This was a good authentic Indian spot. Prices were pretty solid for the amounts and portions that…read moreyou get. Several different street food options or bowl options for an authentic experience. I didn't too much like the butter chicken burger as it was just a slab of dipped butter, chicken with tomato and a huge onion slice about half an inch thick but overall it was okay. Would not get again. It also came with French fries and these were extremely basic from a frozen bag. Very dull. Unfortunately I didn't realize the burger came with fries and I additionally ordered loaded tikka masala fries so instead of it being a replacement for the fries with a burger I just had two huge orders of fries. Seemed like something that the person taking the order could've mentioned before I ordered it. Also had the lamb baryani, tikka masala and garlic naan. This was amazing! Tasted so good. Deep in flavor and of course spices The naan was amazing And everything came out really hot! You can smell the flavors and the spices when you walked into the restaurant. We'll definitely be back to try different things on the menu

So we tried to make Butter chicken at home. Fail! And it was late. We found Tumeric and Dashed it…read moreto the house. Great decision. Butter chicken was flavorful, Bullet and Garlic naan good and we added a flavor bomb Salt and Pepper Chicken. We are happy to have found a spot closer than Kathmandu that comes close to the same product. We will order from here again.

Monk's has officially become our Houston tradition. We drive in from San Antonio, and this is a…read morenon-negotiable stop for us every single time. Honestly, every dish we've ever tried here has been fantastic--it hits exactly the right spots. The Flavor Profile: A quick heads-up for those seeking "authentic" traditional Chinese--this isn't it. This is the Indianized version of Chinese food (Indo-Chinese), so prepare for bold spices and a serious kick. If you grew up loving those specific flavors, Monk's is the gold standard. The Verdict: The heat is on point, the portions are great, and the flavors are nostalgic and bold. It's the kind of meal we look forward to all the way down I-10. Truly a gem for anyone who appreciates the spicy, savory fusion of Desi Chinese!

Where spices, spice…read more Service: 5/5 Quick and friendly. Ambiance: 4/5 When I looked up the restaurant, I didn't realize it was only for takeout. I walked in and the spices were spicing so much so that I started sneezing. I asked if maybe the dining area was through some door, but no there is no dine in. It's a small space with a register and seats to wait for your order or you can wait in your car. Food: 4/5 Chicken Tikka Masala it was creamy and velvety, I'm not a big fan of tomato but know is a core part of it, which I did distinguish the taste in this order that I haven't usually tasted in others. The garlic naan had good flavor however it was a bit tough and crunchy when biting into it. Which wasn't my favorite, but got the job done to dip into the sauce.

