Amazing Chai: After 2 sugars, it went down like if a rainbow could go into a cup. I'd like to swim in it! The food looked good, smelled good & tasted better! The flavors subtlety complimenting each other like a polite party of Angels Then some rice pudding: light and airy like clean sheets whisking around in the sun gently gliding on your cheeks! Could I want any more in a dining experience? No. It was all I could ask, hope & dream for & more! There's a reason I come all the way from Oakland & after all these years--will keep returning like the sun returns to the sky! Thank you friendly owners of Cafe Raj! read more

The food was amazing and authentic. Portions are super big, my son and i ordered two dishes and ended up with 4 boxes of leftovers. The stuffed chappati was fantastic. read more

Prices are reasonable for the food. I went here for dinner with a friend and I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala. The taste was not as flavorful as I am used to, seemed more creamy or watered down and with less spices (not just the heat factor, but all the other spices seemed to be missing --- that are typically used in this dish, such as masala spices, coriander, cumin, cardamon, cloves, etc). Not sure if this was a modification to adjust to western taste, but I feel like it just didn't appease my palate. Service was accommodating though. read more

I just received my food via delivery and I got the beef samosas and the chicken vindaloo. I am disappointed in the quality, the chicken vindaloo was hot but not as flavorful or spicy (even though I ordered medium spice I didn't taste anything) and the samosa meat was mushy and so not fresh. Also the order of samosas came with 3 but in the pictures it looks like it normally comes with 4 so not sure what happened there... Overall I will not be ordering from here again... I love Indian food and this just was not it for me! read more

I always pass this place on way to Mr. Dewey's. This night craving that spinach and cheese dish (saag paneer) TrUth be told, I was headed to Another Indian restaurant just down the street but my usual parking car-ma had me right in front. While peering in, it looked fairly busy and authentic. So I ventured in. I also opted for veg biriani and shrimp masala. She asked me how hot. Smartly instead of my usual "you can't hurt me" I simply said hot. Every dish appears to be made to order as I sat close enough to the kitchen to see them m making it. It took about twenty min. As the young lady who took my order said it would. She offered me self serve chai tea which I enjoyed while I watched them create my order. Since I had veg biriani, I opted for naan instead of rice. Another nice touch, upon bagging my order I was offers complimentary rice pudding!!! It was still piping hot when I got home. But maaaaan was it spicy hot. I was sweating in five minutes (remember it was cold that night maybe 45°). Took of my sweater first, then my shirt, and finally turned off the heat in the house. Everything had tons of flavor. But unfortunately it was too hot. I've met my match! I bow down to the ladies dressed in traditional garb who created this meal. I had tons of biriani and Saag left so that was to be lunch the next day. Fortunately it wasn't as hot the second day . The naan was no biggie. It was fluffy chewy and huge but no flavor. Not a big deal cause I only took one bite. This establishment appears to be the real deal. I like the little extras they offer, Good enough to try again not so hot this time. read more

Cafe Raj - Free chai tea while you wait for take out! - Indian Near Me - Albany, California

Just went there again yesterday!!! Party of 2 Great service and fresh food Staff very nice and friendly This place has not let me down in over 10 yrs Always consistent read more

Super friendly service. Good food. A solid place to come for Indian takeout, which is what we got.

We love Cafe Raj! We have been going there for years for their butter chicken and veggie samosas - delicious! The wait staff is also super friendly. While many restaurants have been forced to raise their prices and cut their service, Cafe Raj still delivers delicious food for reasonable prices in a welcoming and relaxed setting. A Solano Ave institution! read more

Still my favorite go-to Indian/Pakistani spot. Great food. Great Customer Service. Very hospitable. When you're waiting, they offer free hot Chai which is delish. Glad they're still open! We moved to the Peninsula and this place is still our go-to East Bay pit stop. Support local because this place is great! read more

Place is delicious, portions are awesome, price point is perfect. Super nice customer service and 2 times in a row That I've gone now they gave me a free chai tea and free rice pudding. If that isn't perfect I don't know what is. Ps try the garlic butter chicken curry it hits the spot! read more

