Place was packed for a Sunday night. Slow service but two women ran the front of the house and were very personable. Chicken soup hit perfectly on a rainy night. Going to have to recreate that at home! Also ordered the sampler plate to get a bite of everything- so good came back and had lunch the next day! read more

Cute place in the middle of the city. Service was good. I was a disappointed with the food. Although it was presented well, it lacked the authenticity of Indian food. The only dishes that tasted like Indian food were the vegetable pakoras, roti and bhindi masala. The lamb rogsnjosh was awful as was the shrimp saag. The chicken saag was somewhat good. But overall, although the setting was very Indian, the food was not. read more

This was the best Indian food I've ever had in my entire life! And I've traveled a lot, trying all levels of authenticity. This was amazing. Inside is also gorgeous, though we did takeout. Service was originally slow as it took a long time for a waiter to bring us our food, but they were very kind and gracious. read more

Everything was great. Food, service, and atmosphere. I'm a bit of an Indian cuisine neophyte, this was an excellent experience.

This is a WONDERFUL restaurant! The food is amazing and the staff are very polite and friendly. The mango lassi and keema are well worth the trip from Maine. read more

Shalimar India - Nan Keema Mutter Lunch Special Mango lassi - Indian Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

I always get takeout here. The Chicken Tiki Masala is reaaaaaally good with the tomato chunk thing mixed in.

The decor is lovely (love the hanging lights!), the service welcoming and efficient, and the food is terrific! Happy that that the spice levels were true. The spicy was delicious and actually spicy, while the medium dishes were tasty. A delightful experience. Highly recommended! read more

My wife and I make this our go to Indian food place. The food is always very good and the people are always friendly. I think we like the style though it's comfortable but the lighting and decor is nice. We always enjoy our time here. read more

Loved everything about this spot. The inside of this place is absolutely gorgeous and they have many gold accents and reflective hanging lamps. Very clean. They cater to vegetarians very well and there are lots of veggie options on the menu. Lots of different types of naan. The food is all well seasoned and delicious. Staff is prompt and leaves you alone much of the time. Most of the Lassis and drinks have edible flowers and other cute attentions to detail. Furthermore, it's next to a parking garage and street parking so it's very accessible. Pretty reasonably priced. read more

We ordered on the phone and picked up in person. Food was delicious, very gluten free and the menu was labeled which was extremely helpful as I am strictly gluten free. read more

We have been to Shalimar twice and love the food and experience. This time I ordered the butter chicken ( medium spice). It could have been a little more spicy. My wife got the shrimp with vegetables. We shared garlic naan bread as well as Samosas. Both were delicious. Service was ok. We saw other tables having their waiter/waitress attend to them. We waited awhile to see our server and he didn't show up again much after the order. I feel he might have also been the bartender. Not sure. Either way while he wasn't good we enjoyed. read more

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Food was divine. Service was exceptional. Waitress was very personable and we really felt she cared about what we wanted. Decor is beautiful. High marks for cleanliness. Can't wait to go again. read more

We were only in Portsmouth for 1 night and we walked the downtown area at night trying to find a place to eat. With so many options and so many positive reviews everywhere, we had a lot of trouble deciding. Then we smelled something heavenly and followed our noses. We fluttered through the doors where we were greeted with maximum friendliness, detailed and whimsical decor, and happy happy chatter. The service was friendly, the food...UHHH-MAZING. Game. Set. Match. We're suckers for Shalimar India and will be sure to come by again. read more

We ordered takeout from this restaurant not knowing what to expect. To our surprise, the food was delicious! We ordered samosas, lamb vindaloo, chicken tikka masala, and garlic Naan. Everything was nicely spiced and had a medium level of heat. We will definitely be ordering again in the future! read more

I love the food here! I've been a loyal customer for over a decade now and seen this business grow so much. The service is always attentive! The restaurant provides a calm and intimate ambiance without trying too hard. There are many different options for those who are not so accustomed to spicy food but still looking for a new experience. I like trying a new item every time I go. I highly recommend this restaurant for any foodie exploring downtown Portsmouth. read more

Shalimar India - Lamb Korma - Indian Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

