My boyfriend and I went here to have dinner on a date night. He's Black, I'm white. We ordered, then my boyfriend went outside to smoke. When he came back in, the man behind the counter yelled at him aggressively to get out. He shouted and pointed. It was humiliating. Someone else on staff pointed to me still seated at the table, and he realized he was with me, and sort of mumbled an apology but it was really insufficient given the yelling. We felt extremely uncomfortable, an older female family member kept looking at us with a look of disapproval on her face, so we took our food to go. The man behind the counter said he yelled because it was "a misunderstanding". He said my boyfriend "looked happy" and so he "thought he was drunk". That is of course not what happened. This establishment is run by a racist. We won't be back. My order was also wrong but that really doesn't matter in tge context of everything else. These owners should be ashamed. read more

Been going there with my family for several years and the food always fresh and tasty. The service is also very nice and restaurant has an Indian local vibe. The portions of the food are always generous, and the bill is very affordable and reasonable. It is a great place if you are craving Indian food. read more

Kabana considers itself a Pakistani restaurant. I was in the area and saw this venue nearby on a Thursday for lunch. Very reasonable prices with a handful of weekday lunch specials @ $5.99/$6.99 that includes rice or naan. Their regular dishes are priced around $6.99 to $10.99. I ordered: chicken curry lunch special with separate order of palak paneer (aka saag paneer) and added garlic naan. It included a small side of sliced cucumbers and red onions, as well as mint chutney. They also have daily specials not on the menu, priced around $7.99 and up. I was impressed as everything I tried was seasoned nicely to Indian/Pakistani standards and not Americanized, so expect the spices to kick in. At their student-friendly prices and located close but far away enough from the busy strip of UC Berkeley, I will definitely be back to try their other dishes. read more

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The overall food quality and service is very good. The only issue is that seating is very limited so it is best to call ahead of time to make sure they have seating available and that there is not a big event going on. Back to the food! All the different types of meat and bread are delicious. If you are looking for traditional spicy food look no farther, this place will take care of all your cravings. read more

Kabana Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Food have good taste in this place, I would just recommend the owner to work a little in the image of the restaurant looks a little old and dirty in some spots, overall food is good that's what really matters, service a meh, not good not bad. read more

Spacious restaurant with above average food. The owners r really respectful and appreciate people eating here. That counts for alot. Everyone is prompt and fast with the service. Usually come here on a sunday if i am in the east bay. Went today and it was surprisingly closed so we ate at indus ehich is right arounf the corner. Bonus if you come on sunday. Park in wells fargo parking lot and no one will bother you read more

I got takeout from here on a Saturday during the pandemic. The food was alright, the service was pretty bad. Firstly, none of the workers were wearing masks or gloves or anything and the cashier was wearing a mask but it wasn't even covering his nose! Second, the service was not good. My boyfriend and I went there and ordered some food and the cashier said 15 minutes so we walked around and came back about 25-30 minutes later. Our order was not ready, which is fine, I understand that sometimes things get busy. But when we came back into the shop, the workers kept looking at us and not saying anything. We kept trying to ask if our order was ready and they just kept ignoring us. Every time someone else walked in that they knew they would always help them first. The food was okay - the karahi chicken had only chicken breast pieces which was disappointing. The goat biryani was decent. The shami kabob was burnt and dry. read more

Disappointing. We ordered here the other night because Indus was closed. The tandoori chicken was great. Can't go wrong with that. I liked how spicy it was. Good size serving. The rice was rice. That's not something I'm ever critical of. The garlic naan was good as you could expect from delivery. I'm sure it would have been great fresh. The aloo gobi was good. Spicier than expected. That's fine for me, but not for my partner. All the above was fine. Here's what was disappointing: the tikka masala. Worst I ever had, and this is my go-to when I want Indian food. I had the chicken tikka, and my fiancée had the paneer. We both agreed that they tasted more like tomato soup than curry. It was also very light on the chicken and paneer. read more

