As we are on the mailing list for this restaurant, a favorite of ours; we learned and immediately signed up for their "SHAHI DAAWAT-KERALA" : an authentic culinary experience of the south of India. (Shahi Daawat means Royal Feast or Royal Banquet historically signifying grand meals from princely kitchens with rich dishes, luxurious presentation and cultural elements and often themed around specific Indian states of festivals and tracing back to royal recipes. Kerala is a coastal state on the south of India having a coastline of about 400 miles along the Arabian Sea. The food there being popular for their fresh ingredients, rich spices, coconut and seafood.) First of all we were both greeted with a beautiful and fragrant Jasmine garland by the owner and staff outfitted in typical dress and we were seated on a table with banana leaves as our plates for the first portion of the feast (yes; it was a feast!!!). The appetizers started arriving promptly with a variety of proteins starting with chicken deliciously seasoned and delightfully crunchy. The chicken was followed by Medu Vada with Coconut Chutney and Pan Roasted Prawns, Vada with Chutney and a delicious Mushroom Pepper Fry. Then the entrees began: Idli and Sambhar, Lamb Chettinad, Kadala (chickpea) Curry, Egg Roast, Pepper Chicken, Cabagge Thoran and Kerala Fish Curry. This was accompanied by Malabar Paratha and Lemon Rice. Although the portions of the individual items seemed small, cumulatively became overwhelming, but I would not change it at all. It seemed as if we were welcomed into someone's home and they were gladly sharing all of the dishes of their region. It was a magnificent and comprehensive compilation of dishes from Kerala and I am glad it was so!!! The desserts were three; Kozhikode Halwa (different than Halwa from Northern India; Kozhidode Halwa this delicacy melts in your mouth and it is popular not only in Kerala but in Arabia, Persia, and London. Food historian have traced its origins back to centuries ago), Coconut Burfi (a traditional treat made with coconuts milk and cardamom) and Coconut Kulfi (a delicious frozen coconut milk delight). During the meal the chef, (himself native of Goa, southern India), servers and the owner visited the tables to answer any questions. As if we were transported to a Restaurant in Kerala; It was a delightful, authentic and memorable experience, one that will not be forgotten! We will return to their next experience. Thank you Mehfil, as your full restaurant name suggests/meaning (Mehfil; Yaaron Ki... apno ki=A gathering of friends and loved ones) We definitely felt the love. read more

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Came in Sunday afternoon and left... disappointed. The gobi manchurian and chili paneer were both overly sweet, and both were ordered as a a "medium" but neither had any heat at all, which is almost impressive in the case of the chili paneer. My husband's chicken biryani was more like a curry rice, and the flavors were all wrong. My son's chicken tikka was fine, but that could be because it was ordered as "mild". Overall, I wouldn't recommend. For the high rating and the high price point I expected something more authentic. read more

Very tasty Indian food - we really enjoyed the chilli paneer as an appetizer. The chicken makhani was lovely and we really enjoyed the chicken badam korma with a cashew and almond sauce. We also had the bullet naan which was a little spicy. Service was great, Francisco took great care of us. Decor is cute. read more

Mehfil had some of the best Indian food I've had in a while during my trip to Asheville! Everything was delicately seasoned to perfection. We were hungry so we got a lot to eat. I started with the Bahubali which is one of their cocktails. It seemed like it was a lot going on in a drink but it tasted amazing! We got a few vegan items, such as the tofu tikka and the Gobi Manchurian and all the gravies had tofu in it. Tofu is hard to perfect, and Mehfil has done a great job still preserving that paneer taste and texture but with tofu! The chef came out to see if everything was to our delight, and we couldn't be happier. It's a beautiful restaurant inside too, it's very vibrant and they play some peaceful music. Go and check them out! I'll definitely be making a special trip out there just for them. read more

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Mehfil is fantastic! Their noon buffet offers free chai and Indian coffee. Please support them!

