Crazy stressed staff, poor management of pick up orders, and no coordination between front and back of house. I get the sense that ownership isn't willing to pay employees a decent wage, and as a result, are seriously understaffed. Love the food, but going to stop going here b/c it is so poorly managed - - - and Bali, at the front, didn't seem to see any problems with the way service is being delivered the past 3 times i've gone there for pickup. read more

Amazing people serving a great menu with options for all. Our party of 7 had a wide variety of dishes to share and we all found new favorites. We will be back! read more

I've been here a couple of times as it's walking distance from my office. The lunch buffet is a good price, but is so small it's still not worth the $10. I've ordered off menu both times. The first time I ordered a few things that were more a fusion type dish (jalepeno and cheese naan, etc) and wasn't impressed so I thought the next time I would try standard dishes. We went for a friends birthday at lunch time on a Wednesday. There were 7 of us...it took about 10 minutes to get a table, not uncommon during a lunch rush. When we were seated the waitress came and took appetizer and drink orders. She came back with the water everyone had ordered and took our lunch orders, with 7 people never writing anything down, I knew there was no way it was going to come out correct. About 20 minutes later the food arrived along with the appetizers that should have been out sooner. Surprisingly she got everyone's order right except mine, and missed one order of garlic naan for someone else. I have ordered Paneer Tikka Masala, she brought me chicken tikka masala. I don't eat meat, otherwise I would have just kept it. She took it back while everyone started eating....when everyone was pretty close to done, a different waiter brought a dish to our table, it was jeera saag with paneer, and handed it to me....not at all what I ordered, but I took it and asked for a to go box since everyone was already done. Another 15 minutes goes by and our original waitress comes back to ask if we are ready for the check. I ask again for the to go box. When she comes back 10 minutes later with our checks and to go boxes, I tell her that I never got what I actually ordered, but took what was brought to me...while telling her, my correct order got delivered so she said I could take it too and not pay for 2 dishes...I took both dishes and even if everything had been perfect, the food itself was just "meh" no spice at all even though I asked for medium, fairly bland, nothing outstanding at all. So mediocre food, a lunch "hour" that took almost 2 hours, and 3 tries to get a simple order right is enough to keep me from going back. read more

Didn't think I liked Indian food but boy was I wrong. Very impressed with food, service and ambiance at Clay Pit, one of Austin's oldest restaurants. Butter chicken, Korma, the Naan breads very very tasty. Looking forward to going back and trying new dishes. Great atmosphere in a really cool setting that brings back memories of old Austin classic dining experiences. read more

Downloaded the app just to leave a review the food was fantaaastttic . Had a lot of dishes yet felt so light Nd contended . Will drive back another weekend to try other items . Great service and excellent ambience. Worth the money and time read more

Because of the customer service I thought it important to write something. Saturday night dinner after a long conference we'd held and we were exhausted and wanted a nice dinner w colleagues from out of state--first time they'd ever been to Austin. Someone found this place and said with all the reviews it was 4-stars. Called ahead won't take reservations but no wait if we arrive promptly--we arrived less than 10-minutes, had to sit in bar. Couldn't get server to even look at us for much needed cocktail refills or more appetizers without being vigilant. Took over an hour for our table and had to press server for a table. Went to pay and looked like friend used wrong card so had to haggle w bartender to find the other card, appeared we gave two cards. Who keeps credit cards anymore? Seated in restaurant manger cane by and asked how things were we told him about credit card issue. Later he came by and asked the colleague who'd paid his first and last name then he asked if he might have a card w a slightly different first name and voila, the first bar tab was paid w someone else's card which we were given in error. The other guest came by and they could see transactions in their bank app. Cards exchanged w manger and bills rerun--NO DISCOUNTS WERE GIVEN TO US. Waitress came by to review issues and we alluded to her that maybe dinner would be comped or discounted, another waiter delivered a dessert menu and hinted maybe it was complimentary then waitress said they'd give us two free desserts--we were THREE people. Bottom line is this was an honest mistake but it was handled poorly by everyone that worked there. Everything was their mistake and caused us a lot of drama. When I was a college kid as a manger of an Austin restaurant I routinely comped expensive meals if the house made errors, it's the BEST advertising $$. Great service can makeup for mistakes and even paint a fantasy in any business but certainly in a restaurant. This time they FAILED on customer service all the way around especially the manger. read more

