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The Indian Garden
Category: Restaurants Indian Indian [Edit]
2548 W Devon Ave(between Maplewood Ave & Rockwell St)
Chicago, IL 60659
Neighborhood: West Rogers Park
(773) 338-2929
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 3 pm
Mon-Thu, Sat-Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sun 11:30 am - 4 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
124 reviews for The Indian Garden
Review Highlights
"Hands down, BEST lunch buffet on Devon."
(in 22 reviews)
"And so perfect for dipping the Naan in."
(in 37 reviews)
"...Naan, Chef's Special Murg Tikka Masala, Saag Paneer, Chef's..."
(in 3 reviews)
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124 reviews in English
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Review from Amanda G.
12/24/2011
Yes, another trip to Devon!
I would give this Indian culinary adventure 3 1/2 stars. Not the best in the city, but nowhere near the bottom either.
Wanted to start the dinner with a sweet, white wine, but they were all out, except for the house white (Yellow Tail). I had to take a pass; holy major headache would set in. Decided on a vodka and tonic, or should I say vodka on the rocks with a splash of tonic (Nice!).
Favorite beginning?!? Vegetable samosas. Did not disappoint and kicked off the dinner rather nicely. Onto the chicken tikka masala and chana masala. The chicken was rather scarce (I think the two of us maybe had four cubes of chicken each.) and the sauce was a bit sweet for my liking. As for the chana masala, could have eaten all the chickpeas myself!! They were cooked perfectly, with just the right amount of heat. The garlic naan and rice? Complimented the rest of the dinner rather well.
Love how the servers attend to all the tables. We always had our water glasses filled and never had to catch someone's eye if we needed something!
Another success on the northside! -
Review from Emily H.
Chicago, IL
2/2/2012
Disappointing. Rude. Awkward.
They charge Viceroy prices but fail to deliver the excellent service, portions or quality of the Viceroy.
Right as we sat down, the hostess asked if we had a Groupon. We didn't, but I really wish we had used one now after this experience, because then we wouldn't have paid so much for so little.
The restaurant has a nice interior, soft music, mood lighting, but they use an obnoxiously loud service cart shaped like a plastic Hefty Garbage can to deliver the food on, which is roaring by every couple of minutes to destroy what little ambiance there is.
I ordered a sweet lassi and got handed a strange watery pink concoction that was lukewarm and had chunks floating in it. And it wasn't sweet. The waitress told me to add sugar packets if I wanted it sweet. When she came back I asked why it was pink and warm and not sweet. She stomped off to the bar area and came back with the info that it was rose flavored. I replied that I'd ordered a regular sweet lassi. The waitress snapped at me saying "well if you don't like it just say you don't like it!"
She returned with a sour look on her face and a white lassi that also wasn't a sweet lassi, but it was cold at least.
The curry had a honey-sweetness to it that was too intense. The ground lamb was gritty and the chicken was weirdly rubbery.
The naan was excellent and fluffy and the samosas were average.
The weirdly sweet food and lassi drama really turned me off of coming back here. -
Review from Abhay B.
Sunnyvale, CA
2/1/2012
I landed up here coz my favorite restaurant was closed for renovation. Me and my friend were highly disappointed with all the stuff that we had ordered. The samosas were clearly re-fried which was a big turnoff.
I then ordered some paneer makhani and naan while my friend ordered some chicken biryani. The paneer makhani was very sweet and nowhere close to what i would expect a typical paneer makhani to taste like. Also the paneer cubes were rubbery and i could make out it wasnt fresh paneer.
Being a vegetarian i couldnt taste the chicken biryani but could sense that something was wrong after my friend started making faces. He said it was probably the worst biryani he had tasted on devon ave.
Since i was starving i stuffed myself with half a naan and the paneer gravy while my friend did not eat. We let the manager know that we did not like the food at all. He apologized and did not charge us for the biryani (which we anyways didnt eat).