Do not sleep on this place Asheville. It's a gem. If you're looking for Indian, friendly staff or unbelievably flavorful food, look no further than Mehfil. A little eclecticy decorated spot in the heart of Asheville with a mixture of traditional and American-Indian dishes, Mehfil has a little something for everybody. We went on Valentine's Day and had An amazing dinner accompanied by a few cocktails. The lamb was so tender, rich and moist. The sauces complimented each bite so perfectly. I was pleasantly surprised and would definitely go back. read more

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Vibrant Indian restaurant serving North Indian cuisine in a nice location on Biltmore Ave in Asheville. We came in hungry, hoping to eat à la carte, but they only had the buffet option for lunch. Turned out to be a good choice. The number of items was limited compared to the crazy Indian buffet places I am used to in the Bay Area, but the items they did have were all pretty good. I particularly enjoyed the Tandoori chicken and Mutton curry. The USP for the meal for me was the selection of unique pickles you can have with your meal. These aren't your run-of-the-mill store-bought pickles - they tasted like homemade pickles that are staples in any North Indian family. They gave the meal a nice tangy kick. The desserts were good too, especially the Semolina Kheer. Shout out to our server, Francisco, who was friendly and helpful throughout the meal. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area and crave Indian food. read more

My husband and I went in for their lunch buffet yesterday. He is vegetarian so we checked with the host what his options were first. He was happy to explain everything on the buffet and what did or did not have meat or paneer in it. Great service, food was flavorful. My personal favorite was the goat curry but my husband liked the Chana sagg. It was Valentine's Day, they had a pink dairy based sting along with a sweet lassi included in the meal. Cute Valentine's decorations. Would return again on next visit to the Ashville. read more

We were looking for a quick lunch that wasn't fast food and we found Mehfil, so happy that we did! Mehfil offers a lunch menu and a buffet option so we happily opted for the buffet and were really surprised at the variety of choices and quality of offerings. I'm not normally a buffet person but in the interest of time we made an exception and had a great meal. Their buffet menu changes daily too so you can try all the dishes you've been wanting to try without committing to an entree. They always have naan and roti plus a "salad" bar of chutneys, yogurt sauces and pickles etc Buffet also includes dessert and lassi as a fun addition and you could purchase beer/wine or bottomless mimosas very reasonably. Friendly staff and attentive service. Clean and comfortable dining area too. The next time we are in Asheville I want to go back and order off the menu, I know it won't disappoint! read more

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The Kerala Shrimp Curry at medium spicy level was outstanding. The flavor was very good with the perfect combination of the spices. It paired well with the Bullet Naan. The dessert, Mango Kulfi tasted just like eating a real mango with a subtle (not overpowering) amount of sweetness. Overall a very good Indian restaurant in Asheville. The service is very good. Nice ambiance. read more

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We came here fo a lunch buffet when we arrived in Asheville for vacation and so glad we did! The lunch buffet had a variety of delicious chutneys, vegan and gluten free options and chicken curry dishes. I especially loved the creamy mushroom soup and the crispy veggies. The lemon rice was also delicious. all the food was hot and flavorful and great quality. There is also a hot tea and coffee section. In addition to a few dessert selections that were also delicious. Server was very attentive and restaurant was very clean. The lunch buffet was 15.99 and included the drinks and dessert. There is also a bar area and for 2.99 you can get bottomless mimosas with the buffet, very good beer prices as well. Highly recommend and will be back if I'm in the area again. read more

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Came here for a solo dinner while in Asheville and loved my experience! This is a great spot in downtown Asheville-- it's casual enough that you could walk in but would also be a great place for a relaxed date night or family meal. Firstly, I appreciate that they sat me at a table instead of the bar even though I was dining solo. For my meal, I had muttar paneer with naan, rice, and raita. I ordered the medium spice level but I think I could get hot next time! The food was delicious and my waitress and attentive. I loved my food and will be back here next time I'm in town! read more

Mehfil - Muttar Paneer, Basmati Rice, Raita, Naan - Indian Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

The location was easy to find with plenty of meter parking nearby. Food was delicious! Attentive service. Could've done without the live music. read more

We stumbled upon this amazing restaurant!! The food was so flavorful and the service was great! We will be back! I had chicken masala it was delicious!!! read more

Mehfil - Food - Indian Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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Delicious food! Busy and great service! Visiting for a nearby wedding and we went here for lunch the next day.

Ambiance was fun and bright. Food was amazing and had giant portions. The service was good despite being super crowded.

