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India Palace Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Indian Restaurants Pakistani Indian, Pakistani [Edit]
707 Redwood HwyMill Valley, CA 94941
(415) 388-3350
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 2 pm
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
81 reviews for India Palace Restaurant
Review Highlights
"I had the chicken tikka masala and it was soooooo delicious."
(in 14 reviews)
"The naan was really amazing- soft and warm."
(in 31 reviews)
"The lunch buffet is very good."
(in 18 reviews)
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81 reviews in English
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Review from SF U.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012
Finally got carry out after a night of rain... Very pleased with our order. We had the prawn curry and the chicken vindaloo. Both were ordered spicy. The prawn curry is a house specialty. We adored the blend of spices, and the dish will probably become a staple for us.
Too bad India Palace does not deliver... We would probably order it once a week :) -
Review from Katie W.
10/22/2011
For the naan, as I have said before
Yes for the naan, I am a whore.
India Palace looks like a total bore, but go inside, you won't believe what's in store.
Authentic, flavorful aromatic cuisine
In an environment that admittedly, looks likea n 80's scene.
The naan though, my Dear did not disappoint. It was chewy, fluffy and oddly, the sahpe comes to a point...But I digress. The naan and the paneer paratha both make the perfect temptress.
Curry is fine and one of my favorite things, but don't forget there ARE other things. The Tandoori Mixed Grill is truly where it's at. Salmon, Chicken, and Prawns even at that. Lamb adorns this sizzling cast iron too with peppers and onions deserve a tip of the hat.
We had no complaints, though the food took a while. And maybe of their lack of style... But food is really why we're there and for their food we went on a tare. Admittedly too, they had many orders to go, and so the wait was rightfully so.
It's friendly and well priced and has great Indian beers, wouldn't you know. All that's left to say is put on your acid wash jeans and go! -
Review from Jen C.
Mill Valley, CA
12/5/2011
Went here tonight with my kids, who were treating me for dinner. They had a25$ gift certificate that they got from their aunt. We ate our dinner, which was good. The bill came and the waitress refused to accept the gift certificate, which clearly said it does not expire. It was purchased by their aunt. The waitress went to the owner who flatly said "we don't work with them no more, it's not a good deal for us". They refused to honor the restaurant gift certificate. See how many people return to this place after being treated like crap.
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Review from SisterMable S.
San Francisco, CA
7/20/2011
Absolutely lovely.
The service was super attentive, especially the older woman who brought me extra papadam. LOVE that.
Fresh sparkling cold beer, crisp papadam that was light as a feather, and the best tamarind sauce I've ever had was an excellent start to my meal.
We had the most amazing lamb khorma and really delicious sag paneer. When I asked that we have no cilantro, they made sure the meal was clear.
Garlic naan was tender, crisp at the edges, and luxuriously covered with fresh garlic - top notch.
I can't wait to go back :) -
Review from Ron S.
San Rafael, CA
5/17/2011
I was surprised at how good everything was. Although the Tiki Marsala Chicken was a tad dry. However I like that they charbroiled the chicken first which gave it more flavor when added ot the Marsala sauce.
The Garlix Nahn bread was first rate, as was the rice.
The staff were really nice and the service was excellent. It probably helped that were the only people in the place. It was a rainy Monday. It wasn't dark and stormy though.
I recommend this place if you like Indian food.
Easy to get to and lot's of free parking. -
Review from Agent schmully L.
Brooklyn, NY
1/26/2011
Ok, so it's next to or is at travel lodge.
It's cheap, tasty, and you can watch them make naan from your seat. I can't wait to go back. -
Review from Tony O.
Alameda, CA
2/13/2011
Chicken in Tikka Masala was a bit dry.
The ground lamb kebob was also dry.
Service was very courteous and friendly.
Mango lassi was very tasty. -
Review from Michael H.
San Anselmo, CA
12/15/2010 1 Check-in Here
I went for lunch and the buffet was ehh, it wasn't terrible, but I agree with another review I read, having the Naan in a steam bath is terrible. It is chewy and just chewy.
The Chicken Tikka Masala was bland and the chicken had gristle on pieces .
This may be a buffet thing and the full dinner might be better (like others I've been to).
