- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Royal Taj India Cuisine
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
123 reviews for Royal Taj India Cuisine
Review Highlights
"Friday Lunch Buffet is off the charts yummy."
(in 36 reviews)
"I definitely enjoyed eating it with the naan."
(in 40 reviews)
"And the Mango Lassi is really good too."
(in 6 reviews)
Loading...
123 reviews in English
-
Review from Robert C.
Santa Cruz, CA
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
WOW! The food was great with huge portions. I'm ready to take a nap after eating here.
Food was great with heaping portions. I actually took half of the food home and I'm so excited to have for lunch. Pricing of the food was very cheap for my standards. 2 entrees and appetizer with water to drink= $32.00
Besides the great food and huge portions the service excellent -
Review from Jeromy G.
Hercules, CA
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
I like this place. The naan is ridiculously good and you can get plain or with stuff in it like garlic and herbs. I love naan so much, pretty much the greatest bread in existence.
I got the Chef's Special which is a $25 dollar plate with a little bit of everything which would have been worth it. The curry is good and I got the spiciest possible because I like my food with a little bit of heat so it was nice. I liked the rice and all the sides that came with it. However I did not enjoy the lamb or the shrimp that came with the plate because it was really dry. The chicken was good but for some reason any other meat was super dry and I had to dip it in curry or sauce to eat it.
The Indian beers are really good, we ordered a few and tried a bunch of the ones imported from India. I like them, my friends referred to it as "China Beer" since they just got back from China so they would know. Tasty beer.
The food they do well its really good so 4 stars for that however the service was terrible. There was this one Asian server who was oblivious to the world and you have to be pretty perceptive as a waitress to see if people need water or something. It took us 20 minutes to get menus and we literally raised our hands every time she walked by to grab her attention and it seemed as if she was avoiding us trying to walk past as fast as possible so we wouldn't talk to her. Something was off with her but that was not okay.
The owner is a really nice guy and the food is good and the atmosphere is good. The service was just bad. Maybe we came on an off day but I'll go back to see if it's improved. -
Review from Benjamin W.
Santa Cruz, CA
12/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here for the first time because of campuscred, got $14 worth of food for $7. They were pretty busy at around 7pm, and the waiters took pretty long to get to us.
We ordered nan and curry. Got to try the:
Garlic Nan - pretty good, crispy with garlic and parsley
Onion Nan - not really that great... texture was a bit off for me
Lamb meat Nan - this one hit the spot, it had minced pieces of lamb INSIDE the nan
For the curry I got a Lamb curry that was cooked with creamy sauce and spiced. Forgot exactly what it was called but it was really good. It was really creamy and went along perfectly with the nan.
I also order the mango yogurt drink dessert and it was pretty good as well, I just wished that it would have been a bit more cold for my liking but it was still pretty flavorful.
Overall, the food was really good, service was a bit lacking, ambiance was nice. They also have a parking lot!
During lunchtime they have a buffet as well, would definitely want to try that out. -
Review from Alyssa L.
Benicia, CA
10/9/2011
This place is so great! We came here on a suggestion from a friend, and it's a good thing we did! Honestly, the curb appeal is lacking a bit with this place, and if our friend hadn't suggested it, we never would have set foot in here.
When you walk in, the decor is kinda cheesy, and we were a little disappointed at first to hear it was just a lunch buffet. But, we were hungry and wanted Indian food. But, once we sat down, we realized the table cloths and silverware was nice, and very clean.
The service was great, too, btw. It wasn't ver busy, so we might have gottne so much attention because of that, but every 10 minutes or so we had someone refill our glasses and ask if we needed anything. They were a very kind staff.
As for the food, it's lunch buffet only, I have no idea about dinner, but lunch was GREAT. I got a plate full of basmatti rice and poured some Chicken Makhanwala over it. The desciption for that said "This delicious dish is made with boneless tandoori chicken in a mild spiced creamy coconut sauce." IT WAS SO GOOD. I also put some eggplant dish (the problem with indian food, is I have no idea what any of it is called, and it all kind of looks like brown mush...) but it's so good!