We had an early dinner for four and had a great time! Everything we tried was very good and service was outstanding. Lots of items to share and reasonably priced as well. Also, very cool historic building. read more

In need of some Indian food and my wife at a conference (she's not a great fan of this cuisine) I took the opportunity to indulge myself and after a search on YELP I found this restaurant. Yes it gets 5 stars - the food was excellent - I order the Lamb Biryani, a plain Naan and the eggplant side dish. They can add spice to the dishes but I went with the mild versions. As I have got older I find that too much heat masks the other spices. I made a great decision as the food was very tasty and the rice with the Biryani was especially tasty. They have an Indian beer that I have not had before but it was excellent and very refreshing. The other factor about the food was that I had enough for 3 people, so the portion size is generous. The decor was good and whilst the staff in the main were young the service was excellent - well done everyone including the chef. The next time that I will be in Austin and wife is otherwise occupied I will be back. read more

Excellent choice. Wonderful staff and management. Delicious authentic food. One of my favorites!

I've been a huge fan of Clay Pit since 2007. Lately, my last few visits have been less than stellar. What changed? I get it's probably been difficult with restaurants amid covid but today I had a downright awful experience. The place wasn't crowded in the least. We told the waiter we needed to go within the next hour and to bring food out as it was ready. Our food took 55 minutes for lunch with no crowd! One item was wrong and two items were completely omitted. When we asked the waiter for the other items we ordered, the waiter said we didn't order them. Only we did, and he read it back to us correctly when he initially placed the orders. Then I went to the manager and told him of my experience. It truly was disappointing because it was my birthday. He took the food off and we paid for the appetizer we received in the first 15 min. He gave me a free piece of cake. Only it wasn't what I wanted! I wanted the korma I ordered and didn't get! When talking to the manager, the waiter argued with me again about if we had ordered the missing food or not. I felt like I was mansplained to and gaslit. On the way out, I overheard another couple ask where there food was because it took so long. It was at lunchtime, after all, and people have places to be. I would be more understanding if they were bustling but don't understand the lack of attention to detail. So sad. Won't be back. read more

Went here on Sunday for lunch and didn't know that they were having it buffet style It was my first time here and this place did not disappoint The food was great and the service was awesome Our server was wonder and really sweet The food was well cooked and the place was really nice and cozy feeling Will be returning here for more good food read more

My husband and I have been going to Clay pit every year on the same date to celebrate our anniversary. We didn't make a huge deal about it to the wait staff, only mentioning it in passing. Nice surprise for the manager to come to our table with free champagne and announcing dessert was on the house. Such a nice touch! As for our food - always very good. Just a great, consistent, unpretentious restaurant. read more

I went here because my Indian friends were raving about this place. We started with the chicken pakora, which was amazing with the sauce they provided. The samosa were pretty average -- the peas didn't have too much flavor. I got the garlic naan and chicken tikka masala. The naan was very doughy and well made; however, the chicken tikka masala was served cooler than I would have liked. The taste was good, however. The service was amazing, and everything was served very quickly. I haven't been to a better Indian place in Austin, so I will definitely be coming back. read more

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This is an architecturally unique, beautiful restaurant. Their food is delicious, the service is excellent, and you can't beat the environment. The price is affordable but let's face it, you're there for their delicious curry. I'm ready to go back! They have a lunch buffet option and it is just as good. Parking isn't great but you are downtown. read more

I heard this place was haunted, pretty spooky. What's not spooky is the food and service it was great! We enjoyed everything we ordered. The Batata Chan and Buttered Chicken were really good. read more

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

Had a very pleasant experience tonight, and on a Friday night too! I expected to wait a long time, but didn't. Donna is lovely and the perfect server, she read our minds and really took care of us the whole night. Food was spectacular, we were never out of water, and the bearded man (manager?) was delightful as well. read more

Clay Pit - Mango rose water ice cream + rasmalai were divine - Indian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Went for the buffet. It's nothing like the Indian buffets at home. Only about 3-4 items and they were fairly bland. Carrot ginger soup tasted exactly like it sounds - hot mushed carrots with ginger. The naan had a similar taste to the pancakes I make at home with my Aldi brand pancake mix. Service was incredible though and the restaurant itself was cute. read more

Ehh- poor quality for an indian taste. The roti was totally under cooked and chewy chewy doughy doughy.

