So far best Indian food I've had in Charlotte. I would…read moreorder ahead and it'll be hot and ready when you get there. This place is always so busy, but food is always spot on. The naan is Devine. Butter chicken or chicken tikka masala are my current favorites. Five spot but they are beautifying the inside and it seems they are creating room to dive in.

3 out of 5 stars is generous. The best part may have been the service but the food we had was not…read moregood. We bought the aloo gobi and 2 sides. The naan and samosas were typical but the aloo gobi had more of a watery tomato taste than the thicker sauce I was expecting. I could also tell the vegetables didn't marinate long enough as they were almost seasonless and undercooked. Also, the restaurant was simply dirty. Wouldn't recommend this place. I did like how they offer mouth refreshers at the front desk, though (cardamom pods, fennel seeds, cloves, etc)

I stumbled upon this place last summer with a friend and we sat at the bar and just to head there…read morespicy cauliflower and the bartenders selection. Everything was fantastic. The last couple of times I've been was with my work group. We ordered several items for our table and then we also ordered entrées. Each time I visited this location everything is very nice and clean and the food as spicy as it is is very well seasoned and tasty. All of the sauces and curry creams were cooked to perfection hot in temperature not too hot to enjoy. Our servers were very kind and patient and courteous to us as we made our decisions. They also made perfect combination for our selections. And the best selections for drinks and desserts. Since then, I've even ordered on Uber eats and my food came just as perfect. This is a great go to place for good Indian food. If you're in the uptown area it's located below the Green parking lot, which is across from the Knight theater. It's just a good place even if you want a good drink at the bar. Enjoy!

Excellent ambience with a fine dining experience…read more The food is flavorful with a good variety of dishes, and the presentation is impressive. Service is courteous and attentive. Overall, it's a nice place to enjaoy quality food along with a great view.

One of my families favorite places to go in south end. We have yet to have a bad appetizer or meal…read more Their menu is compact, and brimming with flavor. We have had items from vegetarian to lamb and chicken and we have not been disappointed. The naan is phenomenal and supports the dishes wonderfully. To top it off there is plenty of rice to go around! The servers are very pleasant and attentive. It can get busy some evenings, but lunch typically is a slower time.

Modern Indian food in Charlotte, NC 3.75/5…read moreI haven't been here in years, but I used to come here a lot growing up, so I was excited to try it again. The food was good, but nothing out of this world. I ordered the Keema Bhatura Chaat ($14), Murgh Tikka Masala ($21), and garlic naan ($5). The chaat was definitely my favorite--it was delicious and really stood out. The curry, on the other hand, was just okay. I wish it had a bit more flavor. Overall, it was decent, but not as good as I remembered.

I had an amazing experience here. I read about the owner of this restaurant. He's a James Beard…read morefinalist in his Asheville restaurant, so I had to try this here in Charlotte inside Optimus Hall. And it was an experience I will not forget, and I have to come back here. You have to order off the street food menu if you really want something different that you would normally not see at other Indian restaurants. I got the SPDP which were savory puffed flour crisps filled with sweet yogurt chutney, potatoes, onion, and cilantro, and it was loke nothing I've ever had before. Total flavor bomb. Then I got the chicken tikka roll. So delicious and huge and filling, with that perfect savory and acid going at the same time. I'll definitely be back since I can't stop thinking about it. Lol

Botiwalla at Optimist Hall is such a fun, colorful, energetic little spot, and honestly one of the…read moremore charming fast-casual concepts I've tried lately. If you're heading there, it's closest to the Duke Energy side off 16th Street, and parking is actually pretty easy. Just make sure you scan one of the QR codes for the Metropolis parking system so you don't accidentally get ticketed. There are signs everywhere, so it's pretty straightforward. The setup at Botiwalla is super organized. You queue from outside the storefront, but the menu boards and specials are large, bright, and easy to read while you wait. The vibe inside is playful and campy in the best way -- Bollywood-inspired touches, fun signage, colorful details, Indian hip-hop playing in the background, and lots to look at while you wait for your food. The staff member taking orders was friendly, professional, repeated the order back correctly, asked smart questions, and they take Apple Pay, which is always appreciated. I ordered the Butter Chicken Thali and it was beautifully presented in a compostable divided tray. The complete breakdown of the meal included: * Grilled chicken tikka in a rich, velvety tomato-cream-butter sauce enriched with sweet jaggery and roasted garam masala * Fragrant jeera (cumin) rice * Warm naan * Cool raita * Tangy, crisp desi slaw * A sweet, syrupy gulab jamun for dessert The butter chicken sauce was fragrant, creamy, and comforting, and the naan was perfect for scooping up every last bit of it. The chicken portions were generous with large chunks of white meat, and overall the meal felt satisfying and thoughtfully prepared. One small heads-up: because the takeout containers are fully compostable and not wax-lined, the sauce does start soaking into the packaging fairly quickly. If you're taking leftovers home, definitely transfer everything into another container sooner rather than later. My only real disappointment was the chai. I ordered it hot so I could ice it later at home, but unfortunately it was extremely weak and lacked that bold masala spice flavor I personally expect from chai. If you love strong, robust chai like David Rio's Tiger Spice or a traditional masala chai, this one may leave you wanting more. At around $4, it just didn't deliver the flavor punch I was hoping for. That said, the food, atmosphere, service, organization, and overall experience were absolutely worth the visit. Optimist Hall can feel hectic, but Botiwalla manages to feel upbeat, efficient, and welcoming all at once. Life's too short to not eat well.

