5th Element

★★★★☆ 4.1 (526) • $$

"I have been to many Indian Buffets all over the world. The thing that stood out the most was the description of the dish and the time it was placed on the serving line. Service even though it was a Buffet was very good and the Buffet line was monitored and attended to. Price point was very affordable, every dish had its own WOW factor given the exotic spices that many people met not be familiar with. This is adventure for those who may be trying Indian food for the first time. Price was spot on for a buffet and does not include soft drinks but does include sweets and hot tea. Clean an also a full bar. Sorry I didn't post photos of the food, but didn't want butcher the names. Go and try it for yourself, firstimer or old hand."

Masala Indian Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4 (318) • $$

"Clean. Tasty. Quiet. No frills service. *First time in. I arrived at 11am, when they opened - I planned to come on a holiday, so I called the day wrote to make sure they would be open. I was the first customer through the doors. I let the host know I would be partaking in the lunch buffet - party for one. - He was also serving as the waiter. - He seated me & immediately asked my drink order. - I'm pregnant, so I typically only drink water, but I did notice an alcohol menu on the table for those patrons who are indulging. On my first go, I grabbed a plate at the buffet and tried just about everything (except the soup & the 2 rice dishes). I noticed about 1/2 the dishes were still like warm (they probably just turned their chaffing dishes on just before they opened). - something to note, if you prefer a hot meal. - I'm not picky, I come for the flavor. I discovered my favorite dishes for the day, and went back for 2nds, and even 3rds. I loved that they had 3 different dessert options to chose from, typically it's just one dessert on the table when I've gone to other Indian buffets. I spend about $19 before tip. A little expensive for some buffets I've been to in the past, but then again... inflation ‍The food was of good quality but the tandoori chicken didn't taste as fresh as some I've had."

Masala Mantra Indian Bistro

★★★★★ 4.7 (215) • $$

"Again. The service and place was exceptional. Started off with a glass of wine and Gobi msnchurian for an appetizer. Best thing about Indian restaurants is that the food is sharable. Anna ordered the butter chicken an I ordered the tandoori shrimp. Both very good. Definitely will be back."

Maa Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4 (283) • $$

"Very delish good, the service was quick. I have celiac and there were very delish options for me. I has the chicken vindaloo and some butter chicken. Both very delicious"

Minerva Indian Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.4 (177) • $$

"We really like Minerva! Authentic Indian food that is legitimately spicy (you've been warned) and served with a smile."

Tikka Bowls and Tacos

★★★★★ 4.7 (143) • $$

"We are constantly on the quest for good Indian food and this place delivers. It follows the Chipotle method of building your bowl or taco or wrap. Staff was very willing to give tastes of items and/or explain them. Portions were very large so plenty of leftovers. My husband thought the goat was very good. I liked my chicken and the pineapple guacamole was a nice flavor. Naan was very good. I wasn't expecting garlic butter to be poured on top. My experience with garlic naan is the garlic is flavored in the bread. Nevertheless, the naan had a great taste and texture. There were regular tablespoons of and hi top tables. Lots of parking in lot outside. We will definitely be back."

TIKKA BOWLS AND TACOS

★★★★★ 4.6 (105)

"After a busy morning of shopping at St. John's Town Center, we were in the mood for something "different" for lunch. A quick Yelp search revealed Tikka Bowls and tacos just a few minutes away. It's a quick service place where you order at the counter and then take the food to your table. The resto was clean and smelled wonderfully of Indian spice.We ordered a chicken tikka curry bowl, made with spiced white rice, chopped chicken, and chose to top it with the smoked curry sauce, Chana masala, and tamarind sauce, and the three taco special, prepared on warm naan. Three meat options were available; goat, beef and chicken. It was easy enough to choose one of each. Three sauces were offered; we chose one of each as well. Customized with Mango Pico (pico de gallo with chopped mango), shredded mozzarella cheese, sour cream, fajita veggies, and more of that wonderful tamarind sauce. Grabbed a side of pani puri, and some fountain drinks.The curry bowl was a large portion; big enough so that we didn't finish it. The rice was fluffy (I hate it when the rice is a mushy mess), there was a good proportion of chicken to rice, and the toppings were solid. The tacos were great; the naan was a good way to serve them. If, anything, there was TOO much filling to naan ratio; I had to grab a spoon to scoop off all of the filling that hit the plate as I was eating them. The goat was the standout; tender, unctuous and so delish! The chicken and beef were good choices as well, but the goat was the bomb. The pani puri was a large order; 8 of the semolina shells, served with spiced potatoes, cilantro water and tamarind chutney. My only complaint was that the potato filling was cool; it would have been better a bit warmer.The bill for this feast (including soft drinks) was $35. Highly recommended for an Indian-ish meal in Jacksonville!"