Tried the lunch buffet today. Really liked the chicken makhani (basically butter chicken) and pepper chicken. The chicken tandoori was also quite good. The butter chicken was breast meat and the other two dark meat. All the chicken was tender and well prepared. Each of the sauces was distinct. The paneer masala and vegetable masala were additional items I hadn't seen on Indian buffets before and both were good. I wasn't wild about the tofu pakora or the chana masala. The food could have been a little hotter, but overall it was good. The gulab jamun dessert was good here, too -- a little less sweet than at some places where it can be way too sweet. Friendly staff. read more

Cross country food trip day 2. Came to try a bunch of different items. Fairly empty venue but waited over 15 mins to get served after menu presented. Super friendly staff but asked for items to come out all at once and things began coming out in 2 shifts. Ordered Bullet naan with garlic, spicy green chili, and cilantro...aloo tiki...raita...papad w/ chutney...and nobody came to check in in between my order and finals item served...even though server walked by multiple times Waited over a half hour to get my final item despite empty tables and ordering apps. 10/10 spice came out as about a 3 but everything was flavorful. Papad basic but paired well as a chip for the aloo tiki accompaniments. Naan was very good. Everything had solid flavor but no 10/10 heat as ordered and can't get past the wait and experience in a fairly empty venue read more

Mehfil - Indian Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Have to the love the romance of having a window seat of a diner on the main street of an old town .. watching the people passing by. Located downtown in the middle of shopping and hotels, this quiet Indian restaurant was a great find. I made the decision when I walked in, this dinner was about trying a little of everything. Drinks: Chai tea was made the traditional way and needed no sweetener. The Pear Mule was so refreshing. Appetizer:   Bikaneri Pakora was spinach and onion. Think of it like a corn fritter meets tempura. It had a light flavor despite being deep fried. Dinner: Chicken Makhani was really good .. deep flavors. It has little spice, but you can request spicy. The portion size was big, and a to go container was in order. I also added garlic Naan that was light and fluffy. It was yummy when dipped into the cream sauce. Dessert: Gulab Jamun is donuts in a warm honey. Super sweet but a good end to a very good meal. The service was helpful and attentive. read more

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We asked the cashier at French Broad Chocolate if she knew of any good Indian places she'd recommended and she directed us here. Wow! So glad we asked her! The food was incredibly tasty. There were plenty of vegan options for me. And the staff were all so helpful and kind. I almost wish I lived here so I could come back over and over. Yum! read more

A hidden GEM! A cozy space for both singles, couples and families. We did not eat the buffet but ordered off the menu. Spice level was spot on. Chickpeas were silky, eggplant perfectly smoked. The Bhaigan Bharata was outstanding, Paratha was perfect. Food Variety on menu was good, food quantity and quality good, service was attentive , bathrooms good. read more

We came here for dinner for the first time and the inside seating is limited so make sure to make reservations in advance. We started with their Deluxe mixed appetizer that comes with Lamb chops, Chicken Tikka, Chicken Seekh kabob, Chicken malai kabob and tandoori prawns served on a bed of veggies. The chicken tikka and kabobs tasted really good. We also ordered their chicken tikka masala, special Briyani, and saag paneer. The food tasted good. My mom didn't like the saag paneer much but I liked everything. See photos of the food below. The ambiance of the place is chill and relaxed. I loved their Kheer and gulab jamun for dessert. Overall, I recommend this place and will try other items on the menu next time. read more

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I just wanna go back to hang out with the staff! So kind and helpful and smiley and they created such a wonderful atmosphere! The place is cozy and colorful as you'd expect with an Indian restaurant. The buffet we had was 20$ for everything. Which is a little steep but it came with all the chai and cookies and of course all the food. And if you are a person who drinks the mimosas all you can drink were basically free, only 3$ add on. Same with cheep beers. I'm already excited to go back. read more

Mehfil is located in Downtown Asheville. I enjoyed the decor when I walked in as it is so colorful and the umbrellas on the ceiling in the front dining area. I came for lunch and you can either do the $14.99 buffet or order from the menu. I opted for the buffet as it was cheaper than the menu items and I wanted to try a little bit of everything. The buffet has many choices of the popular dishes. Everyone working was so helpful to make sure I had everything I needed and even told me about all of the dishes. The service was more than expected. I enjoyed my meal here and all the different flavors. The buffet is mild spiciness but I liked the dishes and it was a good value. I will eat here when I am in Downtown Asheville. read more

