As I am a picky eater and this is my first time trying Indian food ever in life, I was quite impressed with the portion size and taste of my order. Since this was my first time, I decided to try a kid's meal: Chicken Tikka Curry Bowl. It was dressed in mild masala curry over basmati rice. The meal also included their freshly made strawberry rose and mango lemonade. The service was great. I appreciate the cashier being patient with me and offering recommendations such as a side of the garlic naan to go with the entree. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Chicken Kid's Tikka Curry Bowl - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Just want to be careful with this place on what you order all appetizers (chicken & veg pakoras, samosa chaat)felt they were cooked a day before and were stale. portion, quality and price is decent but would not say its fair. Loved their sweet lassi, beyond keema biryani but had too many peas and portion was too small for $17 beyond keema had too many potatoes and peas which impacted the flavor iced chai was horrible and the tea was curdled(spoiled) Will not go back or recommend there are other good restaurants that have good quality, taste and portion for beyond keema biryanis like Monks(heights) read more

Food is great and flavorful ! I enjoyed both entrees my husband and I ordered as well as the appetizers! Taking one star off because the garlic naan was served to us clearly burnt on multiple pieces but other than that we left with full and satisfied bellies. read more

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We had our first experience trying out Indian food, and this place hit the spot! The food is flavorful and the position is great - staffs are very friendly and nice - they keep the restaurant super clean. Highly recommend!! read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Tikka Masala (GF) - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Great place for both dine in and takeout. Food is always served fresh, of great quality and extremely flavorful and delicious, but quantity seems to be inconsistent which is my only complaint. Food stays hot even when taking out, making this a weeknight staple for me. Service is quick, vibe is casual and quick service. I've had the chicken kebab and goat tikka masala. The chicken kebab was very tender and juicy, seasoned perfectly. The pita is soft on the center and crispy on the outside. The rice is nice hot and fluffy. The goat was very tender as well and could be cut with a spoon, but not too soft so as to fall apart in the sauce. Somehow, each bite of it is even more packed with flavor then the sauce itself, which is impressive and makes the gamble on the portion size kind of worth it. Even though the protein quantity seems to vary, the amount of curry sauce that comes with this dish is always huge and typically more than what you can finish with the rice alone. Overall, this place is great and definitely worth a try. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Chicken kebab - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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First visit here and both and my son loved it! Great flavors, generous portions and great value. Friendly staff too! And, rarely seen a place that was so spotlessly clean! A must go! read more

This was my first time trying Indian food in Houston and let's just say I'm still on the hunt to find one comparable to the east coast. My friend recommended Tarka so my neighbor and I stopped by on a Saturday afternoon. This location isn't as nicely laid out as the one we saw online located in the Heights but we were hoping the food was good. It's a no frills spot where you order your food at the counter and it's brought out to you. I went with the coconut curry ($13) and tikka masala fries ($3). We sat outside because it was a beautiful day and our meal came out within minutes. For a $16 lunch, I say it did its job. They also seemed quite busy as there was plenty of foot traffic and takeout orders coming through. The staff were very polite and patient as we took some time deciding what to get. The service alone will bring me back. read more

The food here is great. I also like that it's a quick serve restaurant so there is not much of a crowd. There is not much of a formality to sitting down here and eating. It's a quick restaurant that serves pretty good food at a reasonable price. I wish they were closer to my home. read more

I had tried the one in the heights and it's better food than here but the service here is exceptional. Staffs are super nice and eager to help. Haven't seen a fastfood place with a service like that. Food wise wasn't too good. Too salty to my taste. Price range is OK running below $12-$15 per dish. read more

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On a rainy evening we stopped by at Tarka. Just the perfect weather for some hot fried stuff, so I got the tikka masala fries, which was basically fries with red pepper and tikka masala for the dip, but....the guy at the counter said something about the dip not being vegan and gave us ketchup! So, it was technically spiced up fries. They were real yummy though. Then got the mattar panner, which comes with zeera rice. This is a perfect deal for the money, quantity wise and taste wise. Am not sure if anything is made from scratch here at the restaurant, it has a very fast-food kinda vibe. We had to pay additional $1.50 for raw onions which we wanted and jalapeños which, we did not want.. Got the garlic naan too, which had no sign of garlic and neither tasted like naan ... Lastly we got the paneer fried rice with additional vegetables for $2, I loved all the veges in it, the rice itself was just alright. Service was fast and someone dropped by to ask how the food was - dicey situation- I always politely nod and say good, but if I really like, I talk lot more ... wonder how many others do the same- I mean the polite nodding part ? read more

