Taste of India
5517 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98105
Taste of India Menu
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Address :
5517 Roosevelt Way NE
Seattle, WA, 98105 - Phone (206) 528-1575
- Website https://www.tasteofindiaseattle.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
India is the birth place of Chicken Tikka Masala and Curries. Indian foods are prepared with a blend of finely mixed spices quite popular across the region. The spices develop the rich taste in Indian food enough to boggle your mind. The ever-increasing fan base of Indian food around the New York city is steadily increasing because of the large number of Indians who traveled to the land of dreams. The Indians also brought their very own vibrant, colorful, and aromatic authentic dishes for the people in the West. While most of the Indian population is Vegetarian, Indian food is great for people who are looking for vegan or vegetarian food option. If you are a Meat lover, don't get disappointed yet. Indian food also boasts of some popular non-vegetarian dishes too. Few examples are the famous Butter Chicken, Mutton Biryani and Tandoori Chicken are enough to satisfy your taste buds.
Indian food has gained reputation all over the world especially in the United States. You can find many places serving the appetizing Indian food across all major cities in the US. India is a diverse country with different food culture originated from different parts of the country. While the Northern region boasts tandoori dishes and korma offering royal taste, the Western Ghats offers sea foods that is made in naturally sweet tender coconut milk. The South Indian food servers a quality of different dishes made from rice accompanied with spicy chutneys, curries and famous sambhar. Also, the Indian sweets are a delight to relish. If you ever want to have a burst of sugar syrup in mouth, don't forget to try few Bengali Sweets. Be it spicy, tangy, or sweet flavor, you can find everything in the Indian cuisine. Be assured that the melody of spices will surely bring delight to you.
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Dan W.
Best Indian Food Seattle 2010 from the Seattle Weekly?!?!? Seriously? Either Seattle-ites have lost their minds or we just had some uncharacteristically horrible food from Taste of India. We had Baigan Bharta, Aloo Channa Masala, and Spinach Naan, along with complimentary Fried Potato for an Appetizer. I had my doubts basically as soon as we walked in and looked at the menu. There was no real rhyme or reason to the menu, description of items, or anything to clue a diner in to the authenticity of the restaurant. It read as a mix of middle-eastern, greek, Indian, and misc. cuisine. The best Indian restaurants tend to specialize in one REGION OF INDIA, let along one COUNTRY NAMED INDIA. And it's not like they bill themselves as Central Asian Fusion or some such tapas non-sense like you might find in Belltown...the restaurant is called Taste of India...wow. On to the food. The "free" appetizer was oily and not very fresh tasting. The chutney and tamarind were watery and had little to no flavor. The tamarind was especially disappointing...more like pink syrup than the sauce I've loved at other real Indian restaurants. I was hoping the main dishes would be better, but they were really just as lacking in flavor. We ordered "medium-hot" and both dishes were equally bland. The Bharta should be smokey and taste of eggplant. Instead it tasted roughly the same as the Channa Masala...which was barely flavored, tomato-y, which inconsistently cooked chunks of onion, hard tomato, etc. There were green peas in the Bharta for some reason? The one good thing I could say was that the chickpeas weren't hard, but I suspect that has more to do with them likely being from a can than anything else. The Spinach Naan was just as bad. Undercooked, over-buttered, with a filling that seemed old and dry...nothing like the fresh, rich spinach naan I've had elsewhere. Disappointing is all I can keep saying. Top it all of with higher-than-average prices...$11.95 for the Bharta, $11.75 for the Channa Masala, and $4.75 for the Spinach Naan, and I'm just left wondering why someone would eat there rather than heating up a can of Jyoti (Indian food you can get at Central Co-op or Whole Foods) or even a frozen Annie's Dinner. Oh yes, almost forgot about the dry, unseasoned, over-cooked rice...had a miscellaneous mushroom in it for some reason? This is the first one-star review I've had. Sorry Seattle. But you've lost your f*cking mind if you think this is good Indian food. I hope Kanishka re-opens soon on the Eastside. They aren't the best in the world, but they're light-years above Taste of India.
(1)LJ P.
I came here as part of my project to try Indian restaurants in the U district. When I sat down they brought a free small appetizer. I ordered the Chicken Pankos, followed by the Indian salad. Waiting for the check, they brought a small (but very good!) free desert. The service was good. The prices reasonable for portion size. The chicken seemed a little tough and the sauces bland. Nothing really wrong with the food, but nothing really impressed, either. What ruined my plan of a long meal trying of plates was the noise. It was a warm day and the windows were open. There was traffic, a power washer (?) roaring 10 feet away, and a couple sitting literally a windowsill away talking. But the noise was from the far side of the room, a large family with 2 small boys. These boys were alternately fussing, shrieking, and pounding shakers / silverware on the glass table top (somehow none of these sounds seemed to bother the parents at all). After an hour, I was done, boxed up my food and left. When I complained to the manager, he said "What can I do? It's a restaurant". But that's the point, it is a shared space, not this family's home. I expect my comfort level to be a consideration too!
(3)Alicia Y.
They treated us like kings. I showed up with a group of 5 on a Saturday night around 7pm and told the wait would be 25 minutes, which to me sounds perfectly reasonable for a weekend. Apparently though, that is an unacceptable amount of time for the owner. He apologized profusely and provided everyone waiting with free hot chai and small appetizer dishes, followed by a glass of wine for me and my 4 friends (the rest of the bottle was waiting for us when we got to the table). At the table, another free appetizer platter and free dessert at the end of the night. I really appreciated the great customer service and the fact that the owner was taking the time to talk to his patrons and actually WORK in his restaurant (busing tables, serving food, greeting customers, pretty much anything that needed to be done, he was doing at some point in the evening). Speaking of service, just try to finish your glass of water before someone comes by and refills it. Go ahead, I dare you. Short of chugging it down in one fell swoop, it just can't be done. Now on to the food. The food was amazing. I've been coming here for a while and my staples include Paneer nan (a MUST if you love bread and cheese), and the Tandoori Surprise (a sampler plate of their delicious Tandoori dishes) and the chicken tikka masala. I've never really branched out past their Indian food to try the Mediterranean but I imagine it's delicious as well. Since moving away from Seattle, Taste of India is definitely one of the places I miss most and a must-visit every time I'm back in town.
(5)Lori B.
I have been coming here for years! I think this is some of the best Indian food in the Seattle area! My favorite is the lamb tikka masala with garlic naan
(4)J K.
There are some dishes that rock and some that tank. Their lunch pitas are not so great. But their chicken dishes are awesome. Their service is also very good.
(4)Ari S.
Hmm... I've seen a lot of comments that they're owned by the same family as Cedars, but I had heard they sold Cedars a year or 2 ago - can anyone confirm? I also need to knock off a star because I believe they still don't let servers keep tips. Again, I could be wrong, but that's what someone told me that used to work there. No matter - I love this place. Great food (I usually end up with Mango Curry) and bottomless chai. They do get a little busy, but I've never had to wait too long. As others have said, there are often complimentary add-ons - appetizers, desserts... nice touch. Most dishes are served with rice and are large enough to take some home - lunch left-overs anyone?
(4)Nick C.
I been coming here since the beginning of time, OK, not quite that long, it was but the end of high school back in '95. The price been steadily increasing around the turn of the millennium (gosh, I feel old), and recently to the point of forty dollars for 2 curry dishes and chai. Price aside, food is very very excellent, as they say it in some places. Chai is a must, no where else will you find such rich and sweet chai. Curries are rich in flavor, although fish (cod) curry don't really take in the flavor very well, I most certainly prefer chicken, I also like spinach nan.
(4)Andy y.
I doubt my review will add anything new, but our experience was so excellent that I have to post it. This review is more regarding the service, by the way: The restaurant is located beyond the mainstream restaurant of the U-District: Once you reach Roosevelt, it's surprising how little traffic (foot and otherwise) there is and how small-town the area is. The restaurant itself is easy to find- it's a white building, smallish on the outside (not the case once you step inside) with a bright neon sign to tell you that you've found mecca. The interior is dark, and almost like a house that was converted into a restaurant- They have 3 or so rooms in which you can eat, each of which has its own ambience. We began by being seated at 4 pm. Our party of 3 (to be joined later by 2 more) had a host of servers hovering behind us like rabid zombies just waiting for the minute the sun sets. I am not exaggerating- Once all 5 of us were present, we were nervously fending off 1 waiter per 3 minutes as we attempted to peruse the menu and catch up at the same time. Behind us, in the mostly empty room (it wasn't rush hour yet), there were at least 7 servers, walking around, standing, adjusting silverware, hovering.... We were given a small plate of free appetizers, which we nibbled on as we conversed. Once we realized we would have to order for them to back off a little, conversation ceased and we bent our minds to the task before us. I ordered the tandoori surprise, my friends ordered the butter chicken or marsala, some curry, garlic naan, and another dish I can't remember. We'd ordered-- and a new surprise awaited us. A neverending supply of water and chai. Having deprived the waiters/waitresses of anythign else to do, and still lacking in other customers to wait upon, they flit in and out between us like pigeons to refill our cups. Swoosh! What was that shadow just now?? It was a server! And, the water that I took maybe 3 sips out of has been refilled, once again! I'd like to commend the service here-- we kept careful note of how low our water/drink levels fell--- the lowest was perhaps 60% full. Kudos, servers. True attention to detail. We even managed to include the friendlier servers into our conversation, once we realized there was no conceivable way to seperate Them from Us. Oh, and the food was excellent. A tad pricey (My tandoori surprise was $17 before tax), but well seasoned and delicious. They gave us free baklava at the end, too. Our total came out to $70, rounded- which is great considering we had a party of 5.
(4)Alex M.
One of my favorites. Try an Veggie Pakora and the Tandoori surprise.
(5)Tri H.
This is by far the best Indian Food in Seattle. You would be hard pressed to have anyone offer a better place. Overall the food is great, though I frequent here enough that sometimes some dishes aren't as good as usual (so they lack some consistency). It is spicy and tasty. Couldn't ask for more!
(5)Tony W.
Chicken Tikka masala was excellent along with butter naan Prompt and Excellent service Courteous and attentive staff Never had better service at an Indian Restaurant
(5)Sarah B.
Taste of India is just as delicious today as it was when I first tried their food 10 years ago. The only thing that has changed is the price...which is bound to happen over the course of a decade. Don't be fooled or turned off by the "Taste of Inda" signs covering about every square inch of the outside of this restaurant. Once you step inside you will feel the coziness of the low ceiling rooms with carpets and tapestries draping the walls and smell the wonderful spices and aromas wafting from the kitchen. The servers buzz about filling water, delivering elephant ear sized naan, balancing plates of delicious Indian food and pouring delicious mugs of chai. Everything I have had here has been delicious but a few of the standouts are: - Garlic naan - Coconut lamb (a rich coconut curry with chunks of delicious lamb) - Aloo mutter mushroom (potatoes, mushrooms and peas in an onion curry/creamy sauce) - Pakoras - Tikka masala The crowd of diners includes everything from families, to college kids, groups of friends to dates. It really feels like a neighborhood restaurant which adds to its appeal. Sometimes they will send over a complimentary starter or dessert (one of their delicious ice creams!) which is a real treat.
(5)k v.
I thought I had eaten good Indian food before I came here. And I liked it. When someone suggested we go out to get Indian food, I was like "ok, cool." But when I ate at Taste of India, I finally learned how AMAZINGLY AWESOME AND DELICIOUS it could be. And I loved it loved it loved it. Now, when someone suggests we go to get Indian food, this is all I can think of. And it's all I want. It's so unbelieveably good, it's ruined the chances that I'd want to go anywhere else for Indian food. Nothing else even comes close. Everything is good. My favorite: Butter Masala with Veggies. Mmmmmmm.....
(5)Elizabeth S.
This place is my favorite Indian spot in Seattle by far! It is always on my list of go-to spots when I meet up with friends. I love their Butter Chicken so much, it is very hard to order anything else, even though everything I have tried over the years is quite good. Their garlic naan is seriously fantastic! Huge in size and flavor. I also love their vegetable samosas. Usually I am full before I even get my dinner because I am sipping my never empty glass of Chai tea. It really hits the spot on a cold day, but I will order it even in the summer, because it is so tasty! The restaurant is set in a house with several connected rooms, decorated with beautiful wall tapestries. The staff is very attentive to chai and water filling, cleaning the table, and getting checks and to-go boxes. On every visit I have received a complimentary appetizer and/or dessert. They really go above and beyond. If you go online, you can usually get a coupon as well.
(5)Andrew J.
Really good Indian food. Spinach naan is delicious
(4)carmen l.
Yes! Yes! Yeeeesss!Yessss! Yeeeees! YEEEEEEEEAAASS!!! Think When Harry Met Sally "I'll have what she's having" diner scene. I finally got there, and it was DELICIOUS. The Nan was spectacular, and all of the food was fresh and so incredibly tasty, and the butter masala...OH EM GEE!! And yes, it's true... complimentary appetizers and deserts! I went with three friends and we spilt three dishes, Paneer Palak Masala, Vegetable Butter Masala, and some yummie chili chicken curry concoction, every single dish was mouth wateringly tasty. We couldn't even finish the complimentary desert, although there was only one mouthful of sinfully delicious mango syrup covered creamy yummy cheesecake...... The bill came to approx $10 per person and we were well stuffed. Unfortunately they don't have a buffet, but the super good quality and service makes up for that plus more. I love this place, and can't wait to go back.
(5)Sandeep K.
Best Chai I ever had. They even refill it. Good service and really liked the culture of providing complimentary appetizers and the Kulfi at the end.
(5)Teresa L.
I have been going to Taste of India for over 10 years and have never had a bad meal. This is my favorite Indian restaurant not just for the food but for the location and service. Every time I go, we are greeted with a smile and seated right away. If there is a wait of any kind, we are offered free chai while we wait :) I have tried different dishes and all are great. My favorites are tikka masala, pakoras, rice pudding, and papadam! The chai at Taste of India is not like others I have had. It is not bitter or tasteless. It is perfectly sweet with a rich flavor. My cousin and I have started a game called the bottomless chai challenge; it's where we try to finish our cup of chai before they can refill it. It is almost impossible since they come by to refill water glasses and chai tea every few minutes. This service is fantastic. I love this restaurant so much that they are catering my 2013 wedding :) The only complaint is that they don't have a lunch buffet, but no matter what, I will continue to go here!!
(5)Melissa D.
Great Indian food! We received amazing service! We dine out all the time and I cant remember that last time the service was as great as we recieved at taste of india. We will be back very soon
(5)Erin W.
Taste of India (and it's sister location Cedars) offer up some of the best Indian eats in Seattle. Naan so hot, fresh, and good it's like crack. This place is generally packed, so choose your arrival time carefully, or call ahead and take your grub to go.
(5)Jon E.
Taste of India, and it's sister restaurant, Cedars, are pretty decent Indian restaurants but they don't deserve the hype. I've eaten at Taste of India three times, and most of the dishes have a very similar flavor -- and while I love Indian and eat every bite -- the recipes and ingredients don't match those I've eaten at in San Francisco and the UK. Okay okay so those aren't Seattle, I get it!! There actually ARE notable Indian restaurants in the Seattle area, though; I recommend Bengal Tiger. Aside from food, Taste of India is kinda uncomfortable to eat at. It's a long wait to get a table, and once you do the tables are very scrunched together. If you love Indian, you should definitely try this place to see what it's all about, but don't believe the hype.
(3)Tiffany L.
The service was fantastic, and the food was pretty good. Of the several indian restaurants I've tried in Seattle so far, this was definitely the best. I do feel that they have "americanized" the flavors on the food and toned them down a bit. I asked for "medium" spiciness, and couldn't even feel the heat. So if you want spicy, you might have to tell them "Indian spicy." Their naan, especially their spinach naan is fantastic.
(4)Tammy V.
this place is really good. we had the butter chicken (highly recommended), some sort of tandoori chicken (pass), and a side of naan (a must). this is probably the best indian food i've ever been to (but i haven't been to many). we went on a friday night and they were crowded - people waiting in the hallways, near the bathrooms, outside, etc. i can deal with the awkward ceiling, the uneven floor, and the windows that are fogged up but --- it doesn't feel very clean in here to me. i would like to give it 3 stars because of that "feeling" but i don't think that's fair ;P
(4)Jonathan M.
DO NOT LEAVE A TIP!!!! I want to reiterate and confirm the tip issue that Aaron M. brought up in 11/06. I had heard that the waiters at Taste of India don't get any of the tip you leave, and have since had it confirmed by a waiter there (he had to literally whisper the truth to me while he was on break, for fear of losing his job for betraying the *secret*). Now, I love Taste of India as much as the next reviewer, and I'll admit to sometimes waking up all a-sweat and breathing heavy after a particularly stimulating dream about their Naan bread or one or another of their bewitching lamb dishes(mmm...so young...so tender...)--but this tip thing is a dirty, dirty trick. As for who gets the tip, who can say? I'd like to think that if the waiters don't get it, then at least it should go to the chefs and line cooks, but I suspect it goes directly into the pockets of managers and owners. It's fine that they're paying their servers a higher wage (although probably something like $12 an hour, which is significantly less than the servers would make if they got to keep their tips--I suspect that the managers know this and make a neat profit pocketing the extra), but they shouldn't try to deceive their guests by including a "tip" line in the credit card reciept. When I leave 25% because the service was quick and friendly, I intend it for the server, not the guy in the back who posts the schedule. So, in closing, if you want to tip at this restaurant, do it in cash, under the table. But keep it discreet; they are NOTORIOUSLY harsh on servers at Taste of India, and you don't want your great server to lose his job over the 10-spot you un-subtley tried to slip him. Full Disclosure: I was a bartender and waiter for years, hence my championing the cause of the downtrodden server. I've worked at several different places, and I am familiar with restaurants that have "non-traditional" tipout systems. There's nothing inheirently wrong with them, but patrons should be allowed to know who's reaping the benefit of their (after all, voluntary) tip. Secrecy sucks.
(3)Sean M.
The food here good, not as good as the Bengal Tiger, but still over all very nice. They can also make it super spicy, which is nice. Now lets move on to the stuff that made me give this place only three stars: 1. The service. Every time I come here i get forgotten. Either my Naan doesn't come or they forget about the appetizers. Staff also seems harried and a bit on the unfriendly side. I read below that the servers don't get their tips so that may explain the poor service I have received. 2. They don't take reservations on the week ends. I'm sorry, but I don't want to wait for an hour to eat on a Saturday night. I've got things to do and places to be. 3. Parking. Seriously, when its busy its a bitch finding a place to park. And Roosevelt Way is one way by the restaurant so that makes it even more interesting (and not in a good way). 4. Its way to crowded. Lets just jam as many tables as possible into this place. I always feel a little like a cow in a cattle shoot.
(3)Philip L.
I've been a number of times in the last year and the food and service continue to be excellent.
(4)Hailee G.
I generally don't like Indian food, but Taste of India is the exception! The food and service are both outstanding and it's a very fun experience! They start you out with free appetizers which is always a good start for me! I ordered the Coconut Curry with Chicken, and it was excellent. The chicken was cooked perfectly! I also tasted my friend's spicy butter paneer that was excellent as well! ... and those are the things I would give 4 stars. The Naan, however, is it's own entity. 5 big stars!! I tried the plain and the garlic and they were both fantastic! Better than I've ever had. Also, the sauce they give you to dip the naan was the icing on the proverbial cake! The sweet and spicy sauce blend is so delicious, I could eat it with every meal! The meal ended with a complimentary dessert that was absolutely delicious as well. Definitely a great and fun experience, and I would return there again!
(4)Kathy W.
Friendly staff, tasty food, good portions, reasonable price! Our office went there twice to celebrate birthdays, and they always gave the birthday person some free dessert treat, i.e. a piece of cheesecake or baklavas. For starters, they serve tasty veggie pakoras which are fried in chickpea flour. I love the tandoori chicken tikka, even though some people are creeped out by the red food coloring. No matter to me as I eat stuff like chicken feet and tripe. Portion was big, enough for two meals.
(4)Jonathon C.
Best Indian cuisine in Seattle. Fantastic service and even better food. Murg makhani (butter chicken) was tangy and creamy, the vindaloo was spicy and tender, and the naan was incredible. The staff even served us free cups of chai tea while we were waiting for a table. Absolutely fantastic - I'll be going back here often.
(5)Chris H.
Really disappointed with our meal here. We've heard great things and it is consistently ranked high but it did not deliver last night. The service was fantastic - really exceptional and the complimentary app and desert was great. But the food was bad. Yuck. The dal was horrible. Really, really bad. The curry was equally bad, bad. These were the worst versions of curry and dal I have had on this side of the Pacific (and the other side). Bummer. The servers were fantastic and the service was great. Maybe we caught them on a bad night.
(1)Miles C.
Ok so yeah the food is pretty good, a little over priced but good, not amazing "good". I love the low ceilings and the mood lighting (good place to go for a date). But its hard to have a good time when you have wait staff literally hovering over you. Jesus! Some ppl really like a shit ton of attention from the waiters but this place is way over staffed. Anyways good food (over priced) but not the best service (a good waiter knows not to stand right next to you while you eat).
(2)Tom E.
Beautiful, tender Tandoori chicken. Very attentive service. Huge naan bread. Cozy cottage atmosphere. Great flavors overall.
(5)riika C.
Ah, my search for the mind blowing Indian food that I know exists continues. As it was certainly not to be had here. Cheap ingredients, oily sauces, dry, chunky rice. Perhaps a trip to London is needed.
(2)Adriana K.
I walked by here once and thought it looked like it should be a wedding chapel in Vegas. The cluster of people waiting to get in told me otherwise. I joined several friends for dinner who raved about the place. I was forewarned about the service - super attentive and more. I was not disappointed. Waitstaff stood in the shadows just waiting for me to spill some water, drop some rice, or even have a hint of a look that anything was needed. When I arrived, there was already a little appetizer provided on the house, which of course, we had to follow with 2 orders of naan; pesto and chicken, which were served with our dinner - and HUGE and pretty awesome (this could have also stemmed from the fact I had went to the gym earlier and was famished - or so it seemed). We all ordered the tandoori chicken, which I was assured would not disappoint. It did not. I wanted it a little spicy, and was probably conservative with my 2 1/2 stars (of 4), but you never know when trying somewhere new, and I wanted to be able to taste the food. I did appreciate the on-the-house cheesecake at the end (authentic??) but we were way to full to even take a bite. Immediately our table was cleared as they stood by waiting for us to empty our leftovers into boxes. I really did appreciate the fact that we were given space as we lingered afterward, on a semi-slow night. Yes, the service is attentive, yes, the food is good, and yes, I will return. Gotta love that naan...my favorite.
(3)Russell L.
Duh, Taste of India and Cedars are the cream of the crop when it comes to Indian food in Seattle. I seriously get cravings for food from this joint. Garlic naan, cocunut curry chicken and bottomless chai are my staples. They've got a great selection of bottled beer too. Both Taste of India and Cedars tend to get busy so arrival timing is crucial. The only gripe I have is that their water service is too overbearing. I swear you'll get your water glass refilled at least 5 frickin' times before finishing. Also, they always wipe down my table after the meal with a bleachy sponge before I even leave. It would be nice if they'd wait til after I left cuz the smell of bleach after a meal is not something I'm fond of.
(5)Christine B.
I love it there!! The last time I was there, I had the veggie samosas, butter chicken, and nan--all great! Then the manager brought us some baklava--on the house, which was the best I've ever had!!
(5)David H.
So, I heard that the servers could get the ax if they allowed a patron's water glass to ever become empty. Sounds a bit harsh, but it would explain why there are so many bloody people whizzing around and always at your table-side - is this a good or bad thing, I dunno? I drink a lot of water, but I also swear like a sailor and talk about dirty subjects, so, on occasion, I like a bit more privacy. The food, when I want it HOT - like spicy, could be a bit hotter. I like the Butter Chicken, Spinach Nan...I like a lot of the food here, and at their cousin establishment, Cedar's. My favorite place for Indian.
(5)Michelle B.
I am doing a Naan dance. I am singing a Naan song. I am writing Naan poetry. I am worshiping Naan that comes out of a tandoor oven - oooh I am totally worthy, bring it on! In addition to the ethereal Naan, Taste of India serves up some of the best Tandoor Chicken too, flavorful and juicy, and not dry at all. Oh, look it's that fancy tandoor oven again. Love tandoor oven. Hug tandoor ovens! (just be careful when doing so) Even the stuff that doesn't come out of the tandoor is delicious. The Palak here is great - the spinach is cooked and seasoned just right, it's nothing like the baby food I've been served at other places. The Chicken Korma was delicious and not sweet at all, actually it was nice and spicy, but not too spicy, it was just right. Actually, everything at Taste of India is just right. I feel like Goldilocks who has finally found everything that is just right. All the time I've spent at other restaurants was simply so I would appreciate the food they bring out at Taste of India. Now if they would just start serving some Dosa, some Iddly, maybe a bit of Sambar...ooohh I'd be a happy happy girl! Until then I'll simply sop up my food with the delicious delicious Naan and drink my bottomless cup of sticky sweet Chai and think up ways to praise the Tandoor Naan!
(5)Laura M.
I guess the food is pretty good, but this restaurant makes me feel like a cow being herded for the slaughter. The atmosphere is just not amenable to enjoying a meal.
(3)Bryant L.
I'm gonna give 5 stars for this because the food and the service was awesome. As soon as we sat down they brought us complimentary pakoras. Then we ordered chai where you will get free unlimited refills.(how awesome is that huh?) ever heard of an Indian place giving free stuff. The spinach and paneer naan was amazing and chicken tikka masala and the chicken jalfrezie was good too. And ooh they gave complimentary onions and green chillies on the side. Finally one more surprise free dessert. How wonderful is that. I would definitely recommend and would go back.
(5)Erikaaaa W.
I'll say it: it's my favorite restaurant. If there's any debate about what's for dinner, and Taste of India is mentioned, the conversation is closed. The naan is heaven -- garlic, spinach, pesto (the pesto is very filling, almost sandwich-like) -- all perfect. You'll really have to hold yourself back from ordering MORE naan and MORE delicious sauce. But why hold back? It's cheap too. The curry dishes, from my experience, have all been fantastic. The stunners, I'd say, are their Tikka Masala and Shahi Korma. The sliced almonds on top of the Korma will kill you (in a good way). I generally eat these with chicken, because their chicken is so satisfying, but I've also had the Korma with lamb and it's divine too. Note that they are mild with the spices here. I'm sensitive to spice, and when I order a medium here, I can't even taste the spice. Their chai -- hot or iced -- is creamy and dreamy, and I dare you to catch a glimpse of the bottom of your cup. Same goes for your water. They are a little overzealous on the refilling, but it's more charming that anything else. Dessert? I think the Kheer is absolutely delicious, but if you're not into rice pudding, they've got lots of other options.
(5)Abby H.
Taste of India is great because it's located so close to the University District Department of Licensing. I went to the DOL four times in one day recently. I finally had to take a break, and so I went to Taste of India. The staff was a wondrous group of helpy-helpertons. They were very interested in maintaining a tip-to-the-top water level in my glass. I ordered a salad at first and asked for no dressing. They dressed it up anyway and I couldn't eat it. So, they made it complimentary and replaced it with some soup and naan. The soup was very nummy with the HUGE piece of naan all hot and begging to be ripped apart with bear hands and eaten like a good garlic naan should. Thumbs down to the set-up: it's very crowded and twisty on the inside. It's hard to get to the bathrooms, or anywhere, really. Sometimes you bump elbows with the people at the table next to you. And, when I am shredding through some naan and the great dipping sauces they serve with it, no one wants to touch elbows with me. Also, beware of the free desert: it's creepy. Some milky sweet raisin concoction. Also note that Cedars is owned by the same dude, so if you like this place, you'll like Cedars. The menus are exactly the same, but the owner hangs out here and, if he likes you, he'll make the prettiest waitress wait on you :)
(4)Seraphina R.
Wonderful service! The naans are HUGE. Lassis' are yummy. The only complaint I would have is that I wish there was more paneer in my korma. Other than that, it was delightfully delicious. :)
(5)Joshua J.
Prompted to action looking for a new Indian joint as well as a "buy one get one" coupon, my girlfriend and I tried this place about two weeks ago. The naan was absolutely fabulous, but the meal left something to be desired. I had the butter chicken, very tasty, but my other half had the mango veggie curry and it definitely was some of the most poor mango curry dishes that I've tried. The waitstaff was prompt and polite, and of course, keep the water coming. Plus, we were offered a free dessert of chocolate ice cream. Still, I don't think we'd be back with the other Indian offerings in the near vicinity. Thanks for listening.
(3)Kim C.
Service is friendly and nice, though I definitely wasn't sold on the food. I got my usual -- chicken tikka masala, and was saddened that I could only eat about half of it. Normally, I get CTM and it has good white meat pieces of chicken; at Taste of India, at least half of the pieces were very fatty dark meat (blech). The order did come with a large plate of rice, but the citrus flavor within was a bit off-putting. We also had samosas, which were fairly standard. Due to the fact that there is absolutely no parking as well, I probably wouldn't come back here unless necessary.
(3)Lisa D.
yum! We went for lunch Sunday, so the times on here are incorrect. It was crowded for a Sunday lunch. True on the free Samosa app, and cheesecake dessert! Contrary to another reviewer, we liked the attentive service and endless chai refills. I had tandoor chicken tikka, which was so moist and delicious. Friend has a Masala, and some other app, fried paneer? I'd give it 5 for service and food, ( the garlic naan was awesome), but friend commented that it would be nice to have combo meals so people can try a couple curries or something. Great place, just how I remember it being when I went to UW!
(4)Sukie B.
Love their Lamb Saag! I just wish they had lamb boti.
(4)Jen R.
Let me start by saying that I am not racist. I just feel like the only people that should be allowed to work at an Indian Restaurant should be people of Indian descent. I feel let down when I walk into an Indian Restaurant when I am greeted by a white teenage boy and seated by a hispanic woman. To make things worse here, I am the majority, not the minority. You see, I spent a lot of sleepless nights researching where I was going to take my Sri Lankan BF out to eat while he was in town for a short weekend. I read through countless Yelp reviews, did a lot of googling, read articles in The Stranger and Seattle Weekly. I narrowed it down to Cedars, Taste of India, and Bombay Terrace. Maybe it was the large amount of reviews that convinced me to try this place. I should have just stuck to my gut and gone back to Spice Route in Bellevue/Redmond where Indian people actually go to eat. After being seated we ordered drinks. They do not carry Lions Lager, this was the first thing that disappointed the BF. This is a beer that is found in Ceylon, a European pale ale. He settled for something more generic, but was happy that the beer selection was still descent. We split the Tandoori chicken Tikka and the Coconut Curry with fish. We ordered the curry "hot" ignoring the Yelp reviews that have stated that hot meant you would not really be able to taste the food. Oh and the Garlic Naan of course. The Naan the size of an extra large pizza was wonderful. Somehow we ate all the Naan. This stuff was addicting. The Tandoori was only OK. I am not sure if this is common, but eating the onions completely uncooked along with boring potato cubes was not my idea of "veggies". The fish curry had a good flavor, but the spice level again, was not thaaaattt hot. I ate all of it and could still taste my food.. amazing I know. Then last but not least we were served the complimentary baklava? dessert. This is where things got strange. You see, this is Indian food, I understand that they do serve some Mediterranean/ Middle Eastern dishes here as well, but if you are going to give a complimentary dessert keep it from the same country! Give me some Kulfi or something! I know what you are thinking "wow.. what an ungrateful b*tch!" But really this pushed me over the edge. I want authenticity when Im going to eat Indian food. I feel as though the owners of this restaurant have sold out in every way. It's like McDonald's or Starbucks secretly have stock in this restaurant. Give me a break you 200+ reviewers, go to Spice Route and then maybe you will understand what real Indian food, from the taste to the overall restaurant experience, should taste like.
(3)Camilla F.
the spinach nan is amazing. I have yet to find a curry that i love.
(3)Randee B.
I wandered in here recently having driven past the giant billboard a few times. The interior was very cozy - romantic, even - with low ceilings and candlelit tables. The waitstaff seemed suspiciously large, but I will assume they normally have more business on Thursday nights (this was a big snow day). The food was ok, but everything was just a little off. The papadum was almost more flaky than crispy and came with two chutneys in a single dish, the chicken tikka masala was too sweet and made with not-so-amazing dark meat, and they brought out baklava with the bill. I never figured out the Mediterranean/Indian mix they were going for here, but hey, surprise baklava - who's complaining? (I am: it was too buttery and warm.) All in all a decent meal, but not worth the trek through the snow.
(2)Andrew S.
Oh man. This place is awesome. The service is crazy at this restaurant. Every single time I've been here, I've been hooked up with a free appetizer and free dessert. It's ridiculous. The chai tea is excellent here. They are hyper vigilant about making sure the amount of tea/water you have doesn't drop below half the glass level. They're almost too on top of it, but hey, it's a lot better than never getting refilled. The garlic naan is humongous and to die for. It's probably one of my favorite appetizers at any restaurant. I guess my only complaint about Taste of India is that I'm really not into their chicken. I don't know what it is about the chicken, but there's something about it I really don't like. The girlfriend likes it just fine, but I think it's pretty bland. However, the lamb is solid and you honestly don't need meat in any of their main dishes and the sauces are superb. 5 star service, 4 star food, but they're so nice here that you got to round up. Definitely check this place out.
(5)Andrea F.
I miss this place soooo much. I moved to Dallas and have yet to find a place that compares in the least with Taste of India, couldn't find one in Seattle for that matter. I miss the melt in your mouth naan, the insanely good butter chicken, some of the best chai I have had, the delicious sampler appetizer full of things I will never recognize....Forget trying to figure out if your a glass half full or a glass half empty kind of person....the glasses are always full to the top at Taste of India. Wonderful food, excellent service and great atmosphere. Definitely will remain one of my top 3 favorite restaurants of all time.
(5)Jenny J.
We got the usual indian food...samosas, tikka masla etc...it was all pretty good. I wish the chicken had a better texture, but my complaints stop there. The service was wonderful. They reseated us (due to heat) without us even asking. The nann was standard in taste, but huge in size! We even got a free dessert:)
(4)Eugene M.
As much as I do enjoy the food at this place, I regrettably feel like it's just pushed me out slowly but surely. As has been mentioned before, the place is pretty cramped and it is almost always very busy. After a while, I just decided that getting orders to-go would be a practical alternative to the craziness of eating in the restaurant during a busy night. Again, after a while, problems with to-go orders became more and more habitual. The food may be good, but coming here has unfortunately become a regular hassle for me.
(2)Shengjun H.
These people are cheats. I bought a deal on Munchonme.com (this one: munchonme.com/dish/178 ) and ordered the butter chicken to go, mentioning that I had a Munchonme code. When I arrived there to pick up the butter chicken, the proprietor lied to my face and told me that they had never had a deal on Munchonme and that I must have the wrong restaurant. No matter how their food is, I would never trust this restaurant to keep their word on any deal.
(1)Alice C.
I come here for the chai and the naan. I also really like their aloo gobi. Also, Taste of India seems to always have much better service than over at Cedar's.
(3)Cassie W.
So good it is addicting, this is my favourite restaurant in Seattle. The food is delicious (and filling!) and the service is pretty much perfect every time I go. The owner is always there making sure everything is just right; it's quite impressive and no wonder they are dearly loved by many. Do try: Bottomless chai tea Veggie Tikka Masala Chicken Coconut Curry Chicken Mango Curry Pesto Naan, Spinach-Paneer Naan, or my fave: Spinach Naan Mmmmmmmmm. Update: I just got the recipe for their delicious chai tea. I guess so many people were asking for it they had print-outs at the front desk. Ingredients: 4 cups of water 4 cups of whole milk 2 tea bags of Orange Pekoe (Cedars uses the Nabob brand) 10 green cardamom pods (crushed cardamom is optional) 7-8 cloves 1/8 teaspoon fennel seed Sugar (to taste) Instructions: 1.) Combine the water, tea, and spices in a saucepan 2.) Heat uncovered for approximately 10 minutes, reducing the liquid by about 2 1/2 cups (the spices and tea need to cook well before you add the milk) 3.) Add 4 cups of whole milk and bring to a boil (the taste is best if you use whole milk) 4.) Add sugar to taste 5.) Simmer 10 minutes and strain before serving Optional: Ass cinnamon sticks or pieces of ginger for even more flavor!
(5)Derek M.
it was good. a little dark inside but it added a nice atmosphere. within a minute of sitting down we got two little deep-fried balls of beans and veggies and a dipping sauce that were really good and tasted very fresh, it was really unexpected considering it was a free appetizer. i got the okra masala with lamb and rice and my girlfriend got coconut curry with chicken and rice. it was very good but wasn't as spicy as i had hoped it would be. after our meal we were served a free scoop of ice cream and we paid and left. overall a very good place to eat. we'll be back again soon!
(4)Angel S.
This is my 2nd time at the Taste of India Restaurant. I went there 3 years, but w/out known, I kept going to Saffron Grill which is on Northgate ave. I found out the restaurant on Roosevelt is owned by the son of the owner of Saffron Grill. Both places have great food and the menu is the same. The owner was very polite, we got a free appetizer and dessert. Very awesome! Also, the restaurant is very customer oriented. Always on top of things. Oh and not to mention the food. IT WAS DELICIOUS! I gave it 5 star bc both restaurants are out of this world! :)
(5)Lindsay H.
WOW. if only you knew how amazing this place is!!!!!!!!!!!!! seriously, even if you "dont like indian food" just GO!!!!! this is the smoothest most flavorful indian food i've ever had! compared even to other types of food, i would definately stick with this place!! like i said, JUST GO!!! and it is true, your water glass will never be half full...what a great place :O)))
(5)Nic B.
Without reservation our big group got seated fairly quickly. Food was great (though not incredibly spicy) and there was plenty to pass around. I found it a bit odd that they have such a big selection of beers and no menu for it, but we still managed to pick some good ones. I'll probably be back here, but my favorite Indian joint along Roosevelt is still Bengal Tiger.
(4)Turelie L.
Outstanding! Yet another stop for me during my two week stay in Seattle. My friend's parents are friends with the owner and eat here often, so they brought me there one overly warm evening. The decor was very pleasant even tho the restaurant itself was quite warm, mostly due to the unusually warm weather. They ordered so much food. We had garlic naan, roti and paratha along with papadum. I ordered Lamb Curry, my favorite...and was FAR from disappointed. My friend's mother let me try some of her Chicken Tikka Masala, which was another amazing dish. For desert I tried Kulfi and Kheer (both HEAVENLY!) and Marble Nut Halvah, which was VERY rich but yummy. When I go back to see my friend next year, I will absolutely beg to return here. Perhaps even twice!
(5)Safa S.
The food here tastes just like Cedars down the street... hmmm interesting. So, I asked owner. They are the relatives of the Cedars people and looks like they are using the same recipes.... which are greasy, bland and the most boring Indian food.
(2)Ann K.
Okay, first let me say this.... FREE CHAI WHILE YOU WAIT! What could be better than that? This by far is my favorite restaurant ever!!!!!!! (I joined Yelp today just to write them a review before we head to TOI for dinner!) Mohammed (the owner) is sooo nice! He always greets us at the door and asks how we are doing. You never have to wait long for a table and even while you wait, you get free chai!!! Their service is incredible! My family and I go to TOI at least 2-3 times a month and we've never been disappointed. The prices are so cheap (around $12 for an entrée)! Between the 4 of us, we usually order some sort of appetizer like the Vegetable Samosas and/or Garlic Naan, a Lamb Tikki Masala, a Butter Chicken, a Butter Masala (sauce only w/ rice), a Coconut Chicken, and 4 mango shakes (or Chai) then we always get free desert. Yes, I know that sounds like a lot of food, and it is... but we love the leftovers the next day! The food is to die for! They have turned me into a total Indian food snob... we've tried other places and nowhere can compare to their food. I'm seriously starting to think I couldn't live without Taste of India. When we leave, we always get a friendly hand shake and "goodbye my friends"! Thank you sooooo much for the delicious meals Mohammed!!!
(5)dean c.
I've been eating here for years. The service at this restaurant is as effective and attentive as that of any in town. The professionalism of their staff is on par with that of much more expensive restaurants such as Palisade or Ray's. The food is always spot on, not super authentic or anything, but it consistently gives the people what they want. The owner takes care of regulars, and he's almost always around; hooking it up with rasmalai and chai to enjoy after the plates at the table have been cleaned. This place gets packed but like I said the staff can handle, I've rarely seen a cup or glass come close to being emptied.
(5)Jaxx L.
Don't bother making reservations, they won't be honored. DO NOT eat here if you have anything time-sensitive, e.g. a movie, to do afterwards. We allowed 1 1/2 hours for dinner here, and it still wasn't enough. We waited 20+ min. past our reservation time to get seated, while others (as has been noted) without reservations who arrived AFTER us were seated instead. We had to ask 3 people for our server, who finally showed up to take our dinner order (others were apparently qualified to take drink and appetizer orders, but the big dinner order was reserved for the guy we never saw) and then was never seen from again. Waited 30 min. for our food while, again, others seated later were served. Mine, however, didn't show up. The host/manager actually told me at one point that it would be there in 2 minutes and I could time it - total lie, and after telling it he wasn't seen from again. My entree showed up in time for me to take 1 bite and throw it in a to-go container in order to run out and make the movie. Yay. One of my favorite parts, however, was the host/manager apologizing to my male friend (the only male at the table and clearly with another woman) for MY dinner not showing up. Excuse me???!!!! Is the food good? Who cares? When the service is so bad that you don't get the food in a reasonable time or manner (or at all, in my case), the "quality" of the food is irrelevant.
(2)Micha M.
Yum-a-riffic! Taste of india is the yummiest Indian food ever! After sampling many, many dishes, I routinely return for the Mutter Paneer, Spinach Naan (oh my god!) and bottomless chai. If you aren't sure what kind of Indian you'd be interested in, just ask your waiter, they are great about pointing you to something you'll enjoy.
(5)Hugo L.
I have to disagree with Zagat Rating on this one unfortunately... Were about to go to Red Mills Burger for lunch but too packed so we decided to go around and spot this Indian restaurant with a "Best of Zagat" sign on it. The service were ok, could've been better. The staff kept asking if we're done with the plate (the frequency was wayyyyy too often). I hate it so much when the staff keep asking if we're done with the plates. It's as though they're trying to kick us out. We ordered a bread called Mint Nan for appetizer. It was great at first bite (maybe cos i was super hungry) but OK afterwards. We also ordered Masala Lamb Curry and Chicked Curry. When the dish came I'm already disappointed. there were only 7-8 small pieces of meat. The curry itself does not taste good. Way too sweet, as if they use only sugar.. C'mon!!!! gimme more meat!!!! if you cannot make good curry at least. The star of the whole dish is the Tendoori Salmon. Perfectly cooked, nice guacamole/sweetsoy cause, 2 big chunck of salmon fillet, rice, and mixed veggies. This one is 4.5-5 star dish I have to say... The other plus is the rice. It was perfectly cooked, seasoned, and tasted great!! They gave us an Indian cake to share at the end but it was a disastrous cake... Overall, they deserves 3 of my stars, thanks to their Tendoori Salmon. I think they need to teach their staff not to only clean up the table but to understand their customer. The price is $$, we spent $25 a person which were overpriced for a meal this quality, ESPECIALLY When I accidentally spot the dirty kitchen as I was going to the restroom.
(3)Joey Y.
oh man. the food here is pretty fucking good. while i don't consider myself the largest indian food connoisseur, i do love indian food, have eaten at most of the spots of well-renown [cedar's, maharaja, and annapurna], and have a couple of indian friends who are pretty good at making indian cuisine. the prices aren't horrible, unlike maharaja, where you not only have to pay for your main dish, but your fucking RICE, too! if you ever want to bring down the vengeance [albeit, through internet review], make an asian man pay for his goddamn rice. at any rate, yes. you get rice with your fucking meal, so it dampens the loss of the cash a little bit. another plus is they always seem to have a good selection of beer. i love their indian imports, because they always have a shit-ton and i always seemed to get tipsy off of it. what was that? i talk about drinking too much in all of my reviews? oh, sorry, i couldn't hear you clearly BECAUSE THERE WAS A SANDSTORM BREWING IN YOUR VAGINA. the desserts are pretty delicious and the servers are usually cute, which i'll go into depth a little later. now, to say i've been served poorly here would be a great injustice. every time i've gone, i have only been served as well as can possibly be, no matter the hour of day. sure, sometimes you have to wait 30-45 minutes just to get seated, but you wait and stand for good food. it's just the american thing to do... and the customer service has always been top-notch. BUT [you saw that coming, right?] i think it might have to do with the fact that i'm almost always there with my punjabi friend. i'm not saying they're racist-- but i do understand how nice it is to see someone of your own heritage become a regular at an establishment where others of your background might think it "americanized". it's comforting. we have gotten comps on beer AND naan on seperate occasions when he complained about menial things to the owner. we've also been seated fairly fast and the wait staff is pretty nice [never an empty water glass, eh?]. but i have seen some misdeeds in front of my eyes: as someone mentioned, people getting rushed off of tables, my own table [in more than one instance] being wiped down before we even got our checks, and i've even heard of a long-standing rumor that the wait staff does NOT receive any of the tips. sounds ri-cock-ulous, right? i didn't believe it, but short of asking any of the staff, i have talked to numerous people and they never tell me otherwise. i think this is the real reason i docked them 1-2 stars. finally, on the attractive wait staff: i had been going to toi for a while and had quite the crush on one of the waitresses. after about 3 beers, i finally decided i had enough liquid courage to ask her out on a date. needless to say, i limped out of the front door, crushed and defeated to my punjabi friend, who smiled and asked how it went. "HER BOYFRIEND'S A PUSSY!" was all i responded. had she said yes, i probably would've rated this place five stars. but that's only because i'm not a pussy.
(3)Rushabh D.
I'm Indian (though, in the interest of full disclosure, not from the North, and Taste of India serves North Indian cuisine) and the food served at Taste is not completely authentic. It is definitely a bit more westernized than other places around Seattle. Who cares? It ROCKS! I'm vegetarian and if you are, you _have_ _to_ try the Paneer Tikka Masala. And the Dal is fantabulous as well. Remember that the spice levels at this place are westernized, so 3 stars really isn't spicy at all, 4 is starting to get there and 5 is about right. Oh and the (excellent) chai has unlimited refils!
(5)Allison S.
Indian food, to be fair, is not my favorite cuisine, although I do genuinely like it...I just would not consider myself enough of an expert to speak about how 'authentic' or whatnot the food is. Our food was served quickly and it tasted good. The service was friendly and extremely, bordering on overly, attentive. We had a really funky situation happen, however, when we tried to order some wine. Now, I get it. If you want an extensive wine list with all kinds of price points and options, maybe this isn't the place you flock to. But, just a word of caution, if you do want wine with your meal...just be ready to order by the glass and keep your expectations rather low. We tried to a bottle of wine with dinner and the results were kind of ridiculous. The menu doesn't list wine by the bottle and only lists wine as: "Cabernet", "Zinfandel", etc. That should have been our first indication to leave well enough alone. The second warning sign should have been that our server couldn't answer any questions about the wine they had, but instead, pushed an Indian wine on us. We thought we'd try it, only to have the server come back with the floor manager(?), who helpfully clarified that the wine we'd agreed to was actually $55 dollars a bottle, and as he put it, was very "different" in taste from what Americans usually expected. We took that as a suggestion not to order that wine, and promptly asked him what he suggested. This man was absolutely lovely, but he also seemed at a loss. He finally suggested a Cabernet that was at a reasonable price for what we wanted. He came back with the bottle, explaining that it had been sitting "near his radiator" and was a little warm, but he assured us that this wine was supposed to be served at that temperature. Hmmm.....the wine was actually...really, really warm. Like, a 'nice cup of tea' warm. I'm sure we could have sent the wine back, but at that point we were hungry and ready to be done with it. I would come back here again, but I will order beer next time.
(3)Kelli F.
Bottom. Less. Chai.
(4)Uday S.
Finally tried this place after seeing the countless rave reviews. The curries were like a smooth and disappointing blend of tomato puree and cream, with almost no flavor. The Chicken tikka was blah. The naans were good though. And the crowds were...unbelievable!! I've never seen such crowds at an Indian restaurant before. Taste of India...not! Sorry to burst the bubble but I've seen better. If its in to eat here, that's another thing. (Btw, I did take-out so can't rate the service.)
(2)Danika M.
Yum. Taste of India is soooo goooood. The garlic naan is large enough to split... paneer tikka masala is my favorite... hot chai and the mango shake are both very tasty. The owner is really really nice (my boyfriend used to go here a long time ago, and he remembered his name), he always gets us a good seat right away even if the place is packed, and he always gives us complementary dessert. He knows everyone who comes in there. That said, the place is usually packed in the evenings, and sometimes people bring in huge groups or noisy kids and that can be annoying.
(5)Akshay K.
The food is excellent. They serve the nan well before the sabji, so it gets cold. The place is a little congested, otherwise it would have been 5 star
(4)Chuck L.
Best Indian food I've had in the Pacific NW. The true mark of a good Indian restaurant is good naan. And this place has great naan. Piping hot and huge straight out of the oven.
(4)Keith S.
oops I meant to update cedars not taste of, I havn't been here in a bit I should prolly come back and make sure it's the same. Loved this place!
(5)Rowena D.
A year ago I tried Taste of India for the first time and absolutely loved it. The food was so good and the price was reasonable. If I was posting reviews on Yelp a year ago I would have given this place 5 stars. So, what has changed? Well, I recently came here for lunch with a friend. We had wanted to try a different Indian restaurant in the U-District but unfortunately they were closed. I still had a hankering for Indian food so I suggested Taste of India. I figured you couldn't lose with Taste of India. Boy was I wrong. When we entered the restaurant we were seated right away and given Dinner menus (it was 1pm). I thought it was strange at first and asked my friend, "Why'd they give us dinner menus?" And then thought after, "Maybe they ran out of Lunch menus?" My friend also mentioned seeing others with dinner menus too. But we stayed anyways. So, we ended up ordering the Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Coconut Curry, Garlic Naan and two Chais. The food was good of course and our water and chais were constantly filled. But after we finished our meal, it all went downhill. When we finished our food we requested our bill and had to wait a very long time for it. I saw the wait staff go around several times filling waters and chais, checking on other patrons, and taking orders but still no bill. While we were waiting for our bill, the bus boy even came over and wiped down our table with us still sitting there. When our bill finally arrived after a 20 minute wait, I took a look at the bill and the total was $36. We ended up tipping so total spent was $41 for two (I know we shouldn't have tipped but we did). It was obvious that they charged us dinner prices for our lunch. I understand that food prices are up everywhere but a $4 increase per entree? That seems a bit extreme to me. But it gets better...So my friend and I start to put our credit cards on the bill and out of nowhere one of the wait staff just swoops by and snatches up our cards and the bill. I had barely even laid my card on the table and he snatched it up so fast. That was just so rude! The food is good here but I don't think I will be returning here for awhile. The good food is not worth all of this.
(3)Stephanie B.
The fact that I have always had to wait to be seated here is a strong testament to the popularity (and deliciousness) of this restaurant. This is the best Indian food in the area, and definitely the best service in town!
(5)Keri A.
The food may be good but we had a very bad experience with service here. We never received the naan we ordered and when we asked the waiter he said we never ordered it. We insisted we did and he finally reordered it for us. Then he tried to charge us for two orders of naan after our meal was ruined by waiting for our naan. We asked him to take off one of the orders and he finally realized we had meant our first order of naan had not arrived. He knew we had ordered naan but assumed we wanted a second instead of listening to us that we had gotten none. He now knew he had made a mistake but there was no apology or any adjustment for the ruined expensive dinner. Instead he ignored us for the rest of the time. I have read another review below which shows there are some working here that have an extreme attitude problem. Anyone can make a mistake but rudeness when you are the one at fault is not worth the price of what Indian food costs. There are plenty of other Indian restaurants in town.
(1)Scott P.
Best Indian I've found in Seattle. Went with a group of 8 or 10 people and the service was incredibly attentive. The Chai is great.
(5)Not A.
Hmm I only realized that the waiters don't receive my tips after reading the reviews for this and I feel slightly deceived. However, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and chalk that up to my lack of observation. Overall this place is pretty decent Indian food, I gave it 3 stars because I've had much better, but they offer a good variety and most everything tastes good. Props for the endless cup of Chai which they will refill even as you are asking for a to go box. It's mostly clean too, but it's pretty full in the evenings so you might want to call in advance if you don't want to wait.
(4)David M.
This place is great. Delicious food and nice atmosphere. It has become my favorite Indian restaurant in Seattle. The staff is extremely nice and thoughtful, they bring free appetizers if you are waiting for a table and many times a free baklava for dessert. Prices are very reasonable for the great quality.
(5)Stephanie H.
I went here for dinner with my family. The manager was really nice to us. He introduced himself to us and gave us a complimentary appetizer sampler plate. We also got a free piece of mango cheesecake because it was my birthday. The naan was delicious. We also enjoyed the coconut curry quite a bit. The service is great and the food is very flavorful. I highly recommend this place!
(4)Jake S.
It's all been said already: *amazing* naan (seriously, it's mind-blowing), great entrees, phenomenal service, and an unfortunate parking situation. Do whatever you have to do to eat here, because it's worth it.
(5)Lise J.
freaking fantastic every time! it can get crowded and they get busy, but service is never compromised -- and they more make up for it if something slight happens. i guarantee your drink will always be full to the brim...that is if you can even put a dent in it between the all the food you're scarfing. garlic naan, samosas, curry, tikka and.... all of it. and then chilled mango cheesecake. drool. i should not have written this review over lunch because now that's all i can think about.
(5)Katie F.
When I want Indian, I go to Taste of India. The service is unbeatable - it seems like there is a staff of like 5 people dedicated to each table, ensuring that you are completely taken care of from moment to moment. My water glass was filled up literally after nearly every sip. The naan is unreal in terms of its deliciousness, but it's like a meal unto itself, so take heed. I went there last night with my boyfriend, and it had been a while since my last visit. We were a bit overzealous with the quantity of food we ordered. We appetized with some spinach naan and the fabulously seasoned Indian Salad. But we made the miscalculation of ordering two entrees - lamb coconut curry, which is served with a big plate of savory basmati, and the Tandoori chicken tikka, which comes with like a pound of really delicious chicken, rice and vegetables. Needless to say, our eyes were way bigger than our stomachs, and we were barely able to put away half of the feast. Problem is, boyfriend was leaving for a trip the next day, and I had a full weekend of dining out on the schedule, so we weren't going to be able to eat the leftovers and declined to-go boxes. The waitress was not having it. She was incredulous that we were leaving so much of the tikka behind, and must have said something to the door staff and kitchen staff because a steady stream of employees approached the table to inquire about what was wrong with the food. We explained we were simply too full to eat anymore but that we were pleased with the meal. I don't think they bought it. So then they brought us some ice cream on the house, and we felt we had to eat it, but then we were worried that was sending the wrong message that we were actually still hungry. Then the manager brought us another full chicken tikka plate wrapped up to go. I was pretty mortified, but I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding. The lesson for diners is simply to go there very hungry for satisfying Indian food, and don't order too much. And the lesson for the restaurant might be to have servers advise diners of the size of portions before they order - and also to just relax and let customers leave behind uneaten food without being too sensitive.
(4)Andrea B.
Honestly, I don't know what authentic Indian or Pakistani food should taste like, but in terms of service this restaurant is spot on. It's usurped all other restaurants for me as the best in town. I love the dimmed lighting and warmth emanating from Taste of India. Sometimes my husband and I go for dinner just because we have a craving for their endless cup of hot chai. There is nothing better for a cold Seattle evening. At least every other time we go we are given a free dessert or appetizer for no apparent reason. They do fabulous customer service! If you can't stand the wait, try their other restaurants Cedar's or Saffron Grill which have virtually the same menus.
(5)Kevin D.
My wife and I have been going to Taste of India for years. I'm glad I now have a chance to review it. This is a fabulous restaurant. It is easily the best Indian food I have had in Seattle and the service is almost embarrassingly good. The chai cup never goes down more than a quarter inch from the rim before, boom, it's being filled yet again. They give you the feeling they have dedicated an entire wait staff just for you. The owner, Mohammed, is an attentive host who brings us free dessert because he recognizes us. Do yourself a favor and check this place out. It is also very reasonably priced.
(5)David D.
Taste of India has the best service that I have ever experienced at any restaurant. We were seated immediately by a friendly host and brought complimentary samosas before we could even look at a menu. Our food came out quickly and was delicious. When asked how we were enjoying our food my girlfriend said it was great but thought 4 stars would be spicier. The owner himself brought a brand new dish (after she had eaten half of the first) with a side of chili powder and salsa and assured us that the next time we came in all we had to do was order "Indian Spicy". Then we were given complimentary dessert. I could hardly take a drink of water without someone refilling it. Great staff, wonderful food, I will recommend it to anyone and will go back in a heartbeat.
(5)Annie B.
So delicious. I'm always gleeful when I have the chance to go. I eat A LOT of Indian food in a lot of different cities. This place is a great Indian restaurant!
(5)aphrodai A.
double-damn, this place is spot-on if you ask me. this could be because way back in 1998 when i used to frequent this place in college, i was dating this guy that owned a 93 RX7 and the owner (Mohammed) was also into cars and so we became instant family there. want in the fam? drive a nice car real fast and loud and find a way to make it fit in the teeny tiny parking lot. it will be noticed! we would go there every other day and get a free treat every once in a while, and mohammed would always find us and tell his waiters to find great seats for "his friends". Andy K, crackin me up with the water comment because it is SO true. you have to sip in secret if you don't want a waiter running over to fill your glass, but it sure beats the hell out of sucking moisture out of your rice at other joints that don't bother to fill your glass of water once or even bring you water unless you beg for it. i can personally never knock a place that is TOO attentive. i will go there about once every year or two years now, and by golly the guy still knows my name. it's amazing. now aside from the red carpet treatment, i will say this: anything paneer - YUM... anything aloo - YUM... dahl maharani -- YUM YUM ... and the tikka is delectable if you don't like 'curry-style' food. the only things i don't like, and this just may be a cuisine-in-general comment are those nasty tasting seeds they hide in the rice (seriously don't eat em, and you'll know when you bite into it)... and those grape leaf things.. just not a fan. it's always jam-packed yet somehow maintains an intimate cozy atmosphere. the appetizers and desserts are so good you almost always end up with more food than can fit on the table....:] oh yeah - don't trip when you walk to your table from the waiting area, there is a huge slope in the floor right around the register somewhere that almost always sends me into a table or nearby waiter!
(5)Tia S.
I had a good experience here. Our party of 4 waited almost over an hour to be seated (very long line-up on a cold October night) The owner was very friendly though and remembered us by name throughout the evening. My dish was excellent (an okra dish) and my friends were also very pleased with their dishes. One tip though: don't go crazy with the spices. They have a scale system -- all I can say is play it safe. One of our friends who thought he could handle the heat ended up struggling quite a bit. Overall charming place, insanely busy, hard to hear the people you came in with. They have a partial halal menu so if that's what you're looking for make sure to ask beforehand! Also - mega portions: make sure your sharing! I'm removing one star because of the wait (i.e. beyond the time we were originally given) and the parking situation (simply not enough). If I recall correctly, everything else was great!
(4)Kimberley D.
Wow, the high yelp reviews were totally deserved. This place was seriously good. One of my favorite aspects was the bottomless cup of chai. Most of the time Indian restaurants charge $2-3 for a small cup of chai, and I've never been offered a free refill. Another surprise was something like 50 different types of beer, including local and organic beers, beers from India, dark, light, IPA, everything in between. A man who I believe to be the owner was walking around refilling chai and being friendly. Much has been said about the naan, so I'll just add "What they said." It rocks. Worth the trip to the U-District and definitely worth stopping by if you're in the neighborhood.
(4)Priyatham A.
The food is really great... I was worried the food might not be spicy by seeing lot of Americans in restaurant.. But everything that we ordered was tasting really good.. ( If you like spicy food remember to tell the waiter you want the spice level of 4). Chicken tikka and chicken naan are really good..
(5)Stacie G.
I love the taste of India. I've been coming here for probably the past 10 years. I always order the same thing (lamb masala, garlic naan and kheer) and it's always delicious and the service is usually top notch. They treat you to a complimentary appetizer and small dessert which I love. However, I must say that over the past year I've noticed a slight decline in the quality of service and food. I came here recently and had to wait almost an HOUR for my food (two entrees for myself and friend) the table next to us waited the same amount of time. The man at the next table was livid (we were very frustrated/upset ourselves but didn't want to cause such a scene) they gave the man next to us his entire bill for free. Finally once our food arrived it was honestly pretty awful, my friend didn't even eat his. And then they brought our bill, full priced. At this point I admit I kind of lost it. The experience was awful and then what a slap in the face, we had to pay full price for everything when the angry man next to us walked out with a free meal?! I went to the front and complained to the manager who told me "everyone makes mistakes". Yes, correct they do. And usually a manager or a business would recognize that a mistake was made and apologize for it and then offer some sort of consolation for that mistake. He gave me 20% off... Which I accepted. But honestly I do wonder why I received this treatment vs. the man who got his whole bill for free for the same problem. Perhaps it's because I am a woman and he was a man. All in all I do love this restaurant and have been here probably over 100x it's a great deal and yummy food (most of the time) it's really just too bad I felt I was treated unfairly for being a woman.
(3)Tejas B.
The butter chicken is great and garlic naan was quite nice. Service is outstanding. Just remember that the naan are quite huge. Also they give complimentary pakodas and deserts (Rasmalai) .
(4)Jean F.
I got the lentil curry which was fantastic and the spinach naan. The spinach naan was really good and big, but it was a bit too oily and had some uncooked portions. We got free appetizer and dessert!
(4)Amanda A.
The food is excellent. The garlic naan is heavenly and so cheap, and you get free refills on the chai! The service was great, too. I'd come here every day if I lived closer!
(5)Delilah R.