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Ordered the Goa fish curry, saag paneer, and vegetable tikka masala, along with some garlic naan. We enjoyed everything, but the tikka masala was our favorite. It was full of flavor and had a good level of spice. It took longer than expected to get our food, but every employee was incredibly friendly and we had a lovely dining experience. read more

Mehfil - Indian Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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MEHFIL was one of my favorite stops on our recent food tour in Asheville! It's fairly new so I was excited to walk in and see the colorful ambiance and delicious lunch buffet! The owner came out and greeted us to share a bit about the dishes. We got to sample a lot of classics and the butter chicken and paneer were my favorite. Already planning our trip back to try more of their dinner options. read more

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Thrilled to have this high-quality Indian restaurant downtown. Service is top-notch, and the location makes it easy to stop by. I love the front room, with its colorful umbrellas hung from the ceiling and the large windows providing a great view of Biltmore Ave. The menu is extensive. My fave so far is the Paneer Makhani - think butter chicken with delish Indian cheese subbed for the poultry. The flavors are rich, complex, and intense. It's just a big, big win. Last time I ordered the Saag Paneer and loved it as well. The Garlic Naan is a must. Hot tip: the spice levels on the menu are almost a full step higher than in some other restaurants - for example, the "medium" is what I'd consider "hot." A Mango Lassi is a great way to ease the burn if your dish is hotter than expected. And they are happy to bring you more peppery heat if you need it. Getcha some. read more

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Wow! Just great place in downtown. I had the tandoori lamb chops and they were superb! read more

This restaurant made my short list of favorites in the Asheville area and it serves the best Indian I've ever had! The food was delish, the portions generous, and the prices were reasonable. The ambience was elegant with black-attired wait staff and cloth tablecloths and napkins. If you like the people watch, a seat at the front will give you a front row seat to the continuous stream of people on this popular street. We had the artichoke appetizer, the garlic naan, tikki masala, and paneer with spinach. The drinks we had (hot toddy, pear mule and an NA champagne-lije drink, while tasty, were on the small side and my only real complaint. The wait staff did a disappearing act when it came through me to pay, and bring in a hurry, this was frustrating. Normally, I'd be able to relax and not worry about the time. I felt the need to go to the entrance and explain I needed to go and could do eone help. I was promptly turned to and went on my way. Can't wait to come back and check out the buffet! read more

We are so used to of going to this "other" Indian restaurant in Asheville, that honestly, we never cared to figure if another new Indian restaurant has opened its door. Until this past weekend, when we were running late from chimney rock and realized our go-to restaurant maybe closed. I called Mehfil to enquire if reservation is needed and the agent on call was polite and guided us well. Upon reaching the restaurant we found it clean and ambiance was beautiful. It definitely gave a fine dine food vibe. We ordered cauliflower appetizer and chicken lollipops - both were delicious!! Sauce was just perfect and chicken was cooked to perfection. For the main course we ordered malai kofta and paneer lababdaar. Kofta was but more grainy than what I've eaten elsewhere - it was delicious though. Paneer was mind blowing - very rich gravy. Quantity of rice was great - way much. Garlic roti was a great addition, I'll take garlic roti over garlic naan any day!! One thing we missed in the menu was "chaat" (Indian street food), and then we were informed that the restaurant next door was owned by the same owner so when they aren't too busy we can place an order from Dilbar while seated at Mehfil. So we got some dahi puri chaat and pani puri -- dahi puri was okay (not the best). But pani puri was wayyyyyy tooo salty. Wasn't good at all. I'm not taking stars down from mehfil because technically it was Dilbar's menu. Overall a great experience - amazing food and service. We now have a new favorite in Asheville. read more

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Takeout order was sooooo good ! In Asheville I've been having trouble taking me seriously when I try to order actually hot (spice wise) food. Mehfil offers their spice range selection for food and if you select the hottest, they delivery! Omg it was spicy and flavorful and perfect. We ordered a few options, knowing we were over ordering but wanting to try things and figuring I can save some for future meals this week. We got: -chicken makhani (aka butter chicken) but hot! This is not a standard way to order this dish fyi (not also not unheard of). It's very mild if you order it without adding a spice level. -chicken lollipops - basically delicious chicken wings made to look a bit more like lamb lollipops with sweet and tangy and spicy sauce - vegetable samosas (came with mint chutney and tamarind chutney and both were great) -bullet naan- garlic naan with green chilies and cilantro -sautéed mixed vegetables (to try to be "healthy" Everything is amazing! The chutneys are solid, which is one of my temperature checks for a new place. Flaky samosa pastry, perfectly textured naan, delicious seasoning on everything. I can't wait to go in person or order again! read more

