order off the menu. Next time we ordered some food to go. We had some items from the tandoori grill. Everything was extremely dry from the chicken to the lamb, to the point of almost being uneatable. I will give them one more chance, but it will most likely be a while before that happens. We are committing to going for dinner, and ordering off the menu to see if that makes any difference. That will be the last chance for them, as I understand there are a lot of good Indian restaurants in town that we should be trying. I hope it is good with the 3rd chance but it is just so close for us..
(2)
Matthew W.
This is our anniversary and Valentines tradition. My wife and I get dressed up real fancy like, then I go pick up our vegetarian dinner for two and we have a real nice meal at home. Don't get me wrong, I like the place, we just do this as a tradition. I started eating meat again about a year and a half ago after a four year veggie kick, my wife though has been a vegetarian for well over ten years and shows no sign of changing. That being said, I still love the vegetarian dinner for two. It costs about $25 but it will get you through the next couple days. I used to feel bad for my fellow construction workers when I ate this meal, because I knew that any time I broke a sweat, the pungent aroma of Indian food would fill the room like a sickly cloud of chlorine gas. I don't care. The veggie dinner for two allows my wife and myself to enjoy a four or five (do you count the tea?) course meal without having to stumble through the menu. If you eat there, they have a selection of Indian beers, Taj Mahal, which comes in a bigger bottle, and one of my personal favorites, Flying Horse. There was a time when Flying Horse had a poorly translated slogan on the bottle, that the further into a six-pack you got, the more amusing it became. It said "Most thrillling chilled!". I can't explain why, this phrase just makes me happy. It is also very true, it is most thrilling, especially when chilled. A few weeks ago, we went for the buffet, and I loved it. As other reviews have pointed out, the vegetarian items were not marked as such, so I had to continually ask the staff on behalf of my wife. They were happy to help, and really seemed to appreciate someone asking questions, and being interested in their food. Being a meat eater though, I just loaded my plate with a little of everything and dug in. I however, am not a fan of buffet style meals, because I never get my money's worth. I just am not able to load my belly with plate after plate of food. For this reason, I would recommend a nice dinner for two, be it lamb, chicken, or vegetarian, that way you can have leftovers the next day. It is just as good the following day. You really can't go wrong here, never had a bad meal, or bad service. Way to go guys.
(5)
Zelda E.
Another winner for Waldo. I live in between Waldo and the plaza, and I have to say, Waldo restaurants totally give the plaza a kick in the pants. We went last night and split the lamb vindaloo, butter chicken (how do you resist something with butter in the name?), and garlic naan. Everything was great, and they even gave us free dessert! The only sour note was watching the hostess bully some of the other staff members. We all left a little confused by the scene.
(4)
Francis T.
This week I had the pleasure of eating GREAT Indian cuisine. My party of six had dinner at Taj Mahal on Wornall Road and the food was great, the service was awesome, and the wine selection marvelous. We had the mixed grill, butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, and mango chicken. There was so much good food, we did not know where to start. We will make sure we keep the Taj Mahal as our diinner destination restaurant.
(5)
Bridget K.
I've been going to Taj for 9 years now & I still get excited about it like catching a glimpse of your highschool crush walking past your locker. Yeah yeah, it's dim & dark inside, but I'm not going there for the atmosphere, I'm going for the chicken tikka masala! Went there last night for the 11 millionth time, somewhere in that ballpark anyway. We ordered the Taj dinner for 2- very good call (we always request the lamb rogan josh instead of the sag paneer), and once again I had to discreetly unbutton my top button of my pants just to finish the necter-ific gulab jamun. Also had a glass of wine for $3.50. Yeah, read that again, it's true. Maybe not a beautiful French bordeaux but it'll do, and it did. Service was different this time, the usual friendly owner wasn't there, instead was 2 ladies who were polar opposites. One barely uttered a word but was quick, studious & efficient. The other was highly, if not annoyingly, chatty & tried to give us the wrong order, then remove dishes before we were done with them. This was the first ever time any service was subpar so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they were having an off night. Normally we go for the buffet- such a great deal! Be sure to bring loose pants. They usually feature staples like tandoori & my weakness, chicken tikka masala, but they will swap out dishes often for variety & have great offerings for vegetarians. Love the buffet, the rice pudding, the mango drink, the chai tea, love it love it love it.
(5)
D H.
My husband went for a business dinner and could only found one of the 10 different items ordered for the group edible. It could be that he just doesn't like Indian food. HOWEVER of the 10 people in attendance only one in the group ate more than a taste of all the food. The same single dish was everyone's go to thus there was not enough of it. The leftovers could have fed 10 people.
It was no India Palace, but Taj Mahal is OK. We were sat in another room outside of the main dining room and the lights were not on. It wasn't pitch black, but it was weirdly dim. The buffet was large but average. The one bright spot is that you can order a variety of Nan in different flavors--onion garlic or plain and they make it fresh and bring it to you. The price is competitive among Indian buffets. I would go there again but not if other options were readily available.
(3)
Lilian O.
I have mixed feelings about this place so gave it 3 stars. The ambiance of the restaurant is definitely a bit strange as others have said that it's really dark inside. Unfortunately this review comes a bit late as the last and only time I've eaten at this place was a Friday night about October 2009. My fiancee and I ventured into the establishment and were immediately greeted and seated. We ordered the vegetable korma and saag paneer both spicy on the hotness scale and wished we had ordered them in medium instead. Perhaps it's because he's Indian and we both said that we love spicy food (which we do and normally have no problems handling it), but the food came out spiked with chili powder! It tasted fine but we couldn't eat too much of it as our mouths were on fire. The naan was fresh, hot, and fluffy and we received 3 different types of chutneys with our pappadum. Loved the tomato/onion chutney! The prices for this restaurant is one of the best around town for Indian food with many entrees under $10 unlike my former favorite Indian restaurant of Swagat which now charges outlandish prices. Another plus is that our food came out extremely quickly. As for the cons, weird ambiance and questionable cleanliness. My water glass still had a lipstick stain on it and it definitely was not mine! Then again, the same thing happened to me at Skies with a martini glass...so mixed bag. I'm not sure if I'd eat here again.
(3)
Autumn Q.
My favorite indian food in Kansas City. I have been going there about once a month for 4 years. This is also the only buffet that I will eat at. It's pretty great with a huge vegetarian selection. My favorite thing off of the menu is the vegetable korma. The staff is super friendly and attentive. The Naan is out of this world
(4)
Trang W.
This restaurant has turned me into a fan and after yesterday I can't wait to go back again. My coworkers and I did the lunch buffet and it was delicious. Their Chicken Tikka Masala, fresh naan, vegetable dishes were all so tastey and very good. I had to refrain myself from going back for seconds because I didn't want to go into a food coma after lunch.
(5)
Krista N.
I usually don't do buffets, anything that has a sneeze guard on it shouldn't be associated with food, but Taj Mahal is one rare exception. When you first enter it is dark and scary, we were taken to a back room brighter, next to the buffet. We were given Garlic Naan, yumsters, and a pitcher of water, and then we had at it at the buffet. All the food was labeled clearly, so you knew what you were eating, and all the vegetarian selections were in the center, safe from all the evil nasty meat that might have accidentally fallen in. The rice was perfect as was the Dal Makhani, my favorite item on there, the tikki was excellent as well. To end the meal at the end of the buffet was some excellent rice pudding. The lunch buffet here is one great exception to my usual hatred towards buffet, they have excellent food, and a really good buffet.
(4)
David S.
Come here for great Indian buffet often. Everything is great - I've never ordered from the menu because I can't commit to one thing when there's so many great choices. The Cheezy Poofs on the buffet are a little weird, but hey, I'm OK with that. Just go here - 'nuff said.
(4)
Alicia Z.
I've eaten their buffet for lunch about 4 times. Last time I was there I saw a bug crawling on the buffet stand. I went back to go tell my friend and she told me that she saw one crawling up the wall by our table. Grabbed our purses and left immediately.
