Shalimar Restaurant
307 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
tel. 734-663-1500
fax. 734-929-9129

Readers' Choice: Shalimar wins for food, atmosphere
"Best place for Indian food: In a town with several notable Indian restaurants, one has emerged at the top of the pack, in the eyes of Readers' Choice voters. Located in downtown Ann Arbor on Main Street between Liberty and William, Shalimar Restaurant for 24 years has offered authentic Indian fare in a cozy atmosphere that is simultaneously elegant. When University of Michigan-Dearborn Chancellor Dan Little comes to Ann Arbor, he frequently heads to Shalimar for lunch or dinner. "I think it's the best (Indian restaurant) I've been to in a very long time," said Little, who was just finishing lunch there one day recently. "The food is great, very consistent." Specializing in north Indian, Tandoori and Mughlai dishes, the restaurant also offers something unique to the genre: a full bar. Patrons can enjoy a cocktail or try an Indian beer or a sweet creamy Indian drink made with yogurt and fresh mango called lassi.

Manager Shivi Raj said that while the restaurant is authentically Indian, it tries to appeal to broad American tastes as well. The menu changes every six months or so, with the less popular selections omitted in favor of new ones. Server Tano Reyes, whose favorite dish is Balti lamb, said the most popular dishes include Tandoori Murgh, Murgh Tikka, and Murgh Punjabi Masala. And what's an Indian meal without a serving of naan, that freshly baked leavened bread perfect for dunking into a pool of curry-flavored sauce? Reyes said the secret to Shalimar's wonderful naan is the yogurt in the batter."

AKSHAY SETH says... "Best Indian Restaurant: Shalimar.... Chicken tikka masala — the delectable, bright orange gift from the food gods has become one of the most ordered dishes in the world, a must-have entrée on the menu of every restaurant that is in any way associated with the Indian subcontinent. Mediocre restaurants are content with drowning the dish in cream. The best ones use it to bring the ingredients’ natural smokiness to the forefront. Shalimar is one of those restaurants. Conveniently located in the middle of downtown Ann Arbor, Shalimar has established itself as one of the best for one important reason — the food is like Hrithik Roshan dancing in your mouth.

The success carries over further than the spicy take on chicken tikka masala. All of the entrées (try the lamb vindaloo for maximum desi goodness) are similarly delicious because they stick to a natural, Indian flavor. By the same token, nothing is over-spiced, and the following morning will be as comfortable as one of the cushy booths the side of the restaurant. The waiters are kind, everything looks cozy and when all’s said and done, that’s what visiting any nice restaurant is all about: eating great, spicy food while people smile at you."

Lauren Spiel says... "SHALIMAR: YOU CAN ENJOY INDIAN FOOD. Ann Arbor is full of decent Indian restaurants, but none are better than Shalimar. Next time you’re about to walk past this place on Main, stop in instead." read more>>

Jeff Lincolnbach says... "The sign of a good ethnic restaurant, be it Chinese, Thai or Indian, is the amount of actual people from that region enjoying the food at the particular restaurant. So when I first walked into Shalimar I was very pleased. Not only with the fact that over half the tables were occupied but that among the crowd were actual Indian people enjoying the food...." read more>>

Bruce S. Novi, MI, says... "Most delicious. Friendly and attentive service.
Moderately priced (on the high side of average).
We've had numerous lamb and chicken dishes here on several visits, fairly consistent experience. No complaints...." read more>>

Julie J., Ann Arbor, MI, says... " I finally went to Shalimar after hearing glowing reviews from friends for months. I liked it fair enough but I cannot say I am in love. I will probably return if I find myself near Main Street and am craving some Indian food..." read more>>

Ayesha S. Phoenix, AZ, says... "I totally agree with the reviewers who have commented that Shalimar is probably the best in Ann Arbor. It gives off that nicer feel with its fancy pants Main Street location, but the price isn't really much different than the rest of the places in town..." read more>>

Sudarshan M., Canton, MI, says.... "As far as Indian restaurants in Ann Arbor go, I find Shalimar to be the most consistent and honestly the best amongst the lot. While I am biased towards Madras Masala for South Indian fare, Shalimar is hands down the best overall for punjabi/mughalai fare. In terms of overall menu too, I would rank Shalimar as the best...." read more>>

Nina B., San Francisco, CA, says... "I came here on a Saturday night for dinner with my hubby. We were starving, as it was later than our normal dinner hour, and this place really hit the spot! Here are my comments: Quality of food: A - : Everything was pretty good...." read more>>

