Food was 5-star. Service was great. I'm giving one star only because of what I saw in the restroom. I saw the photo of Hindu god Shiva and goddess Parvati in the restroom above the toilet bowl. As a Hindu, this is deeply hurtful and insulting. Even if there's ignorance about the religion, I feel a better place can be found to place god's photo in such a big restaurant that is specially claiming to be Indian restaurant. Hopefully, the owner sees this review and change the location immediately.
Agnes
A word of warning for vegan people: there aren’t any vegan main dish options, so come prepared to nibble on a slim selection of overpriced appetizers and sides.A word of warning for non-vegan people: come prepared to leave hungry unless you order 2 plates/bowls (or maybe a full thali platter). The portions are tiny.The service was quite slow too, but the quality of the food was great, and very adapted to suit the average American palate (i.e. not spicy at all).
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 2
Joaquin Diaz
Long lines are viewed as a bad thing but not at Bollywood. The long lines here represent the patience of people to order delicious food and find a spot to sit and eat. Every food item was delicious. The drinks were just as good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kadambari Adya
Really good food, I had a great experience and my favourite part was when the waitress wouldn’t stop flirting with my boyfriend in front of me. Couldn’t help but wonder if I was wearing my invisibility cloak.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Julia Shaw
My favorite Indian spot in Portland. The food is fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vada Pav
Melanie S.
Too expensive for as small of portions offered and for the quality or taste. Service was really good and so was the ambience. However, I don't think I'd recommend or come back.
Megan Villa
Vegetarian options: I told the cashier I wanted a selection of 4 different vegetarian choices that we'd share family style and he suggested great options.We also added the Gobi Manchurian (Cauliflower) that was a daily special option. Indian food is my favorite ethnic cuisine and I've tried food from many regions but nothing has ever been quite like this. It was fresh and light. Each dish was richly flavored without being too spicy (hot). My kids had no problem eating it.We appreciated the self service counters so you could pack your food to go without waiting.We enjoyed browsing the "spice market" with food and souvenirs while our food was being prepared.The atmosphere was fun and uniquely decorated.Parking: Parking is sparse and after circling many times through the narrow neighborhood streets my husband dropped me off and parked while I ordered and got a table.Wheelchair accessibility: Our daughter was in a wheelchair and we had no problem sliding her up under-the-table around with the rest of our family.
Inviting outside and inside at first glance with Bollywood movies playing on a big screen tv on the wall and Indian souvenirs to browse through for purchase but not the service or the food. One of the main things my husband and I noticed was that none of the cooks in the kitchen were Indian, which raised an eyebrow or two. (We're from the UK where Indian food is prominent on every street and the quality of the food is authentic and flavorful because it's cooked by people from India.)Upon arriving, we stood in line, picked up a menu and looked at the options which we noticed were rather limited and the prices were rather high. There was no Indian beer (my husband was told they serve only locally made beer), Naan or mango chutney which are staples in most Indian restaurants. When we went up to the counter to give our order the woman didn't even crack a smile. We went and sat down and waited for our meals to arrive. The plates we received were small to medium sized, made out of stainless steel like the ones they use in India. The consensus was that the food was OK but not spectacular. My husband's chicken still had the skin on it so the spices that should've been marinated into it didn't even seep into the food which made the meal less tasty - like the sauce was just thrown on top of the chicken - not actually cooked IN the sauce like they do in proper Indian restaurants. My meal had cheese cubes marinated in sauce. There were more cubes than sauce and I ended up with several cheese cubes left on my plate. The one thing we did like was the papadoms but that was about it.Nice idea, but certainly not for a return experience.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Melodye B.
Inviting outside and inside at first glance with Bollywood movies playing on a big screen tv on the wall and Indian souvenirs to browse through for purchase but not the service or the food. One of the main things my husband and I noticed was that none of the cooks in the kitchen were Indian, which raised an eyebrow or two. (We're from the UK where Indian food is prominent on every street and the quality of the food is authentic and flavorful because it's cooked by people from India.) Upon arriving, we stood in line, picked up a menu and looked at the options which we noticed were rather limited and the prices were rather high. There was no Indian beer (my husband was told they serve only locally made beer), Naan or mango chutney which are staples in most Indian restaurants. When we went up to the counter to give our order the woman didn't even crack a smile. We went and sat down and waited for our meals to arrive. The plates we received were small to medium sized, made out of stainless steel like the ones they use in India. The consensus was that the food was OK but not spectacular. My husband's chicken still had the skin on it so the spices that should've been marinated into it didn't even seep into the food which made the meal less tasty - like the sauce was just thrown on top of the chicken - not actually cooked IN the sauce like they do in proper Indian restaurants. My meal had cheese cubes marinated in sauce. There were more cubes than sauce and I ended up with several cheese cubes left on my plate. The one thing we did like was the papadoms but that was about it. Nice idea, but certainly not for a return experience.
