Oh, Passe to India, how you confused us. "Great Indian food" says a literature source. Hmm, reality.....food is pretty good, not great, but maybe Boston spoiled us. Atmosphere here is....lacking. Character it has! The dining area is tiered, almost dining hall feel to it. There was some fairly annoying TV show going on in the corner which enthralled the couple closest to it but really grated my nerves. We did observe a pretty amazing first date at a table near us...but that could not save the overall experience. For a buffet, there were a reasonable number of options, and the prices are low. The food was tasty, but relatively bland and lacking in character for what I would expect from "Great Indian Food" I could see this place working for Lunch Buffet. I could see you coming here for the experience. If you are looking for top-notch Indian food you will have to look elsewhere.

Me no like-a!! Went here with a friend last night, since he wanted to try this place out. I have had decent Indian food in Philly before, so I wasn't expecting anything too bad. First of all, this place was a ghost town. Only two other people were there. Two older guys, and they were eating alone. I shan't say more, that might be me some day. Second, the manager or owner or whoever he was, was eating dinner right in the front, so as soon as we walked in, we saw him. He waved us in with his greasy tandoori chicken hand. Couldn't he have taken a seat in the back of the restaurant, since it's such a huge space and NO ONE was there. The place has nice decor, lots of tables. There was a tv playing Bollywood videos. I love me some Bollywood, so that was awesome. We decided on the buffet for dinner. It was very sparse to say the least. I had the chicken tikka masala and rice and some saag with chicken (spinach with chicken). I was so underwhelmed. The food was lukewarm, even cold in some spots. It seemed as if it had been sitting out for a while. The chicken tikka was horrid, burnt chicken with tasteless sauce. I had had enough and this was my first plate. I really can't say anymore since I was so disappointed, I refused to subject my stomach to anymore of the disastrous concoctions. We bolted out of there, headed somewhere else for dessert, so I could cleanse my palate. I wonder what the regular menu is like. Then again I won't be venturing back there!

The owner has a picture of Carney Wilson and him displayed as soon as you walk in, simply awesome. My friends were raving about this place, so we went. I think it was ok, and I'm pretty sure we watched a binge and purger eat dinner. We had decided to go with the buffet, some of it tasted the same. The fried items, particularly the pakoras, were pretty good. The naan was just ok. I gorged on one plateful, and one plateful only. I didn't partake in dessert. The staff was really friendly and the place is pretty clean. I don't think I'd go out on a limb to go here, but it's good if you are in the area.

Signs of authentic indian food; "Se Busca Ayuda" on the door and the mexicans manning the buffet. I wanted a Chicken Korma but unfortunately it wasn't on the buffet and seemed a bit expensive at the entree price, especially given that I wasn't too sure how good it was going to be (see above). I did like the Chicken Corriander that was on the buffet and they had some really good naan.

My boyfriend and I went here for dinner and after we walked in and were seated, we were promptly given water. Then we sat there wondering why we didn't have menus. He finally asked for them but we found out that buffet was available so we went for that. More for your money, you get to sample everything. I was personally satisfied with the selection. The balsamic rice was lame but the other offerings tasted pretty good. I think I picked up some food that weren't labeled spicy so I was in for a surprise. The food doesn't look appealing but tasted otherwise. I really liked this roasted eggplant dish and the (I think the name was) lamb caday. I don't remember a lot of what was offered but I sampled quite a few dishes and found them satisfactory. Our waiter probably didn't speak English and kinda mumbled his responses. In the nicer dining area of the restaurant, there is someone playing the piano, which was nice. The decor probably looks cooler at night but is nothing really special. I noticed the dingy ceilings but it was no big deal. Overall, a satisfactory visit.

