Review The Blue Taj - Charlotte

Had a fabulous experience dining here with my family. Between us, we ordered: -mushroom / corn / paneer curry -saag paneer -chicken tikka masala (best dish) -lamb saagwala -kebabs (green variety) -garlic naan (excellent) -onions/chilis/lemon ($2) Every dish was a hit, and worth the slightly higher than usual price. Would strongly recommend!

Our favorite Indian restaurant in Charlotte. The food is great our favorite go to for appetizers are the chili chicken, vegetables samosas and crispy fried paneer. The chicken korma is deliciously creamy and full of flavors. The butter chicken is the kids favorite, as for me I generally get the mutter paneer, cream based stew with peas and firm cubed like cottage cheese. Garlic naan is crispy and fluffy. Everything we’ve had so far has been great. The staff is always attentive. The mango lassi is generally good, but sometimes it comes out too sweet. Many vegetarian options.

It's been quite a while since we visited The Blue Taj – at least five years – and it's still a great restaurant. The food was VERY tasty and the service was friendly and professional. Lots of vegetarian options. Our only issue (and the only reason we won't give it five stars) is how much more expensive it was from our last visit – MUCH more than we remember – even the veggie dishes. Still, if you have a taste for fine Indian food, it would be hard to find any better in Charlotte!

We had a great dinner at Blue Taj last night. Perfect mix of spices, but not too hot. Nice atmosphere. This is one of the best Indian restaurants in town.

The dishes didn’t have many meat options but they were very tasty. The staff was busy and friendly to a certain point. The Garlic NAN was very good. The restaurant was nice and colorful. It is a darker light setting. The kids enjoyed the food. Get the lamb chops! Deliciously cooked!

Great food, especially the chicken makhani. Portions are large and shareable. I recommend getting a variety if more than one person is dining to properly experience the options. Service was attentive, but not overbearing, spoken in quiet tones to complement the subdued atmosphere. Soft Indian music playing in the background and lighting was dim for a more intimate ambience (although i prefer just a touch brighter). I've also done the takeout option, and the food is just as good, packaged securely, and portions were consistent with dine-in. A great southern Indian place to visit often.

Oh. My. God. This place was amazing. I have had Indian food dozens of times, from multiple restaurants, all across the world. I've had Indian in London, Cardiff, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Los Angeles, Austin, Nashville, and Charlotte, and this is the best I've ever had. Came here for my birthday dinner. Had to make reservations a few days in advance, so be warned on that front. My mom came with us, and this was her first foray into Indian food. She absolutely loved it too, and was quite nervous to try it, but once she did, she was hooked. I had the Lamb Vindaloo at level 4/5 spicy. It was phenomenal. The depth of flavor was unlike any curry I had in the past. My 5 year old daughter had the Saag Paneer, and devoured every bite. I tried it as well and was floored by the Saag. I love Saag and it's a frequent go to for me, but this was another level of excellent. My wife had a coconut curry that I cannot recall the name of, but it was also excellent and so different from the other curries on the table. My mother had Tandoori Chicken pieces and they too were incredible. All of the meat was so tender it barely needed chewing, which is impressive for lamb. Lamb at many Indian places can be a bit chewy, but this just melted away. We also had two appetizers. A two piece Samosa, and breaded cauliflower pieces tossed in a chili garlic sauce. They were both great, but that cauliflower was to die for. Truly excellent and a must try when you come here. All the curry came with rice, and we had a couple of garlic naan for the table which was so buttery and crispy. Loved it. I really can't speak more highly enough for this place. Make some reservations and get yourself to The Blue Taj. You cannot be disappointed.

I cannot rate the Blue Taj highly enough. They are a superb restaurant with amazing staff and equally impressive culinary masterpieces. We have a favorite Indian dish that was not on the menu, Lamb Tikka Masala. Upon request they obliged and custom made the dish for us FAR exceeding our expectations. The environment and ambiance is relaxing and authentic, you truly feel as if you are eating in the luxurious home of a good friend from India. We plan to be back many many more time, I highly recommend the Blue Taj

The food was very delicious! We had Chicken Tikka Masala, Tandoori Lamb, rice, naan, and mango lassi. Everything was just so good. The service was great as well and the restaurant has a cute decor. My friend really enjoyed the food and it was her first time having Indian cuisine. She said she would definitely come back. This is my second time at The Blue Taj and will not be my last.

