Their naan channay are delicious, we have been going there for breakfast almost every 2 weeks. Tried their Aalo Parathay as well today and they are also super delicious and must be tried. Everyone is super nice, specially Aunty Noreen (the cook) read more

DesiLicious - Channa Masala, Tandoori Naan, Aloo Paratha - Halal Near Me - Oakland, California

Went here on a first date and he bailed shortly after a few bites into his meal. (People have serious miscommunication issues) Thankfully you pay before ordering here, otherwise I would have been stuck with the bill. Food was good though. I had garlic naan and either Vindaloo or Korma. Chai was also delicious. Hence the name read more

I want to preface this review by saying everyone should look closely at the type of accounts posting reviews at this establishment. It seems as there is competition going on and some people are buying fake reviews for this business to run their name in the dirt. Done accounts aren't even based in this country and are leaving reviews. I have been coming here at least once a month for a year now and my opinion of Desilicous still remains the same. Decadent food and drinks from Pakistani cuisine that can be enjoyed by Muslims and non Muslims alike as they use high quality Zabiha Halal meat in all of their food. Their chicken tikka masala is to die for! Along with their seasonal beverages like the mint mocktail never go out of style. read more

DesiLicious - A must order mint mocktail, quite literally bursting with flavor. - Halal Near Me - Oakland, California

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. read more

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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. read more

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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... read more

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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. read more

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

DesiLicious - Crispy Pan Fried Fish - Halal Near Me - Oakland, California

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Wonderful family-owned restaurant. The son operates the cashier side (when he's not studying over at cal) and mom, who is an accomplished doctor over at sutter, had the idea brewing for 10 years and decided to put it into practice. The result is some authentic sabzis, excellent chaat and homely chai. We had the papdi chaat and it was better than vik's chaat, which is already a high bar for us. Auntie proudly told us how they make the crunchy papdi in-house as opposed to using stale imports from the subcontinent. It wasn't over seasoned with the spice or the tamarind. Chai was dum style - simmered lightly, leaning more milky than bitter, done so consciously. Bhindi (okra) was a light sabzi made with onions (reminded me of my own mom's cooking) and the paneer was delicious, but definitely rich and made with a generous helping of ghee, not that i'm complaining. Naan's were crunchy and sprinkled with sesame seeds. We're excited to go back and try their other offerings, the biryani, poori chana, the mithai. read more

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! read more

DesiLicious - Day 1: Chiken Tikka Massala, Chiken Tandoori, Basmati rice, Garlic Nun, House salad. - Halal Near Me - Oakland, California

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Amazing authentic Pakistani food Made in ghee just like in Pakistan, no cheap seed oils Tge lamb chops are particularly good, lots of tasty masala not tongue numbing hot, you can taste the fresh ingredients Parking is a bit of a wild watusi but the struggle whets the appetite Service is very good I highly recommend this place read more

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! read more

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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! read more

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The people are so nice. I just don't care for the food at all. Not spicy. Not great. It's quite a bit different from the Indian food I would normally eat. The spinach was really good. Everything else I tried I don't think I would do again. read more

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. read more

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We found this place on a whim after finishing an escape room nearby. The staff were welcoming and helpful. The food was fresh, flavorful, and delicious. Go check them out!! read more

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

DesiLicious - chana masala and rice - Halal Near Me - Oakland, California

A welcoming place where everyone makes you feel at home! Delicious food with a perfect balance of spices, fresh made, generous serving size and perfect quantity of meat. We ordered palak gosht (A traditional Pakistani dish with spinach and goat meat), goat karahi, daal (lentils) and naan. Everything was so good. It is really hard to choose which one was the best! My personal favorite was karahi. Looking forward to going there again and try rest at the menu. Highly recommend, please do try. read more

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

My wife and I just stumbled into this restaurant and were very lucky to have done so. Absolutely delicious food and very courteous service. Highly recommended. read more

