This is my favorite Indian restaurant ever. I try to have it once a month. Haven't had any dishes that I didn't enjoy. The butter chicken might be the best I've ever had. The Korma (chicken, lamb and prawn are all great), samosas, fish or prawn curry, and chicken 65 are all also staples. I usually do takeout, but eating in is also a great experience. read more

The service here is amazing, the staff is very attentive and the vibe inside is perfect for any occasion. I enjoyed the lamb the most (not pictured) and the vegetable samosas. Great experience and probably one of the best Indian restaurants in the city. read more

Viva Goa - Shrimp - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Hands down best Indian food in San Francisco and you can't tell me otherwise. Food is incredibly fresh and flavorful. The perfect portion of food served fast and perfect temp. The restaurant always has parking out front, good seating, and the staff is personable and responsive. Viva Goa is located on a busy street but you would never know as it's super relaxing inside and comfy. I've eaten almost everything on the menu over the e years but the butter chicken is my go to favorite. read more

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Viva Goa came highly regarded and it lived up to the hype. We got the prawns platter and the Lamb Xacutti, the latter which was recommended by the staff. The Xacutti sauce was delicious and can't wait to come back and get it again. read more

I love Indian food. If you want great Indian food at reasonable prices in a very not fancy environment, this is the spot. I come from across town to eat here. 5 stars for what it is. read more

I loved the food here! I hate that it took me 2 years to finally come here. The fish coconut curry was delicious and really stood out to me. It was both flavorful and extremely spicy. (Actually spicy) the Chana masala was pretty average. The service was great, attentive but not overbearing. And the vibe of the place was on the fancier side but the actual food prices were very affordable. My favorite combination. Will definitely return! read more

Viva Goa - Garlic Naan Channa Masala Fish Xacuti Rice - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Goa on the west coast of India used to be a colony of Portugal, and the food is a fusion of Portuguese and Indian flavors. Viva Goa is a rare breed of restaurant serving regional Goan cuisine (along with more typical Indian fare). The Prawn Xacuti was a savory, tangy, spicy, soupy curry made of onions, spices, grated coconut, poppy seeds, and red chilies, along with plenty of whole shelled prawns. I was an even bigger fan of the Vegetable Caldin, a thick, grainy spiced coconut stew with mixed vegetables including green beans, cauliflower, and carrots. On the side, I had a thick whole wheat tandoori roti flatbread, which was rather dry and hard, but went nicely with the curries. A better option was the Aloo Paratha, a whole wheat bread with a thin layer of spiced potatoes stuffed inside, which separated the layers of bread. In addition to the Goan specialties, I also tried a few more typical Indian dishes including Chicken Tikka Masala, made of chunks of chicken in a creamy tomato sauce; Navrattan Korma, made of peas and carrots in a thick, mild sauce made cashews, onion, and tomato; and the creative fusion Pesto Paneer Tikka, made of cubes of homemade cheese grilled with onions, peppers, and a flavorful pesto sauce. Though the Goan specialties were the items to come for, everything was flavorful and delicious! read more

Viva Goa - Vegetable Caldin, Prawn Xacuti, Roti - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Service was good. The tandoori chicken was a bit dry and didn't have much flavor. Chicken tikka masala was tasty but needed more spice at a medium level. Lamb vindaloo was solid and the garlic naan was incredible. Also got the mango lassi which was solid. read more

Viva Goa - Lamb Vindaloo, Garlic Naan - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Everything was good. Service was excellent. Food yummy. You couldn't even tell from inside we were on busy Lombard. It's the place to go for Indian in the neighborhood. There wasn't really a coconut milk taste to the chicken and they recommended it. Needless to say it was all pretty good. read more

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The food was delicious and I will be sure to order it again next time I'm in San Francisco. I got the vegetable caldin, channa xacutti, samosas, plus naan and rice. As is often the case with Indian food, it doesn't look like much in a photo! Also, I should note that I requested no cilantro, so if you don't see any in the photos that's why. I'm going to lead with the vegetable caldin because it tasted so amazing. It's rich and coconutty, well spiced, and I'm planning to learn how to make it at home. The channa xacutti was very good, too. It's supposed to be coconut-based but to me it leaned more towards having garam masala-type flavors. Hard to go wrong with those, though. The samosas were fine, but bland - although I find most restaurants' samosas to be bland so this may be a "me" thing. The food was all hot (in temperature) and plentiful, and I have no complaints about the naan and rice. I was very glad they left the cilantro out for me. The only snag in the delivery was that I requested utensils and a napkin, but didn't get any. Nothing was the least bit spicy, so if you want something with some heat I imagine you'd have to ask. I probably will, next time. Be aware that you have to explicitly order rice and naan; the entrees don't come with either of those. read more