There was no more naan bread, but about 2 minutes after we sat down, one of the waiting staff came around with a basket of freshly made naan. It was amazing. I had 3 pieces!
The price for two meals was $19 and we ended up leaving a $4 tip because of the great service.
Overall, cheesy decor, but very clean.
Delicious food.
Great service.
I will DEFINITELY be coming here again. -
Review from Ryan K.
Reno, NV
10/3/2011
This place HAS MAD FLAVOR! The greatest indian joint i've hit in my life, again and again baby...
Go for the lunch buffet, especially if you're not familiar with Indian food. This way you'll get a feel for a little bit of it all. You'll love it all tho.. it's all so god damn tasty.
I made a yelp to support places like this and let the world know what's really good.
This is it. Truth.
It's a cool place to take a lady, as the interior and serice is rather fancy: the white table cloth, the wine glasses for water. I take a sip or two and BLAM!, they're there to refill in the most appropriate manner. I'm lovin it!
P.s The exteriors kinda shot, looks like the most run down joint in town but it's a gem that way. The interior is spiffin! -
Review from Melissa P.
El Monte, CA
11/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yum! I love this place. The waiter was very nice. The food was excellent. And they honored my two for one offer, no questions asked, unlike Taqueria La Cabana (coupons from the same book). I'm still a little bitter about that, as you can see.
-
Review from Zizzle f.
San Francisco, CA
10/12/2011
Different from S.F. where the tourism lobby (i.e. serve em' once, and who cares what the quality is) reigns supreme; coming to Royal Taj in Santa Cruz is, by contrast, a breath of fresh air. Royal Taj is much less expensive than 'Naan n' diarrhea,' and offers superb quality Indian grub. The lunch buffet is a mere $8.95, and there is love in those dishes! The keep the variety different daily, not the same ol' boring stuff, and source local ingredients. Last time I went, there was a boneless tandoori chicken, simmered in a tikka masala sauce that was to die for.
Ambience is a plus, the depictions of scenes of Sri Krishna, and Arjuna from the Bhagavad Gita are beautiful and remind one (at least me), that overeating is probably not exactly a benevolent thing! I wonder what the 'limbs,' in sanskrit surronding the 'OM,' symbol mean? The young man who provides service is a humble being and has a refreshing countenance. If you want 'pickle,' the hindi word is 'Ajar,' when in Rome...! -
Review from B C.
Santa Cruz, CA
9/10/2011
Great food! I loved their Beingan Barta and Chicken Tikka Masala. Their Chicken Biryani was tasty too. I've been to many Indian restaurants and I've seen the good, the bad, and the awful. This place falls under the "good" category. Although I would steer clear of their curried lentils... WAY too salty!
I also have to add that their Onion Kulcha and Naan are the BEST I have ever tried. EVER. -
Review from Stephanie B.
South San Francisco, CA
8/9/2011
4.5 =)
This place is the best! First off, I love the restaurant in itself. It's cutely decorated, and I always feel at home for some reason. I feel like I'm having an intimate eating experience with my friends because of its ambiance. I especially love eating in the booths, but that's just cus booths make me happy for some odd reason....
Also, I love the people who work here! They're extremely nice. When my fraternity comes here, we often roll deep, which I understand can be kind of annoying for restaurants. Loud college students with hella credit cards = FML. But, they're so accommodating that it makes me happy to go here simply because I know they don't hate us! Trust, I'm one to notice when servers are annoyed of you, which makes me feel uncomfortable and rushed to get out. Luckily, they don't give me this vibe. Woohoooo!
Like most, I order the Chicken Tikka Masala. I'm a sauce kind of girl, meaning I loooove sauce! Weird, I know. But their CTM has a lot of sauce! Perfect if you want to dip some naan with it....yummyyyy! You can get this with rice and salad too. I love that they serve salad - veggies are good for you.
If you want to try something new, get their Chicken Saag Wala! It's like spinach with chicken. Also good with naan.