If I was Jones'n for some Indian food without another in sight, I might go again, but there are too many other quality choices in Marin. -
Review from Skip J.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2010
Good price....great lamb curry dish.....tired service (loss of star)
This restaurant has been here for at least 16 years they're doing something right. -
Review from Avery H.
Kentfield, CA
8/26/2011
I have been going to this restaurant for a few years, often getting take out or stopping by for lunch or dinner.
It can be a bit confusing to get to, and sometimes hard to find parking, but I would say that this is worth it. They offer all that I expect from a typical Indian restaurant, with a hit or miss on one dish or another, but overall very good quality. Their chicken tikka masala is quite good, but the one thing that I have eaten there that has remained unsurpassed by any of the dozens of other Indian restaurants I've been to--the naan bread. Buttery and delicious, the chefs make it right behind a glass window, and I often find it difficult not to eat plain until I feel sick.
It is in a bit of a weird spot, but is my go to indian restaurant in Marin. -
Review from Glenn H.
9/10/2010 1 Check-in Here
Meh indeed! It had been years since I had been back for their lunch buffet and had good memories of the service and the food.
But that was then and this is now. While the service was still friendly and attentive, the food was poorly prepared and chronically under-seasoned.
Only the lamb & mixed vegetables were remotely good.
I should have taken the first warning when I noticed that they kept their hot crispy Naan warm by putting them in a CLOSED rice cooker, thus steaming the crisp tandoori to a soft and tortilla-like flap of bread.
Then I sampled their Chicken Makhani, Dal, Tandoori Chicken, the Saag Paneer, and even the Pakora, but none of them was even remotely as good as most other Indian Buffets. They were all as if the chef forgot to add seasoning or taste how bland the food was.
The Tandoori Chicken thigh that I had was surprisingly dry, And the sauce on the Chicken Makhani (butter chicken) did not save or help it much.
Even my most favorite of Indian dishes, Saag Paneer, normally a stand-out, delicious, sauteed spinach dish with paneer, a homemade cheese, was impressively underwhelming, with almost none of the rich flavor that it has had at virtually all other Indian buffets I've enjoyed.
While none of this was inedible, it was so far from the authentic Indian flavors and spices that mark good Indian buffets that I recommend looking anywhere but this place next time your are looking for a decent buffet. -
Review from LH N.
San Francisco, CA
11/4/2011
I am really surprised at the 4 stars others gave it, perhaps I hit them on a really bad day. The Naan was fine, but the lamb was chewy and had little flavor. The Chicken masala and the various vegetable sides simply had very odd flavors. I have eaten at many Indian resturants from here to London, Northern and Southern Indian, and I had never had food taste like that. It was not plesant at all. I was disappointed and would not go back.
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Review from Charles B.
Belvedere, CA
3/8/2009 ROTD 5/30/2009
Who would think a restaurant in the Travelodge would be any good let alone great? This place enforces the old adage about judging a book by the cover. A true gem in my opinion!!
Living within 1 mile of the restaurant, I order take-out often, but love the interior as well. Although a little on the expensive side, the Vegetarian Royal Feast is enough food to last me for 3 whole days breaking down to $8/meal! The Naan is excellent and the vegetarian samosas served with the customary sauces are good enough alone to lure me into the restaurant on the way home from work.
I don't know the history of the restaurant inside the Travelodge, but continue to love the anomaly!Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Jason R.
San Francisco, CA
7/3/2007
This is about as good as low priced buffets get. For years I'd heard that this was the best Indian in Marin. Some people have love for Avatar's, but that's what we call "Marindian,"and if you've been there you know what I mean.
It would be great if India Palace was open to 3 for lunch, but we can't have everything right?
They're are fewer items on their buffet line, and everyone knows that's a good thing, right?Listed in: Thank you! Come Again.
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Review from Christina F.
Belmont, CA
12/23/2009
I've always been intrigued with this place ever since I saw it featured on "Check Please Bay Area." I finally made a stop to try out their $8.95 AYCE buffet. It's a pretty small buffet - only four or five "entree" options - but it had the basics. The chicken tikka masala was probably some of the most tender and fresh tasting chicken I've had in an Indian restaurant, although the sauce itself was much, much milder than I prefer. Everything seemed to have a very mild spice level, probably to cater to the many non-Indian customers that seem to frequent this place. I enjoyed watching the man behind the window making fresh naan, which eventually made its way to being shoved in a rice cooker on the buffet line.