(1)
Boris G.
Vegetarian dinner for two. You will fill up, and could even split it between four people. We always come here when in town; it's the best Indian Food in KC.
(5)
Nicole R.
Best Indian in town! The service is great, the food is great and the atmosphere is great. I always have left overs when i leave there because the portions are so big. I usually go there with a friend and get the vegetarian dinner for two. It's an awesome meal! They have tons of vegetarian options and meat options. I cant tell you how the meat dinners are but Ive heard from friends they are quite good. I think its worth the price because its two meals for me. Try Taj Mahal!
(4)
Kartik K.
If you couldn't guess from my name, I'm Indian, so I have high standards for Indian restaurants. Having said that, 3 stars for Taj Mahal means that's it's pretty good in my book. Definitely one of the better Indian restaurants in the KC area, but that doesn't say much. Anyway, this place is quite good for the lunch buffet. Worth a try.
(3)
Jacob M.
Awesome food! Get a Chai Tea to go, huge cup.
(5)
Kev L.
I'll eat here if I have to, but I would rather spend my hard earned money on Swagat, Ruchi or Korma Sutra. the buffet is ALWAYS the same. There is never a difference in what is available. Considering all of the other Indian restaurants in the area do a good job with variety, this is a big hit to the resume. Food is also very good, but not great. Again, the other restaurants in the area are much More robust when it comes to flavoring their currues. Tandoori chicken here is average at best. This is a good place to get a quick fix, but if you are really craving quality, try any other Indian restaurant in the area.
(3)
Beatriz D.
I wasn't very impressed with this restaurant, but that's only because I'm a Swagat's fan. However, their garlic nan is delicious, and their rice pudding is fantastic. The owner is a talkative man who will make sure you are having a good time and enjoying your food. Great buffet selection.
(3)
Jennifer N.
A great way to introduce people to Indian food - a lunchtime buffet! I've taken several people here to try the various dishes, and I have yet to try them all myself. It's in a strip mall and not particularly fancy - make sure you order the chai tea, you won't regret it. (We sat there so long drinking cup after cup, they finally (kindly) brought us to-go cups, the lunch buffet had closed!) First and only time I've eaten goat, too. Favorites: Chicken Tikki Masala, Garlic Naan, Chai tea
(4)
Martin H.
Great Indian takeaway
(5)
Roxanne A.
I was there for lunch this week and had a pleasant experience. I appreciate them leaving a pitcher of water at our table, since the glasses don't hold much volume. The pictures on the wall are cute. I'm glad to find another alternative for lunch close to work.
(3)
Lauren L.
not only the worst indian food i've ever had, but the worst restaurant food i've ever had, period. perhaps it's because i'm a bit spoiled after having eaten nyc indian food for the last 5 years or so of my life, or maybe i just ordered the wrong dish. whatever it was, it tasted like dog food, except my dog wouldn't go near it.
(1)
Bob S.
Good food, good price. A surprise find of authentic ethnic food in kansas city. Def recommend the lunch buffet to anyone willing to eat a lot of good Indian food
(4)
Jenny M.
Great Indian food, small place, but service is always good. You can't miss with the Malai Kofta or Saag Paneer. If your a meat eater I have been told the the Chicken Tandoori is excellent. I have the phone number saved in my cell, a can't miss if you need something semi quick to pick up on the way home from work.
(4)
lyn m.
Don't let the strip mall facade fool you...this family owned place has great food and the staff is so very accommodating! Don't get me wrong - if you're going for "atmosphere" you may be disappointed. When I lived in this area it was our normal Friday night dinner...they knew us by name and always smiled when we came in the door. The two of us would get the Taj Majal dinner for two (either vegetarian or non) and would go home stuffed as well as with leftovers for at least two more meals. For the price you can't beat it!
(5)
Filipina P.
A very good Indian lunch buffet we've had in Kansas City. I loved the vegetarian options --- especially the paneer korma, which is Indian cheese in a creamy, curry sauce. The decor is a little depressing. It was a bright sunny day and the curtains were drawn, making the restaurant seem even darker. Definitely a hole-in-the-wall kind of place that hides great food.
(4)
Cristin M.
I didn't have any high expectations for Indian food in Kansas City, especially when the restaurant is in a strip mall, but Taj Mahal was okay. They have a fairly large menu, and a buffet available at certain hours of the day. The service was very attentive, and actually started out a bit annoying as the server came to our table several times to ask us if were ready to order while we were still looking over the menu. After we ordered, it calmed down a bit, and was there when we needed them. The food itself was slightly on the bland side, but it wasn't terrible. We ordered the samosas, which were huge, mattar paneer, chicken tikka masala, garlic naan. Everything was well prepared, and included rice, which is always a welcome sight in an Indian restaurant. The garlic naan could have been a bit more garlicky, and the sauces in the main dishes could have been spiced a little more (not necessarily spicy). At the end of our meal, we each received a free order of kheer, which I welcomed with an open mouth and a full belly! They also offered to give us more rice to take home with our leftovers, which was also awesome points for service.
(3)
Jennifer B.
I love this restaurant! The food is fantastic and the service is great as well. It's a ton of food--I always have leftovers and have never been disappointed by this restaurant.
(5)
S a.
What else can I say???? BUTTER CHICKEN. So creamy and flavorful! They are generous with the chicken. Veggie samosas. Garlic Naan! I like this place so much better then Korma. It is quieter. Usually busy at dinner. And the service is MUCH better. It isn't anything fancy and quite frankly I don't want it to be. The staff is friendly and remembers your face. See you guys soon!!!!
(5)
Stephanie C.
Food - Entrees, rice and nan were just ok - tasted authentic...well, just the way McDonalds tastes authentically American. The condiments and dessert rice pudding was above average. The food was still much more authentic, tastier and cheaper vs. Chai Shai (I don't get the appeal of that place). Wine is cheap $4.5 for a pour of Hob Knob Pinot Noir (I don't get this about Indian restaurants - wine is always so cheap!) Ambiance - Dingy yet comfortable - the dinginess didn't bother me much. I'm not looking for flashy, modern decor from my Indian restaurants. Although I did wonder if in a prior life the space had been a local watering hole:) Service - The servers honestly looked put out by the fact they had to serve us. They did keep refilling our water glasses but that was about it. Told the waiter we wanted to order and he took his good old time to come back, had to get up to pay our bill, and just an overall miserable/depressed attitude of the servers. Only 3 tables they had to serve - so being busy as an excuse doesn't work. All in all. It's ok. I'm not planning on coming back and going to make the haul to Indian Palace down south where the food is delicious and they are happy to have our business.
(3)
Jess J.
Very flavorful, great portion sizes. If ambience is a huge deal to you, it might not score crazily high, but as long as you don't go in expecting anything fancy (and in a Waldo strip mall, why would you?) the smallish, dark-ish, and slightly dated interior shouldn't be too offensive. A bit of the seating is booth, which really doesn't work all that well given the fact that Indian food is served in numerous containers, so if you have, say, 4 people, it gets crowded. But the food is pretty tasty. I generally go for vegetarian and chicken entrees when ordering Indian, and have not been disappointed (their chicken korma is particularly flavorful, I think, and generously portioned). I also think their vegetable samosas are better seasoned than many I've had, and the usual trio of chutneys and sauces for papadum are great. My husband likes goat, and gets the biryani, but to me, you end up with a plate of bones and not a lot of meat for your efforts. I've seen this at various Indian restaurants, though, in terms of goat, so I don't think it's a Taj Mahal thing, by any means. I've never had the lunch buffet, so I can't speak to that, but all menu items I've tried have been great. The naan is wonderful, all varieties. Service is good, too, very nice people. For a casual dinner, it's well worth it. My husband works in the area, and would definitely have him pick up takeout to bring home for dinner, too. Great stuff.
(4)
Chris M.