Desilicious is a really good whole in the wall family restaurant. Their dishes are made to order, little prep so the food takes a bit longer than other places. However, you are in for a treat. The paneer is fresh and not that weird squeak one you sometimes get. The tikka masala is rich and creamy. Everything you might want. The goat was falling off the bone. The tandoori fish was also pretty good and came with a salad which helped drown out the heavy of the rest of the meal. Small fixes: naan needs more garlic and I thought the food could have been a tad hotter. It was a touch above warm. read more

Workers seemed a but flustered so the service was a bit chaotic, but it seemed like we got unlimited mango lassi from it, so that was greatly appreciated. The mango lassi and the Roghni naan might just be the best things on the menu though. The Roghni naan was so fluffy and buttery. It was perfectly delicious on its own. But I'm going to stick to my belief that ordering potato samosas is a good litmus test for the rest of the meal because when I saw that the samosas came burnt and flavorless, I knew to lower my expectations. Ordered the biryani and chicken tikka masala and the mint mocktail as well. Biryani was ok, the raita it came with wasn't very good, but the chicken was moist. And the chicken tikka masala wasn't the best, plenty of burnt chicken and the curry looked slightly broken. The mocktail needed ice, but it was a nice mint and sparkly flavor boost to accompany the meal. It was probably the best makeshift chutney, because I found their chutneys to be pretty bland as well. I would come back for mango lassi and Roghni naan, but that's about it. read more

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Desilicious on 14th blew my mind yesterday. Found them randomly looking for somewhere to eat downtown and then had the best curry I've ever had, at least in the Bay Area. Ordered the lamb karahi and potato samosa. I'm going back with a crew so I can order down the whole menu. The host was super friendly and helped us figure out a good order. The lamb was so moist, cooked perfectly, flavored with a lot of complexity. Garlic naan was puffy and well seasoned, not greasy and overbaked like many places. Perfect for mopping up every drop of the curry. Samosa filling was super fresh and tasty. It was clearly the whole family holding down the fort, and they took a lot of pride in their food. The second server was enthusiastically explaining how their ghee is the best in the world. You could tell. CHECK THEM OUT!! I want to enjoy their food for a long time!! You will thank me. read more

I've been here twice so far. Loved the Nihari. I've had a lot of good Nihari - this was really good. Fresh made - just mouthwateringly delicious. The dum biriyani was a hit with the family and with friends. The Shami kebab (not a lot of places have it) was really delicious also. 100% Desilicious food! Service is great - Naureen is a great cook! read more

They have the BEST Pakistani food specially the rogni naan. We asked them to make lahori chanay they don't have them in the menu but they still made them. The yummiest and most authentic I have had in the bay area. Must try this plac read more

DesiLicious - Halal Near Me - Oakland, California

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food is excellent. authentic and fresh. service is great. ambience is typical. I would strongly suggest everyone to try it at least once and you will be coming again, guaranteed. read more

The best desi food I tasted in the bay. U guys have to try it out. 10/10 food. Qualities is unexplainable read more

This was the worst Pakistani food I've ever had. I ordered goat karahi, and it made me sick; I was throwing up for two days. It was undercooked and smelled raw, and I also ordered chicken tikka, which I also couldn't eat because it smelled terrible and was incredibly dry. I'm not sure how anyone could rate this place 4.5 stars. They claim the dishes are fresh because they prepare them from scratch, but I can't understand how you can make goat karahi in such a short amount of time. read more

Delicious home style dinner at a place whose name describes itself perfectly - Desilicious A must try! read more

DesiLicious - Dinner plate - Halal Near Me - Oakland, California

So delicious! We had the halwa, desk mint mocktail, dum biryani, nihari, and the lamb karahi was sooo good! Come here! You won't be disappointed! read more

DesiLicious - Must try Everything we had was amazing. Lamb Karahi, Nihari, Dum Biryani, Halwa, and Desi Mint Mocktail. Sooooo good. Come here! - Halal Near Me - Oakland, California

