BIryani Pot frequently has a line out-of-the-door at 10pm on weeknights, and for good reason - it's some of the best Indian food in the area, which is the same as saying its some of the best food in the city. I'm not saying there are drugs in the food, but IF there were drugs in the food, it would be pure meth; two bites of anything medium spice-level or higher and you'll be tweakin' for hours. Call it Breaking Hyder-Bad. My favorite item on the menu so far is gongurra mutton curry. I'd not tried it before eating here, but the owner recommended it. It's a dark, rich curry sauce with big chunks of bone-in goat, and it's amazing. Other stand outs are goat korma and malai kofta - both incredible. An appetizer called chicken-65 is tounge-melting spicy - small pieces of fried chicken covered in bright red seasoning. I'm not sure about the name, but it is definitely delicious, and easily top three spiciest dishes in Houston. Their palak paneer is great, but not as good as the dishes mentioned above. Seeing as they've named their restaurant after it, the biryani was strangely uneventful. It's good - mine had a whole chicken buried within and a hard-boiled egg on top - but not good enough to distract me from the curries. Unfortunately, the service is awful, so my last few trips have been take-out. Despite that, the food is absolutely incredible, and it more than justifies putting up with inattentive waiters. read more

If you're looking for some awesome and authentic Indian food, check this place out. The service is very good and fast, everyone who works there is nice. My personal favorite dish is the Chili Paneer, technically an appetizer but it's incredible. You can tweak the spice of any dish so whether you think pepper is spicy or you're a fire breathing dragon, you won't go hungry! They can prepare some onion and garlic free dishes as well if you have dietary restrictions. The chai is pretty good too! read more

Service just plain sucks. I came here yesterday with my boyfriend and I was iffy about it as is because I'm not too keen on my meal entirely consisting of rice. Nonetheless, I decided to give it a try. We sat down, ordered our food and waited. (Side note: the silverware they had out on the table still had bits of food on it which turned me off to begin with) It took a while but when the food finally came, the waiter spilled some of the curry that comes with the biryani on my boyfriend and I. I was pretty upset because I had on a white sweater....Anyway, he apologized and I understand mistakes happen. The manager there came by to apologize but it had already ruined my mood and his too. We debated for a few minutes whether we should go elsewhere. But we were hungry. I tried the Hyderabadi Chicken Dum biryani (after asking for a set of clean silverware) and it was pretty good. I tried his Paneer Biryani which I thought was tasty but he wasn't too impressed. (He usually orders the Vegetable Biryani) In a situation like this, if I were the manager or owner of a restaurant, I would comp the customers bill for the experience they had so were hoping the same. The manager came by asked if we wanted something for dessert (complimentary) we said no. He then brought us the check. For a first timer at this restaurant, I am very disappointed. Clearly, Biryani Pot does not prioritize customer service and satisfaction. Houston has plenty of other options to satisfy biryani cravings. But if we do ever decide to order from here again, it will definitely be to-go. read more

OMG --- what awesome food you have Biryani Pot! From your princely Biryani, to your fantastic garlic naan, to the other awesome dishes, this is a fantastic place for Indian. I've been all over Houston -- looking for fresh, awesome and fantastic Indian. This is your place. Whether you are vegan, vegetarian or a carnivore, you can find SOMETHING on this menu you can eat. My Suggestions? Any of their Biryani. goat, chicken, veggie -- ALL of it is good. Veggie Pakora -- onions and peppers coated in chickpea flour and deep fried. A gift from the gods. Goat chops from heaven -- little baby goat chops in spices and served up with onions. Stay away from the Tandoori Chicken -- it was mostly dry. Was hoping that it was going to be awesome like almost everything on the menu, but it wasn't. So, why just 4 stars? well, one, the service can be slow -- and if its a Friday or Saturday, forget trying to get a table. There are probably less than 20 tables in the place, so it gets crowded and you might have to wait 30 mins to get a table. Other than that, GO! Get your butt over here and enjoy some of the best Indian that I have found in Houston. read more