I'm gonna get real for a minute....the food is not wholly authentic but is super delish. Nom nom nom NAAAAANNNNNN bread. HUGE portions, sort of insane. I love it. The owner is always there, it seems and checking in on the customers. It has become crazy busy here. Come in the off hours, like an early dinner or late lunch. I really do love the curry here. It always throws me when you go to an Indian restaurant but there are options for Greek fare. Weird.
(4)Danica S.
It's been awhile (YEARS) since I've visited Taste of India so I was impressed their new makeover. The restaurant was clean and had nice decor. Friendly and attentive service left our cups refilled and our tables wiped clean. Food: -- I don't recall the Naan ever being as large as the servings we received, so it was no surprise that our waitress was shocked when delivering the 2nd piece we ordered. My husband enjoyed his lamb curry and I loved the richness of my butter chicken. It surely hit the spot. The medium spice I ordered didn't pack the spice that I expected, so if you love spice you'll want to try 3 stars or spicy. I forget what their spice scale options are. We were surprised to receive mango pistachio ice cream as a complimentary dessert ---very good. As for the price, it was a bit on the spendy side but I won't say that it wasn't worth it. I'm looking forward to going back. Thank you for treating us so well TOI!!
(4)Asma A.
Great place... friendly servers and a casual place. I wish they had more than one kind of biryani but it will do. the naan is huge and delicious. but my favorite is their chai. i love it especially that it's unlimited. you don't get that in many places! i wanna go back just for chai lol. and they gave us complimentary slice of chocolate mousse cake :D
(4)Lani M.
Best Indian food I've come across in Seattle!! The food is fantastic (naan's as big as your face and absolutely to die for), the service is great. We love the setting, especially inside or outside on the patio of the lounge. Happy hour is awesome and everything we've tried on the menu has been spot on. Unlimited Chai tea is also really really good!!
(5)Jessica G.
So. Tasty. If I could eat one cuisine for the rest of my life, it would be Indian. Even before trying it, I figured Taste of India would be good because of the amount of people I see frequenting it at any given time throughout the week. When I tried it, I was smitten. Great atmosphere (outdoor covered seating for those of you who love the fresh air), stellar service, and great food. When we were seated, we were given a complimentary fried potato appetizer, which was a very nice touch. We then ordered the garlic naan, which is MASSIVE (and obviously very tasty). I usually do a great job at slaughtering naan at Indian restaurants, but I actually had some to take home at the end of my meal! Great ratio of butter to garlic. For entrees, I shared the chicken tikka masala and palak paneer (saag) with my friend, and both dishes were very flavorful. The chicken tikka masala is probably my favorite in the Seattle area (my absolute favorite being in Renton). The palak paneer was exactly as I like: creamed, soft, and a little kick. We finished the meal with a complimentary dessert that was similar (if not) to baklava. It was warm, perfect, and delicious. The staff is on top of refilling water and checking to see if you need anything. The patrons all seem to be regulars. I really liked the vibe inside the restaurant. It felt like being inside a house. There's a Yelp discount for checking in! I am still punching myself for forgetting to use it. Next time, loves, next time.
(5)Kiana F.
One of my good friends lives next door to Taste of India, and I thank heaven every day that she does because I'm so glad that I discovered this place. I have two favorite Indian restaurants now - one out where I live, and this heavenly place. Their food is so freakishly good. Like, I would eat here every day if I didn't worry about smelling like curry and sweating curry every day. I already have to work around curry powder and go home smelling like curry, I don't want to excrete curry too. I wish I didn't care. Honestly. I'm willing to sacrifice a bit of personal hygiene, but not that much, Taste of India. Sorry! I still love you. I highly recommend the spinach naan. And the aloo pakoras. And pretty much everything. The mango curry? So damn tasty. EVERYTHING? So bomb. I want to know why you're so good, ToI, but I don't want to ruin the illusion. So don't tell me. (But maybe a hint?)
(5)Harman J.
Had a awesome lunch experience. Ordered butter chicken medium hot and paneer jalfarezi .. Both were very tasty and yummy . We got free sampler of potato pakoras , they were very yummy. All in all awesome food. We also got on the house desert Rasmalai.. I never had such fresh Rasmalai in US. This place rocks
(5)randi i.
This was my first time trying Indian food. I've been eyeing this place out for months on Yelp and finally got to try take out. The garlic nan was as big as everyone says and was really tasty! My husband and I really enjoyed the chicken tikka masala & chicken butter masala. EXCEPT I did not enjoy chewing on a piece of rope that was in the masala.. It was a huge turn off for me. Also the samosa's weren't really for us. We couldn't tell which was beef and which was vegetable.
(4)Willy M.
Havent been here in a while, but it is as good as I remember it. Waited for about 25 minutes for a table, so we decided to wait outside, they have nice heat lamps to stand under, they brought out complimentary chai tea and pokoras(sp) ( I think thats what they are called...fried potato nuggs). Garlic Naan was good as always, huge size overflowing over the basket it is served in. As for mains, we ordered Coconut Chicken Curry, delicious with some nice fresh shaved coconut on top. Nice curry flavor, good size chunks of chicken and perfect amount of sauce! I got the Lamb Shahi Korma, different spices but super flavorful, and good sized portions for next day lunch! A mango lassi & some more chai tea to wash it down, we were good to go!!! Also, they gave us a complimentary scoop of coconut ice cream at the end. Thanks Taste of India! I enjoy coming here, the staff is attentive and keen on looking for any refills on water, and the dipping sauce that comes with the naan.... we were running low then BAM another one is brought out to us. Mohammed is so nice too, he is always running around greeting people, putting names on the list, checking on people outside waiting for their tables, giving updates on how much longer, making sure people get complimentary chai and pokoras (sp), helping the servers run food to the tables, doing take out orders for people and the food delivery service guys and so much more! He offers great service and awesome at front of the house and makes coming in for dinner so much better!
(5)Stan Y.
Excellent service, comforting chai tea, delicious food. No wonder this restaurant got so many good reviews. We were there for a friend's birthday lunch. Called in advance for reservation and when we're there, our table was ready for us. I like the fact that the restaurant has skylight, which makes the environment very bright. One advice. Don't feed on the chai tea. I know it sounds strange, but they have a nice must-try sweet milky chai tea. Before you realize it, you finished one cup and the smiling waiter just keep refilling. Combine this yummy chai tea with the complimentary fried fritter they and their famous naan, you will be half full even before the main entry arrives. And that's exactly what happened to me. Naans, or tandoori breads. They have a great selection of naans with all different filling and flavors. Not cheap but totally worth it. Main dishes. We ordered different kind of dishes like curry, kabab, chili chicken royal biryani. Here are a few points. Kabab dishes were little too dry and chewy for us, especially the lamb. The flavor was good, but the texture was too rough. Not suggested. Chili chicken is kind of like Chinese dish General Tsao's chicken, however salter and spicier. The chicken is very tender and juicy though. So it's a great dish if you're OK with heavy flavor. Curry dishes. All were pretty good. The flavors are great, the meats are tender and juicy, and they all goes great with either rice or bread. Royal biryani. It's my favorite dish here. Nicely flavored with curry and saffron, a little bit spicy and sweet, but not too heavy. The raisins and cashews added a nice texture and earthy sweetness to the dish. It's a great dish and I would definitely suggest this. The portions were really good. Almost all of us had leftover to pack. In summary, it's a solid choice for India food if you know what dish to order. Chai tea and tandoori bread are must try.
(5)Philip S.
Lunch was very tasty. The portions were generous. The service was great. My only complaint is that the beer was not cold enough.
(3)A J.
Came here while on vacation. The food was pretty good. Great service. Free appetizer and dessert were an added bonus. Parking maybe can be difficult - they just have a few spots, so park in the neighborhood.
(4)Naomi L.
Um ya- this place is pretty amazingly delicious! Great last meal to our quick trip up to Seattle. They have some mixed-in random Mediterranean food choices as well, which was randomly interesting. The grape leaves and chicken wings were good, but not nearly as good as the quality of the delicious Indian food. I'd say skip those offers since there is so much more Indian food to choose from! Deliciousness of our table included: paneer rogan, chicken masala, butter chicken, and lamb vindaloo. The "spiciness scale" is 1-6 with "American spicy" around 1-2. I got a 5. It hurt soooo good! Honestly, 10/10 would go for that level of spice again!! I know other people have said not to fill up on the bottomless chai. However, let's be honest - you should totally get this if you love chai. I probably had 7-8 glasses and was still able to eat quite a bit of food. Hints: they will kindly brew chai w/o sugar if you'd like, you just have to ask. 1x naan per person is totally enough! I had leftovers for the next day to eat with leftover curry. Totally worth eating gluten for.
(5)Kathleen C.
I think a lot of Indian places taste very similar, but this one stands out more and is my favorite one! They take reservations as well! I love love their unlimited chai! So good! Portions are good. Prices are reasonable. For two people, we ordered paneer tikka (appetizer, which was pretty good), butter chicken, one other dish that I don't recall but it's like a beef brisket in a tomato based sauce, and spinach naan. We had so much leftovers that we packed half the rice, more than half the naan and the curry sauce home, cooked some chicken to add to it and we both ate it for another meal at home! I would prefer regular naan over spinach naan though since we are dipping it in sauce. The spinach naan is super stuffed with spinach and would be good on its own already. Chaiiiiii!!!! Unlimited refills!!! Sooo goooooddd.
(5)Ali A.
They make India taste like gold it's so amazing. Favorite place to get Indian food in the PNW!
(5)Lee A.
I've probably never given anything 5 stars but this place deserves it. Food, service, price, serving sizes are great. We will definitely be back. For $3.50 you can drink all the chai you want. It's not too sweet and has just the right flavor. I also liked the mango lassi here too. Many places make it too sweet and it's really thin. This was quite thick and had a lighter taste. The naan is huge! Usually we run out of naan before we finish eating but here we ran out of food before the naan! That's a first! Our entries were great, mango curry and rogan josh were great. The staff is very attentive and constantly topping off your chai. The complimentary appetizer and dessert were great, though we had to force ourselves to eat half the dessert because we were already stuffed full of naan and chai... Better come here very hungry! The place was really cute. My husband and I both left happy and full. We will definitely be recommending this place to our friends.
(5)Lauren L.
Excellent service, food, and atmosphere. We loved the free appetizer, entrees, naan bread the size of an extra large pizza ( not exaggerating!), and free gulab. Wow. For $15.99, I got the delicious coconut curry with chicken. After all the food they gave us, I left with a doggy bag. Here, you'll get their saffron rice which is included with the cost of your entree. Much better deal than what you get at other places. We shall return!!!
(4)Alex K.
My first experience at Taste of India was exceptional but I wanted to update my review to reflect the fact that every visit since has been just as great. I'd now consider myself a regular, visiting far more often than I should, and every time the quality dishes and over the top service brings me back. I've made it a mission to try at least one new dish every time I go to the restaurant and so far I've never been disappointed (which just makes it harder and harder to decide). This is the restaurant I recommend to all visitors, house guests, and local friends. Easily one of my top five favorite restaurants in Seattle!
(5)Justine P.
I've been coming here for 5+ years but have sworn it off as of last year. Im so sad about it! This place used to kick ass and was a part of my monthly going out budget... I like spice. The last 6 or so times I went, I would order 5 stars or more... But the food was so bland I would have felt fine feeding it to a baby. When I asked for a side of curry powder to make it taste like *Something, anything, for the love of God* a huge, awkward scene ensued which eventually involved my entree being remade only to be just as terrible. I went back once more after that; when they opened the new seating area next door. NAH, no dice. Never again. I mean what an absolutely sad waste of money.
(2)Genesis B.
Excellent staff! Everyone is extremely friendly and attentive! Food is absolutely delicious! The naan is huge! You get triple what you pay for! New favorite spot!
(5)Riya P.
I was visiting Seattle from Vancouver, and decided to give this place a shot. I must say this place has by far the best customer service of any restaurant I have been at in North America. The restaurant was very busy. We waited about 15 minutes for our table, but the staff was kind enough to provide all guests waiting with complimentary chai and appetizers. Every server there had a smile even though they were very busy. Our orders were taken prompt, and the drinks were refilled with remarkable efficiency. The food was delicious and authentic as well. I recommend the garlic nan, butter masala chicken, and chili chicken. The nan sizes are quite large, which is very nice. One should in fact be sufficient to serve 2. We ordered spice level 4, and it was appropriately spicy (indian hot instead of chili on steroids). Amazing experience, we will definitely return.
(5)Nathan B.
I have been going to this establishment since 2001 and the food and service has always been consistent and wonderful. The food is amazing and some of the best, freshest Indian food I have ever had. The owner is always present on the busiest nights and makes it his priority to visit and check in with all his customers. I love this place and it will always have a special place in my heart. I recommend this establishment with no reservations! Try it out! For those people complaining about bad experiences I assure you it was a one off. Try running a busy and popular business and not make a mistake here and there.
(5)Kyle O.
Definitely one of my favorite places in all of Seattle. Their butter chicken masala is impeccable. The portion sizes on all dishes are incredibly fair, the prices are good, and the food is so dang tasty. There's parking around the area and it's a quaint little place with a new extension for late night.
(5)Andrew H.
Taste of India is the complete package: Superb service, superb food, medium value, and no waiting for a table. I had an extremely pleasant time here and I can almost guarantee you that you will too. The atmosphere: Because Taste of India is not in the heart of Seattle like so many of the best places to eat, it's a little less crowded than the best places in Seattle and thus a better place to bring a date. It has Indian decor that isn't gaudy, and everything is tasteful. I wouldn't call it a romantic restaurant but I wouldn't call it casual either as all the staff are very well dressed. Interestingly, there's a completely separate restaurant next door that is more of a "bar" theme which keeps the rowdy people away from the people who just want to have a meal with their date :-). The service: All the servers here are Indian and every one of them is courteous and will treat you with the utmost respect. The service is attentive, everyone speaks english well (albeit with a slight accent), and even a confused glance will send someone over to assist you! The food: Please see my photos below for a better idea of what you'll get, but I ordered the spicy butter chicken (which comes with a side of rice), as well as an order of garlic naan. The spicy butter chicken is so soft, savory, and so well seasoned. The level of spice was perfect for a spice-naive person like myself and they offer several spice-levels too, so don't hesitate to ask! The garlic naan was so soft, flavorful and most importantly quite large! It could've easily been shared among 2-3 people. Bring your appetite. The staff also likes to bring you free appetizers and desserts to give you a taste of things on the menu you wouldn't otherwise try. I LOVED these little bites, and I attached photos of them. All in all, Taste of India is a superb restaurant that I would be happy to frequent each and every day of the week. I had food leftover which was still amazing the next day. Taste of India deserves a strong 5-stars, no doubt about it.
(5)Casey S.
Delicious food! Want it delivered? I just tried caviar, and got $20 off, and figured I would share the love! Here is $20 off your first order :) trycaviar.com/r/ep9q1j
(5)Meili W.
This is by far the best Indian restaurant I've been too! Hands down! First of all, the place and atmosphere of the restaurant was really nice. I can definitely feel the indian-ness of it. Second of all, the service is exceptional and the workers are really nice! The best for last, the food. It was perfect. They gave us some free fried potato appetizers. The Kashmiri nan we got is my favorite nan so far! The filling was sweet and so yummy! The portion was big and totally filled us up! The other nan we got was the aloo kulcha which was also good. Tasted kinda like a pizza. :3 For our main entrees, we got the chicken tikka masala and the lamb Rogan john. Both was super delicious! To finish off, they gave us free dessert: cheesecake! I'm so happy that I came here! :)
(5)Bulgan B.
My boyfriend and I had late lunch at Taste of India today. The food was super delicious and the staff were professional and attentive. The owner Mohammed clearly is passionate about his establishment and prides himself in providing 5 star customer service! We are very impressed! Thank you Mohammed! We look forward to visiting again soon.
(5)AP N.
Good location and good service. The appetizers were tasty and delicious. I appreciated the idea of the complimentary plate. We had the fish madras. Excellent. Shrimp madras was even better. The butter paneer was fabulous and I liked it more than my chicken tikka Masala and lamb masala. So all in all we had a ton of plates to taste. The naan here is huge so if u are used to ordering 2....u really only need to order 1. We didn't try dessert....too stuffed. I'll be back.
(5)Rajasa S.
Great service and good food! Samosas good and crispy Tomato soup is creamy Veg kofta was really good too The Naan is huge! Enough for 2 We got complimentary pakodas and dessert(ras malai) Rass malai was excellent!
(5)Megan W.
The ultimate comfort food and best Indian in Seattle.
(4)Alan C.
Came here yesterday with a group of friends. Inside you'll be greeted by a sign that says: "Please seat yourself" so we happily obliged. Apparently we came at a good time, happy hour half off all appetizers all day on Sunday night! We ordered 3 plates of the Bombay tandoori chicken wings, 2 taste of India delights, an order of grape leaves, some garlic naan, and the papadum side order. The chicken wings were excellent, the taste of India delight had a good variety of things, garlic naan was tasty, and the grape leaves were citrusy and delicious, as expected. the papadum is strange to describe, it reminds me of a thin and oily chip, needless to say, I wasn't a huge fan but definitely went to town on the other goodies. Overall, enjoyed my experience here. Only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because our waiter was extremely busy and we had to wait for our check for awhile. But it totally wasn't his fault, they need to hire more high quality people like him, he gave us great tips on the menu and recommended a huge variety of things. He even split the bill for us 4 ways and gave us separate tabs. So nice!
(4)Harsha G.
Colleagues and me went here for dinner with quite a bit of expectations as the reviews seemed too good to be true! Was pleasantly surprised that the reviews weren't an exaggeration. We were seated outside based on our request and on a weekday in the evening, this place was considerably full. We were provided the free sampler pakoras - fried fritters which werent spectacular but tasty neverthless. For appetizers, we ordered the Bombay chicken wings and the lamb boti - both of them were well made and it set the tone for the main course. Ordered- lamb gosht and palak paneer with the famous garlic naan. The size of the naan was humongous(had assumed it will be similar in size to the naan at cedars, but this was way larger) between the 4 of us, we felt we had enough bread. Rice was complimentary and tasty. Both the curries were extremely well made. The lamb curry especially was perfect! The mango achar provided complimentary was a good accompaniment. Finally, the owner was kind enough to provide us complimentary kulfi which was again perfect but none of us could finish it as we were stuffed. Very reasonable for the quality and authenticity of the food. Will be coming bck..
(5)T O.
Yup. It's real good. The spinach paneer naan was stupidly good- I've never had anything like it. And the lamb was very tender, masala creamy. It's just good.
(4)Suprit D.
Authentic Indian taste but if you want your for too be spicy then go for 5/5 hotness.. Garlic Naan here is really huge(two can be shared by 3). Rating: 5/5 chicken tikka and vegetable cutlets 4/5 Mango lassie 3/5 Plain lassi 4/5 Chicken butter masala 5/5 Chicken coconut curry 5/5 (surprisingly good!) Curry comes with a large bowl of Basmati rice. We were not able to finish everything we ordered. Overall a really good restaurant with courteous staff. We were given 15% off on the whole bill for a check-in on yelp.
(5)Elizabeth C.
There are, it seems, a ton of Indian places in the U district. Makes sense, college kids love curry. But Taste of India is without doubt the best of them. All the food here is great, and I didn't even know how much I loved paneer until I tried it here. That stuff is the best. They will actually make your curry spicy, rather than dumbing it down like a lot of other places will. And their sauces are so rich and complex with flavors. I'm not really an expert on Indian food since I have no "grandma's curry" to compare it to, but I can tell they aren't stingy with the spices here. What ultimately makes Taste of India stand out from the crowd is their service. The staff is so professional, so helpful, and will go out of their way to help you. One time I was here with a friend who wanted her curry extra extra spicy, and our server actually went and got an assortment of hot sauces for her to try. They really go the extra mile to make sure you have a good experience here. And somehow they always come out with a complimentary appetizer or dessert during the meal--either a small plate of crispy potato cakes or some mango cheesecake. And protip--if you shop at the Safeway nearby, there are always Taste of India coupons on the backs of the receipts that are buy one meal get one meal free! I'd eat there without the coupon but it certainly helps.
(5)Anna Z.
Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4/5 This place is the bomb.com . Their serving sizes are huge!! Flavors are definitely there and the service is amazing. I got the lamb vindaloo, which was enough to moderately share and still have enough for two meals. It had a pretty good kick and I eat a lot of really spicy food so I liked that a lot. Comes with buttery rice! We ordered garlic naan to dip in the curry as well. The Naan comes in one giant sheet. We also couldn't finish that between three people either! After we got seated, the waiter brought over a free fried potato appetizer. Throughout the night, they kept my water glass full and were very aware of what stage of the meal we were in. They took our plates immediately after we had finished boxing our food and when we said no to dessert, they brought us a slice of chocolate cake to share anyway. :) Food is obviously the way to my heart.
(5)James G.
It's the best for a reason. It's not uncommon to get free dessert or free appetizer, or both. The food is of the highest standard you could have this side of the Prime Meridian, the staff are all likable, the place is always bustling with activity, and it's not too pricey. If you're in the area and feeling Indian, go here before any other place. Oh and if you love your food spicy, order on the secret spice scale - it goes up to 10, but they tell most Americans it only goes up to 5. 1-5 all tastes similar, not spicy. But 8-10 is a real kick. Thank me later ;)
(5)Jen M.
I've been here 3x now - once was in restaurant, and two times were take out. ... and I've had some different experiences. Once was excellent- had chicken tikki masala, beef vindaloo and garlic naan- everything had great flavor, perfect spice and was fresh. Hit the spot - was great comfort food! Once was ok- had the butter lamb, chicken tikki masala (both of which were supposed to be spicy (3 of 4 stars), and garlic naan, but the curries were very mild in spice and bland .. Rice was kind of dry, and naan was soggy ( I think it was covered/ wrapped before it cooled down a bit)... It was a busy night so maybe that was part of the culprit... Another time my friend and I were eating the mango chicken curry - it was so good and we were enjoying every bite...distracted by our conversation, I noticed a darker item in the curry, but didn't think much about it - but after biting into it, the crunchy texture and appearance of the item upon inspection took me aback. For a while, I thought it may have been some kind of bug, but after talking with the management, I think it was more likely a shell of a whole spice (black cardamon) that was in the curry. Mohammad was more than gracious and very kind in explaining the process they go through in cooking, showing me the spices they use, addressing my concern, and in rectifying the confusion. I'm sure glad they cleared that up, cuz I really enjoy their food!
(4)Paul Q.
3.5 stars. Could have been a 5 star place easily, except that the service was really slow. We went on a Sunday late lunch, like 1pm and it took around 45 to 50 minutes before the food came out. We ordered tandoori cod and lamb,which took forever to cook. Even just the plain roti took 30 minutes to come out. Based on taste alone, this place is amazing. The chai tea (refillable) was packed with harmonious flavor from the spices, tea, and milk. It was definitely worth $3 especially that I gulped several cups while waiting for our food. The roti was okay, not bad but not great. I must say I adore the tandoori cod. I was expecting a semi-dry meat from the method of cooking but the fish had a good crust outside and soft/flaky inside. The seasoning (tasted like yellow curry) packed a lot of flavor on a subtle white fish - this dish rocks! I did not try the tandoori lamb my gf ordered, but it looked delicious. One thing I like about the place was that they value customer satisfaction. The manager/owner was very apologetic that our food came out. He even gave use 20% discount and free scoop of an amazing coconut ice cream. However, the long wait somehow affected our appetite. I just hope they serve the food a little faster and this place is probably one of the best Indian places I have been to! Love chutneys too!
(3)Allie S.
I looooooove this place! Since Pabla closed in downtown, this is my go-to place for delicious indian food. Delicious food and HUGE portions. Sit in the lounge after 5pm for happy hour drinks, happy hour appetizers, and quick service all evening. Start the meal with a complimentary snack, and end with a complimentary aperitif or dessert depending on lounge or restaurant. Just delicious.
(5)Ramona C.
Great food, excellent service, never fails to disappoint!!
(5)Ken Nsimbi N.
I have been going to taste of India for over 10 years now. This plays never ceases to amaze me. I have had them cater birthdays, weddings and also anniversaries for myself and friends. They make your event an instant success. Immediately you walk in you get a feeling of authenticity from the decorations, music, general ambience a very diverse and friendly staff that welcome you with a chai if your wait were to be longer than expected. Mohamed is other owner of the place and you would not be able to tell because you will see him with his shirt sleeves folded up and running around serving folks and making sure that everyone is taken care off. Highly respectable service. Then comes the amazing food. I personally love the mango lamb curry, basmati rice and original naan bread. I am getting hungry as I am writing this. If you want to challenge yourself I encourage you to try finish your chai before they refill it. Good luck, because you will never see the bottom of your chai cup, that's how great the service is. Thank you Mohamed and team for your years of excellent service. God bless.
(5)Tien T.
Drive past this place all the time & finally took the time to check it out....so worth it!! Tried the Taandoori Chicken. Very large portion. Came with about 5/6 medium sized chunks of chicken and sides of rice and veggies. Super flavorful!! The Lamb brown curry was just ok and a bit pricey at $16 for the portion. I wish they had more chunks of carrot in the dish instead of the 2 quarter sized pieces that I was able to fish out. The lamb chunks were juicy and plentiful so I can't really complain too much. The iced Chai was like sunshine in a cup!!! It's free refills so even better...too bad all that black tea made me feel fat & hyper at the same time so I had to do a gym session. The naan is must...we tried the garlic naan and it was so fluffy and amazing!! I was shocked when it came out and it was the size of 6 month old baby!! Only downfall of this place is probably the over attentiveness of the wait staff. Yes it's great to have my chai and water refilled, but not after I've only take 2 sips out of it. Within a 5 min period, 3 different waiters asked if we were doing ok...it was a bit much and it made us feel a little rushed.
(4)Paul T.
I used to come here all the time in college to escape dreary days with a never-ending cup of chai. It just made the endless gray seem tolerable (they have iced chai for summer too). That was over 10 years ago but this place has aged well. Food is still awesome, service is still good, and the chai keeps coming. My favorite dishes here are the tika massala and the tandoori chicken. They have an awesome tandoori oven set-up so the naan is excellent as well. I don't think there are many misses on the menu, though I think I've had better kema kabab elsewhere. Bring your appetite as the portions are large and buttery. The side vegetables are smothered in ghee and flavored to perfection. I like this place as an alternative to Cedars down the street because it was always less crowded, though I'm not sure if this is still the case. The menu is/was slightly smaller then that of Cedars but it has plenty to keep you happy. Chai up!
(5)Jean-marc L.
service has really improved since last time we were there and the speed in which the food came out was way better . No complaints about the food VERY GOOD ! the naan is fabulous . what more could you ask for ? great experience !
(5)Robin M.
Not as good as I hoped base on the reviews. My tandoori chicken tikka was great! The veggies it came with were my favorite part of the dish. The rice on the side, however, was lackluster, like uncle bens instant rice. My fiancé had his favorite Indian dish--biriyani. And he was sorely disappointed. The flavor was bland, no prominent flavor, and too many peas! The service was ok. So many different people came to our table, it was like someone was there every 2 minutes. It was a bit excessive. Our search for an awesome Indian restaurant continues...
(2)Michael F.
One single, long, very long, black hair intertwined in my rice says it all. The manager blamed it on the servers! What? Why blame them? How did a server get that hair down into my rice? As you go to the bathroom here you pass by an opening to the kitchen where there are many folks working with black hair and no hair nets. I thought it was really inappropriate to lay blame on a server. Made me wonder if this is some sort of restaurant caste system. Many people working the floor, most of them without a clue as to what to do. After showing my hair rice to a server and having it taken away, two more floor people came up to our table to ask, "How is everything?" "Eek! Methinks not."
(1)Ashley P.
A wonderful friend got my husband and I a gift card here. He said the food was great and knew we loved Indian food. We were very excited to give it a shot. Hubby and I go with reasonable expectations but weren't too hungry. We ordered the Chicken Tika Masala to split and could barely finish it. It was so incredibly gross. For some reason the chicken tasted like pork to me. Maybe it was because it was dry and hard. I'm not sure. Hubby assured me that it was chicken. The sauce was too sweet and was lacking spice of any kind. We ordered it 4 stars and it was still bland. Neither of us felt too well afterwards either. Service was average. We only used half of the gift card and tossed it in the recycling bin. We wont be going back.
(1)Trip C.
I really, really wanted and expected to like Taste of India. However, it was not to be. The overall meal was spotty (more on that in a moment), and honestly, the standout "Yes, this is how it is supposed to be!" was in the service. The servers, etc. were all accommodating and pleasant at all times; everyone in Taste of India was well-versed on how to best take care of the customer. We simply needed to look up and someone was at our table with more water, more sauce (the cilantro and tamarind chutneys were wonderful and we wanted to dredge everything in them), a complimentary amuse bouche and later baklava, you get the picture. Helpful, yet not hovering. Amazing service. The meal began with a fried potato amuse bouche. Back to the cilantro & tamarind sauces...thank goodness they accompanied this dish as otherwise is was bland and a little greasy. But, when the potato simply became a vessel for the sauce, it wasn't half-bad. We started with the Taste of India Delight appetizer (a selection of vegetable samosa, vegetable pakora, chicken tikka and lamb kabob, served with cilantro and tamarind chutneys). The samosa and pakoras were perfectly spiced and we savored them. The chicken tikka and the lamb kabob were both a tad dry, but once again the sauce saved the day. Seasonings were nice on both meats, and if they had been more moist they would have been spot-on. Next, we ordered an Indian salad (onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and green bell peppers mixed in a tangy sauce) and chicken tikka masala (cream based curry cooked with ginger and cilantro in a tomato sauce). The flavors of the salad popped and zinged in the mouth - delicious! But the tikka masala had a burnt taste and the chicken pieces had enough gristle/sub-par meat to turn me off of my meal. We were then surprised with a complimentary piece of baklava which was moist and flavorful. After the chicken, it was a nice way to finish our meal. I don't know if I'll be back, but we shall see.
(2)Hanz Z.
Best indian food in seattle... Period!!
(5)Jasmine M.
Delicious indian food. i dig it. i agree with some of the other yelpers the attentive service can be a bit overwhelming. but I really appreciated the attention I received when I told the staff about my dairy/egg allergy. they came by the table and let me me know what sauces had dairy and which didn't. I really appreciate that!! PLUS it was just sooo tasty. I will be back again---and again--and again i know it!
(4)Andrew A.
Best service I have had anywhere in Seattle. Not to mention the best Indian food as well. We arrived and the matradee said it would be a 25 minute wait, maybe a bit longer. While waiting we were served with multiple rounds of hot chai tea as well as two different appetizers (the other four or so groups that were waiting received these as well). The wait ended up being 30 minutes and they were extremely apologetic even though we did not complain at all, and gave us not only a free appetizer but a free desert. The staff was also incredibly friendly, attentive, and the service was timely. The food was also delicious; certainly the best I have fond since moving here a few years ago. I highly recommend this place, and will certainly be going back any time I am in the mood for Indian food (which will likely be more frequently after finding this great place).
(5)Brad G.
Love this place! The naan is huge! tandoori chicken is SO good huge pieces of chicken would highly recommend.
(5)Sasha R.
I can honestly say this was the best dining experience I've ever had. It was so good it was almost surreal. The owner (Mohammad) was incredibly friendly and attentive. He has about a hundred servers running around filling chai, running food, and waiting on us hand and foot. Almost a bit too much. But who can really complain about receiving 'too' much customer service. ;-) The food was very tasty. A tad expensive...but tasty none the less. We were brought a complimentary appetizer to hold us off while we waited a whole TEN minutes for our food. lol...then because we probably didn't look full enough (even though we both couldn't breath) they brought us a complimentary dessert to top things off. Great ambiance, cozy, friendly staff, efficient fast service, and good food! We will be back. Very soon! Thank you Mohammad! You sure know how to run a business!
(5)Julianne T.
The food was good. The service was really good too! (they did mix up one of our orders but brought the correct one and did not charge us for the order at all, and they were really apologetic).
(4)Jerry M.
Best dishes I have ever had!!!!
(5)Amber F.
Taste of India is are very favorite place for India food! The owner has become our dear friend. Taste of India catered our wedding and our first year anniversary party. I have nothing but great things to say about the restaurant, the staff, the owner Mohammad Arfan......and especially the food!!! The food is incredible! Best in the city! My husband and I are very loyal to this place....we will never eat anywhere else for Indian food while in Seattle! If you want to have an unforgettable experience for your family, or a date....Taste of India is the spot!
(5)Brandt W.
There's nothing bad I can say about this place! The service was speedy. The food was great. The naan was awesome and super huge, and the dips were to die for. I ordered the Jaipuri Masala with a 4/5 spice request. It was excellent and a huge portion (I ate it all though). Could have been spicier, but I blame that on the weak palate of Seattlites! My girlfriend got the coconut curry, and swears it is her favorite thing to eat. For desert they brought us mango cheesecake free for charge. They were very accommodating and the restaurant was clean with nice decorations. I will definitely return the next time I'm in Seattle!
(5)Ted P.
I love this place! It's cozy, the staff is friendly, and they even have a parking lot (though small). I've eaten at Taste of India twice. Both times the wait-staff was very attentive and fast. I went there with my sisters family yesterday; we ordered the Garlic Nan, which was steaming, fresh-out-of-the-oven delicious! I ordered the Tikka Masala Prawns, with "hot" spice rating. It was served with a plate of perfectly cooked Basmati rice. The Tikka Masala was great, with just the right spiciness, and plenty of big, juicy prawns. I will definitely eat at Taste of India again. Heck, both times I was there, they even served a complimentary appetizer and desert! Note: I visited during off-peak times (a weeknight dinner & Sunday afternoon). The restaurant was about three-quarters full, but still fairly quiet.
(4)Rose S.
This is one of my favorite restaurants. The food is absolutely delicious and the ambiance is lovely. The pesto naan and vegetable curry are my favorite dishes. The restaurant is in a small, dimly lit house with lots of lights on the outside. The owner is usually there and seems like he really knows what he is doing (super organized, etc.) The inside of the restaurant is always bustling with people and every time I visit this restaurant I get a sense of warmth and comfort due to the wonderful food, the unique and beautiful atmosphere, and the kind waitstaff.
(5)Patricia W.
This place was delicious and amazing! The food was great and the service was exceptional. I had butter masala and loved it. The naan was amazingly huge for it's price. The place was quiet because we were in at an odd time but it was way bigger inside than we thought it was from the outside. They gave us a free appetizer and delicious balaclava dessert! I will be going here as often as possible for my indian food.
(5)Joseph M.
An interesting note about Taste of India is that if any of you out there love Cedars Indian restaurant about 4 blocks down, then big surprise these are pretty much the same restaurants!! One is owned by the wife and the other by the husband, don't remember which is which. But looking at the menu you can even tell, everything is the exact same. The first time I came here I had already tried Cedars and so was pleasantly surprised to find out they were owned by the same family. The upside of this restaurant over Cedars, is it tends to be less busy as it is a little farther from the u district. The food was just as amazing as Cedars and I cannot state that I love both of these places a lot. The food is just simply amazing, best Indian food around.
(5)Michael B.
Exceptional service! I was honesty blown away by the service here. I went for lunch with my friend, his wife, and their mom. The food was very good, too! I will definitely come back. Very few places have service as good as I experienced here. Management deserves a pat on the back.
(5)Lindsay R.
So beautiful inside! This is my favorite Indian restaurant ever. The food is always surprising and excellent. I think one of the best parts of the meal is how sincerely engaging the owner is. He so joyfully asked us to guess when we asked what flavor our ice cream treat was. He showed genuine concern about whether our food was spicy enough. Possibly the most lovely lassi I've had the pleasure of drinking, as well! Thank you Taste of India!
(5)Christy K.
Good service. Great food. Tandoori chicken and naan are my favorite. Also, the refillable chai is the best!!! Can't ever have enough of it. The best Indian food in Seattle.
(5)Zac C.
Taste of India is one of my, if not the, favorite restaurants in Seattle. It starts with the service -- the complimentary chai if you need to wait for a table s a nice touch -- and is reinforced by the fare. The appetizers are easy to fill up on but tough to resist. The fish tikka, in particular, is worth trying. Main courses are uniformly superb, though the mateer panner (cheese & pees) deserves special recognition. For filler, try either the garlic or stuffed (cheese & chicken) naan. However, as great as the food is, my favorite thing about visiting Taste of India is peeking in on the team of cooks slaving over huge pots of you-name-it masala. For a view of the kitchen, head to the restrooms in the back; the kitchen will be on your right as you approach the restrooms.
(5)Linda C.
Really? $100 for four people for dinner?? For so-so indian food??? The food was pretty average. Naan, samosa, and tandoori were OK. The curries left much to be desired... 2.5 stars at the most. Go to Jewel of India for tastier Indian food!
(3)Food E.
What else there is to say about this place. I love this place, they have great food and excellent service. Every other day they will have complimentary starters or desserts which taste wonders. It gets crowded really often though but i definitely will continue coming to this place.
(5)Christine Y.
free appetizer (veggie pakora) upon arrival. free entree (mango chicken) because it was not the one we ordered--even though the one we did order came 3 mins later. free dessert (mango cheesecake) because they felt like it? that works for me. i wouldn't go out of my way to order the pakora.. tastes simply like fried batter and potatoes (plus the sweetness of the chutney). their chai was too sweet for me, but that didn't stop me from drinking cup after cup of it because it warmed my belly and balanced out the spice of the dishes i was having. speaking of curries, the mango chicken was delicious. yep, the free one. and not because it was free. but because the sweet mango flavor was just perfect, not overpowering the curry. the madras chili masala was excellent as well. tomato-based. on the dry spicy side of things. went well with lamb but i think beef as well. and of course the naan was delicious. the size of a large pizza, piping hot and soft to tear. wish the naan makers could spread the garlic more evenly and not just in the center..i guess this goes for ALL naan makers and not just the ones at Taste of India. my lil OCD request.
(4)Keith M.
You know you're eating excellent Indian cuisine when many of the diners among you are Indian! The Vegetable Kafta and Tandoori Salmon Tikka are my all time favorites, and I never even knew I liked Indian food at all! The neighborhood is a bit edgy and unpleasant, but it doesn't matter. I'd go just about anywhere they are because their food is that good! And the bottomless cup of chai is my favorite comfort in the whole world.
(4)Christie K.
Great neighborhood bistro. Dined here on a thurs. evening. Place was bustling. We were seated quickly. The restaurant had plenty of staff. I asked for a special order and was accommodated with a smile. Very attentive service. Will definitely be going back for more.
(5)Patrick K.
got delivery via postmate, great butter chicken + naan, amazing portions
(5)Nicole B.
I love this place! Great food, good portions, great service. I went to pick up my food and because it wasn't ready, the staff offered me some chai tea while I wait. That's what I call service.
(5)Lily T.
Taste of India is a Fantastic Indian restaurant! We loved their lamb/chicken tikka masala, garlic nan and mango lassi. We also enjoyed their free appetizer and dessert :) The funniest thing I've ever seen is the waitress who is always vacuuming during our meal. Haha....it was kind of weird.
(5)Emi S.
This was a lovely dining experience. I came with a small group of friends and was seated immediately. They are extremely generous, offering a free appetizer as well as a free dessert (which nobody could finish because the portions are also generous.) The 4 of us decided to order 4 dishes and share family-style and ended up with enough to take home. Their bottomless chai rules! Some of the best Indian food I've had in the Seattle area. Not too overdone or heavy like most Indian restaurants that try to appeal to American diners. Will be back.
(5)Olivia H.
Probably one of my favorite spots in Seattle. Wow!! I have never been disappointed with anything here (and I go a lot). This is a great spot to go with a group, as the food comes in large portions and the naan is impossible to eat by yourself. I would recommend the spinach naan, but they are all good. I would also recommend the chai tea, its some of the best I've ever tasted. Their menu is pretty big, but everything is amazing so don't worry about it! They also consistently give out free apps and desserts, as if their portions aren't filling us up anyway! Recommend to everyone, especially groups, and anyone at the UW, you'll have lunch and dinner the next day too! :)
(5)Jen F.
Excellent food, generous portions, and awesome hospitality. We ordered the butter chicken and tandoori salmon - and since it takes awhile to make the tandoori salmon, they were so kind and sent us some complimentary appetizers while we waited. The salmon was SO good - nicely browned outer layer and moist on the inside. Will definitely be back!
(5)Shu T.
I ordered the chicken biryani. It was not authentic. The biryani I have had has egg and the chicken has bones. The biryani at this place had already chopped chicken and no eggs. It also put cashews and peanuts in it, which I didn't really like. This place is a little bit catered to American taste. I liked that they gave us free appetizers and mango pistachio ice cream dessert.
(3)Andrea F.
I love this place. LOVE. I moved to Dallas and this is the one place I MUST visit when I visit the Seattle area. The best Indian food I've had anywhere, and I've tried a lot. My heart belongs to the Butter Masala Chicken but that's just the tip of the tasty iceberg at Taste of India. My kids even love it. My picky eater loves it. My toddler asks for more by saying, "more awesome please!". I have to say though, as good as their food is the area they kick even more butt in, is customer service. Try to drain your glass of chai. I dare you. You just can't do it. They only hire the best servers and hosts. The most friendly and accommodating staff there is. I couldn't recommend any place more than Taste of India.
(5)Jess S.
Being an Indian and foodie, I can definitely say that this is the worst restaurant if you want to try indian food. I have never seen a single indian, besides me, try this place. I can not even begin to comment on how un-indian their food is. Their service attracts American guests to this place. I would not even give a negative 10 to the food. Bottomless tea is the only plus point. Please take along someone who knows about indian food and see what they have to say about their food. Update: This is not a mean review. I took my time to create this account on yelp and write a review because I would like people to have a feel for authentic Indian and not confuse good business, good service with great food, specially when it comes to authentic ethnic food. I am all for a just society, and this is injustice to Indian food lovers. See for yourself, If you spot Indians in this place. Try scrolling down and see if you spot an Indian quoting it as the best place in Seattle for Indian.
(1)Swati R.
Good Garlic Naan and Mango Lassi. But the Paneer Butter Masala was meh.
(2)Ari W.
My dad and I stop here whenever we're in Seattle. The food is always good, the atmosphere is quiet, and the servings are enormous. I'm no vegan, but the spice is just right on their meatless dishes that I don't even miss the meat. Staff is friendly, drinks are good.. my only complaint would be that there isn't a big lot for parking, but it's Seattle so that can't always be helped.
(5)Gary S.
If you want authentic and price is not a factor then this is your place! Very good quality, good service, great ambience. Feels like home!
(5)Shikha C.
We drove from Portland to Seattle to get some good Indian food. I would say Taste of India didn't disappoint at all! It was Saturday evening so there was a good wait time. We still got seat for 2 in around 15 mins. I ordered masala chai which comes with unlimited refills and I ended up drinking two cups:). Lots of herbs, chai masala and cardamom made this chai so refreshing! One garlic naan is good for two. Unless your appetite is huge and you havn't eaten any appetizer. Hands down this is the best GARLIC NAAN I ever had in US. It's soft, spongy and melts in mouth. Dal Maharani was so yum. I am glad their was no cream(I guess so) and I could taste flavors of lentil with fresh tadka. Kulfi was good too. Overall a restaurant to remember for their service and great food. I could also use my yelp coupon:). I am all eager to try more options here. Just can drive back again for dal, garlic naan and chai:). This place Rocks!!
(5)Caleb M.
I've been here a few times with friends. It accommodates a large group pretty well. The prices are reasonable. The food is very good. The atmosphere leaves something to be desired. And the service was OK. That being said I wouldn't hesitate to come back. Especially if I need a place I can bring a good sized group.
(4)Nathan M.
Always good. Great food, great beer, fair prices, free appetizers and deserts, customer service. Other places should take note, this place is legit.
(5)Tiffany R.
This was my second time eating at Taste of India and I'm still a fan!! Very fast and friendly service, the food was amazing and my favorite dish (aloo gobi) came out how I like it (yes I know different regions of India cook dishes different...). They gave us a complimentary appetizer with our order of vegetable samosas (which were great!) and even gave us complimentary baklava at the end of our meal. The baklava had warm honey drizzled on top and my husband who isn't a fan of baklava was in heaven, he absolutely enjoyed it and said he would order it next time!
(5)Jenn N.
My favorite Indian restaurant in Seattle. BiteSquad now delivers their food making it too easy for me to eat amazing Indian food without having to change out of my pjs. Perfect! However, the service is good, it's almost worth putting pants on to go to the restaurant. I also love the bottomless Chai! Their naans are HUGE and have the properly blistered spots on the edges. The garlic is a good standby but sometimes the stuffed naan scratches the itch. Saag paneer is a must for the vegetable option. The vegetable kofta in a curry is also amazing... Now you have to get two vegetable dishes! For a protein, we alternate between the coconut curry or butter chicken. I usually don't order an appetizer as there is so much food with most of the dishes coming with amazingly fragrant basmati rice. Plus, the Chai really fills you up. Definitely my favorite place for Indian in the Seattle area!
(5)Noralis R.
The Taste of India Lounge located next to the restaurant is cute and cozy! When the restaurant is busy you might have to sit at the lounge, but you will receive the same attention and great food that only Taste of India offers. I like the decoration too.
(5)Abdullah A.
Taste of India caters many of the functions at my school, and they have always put out a good spread. Last time they came they dropped off a few $8 off coupons, and I decided to use one to get takeout. My girlfriend and I split an order of chicken tikka masala. We got it mild (because she's a wimp), but it still managed to have a little bite to it. It was wonderfully creamy and had all of the mystery spices that make tikka masala my go-to Indian dish. The chicken was plentiful (how much do you hate when your Indian food only has a few small pieces of chicken?! It's the worst). The order came with plenty of rice and a large piece of naan. We were both full at the end, which hasn't ever happened from us splitting a single order of anything before. Taste of India is the way to go for Indian takeout in U district.
(4)Denise L.
First of all, I love how they always come by with complimentary something. Whether it's appetizers or dessert, I appreciate this VERY MUCH. My tummy says thank you. The food is perfect here. No matter what you get, you will not be disappointed. Portions are large! This is definitely in competition with Cedars Restaurant, but I think this one might take the cake.
(5)Terrance H.
Nice small reasonably priced location. Pros -Good food -Good service -Nice outdoor seating Cons -One small mistake Our waiter spilled some Chicken Marsala on my pants. it was a true accident that only happened because the patio table by designed had holes in it. He was super apologetic. The manager came over and offered to dry clean my pants which was not necessary to me, accidents happen and I was in town for a another two days. I declined the offer but appreciated him asking. They were very kind and went above and beyond to fix the situation. In the end the brought out a piece of cheese cake on the house and we enjoyed. I would definitely come back. Thank you guys for all of your efforts.
(4)Ken T.
Solid all around! I've always gone to Cedars, but Taste of India had more reviews, so me and the s/o decided to go here. It was 8PM on Wednesday, and it was packed to capacity, there was about a 10 minute wait until we were seated. Taste: 4/5 We ordered the Mango Curry with Prawns, Tandoori Surprise and Garlic Naan. This would have easily been 5 Stars, but the only downside was the prawns were overcooked and ended up being dry. The flavor of the curry was delicious though! Tandoori surprise (Lamb, Chicken, Beef, Fish and Prawn) was very nice as well; lacked a little flavor but it comes with a ton of food (additional 15 minutes to prepare). The only thing I didn't like on that plate was the lamb, this was just personal preference. The garlic naan was HEAVENLY! It was light, fluffy and crisp. So GOOD! Value: 4/5 This place is definitely on the expensive side, but by checking in with Yelp, you get 15% off you bill!!! The mango curry with prawns was $16.99, tandoori surprise was $17.99, and garlic naan was $2.75. Service: 5/5 The folks here are very nice and accommodating. They stay out of your way for the most parts but make sure that you have everything you need. They start you off with a complimentary fried potato like thing with chutney. They also gave us a free slice of chocolate cheese cake to end our meal. Wasn't expecting that but it was very very nice on their part :) Decor: 4/5 Nice restaurant, good amount of seating and it's clean. No complaints! I've always wondered why I went to Cedars instead, but Taste of India has definitely been a better experience. It's a couple dollars more expensive but worth the price for sure!!
(4)Nio S.
My wife decided to celebrate her birthday dinner here and enjoy some amazing Indian food. By lucky chance we get to experience the new extension of the restaurant which is the bar of Taste of India. Beautiful set up, nice and bright lighting. As usual we order our Mango lamb and tofu curry and garlic Nan with iced Chai. As many times we have come here for dinner the food is perfect and delicious every time. The service has never been better. My cup of Chai was always full throughout the night and I never saw the bottom of my cup. For my wife's birthday Muhammed treated her to their awesome dessert chocolate cake to top off our dinner. This birthday dinner was a complete success and we love coming here! Til next time, we will be back for more awesome Indian food in all of Seattle. Thank you Taste of India!! Happy Eats Everyone!!
(5)Bela B.
Fantastic customer service with delicious Food. Love the spice level and fresh tandoori Rotis ..Best vegetarian options. We always drive from east side to satisfy our Indian taste buds highly recommend this place
(5)Arial W.
This is the best Indian restaurant in the area in my opinion. We were invited here a couple of years ago by friends and have never found anywhere better. Some of our favorite dishes are the coconut chicken and the butter chicken. They always have our favorite indian beer, Taj Mahal in stock which goes perfectly with the food. The Naan is always fresh and they offer a lentil cracker if you are gluten free. The service is quick, friendly, and attentive. They make a point to keep the place clean as many people are coming and going. It can get very busy during peak times but I have heard that they have recently added an additional area for seating. Every time I have visited we have been given free appetizers and/or free dessert. This totally makes up for any kind of wait that may have happened. I love this place!
(5)Claudene F.
Great customer service! I always go to this place whenever I want comfort food. They also gave us free baklava after our meal. The servers were so nice and the food was great! Naan is a must try as well as the tikka masala.
(5)Katie H.
My go to place for Indian in the north end or even when I'm in the south and have a hankering I will make the drive. I blessed both the arrivals on mine and my best friends babies as our last big meal together before they were born. So it holds a special place in my heart and my stomach :) preggos know our food ok!? The chai is never ending and the menu accommodates my vegan sisteren. The minute you sit down you are treated with yummy treats and chutneys like Gandhi's mom used to make. And I'm a yoga instructor so I know my Indians :) Not a disappointing thing on the menu and this place made me fall in love with tandoori
(5)AllyandNefi G.
Everything was delicious. Great customer service. Good environment. The butter masala was amazing. Clean bathrooms. Probably the best since we've been in Seattle visiting. We loved it.
(5)Sahara B.
Taste of India is my favorite spot in Seattle to eat Indian food. Yum! We come here every couple of weeks and order the same dish every time. The owner always throws us a warm welcome and makes us feel at home. On a weekend evening you can expect Taste of India to be packed. You might have to wait for a table, but don't leave! The food is well worth the wait!
(4)Rana S.
This is the best Indian food place in Seattle area ! U have to try The veggie samosa and the butter chicken , you will never go wrong with that :)
(5)Michael K.
The best Paneer Tikka Masala I've ever had, and I've tried my fair share...Highly recommended and they give you generous takeout portions as well!
(5)Amanda S.
I first ate at this little hot spot in 2006. It remains my absolute favorite Indian restaurant, and oh the hospitality - it's top notch! The beautiful warm nan spills over the sides of its basket. The ice water stays full. The chkn tiki masala is so tender that teeth are probably optional.
(5)Kristine H.
This was the first Indian food restaurant that we visited in Seattle. We have tried others and always returned. Five years later, it's one of two Indian food restaurants that we will consistently patronize. We've worked our way through their menu without any complaints. The sole time that I had a problem, the dish was remade and eventually comped on our bill with no complaints. Service like that will definitely engender my repeat business. What else is great? Oh! I love their tandoori dishes. They truly are a protein-lover's dream plus, if you're like prefer lowered carbs, they'll skip the rice in favour of double veg. Naan breads here are not small so a single one is perfect for a pair of diners and should be fine for 2-3 people. If you have 3-4 people, order two. The keema naan makes a great entrée paired with their house salad AND that'll set you back $10 or so. They have a decent beer and wine selection. I cannot partake of the chai (caffeine) but it's bottomless and evidently like crack. I make do with the mango lassi... so creamy and so refreshing! Desserts are lovely and the wait staff is always prompt with refills and clearing the table. There is usually a wait on the weekends for tables. Be patient and wait - the food is TOTALLY worth it.
(5)Ryan R.
Great service, decent prices for the quality of food you get, great food, and we even got complimentary appetizer and dessert.
(5)Jennie C.
4 stars for ALL THE DELIGHTFUL FREEBIES!! came in a party of 9. called ahead but we had to wait a bit. kind servers offered me HOT MILKY CHAI. um, don't mind if i do sir. then we were escorted to our table, only to find 2 plates of piping hot fried potato goodness in various forms. at first i was like "um has someone not cleared the table from the previous eaters" because seriously, when was the last time any restaurant offered substantial complimentary eats? hmm? my mind is drawing a blank. i'm not even really sure what i ate (one was a samosa) but they were all deep fried, crispy and golden brown. and they all encased some form of mashed potato. then, we got 2 FREEBIE DESSERTS TOO! what the crazy? this is outrageous. one plate of baklava and one plate of mango cheesecake. thank you so very much.
(4)Buddha B.
Sub par food but this is coming from the SF Bay area where the bar is set a bit higher when it comes to Indian food. The place was also pretty dirty. All that being said, the portion size was excellent and the prices were fair but I probably wouldn't patronize this place the next time I'm in town.
(3)Kyle F.
The food and service here combine to make a truly exceptional Indian restaurant experience. I've been here multiple times and whether it's waiting-outside-busy or right when they open, the staff go out of their way to accommodate you. The service is truly mesmerizing and, dare I say, is almost too much at times. There's even someone that simply goes around filling water glasses the entire time! You'll have a waiter, food server, drink server, host/hostess, water server -- it goes on. It helps even more that the food here is outta sight. I'll usually roll with the lamb Rogan Josh and garlic naan and I eat the entire thing, every time. The prices are fair and we've almost always gotten "complimentary" appetizers and desserts. If you want some of Seattle's best Indian food and service, go here, now.
(5)Philip W.
My wife and I have been here twice. Both times, it has been the best Indian restaurant we've been to. The food is amazing: not too rich, not too spicy, not too bland, but perfect. Naan -- my metric for Indian restaurants' quality -- is crisp yet buttery. This place has a large selection of seafood, vegetarian and vegan options. The service is also top-notch: when a waiter misheard / mis-entered one of our selections, a manager apologized and gave us the right selection to go, for free. Above and beyond.
(5)Tara W.
Let me just start by saying before I found Taste of India, I was not a huge fan of Indian food. Not that I didn't like it, but I never went out of my way for it. Taste of India changed all that. I'm a fanatic, and eat there at least twice a month (if not more). Taste of India is now the go to spot for my entire family, we even tend to run into each other there unintentionally. Recommendations: Chai tea Any of the Masalas, get it spicy! Any of the naan options (I prefer garlic or paneer and spinach naan) Royal Biryani I have yet to try anything I didn't like, but those are my usual items. Also, they have great service. Trust me when I say your water and tea cups will never be empty!
(5)trish m.
Indian food is one of my favorites. I have had my share at different places especially in Vancouver, BC. When I ate here I didn't expect it to be gourmet cuisine. But all the reviews were glowing. I have to say this is not good Indian food. We ordered Lamb Kebabs which tasted like shoe leather with a funny red food dye color. The Tandoori chicken was OK. Overcooked vegetables. Aloo Gobi was also way overcooked and over sauced. We ordered 2 spice as well and it had no heat at all. The Naan had a weird "bleach-like" flavor. Really unpleasant. If you just want to fill your gut with a bunch of mushy food not very well seasoned or executed, then this would fit the bill. On that note the prices are very high for the quality of food. Treat yourself to some well prepared Indian food and you will see the huge difference.
(1)Ray I.
The food was great. My friend loved his lamb curry and my Tandoori Surprise was great. They were both flavored so well. The garlic naan with the two dipping sauces is amazing as well. This place gets 3 stars not because of the food, but because of the prices. Being a broke college student, this place is priced a lot higher than your average Indian fare. We came here due to the power outage in University District and wasn't sure if the cheaper Cedars was open or not. There was a 25-30min wait but we were given complimentary appetizers. Not sure what they were called but they were fried and filled with mashed chickpeas. My friend loved them but I thought they were alright. The service was great! They even gave us a complimentary sampler-sized dessert while waiting for our to-go order. All in all, this was a good place but I would rather go to Cedars for Indian food that is just as good for more budget-friendly prices. $16 for lamb curry and $20 for a variety of tandoori meats before tax seems a little steep for me. Not surprised though since it is a little farther off the ave.
(3)Jess H.
Service is very fast and attentive. However, the waitress was always overzealous in filling up my water to the very brim, so much that each time it would splash onto the table, and precariously close to my cell phone. Water + cell phone = bad. The veggie samosas are humongously filling. When you order naan, it will come in a gigantic basket and be enough to feed an entire family. We got the lamb tandoori, which was delicious, but I kept gazing at the food on other tables, because everything looked good. Greedy eyes, this one. At the end of our meal, we were given a free piece of baklava to share. Isn't that just lovely? Who even does that nowadays? Yelp star bribery at its best, lol.
(3)Ozzie L.
My favorite Indian restaurant in Seattle. Great beer selection and always a delight! I eat here at least once a month.
(5)Dakota M.
Love the take out brunch! Butter chicken is very good :)
(4)Michelle F.
Wow. My previous review... God. I'm so sorry to anyone who ate here in part because of my review. I'm so, so, so sorry. I was horribly wrong. This is the worst Indian food in Seattle. If you want Indian in Seattle, DO NOT COME HERE. I came here this past weekend with my sweetheart. And so my sad story begins... We ordered a coconut curry and another (very different) curry. We ordered mild. When our curries came out, they looked exactly the same. It looked bright orange. There was no seasoning to be seen, no chunks of goodness aside from the meat (which was tough, by the way), no spices. No nothing. I served mine onto my rice, took a bite, and scooped the rest off my rice and back into the curry dish. Justin took a bite of his and was horrified. We swapped bites. They both tasted exactly the same. Like Campbells tomato soup, more or less. They were both disgusting and bland, and it was clear that they were cooking from a giant vat of pre-cooked "curry sauce" that they were throwing on top of other things, like some kind of Indian food nightmare manufacturing line. I was so exhausted this day that for once, I was gonna let it slide, take this beyond-lousy excuse for a curry home and fix it there. So proud of my man, because he spoke up. And thank goodness, because it taught me that not only is their food awful, but so is their service. Justin spoke up. He told the waiter (who was the owner or host - not just any of the waiters) that it wasn't right. He asked for clarification on it being "mild" and said that it lacked any seasonings, any flavor, any pop of any curry he's ever had, and that he'd had curries at other restaurants "mild" that were still good, just not spicy. The host replied "well, sir, that's what "mild" means. Not spicy at all." He clarified again and said that's not what he meant, and that not spicy doesn't have to be spice-less. The host said, "Well, sir, we have a lot of American customers here." Which has to do with what? Oh, that's right. It has to do with the fact that you're destroying the integrity of your "Indian" food to make it, essentially, a mass-produced can of Spaghetti-O's with chunks of meat. He then offered to remake it. We clarified that we wanted more spices, and an authentic Indian dish. The host suggested a Vindaloo and said he would have it made well. When they brought out the "re-do" of the curry, I was even more horrified. It was the same orange goop, but with bell peppers in it. WHAT....!?!? We tasted it... Yes, it was exactly the same, but with bell peppers, and it looks like they had cooked some hot sauce into it (there was sporadic red where it was dashed in but not mixed well). Super extra fail. Since when do three very different curries all look and taste exactly the same? Since Taste of India ruined them. May Shiva punish you for your falseness as an Indian food establishment. I had been sitting hungrily, hoping to go home soon to fix my food, because I didn't trust them to do it. They had proved they don't know the first thing about Indian food. The waiter then asked if mine was okay, because it was clear I hadn't eaten any (aside from the rice-covered bite of curry in the curry dish, where I returned the abomination to it's plate). I said, "It's bad. If I can just get a box, I will take it home and TRY to fix it, but I can't eat this." "Oh, well, okay," the waiter/host/owner said. Really, is that all? It's so bad I can't eat it, and that's all you have to say? Wow. So we get our boxes to wrap all our curry blah in a box, and rice in the other (who cares if we mix them, after all, they're the same damn "curry"). We get the bill.... and yes, they charged us. For the whole thing. ALL OF IT. I was aghast. I paid, we reiterated at the cash register how bad the food was. All he could say was that "he understood, and it's not our faults," but would not remove the items from our bills. We took our shit curry home, and the next day cooked it with ginger, garlic, fenugreek, cumin, curry powder, turmeric, and all the things that make a curry... well, a CURRY. After about 15 minutes of tweaking, we turned it into something fairly good. But it took two seasoned cooks, 15 minutes, and the worst dining experience of our lives to make it happen. I am calling this one "taking it for the team." Now you've heard my story. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED. I would NOT eat here. Not only for their lack of customer service skills, but their godawful food. No, no, no, no, no. Never, ever again.
(1)Deepak S.
The service is 4 star, but the food is 3 star. Somehow the food is not really Indian. Given the way the sabjis looked and tasted, I think it was closer to being afghani or pakistani. The sabjis were greasy, not so spicy, and lacked flavor. The navratan kurma, not an easy dish to put together, was veggies and paneer in a slightly sweet tomato sauce. The naans and parotas however we loved. Very well made. A layered parota is not something you see very often. Overall, I would say OK. Not bad, not great. An average Indian(?) place with better than average service.
(3)Jessie P.
This place has amazing food! We got the garlic naan and lamb vindaloo which are two of our favorites and order on the regular when we go to Indian style restaurants. The naan was so big I just wanted to crawl under it and use it as a comforter. The servers were also personable and timely. I was so impressed that I went to yelp to post a review and found that the offer 15% off for checking in. Honestly, this was just an added bonus to an already great experience.
(5)Adi K.
