Solid authentic Indian food exceeding quality expectations and a veteran in takeout service. Phulkari Indian Cuisine is a top choice for us when we are in the area as their food is delicious, made fresh, and packaged well for on the go families like us. We have our favorites from their menu but they host a variety of curries, proteins, and small bites/street eats. Panipuri - crispy balls ready to be loaded up with lentils, delicious fillings and sauces, these mouthfuls are great for starters but you'll find yourself eating these throughout the meal not only because you're hungry but also because you just can't get enough of them. Samosas - hearty fried dumplings packed with potatoes that are perfect for eating on the go. Great by itself or with sauces and curry, these hot pockets are a burst of flavor that will stuff you up. Goat curry - full of flavor and a bit on the spicy end for those sensitive to capsaicin. Pair with naan or rice and you'll be golden, from the tastes you'll be experience as well as the heat! Butter paneer/chicken - the sweetness of the curry is subtle but the creaminess is what will win you over. Smothered over chicken or paneer, this is a delicious palate pleaser. Biryani - solid staple, flavorful and cooked perfectly. Great by itself or paired with some curry or a grilled entree. Salmon - delicious but a bit overcooked for my liking but in a pinch, omega-3s can be supplemented in this meal. Overall, Phulkari satisfies our craving for Indian curry any day and it's great knowing that the experience will consistently be a good one anytime those cravings come up. We haven't had a chance to dine in but would welcome the opportunity to visit for a sit down. For now, they're still our go-to for Indian cuisine when we are in the area. Unsure of where you'll end up settling for food or not having the time or space to cook an elaborate meal packed with flavors and aromas? Phulkari pulls through as the restaurant of choice! read more

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EDIT: both of us had some stomach issues following our meal. Not horribly sick, but stomach aches and gurgling and stuff, general discomfort. Phulkari is under new ownership! New menu, new prices, new staff. Upon walking in they asked us if we would like to sit outside after seeing my service dog. I said no thank you (as it was chilly out) and they didn't push the issue at all, just sat us. They served us water immediately. This is a small thing but the water glasses were easy to hold and lightweight and I liked that. Anyways, they checked on us several times while we looked at the new menu, encouraging us to ask questions if we wanted. Rice is complimentary with each curry-type dish. Our food came quickly. When they noticed we had eaten half our rice, they repeatedly offered us rice and we said no thanks. Then they brought it anyways. We didn't mind, they were very eager to give good service and to be present. They refilled our glasses once they got low. At the end of the meal they came over and discussed the food with us, let us know about the new ownership and how they've changed the menu, and that they are using all fresh ingredients. They seem very eager to provide good food and service. The dishes were both flavorful. The vegetables in them were fresh tasting. Neither was at all spicy-- afterwards they let us know that they are doing all the dishes mild (Castro valley lol) so if you like your Indian food spicy you will need to tell them explicitly when you order. read more

Phulkari Indian Cuisine - Indian Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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We prefer Indian food in buffet style but it's difficult to find it in this area so we haven't had Indian food for a while. Yesterday we decided to give this place a try without knowing that they offer buffet!!!! Food tasted great, not too much spices and price was not bad at all. Clean and prompt service Weekends $19.99 Weekdays $17.99 read more

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**3.5 stars** The BFF and I came here for dinner this past Tuesday night and all by chance. It wasn't busy and the place was small. The staff that was in that night was friendly and always checked in on the two of us. Since I've been craving Indian for ages, the BFF assisted by ordering the chicken tikka masala and I, the butter chicken - b/c I couldn't decide what to order. We were going to order rice separately but our server said it came with our dishes. The BFF wanted the garlic naan and I opted to keep it original, just the regular. We also got their masala tea... The food came quickly... while eating, we noticed a lot of takeaways being picked by other customers... so that was promising. We ate in silence for a few bites... then the BFF said that the butter chicken tasted way better than the tikka masala which I agreed. The BFF and I were regulars of "Naan and Curry" now "House of Curry" back in College Ave and we reminisced and perhaps compared the food there as well... House of Curry won but since the proximity of this spot is halfway between the two of us, we had to make do... adulting. We ordered more tea (again, reminiscing of the free tea in HOC but didn't ask if it was free refill or not... we wanted to catch up and drink it so again... adulting. Overall... okay food and price was decent. read more

