Great food and service! Basil shrimp, chicken and mushroom takari, and yeti soda were outstanding! Will be back! Highly recommended.

As soon as you walk through the door, an aroma hits your nose within seconds. You happen to be steps away from the kitchen, looking directly at people working pans and dishes. That was our introduction to the delicious dishes we were about to have. The menu keeps it simple with several varieties of Nepalese dishes with different meats, vegetable, and tofu. We got the Chicken Mo-mo for the appetizer, Tofu Chili, Chicken Tarkari, and Mushroom Noodles. All of the dishes had their own distinct flavor and were great. You do get to pick your spice level for the Chili plate. We got 3 out of 10. Chili and Tarkari came with plenty of sauce to cover the white rice they came with. I loved that everything was mixed with different vegetables, which helped make the dishes colorful and healthier! Service was very quick, from ordering to getting the check. Everything is great for sharing if you want to try a little bit of different dishes. read more

Durbar Square Restaurant - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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4.25 stars Sat outside on a lovely night Service: very fast. Glasses were always refilled. Food came out very quickly. Food: Best - wild boar momo: perfectly cooked - lentil soup - lamb chops - cooked perfectly - side of broccoli Good - noodle dishes - bread Lots of interesting drink selections! read more

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My family had a delicious meal there with a range of heat 1 for me, 5 for most and 7 for one. The service was great and it's a cute place. If you have problems with stairs it's not the place for you but everyone else should come out very satisfied! read more

We stopped by this place while exploring downtown Portsmouth. Upon entering the kitchen is on the first floor, so they told us to go upstairs. We were immediately seated and given waters. We've never had Nepalese food before. We had the chicken momos. I ordered the fried chicken noodles, and my mom ordered the fish tarkari. The momos came out so fast! They arrived at our table within 5 minutes of ordering. Then our food arrived about 10 minutes after ordering. The service was really speedy, and the food was really good. They asked you on a spice level of 1-10 how spicy you would like your food. My mom wanted a spice level of 2, and I ordered a spice level of 8. My noodles were pretty spicy. It made my mouth numb, and my face sweat. Their portions are pretty generous too. I couldn't finish my noodles. They kept filling out waters, and paid attention to every table. The only thing is I wish we sat outside. It was kind of warm inside with closed windows. read more

Rating: 4.3 While I was in Portsmouth area we came to try this place because of good rating. It's a small nepalese/Himalayan restaurant on the corner of the street. Street parkings are available. When we came it was not too busy so we were sat down immediately. I can smell the fragrance of spices as we walk up the stairs. We ordered chicken momos, mango lassi, bread, and lamb tarkari. Mango lassi was pretty good. Sweet and creamy with hint of spice. Chicken momos were good. They were savory and chewy. Bread was nice and chewy. Lamb tarkari was savory and flavorful. Tender lambs with spice and tomatoes flavored curry with veggies. Tasted good but wasn't anything that wow me. The service was good for the most part but I did not like that they offered bread and didn't mention it was with charge. Overall the place was good but was definitely on more expensive side for what they offered. Good option if you want to be adventurous and explore Nepalese/Himalayan food. read more

Durbar Square Restaurant - Lamb Tarkari - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

We have had take out from here before and tried dining at the restaurant recently. The staff are really nice but the place could use a spruce-up as its looking rather tired. And it was really warm upstairs in April so would not want to sit up there in summer. But all that is less important - is all about the food! We had the lamb Tarkari and wild boar ribs. I found some of the ribs were on the not-quite-tender side but it was tasty and so was the lamb. There's still a lot on the menu I still want to try and I'm certainly going back! read more

