I've enjoyed eating at Himal Chuli since 1988, my freshman year of college. It's cozy and constant. The food is excellent and unique. I am obsessed with the momocha and probably always will be. The service is solid. You can use cards to pay again. You can have a glass of wine or beer or Nepalese tea or coffee. Just eat there. It's a privilege to have access to such a treasure. read more

Apparently, the original Himal Chuli at 318 State St has closed. For similar cuisine and vibe, there are recommendations to try its sister restaurant named Ama Kitchen located at 809 Williamson St. read more

I really enjoyed my meals at Himal Chuli! I'd never been to a Nepalese restaurant before, so I didn't know what to expect, but I really enjoyed the Tofu Buff, which is stir fried dish of vegetables and tofu with great lemony flavor. I also enjoyed the dal and roti that it came with. If you're looking for a fresh, flavorful, and healthy meal in downtown Madison, check out Himal Chuli! read more

Himal Chuli - Tofu Buff - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Food was not warm enough and the curries were rather bland. Momos were decent. Should try the lamb next time

This was the first and only Nepalese restaurant I've been to, and it's always so cozy. I got the chicken buff with dal and mango lassi. The flavors of the chicken buff and dal are very simple but delicious. The mango lassi was also really good! My server was very nice and checked up on us sufficiently. The seating area is a little small, so it feels a little cramped at times. The food with a home-cooked feel makes up for it! read more

Himal Chuli - Chicken Buff, mango Lassi, Dal - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Not bad, a little light on the portion, but good taste and sits very well in stomach. Also really nice, thoughtful atmosphere. Would be fantastic in the winter for sure. read more

Himal Chuli - Chicken Sikar with Rice (Bhat) - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Very yummy food, adorable space, and friendly staff! I liked how each seating area had some separation for privacy. I got their special and it was very good!! The bread is amazing -both wheat and white. The sampler had dumplings which were just ok, but the samosas were great!! read more

Himal Chuli - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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BEWARE! In December the manager Sergio sold me a $25 gift certificate over the phone. A Christmas gift for my niece. The manager said they couldn't email a gift certificate but she should just come in and ask for him and they will apply the $25. NOPE. SCAM. They would no NOTHING. They did steal my $25. I am filing a fraud complaint with my credit card and filing a complaint to the Better Business Bureau. BEWARE! read more

Small and cozy Nepalese restaurant. I had a combo plate and a mango lassi. The food was good but I wish I didn't get the lassi. It wasn't very flavorful and wasn't cool. I was hoping it would have been more refreshing on a hot day. Glad the food was tasty though, that made up for it! It is hot inside - I went on a warm day and thought I'd be cooler inside but I wish I sat outside, I was sweating. read more

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I visited on Kedar's recommendation and was pretty happy with my meal. I asked the waiter for a vegan recommendation, and he steered me to a roti/tarkari/daal combo ($14 plus tax), recommending I get half-and-half of the two tarkari specials of the day, which were: cauli (cauliflower, potato, peas, carrots) and chana (garbanzo bean, onion, carrot, potato). The daal came out first, which was top-notch. The plate followed shortly thereafter, with a generous portion of the tarkaris, and 4 fairly sizeable pieces of whole wheat roti. Very home-cooked feel to the food, airing away from strong flavours. I couldn't help but wish for a little more, as, compared to the Nepalese food I can get at home (Vancouver, BC), this seemed a bit underwhelming. Very tasty, filling, healthy, and reasonably priced though, so I was happy overall. I'd give this 3.5 if I could. read more

Himal Chuli - Daal - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I took out lunch from here on a Friday. The place was full. Dhal soup was my favorite item. Chicken sikar was my entree. It had good flavors. I also tried the momocho. It wasn't as good as the momos or the samosa. read more