We have been here twice and the food here is pretty good, however the service here can use a lot of help. Also the awesome lunch menu that on the menu didn't exist neither did the soup on a very cold day. Appetizer - Spicy Chicken something was really good, I ordered twice. Very well flavored and spicy. Briyani - was good, but not awesome. It is one of the better briyani if you are craving it and not want to make it yourself. Butter chicken - was the best thing their surprisingly. Very flavorful and the chicken was juicy. Service had some major challenges, the first day we went with my coworkers and some didn't get appetizers till the end, some got their meals and some didn't till 20 minutes later even though they were the same thing. Getting a hold of someone is also a challange and any comment or question you have to the waiter he says " just one minute" and you don't see him for like 5-10. read more

I have been to this place multiple time and despite of the long wait and okayish ambience.. I LOVE THE BIRYANI !! Its the taste which draws me to this place and honestly the wait and ambience doesnt count for the awesome taste. I can totally relate it with the authentic Hydrabadi Biryani I had back in Hyderabad, India. Plus you can always get a togo :) read more

First of all, unless you are trying to impress a date or a business meeting with a restaurant's "ambiance", don't come here. When I go to a restaurant (besides "American food"), I look at two things: 1) their customers and 2) their food. And their food: it's THE best Indian food that I've had since I'd moved to Houston 9 years ago. I've had good Indian food in Chicago and in NYC. For 9 long years I've traveled like a nomad in search of good Indian food in Houston...and I've found it. If my date doesn't like this good shit, I'd be more than happy to drop her off at Chili's and come back to pick her up after I've eaten at Biryani Pot. The food is THAT good. I try not to get the "usual dishes" (and 9 times out of 10, I don't). I want the real deal; the food they eat at home. And I've found it. Yes, it's spicy. Yes, you'll feel beads of sweat dripping from your head (but, they do provide you with a lot of water). In regards to the customers: regardless of what type of cuisine you or I prefer, if I want Chinese food and I walked into a restaurant that had no Chinese peeps, I'd turn around and walk right back out. For me, the same if I were to prefer Greek food one day and walked into a Greek restaurant full of Asians....I'd turn around and walk right on out. The only "bad" thing that I can say about this gem is that they close after 2:30PM (lunch crowd) and won't reopen until around 5:30PM or so for the dinner crowd. And, because of this and their small strip mall parking lot, it's usually a madhouse around lunch and dinner. I'll give them 5 stars...and please more water! Oh, and if they would only stay open later into the evenings. read more

Biryani Pot is legit. How do I know? There was a line of brown people out the door during a Friday lunch rush. When you walk inside, it smells VERY strongly of Indian spices. It settled in my hair and clung to my clothes for hours. I had just showered. We each got the non-vegetarian weekday lunch combo which came with a number of items I didn't understand because I don't speak Hindi. You get to pick your main course, and I can't stress enough that the goat biryani is the way to go. As sides, we received chicken curry, lentils, tandoori chicken, naan, salad, and dessert. It's great having variety. I loved the naan, and if I return, I'll definitely get a full order. The "salad" was two slices of cucumbers and tomatoes. The dessert was a coconut mystery. The waiter couldn't explain what it was, and I don't know how to describe it besides that it wasn't my cup of tea. The star was the goat biryani (duh). It was very spicy, and not just for weak little me. The spice just stays at the back of your throat. My friends were sweating and chugging water too, but we agreed it was completely worth the pain. 'Twas a good meal. I didn't even mind having to shower again after. read more

Ordered to go order like we normally do for this restaurant because the service here suck. Today hubby went to pick up the order, It was so poorly packed the rice spilled everywhere in the bag. He had to repack it himself and to top it off the guy who handed him the bag of food was giving him attitude. Worst of all, we were given cold food. I think this is the final straw for the hubby, we are probably never going back there again. read more

just had this and Im still effn salivating looking at the pictures, I had quite a BIT and didnt wobble back in like a michellin girl. Im gonna be trying alll kindsa sorts from here henceforth this is a pure gem. Courteous staff , cool environ. Was almost scared to stop in after reading a roach report but convinced myself my other fav place had creepers before but the food was still awesome so came anyway. Looked clean to me. Really dunno what I had all I know is there was all kinds of varied chicken pieces in different sauces and alll those shhts were slobbing off the bone juicy then there was a hidden one in some rice and it took everything in me to not grab the bone like a cavewoman and suck it to the gristle. ....so I got a box and did just that at my desk :D see u soon Birbirrr!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

