Went here one time and need to go back! Walked in and ordered whatever was available on their daily menu. Note: you must order ahead if you want to order from the full menu. The paneer wrap and the chana masala were amazing! The flavor was spot on. I have had so much Indian food - it's probably my favorite cuisine - and I would have to say this is up there on my list. Family owned, small restaurant - it's great for takeout. Do not believe they have seating inside (or at least they didn't when we were there). It's more of a catering business that also does takeout. Highly recommend trying this place out! read more

We had some absolutely fantastic food, home cooked Indian. I wish I had ordered ahead so we had more options. I will definitely try and come again and try more of their dishes. What a gem! read more

We were expecting something totally different but pleasantly surprised. Apparently they were sued by someone and decided to change their in house restaurant to take out and catering only. They have a menu on the outside of the door with about 10 or side items you can order. Expect to wait 20-30 minutes for your order. We got chicken tikka, butter chicken, chicken kebab and garlic naan. read more

Munch India - Butter chicken - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

So delicious! Perfect for a crowd. Butter chicken, eggplant, beef and lamb kabobs, garlic naan and flatbread, and two kinds of lentil dal. Be sure to reserve by noon that day. read more

Food here is 10/10-made fresh when you order, generous portions and vibrant flavors. People are true culinary folks, and can tell you all about their cooking philosophy if you are interested. You should order something you've never tried at an Indian restaurant, and you will be rewarded! A logistical note: no dine in, and you can order from a short "walk in" menu (1-2 appetizers, 3-4 main dishes) or pre-order day ahead online. Our food took 25 mins to prep, but I'd have waited hours for this. read more

Food is great, most of the time. Really fresh and flavorful ingredients, well-prepared. This place is a pain in the butt & requires orders before noon. There's no way to change or add on to an order. Pricing for mainstream items is in line with the area. If you choose to splurge and choose a $30+ entree, I think it should be presented perfectly. They missed the chawanmushi and were not reachable by phone or email. They never responded and that was a waste of money. read more

Delicious Indian food! I would say that their take on Beef Wellington is spiced and delicious. Munch is a solid contendor. I would say: - Wellington was delicious - Samosas are amazing flaky and great but the chicken liver samosa is too full of liver, it needs a mix of some veggies or something with the liver. - The Bombay Toast is spectacular, it's exactly what I wanted. Indian French Toast - The chicken Murgh is okay, the curry was a bit oily. - The seafood thali was delicious, good flavor overall The advanced notice to order before 12pm is kind of hard to coordinate sometimes but it's pretty good place. I would order again especially for their appetizers and thali plates read more

Oh my goodness... I stumbled upon this place before seeing a film at La Peña... it is now absolutely my favorite Indian spot in the East bay. Made fresh, on the spot, you can tell all the effort and care they put into their food. No cutting corners with the spices, the flavor profiles are complex and satisfying. Family ran, had a friendly feel to it, you can tell they take pride in what they do. Highly recommend. read more

It's hard to find good Indian food in this area but Munch is a solid contender. Got the paneer kathi roll and really enjoyed it. Two things to keep in mind: 1) I can generally handle spice but still found the food to be pretty hot. The food also upset my stomach a bit -- not sure if it was because of the quality or spice. Be mindful if you're usually spice sensitive 2) The place is takeout only and you have to place your order by noon so plan ahead if you want to eat here! Overall really enjoyed the food here. Looking forward to them reopening their indoor dining soon. read more

Our takeout dinner was amazing. First great online ordering system. Excellent communication from staff . Super smooth pick up . Food packaged really well . Then the food was absolutely delicious. We tried the goat curry, beef stew, chicken badami and vegetable croquet. Everything was unique and very flavorful. The meat was high quality and tender. Wishing huge success. read more

Hands down, the best Indian food in the Bay! I've eaten a lot of Indian food and studied with chefs in India. Munch India's food is unique and outrageously delicious. As is the case with most Indian food, it tastes even better the next day, so I recommend getting enough or leftovers (I just ate mine for breakfast!) My only plea to the owners is that they consider switching from single-use throw-away plastic packaging to biodegradable and -- ideally -- reusable options, especially now that the entire operation is to-go. Check out Upstream's website to learn how other Bay Area food service providers have made the switch. I would eat at Munch every week (maybe even every day, it's so good!) if more eco-friendly options were available. read more

the best most fresh indian food you can find!!! amazing and tender meats and fresh and well seasoned vegetables make for an amazing dinner. ingredients all tasted super fresh. my go to indian restaurant!!! read more

