I've been introduced to Karam's food by a coworker who spoke very highly of the food, and so far the two experiences were facilitated by that coworker while I have yet to come here myself. I do hear that they only do takeaways and there's no tables or chairs. The chicken Tikka masala curry has been a big hit both times, and the enjoyment of the incredibly rich and creamy sauce and flavourful chicken keep me from wondering about the calorie count = it's THAT good. I look forward to trying any number of things on my list off their menu, including biryani and samosa. read more

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Right off the bat, this restaurant is technically in the same building as Karam Asian Grocery & Halal Meat but it has a separate entrance on the Willow Avenue side. Another thing - ambiance is not on the menu. I counted about 8 chairs altogether, semi scattered between 2 tables...but it's not about that, it's about the food. The food is very good, hitting all the comfort food vibes. It's also offered at a bargain price. Garlic naan and chicken tikka - slightly crisp and smoky on the outside and light (naan) or tender and juicy (chicken) on the inside. The tandoor oven and the experience of the cooks crafted those dishes to a very high level. The palak paneer seemed plain at first but subtler spicing came through the more I consumed/shoveled it in my mouth. I love places like this. Pretentiousness is nowhere in sight. There's a hardworking honesty to the place and they feed their clientele well made and generous portions. read more

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This place is on point still!! I like to think I know Indian food as I have tried a lot of it in many different places. First of all, try the chicken tikka masala! The sauce is thick and the chicken is tender. I hate watery masala sauce and this sauce does not disappoint. The chicken kabab is some black magic stuff. It's a burst of so many spices! They do not skimp on portions and the price is very fair for all the food you get. Do yourself a favor and make haste to Karam! read more

This has been a family favorite for years. They specialize in take out. The Chicken Tikka Masala is better than anywhere else in the area! Naan is fresh. The palak paneer is also so good I wonder why I never order two. It's inexpensive and feeds plenty of people! I always order some veggie pakora to eat on the ride home. So good! read more

Still great. Still our go to. Everything here is tasty. You really can't go wrong. Just wanted to update the menus.

I wish this takeout was closer! Their chicken tikka masala is top notch and I highly recommend getting two for extra leftovers. This is some of the best Indian food around! read more

The food AND service are always so good! We make going to Karam a monthly, sometimes biweekly, thing for us. We normally get the same thing every visit (chicken curry, vindaloo, rasmali, and mango lassi) but we sometimes like to try something new on the menu. The chefs always attends to us with so much care and hospitality. The ambiance personally reminds me of home. The only thing is they don't have a lot of seating space but if you tell them you want to eat there, they will set a table for you. read more

I have a problem with Indian food. Somehow, someone got the notion that Indian food had to be fancy. Maybe it has something to do with the exotic spices. Perhaps it has ties back to colonialism. Whatever the case, it's an idea that needs to be changed. At it's heart, Indian food is bread, rice, beans, and stews. It's simple stuff, with big bold flavors. And some of the best versions of this cuisine I've had over the years have come from whole in the wall places with rock bottom prices. That's what awaits the brave visitor to Karam. And I say brave because the place is in deep Schenectady, attached to a grocery store, and maybe more than just a little rough around the edges. There are also only three tables, and six chairs upon which to eat. Some might say that this food is meant to take to-go. But I beg to differ. Largely because Karam has a significant menu of breads cooked in the tandoor, and those crisp, charred, and puffy rounds are best when consumed immediately out of the oven. Sure, the stews will travel, as will the tandoor charred meats. I bet the biryani would be fine too. The chaat, not so much. Next time, I'm coming for the pan puri, and maybe the ground chicken stuffed bread. And I'm sure with more visits under my belt, my love for this spot will continue to grow. But the love is already there after just one visit. This is the Indian restaurant I've been looking for. It's the Indian restaurant the Capital Region needs. And I hope you can make it out for a taste of the down home charm of Indian food, removed from the fancy trappings and high price tags, that might make this seem like an occasional indulgence instead of a hearty, wholesome way to feed your soul. read more

I'm in full agreement with a previous review I wouldn't plan on eating here but the food is fabulous just get it to go. the owner is a very pleasant man. Chicken Tikka sauce is absolutely amazing, the bendy is full of nice big pieces of okra with tomatoes and a few potatoes very flavorful. I love the yellow dahl as well. Chicken curry yum yum. Naan is great to. read more

Whoah what a hidden gem. My bf wanted to try this place and it did not disappoint. We ordered the duck curry and Chicken Tikka..delish! We watched him make the naan as we were waiting for our order. There is no sit down dining so call ahead for takeout as we waited quite a while. We were behind a gentlemen who said he travels 20 miles regularly for this place so that speaks volumes. read more

Good place for takeout, but not for dinning in. I really like that you can order naan instead of rice.

