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    Indian Tadka

    4.2 (82 reviews)
    ModerateIndian
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM

    Order Indian Tadka Takeout or Delivery

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    INDIAN TADKA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Cholle saag, plain naan, Flying Horse beer
    Clancy K.

    First off, it's a family restaurant, and I'm pretty sure the daughter is the one serving the food. She's sweet, and pleasant, and asks you follow up questions if you need anything. So that's a positive for sure. As for the food, I got the cholle saag and it was quite good. It could've had more garbanzo beans, but I'm not gonna quibble. They do serve alcohol, which is a huge plus nowadays with so many Indian food restaurants not serving it. I got a bottle of Flying Horse and it was wonderfully cold. I did not have any of the other food so I can't say what it tasted like, but I would imagine it's fairly good. Sadly, like most Indian restaurants these days, the naan was almost certainly packaged and warmed up in a microwave. Not even close to authentic naan. The daughter claimed it was made in house, but I don't think so. All in all, it's a nice restaurant with nice tables and warm atmosphere to have an Indian meal. Worth coming to.

    Chicken Tikka Masala
    Nav S.

    Decided to try this Indian restaurant, It is located in a little strip kind of hidden but not really since it's a very busy road. Plenty of parking. Just from observation it's family owned and operated. we got Delhi chaat, chicken tikka masala with garlic naan, plain naan, paneer makhni, mango lassi and the total came out to be around $57. Not mad. It was decent however I felt like the dishes had an over powering taste of cardamom. The lady up front was super nice and friendly. Delhi chaat was a bit of disappointed because it became soggy by the time we got home. Just a friendly advice to fellow yelpers if you decide to get the chaat try to enjoy it right away. Overall good experience.

    Menu
    Jessica R.

    Indian Tadka in Waukee was sooooo delicious tonight! We've been stuck on other Indian places around town, but this one so close to home was an absolute hit. We'll be frequenting this place! Pictures have item names. Chicken Lababdar was recommended to us by the server, and it was great. Level 4 spice wasn't super spicy but good spicy. Chili shrimp was level 3 and it had great flavor. Wasn't what I was expecting but wasn't disappointed by the flavors in this dish. Aloo Gobi (cauliflower) had excellent flavor and wasn't over cooked like some Gobi dishes end up being. Malai Kofta was the biggest surprise for us, in a good way. It's a big cheese dumpling(?) then covered in sauce, but the cheese doesn't melt into the sauce and holds its dumpling form. Excellent option for vegetarians! Samosas were very good. Butter naan was fire, service great. We already can't wait to go back. Don't snooze in this place, their food is solid.

    Goat Curry
    Jaci S.

    My first time having Thai food - what an experience! Our server was also our cook, he popped out and gave amazing suggestions - we had their chai tea (incredible) and we tried every naan bread they had! I tried the butter chicken and personally ordered the goat curry. I would recommend a thousand times over! He answered all of our questions, was extremely helpful & was more than courtesy when I asked the correct way to eat the food!!

    Butter chicken and peanut butter chicken
    Misty T.

    This was my first time trying this kind of cuisine. I wished the waitress would have gave some more suggestions regarding what we should try. We got the butter chicken and the peanut butter chicken. I would not suggest the peanut butter chicken as it was basically chicken and peanuts in melted peanut butter. We heard the microwave being used quite a few times so I'm not sure how fresh our food was. I also ordered the garlic naan and it was nothing special. Our bill before tip was $48 and I feel that was a little steep for a lunch.

    Tikki Aloo appetizer  Yummmmmm!
    Logan J.

    Delicious local Indian cuisine in the waukee area. Cute quaint family run Indian restaurant well worth the drive. I have tried a lot of Indian places locally in Des Moines, and Indian Tadka is the WINNER! I am a korma enthusiast and just purely enjoy the chicken korma here. So fresh and flavorful with great flavors. Their appetizers and naan are so good too! The chutney dipping sauce that comes with the tikki aloo and the samosas had a great spicy kick to it! We love it here! If you appreciate locally / family run restaurants with great menu options you must try Indian Tadka!

    Rice
    Jamie L.

    We stopped in at the recommendation of my brother in law, and were so glad we did!! We started with an order of samosas, they particular ones happened to be potato and pea and they were very tasty, two to an order and they come with two different sauces. For entrees we enjoyed the chicken tikka masala and the chicken makhani (butter chicken). Both were fantastic! If I had to select one over the other it would be the chicken makhani, but both were delicious. We also enjoyed 2 orders of garlic naan as well loved the first so much we got a second! Rice came complimentary with the meal which I appreciated. When ordering the server will ask you to select a spice level of 1-5. We chose 2, having not been here before, there was some spice but we could have gone a bit higher. After finishing our meal we were visiting with the family who own and operate the restaurant, really a very nice family and so glad we selected their restaurant over others this evening. Will definitely be back!

