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    Charminar Express

    4.4 (79 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

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    CHARMINAR EXPRESS ATMOSPHERE

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    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Charminar Express

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    Menu
    Ashley F.

    **DISCLAIMER: LUNCH SPECIAL ENDED 12/25/25!** Charminar Express in Temecula offers delicious, savory Indian cuisine conveniently located in shops surrounding Promenade Mall. We came in after having a hearty dinner reunion with friends few days ago, and loved their various dishes. The server was kind enough to honor the lunch special after Christmas; sad to see it go but glad we got to try it for the last time! **Food review** Ghee dosa (5/5): Thin crepe with savory dips to pair with. A fun hands-on dish. Butter Chicken (5/5): A great creamy and buttery staple. Chicken Tikka Masala (5/5): I honestly can't tell this and butter chicken apart but I love both. Goat Chettinadi (4.5/5): Savory, dark goat meat with a complex blend of spices and heat. Chicken 65 (4.5/5): Surprisingly potent spicy chicken in savory yogurt-based sauce. Vegetable Samosa (5/5): Like savory empanadas or fried dumplings; couldn't tell it was vegetarian. Gulab Jamun (4/5): I wished they were more spiced and bigger for each donut. Mango Lassi (5/5): Must order for me. Loved the thickness and rich mango flavor. Overall, I love Indian food and curries in general; Charminar in Temecula offers both in a convenient location near the mall. I do think it can get pricey at $20+ per entree but they have good portion sizes.

    Amy C.

    Sunday, 8-10-2025: Another way overdue review. My dear Yelp friends and I gathered here for a nice lunch get together. The place was very clean and inviting with a simple aesthetic. The food was very tasty and the owner and server were very attentive. The downside was lukewarm water bottles. Despite that I would definitely return!

    Garlic Naan.
    Faye A.

    Spice, laughs, and... room temp water?!?!?! - What the...!!!! Met up w some Elite Yelpers at Charimar Express last Sunday.... Temecula's shiny new Indian spot, and let me just say... our taste buds were thriving!!! We ran the table w Veggie Korma (plant-based perfection), Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala (basically flavor twins, but we weren't mad), Saag Paneer (a little shy on the flavor front), and Chicken Ghee Roast (on fire and fabulous). Of course, we carb-loaded w Garlic Naan and Basmati Rice like the queens we are. Dessert? Oh yes!! Gulab Jamun... sweet, syrupy donut holes from heaven. Service? Five stars.!!! Owner Amir made us feel like VIPs, checking in like we were on a culinary red carpet. Now, for the quirks: * Entrees come solo. No rice. No naan. It's like ordering a burger and getting no bun. You'd have to order rice & naan separately. Just be prepared!!! * No ice. I repeat: NO ICE!! We got room temp water bottles like we were hydrating mid-yoga. So I cracked open a chilled Sprite and kept it classy. The "no ice" issue was huge deal breaker for me!! * The scent wafting outside this restaurant is less "appetizing aroma" and more "who left the dumpster open during a heatwave?" It's not exactly the welcome mat one hopes for before a meal. Might want to tackle that stench so guests don't lose their appetite before the first bite!! Overall, food slapped, service sparkled, and my girls' lunch was a spicy success!! Just maybe toss an ice cube or two into the mix next time !!

    Sweet desserts! If you like sweet moist donuts you will like this :)
    Janet T.

    I invited some YELP ELITES to join here for LUNCH and we were so glad we came here because the food was delicious, the company was even better and the VIBE was just all stars around... SONG of the DAY to play along to this YELP REVIEW: VISION of LOVE by MARIAH CAREY... This beautiful restaurant itself was a VISION of LOVE! We got there early so we decided to do our YELP DUTIES and take some pictures! The owner was so nice to help us take a group picture and a picture with him too! They have 9 locations and the TEMECULA location is the newest one that just opened 3 months ago. This gem is a nice addition to our town! Everything ordered was delicious! 10/10 NOTE: Please do kindly get some ice! My party really needed ICE! Also, please be careful when leaving the door open because the flies will come in. I will have to bring my fly zapper next time!! SERVICE: A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PARKING: PLENTY and no need to fight for it! MUSIC: Very danceable!!!! ROCK ON CHARMINAR EXPRESS!!!!!

    Navratan Korma
    Edith S.

    I came here with some awesome Yelpers and had a great time. We got to meet the owner who was a super cool guy. The service was great! Everyone was very friendly and patient with our questions. I didn't take the best notes so I'm hoping the captions of my photos capture the dish name accurately. The food came in beautiful handi serving bowls which made the dishes even more appealing. The portions were generous. I was just really confused between the Chicken Tikki Masala and Butter Chicken. Even after dish verification, the Butter Chicken tasted like Chicken Tikki Masala to me and vice versa. But not a big deal. The taste was outstanding either way. I am definitely coming back here again.