Christmas Eve is hard for transplants in a different city. Taste of India provides a refuge with its rich curries, soul warming, sweetened chai, and Naans that are bigger than the pillows on my bed. The service is efficient, portions generous, and flavors balanced for the most part. We had the vegetable pakoras, which were on the greasier side, but that is the nature of pakoras, the shahi paneer, and the navrattan kurma. The gulab jamun was pretty decent too. One of my fave. North Indian restaurants in the Seattle area.
(4)Kim R.
I went to this restaurant this past week for the first time and will for sure be back!! It is now one of my favorites and couldnt get enough of it. The owner works the restaurant and the tables making sure everyone is enjoying the food. Couldnt have asked for a nicer staff and just amazed I have never been here before!! YUM!!
(5)Autumn J.
Taste of India is my favorite Indian restaurant in Seattle. I have tried about five others and Taste of India has been far better. I have been there at least a half dozen times and it has been good every time. Their chai is great and they have free refills...with great service. Your cup will not run dry. They also always give you a small appetizer and a small dessert for free! The naan is awesome and comes in many varieties and they are all delicious and huge! You will probably have to take some home. They also have 8-10 vegetarian entrees and, so far, I have always liked what I have ordered. The food is good and the service is good. 5 stars!
(5)Sharmi I.
Great service and this place is crowded no matter what time it is. I give it 4 stars only because the food is great but not awesome like some other places I have been to. I go back here all the time because of the service and good food of course. Try the variety tandoori plate or the Cod tandoori which is very good. The owner/general manager is a nice guy - he's friendly and greets the customers always.Good service, keep it up.
(4)Sandra S.
Every time I come here, even when it's busy, the wait is never that long and they always give you free appetizers or desert or both for waiting. It's amazing, and the food is delish. The service is superb and your chai is never empty.
(5)Zach P.
Hands down the best Indian on earth coupled with the best service on earth. This is a must visit. I've eaten here at least 30 times and loved every dish. The owner is usually present, greeting and seating customers. All the staff is crazy helpful and attentive. You can't sip your chai without it immediately being refilled. Recommend the tandoori cooked meats, butter masala, ahh I've never eaten anything on the menu I didn't love.
(5)Neko I.
Terrible service, 1 star. They used to serve a comp appetizer (Pakoras) but they did not serve any today. Food was OK. My dish had onion, green pepper in it, were too raw for me. I understand, the staff want to clean the carpet as customers leave. But I hated the noise, and also hated when the staff using the vacuum machine bumped into my chair leg few times while I was still having my meal. They never apologized. I can appreciate they take all plates away, but staff also brought a sponge to clean the table, and left it on the table, before we even paid our check. Another unbelievable experience was, one staff who brought the curry dish, having a phone on his ear making a call while delivering my food, and left my dish on the table without saying anything. What a poor customer service! I found very unprofessional. Never ever going back again.
(1)Alok S.
Good food. Great service, relaxed atmosphere, good ambience and awesome presentation. Friendly & quick service were a bonus to tasty and plentiful portion sizes. Loved the butter naan and freshly done Chicken Roganjosh.
(4)Eric H.
Very good food, but I was expecting that; but really attentive service too.
(4)Shahid R.
Best Indian restaurant in town! Good portions, huge delicious naans, nice staff and the manager is a very good guy. We usually go on Friday evenings so it's quite busy with a lot of people waiting (a good sign), but usually get a seat within 10 minutes and they also serve chai and appetizers while you wait.
(5)Z Z.
Good food. Attentive staff and owner. The chai cup is never empty! I've never had such good service at a restaurant!
(5)Vik R.
It is actually 4.5 star. We came from a long drive in the morning and looked at Yelp to find a good Indian place for the lunch and found Taste of India with high recommendations. The serving staff was good and well dressed. The place was clean too. We started with the Paneer Pakoras and those were the best I had at any Indian place. We usually test any Indian food with Daal Makhni ( if chef cann't make Daal, then its not authentic) and again they passed it with flying colors. Naan was very crispy and 1 naan is big enough for 2 people. I ordered Rogan Gosh ( half point cut here only because it was ordered 3 stars but it was like 1-2 stars, expecting it to be little more spicy) but it was still very delicious. The best thing to try at this place is Chai. It is again the best in the town. My wife had it 2-3 times and I had it once. They surprised us in the end with a plate of complimentary Ras Malai which my 3.5 years old daughter finished it. Will definitely visit this place again. Regards Vik
(4)Mike J.
I've always had a great experience here, one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. Every dish I've ever tried or my friends have ever tried has been excellent and the portions huge. The service is almost a little too good... that sounds weird, but they sometimes clean your mess up between your courses... which I get but it's a bit awkward. The staff is all very nice but very busy (it's always PACKED at dinner time, but they get your table pretty quickly) Make sure to get the Chai, it's bottomless and so good that they get asked for the recipe enough where they have it preprinted to handout. The garlic naan is also an amazing deal.
(5)Mahe P.
went for lunch.Ordered plain naan and paneer butter masala curry..both are excellent,I have only issue with naan it is very crispy outside after some time it is very hard its Ok when we eat hot.In seattle it is Number 1 indian restaurant
(5)Andrea E.
This is pricier than I will spend normally but every time I go I leave happy. Their naan bread is wonderful, though we always have to ask for more tamarind & cilantro chutney, and tandoori chicken tikka is a constant favorite. The paneer tikka, which i tried recently, gives it a run for its money though. I haven't actually had anything on this menu that I don't like. If there are two of you I recommend getting a naan and entree to split because it ends up being a lot of food. You are also required to order chai, its just a rule, and its bottomless.
(4)Bari B.
Been back a few times and have to say they do an excellent job all the way around..The complimentary items the tea and pretty much everything I have tried has been delicious. My new starter dal soup is a must have, perfect spices hot at the table try it with naan it will blow you away....
(5)Martha M.
Free pakora appetizers, free dessert (albeit very bite-size) and endless refills of their delicious chai? I'm a fan. The garlic naan is great, definitely the biggest naan I've ever gotten at an Indian restaurant and always steaming hot. Butter chicken and tandoori is also quite good. The only downside was the last time I ordered something pretty spicy, I could clearly see the swirls of red chili sauce against the darker curry that had obviously just been squirted in at the last minute. I had to stir it in myself to keep from getting a big mouthful of it in one bite while the rest of the curry was somewhat bland. Rice is also kind of meh, but it's rice, so not that big of a deal. My only annoyance with this place is the absolutely incessant refilling of water. One sip and someone's standing over you to fill it up again. During dinner one evening the waiter pouring water was so overeager to refill my still full glass that he spilled water and ice all over the table. Somewhat irritating, but better than being left waving an empty glass in an attempt to get someone's attention, I suppose.
(3)Max B.
Amazing service, great food, & reasonable prices. Defines 5 star service in my book.
(5)Kayan H.
Garlic Naan was awesome! All you can drink chai tea! Seriously, i never saw the bottom of my cup and it was a pretty small 6oz cup! -Chicken tikki masala: yummy! could've used more chicken, though. -lamb vindaloo: lamb was tender but a little too gamey for my taste. Again, not a lot of meat. -Tandoori salmon: very flavorful, came with buttery veggies and rice. -Free appetizer and desserts! Very yummy! My first Indian food experience was in London, so I just can't get myself to give anything more than a 3 here. It's hard to start out with the best and then try to find something comparable anywhere in the States.
(3)Angel I.
BEST INDIAN FOOD IN SEATTLE. Hands down. I've tried many others and none of them can compare to the quality, value, and overall awesomeness of Taste of India. The portions are extremely generous especially their yummy naan. The servers and everyone who works here are super friendly and helpful. There is usually a wait, but they give out chai tea while you wait and the wait it totally worth it! And the chai tea is simply the best, and the wait staff are so great at refilling water and chai tea.
(5)Sabrina K.
This is by far the best restaurant I've ever had the pleasure of dining at for Indian food. I was surprised to not find a buffet during the lunch hour, but it didn't matter. The second we sat down, they brought paikoras with mint and chutney sauce which was delicious (I think I ate mine before I even got my coat off). We ordered a nice variety of dal, vege tikki masala, and aloo gobi and the price was reasonable. All the dishes were excellent ~ perfectly prepared with just the right touch of seasoning. No spices were competing with the food ~ I could actually taste the different flavors in the dishes. First time ever I had pesto naan ~ yum! And by the way, the plate wasn't big enough ~ it was larger than I've ever seen and I had no problem eating my share! I can't wait to get back here one of these days soon!
(5)Marc A.
WOW! Some of the best Indian food I have had in my life! Don't mind the wait as they bring you some hot chai to enjoy... Disclaimer: we were with regulars & they brought over on the house pakoras and then at the end of the meal cheesecake with mango sauce. Both were delicious! Each of the meals is big enough to share or enjoy on your own. Don't be afraid to experiment here. I had the chicken mango curry and was blown away with it's sweet and spiciness with each bite. Dip your nan (we got regular but there are a few to choose from) in your sauce and soak it all up or go all out and order one of the stuffed parathas (a Marc A favorite) for eating and dipping. Enjoy!
(5)Jim F.
I like Taste of India and go there often for lunch or early dinner. I like the Dal Maharani, Garlic Naan, and Chai. I never order anything else, though I will sub a beer for the chai if it's late in the day. It cracks me up that they also have Mediterranean food like stuffed grape leaves and hummus. Never saw that stuff in India. There's no buffet, and the food is a cut above standard Indian cheap eats buffets.
(4)J T.
Had been craving Indian food for a couple of weeks and decided to try this place based on previous reviews. The place was packed at 7:15 on Sunday night save for a two-person table, at which we were seated within minutes. Water came, then a complimentary order of pakora, then nothing for about ten minutes. The waiter then went to a table that was seated after us before coming to our table. This is where thing turned around. In retrospect, I think they realized their error. Ordered the Rohan josh with lamb, which was superbly flavored, along with an order of spinach naan. Be careful, the naan is big and enough for two people. The piece de resistance was the tandoori surprise: a mix of meats wonderfully marinated, plus veggies and rice. Waiters and bussers came and went frantically in this busy restaurant, always asking us if everything was ok. The manager even came to our table twice to make sure service was great, and it was. I rarely tip over 20% but on this occasion, given the combination of food and service, it was absolutely deserved.
(5)Meg T.
Came here from a yelp review when I googled best Indian in Seattle. This was very good, not great. Service excellent and the biggest garlic naan I have ever seen in my life! Complimentary appetizer and small dessert bite was a nice touch. Ordered the chicken curry medium spicy (3 out of 4 on spiciness). It wasn't very spicy -- at least with the Boston standards I'm used to. But all in all would definitely recommend and come back. Maybe even bring a friend to help with the giant naan! (Ps download the coupon from yelp!)
(4)Elyse F.
DELISH!!! They are so friendly here and the ambience is warm and inviting. Their food is to die for and it's moderately priced for GOOD Indian food! You can spend less elsewhere, but it won't be as good. Also, they are good about giving freebies. Nice little appetizer and always a little taste of dessert after! Talk about great customer service! Oh, also; UNLIMITED CHAI!!!!!!! Go here. Hands down. I mean, why would you not? You're welcome ;)
(5)Jagdeep G.
I luv the food here..its tooo delicious everything was on time... I never had that food in california in sanjose,fremont,sunnyvale.... I suggest evrybody has to go there....
(5)Ngoc-Diep P.
Ok I'v been here so many times that 's now my auto go to place for Indian food. Right in the U district area, it's super authentic and the service is friendly, not to mention speedy! 5 for unlimited chai tea...yummy!! All the dishes I've ordered tasted the same and they were all excellent Must get Naan bread, can also ask for the special mango pickles...droooolllll They provide sample appetizers and chai tea while you wait and they provide sample desserts as well at the end of your meal. Where else can you get services like that?!! Must check it out!
(5)Hai Yen N.
I've been talking smack about this restaurant for years. The backstory here is that a few years back, the one and only time I had ever dined here, I ordered the coconut curry. It had dessicated coconut on top which ruined the texture and the curry itself was bland. In this neighborhood, you're never more than a few blocks away from a really good Indian restaurant, so I formed an opinion and haven't been back to Taste of India since. Last night, I decided to give this place one last shot. Situated inside a cozy house, the ambiance is quaint and festive. Complimentary cups of steaming chai while you wait for a table, complimentary appetizer of potato fritters, and complimentary dessert of pomegranate ice cream. The garlic naan was so big, it was falling off the table. It was pillowy and chewy and chocked full of herbs and garlic. The chicken tikka masala was creamy and flavorful. Our waters were refilled to an obsessive degree. The only negative thing was that our server forgot our naan and an order of chai until we inquired about them. After this small hiccup, the manager checked on us several times during our meal to make sure we had everything we needed which was nice. I won't be talking smack anymore.
(4)Mrs. D.
The food is amazing . Portions are good. The owner and head server are super nice and always go around to ask how the food is. Love it.
(5)Todd K.
One of the best dining experiences I've had in Seattle hands down- get the chai tea... You'll never see the bottom of your cup.
(5)Laleh J.
I enjoyed the Indian food here. I came here with a group of six, and we had a great time. They served us free chai and fritters while we were waiting and brought us free appetizers and dessert as well. I've never had so much complimentary food at a restaurant! The food also was quite delicious. I'll be coming back.
(4)Laura B.
The food is great but... I cannot handle being interrupted every few minutes by a different employee asking if I'm ok and refilling my glass of water when all I've taken is one sip. Too much!.... it was difficult to have a conversation with the constant interruptions. One more complaint: the tables are way too small,... especially if you are trying to share a bunch of dishes with others. I'm only getting take-out from here from now on. (The free samosas and free desserts *are* wonderful.)
(3)Opal D.
The BEST service. Every dish I've had here has been delicious. Their naans are twice the size of my face and the hot chai comes with unlimited refills. They have a very small surface lot and there is plenty of free street parking around. I cannot say enough good things!
(5)Tyler S.
The staff were very friendly; they even served me a cup of chai tea while I waited for my friends to arrive. The food was delicious - the spinach naan and tandoori surprise were both fantastic and very filling.
(5)Richard P.
One of my favorite places i really like the atmosphere very comfortable.
(5)Linda K.
This place does not honor their coupons. I was there with a friend on 12/16 (a cpl days ago). We were using a Valpak cpn that was for 2for1 entrees, up to $8. Of the many Indian restaurants in Seattle, this one is the most expensive one I have been to. Of course, each of our entrees were several dollars over $8, and so we expected that we would have $8 taken off of the bill. Instead only $6 was taken off. When we brought this to our waiter's attention, he said curtly "Read the fine print." There was nothing we hadn't already read. Chai tea was listed in my menu as costing $2.99, and the bill listed it as $3.00. Ok, so I'm nitpicky, but shouldn't the menu price and bill price be the same? As soon as we sat down, I noticed none of the staff who were walking around doing their jobs looked happy or positive. When a woman came to fill our water glasses for the first time, she avoided looking at me totally and looked lifeless. So I asked her cheerily how her day was going. She answered quickly and without any change of expression "Ok", and left as both glasses were full. The Paneer Mango and Channa Aloo were wonderful. We went to this restaurant to try out the chai, because a friend mentioned it was some of the best around. While there is a good, strong taste of spices (I noticed cloves esp.), it was otherwise a little too sweet. And the fact that staff was so conscientious and came over to refill our teacups even after one sip made it difficult to carry on a conversation without interruption. Almost immediately after sitting down, we were treated with a free appetizer. We weren't told what they were, but they appeared to be, and tasted like, potato cakes. They were served with tamarind and perhaps cilantro sauce. They were very good. We weren't plannng to order any dessert, and were again treated to a tiny square of cheesecake drizzled with mango sauce. It was for splitting, and was enough for a bite apiece. They have their own parking lot. It is very small, and oddly shaped. Expect to have a hard time getting in and out of it. You'd be better off looking for neighborhood parking and walking. The restaurant is oddly shaped, and the floor isn't level. As of recently, they do have a covered outdoor patio. There are so many Indian restaurants, that I have no problem whatsoever spending my money elsewhere.
(1)Jessica M.
Amazing, amazing, amazing!!! I love this place! Great food, awesome atmosphere and decor, friendly staff. And the chai tea keeps coming. Free refills!! Overall one of my favorite places to eat in Seattle. Only thing I don't really like is the location. A ways away from the city and kind of in the middle of nowhere.
(5)Devin E.
Amazing food, but can be a bit spendy. I have been sampling my way through the menu, and haven't found anything I don't like yet. Great place to go as a couple, or for take out. It can get a bit crowded, but we have never had to wait more than 30 minutes. Parking can be a chore, only a few spots out front and the street parking is usually full. Service can be overwhelming, if anything. I have had my water glass filled after taking 1 drink. Not a complaint, but be ready for it. High paced and attentive, not exactly the quietest place. Great food, decent price, best Indian restaurant in Seattle.
(5)Amara P.
Came here for lunch. Had the navaratan korma, garlic naan, basmati rice, mango lassi, and veggie samosas. Everything tasted great. Medium level korma is not spicy at all and is an ideal mild for those who have tried good Indian food elsewhere. Definitely one of the better Indian places that I've had in Seattle. Floors are a bit slippery. Walk carefully!
(5)Hibiscus O.
So great! Huge portions, and the server brought us a complimentary appetizer and dessert. Very attentive service-- my water glass never got below half full. Reasonably priced for the amount of food you get. Our total for three was $40, and we took home leftovers.
(5)Jay S.
Weird service and the ever present insanity (so busy and not enough space) on our last visit has put Taste of India on my "not going for awhile" list. Specifically, my sister got in a tiff with the owner because I needed to get to the airport and had to hurry with my meal. I'm paying, I'm in a hurry, and the two of them do this ridiculous dance where he catered to her while the other NINE people in our party watched. Then, I go to pay, and he won't take my Restaurant.com coupon - a $75 coupon that won't even pay for HALF of the meal - and without much apology because he's been sucking up to my sister. I was super embarrassed and very unhappy. I give them very good business - especially as an out of towner who makes this a destination stop with regularity. Still have crappy take out containers. Still have good food. I just like to be treated well when I spend $300 in a casual restaurant. YES! I GET PICKY WHEN I PAY!
(2)Steven C.
Absolutely the BEST service I have EVER had. Beats all of the 5 star "fancy" restaurants out there. Complimentary appetizer AND dessert?! Seems unreal.. I couldn't stop expressing how great the service was and I still can't.. And I went there 7 hours ago. You don't have to ask for anything cause they're on top of it. They realize when you're in need of a refill on water or sauce even before you know it yourself. The food is very delicious and the staff is extremely friendly. It's also a clean restaurant which is a bonus! Definitely will be back often! I don't write reviews but this place deserved one. Great place overall. Keep up the good work :)
(5)Amy G.
The food was really really good. My boyfriend took me here for my birthday last week, I was excited because I hadn't had indian food in a really long time. Then throughout dinner that excited feeling went away. I was really not happy with the service. The staff was rude and wouldn't even look at me. I don't think one person made eye contact with me even while taken our order. I will not go here again based on that, it put a really bad taste in my mouth. It is too bad, the food is good but the staff ruined it for me. When you go out for a nice dinner you kind of want it all, good food, good staff etc...
(1)Kelly B.
Consistently, over the last near 15 years, the best Indian food in the area. Lunch time is kinds crazy sometimes for the services, but the food is worth the wait.
(5)Anne T.
Any time I am in Seattle this is one of my first places to eat. Fantastic Indian food!
(5)John E.
I've been to this restaurant several times which means it has been good enough for repeat business. Whether it has taken several visits for me to get a feel for the place or maybe I was just in a mood I'm not sure, but last night's visit was disappointing in several ways. The wait staff is a confused blur with several different people likely to deliver dishes or be part of the seating and ordering process. When we finished placing our order the waitperson said "Is that all?" As it turned out our order resulted n take home after we left. The pressure to order more is unseemly. I had a glass of wine. Mid way through the meal I finished. It was surprising that it sat there empty with the horde of servers buzzing about and I did not get an instant inquiry if I wanted another. Since I did not, it was a relief. On the other hand, the guy with dripping wet pitcher of water was constantly there topping up our glasses even when they were 2/3 full. And, In the process, dribbling a stream of condensate water off the pitcher and onto our Naan. Within a couple of minutes a couple of pakoras or something like that were delivered. Turns out those are complimentary sort of like a bowl of chips at a Mexican place. However, we had ordered samosas which led to the early part of the meal being two dishes of similar fried dough things. If we go back we'll remember not to order an appetizer. We ordered Naan. After half our meal had been delivered and we were in the midst of eating a Naan was delivered to a nearby table which had been seated sometime after our order was placed. I caught the eye of one of the servers, inquired, and in a couple of minutes we had our Nan. Delicious, too, to be fair. The same deal occurred with the Raita. It is a condiment. No preparation necessary, yet we had to ask for it after much of our food had been put on the table. We asked for mango chutney. Without comment the waitperson brought two partially used jars, like from the store, to the table. How gross is that? There was no spoon on the table so presumably we dive in with the forks we are using to eat? And then they put the lid back on and serve to the next customer who asks for chutney? This morning I'm thinking Shalimar on the AVE is going to be our go-to spot for Indian food.
(2)James F.
SO FRICKIN' GOOD. I know people say that Cedar's is better, but they're crazy. I always say i'm gonna branch out and get something new but i end up always getting the butter paneer. It is AMAZING. The garlic naan is a staple and that dipping sauce that comes with it must have crack in it. Plus, every time ive gone i've gotten a ton of free appetizers and deserts, not sure what that's about but i'll take it.
(5)Vje B.
One of the worst Indian restaurant I have been too. I am an Indian myself.. I went with my friends for a vacation to Seattle..n chose this restaurant for dinner. Their biriyani, Palak panneer and naans sucked big time. I rookie on Indian cooking would do a better job than them. The food money came up to 159$... All forno good.. Big regret to choose this one. The service was worse too..
(1)Jed V.
I honestly didn't really like Indian food very much until I came here... I've been here a couple of times now and both times have been great. They really have some over the top customer service here. The first time I came, the place was extremely busy. While we were waiting for a table, they served us cups of amazing chai tea and appetizers in the lobby. That alone had me loving the place. The wait staff is really nice and attentive. (Sometimes overly attentive) The food made me completely change my mind about Indian food. That alone says a lot. The naan is gigantic. For about 3 dollars you get delicious garlic naan that's about the same size as a medium sized pizza. It's a must. We had the butter masala and the tikka masala both times... Both pretty similar but my girlfriend and I love both dishes. I will say, the portions are kinda small but definitely delicious. Plus, the dishes come with some really good long-grain rice. This, along with the gigantic naan should have you feeling satisfied. A really nice touch was the small cheesecake they gave us when we were finished. I really love this place, whenever I crave Indian food (a new thing for me) I'll be going here. The ONLY negative thing I can say about this place is that the wait staff is a little too attentive. It seemed as if every single time I took a sip of water the waitress was there to fill my glass. I could hardly have a conversation without constant quick interruptions from the wait staff or the manager checking on us. BUT... That being said, I can look past that because you don't find good, attentive service like that everywhere. Usually, it's the opposite.
(5)Johnson L.
I think 3 star is appropriate for this restaurant as my standard is too high for this. I do not understand why there are all positive and five star comments for this restaurant. The taste is very bad, actually worse than any single one of Indian/Pakistan restaurant I've been to all over the world including Africa, Middle East, Europe and the Americas. The food is waterish and lack of taste. The rice is too salty. Their chicken does not have much taste and is not fresh. The restaurant is small and the waitresses and waiters are not that good, but okay. Yes they did give me free appetizer and desert, which is good. It may because I have been to too many traditional and authentic Indian/Pak restaurants that this one may be as good as those ones. I also have many Pak/Indian friends who invited to taste their home made food. Americans who do not have much experience may find this food good but not for me, an international citizen who traveled to and lived in dozens of countries all over the world.
(3)Priya B.
This is an amazing restaurant. I am an Indian and so I know the quality of food in India. This is very very close to the true Indian food....:) Moreover, the service is excellent. They gave us the dessert as complementary and I liked their cutney (known as Aachar in India). I told them that I liked it and they gave that to me as complementary. This is a great restaurant, not just because they gave me things as complementary, but being an Indian and having eaten at a lot of indian restaurants... this is one of the best out there.
(5)Chi S.
Been here quite a few times and food has always been good. It always seems to be busy and bustling so that's a good sign too. Service is good. Space is on the smaller side, so definitely would recommend a reservation if you are going in a large party around the usual meal times.
(4)Amy L.
I came here with a friend after reading all the other Yelp reviews. It was amazing. The staff offers fantastic fast and friendly service. We were greeted and served a complimentary appetizer as soon as seated which was so good. The naan bread is HUGE. think large pizza size HUGE. The servers constantly refilled our water and I believe the owner (or manager) made sure we liked everything. The entrees were fabulous. I had the Mango Curry with TOFU. We were then given another complimentary dessert of (I'm guessing) a coconut/ yogurt combo. The prices for what you get is exceptional. Def glad I trusted the other yelp reviewers, it was well worth it.
(5)Meg J.
Really good indian food! Best naan I can find in Seattle- it is huge so think twice before ordering a lot. Two of us could barely finish one order. The tikka masala is my favorite. Really great service too...we got complimentary tea while waiting for our table, then complimentary appetizer and desert.
(5)Sam C.
Great little place in the U-district. You can't miss this place if you're driving along Roosevelt. A bit understated on the outside, but once you go in, it's quaint and comfortable. Service is good -- endless water and chai refills, even if you don't want it! Sometimes.. I just like seeing my cup almost full, I don't need it filled the brim at all times. Menu seems diverse enough, and the portions are large enough (not overwhelming, but I think pretty worth the money). I don't know how many tables they give free appetizers and desserts for (since I've seen it mentioned on several Yelp reviews), but it sure is nice to have! Food is decent, not mind-blowing, but pretty good. Overall, it's not bad. I don't have any complaints -- ambiance, service, and people are all good.
(4)Joyce P.
Food is delicious! Had the chicken tika Marsala and garlic naan. The naan is huge and the service is good!
(4)Sam W.
I've been going to Taste of India for quite some time now and they've always taken the extra steps to ensure I'm happy. I'm writing the review today because of my experience last night. While picking up an order to go I had driven away and not a minute later I received a phone call from a very worried Mohammad who informed me I had grabbed the wrong to-go order. He then offered to have them deliver the correct one. Since I was only down the road I drove back to a very apologetic staff that sincerely showed concern for the small mistake. It's small things like this that keep me coming back to the restaurant, not to mention the food is amazing!
(5)Dylan T.
This is a GREAT little Indian joint. Parking is a little weird and the servers border on TOO attentive, but the food is authentic and VERY tasty. My gf and I almost always get the palak paneer and the tikka masala, and that tends to be a good litmus test. Here, both were great, and the mild isn't too spicy. In retrospect we would've probably ordered medium, but mild was fine. I couldn't tell if they were just sucking up, but we were given free samp at the beginning of our meal and after we declined dessert, they gave us some chocolate cheesecake (which we couldn't even touch)! UW students have it good with Indian food like this. I'd definitely like to come back when I'm in town again.
(4)Al S.
A fellow yelper recently asked me, "Do you have any favorite restaurants in Seattle?" Oddly, and without thinking about it, Taste of India was the first place that came to mind. I love the Seattle area, and have never had a "bad meal" anywhere. (maybe I'm just lucky with food?) Probably the reason Taste of India came to mind so quickly, was that I'd never eaten Indian in the Pacific Northwest, and if I had anticipated it, would never have expected it to be as good as it was. You might be interested in a survey that was presented in 2008, by Indian students at the University of WA? The students present a short list of their favorite picks. chefseattle.com/articles… And of course, Taste of India is on the list. Maybe five years ago I hosted a high school friend and her husband at Taste, and we really "sampled the menu", and must have ordered 7 entree items, plus the naan bread, which gets allot of press. Everything we had was great. On future business trips, I've returned a few times, and always had enjoyable meals. I compare Taste to Indian restaurants I've visited here in the Southland, and frankly, my first visit to Taste still stands out as "One of The Best US Indian Cuisine Experiences" I've had. Disclaimer: The opinion of this reviewer may not be that of yours, as any 4 or 5 star review from Al. S. usually represents a homogenous blend, (redundant, right?), of good food, good friends and enjoyable service. (Disclaimer per Minicipal Code I8ITALL2)
(4)Smitha S.
Overrated. The food was not as oily as most Indian restaurants, but lacked flavor. We asked for "very spicy" or 4 out of 5 stars, but what we got was quite bland and not spicy at all. The naan is HUGE, which is entertaining, but lacked flavor as well (we got the garlic naan which was not garlicky). A ton of options and fast, good service, but I've definitely had better food.
(2)Jerry L.
If you come here expecting to actually have a taste of India, look somewhere else. You definitely get a FEEL of India, with all the bustling of the waiters and waitresses, a feeling that they rush you with your meal, yet after you pay, the attentiveness of the waiters take a huge decline. For the food, we got complimentary potato croquettes and baklava for the meal, both of which were pretty good. We ordered 2 garlic naans and one naan with goat cheese, all 4 of us finished it all. They were good, but probably as good as the frozen ones you can find at Trader Joe's... not saying that the frozen ones are bad... However, we paid about $15 each for 2 ladles of mango curry and a lamb curry... quite pitiful to be honest. The curry wasn't hot (which I requested), nor temperature hot. I found it quite boring, no contrast in texture nor distinct taste of the Indian spices, so it seemed to me that it had been watered down and has been sitting in a giant vat waiting to be served. The basmati rice was normal and was just lukewarm. This was my first visit and probably would be my last. First review for an Indian restaurant as well so I'll probably be searching for the another candidate that can actually stand up to its name! Despite the high ratings, Taste of India didn't live up to its mission of delivering even a small sample of the Indian cuisine. Disappointing.
(2)Andrew H.
Was in Seattle, wanted to sample local Indian treats. Came here, was apprehensive because the (highly reviewed) Indian place in Spokane (which bears the same name as this establishment) kind of sucks IMHO. (Bombay Palace is worlds better but is apparently closed for like 6 months, maybe they have to change the sign to "Mumbai Palace"?) Was blown away by the Pit Crew of service people at your disposal: - seating guy - alcohol girl (the beer selection here is impressive for an Indian place, although I don't think they have anything on tap) - multiple water people - appetizer bringer - main dish bringer - dessert salesman Seriously, it was CAH-RAY-ZEE! We got some appetizers that came out practically before we ordered them. Before we could even get halfway through the appetizers... BAM! Hawt Naan in my face (just where I like it). Seriously the food came out almost disturbingly fast. I got the Lamb Madras Chilli *something*, don't remember the exact name. It was mighty, mighty tasty. I told them to make it as hot as they could, we agreed on 6 out of 5 "stars". It was hot, definitely hotter than about 97% of Indian and/or Thai joints I've been to (including Thai Tom), but I could still go much, much hotter (I'm a glutton for punishment people). Still, MASSIVE kudos for taking the training wheels off on the hotness gauge, it's a rare thing to find these days. One more thing. The portions were bigger-than-a-bread-box. GINORMOUS. The spinach naan (I don't know the fancy "real" name for it, sorry) we got looked like a freakin' Chicago deep-dish pizza! The rice resembled a mini Rainier, and the curry was overflowing. I ate it all, and was in extreme pain for the rest of the day (I wasn't sure I was going to have the facilities to preserve the left overs and I was nervous about the little kids in China that don't get to eat Indian food) Some last +'s on this place: + parking is not that bad (for Seattle) + prices here are very reasonable Why no 5 stars? - even though they are hotter than most, they still could go hotter - speaking of hot, we went here on a summer day and were SWEATING...it was beyond toasty inside.
(4)Chanele B.
I love trying new Indian restaurants, but it can be quite the crap shoot. This restaurant seemed to be doing something right from all of the positive reviews, and we ventured out into the misty night to see if it was worth the hype. I was happy with it, and my companion was even more so. He went as far as to call it "the best Indian I've had in Seattle so far." I would not go that far, but they definitely are doing something right. The menu has quite a lot of choices. I ordered my dish medium, and it was not spicy at all; however, it did say "All spices American Standard" at the top. I take that this means American = not so spicy. Still, I'd rather not enough spice than too spicy. Other than that, though, it was top quality. It was very fragrant and bursting with flavor, so it didn't even matter too much that it was on the bland side of the Indian spectrum. The service really deserves a thumbs up, though! They seem almost overstaffed, which isn't a problem because you never spend a moment waiting for anything. The waitstaff seems to work with each other instead of designating tables for themselves. It is a seamless, easy process, and it really is a step above a traditional restaurant set up. In addition to be helpful and prompt, everyone was very friendly. Also, we got complimentary samosas AND a scoop of ice cream at the end. This is a place we will definitely return to!
(4)Atrey P.
Taste of India university district of Seattle (Roosevelt blvd) is just awesome. Looks small from outside but once you are inside the whole place is spread out with tons of places to sit. I live in Jersey but were in Seattle for a night after a week long vacation in Vancouver and Whistler. I have not tasted chana masala this good anywhere in north america in last 14 years. Daal maharani, veg kofta ( malai kofta), paneer shahi were all just awesome. The best part was naan and tandoori roti, I don't think I have ever had this good tandoori roti, butter naan and garlic naan even in India. We were a group of 9 and the owner/manager brought two complementary orders of vegetable appetizer platter with vegetable pakoras and samosas. To top it of complimentary dessert with ras malai and a mango cheese cake (standard cheese cake with mango puree) was just as tasty as everything else and a very nice touch on restaurant's part. Most Indian restaurants I have been so far in NJ/NY are about running a profitable business, Taste of India is about owner/operator's passion for Indian food. Finally prices are beyond reasonable, vegetable entrees are no more than $11-12 and chicken/beef are no more than $14-15 but worth every penny and beyond. The only negative is little hard to find parking.
(5)Shanti M.
Now THIS is what I love... How could I have stayed away so long? (Oh yeah... I was distracted by Mehak, for a while. But no longer!) And Jaswinder ("Jessie") is one of the best things about this place. And so is the bottomless chai. And all of the wait staff. And the Palak Masala Paneer. And the mint chutney. And all the amazing menu choices - - wow, SO many! (I'm newly surprised, every time I go there.) And the colorful and cozy decor. I used to feel that this place was my home base while visiting Seattle. And now that I'm back living here again I remember why: Jessie smiled in recognition and called me by name, though I hadn't been there in nealy two years. So - its exotic, but everybody knows your name! If you want them to. :~)
(5)Madhu M.
Awesome paneer dish and naan.. A little bit on the expensive side.
(4)Joseph W.
BLUF: This Indian place is small, rustic, cramped, dim; but the quality of the food overshadows any shortcomings of the setting.
(4)Galaxie S.
This place is totally gross. Last time I went there I found a long black hair on my curry. Also, their bus boy keeps refilling the water non stop to the point of being intrusive. Not to mention that he reached over my place to refill my water and spilled a little on my food. . I rather eat dog food than go back there again!
(1)Stacy Y.
Good first experience. Mango curry is probably my favorite - sweet and tangy, so good with rice. Tandoori chicken is Frank's favorite of the night - meat was moist and aromatic. Food is delicious, good portion, and prompt service. Price is about the same with other India restaurants (about ~13.00 per dish). Oh when they ask how spicy you want a dish - they really mean it... spicy really means spicy... which is awesome! I love food with a strong kick! One thing to note: the space is a little small and loud. Table size is small and if you try to fit a party of 4 to a 40x40 table with 2 people on each end...no elbow space at all.
(4)Lisa W.
[This is the first Yelp review I've written. Relied on many a review and finally had an experience worthy of reviewing.] Amazing. Simply Amazing. As soon as we arrived we were offered a free cup of chai to keep us warm during our 20 minute wait. The best chai I've had, and I know my chai! My friend then said "they have a bottomless cup of chai. I dare you to try and let it go empty." He wasn't kidding. The chai stayed full the entire time, up until we were leaving the table. Shortly after the chai came a free appetizer. Seriously?! I was impressed enough with the chai. We were seated right as we started to get really cold and taken to a nice table for two in the back. Our food did take a little while but was worth it. Barely noticed since the chai kept getting refilled! Great flavors, my only quasi complaint was that we ordered "medium" and it barely tasted mild. But still delish. The paneer was firm yet moist and the lamb very tender. Our naan bread was slow to come out and we asked someone who wasn't our waiter about it. He was gracious enough to go check and soon enough the biggest piece of naan I've ever seen arrived at the table crispy hot and amazing. I'm pretty sure it wasn't on our bill either. Thanks to the endless chai and complimentary appetizers, we got full quickly and no less than three different people asked if we needed boxes. It wasn't in a "hurry up and go" sort of way, just a genuine attentiveness. They cleared the table, still refilled the chai, and asked if we'd like dessert. We declined given our satisfied state. As they brought the check the waitress also brought pistachio ice cream w/ mango "on the house." For real?!?! I finally got to the bottom of the chai, lost the dare but gained an amazing Indian place. The food could have been terrible for all I cared given the quality of service. Luckily the food is far FAR from sucky. Clearly the owners know that it takes a lot to gain the loyalty of customers and they are willing to go that extra mile. I will be frequenting this place A LOT.
(5)Leonardo H.
This is ACTUALLY my favorite Indian restaurant for sure. I've always liked the food since I first tried it 4 years ago. I still remember that first time, actually. On a date. Thought the place was cheezed out, over-friendly staff. But everything was great. Then I heard about the management/staff/chef changes with Cedars. I think it's just gotten even better. But the best experience had to be my last visit there. I mean, OK, we had to wait for 50 mins, big whoop. Maybe it was a big whoop. But I slept through most of it. Standing up. Don't ask, this was during finals week at school. During the wait time, we were given bottomless chai, innumerable apologies from the owner and everyone on their payroll. I wasn't even bumming, cause it was kinda our fault for not making a reservation with such a big group. I think there were 11 or 12 of us? Soon as we got to our table, appetizers were already waiting for us. We were then offered a free champagne, which we obliged to, and free desserts, which we initially declined but were very happy to eat anyway. Wait staff was super attentive--to the point of annoyance to some in our group. But I really don't mind. I like having our servers actually 'wait' on us. It's always easier to tell them to ease up and leave you alone than it is to get more service and attention from lousy servers. That's my philosophy on that. In conclusion, 50 minutes of waiting = bottomless chai, tons of appetizers, beer and champagne, desserts - ALL FREE That's a good deal. And I'm all about good deals.
(5)Nanako E.
Hello. I am currently suffering from a food coma at the moment. Perhaps the best food coma I've had in a long time. I've been reading reviews of this place and have been wanting to try it for a long time. I've received 15% off coupons for attending some performances at UW's Meany Hall and decided to put them to use tonight. It's a shame this place is a bit hidden from central U-District, but it might be a good thing because I don't want many people to know about this place or else there would be a line out the door every single time I'd go. We got seated in less than 5 minutes, and was immediately brought some free appetizers. We're off to a good start, folks. Since I had a coupon, my friend and I decided to go all out with chai, garlic naan, and entrees. I ordered the chicken jalfrazie and she ordered the royal biryani. The garlic naan came and it was bigger than both our heads combined. It was so soft, so warm....hands down the best naan I've ever had. The chai was perfectly spiced, and was constantly refilled. The jalfrazie was excellent, the chicken succulent and tender. The waiters kept checking up on us to see if we needed anything. And then they gave us free dessert. Uhh...I love you, Taste of India.
(5)S K.
This is hands down the best Indian food in Puget Sound area. I have been a regular customer for over 7 years. Unlike most other Indian restaurants, their amazing food is complemented by impeccable service. Love it.
(5)Alysse E.
Used to love, love, love this place. My last experience pretty much sucked. Bland "Indian" food, ok service, nothing special. Really, that sums it up- nothing special.
(2)Ninja S.
I don't think that I've had a honest sit-down and order Indian food type meal in a long long time. Usually it's been the lunch buffet with a herd of office people and the indian food items that some people laugh about: "Hohoho! That's not /real/ indian food, you colonial!" Something like that anyway. So I went here today and ordered the basic curry from the top of the menu. I didn't want to go superhot straight away, so I knocked it back one to Medium-Hot; the tenacious middle ground between hot and medium. It wasn't bad. It was a dark curry with a bit of bite. The lamb (did I mention the cute little lamb that was minced and stewed for my gnashing jaws? Well let's not then. I know vegetarians are reading and I don't want to upset them) was delightful in it. The naan was also pretty great. A giant oblong dinner place sized hunk of it was delivered in a basket with a ying yang of chutney (you can see another one in the picture that came with the tandori chicken which I only nibbled). Not a bad place. The bottomless cup of chai was also quite delicious and I think I hogged about three teacups full by the time I left.
(4)Coleena S.
A very tasty Indian restaurant in the UDistrict... I ordered catering service from Taste of India a few months back. There service is pretty on point. From the moment I walked in the door, I waited on the lobby bench and was brought a cup of hot chai. They had the food ready when they said they would and had a group of 5 workers help me to safely place the food in my car. Everyone raved about the food and how it tasted very authentic and not weighed down with cream (butter chicken) I loved the food. It was great and I'm very appreciative of the outstanding service I received, I highly recommend their catering services.
(4)Sonya L.
Considering its overall rating, I went into Taste of India expecting to have Indian food so phenomenal and service so amazing that I would never go to any other Indian place ever again. What I encountered was some excellent Indian food, but some not fantastic service. We had the Palak Paneer and the Lamb Vindaloo, both of which were very delicious. We also ordered both the garlic and plain naan, before realizing that the naan comes out two times as big as your face! However, that was fine by me because it was likely the best naan I've ever eaten - doughy and delicious. Their sauces (pardon me, I don't know what they are called) for dipping the naan in were the best I'd had at any Indian restaurant for sure. Whatever the complimentary dessert was (a creation made of peanut butter, sesame seeds, and other things I now forget) was to die for and left me wondering where I could buy more of it. So the food was definitely 5-star. But the service was probably more along the lines of 3.5 or 4. Our food came out promptly, but the service wasn't super great. Our waiter was pleasant enough, I suppose. But the girl that refills the water is out of control. I take two sips and she came back to fill it up again. And she would fill it so high that I had to lean over to slurp water off the top first so I could pick it up. She probably refilled my glass at least 10 or 12 times in the hour and a half we were at the restaurant. The first few times it was funny...but by the end I was getting seriously annoyed. I wanted to not drink water so she wouldn't come back. Someone seriously needs to teach that girl the right way to refill people's glasses. I'll be sure to visit Taste of India again though, as the food was excellent.
(4)E. W.
Taste of India is without a doubt the best Indian restaurant of the many in the Roosevelt vicinity. And driving down Roosevelt from Ravenna you can't miss it. Covered with Christmas lights it glows brighter than the star of David over Bethlehem. Service - they're the sort that'll never let you see the glass half empty side of things. Food - it's good. it's your standard fare that doesn't disappoint. Go for the garlic naan. They'll substitute naan for rice if you prefer, which I do. And if it takes a while, they'll put a courtesy piece of baklava or that walnut cookie sort of thing on your table. Price - Decent. It's no bargain, but on par with the other indian restaurants in the area. Ambiance - Can't beat it. Can't quite describe it. Go check it out. Minus a star because they don't have a liquor license. On a side note, try to poke your head into the kitchen, it's a trip.
(4)Hannah B.
This place is the "new" Cedars. By that I mean, Cedars was the best Indian restaurant in Seattle, then the owner sold it (name and all) and opened the Saffron Grill in Northgate. Taste of India is owned by the same family (the son of the former owner of Cedars) and is run the same way. Amazing Indian food- I've never had better. I love the somewhat shabby "well loved" look of the interior (they are too busy cooking delicious food to worry about fancy decor). Love everything about it, best Chai I've ever had.
(4)Benjamin S.
It was fine, but nothing special. Even the hottest level of spice was not that hot. None of the dishes we tried was special. Not bad, but nothing to go out of your way for.
(3)Lindy B.
Hands down the best service that I've experienced in Seattle, especially for a restaurant with $12-$15 entrees. We were offered complimentary chai and pakora appetizers while we waited for our table (only a ~15 minute wait). The owner was delivering the tea and apps to waiting customers outside himself! Thoroughly enjoyed the tikka masala, saag paneer and garlic naan...and we have enough left over for tomorrow's dinner. We also received complimentary dessert (although we barely had room for it after the delicious meal). The only thing that I will change next time is the spice level of my order--level 4 was not nearly as spicy as I expected. Spoke with the owner 3 times during the visit--he's obviously incredibly passionnate about providing great food and great service--all with a smile. It's amazing to see someone like that so involved in their business. DEFINITELY a dinner worth repeating!
(5)JJ W.
It's not like another man's opinion needs to be given for TOI. Especially one who no longer lives in the Emerald City. But my thoughts drifted towards the Pac Northwest tonight and I vividly remember my dates with the U-District's beloved Indian restaurant. For starters go with the grape leaves or the vegetarian delight. Scrumptaculous. Now before you proceed any further take note: GET THE GARLIC NAN. REPEAT. GET THE GARLIC NAN. I have yet to taste anything close to topping it. Tried TJ's and Whole Foods when I wanna get my fix at home but it just makes me miss the whole experience of difficult parking (WTF?), crowded space, wait times and price hikes. I don't care. The nan and coma-inducing chai is enough for me. Beyond that, any of the masala dishes are a creamy heaven. Still new? Can't go wrong with the Chicken Tikka Masala. Before calling it an evening, grab some Halvah. It's those little rectangle blocks perched for your admiration at the front of the house. Everytime I went to pay I wanted to just get my hands on one more as I made my way out. Couldn't bring myself to try it...maybe you will.
(4)Shanna K.
Taste of India? I THINK SO! The SUBWAY guy led us here. It was a risk but I took off on an adventure to this great restaurant. * FIRST IMPRESSION: UMmMMMm am I in Vegas? You can't miss the place it is lit up with neon, which made me first wonder if this place was going to be worth it. *SECOND IMPRESSION: what the hell man! Why is the Naan so freakin' huge! For $2.50 you can get a better sized Naan that isn't burnt and tastes great! * THIRD IMPRESSION: Spices were ridiculous! Everything was flavorful, robust, and sensational. ** RECOMMENDATIONS & HINTS: 1) If you like spicy but still want to taste the food ask for medium hot (aka #4) 2) Order the garlic naan. period. 3) Order the JAIPURI MASALA: It is prepared with tomatoes, onion, ginger, garlic, and paneer 4) All dishes can be made either vegetarian, lamb, beef, chicken, fish, or prawn. Prices range from $8.95 to 14.95. ENJOY!!!
(4)BothSides G.
I've never had a bad experience at Taste of India. The food has always been consistent, delicious, and brought out in a timely manner. The menu has tons of options, which can be intimidating until you realize that you can't really go wrong. The decor is inviting and interesting, & the hosts and servers are always very friendly and professional, sometimes even treating you to a free appetizer or desert. Nice touch. Side note: Best water service in town! My glass is never empty. It's almost comical. If you have an unquenchable thirst, get here. On a bad note, the table busers seem a pretty anxious to either box-up your food, or clear your plates from the table. That behavior always makes me feel like a slob who can't let the last pieces of his meal get taken away from him, especially when I have to fend them off three or four times. Also, it's a bummer that they don't have any more beer or wine, considering they used to have a HUGE selection of great beer.
(3)Sharon H.
BEST.INDIAN.FOOD. I've ever had. And DO.NOT.TIP. Explanation to follow. WOW! Lamb Tika Masala, Chicken Vindaloo, Tandori Chicken Tikka, Garlic Naan--we all sampled from each others plates and each item was better than the next. NOTE: They won't seat you until your whole party has arrived. At first I found this annoying but after I was greeted with complimentary Chai and a menu as I sat, I felt more prepared and grateful I had that extra time to reflect on exactly what I was in for. NOTE: We were super put off by the fact that the menu was on the sidewalk and it included gyros...umm, yah baklava and gyros aren't Indian, but we'll see. And why is the waiting staff white teenagers and young mexican women? I understand what a previous reviewer was TRYING to say about not being racist... But once we passed the kitchen to visit the restroom, our fears subsided. The kitchen was bustling with the most Indian of Indian men cooking up hot and spicy and screaming Hindi. Let me assure you, this is authentic! We were seated as soon as we were a whole party and lead through a whirlwind of uneven funhouse type floors and art, tapestries, and more art. Immediately we were served a complimentary appetizer of veggies samosas. FREE STUFF!!!!! I LOVE FREE STUFF! The waiting staff won't let your glass get more than an inch from full before filling it again. It was so amazing we turned it into a game. They are on it! It's a shame they don't get to keep their tips but it kind of helps to know this when you get your bill...4 people = $80. Don't feel too bad; they get paid more than minimum wage to make up for it. At the end of the meal we boxed up the leftovers (great portions), and nommed on our complimentary baklava... MORE FREE STUFF!!!!!!!!!!! GREAT experience. Next time I'm in Seattle, I'm hitting Taste of India!
(4)Brian W.
This place is awesome, some of the best Indian food I've found in Seattle. And I've tried a lot of it! The naan selection is particularly nice. I had the coconut curry and ordered it hot. It sure was. Perfect. My wife had the Madras chicken curry, which was a little sweeter but also delicious. It was a little pricey but they also have some nice touches like bringing you little things to eat before and after your meal. I thought it was odd that we only saw our waitress when she took our order and picked up our check. But yet, I never felt like we were ignored. The busser was great and there was some other guy roaming the restaurant making sure people were enjoying themselves. We did.
(4)Erickson E.
Taste of India offers some of the best, most authentic Indian food in the Northwest. Make no mistake: it's pricey, pricier perhaps than it should be, but you're paying for quality -- and when it comes down to having the very best possible, the price is absolutely worth it. The butter chicken (four stars) is about as good as I've found outside Asia -- the tikka masala, likewise excellent. The spices, the quality of ingredients, the preparation; the result is very excellent cuisine. If I moved away from Seattle, out of all the restaurants I could choose from I'd have my farewell meal at Taste of India. The owner clearly cares about his customers. The times he notices my family or I, he'll often send something complimentary over to us. We're nothing special, he just recognizes us and wants to show his appreciation. Service is uniformly excellent, and the staff very well trained. Attentive, courteous, efficient. Make reservations, the wait can be quite long even on weeknights.
(5)Ali P.
My favorite Indian restaurant in the University District. Recommendations: the spinach and panner naan (both in one), tikka masala, and butter masala. All the curry is good but those two are my personal preference because they are creamy tomato-based curries. Service is good, everyone has their own duty so your water will always be full and the second you're done with something, it'll disappear from your table. There's coupons in valpak that save a few bucks. Two times they screwed up my bill and charged my card too much.. so just check your bill before paying.. but no complaints other than that.
(5)Josh C.
After sharing 5 entrees, 3 types of naans, 2 appetizers and a 25 hour roadtrip ahead of us, the pit stops were not worth it. I remember even begging any god that was available to magically place a bathroom on the 405. But i will tell you out of everything i ordered, the tandoori and tikka masala weren't that bad. we're just spoiled in SF.
(3)Eric R.
I love me some Indian food, and this is the best I've ever eaten. I've been four times now and gotten the chicken tikka masala every time--because it's THAT delicious. Oh, and the naan is gloriously huge and tasty. Also being a great fan of beer, I can happily report that they have HUNDREDS of beer varieties in their three cases--everything from local craft beer to Belgian ales. The only down side is that they don't have a single beer on tap. :-( As if the food and beer weren't enough, the service is spectacular. The owner or manager is always at the front door to greet you with a smile. Servers stop by often to check on you. They must have three or four employees whose only responsibility is to make sure that your glass is filled to the brim. Oh, and they've always given me FREE chai tea AND dessert (rice pudding and/or cheesecake)! This review doesn't even do this place justice. If you haven't been, check it out. You will not be disappointed.
(5)Ja C.
This place is just great. They have a very clearly labeled menu for gluten free items. The wait staff was very kind, fast, and knowledgeable. The food was delicious. They even gave us a complimentary appetizer. If based just on the food, I would give this place a 4. It was very good, but one has to leave room for perfection. The wait staff and clear awareness of what gluten is gets them the extra star as a restaurant.
(5)Chris T.
Consistently fantastic and consistently busy everytime I come here (I've been about 3 or 4 times over the past 2 years). *I love the atmosphere here. From the outside, it looks a little gaudy, with haphazardly parked cars and twinkling fairy lights and a humongous sign. But inside, it's quiet and cozy on a slower day and bustling and festive on busier nights. *I went last Saturday night, when it was super busy and my boyfriend & I got seated within 5 minutes of getting there. They served us chai while we were waiting and we got complimentary samosas when we were seated. When we finished and left around 7:30 pm, there were about 10-15 people clustered outside waiting for seats because the waiting area inside was completely full. But instead of looking grumpy because they were stuck outside on a winter night, they were all smiling, holding paper cups of chai tea and eating complimentary samosas too! A restaurant that makes waiting outside a fun activity is a good restaurant in my book. *Great service. Water refilled almost obsessively. Waiters/waitresses were attentive but not too intrusive (I hate when they check back 5 times in the course of one meal just to ask how the food is...like...is my food going to taste different now than it tasted 10 minutes ago? Because it doesn't.) *DELICIOUS FOOD. Well...I can't vouch for everything because I got garlic naan (big enough to wrap a small baby inside and perfectly fluffy and delicious out of the oven...or whatever it is in which naan is made) and mango curry with lamb the first time I came here and have gotten the same fantastically delicious scrumpdiddlyumpcious thing every. single. time. since. MMMM. I've tasted the meals of my eating companions but they don't ever really compare to my mango curry. Although, to be fair. I have a crazy sweet tooth and for a savory dish, the mango curry is pretty darn sweet so the sweetness probably drowns out other flavors. *More free food. After our dinner, the waiter asked us if we wanted dessert. In my gluttonous mind, I was like "OF COURSE!" but outwardly, my boyfriend and I hesitantly said that we were super full and just asked for the check. The check came....with free rice pudding! Nom nom nom. That's all I have to say about that.
(5)Edwin W.
When I think of the many superlatives to describe this place, the first one I think of is the service. The staff is very attentive, and the owner in particular comes out frequently to ensure the customers are satisfied. More often then not, I get an appetizer or dessert on the house which I really appreciate. One visit sticks in my head when the owner personally brought me some extra rice in a to-go box for my leftovers. Also, a nice perk is they seem to go even further with service to impress a date (if it looks like you're on one). As for the food, it doesn't take a backseat to the service. A nice variety of dishes, that is appropriately spiced as indicated. My favorites are the tikka masala and the vindaloo. I'm told the mango curry is really good too, although I haven't had it to do an allergy. Very rich (more so than is traditional), but good pungent flavors nonetheless. One final note. I give this place 5 stars even after one of my first visits to this place was on one of my birthdays where the staff casually induced us to leave at the closing time by opening all the windows letting cold air in.
(5)Nicola G.
Crap. I feel like I cheated on my boyfriend. You see, my boyfriend and I have been favoring a particular Indian restaurant in Lynnwood for some time now and never found a restaurant that particularly measured up. We've built a rapport with the staff of this Lynnwood restaurant and we've fallen in love with the food. But then, last night, we fell in love with a new restaurant. Holy moly Taste of India was amazing! I went in there ready to nit-pick it. Ready to tell the folks why it wasn't as good as my favorite little Indian restaurant. I was sure I wouldn't like it. But I had one sip of delicious chai brought to us with lightening speed, and then one bite of veggie pakora, compliments of that night, and then savored my butter chicken like none other on this planet and I knew I would have the heart-breaking experience of breaking up with my old favorite. Sure, delicious Lynnwood Indian restaurant and I can be friends, but my true love will be Taste of India. Oh bother. See my old love, tasty Lynnwood Indian restaurant was attentive to my water and rice needs but Taste of India filled my chai cup up before I could even finish it. My boyfriend and I were waited on hand and foot in Taste of India's amazingly well-oiled machine of a restaurant. We never waited one second too long for anything. The service was impeccable. I would have to say, the only criticism I have is that they can be over-attentive. With so many staff members trying to keep busy and make sure customer's are happy, it can be ever so slightly annoying being asked if everything's okay every five-mins. Tone that down just a hair Taste of India. I'm not sure I can handle that much attention. We ended our dinner with complimentary baklava that was baked perfection. We would have loved that place despite the free food but the extra special attention was really sweet.
(5)Todd F.
Great place, we order take out at least once a week.
(5)Jackie F.
Taste of India is tasty! The service is outstanding and the food is great.
(4)Ron M.
This place reminds me of the many Indian restaurants I enjoyed eating at when I was in England. The food here is so flavorful that it's hard not to eat fast. I love their garlic naan which my friend described as pillowy (I know it's not a word, but aptly describes it). The coconut curry is a dish I definitely would order again as well as the jalfrazie. Thanks to Jonathan M. in regards to the tipping situation. I will definitely keep that in mind!
(5)yin y.
Five stars by default since I don't know anything about Indian cuisine. How can a yelper complain about a place being over staffing? o_O In this so call economic recession, this place is amazing in being attentive to your every need, fast service and yes being overly staff even on a busy Saturday night. I've been here twice and both with great experience. Although the second visit, I didn't know how to order and picked a random item on the menu. The result is still yummy. I am still learning the terminology.. like I learned for sushi. Customer service wise, this place is awesome.
(5)Amanda L.
Order the Spinach and Paneer Naan. It's like a meal by itself. Taste of India has some of the best naan. The Kashmiri naan is a bit weird; kinda like eating a poptart, but other than that you can't go wrong. Every time I've been here, I've gotten something free. Chai tea while you wait, appetizers or soup and sometimes dessert. They even gave me baklava when I got takeout. Compared to their nearby competition, they have larger portions, but also higher prices. They tend to have a wait during busy times. The first time I went the service was mediocre, but when I came back for lunch, they were very attentive. For the rest of the food, the lamb kebab is quite tasty as are most of the other dishes that I've tried, although they are comparable to dishes from other Indian restaurants. My biggest complaint is that on my first visit I ordered the Korma a 3 out of 5 and it was completely bland. Their idea of fixing it was to bring us chili powder to the table to add to the dish, which greatly improved the dish, however, it was obvious that they had completely forgotten that component. The next time I went back and asked for spicy with this experience in mind and the dish was almost too hot to eat. Good thing biriyani comes with raita.
(4)Rachael H.
Tika Masala--great. Love the free dessert... This place is great! Oh, and then there is the never-ending cup of chai--really great experience every time.
(5)Jayesh S.
Place had a nice feel to it (well insulated too: good to get out of the rain here). The waiting wasn't bad even on a crowded friday night (the free chai was nice too!) Nice host (an Indian guy) - was very friendly and energetic. Free appetizer (potato pakora) was great too. Being vegetarians, we just ordered mild channa masala; This comes with basmati rice, and though the channa masala was exactly the way we wanted it, the rice had a little too much ghee. We also ordered tandori roti to go with the channa - tasted good, but again a tad oily. Taking off one stars for the extra ghee/oil in the food. Otherwise very pleasant and satisfying.
(4)Cathy G.
WOW How did I forget to review this restaurant?? I always enjoy coming here. Parking is easy if you don't mind walking a bit . The wait is long if you come at a busy time.. it is a popular place! I go early or for lunch. I like most vegetable dishes. I also usually have chicken marsala. The sweet drinks.. never are for me, so I know that lesson and have chai when I am being wild or water!
(5)Jason T.
I must've unknowingly worn the "Sex Panther by Odeon" fragrance (Anchorman, anyone?) when I walked into this joint with my "entourage", because I've never gotten so much free stuff (without selling my body). It started with an appetizer (delicious deep fried vegetable something-something), then a refreshing mango lemonade, and a sweet finish (pun intended) of indian tapioca (I think?) yogurt and baklava. I was expecting the manager to ask us for our autographs, but alas, he knew better. Of course, the food itself was de-lish. My money dish is the spinach naan, but I've tried all sorts of other dishes and love it. The owners used to run the legendary Cedars (ironically a few blocks away) too until a few months ago. I know where my loyalties lie. Service is on top of it, perhaps a little too overzealous with the water-pouring... guess they want to make sure you're properly hydrated in case your order is above your spice comfort level.
(5)Mastiff B.
I haven't been to all that many Indian places (because we have Shalimar in the south bay and Vik's in Berkeley, do I really need to go anywhere else? :) but this is one of the better ones. First let me say...on the pricey side! Curry entrees were around 13-14 and I'm more used to paying around 6-7. So that kind of surprised me. Ok, getting past that...the food was good! Me and a friend ordered: lamb biriyani, chicken tikka masala, aloo ghobi, garlic naan, and some fried appetizer thingy (not samosa). Here's one thing I liked, on every dish (minus the appetizer) you can choose the spicy level. I must not have been paying too close attention because my friend later told me I ordered the biriyani "ultra" hot. I remember ordering the tikka masala extra hot, and the aloo ghobi medium hot, just to get a feel for their scale. I do like things very spicy. The biriyani was quite hot and I applaud them for that! From the first bite you could really feel the burn, but it doesn't detract from the flavor at all, which is really nice. The tikka is on the creamy side, so if you like that style you will definitely like it here. And the aloo ghobi...well it's hard to go wrong there really. Garlic naan was superb, temperature wise and perfect mix of fluffy+crispy. But the two curry dishes were not spicy at all. Oh well, still good. Here's the other thing...the portions are pretty big, so this was clearly too much food. We left finishing only around half of the food and were uncomfortably full. You can split this with another 1 or 2 people easily and cut the cost down by a lot. So although it is on the pricier side, my friend ended up with another meal or two so really it doesn't turn out to be that bad. But I really do suggest going with more people and trying a variety of things. Service is exceptionally friendly! Anyway, there is good Indian food in Seattle and Taste of India is one of them!
(4)Slampig B.
This was the greatest indian food that I have ever had. The service was amazing and the nan was huge! So happy we stopped in.
(5)Anora K.
WOW! This is some of the best service I've had in the city! They are so attentive, i felt like every time i looked down my water glass was full! You can get free refills on your chai, and the food is great! I wouldn't be afraid to go too spicy, i got a 2 and I didn't taste much spice at all. They often give free dessert to us when we go. :)
(4)Phil S.
