YES, Cumin is a must go and eat! Came across this restaurant while co-working at a very nearby coffee house with a co-worker. We both love Indian food and wanted to check Cumin out. They have a budget friendly lunch special where you pick two proteins atop rice. It's enough for leftovers. I ordered the lamb saag and chicken Marsala and both were well seasoned, tender meat, chef's kiss! I also ordered a veggie samosa..."give me 14 of them and I don't need to know what's in them"! read more

Cumin - Lakeview - Vegetable Samosa - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is a great looking upscale restaurant with a Buddha waterfall statue in the entrance. Unfortunately the food doesn't match the elegant ambience of the restaurant. But first the positive; the lamb saag was excellent; savory with tender chunks of lamb. This was a takeout for me so I have to consider that element. However, the chicken tikki masala had chicken chunks that were so hard that the dish was almost inedible. I'm guessing that the chicken had been sitting all day and morphed into the rock hard nuggets. This one should never have left the kitchen. We also had the shrimp masala. The masala sauce was quite good but if you planned on this dish for your dinner welcome to the hunger games! Almost no shrimp were evident in this container of sauce. Inexcusable to send something like this out. I'm puzzled. The restaurant itself is charming and welcoming but the kitchen is in need of a makeover. read more

We made reservations for 6:00 PM on a Thursday. They were absolutely not necessary. When we arrived we were the third customer. Business picked up a little over the next hour, but generally speaking it seems Thursdays are slow. The restaurant is beautiful. There were two people working out front. They were kind, but not overly ebullient. When ordering we asked if one serving of rice would be enough for two. She suggested we order two servings. We didn't need two servings. One bowl of the Basmati Rice was plenty for two...at least these two. I decided I wanted to try something different. We have had Momo before, but nothing like Chicken Momo Chili Fry (steamed dumplings of minced chicken seasoned with nepalese spices and herbs | fried | sauteed with green chili, bell peppers, onions, ginger and spicy garlic-chili paste). What an amazing dish! I'm not a huge fan of super spicy food, but the Chicken Momo Chili Fry was outstanding. The spiciness was spicy flavor, not just heat. They were delicious. And the veggies (green peppers and onions) were so tender and flavorful. If you are a fan of spicy then you need to try this dish. You will not be disappointed. Keeping with the 'trying new things' theme, I ordered Gorkhali Khasi (chunks of bone-in goat meat stewed in flavourful nepalese spices | a delicious spice forward sauce with tomatoes, onions and nepalese spices) with a side of Basmati Rice. The dish was very tasty, but the bone-in goat was a lot of work. Once off the bone (though I still ended up with bones in my mouth, which was nerve wracking) some of the pieces were tender and delicious. Other pieces were a bit gristly. Since the flavor was great, when we return I will likely order this dish with chicken. Mark ordered Chicken Tikka Masala (spice-marinated diced boneless white meat chicken cooked to perfection in tandoor | simmered in rich creamy tomato sauce). He raved about it! When he was finished it looked as if he has licked his bowl. In fact, he used some naan (we ordered Garlic Naan) to get every last drop of the sauce out of the bowl. The Garlic Naan was good, but I must have been full. I didn't finish one piece. There were four in a serving. I had to take a picture of the silver and gold wear. So very fancy, but a bit over the top. The plates were beautiful and were warm when they were brought to the table. We had a delightful meal. Oh... don't know if it is always like this, but we were there well over an hour. There was no rush whatsoever. Next time we are in town staying at City Suites, we will definitely return to Cumin! read more

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I visited Cumin with 7 friends as a part of a Meetup event. While some enjoyed the spcier Indian dishes, I chose the mider Nepalese offerings. , starting with Chicken Momo, steamed dumplings that are a little thicker than Korean soup dumplings, but good tasting and satisfying with a mildly spicy (to me!) tomato-based sauce. My entree was Pokhareli Kukhura, dark meat chicken with bones, cut into reasonable sized pieces so the chicken was infused with the tomato, spice and vegetable sauce through and through. A little spicier than the momo sauce, but paired with the rice and washed down with a good Nepalese beer, just fine. I had plenty left over and enjoyed it again the next day at home. The service was friendly and helpful and the surroundings pleasant. read more