How sad is it that my first review as a Philadelphia and is a One-Star? I haven't had Indian food in 2 months and was in desperate need for a fix. After stumbling upon Passage to India in a Philadelphia magazine quoted for "symphonies of flavor" I was wildly disappointed. AFV on TV in the background? Are you serious? My chicken curry could have been made better and fresher if I had dumped a pack of curry spice from Stop and Shop in some chicken. The buffet had some decent choices, but wasn't award winning in any way. The atmosphere was poor. I think this was an old cheap hotel lobby they never bothered to update and clean up. It was not air conditioned (for a place that serves spicy food on a 95 degree day??, really?). The waitstaff was inattentive and way too soft-spoken. I asked three times for the check, to only find out you had to go up to the front to pay and get the check (thanks for the heads up).The counter was filthy and all of their paperwork was just jammed into shelves behind the desk. Classy. I was thisclose to walking out and not paying. Now, you really need to piss me off for me to even CONSIDER that. Never again. I'll search for a better place even if it's a 5 month wait for GOOD Indian food. PS - it's also one of those places you go and everyone is so quiet it's awkward to talk.

Oh HELL NO!!! A friend and I stopped in at this place Sunday afternoon anticipating some delicious Indian food at a great price. The place was dirty and disgusting and the first clue should have been that it was EMPTY... The food on the buffet was cold, over salted and just plain DISGUSTING. I should have trusted my better judgment and left when I looked at it but I thought I'd give it a try. It was all I could do to actually swallow and not spew the vile garbage up all over this sad excuse for a restaurant. They had only been open for 20 minutes and the food looked like it had been sitting there since the previous weekend. Luckily, I was able to grab my friend before he actually went up to the vomit line to get a plate of his own and we booked out. This was probably the absolute WORST excuse for food I have had ANYWHERE... period. I paid my $8.50, told the guy I would not let an animal eat this food and even considered calling the heath department. I will NEVER, EVER go back... I value my heath and well being way to much and no matter how cheap it was it definitely was not worth it. I'm not sure if the other reviewers on here who seem to love the place were even eating the same food that I had the misfortune to put in my mouth... I felt dirty and violated... and trust me, that's saying a lot for me.

I would give it a 1 star for the food alone but a buffet at $10.99 is still a decent bargain that I think is worth a point. This is around the usual price for an Indian buffet, but it's still a food bargain if you're hungry. There was tomato soup, deep fried bread crisps, naan, 2 kinds of rice, about 8 vegetarian and 4 meat dishes, and 2 desserts. Foodwise, this is probably the worst Indian buffet I've had. I used to frequent one in San Francisco and one in Mclean, VA. Both had food that was better and fresher. The chicken tandori was really dry. I found many of the dishes to be both too salty and too sweet. They also pour more into the buffet without removing the last batch, so some of the dishes became vats of sauce with little meat in them.

The food was goooood here! The owner was friendly, too. However, we were expecting more upscale... and dinner was a buffet, we had plastic glasses, and they never cleared the plates. Cheap, clean, and worth every penny for the food. The super-loud TV killed and chance at ambiance, though. If you want date night, go somewhere else. If you want delish Indian food with friendly people and a good price, go here!

A few of us did dinner buffet here (10 bucks each). All of us vegetarians. This is between a 2.75 and 3 star place. It could have qualified for 2-star, but that was redeemed by the following: 1. Waitstaff are very helpful and actually clear plates quickly. 2. The owner is cheerful and "happy" to take our money at the end. He had a very good attitude. 3. The buffet had lots of veggies, Only two meat items (which we didnt eat). 4. The aloo-tikka (mashed potatoes in a flour crust, deep fried,..was actually really good. 5. The food was alright. Not too bad, not excellent. As someone else had written below, many things tasted the same. The dessert was pretty bad...but no one needs to eat too much dessert anyways....the carrot halwa (gaajar-ka-halwa) did not have any sugar whatsoever...perhaps made for diabetics?? The naan wasnt too good, as described by someone below. But, all three of us found something we liked and we were ok. I may not go here again, but, its a decent place with Indian food under 10 bucks. Cant beat that deal in Philly.

It's an all you can eat buffet for under $10. Imagine, if you will, what that would probably entail. You are correct - it's not overwhelmingly tasty nor hygienic. That said, you paid to stuff yourself silly for less money than a big appetizer at a normal pub. It's all about priorities, folks. I, for one, enjoyed my time chowing down and watching some Bollywood in a dining room that looked like it was from the 80s. And I'm cool with that.