The goat biryani was good as compared to chicken one! The portion size was great to serve 2 people! read more

Ordered tadka dal, chicken korma and ginger fish masala with garlic naan and plain rotis. Dal was average, but had many pieces of red chilies floating away. chicken korma was OK, nothing to shout about. Prepare to go to the ER for third degree burns with the ginger fish masala!! We love spicy food in general but this was definitely WAY TOO SPICY!! There were chunks of dried red chilies with the seeds peeking all throughout this dish!! What were they thinking?!?! I'd love to see them eating this. The worse naans and rotis we've ever eaten. And we eat out, a lot. ps: my husband got this order to-go, and requested many times to go mild with the chilies and spices. yet the orders came either spicy and WAY TOOOOOO SPICY!!! Call the fire engine to calm the fire that has engulf our mouth and stomach!!!! Would never ever return or recommend this place to anyone. read more

Been searching for great Biriyani for so long after I came back from Andhra. I always had hope that Houston will definitely deliver this in due time. 59 was backed up this morning, so I decided to take the scenic route of Westhiemer. I glanced to my right and there I saw, sent from heaven screaming at me, "Biriyani Pot." Well heck, if you're gonna name your entire restaurant after such a coveted dish, it must be worth trying. So there I was, lunch time, right at 12PM. Lines already backed up. The party of 50 before me was waiting for a table, or shall I say tableS. Well...50ish...perhaps closer to 10, but whatever. We finally got a table, after the genius one waiter for the entire place man, took our order when we were in line. I see Indians all around me, so now my hopes are definitely getting higher. I ordered the Chicken Biriyani, and after my first bite....the memories of Hyderabad rushed back. And for those who say it isn't "authentic," well perhaps my memory have failed me, but even so...it was pretty darn good. The portion was so great, I'm eating the rest of it for dinner right now as I type this review. So of course I had to order the chai. And of course, that didn't disappoint either. Did they use real goats milk?? Cheers Houston for keeping it more and more amazing with places like this! To the Business: Ever thought of buying more tables and chairs? Seems like you can maximize your space to keep us smiling Biriyani all day long. read more

We came here on a Friday night around 7pm and luckily were able to get seated immediately (unlike the line that was forming when we were wrapping up our meal). Chicken Tikki Masala: I thought the flavors were good and liked that I was mild (I sadly can't eat anything too spicy) Gongora Mutton Curry (goat): Incredibly flavorful but way too spicy for me (even though they said it could come mild, I think when you stew it for so long in crazy spices, there's no way of backing the heat off). Husband really liked it Garlic Basil Naan: Super yum. Had never had one with basil in it and the aroma was delightfully intoxicating! Would definitely come back to try their other dishes. Almost wish we had a bigger group with us...seems like the place you'd want to get a bunch of different ones and share them family-style! read more

I am trying hard to understand why would anyone rate this place more than 1 star. The biryani is their only saving grace and only edible food. But then too, it does not offer anything great and is equalled in taste by places like Hyderabad house and himalaya. Now let me get started on other dishes. Any chicken dish will be a chilly coated pieces in a deluge of masala flavour. And believe me , the flavour is same in every dish. be it chicken chettinadu or chicken tikka masala. its just chilli, hot and bloody red. Once i ordered hariyali chicken just to check how they will make this dish. As expected it was fried chicken pieces in bitter palak paste. After i complained they promptly took it away to substitute it with the same red curry i have described above. Go there , if you are high on dope or feel like eating biriyani out of a bucket. Else entertaining such establishments who take amateur foodies and expatriates for a ride should be pulled down. "iam writing this with a slight stomach upset from pepper chicken i had at this very place yday", as usual it was red , with red chilly and pepper and a strong ginger flavour sprayed all over it . How i missed the real pepper chicken when i ate that shit is unfathomable. every other time than the first time, i was taken to this place by a larger group who decided to go on the whims and fancies of some indecisive bloke. Strictly avoidable if bad food scars you for life. read more

