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    DesiLicious

    4.6 (76 reviews)
    Open 11:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

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    Naan
    Nadia I.

    I really want to love this place but it could use some improvements. It is a new small business so I trust that they are adjusting and finding their way. Parking was normal street parking in the area. On a Sunday the meters were free so that was helpful. We found a spot right up front. I was there for brunch - we showed up at 11am which is posted as opening time but there was no staff there until about 11:15. They were really kind and welcoming when they arrived and let us know that we would order at the counter and then seat ourselves upstairs. Note that they do not have high chairs or boosters so with small children, the seating is a little challenging. The service, while nice, was slow and a bit disorganized. We were on a schedule and had hoped to leave the restaurant by 1230 or so, unfortunately at 1215 we still were waiting for our food. Ultimately we packaged our food to go and rushed out close to 1pm. The regular naan seemed prepackaged and not cooked in tandoor. The khameeri naan was great (it is a sourdough/fermented dough). My nephew ordered tandoori chicken and he was surprised that it did not have the traditional appearance - he said it tasted ok. The halwa puri was good but oddly the plate came out (I photographed it) and the halwa came a bit later ... The Nihari was ok, it was missing limes and something else that I can't put my finger on. I likely would skip the Nihari if I came back. Other folks at my table had biriyani, lamb Karahi and mango lassis which they seemed to enjoy. Overall, I would come back to try this place a second time after they've been around a little bit longer. There is a lot of potential.

    Great naan bread
    Phil Z.

    Stayed at the AC Hotel across the street last so decided to stop in at night for dinner. Food was excellent and service was great. I'd definitely be back next time I'm in Oakland.

    Upstairs seating
    Victor G.

    DesiLicious opened where Delegates closed during the pandemic. Seating familiar. 2 tables downstairs. 5ish tables upstairs. Minimal decor. Only a floral mural downstairs. Street parking only. Difficult on weekdays. Weekends easier. City parking lots: $6/hour. Order at counter. Pay. Food/drink brought to table 20ish minutes later. Cooked to order. Open kitchen. Offerings (Pakistani): burgers, vegetarian, brunch, chatkharey (sweet & savory snacks), biryani, BBQ specials, breads, mains, Karachi's.. Sips: chai(4) -boiled to order, milk ish top, bold black tea taste thruout. Bites: lamb Karahi (18) doesn't come with naan. -best eaten with naan or other breads. Passed on added cost. Not a bread eater. (Carbs) -Food slow cooked in wok in tomato sauce, special herbs & spices. Served in same. -semi tender lamb pieces, bone attached. With savory tomato sauce resembling curry, ginger shreds & oiliness also present. Yummy! 4.5 stars semi worthy: pricey. Quality: very good. Quantity: ok *menu at counter is a new version. **owner's comments about healthy ingredients from local farms so cool! Should highlight this on website and literature inside eatery...

    Rogash naan
    Yen D.

    Pani puri was missing chutney but had the potato mixture and the tamarind dipping sauce. Chicken tikka masala was good. Garlic naan was standard and good. Rogash naan tasted like a butter naan with sesame seeds. Service was good. It was my friend's birthday and no birthday freebie was given. Restaurant was cozy with a few tables upstairs.

    Crispy Pan Fried Fish

    Great food! Amazing service. Was surprisingly fast too! Had the fish and lamb balti.

    Day 1: Chiken Tikka Massala, Chiken Tandoori, Basmati rice, Garlic Nun, House salad.
    Kaz Y.

    A true hidden gem; a culinary experience tucked away in a little hole-in-the-wall, literally! Whatever you order, expect to wait about 15-20 minutes, and it's absolutely worth it. Everything is cooked fresh to order with a wonderful blend of herbs and spices that make each dish shine. The flavors are incredible, and the hospitality is even better. It feels like grandma's or mom's home cooking, prepared right there and then by the family themselves. I stumbled upon Desilicious, a Pakistani restaurant across from the Federal Building in Downtown Oakland, while searching for Indian food around 2 PM (most places I knew were closed). I ordered my favorite "Indian" dish, and it was so delicious that I went back the very next day to try some of their Pakistani specialties. And let me tell you, I'm so glad I discovered this place!

    Lamb Karahi, 80% bones
    Neelab S.

    When I entered here, I was so impressed and happy to see a female ran business. We placed our food order. Seems they are fairly new and the register was confused about the menu. I got my appetizer fairly quick, however, we waited 45 minutes for our main course. We literally had to go and ask them where our food was! Kitchen was too loud and noisy! Seems their house is adjacent to the business! Little kids were running in and out of the dinning area. After 45 minutes, when our food was served, there was barely any meat in lamb Karahi! The dum biryani was anything but dum biryani barely any chicken. Some dude came and shut the door to the house hallway apologizing about kids! I have never written this long of a review but was really disappointed. We came here because of all the good reviews. They need to be more professional, work on their customer service and serve faster or else they will lose business! I don't think I will ever come here again!

    Carlie C.

    Was very excited to stumble across this place in downtown! It is a family owned restaurant and the family was very kind and welcoming. There's minimal seating downstairs but they have a cute lil area upstairs with seating. I've never eaten at a Pakistani restaurant so they answered all my questions and explained the differences in dishes. I ordered a salad, the chicken karahi, roghni naan, and a mango lassi. I like my food spicy so they also brought me a lil side of peppers and onions. Everything tasted really fresh and flavorful, the chicken was succulent, the naan was warm and crispy and I really liked the sesame seeds. The mango lassi was light and delicious. Will definitely be back next time I'm in the area!

    Lisa W.