    Dave L.

    Came back finally on the weekend to try Goat dum briyani and it can be served family style which was just amazing. The side curry alone was so authentic and spectacular, I forgot to ask what type it was but it's very similar to Hyderabadi mirchi that I've had in my travels and it also has a hint of roasted chili peppers in it. No where else serves this with briyani so you know how legit this is. Most places just come with Raita. Spectacular stuff and it made to share

    Indoor seating
    Supriya C.

    Enjoyed sitting at the restaurant and eating delicious food. Charminar is our go-to Indian restaurant because their flavors are authentic, bold and they are not afraid to say that they can't make things mild and still maintain the integrity of authentic Indian flavors. We ordered chicken 65 and vegetable pakoras for appetizers- both delish. For mains we got Hyderabadi goat curry, naan and bezawada biriyani. The biriyani is awesome and the family size portion is huge. The goat curry was good but not spectacular. The naans are a little thin but flavorful. Service is good though I wish they served cold water. Also while the ambiance is cool and casual, perfect for a family dinner, but their choice of music can sometimes be a bit too loud and intrusive. Softer music would be much better for conversation and ambience. All that said, great food, bold flavors, unapologetically authentic.

    Rebecca S.

    Went for the lunch special...so worth it for 9.99...ill come 3-4 a week ordered chicken biryani and aloo gobi...Soo yummy! Food was plentiful and comes with a drink, rice, naan, yogurt sauce. Only complaints...too cold in there ...the temp is chilly...and the food has bits of bay leaf and star anise the whole star and cardomom pods...it def makes the dish more flavorful but I wish I was chomping bits of that :( Other than that I'd give it 5 stars

    Chicken Biryani Goat Biryani
    Poonam M.

    New restaurant opened near the temecula mall. The food is yummy , the flavors are good, be aware food is spicier so recommend asking for mild ( which will still be spicy) All the dishes we ordered were tasty. Johnnie was our waiter and he had excellent customer service . Attentive and friendly.

    Butter Chicken, chicken vindaloo, raita, Classic Naan, Rice
    Edith N.

    WOW. I was so happy to try a new restaurant in the area and it did not disappoint. Not only is the restaurant itself clean and beautiful, but they have an amazing lunch special with different options of veggie or chicken curries that come with your choice of naan, and a drink! Aside from the incredible value, I can also honestly say that everything we tried was delicious. The food quality is very evident, and the flavors are so comforting and spot on. Their butter chicken, chicken vindaloo, and chicken tikka masala were excellent. The service was also outstanding as our server was so kind and often checked in on us to make sure we were doing alright. We mentioned it was our first time coming in and they were so gracious and took the time to introduce themselves and welcome us. Cannot wait to try the rest of their menu and come for Wednesday all you can eat street food. Yum!

    Gulab Jamun
    Christina C.

    Located near the mall. Nice and new Indian restaurant. Staff are really nice and welcoming. The food is delicious. I love the naan. The butter chicken is the family favorite. The dessert was a perfect ending to our wonderful meal. Prices are decent. We will be back!

    Suzy Q.

    The man who greeted me was very nice. The service for takeout was on the slow side. The food was good I especially liked the Dum Ka Chicken 5 stars. It was flavorful and the consistency of the curry sauce was thick and not thin and runny like other places. Chili garlic nan had good flavor but the texture of the nan was flat and and lacked leavening- 4 stars I also had another chicken entree that was marinated in yogurt and herbs which was not my cup of tea. Looks like they have a great dine-in lunch special.

    Lunch Combo: Mango Lassi, Butter naan, Rice, Raita, Butter Chicken, Paneer Butter Masala
    Divya S.

    SERVICE: 3.3/5 The place was empty and pretty quiet when I went. Service wasn't too great and the workers weren't particularly welcoming nor super helpful. ENVIRONMENT: 4.7/5 The place's interior was well done, with a nice modern design with some Indian touches. FOOD: 4.3/5 As for food, I ordered the 2 Item Lunch Special available Tuesday-Fridays from 11:00am-2:30pm. It costed $9.99 for a choice of 2 curries, plain white basmati rice, choice of naan, raita, and a soda can drink. The MangoLassi I ordered costed $2 as an add on to the lunch special. It was delicious, it was really creamy, and not too thick. The food came out fairly quickly, and was nice and hot. The raita was really good, the rice was decent, and the butter naan was good. I ordered Butter Chicken and Paneer Butter Masala, I also tried the Chicken Tikka Masala, and Chicken Sukka that my friend ordered. My favorite was the Paneer dish, the curry was delicious. My second favorite was the Chicken Tikka Masala, then Butter Chicken, and then Chicken Sukka. I overall loved the food, and found the quantity good for the price. OVERALL: 4.1/5

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    5 months ago

    Amazing food for a great price. Easy to order to go if you are in a hurry and their lunch special is a great deal.