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I feel so bad. In my high school and college days, Himul Chuli was the bomb. So much so that nearly 30 years later, I chose this restaurant for my family dinner during our trip to Madison. Well. The kindest description I can use is that it was like horribly overpriced co-op food from 1980. The stir fry was okay but the momochas - which I've raved about for decades - tasted nothing of peanut butter and were dreadfully dry and bland with very little sauce. The bill wasn't cheap and as we walked down State Street past all the yummy noodle shops and new restaurants all I could manage was a small, mumbled "sorry". read more

This is a little he in the wall place on State Street in Madison. Nothing fancy, but a few Nepalese decorations to give a little ambiance. This is the 2nd time we've eaten here. Enjoyed the food both times. I had the chicken sikar (curry chicken) with a side of brown rice and Cauli (cauliflower, potato, peas and carrots in curry) with brown rice. It was lightly seasoned and very good. My wife had the butternut squash Tarkari and enjoyed it very much. Nothing too spicy. Made a nice lunch. Server was very friendly. read more

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Came here for dinner with a friend, and we were seated immediately. It's a small, cozy restaurant with indoor & outdoor seating (not sure if they seat large parties). I ordered the Himal Chiya ($3.50) and Himal's Combination Platter ($15). I enjoyed both (esp liked the momos and samosa). Overall, the food, service, and atmosphere were great! Highly recommend if you're looking to try some Nepalese food. read more

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I used to frequent this restaurant years ago. I moved away about eight years ago. I stopped back in town two days ago for a quick visit and stopped in with happy expectations. It was fresh, it was still well cooked, but oh dear Lord, was it BLAND. If there were spices used in any of the dishes the three of us chose, I'm pretty sure they were just waved in the vicinity of the food and not actually put into it. It was healthy, but it also beyond uninteresting. Even the condiment with the little fried peanut dumplings was flavorless. The space is still adorable and our waiter was pleasant. But it was so disappointing. read more

I love Nepali food. Unfortunately, the food I had at Himal Chuli was very bland. I tried dal bhat takari and momos. I was surprised that the dal bhat takari wasn't presented more traditionally. It all just needed way more flavor. Don't be afraid to use more of those wonderful spices and aromatics that make Nepali food so fantastic. Also, the prices were just too high for Nepali food. The service was very good, though. read more

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Just visiting and was very grateful to find this place. I love that they keep the door open for fresh air. The service was very quick and very pleasant. The food was fantastic. A lot of vegan options. You must get the soup. Everything was fresh and light and quite tasty and delicious. I love this place. read more

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Service was great. It was a nice sitting outside. Himal's combination platter- The momochas were bland small hint of peanut at the end, not much other flavor to it. The dish was also cold and had salsa on it. The Samosa was also cold, lacking spices for flavoring, the sauces drizzled over it along with purple cabbage was an unusual pairing. This was not very impressive. The Roti Takari, and Dal what is a gamble we did not know how the sauce would be, nor which vegetables we would get. this ended up being warm and delicious. Both dishes came with a lentil soup, which was also tasty . We may have been eating frozen food that was prepared. I would not say anything stood out as home grown and fresh. Some of the food was lacking spices at all, there was also ordinary salsa which is not part of Nepalese cuisine. it's decent food read more

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My first Nepali experience. It was pretty amazing!!! I had the momo and cinnamon lassi (cinnamon lassi - where have you been all my life?!). Momo is a steamed dumpling filled with chicken and spices with a side of tomato coriander sauce that has a nice kick. And I forgot to take pics. GAH!!! I will definitely be coming back to explore this menu! The wait staff is very sweet. read more

Food was great! Service was quick and friendly and the restaurant has a cozy vibe to it. I ordered the momo and takari with roti and it was excellent. Highly recommend Himal Chuli and I look forward to coming back! read more

The food was delicious, service was great and we loved the ambiance. So nice to have many vegetarian options as well.