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If you're looking for a fast and convenient spot to satisfy your craving for Indian food, Tarka is a great option! The menu has many options ranging from curries to kebabs to rice bowls. The style of dining is fast casual, similar to Chipotle or Sweetgreen. After ordering at the counter, we waited for about 10-15 minutes before our food arrived. While waiting, my husband and I tried the garlic naan and paneer pakora. The naan was great and the paneer pakora was good but reminded me too much of fried mozzarella sticks. For our main entrees, we shared the coconut chicken curry and the lamb vindaloo. Both were served with a hearty portion of basmati rice. The curries were warm and flavorful, perfect for a cold night. The portions were large enough that I could easily take home half for another meal. Overall, our dining experience was pleasant and the food was good. It was not as authentic or complex in flavor as traditional Indian food, considering their goal is most likely to please crowds of Americans. However, it was a good value and flavor for what you pay for! In the future, I would return if I want a quick and convenient Indian meal. read more

I love this food, super great for warm winter meal. They kid around with their spices. If you have a delicate stomach I don't suggest Indian food. Fast , doesn't taste like it and affordable lunch or dinner read more

I just noticed Tarka Indian Kitchen over by the busiest street corner in Upper Kirby. This one-way street on Shepherd Drive connects to Farnham Street at an angle makes me want to turn into the parking lot. I was shopping at Montrose area and had a urge for some Indian food. Then, I remembered this location. Here I am. On a lazy Monday afternoon, the restaurant was fairly busy. There were few takeout and pickup orders as I observed by sitting next to the counter. One crazy thing I observed was loud dance music shooting from the kitchen to the ordering counter. When I sat by the counter, I could hear both Indian music from the dining room and the hip-hop music from the kitchen. One other reason I chose to come to Tarka was because of rewards program. I think I made a mistake by doing so. The food was ok but the service was below my expectation. I ordered Samosa Chaat as appetizer and Goat Mirchi Mirch Curry as a spicy entree. The description said "spicy only" was because the dish is based on chili. I tasted the spiciness was just alright. The spicy level seems better than Tikka Masala from my last visit at a different location. My Chaat tasted sweet. I felt like it should be a dessert. I found a shiny substance in my rice. When I took it to the person at the counter, he nonchalantly said "that's onion." That person was the only employee what wore Tarka Indian Kitchen uniform. Everyone else were wearing whatever. It was awkward to see random people wiping the tables. They didn't greet customers. I don't know why I even come here. I felt very unwelcomed. I don't think I'll be back at this Tarka location. read more

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Food - despite this being kind of like a fast food Indian chain, it's delicious and I thoroughly enjoyed the daal and the coconut curry chicken! The curry is very creamy and well flavored, ate both curry all by myself! Service - fast and friendly Ambiance - nice clean modern casual, well lit! read more

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Love it!!! Not expensive at all. I haven't order in person, but every time I get it delivered it comes as expected. Food is delicious! That garlic naan and chicken pakoras? Yummy read more

Parking is adequate the environment is chill music playing at a reasonable volume. Now if youre expecting authentic indian food lets just say its american indian food. The staff is cool and the food I would rate 6/10 the flavors were ok but wasnt that whole indian type of vibe. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Mango Lassi - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Caught up with a friend at Tarka Indian Kitchen in the montrose/upper Kirby area. This is a chain that includes kabobs, biryanis, curries, and vegetarian dishes. I got the chicken biryani (medium spice) with cheese pakora. My friend got the tikka masala (medium) with tikka masala fries. The biryani had a side of yogurt to mix in, it was decently spicy. The chicken was a little dry though. The cheese pakora is like a deep fried mozzarella stick with a sauce and I thought it was pretty good. I tried my friends tikka masala fries and they were pretty good with the tikka sauce. The sauces have a tiny bit of spice. They have an app where they have occasional deals, we both got our appetizers for free because of it. Overall a decent place with decent prices. read more

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Everyone is so friendly however this place probably has the most mid Indian food I've had. It lacked spice & flavor, I was very disappointed /: read more