A waste of 21$ in all.. Would never re-visit or recommend this restaurant to anyone. -
Review from Lisa H.
12/25/2011
yuck. just because i'm white does not mean i'm stupid about indian food. i ate here for xmas with a party of 6. the waiter added a tip for himself without telling us he would. bad taste. also charged corkage $10. tried to get more out of us cause we brought beers, so multiply $10 by 12 beers...he tried to talk us into buying the "delicious" (NOT) kingfisher & taj mahal. i would actually drink my own urine.
the buffet was meh. the best dish was the lamb korma. they had zero samosas, bland chutneys, terrible pakora-soggy in fact. tandoori was overcooked & cold, daal makhni was pretty good, it took them half an hour to bring us bread. & when they did, i wasl pretty much finished eating.
dosen't anyone evey TRY anymore? i'm better at making indian food than this place. and i'm white. i also know when my palate & pocketbook has been taken advantage of. you can screw with me in india but forget it on devon.
never again.
unless i'm in the mood for a "sex on the beach" cocktail or a long iceland tea.
really. what a weird drink menu.Listed in: asia phile, not all that
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Review from lisa b.
Chicago, IL
2/5/2012
Dined here last night and had an awful experience. We were sat at a table quickly, then waited 15 minutes for the waiter, who never made eye contact with us, and seemed to only be paying half attention to us order.
Our samosa appetizer took 25 minutes to arrive, and was totally cold. Fast forward another half an hour (!) and our entrees came. Both of our meals were EXTREMELY disappointing. Bland and barely palatable.
Total lack of customer service, terrible food. The restaurant wasn't even half full, yet it took an hour and a half from start to finish. There are plenty of other great restaurants on Devon - don't waste your time or money here. -
Review from Rebeca G.
Chicago, IL
2/4/2012
I've been here a couple times before, food average, wait time horrible, especially this past time we went. We waited 40 minutes for lamb vindaloo and a grilled chicken dish, there were only 4 little cubes of lamb, alright then...and what's the deal with the anti-Groupon attitude? when we called before to check their closing hours they asked "Do you have a coupon??" what does that have to do with anything? We love Indian food and have tried many places on devon nearby that are much better for much less. We will not go back again.
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Review from Jeffrey D.
Chicago, IL
2/8/2012
This place stinks. Easily the worst restaurant on Devon.
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Review from K T.
Chicago, IL
2/2/2012
they advertise lots of GROUPON DEALS, but they hate you when you bring groupon printout. Their mood changes after seeing groupon deal.. " show me" how much" oh. and than they make you feel unwanted
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Review from Tiffany Y.
Chicago, IL
12/27/2011
Clusterfuck!
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Review from Sara M.
9/27/2011
Stumbled upon this restaurant when seeking a place for dinner near my hotel while visiting Chicago on business. We've got plenty of good Indian food in the DC area, so my standards are pretty high. The Indian Garden? It's overpriced but decent.
It's on the second floor, so pay attention as you come upon the address. The decor is very lush - rich colors and fine fabrics and lots of candles and knick-knacks. The ambiance is warm and welcoming. There's a bar as you enter, a large dining room, and a buffet line set up along the wall for their lunch buffets. Warm, crisp papadum on the table. And a huge menu featuring the cuisine of several areas of India!
I ordered a thali, which features a selection of dishes, and found the portions to be very small for $18. The three entrees came in the same size bowls that the condiments did! The regular entrees looked more appropriate for their prices. Everything was tasty, from the paneer pakora to the margaritas (don't laugh). But the price per person was a little painful, given the portion sizes. -
Review from Mike B.
Chicago, IL
12/20/2011
I had a $35 Groupon and took a friend, thinking I'd spend about $10 over (no drinks), but of course the appealing combination plate was excluded, My total bill was $63, plus tip, for tandoori chicken, one soup, two orders of rice, two orders of naan, one samosa, one saag paneer, and one dal makhni. It was not a bargain. The food was good but the chicken was dry. Then, they didn't have change for a $20 bill (for a cash tip). So we gave them the singles we had between us. I won't be back. I'll stick with buffets - a lot more food and variety for a fraction of what I paid here. And next time I'll check Yelp before buying a Groupon.
