Been going here for 15 years, since it first opened when my friend got back from Pakistan and needed some home-cooking. My wife and I go here every time we are in S. Berkeley. Chicken/lamb curry, tandoori chicken (with the bone), chicken/lamb biriyani, and aloo-baygan (eggplant potatoes) are the best dishes. Don't use utensils - take the naan (get it plain, order 2, then order 2 more so you eat it hot out the brick oven thing) and fill it with the curry, raw onions, and green sauce. Then, do the same with the aloo-baygan, but use the yogurt and leave out the onions. Trust me, this combo with have your pallet on purve all night! And if you're wondering how to eat the biryani, just cup your fingers and take a big ball of the rice - it makes the food taste better, though there's no need for that since THIS IS THE BEST PAKISTANI/INDIAN PLACE in the eb. read more

This is a review for my first visit to the new location. "Meh" is fair. We ordered: Aloo Ghobi, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Chicken Biryani. The potatoes and cauliflower did not have much flavor. The Chicken Tikka Masala was OK. But I remember it being wonderful on my previous visit. The Chicken Biryani, however, was not that OK. There were huge clumps of rice stuck together with no seasoning - just dried hard (large) clumps. And again, not a lot of flavor. The service was also not too good. I can't compare service to the previous location though. Previously the place was so small and I always took my food to go. BUt when the items were brought to the table, they were just sort of slid down and almost dropped onto the table with a New York-style announcement of what they were. Almost like "Here's the Tikka Masala. Whattaya gonna do about it?" So all in all, just not worth going back. It sure isn't what I remembered (food-wise). And I don't like rude service. read more

Probably a 4 star joint overall, but my biryani left me craving one from Lavash, meh. http://www.yelp.com/biz/lavash-cafe-columbus My coworker got the house specialty and couldn't shut up about how great it was, so that's the way to go. Good garlic naan. SUPER cheap prices, ~$7 a plate. This place may be a little too authentic for some Westerners. When I walked in the door, I glanced in the kitchen to see an old man shoving a handful of food in his mouth. That's a poor practice in our culture. The food also has chunks of the spices used in the dish, stuff easily avoided if you eat with your hands, but if you eat with a fork you may end up biting down on things with a really strong taste. I'd come back again, just wouldn't get the biryani again. read more

Great Pakistani food. This place is cheap, spicy, and no frills. Just the way I like it. The lamb was really good, even though it came out sort of cold. The waiter was very nice and warmed it back up. Honestly, I thought it tasted better cold. Isn't it weird how some food is like that? Garlic naan was just ok, but the tandoori fish was amazing, veggie curry, and saag were great. They put a ton of cheese in the saag...awesome. read more

Paratha, tandoori chicken, onions, cucumber and spicy sauce... = great lunch! Stopped by on my way from Pinole to Oakland. Tandoori chicken is a generous portion (two full thigh/leg pieces), wheat paratha is large. The peppers and onions served sizzling with the chicken, and the spicy green sauce served with the cucumbers, all combined to a very tasty, and reasonably healthy meal. read more

Every time I stop in at Kabana's for Chicken Tikka Masala, the perfectly cooked tender morsels of meat and piquant flavors of the sauce do an ecstatic dance over my taste buds. I have a friend who drives up from Santa Cruz just to eat at Kabana's. The owner told me that he plans to open Kabana #2 down the street. That's a good thing because after 6 p.m. on any weekend night, there's a long lineup to get in the door. read more

This place is delicious! FOOD: The food is great if you like the taste of Indian cuisine. When it says spicy, it's really spicy, but that's how I love it, so no complains here. I went there many times and tried a lot of different things. All of them were delicious, and the cost - just perfect. It's really inexpensive, so it's possible to visit them all the time. SERVICE: The place was always full of people every time I came in, so no wonder that the stuff was always busy and I had to wait a while for the food to arrive. Still, the waiting period wasn't that long. They're also very nice and friendly, but have a strong accent, so it's hard to understand sometimes. PLACE: The place is overall very clean, the tables are also clean and the interior design is very beautiful. The restroom is also very clean and spacious. The TV showing Indian songs is constantly on, and it's an interesting watch if you come by yourself. Don't sit by the window if it's sunny or you'll bake yourself - it's a warning they give during summer, and honestly, take it seriously. read more

No masks in the middle of a pandemic. We didn't try the food because we left right away.

