Sitar Indian Cuisine

Sunday buffet is so good especially if you haven’t had a ton of Indian food before and want to try everything. You’ll definitely find a fee items you like. I like them all. It’s hard to go wrong with Indian food in my opinion. Also the buffet is like ten bucks so that’s great

The lunch buffet is great. Best Indian food I’ve had. The pita bread is just yum. I know, very descriptive right? Lol. You’ll have to go hear to see what I mean! Don’t judge the outside appearance of this restaurant!

Located in the derelicts of a bowling ally, driving up to this place gives you a great sense of the restaurant’s slumdog roots. The blood-​red roof, yellow walls, and peeling paint help to accentuate that Indian authenticity that Hollywood just loves to portray. Walking through the door, the first thing you notice are the beautiful statues and idols placed elegantly around the room. The walls are painted a deep curry-​yellow; fitting considering the cuisine. We were greeted by a kind gentleman and taken to a table draped with a deep wine-​red tablecloth and two medium-​sized paper place mats.
Because we went for lunch, we made our way over to the buffet counter fixated in the back corner of the room. While not the most elegant of setups, it did what it was supposed to do. The foods were gorgeous! SO MANY COLORS! From savory greens to fire-​reds to lemon yellows and back around to crispy browns — this small buffet line was a jungle of tastes that only my mouth could wack its way through.
Now on to the most important part; the food! It was phenomenal! Let me be honest when I say I am ignorant to Indian food. I don’t know anything about the tikkas or the masalas, but I do know what tastes good and what doesn’t — I have never tasted such a beautiful medley of spices in my life. It wasn’t until the end of the meal that I realized half the things I ate were vegetarian dishes due to the absolutely magical abilities the Indians have with working with spices.
THE GULAB JAMUN IS INCREDIBLE.
For the end of meal, they have a large decanter near the end of the buffet filled with Chai tea to partake in to help round out the meal.
Overall, the meal was delicious. Considering Sitar pretty much has a monopoly on Indian food in Tuscaloosa, it’s the best you can get in town. For $ 11 at lunch, you cannot beat the amount of food you get, comfort you’ll feel, or atmosphere you’ll experience.

This place doesn’t look like much from the outside but it was surprisingly good. The atmosphere was peaceful and the buffet was a timesaver. Food was excellent. Lots of options plus chai.

I’ve eaten lunch a few times at Sitar, but I’ve never eaten dinner there, so this review will be solely about the lunch buffet.
First, the food is great and the selection of different options is also very good. I love the nan bread and the vegetable korma, the chicken tiki marsala is also delicious!
The only part that takes a star away for this review is cleanliness. The restaurant uses tablecloths, and every time I’ve come, they have been noticeably dirty.
The wait staff is attentive and the price for the buffet (~10 dollars) is totally reasonable.
All in all, it’s a great spot for lunch. It’s also one of the only Indian restaurants in town, so they’ve kind of got you there.
Last but not least: hot chai tea comes included in the lunch buffet. And that’s what really matters, right?

Sitar really doesn’t look like much from the outside. It’s an odd location, off of 15^th by a bowling alley, and the building looks a bit run down. But then you step inside, and the ambiance is quite nice — classy, clean, nice décor, complete w/​Indian music. A pleasant place for a nice night out. The food is very good; not mind-​blowing, but not bad either, and certainly fine for anyone seeking Indian food in T-​town (given the fact that there isn’t any other Indian food here). We ordered a medium level of spice and found it a bit bland, so you might want to account for that. All in all, a good dining experience.

The portions may seem small but Indian food in all of its glorious spices and sauces make this seemingly small bowl too big for one stomach. The complimentary rice is massive and is enough to probably feed a small family.
For $ 14, the Gosht Kadai was my lunch and dinner. You get an option to make it mild, medium, or hot spicy. For someone who can’t handle spicy foods, mild was barely noticeable. There was a mixture of lamb, meat, and bell pepper chunks that had all sorts of cinnamon flavors to it. It was delicious!
Now I must figure out what to do with all of this leftover rice…

It is my understanding that Sitar is the only Indian cuisine available in Tuscaloosa. So — with that in mind — I’m not really reviewing Sitar vs. other Indian restaurants, but rather just as a restaurant. This review doesn’t speak to the authenticity of the food at all.
I like Sitar a lot! It’s a fantastic lunch for a low price (About $ 11 for buffet and drink). The food is consistent, warm, and varied enough to make you want to try multiple things. It’s probably my #1 choice for a relaxed, chatty lunch because it’s just so laid back. The waitstaff is very pleasant. The aloo gobi type dishes are awesome, chicken tikka masala is really creamy and not spicy but pretty good for a few pieces on the plate with other stuff. They do very well with their veggie dishes. Saag paneer is good, too. What they really do a nice job on, in my opinion, is all the side things like the rice, naan, and that green mint/​cilantro chutney. A coworker of mine who’s not a fan of spicy food always finds plenty to eat.
All in all, it has always been an excellent value for me, and has been so every time I’ve gone there for the last three years. Long live Sitar!

Wow! We were denied looking for a place to eat after 8 on Sunday. We had always wanted to find some Indian food in T-​town. I come only infrequently but my daughter is here for school. She could never find brave friends to try new things. But Dad is always up for it.
What a find. Could be the best food in town. It is as good as any Indian food I have eaten. Loved the Chicken Afghni, delicious. Got the shrimp vindaloo as hot as they make it. It was fabulous. Can’t believe it isn’t busy all the time.
We will be back for sure.

