This review is way, WAY overdue. Ahem -- I got the worst food poisoning of my life here! My friend and I ordered dinner from Cafe India through one of the food delivery apps. The order kept showing up on the app with later and later delivery times. Our driver was being weird and suddenly said she didn't want to make our delivery after all. She left without canceling our order, but I called the restaurant and they said the food was there waiting for us. By this time it had been almost 2 hours since we ordered. Argh. I drove all the way downtown, had to find parking (a nightmare), and when I got the food, I asked the server if we were all set since the app looked like I had paid already, but I wasn't sure since the driver left or whatever. The server said yes, you're good to go. So I went back home. We unpack the food and we're missing items. ARGH. I call the restaurant back and while I'm trying to explain what happened to the manager, I hear the server rush up in the background and say "oh shit! I forgot to charge her" :/ The manager put me on hold for a few minutes and then when he picked back up, he said he decided to waive the charge for me (umm.. did you DECIDE or just forget?). I said ok, that's great and all, but our order is still wrong. He got huffy with me and said I should appreciate that he did anything for me at all :((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( GAH. I'm so over it at this point, we just eat what they gave us, and lo and behold-- hours later I'm barfing saag paneer everywhere. gross. ugh so gross. Maybe because they let our food just sit around forever? Maybe someone didn't wash their hands? Idk, but I've never been back. read more

We did not have a set agenda during our sequoia trip couple of weeks ago. We coasted through the central valley checking out the various farms. Ian had fun at Bravo Farms just goofing around. Since we hadn't decided on dinner, we headed out to downtown Visalia to check what all it had to offer. We parked, walked and stumbled upon Cafe India. There is decent seating inside. Due to the buffet counter, wine stall and a large structural pole smack in the middle of the restaurant, layout is a little weird. Goat curry Chicken Biriyani Poori Naan Aloo paratha Channa masala Total came to ~ $50 Chicken biriyani was more like chicken rice in a rice cooker. The dish was tasty, but it definitely is not authentic Biriyani. Naans were very good. Aloo paratha was also very good. Poori was too oily. Goat curry was forgettable. It was sauteed onions and goat bones in water. Whatever you do, do not order this dish please. (-2) Chana Masala was decent according to the parents. Service was alright. There was just one waitress helping all the tables. An Indian lady assisted with the check. Since there are only 2 Desi restaurants in this area, I guess it is OK to pass this food as "Indian". I personally was unimpressed with the quality of food they served here and it takes a lot to get a bad review out of me. Based on my experience, I would recommend that you stick to Naan and Chana Masala as you cannot go wrong there.The 3 stars are for the 3 breads that were fresh and were extremely delicious. read more

See all

1st time at Cafe India. 3 of us & the Food was delicious. Our server was Vance, who gave us great service, recommendations and suggestions - he was also the chef! Overall a great experience read more

My friends and I decided to order lunch from Cafe India on our way back from Sequoia. We were in a hurry to make it to a work meeting, so we called ahead so that the food would be ready when we arrived so that we could eat at the restaurant. The employee on the phone was very friendly, but they were out of 3 things that we tried to order from the menu that were very common menu items for an Indian restaurant to have: Pakora, Mango Lassi, and Raita. When we arrived, the food was still not ready for another 20 minutes or so and this was past the wait time that was given to us over the phone (25-30 min). When we received the food, some of it was barely warm. The taste of the food was just okay. We ordered the shrimp biriyani, which was just okay, the chicken and paneer masalas, chicken biriyani, vegetable samosas, and garlic and bullet naans. My friend who is Indian, was not impressed. I thought the chicken masala and chicken biriyani were pretty good. The prices were a little high for the amount of food that was given. Overall, the experience was mediocre. read more

Great food, a little pricey per plate, so that's the only downside. Little disappointed when I have to order less to keep within my budget. If the prices went down I'd definitely come here way more often and probably order a bit more. But as far as taste and quality goes they are really really good. read more