While we've been here for dinner many times and a lunch buffet once, I tried to have the lunch buffet today. It was dry, not filled, and it was only 2pm, despite the sign saying the buffet is until 4pm. I don't know. I asked the lone waitperson if he would refill the chicken tandoori and he said, begrudgingly, yes, but not right away. There was one dry piece left and there were four diners that just sat down. This man was literally sprawled over the counter; his entire torso was just draped over it and was very unappealing to me, and he didn't care whether the food looked fresh or tended to. I surely didn't care for his uncaring, lackadaisical demeanor, so I left. I'm not going to waste my lunch hour hoping they refill their food. There was only two pieces of the the gulab jamun, too. read more

We got the holiday Thali which came with a lot of great stuff: rice, pickles, naan, daal, butter chicken, gulab jamun, and raita. We also got an order of garlic naan, pakodas, a mango lassi, and paneer tikka masala. Everything was delicious, and the twinkling lights inside were super cute. read more

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Phulkari Indian in Castro Village Shopping Center sports a sunny patio and a lunch buffet featuring delicious North Indian flavors. I started with an appetizer of Veg Pakoda, crispy fritters made of chopped vegetables in a chickpea flour batter, paired with mint and tamarind chutneys. The buffet featured five main dishes--the Tandoori Chicken was yogurt and spice-marinaded chicken thighs/drumsticks cooked to juicy perfection in a tandoor oven, and the Punjabi Bhindi was chopped okra and onions stir-fried with a salty and oily spice mixture. My favorite entrees were the Dal Makhani, a soup made of black urad dal, ginger, and spices; the Veg Korma, a yogurt-based curry with mixed vegetables, paneer cubes, and warm spices; and the Butter Chicken, tender pieces of boneless dark meat chicken in a mild, sweet, tangy, and creamy tomato-based curry flavored with fenugreek leaves. Each of the curries went nicely with a side of thin, freshly-baked tandoori naan and garlic naan! And to drink was a kettle of hot, addictive masala chai. While the variety of selections at the buffet wasn't huge, everything offered was perfectly spiced and delicious, and everything came at a great value at just $17.99 for their weekday buffet. read more

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I am very sad to write this review. A couple weeks ago I went there for lunch. They have small buffet spread. The food was tasty but unfortunately there was a black hair attached to my chicken!!! I called the server to show him and he didn't apologize! He also didn't look at me, just said he would let the kitchen know. Wow. The service really lacks, I understand it's self service buffet but they don't come to the table to see if I want something to drink. I had to call someone when I wanted more water. Over all a bad experience since I also got tremendously sick of my stomach for the next 2 days. read more

Phulkari Indian Cuisine - THE HAIR !!!!! - Indian Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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We have not been back here for almost 2 years. Not that we didn't enjoy our first time out, but we travel all over and relish new restaurants and cuisines. Well, things have changed since our last visit. We came in on a weeknight for dinner. There were no other patrons, just a big guy sitting at a table, where he didn't even acknowledge us when we came in, except to gesture with his head to a table along the wall, and then pointed... never got up. Another server we recognized from before came over after a bit, and handed us our menus. We made our selections, and he went away. Food came out and we clearly noticed the quality and flavors have changed pretty dramatically from before (which was right after they had opened with the new owners). Not nearly as good, and quite honestly not even worth reviewing each dish. Flat, boring, and just didn't taste right. Extremely disappointing as we had remembered such great service and food before. At the end of our meal, the owner came over to our table and all he talked about was being soooo busy with his new business, which is NOT this restaurant. Eye off the ball and down it goes.... read more

Loved the ambiance, service and taste of food here :) there is lots of parking right outside and they have both indoor and outside seating options. They reopen in the evening at 4.30pm and by 4.35pm their 3 tables were already filled up. I was surprised that restaurant was at full capacity by 5.25pm !! So popular!! In $52 (before tip) we got: - veg pakora app- 5/5 freshly fried and delicious mixed pakoras. It paired perfectly with the green coriander chutney and tamarind sauce they gave with it. - 2 masala chai - 3/5 expensive for the quantity and taste it had. I wish it was more flavorful, less milky and should be served more hot. - channa bhatura 5/5 loved the freshly fried huge bhatura (1 pc) served with gravy channa and sliced onions, i wish they added some pickle too in it. - butter chicken 5/5 loved the creamy texture with tender chicken pieces. Definitely a must try. Its served with rice. - aloo naan/ parantha - fresh and loaded with potato filling. It paired well with both gravies for us. There was ample to eat and leftovers from the above for us. They have lots of nut free options which makes this a convenient spot for people with allergies. Will definitely come back to try their lunch buffet some day. I wonder what are the buffet prices for weekend. read more

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Just ate takeout form here and the entire family really enjoyed it! We had the butter chicken, vegetable Biryani, Palak Paneer, Raita, Baingan Bhartha, Naan and Somosas. Everything was delicious. The only downside is I was counting on leftovers for my lunch tomorrow but most of it got eaten and my daughter called dibs on what's left! read more

