You might've seen this spot while zooming along Chapel-Hill Blvd, and it's time you swung by. At Sitar, you'll find Indian cuisine with live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Gluten-free and vegan dishes are available, and they just opened up a new patio.
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Hours:
Monday: 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:00 PM Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:00 PM Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:00 PM Thursday: 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:00 PM Friday: 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM, 5:00 – 10:00 PM Saturday: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM, 5:00 – 10:00 PM Sunday: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM, 5:00 – 9:00 PM
This place is amazing. I passed by for years. It was strongly recommended by a friend of mine. I’m so happy I listened. The food, the service was amazing.you must give this place the only Thor you will regret is not coming here sooner.
Jorly Pulikkiyil
Jan 7, 2026
5
***** Outstanding Catering & Service for a Large Wedding Reception *****
We chose Sitar Indian Restaurant to cater food and alcohol for our son’s wedding reception, serving nearly 300 guests, and they exceeded our expectations in every way.
Benny Mathew personally supervised all the arrangements and ensured that everything ran smoothly from start to finish. What truly stood out was his experience and professionalism—we met with him just twice to discuss and finalize the menu, and based on the guest demographics and his extensive experience with large-scale catering, he thoughtfully recommended the right mix of dishes. His guidance proved to be absolutely spot-on.
The food was excellent—both in quality and quantity—and remained fresh and warm throughout the event. It was a buffet setup, and we were impressed that all items were consistently available until the very end of the function. Many of our guests complimented the taste, variety, and presentation of the food.
The presentation was top-notch, with each dish clearly labeled, including descriptions, spice levels, and indicators for gluten-free and vegan options. This thoughtful attention to detail was greatly appreciated by our guests.
The staff was courteous, professional, and well-mannered, leaving a very positive impression on everyone. All items were prepared and served exactly on schedule, without any delays.
The bartending service was also excellent—efficient, well-organized, and handled with great professionalism.
We are extremely happy with Sitar Indian Restaurant’s service and would highly recommend them for weddings and large events. Thank you to Benny Mathew and the entire Sitar team for helping make our celebration truly memorable.
Mel Downey-Piper
Jan 6, 2026
5
We went for dinner and I was so excited to see an amazing buffet with about 20 fresh dishes, desserts, chai and salad. The buffet had vegetarian, vegan, chicken, and lamb dishes. The chicken tikka masala, samosas, paneer and chana masala were especially good. There were several desserts as well. I think it was $21.99 for adults and $12.99 for kids. You could also order from the menu, but there was so much variety that we all wanted the buffet. The service was also great.
Jose Maria Sadaba
Dec 21, 2025
5
Great service! The food was supreme! I went with friends and was a great experience of Indian food, hope to be back soon!!
Letizia Haynie
Dec 19, 2025
5
We have been coming to this restaurant since the old days when it was on the other side of 15/501 (so 20+ years) and it has never disappointed. We have ordered from the menu and been very pleased but our favorite is to go and have the buffet. They always have all of the standard fare plus a rotating selection of other dishes to try - and the current iteration of the dinner buffet includes an array of desserts plus drinks such as mango lassi and masala chai. The ambiance is warm and pleasant, and the staff goes out of their way to make it a great experience. I mean, they just always seem very sincere and appear to care about the customers. Tonight we went and one of the staff members had on these fun snowman glasses with a Santa hat. We got such a kick out of it and mentioned it a few times, how much we liked it. Then at the end he came over and GAVE us a couple of Santa hats and fun holiday glasses - I mean, what?!?!? Honestly just made our night, which was even more special because we were celebrating a birthday (which they didn’t know, we didn’t mention it or sing or anything). Highly recommend this place!!
2wheel Timmy
Dec 4, 2025
5
My Wife and I went here for the Vegan buffet, it was amazing. Having an entire buffet prepared Vegan was incredible! Everything we ate was delicious, the atmosphere and music was perfect. Staff was very polite and helpful. Restaurant was clean, food was awesome and the staff was great. I highly recommend you go try them out. Go Vegan!
Jubilee H
Nov 5, 2025
5
Favorite Indian cuisine restaurant!