This was my second time at Musaafr, and it honestly reinforced why I wanted to come back in the…read morefirst place. On my last visit, I had the Lychee Ceviche, Barrah Kebab, Mushroom Khichdi (highly recommend), Dal Musaafar (also a must-order), Laal Maas, Lamb Chop Sulfiyan Biryani, and Brussel Sprouts -- so I already had a strong impression of how layered and ambitious the menu could be coming into this meal. This time around, the experience felt even more intentional -- not just in individual dishes, but in how everything was meant to be combined. The Paani Puri was easily the most fun dish of the night. Each puri came filled with spiced potato and chickpeas, paired with a lineup of flavored waters -- Yogurt Chili, Passion Fruit, Guava, Mango, and Traditional Tamarind. We ended up tasting the waters individually first, then building our own combinations. The tamarind was smoky and nostalgic, while the guava leaned especially exotic, and the passion fruit came in as a close second with its bright tropical notes. I also tried mixing the traditional tamarind with mango, which oddly created a more Hispanic-leaning flavor profile -- sweet, tangy, and super familiar in a completely different way. The passion fruit + guava combination ended up being my favorite overall. It was so light, refreshing, and interactive that we immediately ordered another round. Mithu's Coriander Shrimp was my favorite savory dish of the night. The shrimp sat in a coconut-based curry that had this mellow, toasted depth that reminded me a lot of Vietnamese chicken curry -- warm, aromatic, and comforting without being heavy. The bread soaked up the sauce perfectly, but what really made this dish stand out was how well it paired with everything else. When combined with the Chicken Tandoori Kulcha and its butters, it genuinely elevated both dishes and created one of the best bites of the entire meal. The Chicken Tandoori Kulcha came stuffed with spiced chicken and served with Kashmiri butter and fenugreek butter. On its own, it was already a buttery flavor bomb -- rich, slightly spicy, and incredibly aromatic. The Kashmiri butter brought warmth and heat, while the fenugreek butter added a refreshing, almost yogurt-like herbal note. But the real move was layering the coriander shrimp curry onto the kulcha -- that combination balanced the spice and added depth, making the dish significantly better. The Malwani Fish Curry featured unbelievably tender sea bass -- I compared it to silken tofu, almost like the filet mignon of fish. The curry itself was coconut-based with kokum, which gave it a citrusy, slightly sour edge. While I appreciated how regional and complex it felt, it leaned a bit too citrus-forward for my personal taste when eaten alone. That said, it completely transformed when mixed with rice or the biryani -- creating this incredibly cohesive, flavorful bowl that balanced everything out. The Jackfruit Kolkota Biryani was one of the dishes I was most curious about, and it delivered in a really interesting way. The jackfruit had a texture surprisingly close to meat -- similar to chicken or pork but softer -- and absorbed the spices incredibly well. The rice itself was extremely aromatic, layered with saffron, rose, and warm spices. Like many dishes here, it really shone when combined with the fish curry or dal, which added richness to the overall dish. The Daal Musaafar continues to be one of the most reliable standouts here. It's a 72-hour slow-cooked black lentil dish that comes out incredibly creamy, buttery, and rich. This time, it felt slightly saltier and a bit less creamy than I remembered, but once mixed, it balanced out nicely. It's still one of those dishes I would come back for on its own -- comforting, indulgent, and consistently one of the best things on the menu. The Nimbu Naan was thinner than the bullet naan I had on my previous visit, but that actually worked in its favor. The lemony brightness cut through the richness of the meal and made it the perfect supporting piece for soaking up dal, curry, and biryani. It added a refreshing contrast rather than just being a filler carb. The Pour Me a Slice cocktail -- winner of Truffle Masters 2026 -- was exactly as advertised. It's a truffle fat-washed rum drink designed to taste like a margarita pizza, and somehow... it really does. The savory notes, herbs, and slight cheese element came through in a way that was bizarre but incredibly accurate. Not something I'd drink every day, but easily one of the most memorable concept cocktails I've had. Despite it being Mother's Day and the restaurant running at full capacity, our waiter, Justin (with six years of experience), curated an incredibly smooth and thoughtful experience for us. The pacing, recommendations, and overall flow of the meal never felt chaotic, which is impressive given how hectic the night was. Huge thanks to Justin for really elevating the experience.

We had Justin as our server during our second visit to Musaafer, which was just as fantastic as the…read morefirst (minus the parking situation which was way worse for Mother's Day weekend). Our first dish, the Paani Puri, came out in 10 minutes. My favorite paani was the tamarind, followed by the passion fruit, yogurt, and then guava and mango. I thought the guava was a bit bland at first but it really worked well in the Puri. It took about ~30 minutes for appetizers to come out. Mithu's Coriander Shrimp (4/5): It reminds me a lot of Vietnamese / Thai curry. It's a bit pricey, but would recommend trying it. The sauce went really well with naan. Tandoori Chicken Kulcha (4/5): Delicious filling. The Kashmiri butter and fenugreek butter were very unique to melt on and add flavors. We actually had the most fun dipping the Kulcha in the shrimp sauce (4.5/5 combo haha) Entrees came out at ~50 minutes. Malwani Fish Curry (4.5/5) Inspired by West india and an incredibly tender piece of cod. The curry was very citrus forward and went excellently with naan and biryani rice. Dal Musaafer (5/5) Still fantastic, smoky, and complex. I'll get this every time we come. Jackfruit Biryani (3/5): A surprisingly good replacement texture for chicken, but I felt that it was missing the complexity of the lamb chop biryani. Nimbu Naan (4/5): Comes with three pieces and has a nice lemony flavor. I think I prefer the spice of the bullet naan. We also tried the "Pour me a Slice" cocktail, which was really a unique experience of drinking a pizza. Seriously, you can barely taste alcohol here. It's a truffle award winner but the truffle really comes out as a lingering flavor. It's really like a margarita pizza. Paid with inKind with no issues again. Another really fun experience here!

