Ayur-Shri

We find reasons to go to Dartmouth on a Saturday afternoon just to lunch here and sometimes we don’t even bother with the ruse — it’s just that darn good. We get the buffet 80% of the time and are usually very content. I noticed that there used to be more variety, meaning every time we went, there was at least one thing different. That hasn’t been the case for the past six months or so (and why take away the saag paneer? That was a favorite!). Very static choices, but still delicious. The price went up recently, which is not a big deal, but it would be nice if they mixed things up a little since they’re charging more.
The regular menu is pretty varied and I haven’t had anything bad from it. Some other reviewers have mentioned it’s expensive, but I don’t find that to be the case if you order smart. Husband and I will get an appetizer, a specialty naan, a regular naan, and an entrée to share and it comes out to less than $ 30…and we usually have leftovers to take home. Of course, we can go all out and spend a ton more, but that just means we’ll take more home, too.
The décor is a bit dated, but it’s always well lit and clean, which is really what matters to me. Another reviewer mentioned that one of the owners often wanders around and talks to diners. This wouldn’t be an issue if it was the usual check-​in from a manager to make sure everything is good, but it is an issue because the gentleman (who, I will admit, is always polite and nice) is chatty to the point of intrusive. I don’t want to have to carry on a conversation about a topic with which I’m not familiar — it’s just not what I’m there for. That might be a really American attitude, but, well, I’m American.
All that being said, this place is great and the only place we’ll go to for lunch in Dartmouth. The food is the main attraction and it is, indeed, quite attractive.

The food here is great! Everything I’ve had is perfectly cooked; the flavors are complex, balanced and delicious. A must for anyone who loves Indian food. The service here is also on point. The servers keep in mind the food is spicy and always keep the water flowing.
My only complaint would be about the owner. He creeps his way to everyone’s table and talks for waaaaay to long, mostly about himself. It’s awkward and weird, and yes the food is spicy enough and I don’t need your special hot sauce. I really hope he reads this review and stops that nonsense.

I live in the area, and I used to drop by for the lunch buffet. My dining experience was spoiled more than once by a person who I’ve seen around the premises and claims to be an owner. This person comes over to diners, starts talking to them and turns what should be a peaceful and uninterrupted dining experience into a monologue about himself and his accomplishments.
Our family was once stuck there for almost one hour while this person talked to us, no matter how many times we indicated we wanted to get back to our private conversations he didn’t stop, just hovered around our table and talked. He kept asking the children in our party intrusive questions about their grades and their behavior. We had to pretty much stand up with our food unfinished, pay and leave. I didn’t visit Ayur-​shri for almost a year, and went back recently, and this gentleman appeared again and started talking to the family next to my table. Of course they couldn’t get away fast enough, and I ended up wolfing down my food and leaving because I was the only person left in the restaurant and I was afraid it would be my turn next! Not going back again for sure. If I pay for lunch I need to be able to eat it in peace.

Love this place! So cozy and inviting and the food is always delicious. I’m a huge fan of the daily buffet and every single thing I’ve tried (which is a lot) has been on point. I have celiac disease and have to eat gluten-​free and so much of the menu and so far all of the buffet (at least the times I’ve visited) have been safe. And I’ve felt 100% fine afterwards, which is a testament to the fact that they know exactly what they’re talking about. Absolutely delicious and the lunch buffet is an absolutely must!

I’ve been here twice in a week now. The food is delicious and the service is excellent. I was hesitant to try it at first as Indian cuisine can be unhealthy you know the oil, oil, and more oil for frying. I was delighted to see they had healthy options. It’s a nice atmosphere and my favorite dish is the chicken tikki masala. The service is a team effort so the servers rotate so help is always nearby. My only grievance is the prices are a bit high, but worth it. I can’t wait to go back and a different dish.

Really tasty food, if a bit mild. Chunks of chicken, delicious naan. The buffet is the only way to go– don’t attempt dinner because the prices are completely out of line with the area and the portions. $ 15 for Butter Chicken that comes in a soup cup that’s 60% sauce, 40% (admittedly tasty) chicken. For $ 15 anywhere else, I’d have a meal and then the makings of a next-​day lunch.

I love this restaurant. It was recommended to us by friends who enjoy the lunch buffet. I have only been here for dinner. My five star rating is because the food is so good. The building is a little dated and it does not have super ambiance but I don’t care because everything I have tried here is freaking awesome. I have only ever seen one man. He greets you, seats you, and waits on you. This was my first experience with Indian food so I have nothing to compare it too. The manager is patient and answered all our questions and we had a lot. We always come home with leftovers and they never last long because we steal each others. Even my teenage daughter who typically only orders buffalo chicken at restaurants loves the dishes here. The plates run $ 15 for dinner. Wish it was a little cheaper but I will pay it because the portions are big and the food is awesome!

We get take out here once a week and eat in the restaurant occasionally too. The manager is great, very friendly and welcoming. I’m a vegan and I have no trouble finding something. The menu specifies dairy and gluten-​free which is a plus. My wife gets the fish kabobs, usually salmon or white fish. I like the Nepalese vegetable curry and pakoras. The food is healthy, flavorful and they aren’t afraid to make it extra spicy if you like it that way.
The restaurant itself is quaint and the kitchen can become a little overloaded on busy nights so relax and have a glass of wine or a Taj Mahal while you have your apps. Give Ayur-​Shri a try, I highly recommend them.
Edit: I saw Margarets review about them being closed until further notice. We called that night to place an order and got the same message but I drove by last night and they are open.