Love this place! I've been here twice now and I'll be back with friends and family. The first time I tried the biryani non-vegetarian lunch special. So much food! So much great flavor and the price tag doesn't hurt at $8.99, We most recently went for dinner. My grandpa had the shrimp curry which was full flavor and a bit mild compared to a few of the other dishes we tried. My dad got the goat vindaloo. He said the goat was well seasoned and very tender. I wish they served some palate cleansers during dinner time as they do at lunch. It's always nice to have some fresh lettuce or cucumber to cool the mouth down between bites. There isn't that much space and it does tend to get busy so be prepared for a wait especially at peak dinner time. read more

I am not indian but i ate with one, so does that count? We ordered take out, 2 orders of chicken biryani and an order of samosas. It took about 20 minutes to have it ready on a Sunday night at 6:30. The tables started to fill up and they are a little restaurant, so be sure to come earlier peak dinner time if you want to eat in or get your food fast to go. The biryani is HOT, spicy I mean 9 out of 10. they don't even ask you, btw. It just comes that hot. And you pour the yogurt on to help with the spice. There were about 3 pieces of chicken and the rest is rice. For the two of us, one order would have been enough, but if you want chicken then yes you have to get two orders. The rest of the bowl is packed with rice, enough rice to feed everyone in the village. The samosas were good, small petite vegetarian and wrapped in chinese spring roll wraps. It was good, I wouldn't say authentic. Parking is small lot and right next to nail shop and tattoo place in a strip mall. The food was good, we will be back! read more

When I first passed this place, I thought to myself "About TIME someone opened a biryani-devoted rst." Well... when I finally decided to stop by, the restaurant was closed. That was interesting. When I tried again, the wait was a mess. People were standing all over the place waiting to get their food, or even to get a seat. While their biryani was good, their prices are ridiculous. I will definitely not be paying $12 for rice again. read more

Reminds of Hyderabad. Authentic hyderabadi biryani, tandoori.. Great place to have the deccan cuisine. BiryaniPot: Maintain the same taste, not just leaving as an initial start up promotion read more

This place has the best Hyderabadi chicken biryani! I have been coming here regularly (when I say regularly, I mean thrice a week!) and they have never disappointed me. The taste is always consistent, the quantity is filling and the food is a total value for money! I have tried quiet a few stuff from their menu and all of it is good. This place gets crowded during lunch and dinner times, especially on weekend....which is always a good sign of a nice restaurant. Its worth waiting in line because the food is worth it. Or just take a to go....they make it quick. The ambiance is not fancy, but its decent. Its clean and presentable. The staff is friendly and co-operative. If you want to enjoy some real nice Indian food, this place should be on your list! read more

I used to like their food. This is not a clean place to eat. The customer service has gone down hill, well don't expect them to be respectful. I went to pick up my order and they didn't have a certain item available so they never called to notify us. It seemed they started working on the order after I got there. I got there 30 minutes after ordering, it was supposed to be ready in 20 minutes, waited over 15 minutes there by myself. Definitely saw a server biting his nails and then the bringing food. read more

The staff here are friendly and I love their food, especially the naan. The first time I ever had Indian food was here. Biryani Pot made a fantastic impression of Indian food to me. I love the red glasses and the small, comfortable environment. My boyfriend loves the dish with the rice and he orders it with chicken. Everyone around us always seems to order it too. However, I personally, am in love with the Chicken Tikka Masala (spelling). I could eat that all day, every day! read more

I recommend trying it at least once to check it out. The food itself was pretty good, but hard for me to say it's the best or better than other places in town, and for that I will give it 3 instead of 4 or 5. Here's some cons: parking lot is small and awkward. They had 2 or 3 reserved spots directly in front, and someone standing there (seemingly full time) to make sure no one else parks there unless going to the restaurant. Seemed weird when I pulled up.....luckily we got one of the reserved spots. 2nd main thing....not sure if they are rude, don't feel like talking, or don't speak well in general....but the vibe feels to me like they are rude. The food was good, but was it good enough to outweigh the cons??? read more