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We saw this restaurant while waking around SF and decided to give it a try! We ordered the Veg Pakora, rice and raita, onion and garlic naan, malai kofta and paneer tikka masala. All of the dishes were super tasty! My favorite was the Paneer and I also thought that the onion stuffed naan was unique. The service was good as well and the interior was clean and has a nice ambiance. read more

Viva Goa - Veg Pakora - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Really tasty - I came here with a friend who had family in the Goa region in India and she was explaining to me that the region is known for its seafood and also tomato-ey flavors (with Portugeuse influence). I got the butter chicken and my friend got lamb korma - both very flavorful and juicy meat. The garlic naan was some of the crispiest and most garlicky I've had in the city. We also got an app that was very crispy outside moist inside (forgot what it was though oops). The inside atmosphere was pretty old school (white tablecloths, lots of Indian families) and quite the gem in the Marina. Service was good and the servers were patient as we explored the menu. Would come back with friends or family read more

Viva Goa - Butter Chicken and Lamb Korma - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Went to Viva Goa for another amazing dinner last night. The service here is always so friendly and quick. They also decorated really nicely for Christmas this time of year. We started with the vegetable samosas which were delicious. Crispy on the outside and warm and flavorful on the inside. For our mains we got the butter chicken and baingan vindaloo (our favorites here). We asked for the vindaloo extra spicy and it came out the perfect amount. Also got garlic naan and rice with the curries. The garlic naan was so good we had to get a second basket later in the meal! Overall this is still my favorite Indian restaurant in SF. The food is consistent, delicious, and affordable, and the service is always welcoming and friendly. read more

Viva Goa - 2 Pieces Vegetable Samosas - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Have been intrigued to try Viva Goa so we did takeaway tonight. Prawn Korma - shrimp in a creamy cashew sauce Lamb Vindaloo- ground lamb in fragrant spices Paneer Pakora - chickpea coated farmer's cheese Naan - both onion and pesto naan breads Basmati rice, Raita yogurt, mango chutney Galub Jamun - rose water & coriander mini donuts Every bite was delicious and even with a hungry teenage swimmer we both ate heartily and still had some leftovers (light lunch?) The Lamb Vindaloo looked like it might be too spicy but it wasn't, just lightly and perfectly so with lots of fragrant spices (cinnamon, fenugreek, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, garlic). It was the standout dish ($17.49). The Prawn Korma (a tomato cashew cream sauce) ($17.99) was so good and didn't skimp on large, juicy shrimp, about 9-10 in this dish. Wasn't a fan of the Paneer Pakora because it was so dense. It was good to dip in the savory tamarind and mint sauces but half of one was enough. I thought the onion naan was too sweet (cooked sweet white onion and/or shallots); the pesto naan was superior. Casual ambiance, good service and our order was ready under the time promised. Would totally return! read more

Viva Goa - (From 12 o'clock) Mango chutney, Prawn Korma, Paneer Pakora, mint sauce, Lamb Vindaloo & Pesto Naan - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been wanting to try viva goa ever since my friend told me it's his go to Indian take out spot! I ordered chicken tikka masala, rice and garlic naan. I appreciated that I could choose the spice level and opted for medium. The spice was no over powering which I appreciated, but probably could handled the spicy version too! Everything was great! Will definitely be ordering again. read more

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High quality meats and fresh ingredients. Consistent dishes and flavors time after time. Well done folks.

30 minutes late for a take out order. Locked bathroom. Unhelpful service. Do not order from here.

Amazing food and customer service! Chicken is well cooked and seasoned, server asked for spice level and kept checking in on us read more

Viva Goa - Butter chicken - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California

We were the first diners to be seated on this particular Wednesday evening. I had scoped out this restaurant as a possibly dinner location during a recent staycation. It was walking distance from our hotel and I confirmed on a restaurant review website that it would be a good place to go. Other diners eventually joined us well into our meal and it was fun to watch a pretty constant stream of helmeted delivery drivers picking up dinner orders. It makes perfect sense that Viva Goa is a neighborhood take out spot given their location on busy Lombard and in the impossible to park Marina. Since our group of three wouldn't be able to take home any leftovers, we had to refrain from sampling too many things. Our order was taken by someone who appeared to be a manager and he helped guide us in keeping the size of our order manageable. One samosa appetizer, one order of white rice, one order of naan, two orders of chicken tikka masala (one not spicy, one between medium and hot) and whatever we might need more of we could add on. The flavors of everything, while adequate, unfortunately didn't reach the levels of raving as our favorite hometown Indian restaurant. It was not a regrettable experience and the waiter and manager were so nice that it pains me to not be able to give a star more. read more

Yep, it's that good. Ordered chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, two kinds of naan, chutneys. Smacked. read more

I ordered takeout vegetable korma and the butter chicken...both very tasty curries. I was a little thrown off by the frozen peas, corn and carrot mix but there were a few other veggies included. Both dishes were extremely mild. I would go back & try some different dishes. The gentleman host was very polite and my order was ready on time. read more