Went to cafe India for takeout and while I waited the staff was kind and super helpful. They answered all my questions about the menu even though I had a ton of them haha. The food was well prepared and the flavor was great. The lamb was cooked to perfection (lamb curry) We don't get much Indian food in this part of the CV so this was huge for me and it didn't disappoint. I'm not sure of the hosts name but he was awesome, really kicked off the good vibes right from the beginning. Thats a huge part of hospitality, the way you are treated when you first come to a restaurant. I would most definitely come again. read more

First time trying this place so we asked for recommendations, we had the chicken tikkita masala and the chicken curry....holy cow was it absolutely delicious! Just the right heat index by getting it medium, will absolutely be back again and highly recommend!!! read more

To begin with the place is filthy! The CA Health Department should inspect the cafe. If the customer seating area is fifty, old run down tables and chairs...I wonder what the kitchen looks in terms of sanity foods, food storage, stoves, counters, and floors... an invitation to cockroaches. I met up with family. I entered the smell was horrible. I ordered a glass of water and I didn't drink it. Just visited with family as they complained about the foods. read more

Food was very good. Peyton was a wonderful, and attentive server. Sat outside on the clean patio. I'm definitely going back. read more

The quality of food is no where close Indian food standards. We ordered three types of naan (butter, garlic, and bullet). The naan was thick and hard. It seems the chef did not let the dough raise enough and put it in an oven. The flavors were also non existent. The bullet naan only had a sprinkle of chilli powder, and the garlic naan had no garlic at all. The paneer masala also didn't have much flavors, but it was average. The service was okay and the restaurant was in a good area with several other nice restaurants. Hope they will improve their food quality. read more

I love Indian food and had a craving so I tried this restaurant for the first time getting delivery of Chicken Masala, basmati rice and butter naan, and I don't know if it was me and my expectations but nothing tasted right. The chicken was dry and the masala didn't taste like masala. The rice didn't have the trademark aroma and the naan was too doughy. Disappointed. I hope I just came on a bad day because Visalia needs a good Indian restaurant. read more

I love this place! They are so friendly and even know my "usual" at this point. And the food.....so yummy. We have traveled near and far for Indian food and they are the best! read more

Great food and great service. The samosas were some of the best! The portions are big enough to share.

The place definitely needs some work. They served us cold veggies on our samosas. The server was no where to be found. If chicken entree did have vegetables then it would make the meal more filling, however! Since there was no vegetables it made the portion small. Also, wanted to add that the chicken makini was watery sauce.. not the greatest. read more

Cafe India - First time here and must say it will be my last. First, the server was no where to be found, then the vegetables samosas were cold. - Indian Near Me - Visalia, California

I was VERY disappointed in this restaurant. Both dishes I had lacked flavor. I never salt my food and in effort to make it more palatable I salted the food. I had to send back the Aloo Gobi it was so bad. I heard another table make a similar complaint about their food. The naan was not good either. It was like pizza dough. Unfortunately, this was the worst Indian food I've ever had. The only bright spots were the service was good and I enjoyed my chai. read more

Cafe India - Palak Paneer - Indian Near Me - Visalia, California

See all

cutest place the vibes are wonderful got lunch by myself and it would be the perfect spot to go with friends! the waiter was great and the food was timely. and speaking of the food it was Delicious! i got cheese nann butter chiken an app and rice and everything was perfect read more

First time here and the food was great definitely coming back waitress very excited to explain all the food choices read more

Cafe India - Food was so good empty plates - Indian Near Me - Visalia, California