They have free chips with sauce too! It's great to munch on. -
Review from Lotus J.
Santa Cruz, CA
8/26/2011
YUCK!
Grossest Indian food EVER! We ordered take out one night and the food was absolutely abominable. The meats tasted like they had been freezer burned or were on their way to outright rotten. Veggies were cooked to mush. The sauces all tasted the same, over-sugared and under-spiced. The only saving grace was the naan, which honestly tasted like it came from a box of Bisquick, but was palatable at least. $50 wasted on a meal we just couldn't stomach to eat. Sorry, Royal Taj you don't get our vote. -
Review from Vanessa U.
San Jose, CA
7/28/2011
I'm still relatively new to dining Indian a la carte. What can I say, I love them buffets! But anyhoo, my buddy and I were having a total fat girl day in Santa Cruz, complete with Boardwalk fare and the legendary Marianne's, when we decided to cap the night off with some Indian food. We arrived shortly before closing, but the staff was still welcoming and didn't rush us at all during our visit. I shared veggie samosas and garlic naan with my friend and got chicken tikka masala for myself. Everything was dee-lish... and if I'm being honest, this was best chicken tikka masala I've had so far. It's really creamy! I didn't eat a whole lot on the spot, but the leftovers were fantastic!
And wonderful news... they have a location in Campbell as well! -
Review from Tiffany S.
Santa Cruz, CA
8/9/2011
this place is the BEST in santa cruz for indian food!!
Khyber Pass is way too oily and expensive, Sitar is passable but not really much of anything compared to the Royal Taj.
It's nice going to an authentic indian restaurant, and have more than 4 different types of masala to choose from.
The owner is really nice, and once my friend left her phone there when it was about to close, and they were kind enough to try and contact us to return her phone. They waited after closing the restaurant for us to drive back.
the waiter is super attentive and always kept my water glass filled.
I love all their masala dishes, and their samosas are so delicious. The naan is pretty amazing too. It's really nice and fluffy when they bring it out. -
Review from Jenna L.
This place is HANDS DOWN - the best Indian Restaurant I've been to so far.
Why is it good?
1) their combo meal is PERFECT ! $12 for the curry dish, naan, rice, and salad. SUPER dELICIOUS !
2) their mango lassi is good
3) they're located close to downtown
4) classy and chic interior
5) did I mention... their food was DELICIOUS :D) -
Review from John E.
6/3/2011
I had the lunch buffet here a few weeks ago. $8.99 for all you can eat.
There was a lot of road construction going on but the parking lot was still accessible. I'm not sure if the construction is still there but don't be deterred.
I give the ambiance 2.5 stars. It's not the cleanest place around but the host is attentive and fairly nice. You do get white table cloths but the dining area is kind of cramped. I definitely would not take someone here for a first or second date. It's just not that kind of place.
The food isn't bad. I've definitely had better but it was as good as I expected for an all you can eat lunch buffet. I've had a lot of Indian food (and have been to India) and I couldn't really figure out what was what without looking at the labels. Still, it tasted fine.
They have Indian beer and I had a Kingfisher with my meal. I haven't been here for dinner so I can't comment on that menu. All in all, it's not too bad and I can recommend it for a relaxed lunch. -
Review from Cameron C.
Santa Cruz, CA
11/2/2011
Sad to say that I'll never be going back to Royal Taj due to the utterly rude waiter that treats patrons like garbage. The thin guy with the glasses and moustache, I'm sure a lot of you have had an experience or two with this jerk. He doesn't ask if you want something to drink besides water, he is completely devoid of warmth or welcome, and ignores you for long periods of time. The icing on the cake was when my girlfriend asked for our check for about the fourth time and he replied in an unnecessarily harsh tone that he was getting it. He was cleaning tables the whole damn time! We didn't give him a tip, nor did he deserve one and we'll never go back. You lost some customers there dick.
-
Review from babossagaji M.
