Yes, the restaurant and bar are open to the public and there are plenty of camera-toting tourists around. Rather low-quality proof attached:
But I’d recommend stopping for a meal or drink. It’s not cheap by Indian standards (I vaguely recall paying well north of Rs500 for a curry and a Kingfisher), but it’s probably worth it — it’s not every day that you get to visit an actual maharajah’s palace, after all. The outdoor seating in the restaurant has great views of the back garden.
Credit:stackoverflow.com‘