The Tastiest Indian in San Francisco

Himali Bistro

★★★★★ 4.9 (79)

"We had such a nice and delicious time here! The atmosphere is welcoming, service is friendly and attentive, and the food rocks. The cauliflower appetizer is a must if you enjoy cauliflower. Maybe even if you think you don't care about cauliflower. My husband loved the lamb skewer. Everything we tasted was delicious, tbh. Try it!! This place is an asset to the neighborhood and your palate."

Curry Up Now

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (16) • $$

"Had a great time at the new IKEA food hall. I ordered the paneer tikka masala and enjoyed it! I love the ambiance at the Ike food hall. Curry up Now is on the 2nd floor and is like a mall food court. At the time of writing this review, it is very clean, bright, and open. The paneer itself was very tasty and recommend it. I wasn't a fan of the lentils they felt a bit grainy, but I haven't had too many lentils before so they weren't a consideration for my review. Friendly staff and I received my order quickly within 5 minutes of placing it. I have not tried them before so I am not sure how it compares to their other location. When you order, they provide you a buzzer and utensils are self serve at their counter."

Curry Up Now

★★★★☆ 3.8 (852) • $$

"Love the chicken tikka masala burrito at Curry Up Now! The only thing is that i'm at a food coma in the office later, lol! It's super filling and so flavorful--sometimes I even get cauliflower rice to lighten it up!"

Curry Up Now

★★★★☆ 3.7 • $$

"In a downtown, with a ramen or bubble tea shop on every block, it's nice to see an Indian inspired restaurant. I think if I went in with a more fast food mindset, I would have probably been a bit more satisfied with the meal. Sexy fries: The dish really didn't seem well thought out. The sweet potato fries were fine, but the paneer and sauce felt like it was just tossed on. Wouldn't recommend.Thali: we ordered with chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, and spinach paneer. I liked how there was different variety, but the flavors of the dishes fell a bit flat. I wished the naan was chewier instead of a pita texture.Haaka noods: If you think of a standard Chinese chow mein, you'll get a decent idea for it tastes. Samosa: The best dish we ate. The pastry was hot and crispy and curried potatoes were tasty. Mango lassi: comes in a bottle so not sure if it is made fresh. Tasted fine.All in all, they try to go for a modern "cool" vibe feel, but the dishes, aside from the samosa, fell flat."

Tilak

★★★★☆ 4.4 (441) • $$

"A quiet local spot that has been recommended by multiple neighbors. We enjoyed all the dishes we had, but everything was a little sweeter than you would expect. We were seated immediately and service was as expected. It's definitely good in a pinch if you're craving Indian food and are nearby."

Cuisine of Nepal

★★★★★ 4.7 (758) • $$

"We came here to try the Salmon Curry, vegetarian Momos, and the Palak Paneer. The Naan and Rice is complimentary with every dish! The Momos: I see why everyone raves about them. They have layers of spices in each bite, and the curry sauce they come with has a little kick. They are so delicious. The spice does not overwhelm all the other flavors in the Momo. Salmon Curry: Oh I loved this dish. You can really taste the salmon amidst the curry spices, and the texture was *chef's kiss! There was enough that two people had a bit of leftovers too. Palak Paneer: I've read hit of miss reviews about this dish. Some people said it was too thin/liquid of a sauce. I've had Palak Paneer at numerous places and every single place does it a little differently. It's true that Palak Paneer at Cuisine of Nepal had a thinner curry but it's still delicious. The cheese cubes are quite large and flavorful. The sauce was mild in spice. For desert we ordered Lal Mohan, yum!! A very sweet taste with a pudding-like texture. Reminded me very much of a doughnut hole but soaked in honey. In this case it was saffron. The ambience: Cuisine of Nepal feels very European in terms of its inner layout. My wife and I sat at a two person table in a long row of two person tables down a narrow hall. We got there for an early dinner (around 5:30) and the place had only two other guests. By the time 6:30 rolled around I felt like I was at an intimate dinner party with long rows of people facing each other. It became very busy so I'd suggest coming earlier to get a seat."

Copra

★★★★☆ 4.1 (604) • $$$

"Really yummy elevated Indian food in a gorgeous setting! The interior is modern and bohemian with tapestries that really set the ambiance. For food my friend ordered the Rasam Poori to start and then shared the Black Cod Pollichathu and Chicken Biryani. The Rasam Poori was fun and a creative take on pani puri with a passion fruit base. I really loved the Black Cod which was melt in your mouth and served with coconut rice. The biryani was good as well but we've had other great biryanis in the Bay so this wasn't as exciting. Will definitely be back to try more of the menu! Everything was delicious and although we didn't order drinks, the cocktail menu looked great as well."