Decent buffet considering the area....not sure if it was worth highlighting on a public access show as there are far better Indian places in the Bay area, but it's a solid option if you're breezing down Hwy 101 towards SF. -
Review from Chris N.
6/28/2010
When we first drove by this place, I had my doubts. The underwhelming appearance of the Travelodge did not set my expectations very high for the restaurant, but heck... Indian sounded good. So we went.
Overall it was a solid experience. The restaurant is much nicer on the inside (there's a window looking into the kitchen, which seemed to be popular with the kids). My chana masala was a little bland, but the naan bread and jasmine rice were delicious. The girlfriend went with the chicken tiki masala and said that it was much tastier than mine.
India Palace exceeded my low expectations, and overall we were satisfied with our meal there. -
Review from lynnie p.
Richmond, CA
1/10/2008
I came here for dinner two nights ago and got an order to go.
While I waited for my food (veg samosas, boti kabob, garlic naan, some other stuff), I got a chance to sit and chat with the owners. They are super nice people and it was great to see that as people were leaving, they were all stopping to chat with the owners. I like mom-and-pop shops. I will definitely come endorse them more often.
Oh. The food. Yes, it was good. It usually is every time I've been here. After reading the other reviews, I feel like I should come at lunch for the buffet, even though I don't like buffets. According to some people, I don't eat enough to warrant them dropping $25 or $30 on my meal. But this buffet is under $10!! I would eat $10 worth of food!
I'll let you know what happens.
I also put that they deliver - which they don't actually - but there's this company that delivers for a bunch of Marin restaurants and this place is on the list. Check out http://dineinmarin.com. I learned this tidbit from the owner when we were chatting.Listed in: Mill Valley eats
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Review from Jack C.
San Francisco, CA
9/30/2008
The best Indian Food in Marin County by Far. One of the Best in the Bay area.
Prices are a little high but you are paying for the fresh ingredients and wonderful ambiance... and occasionally live music.
(Sean Pen goes here all the time) -
Review from Sarah B.
Mill Valley, CA
6/17/2008
An Indian restaurant in a Travellodge? That's just WEIRD.
The food's really good - very flavorful, and not the somewhat questionable quality ingredients you get at some bargain Indian buffets (no offense anyone, but there can be some skanky questionable species stuff in some of those buffets.) The food here is great - the service is excellent.
Don't let the odd location scare you off. -
Review from Juliet W.
San Francisco, CA
7/28/2010
We came here for a friend's birthday dinner one evening and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!
The food is fantastic and the price even more so! Totally worth the drive up from SF for a nice mellow dinner. We ordered several dishes, but the best part is that they have really delicious ONION BHAJIs! Go try it!! YUMMY!
We also had a couple of vegetarians and they got satisfied just as much as we did. Plenty of dishes to choose from for all! -
Review from Ben K.
San Anselmo, CA
5/26/2009
Driving by, India Palace has always piqued my interest. Ever since my taste of Indian has increased a HOZILLION fold (gotta hand it to Marin, it does have a good Indian fetish), I've been searching for delicious new experiences across this lovely Bay Area.
Plus, every other buffet was closed.
Anyway, $8.95 is a reasonable price for what was said on Yelp as a pretty good buffet. Yelp has rarely led me astray, but you can't win em all. I still love you, Yelp.
The buffet was eh, it had all the staples of some great restaurants, but it was INCREDIBLY oily, the service was nice, and the chai was good, but good chai isn't hard. I say fork over a few more bucks for something genuinely amazing.
At least it made me regular that evening. -
Review from Melissa L.
San Carlos, CA
2/10/2007
I was a little put-off by the exterior of this place, I must admit. I mean, the poor place is ATTACHED TO A TRAVELODGE MOTEL ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY! Driving by, you aren't exactly thinking, "That place looks NIIIIICE." But the sign outside that said "Lunch Buffet- $8.95" and my boyfriend walking in assured me it was going to be okay.
