Empire Biryani & Grille

We went around noon. It’s cute and rustic inside. The workers were kind, patient, and helpful. The food was very flavorful! I had the tomato dal (spicy), butter naan, mango lassi, and tikka skewers. I tried my dad’s mango shrimp dish and that was delicious as well. I highly recommend trying this restaurant. Apparently they do buffets on Sundays. Will definitely be back with my family :)

A True Gem in Johnston — Incredible Food, Beautiful Bar, and Perfect Event Space! This Indian restaurant at 198 Putnam Pike, Johnston, RI is hands-down one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had! The moment you walk in, the warm hospitality, inviting atmosphere, and mouthwatering aromas set the tone for an unforgettable meal. The food is absolutely outstanding — butter chicken, tikka masala, garlic naan, and biryani all cooked to perfection with rich, authentic flavors. Every bite tastes fresh and homemade, and the presentation is beautiful. The bar area is a real highlight — stylish, comfortable, and perfect if you want to unwind with a drink before or after your meal. Great selection of cocktails, wines, and beers, and the bartenders are friendly and attentive. And if you’re planning an event, they have a spacious banquet hall that can comfortably host 70–80 people — ideal for birthdays, family gatherings, business parties, or any special occasion. Everything about this place shines — the food, the service, and the atmosphere. 🔥 Five stars all the way — Johnston finally has the Indian restaurant it deserves! 🔥

Empire Biryani is hands down the best Indian restaurant in RI. The servers are polite, responsive, and personable. Picture Indian rustic with a touch of industrial ambiance. Five TV monitors play sports. Contemporary Indian music with a hip-hop vibe. They have a bar with an assortment of beer, wine, and cocktails. The Food Lots of variety. Chicken, lamb, and veggie dishes. They also take care with their garnish to decorate the plates. It’s our go-to place on Fridays for delicious Indian food. We’ve been at least 7 times in 6 months. I highly recommend it.

I highly recommend Empire Biryani and Grill for an exceptional dining experience. I recently visited this restaurant for dinner with my neighbors, and we had a wonderful time. As a vegetarian, I was initially a bit skeptical about the menu options, but I was pleasantly surprised by their impressive vegetarian selection. The dishes were flavorful and thoroughly enjoyable. The owners were incredibly friendly and accommodating, willingly making adjustments to suit our preferences. Empire Biryani and Grill is definitely worth a visit, whether you're a vegetarian or not. Give it a try—you won't be disappointed!

It's been a while since Rhode Island welcomed a truly exciting new Indian restaurant, and Empire Biryani and Grille has certainly filled that void with remarkable flair. From the moment you step inside, the ambiance is a delightful surprise. Their earthy themes offer a refreshing departure from typical Indian restaurant decor, adding an immediate sense of excitement to the dining experience. The service was wonderfully warm and pleasant. Everyone, including owner Mahesh and his brother Gani, made a genuine effort to connect with guests, providing a truly personalized touch. Of course, even the best atmosphere and service wouldn't matter without outstanding food, and Empire Biryani and Grille truly excels here. The food was exceptionally good, especially for those accustomed to Indian cuisine, and I'm confident it will be highly appealing to all palates. The fresh ingredients and careful preparation truly shine through in every dish. While they currently offer a limited bar, I understand they plan to expand both their menu and bar selection significantly for their grand opening in a few months. Overall, Empire Biryani and Grille is incredibly impressive and highly recommended. It's wonderful to have such a fantastic new option for Indian food in Rhode Island!

I had a great experience at this new restaurant. The service was excellent and our server was very polite, and the entire staff was warm and welcoming. We started with the Momo 65 and Gobi Manchurian and both were flavorful, especially the Gobi Manchurian, which is hard to find done well. For entrées, we tried the Empire Special Chicken Curry, Malai Kofta, and Chicken Dum Biryani and all three dishes were delicious and full of rich, authentic flavors. I will definitely be coming back and would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for great food and great service.

