This is used to be the best indian restaurant in Lexington. The food is terrible the chicken is drier then a popeys biscuit and the naan was like a tire, ridiculously chewy and tastless . Never go here just go to royal indian bistro, the food is better, more athentic, and cheaper. Take it from me, an indian your money is better at royal india bistro
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Charu Singh
Ambience and service was great.The food in itself is not authentic Indian. It’s feels that it’s made to be more palatable for the local consumer.The staff is friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Rameez Ahmed
Probably one of the best Indian food I have had in the Boston area.. service was fast and the people were nice. Would certainly go back!
Went for Diwali buffet today with family. It is the worst food I have had at an Indian restaurant. The fried rice had gotten bad, we all had to spit it out. Saw a moving insect in my kheer and house flies on the jalebi. Service was slow as well. We were very very disappointed. Never returning.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Micah Nolt
Great lunch buffet. The food was so good!
Andrew Jacobs
Indian cuisine is my favorite, and I've been to many different Indian restaurants. This one was the best I've ever had.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tikka Masala
Erik G.
We did takeaway at Clay Oven. The Butter chicken and garlic naan were very good. The chicken curry was so oily and greasy we could not eat it so it ended up in the garbage. At $22 for a little bowl, it was a waste and soooo overpriced. Tandoori chicken was not tender and barely on the right side of being undercooked. Definitely going back to better food and pricing of Royal India Bistro!
Idris D.
I recently visited Clay Oven in Lexington Ma. I was happy with the service and Ambience. However the food I was served was not he worst I have eaten from the Kapoor family of restaurants. I ordered Hyderabadi chicken and paratha and paratha was too crisp ( overdone ) and the chicken I could have definitely made better at home. Not too happy with the food. The plain rice served free was also not to the standard of rice to be served at a restaurant - not long grain Basmati rice. Definitely it would be difficult to visit this location again.
Great food and attentive service. We had a good tsble for a group of 5. One of the best in the Boston area.
Xuemei Cai
My husband and I came to the weekend brunch buffet which is a relatively new offering starting August 2023. I have never really been to the restaurant before as the first year I lived in Lexington I actually thought this was a ceramics studio! We were impressed by the wide range of curries both vegetarian and fish/chicken options. Everything was well seasoned with spices and good quality. A few months ago I had had not so good Indian brunch at a diff establishment and this was far superior in taste and value. Service was attentive and we would definitely return.Vegetarian options: Many vegetarian options. We particularly liked the butternut squash curry and okra curry.Kid-friendliness: While we didn't bring the kids as alas our 3 yr old and 7 yr old don't do well seasoned food, there was ample seating for families
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hyderabadi Dum Biryani
Farida ShakirVaid
We were very disappointed with the food quality and quantity. The price was super high compared to the portion they served.Service was poor, our server was in a rush and had no time for us. We ordered virgin mango mojito and were given mango lassi.The mixed grill platter portion was too small, the chicken had a fishy smell and lamb was over tenderized artificially. Chicken Hyderabadi was full of garam masala , not appealing at all. Rice quality was low using cheap basmati. Pav bhaji brushetta was not what we imagined to be. It was just normal pav bhaji.Ambience was bad because there was some arguments in the kitchen which we could hear and was pretty disturbing. I would not recommend this place.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Laura Kiesel
A year ago, this would have been a 5-star review, but a couple of things have changed recently. This place had been my favorite Indian restaurant in the area and it was a big step above the rest. So it's sad that I feel like I might have to stop going here. First, I am very intolerant to spicy food due to a digestive disorder. So I always ask for my dishes to be not just mild--but "extra" mild or as mild "as [they] can make it." And for the first few years, they always did a great job, giving me a deliciously creamy and mild dish. But the last two times I was there, despite really emphasizing the need for my food to be mild, it's been noticeably spicier to the point of causing stomach upset. The second to last time it wasn't too bad, but enough to bother me a bit. So the last time we were there, I harped even harder on the need for the dish to be mild. But it was even spicier this time, so much so I barely got through the dish and I had horrible heartburn and nausea later on, waking me up through the night. The first time they made it too spicy I could chalk it up to a one off or maybe I hadn't