We were looking forward for this dinning spot that has two floors. 1st floor is a quick takeout section, and at the second floor, you are lead to plenty of seating area with some good window seats. Decor screams Nepal culture and mythology~ We got bread, which you will be charged for, and it was light and fluffy with a bitter sauce which was good~ the mo mo was good~ it's a standard steamed dumpling with chicken filling, and they have different filling options. I ordered the Stir Fried noodles with shrimp. I liked the flavor and sauces. It was very good, but didn't feel stir fried, based on other stir fried dishes I've ordered. Besides that, this is a good dish for those who are not too adventurous because I could describe this as a Italian spaghetti but with a kick of spice and Asian flavors~ The waiter will ask you "a scale of 1-10, how spicy do you want it". 10 is VERY hot and they don't recommend it to anyone. I was very intimidated because usually restaurants says, light, medium, or very spicy. That's it. I asked for a a healthy 5, and it was good with some tongue numbing spice, but nothing too extreme. Apparently a 3-4 is what people usually order to have a pleasant experience. I really liked the more in depth scale that offered. Makes me wonder if anyone has ordered a 10. Staff was prompt and kind. I would come back for sure to try their lamb~ the lamb, based on the spoonfuls my partner ordered me was so tender and soft. It was so flavorful and good quality without the gamey usual taste. I could tell they cooked their meat in all their spices and curry flavors to get the taste so good and impactful at every bit. read more

Durbar Square Restaurant - Momo chicken - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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Authentic Nepalese food in the middle of Portsmouth? Incredible! We were excited to come here, especially since we had been on the lookout for gundruk soup. Their version felt more like a tomato soup with textured vegetable protein but was spicy, flavorful, and nourishing. The vegan dal was also top-notch. The sweet potato chhoila was super interesting: chunks of baked sweet potatoes covered in a spicy powder and accompanied by crisped rice. Unlike anything I'd eaten before and really spicy and good. The vegetable momos were also great. Their herbed flatbread was also a popular option (basically focaccia) - unexpected but fresh and good. read more

Durbar Square Restaurant - Sweet potato chhoila - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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If I could give this place 6 stars, I would. We visited Portsmouth this weekend for 3 nights and wanted to try lots of different places, which we did. After coming here on the second night of our trip and just loving it so much, we ended up coming back on the third night! The gentleman who initially seated us and took our order was fantastic. Extremely friendly, informative and concerned about our enjoyment of the whole experience. He was also very appreciative of our business and our compliments. The food was unique and outstanding. It was served quickly and it was fresh and hot. We got all vegan dishes for both the appetizer and entrees. Some with tofu, some with sweet potatoes and some with mushrooms as the primary ingredient. We sat outside in the lovely street-side tables. It's a wonderful place and I would highly recommend it. read more

We dined here on a cold winter night after calling ahead about a table. When you first walk in, the ground floor appears as though it's a take-out only quick service restaurant, but the upstairs has plenty of sit-down tables with waitstaff. It's not the most upscale ambiance, but it gets the job done and was nice and warm. I've never had Nepalese food before, but I'm an adventurous eater and love trying new things. That does mean that I have nothing to compare the food to, though, so take this with a grain of salt. We ordered the wild board and the paneer and spinach momo, which are Nepalese dumplings that came with a dipping sauce. The wild boar ones are good, but both were rather bland, even with the sauce. They reminded me slightly of Turkish soup dumplings--without the soup, obviously, but in terms of doughy texture and seasoning. We also got the chicken chhoila appetizer, which is the one thing I would definitively not recommend. It was like it couldn't decide whether it was cold or hot and had an overwhelming horseradish flavor. The best part of the meal, and something I'd order again, was the chicken and mush takairi. Just a very solid, chicken, vegetable, and rice dish with nice flavor. I think we only ordered a level four or five spice, and we could have gone higher. read more

Very cool vibe and nice and intimate!! Super friendly and owner was the best ! Food was very good and tasty and not too spicy ! Desserts good but very small ! read more

Durbar Square Restaurant - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

I hope you are not intimidated by food from Nepal. It's very similar to Indian food, and very approachable. This was a restaurant that seriously exceeded my expectations, even though it didn't seem to have the crowds that are common in Portsmouth. We got a table outside and were immediately impressed with the friendliness of the staff (although their English was a bit rudimentary). We started with the Flat Herbed Bread with an excellent cilantro dipping sauce. We ate that quickly. My wife had some sort of Ginger cocktail drink which was tasty and refreshing. Our main courses were Chicken Takari and Thyme Basil lamb. We aren't too tolerant of spices (we are from Minnesota!), so my wife ordered her chicken mild and I picked a 2 out of 10. Both dishes were incredibly flavorful, the meat was tender and of high quality, and the dishes were cooked perfectly. My only regret is that Dubar Square is not local for us. I would love to put this restaurant on our local "rotation list." This was a highlight meal for us on our trip to the Northeast. read more