This was our first dinner during our Berkeley/San Francisco Trip. It was great since it was right down the street to where we were boarding. Once you step into this restaurant, you can definitely tell how authentic the food is going to be and how good from the smell. Our dinner was delicious. We ordered the Aloo Ghobi (Cauliflower mixed with potatoes), Dall Gost (lamb mixed with lentils - Spicy), Garlic Naan, and Basmati Rice. The Dall Gost has a lot of flavor but was a tiny bit too spicy for my taste. My boyfriend on the other hand loved it. We will definitely try more of the food on our next Bay Area visit. read more

Kabana Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

In comparison to English curry. I'm a native Californian, use to live in England and this is the closest I could find. Definitely recommend if you haven't tried this place yet. read more

Really great food and very authentic!! Been coming here years, even though there are good places in San Leandro Berkeley is worth the trek!!

Dirty, disgusting! Needs to be reported to the health department (I will). I hope I don't get food poisoning. The restroom was the worse I have ever seen at a restaurant. It smelled urine, they probably never cleaned the restroom for months. I took a peek of the kitchen on the way to the restroom and back. OMG! Horrible... pots and pans were on the floor. There is no way clean food can come out of that kitchen. Inside of the restaurant, all the walls are dirty, ceiling is dark from dirt again, not enough lights. 15 years ago this place was called Bosphorus and it was a Turkish restaurant. I bet you million they didn't paint/clean since then. We walked in at 5pm, this is the time when they open for their dinner service after being closed for 2hrs. I was expecting the restaurant being clean and all the food freshly made and ready for the dinner crowd. I was wrong! Our table was dirty, menus had dried food on them and they were sticky, you wouldn't want to touch the salt shaker, water glasses were cloudy, owner didn't bother about wearing his mask... The guy who took the order forgot to bring our seekh kebab... It's good that he forgot! I didn't remind him as I was grossed out. I cancelled one of the other items also. We only ate the 'safe' or less risky things like rice and naan...left the rest of the food on the plate, paid and almost ran out... The owner has no POS or even a calculator. He threw some numbers on a piece of paper and some how calculated the tax too to the fraction and told me the total. He was off of course but I didn't make it a big deal since we didn't order much anyways. The photos you see here are old. The place does not look like those at all. It is dirty, stink, messy... The menu was very limited. Half of the things shown on menu photos here are not served anymore. You need to pick from very few items available. Area is not the best. That's why pricing may be somehow reasonable. Shady people walking up and down. Keep your kids away, ladies go somewhere else, guys make sure you can see your car if you go here. I personally will never come here again. Food? Who cares about the food even if it's the best! Good reviews here on Yelp should be from food delivery service customers. They don't know how the food is being prepared and the environment. I don't see this place staying in business for long and seeing them shut down will be more beneficial for the community. Anything good here? No, nothing... outside of the entrance door is much better then inside. Do not go here! You have been warned! read more

Kabana Restaurant - City of Berkeley Health Department - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Always good always amazing flavors hot fresh and hands down the best restaurant in the entire bay

Predictably good food. Very affordable. We have been going to this establishment for 10 years

First time visit. My coworker recommended me here. But everything was too spicy that we could not eat all. Maybe taste is good but we could not feel because of too spicy. We asked the waiter how much spicy without saying anything. He said medium spicy. But for us it was super spicy!lol if you go there, I recommend mild! We broke the stomach due to too spicy. We visit again? We will find the best Indian restaurant more. read more

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If there is a 0 star option I would have given that. Food is good but the customer service is beyond worse. Specially the old owner with light yellow suit. he have his antics and very rude behaviour and Ill manners towards the customers who request something with there food or just even ask for water on anything else. The lady server have no clue what customer service is she have that I don't give a damn attitude. I have been there regular customer just because I like Pakistani and spicy food. But I can't put up with this sh** anymore. Not coming back anymore. read more

Liked the veggie biryani, spinach with potatoes, garlic naan, etc. I ordered lamb curry but can't judge it. It's different for me. I will return. Prices are excellent!! $8-9. I am glad I tried it. I'll be a regular. read more

