Himalayan kitchen became our go-to for take out during the Covid lockdown. I can easily say we have ordered from here well over a dozen times. I LOVE LOVE LOVE spicy food and when I request a spice level of 10, they are the only place in town that can deliver. Of course they offer a spice level from 1-10 so don't be worried that it's super spicy. The flavors that come out of their kitchen are incredible. Their food is consistently fresh and delicious. Don't make the mistake we have made and order rice because many of their dishes do come with a side of rice. Momos, dhal soup, saag paneer, Tse Phing- my FAV, chicken tikka masala and kathmandu sekuwa are all items we regularly order. I have yet to dine here as I don't believe they offer outdoor seating . If you love a good curry or spicy meal you should most definitely give this hidden gem a chance. read more

About a 3.5 stars, but I'll give 4. Himalayan cuisine is somewhat of a cross between Indian and Thai, just going by the types of dishes. They have outdoor seating right now, but it's starting to get chilly earlier and earlier, so we opted for take-out and leaned on the House Specialties: *Nariwal Coconut Curry - choice of meat served with basmati rice. The curry was simmered in coconut milk which you can easily detect with the creamy richness, along with garlic, ginger and tumeric. May want to add another order of rice because the curry is dense and you can take it a long way. *Himalayan Special Chow Chow - this is a Tibetan pan fried noodle dish that's sweet to the palate and has a little kick to it. Includes tomato, garlic, ginger, some soy sauce, and onion - quite a lot of action, but it conforms well and provides a hearty experience. *Himalayan Special Thukpa - at first sight, especially out of a plastic container, not anything impressive, but it's chock full of veggies, and not as oily as it might look at first. *Lamb Mo-Mo - we really wanted to try the Yak, but they were out - I guess the Yak market is experiencing a severe shortage right now. So we went with the lamb - pretty sizeable dumplings, but the skin is too thin and ripped too easily. *Garlic Naan - top grade, packed nicely in foil, not too greasy, subtle flavor intensity and fresh dough. Would definitely come back and try the more traditional Indian dishes to compare. read more

Absolutely the best Himalayan food and any near it's kind so good!!!! Omg amazing food host stays near to help out asap

Good for takeout! Looks interesting in there. I wish the tikka masala had more flavor. Service was great!

This restaurant is on a perfect spot. We walked the State St. twice so that we feel hungry and can enjoy the food in the restaurant. May be we ordered the wrong set of food, we were not that happy with the taste. We went in hungry, ordered Veg Thali and Goat Thali - came up with bunch of different items like Saag Paneer, Aachar, two Naans, Daal etc. The food was OK but not as expected given the location of the restaurant. The location is pretty competitive with a large variety of options around and the food here was just mediocre! We were not WOW'ed by the food. The service was good though. read more

Himalayan Kitchen - Goat Thaali - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

PSA: IF YOU HAVE ANY PEANUT ALLERGY DO NOT GO HERE I went with my partner and my friend. My partner is mildly to severely allergic to any type of nuts. He ordered the Lamb Korma, he read every single description in the menu and it didn't not specify that the sauce included nuts. He had a tiny bit of it and began feeling a reaction, and was confused since there was NO DESCRIPTION OR MENTION OF NUTS. He asked two different workers if there was nuts and they both reacted with confused faces (there was also a language barrier that made it difficult to express the severity) yet both times they didn't fully explain that "yes this specific dish has nuts, these types of nuts..." since we ordered multiple dishes, my partner didn't know where the nuts came from. An hour later he was emitted to the local hospital. With a 50/50 chance of survival. It was one of the most severe attacks he's ever had. Their menu needs to update to include which items have nuts in them in CLEAR writing. read more

Himalayan Kitchen - DO NOT GO HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY NUT ALLERGIES. THEY DO NOT SPECIFY IF ANY OF THE DISHES ARE MADE WITH NUTS. - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Eating at the Himalayan Kitchen tops off our downtown Santa Barbara excursions. We are always greeted warmly and receive wonderful service. We love to take guests there as you are always guaranteed seating and very tasty food. My wife loves the tikka. masala and I love, everything. They even accommodated my obnoxious brother in law's special requests for salmon masala without a moments pause. It appears that they do the build of business from take out but we always enjoy eating in and sharing the big bottle of Taj Mahal Lager. read more

I would give this place a million stars if I could, my boyfriend and I eat here almost once a month/ every other month!! The employees are so nice, the food is always amazing, and the service is incredibly speedy too :) I recommend this place to everyone!! read more