For me this is Indian food at its finest, one of the very best in Seattle. Taste of India has a couple sister restaurants, one is Cedars which has the exact same menu and tastes pretty much exactly the same. I have gotten a few different dishes here, my favorite is chicken tikka marsala. We always get a couple naans... their spinach and paneer is my favorite, with garlic being a close second. About 60% of the time they are nice enough to throw in a free dessert for the table, but that varies. I love this place though... I could eat there every day.
(5)Blake D.
One of the better Indian restaurants in the city now that Cedars has change ownership. I'm a big fan of the bottom-less chai tea, paneer tiki masala, combination platter (hummus, eggplant, and falafel), as well as the kheer for dessert. Definitely a great representation of Northern Indian food!
(4)Mikiko T.
Don't get me wrong, the food was really good. The naan was one the best I have ever had!! But the service - DUDE! Can it be any worse? The servers seemed to be polite but they do screw up on orders a lot. I mean a LOT. And they seem to be used to "comp" the food they screwed up on. We got a wrong appertizer and had to wait extra for the right appertizer to come. We ordered a regular Taste of India sampler appertizer (with meat), a vegetarian one came by mistake. I was fine with that because I am a peskatarian so I wouldn't have eaten the non-vegetarian one anyway. BUT it scares me to think if non-vegetarian was served to us after ordering vegetarian plate! I would be upset if bite into a meat sampler. Ack! (I am sure all the vegetarians would feel the same!!) And right after that, everybody else got food, where was mine?? Finally about 5min after everyone else started eating, a server came and asked what I was waiting for. I told him what I ordered, and he said he would grab it. And another 10min passed, then another guy came, he asked the SAME exact question I answered 10min ago! "Miss, are you waiting on something? What did you order?" I was like "what the hell!?" Then another 5-10min for my food to come :-( By the time I got my food, everyone else was almost finished eating. They comped the food again but I was like... meh!
(3)Lisa D.
This is my favorite Indian food in Seattle! If you go on a weekend it's almost always crowded, with people spilling out into the street, so be prepared for a wait. They don't take reservations, but it is a good idea to call ahead and warn them if you have a group of 6 or more. We've gone here so much that the staff know us by name now! I especially like the chai (all you can drink), naan bread, and the tikka dishes. Most of the curries are great too, the only thing I have had here that I did not like was the lentil curry. Parking tends to be a huge pain during the busiest times. They don't do delivery, but you can call in an order for pickup. Prices are pretty reasonable ($8-9 for a curry with chicken).
(5)Ellen M.
I have been eating here for years and I love the food! The spinach or pesto naan is pitch perfect with excellent dipping sauce, the mango lassi is wonderful; tangy and sweet. The tikki masala is my consistent favorite while the coconut curry or the dal maharani are good back ups. The service is the only thing that keeps them from getting a 5 star rating for me-if you want your water glass filled every 30 seconds this is the place to go-I find it really invasive and usually get take out to avoid the seemingly endless stream of attention from the staff. I would prefer some time to enjoy my meal and converse with my companion.
(4)Teresa B.
We've been here many times and have never been disappointed. They epitomize the meaning of hospitality. We were given a delicately fried potato slice to eat while waiting. I had the butter something (I can never remember) with Nan Florentine, very good. I gave 5 stars even though our first waiter had an attitude and was rude to another server. We actually ended up having 4 or 5 people waiting on us and they more than made up for the rude guy. They always keep drinks full and are very attentive. Even though Spencer and I ordered dessert to share they still brought us a piece of chocolate cheesecake. We love going there.
(5)Ryan V.
The only thing wrong with Taste of India is that it's too small! It's always packed, but with very good reason: they serve some of the best Indian food in the area. The staff is pretty friendly and they offer hot chai to people in the "waiting" area (which is really just a small, crowded hallway). The menu is a little inaccessible and I wish they had more rice dishes instead of so many curries. But once you get your food, none of that matters. It's delicious. Oddly, they also have a very large bottled beer selection.
(4)Jim D.
The best indian food! These people used to own Ceders in the U-District on 50th. I'm not sure why they dont any more, but the new owners and new cooks dont quite get the menu right at Ceders. Taste of India is the shiz... My wife loves the butter chicken, I usually go for the lamb mango curry with lots of spice. Don't miss the nan.
(5)D.J. Y.
Naan, oh glorious naan!! 4 stars for that alone! Tandori and Naan must be baked/cooked in the traditional clay oven, and thankfully TOI has one, the naan is second to none. The service is top notch, and the food is flavorful, rich paneer and curry flavors abound. I like the fact they will adjust the heat rating for your selections, I like inferno, while my delicate flower of a best friend and wife likes it a bit on the mild side. (I'm still training her to kick-it up a notch!) We've haven't tried the lunch buffet and have only visited during dinner, parking in the U-district in general sucks the big one, but they do offer a fair sized parking lot that you kind find a spot IF you get there early! I'm still trying to figure out why the U-district has about 12 East Indian restaurants, about 4 or 5 of which are located within a half mile of each other, that's good for us because we get to try different restaurants and the prices at each of them have to be competitive with each other. I haven't had the "bottomless" Chai, I guess I'll have to do that next time. Very nice size portions and very filling.
(4)Momiko S.
Complimentary Appetizer - Potatoe like - its alright Tandori Chicken - Tender but not so much Tandorri but the NAAN and the GARLIC NAAN - SUPER YUM! CHAI is ok... but its all you can drink! Lamb Curry - Ordered medium spicy.. came out mild and salty. Service is great and very friendly. Parking is bad. Private lot and street is limited. Will go back and try something else some day...
(3)Yuliana A.
I'm giving this place 5 stars because I've tried only a handful of Indian restaurants in Seattle and this one is the best of the bunch. When I eat here, I always order garlic naan, butter chicken, and beef with cream of spinach (I forgot the name). They make mean garlic naan and butter chicken! The beef was great too, but the highlights are the naan and the butter chicken (you have to eat the butter chicken with the naan btw). The combination of the two is just yummmmm!!! (I can't even find the right adjectives). Another nice things about this place is the owner - he always ALWAYS give us vegetable pakora and chai while waiting (have to admit, the delicious chai lures me in). After the meal, we always get free dessert too (baklava, nugget, rice pudding, mango ice cream, mango cheesecake - somehow I've tried all their complementary desserts).
(5)Shelby H.
Indian food in general can be sort of a hit or miss in the Seattle area, but Taste of India is for sure a hit! Been to this restaurant several times and each time they have exceeded my expectations. Took a friend here recently who has has not had the best experience with Indian food in the past and was a bit skeptical about it. We ordered their garlic naan and mango lamb curry which were both delicious. Then they also comped us a free appetizer plate and dessert. Apparently this is common practice to randomly give customers free tid bits here and there. My friend is now an advocate of Indian food and I'm sure we will both be back :)
(5)Lilly T.
I feel like everyone is going to hate me after this review because everyone is raving about this place, so don't get too angry with me! I didn't really enjoy my dining experience here. I came here for dinner on a Friday with my auntie, her man, and my boyfriend. It was easy to find street parking and we were greeted with the nicest hostess ever. Food was mediocre and for 4 people, it came to about $65 not including tip. I feel like that is ALOT for Indian food that didn't really stand out nor was it oustanding in flavor. As for service, well, it was almost too good to the point where we were annoyed. I am speaking honestly here when I say that 1 out of 2 times we took a sip out of our water, someone would come over instantly to refill it. Isn't that just wasting water? I appreciate their effort to serve their customers well though, but I think they can just take it down a notch. If you order naan, get the plain naan. The garlic one was really greasy.
(2)Mike T.
Best Indian food in the U-District. My girlfriend and I went there and there was a long line to be seated but, while you're waiting, they pass around chai tea and appetizers. They gave us spinach and cheese samosas which were EPIC! After seating us, the overall atmosphere of the restaurant was very elegant, yet relaxed. The food is spicy and the meat is really tender. What I like the best was that however busy they were, they never rushed us out to leave. They kept refilling the chai and we even got a mango cheesecake on the house - this place is awesome!
(5)Kendrick R.
I was impressed with their service. The food is good enough. I came in with the restaurant packed. They make sure they give samples and drinks while you wait for a table. I generally pay attention on how the restaurant is run, from bus stations to tables being waited and the state of the food. I have to say I was pretty impressed. As a whole, as of yet, I haven't been disappointed in the 15 years coming here.
(5)John M.
Better than average Indian, but not the best in town. Still the bottomless chai is always welcome even if it has me staying up to all hours of the night. The pace of the meal is very much go/go. Certainly not leisurely, but then again for the price they have to turn the tables pretty quick. I like it.
(4)michelle b.
One of the best Indian Restaurants I 've been to. Not only is the service Awesome! The manager stopped by and personally welcomed us, and provided our table with a free dessert as a first timer. Great food, wonderful spices, and awesome service. I wish there was one in downtown Seattle or Bellevue. Fingers crossed!
(5)Quynh-An P.
This is probably my favorite place to get Indian food in Seattle. It's usually pretty crowded, so there's often a wait...but I think it's worth it. I came here after a pole dancing class with a girlfriend, and we brought along the boyfriend. We sat down and were quickly served with complimentary appetizer of pakoras. YUM!!! We opted to go family style and got garlic naan, channa masala with potatoes (I think this is my favorite Indian dish, it's chickpeas, potatoes in a tomato based sauce), vegetarian samosas, aloo gobi (sauteed potatoes and cauliflower), and vegetable coconut curry. So I may totally be crazy here, but my favorite part of eating here is the tamarind sauce. They seriously make the best tamarind sauce ever! It's made there (I know this because I once asked where they bought it and they told me it was house made, so I then proceeded to ask if I could buy a container of it to bring home to eat. They obliged by giving me a huge container filled with it). They have a cilantro chutney that is good, but honestly the tamarind is so good I just ignore the cilantro. The boyfriend eats that one, since I don't share the tamarind chutney with him. :P The food was fantastic and my tummy feels amazingly full and happy right. After we were done eating, they brought out a complimentary cheesecake. Are you kidding me? TWO complimentary dishes?!?! AWESOME! The cheesecake was so light and fluffy, not dense like other cheesecakes I've had in the past. The three of us shared the cheesecake and left no bite remaining. Best part of the meal? We had enough food for all of us to have lunch the next day, and when I asked if it was possible to pack up the remaining tamarind sauce (I told you, I'm a whore for this stuff), the waitress was ever so kind to bring me a small container with extra tamarind sauce for the road on top of the sauce at the table. SWEET!
(4)Jason L.
Unlimited Chai, complimentary dessert. How can you go wrong? I like to eat lunch here because I love their (pre-sweetened) Chai and they give free refills. As a result of drinking on average four cups of Chai, I have a hard time going to sleep at night. I've favored Taste of India to Cedar's since Cedar's changed ownership and the service deteriorated. The food is (or at least used to be) pretty much the same. This is the only place I know of that make the spinach naan. It's actually big enough to be a (vegetarian) meal in itself when I'm not hungry. Also, I don't know what the formula is, but I have gotten complimentary dessert sample here more often than not.
(4)Lily S.
Despite the fact that I had made a reservation for 12 people earlier in the week and we still had to wait 15 mins for a table, I dig this place. DIG IT. My favourite dish is the vegetable kofta - in essence, veggie balls in spicy sauce! I know, it sounds hideous, but it's so so good. Highly recommended if you're looking for a restaurant that does Indian cuisine right. PS - If you don't drink caffeine, stay away from the chai. You'll be jittery the rest of your meal. :)
(5)Liz M.
This is great Indian food. It was a meal I could not believe I was experiencing, it what I would call immigrate authentic, that is, it is authentic, at least as close as you can probably get and still be economically viable in USA. Tasty, different, and not expensive, what more? feeding frenzy? Ya, it is, I had to be rolled out to my car like a bloated pig. This is not Haute Gastronomic, it is just good food.
(5)Aaron E.
First impression: WOW! I'm a freaking giant! The restaurant seems to be built on a smaller scale because the whole time I was there I was positive I'd knock my head on the ceiling. Second impression: WOW! There are a lot of people here! Hostess: It will be about 15-20 minute long wait. Us: That's cooooooool Hostess: (30 seconds later) Okay, your table is ready... (other people who were waiting not so happy) Two of us decided to go for a glass of wine. We weren't sure of what we wanted, so our server let us sample all of them. WOW!! Kind of rare it seems. We ended up being quite pleased with the... it's on the tip of my tongue... grrrrr... curses. We liked what we had. It was a white. In addition to our wine we had water. Yes, lots of water. It turned into a game for us, and the rules were we needed to finish our glass of water before it was refilled. None of us won. Dang. They're prompt with filling the water glasses. Seeing as I had literally eaten 30 minutes before coming here I decided to stick with a "small" starter so I ordered some Tandoori Chicken Wings and nibbled on some naan. The wings were divine and came in a very nicely sized portion! I rarely eat them, but when I do I expect them to be delicious, and these ones didn't disappoint. They were tender, the perfect amount of spicy and a tiny bit sour. The naan was also perfection. Nice and puffy and slightly crispy. Perfect to soak up all of the delicious curry others at my table ordered. I'm no expert on Indian food but I found the dishes my friends had to be remarkable. Very smooth and thick without being ridiculously heavy. The bill was quite reasonable and they brought a dessert thingy for us to share. Shoot. What's it called? That pastry thing. Anyways, it was a nice little bonus.
(4)Jennifer M.
In case you were wondering why the food at Cedars on Brooklyn tastes a little different than you remember, and the prices are slightly higher than you recall, it is because the REAL masterminds behind Cedars have packed up shop and consolidated at the Taste of India. Here you will find all of the hallmarks of typical Old-Cedars service; the water and chai tea servers darting in and out of the melee to fill your drinks every 45 seconds (i have never gone and had my drinks refilled less than ten times - i count), delicious naan, occasional complementary appetizers and desserts (though i still haven't figured out the rhyme or reason behind how they decide to bestow these). The longer trek out to 55th and Roosevelt from the heart of the U-Dist also means that you no longer have to clobber or maim QUITE as many people that are ahead of you on the seating waitlist to get your fix. Only factor that snatches the elusive 5-star rating away: your servers don't get the tips you leave...
(4)Tommy S.
I've been here many times, and each time has had delicious food and excellent service. I can't think of many other restaurants that has such attentive staff. When I go here, I always order a Chai Tea (that they keep refilling), Mango Curry and Garlic Nan. Sometimes it might seem a bit cramped, and you're close to the other tables, but it doesn't bother me. Will go here many more times!
(5)Matt N.
Had a great meal here tonight. Service was fantastic. Portions are huge and the food itself was very good. Veggie samosa appetizer was good but not the best I've had. Garlic naan portion was tasty, huge, and inexpensive. The veggie entrees were pretty much perfect. We left feeling satisfied and with plenty of leftovers to enjoy the next day. I'll be coming back for sure!
(5)Jasmine W.
This place has really great service. I highly recommend getting a side of the garlic naan. Also, if you want a drink order, get the chai... Psst, it's BOTTOMLESS. And, the round out your evening, the owner (who is awesome) may comp you some dessert! Love it.
(4)Kema N.
Great service. Enjoyed the tikka masala & complimentary dessert! :-)
(4)Darren T.
My family loves this place. We often bring our out-of-town guests here at least once during their visits. The chai is great. The naan is an essential part of our meals here, it is large and fluffy (great for dipping in curry dishes). We like the garlic and spinach styles and the plain is good as well. We recently tried an almond cherry naan that was yummy, but it was sweet so I would have to recommend having it as a dessert. My wife loves the Chicken Tikka Masala and I often get the Vegetable Kofta. We have tried several other entrees on the menu and they were very fulfilling as well. I often hear of people complaining about the intense customer service that is provided. We choose to not let it bother us and we try to see how low we can get our beverages before they are refilled (it's turned into a game for us). We have twin babies and they have been great at helping us seat them since day one and we really appreciate that. I do agree with other reviewers that having your table wiped clean while you are still there is annoying, but I go there for the food and it's awesome.
(5)Kate W.
Not like this place needs another 4-star review, but I thought I'd add mine to ensure Taste of India gets an even bigger 4-star buffer. This is the best Indian restaurant I've been to in Seattle (ie, I'm not counting the Eastside). Delicious food (I've enjoyed the garlic naan, samosas, vindaloo, butter chicken, tikka masala, and more there) and excellent service. We had to wait for maybe 5 minutes before getting a table, but the wait was improved by a free cup of delicious chai. They have a great beer selection - my only wish is that they had a beer list (I understand they'd have to update it frequently, though). Sure, you can go look at everything in the coolers, but when we were there, it was so busy that people were packed in front of the coolers. The servers are definitely willing to help you pick a beer if you tell them what you like. Also, not sure why this is, but they have a bunch of Mediterranean-type dishes on the menu (ie, baba ganoush, falafel, etc). So if you have an Indian food craving, but you're with someone who hates Indian food (um, but why would you be?), Taste of India might be an acceptable option.
(4)Shelly K.
The Sardarji who is the cook back in the kitchen does not wear a hair net..they have no sense of hygene in at this place - its always busy cause of the free apps etc, but nobody realizes that its probably because they want their other behavior (not wearing hairnets and practicing proper hygene) to be overseen. If you like hair in your food, and we are talking wirey hair, go for it..same goes for its sister partner Saffron Grill - also has hair in its food consistently. god hair in tikka paneer in both places.. Seriously, if you are going to run a business, please have your cooks wear hair nets.. My cousins drag me here at times because they like it, but honestly, I feel like throwing up everytime I get forced here..sorry, just sayin'
(1)Jeremy C.
I've eaten here twice. I ate here about 10 months ago with my Uncle while he was in town for Thanksgiving, and I ate here about two weeks ago with a friend from Cleveland, who suddenly showed up in Seattle and needed someone to show him around. During both occasions, everyone eating this food left the restaurant feeling ecstatic. The menu is a bit intimidating because it is so big; it's so vast that it is difficult to find something that exactly appeals to your tastes. During my latest visit, it took me a good ten or fifteen minutes to settle on an option. No matter. I was enjoying my beer and mulling over the options with my friend. I settled for the Royal Biryani and decided to have it served with lamb. If you are paying over ten dollars for a meal, I figure it is worth an extra dollar or two to get some lamb in lieu of the vegetarian or chicken options. This dish was good because it had a healthy dose of meat, veggies and dairy. The rice was colored with saffron and curry. It was doused with cashews, and sprinkled with cloves and a bay leaf. Finally, it was served with raita on the side--raita being a cucumber yogurt dish somewhat similar to tzatziki sauce. It comes with the meal, so you don't have to order it separately. And, if you request your meal cooked extra spicy, this yogurt sauce will help neutralize the spiciness in your mouth. In addition to the myriads of Indian food options this restaurant carries, it also provides a healthy selection of Mediterranean food choices. My friend ordered a plate of gyro meat, which he greatly enjoyed. After the meal, I ordered a Halvah or Halawah--depending on which language you speak--which is a crushed sesame seed paste formed into a honey flavored candy bar. I love them, though I understand they are sort of an acquired taste. I grew up near a Jewish area of Cleveland inundated with Jewish bakeries, delis and shawarma restaurants, so I love all of these Mediterranean delicacies. Finally, our server brought us out a complimentary Baklava on the house. It was just pulled out of the oven and tasting as fresh as it could ever be. I love baklava, but there is a difference between fresh baklava and two week old baklava sitting in a freezer and thawed out that afternoon. Many places use this latter method, which undoubtedly weakens the flavor; Taste of India, thankfully, does not.
(5)Gretchen J.
Meh had better :(
(2)N M.
This review only applies to Muslim customers since the owner previously stated his menu was Halal. We just went to this restaurant May 22, 2011 and we saw the owner walking around serving wine himself to the customers. The tables had signs saying "Now serving Beer & Wine". Their website also says "Now serving Beer & Wine". We are so dissapointed since we even went out of our way to tell him how much we appreciated that he had stopped serving alcohol and only served halal at one point. But now he has gone back to his old ways and he cannot be trusted. They just lost another loyal customer. I doubt very much they even have a halal menu since they are obviously catering mainly to non-Muslims and don't have the "halal" sign up anywhere on their website.
(1)Deseree K.
I love this place. We have been there several times and have never had a bad experience. The staff is like a well oiled machine...seriously my husband and I were in there last weekend and they filled his water 8 different times (we actually counted this time). We're talking 1 inch down and he got a water refill. Aside from that they are also very quick and take good care of you. I've heard that they don't get their tips and that is really a shame, makes me think twice before leaving one. In regards to the food, I am a sucker for the butter chicken and the madras chili masala with chicken. The garlic nan is also yummy. Every once in a while they bring dessert "on the house" and they are usually good, albeit a little interesting at times. One thing though, take a look at the beer case BEFORE you sit down, there isn't a beer list on the menu, making it a little awkward when you ask for a hefe and the server has to bring you out 3 different kinds to choose from. Also, watch your step, the floor is a little uneven, a few times I found myself almost falling into the person seating us. All in all its a great place to go and we will be back.
(4)Justin B.
Solid choice for Indian food. Better than Cedar's nearby
(4)Colin M.
I had 14 or so people over to watch Kuch Kuch Hota Hai this afternoon and, having had good in-restaurant dining experiences at Taste of India in the past, decided to give them a shot for a large-ish to go order. I called up and they let me know that I could order off the menu or they could put together a small menu for 12 and just charge by the person. I chose 4 dishes (Butter Chicken, Mango Curry Chicken, Palak Paneer & Lamb Rogan Josh) and some naan with chutneys and got a call back with a *very* good price. Picked up the food this morning, and there was enough to feed probably ~30 people. On top of that, it was delicious. I managed to coerce several of my friends into taking some leftovers home and I'll be happily enjoying the remainder for several days. So, yeah, if you're hosting dinner for several people, Taste of India's a great choice - tasty food and incredible value.
(5)Katie A.
Indian food doesn't love me, but fortunately for Indian food, I love it! Now, I don't go out to many Indian restaurants simply because there's something in the food that does not usually agree with the KTrain. It's not the spici-ness factor that gets me.. it's some sort of something (a spice, maybe) in the food that my stomach simply cannot comprehend. That being said, when I want to be really naughty and send my stomach into a tainspin, there's a few places around town I like to go to. Taste of India is one of them. Their Tandoori Chicken is outstanding, as is their Baigan Bhartha, which is what i normally get. It's grilled eggplant, mashed and seasoned and paired with sautéed onions, green peas, and tomatoes. It's very good and there's always a plethora of delicious naan for serious scoopage. The service is great and the ambiance is pretty good too. The weird slope in the floor always throws me for a loop, but I guess it keeps things interesting, right? I hear the rice pudding is fantastic.. I'll be indulging in this the next time I go.
(4)Amy M.
We live near Taste of India and LOVE eating here. It is probably the best Indian food I have had in Seattle. My husband and I often order different curries and we love the variety of nan to choose from. The staff is terrific. There often is a wait and they bring chai and little appetizers to people while waiting which is just a nice touch.
(5)Teena N.
My sister and I stumbled across this place as we were on a hunt for another restaurant that seemed impossible to find. After circling the block three times we said screw it, lets go to the place with all the lights and a million cars outside. I have to admit the place was so lit up, It was almost gaudy. Let me just say, that if you want good service and need some attention, this is the place to be. Staff work as a team to ensure you are completely happy and that your drink is completely full at all times. The food was very good! I cant give it the title "The Best Indian Food Ive Ever Had", but it was very good and the portions are generous! Definitely worth a try, and I will be returning!
(4)Tassa T.
I live on 56th street, and Taste of India is a celebrated part of our little neighborhood. The food is the best I've had since I last had Indian overseas - in particular their naan and mango curry is to die for - and they almost always give our table a complimentary dessert. The table service is nearly borderline obsessive as well - I have yet to finish a single glass of water because they top them off so fast. In addition, ToI was our lifeline during the epic snowstorm this past winter. Their staff somehow braved the inclement weather enough to open, at a time when the ice was inches thick down the pavement, and so none of us starved XD
(5)Todd O.
I love Taste of India! It's the best Indian food I've found outside of India itself, or at the homes of Indian friends. Would've given 5 stars but they stopped serving alcohol. The food is still the best I've had, but it's just not quite the same without a big Kingfisher to wash it down.
(4)Mary S.
I've been here twice, and both times I was certainly satisfied. I would definitely go back. It's not the best Indian I've ever had, but not horrible in the least. Somethings are a bit too dry and I didn't like their dessert at all. The naan is ok, but a bit too large for my liking. It's really a hit or miss.The service isn't the best, but again, it's not horrible. I love the enviornment, feels very homey. Went in the summer once, the doors were all open, it was hot, but, being from Texas, it felt like home.
(3)Chris T.
Hands down the best Indian food in the general Seattle area. Highly recommend the chicken vindaloo ordered at extra extra spicy - you're in for a treat. If you're feeling ambitious, order the spinach naan; it's like a pizza sized calzone filled with creamy spinachy goodness. I-told-you-so: Watch out for floor. The ground's uneven, and there's no caution signs or yellow tape. Just a black carpet to make things look smooth and even (it's not, and you WILL stub your toe).
(5)Cassie S.
So, so, so good. We came in on a busy night and still got great service and incredible food, all in a groovy little hole-in-the-wall place that felt like I was eating in someone's living room. I got the butter masala with lamb, my favorite dish but one I've been disappointed by on occasion. Making a really good butter masala is a little bit of a dicey proposition, but Taste of India nailed it. And the sweet, delicious chai brought my circulation back after a long day of walking to the U District. Even though I was stuffed tighter than a turducken after devouring my saffron rice and lamb, I managed to find room for the complimentary baklava that arrived with the check. I am typically skeptical of baklava- not a fan of sweets. And for someone who is not a fan of sweets, getting baklava is like someone who is not a fan of disco getting the gold boxed ABBA set for Christmas. But it was subtle, more nutty than cloying, and crisp rather than greasy. Awesome. I would weigh 300 pounds if I lived near here.
(5)Tiffany W.
Visiting a friend in Seattle and she took me here for dinner- it was amazing! Some of the best Indian food I have had in a long time! Garlic naan was extra awesome.
(4)Kelly B.
The food was delicious and the service was great... a little too great. I'll explain: It wasn't very crowded the night we went in and I could guess by the number of waiters, sub-waiters, water girls, and bussers that they were probably expecting a full house. At any rate, there were WAY too many service people on the floor. Sounds like a silly thing to complain about and it wouldn't have bothered me except there was literally someone there to refill my water glass as soon as it went down by an inch. Someone approached the table every 3 min on average. At the end of the meal we were asked 3 times if we needed a plastic bag for our left overs. It was intrusive and difficult to have a conversation with people reaching over us all the time. Other than that, the food was really good so I'll concede my annoyance and give it a 3. I'll consider going back if it IS crowded.
(3)M C.
Huge fan of both Cedars and Taste of India, and it doesn't hurt both of them are at the U-district (one of my favorite cheap dining location besides id). Service = always great! Ambiance = a bit tight, maybe even a bit overwhelming Food = Pretty much anything over rice is gonna get a 4 star, you gotta really mess it up for me to give you 3, but seriously all dishes are good, consistent Price = $$ Favorite = i like the hustle and bustle Worst = watch out for the slanted tables, sliding food could end up with a mess Meal for two = 35 Final Say = Top 5 India
(4)Erin A.
Amazing! I would eat here every single day if I could afford to. Everything from the appetizers to the naan is delicious. The homemade chai is incredible too. I would have to agree with some of the others, this is hands down THE BEST Indian food in Seattle. I wish you had a 6th star to give, it's that goooooooood.
(5)Alan F.
Taste of India earns their stars for: * A heaping platter of too-hot stuffed Spinach Nan. * Endless refilled chai in cups which are never empty (it may have also been the reason for the woozy feeling). * Entree satisfying enough that I thought I could retire from eating for at least a week. * Warm, gooey complimentary baklava which changed my mind after the preceding conclusion.
(4)Sean B.
THE BEST INDIAN IN WASHINGTON STATE! The old owners of Cedars on Brooklyn present to you- Taste Of India! EVERYTHING HERE JUST KICKS ASS! Just be ready to putup with annoying parking and sometimes a long wait and/or cramped eating. But hey, it's well worth the price! Like Nike, JUST DO IT!
(5)Rachel S.
The line out the door speaks for itself: this place is great. But don't let that line fool you, because waiting here is an experience in itself. The restaurant brings out hot chai (and sometimes, on really busy nights, appetizers) for waiting customers. Sometimes I go there intending to wait in line just to get a free cup. Or two. The food is excellent, and my girlfriend and I love our standard order so much that we hesitate to change it: chicken tikka masala and muttar paneer. The atmosphere is cozy but can get loud. However, the staff is amazing attentive, and I don't think I've experienced better service anywhere else.
(5)Aayo Gorkhali K.
The best butter chicken i ever had. The chicken was really fresh and tender. chicken had some smokey flavor and tasted really good with the sauce. Environment was very pleasant, nice and clean with some outdoor seating. Service was really fast. They have lot of staffs walking around all the time making sure everybody is doing well on all the tables. Very satisfied. will definitely be back soon.
(5)Melissa J.
The beer selection and dessert bumped it from 4 to 5 stars. Best beer selection I've ever seen in an Indian place, and better than many bars. Over 100 beers, including some incredible IPAs: Stone, Bridgeport, Lagunitas. Full Sail Amber, Anchor Steam, the Red Hook Line...good stuff. All bottles, no taps. You have to go to the counter if you're not sure what you want--there isn't a list. We lived in the U-District for three years, yet somehow managed to never go to Taste of India. I regret not taking advantage of it when it was walking distance. The layout is...odd. It looks/feels like they filled in at least one porch, maybe two. The floors aren't quite level and there are some strange angles and doors. It's not unpleasant, just sort of...odd. The food is very good. Nice selection of vegetarian-specific fare, plus a choice of veggies, chicken, lamb, fish, or beef on the rest of the menu. I had the Tikka Masala, Shane the butter chicken. They looked and tasted almost exactly the same. Same price, so no problem--but I'm used to a milder butter chicken and a Tikka Masala with more kick. Free baklava was an unexpected bonus--and it was GOOD! Not too sticky, not too sweet, very nutty.
(5)Mario S.
You know how, after a while, all Indian food kind of starts to taste the same because you settle into your same 3-4 restaurants that match your pallet? And every once-in-a-while you end up at a new place and it's like, "wow, they have all my favorite stuff from all my favorite restaurants done exactly the way I want it so I'm going to go to Yelp and write a five-star review"? Well, this is one of those places. Best Indian food I've had in Seattle.
(5)S K.
I don't even want to know what they put in that Chicken Tikka Marsala and Butter chicken, Tandoori Chicken Tikka. This is the best Indian food that I have ever had. Garlic Naan yum!
(5)Annie P.
The food here was so good that my friends and I felt like we got shot with tranquilizers after we ate. It was like Thanksgiving feast! The food was excellent. Everything was extremely tasty and flavorful with lots of different textures. HOWEVER, here are my gripes: 1. The service was almost annoying as we literally got asked if everything was ok 4 or 5 times by different people while we were eating. On top of that people were taking plates and silverware randomly off our table. Which wouldn't have been bad except that it kept interrupting our conversation instead of being discreet. 2. My biggest problem is that when my transaction cleared at the bank a few days later, I noticed that they charged me $2.00 more than what I actually gave them as a tip!!! (And I am a good tipper!) That REALLY pissed me off, and therefore I may not ever go back. I know it is only 2 bucks, but it made me feel so violated. There are many other delicious Indian places I can go to that won't rip me off behind my back. Did they really think I wouldn't notice?
(3)Michele C.
We've been going to Taste of India for more than ten years and have always loved the food, the service, and the beautiful decor. Having sought out great Indian restaurants in New York, London, LA, and San Francisco, I've never found better Garlic Naan (bread). And the bottomless chai is incredible. I recently saw that they had replaced the extensive beer and wine selection with juices and soft drinks and I asked the owner why that was. He said he feels better not sending people out onto the roads, not sure if they ought to be driving. I admire that principle-based choice. How often do you see that in business now? Although my husband often had a Kingfisher with his dinner, the lassi or chai or other drinks are a fine substitute. Go early or get a reservation on weekend nights, and enjoy the experience.
(5)Pooja B.
Ah,Im craving for this food now! Tried it out on a recent trip to Seattle and what do I say..The naan is big,delicious and freshly made. They offered some complimentary pakora at the table first..I tried the spinach naan though Ive read awesome reviews about the garlic one. Their menu is great-a lot of options to choose from. I tried paneer appetizer, Jaipuri veggie curry and it was AMAZING. We ordered a kulfi for dessert and its probably the best kulfi ive ever had!! They also threw in a complimentary rasmalai-which was great too. They have a small waiting lounge and I saw that they were serving pakoras and tea while people were waiting. I think this is a great idea since people are usually frustrated/tried/hungry while waiting and this works great..Strongly recommend this place for very authentic indian and middle eastern food! The portions are big-so you may have some boxes to go if you have a small appetite!
(5)Petunia L.
This is probably the best Indian food I've ever had & the service is fantastic! My water glass was always full! Bonus points for the cheesecake we got on the house! So much yummyness here
(5)Seila K.
Yes yes yes! I was disappointed a couple months ago when I went to Cedars and left not understanding what happened to my favorite Indian restaurant in Seattle. Maybe it was an off night? In the cut-throat world of restaurants, sometimes it takes one bad experience to lose many customers. Confirming that Muhammad was no longer the owner of the place also confirmed my suspicion that something was just off. Anyways, here comes Taste of India. On my most recent trip to Seattle, I decided to check out another Indian restaurant in the Seattle area. We only ordered the chicken tikka masala and the butter chicken (very similar dishes) and I was pleased by the flavor of both of them. While there was definitely a lot of yogurt in them, it was just right for my non-Indian tongue while containing some spices that kept it from being bland. The nan was great and the service very attentive. While the main dishes seemed to take a bit longer than I like...I normally like to have a couple of bites of naan with the brown and green sauce before dipping it my butter chicken, the meal was more than satisfying. I will definitely be here again.
(4)Samantha H.
My friends and I went here a few months ago, and were not disappointed. We waited only 10 minutes for a table, and were given free appetizers for the wait. The service was excellent, and the staff was so friendly. The naan is delicious, as is the mango cheesecake. I'll definitely visit again.
(5)Joshua b.
Ok so I love Indian food...this place was like a blinged out Balliwood fast food restaurant. For my girlfriend and I our bill was 52 dollars and neither the food or service warranted the price. The number of servers was outright annoying I think we stopped counting at six, and to top it off we were seated next to the make shift service station where a busser would constantly be spraying windex into a towel less than 2 feet away from our food on the table. The food was fair at best, the curry was under seasoned and bland and for around 15 dollars per plate was rather pathetic in taste and amount. I wish we would have just ordered the naan as our entree since it was as big as a pizza and decent . Overall nowhere near worth the price and bland, seems to be the place for middle aged yanks who want to experience "Ethnic" food and have a safe parking place for their benzes. Cherio
(1)Ruth M.
I had not been here in over two years and I must say I do not plan to wait that long ever again. Not super crowded on a Tuesday night, as always, the waitstaff was super conscientious and friendly! This place has the very best spinach naan I have ever eaten and as always, the lamb Tikka Masala was to die for! Comfort food at it's best!
(3)Claire P.
My boss always takes me here for lunch and the food and service has always been excellent. If I could come here everyday just to pick up their Chai to go...I would (it's also bottomless!!). I still yet have to be adventurous in trying other dishes but my favorite is the butter chicken. It melts in your mouth. The spinach and garlic naan is always a nice side, especially with the chutney they give you to dip it in.
(5)Michael J.
I love this place. So yummy and great service. I always get the Chicken Vindaloo and Naan. Their Chai is great too.
(5)Robby C.
For those looking to indulge in authentic Indian cuisine, the Taste of India restaurant in the University District is definitely worth the visit. The traditional selection of curries at the restaurant is comparable to Cedars, another delicious Indian restaurant a bit closer to the university, the service from the staff here is exponentially more attentive and are unhesitant to give advice and suggestions on pairing orders from the menu. Our group started off with Bombay tandoori chicken wings, a set of six oven-roasted spicy chicken wings served with a cilantro and tamarind chutney. Lightly spiced and cooked perfectly with a crusted outer skin that sealed in the tender juicy meat inside, our group probably would have been satisfied with an entire meal that consisted solely of the chicken wings. As for the entrées, our group ordered the following; a prawn coconut curry, a chicken tikka masala, and a lamb vindaloo. The prawn coconut curry was a suggestion from the wait staff as our group intended to add a bit of seafood to our meal and the coconut curry was said to have paired well with both the cod or the prawns. With a curry accented by strong coconut flavors and a hint of garlic, we would definitely order the prawns on a second visit even over our preference for beef curries. In addition to the coconut curry, our group defaulted to the traditional tikka masala, this time with chicken as the meat of choice. The curry itself was thick and hearty with a strong tomato essence, but it was the preparation of the chicken in this dish that surprised as rather than the curry. Complimented by the rich spices of the curry, the chicken was tender and almost effortless to bite into. Between the chicken wings and the chicken tikka masala, we were sure there was a chicken connoisseur of some sort in the kitchen. Lastly, the lamb vindaloo, our personal curry of choice when visiting Indian restaurants. Basically, vindaloo is probably one of the richer and heartier curries with the addition of potatoes, but it is probably one of the best if not the best curry to pair with beef. As for the lamb, perhaps it is a matter of personal taste, but lamb often does not go over well with us. Often times it is served to us a bit tougher when compared to beef, which is understandable, but that is why we often stick to our staple of beef of vindaloo. Also, definitely do not forget to order a side of garlic naan as once the rice runs out you will need something to go with all that curry. Service staff is amazing and the food was great so, all in all, we would definitely not mind driving over from the Eastside to the University District once in a while to indulge in a bit of Indian cuisine. And if gas prices ever go down, knock on wood, you will probably find us here at least two or three times a month.
(5)Buu H.
I used to love this place. It used to be fantastic, until the new owner. Happened around February of 2010. I've been there twice since then and have been disappointed both times. I normally get the saag channa. It used to be pure spinach puree. Now it's pureed spinach and mustard greens. The texture is so much coarser; it used to be smooth and creamy. The other curries have also become more bland - they use less fresh spices now. If there were no other Indian restaurants in Seattle I'd eat here again, but as is, no thanks.
(2)Molly Jo B.
This is now my personal favorite. It has grown quite popular so sometimes it takes some time to get seated. Once you are seated, the service is top notch. I always order chai and have never seen the bottom of the cup. My favorite appetizer is the Pesto Nan (although the spinach nan is fabulous as well). My favorite dishes are the Mango and Coconut curry and the Tikka Masala. Parking gets interesting in the evenings, keep going around the block and you'll eventually find a spot.
(5)Koriann B.
Let's play a game. It's called: can you drink all of your water/chai before they are there to fill up your glass? It's hard to do. I love coming here and eating Chicken Tikka Masala with garlic naan. Great service, usually very quick. Very consistent food. A little on the mild side when it comes to spice, but I don't really have a problem with that. Plus, they usually bring out a complimentary treat at the end. I do think it's weird that (as other reviewers have mentioned) they sponge your table off while you're still sitting there. I suppose this helps to have a quick turnover, but still. Wait the extra two minutes until I've gotten up and left.
(4)Marie H.
This is the first Indian restaurant I've been to so I was a little unsure of what to order. The waitress was absolutely wonderful and suggested different items based on what I thought I would like. I got the Tandoori Chicken Tikka.. soooo freaking good and the garlic naan was perfect to soak up the curries. The atmosphere was very nice and the service was excellent. The only thing I can really complain about was how hot it was inside. I was with a party of 5 people and all of us were sweating the entire time. I did comment on the heat and the waitress said they were preparing something for tomorrow which is why it was so hot. Obviously the food was so good we ignored the sweat pouring down our faces, but we didn't linger after we finished the food either.
(4)Angie Q.
I prefer this place over Cedars. The menu appears to be the exact same... But the atmosphere, the service, the food, is seemingly better. I always get garlic naan and butter chicken (or maybe sometimes butter masala). I fear the sponge though!!!!
(4)Alex G.
Incredible customer service with multiple people waiting on a table. We love the unlimited chai refills, and the portions are large. My husband and I can share one entree and one order of naan bread and leave full. Highly recommend this place, and the spinach naan and butter chicken!
(5)steve c.
Update, if you like the feeling of being in a shark tank (and who doesn't), dine in at 'Taste of India'. No kidding, someone walked by our table every 15-20 seconds. If it wasn't to fill the water, it was to fill the chai. If it wasn't to fill the chai, it was to watch us (seemingly) eat. It reminded me of a feeding frenzy, sharks circling around diners, cleaning tables, just walking around...dear god. To top the whole thing off, one of the staff had us lift our finished plates as she wiped our table...before we left. Oh, oh, I almost forgot....there's a 'help wanted' sign in the window................help for what? They already have all the help 2 restaurants need..............the next time I'm looking to be invaded, I'm coming here!
(2)Michael G.
Prices were reasonable, service was attentive. The naan was less than $3, was as big as a pizza, and was really yummy. We got the Madras curry chicken which was spicy and flavorful.
(5)Catherine S.
If they allowed more stars, Taste of India would get as many as possible. That's how good they are! After waiting at a table at Chiang's in Lake City for thirty minutes without so much as a "boo" from the wait staff! (What - you wanted to order food? Get out of here! OK - we will.) we headed for one of our top ten restaurants in Seattle: TASTE OF INDIA! Never disappointed here. The wait for a table was a bit longer than usual - they close early on Sundays and we hit their dinner rush perfectly. Here's what sets TOI apart from a restaurant like Chiangs: A wait person came around with free chai (tie with Travelers for best chai in Seattle) and appetizers for everyone waiting. They actually apologized for the wait. Go figure. We're seated about 20 minutes later and boom! More free appetizers on the table. What a concept: Take care of your customers and they will take care of you. Then there's the food. Incredible. Pesto Naan, how I love you. Husband had chicken curry ( a mainstay), daughter and boyfriend had vegetable vindaloo and Karai Gosht, all of which got rave reviews, and I had the Baba Ghannoj (so good) and the tomato soup (I had already filled up on appetizers.) Dessert was rice pudding (yum) we split four ways because we were so stuffed. Make sure you have the Kulfi if you're a fan of cardamom. As my daughter pointed out, the ambience is wonderful and the staff makes you feel welcome. What can I say. Taste of India is one of the reasons I will probably never move out of our neighborhood. Maybe if they can beam their food ala Star Trek, I'll consider.
(5)Henry C.
The Summary: Good food, spicy if you want, most importantly, unlimited Chai tea. Medium priced for the budget weary consumer with choices of meat/vegetarian. I would recommend this to anyone who likes Indian. The Background: Nice little restaurant in the U-district. The major downside of the restaurant is that it's in a not so nice area of town and there is very little parking along the front of the restaurant. I managed to get lucky and scored a parking spot there so I'm not sure if there is parking available elsewhere. The pricing of the food is moderate and varies depending on whether you go for a meat or vegetarian variant of your curry. The Positives: The food here is quite good. Since I'm not Indian and don't know that many Indian natives, I don't think I can judge on the authenticity of the food. However, I can say it tastes good and can prepared in a wide degree of spiciness. Also, unlike a lot other restaurants, when you ask for spicy, they definitely make it spicy. The other huge plus of this place is the all you can drink chai. It's wonderful! And it's all you can drink! The Negatives: None.
(5)Connie C.
Once you get past the strange neon lighting outside, you'll find solid Indian food for a great price here. And as others have mentioned, they gave us free dessert too. We were most recently there on a crowded evening, and they still managed to provide good service. No complaints, will continue coming here.
(4)Sarah S.
It is, in fact, possible to be OVER-served. This isn't something I would typically find to be problematic- generally, I like to be the center of attention and to have the owner come make sure that my meal was satisfactory and to have a waiter who flirts with me... But tonight... holy MOLY! The first thing we noticed when we pulled up was a "Help Wanted" sign in the window. "You should work here!", I said to one of my dining companions. We walked inside and the host asked us if we'd like a table for three. And then another person asked if wanted a table for three. And then a THIRD person asked if we'd like a table for three, and then took us to one. Fine. Then began the compulsive water glass-filling. One sip and someone (well, four someones) was filling it up again. Excellent, since my food was particularly spicy, but wow. The food was fantastic. I wanted my lamb vindaloo "really really really really really spicy" and that's exactly what I got. We received complementary chicken pakoras at the beginning of the meal, and complementary baklava at the end. The main host checked in with us TWICE to make sure everything was alright. The cute server who flirted with me was omnipresent- at the table. At the front stand. On my way to the bathroom. Our plates were cleared instantly. Several different people took our orders at various stages of the meal (beverages, entrees, dessert). All in all, I think that at least 9 different people contributed in some way or another. Therefore, based on this experience, I fail to see the need for the "Help Wanted" sign in the window. I feel I was over-helped, forcing me to wolf down my food and contributing to a rather frantic dining experience. I refuse to deduct any stars because of this, since it's such a nice problem to have, and I applaud them for what seems to be a well-oiled machine. But in general, I prefer to have a leisurely Indian-food-dining experience, and this was not one. Four hours later, I am still in a food coma, but looking forward to my leftovers.
(4)Wendy B.
I've only been here once, so perhaps I had an unusual experience, but if this is the best Indian food in Seattle then I feel bad for Seattle. I had the same experience as other reviewers here: hot and stuffy, obsessive water-refills, and I was absolutely shocked at them sponging off the table in front of me. I've never seen that before, anywhere. Bringing out a half-used bottle of oily flavorless "mango relish" was also a huge turn-off. If you don't have the mango chutney anymore freakin' sharpie it off the menu, or at least spoon it out of the jar into a small dish so it's not so obvious. They also forgot to spice our food, I ordered medium-hot and my companion ordered medium, and neither were spicy in the least. Without the spice the food was fairly flavorless, and the vegetables tasted a bit sub-par, like they were old or frozen. The nan, samosas, and rice were well-cooked, though. If you're ever in Pittsburgh try the Taste of India there, and you'll see why I'm so disappointed.
(2)Rose S.
Their butter chicken is the best! Butter makes everything better. Bottomless chai, garlic naan, and butter chicken makes the world a better place. I'm a little confused by their staff... they always have like 30 employees on the floor, each one apparently assigned one and only one task each--ie. wiping the table, refilling the chai, or taking a plate away. But with so many people constantly trying to help you, there's never a chance you'll be forgotten. The owner is very sweet and generous, and always sends us free dessert or drinks whenever we come in. He seems to have a great memory for faces and treats his customers well. Taste of India is a long time favorite.
(5)Amanda D.
This is my first review, so I decided to give my favorite restaurant in Seattle some five star love. Taste is by far the best indian food I have ever had. Yes, there is generally a bit of a wait for a table (unless you have rockstar status and know Arfan, the manager) but perfection takes patience, baby. The service is great, if you don't mind automatic water refills on a two sip drink. If you're a cute girl or a good customer you'll generally get hooked up with a complimentary desert or appetizer, and if your lucky, bottle of wine. The food is amazing - I never dine there without ordering spinach naan and veggie pakoras, with extra chutney of course (especially the cilantro chutney - YUM). My favorite dishes are the Vindaloo curry, Vegetable Korma and Tikka Masala - pretty much everything is delicious. The cheescake is divine and the chai is authentic. The prices are pretty reasonable for what you get in return - I never leave without a food baby and leftovers to tote. Pretty much, if you love Indian food, you'll love Taste. Try it!
(5)Julie W.
I have been eating here for about 10 years now. They have been permanently black listed after being on a probation period for the last 4 years. I used to eat here all the time and love the food. However, the last 3 times I went, I was kicked out of my table twice before I had barely finished my food because they said they needed it for other customers. (And believe me, I am by no means a slow eater.) I couldn't even have an after-dinner chai. The 3rd and most recent time I ate there, it was because my boyfriend had never been, and I relented on the blacklist to give it another shot. It did not go well. Halfway through our meal, we witnessed a group of women at the table next to us being kicked out because the staff needed their table. The women explained that they were there for a friend's birthday and were hoping to have dessert and open presents. They were told, "Sorry, you need to leave. We need your table." My boyfriend was horrified and I was able to voice a smug, "I told you so." The second time I personally was kicked off a table, this is how it went down: A waiter came by with a little wax paper parcel in his hand and said, "Here is some hulva. You must go now. We have a large group needing your table." Nice. I don't even like hulva. As near as I can tell, the owners rely on a never-ending stream of new students and parents to round out their guest base. They could give a rats ass about frequent, neighborhood patrons. Well, I could give a rat's ass about them now too.
(1)Stephany G.
LOVE THIS PLACE!! the service is amazing, it's hard to find immpecable service in Seattle, but this place has it down as an art! The food is great, and the unlimited chai is amazing!!! The portions are very generous and the naan is huge!!! I definitely recommend this restaurant I will be a loyal customer for many years to come!
(5)non o.
When we want a quick take out Indian food, we usually call here. We used to go to Cedars but Taste of India is closer to our house. I like their food. This place is always really crowded but they seem to have fast and good service. I like their butter chicken, Tandoori dish, and mango lassi.
(4)Luke S.
Best Indian food in Seattle!!! We've tried half a dozen. This one is hands down the best.
(5)Shekinah S.
My love for Taste of India continues to grow. We were meeting some picky and not very adventurous eaters for dinner on Friday. We were shocked when they said they like Indian food, so off to Taste of India we go! We got there around 7:30 or 8 and it was packed. A few groups were already waiting and an employee was passing out free cups of Chai. In spite of the crowd, we only waited about five minutes for a table. We hadn't even placed our order yet and we were served a complimentary platter of vegetarian delights! I'm not sure what everything was, but it included: a large vegetable samosa (everyone's fav), fried cheese cubes (my BF thought they were OK), a couple different fried things that were very flavorful but we couldn't figure out exactly what they were, and a dolma (gross, bitter, sour). It was probably at least a $10 value, so what a great way to start the meal! The food took awhile to come out, but we weren't in a hurry and the appetizer plate banished our hunger. Plus as I said, the place was at capacity when we arrived. The food was great, as per usual. Well, the basmati rice usually comes with a side of vegetables, and no one got veges but oh well. I ordered my dish "spicy" and it was perfect -- my mouth wasn't burning but it did make my nose run a little. Our friends were rather bemused at the constant water and Chai refills/interruptions. Our main waiter didn't seem too bright, but the man I think is the manager always makes the rounds and is on his toes! While we were waiting for our check we were also graced with a complimentary piece of cheesecake in mango sauce! Holy free food! Two of us had leftovers, all four of us were satisfied, and even the picky eaters were impressed. Another great meal from Taste of India! And we drove off into the night, laughing at how the entire restaurant is lit up with neon lights like it aspires to be in Vegas.
(5)Dawn B.
This is absolutely one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. When I lived on Bainbridge Island, we'd actually take the ferry to Seattle for dinner sometimes just to eat here. OK, yeah, so there wasn't any Indian food in Kitsap County at that time, so we had to go to Seattle for it, but this is totally the place that would call to us from across the water, even though it meant bringing across a car. It's all about the food. I've tried pretty much every Indian place that I've found in town, and this one hands-down has the best food. Every dish is delicious. My favorites are the Palak Masala and the Chicken Tikka Masala, but everything I've tried has been great. No other Indian restaurant I've tried has come close to this one for wonderful food. The ambiance isn't great (although it's pleasant), and it's crowded (for good reason). Parking can be a hassle (although they do have a small parking lot, which you may find a spot in if you're lucky). But the food is worth overlooking these minor issues. The service is always excellent; prompt, but not overbearing. The owner remembers his repeat customers and always makes a point to come by and say hello. It always feels a bit like coming home for dinner.
(5)Sarah L.
LOVE THIS PLACE! It is my favorite Indian food I have found so far. The staff are great, keep your drinks filled always, almost always get a complementary appetizer or dessert. The food is just amazing. I always bring a few friends and we share all the meals so we can try a bit of everything. I used to live a few blocks from this place, now I don't even live near Seattle, but everytime I go back to Seattle I always go here for dinner!
(5)Sarah B.
Okay Indian food, with some great dishes. So I gave this place a second chance and went into dine. The experience was MUCH better then ordering take-out here. The staff was incredibly friendly. The food more flavorful but really weak in the hotness department. And the mango curry really changed my mind about this place. I still stand by that the take-out is nothing special but they sure do Indian food justice in-house. (On take-out) The place is hoping on the weekends so we ordered take-out which was prompt and in great portions. The service was quick and no-nonsense. The food lacked a little in the flavor department and honestly, I expected more after reading all the reviews here. The butter chicken is really tikka masala without spices. The samosa were good but I make better. And everything is a tad over priced which made me wonder why I had traveled this far for this food. The mango lassi is right on par with the best of them though. And the cheese paneer was excellent. And great rice.
(4)Stacy E.
One of my favorites. The food is good and the Chai tastes like Froot Loops! It is amazing. It gets very crowded. I am guessing they take reservations, so if you're going on a weekend night, I would call ahead. Last time we waited a while. It's also pretty cozy and warm. Our space last time was a little cramped, but I guess that is to be expected on a Friday night. Parking can also be limited. There have been times that I've been here before where they brought out a desert at the end "compliments of the owners" or something. Last time it was bakalavah, which was good. But before it was some sesame paste thing, which I HATED. I always wanted to be like "Uhh, no thanks." Yuck. Besides that though, I love this place. It is excellent.
(5)Chirayu C.
The reviews for this place are so good , I just had to try it. A friend and I went in for dinner on a Sunday night. We ordered Chicken Tikka for appetizer, he had the Madras vegetable curry w/ plain naan, I had the coconut chicken curry w/ garlic naan. We asked both the dishes to be 'medium hot'. The chicken tikka was tender and juicy. Coconut Chicken curry was too bland for my taste and the garlic naan was a plain naan with a few sprinkles of garlic. My friend's Madras veg curry wasn't tasty either and we ended up eating our naans with the Patak's mango pickle. The staff is courteous and the ambiance is pleasant. We got hot gulam jamuns as a complimentary dessert. Gulab jamuns were very nice. As a whole, an average place for Indian food. Nothing special. Clay pit in Bothell has a tastier Indian fare. BTW , we were the only Indians at the restaurant. Generally a good gauge of authentic taste is if the restaurant is visited by many Indians. I wouldn't necessarily visit Taste of India again, unless I m in the area and extremely craving Indian-like cuisine. Update: The consistent good reviews for this restaurant baffle me. I tried the place again just to make sure it wasnt a one-off bad experience. Nope. The food was the same bland, nontasty , pseudo-Indian fare. The average review for this place is four stars and many reviewers think this is the best Indian food they 've had?? I am truely sorry for all you people. you have no idea what Indian food tastes like. None. I don't look up reviews on yelp anymore. Not for Indian restuarants anyway. Too many people here dont know what they are talking about when it comes to Indian food.
(1)Mallory K.
I haven't been to many Indian restaurants but I really enjoyed dining here. The free appetizer and free dessert came as a pleasant surprise. I ordered the Tandoori chicken which was very flavorful. Great experience, I will be sure to eat here again!
(4)Michele P.
I ate here for the first time tonight. The food was delicious but it was the service that made the meal. I have never been so impressed. Free apps, free wine and super friendly waitstaff. I'm so glad I discovered this gem!
(5)JC D.
Emo waiter, Mexican staff ...gosh I hope the Indian dude carrying the garbage can outside with cigarette hanging from his lip is our cook. After hearing so much about this place I decided we'd try it for lunch. The Taste was good, the texture...mmm, good, flavors and service all good. BUT there wasn't anything special that separates this from Massala in Northgate or any of the places I've tried in San Diego. Four stars, because it deserves it, but not because it stands out. Tip: If you care about your car, don't park parallel in the parking lot, park perpendicular. The spaces are too tight and someone is bound to smash their door into your car.
(4)Julian H.
Like an old pair of sneakers. Been going for years, but only for lunch. Food: consistently good. Not great, not amazing, and there's nothing special about the presentation. Service: consistently good. Not five stars b/c the waitstaff are not really engaging. Never a wait at lunch. I've never been kicked off a table at lunch. Atmosphere: house conversion. The ceiling is lwo, the floor slopes up and down, which is a little weird, and there's not a lot of authentic decoration.
(3)James P.
My Indian food review lexicon is lamentably limited, but I really enjoyed it. This was the first time in a long while that I've had "hot" that actually turned out pretty spicy (Madras chicken). Service was attentive. The pricing seemed a tad high, but I was satisfied.
(4)Arun K.
Bottomless chai and veggie delight platter..my friend and I stopped here after a show for some light evening snacks and this was the perfect choice. On a cold rainy day, a hot cup of chai and some crispy starters like the pakoras and samosas really hits the spot.
(4)Nisha A.
LOVE this place. Great food, awesome owners, love love love it. definitely recommend it for good indian food, especially near campus. They also have the nicest owners ever!
(5)Rob B.
My Seattle-foo is growing, and with it my lore of local restaurants. This one I love. It a bit crowded and tends to get hot. There are a billion servers, and language has never been an issue. Tends to attract a huge college crowd (like-ohmigawd! you won't believe what pricilla said about you!), but I like it anyway. Things to get: Tikka Marsala is delicious (though strangely lacking in meat), the chai is good, the hummus is pretty alright. The rice is delicious. The Gooollllab-JAMIN (...golden donuts?) are awesome as well. Things to avoid: The meat-filled bread, any other beverage, some of the lamb is sketchy, and the sponge filled with bleach. It's delicious, but kind of pricy, so plan accordingly.
(5)Martina M.
OMG. Yum. Seriously, the best Indian food I think I've ever had. The coconut chicken curry was just the right consistency, flavor, and spice level. The rice wasn't overcooked, it was just right. The portions are HUGE. The spinach paneer naan was the size of a large pizza. It was delicious. The best naan I've ever had. I love this place. I'll be back to try other menu items.
(5)Kristina L.
SO SOOOOOO GOOD!!! We just happened to come across this place one evening, it was the best thing that could have happened! The food was perfect. The service was incredible, it was almost annoyingly good. I got complimentary starters and desert, from what I understand many of my friends have went and had the same thing happen. All I have to say is GO THERE!! If you love Indian food this is a don't miss.
(5)Kim E.
This place is the best! The service is always top notch, food portions are sized on the larger side (I can never finish my dish and always end up with leftovers) and if you're lucky you might get the hookup of free chai or dessert. I always order the chai tea when I'm there and definitely appreciate the countless refills :) By far one of the better indian food places out there and the garlic nan is to die for. Only problem may be finding parking on a busy night, but there's surrounding neighborhoods that you can park at if you don't mind a brisk walk.
(5)dylan b.
wonderful food and service, best naan in Seattle, quiet and clean, best Indian food in the University district.
(5)Casey B.
Great portion sizes (plenty of leftovers!) and the food was very delicious, from the nan to the curry dishes to the chicken dishes! Yum!
(5)Tiffany G.
OMG! best indian restaurant ever!.. Service is excellent!.. They have the best chai tea, ( which they constantly refill like every 5 minutes ), chicken tandoori was cooked perfectly (some restaurants overcook the chicken and it gets really dry and bland ). Any curry dish on their menu is REALLY good ( you cant go wrong with any of it ), plus they give free appetizers and desserts. You should go there and see for yourself how amazing this restaurant is..
(5)Natalie S.
I love this place! Mostly for their great customer service. They actually brought lovely Chai tea and nibbles to us as we waited to be seated. The staff was super friendly and attentive. I enjoyed the food very much. This will definitely be a regular haunt for me.
(5)Kelly B.
I'm hard pressed to find an Indian place in this city that doesn't serve awesome food...Taste of India sure as heck did serve up some delicious fare. What sets this place a part is the killer customer service. While waiting in a (short) line for a table, we were served hot chai. Complimentary appetizers were served to us the minute we sat down at the table, and at the end of the meal? You guessed it...free dessert. Not sure why we got all these goodies but I'm not complaining. Love this place.
(5)Kevin A.
It is safe to say that Taste of India saved my life. Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration, but when I lived in the U District I ate here probably 3 times a week. Is it the most decedent, fancy, mindblowingly awesome Indian place? No. It's a one-story, ramshackle house converted into an incredibly busy restaurant. The reason they are so busy is because the food is like home-cooking. Big portions, lots of flavor. End of story. And their Baigan Bharta is the shiz. When I was going there regularly, the manager and owners knew me by name and were always happy to see me. The service? Eh.. not the best. But considering the building and how busy this place is? They do a great job. They are insanely busy and they really keep the food moving. The ONLY real complaint I have (and I've taken this up with the manager) is that they refill your water glass every two minutes. It might seem silly, but when you are trying to enjoy a meal with a friend or date, having a water pitcher shoved in your face every few minutes (literally) gets really annoying. If they see you take a sip of water, they will come fill it up again. I've taken to hiding my water glass, or putting a napkin over it. Like Katie S, my belly has a problem with Indian food, so it's a once-in-a-while thing for me. But when I do go for Indian, I seem to find myself drawn back to Taste of India.
(4)Mark P.
If I could give no stars I would. For the life of me I can't see why people go here. Filling my water ever 2min is not good service. (Leave people alone and let them eat!) Serving rice that is clearly an hour old is bad. Charging 12$ for basic chicken is crazy. Curry and rice for two people without drinks is 48$ are you crazy!
(1)Maureen K.
This review might be biased because I haven't had Indian food in 2 years...but not to worry, I remember what good Indian food tastes like and I would consider this good Indian food. For food, we ordered the chicken tikka masala, beef vindaloo and onion nan. We ordered both dishes "hot", but the vindaloo turned out to be spicier than the tikka masala. Both came with a huge (separate) plate of basmati rice and the nan was about the size of a small newborn. I found the entrees to be tasty, but not as spicy as I had hoped. For drinks, we ordered a mango lassi and mango lemonade, both of which were good. Oh, and I liked that they had a jar of pickled mango chutney as a condiment and gave customers a little piece of dessert (free is always good). TIP: If any Yelpers have the Entertainment Book, there's a coupon in it that'll save you up to $12 off any entree.
(3)Jim H.