I recently went to Viva Goa with my uncle. We are both Aquarians and both celebrated our born day this past week. I have a friend from Bombay where I have been many times who recommended Viva Goa. He eats both veg and non-veg. He was keen on the fish dishes here. Both me and our uncle are veg aka he is vegetarian and I am vegan so we wanted to check it out here. First off I spent over a year in Goa doing intensive yoga studies with my teachers there. I lived all over Goa and traveled extensively there by a Honda Active scooter as I had hella tapas and loved my time in Goa. Our server approached us. I asked where he was from and he said Goa. I wanted to talk Goa culture from different places I lived and a yatra to Ponda yet he was strictly business like EPMD from Long Island where I lived. No problem though. My uncle ordered the saag paneer, basmati rice, and naan. I went with the Channa Xacuti aka chickpeas and potatoes and a brown rice with roti. Naan here is vegan and so is the roti. We shared the papadam and two piece samosa. Papadam was just fine and samosa was tasty. I found my main dish okay. I cooked at an award winning vegan/vegetarian cafe so am a very good cook in a moment in satya so thought the main could have been better. My uncle thought the same with his main. Both of us had been to India and experienced Indian cuisine in the source. My uncle is at the yoga lifestyle longer than I am alive and I have been at it since 19 and just turned 45. All good though. Maybe we come back again to try something else. Nice so many veg options on the menu. Atmosphere was just fine and service was strictly business as didn't want to chat up Goan culture where I lived over a year which is fine. Satya aka truthful review is FINI. Many vegan options on the menu which was cool including: Vegetable Caldin, Channa Xacuti, Vegetable Biryani, Samosa, Roti, Dal Fry, Saag Aloo, Saag Chana, Bengan Bertha.....and more read more

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Good regular, suggested this delicious dish! Service is great as well! Never eaten in, but seems like it would be a delightful experience. read more

Viva Goa - Channa Masala w/ Naan - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I can see why this place has 4.5 stars. The food was really good and they have great service. We were going to do take-out but decided to dine-in instead. It was not too busy as it was a holiday weekend, but the ambiance was just lively enough. Upon arrival we were greeted by a gentleman and then a young lady took our order shortly after. I can't believe the bill was so low considering we ordered so much. And best of all, the corkage was just $12. Reservations not necessary but I would make one to be safe. I would definitely come back. read more

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I love this place. I order from here often from food delivery apps and have wanted to eat in. The walls were decorated with leafy accents and photos from beaches, adding to the seaside charm of Goa. The service was a bit slow to take our order but once we gave it our food came out in a reasonable amount of time. We tried to order many of the traditional dishes on the menu. I quite liked the sorpotel. While it does have pig intestines, tongue, etc, it had a good amount of spice to it and the meat was tender and complemented by the tangy vinegar. The fish cutlets were slightly crispy on the outside and were packed with well-seasoned fish on the inside. They made for a solid appetizer, and I'd definitely recommend them. Other dishes of note were the goan lamb masala, chicken xacutti, and the fish curry. The paneer was decent. I'd highly suggest getting the Goan dishes over dishes like paneer and butter chicken. The chai was smooth and aromatic, a great way to round out the meal. read more

Viva Goa - Fish Cutlet - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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An absolute gem of a place! Was looking for authentic fish curry and thought Viva Goa might be just the place to find it. We made a reservation for 2 on a Sunday and the restaurant was fairly empty. Great service! Warm and cozy ambiance that is slightly more on the upscale side. Mango lassi- 3/5 pretty typical, ends up being very filling Chai- 3/5 also pretty typical, more on the milky side Channa Xacuti- 4/5 wanted to try an authentic goan dish. Great flavor and has a decent amount of chicken Fish curry- 5/5 the definite favorite! Fish is so so soft Side of rice- 4/5 good portion size but not quite enough to split between 2 people and 2 dishes Garlic naan- 5/5 YUM Bibingka- 5/5!! Perfect end to a meal. Light and sweet. Had a great time and brought my family back when they visited. Stopped in for a table of 4 on a Tuesday and was able to get seated easily. Vegetarian samosas- 5/5 dipping sauce was a great compliment. More medium than mild spicy Fish xacuti- 4/5 forgot what fish dish I ordered last time and think curry is better than xacuti but love both Paneer tikka masala- 5/5 great vegetarian option. Paneer on the stiffer side Mattar paneer- 5/5 similarly, great taste, paneer is a bit more stiff Bibingka- still 5/5!! read more

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Absolutely original and the best ! This place has been there for such a long time but we missed it. The pomfret fry brought back all my memories - totally impressed by the taste or food and service. Affordable prices by all means. Ambiance is relaxed. read more