Munch india is authentic, yet elegant and serves delicious and beautifully created food. This small and humble restaurant has only 6 tables and is strictly reservation only. They have an ever changing limited menu so I suppose they must be sourcing finite quantities of ingredients (and hence the strict reservation policy). I urge you to make that reservation and enjoy the fantastic food prepared by the creative chefs. The moment you walk in, you feel like you are in someones living room with an open kitchen. The decor is bright and colorful. Service is slow as they only have one-two servers but it's attentive. Our server was welcoming and immediately got us water and the menu. She also made some recommendations for the evening and we placed the entire order in one go. Food came in courses (and not all at once). Be patient. As a lot of it is freshly prepared, it will take a bit longer than other places. I loved their plates. So earthy. And I was pleasantly surprised that our silverware was replaced between courses. Okay now onto the food. I enjoyed everything. All the food was given detailed attention. Flavors were wonderful and the quality of the ingredients was excellent. 1. Mixed kebab platter - 2 chicken and 2 lamb mini skewers - simple, and tasty. The chutneys and the onions were a great accompaniment. 2. Baingan/ eggplant - don't remember the exact name but damn this was one kick-ass eggplant preparation. Well spiced and flavored. 3. Pan seared Black cod - omg! This was exceptional. The fish was beyond soft and melt in your mouth. I never thought that it would go well with Indian spices but it was brilliant. 4. The paratha, and pulav both paired well with our food. 5. Mango lassi - all you lassi lovers wont be able to get enough. Thick, mango-y, sweet and tart. So happy that east bay has this gem of an Indian restaurant. read more

See all

Excellent food. Perfectly seasoned. You're supposed to order ahead and they have a lot of options if you do but they also have a small to-go menu to choose from if you stop by. I had chicken Tikka masala and chickpea masala with a large potato filled samosa (? I think?). They used thigh meat for the Tikka masala and it's not a super creamy version but the spice levels were perfection. Definitely the best Indian I've had in awhile. read more

I only have great things to say about Munch India. Apparently they made the decision a few years back to transition to take-out only, allowing them to only buy the freshest, local ingredients, and you can absolutely tell. We placed our order on Tuesday evening to have on Wednesday night. We ordered: - Kolkata Pnaeer Bhurji Sabzi Kathi Roll: this was an absolute standout. Unexpectedly delicious combination of flavors. The paratha was soft and fluffy. Definitely big enough to be its own entree. - Okra Bhaji: I'm not an okra person. In fact, I was not super keen on including this dish in our order but man was I proven wrong. This okra is tender and comforting. You can definitely tell the ingredients are fresh and local - Shahi Palak Paneer: It's paneer, you cant go wrong. - The Veg Thali (which comes with: Shahi Palak Paneer, Okra Bhaji, Bandh Gobi Aur Matar): This dish duplicated many of the other dishes we got but the bonus was that it came with a generous portion of their basmati pulao (which, on its own was better than any basmati rice I've had) and a roti. - Tulsi Veg Hakka Noodles: The noodles were interesting! Delicious but felt a little out of place leaning a bit more east asian. - Samosa Chole (one of the few walk-in only dishes you can order when you pick up your food): This is a MUST every time. It's the price of an appetizer but is a generous portion with a GIANT samosa sitting in an incredible stew of chickpeas. The samosa itself is fantastic, the filling is super flavorful and the pastry stays delicious and crisp even though its swimming in chickpeas. Don't forget about this dish when you're placing your order! All this food fed 5 people with a tiiiiny bit of leftovers that I'm sure we will all be fighting over. Munch India will definitely be a go-to neighborhood spot! read more