I don't have much to go on because I've only been to one other Indian restaurant, but this one is de-lish-us! I always order chicken butter masala and my wife always gets the tandoori chicken tikka. Both are awesome. We've taken a few friends there and have tried their dishes and they've always been extremely tasty too. Have liked everything I've tried there. Extra star given for always giving out free appetizers and drinks and desserts and for my water glass never even coming close to empty. It is actually a little bit comical with the abundance of service. It seems like they refill your glass every time you take a sip!
(5)dave c.
The food is always great. I typically order the Rogan Josh with vegetables and their delicious spiced potato naan. Only once did my food come with a slight metallic flavor mixed in. Why 3 stars? It's so crowded and busy you could lose an arm in there. A huge staff of overworked, overstressed employees working at a feverish pace. The building seemed to be half as big as it needed to be for the number of people crammed in it. The cashier was pounding away like crazy on his calculator to get everyone out the door. Meanwhile the kitchen staff was dishing up rush hour dinner for both Taste of India AND Cedar's down the road! Yes, they make the food for two restaurants. The manager (owner?) at Cedar's told me so. The only complaint I could mention about the food was that it came a little cold. *** TIPS: If you go, order the cheap chai with free refills!
(3)Rufus Figgums L.
After reading the reviews we had high expectations for this place. However, the chicken dishes we got weren't very good. My sauce was bland and the chicken was far from quality. The garlic naan was big but flavorless. The service was very good and the rice, but that's about all. We should have known it wasn't authentic when we saw that they also serve falafels and baklava.
(2)Ally B.
Great food. Good service. Everything we had was good.
(4)K t.
Awesome service. If there's wait you usually get served chai; I've never gone to this place and not gotten at least a free appetizer, chai, or dessert. They are probably a little too zealous with filling your wait, though. I've taken 2 sips and had the waiter refill the water. The food is really good, but all the curries have the same taste to them. The naans and rotis are huge. I really enjoy the baba ganouj from here as well.
(4)ROWENA D.
This place has the best butter chicken in town. They are fast and attentive to their customers. Staffs are very professional and friendly. This restaurant is very clean. The owner is very friendly to us as if we're his close friend. Outstanding service! Yeah, that's true they never mess up on the orders.. and the food is always on time and fresh hot. Their nan is the best also. Everything they make is cook to perfection. Well, they did mess up on my basmati rice one time because it was a little uncooked. I am a rice connoisseur.. Yes, yes.. I am an Asian.. But they were speedy to correct their mistake. I absolutely recommend this place to all people. Like the restaurant decor also.
(5)Meghan G.
The food is tasty, but like it has been said before - the waitstaff does not recieve the tips that you leave. For a person who works in the service industry that is completely unacceptable and it is my opinion that anyone who works there should probably seek employment elsewhere. Pros: - They refill your chai, coffee, water until you have to tell them to leave your cup alone or you'll explode. I guess this could be a con... - The food is flavorful and rich. Probably on account of all the butter they add. - The cheesecake with the mango syrup is yummy. Cons: - Who do they really think they are by pocketing their employee's tips? Lame. I don't go there anymore, mostly because I am currently vegan and there are hardly any vegan options there, but I feel so bad for the waitstaff too. The owners should change the tipping policy or they will probably keep losing cutomers.
(3)Stew N.
Our party of 13 was completely blown away. Every item on the table was excellent, and our orders spanned most of the menu. Anybody who gives this place less than 4 stars is either a wacko service snob (okay, a bit slow and amateurish - but super friendly, and there were 13 of us) or an owner of a rival restaurant. We were mainly highly experienced Indian food fans, and everyone raved about the place.
(5)Tara H.
Delicious Indian food. Some of the best naan I've had. We had a couple of chicken dishes and the chicken was wonderfully flavored and very tender. We did ask for 3 star on our butter chicken dish, and there wasn't much heat. But it was so good I didn't even notice until now.
(5)Tim F.
The big Indian bottled beers are BACK!
(4)E C.
The food was decent and the service was attentive - I don't think I've had my water refilled so many times in one sitting. The spiciness level was "American Standard" (according to the menu), which meant it really wasn't very spicy at all. I wonder if they have another non-American scale. The garlic naan was good, as was the coconut curry (just not spicy enough!). The mango curry was a little too sweet, though.
(4)Chi D.
I love everything mango there. Mango lassi, mango curry, mango cheesecake. Appetizer and dessert are complimentary, by the way, which adds to a delicious dining experience. I love all thing freebies. I used to like Cedars, and was pleasant to find out that the old Cedars' owner relates to Taste of India's owner. Definitely coming back to get my Indian food fix.
(4)Tom Y.
We went back here as I had a craving for some good Indian food, and the gf hadn't ever had any (anathema to my philosophy on life, I know), so this quick update is just to point out some things for Indian food newbies. Her first reaction was something about curry, to which I rejoined that the dishes like jalfrazies, or masalas, or especially the tandooris, were available. Most people equate Indian food with curry, which many don't like, but there are definitely a lot of choices otherwise. Jalfrazies and masalas are fragrant, saucy dishes that don't have any strong (or any at all) curry flavor. For an especially non-curry succulent cooking style, definitely try tandoori. This kind of baking locks in flavor very well, and my favorite is always chicken tandoori. The rub they put in before baking sets off the chicken well. Hopefully, this gets you started off to a great experience.
(5)Marshall B.
Excellent food. Good service. High prices. One big complaint is that it was a hot day and they don't have air conditioning so it was sweaty hot in there besides that, I enjoyed every minute of my dinner until the check showed up and I realized it had cost over $60 for two of us. Still I'd eaten so much I could barely walk home and I had leftovers to boot. If you're in the mood for good indian food Taste of India has it, but try to come on a day when it is cooler than 70 outside.
(3)Boo P.
Yum! A group of friends and I had been craving Indian food for a while, and chose to stop by Taste of India. As crowded as it was, they still gave us free chai while we waited for a table- a good move, since otherwise I would have suggested we look somewhere else to eat. As soon as we sat down, we were offered a free sample plate of appetizers, which was great way to win our broke-student hearts. The food was good- fluffy fresh naan, aromatic curries, ect. But what brings this to five stars is definitely the service. All our servers were so friendly and helpful, despite how crowded it was. They let us take a long time to figure out what we wanted and argue over who ordered what dish, spicyness levels, ect. and let us take are time and were patient as we figured out the bill (although somehow I ended up paying twice the price of the dish I ordered. That's to blame on my friends though...). And yes, our water glasses were constantly overflowing. But hey, hydration is important...
(5)Heather F.
A seemingly never ending cup of chai, out of this world spinach naan and an all around good experience every time keeps me coming back. I do feel overwhelmed at times with how very attentive the staff can be but I can overlook that as long as they keep the chai coming! I have never had a dish that I didn't like and is always perfectly spiced. It can be busy at times so get there early!
(4)Vanessa E.
I have never been disappointed by A Taste of India. They started us off tonight with a free appitizer, some fried potato slices served with a tasty dipping sauce. I ordered the chia tea along with aloo mutter mushroom and my husband ordered a mango lassie with spicy butter masala with paneer. We split a spinach naan. My dish was slightly underwhelming, but that is only in comparison to everything else I have ever had here. Meaning, it wasn't one of my favorite dishes ever, but I was still plenty happy to eat it and take my mountain of leftovers home. My husband said his paneer had a good amount of spice to it. I had a few bites and it left my mouth warm, but he likes his food nose-dripping spicy, which is usually hard to get when you order your food here. They did have a note on the menu stating the spiciness was based on American standards, which confirms my beliefs that when a white guy orders 5 stars, they don't put in the same amount of spice if a person of a different ethnicity orders 5 stars. My chai really is never ending, which is great because it is so tasty. The mango lassie was refreshing as always. We usually get the garlic naan, but tried the spinach this time, and we were not disappointed. The naan had a lovely layer of spinach filling in the middle and is huge enough for both of us to have out own leftovers. The service here is always on top of their stuff. We have a game we always try to play with the waitstaff: we try to see if we can drink our whole cup of water as quickly as possible without someone coming by and filling it, without just chugging the whole glass at once. I think in all the times we have been here, we have never got past a half empty glass. I am always happy when I leave here and every time we bring someone new here, they love it, too. Great service and food, consistently.
(5)Dave W.
I have ran past this restaurant a hundred times on the way to Greenlake and I have always wondered what it was like. I have frequented Cedars just a few blocks away for a long time, and I have had a hard time forcing myself to try something new. I am glad I did. I would love to give this five stars, but that is reserved for the cream of the crop (who rise to the top...). But, it does come very, very close. The main reason I am so happy with my one experience here (there will be more, I assure you), is that the staff went above and beyond in order to make sure we had a great dining experience. After being told there would be a wait, we were seated after two minutes. In order to make up for this long inconvenience, they gave us a free appetizer. Already, I'm a fan. We ordered the usual for my Indian food cravings: A couple of Naan's, some Chicken Tikka Masala, Tandori Chicken Tikka, and another curry that I cant remember. Everything came out in a timely manner, and tasted good. Nothing mind blowing, but pretty damn tasty. Except the Tandori Chicken Tikka. That didnt come out at all. After about three minutes, I politely reminded my server we were missing a main. He looked appalled, apologized profusely, and rushed off to the kitchen. Within a few minutes, we were given our order with more apologies and were told it was on the house. There were so many sorry's that I felt a little guilty. Then the manager/owner came out and apologized as well. Long story short, the Tandori Chicken was worth the extra (8 min) wait. Then, to cap it off, we were given free cheesecake for dessert, which was also very good. I am not a fan of cheesecake, but I liked this. So three free items, four paid for, all very good. I am asking myself how I cant give this place five stars. The only reason is that I know when I go back, it just can not and will not be as amazing. Like your first bachelor party or first trip to Vegas (or both combined), the next time just never lives up to the expectation. A SOLID FOUR STARS
(4)Scott W.
I would've just been happy to sit there and drink pitcher after pitcher of Chai. That stuff is delicious, in fact now that I've had it I don't think I can ever have one of those syrupy things that Starbucks calls chai. The food was good, better than any other Indian food I've had in Seattle for sure. Although, I've had much better in Vancouver. The naan was huge, but we ordered a spinach naan that was raw and doughy on the inside. Hence the three stars instead of four. I thought the prices were kind of high. Probably wouldn't make a special trip back for the food, but would go back for the chai.
(3)Erika Michi A.
I love this place & the employees are great! Good food & Service. They have an amazing vege. appetizer. They have amazing, and bottomless Chai. I love the mutter mushroom with garlic nan & tamrind chutney. They have good mango cheesecake, so good. I forgot what the other dessert was called but it like pudding? It's really really good. I can't wait to go back!
(5)Will M.
I've eaten here three times, and it seems to get better every time. Even on a busy Friday night, the service is impeccable. After passing on an appetizer, they surprise you with a free one anyway. Your chai tea doesn't get more than 20% empty before they keep filling it back up again. The naan and entrees are so good, it's making my mouth water just thinking about it. And after passing on dessert, you guessed it, they surprise you with a free one. If you live within 10 miles of this place and you haven't been yet, you're missing out!
(5)Kelsey F.
I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Taste of India. On one hand, they lace their butter chicken with crack, which is likely why I continue to come back. On the other hand, I can feel the extra pounds I'm undoubtedly gaining from consuming said crack-laced butter chicken...usually around my tummy and hips...so I try and not go back often. Also, it's interesting to me that no matter what we say, we wind up with some sort of dessert "on the house". The words "no thanks, I'm full"? It's a moot point, kids. You might as well be speaking Swahili. HOWEVER...interestingly, in a more recent trip (with the trip before that being a good several months ago), we noticed that the tastes of the dishes had changed - a little more cinnamon and spice in the entrees, the rice was WAY BETTER, etc. Also, instead of the little dry peanut thing that they always plopped in front of us as a complimentary dessert, we got a scoop of what we finally decided was pistachio ice cream (or ice cream with pistachios) and a drizzle of what we guessed to be a mango sauce. This was SO GOOD. After the spice and salt in the meal, something cool and sweet and creamy was PERFECT. But really, if you're going to serve complimentary desserts, advertise it. Seriously.
(4)Melissa Z.
I love this place... great service, excellent food, and a extensive beer selection, what else more would you like!!! Definitely recommend the chai... nice and hot for those cold days outside. The chai is also refillable, and I swear you will never have less than half a cup because the waitstaff comes and refills your cup before you can even blink. I gave this place the extra star because of this. The food was also very exceptional. Definitely recommend the spinach nan, a great way to start off your meal. Will come back to try the other dishes. The only downsize to this place is it can get packed pretty quick. So come early and enjoy a nice cup of chai.
(5)Kim B.
Tied with Maharaja for my favorite Indian food in Seattle (and I guess since Maharaja is in West Seattle, Taste of Seattle is #1). You are squished in ToI like a sardine, but the food is excellent. The menu has a lot of options not available at other places (I don't consider a plus or minus, since I tend to order the same 3 things at all Indian Restaurants -- Bhindi Masala, Chana Masala or Vegetables Vindaloo). The restroom is not somewhere you would want to hang out for a long period of time, but that's okay because hanging out in any restroom isn't really my scene anyway. Also, Taste of India coupons are in the Entertainment book so you can totally do the buy one get one free meal thing.
(4)Denise S.
THE BEST FOOD IN THE CITY, bar none. I have been going to this restaurant, and his dad's for 20 years and the food is phenomenal. I am THE pickiest eater and I can't tell you how much I crave their food.
(5)Shawn D.
I'm piling on the good feelings for the T of I! I'd been disappointed with pretty much every Indian restaurant I'd tried in Seattle, until I discovered this gem. Wonderful vegetable pakora, naan so huge you won't believe it, great tikka masala, etc, etc. And yeah, I don't need to have my water filled every time I take a sip, but whatever. Great work by the tag-team wait staff! I'll be coming back here, and often. Just keep in mind that here "mild" = no spiciness at all.
(5)Meghan E.
Taste of India? No, Taste of Frickin' HEAVEN! I've been coming here since Ye Old High School Days, when it morphed from the Hungry U to the current wondrous ToI. I've been ordering the butter chicken for thirteen years, and it just keeps getting better. The naan. The bottomless chai. The korma. The samosas and pakoras (I have a little weakness for the fried). And I can take my kids without getting the stink eye. The staff, except for the owners, do tend to rotate in and out quickly, but they're uniformly pleasant if a little confused. Taste of India was the site of my post-legal-wedding dinner, my second baby shower, countless birthdays and a few other Events with a capital E. I want them to cater my freaking funeral. Everything is better with a belly of butter chicken.
(5)Dave O.
This is the best service I've ever experienced at any restaurant. I've been to this place twice so far and each time the service has been exceptional. The first time, my fiance and I had made reservations, and showed up five minutes early to find that it was packed shoulder to shoulder in the waiting area. We ended up having to wait twenty minutes or so, but while we were waiting the owner would occasionally walk around and provide glasses or wine, or appetizers, free of charge to those waiting. With such offers every five minutes or so, we were glad to wait! Once seated, we were discussing whether to order one glass of wine each, or splurge and order a bottle. The owner overheard us, and as an apology for having to wait, even though we had a reservation, he gave us a glass of wine each, and a bottle of wine after the meal, free of charge! He also provided a complementary appetizer during the meal! Needless to say, we were overwhelmed with the free stuff he was giving us, and left very happy customers. The second time, we made reservations for a party of eight. We arrived to find the restaurant not nearly as crowded as last time, and there was no wait for a table at all. Once we sat down, we were given a complementary appetizer for no apparent reason, they were just being nice. Throughout the meal, waiters were walking by nearly continuously filling water and taking away empty dishes. The owner stopped by multiple times and asked how we were doing and sounded like he genuinely cared. Towards the end of the meal, we mentioned that we were there for a birthday celebration, and he provided two plates of dessert for everyone to share, as well as a bottle of wine to take home for the birthday girl. Once again, we were overwhelmed with free stuff, and left very happy customers.
(5)Tonie T.
Two Words: Bottomless Chai Seriously, just take one sip from your cup and a server - any server - will be running up to your table to warm up your cup and fill it to the brim with more delicious hot chai. Taste of India hits the tri-fecta: Great Service, Good Ambiance, and Fantastic Food. Even the prices are decent. The nan came out steaming hot with delicious dips. The Raita (yogurt with cucumber, spices, etc.) is a must-order to eat with nan and with your entree. We ordered Chicken Tikka Masala and Vegetarian Rogan Josh. YUM! They even gave us a free slice of Halvah to end our meal. YUM Again! Anytime I'm in Seattle, I'll come back to Taste of India.
(5)Andy K.
Taste Of India serves water; and Indian food if you ask for it. If you take a sip be prepared to have your glass filled. I wanted to tell the guy to just chill, he was giving me the distinct impression that I wasn't drinking enough to suit him. The naan is delicious and large as a dish towel so plan accordingly. The other food is just solidly executed northern indian. It isn't terribly exceptional but it's as good or better than most. It's white people spicy so if you want heat make yourself explicit and tell them twice. Oh, and maybe don't start to wipe down the table while we're still sitting there. I'm not sure what the message is there, but it isn't good.
(3)Rainier T.
I *LOVE* this restaurant! It's one of my most favorite in Seattle and was a priority destination for me during a recent trip. I have always found the restaurant to be bustling with customers, often times crowded near the entrance because of great word of mouth about their terrific dishes. My favorite is the chicken tikka masala, and I make sure to accompany it with some naan bread and a bottomless cup of chai. That's all you need for instant nirvana! I've always found the service to be prompt and have been impressed at how diligent they are at making sure your cup is always full. The premises are tidy and inviting with some light Indian decor. The prices are reasonable as well, with the average dish ranging from about $9-13. Dinner for two cost me about $35. The restaurant only has a small parking lot, so you'll have to find street parking, which is frequently available, but can be challenging at times if you come by during the dinner rush. Highly recommended!
(5)H A.
The waiiiitt !!!! Why would you want to bring a Naan bread first and let it go cold before The meal ? It doesnt make sense. Food was good, nothing compare to sf bay area indian food though
(2)David P.
This would be 5 stars if they served alcohol. But, the food is consistently great. We just had coconut curry lamb (the best of our dishes), tandoori chicken tikka, and vegetable rogan josh. I also highly recommend the garlic naan.
(4)Rik C.
Wonderful food and great service. you have to try the butter chicken! They also have the best chai. Because they will constantly refill your cup and you can't stop drinking the tasty stuff, one entree and an appetizer is more than enough for 2 people. This is hands down the best Indian place in Seattle. Come early and avoid the wait!
(5)A J.
Best indian restaurant in Seattle, hands down. We've been going for years and absolutely love it. Favorite is the chicken mango curry.
(5)Keyur S.
Awesome food...awesome service...one of the best places for great Indian food - I Love it!
(5)Gary T.
Great food. It gets busy, but the service is really fast so don't worry if it looks like a long line. Tasty naan, and the chai is heavenly.
(5)Eric B.
Great food, great service and generous portions.
(5)Monica S.
I *heart* Taste of India. It's pretty close to my favorite restaurant in all Seattledom. Why? #1 Food taste & quality. Supreme. I dream of the Mutter Masala with Paneer. The Lamb Saag calls to me whenever I'm hungry. The Chicken vindaloo haunts my other dining expreiences. The naan is so delicious I turn up my nose at other restaurants' versions. The pakora is beyond reproach. Their kheer is really ambrosia. Don't be afraid of the mango relish - add it's salty/spicy bite tro your food. And then there's the chai. Ah hell. The chai needs it's own paragraph. No, a poem: So sweet the sight, So lovely the sound Of the hot pot of chai Making its rounds. Fill mine up, My nearly empty cup. Don't let me leave without 7 or 8 or maybe even 9 no, 10 cups before I go... man I wish this cup were to go... #2 Service. Can't be beat. Leave a tip. Don't buy what the other reviewers say. Your server may not get the cash directly, but that's because the team handles your service. If the waitstaff were so unhappy with this arrangement, they'd leave. They must be paid well enough to stay. They are certainly good at their jobs. #2 Atmosphere. The place may be packed and is often warm, but the amazing collection of eclectic wall decorations will likely distract you. The staff are mostly friendly and capable. The seating is comfortable and cozy. It is always clean. (That's hard in a place that serves that much rice!) This place gets busy due to it's great reputation and it's ability to deliver the goods. I'd tell you when the non-busy times are, but then I'd be competing with you for a table...
(5)Maurilio M.
Taste of India is a taste of delicious. Naan, curry, and rest of food was great. Lasi was excellent as well. Overall. this was a great place to eat and relax. We were in Seattle on a very cold day. We came here and were quickly greeted, seated and given our menus with a few suggestions. A great warm place to eat.
(4)Angela W.
At the excellent suggestion of Diana L. (a yelper who sympathized with my plight to replace my favorite Indian restaurant ever... in Houston) I tried Taste of India's take-out yesterday for dinner. The restaurant was crowded even though I ate very early, and parking was difficult. My order, however, was available promptly and filled my car with the most delightful aroma as I cursed my way through traffic all the way home. I always love going through Indian take-out from a new place - I unwrap everything first, and sample gleefully (like a kid at Christmas with a huge naan), before getting to the difficult business of consuming everything within reach. Taste of India didn't disappoint - the papadam was crunchy and warm and served with tamarind and cilantro chutney for dipping. The chicken tikka masala was excellent. The gravy was flavorful and rich, but without masking the smokiness of the tandoori-oven cooked chicken. The garlic naan was plenty garlic-y but just missed that light-as-air melt-in-your-mouth texture that is perfection in bread-form. I think I've found my new Seattle Indian restaurant!
(4)simon B.
OK. I hail from the UK, and curry is said by many to be our national dish. My hopes were not very high for the Taste of India. It looks garish form the outside and a little over the top. Inside, it was Sunday early evening - it was packed. We ordered our meal (no alcohol) and drinks. Service was brisk, a little un-organised - but nothing too complain about. The Naan was simply the best i've tasted, excellent. The curries we good too - quite "sauce" based - hard to really define lots of depth a flavour - but none the less enjoyable. They do spice their food well, we ordered a 4 put of 5 - and it was borderline Vindaloo, which is correct -but not often done. Portion sizes are large, so beware on the ordering quantities. On finishing a free Backlava came with the bill, which was nice - but not really Indian - would be nice to get an indian dessert - but thats me nit picking. Oh, and it was very cheap. There were 3 of us, though we ordered for 5 and it came to $75 (before service) Overall a good, solid curry...
(3)Aaron S.
So for starters, this joint gets a 1 star deduction because literally every time my girlfriend or I took even the slightest sip of water or chai one of two official beverage servers barged into the middle of our pleasant/private conversation to top off the beverage. While I certainly appreciate avoiding an empty beverage, such stalking was quite disruptive and totally unnecessary. What was strange about the service, in addition to the constant water filling, was that it took at least 20 minutes (seriously, we counted) to get our check, and only did so after refreshing our befuddled server's memory a couple of times that we indeed had not gotten our check (ya know dude, we're still sitting here with an empty table and bored facial expressions!). During the meal we had probably 5 different people dealing with us, which probably explains the missing check. The manager-looking guy was very friendly, but it seems they need to re-organize their duty-distribution system (less water-more timely check) as I'd rather deal with one competent/focused person than a small army. As for the food...I assumed 3 stars out of 5 on the spicy scale meant I would definitely sense some heat/flavor. Not so. Perhaps they've dumbed down the spiciness for finicky Americans? I'm kinda curious to try the 5 star, but I don't plan to go back, so I guess I'll never know. The chicken tikka masala I had was otherwise pretty good, but for ~$15 I was disappointed that it was not substantially better than the frozen $4 options at the Trader Joe's down the street. One last warning: Anyone over 6' tall needs to watch out for low ceilings!
(2)Suma K.
Went on a Saturday with the family for their buffet, which was meh to say the least. Granted only 1 in about a thousand buffets are actually fantastic, but this one was particularly forgettable. We walked in around 12:30 and everything looked like it had been sitting there since the night before. My brother happened to comment to one of the folks working there that the gulab jamun was cold and hard inside, and she said that's how most patrons prefer it. Umm....seriously? On the plus side, the naan was delicious and perfectly fluffy and soft. Overall though, definitely not worth the $8.99 per person. I'd rather pay that much for one spectacular entree somewhere else than a buffet table full of mediocrity that attempts to pass as "Indian food".
(2)Michelle K.
I think this has to be the best Indian food I've had in recent memory. The lamb korma was to die for..the lamb was so tender and flavorful and the almond slices added a nice contrasting texture. The rice was so aromatic and wonderful. My friend ordered a vegetarian dish, which was amazing~~~ I don't know what veggies were in it, but it came in a lovely sauce similar to tikka masala. If I were a vegetarian, I would most definitely have this restaurant's number on speed dial. I do agree that the tables are small, but the food is so very worth it. Their naan are huge!! Between the two of us, we still didn't have room in our happy tummies to finish the one naan we shared. Check this place out if you want some amazingly flavorful Indian food!
(5)Natalie W.
All Indian tasted the same to be before I went to Taste of India... expect the stuff that makes you want to turn and run because of the stench. No more! I know quality now. The building is so random that I went in with no expectations and armed with an entertainment coupon- I was trying to drain the last of the book before it expired... I am cheap and like to eat... it is a conundrum. The flavor burst we experienced- the wonderful ever present water guy- the soft naan- and the large portions, suitable for a amazing next day lunch, makes me love this place. Distinct flavor, tender meat, and wonderful food are what is offered up on white platters... and it doesn't all taste the same! Run don't walk to Taste of India... and don't turn around when you see the building and think we have all made a mistake :)
(5)Shane B.
This place is awesome! Me and my girlfriend had an excellent experience with incredible food. It was a Friday evening and it was really packed, but the long wait was not much of a problem as they constantly refreshed all guests with mini appetizer plates and chai tea's. When we sat down we were promptly waited on, and my water cup didn't run dry throughout the entire night (a rather impressive feat)! We ordered the Jaipuri Masala and the Butter Masala. The Jaipuri was pretty great, but the Butter Masala was to die for, incredibly rich; every bite was delectable. We took the mass of leftovers in a doggie bag and left feeling completely satisfied. Great service, better food.
(5)Kenneth A.
What a great place to get excellent Indian food. With excellent service, and delicious food, I find myself leaving with a positive experience every time I eat at Taste of India. For my bf and I, we normally order Vegetable Samosas, Paneer Naan, Chicken Korma, and Lamb Tika Masala. We have eaten here together at least 6 times of the last 8 months. If you are lucky, you can nab discounts from Stranger Mart ( post.thestranger.com/sea… ) or from other offerings (I had a gift certificate from American Express), otherwise it might get a bit pricey if you include wine and dessert to your meal.
(4)Marion B.
My mom and I always go here when she's in Seattle. They're always friendly and the food is delicious!
(4)Kanton B.
Soooo yummy. The chai tastes like warm liquid fruit loops!
(5)Roxana A.
This is the best Indian food you will ever have! I come here almost every time I'm in Seattle!
(5)Sebastian L.
The food is fantastic (Butter Chicken and the Mango Curry especially) and better than the slightly more expensive Cedars restaurant (run by the same family) on 50th and Rosevelt. The food deservers 4 or 5 stars hands down, so if thats all you care about go there and be very happy - one of the best Indian food experiences I have had in Seattle, again lets get this out of the way :amazing food everyone, ok?! Now here are the reasons I am not giving 4 or 5 stars: 1) Wait staff treatment: The wait staff does NOT, I repeat, NOT get to see any of the tips you leave them. So when they treated you well and you plunk down that extra special 20% tip with that big "I am recognizing your hard work and hope this buys you a new shirt because you look like you are in college and need some new wardrobe" smile, well guess who benefits? Not the person who cooked your meal , not the person who balanced 3 scolding hot plates through the crowded restaurant.. The owners get to keep the tip that you thought would support a poor college student..(probably the owner of that big BMW thats always parked out front). Every waiter there receives some slightly higher than min wage hourly rate payment and since the restaurant is close to the U there is enough labor to draw from. You might argue that all the tip shouldnt just be given to the wait staff but shared with the kitchen staff as well - sure thing - but to the best of my knowledge it is NOT shared at all but just increases the profit margin for the owners. So if you tip well or not at all, it wont make the slightest difference to the financial well being of the people that cooked for you or seved you your meal 2) Wait time: Its very great food, so finding a table there on a weekend night without waiting is like playing powerball and expecting the million dollar payout check to come in the mail next month. There is a very cramped waiting area with even fewer chairs, one of which was taken away right from out under me once because it was needed in the restaurant. 3) Privacy: there is just enough space between you and your neighboring tables that you could eat off their plates too with just a little straining of the wrist - which might not be so bad if you are into forced improvised communal sharing deals , but if you need to have a private conversation, ie you are on that special date and you are about to talk about those prior "private" experiences or need to discuss finance, pregnancy or all the other things that shoudnt concern anyone but you and your dinner companion, you are probably going to have an unwitting audience. Ok, I admit it, sometimes that adds to the fun of being at this restaurant when you get an impromptu Seinfeld episode right next to you, just as long as you can tamper your voice or talk about bowling you'll probably be fine 4) Toilet - lets just say it has seen better days
(3)Jake B.
Ditto, best Indian in Seattle.
(5)Beth C.
Good food and great service. Loved the bottomless chai....and the service was humorously over the top. First, we had to wait outside because it was so busy....and here comes some free apps and free chai. When we did get a table, the staff wouldn't let our chai cups or water glasses get below 3/4 full before it was re-filled. They'd have 5 stars out of us if the heat on their food was a little more (my hubby ordered 4 stars and it was nothing?!) and the table was a little bigger that they put us at....we had 7 people around a round table that would comfortably fit 4.
(4)cecily m.
This is one of the places that I make sure to bring visitors. By far the best Indian food I've ever had. The waiters are like sharks, always walking around with a water or hot chai pitcher. Their chai is amazing. Complimentary appetizers and desserts don't hurt. Gets really busy during dinner time--reservations help. (But the free chai they give you while you wait is almost worth the wait.)
(5)Nitro B.
Moved to Seattle in 1994 - since then is my fav Indian place! I am in San Jose now and look forward to dining here every time I visit- Best Garlic Naan on the west coast! Fantastic family restaurant :)
(5)Brian F.
Amazing food, amazing service. Had to wait 20 minutes for dinner because they were slammed, but we didn't mind - they gave us free chai and appetizers while we were waiting. The garlic naan is tops and I love the chicken tikka masala.
(5)Amy T.
It's very good, and I love that they have a very large menu. Last time we went, we made a reservation for friday night. When we got there, it was packed with people and we still had to wait 15 minutes for a table. The host was very apologetic and when we sat down, he brought us a complimentary appetizer for waiting. Everything we've ever had there is delicious and huge!
(4)Kristin A.
If you don't like the crowd, just do take out. They whip up whatever you order in 15-20 minutes. I have them programmed into my phone. My family always orders the same dishes so I've got that memorized. My kids adore the spinach-stuffed naan. It is the only way my kids will eat spinach. That makes me adore T of I even more.
(5)Dipa S.
Having been bought up on Indian food and coming from a city in the UK where you can smell a good Indian curry on your way to work in the morning, Taste of India is as good as it gets in Seattle. The lamb curry is delicious along with the mango lassi. The service is impeccable, make sure you get a tour of the kitchen and see the chefs at work. This really has to be one of my favorite Indian restaurants.
(4)cindy w.
Taste of India rates 3 stars because it was aight. Aight for the lunch price specials, aight for the portion, and aight for taste. I've had better Indian food but for $8.95 for chicken vindaloo, it'll hit the spot if you're hungry and no other Indian food was in sight. Yelp kinda let me down because of al lthe favorable reviews here, I wasn't that impressed. Since this spot is located in a college-district, I saw tons of other Indian restaurants around that made me wonder if they tasted better.
(3)Tazzy M.
every time i drive by and see the crazy wait at this place i am perplexed. its good, just not worth it.
(3)Dennis H.
"We haven't tried an Indian Restaurant in Seattle, can we find one?" Thanks to Yelp, Yes, and 4 of them on Roosevelt ! (near-by). We tried this one because it looked so festive on the outside, and we weren't disappointed. Very friendly and attentive hosts/waiters and wonderful food. We had a number of questions about the food preparation and when our waiter didn't know enough, a more knowledgeable person was sent over to expand our information. Wonderful flavors, substantial portions and pleasant presentations, and a complementary Baklava when we said we were too full for dessert (split 3-ways it was delicious and just right). A GREAT dining experience!
(4)Nina F.
The food is yummy. All the food we have had is excellent. That being said, the owner is slimy (no really, I can't stand the guy). The employees seem over worked and the place is packed. The service is spotty at times.
(3)Andrea D.
Taste of India has been our favorite restaurant of the year. My roommates and I go there frequently (sometimes multiple times per week) and it never gets old! We often go there for birthdays and other celebrations and have a great time. The food is great and the service is unparalleled! We love it!
(5)Aaron M.
Taste of India has some of the best Indian Food in seattle. As a result it can be hard to get a seat during busy times, but that is expected anywhere. Reviewers are right about the good serivce however one thing that I was told, but havn't followed up on, is that the servers don't actually get the tip you leave and instead it goes to the resturant. The servers are paid slightly more for not getting tips. I suggest you ask the server if this is the case and if it is confirmed forget the tip...it isn't going to the excellent service anyway.
(4)J K.
I would love to give this place an awful review simply for the selfish fact that I don't want to make the wait here even longer. But this place definitely deserves five stars! Although this place is not the best Indian food I have ever had, it is definitely the best I have had in Seattle. On top of that, it is also the best service I have ever had at any Indian restaurant. The owner is super friendly and will go out of his way to give you a free dessert or a free appetizer! After being too full to eat anymore, how can you resist the free slice of mango cheesecake he gives to your table? Or the vegetable pakoras they chose to give me and my girlfriend before our meal on one occasion? These free plates have been given to us about 75% or our times here. Their beef is insanely tender in whatever dish you choose. And who can resist their unlimited chai tea? My only wish is that Taste would expand. If you get there at 6 pm on a Friday, plan on waiting. But trust me, it will be worth it.
(5)Sven S.
Absolutely wonderful Indian food. One of the best places I have been in the US for Indian food. The portions are large and savory, and the Chai Tea is never-ending. Huge great-tasting naan. Large selection of dishes with tons of vegetarian stuff. The manager/owner guy is very friendly and helpful which is a huge plus. Just the atmosphere here is friendly in general, which is better than a lot of Indian places around. Also, eating Indian food can be a huge ripoff so it is refreshing to come to a place with good value for your money. Keep it up.
(5)Ben J.
Good as usual. Always much less crowded than Cedars (by the way, it's the same food, just slightly more out of the way).
(4)j s.
This was one of those times where I trusted the large number of high reviews and dismissed the negative yelpers - I can put up with lousy service (and yes, it was lousy), and a wait (there was one) if the food is worth it. I'm not sure what people are so excited about with this place though - the endless chai was nice, the bread was good, and the portions were generous, but the entrees were mediocre. Not "average", and certainly not deserving of the 4-5 stars most people here seem to be giving out, but below average quality Indian food. I had the lamb rogan josh, and since I like my Indian food spicy, I ordered it hot. What I got was lamb in this bright red-sauce, that pretty much just tasted like hot sauce... not lamb simmered in exotic delicious spices and pepper, but some bottled mexican-style hot sauce. My special lady friend had the mulligatwany soup (watery, overly chicken-tasting - she didn't even take her leftovers home it was so bad), and the aloo-gobi (her favorite Indian dish) which came in a generous portion, but was bland and covered w/ tomatoes that hadn't been properly cooked/seasoned. So yeah, I'm still looking for a really good Indian place that doesn't require driving all the way out to Redmond - I've been to the place in Ballard, and the one in Capital Hill, both of which are good, but not great (but much better than Taste). Udapi in is Bellevue delicious South Indian (mmm, rasam soup and dosa), but still far from home, and I like meat. I'd really like to find a place with a good spicy, bone-in lamb or goat curry...
(2)Nicole R.
I ate here all the time when I lived in Seattle, and I find myself missing it more and more. Every main dish I tried there was excellent. In fact, the only loser I ever had was that peanut-buttery dessert bar thing they sometimes give you if you show up near closing time. Bleh, but it's a sin easily forgiven in light of the rest of the menu. Prices were reasonable, and you don't have to pay for the rice separately. Definitely on my agenda for the next time I visit Seattle.
(5)Bessie B.
When we arrived on a Fri evening the place was packed - which was a good sign - and the wait was about 15-20 mins. Fortunately they have benches in the waiting area, and we were provided complimentary chai and potato patties. The owner is very attentive and business savvy; any place that takes care of me while I wait has my guaranteed patronage! They also provided us with a free piece of bhaklava at the end of the meal. I ordered the paneer butter masala which was good, but not quite as tasty as it used to be at this restaurant's precursor, Cedars. Unlike many Indian restaurants, which now charge you separately for rice, here it comes included in the price of your entrée which is as it should be. Service is super fast. While I have nothing bad to say about the taste or quality of the food here, I'm giving this place 4 stars instead of 5 because it doesn't taste like truly authentic, traditional Indian fare.
(4)Betina C.
I used to live in Seattle, and when I reminisce about my time there, I think of Taste of India. There is nothing that warms the heart more than some of their naan, an order of their chicken tikka masala and of course their bottomless cup of chai. They have a sister restaurant Cedar's located in the U.District. That one gets much busier for it's locale and for that reason, I'm partial to Taste of India.
(5)Tim O.
Favorite Indian restaurant in Seattle. Totally worth the wait for the naan, the palak paneer, and the rice pudding. SO GOOD!
(5)Chris M.
Great food, great service. I had some chicken left over but not much rice so I ask the server if I could get some more to go. He checked and brought me over a small container of rice and didn't charge for it. I know rice doesn't cost that much but it was a nice touch
(5)Larissa S.
Taste of India has been my go-to Indian food favorite since my very first encounter w/Indian food in the late 90's. I was told by my friends who introduced me that it was the best ever. I had never tried Indian food ...one and done, I loved it, and of course, I had to try every other Indian restaurant in Seattle and beyond, to validate this "best ever" claim ...I always came running back to T of I !!! Mohammed was a single young guy when I first started going there ....and I remember him telling me that he was going to India to get married ...and now he has 3 kids, and he's remembered me since the first time I came in ...always a big smile, and a warm hello ....one drink of chai tea, and someone is filling up your glass, as with water, and as soon as you are finished, table is cleared and wiped ....I love their assembly line process, not just one waiter, but a team of people treating you like royalty throughout the meal, with Mohammed checking in occasionally too to make sure everything is perfect :-) This is a super busy restaurant, but they work quickly and efficiently, and it is well worth the wait! Delicious!!!!!
(5)Bruce M.
Fantastic meal and very efficient service. Chicken Tikka Marsala (hope I spelled that right) was out of this world. The staff was very friendly, seated us quickly and had water on the table in before we took our coats off. The Spinach naan was the best I have found in Seattle. Only one thing I found dissapointing was when we asked for an two extra plates so we could share the different dishes, the plates arrived quickly but appeared to come from a refrigerated location. They were very cold and quickly cooled the hot food.
(5)E R.
Went here again tonight and wow. It's always such a treat. I often judge an Indian restaurant by the saag paneer (here paneer palak or something like that) and it's great here. Yummy vegetarian stuff for me; my husband loves the vindaloo. Possibly because we came late (after 8:30) we got some freebies--veggie samosas before dinner and dessert after--this has happened to me many times eating here. Lots of waitstaff so without any hovering, you frequently get your water topped off (key with spicy food!) and emptied plates cleared away. Our waiter was so nice (but not overbearing or over-chatty). Warm decor and cozy seating. It's so popular that it's best to come on a weeknight if you can to avoid inevitable weekend crowds. Such a great night out! We'll be back!!!
(5)Jim c.
I would rate it more like a 3.5.. For sure not the best or most authentic Indian food in the world, but most aren't.. The food is definitely good for the price, most Indian restaurants overcharge for the ingredients and time it takes to make. But maybe im bias beacuse i was a cook at a couple indian restaurants for years. i have never been unsatisfied expect when they forgot to put my naan in a take out order so i had to go back and my food was kind of cold when i actually got to eat.. But hey shit happens.. I wouldn't go to far out of my way to go here but will eat here again..
(4)oscar o.
the standards have slipped! they no longer serve beer or wine. their normal excellent food is now bland, greasy and only ok. tonight was my last visit, I won't be returning.
(2)Jennifer F.
This place is terrific, and not just for the food. Each time we've gone we've had a wonderful meal to be sure, but the exceptional service made an even bigger impression. When we were there on Friday night there was a long wait, so the waitstaff brought free cups of chai for us to sip. Then, when there was a small delay in our entrees arriving (one that truthfully we hadn't even noticed), the manager surprised us with a free appetizer. Even though the place was slammed and there was a line out the door, our drinks stayed refilled and they checked on us frequently to make sure we were satisfied. Very highly recommended.
(5)Melissa D.
Okay, so I feel like I went to a completely different restaurant than most of the reviewers on here! Maybe I just went on a bad night, but after I saw the state of the kitchen at this place, I highly doubt it. Ambiance of the place is nice, until you head to the restroom... Around the corner is a clear view into the Taste of India kitchen, which was, IMHO, extremely unappealing! It was just plain dirty (there was a REALLY grody rag sitting up on the counter practically on top of some plates of food, and the floor and counters really looked like they could use a tough scrubbin') and made me feel pretty ill after eating the bland and lukewarm food I barely finished half of. It just wasn't good! I live for mango lassi drinks and never take longer than 2 minutes to drink one down; unfortunately, Taste of India's ML was wayyy too yogurty and tasted like it was made with cheap, imitation mango. Awful! It was a total letdown. Anyway, just my two cents! Sounds like people have had much better luck than I at this place. Guess I'll stick to the Maharaja in W. Seattle, which is AMAZING! Also, BTW -- The endless refilling of the water was WAY overboard! The waiters kept reaching over my husband after he had taken, like, 2 sips of water! Kinda weird...!
(2)Heather G.
Just an FYI that Taste of India is no longer serving beer and wine. It was a great disappointment to arrive there this evening intending to relax and enjoy a nice meal and a glass of wine with my husband after a very long, stressful week, only to find out that they've inexplicably stopped serving beer and wine. No idea why this has happened, but if you are going for a celebration be forewarned. And while the food is very good, I have to say that it is definitely on the pricey side. Save yourself some money and relax with a glass of wine or beer at Bengal Tiger just up the street.
(2)Rick L.
I'm a whore for vindaloo - seriously. I also really liked some of the spicer dishes my boyfriend told me to try [he's too chicken] - and the spinach nan was ... oohhhmmgod!
(5)S C.
Best Indian restaurant I've ever been to! I love chai tea and I drink it like a fish. They were so good about refilling my tea & water. Everything I've had there so far had been wonderfully tasty without being too overwhelming or rich. My favorite had been chicken tikka masala, mango curry with veggies, and butter chicken. I really like their veggie pakoras & pesto naan, too, and their rice pudding & ice creams... yum!!! The wait is awful on weekend dinners, so I usually go for weekday lunch. The owner (I think) is always nice and friendly. He even asked me if the food wasn't good because I "wasn't eating much" and if he could do anything else. I love Indian food, but sadly, I just can't eat a whole lot of it at once. They've usually offered some kind of complimentary dessert, which always scores big in my book.
(5)Nina N.
the wait is ridiculous but muhammad the owner always gives you complimentary beer, wine, mango lasi or whatever he has to offer you just for the wait..... and trust me if you go during prime dinner hours without a couple days in advance reservation you will be waiting.. but to be honest it's worth it... you can't find chicken tikka masala anywhere better than this place.. EXTRA HOT!! with garlic naan and whatever else food they have on the menu it's yummy... i haven't been disappointed yet....... please do try i love this place it's my favorite if you like indian food... and since it's mass production it's always fresh.. who wants old indian food.. gross!!! it's like who wants day old milk.. YUCK!!!!
(5)Leah K.
Most inauthentic Indian food we've ever had. We will not return. They should call it American Indian cuisine. The curries were too creamy, not spicy, and all pretty much tasted the same. We asked for a plate of chili powder. We've lived in India & traveled through Pakistan and the food here doesn't compare. You can get far better Indian on the east-side where there is more ethnic diversity.
(1)Todd O.
I went to this place specifically from all the YELP reviews. Although I drove 45 minutes to get there, made it in-time for them to tell me the kitchen was closed.... and then serve me up a fantastic meal, I had the best experience I could have hoped for. The fellow at the front desk gave me a bunch of information on how to begin making Indian-based food, showed me the nice selection of random items needed which they offer for sale/etc. Most importantly, not only did they serve me when they were "closed", I like incredibly spicy food. After explaining what I liked, they customized my meal to the tune of near double the max spice. Then, I still wanted more. What happened...they hooked me up with a nice container of house-ground-pepper to really make it happen! Thanks to these people, I am on my way to learning this type of cooking! The meal was $14....and then I spent another $25 on their packaged sauces/spices.
(5)Calyn M.
TOI is a Seattle gem. They have fast service, good value, and the owner is wonderful. Our favorite dishes include the vindaloo, mutter paneer masala, butter chicken, mango curry, palak masala, and vegetable kofta. You can't go wrong. Make reservations on Friday or Saturday nights, or be prepared to wait. If you order chai, the chai fairy will come around and refill your mug regularly. Mmmm chai....
(5)eli e.
Everything I had was good here and I plan to go again. Samosas are my favoite thing to order, perhaps my favorite food ever, and these did not disappoint. Crispy, flaky shells with tender potato insides and the twin sauces accompanying were good if somewhat standard. Even better though, at this particular restaurant, is the naan. I ordered garlic naan and was very pleased to chew on the hunks of garlicky goodness, not burnt or tough or limp like other Indian establishments but fresh, hot and flavorful. The only dish that I could have lived without was the Palak Masala Paneer, frankly I've had better. The paneer, a mild cheese, was not as fantastic as I've had before, and the creamed spinach that is palak was a bit too creamed and one dimensional in flavor for me. Not bad, just not great. The service and atmosphere were both pleasant and unassuming, I am eager to go again and delve deeper into their extensive menu and see what tastes of India wait to be discovered.
(5)Craig K.
Bring it.
(5)Sunny Y.
Succulent. Delicious. Filling. Great Service. Just the many words to describe Taste of India. I have been going to this charming little Indian place for the last 5 years, and it has never ceased to amaze me. I had the luxury of meeting the owner, Mohammed a few years back, he always remembers his patrons and treats them quite well. The food is very delicious and big portions. Try the Butter Chicken or the eggplant bharta; also try the bottomless chai. A dinner for two costs about $30, but quite worth it!
(5)Margaretta L.
You can't beat Taste of India for great Indian food in this area, and who can beat bottomless refills on cardomom-rich chai? Don't be deterred by the long line - the service is quite attentive here and you'll get a table pretty quickly. Taste of India has been a favorite of my family and friends for years, and will certainly be for years to come. Try the Saag Paneer, Coconut Curry, and Tikka Masala. I was there this past sunday and noticed that they've expanded the dessert and beverage menu! Fantastic!
(5)Camila D.
First time going to an indian place, I was scared of what I was going to find there but I have to say that it was a great experience, great food, great environment and great service.
(5)Aramis H.
I have NEVER had better customer service. The food is ALWAYS tasty. We get the Mango Curry Chicken and the Butter Chicken every time. The Naan is excellent. The delicious Chai never stops flowing.
(5)Radio D.
I used to live near here a couple years ago and never went because I thought it was going to be expensive and or really bad, but today we walked over from Trading Musician and tried this place. The first thing I thought was WOW, please cut down on the incense, but after being seated and ordering a chai and a mango lassi, they brought us out a free Pakoras. Cool! I thought, free is always good. We ordered some garlic nan to start off with, some vegetable coconut curry and a Mediterranean combo plate. The nan arrived and it was the biggest piece of bread I've ever seen and it was hot and fresh and yummy! My partners very generous helping of coconut curry was also very delicious and it came with a plate full of rice. My combo plate was presented beautifully with a basket of homemade pita bread. My Chai was refilled a couple times during our lunch, I don't know of anyone that gives free refills on chai. That was a wonderful surprise. The biggest surprise of all was the bill. It was less than $30 for everything. While we were waiting for our credit card to processed they brought us out FREE Gulab Jamun-fried milk dough served in honey, saffron syrup. Yes, I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!!
(5)Zarah M.
Taste of India is definitely one of the best. The service here is excellent. This restaurant is ussually full because it's just so very good. The chai is excellent and the people, very nice. I personally love the chicken curry, spinach nan and mango ice cream. This is one of my most favorite restaurants. I highly recommend it. I'll have photos and more details for you in the future!
(5)Katherine K.
Yum yum! This place is fabulous. There is a great selection of dishes, and everything I've tried has been delicious. The chai is great, and they keep coming around to fill up your glass. (Actually, this verges on ridiculous, since literally every 2 minutes, they are back to top off your water and chai glasses, but the chai never gets cold, and you never run out.) At the end, we got complimentary baklava. The naan is also perfect -- fluffy, fresh, and crispy on the bottom. Fabulous!
(5)Wanda L.
Awesome chai tea and my favorite dishes are the chicken vindaloo and the lamb jaipuri masala. The dishes are not too spicy; I think you have to really ask for spicy spicy to get it because the medium was not hot at all. I'd go more often if it were closer to the udistrict
(5)Chloe H.
I'll have to agree with everyone here. I love Indian food in general, so I'm easy to please, but everything here is especially amazing, and their bottomless Chai is the freaking best. The only problem is that everyone and their mom knows that this place is the bomb, so it is always crowded.
(5)Ameera N.
What can I say that hasn't already been said before? Taste of India is AMAZING. You feel welcome and at home the moment you walk in their doors. The food is always phenomenal and ordering food for two people is really more like food for four! They're extremely generous with their portions, so you will have delicious left overs for the next day. Anything you pick will be great, but my favorite is the spinach naan and butter chicken. Give Taste of India, try and you won't be disappointed :)
(5)Sara M.
We chose this restaurant based on the many positive reviews and I must say, I'm perplexed. Unless the kitchen was having an off night, I'd give the food only an average rating. Ok, this review is based on only one visit but for comparison, Paseo's, also rated very highly, is consistently great -- I've eaten their dozens of times and it's always the same excellent quality. At Taste of India, we had tandoori chicken, the chicken tikka masala and naan. The tandoori chicken meat was dry (overcooked to say the least) and the vegetables, a tad mushy. The tikka masala was tasty but nothing exceptional. The naan was very good and deserves praise. And the staff is good about keeping that water glass filled. One word about pricing -- I checked out their menu online before our visit and the actual menu prices have gone up. Just an fyi.
(3)Abby L.
This place is so overly staffed it is ridiculous! Every time you take a sip of water they are there refilling it! Some might say they are being attentive I say they are neurotic. Overall the food was good, I haven't decided if I will go back or not yet. My decision will be solely based on whether or not I want to drink my whole glass of water before it is refilled!
(3)Dan P.
My first Indian experience in Seattle, and it was wonderful! Excellent flavors and great service gaurantee my return.
(5)James H.
Best Indian food we've had in Seattle since moving here from the Bay Area 20 months ago. The Chicken Tikka Masala (ordered "Hot" spicy) and garlic naan was very good. There was a wait and the staff was busy but management did everything they could do ensure a positive dining experience.
(4)Anne W.
Really tasty food. Quite an extensive menu and bustling kitchen. Y'know how at some Indian restaurants, all the sauces and flavors seem more or less the same? Not here. Each sauce was distinct in flavor and the vegetables were not over-cooked. We arrived at 6:30pm and waited 5-7 minutes to be seated. When we left at 7:30pm, there was a crowd of people waiting outside for tables. Make a reservation or come early-ish. Note: excellent beer selection.
(4)Pearl W.
I gave them 2 more visits after my initial review. And they changed 180. It was great. They did not even know it was me who wrote a 2 start rating. They realized we loved the chai and gave us free drinks to go. Who does that? It was amazing! I will keep going forever. They were so friendly and nice. I guess first time it was the waiter who was unhappy and rude that made me annoyed. Their current staff is amazing. Thank you ToI!
(5)Mary W.
I thought I hated Indian food until I had Taste of India - WOW! I'm converted :) Excellent food and very friendly staff. They've got a new repeat customer.
(5)Corinne P.
Delicious! Don't let the neon lights fool you- this is one of the best Indian restraints I have been to in Seattle! Amazing service and a great dining experience. Highly recommend the garlic naan, spinach naan & saag! Parking can be a bit tricky- so I recommend parking on one of the side streets instead of fighting for a spot in the small parking lot.
(5)Rebecca P.
Thank God for this place. Comfort food. Such stomach pleasing, delicious happiness at Taste of India. I am inspired eat more Indian food because of the great experience I've had here. The servers are attentive and friendly - if anyone is wondering. And oh my.. the food.. The Taste of India platter is a good starter because it has a mix up of meat, potatoes, and fried goodness. Also ordered one of their gigantic garlic naans, which tasted heavenly when dipped into the butter chicken masala. It was my first time having the butter chicken, and wow. It was so rich in whatever was in it, I spent the majority of the time trying to identify what I was tasting, but was very distracted by how happy it made me feel. I sank into those orange pools and went to my happy place. And then putting the sauce on top of the wonderfully scented rice? What a perfect match. The food was more than enough for 3 people. 4 people would be satisfied; it was hard to finish without feeling very tight in the stomach (3 people). The total cost came to around $28. Did use the 15% deal on Yelp, which is awesome. Had a complimentary appetizer and dessert. Well worth the price. Love you, Taste of India.
(5)Deborah G.
Great food, wonderful service! Highly recommended by my whole family. The lamb vindaloo was perfect. The naan is gigantic, hot and delicious
(5)Megan Y.
My go-to place for Indian food in the U District. The amount of free stuff they give out is ridiculous (in a good way). I almost always get a free appetizer and dessert, but one time I had to wait for a table and they gave my entire party chai tea. It was delicious by the way. I would have paid money for it on my own. Then, the food here is delicious. I wouldn't say it's necessarily a lot better than neighboring competitors, but the free stuff + great service makes it an easy choice, every time. I usually order the tikka masala dish (I'm real adventurous) or the coconut curry. They honestly taste extremely similar, but that's fine because it's the same delicious taste. You should definitely get an order of naan to share with the table while you're at it. The portion size is very large, so it's a great deal. Also, check in on Yelp! You can get 15% off your party's bill (unfortunately, yes, only one coupon per table).
(4)Tyler L.
Best Indian food delivery I've had so far. The saag paneer, vegetable masala, and aloo gobi were all terrific. Delicious!! And fast too. I love being able to order via yelp--so convenient.
(5)Alex C.
"Generous Naan Portions, Also" The service kept attentive eyes And never let our chai run dry The coconut curry _felt_ bland* Like my karai gosht lamb-- It tastes best with at least SOME spice.** *But it tasted appropriately flavorful **My date and I shared our dishes So I couldn't get my spicy wishes. My taste buds are biased When spice-stars are the highest I'd still recommend this to you.
(4)Santosh V.
Best place for indian food. Look and feel like a dhaba in India. I loved the chicken tikka here .. Go for hot medium spicy level if u want spicy food .
(5)Liz C.
Quick, delicious but slightly more expensive than other places. We came here for dinner and the place looks pretty nice inside. The servers are definitely active and attentive to your table. Water was constantly being filled and you were always checked up on. The naan is to die for. It's HUGE. It literally takes up a third of a table for two. But it's so good and it's not buttery! Its so light and fluffy and has a nice crispy exterior to it. I got the mango curry with chicken in medium hot. It wasn't too spicy but had that slight little kick at the end of each bite. It didn't really taste like mango but you could taste the sweetness coming from it. The chicken was perfect. It shredded so easily and was very moist. My boyfriend got the buttered masala with chicken in hot. His words: "it was good. Spicy, but not overwhelming. The portion size was good and good taste. Would recommend." Overall our bill was about 37$ but we had a 15% coupon from the UW student handbook and paid about 31$. A bit more expensive since each entree was about 15$ with chicken but the quality is well worth it. The garlic naan costs about $3 and is so worth it's price! I definitely would come back here to get my fix of Indian food. It is located on Roosevelt and between 55th and 56th street. Check it out!
(5)André N.
Excellent service. Very good food. It wasn't as hot as I expected. Level 2 was mild not medium.
(4)Austin G.
Yelp + Google rates Taste of India as the BEST Indian restaurant in Seattle and they were not lying. Hands down 5 stars on every account. The service was impeccable. They are very attentive and you will never need anything. They have amazing chai with unlimited free refills and the servers are constantly refreshing your cup if you want. The naan bread is HUGE. I ordered one serving and it was HUGE (enough for 2-3 people easily). The chicken tikka masala was perfect. My wife had the biryani and loved it. The portions were big enough for us to have lunch on them the next day. Five stars and a sixth for having a bowl of candy by the bathrooms! Oh, they also had a 15% off coupon for checking in on Yelp. Well done, Taste of India!
(5)Megan C.
I can't get enough of this place. I've tried other Indian food restaurants but Taste of India still ranks at the top of my list! Fav Dishes -Garlic Naan -Butter Curry -Mango Curry -Tikka Masala -Rogan Josh -Coconut Curry -Chai -Samosas Their takeout is easy and sometimes they give you chai while you're waiting. They do take reservations which is handy especially on Fridays and Saturdays after 6:30 (they get busy!) Really though you will not be disappointed!
(5)Fuzz H.
I used to come here during my years at UW. Now me my husband have moved back to the U-District, we are excited to patronize the great restaurants that we used to eat at during our college years. I went to Taste of India two days in a row this past weekend. I like most things about this restaurant. I like the generous portions, the speed of service, the friendliness of the staff and owner, and the availability of seats in the restaurant. They even have a seated waiting area which is rare for restaurants in the area. The restaurant always provides complimentary appetizers and dessert. Free ghulab jamun is the way to my heart. The services, at least as listed above is above satisfactory. I'm split on the food. The chai tastes good but is slightly watered down. The curry/masala dishes are delicious but I almost can't tell the difference between a Jaipuri and a special Curry. I feel that some of the food item are the same but just named differently or maybe the difference is by switching fenugreek with anise. The Nans are the best Nans I've ever had especially the spinach and Kashmiri Nan. And I grow up eating Nan as staple food. My experience last weekend (yesterday) was marred by the fact that we were charged for 4 orders of chai tea. Sure we had a few refills but we always thought that the chai is bottomless so why were we charged for 4 chais when it was only me and my husband at the table? I wanted to bring it up but my husband said we were already using Yelp 15% discount so let's just call it a wash. I hope I won't be mistakenly charged the next time I go there because it is simply the best place for Indian food in the area.
(4)Arjun C.
This is a really good Indian restaurant. The Rogan Josh, and Tandoori Chicken Tikka was amazing. Good service and very clean. I would highly recommend this place to anyone. The spice levels are awesome. This place really sets the bar high. I would come here even if it means driving a little extra. I will definitely come back to Taste of India.
(5)Marlon G.
This place would have received 5 stars BUT they did not input the 15% off anything check in, which I reminded the server twice. The atmosphere is very nice. Nice décor, very traditional India. Food was absolutely delicious. Went during lunch. Ordered Garlic nan, Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb, beef and appetizer. The unlimited refill on Chai (hot/ice) was surprising. Service was on top of our cups and refills.
(5)Annette O.
I wanted to give this place 5 stars, but there are always other factors that go into the experience of food. First let me just say, the food is delicious! The tikka masala and the vindaloo were tasty and had the perfect amount of spices that had us eating even though we were full. The naan bread was so soft and fluffy (We got it without butter). I could live off that naan bread if I had no option of food. Now for the bad part. There was a very strong odor that was in the restaurant that left me light headed and with a bad headache. I've been to many different types of restaurants and from an ethnic background myself, but this restaurant had such a horrible smell! They were also doing construction on the walls which made the experience disturbing. If I ever came back to Seattle to eat here I would only get food to go.
(3)Sakshi G.
Pretty much the only legit place in Seattle for North Indian food. I am Indian and I love food. So you should believe me !! Great staff honest flavors and lots of variety !!! Must check out
(5)Laura F.
Planned to grab some Indian food with another couple for lunch & found this place on Yelp (thanks guys!!) We went on a Saturday afternoon (1 pm). There was no wait, but the restaurant was moderately busy. We were given a free small appetizer to start and spent some time looking over the menus. There are plenty of options so I think everyone in your party will find something they enjoy! We all ordered individual entrees, and shared some naan (HUGE serving) and baba ganoush. I feel like the portions are the perfect size. Enough where you don't feel stuffed & could even take a small amount home for later. We were also given a free dessert to share to end our meal! Overall, I think this place has great options, good service & hospitality, and for a good price. Our total bill was $65 for 4 entrees and 1 beer. Not bad! We will be back!
(5)Tina M.
The restaurant has an open area seating space which is very nice on summer days. The naan s are very good. Curries are also OK. But never ever order the biryani. Its just rice and curry and ketchup mixed together. Better to order a curry dish and do the mixing to your taste. All in all good to place to eat out with friends and family if you are in mood for some naan and curry.
(3)Kelly B.
Taste of India is still going strong!! The service at this restaurant is second to none. I have honestly never been to a restaurant that cares so much to ensure that the customer is happy. They treat every customer as a VIP and the food is always delicious. I cannot recommend this place enough. 6 STARS!
(5)Kaelin V.
I've been to many Indian restaurants in the area and I must say this is the best tasting Indian food I've had. The service is very nice and the portions are more than enough. Complementary small appetizer and dessert. I'll be coming here more often! :)
(5)Elizabeth G.
Out of the many Indian restaurants in Seattle, Taste of India is a cut above the rest and consistently high in quality. Tofu tikka masala, palak paneer, spinach naan, garlic naan are all excellent with generous portions. Service is also consistently attentive and friendly and the ambiance cozy and inviting.
(5)Sara D.
Most delicious Indian food in Seattle, in my opinion!
(5)Saurabh A.
Just loved the Aloo parantha and the complimentary pakora and cheese cake :)
(5)Mara H.
