18/9/2018

• 1 check-in

I really enjoyed my take-out experience at Shalimar Curry House. I have been more than once to Sahara, next door, and thought I'd try this place for once instead. My son and I popped in to pick up an early dinner, around 4 pm. There was just one person there, an older woman who was an apparent owner. She seemed shy at first, but as my son looked dreadfully bored while I read the on-the-wall menu, she engaged with him, and it made us both feel very welcome. We talked about the city of Columbia, the college students coming back to town, traveling, food. When ordering, she took into account my son and his potential for pickiness. She asked about heat and vegetables, and I really appreciated it. She cooked the food on the spot and we took it home where we enjoyed it while we watched Avengers: Infinity War (also 5/5 stars). I think I'll remember this day fondly for years to come. Thank you, sweet woman!

9/1/2019

Found long human hair in food...And got charged more than the price on the Manu(on the wall). Chai cup showing $1, but actually charging $2.25. They said they changed the price (without telling the customer) when asked about the overcharge. Don't have to give tips I guess because I got charged before getting the food.

1/11/2017

Very homey-feeling place, I liked the decor and staff made it easy for me to pick something. I got the mango lassi which was super yummy and a curry plate. Maybe I had a different curry in my mind because what came out was different than expected but it was still good! Lots of food though, ended up taking half of it home.

13/11/2017

Generally good food and nice people, but...
-dining room is incredibly small. Definitely more of a takeout place. Also, it's reallyyyy hot in there.
-portions are small, especially considering price. I always leave mildly unsatisfied
-menu and ordering can be confusing. They don't always have all the menu items available.
-food takes a while

I teetered between 3 and 4 stars because in spite of its flaws, it's nice to have Indian within walking distance of campus.

Tldr; it's worth a try at least once. Order to go.

22/10/2016

• 1 check-in

Because it's one of the few options at USC for a quick lunch that isn't a chain, I decided to pop in and try their lunch special (the curry chicken over biryani and veggie samosa).  

The food came in a nice portion and wasn't bad at all for $5.50.  The service was also friendly and quick.  Shalimar is worth a try if you're down on cash and don't want to eat at Subway, Moe's, or Mcdonalds.

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  Veggie samosa

  Veggie samosa
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  Curry chicken over biryani

  Curry chicken over biryani

19/5/2018

The food is good but the advertisement for hours of operation is wrong. Came at 5 on a Saturday and the place was closed.

5/6/2017

This restaurant is excellent and my favorite spot for Indian food in Columbia. It is the only spot near USC for consistent, delicious, and authentic Indian cuisine that is affordable. I would absolutely recommend this restaurant to locals as well as visitors. Friendly, knowledge staff offer excellent recommendations to take you and your taste buds on a cultural journey! I would personally recommend the Chicken Mahkni and Chicken Korma, but you also cannot go wrong with the Tikka Masala or any of the lamb dishes!

30/5/2016

• 1 check-in

Rational:
-customer service: long wait with no service
-rice was not fresh: you can hear the microwave from the lobby.

The food was horrible, it lacked flavor and seasoning. There also appeared to be hair in my food (the cook denied it however, the hair appeared to have come from his beard.)

17/5/2017

Good halal Indian food. The portion and price are good. They make the food fresh, so it takes some time. If you know what you want, then you can call ahead to place your order. It is a small place with seating for about 15 people. They do take out too.

29/4/2014

Omar took great care of me. I had the awesome spicy rice, chicken and lamb. The rice has a most wonderful after-taste that is like a happy memory. I could make a meal out of just the rice. The Tandoori Chicken and Lamb were both excellent.
I loved it!

9/4/2017

When they opened,  they were awesome. Great samosas and mango lassie.  No more though.   Now that they have "seating", the food and service is gone to the worse. I will not be back ever.

29/5/2014

• 1 check-in

This is the "Chipotle of Indian food" except that Chipotle tastes much better.

I was really excited about this place based on the other reviewers comments but the service and food I received did not match up with what I had read. I said I had never been there before and so the guy told me how it worked. You get a bowl or a plate. The plate has two meats and two sauces while the bowl has one. I picked a bowl. He asked where I normally go for Indian food and I told him. Then he started to explain all the food items which considering I just told him two other restaurants I go to for Indian food I don't think that was really necessary. I told him I don't like spicy food and asked him for the least spicy options. He also suggested I mix two different kinds if rice and mix two sauces. I said ok on the rice and no on the sauce.  I got a samosa. The bowl does not come with naan which was disappointing.  My food was so spicy I couldn't even finish it. He asked for feedback as we were leaving and I told him i thought it was too spicy and that I didn't even finish my meal he made some kind of noise and shook his head. I felt like he was being very dismissive. The cauliflower was the only thing that had any flavor and not just heat. The quality of the food, service and the development of flavors was far below what I have experienced at other Indian restaurants. Parking is also difficult.