Located on Shattuck, a little ways away from Downtown Berkeley, Munch India just has a simple sign on the door. You may easily walk past it, but if you open the door, you can see straight into the kitchen as you enter the homey space with a capacity of just twenty seats. The aromas from the spices and ingredients waft into your nose and you know what you are about to eat may be the very best Indian meal you have ever had! It sure was that for me! What we had~ Kachori Chaat (moong dal stuffed crispy puffed bread, topped with tomato kachumber and savory yogurt) For appetizers, we started with the kachori chaat. They also serve momos, but, unfortunately, they were out. The bread had the perfect texture and chew to it and was fried just right-I especially loved that there was a filling inside. It added more depth of flavor to the dish! Lababdar Palak Chole (slow-cooked sweet and sour chickpeas, topped with crispy spinach wafers) This was my favorite dish of the night! The sauce for the chickpeas was the perfect balance of sweet and spicy (I have a low spice tolerance, but this was just right for me)! Atop the chickpeas laid a bed of crispy spinach-this was sort of like Japanese tempura, but breaded much lighter. It definitely had a nice crunch to it. The best way to eat this dish is to put the chickpeas atop basmati rice so that it absorbs all the sauce and you have different textures in your mouth! Murgh Kumbh Aur Saag (seared airline cut chicken breast filled with a mushroom and spinach mixture, served with a tangy mushroom sauce) This chicken was so pretty-the color just reflected how perfectly cooked and tender it was! I highly recommend drizzling the chicken with the tamarind chutney for a slightly sweet, tart flavor! I couldn't get enough of this sauce; it was delicious, and I had never tried tamarind before! Basmati Vegetable Pulao The waitress recommended ordering a side of basmati rice to share, and that was one of the best decisions we made. It was perfectly buttery and moist, and the vegetables were oh-so-soft! The rice goes well with any main entree dish! Phulka (Indian Flatbread) This flatbread is fairly thin which is good because you don't fill up on bread before your main meal! I recommend dipping it in the cucumber raita! Mango Lassi Finish off your meal with a mango lassi, or drink it with your meal! Either works! The mango lassi has the perfect consistency, not too thick or thin, and perfect amount of sweetness. This mango yogurt drink is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth! It comes served in a glass with a metal straw-thank you for being conscious of our environment! This, indeed, was the best Indian food I have ever had! The sauces and spices brought so much unique flavor to each dish, and I will most definitely come dine here again. Halfway through the meal, my friend and I had already decided we needed to come back-we were clean-platers! I highly recommend Munch India! Come here to learn about and expand your palate for Indian food! You will have no regrets! Only downside was that the service was slow and they have a special reservation system/prix fixe menu. read more

See all

* I love the gourmet restaurant environment they created for the interior: the glass, the open kitchen, the small and intimate ambiance. * The food is impeccable! I had a great experience overall. The rice was permeated with fragrance and freshness. And the four layers of the entree are just extraordinary. And the handkerchief bread tastes authentic. read more

Munch India - Fried spinach on top with three layers underneath - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

New place opened Nov. 7 in the space that was most recently Smokey J's and long ago the Omnivore (logo was a gorilla wearing a chef's toque). They've had a food truck for a few years and are still operating it at lunch, so for now the place is dinner only. Currently open 5:30-9:30 Tues.-Sat. We got there around 8:30 on Wednesday and were the last party to come in. Second place I've been to with a **NO CASH** policy. (The guy at Augie's said it reduced his insurance premiums.) Dahi vada ($10). This was fantastic. Hard to imagine how they can make lentil dumplings so light. Would have tried the bonda but they were out. Pulao ($5), mild but very nice. They were out of the game hen so we got the sabzi ($13). Kind of a spicy Indian ratatouille. Phulka ($1 each) were very thin and about as big around as corn tortilla. The lamb kebab ($17) was excellent and medium-rare as ordered. Raita ($3) was delicious and the spiciest thing we had. Coriander chutney ($3) was excellent. Black urad dal ($5) was nice though bland and mild compared with the other dishes. That was plenty of food for two, next time I might order a little less. The vada, sabzi, phulka, and raita were all different from anything I've had before. Overall I'd say the quality is similar to Ajanta. read more

Munch India - dahi vada - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Munch India is hands-down the best Indian food in the area. Yesterday, my family and I ordered the following items: 1) Badami Chicken Korma 2) Malai Kofta 3) Smoked and Grilled Prawns 4) Moong Dal Palak 5) Tulsi Hakka Noodles All the flavors were incredible, and we enjoyed every single dish. Best of all, each dish had a unique flavor and had a personality all of its own, yet somehow still all went well together. I would definitely come back-- highly recommend. read more

