Alright, pretty fast Indian-fusion food. Got everything to go. I ordered the chicken biryani and added paneer because I love paneer lol. This was hot and really good. I liked it a lot. It comes with a yogurt sauce and honestly I would ask for more yogurt sauce because it really makes the dish. Get garlic naan if you want more carbs! The mango lassi isn't bad either. I would come back! read more

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Very good food. I got the extra HOT and it was HOT, which is good cause most places are wimps. :) Staff was very nice. Overall great experience. read more

We had mild chicken biryani, aloo gobi and garlic naan. It was good for a order first location. There was plenty of seating and the chai was good.The biryanis was well spiced but not much chicken or vegetables. The food came fairly quickly and the aloo gobi and naan are made to order. The music sets a nice relaxing atmosphere and it is a very bright space. There are nearly more windows than there are walls. The host/manager came around frequently. It would have stayed as a five star until they came around spraying Clorox scented spray and I nearly gagged. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Seating - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Delicious food and very good portion sizes. I appreciated the music and the fact that the portion sizes are not excessively big in the way Americans are somewhat used to. read more

Food is consistently awesome and delicious! Just wanted to show our most recent receipt. I always order no onions from every restaurant and 75% of the time my request is ignored. Since Tarka's veggies are prepped they said to order the veggies in a separate container. I ordered it that way this time and not only did they do it... check out the receipt. They're so nice!! read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

3.0 - Chicken kabob. Mild. Fine, but plain. 3.8 - better with rice. 4.0 - Chicken Tikka. Med. Better with naan. 3.5 - Naan. 4.0 - Pav 2.9 - Rice read more

I gotta remember to stop coming here. This restaurant is way too pricey for what you get. It reminds me of Tikka Shack back in Lubbock, the exact same concept of overpriced Indian food. I could spend a lot less at a traditional Indian restaurant which has all the meals included. I think Tarka has its flare for trendy than quantity with it's quality. I've only gotten three and a half items off the menu and it cost me a whopping $19. That's bizarre. I ordered two sides of samosas, a roti, and veggie biryani. Not even a drink included. Don't get me wrong my vegetable rice was delicious with spice level medium, but it shouldn't have cost me $20. The roti was a miss. Nothing to it, but several pieces of tortilla looking dark bread with cilantro on top. No flavor just blandness. The samosas were delicious, but they are delicious anywhere you go. The mint chutney was not very fresh to tasting. It was quite dull in taste. Too wet as well. I have to remember when I see hardly anyone in the dining room on a Friday during lunch time, it means something. It means to go somewhere cheaper. Tarka is a typical Tikka Shack, all for the hype, but not worth the ridiculous pricing. You can get the same if not better deliciousness at a traditional mum and pop Indian restaurant for a far less meal!! read more

Not going to lie I was very excited to try this place but was very disappointed the saag paneer was definitely not what I expected and was very dry and the paneer had an off taste. The naan was under cooked and very bland. Definitely not authentic or what I was expecting. They should definitely step up their naan game. That's basically the best part of eating your food. Id like to say their tikka masala was decent not the best but it wasn't as bad as the other stuff. Definitely wouldn't recommend. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I came in today for my very first time recommended by a friend and decided to try it out.. I order the most "popular dish" tikka masala or something like that and the guy in front of me. I think his name was (Mike) was a well educated dude and he guide me throughout the whole menu and recommendations.. he was really knowledgeable and understood what exactly I wanted.. the food was amazing and the service was top notch! I will definitely will be back and pass the word for this place. thank you! the ambiance was amazing and the place looks so clean! read more

The Customer Service is amazing in the store. The food is very reasonable in price for the beautiful proportions they give. They are big on customer satisfaction too. read more

When I'm in the mood for Indian food in Houston and I want to eat somewhere that's fresh and hot food, this is my go to for the heights are