De Gama took me by surprise! I came here on a girl's dinner, and it's one of those foodie places in…read moreMKT that are kind of tucked away, but wow. What a hidden gem! Our waitress was so kind as to go through the menu with us multiple times when we had questions, and she had such great recommendations. To start off, I ordered the banananeira, which was not what I was expecting at all but still really tasty. I expected a sweet drink, like a banana pudding type drink, but it was instead a bit more tart as if it were a green-yellow banana (maybe also a little more tart from the lime and pineapple?). Whatever it was - it was actually really good and refreshing. For my second drink I also got the Goan Sunset. Also delicious, and arguably my favorite. I think more people would like the Goan Sunset as it's more refreshing and fruity, but I did enjoy both of my drinks. For food, we started off with the samosas and empanadas de carne. I really liked both, but I actually really enjoyed having the empanadas with the sauce that came with the samosas. The apple chutney that came with the empanadas was a bit too sweet for me, but I'm really not a fan of sweet sauces with my savory food though. I usually prefer more tangy/spicy sauces if anything, so that could just be personal preference. We also ordered the Goan fish curry, the lamb kebabs, the naan, and the pao buns. Both the fish curry and the lamb kebabs were SO good. I'm not the biggest fan of lamb usually, but those kebabs were great. I personally really liked the pao buns, but my friend liked the naan better to have with the food. (The pao buns are a little sweeter, but man I actually really liked them with the fish curry!) Honestly, the food was so good we couldn't resist dessert. We ordered the sticky date cake and man it was so delicious. I was really craving more caramel sauce on the cake though, but still great. Would come back here again!

I really like this place for the vibe and the creativity. I recommend their pani puri and the pao…read morebuns for appetizers. It's a pretty good fusion of Indian and Portuguese cuisines. For the main, I got their lamb curry before and this time I tried steak and fish. I prefer the lamb/ anything Indian over the woodfire ones just because it's way more unique Cocktail wise I wasn't surprised. I think it'll be good to try their wine instead

Tried out Tarka Indian Kitchen recently and honestly... I'm a little confused…read more The service was friendly, the place was clean, and the food came out much faster than expected. We picked up our order about 3-4 minutes after getting the "ready" text and it was still before the estimated pickup time, but the food honestly wasn't that warm which is wild because everytime I pick up Indian food from any place even if I am a bit late it is piping hot or pretty hot. I don't think they even have a heat lamp or have the AC on too high. The smell of garlic when we walked in had me excited, but unfortunately the garlic naan ended up being the best part of the meal. We ordered medium spice since we were sharing with a younger family member who likes spice but doesn't want to sweat through dinner like we do. What we didn't expect was how sweet everything would be. The tikka masala tasted like sweet yogurt with a little garam masala for color. The chicken vindaloo was even more confusing. Vindaloo is usually tangy and vinegary, but this one was also sweet. It honestly tasted more like sweet tomato sauce than anything resembling a vindaloo. Nothing tasted bad in a spoiled sense, it was just very Americanized and very very sweet. The two stars are for three things: the clean location, the fast friendly service, and the garlic naan. If you have a very mild palate or prefer sweet food, you might enjoy this place. But if you're hoping for bold, tangy, flavorful Indian food, this probably won't be it.

Coconut curry - bomb! I love that you can select your own…read morespice level (since I can't really handle any spice!). And you can select your protein. Staff is super friendly and will help if you're not sure what to get. You THINK the serving is small, but it's so hefty that I couldn't even finish mine! Would recommend checking out if you love curry and/or Indian food.

It was a much more casual atmosphere than I anticipated, but great regardless. You order at the…read morebar, and the food is brought out to you. Portions are a great size and both items we order were delicious-chicken fried chicken and curry flight. Even though we ordered mild spice, it was a little spicy for me. My favorite was the lamb that was part of the curry flight. I will definitely go back to try some of the other items. Highly recommend!