I decided to get a light lunch and it was so good for a cold day. Wait was a little long but not crazy. The samosas are delicious. read more

Himal Chuli - Samosas - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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This place is a madison institution. Do not pass it up if you get a chance. Their momo and chicken buff is killer! Their interior is amazing and has not changed and 30 years. I hope it never changed. read more

To have a place where the menu starts off with vegetarian options is quite unusual, but if anywhere can do it, it would be a South Asian food place, and Himal Chuli, which is a Nepali restaurant, did just that. My friends and I ordered the veggie combo, which was basically a double meal of rice, tarkari, and dal, along with some momocha. As added measures, we ordered momo and samosas as well to give them a shot. For the tarkari, the vegetables did not contain enough seasoning but the juice tasted well with brown rice, so I had to pour a bit of juice into the rice and then eat the vegetables with the rice to make it taste the best. The dal, which was a mixed bean soup, was also slightly underseasoned, but tasted very well due to the original ingredient flavors. Both the momocha and the momo were excellent! Even though the menu said both would come with the tomato coriander sauce, we had a different kind of sauce for the momo, and we prefered it so we dipped both kinds of food in there instead of the tomato coriander sauce. I also had the lassi drink, which tasted like a spiced up version (not spicy but containing spices) of yogurt and milk, and I enjoyed it. The samosa was something I had never experienced before, served with yogurt sauce, which I had no issues with, but the skin was not really fully cooked and still felt dough-ey. However, the inside was perfect, and that mattered the most. Lastly, my friends and I had the vegan peda, which tasted as good as it could as a vegan dessert. We would have picked the peda if the restaurant didn't run out of it because it contained ricotta cheese and I knew it would have tasted amazing. Overall the food was very easy to eat and to digest, and I would recommend this place to anyone visiting Madison, WI looking for a place to eat! read more

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Himal Chuli has been a State Street favorite of mine for a long time! So many great vegetarian choices on the menu! Start off with an order of the momocha, a kind of dumpling filled with peanut butter paste as an appetizer. For your main course try the takari, roti (a homemade flat bread) and dal platter to get a sampling of all of the best flavors. The takari (a house vegetable stewed with fresh spices) changes daily. The dal, a mixed bean soup, is absolutely delicious! read more

Himal Chuli - Chef's Choice Tarkari, Dal and Roti - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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State Street restaurants come and go but Himal Chuli has been a reliable staple for decades. That's because it's a true gem! Food is unique, fresh, homemade. Depth of flavor yet brightness. Do NOT sleep on the Tofu Buff entree. It's so unexpectedly light yet savory. I don't love stir frys with thick, sweet sauces -- and this tofu dish is miles away from that, woo hoo! Lemony, garlicky, marinated tofu with fresh veg, can't rave enough. A standby we get every time -- the momocha. These dumplings are super mellow and soft with a hint of peanut flavor. Has to be paired with the simple but punchy tomato herb dipping sauce. Magic combo. Daal is fresh, thinner, full-flavored and fortifying. Ambiance is homey and easygoing. Good for a casual date night or a bite with a small-medium sized group. Service is great. I forgot my hat and the server ran after to return it. read more

Authentic and super nice Great vegetarian options I got the tofu and the combination platter read more

Himal Chuli - Very good! - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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fairly good experience dining at himal chuli. first time trying Nepalese food and not entirely impressed. left hungry and unsatisfied. service: waiter was attentive, solid. food: somewhat bland, relatively small portioned and watered down (?) *salad -- interesting dressing, basic house salad *tofu buff -- basic tofu dish, somewhat over salted and small *quasi -- watered down bean soup, expected the 9-bean stew to be thick but it was watery and not spiced at all. [not shown] *kitchadi -- barely any lentils even though this was the point of the dish, boring and bland. tiny! [not shown] *golden milk/tea -- honestly the best part of the meal. not a bad place but not very impressive either. not sure if we ordered wrong... i just wish it had more flavor and quality! read more

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Himal Chuli offers amazing and delicious cuisine with the NICEST staff. a neighborhood staple read more

Himal Chuli - amazing authentic chai! - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

The Best Cleanest foos in Madison!!! Bomb Healthy Great place to visit sweet staff. Going back again and again read more