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Review from Ruby I.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 12/15/2011
I'd never go back.
The waitstaff: was friendly until I mentioned I had a groupon and after that they couldn't get us out quick enough. My friend and I wanted a post dinner tea, but after our meal they cleared our plates and handed us the check without even offering us desert or and after dinner drink. The service was poor; we were left waiting for a long time even though the restaurant was empty and the staff was waiting at the back.
The food: meh. I wouldn't pay full price for it. Hell I wouldn't pay half price for it. I love Indian food but this is seriously not worth the money.
Price: $11 for a cup and half of dal makhani? Seriously?1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/6/2011
The food was good, but really overpriced for the serving size and quality. The lamb wasn't cooked… Read more »
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Review from Melissa S.
Chicago, IL
12/18/2011
This is the third time my husband and I have been to this restaurant. We didn't have the best experience the first two times but thought we'd give them ONE more chance to redeem themselves since we saw them on Groupon.
Needless to say it was the same poor experience.
They provide just about the slowest service I have ever received at a restaurant. It took 5 minutes after we were sitting down to get our water glasses filled, another 10 to 15 before anyone bothered to ask if we'd like an appetizer, and another 15-20 after that before we were able to put in our order. The food took a very long time to come out, and waiting for boxes and our bill was another test of patience.
Of the three other tables in our area, every single one lost its patience waiting for something - whether to order, get their food, or pay their bill. To top it off, we heard the main (and only?) waiter mumble under his breath 'piece of **** customers' before we left. Not sure who he was referring to, but needless to say it hurt his already diminishing tip for the evening.
The food is tasty, but the stress that this place creates from having to wait so long for EVERYTHING is not worth it considering there are so many other great Indian restaurants out there.
May I suggest a relatively new restaurant in Rosemont called Maharaja - better prices, great food, and GREAT service.
Sorry Indian Garden...Groupon brought us in again, but you have managed to keep us away for good. -
Review from ABHIJIT L.
Skokie, IL
10/31/2011
I have been to indian garden before and it has always been mediocre.. service is ok.. its an indian restaurant.. but was there over the weekend.. ordered the Thali. Now, as an Indian, I am used to eating Indian food and being dissapointed.. but this thali had to be the worst thali ever.. spinach paneer had count it .. 1 broken piece of paneer.. in the small bowl that it was served in.. the eggplant(bharta) was COLD.. are you kidding me.. it was frozen cold in the middle.. and of course.. it tasted like crap but thats ok.. the dal was ok.. the lettuce was brown.. clearly been sitting somewhere for a while.. the nan was ok.. too thick on the edge.. too thin in the middle..
Maybe the place is better.. maybe not.. but do not EVER order a thali.. had to be by far the worst thali I have eaten in my life.
With so many other mediocre options on Devon.. why would you waste your time and money(this place is expensive) on this dump. I challange anyone to find a worse thali on devon than this place.. ill pay for it. -
Review from Diana G.
My friend and I decided to just come here for their lunch buffet since she was craving Indian.
Very small selection. I believe there was one chicken and one lamb option and the rest was vegetarian. Which was about 7-8 options.
They do give you chicken tandoori and naan. Chicken was a bit dry and the naan was burnt on the bottom....on all of them.
I would go elsewhere! -
Review from Natalie S.
Chicago, IL
8/2/2011
All together, a very "meh" experience.
My mom had a http://Restaurant.com so we called my brother and a friend and the 5 of us (plus baby) went on in. We all love Indian food but need to expand our horizons from just the one place we frequent.
This was a lesson in how we should NOT go outside of the box and instead, stay with someplace tried and true.