Food is good. Bartender is super weird. She was ignoring me and doing her makeup....I was the only one at the bar. Acted like it was a huge inconvenience to take my order. read more

The rice, the butter chicken not to mention samosas! Delectable! I compare every Indian Restaurant to this and they never measure up!

The atmosphere is fantastic and the staff has always been so kind and helpful. If you've never eaten Indian food (everyone has a first time), they are very happy to explain items on the menu. The food is fantastic. Wonderful selection and variety. The bar is charming and serves really good drinks. read more

This place seems to have lost its chef, to say food was bad is an understatement. They clearly must be relying on prior reputation, I came here about 3 years ago and was pretty good. I eat a lot of Indian food and that was not Indian, the rice was dry like it was left out, the poppadoms looked like they had been bought from the local supermarket. One curry tasted bland, the other was over seasoned with paprika or something, clearly the person cooking didn't have a clue. Such a shame. On plus side service was attentive and fast. It's a lovely building you need to find a new chef. read more

It's been a while since we dined in at the Clay Pit. The food did not disappoint! And the service was top notch! Our server was attentive and knowledgeable. read more

Love this place! Best soup in town, and great food. Highly recommend!

I haven't been able to try this place out until recently. It's been on my list of places for a while but I guess since the past time I've tried coming, there haven't been seats available... I guess that's a good sign though that it seems to be busy and doing well! This is more of an upscale Indian food place but still has the classics that people tend to fall back on like tikka masala and vindaloo. They had a lot more vegetarian and vegan choices though! Since I wasn't feeling too adventurous I tried the chicken tikka masala. It was really flavorful and surprisingly the "medium" spice level seemed pretty mild. It came with unlimited jasmine rice and my friend got the tandoori vegetables. I liked the taste of the food but.. it took 45 minutes for the food to come out and even though the place was a little busy, it just seemed like a little longer then normal. Maybe it was the tandoori vegetables needing to be cooked but my food came out not even lukewarm... Maybe I'll have to try it again when it's not as crowded. read more

Clay Pit - Chicken tikka masala - Indian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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My family loves Indian food and this is a great spot! They do a wonderful job of creating traditional Indian dishes with a flair! The food has a bit of a fusion quality to it. My favorite things are the Mango Lasi's, Simosa's, and Chicken Vindaloo!!!!!!! read more

Great service, great food! I had the khuroos-e-tursh and it was excellent! Very well seasoned, creamy, and savory. I would order an entire jar of the sauce if I could. I also put in a takeout order that took a while to prepare, but the staff was very communicative and offered a free dessert for the extra time (on that note, the gulab jamun is also FIRE). I really appreciate the care that was taken, it was a great end to a long day of travel. read more

Great, authentic Indian food. The week day buffet was an excellent value. First time visiting I was happy to see adequate parking, easy access and was greeted by a nice hostess upon entry. Decided on the buffet to-go since needed to get back to work. Paid $10.60 for a nice sized box with sauce containers. No weighing here, allowed to get what you please. Settled on Tandoori Chicken, Vandloo hockey, curried veggies and Saang (with a side of Tan sauce). Also came with a few slices of naan. Flavorful, generous portions and excellent value. Definitely will be back! read more

Clay Pit has surprised us both the times we went there - once for dinner and once for lunch buffet. The lunch buffet is a little pricier on Sunday ($15) compared to other days ($12?), but the options are similar. Their food is more catered to the American palette but still good enough by Indian standards - very flavorful, just not very spicy. The lamb biryani was well made and the desserts were good. The veggie options were bleh. For dinner we got some cocktails inspired by Indian flavors, very decently priced at $6-$8 per. The ambience is very welcoming and they have very attentive wait staff. Overall I would recommend Clay Pit. I heard their happy hour is very famous and will be back to try it. read more

Went for dinner with a friend after years of wanting to try this place. The service was top notch, and the food was divine! I'll be back soon. read more

This was my first Indian restaurant in Austin so far and I have to say I was impressed! My friends and I started with a happy hour drink at the bar before we got seated. The restaurant was very spacious and me and my 2 girlfriends got to experience eating in the basement, which was pretty gnarly! We shared the delicious calamari and we all enjoyed our main courses with a side of garlic naan! Highly recommend, definitely coming back! read more

It used to be great. The food is still good, but seems like the management has gone way down. We've gone in and the place will be mostly empty but we'll be told it's a 40 min wait. Austin has a too many choices to be treated like that. read more

Clay Pit - They told it was a 40 min wait when the restaurant was this empty. - Indian Near Me - Austin, Texas