The waiter was incredibly nice and helpful. As a Pakistani I have high standards for the food, and I'll say that the chicken tikka masala was incredible. Mango lassi and this mint drink were also great. My friends (all Mexican) were also crazy for them. They really enjoyed the barbecue chicken tikka, the paratha, the naan. My friends repeatedly said that they found the food phenomenal. The nihari was not good, and my friends thought it was ok. The chicken samosas were ok. There was a lot I wanted to try, but I was unable to because they were out of a lot of ingredients because they were incredibly busy that day. That being said, it's very hard to beat my mom's cooking, but this is a very close second. I'm also so biased because they were so kind. Nothing was spicy so I think you have to request it. Sadly, I don't even live in this area, otherwise I would come back much more often, especially when I can't get to my mom's house. Try it out! read more

I love this place. When I went in, three aunties were busy preparing food together. All the food I have tried so far, I have loved: dum chicken biryani, chicken malayi tikka, chicken karhai, goat balti, paneer tikka masala, chicken tikka masala, naan, mango lassi. I believe they use asli ghee. Bilkul maa jaisa khana for sure! read more

Fantastic good prepared by a very nice family that cares about quality! It's a comfortable place, but not fancy. Order at the counter and they serve you at the table. I've had: Chicken Kouhri Goat Kouhri Chicken Somosas Birriani All great! read more

I came for lunch. Their meat is halal fresh, delicious! They work hard just 2 guys and the lady who cooks with love, like a quick service restaurant vibe. Naan is fresh and yummy! Service was good, nothing to praise or complain about. Good place for a quick bite to eat and portions are good size for the price! The guys in the front amazing we come from África and this it's the best place ! read more

"Desilicious" I heard about this new place in Oakland and decided to try it out with my family. Let's talk about the food first. We got: * Pani Puri - Filing and water were perfectly spiced. * Goat Karahi- Made from scratch. They have their own special masalas and the best part is their Karahi is made with pure desi ghee. * Lamb Chops- Very tender and spices were just perfect. * Chicken Tikka Masala- I am not a huge fan of tikka masala as I am a pure desi style food lover, but my kids didn't leave a drop of tikka masala sauce. * Chicken Biryani- it was very aromatic, with delicious, soft & tender succulent chicken. * Chicken Malai Boti- Melted in mouth as I ate it. Overall, taste of everything is 10 out of 10. Owner of this place has a degree in food & nutrition & clearly she doesn't comprise on food quality. Service is very professional. Definitely going back again & highly recommended to everyone. read more

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The guy who served us was so kind, sweet, and customized our orders for us. We had a delicious chicken karahi and fried fish lahori served with a bed of rice and a super fresh garlic naan. Straight up A++++ Pakistani food! read more

Hungry at 8pm on a Monday night in Oakland. There was a cold in the air that was tempting me for comfort food. And on that fateful night, the only thing in the world, more comforting than the food was the chai @ the end. Fresh, Wonderful, flavor packed, quality, checks all the boxes,food . Upon entering, we were greeted with the warmth you'd expect from an old Freind. The staff helped us navigate the menu to tailor the meal to what we were craving. We ended up trying a lamb dish with chicken Briyani chicken tika masala. The food came quick and was the best desi food I had all 2024 without a doubt. Big thanks to the kitchen and staff at DesilLicious the food was cooked with love and we will be back soon read more

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

This place is one of my favorites. Generous food portions of freshly cooked dishes. The paneer was excellent. Chai tea was really good. Service is friendly. Ask for extra spicy as the regular is mildly spicy. read more

DesiLicious - Empty bowls all around - Halal Near Me - Oakland, California

I tried this restaurant randomly two days ago while I was in downtown Oakland. I got a rice, lentils, and chicken plate that was perfectly spiced and felt home-cooked. Aside from the food being very tasty, the chef/owner has great vibes. I chatted a bit with her and she seemed wonderful. Update: came back 2 days later. Honestly, the beef stew was one of the best stews I've had in awhile read more