The decor: nice. New. Clean. Chairs were comfy and tables were big. Lovely. However, I don't go to restaurants to sit at nice tables and chairs. I have that at home. I go to gorge. Bring on the food.
The waitstaff: SUPER nice. They made a fuss over the baby which is always much appreciated. They didn't even grimace when his Cheerio snacks fell on the floor. Super friendly and accommodating.
The food: I've had better. WAY better. And the portions are minuscule. $14 per entree for like a cup and a half of food? Booo! You NEED a http://restaurant.com certificate to bring the prices back to a reasonable number.
Based on the food alone, I would have given this place a 2 star review. But for the great service and decor, I'll be generous and give it a 3. -
Review from Art M.
Buffalo Grove, IL
5/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
We went for a lunch buffet. The chicken curry was cold (we complained and they did bring out more) but the rest of the food was bland and spices weren't balanced.
I wouldn't go back again. -
Review from Abhay S.
4/22/2011
Came out here with a friend of mine on a Thursday night. Restaurant was not busy at all and we were quickly seated near the window.
We ordered the saag paneer, chana masala, peas pulav, and some naan. The food was *excellent* and more than enough to share between two people. (Actually, we both thought the food wasn't as spicy as we wanted it to be. Should have asked for it to be extra spicy, didn't think I'd have to ask that at an Indian restaurant!)
Service was friendly and excellent as well. One of our waiters was formal in attire, but casual in demeanor. The rest of the wait staff made sure we had enough food and came by to top off our waters all evening.
Total damage for two people - $42, which is a bit much for Devon, but not so much for really good food.
I would return. -
Review from A k.
Chicago, IL
12/29/2011
Worst food and service ever!!! We ordered tandoor, seek kabab, rice and matar Paneer. The tandoor was so dry and burnt, the seek kabab was burnt, the rice was terrible (how does one ruin rice?). Matar Paneer (a few peas and one cube of paneer). The food was so overpriced. YUCK! YUCK!
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Review from Pravina U.
Chicago, IL
12/29/2011
The lunch buffet I had yesterday,.. which was midweek was horrendous. Everything was watered down. It was so obvious. Most pathetic buffet I have ever had. Everything was STALE. The White AMerican would not know the difference. The Madras chicken was a sweet curry...:Lamb curry was perhaps made for weekend and carried over for the whole week.. Actually everything was leftover from the weekend. By the way this is a restaurant not a religious place of worship. Whats with the "LAST SUPPER" picture above the buffet...Dessert was bad news...I have a Living Social coupon..but i shall forgo it....Never enter this joint....YUck is a mild word
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Review from Sarah B.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 1/19/2011
Up until a couple of weeks ago I had only had delivery from Indian Garden. A Groupon was offered and I snatched that sucker up!
My dine-in experience was lovely. Parking was easy (not usually so on busy Devon) and the restaurant was fairly empty. What's up with that?
Our service was a bit slow but I don't mind that when I am out for dinner; I like to take some time to enjoy the food and my company.
I ordered my standby Paneer Makahni. It was even better than the delivery version--a nice little pool of melted butter on the top for extra heart clogging made a tasty difference. The naan was hot and fluffy and the rice was well cooked and fragrant.
After stuffing my face and eating far too much I decided that I need to make more frequent trips to Devon. It really is not *that* far.Listed in: Desi Delights
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/8/2010
*This review is for delivery only.*
I am a whore for Indian food. For reals! I love it with an… Read more »
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Review from Emily M.
Chicago, IL
10/15/2011
Very yummy. Beautiful decor. I'll go back for sure.
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Review from Palita S.
Chicago, IL
3/31/2011
I got the groupon to check this place out. I have to admit I had really low expectations to this place but I was pleasantly surprised. I must have walked past this place a hundred times to get lunch with a friend that works in the area but had no idea what it would be like. You can't see the restaurant from the ground floor so it was a mystery. It was definitely really fun to walk in and get wafts of Indian spices mixed with the scent of jasmine flowers and extensive decor and lighting.
