You have to get their: butter chicken, tikka masala, mango lassi, naan. Their curries are very flavorful but at the same time, not too salty. Each curry comes with a big plate of rice, so you will never have to ask for more rice. You get your food pretty quickly and service is great. Docked a point for cleanliness; not the most appealing floors/corners of the room and bathroom, but who cares when the meal was so amazing that it distracted me from most of that?! read more

Docking a point for consistency. The dishes are still good but the seasoning, like the spice level is now a hit and miss. I've almost had to ask for salt for the okra last time we went. And unfortunately it wasn't the first time this happened. What happened Cedars? Your food used to be so good! Everytime! Now I'm just not so sure... read more

Husband and I both ordered the jalfrazie. It was great, a spicy 3. The garlic naan was also delicious, nice and big, not crispy. We don't have Indian food often, so definitely not experts on what things should taste like, but we enjoyed our dinner. Service was prompt. Not friendly but not rude either. The restaurant was clean. read more

Taste =5 Had Marsala, tandoori, naan Service =4 accommodating Ambience =1 Was stuffy on a hot day w/ no A/C & just a ceiling fan read more

This place has great tasting food and endless chai. The naan is usually buttery and crispy. Love the chicken tikka and the spinach curry. But what caved it for me was when I found a pill bug in my water and read previous reviews from workers of the restaurant talking of insects and ugh! What a turn off! That's why I've moved my focus to Taste of India. Sorry guys, the thought of my chai of having unwanted visitors in it makes me cringe. Good For: endless chai, galub jamun, chicken tandoori, naan read more

The food here is pretty good, the service is really great, the decor is a little blah, but the chai tea is to DIE for. (Also, free refills woooo!) I've had a number of Indian dishes here and enjoyed all of them. The naan is HUGE and comes with this itty bitty container of mixed chutneys, which is nice but also kind of amusing. My boyfriend has enjoyed their Mediterranean food as well. We live nearby so we come kind of often. It's better than I had expected it to be. read more

This place is unreal! A local friend now transplanted in the Seattle area took me here. "Wow!" is all I can say. I've never tasted curry this good. The flavors just come out and attack you. Sometimes, I just want to book another flight to Seattle just to have their curry. The bad news is I heard the owner sold it and opened a new restaurant. I'm not sure if the qualify is the same but I dont think that would stop me from dining here again. Yum! read more

I ordered the tandoori lamb kabob, it was the toughest meat I have ever had. I'll find out if the cats will eats the leftover, I ate very little. Also the men's room was out of tp! read more

This became a regular spot for my husband and me back in our courtin' days. I was a huge Indian food fan; he was not. BUT, because Cedar's also has Middle Eastern food. I could enjoy Chicken Tikka Masala and Eggplant Bharta; he could partake of Falafel and Tabouleh. We were both happy. One day, to my surprise and amazement, he decided to try something off the Indian menu, Butter Chicken. And, he was hooked. He'll now go to just about Indian restaurant with me as long as Butter Chicken is on the menu, and I suppose I have Cedar's to thank for that. Food here is very tasty -- what a magnificent blend of spices in pretty much every bite. They could make things a bit hotter. Today I ordered my dish medium-hot and, well, it was not. Also, other have raved about the chai here, but it is a bit too sweet for my taste. I would prefer they serve it unsweetened and let each person sweeten it to his/her personal taste. The staff here are friendly and service is efficient. The seating area is small and "cozy," but somehow I never feel crowded here. We'll definitely continue to visit. read more

Man I went to this place for my birthday.... God it must have been almost ten years ago now. I still remember it as the best Indian restaurant in Seattle and I plan on going back. The only reason I haven't is I don't live close to the U-District and am too lazy to drive down there much. This is the only Indian restaurant I have ever seen that serves beef... And that beef is awesome. The quality of the food is superb and I remember the service being good as well. Not exactly cheap, but in this case you get what you pay for. I really am amazed that it has been that long since I've been there... I need to go back soon. So yes, try it out! read more

This place was packed when we were there, luckily one of my friend reserve a spot for us. I was really surprised with the quality of the food. The menu has a large variety of selection, I don't remember the name of the dish that I had but it was delicious. Very flavourful with the right amount of spice, although it was on the greasier side. Combind with the Nan it was a perfect combination. The service was decent, although it was quite busy but we didn't feel ignored at all. The only bad thing was it was hard to find parking around there, but other than that I would definately come back and try other dishes. read more

