Mainland India Restaurant

Delicious food! Food came out fresh, and they let you select the level of spicy you want.They were under staffed but the waiter really made sure everything was taken care of in a timely manner.cant wait to go back to try more dishes!

Definitely worth the $11.99 per person price for a weekend buffet. Mainland India Restaurant has its own parking lot behind the restaurant and once my daughter and I walked in at 11:30am on a Sunday, there were already a few tables occupied. The host was very friendly and welcoming and he talked us through the buffet set up. There was a separate table for the dishes, utensils, condiments, chai tea and other spices that you might like to add to the dishes. There were a lot of choices for the main dishes and my favorites were the Butter Chicken, Tandoori Chicken and the Chicken Dum Biryani. My daughter and I tried every single item on the trays and the three chicken dishes were the ones that we kept going back for. They also had mutton and fish curries, naan, and a couple other different kinds of rice. For dessert, we enjoyed the coconut ladoo and kheer. The dishes were all flavorful and delicious but they were lukewarm and the mutton was tough and not the easiest to chew. It would also be nice if the lighting was a little brighter so it is easier for customers like me (who did not know all of the dishes on the trays) to see what is in each dish. There was one dish that was cold (not lukewarm) but it was beside the supposedly hot dishes so I was confused what the temperature of that specific dish was supposed to be at. I also hope that they will add at least one beef dish.The service was great. Our dirty plates were taken away as soon as we put them on the side of the table, our drinks were filled, and they were consistent in checking on all the customers, making sure that everybody was happy. I will definitely come back here for their weekend buffets and maybe for a regular dinner. We enjoyed our first time dining at Mainland India and it won't be the last.

Great place to get South Indian Kerala cuisine. Service was rushed because they only had 1 wait staff for the whole place for Saturday lunch. The food was all pretty good. The chettinad mutton, chicken curry, jackfruit dish were all very good. Must get the matta red rice for these dishes since was very fluffy, perfect for the curries ( skip the basmati rice that it comes with). The chicken 65 was tasty but just too battered and deep fried - felt like something was missing. We were not impressed with the para fish fry which was too fishy and the spices were not sufficient.

3.5 stars. I really like most of the food, but there is one major factor holding them back from #1 Indian restaurant status in our household.Simply put, their online pickup orders take a long time. On a Sunday night, when I started the order, they quoted 30-40 minutes. After I submitted the order, the email confirmation said 70-80 minutes. This was too long to wait in that instance (factoring in kid bedtimes), so I cancelled the order. The following week, I ordered Wednesday lunch and it still took 60 minutes. I am happy that they are staying busy during tough times, but this seems like a long time to wait for takeout.Another time I ordered one dish "mild" and another dish "medium" and it seems like they may have swapped them. It's an honest mistake but was unfortunately a deal breaker for one member of our household.In general, as I said, the food is generally really good and fresh-tasting, and the value is pretty high given that one dish might cover three meals. I'll order again sometime when it's just me, and I remember to do it far enough in advance.

Excellent food and service! Also, really delicious Kerala dishes! We had the Chicken 65, beef cutlets, and chili paneer to start.All very good! Then, masala dosa, butter chicken, Kerala beef with coconut, and malai kofta. Perfect spice. Will be back for sure and look forward to the full bar.

The best Chicken Tikka Masala I've ever had, so creamy and with the perfect amount of spice/heat. I also had the fried cauliflower app, really well made food. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Outstanding Indian lunch buffet. This was our first time here. We've been to numerous Indian lunch buffets, but this is my new favorite. The service is outstanding. Sam and Jaxter took care of our table. Attentive, incredibly friendly and prompt. As soon as we entered the restaurant, a gentleman named Sam, led us to our table. When we approached the buffet he asked if this was our first visit to this restaurant. When we replied, "Yes", he offered to walk us down the buffet line. Sam's guidance was appreciated and informative. My husband and I have never experienced this level of customer service and graciousness at a buffet. If you zoom-in on my photos you'll be able to see all of the buffet items labels. They had the usual raita, mint chutney, and tamarind, but they also had 2 mango condiments, plus a pickled vegetable condiment. I've had the 1st 3 numerous times over the years. However, I have never noticed the mango ones and the pickled veggies. I would never have taken these 3 condiments, but because Sam explained what they were, I did and absolutely loved them. Delish! My husband and I sampled every item on the buffet and thoroughly enjoyed them all. Sam recommended items on the buffet that would pair well with our wine choice, a Gamay Noir (onion pakora/pagoda and chicken 65) which was appreciated. One of my favorite aspects of Mainland India is the Indian music videos they have playing on 3 screens. The music and visuals create a festive atmosphere that for us was so enjoyable and complimentary of ethnic cuisine. For me, this sets this restaurant apart from the others. I highly recommend you try out Mainland India Restaurant. I have no doubt you'll be very happy you did.

I found this restaurant on Yelp while traveling and left the restaurant baffled in regards to the 4 star review/ranking. Food was not "Indian flavorful" and not remotely close to a "Level 10 spicy" as requested. Disappointing*****

I was not prepared for this food to be this great. I had a gathering and I ordered at least 9 different dishes for delivery. The food was delivered downtown Chicago and it was still piping hot. I've enjoyed a lot of Indian food but this place is the best Indian food place in Chicago! I can't wait to go there in person. Every item I tried was perfection! You won't be disappointed, order, dine in or take it to go.

Quality ok. Pricing ridiculous. Ordered just an appetizer and main item and $50 for delivery.