Fun new eatery to check out, Hyderabadi cuisine! We grabbed lunch at Hashtag India in Milpitas and…read morehad a great experience overall. We ordered the Pachimirchi paneer, chicken tikka burger, veg puffs, garlic naan, street-style noodles, chai, and falooda, and every dish was flavorful and hit the spot. They are known for their very generous Mandi dish, which is a Yemeni dish that gained popularity in Hyderabad due to Yemeni immigrants. It's a combination of flavored rice and a variety of meats. The restaurant was super busy, which speaks to how popular it is, but the service was pretty slow & they were out of many food items as a result. The restaurant has regular seating and, in addition, cute closed booths where you can sit at a low table in the traditional Indian way. They also have some funky prison booths with handcuffs, etc. If you aren't in a massive rush, the food is definitely worth the wait for some solid Indian fusion and street-style favorites. I will be definitely going back to try their famous Mandi Ambiance: 10/10 Service: 8/10 Food: 10/10 Music: 10/10 Seating: indoor & privacy booths Parking: Ample, free parking available Price: $30-$50 per person

We feel like we're back in Hyderabad when we go to Hashtag. They specialize in Mandi and Irani…read morechai. The Zafran chai is beautiful, with pieces of dried rose and saffron. Rich without being too heavy. Mandi is a Yemeni dish that gained popularity in Hyderabad due to Yemeni immigrants to the city. It's a combination of rice and meats. The flavors are more Arabian. Served with Yemeni schug, a green chutney, and tomato onion sauce. I tried fish Mandi and absolutely loved it. The rice was seasoned with hawaij and toasted raisins and almonds, and the fish was nicely crispy and covered in a sauce similar to tikka masala, very tasty. They have a few different kinds of delicious yellow dal that make a great accompaniment to Mandi -- spinach, tomato, mango pickle. The menu is very extensive, with a wide range of Telugu dishes. They have some fun little touches -- Mandi booths and a kitschy jail cell table, which apparently replicates a popular Mandi House in India. The service is very nice and welcoming.

I have been frequenting the Indian Buffet at Biriyani Junction lately thanks to a coworker's…read morerecommendation. The buffet has so much variety from different curries, fried favorites, Biriyani and Rice, fruit, and deserts. They offer meat options like chicken, goat, and even seafood sometimes. They also have a great vegetarian buffet side if you don't eat meat. Make sure to try the Tandoori Chicken, its a must!

$20 lunch buffet at Biryani Junction 7 days a week! What a hidden gem…read more We originally planned to get something else next door but were drawn in by their buffet sign! $20/per person includes naan and soft drinks too. There is also chai on the buffet line. Super easy, just walk and let them know how big your party is then start indulging. Plenty of vegetarian options for folks too. I was most excited about the Pani Puri section. I've only ever had it once and it was such fun and refreshing experience. Another customer was kind enough to help explain how to build a pani puri since I was visibly struggling. The restaurant staff are very attentive and seem to converse a good amount with folks. My one complaint is about the bathroom. It's quite dirty and I really wish the door handle was maintained.

Took a family trip to Monterey from Tracy and decided to stop by here for dinner on the way back…read moreafter seeing the good reviews. The food was a 10/10, particularly the appetizers. Everything was fresh and they even made a custom dish for us that wasn't on the menu. Service was fantastic, every employee was extremely respectful and kind. The restaurant it self is well maintained and clean, providing a great environment to enjoy a family dinner. Will definitely be coming back here soon!

We went for lunch and got a mutton thali and a combo thali . Everything was delicious, very homely…read moreand left us feeling full in a good way. I personally loved the fish fry! Perfectly balanced flavours and the sweet reminded me of home. The chef and the staff checked up on us multiple times and refilled as we needed, appreciate the attention to customers. Loved the whole Indian railway theme and the TV was playing train vlogs of scenic destinations in South India. We will be back for sure!

Great food - super tasty!…read more But the location is terrible. Kind of depressing. They are located in what appears to be some sort of a warehouse in an industrial area. Low ceilings, bad lighting, zero decor. Zero ambiance. A shady vibe.

The food has good taste. However at $50 per person for lunch is way way too much. It is too much…read morefor even dinner per person. This was aloo gobhi, naan, and tamarind drink my friend ordered butter chicken, and dal. Total : $101.

Excellent food and service! Love that they have weekend special thali…read more We loved the Paliyapalam Chicken appetizer stir fried with coconut and shallots. It had mild spice which elevated the other flavors. Non-veg Thaali was truly exceptional with an eclectic mix of chicken and goat curries, sambar rice based Biryani, an omelette and Manchow soup. Chocolate Mousse was an interesting desert choice. The only downer was a single roti was included, wish there were a few considering there were lot of curries. My friend tried the Veg Thaali in which he liked the Vada. He found the curries a bit underwhelming. I enjoyed the Chikoo milkshake, reminded me of childhood. Definitely plan to visit again soon :)

Stopped by for Friday lunch. Tried their Fish thali. Fish was tender and yummy but Fish gravy was…read moreso sour, I felt acidity while eating it. Same story with Rasam. Never tasted so sour Rasam in my life. I am yet to try other dishes so giving the benefit of doubt to the restaurant by giving neutral 3/5 rating. Perhaps other dishes are not as sour as what I experienced. The waiter however was very nice and the ambience good. This looks like mostly a takeout place near Walmart and Big Al's. I will be back to try their biryani and give a final review.