Wonderful Indian restaurant in former Smokey J's BBQ location. Nicely decorated & improved the space to make a cozy dine-in-only experience. Service was welcoming and helpful. We loved everything we ordered: Urulai Kizhangu Bonda, croquette-like potato vegetable balls with chutney Sharath Ritu Korma, creamy nut paste sauce on vegetables, great cinnamon flavor-- my favorite. Rajkoti Para Sabzi, eggplant covered with chickpea flour layers, a new surprise for me. read more

Munch India - Chef plans to change menus every two weeks. - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

I am a huge fan of Indian food and I've eaten it all over the world and across the US. Munch is truly the best Indian food outside of India and it's only three blocks away from me. It's original, flavorful, and feels like home cooking. The menu is ever changing and every dish feels like it was plucked out of some auntie's private recipe stash. I am forever in love. Thank you Munch! read more

The freshness quality and deeply flavored dishes are a must for anyone who enjoys excellent Indian food. Order in advance from their seasonal menu and pick up at a preselected day and time. You won't be disappointed. read more

The best Indian food and the nicest people making it! A super small cute neighborhood spot that is take out only. I have only ordered from their daily smaller menu but never been disappointed. 100% recommend!! read more

FYI - you actually have to plan ahead to eat here. Reservations are a must and same day reservations must be made by 4pm that day. But if you can work around that little premeditated issue the food here is good. Definitely on the expensive side but if you need a change of pace from the regular dishes most Indian restaurants serve, it's a great place! We were there last Wednesday night and ordered: Rajkoti Parat Sabzi - eggplant, potatoes, zucchini layered in an amazing hearty sauce (my favorite) Nawabi Kofta - vegetable balls simmered in a tangy tomato sauce (very good) Top sirloin kebab- we ordered medium but it was served medium well done. It was tasty but a little dry. Side of basmati rice Dessert - Rasmalai - a nice change of pace. It is served chilled, not too sweet with a little graininess to the cheese. All in all, something different to experience in the world of Indian cuisine. It won't be for everyone with its high price point but you must remember that they are a small business trying to make their way in this tough environment. PRO TIP: they don't serve alcohol but you can bring your own wine! They don't charge for a corkage fee! read more

See all

Delicious and special little place. Love, love. I don't understand the negative reviews about arriving w/o a reservation and being turned away. The website is very specific that it's a reservation only restaurant. Seems pretty straightforward: Make a reservation. read more

I have no clue why people are giving it high reviews, come on people it is not that good. Here are pros and cons, about Munch India: Pros: 1. The the inside looks great, nice feel. Cons: 1. This place is way way way over priced for just OK Indian food. 2. The taste of the dishes were very bland, they smelled good, but once in your month, it's has no real flavor. Perhaps they are only catering to the "Hi-Fi" class. 3. The stupidest is the reservation, it's OMG, I truly believe they think they are a Michelin Star restaurant. This business won't last long, they are probably just breaking even at this point. Perhaps sticking to your truck business would be better. There are some Indian restaurants that are much better and the prices are much better, unless you're one of those that wants expensive 5 course meal without any caviar at their price point. read more

I missed the opportunity to dine at the fine dining version of Munch but was grateful to try their new avatar as a take out dining option. One of my biggest frustrations with Indian/South Asian cuisine in the US has always been quality and ingredients. The vast majority of "desi" restaurants serve up what I would call - bastardized south asian food. I am sure the same can apply to a lot of the global cuisines but south asian food has honestly suffered because it is a painstaking laborious art that requires discipline and patience to bring out the melange of flavors from a potpourri of whole spices (not boxed) infused into fresh ingredients. Grateful to Chef's Diana and Nick for showcasing real Indian food. This is the only Indian restaurant that I will be recommend to everyone. Bravo! read more

Munch India is the kind of place you'll take a special someone on a night out. I went on a quiet Saturday and as I glanced around at the other couples in the small, cozy dining room, I'd say the food was wonderfully presented and served, as if someone with class would have said, "this will do just fine, thank you!" For my own sustenance, I ordered some cod, which is easy to prepare, but tricky to do just right. It was lightly and evenly seared, and taken off the grill exactly after it was done, so that it's fresh texture and delicate flakiness would be preserved. A foamed soy sauce complemented the other aromas quite well, and the main course paired well with the rice suggested by the server. Munch India adds to East Bay's list of establishments that elevate ethnic food above the usual hungry bites order of business. We're used to Thai food all done the same way, for example, but it's harder to find the kind of place that will do it thoughtfully, the way the Michelin-rated Kin Khao did in the city, and the way Funky Elephant is doing in the Gilman Area of town. Munch India does the same here, and it's easy to get to, being on the way home from the city for all the residents of Elmwood, South Berkeley, and a fair portion of the Berkeley hills. But you'd hardly know it was there, being tucked away in a cute residential corner of the neighborhood, and without a loud menu up front. In all the ways, the experience of coming here really piles on the charm! read more