Really tasty food and the ambience was really nice. Definitely try the Chicken Methi Curry! Servers were friendly as well. My only suggestion for the owner is to attach felt pads to the bottom of the chairs so whenever patrons or servers slide the chairs out they don’t cause such a loud noise.

This was an amazing experience. It felt homey; and the food was phenomenal! Friendly service and the food came out fast! Don't sleep on this place!

Great food and even better service! The dishes had tons of flavor and were perfectly spiced. Server was very attentive and made our dine in experience wonderful. Garlic naan was kinda plain along with the rice lacking flavor compared to other places I’ve been to, but besides that an amazing dinner.

I went for an impromptu weeknight dinner with a friend. It had been about four years since my last dine-in at the Blue Taj restaurant. We both left happily full and very satisfied. The decor feels slightly upscale and moody. The service is very friendly and efficient. Prices are a touch high, but not extraordinarily so and more or less typical of what you would expect for a sit down restaurant in this area. We ordered drinks (the Hazy Mumbai, with cumin seeds and ginger chunks, was quite interesting in a good way!) and several mains/sides. I genuinely enjoyed the okra (bhindi masala) and salmon. We also ordered a chicken dish, which was heavily spiced and filling. Garlic naan and plain roti, along with papadam as a side, were well-received. Overall, I credit the Blue Taj for inventive dishes that create slightly unique spins on traditional favorites. Good Indian food is plentiful in Charlotte, but graduating to very good can be tricky when taking creative liberties—not everyone can pull it off. Blue Taj does a good job in this respect and I certainly would recommend for a nice dinner out with family/friends.

We really enjoyed the food here. The staff was accommodating and were able make a few dishes dairy free and vegan. The interior design is very interesting perfect for a date. I recommend it.

Great food. Tasteful. Good service Nice atmosphere Good wine selection Nice place for small group gatherings Chicken Marsala spicy and the garlic bread is great. *there are levels to the spicy, so be careful*

Great food and amazing naan. Loved the atmosphere! Tip: they will ask you how spicy you want your dish, make sure to not go high if you are not used to eating spicy food. I got a 2 out 5 and it was pretty spicy.

A great dining experience! We were there with another couple. Attentive service and well executed dishes. Best Indian food in the Ballantyne area!

Harvin is a great server. Couldn’t have asked for better service. Will definitely ask to be seated at his section next time. Food was great in taste, and portion. Definitely recommend 10/10 5stars. I feel amazed.

First time trying Indian food and 🥹🥹 SOOOO GOOD!! I got a spice level 2, I should of did one lol, it was so flavorful! We will definitely be going back!

went for lunch on a sunday. if you want good Indian food , do NOT come here. No taste, bland, nothing fresh. Limited menu so they should be getting it right but no. Service is terrible. Simply the worst indian place in charlotte.

The Blue Taj has been one of my favorite restaurants for years. I live right behind here and can even walk to this location. The staff are always super friendly and the food is consistently excellent. I have dined in as well as used their take-out option. I really enjoy the authentic atmosphere and I have never been disappointed!

Everything we had was delicious! We will definitely be going back! Chili Paneer appetizer isn't on the menu, but they make it, and WOW!! They are willing to make suggestions to help you order what you will like best.

Amazing food!. This place is amazing! My wife and I have been going here a few times a month for almost four years. We have always had an amazing dinner. The service, food, and atmosphere is great. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Review by an Indian. So, I went to the Blue Taj recently. I am an actual Indian (from India), and I've heard many good things about this restaurant, so I went in with high expectations. I have been eating Indian food my entire life, almost every single day, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Therefore, my expectations for Indian food may be a lot more strict than most peoples'. The food was mediocre. It was not bad, but it wasn't good either. In simpler words, there was nothing special about the food. In India, I can buy much better food from street vendors for much cheaper. Also, the amount of food served was minute. Once again, in India, I can buy a lot of great food for much cheaper. Please do not spend $20 on a dish here. It is not worth it. It was also quite noisy inside. However, that is to be expected since Blakeney is a very busy complex. The selection of food/wines is impressive. It is one of the best things about this restaurant. The service is also similarly great. Finally, the best thing about this restaurant is the atmosphere/mood it creates. It is a great place to take friends, or to take someone special out for a lovely dinner. So, if you are willing to spend a little money to have a good night, by all means, this is a good place to visit. However, just don't expect the food to be anything special.

Blue Taj. Service and food was exceptional

Great Indian Resaurant!. We have been here many times and the food and service have been consistently great! I definitely recommend Blu Taj.