Cedars is my favorite Indian restaurant of all time. (and I've been to alot). I had my first experience with Indian cuisine at this restaurant and after leaving the state I had the pleasure of dining here recently while visiting Seattle. I have never had a dish I didn't like from Cedars. The naan, appetizers and main dishes are all wonderful. I would suggest ordering "family style" and trying as many dishes as possible. I love their spinach naan and palaak paneer. One of the special touches at Cedars is the bottomless hot chair tea, its perfectly seasoned and hits the spot on a cold rainy Seattle day. If you haven't been , put it on your to do list. Go early, there is often a long wait. read more

I keep trying other Indian restaurants and none of them compare, ever. I like restaurants that always have the same staff serving you, like this one. I think this may be an old residence, which adds to the charm. LOVE CEDARS. read more

This is an OK Indian restaurant. Its not fancy and some of the staff have the same degree of professionalism as McDonald's. I came here because the German joint downstairs was closed but what the heck. I asked the waitress what she would have, looking for a suggestion and she replied "some curry and some rice..." that certainly narrowed things down. I went for an alu paratha and rayta to start and a lamb tandori for a main course. Not bad some of the lamb was a little "firm" and it was interesting to note that the cheap forks were weaker than the lamb as they bent while I was trying to cut the meat. While you can generally feed college students anything, thus perhaps all of the rave reviews, the food here is edible. I just wouldn't go out of my way to go there. Maybe the German joint will be open the next time. read more

I honestly don't know why this place only has three and a half stars because every time I've come to visit this place, the food has always been so good. I seriously want to know how they make their chicken dishes because the chicken itself is so moist and soft.. lol.. Their tandoori chicken and butter chicken are a couple of my favorite dishes. I also come for their garlic naan which sometimes I do think could use more garlic.. Service wise, its only mediocre, wishing their staff to be more knowledgeable in the dishes. But otherwise, always a good experience. read more

I've been to about 20 different Indian restaurants in and around Seattle and Cedars is definitely in the upper half. I might not sneak its way in to the top 5 but it is close. I have had a few of the Mediterranean items and found it to be a considerable downgrade from their Indian items. The appetizers are done really well: the pakoras and samosas are much less greasy than many other places. The mango chicken and Malai Kofta are also quite good. Service is great when they aren't too crowded and is pretty good when they are. Prices are a bit higher, in relation to portion size, than many other places I've been. However, overall, I am a fan. read more

Now this is what Im talking about! These people know how to provide great service and great food. All of our dishes came out piping hot! Our waiter chose most of our plates for us, as we asked for the house specials and what he thinks are the best. I know the Tikka Masala was one of them. Im pretty sure my water glass was topped off 12 times while dining and they never missed a beat! Overall I was very excited after leaving Cedars Restaurant, they now what they are doing! We will be back again, solid and great flavors in every dish! read more

Butter chicken is pretty good but a little heavy on the tomato. the giant naan is awesome, i never understood restaurants that are stingy with rice or bread. Veggie cutlets are few but very tasty. Never heard of Navratan Korma but I will be looking for it now. The veggie samosas are large but are mostly potato filling, I've had better. The spice levels go 1-5 but is geared to gringos. If I order a 5 star, I expect to sweat and be visibly uncomfortable yet happy. Would I go again? Most definitely. I've only ever done takeout here so I can't speak to the service but a very large order only took them 20 min to prepare. typically you can only meet 2 of 3 goals for any service/good (quality, quantity, time) but they were above average on all three. prices are about average for indian food. parking can be a pain in the ass depending on what time you go but there are some reserved spots in the safeway parking lot across the street. read more

PROS: - Really good nan. It's a huge size too! - Cute, intimate atmosphere at night. Dim lighting... - The curry is fine. Consistent in their taste every time I've gone unlike some places where their dishes vary in flavor when different people prepare it CONS: - Their cook people are rude. I walked by one time coming back to my car from Wallgreens, and they were hollering at me out the window. Shut up and cook your food! I dress very normal and not at all flashy, so there really is no reason to be like that - The curry is fine. I put that under the Pros, but if I wanted to really compare, I'd have to say it's not anything amazing. - Pricey for the quality of food. Overall, I think this place is fine. Rude workers aside, their front line servers are fine and friendly enough. Their curry is fine as well and not amazing, but their nan is very amazing. So three stars. read more

Want fast service? Want your favorite Indian dishes done right? Go here. Whenever, if ever, I go back to Seattle...I will try and return to this unassuming restaurant. Chicken butter masala for the win! read more

This was the first restaurant I ever went to when I moved to the University District upon my arrival to Washington 9 years ago. It was amazing then and it is amazing now. I've dined here over and over again since my first time and I have never had a bad experience. My favorite has always been the butter chicken but I also love the naan, samosas, and well... Everything else! I almost always order the butter chicken but I definitely enjoy nibbling off of my dining buddies' plates. This place gets 5 stars in my book for consistently great flavor and service. When people ask me where to go for Indian in that area, I always say Cedars. read more