been clear enough, but the second time, it seems to be a pattern. In fact, since the dish is less creamy now and is lacking other ingredients it used to have, my partner and I suspect they are using more spice to mask or compensate for the lack of other things in the dish. Additionally, my partner and I, who are both vegetarian, always ask them to add a little paneer to the dish we order for extra protein. For years, they did this at no charge, which was really nice of them. But suddenly the second to last time we were there, they not only suddenly charged us, but it was $3 extra--which is just weird to not warn us about first when we ordered after never charging previously. The last time we were there my partner asked about the extra charge before ordering, they couldn't give us an exact estimate saying something like "about $2" but when we got the bill, it was still $3 again. Not to mention the dish usually comes with almonds and cashews and this last time around didn't have any nuts in it at all, which was disappointing because it's one of my favorite parts of the dish, and we also got much less rice than usual (which was also a different texture). So we're paying more for smaller portions, less ingredients, and for a meal that is too spicy for me to even eat without it making me sick later on. They also raised their prices, so even without the charge on paneer, we're paying a good $5 more per dish ($8 with the paneer included) than the same exact dish we get down the road that already has paneer in it and larger portions. I get that the pandemic hit restaurants hard and inflation is making food more expensive. But it still seems we're being way overcharged while being skimped on ingredients and portion size, and while the quality of the food has notably declined.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Farida S
We were very disappointed with the food quality and quantity. The price was super high compared to the portion they served. Service was poor, our server was in a rush and had no time for us. We ordered virgin mango mojito and were given mango lassi. The mixed grill platter portion was too small, the chicken had a fishy smell and lamb was over tenderized artificially. Chicken Hyderabadi was full of garam masala , not appealing at all. Rice quality was low using cheap basmati. Pav bhaji brushetta was not what we imagined to be. It was just normal pav bhaji. Ambience was bad because there was some arguments in the kitchen which we could hear and was pretty disturbing. I would not recommend this place.
This is used to be the best indian restaurant in Lexington. The food is terrible the chicken is drier then a popeys biscuit and the naan was like a tire, ridiculously chewy and tastless . Never go here just go to royal indian bistro, the food is better, more athentic, and cheaper. Take it from me, an indian your money is better at royal india bistro
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Ambience and service was great.The food in itself is not authentic Indian. It’s feels that it’s made to be more palatable for the local consumer.The staff is friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Probably one of the best Indian food I have had in the Boston area.. service was fast and the people were nice. Would certainly go back!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bread Basket, Malai Kofta
Absolutely delightful food with wonderful
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mango Avocado Chaat, Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Tikka Satay, Tikka Masala, Lamb Kabob
Authentic
Went for Diwali buffet today with family. It is the worst food I have had at an Indian restaurant. The fried rice had gotten bad, we all had to spit it out. Saw a moving insect in my kheer and house flies on the jalebi. Service was slow as well. We were very very disappointed. Never returning.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Great lunch buffet. The food was so good!
Indian cuisine is my favorite, and I've been to many different Indian restaurants. This one was the best I've ever had.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tikka Masala
We did takeaway at Clay Oven. The Butter chicken and garlic naan were very good. The chicken curry was so oily and greasy we could not eat it so it ended up in the garbage. At $22 for a little bowl, it was a waste and soooo overpriced. Tandoori chicken was not tender and barely on the right side of being undercooked. Definitely going back to better food and pricing of Royal India Bistro!
I recently visited Clay Oven in Lexington Ma. I was happy with the service and Ambience. However the food I was served was not he worst I have eaten from the Kapoor family of restaurants. I ordered Hyderabadi chicken and paratha and paratha was too crisp ( overdone ) and the chicken I could have definitely made better at home. Not too happy with the food. The plain rice served free was also not to the standard of rice to be served at a restaurant - not long grain Basmati rice. Definitely it would be difficult to visit this location again.
Restaurantji Recommends
Great food and attentive service. We had a good tsble for a group of 5. One of the best in the Boston area.