Love Himalayan Kitchen! All of their dishes are delicious, great portions, and fairly priced! Their customer service is also great and I find it to be a great restaurant for groups especially when you love sharing dishes as much as I do. The Chicken Tikka Masala has always won my heart and they truly deliver exceptional with quality and flavor. I was delighted by the cucumber salad which proved to be a perfect appetizer and fresh balance for the hearty mains thereafter. Highly recommend! read more

Good nepalese food. We ordered a dhindo thali and tse phing to go. It was memorial day, they were open and service was fast and friendly! Tse phing as described is moong noodles, light like vermicelli, I'd say a little heavy handed on the oil, but snacky. Dhindo/ragi is delicious. The banchans it came with also flavorful. read more

Had Himalayan for a late lunch today. We went around 3p and the restaurant was empty. Walked in hesitantly and ordered Himalayan chow chow and chicken momos. Food was pretty good. Only thing I would change is no lamb in the chow mein for me. read more

Himalayan Kitchen - 10. Mo-Mo - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Came here on Christmas and as we had thought almost everything was closed except this place! We came here for lunch around 12:30 and thankfully reached in the Knick of time as we were promptly seated. Once we sat down we decided to order the following: * goat curry - this was delicious as the curry was simple yet delicious. This went perfectly with the garlic butter naan we ordered * goat biryani - this was on the spicy side but all the flavors went perfectly with the meat. We didn't think we were gonna finish this but we liked it so much we stuffed it in! * lamb momos - when in a Nepalese restaurant how can you not order momos?? So hence we did, and they were delicious. The meat had lots of flavor as it was seasoned and the dish also came with an orangish sauce which was very yummy * thaali (Nepalese, with lamb) - this thaali came with daal, Palak paneer, lamb curry and this brown dough like thing. The dough like thing was really interesting to eat with the different dishes and I would highly recommend to try it! This dish also came with dessert (a rice pudding) which was equally as delicious! Shout out to the staff who did a great job even though they were so backed up. read more

Love this place! Must try their chicken tikka and biryani!! The service is incredible and the restaurant is beautiful! Big fan! :)

Amazing place, amazing food and amazing service. I don't know her name but if you go there's a good chance she'll be waiting on you. Her smile and soul lights up the whole room. Loved this place. read more

Not gonna lie. I've lived here for almost a decade and always walked past it but never gave it a try. I truly regret that. It looks a tad run down, but hey, those places have the best food tbh. Service was quick and food came out in timely manner and I have absolutely no complaints about this place. This place has some awesome dishes! I went a tad over board ordering for my self but it was all worth it. Butter naan 5/5 Samosa 5/5 Saag Aloo 4/5 *went during Covid and sat inside (it was allowed) read more

Delicious curry. Naan was so good as well! You can choose spice level 1-10 and level 10 was great for me since I love spicy food. I really loved the non vegetarian combo. Everything was well seasoned and the goat was extremely tender as well. This is going to be my go to place for curry! read more

Food was tasty, but be advised: despite it being featured prominently on their website, they are not doing the buffet anymore.

We got here right as they were closing on Halloween night. 6 of us! They were so kind to still take us in and serve us. We ordered shrimp fried rice, garlic butter naan, samosas, chicken tiki masala, and a couple other great dishes. Everything was wonderful! They didn't rush us and the food came out hot and perfectly cooked! We will definitely be back next time we are in town! read more

When we were in Nepal several years ago, my husband, son and I fell in love with vegetable Momo's, little steamed, veggie filled dumplings served with a spicy lentil sauce. We live in Southern California, and have had a hard time finding these little darlings. Yet here they are on State St in Santa Barbara! Every time we've come up in the past few years, we head straight for the Momo's. Very common Nepalese food, but delicacies to us!!! Everything else we've tried at Himalayan Kitchen has been good too read more

Namaskar! This food is very good. I have had the pleasure of immersing myself in Nepali language and culture in 2016, and it is with absolute delight that I get to enjoy authentic Nepali food whenever I want in SB. Despite what people may think, this is NOT an Indian restaurant; it is a Nepali restaurant that also sells Indian food (albeit with a Nepali touch), as well as Tibetan dishes as well. I actually think the Nepali take on some Indian classics is better; their tandoori chicken is some of the most flavorful and soft meat I have had. Pro-tip: their a la carte options are actually BETTER than the lunch buffet. Go for dinner or lunch, and don't get the buffet. read more

