Shalimar is an easy 4/5 for me, and it only loses a point because it's a bit spicier than I'd prefer. I love the lamb brain masala, and am so glad it seems to be sticking on the menu for the Fremont branch! You can't beat the flavors and freshness. Goat biryani is also pretty good, with a generous portion of tender bone-in pieces. I ordered the chicken tikka masala for my fiancé thinking it'd be closer to mild - NOPE. Super tasty and worth it, but we were both sweating and sniffling by the end of our meal. read more

If you're looking for Indian food in Fremont, I'd say this is one of the best spots in Fremont or the surrounding area. The food tastes authentic, fresh, and full of flavor. But let me warn you -- it is VERY, VERY spicy! You better have a big bottle of water ready while you're eating here . If you love spicy food, you're definitely going to love this place. Great flavors, authentic Indian food, and absolutely worth trying! read more

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Really loved this recommendation from a local friend. Easy ordering online and was delighted to see the place packed with families when I arrived to pick up my food. The chicken leg, kebabs, chicken kofta, naan, rice, and mango lassi I ordered were all great! Not a single disappointing item. Will have to come back and try the famous nihari and their vegetable curries. read more

Shalimar Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Fremont, California

Food is really good, full of spices, and very flavorful. Feels like you are eating at home because you have to get your own utensils, condiments, and plates. My favorite dish was the tandoori chicken. It was flavorful, tender, and a bit spicy. I also enjoyed the curry we got. Overall very solid food! It had a lot of seating available and seemed to be pretty popular with people coming in to get takeout. Ambience was very homey. read more

Shalimar Restaurant - Food - Indian Near Me - Fremont, California

I've been going there for decades ever since my Pakistani friends brought me there. They have the best grilled chicken legs I've ever had. They look like Indian tandoori chicken but taste is vastly superior. They also have other Northern Indian/Pakistan things such as lamb (or mutton) curry, lamb brain, naan, etc but the one thing I keep coming back for are the chicken legs. They also serve chicken breast/wing but if you are a foodie you know the legs would taste better. The grill is just perfect as outside is slightly charred but inside is super tender. Although my Pakistani friends love their naan I found that to be lacking because the naan is thicker than I'd like. This place used to be the original and then they opened multiple stores including ones in Sunnyvale and a couple in the city but now only the Fremont and one of the SF locations are still operating. There is no service as you basically grab what you need yourself. You also don't have to pay for tips unless you want to. Overall this is the highest quality Pakistani grilled chicken you can get even if you go to Pakistan (according to my friends). There is usually no wait and I do recommend coming here to eat instead of go to because chicken pieces are grilled after you order and taste the best while hot. Count yourself lucky that the restaurant is still open. read more

Shalimar Restaurant - 5. Murgh Tikka Lahori - Indian Near Me - Fremont, California

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This was my 1st time here. The service here is similar to other Indian restaurants because you ordered & paid the food 1st before you seat. They offer free chai tea. I think the tea was a bit more diluted. I didn't taste the chai/tea flavor much. It was too milky for me. However, they do have delicious curry. It was flavorful. The seasoned just right. This curry (Murghi Korma Shahi) had a flavor very close to Vietnamese curry. I will come back to try different dishes. read more

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Been a while since I've been here. FREMONT has plenty of Indian Pakistani restaurants.. this is a mainstay. Kept it simple today. Some Daal, and then tandoori chicken and garlic Naan. When you come into restaurant it has the aroma of the tandoori oven read more