Kasa Indian Eatery

★★★★☆ 3.7 • $

"OMG the paneer biryani is delicious!! So fresh and hot and yummy and great quality paneer."

Koriander Indian Cuisine

★★★★☆ 3.6 (644) • $$

"Came here for lunch a while ago with an Indian friend who recommended it. I thought it was pretty good and the service was fine. Easy parking. I believe I had the chicken dum biryani with naan bread. I enjoyed it. I also got a chance to sample some of my friend's sampler plate. I'm anxious to return to try some other dishes too."

Munch India

★★★★★ 4.5 (77)

"We were expecting something totally different but pleasantly surprised. Apparently they were sued by someone and decided to change their in house restaurant to take out and catering only. They have a menu on the outside of the door with about 10 or side items you can order. Expect to wait 20-30 minutes for your order. We got chicken tikka, butter chicken, chicken kebab and garlic naan."

Tara Indian Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.2 (477) • $$

"I ordered a bunch of stuff to go; they were very quick to have it ready and they were smiling and nice when i went to pick it up.The naan: im often dissapointed with naan so.. today was the same. It was dry. And its not because i took it home because we had some in the car. I could barely taste garlic also but i suppose its hard to please every guest out there and picky ones like me. The somosas: they were good. Spicy. My nose was running.Chickpea stew: very tasty and not too spicy for me. Yum. Malai kofta: the sauce is very good. Creamy like chicken tika masala but the balls themselves were not my favorite. Thats preference though and im sure others like it. I would order is again just for the sauce ! *i cant say the restaurant is very modern or sexy but there are higher price points if you are looking for that."

Pakwan Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (537) • $

"Stopped by for dinner here on a Sunday night at 9pm. My friend who is a SF native mentioned how Pakwan is one if the best South Asian restaurants. We ordered samosas, chicken tikka masala, garlic naan, and the tandoori boti. You grab the menus from the front kiosk, sit yourself, and once you know what you want, you go up to the cashier and pay first. It took about 15 minutes for our food to be ready, I noticed there were a lot of to-go/delivery orders. Everything was also self-serve, which I honestly don't mind because its a no frills place.For the food, my favorite of the dishes we ordered was the samosas -- mainly because if the chickpea sauce. It had a very subtle but good kick to it. The chicken tikka masala was what you would expect. Garlic naan was very yummy and soft! The tandoori chicken boti was not as good as I expected -- it was a bit dry and the flavor wasn't that strong."

Curry Pizza House Redwood City

★★★★☆ 4.2 (130)

"Curry Pizza house! Had recently tried the San Mateo one. I later started craving it, so I ordered from the Redwood City one to be delivered to a holiday party. Very easy to order online.I ordered 2 large pizzas, one Malai Chicken and one vegetarian Malai Paneer, alongside lemon pepper wings. Again, the vegetarian one had so much more flavor than the chicken one! I liked that the Paneer pizza was consistently tasty from location to location. My friends also all enjoyed the Paneer one. Delivery was good; I scheduled it for noon and they came at noon. I would also get text updates about my order. Pizza arrived hot (I think via DoorDash).All in all, would highly recommend their vegetarian pizzas."

Royal Indian Cuisine on Fillmore

★★★★☆ 4.3 (442) • $$

"Went to Royal Indian for lunch today. Their lunch special may be best deal in town. There are only two to choose from: chicken or veg. The chicken comes with chicken two ways: tika masala and tandoori chicken thigh. In addition a bowl of rice, cup of lentils, and hunk of naan. You can't go wrong for under $16 bucks. Cloth tablecloth and napkins are a nice touch as well."

Trisara

★★★★★ 4.7 (123)

"Little hole in the wall open late in the financial district. Food was amazing and service was fast and so reasonably priced. Definitely worth the stop in if you're looking for something great!Chicken tikka masala and butter chicken had just the right amount of spice and the garlic naan melted in your mouth. Not sure what the crispy things were, but my colleague ordered them and I couldn't stop devouring!"

Five Rivers Indian Cuisine

★★★★☆ 3.5 (588) • $$

"We really liked everything we ordered. Kachumber salad, chicken curry, butter chicken, chicken tikka, butter chicken, prawn curry, garlic and plain naan. Everything was good. The prawns were a bit over cooked. The chicken curry sauce was thinner than expected- almost like soup but it tasted good. Their rice was very good. Service was efficient."

