We purchased take out last night! Â This was my 3rd visit here. Â We ordered Vegetable Korma, Aloo Ghobi, Lamb Vindaloo, and Garlic Naan. Â We were provided with 2 trays of basmati rice and an entire order (which was comped) of samosas and pakora. Â This food is fantastic. Â The heat on the vindaloo was perfect! Â I am definitely coming back to this place. Â The head waiter/maitre 'd/owner is so charming and lovely to speak with. Â I can't wait to go back!
Review Source:If you're in the mood for Indian and you're in this area, I'd suggest going. The portions are large (family style) and the prices are great. The only drawback is that I noticed the saag paneer had a layer of oil on the bottom and the chicken tikka wasn't tender. The appetizer that I ordered for the table was the sampler, which was fried paneer, fried onions, fried fish, fried chicken, and fried samosas. It looked like the oil that was used may have been old and the items were bland.
I recommend ordering a few meat and vegetable dishes to share with the table. They hooked us up with some free bread and the almond and pistachio ice cream complimentary.
Nice people, clearly a family run spot. Their food is heavy and honestly, greasy. Indian food does not have to be this way. My husband who is Indian felt the same way. Also, they mixed up our order and we had to go back to get the correct meal. I would say it's pricey for the quality.
Review Source:This is a family run restaurant and it feels like one. People are very friendly and decore while a bit dated is authentic (we actually talked with the owners, they brought most of it from India).
The food was good and plentiful. I always find it hard to find good ethnic restaurants in NJ having lived in NYC most of my life but this one is on my keep list
I have never has such a white meal in an ethnic restaurant. Â More potato than anything else - not what was expected.
We ordered appetizers, vegetable pakora and meat samosas, and Mulligatawny soup for a light meal between the two of us. Â The soup was good and a healthy portion for the price. Â The vegetable pakora was the whitest grouping of food I have seen - potatoes (lots), cauliflower (5 small pieces), and two cheese sticks. Â Nothing green in the mix. Â The samosa order was wrong - vegetable was delivered. Â Potato with three, we counted. peas in the one we broke open. Â
It took more than 10 minutes for someone to emerge from the back even though we tried to find someone to help. Â Once the mistaken order was recognized, replacement samosa were delivered quickly. Â The outside was blistering hot the inside was cold.
We will try the other Indian restaurant down the street next time and not waste our tine again here.
Decor needs some attention and cleaning. Â Lights were interesting but looked like they were ready to fall down. Â Does not look like anything has been dusted in a decade. Wait staff was hard to engage due to language issue. Â They has wine, but nothing else for alcohol.
The place looks very simple on the outside. The first time I passed by, I wondered if it was even actually open for business. When you open the door, there is often no one there but a waiter who comes out from the back.
They have dining tables, and it is very nice, dim, cozy and comfy looking inside, but I do not believe I have ever seen anyone actually dining there. Most of their customers during the weeknights seem to--like I do, order their food for pick up/take-out.
Bottomline, the food tastes great. I typically get either the Lamb Vindaloo or the Lamb Rogan Josh. Each entre comes with a side of rice, and if you become a regular ( or I guess if the owner likes you) he usually throws in some complimentary nan bread. The portion sizes are very satisfying. I would say two average people could get by with even sharing an entree.
I would give it five stars; however, I do not think their chicken entrees are on the same level as their lamb ones. The chicken entrees only seem to consist of dark meat pieces, and for some reason, whenever I order chicken, the consistency of the curry seems to be more watered down. Another pet peeve is that they don't have beef on their menu. I LOVE a good beef vindaloo. Â A final pet peeve is while their prices are still reasonable, Â the price on the reciept--at least for me--never seems to correspond with the prices reflected on the menu.
My boyfriend and I went to Star of India after he wanted to try some Indian food in his area and I researched this place on Yelp. Â Overall I had a great experience here, but here are the pros and cons:
Pros: Â Staff and host are super friendly. Â They comped us two vegetable simosas. Â They give hearty portions (even my boyfriend could not finish his food). Â The food is great and full of flavor. Â
Cons: Â The place could use some serious updating. Â I get that they are going for the authentic Indian look, with the heavy tapestries and lighting, but the drop ceiling with water stains are not a good look. Â I only deducted one star for this because everything else about this place was great.
My husband and I come here on dates once a month, it's our favorite! We've sampled many Indian restaurants and this one ranks #1! Â The portions are generous and the food tastes delicious! Â The onion chutney is simply addictive! Â We've been there enough times that the staff already knows our order. Â They owner and staff are welcoming and warm. The atmosphere is charming. Â We always go home with leftovers... In fact I think I hear them calling from the fridge!