Tasty sauces, but the meats could use some trimming. Let's get right down to it: Indian food rocks, and even an average Indian experience is satisfying. Five of us were seated at a table that was probably not big enough for all the dishes that would soon be presented, but like clowns in a clown car we made it work. I ordered the Lamb Vindaloo (delicious and spicy, but the lamb had some fat and/or ligaments that I wish would have been removed prior to cooking). I also sampled the Chicken Tikka Masala, which is probably the most popular dish among non-Indians. It was tasty, and the medium spice level was probably a little hotter than some might prefer. Again, the chicken breast could've been trimmed better, as there was a little of what I would assume to be rib meat pieces. The rice that came with both dishes was very good, but they only have one type--basmati. They have plenty of naan options, and the garlic naan we had was delicious. Service was better than average. They offer a buffet at lunch, but I recommend going in for dinner so you can have something prepared to order.
(4)
Ann S.
Great portions, great vegetarian options, and great staff. Recommended for both connoisseurs of Indian cuisine and folks who are testing the waters. My husband and I order take out regularly and the food is always consistent. When you dine in, they give you these delightful trio of sauce/chutneys plates as appetizers for free!
(5)
Brianne L.
I'm new to the Indian food fan club. Mostly because when I eat it, I have to be at home.... close to the toilet. I'm not ashamed. Anyway, I've only had their Chicken Korma and Naan to go, but in my experience, it's a lovely place. It's smaller and the staff is great. I've had encounters with their staff when ordering and picking food up. They are kind and helpful. The food is great, in my short life of eating Indian food. This is my go to place for my Friday night Me-Dates. You heard that right; Me-Date.
(4)
Whitney J.
A really nice place. Great food! And the buffet is an excellent deal!!! Been here several times and I am never disappointed. The service is always excellent and the food is always amazing. Glad to have a wonderful dining place close to home. Take a chance to try them out!
(5)
Tracy L.
OK, so we love Indian food and we have eaten at just about every Indian restaurant in K.C. We always find ourselves comparing their food to Taj Mahal!!! Taj Mahal may not be new, fancy, flashy, trendy but it is consistently the best Indian food in the area. Everything is fresh especially the paneer and they have the best papadum hands down. We have never been disappointed with a meal at Taj Mahal. The staff is friendly and helpful whether you are picking up a to go order (which by the way they are very generous with portions, rice etc.) or dining in. I also love that when you order your food spicy, it is SPICY!!
(5)
Eric B.
Although Taj Majal is located in a fairly ugly building and parking lot, we love the restaurant. The service and food are excellent. We usually get Chicken Tikka Masala, plain naan, and an appetizer of either vegetable pakoras or coconut soup.
(5)
Dylan K.
Delicious, Fair and friendly. 12 years I have been going here. I have traveled to over 40 countries. This is always the place, I dream of coming back to. Down right envious, when ever a friend tells me they are going. tried every place in 40 miles. that even hints at a tandori. I assure you, none of the others can make people from India cry, for its flawless flavoring.Tikka masala, bhuna, Roman Josht, saag paneer, eggplant pakoras and chai.
(5)
Susan C.
Cozy little joint tucked in a shopping center in Waldo. Go for the garlic naan...it's absolutely huge and you'll have plenty of leftovers with your meal to last you a couple more days. They also bring out various dipping sauces - always a treat.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average 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.
Chandhra S.
Bad indian food i ever had ... Even they took the plate before i finished !! The food looks like a stale !!
(1)Paige J.
I love this place. The people are so friendly every time I go. I worked in India, so this food is like what I had. I love the goat and lamb dishes. Recommend the Goat or lamb Vindaloo or Goat Biryani. Samosas are great too. Haven't tried the buffet yet.
(4)Joanne M.
This place is great for your quick Indian food fix! Food was ready for pickup in less than 15 mins. Not fine dining Indian food by any means but they have a decent chicken tikka and lamb jalfrezi. Meat samosas were a little over fried and the tamarind sauce wasn't thick or sweet enough. Overall I'd def eat here again when I'm too hungry to wait for food to cook!
(4)Dwain C.
If you're a fan of Indian food, for the price you cannot go wrong with Taj Mahal. We eat Indian food several times a month and have a few choices close to the same distance away. Consistently we find ourselves going to Taj Mahal. The staff is friendly and the food is good! I usually have the lamb korma. I've noticed over the years that sometimes the sauce can overpower the flavor of the meat. I have yet to have this happen at Taj. Overall, well balanced flavors and spice with good naan! The thing that separates the 4star or 5star for me is that restaurant interiors do matter some when eating out. Their space is a little old and dated.
(4)Gabriela D.
I seriously don't know why this place is not #1 for KC on Yelp. It should be! The employees were friendly and the food was awesome. Easily one of the best Indian places I've ever been to. The lunch buffet was excellent and everything tasted very homemade and delicious.
(5)Amy K.
This is for take out only. The restaurant opens at 4:30 pm for dinner. By the time I got there to pick up my order at 5 the door was still locked and an employee had to let me in. :He didn't smile. I paid for my meal. Left a 30% tip in cash. Which he took, turned his back to the jar to drop the money in. Never turned around. So I said "have a good day". He mumbled back turned. Standing to the left was a creepy man, I'm unsure if he was waitstaff or one of the cooks. Just. Staring. So I left. Feeling a little uncomfortable and ready to eat my meal. The food was good though! Chicken tikka masala and garlic naan. The basmati rice was overflowing and delicious. They even gave me a small cup of rice pudding for free. Perhaps to balance out their awkward social etiquette!
(2)Melisa V.
Craving Indian food a few nights before Thanksgiving, we decided to try Taj Mahal for carry out. For three of us (plus my toddler son who we thought would just enjoy a mango lassi) we ordered plenty of food: Mango Chicken, Baingan Bhartha (eggplant), and Chana Masala (chickpeas), plus Papadum and Naan. They were all pretty good with the Mango Chicken probably being my favorite. I thought the eggplant dish was a bit greasy. My son even asked for (and enjoyed!!) the chickpeas with his mango lassi! Overall, I thought the food was good but not good enough to rush back. There was NO ONE in there at 6:30 on a Tuesday evening, though there were several other carry out bags on the counter. Plus, I didn't find the people at the counter where I paid very friendly. Maybe we'll be back to try the weekend buffet, as long as we aren't the only people there!!
(3)Brian E.
Decided to check this place out for lunch simce the lunch buffet setup would allow me to sample the largest variety. Overall the presentation was average at most. The selection was about 16 items, most of which was just generic Indian cuisine. Was hoping for a broader selection and honestly a better quality of items and presentation for the $15 I spent. It's about the only Indian cuisine in the Waldo area and it's fast, so if you want a quick lunch you can definitely get it there. Also since it's a buffet there's little chance you'd leave hungry. In the end though I'd probably only go there out of convenience rather than choice.
(2)Max C.
Stopped by for the buffet several weeks ago and the food was surprisingly cold. My wife got sick a few hours later. Shouldn't be surprised. Much better choices in KC for Indian food. May i recommend Korma Sutra.
(1)Cathy C.
Hmmm, Seva in Liberty has a close rival now in Taj Majal, in a much cooler neighborhood. Taj has a wide variety of choices on the lunch buffet, all hot and fresh and well stocked. There were at least two chicken and beef dishes, and many more vegetable combinations. My favorite had cabbage and potatoes with seasoning that was new to me. Nothing was terribly spicy, but the ones that have some heat had just enough. They bring warm nan to your table, and the buffet has a crispier version flavored with garlic and herbs. The mango lassis are delicious, but not complimentary like at some places. I saw several foreign-looking beers on display, but didn't partake this time. The service is very polite and unobtrusive, the decor is on the dark side, plush and cozy. We drove down here because of the 2-for-1 on my KCUR card, but even without that it would've been worth the trip. When a craving for Indian food strikes when I'm south of the river, this is where I'll come!
(4)Brian M.
Fantastic Indian buffet 7 days a week PLUS great food overall - wonderful service (and the best Chai I've ever had)!