Taste Indian food at Taste of India. I'm not sure why I haven't reviewed Taste of India yet, as I've been here probably twenty times in the past two years. This is our Indian restaurant of choice in all of Seattle. It just can't get any better. Endless chai. Tikka masala for days. Curry, curry, curry. The food is to die for. Typically, you will get an appetizer and dessert "compliments" of the house (although we didn't get dessert here the last time we went). I used to think the meat could take a slight improvement, but have noticed a definite upgrade lately. I also think their prices have increased. Anyway, back to the point. You know you have good Indian food when you see Indian families eating here, and a guy in a turban pops out of the back kitchen wishing you a good night. A dream come true.
(5)Kamran K.
They have plenty of options for everyone -- vegans included -- and everything tastes really good. However, their specialty lies in vegetarian dishes, we had Dal Maharani with Garlic Naans and loved it. The complimentary Ras Malai was amazing, will definitely order that one again. The service is good but has a very unique conundrum. All of their employees are nice but the tables don't have servers assigned to them. Every time we went there we were interacting with at least 6 different servers. It's amusing most of the time, except when you've just ordered dessert to one of them and the another one drops by to ask for dessert again. To reiterate, all of them are professional and courteous, but it would be nicer to have one person to build interaction with. At least you would have a better idea of how much you want to tip at the end.
(4)Ali D.
Taste of India gets my vote for the best Indian food in Seattle. While the prices and the menu items don't differ from any other Indian restaurant you will find in Seattle, T of I just does it right. I always get a curry when I eat Indian - Tikka Masala, Coconut Curry or Butter Masala, all with lamb. The curries are always loaded with flavor, are super creamy and come in a huge portion. I admit I have no place eating an entire curry by myself and I could split an entire order with someone but it's just too good to not devour all by myself! My curry wouldn't be complete without some garlic naan for dipping. Taste of India has my favorite naan by far just for pure size, flavor and fluffiness. What makes Taste of India stand out is the extra bit of love you get with your meal. I'm talking about the complimentary pakoras with chutney you get to nibble on before your meal, the Chai tea you are offered if you have to wait longer than 5 minutes for a table, and the small bite of cheesecake you are given to finish your meal on a sweet note (even when you can't possibly fit in another bite.) My one complaint: sometimes the servers can be overattentive when it comes to filling your water, clearing your plates and, my biggest restaurant pet peeve, wiping your table with a sponge while you are still seated. I get that Taste of India has a high volume of customers and they are working fast to turn over tables but I hate feeling rushed while I'm trying to enjoy a meal. I also hate to complain about a server filling your water too much (because it's certainly better than the alternative) but servers at Taste of India really do fill your water too much - to the point where I'm constantly holding my water in my hand so that they do not fill it up after every sip I take. I don't like being interrupted every two seconds when I'm out enjoying a meal, so sue me!
(5)Carly W.
I love this place! The service and staff are the best part! They always give us a little something extra. The food smells and tastes great, the portions are huge (it's really two meals!)
(4)Smaly K.
My friends kept saying how good this place was and how much they loved it, so I finally got to try it with my LivingSocial. They started us out with a little complimentary appetizer, some kind of fried potato patties. And then we also ordered the appetizer sampler, the Taste of India Delight, which had the best Chicken Tikka I've ever tried. We ordered the Garlic Naan and the Onion Kulcha, which were huge! One naan probably would have been good enough for the two of us. We had the Butter Masala with chicken and the Jaipuri Masala with prawns, and both were very delicious. After dinner, they gave us a complimentary coconut ice cream for dessert. The restaurant was very busy, but the service was still very quick and attentive. Really enjoyed this place.
(5)Tiffany Valentine W.
This is by far THE BEST authentic Indian food in the entire city of Seattle. The owner is originally from India and he stays on site the entire time the restaurant is open, ensuring exceptionally high quality service and consistently amazing indian food. There has never been a time that I've gone without being given a free appetizer and a free dessert -- i feel bad admitting this publicly, bc i'm basically saying don't buy dessert, just wait for them to give it to you for free cuz they always do (courtesy of the kitchen). You will become a routine customer, once you've tried this indian place there's no trying any other. So for some reference, i've been to indian bistro in ballard (also a nice restaurant), shalimar indian food on the ave, and random other indian places around seattle, and Taste of India still takes the cake ... honestly.
(5)J S.
Okay... I may have been wrong on my first review and I should have went twice just to make sure. I think I really must have gotten them on an off night my first attempt. But anyway, after writing that review I received a message from who I assume was the owner. He apologized for the experience I had received last time we were there. He offered us an invitation back for a meal on him. This was highly generous and not expected at all. To be quite honest he went above what most owners do by just responding. So my partner and I went back this week and just asked to be seated and didn't mention who I was or ask for the manager on duty as he said I should. I really didn't want my food cooked any different then they normally would. And besides, I was a little nervous when he told me to tell them you want it "Indian spicy". I could only assume that meant a level this mid west boy was not meant to handle. It wasn't the spice level in the first order, it was the balance of flavors. There just wasn't any. But!!! On this try everything was amazing!! The service was friendly and the food was delicious. We shared the beef samosas, Butter Marsala with chicken and Tikka Marsala with chicken with some garlic naan bread on the side. It was all so good!! The only thing I would say is that the beef in the samosa was a little dry, but that was minor and everything else made up for that and the first experience. I have to give credit to the owner for his proactive customer service. I will def be back.
(5)Shereen A.
Taste of India has been a long time favorite since 2002. During the last half of my time at UW, I lived a couple blocks from here and would regularly get takeout. Mohammad is so awesome. Even when stopping in for takeout, he'd welcome me in from the cold with a hot cup of chai which I sipped on while waiting for my order. When dining in, complimentary appetizers are promptly brought to your table in a snap. If you don't have a table yet, they will feed you while you wait. If you're dining here on a Friday or Saturday night, be prepared. The wait can be pretttyyyy lengthy (sometimes there's a line out the door) but you won't find yourself leaving to dine somewhere else. The delicious aroma lures you in and keeps you there. You will wait. Their naan is huge! The garlic naan is a classic favorite. It's not rare I find myself ordering more than one (I love leftovers!). My two favorites are the pesto naan and the spinach and paneer stuffed naan. That in itself is a small snack. It's a tough choice, but someone has to decide! It doesn't help that each bite is more delicious than the last. Whether you're vegetarian or not, there is plenty of good food waiting to get in your tummy. Seriously, I don't think you can go wrong. I like the chicken curry, dal maharani, tandoori chicken tikka, channa masala, okra masala, karai gosht, and madras chili masala. I could go on and ooooon and oooon. Their menu has expanded over the last few years. I haven't tried much of their Mediterranean stuff besides the dolmas, but I'm sure it's good. I prefer to stick to their Indian food, what I love best! I really enjoy the baklava for dessert. There's been many times the desserts are also complimentary. There's limited parking out front but plenty of street parking within walking distance. Thank you, Mohammad for always making our visits memorable with delicious eats and drinks. Your service, food, and kindness bring me back to Taste of India every time!
(5)Zoe V.
The food was delicious. So good. I'm not an Indian food connoisseur, but everything was real tasty. Theres plenty of seating, plenty of waitstaff, and we even got a little appetizer and desert on the house. Granted, the desert was coconut balls, and your guests liking coconut is a toss up, but it was greatly appreciated. Would go again!
(4)C G.
If yelp allowed I would've given this place a 4.5/5. My go to place for indian food in Seattle! The food is good - not the best I've had (to be fair I've had a lot of indian food!) but the service makes up for it. The owner is an amazing person! He's always around and ensures you are enjoying your meal. There's always the complimentary fritters and the occasional complimentary dessert. Service is top notch. I love their masala chai! If I'm in the area I always stop by for some chai
(4)Cody J.
My boyfriend and I have been regulars at this restaurant for almost 3 years. If that doesn't say anything about the consistency of this place, then I'm not sure what will. We went for lunch today, and realized that we've never actually spoken to the owner and thanked him for such amazing food and service. Mohammed, the store owner, was very friendly and thankful for our business for such a long time, and gave us a gift card! What a great establishment with amazing food, amazing service, and an excellent staff. We will always recommend this place as the best spot for Indian food in Seattle. Thanks, you guys!
(5)Alexandra M.
Went there with a friend who also had a Yelp discount coupon on a Wednesday night. We were seated immediately, but food arrived extremely slow. Mind you, I usually don't complain about slow food when I'm dining with friends and complimentary appetizer is delicious, but this took so long that I couldn't help but notice our stomachs start grumbling. I was disappointed that they had such little meat in the curry. It was basically a bowl of sauce with six tiny pieces or meat. Their naan tastes a little like tap water. Otherwise, their mango juice, mango lassi, and chai are amazing. Take note: their lamb has an extremely strong aroma! I've had lamb cooked in various ways from Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants in Western countries as well as authentic ones in Asia and the Middle East. Still, the lamb tikka masala at Taste of India might have one of the strongest flavors I've had ever. If you know you're not used to such powerful taste and smell, order something "safer" like beef or chicken or you won't be able to fully enjoy your meal. We were given complimentary dessert, but it was just far, far too sweet for me - thick, heavy, candied sweetness. Not even kidding - I almost gagged when I tried a spoonful. When you give something that extreme to someone who isn't even keen on sweet-tasting foods, that's the reaction you'll get. Finally, both my friend and I had Yelp discount coupons which we made sure, from the beginning, that we could use. When it came time to pay, the bill that arrived did not have the discounted price. I ended up just paying anyway since I was tired and completely unimpressed by the food and service. Plus, the table beside us were trying to do some sort of palm reading, and the two women had their arms intertwined while they spoke dramatically (though softly and secretively) to each other. It weirded my out my weekday night enough that I wanted out right away. My friends who have had Taste of India at catered events say their catering actually has much better quality than the food served in the restaurant. I know I won't be back for sure.
(2)Mehdi F.
If you want great service and great food, this is the place to go. The Lamb Vidaloo was fantastic. The owner is an amazing guy, he offered us a complimentary appetizer and dessert. The service was impeccable and very friendly.
(5)Shirley T.
First time and I will be back for sure. Everything was so delicious-- my party tried many different things and nothing disappointed. Margarita was delish and you must try the Billionaire Cocktail! Butter chicken was so good. Definitely recommend!
(5)Jack Z.
Though it took a while to walk from the University Campus and a venture into a dark neibhorhood. Apart from the waiting time for orders to be taken and the check to come, it was an enjoyable experience. I just had to try the classics. Butter Masala Chicken and Garlic Nann. The Nann was so huge and the taste was better than expected. The butter chicken seems a little sweet but make it hot so it goes well with the creamy flavour.
(4)Tanya D.
Round II - an update from our first experience. Our first time around, was enjoyable in that we appreciated the atmosphere and the service was excellent. However, we felt the food was somewhat lacking in the layers of depth one expects in authentic Indian food. (please see my first review for the full comments). We decided to give it another go. I am happy to say that I can comfortably give it four stars this time. We were advised to order "authentic" to well... have a more authentic food experience. We ordered vegetable somosas, lamb rogan josh, coconut prawn curry, aloo gobi (Potatoes and cauliflower sautéed with onions and fresh herbs) and garlic naan. I must say, ordering it "authentic" is the way to go. We ordered each dish at medium level spiciness and it certainly did not disappoint. It was just at my threshold for heat. Once the initial heat passes, you experience depth of flavor and spice. A much improvement from our first experience. The somosas weren't amazing, but a pleasant appetizer to warm up the palette for what lies ahead. The naan arrives in full glory the size of a medium pizza and is fantastic. We finished the meal with a piece of baklava. Most baklava I've eaten is generally on the sweeter side leaving one feeling slightly in sugar shock. This piece came as surprise as it was well balanced in its buttery flakiness with just enough sweetness. I could have actually eaten another half. The service of course was excellent. You can tell the owner and staff genuinely care about your dining experience and are very attentive. I wouldn't have made this place high on my priory based on our first experience. However, this time around I would certainly add this to my list of local neighborhood restaurants. Keep up the good work.
(4)Tiffany S.
A bit pricey for my taste. But good portions. The naan is ridiculously huge. It was super packed on a Friday night and I had the Chicken Jalfrazie. Took some butter chicken to go and that was pretty good. I wouldn't say there wasn't anything in particular that made this place stand out. Just pretty average food.
(3)Irina B.
The owner of this authentic Indian restaurant runs a great business. 5 star food, endless free tea on the house, appetizer and dessert on the house as well .Mohamed is a very caring and generous man. Comfortable and friendly atmosphere. You will fall in love with Indian food no doubts. Stop by, try and enjoy !!
(5)Anita P.
The hospitality is par excellence - free appetizer and dessert. Endless chai with order. Smiling managers and waiters. Food is average - only because the curry should be cashew based for Shahi dishes not tomato paste based ! Garlic naan stands upto it's fame :) overall good !
(4)Vivian H.
BF loves Indian food. He misses SF's Naan 'N Curry. Little did we know before coming here, the Naan 'N Curry in Renton is of the same Naan 'N Curry in SF! Next time we'll go there. They gave us a complementary appetizer of fried potato and two dipping sauces. I don't know what it was, but it was amazing!! We ordered chicken tikka masala, veggie vindaloo, and garlic naan. We were about to order two garlic naan but were warned that they are huge, so we ordered one. And yes, they are humongous! I thoroughly enjoyed both dishes, but I preferred the tikka masala because I enjoyed the spices more. Both had a good amount of chicken and veggies. I really never ever crave for Indian but for the BF, I would come here again.
(3)Ravi S.
My girlfriend and I were craving some great Indian food, so we decided to try Taste of India. I've been to many Indian restaurants, and it seems like service is an afterthought at most Indian places. That's not the case at Taste of India. The dining area was buzzing with activity as the waitstaff seemed to be in constant motion taking orders, refilling drinks, and bringing out food. I don't think either of us ever finished more than a quarter of a glass of water before it was promptly filled up again. Taste of India should also be praised for its generosity. Before our appetizers came out, they brought us a potato pakora and some chutney. Also, after our meal, they brought us a piece of cheesecake with some mango syrup on top. Who doesn't appreciate free food? As for the food that we ordered, it was good though not exceptional. For our appetizer, we had the tandoori chicken wings. I would say this was the highlight of the meal. They were seasoned perfectly, and the wings were large and juicy. I would highly recommend ordering them. We shared the chicken tikka masala as our main dish. Although we ordered it to be spicy, the dish was quite mild. Otherwise, it was rich and creamy and still pretty good. Even though the dish came with rice, I'd say that $15 is a bit overpriced for what it was. We also got two orders of naan. Be aware that you only need one though. The naan was gigantic, and we were only able to finish one. Tip: Get it with butter. It's worth the extra gym time. Overall, Taste of India does a lot of things right that other Indian restaurants take for granted. They could stand to spice things up a bit though.
(4)Tina S.
We got a complimentary order of delicious pakoras. The veggie samosas, butter chicken masala & garlic naan were super yummy. Portions are generous too.
(5)Faisal A.
Good indian food. But the waitresses are in harry and the smell of the place was not that good.
(4)Hannah S.
5 stars! This place is fabulous, wonderful wonderful food, very clean, very attentive servers. The service was above and beyond, the owner and all of his waiters/waitresses are outstanding. I would recommend this place to everyone!
(5)Azure S.
I had the shahi korma; my friend had the royal biryani. Both were delicious. I am definitely looking forward to coming back to try other dishes at this place. The waitress seemed kind of sullen; she didn't smile at all. However, she was very helpful; she adjusted a space heater when my friend started feeling cold. Although this place does provide complementary appetizers and desserts, don't get excited. They're small portions. They taste great and I appreciate it, but they are still fairly small portions. The restaurant looked clean and very nice.
(4)Sam P.
Very delicious, everybody there is super friendly (especially the owner). Everytime I go they include a free little appetizer and dessert too. Highly recommend.
(5)Sarah J.
SO DELICIOUS! And last night was incredibly busy but service was still really quick and attentive. So many vegan options (including naan!).
(5)Rohan K.
Unfortunately it looks like my first experience here was a fluke. Everything this time was just wrong. We got here at 8:15 which was 45 minutes ahead of "closing". Clearly the chefs just wanted to leave and made it clear in the food that he did not like us being there. Our table of 6 started off with some pakoras and paneer tikkas which were pretty good. We ordered the fish tikka based on my experience with the dish last time but this time it was just so bland, overcooked and tasteless. It lacked any form of seasoning or spice. Very disappointed. The garlic naan was the only hit in the entire meal. However, they closed the kitchen as soon as they prepared our order so we couldn't get any more. The okra masala was pretty bland while the paneer butter masala was just sweet, creamy and unbearably rich. The worst dish by far was the chicken madras chili masala. There was nothing "madras" or "chili" about it and I'm amazed at how bad they managed to make it taste. It was basically chicken boiled in tomato mush with no seasoning or flavor. Probably the worst chicken curry I've had in a very long time. Half way through our meal we hit the 9pm deadline at which point they started vacuum cleaning the floor around and below us, mopping up our table, picking up plates without bothering to check if we were actually finished and at one point one of the staff even turned off the lights for a couple of seconds. I mean yes we get it, we're inconveniencing you as customers and you want us out. Thanks for making it so obvious. The only saving grace for the meal were the desserts. Since they are prepared ahead of time, they pulled some out of the fridge for us. The kheer and kulfi were great, the rasmalai was not bad and the mango cheesecake was excellent. I wish the rest of the meal had tasted half as good and also that we had been allowed to eat in peace. After this experience of horrible food and extremely poor service, I don't see myself going back here anytime soon. Being treated well for being a paying customer is not too much to expect. My search for a decent Indian restaurant in Seattle continues...
(2)linda y.
Favorite Indian place around. The naan is huge and fluffy and buttery, way larger than nearby Cedar's. It's a bit on the pricey side for a college student but portions are enough for two meals. Service is super nice and we get complimentary appetizer and dessert!! Need I say more??
(5)Sara F.
A great place to fulfill your indian craving! Tikka masala is so tasty. The place can get really crowded around weekends, but this is the first place I found that serves indian chai for free while you wait! I highly recommend.
(5)N K.
Excellent food great service very hospitable brought me a complimentary desert. Now that is a delight you don't see often.
(5)Marcos R.
What a great surprise to find my new favorite Indian restaurant. The Happy Hour is the best way to start, a fantastic selection of all the favorites at a fraction of the cost. The chicken tikka, vegetable samosa, hummus, chicken wings and garlic naan are all amazing. Paired with a cold Kingfisher it's all a treat.
(4)Suhel B.
We're apprehensive about Indian restaurants as most have disappointed in the Seattle area. The fact that we've been here 3 times in the last 2 months speaks for itself. Also, this place topped the list of restaurants for my parents visiting from India. The food is not just authentic, but can give many eateries back in Indian a run for their money. Top picks are - Bombay Tandoori Chicken Wings, Lamb Rogan Josh, Shahi Paneer, and the ubiquitous but rarely satisfying Butter Chicken. Although the food itself is enough to get you back every other week, their service is equally commendable. The staff's most courteous, and the management makes it a point to check in on your experience multiple times through the meal. Also, every time they made the experience more special by adding a complimentary potato fritters, raita (yoghurt sauce), rosogollas, gulab jamuns and rasmalais (different kinds of sweetmeat balls dipped in sugar syrup and cream). They will be getting a lot of repeat business from us and our friends for a long time.
(5)Ed H.
First and foremost this restaurant has almost NO parking. As in a drive around residential side streets for a half hour trying to find a spot would not be abnormal. So account for it. Secondly though they do take reservations -- as well they should; the place gets very packed for dinner, deservedly because the food is very very good -- don't expect a fancy place. This is a down-home makeshift jury-rigged joint with a kitschy almost cheesy atmosphere. BUT... Now down to what's really important.... The food. Taste of India has some damn good food at irs disposal. For starters they have a Kashmiri Naan filled with fruits and nuts that is to die for. As is the garlic naan. The samosas were "okay".... They weren't bad. They just weren't the best of all time. But The chicken curry is outrageously delicious. So too is the chicken tikka masala. And the beef kabobs. Top notch service is standard. No one's english there is great. But they're eager to please. This is one indian restaurant you can count on.
(4)Julia C.
Complimentary dessert and potato dish~ Yummmmmm! We ordered the Butter Masala , Taste of India Platter, and the garlic naan...SOOOOO GOOD! Everything we ate was delicious. Definitely coming here again. Service was also very attentive and kind~ The garlic naan...GIGANTIC! Definitely could serve 3-4 ppl easily.
(5)Hakan A.
update, the owner of this business contacted me and asked me to delete my review. This used to be my favorite Indian restaurant (even though the owner is not Indian from Pakistan) and we used to go there at least 2-3 times a month. The food was priced very reasonably and the employees were decent. The owner's son was very nice and always brought treats after we finished our meals. When we moved to Federal Way, we did not really go there as much. Our last visit there was a few years ago and I was totally disappointed with what I encountered. The food was a lot more expensive, the very friendly owner`s son just ignored us (or didn't remember), and the food tasted average. We don't go there anymore so I am not sure if there is any improvement. Also I was told by one of the employees that they don't get tips, the owner keeps them. I was told the employees get $10, I hope that is not the case anymore.
(1)Navid A.
I don't like to give 5 stars on Yelp unless it is fully deserved. Taste of India without a doubt earned these stars. I cannot believe I've never been here before. We were seated very quickly and asked for drink orders right away. The menu was quite extensive and had a plethora of options. As we ordered, the waiter brought us a complimentary Taste of India platter which included an assortment of indian food. We ordered Garlic Naan, which went perfectly well with the food. My dish, Tandoori Paneer, was some of the best food I've ever had, and that's an understatement. They were able to pack so much flavor onto a single plate I was blown away. Every other dish that was ordered in our group was delightful. Not a single person was disappointed. It was quite the remarkable meal. Also, the manager also gave our group a free Mango Cheesecake dessert. And the cherry on top of this incredibly delightful meal was the fact we all got 15% off at Taste of India by checking in on Yelp. Now that is what a phenomenal dinner should be. After such an experience, how can I not go here again. If you are in the mood for Indian food, or just food in general, go to Taste of India and experience the flavors of this divine cuisine.
(5)Cale A.
Taste of India is a favorite in my household, we go here at least once a month. They are always packed, so expect to wait 10-30 minutes, but if you find yourself with a long wait, they'll usually drop a complementary app at your table immediately after sitting down to hold you over until your food finally arrives. Service is always great, no complaints there. It's almost too good as your water/chai glass is ALWAYS full, but I dig that, keeps my chai hot! Their naan bread is huge, like the size of a baby, always hot and delicious; I would recommend the garlic naan. If you're in the mood for an appetizer I would recommend the Vegetarian Delight, it's a delicious sampling of some classics. Chicken Tika Masala is the typical dish we order and is always great. All of the food has great flavor and is cooked up pretty quickly and brought out hot.
(5)Roy R.
Spectacular! Even my friend vIsiting from India was impressed, and almost ate himself into a coma. The mango curry had a great depth bomb of flavor, the garlic naan was the best I've ever had, and chicken briyani was amazing. Come here. You won't regret it.
(5)Neha M.
Love this place. They are really into customer service. They always make it a priority to treat customers really well and we always land up with complimentary food. Their naans are to die for and are HUGE! One is usually enough for 2 of us. The curries are really good (not the best, hence the 4 star). They also do Mediterranean food - which I have not tried but seems good. Expect queues over weekends and try a take-out may be. Great for large group arrangements too.
(4)Katherine L.
Finally got my Indian food fix! Hands down, this place is surprisingly nice on the inside. A good place to either bring a friend or even your family for dinner. We had the chicken tikka, garlic nan bread and jalfrazie curry. The chicken tikka is to literally to die for! It's as if it came right off of a grill, I drool thinking about it. The man bread was huge, but absolutely delicious, also great to snack on. They even gave you a small dish of dipping that went with everything. The curry was alright tho... A little too sour for my like, but everything else was great. I'm open to try different curries next time!
(5)Andrea M.
I'd like to start this review with a quote from their website, "The best thing that you get in the Taste of India is the service. Service is awesome here. You do not have to ask for anything. Waiter will offer you personalized service and will attend you before you raise a hand." Keep this in mind as you read. I met up for a birthday party here. The place was packed and the outside had a long line. We had a reservation at 7pm and we waited perhaps 15-20 mins after, but it was a busy Friday so whatever. There was a guy bringing around free little cups of chai and plates with fried potato slices, which was pretty nice. Once inside, we noticed that the restaurant was a wreck. There are so many awkward disjointed sections, an uneven floor, low ceilings, and there's not much space to move around. The waitress who took our drink orders was fine until my boyfriend asked for a beer list. Basically there was a lot of back and forth because they had no drink menu, he was told to just think of something, they didn't have the five beers we thought of, then he asked for something not Bud-esque, she suggested Heineken, and he finally got so frustrated that someone else asked if they had a cooler or something he could just go look at. She was SO unhelpful! Apparently they have a ton of weird beers, but one would think she would've suggested him going to look or perhaps memorizing a few labels to offer ideas. So much for awesome service It was time to order. There were twelve of us at a long table, and a different waitress chose to stand at one end, not move, and make us shout our orders down to her! We had to repeat things over and over. We got free dessert, yay, but their baklava was so sad and dry =( It's supposed to be full of delicious honey! The mango sauce on the cheesecake was tasty though. Since we decided to split the tabs up evenly, we had to go up to the front to pay. Which meant we were all scrunched by the door and super in the way of the hundreds of servers going in and out of the kitchen, as well as people trying to get in and out of the restaurant. Those of us who were paying for another person were asked to wait till the others had paid because the cashier didn't know how to ring up two at once. I was shocked to find Taste of India is owned by the son of the owner of Saffron Grill. That's my favorite Indian place, and their service is amazing! Plus, it's a beautiful restaurant with space. The food quality is pretty much the same, but I won't be changing locations any time soon!
(2)Neha M.
We went to this restaurant seeing good reviews on yelp,but we were highly disappointed with restaurant n their service. I never had such a gross paneer biryani anywhere. They served us complimentary vegetable pakoras which were cold. Apart from that i asked the lady that we want to use the yelp 15% discount. She touched my device and mark it as used but didnt add the discount in cheque. She was very shrewd and i will not recommend this place to anyone.
(1)Alisha W.
Love this place. Their service is simply superb and Muhammed is always so welcoming and kind. As part of a student org, we frequently order food for events and Taste of India is super supportive of UW groups. Its fantastic to have a restaurant on your side and be so accomodating. Not to mention, their food is delicious!! When I go, I usually prefer the mango curry, but their coconut curry is also not to be missed out on. Don't miss out on the Naan either!! + free chai while you wait for your seat! Who wouldn't love some nice indian chai on a cold Seattle day?
(5)Diana P.
3.6 stars. It was pretty good, but I had better. Their naan was HUGE and probably one of the best I had. I got the lamb kebab and it was a bit dry and even kinda hard...good flavors but just didn't make the cut for me. G had the butter chicken and he really liked his so that was a good sign. Good price and good service at least.
(3)Kitty B.
I have been going here since I was 14 and I am now 28 and it is some of the most Authentic and tasty Indian I have ever eaten. Sometimes You get a dud server but for the most part It smells and tastes delicious it makes Me very sad and reminiscent I no longer live in U district :(
(5)Dembe N.
Great food, since they have done some remodeling environment got better. We love the chai and mango masala, butter masala with freshly baked spinach or plain naan.
(4)Vera M.
SO delicious. Holy cow! ;) My boyfriend is weirdly obsessed with Indian food (as in, frequents the buffets several times a week & knows the owners), and this place is so tasty! It's made me actually love Indian food. A good sign is lots of natives all around :-) Each time we come here, they give me a complimentary glass of wine, an appetizer or dessert , and I constantly see them giving complimentary snacks, desserts, & apps to other guests. The owners are always around and are on top of it. You can tell they enjoy what they're doing. I love it!
(5)Anneke V.
Took my dad here for his first time eating Indian food. I'm glad I did. Friendly and accommodating staff.. Great food.. What more could you want? Bonus: great selection of beer.
(5)Chris L.
After finishing up at the UW, I found this listing and decided to give it a try. I seldom get to enjoy Indian food, and the extensive menu made it hard to choose but my waitress was very helpful narrowing my choices. Everything was fresh, hot and delicious. I ordered too much food and gladly took home the leftovers! The spinach cheese nan was worth the stop alone, and could have served 3 or 4. The Tandoori Mixed Grill was a great mix and also plenty of food! My Mango Lassi was very tasty, and my iced chai was refreshing. A Lebanese coffee topped me off. I arrived before 5 on a Friday night, and the service throughout my visit was very attentive. My drinks were never less than half full they were refilled so frequently. The menu prices were reasonable, and I will definitely return given the chance.
(5)Payton E.
Saturday night was our second time at The Taste of India, we got seated right away and the staff greeted us with a warm smile. The server took our order and our food arrived promptly as well as our drinks. The food was excellent, flavors were just right and when I asked for my dish to be spiced up a bit more they did it right away and with a smile on their face....This is superb customer service!!! After we finished our dinner the manager sent to our table a complimentary dessert just for no reason just because he remember us from our previous visit. I'm surprised he remember us... that was about a year ago. This restaurant knows what it's doing. We will be back not only for the food but for the whole overall experience.
(5)Hiral B.
Excellent Authentic Indian food ! I love their customer service and soothing Indian music in the background. The food portion is good compared to many other Indian restaurants. Their masala chai is just awesome :)
(4)Spencer H.
Brought a friend here who was in town from Texas and very hungry and I can say we came to the right place. We snuck in without waiting right before a line started and by the time we finished there was a 15-20 minute wait for a table. The Naan here is huge! I think you can get pieces of various styles and stuffings for $2.50-$5.00 for a piece bigger than two heads put together. There were three of us and we wanted to try a little bit of everything so we had Lamb Vindaloo, Chicken Jaiprui Masala, and Saag Paneer. All were excellent with nice deep colors in the sauces, very aromatic, and rich flavors. Everyone got a nicely sized bowl of saffron rice that smelled nicely of fresh spices (watch out for the whole cloves!). Service was great (there is one server who literally fills your water every 5 minutes or less and one of the many other servers is always floating around somewhere to check on you if you need anything). and the food came out pretty quickly; they brought us a free small appetizer of Samosas of sort and even a free piece of cheesecake with mango sauce for dessert. Not very true to Indian cuisine, but hey it was a nice touch even though after so much food we ended up not eating much of it. Overall I would definitely come back to the Taste of Indian. Between the three of us (without drinks) we spent $50 and had leftovers for lunch the next day. My only complaint was that they did not have a larger selection of dishes. The menu is pretty standard for northern Indian cuisine, but they do it very well. I would give it 4.5 stars if I could, but it is not quite the 5 stars that I would give Anna Purna on Cap Hill. P.S. Ordered 3 out of 4 spicy and it was a good amount of heat, but if you really like things spicy, don't hesitate to go 4*
(4)Jason G.
Fast takeout prep, and Lamb Chile Masala AMAZING. All as usual. This is one of the few places slammed busy even on a Monday night -- a testament to its popularity here among locals. If I had to pick one change, I'd like to be able to get a couple of the LARGE green/red sauces without extra charge, especially with a large order to-go; you get all you want when you eat-in, so it should be the same for take-out (within reason amount).
(5)Yumiko K.
No weekend buffet was a bit disappointing but totally understandable. We were seated right away by the windows and heater. I am usually cold, so it was nice to have warm air blowing on my legs! We ordered an assortment of vegetarian appetizers called vegetarian delight, which may be why we did not get any complimentary appetizer. We also ordered okra masala, extra hot. Although we were looking at the lunch menu, we thought everything was a bit pricey. According to the menu, all of their dishes come with Basmati rice, so we decided to forgo tandoori breads (ugh). Vegetarian Delight had a samosa, small pieces of pakoras (my bf's favourite), 3 pieces of paneer pakoras (my favourite), 1 vegetable cutlet (tasted like a potato croquette), and 1 dolma (why??!!), served with cilantro and tamarind chutneys. Everything was delicious (and deep-fried except for the dolma), but I would have liked a lot more chutneys. As for the okra masala, it was spicy but not too spicy. I usually love tomato and Indian spice combo, but this one fell sort of flat on me. Had we ordered something rich and creamy, this dish would have worked as a perfect accompaniment. I am usually the one who avoids greasy cream and ghee-laden Indian food, but the okra dish definitely needed some creaminess (paneer would have been great!). Or we should have just ordered kulcha or naan bread as it looked so delicious. (Darnit!!) The service was courteous, and our water glasses were well attended. We also got a small bite of cheesecake (!!) for dessert. As much as I adore cheesecake, I would have liked kulfi or kheer. I love Indian sweets. Please feed me Indian food when I am at an Indian restaurant. Next time, I know I am going to get naan and/or kulcha.
(3)Himanshu J.
Went there on a sunny summer evening. The outdoor seating and the parking is a plus. They serve a lot of complimentary food. I found their food a bit oily but it was tasty. A good Indian place
(4)Austin H.
Very tasty food at a reasonable price! The free desserts or appetizers when you dine-in and the excellent service are the icing on the cake. Will definitely come back and refer to others looking for some good food!
(5)Monica G.
This is my favorite restaurant in U-District! My friends and I love coming here and we always order bottomless chai. It's absolutely delicious and they keep it coming. My favorite things on the menu are the Butter Masala with chicken and Spinach and Paneer Naan (Besides the glory of the naan, the cilantro chutney that comes with it is food of the gods and I'd buy a bathtub-full if I could). YUM!!!
(5)Kelly M.
At this restaurant, you get a lot of bang for your buck. The portions are very generous and not too expensive. Saag Paneer - Somewhat bitter, not the best I've had. Lamb Curry - Excellent Biryani - Ridiculously huge portion. Good. Naan - Excellent Eggplant - Very spicy and enjoyable. This was my favorite thing that we had.
(5)Abhay S.
I went to this place after many recommendations and reading reviews on Yelp, and a colleague touting this to be the best Indian food he had in Seattle. I was disappointed. First we ordered the Tandoori platter, which contained an assortment of tandoori fish, prawns, chicken, lamb and beef. The only saving grace of the whole meal was the tandoori chicken, and I would rate this Tandoori chicken a 3/10 among the thousands of Tandoori chicken I've had in India. At least it looked like they have a real tandoor, compared to other Indian places in Seattle. For main course, we ordered a Rogan Josh. It was the same old creamy, tomato gravy I've come to associate with "Indian food" in Seattle! This is NOT real Indian food! I think there is a need for a new cuisine called "American Indian" similar to American Chinese. Real Indian food does NOT have so much cream or tomatoes in the gravies. All I could taste in both gravies was tomatoes. No spice, no flavor, nothing. Exactly the same as every other Indian restaurant in Seattle - I don't why reviewers on Yelp are touting this place to be better! At the end of the day, I'll not be coming back here for Indian food. As they quote, the service is good. At times overbearing; at least 3 waiters asked us if everything was all right in a span of 20 seconds. let me eat my food in peace, people! However, much of the food was brought fast, and the service was not lacking. I am rating this restaurant a 2 mainly because this is just yet another American Indian restaurant in Seattle. Creamy, tomato gravy - and nothing else. Try the tandoori fish and chicken here. But if you, like me, prefer real Indian food with spices and flavor - do avoid.
(2)Kaushik C.
This is by far one of the best Indian restaurants that you would find in and around Seattle. Starting with free pakoras for the table, the menu has a lot of options from Tandooris to curries. A lot of vegetarian options as well. The service is exceptionally good. They have one of the best chais that you can have, with unlimited refill. Someone will immediately stop by to refill your cup of tea, as soon as your cup is more than half empty. I have never tried the Mediterranean dishes that they offer, but the Indian food is really nice. If you don't like the food the first time, try at least once more and order something else. You'll definitely like it.
(5)Ms. Janette B.
The Bahti family has had this place going for well over a decade; father passed it on to his son. It is authentic food, and I have not found 'better' anywhere in the city. I also like to try various dishes, and I haven't been disappointed in anything. My only criticism is, the place is "On The Map", so it is almost always very busy. ... That said, I do know the times it isn't ;)
(5)Praveen R.
A review by somebody who was craving for Indian food: We came here with high expectations after seeing the good reviews. The name 'taste' of India is misguiding. The food may be appealing to international (read US ) customers, but this is nowhere close to authentic Indian taste. We ordered lamb biryani... It shouldn't be called biryani.. It's just like tomato bath.. But with lamb pieces... Who serves tomato pieces in biryani??? We understand that you may want to cater the US folks, but if that is the case already don't call it taste of India. The only resemblance to India is the songs and names of dishes. Nothing Indian taste in any of the dishes. Packed small tables is also disappointing.
(1)Sid A.
It's a 5-star on service and hospitality, but 4.5 on the food. The food is great as well, but misses the mark sometimes. But that said, not a whole lot other places in Seattle area, except taj palace in bellevue or saffron that can match this.
(5)Inna B.
I've tried to go here several times, but there seems to frequently be a wait, and I'm just not patient enough. Recently, I happened to arrive on a slower tonight, so they had plenty of open tables. As they led us through this maze of a restaurant, I worried that they might seat us in the corner or in the middle of a room. Thankfully they chose to give us a window seat instead. My dining partner eats a mostly-vegan diet and I like to share food, so we looked at the vegetarian section and, with the help of the server, settled on two that should contain no dairy. I was sad that both of our original selections had cream that could not be taken out, but the suggestions ended up being plenty delicious. The employees were nice and helpful the entire time, and I enjoyed the "freebies" that we got before and after our meal. When we didn't select an appetizer, they gave us some kind of fried potato item with dip, and when we declined dessert we got some kind of rice pudding. Unexpected, but definitely enjoyed and appreciated! To drink, I had a small beer and the fellow doesn't drink Seattle tap water, so he had some orange juice. The beer options weren't on the menu, but I was able to walk over to a drink fridge and check out all the options (and their prices). Seems easier than making the servers memorize them all or printing new menus any time their selection changes! Our two vegan dinner dishes, 2-3 servings of rice, a small beer, and a glass of orange juice came to just under $40. More than I was planning on spending for Indian food, but it was still a very pleasant experience...
(4)Jenni K.
Great food and excellent service. The night started out with the server bringing by a complementary appetizer. I'm not an indian food expert, but the fried potato pancakes were delicious. It took a bit for our meals to come, but that was because my husband ordered the lamb tandoori. My dish, chicken jalfrazie was great. I usually try to eat healthier, and love the vegetables that come in the curry. Our friend ordered the traditional brown curry and really liked it. It was definitely flavorful! My husband didn't like the lamb tandoori. It was definitely a bit tougher than I'd expect, but I didn't think it tasted that bad. Lastly, we ordered the garlic nann (of course! how could you not?) It was delicious. Hint of garlic, and not too thin or thick either. I highly recommend it! To end our meal, the waiter brought out a complementary chocolate dessert. It was awesome!! I think it was a chocolate cheesecake with oreo crust and chocolate chips in the cheesecake. Light and satisfying!!
(4)regina p.
Whenever we go to Seattle, this is our regular stop for Dinner. Hands down, this is the best Indian Food in the area. Anything we have tried there has been great. The free appetizers and piece of cake add a great touch to our dining experience. Portions are generous and the Hot and Cold Chai is never ending. My kids actually try to beat the waitstaff and drink faster than they can refill, but they don't succeed very often. I highly suggest them. A+ on Staff Attentiveness and also on Taste of food. They earned every Star I gave them!
(5)Aprameya R.
Indian Restaurants in and around these parts ranked by quality of food: - Travelers - Naan and Curry - Taste Of India? They are nice in that as soon as you get in they offer a free plate of pakodas. Also, I like how the two chutneys were mixed together in the same bowl, like the yin and yang symbol - it takes a little bit of time or practice to do that and to spend that time on a busy Friday night says something. The naan's are HUGE. By huge it means, that I would need to have gone for a hike or swimming to finish one. The portions of the curry's are far smaller so you need to adjust accordingly. The taste of the curries was decent - we had the Paneer Tikka and the Baigan Bharta (which seemed like it had no tadka). Oh, and Medium here is not really medium - ask for spicy food! It came to about 40 odd bucks for three of us, a naan each, an appetizer and two entrees. And we did not even finish the rice :-( Oh and they have a wall of testimonials which was pretty cool and it'd be nice if they were to invest just a little more into the upkeep of the place - it seems to be falling apart.
(4)Thomas M.
"What's up with all the funky Christmas lights?" The first time I drove by this place, I laughed. But the other guy in my car said I oughta try it, pretty darn good Indian food. 20-30 visits later, I am SOOO glad I did... Let's start with the service...I am a stickler for service, everywhere, and even speak occasionally at conferences on the topic. If I know someone is coming in from out of town, I recommend they try it out, *simply for the great service experience*. There are a few companies I talk about specifically when it comes to great service...Amazon, Zappos, LL Bean and Taste of India. Walk in and wait? Have a nice little cup of chai while doing so. Think you can possibly get ahead of the water service? I've actually tried, because I'm a bit of a nerd, and simply ended up needing to run to the restroom to pee multiple times for my troubles. Sit down hungry? They'll probably drop off some sort of pekora type of appetizer so you're not too anxious. Waitstaff are familiar with the extensive menu, and the owner is always there to give a greeting, or ask how the food was, while managing a somewhat frenetic workload. Speaking of the food, it is truly the best, and on par with many of the most flavorful Indian restaurants I have experienced in London, which is a kind of mecca for Indian food. Some of my favorites are the vindaloo (best with lamb) and the tandoori chicken. Both the butter chicken and the mango chicken are excellent if you want a sweeter, creamier taste. Their naan is hot, fresh and massive, a meal in itself. My favorite is the paneer naan. If you are into vegetarian food, there is plenty here, and there are also some vegan options, although generally much of Indian cuisine is not great for vegan dining. Make sure if you are vegan that you let them know, so they can make your Alu Paratha with no butter. Every time we go somewhere else for Indian food, we say "isn't it about time we head back to Taste of India?"
(5)Alicia B.
Outdoor seating, attentive staff, yummy food, five star material. I came here once with a friend who recommended it, and again when I dragged my brother along. He complained the entire car ride but said it was, and I quote, toootes worth it, breh. Ambiance is low-key-ritzy, whatever you think that means, but not stuffy and I didn't feel too awkward in my yoga pants. On nicer days you can sit outside (covered seating area) and their large windows are open. Service has been prompt, mostly happy faced servers who were knowledgeable about the menu and could give me recommendations. Yum yum yummm, food. I enjoyed all the food we tried, and would definitely recommend getting a curry/a tandoori item and some naan bread and sharing. Have lot's of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options. Portion sizes are pretty good sized and the price standard. And a perfect little bite of cheesecake was a really nice way to end the meal. Ambiance: 4 Service: 5 Taste: 4.5 Price: 3 1: facepalm 3: standard 5: epic Bottom line: 5, little bump up because locally owned. Definitely WILL come again! (And yes, get that garlic naan, if you all eat it then you and your friends/family/business associates will all have mutual garlic breath and it'll be so worth it).
(5)Travis W.
This place has been consistently delicious and hospitable since the first time I ate here in 2002. They still try hard to keep your chai mug full and if you're a regular they won't let you leave without something small for dessert. Top notch naan and pakoras every time I'm entertaining and need some apps. My favorite restaurant north of SEA.
(5)Jean B.
I went in with my boyfriend a while back and we had our usual meal. He ordered butter chicken, I had palak paneer. We also started with their FREE appetizer as is Taste of India's awesomeness. I must have been really energized from all the chai, because I somehow dropped my water glass onto the glass table, which shattered. The wait staff ran over to me, moved us to a new table, cleaned everything up, and brought us an entirely new meal (although we were halfway through with our original dishes). I swear, this place is the kindest and sweetest restaurant in Seattle. I LOVE YOU, TASTE OF INDIA. This restaurant is amazing. No, the food is not entirely authentic, but the service and general awesomeness launches it off the charts for me. My boyfriend, who was born and raised in Mumbai, loves this place for the food, sure, but mostly for the loving, homey, and FREE-food elements. If you refill my chai and water glass constantly, give me a free appetizer and a free dessert, you win. YOU WIN. Taste of India wins. They have great butter chicken, and I love their chai. If you like chai, you will drink your fill at TOI because they refill your mug ever 15 seconds. Same with water. It's amazing! The Goan Curry is also great. love love love love. Can't say it enough!
(5)Tina G.
Everything was excellent. Very pleased. We came in for lunch, received a free Samosa sample right away, the Nan bread was a large portion, I ordered the TIKKA MASALA and it was very good with plenty of rice, I ordered it Hot, which I thought it could have been hotter but it was still yummy. At the end we received a complementary piece of cheesecake, without them even knowing it was my birthday. Only reason I gave it 4 stars is that I have not tried other similar restaurant's yet to compare.
(4)Vicky C.
5 stars for great food and superior customer service! The staff made sure our glasses of water were never less than half empty and were consistently checking in on us without being intrusive. The food was delicious! The complimentary appetizer was a nice touch. Naan was enormous and the entree serving size was very generous. I loved that a plate of basamati rice was served on the side. We had more than enough food for dinner and leftovers for the next day.
(5)Claire M.
This is the Indian restaurant against which I measure every other Indian restaurant. And you know what? Nothing else even comes CLOSE to Taste of India when it comes to the quality of the food, excellent service, and consistency of both of the above. I lived in Seattle for my first 18 years of life and visited Taste of India at least once a month with friends or family, and since leaving have yet to find a suitable replacement in any of the cities I've lived in. There really is no bad dish on the menu, but my personal favorites include: -Garlic Naan -Mango Chicken Curry -Coconut Curry with vegetables -Chicken Tikka Masala -Tandoori Chicken -Daal Mahrani ...and, of course, the incomparable CHAI TEA. Seriously, folks, Taste of India has a corner on the market where chai is concerned. I don't know how they do it, or what recipe they follow, but I would move heaven and earth for a daily cup of their chai tea. And if you go to the restaurant to eat (which I recommend over takeout, for the following reason), the waiters refill your mug of tea every two seconds. Really, I always leave with no idea how many cups I've drunk because every time I take a sip, the cup is refilled. It's magic. The magic chai tea of Taste of India! (End diatribe on chai...can you tell I love it?) The staff are so welcoming and friendly, and they always bring you at least one free item per meal. For instance, when I was there last week with two friends, the waiter brought us a plate of fried potato cakes with curry sauce while we looked at the menu, and then a slice of delicious mango cheesecake while we were waiting for the check. Neither cost a cent. There really is no comparable Indian restaurant in Seattle, nor anywhere else, as far as I'm concerned.
(5)T A.
Our all time favorite restaurant! The butter lamb is the best and I always get grape-leaves, yum! They never let your chai or water go empty, they are so sweet and attentive and serve the food quickly, I never wait long. I recommend this place to all my friends and they love it too! They often bring you free dessert after, how awesome is that?
(5)Kate B.
Pretty decent Indian food here. If you don't mind the incredibly strange layout of the place (really strange...) then this will do just fine. I wasn't overwhelmed with it and the whole place could really use a good cleaning. Bathrooms are weird, too. The servers are a little too over zealous. You know what I mean...in your face right when you finish anything, grabbing over your dinner plate to clear other dishes, almost hovering, just leaves me feeling super rushed. The biggest redeeming qualities are that the food delivers (that's the whole point, right?) and there are huge bowls of candy!!!! I am still finding Andes mints in my purse from my visit a couple weeks ago. :)
(4)Rashid K.
Best Indian food in Seattle. I judge Indian restaurants by their butter chicken / chicken marsala and this place is great. The naan is fantastic. Seriously, look at my other reviews, I am harsh when judging food, this is as good as it gets
(5)Ana R.
Five star service and delicious food - what more could you want? Delicious chai, both hot and iced, and the naan is HUUUUGE but totally recommend.
(5)Amy P.
The place is always super busy, so we waited about 5 minutes, which wasn't long at all since we were given an appetizer before even being seated. I had the plain channa masala, which was delicious. The wait staff were extremely courteous and attentive, asking us how our food tasted, refilling our water, and asking if we needed anything. When removing our dishes, they wiped our table clean. Before getting our check, they gave us a complimentary dessert. It was probably the best service I've ever experienced at a restaurant with really great food to match.
(5)Glenn P.
We hit this place right at the end of their rush on a Saturday. They brought out Chai Tea and some fried pakora nibblies. They told us the wait would be 20 minutes (a party of 6) but ended up being about 40 minutes. They can accommodate more parties of 2 and 4. The dishes had good flavor, but I've had better in the area (especially this close to the UW). The Mediterranean salad was a yummy surprise. I appreciated that rice comes with an entree (if appropriate). The Naan was HUGE! The owner(s) really need to take some pride in their restaurant and fix some of the broken ceiling tiles in the kitchen / service area. You can easily look in the kitchen through a couple door-ways - and it's somewhat a fright. Minus 1 star because the flavors didn't impress me (I'm a spice wimp, asked for medium - couldn't taste any heat in my Paneer Tika Masala. Minus another star for the state of their Kitchen / service area.
(3)Karan S.
Went here for my birthday dinner last night with my family. Being indian we are pretty picky on the Indian places we eat at and let me tell you this place is by far one of the best if not the best indian restaurant in Seattle that I've been to!!! The food is amazing the servers are so helpful and the decorations are so nice! We started off with the Taste of India Delight as an appetizer. The samosa was amazing! A bunch of pakoras, 2 chicken pieces and a lamb chop. Wish they had some more samosas or chicken pieces on there but still pretty good for the price! for dinner we ordered chicken tikka, butter masala paneer, channa masala and salmon! All the food was amazing and fresh. The naan pieces are HUGE. We had garlic and plain naan and both were amazing! Not over buttered and not super dry. I will definitely be driving from the north end more often to eat at this place. They even give free fried potatoes (tikkis) as soon as yiu sit down! Also you get a free yummy cheesecake piece for the table to share! Worth the drive and the prices are great. On their website they had a 10% off coupon! Will be back for more!
(5)David M.
Coming to Taste of India was a strong reminder that I love Indian food. There isn't much to say that hasn't already been said - their service is excellent and the food is top quality. They do little extra things like bring out an amuse-bouche and small dessert on the house but we will be coming back for their entrees and naan.
(4)D N.
Took some friends here tonight and had the worst experience ever. Ordered 2 chicken tikka masala (5 star) and 2 lamb rogan josh (5 stars) and it was not even 1 star in terms of spice. They took the dish 2 times to fix it and still the same. 3rd round the kitchen staff realized that the chilli powder was in the paprika box and the paprika had chilli powder. A kitchen mess up caused us to not enjoy our food as we took our guests there for the first time. This was a major fail for a Friday night out to dinner with friends and family. At the end the manager compensated us with 4 dishes that were messed up and gave us free dessert. He also honored the 15% discount on yelp. The food was delicious once they did provide with the spicy flavors. I will be going back for a better experience.
(2)Manasi K.
Their naans & tandoori items are winners. I LOVE that they serve fresh red onions & chillies with the food (so Desi!) The mango lemonade is decent. The lassis are very filling. Everything else is hit & miss - we've tried the veg jalfreze, baingan bharta & rogah josh & were not particularly impressed. They seemed a bit sloppy, watery & heavy on the tomato sauce.
(4)Laura P.
Best Indian food in Seattle. We prefer take out to dine in as it's a pretty lively place and we prefer mellow.
(5)Faizan F.
The hummus dip was good! First time I had butter chicken and it was pretty good too. My girl really enjoyed the kofta dish. The naan is big enough to feed your whole family with one piece lol. If you're in the area stop by. Prices are good too. Normally other places will give u huge servings and charge you a lot per dish. They give u a decent sized serving that u can share and the prices are still good.
(3)Miles J.
This was the best experience I've had at an Indian restaurant. The service was quick and friendly and the owner made sure to make his rounds to all of the guests. The menu is huge and the food was excellent. I can't wait to go back and try more dishes.
(5)Tim S.
Very tasty foods combined with very attentive team wait staff made for a very enjoyable dinner. We had the garlic nan, baba gannuj, mango curry chicken. Yum!
(5)Sonam S.
Epic Garlic Naan (careful each one is enough to feed a family) with bottomless hot chai. We ordered the daal makhani and the vegetable jalfarezi. It came with a side plate of basmati rice. Great service and authentic atmosphere.
(5)Cynthy C.
From the delicious food to the attentive waitstaff to the gracious and welcoming manager, I can't say enough good things about Taste of India. Our group met to enjoy an Indian feast while discussing the book (soon to be movie), The Hundred-Foot Journey on Saturday night -- and Taste of Indian with its private side room was the perfect venue. Simply a wonderful dining experience!
(5)Ian G.
I spent some time previously in Seattle and often passed this joint, never having money to try it. now that I'm on my honeymoon, I was delighted to take my wife here! service is zealous and fantastic. never went thirsty and enjoyed some light conversation with some of the serving staff. it's a great little spot that looks like they just kept adding on space, and while that's a bit hectic, it makes for a fun atmosphere. and the naan! the naan! good gosh it was the size of a pizza and was fantastic. my wife and I try our best to never eat with forks at an Indian restaurant (bread makes an infinitely better utensil) and I can honestly say this was the first time we didn't run out of naan before our dish. I had the chili masala and my wife had the Jaipur masala. the only reason I give this four stars is because I can't quite say it was the best I've ever had, but don't let that stop you. it is wonderfully tasty! definitely a must.
(4)Khoa N.
I enjoy the food here. The service here was superb, they're really nice. Although the bill was wrong, they did correct it.
(4)Dustin L.
Great restaurant. We drive 45 minutes just to eat here. We always have the garlic nan, which is excellent, the chicken tikka tandoori, and the butter chicken, which are amazing. They always give us a free appetizer and free dessert, and always something different each time we visit. The wait staff are great, our chai never got below half full before they were by to refill it, and the owner is super friendly. We tried the "pickles" garnish this time, which I highly recommend, and then commented to the owner how much we enjoyed them. Before we finished lunch the owner brought us a whole unopened can of the pickles to take home with us, and then gave us a recommendation for his 2 favorite Indian markets where we could buy more. Where do you find service like that these days. Can't recommend more highly.
(5)Elle D.
I was around University District and decided to check this place out. Went in around 9:15-9:30 and they were closing at 10. There was still a lot of people in there. That's def. a good sign. They gave us a complimentary appetizer and it came with an ant crawling around on the sauce dish. I called the waitress over to tell her. I didn't think she believe me because she spent a good 5 seconds looking for the ant, almost spilling the sauce on us. When she finally found it, she just walked away with it and gave me a new sauce (new- I hope). No apology or anything- she did not say anything at all. Um, hello? Am I missing something here? What's with that attitude? The owner of this place needs to go teach this staff of theirs some customer service manners. Besides the mishap, the other servers were wonderful and friendly. They have their eyes on you! My chai tea and water was always full. The chai tea was so-so, I had better, it just lacked in spices. The food was amazing, came out piping out. The naan was fresh with good favoring and it almost as big as me! Give this place a try.
(4)Jasmine S.
They earned my tip before I even made it into the resatarant while i was waiting outside for a table! If you are considering going to this place don't think any longer just GO! I was pleasantly impressed with everything! Amazing service, reasonable prices, and best of all absolutely incredible food! It was extremely busy when i went so I recommend making reservations but they make the wait as comfortable as possibly by offering complimentary warm chai tea as well as a complementary sample of one of their appetizers.
(5)S P.
Excellent food!! The vegetable kofta and madras chili with veggies were yummy. Level 4 spicy. The meal ended with a bite of cheesecake with mango sauce that was the perfect end to a spicy meal. Good hospitality and great food, no complaints here!
(5)Elaine J.
Really, really great service. I went there on a lunch break with some co-workers, not knowing what to expect because of my lack of experience with Indian food. We were greeted nicely and then given complimentary appetizers that we all shared. Not knowing how much naan to order, the server politely told us that we could share one and it would be plenty, instead of letting us order two. The food came promptly and it was delicious. During the meal we were checked on enough, but not too much. I love that they cleaned the table and wiped it down when we were done so we could chit chat over a clean table. Lastly, we were given a complimentary slice of cheese cake to share. Great customer service!
(4)T P.
I have to say that there are better indian restaurants in Seattle area though there are some good things about this place: * They have complimentary appetizer and desert and you get different things based on your party size but small and just ok. * They keep pouring water/tea as other have mentioned. In general great service (saffron grill has same unlimited refills and food is better) *Naan is really good. Parking is little awkward so I just drove little further and parked in next street residential area, there were many people waiting for all got seats fast. I had ordered jaipuri curry and jalfrezi and from their menu, one is tomato gravy and other one is brown but when it came, both just looked and tasted same. Also from taste it did not seem that authentic/spicy (I am indian and to my taste it was very bland). Curries also seemed watered down, not sure if it is because of rush they had though naan was great but curry didn't cut for me. I will probably try it one more time if saffron grill is closed or something but not a place that I will think of first if I am looking for indian food.
(3)Jessica B.
LOVE this place!! They dont have a buffet every day so I've never been there, but the food here is SO TASTY!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAH!!!! First of all - order the garlic naan. They're HUGE!! At least twice the size of any other naan I've seen. Second- Order slightly spicier than you normally do. Third- the hot chai is AMAZING and has free refills!!!! Fourth- All the entrees we tried were good. I heartily enjoyed the butter chicken and paneer tikka masala. Mostly it was all an excuse to eat more naan though. They did give us complimentary food as other yelpers said, which was awesome. They have a small private lot, but it fills up fast during lunch time! They accommodate large groups quite easily.
(5)Toby K.
Free appetizer and dessert (both small but still)! Bottomless chai! Great food and service.
(5)Brian W.
Great food and the service is always superb. We've had a minor order mishap before, but it was rapidly taken care of in an appropriate manner. The naan variety is great, and I'd highly recommend trying the bottomless chai. They always seem to bring free appetizers and deserts which is a great bonus. I'd have to say the stellar service can almost be a con. They refill drinks when I've taken a single sip, which is essentially just reaching over the table pointlessly, though this is a minor issue that is clearly better than having an empty drink...
(5)Rebecca S.
How could anyone hate a place that gives you free food? Seriously, I have never been given so much complimentary food before. If you have to wait, you'll get free pakoras, samosas and chai every ten minutes. If you don't have to wait, you'll be given free pakoras and samosas at your table, and when you're finished, you'll receive either free baklava or ice cream for dessert. One time I had to wait about forty minutes for a table, and they gave us free tikka paneer in addition to four plates of pakoras and samosas and free chai. I didn't even care or really notice that I had to wait long because I was stuffing my face the whole time. A-mazing. Also, they have 1/2 coupons on their website that you can print out. There is no limited use, and they're good for buy one entrée, get one free for lunch AND dinner. The chai tea here isn't only the best ever with the cardamom, but it's also endless. Every sip you take gets refilled almost immediately. It's kind of bittersweet because I always fill up on the chai, but it's so so so good that I don't care. The food here is also great. I love how almost everything has an option to get it with paneer and you can choose how spicy your food is and it's generally always consistent. I love the papadum with the cilantro chutney, and also the huge variety of naan bread. Overall, this is the best deal for Indian food in Seattle, and it's also probably some of the best that I've had here.
(5)Orlene C.
Can't believe I have not reviewed this place yet! It is the best Indian in the area plus excellent value. They give you a free appetizer and free dessert usually. If you order chai tea, the refills keep coming:) This is the place to go when craving Indian. We always love their butter chicken.
(5)Sarah F.
AMAZING. So so so so good. My boyfriend had the tiki masala and I had the coconut curry. The staff was not overly friendly (I am completely okay with this as I'd rather skip the bs) however extremely attentive. It was a great experience and I will return!
(5)Drew W.
So I am fairly new to eating Indian food but I am not new to eating at restaurants. The services here was atrocious. From the moment we came here I felt pushed to leave. The food was ok nothing amazing and to be honest I have have better in microwave dinners. The food lacked flavor and was just bland, I do not say this because it was not properly spiced it just lacked flavor. I will not return, the prices were high for the quality of food and they way we were pushed around as we ate. I will not recommend this place.
(1)murali d.
Poofy naan breads Authentic curries Attentive service Wholesome food Great vegetarian menu Desi flavors Satisfying desserts Enthusiastic thumbs up!!
(5)Katie H.
Hands down my favorite Indian Restaurant! The service is friendly and the Nan is huge and the varieties are great. Chai tea is never more than half empty from your glass. The Tandori salmon, chicken Tikka masala and butter chicken are so good it's hard to choose. The samosas and relishes are given upon sitting down and vegan friendly :) I drive from Kent and recruit my friends from Ravensdale and Covington- we all agree it's worth the drive for the best Indian in the state. It has made it in both me and my best friends memories with hosting our baby showers after a henna'd baby belly :)
(5)Claudia H.
The chicken tikka masala was good. It wasn't the best I've had, but I enjoyed it. The chai wasn't as spicy as I would like, but it's hard to find a place that gets it right. The reason this place gets 1 star from me is because the service was... crazy. I had a waiter, then 3 or 4 people coming up to us every 2-4 minutes asking how the food was, then if they noticed that I'd taken a drink of my water, they would come fill it. My FULL glass was refilled at least 6 times within the span of 10 minutes. The same goes with my chai. I've never been on a less intimate date. I was simply unable to communicate with my partner because of the many hands continuing to reach across our table, filling our already full drinks and the million times we were interrupted to be asked "is everything tasting okay?". Then as soon as our food came, another person asked if we wanted boxes. It was such a turn off that we left 5 minutes after getting our food. And that's not all! As we sat waiting for our receipt, our table was picked up, wiped, and reset...WHILE we were sitting. I had a much better time eating our food in our hotel room. NEVER again.
(1)Mark T.
We loved our meal at Taste of India. Food comes out fast, super attentive staff and everything we ordered was DELICIOUS. I can't wait to go again. Big portions at reasonable prices. There is something for everyone on the menu. The naan was superb and warm from the oven. The Butter chicken was amazing. We made a date night of it after dinner by going to half-price books and trader joes. Ahhh True Romance.
(5)Victoria C.
I came here a second time and was equally impressed save for a couple things: 1. Service was much slower. Took 15 minutes (at least) for our naan to arrive. 2. We ordered garlic naan and it was not garlic-y AT ALL. It tasted like plain naan with a couple of herbs sprinkled on top. Kinda disappointing, although still tasty--just not garlic-y. On the up side, they asked us if we wanted to order dessert at the end. We were stuffed so said 'no thanks.' As we were lingering and just talking before leaving, the waiter came by with a plate of coconut ice cream for us to share! With shredded coconut on top! For free! :) Soooo nice. I love free dessert, even if I'm full.
