Royal India Express image

Royal India Express

Restaurant Fast food restaurant Indian restaurant Food court Kiosk

Standard Indian plates & buffet meals are the draw at this spacious restaurant with an elegant vibe. People often mention chicken, Indian, Chicken, good, samosas, flavor,


Address

4545 La Jolla Village Dr Suite FC 5, San Diego, CA 92122

Website

www.royalindia.com

Contact

(858) 554-1111

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

2.70 (70 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Friday: 11 AM to 7:30 PM
  • Saturday: 11 AM to 7:30 PM
  • Sunday: (Easter), 12 to 6:30 PM, Hours might differ
  • Monday: 11 AM to 7:30 PM
  • Tuesday: 11 AM to 7:30 PM
  • Wednesday: 11 AM to 7:30 PM
  • Thursday: 11 AM to 7:30 PM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: chicken (17) Indian (16) Chicken (8) good (8) samosas (6) flavor (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 1/5 sainath t. 7 years ago on Google
    Definitely not Indian food, Aweful biryani. Chicken biryani was filled with veggies(carrot, broccoli, cabbage). No taste at all. Even the curries were terrible. Would not recommend anyone looking for Indian food or any other food.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Adam K. 2 years ago on Google
    How is it even possible to say that Indian food is tasteless??? Sounds impossible right? Well, This Indian fast food joint in UTC has done it, it serves Indian food that tastes of absolutely NOTHING! What about all the spices Indian food uses? None are present. Even the rice is insipid, not even a pinch of salt? Seriously people, do you want to honor your millenary and exquisite culinary tradition? You have a lot of work to do. ITMT, next time I find myself in a rush in UTC, Panda Express is right next to you, and though not a fan, at least their food tastes of something.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Justin F. 1 year ago on Google
    Food: 3.5/5 Service and Setting: 2.5/5 Value: 2.5/5 From what I remember, Royal India has been a staple in UTC’s food court since forever, gracing its main entrance. They are always offering samples of rice and one of their chicken curries, so you can definitely grab a taste before you commit. The service here was eh, I came when they just opened and when I asked for prices or how many samosas came with the listed price, the lady helping me gave me major stink eye. Even for mall rent prices, I felt that having a two item plate for $12.99 without bread was astronomical. Even though it looks like they pack in the food, in reality, the styrofoam containers they use are thinner than other restaurants. If you are craving Indian/South Asian food while shopping, this is a good option. Samosas be going brrr though, read about it below! Korma Chicken: 3.5/5 I feel like Korma Chicken is a dish that has fallen out of favor with the American Indian food community. I see a lot of vegetable korma but not so much chicken. The Korma Chicken at Royal India is very sweet, much sweeter than I expected. They may do this to sort of differentiate it from their other chicken curries. It has a respectable amount of savoriness in a ubiquitous style tomato-based curry gravy. The chicken in the dish was not dry at all and the ratio of curry to protein was good. For me, it was a little basic and too sweet, but I’m sure that there is no one who will outright dislike this dish. Aloo Mutter: 3.5/5 I liked the Aloo Mutter slightly more than the Korma Chicken, but not enough to give it a higher score. They do not skimp out of on the potatoes and peas. Since I went during their opening time, the potatoes I received were cooked perfectly and even had a slight bite to them. The sauce is a bit plainer than the korma chicken and tastes simply like tomato. Unlike the korma chicken, there is a more savory flavor rather than sweet. The spices used are very mild and because of that there is a lack of depth overall. Meat Samosa: 4.5/5 It is really rare to see meat samosas being offered at Indian restaurants and when they are, they are usually chicken. I believe this one was beef, making it very rare. Let’s start off with the bad. I found the samosa to be very expensive at $2.99 for one with a less than ample amount of filling. The pastry was very oily as well. The flavor though is very interesting and reminds me more of an African style sambusa. The flavors are very different from anything I’ve ever had and are both memorable and delicious. Give one a try even if you chose not to have your full meal here.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Marco G. 2 years ago on Google
    Not the greatest Indian food to be had, by any stretch. Went in at about 1pm on a week day, and the food smelled great. The woman working the counter was very friendly, and she offered a sample, which I declined as I decided to go for it Boy, was that a mistake The rice was either old or undercooked, as it was tough and flavorless The spicy chicken curry wasn't very spicy, or tasty. The chicken had a lot of tough cartilage pieces I had a mixed veggie curry, and the vegetables didn't seem very fresh (quite a bit soggy) The sauces were all obviously water down, and it was very off-putting I couldn't finish the food, as it was that terrible The saving grace was the woman behind the counter. She was very friendly and helpful... But overall, avoid this place, and try somewhere else
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Brie H. 2 years ago on Google
    I love the Chicken Tikka Masala!!! It's the perfect blend of seasonings. The rice is tender and doesn't feel too heavy after enjoying a full serving ( 2 same plate item) . I recommend ☺️
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Taylor P. 2 years ago on Google
    I ordered the Tikka Chicken Masala. I normally dont write reviews but my experience was way different from the reviews I saw here. There was good seasoning that had a hint of heat. The chicken was tender. I will definately come back for more.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Pratiksha J. 2 years ago on Google
    I called the restaurant, extremely rude customer. I felt disrespected. I have eaten at restaurant before and a very bad taste too. Will definitely not suggest it. Worst way anyone has ever spoken to me
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Nesha K. 1 year ago on Google
    The food was mediocre and very bland (I know good Indian food) what made the horrible experience was the young man working tonight made feel rushed not be able to ask him whether items were spicy or not which is a dietary issue for me. I was the only one in the line but felt as if I was bothering him with his smugness and eye roll when I asked literally about two items. After paying for my food he wadded my receipt and thew it in the trash and didn’t bother to ask if I wanted it. I asked for the receipt he acted shrewd again tapping on the screen to retrieve a new one when he realized it was too far at the bottom of the trash apparently. He didn’t apologize at all which really bothered me. My exact thoughts were…. this food better be good!!! Nonetheless the food was not worth the price for the attitude at all. I had the chicken Masala ( I got two chunks of chicken and a lot of watery sauce!!!!!!) and the vegetable curry item, and a vegetable soma (this was good with the sauce) which were exactly just ok. The naan was burnt and as soon as I unrolled the foil and it was exposed to air it was hard. All in all this review is of the customer service and food itself. I could have taken my business else where spending 20 dollars (overpriced and obviously why there is no customers) and wish I would have just to have gotten a friendlier service and better meal.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Sheryl K. 1 year ago on Google
    This restaurant is inside the interior food court where the skating rink is located. It's the first restaurant you see. The smell was inviting and so on my way out, I picked up several items to go. I got the vegetable korma, the spinach, aloo muttur, and 2 potato samosas. I ate the spinach first. I had to pick out hard pieces of the spinach. Not pleasant. Then I ate the vegetable korma. I liked the fact that they used fresh vegetables. There were large slices of carrots, squash, a large floret of broccoli, and another of cauliflower. Unfortunately, the flavor was in the sauce, the vegetables had none. Then I ate the aloo mutter. The potatoes had no taste. The sauce was meh. Lastly, I ate the potato samosas. One look at them and I knew they'd been over-fried. They were greasy to the touch and had a bit of a rancid smell. The vegetables inside were cut up very tiny and were hard bits. A truly unpleasant experience. I had 3 small containers and the 2 samosas plus a mango lassi (not bad) = $31.00. Definitely NOT recommend. 👎👎
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 L S. 9 months ago on Google
    The food is terrible!!!! This is NOT Indian food and not edible food at all. No flavor.

