Milan Indian Cuisine : Comments

i went for dinner on sunday night with my wife. service was very discreet : a good sign. the food was okay and it needed more spices for an indian restaurnt. the naan bread is the best beyond charlotesville,
Milan could be a good dining experience if they could stop like a lot of restaurants adjusting the food to the local palate.

The food has definitely deteriorated. The lamb is often grisly and of low quality. The buffet menu is mainly many variations of chicken. The Benghan Bhartha is oily and often is a watery consistency, appears to have been frozen.
They need competition.

Good veggie dishes and good lunch buffet. Overall the best Indian in C'ville, in my opinion. Go to the buffet because you get a good sampling of all of the different dishes and it is always crowded so the food is fresh and turns over frequently.

The service is not very good. The waiters were impatient and incomprehensible! They were also very mean when I asked them for a sprite-- received a tasteless drink, sent it back, and then received a completely flat soda. When I sent it back the second time and said, "it's okay, just forget it, i don't want it anymore," the manager came up to me and scolded me for not wanting the soda claiming the first time it was from the fountain, the second time it was from a can. Why do I keep going back?-- my friends want to. But, after this instance, I will opt out. No more Milan!

Very good food, sometimes it's downright heavenly, but never less than very good. The lunch buffet is good, but I prefer their food a la carte- get to the lunch buffet early for best results.

I've eaten at Milan many times, but I think the quality has really gone downhill in the past couple of years. I've had several chicken dishes where they used very questionable "mystery meat"...probably dark fatty chicken but it was pretty gross. Also their veggie dishes are pretty greasy.

Well seasoned food at a great price.

I have been to Milan since it opened and it is one of the top 2 most consistent Cville Indian eateries.

love the sunday buffet. wish they serve butter chicken curry more often.

My experience has been that Milan and another Indian restaurant are generally quite delicious. Milan has a better location for those of us that live in town but the service can be somewhat inconsistent. For this reason the buffet is a good option. It is not always the most expansive in town but the food is good and you can either pop in and out for a quick bite or linger over the white linen tablecloths after going up for your third helping. Overall, I give it 3.5 stars out of 5.

I had tried other places also for indian food, but the food i had in Milan was beutifully served n the spices wer perfectly balanced i felt..The staff is experienced n pleased..I wil luv to visit this place again.....

Milan's flavours are strong and authentically spiced, servings are generously portioned and, in the dinner and luncheon menus, there’s an abundance of choice with India’s wide-ranging regional specialties extensively represented. There are the traditional coconut-based curries from Madras, the hot-spiced seafood dishes from coastal Goa and Sri Lanka, Bengali-style curries from the time of the British Raj, vegetarian dishes from the Punjab, the sweet heat of Kashmiri chillies in the ever-popular lamb roganjosh.
The Service was execellent...

My party of 6 went here to celebrate my birthday. Having never been to Milan or any other indian restaurant of the town. I read the reviews and picked Milan. I was NOT disappointed. Glad we made our reservation for 5 p.m. when they opened, because the cozy restaurant definitely started to get busy shortly thereafter. The food was DELICIOUS. Almost everything we ate I would recommend. Three of our group had the Seafood Sampler and it was very yummy. Two others had the Milan Sampler with no complaints. Also on the Seafood Sampler we could have passed on the scallop appetizer which tasted too fishy. We ordered the two appetizer samplers and they were both good. This place has outstanding Masala, which is not too heavy. For dessert the rice pudding is not recommended but the Mango Pudding was EXCELLENT.

food is great .........service is quick . staff and owner are very friendly .best indian restaurant in town.

Food is good, staff is awkward. I don't know if the food is authentic, but the staff certainly looks Indian. I've seen "authentic" Indian food on TV, and I don't think Americans really want to eat that kind of stuff.

Milan offers the best Indian food in Charlottesville, but that's not saying much. All Charlottesville Indian food is bland and fairly tasteless. Milan's service is quick and efficient. The prices are fair. The restaurant is always clean and crowded, indicating that people like it. The atmosphere is pleasant. If you are in the mood for Indian and haven't had any outside of Charlottesville, you will probably like Milan. If you are used to the real thing, skip it.