Went there on a weeknight for dinner. The restaurant was not crowded. Ordered some tandoori chicken and lamb vindaloo Indian spicy. Portions were good and the taste was spot on. Service was fine. Enjoyed mango Lassi and a couple canned Indian beers: the mango beer was especially good. They were out of a couple Indian beers listed on the menu but the ones they had were good. Of particular note, both the owner and manager both checked in at the end of dinner to ask about the experience . I suggested they serve spicier vindaloo (I ordered extra spicy/Indian spice) and they said they would remember my face and would do so next time. That made a great positive impression. I will definitely return!

The flavors are vibrant and memorable, and the place is service attentive, and dishes we tasted are flavourful. A top pick for anyone craving real Indian food classics done right.

Our second visit. Tried a lamb, a chicken and a vegetarian dish, and of course naan. Food was amazing. Very friendly service.

Another night out for the brothers who love to eat! We wanted to try something new.. We walked in not knowing what to expect. The newly designed interior set the scene with a great ambiance. Started with Samosa. They were crispy and extremely flavorful.. the dough was not too thick. The garlic honey naan was soft and flaky as well as was the Paneer Kulcha. I really enjoyed the Tandori Chicken Biryani! I had it spicy.. it was the perfect amount. The rice was aromatic and flavorful with a generous portion. My brother was nice enough to let me try his Chicken Korma.. I was pleasantly surprised by the cream coconut milk flavor with a flavorful profile. The Chilli Baby Corn was a pleasant surprise.. crispy, savory, and bite of spice. The staff was attentive, and suggested good choices. Overall, the food was full of flavor with no lack of herbs/spices. I would definitely come back knowing that the quality of the food is better than what I expected!

One of the strangest dining experiences in recent memory. Decor reminiscent of a summer camp bunkhouse, and an overall atmosphere of having just opened a week ago and still finding their way. The good; a delicious tikka masala with much more complexity than I have seen elsewhere. And some wonderfully savory samosas. Both first rate. Less so; lamb chops that were presented beautifully but were absolutely cremated to the point of almost becoming charcoal. The odd: the decor, large screen TVs showing NASCAR and football while overly-loud Indian music plays in the background, and rustic, uncomfortable seating with diner-style paper placemats placed on roughly hewn tabletops. Oddest of all for a man of my age (one at which even my grandchildren would easily be old enough to drink) was being required to show ID in order to have a beer with my meal. I opted instead for a mango lassi (very tasty) rather than participate in such a silly ritual. Overall a passable, but very odd dining experience. May be a better choice for takeout than dining in.

We got a new Indian restaurant in town! Decided to give it a shot and came here with one of my friends and it did not disappoint. We enjoyed everything from the samosas to the curry. The staff was extremely nice and attentive, it was a Friday night and the place was full with many families dining in which was cool to see. With that, service was a bit slower but we were checked on consistently which was appreciated. For apps we got samosas and the fried onion dish. Both delicious. The green (mint-yogurt?) sauce that came with the samosas was delicious. The fried onion dish was good, I enjoyed the curry leaves and spices in them, they essentially felt like the Indian street food version of onion rings. The curry: I got Goat Chettinad and my friend got Lamb Rogan Josh. Both delicious. Goat Chettinad has a thick curry with coconut milk in the base with turmeric, ginger and all the other great spices that come along. The goat pieces were a little lackluster, not as much meat and a lot of bone. I would get a different meat next time, though, I'm sure this is variable from order to order as goat usually is. The lamb rogan Josh, which I was able to try, was delicious. Bright flavor, tangy, deep ruby red curry and the lamb pieces were plentiful and tender. A slight smokiness from black cardamom, packed with Kashmiri chili, it had such great depth of flavor. Eaten along with some garlic naan which was light, fluffy and had some slight charring around the edges which is exactly how I like it. Also, the parathas. If you haven't had these before, order them. Flakey, buttery and delicious. I've made them at home before and these are better than anything i can muster up! (Probably on account of more butter.. Makes everything better). The curry was quite heavy on the oil/ghee, so be mindful if you're sensitive to that. Also, I enjoy spice, but for rogan Josh which has a kashmiri chili paste base, be careful ordering "spicy". Or if you're a medium person, you may want to go mild. I liked their "medium" for rogan Josh and the "spicy" for the Chettinad but I enjoy spice. I'd recommend trying this spot out, I'll definitely be back.