I'm updating my review. Ownership changed within the last year and I ordered delivery today. I have to say, I am IMPRESSED!!! I was blown away. I eat Indian food frequently because I married into an Indian family and this food was very good! It tasted like authentic home cooking! Today we ordered vegetable korma, butter chicken (aka chicken makhani), and chole (aka chana masala). Wow! My husband said the vegetable korma is even better than his mom's!! That holds a lot of weight since his mom is an amazing cook. It was sooo creamy I just kept eating. The butter chicken was fresh and delicious. You sometimes restaurants throw in older meat; not here! This was fresh chicken. Guys, is you don't like spicy foods, order these! Now chole - my favorite home cooked dish. I never order this at restaurants because it's a let down - nothing is ever as good as home cooking. NOT TRUE HERE!!! This was authentic, home cooked chole that will leave feeling wrapped in a warm blanket of your mother's love. Make sure to have rice or naan with your meal. read more

I had never tried Indian food, but went here to try it. My boyfriend and I were both very impressed!! We could smell the spices from the moment we entered. I got Lamb Vindaloo and he got Lamb Korma. They were both very flavorful! Eventhough it was busy, the service was still great and not unreasonably long. We are already talking about visiting again. read more

Cafe India - Lamb Korma (Left) and Lamb Vindaloo (Right) - Indian Near Me - Visalia, California

Delicious food! I will definitely eat here again and invite friends to come along and taste the great food!

I was excited to try after a friend recommended this place. They accidentally charged me for the large party they had instead of my take out order. Three employees walked up to check at register or to assist with refund.. I couldn't help but notice everyone working in this restaurant including the guy that looked like a manager/cook were all Caucasian. Not a bad thing but not what I was hoping and expecting for an authentic Indian cuisine experience. I was then refunded and recharged. However my bank charged me an insufficient fund fee of $30 because I had to wait days for my refund. No discount or apology was offered. Transactional experience. Yeah, so it's like I had to wait all of that extra time for them to "fix" it but it really cost me more to eat there. Will probably wait another 9-12 months to try again or check out the new place on main or something in Fresno or LA. read more

It's literally my favorite food ever. I've watched the place change owners and renovate and I'm not going to lie, the food is great but there are some things I can complain about: The chicken malai smacks.. it's pretty consistent tasting tbh everytime I get it. There's been a few times it's a little off (too much coconut milk or heavy cream idk what they use) but for the most part it should be solid. The naan went WAYYYY downhill over the years. From thin crispy and full of garlic to thickkkkkk and less garlic than ever. Doesn't even taste like naan anymore.. it's like a fluffy pita. All the servers are awesome. Staff is great. Reward system is awesome. Why is everything a la carté?! Let's make a meal guys come on. We want rice with our food. If you order everything a la carté (samosas, naan, rice, chicken plate) it would come out pretty expensive. I understand it's a rough economy but I'm sure it would be a more viable option if we can get a combo deal going or something. However, this is normal of Indian restos. read more

Good Indian food in the heart of Main St, Visalia. My buddy wanted Indian food after having some quesadillas nearby. Authentic Indian food. The Chicken Tikka Masala was good and the highlight. Had a lamb dish which I thought was okay, a bit too gamey for me. The basmati rice and rice pilaf were okay. Loved the Bollywood music videos on the tv! :) Credit card okay. read more

Food was great! Only down side for me at least, was that there was no combos on the menu. Like rice with a side dish. It was an order of rice, side dish, and then drink. But no big deal. Just preference of mine. I had the chicken masala and rice. With a side of naan bread. Delicious!! Staff was very helpful and insightful about the menu. read more

Doesn't look like much from the outside, but this is one of the few Indian Cuisine places in Visalia. This place is small and the classic definition of hole-in-wall, but worth a try if you are craving some delicious food. The food is not best I've ever had, but considering the limiting options in town; and not wanting to travel 40+ miles in either direction, it will suffice. Their Mango Lassi was top notch! Highly Recommend! read more

I strongly suggest that anyone who wishes to taste good Indian food must get their food elsewhere. We were staying at Visalia on way to Sequoia Natl park. We ordered Veg Biryani and Butter Nan from Cafe India. Gosh, this is the WORST Indian food that I have ever tasted in my whole life. Veg biryani looked like plain rice with some masala sprinkled over it. Butter naan too was not cooked well and I could still taste raw dough. I had to throw the food in trash and ordered Pizza for my family. And their customer service is equally worse. read more