Santa Cruz, CA
7/24/2011
I only come here for the lunch buffet special from 11:30-3. The good thing about this place is they actually offer MEAT (for those who are carnivores). I wish they had samosas as a buffet option but I can't complain.
Service was really good compared to other restaurants in general. My glass of water was constantly filled. They come to the table every time they have fresh naan to offer to us instead of just putting it in the food area first. That's how you know the naan was just baked!
I think weekend buffets have lamb & chicken (deliciousss) while the weekday ones only have chicken.
I love it how I can get as many chutney sauces as I can. I love all of their chutney sauces. My top two are tamarind and mint chutney combined.
The interior has nice decorations but lighting is a bit dim. The place is relatively clean. -
Review from Lee H.
Santa Cruz, CA
5/27/2011
i just came back from their lunch buffet like a couple of hours ago and i am still stuffed. It really is the best indian food in santa cruz. Ive been to sitar's lunch buffet and it just doesnt compare. there are more options here including meat options & dessert. the garlic naan was soo good and fresh and the lamb dish was the perfect complement to go with it. I just kept stuffing my face with it cause it was sooo good ! i also had this deep fried vegetable thing with the mint sauce and omgg it was the best combination ever ! their tandoori chicken was tender as well and the rice too wehn paired with the lentils was amazziiingggg. i pretty much loved everything that i got .
service was friendly and very attentive ! will be coming back here again for suure ! so sad i was too full so didnt get to try their chiken tikka masala. -
Review from Julie S.
4/14/2011
3.5 STARS. I wish you could do half stars on yelp! OH well. This place has been around forever- at least 20 years because I remember coming here with my dad when I was 5 years old. I came for the lunch buffet.
The good
Chicken Tiki Masala was very tasty
Cold garbanzo bean "salad" was great
Tandoori chicken was decent
LOTS of of water refills
The bad
I felt like the servers were staring at me and my bf while we ate. We were the only people eating there. Little uncomfortable.
There were only about 4 hot dishes and 4 cold dishes. No beef or lamb- just chicken and a few curries.
We did not have hot naan brought to our table once like other yelpers!
Not horrible, but definitely nothing to rave about. -
Review from Lauren K.
3/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
3.5 stars!
I came here for the second time the other day and didn't have a great of an experience from my first time... maybe because I ordered the wrong thing. :(
I ordered Chicken Tikka instead of my all time fave: Chicken Tikka Masala. Total fail. It didn't help that in the middle of my confusion, the waiter even came out with the writing pad that he wrote my order down just to prove to my face that I was wrong and simply ordered the wrong thing.
The service is great. Even though it gets a little awkward when they stare at you while you wait for your food, eat, and finish, the menu does say that they will "Treat you like a king" and they did. My water glass never went down all the way and I really was granted every wish.
I was really disappointed that the side of rice with peas in it was $3. That's ridiculous. And I ordered naan ($1.75) so next time I come, I will definitely order one or the other. It was more than enough.
Looking forward to trying the lunch buffet everyone's buzzing about! -
Review from Al R.
Santa Cruz, CA
10/2/2011
Been going to this restaurant forever. I always take out of town friends here and they always love the place. The food is always very good, the prices are reasonable and the wait staff are always the same - not great but ok. They have a lunch buffet but I'm not a buffet fan only because I tend to eat too much. Royal Taj is a hidden gem in Santa Cruz.
There is a sister restaurant in Campbell which is not as good. -
Review from terry h.
San Jose, CA
12/2/2010
OUCH!
Yelp is killing this place. Hopefully they will read all of these negative reviews and do something about it before they go out of business. It just goes to show you if you aren't giving a good service/good food experience to people, look out because it will get around.
Personally, I have only eaten here once about 10 years ago. My company had a Santa Cruz programming company do some work for us and we would have to go visit them every week because they weren't getting the work done (wish I could review them but don't think they are still in business anymore). One day they were not around so we (Suneel, Iztok and I) took off to visit the butterflies at Natural Bridges, then eat lunch, then try and round these absent guys up and get them into line.