This is the type of place I wish I could give more than 5 stars. It is so authentically beautiful when you first walk in. The service was amazing. The lamb curry was indescribably delicious. Also I got to try Nepalese beer for the first time, so that was real cool. read more

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Chicken momo: a bit dry for takeout. Probably better eat it in person. Looks like soup dumplings but taste very Indian curry flavor. I didn't care much for the sauce came with it Butter chicken: also rich and smooth. Chicken's kinda chewy, like barbecued texture somehow Lamp Shahi Korma: very coconuty and smooth rich flavor. Love the lamp's so tender! Doesn't come with rice or nang read more

Cumin - Lakeview - 8 Chicken Momo - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Delicious food and lovely space. Parking is horrendous around here so take the brown line if you can.

I was in the mood for a solo date today so I stopped into Cumin for a table for one. The bib gourmand feature made its name in Wicker Park, and I'm so happy they opened this Lakeview location! I came in early (well before the dinner rush) so the dining room was mostly open and I was seated right away. The dining room is well lit but still has a romantic feel to it, with vases & tea light candles on each table & a beautiful fire place near the center of the room. They have a full bar, including a few Indian beers & wines. At the recommendation of my server, I opted to try the namesake cocktail. The cumin is a vodka & tamarind based drink, spiced with cardamom & black pepper. It was truly unique but very tamarind forward. I enjoyed it but if you're not prepared for that, proceed with caution! When I go somewhere new for the first time, I usually like to try as much as possible off the menu! However, flying solo, had to narrow it down to one entre. The menu is expansive and covers all your staple dishes (tikka masala, auloo gobhi, etc.) and plenty of options specific to Nepalese cuisine. I decided to go this route and tried the gorkhali khasi -- bone-in goat meat cooked in a tandoor with a rich, spice forward sauce. It had just the right amount of heat! The entrees don't come with rice, so the basmati must be ordered separately. This might seem bothersome but the portion is generous, so if you come with a companion (as most do) you can easily get away with one order per two entrees! And of course it would be silly not to try the naan, which was served warm and toasted to perfection. All in all - I can't wait to come back for the next date night and try a few more dishes! read more

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I'm having goat tonight otherwise known here as gorkhali khasi. My wife is having butter chicken of course. The goat is tender with zero gamey aftertaste . The mild sauce which still packs a bite is very similar to like lamb sauce. It is boney however and western tongues might struggle to deal with that. I'm fine with- I like those cuts of meat. The butter chicken is excellent. The sauce is not too strong. I would have preferred dark meat but that's just my preference. The sauce is good to dip your nan into. For dessert we had the gulaab jaamon - soft donut holes bath in sugar syrup-intensely satisfying! The place was nicely decorated for Valentine's Day. read more

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This is a lovely, well appointed place with good food. I'll be back, but maybe not on an understaffed holiday weekend. Our lunch was leisurely, so there was no problem. Curried catfish was excellent; the other dishes, unremarkable. I'd encourage the owners to use better napkins, too. read more

This review is specific to takeout. Ordered on a Saturday evening and everything was very good. We ordered the below items: Vegetable Samosa- really good, nice filling to dough ratio. Both sauces were also very good. Chicken Tikka Masala/Chicken Madras- ordered both of these entrees and both were very satisfying. Did not wow me but was still very happy with both. I looped them both together because I found them to be very similar in taste. Garlic naan- must add, rounded out the entrees Good portion size so we had leftovers and honestly it heated up even better than when it was delivered. 7.4 score on delivery 7.8 score on leftovers read more