Presence
If you want watery curry and no flavor eat here. Don’t recommend for Indian. There’s white ppl running it.
Paneer butter masala had no butter or masala . Chicken curry smelled like fish. Pav bhaji was just ok. The pav is tiny. Rice was terribly undercooked. Fully al denteKati rolls were good.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Odulami B.
It's hard to find great Indian cuisine in Portland and this gem was definitely a find. The interior decor sets a festive mood and boasts generous seating for any size party. You order your food and drinks before choosing your table. There is a great selection of drinks including the classic mango juice. Everything on the menu was delicious and unique. While you won't find the typical curry's, new favorites will easily emerge from the menu. The buns are fire!
Kelvin Y.
Eclectic decor. Great space. yo enjoy tasty Indian food. large Covered outdoor dining space. The Thalis are a complete meal served with a main of your choice plus a variety of excellent side dishes. Service was fast, friendly and efficient!
Mia H.
I had been CRAVING Indian food for a while and my boyfriend surprised me by taking me here! We came right as it opened for dinner so it was pretty empty, but I've seen that if you go later in the evening, it's sure to be packed! The inside is very spacious, beautifully decorated, and there's plenty of seating for parties of any size. We ordered the vada pav and paneer makhani thali meal with a side of chicken. This was the first time I've ever tried a vada pav and it was so delicious. And, the thali meal was so so amazing. So many different things to try and everything was the perfect portion. I loved it so much and highly recommend.
Chetan Swamy
I HIGHLY RECOMMMEN VADA PAV!!Vada Pav here is by far the best I have ever had!! I might be forgetting, but I don’t remember having such a great vada pav even in India. I have been eating at least one vada pav every time I visit either of Bollywood Theater locations since 2019 and the taste has been consistently great. It has improved over time if anything at all. My wife loves Pav Bhaji also here. Other than Vada Pav, I recommend Paneer Kathi roll and chai! Excellent ambiance and amazing service.
Food was 5-star. Service was great. I'm giving one star only because of what I saw in the restroom. I saw the photo of Hindu god Shiva and goddess Parvati in the restroom above the toilet bowl. As a Hindu, this is deeply hurtful and insulting. Even if there's ignorance about the religion, I feel a better place can be found to place god's photo in such a big restaurant that is specially claiming to be Indian restaurant. Hopefully, the owner sees this review and change the location immediately.
A word of warning for vegan people: there aren’t any vegan main dish options, so come prepared to nibble on a slim selection of overpriced appetizers and sides.A word of warning for non-vegan people: come prepared to leave hungry unless you order 2 plates/bowls (or maybe a full thali platter). The portions are tiny.The service was quite slow too, but the quality of the food was great, and very adapted to suit the average American palate (i.e. not spicy at all).
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 2
Long lines are viewed as a bad thing but not at Bollywood. The long lines here represent the patience of people to order delicious food and find a spot to sit and eat. Every food item was delicious. The drinks were just as good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really good food, I had a great experience and my favourite part was when the waitress wouldn’t stop flirting with my boyfriend in front of me. Couldn’t help but wonder if I was wearing my invisibility cloak.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
My favorite Indian spot in Portland. The food is fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vada Pav
Too expensive for as small of portions offered and for the quality or taste. Service was really good and so was the ambience. However, I don't think I'd recommend or come back.