Natural Bridges was kind of cool, except there weren't many butterflies around so we split for Royal Taj to eat (Suneel is Indian and totally knows good Indian food). We sat down, (not the cleanest restaurant that I have ever been in I'll have to say) and all ordered the lunch buffet.
To me, all of the food was good. Great tandori chicken, great nan bread, great veggie food, excellent desserts. My stomach was stuffed and I got sleepy. All good signs of a successful meal to me.
Suneel and Iztok were also happy with what we were served. So that is why I am giving this place 4 stars. Maybe for a "real" meal, they have trouble but for us, it was a "go-back" experience. -
Review from Amy C.
1/24/2011
The same, same, with more of the same.
I came here for a friend's birthday and everyone ordered different dishes, but when they came out they all looked the SAME. I wondered how they differentiated between all of them. Everyone at the table ordered some sort of curry with different types of meat in it, so if the server did not individually give us our dishes everyone would have gotten the wrong order. In the celebration of my friend's birthday one of our party members ordered a bottle of wine for the occasion. Surprise, surprise, when the server came with wine glasses they were so dirty with dust. That's a big NO! But food was a pass and filling. I have not decided if I want to go back for a second round. But maybe, just maybe. -
Review from Les B.
Santa Cruz, CA
4/15/2011
I was just wondering what to get for dinner and saw someone mention Indian food, so immediately thought of getting takeout from Royal Taj.
That's when it dawned on me: takeout vs. eat-in. I've only eaten there two or three times in 25 years. But I've ordered takeout dozens of times.
This goes toward other's observations about portion size to price. When I ate in the restaurant, the portions were tiny. Like, I'd literally look at the little ornate bowl in front of me and think I'd just been given a sample to try until my actual meal arrived. Not so.
Takeout, the portions are WAY bigger. Like, I could eat at least two meals on the tandoori chicken.
I'd give them four stars, but I'll have to take them down one half star because their food made me sick once, but that's once in 25 years.
3.5 Stars. My 2 cents. -
Review from Lee H.
Santa Cruz, CA
11/7/2010
First off, I created a yelp account specifically so I could leave this place the praise it deserves. I've tried Indian food all around the bay area, and this place is easily my favorite.
The service is always friendly and polite. The chicken tikka masala is absolutely delicious.
If you're eating in, I'd highly recommend the buffet. (Sundays and Thursdays are chicken tikka masala days) Not only is it a delicious selection, but the waiters also go around table to table with fresh-from-the-oven naan. I've never had naan that tasted better.
As far as take out goes, their portions are awesome! My previous favorite Indian place cost an arm and a leg for a little cup of food. You get a full meal if you carry out. Plus, my boyfriend and I save the sauce and warm it up with chicken the next night, and it's still absolutely delicious.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking to get good Indian food in Santa Cruz. Easily the best in town. -
Review from Fi K.
Santa Cruz, CA
3/5/2011
Ok dude. I'm serious right now. I love this place. For several reasons.
1) Good Indian food in SC is hard to find and I lived right near this place in 2010, so I went there all the time. I've been here at least a dozen times in the last year only.
2) The food is good. The music is weird and if you know Bollywood music, you can recognize it; it's all instrumental versions of famous Hindi songs. It's so Indian. I like how weirdly Indian it is. It's clean too.
I understand that the waiters sometimes don't know English and you can bumble around for a bit (and I'm Indian and I speak Hindi...). But for me that is a minor thing and I think it's dumb to not like a place just because someone has difficulty with English.
Also, if you order the right things, the food is awesome. All their weird naans are so awesome. And the curries are great. Oh my god. And the Chai. It is SO GOOD. And the Mango Lassi is really good too.
I had the buffet for the first time today - It was alright. $9 for the buffet is a pretty good deal. I had Tandoori Chicken (mediocre), Eggplant (soo good), Chicken Korma (so goood), and the rice was well-cooked too. The "Potato Brockly" was not that great, but as usual, the naans were epic. The buffet was open till 3 today.