Came in for a quick and comforting dinner. We ordered plenty to share and didn't even finish half of it. We came in 40 minutes to closing and the food came out fairly quickly. The service is easy, you order and pay at the register and sit down with your number and they bring the food out. The atmosphere is casual and vibrant. It's a great place to have a casual meal and catch up with friends or family. Also great for introverts having solo dinners. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Tikka Masala Fries, Chicken Pakoras (GF), Vegetable Samosas (V), Coconut Curry (V) (GF)curry - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I've been to better Tarka locations. This one the vibes were a bit off and the food just wasn't as good. I ordered my usual, Malai Kofta, and it just didn't taste as good as other Tarka locations. The veggie dumplings are good and crispy and the curry has a nice hit there was just something that was a bit underwhelming flavor wise. The naan was also kind of bland. The garlic flavor was t very strong. Overall it was very mediocre Indian food, but I would go to a different Tarka location. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Malai Kofta - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Very clean. Food was amazing. The service was great! My daughter and I wanted to try this for our birthday and we absolutely loved it and definitely will be back again in the near future. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen continue to make great Chicken Tikka Masala because welp... that's all I order. Growing up I spent a considerable amount of time with a few friends who were Indian & their mothers who would cook authentic Indian dishes with one of them being.. well... you guessed it... Chicken Tikka Masala that I honestly fell in love with. Tarka Indian Kitchens Chicken Tikka Masala is made just as authentic & oh I cannot forget the Naan bread that is fresh! I substitute the chicken for lamb though which (taste like chicken) because I love lamb. So I guess that would make it Lamb Tikka Masala? Anywho, you get the point. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Chicken Tikka Masala (GF) - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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A classic spot to satisfy your Indian food craving. We first tried Tarka in Austin several years ago, and the taste at this location in Houston is just as I remember it. My favorite entree here is the lamb korma - it is so rich and flavorful, and the lamb itself is great quality. We also like the chicken tikka masala and garlic naan. I recently tried the samosa chaat, which was tasty but not the best version of the dish I've had. I also tried the coconut curry, and that was the first item I've had here that was just ok - I'd say it was nothing special, and I didn't taste any coconut, so I probably wouldn't order that one again. When dining in, Tarka reminds me of Panera where you order at the counter and sit down. It is also a great spot to get takeout from, which we have done several times now. We will definitely be back for more lamb korma! read more

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Chicken Tika Masala (hot) Garlic naan Mango Lassi Masala was a good spice level. Good food. Will return but wouldn't drive more than 20 min for. read more

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I love some good Indian food and Tarka Indian Kitchen definitely met my expectations. Setup like a fast food restaurant, you order at the counter and take a seat. Big Kuddos as they offer a Military discount. I ordered the Chicken Korma, medium heat( they have a full range of heat from mild to call out the fire truck). This comes with rice, the Naan is a standalone item and I ordered the butter naan. Meal was fantastic, customer service was great. Portion size was good at the $12 price point. Soda was $2.95 and the Naan was $2.65. I ordered Gulab Jaman for $3.50(2 pieces in syrup) this could have been increased to three pieces for a better price point. But it was very good! Nothing fancy about the decor of the restaurant but plenty of seating. The restroom was clean. The only reason I removed a star is they don't accept good old American CASH! It's a completely electronic payment restaurant. read more

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This is by far the best "fast food Indian" you'll find on earth! They never disappoint and the food and service is consistently a 10. My favorite items are the Chana masala (vegan), beyond biryani (incredibleeeee), the samosas and the Pav bread (also vegan) is insanely good! read more

Tried the Chicken Tikka Masala (Mild) 10/10 Garlic naan 10/10 Mango Lassi 10/10 Will definitely be back read more

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They were wonderful! You could get as spicy as you wanted and it was super fast. Eli and Yana (I may be misremembering their names!) were absolutely wonderful. read more

Tarka is a fast casual restaurant with wonderful Indian food and a ton of vegetarian options. The store is clean, parking is plentiful, service is good, prices are reasonable and the food hits every time. It's counter service but they bring the food to your table and serve "for here" food in real dishes and I like that. Last time I went I got the hot paneer tikka masala with garlic naan and vegetable pakora. Everything was WONDERFUL. The vegetable pakora is an amazing deal at $5 and is a generous serving, not overly greasy, won't make your stomach feel queasy like a lot of fried food can. The sauce served with it was so good too. The tikka masala was awesome too, a very generous portion with plenty of paneer, I hate when I get paneer curry and there's like 4 pitiful cubes of cheese in an ocean of curry. The rice to curry to paneer ratio was impeccable. The tikka masala was creamy, tangy, the perfect amount of spicy and the paneer was perfection too. Perfect size and tasted so fresh. The garlic naan on the side was incredible, for $2.50 you get several big pieces of naan and with the massive serving of food, it was enough to make both lunch and dinner out of it. I love this place and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for quick, delicious and low priced Indian food read more

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Terrible client/customer experience. Long time Tarka fans. However, the first and only time we called to complain about our order being wrong, we were met with unprofessional behavior. The manager did not seek to correct the issue at all and asked that we box up our order and drive it back to the restaurant. They didn't even offer an apology for getting the order wrong. We were hung up on, placed on long holds several times and ultimately told there was nothing to be done. read more

The food was fantastic and there were a lot of options without being too overwhelming. Everyone was very friendly, and there was plenty of seating for all party sizes. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Coconut curry with chicken - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Tarka is a great casual place to eat. The food is tasty and they will adjust spice levels to your preferences. I love their vindaloo and butter chicken. read more

