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Badmaash - Downtown LA

3.9 (2.2k reviews)
ModerateIndian, New American
Open • 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM
Updated over 3 months ago

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Badmaash - Downtown LA Photos

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BADMAASH - DOWNTOWN LA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Classy
Moderate noise
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Badmaash - Downtown LA

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Badmaash restaurant
Elizabeth H.

This is a spot for a quick and solid Indian food. The food was substantial for lunch and quite satisfying, if you're hungry. The restaurant is tiny and functional but I think there's a little space upstairs. The Butter Chicken was tasty as the gravy gave that rich flavor. The Punjabi Style Chickpea was tasty and not too heavy. Both dishes came with basmati rice and pickles. Service was efficiently pleasant.

BUTTER CHICKEN
Linda M.

Omg I looooove Badmaash!!! Their lunch specials are legit and such great portions I got the butter chicken and BOMB. Super quick service always and such a cute place. I'll be going here whenever I can hehehe.

Entrance
Shima L.

Sebastian was our server and recommended every dish that was delicious. Every entrée had so much flavor order extra naan because it's not enough with just one order the espresso chai martini was phenomenal

Leo H.

Was walking and found this place walked in and was seated ordered the mussels and they was so good that sauce was rich in flavor.. I will definitely be back to try the chicken, lamb & curry I seen on the menu

SLOW COOKED BEEF SHORT RIB - ordered it to go. Delicious!
Tuan N.

I'll be honest -- Indian food and I were never in a relationship. It was more of a "we've met" situation. It just never hit for me. But after this meal? I fear I may now be emotionally attached. We had reservations for Saturday lunch, fully prepared for chaos. Instead? Surprisingly empty. Calm. Peaceful. Like the universe said, "You're about to have a moment." The relaxed vibe made it feel like we could take our time and commit to the experience. Street metered parking was easy too -- no valet politics, no parking garage scavenger hunt. Badmaash doesn't just serve food -- it stages an intervention. The Samosa Crispy, golden, and audibly crunchy. The shell shattered like it had something to prove. The filling was perfectly spiced, and the chutneys hit that sweet-heat balance that tricks you into saying, "I'll just have half"... and then suddenly it's gone and you're looking around for witnesses. Chicken Tikka Masala Creamy, rich, and dramatic in the best way. The chicken was tender and fully committed to the sauce. That velvety tomato gravy? I would've sipped it like soup if society allowed. Saag Paneer Earthy, smooth, and surprisingly elegant. The spinach had depth. The paneer stayed soft but structured -- like it goes to therapy. It balanced everything out so you feel sophisticated while absolutely demolishing your plate. Slow Cooked Beef Short Rib This one humbled me. Fall-apart tender, deeply spiced, and packed with flavor in every bite. I took one bite, paused, and had to reassess my entire stance on Indian cuisine. Yes, I ordered another one to go. No shame. It felt irresponsible not to. Dad's Famous Coconut Curry Mussels These came out and immediately demanded attention. Plump mussels swimming in a fragrant coconut curry broth that was rich but not overwhelming. Slight sweetness, gentle heat, aromatic enough to make you lean in. We absolutely needed extra bread. That broth was not getting left behind. Not on my watch. Badmaash Fried Chicken Still good. Crispy, solid flavor, great crunch. But in a lineup this strong? It was the overachiever surrounded by prodigies. My least favorite -- but only because everything else was so bold it practically had theme music. Crispy Yogurt Puffs (Dahi Puri) These are chaos in the best way. Sweet, tangy, creamy, crunchy -- all in one bite. They explode with flavor and dignity is optional. We ordered an extra round because self-control clearly left the building. What I loved most is that nothing played it safe. Every dish had confidence. Flavor. Swagger. No muted notes. No bland apologies. I walked in skeptical. I walked out converted... with short ribs packed to go and an extra order of yogurt puffs like I was preparing for emotional support later. If you think Indian cuisine isn't your thing -- this might be the place that changes your mind. It changed mine. Dramatically.

Menu from May 2025
Clara C.

For two, we didn't need a reservation. There were hardly other customers on a Tuesday night. The service was very attentive. Parking: I found free street parking after 6 PM. It would normally be paid/metered. Food: -papri chaat $10 - An Indian friend told me to try "chat papri", so I was happy to see this offered here! When it came out, I was surprised that it was cold! It tasted so good though. It reminded me of yogurt + spices. -tadka $19 - Good curry-ish. I don't usually eat vegan/vegetarian, so this reminded me of minestrone. -fish moilee $27 - The fish was fried and tasted flavorful. It was over some sauce. I enjoyed this one. -chai $3 - I didn't expect to order this, but I saw it on the dessert menu. It tasted great! -rosemary naan $6 - This was recommended by the server. It went well with the tadka. Credit card/Apple Pay accepted.