Anyway, I think I recommend things from the actual menu more. Like Saag Paneer...or anything Saag, really. Chicken tikka masala. The naans. The lentils. Chicken Makhanvala. I haven't had any of the seafood.
If you want their menu, it's here: http://menustation.com... -
Review from Nancy W.
Long Beach, CA
8/8/2010
My crew are regulars here because it's the most delicious, satisfying Indian food in Santa Cruz... and the second best I've had anywhere actually.
Everything is full of flavor, you get huge portions (two meals in one for most dishes) and despite the staff seeming cold at first, if you really appreciate Indian food and the rich, complex flavors involved, they will appreciate you.
The aloo palak, chicken masala, naan and samosas are all divine. The first time I had Indian food I felt like I had discovered taste buds and flavors I never even knew existed, and stepped into a world of flavor that was infinitely more rich and satisfying than any I had ever encountered before! It's like living in 2-D black and white all your life and then stepping into Boston during the fall.
Royal Taj delivers fulfillment to the brink of bursting every single time. -
Review from Wes F.
San Francisco, CA
12/19/2010
$9 all you can eat. It's salty though, so if you don't like salty food, you probably shouldn't eat here.
Again, it's salty. You have been warned. -
Review from Katrina T.
Cupertino, CA
I think this place deserves a 4 1/2 stars! I am so happy I was able to satisfy my craving for Indian food. Usually no one wants to go with me because they aren't used to this type of food, but my whole fraternity was able to go out for dinner yesterday and chose Indian food! I had the Chicken Tikki Masala, which was so delicious. I definitely enjoyed eating it with the naan. Their portions are quite large and worth the money you are paying for.
The service is so friendly! I felt bad for our waiter because there were probably about 20 of us, and only 3 people serving. It probably seemed so chaotic for him with so many orders but despite that he was able to remain so calm and friendly! I will definitely come back here because I am so interested to try the buffet! -
Review from Melanie R.
Santa Cruz, CA
5/12/2010
Stop kidding yourselves, Santa Cruzans: this place is NOT good. I wish it was, because I really love Indian food, but it's not. Period. The prices are good, but every time I've been here (sadly more than once, just because I was hoping I was wrong) the meat is really poor quality. A friend uses the term "tumor chicken" to describe that low-end chicken that has all kinds of fat and what not on it-- totally gross, I know, but everyone knows what I mean. Well, that's what you get here.
And I couldn't agree more with the reviewer who mentioned the awkward staff. Suuuuper awkward. And nary a smile in the place. Yikes! -
Review from Shreya G.
Fremont, CA
10/31/2010 4 Check-ins Here
Really, I give the place a 3.5/5 stars. I pretty much come here because I'm craving chicken tikka masala (one of my favorite foods), and well, this is one of the few places in Santa Cruz you can get some, even though it's not the spiciest nor the tastiest.
I have both carried out food from Royal Taj and also dined in at the restaurant.
When I carried out, on a Sunday night, the food took almost an hour to make (3 chicken tikka masala meals), but I'm pretty sure that's due to them having a large group of people there also ordering the same item. They give you much larger portions when you carry out the food, but it's really difficult for one person to eat one meal. I suggest ordering extra naan and sharing the meal with someone. If you try to save the food for yourself, it will spoil by the next day, unless you eat monstrous loads of spicy food. I felt very sick after eating the CTM the next day, so I had to throw it away.
When I dined in at the restaurant, I was always with a big group (I've dined in 3 or 4 times here, easily). The food would take awhile to cook, but that's because there would be a huge number of us (anywhere from 8-40). They would always try to make sure we have all ordered the right item with the right spice level. The waiters would be running around frantically trying to fill all the orders but they left everyone satisfied by the end of the meal.
The portions were very large and you get your money's worth. I suggest always ordering the "meal" version of any dish rather than the a la carte.
Don't come here expecting the best chicken tikka masala your taste buds have ever tasted, because you might be let down. However, this place is perfect if you are trying to satisfy a craving.
The other curries and masalas look very good, so if chicken tikka masala is not your thing, don't worry, there are plenty of other dishes to choose from.