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First time coming here and it won't be the last. Great atmosphere, nice place to sit and have a enjoyable meal with authentic music too! I just love the spices and flavors from India. We started out with the India wafers and India salad. The India salad was 3 slices of onions with hot chili peppers and lemon. They put a spice on top of the onion. If you like onions you will like this. The chips with the 2 sauces on the side with Chutney was very good. We ordered the butter chicken which we shared plenty of food for 2 and even leftovers! We had to order Garlic Nann, the nann was good but could have had more garlic on it, it didn't have a strong taste of garlic but it was good, especially dunked into the butter chicken sauce!!! The butter chicken we ordered mild and the flavor was very good , along with chunks of tender chicken, they did not skimp on the sauce like some places. So this was a plus! It was a great place to try for sure! And we found out they have a lunch buffet too everyday till 2'30 and we had just missed it. Only $13.99 so we will go back to try that for sure! The waiter was very nice and made sure everything was good. He was new to North Carolina so it was nice talking to him. Over all very good, maybe they will add more garlic to the Nann ;) otherwise everything spiced perfectly. Very nice & enjoyable experience. read more

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I just want to thank the business for the incredible service, delicious food and for accommodating our party. We had some special requests and they took care of us. The majority of us had the buffet and it really hit the spot after a morning of exploring downtown Asheville. Food was delicious and fresh. Our faves were on the buffet line - daal, butter chicken, roti, naan, tandoori, and so many others. At $12.99 -- it was a steal and honestly one of the best meals and service we had our entire time in Asheville. read more

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Asheville now has an authentic, top drawer fine dining Indian restaurant. Yes there are several other solid Indian restaurants here, but none that approaches the level of cuisine. Excellent selection (including goat dishes!) of perfectly spiced dishes. The service is excellent and the decor is stunning. read more

Omg was not expecting this level of Indian take out. Hands down one of the best tasting Indian I've had in a loooong time. I ordered the lamb tikka masala along with cheese naan and veggie samosas. They seem to specialize in lamb so decided that was the move. It did not disappoint. Yummy and tasty. Don't sleep on this place read more

Honestly, this is one of the best Indian restaurants that I've been to for a lunch buffet. The quality is actually really good, and that a price of $13.99, it's hard to beat! On the buffet, they have excellent biryani, Panera, okra, chicken, lamb, and desserts! Yes, the selection is pretty limited compared to other buffets, but they make up for that in terms of the actual quality. I also recommend getting a mango lassi as well. They use a sour yogurt when making this, so it is much thicker and not as sweet as other places. I prefer this one with my meal. read more

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My wife and I loved it! We really appreciate the Gluten Free and Dairy free options, the menu was great, easy to read. And the food was absolutely delicious, we'll be back! read more

This new addition to downtown Asheville offers basically the standard Indian restaurant menu. Don't get me wrong, I like the things that are on it, but this place doesn't seem likely to compete with the most interesting restaurants (of which there are some nearby). My bhindi masala, which I asked for Indian hot, delivered a mouthwatering fresh okra aroma and a decent kick, though an excess of salt. Even with the spicy naan I was not having any trouble dealing with the heat. For some reason, the amount of rice they offer is absolutely colossal. Don't get me wrong, they had some whole spices mixed in and it was nice rice, but unless the intent is for you to take it home and make some fried rice, I'm not sure what you'd do with it, because each dish is a generous portion for two people. Generous or wasteful depending on your point of view. Otherwise, they're offering well-executed basics, which again is not the most impressive thing around but it is delicious. read more

Mehfil - Bhindi Masala - Indian Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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One of the only places serving food during hurricane helene, given water outage. These guys are amazing! They even accepted credit cards without working cell or internet or credit card machine, not knowing if they will get paid. The food was delicious-- I had saag paneer and garlic naan. read more

Visited for the buffet, food for delicious. Nice selection of desserts and Indian cookies. Highly recommend the Indian Chai. Our server was Chris she explained to us everything. Will definitely be coming back here 11/10. read more