If I could give this place 6 stars, I would. Get ready for a long review... It may be that since I expanded my palate into Indian subcontinental cuisine at Sitar in Colonie close to two decades ago, that's the way I think that food is supposed to taste. Sure, Shalimar, Karavalli, Aashiana, Lazeez, etc. all have tasty dishes, but they're not quite at the level of what Sitar offered. Ok, why am I discussing Sitar? Well, Munna and Raj run the Karam Restaurant. Those guys were the chefs at Sitar (and later at Zaika). If you were in distress like I was about never being able to taste those amazing dishes once Sitar (and earlier Zaika) closed, you can relax. It's just as good as it was at Sitar! Better yet, since you're ordering directly from the chefs, you can get things customized to your taste. Like spicy (or not)? You can get spicy (or not). Don't like something in an otherwise awesome dish? They'll happily modify an ingredient for you. The restaurant entrance is on the side of the building on Willow, not the grocery store entrance on State. Look for the red awning with handwriting on it. Street parking was readily available on Willow. It is primarily a takeout place, but there are a few tables and chairs for those who wish to eat there. A group of 4 would fit comfortably. A group of 8 would need to use every chair in the place and possibly sit in two groups on either side of a doorway. The prices are so low compared to those at Sitar and Zaika that everything seems to be a la carte. If you want sauces with samosas, you'll have to ask for them. If you want rice with your entree, you'll have to ask for it. I really don't mind doing this since I end up paying for exactly what I want rather than overpaying for a dish to have things come with it that I may not want to eat. Don't limit yourself to the printed menu. Many things that were offered at Sitar and Zaika are available. Just ask for them. For instance, some of my favorites like Malai Kofta, Palak Panner, Mattar Panner, and Reshmi Masala are absolutely available. Regardless of what the posted hours say, they're closed every Tuesday and don't expect them to stay open right up until 10pm if it isn't busy on other days. Also expect them to close by 8pm during Ramadan (April/May). Shout out to Sonny, the former Sitar manager and Zaika owner, who is a manager at Delmonico's these days. Go visit him there when you're in the mood for steak and whatever else they offer and thank him for recommending that people try Karam if they miss the Sitar and Zaika flavors! read more

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Hands down this is the best Indian food in the area! The quality is incredible, and the flavors are sublime. Their Biryani is delicious! The prices are very reasonable, and the portions are huge. This is our favorite Indian restaurant. We've gotten take-out from there on multiple occasions, and each time was a winner!!!!!!! read more

Chicken tikka and garlic naan was delicious. Friendly and timely service at a reasonable price. We will be back again! read more

Karam Restaurant - grilled chicken and onions in a plastic container - Indian Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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Visiting from NYC I found this restaurant on Yelp. This is what I will refer to as a hole in the wall kind of place . The food is good but they are definitely lacking cleanliness. The reason I give this business two stars is because they can do better with thier appearance and keeping the place clean. The front door need to be wiped with glass plus, thier Pepsi cooler is old , thier garbage bin is dirty and I can go on and on. I am not sure if the city of Schnectady inspect restaurant. The guy behind the counter is collecting money and at the same time with his bare hand making the Naan. Very disgusting g at best. read more

This is a very very simple place with excellent food and rock bottom prices. Do not go here if you are looking for a fancy place or want a luxurious experience. This place serves you authentic Indian food at an unbelievable price and that's it. No frills no balloons :-) This place is best for takeout but there are some tables if you really want to eat there. If you order a lot of food they will uniquely box it in one of their vegetable boxes. I think that is excellent as they don't give you a plastic bag but not everyone might like it. I give it five stars for food quality, taste, and prices. The people are also very friendly. I always takeout whenever I visit Albany. read more