    Garlic naan

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    2 months ago

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    11 hours ago

    Amazing food and very helpful staff. My favorite Indian food restaurant in the whole Des Moines area.

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    10 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Amazing food!! Sweetest lady served me and was all alone trying to get my business order done!

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    3 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    I'd been craving chicken tikka masala and this hit the spot. I am a new loyal customer

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    8 years ago

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    5 years ago

    I greatly enjoyed the Chicken Tikka Misala I ordered and will likely come back to do so again.

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    9 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Authentic, flavorful, delicious. Didn't give 5 stars because it's so expensive and the naan was a bit stale.

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    10 years ago

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    Amruth Indian Grill - Chilli/garlic Naan

    Amruth Indian Grill

    4.7(43 reviews)
    6.5 mi

    I love this place, their food has a lot of aroma and spices. It's like calling out to different…read moreparts of India that we haven't gotten a chance to try in dsm. I am obsessed with their buffet to try other things. Sat-sun 12-4 for buffet. The environment is very clean and service is authentic

    Today was my 55th birthday and I was kind of flying solo. I did take the day off work, but other…read morethan that everyone around me had plans. I decided to treat myself. Amruth took over a space that used to be one of my favorite Mexican restaurants (Mazatlan) not far from where I live. I've been wanting to get there, but just hadn't made it yet. My birthday was a perfect excuse. Parking isn't an issue. It's in a small strip of businesses along Swanson and the lot is pretty big. I was greeted as soon as I walked in. I was shown to a table; my host also ended up being my server. The interior isn't fancy. The seating is a combination of booths and low top tables and chairs. The main seating is to the Right of the front counter as you enter. To the Left is a small area with a bar they are using for overflow and as a party room space. The menu is extensive and can be found online (https://online.skytab.com/bd3b12858938ae5724425b6f04ead3bf). I'd browsed it before arriving and pretty much knew what I wanted. My server took my drink order and brought a small carafe of water to my table. I ordered the Alfredo chicken 65 pasta (medium spice level) and that comes with garlic naan. It seemed a little unconventional... Pasta with Indian food...? But it's in their Amruth Specialty section and they wouldn't put something on on the Specialty menu if it wasn't good... Right? I also ordered a Masala chai. The pasta dish was served over a penne style pasta. Kind of a take on a cajun pasta with an Indian twist. Very good! I'd order this again and again...and again. The naan was fresh and tasted great too! Chicken 65 is something I've ordered as a appetizer many times so I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting. Interesting combination with the pasta and creme sauce... I will say I'm very glad I didn't order it at the hot spice level...the medium was lighting me up a little. And I don't shy away from heat... Lol My server checked on me every now and then and we chatted a little. I'd mentioned the spots I normally go to for lunch and their buffets. At Amruth they have an all you can eat dosa special on Thursdays (don't quote me on that, but I think that's what I read...call them and ask about it) and a buffet on Sundays. The Sunday buffet I am sure on... When we were talking he mentioned they offer 25-30 items on their buffet v. the 10 or so that other restaurants seem to offer. This will be something I have to check out! Prices are reasonable. I took care of my bill at the front counter when I finished my meal. They take cash or cards There is a small discount if you pay with cash. The portion of food I received ordering off the menu was huge and this would be a great place to bring a few friends and share dishes family style...! The customer service I had today was exceptional and the food was excellent. Definitely the caliber that makes me want to come back and check out some of the more traditional items on the menu! https://amruthindiangrill.com/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557627782966

    Photos
    Amruth Indian Grill - Party Hall

    Party Hall

    Amruth Indian Grill - Butter Chicken Alfredo Chicken 65 Pasta Rice Garlic Naan

    Butter Chicken Alfredo Chicken 65 Pasta Rice Garlic Naan

    Amruth Indian Grill

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    Bawarchi Indian Grill and Bar

    Bawarchi Indian Grill and Bar

    4.2(79 reviews)
    5.6 mi

    Fantastic food and service! The chicken is very well marinated and soft. The naan is also very…read moretasty and the service is very kind. Quiet ambiance with some music. Can have a good conversation there.