Himalayan Kitchen - The yak is amazing! - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

A dime a dozen. While I'd compare Himalayan Kitchen to the likes of Tamira's Indian food on Upper State St., I wasn't too impressed with the overall experience of the lunch buffet. Good god, The lunch buffet was basically Indian food, and in not even sure if there's even Nepalese food in there as well. In terms of the food, I do have to mention though Chicken Curry was on point. However, everything else was just lacking and meh. The Tikka Masala was super overcooked, Naan was flavorless, Pakora was soggy. It just adds up. Service was mediocre to below average as well, where the waiters seem more clueless on who's serving who. I asked if I can get a glass of water and the first waiter never came after 15 minutes. So I asked another and he brought a glass. I'll give it a second shot with the non buffet items, but given that there are other, better Indian places in SB, I'd try elsewhere first. read more

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Such good and comforting food. I was expecting good but not great and wasn't too thrilled about the price since I was just wanting simple and low price. It's a quiet place, decent serve time and just really good food. Although lots of spices are used, it's not hot as in spicy. It's nice to have something out of the regular types of foods. Though just thought about it, they forgot to give my the rice pudding dessert. read more

Himalayan Kitchen - Dal Bhat Tarkaari (naan and rice pudding not pictured) - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Excellent food and service . You can even have your dog in the patio . This place was great I'd go back and take people there. read more

Nothing beats Himalayan Kitchen..Undoubtedly the best Nepalese Restaurant in the whole US.I highly recommend everyone to visit and experience the delish delicacies,You guys won't be disappointed..Nothing excites me more than Himalayan Special Chow Chow driving from SF to Santa Barbara lol(Literally).. read more

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Gluten free and dairy light eater. This isn't a problem here. The menu clearly outlines what "contains gluten". So very helpful. Meal was basic chicken curry. It wasn't basic in flavor. That's what I love about Indian or Middle eastern food. It's got flavor. This did not disappoint. Husband had chicken biryani and it was so good. Such a good flavor. He ate it all! read more

Great food and service. Conveniently located on State street near public parking lot. Ordered the momo, biryani rice and curry chicken. Good portion and very tasty. Will return for sure. read more

Tried this place while visiting Santa Barbara. Great staff and service. Food was delicious. Tried salmon masla, veg thali, chicken momos. The prices are reasonable.. read more

Very good food, with a lackluster background, absolutely no music to drown out the hollows of the walls, nor personality or character. That being said, I came to Himalayan Kitchen with my boyfriend, there was absolutely nobody at this restaurant on the Friday afternoon that we arrived on. The waiter tried to sit us in an awkward corner of the restaurant but we asked to sit next to the window. He then questioned us and said "But we'd have to clean it first..." with a blank face and teary eyes. The response I was looking for would be "Sure, give me a moment to clean it off first". After being seated, we waited around five minutes just to get the waiter's attention to order some drinks (Taj Mahal beer $7.50, and Masala Chai tea $3). THE FOOD- We started off with three choices of plain Naan ($2.50), Cheese Naan ($4.50), and Garlic Naan ($2.99). The Cheese Naan was my favorite, it was nothing short of amazing, with its crispy exterior, and fluffy core, it also gave a very good distinctive charred flavor to it. We then went ahead and ordered their Chicken Korma ($13), Saag ($11), and Chicken Tikka Masala ($12). The Tikka Masala was a pleasure to eat with its tender chicken that had a really great blend of spices. The Saag Paneer was such a treat, having fresh spinach and mustard greens, it went really well with the Tikka Masala, mixed together made the perfect balance of flavor. For dessert I ordered a Mango Lassi ($4), and their Galub Jamun ($4) which showed flashes of brilliance in each cinnamony bite. THE STAFF- The food was outstanding don't get me wrong, but the choice in servers that worked here is on a whole 'nother level. I feel as though our waiter didn't even want to be working there, he was on his phone the entire time at the front desk, or he was in the back on his phone the entire time not paying attention to customers. -------------------------------------------------- The food was spectacular, if only the vibes from the restaurant caught up with it. I'd be giving this restaurant two stars if it wasn't for the amazing food. **This place needs a renovation asap.** read more

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We ordered veggie dumplings and seafood rice, and everything was so delicious. Their Menu is huge, we will definitely come back to try more. Nice service. Solid 5 stars read more