    I ordered a rice and lentils for just $5.50 a week or two ago through the "Too Good To Go" app, which is a tool to try to help combat food waste and introduce people to new businesses. They had the food ready to go (no pun intended) when I arrived within the 4-9pm pickup window. I probably wouldnt have ventured that way anytime soon without the app. It looked warm and inviting inside but I did not stay or try anything else yet. I am a big fan of Middle Eastern food though and am glad this place exists - authentic Pakistani food. Some of the drinks (non-alcoholic of course) on the menu looked really good. Would go back to try some, like the mint/lemonade.

    chana masala and rice

    This was a place with some fantastic food and service. I especially recommend the chana masala and chicken tikka masala!

    Biryani. Chicken really moist. Everything was really moist.

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    2 months ago

    Food and service was great. Wish they were open till later Since it is a drive for us to get too.

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    1 year ago

    Lamb was insanely good. People friendly. Bathroom even has a bidet (what?) Will come here next time when in Oakland.

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    Page 1 of 2

    DesiLicious Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - DesiLicious

    My friend prefers no spice, can this be accommodated?

    Yes we can totally skip all additional spices in many dishes however our meat is seasoned very mildly with salt and little pepper could be black pepper or crushed red pepper .… Read more

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Overall, would not recommend this place. I encountered very racist and bigoted treatment here…read more I placed an online order last night and went by for the pick up. When I approached the front counter, the lady present was very standoffish with me. I informed her of why I was there and she asked my name for the order. Upon giving her my name she then glared at me and literally asked me to recite my entire order lol! I showed her my online receipt in which she then insisted I still tell her my order. She brushed away my receipt and let another customer cut in front of me. Interestingly, the customer told her his name and she retrieved his order with no issue and was very friendly with him. To note, I was the only Black person present at that time. When I inquired as to why that customer wasn't asked to recite his entire order, she grinned and said that he's a "regular" and that I was "new." She went on to let a few other customers cut in front of me. I then asked for my money back in which she refused to return. Even when I asked for the manager, she said he was very busy. I made several requests for this resulting in her saying no and refusing to return my money. I then noted to her I'm calling the authorities in which I did. Furthermore, while servicing some of the other patrons, she would speak in another language with them while they looked at me and start laughing and staring me down. Eventually, the manager came out. He presented himself professionally and upon explaining what occurred he apologized and said it was unacceptable. He even offered me a drink with my meal and asked that I please accept the order instead and wanted to make things right. I took him at face value and said fine. While the situation was remedied, I definitely will not be returning to this restaurant. I researched some of the other reviews and came across several where other Black patrons have had similar racially motivated experiences here. That tells me there's a common practice of racism here. I refuse to support a business where this kind of behavior is tolerated. I have zero tolerance for bigots of any kind. Overall, the experience was a waste of my time and very dehumanizing. To hate someone you don't even know simply because of their skin pigmentation and ethnicity is irrational at best and bad for business especially in a place like Oakland where it's multicultural. My advice would be to not support this establishment. I especially advise any Black patrons not to come here as they clearly have issue with anyone who is simply Black, despite not knowing them as a person. Don't give your money, nor your valuable time, to hateful individuals who dehumanize others. All in all, this place gets a thumbs down.

    Kamdesh Afghan Cuisine - #14 sabzi challow ($18.75)

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    Kamdesh in Oakland does what it does very well, but it is important to know what you are walking…read moreinto. This is a meat-forward menu in a serious way, and if you are vegetarian, this is probably not the place where you will feel especially catered to. For everyone else, the food is consistently excellent. The flavors are deep, well-spiced, and clearly cooked with care. Nothing feels rushed or careless. Everything we tried was good, but the lamb shank is on another level. Fall-apart tender, richly seasoned, and deeply satisfying in that slow-cooked way that makes you stop talking mid-bite. This is what the chef's kiss gesture exists for. Kamdesh is confident in its lane and does not try to be everything to everyone. If you love meat and bold, comforting flavors, you will be very happy here. If you do not, you should plan accordingly. Five stars for execution, especially that lamb shank.

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    Dreamt of this place since 5 years ago when we last visited and so happy to say that it didn't…read moredisappoint! We loved the lamb biryani and lamb chops just as we remembered. Tried the balti chicken this time and it was just ok. It could improve on service..while waiting for our food we wanted to order more and had asked the guy working there (packing all the food) if it would be a long wait to add 1 more thing and he just said they're too busy and can't....mind you there was an hour still before closing almost so this was a little disappointing. However, their food is always delicious and packed with meat! The lamb biryani is easily shareable between 3-4 hungry adults. Can't wait to return back!

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    After a failed attempt at Deli Board for lunch (line was at least an hour) we started walking in…read moresearch of food. We saw this Pakistani food and just decided to try it. We didn't look at reviews or anything so we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. We just needed lunch fast for our toddler. We ordered at the front. They have Pakistani or middle eastern food. I ordered from their lunch menu. My husband got their lamb wrap, and I got their lunch special plate. The plate came with lamb korma, rice, and garbanzo bean (chana dal), naan, and a regular soda/drink. OMG it was delicious! I haven't had good Pakistani food in a long time. The lamb korma had so much flavor, a little spice kick (loved it), and the chana dal was surprisingly good too. I hate any kind of beans but this was so good. My picky toddler even ate the lamb and rice! It was that good. My husband lamb wrap was a treat too. They had this sort of sweat relish, it went so well with the lamb. The lady who was at the front was SUPER nice, super accommodating. We had a crazy toddler. She brought over water and eventually came over and dropped our food off. We sat in the back patio. The guy who took our order came around and checked up on us too. Super friendly people! Definitely on our list when we do our annual SF visit now.

    DesiLicious - halal - Updated May 2026

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