I went to this restaurant for the first time with a friend who dragged me there last night, I had never gone to an Indian restaurant. I'm usually cautious when trying new food because I have really specific tastes but boy am I glad I went last night!!! The food was amazing, I got the korma and a couple of appetizers... I can't remember what they're called but I will be back to try the calamari and Samosas as well as getting their korma again! I'm still thinking about the meal, drool. Also the service was fantastic and our server was very nice. We left a big tip. read more

I can't imagine how anyone could rate less than 5 stars. This restaurant is clean, beautiful, neat, and hosts very kind and quality staff. The food is just phenomenal too. In terms of pricing, I believe it to be fair and affordable. The only disappointment I could have is from not knowing about this place sooner-but even then, I'm happy nonetheless to know about it now. I certainly look forward to going again and trying out the huge selection of foods and drinks they offer. read more

We had a large pickup order on our daughter's UTexas graduation night - needless to say, the restaurant was super busy and probably very overworked. So our order was delayed by 45 minutes. But, the front desk staff was super responsive and huge props to them, particularly Zoe, for being so courteous and responsive in spite of constant demands on her time. The food was amazing, so props to the kitchen staff for accommodating our very large order impeccably - you made our take out grad dinner memorable, so thank you so much! read more

Clay Pit - Indian Near Me - Austin, Texas

When to Clay Pit this past weekend for my bday! The food was extraordinarily delicious! The waiter suggested I go a bit out of my comfort zone and try their mussels and their jalapeño cream cheese naan. I was hesitant but after the first bite, I was won over. If there is one thing to try is that! The reason I'm rating it 4 stars is because after having had such a positive experience with the food I decided to place a to go order the next day through door dash... I ordered the same food but the quality was different :( there was little to none cream cheese in the naan and the portion of the food was greatly minimized. I recommend to eat dine-in only!! read more

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Everything is soooooooo good!!!!!!!!! You can really taste every ingredient in the sauce. But our server was so rude and obviously racist toward us. She seems like she did not want to talk to us or introduce any item on the menu for us. So we had to look on yelp and figure out what we want to eat. read more

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I have been enjoying meals at Clay Pit for 12+ years. The staff are friendly and the food is always satisfying. I love the papadum and chutneys, and the goan yellow curry is one of my favorites! read more

I've been to Clay Pit three times now. I waited to review until now for a few reasons. I'm not really an expert on Indian cuisine, so I wanted to get a feel for how consistent they are. What's the verdict? I really like this place. It's a perfect lunch destination if you work in the downtown area. Give yourself a little bit of extra time on that lunch break though, 2-4 people is usually a 10 minute wait. Most people get the buffet at lunch and you should too. You get a little bit of everything. They have a salad that doesn't really require any additional dressing. They also have an egg salad, that is very similar to potato salad, but it lacks any kind of mustard taste to it. I actually found the egg salad to be rather bland. That's really the only complaint I had though. The buffet includes an amazing Masala selection. Grab some of that over some rice and you are good to go. They even provide some Naan bread which tastes good dipped into the Masala sauce. The Naan bread really tasted like puffier pita bread to me. It was almost a bit sweet actually. They also have some delicious tandoori chicken on the bone. Sometimes they switch the choices around in the buffet, but it is always satisfying. Overall, I really like this place. It's close and within walking distance to UT. I really feel like I need to take a nap after I eat here though. It's like a delicious food coma. read more

Clay Pit - Love it - Indian Near Me - Austin, Texas

The butter chicken was a bit too watery but I still really liked it, and the naan was great. The service was fantastic, they kept checking in and it was very professional. The place was very nice, I like the way they decorated and set up the interior. Try and make reservations if you can as they are very busy and packed, even during Covid times read more

When I ate in, I absolutely loved this place. Amazing food, cheap wine, high quality meat what more can you ask for. When I ordered to go, I paid $18 dollars for a dish with shrimp in it, and only received 3 shrimp in total! I called to let her know that I got about 1/5 of a total dish and she said that she couldn't do anything about it. I am still saddened that I was never offered a refund, when I got the tiniest amount of food. But go in! It's amazing! You will love it!! read more

My favorite indian place in Austin. We started with a dahi puri and samosas. Incredible. I had the malai kofta for my main meal. WOW vegetarian heaven! Our server in training was nice and was great at balancing a Saturday dinner rush. I will always come back to the Clay Pit when I am visiting. read more

If you're nervous about trying a new place or new cuisine, just go for it! I ordered kothmir salmon, tandoori Kebob, and a side of coconut curry! All so good on their own! The favorite has to go to the salmon! The sauce was so flavorful, the naan soft but toasted, and the serving size was perfectly filling! My new fave lunch spot! read more