Brothers Pizza

★★★★☆ 3.7 (503) • $$

"The pizza slices are HUGE and reasonably priced. I personally love their pesto pizza. Staff is very nice. Good to grab a slice and head down to the beach but there's seating inside as well"

Sewa Indian and Nepalese Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.9 (101)

"Sewa is a lovely spot in the Inner Richmond - that serves delicious Nepalese and Indian food. My mom was visiting and after a beautiful stroll in the neighborhood, we were ready for a cozy place to sit, eat, and talk.Sewa was the first spot that we spied and both my mom and I were eager to try it. From the moment we entered, we were kindly greeted by gracious and welcoming staff. The place was decorated well and clean. We were the only ones there - being that it was fairly early on a Sunday afternoon. The staff were quick to bring out some complimentary papadam with three dipping sauces. Sewa's menu is extensive - so I'd recommend taking your time reviewing it. Judging by reviews - it sounds like their naan and momos are popular items. I appreciate that they strive to use local and organic greens in many of their menu items.We ordered the coconut chicken curry with a side of rice - which was served promptly in a big serving dish. I had eaten beforehand, so didn't partake, but my mom thorough enjoyed it. It was such a generous portion that we could easily have had leftovers for another meal. They even gave us a darling complimentary rice pudding bowl at the end of the meal.As we dined - we noticed that there were quite a few takeout and delivery orders being prepared - so if you don't live nearby - or feel like dining in - be sure to check them out for delivery.If you do get the opportunity to dine here - I recommend doing so. The staff were kind and attentive- and the place was well maintained and well run. You can often tell a lot about a place by their restroom - and Sewa's bathroom was pristine!Thank you Sewa for a fantastic lunch experience. It was the perfect setting for a special afternoon with my mom.Trust."

Mr. Singh's Curry Pizza

★★★★★ 4.5 (147) • $$

"Very flavorful pizza, a friend and I got the large half½ pizza and ordered the butter chicken and BBQ chicken toppings. I preferred the BBQ chicken as the butter chicken was very rich in spices but a tad dry. The Mango Habanero Wings we ordered in the side was perfect, the sauce was a great balance between sweet and spicy and the chicken meat was tender and moist. Was a little messy, so be sure to bring wet tissues or finger gloves like the ones they had in Ktown LA and in Korea.Store was quite empty on a Monday afternoon for late lunch but it was nice to have such a large space to ourselves where we could talk comfortably without shouting over loud music and people. If you've craving a unique fusion pizza with a spicy kick, look no further! I'd definitely come back to try the tikka masala pizza and more of their chicken wing flavors too!"

Zareen's

★★★★★ 4.5 (899) • $$

"Zareen's has two locations: one in Redwood City, and the other in Palo Alto. I've been to both and they're always packed! Typically, you'd stand in line to order at the cashier's, and then you get a number and you go find your own table. They'll bring you the food at your table once its ready and take the number away. I always get the chicken tikka masala, basmati rice, and butter naan. Sometimes I feel extra and also order the mango lassi. The chicken tikka masala main dish size is easily enough for two meals - sometimes a third! It's super creamy and flavorfull with a hint of spice, and the naan is buttery and fluffy. The mango lassi reminds me of somewhere between a smoothie and a milkshake. I highly recommend Zareen if you're looking for some bomb Indian food, especially on a cold, rainy day, it's the perfect comfort food!"

Himalayan Pizza and Momo

★★★★☆ 4.3 (193) • $$

"I was ABSOLUTELY FIENDIN for some good food WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN i find out there homies are HALAL. my lucky mf day. I called up my boy and ordered me some beef chowmein, chicken momos, AND a tandoori pizza. Big back typa night fr. They were so quick with it too. I didn't even know where to starttt. It all looked fireeeee. But the momos!! Gahhhh dayum. That was an experience. I'll be comin here OFTEN for sure. ALSOOOO, the guys there were so kind and helpful. 10/10.....did i mention the momos!! Hear me out....don't let a lil Tenderloin spook you. Pull up. Trussss"

Aroma House

★★★★★ 4.5 (109) • $$

"Love the neighborhood restaurant but I'm unimpressed by the food. I went for lunch and ordered a pretty basic vindaloo, naan and rice. I was pretty surprised that vindaloo was under seasoned. And despite asking for the dish spicy I got something very bland. Naan was dry and think. Almost cracker like. I hope their other dishes are better. And I hope they stay. But in all honesty the food feels watered down for the suburb. And I think they could do better."

Naan Point

★★★★★ 4.6 (318) • $$

"The service was amazing. I would be checked kk every 5 minutes. There is plentiful amount of parking. The food is very delicious! The place has a decent amount of seats and a nice bathroom. They even have a water station for our convenience. I think if the food price was not so steep, I would be coming back more consistently, but I think it comes with being in the Bay Area."