I thought this was only an Austin chain but I was happily surprised to find one in Houston. Very clean and my favorite fast Indian food! I love the huge variety of options and customization of certain dishes. My normal go to is Aloo Gobi but this time I got the Beyond Keema. WOW! Delicious! The beyond meat almost fooled me, paired with green peas, each bite was so so tasty. Plus the yeast rolls I could dream about. So soft and chewy, tastes so good with the keema. Disclaimer: they don't lie about their spice levels - hot is QUITE hot! I also tried the mango lassi, both regular and vegan. The regular was too tangy in my options and the vegan was overpoweringly coconut milky, I barely tasted the mango. Would pass on these next time. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Beyond Keema - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Although it's a chain restaurant I think Tarka tasted pretty authentic and good! I got the tikka masala (medium spicy) and regular naan bread. They give you about 4 pieces of naan (generous) and the portion of food looks small but isn't. It's a big mound of rice but the bowl of masala went a long way. It had a tinge of heat for medium spicy and lots of chicken chunks. The prices weren't bad and there's actual service if you dine in (your food gets brought to your table with silverware, but drinks are self service). After you finish eating you dispose of your dishes/trash yourself. I'd go back! read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Great Indian food for a good price! Ordering is done at the counter here and is usually fast. Not having a server makes this restaurant more appealing to me. It saves money and makes the place a more relaxed environment. The prices are already great compared to other similar restaurants. We ordered Chicken Vindaloo and Chicken Tikka Masala. I would recommend ordering them spicy since the regular spice level isn't spicy at all. Even ordering the entrées spicy was mild compared to other Indian restaurants. The Naan bread was hot, fresh, and delicious. It's a must-order item for me since it goes so well with the sauce. I would recommend coming here if you want fresh Indian food in a casual setting. It's a restaurant I keep coming back to and always enjoy. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Chicken Vindaloo - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I had constantly wondered about trying this place again since my first one over two years back was just mediocre. Due to this chain's popularity here and being reached out to for not so great experience, I finally made tonight the night to give it another try. I am glad I did. My order of Chicken Tikka Masala medium spicy with double rice was awesome, so well-seasoned, creamy, fresh and very delicious. The herbs n spices were bold and striking in the sauce making one very aware they're eating a good curry. The tomato base was ideal in the gravy as well as whatever was blended altogether coming as one array of "very tasty." The chicken pieces were all juicy, soft and well-marinated. The rice was very fresh, doughy and paired perfectly with the rest. This meal was several steps up in greatness from my first one, whether it was just a fluke that time, more improvement in recent times or whatever. Bottom line, I was very pleased and will be back. I need to make room for the gulab jamun and mango lassi on my next visits, bc those are really tasty Indian sweet treats in general. I kept seeing multiple customers drinking mango lassis and they sure looked captivating. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Fantastic C T M with double rice !!! - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The Tarka on Shepherd has been my go-to Indian restaurant since moving to Houston in May. I've always experienced great customer service and amazing food here. However, tonight's service was exceptional. My cashier (a female; possibly a manager? She was working on 03/07/2025 and I went it at around 8:15PM?) went above and beyond to fix what really was an honest misunderstanding at my own fault. What I had intended to order was an extra onion plate with my entree. However, I didn't know that's what it was called, so I asked for an extra side of the veggies. When she brought me a side of grilled veggies, I said I was happy to eat them but then tried explaining in more detail what I wanted and she immediately knew I had meant the onion plate. Not only did she bring me a complimentary onion plate, but she also insisted on giving me a Free Entree card for my next visit since she couldn't refund me. I was happy to pay for and eat the grilled veggies I had received and this was not at all expected, but greatly appreciated! Alas, I accidentally left my entree card on the table when I left the restaurant but it was still so thoughtful and such an elevated level of customer service. Ma'am, I wish I'd have gotten your name but please know you made my night and even though I left the card there, I wanted you to know how appreciated that act of generosity was! read more

Convenient, fast, comfortable spot when craving Indian food and not wanting full-service dining experience. The veggie samosas were amazing! I could have eaten six and called it a meal! Excellent food and Naan bread. Glad this location is here. I plan to return to keep trying new things. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Veggie Samosas - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I ordered the tikka masala with rice and naan. Although I've had better, I enjoyed my food and it was quickly delivered so I'm guessing the service might be good! I can't comment on the ambience since it was take out but I had good service. read more

Well being from the east coast we really know our Indian food. The chicken tikka masala was to salty and not creamy enough. And the garlic naan was under cooked and tasted doughy. Derives was fine and the ambiance wasn't anything other then a sit down eat your food and leave. read more