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I was craving curry and was in the area so I decided to check this place out (found on Yelp). Although it was pretty good, I wouldn't go out of my way to come back. I ordered the Stuffed Paratha, Goat Curry, Garlic Naan, and Tandoori Fish. The only one I had had before was the naan, so I was excited to try the other dishes out. They also provided a complimentary dish of raw cucumber and red onion with what tasted like a cilantro sauce (which was really tasty!). The Stuffed Paratha was interesting - I enjoyed it. The Goat Curry was delicious, but a little oily. I thought I tasted honey, but I'm not sure if it has honey or not. This was one of the rare times I've had goat meat and I was surprised to find that it was very good for being a less-favored meat. Unfortunately, there were a lot of large bones which made the experience less enjoyable. The Garlic Naan was great - be aware that 1 order means 1 large piece (I had expected several small pieces). Finally, the Tandoori Fish was very good. I'm not sure what kind of fish it was (a white fish at least) but the marinade made it taste very meaty and not at all like fish. However, there were many large bones in this dish as well. This restaurant is loud with a casual vibe. The food came out rather quickly. The prices were also very cheap - but I think the serving sizes were a little small. read more

Kabana Restaurant - Tandoori Fish - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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We always drive to Berkeley when we want good traditional Pakistani food, aside from the home cook meals. This restaurants slogan says it all" authentic cuisine of Pakistan". Classics and my favorites are tandoori chicken, it comes sizzling and firing off the skillet(boneless or bone-in)your choice. Tandoori is the flavor: which is marinated with red chili powder and yoghurt, clay oven cooked. They also have the tandoori fish, which is also sizzling and falls of the bone; it's their specialty dish. Delicious! Karahi chicken consist of small chicken breast marinated in a purée sauce with fresh spices.its a must try dish. Chicken tikka masala is a dish everyone( I'm assuming) has tried. Popular dish. They also have Paneer tikka for my vegetarian yelpers. So creamy,saucy and yummy lol. So there's a a slight difference from a naan and a roti. They have Naan's which is refined white flour cooked in a clay oven. They also have garlic naans. Nom nom nom. Order any dish on their menu and I guarantee you, you'll love it. Specially if you've tried Pakistani food before elsewhere and you said you would never again, NOW is your chance, never say never. The food doesn't have that heavy spice taste. Just try it. To finish off get a chai tea. Perfect to balance and digest your "heavy" meal. Mango lassi is a very sweet fresh fruit smoothie. Customer service is not the greatest but it sure has improved and same with location. This restaurant before was located a little further up off the same strip and the restaurant was very compact. Old fashioned.There was minimal about space to dine-in, felt congested. I mean several years later they upgraded into this location, which yet has a lot of potential left. Soon. Soon. read more

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Friendly staff, great food, large portions. Great value for the money. We ordered all vegetarian dishes, and they were delicious. Highly recommend for A family lunch. read more

Yum yum in my tum! We were looking for a spot to fill our Indian food cravings in Berkeley since we were in the area. Walking in our party of 5 was sat pretty quickly. The waiter and even owner were so friendly as we exchanged a couple of jokes here and there. Now...onto the food! We ordered the stuffed paratha since they didn't have samosas, garlic and regular naan, white rice, chicken bryani, tandoori fish and chicken tikka masala. The stuffed paratha comes out in huuuuuuge serving sizes! Definitely generous enough for 2-3 people. However I was kind of bummed that it didn't come with any sauces to go with it. On the table they did have some fresh basil (?) cilantro-esque and hot sauce. It definitely tasted much better with the sauce. The chicken bryani was great, although big chunks of chicken made up most of the dish. The chicken tikka masala and tandoori fish was fantastic! The fish came out on a hot-sizzling plate with loads of onions and very tasty. Be careful of the little bones though especially if you're eating with children! Overall, this place is really affordable to get lunch or dinner. I was kind of disappointed that most of the choices were either chicken or lamb. I hate lamb so most of the choices were limited in what we could order (aka mainly chicken). On certain days they serve goat or lamb. Anywhoo, nice place! read more