They definitely had a lot of choices. The boyfriend and I ordered the Lamb Vindaloo and Chicken Masala. Food was pretty standard, but I was excited that they gave us poppadom before our meal with tamarind and mango chutney. The sauce to my lamb was great but the lamb itself was chewy. And the chicken Masala wasn't too thick and rich, it actually was a little lighter and more acidic.
Overall it was a great experience, but don't go expecting the Devon quality curries. Its a good little getaway from the noon-time Streeterville hustle and bustle. -
Review from Roseann M.
Chicago, IL
4/1/2011
We visited Indian Garden early on a cold Wednesday night, three hungry seekers armed with big appetities, minimal knowledge of Indian cuisine, and a Groupon.
First, the restaurant - this place is huge. It may have seemed even bigger, because, when we arrived shortly before 6pm, we were the only customers. For a minute there, I wondered if they were open. For the second minute, I wondered if they had offered a Groupon because the food stunk and they couldn't get any business.
There was a host who escorted us to a table near the front window. It wasn't a cold spot at all; the heat was adequate, even though the night was very cold. And I'm not surprised he seated us up front - no doubt he wanted passers-by to see they had customers.
I told my friends that I wasn't drinking that night, since I was driving, but that they should feel free to indulge. The youngest member of our party, the young lawyer, looked through the very extensive cocktail list and ordered a French Chocolate Martini. Not exactly what I thought he'd order in an Indian restaurant, but hey, they have an extensive martini menu, and he's out of law school and making his own money now. Go for it, kid.
We also ordered two orders of samosas (four individual samosas) for an appetizer, while we looked over the menu.
The samosas came very quickly. They were excellent. While we were deconstructing them, the waitress mentioned that they make each dinner to order, so that we might want to go ahead and order dinner soon to reduce the wait time. I thought that was helpful advice.
I ordered a chana masala, and an extra order of garlic naan. The other two decided to split a big dish of meat and seafood (sorry, I forget what it was called).
We were chatting, after demolishing the samosas, when a gentleman came to our table to tell us that the bartender had not come in that night; that he, unfortunately, was not familiar with making a french chocolate martini; and if we could tell him the ingredients, he would do his best.
I'm not quite sure how this happened, but the young lawyer decided it would be easier if he just went over to the bar and demonstrated. So the two of them went to make the drink. My friend and I thought this was hilarious. We kept twisting in our booth to look at them behind the bar. (I told this story to one person who was slightly outraged at this - she said, they should've bought the drink, or given you a discount ) We just laughed.
When the young lawyer came back, we said, how'd it go? Well, they had dry vermouth, not sweet, and I forget what else. He got his martini, but he had to make it himself.
The chana masala was very good. I ended up taking half of it home for the next day, and it was still good then. My friends split some big carnivore delight of meat and seafood. I don't remember everything that was in it, but they really enjoyed it. Their only complaint was, it was supposed to include shrimp. Well, it did - one. It's pretty hard to split one shrimp between two people.
We had a good, time. We liked the food. The staff was very polite, although they probably need to hire a bartender who actually shows up for work. That, or train more folks how to make the drinks on their lists. This could be a problem for other customers. As long as we've got the young lawyer with us, we know we can get a martini at The Indian Garden. -
Review from art s.
This is our go-to place on Devon. It owns the middle ground between the bare, cafeteria style seating joints and the places that try to polish up and get fancy but still manage to feel sterile or otherwise disappointing (e.g. Tiffin).
Yet I can't see going over 3 stars. Inconsistent service is really what prevents me from going 4.
Food is generally solid
Service is mixed bag @ best
Recent updates to the interior are definitely positive changes
If you go in with your expectations managed regarding the service you can have a nice meal in a decent space. -
Review from j b.