(5)Ankit N.
Didn't enjoy the food all that much. Vegetarian entries were very average and garlic naan was a bit burnt. Nor did I find the ambiance appealing or peaceful. Therefore, will likely not visit again.
(3)Regina F.
Kansas City is somewhat of a food mecca for those travelling from Kansas, Nebraska, elsewhere in Missouri and the like. What's entirely great about this food mecca, not so ironically, is embodied in the Taj Mahal. If Indian food were ever made of gold, it would be served here. As a pseudo-connoisseur of paratha, I have egomaniacally declared the Taj Mahal's gobi paratha as the best I've ever had. Just buttery enough, the inside of this warm, wheat dough oozes with tumeric and bits of the white vegetable. It's delicious enough to be eaten, even when one is entirely too full of spicy bindi masala and excellent rice.
(5)Erin H.
The korma here is out of this world. They also feature a wider variety of vegetarian dishes on their buffet than other nearby Indian places. The naan is always perfectly cooked and each of the dishes is well spiced without too much salt. The service is sometimes spotty depending on how busy they are and who's working , but it's mostly fine. Definitely worth a trip to Waldo if you're a fan of good Indian food.
(4)Brent K.
Oh crap I forgot to write a review about the Taj Mahal!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been coming here since the crazy man at Korma South used to work here, now that was a long time ago. Anyways, when we lived in prairie village, this was our sunday indian fix and now that we live further away, we rarely make it back, and that's a shame, because this place does everything about indian food right. freshly made naan-check, large selection-check, meat/veggies-check, not spiced down for dumbass americans-check. you really could do much worse than this place, and seriously the only reason why I have Korma on a higher plain than this place is because i have had one or two rough times here, which obviously didn't keep me from coming back, whereas at Korma it never fails, never. the place is kinda a dump, but oh well, that's what you get in waldo. (WALDO!)
(4)Morgan M.
My husband and I wanted to venture out of our comfort zone one night last summer. I stumbled across Taj Mahal's menu and wanted to give them a try because they have quite a few vegetarian options. Although we are always up for trying new things, neither of us had Indian food. From the first bite to the last, everything was exquisite. I am a big fan of chickpeas, so I ordered the Chana Masala. And because I am a huge fan of fried food, we ordered the Vegetable Samosa. Now, Taj Mahal has become a weekly staple for us. The Vegetarian Dinner for two fills both of us up. I love everything that we try: the rice, the mango chutney... Everything. I typically order the following for dinner: Vegetable Samosa (as an accompaniment to my mango chutney) Chana Masala Navratan Korma Kheer I really wanted to give their buffet a try, so one Saturday after going to the gym and the farmers market, we decided to go to Taj Mahal. Although the Chana Masala was not on the buffet menu that day, the Navratan Korma hit the spot. And they had Kheer on the buffet. My husband was more than delighted. I had to take a two-hour nap afterwards. Service is impeccable and I use every excuse in the book to avoid cooking and eating at home to come here. In fact, I have even made up my own holidays to celebrate so I could eat here.
(5)Shawn C.
The food is awesome and the chai is not too sweet. Dine in and carry out are perfectly fine.
(5)Rhonda S.
Sara D. and I were at the Waldo Funfest, and were hungry. I spotted Taj Mahol. I'm not familiar Indian food, except for Mirchie's in Lee's Summit. I didn't know what to expect. It was serving a buffet, till2:30. It was about 1:45. We walked in, and to my right was an alter of sorts, with offerings and a brass puja set...I was smitten. We were promptly seated by a charming waiter. He provided us with a water pitcher at the table. We got up to partake in the buffet. The inside of the restaurant is pretty, with a bar on one side, and finely placed tables with fair lighting. It was pretty cool. There were several types of foods, chicken with korma, vegetable selections, I don't know the names. There was a lamb and a goat dish I'd never try. Breaded vegetables called Padorkas that I couldn't get enough of. There was hard bread, and there was sweet gulab jamun soaked in maybe it's agave? I'm not sure. Some of the selections were spicy, some not. The salad bar is lame, but I don't like salad, so I didn't care. Taj Mahol has my heartstrings. I liked all of it. At 2:25, people were entering the restaurant, and the waiter allowed the patrons to get a buffet to go, and was so polite. I found the place clean, and the waiter charming. I will totally be back to Taj Mahol. It's interesting. Not my normal over rated Chinese buffet, but an Indian food buffet. But, if you are vegetarian or like huge salad bars, this isn't for you.
(5)Heidi B.
My boyfriend has never had indian food. I heard fantastic things about Taj Mahal from a friend and we went for lunch. While I was a little disappointed that lunch is buffet style only, it was still tasty. In my experiences with other Indian food places, they usually have low quality meats and they over season to the point where you feel you're eating spoonfuls of spice only. NOT HERE! Everything is well balanced in flavor and heat. The garlic naan bread was delicious, the chicken tikka masala was delicious. I also enjoyed their mixed veggies and the veggie fritters. My boyfriend enjoyed the chicken chilly and the goat. This place is a must try. We will go back for dinner sometime.
(4)Thao P.
Good Indian food-- Big dinner specials are the best I went here with a friend during a visit to Kansas City and I was told the Vegetarian Dinner for Two was superb. When I went here, I was immediately embraced and greeted by the owner. He was quite a character. He constantly checked up on me, made jokes, and gave me great suggestions on menu items. My friend and I ordered the Vegetarian Special for Two. They served it on an attractive tiered silver platter. The Saag Panner was to die for. They give you extremely large portions and I took some home with me! Great local place that I recommend!
(4)Stuti J.
Being Indian, I am very fussy about Indian food in restaurants. Taj Mahal did not impress me at all. The service was good but the food was very average. I had gone there for dinner and was found most of their dishes just about average. The food was very creamy and rich but lacked flavour. I would not being going there again.
(2)Sara D.
My Yelp buddy, Rhonda S., and I tried to visit the Plaza Art Fair on a Saturday afternoon to no avail. After driving around in circles trying to find parking, we gave up, and decided that we wanted to go to lunch at a place completely new, random, and slightly out of our comfort zone. We drove around and decided on Taj Mahal because we know absolutely nothing about Indian food and eating unknown food is always an adventure. I really appricated their buffet because the signs gave the cultural name and then gave a full description of the item in English. To me, all Indian food looks the same, but I enjoyed the spices that each dish supplied. My favorite were these amazing chewy milk balls, pardon me for not remembering the real name, The biggest turn off for me was the my side of the white table cloth had huge sauce stains. Also, the salad bar portion of the buffet left A LOT of to desired. Then again, this could be a cultural thing? Maybe they only like to eat lettuce as a salad? Overall, I always enjoy trying foods that I'm not familiar with and would recommend giving Taj Mahal a try if you're in the area.
(3)Scott T.
Why five stars? Let me count the reasons. First, in Lawrence we live about 600 yards from good (OK, the only...) Indian. When we're wanting great Indian we get in the car and drive 45 minutes to Taj Mahal. It's not going to knock your socks off with location and ambiance. What knocks our socks off is consistency, great quality, and predictable pricing. The service is professional, albeit a bit awkward, but that's part of the fun. Tonight they gave us a large helping of rice to go with what was clearly going to be take home, and two orders of Gulab Jamun--on the house. In turn they got a 25% tip. Our favorites are the curries, and they're terrific. The chicken curry in particular is succulent and the chicken always very tender. and cooked to perfection Too many Indian restaurants are cooking their chicken far ahead and it dries out. Never a problem here and we can only surmise they're cooking to order. Heat? Plenty if you order the Indian hot which we do at times, but usually just hot is fine. Tonight a great surprise was the pudina naan (mint, spices) which we opted for instead of garlic naan. Herbal freshness of the mint really offset the heat of our curry. When you're just hungry and want satisfying food, this is the joint. If you're looking for white tablecloths and candlelight, best move on. We're five stars for a bit of joint in a place that serves killer food, and Taj has it.
