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The Guru Fine Indian Cuisine
Category: Restaurants Indian Indian [Edit]
5705 Victoria AveNiagara Falls, ON L2G 3L5
(905) 354-3444
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
22 reviews for The Guru Fine Indian Cuisine
Review Highlights
"The Tandoori Chicken and Butter Chicken (curry) were both..."
(in 6 reviews)
"What blew me away was the dal makhani."
(in 3 reviews)
"The naan was delicious as well."
(in 9 reviews)
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22 reviews in English
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Review from Miss S.
12/25/2011
Amazing garlic nan and black dal! Great dine-in option in Niagara falls, considering this is the only Indian restaurant in the area. Ambiance is decently good and service is average.
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Review from Aaron C.
10/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Just stopped in at the Guru while on a trip to Canada.
First thing i noticed when i walked in (other than the friendly owner at the front desk) was that 70% of the seats were filled with indian people - Thats a good sign!!!
Wife ordered the chicken tikka masala, and i had the butter chicken curry. Both dishes were delicious! We had a side of basmati rice and garlic naan to go with the meal.
Food: 4 stars
Price: 3 stars - a little pricey for the portions you get. ~40 bucks for the 2 of us.
Staff: 3 stars. We waited a good 40 minutes for our food, and it took a while to get drinks (water) poured.
Would eat here again :) (especially if someone else is footing the bill!) -
Review from Sachin H.
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Service is poor to average. Servers could do with a little smile and courtesy, but that's hard to find in most Indian restaurant. No papad/papadom to start with, you have to pay. Enterees are not worth the price u pay.
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Review from Glen H.
7/23/2011
I decided to try Guru after the Friday fireworks because, upon looking in the window, the place was filled with people who looked Indian. That's usually a good recommendation for an "ethnic" restaurant. I was not disappointed.
The Tandoori Chicken and Butter Chicken (curry) were both outstanding and flavorful. They both had the right amount of after-spice without leaving you burning.
The basmati rice was fluffy and complimented things well.
The naan, both garlic and plain, was excellent for sopping up the leftover curry sauce and enjoying on its own. You don't even mind having to pay extra for it once you taste it.
We went at a slow time so I can't comment on the service -- I'm sure most of Niagara Falls is crazy on a Saturday dinner...
There was a chicken sampler platter that I would try and split with someone next time. I wish I could go back! This will make me try more indian restaurants around my hometown.
If the place is not too crowded, give this a try. Well done, Guru! -
Review from Tiffany N.
Calgary, AB
11/16/2010
Went to this place after http://happycow.net recommended it as a veg-friendly place to go to in Niagara Falls. We were all very hungry after driving all day and going to the worst wax museum ever (will review that place later).
When we walked in, there were only a couple of other groups there. The decor was...nightclub-esque (cheesy looking pleather tablecloths and uncomfortable chairs...woo!), the restaurant was dark and the floors were sticky. The waitress was aloof; sat us down, handed us our menus and then disappeared for about 10 minutes.
We ordered immediately when she finally came back, because we were starving to begin with and were worried she would disappear again. We ordered roti, saffron rice with peas pulav, the yellow daal, a vegetable curry and a lamb dish in a spinach sauce. The food arrived 15 minutes later. The vegetable curry was an oily, salty gravyboat of fail that was very obviously made with the Safeway Frozen Mixed Vegetable Medley. The yellow daal might have been good, but it was like the cook started to pour the salt in, took a nap, woke up and poured in the other half of the shaker. The saffron rice kind of helped to absorb the copious amounts of salt, but it was incredibly greasy. The roti was bland and the chewiest roti I had ever had (that's not a compliment).
The bathroom smelled strongly of ammonia. I expect the sticky floors and the pee soaked bathrooms at a loud stinky rock club where I'm too drunk to notice, but NOT at a place that serves food. And any place that can't be bothered to source some fresh veggies (I know, I know, frozen vegetables are just as good, if not fresher than fresh vegetables...but Safeway Frozen Mixed Vegetable Medley? COME ON!) needs a clue tip. Seriously side-eyeing anyone that gave this place a high rating.Listed in: Code Word: Ignore
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Review from Ian B.
Fort Erie, ON
10/15/2010
I'm usually VERY cautious with Indian food, but the lure of going out for a curry, and not driving to Toronto was too great for me not to give this place a try after seeing mostly positive reviews here on Yelp.
I'm really glad I did, as the food is near perfect, and the wait staff is kind and courteous as well. Freshly baked naan bread that is to die for, and a lamb balti that is so good, it is really difficult to stray and try other menu items. The fish pakora, chicken vindaloo, all magnificent. All located at the top of Clifton hill to boot.
This is a bit of a trek for me just to eat, since this area of Niagara falls is usually a mad house, and parking is difficult to find, but oh how this place is worth it. -
Review from Sania S.
7/10/2011
Average food. Don't go unless you're craving Indian food!
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Review from TJ T.