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Very welcoming and charismatic environment. Pleasantly surprised by the Nepalese spice mixture especially in that you get your choice of heat level on a 1-10 scale. I went for a 5 which is medium, the kids asked for 3 and had no complaints. Overall great experience and kinda of a unique place. If you want to try something different I highly recommend it. read more

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Wow!!! Absolutely fabulous food here. We thought the place was pretty small so we did make a reservation. Turned out the restaurant seating is upstairs and there is a good amount of it. Tables are nicely spread out. The waitress was super friendly and very helpful! We ordered the goat tarkari, the chicken tarkari, and the rack of lamb spicy level 8. Everything was so yummy. The spice level was perfect and i loved that everything came with rice and vegetables. If i'm ever in Portsmouth again i'll definitely be back!! read more

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The food was delicious, the service perfect, and the ambiance was just what we were looking for. We met a friend to catch up after not seeing each for a few years. read more

Met up with friends from Mass, NH & Maine here at the recommendation of one in our group. We were not disappointed. The food was spectacular. It's a cozy little place and the owner came over to check on our experience which was wonderful. We sampled several appetizers and entrees and we all cleared out plates. We ordered our entrees at a "level 6 spicy" all around and were all happy. I'll probably go up to 7 on the next visit as we were told 8 might bring out a bit of a sweat. If you're nervous about spicy, you're safe up to a 6 Service was friendly, prompt, and reliable. read more

Went there on Christmas Eve, not sure what would be open, but they were open and friendly and gave great service and even better food. We love that this place is very consistent with their spice levels. I love either a 7 or 8, but I have a high spice tolerance. Some of my friends get 2 or 3 on their spice scale. Either way, we're all happy when we go because the food is flavorful either way. read more

This was my second trip to Portsmouth, NH and my second time to Durbar Square Restaurant. The food is very good and you can adjust the spice to the level that you like. A 10 is super hot where most people cannot enjoy it. I have tried the 8, but I think level 6 is perfect. You definitely need some tissues :) I tried the Gundruk soup this time. They had me hooked on the "Five hundred year old homeopathic tradition comes to your bowl." They soup was excellent and I wish I could have taken a container home with me. I ordered it at a level 6 spice and I thought it was perfect. I also tried the lamb and mushroom chile. This was also very tasty and I ordered it as a level 8 in spice. It wasn't too spicy for me because I was able to balance it out with the white rice that was on the side. I tried the goat chile last time and loved that as well. Next time, I will try the Wild Boar or the duck chile. The chicken noodles was ordered at a level 6 spice and that seemed more spicy the the lamb chili that I ordered as a level 8 spice. I think it was because more of the sauce gets absorbed by the noodles and the temperature of the noodles was hotter, making it tougher to handle the spice after eating the level 8, chili. The noodles were great, especially the next day of leftovers. The Wild Boar Momo was cooked perfectly. They are like steamed dumplings with a different dipping sauce. They were excellent, especially with the Gundruk soup. When we are back in the area, I will definitely be back to Dunbar Square. read more

Absolutely astounded at the flavors of this food! Came here after reading numerous fantastic reviews... Tried the Lentil Dal Soup, Sweet Potato Chhoila and the Lamb Mo-mo. Amazing food! Come here! read more

Durbar Square Restaurant - Sweet potato chhoila? Lamb Mo mo and Lentil Dal soup - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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This was the atmosphere here. We went for lunch and the decor was fascinating to look at. The food was amazing! We had pork and chicken dumplings with the red tangy sauce. Our server was very attentive and ensured our glasses were always full. I even ask him what the red sauce for the dumplings was and he went downstairs to ask the chef. I hope I can recreate it here at home because it was so flavorful and amazing! 10/10 would recommend! read more

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Outstanding meal! One meat eater, one vegetarian, and one vegan. We all had great food! Fresh vegetables, incredible spices and wonderful service. Choose spice levels 1-10; we had 2, 5, and 7, perfect for all of us! The Yeti drink is terrific! Very clean, cool music, and they have a second floor bar! Definitely going back. read more