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• See all photos from Rachel O. for Shalimar Curry House

7/7/2016

I went this week with my mother as she was dying for some Indian food. The service was amazing. We were constantly checked on and offered samples - the mint chutney is amazing by the way. The food was great and the price point is absolutely reasonable. I'll definitely go back.

22/8/2015 Updated review

Update: I think this restaurant changed ownership, as the man and woman running the restaurant on a recent visit were not familiar. My last visit was truly disappointing. The food was not fresh or flavorful. I know for a fact that the woman helping me took my plate of food to the back and microwaved it. Had she told me that would be happening, I would have said, "No thank you," and walked away. Having to microwave your food means you probably weren't keeping it at proper temperatures, and that's concerning. Unfortunately, I won't be visiting again.

The search for phenomenal Indian food downtown continues.

20/6/2014

This place is an innovative idea, but the food is just ok. I ordered a bowl with both rices (one on each side to try) at the suggestion of the guy behind the counter, who was really friendly and helpful. I paid the extra $1 for lamb, and got both korma and makhni  (again one on each side) "curries". They're really just thin sauces - the korma is spicier than I'm used to rather than creamy and rather sweet, but the makhni is perfectly spiced and delicious. I also ordered a samosa and raita, and while the samosa was pretty well-spiced, the raita was not good to me and definitely nothing to write home about. I should note, however, that the channa masala was delicious.

Overall, I'll come to this place when I have a craving for Indian flavors during lunch because it's cheap and it's fast, but if you're coming for authentic Indian food, look elsewhere.

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  Plain basmati & biryani with lamb in makhni curry on one side and korma on the other. + channa masala, samosa & raita ~$8.50

  Plain basmati & biryani with lamb in makhni curry on one side and korma on the other. + channa masala, samosa & raita ~$8.50

14/1/2015

Great food, and friendly staff. I'm not quite sure what authentic Indian food is like, but either way I think that most people would like this place. None of the food is particularly unusual and I'd have any of it. The set meals get you a decent amount of food and you'll be looking at paying $7-$11 dollars per meal drink included and they even had a special today where all I paid was $7 with my drink, don't think you'll come in here getting that deal though.

I'd come again.

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  My food half eaten lolololol

  My food half eaten lolololol

16/7/2016

I moved to Sumter, SC a month ago after living in Wisconsin for 4 years. I was craving some Indian food and the closest was in Columbia. I decided to make the 40 min drive and try Shalimar. The restaurant was completely empty on a saturday afternoon, which should have been a red flag, but I decided to give it a shot. I asked for a "Plate" with daal, saag and some mango milkshake. I didnt want to eat there so I decided to make it a "to-go" order..

When I can back home and looked in the box I was in for rude surprise !! The rice was stale, the dal and saag were mediocre at best and the worst of all, there was no naan in the box !!

I ended up throwing out most of the food and had a stomach ache a few minutes later.
I have one last thing to say to the owners. If you want to cheat and deceive people and give them old,  stale food, you wont be in business very long. This is probably my worst Indian restaurant experience in the US. Just spent $12.50 for garbage when I could have probably gone to a chipotle and had a fulfilling meal. Very very unhappy.

8/5/2016

Indian food isn't the first thing that comes to mind when visiting the Deep South, but this was good. The menu board makes it easy - choose one from column A, etc., and the woman taking my order helped me customize it more. I ended up with spinach paneer and beef something over rice with a little naan. It was quite tasty and surprisingly filling. With a drink it was $11.

30/3/2016

If you're looking for quick, cheap, good Indian food - this is your place. I love that it's easy to order. The menu is set up Chipotle style, step by step. The food was authentic and good. Not a lot of space to dine in.

14/5/2014

You can't beat Shalimar for the quantity and quality of food you get for the price. It's Indian food served up fast and it's become my go-to lunch spot when on campus. Shalimar has a variety of options laid out behind a counter that you select to build your order, much like Moe's (next door) or Chipotle. It's a winning combination for lunch especially because you can get a whole lot of great Indian food for under $10.

My only ding is that their food is not spicy and there are no options for upping the spiciness. However, no star taken off because Shalimar serves food that is full of great flavors, just not spiciness. Also, seating is limited in the restaurant but the food is perfect to take out and eat on the street.