(5)Marie F.
Upon entering the place smelled musty and dank... Baby roaches were crawling on the table cloth. They offered to sit us in another booth... and acted nonchalant about the whole ordeal. We had to bail...I can't stand the creepy crawlies.
(1)Igor C.
I happend to be next door getting new tires and stopped in for lunch. We had the lunch buffet and it was one of the better Indian buffets I've had. High quality ingredients and a nice variety of dishes. I liked the Chile chicken and the goat curry best. My son was very happy with the vegetarian options, they had just as many as the meat choices. I liked it enough to put it into my weekend rotation of buffets.
(4)DISPLACEDCLEVELANDER C.
Hands down Indian food is one of my favorite types of cuisine. Growing up my best friend's family was from India so I've been enjoying the deliciousness of curry for many years. For the Midtown/Brookside/Waldo area in Kansas City, this is one of the best Indian restaurant around (tied with the place over on 39th Street called Taj-- I think that they might be owned by the same family). Prices are fair (Indian food tends to run a bit pricey). Spice level is normal. Each time I order my food "spicy" and it is reasonably spicy (not inedible). My spouse usually gets the chicken tikka masala and that has large chunks of chicken (not shredded like other cities' versions of the dish). Each time I get take out, they include a small (and yummy!) cup of chai tea. Also included is a small (Dixie cup size) container of rice pudding. In short, if you like curry and/or Indian food and/or deliciousness, I have a strong hunch that you will enjoy this restaurant.
(4)Reed N.
I am just SOLD on the Chili Chicken and any of the vegetable dishes here. Today there was a medley and a cabbage/rutabaga dish... both of which were flavor revelations! What I can't believe is that there was a table of ten near me and for a solid 45 minutes I never heard one of them talk at all about the food. No WONDER people are screwed up in this world! : ) They have marked vegetarian selections now as well.
(4)Lindsey W.
My favorite Indian food in KC. They're family owned and take pride in the quality of the food. Sure the decor is a little dated but don't let that fool you - the food is consistently good. I actually like the paintings painted onto the actual walls. The chole saag is delicious. Oh and if you get carry out they'll generally give you something while you wait like chai tea and throw in something like rice milk dessert. Good food. reasonable prices and always tasty.
(4)Jack L.
You should eat here. Nothing more really needs to be said about it. Amazing.
(5)Robin S.
To me, this place is the definition of "A-Ok". If you go for lunch, you will be left alone. (See the entire pitcher of water I didn't ask for-and was a party of 1). Typically, I don't like Tandoori chicken, but theirs was flavorful and tender. However, the chicken in the butter chicken tasted as bad as it looked. Saag paneer was pretty solid, but I'm not sure how you could mess this up. The "salad" portion of their lunch buffet was the weakest of any KC Indian restaurant I've seen. The meal was a notch above decent. I used to eat at their former Independence location when I worked in Lee's Summit, and I remember it being so much better than it was today. Or Korma Sutra has spoiled me!
(3)Jeff H.
First, you need to know that Taj Mahal is CLOSED ON TUESDAYS, and many is the time I've driven across town for lunch only to see a CLOSED sign in their window. Heck, I don't know what day it is half the time. This has caught me on more instances than I care to remember. An Indian colleague at work told me this was her favorite Indian place because the food tasted like what her mother cooked. She was right. Taj Mahal has a very good lunch buffet. The Nan bread is particularly good here. Very good food, I like them a lot, but the Tuesday thing has really got me teed off. C'mon, you guys...
(3)Joi B.
We were in Waldo on Saturday night in need of food with a bit of *heft* and heat. Mexican or Indian...? We settled on Indian because the K had a burning desire for butter chicken. We drove up to Taj Mahal's strip mall location which didn't concern me, as it's well known that KC has many strip mall treasures. After ordering a glass of wine and having to convince my now favorite waiter in Kansas City that I am in fact over 21 and no, that's not a fake ID, I ordered Saag Paneer "extra spicy" and he believed me. That was one hell of a spicy dish. Problem was, it was more about the heat level than the flavor, so although it wasn't bad, it wasn't something I'd order again (Taj Palace has the best Saag Paneer in town). The quality and portion size of the food at Taj Mahal reminds me of restaurants that line East 6th Street in Manhattan (though they do not have a gazillion strands of Xmas lights up year-round). As in, it's A-OK, but not quite divine. The amount of food you get is considerable, at least 2 meals' worth. Taj Mahal does have other things going for it. For starters, they offer less obtrusive service (besides waiters who think you're younger than you are:) I know, I know, it's the Indian way to hover over your customers. I just can't always be in the mood for such attentiveness, so I would choose Taj Mahal over a couple other places in town where it's just too overbearing. I also like the ambiance here. It's more cozy and less bright, empty and uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, it's still kind of tacky, but at least it's got dim dinner lighting. So, while Taj Mahal doesn't quite have me craving Indian food like Taj Palace or Korma Sutra, I'm willing to give it another chance and order something different next time.
(3)Chamberlain H.
I've been eating here for at least 10 years, and I don't think I've ever reviewed it. I probably come here 8 to 10 times per year. I'm not sure if its the best all around Indian restaurant I've been to in the KC area because I try not to rate places as "best in the city," but it has enough going for it that it keeps me coming back regularly. Just some things that get my attention: Great location at 75th/Wornall. Lamb (no matter the dish) is always tender, not dry/stringy/fatty. Great breads, pastries, desserts. Average tandoori stuff. Nothing really excites, pretty dry. Weird inconsistencies, such as saag paneer, for instance, looking and tasting one way in January, then in April the same dish looks and tastes like something completely different. Usually its some spice or creaminess adjustment. Not that one is great and the other sucks, but I guess like in any type of cuisine, it depends on the cook who's cooking it, not some standard house recipe. They went through an odd phase (the cook, I assume) a couple of years ago where everything was bland. Not sure of the cause, but it seemed to subside quickly. All in all, its tasty enough to keep me coming back.
(4)Anne M.
I had the lunch buffet there today for the first time in a long time and it was excellent. I'd been lunching at Ruschi but have become disenchanted with them for various reasons and so remembered Taj Majal in my neighborhood! It was wonderful. Everything I had was spicy, which I like! The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is because at the moment the buffet food was not really very hot at all, when I went back to the buffet for a refill close to noon the food was a much better temperature, hot and not tepid and/or cool. Service was good, atmosphere nice and cool, too.
(4)Tim B.
My aversion to Indian buffets non-withstanding (see my first review), a solid lunch buffet at a reasonable price. They offered poori and roti at the buffet, which was a first for me, and the real bonus was the gulab jamun served in warm syrup! In the states, these litte cheese balls are usually served cold, but the warm stuff was pretty authentic. The meats were pretty underperforming- I don't understand what the fuss is about the chicken tikka- the chicken meat was weird and dense and overcooked. The vegetable items saved the day, with the winners being the Navaratan Korma and Aloo Baigan. Extra points for the strip mall vibe, weird 80s hair band power ballad coming through the speakers, and the absolutely random furnishings bought from several different auctions-- not to mention (ok to mention) the shell vases displayed in the exterior windows!
(3)Leah P.
Went to Taj Mahal for the lunch buffet. Very good quality and wonderful service for an EXCELLENT price. I feel like they cater the buffet to a more midwestern sensibility (i.e. the items were not very spicy at all). But the flavor was still very good. The korma and saag paneer were my favorites. Great way to try Indian if it is your first time--you can have a bit of everything!
(4)Lindsey S.
A few bites in to the appetizer and the words from my husband's mouth, "this place is kicking a$$ so far" haha. Wonderful food! We ordered the meal for two or I should say feast for two.... Got the Tandoori chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Saag Paneer. All excellent. The meal came with rice, two GIANT naans, and keer (rice dessert). Needless to say we have leftovers for a feast tonight for dinner. Pretty amazing deal for around $40.00. Oh and make sure you put the three sauces on everything! They are to die for.