So I walked in and got myself a whopping plate of food... Fat-man-in-a-doughnut-shop style. DAMN was it good! The naan was really amazing- soft and warm. And EVERYTHING I tried, I loved. Seriously, you cannot go wrong here. For lunch, that is. I hear dinner is rather pricey. -
Review from Monica B.
Marin County, CA
5/24/2009
Having driven by this place for years, the boyfriend and I finally decided to give their lunch buffet a try since the prices have gone up at our favorite Indian buffet-and every other Indian restaurant was closed on Sundays.
For $8.95, visitors can experience the most mediocore Indian buffet that ever there was. Unfortunately, I fear that presentations such as those at India Palace are why many people fear Indian food...had this been my first experience with the cuisine, I would not be rushing for more either.
The lunch buffet includes about 5 entrees, with all of the rice and chutney options you would expect to find. Chicken Tikka Masala and Sag Paneer were of course on hand, as was an eggplant dish with a name I had never heard of before. They also had Tandoori Chicken and Lamb Curry available.
The entrees were flavorful-but were also some of the most oily Indian food dishes I have ever encountered. Most surprisingly, the naan was unlike anything I have ever seen-very very thing-almost like crepes-and also soggy and oily. The naan is availvable in little quartered slices which you pull from a slow-cooker where they are kept warm.
Service was not entirely attentive nor neglectful, but rather treated our presence with mere indifference. This was a pity since there were only two other single dinners in the entire restaurant at the time.
Even though the prices are cheaper than our favorite place, I feel it will be well worth it to pay the extra $5/person to go there and enjoy flavorful fresh meals and attentive service. Do not think we will be eating here again. -
Review from Kevin K.
San Francisco, CA
5/31/2011
Amazing and authentic food - the decor is nothing to write home about but the service is generous and the food just to die for.
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Review from Siddhartha G.
Mountain View, CA
5/29/2011
One of the WORST Indian restaurants! The food was bland, the patrons were rude, and the buffet could be worth 1$. As an Indian, I'd strongly recommend not going here!
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Review from Lauren A.
San Rafael, CA
11/26/2007
I've gone here a million times. It was the first Indian food restaurant I'd ever been to, and while I've ventured out, I've never found a better place.
Two words: Chicken Pasanda.
Its rich, creamy, flavorful... its mouth heaven. Seriously. If you get it and hate it, bring it to me and I'll pay you for it.
Another favorite is their Bengan Bharta- a nice, solid eggplant and tomato dish. Their rice is savory, and their naan is to die for.
The waitstaff know me from way back in the day, so everyones always sweet. I always have my family birthday here, also.
Monday nights they have live music which is really good- I'm not too partial to their Lunch Buffet because buffets tend to be cheezy, but everything else is amazing.
I would never have thought a restaurant on the side of the highway next to a travelodge would be good, but its amazing.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Veda F.
Fairfax, CA
11/4/2009
HI there,
The food was pretty darn good but not the best in the area. The lunch buffet is very good. The buffet location is against a very small wall and difficult to work around. The flavors were not as fresh as I would have liked but the location is right off of the freeway and the service is fast. -
Review from roger j.
San Francisco, CA
5/20/2011
Recently I visited this place and ordered oven cooked fish. First they misplaced the order then they brought oven cooked fish which was half burnt. In the past I have gone to this place and fish was great. It seems the present cook is no good. I therefore gave this place 3 points
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Review from Andrew K.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2007
I'm giving this place 5 stars for the lunchtime all you can eat buffet...
8.95 gives you all the naan, chicken masallah, vegetable sag panier, bbq chicken, small salad bar, and chai tea you can take. I've heard that the dinners here, although they are at Mill Valley prices, are prepared with even more love.
Eat here, especially for lunch... and be prepared to leave the belt at the office. -
Review from Fernand P.
San Francisco, CA
1/7/2008
The Indian food here is really good for dinner but overpriced.
The lunch buffet is what makes it special! $8.99 all you can eat 7 days a week until 2pm. Since I have discovered the buffet I am not sure I can ever come back for dinner. The price difference is about $50 and up.
Best tasting Indian buffet I have ever had. Be careful though, or you will be in a food coma for the rest of your day.