You walk in to a restaurant full of booths. Not the typical Indian Aesthetic but more of a BBQ feel. The service was quiet! Kind of a weird description but the true feel. The waitress was a bit sluggish and lacked the friendly personality. The 3-4 men walking around just stared and gave a head shake to say hello. The interactions were lackluster and slow at best. The music is what kept energy flowing - it was a good volume- Authentic Indian dance pop. The menu provides a nice array of options from the norm to options authentic to this establishment. The naan was soooo tasty. Probably the best I have ever had. The honey and the paneer stuffed - 2 thumbs up. The sauces were all perfect compliments. The Samosa was stuffed and flavorful. The baby corns were a spicy and sweet crunchy small bite. Then the chicken Korma was delicious - smooth - creamy - coconut forward tasting. Make sure you know your spice level because even mild can be overly hot for the non-spice fans. The service became more interactive as time passed and we actually had a nice conversation with the manager. I wish they cleared the dirty dishes as we went along and they gave a printout of the bill but overall great taste- great spice - and awesome authenticity. I will be back and if you love Indian you should try.

What an absolutely pleasant surprise! We saw there was a new Indian restaurant that opened up (where the old PJ's Pub and DrDuffs) used to be and they offered a Sunday Lunch Buffet - say no more, that became our lunch choice for the day. They offer Sunday Buffet 12-3pm, we got there shortly after 12 and they were still setting up so we had to wait just a bit to start. I can't say I care much for the seating, I can't remember what the inside was like prior but they might've kept some of the setup - rustic wooden tables and booths don't really go with the Indian cuisine, lol - but we're here for the food. The food - let me tell you, this buffet offered ALOT. Way more than I've had at any other Indian buffet offering we've seen before and we enjoyed pretty much everything and were introduced to some new things we've never had before. I loved that they had several protein options - chicken, shrimp, mutton, fish....I was surprised to see there weren't any chickpea dishes but we were told they rotate options. My faves were the Chicken Manchurian and the Nellore Fish Curry. Service was super friendly and attentive and you can tell they're so very proud of what they do and it shows. We can't wait to go back! The buffet always allows to get a feel for what the restaurant can offer and this buffet hit it out of the park, we will be back. Price was $23.99 pp - a steal!

Came in while this place was being soft launched. They have a parking lot, and everything is nice and white on the inside. Cultural music (Bollywood mix, I believe) playing softly in the background Servers were very attentive Food was good. Interested to see spring rolls on the menu. Chicken saag was good, as well as the other dish we got. We will be back to try more on the menu! Seating is mostly booths, but they are decently sized (just keep that in mind) They also offer toothpicks and fennel/rock candies for when you are finished.

Absolutely delicious. We went for the buffet, but my kids are picky eaters, so we also ordered off the menu. The staff was kind. And though they are still ironing out the details, (they've only been open for four months), I will definitely go back because everything was remarkably delicious.

My new favorite Indian restaurant! I've been wanting to try this place since it opened and so glad I finally stopped by. I ordered the chicken tikka masala and garlic naan. Both did not disappoint! The flavor was delicious! My friend ordered the empire special chicken curry which was highly recommended by our server. I was surprised by how amazing it was - very authentic and the chicken was spiced well. The service was the best part of our dinner! Food was quick and service was attentive. I can't wait to go back and try other dishes on the menu.

2nd visit and everything was still outstanding! Tried the roti and samosas with my chicken tikka masala this time. This is a must try new restaurant

Food was incredible and delicious!! Derive couldn't have been better. We were a large difficult group who took forever and our server was very patient and accommodating! Chicken tikka and palak paneer were out of this world!