Little Delhi

★★★★☆ 3.8 • $$

"I'm not going to call myself an expert on Indian Food. I know how to stay in my lane. But I'll tell you what, this was some high level tastiness and honestly some super unique flavors. With the pakora, the sauces and butter chicken there is some serious spice, herbs, floral aroma, I don't know how to say it. You get so many layers of flavors that I think are unique to Indian food. The garlic naan was like the best I've had. Let's not skip over that. The Samosa and the pakora were super salty and fried perfectly. The butter chicken was nice too of course but it didn't make me want to call my friends about it. Mango Lassie was just okay. Too much yogurt flavor and not enough in the excess sweetness for me. All in all, I think this place is a serious gem. There are a plethora of Indian places in the tenderloin area. Is this the best of them? I have no clue. I've got a lot of research to do. But this place certainly is in the running. (4.6 Stars)"

Clay Oven Indian Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.7 (712) • $$

"I've been here a couple times for their lunch buffet. For $16.99 they offer plenty of dishes to choose from including fish pakora, rice, saag paneer, chicken tiki masala, goat curry, a lentil curry, tandoori chicken, and the rice pudding for dessert. The naan is brought to the table and you can order as many refills as you'd like. The dishes have great flavor. I noticed everything is made in small batches so the food is fresh. The staff is very friendly and the ambiance is nice. The parking can be a challenge since it's only street parking. This location (Portola) only offers the lunch buffet not the Clement location."

Ettan

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$$

"Beautiful restaurant plating up delicious Indian meals.Ettan is tucked away, but easy to find through the help of GPS directions, just look for the signage and big blue door. It's neighboring Salt & Straw and Maruwu. No reservations but was able to grab a table promptly, but would recommend it especially during lunch/dinner rush.Menu has a good selection of dishes without being too extensive. Love that they offer lunch specials as well! Crispy Shrimp $18 - this is a great starter if you enjoy shrimp and a bit of heat, it's perfectly crispy, basically shrimp eaten in it's entirety, head to tail with shell on. The fry was light and crisp, wonderfully spiced with a bit of heat and great with the lime aioli to cut through the richness. Butter Chicken $25 - you get a bowl of Butter Chicken, with tender pieces of chicken and a delicious spiced curry. Flavorful and great paired with naan or rice. Opted to order the Garlic Naan $5 which was freshly made, piping hot, fluffy, slight chew and perfect for soaking up the curry.Lamb Kebab Wrap $22 - great lunch deal, the roti encases a lamb kebab that is juicy, spiced and has a wonderful gamey flavor. The aioli went well with the lamb and loved the refreshing house salad of arugula, tomato and cucumber.Service was prompt, waters refilled and staff gave great recommendations. Every food item was delicious and makes me excited to come back to try the rest of the menu!Also while out front trying to get photos, the host stepped out and snapped a few photos of us which I really appreciated. She went out of her way to even get different angles."

Bombay Brasserie

★★★★☆ 4.3 (30)

"Ate here using my $100 credit from booking a room.Food wasn't bad, I've definitely had better Indian food but this place was decent. We were walk ins to dinner and the server asked if we had reservations and we said no. She stated that she could seat us but we'd have to be gone within the next hour and a half. That's fine with me because we ate within 45 min. I ordered the curry prawn with basmati rice, I'd skip next time considering the curry came with 4-5 pieces of shrimp is an orange curry sauce. I think next time I'll opt for the Bistro menu instead of eating Indian food."

Aslam's Rasoi

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$

"Soooo happy to be back!!!! Love love love the ambience at this restaurant so elegant the little candles set the mood for our date night but also great for groups The staff is always so wonderful and welcoming very thankful for great customer service The food: love love love always on point always so delicious we started with barbecue tandoori chicken wings then we ordered the chicken tikka masala and prawn korma was sooooo yummy!! The rice paired well with it all but not without the phenomenal garlic nan!!! All and all 5 stars wish I could give more! Can't wait to come back with the family next time!"

ROOH Palo Alto

★★★★☆ 3.6 (707) • $$$

"This is a solid modern Indian spot with lots of good food options. It's a great place to bring your friends and family to introduce him to Indian food. The vibes are great. The ambience is great and the restaurant was packed. The service might be a little bit slow, but you will definitely get your food and drinks and we really enjoyed the chicken, tiki masala and all the appetizers. Try asking for recommendations on what's popular and you won't be disappointed."

