Review Maharajas Indian Restaurant - Petone

Amazing atmosphere and real, authentic Indian cuisine. If you are a real fan of proper spicy food (and you can really handle the heat), mention "Indian hot" with your order. The staff were very polite and the owner came around a few times to ensure that we had everything we needed. Thank you for a slice of tasty spice wonderland in Wellington! Will be back for more when we visit NZ again.

Great food, good service and location. Highly recommend! Try the kathi rolls, they are awesome.

Wow wow wow WOW! I'm a big fan of Indian food and this place was one of my favorites. The food was absolutely delicious, the little window to the kitchen to watch the naan being cooked was really cool, and the owner/manager came over himself to make sure everything was to our liking, to which with stuffed mouths we just kept nodding our heads yes 🤣 I'm sad that I'm just passing through, but if I come back some day I'll be returning here. Thank you for the amazing food and friendliness.

Had a butter chicken medium and garlic Naan, sooo good. Possibly the best butter chicken I have had. I'm a Kiwi so I've had a lot of Butter Chicken. It was well presented in a take away bag, staff were friendly and efficient. You can see the kitchen when you order so you can see that the kitchen is clean and professional. Not the cheapest curry around but you get what you pay for. This place is on my list to revisit when I'm in wellington.

Maharaja’s has a different menu to other Indian restaurants. It features regional specialities and the food is consistently excellent, with good quality meat and fragrant flavours. The service is usually efficient and friendly but can get confused when busy or when there are large groups in the restaurant.

10/10.. usually biggest curry critic right here , I've been holding onto Masala Lounge (Porirua) as the best curries for a while now and I think it has finally met its match . The service was great, food was absolutely delicious 😋 had to get a 2nd curry with another Garlic and cheese Nan as it was that good 🤤🤤🤤 Special mention to Nasan (probably spelt wrong) his friendly smile and can-do service is 2nd to none, give the man a payrise . Will definitely be back 😃

I visited this place a few days back and I absolutely loved the food here. Highly recommended if you are looking for good Indian food

Atmosphere and service was excellent, however the food was average. Decent sized portions but didn't take me to flavour town like other places such as Gr8tandoori. Tried a few entrees and mains. The heat on the Hot malai kofta wasn't enough to bring a sweat to my partners forehead. I think your average Joe would enjoy this place however :)

Food is delicious with good sized portions, the staff are very friendly and welcoming and the atmosphere is very pleasant for an overall dining experience.

ALWAYS wonderful food, service + so friendly 💖💖💖

The best butter chicken and garlic naan I’ve ever had 10/10

Nice and cozy little spot for a set menu curry ...the Masala Dosa is well worth a try

Absolutely amazing food and service. The BEST Indian restaurant around!

Mum wanted to come here after her last visit in Petone about 10+ years ago. Food was good and the service was friendly the family loved it. we were the first to arrive for dinner service and the restaurant filled up very quickly. Close and handy from our stay @ Ava lodge. Thanks team for a enjoyable night.

Maharajas Indian Restaurant in Petone was the first place I ever ate Indian food (25 years ago) and the food remains excellent to this day. Everyone enjoyed their meals, especially my mum, who is not always a fan of Indian food. The service was friendly. The venue itself is very comfortable and colourful. My only gripe, was that the food took a long time to arrive. Fortunately it was worth waiting for. In my opinion, the best Indian restaurant in the Hutt Valley (of the many I have visited).

Excited to try after seeing all the other good ratings. Unfortunately the chicken in the chicken tikka was very tough, our curries were way too sweet, and the cheese naan was oily and chewy. The bhajees were extremely sweet too. The raita was lovely and the onion kulcha was good but couldn't make up for the<br/> curries and entrees unfortunately. Really wanted to like this place. Maybe we chose the wrong dishes?

Very friendly and professional staff<br/>Recommended some good dishes to try<br/>The place was very busy plus with takeaway orders as well<br/>The butter chicken was beautiful <br/>We will definitely come back

Top notch food and service.. very friendly staff, my fave butter chicken in Wellington by far.. my partner had the palak paneer and also found this to be delicious.. will be coming back for sure.. cheers<br/>

One of my favourite restaurants for eating out in the Hutt Valley, the food and service has been consistently amazing for the past 10+ years I’ve been coming here! Lovely for a date night too with the cute little candles lit on every table 💞

We felt like Indian and were suggested this place by the place we were staying. It looked quiet from outside but when you got inside it was pumping. Great vibe and artistic setting. The food was delight, with an interesting menu. I tried the Syrian Lamb Curry which was tasty and spicy which I love. Think we will visit again soon!