I wanted to give this restaurant a try from so many months. When they advertised about their weekend, Diwali buffet, I knew this will be the best way to try their dishes. Unfortunately, I went there with high hopes, but buffet was poorly done and quality of food was not what I was expecting. As a North Indian, I have tried multiple Indian restaurants and my review is not biased at all. All four of us rated their butter chicken as very bland and not tasty. Their tikki, spring roll, pooris were all very cold. Naan were ok. Jalebis and halwa was cold as well. They were placed in medium sized steel container without warmers. There were only two employees working handling multiple tables at the same time during busy lunch rush. They were trying their best to refill everything and taking orders from the menu. They each get a star. I read their regular menu has some upscale vibes, freshly made and tasted better but not sure if I will go back again. read more

Phulkari Indian Cuisine - Rose Panna cota. - Indian Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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So fking good man the paneer was spiced much more flavorfully than I usually come to expect from this dish, so that was a pleasant surprise! The butter chicken was delish how can you mess that up, the mango lassi was a little more yogurt-tasting than mango but made me feel like I was treating my digestive system. read more

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Came here last week on Tuesday for the first time, party of 2. Our order we shared: lamb curry, side of rice, butter chicken, garlic naan. Total was about $25 per person after tax and tip. Pros: - DELICIOUS food, the butter chicken, lamb curry, and garlic naan were very delicious. - Decent portions! not HUGE like Favorite Indian, but I was pretty full after we ate and we had a small portion of leftovers after. - good amount of meat in the dishes, they don't skimp and only give you the curry - fast and polite service, they kept our waters filled frequently - not too crowded on a weeknight - parking wasn't difficult since it was located in the village Cons: - Very shaky table that we sat at near the door that made it hard to eat without spilling things when we leaned on the table Not a con, but it is helpful to note that rice does NOT automatically come with dishes like other places. Otherwise 5/5 stars and I will return! read more

Phulkari Indian Cuisine - garlic naan, butter chicken, lamb curry - Indian Near Me - Castro Valley, California

We have always enjoyed delicious meals here in the past, so we decided to stop by for dinner. The server was friendly and helpful and the setting was bright and cheerful. We ordered the Tandoori Chicken along with the Lamb Curry and a side of Naan. Both dishes were just as tasty as they were in the past! We enjoyed dining in, but remarked that this would be an excellent meal for us to take-out when we don't feel like cooking. read more

I've eaten here so many times pre covid after covid and still to this day, this was my comfort restaurant when I was pregnant about 5 years ago I would come in once a week & I always experienced great service and felt so welcomed. It's a cute little restaurant tucked away in the village with amazing flavor and variety to food I typically come for the lunch buffet & it never lets me down. I leave feeling satisfied and happy with my decision. I hope you all come and try it too! read more

Phulkari Indian Cuisine - Sunday lunch buffet 11am-2:30pm dishes vary - Indian Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Phulkari has been consistently delivering good food whenever I have ordered from there. Highly recommend this place and is our go to order for whenever I feel like eating Indian! read more

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Phulkari Indian Cuisine opens where Aroma was. Seating same. Decor/menu changed. Review for buffet only. Was assigned a table upon entering. Water served. Everything else was self-service at buffet tables. AUCE lunch buffet (weekday): $17.99 -passed on rice, tandoori chicken, naan my favs. -most entrees were watery, blandish. Tasted as if water was added to leftovers & reheated. -kheer rice pudding watery, slight flava. -punjabi kadhi: nice onion fritters, watery sauce. -butter chicken, bland chicken, watery sauce -mushroom matter curry: mushrooms yes, curry watery. Chai had slight flava. -veggie pakora: fried & steamed. Blandish ok. -salad ok with cucumbers, red cabbage, romaine, onions, mixed greens. Dressing: raita, mint, tamarind. Dal makhini watery... 3.5 stars lunch buffet poorly executed. Regular menu has upscale vibes. Freshly made. Probably better tasting... read more

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I had a great dinner experience here the other day with a friend. The service was great, the prices were reasonable and the food was really delicious. I will be back for sure!! read more

Visited with my family and sister visiting us from southern Cal. Got the lamb curry, butter chicken, naan, white basmati rice and another rice dish. Everything was pretty tasty. Service was slower than desired but it was probably just our perception given we were starving. read more

First time here, ordered two dishes, two appetizers, Nan, and desserts. It all had the most flavor than other places I have had around here lately. Service was friendly and attentive. I would go back and try another dish. read more