(5)S.E. A.
Delicious, well-spiced food. I recommend the okra and the lamb saag. Good beer selection. Lively, fun atmosphere on a Friday night, but not too loud to have a conversation.
(4)Sonal K.
Lunch buffet is good. you get a variety of Veg and non-Veg items. you should try it once.
(4)Billy Boy F.
Had the vegetarian dinner for 2 . Everything was Amazing . First time eating here. I will be back all the time.
(5)Megan H.
This little cozy and quiet place has been around for quite some time. Went here again today for lunch. They have a buffet during the week and I couldn't be happier. Fresh Nann, Paneer, Butter chicken, all I can eat. Yes please! But I noticed today things seemed to be a tad on the salty side and that's one good reason for me to stop coming to your restaurant. So I am hoping this was just a one time thing, like I said I have been here many times and it's not been a problem. The staff is great and always happy to see me and my family/friends. As for the decor it is some what dated and the place is very dim. Let's hope it's not because they're hiding something like a certain Thai restaurant use to do. It may not be the best Indian food in town but it's still pretty darn good.
(4)Payton H.
Taj Mahal would be a 4 or 5 star if they had great Naan. Naan is my Indian food deal breaker. Sure, they give you a ton of it, but it's just not good. It's crunchy and void of flavor, even if you add things to it (cheese, garlic, etc). That being said, the Taj Mahal Dinner for Two is epic. For $36 bucks, you get SO SO much food. We started out with a tasty soup (coming from me, a serial hater of soup, this is a compliment) and a veggie samosa. The Samosa was delicious. Secondly, we got Chicken Korma (one of my favorites), Lamb Tikka Masala. On top of that, they brought three pieces of tandori chicken on a would-be fajita hot plate, with a bead of onions and peppers. Needless to say we had two to go boxes. The Chicken Korma is probably the best I've had in town. I appreciate their attention to detail on butchering the lamb. There were very few bones, and it also wasn't too fatty. The tandori chicken was pretty good, as well. Then, we got both Galub Jamun. These little doughnuts are my least favorite things, usually. They're too greasy and too sweet. Taj Mahal does them as well as I've ever had them; not too sweet, not greasy in the slightest. We also got some rice pudding. I was SO SO freaking full of Indian Food by the time we left. It was a chore to walk back out to the car, especially hefting two full to go boxes of food. If they could get their naan situation under control, they'd have to beat me away with a stick.
(3)John D.
I love this place and the buffet is totally great. Go for lunch! i go out of my way for this place. Top notch!
(5)Meghan M.
Great, solid Indian restaurant. Love their buffet and that your naan is made to order. Service is good but not overbearing. I love their mango chicken. I put Taj Palace up there or close to other great KC Indian places, but with a little less glitz and refinement.
(4)D G.
First off I love Indian food... and I walked in here ready for some good stuff. Simply put I was pretty let down. As someone else stated the food was rather salty and overall just lacking. 2 stars denotes "I've had better" and that's true because I can think of 2 other Indian places in KC which are much better... India Palace and Korma Sutra. Go there for MUCH BETTER Indian food across the board.
(2)C F.
Food and service were terrific!!!!! They were very kind to answer questions and explain dishes for those new to Indian cuisine. Portions very good and very generous. Service excellent and friendly. Restaurant clean and cozy.
(4)Shannon M.
Taj Mahal is awesome. I love Indian food, and they have amazing food, and really attentive service. Even when you order carryout, they bring you samples of lassi to try, and everyone is very kind. It's a great dining experience!
(4)Dustin S.
Best Indian in KC. Bam.
(5)Matt D.
First of all, let me state that I truly love Indian food, and had noticed the Taj was close to my home that I moved into about a year ago. I had been over in that area before, and the scent that seemed to escape from this place always smelled great. The first time I tried it, I had the lunch buffet. I am not sure why I did this, as buffets in general are pretty gross in my opinion. They always seem to have dried out, of food that has turned into some mush of something you can't quite identify. The buffet had a few things good things on it, but it still was a buffet and not very good at all. Shame on me, I thought, why did I try the buffet and not order off the menu. Next time we ordered some food to go. We had some items from the tandoori grill. Everything was extremely dry from the chicken to the lamb, to the point of almost being uneatable. I will give them one more chance, but it will most likely be a while before that happens. We are committing to going for dinner, and ordering off the menu to see if that makes any difference. That will be the last chance for them, as I understand there are a lot of good Indian restaurants in town that we should be trying. I hope it is good with the 3rd chance but it is just so close for us..
(2)Matthew W.
This is our anniversary and Valentines tradition. My wife and I get dressed up real fancy like, then I go pick up our vegetarian dinner for two and we have a real nice meal at home. Don't get me wrong, I like the place, we just do this as a tradition. I started eating meat again about a year and a half ago after a four year veggie kick, my wife though has been a vegetarian for well over ten years and shows no sign of changing. That being said, I still love the vegetarian dinner for two. It costs about $25 but it will get you through the next couple days. I used to feel bad for my fellow construction workers when I ate this meal, because I knew that any time I broke a sweat, the pungent aroma of Indian food would fill the room like a sickly cloud of chlorine gas. I don't care. The veggie dinner for two allows my wife and myself to enjoy a four or five (do you count the tea?) course meal without having to stumble through the menu. If you eat there, they have a selection of Indian beers, Taj Mahal, which comes in a bigger bottle, and one of my personal favorites, Flying Horse. There was a time when Flying Horse had a poorly translated slogan on the bottle, that the further into a six-pack you got, the more amusing it became. It said "Most thrillling chilled!". I can't explain why, this phrase just makes me happy. It is also very true, it is most thrilling, especially when chilled. A few weeks ago, we went for the buffet, and I loved it. As other reviews have pointed out, the vegetarian items were not marked as such, so I had to continually ask the staff on behalf of my wife. They were happy to help, and really seemed to appreciate someone asking questions, and being interested in their food. Being a meat eater though, I just loaded my plate with a little of everything and dug in. I however, am not a fan of buffet style meals, because I never get my money's worth. I just am not able to load my belly with plate after plate of food. For this reason, I would recommend a nice dinner for two, be it lamb, chicken, or vegetarian, that way you can have leftovers the next day. It is just as good the following day. You really can't go wrong here, never had a bad meal, or bad service. Way to go guys.
(5)Zelda E.
Another winner for Waldo. I live in between Waldo and the plaza, and I have to say, Waldo restaurants totally give the plaza a kick in the pants. We went last night and split the lamb vindaloo, butter chicken (how do you resist something with butter in the name?), and garlic naan. Everything was great, and they even gave us free dessert! The only sour note was watching the hostess bully some of the other staff members. We all left a little confused by the scene.
(4)Francis T.
This week I had the pleasure of eating GREAT Indian cuisine. My party of six had dinner at Taj Mahal on Wornall Road and the food was great, the service was awesome, and the wine selection marvelous. We had the mixed grill, butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, and mango chicken. There was so much good food, we did not know where to start. We will make sure we keep the Taj Mahal as our diinner destination restaurant.
(5)Bridget K.
I've been going to Taj for 9 years now & I still get excited about it like catching a glimpse of your highschool crush walking past your locker. Yeah yeah, it's dim & dark inside, but I'm not going there for the atmosphere, I'm going for the chicken tikka masala! Went there last night for the 11 millionth time, somewhere in that ballpark anyway. We ordered the Taj dinner for 2- very good call (we always request the lamb rogan josh instead of the sag paneer), and once again I had to discreetly unbutton my top button of my pants just to finish the necter-ific gulab jamun. Also had a glass of wine for $3.50. Yeah, read that again, it's true. Maybe not a beautiful French bordeaux but it'll do, and it did. Service was different this time, the usual friendly owner wasn't there, instead was 2 ladies who were polar opposites. One barely uttered a word but was quick, studious & efficient. The other was highly, if not annoyingly, chatty & tried to give us the wrong order, then remove dishes before we were done with them. This was the first ever time any service was subpar so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they were having an off night. Normally we go for the buffet- such a great deal! Be sure to bring loose pants. They usually feature staples like tandoori & my weakness, chicken tikka masala, but they will swap out dishes often for variety & have great offerings for vegetarians. Love the buffet, the rice pudding, the mango drink, the chai tea, love it love it love it.