The paneer tikka masala is hands down the best paneer dish I've ever eaten! You'd think by eating cheese in a creamy sauce will make you feel stuffed or bloated but not this dish. It's a lighter sauce, not too thick- it's just right. This dish with garlic naan or rice is perfection! read more

Pros: The service is fast, the place is clean, nice decor, price was moderately cheap. For a naan, mango lasso and paneer Tikka masala and tip, I paid $14. Cons: The food didn't taste great. Slightly less than mediocre. read more

Food: -yogurt chutney, onions, cucumbers: this was a FREE appetizer they gave us when we sat down. It was nice to nibble on this while we waited for our food to come :) -Lamb Tandoori: only three pieces of delicious delicious lamb but oh so worth it! You can tell that the lamb has been marinated for a LONG time because every bite of it held the essence of the tandoori flavor. There was a hint of lemon juice in there and I absolutely loved that! -Chicken Tikka Masala: Sweeter than I've had at other places, but really yummy! The chicken pieces were not too tender and not too tough. I liked how they put onions, cilantro and other ingredients into their curry. Other places I've been to only had the curry sauce and nothing else in it. That's super unique about this place! I didn't taste too much of the tomato in this curry, which is what I normally taste at other places. But that's ok, still delicious! -Tandoori Naan: Looked like roti (or wheat naan) to me, but it tasted like regular! Very thin and chewy, just how I like it! -Tandoori Rice: nothing special about it. Ambiance: A hole in the wall with like 8 tables. Really cramped and hardly any decorations, but there was a TV that was playing some Indian music videos! I was getting cultured while I ate :) When dinner time approached, there was a bit of a line because they couldn't accommodate everyone because the place was so small. Come a little off hour so you don't have to wait. Price: I think we ended up paying like $22 for our meal. Wasn't to bad. It's about average for Indian Food. Service: Very nice, welcoming and friendly. But then he kinda forgot about us after the food came. And we had to go up to the counter to pay. So I'm thinking either this place doesn't offer waiter service or he really just didn't care. *shrugs* Overall: It didn't make it as one of my top Indian places but I'll totally come again! read more

My friends and I were looking for a post-movie dinner spot and this place came highly recommended. I knew right away that this place must be pretty good because it was PACKED and there were people waiting to be seated (granted this place is tiny). There's a small private parking lot off the street which is convenient since it's right on University. We were seated pretty quickly (luckily) and decided to eat family style. We split the mutter aloo, palak paneer, and chicken tikka masala. We mopped up all that deliciousness with naan and stuffed parathas. The food is pretty tasty although a little bit on the oily side. There were pretty large chunks of chicken in the tikka masala and the mutter aloo had an unexpected spicy kick. Water refills a plenty and also necessary. We stuffed ourselves with yummy food while occasionally glancing up to see the bollywood videos playing on the kitchen TV. All in all pretty tasty. I would try the tandoori items next time! Warning: Any clothes you wear into the restaurant will come out smelling like food. read more

I don't care what anyone says: until further notice, Kabana is hereby my favorite subcontinent cuisine in all of the bay area COUNTING SHALAMAR IN FREMONT. I know. Don't choke. I was here right around the end of the Muslim fasting day, and the owner was rushing to give everyone their "iftari" (food to eat when you break your fast), and he was still vigilant about making sure everyone got seated. I can say that this is a show of great professional behaviour because I know how badly someone wants to eat and drink at the end of a day of fasting, and although the kitchen was swamped, everything went fine and the food, as always, was about as rich and spicy as the fare will allow. To dispel any rumours about his curt behaviour, when he cleaned our table as we left, he said "Sorry for the delay, it was very busy", to which I said "No problem, you were having your iftar". Although he never appears to remember that I have a Pakistani dad that looks exactly like him, he smiled genuinely, and that, my friends, is how you build a good relationship with a shopkeeper. Viva Kabana! read more

I finally made it to this place after like months of trying to get my friends and the right timing to go to this place.. as it was either closed when I would want to go.. or I wouldn't have a friend to go with. Ah well. Alhumdualillah.. finally made it through the door and got some rockin Pakistani food. I got the Tandoori Chicken with mix veggies... I LOVE the heat of Pakistani food.. and the best part is.. this place doesn't swamp the food in oil. Seriously I don't know how half the Pakistanis I know stay so skinny give the amount of oil in the food at some of these places. Got some Naan and then so Chai.. to top of the meal.. Bollywood playing on a TV with some modern and classical favorites. Also the price wasn't a pain given the good food :) read more

Sooooooooo good, and pretty authentic food (according to my coworkers). Afterwards, it is impossible to resist lapsing into a semi-catatonic state (the much maligned "food coma")...but my advice is to just give in. Forget the excuses ("I have work to do after lunch," "I'm trying to eat healthy," etc.) and just stuff yourself with the deliciousness that is Kabana. Star of the show, by the way, is their chicken tikka masala. I came here in a large group, and nearly every plate was pretty much demolished, but the plates for the chicken tikka masala looked nearly out-of-the-dishwasher clean -- you can't let any of that go to waste! read more