Vegetarian options: I told the cashier I wanted a selection of 4 different vegetarian choices that we'd share family style and he suggested great options.We also added the Gobi Manchurian (Cauliflower) that was a daily special option. Indian food is my favorite ethnic cuisine and I've tried food from many regions but nothing has ever been quite like this. It was fresh and light. Each dish was richly flavored without being too spicy (hot). My kids had no problem eating it.We appreciated the self service counters so you could pack your food to go without waiting.We enjoyed browsing the "spice market" with food and souvenirs while our food was being prepared.The atmosphere was fun and uniquely decorated.Parking: Parking is sparse and after circling many times through the narrow neighborhood streets my husband dropped me off and parked while I ordered and got a table.Wheelchair accessibility: Our daughter was in a wheelchair and we had no problem sliding her up under-the-table around with the rest of our family.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beet Salad, Gobi Manchurian, Paneer Makhani Curry, Pav Bhaji
Inviting outside and inside at first glance with Bollywood movies playing on a big screen tv on the wall and Indian souvenirs to browse through for purchase but not the service or the food. One of the main things my husband and I noticed was that none of the cooks in the kitchen were Indian, which raised an eyebrow or two. (We're from the UK where Indian food is prominent on every street and the quality of the food is authentic and flavorful because it's cooked by people from India.)Upon arriving, we stood in line, picked up a menu and looked at the options which we noticed were rather limited and the prices were rather high. There was no Indian beer (my husband was told they serve only locally made beer), Naan or mango chutney which are staples in most Indian restaurants. When we went up to the counter to give our order the woman didn't even crack a smile. We went and sat down and waited for our meals to arrive. The plates we received were small to medium sized, made out of stainless steel like the ones they use in India. The consensus was that the food was OK but not spectacular. My husband's chicken still had the skin on it so the spices that should've been marinated into it didn't even seep into the food which made the meal less tasty - like the sauce was just thrown on top of the chicken - not actually cooked IN the sauce like they do in proper Indian restaurants. My meal had cheese cubes marinated in sauce. There were more cubes than sauce and I ended up with several cheese cubes left on my plate. The one thing we did like was the papadoms but that was about it.Nice idea, but certainly not for a return experience.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Inviting outside and inside at first glance with Bollywood movies playing on a big screen tv on the wall and Indian souvenirs to browse through for purchase but not the service or the food. One of the main things my husband and I noticed was that none of the cooks in the kitchen were Indian, which raised an eyebrow or two. (We're from the UK where Indian food is prominent on every street and the quality of the food is authentic and flavorful because it's cooked by people from India.) Upon arriving, we stood in line, picked up a menu and looked at the options which we noticed were rather limited and the prices were rather high. There was no Indian beer (my husband was told they serve only locally made beer), Naan or mango chutney which are staples in most Indian restaurants. When we went up to the counter to give our order the woman didn't even crack a smile. We went and sat down and waited for our meals to arrive. The plates we received were small to medium sized, made out of stainless steel like the ones they use in India. The consensus was that the food was OK but not spectacular. My husband's chicken still had the skin on it so the spices that should've been marinated into it didn't even seep into the food which made the meal less tasty - like the sauce was just thrown on top of the chicken - not actually cooked IN the sauce like they do in proper Indian restaurants. My meal had cheese cubes marinated in sauce. There were more cubes than sauce and I ended up with several cheese cubes left on my plate. The one thing we did like was the papadoms but that was about it. Nice idea, but certainly not for a return experience.
If you want watery curry and no flavor eat here. Don’t recommend for Indian. There’s white ppl running it.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Pork Vindaloo
Restaurantji Recommends
Paneer butter masala had no butter or masala . Chicken curry smelled like fish. Pav bhaji was just ok. The pav is tiny. Rice was terribly undercooked. Fully al denteKati rolls were good.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
It's hard to find great Indian cuisine in Portland and this gem was definitely a find. The interior decor sets a festive mood and boasts generous seating for any size party. You order your food and drinks before choosing your table. There is a great selection of drinks including the classic mango juice. Everything on the menu was delicious and unique. While you won't find the typical curry's, new favorites will easily emerge from the menu. The buns are fire!
Eclectic decor. Great space. yo enjoy tasty Indian food. large Covered outdoor dining space. The Thalis are a complete meal served with a main of your choice plus a variety of excellent side dishes. Service was fast, friendly and efficient!
I had been CRAVING Indian food for a while and my boyfriend surprised me by taking me here! We came right as it opened for dinner so it was pretty empty, but I've seen that if you go later in the evening, it's sure to be packed! The inside is very spacious, beautifully decorated, and there's plenty of seating for parties of any size. We ordered the vada pav and paneer makhani thali meal with a side of chicken. This was the first time I've ever tried a vada pav and it was so delicious. And, the thali meal was so so amazing. So many different things to try and everything was the perfect portion. I loved it so much and highly recommend.
I HIGHLY RECOMMMEN VADA PAV!!Vada Pav here is by far the best I have ever had!! I might be forgetting, but I don’t remember having such a great vada pav even in India. I have been eating at least one vada pav every time I visit either of Bollywood Theater locations since 2019 and the taste has been consistently great. It has improved over time if anything at all. My wife loves Pav Bhaji also here. Other than Vada Pav, I recommend Paneer Kathi roll and chai! Excellent ambiance and amazing service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vada Pav, Pav Bhaji, Roll