Almost decades after having this type of food I tried Cafe India today and I was blown away. First the service was like no other. It almost felt like we had our own private chef giving us recommendations. The food blew all my expectations out of the water. The chicken tiki masala and garlic naan bread were outstanding. Everything was amazing and I now have a new favorite place to add to my list of food options. The establishment was very clean and casual. read more

They were understaffed so a bit of a wait but the food was amazing! We got both of our dishes as a medium spice level and it was definitely way spicer for the aloo mutter so that was our biggest complaint. I love that there's also a rewards program here. Can't wait to come back! read more

Cafe India - Vegetable Samosa (Large) Garlic Naan Chicken Tikka Masala Plain Rice Aloo Mutter - Indian Near Me - Visalia, California

I ordered food to go tonight. We had the shrimp masala and chicken tikka masala. Both were delicious. We also had the chili naan which had a great kick to it. The garlic naan was also good with good flavors. I had the unsweetened chai. I like bold strong flavors so I thought it was good. If you like your tea/coffee sweet then I would recommend the sweetened one. When I went to go pick up my food, I noticed the inside was cozy and one side of the business had a wine wall. It was a quiet setting. The server who helped me tonight is very kind. She followed up with me every minute to assure me my order was almost ready which I was early for my scheduled pickup. read more

We got paneer tikka, paneer naan, garlic naan and biryani. Paneer tikka and naan were good, garlic naan was doughy in half of the place and chewy in the rest. Biryani is essentially spicy pulao but good once you change your expectations. read more

It was pretty good. The garlic naan was amazing. I had the butter chicken and samosas. I was not a fan of the samosa but everything else was good. I'm excited to try other dishes. This was my first time having Indian food. It was nice to taste a different kind of "curry". read more

Cafe India - Butter chicken, vegetable samosa and Garlic Naan - Indian Near Me - Visalia, California

Small intimate restaurant with good food, service and decor that is dated. It has a family run feel to it.

Food was great. The female employee there was nice, but was a bit "extra".....sometimes people just want to eat without conversation with someone they don't know. But Logan that waited on my wife and I was an absolute sweetheart. He was really great to us. The paneer pakora there needs some help.....this is my only gripe about the food. The breading on it was almost like what you see on fried chicken.....and it was overpowering the paneer. Everything else was insanely good. read more

The service is really fast and the food is delicious. I 100% recommend this place. The server was really nice to us and got our food fast. No complaints whatsoever completely worth the price. read more

They never have saag aloo I don't know why it's in the menu. Chicken tikka masala was fire I'll be back. But what's up with the saag aloo?

As a Indian family we experienced tandoori chicken was like air fryer chicken. Naan was not well cooked. Really bad experience. Only I will give 9 out of 10 to waiters, she was very nice. read more

Just wow, as I just reviewed pit and kabob...you gotta let me cool down for a second. This place was refreshing. Late at night dinner date=perfect. Quiet, cozy, nice ambiance. And then there's the food and the staff, just fantastic...I will admit, the difference between mild and medium is a small boulder. But still good. The only thing I plea is.....please don't make cheese naan with paneer... it's a travesty in itself. The smells that come off it...bad vibes. Instead. Use what they actually use around the world that's easy to get. Mozzarella. If you would like to elevate this...Gouda, hands down the best garlic cheese naan in the world is with Gouda, garlic and honey....I swear this to you. We will be back so many more times! read more

The food was exceptional and despite the city being busy for a local event the service was timely, portions were excellent and I recommend the vegetable samosa & chicken Jalfrezi. read more

See all

Such a great place with great food and service! Everything on the menu is so good. Definitely recommend

This place was awesome :) I love the Owners! I had the Tula masala was was pleasantly surprised. read more