Okay, there are two aspects to this place: Entrees and Lunch Buffet. When it comes to entrees, this place is a little pricey for what you get. If you order an entree, say Saag Paneer, you still have to pay extra for naan and even rice. Rice! Expect to pay at least $15 for main dish, rice, and naan. As for the buffet, this is one of the best in town. A wide variety of food considering and creative as well. Replacing Paneer with corn? Surprisingly good! They have not only veg dishes but meat as well. Well worth the $7 for it. The service? Really, really friendly. First time I've been asked what my favorite dish was in Philadelphia. Way to go!

This place was just ok (I liked it because it was on the way home from my Gym) but I just wanted to express how bummed I am that they are putting an IHOP in its place. I hate IHOP. I guess someone felt that the neighborhood needed to be a little more rooty tooty fresh and frutier than it already is. Oh well.

We stop at Passage on many ocassions and there are quite a few others in the area as well. Philly has a great growing population of fabulous ethnic foods so you have a wide choice with a wide price range and for me the smaller the more off beat the better! Also take into consideration it is their culture not yours / ours so be respective of that. Granted no one wishes to see anyone diving in on tandoori chicken but yeah it could be worse! So my suggestion is ya giveit another shot !

Now that Minar Palace is closed, I would say that this is the second on the list. Passage to India has an all you can eat buffet that is pretty fresh, and a menu. Now, all of the food on the menu is great. Prepared fresh, and delicious. However, it can be a bit pricy, especially for take out. On the other hand, the buffet is not that expensive. Now, unless I'm at the Bellagio I tend to stay away from buffets. But I have to say that this might be the best Indian buffet left in the city. The food is always cooked properly, and they turn around the dishes rapidly. Plus the staff is nice, and happy to accommodate. Check it out! The buffet is a really good value!

Passage to India is decently good. The vegetable samosas were delicious, top notch. But the chicken saag was incredibly salty. I got it medium, and it was not very spicy but extremely salty (as was the rice.) I have had some trouble finding good Indian food in Center City, but I would come here again.

Passage to India is a great Indian Buffet. They have a varied menu, and its a good bet that there will be something you haven't tried the next time that you come. They always have a soup, meat, vegetarian, and desert selection. The Rice Pudding is awesome! Save room for it! The staff is very friendly and helpful, and occasionally they'll have Indian music video playing on the TV, which are always fun to watch. Passage to India is a great buffet at a great price!

This buffet is awful. Half the stuff is cold and has a crust from sitting out for so long. The fried appetizers are a joke... last time (and I mean it, that will be the LAST time) my potato croquettes were so rubbery I couldn't even bite through them. Plus all the dishes are bland, with none of the spice or nuance you expect from Indian cusine. And insult to injury, instead of using paneer in the vege dishes, they use tofu. Don't get me wrong, I love tofu when cooked properly, but this was just flavorless, pathetic lumps thrown into the mix.... well, "flavorless" apart from the slightly chemical-y taste of packaged tofu. Bleah! Basically the only good thing I can say is that the service is prompt... probably because the place is usually empty.

My best friend and I (she is originally from Madras) and I always went here as our dinner spot. The food is good and they have a nice variety. We haven't been here for about a year, though. My friend heard from another friend that they found something unmentionable in their food so...we haven't been there since. But while it lasted, it was good.

Like others, I found this place to be okay. The two entrees my wife and I shared were actually quite good (chana masala and aloo gobi) and slightly different (in a good way- the cauliflower was nicely almost charred in the aloo gobi) from the usual, but unfortunately were a little on the salty side. At first, I thought it was me, but then saw other reviews with the same comment. It is pretty lame that you get no rice with the entree, especially for ~$9 for beans and/or vegetables only. We ordered naan and it was very fresh and just made and very good, and although they do charge for rice, they give you a nice sized plate of it. The service was good, but not exceptional- the waiters were very brief in their conversations. The one very nice part was the manager/owner who was at the front desk who was very friendly and talked to our preschool son about what he had. This place is okay for Indian food- not the best I've had, and not the worst, but it would be nice with less saltiness. And, finally the men's bathroom was disgusting, especially with a child. I just hope the kitchen isn't that bad...