Santa Monica, CA
12/22/2010
I love these Americans who write about their take-out experiences, as if that were an adequate way to judge. In my assessment, and I say this humbly as a self-confessed gringo/whitey, this is the best Indian food on Devon, apart from the southern style places, which have a different and spicier fare. I would also never openly condone eating at a restaurant that serves meat when there are an abundance of vegetarian places, most of them spectacular. But damn is this good. I had the kofta (fried lentils in coconut curry--what's not to like?) and a spicy eggplant puree of some sort, both of which were phenomenal. I've only been to 6 or 7 places on Devon, but this was easily the best among the northern style. Prices also seemed reasonable for the quality, and the service was prompt, despite other reviews.
I can't vouch for its authenticity, but it struck me as less greasy than the typical Americanized Indian food. Only reason it wasn't five stars is that I've had better naan, and the atmosphere was kind of dim, as well as under-heated. But the food alone could power a generator. -
Review from Suzanne B.
Chicago, IL
9/7/2011
Sorry, but I'm not interested in a place that I can't have meat. Pass. Food wasn't that good and ambiance was bad.
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Review from Dhruv P.
1/15/2011
I remember this being good in my youth. And still have good memories of the Indian Garden in Schaumburg (which I'm told has now closed).
Well, this location, in the heart of Devon, is sadly something to stay far away from. To me, its surprising its so terrible since there are so many good restaurants near it, I would think competition would bring out the best.
We went on a weeknight, a Monday, on a day which I wouldn't think would be so bad. Well, I waited for 30 minutes, which is unheard of, until I realized it was because of Groupon. Fine. But what irked me was that the no one was at the front taking our names or letting us know how long it would be. This is a sign of things going downhill fast.
We get seated... we order some apps along with our meal. We get the apps quickly, but find out that one of the orders was incorrect, but due to the fact that we were starving and our waiter didn't even come to fill our empty glasses, we ate it anyways, and it wasn't tasty... all I could taste was the salt.
Then, our plates were taken and we sat without food and empty water glasses for 1 hour until our meal finally came out. We weren't even told it would take so long or were asked how we were doing. The waiter, who was the only waiter for that night, didn't even seem to try to manage the scene. The people next to us were also disappointed in how long it took to get food and the lack of communication about it being delayed.
When we got the food, my order of a thali, was different from the menu. After trying to get the attention of the waiter, he comes over and when I ask him... he says that they ran out of some things and they made a substitution. But they never asked me if that was fine! I would have squarely said no as I was looking forward to the eggplant dish.
I'll say that my dish was horrible. Everything was too salty, none of the spices made any lasting impression in my mouth, and it was a struggle trying to eat it. The only good thing about the meal was the naan.
We mentioned this to the waiter. He didn't seem to care. Instead he was more astonished as the fact that the deal so many people got through Groupon (he never heard of the website).
The lack of attention by the waiter, the quality of the food, the blandness but still heavily salted, lack of respect of our time (we wasted 2 hours for this stupid dinner) makes me never want to give it a try again. Especially when there are so many great (and even average) options near by.
Stay away! Save your tastebuds. Don't test your patience! -
Review from Andy F.
Skokie, IL
8/27/2011
Disappointing experience using my Groupon today at Indian Garden restaurant. The fine print states "not good for buffet or other specials."
We wanted to order a "Thali" dish, but the waitperson pointed out that this section of the menu is entitled "Specials," so that we could not use a Groupon. This is BAIT AND SWITCH! How am I supposed to know that part of their regular menu is not valid for the Groupon?
The service was otherwise good; the food is very middle-of-the-road. You can find much better for better prices within a 3 block walk. -
Review from Ramandeep S.
Chicago, IL
9/28/2011
I had a groupon for this place, and had a terrible experience at this place. This place is not cheap, there average dishes are $16+ on a street where you can find same dishes at multiple other restaurants at half the cost. So if you charge more, i would expect the food to be good and the service to be great, but alas not so!