This restaurant has the best of the lunchtime buffets. Look for the coupons in ValPak. The staff are very friendly and accommodating of young children.

great food

We LOVE this place! The food is excellent, better than other indian restaurants in town . We always recommend to people who are looking for good indian food. if you are looking for outstanding service,this is the place for you . The chicken is always juicy, never dry, and the bread basket always have a perfect consistency. . The lunch buffet is always fresh and are never the same from visit to visit. This is one of the most underrated restaurants in town.

The eggplant dish I ordered was tasty and generously portioned--enough for at least another lunch. It ended up being quite a lot of food for a reasonably priced $11.

This was the first time that I've had Indain food, so I don't have much to compare it too, but my husband and I really enjoyed the food and the flavors. We loved it!

I have had it for takeout twice and was happy both times. Went for the lunch buffet this past week and enjoyed the quality and variety of the lunch buffet. The price was unbeatable as well.

i apsolutely love this place.... great food and atmosphere.

Reasonably good Indian - not the best in town.

good food great service.

First real Indian food experience. Everything was delicious. Having now eaten at other Indian restaraunts, my appreciation is even greater. Beautiful blend of spice and flavor. Can't wait to go back!

If you are really looking for good Indian food, never ever visit this place. Chefs in Milan must know that Biryani is not just mixture of rice and chili powder. If you guys cannot make it put it out of your menu. The Biryani we had in Milan is the worst I have ever had. I thought it would be good considering the rocket high prices they charge. Looks like I can't afford to pay my phone bill this month. I know this review sounds a little harsh. But there is one positive thing that came out of this trip. I thought Angel Falls, one of the seven wonders of the world was located in Venezuela. But when I entered the bathroom of Milan, lo and behold I see the waterfall in the urinal. So I guess paying 60 bucks is worth it to see a wonder of the world. But considering I wanted dinner, things didn't work out. If you ever decide to try that green-looking thing right before you leave the place of wonders think twice, "barishop" didn't taste good but I guess that was the only possible conclusion of the evening. So, I am gonna take my burnt palete back home to watch TV.

WONDERFUL Indian food. I have never had a bad experience here.

itz simply jus awesome ma freinz. itz jus like dat if u hav not visited dis place before, u r still watchin the same shit- a black n white television. Life without indian spice is like life without color. Also, People thr r very committed to customer service..

Decent food, kind of expensive. Would only go for the lunch buffet.

The meal was enjoyable but whenever we tried to ask the servers any questions they would not provide very good replies. I dont know if it was the language barrier or not but it would have been nice to be able to get more information on the food. The service was decent as well as the food but I think overpriced.

On the way to Milan, we thought to ourselves: "Well, how bad can it be-I've never had a really Indian meal. Well, learn something new every day. Indian CAN be bad. Very bad. And can make you feel bad. Even with an alka selzer chaser, we're still wondering why this place is so crowded. We should have known better--Milan's in Italy, after all. Beautiful website though. Our theory is that they are failed programmers turned cooks.

I m sure i m no more addicted to maxican cuisine after i tried milan food, n thaz indian. I discovrd a new sense fo taste n impressive service too.

Great lunch buffet.

Consistent quality for a low price, especially the lunch buffet.

Great food, I just wish I had a bigger stomach so I could eat more at their buffet!

The lunch buffet is very tasty. Service is generally prompt which is a nice differentiator from many of the restaurants in town. The food is well flavored and tasty.

We have been to Milan twice in less than a month. Everything we tried so far was exquisite. I believe my husband could eat their chicken tandoori 7 days a week, it is amazing! I cannot wait to go back.

i can eat this paneir teeka masalla 3 times a de, 7 dez a week, 31 dez a month there. people as well r very humble n carin, go n try it.

great place

Fineood. Attntive service. Excellent value. Highly recommended.

Great naan!

I'm not an expert on Indian cuisine nor have I ever been to India, but I know that I really like Milan. It's definitely been one of my favorite restaurants in Charlottesville ever since I discovered it about a year and a half ago, and there are several reasons why. I've only been to the buffet and LOVE it! The food tastes good and there are plenty of vegetarian and meat options. The servers are very attentive, always removing customers' empty plates, re-filling their glasses, and keeping an eye on the buffet so that no dish ever gets too low. The staff is also very friendly and accommodating, especially once you become a regular and they get to know you. Also, the atmosphere, whether crowded or not, is quite pleasant. All the above for only $7-8.

it's hard to say that Milan isn't the best Indian restaurant in town. They're def one of the top 3.