One of the best curry houses I have been to in America, I am only dropping 1 star because of the service. My wife found a great deal on Travelzoo for 1 app, 2 entrees, a naan and dessert for $30 and we had wanted to check this place out for a while. We went early on a Saturday as we had football to watch that evening, but it was already busy (around 5) and packed when we left an hour or so later so I would make a reservation next time! We split some veggie samosas to start which was good, but what followed was even better. The Aloo Naan was really delicious, the first time I have tried this type (naan with potatoes). Both of the curries were excellent, in particular the Chicken Tikka Masala. We were so full after that and so over our server that we skipped the free dessert! While all the other servers looked attentive and good at their jobs, ours, sadly, was neither of those things. She never came to check on us and another server actually bought our entree out as the kitchen had obviously said it needed to go as it had probably been sat waiting for her to bring it out for a while. She forgot our second round of drinks and also forgot that we were waiting for the check. Its a sign of a good restaurant when both me and my wife are happy to go back despite this service! read more

Would normally give this place 5 stars but ny experience last night wasn't my favorite. We had made reservations at 5 when they open up for dinner. I waited with my boyfriend while they set a table up and sat a large party that walked in before us that didn't have a reservation.. When we went to the host stand And one of the hosts asked if we had a reservation with such a (I hate to say it) bi*chy attitude. I brushed it off when we got seated because i love this place so much. Our waitress was anything but pleasant and seemed like she did not want to be there. We were probably her first table if the night, there was no need for her to be in a bad mood at the beginning of her shift. Ordering felt less than pleasant and when my food arrived it looked great, but mine was cold. I politely asked her to heat it up since the naan was warmer than my food thats supposedly fresh. She brings my food back and it was the same temperature as I had received it, cold. I would understand these small things if the restaurant was busy and the staff was stressed, but there were only 3-4 other tables and it was only open for 20 minutes. My boyfriend even told the waitress she was doing a great job because you never know if she was going through a bad day or not and she just said "thanks" and walked away. We got out of there as fast as we could, first time I left unhappy from my favorite restaurant read more

Clay Pit - Tikka and Khuroos - E - Tursh! - Indian Near Me - Austin, Texas

First off the price point for the buffet is incredible. We each paid about $10 a person for four different types of entrées including basmati rice, chicken tandoori, aloo bhaji, & vegetable korma. There were also a ton of salads and mango kheer for desert. That being said, I'm a brown person and I found the food to be whatever (but I'm also very picky). Minus one star cause we found plastic wrap in our food which makes me wonder if the food was from yesterday. Also been sitting on the toilet for a while post curry (and I grew up eating this type of food smh) Instagram: @cali.betch read more

Amazing food!! Cute inside with friendly service. Definitely worth the trip. Recommend the butter chicken and mixed grill was great for trying multiple kinds of meat. read more

Clay Pit - Mixed grill (bottom), Desi cucumber salad, garlic naan, butter chicken with rice (top) - Indian Near Me - Austin, Texas

If you're looking for amazing affordable Indian cuisine I suggest trying it out. Great attention and really good service: read more

I like going to Clay Pit. Their food is delicious and its great for a fancy night out with a date or group.

Went here with some family and the waitstaff just seemed lazy, like they didn't want to be there. The building is super historic and awesome, so that is a cool thing to see. It's supposedly haunted and one of the oldest buildings in Austin. When the food FINALLY came out it was luke warm and nearly cold. Seemed like we were eating food that was scrapped off of the plates of others and just didn't seem fresh. Wouldn't recommend the food, but would recommend going in and checking out the inside of the building. There are much better/more authentic Indian restaurants in town. Bombay Bistro, about 15-20minutes north of Downtown read more

First time in Austin and heard great things about the restaurant from my girlfriend. It was a Saturday so it was busy as expected. Waited a little over an hour to be seated. Waiter, Eddie, was fast and prompt taking out drink and appetizer orders. Received out appetizer fairly quickly as well as our drinks. But this was about the best part of our dining experience. After placing our orders for entrees we waited around 40-45 to even get our food! Eddie, our waiter, didn't once come to apologize for the poor service and long wait time. People who arrived 20 minutes after us were already eating! As expected, Eddie didn't even bother bringing out our food. Instead he has another waiter bring it to us. Overall, the food was decent but the dining experience was awful. I wouldn't bother coming back again. Wish there was a lower rating than 1 star. read more