Great Indian food in Schenectady. Primarily take out. I would not eat in here. Space is not great. But would def order over and over. Delicious Indian food. read more

I think the ownership has changed. We ordered from this place last night and I'm 100 percent certain that the chicken tikka masala is not made by the same cook that it was before their mysterious and abrupt closing. It was very spicy, bright orange sauce, made with white meat chicken which is the total opposite of how it used to be made and how it was made at the Sitar. What happened to that cook? He was the best!! Update: The ownership has changed. The chef from the Sitar has recently opened Star Halal Restaurant. It's located at 1016 State Street in Schenectady. This is what I'm used to. He's the best IMO. read more

New cooks and owner... just not the same. The pakora was fine. Rest of it... nope. read more

We tried Karan tonight on the recommendation of a friend and am so glad we did! The man who took our order was so friendly and helpful. The chicken tikka masala and garlic naan were really delicious. He home made green chutney sauce was so fresh and tasty. The prices were very reasonable and servings were large. We will definitely be going back again! read more

Yum! The Chicken Tina Masala is delicious. The staff is friendly and great environment.

If you are looking for authentic Indian/middle eastern cuisine this is the place. Both dishes I have tried were fantastic. Chicken curry was savory, rich, and perfectly spicy; chicken was plentiful and succulent. Chicken tandoori was smokey, juicy, with just the right amount of spices. Rice was aromatic. Order nan bread... IT'S FRESH BAKED WHEN YOU ORDER!!! The inside is not the fanciest but it is clean, very casual, and the staff is friendly. read more

Totally outstanding food.. Goat curry and naan is fantabulous... Been here many times

This place is a gem. Karam is a small, no frills restaurant attached on the other side of a halal grocery. The menu is small and there are only a few seats at the restaurant. I appreciate all of this, because the focus is on the food which is obviously prepared with care. When I walked in to pick up my takeout order, I got in line behind several people. It was a busy time of day but the orders came out swiftly. I really enjoyed watching the fresh naan being prepared in the tandoor oven. The naan is tender and perfect. If you want to order enough naan for a group, make sure to call ahead. I ordered malai kofta which was not on the menu but they had no problem making it. All the entrees come with your choice of naan or rice. I also ordered some assorted kebabs, all of which were juicy and flavorful. The prices and portions are excellent, and all of your food is packed conveniently in produce boxes. I'm glad to have this place nearby! read more

Excellent food at rock bottom prices. It's not much to look at from the outside but don't let that turn you off . Heaping portions and friendly staff . Would def be back! read more

This place is EXCELLENT! Some of the best chicken tikka masala I've ever had. Service was friendly and efficient. Everything was tasty and clean. There is limited seating inside so be prepared if you plan to eat there. read more

The food was tasty and the price was even better, chicken tika and naan was the best I had in a long time.

This place is so good! It's hard to find an Indian restaurant that is reasonably priced who will deliver in Schenectady. We got the chicken tandoori, pakoras, and chicken korma. Huge potions! Delicious and fresh. Perfectly spiced. Definitely will order from again! read more

Only giving another star because of the great customer service they give. Very friendly. Food however, let me start by saying since they opened I have been a loyal customer number one spot to go to for some great food. Until now. The past months it is like there is no effort in the food. It had no flavor, the naan was to die for and now it tastes like some cardboard pita bread. No seasoning in chicken tikka masala. Not sure if they have a new cook or what but I used to crave this place all the time and now I will probably just drive past it. I got $25 worth of food for one meal and it sat on my table all night untouched because it was not what it was supposed to be! The place it is now as far as food I do not suggest!!!! read more

Delicious and so reasonable for quality and amount of food! The place is tiny and spare but the food is really delicious and sophisticated.

Great flavorful food and fast service. The staff is very kind. Our favourite is their bread and samosas.

I ordered the tandoori special. It was very good. The portion was very generous. They weren't afraid to use all the appropriate spices. I also ordered the roti, which was very tasty. I am very happy there is a great Indian restaurant in Schenectady. I will be a regular. read more