    I'm not sure what is going on here lately, but what used to bring me to Bawarchi Indian Grill and…read moreBar seems to be fading a little... We stopped in again last Tuesday for the lunch buffet at right about noon. We were greeted and told to take a seat as normal, but that's kind of where things ended. We sat in the booth for a few minutes. Normally a server checks in with you and takes a drink order at least and releases you to the buffet. No sign of anyone returning... We finally got up and headed to the buffet on our own. A lot of the warming trays on the buffet were already mostly empty and hadn't been refreshed. We did our best to fill a first plate (tandoori chicken, chicken biryani, goat curry, etc.) and went back to our booth. When we got back to our seat there was a carafe of water and a basket of naan on the table. That was a good thing. My co-worker was able to flag down the server to get him a Diet Coke. The food was good. What there was of it... After finishing the first plate we headed back up and it was kind of the same story. Quite a few empty warming trays... But at least a couple of the previously empty ones (aloo gobi and chicken 65) had been refilled so we got some variety. While we were up our first plates hadn't been cleared from the table... Maybe they were short staffed...? It only appeared to be the one gentleman working the front acting as host, server, and cashier. Given the lack of attention to guests and keeping the buffet replenished... I'm really hoping this extreme was a one-off, but things have been a little hot and cold the last couple of visits. It's a shame. We really enjoyed this buffet for a couple of years after our first visit. I've pretty much given them a pass until now hoping it would return to normal. Crossing my fingers things will get better again. With competition like Chowrastha not far away... They're too close by (Ashworth and 60th in West Des Moines) to be letting your game slip like this...

    Photos
    Bawarchi Indian Grill and Bar - The sauce table.

    The sauce table.

    Bawarchi Indian Grill and Bar - Tandoori chicken and butter chicken

    Tandoori chicken and butter chicken

    Bawarchi Indian Grill and Bar

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    Chowrastha - Wait

    Chowrastha

    4.2(43 reviews)
    5.2 mi

    Amazing Food Ordered…read moreChicken Tikka, hariyali chicken tikka, chicken dum Biryani, chole bhatura (Epic) Food - 10/10 Ambience - Friendly Parking - Dedicated parking lot Great food. Ordered Takeout on way from Omaha to Des Moines Recommend. Will surely try again

    Our 8 yr old son wanted momos and asked to try out a different Indian restaurant than our "usual."…read moreI searched the area, checked out menus, and reviews. Chowrastha looked like it would work. It was a Friday evening and when we entered, about half the tables were full. We were guided to a table and given menus and water (glasses and a pitcher) arrived shortly after. My son definitely wanted the chicken momos. We asked for them as mild as they could make them. My husband chose the chicken vindaloo (medium) and I asked for the Korma Masala with chicken. I asked for it mild, especially so our son would be able to have some of mine, but was told it could only come medium or spicy. So I chose medium. We also placed an order of butter naan. My husband and son ordered fountain drinks. The waiter pointed out the fountain machine and told them to help themselves to start and for refills. My son and husband's food came out along with the naan. There was no mention about mine. We started to wonder if mine had been forgotten but then it came. Our son dove into his momos and almost immediately said they were too spicy. The other Indian restaurants we've been to put the sauces on the side. These had the sauce on them. He powered through and ate four. We were proud of him for doing so. My husband and I ate the rest. I enjoyed the flavor but agreed it would be spicy for a kid. The dumpling wrap seemed to be dry in places. Otherwise, I liked them. My husband enjoyed his chicken vindaloo for the most part. He did mention he's had chicken vindaloo at other Indian restaurants and said he didn't recall it being so tangy. My Korma Masala was fine. It was definitely spicier than I'd desired and there was no way my 8 year old would have enjoyed trying it. My nose would not stop running from the spice level. The butter naan was tasty. Service was non-existent once our food arrived. While other tables did get filled and orders taken, we felt completely ignored. We didn't know if the check came to us or if we needed to pay at the counter. No idea where to get to-go containers. We saw people from a large party coming up and ordering at the counter. Since this was our first time here, we had no clue if this was due to being understaffed or just the norm. Definitely not a good service experience. Our son was disappointed and asked to return to our "usual" Indian restaurant in the metro. I can't disagree.

    Photos
    Chowrastha - Chicken Tikka Masala

    Chicken Tikka Masala

    Chowrastha - Malai Kofta and Paneer Butter Masala - same gravy, tastes identical! Boo!

    Malai Kofta and Paneer Butter Masala - same gravy, tastes identical! Boo!