(4)Judy M.
This is one of my favorite Indian places. The portions are hulk sized. It's moderately price, and the staff are friendly. My favorites are the garlic naan, pa neer, butter chicken, and mango lassi.
(4)Marisa B.
I was surprised when Yelp suggested I write a review here, since I was sure I must have sung the praises of Taste of India already. I am now correcting this grave over-site. This place runs like a well oiled machine! Your water is refilled before you have barely even set it down, your table is bussed before you've left, and your order is always speedy and done right. I highly recommend the Spinach Naan. Warning, this place doesn't have tiny single serving sized naan. One order is enough for about 4 people. Top it off with the fact that they usually give you a free appetizer and/or dessert and I promise you will leave happy.
(5)Doc V.
Came here after a long and hot day celebrating a friend's birthday. And, since we're finally experiencing Spring weather in Seattle, it was a great day to eat outdoor. My boyfriend and our friend/neighbor, LOVES Indian food and they're always ordering food from here, and although I've had the food from here before, it was take-out food. Of course, nothing tops eating great food like dining in. I ordered the chicken tandoori (bone-in) $14.95 and it satisfied my taste buds...however, I wished that the chicken had less cook time because it was slightly over cooked. But, flavor was all there. The basmati rice was excellent! My veggies were also on the over-cooked side, but, still tasty. I LOVE my veggies crunchy, and I imagine that if you don't, you may thoroughly enjoy these veggies. The service was top-notch. I kid you not. I sipped my water only a few times and the waitress came by to re-fill. My glass never reached half empty. That's how good they were! I must say that I was impressed with how attentive they were to re-filling water/drinks. Of course, boyfriend and friend loved the food. After all, this is their go-to restaurant for Indian cuisine. We went here on a Sunday evening and it got packed quick. We were fortunate enough to find parking right across the street from where the restaurant is located. Lucky for us! Definitely check this spot out not only for tasty Indian food but, their excellent service!
(4)Jill S.
We've been eating a lot of Indian food and trying new places. Taste of India was a very nice surprise! My husband ordered the tandoori plate and I tried the Royal Biryani. Portions are extremely generous. The garlic naan was really good--fluffy and moist. This is going on our "tried and true" list for sure.
(4)Siddharth R.
If you are missing home cooked food, this is the place to come. Tea, pakoras and main course everything is just awesome! The chai is refilled unlimited n the taste will keep wanting you for more ;-)
(5)Simon B.
Ab-so-lute-ly awesome. And that's from a chef cooking Indian food 30 years and counting ... Chicken Tikka and naan were tops. Lamb Karahi was super. Beer and Wine selection AND pricing were excellent. One star fell off because of no A/C on a 80 degree day in Seattle ... I know ... we don't have too many of those around here but the few weeks we need it ...combined with hot food and a beer that needs to stay cool--it's a MUST ! 17 Nov '12 Update : Ok -- I've given them 5 stars, I'll do without A/C :) ... it's cool/cold weather in Seattle anyway for most of the year ... but after more visits to this place I realize their popularity must be 1- the fresh ingredients in everything 2- authentic menu lets you choose the gravy first before the meats 3- Efficient and fast service 4- freebee's while waiting, - from chai to appetizers. They've got it down. Nice job ! I met the owner and he's a great chap from India.
(5)Amrit G.
When I lived in the U-District, I couldn't always drive home for my mom's food. I'm Indian, and I practically NEVER eat out at Indian restaurants because it tastes like crap. This place was my go-to comfort food to replace my mom's food, and it came pretty damn close. I don't know how to review this for non-Indians, because they probably look for something different. But, it's the best Indian place I know of so far in Seattle and surrounding suburbs. It actually tastes like what gets put on the dinner table.
(5)Vadim G.
Taste of India, oh where do I start?! I LOVE THIS PLACE! I have been going to Taste of India for about 4 years now. The incredible customer service, amazing food, and overall awesome experience at the restaurant just never gets old. When my wife and I married two years ago, I brought her to the restaurant and she also absolutely loves it. We've been going together quite regularly for two years now and are never disappointed. Its become our favorite restaurant to go to, by far! The chai tea (and free refills) is so good! Butter Masala with Lamb, and garlic nan, stinken delicious! We tell all of our friends about this place, and ive never heard anyone being disappointed. Mohammed, thank you so much for your amazing restaurant! My wife and I are always so excited to go! And thank you for your incredible customer service, as well as your staffs incredible customer service! We really appreciate you and are very grateful for your restaurant! See you all again soon!
(5)Theresa D.
When I come here, it's hard for me to order anything but their spinach na'an and the chicken mango curry. I love the na'an so much that sometimes I order one just to take home. I fall in love all over again with every bite! The chai tea (the kind with milk, not just hot tea), and you will never see the bottom because it is constantly refilled (for free) by the servers. The only reason this place does not get a full five stars is because the wait can be ridiculous even if you have a reservation, and when walking past the kitchen, the cleanliness seems questionable.
(4)A B.
Great professional and personable owner and staff at Taste of India. Food has always been delicious. Intimate dining experience in warm ambiance. We've already told our friends to check out this local jewel!
(5)Sarah M.
wow, talk about fast service. upon arrival we got a free appetizer (some kind of fried mashed potato dish) and our server was super attentive. our drinks (water & bottomless chai tea--milky, sweet, yum!) were refilled literally as soon as we took a couple sips and set down on the table. this much attention could be regarded as too much to some people, but i didn't mind it. the garlic naan was huge! it was great by itself and also for dipping into our shahi korma and jaipuri masala. their spice level is a bit on the weak side. my 3 star dish tasted like a 1 or 2-- basically no heat. next time i'll be ordering a 5. we couldn't finish our food with such big portions and the never ending chai tea, but they gave us a complimentary dessert! although i was full, i had to take a few bites. it tasted like a chocolate cheese cake, and it was okay. i love the food and the servers here are friendly (and pay too much attention to you!). i'll be returning soon for their amazing indian food & casual, welcoming atmosphere.
(4)Kai S.
So, this would be my one genuinely torn review where the star rating system does not quite reflect my entire experience. But for the sake of nostalgia, these stars are a little bit more generous than my usual position. It's been 8 whole years since my first time (here) and I've seen things come and go (like the decor and outdoor seating option) but I've got to say the food has always been consistently tasty which is awesome. Know what's not awesome? The staff. Every single one of my stars would be for the food for the last 8 years of my life. Know what's for the staff/ customer service (I've been left waiting for too long 1 out of every 2 times that I come. Dinner and lunchtime)? A big fat zero. Like their tip. Endless chai and over the top enthusiasm for water refilling by the "water boy/ busser" had me trying to leave what would've been the waiters tip for him, assuming I remember who my waiter was since I saw him a total of twice. He didnt seat us, give us the check, or even check up on us. But we sure saw a lot of the "water boy/busser" whom came by close to 6 times to refill us and ask us how we're doing as well as clearing our table. Sure, its 3:00 pm on a Tuesday but that doesnt mean you should be pretending you're somewhere else. That's what WE are paying to do. I also think our waiter was the manager because he sure as hell acted like it was a huge favor for him to drop off our food. He didnt even ask us for our beverage order. He just walked away and we had to call him back halfway to tell him we wanted drinks. I tried to slip the "water boy" $2 but i'm pretty he was more ethical than I ever will be and had handed it over to the management. Bottom line? Great food, hands down the best naan ever, tasty dishes, the spice level is pretty spot on to their 1-4 rating system, and an okay location (Cedars but think less crowded and more parking options), but the service is practically non existent. If he had dropped our food and drinks from any higher it should've just been marketed as teh tarik (pulled tea) rather than regular hot/iced chai.
(4)Srta L.
my boyfriend took me for a dinner date. It was a sunny day in seattle so we decided to sit at the patio. It was great but noisy. Not their fault. Service: A1.... it was great VERY attentive staff Food: GREAT! we ordered a Naan filled w/meet, that 4 people could easily eat. It was the size of a Large Pizza. We also ordered lamb saag and butter chicken. Entrees come w/lots of rice. Price: It was fair for the amount of food it came.
(4)Lawrance G.
Past two years that I have dined at Taste of India it never disappointed. It is hard to write a review on one or two visits or on one or two dishes. So, I waited two plus years to write this review. Hands down one of the best Indian restaurants in Seattle. I ate Indian food for 18 years before moved to the States. I feel confident sharing my knowledge on spices, taste of food, cultural food. try the following items: Food: TIKKA MASALA (Get mild if you don't like spicy) OKRA MASALA (Great Veg dish) COCONUT CURRY(Vega Available) ROYAL BIRYANI (If you LOVE rice) naan! Drinks: MANGO LASSI (Great Stuff) CHAI/ICED CHAI (Free Refills) Hands down on BEST SERVICE.
(5)Suie C.
The food is good. A favorite is definitely the lamb korma.Great curry here, great flavor. I've also had a house salad and the portion is very generous. They've also given out free appetizers a couple times I've been here b/c of the wait. It can get very busy and usually there's a wait. Price wise- Higher average $14.99 for lamb korma. Decent portions, I usually end up with a little to take home, the bf finishes everything. Service wise- it's either hit or miss. Nothing terribly bad, but it can be somewhat slow at times (to the point of feeling neglected) and the entrees may come out one at a time rather than at the same time. We always get the garlic naan when we come here and it's sooooooo good when it's fresh and hot. However, a couple times, it's been somewhat luke warm as if it's been sitting out for a bit.
(4)Rijuta T.
We have been to this lovely Indian restaurant a lot and their service seems consistently good. They're quite busy on weekends and consequently on a few occasions we've had to wait in line. But to make the wait easier, they've offered us tea and appetizers while waiting in line, something I've never seen in any other restaurant. The manager is a real gentleman and every time we've been there he makes the rounds asking people if they enjoyed their meal. We've been offered complimentary dessert on at least 4 occasions too. The quality of their food is consistently good, something that makes us comfortable in taking friends and family to this restaurant without any hesitation. The decor is quite casual, the parking is on the street, but you may have to park a couple of blocks away on weekends. The prices are moderate, and the portion sizes are not too large but not too small either. Overall, definitely one of the better Indian restaurants in Seattle.
(4)Heather J.
Great restuarant with tasty food and friendly service. As we were waiting, we enjoyed complimentary hot chai tea and a delicious fried potato with chutney appetizer. Both our entrees were delicious. After, we enjoyed a complimentary scoop of coconut ice cream. Can't wait to go back!!
(5)Rachel S.
You must try this place, and continue to keep trying it. The food is absolutely amazing, the owner and staff go above and beyond to make your experience perfect, and you won't leave without getting a complimentary appetizer or dessert. You can call ahead and make a reservation or put your name down, but expect to wait for a table if you come during busy dinner hours. (I promise it is well worth it!)- and you can have a beer or glass of vino while you wait. Go here!
(5)Patricia P.
I read the reviews and decided to give A Taste of India a try. Wish I hadn't. The food was mediocre (at best). The tandoori chicken tasted like it had been deep fried and sprinkled with an orange powder to make it look and taste like it had been baked in a tandoor. The spinach naan was practically inedible. The spinach layer was plentiful but tasted like it was burned. Chicken Tikka Masala was good, but everything else was meh!
(2)Kristi H.
This was our first time at Taste of India. I purchased a $25 Restaurant.com certificate when they were selling for $1. Very good deal! The service is amazing. Yes, it can be borderline annoying, but I have a hard time faulting a restaurant for being TOO attentive and TOO quick when its so often the opposite. I didn't ever get halfway down my water or chai before someone refilled it. By the way... the chai? OMG, so good. I mean really really good. I probably could give up my daily coffee for this chai. It wasn't too sweet, which made it go down very easy. We had reservations at 6 and were seated immediately. If I had any complaint, it would be that its pretty tight quarters. The tables are close and just walking through the restaurant is a squeeze, but its not too bad and kind of creates a jolly atmosphere. 2 minutes after sitting down we were delivered a small plate of pakora with a dipping sauce, on the house. Yum! We ordered hummus, garlic naan, chicken coconut curry, madras chili masala, and baklava. Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs for sure! But everything was really great. The coconut curry was "medium" and not spicy at all to me. The masala was "med-hot" and quite spicy. The chicken was dark meat (not a problem) and seemed somewhat poorly trimmed (minor problem). Sauce was delish and redolent of spices. Naan was gorgeous. Baklava was served warm and wasn't too sweet which is nice because they often are so sweet they hurt your teeth. We were also given a rice pudding on the house but we didn't really eat it. We were full and it just seemed kinda bland after all the spices we'd been inhaling. We came with our baby and wouldn't hesitate to come back with our other 3 kids, perhaps at a less busy time though. It seems very kid friendly. Total cost (with our $25 certificate) for all that yummy food, bottomless chai and high quality service? $38, including tip. We would have been happy to pay the full price but were super pleased with what we ended up paying. Next time these certificates go on sale I'm buying more than one :)
(4)Jim T.
Positive Yelp reviews led me here, and were good enough to convince the family to come along, so we went yesterday with high expectations. Major disappointment. I had the lamb vindaloo and ordered it "hot", but it wasn't. In fact, it was so bland my spice averse 12 yr old daughter thought it was mild. She was happy with her coconut curry chicken and mango lhassi though. Wife had chicken vindaloo and was also underwhelmed. Final plate was tandoori chicken and it was OK. Naan was a bit dry, and the papadam didn't come with tamarind - a favorite of ours. Wait staff were almost over attentive - instead of being able to enjoy some after dinner conversation they got busy cleaning the table so it could turn quickly. Spoke to a couple at the adjacent table who came here often with great experiences, so we might try it again as there wasn't anything "wrong" with the meal, just far less than what we had hoped for. More likely we'll stick to our eastside favorite and avoid the drive into the city.
(2)Adam A.
Best Indian place hands down. Every dish feels so refined and the portions are very good.
(5)Osman S.
Summary: Taste of India (ToI) is as good as it gets! I always dread going to any other Indian restaurant in Seattle because I know I will simply use Taste of India as a measuring stick for their overall level of food/service. Their naan is always fresh, their meats always tender and juicy, their waiters always available (sometimes usually over zealously). I'm always to happy to see the owner walking around among the patrons to ensure that the restaurant is in tip-top shape. A feature you won't see generally in restaurants in Seattle. My only complaint with ToI is that the waiters sometimes care TOO much about you. I appreciate the gesture that my water glass is always full, but sometimes I wish to carry on a conversation with my dining partner without having to be interrupted multiple times by "more water? more pepsi? how is everything?". I know it is nit picky, but it just shows you how tip-top this place is over all. I would HIGHLY recommend this place to anyone visiting/living in Seattle who need a taste...of India (Did you see what I did there?)
(5)Curtis A.
Not the best Indian food that I've had. Price is a little high, but the service totally makes up for it. I'm really big with my water always being attended to. The servers were like vulture here. And they include free appetizers and desert.
(4)Markie M.
Hands down my favorite restaurant. All of the staff is sooooo great (even if the people filling the water glasses are a little too eager) and welcoming. My girlfriend and I come here all the time. They know I'm vegan and one of the servers, even when he doesn't have our table, comes over to say hi and to let us know if anything new is vegan or if a recipe has changed. And now they have vegan things marked on the menu! The food is so good and every time I try a new dish I love it. Whenever I go to other Indian restaurants in town I am disappointed that it's not like Taste of India. We celebrate Valentines day here every year, and they always bring us something special like a bottle of wine, and once they gave us a Valentines Day card with a gift certificate! So sweet. I can say, it's hard to not feel self-conscious at restaurants for a romantic night when you're lesbians, especially at an ethnic restaurant, but we've never felt that way at Taste of India, and we're very very grateful.
(5)Sally L.
Okay, I love this place, the service is excellent, food is ok. But physically, space-wise, I feel like that place is an inverse TARDIS, it looks much bigger on the outside than the inside. But again, it is jam-packed because it is AWESOME. Mr. L got a little tripped out by all the people and being in a major traffic zone, but I think I'm a little more used to it. So, it is good for groups service-wise, but not sure about space-wise. See above why.
(3)Jolene R.
The food was great, but the service is by far what makes Taste of India awesome! They are totally over staffed and we reap the rewards! Order chai and your cup will never be empty, never ending potato fritters before your entree .... And the naan is the biggest around. Looked like a bit of an amusement park from the outside, but with that service they can get away with almost anything.
(5)Michael L.
As I walked in and stood in line I was greeted by this really cheerful man who offered me hot tea. After waiting 10 minutes I sat down and was given a complimentary appetizer. Seeing a trend? This type of behavior would categorize this place as being AWESOME. Their service is also A+, expect water to be always full, no joke. The food was also great as well, been here on multiple occasions and have almost tried all their different flavors of curry. I would recommend the four curries which name I have no clue how to pronounce, I always got them with lamb which was always cooked tender. The nan here is also super delish and comes in HUGE portions, I'm a fan of the pesto nan and the spinach and paneer nan. Yumm
(5)Shana M.
Oh my, this place is such a treat! The food is delectable and addicting. This is by far some of the best Indian food our family has eaten and we have tried many Indian restaurants in Seattle, Spokane, and So. Cal. Loooove their garlic nan, coconut curry with shrimp, and tiki masala with chicken - yum! The prices are moderate and expected for this type of cuisine, they have a large selection of entrees and apps to choose from, and the service is quite fast considering the made-from-scratch flavors that delight the palette. The building it's in appears to have been a house at one point, so it's very cozy inside while still leaving plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy your meal. I knocked off one star just for the bit of iciness from the staff - they aren't the friendliest....but not rude, just a bit stand-off-ish and a bit brusque when clearing your table...almost felt rushed as if they wanted us out of there to prep for future patrons (we were in and out in less than an hour!) The parking options around here aren't the greatest, but that's to be expected just about anywhere in Seattle. And you don't have to pay for parking since it's not located in the heart of downtown. It's definitely worth circling the block a few times or parking a bit farther away to dine at this place! Highly recommend!
(4)Melody P.
First, I was glad that there's parking. A lot of places over U-district don't have parking. The setup in the restaurant is a lot odd. I almost tripped over when I walked to my table. The food was good. I had garlic naan, lamb dish and mango lassi. I really liked the naan with the special sauce they provided on the side. However, I didn't remember much about my main dish, Lamb. Mango lassi is by far my favorite. It can't go wrong with that! Staff and service were good. The store manager actually came by and talked to me and my friend.
(3)Robin G.
I've never had Indian food this good in a restaurant before. I happen to be very choosy about Indian food, as most restaurants make it way too greasy and that inevitably upsets my stomach. But this place gets it just right-- not greasy at all and with fantastic flavors. Plus, they have tons of fabulous vegetarian options (try the okra dish!) and super friendly and attentive service.
(5)Kaitlin F.
Once again wishing I could do three-and-a-half stars. We actually ended up here by accident. My husband had brought food home before from a place he swore was called Taste of India. So I look it up, we get there, and my husband tells me that ain't it. But he swears it was called taste of india. But the other closest Taste of india is like 300 miles away (according to our GPS). So I'm hungry and hot and annoyed at that point, so we stay. BTW, we figure out later that he was thinking of India Bistro. So, our order was small, so my review really only applies to those four dishes. Our complimentary appetizer was, umm, pakoras? (I think). Potato pancakes really, like potato croquettes. They were ok, i don't know that i can give a fair opinion as i would have eaten the table-cloth at that point. Then that mass of Garlic Naan came out. Awesome. We ate almost all of it before out entrees came out. Best naan i've ever had. For the entrees, we both got Butter chicken masala. The sauce was very flavorful, but we were not down with the chicken. Fatty bits, and i think it was dark meat. Not a fan. Our complimentary dessert was a baklava (spelling?). Very yummy. Not something i would think to order, and therefore that much more awesome, beyond the free-ness, beyond the yummyness, that i had discovered something new. The customer service was awesome. They had allready been really nice on the phone, when i had called asking about the to-go box, thinking they were what-i-did-not-yet-know-was India Bistro. Obviously they didn't know what the hell i was talking about, but they were still like, Yah, sure, we can do that for you. They were attentive without being bossy, smiling, friendly, and eager. Five stars for the service, naan, and baklava Two stars for the butter chicken. I feel a little bad that my two stars for the butter chicken dragged down the rating so far, but in the end, for me, that's really what it's about. Hello, my name is Kaitlin, and i'm a butter chicken fanatic.
(3)Sarah C.
The most delicious food you will ever eat! I usually order butter chicken, naan and vegetarian delight appetizer. All three are reliable and tasty. Everyone I know who has ordered these dishes has been blown away. If you order chai the cup is bottomless, someone will come by to refill it everytime you take a sip. The service is the best I have ever encountered in this town by any standard. I you get a chance to speak with the owner he immediately makes you feel welcome in his restaurant. If Taste of India is too busy for you, or you prefer a place with better parking check out Saffron Grill which is the same restaurant and owners.
(5)Kit K.
Hands-down my favorite Indian restaurant in all of Seattle! I've never been disappointed by the food, the unlimited Chai is amazing, and the best customer service I've experienced in any sort of retail environment. Seriously, check this place out. =3 They frequently (or maybe always?) give free appetizers and deserts.
(5)Alex G.
My British friend assures me that although this was a little better than some Indian food he has had in Seattle, that it is not as good as it gets. Well, he comes from a place where curry is the national dish, and I come from a place where any kind of Indian food is not even an option! I have had two great experiences here and out of the few places I have tried in Seattle for Indian food, so far this is my favorite. The place is usually moderately busy but they get you in very quickly. One time, during out 10 minute or less wait, we were brought cups of Chai. During both visits we were offered free appetizers for having to wait (which was not a big deal at all, 5-10 mins.). If you order Chai they keep your cup full, almost to a fault, but its so good I don't mind. I think the food is great and noticed they had some options that I haven't seen everywhere, like Karahi Gosht. Every curry I've had here is very flavorful, the naan is as big as a pizza and the sauce is amazing. Every dish seems between $12-15 but worth it. I do think if you like spicy you should order 4 or a 5, but otherwise, I will come back here again and again. Oh yea, and they brought my girlfriend a free piece of mango cheesecake for her birthday!
(5)Jessica G.
Let me break it down for you: Free appetizer and dessert. Refills of chai so quickly that it never even got to room temperature. Big, delicious portions. Garlic naan was so hot and tasty! Friendly and attentive staff. Parking is easy, prices are reasonable. That should be more than enough for you to get your butt over there.
(5)Rachel F.
I definitely like the food here, but I think that some of the things on their menu can be repetitive and simply a lot to look at without a lot of variety. I have ordered a good amount of dishes here are shared and I really like the food, but just be prepared for huge portions. They will give you a free small appetizer and small dessert. Once my girlfriend and I ordered the coconut curry and korma and they tasted the same and the only way we could tell the difference between the two was the coconut sprinkled on top of the coconut curry. Their garlic naan is very good and I like the vegetable kofta every once in a while. They also have bottomless chai which I think is completely awesome. Their mango lassi is really nice as well, but it is in a very small cup. The service here is a bit over the top. There isn't really a waiter per table here it is more like someone who takes the orders that you don't generally see again, someone that fills everyone's water, a bus boy, someone who refills everyone's chai, someone that takes the chutneys off the free appetizer plate when people are finished, and someone that washes off the tables in between meal and check receiving. In short there are a lot of different staff paying attention to your table and walking by you all night. This can be entertaining if you are in a good mood and annoying if you are in a bad mood and the water filler accidentally poured water in your purse and is continues to pretend like nothing happened. But their food is good and the fennel mix has coconut in it which is a nice touch.
(3)Tony R.
This place is hands down one of the best Indian restaurants I've been to. Really delicious and well-priced food coupled with great service and free app and dessert mean I'll be going back. The atmosphere was spot on. Low key surroundings but a step up from most places at its price point for a sit-down lunch option. Now on to the food. Must order: Chicken Tikka Masala - This was the highlight of lunch. The sauce was well spiced and the chicken was some of the most tender I've had. The dish is served with rice but you'll want to order naan so that you can wipe up every last drop of the sauce. Good stuff: -Veggie Pakora (free) - I love free and at Taste of India, they brought us free veggie pakoras when we sat down. They were well spiced and had a nice amount of crunch. They were served with the cilantro sauce and tamarind sauce and, between the two, I liked the cilantro sauce more but both paired well. -Paneer naan- I didn't think it was worth the extra money compared the the garlic naan price because I couldn't really taste the paneer (Indian cheese). Paneer always has a light flavor though so I should have expected it. -Vegetarian Delight - Wanted something crunchy/fried, so the waiter suggested this and we weren't disappointed. It came with: samosa, pakora, paneer pakora, grape leaves wrap served with cilantro and tamarind chutney. All of it was good but the paneer pakora was my favorite, especially dipped in the Tikka Masala sauce. -Iced chai (free refill served in hot variety too)-Milky and sweet, its not very spicy at all but with free refills, its a great option. -Chocolate Cheesecake (free) - Gotta love a restaurant that begins and ends your experience with free food, and the cheesecake was a nice end to the experience. Probably won't order again: -Mango Lassi-Thicker than I'm used to and it wasn't very yogurty. If you like strong mango flavor you'll like it, but not my favorite. -Kulfi (Indian Ice Cream) - I've never had it, so you if you like Kulfi, don't trust my review, as it may just be that I don't like Kulfi. The Kulfi was hard as a rock and difficult to break into and eat. Supposedly the different texture is supposed to keep it from melting in hot Indian environs, but for me it was just too difficult to eat. When I finally got some into my mouth, the texture was pretty grainy. The taste was good, with a taste of cinnamon and rose water, but the texture ruined it for me.
(4)Liza K.
Seriously I don't know how this place can have any less than 5 stars. First off the service is anything like I would ever expect for the prices they offer. They are exceptionally friendly and attentive. If you show up and have to wait you will be greeted with free appetizers. If you oder chai tea, you get full free refills after the first cup. If you order wine, as I do every time you get beyond full glasses. They aren't the 1/3 or 1/2 full wine glass that you pay full price for. They are seriously absolutely to the brim full glasses. Secondly, this Indian food is the best I have had in Seattle. I will drive 15-20 min from Ballard to come eat here. I have only had the chicken and vegetarian dishes but have not once been disappointed. This place is well known for its food for a reason. Try it out and you will have trouble not coming back.
(5)Mandy S.
I had a craving for naan all week and after reading about the chai tea that was infamously served here, I couldn't get this place off my mind. So I caved and right when I walked in, I was handed my hot cup of indian chai. The sweetened chai has a strong condensed milk flavor so I would get the unsweetened kind if you're not a big on overly sweet teas. They have an extensive menu and veggie samosas are brought to your table as appetizers. I highly recommended sharing the garlic naan since it's the size of half a table. and eat it all there because it doesnt taste the same when you eat it at home. their naan is perfectly seasoned and toasted. Not too thick or heavy and compliments the curry dishes and rice nicely. This place does get busy but the manager was aware and was attentive after having us wait for awhile. We also had a scoop of fruity vanilla ice cream but were too full to finish it. Would highly recommend for authentic indian cuisine. Too bad i didn't get to see the inside of the restaurant (we were sat close to the doorway)..next time!
(5)Jaimee M.
Great saag & the biggest naan I've ever had! Only thing we didn't like was the tikka masala. Good value for the amount of food you get. We were seated in the bar next door which was a little crammed and our food took longer to get to us but we'll definitely be back - at least for takeout!
(4)Alyssa Z.
The service here is top-notch service. You never feel like there isn't at least one person watching your table. Every time we've been here the owner/manager is so kind and attentive. He seats you, and stops by to make sure everything is going perfectly. He sets his customer service standards very high - and it shows. Down to every last detail. The free app, desert, top off of your wine, your water glass is never half empty - it is always half full to full. Excellent service! And to top it all off - the food is delicious and the portions are very fair for the price you pay.
(5)Anne P.
I previously gave 5 stars for the amazing food, but said the desserts were soso. Last night they gave me a complimentary piece of chocolate cheesecake along with the bill. That with the hot chai tea was AWESOME!! I completely forgot what my friend was talking about and went on a several minute rank over how stupid good the combination was. So 5 stars all around!!
(5)Veronica D.
I can't believe I spent 4 years living in the University District and I never came here once.... now I know this place exists, I no longer live in the University District but that's okay-- I know where I'll be going if I am ever in the area. My boyfriend heard from a coworker that this place has the "bombest nann ever"- annnnd he was right no doubt about that- not only was it good- but it was HUGE - we ordered the garlic nann to eat with our meals & we couldn't even finish half of it together- I ordered the Tandoori Chicken- which was perfectly spiced and delicious- I could taste all the amazing flavors & spices that one would get from eating amazing Indian food. It came with seasonal vegetables which was the perfect match- My boyfriend had the Chicken Masala - ohh and i semi-wish I would have ordered what he got- he was dipping his nann in the Sauce - I couldn't help but try his dish because of how good it looked- and it tasted even better- - the sauce was creamy and tasty and the chicken was tender- to die for! It's definitely a family friendly environment, casual, and a place to just relax and enjoy some great food. I came in for dinner around 8pm, it was a pretty busy night but the staff still had excellent and sincere customer service- We both had the Chai tea (which is absolutely just perfect for the setting) and I felt like they were constantly refilling us/making sure that i never went thirsty our entire meal-I appreciate that. Also, the portions are Giant- my boyfriend and I both had leftovers - we ate our leftovers for Dinner the next day- the prices are fair and you most certainly get what you pay for- if not even more.
(5)Sarah S.
I've been coming to Taste of India ever since we moved to Seattle as kids, and when I come home, I never bother going anywhere else. I agree with every positive comment in this thread of reviews; the service and food is nothing short of perfect! I love this place! Taste of India has a huge, huge menu with all the things you'd expect from an Indian restaurant, but in recent years they've expanded their menu to include more Mediterranean dishes. There is definitely something for everyone here - from curry, to tandoori, to hummus and falafel. No matter what you order, you HAVE to start with some of their delicious Naan, a steal at $4.99. This steaming, flavor-filled traditional bread (filled with everything from garlic to almonds and raisins) nearly overflows the basket its served in, and it makes a perfect accompaniment to soaking up every juicy bit of the sauce from your curry or main dish. Drooling just thinking about it! Everything I've ever tried here has been delicious, but my go-to's are: Spinach & Paneer Nan Chicken Tikka Masala Pakoras Vegetable Samosas Raita Chicken Coconut Curry Tandoori Chicken (sensing a theme here?) And of course: CHAI CHAI CHAI! (As kids, my brother and I used to play a game to see who could drink their mug of chai tea first before the waiters filled it up. Their chai is DELICIOUS, and it's free refills! Weeeeee!) As for the service...I can't say enough nice things. It's always fast and friendly, and someone always greets you at the front door with a smile. Last time I came in - about a week ago - my friends are I were served a free appetizer AND a free dessert. So nice, and so unexpected. Taste of India is the perfect place for a warm, cozy, and delicious meal - and they deserve all the positive praise and more.
(5)Finny S.
Great place! Salmon Tandoori was excellent: best fish dish of any Indian restaurant! Mango lassi was perfect and the "complimentary" gulab jamun was so much better than most places where you pay for it! We'll be back!
(4)Jessica W.
very yummmyy .. eating here reminded me of when I lived in the maldives and indian food was what I had everyyyyy day. their service was great .. server always checked back to make sure we were enjoying the meal as well as the owner I assume. He was picking new carpeting while we were there so I think he's the owner. I loved that sauce they provide with everything .. I orderd the tandori chikken tikki and it was soo yum .. the chicken was flavorful and juicy .. and great with the sauce! My bf got the mango curry .. which surprisingly was very good .. I don't usually like that type of curry. and ofc their garlic nann was omg to die for .. but I love garlic so I couldve used more garlic .. teheh :) Their little potato thing they offered when we sat down was yummy .. I didn't like the complimentary ice cream at the end .. it was an interestingly weird taste .. but it's a very nice gesture for them to offer.
(5)Bungles N.
Travelled up from Vancouver & Yelped to find a good Indian restaurant and this place was top of the list. Boy was I disappointed! The restaurant was busy but the service was slow. The wait staff were polite but seemed overwhelmed. The chicken tikka masala was passable as a westernized take out standard fare but not as a purportedly authentic dish in a highly regarded restaurant. I know chicken tikkamasala is not an authentic Indian dish, but still, this was bland & unappetizing. The mixed tandoori meats platter was mixed in quality too. The chicken was ok, the fish dry & the beef plain awful. The rice tasted a little off. It's like soggy boil in the bag rice that's been reheated a week after it was originally prepared. The reviews on this place might be good, but my own experience here tells me that for a lot of people, quantity must count more than quality. The food portions were big, but in my case, this just meant more food to leave behind. As for the restaurant itself? A mish mash of different rooms strung together in a slap dash was to increase capacity. The general hygiene didn't look or feel good, with dirty sticky carpets, cutlery & plates not thoroughly cleaned, and the presence of little tell tale black bits on fried food. The oil obviously isn't changed frequently enough. A peek into the kitchen on the way to the washroom revealed a somewhat ad hoc, messy set up reminiscent of kitchens seen on my travels in developing world countries. At least that bit of the experience was authentic! Would I return? Never. Would I recommend? Not in a million years. EDIT: I received a message from Mohammed B. of Taste of India "Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy yourself. IF you take your review off we can refund you for your bill! Anyways I will have the chef check out the fish and other items you mentioned. Sorry again" I'm sorry but the review stays. I refuse to remove an honest review in exchange for the cost of a meal.
(1)Connie N.
Best Indian food in seattle hands down. We came with a large group and so we were able to try about 5 different dishes. The lamb butter Masala is by far my favorite of the 5. My favorite of the entire meal has got to be the naan. We tried 3 different kinds of naan and it was all delicious. The Naan Was HUGE!! They also gave us complimentary potato appetizers and a slice of cheesecake to end our meal. Service was great and food was even better! Will definitely be coming back.
(5)Alannah H.
Great service on top of excellent food. They insisted we take a whole new container of tasty rice with us when we boxed our massive leftovers. Worth it. I recommend a superb curry that had almonds in it. cant remember the name. Tip: the nan bread is the size of a toddler so one is enough for 3 people.
(5)Andy H.
This is a very tasty place to eat at, albeit on the pricier side. My girlfriend and I have had Indian food at several restaurants in the East Bay down in Northern California, and think Taste of India is among the best we've had.We would go back, although order less because it's a bit pricey and the portions were big. Food ========== We ordered the Mango Curry and Jaipuri Masala for entrees, as well as a Garlic Naan. The Mango Curry was very good, as well as the Jaipuri Masala. The spiciness was perfect for me, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how much rice you are given with your curry (a plateful). It's a lot to eat and we ended up with more food than we were able to eat. The Garlic Nan was very big, but I was sad to see that some edges were quite burnt. It is not the most fluffy Naan we've had, nor the most garlicky, but it was not ridiculously greasy either. In fact, the grease wasn't all that bad at all. We also had Chai here. The Chai was very good and needed no extra sugar or additives. Also, our cups were never less than three quarters full because the service here was so good. They kept topping our tea off and checking up on us. We were also comp'd an appetizer and dessert. The appetizer was one Pakora per person, a deep fried slice of potato battered in chickpea flour (it's on their menu). It was room temperature when served, but a pleasant surprise. It came with cilantro and tamarind chutneys. The dessert was kheer (also in their menu), a rice pudding with crushed nuts and cardamom. The kheer was very good and also a pleasant surprise after we paid the bill. Setting ========= It was busy here, but there are lots of waiters and waitresses bustling around. The table settings aren't fancy and it can feel a bit cramped, but it was comfortable. There is outdoor seating available with heat lamps.
(4)Wwolf G.
SO IMPRESSED!! Our food was perfectly spicy and super tasty. The service was wonderful they gave us complimentary appetizers, naan, AND desert!! Great atmosphere too! PERFECT!
(5)Jennifer T.
Amazing Indian food! Now the standard by which all other Indian food will be measured. I also love the ambiance. The restaurant was built into an old house and is surrounded by a residential neighborhood. Makes for a great low-key meal. Some tips...The chai tea is bottomless and the wait staff refills it frequently. Beware if you want to sleep at night, you might not be able to tell how much you are actually drinking. But it's super-yummy! Also, the naan comes separately, not included with your meal, and is big enough to serve 2-3 people.
(5)Stan L.
the naan is gigantic and really well made.. i also love their saag paneer with lamb.. they can spice it up to whatever heat level you can handle.. be prepared for a nap if you come here for lunch since this food can hit you like a ton of bricks
(4)Brian H.
My wife and I came up from Portland today for some business in Seattle. I researched for a good Indian restaurant and found on-line Taste of India with great reviews. The great reviews were not wrong! We got there for lunch right before they opened and watched as the staff were cleaning the place. When I say clean, I honestly have never seen restaurant staff clean like they were. It was a refreshing sight. . Chai Tea: - everyone raved on-line about this and it was the best we've ever tasted. When they say refills, they mean it! Short of chugging the whole cup (which would be a pleasure to do), you will find it difficult to get below a half cup before they pour you more. No joke. . The Food: - In short, amazing. When we were seated, they placed complimentary Pakoras at our table - very tasty. The vegetable Samosa with their 2 house made chutneys are delicious - I would go back just for the cilantro chutney. The veg filling is seasoned very well. I had the Mulligatawny soup and it too exceeded my expectations. All in all we sampled several different things and we couldn't find anything to complain about. . The service: - was very attentive and prompt. The owner stopped by several times to make sure we were doing well. The wait staff made you feel like they were happy you asked them for something. Couldn't have been more pleased. . Overall, a fantastic experience. We will make a point to go there anytime we are in Seattle.
(5)Chelsea J.
Taste of India is easily my favorite Indian restaurant in Seattle. My favorite dishes are the butter masala with chicken and the vegetable kofta. Their naan is also great and largely portioned. My most recent visit was with a group of friends. We got a complimentary plate of appetizers and two free desserts- mango cheesecake and baklava. The service was very friendly and accommodating and the chai was flowing. The restaurant is very popular so expect to wait on a weekend for dinner. If you do have to wait they supply you with free chai. They have a small parking lot but you'll likely have to find a spot on the street. I could eat here everyday and not tire of the food. Everything is excellent!
(5)C C.
One star for being 21 and over! One star for friendly service. One half stars for the food. Our two dish tasted the same even thou the description sound different. Yum and incredibly huge naan!
(3)Akiko I.
- Locale Destination - It's on Roosevelt Way and NE 56th St in NE Seattle. (University area) Decor is kinda outdated and nothing so special. Casual setting. It got a weird setting - 3 dining areas with little space between tables. Nice outside seating are
(4)Ashley F.
I have never been disappointed eating here and their chai tea is an absolute delight!
(5)Jarrod J.
Everybody is smiling; the staff and the patrons. It starts when you walk in and there are chocolate mints at the door and mints at the bathroom, continues to the free refills on wonderful (!) chai, and concludes at the astonishing food. The Chai is seriously worth a visit alone, the garlic naan - like everyone says - is huge and mouthwatering, and the curry is delectable. The cherry was when who I assume to be the owner walks to your table and politely and genuinely asks how the whole experience was. The atmosphere is great too.
(4)Andrea S.
This is the best Indian food in Seattle. Also, if you walk down the hallway, you will see hundreds of handwritten notes, cards, and letters thanking the owners and staff for being wonderful people and doing good in the community. I'm thankful places like this exist.
(5)A G.
This place is certainly worth a visit. The food was delicious and the service was exceptional. What I liked most about this place was that the staff was gracious and treated you as a customer as soon as you walk up to the door. We were visiting from out of town and were excited to try a good Indian place. We had a long wait, but were offered tea and other snacks while waiting. Once we were seated, we were given complimentary appetizers for our wait. The vegetarian vindaloo and plain naan were delicious! The mango lassi was thick. The servers were attentive and you never had to worry about not having enough water. I was also happy that when we asked for extra spicy curry they did make it spicy. If I was a local, I would be visiting often. Next time I'm in Seattle I will stop by!
(5)Karen Q.
Arrived at 12:15p and realized we only had 25 minutes before we had to leave for an appointment - we let the host know we were in a super rush and he provided our chicken korma and a fresh garlic naan in maybe 5-10 minutes! We had time to eat (quickly but comfortably). Had always thought the food and service were excellent but this was just amazing. We were back on the road in 23 minutes. Thanks for caring about your customers, even when the request is pretty crazy.
(5)Meredith C.
I am absolutely in love with this Indian restaurant. Where do I begin? 1. There was a bit of a wait, but it was 7pm on a Friday, so I can expect that. While we were waiting, they provided free chai and appetizers. There were even heat lamps outside to stay warm 2. We ordered our food right away when we were seated, and that resulted in a very short wait for our meal. 3. The veggie pakoras - OMG. Perfectly fried, and they tasted great microwaved the next day 4. I ordered a veggie korma dish, it had veggies and paneer. It was a really great, creamy, curry dish. But probably not my favorite Indian dish I've ever had. It was still quite delicious 5. I was entirely envious of the creamy, tomatoey, yumminess of my friend's lamb masala. It was buttery and all sorts of yummy. That masala sauce will haunt my dreams it was so delicious 6. I could wrap the naan around my infant son and he'd still be warm. Needless to say, the naan was gianormous! And so so delicious 7. THEY SERVE YOU FRESH, WARM BAKLAVA FOR DESSERT Go there, taste for yourself. You'll be back. The only downside, the waitresses were a little gruff. But the food came fast and there were enough other staff members buzzing around that we always had full glasses of water and help.
(5)Michael C.
The decor leaves something to be desired and it's not cheap - However the food is incredible. Try their Plain Naan, Tandoori Chicken Breast, and Butter Marsala with Grilled Shrimp. The dinner portions are big enough to split, which also makes them more affordable.
(5)David H.
2nd time here: food is great, love the chai tea and unlimited refill! great to bring big groups and ok to bring baby. Staff was nice and understanding when the little one started acting up. FOOD: Taste great, big portions! Left so full we regretted ordering so much(in a good way!). Till next time!
(4)Ruchika B.
If I could give more stars, I would! Great food and amazing service! We catered food from Taste of India for our wedding reception recently. Throughout the process - from the time we first contacted Farahji until after the party, we had the best service from her! It was a pleasure speaking with her. She made the process so easy on us that food never became a stress point. We had multiple changes to the menu, number of people etc. but were treated extremely well each time we contacted Farahji. The food was very high quality and ample for our guests, and of course delicious! Although the entire menu was outstanding, we would especially mention the awesome Gulab Jamuns.. They reminded us of the ones we got back in Delhi at Haldiram!! Paneer tikka was the best we have had in Seattle! Palak Paneer - just amazing! Thank you Farahji for making our reception memorable in your own special way:)
(5)Imrans T.
Love their Kababs, rack of lamb, tandoori fish and last but not least excellent customer service.
(5)Annie L.
I wanted to rate this lower, but the service made up for the food. We celebrated a birthday, bringing our own cake which the staff kindly refridgerated for us. The staff also brought out free mango cheesecake and sang with us. Service was great; they answered questions, wished us happy birthday multiple times, and was very fair when there was a little blip in our check. It wasn't close to my favorite Indian food (I had the butter chicken masala), but it wasn't bad either (3-3.5/5 star rating for the food). Appetizers were yummy.
(4)Elle K.
I've been here a couple of times and I love this place. The food is delicious, the staff are very attentive and the atmosphere is lively. I've been here during dinner where every seat was full and they come out with appetizers and chai tea for those who are waiting. When you're seated, your waters are always full. The owner is always really kind. There has been several occasions where he has offered my friends and I a complimentary wine or beer. We have always been treated with complimentary appetizers and desserts. I've never been to a restaurant with service like their's. None have really compared to the staff of Taste of India :)
(5)Charlotte T.
LOVE THIS PLACE! The food is great, the wait staff is always super attentive and helpful, and you always leave feeling full and satisfied. The portion sizes are very large, so be prepared for leftovers!
(5)Inbal R.
One of the best restaurants I've been to. The food was delicious! Quick service, large portions, and complementary chai while we waited for the table made it a perfect experience.
(5)Julia V.
Based on all of the reviews, I was hoping for an outstanding meal. I've traveled India and I've eaten at a number of Indian restaurants throughout the US. Unfortunately, the food here fell short. I ordered the Vegetable samosas which were spiced nicely. The Navaratan Korma was bland. The sauce seemed like it was from a can and they added frozen vegetables to it. The spice blend in a Navaratan Korma is usually aromatic and full of flavor. This was highly disappointing. I ordered roti which came out as a thin and crispy naan. Definitely not a roti. The actual naan looked quite good at other tables and I wish I would have ordered that. The staff was nice enough to ask me if I wanted something different to go and I declined due to visiting and staying at a hotel. The server never checked back to see how my meal was so I ended up eating half of it due to being pregnant and hungry...I would have sent it back otherwise. The chai was very good and the complimentary taste of an appetizer and desert was a generous touch. Perhaps some of the other entrees would be better but unfortunately I will not return based on my experience. I generally look for Indian food that is made to order. This seemed like it was leftover from a lunch buffet.
(2)Joyeta S.
By far the best indian restaurant food I have had in the US. They understand how to properly serve food. They give free aloo appetizers along with homemade achar. Their butter chicken and naan are too die for. I would definitely recommend people to try it atleast once.
(5)Laura B.
Oh my naan! The staff, service, and food were wonderful. The prices were reasonable and they had a 15% off special for checking in at the restaurant. The tiki masala and the coconut curry chicken were awesome. The sauces were creamy with just the right amount of spice. The complimentary appetizer was a wonderful surprise to start the meal. Don't leave without trying the garlic naan! We will definitely be eating here again.
(5)Kount K.
For Seattle Indian food, ATOI is pretty good. Let's start with the pros: 1) Great service. They are always attentive and there are no fewer than three people servicing our table every time we go. We also get free appetizers when we sit down which is a nice touch. 2) Naan. The naan is the size of a pillow - a large pillow. Seriously, it's gigantic - and very good. One piece easily serves 3-4 people. I think they need a separate over for each naan. Cons: 1) The food is a little pricey. I guess it's the location but the food is just too expensive compared to similar places in the areas. The portions are decent but I'd rather have smaller portions and cheaper food. 2) The food is generally bland. Even when you ask for spicy, it's not really spicy. I know they are trying to suit the bland American palate but if it truly were A Taste of India, the food would be much spicier. Several of the dishes taste the same as well. 3) The layout. Anyone that has been here knows what I mean. There are narrow passageways, uneven floors and you pretty much wait in the kitchen when in line for the bathroom. Indian food is my favorite cuisine when done correctly. Places like Mayuri and Taj Palace in Bellevue are head and shoulders above ATOI. They are more inexpensive, more authentic (yes, I have been to India), and get tons of people eating there despite the fact that the food is spicier. Chili's (altho more south Indian food) on the Ave is also much tastier. In short, it's decent but there are better options. It's still better than Cedar's or Chutney's, tho.
(3)Michael K.
"Why do you use Yelp?" In the Before Yelp times, we would get recommendations from a friend on a restaurant and then we would go try it. Pretty straight forward. Now, when someone suggests we try a place, we log in to Yelp and check to see how many people agree with them. This isn't universal, of course - there's nothing wrong with having an opinion you trust, but to look and find that a dozen or more of your friends all love a place makes your decision quite easy. That being said - Taste of India wasn't very good. Just kidding. I ended up ordering two dishes when I went here... plus naan. Plus free pakoras... plus free dessert. I mean... Even if the food had just been ok, the service itself would have made the 5 stars stick, but pile on top of that some of the best masala and saag I have ever eaten, and you leave with a to-go container that stays shut for about 45 seconds once you arrive home. The girls know their stuff - this place is amazing.
(5)Arjun R.
Very good food. The naan was amazing! Exceptional service. Probably the best I have seen in Seattle. Do try the chai. Would definitely recommend this place
(5)Jon D.
Bland and overhyped Indian food. The food taste like its microwaved and the sauces come right out of a can.. I don't know why this place has so many good reviews, but I think it has something to do with the fact that it is mostly white people who are the customers and not many Indians frequent the place. Compared to some excellent Indian restaurants on the Eastside, like Oh India, where the food is fresher , curries are made in-house and nicely spiced, this place is bland, more expensive and disappointing. THe ambiance and outdoor seating is the only good thing, but it doesn't make up for the bland and flavorless food. I know when my food arrives to me just 1 minute after I order it that they microwave it or have it pre-cooked and sitting the whole day. Nothing at this place is cooked to order. If you want a much better Indian food experience with fresher ingredients and spices try Chili's or Moti Mahal. Yelp reviews have to be taken with a grain of salt. Look at the reviewers. If all the reviews of a place are done by Indian people who are very picky about their Indian food, it only makes sense that these restaurants will be more deeply critiqued and have lower reviews. I think the ignorant clientele is one reason for the bloated reviews of this place.
(1)Melissa M.
This place is always busy for a reason. Its consistently serving up delicious Indian food at a reasonable price. Wait staff is super attentive. the only reason it's not getting a 5 star is because one time they completely messed up my to go order.
(4)Ezhilan I.
These guys are awesome. Very good service. And very tasty food. Just awesome. A big smile and 5 stars to these wonderful people.
(5)Christine R.
As you approach Taste of India, it may provoke sketchy vibes. Once you enter, the inside is tasteful, inviting, and more spacious than you would imagine. The staff was very friendly and helpful and the food was incredible. The naan is HUGE and both the curry and the Mansala are very good. There was a free desert after our meal and small snack at the beginning. I went with my white redhead friend and she also enjoyed it (I am Asian).
(5)Jade L.
Go for the buffet! Love their butter chicken. Pretty similar to chicken tika masala. My favorite thing about this place is actually the drinks. Love love love their chai tea. Sometimes I think about dropping in just to order that. Also a huge fan of their mango lassi. I'm not usually one to order drinks with my meals but I would definitely recommend then here!
(4)Bela B.
Arrived to Taste of India, a little difficult to find parking. There is a Lounge and Bar and then there is the restaurant, side by side but I think separate buildings. Entered in through the restaurant, was packed, gave my name, took a seat and was immediately given a couple of fried potato pakora (for free) as I waited with yummy cilantro chutney (reminded me of a little of my mom's and hers is the best, of course). Waited for approx 15 minutes, taken to our seats and ordered the Indian Delight as appetizer (few veg pakora, one piece of lamb kabob, 2 pieces tandoori chicken and a veg samosa). I was impressed with the flavors. I ordered the curry chicken and my friend ordered chicken biryani. The curry had plenty of chicken and just enough spice (for mild) and the biryani (I'm not a fan) "was very good" per my friend but "not the best she has had." I ordered the garlic naan and she ordered the paneer naan (not knowing how big it was). The paneer naan...my mouth waters just saying it....THE BEST naan I have ever had. And I have eaten a lot of naan in my life. The naan was about half the size of our table! We performed non-traditional Indian eating style by stuffing our faces with it and disregarding our main dishes. Ordered chai, had free refills, quick to top off my cup. There were several waiters to our table - delivering food, topping off our drinks, making sure everything was ok. Which was nice but a little confusing as to who our actual waiter/waitress was. Overall, we had a great dining experience. The prices are about $2 more than many Indian restaurants I have visited but worth it. The food was great, tasty and had the traditional Indian flavors I was looking for in my dinner. Will be visiting again...soon! P.S. I forgot to mention that there was check in discount for 15% on yelp. I didn't even mention it and one of the very kind staff members saw it on my phone and said he would make sure it would be applied to the bill :) Update: I LOVE this restaurant. Changed my score from 4 to 5. Visit each time I come to Seattle and have never been disappointed. And, I took my mom here and she was impressed with the food.
(5)Nico G.
The naan bread is really good
(4)Joe F.
Can't add much more to all the other reviews other than. My kids actually liked the food which says alot. Everything is good :)
(4)Cyrus H.
During our vacation to Seattle, we found this place on Yelp, and it was the most popular Indian place on Yelp in the area we were staying, so we decided to eat here. We weren't all that impressed with the food itself, but it was overall a pleasant experience. The place was busy, boisterous, and crowded... in a good way. That always gives us a good feeling that we're at the right place and that the food is fresh due to high turnover. Service was pretty over-the-top. Every employee who passed our table made sure to check if they could get us anything! Have never had that experience anywhere. What great training they provide their servers! But I can only give the food an OK, not really anything we'd return for. We love Indian food, cook it at home and enjoy it while travelling.
(3)Jim J.
The food here at Taste of India is some of the best Indian food on the west coast! I just ate the Chicken Jalfrazie with garlic naan bread, and washed it down with a tart Arnold Palmer. Perfect lunch! I visit this joint every time I'm in Seattle. The staff here are friendly and cordial. They even give you a tiny complimentary chocolate cheesecake chunk for dessert. Taste buds and tummy are happy:) Thanks Taste of India.
(5)Don M.
This place is the best restaurant I have ever been to. I have been coming here for 5 yeasts and never received a bad meal or cad service. Mohammed (the owner) treats every customer that comes through the door like he has known them his whole life. He is always there overseeing the operations and making sure that everything is up to par. I think it's funny that a lot of the negative reviews are because their water was filled up to often or they were given free appetizers. You can't make everyone happy all the time but Taste of India sure tries to. Ps the mango chicken curry is the best Indian dish it Seattle.
(5)Kevin W.
I was in a real predicament while eating at Taste of India. I couldn't figure out whether they deserved four or five stars! But I found it difficult to come up with a justification for a less-than-perfect review. These guys really know what they're doing. It's too bad they're so far from the heart of the University District, but it's definitely worth the trip! I never would have heard of this place if it weren't for their advertising. It's good that they're trying to reach out, because they're probably one of the best restaurants in the U-District. One of the things I like about this restaurant is how attentive the staff is. First, I was seated without delay. They wasted no time in bringing me water, the menu, and an appetizer. They have quite a great menu, and they claim to serve authentic Indian cuisine. The section for Mediterranean food caught my attention. India is kind of far from the Mediterranean, isn't it? I ordered the beef gyro plate just to see how they would make it. An authentic Indian restaurant serving beef. Hmm... something doesn't feel quite right here... They do try to create an Indian-like environment here, and that is evidenced by the artwork displayed around the place. And I especially love the music they have playing! It's quite pleasing and definitely not some generic filler. After a wait time of about eleven minutes, there was a plate of beef, lettuce, hummus, onions, and tomato delivered to my table. Accompanying that was the pita bread for the gyros. I really don't think this is traditional Indian cuisine, but I don't really care because it was so good. The meal was so simple but so well-prepared, and it was available in such abundance that I was basically eating gyro after gyro, which is a delightful experience. During the whole time, the staff was constantly checking to make sure I was okay. I must have had at least four people ask how things were going or fill up my water. They're really nice and see the slightest sip as an opportunity for a refill. They also seem to have a lot of waiters and waitresses, almost as many as customers from the time I was there. The manager appeared happy to have served me and even gives handshakes to customers. The restaurant is just a lovely place and I think it really says something when my biggest problem with it is how far I have to walk to get there.
(5)Terri E.
I truly love this place. It's my wife's go-to restaurant from way back (she grew up here), and I'm so glad that it is. From the bottomless chai to the complimentary pakora to the service, this is like eating at a good friend's place. The service is very attentive (probably overly so with the water refills).
(4)David H.
Came here because of the great reviews. We arrived and it was very busy. Said 25 minute wait. Fine. My wife and I were going to walk around the neighborhood a bit. Right next door they have a lounge and bar. We figured we would grab a drink. There were free tables there, plus they had good drink specials and full menu. Weird. Got some cheap beers and ordered. Food took 45 minutes to come out. Both dishes tasted the same. The whole vibe of the place was weird. But the drinks were super cheap and the food is reasonably priced. We'll try it again. They need to figure out the lounge situation though. It really wasn't fair that we got seated before people that had been waiting a while. Plus whenever an employee walked in with a dish, they were confused as to where to serve it.
(3)Nile N.
This place is a home run--from their amazing dishes to their chai. You can pick a dish blindly from their menu and rest assure that what you'll get is nothing short of amazing. Love the super relaxing ambiance too, I can sit here for hours and leave feeling all zen-like, especially after drinking copious amounts of their heavenly chai.
(5)Satori L.
The chai tea is a blessing and sometimes a curse...*chuckles* because it's an endless cup--someone is always coming by to refill and you lose track of how much you are drinking....and then you stay up all night in a sweet Indian trance....whoa!
(5)Cecilia V.
Prices are a bit higher but totally worth it. Everything we've had here has been amazingly delicious. The naan is huge and perfectly cooked every time. They give you a complimentary app which is a nice little teaser before your meal comes. Staff is very attentive and extremely nice. Wish we lived near here like we used to! Been a struggle finding someplace even remotely comparable on the Magnolia/ballard side of the city since we moved so we still come over here if we want Indian.
(5)Priti M.
Paneer naan was delicious along with the tandoori chicken tikka! Customer service is excellent and the quality of food was amazing.
(5)Ms. K.
Had dinner here the other night. And it was SO good. Probably the best Indian I've had in the United States, and comparable to the curry houses in London's Brick Lane.
(4)Maria K.
Even though I spent many years in the U-District as a student, I didn't try this place until recently when a friend hosted his birthday dinner here. From the minute I walked in, I loved the great energy and it felt as though they did a great job creating a sense of community at this restaurant. Of course the free naan and chai given to those waiting also helped make me happy (and if you are coming here on a Friday or Saturday night, get ready to wait your turn for a table). The service was great, the portions were generous and all the food was very delicious. The chicken tikka masala was perfectly seasoned and I LOVE garlic naan, so could not have been more pleased by the large piece they brought out. All in all, a great experience and I will be back when I get a craving for Indian food!
(4)Tej R.
It's hard to find a good Indian restaurant because I've had them all. The complementary paneer appetizer with chutney was really good. We ordered garlic naans and butter chicken. The naans are huge and very good. However, the butter chicken was so-so, it seemed oil based instead of creamy (due to the use of heavy cream) would not order that again. The waiters were great and very attentive.
(3)Shon A.
I have eaten here about a dozen times over the years, and I've never had a bad experience. Every dish has been fantastic. Just discovered how much I love their chai tea. The elephant ear sized Naan is a must with every meal. The service is always impeccable, your glass or mug will never get empty!
(5)Shriram P.
I am really tempted to try out this restaurant. The last time I visited, I was impressed by the number of appetizers and chai. But the food itself was creamy and bland appropriate to the American Clientelle. Reading the comments below I feel like trying it again but I am expecting a traditional spicy (not just chilli flakes added at the end type of spicy) food. The naan sure looks tempting, What should I request the waiter to get the right dish?
(4)Amrita K.
Hands down, the best indian restaurant I have ever been to...and that says a lot since I am Indian and picky with my indian food! Best food (esp the shahi paneer and garlic naan) and great hospitality. My husband and I have been going here for years and have brought many friends here and they all love it. The food has tasted the same throughout the years so they are very consistent! The owner and head server are super nice and always go around to ask how the food is. This place is not pretentious at all! You get free chai and pakoras if there is a long wait and they always give us a free appetizer and dessert (I am pretty sure everyone gets one free thing) and this is pretty smart so that people who aren't familiar with Indian food can see if they like the item and order it next time. The food is always fresh and good quality. My husband and I have been to many indian restaurants and we have yet to find one better than this place! Sadly, we have moved to California now and long for taste of india since other indian restaurants never measure measure up! Taste of India has set the bar very high!!! Highly, highly recommend this gem!!!
(5)Kylie S.
This is the best Indian restaurant we have ever been to. The service is great and all the waiters are so nice. The food is AMAZING. We always get a curry dish, my favorite is the mango chicken curry along with the tandoori chicken breast. We also can't say no to the garlic naan and endless cups of chai tea. They always give you a complimentary appetizer or dessert too! Needless to say, this is the place to go. We went here tonight and literally 5 minutes after we ordered we had our nan, chai, and both entrees. All the waiters there are awesome, but Samuel is definitely our favorite
(5)Nick F.
Favorite restaurant in the city, and I've been here eight years, so trust me when I say I've done the legwork. Food's consistently excellent, menu's big, super friendly, service is unreal. If you order chai, you will not see the bottom of your cup ever. They are like a team of highly trained refill ninjas. Editing my review just so the food has it's own entry. It's mindblowingly good. By far the best Indian food I've ever had, and I've had lots (though I've never been to India, so I can't speak to its similarity to "authentic" Indian food). It's crazy good. Every dish i've ever had here has been awesome, and by this point I've had most of them, though I keep coming back to the Chili Chicken and Butter Chicken. If I ever become ludicrously rich, I'm going to buy the place,e build an apartment on top of it, and just eat here every day. The place is also pretty big on giving out complimentary appetizers and/or desserts. Just full marks all around. Cannot recommend highly enough.
(5)Sophia T.
the staff here is very kind and accommodating! We were an annoying bunch, constantly telling them we needed more room or we wanted to order or whatever and they were very nice. The food was delicious and the vegan items were clearly marked which makes me so darn happy. i ordered the mutter mushroom and it was outstandingly saucy with the perfect amount of spice as i requested. the basmati was amazing. the aloo paratha was ok but i would have ordered the plain if it was up to me. i really wanted to have their famous chai but they did not have alternative milk. maybe they could get some and make the vegans or dairy allergists happy...
(4)Thu N.
The food was good but the wait, service and cleanliness of the kitchen area that I could get a glimpse of sorta scared me...the kitchen on a long rid skewer was standing on the floor....health violation???? While we waited we were offered small plate of fried potatoes and chai. Really good chai and I think they just give this on the house to all patrons.
(3)Claire K.
We ordered take out from here last night. The staff was friendly and everyone enjoyed their dishes, although I ordered two stars and in retrospect probably should have ordered three, they tend to add less spice than some other spots in the area. I also noticed that the owner had commented on a review here on Yelp and argued with the reviewer which is really quite unprofessional, Yelp is a place for people to express their opinions freely. Overall the food was yummy, but a little bland for my tastes, I also think the food may have been a little over priced for what it was (Saffron Grill feels more upscale but has similar prices) but not exorbitantly so .
(4)Nicole B.