I do want to come back here and try their lunch buffet. It seems like a really good deal.
You should definitely try this place at least once! I'm sure if you come here with a group of 4 you'll have great service (fast food, good attention from waiters) and good food.
Food: 4/5 (Pretty good for Santa Cruz!)
Service: 3/5 (They're nice, but they can take a very long time)
Environment: 2/5 (It's a warm environment, but it's not a fancy place or anything)
Bathroom: 1/5 (Sorry, I'd honestly rather use a tree.) -
Review from Coupon F.
Santa Cruz, CA
8/12/2011
Its indian food so I am not able to rate it under 3 stars.
But the buffet is always rather old but edible.
Th best thing about the restaurant is the bread.
Buffet is good but expensive! -
Review from Shanna K.
9/21/2006
I've tried eating here a few times. It's the only Indian food in Santa Cruz and some of the worst I've ever had. Everything tastes mushy, old, bland... like it's been leftover for days and barely reheated. Service is civil at best and at times it's just downright surly...like they don't even want you there.
I don't need people glaring at me while they serve me crappy food. I cook Indian food at home instead, or I make sure to eat it over the hill. I'd rather have a Tasty Bite than eat here. Seriously.
Would someone PLEASE open a real, good Indian place in the area? You'd make a killing. -
Review from Hemi P.
Santa Cruz, CA
10/1/2010 1 Check-in Here
Royal Taj is one of my favorite restaurant in the town. Most definitely my favorite place for Indian food in the bay area. Staffs are so nice and polite all the time.
I always ask my chicken curry to be 'super spicy' and staffs always get little nervous when they bring me the food (at this point my husband is starting to cough and sweating from the spicy smell). It's always very spicy but very flavorful as the way I like, and they always make sure that I'm satisfied with it. Garlic Naan is always perfectly crispy, warm and nicely flavored.
After the very spicy rich curry, I'd like to cleanse my palette with saffron ice cream. It's creamy and rich, but not overly sweet dessert that gives cool in my mouth and happy in my tummy. -
Review from Yelper X.
Hollywood, CA
2/9/2010
It's best that I just say it....
2.5 stars, and Royal Taj was better when it was under old management.
Yes, the management that often times let their restaurant get defiantly grimy against the germaphobic white people who plague Santa Cruz. I more than happily humored the loose springs in the booth seats in the name of amazingly tasty Indian food. Service was surly as hell. Over the course of 6 years I don't think I once visited the bathroom... I just washed my hands at the house before dinner and came prepared with hand sani. What energy they didn't expend in making the place "American" they spent in the kitchen making delicious curries.
Those days seem to be gone. With new management came a new way. A cleaner way. And while the newer, cleaner, hygienic Royal Taj seems to appeal to the senses of Trustafarians Santa Cruz over, sadly, the food just isn't as good.
Don't get me wrong, Royal Taj is still my go to place for Indian in Santa Cruz. Highlights include the prawn saag and chicken makhanwala. It's just that now I'm just slightly more inclined to drive 17 for my Indian food fix. -
Review from joana d.
Lompico, CA
8/26/2009
Unfortunately, this restaurant is one of the few Indian that exist in the area. My husband and I used to eat there at least once a week, but finally decided that we couldn't abide the filthy surroundings.
~ The booths are hard, rickety and very far from the table edges.
~ The windowsills are adorned with dead flies and spider webs.
~ The walls in the hallway to the bathroom blackened with the hand-
smears of innunmerable dirty-handed people.
~ The women's rest room is stark and so-so with respect to cleanliness. Don't touch the doorknob! Don't touch the walls!
~ The baskets in which some of the appetizers are served are CAKED with the crumbs, grease, and dirt sticking to the grease (brown-black and gummy) of innumerable patrons and dirty storage before you-- obviously there's no washing them between many, many servings.
~ The floors are filthy.
It's very clear that there is nobody in charge of checking that this place is in lawful order; this place should be cited and closed until set to standard.