Sat Sri Akal - Namsate Since there is a Gurdwara close by, we decided to try this location one day many moons ago... We absolutely love this place to say the least, it is family owned and operated, we have visited and supported this restaurant so many times we have become friends with the owners which we appreciate and respect. The food is so good, the flavors awaken your mouth and salivation happens when we arrive. Service is also something to mention, it's as if you are visiting grandma's house...they are always asking you if you want more. The portions are hearty, plentiful and we are always asking for a to-go box. The Indian tea (Chai) is delicious, I am always asking for more...lol! Since I'm Hispanic dating a Punjabi, she knows how to make Chai and has taught me, so we are both very picky on the food we eat and the Chai we drink! Thank you for having a home away from home place, to enjoy the culture, the food and the atmosphere of what we have lived, learned and appreciate! Bhakta C. - give me a break, my girlfriend is Punjabi as stated above and doesn't have an issue. Sorry that you find this place so offensive...stay home! read more

V..o. o. w !!! Masha Allah ' Excellent Halal Cuisine ' near home. Had the Jumbo Shrimp Curry with Chapathi Whole Wheat Tortilla. Excellent Chai Tea & Rice Pudding. Pakistani Cuisine is - basically North Indian Cuisine. Everything was Excellent !!! Added bonus here is that they do have Servers who are quite attentive, kind and well trained quite obviously. Professional Folks. Think they have some Outdoor Seating as well, but not 100% sure. Chef Owner present Mr. Iqbal a.k.a. ' Mr. Raj ' - so we can rest assured of Cleanliness - Masha Allah. I requested Medium as the ' HOT ' can be rather Pungent in my Experience. Clean, Well Lit, & Nice Traditional Decor .... Gr8 Local Small Business to Support Post Covid - 19. You can tell this Gentleman puts all his " HEART & SOUL " into his Cuisine. Curry Sauce was Primo n they do have Solid Wheat Breads w/No Oil.... Reminds my of Grandma's ' Home Cuosine ' in India !!! Keep it up guys !!! Good Biryanis ( SteamFrIed Rices ) too - Masha Allah !!!! Am glad I acted in a ' Neighbir's Recco. 'n Visited ' !!! Yum, yum, yum !!! N they make one feel ' Special ' too !!!! Subhan Allah !!! I read ' Organic. Grass Fed. & HALAL - Tough combo 2 fond anywhere in The Bay 4 Desi Cuisine !!!! read more

I ordered wine and then they checked my id which is fine and then proceed to say don't make it a habit. Very terrible first experience sadly my date was upset for me. The service was also something we couldn't shake either due to the fact of the commentary being presented. read more

Aloo Gobi was fantastic. Came to have late lunch and work because they offered Wifi and I love Indian food. I asked for "not spicy" and it was perfect. Wifi was super fast. From the description, I was expecting a fancier environment, white table cloths. Service was a bit slow, but I enjoyed all the laughing voices coming from the kitchen - a good sign. I love my food prepared by happy people. I'll be back again for the Aloo Gobi - or try something else next time. read more

I ordered the chicken tikka masala and my bf ordered the chicken saag. Both dishes were delicious and filling. We ordered the cheese naan and stuffed naan with it and I really like that the naan was not too oily and had a good amount of filling within. It felt like a mom and pop shop and they were really attentive of their patrons. We even got free rice pudding at the end! This is definitely a solid restaurant to check out on Solano Ave! read more

Cafe Raj - Chicken tikka masala and chicken saag - Indian Near Me - Albany, California

So I read in the reviews that mild was way too mild so I ordered spicy biryani. First of all the great part is the custom of the Anti's is great. Thanks for your custom. Now back to food. After opening I could smell raw chili powder very clearly. It was extremely spicy but when you put in a lot of chilies you have to bhuna (fry) them first. What I was tasting was a whole lot of uncooked chili powder and nothing else. It more than overpowered all other flavor masalas which I couldn't taste. Quantity if rice was generous which was a plus but meat was little. Its about 14 dollars so not cheap. Meat should also be proportional. Almonds and kishmish (dried grapes/raisins) was a good touch. Im sure I would have tasted the masalas as well if uncooked Chilies did not overpower everything. Overall a bit disappointed. I probably wont be coming back since its really out of the way for me and many other choices to explore. read more