10/18/2010
If there was a 4.5 star rating, I would give it to this place. I must tell you, coming from LA, I've become very picky about the Indian places I eat, in fact, I avoid most of them. But, here I was with the familia and after three days of pasta, they were ready for some Indian spice. Found this place on yelp, and I was surprised.
First, the decor is impressive for a hole in the wall. Has cane furniture that is reminiscent of the old-style bungalows in India, the lighting while a tad bit bright, creates a good ambiance.
The food is what is phenomenal. Of all places, Niagara falls ends up having the most authentic Indian food I've had for a while, and that's saying a lot. The food had real spices, and got their rich color from the spice itself and not the usual coloring you see in run-of-the-mill Indian restaurants. The pakodas were fresh and crispy and so were the yellow dal, the fish masala, and the chicken tikka masala that we ordered.
The only improvements we'd suggest is a better wine selection, and while the staff were available and extremely friendly seemed to be a bit over-extended.
All in all, I'd recommend this to anyone who visits Niagara falls and is tired of the manufactured food of Macaroni Grill, Margaritaville etc. You won't be disappointed. -
Review from Suzanna E.
8/5/2011
the best indian food I have ever, and most likely will ever had. I think this was the restaurant that got me to start liking Indian food. have tried to replicate the experience with many "top" indian places here in the states, but nothing comes close...
i went a while ago but remember the tandoori chicken as being amazingly outstanding. -
Review from Min min T.
Scarborough, ON
2/20/2010
My expectations for Indian cuisine usually drop as I go farther away from Toronto. My boyfriend and I decided to come here after seeing the great reviews on Yelp.
We weren't disappointed when we came here the night before Valentine's Day. The place was only half-filled, but the couples who were here looked like they were regulars. Upon first impression, the furniture looked a bit old and the deocr is a bit dusty; the place is decorated with South Asian motifs and the colour scheme here is very dark and quiet.
We were happy to see that there was one section that was marked vegan - rarely does a South Indian restaurant use this word! We started with the vegetable pakoras, battered with lentil flower and lightly fried - spinach cake, potato and cauliflower. We also ordered pappadums (two pieces for $1) and some cucumber raita.
What blew me away was the dal makhani! And yes, I'm aware that it's probably ghee that makes it so darn good! The vegetable kofta, was also delicious but not as impressive as the dal. We also ordered a dish of basmati - nicely fluffed and cooked so that the grains were whole but didn't stick - sufficient for two people to share.
Half of litre of Merlot cost $22, which bumped up the entire bill to $70. While the overall cost of the food is a little more than I usually like to pay for ($30 per person), I thought that this was a great choice so close to Clifton Hill.
I neglected to mention that the service here was also outstanding and the waiter was kind enough to fill us in on the history of the restaurant and teach us about the names of the dishes. Just diappointed that the small sides (i.e. such as raita or pappadums) weren't included, but having them makes the whole dining experience complete.
Planning to take my family here the next time I'm in town!
4.5/5 STARS -
Review from John D.
8/18/2011
Ok, I am from India (moved to the US 20 years ago), I cook Indian food, I like Indian food. I went to Guru with my kids (ages 8 and 10). There were flies around -- my attempts at swatting them did not arouse any interest from the owner (female) who was sitting doing her thing on the computer. Neither did it elicit any comments from the waiter (nice guy) -- even after I complained and managed to swat a fly! FOOD: When we ordered food, he did not ask how spicy we wanted it. The food was hot! Even for me (I have a high tolerance). The waiter suggested curd for the kids to reduce the spiciness (and of course, ended up charging -- which I don't mind but for the exchange with the Manager/Owner later). When I complained about the spiciness to her, she said: "It is your responsibility to tell us how spicy you want it. We don't make it spicy." -- I wanted to tell her that it was spicy even for me, let alone the kids. But I really wanted to get out of that place. So I didn't. Now, if the flies were around, the food was spicy, but it was still tasty, I wouldn't have minded. The Green Chicken (I believe that is what it was called) was ATROCIOUS! The chicken pieces were elastic to rubbery at one end, partially cooked in the middle, and charred/burnt at the other. This is by far one of the worst Indian restaurant that I have eaten in. I know a lot of Yelpers have given this restaurant outstanding reviews -- I will concede that maybe it was the dish that I ordered, maybe the chef was different that day, or maybe it's just me! Guess, you will have to take a chance.
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Review from Tony D.
Toronto, ON
2/22/2011
Wow, this place is a little gem! Food was amazingly tasty, and about the average price for Indian food. Naan seemed a bit oily, but super tasty! The tandoori chicken was delicious, and the vegetable curry dish was to die for! Service was just OK -- our waitress could have been a bit more attentive -- which is why my review is closer to 4/4.5 instead of 5. I'd definitely go back though!
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Review from Edward R.
6/23/2011
Visited with wife and 22 year-old daughter, and everything was very good. While the butter chicken was a little spicier then we were used to, the waiter kept us supplied with carafes of ice water. The biryani was excellent.