South Indian Seared Barramundi with Coconut Curry.
Chan Y.

Probably some of the best Indian food I've had in recent memory. Had met the owners Arjun and Nakul awhile back, extremely nice guys, and glad I finally stopped by their restaurant! Food was exceptional, tried both the traditional Potatoes & Peas and Butter Chicken Samosas, followed by a South Indian Seared Barramundi with Coconut Curry and side of Tandoori Naan. Dessert was a whipped Mango Lassi and a hot Chai Tea to accompany it. What a good meal. Server Chris provided great service, as well as the recommendations for the dishes enjoyed. Was a cool spot, and I will definitely be back!

Poutine
A B.

The energy here is electric. It is rare to find a team this impeccable and a menu this consistent. The poutine and butter chicken are definitive requirements. The tikka masala is actually perfect. We just added the chili cheese fries to our permanent rotation.

Fish fry
Liz A.

Came here last night with the ladies. SO glad I double checked the address because they have several locations and I almost Uber'd to the one in DTLA. Walking up to the restaurant there was a line out the door-which means it's got to be good. Saw my girlfriends and we ordered basically everything on the menu. These are shareable plates so our waiter suggested minimum 2 per person...challenge accepted! Where do I even begin. The drinks! I had the lorde drink. It was delicious! Also heard the martinis are (chefs kiss). I can't even tell you which dish we ordered because we had soooo many but the lamb dishes were amazing! I am not a lamb fan but wow! They definitely know their meats. The chicken tikka is always a must! The rib was tender and delicious. Eggplant with the rice! Fish fry, deep fried onion, the mussels! One of my favorites of the night was the mushrooms (with the sauces). That was only a small fraction of our order amongst us 4 gals....to the point where we realized our table was not big enough for all the food...but we devoured everything...and as they say "left no crumbs"...we also ordered dessert-because every day is a celebration. Their rice pudding.....I could eat that by the bowl full! So good! The customer service was top notch. The place is definitely a vibe, love the art and decor. Would highly recommend...but also make sure you have a reservation. When we left there was STILL a huge line out the door.

BUTTER CHICKEN SAAG PANEER BASMATI RICE NAAN
Leslie F.

This place was just ok. Most of the stuff I wanted to try on the menu was not available and our food was a little cold :/ I'm also convinced the chicken wasn't fully cooked... I'm glad I went to try it but I likely won't be back. This was more for the gram vs. actually tasty howeverrrr, the yogurt puffs were FIRE.

Side rice
Ali I.

To sum it up: Do not come here if you are craving legit Indian food. I would probably only come if I lived close by or if I happened to be in the area. Would not come out of my way. Everything was SALTY like confusingly salty. I'm still extremely bloated 24 hrs later. That being said, the food is good just definitely American fusion. And salty lol. Prices are high. Would get again: Black lentils - my favorite of everything I tried. delicious flavor but again extremely salty Chicken tikka poutine - really good appetizer and/or drinking snack. Chicken is salty. Potato and pea samosa - really good flavor and a bit spicy. The green sauce they served with it was tasty. Mango lassi martini- a twist on a creamy margarita almost with a delicious spice blend rim Chai tea - tasty and not too sweet Ok but wouldn't get again Chicken samosa - dry, salty, not much flavor Chocolate pot de creme- good texture and not too sweet but extremely cardamom-y. Goan pork curry - tasted like Mexican carnitas. Not bad but just idk not very flavorful aside from salt. Do not get: Their hot sauce. Not spicy at all. Tasted like black pepper. A small ramekin for $4. I love Indian food and spicy so for me it was disappointing that their hot sauce was not spicy so then I had to order their onions and serranos for another $4 to have some type of heat. Ambiance is different. Very small and has old warehouse vibes. Servers were all great.

SLOW COOKED BEEF SHORT RIB
Chan B.