Shalimar Restaurant - Inside - Indian Near Me - Fremont, California

I am embarrassed to admit that after working in DTFremont (near gov't center) for over 5 years, I have only recently been aware of this amazing restaurant, AND that I could walk to Shalimar from the office in less than 10 mins! So embarrassing! Lot's of lost time to make up here and, to that end, I have been coming for lunch. I have more than a few favorite items but still so many choices and at very good prices. I love the grilled chicken legs - they look like Indian tandoori chicken but tastes better. They also have other Northern Indian/Pakistan favs like lamb (or mutton) curry, lamb brain and so on, but the one thing I keep coming back for are the chicken legs. The naan here is much thicker and fuller than other places so order saucy items soak up the gravy with the thicker naan. This is a self-serve establishment, so diners need to get what they need - plates, utensils, napkins etc. Be sure to get their bottomless chai and the fresh sliced onion, chili peppers and flavor them with the fresh lemon juice and red pepper. You also don't have to pay for tips unless you want to. Lunch time can get busy but the food does not take long from order to table. According to Google, Shalimar has a location in Dublin and in the Loins on Jones in SF. read more

Shalimar is so nostalgic. My family used to frequent the location in Sunnyvale when we were kids, and it's been a while since we've been back to try. We had a pretty big spread, but my favorite was their nihari. The meat was so tender, flavorful, and fell right off the bone. It's definitely a hearty dish, highly recommend for a cold winter day. It's self-service, so you'll be grabbing your own dishes and sides, after you order at the counter and get a table. It's a very lively restaurant and it was pretty packed when we went on a Sunday afternoon. read more

I went to buy just two naans today. There was no line but the cashier seemed a little unhappy that my order was so small. Then when I asked for a cup for the tea, he told me it costs $2!! I had already paid and I just wanted a little bit so I didn't pay the $2. I am a pretty regular customer, probably eating here 5-6 times a year and I have never been charged for the tea. Even searching here, I see that recent reviews also mention the free tea. Maybe it's a new policy, maybe it's not, but it made me feel discriminated against. The naan was good, as it usually is. read more

Really good Indian/Pakistani food. 3 locations in the bay. I love these hole in the wall looking type of places with authentic and non elevated prices. It's a busy place with the majority of their customers being of that origin so you know it's legit. It's an order at the counter and self service, open seating place. They will bring your food out to your table though. I would suggest grabbing a table even before ordering, but the table turnover is fast. Free Chai tea Nihari $14, Chicken Tikka Masala $14, Murgh Tikka Lahori $5, Bengen Bhujia $10, Naan $2, Garlic Naan $3. All the food was good. Flavorful but not too salty. Great prices and portions were reasonable. The naan is unlike any other naan we've had. It's more thick but not super bready, very unique. I prefer thin and crispy but I liked this kind as well. It just comes down to personal preference read more

Shalimar Restaurant - Nihari, chicken tikka masala, murgh tikka lahori, bengen bhujia, naan, garlic naan - Indian Near Me - Fremont, California

This place is so filthy. The walls are so dirty. Everything is so dusty. The service is so trash. I was having dinner with my family and we ordered the shish kebab Nahari, and Kirari, The food is just really really bad especially those three items that we ordered. Like I said again the place is so filthy that you just don't wanna eat there. It's so dusty they don't even put effort in it. Their service is bad. and the people upfront the desk have a big attitude. read more

Gave it another try and I am glad I did. First thing I noticed was the patrons - desi folks! Ordered my usual biryani again and yay!!! It's back to being phenomenal again Will certainly return when I'm back on the west coast again. read more

Best bbq chicken and naan, hands down. This place is more of a casual style fam restaurant. you won't beat the price and all their special marinades/recipes create meals you can't find anywhere else. Love their mango lassi too! read more

Food was great and authentic! The bread is the most popular thing on the menu. I tried onion and aloo and garlic bread and all were so fresh and layered! Chicken karahi was delicious! Paneer tikka was good too! Ambience is not the reason you should go here as its a mess and not very clean. read more

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The food is delicious, and the prices are very reasonable. Highly recommended! Everything for $13 only read more

Shalimar Restaurant - The food is delicious, and the prices are very reasonable. Highly recommended! Everything for $13 - Indian Near Me - Fremont, California