Staff is always amazing and friendly. try some of their authentic imported beer, like the Heywards (or Heywoods?). And, if you realy like it spicy, tell them you want it as hot as they'd eat it. If you can get down with some of their hottest curry, they really treat you well if they get to know you.

I have no words for this restaurant other than AWESOME... Tremendous, Excellent...........
everything is upto the mark...

This is so good now that they got rid of the cook. We are now going out twice a week to eat the wonderful food. The service is great. If you went earlier then you should try it again now that the awful cook is gone.

real gud experience, once u get into the restaurant, u r their guest....taste some of the recipes like chicken thikka masala,palak paneer n mango lasi. itz worth spendin money thre

I think Milan is one of the best restuarants i have visited ever. The Service is at the top, the workers are of friendly nature, the food is EXCEllent, although the buffet is also spectacular. Espeacilly the Roasted itmes.. i fond of them...The tandoori chicken excellent..

Best damn Indian food I can find. The people there are awesome--very friendly, and they will go out of their way for you. I go every week.

Milan WAS the best Indian food in Cville till Ravi left to open his own restaurant. I think the problems they had before have been exacerbated by this. Mostly, everything seems to have the same flavor. If that's the flavor you're looking for, they do it well with high quality ingredients. But at this point, they're just 'No. 2' in town.

I love this place. The food is very tasty, there is a lot of choices, and the people who work there are very nice.

No, this is not authentic Indian food, or at least it's not *good* Indian food. It's underspiced and monotonous, and the buffet is--well, a buffet. Maybe the best in Charlottesville--haven't tried the latest--but that's not really saying very much. Get a good Indian cookbook, invest in imported spices and a dedicated coffee grinder in which to grind them, do some reading about Indian cookery, and you'll produce better food on your second try, if not your first.

Dinner dishes are a bit pricy, but you can't beat the lunch buffet! Our food was terrific, and the service was very good. If you like spicy food, this is a great option for you!

The food was good and the service was great.

as far as the best indian restaurant of charlottesviile and very resonably priced. the food is always fresh and delicious. try their chicken tikka masala, lamb patia and yummy naans. the service is quick and the staff is very friendly.

This place is so over-priced & over-rated. My hubby & I are afficionados in Indian cuisine, to the extent that my husband cooks whole elaborate, gourmet Indian meals at home often. We've tried this place twice & have come away disappointed both times. Shrimp that's not fresh, Naan that's burnt. Just don't go there.

hit up the lunch buffet!

I had been a regular customer and loved the food but the quality and taste of food does not seem to be same any more and lunch buffet are horrible theseday. I doubt i will go there again

This Indian is by far the best in cville and more than worth the trepidation you feel making that right turn into their parking lot that is a tad close to the curb of 29 south....once inside, all fears melt away, the service is top notch and they are very accomodating to all requests. Try the sampler platters, delicious Naan and sauces.

great authentic indian food ,good people & great service. always busy dont forget to make a reservation.

By far the best Indian in C-ville. Truly authentic food -- and they'll actually make it "Indian-spicy," which was a welcome surprise given its location on 29. :)

mmmm eggplant bharta and veg korma

Great lunch buffet with lots of selection for both vegitarians and carnivores. Best Indian food in town.

I had the lunch buffet--it was tasty and a good price for the amount of food and choices. Very good.