My roommate and I had a great experience at Cafe Raj. Extremely friendly staff, very affordable and delicious food. Love that they are open til 11. Will certainly be back, thank you for a lovely experience. read more

This is a family staple. Food is good. Not particularly fancy. But a step above the usual Indian place. Great flavors. Can get it mild for those who don't want the heat. Rice pudding is often offered for free as dessert. And it's good. I like the fact they don't use delivery services and you call in your order old school. Cheaper for everyone. Food is always better sitting inside when the naan is fresh and hot instead of sitting in takeaway tinfoil. So sayeth me! read more

Cafe Raj is a friendly place with reasonably priced food and drinks. Better still, they offer a good number of tasty vegetarian dishes.

I ordered take out with my friend from Cafe Raj. After placing the order, when we went to pick it up, it still was not ready. We were offered a table to sit at and they brought tea over. That was very charming of them. Once at my friends house, we had our lunch. We shared the chicken tandoori, prawns masala, and keema matar. The prawns masala was very fragrant and flavorful. The keema matar had a good mixture of ground beef and peas. The tomato curry sauce was also full of flavor and spices. This was my favorite dish and I would order over and over. The food from Cafe Raj made my visit with my friend very enjoyable and memorable. I will be coming back for more. read more

The curry was a bit bland and the one I had was just spicy but no flavor. Naan was okay. Service was fine. I wouldn't come here again

My first time trying this place...needed dinner and had a craving for curries. Ordered: spinach paneer (medium spice) tandoori chicken chana massala (spicy) onion naan garlic naan They gave us a complimentary container of yogurt rice pudding. The people at the restaurant were very nice. Everything was super delicious. Definately will be going back. Make note: their spicy has a kick, so be aware of that. read more

I do not expect this behavior from staff at this dear cafe which I have patronized since it opened. I came in to pick up my order and one woman came straight up to me not wearing a mask. She said, I need proof that it's your order. I pointed and said that's my order right on the table and gave her my name and some of the things that were on the order. She reached out and touched my phone. I said do not touch my phone and wear a mask. The other staff members were wearing masks. This is a sad state of affairs. Food is still terrific and prices good. read more

As a vegetarian this is one of my repeated go to places in East Bay. Quite affordable. Everything cooked fresh to order. From personal experience, the vegetarian dishes are delicious. Special mention for the paneer. You must taste one of their paneer dishes because it is the only place in the bay area that I've seen making their own paneer in the restaurant. The paneer is soft and crumbly like it would be if you ate at someone's home in the South Asian sub-continent. Other dishes I love - their paratha (wheat bread with ghee), veggie pakodas and the pumpkin curry. One of my friends often visits with me and he loves their seekh kabab. A must try if you're looking for South Asian cuisine in East Bay. Recommendations to owners - the breads sometimes feel a little thick. Also it would be nice if you could add tawa rotis to the menu. read more

Cafe Raj - Mattar Paneer - Indian Near Me - Albany, California

Just had dinner here with two friends, the food and service is amazing. The Lamb curry is a must with the plain rice. Definitely coming back here, this family own experience makes me recommend it to anyone. read more

delicious and pretty reasonably priced. The staff were super kind to my daughter when we went to pick up which always goes a long way. we had the daal, saag paneer, and the Chicken Tikka. everyone loved it! read more

This place is my new favorite Indian restaurant in Berkeley. The food was so good, not too spicy, generously portioned and reasonably priced. The women who work here get down in the kitchen. I stopped by during lunch hour so they were quite busy, however they didn't disappoint. They brought me chai tea during the wait. They also had so many vegan options, that was awesome! read more

Cafe Raj - Chai tea, Mando milk, naan, etc. - Indian Near Me - Albany, California

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It has been years since I last visited and happy that they are still there - and still serve quick clean delicious food (nice outside seating too) - and still so reasonably priced! read more

The most delicious food. The best service in town. Raj really cares about his customers and his community. Do your appetite and the neighborhood a favor and eat at Cafe Raj. You won't regret it!!! read more

