Himalaya Restaurant

The food is so good here. Unfortunately, even the food can't make up for how terrible the service is at this restaurant.The food deserves all the praise it gets because it is really that good but the experience at the restaurant puts a real damper on it. Especially if you're a person of color. If you're determined to eat here in spite of the service, get the hara chicken masala. Otherwise pack up the car and drive down to Aga's. Arguably better food.2 stars cause the food is really that good.

First visit to Himalayan, which is amazing after all the hype. Apparently, I should have gone back during the hype because last night wasn't impressive at all. I did feel like I was back in Asia based on the clutter, makeshift furnishing, and cleanliness. We started out with veggie samosas; large and well stuffed with potato and not much else, kinda dry. For mains we order the Chicken Hara Masala Supreme (Chef's signature dish), Goat Masala, and Mutton Biryani. The Hara Masala was good, but I wasn't wooed by it, and wouldn't order again. Nice flavors, but nothing outstanding; tasted similar to Kofta. The highlight, and was saved a 1 start rating, was the Goat Masala, it was outstanding. Large chucks of tender goat (watch out for the bones) in a cream smooth Masala sauce. If it wasn't for the Goat, I probably wouldn't return. On to the Biryani... It was a HUGE portion, covered the plate and 3-4" high. It was stacked with white rice on top, pilau rice in the middle and the mutton on the bottom. It was VERY dry and didn't have enough sauce mixed in. Wouldn't order it again.All in all, in was an OK trip, but there are many other good Indian/Pakistan restaurants in the Houston area. One of them is AGA out in Stafford at Southwest Fwy and Murphy Road. In cleanliness, ambiance, service and quality of food, Himalayan and AGA are light years apart.

My order of Butter Chicken with rice was very delicious, rich, savory, creamy and herby. It's my favorite dish here along with the Chicken Hara Masala, Lamb Shank Curry and Mutton Biryani. The coriander, fenugreek and curry aromas were all blended nicely. The chicken chunks were very generous in amount as well as being very well marinated and really tender with no dryness or chewiness at all. The rice was warm, fresh and loose and of course large in size. Great service again. Great Indian cooking. Great desserts too if you have room.

I have such mixed feelings about this place. The food is GREAT! But the service is sooooo meh/bad, or if it's good, it's very rare. I've mostly just done to-go, because the food is really so good! Especially the biriyani and goan salmon plate and chicken hara and even the daal. The garlic naan was meh and the butter chicken was really not good. The mango lassi and the iced chai are also super solid. The owner has some pretty interesting restrictions on how many items you need to order and how many sides you need to order with it, which I don't think it's great. I think for the longest time I used to excuse these things in the service because the food was really that good, but there are other places in Houston that serve just as good food or even better, that have greatservice too, so I know it's possible! I just feel like that's an area that they can work on, instead of just relying on past fame from a TV show almost a decade ago. There's so much potential here and the chefs are really so talented!

Disgusting food and and service. Stay away. We ordered the fried chicken which they are famous for. Nothing special under seasoned and we ended up sick.

Himalaya is an Indo-Pakistani staple of Houston. They have several awards and recognitions and have also been visited by Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern. The mutton biryani is a great option. The meat is very tender and the dish as a whole is very tasty and well spiced. I tried the achaari chicken and hunters beef for the first time. The chicken was very soft and juicy. The pickle taste was not too strong. I've never had hunters beef before, it was an interesting option of shredded beef that was served with a mustard sauce. I would try something else in the future. The garlic naan and mango lassi are both great as well. The restaurant is not very big so expect a wait for a larger group. It's worth it. The owner is very kind and always involved. I look forward to my next meal there!I read some other reviews and noticed that the service might be inconsistent and some had rude experiences. I did notice that the workers kept trying to push more items on people when they did not ask and they did take a while to bring out drinks and utensils but everything else was good when I went.

Been here on several occasions. They are BYOB but require you order one entree per person as a result, and the vegetarian entrees count as half. On one occasion, we were told a meat main dish was considered a "kid's meal" and hence had to order another entree. Besides this little bump, their food quality and portions are impeccable. Faves include saag paneer, goat biryani, and butter chicken. Bring your own rum to add to a mango lassi.

This place has been so highly recommended to me by many friends that I had to try it for myself. It did not disappoint! On the outside it's very unassuming but once you sit down and take in the menu, you know that it's something special. My friend and I tried the iced chai tea - it's so flavorful! I love chai and this one was one of the best I've had. That combination of spices was unlike anything I've had before. We loved how there were indications on the menu for fan favorites of famous chefs who have done features on certain dishes (ie. Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmerman). It made the decision making process a little less daunting since they have a ton of options for dishes. The mutton biryani was delicious. Just enough spice, great flavor, and it came with a lovely yogurt sauce. The portion was huge too! The saag paneer was amazing as well. Very rich in flavor, not too heavy or greasy, and they were generous on the paneer portions. The garlic naan was heaven - so light and fluffy and flavorful. The service was great - seating was tight and intimate but our server actually moved us to a new spot where we could have more room. They are very quick and efficient and the food came out right away despite them being busy. Can't say enough good things about this place. Check. Them. Out. Now!

Ok, so let me be transparent. Himalaya is one of my very favorite restaurants in Houston. I love this place!! I love all of the idiosyncrasies that come with dining at Himalaya. This is a neighborhood restaurant in a strip mall. The ambiance is super casual, the space is tight and the service is not traditional. Chef and Owner Kaiser is not only present and working but will most likely take your order and make recommendations. Just tell him your preferences and let him tell you what to order. Everything on the menu is going to be amazing. Chef Kaiser is such a kind caring person with a quick wit and big smile. What a wonderful presence he has in the restaurant. He is a James Beard award winning Chef. He has cared for celebrities like Andrew Zimmern, and Anthony Bourdain. Now let me get to the food. Amazing, fabulous, delicious, satisfying... The Bhindi okra is a favorite as well as the Aloo Gobi, the Hunters Beef is unforgettable. There is nothing on this menu to be afraid to try. You can even red neck up in here and order some fried chicken, which will probably produce some sort of climactic experience. Well I've said enough. Now there's only one thing left for you to do. GO GET YA SOME!

Love this place. Surprised that I hadn't reviewed this place. Food is amazing. Been coming here 10 years plus and has been consistent.It's usually my husband and I we order three dishes and it's plenty.Our must have are the chicken biriyani, chick pea Aloo Chana and butter chicken.But everything is delicious.The restaurant is not too big so I would get there early at least before six because you might be stuck sitting in a small table which is not the most comfortable. It seems like they tried to use every inch of the restaurant which it can get a bit crowded.Biriyani is during the week is only available after 1 o'clock just in case you get there during lunch and try to order it.