Mariah c., Ann Arbor, MI, says... "I've been to Shalimar so many times, it's strange that I haven't reviewed it! I'd say it's among my 3 favorite Indian places in town (the other 2 being pretty different from each other -- Earthen Jar and Madras Masala)...." read more>>

Zlatko U., Atlanta, GA, says... "Shalimar was the obvious choice for my family when visiting Ann Arbor. The service was great, the food was plentiful, flavorful and delicious. If you are into spicy food you will be well taken care of. The wine list is great, appetizers are fantastic and the prices are great..." read more>>

Anne S., Ann Arbor, MI, says... "I went here about 3 months ago and I ordered the chicken tikka masala and it was good. Tasty!! The garlic naan and regular naan bread was unremarkable. Just get the rice and chicken tikka masala. The portions aren't big, but it's not small. Prices are reasonable...about $15.00..." read more>>

Rebecca W., Ann Arbor, MI, says... "Yum! Before I went to Shalimar, what I always heard from friends was "it's VERY good but VERY expensive." This is only 50% true! It's very good, and, I think, moderately priced. WIN! No, it's not cheap, but it's not more expensive than any of its neighbors on Main St..." read more>>

Rala S., Ann Arbor, MI, says..."This place has pretty terrible service, but the food is good. I lived in Santa Cruz, CA before Ann Arbor and there just isn't any great Indian food on that side of the hill - with this said, I think my standards are pretty high. Shalimar makes a great Tikka Masala...." read more>>

Jake S., Ann Arbor, MI, says... "Shalimar has good Indian food, and is somewhere I'll definitely be coming back to. We started with paneer kulcha. This was good - it had a lot of different flavors and tasted like it was very fresh..." read more>>

Chelsea M., MI, says ..."I loved my experience at Shalimar. I'm not too familiar with Indian food but this sure tasted good. The atmosphere was relaxing and not too uptight, the services was prompt and professional, and the food was fairly priced. Shalimar is definitely food to crave! If you stop by you won't be disappointed. Quick tip: make a reservation or call ahead Thurs-Sat nights..." read more>>

Sandra B., Grosse Pointe Woods, MI, says... "Shalimar is a very delicious place for dinner, and I love the atmosphere. It is comforable and very clean. I have never dined downstairs (only the main floor) so I cannot comment on the atmosphere down there. I love the vegetarian dishes and the meat dishes are very good too. It is not cheap, but not unreasonably expensive either..." read more>>

Erin G., Rawsonville, MI, says... "Everything I've ever had here has been good, and I've tried a good majority of their menu. I'd say that this place is probably the most suited to American tastes as far as local Indian restaurants go. It's more Northern Indian food, creamy sauces and such. It still remains fairly authentic, and the food is consistently good..." read more>>

Parisa K., Detroit, MI, says... "Shalimar is good Indian food. It is a little (barely) pricier than some of the Ann Arbor alternatives, but it's very good and the restaurant is nicer. It has both meat and vegetarian dishes on its expansive menu...." read more>>

Carolyn A., Chicago, IL, says... "I'll be honest, I really don't know much about Indian food. As a matter of fact I think this may have been my first experience and all I have to say is WOW! This place was really great. My review probably won't be the one you base your visit on because I can't recall the name of what I ate but it was soooo good..." read more>>

Rivkah B., Washington, DC, says... "Good Indian food in Ann Arbor.
The selection -- vegetarian and non-veg -- is good. The chicken and lamb dishes are good. The pindi channa is my favorite..." read more>>

Marissa B., Chicago, IL, says... "How many places will happily accommodate a group of 17 on New Years Eve? Hip hip horray for Shalimar! Shalimar has two levels - the main dining room upstairs, and a secondary dining room (where they seem to park large parties) downstairs. If possible (and if you're not with a group of a bagillion people) request to sit upstairs. The dining room is nicely decorated and has warm lighting..." read more>>

Haruka I., Sterling, VA, says... "Great food, nice atmosphere with reasonable price that is hard to find on Main St. I love their curry and naan. I used to dine at their sister restaurant "Shalimar Cafe" which was unfortunately closed. They served dahi vada that is sooo good! I hope the main Shalimar starts serving their great dahi vada too..." read more>>

Kristy K., Chicago, IL, says... "As a newfound lover of Indian cuisine, I set out to find the best Indian food that Ann Arbor has to offer. After much trial and error, I can confidently say that Shalimar is by far the best place to indulge in the delicious tastes and spices of the Indian subcontinent in Ann Arbor..." read more>>