Our food took almost 30 mins.
Ordered two dishes - lamb and chicken. The lamb was chewy (overcooked or undercooked?), so i called the waitress and asked her to take it back. She asked if we wanted to order another dish, but i didnt want to wait another 30 mins, so i said No. At this point, i was ok with the place - mistakes happen. But when the bill came, i was charged for half of the lamb dish - $8, even though me and my husband had only served ourselves one spoon of the dish, which remained on our plates. I dont want to argue for $8, so we paid the bill, but on leaving I wanted to tell them about this, so that they have the chance to apologize for this.. but the lady said that she is right, the cook believes the lamb is ok and we are lying. This is where the expensive price customer service should have kicked in!
If you want to great food, try Hema's or Sabri Nihari, skip this place, and save your money.. -
Review from Sam M.
Chicago, IL
6/16/2011
How could they even call themselves Indian restaurant. The food just outright sucks. Should be ashamed to call it Indian food.
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Review from Cara S.
Chicago, IL
9/20/2010
The Indian Garden
The food was very good and I would order from here again. One caveat was the fact that my name, address, phone number, ENTIRE credit card # AND expiration date were on the delivery ticket. I am very thankful I thought to review it and remove it from the bag before throwing it otherwise someone could have found it in the trash. When I called to complain the person who answered the phone said that they have been doing this for years and never had any issues (how would they know if someone's information had been stolen from the trash or written down by an employee and sold to another source)? I would definitely recommend the food but would suggest only paying with cash to avoid any potential problems. -
Review from Ashley B.
The boyfriend and I got a Groupon for this place (which is how most of my reviews start these days) and we ventured all the way out to Devon to try it out last night. I was amazed by all of the Middle-Eastern groceries, restaurants, butcher shops, and other stores that surrounded the place.
We walked in, fully aware that the Yelp reviews were not up to par, but we remained open minded. The atmosphere was very warm, nicely lit (unlike some of the nearby restaurants that looked like office buildings), but we were also one of 4 tables there. The entire back half of the restaurant was empty. That being said, our waiters never made us wait!
I ordered Chicken Tikka, but I made the mistake of not saying Masala, so I basically got chicken and onions on a fajita like platter, still sizzling, but without all the delicious yogurt sauce mixed in. I also ordered the cottage cheese bread and it was all very delicious. Just a bit dry since I didn't order the masala.
My boyfriend ordered the Gosht Lamb and a chili bread with jasmine rice and his was phenomenal! It was not too spicy for us, but we eat spicy food nearly every meal. Overall, we left feeling very full, even with some to take home. All in all a good visit! I'll definitely be back for the lunch buffet since I hear that's the best thing there. I also want to go back and try out the other spots nearby. I think I may have just found my new favorite neighborhood! -
Review from Kristin S.
Chicago, IL
2/17/2011
Came here on Valentine's Day for dinner with a friend since my Valentine was out of the city.
The food was decent, but not the best I've had on Devon by far.
The vegetarian special is the best deal on the menu, with three, tasty samples of entrees, naan (though you may have to ask for it 3 times like we did), rice and dessert.
The appetizer lamb kebabs were not worth the money. They were overly salted and spiced, with mostly fillers/not enough lamb, and we didn't receive the mint sauce that was supposed to accompany it, so maybe that would have helped.
The samosas are HUGE and good, so I would order those again.
The mango lassi is a bit pricy, but very good, so I'd highly recommend ordering that.
The chicken tikka masala was okay, but not fantastic. There wasn't much I could say that was memorable about the flavors other than it was subtly spicy. I wouldn't order it again.
The atmosphere is fine, but the service is really just laughable. We had to ask for things 3-4 times, and even got up to get some things ourselves (take out boxes). When our entrees came out before the samosas we'd ordered, the manager came over and told us they would be "on the house" after we'd asked to cancel them. However, when we got the bill, there they were. Since we'd been there for over 2 hours, we didn't want to mention it and be there for another 30 minutes, so we just paid for them.