(5)D H.
My husband went for a business dinner and could only found one of the 10 different items ordered for the group edible. It could be that he just doesn't like Indian food. HOWEVER of the 10 people in attendance only one in the group ate more than a taste of all the food. The same single dish was everyone's go to thus there was not enough of it. The leftovers could have fed 10 people.
(1)Adam C.
The Taj Mahal Indian restaurant is a great place to enjoy an authentic Indian buffet. The inside of Taj Mahal is adorned with typical ethnic decorations and that unique and unmistakable smell of fine Indian food. The Lunch Buffet is the crown jewel of their dining experience. I went during lunch and we had no trouble being seated. The buffet itself offers a wide variety of choices form meat to vegetable, and you get an endless supply of bread with your meal. The service is friendly and the price is very reasonable, even with a drink. Sometimes its hard to distinguish what the food actually is, so they have helpfully labeled each entrée for your convenience, just make sure you remember what is what once you get back to your table- if not, no worries- its all delicious.
(3)Kristen B.
It was no India Palace, but Taj Mahal is OK. We were sat in another room outside of the main dining room and the lights were not on. It wasn't pitch black, but it was weirdly dim. The buffet was large but average. The one bright spot is that you can order a variety of Nan in different flavors--onion garlic or plain and they make it fresh and bring it to you. The price is competitive among Indian buffets. I would go there again but not if other options were readily available.
(3)Lilian O.
I have mixed feelings about this place so gave it 3 stars. The ambiance of the restaurant is definitely a bit strange as others have said that it's really dark inside. Unfortunately this review comes a bit late as the last and only time I've eaten at this place was a Friday night about October 2009. My fiancee and I ventured into the establishment and were immediately greeted and seated. We ordered the vegetable korma and saag paneer both spicy on the hotness scale and wished we had ordered them in medium instead. Perhaps it's because he's Indian and we both said that we love spicy food (which we do and normally have no problems handling it), but the food came out spiked with chili powder! It tasted fine but we couldn't eat too much of it as our mouths were on fire. The naan was fresh, hot, and fluffy and we received 3 different types of chutneys with our pappadum. Loved the tomato/onion chutney! The prices for this restaurant is one of the best around town for Indian food with many entrees under $10 unlike my former favorite Indian restaurant of Swagat which now charges outlandish prices. Another plus is that our food came out extremely quickly. As for the cons, weird ambiance and questionable cleanliness. My water glass still had a lipstick stain on it and it definitely was not mine! Then again, the same thing happened to me at Skies with a martini glass...so mixed bag. I'm not sure if I'd eat here again.
(3)Autumn Q.
My favorite indian food in Kansas City. I have been going there about once a month for 4 years. This is also the only buffet that I will eat at. It's pretty great with a huge vegetarian selection. My favorite thing off of the menu is the vegetable korma. The staff is super friendly and attentive. The Naan is out of this world
(4)Trang W.
This restaurant has turned me into a fan and after yesterday I can't wait to go back again. My coworkers and I did the lunch buffet and it was delicious. Their Chicken Tikka Masala, fresh naan, vegetable dishes were all so tastey and very good. I had to refrain myself from going back for seconds because I didn't want to go into a food coma after lunch.
(5)Krista N.
I usually don't do buffets, anything that has a sneeze guard on it shouldn't be associated with food, but Taj Mahal is one rare exception. When you first enter it is dark and scary, we were taken to a back room brighter, next to the buffet. We were given Garlic Naan, yumsters, and a pitcher of water, and then we had at it at the buffet. All the food was labeled clearly, so you knew what you were eating, and all the vegetarian selections were in the center, safe from all the evil nasty meat that might have accidentally fallen in. The rice was perfect as was the Dal Makhani, my favorite item on there, the tikki was excellent as well. To end the meal at the end of the buffet was some excellent rice pudding. The lunch buffet here is one great exception to my usual hatred towards buffet, they have excellent food, and a really good buffet.
(4)David S.
Come here for great Indian buffet often. Everything is great - I've never ordered from the menu because I can't commit to one thing when there's so many great choices. The Cheezy Poofs on the buffet are a little weird, but hey, I'm OK with that. Just go here - 'nuff said.
(4)Alicia Z.
I've eaten their buffet for lunch about 4 times. Last time I was there I saw a bug crawling on the buffet stand. I went back to go tell my friend and she told me that she saw one crawling up the wall by our table. Grabbed our purses and left immediately.
(1)Boris G.
Vegetarian dinner for two. You will fill up, and could even split it between four people. We always come here when in town; it's the best Indian Food in KC.
(5)Nicole R.
Best Indian in town! The service is great, the food is great and the atmosphere is great. I always have left overs when i leave there because the portions are so big. I usually go there with a friend and get the vegetarian dinner for two. It's an awesome meal! They have tons of vegetarian options and meat options. I cant tell you how the meat dinners are but Ive heard from friends they are quite good. I think its worth the price because its two meals for me. Try Taj Mahal!
(4)Kartik K.
If you couldn't guess from my name, I'm Indian, so I have high standards for Indian restaurants. Having said that, 3 stars for Taj Mahal means that's it's pretty good in my book. Definitely one of the better Indian restaurants in the KC area, but that doesn't say much. Anyway, this place is quite good for the lunch buffet. Worth a try.
(3)Jacob M.
Awesome food! Get a Chai Tea to go, huge cup.
(5)Kev L.
I'll eat here if I have to, but I would rather spend my hard earned money on Swagat, Ruchi or Korma Sutra. the buffet is ALWAYS the same. There is never a difference in what is available. Considering all of the other Indian restaurants in the area do a good job with variety, this is a big hit to the resume. Food is also very good, but not great. Again, the other restaurants in the area are much More robust when it comes to flavoring their currues. Tandoori chicken here is average at best. This is a good place to get a quick fix, but if you are really craving quality, try any other Indian restaurant in the area.
(3)Beatriz D.
I wasn't very impressed with this restaurant, but that's only because I'm a Swagat's fan. However, their garlic nan is delicious, and their rice pudding is fantastic. The owner is a talkative man who will make sure you are having a good time and enjoying your food. Great buffet selection.
(3)Jennifer N.
A great way to introduce people to Indian food - a lunchtime buffet! I've taken several people here to try the various dishes, and I have yet to try them all myself. It's in a strip mall and not particularly fancy - make sure you order the chai tea, you won't regret it. (We sat there so long drinking cup after cup, they finally (kindly) brought us to-go cups, the lunch buffet had closed!) First and only time I've eaten goat, too. Favorites: Chicken Tikki Masala, Garlic Naan, Chai tea
(4)Martin H.
Great Indian takeaway
(5)Roxanne A.
I was there for lunch this week and had a pleasant experience. I appreciate them leaving a pitcher of water at our table, since the glasses don't hold much volume. The pictures on the wall are cute. I'm glad to find another alternative for lunch close to work.
(3)Lauren L.
not only the worst indian food i've ever had, but the worst restaurant food i've ever had, period. perhaps it's because i'm a bit spoiled after having eaten nyc indian food for the last 5 years or so of my life, or maybe i just ordered the wrong dish. whatever it was, it tasted like dog food, except my dog wouldn't go near it.
(1)Bob S.
Good food, good price. A surprise find of authentic ethnic food in kansas city. Def recommend the lunch buffet to anyone willing to eat a lot of good Indian food
(4)Jenny M.