Noisy!!. Not worth the $ for a noisy fast food Indian restaurant. Staff is OK. Off my list.

Chatpate Tikki Chole. Crazy Good!!!

Awful. Went there for lunch on a Sunday. It was awful...don't waste your money!

Best Indian food! The food was delicious and the service was attentive and kind and prompt. The best Indian food we have had and we have tasted Indian in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, etc... The dishes were full of flavor and nice and thick. We had chili lamb, shahi paneer, and leek kofta and the sauces were flavorful and spicy! So good!

Waste of money. Gave it a few tries and the curry base with different names all taste the same.<br/>Nothing stands out.

It was awesome. The leek dand potatoe entree is great for a vegetarian item.

Good Flavors. This is a nice place in the Ballantyne area. The spices they use really delivers a complex flavor. Good sauces with all the dishes. The place is clean, wait staff is pleasant, albeit they are probably not the best trained folks you will ever meet. Pricing is high for Indian food and portions appear smallish, but it fills you up. Look for coupons to bring the bill into a reasonable range. Don't ask me about authentic, it just tastes good and I look forward to going back. A nice touch is that they ask you how hot (spicy hot) you like. Medium is a good choice as it provides just enough to accent the flavor. You'll need reservations on the weekend, or you won't get in until well after 9.

Intensely delicious Indian Flavors. Memorable. My friend was in town so we went there because of a restaurant.com coupon. Advice: make a reservation. Also, GPS gets you to a residential area so just look for a huge mall type place off of Johnston rd on village way. <br/>We had the chicken makhani and Kerala style seafood and amritsari chicken tikka. The Kerala style seafood was amazing. its basically a coconut base sauce that had us all "ouh"ing and "ah"ing for every bite and talking about it days later. The chicken tikka's tenderness was awesome as well. And I had the chicken makhani also mind blowing. It's a bit pricey but I recommend u get a coupon and head there soon.

My girlfriend & I went here. The food was excellent. However, the service was terrible. I had to ask for my first drink four times! By the time I received my dinner, I finally got my drink. I will give it a second chance though, because it was delicious.

Disgusting. Not authentic. Only people who do not know indian food will eat here.

Good North Indian Cuisine. Having eaten here 3 times I finally decided I do like it. A few things to note, the place is loud and acoustics are terrible - so don't go here for a business dinner or other serious conversation. The maitre'd is a non friendly blow-offish kind of girl, so don't expect any sort of warmth from her. I actually think her face might crack if she smiles. That was a bit of a turn off the first and second time, now I just blow her off and we have an understanding. You will likely see a myriad of kids and adults eating. The wine selection is admirable for an Indian restaurant because my typical experience is don't order the wine and stick to chugging water and beer. Everything on the menu is fresh and heavily seasoned in a good way. Go easy on the cream sauce dishes you get. For some reason I think this place believes Americans only want creamy food which dulls the beauty of the cuisine. All of the waiters are accented which makes me feel like I could actually be in Mumbai~ Overall this does cover the North Indian cuisine well but for true South Indian food you might need to get closer to the DC area. MANGIA!

The admiral and I have been twice in two weeks. We look forward to making it thrice in three. Our new favorite. All selections have been winners so far Wonderful flavors and excellent service.

Yahoooo. For anyone that enjoys a Indian spices this will easily rank as your favorite. <br/> Voted as BOB 2011 best catering service -

Decent north Indian food. Biriyani was lackluster, not much complexity. Mango chickpea chaat used the darker brown chickpeas and was delicious. Mixed grill smothered in buttery sauce whic Gould really be served on the side since its too rich. Nice atmosphere. Decent option in ballantyne.

I have dined here several times and have never been disappointed. Waiters are knowledgeable and friendly and will always offer suggestions if you want them. Friends I have brought have been impressed too. Best food and ambience for price as compared to other Indian restaurants in the area.

Awesome! Very good food, and decent service. Masala Chai! Chicken Tikka Masala! Good rice and naan too! Namaste!

Les jokes more service. That is what i would tell the folks at the blue taj. Food quality was pretty decent, but our waiter seemed very excited - he was talking to us at a very high tone, almost seemed like shouting at us. he did not write down our order and forgot the rotis. we got the rotis at the last when we were finishing our dinner. if the waiter does not take down our order and tries to crack jokes during the order how will he remember? food quality - average, too much cream

Love it! Love the chicken tikka masala!