This place has declined considerably in the last year. Chicken vindaloo is always good by the biryani is so inconsistent it’s almost funny.

I was so excited to find this place. The food is delicious. I went regularly for 3 – 4 weeks. Now it has suddenly closed :(
When you call, the voicemail message says, «Closed until further notice». What happened?

We stopped in for a short notice lunch. For 10.50 we enjoyed a basic typical Indian food buffet. The food was tasty and warm. Everything was full of flavor. The owners were most pleasant. The building is rather blah, needing a spruce up but you can tell they try. The bathroom smelled like urine but appeared clean. We’d go back as it’s the only game in town and the food was good and the price was right.

Great
Indian
food
Ayur-​Shri is a great Indian restaurant in an unusual building. Very rustic looking, I couldn’t quite figure out what it was in it’s former life but it certainly works as well in it’s present incarnation.
Lots of room inside and cool pictures and decorations on the walls. When we went in Indian music was softly playing in the background. Enough to be heard and to be enjoyable but not loud enough to make conversation difficult.
We were there for the lunch boofay and were very pleasantly surprised. Most boofays are adequate but certainly not memorable, but the food here was superb. I don’t know enough about Indian food to understand the subtleties and why it was so good but just about every item in the boofay was among the best I’ve ever had.
The service was efficient and pleasant and the entire building interesting. A great boofay that is worth going out of the way for. I have no idea if the food was «authentic» and it really doesn’t matter. A remarkable and very tasty experience.

Rice dry and old. Had Buffet which was seriously lacking in variety. Bathroom smelled strongly of urine

Very good every time we go. The Vindaloo and Saag are excellent as is the Naan. The Peshwari Naan was a nice complement to the spicy curry.

Always a regular visit. Great hosting, always attentive to the table. Freshly prepared cuisine every evening but a great choice for the noon time buffet. Each time we go, we bring another friend who is skeptical of eating Indian food, but when we leave, they always want to come back.
Great place to eat.

I love this place. The food is exciting and exotic and they have the best mango lassies. My favorite is the hot pickle mix — I have no idea what’s in it but I can’t stop thinking about it! Service is polite and efficient. I’m grateful to finally have Indian food closer to home. Before they opened, I had to travel to Providence, Cape Cod or Boston to get my «fix,» One of these days I’ll try the lunch buffet… My only complaint is the dark parking lot.

Hidden jewel right off Rt. 6. Best if you try their buffet first. A great way to sample all their best. Also entire buffet is gluten free (just lay off the naan bread).

This place is okay. The décor is dated and kind of cheesy. The person who waited on me seemed to be the owner. He was personable but not really friendly. The food seemed to take a long time.
I started with the paneer Kati roll. Yum! It’s huge and delicious. I wish I had just ordered that. I could only eat half of it.
The mistake I made was getting the mango curry. Gross. I LOVE Indian food and there’s rarely something I don’t enjoy. This was just bland and kind of nasty.
I will go back for the Kati roll… It would be perfect for lunch. I’d like to try another curry– I hope it’s better than the mango!

First off, I love Indian food — I’ve had homemade Indian food a lot this year and regularly go to fantastic Indian food restaurants in Boston and Lexington. I was even better off with fast food Indian in Cambridge. This place made me sad. Even though we did take-​out, I have high expectations because of my take out experience from Mela in South End in Boston and from Royal Indian Bistro in Lexington — both phenomenal for dine in and take-​out.
I am not vegetarian, but decided that for solidarity’s sake for the evening, I’d go vegetarian for my boyfriend. I called the restaurant and asked the man who picked up what his 3 best or most popular vegetarian dishes were. It was as if I asked him to direct me to New Delhi on foot. He took a long pause — I thought he hung up on me, and then he proceeded to list what they had from the vegetarian menu. I had already looked at the menu — I wanted to know what this restaurant cooked best! Or at least he could have recommended me what he liked. After rattling off what they had for a few minutes, he finally recommended a dish — navartna korma, so I ordered it. I asked him about random dishes and he answered each one with «Yea that’s good.» So helpful.
Here’s the verdict:
Mattar Paneer — not so bad. I’d want the flavors to come through a little more, though. I appreciate a skillfully spiced dish. This was not it.
Navartna Korma — tasted very greasy — the consistency was thick and left me feeling… uncomfortable.
Vegetable Vindaloo — tasted like ingredients for soup… a tomato based garden vegetable soup.
I’m surprised at the high ratings — perhaps other dishes are good, but the pricing is just too high for sub-​par Indian food. I’ll save my money and wait till I’m back home in Boston this summer to get my Indian food fix.

I stupidly have driven by this place because I wasn’t quite sure how to get into the parking lot and I was getting tailgated by someone on Route 6. No more! We found the nice parking lot around back and had a truly amazing Sunday night dinner here.
Delicious well-​spiced food, an attentive and friendly server, and literally the best and freshest naan and lassis I have ever had (they make their own yogurt and bread on the premises). We were seated next to a couple who had never been out for Indian food before and the host graciously explained what dishes might be best for them after talking to them about their food preferences and dislikes. We had two types of naan and a variety of lamb and rice and chicken dishes all of which were flavorful and cooked to the spiciness that we ordered it.
The inside of Ayur-​Shri is well decorated and quiet even though it’s right on the road. We had a comfortable booth and had the place nearly to ourselves for an early dinner on Sunday. Prices were reasonable. Service was fast. Pleasant music was playing. A great way to wind up a holiday weekend.