A friend recommended this restaurant as he and his girlfriend love this spot. Lunch buffet offered with weekday ($18, not including drink) and weekend pricing. Not a lot of variety with 2 chicken items of tandoori chicken and chicken tikka with about 6 vegetarian items including salad. Food was okay and definitely more on the mild and bland side...I love Indian/Pakistani food and tried many places over the years. I should've taken that as an indicator considering my friends don't like spice. I did enjoy the vegetable pakoras, carrot halwa and free chai offered as many spots don't offer this yummy sweet dessert. Service was minimal and only one person handling the front room with dropping off naan, removing dishes and bringing water...not the most friendly. Possibly I'll return to try their dishes vs the buffet. Indoor and patio seating. Parking in the busy (during peak times) Castro Village Shopping Center read more

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The pani puri was not up to standard--the flavored water had a stale smell and tasted off, which made it unpleasant to eat. This is quite disappointing, especially since freshness is essential for this item. read more

Me and my daughter been here and we ordered butter chicken and lamb we have a good time enjoy the food is so delicious we love it we will come back. read more

Phulkari Indian Cuisine - Butter chicken and lamb and so good come try. - Indian Near Me - Castro Valley, California

The lunch buffet was good. The food was freshly made. The Nan and goat curry were delicious. read more

Phulkari Indian Cuisine - Lunch buffet. - Indian Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Great service The food was absolutely delicious and fresh! Everything tasted homemade and full of flavor. The service was just as impressive--friendly, attentive, and fast without ever feeling rushed. read more

Amazing service and delicious food Nice and quiet environment, friendly staff checking in and refilling water as needed. read more

Phulkari Indian Cuisine - Lamb Seekh Kebab, Butter Chicken, Assorted Bread Basket - Indian Near Me - Castro Valley, California

While it was surprisingly empty here on a Saturday lunch hour, the service was attentive and friendly, and the food was great. The vegetarian dishes really shine here, whereas the goat and chicken was a bit dry. Overall, we really enjoy coming here and the place is a much loved gem in Castro Valley. read more

Phulkari Indian Cuisine - Weekend buffet - Indian Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Butter chicken was amazing and so was the rice; food came quickly and restaurant smelled amazing

New ownership and name for this cute little restaurant in the Castro Village. The menu has a large variety, so when we heard there was a special lunch weekend buffet for diwali we had to try it. Overall, dishes came out fresh and decent variety. Mostly meat (chicken and goat) and veggies. There is no seafood dishes in the buffet. Everything was decently good with the right spice level (nothing too spicy). There is also chai and dessert. I thought out of everything, their naan was well made and better than other places being not too doughy. We also came back for dinner and tried other entrees. Entrees were on the smaller side, and for a large party I would order more than one of each dish if hungry. Overall, for both experiences, service seemed a little lacking. Staff is nice but could be more attentive on checking on the tables. Price is a bit pricey for the entree portions you get. We'll come visit again though. read more

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We've eaten here several times but I've never reviewed. We've come for dinner and ordered from the menu but my favorite is the lunch buffet. It's not easy to find a good buffet after Covid but this place has a great one. Salad mixings, several delicious lentil and chick pea dishes, an amazing butter chicken and very tasty Tandoori chicken. Cooked perfectly (not overdone) and juicy!! Naan bread cooked fresh and chai tea and rice pudding round out the meal. Small but quiet and our host was very accommodating!! read more

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Came here with my daughter. Food was fresh, hot flavorful clean buffet. The goat curry was soft flavorful and staff was friendly and kind. Bright and inviting. read more

