26 Best Indian Restaurants in Berkeley

“This is the best Indian food you can get in Berkeley! (Even better than Viks) We got the Vada Pav, Masala Chai and Donne Biryani. Everything tasted great and authentic! Vada pav reminded me of homemade ones in Bombay. Owner was very nice and welcoming. We are definitely coming back for sure!“

“I’ve been here a few times— usually during happy hour. I will say, when you catch the staff before the happy hour rush, the service and food is really spot on. Once I went during a very busy time and the service was slower than I’d anticipated, but Jack was really helpful in making sure I go the service I deserved and was really gracious when my order was messed up. The food is really flavorful and the drinks are well made!“

“DELICIOUS!! Best Indian in Bay Area!!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND:
Veggie pakora
Samosa
Chicken Mikahi
Paneer Tikka Masala
Veggie Briyani
Onion Naan
Rice Pudding

If you LOVE Indian food, do yourself a favor & GO TO THIS RESTAURANT!! You will LOVE it!!“

“Clean efficient great for gathering (outdoors) or to grab and go. The food is fresh with dishes like dosa, made to order. Indian food is part of my heritage, so the grocery store next door is a bonus.“

“Best Indian cuisine in all of Berkeley, do yourself a favor and stop in! great people, great food, a real gem in the city.“

“The best Momos and butter chicken and many other things you will eat in Berkeley. Have been living here since 4 years and I make it a point to walk down to the Resturant from the hills at least twice a week for their delicious food. The food tastes like what we eat at home, spices are a perfect blend, and the produce always taste fresh. Khendu & Gopal, the hard working couple behind the Resturant are super friendly and very kind.
It’s very close to University so you all see a lotta kids come for a hot meal & the love the couple have these kids is so beautiful.
I highly recommend Momo Masala. Our favorite place in Berkeley !“

“My dinner partner and I both agree that the physical atmosphere, and food were excellent. The place was almost empty on a Sunday night yet the service was mediocre. We had to keep tracking down the waiter for our hot water for the tea, box for take away, etc. Inattentive. The staff also seemed unhappy or dissatisfied with their jobs. The prices have gone up so don’t feel we got value for our money“

“love this place. Food is fresh and delicious. Owner is also very hospitable and always greets us with a warm 😃“

“I love what they're doing here. The food is insanely good and I think the ordering system is brilliant—allowing for less food waste and an expansive menu. My wife also wants to point out that it was ready promptly. Tbh it could have been an hour late and I still would have given in 5 stars.“

“I had the chicken Tika Masala Burrito, it is one of the best meals I’ve had in the Bay. Don’t sleep on this place, if you don’t like it then you are a hater. I’d fly all the way back to California from Chicago just to have that burrito again.“

“I went to this place for lunch for the very first time and it is some of the best Indian food I have had in the US! I ordered a Thali and it had a lot of food items and it was very filling. The food was so tasty - I loved it! I’m definitely coming back here, for sure. And the thali cost me under $18. The quantity of food for the price I paid was really amazing! I’m glad I went there today and had such tasty food.“

“I've never ever had a bad experience at Ajanta. Top notch food with first class service in a lovely restaurant. This is the place to go for the best Indian food in the Bay Area in my opinion. And great for special occasions too - we went there for Father's Day this year and it was the perfect choice. Everyone loved everything they ordered from appetizer to dessert.“

“I’d give it 10 stars if I could.

It is authentic Pakistani taste. LEGIT family owned and operated (the owner’s grandkids are often seen which is so sweet). I feel comfortable taking my baby there in her stroller as the temperature is perfect for her and they’re very kid friendly in case she has a meltdown.

Tastes like a feast in a Pakistani home. Which is like Indian taste but slightly better (in my honest opinion Pakistani taste and masalas are more flavorful)”. A Pakistani baji/aunty (who i think is the daughter in law of the owner) is the chef so it’s as authentic as it gets.

Their Nihari is second to none. I drive an hour from Pacifica to have it. Their chai (“milk tea”) is good too not overcooked at all which some establishments do.
Goat Paya is a delicacy of slow cooking mutton feet which isn’t attempted by many restaurants because of how time consuming and technical the dish is. They do it soo well.

Everything is halal. Highly highly recommended. They’ve been operating here for decades and have a fan base spanning years and years. And for good reason. They’re really sweet. Shout out to Hina baji who is the nicest server ever, she even remembered my order from when I used to come here with my pregnancy cravings!

BUT the best thing is that it is never too crowded that i cant find a seat. They always accept walkins. Prices are reasonable. Parking is easy to find too. Do try it!“

“Food is great. Service is prompt. Place is clean. We tried malai boti roll , samosa, and chicken tikka fries. They are generous with chatnis. Chai was lovely. Nutella paratha was a great fusion twist. The Owner is very attentive. Will highly recommend this place if you are visiting Berkeley, you must try this place.“

“Halal!! Not sure what to make of this place; food was good; we had the Papadi chaat: not bad; the papas was a bit hard; and there Saturday special: Chicken 65 Calupa: very tasty; the chalup is like a thick puri and the small mango cubes were a good touch

Atmosphere: very small tables and not enough for even 3 people; they also done do a good job of cleaning after someone leaves; it’s up to you to do it;
There is no service as you have to order on kiosk and menu is a bit confusing…“

“Great food! Nice, friendly staff!“

“Yummmm. They should have a higher rating!! Their food is really tasty. And it’s not greasy like some of the other Indian restaurants around. I got the butter chicken to go and it came with a leg and thigh. Was surprised to get two big pieces of chicken. I ate them so fast I ended up in food comatose. Oops.

The meal comes with rice and a little salad. It doesn’t cost as much as other restaurants and is far better tasting. Going to be back to try more of their food.“

“Service was quick. Food was very good. Prices are quite reasonable and incude rice. They are also very generous with the appetizers and bread. 2 people can eat lunch here for around $30 including tax and tip which is very reasonable these days.“

“I love Thayir Sadam. It’s an authentic South Indian comfort food that tastes so amazing, clean and fresh. The service was excellent and the owner was very friendly and helpful
Thank you for bringing this to our neighborhood
I will be back soon“

“Took a risk on this place despite it being too new to have reviews, and I'm very glad I did. The restaurant has a cozy vibe with Karam boards and complimentary chai. Server was extremely nice, and even gave me complimentary rice with my appetizer. Food was also very good. I got the Fried Momo and the Chili Paneer. All felt like it was freshly prepared and had good quality ingredients. Definitely going back for a more complete meal.“

“Great food and great drinks! Friendly staff. You have to come by and check it out.“

“Great place for Indian and Nepalese food, with a lot of options. I tried Paneer Tikka Masala with Brown Rice, and thought it was pretty good (although it could have been a little more spicy). Great service as well. If you don't find parking in Solano Street or simply don't want to pay, you can find some free street parking around 7-10 mins walk from the restaurant (for example, Marin Ave near the fountain).“

“It's been a while since I've been but it's a great restaurant that I went to in college. The owner (I think Sangita dd) she's also really nice too, great service (compared to other Nepali restaurants I've been to in area) and great momo/ food options!!“

“Great food and lots of outdoor seating“

“Good cheap eats. Sort of fun to get your own chai, as much as you want.“

“What an interesting concept…. It amounts to a self serve credit card for beer. Great variety, pour a taste, try another…….what fun! The staff was quite lovely, attentive as well. The menu includes all manner of options although I went for the beer. The pizza was very tasty, aromatic, so two thumbs for the ‘za but can’t say much more than that for food. Atmosphere was dark, club-like, so not the place for bright and airy (but we’re talking beer drinking here so….. who cares!)“