Okay...so, I was watching Mark Wiens eating killer Indian food in Kerala, India, so I decided I wanted Indian food for dinner. I found Cafe Raj on Yelp and saw it was four star rated. I called in and ordered some tandoori chicken, aloo mater (potato and green peas curry), garlic naan and rice. When I got there to pick up the food, I couldn't believe it when it came to under $20.00! When I got home, I dished it all up, and went in!! Here's what I thought of the food: Garlic naan- WAY too much garlic!! (See photo) Tandoori chicken- Excellent!! Aloo mater- I asked for medium spice, but got NO spice! Too mild, but thank goodness for cayenne pepper. Taste wise, it was delicious. Basmati rice- Had some Indian spices in it. Very good! I couldn't eat the naan because it had too much garlic in it (and I love garlic!), the tandoori chicken was tender and delicious, the aloo mater was too mild but was excellent when I mixed in some cayenne pepper, and the rice was fluffy and flavorful. All in all, the meal was great, and I will definitely be going back for more! read more

i've been coming to cafe raj for probably over 20 years, and it always hits the spot. cafe raj is an albany institution that has withstood the test of time. i love that little has changed over the years, and the quality has been consistent. the dishes are very affordable and the portion sizes are decent. my family and i always get the channa masala (though sometimes we switch it out with the bangan barta), chicken saag, beef samosa, beef shish kebabs, and mango lassi. i would definitely recommend dining family-style to taste as much as possible. i think the dishes are spiced and seasoned well. the staff who work there are always so kind and generous, and we often leave with free chai or rice puddings. the atmosphere is casual and humble--perfect for families or a casual date night. takeout is also a pretty popular option as well, especially since they're open much later than most other restaurants in albany. if you're reading this review and haven't been to cafe raj yet, please take this as a sign to go! read more

Decent Indian food with very pleasant service. Food was healthy... not greasy. However it wasn't anything special. Will come again because the prices are shockingly low. read more

I know Tendoori Chicken is grilled but my Tendoori Chicken was completely burnt. It was completely charred and I literally had to peel the burnt chicken skin off to taste bits and pieces of the chicken flesh. The side of rice wasn't good either. I just can't believe how burnt the chicken was. It's okay if it's SLIGHTLY charred but not the whole chicken thighs. I don't understand. I LOVE Tendoori Chicken and this just doesn't compete with what I've had at other restaurants. I still have an aftertaste of charred chicken skin crumbs in my mouth. Disgusting. read more

This place is a gem, the price is great, the food is fresh. I came in here with no expectations and it blew me away. Of all the Indian food places I've ever been to that uses heavy creams for everything, the food here is surprisingly light. Highly recommend!! read more

Jesus christ, where do I start. I am in love with indian food. We all know indian food around the bay aint cheap. And I have a gigantic appetite. Cafe raj is the only place where I can get a shit load of great curry, naans and biryani and shove them down my guts until I'm satisfied. I tried most of the non-vegetarian curries and none of them has failed me so far. Highly recommend medium+ (plus) as the spicy level and I would steer away from tandoori grill stuff. All-in-all if this place goes out of business, I will need a therapist. read more

Consistently good Indian food since it opened in early 00's. Good Lhasa drinks. Offers brown basmati rice option for Biriyani dishes & as a side for a large carte fishes. Comp not-too-sweet rice pudding dessert. Family owned & operated and the kind patriarch is the master chef. Dishes freshly made. read more

Ordered delivery. Quite disappointed by the flavours and quality of the food. Truly lacklustre. Lacking flavor and mushy. We had onion rings (bad), Shai (so so), malhai korma (so so), daal (bad), Bangun bharta (bad), naan (bad), basmati (fine), chutneys (so so). read more

Great place, great food. Got veggie samosas and veggie korma. Service was fast and friendly.

Awesome food, service, speed, ease of ordering/picking up, always friendly. Food is EXCELLENT

I went with my cousin. Food is amazing service was so nice! We had ordered one mango lassi to split and they gave us another on the house. And the garlic naan is to die for, they put the minced garlic in between instead of like brushing it on top( I'm not sure how it's usually made) Best garlic naan I've ever had. read more