My wife has been telling me about the Clay Pit for the two years we have been together and recently we had the opportunity to shoot in and try the lunch buffett....and then some. My Indian experiences are limited to a trip to Bombay in Westlake; but that was 15 years ago if not longer. With my love for Thai Curries growing, I wondered what this place could produce in regards to broadening my country horizons. The buffet was nice and on point with the $8 price tag for the 4 dishes that were available. Each dish was a different experience bringing interesting flavors for my much needed refresher. I'm thinking CP was worthy of a three star nod. On Stephanie "shoeshine girl" S's recommendation, I tried the Naan Wrap with the fried fish and added in the goat cheese for $1. HOLY INDIAN FISH TACO GOD whatever your name is....delectable only skirts my humble opinion of your prowess. The atmosphere is quite pleasant and I will be excited to return for another venture into Indian Territory. The other Indian Territory..... read more

The wait time was annoying-45 minutes, but that just goes to show how busy these guys due to their awesomeness. My party came at 9 and we were told to wait that amount of time and I thought the place closed at 10 so I questioned the idea of waiting but the host reassured us that they'd be open. So come 45 minutes we were seated and were approached by a waiter by the name of I think Milton(?) he was the caucasian guy with the blond/brunettish hair that worked Sunday night if you The Clay Pit is reading this. Well, it was a fantastic experience. I used my yelp deal with ease and he acted quickly upon all our requests. The person pouring water that night was good too. So all in all, our waiter/the service was great. The wait is worth it guys..mainly because of the real reason why you're reading this... ...the food. The naan appetizer we ordered was great and went extremely well with the aeoli sauce that came with the crab cakes we ordered. DON'T ORDER THE CRAB CAKES. They were edible, but were very strange in seasoning...I can't quite put my finger on it. We ordered this triangular shaped thing stuffed with crab and some other stuff and I forgot what it was called, but that was pretty good too. Now the entree...haha, I got the lamb korma and oh my dear load it was great. Excellent spices in the sauce, lamb was nice and tender and almost melted in my mouth, and the basmati rice was cooked perfectly with a hint of fragrance from those seeds that I can't remember the name of off the top of my head. All in all, crabcakes and wait time were the only negatives. The wait time was understandable though, and the crabcakes weren't bad enough to take off a star. 5/5 would recommend to a friend and would come again. read more

It's gotta be good, I thought to myself. This place is ultra packed during lunch hour. I hear good reviews from most people who've come. Surely this many people on yelp can't be wrong? Epitome of bad service: you make a reservation ahead of time and when you get there, even with the reservation they say there is a 10 minute wait. What's the point of the reservation then? Had to flag down waiters for naan and payment too. Sigh. And the food? This place might masquerade as an indian restaurant but the flavors are not very bold, not very punchy, not very spicy and overall in one word: bland. Which does not describe indian food. It feels like Americanized indian food gone wrong. My friend said the best thing there was the potato salad...which didn't look indian. The chicken tikka is a bit weak. Rice was so so, not as fragrant as normal basmati rice I recall. The redeeming fact that is the tandoori chicken if you get it on the drumstick: decent flavor, though not amazing, but better than the dry meat you get on any other piece. Naan was hit or miss: some pieces are airy and light as a cloud....others are squat and dense, with an oddly even char. Spotted char is the norm for naan, not perfectly evenly golden brown bread. Even then, it tasted good...and I can't give a place 1 star that offers unlimited naan. First and last time here....sorry but there's better indian to be had in Austin at comparable prices and definitely better things near downtown read more

This is our go to when we come to Austin. We actually have reservations for both tonight and tomorrow night (we're only here for 2 nights). The curried mussels cannot be missed. Everything is outstanding. You cannot go wrong. read more

Fabulous food with excellent service and a cool ambiance. They allow half orders so you can try many awesome things. A perfect spot!

I loved the food and the ambiance, finally got to listen to Punjabi songs in Indian Restaurant. Completely satisfied with the service.

Food is not what it used to be. Overpriced for the quality they had. Parking is difficult. Location and ambience is good.