Food is so good and we always have leftovers. Great variety and you can't go wrong with trying their chai. The mild spice level is so flavorful, you really can't go wrong. Staff is so friendly and remembered us from last time we came in months ago. read more

Oh cedars, how I love you so. The first time I saw Mediterranean and Indian, I was pretty confused and skeptical about their food quality, but after trying it out, I am hooked. Try their butter chicken, tandoori delight and make sure you order the garlic naan. Their curries are delicious (mango or coconut curry anyone?) and their bottomless chai latte is amazing. 15% off if you check in on yelp!! read more

I've talked to so many people who love this place, but I really don't see what all the hullabaloo is all about. It's cool that the restaurant is in a house, but I've had much better Indian food in Redmond and Issaquah. Service is not that great either. I would say the prices are reasonable. read more

LOVE the butter chicken!! I've tried butter chicken at many other places from around the country and Cedars has the best! Naan is also super good. But seriously, order the butter chicken! read more

Don't believe the Naan-gativity! The spinach naan served at Cedars is excellent. Technically, it might not fit the expectation of typical naan, but it still works quite well, I think. You might not have the chance to actually eat it as you might be distracted by one of the 10,000 employees working there on any given night (yet they still always have a HELP WANTED sign posted) who will invariably at your table performing his/her own one specialized task. Admittedly, the service at nearby Jewel of India is terrific far less overwhelming (as is their food), but I will admit that I like the Middle East/Indian combination. Who says that hummus and spinach pie is incompatible with samosas?! read more

Eh. That's how I felt about Cedars. Their Indian food seems to shine a little brighter than the rest. The falafel did not. It came on a plate with iceberg lettuce, little sauce, and hardly any tomato or cucumber. The pitas were not fresh. I didn't even finish. I would have given Cedars another star, were it not for the service. Cedars always seems to be busy, so I understand the need to get people in and out in an orderly manner. Upon walking in, I waited for a moment to try to understand the order of how things were done, since none of the people behind the counter acknowledged me. I hestitated, but decided maybe they didn't see me and went up to the counter to put our name on the list. The man who I tried to put my name with got very impatient with me and told me to please just wait. So we did. Without putting our name in. And they ended up seating people who came in after us before us. Boo! The servers were all very nice and attentive, but when it came time to pay the bill, the owner came over and made us leave because he wanted to use our table for another party (with no apologies). In my opinion, you don't kick somebody out who is supporting your restaurant and a paying customer while they are about to pay the check! One of the members of my party was still finishing their drink as well. I've heard of this same situation (getting kicked out once you're finished with your meal when it is busy) happening to others. If you decide to go, make sure you go when it's not peak time and you'll get better service. And definitely go for the Indian food...it's pretty good. read more

After being at UW for four years, I felt like it was finally time to see what all the fuss was about with Cedars. So finally, FINALLY I went with my roommate and our friend there and waited and waited and waited to be seated (not a good start). We had pesto naan which was pretty good, but greasy in my opinion, and too much of a gargantuan portion, even for three. Then came my falafel, which I was excited about. Let me tell you. It was like biting into a dust ball, and my friends agreed. What the hell cedars? I don't think I'm going back. read more

There's two really authentic Indian places (for food) on the West Coast, and this is one of them. The place is a converted house, and I cannot for the life of me understand how they stay open. I mean, people are *so* close together that it's pretty hard not to pay attention to ethe conversations around you. They must measur ethe distances between the tables exactly every night or something. Anyway, AFA the food goes it is excellent. I always think I am paying more than I should, but this is "tablecloth Indian" so you have to expect to pay ten dollars for six dollar food. Yes, the staff is very attentive about water refills. Parking is street (although there is a lot I never use it) and depending on when you go you may have a good walk to look forward to after your meal. All in all if you like Indian food then this place should be a regular stop for you. read more

What's good? The chicken tikka, the cilantro chutney (wish I had a bottle of it I could DRINK), the Cedars nan, the veggies that come with the main dishes, and the chai tea (I hear). What's not good? Parking. And the place was empty but our service was sloooow. All in all, though, a very positive experience with Indian food, which isn't always so nice to me :) read more

I went with my boyfriend last weekend. I ordered the coconut curry chicken, and he got the Mediterranean sample plate. The food was okay, not outstanding, but I wouldn't call it bad. Well, actually, we got Halvah for dessert and I would call that bad. It was disgusting. The main issue is that they cram way too many tables together and we were sitting about three feet away from a couple on either side, so don't come unless you don't mind having a completely public conversation. I don't think I'll be back. read more