Maharajas is my favourite Curry place in Lower Hutt, the only time I will ever go anywhere else is on a Monday when they are closed and even then it usually isn't worth it because this place sets the bar so high. I order takeaway from there most week and the chicken is always tender and the sauce (med - kiwi hot) always flavourful and consistent week to week which is a rare find for indian takeaway. The staff are always friendly and even better they deliver for a very reasonable fee !

Maharajas is a real neighbourhood gem and the best butter chicken and garlic naan in Wellington. Service is always excellent, knowledgeable and friendly

No one asked how I enjoyed my meal, but I told them anyway... "Disappointing!"<br/><br/>From my table i could see through to the kitchen and I noticed that the meat for my meal was collected from the freezer.. and as I was leaving the staff confirmed that they don't use fresh chilli either - which explains why the food just didn't taste fresh or vibrant.<br/><br/>And on the subject of the staff - while I was here there were only 6 covers in the whole restaurant (at just 2 tables) and yet I had to wait up to 5 minutes for someone to wander into the room to request anything. And there were 2 wait staff on. <br/><br/>I really can't recommend this place at all - you would get the same food experience (and better service) at McDonalds.

Amazing food and service! Will definitely come back. It's some of the best Indian I've tried in Wellington! We we were served by a young woman who was super friendly and attentive, really appreciated her service!

Was able to order first time online and they actually found our house unlike every other delivery service. Highly recommended delish currys.

Good Indian food in Petone. They where quick to deliver and the food was nice and hot. Portion sizes are great and the food tasted authentic (spices) unlike some places that lack flavour. Would happily order again.

I think Maharajas has the best curry is Petone. We get our takeaway here often. The staff are so friendly when we arrive to pick our food up. Always puts a smile on my face :)

It was one of the most pathetic Indian food ive ever had! Absolute dislike.. veg and non veg both dishes went down the drains ... we will never cm bk... the paneer was stale ...

Fantastic food and friendly staffs! Great work guys! It is such a nice place to have dinner. My second Indian restaurant in Wellington and I'm really happy with their service. Thank you!

Fantastic service and friendly staff. Delicious food. I had a chicken kurma curry which was very tasty. But then I tried my partner's lemon and honey butter chicken curry and wish I'd ordered that instead!! Delicious. Nice atmosphere and an enjoyable evening.

I've been to Maharajas a few times before. It's pricey but you're paying for the atmosphere as well as the great food. The Lemon Honey Butter Chicken is their specialty and worth a try once. It's a bit too sweet for a main meal.<br/><br/>While on the outside there's a brilliant purple neon sign; it's actually a low-lit restaurant hidden out the back away from traffic. A large white candle was lit in the centre of our table once we sat down. We sat against a wall made of Manuka poles dressed in fairy lights. The staff are friendly and came to our table promptly and often.<br/><br/>This night I tried a Chicken Biryani. My interest was recently stoked in biryanis from Kumail Nanjiani's episode on food podcast The Sporkful. My biryani came with a side dish of yoghurt, which was hardly enough considering the portion size and how spicy it was - I ordered medium. Although colourful it was lacking in noticeable flavour and was mostly just heat. Needs sultanas!<br/><br/>They also stock a craft beer 'Monsoon' meant to go with Indian dishes, made in Christchurch of all places. Original is a good blend if like me you don't like your beer too hoppy.<br/><br/>As a side I ordered the stuffed paratha which in the menu says 'potato and herbs'. Nowhere did it say peas! Maharajas must love their peas because they also threw them into my partner's Vegetable Diwani Handi, and peas don't agree with her. It would be nice if it was included on the menu so we could specify it's removal!<br/><br/>

I've dined in and had takeaways. I enjoyed sitting in and dining but I lived across the road and it was my go to for take aways! Scrumptious food

Fantastic food and amazingly friendly staff. A hidden treasure of Petone thank you heaps. A great little family friendly restaurant. All the traditional curries and some with a twist. The price was reasonable with decent portions. Worth a visit for a casual dining night out

Hands down my favourite curry place EVER!! The butter chicken is the best I've ever had! So creamy and not too tomatoey! Then naan bread is beautiful especially the one with the nuts on it (can't remember name) and the chicken tikka with mint chutney omg so delish! My partner swears by the onion Bhagees :) We come here all the time for birthdays in large groups and they always look after us so well! They even went and got a birthday cake for my partner at no cost to us! The staff are so amazing and always make sure we're looked after! We get takeaways from here every week and have never had a bad experience, in fact we've become somewhat regulars! We've tried all the different curry places in Upper Hutt (closer to where we live now) and would still prefer the 25 min drive to maharajas! You guys are amazing! Best curry around!