Review Source:DO NOT BE FOOLED! This place looks sketchy on the outside, but the food is awesome, affordable, and the interior is actually really nice! The average dish here runs you 10.95 but you buy naan separately, anywhere from 1.95 to 2.95.
My boyfriend and I were going to come here for a date night but upon seeing the exterior, we opted for something a little more fancy. We came back a few days later to get take out, and we were blown away! The interior design is all deep reds, golds, lit up by twinkling lights and hanging Indian lamps; the tables are draped in linens and fully set with silverwear, cups, cloth napkins, and Indian style gold appetizer plates. The servers and owners are obviously Indian and very accommodating. I felt silly not coming here on our date night!
So we came in for our take out order (which only took 20 minutes to prepare, but it was pretty empty at 9:30pm on a Thursday), which was the Combination for Two at a price of $38 total. I thought to myself, "Man, I hope this is worth it..." And trust me, it was!
First of all, this combination for "two" could have fed 5 people. We looked at all the food coming out of the bag (chicken tandoori, lamb curry, kebabs, two things of soup, two things of rice, naan, that crispy sesame cracker stuff, dips, a coleslaw relish thing, vegetable curry!) and our jaws dropped. How the hell are we going to eat all this?! For the record, we didn't, and 75% is still in our fridge waiting for the next few mealtimes we'll need to devour the whole thing.
The actual food itself was phenomenal. Real curry, real naan, real kebabs--everything tasted real. That may not make sense, but if you've ever had bad Indian or if you've tried to make it yourself with curry powder and tomato sauce (cough cough me) you know the difference between real and not real. This food was adequately spicy but not enough to make you want to stop eating. The vegetable curry (my favorite) was mild and almost sweet because of the corn and peas--very hearty. The soup tasted like sesame and was also very filling, while the kebabs were BBQd to perfection and so tender. The coleslaw relish was a perfect, palate-calming touch--I'm not sure what its actual purpose was, but I really appreciated it when the curry got to be a little too much (I'm a wimp when it comes to spice...)
All in all, Star of India has been open a long time and we can see why. This place is awesome and we will be coming again after we finish all the food we have now.
We hadn't been to Star of India in over a decade, as Kenilworth had fallen off of our list of dining destinations. Â Arriving tonight at this narrow-but-deep dining room, the fire engine red walls and carpets were instantly familiar.
Star of India offers a menu which is deep in Northern Indian and Punjabi dishes. Â Portions are large, and while presentation is more curry house than epicurean, their appearance and aroma resonate as being authentic; per my experiences.
We began our meal with the tandoori assortment appetizer; a bountiful platter of cubed chicken breast, lamb korma (sausage) and a few shrimp prepared in a flavorful dry rub and baked tandoori style. Â The absence of characteristic tandoori smokiness and char were noted, but the flavors were pleasing. Â The chicken was overcooked and a bit dry. Â Our shared entrees were saag paneer (pureed spinach with homemade cheese cubes) and chicken tika masala. Â As brought to the table, the spices were redolent, but true heat required the use of the pickles and sauces brought for that purpose. Â This is the way that I believe the food should be served. Â Both dishes were very good, although I would bet that a checking of the pan used to cook the saag paneer will reveal a bit of burnt residue, as the taste was apparent. Â Flaccid and uninspired naan accompanied the entries, as did basmati rice. Â The rice was of a noticeably commercial grade; a slight let-down.
Servers did a very good job of refilling water glasses whenever they were half empty. Â Yet, for such a high service standard, not once were we asked whether our meals were okay. Â Fortunately, they were more than okay!
Our dinner left two healthy adult appetites quite full, and was (before tax) about $37-- a great price value. Â Kenilworth, we're back!
I'm spoiled by Indian food. Â My mom's been a yoga teacher since I was 14 and she's always cooked a lot of Indian food - we grew up on a lot of aloo gobi, bhindi masala, and other stuff. Â I mean, she's serious about her Indian food to the point that aloo gobi is like mac & cheese or chicken tenders to me - it's comfort food, everyday food. Â When I was dating my now-wife, it took forever for us to go out for Indian because I always thought it couldn't live up to my mom's cooking. Â
We used to live in Highland Park and I worked in Iselin, which granted ready access to Rasoi, Bombay Talk, Chandni Chowk, and other gems of Oak Tree Road Indian food. Â "Look at that guy," I'd point out to my wife. Â "I know him from work, he's one of our application developers. Â I think that's Vaswati, she's our SAP Basis analyst." Â We'd go where the Indian folks went for the best and most authentic.
