All around solid spot for Indian fare - whether it's inside their restaurant or at the Park Ridge…read moreFarmer's Market (where we first found out about Thalaiva's). We've dined in once but typically order takeout. The inside of the restaurant is fairly large in their new location, so we were able to walk in on a weekend day for lunch. Service is good enough - nothing special. Most times we're put on hold when we call but they are kind and accommodating. They have always been consistent with quality and time quoted for pick-ups, which we really appreciate. Our go-to is always a Chicken Dosa and we mix between Spicy Butter Chicken or their Chicken Pepper Fry. Sometimes all three ;) Their chicken dosa just hits the spot every time. Crispy, packed, and flavorful. We pop it in the air fryer to add extra crisp and works like a charm. We also warm up a side of cauliflower rice and it's perfect. Makes great leftovers too. It is on the higher end but quality is noticed and they hook it up with chicken in each dish.

Stopped by here for a quick lunch prior to a long haul flight. Since it was a weekday and lunch…read moretime it was relatively thinly populated so we got seated pretty quickly. I ordered chicken lollipop and vada sambhar(not pictured), husband ordered a chicken kothhu parotta and we ordered a veg thali for mom. The lollipop was pretty good, flavourful and tasted just like what we get back in India, the Kotthu Parotta was decent, I felt it lacked a little kick that usually comes from a certain type of chicken curry that's added while preparing the dish. The thali had some good stuff and some okay-ish. Some of the items in the thaali were cold and being one of the first few consumers that day I expected everything to be piping hot. The vada was amazing crispy on the outside soft on the inside in short absolute yummmm!! And we washed it all down with a cool glass of Mango Lassi that was the perfect finisher! The highlights for the day were the chicken lollipop and the vada sambhar!

The mango drink and fast service was amazing highly recommend for a place with authentic Indian…read morefood that tastes delicious

Ambiance - clean, spacious, offers full bar service Service…read more- exceptional, our server was friendly & checked on us often Food - the samosa chat was super flavorful (slight kick from the spices and samosas were crispy), kebobs were juicy + well seasoned

This has always been one of my favorite restaurants for Indian food, and I've told so many people…read moreabout it. I went back today and was honestly so upset because my go-to dish, the paneer makhini, was nothing like it used to be. It literally just tasted like straight cream. I even asked them to remake it because I thought something was wrong, but it came out the same way. I ended up just eating the other food we ordered, but it was such a disappointment because this has always been the dish I look forward to. I even showed them old photos from past visits compared to today and it was clearly different. The chef tried it and said it was the same, which shocked me because it really wasn't. I get that places can have off days, but this was really discouraging. As much as I've loved this restaurant, I don't know if I'll be back if the quality has dropped this much.

We thoroughly enjoyed our pickup order from Himalayan Restaurant for dinner recently. We did a…read morefamily meal combo to sample something of everything. Our order included: cocktail samosas, palak paneer, baigan bharta, and the chicken tikka masala. The meal comes with three naan and rice on the side, as well as a dessert. We went with the gulab jamun. I also wanted an order of soup momos, so we added that onto our already robust order as well. (They didn't disappoint, so delicious.) Everything was well-balanced and spiced. I especially love that we were able to split the portions across multiple meals given how generous the naan was. The most beloved item was definitely the momos in the spicy/sour soup, followed by the buttery naan dipped in chicken tikka masala. I also really enjoyed the baigan bharta. So very enjoyed this meal, and I can't wait to try some of the other menu items that other diners have recommended.

You know it's great when the starch(veggie rice) is good. It has a subtle taste of curry meats, but…read moreflavorful and vegetarian of course. Next, dip that nan in the chicken makhani and it's amazing - that's just the sauce mind you! The lamb kebab is good. It's too heavily seasoned, I can't tell that it's lamb anymore. Don't get me wrong- you can taste the quality but it might as well have been beef(I know they don't do beef). Chicken Makhani or butter chicken is excellent of course. It's sweet rich dense buttery sauce but still a clean taste - simply amazing! Highly recommended.