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I don't know why it took us a year to go back. The owner (presumed) , Jon, was awesome to talk to. He entertained us even though we reached 15 mins prior to closing. LOVE the Gundruk soup. Loved Nepali tea Loved the goat curry. Everything is perfect read more

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My friend suggested we try this place after seeing it while we were walking around Portsmouth town previously. It's located on the corner of a busy four way intersection in the downtown area. It seems like a really small restaurant but it is deceiving as they have outdoor dining, and a rather large upstairs dining area. We went into the deepest second floor area of the restaurant near the bar. It was great cause we had a great view of the street and the people walking around outside. Before I continue with my review, I have never had Nepalese food or Himalayan food but my friend said its like Indian food. I usually stay away from Indian food because it kills my stomach. Ok with that declaimer let me continue my review. We ordered the Wild boar momo (looks like pork shumai or dumpling), my friend got the lamb basil, I got the tofu and mushroom stir fry noodles, and the ginger duck basil. We both like spicy food but we ordered medium spice just in case it was too hot. We also got an order of flat bread. The flat bread came out first and was just bread with a green sauce which seemed like cucumber/cilantro based which had a fresh taste. Don't know how else to describe it. It was really mild. The Wild boar momo came out next and it was a winner! Super delicious but I wish I had chopsticks to eat it! The sauce was also hard to describe but it was good. The main dishes came out together. The lamb basil and the ginger duck basil looked exactly the same but taste was definitely different. I pretty much loved the ginger duck basil. It was great! The stir fry noodles was also delicious and I got to enjoy it the next day cause I had leftovers. My buddy enjoyed his meal as well. The spice was just enough to start a sweat which was perfect. The service was excellent as well. It is a family run business, with the owner's wife taking orders and the daughter and son combo taking care of the table's drinks, water, and appetizers. The owner brings out the food and was checking on the tables as well. Overall, it was perfect meal and I definitely enjoyed everything about this restaurant. Also, I'm writing this the day after eating here and my stomach is perfect so I'm thinking I like Nepalese food! It's definitely not like Indian food. read more

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Delicious food nice upstairs dining with a window view. Friendly employees. Next visit I'd skip the 4$ bread and the $4spicy pickles. The bread cane with a nice green sauce. The pickles arent vinegar pickles and have a unique flavor. The veggie momo was a good lil starter. I loved the orangish red sauce paired with it. My basil chicken was amazing. My gf enjoyed her shrimp tarkari. Id revisit for sure to try the wild boar ribs. read more

Delicious food, but not the right place if you are trying to hide from the heat. We stopped here because we read good reviews online. The food was definitely delicious. I would come here in the cooler months. It was hard to eat just because it was so hot inside. I was sweating on top of eating warm food. When we stepped outside, some how on a 83 degree July day it was cooler outside! I wouldn't turn you away from going here, it was definitely worth it. I would choose what season you go in. read more

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The owner is so personable and staff very approachable. We were sitting outside and the rain started to pour down, they were so quick to get us inside. My favorite is the lentil soup and this ginger drink (has alcohol). I like to hit this spot when I am in town due to the homemade food. read more

We stopped her for a quick bite because we have never had Nepalese cuisine and wanted to try it. This is a small cafe with an impressive menu. The food was fresh and delicious (the dumplings were wild boar and sag paneer, SO GOOD) and a ginger drink really refreshing on a muggy day. Good service. In a town that seems to be full of pizza joints, this was a favorable alternative. read more

Durbar Square Restaurant - Dumplings - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Food was impeccable. Loved the sauce that came with the veggie momo and the tarkari was nicely seasoned. The service was quick and pleasant! The inside was also very cute and I loved the cozy vibes. read more

Durbar Square Restaurant - Cute outside :) - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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Wow! Incredible customer service from the moment you walk in. The staff seems genuinely happy to have you there. Everything was perfect from beginning to end. From the soup to the appetizer to the momo to the main course. Their vegan options are incredible. This place gives us a reason to come back to Portsmouth. read more

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Durban Square was excellent. They had several vegetarian/vegan options. The spicing was perfect, vegetables plentiful and cooked perfectly, and everything thing seemed homemade. Most importantly, it was not laden in oil or fat, as many Indian dishes are in American restaurants. The special yogurt dessert was wonderful. Service was decent. I think the bartender was our waiter. He was gruff at first but warmed up and he was attentive. Cozy upstairs restaurant with small rooms. We are from central Maine, which is a vegetarian food desert. This was the best meal we've had in years. read more