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I'm extremely lucky to have friends who enjoy food as much as I do. My friend Crissy suggested this place and through some crossed wires, she didn't get to join us as she ended up out of town while we dined here, but I digress. The men running the place were extremely friendly and they could probably tell my party and I aren't familiar with Indian cuisine as I would like, but they were more than happy to explain the dishes and how hot it was. I'm also glad they didn't pull the "let's tone down the flavors/heat" because they're n00bs. Oh boy, they let the heat levels as is and even though I'm not used to it, or more than most of my party, we enjoyed every single, burning, capsaicin laced, endorphin releasing bite. I thoroughly enjoyed all the dishes we ordered, but the specific one that took it for me was their Tandoori Fish; I know this isn't a "regular" dish because I haven't seen this listed on any other Indian restaurants (in L.A. or S.F.). It was nicely seasoned and worked well and was light. If I ever find out how to make this, I would be eating it almost 3 times a week. Tandoori Chicken; fresh chicken breast (I believe) spiced just right as well. I enjoyed this as well, but found myself digging for the fish more Chicken Tikka Masala; the creamy, spiced tomato sauce that accompanied this was smooth like velvet. I loved dunking the garlic naan we ordered between this and the chicken curry. Chicken Curry; I believe most of the fireball that was in my mouth came from this dish. The curry was nice, but the spice wasn't aggressive. It slowly crept up, but just like the Masala, dunking my garlic naan here and eating the rice, kept my mouth happy and lips with a nice sting. I'm already thinking about my next possible visit here and relive that great food experience. For the meantime, I hope something in L.A. somewhat comes close to this place until I do get the chance to come back. read more

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While I definitely feel that Kabbana loses points for the way it has (or has not) been done up, it gets full marks for the quality and taste of the food. The place is small and cramped with bollywood music videos playing in the background. In terms of the food - The parathas are to die for. They come piping hot and are extremely delicious. In fact, Kabbana is one of the few places which actually serves real parathas and my, what a treat they are! The fish tandoori and chicken/lamb korma are both quite yummy. The chicken karahi was not worth the heartburn that I suffered after my meal, but besides that, everything else is great. The channa masala was well cooked, though, I would have preferred it to be a little more spicy but the husband seemed to enjoy it thoroughly. For dessert, we ordered the gulab jamuns. We relished every bite and cannot wait to go back to Kabbana again! Overall rating - 4/5 read more

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The only good things about this restaurant are its freaky, Old Delhi ambience, which if you have been to Old Delhi you will find charming -- oh and of course the TV playing Bollywood songs. The bad things are -- * it's expensive for what you're getting (2 ppl can't get out of here for under $30, it is impossible) *it's uneven. The tandoori fish is great once, and burned AND raw the next time you order it. * it's unsanitary -- my husband has seen a rat in the kitchen read more

I wasn't sure what to expect coming to this place because some of the reviews made it sound like it would be horrible and disgusting while others said it would be amazing. I can say that the environment is not filthy, it actually seemed quite clean and open. The service is very brusque and perfunctory as others have noted. I don't normally care about this but I don't imagine this would be a nice date spot. Having food thrown down in front of you doesn't exactly say romantic. The food itself was pretty disappointing. I had the spinach curry and garlic naan and they were both underwhelming. The naan was bland and flavourless, save for the taste of charred garlic while the spinach dish had a very monotonous flavour that kinda tasted like a bad mix of mint and cilantro. Maybe it was just what I ordered, but with so many other options in the area I don't see a reason to come back anytime soon :( read more

Kabana Restaurant - Garlic naan - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Tandoori chicken was raw on the inside. Chicken karahi chicken had black spots, not quite sure what it was. not sure if yesterday was a fluke since there are so many positive reviews. read more

Been here enough times to overcome and ignore the antics of the loopy owner that runs the joint. they serve pretty decent Indian/Pakistani food. The chicken biryani is one of the better ones around but the last few time I had it, it was a tad too 'wet' --- Biryani should be drier than that. Their kebabs and tandooris are pretty good and they do a good job. Good value for money. read more