I had really high expectations going here but was super let down. The place itself was very cramped and dark and really didn't have much decor to open and lighten it up. The waiter was nice but didn't seem to know what he was talking about. A couple of things he told us about the food were just incorrect in terms of Indian food. Also I asked if the cheese naan would be good for our toddlers and he said yes it's not spicy at all, but there were literally Serrano peppers in it. Okay so to the food. Butter chicken samosa was okay but way overpriced. The butter chicken burger is what I went for but they said it was only served for lunch so that sucked. The cheese naan was basic but very tasty. The chicken tikka masala was just not good. Flavors were okay but the texture was not creamy enough and too much tomato sauce. It was not impressive. The badmaash bad ass chicken sucked. Literally could've made it at home. Crap quality dry chicken and just spices thrown together with lots of onion. Okay now the slow cooked beef short rib was INCREDIBLE. I wish I had just ordered a few of these. Incredible flavors, so tender, truly one of the best things I've ever tasted. If I was rating this alone it'd be 5 stars. Lastly. The drinks. The chai martini was good very enjoyable. The mango lassi martini was also great. If I go back it'll be for lunch to get the burger, maybe. But maybe not bc the vibe sucks. I know this isn't their fault but there was a homeless man peeing outside when we walked out. With our kids right there. So with how shit LA has become I would only go for a top notch experience and this wasn't it.

BUTTER CHICKEN Lunch Bowl
Joyce K.

A solid spot for a quick, team work lunch in downtown. The restaurant was not crowded when we arrived, but got busy later in the lunch hour. Service was great and attentive. Tried the Chicken Tikka Masala fries - bomb! 5/5. But portions are big and probably a good sharing option. Butter chicken lunch special was indulgent and a bit heavy on salt for my taste - 4/5. Butter chicken samosa - it's a good size to have one as an appetizer. The sauce is yummy and no complaints - 5/5. Will probably be back for other items on the menu.

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1 month ago

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1 month ago

Great fusion! Enjoyed all the plates, a bit pricy. It's a small space but good ambiance.

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26 days ago

My daughter took me for lunch. Best butter chicken I've ever had. Love this place. Highly recommend it.

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Badmaash - Downtown LA Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Badmaash - Downtown LA

Anything not spicy?

No. The food was terrible! And very spicy. I would NOT go back.

Do you do delivery/pickup? Your website says unavailable even though it's during your business hours?

This place has pickup but I would be careful what you are charged. They increased their tip when I was last there.

Is it halal?

No it is not

Does it have parking?

All I saw was your typical downtown pay lots and street parking.

Can I order "to go" here if I drop in?

They recommend sitting at the counter to order, then they plate the dish, then you ask them to box it and they'll box it for you. It's just like a to-go order except it's an extra 10 minutes process and a needless dirty dish.

Whats the parking situation like? Street parking available AND easy to find? Non-gouging parking lots…

Some meters just depends on the day but there are $8 lots near by if you plan on hanging downtown all day.

Is this place Halal?

They never mentioned that but they did ask if we have specific meal restrictions? May be worth a try to call ...

Is anything on the menu halal?

Yea it's all halal

Any gluten free options?

Not sure if they're designated, but yes absolutely. Lots of meats and rice and veggies so those should all be gluten free. Just ask your server.

I don't see the chicken sammich on the menu. We've been and have never had this is it on the brunch menu?

Hi there! It is on the brunch menu, BUT if you ask for it at dinner, they're usually willing to oblige. Happy eating! ?

What is the most popular dish here?

I'd say the chicken Tikka Poutine. Definitely a must have on my list.

What time is Badmaash open for brunch on the weekend?

11AM to 3PM

Is the meat halal there?

No

Is it halal?

Not halal

View All 21 Questions

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All India Cafe

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4.8(238 reviews)
13.8 mi
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Free parking
Large group friendly

I've been wanted to try this place out since they opened. The place is pretty clean inside and out…read more. Me and my wife we ordered the lunch special, chicken curry and chicken Marsala . The food is delicious. Services are excellent. Will love to come back again soon

I decided to stop by for lunch. The restaurant is bright and nicely decorated with Indian decor. I…read morewas immediately greeted by 2 staff members of the restaurant and was seated. They immediately brought me menus. I ordered the Maderas Margarita and Tikka Shrimp Salad with an upgrade for the garlic naan off of their lunch special menu. They had really fun names for their cocktails. The Maderas Margarita was interesting. The taste of the jalapeno was bold, the way it should be for a spicy margarita. There was mashed mint and cilantro in it. The drink tasted more like a mojito than a margarita. Nonetheless, it was well presented with a jalapeno on the rim of the glass for decoration and the drink was very much enjoyable. The Tikka Shrimp Lunch Salad was full of flavor. There was grilled mushrooms, diced cucumbers, diced tomatoes, and mozzarella cubes in it. The grilled shrimp was deliciously grilled. The house dressing seem to be done your of Indian spices vinaigrette which was very interesting. I would say that the spice level on this was mild to medium. I enjoyed this dish. The garlic naan bread was served fresh. It was the perfect thickness where you can experience both the crispiness and the soft bread at the same time. The garlic flavor wasn't overpowering. It was nicely done. I would definitely return to try other items and perhaps their happy hour menu.