The ambiance was right on, beautiful and quaint small place. I was recommended to going to this place and walked around looking for it, small enough to miss! But when you walk in the smell and flavors are bold and delicious. I was not disappointed by any dish. The samosas were not what I thought but still delicious. They were sweet and savory. The Dahl is something I need to make at home...so flavorful and warm. Last but not least the Golden Tea...if you try anything you MUST try the Golden Tea....it reminds me of a cozy warm sweater sitting in front of a fire. I want to replicate this at home too but have been so u successful. Definitely a place to return to!! read more

Really amazing food! Warming and nourishing. Will definitely make a point of coming back. read more

Himal Chuli - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

There's dumpling you should know - this place's dumplings rock the block!! What a relaxing place to sit with food that will nourish the soul. The service was impeccable. Lots of options for us vegetarians ;) The portions were spot on and the flavors hit in all the right places. Left with our bellies full and large smiles! read more

Himal Chuli - Chef's Choice Tarkari, Dal and Roti Momocha - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I've eaten here many times over the years. I was disappointed yesterday, mostly by the service. The restaurant was empty but the server motioned us to sit at a recently vacated unclean table with the check still on it. We ended up moving ourselves to the next table over since there was food debris on the first table. Waters were not refilled unless asked. The check was delivered to the table before we were even done with our meal. The food wasn't as good as I remembered. My meal was mostly cold when it was set in front of me. I've had that same dish many times before. read more

Only to confirm and re-confirm that this is one of my favorite restaurants in the world. A gem on State Street keeping affordable prices as they take cash only. Amazing and delicious food with ample vegetarian selections. I've been a fan of their Cauli tarkari for over fifteen years now. A tarkari with roti and dal is always a great meal. There sample platter is another good option as are the momochi. Family-owned, with attentive service and a true appreciation for good and nourishing food. read more

It has been over 30 years since I last ate here! The wait person said nothing has changed but it has and it has not. Still a nice small shop. Seating are very close to one another especially in the alcove near the door. Decorations were dated for sure. Prices have gone up for sure too. Nevertheless, food quality remains simple and tasty. My partner had the chicken sikar and I had the hyala. The chicken sikar was tasty. The sauce on the chicken is even better. Since there wasn't enough sauce, we asked for more and they obliged by cooking just the sauce. That's service! Hyala is a soup Mader's with minced bison meat. I can't tell the difference between that and minced beef of pork. The soup is made with fresh ingredients and has a clear broth. There is also a certain fragrant that I can't pinpoint. A pleasant one though. Anyway, as others have noted, this is a cash or check place. No CC. Maybe Yelp can have a special icon for these places. A small, decent restaurant tucked into the middle of state st. I probably won't be returning anytime soon but I hope it won't be another 30 years. read more

Himal Chuli - Hyala- a soup that goes with rice or roti (flat bread). The salad has no dressing. - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Fantastic food. Friendly people. If I ever make it back to Madison they will definitely be on my list of restaurants I have to go to.

There are so many great new restaurants in Madison and I would love to try everyone of them, but On my short 2 day trips I can't stop visiting Himal! This place is truly a little gem on State Street. I try to eat mid afternoon to avoid the rush (only 9 tables). The dal and cauliflower takari are my favorites but everything is good! read more

Himal Chuli - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Such a great little place! Went for dinner around 530 on a Sunday and it was packed! Seated right away, and service was great. The food was 10/10 and was definitely made with love. I got half and half of the daily specials and it was truly delicious. First time there, and will definitely be going back. Cannot recommend enough! read more

Himal Chuli - Dal - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Himal Chuli is an institution on State Street in Madison, and is a great place for vegetarians. From small families, students, to professors kvetching about tenures- this is a popular place for Madisonians of all stripes. It's not fancy or expensive, which is how I like State Street institutions. Service is friendly and perfect for the restaurant. Our favorite dishes: Tofu or chicken Buff Cho Mari Tofu or chicken Polungo "Where do you want to go?" "Let's go to Himal Chuli!" "I was thinking the same thing!" read more