Secondary in my critique is the waitstaff. They seem like disgruntled sloggers, just trying to get through their nights. It's evident that such things as staff training on how one should approach patrons,, communicate with, and serve them, etc. isn't a consideration here...these men are just making a living at a friend's (or a friend of a friend's) restaurant. I have, I must admit, felt as though I was hated as I was served. I blow it off. Some of these dour men are pretty nice if you get into any longer conversation with them. Does that mean that they know how to be a good waiter? Nope.
I think that the food is good, and miss eating the Vegetarian Plate -- I really liked the Navratan Korma (veggies in cream sauce), and the rice pudding, sigh. Nevertheless, the fact that the rest of the restaurant is so exceedingly dirty points to the same indifference to filth when it comes to the food. It's surely handled in a less-than-hygienic manner...I just can not return.
May I suggest
Pearl of the Ocean (previously "SRI") -- EXCELLENT restaurant with amiable serves on Water Street in a little tiny shopping center (4 or so stores)
Malabar -- Excellent vegan. Given the dependable yummy satisfaction of eating a very generous meal, some meat eaters would LOVE the place as long as they will eat vegetables. I love the Almond Mango Curry (Pavlovian reaction here....). On Front Street, right in the boutique-y Pacific Avenue area
Asian Rose -- Same owners as Malabar. Don't know if it's still around. Very good food
At Royal Taj, I can get past the uninterested waiters who even at times are rude, but I can NOT get past POOR HYGIENE! -
Review from Kat M.
San Francisco, CA
1/10/2008
Do you like sour face service? Does it make you happy when a restaurant gets your order wrong and tells you that you ordered it wrong (even though it came out right the last time you ordered it?) Do you find it enjoyable when you approach the owner with a kind smile and politely ask for the right item and they not only blame you but start to push you away forcefully with his hands? (I swear my husband is SUPER nice and did not approach him with attitude)
Wow. We eat out 4x's + a week and this is the RUDEST and WORST service we have ever had! Their food is mediocre. If you want GREAT food and TERRIFIC service, go to Sri on Soquel and avoid the A**holes that own this crap shoot. -
Review from Samantha R.
San Francisco, CA
10/19/2008
Interesting that this place has such low reviews...I love it. The lunch buffet for 7.95 is a great deal and you can call ahead to see if what they are serving is something you'll want!
Chicken tikka masala is my favorite. The vegetable samosas are really good, and I can't remember the other curry dishes I've had, but I've never disliked one. The outside looks kind of shabby, but the inside is not too bad. The prices are very fair, and actually pretty cheap. I had never really been a fan of Indian food, but Royal Taj has opened my eyes. Check it out.Listed in: Cheap Eats, Best of the Cruz
-
Review from Meadow G.
Santa Cruz, CA
8/7/2006
SO not my favorite.
The place is dark and dingy and dirty.
If you get the right server, it can be alright.
If you get the wrong server , he'll tell you to stop eating and start pulling food off of your plate. (No, I'm not kidding) -
Review from Maggie L.
San Francisco, CA
12/29/2009
considering the serious lack of indian restaurants in santa cruz, royal taj's lunch buffet is pretty authentic and offers a wide selection of dishes compared to all the other indian restaurants in town. You get more bang for your buck here.
The lunch buffet had chicken tandoori, deep friend cauliflower, mushroom korma, a couple curry dishes, fresh naan and rice, saag paneer,and a vegetable and dessert bar. My friends and I chowed down and everything was freshly made and very flavorful. Other indian buffets I've been had to had dishes that tasted like they've been sitting out under a heat lamp for hours, but that was not the case at Royal Taj.
After getting seconds, then thirds, then fourths, my friends and i could barely move and fell into a korma coma. I only ate one meal that day and I will definitely be back! The service was pretty good and the waitors were very attentive. -
Review from Marc C.
CA
5/24/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Favorite Indian place in town. The menu has a variety of items. The lamb samosas are perfect. Nothing better than garilic nan and their chicken tiki masala.