Would like to say thank you to the great team at Maharajah's, we celebrated 2 birthdays there tonight, quite a few of us and as always everything was awesome, thanks for running around with the cake and sorting containers 👍👍

We contacted Maharajas to cater our First Year Anniversary event, and they were so enthusiastic and helpful right from the start. Kuppy was a star at communicating, answering all my questions and offering suggestions of dish replacements, liaising with our venue, and providing solutions to tricky logistics (our event was a boat cruise).  <br/><br/>On the night, they were there to set everything up. The food was, of course, delicious and everyone left with full bellies.  <br/><br/>Thank you so much for your part of a wonderful night!

We contacted Maharajas restaurant many months ago to ask them to cater for our wedding. This was the best decision we made apart from saying I do! Vasant was so helpful right from the get go, and was so helpful right through the whole process. We exchanged many emails regarding the logistics etc.  My wife went to the restaurant a few weeks before the wedding to try the food and they gave her portions of a whole range of different curries to try while she was there so that we could decide on the curry flavours we wanted at our wedding - and at no extra charge.<br/><br/>On the day Vasant came to the venue with other chefs from their restaurant and had all the food prepared wonderfully. We had initially just arranged for them to drop off the food and our wait staff to take over from there, but Vasant even organised for someone to replace him at the restaurant on the wedding evening so that he could stay at the venue and make sure everything went smoothly.<br/><br/>And MAN the food was good!! We had bahjee, papadoms and 4 different curries - best I have ever had. Their curries are made with quality, traditional ingredients and you can tell!<br/><br/>The highlight from this whole experience for me was how easy it was to work with Vasant and Maharajas. They took total initiative and truly wanted us to have the best quality food. I cannot recommend Maharajas highly enough. <br/><br/>Thanks again,<br/>Simeon

Oh dear!  I have eaten in at this restaurant before and would give it about 3.5/5.0.  on this occasion I ordered takeaways.  the butter chicken curry was runny and anaemic with about 8 small pieces of chicken it - and nothing else.  the lamb dish had large prices of meat which looked OK but upon eating were tough and gristly. the naan was tough and like cardboard and the only dish that was OK was the rice!  felt very ripped off and disappointed - I wouldn't be going back there.  and to make matters worse (and I am very careful how I carry takeaways) one of their staff had not put the lid on the butter chicken properly and most of the curry was in the plastic bag....

I visited Maharajas last week with my work for our end of year Christmas do, we had a set menu and were recommended a set menu with some new dishes that I have never tried before. All I can say is the food was delicious, it had so much flavour and depth with generous portion sizes. We had some curries from South India and an Indian-Chinese starter which was yummy.<br/><br/>The staff were attentive without being overbearing and for a Tuesday night they were nice and busy. I have lived in the Hutt for 2 years and always driven past, I didn't really give it another look as from the outside it only looks like a take away, don't be put off by this as when you step through to the main restaurant the place is really neat. It feels like you are exported to another place. All in all we had a great time and I can't wait to visit again!

Maharajas is my new petone Indian regular. Their dishes aren't your stock standard Indian they put their own spin in some of the dishes and they are delicious. I like to order my curries hot and have found a lot of Indian restaurants are inconsistent with their spice level, Maharajas is very consistent. Highly recommend trying the chicken Korma.

Highly recommend!  9 of us went out for dinner last night and the meal was outstanding!  I love this place from the food, service, atmosphere and we will certainly be back

We had a takeaway and were quite disappointed. Chicken and vegetable Korma had 3 pieces of chicken and peas and carrots which appeared to be frozen ones. It was a one time experience for us. The service was friendly and fast but the food did not deliver.