My husband and I came to the weekend brunch buffet which is a relatively new offering starting August 2023. I have never really been to the restaurant before as the first year I lived in Lexington I actually thought this was a ceramics studio! We were impressed by the wide range of curries both vegetarian and fish/chicken options. Everything was well seasoned with spices and good quality. A few months ago I had had not so good Indian brunch at a diff establishment and this was far superior in taste and value. Service was attentive and we would definitely return.Vegetarian options: Many vegetarian options. We particularly liked the butternut squash curry and okra curry.Kid-friendliness: While we didn't bring the kids as alas our 3 yr old and 7 yr old don't do well seasoned food, there was ample seating for families
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hyderabadi Dum Biryani
We were very disappointed with the food quality and quantity. The price was super high compared to the portion they served.Service was poor, our server was in a rush and had no time for us. We ordered virgin mango mojito and were given mango lassi.The mixed grill platter portion was too small, the chicken had a fishy smell and lamb was over tenderized artificially. Chicken Hyderabadi was full of garam masala , not appealing at all. Rice quality was low using cheap basmati. Pav bhaji brushetta was not what we imagined to be. It was just normal pav bhaji.Ambience was bad because there was some arguments in the kitchen which we could hear and was pretty disturbing. I would not recommend this place.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
A year ago, this would have been a 5-star review, but a couple of things have changed recently. This place had been my favorite Indian restaurant in the area and it was a big step above the rest. So it's sad that I feel like I might have to stop going here. First, I am very intolerant to spicy food due to a digestive disorder. So I always ask for my dishes to be not just mild--but "extra" mild or as mild "as [they] can make it." And for the first few years, they always did a great job, giving me a deliciously creamy and mild dish. But the last two times I was there, despite really emphasizing the need for my food to be mild, it's been noticeably spicier to the point of causing stomach upset. The second to last time it wasn't too bad, but enough to bother me a bit. So the last time we were there, I harped even harder on the need for the dish to be mild. But it was even spicier this time, so much so I barely got through the dish and I had horrible heartburn and nausea later on, waking me up through the night. The first time they made it too spicy I could chalk it up to a one off or maybe I hadn't been clear enough, but the second time, it seems to be a pattern. In fact, since the dish is less creamy now and is lacking other ingredients it used to have, my partner and I suspect they are using more spice to mask or compensate for the lack of other things in the dish. Additionally, my partner and I, who are both vegetarian, always ask them to add a little paneer to the dish we order for extra protein. For years, they did this at no charge, which was really nice of them. But suddenly the second to last time we were there, they not only suddenly charged us, but it was $3 extra--which is just weird to not warn us about first when we ordered after never charging previously. The last time we were there my partner asked about the extra charge before ordering, they couldn't give us an exact estimate saying something like "about $2" but when we got the bill, it was still $3 again. Not to mention the dish usually comes with almonds and cashews and this last time around didn't have any nuts in it at all, which was disappointing because it's one of my favorite parts of the dish, and we also got much less rice than usual (which was also a different texture). So we're paying more for smaller portions, less ingredients, and for a meal that is too spicy for me to even eat without it making me sick later on. They also raised their prices, so even without the charge on paneer, we're paying a good $5 more per dish ($8 with the paneer included) than the same exact dish we get down the road that already has paneer in it and larger portions. I get that the pandemic hit restaurants hard and inflation is making food more expensive. But it still seems we're being way overcharged while being skimped on ingredients and portion size, and while the quality of the food has notably declined.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
We were very disappointed with the food quality and quantity. The price was super high compared to the portion they served. Service was poor, our server was in a rush and had no time for us. We ordered virgin mango mojito and were given mango lassi. The mixed grill platter portion was too small, the chicken had a fishy smell and lamb was over tenderized artificially. Chicken Hyderabadi was full of garam masala , not appealing at all. Rice quality was low using cheap basmati. Pav bhaji brushetta was not what we imagined to be. It was just normal pav bhaji. Ambience was bad because there was some arguments in the kitchen which we could hear and was pretty disturbing. I would not recommend this place.