Came here on a Monday night.There weren't too many people so the place wasn't noisy...always a plus at an Indian restaurant. We got the vegetable pakoras which were pretty darn good....not the refried pre-cooked stuff you get at other Indian restaurants. The dish was piping hot with a nice mix of veggies which included zucchini,potato slices,eggplant, cauliflower and onions. For our main course we shared the malai kofta. The curry of this dish was delicious but the kofta was almost bitter. Have to make a special mention of the variety of Naans here.We got the onion-cilantro and The aloo naan....Super! I loved the fact that the naan wasn't oily unlike that served elsewhere. On our next trip to Austin would definitely try the buffet which is rumored to be wonderful. read more

I was doing an Uber Eats order. I came to the to go area. The girl looked at my code and went to fixing the bag then tells me it's not ready yet and I leave out and that same bag she comes and runs out and says it is ready. Customer service not good over here. read more

I love tikka masala and it makes me so sad that I'm, so far, unable to replicate the delicious restaurant style dish at home. Luckily, Austin has a few great Indian food restaurants and the Clay Pit is one of them. I've been to the Clay Pit twice before and I have to say, the first time I went, I was hesitant. Not sure why, but I was concerned that it wouldn't have the right spiciness like the indian food I was used to. I was wrong. First off, they have an awesome happy hour. Like I said in my previous tip, it's only $1 off booze, but their drink prices are on the cheaper side, so it ends up being a good deal. Try the Taj Mahal. Not a complicated drink, but really refreshing. I can't remember what their happy hour is on food, but I want to say it's half off appetizers. We've had the tandoori bites before and they're awesome. For the meal, I ordered paneer tikka masala, which was of course fantastic. You can choose your spice level and I went with medium, which was perfect. I also got a side of cream cheese jalapeno naan which was really good too. My friend had the Khuroos-E-Tursh specialty dish which is chicken-breast stuffed with seasoned spinach, cheese, and other wonderful things, topped with a cashew-almond cream sauce. Oh wow. It was amazing. Not very spicy, since the sauce is more creamy. We also ordered chicken samosas for the table, which were yummy. You get two of them since they're a pretty decent size. The food is fabulous, the decor is pretty, happy hour is great, and needless to say, I'll definitely be back. read more

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Great atmosphere. Modern, quaint, intimate. Food was ok. Drinks were good. Definitely had a nice vibe. Definitely a good spot to try.

Amazing Food , Went here for the first time Wednesday and I was so impressed .... can't wait to go back . Our son made reservations and it's was perfect! The environment was lovely, and the drinks were very unique and tasty! read more

When I had a random craving for Indian food, I wouldn't have guessed I'd end up in a 130 year old, allegedly haunted, old west trading post complete with basement shackles for former slaves and/or prisoners. A teensy bit expensive, with smaller sized portions than you get at most Indian restaurants, it's worth a visit just for the history lesson. Walk around a bit & see the basement & party room upstairs (supposedly where the ghosts hang). Our waitress told us the wine room in the back has old pictures of the building from the 1800's. The food is pretty good, too. read more

Clay Pit - The basement (watch your head) - Indian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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The service is good, but the food is just so-so. Nothing spectacular about the food. The ambience is also ok. The building is a historic one. I ordered the tandoori broccoli - which takes about 10 minutes to prepare. This was ok, nothing spectacular. I also ordered channa masala and tandoori roti. The portion size is a bit on the smaller side as compared to the other restaurants. This dish comes with a side of rice. But the dish itself wasn't all that memorable. There are plenty of other options in Austin worth exploring. read more

We just moved to town, watched "Lion" while unpacking boxes and Yelped our way to the Clay Pit for takeout. Totally met our culinary expectations. Everything was delicious. Love the takeout containers, btw. We had chicken korma, chicken tikka masala, garlic naan, and jeera saag. We will be back! But next time we will dine inside. read more

Amazing Food and Service! Loved the Shrimp Korma and Chicken Tika Masala! The vegetable samosas are a MUST get!

Clay Pit is my Austin go-to for Indian food! I've dined in a few times and ordered carry out once. I had no trouble with my carry out order and the dish arrived exactly as expected. I normally take out-of-town guests here when I'm looking for something that is a nicer than causal, but not over the top fancy. The building is absolutely fantastic. It's a historic stone building downtown that has plenty of windows and natural light during the day, lots of seating (good for large and small parties), and even has a charming cellar for more intimate meals. I've only come on weekend nights and there has always been about a 30 minute wait to get seated. There's a large waiting area at the entrance with comfy-couches, hightop tables, and bar seating where you can get drinks and appetizers. The location, building, and set up really can't be beat! Parking for dinner isn't too bad, as they have a lot adjacent to the building that is open to customers after 6pm. But if you can't find a spot there, street parking can be difficult. Service is normally good, but the past two times I've been here I've had a hard time flagging down our waiter to get a drink refilled. I normally get the chicken korma and alternate between the onion and cilantro naan and three cheese naan. The chicken korma is to die for and I cannot recommend it enough! If you're waiting to be seated, the veggie samosas make a great appetizer. I've always had an excellent time at Clay Pit and am already looking forward to my next visit. read more

