In my COVID-quarantined household, we call Thursday Tamber's Night. We look forward to a sumptuous Indian spread of take-out each week, with enough leftovers for Friday lunch. After weeks of experimentation, we've devised our favorite order: tandori chicken, palak paneer (fresh spinach with cheese), vegetable korma, and bengha bartha (eggplant) -- with an order of piping hot samosas (crispy crust stuffed with seasoned potatoes and peas) served with spicy green sauce. This is our neighborhood favorite, and not like anything we cook at home. We've tried to diverge to other places, but we always return to the good food and fresh tastes here. (When we want to go all vegetarian, we drop the chicken and enjoy the chana masala.) read more

Tamber's is a good example of a spot where someone should know what they're ordering/what the place is known for beforehand to be happy. The Indian dishes are good, big and inexpensive, and carry-outs are giant, but Indian friends of mine in that Hopkins' neighborhood are pretty critical of Tamber's. Many I've known were raised on home cooking that could rightly so never compare to a restaurant which puts out dishes with the speed it does. It's busy and loud, expect some diner commotion. Either the Pasanda or Saag sauce entrees are usually my go-to, and you should have leftovers. read more

I came today for take out food. I ordered lamb korma, which comes with a box of rice and a container of curry and lamb. I barely walked one block when I felt hot liquid on my legs, and I looked down and I noticed that the bottom of the paper bag was wet with hot curry and already tearing apart. I carried it very carefully. It's a hot day so I didn't hold on to the bottom of the bag, but I was definitely holding it carefully, trying to not give it any swing, so I can only assume that they packed it without care. I started walking back to tambers, and I noticed fresh spilled curry on the street for at least 15 yards. When I got back to the take out, it was packed with people and I didn't want to cut in line. So I walked to the front door of tambers, figuring this would be faster. As I walked through the front door, the bag finally had it, the curry container started to fall out, and I had to drop the entire bag with it to let it down gently, instead of fighting it and possibly risk the hot container flying out. I looked up to the waitress to explain the situation, and she had a very unfriendly and disgusted look on her face. I can't remember what she said, but she brought out this guy with brown skin and short hair in a white apron. I assumed that he was the manager and tried to explain to him the situation, and ask for a refund or a replacement meal. The guy yelled at me and accused me of ridiculous things like ruding the customers (I stayed at the door, didn't go 2 steps beyond it, and only talked to the waitress and him), throwing food all over the place (the bag broke through and the curry container fell out, not my fault, and believe me if I didn't let it down gently the mess would have been much worse), returning food that I already ate (what the heck?), carrying the bag without care (I didn't), coming through the wrong door (well, there were ~5 customers in front of me and I didn't want to cut in front of them, plus the bag was breaking apart so I wanted faster attention), and not understanding his English (no sir, it's your logic). I tried to argue back and explain my story but he wouldn't listen. So I said you either reimburse me or give me a new meal well packed, or I sue you for your disrespectful attitude. I haven't even asked for compensation for getting my leg burned with hot curry. And he pointed his finger at me with his eyes wide open and his nostrils flaring, "SIT DOWN", and he walked away with the broken bag. Then I heard angry yelling coming from the kitchen in a language that I don't understand. It was his voice. I couldn't understand it but it was very unpleasant to listen to. I'd be surprised if he wasn't cursing me. 5 minutes later I got a replacement order, and here I am now, home, with ice on my legs, typing this. They're probably okay with their food, and this probably doesn't happen very often, but here's my point, if you ever get into any problem with them, they'll start blaming you for your unpleasant experiences, and yell at you about your faults. Very disrespectful and unhelpful. Personally I'm never going back. I'm not giving a single penny to this place anymore. I did not pay $15 to get insulted and disrespected like this. Btw did I mention that $15 is already overpriced for the food? Factor in the attitude, it's insulting that I paid any money at all. And btw I wasn't expecting to come post a 1-point review. I'm a nice person. When I walked back, I thought I'd just explain what happened, ask for a replacement, get an apology and move on. I would not be writing this if they just did the honorable thing, which is apologize and offer a replacement. But they started yelling at me and waving their fingers at me and twisting the story, like it was my fault that my bag broke and the curry spilled. I wonder if they thought they could blame it on me and make me compensate them. read more

We had never been here and heard that it was pretty good so 6 of us went today for the first time. I ordered Shrimp Korma(I'd enjoyed the dish at other restaurants.)The food was halfway decent until I found a bandaid in my korma! I talked to the waiter about this and they offered me a full refund which I obviously took. Later, my friends and I were conversing in what I thought were inside voices. Instead of quietly letting us know that we were too loud, the woman from the front rudely yelled at us stating that we were "disturbing other customers" and that we were "making them move." There were 8 other customers in the restaurant. I was completely disappointed with my experience here. And the 20% tip that they included on our bill was not at all deserved. I never intend on dining here again. read more