I absolutely LOVE Milan and try to eat there at least once a week for the lunch buffet. My favorites on the buffet (when they have them) are the dal tarka, chicken methi, mixed vegetables (especially when it includes okra, which unfortunately isn't very often), and of course the kheer and mango pudding for dessert. The wait staff is always extremely attentive and friendly -- granted, that's probably because I'm there so often, but I remember them being friendly even the first couple of times I was there. Frankly, I'm really perplexed by the negative reviews people have left on this site over the past couple of months, especially for a stretch in late December and early January. I simply haven't noticed the place going downhill at all -- in fact, I would say just the opposite! I've been there twice in the last week alone, and both times have been as good as ever, in my opinion.

what else i can say about this restaurant -THE BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT OF CHARLOTTESVILLE.yes it is . the food is absolutely delicious,very authentic and yummy.i went there with one of my friend and i love this restaurant. service is just great. staff is very friendly. i strongly recommended go there and enjoy your meal

I posted once before about how I loved their food, but that was before a slight mishap. I ordered take-out, and I always tip, even if there is little effort involved compared to serving. So I tipped, which some people don't do, then they forgot to give me the lassi. I got home and realized they charged me for a drink that I didn't receive, and they also overcharged me on top of that. I called them and they assured me that my bank account would show the correct amount in 24 hours (so that would be the bill plus my tip). The incorrect amount still sits on my bank statement, and I'm fully aware that it's not a lot of money. I've worked in customer service and I let most everything slide (I've taken the wrong dish before just because the waitress looked like she was having an awful day). But I guess it was just one thing on top of another and, for me at least, that was enough to call it quits and go somewhere else.

I've always enjoyed the food, but I wish the staff was friendly. However, I have taken a friend and my father there, neither had ever had Indian before and didn't think they would like it, but I turned that around--both now love Indian food.

NOT IMPRESSED with anything lately with there food & service looks like they have changed there cooks & serving raw meat now a days NOT RECOMMENDED

I never felt welcome in Milan and agree with a previous reviewer’s (funny) description of the servers as “non-smiley” Indians. The food is average at most and lacks flavor and delicacy. It does not taste fresh and the meat tends to be dry. I have yet to discover a good Indian restaurant in Charlottesville.

We had the buffett. Great food, friendly, professional service.

This is a very good restuarant. I love the vegetable marsala. It is absolutely the best Indian food in C-Ville.

i gave these folks another try just thinking that the last time when i was there, that might have been one of those days when everything was messy and below standards but now i am sure that this restaurant is heading downwards each day..they need to better come up with some exceptional service and food within no time otherwise they are bound to loose plenty of valued customers like me...bye bye Milan...u are a big disappointment...!!!!

i have been eating at this place for last two years but in recent months the quality of food and service has gone down as never before, meat is not really done well as it use to and the food seems to be lacking the real Indian Taste..i will certainly think twice before refering this place for ppl who are passionate about indian food and ofcourse i am gonno try new places now...!

This is a really good restaurant. The food is excellent, and I've spent time in India. These folks catered my wedding and they did a phenomenal job too. So Milan is not only a great place to eat, think about using them for a catering job.

Great food, quick service, very attentive wait staff.

If you are new to Indian food try one of their specials.

the service was fabulous. a million water refills, quick dirty plate removal, very nice. it was really busy, too; good thing we got there right before the buffet line got long.

The food is good, people are not as friendly. WHy would not they hire some nice Indian girls rather than non-smily indians?

excellent food and service everybody should go out there

Me, my wife, and our 2 year old went there for dinner. I am not familiar with Indian food but I'd say they taste good. however, i think they need to work on their service. our server didn't bother to spend time checking on our need or introduce to us about the dishes. he seems reluctant and wouldn't speak out loud.

Wonderful Indian Food! The lunch buffet is only $7, just don't go on a Friday, it's packed during lunch hour.

Try pearl harbour. My girlfriend loves it..

Had take out from Milan tonight, 7/1/06. Still the best Indian in Cville. It isn't on par with London or New York but they offer many tasty dishes like Korma Sauce with your choice of meat/seafood. Also they are willing to accomodate any change to a dish you would like to request. It's just nice to see a restaurant that is so flexible.

Food and service are wonderful! Before Milan, my appreciation for Indian food was very limited. Now I have a range of dishes to enjoy. The staff have gone far beyond reasonable expectations to be helpful.

This is an average Indian restaurant with average food quality and taste and average service.

I love Milan for their lunch buffet. 7 days a week 'till 2pm. They have different things on the buffet for each day of the week. Grab a take-out menu and it'll tell you what each day has; each week is always the same.

Best indian in town -- by far. You have to know what to order though -- vegetable korma, yes, saag, not as good.

staff is not super super friendly, but if you rib them a bit (and go a lot), they open up after a while...

always great for take out (fast, hot) as well.