I definitely won't be back when there are so many other options right down the street. -
Review from Sergio V.
Grayslake, IL
7/13/2011
Used to go to this place all the time for lunch ant it was the BEST! I have given this place 5 stars in a past review. But just came back from lunch there and the buffet has jumped to $16! Used to be $12. Food was still good, but won't be back any time soon. Too bad...
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Review from sez g.
Chicago, IL
8/31/2011
Food was super tasty. Lamb was tender, veggie dishes were a solid medium spicy. Mango lassi and samosas were dreamy. Delivery was prompt and friendly. They forgot the rice, which is extra sucky for Indian food and why I'm only giving three stars. Still, I'll try them again!
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Review from Dana G.
1/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
During my quest of global culinary domination, in the likes of Bourdain and Zimmern(I promise to stop short of drinking fresh blood), I realized I had never partaken the Indian cuisine.
Like anyone in Chicago in search of good Indian food, we found ourselves on Devon Ave.. Groupon was this evenings deciding factor. $15 for $35 worth of food at Indian Garden can not be passed up!
Our dining experience was great. We were warmly welcomed and sat immediately. The restaurant was nearly empty, the music wasn't too loud and it was big yet cozy. I told our waiter I was popping my Indian food cherry. He was excited, but didn't offer any suggestions. Its OK, I brought my girl Jessica B. and she's a pro. We ordered:Garlic Naan, Chef's Special Murg Tikka Masala, Saag Paneer, Chef's Special Jai Puri Aloo, Kesari Pulav, Pistachio Kulfi. We shared everything and both ordered wine. The bartender was off so I couldn't order a fancy cocktail, which was disappointing.
The food was amazing! Perfectly spicy, so much flavor. I did not have one complaint. I mixed it all together and soaked it up with the naan. Perfection! There are 156 items on the menu and I almost wanted to try them all. It was a delightful way to introduce myself to Indian food and I am definitely coming back for more. -
Review from Judie S.
Chicago, IL
1/25/2011
Food was five stars, service was about 2.
Luckily, my friend and I had good conversation but were starving and could have used the appetizer BEFORE the meal.
Overall, if you can handle poor service you will be rewarded (eventually) with some good food! -
Review from Misty L.
Chicago, IL
1/22/2011
One night while perusing Devon Street, we stopped here. My boyfriend's only requirement was that they serve alcohol so that he could get a drink. He isn't as into Indian food as I am lately. We came in here around 9 or 10pm on a weekend night, and saw the bar, and inquired to be sure. Score!
We sat by the windows, although we could have sat anywhere as the place was deserted. Should have taken that as a sign, as other places nearby were super packed.
When my boyfriend ordered a drink, they told him there was no bartender to make it. At 9ish. On a weekend night. When they close at midnight. AFTER we asked if they served alcohol before we came in. The server I think was also the manager. And he couldn't make any kind of simple drink. We also got the wrong kind of Naan, which he was pretty unsympathetic about. The food was not delicious, my boyfriend was stuck with a beer he didn't want in the first place (the server brought him some extra huge size without asking when there were two to choose from, a regular size and then the super duper large size), and there were a few other mishaps that made this place a mistake. Definitely did not help my case with trying to make my boyfriend love Indian food like I do.
We stopped in Tiffin a few feet down afterwards, to look at their menu for next time we are in the area. When we told them we just had a pretty bad meal down the street, they smirked and said "Indian Garden?". Looks they are already in the know.
This place needs to get it's act together. -
Review from Anfisa P.
Skokie, IL
Updated - 5/4/2011
After the horrific experience at this terrible restaurant, they over charged my credit card. They just made sure I will never come back. They got it!!!
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4/30/2011
My sister, my 5-year-old niece and a friend of mine chose this restaurant for dinner last night… Read more »
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