A variety of Indian curries, fresh salads with unique Indian dressings, and even traditional Indian desserts — everything was absolutely delicious, and all the staff were so kind!
NSA
Oct 13, 2025
5
4.5 really
Came for the weekend buffet , considering few are in the area I'll come again
Overall good selection of veggies, paneer and chicken. I wish there the bread was brought out more often in smaller batches to remain fresh . At 1 pm the naan was rock hard and untearable
Overall good buffet, comes with nice drinks ( chai, hibiscus and mango lassi )
I would like more lamb choices but that's a preference
They also have classic Indian desserts
Amber Angel
Oct 9, 2025
5
So far hands down the best Indian Crusine I've ever had !! Customer service is awesome !! Always ready help with a smile !! Food has an exquisite taste!! My whole family enjoys going here
Uma
Sep 7, 2025
5
We ordered the Onam Sadya buffet from Sitar, and it was absolutely amazing! The Kerala food was authentic, flavorful, and beautifully presented. We had it catered for 12 people, and everyone loved it — a perfect festive feast!
Jennifer Drilea
Aug 9, 2025
5
Dinner was fantastic! Everyone that came in got a table right away, even on a Saturday night. Plenty of options in the buffet, even for vegetarians. I REALLY appreciate that everything was labeled so we knew what we're getting, and even had allergy information and spice levels. Good craft beer selection too. Will absolutely be back!
Tiffany
Jul 20, 2025
5
good food and good price! lots of variety and every dish was good and consistent. there is an endless supply of naan and lots of dessert options! i ate too much
Archbishop Dr Smith Abrams Almasi MDiv DD THD PhD
Jun 22, 2025
5
Excellent food Hitesh was awesome. I sincerely appreciate the atmosphere of this restaurant. Excellent for Families to take time to enjoy themselves, friends togetherness and great food.
Danda Naveen
Jun 21, 2025
4
One of few places worth the price for a buffet. $22 for weekend lunch with pretty good selection of items from appetizers to desserts. Meatballs, beef, tandoori, kabab, poori, naan, dosa, idli, vada, biryani, mango shake and strawberry mojito, around 10 desserts with likes of gulab jamun, rasagulla, flan, payasam, rice pudding, barfis, cakes. Place was big with seperate bar section and space for celebrations. Service was good as they keep on asking if we need anything and explaining few things to people who are here first time. Unlike other places which was rushed up, crowdy and no one to ask you of anything, this was well maintained. 5* for service, menu spread out and place. Taste w.r.t spice and salt could have been better. Tandoori was a bit on dry side, Naan was bit harder, too much oil on vada but overall definitely worth a visit.
Jeremy Edmunds
Apr 15, 2025
4
Sitar Indian Cuisine offers a welcome alternative to Durham's Southern-dominated dining scene. The restaurant's signature buffet has remained popular through two decades of ownership changes.
Standout dishes include the reliable chicken tikka masala and the more adventurous fish Malabar with its delicate coconut sweetness and subtle heat. Naan quality varies from perfectly tender to disappointingly rigid.
The atmosphere combines cultural authenticity with theatrical elements - vibrant red pendant lighting and decorative wall murals create an immersive dining experience. Service quality varies, with some staff providing attentive service while others seem indifferent.
Their impressive 98/100 health score is particularly noteworthy for a buffet operation. As Durham evolves, Sitar provides something increasingly valuable - consistent, traditional Indian flavors that appeal to Duke students, UNC faculty, and Triangle families seeking familiar comfort food rather than fleeting culinary trends.
Monica Ospina
Apr 4, 2025
5
We were looking for the perfect place to meet up with a friend, and my daughter found the restaurant online. It's an elegant restaurant with a great atmosphere that lets you enjoy Indian food at an excellent price, considering that a single plate of food costs an average of $17, and for approx $21, we were able to enjoy several dishes with dessert and beverages.I had an incredible experience. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere allowed me to connect with Indian culture. There were numerous options to explore the diverse flavors and textures of the cuisine, making it a fantastic opportunity to enjoy Indian dishes at a great price. The service was pretty good and consistently attentive to our needs. I highly recommend this place!. We loved it! Thank you guys!🙏🏻😋