The chicken legs were burned on both sides. They didn't give us any chutney. I will still order food from them, but I will open the bag before I take it home. read more

Shalimar Restaurant - The chicken legs were burned on both sides. - Indian Near Me - Fremont, California

Take my advice, do not eat the chicken briyani - it's dry with no flavor. The garlic naan was ok, but I wouldn't order either items again. Customer service is below par and the place was filthy dirty. #DisappointingLunch read more

Absolutely great place yo eat even if uou are a vegetarian. 1. I know Shalimar for a long time and the Ftemont location is one of the best 2. Humble people and simple fanily like atmosphere to eat and socialize 3. If you ate looking for candlelight dinner like ambience, then you surely are at a wrong place 4. I ordered Palak Paneer, Paneer Masala and Alu Naan. Just awesome food 5. They give free chai, onions, jalapenos and both sweet and spicy chutney 6. They also have a great orange masala (spice) to put on top of onions 7. Never tried their mango lassi but will try someday. read more

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Great tasting food and good vegetarian options too My personal favorite are the parathas Very fresh read more

I have been eating at Shakira's for decades, starting with the first location in SF many many years ago. I have kept coming back and when I moved to the East Bay I started trying the Fremont location and was pleasantly surprised to see they had the same quality of service and food. It is an order, pay and be seated to wait for your food type place. All the locations remind one of a grungy diner in India, with seating an open affair where you may have to find the best seating available and it has the ambiance of a real restaurant in India. The food has usually been quite something, so I am not sure what changed but the food tastes have changed in the last few months with the quality of Indian/Pakistani food not quite as savory as they once were. Our last time was really a bit of a let down. The food was very bland compared to other times we have gone there. I still give it 4 stars, but had a much less enjoyable taste experience this last time. Yo cannot specify any taste preferences like other places, such as spicy level or other details. The chicken tikka was just oily and bland. They do have good food, so not sure what has changed. Anyway, I still recommend it, especially for their naan and tandoori oven preparations. read more

I use to go here all the time when we lived and worked closer! Finally came back with some co workers and it was as good as I remembered. Chicken tikka masala and garlic naan is a must! Had chicken kofta today and it's really good! Parking plaza gets really busy during lunch time. Easy to order at the counter and they give you a number- you can sit anywhere you choose. It was crowded but there were plenty of seats. I took away a star bc my food wasn't hot or warm. It was room temperature both chicken tikka masala and my naan which was disappointing. There were flies everywhere!!!! My silverware wasn't clean- hard stuck on food. Their chai tea is the best here! Oh staff is nice here! read more

Although it's not a fancy place at all, it's still worth driving from Stockton to Fremont for the food. When you enter the restaurant, you get in line to order and pay for your food and you get a number for your table. The food is very tasty. Some of my favorites are the beef kebab, tandoori chicken, goat karahi, saag gohst and fresh made naan. read more

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Used to come here back in the day but switched to pakwan and had rarely returned since. Decided to give it another shot since they still give complimentary tea, which pakwan now charges for In general I think it's fairly comparable to Pakwan. Portions are smaller than pakwan, although the price may be a bit lower Preferred lamb saag here... it was really flavorful. They were stingy with the lamb though. Chicken biriyani was on the bland side. Next time I will get a rice and a curry instead. read more

Shalimar Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Fremont, California

This used to be my favorite restaurant once upon a time. We visited again today after a few years and found that the hospitable owners had changed. We will never visit again unless the ownership changes again. read more

This was my first time in the restaurant, and the overall experience was terrible. Some of the seats were ripped on their cushioning, which made it uncomfortable to sit on. The overall service was terrible because one of the servers forgot to give us the food that we ordered, so we had to go and ask for the food that we ordered personally. Lastly, the food was very tasteless as most of the food I ordered did not taste good. Overall, I highly do not recommend eating in this restaurant. read more

IYKYK Maghaz/ Bheja is sooo delicious that we strictly only come here for that and it's about a 40 min drive so you know it's worth it! read more

Shalimar Restaurant - Maghaz/ Bheja - Indian Near Me - Fremont, California

Best Pakistani / North Indian non-veg in the Bay Area. Authentic (including rude service!)