Curry Leaf

★★★★☆ 4.4 (882) • $$

"This place is a must in San Francisco. The location is really great, outside of the touristy area. The service was really great. But the food, was out of this world. I haven't had better Indian food in my life. The naan was so flavorful and perfect to dip in my dish. I ordered my favorite dish. The roasted eggplant vegetarian dish. It was so so delicious. The flavors were perfect and bold. And topped everything off with a tasty chai!"

Kinara Fusion Kitchen

★★★★★ 4.5 (577) • $$

"You really do end up finding restaurant gems near the SF Tenderloin, and Kinara Fusion is one such fantastic place to spend your evening. Owned by people who care about the cuisine, this Indian-Pizza fusion restaurant is known for their chicken dishes and Naan with amazing texture. The Chicken 69 dish and any of their Naan are to die for, especially with how tender and soft everything comes out. For non-spicy eaters, do note that the Chicken 69 bites pack some heat! I would say their Mixed Grill can be a bit better, but their overall preparation of Chicken just dwarves their other meats with its quality. The place also has really nice interior and attentive service. I'll definitely return to try other dishes, especially their pizzas!"

Roti Indian Bistro

★★★★☆ 3.9 (949) • $$

"Came here with my friend who's from west portal and has been going here since he was very young (he's 20 now)! The owner immediately recognized him and greeted him which I was thought was super sweet.The service was great and the inside ambiance was calming and nice. It definitely seems like a family staple with customers who look like they've consistently been there.The food was so good. The chicken tiki masala was very good with amazing flavor paired with the saffron rice that was fluffy and flavorful. The naan was flaky and buttery + we tried one of the cauliflower vegetable curries that was also great! The only thing that threw me off about that dish was the pineapple which I wasn't a huge fan of. Overall great experience and will come back for sure."

Yarsa Nepalese Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.6 (260) • $$

"Yum! This restaurant is worth a visit. It's small, but the service is friendly and fast. My partner and I live in the neighborhood and stopped by for dinner a few weeks ago and I'm so glad we did. We tried the Kathmandu chicken, lentil soup, and Shahi paneer. We loved them all and it was a filling meal with a nice variety of flavors and textures. I also have a lot of vegetarian and GF friends, and they have a lot of available options, so this is a crowd pleaser for a group with various food sensitivities."

Ocean Indian Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.7 (550) • $$

"First off, this restaurant is clean. That's important to me. Secondly, the service and food are excellent. I can tell they really care about their guests. And thirdly, the prices are reasonable. Who doesn't want to eat at a place they can easily afford?I noticed this restaurant with its sidewalk awning while driving past it on Geary Street, towards The Grocery Outlet and the Orthodox Cathedral (otherwise known for its onion-shape domes). A quick look on Yelp and the reviews were very good. I love Indian food and it's been a while since I had it. So I decide to try it; after all, my stomach was nearly empty. The place appears formal with each table covered by white tablecloths, and enhanced with noticeably bright red cloth napkins and large water glasses. It's elegant without being uncomfortable. Dinner guests were dressed casually and there were quite a few families and groups when I arrived on a Saturday evening. The staff is very eager to see guests to a table and fill their glasses with water promptly. Two large seed-filled crackers with three distinct flavored sauces (mint, sweet syrup, and reddish hot pepper) were brought to me on-the-house. My tastebuds were awakened. I ordered the lentil dahl soup which arrived piping hot and the raita made with yogurt, cucumber, and spices; it not only cooled down the soup, but added more flavor to the mild taste of the dahl soup. Their chai tea's deep sweet flavor was delightful.I ordered the garlic naan that was very long in size and tasty. The medium-spice lamb curry was filled with chunks of meat; a separate order of basmati rice that's served in a tin bowl was more than enough for the curry sauce.After dinner, a complementary bowl of delicious rice pudding was brought to me which was a nice surprise. My first visit to this place was a real pleasure and I hope to return again soon."

Noe Indian Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.7 (199) • $$

"I recently ordered from Noe Indian Cuisine, and every dish was a hit! For $50, the flavors and quality were outstanding, and it was delivered right to my door--an incredible treat.The Momo chili chicken was packed with bold, vibrant flavors. The chicken was tender, and the spicy, tangy chili sauce had just the right kick to make every bite irresistible. It's a must-try for anyone who loves a flavorful dish with a hint of heat.The shish kebab was perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection, with juicy, smoky flavors that were simply unforgettable. It was paired beautifully with the fresh, warm naan. Speaking of which, the garlic naan and plain naan were phenomenal--soft, fluffy, and the perfect accompaniment to the meal. The garlic naan had just the right amount of garlic to enhance the flavors without overpowering them.The combination of these dishes made for an incredibly satisfying and delicious meal."