We've ordered takeout from this restaurant a few times in the past, and it has been a reliable…read morechoice, until today. Our order (lamb briyani, chicken tikka masala, plain naan) today was a real letdown, especially considering the price ($60 total), which made the experience all the more disappointing. The lamb briyani was soggy and lacked the usual flavor. The rice served with it didn't look like the basmati we've gotten before. Instead, it looked like some overcooked short-grain rice that appeared broken and tasteless. Normally, the rice would be a fragrant, flavorful complement to the dish, but today it was just plain and unseasoned. The lamb itself was underwhelming and lacked the rich, savory flavor. Chicken tikka masala was too sweet and lacked the usual depth of flavor. The chicken was dry and unappetizing. There was no balance of spice or seasoning, making the whole dish feel off and not satisfying. The only consistent item in the order was the naan, and sadly the only positive thing I can say. It's frustrating because this place has been a good option in the area in the past, but today's meal just didn't measure up. For the price point, we expected much more, and based on this experience, we won't be coming back.

Returned to the very good food here in Park Ridge. Had the non-veg lunch special for $22.95. This…read moreplatter used to be $16.95, then $19-has mysteriously been upped recently by 35%. A shocking increase with no change to the plate. Food was good. Room is pleasant. No real hospitality present on this visit. They tried to tack on a 3% credit card surcharge and I told the girl to take it off. Used to be so pleasant and now they nickel and dime the loyal customer.

09/05/24 - Excellent restaurant, excellent food & service. While I'm far from a professional food…read morecritic or an expert on Indian food I know good food when I eat it & Mughai The Biryani House serves some outstanding food Mughai The Biryani House (MTBH) is located near the corner of Northwest Highway on Touhy Ave right next to Bluefish Sushi Bistro in the same mall. I went to lunch there today and split a couple of dishes w/my buddy. We ordered the following dishes * Butter Chicken - Excellent maybe the best butter chicken I ever tried. Tender chicken w/a rich red sauce & a plate of rice w/cilantro. * Non Vegetarian Lunch Combo - chunks of crispy chicken w/rice & cilantro. This also came w/a small bowl of chicken chetinaad (excellent), a small bowl of yogurt, small sweet ball dripping in sweet sauce * Hot fresh Garlic Naan Overall this was an excellent lunch w/excellent food & service. This is the best meal I've had in a long time & I will definitely be back again.

The food is authentic . Very good. Ambiance is good. It's clean. Staff is friendly and courteous…read moreand helpful. You get free soup.

I always order butter chicken. Today I ordered gobi mancharin and paneer Kathi roll and samosa. It…read morewas absolutely delicious. So fresh .... I could see the steam coming out if the box. Not too spicy , it was just perfect. They give you chutney and sauces to go with your samosa. Always give you rice to go with your butter chicken. They care about their customers and what they will need to make a complete meal. Highly recommend this place. A++++.

If you want to explore one of the most underrepresented regional cuisines in Chicago's Indian…read moredining scene, Magic Pepper is a place worth discovering. Magic Pepper is a new restaurant in Niles, and while the menu is broad--featuring North Indian dishes, Indo-Chinese items, and even a small kids menu with American staples--the heart of the kitchen is clearly Kerala cuisine from the southern part of India. That's what makes this place special. You can absolutely order familiar Indian dishes here. But the real reason to visit is the Kerala food, which is extremely hard to find done this well anywhere in the Chicago area. The restaurant itself is comfortable and straightforward. Think of the format of a casual sit-down chain restaurant--plenty of seating, relaxed vibe--but operated as a local family-run spot. Everything is clean, friendly, and welcoming, but it's not trying to be a trendy or overly polished dining room. It feels authentic in the best way: a solid neighborhood restaurant focused on good food rather than presentation. Service & Experience * Friendly, welcoming staff * Food is cooked fresh and brought out as it's ready * Expect dishes to arrive at slightly different times, especially with larger orders * Lots of takeout activity--clearly a popular local spot Sharing dishes actually works well here since the table tends to fill up quickly with all the accompaniments. Food We started with a familiar classic: * Samosa - solid and well executed, though this is more of a North Indian staple. Where things really shine is the South Indian and Kerala specialties. * Ghee Roast Dosa - outstanding. Thin, crispy, flaky, and served with all the traditional accompaniments like chutneys and sambar. * Pidiyum & Chicken Curry - a very traditional Kerala dish that's rare to find in Chicago. Comforting, rich, and deeply flavorful. * Malabar Parotta - a highlight. Flaky, layered, almost lacy bread that's incredible when paired with curry. This is something you rarely see outside Kerala-focused restaurants. * Kerala Chicken Curry - perfect with the parotta; deeply spiced without being overwhelming. We also tried some other menu sections: * Street-Style Indo-Chinese Fried Rice - flavorful and well balanced. * Hyderabadi Dum Biryani - served in a small kettle and executed beautifully. The basmati rice was perfectly separated and aromatic with spices. Dessert: * Gulab Jamun - warm, sweet, and a classic way to finish. Drinks One surprise was the cocktail menu. Even though there wasn't a dedicated bartender working constantly, the drinks were very good. * Indian Mojito * Indian Sunset Both had creative flavor twists using Indian ingredients and fresh juices. They took a little time to come out, but they were worth it. Verdict Magic Pepper isn't trying to be a flashy destination restaurant. It's a relaxed neighborhood spot focused on cooking authentic regional food--and that's exactly why it works. What makes it special is the Kerala cuisine, which is extremely difficult to find in the Chicago area at this level. If you're adventurous with food or want to explore beyond the usual butter chicken and tikka masala lineup, this place is absolutely worth seeking out. Come with an open mind, order some Kerala specialties, and share dishes. Five stars for bringing something genuinely unique to the Chicago area's Indian dining scene.