INSULTED, that is how my friends and I felt after the waiter assigned his own tip to the check. I consider this very inappropriate. Etiquette aside, this is an ok place. The food has an acceptable Indian taste and was served on time. read more

My food tasted fine and the place is cute but it gave me food poisoning:( be wary of the veggie burger and the Caesar salad I guess

Tambers is an American diner with Indian food, which is a great combination if you, or someone you're with is in the mood for Indian and someone else doesn't particularly like it. I usually eat their Chicken Curry which is tasty, but pretty oily. Tambers isn't a great place for high-class indian food, but its still good. I've also had the Chicken Korma, Chicken Tikka, Eggplant dish, Spinach and Cheese dish -- most of their Indian dishes are pretty good. The naan isn't anything special either, but I do really like their potato naan. As for the American menu, the food is not that great, but also ok (hence 3 stars -- I feel like everything here is pretty good, but not great). The fries that come with meals are really good, but things like the salad aren't that special (think overpriced iceberg) or their chicken parm. Little known that their milkshakes and mango lassi are really good! Also, if you are in the mood for take-out, there's a window for that in the back of the restaurant and the prices are cheaper and you get free naan if you order Indian food. Tambers is a staple for the Johns Hopkins students who live close by :) read more

Never mind the diner food. It's passable enough and good if you're really craving Indian food but have unadventurous diners in tow. The Indian food is great. I have it on good authority that it's as close as American establishments come to what you'll get on the streets of Dheli. Plus it's the only Indian option in the city that won't cost you an arm and a leg. The staff is great and there's one really attractive waiter who looks like the Nepali Johnny Depp. Stay away from the Mango Lassi. Otherwise, I've never had anything on the menu that I wouldn't order again. read more

Damn good. There's something for everyone at Tamber's. I love the Indian menu, especially the Malai Kofta and the staple Chicken Tikka Masala. The veggie pakora and samosas make for great starters, and are accompanied by very good chutnies. All the Indian dishes are heavy on protein, and the sauces, while spiced to crowd-pleasing levels, are rich, properly-prepared, and can be spiced up to suit more discerning palates. On rare occasions I order their typical diner dishes, and have never been disappointed. The fried shrimp platter is a reliable favorite- a good potion large, fresh-fried butterfly shrimp served with two sides. Tamber's is a kitchen for Baltimoreans, with all walks of life enjoying great food. Definitely worth a visit. read more

We needed a dinner place within walking distance of the JHU dorms to have a meal with our daughter on our last nite in town; I'd overheard someone mention Tamber's so we checked the online reviews and gave it a try. Walking in the front door, we were greeted by the sounds of happy customers at every table and the rich aromas of curries. You know, when you think: "whatever it is I'm smelling, I need to eat THAT!" We enjoyed Chicken Jalfrezzi, Aloo Gabi Masala (cauliflower, potatoes, carrots), Chicken Biryani, Shrimp Tikka Masala, plain & garlic naan. We didn't realize the dishes would be so plentiful, but we didn't mind the temptation to over-indulge because we got to sample so much between the three of us. Our server was very attentive and intuitive -- on the spot but not disruptive. This was a great place for a casual, memorable dinner. You don't need to be a full-out Indian food enthusiast to be delighted by Tamber's. Take that first step in the door, and they'll do the rest ... my husband and I are 2,000 miles away and already anticipating our next visit! read more

Looks decent, tastes bad. Also overpriced. One of the only choices near Hopkins so a lot of students go there.

Tambers, Tambers, Tambers-- what happened to you? Back when you were Tamber's Nifty Fifities you had EXCELLENT Indian food. Spicy, flavorful, and it was a worthy trip just to have milkshakes and apple pie for desert if we wished! What other Indian place offers you that??? Never tried the American side beyond that...uniqueness of ordering Indian in American Fifties diner was always too much to pass up. Moved out of the 'hood-- years went by-- got a job in the City a few blocks south, said "Hey! Tambers's is still there!" So, apx. 2 months ago, we went here for lunch. Atmosphere is still 50s-faux dinner; clean, cheerful, friendly and quick service. But the Indian food.... Ordered chicken tikka masala-- yes, totally a dish made for the English- but can still be quite spicy and tasty when done well; this one tasted of Campbell's tomato soup! Way too sweet, no spice- and I swear it was just canned tomato soup mixed with cream!! Yecchhh!! Naan was fine. Rice was fine. My wife had chana masala-- not bad, but could have used more spice,too. I have fond memories of good meals here. And, honestly, for cream of tomato soup, it was good! For tikka masala sauce, well......I will come here again-- only I'm going to go for the meatloaf blue plate as that seems to be more their deal now..... (will update when that occurs!!) (hmm/.....Meatloaf tikka masala....if they use the same sauce, that would be a classic fifties dinner dish!! esp. with mashed taters......) read more