In a class of its own. Okay, I'll keep this quick because there is not a bad thing in the place or on the menu. The food is immaculate, the presentation is immaculate and the staff are awesome, friendly, professional and witty. This is the place to take people for business dinners when in the Ballantyne area. Don't be afraid of Indian spices, you can order your meal mild (which even my kids can eat without protest!), medium or spicy. The selection of breads is also in another world. Congrats guys, you are number 1 in Ballantyne in my opinion.

I'm amazed..... As a sister restaurant to Copper I knew this place would be amazing. I did not know it would turn to my new favorite. The atmosphere is modern & intimate, service was above top notch & the flavors of the food especially paired with the recommended wines were unbelievable. Favorite app was Chile Chicken. Can't wait to go back and do it all again.

Coconut tomato bisque. Probably some of the most flavorful soup I've ever had. Great texture with a hint of coconut. Starts the meal of great

The Best Indian Food in Charlotte. First time coming to this restaurant. My girlfriend and I have eaten at many of the Indian restaurants in Charlotte. None that are still open compare.<br/><br/>Started out with an appetizer, Assorted Vegetarian Taste Platter - Came with 2 halves of a Vegetable Samosa, 1 Chatpate Tikki Chole, 2 wedges of Paneer Pakora and one other item I could not identify on the menu but seems like a vegetable pakora. It came on a very presentable platter with a sweet chilie dipping sauce in the Middle - Everything was cook excellently, crispy with plenty of seasoning. I would highly recommend for two - 5/5<br/><br/>We also ordered two beverages: Mango Lassi - This came in a well sized glass which lasted through the meal. It was also the BEST Mango Lassi that I have ever had and would consider just ordering that. It had the right thickness and a good balance between yogurt and mango flavers - 5/5<br/><br/>My girlfriend ordered a mixed beverage from the bar: Maharanitini - Strong, sweet, green, expensive- 3.5/5<br/><br/>For the Main Course we ordered: Saag Paneer (Mild) - Cream style spinach cooked with fenugreek and paneer. It had a very mild but pleasant flavor, almost a nutty flavor. It was very good and the portion size was perfect. - 4/5<br/><br/>Shahi Paneer: Indian cheese cooked in cashew pureed sauce garnished with raisins and cashew. I believe it to be a tomato based curry sauce. It was very creamy and a bit heavier than the Saag Paneer. It was full of flavor and extremely good. Though I did not find any rasins in my dish. - 4.5/5 <br/><br/>Both of the dished came with long grain rice. The rice was properly cooked, went well with the curry dishes. - 5/5<br/><br/>We also ordered along with our dinner Naan bread. It was very crisp yet soft and chewy on the inside. Some of the best Naan I have had. 5/5<br/><br/>The decor in the inside was very sleek and modern. Very appealing. The outside seating was very pleasant however the dumpsters are nearby and in view though the property manager does well at not making it an eye sore. It was not noticeable at our seats. - 4/5<br/><br/>The prices at Blue Taj were slightly high on average, but the food was definitely worth it. However alcohol: Beer, Wine. was extremely expensive. The mixed drinks were on par with regard to prices. 3.5/5<br/><br/>Overall - 4.3/5<br/><br/>I would highly recommend and I will be returning!

Blue Taj: Yum Yum. We just visted there for our 2nd time. Excellent Food and Service. I mean everything was yummy. The waiter was so good he even made special accomodations for me and my 2 young boys. We ordered something off the menu.<br/>My husband had a lcurry amb dish. I had seafood kabobs with a spicy pepper sauce on the side, which was not on the menu. My mother and step father split a chciken curry dish and a vegetarian curry dish. Everyone raved about their meals. We also had some apps, sweet bread, and salads. They even have an extensive wine list. This is now my favorite Indian place in Charlotte even over their other place, Copper, which is also Great!

Tasty food, good service.. I have been to Blue Taj several times and had good food and service. Being a Brit, I have to say Indian food and Chinese for that matter is quite different from that served in Britain. Blue Taj does compare quite well except we wish there were few more really spicy dishes. The Sunday buffet was very good apart from the lack of a good curry to make you sweat, and very good value. I have to say that when we go, we are usually in a party of British friends and we always have a good laugh so that might contribute to the good feeling we get when we eat here. There are two particular waiters, Bim and Viv who are always attentive and very friendly.