My absolute favorite Indian food in the city. Everything Viva Goa has is delicious- onion naan is amazing, tandoori fish, chicken tikka masala, samosas are all stars. Not to mention service is top tier. All employees are so kind and make both the dine in experience and take out experience wonderful. I love Viva Goa!! read more

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We stopped by this restaurant today after getting off the Big Bus hop-on hop-off tour at the Cow Hollow/Marina stop--just a short 10-minute walk away. The food was absolutely delicious and reasonably priced. We ordered the chicken tikka masala, chicken lollipops, rice, and naan, all in the non-spicy option. Everything was full of flavor and well-prepared. We're looking forward to coming back and trying the Goan dishes next time! read more

You wouldn't know it from looking at the outside of Viva Goa, that the inside is a spic and span, perfectly proportioned, wondrous restaurant. The staff provide everything that you need and offer helpful suggestions. And they check up to make sure that everything is going well. An appetizer of fish cutlets was good save for the fact that they were unevenly heated. Parts of the cutlets were warmed through and other parts this was not so. But the sauce that came with the cutlets was a little bit of spicy heaven. Lamb Vindaloo tasted like lamb without being gamey. But it was the sauce in which the chunks of lamb resided that made the dish: a perfect balance of sweet and sour. The secret of Viva Goa is the sauces that come with each plate. Great stuff. read more

they were able to take our walk in party of 6 people without a reservation. service was phenomenal, they were very attentive to our needs and offered great food recommendations. food quality was good and there were many options of veggie, meat, and seafood dishes. it's located off a busy street but the ambiance inside is very nice. i would definitely return. read more

Viva Goa - Chicken Lollipops - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Probably some of the best Indian food in the area. Had a large party for a birthday dinner, came on a Thursday night. Service was amazing; the staff was all very friendly and attentive. The place is pretty small overall. Parking is not the easiest, but that's not uncommon in SF. Had a variety of dishes, including chicken biryana, chicken tikka masala, naan, malal kofta, channa masala, and chicken korma. Every dish was amazing, and I had no complaints across the board. Malal kofta was definitely the table favorite. Goan places are hard to find, so I'd recommend trying those dishes. Would highly recommend to anyone, and I'd definitely come back. read more

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Professional, classy, and accommodating. The food is well made and satisfying. Come here for a reliable meal or a charming evening with friends or significant other. read more

Viva Goa - Veggie Korma and Garlic bread in the image above.  Take your friends or significant other here for a charming and tasty night. - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Weekday lunchtime is quiet for them in store so we got to chat with the owner for a few mins - really nice and friendly. We enjoyed the fish cutlets for the appetizer, the fluffy garlic naan, shrimp curry and chicken xacuti. Next time we would go for the creamier shrimp masala with the coconut base. read more

Viva Goa - Shrimp curry and Chicken Xacuti - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Best desi food in town, been going here since 2020 and quality is just as good now as 5 years ago

We were staying a few doors down and happened upon the gem. The service was great. Everything we ordered was delicious. Neither my husband or myself were familiar with the dishes. From the 1st bite you could tell everything was freshly made. We split an order of the vegetable samosas. Yum! I ordered the fish curry. It was perfection. I could eat this dish everyday for the rest of my life and die happy. My husband had the lamb xacuti. It was great, but I liked my fish curry better. We had side orders of naan (delicious) and rice. I can't wait to come back. read more

The Goan potato curry, the daal fry and their plain rice are to sing-dance and smile for! It's like home cooked food! I didn't eat it but I heard that the order of Goan fish curry was also perfect! The portions can be a teeny bit better, cause for four people it seemed to run low. Give it a try, definitely recommend ordering here!!!!! I cannot speak to the ambiance cause it was a take out both times for me. read more

I was the first one in at 5 pm. Ordered Chicken Tikka, Goan Salad and a Roti. Sadly- the only edible thing was Roti. Chicken Tikka- was old and chewy, Lacked Favor. Could not eat. Tried to eat Roti with my Salad by ordering a little sauce. My hands are still bright red (it's fake color). When asked how my food was, I said not good. The gentlemen just smiled. I paid and even tipped 15% for the only lady who seemed to be efficient. Will not visit again! No way! read more

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The food here is incredible, the best Indian spot I have been to in San Francisco! Butter chicken was amazing, the lamb dish that was recommended to us way also great! No complaints and will definitely return read more

Food: 3/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4/5 I wish I could give this place a higher review, but unfortunately we just didn't love it. I'm surprised it has a 4.5 stars. I think 3-4 stars is more accurate. The curry was thicker than I would have liked. Also needed more butter and spices. Service was wonderful. Restaurant is clean/classic Indian but don't love the location on Lombard. read more

Viva Goa - Chicken Tikka Masala (3.5), Butter Chicken (3.5/5), Garlic Naan (4/5), Rice - Indian Near Me - San Francisco, California