Now we live in Union, which is a wonderful multicultural food town, but it doesn't have easy access to Oak Tree Road like my last job did. Â When the craving hit us, we found Star of India. Â My wife ordered, I picked up. Â
The restaurant itself is dark and sexy, lots of red velour in a good way. Â You could totally do a casual date night here. Â The menu is very standard Indian - a little bit of all the veg and non-veg options. Â However, I had to ding a few points for slow takeout service - I was there at 6:15 and I waited around for about 5-6 minutes. Â My wife had called in the order at 5:30. Â Um... kay.
So I get home and boy, they gave us a lot. Â We ordered bhindi masala, a lamb curry special, and an appetizer platter - two veg samosas, a bunch of pakoras, and a bunch of onion bhaji. Â Even accounting for take-out travel, it was just okay at best. Â Chandni Chowk does it better and fresher for fried stuff. Â It wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything to write home about. Â The samosas weren't flavorful enough and the potato stuffing was way too dense. Â Not enough masala. Â Not enough flavor. Â
The bhindi masala was among the best I've ever had. Â It wasn't too saucy, but it had a semi-dry consistency to it. Â The okra was perfectly cooked and not at all slimy, the onions, peppers, and tomatoes were still crispy but just tender enough, and it was spiced well - just enough kick but plenty of flavor. Â I am definitely loving the bhindi masala.
The lamb curry... well, okay, it wasn't as bad as Curry & Curry - see my review for it if you really care - but it wasn't GREAT either. Â It was in a creamy curry sauce. Â
Listen, I wanted to like it, and it gets points for being closer to us than going for Oak Tree Road Indian food, but it's not anywhere near replacing Rasoi for the singular best-prepared Indian food in Jersey by a long shot. Â It's simply the closest to us right now, and since I do a lot of Indian cooking myself - like mother, like son - I don't see Star of India becoming the singular go-to Our Place kind of restaurant at any time. Â The prices were reasonable; it was about $40 after tax and tip for a serious amount of food. Â We ate dinner and had enough for lunch and part of another dinner.
PROTIP: if you head back on Boulevard past the Parkway, towards Union, the liquor store has amazing beer selection both cold and warm. Â The restaurant is BYO. Â Get something to have with the meal; I'm sure a good wine pairing would help turn meh Indian into decent Indian.
this was a great find. its small, dark, no bar, not family/child friendly, in an area where your car won't get broken into, and you don't have to worry about getting murdered if you chose to walk to the restaurant  in a word "Perfect". i checked the other reviews for ideas of what to order, as i have never had indian food before, they were right on. try the Indian Tea for an after dinner treat it was sweet & spicy and great.
Review Source:I am really surprised by some of the negative reviews about this place, especially the check problems.
Anyway I have been going to this place for at least 18 years now and maybe once or twice the meal was off but overall it's been consistently delicious. The food is fairly priced the portions are large and the service is always very gracious. The owner always remembers us and they always send us out "free" extras.
I really LOVE the baingan bharta , the breads are great, the chicken pishwari is also delish. Â I can't believe it took me so long to write a review, but I just thought of it as I was finishing up my leftover baingan bharta. I am not Indian like a previous reviewer, but calling it syrupy sweet glop could not be further from the truth; to me it is a flavorful eggplant curry and so good with the Naan.
I would definitely agree that this is a hidden gem.
Tonight 6 old friends met back at this gem of a restaurant which used to be one of our regulars years ago when we all lived in this area. Â The setting looked like it has been well cared for and the owner was gracious and made certain that we had plenty to eat. Â The big round table in the front was a great setting for our group. Â We ordered chicken tikka and tandoori chicken and sag paneer for the women and the men ordered 2 orders of from the tandoor and 1 order of the house special. Â We feasted on the crispy bread that is put down when you are seated along with 6 types of sauces to put on the delicious fried dough. Â We were starting to get full when we were served a complimentary platter of appetizers that were fried and were a perfect combination with the wonderful sauces, which were constantly refilled. Â When they served our dinner we were almost full but managed to do justice to the large portions that were served. Â In addition, they gave us a complimentary extra chicken dish which had a red sauce with it. Â We visited and ate for a long time leisurely and were not rushed at all and felt very comfortable. It was as if we were in one of our homes having a dinner party. Â There were many leftovers and our reunion was great with good friends, and good food and a perfect setting!
Looking forward to getting everyone together at Star of India when our friends are traveling thru this area again!!