It's sad that I have to leave this review, because the food was actually pretty good, but I feel like I need to, because I experienced some borderline (or maybe even overt, I don't even know at this point) MISOGYNY from the server who was working the restaurant today. I arrived around noon for the lunch buffet, and half of the food items were either lukewarm or cold. Some of their heaters weren't working properly. Unfortunately, instead of acknowledging that there was an issue, the guy who was working the front (he has a bald head, is tall, and is a little chubby) just kept reassuring me and the other guests at the other table that the heaters were working properly. After the other table repeatedly told him that there was an issue with the heaters, he finally gave in and asked what items they wanted to order from the lunch buffet. He would put in new orders to the kitchen so that we could fresh, hot food instead of eating the lukewarm/cold food at the lunch buffet table. I chimed in and told him that I had cold food as well, and he reluctantly put my order in (goat curry and a rice). Meanwhile, he asked this other table what they wanted from the buffet, and he wasn't rushing them or making them feel bad about it. Now here's where things get strange. When he gets the new fresh orders from the kitchen, he drops the food off and is overly apologetic to the table that complained (they are a white couple, middle aged). He is especially apologetic to the white guy specifically. As for me? he drops off my order and doesn't even look me in the eye. First, I think maybe he's just in an irritated mood, so I let it go. But then, there was a point in the afternoon where he was picking up dirty plates from my table, and he dropped a napkin on the ground. I offered to help him pick it up, but instead of acknowledging me or even thanking me for this, he decided to pick it up himself, shook his head at me, and walked back to the kitchen. As if me offering to help was an offense to him. At this point, I'm thinking "what the f*** is this guy's problem?" Then, things get really weird. The other table finishes their meal, and the white guy from the other table goes up to the the front to pay for his meal, and the server changes his tune and is all smiles and even asks him if he wants a to-go box for the aloo gobi that he ordered from the kitchen. The customer says no, and the server offers him several take-out boxes. He even apologizes to the customer, telling him that the burners were working properly but apologizes for any inconvenience. A few minutes later, I go up to pay for my meal, and he gives me a dirty look. I ask him for a to-go box for my hot food (goat curry), since he just offered one to the other customer. And he looks at me suspiciously. He reluctantly hands one over to me. Wow. It's strange that he's all smiles and overly apologetic to the other table (white couple, especially the white male) but with me (who experienced the same issues, and didn't make a big fuss about it), I get terrible service and treatment. Just to be clear: This is my first time dining at this restaurant. I am asian, female, dined solo. Kept quiet during my whole meal. I wasn't even the one who complained about the burners at the lunch buffet table initially (the white couple did). But since they were getting fresh, hot food (which is the right thing to do), I asked if I could too. The server was more than happy to accommodate them, but when I asked him for something, he acted like it was the biggest inconvenience ever. I hate it when I come across people and after the interaction, you wonder "Was it something I did?" It really messes with your head. But after this happened, I knew it wasn't me. Was it racism? I don't know. It doesn't feel like he has it out for East Asians. It feels more like it could be MISOGYNY to me. So for all the single, female people of color out there, if you experience some negative vibes or treatment from this male server specifically (tall, bald, a bit chubby), just know it isn't you. The food was good (when it was actually hot), so two stars for that. But for the guy working the front of the house? Screw you. read more

Phulkari is the new gem in town that's taken over the old Aroma spot just last month. It's located right in the Castro Village shopping center, so there's plenty of parking every time I swing by. Upon entering, you'll be greeted by the host/server. The place offers both cozy indoor seating and an outdoor patio that's perfect for those sunny days. Though, I'd say grab a sweater if you're dining out these days as it does get a bit nippy. I was lucky enough to drop by for their soft opening and couldn't resist bringing the family along the next time. And yes, we all loved it! We may have gotten a bit carried away, ordering three curries, an ambitious amount of naan, and a biriyani that we couldn't finish. The 'dum style' biriyani is something I haven't seen before - it's baked under a layer of dough which locks in all those amazing flavors. Phulkari is definitely doing something right with their new seafood additions too. The Ocean Finds has to be the best option on the menu as far as I've tried. read more

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Beautifully designed place with attentive, friendly, and helpful staff. Each dish was packed with flavor and was the perfect amount of spice for my low spice tolerance LOL. The naan was super buttery, soft, and fresh -- I just wish they had bigger portioned sizes. I left here feeling full and satisfied! read more

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Excellent food. Very flavorful too. The place was clean. Staff were very friendly too. Breads/Naans were very well made. Liked the starters. read more

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Waoo had today Fush pakora and special Indian style tacoo never had before the best great food worth try best place to eat

Amazing good friendly wait staff and service Highly recommend !! Good parking Outdoor seating read more

Not dog friendly patio. Bummer. Cause I specifically walked over there to give them another try after the last time I was there. It's hasn't been the same since it was Aroma unfortunately. read more

Came for the weekend buffet which was $19.99 and it did not disappoint. I do not have a high spice tolerance so I prefer buffet so I can try different things. The workers were friendly and came by to refill water and take the plates. For the buffet I really liked the tandoori chicken, and chicken kebab. The meat was tender and juicy. The butter chicken over basmati rice was so good and they even had a choice of garlic naan so I opted for that. I saw some other reviews with street food but it wasn't an option when I went. Outside there was a guy making dessert to order which was evaporated milk, cardamom ice cream (maybe?) and chia seeds with some sauce. I had never seen it before but it was definitely refreshing and helped calm my spice level. They don't advertise that he is outside with dessert, I had to ask what it was. Would come back for lunch buffet as it was a good deal. read more

Phulkari Indian Cuisine - Indian Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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