My favorite Indian in Portsmouth. Service is prompt and professional. The space is large but welcoming. Both lunch and dinner are good. Lunch specials run around $15, come with soup, and are enough for dinner later. I most recently had the lamb vindaloo, spicy - which wasn't overly spicy:+)- but the sauce texture and lamb were good, and the rice perfect. Riata was a tad on the heavy side but freshly prepared and tasty. I ordered plain nan . It came with oil/butter already on it. I prefer dry nan, but thats a personal thing. The chicken dishes hv been very good for dinner also. The beer and wine section is fairly extensive, if not perfectly curated, and there is a bar as well - you'll find something to your liking. Overall, my choice in town. read more

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Are you Indian? food all over the world.And this is some amazing indian..i live innew york city, where great places are a dime a dozen.Doesn't this place stands out read more

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Was looking for some indian food in Portsmouth and Durban was closed so went here. Either I ordered poorly or the food is bland or both. The ambiance is nice. They have tons of indoor tables and the service was polite and attentive. We ordered the chicken soup, the non vegetarian appetizer and the vegetarian appetizer. The chicken soup was really good. The broth was flavorful and spicy. There were big chunks of chicken and veggies in it. Unfortunately the other two appetizers were not very tasty. Nearly everything was fried and very bland. The only exception was the lamb- that was tasty though not quite hot enough. read more

Shalimar India - non vegetarian appetizer - Indian Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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The nicest Indian restaurant I've ever been to. You can really tell they put a lot of effort into making it beautiful. The servers are always kind and attentive. Finally, the food is top notch and their lunch special is an amazing deal for what you get! Their salad oftens comes with the lunch special ......and it is so tasty with tons of interesting ingredients and fresh lemon to boot! read more

When we arrived, there was no wait time, the tables filled up, but not completely, by the time we were leaving. The restaurant is dimly lit with fancy stained-glass lamps. We had several different servers during our dining experience. They had a very large menu with many options. I started with a mocktail that involved guava and jalapeno, I was not impressed, it lacked any flavor whatsoever and just tasted like a flat sprite, I did not finish the drink, I should've gone with the mango lassi that I was debating about. The food portions were very big, enough to have a second meal for leftovers. I had the chicken rice biryani with medium spice level that I also was not impressed with. The dish lacked taste and there was no spice at all, the chicken was very dry and difficult to eat. I have had better Indian food elsewhere. Towards the end of our dining, we felt very rushed by another server who was quick to offer us to go boxes and get us on our way, we weren't even there for an hour yet. Prices were on the higher side, a cocktail about $15 but as expected for the Portsmouth area. Paid street parking if you're lucky, otherwise there's a parking garage right next store. read more

Shalimar India - Chicken Tikka - Indian Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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Always a great experience eating at Shalimar. The restaurant is beautiful inside: beautifully furnished and decorated to be light, bright and modern. The servers are excellent and the food - always fabulous! Whether dining in their beautiful space or taking out to eat at home, it's always the right choice to visit! read more

We love Shalimar and have been going for years. This is our first published review but is consistent with our former visits. We ordered off the lunch menu because we like to eat early. We ordered the Palak Paneer and the Shrimp Curry. Both of these come with options of Mulligatawny soup and salad, (among others) and both of those are so independently delicious, they really ramp up the appetite. Also we ordered the garlic naan and the cheese garlic naan,...great additions to take advantage of the tasty sauces. (Somehow I missed getting pic of these). Service was attentive and timely. We always enjoy the music and general atmosphere of this restaurant. We'll go back many times. read more

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Delicious chai, great naan, and so many unique dishes with great flavors and they have some unique dishes that I haven't seen another Indian restaurants that were absolutely stellar. Also, the restaurant is pretty and relaxing and the service was great ! read more

Shalimar India - Booths - Indian Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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Went for Valentines Day dinner, walked in 10 min after opening. We're given waters and saw many others after us get food before we had even ordered drinks. We decided on our food so we put it all in together because we weren't sure how long it would take our waitress to even come back. The lamb samosas were good. Lots of meat in them. Ordered the mixed grill, butter chicken and tikka masala chicken. The mixed grill came out cold and no flavor to the meats and dry, oh so dry. The butter chicken and tikka were both a major let down too. They both lacked traditional Indian spices and flavor. And all the chicken in them were DRY! We've been to many Indian restaurants and were blown away with the flavors. This was a major disappointment. Felt like a very Americanized flavor profile. We didn't even take all the leftovers because we knew that we wouldn't take them. We went on recommendations from many and the whole experience was just the worst. read more