Delicious. Tamber's has really good Indian food; I've heard great things about the American style food as well. I've tried a bunch of the Indian dishes here and they are all very, very delicious. The portion sizes are huge (definitely enough for two people/two meals). The naan is super delicious. About the spiciness, yes, if you order it off the menu, it's not spicy at all. However, if you tell them to make it spicier, then it's awesome! Prices are expensive (especially if you dine in), but it's totally worth it. The decor is interesting and the staff is awesome. A Charles Village must-see! read more

The location of this restaurant is great, it's quite convenient to walk just a block away to get something to eat. But you are looking for good food and proper service, right? In this aspect, I think this place is just OK. Not to mention that when we asked for our bill, the waiter had already added 18% for the tips, all we need to do is just to sign! I felt very weird about this. I mean it's OK to pay 18%, but it should be our dicision how much to pay, right? read more

OMG I can't believe I've lived in the area for over a decade and only just discovered this place. My friend was in the mood for indian and I picked this place because of the pics of the comfy booths on yelp. Wow an Indian diner!! I love it. The food we had was so good and the server was really nice. I can't wait to come back to try their diner food. read more

Diner that makes better Indian food than actual Indian restaurants in Baltimore. My go to place for Indian takeout, they have a separate takeout area in the back. Portions are huge and each curry entree comes with free rice. For vegetarians, highly recommend the palak paneer, malai kofta and naan. FYI spicy really means spicy! read more

The biggest problem with Tamber's is that they attempt to cover all types of cuisines (Indian, American, Italian) when in fact they are only good at making indian food. 8 of us went there and everybody except me ordered the indian food. I ordered the spaghetti because I never like indian food. What a big mistake that was. I probably had 2 bites of my spaghetti and left the rest of them on the table. The portion of the spagetti is huge (I guess it is because they target hungry undergrads), and I can get better tasting spaghetti by buying the $3 frozen meal from supermarkets. The spaghetti is so tasteless and the chicken chunks are for sure from some already-processed bags. Everybody else on the table likes their indian food though. So, if you like affordable, big portion, indian food, this place is for you. read more

A Charles village Indian food staple. We order from here a lot.. the American food is priced reasonably but if you visit, I would go for the Indian. Never disappoints. I used to like the tikka masala here but of late the chicken has been more dry. The tomato cream sauce is a mystery to me. I've tried to imitate it at home but can never do it.. I would go for something with lamb though. I don't usually like lamb because of its flavor but it's seasoned well here. Aloo gobi (veg dish) is always good. You should always share the dishes as the food is plenty and you will find yourself stuffing your mouth despite feeling full (for some reason you keep wanting to eat). Good place for lunch/dinner! read more

I sometimes go to Tamber's on my lunch break and have never had anything bad to say. Today was a different story. I paid with an old looking bill (they do still exist) and the lady at the front gave the bill to another waiter to take it to the back to be checked. That's fine, you don't want anyone stealing. I get it. I said, "it's not fake" and she ignored me. I waited for what seemed like forever for the guy to give her a nod that it was real. That's when she gave me my change, no apology whatsoever. Why would I sit in a restaurant, eat my food, and then pay with fake money? Seriously! I will not be eating here again. read more

Would be a higher rating but they no longer have decaf coffee so I no longer order dessert after dinner. Bummer.

I haven't had the Indian food though I hear it's much better. The diner menu is simple and plain. I thought the salad was poor and the baked mac and cheese was greasy. The soups have been pretty good. It is more of a college spot for Johns Hopkins kids to get a late bite. read more

This place used to be awesome. The prices used to be much better, and they used to give out free rice refills. I think recently, they must have lost some revenue, because they started charging for rice. It'st still a generally good place to go when you're craving indian food at 3am in charles village. read more

I had take-out lamb saag from here once, and I thought it was pretty decent. The prices aren't the greatest though, and there are better indian places down in Mt. Vernon. read more

I find myself ordering carry-out food here a lot because I'm a nurse at the hospital across the street. The burgers are great (very greasy though), sammies are good, and I also get the grilled chicken salad (which is HUGE) and the grilled cheese (cheap and delish). Above all, Tambers has the best milkshakes!!!! Good for what it's worth..... Although I have never dined in so I can't speak for the service or atmosphere. read more

So the mac and cheese is awesome. Know this and order it on those days that cry out for comfort food.