Super tasty Indian food! My recommendations are definitely the palak paneer, the tikka masala, the aloo gobi... Big tip: order for pickup and take it home. Taking a big ol' piece of naan, smothering it in the above, and covering it with their tasty cilantro sauces makes for a mean meal. read more

I must admit that I was a little scared when my friends decided that Indian food would be the June choice for our monthly dinner meet up. I went in blindly, not knowing what to expect. The restaurant was on the small side, but the staff happily accommodated our 11 person party. The service was surprisingly fast, and all of our food came out at the same time. The food was great, and it all had some level of spiciness. Some of it was too spicy for my taste, but the waiters made sure to come by frequently for water checks. It was very affordable, 15 bucks from each of us covered our bill plus gratuity so we could afford to go out for ice cream after. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is looking for some good spice. read more

Pros: Good Chicken Tikka Masala Private Lot Parking Garlic Naan was on Point Cons: Dirtyness Prices A note about the dirtiness of the restaurant. SO dirty. The waiter wiped the table with a rag that reeked of mildew. I've been to some places in Asia that are pretty dirty but that really put me off. The food was really good but I don't think I'lll be back again. read more

Absolutely YUM. Really small place so be prepared to be patient if you're coming right at dinner time. but alas.... its worth it! Such good high quality food. Check it out if you're in the area. Garlic naan. Highfive! read more

Food heaven has a name and it is Kabana. Do not stop, go, to this dispenser of flavors, myriad and exotic. I consider myself an authority of sorts on good food(good indian food at least) and after eating here tonight for the first time, I can honestly say that Pakistani food doesn't get better than this. Do not expect an ambience but anyone who expects ambience as well as great food in an Indian/Pakistani joint is just asking for the impossible. Although I have heard that some new places in Palo Alto,etc are trying to deliver both, I personally have never let my need for good dinner ambience get in the way of food nirvana, the sort you get from eating at places like Kabana in Berkeley and Pakwan in Hayward. Husband and I had the Tandoori fish , Chicken Kheema, Goat Biryani and Naan all of which were superlative but the cherry on top of the sundae was the dessert. The carrot halwa was loaded with almonds, pistachios and raisins and in spite of being made in ghee, did not have a greasy, heavy feel to it. The kind of halwa that the royal cooks for the moghuls must have made. Kabana was truly a wonderful food experience, one that I will want to repeat again again. read more

I feel like I should give more stars, but this is seriously the greasiest, oiliest food I've ever consumed in my entire life. The flavor was *okay* but the place is a little scary for even me, a Sasquatchy Cracker. The third star is really only because I feel the strong need to give it another shot. Someone else ordered the food I've eaten from here and I'd be lying if I said I couldn't make better choices for myself. I just had been looking forward to Kabana for, I think, two years and it was a monumental disappointment. I do look forward to the day when I'm willing to choose "second chance" over health, though, so that I can try this place again... read more

Very Very good. I was a little nervous because a few folks gave this place low scores but I have to say, for me it was damn good. Honestly, this was my second choice. I went to try out Vik's Chaat but they are closed on Mondays. All in all Kabana is a good place to end up. I ordered the veggie curry with rice, garlic naan and samosa. I have to say the samosa had the best flavors. So savory. All that food for under $15, and I have lunch for a min of two days. Sounds good to me. read more

Like most reviews said, for the germaphobes...this is NOT the place to be. But, that being said, I'm not a germaphobe by any means, and this wasn't the most pleasant dining experience I've ever had. When I unwrapped my silverware...there was a dead bug in the midst of it. ew, gross. the food was pretty good, but I feel like I can get comparable food at many of the places in the Berkeley area...and I won't have to worry about any possible bug carcasses, which I'm willing to pay a couple of extra bucks for. read more

I ordered some take-out food a few years ago. The owner asked me some weird and inappropriate questions, such "do you own a house?" (yes), and then, "you must be rich" (no). When I got home to eat my food, I realized that he had given me leftovers. I have visited Pakistan several times, and I know what fresh food tastes like. I will never return to this restaurant. read more

The food is darn good. One of the best Indian/Pakistani restaurants in the east bay. My bf and I frequent Kabana at least once a week. Chicken tikka masala and karachi lamb curry are sooo good. Total dive so if you like your restaurants clean then you might not like it here. read more