The first time I ever had Indian food it was from Shalimar and to be honest so glad it was. This spot has been a restaurant that my family and I have been going for years. It can be a bit chaotic when it's lunch and dinner time but it only makes sense, it is a restaurant serving people. All and all, never once we've never been given an attitude. All their food has been so delicious every time, never once did it ever taste different. Get their green sauce, so delicious! Be ready to make a line to order your food. They usually have paper menus at the front that you can take with you while you wait in line to decide on what you want. They have free chai tea that is delicious! read more

It was our first time visiting Shalimar in Fremont. We visited during Ramadan around 7pm which is the Iftar time (fast break). Due to the timing, they very generously served all their customers free fried items (potato/ onion) and fruit bowl. We ordered Chicken karahi, chicken leg and two naans. The quantity was in the smaller end. The food was just okay. It lacked spice and flavor. Each entree could only serve one person so we had to order another mutton curry. That tasted alright. This is a self serve restaurant. The place was bustling with folks so seems like this is a popular joint. I would rate Pakwaan (similar Pakistani restaurant nearby in Fremont) slightly higher in terms of food. Generosity and free Indian wise tea this place stands out. read more

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This is the most authentic Indian restaurant Ive been to They make it the right way Ofc its spicy but their cuisine in general is The tandoor/tonir that they have is amazing The naan-bread is the best I discovered this spot years back ... and its good read more

This place is always booming. We tried some non bbq items this time around. The biryani was my favorite from our order. The karahi chicken was missing the oomp we were looking for. Maybe we are used to another style but it needs work. The nihari was more of the same. It wasn't bad but also wasn't something I would order again. The naan's are ginormous. We ordered 4 and were barely able to finish 2. They come out pipping hot. I think I'll stick to the BBQ from this place as that's awesome. We tried something different and it wasn't for us. read more

Tasty tandoori kebabs hands down the best in Fremont. The staff is super friendly and makes you feel welcome every time!! read more

Shalimar Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Fremont, California

My coworkers and I ordered lunch from here on a Friday. We ordered over the phone for pick-up and that process was pretty seamless. My coworker was able to pick up our order easily. I ordered myself the garlic naan and the paneer masala. The garlic naan was very large, but it was pretty dry and did not have any garlic flavor to me. The paneer masala was good, but I thought it was pretty oily. With the naan bread, it wasn't too bad. Ultimately, my meal was just okay. I am sure I'll eat here again as it is very close to work. read more

Shalimar Restaurant - Paneer masala - Indian Near Me - Fremont, California

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Very good, authentic taste of Pakistani cuisine. Good portion to price ratio. Ordered online, was prepared right on time, or Order at the counter and get a number. There are a few pictures on the wall, plenty of tables. read more

Shalimar Restaurant - Take out from Shalimar. - Indian Near Me - Fremont, California

I've been coming to Shalimar for years and years. I love this spot - it was my first foray into Indian food when I was young. Anyway, the food is solid. I order Doordash/Uber Eats from here often. My favorite is just the butter chicken or mutton. read more

Delicious food but I highly recommend the owner improve the hygiene. I would love to frequent this restaurant more frequently.

The best naan I've ever had. I usually get the chicken tikka which is cooked to perfection. This is a great place to get Pakistani food in the Bay Area. read more

Excellent food. The most authentic Indian-Pakistani in the Bay Area. Yes, it's casual, but it's organized and the chicken seekh kebab is superb. read more

Overall good experience. Food was good and service was OK. You need to seat your self then go up and order your food and wait for them to deliver your food. Not the cleanest restaurant but food has a lot of great flavor so I would go back. read more