Being Indian, I get a lot of questions on ‘Do you like Sitar? Do they serve authentic Indian food?’. Well, India is so diversified, the food, language and culture changes from sate/​city to other. Sitar serves mainly the traditional or well known North Indian food. Sitar has decent food options on their lunch buffet and you need to order for dinner. I really like the options they have on their lunch buffet, probably the best options of all Indian restaurants in 100 mile radius.

Don’t let the outside fool you! This place is so good. I’ve gotten take out and eaten in the restaurant and both are fantastic options. The lunch buffet is reasonably priced and has a lot of different options. The only thing I wish they did was list everything that was in the dish rather than just the name. I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone wanting Indian food.

This is my favorite place to eat in Tuscaloosa and I’ve been living in this college town for 9 years! The food is amazing. I love the vegetable korma, paneer tikka masala, and the tamarind and mint dipping sauces for the bread. The lunch buffet is a great way to try new things because if you go for dinner, you may not know what you’re ordering if you aren’t familiar with Indian food. I love the chai tea and gulab jamin for dessert, yum! Some other reviewers complained about the service, but I have no complaints. Maybe it’s because I eat there once or twice a month and they recognize me, but they are always friendly. I love the atmosphere because you can have a good conversation and enjoy all of the Indian décor. Everybody I recommend this place to has loved it!

Went here on a Sunday night at 8:30 and was turned away. Thier website and door says closing time is at 9:30, needless to say we were not happy that they wouldn’t serve us. They stated that if we wanted to eat our only option was to order to go. We went ahead and took our business elsewhere, next door to be exact where they we more then happy to serve us. Since customer service is not sitars strong point, I will not be visiting this establishment again!

In town for the first time from Miss., we looked for a place to have a nice dinner in Tuscaloosa. Based on the reviews here, we ate at Sitar. Everything you see here is true. It is a solid choice for a great place to have dinner. You will not be disappointed. They even have wine by the glass. I tried the chai tea and galab jamun based on these reviews and loved it. The service was fine and friendly. Would eat here again when Olé Miss comes to town next October.

My favorite Indian buffet I’ve ever been to. The sign is broken, the service is not the warmest but the food is awesome. First off, all you can drink Chai (score!) which I haven’t seen anywhere else. Second, a great spread of diverse indian food. Some great curries, tasty mangos, good rice and bread and the veggie paneer is dangerously delicious with just the right amount of spice. Come here for a big lunch and enjoy.

Lunch buffet! So good and such a good deal. There’s always lots of vegetarian options (and of course meat) and they do a pretty good job keeping it hot and replenished.
Obviously, if you don’t like spicy or creamy foods, or if you are sensitive to Indian, than you shouldn’t eat here! (Like the reviewer who complained about his upset stomach.)
My two minor complaints: no music in the restaurant, and no baby changing station.

Really enjoyed the food, the last great Indian Restaurant I ate in was in Goppingen Germany, this was far better and it was a Buffet.
The staff was friendly and refilled my drink every time it was half full, did not try every thing so I am going back tomorrow.
This is going to be my new twice a week maybe three times, really, really good.

Some of the best Indian food anywhere, but inexplicably located in Tuscaloosa. Great buffet; not very spicy, but what can you do? It’s for the masses.
Oh! The combination of galab jamun and chai tea is about as close to hedonism as is allowed by Alabama state law.
And, if they still offer it, try the Chicken Manchurian. It’s the reason I wake up in LA screaming.

Ok, fine. I take back my one star review. Which, I think was justified, since the buffet was completely horrible… but it got deleted. I guess some people got their panties in a wad.
Anyways, because my review got flagged I decided ok maybe I will give it another try.
So after class I grabbed a couple of buffets to go. One was meat and the other veg. I got a little of everything.
The palak paneer was still too creamy. It happens at every single buffet. Palak paneer is supposed to be blended spinach with a dash of cream. Not a bowl of cream with chunks of spinach. But whatever. The chicken tandoori was really nice this time. It has definitely improved. The pakodas were much better, so good on that.
The paneer tikka masala was better than I expected. It actually tasted somewhat of what it was supposed to taste like, just without the spice.
The chicken tikka masala tasted like tomato sauce and cream. I didn’t taste much spice at all.
The chicken curry was just bland.
I am not going to bother saying anything else. This place is passable, but barely.
As a buffet, this place beats Kabab and Taj, but it still is not up to par with the Sitar in Bham. With six Indian restaurants within Bham/​Ttown, this place is number 4.
If it says anything, I live with two Indians, and the food had still gone untouched by them two days later. And these people eat everything. I am the only one who ate it, and that’s because I was rumbly in my tumbly.
So there.

The map pointer for Sitar is incorrect – the location is actually where the pointer for Maharajah is (which was the previous name for the restaurant).
Sitar was a college staple with one of the crowds I hung out with, and it was a good experience each time we went. From just my lovely wife and I to a group of eight and more, the staff was always accomodating.
The food itself was flavorful and tasty, and spicy if you asked for it. The entrees come in little copper (?) pots, hot and fresh, and the rice is served on plates, family style, for everyone to dish up as much as they want. Even with a bunch of college guys chowing down, there were always leftovers to take home, and the flavors were still good a day or two later.
The mixed bread basket is very good, as is the mango lassi. The former comes with a variety of savory flatbreads and the latter is a cool, creamy and sweet concoction that somehow complements the spicy and savory nature of the food spot on.
Prices are reasonable, especially for the quantity of food served. I had the lunch buffet once, and it had some interesting and tasty items as well, but my main experience has been with the sit-​down menu.