OK, so I was finishing up my spring cleanse and wanted something spicy but not too expensive to enjoy, so I went to Tarka Indian Kitchen in the Heights. Short version: A charming, professionally-run fast-casual Indian restaurant with excellent food, nice surroundings and friendly staff. Go here and bliss out in nirvana! Long version: I wanted some good, spicy vegetarian fare as I was ending my spring cleanse, and since I didn't want to travel all the way to the Mahatma Gandhi section of town for it, I decided to give Tarka a shot. Tarka is, according to its own description, an Austin-based restaurant with healthy, fresh and flavorful Indian food that is also fast and affordable, with all dishes under $10. Yet - and this is the nice part - it's not cheap-looking or less authentic than other places which charge double what Tarka does. I sampled a variety of items from the menu and here are my faves: First, I started out with the samosas. Now, having eaten at many Indian restaurants in the last 30 years, I can say that I'm pretty good at spotting decent samosas. Tarka's were exceptional. Deep fried yet not greasy, served piping hot with a mint chutney sauce on the side. Nice. For my vegetarian plate, I decided on the malai kofta curry. I ordered it "medium," because previous experiences with southern Indian cuisine has prompted me to start with low heat and work my way up. It was piping hot and flavorful. And - as other Yelpers have commented - mild actually means no spice and medium is just medium-spicy, but the food is still flavorful and good. The tomato-based curry was topped with cilantro and a slice of jalapeno pepper. Jasmine rice was tasty and not sticky. Nice. Incidentally, I saved some of the leftover mint curry and drizzled it on the kofta to see if the flavors blended well. They did. Keep this in mind if you order samosas and curry. But I digress. I also tried the chicken tikka masala. Now, tikka masala is like a French omelet in terms of preparation - if it doesn't turn out, you'll immediately know it. This one was utter perfection. In addition, I ordered some naan - Indian flatbread - on the side, which is a steal at $2. It was hot, fresh and flavorful. Pics attached to prove my point. For those of you who aren't into curries or biryanis, I'd recommend the kabobs. I sampled my dining partner's chicken kabob - served with sauteed vegetables, rice and that luscious mint curry - and it was totally delicious. All the flavors blended together like a beautiful symphony. Wow. What struck me the most about this place was how busy yet how serene it was. I know that's a contradiction in terms, but it's true - the kitchen was busy and humming along putting together plates of delicious food for the customers, but the dining area was an oasis of tranquility. Sort of a yin/yang thing if you don't mind my mixing my metaphors. The servers were top-notch, too. In my three visits to Tarka, I never had to ask for anything and everyone was as pleasant and as professional as could be. The people who work here are total pros and enjoy where they work. To me, that speaks volumes. So, friends and neighbors - I hit the Peter Hughes Trifecta in terms of good food, courteous service and serene dining atmosphere. Hence, the rarely issued 5-star rating. Will I be returning? Of course. Will I get tired of it? No way. read more

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Absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced. I never thought to order take out from here as it's kind of a fast casual spot. But we wanted quick and easy and it was some amazing food. Every dish was good, the samosas were probably the best I have ever had. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen is by far the best comfort food out there. If I could eat it every day, I definitely would. The service is top tier and you can really tell how much they care for each customer. The food is beyond amazing and the restaurant is clean, well run, and absolutely beautiful. If I could give 10 stars, I would! read more

Been here a few times. Delicious food and fast service. We got the Mattar Paneer with Garlic naan which comes with rice this time. So flavorful and just the right amount of spice and flavor. You order at the counter and they bring your food to your table. Recommend you try this place out! read more

A cute little walk up and order place that will bring your food to you. They bring your food out and have a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating . The parking was easy and prices good. The food was fantastic. read more

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You can never go wrong with Tarka! I've never had a bad meal here. I love the chicken kabobs... they are so flavorful and juicy! The chicken tikka masala is delicious as well. The restaurant itself has a welcoming/casual feel to it. And the employees are very friendly and helpful. Don't forget to order some naan! read more