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Review from Alpesh S.
1/4/2010
This rating is only on the FOOD...not the environment or the bathrooms (ugh). My girlfriend and I went to Guru on New Year's eve for dinner before heading to the falls. It was quite busy so if ur going on a big day make sure u give enough time to get a table. A couple of pointers...
Pointers
1. Order the Chicken Tikka - I know everyone's been talking about the butter chicken but this Chicken Tikka was unbelievable....each bite is packed with a ton of flavor.
2. Naan - 1 order of naan is huge so order only one order and if u need order a second order later.
3.From my girlfriend in the women's bathroom : The bathrooms were not pleasant and did not meet my standards - they were extremely dirty and the floor was filled with overflowing water - one of the flushes broke down and the sink taps would not shut off properly.
Hope this review helped.... -
Review from Dave K.
Kitchener, ON
4/27/2011
Fantastic everything!!!
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Review from Karen N.
9/6/2009
Holy smokes, you don't expect good Indian food in a tourist trap like Niagara Falls, but this place is the real garlic naan. We ordered take-out since we had our puppy with us, the bill for four people came to around $60 canadian for more food than we could all eat.
Excellent naan, excellent curry, great lamb, great tandoori chicken. Not as much chutney as we would've liked, maybe you have to explicitly ask for it in take-out.
We'd definitely come again. -
Review from Carrielaura p.
6/23/2009
This was the best Indian food I have ever had. I was afraid I would not find good food in Niagara Falls, but I was very wrong! I had the vegetable biryani, which was very spicy but done perfectly. I also had achar, which I believe are lime pickles. They were tasty as well. Everything was so spicy, I had to ask for some of the yogurt (I forget what it is called). It had thinly sliced cucumbers in it, and a bit of a savory taste. The naan was delicious as well. Partner tried the butter chicken (tikka masala), and he was not disappointed. That's pretty much all he ever eats at Indian restaurants and he said this was the best.
One thing I thought was odd was that you have a choice of rice or naan (both cost extra). I was surprised that rice did not come with the butter chicken as a default. -
Review from Heather B.
Scarborough, ON
11/11/2009
I love this place. I'm not the spicy kinda gall so the only thing I EVER order in Indian restaurants is Butter Chicken.
I love their creamy yogurt sauce and it's pretty filling.
I believe it's $13 for the butter chicken and then you have to order your rice and naan bread separate (that is the only bummer).
The service is quick and friendly and I believe it's family owned.
The perfect combo is your main dish with 2 orders of naan and one rice (that would feed roughly 3 ppl). I prefer the naan bread more that is just my opinion. -
Review from Lisa J.
5/21/2011
Found this place on Yelp and decided to try it out while staying in Niagara Falls, trying to avoid the expensive Terrapin Restaurant at our hotel, Fallsview Marriott. The reviews were right. It was great. The chicken appetizer (can't remember what it was) was a bit salty for our taste. The Samosa appetizer was very spicy. I guess that made it more authentic than the samosa I'm used to eating in NYC (which is supposed to be the diversity capital of the world). We figured the place was definitely authentic after we say various Indian families and couples leaving and entering the place. Overall the Biranyi was absolutely fantastic as was my friend's chicken tandoori. There was a lot of food and I couldn't eat it all. I was annoyed that our expensive hotel did not have a microwave (do expensive hotels EVER have microwaves???), but nevertheless, I refrigerated my leftovers in the hotel room and was determined to bring it back to NYC with me the next day. My friend said I'd never make it through security with a bag full of Biranyi. Last night upon arrival, I was happily sitting on my bed in Queens, NYC, snacking on Guru chicken biranyi and my samosa. YUM!! I would have given it 5 stars except for the salty chicken appetizer, but maybe other folk will enjoy it---some things really are a matter of taste.
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Review from Lumin E.
5/25/2010
Wonderful! Loved the food.
We had Lamb biriyani, chicken tikka masala, dal makhani, saag paneer and chicken vindaaloo.
The food is THE BEST!!! I can't emphasize any more!! LOVED IT! -
Review from Daniella F.
Vancouver, BC
10/4/2009
This was by no means the best Indian door I've ever eaten and it was a bit on the expensive side, but! The portions were good and I was really hungry! It also beats eating pizza or eating at one of the chains/expensive hotel restaurants around here. I ordered Dal Makhani with paratha bread. Mmmmmm..... My eating companion ordered Palak Paneer with naan bread. Both quite good. I order of rice was more than enough for both of us.
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Review from Bill C.
11/18/2010
My wife and I went to the Guru for our 1st anniversary dinner last year. It was one of the very best Indian meals we've ever had. We enjoyed the decor and atmosphere pretty well, and were seated immediately and with friendly service. Their lamb sampler/combo/variety is AMAZING. Lamb is absolutely beautiful when done right--and it MUST be to reach its potential--and they nailed it. It's everything that's good about Indian cuisine.