An amazing experience with wonderful food. John ( Americanized name) is from Kathmandu. Food very tasty and authentic! I even bought a mandala! Highly recommend. read more

Visiting Portsmouth NH and for something different we tried Durbar Square Restaurant on Market St. What a great decision! The atmosphere is fantastic, the food delicious and the staff were wonderful. We met John the owner, who was very gracious and made us feel very welcome in his place. Try it out. It was a special evening read more

Ate there and had a fantastic experience. Small cozy restaurant but with heart warming food and good service. Would eat there again without question. read more

Durbar Square Restaurant - Lamb momo - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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I am a visitor to Portsmouth from NYC, and I have great memories of traveling to Kathmandu, including Durbar Square. So I was looking forward to trying this restaurant on a gloomy rainy evening, and it exceeded my expectations. The bread was warm and filling. The chicken-filled momos were plentiful and yummy. The standout dish was a special thyme basil lamb, which was tender and so tasty. The waiter asked for a spice level from 1-10 and when I said I liked spicy food he recommended 6, and that was perfect. And the sikarni yogurt dessert is a MUST -- homemade overnight, creamy and delicately spiced with cardamom and saffron and so refreshing! I have never tasted anything quite like it. The owner circulated among the patrons and sat with me for a few minutes to talk about people I'd met in Nepal whom he knew. It felt like meeting an old friend. A perfect dining experience in every respect. This is the first restaurant I will go to the next time I visit. read more

Great food every visit. High recommend the basil chicken and the mango Lassi. Quick and friendly service as well.

Wow, wow, wow! It was our first time trying Nepalese food and we absolutely loved it !! So flavorful and delicious. It reminded us of Indian food but is lighter and the flavors aren't as strong as they are with Indian dishes, but still very tasty! Being vegan, we opted for the Tofu Tarkari which was tofu and vegetables cooked in a DELICIOUS tomato based curry sauce. We also got the tofu stir fry noodles which was yummy. We normally don't ever finish our plates when we eat out, but everything was so good that we cleaned our entire plates and then even ordered an extra plate of both of our dishes to take home with us !! We live over 2 hours away and don't know when we will be back so we had to have some more lol The restaurant is two floors. It was pretty quiet when we arrived (on a weekday afternoon) so we sat on the top floor where there was one other table occupied. It was nice because we were next to the window and got to look out onto the street. Our waitress was also great and very attentive to us. They ask you what level of spicy you want your food to be on a scale of 1-10. We asked for a 4 for both of our dishes which we found to be the perfect amount of spicy. We probably could have gone up to a 5 or 6 without it being too spicy, but enjoyed it at 4. We parked on the street where the restaurant is located and didn't realize it was metered parking. We came back to our car to find a parking ticket so that was the only downside, but that's our fault for not noticing the meters I guess. I saw a large parking lot further down, but I'm not sure if you have to pay to park there. I highly recommend this restaurant ! I plan to come back every time I'm in Portsmouth, NH! I am now looking for Nepalese food closer to home since I enjoyed it so much. read more

Durbar Square Restaurant - Stir fry tofu noodles - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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First time trying Nepalese food in my life. This place is in a building that is in an absolute prime location in downtown Portsmouth. Food pictured was a thyme lamb and was absolutely delicious, bland of flavors are simply incredible and nothing I have quite tasted before. I suppose the pricing is a bit high given the presentation of this place and the pictured cup of rice with barely enough protein to fill the hole. It left a little bit to be desired still... for that 5 star imo. But intriguing enough to try again. read more

Durbar Square Restaurant - Basil Thyme Lamb - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Wonderful food. Warm and inviting atmosphere. Staff (and owner I think) were all very nice. A hidden gem. The monos are incredible!!!

Authentic cuisine and wonderful vibe even though it appears they do not hire women. Consistently yummy fare. We come almost every year for lunch. read more

Durbar Square Restaurant - Goat with veggies with a heat quotient of 6 out 10. Delicious. - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire