India Palace

by Jennifer F.

Better than average, but more expensive.Food?  Good.Sauces? Spicy.Portions?  Man-sized.Parking?  Strip-mall.Waiters?  Slightly creepy.UPDATE:Buffet?  Pretty good.  Not spicy enough. Give the fish curry a go!

by Rob K.

Don't take my review with too much credibility, as I am not a big fan of Indian.  I love foods with Curry such as Thai and Afghani food, but I have never really cared for Indian food.  I went here with a friend, thinking I'd have an open mind, and I really wasn't too impressed.  I had some chicken which is marinated in a yogurt sauce, and the chicken was dry!  Overall, the food just lacked the flavor I enjoy, and my friend who frequented this place in the past said their quality has gone downhill and he wasn't impressed either, even though he normally likes Indian food.Decent wine list... Good atmosphere... But I just wasn't liking the food, and I won't be back.

by mary beth h.

The food here is excellent and reasonably priced.  Including appetizers and tip, our meal came out to about $26 per person.  The service is good.  More importantly, they have PARKING.  Yes, parking in Hillcrest.  Shocking, I know.  I do not like the decor, nor am I a fan of the incredibly low light in here.  Oh, and don't get iced chai.  Both the flavor and temperature (kinda cool, not cold) were off.  But they do mild spiciness if you ask for it, have a varied menu, tasty naan, and large portions.  I've had lamb korma, chicken/lamb masala, sag paneer, scallops korma, and a couple of other dishes.  All were good.If you are on a hot date or want really nice (but pricey) drinks with your food, maybe shelling out for nearby Bombay is worth it.  It certainly has better atmosphere. But if you want large portions of good Indian food at a reasonable price with easy parking, try India Palace.

by Ken L.

I just had the buffet for lunch.  Not bad for a place that serves (mostly) Punjabi cuisine.GOOD:-The makhani chicken is great.  It's normally a creamier (and more authentic) version of chicken tikka masala.  They use bits of tandoor chicken and smothered it in a red creamy sauce of butter, tomatoes and spices.MEH:-The saag is mediocre.  It looks like the stuff Popeye eats straight from the can.  Neither potatoes nor paneer is present in this spinach dish.-The daal is too runny.

by Jessica T.

I love India Palace.  It helps that it's stumbling distance from home and that I can smell their cooking.  Actually, that's more evil than anything else, because I crave their food more often than my budget can support.For some reason, I've begun to crave rice from certain places.  I've tried making basmati rice at home, but it's never as good as the deliciousness at India Palace.  I also love their Chicken Tikka Masala.  Oh, and the onion bhaji, and whatever that crispy flatbread is called, and their paneer pakoras.  With an unlimited budget, I could probably gain ten pounds in one night here.The first time I came here was with my best friend who was visiting from Boston.  She's Indian-American, so I let her be the judge and she really liked this place, although she said the masala sauce was different than she was used to.  It has a really nice, layered complexity, with spice, heat, tomato, and smokiness all in one.  The head-sized glasses of wine are also a bonus.  If you're more of a beer person, try the Taj Mahal.  When my husband and I want to be able to walk home instead of stumble, we split one bottle because it's big enough for two.I haven't tried any entrees other than the chicken tikka masala and the rogan josh, but both are excellent.  If you ask for "white people medium" the waiters seem to know what you mean.  I've dropped that and now just ask for medium and it's pretty spicy.  They're good at keeping your water glasses refilled and they'll bring more yummy basmati rice if you want, too.  The waiters are also unfailingly polite but shy, too.  Yeah, I'm hooked on India Palace.

by Double L.Steven Z.Darren S.Derrick B.

I would say this spot is by far the best Indian in Hillcrest and possibly in SD in general. They have great Chai tea too. The wait staff is pretty friendly and their decor is definitely unique. We always had fresh, tasty dishes regardless of what we ordered. It took them a few times to realize we were serious when we said spicy but that seems to happen every where. Parking is simple, especially for Hillcrest and prices are reasonable. I always get it confused with India Princess down the street but I think this spot is better and the atmosphere is more intimate. RrLFOOD: 4 OUT OF 5DÉCOR: 3 OUT OF 5SERVICE: 3 OUT OF 5We had heard good things about India Palace, so we decided to try it. My girlfriend had never had Indian food, so I was excited for her to experience it. We started with the Mixed Appetizer plate and it was great. The samosas and pakoras were great. The lamb was spiced wonderfully. For dinner we ordered Murg Sagwala and Murg Sabji with the Masala sauce. We ordered it at medium spiciness and it came prepared at the perfect intensity. The garlic naan was good as well.[When my first roommate from college was back in the U.S. for a nationwide tour and a wedding, he was pretty ragged by the time he arrived in San Diego. He's a native of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India and was sick of eating American food.  He was complaining about how a single beedi (cigarette) was $10 in NYC.  Suffice it say, he and his wife were in dire need of some Indian comfort food.  The responsibility of finding the place to satisfy their taste of home fell on me.  Being that I'm pretty useless with knowing Indian restaurants, I consulted Yelp and chose this place.]We arrived with a party of eight and ordered garlic nan bread straight away.  My s.o. and I ordered Murg Sagwala (Chicken cooked in spinach and herbs with a touch of cream) and Murg Karahi (Chicken stir-fried with bell peppers, onions seasoned with spices).    The food was alright, if not standard Indian food. Apparently, the staff spoke the same dialect as my Indian buddy and he ate a lot of their food.  After the fact, he told me that the food was a-ok.  I'll defer to his opinion.First time trying Indian food and it was pretty tasty. I ordered the tandoori chicken i beilive with rice and some sort of garlic bread that was amazing. the decor in the restrarunt is nice and the waiter was cool.Hopefully the next time I go out for Indian , someone more experinced can go with me and try the curry.All and all, fine place to eat lunch or dinner .

by Sarah S.

It's an ordinary Indian restaurant in Hillcrest. The food was good, but not spicy enough for my taste even though I requested medium-high. Oh well.One thing I do commend them for is the service. Great service! They were extremely attentive to my friends and I, never letting our water cups become empty. Also the food came out in a timely manner.The shrimp tasted like it had been frozen at one time, just unfresh and my friend and I opted to eat from my creamy chicken dish. We opted for for garlic naan but it had a hint of garlic and was hard. The real clincher was they had no happy hour specials on alcohol, which might draw more of a crowd and make girls like us more happy. We waited until after dinner to walk somewhere else for alcohol specials. This place was pricey! With two entrees and one appetizer was $50.  I would be willing to pay if it was excellent food and I had a glass of wine to distract me.

by Jana H.

This is easily the best Indian restaurant that I have found in San Diego!  I've never had a bad dish here, and their galub juman is absolutely to die for!  They also have a really decent wine selection, and fast, friendly service!  I will be eating here for many years to come!

by Lisa W.

WHOO HOO! My girl went tonight and got some Chix Vindaloo. She says she asked for "EXTRA SPICY" and guess what? That's exactly what we got...Perhaps it's her hispanic complexion that made them think she could handle it. I'll send her in from now on... N OTE TO SELF: do not go anywhere else in San Diego for Indian food... Period...I have been for the…

by Manami Y.

The restaurant is located in a strip mall and looks pretty ghetto considering the location, but once inside you are transported to a beautiful, romantic atmosphere. Friendly service and excellent food. Great for romantic dinners with your loved one.The Garlic Naan was tasty; not too doughy. The Prawn Curry, which we ordered medium in spiciness looked and smelled super spicy, but was just right. I think we could've ordered it really spicy and it still would have been fine. The Vegetable Samosas were excellent as well!