3 stars for Indian palace 4 stars for Indian palace buffet= 3 1/2 stars! -
Review from Matthew D.
Tempe, AZ
3/30/2010
This was the best thing about our stay at the Travelodge that night. We were hungry and having a restaurant this close made things really convenient.
We ordered the Raja Plate (sampler) and really enjoyed it from the samosas down to the different meats. The restaurant had a cool ambiance with a statue of Ganesha, a picture of a Hindu Master on the wall, and a clear line of sight into the kitchen where you can watch the food being made for you. Nice atmosphere overall. Service was fairly attentive--they forgot to give us our dessert, but it was way after closing time and we were pretty full anyway. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and just concentrate my review on the quality of the food.
Tasty, this place. I don't know when we will be stopping in this neck of the woods again, but when we do at least we know that there will be a good Indian restaurant waiting for us there. -
Review from Pauline A.
Benicia, CA
4/14/2008
The food was good here. The buffet is a great deal but you can eat yourself into a food coma per the other Yelper.
The decor is a little dated and worn out. I would go back if I was in the area. -
Review from j-bird y.
San Francisco, CA
8/26/2011
2 stars for the excellent, very fresh naan. The rest of the meal, not so great. we had a lamb curry and a veggie curry, both less than mediocre. Plus, the chutney and raita were unnatural, almost flourescent colored. Could have just been a bad day in the kitchen or something...
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Review from Seth F.
Oakland, CA
5/2/2009
I wasn't creeped out by the location at all. The service is fast, and the food is authentic and spicy like it should be. The portions aren't as large as I expected, so order naan and/or rice to fill up.
If you're in the area, this is the place to go. -
Review from Reena R.
Corte Madera, CA
7/14/2009
This place is pretty darn good! I absolutely LOVE the Kabuli Naan, and totally recommend that 100%. Yum! Also, I like the Baryani dishes - like say a veggie Baryani or even just the Pillau - combined with something like Chicken Sagwala. Not too shabby at all!
The best thing ever, is on Monday nights they have a couple guys playing Indian music - and they are totally fantastic!
The sweets? My husband likes the Gulab - but too sweet for me. It's drenched in syrup, and just not my thing. But... I do like the Kulfi - homemade pistachio ice cream!
The bad? Once the chicken was dried out and once the fish was kinda underdone for me... but seriously - only once! Oh... and once they were so busy, we received our bill before we received our food... but it was NO biggie at all. We just laughed about it, as did the wait staff when they realized what happened.
Those minor things aside... this place is cool! Check it out on a Monday night! -
Review from Alexis B.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Ok, so this place is obviously underrated. For the price, the food is incredible. Everything is extremely fresh, the spices are so flavorful and when I left I felt light and like I ate something healthy (unique for most Indian food). I heard about this on check please and what a find that was. it is in a weird place, but just try it (for dinner). The staff is really attentive and friendly, and the ambiance is pretty cool.
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Review from Steven G.
Mill Valley, CA
3/18/2011
We had been warned away from the India Palace by another local, but we went anyway - we love Indian food (I lived in Tamal Nadu as a kid), it's five minutes from home, and we had tried their lunch and liked it. But tonights dinner was a drag. The service was beyond slow, and just this side of surly. The food was OK, no more. The meat seemed cheap, and the garlic nan was tasteless. I suppose every restraurant has an off night, but we won't be back.
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Review from Ronald N.
Hercules, CA
1/25/2011
I tried to get directions from Yahoo and Google. It gave me direction to the freeway and not the exit. The restaurant is off the freeway. The food was great. My friend and I saw them make our food right in front of us. I love the friendly service. I recommend eating there.
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Review from Derek S.
Mill Valley, CA
1/28/2011
Delicious Indian buffet for about $9 or $10. Very glad to have it in the neighborhood.
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Review from Nancy M.
Mill Valley, CA
1/2/2011
Crazy that the place in a Motel in Mill Valley, but my teenage kids think the place is great and we checked it out. The Chicken Vindaloo was super spicy and really too hot to enjoy. Tiki Masala was pretty good,nothing special. Naan was very good as was the Lamb Curry. Overall OK