Clay Pit - onion and cilantro naan, chicken korma, and chicken coconut curry - Indian Near Me - Austin, Texas

After dining at Clay Pit for 25 years, I was devastated to learn that the owners broke it. Clay Pot had been my go-to for special occasion, lunch and to-go as long as they have been open. I went in this week, and and was surprised to see that they abbreviated their menu significantly. Many of my favorites are no more. The server took 10 minutes to come out and greet us, and brought a water and carried the glass with his hand wrapped around the top where your lips go. Makes you wonder what's going on in back, with a server not knowing the basics. I asked the host and server if they have tandoori chicken on the bone and was told no. After pushing through the menu, I decided to order. I came in with my two-year-old grandson, and always ordered my kids a small order of mild saag paneer, because I like it desi hot. But I was told they don't do that anymore either, and would need to order a $16-$18 entree for the baby, and that they have no children options, and that they are trying to steer away from being a family restaurant (it was 3:00 pm). I asked to speak to the manager, thinking he surely would accommodate my little grandson. The general manager came out and could not have been more rude about it. I would think after being a customer for almost 25 years, this would have been an easy yes. I am grieving the loss of the Clay Pit I have loved. So sad. read more

Delicious! Chicken vindaloo was great, I would order it in hot next time... the medium wasn't spicy. Butter chicken was good as well, can't go wrong with samosas and all of the naan! However, I think my favorite item was the cauliflower taco that the Waiter recommended! Everything was good! I recommended checking it out! read more

Always love the food here. Consistently good and flavorful food regardless of the spice level. Their Palak paneer and Kashmiri kofta korma are excellent. Tarka dal was simple but good. Their dal soup was surprisingly good too (kinda like sambhar). The wait times are long because it's a popular place but they always double check the order to make sure you got all the food when doing carry out. read more

Classic Austin Indian staple! The coconut tomato soup is to die for. All of the options here are super yummy. I would order a spice level up if you're into spicy things. read more

beware of vegetarian food!! we went to clay pit to celebrate our friends 50th, one of the vegetarian dishes we ordered had chicken in there. my vegetarian friend ate it and was very upset. waiter came and offered no apologies at all. in fact was rude and blamed on us. Pathetic !! Ruined the evening. be careful vegetarian folks!! read more

Delicious Tikka Masala and naan. The samosas were some of the best I've ever had. The service was ehhh... Not very attentive. Lunch took awhile to her through because our server wasn't visible often. The food is top knot and if you're looking for a great spot to entertain a large group this is an awesome place. I will say working with a lot of people from India that this is maybe not the best place in Austin but for the most common known Indian American restaurants this is a great comfort food place. I want to go back to try more of the veggie options. read more

On a recent two night stay in Austin, I had my favorite meal at the Clay Pit. Outstanding food bursting with myriad of favors. This place seems like a landmark in a large two story house with several rooms Curry mussels and plenty more. Kitchen operates very well and food was very fresh. Go early or be ready to wait...quite awhile. Worth it! read more

So, go here if you are super hungry or want to do a la carte Buffet : go expecting to like ~4 things on a ~12 things spread. The menu changes over the week but it's worth your money. Not crazy about the deserts at all. Now, the starter (samosa is freaking delicious, mix it with the tamarind and mint sauce) . For the main course definitely ask for naan and have it with the "chicken curry" (coconut chicken or butter chicken or whatever it is). If you see "Biryani" please don't judge Indian Biryani bases off what they serve here, this stuff is like sauté rice. Real Biryani has ~20 ingredients and is juicy rice and meat! The veg kofta is a joke but the korma is INSANELY yum. A la carte - go for the lamb Rojan ghosht curry, with garlic butter naan. For veggies order paneer anything! Drink - MANGO LASSSSI! Yeah! Enjoy read more

It's too pricey for the portions and the food was Luke Waem. The waiter was a bit rude and not what I would expect for my birthday celebration. This use to be one of my favorites, not anymore. read more

Great food. IMO, best Indian in ATX. Highly recommended! And, they are open during this challenging times which is much appreciated. Thanks! read more

The food is poor and i don't remember when I ate such sadness evoking effort from anyone

I have been eyeballing this location for a few weeks now! It was worth the wait. My husband and I decided on a quick lunch date. Indian Cuisine was a must! The tikka masala was to die for! In fact, he helped himself to most of my plate, but because I'm a lightweight. I get full too easily! Ugh! Anyway, my rating is based on the fact that we have only visited for lunch. Dinner is in the future! Perhaps after work dinner date or happy hour! The server was friendly and the wait was not long! Love, love, love!! read more

Clay Pit - Indian Near Me - Austin, Texas