Last minute to-go order: First time here and won't be my last. Fast and efficient, ordered the chicken biryani and chicken vindaloo extra spicy. Both were fantastic and the spice was just right. Took approx 15 mins to acquire my food, did not take long and well worth the wait. Decent amount of food, definitely shareable. read more

Biryani Pot - Chicken vindaloo, extra spicy: to go order - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

Went in for lunch on a Friday and was given a 10min wait time. RIGHT before we're about to get seated a group of 6 came in, greeted the host and were told they'd be seated in the table that was opening up. We asked 'How can this be, we were here and have been waiting?'. The hostess explained that these men had called ahead of time to put their name on the waiting list - not a specific reservation time, just name on the waiting list even though they weren't physically in the restaurant. While I was still pleading our case with the host (because we were hungry watching people eat for 15 min already) another group of people came in claiming they had their names on the list as well. So here we are, seconds away from being seated and all of a sudden there are two groups in front of us. None of the employees seemed to know what was going on. If that wasn't bad enough, there's some issue with the sharing of the parking lot with other tenants in the strip center, so they've hired a guy to direct people who are eating at the restaurant to park in certain spots. Some parking spots are reserved for those businesses only, but there is a section of the small lot that has no signage, so open parking I assumed. But after parking, upon entering the restaurant, we were hassled by parking attendant to move our car into a different spot because our parking spot was in front of another business's storefront (but had no signage). We were hassled and so were the two other groups who had called in to put their names on the waiting list. Frustrations to say the least. Hear the food is good, but I almost blew a fuse before even sitting down, so I won't ever return to this place. read more

Tip: go for a meat biryani, although the veggie one is good too (like this is even a tip). I'm a minority. I was a super minority inside Biryani Pot -- that's how you know you in the right place. I walk in with my gf. It is all pretty standard, just tables spread out across the floor. Nothing fancy, nothing grungy. A server comes out quickly and takes our order: Vegetable Biryani, Chicken Tikka Marsala, and naan. I taste the Tikka Marsala. Hm, sweet and tangy. good, not the best. Huge bowl of biryani is served. Everything goes well together on my plate. No complaints from me. Will I be back? Maybe, if I'm in the area. Is it a Top 5 spot? Nah. Top 15? Maybe. Biryani Pot is good enough to try. read more

Everything par to subpar. We came in a large group and we were able to try a ton of different items since we basically all shared. Nothing wow'ed me. Everything I had I've had better at other places. Food isn't terrible and portions were decent but it wouldn't be my first pick. If I was around then maybe I'd drop in. Prices aren't the most attractive either, maybe lunch is. The service was terrible though. They would bring out plates and not even know what they were. They ask if you want spicy and would bring out 2 plates and not know which one was spicy. Dinner took forever and a day as well. read more

Great lunch specials and lots of food. I enjoy the goat biryani and the chicken biryani. The curry are spicy and full of flavor. This sauces are amazing and definitely the white one is a life saver then the pallet gets too hot. I think this place is great for get togethers with people as I've run into plenty of friends when dining or stopping by here. Parking can be scarce at time but there's additional parking in the pack. I've seen a parking attendant directing people before to open spots. I knocked off a star because their to go process can be really slow and not always right. I've ordered to go multiple times, even giving them plenty of time to get the order ready but every single time I've come by to get my order, it is NEVER ready. It can just be one biryani to go and it's not ready. The guy would tell me 20 minutes but I even gave them 30 or 45 minutes just to be safe so I can get in and out. Nope, I'd wait an extra 25 minutes for my order. I've ordered food for my work friends and gave them an hour... not ready. Idk what goes on if they really just wait for me to be there for they get the food ready but it's really annoying. read more

Not the best Veg biryani but still quite good. Can be little more spicy. Not too expensive. You get veg biryani in 7.99. Decent service and good staff. Be ready to wait during peak time. They can improve overall experience by improving ambiance. read more