Food is really good! I like chhole bhatute from there. The service is good as well…read more The only thing that I miss is vibe

My favorite Indian Cuisine restaurant. It is all vegetarian but don't let that stop you. Their…read morefood is prepared fresh so is delicious particularly their Naan. Service is friendly and helpful when selecting items from the menu. The ambiance is simple and relaxed. We also get take away from them and enjoy the food at home as well.

I used to pass this restaurant often when there was a Clothes Mentor next door. I decided to try…read morethem for lunch via DoorDash. I ordered samosa (2 in one order) and Shahi paneer lunch with naan. There was plenty of sauce and more rice than I needed. I love cheese anyway but the paneer was good. I don't frequent the area but may consider dine in to experience the service for a full review.

Visited with a friend after we came across a social media post sharing that Maharani is the oldest…read moreoperating Indian restaurant in Charlotte! The lunchtime atmosphere was calm and service was quick. All of the food was delicious and the portions were great. Will definitely visit again for more paneer!

Fell in love with Botiwalla when I lived in Atlanta, and was happily surprised when I moved to…read moreCharlotte and found out they have a location here too My go-to order almost every time is a Lamb Roll (the Lamb Burgers are great too), Masala Smashed Potatoes (extra Maggi), and a Mango Lassi. This is my vote for the best meal you can get at Optimist Hall. If you're looking for an appetizer I highly recommend the SPDP. If I lived closer to Optimist I'd probably be ordering from here every week, it's that's good.

Best. Chai. Ever…read more But serious, if you just go for the chai it would be completely worth it. The okra fries were delicious and unique as well.

Got the chicken korma and the garlic naan. And you should too! Excellent food, Very friendly…read moreservice.

Trash Staff was rude very un knowledgeable, tacky and not…read moreattentive to their guest. Can you please just do a better job at servicing your company and your guest it wasn't even busy and she act like she could not wait on us. She said they had the cheapest drinks in the alley, but still kept moving around and not checking to see what we wanted. She also said they didn't have specials, but they also had a special menu outside.

The food was excellent, the Nepali curry was great much tomato flavor than your Indian curry. I…read morealso love the drumsticks, it has a little sweet flavor to it. The dumplings were with spicy sweet sauce, we didn't try too hot level, but it was spicy enough. The service was excellent. The restaurant is nice and clean, we came for earlier dinner, so we don't know how busy it will look like. But I will come back to try other dishes!!

Delicious food! I'm not a connoisseur of Indian food I just know what I like. We had the Szechuan…read moreMomo's at a 5 spice level (vegetarian). So flavorful with good kick. Biryani with goat and biryani with lamb. Both delicious. Butter naan. Yum. Service was absolutely the best. Our server walked us through the menu with patience and the recommendations were on point. Easy access with parking right in front but there's plenty of parking as it's located in the shopping plaza where Kohls used to be in university area. The next time I'm getting Indian I'm coming here!

This place is a hidden gem. I always spend the night near…read moreairport when flying home looking for a good meal. I found on Yelp and it did not disappoint. I ordered a hot and asked for the hottest since non Asian they asked me twice. I did get a very spicy meal with soup and loved it. I'll be back. Rick

Palak(Saag) was pretty good. High standard stuff for Indian cuisine from what I've tasted. The…read morechicken in the saag was dreadful, absolutely horrible. I was served fast and got a plentiful portion. Naan was good and rice was fine. The 4$ soup I had was also pleasant 4/5.