This is a new place that is just opened up on my errand route. I swooped in to give it a try while I have Yelp discount. The ordering system is simple: pick your curry, meat and then level of spicy. I opted for a hot chicken tikka masala and added a samosa chat with my order pickup. The food took 7-10 minutes to prepare. I did order the wrong thing. I expected samosa but I ordered samosa chat so that was a disappointment for me. The tikka masala chicken curry was decent and not too spicy. $14 and changes was the total cost I think it was alright for what I got, not quite the feeling of getting bang for the buck though. read more

Good fast Indian food with big portions and great prices. Appetizers were fun - the veggie samosas are very authentic and leaves a kick, only $3.50 for two! Chicken pakora are like spicy chicken strips and also very tasty. I ordered a mild lamb tikka masala. Next time I'll order spicier version. The naan is made to order and addictive! His spicy vindaloo wasn't spicy enough. Overall highly recommended! Easy parking is a plus. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Appetizers - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I love Tarka Indian Kitchen!! Except I know my Indian roommate from college would find the food too "Americanized" and "not flavorful enough." And yes, having eaten at my Indian roommates house numerous times as well as at the Indian joints on Hillcroft, I would agree that this is Americanized Indian food. Oh well, whatever. I love Americanized Indian food!! Being weak sauce in terms of heat, the food is perfect for my palate. I ordered medium on one of the dishes and even then the heat was very slight. My husband (who tolerates much spicier ) couldn't even taste it. Favorites here include chicken tikka masala, saag paneer, malai kofta and aloo gobi. Portions are very generous and served with a cumin garlic basmati rice. Also love that they give A LOT of paneer as opposed to many Indian places where I am desperately forking for paneer in the curry. Definitely bang for your buck! I wasn't a huge fan of any of their appetizers. The masala fries were very normal tasting with some masala seasoning (dry). Luckily our friend was smart enough to ask for extra masala seasoning and that made it a lot better, but still nothing to rave about. Vegetable pakoras were heavily battered and didn't taste like they were freshly fried. Samosas and soup wasn't bad. Overall I would come here for the entrees and skip the appetizers altogether. read more

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We first serendipitously stumbled upon Tarka during a Hugs & Doughnuts run and being the Indian food fanatic that I am, I felt obligated to give it a whirl. And by golly, I'm glad that I did! Tarka is a bit like Pei Wei in that you choose your protein (or vegetables if you're vegan) and then you opt for a biryani or curry base. Or you can choose from several vegetarian options. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free items are all indicated on the handy dandy menu. And then you opt for a spice level of mild, medium, or hot. We've sampled the coconut curry, dal, and channa masala and I've been pleasantly surprised by how delicious they are. Now, of course, they aren't "authentic" or as flavorful as Indian food found on Hillcroft, but it's all been competently good. This might be a good spot to take someone trying Indian food for the first time or maybe even someone intimidated by the sometimes surly and/or not-so-attentive service associated with some of the Hillcroft Indian spots. read more

We ordered Mirch Masala with shrimp tonight and received a container that was literally half full. We've ordered from Tarka a dozen times and never had an issue, but the quality control tonight is a serious problem. $11 for a half-full container of curry is not ok. UPDATE 2/3/21: I went back to Tarka to give the Mirch Masala w/ shrimp another shot, and it was much better this time. The container of curry was full, so it looks like they've gotten their inconsistencies ironed out. Also, I noticed how spread out the tables in their store are... great job Tarka! I didn't notice last time, but they've moved out tons of crowded tables and really cut down on the number of people in the store at one time. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Half-full Mirch Masala ($11) - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Ahhh... the deliciousness that is Tarka. I came here for Indian in a hurry and they never disappoint. The chicken tikka Marsala is always a hit, as is their naan, but today I tried something different. The biryani has more rice than is humanly possible to eat.. but I did my best. Medium spicy wasn't very spicy at all, and the jalapeño more than made up for it. Everything came out pipping hot. It's like a shrimp fried rice. That soup though read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Shrimp yum yum biryani. - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Food was Ok. Not 100% authentic. I surely had better Indian food before. But it's great for those 1st time eating Indian food. Price is cheap compare to other Indian restaurants. read more