My husband and I love this place. It's tough to find parking for lunch, but we've not had problems for dinner necessarily. We've also noticed that they've got a pretty lively take out and catering business. Every time we've eaten there, they have at least 3 orders waiting to be picked up. We've liked everything we've ordered there. LOVE the gobi manchurian. Oh my gosh, I don't even know how to express how delicious it is. The crispy fried cauliflower with the sweet and spicy is just amazing. We also love the naan, especially the garlic basil naan. Don't pass it up! As for entrees, we've gotten several different options. I really liked the Malai Kofta and the Navarathan Kurma. Both are very flavorful. We've also gotten the Hyderabadi Goat and Chicken Dum Biryani. The one thing we weren't such a fan of is that the meat pieces had more bone than meat. We got the Murg Masala, which we enjoyed as well. This has become our go-to spot for a Friday night dinner. Would highly recommend. read more

My husband and I LOVE this place! They have the tastiest dishes. Our favorite is their biryani, cafe samosas, and gobi manchurian. YUM YUM! One thing to be careful is your clothes and hair will smell like curry after a coming out of the restaurant. :) read more

Nice restaurant, motivated staff and food is nice. Most Indian restaurants will not invest more money in making the place nice. I have seen this place transformed from a mediocre place to an awesome dine in place in terms of ambience. Food - I would give 4 stars to most of their dishes as I have tried most of them in several occasions. Overall, nice and very decent Indian restaurant. read more

THE BEST BIRYANI i have tasted in awhile!!!!!! That's all the review you need, yes its that good! read more

Biryani Pot - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

Good service goes a long way, and this place does not have it. It took us forever to even get water. We then ordered 3 goat biriyani, 1 chicken biriyani, and potato samosas. We waited a good 45 min and asked the waiter a few times what was going on with our order. On a good note, the food was great, but is it worth the wait? Questionable. We then ordered the naan, and the courteous thing they could've done is take care of it for us, and it seemed like our waiter understood what needed to be done, but when we got the check he charged us. We got the naan taken off our bill but it took some complaining. I'm sure they know what needs to be done, since they have a help wanted sign on their door, but this needs to be fixed quick or they'll lose a lot of business All in all, I'd say come here for good food but order take out. read more

Really delicious Indian food! I went here with an Indian friend from work and we had a fish appetizer (don't remember the name but I think it's the only one), the chicken 65 appetizer, and the Biryani Chicken entrée. The fish was alright. All our dishes were ordered medium spicy and, while the other dishes were seasoned to perfection, the fish was almost unbearably spicy. The Chicken 65 and the Biryani Chicken, though, were delicious! Parking is difficult in this little lot, and the place is very popular so it's usually pretty busy. Watch out for those two things and it'll be worth it! read more

This place is disgusting. The waiter stuck his thumb in the pot of rice while putting it on my table I have made a video of this and posted it on yelp. They serve food with the same dirty gloves that they clean the place with. While you are eating there is a cart of dirty dishes and dirty water going around the restaurant picking up customers dishes from the tables. This practice is similar as that of villages in third world countries. The people eating there probably have very low standards of hygiene. Just go there any night and you will experience what I have mentioned. I wish the health inspector would pay them a visit. read more

They messed up my Veg Biryani big time. While you expect consistency...and can give a benefit of doubt once or twice..but! for some reason there is no more love in the Veg Biryani offlate, nor in the party trays...nor the individual packs! read more

Their chicken biryani is soooo delicious! I never really crave biryani since any that I ever tried was just not satisfying but when I heard about this place years ago, I put it on my list of places to try. 5 years later, I finally went and I had been missing out! Their biryani is so flavorful and not dry at all like many styles I've tried. The meat was fall off the bone and so tender as if it was slow cooked for hours. I didn't even need to add in any of the sauces, it was great by itself but the sauces made it even better! The portion is massive and 3 of us ate from one order! Definitely worth a try, you might be a converted biryani lover after going! read more

Not so good mutton biryani or wait should i call it palav? Lol Full of bones and no meat. Disappointed read more

Order was ready for me to pickup as promised. Delicious authentic desi food. Great Biryani. I often buy here or have lunch with my colleagues. read more