Tamarind Flavor of India

The question is, have you ever had bad Indian food?? Tamarind is an unsuspecting gem in the heart of North Oakland! Located in a home-turned-restaurant, it's a quaint, plain location with excellent food! We started with samosas, which were great! Their tamarind sauce was to die for. Then we ordered chicken tikka masala and lamb vindaloo both medium spicy. It had us sweating but the perfect amount. Both dishes were excellent and came with a small side of mint chutney. The chicken in the tikka masala was tender but not dry, and the sauce was perfectly sweet and spicy. We also ordered 'the bread basket' which was definitely too much for the two of us but would be great for a larger party to share. The mango lassi was also perfect! The perfect amount of service. Just came to check on us to order and to bring the food. Very friendly ownership and staff.I look forward to coming back!

This place used to be an all-you-can-eat buffet but they seem to have switched to a regular menu. I went for a weekday lunch with a friend recently and we nearly had the place to ourselves. It was very quiet and service was quick. The building feels like a house with homely decor and nice natural light, which is pleasant.That said, the food was not great. I got saag paneer, which was basically a big bowl of piping hot spinach sauce with a vanishingly small amount of paneer. It looked pretty I guess. The side of rice was as bland as anything I've ever had (usually Indian places add at least some peas or cumin seeds). The other small side of eggplant didn't have much flavor either and the skin was tough. My friend got lamb tikka masala; it definitely had more lamb than my dish had paneer (a plus) but he didn't love the flavor and felt like the lamb was a bit undercooked.This place is pretty close to my office, so I hope they keep it going. Would like to come again but I'd need to try a different dish.

Such a lovely, homey restaurant in a super adorable red house with colorful paintings, nice dining area with pretty windows, and a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. I had the Sweet Lassi ($2.99), which had cardamom and other sweet spices, giving the smooth, milky drink a delicate taste. As for the meal, we shared the Garlic Naan ($2.49), Mix Grill ($16.99) and Lamb Korma ($10.99). The Garlic Naan was quite tasty, with butter and actual garlic, served warm and slightly crispy. The Mix Grill consisted of Shrimp, Lamb, and Chicken, along with onion on top of a sizzling cast iron pan. All of the meat was cooked perfectly and nicely charred. The Shrimp was my favorite, followed by the Lamb. Shrimp was juicy and well seasoned. Lamb was succulent and full of bold flavor, while the Chicken was tender and tasty. Lamb Korma was served with rice and some green veggies. The sauce was rich, creamy and savory with hints of cashew, while the lamb was wonderfully tender. I preferred the Shrimp Korma and wish I had ordered that. Shrimp was cooked beautifully and melt in your mouth delicious! Service was solid. Our waiter was very friendly and made sure we were taken care of throughout our dinner. All of our dishes came out in a timely manner. Prices could not be beat and everyone was happy with their meal.

Good food, but with some menu clarity issues. I hadn't tried this place in a while, but recently picked up some takeout to revisit and reevaluate. My first observation is that the menu expands well beyond the standard options that you would find at any Indian restaurant in Western Pennsylvania. There are a number of options that represent Indian dishes not commonly available in this region. Awesome.If I have one minor nit, it's the difficulty around connecting what's on the menu with what will actually end up in my order. As an example, the chilly gobi start is described as sautéed cauliflower, but it's actually deep fried and then sautéed cauliflower. That's not a huge deal, but more clarity would be helpful. The mirchi bajji was also deep-fried, which was not immediately obvious.All in all, this was a great experience with friendly staff and an excellent takeout packaging. The parking situation can be a little challenging, but the food is nicely seasoned and enjoyable. You just need to be ready for items to tend toward the side of being somewhat heavy.

Have gotten this delivered a couple times and it really slaps. They also are very accommodating to nut allergies which is great for me.

No, that's not a filter - the manchurian gravy at Tamarind really is that vibrant! I absolutely love Indian cuisine, and while Pittsburgh doesn't have a ton of good Indian options, Tamarind does alright. After having gone to India, I certainly am more picky about the food. The thing that I like best about Tamarind is the varied and interesting menu (it spans multiple regions with some favorites that aren't always easy to find) & how pretty much each dish can be made with chicken, lamb, goat, or paneer. You also can select a spice level - and medium is certainly high enough for me! My main complaint, however, would be that the main flavor is spicy. There seems to be a lack of balance that makes really good Indian food so intricate & delicious. Adding in the pickled veggies to the gravy did help with that, however. Service is pretty good & fast, and apparently they have a buffet on weekends that I would love to try sometime. The ambiance is nothing special, but the main reason you would come here is the food anyway. Overall, it's a decent lunch option (and close to my work), but the food needs more balance (as opposed to whacking you with spice like so many American Indian restaurants seem to do) to really capture what I fell in love with in India. The portions are quite large, so I always leave with leftovers as well!Food: B-Drinks: N/AService: B-Ambiance: C

This place is my go-to whenever I have a craving for Indian food.Every dish I've tried here has been exceptional, from the flavorful Tandoori Chicken to the rich and creamy Chicken Tikka Masala. And let's not forget about the mouthwatering Garlic Naan that I always make sure to order. Depending on my mood, I usually opt for a spice level of 1 or 2, and it never fails to satisfy my taste buds. The food is consistently served piping hot, just the way I like it. Even when I've ordered through Uber Eats, the quality remains top-notch and the portion sizes are consistent.Whether it's for a comforting lunch or dinner, my friends and I always choose this place. The ambiance is incredibly cozy, as the restaurant is housed in a building that I believe the owners also reside in. The presence of families adds to the warm and inviting atmosphere. Although I once noticed that the paintings were a bit crooked, it didn't bother me much considering how incredible the food was. I also never had any issues with being seated too closely to others, and overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the space.In addition to the outstanding food and inviting environment, the service is also exceptional. I've never had to wait long for a table, and the servers promptly bring us our drinks. If you're unsure about what to order, the servers are always ready to provide excellent recommendations and thoroughly explain each dish.I have returned to this place multiple times, and it will definitely remain my preferred choice in the future!

This is what I got after 60+ mins of wait time...I waited for almost half an hour to get a seat. The waiter didn't offer me any water or drink. After another 30 min of wait time I informed another waiter about the issue and received no direct answer. Apparently my original waiter "left the restaurant to get something else", so my order did not pass through...Despite the poor service, the food is actually some of the best Indian food I've tried!

Takeout order was well-packed. The food is really tasty. I am always amazed at the huge dosa packed to go.Good job!

So good!! We just moved to the neighborhood recently and are elated that there's such a great place nearby. So far, we especially LOVE the saag paneer and anything with lamb. We're very excited to explore more of the menu.