*3.75 Stars*
Indian Food is new to me. Tried it for the first time last year and enjoyed it. My gf had recommended this place since she enjoyed it the last time she went. Walking in you overwhelmed with the sweet smell of curry. The owner/host/waiter greeted us when we walked in. He is very friendly, answered our many questions and wasn't too overwhelming. Looking over the menu (which was a lot of items) I decided on the Reshmi Kabab (chicken) and my gf had the chicken tikka masala. They came with one side of rice which was ok taste wise. Prior to this, I suggest not getting apps. The great part is he brings out a plate of apps with 4 different dipping sauces on the side. They are completely complimentary! By the time you eat them, you are semi full. The main course was very good. Chicken was little on the dry side. The side sauce for it does make up for the dryness. My gf really liked hers (I tasted it and liked hers better than mine!). Since I am not an expert on Indian Food, I would recommend going out of your way to at least try this place for the great/friendly service, good food and inexpensive prices. It's a BYO and there is a liquor store right down the st. Enjoy!
Love Star of India. The first thing you will notice is all of the delicious aromas when you walk in the door. Then the ambiance. It is quite intimate. What an adorable place! The food is delicious and the service is excellent. This isn't a big place, but they do have a small space in the back that seats about 15 for small parties. Call in advance first. I only wish they delivered...
Review Source:Last night ordered to go and they added an appetizer platter that we DID NOT order, and a piece of flaccid, cold & rubbery poori bread, which was both inedible and unasked for and then charged us for it...
But since it was closed but the time we got home, we couldn't call to complain.
Just be mindful to check your food and bill if you order take out.
This place is the diamond of Kenilworth, NJ!
I found this place one day years ago by searching for Indian food in my GPS. I had tried other places in Union County w/ no luck. When I got there it was a small place with a neon sign. Although it seemed a little sketchy to me, I figured what the hay! Boy did I make the right decision!
When you enter the first thing that you notice is that it's really dark. I've been here during the day as well, and that's just the way it is. The interior is filled with Indian figurines, drawings, and beautiful wall art. The owner or his wife is always there to greet you at the door and guide you to your seat.
The menu is vast and covers everything from goat dishes, tandoori, curry and vegetarian dishes. They have a wide selection of naan breads to choose from and delicious appetizers.
The servers are very attentive and EVERYTHING comes out fresh to order. No heat lamps here! Plates are often big enough for sharing.
The only downside is that they do not offer beer or wines on their menu, but the owner has assured me that customers are always able to bring their own alcoholic beverages and there is no "corkage" fee.
Overall this place is amazing and I have been going there for at least 3 years...so much that the owner no knows me by name....
**Forgot to mention: The owner always throws in little extra every time we eat here!**
Easily the best Indian food in Union County.
I am Indian, so a lot of Indian restaurants fail to impress me, but Star of India really goes out of its way to disappoint. If you know anything about Indian food, stay far away. If you don't like getting charged incorrectly on your credit card, stay far, far away.
Went with my wife, we ordered two dishes, an appetizer and some nan. Everything was forgettable at best, but the baingan bharta was basically inedible, a sugary, messy glop.
We spoke to the manager and told him to simply take it back. He insisted that it was good, and when we told him how sweet and off tasting it was, he basically admitted the base as Ketchup. He finally took it away, and told us he would take half of the dish price off. There was a whole production with him showing me the bill and that he did in fact remove 50% of the uneaten dish.
I guess one of his staff over heard us when we were commenting on how any normal restaurant would just remove the whole price if you were that unhappy with a dish. Â He came back over and told us he would remove the whole dish from the bill.
We were fine either way, or even just paying for the dish we sent back, but the fact that he offered this and was clearly upset to do so was irritating.
We wrote off the experience, since the area really doesn't seem like it would have a good Indian place, so why even post to Yelp. Then we got the credit card bill in the mail. He charged $10.00 over what we actually signed for on the receipt.
Given the quality of the food, I guess he needs to rip off customers.
I don't really want to review this place. I'm worried that if enough people find out about it, it will get too popular and too crowded. I like it exactly how it is now.
Owner is amazing. Nicest person ever. Calls everyone his friend :)
The food... I've tried many different Indian restaurants and the food here is absolutely top notch. Every time. Amazing flavors and just enough spice to feel it without hiding any of the flavors underneath. I've probably tried just about everything on this menu (even the vegetarian food, which I'm generally not a fan of) and am never disappointed. Get the tea afterwards (it's actually more of a chai) to finish everything off.
Just thinking about this place makes me want to go back. I think I'll go tonight.