Amazing Indian food! Always worth the trip :)
(5)Emily F.
I've been going here on a regular basis for the last 4 years or so. IT IS THE BEST EVER. I go about once a month, and every time I'm amazed. Portions are huge, prices are low, service is good (they aren't fake friendly, so hopefully that doesn't offend you). I always get tikka masala, mango curry or coconut curry. Love them all. Naan bread is huge. I'm in and out in 40 minutes because they are so fast. Just be careful on the uneven floors- you may trip.
(5)Margaret L.
This was probably the best Indian food experience of my life, and one of the best restaurant experiences in general. We arrived at a pretty busy time, but free appetizers were brought out as each new wave of people arrived and waited to be seated. It took about 30 minutes to get seated but the appetizer was a nice touch to keep it from seeming longer. I ordered my go-to dish: shahi paneer, and the bf ordered tandoori surprise. We also ordered naan and veggie pakora and split a bottle of raspberry lambic. The appetizer was large and actually filled me up, which was fine because then I had leftovers. When our meals arrived, the naan did not. I got up to ask for the naan, and not only did the manager comp the naan but he also brought us a complimentary bottle of Chimay as an apology. The staff was attentive and on point. At the end, they even brought is a free dessert, something they had given to everyone that waited so long to be seated. And to top it all off, the food was DELICIOUS!!! Taste of India earned my business a thousand times over, though I do have to admit I'm a little scared to go back again since I doubt anything can ever compare to that amazing first experience!
(5)Jes K.
They know how to make customer happy! I got free chai and free mango sorbet the first time I went there, and I got free naan and free dessert the second time I went there. Their food is delicious and the taste of their curry are so complex and satisfying. Will go there again despite it is not near where I am living.
(5)Casper T.
This review may cause me to get a few sideways looks from a few readers, however I want the owners to know. Yes, they give you a free appetizer and sometimes dessert. The naan is HUGE - a big plus for me. The food is pretty darn tasty and the chai is seriously bottomless and yum... Now the service - some might say they love the amount of attention the staff gives a table. I found it over bearing and a bit intrusive. I was out with a few friends to celebrate a birthday. We hadn't see each other awhile and were having a pretty intimate conversation, but it kept getting interrupted. The birthday girl had to say "no" to her chai being refilled at least 10 times every time disturbing our conversation. As soon as one of us finished our last bite, before the fork was even set on the plate, they swarmed in to take it away. If the service was subtle and spaced out, there would be five stars up there. Suddenly I felt like I had to hoard my dishes, cover my chai as to not get anymore and hold on to my fork. It was annoying to say the least. Like I said, some people like that. I like good service that allows you to enjoy the people you are eating dinner with. If I ever go back, I may politely ask for them to leave us be and I will get the attention of the staff if my table needs something. I say tone-it-down on the overbearing service.
(3)Kojo K.
My friend and I arrived during dinner rush. We stood in the waiting room for a while because the restaurant was packed, of course. After waiting a little bit, a server handed out complimentary pakoras to the waiting guests. Very smart of the manager to do so because it made waiting not a big deal at all. We were seated a while after by one of our four servers of the night. In all, we had four different servers: the person who sat us at our table, a woman who re-filled our water, our order taker, and a food server. Having four servers made the dining experience less "homey", which is something all customers expect at a restaurant. I ordered the lamb curry specialty, my friend ordered the tandoori surprise, and we shared an order of garlic naan. The food was good, however, the price was not worth it whatsoever. Paying $16 for my curry and $18 for the tandoori surprise was certainly not worth it to me or my friend. The people who are okay with paying these prices should probably venture out to other Indian restaurants. My go-to Indian restaurant remains to be Annapurna Cafe. Unbeatable.
(3)Erin D.
Not only is the food excellent, but the service is excellent! My boy friend and I actually went on our first date here (not only first, but it was a blind date too!). I could go on and on about how amazing and consistent the food is here, but most people I think already know that. I have never ordered something that I have not pleasantly enjoyed. Personal favorite though is the garlic nan to start followed by the tikka masala with lamb. What really sets this place apart for me is the service staff. They are so friendly - always wearing a big smile and presenting a positive attitude. The manager is also very friendly - and makes the rounds on the restaurant floor checking up on people as well. I think that is so important and is not seen enough - a manager actively walking the floor of their business checking on things rather than just sitting up somewhere in an office. The staff here is so attentive - I have rarely gotten 2/3 of my glass of iced chai down before it is refilled without me asking. Also, every time my boyfriend and I have gone here for dinner both on that first date and since, we have been given a free small starter to split - without us saying a word - on the house. Then, almost every time, when we are finishing our meal and paying the bill we are presented with a small desert - compliments of the house. We have gotten anything from a delicious small piece of cheese cake to chocolate etc. So nice, and certainly above and beyond the call of friendly service at a restaurant. I also recall - years ago - when I went there for the first time to have take out - I was given free bottomless chai iced tea while I waited for my to go order. For obvious reasons this place is hard to beat - and will always be a regular spot for myself and my boyfriend. Excellent customer service, and acts of kindness such as this should not go unnoticed. This is one special place.
(5)Abtin B.
Expensive for what it is. The bottomless chai and great service almost make you forget
(3)Heather C.
Favorite restaurant of all time, hands down. They usually give free small appetizer and dessert. Good food, good portions, bottomless chai (that's been great all but one time out of like 30, bad batch I think) It's nearly impossible to finish your water or chai because they refill constantly. The spiciness varies though so I play it safe w/ 1 star. (I'm a wuss) The owner's there every night wearing a white/light colored button up shirt and glasses. He comes over to check how things went often. The atmosphere has character, not at all clinical or boring. Perfectly imperfect. It's a kind of unusual place, which I guess gives people alot of reasons to not like it. Some reviewers didn't like the quickness of the staff, saying they felt rushed. Quick service should be welcomed, not scoffed at. I'm pretty sure they didn't wait long for a table or their food.
(5)Melissa A.
My favorite place to go for Indian food. Garlic naan is a must. I tend to always order the tikka masala or the vindaloo. The spices they put in everything are great and flavorful. And the endless chai... I probably drink a liter of it while I'm there.
(5)Stephen L.
First time there - wonderful food, very tasty. Initially worried about the price - most items around $15, but the naan was humongous! and we were surprised with a free appetizer, and a free tiny dessert. Would definitely go back. The street it is on is not very pretty, but don't let that deter you. The food was great, the service was great, even the building was cool.
(5)Derrick H.
This is my favorite Indian place (although it is too expensive). The service is the best you have ever seen and the free appetizers and desserts are delicious and a fun surprise for first-timers. For me, the perfect meal would be: Jaipuri Masala (chicken) Roti Mango lassi This place is the only one where I have encountered Jaipuri masala, and it has become one of my favorite Indian dishes. It is delicious and I recommend it for people who like lighter curries (but not brown curries). Overall, I can't beat the service and the flavor. It is definitely the best Indian place in the U District and is a worthwhile place to go for a nice evening in a warm, fun atmosphere when you really don't want to be disappointed.
(4)Monserrat J.
The service is exceptional! Everyone is kind and helpful. I will definitely go back. I tried three different curry dishes and they were all delicious. There isn't much I can say since most before me have pretty much summed up this great restaurant.
(4)Kris K.
Good Indian food, with plenty of variety and lot of choices for Vegetarian Indians. Service is excellent. They offer you chai and pakora when you're waiting for a table. Staff is quite attentive. Our order was on the table very quickly. Recommended: Madras Chilli Curry, Garlic naan and the Baba Ghanoush. We also tried the Prawn Biryani, which was allright.
(3)Lonny L.
This is my Indian restaurant in Seattle. Love the food and the chai is delicious with free refills. You will also often get a complimentary appetizer and/or dessert. The Indian food is Americanized, though. The servers and busboys are all great if a bit overzealous- often trying to take your plate before you are finished, refilling your water even if you have not had any since your last refill, rushing over to wipe your table down with a sponge and you may even have to lift your feet as they vacuum under your chair. Anyway, it is all part of the experience!
(5)Fatima G.
I've been coming here for years and have waited and waited to write this review because I can't seem to find the words to express how good this place is. Let's start with the fact that I was raised with indian food, rice and curry twice a day 7 days a week. Testimony to me knowing my curries! Yes, there's always a line out the door, yes, it's a bit of a tight squeeze if you're in a big group, yes, they fill your water every 8 seconds whether you like it or not. All that said, their beef butter masala is worth every minute. You don't want it to end, you take home the measly leftover because you don't want it to end, you lick the lid of the take out box because you don't want it to end. Endless chai, usually a free dessert or appetizer - those are just additional reasons to eat here. Daily. Okay weekly.
(5)Brooke M.
The food here is great and so is the customer service. I really enjoy the friendly atmosphere and good food. Definitely a fan of all the vegetarian choices. I have not had a bad dish yet.
(4)Patrick L.
From what I understand, this place is owned by the brother or cousin of the owner of Cedars. So, it's the same style of Indian cuisine, similar prices and flavors, but without the terrible service! Cedars ranks among the worst restaurants I've ever been to in terms of rudness from the entire staff. At Taste of India, just a 1/2 mile up on Roosevelt, you get the same (if not better) quality of food with great service. Amazing concept! When I get a craving for East Indian food, this is where I go.
(3)Colin D.
I've had catered food from here many times as part of events in my department at the University of Washington including ordering it myself on two occasions and their prices were always reasonable. They also delivered a massive quantity of tasty food. Just last week, I actually sat down in the physical restaurant for the first time and I was more than pleasantly surprised. The food was better if anything and the service was impeccable. The prices were a bit higher, but still reasonable for the atmosphere, food and service.
(5)Liv L.
After eating at this place weekly...takeout...thoroughly enjoying one of my favorite meals...when I take a scoop of rice...and find...a GIANT WIRY BLACK HAIR. The meal went in the trash and we all felt NAUSEOUS. It will be A LONG TIME, PROBABLY NEVER before I go back.
(1)Jenn W.
These Mexicans sure know how to make some mean Indian cuisine! Taste of India is by far my favorite dining spot in Seattle. To start, their bottomless chai is pretty fantastic. And service is spot on! Take two swigs of your water and they are there in an instant refilling it. Sometimes my boyfriend and I make bets on how many times they'll fill up our water glasses, but we often lose count by the end of our meal. On several occasions, we've even been offered complimentary chai (for instance, the only two times I've had to wait for a table they served up free chai to those of us waiting), desert, and yes, even a free beer on one occasion. But it's not the freebies that keep me coming back for more, it's the oh-so-tasty Indian fare and their good prices. Their naan breads are great, their large plates are delicious (palak masala is a favorite of mine), their new beer selection is impressive and affordable, and did I mention the bottomless chai? It's fantastic. One thing to note is that their spice level is a bit mild. If you want some kick, go big, order a level 5 spice. If you want a slight touch above mild, go with the 3. Cheers!
(5)Jeffrey S.
I've become very picky about Indian cuisine since first visiting India. Though very slightly Americanized for the domestic palate, 'Taste of India' is hands down the best Indian restaurant in Seattle. Vindaloos, kormas, raitas, samosas, desserts, and everything else is executed with sublime perfection. Pass the numerous shelves of Indian chutneys and relishes (which are all for sale), to the back kitchen door in order to gain a view at the giant pots of simmering multicolored sauces and olfactory sensations -created by wonderfully bearded Sikh magicians.
(5)Ana M.
I've been to Taste of India several times and always leave full and very happy. The service is five-star and I always like that the owner and waiters are glad to help and very friendly. For all of my fellow college students who have a tight budget, this is the place to go! Not only is this my favorite Indian Restaurant in University District, but every single time I've gone here, I've gotten free food! Sometimes it's free dessert, free appetizers, free mango lassi's, and always free chai. I must admit that I love the free food and it's always delicious. It's a great way to try (and get hooked) on new foods. I've been to several other Indian restaurants in U District and this is, by far, my favorite. Taking the great service, quantity of food, and quality of food, I think that the prices are incredibly reasonable and I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Tom S.
My favorite restaurant in Seattle, Taste of India has many great vegetarian choices, nice atmosphere, and great service.
(5)Nimmi O.
The place looks awful and the food equally pathetic .The vindaloo was just a premade tomato sause curry in which they added veggies. The tandoori chicken was oily and below average .I am surprised this place has got good reviews.
(1)Sean C.
Having been to Cedars, owned by the same people, many times, when a dining companion (who is a not-so-secretly a Yelper) and I found ourselves in Northgate and looking for Indian food, we went to Taste of India as it was closer. Street parking was easy at 8pm on a Friday, and we waited about 20 minutes for a table which was not a big deal. The place was nice inside, and the staff was friendly. We shared the butter chicken (~$13), the channa palak masala (~$9) and a roti (~$2). Everything was excellent - often when I do family style with people, we end up picking a favorite dish, and for all to end well it is not the same one, but the distribution here was equal which I consider a success. We definitely did not have room for dessert and took a good portion of the channa home with us. They also have Mediterranean dinner options, which I've never tried but a Pakistani coworker swears to me are excellent as well. In my experience, due to location away from the heart of the U. District, Taste of India is generally less busy than Cedars, so if you're looking for Indian food (or just to try something new) and are around the area or don't have a reservation at either and are looking to cut the wait at peak times, I would recommend coming here.
(4)Anne N.
Sunday. 7 pm. 20 minute wait. Though the service is usually on the slow side...the food is always worth coming back for more. To start off the evening, my mini me ordered a cup of chai tea. No other place can compare. Cardamom. Cloves. Cinnamon. Everything you can ask for on a cold night. $2.50 (approx 6 oz) with free refills. She had 5 cups. Best deal in town. Since we had to wait for such a "long" time (it's really nothing out of the ordinary), they gave us a complimentary appetizer. Fried fritters served with chutney. Yum. The entrees were perfect (they always are). I had the Rogan Josh with lamb and my mini me had the Butter Marsala with chicken. Prices are $14.95 each. Portions are a bit big for me so I had leftovers for breakfast the next day. Still delicious. To end the perfect night, we received a complimentary ice cream dessert. A scoop of vanilla ice cream with fine pieces of roasted coconut topping. It was delicious! Parking can be difficult depending on the time you go. There's about 7 parking spots in front of the restaurant but those are usually snatched up pretty quickly Best bet is to park in the residential area and walk.
(5)Kat L.
This is one of my favorite Indian restaurants in the Seattle area! It's a little pricey, but totally worth it! First off, every time we go we always get a complimentary appetizer or desert! They also give you a hot cup of yummy Chai while you are waiting to be seated! Their Nan is fairly cheap and HUGE! I love their garlic nann and panner nan! The meat in all the dishes are always yummy and tender. My favorite is butter Marsala. The mango lemonade is too sweet for my taste, but its good if you like sweet drinks. For four people, two Nans, and two dishes is usually plenty :)
(5)Emily A.
The flavours of this Indian restaurant is VERY AMERICANIZED. All dishes were pretty bland and had no depth (not much spices) I think its because the spices are too much for American people? I don't know. If you ever had real Indian food you would know what I am talking about, also almost all the people that eat here are American and you don't see much Indian people which I think should be another clue as to how Americanized the Indian dishes here are. 2 stars for customer service though, other than that Im not going back, bland and pricey for the quality of food.
(2)Diana F.
I've been here twice, both with extended visits, and I have really enjoyed my experience both times. My most recent experience is the reason for a four, not five star, because there were a few mix ups on my order, the naan was less flavorful, and the waitress was impatient, inattentive, and did not smile once. I understand, it was a Friday night, they were pretty busy, and every other staff member is generally kind, very attentive, and make sure you have a good experience, so I don't expect this to happen again. First off, the drink: I'm a sweet-with-a-little-spicy-chai kinda gal, and let me tell you, it hits the spot so well I drink too much of it. Which is also very easy, as the wait staff are so prompt to refill it that it never actually gets cold. Second is the naan. I love naan, and this place's Garlic Naan is superb, even when it had less flavor my last visit. Each portion is big, garlic-y, and tastes (and looks) like it came straight from a flame filled oven to my plate. Hot, toasty, but still soft on the inside. Last time, I had assorted curries, all of which were delicious, filling, and served hot despite the fact my group ordered four dishes. This time, I split a Gyro plate. The pita it came with wasn't particularly unique, nor the humus, but the meat was out-of-this-world outstanding. Perfectly cooked, seasoned, and piping hot. And to top it off, they gave us a free slice of rich chocolate cheesecake, which was good enough that it was eaten promptly despite our full to the brim stomachs. Until further notice, I'd suggest a try sometime during the week before dinner rush for optimum results, but overall, this is still my favorite Indian restaurant in Seattle, hands down.
(4)Amanda M.
We printed off the lunch coupon from their website (buy one entree and two drinks, get second entree free) and headed over here late on a midweek afternoon. There were a few tables occupied even though it was well after the lunch rush - I took this to be a good sign! The service was extremely on top of things: one server to take your drink orders, another to take your food orders, and a third to fill waters. Whoa. This confused me for a while but really it worked out just fine. I ordered the chicken tikka masala and my friend had the chicken curry. Both were delicious, and were complemented by a huge piece of garlic naan (mmmm!). I think next time I'll order my meal medium spiced instead of mild, as my chicken could have used a bit more zip, but that's one of those things that is different everywhere. Only complaint (and reason for 4 stars instead of 5) is that the chicken was a bit fatty and I found a bit or two of gristle in mine. This was a minor issue though, and I'll definitely be back.
(4)Jennifer H.
Best Indian restaurant I've been too, and it's right in the U-District. Free Chai and appetizer while you're waiting for a seat (they're usually full for dinner). I'm not that familiar with Indian food but everything I've ever tried has been fantastic. The Lamb Tandoori and Kebabs are my favorite, and just about everything comes with rice and veggies. They also give you a free piece of baklava if you don't order desert. Entrees do run around $15 which is very reasonable for everything you get there.
(5)W D.
They served us stale complimentary food. It spoilt our entire Christmas weekend. :(
(1)Ginger L.
I love this place with all my heart! The service is probably better than any restaurant in Seattle. They give you complimentary appetizers and dessert with usually every meal and I have never once been disappointed with their food (and I've tried several things on the menu). I have always found it odd that they close at 9:45, but they can do whatever they want because they are simply that amazing.
(5)Silvia H.
Favorites: butter chicken, mango lassi and the bottomless chai tea for beverages, taste of india delight for appetizer, dal soup, coconut almond ice and kheer for dessert The basmati rice is so good, I could eat it by itself. Quick and attentive service.
(4)joe m.
Well, I've been there about 3 times now, and each time i get greeted happily by one person or another. As I'm seated down I'm handed a free appetizer, with some chutney, which is awesome. The food is cooked pretty quick, the service has always been quick and very nice, and the food has always been delicious. Like Michael L. said, A+ restaurant and expect your water to never get below half a cup, but hey with the heat that has been going on who would complain about never ending water
(5)Liz L.
Ok, taste of india - almost hit a home run. Food was delicious, chai tea, yum, service was impeccable ..... until right before we were about to leave - the waiter decides to chum it up with the table next to us, and then proceeded to make anti-Asian, specifically - chinese - gestures (yup, pulled up the eyes and said some pretty racist stuff) to the utter delight of the other patrons. I know, racism and ignorance is always a hoot. Wow. I sat there, with my friend (who is part Chinese), staring - just wondering if he was going to catch himself. He never did, and I had to reopen up the credit card bill, and take out a little bit (out of respect for the service we got for the rest of the night - it was still 15%), and went home. Really? Did that really happen? What a trip. Not okay, regardless of the food, and downright tacky - to say the least. Hope those other patrons had a wild and crazy night.
(1)Carlos E.
Garlic naan, chicken curry, Baingan Bhartha (Baked eggplant seasoned with spices and sauteed with onions & tomatoes),
(5)John N.
Just up the road from Scarecrow Video is this delightful Indian restaurant. One of the best Indian restaurants I've enjoyed; their spinach nan is legendary and they have ice cream mango shakes one could sing about. When my mother visited - she was especially happy with the Chai - requesting to return each day of her vacation. All the food is excellent, the service is very good. Parking on the street nearby works, the onsite lot is small.
(4)April S.
Once again, yelp has led me to another awesome restaurant. AMAZING service - drinks NEVER went half empty, complimentary appetizer, complimentary naan, excellent food, not to mention (yes - again) complimentary dessert. I will definitely eat here again. The prawns on my plate were large and plentiful, the naan light and fluffy, and the (free) dessert was awesome. My (ahem) date ordered the gyro platter, which looked and smelled awesome as well. I snagged a little hummus from his plate, and that was delicious. We had been asked twice while we were waiting for the check if we wanted dessert, and had declined twice - not a minute later another waiter comes out with the plate, 2 forks, and says "complimentary" - I do believe that to be my new favorite word. Cheesecake with a delicious citrus drizzle over it. I promise I'll give a few restaurants not such shining reviews, but for now I'm sticking with the ones I'm excited about.
(5)Angela S.
Went for a second time not all that long ago, and got free samosas, free naan (they mistakenly gave us another table's garlic instead of whatever we had ordered, and they let us keep it in addition to our other naan), AND free coconut ice cream. A friend pointed out to me that they're a little neurotic about refilling water glasses, and I did notice that my glass never even reached halfway empty, but it's certainly better than some of the alternatives. I mean, they're still a slightly odd restaurant in a house with a very uneven floor and too many Christmas lights, but the food is tasty and they like to give you extra food for free, so, yeah, can't really complain.
(4)Andrew S.
Fantastic service; fresh tasting, delectable Indian food. We ordered the Nan with cheese and spinach, masala lamb and vegetable korma. The korma was lighter in flavor than we're used to, but very bright and fresh veggie tasting. A small error in the kitchen brought the wrong veggie dish to our table, which the chef told us to enjoy on the house - and it was also excellent, as was the lamb. Great meal, nice outdoor seating and the place was busy despite being 3 pm on a Sunday. Several Indian diners there as well.
(4)Olivia Z.
Best Indian food in Seattle. Hands down. I'm always really happy with my meals here, and they give you enough for two meals. Totally worth the money. I'm a big paneer freak, so I pretty much always get something with paneer. The shahi korma, the shimla paneer, the veggie kofta, and one other dish, begins with an N, that I'm forgetting the name of (the bottom of the list on the menu at the restaraunt) are all so good. Garlic naan = awesome. My boyfriend is super picky and not adventuresome about food, but he loves the coconut curry chicken. They often will comp you an appetizer and dessert, too. Veggie pakoras or samosas for appetizer. Baklava or mango cheesecake for dessert. There are two drawbacks to this place, though: 1. It's pretty much always super busy. (but they will give you a chai while you wait to be seated...nice!) 2. The restaurant itself is kinda byzantine and cave-like. So it's not the fanciest place inside and can feel a little cramped. The other thing to know...they are super attentive with the service. I actually like that, but if you are bugged by constant drink refilling and busing of plates, you'll find it pretty irritating. Save yourself the trouble and get some carry-out instead. It's just as good.
(5)mike h.
One of the best Indian places i've been to. I have also been to india a few times, and this place is just as good. I had the butter chicken. the sauce was AMAZING. the chicken was good, but had a little fat on it, so that would be my only complaint. the naan was very good. the service was maybe the best service i've ever experienced at a restaurant. every-time my chai or water got a little low, they were right there to fill it. (the restaurant was pretty full to.) I live in bellingham, and will def make the 1 hour trip often to eat here!
(4)Sarah M.
I would say hands down this is the best Indian spot in Seattle but I don't know if its the best Indian food I have ever had. The service here is overwhelmingly more attentive and considerate than any other restaurant I have ever visited. If you have to wait for a table, you are given complimentary chai tea and samosas. While eating it seems almost as though you have your own waiter at your table catering to your every need. Cups never go empty here. I heard a couple next to us saying that if you hid your cup under the table, the waitstaff would still find a way to fill up your cup. If you order chai tea, someone will be there every couple minutes to refresh your cup with more hot tea. The only thing that has bothered me the last couple times I have been here is the amount of customer service they give you. At times I feel smothered. The last few times I have visited taste of india, the waiters and managers ask me no less than 5-6 times during my meal how I'm doing. After saying that I'm doing great 3 plus times, I tend to get irritated and just want to eat my food in peace. There was one time when I swear to you, our waitress asked me 13 times how I was doing. Don't get me wrong, good service is really nice. It is definitely one of the reasons why I keep coming back. I understand that they want to keep up their reputation but sometimes its a little too much. The food is never disappointing and its great that they give complimentary dessert and appetizers. It makes me feel appreciated as a customer. I wish that a few other restaurants in Seattle would learn a lesson from taste of india and kick up their customers service practices. All in all this is a great restaurant and everyone should stop in and try some of their amazingly delicious garlic naan.
(4)Shanna M.
Food is good. Spicy as I want it to be. Always get free appetizer and dessert. Value for money and it is sufficient to fulfill my cravings whenever needed.
(4)Arpita G.
OMG! Me and my fiancé went to Taste of India last night for Valentines Day and the service was AMAZING!!!! We got a table right away, and the host was on our service right away. We got a lot of complimentary stuff including appetizers, wine, dessert & gift card, which was super cute. The food wait wasn't too long and it was DELICIOUS! We got the Lamb Vindaloo, Chicken Madras Chili Masala, Paneer Naan & Indian salad. All the dishes were authentic, sumptuous and very tasty.... Overall.... It was a great experience for us and it made my engagement moment even more special! We are definitely going back there again and we highly recommend other people to go as well.
(5)Tyler L.
Tried a' many Indian restaurant in Seattle, this one has to be near the top! Great food, and always get something free with your meal. Last time we were there and had to wait a bit too long for a table...started to get a little grumpy....then got a free bottle of wine! And dessert too. Agree the endless water is a bit weird. Come thirsty!
(5)Jason C.
"So, I know we're here for Indian food... but did we just walk into a Vegas chapel?" Ignore the daunting fear that you might accidentally get your marriage license here and just focus on the food! This place is the new restaurant that the people that used to own Cedars have all gone to. And let me just say that they took everything good with them, and just left the poor buyers of Cedars with no soul of Indian food. If you remember the good old days of Cedars being THE GO TO PLACE for indian food, don't fret b/c they're under near management, just go to Taste of India! The food is still awesome, and their ever-eager staff is still as eager as ever. Sure, there are a little nit-picky things here and there, but I think the food and service really make the place special. This place is highly recommended. Again and again.
(5)Deanna M.
Best Indian food in the greater Seattle area. Actually, it's the best Indian food I've had outside of London and Singapore!
(5)Beau R.
We were looking for someplace to eat for a late lunch and after not wanting happy hour food else where, my wife and I stumbled upon Taste of India. There was a Yelp sticker in the doorway, so that gave it some cred right there. We were greeted and quickly seated and our water glasses delivered and filled. We ordered beef samoas, vegetable pakoras and spinach and paneer naan as an appetizer and chicken vindaloo, chicken tikka masala as the main course. Being the first time here, we ordered the food medium - you never can tell about how spicy it could be. Just about everything had your choice in meat available, so there were lots of options. Our food quickly came and I wouldn't even call it medium spicy. Thats when we realized that the majority of the people in the restaurant were not of Indian descent! The chicken was nicely done and tender, but the curries were bland. It was good, but nothing special. The service was great - we only had waters and they were always kept full. I probably won't return here. It's not that the food was bad, it just wasn't good. I think that there is better Indian food elsewhere in Seatte.
(3)Paul G.
Okay, i'll keep this short. Pretty good Indian food overall. But i am deducting 2 stars for them serving baklava. I couldn't find a piece of baklava in India if I tried... I don't care if there is the cedars connection or not, if i want baklava i'll go to a Mediterranean restaurant to get it.
(3)Scorpio P.
The food is excellent, the service is top notch and the place is very clean. The wait staff is on top of every detail. I've never had an empty glass of water!
(4)Joy H.
So for our regular get-together, my friends and I decided to go to Taste of India after they raved continuously about how good the mango chicken curry was there. I show up early and sat in the parking lot waiting for my friends. The parking lot was pretty small, maybe 6-8 cars would be able to fit. But as I sat there, I saw waiters, the busboys, and even the owner come out and dump the trash or load up a car for what looks like a catering service that they provide as well. Since the parking lot was small, I thought they might come up to me and ask what I was doing just sitting in their parking lot, but to my surprise, they didn't! So far so good . . . My friends finally arrive and we walk in to what looks like a receiving line! We were pretty early into the dinner hour and so there were definitely more servers than there were customers. We sat down and ordered some beef samosa, chai iced tea, garlic and paneen naan, and the famous mango curry. As we were waiting for our orders, the owner comes over and brings us a FREE appetizer plate filled with an assortment of treats! I'm not sure what everything was, but who cares! It was free! We then looked around and noticed that the only other table that got free appetizers too was a table of girls! The food was okay. It wasn't an amazing display of Indian cuisine, but it was decent. I loved the Chai Iced Tea though! They kept refilling it everytime it got low and it was simply divine! The beef samosa was okay (it didn't have that much flavor), and the naan was light and fluffy, but you could hardly taste the difference between the paneen and the garlic except for a hint of garlicky-ness on the garlic naan. Because of the free appetizers, we were pretty stuffed by the time the entree arrived. The mango curry was pretty good, but it wasn't as my friends made it out to be! The chicken was tender but I think the Basmati rice could've had more saffron in it. Afterwards, our bill came along with a FREE dessert! Cheesecake with mango syrup! Whoa! My friend was saying that when she came with her bf, she would get free dessert too, but it wasn't cheesecake but rather an Indian biscotti-like thing and no appetizer! So we finally figured out that if you come here, come with a bunch of cute girls and you'll get more freebies! The prices were pretty reasonable. I would've given it 3 stars, but with all the free treats, it bumped it up to 4! The other yelpers were right in that they do clean the table while you're still sitting there, but that's minor to me. I never felt like they were rushing us to go or anything. When we did finally leave, the owner again came over and shook our hands?! Kinda strange, not used to a handshake after dinner . . . but overall a pretty good visit!
(4)Breeze M.
DO NOT TIP HERE!!! Yes, Taste of India offers the best Indian food in Seattle. Hands down. However, I have known several people, who have worked there in the capacity of waiters and bussers, and the wait staff do not get to keep their tips. This is probably illegal, but the management figures that they'll keep the extra 20% left on the tables, and they pay their wait staff a little more than minimum wage. Perhaps ask your waiter before your pay if something has changed, and whether or not they get to keep their tips. But be sure the 20% you leave is going to the right place.
(5)Hana P.
If you like the aromatic and flavorful tastes of Indian Cuisine, then come to Taste of India. As soon as you walk in you are greeted by waiters. But they do get very crowded so come early (5-5:30pm) or make a reservation. As you get to your seat the menu is loaded with many great foods. I recommend the House Salad and samosas for appetizers, and the chicken tikka masala. The masala is very flavorful with hints of tomatoes and the smoothness of the cream. Their chai tea is amazing! The sweetness is perfect. But unfortunately I find the waiter a bit annoying because they fill my cup even when its not fully empty. I sometimes get so full of the chai I do not eat my dinner! Taste of India has many delicious desserts and they are overall a great restaurant. I do find the waiters roaming around and refiling my still full cup with chai or water a bit annoying but their food and family feel always brings me back!
(5)Erica H.
Yes, the food is tasty. I would add paneer to every thing I ate if I could. The naan was superb! Filled to it's very brim with spinach and fiery hot. Their range of spices was pretty good for a tame eater. I wouldn't order anything less spicy than medium-hot unless I was feeling a little under the weather. Oh, the rice was quite fluffy! The service is fast, but overbearing. I don't need you to fill my glass if I have more than 3/4 still left. The bottomless chai though... Can I have this all the time? They also clear plates far too fast here. I know they are busy, but you're making me feel uncomfortable guys. My major gripe here is that they don't have a beer menu. This is ridiculous to me. Why on earth do you have a pretty extensive selection of beer and NO MENU. Nor does the wait staff know what beer they have. Our waitress looked at us and said "We have domestic beers, some imported ones, and indian beers". Are you kidding me? That tells me nothing. Good thing I was close enough to the cooler to eye it myself and make a selection. Overall, I'll be back. But maybe just for take out.
(3)B C.
The mango curry with lamb was delicious and big enough to take home leftovers, but the paneer nan was the best part of the meal. Taste of India is a solid, low key place for Indian food.
(3)Crystal H.
My Favorite Seattle Restaurant! Amazing food and staff! A lot of Vegan, Vegetarian and meat options. The owner is always amazing to my friends and family, you can not find this type of service anywhere. I have been here many times and I recommend it time and time again.
(5)Di Y.
My restaurant-loving friend dragged me here after a whole day's shopping at Northgate Mall and U Village. At first I was a little miffed at walking all the way here from the UW campus at night, but the food was good. I got a falafel salad, and it was delectable! However, for dessert, I ordered something like a nougat, which was yummy too, but WAY too small to be worth the $3 or $5 that I paid for it.
(3)Prashant E.
A few disclaimers: - I'm Indian - I have a high bar for quality when it comes to Indian food. - I also have a high bar for service and cleanliness at Indian restaurants. - Lastly, value means a lot to me Taste of India blew me away with the quality of service, quality of food, and attention to detail. The waiters and staff listen carefully, and care about your experience. The manger runs a tight ship. Food is authentic and great. I had an enjoyable dining experience. Great value too.
(5)Sasha S.
I've been here many times, and I want to make clear that I think the food is great. While I am not Indian myself, my Indian friends tell me that it is fairly authentic. To me, though, I mostly like that it tastes great. I love their chicken tikka and their paneer tikka. Also, the ambience is pretty good, and it definitely seems like a nice restaurant. I am knocking it down to 3 stars, however, because the service leaves something to be desired for a restaurant of this caliber. I always feel rushed while eating here. The last time I went, we were asked about 8 times or so, "Are you done yet?" as they tried to take our food that we were still eating. We weren't even there very long, and we were just 2 people, so it didn't seem very fair to be treated that way.
(3)Maria Y.
The food here is really good. My favorites are paneer butter masala and coconut curry with vegetables. They give you a free appetizer (a fried potato, I don't know the name but it is good) and dessert (cheesecake! Doesn't entirely fit with the rest of the meal but it is yummy.) While the menu items are basically the same as at Cedars, I think the atmosphere here is better. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is that the service can feel rushed even if the restaurant is not full. I hate having the table wiped off while I'm still finishing my food :(
(4)Jessica D.
LOVE eating here and do it often. Great Chai, great food and great service. Even when the restaurant is incredibly busy, which is often, the service is unparalleled. Not only do they give you a free app and free dessert bite, but you will not see the bottom of your Chai cup. The food is well prepared and balanced - feels like coming home.
(5)Christina R.
Went for dinner for the first time tonight. It was delicious. Plenty of vegetarian options. My dinner companion was from the UK & said its the best Indian food she's had in the states.
(5)Kristina C.
Whenever I have out of town guests I always take them to Taste of India. Absolutely the best Indian in Seattle. Amazing service, friendly staff, and delicious food. For extra fun, order a beer and drink it every time they refill your water. Minimum of 6x refills per meal, even if you've only taken a sip. They REALLY care about your hydration.
(5)Alex T.
Truthfully, and without hesitation... this is my FAVORITE Indian restaurant. Okay I will admit it looks a little weird from the outside, can be quite busy, and it may be a bit of a hassle to find parking but gosh.. this place is amazing. I only had to wait about 5 minutes before being sitting down, and it was already quite busy on a Friday night. We promptly got water, chai, and then ordered. And then suddenly they GAVE US FREE APPETIZERS! What the heck. Seriously? I don't remember what it was, but it was crunchy and just absolutely amazing: perfect way to start the meal. I ordered the tandoori chicken, my friend got the chana masala (being the vegetarian he is) and they were just freaking amazing. Melt in your mouth deliciousness. Servers WILL NOT LET YOU FINISH YOUR WATER OR CHAI. Honestly I was a little phased out by this... but ultimately it's a dang good thing. They are incredibly attentive, incredibly nice, and aim to really serve you an amazing meal. Kind of pricey, but gosh, just worth it.
(5)Leah H.
This place is amazing! Great service! My water never even got to the half empty point. Every part of our meals was great. I got chicken tikka biriani and my boyfriend got a curry. Even the rice was to die for. The portions were so plentiful that we had them for dinner the next night. They even gave us a complimentary appetizer and mango cheesecake dessert. This is now going to be our go-to Indian restaurant. Go here!!!!!
(5)Danielle H.
i don't know how this place gets the high ratings that it does. The restaurant is nothing fancy, just an old building with rather terrible lighting and decor. I am okay with less than brilliant interiors so long as the food and service are amazing, but even these were lacking. The service was off, even though there were far too many servers and not enough patrons. There were people rushing around, running little vacuums past the tables, etc. It was a bit much and I felt like even with all of those people, we still spent time waiting for refills or an opportunity to order. The food was alright. I have had some excellent Indian food and I wasn't that impressed. The boyfriend got lamb biryani and I had the eggplant bhartha, as well as garlic naan. The chutneys and naan were decent, but the dishes were lacking in my opinion.
(3)Mike S.
Not bad, but not great. They first brought out someone else's order, which confused us. Since I ordered chicken Korma and got served some sort of curry with tofu in it, I thought "Wow, this is the weirdest chicken ever, it is soooo spongy!" My friend ordered mango chicken and got served butter chicken instead. We then realized we got someone else's order. So, then 5-10 minutes later our actual order comes out, but they made another mistake. They put the almonds from my korma on her mango chicken curry and served it to me. So I was eating the very sweet mango curry and my friend got my korma. Sheesh. Easy mistake to fix as we just switched plates. I can live without the almonds. Plain naan and spinach paneer naan were HUGE and good. And the service was very nice and accommodating. They may have been a little too nice after the orders were messed up, but that's good to see. Also, they were sweet and gave us a free scoop of ice cream for the mistakes, but we were both too full to enjoy. Overall quality of the meal was good, but not great. With the tip, the meal came to around $27 a person, with no alcoholic drinks, just two teas. For around $8-$12, I think that the India Bistro buffet on 65th is a better choice on a Sunday night. More selection, better taste, all you can eat, and I can go there two or three times for the price of Taste of India. Side note, the carpeted floors were very slick with grease or left over floor shampoo or something as my shoes were very slick on the way out. Kinda gross if it is grease.
(3)Paul T.
Hands down, the best Indian restaurant in Seattle!!! The service is outstanding! Someone is there to fill your glass as soon as you take one drink of water or tea! I like the multiple server model they use. It really makes everything go smoothly and quickly. The food is always fresh and delicious ...tons of flavor! I've been here 1000 times, and I will continue to pledge my loyalty to this establishment, until the end of time!
(5)Valeria C.
Wow... this is truly what one can call a hidden gem. It is not a fancy place, but it is the absolutely best Indian food in Seattle. Not only the food is simply amazing and the price is great, but the service is unequalled and in fact, I can say that is the BEST service even when compared to the most expensive restaurants I have ever been to, and I have definitely been to many. It is authentic, the menu is endless and there is something to suit any food preference, from vegetarian to lamb lovers. The butter masala is fantastic, the lamb Vindaloo is our absolute favorite. My husband and I generally share as portions are generous and we always start out with Naan. By the way, they serve the best Naan in the universe, and the Paneer Naan is simply to die for. when you arrive, even though there is not that large of a waiting area, you are always greeted by free Picoras and Chai while you wait. My favorite thing to drink with Indian food is beer and of course, Indian beer is great, and they serve it nice and cold, try the Haywards and you cannot go wrong. Large bottle, enough for two. If the service was not already amazing, you can hardly drink a sip out of your water without the wait staff refilling it immediately, they generally provide you with a complimentary small desert as well.... folks,, it does not get much better then this on authentic Indian food, but truly.... this service is yet to be matched by any of the best restaurants in Seattle and WW (we travel a lot too). Do not be shy to order 5 star if you are into spicy foods, it is delicious. If you like Mango, try the Mango lassy, it is heaven in a cup for the smoothie, mango aficionado....what a treat!!!!!!!
(5)Kelly P.
Personally I think the food here is amazing. They are great about giving you a little freebie here and there, and the free slice of cheesecake they brought out was so amazingly delicious, I nearly cried. Of course, it's a tad more expensive than, say, Cedars, but it's nicer on the inside, the chai is very good, and everything I've ordered here--vegetarian--has been delicious. I'm bringing this down a couple stars because of the wait staff. Oh my god, we were interrupted by different waiters asking if we wanted a refill of chai or a box to go. Every 30 seconds. Like clockwork. For over half an hour. Yes, they're attentive, so attentive that my friend, who was telling me a story, would keep having to restart his story because he kept getting interrupted in the same spot. And then a busboy came along, tipped my to-go box sideways to make room (so it started leaking) and proceeded to mop up the hardly-dirty table while we were still sitting there. It felt very awkward. The tables are close together so it's a bit intimate, but I've experienced more crowded restaurants. I won't stop going there, but I do hope they can maybe assign one waiter per table or something, so that they know to leave us alone for at least 10 minutes at a time.
(3)Aaron H.
Had the garlic nan and paneer tikka misala. It was pretty good. I like Cedars more. There Masala is more savory and their rasmali is a bit more moist. The staff at Taste of India was very friendly although there were a little too many people helping us, kind of distracting. Great meal though.
(3)Jessica H.
Always look forward to the unlimited chai and the incredible naan. Unfortunately, I find the main dishes to be hit or miss.
(3)Megan H.
This is hands down my favorite Indian restaurant! Every time I come to Seattle, I Crave Taste of India. The portions are large and filling, the service is good (you will never have an empty glass of water) and I've never had to wait longer than 10 minutes for a table. Each time we have come, we have been given a complimentary appetizer, desert or both. I always get the bottomless cup of Chai which will never go cold since they walk around and refill your drink constantly. My fiance usually gets the Mango Lassi which is better than any we can find around MIchigan. The Butter chicken is amazing as is the Paneer Palak Masala. Each time we come we order a few different dishes and I have never been disappointed. I love this place so much! We will be back next time we are in town.
(5)Mary E.
This is my favorite indian restaurant ever! The food is amazing, the service is excellent, and the restaurant itself has a good ambiance. I bring all my friends and family here and have never been disappointed. I have been going there since about 2005.
(5)Lucas B.
This place is great. I have no complaints. We always order way to much and love it. Rogan Josh is the best dish so far.
(5)Jackie M.
I'm not quite sure why this place gets so much love. The food was incredibly mediocre at best and everything tasted sweet. I asked that my chicken briyani be made spicy and it was mild and oddly sweet as was the curry we ordered. The samosas tasted like they were pre-packaged and heated in the microwave. The only item we ordered that was yummy was the nan. I guess people love the ridiculously large portions, but I'd rather have better food in smaller quantities. The restaurant was packed and crowded when we were there, although this didn't effect the service, which was mostly attentive. All in all a very average experience.
(2)Jay C.
I think I might have found my favorite Indian food in Seattle! The service was really fast (compared to often-excruciatingly slow service at many Indian food places), the water was kept constantly full (which is important with fiery food), the chicken in our butter chicken was cooked perfectly, and actually tasted like chicken, not just random-meat-in-sauce, and the palak chana was just right- not too much ginger. They kept trying to give us complimentary food, like pakora and rice pudding, which we unfortunately couldn't have on our current diet... the thought was nice though! Finally, we went at 7pm on a Wednesday and there was no wait.
(5)Evin G.
I have been coming here for a long time and have always enjoyed the food and, until recently, the service. The last couple of times I have come the server has been rude or generally avoided eye contact. One of the charms of this place used to be that they never let your chai cup run low, but lately that's not the case. It might sound nit-picky, but if you try their amazing chai you will understand. Maybe I have just had an unlucky streak, I'll give it another shot and maybe give back the 2 other stars they used to deserve.
(3)Aaron W.
I love Indian food. As a vegetarian / vegan restaurant-diner, I'm pretty sure it's usually the greatest deal in town as far as flavor-bang-for-your-buck is concerned. While Taste of India did seem to offer a little somethin' in terms of service and atmosphere, I thought the food - the really important part - left a lot to be desired. Indeed, I just ate there and I still desire some spicy aloo gobi! I read from another reviewer that Taste of India was vegan-friendly, but it does not seem to be so. When we told our waitress we couldn't eat dairy, we went through the menu and she definitely gave the impression that about 5 dishes could be made vegan. Some of the dishes, like channa masala, had yogurt in them when I hadn't even heard of yogurt channa masala being a thing! Furthermore, she said that these dishes could not be made vegan. I'm usually pretty okay with most restaurants just not having anything vegan, but this really seemed like going to a Souplantation and not being able to buy a salad without chickens in it. Anyways, we did get a vegan aloo gobi and a vegan coconut curry. The aloo gobi was bland, the coconut curry was pretty good but a little plain, and all around the experience was not too thrilling. Our waitress was somewhat nice, but it just didn't feel all that warm or friendly. She did bring us baklava for dessert, so I have to give her credit for that! It does seem like this restaurant gets a lot of credit for its freebies, which I can understand. Overall, though, I believe this place to be overrated. I'd recommend Qazi's in Fremont or Maharaja in West Seattle instead.
(2)Linda L.
The decor of this place definitely wins an award for gaudiness. The outside of the building is what I would imagine the Taj Majal replica in Vegas looks like. However, once you get past that, this place is amazing for both the food and the service. First of all, the food. Everything I've ever had here is amazing. The naan is the best, the appetizers are the best, and the entrees are the best. I normally order a spinach and cheese naan and the butter masala. However, what really sets this place apart from any other place in the U District is the service. Every time I've been here, it's been packed, but the service has not suffered a bit. Most times I come here, we receive either a free appetizer or dessert. The wait staff refills our beverages literally 10 times or more per meal. Most other places in this area won't even bother to refill your drink once, let alone 10 times. The food is always served promptly, and the servers are always checking on us. The only downfall would be the prices. I certainly don't mind paying a bit more for the atmosphere and the awesome service that Taste of India offers, but sadly, it's just not possible most of the time on my measly student budget.
(4)Becky B.
Taste of India is just super fun. They always give us either a yummy free appetizer or dessert, and sometimes both. The waitstaff is a bit serious, but super nice and very helpful. They'll refill your chai tea a zillion times for you. Mango curry w/veggies is my fave, and my husband adores the Tandori chicken. Garlic naan is perfect. They're great with kids and don't balk at my toddler's mess. Lots of seating and cool music. If you have to wait for a seat, you get free chai, which is exquisite. I love free stuff, obviously. I swear if you go during lunch, you're bound to hear an uber-intellectual conversation the next table over, from UW researchers. Just a cool place.
(4)Sandeep P.
Here, the food is good. As usual, like every other American Indian restaurant everything is greasy/oily. That's probably why I see a lot of Americans and American Indians in this restaurant and rarely a group of Indians. They give complimentary fries and sometimes dessert too. The food is reasonably priced and there is no buffet. They need to improve on their communication skills. I've been here more than 5 times and except for the first time, the waiters appeared to be rude to me. I'm an Indian myself and I know the Indian culture. It's not misinterpretation of a cultural habit. Most likely the waiters also do not intend to be rude, but they, sure as hell, appear rude. They take the plates away without asking if we are done. While taking away plates, sometimes the plates strike against other cutlery on the table making an annoying noise. When they serve, they appear to be in a hurry or lacking in concentration. They need to work on it.
(4)Lilly A.
Oh my gooooodness. My boyfriend and I dropped in here for his birthday and we were pleasantly surprised. First off they were consistent with refilling water and making sure everyone was situated, then it was a yummy mini appetizer. My boyfriend and I agreed on the vegetarian okra masala, the lamb mango curry, and some garlic nan. They were all so good, and ample AMPLE portions. The mango curry was to DIE for, and the okra was quite delicious. In the end, we were completely stuffed and they gave us a cute chocolate ice cream dessert for free. Overall, great service, there were so many waiters/waitresses to make sure every part of our meal was okay. My boyfriend was overwhelmed with his chai iced tea refills (sometimes you have to probe the waiters at other places). I may just have to return here soon!
(5)M D.
We were soooo underwhelmed by the food!! All the good reviews we found misleading. Maybe we just ordered the wrong thing, but the flavor was lacking, and the vegetables overcooked. We won't be back :(
(2)Gary G.
Well, well. Kinda suckered in with this one as it was suggested by a friend and saw the write ups on Yelp and went. First off, no beer or wine. Now I don't mean to come across as some kinda lush, but I am an adult and I do enjoy a beverage (especially to wash down a nice warm curry) so to find out it was chai, tea, pepsi on offer was a bit of a surprise (OK, maybe I shoulda read the reviews a bit better, however.....). So we gets some samosas for a small pre dinner nibble - inedible. Might as well not bother. Then we ordered 3 mains, one for each, one was a butter chicken thing (creamy, but ok) a tandoori chicken, not great. I had a Madras Curry , and went up to Four on their heat scale. sorry, try One on the Heat Scale, not even spicy, still I could wash it down with a diet pepsi - Oh, the joy. The Nans were good, one garlic, one spinach. Price was OK. Now, I MIGHT be basing this on Indian restaurants in the UK (where I'm from), NY/NJ where I lived for 15 years or even in India, where I've been twice. But this just was not that great. If this is the "best" Seattle has to offer I'm in trouble :-(
(2)Sonia C.
Satisfying Indian food. Very popular place - we came here for a pretty late dinner on a Saturday night and we still had to wait 20 minutes. Their menu is extensive and includes a lot of Middle Eastern/Mediterranean dishes as well. We started with stuffed grape leaves which were a little too mushy and not tart enough for my taste. We then moved onto chicken vindaloo and the aloo mutter mushroom (chickpeas with green peas and potatoes) with garlic naan and rice. We specified medium spice, but what came out was very mild. We'll know to specify "medium hot" next time! Sauces were tasty, and the meat was very juicy. You can pretty much get any meat (including beef) in like twenty different types of sauces. Their naan is amazing - fluffy, hot, soft, and chewy. They have a selection of over 100 beers that change regularly. All you have to do is go up to the cold display cases and pick out the one you want and they'll bring it over along with a frosted mug. They have a buy one entree, get one free coupon available in the Seattle Entertainment 2009 coupon book, so grab that before you go! Service is good, and they frequently refilled our water glasses. Would come here again.
(4)Lynn C.
Amazing, amazing! I cannot rave this place enough! The friendly services along with their tasty, great foods makes this place a 5 star in my book! I've been here tons of times and have never been disappointed. Each time, I try to order 1 new dish and every time it has been really good. My favorite is their mango curry! You have to try it if you haven't! I truly recommend Taste of India if you want amazing Indian foods. The owner is super nice too! You'll feel like family there!
(5)ColorBlind B.
I hadn't been to this restaurant for years until recently. I remember it being far and away the best Indian food in Seattle. While the food was still very good, it has definitely lost some of it's flavor and luster.The veggies were undercooked and the portions were somewhat small for the price. It is now just on par with most other Indian restaurants. The service is good in that they are on top of it, but somewhat annoying in that there are way too many people walking around filling up water and tea glasses. I could barely get a sip in before my water was refilled and being interrupted every 2 minutes for a refill is not really what I am looking for while dining at a nice restaurant. The atmosphere is very nice and the complimentary dessert was quite indulgent, but overall this place has fallen off from it's hayday and that is disappointing as i can no longer claim to know about the best Indian restaurant in the city.
(3)Briana G.
Best Chai, and unlimited refills. They have the best customer service on Roosevelt- free appetizer, and a small dessert at the end of your meal. They are very quick at refilling your chai and water before you even drink half of it (could be a pro or con for some people). Try the butter chicken masala, you will not regret it
(4)T H.
Hi Taste of India, remember me? You used to give me free deserts because I frequented you weekly, and your Pops shop up at Ceders would comp my friend and I also because of our loyalty. I don't know, since like, 1995? So, I want to thank you for the most insulting meal in the history of paying too much money for a meal from you. Really, thanks. (Emotion over Grammar, kids.) 1) Thanks for making sure there were NO spices on a request of FOUR stars on any of our entrees. Um, what happened guys, one time I ordered three stars and it was covered in red chili oil, I had to send it back. Of course, that was back in 2003... 2) Thanks for ensuring that my Palak Paneer (Palak Masala) tasted like nothing more then a sauteed batch of frozen spinach with some still chilled, paneer. No ginger, no spices. NADA. - SUPER THANKS FOR THAT! 3) Thanks for charging the two dollars less for frozen spinach as you do for a LAMB DISH! Really? You need that much more income that my simple entree becomes $12 when it was $7.95? REALLY TASTE OF INDIA? Really? I LOVED YOU. I ate there weekly, for EONS. Before you expanded the first 3 times. You always treated me with deserts, a free chai, extra rice or Naan on the house. I tipped well, I brought out of town folks, we had celebrations. We loved you as much as you used to love your customers. But hey, the last two attempts at finding what you once were, are enough to know you've lost your touch. I'm sure your profit margin is far more delicious then your meals. Its disappointing to know that your profit exceeds your recipe integrity. Thankfully, there is no shortage for alternates in this city.
(2)Y F.
Taste of India is now my new favorite Indian restaurant. It's too bad it's not closer to where I live. I had a great lunch experience with my daughter. We were promptly seated and given a complimentary appetizer. If you love Chai, this is the place for you! Let's just say each time you take a big sip of your tea, the waitstaff comes over immediately to refill it to the brim - wow! The food portion size was generous (especially the naan) and quite delicious. They are in the Entertainment Book and also sometimes have Groupon offers. It's always refreshing when a restaurant gladly accepts coupons and not make you feel cheap for using it. We will come back soon.
(4)Rossana Y.
First of all this place is TINY, and they try to fit as many people as possible inside the restaurant. It's very hard not to bump into people as you make your way to your table and getting out of your seat. There can be a long wait on weekends during dinner time, so be sure to either come early or call ahead. From what everybody has said, they tend to give you random hookups. While we were waiting for our table, they gave us a cup of hot chai to sip on while we were waiting. We shared the spinach and paneer naan, chicken tikka masala, and I had the chai tea. I took the chai tea challenge and I lost. Every time I was halfway done sipping my cup, they would come over and refill it. Dang it. Nevertheless, the chai tea was excellent. The naan was heavenly...I will definitely try out all the other types of naan on the menu! For the chicken tikka masala, we asked for medium spiciness but it wasn't even spicy. It was still delicious though. We were given a small dessert at the end of our meal as another hookup. Gotta love free food. The food here is really good and the service is excellent. You do not find many places that can give you free hookups just for being there! The naan is to die for and I will definitely be going back.
(5)K K.
Great services as always. Their Chai Tea is always consistently same, perfect flavor every time. Best Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken in town. I'm addicted to their famous Spinach & Paneer Nan, must order this every time. They kept bringing us complimentary food items (almost always).
(5)Janet R.
Always delicious with friendly service. I'm often a "find a favorite dish and reorder it often" kind of person, but I find myself wanting to try something new every time we go (which is about 2-3x a month). The shahi korma with chicken or paneer is always a winner, as is the spinach naan, tikka masala, and samosas. Aside from the amazing food, the iced or hot *unlimited* chai is so good...and I don't even like chai! As for the service, if there is ever more than a 5-10 minute wait, they bring cups of chai to keep us happy. The owner is often out and about checking on customers and on a few occasions has stopped to chat with us about our meal and/or bring tasty drinks or desserts (sometimes on the house!) ....my stomach is grumbling just thinking about all the yummy food!....
(5)Hanu M.
This is a great restaurant if you are looking for great service and a cozy ambience. In the middle of nowhere near U district, this place stands out with colorful lighting and a busy chatter from inside - always a good sign. We were welcomed by a chai and pakoras on a chilly evening so that alone made our day. The owner is courteous and personally checks on each table, a sign that he is enjoys what he does. The food, however, was a little disappointing as we ordered medium hot and it wasn't hot enough for us. Yes, being an Indian, the spice factor does play strong role in food rating. And it's not just about making food burn your throat but how different flavors come together. We ordered Paneer Biryani, Paneer Tikka Masala and Garlic Naan. The Naan was great but we were let down by Paneer and Biryani. We are willing to give this place another chance and will be back for sure.
(3)Shari d.
I am still a big fan of Taste of India! The service was as prompt as it could be given a busy evening, the food was tasty and perfectly spiced, and they even gave free mango cheesecake which was sublime! We started out with some free appetizers which were made of potato and various vegetables, battered and deep fried. Ordered 2 kinds of naan, dal maharani, butter chicken, and lamb boti kebab. The curries were savory and smooth on the palate, the meat was juicy and tender, and the bread was perfect. I especially love the dipping sauces they give you, with my preference being the spicier green sauce rather than the sweet brown sauce. The mango cheesecake was a perfect way to end the meal. I am definitely coming back again!
(4)Lacey M.
Great and sometimes over attentive service. Delicious food. Free desserts and appetizers almost always. They are also very accommodating about making dairy free curries for me! I've been coming here for years and I am very happy that it has been a reliable dining experience every time.
(5)Monica N.
Although it may not be The BEST Indian restaurant, TOI has some major redeeming qualities! First, bottomless chai! It's good chai too! I have no idea how many cups I consume, as I have never seen the bottom of the cup! Second - the server asks, "would you like to order an appetizer?" "no thanks!".. Then out comes a complimentary appetizer! What? Wow! Ok, we will go for it! The entrees are good but I wish their version of extra hot would be in line with Thai Siam's heat levels. I like to feel the burn sometimes, and this place does not even come close to what I expect. But the food is good, the portions are generous. Then, the server offers dessert. "no thanks!" we are way too stuffed from Naan and chana masala and tandoori cod and coconut curry to possibly consider dessert. The server comes back with a comlimentary dessert?! What?! Ooohhhkkkaaayyy if you're going to put a piece of chocolate mousse cake in front of the three of us, I guess we can manage ro choke it down! The cake was sooo good. Light and not too sweet. The baklava is fantastic too.. And mango cheesecake! Yes, we have tried all three after declining dessert... Of course you aren't obligated to eat it, but how can you not?!
(4)Chelle G.
Why are you going to Cedars?! Stop immediately and go here instead. Same great food, same ownership. But slightly less crowded and intense. And the owners aren't there yelling at their staff in front of everyone. This is the best Indian restaurant in Seattle, hands down. You get insanely large portions of everything, which means tasty leftovers the next day! I have friends who carefully plan their meal to maximize their leftover experience. Yes, the service can be a little in-your-face. Like when they wipe down the table while you're still sitting there. Or add water to your glass that has 3 sips missing. But better than the completely inattentive service I've gotten at other restaurants. And every so often (actually more often than not), they'll slip you a free appetizer or dessert that makes the experience that much better.
(5)Anna H.
This place was absolutely spectacular. I went here over Christmas break while on vacation in Seattle and the second we sat down, they already had a complementary appetizer on our table. I don't think our tea cups or water glasses got more than an inch empty, I have never in my entire life seen service as grand as here. It was utterly impeccable. The food was exquisite, so many different flavors and such a variety. Best part, my sister stood up to use the restroom when we were getting ready to leave and they came out and told us to sit down and brought us complementary dessert. It was incredibly reasonably priced and the food and service was indescribable. I highly highly highly recommend it.
(5)Thigh C.
My 200th review!!! And I think the only Indian restaurant that I reviewed? 5 stars for the complimentary appetizer and dessert. LOL :-) My 1st impression: The place is too strong with incense. I usually don't like a fragrant kitchen and dining room because it conflicts with my appetite. But it was not a big deal I guess. I sometimes cook beef curry and I think I like my own version better. *cough* (and the only Indian food that I cook). The chicken and lamb curry that we ordered is good though... not as good as I expected. Maybe too authentic? We ordered the roti and garlic nan - I like it WAY BETTER than pizza. The owner/manager/server (not sure) is very nice and attentive.
(4)Isabel M.
Delicious food! Excellent service! I went to House of India for a surprise birthday dinner with 10 people. Not only was the food absolutely delicious but the staff was excellent, very accommodating and thoughtful to us! We paid with 8 different cards, which I know sometimes frustrates people, but they showed no sign of annoyance and they very nicely split the bill for us. A great time was had by all and I'm looking forward to going there more regularly.
(5)Sarah S.
Best Indian food there is. Best service there is. This place makes me feel like royalty. Love the paneer tikka masala!
(5)Ankit S.
Best Indian restaurant in Seattle area. It's amazing!!!
(5)Monika M.
Love it. The food is awesome and the service is just the best. At first it felt like a shady restaurant, but as soon as I entered I fell in love. The food is just awesome. I love the "Spinich Paneer Naan" for appetizer. Love the "chilli chicken" and "Rogan josh". They also have very good veggie options and I like "Daal Maharani" and "Malai Kofta". All there "naan" is BIG and to share. so be mindful of ordering it. You have to try the "Pista Kulfi" and "Rasmalai" in dessert. To Mr Bhatti (owner) you have leveled up the Indian / Pakistani food flavor in Town. 2 thumbs up :)
(5)Kiely S.
Visited this place for lunch a while back on a whim and my entire group was very impressed. The service here is seriously amazing. My friend ordered the spiced chai (with refills) and his glass barely was less than half full the entire time. The naan selection is nuts and they are HUGE! The stuffed naan alone could be a meal on its own. The servers were very nice, and they gave us a complimentary dessert. The prices were what we had paid previously for Indian food but this food was much better! The mango curry was very flavorful with the right amount of spice. The food, service, and atmosphere exceeded our expectations.
(5)Maren M.
I love TOI. I bring all my out-of-town visitors here. Endless chai. Huge naan. Delicious butter chicken. Very nice staff. Love.
(5)Traci M.
Love this place! Made my whole family drive up from Kent to try this place and EVERYONE agreed that it was worth it! They try to make it nice, but it's definitely eclectic. I have yet to eat a dish here that I didn't like. The menu can be kind of overwhelming, but it ensures that everyone will find something they like. Service is efficient...try getting through an entire glass of water or chai! TOI is definitely a favorite!
(5)T.L. T.
Good food, as usual. I tried the mediterranean plate, which came with hummus, pitas, baba ganoosh, salad, and falafel. That was pretty darn good. My husband had 9 gem korma, and it was tasty, but I think he was expecting something more extreme. As usual, a busy, noisy Friday night. The noise level comes in waves, but itbut the bums rush at the end of the meal is something I can do without.
(3)