Been here a couple of times and had their fish burger with fries both times lol. My friend tried one of the curries. Food was good and plentiful. I could only finish half in the diner. Interior is cosy and lean. Would definitely return to try the curry options. I hear their steaks and subs are awesome. read more

We usually go for the Indian food at Tamber's, but it's also a go to when we have mixed opinions, or picky eaters. The diner food is decent, but the jalfrezis, vindaloos and kormas are the things to have. We tried several with different types of protein; I prefer the lamb and paneer, chicken is breast meat chunks and tends to get dry after long stewing. For an interesting dish, try the Malai Kofta (vegetable patties/cakes in a creamy, tomatoey, curry sauce). All the sauces are savory, boldly spiced. You can always get a malted to cool down your lip-numbing vindaloo though. read more

We sat out in the cold watching Johns Hopkins playing Bryn mar in women's soccer. Ended up tail gating with the familiy who's daughter plays for Bryn Mar. We ordered carry out because they don't deliver. We ordered chicken parm and a dinner chicken Caesar salad. The portion were huge and delicious. Carry out on the side of the building. I would definitely try this rest when visiting Johns Hopkins. read more

Best milk shakes EVER....pretty decent Indian food too....I mean I haven't been there since 2005 but it was good then...so unless the renovations changed the food....I would say it's worth a try read more

SO DELICIOUS! Don't bother coming here for the diner food, as it's not as satisfying or worth the price. However, this is my favorite Indian food in Baltimore (note: I am not actually Indian myself.). They give you giNORMOUS portions, so you can save it for a few later meals. The prices are decent. The service is friendly, and they have a cute Aussie waiter. Great atmosphere, too! Weird that it's a 50s style diner, but the point is it looks CLEAN and NICE. The neighborhood is good, too, though it's a tad far from the rest of the St. Paul joints. Highly recommend! I go to this place at least once every couple of months! read more

I like going to Tamber's a lot. It's a fun, busy, noisy restaurant with cheesy-fun diner decor that people always love. I usually find me entrees to be a little bland, but their appetizers are great and their milk shakes are top notch. I couldn't really say why, but I like this place a lot. read more

As a big fan of desi food in general, I would say that they have a good variety of desi food with the added benefit of American cuisine as well. I would echo other commentators sentiment that it is a bit pricey, but it's definitely at least worth checking out. read more

Great hamburger for lunch, crispy and hot fries. Atmosphere is very nice, and service was excellent.

Good Indian food. Not the biggest fan of their diner food though, I'd stick with the Indian. Masala is delicious and the nan is great.

We only ever order the Indian food for carry-out here, but it is a nearly weekly thing because of how delicious it is. There are student discounts with a Hopkins ID. Tambers is vegetarian and vegan friendly, and the staff are always pleasant and accommodating. I keep meaning to try some of the more American offerings but never make it past the samosas or malai kofta. read more

Food is very average. It used to be better, but has gone way down hill. We were told that the turkey on the hot turkey was freshly roasted in the kitchen. Ha! It was definitely deli turkey with gravy thrown on top of a piece of white bread. Overpriced and not good. The service isn't great either and the place looks dirty. I wouldn't recommend going here, there are plenty of other good places in Charles Village. read more

Great food, amazing service and a reasonable price. I stayed on the Johns Hopkins Homewood campus and ate here twice over a ten day period, food and service were consistently great. read more

This place is not fancy and kinda funny it's called a diner since there is not much diner about it. There is no breakfast served all day but the prices are very fair and the Indian food is really good. Two people at our table loved their sandwiches ( shrimp salad and corned beef) too. Service was super quick. read more

Friday night, I ordered samosas and palak paneer for my family. We love samosas and palak paneer from Tambers, having ordered it many times before. While the samosas were perfect as always, the palak paneer was awful. The taste was intolerable and we all could not finish the dish. Understanding that this was uncharacteristic of Tambers and maybe it was just a bad batch, I called them to ask if we could get a replacement meal and that I would bring back the original palak paneer. The owner was rude, obnoxious, and OFFENSIVE to say the least. He said, "It will not taste like chicken wings or fish!" Then he proceeded to scold me about the health benefits of eating vegatarian meals. First, my family and I ARE VEGETARIANS and we all understand that a spinach-based dish would not taste like chicken or fish. Second, we have patronized Tambers for years because of their vegatarian options, especially the palak paneer which we LOVE and have only eaten from Tambers. We were unjustly profiled and that is UNACCEPTABLE. My family and I were completely taken aback with the conduct of the owner, who ended the conversation with, "If you don't like it, don't eat it!" We will NEVER patronize Tambers ever again!! read more

This is my favorite restaurant. Everything I've ever had here has been amazing. The best Mac and cheese this side of the missippi. Their chicken tikka marsala is the best I've ever had. Thank you tambers for existing. read more