It was the first time I went to this restaurant, I went here yesterday with my family for my birthday dinner, I picked it because of all the great reviews and ratings, and because we enjoy a great Indian-Cuisine. Here's my dining experience:<br/>As soon as we walked in, I noticed there was a different ambiance with this restaurant that differs from other Indian Restaurants around, mainly because of the very dim lighting. At first, I found the lighting too dim, but after a while when my eyes adjusted it was actually part of the great dining experience. <br/><br/>We were kindly greeted by one of the staff and was placed on our reserved table immediately, service here was great, all the staff were friendly and attentive, not always hovering by us, and weren't too far from us. They were even willing when I asked them to take a photo of us afterwards. My dad left his phone on the table and we were already on the parking lot, when one of the staff came running towards us, returning the phone.<br/><br/>We ordered, drinks, entrees, and mains all at the same time, but even so drinks came first, and it was not too long until the entrees came, which by the way the Mixed Platter For Two could feed more than two people; and it there was still that waiting time until the main dishes came alone, which was perfect because it was not too soon were the whole dinner was cut short, and it was not too long where you're left too hungry, personally I found all the timing perfect, because it gave us time to talk as a family while we enjoyed the entree. <br/><br/>The food was all delicious, especially if you're spicy-lover, this is the place to be, the spicy dishes did not fail to open up a few pores. One thing that really caught our attention was their Butter Chicken - Honey and Lemon; compared to other butter chickens that we've tried, the sauce was very sweet and creamy, almost like condensed milk, which at first I thought was too sweet for my liking, but after your tongue gets seared from the heat and spiciness, it is actually nice to cleansed your palette with the contrast of something sweet and creamy.<br/><br/>Few things that made this 4.5 as oppose to 5, was that we felt that the tables or the spacing of the chairs were too closed together; and I ordered for a sweet white wine, because I did not find a Moscato on their list, and what I got was a wine with a slightly sweet after taste but it was still quite bitter for my liking. But none of these has really hindered our great dining experience. <br/><br/>Overall, I recommend this to any Indian-cuisine lover or to anyone who wants their minds changed about Indian-cuisine for the better. It holds 150 seats so having a function here might be a great idea.

Overrated and expensive. We ordered the banquet meal for a large group and the portion was disappointing given they didn't refill any of the main dishes or rice. I mean, 4 curries between roughly 5 people...?! Are you kidding me!!! <br/>The waiter was also clumsy enough to spill a sauce on the floor which splashed over someone's clothing. And what did they do? Give a lame apology. Not impressed!!!

Have just had dinner here on a Tuesday night.  I went with another foodie who had never been before, we left full, very happy and talking of our return.<br/>If you drive to go here and get put off by the outside, please go in. the resturant is out the back and a lovely set up. This is a family business that has been running for nearly 25 years, the owner told us that tonight.<br/>When I told my husband I was coming here with a girlfriend, he was jealous. That is how good this place is.  We have been a good few times and have not had a bad meal. The one particular thing that keeps us coming back are the  kathi rolls, read the menu and look at the starters.<br/>If you want real Indian food and to taste great fresh spices, come here.

I had never experienced Indian cuisine until I went to Maharaja's for the first time several years ago. Now I am a regular. It's an excellent first date place, as well as for any other occasion. It's spacious, clean, tidy and reflective of the food. The staff are very attentive and friendly. I haven't experienced every dish on the menu because it is so vast - so it is an ideal place to go with a large group of people to share a range of items. I highly recommend both the tomato-based and lemon/honey butter chicken dishes. I have mine mild and that is tasty enough. The naan bread is the best I've ever had - I favour the peshwari naan because it is very buttery and full of fruit, but the garlic naan is also excellent. The vegetarian platter for two is very tasty and a good accompaniment to the main - I am not sure what some of the things are on it but they are tasty all the same. I tend to wash it all down with a mango lassi or two. It can be too dimly lit and the music too loud sometimes, but the staff are more than happy to accommodate any guest.

The delivery service is superb. The only thing that equals the quality of the food is the delightful service one receives. We have converted many-a-non-believer into the virtues of Indian cuisine with the help of their delightful menu and consistency of delicious fare. Often too tired to venture out for dinner, I salivate in anticipation of my dinner delivery arriving....a treat every time!

We were one of the first tables to arrive but were soon surprised by the number of customers turned up on a week night. Thoroughly enjoyed the food and the service was excellent. It was the first time we came across Chapala Pulusu on the menu in NZ, which was very nice. Cool decor. A well hidden gem!

Have been here about 5 times now and every time food is excellent and never disappoints! The service is prompt, friendly and the food is always consistently yummy! Will always be a regular customer here and you can use your entertainment vouchers here too!

Few of us went there for dinner. Service and Food were excellent. Partner and i had mixed entrees and lamb vindaloo and chicken vindaloo, we asked for extra hot and definitely came out with extra hot. Love it. Want dessert but can't make to that :( <br/><br/>This is the best indian i have been. Definitely will go back!!!

