Koh-I-Noor Restaurant

We ordered Koh-I-Noor for take-out last night, and I was very disappointed. If I had been eating in the restaurant, I would have sent m y food back. The nan was very nice, but the rest of the food was flavourless, and the sauces were very thin. I tasted heat and nothing else.

I was lucky enough to visit India for two weeks 1.5 years ago, and have been cooking Indian food consistently over the last year (my Indian friends joke that I cook more Indian than they do). I've tried all the Indian restaurants in Toronto and Waterloo/Kitchener that I can get my hands on.

Overall, I think Koh-I-Noor is ok. I'm not sure why people here think it's the greatest -- have you tried Masala Bay in Waterloo (which is in my opinion consistently possibly the best Indian restaurant I've tried outside of India)? Don't get me wrong, the food at Koh-I-Noor is alright, but not incredibly good -- it's basically as good as what I can make at home, which in itself doesn't warrant me dining out.

Pricewise, at first glance it appears cheaper than Masala Bay, which was exciting because I've been hoping to find a good Indian restaurant in the area that I can eat at more frequently on a student budget. But after ordering, we realized the portions are also smaller -- we managed to eat everything in one sitting, something we never manage at Masala Bay. In the end I figured for what you get, the prices are about the same.

So all in all, it's an OK restaurant, but nothing over the top. If you want a quick Indian fix, it'll do the job. But if you really want some extraordinary food, I think Waterloo has better options.

Some of the negative reviews on here are pretty transparent. Oh well, I guess when you serve the best Indian food in town you get a big target painted on your back.

Anyways, we go here at least once a month for the past 3 years and are never disappointed. The staff know us by name and are extremely hard working and well versed in dining etiquette. Never noticed any nose picking, LOL!!! The food is prepared fresh and can be made to order with regard to spice level, something I find very helpful with tricky eaters. The chicken is perfect, the naan is great and the portion sizes are great. We usually have left overs!
Atmosphere is very quiet, with little background noise other than nearby diners. The location is in a strip mall, but don't let that fool you as the food makes up for the location.

All in all this is a quality place and serves (with pride) a great meal.

Well, to sum it up in one sentence, airline food is better then this place. Avoid at all costs.

This was my first taste of Indian food and I visited the restaurant with a friend, who loves the Koh-I-Noor. We tried all sorts of dishes and I loved everything.

The staff are friendly, the food temperature was hot and spiced perfectly for us.

Will definitely return again!

Very Nice.

The Lunch Specials were a really good deal.
Love the Nann, usually when i go to other places it's really greasy but here it's very nice.

Probably one of the best... Not a big fan of Buffets as they usually don't have nice curries on, so to find this place with large selection of lunch specials was nice.

Will recommend to friends, which i usually don't do. And you can be sure I'll be back to try their dinner menu.

I have been going to this restaurant for over 15 years, since it was located on King Street where the new Farmers Market is now located.

I see some of the other reviews on this page and it seems like an obvious attemt to sabotage the ratings and lead you to another Indian restaurant.

I have been to most of the Indian Restaurants around the Waterloo Region and also Hamilton, Toronto and Ottawa, as I am always trying to really find the best and I find that most of the items on the menu are the best I've ever tasted.

The Restaurant has changed owners in the time that I have been going there and I found that the quality was not interrupted.

I have introduced many people to this restaurant who were unsure about eating Indian food and I am very glad to say that I have converted them.

I drive from Cambridge to eat at this restaurant, bypassing at least 6 Indian Restaurants for about a 20 - 30 minute drive.

Please be assured that when you go to the Koh-i-noor you will not be disapointed. If you go for Lunch you may have to call ahead for a reservation as it is usually very busy with many clients coming from the RIM building.

I give this place a A++++

This restaurant is great! The food is delicious and the atmosphere is very nice. I'm not sure about the complaining of the noise of the wait staff - I have been there MANY times and always enjoyed a quiet dining experience. I have always found that the chicken is cooked perfectly and not tough like others have mentioned. If you like Indian definitely give this restaurant a chance!

Nice place, food is good, service is good.

Oh, this place is a poor excuse for an Indian restaurant. I guess it really isn't Indian because the owners seem to be Bangladeshi, and it seems that they don't know a thing about Indian cuisine. The tandoori chicken was very tough, i could hardly eat it, i just ate a little bit and left the rest, and the chicken tikka seemed like it was boiled chicken and didn't have any flavour whatsoever. The old waiter also kept picking his nose and was very loud while talking to the bartender. This place sucks. Gross!