I've held out trying this place for years because of fear of disappointment. And that was what was delivered. Zero stars for food, but 5 stars for professional customer service and business practice. Spicy lamb saag had no flavor except spicy, couldnt taste any spinach. It was simply spicy green mush with bits of lamb. The chicken mugahlai was not what I expected- it was sweet with little flavor besides sweet and white breast meat. The veggie curry was probably the best tasting, however the veggies were not properly cooked. The beef curry was unremarkable. The naan was also doughy and not baked completely. Overall, the flavor profiles are not exciting, and I found everything bland and not up to Indian food standards (I've had Indian food in Houston, Hong Kong... large Indian communities). This misses the mark. While the food itself was not up to par flavor wise, I do commend when I reached out to notify the business of the many issues with the food it was addressed and corrected swiftly, promptly with zero pushback. The manger I spoke with mentioned the oven that baked the naan could have not been up to temperature, resulting in my misfortune. She also indicated she would relay to the chef regarding the fineness of the veggies in my korma. I wouldn't return for the food, but I appreciate how well they accepted critical feedback and their response to my dining experience was excellent. read more

Shalimar India - Indian Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Very good food. Very consistent. First place I have ever been to that can accommodate my oil. And can make things dairy free too.

A Love Letter to Chicken Tikka Masala (and Naan, Glorious Naan) Nestled in the streets of Portsmouth, NH, Shalimar India isn't just a restaurant--it's a portal to culinary nirvana, where spices dance, sauces seduce, and naan reigns supreme. I came in hungry, I left enlightened. My order? The medium chicken tikka masala with garlic and cheese naan. My expectations? Modest. The reality? A full-blown spiritual experience. Let's start with the chicken tikka masala. This wasn't just food--it was a buttery, tomatoey, perfectly-spiced embrace. The chicken? So tender it practically filled out an application for cloud membership. The sauce? So rich and velvety I briefly considered drinking it straight from the bowl (I didn't, but only because I'm trying to uphold some level of dignity in public). And then... the naan. Oh, the naan. Fluffy yet crisp, indulgent yet essential. The garlic and cheese combo was a revelation. Each bite was a warm, cheesy, garlicky hug for my soul. Frankly, if I could be wrapped in this naan like a burrito, I'd never complain about life again. The service? Friendly and efficient. The ambiance? Cozy, with just enough warmth to make you feel like you're at a friend's house, if that friend were a master of Indian cuisine. Final verdict: If you haven't been to Shalimar India, fix that immediately. And if you have been, well, why aren't you there right now? read more

The atmosphere is very clean, quiet, and decorative especially with the interior design of the place! Service was also kind, quick, and efficient. The food? Absolutely delicious! The lunch special is a great price and you have a lot of food for the price! The lentil soup was nice and warm. The flavors were not overly strong but had enough for you to taste distinct ingredients added within the soup. It's perfect for a cold day in the fall. 8/10 The basmati rice is better paired with dishes that contain more sauce unlike the chicken tandoori that I had, so if you're getting rice try getting a curry or another dish with sauce. 8/10 The chicken tandoori was absolutely delicious and the flavor was bursting! The sauces with the tandoori paired very nicely with the chicken. I highly recommend this dish! 9/10 The garlic nan is warmed to perfection and the nan has a delicious garlic flavor that is fresh and strong, it pairs very beautifully with dishes that contain sauce, but honestly the garlic nan tastes amazing on its own! 10/10 Overall, this Indian restaurant is amazing and I would highly recommend to eat there whenever you stop by in Portsmouth for lunch or dinner! Will come back here again! read more

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It's really sad, I want it so much to be good! It seems like their food prep has no love; it's so mediocre, when it could easily be so much better. Things are not cooked properly, and there is hardly any salt. It's just very very boring, and I don't get it. It makes me sad to think the cooks in the kitchen are just burnt out, and don't care. read more