Ordered the lamb biriyani as a take-away. This was after a long time (1 year at least) that I visited Maharajas. Was quite disappointed with the quality. Quite greasy, quantity less than I remembered and had to pay extra for raita. I normally get my biriyani from an Indian place in Maungaraki and I might have got used to their superior quality but I feel this one (Maharajas) is well below par especially considering the price is exactly the same. <br/>Reading the reviews seems poor quality food is only an issue with take-aways. Would be interesting to read experiences of other take-away customers.

Love this place, it is always trustworthy and good value for money. The staff are friendly and always helpful with new suggestions if you want something a little bit different. My favourite dish is th Shrimp Pataya - absolutely beautiful and well worth a try. <br/><br/>As this is a BYO and quite large is great for groups. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a good solid curry, is by the far the best in the Hutt Valley.

We visited Maharaja's Indian Restaurant a few days ago and I am happy to report it is the best Indian food I have experienced. We ordered the vegetarian appetizer plate (for two) and were astounded by how good the onion bjahi were. The entire platter was delicious, but the chef at Maharaja's knows how to make phenomenal bhaji. I highly recommend ordering the veg platter. As a main I ordered the palak paneer, medium spicy. Best ever. As compared to other Indian palak paneer dishes which tend to be over-creamy, this was rich and deep green with ample cottage cheese bits. My husband ordered the lamb rogan josh, spicy. It too was delicious. He also ordered a mango lassi which was delicious. We redeemed an Entertainment Book coupon for this meal, but even without it the meal would be very reasonably priced. They do package left-overs to-go for a very modest fee ($1) which we were happy to pay. The servers were delightful, and the decor was super-cool. Make sure to check out the snake bannister! Our highest praise for this dining experience.

Bought 3 bottles of wine already opened &amp; charged $4.00 corkage for each bottle, food was good, service basic, as too coming bk they need to revise... money spent &amp; charges &amp; service, don't recommend

We had a group of 11 and went there after hearing great things. Was not disappointed. The service was great, though it wasn't busy on a Wednesday night. We sampled nearly all the dishes between us. With the entertainment book, worked out very ecomonical - $23 (for entree and main) - will go back in a heartbeat

My husband and I went to Maharaja's for dinner for the 2nd time in 2 weeks tonight and as always it was fantastic! 2 weeks ago we had my husbands 30th birthday dinner and they couldn't have been more helpful, friendly and attentive. The service is always really good, lots of smiles and very nice. The food is AMAZING!! Definitely the best curries around! You have to try the Kathi rolls with the mint chutney, a real winner! Well done to the team at Maha's, the best Indian Restaurant in the Hutt Valley :)

Went here last night for dinner, brilliant food, the naan breads would probably be the best i have tried, the currys were perfect, would definately recommend this restaurant, brilliant service. came home super full and i couldnt even finish all my dinner. Try the vegetarian entree for 2, yummmo.

Take away delivery, Lamb Rogan Josh, Rice and Keema Naan.<br/><br/>Ordered by phone, painless and good communication skills on the part of the person taking the order. Order delivered within the promised time by an older gentleman who seemed to be hankering after a tip, which I was unable to produce.<br/><br/>Upon opening the meal, The Rogan Josh looked a little watery, the rice a little overcooked and the Keema Naan a little 'floppy'.<br/><br/>The 'lamb' in the Lamb Rogan Josh was remarkably beef-like and the watery look of the dish was borne out by the taste. To be honest, I've had nicer beef stews.<br/><br/>The rice WAS overcooked and the Keema Naan lived up to its floppy looks.<br/><br/>You ever had one of those 'I wish I hadn't bothered' moments? Well I've just had one. Uninspiring.

My family went here for dinner last night. I'm glad we went early (7pm) becasue by 8, the place was packed.<br/>The service was very friendly and helpful.<br/>The food was amazing. Lots of choices. Definitely something to suit every taste. Spiced to perfection too. Just hot enough to break a sweat. We have probably eaten at every local Indian restaurant, and this one had the best Rogan Josh I have tasted. At $100 for the 3 of us, it is certainly not the cheapest restaurant in the area. However, the food, service and atmosphere made it well worth every dollar spent. We will certainly be dining there again !

We had a fabulous meal at Maharaja's this week. The menu is extensive, offering multiple choices for each type of meat or vegetarian dish, and we appreciated our waiter's recommendations for accompanying rice and breads. Our meals were delicious. We are thoroughly impressed with the service here; friendly, informative, and very prompt. Even though rice is charge separately, Maharaja's is great value when using the Entertainment Book Gold Card (25% discount). We'll definitely be back.