Cumin - Lakeview - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of my favorite Indian restaurants I've ate at in Chicago. Not only is the interior beautiful and elegant, the food was delicious! We ordered the lamb masala and the sauce was so light. The meat was very tender. Highly recommend this spot. read more

Cumin - Lakeview - Lamb Boti Kabab Masala - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tuesday lunchtime, had the whole restaurant to ourselves! Very clean, chic, modern Indian restaurant! Felt so fancy even the utensils had gold details on it! (I wish I took pics of the ambience) I ordered the butter chicken (has dark meat) and my friend ordered the chicken tikka masala. Of course we had to also order garlic naan to pair with it! The naan was so crispy, garlicky, buttery, and dipping the naan into the butter chicken was such a melt in your mouth feeling. The butter chicken was very creamy, the meat was tender, and I could taste the tomato in the sauce. The chicken tikka masala also was tomato based, and was thicker and spicier. The entrees do not come with rice so you have to order it separately. Although a bit pricey, everything tasted well, the servers were nice, and the ambience was beautiful, so I would come back again because I love the Lakeview area! Butter chicken $18 Chicken Tikka Masala $18 Garlic Naan $4.75 (comes with 4 pieces) read more

Cumin - Lakeview - Garlic Naan, Chicken Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My friends and I do a monthly supper club, Cumin was our October pick and it did not disappoint! We ordered a TON. My favorites were the soup chicken momo, mixed vegetable pakora, chicken tikka masala and alu paratha! You truly can't go wrong with anything. The service was amazing, our waiter even gave us a free dessert! The restaurant itself is huge, plenty of space for a large group dinner. We will definitely be back! read more

I started eating Indian food roughly 30 years ago and know what good Indian food is. I ate here last night and the food was excellent!!!! I had the chicken tikka, naan, dal and yogurt. High quality chicken and everything was perfectly seasoned. Good atmosphere and service. I live in Dallas and would kill to have this restaurant there!!!!! read more

The food was great; chicken momo, chicken tikka masala, and chicken madras. The service, on the other hand, I could not say the same. read more

Cumin - Lakeview - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My goal is to try 50 new Chicago restaurants in 2025! Restaurant: 1/50 Month tried: January Favorite dish: chicken chili masala I went to the OG Cumin location YEARS ago and really enjoyed it, but wicker park is just too far from me to make it a regular spot. So, I was thrilled to see them open a Lakeview location! Came on a Friday night shortly after opening and the restaurant was pretty empty. Maybe 6 tables. Service was prompt and friendly and didn't mind that some of our group was delayed and we waited to order. The restaurant is upscale looking but still casual enough that you don't have to dress up. It's really a beautifully designed spot! Bathrooms were spotlessly clean. I was surprised they have a full bar so soon after opening! I did not get a drink but the menu looked good. We ordered chicken Momo, lamb samosas, and veggie samosas. Momo and Lamb came out very quickly. Veggie took longer but it was my favorite appetizer. Between 5 of us, we got 4 curries, two rices, and two orders of garlic naan. Had just enough left over for 1 more meal. Chicken tikka masala - excellent flavor and tons of sauce! Palak Paneer - hearty portion and not very spicy, but flavorful. Chicken chili masala - spicy!! Really great sauce. Lamb Jalfrieze - I don't eat lamb, but the sauce looked good and had lots of veggies. All in all I think this location will do well! Food is up to par with the original location, service was great, and the space itself was inviting. read more

This place was great! Went here early on a Saturday evening since my granddaughter (2 yo) was with us. They were very welcoming. Inside is beautiful- I was expecting more of a casual place but it looks upscale. We started with papadum and chicken momo for apps. Both were good. Mains were the star however. Butter chicken was awesome- right up there with the best I've ever had. Chicken tikka was very similar but a little more tomatoey with different spices and also delicious. Malai kofta was very good as well. Saag paneer was good per those that like it- it's just not my thing. Rice is not included but was only $3.50 - we needed 2 orders for 5 people (including the toddler). Naan was also really good. Reasonable for the quality of the food. Service was very good and the place was full by the time we left (around 7 pm). Definitely going back! Sorry forgot to take photos. read more