Nice Indian restaurant. Same as the other Indian restaurant. Only do the buffet.

The best Indian in Charlottesville. Go to the lunch buffet and feast on saag and naan.

Seems to have dipped in Quality as of late. But there are only a couple of choices for Indian food in this town and this is still clearly the best.

I ate here about a week ago for the first time--and having only eaten Indian food at crummy London Indian dives before--was very impressed by the food. It was quite tasty and served hot. Portions were fairly generous and prices not outrageous. Service was OK--food was served quickly and hot and orders were delivered correctly, but the waiter and entire waitstaff was also quite curt and not all that warm or friendly, which was a tad of a turnoff.

Milan is still good, but has lost some of its quality over the last year or two. Their saag has become watery, and their buffet, which used to feature numerous high quality dishes has become somewhat mundane, and no longer features treats like lamb and bengan bhartha as it used to.

They don't know how to serve. They asked you if everything was okay but turned their eyes away immediately.

This is very good Indian food. I've eaten here twice and the first time it was outstanding, the second time it was ok. The second time we went in right after a Friday evening rush so the food and service weren't up to par. The ambiance is nice, not too fancy but not too casual. Overall, a great place to have a Friday or Sat night dinner.

Delicious Indian food. We can't stay away. The lunch buffet is wonderful, and their vegetarian thali for dinner is wonderful as well and enough for two people. We highly recommend.

Superb. Consistenly superb. Food is excellent. Service is tops.

This is the best Indian food in Charlottesville. No other restaurant compares.

Their tomato sauce was obviously tomato soup. Shameless!

Though close Indian friends say Milan isn't a good representation of true Indian food, I am enamored over its elegantly creamy Chicken Tikka Masala (which is enough to turn even the worst mood into a good day), and tasty tasty Dahl. We can't order as often as we'd like--we're not rich enough to!--but they have a nice staff, and have always been great on the phone when we order take-out.

Milan has great food at reasonable prices. The wait staff are hardworking and very polite. Although there's no substitute for a home cooked indian meal, I would definitely urge my friends to check this place out.

I ate at Milan's lunch buffet, and didn't love the food, but I thought it was because it was not ordered to taste or desired level of spicyness. Then I ate there again for dinner and had chicken tandoori (which was quite good) and vegetable korma which was too sweet and not very tasty. I was very dissapointed.

Hooray for Milan! The people are wonderful, the service is spectaular, the food is DELICIOUS! I love the lunch buffet, the taste, the family - definitely the only place to go for Inidan.

I absoluately love this restaurant. The food is delicious, the staff superb and the setting very comfortable and cozy. The lunch buffet is wonderful with exceptional salads and my favorite saag panir. Four forks!

Having heard good reports of Milan we decided to give it a go. Courteous staff but they forgot starter order...good indian beer....but the food was very disappointing. When I order a Chicken Jalfrezi I don't want to be given a choice of spicing level...a Jalfrezi is a jalfrezi....end of story.....spicing level is not optional.....Milan looks more swanky and probably better fits the bill for a "restaurant night out" but for a better curry I'm going elsewhere.

great food, spectacular service, and dinner prices are very reasonable - cheap compared to all the faux ethnic places in town. there are only two good, truly authentic places in cville - milan is one of them.

My wife and I frequent Milan and I must say that our best dining experience is far and away this fine establishment- so much so that we chose to celebrate our 11th anniversary there. The wait staff is top-notch: courteous and friendly, always striving to enhance your experience. The food is heavenly! I especially enjoy the curried vegetables and Tandoori chicken. I would highly recommend the lunch buffet to anyone tiring of the thousand-or-so Chinese buffets we have in town. In short, Milan is a restaurant not to be missed.

Milan is the best Indian I've had in Charlottesville. It is WAY better than Maharaja, and about the same price too. Anyone who says Maharaja is better needs to actually go to Milan.

I recommend the lunch buffet, all you can eat for just $7 and the same quality you get from the dinner menu.

