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Bar - Taj Indian Cuisine, South Portland, ME
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Taj Indian Cuisine

$30 and under
Indian
333 Clarks Pond Pkwy Ste 6, South Portland, ME 04106-2409

Make a booking

A photo of Taj Indian Cuisine restaurant

Taj Indian Cuisine

4.9
$30 and under
Indian
South Portland

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 67 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Lively
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
At Taj, the Guntaka family brings a rich blend of tradition, passion, and authentic Indian cuisine to South Portland. Sourcing spices directly from India the chefs craft every dish from scratch. They've built a reputation for unforgettable flavors. Hemalatha, the heart of the kitchen, prepares each meal with care, while Sai and Sudarsana ensure every guest feels like family. Whether you're enjoying a meal in their warm, inviting dining room or sipping on a handcrafted cocktail at their bar, Taj promises a dining experience that's both flavorful and heartwarming.

2025 James Beard Foundation Semifinalist for Outstanding Hospitality

We have Bar seating available, however it is first come first serve. On Weekends we might run little behind on the reservations

We do not have strict timing limitations, We try our best to honor every guests’ reservation times, so please be courteous to other guests’ reservations that may follow. Our host team will do their best to accommodate any delays

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2026

From the OpenTable editors: Chef Hemalatha Reddy has been the heart of this South Portland kitchen since her son Sai Guntaka opened Taj in 2012, cooking with spices sourced directly from India. Her butter chicken and the bachi dum biryani, fragrant basmati layered over chicken marinated for 18 hours, show the depth of that commitment. The cocktail list also incorporates popular Indian ingredients in drinks like the Cardamom Espresso Martini. A 2024 expansion tripled the space, adding a full bar without losing the family-run warmth that earned Taj a James Beard semifinalist nod for Outstanding Hospitality.

Executive chef: Hemalatha Guntaka

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Indian, Cocktail Bar, Contemporary Indian
  • Hours of Operation
    Sat, Sun 11:00–23:00 Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00–14:30 Dinner Mon–Thu 16:30–22:00 Fri 16:30–23:00
  • Phone number
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress Code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    We offer Catering for all events. Please email catering@tajofmaine.com
  • Delivery & takeout

Experiences

  • Heated igloos

    2 - 20 people

    22 Oct 2026 - 30 Jun 2027
    Step into a cozy, heated igloo and enjoy your favorite dishes in a private winter hideaway. Each igloo offers a warm, intimate setting perfect for date nights, family dinners, or small group gatherings Recommend bringing a sweater!
    Heated igloos photo
  • Lunch Buffet- 7 Days a week

    2 - 20 people

    Multiple dates available
    Named the Best Buffet in the State, Taj is a place where food is made the way it should be with patience, tradition, and a whole lot of heart. Every dish begins with time-honored recipes and ingredients sourced directly from India, cooked fresh each day with care you can taste. For many guests, the all-you-can-eat lunch buffet is the perfect introduction to Taj. It features a generous selection of our most loved dishes, brought straight from the kitchen and constantly refreshed. From rich butter chicken and comforting chicken korma to saag paneer and veggie aloo, every bite is warm, balanced, and deeply satisfying. Your table is also served fresh naan, soft and fragrant, meant to be shared and savored. Guests often describe the experience as unforgettable, comforting, and something they can’t wait to come back to and that’s exactly how we hope it feels. Last seating for our lunch buffet is at 2pm, with buffet closing at 2:15
    Lunch Buffet- 7 Days a week photo

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Videos

Shared by creators who recently dined at this restaurant.

  • Profile image

    juliannadeschenes

    If you haven’t been to @taj_maine yet this is your sign 😍🔥Our forever fav Indian food in Portland, Maine! What we ordered: 🍹 Coconut Mojito 🍋 Lemon Drop Martini 🥔 Bhaji with Puri (fried fluffy bread) 🌯 Chicken Kathi Roll 🍛 Chicken Tikka Masala 🥥 Coconut Naan 🧄 Garlic Naan #portlandmaine #portlandmainefood #indianfood #visitmaine

  • Profile image

    juliannadeschenes

    Your new go-to date night spot in Portland, Maine!🍸✨ Welcome to @silverstreetbytaj by @taj_maine 🥰 delicious Indian street food paired with craft cocktails by the talented mixologist @highonnightmarefuel 🥘 Here’s what we ordered 🇮🇳 🍸Garden Cuttings cocktails - Ketel One, St. Germain Elderflower, Fresh Lemon, Simple, Cucumber, Basil 🥔 Pani Puri - Popular Indian street food of crispy, hollow, fried dough balls stuffed with potatoes and onions with mint & cilantro water 🥘Butter Chicken - Chicken (dark meat) sauteed in butter and blend of spices oasting a divine butter taste 🍆Eggplant Curry - Eggplant cooked in tomato and onion gravy with coriander and cumin flavor 🍮Crème Brüiée - Silky vanilla custard topped with a caramelized sugar crust 🍡Rotating Kulfi - Traditional Indian frozen dessert popsicle made in-house with creamy reduced milk #indianfood #indianstreetfood #portlandmaine #portlandmainefood #visitportland #portlandme #visitmaine

Videos are powered by Seekeasy. How this content is generated

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Taj Indian Cuisine.