A dive, but authentic and delicious, no pretenses. The four stars is based upon food only. The decor and cleanliness may leave something to be desired, but the flavors, smells and textures are all just perfect. The food here isn't tamed down or modified to appeal to the general public. If you can't handle spicy dishes, you may want to steer clear of some of the curries. My wife (she's Indian) and I have been here a few times and have enjoyed it each time (thank goodness we've had no illnesses yet). Each time the food's been great and we've left full and content. When you walk in you may feel a little underwhelmed, but soak in the atmosphere: the old men drinking tea and chatting; the Paskistani-bolliwood movies playing on the old TV; and the pungent aromas wafting through the air. The place is tiny (seating for 20, maybe). The tandori fish is excellent: tender, moist, and full of flavor. The naan is served warm, with just the right balance of crispy and doughiness. Some of the dishes may not be what you expect, but remember that you may be getting the Pakistani version of the Indian standards you're used to. The prices are very reasonable, the portions are generous, and the food's tasty. We think of this place as the Shalimar of the East Bay (obviously Shalimar serves Indian food and this is Pakistani, but both have great, inexpensive food served in very humble, not always spic & span environments). read more

This place is mediocre Indian food. The main flavor was spicy--and not in a delicious aromatic way. We had Saag, Aloo Begun, and Tandoori Fish. I don't get why anyone likes this place so much? Is it because it's cheap? It is really cheap, but that's reflected in the food. Go to Flavors of India instead, if you want complex, fragrant, delicious Indian cuisine. read more

Awesome Biriyani. Great Chicken & Goat curries. Good price and good customer service. Only gripe is the quantity is a little less for my liking. But all in all, A-MUST-TRY. You should ignore the ambiance(there is none :)) if you want some good Biriyani. read more

Best India/Pakistani cuisine I've ever stuffed in my mouth. I really do mean stuffed because that's what you'll be doing when the food is served. It's really that good! The place is a hole in the wall so there's a good chance you'll have to wait for a table. It's located near San Pablo Ave. and University which is really easy to get to. There are plenty of street parking usually. In the restaurant there is always and I do mean always a Bollywood movie playing. For as long as I've been there I've never seen that TV off. Everything here is so good! Tandori chicken, seekh kabab, chicken biryani, Lamb curry, naam, and etc are all good! You will never fail if you order the wrong item because there is no wrong item! It's all very very good! read more

The other reviewers aren't kidding. Kabana has a limited menu. It always seems dirty - sometimes filthy. No class, no upscale "foody" ambiance. Frequently crowded and disorganized. Tables pushed closely together. It also has some of the awesomest Pakistani/Northern Indian food in the Berkeley/Oakland area. Tandoori chicken and fish are almost always perfect - burned on the outside and succulent on the inside. Karachi lamb is spicy melt-in-your mouth heaven. The house dal is perfect - chili infused, just the right consistency with complex overlays of nuttiness and other flavors that I can't get in my own dal, no matter how hard I try. Aloo ghobi is similarly outstanding. Saag dishes are also excellent. The nan and rice are plain - fresh, perfect and in the case of the nan, burned just right. A few other negatives. On occasion the chana masala is disappointing. Too greasy, too plain, some spice or flavor missing. Sometimes, when it's really crowded the food is rushed, and the quality goes down a notch or two. NOT a "first date" kind of place (my wife won't use the bathrooms at Kabana even though she loves the food.) But I've eaten here at least 100 times, and I'm telling you nothing in this part of the East Bay comes close to it. Note to meat eaters: I'm not one. The meat dish reviews come from family members and friends I've brought here over the years, all of whom gave rave reviews. read more

Went here with a couple friends. Service was generally lacking (the servers did not seat us nor bring us menus) and we had to wait about forty minutes for our food after ordering. When the check came we noticed we'd been billed for an item we had not ordered and alerted the manager, who responded by accusing us of calling him a liar. He continued by claiming one of my friends had ordered the dish without telling the rest of us and had turned the dish away when it was delivered to our table. Even the server in question refused to attest to the fact that we had seen him deliver the dish to the next table over. Eventually the manager caved in and admitted he did not remember who had ordered the dish in the first place. Although the food was good and the flavors were very authentic, I would not come back here again. read more

Their food gets 5 stars from me! It has to be hands down the best Pakistani food I've had in the entire east-bay!! The only other place I've ever had something this good was at a creepy hookah bar outside of Washington DC. Which brings me to the missing star: Cleanliness. The place is usually pretty nasty looking inside, but the food they make definitely makes up for it. I highly recommend going here if you've already tried all the other places in Berkeley. If not, I'd leave this one for last, because you won't want to eat at any other place after trying their food. And one more downside: No takeout menus. T___T read more