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    1 year ago

    New favorite Indian restaurant! So so good! Can't wait to come back to try more off the menu.

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    1 year ago

    Overall, great experience. The restaurant is clean, the customer service was on point and the food was delicious. I highly recommend!

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    11 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Great service. Food was fabulous and they offer a great lunch special. Highly recommend.

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    8 months ago

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    9 months ago

    The server (Harsh)? provided amazing service and was really nice. The food was tasty, would come back again just for the hospitality.

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    1 year ago

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    9 months ago

    I love trying all of the Indian restaurants in the area and while I've liked them all this one is my new favorite!

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    11 months ago

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    10 months ago

    Amazing food, great vibe, and interior design is cool. Butter chicken and cheese naan was goated

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    1 year ago

    Amazing Food, prices are very reasonable and great location. The cauliflower dish was amazing.

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Charminar Express

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    Mantra Indian Cuisine - Naan

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    Non vegetarian platter

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    4.8(105 reviews)
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    Today I brought 2 friends with me. I haven't had indian food for awhile so was looking forward to…read morethis place. I've been here several times before.. they have a good lunch special you get to pick two items from the menu as your mains. I got seated right away, place was empty only one other customer showed up while we were there, so was very disappointing with the lack of service. Asked for water the waitress never came back had to finally go up to the front counter and ask them to bring water. They don't really come and check on you to see you needing anything and it's too hard to get their attention because their kitchen and counter are far from where you're seated. They probably would have a lot more business if they regularly checked on their customers, especially in the beginning of the meal. And they should be keeping an eye out for when the Customer is done eating. The food is good. The non-was fresh. My only concern is they have this one cold salad with potatoes and carrots which I wish they would either change out to something else or serve it as a hot dish and not a salad.

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    Himalayan Grill & Curry - Restaurant and Lunch Special Menu

    Restaurant and Lunch Special Menu

    Himalayan Grill & Curry - Chicken Tiki Masala, Basmati rice, mango juice

    Chicken Tiki Masala, Basmati rice, mango juice

    Himalayan Grill & Curry - Tandoori mixed grill. It was piping hot! The meat was so tender.

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    Tandoori mixed grill. It was piping hot! The meat was so tender.

    Kabob Shack - Temecula

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    After attending the Yelp Elite Experience, I just had to come back with my hubby and Coco our…read moreSamoyed. They are ok with service dogs sitting inside and there was a lot of outdoor patio seating in the shade which I liked because you also get a nice BREEZE... GYRO PLATE: 10/10 I usually don't like to eat too much gyros but, this one has so much flavor that I'm going we agreed to call it the STAR OF THE SHOW!! Love the rice and pita with hummus as the side items that came with it. You can also choose fries or salad as sides as well... SPICY CHICKEN TANDOORI: 9/10 It was very good. It was just a bit dry for me but, the spice was really nice. It wasn't overly spicy like Thai spicy chili peppers or ghost peppers. It was a nice spice like a cayenne pepper spice flavor on the chicken. PRO TIP pour some Garlic sauce over the chicken for a more enhanced moist and creamy sensation... FALAFEL: 10/10 My favorite appetizer! It's also interesting to see it shaped like a DONUT!! I loved it and I dipped it with the TZATZIKI sauce... SAUCES: The Garlic, chipotle, tzatziki and spicy mango chili sauces are have UNLIMITED refills!!! CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES: 10/10 Baked with love and it's $1.79 each!!! Love, love and love it!!!!! AMBIANCE: 10/10 I love its homey, western and old town wooden shack style and appearance. I care more about good food than pretty looking places to eat!!! If the food is good, I'm there!! PERIOD SERVICE: A+ Excellent service. I went on a Sunday afternoon and Sawna was so lovely and helped explained with menu options and helped packed everything nicely for us. I highly recommend this place!! What a gem to have in Temecula!! We will be back!!! ROCK ON KABOB SHACK!!!

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    Front Counter with menu display

    Kabob Shack - Temecula - Baklava

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    Inside

    Charminar Express - indpak - Updated May 2026

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