Mahek Indian Cuisine

Fantastic food, a seemingly ambiguous location and disguised as something less than the traditional American buffet, they bring genuine Indian cuisine at a great price. Be ready to have truly unique food that will make you ask for more.

Of all the Indian buffets in Ann Arbor, Mahek wows me the least. It’s not that memorable, nor is it that extensive. It seems like they have fewer dishes out than their competitors, though they do offer a mango juice, I believe, which I appreciate.
A big plus: you don’t feel rushed here, the way you might at Raja Rani.
I think they also do an evening buffet once a week?
This place feels more up-​scale than the other buffets, but less up-​scale than Shalimar.

Was shocked when I passed by the sign that said the lunch buffet was $ 6 (summer 2012). The lunch buffet is a GREAT DEAL and the food is about the same quality as a buffet that would be $ 12 – 15 (usual-​ish for an Indian buffet). Food wasn’t too spicy.
Have never eaten off their regular menu.
Décor is plain, not the most fancy restaurant. But I wish I had found out about the buffet earlier on when I was working there.

Came here with my wife and in-​laws when we were in town over Christmas break. Our first choice was Jerusalem Garden, but it was closed, so we ended up here for the lunch buffet. When we lived here, we used to come sometimes for dinner, but not usually for lunch.
The lunch buffet is pretty typical, rice, naan, a couple vegetarian options, and a couple of chicken options. Unfortunately, the food was at best lukewarm, and the naan was kind of crunchy and dried out. On the positive side, the chai was hot and delicious!

The lunch special here (I think it’s $ 7 every day now) is a pretty good deal. You get a buffet with a good vegetarian selection, rice, naan, etc. The extras are what turns this from a 3-​star deal to a 4-​star. If (and only if) the mango smoothie is available (the strawberry one is not as good) and the rice pudding dessert doesn’t smell weird, the lunch special turns into a must-​eat.

Eh. Glad to have a nice lunch buffet. Could be better, but good value, quick and easy, and pretty darn good!

The first time my husband and I ate here, we loved their food. We’d walked in Christmas evening when all the other restaurants were closed. Mahek was pretty deserted too but a couple other parties walked in after us, which was comforting.
We ordered the minced chicken samosas, onion kulcha (yummy flat bread with diced onion bits baked in), I got the chicken makhani and my husband ordered the lamb biryani. We both loved our dishes so much that we vowed to come back as often as possible.
On subsequent visits, we ordered the exact same thing (we’re creatures of habit!) and it just was not as good as that first time. We’ve given Mahek a few more tries including tonight, a Saturday night (because Shalimar had a 40 minute wait), and the food was passable but not the best. I don’t know why that is, maybe a change in management or a new cook perhaps? Interestingly, we used to shun Shalimar because we thought it would be an overpriced fussy affair. However, the one time I went there for my husband’s birthday, I found the chicken makhani to be extraordinarily good, my husband loved his biryani, and the prices did not seem significantly higher than Mahek’s.
We definitely prefer the homey feel of Mahek and appreciate the variety and price of the lunch buffet. But considering that we don’t eat out everyday, I think we’ll probably stick with making a reservation at Shalmar or come early on a weekend night. Still, the food isn’t horrible at Mahek when we urgently need/​want Indian food and there’s nothing else available. And, apart from when they have their lunch buffet crowds, it’s the place to go if you prefer less-​crowded spaces.

First time and I think I like it. I got lunch on the buffet, to go. I am glad I did. Some curries were so good that I would have over eaten if I had chosen to sit there and eat. ;-) Zuchini curry and Chicken curry was good. Both will go well with naan and rice. Pakoras were delicious especially with tamarind sauce. For some reason, egg plant curry’s taste was not so good. However, I think this might be my favourite place for indian lunch buffet in Ann Arbor. I would visit this place again. This place is inexpensive and yet has a decent menu on the lunch buffet.

Value is the draw for this one. For some time Mahek has been offering its lunch buffet for only $ 6. Earlier this year this was only availalbe on Tuesdays, but it has been expanded to every weekday for most of the summer.
When you first walk in, there isn’t much to look at; you won’t be impressed by the décor. The tables and seating are very simple with a split dining area – one area by the register and one in the neighboring room with the food. The decorations are very kitsch. Service is sometimes very friendly, other times preoccupied. They are somewhat busy during the lunch hours.
As for the food, I am generally pleased with it. First of all, you can drink chai with everything. Some chicken and fried veggie dishes are always there whilst others are rotated. I have my favorites, and I enjoy trying new dishes when they become available. Four or five of their six or seven entrees are usually tasty enough to prompt going up for a second (or fourth) scoop. And the desserts! I love the spiced rice pudding and the Gulab Jamun, or as I affectionately call them, the sweet sugar-​balls. The trip is always worthwhile when they’re available.

THE GARLIC NAAN. Ohhh myyyy!!!

Wait staff are always friendly and I’ve never had to wait long to get a table. The menu does not overwhelm you with choices but there’s something for everyone. We used a Unilocal $ 20 gift certificate here so we got a great deal and overall the food was pretty yummy. I wasn’t too impressed with the meat sampler platter but man are the samosas good, especially with the purple sauce! I got the Aloo Parantha (good with the green sauce) and the lentil soup, which was just ok. Not bad, but the Sheesh Mediterranean restaurant used to have spectacular lentil soup, so my standards have been raised.
Overall if you are looking for a moderately priced Indian restaurant with good food, nice staff and no wait, stop in and give it a try! (And get the samosas!)