The Turmeric Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.4 (84)

"Eating here comes with a clear message: the folks at Turmeric really want you to have a great meal, and they put a lot of work into making that happen.The inside is nice -- lots of warm colors and a pretty water feature in back. I was in on a quiet night and greeted and seated immediately. The kind young man who served me came over quickly with a menu and a carafe of water. I knew from scoping out the menu in advance that I wanted the dal makhani, and I ordered some samosas, too.The samosas were yummy! The outside was nice and crisp, and the filling was seasoned well.The dal was excellent. My server offered different heat levels when he took my order, and I went with a 3 (on a 1-5 scale). I was impressed that it actually had a kick to it! At some places, "medium" tends to mean "a little spicy" instead of...well, medium spicy. This definitely tasted medium spicy to me. The overall spice profile of the dal makhani was excellent, and I liked the spice included in the accompanying rice, too. I also ordered a side of plain naan and loved it -- it was light and fluffy, you could see and taste the very slight char from baking, which is perfect in my book. The serving size was impressive! I had about 1/3 of my rice and 1/2 of my dal leftover, so I'm excited to get a lunch out of it.Despite being full, I was having such a good meal that I decided to try a dessert. I asked my server for a recommendation, and he recommended the gulab jamun immediately. It's one of my favorites, so I went with the suggestion and am so glad I did. It's some of the best gulab jamun I've ever had! It came out super hot and fresh and beautifully garnished. The flavors were right on point, and while I'm not knowledgeable enough about cooking Indian food to know what it was, there was something just different enough about the gulab jamun here that made it stick out above others I've tried.I found the price to be reasonable! $30 for an appetizer, main course with plenty of leftovers, and dessert is a good deal in my book when everything is made with such attention.I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys Indian food, and I'd definitely recommend coming as a group and enjoying it family style, as it's served to be easily enjoyed that way. (But it still worked for me as a solo diner!)"

Taste Of India

★★★★☆ 4.2 (92)

"The restaurant just opened three weeks ago and was packed. My husband ordered lamb and I ordered channa dal with bowls of long grain rice. We also ordered naan, samosas and raita. The curries were well seasoned and cooked for hours to develop complex flavors. I wish I had seen the dessert items or would have ordered them too. I was married to an Indian from Himachal Pradesh and used to cook North Indian food every night for our friends. If you live in north St Johns you can drive down 210 just past Publix instead of Baymeadows. The food is great and the service will improve with more staff."

Apna Restaurant Pakistani & Indian Cuisine

★★★★☆ 3.5 (86) • $$

"Apna was a welcome surprise! I love Indian food but had not tried any restaurants in Jacksonville since moving here in 2014.I was on the way to the gun range with my boyfriend and he spotted this restaurant in a strip mall. I told him I would check Yelp when we were ready to eat but he suggested we not read the reviews and try them out. So against my better judgement I listened to him. Although I did peak and see that this spot only had 3.5 stars.There was an entrance to the grocery store and an entrance to the restaurant. We went in through the restaurant door. There were roughly ten tables. As soon as we walked in the smell of wonderful food overcame us. Plus we were really hungry!I ordered the korma and my boyfriend ordered the tandoori mixed grilled platter. We shared our food which was great! The korma reminded me of tikka masala which I love. The sauce was similar but a little creamier. The sauce was perfect for naan dipping! I ordered more sauce to bring home at a small fee of $2.99. Worth it!Now let's discuss the tandoori mixed grilled platter. WOW! The presentation was amazing as it was served steaming hot and sizzling. Check out the video I posted and you will see;)The dish included beef and chicken kabobs, chicken tikka and leg of a tandoori chicken. I loved everything about this dish! All of the meats were cooked to perfection with a gracious amount of seasoning. The flavors were exploding in my mouth like the 4th of July! The tandoori chicken was my favorite. But to be clear there was nothing about this dish that I did not like LOL!Our server was friendly and helped us make our selections. As I mentioned, there was a small area for sit down dining so in the future I will probably call in an order and pick it up. And yes, I will absolutely be eating here again! Very authentic cuisine;)))"

Spice Grill Indian Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.6 (41) • $$

"Hands down THE BEST Indian food in Jax!Since their opening I've ordered weekly via Uber Eats. Due to a shortage of delivery drivers, I just made the trek from Atlantic Beach (approx 35-45 min- trust me it's worth it), and am currently salivating at the table while waiting for my food.Honestly just ask Sara for her recommendations like I did this evening. From the samosas, paneer bites, tikka masala, vindaloo, biryani- you'll be hard pressed to find something you don't love. I'm not even a fan of butter chicken, but I'm obsessed with theirs. Do yourself a favor pop in for a visit. Your taste buds will thank you."