We went here for the first time as a group of 4 on 10/31 and it was a great experience! The service was amazing- our waitress was very sweet and helpful with the recommendations and very attentive. I wish I knew her name so that I could give her a proper shout out. The food was AWESOME and the portions were very big! This is the first Samosa I've ever liked! So glad that we have a good Indian restaurant much closer to home than Cranston or Providence. The ambiance was great too- it's very clean and the decor is rustic and very pretty. I look forward to going back!

Pleasantly Surprised! I was super tired and ordered late-night Boneless Chicken Biryani on Uber Eats. Honestly, I was just hoping it wouldn't have raisins. To my surprise, it turned out to be authentic biryani -- and it was delicious! Definitely hit the spot.

Great Authentic Indian food with fresh made spices. It tastes like food in India, absolutely terrific. The staff is very courteous and noticed them giving recommendation on pairing and how to eat, to someone who was eating Indian food for the first time. It is all booth seating, not the best to maneuver; but who cares (not like I'm stuck there forever). Visited once, and I might be getting a frequent flyer card. Can't wait to go back again.

Glad this new South Indian spot opened up in RI. The ambiance inside is nice - had a modern, edgy vibe. Grabbed takeout from here and tried the chicken biryani and the chicken 65. The biryani was awesome - great flavor and plenty of chicken. The chicken 65 was also good, though I expected it was hoping for a bit more crunch. Spice-wise, it was on the mild side for being labeled medium. Overall very good experience.

Owner was so nice! came to order some takeout but was surprised by their weekend buffet. Wanted to do takeout, but the owner was nice enough to let us know that the buffet was actually cheaper than what we wanted to order and allowed us to do takeout from there. Amazing spread of biryani, paneer, chickens etc. the food was soo good, id absolutely come back here!

Truly Exceptional Indian Cuisine! I don't usually write reviews, but this place deserves it. Hands down one of the best Indian restaurants I've ever been to. The flavors are incredibly authentic -- rich, natural, and clearly made with fresh, high-quality ingredients. Every dish tasted homemade in the best way, with bold spices and perfect balance. The service was just as impressive. Warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. You can tell they care about what they do and want you to have a great experience. On top of all that, the prices were more than fair for the quality of food you're getting. Fresh, top-notch Indian cuisine at a great value, doesn't get much better than that. If you love Indian food (or even if you've never tried it), this place is a must.

Made my first visit today. Would definitely recommend. Very authentic! Spice level was on point! So if you are new to it. Mild is the way to go! But I went medium which was great!

Been here a few times now. And 5/5 stars! A few of my favorites are the lasuni shrimp, chicken korma and their garlic naan.

I was pleased to see another I Indian eatery. We stopped in on a Sunday and were pleased to see there was a buffet. Wow ! Over 20 dishes. So many that we couldn't try everything. Looking forward to ordering from the regular menu. Give it a shot!

Cool ambiance, but that's about where it ended. We waited an unreasonably long time for food even though the restaurant wasn't full.

Food is terrible! Lamb Rogan Gosh was clumps of FAT!! Could not find the chicken in the Chicken Biriyani!

The food is authentic and delicious. Haven't tried anything that I didn't like. The deserts are soooo good. Definitely pallet cleansing. We've tried so many new things, it's exciting when we go to try something different.

So yummy. Food is super fresh and came out fast. Service was great. Will definitely be back again!

This is strictly a review of the weekend buffet. Was average. The food lacked any flavor- the go to standard "butter chicken" was like a soupy stew. Also, of concern was the food temperature of the buffet items. Service was great. I'll go back and order off the menu,maybe.

The food was excellent, bursting with flavor. Tried several dishes and none were disappointing. Will be going back to try more. Very friendly environment and pleasant waitstaff . Highly recommend this restaurant! An overall pleasant experience.

So glad this placed opened. We needed some great Indian food in the area. We ordered several different dishes. All were severed hot and delicious. Service was attentive and friendly.