Spotty. I've been to Blue Taj twice now, and had two different experiences. On the first visit we had great service, the food was good, but was not worthy of the higher prices since the portions were small. We had a Restaurant.com coupon, so we overlooked the higher prices, and overall had a good night. The second visit we had a larger group (4 vs. 2) and were disappointed that after 2 appetizers, 3 dishes, and 3 baskets of bread we were still hungry. Added to this, one of veggie dishes was almost all sauce, and the methi chicken had very little methi in it. The service was almost, bipolar - we had water refilled constantly but could never find the waiter to get beer refills or place orders. We had a coupon again, however this could not out-weigh the experience of the night<br/><br/>Overall, I likely won't return because there are other Indian restaurants in the area with better quality food AND better value for money.

Tasty. My wife and I visited the Blue Taj on a Sat night recently. Overall, their northern Indian cuisine was very good (above average), with good portion sizes (not huge, but enough). The service was very helpful and friendly; however, they were a bit slow at times. They may have been short staffed the night we went. The atmosphere is very modern but not pretentious. Very nice wine selection as well. We both asked for "hot" levels of spicyness in our dishes, which is one level short of "Indian hot" as the waiter put it - the result was some degree of heat, but not overwhelming. I think next time one of us will try "Indian hot" just for kicks....Overall, I would return here.

As a rule I don't like Indian but I really like this place. The food is refined and delicate. Try the cucumber salad it's krazee delicious. In fact, everything I have had there on the three visits has been really great.

I really was quite surprised, and positively surprised. Being related to the Copper, I feared the same parody "fusion" dreck. At least at the weekend buffet, the Blue Taj provides good, solid North Indian food.

Fantastic. This place is wonderful. We had a party of 4 and ordered lots of variety... Could not decide whack we loved the most!<br/><br/>Loved the atmosphere too... Cozy, friendly people and very special. I will be trying it for lunch this week. <br/><br/>So excited about this new restaurant!

Amazing!. The only reason I have leftovers to eat as I write is because we ate last night to the point of hurting. This place is REALLY good. Service was quick and friendly and, upon tasting the first dish, the BEST Indian food my friend and I had ever had. (She is from DC, eats Indian food at least twice a week and said this was the best Indian food she has ever had.) It is like when you walk into a really good Chinese restaurant vs. the local buffet and the food is just better and the flavors are fresher. The menu is different (and more authentic) than the one posted on urbanspoon. Go to http://www.thebluetaj.com/ to view. Very quiet on a Thursday night - give them your business - MUST keep this place open!

Many vegetarian options. Ask for the vegetarian menu. It did not seem typical Indian to me (and I had a lot of Indian food), but they have some interesting dishes. I need to try it again. But I liked it already better than its sister restaurant Copper.

Bland to Bad. The ambience has a modern flair to it and strives to be authentic by having Indian staff. But that is as Indian as it gets.<br/><br/>Chicken Korma was to say the least, bland. Services was horrendous as it took our server more than 20 minutes to give us our bill. For a moderately priced meal, I don't consider Blue Taj value for my money.<br/><br/>They better improve their food and service before the novelty fades.

Good but is it really Indian food?. I liked it, but didn't think it seemed authentic. Will definitely go back, but for die hard Indian food lovers not sure if it is what you'd expect. <br/><br/>Service is excellent and the bartender was a hoot.

Not quite ready for prime time.... But definitely worth a visit, in a few months, after they've worked out the service problems.<br/><br/>Our first visit was pre-Observer review. The place was empty, the service attentive and worthy of a one star Michelin restaurant in a major city. We had a fabulous meal.<br/><br/>Our second visit was after the Observer printed a positive review. The place was mobbed. There were untrained teens serving alongside the experienced staff. It was mayhem.<br/><br/>My gin and tonic arrived sans lime. There also didn't seem to be any gin in it. It took forever to get our food and my husband had to hunt down a waiter to get our bill. The bill, when it arrived, included another table's order. <br/><br/>The food - well, between four of us, two dishes were terrific, and two were abysmal. We are familiar with Indian cuisine and knew what to order, and what to expect. This was a disappointing.<br/><br/>Give this place a few months for the crowds to subside and for the waitstaff to get some training. In the meantime, go to the sister restaurant, Copper, or the other Ballantyne area Indian restaurant, Cafe Nirvana (pretty good if a little salty; avoid their samosas).

There were a great assortment of vegetarian dishes, and some very interesting sounding desserts and a whole selection of Tawa, and Tandoori dishes, but we just didn’t have room to try anything else that night.