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Bomb. I'm vegan and they have quite a few options. My go to Indian dishes are Chana masala & aloo gobi. I don't like their aloo gobi however the Chana masala is perfect! Love the rice as well (I'm a rice nazi) Customer service is good as well. They are cashless fyi read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Samosas with potatoes and peas - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Tarka is not bad when you are craving a quick bite! Here are my personal opinions: ⁃ chicken tikka (med) - 3.5 not really spicy, not bad flavor tho 4 for me ⁃ Saag paneer - not bad but not my favorite 3.5 ⁃ Lamb Briyani - 3.5-4. It's alright ⁃ Naan- kind of undercooked, it's little too chewy for me and I prefer consistency of stone naan ⁃ Probably get hot spice for curries and medium spice for rice ⁃ Mango lassi - both coconut and yogurt is good!! read more

I met my best friend's for lunch one day. None of us have ever had Indian food before, and we truly wanted to try Tarka because of the reviews this spot was getting. I LOVE spicy food, so I'm not really intimidated by anything spicy on a food menu, I welcome it. I also rock with Tarka because they promote fresh, and healthy menu choices. The Lamb Masala was delicious. It had all the spice I could want in a dish. The service is great, and fast. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Lamb Tikka Masala - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Mirch masala and garlic naan This is great fast food Indian food!! I travel a lot and I love Indian and Persian food! I saw some reviews saying the hot isn't hot so I got hot and I think hot is hot. My nose was running and I still had to get a cup of water. It's good hot. I love spicy food but unless all you eat is spicy food all the time be aware that for most hot is hot. It definitely has a kick you can taste. Portion was great. It looked small at first but was plenty to share with a friend with the rice and bread. I highly recommend. Bread was soft and loved it! It's still fast food but great quality when you want a quick Indian food fix read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Mirch masala and garlic naan - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I have only ordered on Uber Eats so I am unable to comment on the eating experience at the restaurant. My usual order is chicken biryani, naan, and gulab jaman. Dunno how authentic it is but they taste as they should for to-go Indian food. The food is always flavorful, warm, and non-greasy. I'm picky with chicken and the quality seems to be good. I don't taste any tendons or dark meat bits. The prices are fair and I'm able to stretch my usual order for 2 meals. The gulab jaman order includes 2 balls and the naan order includes 1 full circle of bread cut into quarters. When I'm feeling for Indian takeout, this my go-to place! read more

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I ordered the shrimp curry, forgetting it was full of potatoes. I wanted just cauliflower instead of rice, but they said they dont do that so i asked for a side of vegetables and no rice. i got both. The curry was so hot I blistered the roof of my mouth. It was tasty, despite the over abundance of potatoes. This was the Tarka in Round Rock Texas. Id like a phone call. 979-571-7407 Dara Mosher read more

Really fresh tasty, fast Indian curry. Really enjoyed it. Service at front is terrific. I recommend this restaurant.

Quick order-at-the-counter service and reasonably priced. Started with the chicken pakoras and badmaash fries. Chicken was OK, they are what they sound like - mini chicken tenders. That said, the mint-tamarind-yogurt chutney was yummy. The fries...hard pass. The cumin flavor is overpowering and the toppings made the fries super soggy upon arrival. For entrees we had the chicken tikka masala and chicken coconut curry, both medium spice which wasn't hot at all. I preferred the curry and thought it was more well rounded than the masala. The garlic naan (comes 3 pieces to an order) was delicious and perfect to dip in the sauces. The parking lot is a decent size and they have a few spots for take-out (10 minute limit). The people behind the counter were friendly and all of the food was out within 5-8 minutes so no complaints there. The food was just nothing to be overly excited about. read more

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Decent and close by but not the most traditional Indian. Tiki Marsala was still the best dish by far. I wouldn't order the samosa and lamb biriyani again as they were mid. Saag paneer was decent enough we'd go back again try other dishes. read more