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All India Cafe - Chicken Tikka Masala Lunch includes Aloo Mattar, Dal of the Day, naan & rice - sooo good!

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Biriyani Kabob House - Bomb chutneys

Biriyani Kabob House

4.3(1.2k reviews)
3.0 mi•Koreatown
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My friend got Indian food a few weeks ago so I felt inspired to get some too (or Pakistani food,…read morenot sure). Regardless, I've been here a few times and have always enjoyed it. I love how big the naan is that they give you. They make it fresh too. Even though I've tried a bunch of their skewers, this time I tried the fish karahi, which came with my choice of naan or rice. I chose naan. It was really good but it was a little too spicy for me. The cashier told me they could add yogurt the next time around. However, what really stood out is how the fish was cooked. I feel in American restaurants, fish is just cooked in a way that makes it just taste ok. However, at like Chinese restaurants, they really know how to make the fish taste amazing and have it be so plump and juicy. They make their fish like that here! The juicy and plump way where you're just like, "Wow I just want to keep eating this!" I also got a chicken roll too which is fried and crispy. Good appetizer. They also have water for free here too but I didn't see the dispenser so I just brought something from my car in. The ambiance is cozy here. Nice seating area. Worth visiting if you want really good LA Indian food and haven't been spoiled by extraordinary SF Indian food.

I kept hearing about this place and finally gave it a shot. The service was very friendly. The…read moreplace is pretty sparse and pretty much what you'd expect from a small Ktown strip mall spot. We got the Lamb Dam Biriyani and the mixed grill (which came with 5 different kinda of meat). The seasoning and spices were on point. Great flavors, the right amount of heat, and something you can't really get elsewhere. My main issue was the quality of meat. Since this is supposed to be an affordable lunch spot, the meat was lower quality and really hindered the dishes. Too much fat, too much skin, too much gristle. I would love to see these spices on higher quality meat, that to me would be a 5/5.

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Biriyani Kabob House - Hole in wall but tasty food and nice owners!

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Pomfret

Mr. Masala

Mr. Masala

4.0(470 reviews)
1.2 mi•Downtown
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I was on the bus on my way home from work and got off at a random stop because I was so hungry I…read morewas shaking. My plan was to try and find a cheap food truck in dtla but all I could find was Mr. Masala, and i'm thankful that was the case. The total was only $26 for a combo with Chicken Tikka Masala, soup, a giant piece of naan, a tray of rice, and rice pudding. I ended up taking half of everything to go because of how generous the portion was. It was so good for the price, the service was great, and inside the restaurant was nice and spacious. Will definitely come again.

Was almost going to have a good experience. Ria was nice and patient. I had food restrictions…read morebecause of my diet. Upon leaving, the lady that I took a picture told me to take the trash outside the building to the streets. Respectfully I did spend money to eat here, it was rude gesture to have me spend money here and have to throw anything outside to the streets. Then she called me stupid and to get out. I regret purchasing anything from here. I never made any disrespectful remarks nor was I being rude at any point. This should not be tolerated. I eat food in the area, this is disrespect to my mine and money. I wanted to like this place but morally speaking it's not worth coming if this is how they treat strangers. I hope people are aware that this kind of activity is going in this business. Love supporting local businesses but my time and money have value and it would not be spent here. She claimed to be the manager. food wise: very important details to consider- just because it's vegan/ doesn't mean it healthy. I had the vegetable potato Samosa - it's deep fried with canola oil (extremely processed oil) consuming oils like these make vegan/vegetarian options unhealthy. It's almost like eating a McDonald chicken nugget. Not saying this in a negative tone, just sharing honest thoughts. The potato was bland, typically with food like this, spices sometimes make up for the dish but unfortunately it didn't. Just a potato deep fried with bread. Lentil soup- had a broth feel to it, it also lacked taste and flavor. It wasn't horrible, it just wasn't great either. This is important because when it's a lentil soup something has to stand out about it, it's a healthier option so the taste makes up for the dish being a healthy. Upon asking, they also add canola oil to this soup. ((Not as much as the other foods on the menu, but still heavy and that gets people bloated) they should consider making foods with coconut oil. The place did seem to be clean. But people make the build what it is)

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Mr. Masala - Inside

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Mr. Masala - Papadom with mango chutney, please

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Papadom with mango chutney, please

Badmaash - Downtown LA - indpak - Updated May 2026

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