Surprisingly good! The restaurant may not look like much from the outside, but don't let that fool you. This is our second time enjoying takeout from Shalimar, and we found the food to be very good, excellent value and packaging of our takeout order to be great. On this visit we started with a combination appetizer plate, which included pakora, samosa, tikki and an interesting cheese/paneer pakora. All good. We had not tried Tandoori here before and glad we did. We ordered the combination which was very good. There was one piece of shrimp however which was a bit too dried out for my liking, perhaps shrimp is not the best choice for the heat of the tandoori oven. That said, all of the meats were tender, moist and delicious. Naan was very good. Chicken Tikka Massala, one of our favorites, was fragrant, delicious with melt in your mouth chicken. We found the portions to be generous, and our order was ready when promised. We will be back for sure, and would like to try dining in the nice outdoor space when the weather allows, or perhaps inside. Glad to see a nice Indian option for downtown Portsmouth, give them a shot! read more

Shalimar India - Combination tandoori plate - Indian Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

The food, the service, the atmosphere and everything was perfect! Even the pricing was reasonable. We were visiting from Atlanta, and if we lived there would eat there all the time! Great job Shalimar Ind read more

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.Service was exceptional, food very good, just a great experience in all. Very reasonable prices too! It's a definite if in Portsmouth! 1

The best food in the whole world. My boyfriend and I go here every date night! We will never go to another Indian restaurant now !

This place was amazing! I wanted to stop here due to all the great reviews! We were not disappointed!! The only reason for four stars instead of five is because the decor needs a little updating and the flooring really should be replaced. Other than that this place is perfect! Wanting to try a little of everything my husband and I decided on the royal dinner for two. This included Mulligatawany Soup, Keema Samosa, Tandoori Mix Grill, choice of two entrées, Nan, Rice, Kheer, and Masala Tea. All for a little under 60 dollars. We couldn't believe how much food we got and everything was delicious! We both had our entree medium heat and it was just the right amount of heat without being overly spicy. This is a great place for a special night out! Delicious food, friendly staff, and a great time! I reccomend you try the royal feast! You won't be disappointed! read more

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Our first visit to Shalimar was a good one and we recommend it to anyone who appreciates Indian cuisine. Our favorite was the Mulligatawny soup, rich, flavorful, a bit tangy with fresh spices and just plain delicious, as good as we can remember in this country. The papadum ( a large serving, too) with mango chutney was also fine to our taste. Our main dishes included a Chicken Vindaloo ($16) and a Chicken Tikka Masala ($18) which were fresh and good if not exceptional, and they arrived with plenty of white rice. Our server Ronnie was friendly and efficient and recommended the Indian Rupee beer, which was definitely a winner. We note the restaurant seems to do a terrific take-out business; there were lines of locals waiting to pick up orders through most of our dining time. That seems like a good sign. One caution: parking can be difficult on busy weekends. If you can't find a spot on the street, try the garage around the corner. read more

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Only reason I give 2 stars overall is for the service, but a zero for food. I have been to Indian restaurants all over the US and also visited the great Country of India, this place by far is the worst Indian food I have ever tried, not sure we can even call it Indian food, only decent part of the meal was the garlic Naan, the rice was tasteless and dry, the bbb grill was overcooked, and over seasonee as if to mask that it was left overs from the previous night, all meat was anything but freshly cooked in a Tandoori as claimed in the menu..save your money and stomach ache, dont eat here. read more

It's everything I want in an Indian restaurant, great food, stellar service and a beautifully appointed dining room. It's a huge hug of warm spices served with a smile and onion kulcha! read more

My favorite restaurant in Portsmouth. Food is always delicious and seasoned to perfection, waiters are always friendly and attentive, and the restaurant is beautiful. The decor is very upscale, so it's a great place to go for a celebration or bring your family to. Never disappoints! read more

Phenomenal food and service I have been going since the last century Keema Samosa, Shrimp Korma are my faves read more

Service and the food is beautifully prepared and is delicious. Highly recommend! The chicken coconut taste was perfectly balanced with flavors perfectly enhancing the Indian spicing with no overwhelming dominance of any spice. read more