ROOP Chicago

“We had fantastic dining experience at ROOP Chicago during one of our trip from New York. The Paneer Pasanda was very well crafted and yummy 😋 and was highlight of our experience. The appetizers spinach chaat and kofta were really good as well! Highly recommend and Will be back at ROOP sometime in future.”

“Had a fantastic dining experience at Roop. We tried the paneer tikka, dal makhani, and naan. Each dish was rich in flavor and beautifully presented. The mango lassi was refreshing and perfectly balanced, and the saffron cheesecake was a standout dessert with a unique gulab jamun base. Everything arrived promptly, and the service was warm and courteous throughout.”

“Finally tried this place and it was fantastic. We had the sweet potato chat, crab cake, mixed grill, and butter chicken and all were excellent. The service was on point and prompt, but the drinks were a bit slow (in fairness the server apologized for the bar delay both times). The decor and ambiance were great but the restaurant was oddly cold for us that evening. Will definitely go back to try more items, especially the lamb shank which someone ordered next to us which looked and smelled amazing.”

“We sat down for a large group meal at Roop. 8 courses, pre-fixe. It had been many years since I was last here, when it was still called Roo. The food was much better than I remember from back then. The rasam and chili kulcha were both exceptionally good. And the presentation made each dish look beautiful, as you can see from the photos. The challenge our whole group felt was how slowly they coursed out the dinner. While our host was warned it would be slow, none of us expected it to take almost 3 hours. That's almost 25 minutes between each course. And while I can't speak to restaurant staffing, the restaurant did not seem full, as there were many empty tables throughout the service. The end result was that the masala chai (which I was looking forward to) was served at 10PM... if I drank it then, that much caffeine would keep me up all night.”

“I visited Roop Chicago expecting a memorable experience, especially given its Michelin association but unfortunately, it fell far short. We opted for the tasting menu, hoping for a thoughtfully curated journey through flavors. Instead, it turned out to be one of the most disappointing tasting menu experiences I’ve had. The courses lacked cohesion, and many dishes leaned heavily toward sweetness, which threw off the balance you would expect in Indian cuisine. Rather than highlighting creativity, the “fusion” approach felt forced and poorly executed. If you truly enjoy authentic Indian food, this is not the place for either taste or hospitality. In the name of “fusion,” the flavors feel overly altered and, in many cases, simply unpleasant. We started with the pani puri, which was a major disappointment. The puris were soggy and lacked flavor entirely. We tried lamb kebab and hara bhara kabab, and neither dish impressed and overall, the flavors felt unbalanced and poorly executed. Even simple things like properly serving biryani weren’t handled well. The “Old Delhi” course featuring butter paneer or butter chicken, felt overly sweet and one-dimensional, missing the richness and balance these classic dishes are known for. Desserts under “Sweet Notes” and “The End” continued the same trend, visually appealing, but lacking depth in flavor. By that point, the excessive sweetness throughout the meal had already become overwhelming. Service was another letdown. Our server, while polite, was clearly juggling too many tables, which significantly slowed down the entire experience. What should have been a refined dining experience stretched to nearly 3.5 hours. For comparison, I have had tasting menu experiences in California that were completed smoothly within 2 hours without feeling rushed. There were also two other staff members possibly a manager or owner whose attitude fell short. They did not come across as welcoming or attentive, which added to the overall sense that customer experience was not a priority. In fact, the server’s attitude ended up being the most positive part of the service, which says a lot. The pricing is also quite high, which makes the overall experience even harder to justify. There are many better Indian restaurants in Chicago that offer both better food and service at a more reasonable price. It was also confusing to see Michelin branding displayed at the front without clarity on whether it is a Michelin Star or just a Michelin Guide listing—it creates expectations that the experience simply doesn’t meet. Overall, while the presentation of the dishes was appealing, the food lacked depth, balance, and authenticity. Between the disappointing flavors, underwhelming service, extended wait times, and high cost, this was a poor experience. I would strongly recommend choosing another Indian restaurant in Chicago instead.”