I’ve been to this place for both lunch buffet and sit-​down dinner and I have to say the food both times was good.
At dinner the food was made according to our spice level, we asked for hot and we got just that– hot spicy Indian food (is there really any other way to eat it?). The dishes my friend and I got– we got a lamb dish and a chicken dish were delicious. The naan was fresh and the dessert was good.
I do like coming at lunch for the never-​ending mango drink (either lassi or juice) and the food always seems to be fairly fresh in the buffet. Also, the plus of there being chai at lunch always makes a good end to my meal.

Came here today for the lunch buffet as part of Restaurant Week. Figured six bucks a person was a decent price for lunch.
Overall, it was pretty good. The flavors weren’t particularly strong, but everything was still really good. The tandoori chicken was moist and flavorful, and I was a bit weary to try it because I always think tandoori chicken is really dry at Indian buffets, but it was great.
There was also a fried potato dish the name of which escapes me, but it was my favorite. Oh, and the mango custard with grapes? To die for, and dangerously addicting.
The rice and naan were also wonderful; I didn’t find the naan dry or stale at all. I’m only giving four stars because there was a whole lot of buffet staples missing, like samosas, sag paneer, (the palak paneer was good, though), and aloo gobi. But everything that was there was pretty amazing.
I’ll be coming back sometime for sure.

Colleagues and I visited Mahek this lunchtime for their buffet. It was the first visit for all of us. The food was GREAT. I think the table favorite, or at least my favorite dish, was the Butter Chicken. The chicken in the dish was real white meat chicken with no fat, grissle, etc. The rice was a bit plain but that was OK as it didn’t interfere with the other tastes. The eggplant feta dish was really good too. As other reviewers have mentioned the buffet food was not terribly spicy and if ordering a meal I would ask for more spice/​heat but it was A-​OK. I will be taking my hubby to test the food as Mahek may be our new Indian place. Oh, the service was really great.

Mahek is hands down my favorite Indian restaurant in Ann Arbor. It’s the restaurant that convinced me that I did, in fact, like Indian cuisine. My husband always orders the lamb shahi korma and it is a wonderful combination of creamy tomato and savory lamb. Order it hot and the spice is just right for one meal. I try a different vegetarian dish each time I go — the paneer masala and the malai kofta are two of my favorites. Get a mango lassi if the spiciness is too much.
And then there’s the naan. Oh, the naan! Regular or garlic, they’re the best I’ve had. We always get an extra order to go to eat with our leftovers.
We prefer going for an actual dinner service as opposed to the buffet; the naan is a bit fresher, and you can always get exactly what you want. It’s our go-​to restaurant anytime we have a little celebration, or just want a tasty dinner out.

This place has a marvelous lunch buffet, highly recommended. Not the best/​most attentive service but hey, it’s a buffet, what do you expect?
Go when you are hungry and Load Up. Yum.

I can’t believe that this place is only getting 3 stars… boggles the mind.
Mahek is probably my favorite place to go to for lunch downtown. Lunch buffet = amazing (and it’s only $ 8.95!). This includes about 6 hot dishes, nan, 2 pans of fried veggies, a cold bar (full of fruits, sauces, etc), and two dessert items. Oh, and you also get unlimited chai or a fruit smoothie included with that.
Most of the dishes are gluten free (including the fried veggies — because they make them with chickpea flour and not wheat flour) which is pretty awesome for moi. I miss eating fried foods in restaurants…
All of the hot dishes I’ve tried have been AMAZING. The butter chicken is especially delicious.
One small complaint is that the chai used to be some of the best in town — until a few months ago. They changed the recipe and now I can’t stand to drink it. I don’t know if it’s a new drink now or what, but I miss the old recipe!
I’ve only ever been here for the afternoon buffet so I can’t speak for the dinner experience, but I would go here in a heartbeat for lunch!

After a long drive this place was worth it!
I had the butter shrimp curry (curry base of butter chicken) and this was divine!, Its not on the menu but can be made by request.
I’m planning another visit here before my work in Michigan is complete.
Good service, nice starters (King prawn tandoor) and main meals.
Reason for only 4 stars, i originally wanted Shrimp Madras hot but the chef did not know how to make that dish. i guess at least he was honest tho.
All in all this place is a must, you will not be disappointed.

Mahek is my favorite place for Indian food in Ann Arbor. At first I was a bit hesitant to visit as the façade seemed rather dingy — but surprise, the food is wonderful, even if the space is a bit down-​at-​heel/​lacking in ambiance.
The buffet is a great deal: $ 8! They may offer a few fewer options than some other buffets in town, but the food quality beats all others hands-​down. Everything is delicious, and fresh. I’ve never gotten the feeling that the place is serving «2nds» or sub-​standard meat or vegetables for the buffet (as I’ve gotten the feeling at other places…)
In addition, the dishes all taste markedly different, no flavors overdone or rehashed to stretch the end product.
— Palak or Matar Paneer is delish
— Tikkas are finely flavored
— Great fried items — they seem to have their oil at the correct temperature and the batter correctly seasoned.
— I am rather addicted to their cardamom rice pudding, so I save room to have a few spoonfuls whenever I visit. Mmmm.
The staff are very nice, prompt and attentive without being annoying.

This place is great for lunch, and it’s inexpensive. The buffet selection isn’t huge, but the food is great. They also have gulab jamuns for dessert, which I really like.
I also visited for dinner, and all of the entrees were delicious.
The service is helpful and attentive. I’ve been twice, and am looking for opportunities to go again.