It's safe to say I eat a fair amount of Indian food. Again, I was on another patio in the U-District having a great time with a amazing group of friends. We had the lamb palak (aka Saag), another lamb curry, prawn curry, and a great rice dish. the flavors and spices were done perfectly, spices and spicy that is. I haven't had food this good for their price in ages. A real gem in the U-District restaurant community. The patio was really a great place to spend some time, and we got a prime parking spot right in front of the restaurant which always bumps up the fun points! the inside looked a little crowded like they turned a restaurant into a cafeteria of sorts but i don't mind sitting next to strangers, they always have something to talk about that you wouldn't have thought of and vise versa. So go to Cedars, eat some damn good food and make some new friends! read more

I am firm believer you should try something twice before you pass judgment. My first experience the food tasted ok, middle of the meal I found a hair in my food. The waiter and manager did nothing. My second (and last experience!) the host was on the phone, not paying attention- tried to seat us on a table for one, then it was in an area where everyone kept bumping into you. The service is SO poor here and the food does nothing to help. I would pass on this place. read more

Came here with my sister & boyfriend and was seated right away. If it was a good restaurant (ahem, Taste of India), there would have been at least a 10 min wait. But no, we came here instead. Spinach naan: it's less fluffy and more crispy. The spinach was dried out. Mango lemonade: good in the beginning but then the mango puree starts to settle...and then it starts to taste like syrup. Chai: watered down! There is nothing worse than having to drink "instant" chai on a cold day. Yuck! Butter chicken: didn't like it, period. Why? Well lets see. I believe there's tomato puree in the sauce...but instead (or perhaps in addition to this) they've dumped a whole lot of ketchup in it. Yup. Ketchup. You can taste that distinct "tang" in the sauce. Lamb Tikka masala: Alright. Not terrific, but okay. On the pro side, there's free parking across the street. And it's close to Full Tilt. read more

While the service is not the best, the food definitely made up for it. Cedars has a down-to-earth casual atmosphere. The menu pricing is quite reasonable and the portions are quite generous. For a group of six, we ordered 6 vegetarian samosas, a paneer appetizer, 4 curries (which came with 4 plates of rice), and 4 servings of naan. The total came to around $15 per person, which is quite reasonable as all of us were quite full after dinner. Onto the food, the butter chicken is one of the best that I have ever had. The sauce is fragrant and flavorful. The most surprising aspect of the dish for me was how tender the chicken was. The meat was falling apart as I bit into it, which is rare when ordering butter chicken. The samosas and paneer appetizer were also quite tasty. I also had a taste of the mango lassi. Although the consistency isn't quite as thick as a lassi should be, the mango flavor was refreshing. Overall, I will definitely visit cedars again! read more

This place was not as good as I remember it being a few years ago. The chicken tikka masala was tasty with the chicken being succulent and juicy, but the mango curry was too sweet and not flavorful. The naan was excellent though. The tables are crowded together, and the service was lacking. read more

It was the hot day in Seattle! We did not know that many restaurants in Seattle had no AC as they do not need it. So we had the Indian food in a hot restaurant - making it more authentic! We ordered Samosa, Pakoras. Pakoras were wonderful! As we usually go to lunch buffet in New York as you can enjoy many variety, it was very difficult to hose ONE dish. We chose the most conservative dishes - chicken tikka masala and chicken korma - dishes you can find in any Indian restaurants. But they were all good. And we got one complimentary ice tea (thank you!) There was an Indian family eating next to us, so it must have been authentic. After the dinner, the air in the hot Seattle evening felt cooler. Good service and good food! read more

Huge quantities and options for indian,mediterranean dishes available ! It can get busy during weekends but the options are varied and is worth a visit. read more

I'm visiting the area and my sister told me about this restaurant so we decided to go with our family. Upon walking in, I got a whiff of scent that immediately made me salivate. I was very excited and anxious to see why this place was so busy. We ordered the garlic naan, tikka masala, coconut curry, mango curry, and a curry specialty. All of the dishes we ordered were very delicious and full of flavor. However the reason for my three stars is the service. Not sure if it was because it was busy, but two girl servers just had sour looks on their faces and talked to us in a tone that made it seem they didn't want to talk to us or answer our questions. While the food was good, the servers' attitudes made the entire dinner experience bad and even made me not want to return. read more

I went there with a friend 4 years ago, and I could never forget the mango curry there. I don't think it's a typical Indian dish, and I am always disappointed when I go to an Indian restaurant and am told they don't have mango curry... Their naan bread was also de-liiiiicious. Pretty good butter chicken as well. I miss their mango curry! read more