Other than food, you need to improve on everything. ZERO organizational skills, we waited in line…read morefor 15 mins, no one even came to ask or tell us we will take X number of minutes to even attend to new guests. After that once we got seated, they never even came to get our order and once they did, they didn't even care to bring our food. Fun part we ordered everything at once and we literally got only three out of six items that we ordered. Overall, we entered at 1:45 PM and got out at 4 o'clock. Frustrated the biggest issue I felt was the button idli that we asked for kids we never got it. Their service was so terrible that the guy was taking our order was expressionless didn't even care when we decided to walk out. I was so mad that I didn't want to even pay the bill for the stuff we ate, but we still paid and left. The table which came after us they even got some of their food but we didn't. They are so much potential with their food the management sucks

This was nice find for us. We were looking for south Indian dishes to have for lunch while in the…read moreGlenview area and this establishment popped up in my Yelp search. Since we hadn't been here, we decided to check it out. This restaurant is located off Dempster St. in a small plaza. They serve a variety of dosas and Indian street food dishes. They also offer Indian desserts, Indian beverages, Boba teas, and Yemeni Adani Tea. The pricing is reasonable. We ordered a Ghee Roasted Dosa, and extra spicy Mysore Masala Dosa, a Spring Dosa, Mumbai Pav Bhaji, and two Adani teas. The food was served promptly. The food is served in sturdy disposable food trays along with plastic ware and hot beverages are served in coffee shop like to-go, small size (paper) coffee cups. The tea was scalding hot as it was freshly prepared. I had to let it cool off. The plastic lid of the cup was tightly fitted and given how hot the cup was, it was hard to take the plastic lid off. The lid was hot along with the cup. They had the hot cup sleeves but they were too big for their small tea cups. The tea was nice. All the dosas were tasty. We liked them. They had decent flavor and texture. They were a bit thicker than the dosas from other south Indian restaurants we have eaten at. That wasn't a problem to us. The spice level for my dosa was good. The accompaniments with the dosas of sambar, coconut chutney, and tomato chutney, for dosa dipping purposes, were nice. We really liked the coconut chutney (w/ cashews) and tomato chutney (w/ peanuts). They were flavorful. The sambar had a nice flavor (from spices & veggies) but texture wise it could've been better. It needed to be a bit thicker. The Pav Bhaji (bread with mixed veggies in a gravy) had a decent taste but it needed to be thick with some body from the usual veggies in it. The Pav (Indian bread) for the Bhaji was really good. Our experience was nice. The service was decent. We were the first customers after they opened at 12:30 pm but a short time later, the restaurant got busy. If I am in the area again, I would go back. Overall, 3.5 stars.

Dosa Point has a private parking lot with plenty of parking spots…read more I had a wonderful experience at Dosa Point! My relative has visited India and stated the Dosa she ordered was so delicious, tasted just like dishes one makes in India. My veggie Samosas were perfectly prepared. I really enjoyed my Brown Sugar Boba Bubble Tea. Our order was placed and served quickly. Wait staff was attentive and extremely friendly. The place is wonderfully decorated with lovely artwork all around. Thanks Dosa Point for a nice dinner. Cheers!~

Great food. E we ordered chicken Saag and biryani chicken and garlic nann. Everything was so…read moredelicious. I would rate as the best Indian (or Nepalese, sorry I wasn't able to distinguish) food I've ever had. The restaurant was really clean with nice decorations and music. Servers were also super nice.

Very cute place. Clean and inviting. The manager was friendly and the service was good. We had…read morebutter chicken, curry goat with bone in over rice and shrimp curry. We were all pleased with our food.