Persis Indian Grill

★★★★★ 4.7 (32)

"Yea... I've got a new favorite Indian take-out joint. Karampodi chicken, chicken vindaloo and some cheese stuffed green chili naan! Persis Indian Grill is the jam. It's always a good sign when an ethnic restaurant is filled with clientele of said ethnicity. Had a small hiccup with an unavailable menu item and they happily swapped it out. Their spice scale ranges from medium to Indian spicy. I ordered it spicy. Flavorful, mouth watering, savory and just enough heat to keep you going back for more. I am beyond satisfied and the price to value is absolutely worth it for such great food. I will happily order again and can't wait to explore more of their menu! Support their franchise. It's seriously good."

5th Element Indian Restaurant & Bar

★★★★☆ 4.1 (30)

"5th Element is definitely amazing Indian food and maybe also magic, because I'm already planning my next visit. The new location (I haven't been to the older location!) has great ambiance, and service so good you feel like a VIP. The food we tried : The chicken 65 - perfect amount of heat, flavorful, and honestly, I'm considering ordering lunch tomorrow just to have it again. The chicken 555 was also a hit! The lamb biryani was okay. Lamb is always hit or miss for me personally though, so don't let my opinion stop you if lamb is your thing!The wine was... fine. Nothing to write home about, but who needs fancy wine when the food steals the show?Five stars for the 5th Element. With a menu this good, I'll definitely be back to work my way through the rest of it."

Tikka Bowls And Tacos

★★★★★ 4.9 (21)

"Hook, line, and sinker, they got me. I read about their newest location in Mandarin, and stopped in for dinner, without knowing what to expect. Friends that have eaten at the two other locations raved about the food, but Indian and Mexican cuisine? Here we go...Tikka Bowls and Tacos is situated in the space formerly known as Burnt Ends Barbecue along San Jose Blvd. I must say, the eye-catching wall murals are a stunning feature, adding character and flair to the spacious dining room. The counter is set up in the style of Chipotle, where you choose your base, proteins, sauce, and toppings. Bowls, Burritos, Naan Tacos, and Salads are just a few of the items that are offered. Noms: Bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice, Paneer, Chicken, Mild Curry Sauce (I'm a spice wimp), Shredded Cheese, and a drizzle of Sour Cream. I found that while the sauce did have a bit of a kick to it, the cool sour cream saved the day and made this bowl a hands down winner.Garlic Naan: GET THIS. The Garlic isn't too overpowering, just the right touch, and the soft, pillowy Naan was neither too light or heavy.Naan Churros: Yup, you read that right, and YES, they were scrumptious. The two gentlemen behind the counter were very patient and accommodating, answering my "first timer" questions like well seasoned pros. If you're in the area, give this location some love and support, it's well worth it!Till next time, my fellow Yeeps, SUPPORT your local eats and businesses, and as always....SYOY!"

Hammock Pizza

★★★★☆ 3.8 (29) • $

"This business has been around for almost a decade - from what I understand - and I just happened to stop in for lottery tickets and (initially) some fountain drinks because it looks like your average convenience store.Then....I smelled PIZZA cooking so I moseyed towards the back and found the other owner/cook/chef and of course, I ordered a few slices of the various flavors offered here. Everything was delicious!!!They have a full menu of pizzas, subs, samosas and more! Look forward to trying more when in the Palm Coast area. Wonderful owners and customer service!"

Aha Curry Point

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (5)

"Newly opened Indian restaurant in Baymeadows Place Plaza. Casual atmosphere with plenty of seating. For lunch, we ordered the Konaseema Chicken Fry and Telnagana Goat Pulusu (goat curry). They're medium-spiced and flavorful, but a little pricey. Not enough meat and mostly bone/fat on the goat curry on our order. I only ate a couple of pieces. Definitely not worth the price they charged for mostly liquid curry. Don't give me wrong, food was very good, but we walked out still a little hungry. Note: We ended up getting coffee and tiramisu at The Coffee Grinder and a sausage dog at Freshfield Farm afterwards."