Spice Junction

This is most definitely our favorite Indian restaurant to go to. We've been here so many times and have never been disappointed. The food selections on the bar are wonderful and taste very fresh. Our favorite item to order is the combination platter with two chicken curry and one vegetable curry. You get a huge amount of food!! Neither of us had ever finished our plates and we always take food home. For an extra dollar you can substitute one of the rice sides for their delicious spicy garlic noodles. You can also substitute the regular naan for garlic naan.
Many people might complain that it's not an all-you-can-eat buffet, however there really is no need for it when they give you plenty of food.

I wish I had been here sooner! Just amazing! The food was so good and made for a great date night with a great value! The staff was so accommodating and helped my wife, a newbie to Indian food, in choosing the right meal, which she loved. Can't recommend enough!!!

This is one of the restaurants which has the slowest services on the planet.
The combo meals here have a catch in every item:
There is mix vegetables curry but no paneer
There is biryani but no masala only biryani rice
There is samosa but no chutney.
Pathetic!!!!

Stopped in for lunch today and the owner was nice enough to let me sample the three curry dishes and explain their menu options. I opted for the hot which has a nice red silky hot flavor and the brown which is mild that has a totally different flavor I cannot place. Two types of rice are served with the chicken curry dish for 6.99 and that comes with naan bread. The bread was warm and buttery perfect for dipping into the curry and rice. I tried to buy two more smaller pieces of naan but the owner said it was no charge as I asked nicely. So when you come here be nice not because you get free food because it's the right thing to do and the restaurant business is hard enough without people barking out demands.

My husband and I were devout customers of the restaurant which serves delicious food. However, with the changes to the business model where this is no longer a buffet, and with the limited choice of plates served to you by the owners that they plate for you from the buffet... was too much change for us. The whole dining experience is non-existent.
This was especially hard at lunch time where I only get an hour to travel there and had to wait in line for the owners to dole out the trays...one by one. Although I love their food, there were only a few specific dishes that I would eat. Since I can no longer pick & choose what I want for the price, it's just not worth it. We admire the owners, but it they cared about their business...they would return the restaurant to the original buffet. It would bring in the regulars.

During our Columbia trip, unfortunately we decided to go to this restaurant. We reached there at 5 PM as this restaurant is opened whole day.
We thought as we were new to this restaurant, we would try a starter and then based on that, will proceed with other menu items. So we ordered aaloo tikki chat, now being an Indian food lover, what shall I expect from an aaloo tikki chat? Chat is usually

We got 2 undercooked aaloo tikki pieces (looks and tasted like blend frozen) and cooked in pretty old oil with no spices n salt at all and chutneys were served separately.

I would say worst dish I ever had during lifetime and will never recommend this restaurant to anyone.

If you are a vegetarian and anywhere near Columbia, SC, you must eat at this place. Tucked away in the corner of an unassuming shopping plaza, you may not be sure it's open because the windows are pretty dark, but persevere! The food inside is fantastic, home style Indian cooking. Feel free to ask the owners about the food; they are very friendly and happy to explain.

Be sure to get the vegetarian thali. It will seem like a lot of food but you will want to eat it all (good luck with that) and then you will want to eat the rest for dinner (even if you have to eat it cold, many hours later in a hotel room, as I did). It's really a lot of delicious food for a good price.

The decor is not fancy and the TV can be an unnecessary distraction, but if your focus is on the flavors of the food you will not be disappointed.

Thanks to you yelpers who helped us find this place! It has become a much anticipated stop on our frequent drives between Asheville and Savannah.

I rarely rush home to write a review but I just want to shout from the rooftops about how wonderful Spice Junction is. It was well worth the drive across town, and before I leave Columbia, I will go out of my way to eat there again. $8.99 for lunch/dinner buffet for a spread this size is a great deal. It's delicious too. There are different rates for children's buffet and take out.

As you enter, head towards the rear of the restaurant to the buffet line. There is always someone there to answer any questions about the food or help you with anything else. Water is also self-serve. We filled a pitcher with ice and water. What a cool concept!

My favorite items were the naan, butter chicken, almond chicken, fruit salad in pudding, semolina pudding and the vegetable samosas. But everything was delicious. Next time I will try one of their salty lassis.

The most impressive thing about Spice Junction is the great customer service. Reheena (I'm sorry for the misspelling), the owner, is an incredible hostess. She greeted us warmly and brought fresh naan to our table. She offered us more bread and checked on us regularly. Her sons help out at the restaurant also. The youngest one at the register is very sweet.

Another reviewer mentioned that there wasn't much of an atmosphere. I would have to disagree. It was quiet and perfect for conversing with others at your table. My husband and I did not have to talk over any loud music or TV. The place is simply but tastefully decorated. If you're looking for something fancy, this isn't it. I've been living out of a suitcase for weeks now and I'm grateful for places that have good food without prevention.

Lastly, I judge a business on how clean its restrooms are. Spice Junction did not disappoint. It was very clean.

I don't always get to have Indian food but this was good Indian food. So tasty and savory I really enjoyed the different flavors of Indian food in this is a great spot for good food.

First I'm just going to say, this place was a little hard to find. I had an address, but no description/map (I was navigating via phone), so I drive by it twice (the exterior signs were very hard to see in the traffic pattern that I was following) before I found it tucked away in the strip. If you're looking for it as a first time customer, it's South of Carolina Wings, almost at the corner.

With that out of the way: Wow! This was my first foray into the world of Indian cuisine, so I didn't know what was in store for me. I had my own preconceived assumptions and expectations (I was thinking spicy and hot), but was completely off in what I had imagined. The flavors of each dish were boldly spiced, but I found everything to be sweeter than I thought it would be. A couple people in my lunch group had mentioned heat, but I didn't get that at all (maybe my senses are dulled from years of abuse...).

Everything else has already been explained in previous reviews, so I'll just add to the notion that I can't wait to go back!