Blech. Tip: do not go here. Yelp wants me to write more. The food has no flavor. It tastes like it was cooked in water without salt or spices - except for the tikka masala, which tastes like tomato basil soup. For delicious Pakistani food, you'll want to go to Pakwan in SF. read more

Braces off, time for chicken tikka masala! For 3 miserable years I had to avoid yellow curry because it stained the rubber bands on my braces. Bottom line, I didnt want to look like I had hobo yellow teeth. So when my date brought me here, I was one happy camper. Kabana is pretty much a hole in the wall and can probably fit no more than 30 people at one time. There's a small parking lot coveniently located to the left . There was a small crowd outside the restaurant and obviously a sign in sheet. We waited about 15 minutes for a table. It took a bit long for the food to come but it was all worth it. Our selections: -Chicken Tikka Masala - delicious rich creamy curry that tantalized my taste buds with generous sized chunks of chicken. The dish was awesome but there could have been more pieces of chicken in my curry. -Tandoori Fish- Also delicious! My very first time trying this dish and i loved every bit of it. The fish was extremely moist and succulent. Just be careful for the thick bones. -Aloo Gobi- Yummy spiced cauliflower and potatoes -2 Garlic Naans- It was one of the best naan I've had. it wasnt super doughy and overly garlicy. It was perfectly thin and flaky and paired well with my Tikka Marsala. -Rice -Chai In conclusion, I was stuffed, completely satisfied, permeated with the smell of curry and spices and ready to catch SuckerPunch. read more

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First time here, and so far I think it's a great Indian restaurant!! To start, we got a mango lassi and it was one of the better ones I've had (not overly powerful). Then I got the garlic naan and the chicken tikka masala. Though the garlic naan wasn't the best I've ever had (a "hard" naan with not quite enough garlic flavor), the chicken tikka masala was EXCELLENT! Highly highly recommended if you're coming here for the first time. We used the naan to scrap up the last of the tikka masala from the bowl. Great Indian food in a great location! read more

Kabana Restaurant - The rice must be ordered separately as an FYI! - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Finally tried this place after reading all the reviews on Yelp. Man, I regret being skeptical of everyone's comments - I've been missing out on some bomb ass Indian/Pakistan food! Kabana is truly a hole-in-the-wall. Food I had per my visit: - Shami Kabab - a little too salty, but I liked how it felt very light and that it was very soft. - Lamb Chop Tandoori - my parents, who always order lamb when we get Indian/Pakistan food, said they've had better but thought it was pretty decent nonetheless. - Palak Paneer - I usually don't like spinach curry but THIS was very delicious. It was slightly creamy and the paneer was very pleasant. - Karahi Chicken - SO good and spicy (I wouldn't mind it being spicier, though), though a little oily. Something you should definitely try. - Naan - great naan (can't beat San Diego's Punjabi Tandoor's though)....it was thin, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. It's probably one of the better naans I've had in the Bay Area; not doughy, hard or thick. - Garlic naan - not enough garlic flavor, I prefer the plain one. - Mango lassi - too sweet, not enough yogurt. They make the food right away, so it might take a while if it's busy. Needless to see, everything was fresh and hot and all came at the same time. Mediocre service - not bad, not good either. The place itself is kind of dirty and small. No matter where you sit, you can see the restroom. But since the food is good, I guess I can bypass these things... Cheap prices - almost nothing is above $10 and portions are average. However, dishes are NOT served with rice; you have to order your Basmati rice separately. One order is one big plateful, by the way. Will definitely be back again and again and again... read more

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Karachi goat! Flavorful. Spicy. Delicious. They don't ask if you want mild, medium or spicy. This dish has just the right amount of heat to warm the palate and keep you coming back for more. Generous serving and reasonably priced. read more