We usually come for weekend lunch buffet then tried their dinner menu for the first time…read more The food is delicious and well seasoned. Our veg favorites include gobi manchurian, malai kofta, and the paneer "sizzler" type of dish. Service is great as well. Saturday afternoons get busy so expect a buzzing atmosphere. Raunak has become a go to for us.

3.5*s rounding up for now…read more **USP: Indian North Indian style buffet. Buffet available all seven days, weekend buffet is slightly more expensive but has a larger spread. **AMBIANCE: large floor to ceiling height but the place is small, it felt real cramped during the weekend buffet when it was packed with people. Their service area is also tight. They had to put two dishes in each chaffing dish to optimize. Weekday buffet was not as packed and i infact saw a huge corporate team gathered for lunch. ***FOOD: doesn't feel like a luxurious buffet due to lack of space but they did have a decent spread with 3-4 veggie appetizers, 3-4 non veg appetizers, 4-5 desserts, Pani puri, fresh table side naan (which was done very beautifully), two varieties of biryani, fried rice, indo Chinese items, 3-4 varieties of non veg curries, 3-4 varieties of veg curries, salad, drinks etc. As with any buffet there will be hits and misses, I for one enjoyed the varied options and the unlimited Pani puri though it was on the sweeter side. The weekend buffet was definitely worth the price tag of $23, the weekday buffet on the other day felt expensive at $20 as the number of items were significantly lower.

Indian Canteen, Milpitas -- A Bollywood-Style Feast Worth the Wait…read more Ambience & Vibe Walk in and you're greeted by a wall-to-wall tribute to Bollywood--bright movie posters, upbeat Hindi tunes, and on weekend nights, live musicians who turn the dining room into a mini film-set concert. Traditional low tables invite you to kick off your shoes and settle onto floor cushions, instantly adding a cozy, almost homestyle feel. What We Ordered * Chicken Mandi - A show-stopping platter of fragrant basmati rice crowned with perfectly roasted chicken. The portion is generous (see photo!) and the spice profile leans savory-warm rather than tongue-scorching, so everyone at the table can dig in. * Mutton Curry - I rarely gamble on mutton when eating out, but this one converted me. The meat was melt-in-your-mouth tender, swimming in a rich, slow-cooked gravy that balanced heat with a gentle hint of clove and cardamom. Absolutely outstanding. Service & Pace There's a sign at the entrance: "This is not fast food. Great taste takes time." Believe it. Dishes are cooked to order, so expect a leisurely wait. The staff checks in just enough to keep you updated, and once the platters hit the table you'll agree the patience tax is totally justified. Pro Tips 1. Go with friends--the mandi platter is made for sharing. 2. Weekends mean live music; arrive a bit early if you want prime floor-seat real estate. 3. Plan for 20-30 minutes from order to first bite; use the time to soak in the music and décor. Bottom Line Indian Canteen's mix of Bollywood flair, floor seating, and from-scratch cooking turns dinner into an experience. If you're craving authentic mandi and a mutton curry , mark this spot on your Milpitas food map--and don't forget to bring your patience and your camera.

This place was a major letdown. I came in with high expectations after seeing a few Instagram…read morereels--especially excited to try the Mandi--but left thoroughly disappointed. We ordered crispy corn, baby corn pepper fry, chicken 65, malai kofta, dum ka murg, naans, and mutton Mandi. Every single dish was extremely oily--borderline inedible. The food didn't taste fresh, and both, the veg and non-veg curries tasted exactly the same. Overall, nothing stood out--in fact, everything felt overly greasy and underwhelming. Definitely not worth the hype. Disappointing!

Absolutely delicious! I ordered delivery, so I unfortunately don't have anything to share about the…read moreservice or ambience. I will, however, say that their samosa chaat and vegetable chow mein were delightful! I'm a sucker for Indo-Chinese food, so when I saw chow mein on the menu, I of course had to get some, and man was I glad that I did! The noodles were perfectly thin, the vegetables were grilled to perfection, and the dish had a great variety of textures. The samosa chaat was sensational and very unique. I loved the layering of flavors and textures and the toppings. 10/10 would recommend!

This is a small, no-frills Kolkata cuisine restaurant in Milpitas, and the ambience is pretty…read morebasic. It's a fully self-serve setup--you order and pay at the counter, pick up paper plates, plastic cutlery (which I'm personally not a fan of), and napkins from the front, and once you're done eating, you're expected to clear your table as well. Given all of this, the expectation of tipping feels a bit confusing. That said, we came here for the food--and it truly delivered. My husband is Bengali and was craving authentic Bengali food, so we decided to try this place over the weekend, and we absolutely loved it. We started with the mutton (goat) cutlet and Mughlai paratha. The mutton cutlet was adequately stuffed, fried crispy to perfection, and tasted really good. The Mughlai paratha by itself was just okay, but when paired with the aloo tarkari (potato curry) it became an instant hit. For the main course, we ordered chicken chow mein and Katla fish curry with white rice, and both dishes truly transported us straight to Kolkata. The flavors were incredibly authentic, homely, and comforting--exactly the kind of food you crave when you miss home. I really wanted to try rasgulla, but I was so full that I had to skip it this time. Definitely going back to try more items from the menu--purely for the food. If you're looking for authentic Kolkata flavors and can overlook the basic setup, this place is absolutely worth a visit.