4.9

4.9
(165)
  • 4.9Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.8Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • Portland / Maine

    Best Overall

  • Portland / Maine

    Best Food

  • Portland / Maine

    Best Value

  • Portland / Maine

    Kid-friendly

  • Portland / Maine

    Good for groups

  • Portland / Maine

    Healthy

  • Portland / Maine

    Hot spot

  • Portland / Maine

    Most Booked

  • Greater Portland

    Best Overall

  • Greater Portland

    Best Food

  • Greater Portland

    Best Value

  • Greater Portland

    Kid-friendly

  • Greater Portland

    Good for groups

  • Greater Portland

    Healthy

  • Greater Portland

    Hot spot

  • Greater Portland

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Taj Indian Cuisine offers an "extensive buffet" with "exceptional owners" and "delicious food and fabulous service." Patrons adore the "incredible food" and "welcoming staff" in a "beautiful and elegant" setting. Despite noise levels, the "authentic and perfectly spiced" dishes keep diners returning. Reservations are highly recommended.
165 Reviews
  1. Payton

    Greater Boston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Incredible girls dinner. Food always exceeds expectations for a tiny restaurant in Maine. Appetizers and drinks came to our table almost scary fast… Only downside is how loud it is in there. But the food is 100% worth it

    Is this helpful?

  2. Scott

    Greater Boston5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Consistently a top restaurant. Incredible attention to detail and fantastic food!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Jon

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Awesome food with awesome service! The restaurant was busy but the food came out quickly and the service level was outstanding!!!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Emily

    Portland / Maine1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Taj is so great. There is plenty of staff, all of whom seem really invested in making your meal an incredible experience. The buffet food is fresh and plentiful. The menu dishes are generously portioned. My favorite eat-in restaurant in years.

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  5. Cathy Gold

    Maine19 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 16 October 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The extensive buffet has options for almost anyone who enjoys Indian cuisine. The quality of the food is excellent, and the atmosphere is pleasant. 

    Is this helpful?

  6. James Gold

    Maine32 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 15 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Best Indian restaurant in the greater Portland area with exceptional owners.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Sheilah

    Greater Boston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 11 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a wonderful experience. Delicious food and fabulous service.

    Is this helpful?

  8. David Gold

    Greater Boston250 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 11 October 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Love the food, but the wait for service and our meals was too long. They seem to have efficient processes to take orders directly to the computers at the table, but the kitchen is slow in producing the entrees.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Beatrice Gold

    Greater Boston15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 10 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely delicious! The chutney and naan was heavenly.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Nicholas

    London4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 10 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Outstanding food and service. Always a great dining experience.

    Is this helpful?

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Indian, Cocktail Bar, Contemporary Indian
  • Hours of Operation
    Sat, Sun 11:00–23:00 Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00–14:30 Dinner Mon–Thu 16:30–22:00 Fri 16:30–23:00
  • Phone number
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress Code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    We offer Catering for all events. Please email catering@tajofmaine.com
  • Delivery & takeout

FAQs

Yes, Taj offers outdoor seating, and guests frequently praise the patio and igloo seating as a more pleasant, quieter spot to dine.

Taj is run by the Guntaka family, Sai is cited by guests as the owner while Hemalatha is named as the heart of the kitchen helping run the restaurant.

Yes, vegetarian dishes are plentiful on the menu, and guests note many clearly labelled gluten‑free options on the lunch buffet.

If you want the Bachi Dum Biryani, visit Friday (it's also listed for Saturday); for a lively dinner expect busy, packed Sunday evenings when reservations are highly recommended.

Yes, Taj runs a popular noontime lunch buffet that guests repeatedly praise for its wide selection and value.

Yes, Taj is family-friendly: the menu includes a Kids Meal, reviewers describe birthday celebrations and family visits, and the new location includes a baby-changing station reviewers appreciated.

Taj Indian Cuisine feels warm and inviting, dim lighting, lanterns on tables, a welcoming bar, and fragrant touches like jasmine, with an elegant yet cozy dining room and outdoor igloo seating.

Casual dress is the guide, comfortable, neat attire is appropriate and nothing formal is expected.

Portions are generous, guests consistently praise the large, plentiful lunch buffet and note plated entrees offer satisfying quantities and good value.

Butter Chicken is a recurring favorite at Taj, it appears on the menu and multiple guests praise the dish for its rich, comforting flavors.

Private dining isn’t part of Taj Indian Cuisine’s offering, the restaurant focuses on its warm, inviting open dining room and bar seating (bar is first come, first served).

Yes, Taj’s dim, cozy dining room, thoughtful cocktail program, and numerous anniversary and Valentine’s Day visits make it a popular choice for a special evening.

Yes, Taj has a full bar and creative cocktails; reviewers praise drinks like the fig old fashioned, “Last Word, ” and espresso martini alongside the bar program.

Taj is at its calmest at lunchtime, aim for the weekday lunch window (Mon–Fri, 11:00–2:30) for a more relaxed visit; evenings (especially weekend nights) are the livelier, busier period, so plan ahead if you’d like that energy.

How FAQ content is generated

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Portland / Maine
  4. Greater Portland
  5. South Portland

Make a booking

A photo of Taj Indian Cuisine restaurant

Taj Indian Cuisine

4.9
$30 and under
Indian
South Portland

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 67 times today
Experiences are available.
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