Tarka Indian Kitchen - Veg samosas - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Excellent! This was not my first time eating at Tarka and I've never had a bad experience there, but today my experience was exceptional! The staff were very friendly and went above and beyond to make sure we got exactly what we wanted to eat. The food tasted fresh and delicious. Take care of your amazing staff! read more

I miss living in Austin BUT thankfully this fun chain is in Houston now! Beware of parking ! Take your time finding a spot cuz it gets crowded on weekends. Just prepare your mind and it won't be annoying. People come and go often. Here's how to do Tarka: Walk up to front, receive assistance, hear the beautiful music, order and pay, fill your fountain drink and find a seat. Shortly your food will arrive, piping hot and perfectly flavored... approachable for the amateur tongue and it is def not authentic but it IS delicious! Grab a refill, and the to go boxes are right there because you may have leftovers. Go to your car and start planning your second trip. I love this restaurant and hope to come back really soon. Date night perfection. read more

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I just got the Beyond keema. If you are plant based this is delicious. It comes in a biryani pizza and curry. I got the curry too but haven't tried it yet. read more

Food delicious is ordered at the bar and always served quickly. The place has been very clean and soft music playing.

I ordered delivery from here. I tried the dhal, channa masala, chicken tikka masala, samosas, and garlic naan. Also you must get raita as a side as it does well with the spicy food. Overall, they provide big portions which is great but also misleading. For the chicken tikka, most of it was just the sauce and hardly any meat, very small pieces of meat. Im not sure if its because I order later in the night? The channa is a good portion. I enjoyed the samosa with chutney. I liked that they provide vegan options especially with the sauces and alot of vegetarian options. The dishes come with rice but I also like to get garlic naan as well. Overall food was good but i just think the portion of meat should be greater than it was for my meal. read more

Originating from Austin, this fast food Indian joint is the new hip spot in the Heights...and it has good reason to be. But the praises ended before it even really began. The restaurant (which looks super cool) is located in some prime real estate - near Cane Rosso, Fat Cat, and Mellow Mushroom. It's got a cool interior, with really simple tables, orange walls, and a stenciled saying painted on the walls that reads "EAT GOOD KARMA", a play off of the popular indian korma dish. This place keeps it simple. The Good: Now guys, I love samosas. My Pakistani roommate in college would often bring homemade samosas from her mom back to our apartment when we were in school. She always gave some to me cause she knows I LOVE SAMOSAS. Now, I'm no expert samosa eater by any means. But these are seriously the real deal. No frills or thrills, just the perfect combination of potatoes and peas and spices with a flakey, yet crispy, outer shell. It was served with a chutney that wasn't too sweet, but just complimented the samosa (and naan!) perfectly. Unfortunately, this is where the greatness ends. The Bad: I ordered the daal with chicken. It was okay, but not great. The spices didn't hit the spot. After a few bites, it left my mouth desiring more. It just wasn't right. The entire restaurant was extremely aromatic, but it seemed like they threw all the spices in the air but forgot to sprinkle the spices into the curry. The daal came with a healing portion of rice, which tasted fine, but you need good curry to go with your rice. The garlic naan was plain. It wasn't bad, but it was just kinda of there. Kind of disappointing since we paid extra for an order of naan. All in all, this place had great promise. With at least 3 restaurants in Austin of the same chain, I'm sure Tarka knows what it's doing. I just couldn't get into it...except the samosas. Come for the samosas, try making the curry yourself at home. read more

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If you need a good general Indian Food fix...then Tarka Indian Kitchen should be on your list. They have a general variety of currys, Biryanis, and kabobs. They have options of chicken, lamb, shrimp, and paneer. In addition, you can make any option a vegetarian option. You can also have your meal prepared with varying spice levels. Of COURSE they have Naan (plain and garlic) #ketoBEWARE...insert drool Complimentary WiFi is available for guests. If you're pressed for time, call your order in and pick up OR order via DoorDash. Very clean, warm, and welcoming environment. Open space concept...you can see your food,for the most part, being prepared. During peak times, parking can be a little challenging but there is overflow parking and street parking as well. Try Tarka ...you won't be disappointed. read more

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