This restaurant is located in the heights and surprisingly have plenty of parking as it is its own…read morebuilding. There are plenty of seating as well as a full bar. The drinks and small plates are self-serve, so you get that yourself. As for the service, it was OK. They were very kind but only one person was working, so they kept forgetting a lot of stuff. For example, we didn't have napkins for a while and we got regular naan when we ordered mozzarella naan (which was meh). I recommend just getting their garlic naan. Tastes the best. We got the curry flight with butter chicken, vindaloo, and saag. They all tasted good but was missing that buttery "umph". I wish the vindaloo was less gamey tasting and spicier. The rice that came with it was a bit dry too. We also ordered masala fries which I did enjoy. I liked the beans on it! And it wasn't soggy. Would love to come back and try their other dishes.

I've never had a long wait here but we are always sure to come as early as we can because seats can…read morefill up fast in this cozy retreat! The ambiance as soon as you walk in is welcoming, inviting, and intimate. Even if you dine outside, you are sure to feel cozy like a meal in your own home. The hostess always makes you feel invited. Any waiter we have had here has given GREAT recommendations so it helps us break free of ordering the same thing over and over. We have never had a single day of bad service here so we have become regulars anytime we travel into the inner loop of Houston for business or fun. The flavors? My goodness the flavor here in every dish truly speaks to whoever is cooking these incredible dishes! We've even wanted to ask what we can do to even get our dishes at home this amazing! Their bang bang sauce is something you can rave about if you like a little kick to your broccoli. Yum! Luckily a lot of the appetizers are family style but we all still end up battling to finish the last bite before our main dish comes along! My husband has never been a vegetable eater and thanks to the Ginger Mule, we are changing up our dishes at home too! Whatever they are doing here, I hope they keep it up because we absolutely LOVE the food here!! Thank you to everyone here and we can't wait to be back!!!!

Cute restaurant with great service and great food…read more We ordered the crap puffs, mushroom burger, and enchiladas. Although I am not vegan/vegetarian, this was a solid meal. I'd say the crab puffs were the highlight of our meal but our entrees were pretty great and the portions here are huge. Service was amazing and our server added to our positive experience dining here. The burger was a slightly heavy, which is why I'd rate it 4 stars. With this being said, I'd definitely come back to try other items.

It's been about a decade since my last review of Govinda's shortly after they first opened so it's…read morehigh time that I finally update that review after being a repeat customer over that time. Lots of things changed but Govinda's largely stayed the same. The decor hasn't changed but there is some wear and tear on the walls. Still clean, food still reliably good and has the homemade taste. They change up the menu daily and now they have 3 all vegan menu days to the week: Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Plus, weekdays have a themed specials that aren't necessarily Indian. They post their menus online but weekday menus are posted the day of on their menu Instagram "ghmenu". Weekend menus are typically posted on Thursday. They are still a buffet so service is minimal but it is pretty good but no frills. Unfortunately, they got rid of their salted lassi years ago so they only have mango lassi now along with mint lemonade for cold drinks. Price has gone up as well to around $18 (a little more for holidays and weekends) per person but that's to be expected. Carry out is $16.95 per meal (large take out container plus a soup, roti, salad, papadam, and dessert). You can opt of out of items but you'll still pay the same price. In the past decade, I still love their food but I can no longer eat as much to make it worth it to dine in so we've been getting take out (we took a brief break from buffets but I missed them so we went the take out route). One take out meal lasts me 2 meals at home so it's a no brainer (husband finishes the take out container in one sitting though). Plus, I have kids now and they definitely aren't good eaters so it didn't make sense for them to eat in. Over the last few months in Houston, we typically go once every 2-3 weeks because my picky kids absolutely love their saag paneer. I got them al a carte saag paneer ($10 for a half container, $5 for a half container of rice, $7 for a small container of an entree) until someone there suggested I just order an entree because it's the same price but you get more. And their plastic containers are limited. I started doing it but then one day, the main guy (manager?) wasn't happy since the big container was just rice, saag paneer, and maybe a little bit of dal makhani. I was a little miffed because if we ate in and all they ate was saag paneer, it would be okay. That aside, I noticed someone mentioned food allergies. The reason why I order Al a carte and segregate their take out container is because my youngest is allergic to wheat, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, avocado, pineapple, and kiwi. Their food is usually labeled but I like asking to be sure. On days they serve something that contains nuts, we just don't go (unless it's only in the dessert). My kids usually like the same things and we only go on non-vegan days. The general consensus is vegan days' food tends to be spicier. My youngest is okay with spice, but my eldest who is super picky won't eat it if it's too spicy. Plus, I love their makai kofta. If I'm in town and I see they have makai kofta, we are THERE. However, I noticed that their menu isn't always set in stone. One day, they didn't have my favorites but we went because I didn't want to cook and THEY HAD MALAI KOFTA. I was so pleased. If you love potatoes, their batada vada is divine (but moderately spicy). I also enjoy the BBQ tofu but they usually only offer it on vegan days so I haven't had it in a long while. They have special menus on holidays but they're vegan so I have unfortunately never tried any holiday menus. We moved but when I'm in town, we make sure to drive up north to eat here at least once. We absolutely miss Govinda's and my kids ask for their beloved saag paneer even when we're not in Houston. I should ask if they can part with the recipe! Haha.... We ordered catering in 2024 for my eldest's birthday! Even the non-vegetarians enjoyed it and you get a lot of food for less than $500. You choose from certain dishes but it still covered many of my Govinda favorites, if not all. Honestly, we'd do it again just for fun with close friends and family and have leftovers for at least a week after splitting it up with everyone. Price has probably increased though.