I have been going to Kabana for 25 years. This place is a true hidden gem! It's a little out of the popular parts of town, but this place is well worth the trip - it's also close to the freeway, which makes it an easy in-and-out if you are just passing through the area. If you like Indian food - do yourself a favor and check this spot out. It is real-deal food - and has a flavor of authenticity that is rare in the US. I can't think of an Indian/Pakistani restaurant that has such incredible flavor. The spices are heavy and aromatic (not spicy hot, just incredibly flavorful). The food is incredible - and the prices are very reasonable. I'm a fan of everything I have tried - and I usually end up buying way more than I can eat at the table, so I can bring it home for another round. They even have goat - which is a delicious addition and well worth trying if you are up for experimenting a little. Parking is usually easy, which makes it even better, since parking in Berzerkeley can be a challenge in many other areas. read more

The only flavor I taste here is spicy. Food arrives fast. The portions are ample. Service is ok, without a smile. Indian music TV playing. Simple food. I was hoping for more. read more

Kabana Restaurant - Inside. Chana masala - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

1 cup (I measured) of chicken tikka masala for $8? I don't think so. read more

Kabana Restaurant - Small portions. 1 cup worth to be exact. - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Excellent food and excellent service. I had Indian food the day prior (chicken tikka masala) and it was bland and yucky compared to what I got at Kabana. Luckily I was eating with my sister so it was okay for me to lick the plate. The manager / owner guy was adorable. He kept refilling our chai ... even when I didn't need anymore, he told me I should drink more to keep my sister company and wouldn't take no for an answer. He reminds me of my dad ... an Indian version. read more

Took a good year before my friend was able to convince me to try this place, I wasn't much of a fan of Indian food before. When I saw the store front next to a check cashing place and the dingy windows, I hesitated to go in. After the first visit, I'm hooked on it. Chicken Tikka Masala, I swirl my naan around the bowl to get every last drop of the Masala sauce and lick the bowl clean. Pair this meal with their chai tea. The restaurant atmosphere can get a bit intimidating, from the dingy windows, occasional cups with food crumbs stuck to the side -- for food this good, I close my eyes and savor the wholesome goodness and let my body fend for itself later. I haven't experienced food poisoning here, so that's a good sign! A hidden gem in a hole-in-the-wall location. read more

The fish tandoori is amazing! I can eat 5 orders of those lol. You can never go wrong with the chicken tikka masala and garlic naan. I highly recommend this place for their food. read more

Kabana Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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My husband and I make Friday our "date night" where we choose a different restaurant each week and just spend time together catching up. (Aww, how cute, right?) It was my turn to pick and I chose Kabana. We weren't disappointed. After watching the presidential debates, we mosey'd over here. It's a small spot and fortunately, there was one more table left. Good sign. Thanks Yelpers for your reviews on what to order. We got the chicken curry, tandoori chicken, naan, side of basmati rice, and stuffed paratha. My chicken curry was very flavorful and the meat tender. I thought they could add another piece of chicken (only 3 pieces and they were kinda small). Stuffed paratha with vegetables was good but I'm not sure what they put in it to make it hot because I had to gulp down some water to put out the fire in my mouth. The tandoori chicken that my husband ordered was good but made him sweat!!!! Usually it's me who's sweating up a storm. Prices very reasonable and service very attentive. read more

I was actually pretty disappointed in Kabana and wasn't expecting to be because of the many good reviews. The bf and I were in Berkeley shopping and randomly decided to find somewhere to eat and Kabana came up on yelp pretty fast so we pulled over and went in. Parking was actually not impossible to find but it was also around 1pm on New Year's Day. The inside of the restaurant is very blah, no warm feeling, no decor, no personality. I ordered the chana masala and the bf ordered the lamb curry. We also got garlic naan and rice. My chana masala was super bland and watery. I was so surprised because it's such a staple at every Indian restaurant that I've never tasted bad chana masala before but this was just so disappointing. The tasty bites that you can get at the grocery store have more flavor. The lamb curry on the other hand had a delicious flavor and I was super jealous. It was wonderful and the lamb was tasty. The only thing is there were quite a few bones floating around in the sauce but I think that's normal? The naan was pretty good too. I think that if I was starving and in the area I would maybe come back here but probably not. There are just too many other places with better food and better atmosphere. read more