Tooo good. Loved every single food item we ordered there. If you are craving Indian food, this is the place. Chicken Masala, Paneer Tikka Masala, Garlic Naan, noodles, etc. a'ight Im hungry now! The employees there are soo kind, especially 'Sita'. Kudos to her kidness amd service. Will visit this place again for sure. read more

We are from the SF bay area. We really needed a spot and thought we'd give this place a try. We ordered 1. Veg thali 2. Non-veg thali 3. Momos 4. Samosa The only things we could eat were plain dal, naan, and rice. The rest of it was very mediocre. Samosa: needed a knife to cut, the taste was bland, the chutneys were terrible. Thalis: Meats were average, no flavor. The paneer was also just blah. Dal was reasonable. Momos: microwaved frozen item. worst item of them all. I'd avoid this place if you can. If you really must eat here for some reason, order the dal and some naan bread. Those seem like the only item they know how to make. Very disappointed with how this place has 4* average reviews. It is possible that most reviewers are not familiar with good Indian and Nepali food. Food: 1* Service: reasonable Location: Great read more

Every time I walked in state street I would always see this place and finally able to give it a try and it was so good. I got the mixed grill tandoori plate and all the meats a and I mean ALL OF THEM just had the right amount of spices as it was not to overpowering. I would say my favorite would be the shrimp and chicken leg and thigh. Also got a side hariyo broccoli and was okay nothing too special. Customer service was also really nice as took the time to explain the items in the menu to me. I will definitely come back to try other plates. read more

Himalayan Kitchen - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This place is a rare treat, anyone saying their cuisine is just a basic cross between Indian and XYZ (regionally close cuisines) really hasn't eaten anywhere other than So Cal. Ignore them, their palate is basic. But I digress. Excellent for a stop, their wait times are decent, prices are fair and they have a unique presentation of ingredients and plates. Try it out man. read more

The place is not the most aesthetically pleasing restaurant, but it would be shameful to judge the place based on that because you'd be missing out on delicious food. I tell everyone who visits this place to get the lamb momos, these dumplings pack so much flavor and the wrapping is so chewy and thick. Perfect combination that keeps me coming back! I had the chicken tikka masala which was truly one of the best I have had in SB. I also had the Nepali platter, I forgot the actual name but it was not that special. It was good, but I thought my food could have been more flavorful, it was a little bland which is very unusual for the restaurant. Obviously, I will continue and I have been returning for those momos and chicken tikka masala. Just maybe not the platter. read more

Himalayan Kitchen has been on my list of places I wanted to try for a couple of months now. I embarked on that journey yesterday. First I would like to say kudos to the staff for not being concerned that I was literally covered in dirt. I had just completed a hike and took some unfortunate spills. Fortunately I was seated right away, awesome. Then I just sort of waited. The menu is huge but I made my decision fairly quickly. It took 15 minutes to be helped, 15 minutes to get some water. I wasn't worried, because I knew the quality of the food would make up for it. Wrong. I ordered the Yak ThenThuk. It was good ish...it basically tasted like pot roast. Except it was mostly inedible save the fact that I was completely starving. The saltiness of the dish was extreme. My lips were swollen as my body was questioning why I ate the salty meal. My friend ordered something different and his was just as bad. This problem was further exacerbated because I received no water after the first glass. Keep in mind a drank my water before the food arrived so damn people be observant! Service, as noted in other reviews is horrible. The food isn't any better, hence I issue a stern warning about going here. Plenty of better options in Santa Barbara. read more

Himalayan Kitchen - Yak and salt - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Delicious food, super friendly service! Definitely a place to check out when you're in SB. Easy location right in the mix of everything. Make sure to add this to your list of places to try! read more

I got the Chicken Korma & the Cheese Naan and am currently in HEAVEN! Unfortunately I ate it too fast to post any photos but I definitely will next time! read more

Awesome food !! Loved the spices !! Nice weather !! I would recommend all of you to enjoy the Himalayan version food !! read more

Himalayan Kitchen - Very delicious food !! Love this place !! Enjoyed the spices !!! - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Best food and ambiance for Indian food. The service is always above and beyond. We have been enjoying this place since they first opened and every time we love it. read more

Horrible quality food! I'm not sure why there are such great reviews or maybe the cook has changed. The Momos were soggy and shredded and stinky. in the pic above. The Nepalese noodles were actually spaghetti in tomato ketchup - the fried rice was just boiled rice - omg could never imagine they can have such bad quality food! Would never go there again! read more

Himalayan Kitchen - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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