Since long time I was planning to eat tandoori fish finally I called for 2 orders tandoori fish and 2 to plan naan it took me 20 minutes to get there I told them I am coming from San Pablo it take me 30 minute minutes to get back we I open the bag there was no naan in there have white rice I am not follower for rice I was upset. read more

Kabana serves some of the best curries, vegetarian dishes and naan I've ever tasted. The food can be pretty spicy and heavy, so if you're stomach's feeling faint, try somewhere else. This spot is not for the faint of heart, they are not trying to capture the North Berkeley crowd and inside, the place feels like it's across the world from the places on the gourmet ghetto a few miles away. The decor is strange, and the restaurant is very male-dominated. The service is strange but overall, fine. The cleanliness could be improved. The other day I was there, we tried some vegetarian dishes--chick peas and spinach and potatoes--which were exquisite, along with the goat curry, which was great but greasy. We should have ordered more naan and rice to help combat the spiciness of the food. The experience made me imagine for a second that I was in a foreign land far from my usual places and routines. read more

We were really craving Korean food, but since the Korean restaurant that we thought we were going to turned into some kind of shady shack with a Nude Sushi sign, we decided to go to Kebana instead. I never had Pakistani food before, but was willing to give it a shot. The restaurant itself is pretty small, but it can seat about 20 people, snugly. The owner is a really nice guy who tries to talk to all of his guests, but I guess at times he can be pushy? My friend told me that the last time he ate there, the owner was making a big fuss because he didn't order rice. He was really nice and joked around with us though. On to the food: we had the spinach (paneer?), chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, garlic naan, plain paratha, and washed it all down with mango lassis. The food was okay, nothing special. I really expected to enjoy my mango lassi, but it wasn't as cold as I wanted it to be. The spinach dish was my least favorite--the cheese really threw me off. The best dish was the chicken tikka masala, but as with the tandoori chicken dish, there were very few pieces of chicken. I felt like we weren't getting much for the price that we were paying. And be prepared to smell like curry when you leave. Overall, not bad but I've had better, especially for those prices. read more

They moved across the street. Still just as good. Been here over twenty times since the last review. They've really grown this place up now--more seating, a bit more elegance, and a bit more service. Come for the food and forget the rest, and you'll be ecstatic. read more

Kabana is awesome, I like their Chicken Tikka Masala, it's very saucy and the meat is tender. Man, now I want some curry. The service kind of varies, it tends to be very short abrupt service, but when it's not as busy, the owner is quite personable! It's a small place with one bathroom -- but the food is good and it's fairly priced. One of my favorite places for Indian food -- one day I'll order something else off their menu. Also -- I love the chai, why can't I ever make chai as good? read more

There's always a huge line at this place, one of the telltale signs of a good food establishment! I went in with high expectations and was not disappointed. Since it's always so crowded, we decided to order to-go. Great: 1. Chicken Tikka Masala - Definitely get this! Some reviewers declared it too spicy, but it partners quite well with their fresh original naan. 2. Veggie Biryani - Great flavor if you like Biryani dishes. I've had spicier Biryanis, but the milder flavor worked well with the fresh veggies. Can't wait to try the Chicken Biryani. 3. Naan - YES!!! I wish I could make this at home, it's soo good. Ok: 1. Stuffed Parathas - Was my first time trying this dish, and it was okay. Not a lot of "stuffed" part, so it did feel like just filling my stomach with more bread, which didn't really go well with the CTM. The cilantro sauce complemented nicely, but I'm not a huge fan of this dish. Perhaps if you're partial to this flavor, you would like it. (I prefer green onion pancake!) While waiting for our food, the owner/manager/servers were all very polite and the restaurant had a nice, positive atmosphere. We noticed that they had a special on samosas that day, but it was too late to add to our already full order, so we'll definitely get it next time. The good news is that they're opening a Kabana #2 down the street (only a block away), which is a bit strange, but will ease the wait for a hopefully excellent dining-in experience! read more

Can't believe it was more than 2 yrs since I review them. Well, now I become semi-regular, the owner totally recognized me. I get very quick and nice service all the time. Still the same great food, great service, and place has been remodeled and now they are expending.....2nd places coming soon, how exciting to see restuarant thriving when economy is still not so stable. I love Kabana! read more

It is whole in the wall so I don't bother about their service and cleanness of this restaurant! Bring your own plastic utensil and your bottle water if you are afraid. I ordered: Tandoori Fish Saag Lamb Chicken tikka Garlic n Onion naan Love them all but vik's still No. 1 List for this type of food! Oh... I love their green sauce on the table.. I think it is there chilly sauce.. P.S. Most of their food are on the spicy side.. so if you could not even stand black paper, don't go here. Credit Card OK! read more