  • 1/5 Caitlyn B. 1 year ago on Google
    DO NOT EAT HERE. My boyfriend tried it for the first time yesterday, and now he’s been throwing up from 10pm to 7am. Other reviews mention food poisoning as well. The food smells good, but don’t trust it! Not to mention, the food is way overpriced. There’s a reason no one is in line…

  • 2/5 Ashley C. 1 year ago on Google
    Bad food. The chicken tikka masala was bland and watery. The tandoori chicken was extremely dry and too salty. The naan was stale. Staff were not great either and had a bit of an attitude. Overall not a good experience.

  • 2/5 Ibrahim A. 1 year ago on Google
    Chicken tikka masala is never dissapointing and they found a way. Ended up paying 11 dollars for one serving and a single samosa. I try to never blame employees but I should've left after I saw one drop a batch of samosas without gloves. The samosa was decent though.

  • 2/5 Hailey C. 1 year ago on Google
    Ordered the chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken and both the naans. I think the employees mixed up the salt and sugar because the masala was weirdly sweet and bland at the same time. The tandoori chicken was dry and bland as well. The naan was the best part of the meal and was still average at best. I can see why this place had no line on one of the busiest days of the year. Not worth the $22 I spent.

  • 1/5 James A. 1 year ago on Google
    I was extremely disappointed with the Indian fast food joint in UTC. The food had absolutely no flavor, lacking the spices that Indian cuisine is known for. Even the rice was tasteless, with not even a pinch of salt. The restaurant needs to take steps to honor and improve upon the rich and delicious culinary tradition of Indian food. In the future, when I find myself in a rush in UTC, I will likely opt for a nearby establishment like Panda Express, which at least serves food that has some flavor, even though I am not a big fan of it.

  • 5/5 Ryan M. 1 year ago on Google
    The food is very delicious and I enjoyed every single bite I took

  • 1/5 Nishant A. 1 year ago on Google
    Stale food, terrible taste! Please avoid this one. Not even remotely Indian food.


Call (858) 554-1111 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Quick bite
    • ✓️ Comfort food
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Vegan options
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Popular for
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Solo dining
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Catering
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Takeout

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