Consistently excellent food that breaks out of the standard Indian restaurant fare. Quality ingredients cooked with a loving, expert hand. I live in the neighborhood and feel lucky to have this tiny gem right around the corner. read more

Standing in front, knocking on front door, sign says open till 930, it's 815pm. People inside, multiple phone calls, no one answers. Obviously not interested in customer service. WTF. read more

Okay I would give this place more stars if I could actually eat something here. I've heard good things about the place, but the couple of times I actually made plans and arrived here, it's CLOSED!! The hours on Google and Yelp suggest it should have been open, but they're not. Their website suggests to check up on them on twitter to get daily updates, which I did by the way, and there was no indication whatsoever about the place not being open. I think the place needs a little more professionalism. Seems more like a spot for the chef's part time hobby, where the place is open when they are in the mood to open. At this point even if this place has the best food in the entire country, I doubt I'll make an effort to go here again. read more

A wonderful new place in Berkeley for great Indian food. Definitely the best Indian place in my opinion. It's a bit pricey, and the food is slow, service is okay, but the food quality is phenomenal. Their menu changes frequently so it's always great to try something new. I went with some friends and we split dinner across dahi baingan, aloo tikki, malai kofta, pulao, romali roti, and a green bean + tomato tarkari. It was amazing! Their dessert was rasmalai which was delicious. My other friends ordered a chicken dish which I didn't have but they loved it. Will definitely be back! read more

See all

Great vegetarian options and everything was so good! Got the pani puri, dahi vada, and maha bhog thali. Will be coming back frequently

Pros: Wonderful flavors! Rich, decadent puff pastries and potatoes. Tasty flatbread with good texture. Refreshing menu choices, not your typical Indian restaurant offerings. I appreciated the aesthetic of the food, stoneware, and restaurant decor. Clean, accessible bathroom. Warm service. Cons: The interior feels quite crowded, even crammed. Between sitting right next to other diners (bumping elbows), the server traffic bustling, & the kitchen noise, it's a... stimulating environment. The chairs are hard, can be loud when moved, and look suitable for a patio. Also, the food's kinda pricey for the portions? I'm saying this even though I didn't touch the meat di$he$. They're obviously doing a very specialized (and delicious) cuisine set, but the combo of a notably suboptimal eating environment with a higher price point menu isn't winning me over. I'll go back if someone else is buying, though! Four stars for flavor (yummmm) and overall uniqueness of the dishes & decor. read more

This place has delicious food at amazing prices -- we had many of their vegetarian options, and all were fantastic. Our favorite is the eggplant. The service is great and the folks working inside are incredibly friendly. Worth checking out! We'll be back! read more

Wonderful people, delicious food. We have had carry out several times now and everything has been fresh and tasty and so flavorful. We have had several of the vegetarian dishes as well as the meat. My husband loves the tandoori chicken and I tried the halibut the other night and it was so good! We are lucky to have a place like Munch India!!! read more

Munch just reopened and is amazing!!! Their meats are so well marinated and perfectly cooked. Everyone is so friendly and makes sure you are happy with your order. Their new menu is great value for money. read more

My family feels lucky to have Munch India in Berkeley. Munch India's food is delicious and is now available for take out orders.

This is really good Indian food. Mind you, not you American Indian food. When I first came to USA in 1990 and tasted the Indian food here. I was not happy as this is not the Indian food I know in Asia. But Munch India definitely has that taste that I'm familiar with. Tamarind sauce is sooooo good. The husband and wife team is excellent! Waitresses are very polite, good service and this is definitely where I go for good fine Indian food. read more

What kind of place takes customers by reservations only? Ughhhhhhhhhhhh. They should change their name to "Indian food by reservation only". We drive all the way, and they didn't even open the door! read more