    Chowrastha - Buffet

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    Buffet

    Desi Bites - Samosa Chat

    Desi Bites

    4.7(22 reviews)
    6.4 mi

    We stopped by Desi Bites late in the evening around 8pm on a Friday night and surprisingly the…read moreplace was busy. The restaurant is located inside a grocery store and set up as a take out counter where you place your order and pay first, then wait for your name to be called to pick up the food. They have a cashier to take the orders and also a kiosk (where I was directed to place my order). There is a designated seating area to eat the food. I would say there was about 8 tables and it looked bright and clean. There were families there with little kids dining in during my visit. I placed my order on the kiosk and stood aside nearby waiting for my name to be called. The cashier was nice and mentioned that it would be a while before my name would be called so I should have a seat. Instead I decided to walk around the grocery store which I enjoyed. I should have looked at the ticket that the kiosk printed because it said my order would be ready in 50 minutes. It did take 50 minutes because there were so many people whose order was ahead of mine. This place is popular! I ordered the butter chicken and the 65 chicken. The butter chicken was delicious. It came with a side of white rice and was nice and sweet and creamy. I was able to order the dish in mild spicy level which I appreciated. They use cashew paste in the dish so if you have a nut allergy, then this dish is not for you. It came in a sealed yellow container that I thought was spill proof. Unfortunately the oil from the dish leaked out onto the bag and onto my jacket. This is something to consider if I decide to pick up my order again or have it delivered. The 65 chicken was good too but the kiosk would not allow me to order it mild so I was forced to order it at a medium spice level. It was too spicy for me. The chicken was at the bottom of the take out container and covered with fried rice. It seemed like a lot of rice and not enough chicken. The rice was very good. It was mixed with cashew nuts so if you have a nut allergy, this dish is not for you. I had never had 65 chicken but knew it was a popular dish. I am not sure I will order this next time despite the large portion it came in. Overall this is a great alternative to other Indian restaurants in the area. It is competitive because some items are cheaper than what you would find in a restaurant (i.e. an order of naan here is $2.50).

    Food was delicious. Located inside grocery store, so not a good atmosphere for dining in, but fir…read morefast food or carry out its very good!

    Photos
    Desi Bites - Located inside the Konark Grocery.

    Located inside the Konark Grocery.

    Desi Bites - Chai and chicken Hakka noodles - lot of food, a little spicy

    Chai and chicken Hakka noodles - lot of food, a little spicy

    Desi Bites - Top: chicken biryani, bottom: chicken majestic -

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    Top: chicken biryani, bottom: chicken majestic -

    Saffron Indian Cuisine - Gongura Chicken

    Saffron Indian Cuisine

    4.7(11 reviews)
    7.8 mi

    4.6* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4*…read more Service: 5* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $44 04/24/2026 It was honestly a bit of an accident that we even found this place and boy are we glad that we did - it was quite the hidden gem! We were out stopping at local spots to update my HappyHourDesMoines.com website and decided it was time to have some dinner. My wife did a restaurant search on her car's system, this place popped up and since we both enjoy Indian food...we decided to give it a try. We left very impressed - especially with the food and the very attentive and helpful service from Kavya, who was awesome! We started by ordering a Mango Lassi (yogurt based 'malt') that was absolutely delicious - cool, creamy and full of mango flavor. We followed with Chicken Lollipops (see picture) as our appetizer and again, found them very good - especially with the side sauce. For our dinners, my wife ordered Korma (see picture) and substituted the chicken with lamb while I ordered the Gongura Chicken (see picture) at Kavya's suggestion. We also ordered Basil Naan (see picture) and found it to also be very good - thin, tasty and fresh...and the basil flavoring was something we hadn't experienced with naan before. They offer 3 spice levels and my wife ordered medium while I went with hot. We both like spicey food. Personally, I would have liked something in between the two on both dishes as my wife's didn't seem to have much spiciness and mine had a definite burn that overwhelmed some of the flavor. The good news is that we didn't have to ask for extra rice to finish our meals as we do at most other Indian restaurants - both dishes were served with a generous portion. My only disappointment was the men's restroom, as both the cleanliness and maintenance could use some improvement. The aesthetics to get there were also a little awkward, with it located in a hallway next to the kitchen that also had some carts and dirty dishes. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    We had the lunch buffet. Display offered lukewarm, small portions of decently flavored food. Not…read morebad, not great. Really appreciated the flavorful cabbage and fluffy naan, but thought the rest was pretty underwhelming.

    Photos
    Saffron Indian Cuisine - Saffron lunch buffet

    Saffron lunch buffet

    Saffron Indian Cuisine - Chicken Lollipops

    Chicken Lollipops

    Saffron Indian Cuisine

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    Indian Tadka - indpak - Updated May 2026

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