I've been wanting to try this restaurant for a little while now and since I had training in The…read moreHeights for work. I had my opportunity to. Parking is on the opposite side of the temple. The grounds of the temple is well manicured and neat with flowers. A big red sign read, "Govinda" was positioned so that I wouldn't miss it. As soon as I walked in at lunch time, the restaurant was damn near empty with only two families. The host immediately sat me at a table front of the buffet line. There was a strong lingering smell of pine-sol and Mr. Clean in the air. Of course, that indication told me that the restaurant was clean. The items on the buffet line was plenty, but limited. I got the rice, tofu curry, chaat marsala, and some vegetables. Everything except for the chaat was bland. It wasn't very easy to eat while the smell of cleaning supplies was in the air. It reminded me of sitting in a bucket of cleaning chemicals while eating a meal. The tofu curry tasted only like turmeric, but no salt or pepper or anything. The rice was super bland. The chaat marsala was very tasty and well seasoned. I finished off with desserts which both options were tasty. I hope to return to try their holiday menu, but I think today was a bad day for the cooks.

Back at Zoa and it was perfect. Again! Had the couscous…read morebowl with lamb. There was ample amounts of both meat and grains. It comes with 6 toppings and sauce. So tasty! Service was top notch, just like last time. The employees were sweet and helpful with recommendations. The restaurant was very clean and the employees were very quick to clean tables.

Very very similar to cava in terms of flavor, style, and pricing, but I'm happy to support small…read morefamily owned businesses over large corporations. The highlight of the dish was definitely the egg potato salad - creamy yet not overly acidic or salty. Im taking away a star because the lamb was noticeably salty, and given the extra $ paid for it being the star of the dish, I cannot give full marks.

Wanted to try a new Indian spot and this one definitely ranks up there. It leans more toward an…read moreupscale, fine dining experience, there's even a dress code, so it's a great option for a date night or special occasion. We came during lunch. They do offer a lunch menu, but we ended up ordering from the main menu as well. * Rockefeller oysters - on the smaller side, but still tasty * Scallops - really good, especially with the rich, creamy sauce * Butter chicken - perfectly spiced and made with chicken thighs, which made it extra tender * Prawn Bhuna - large shrimp cooked with garlic and peppers that paired really well with saffron rice * Lasooni & Paneer bread - a great addition to round out the meal It's definitely on the higher-end for Indian food, but worth it for a nicer outing. Service was attentive and friendly. I'd come back again for a special occasion.

Hands down the best Indian place in Houston! Had high expectations of this place and all of them…read morewere met. Changing ingredients based on the chef's mood is pure aura farm. Rhogan Josh was definitely a highlight and more flavorful than other restaurants' Rhogan Josh's. Yes, it was a bit pricey, but I can tell you most of the people eating at this restaurant do not look like they care about price. And their prices are justified by their quality.