I'm a big fan of Indian food (particularly chicken tikka massala). I've tried Indian restaurants all over the place. I've lived in Philly, Toronto and San Francisco...and eaten Indian in all of said cities. My boyfriend and I (recent transplants to the suburbs) randomly decided to try this place tonight and HOLY CRAP.
This is hands down the best Indian food I've EVER had. Â My Chicken Tikka Massala was bangin' and the man agreed on the "best Indian food ever" comment. Not to mention the atmosphere is super adorable!
We'll be back again and again.
Full disclosure: I had to be dragged here by my girlfriend.
I don't usually try stuff so foreign too my Italian cuisine upbringing, but I have to admit I enjoyed the food. Â Granted, I didn't try anything to crazy, so I can't comment on the restaurant's culinary chops.
If you're scared about going (which I bet would be half the people reading the reviews since everybody within 20 miles knows about Star of India...I've had people say "Oh you're from Kenilworth, by that Indian place?") take a shot. Â You'll need somebody to help you navigate the names and what to expect but at the very worst you can fill up on the naan!!
Where's the Jersey Love and Support? Lately all my reviews have been of places in NYC, and not enough of the Garden State. I'm sorry for neglecting you, NJ ... but sometimes you can be such a brat that I can't stand you.
So this restaurant has been in business for more than 30 years. Same owner and definitely the same decor and furniture. Cheesy colorful Christmas lights, in a dimly lit dark red room with blood red vinyl booths. How romantic .... if you can't sense sarcasm in that last phrase, then please do so. I tried my utmost self to not laugh. I felt like I entered one of Chevy Chase's lame family movie. I was so hoping that the food would not be as bad as the decor.
I've only gone to a handful of Indian Restaurants in my life and have loved it each and every time. But since I'm such an active person, the next day after eating Indian food my sweat is slightly smellier than normal. I bet you guys didn't really care to know that. It's only in Indian restaurants that I have this bad habit of ordering the same cuisine (which is lamb vindaloo). So my good friend "encouraged" although I felt more like forced me to try new things. So SHE ordered the "Special Combination for 2" which has a variety of everything. Â
Combination for 2? Me thinks not, more like combo for 4. Honestly I am extremely thankful for my friend convincing me to try the combo. I had dishes that I would never in my right mind would have tried.
Everything was great from the bread, rice, tandoori, and lamb curry dishes, but there was one dish in particular I could not get enough of, Vegetable Korma. Just reading it from the menu it would not be a dish I order on my own. C'mon now I like meat. But I highly recommend all meat lovers and veggie lovers to try it. The meal is a mixed vegetables marinated in yogurt and cooked in a cream and spice sauce. It's an absolute must try.
PS BYOB & soon to be added on my list of regular restaurants to go to. However, I do hope to make it to Little India, on Oak Tree Road in Edison/Iselin at some point.
Great Indian food. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a good first time Indian food experience. Â I usually get the lamb dishes like lamb vindaloo and lamb pasanda but they have great vegetarian dishes and a really good Goan seafood dish. Â Try the Peshawar Naan, it's Indian bread with coconut in it. Â For dessert, Gulab Jamun is the way to go. Â They look like alien eggs...it's fried cheese balls covered in a really sweet delicious cardamum syrup. Â The staff is very friendly too, which is always a plus.
Review Source:You wouldn't think this place as a  charming hidden gem from the way it looks on the outside, but prepared to be wooed when you step inside.
The place is dim so some customers may need to bring flash light to view the menu (I've actually seen people read the menu with flashlights).
The food is consistently good.  The owner is always very friendly and greets us with a smile.  We usually get the chicken tikka masala and the sag paneer in spinach sauce.  And, I cannot forget the sizzle from their  tandoori chicken.  It's one of the best dishes they serve!
Great affordable food. The place feels authentic for me. Excellent service,too. The place is cozy and has some romantic feel in it if you want to talk to somebody in a quiet and interesting place. The staff will help you decide on what to order if this is your first time eating Indian food.
Review Source:I guess I shouldnt be surprised that this place hasnt been reviewed yet, since its not so noticeable and every time I have been there, it has been pretty empty besides the large amount of people who take food to go.
I must say, that this is your loss. This place is not amazing however its pretty good.
The best thing about it must be the service. Not like many other Indian places where I have been to, where I had to wait for them to fill out the water often (and I drink it fast because of the spicy food), they are just great with this. They come to the table often and really make sure that you are served well, possibly because every time I was there I was one of the only people there.
The food is good and affordable, great samosa and paneer makhani.
In general I really recommend this restaurant, especially if you live in the area and not sure if its worth trying, because I think it definitely is.
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