I enjoy Indian food, but I have found that most Northern Indian restaurants (much more common than Southern) have nearly identical menus, lunch buffets, and dishes. Milan has a fairly typical-looking menu and lunch buffet, but everything they do is a step above ordinary. This is in the upper 5 percent of the dozens of Indian restaurants I have tried.

My party of 6 went here to celebrate my birthday. Having never been to Milan or Maharaja I read the reviews and picked Milan. I was NOT disappointed. Glad we made our reservation for 5 p.m. when they opened, because the cozy restaurant definitely started to get busy shortly thereafter. The food was DELICIOUS. Almost everything we ate I would recommend. Three of our group had the Seafood Sampler and the only caution was that someone ordered the Crabmeat Curry extra spicy which destroyed the flavor. Two others had the Milan Sampler with no complaints. Also on the Seafood Sampler we could have passed on the scallop appetizer which tasted too fishy. We ordered the two appetizer samplers and they were both good. This place has outstanding Masala, which is not too heavy. For dessert the rice pudding is not recommended but the Mango Pudding was EXCELLENT.

Great food and service. Love the Shrimp Tandoori and all the veggie options. We usually eat at the restaurant (which is lovely inside) but got "to go" recently. Surprisingly, they forgot an appetizer which was not discovered until already home. Without even being asked, they offered to bring us the missing item and then refused a tip. That is great customer service! We'll be back soon!

The most welcome addition to Charlottesville eateries by far, this is outstsanding- the service is fast, attentive, and curteous. The menu is chock full of great stuff, and the food is superb, much better than the others in town, far better. I'll never go anywhere else, and they will be catering any events I have the future. These people know how to run a restaurant. It's clean, the food is great, and the atmosphere is just about right. I'd paint the walls a different colour and remove some of the tacky stained glass, but the food is what you really want- go and go often.

One of my favorites! A little trick, try going there for lunch for your first time. They have a buffet so you can try a variety of dishes, they have plenty of servers ready to take your plate or ask if you want another drink, you can make it in and out in an hr, great price (my husband and I ate buffet under $20) plus, you can't beat the great food! I have also gone there fore dinner and always enjoyed it. Excellent vegetarian and meat choices. All around a 10.

I went to Milian with high hopes on Valentine's Day but was put off by the abrupt and pushy service. The samosas were too doughy (not crispy enough), and the lentil soup was nondescript at best. The lamb biryani (at $13.95) was overspiced, overpriced and skimpy on the lamb. My wife had the tandoori salmon, which she liked. We tried a $26 Wolfblass Australian cabernet on the recommendation of the waiter, but it was very poor and not recommended. The wine list was particularly short and uninformed. I'll probably go back and try completely different entrees to see if I've been unfair.

Blows away the competition - never a disappointment - always a pleasure - one of my favorite Indian places anywhere!

So, the food is outstanding! You have to go to India, to know it doesnt come any better. The flavour of each dish is distinguishable from any other dish, unlike some of the items of other Indian or even Chinese restaurants in the area. The service should satisfy the most particular of customers, being a professional example of european style service, while reflecting the inherant respect and dignity of the Indian Culture.

Milan is without a doubt the best Indian cuisine available in Charlottesville. I have been to the Maharaja several times (it used to be the only Indian restaurant here), and Milan has a larger selection, EXCELLENT WAITSTAFF (kind, courteous, attentive), and a casually elegant dining room. Yes, the Maharaja has pretty drapes, but if you are going to eat Indian, it must be MILAN!!!!!

Milan is the best Indian food I have ever had. I am Indian, and I have been to many restaurants--but all but Milan are Americanized. Milan is truly authentic Indian food. Do not bother going to any of the other Indian restuarants in town, they are a waste of money and time.

Much better than the other Indian restaurants in town. I cannot believe after eating in Milan someone will prefer to eat at Maharaja.

I've been to all three Indian restaurants in Charlottesville and I like Milan the best. I'm a big Chicken Tiki Marsala fan and I must say it was much better here than at Taj Mahal or Maharaja.

It is okay, but both my wife and I like the atmosphere and food at the Majaraja better. Having visited at least two dozen Indian restaurants all along the East Coast, we concluded that Milan was just average.

Buffet selection is good and reasonably priced. Prices a la carte are rather high though. Nice variety and ambiance is not bad.