Great Indian food, small place, but service is always good. You can't miss with the Malai Kofta or Saag Paneer. If your a meat eater I have been told the the Chicken Tandoori is excellent. I have the phone number saved in my cell, a can't miss if you need something semi quick to pick up on the way home from work.
(4)lyn m.
Don't let the strip mall facade fool you...this family owned place has great food and the staff is so very accommodating! Don't get me wrong - if you're going for "atmosphere" you may be disappointed. When I lived in this area it was our normal Friday night dinner...they knew us by name and always smiled when we came in the door. The two of us would get the Taj Majal dinner for two (either vegetarian or non) and would go home stuffed as well as with leftovers for at least two more meals. For the price you can't beat it!
(5)Filipina P.
A very good Indian lunch buffet we've had in Kansas City. I loved the vegetarian options --- especially the paneer korma, which is Indian cheese in a creamy, curry sauce. The decor is a little depressing. It was a bright sunny day and the curtains were drawn, making the restaurant seem even darker. Definitely a hole-in-the-wall kind of place that hides great food.
(4)Cristin M.
I didn't have any high expectations for Indian food in Kansas City, especially when the restaurant is in a strip mall, but Taj Mahal was okay. They have a fairly large menu, and a buffet available at certain hours of the day. The service was very attentive, and actually started out a bit annoying as the server came to our table several times to ask us if were ready to order while we were still looking over the menu. After we ordered, it calmed down a bit, and was there when we needed them. The food itself was slightly on the bland side, but it wasn't terrible. We ordered the samosas, which were huge, mattar paneer, chicken tikka masala, garlic naan. Everything was well prepared, and included rice, which is always a welcome sight in an Indian restaurant. The garlic naan could have been a bit more garlicky, and the sauces in the main dishes could have been spiced a little more (not necessarily spicy). At the end of our meal, we each received a free order of kheer, which I welcomed with an open mouth and a full belly! They also offered to give us more rice to take home with our leftovers, which was also awesome points for service.
(3)Jennifer B.
I love this restaurant! The food is fantastic and the service is great as well. It's a ton of food--I always have leftovers and have never been disappointed by this restaurant.
(5)S a.
What else can I say???? BUTTER CHICKEN. So creamy and flavorful! They are generous with the chicken. Veggie samosas. Garlic Naan! I like this place so much better then Korma. It is quieter. Usually busy at dinner. And the service is MUCH better. It isn't anything fancy and quite frankly I don't want it to be. The staff is friendly and remembers your face. See you guys soon!!!!
(5)Stephanie C.
Food - Entrees, rice and nan were just ok - tasted authentic...well, just the way McDonalds tastes authentically American. The condiments and dessert rice pudding was above average. The food was still much more authentic, tastier and cheaper vs. Chai Shai (I don't get the appeal of that place). Wine is cheap $4.5 for a pour of Hob Knob Pinot Noir (I don't get this about Indian restaurants - wine is always so cheap!) Ambiance - Dingy yet comfortable - the dinginess didn't bother me much. I'm not looking for flashy, modern decor from my Indian restaurants. Although I did wonder if in a prior life the space had been a local watering hole:) Service - The servers honestly looked put out by the fact they had to serve us. They did keep refilling our water glasses but that was about it. Told the waiter we wanted to order and he took his good old time to come back, had to get up to pay our bill, and just an overall miserable/depressed attitude of the servers. Only 3 tables they had to serve - so being busy as an excuse doesn't work. All in all. It's ok. I'm not planning on coming back and going to make the haul to Indian Palace down south where the food is delicious and they are happy to have our business.
(3)Jess J.
Very flavorful, great portion sizes. If ambience is a huge deal to you, it might not score crazily high, but as long as you don't go in expecting anything fancy (and in a Waldo strip mall, why would you?) the smallish, dark-ish, and slightly dated interior shouldn't be too offensive. A bit of the seating is booth, which really doesn't work all that well given the fact that Indian food is served in numerous containers, so if you have, say, 4 people, it gets crowded. But the food is pretty tasty. I generally go for vegetarian and chicken entrees when ordering Indian, and have not been disappointed (their chicken korma is particularly flavorful, I think, and generously portioned). I also think their vegetable samosas are better seasoned than many I've had, and the usual trio of chutneys and sauces for papadum are great. My husband likes goat, and gets the biryani, but to me, you end up with a plate of bones and not a lot of meat for your efforts. I've seen this at various Indian restaurants, though, in terms of goat, so I don't think it's a Taj Mahal thing, by any means. I've never had the lunch buffet, so I can't speak to that, but all menu items I've tried have been great. The naan is wonderful, all varieties. Service is good, too, very nice people. For a casual dinner, it's well worth it. My husband works in the area, and would definitely have him pick up takeout to bring home for dinner, too. Great stuff.
(4)Chris M.
Tasty sauces, but the meats could use some trimming. Let's get right down to it: Indian food rocks, and even an average Indian experience is satisfying. Five of us were seated at a table that was probably not big enough for all the dishes that would soon be presented, but like clowns in a clown car we made it work. I ordered the Lamb Vindaloo (delicious and spicy, but the lamb had some fat and/or ligaments that I wish would have been removed prior to cooking). I also sampled the Chicken Tikka Masala, which is probably the most popular dish among non-Indians. It was tasty, and the medium spice level was probably a little hotter than some might prefer. Again, the chicken breast could've been trimmed better, as there was a little of what I would assume to be rib meat pieces. The rice that came with both dishes was very good, but they only have one type--basmati. They have plenty of naan options, and the garlic naan we had was delicious. Service was better than average. They offer a buffet at lunch, but I recommend going in for dinner so you can have something prepared to order.
(4)Ann S.
Great portions, great vegetarian options, and great staff. Recommended for both connoisseurs of Indian cuisine and folks who are testing the waters. My husband and I order take out regularly and the food is always consistent. When you dine in, they give you these delightful trio of sauce/chutneys plates as appetizers for free!
(5)Brianne L.
I'm new to the Indian food fan club. Mostly because when I eat it, I have to be at home.... close to the toilet. I'm not ashamed. Anyway, I've only had their Chicken Korma and Naan to go, but in my experience, it's a lovely place. It's smaller and the staff is great. I've had encounters with their staff when ordering and picking food up. They are kind and helpful. The food is great, in my short life of eating Indian food. This is my go to place for my Friday night Me-Dates. You heard that right; Me-Date.
(4)Whitney J.
A really nice place. Great food! And the buffet is an excellent deal!!! Been here several times and I am never disappointed. The service is always excellent and the food is always amazing. Glad to have a wonderful dining place close to home. Take a chance to try them out!
(5)Tracy L.
OK, so we love Indian food and we have eaten at just about every Indian restaurant in K.C. We always find ourselves comparing their food to Taj Mahal!!! Taj Mahal may not be new, fancy, flashy, trendy but it is consistently the best Indian food in the area. Everything is fresh especially the paneer and they have the best papadum hands down. We have never been disappointed with a meal at Taj Mahal. The staff is friendly and helpful whether you are picking up a to go order (which by the way they are very generous with portions, rice etc.) or dining in. I also love that when you order your food spicy, it is SPICY!!
(5)Eric B.
Although Taj Majal is located in a fairly ugly building and parking lot, we love the restaurant. The service and food are excellent. We usually get Chicken Tikka Masala, plain naan, and an appetizer of either vegetable pakoras or coconut soup.
(5)Dylan K.
Delicious, Fair and friendly. 12 years I have been going here. I have traveled to over 40 countries. This is always the place, I dream of coming back to. Down right envious, when ever a friend tells me they are going. tried every place in 40 miles. that even hints at a tandori. I assure you, none of the others can make people from India cry, for its flawless flavoring.Tikka masala, bhuna, Roman Josht, saag paneer, eggplant pakoras and chai.
(5)Susan C.
Cozy little joint tucked in a shopping center in Waldo. Go for the garlic naan...it's absolutely huge and you'll have plenty of leftovers with your meal to last you a couple more days. They also bring out various dipping sauces - always a treat.
(4)