We had an awesome weeknight dinner here. We had a few dishes from the Nepalese part of the menu and few from the Indian side. All the food had delicious flavors and was pleasantly spicy (as we requested). The restaurant itself was very pretty and spotless inside. Contemporary music from the region gave the place a pleasant vibe. Our food arrived quickly and the gentleman that took care of us were great read more

I definitely recommend, though the service was a little off. The space is large and can host events (including a nice entry area that feels a bit like a hotel) and all our food was delicious. Chicken momo, samosa, chicken jalfrezi, naan, peshawari naan, paratha, and gulab jamun. Many of the items were packed with flavor (though I didn't really care for the whole wheat paratha or the kashmiri pulau). Don't sleep on the peshawari naan, it has a nice little savory sweetness thing going on: go for that instead of the kashmiri pulau here. Looking forward to coming back to try more of the menu! read more

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I had a take out The food was excellent The samosa's, Moma and the shrimp pakora's were made to an excellent quality They did not leave with a heavy post dinner feel which some Indian food can make you fey Give this restaurant a try, you won't be disappointed read more

everything good at this spacious second location of Cumin! Good Indian beer! The one waiter was a little overworked but then the owners came in to help him out. read more

We got takeout from here last week. It was absolutely amazing. I can't really speak to the service or anything else since we got our food to go, but I definitely recommend eating here at least once. We had the butter chicken and the lamb sahi korma. The lamb was so tender and the sauce was some of the best I've ever had at an Indian restaurant. We can't wait to go back and try some other menu items. My only complaint was that none of the entrees came with rice, and given the price, it felt like it should. read more

We ordered the yellow daal and vegetable korma entrees as well as the garlic naan and all were very good and tasted fresh. Highly recommend.

We loved it here! The food was great, atmosphere was pleasant and the service was wonderful. We were bummed not to be able to try more on the menu because we got full quickly! So delicious read more

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I am totally mystified by all the 5-star reviews. I ordered a Nepalese entree, Indian appetizer, two types of naan, and rice. The entree was alright, flavor was pretty good but every piece of chicken contained bones and bone fragments. The appetizer was pretty good. The two naan orders were a complete joke, like naan you would get at Jewel or Costco. Flat, lifelessly chewy, and devoid of flavor. And they put the garlic naan in the same foil as the peshawari naan so it absorbed a garlic flavor (which became really the ONLY flavor for the peshawari naan). In a blind taste test I would have this meal pegged as an Indian pre-fab meal from Trader Joe's, or worse...... read more

I have nothing, but good things to say about this restaurant! The food was all amazing...a large group of us went and ordered multiple dishes to try and share. All of them were superb in both taste and presentation. We ordered everything "spicy" and it may have still needed a little extra hit sauce for my tastes, but "spicy" is a very subjective word, so I was not disappointed, just an FYI. The decor was very modern, yet relaxed. It felt a bit upscale while still being comfortable enough to wear sneakers and jeans. We had great service throughout the meal. It was a bit quiet, so we had two servers helping us and my water never went empty. The food arrived in phases, as ordered, and it was all timely and fresh. We will be returning. read more

We ordered delivery last night. It was so good we ordered again tonight. Looking forward to having it again.

The food here was excellent and plentiful. We had enough for another meal with our leftovers. The sag was especially delicious . It was not crowded at all on a Friday night. read more

I was very excited to order from Cumin on Thursday for take out. I arrived at the time indicated it would be ready and it had just come from the kitchen. Perfect timing! The host was friendly and the person that brought out the food was also welcoming. The restaurant atmosphere was quite nice although I didn't dine in I would have liked to. The menu options were vast and we ordered: 1 Chicken Makhani / Butter Chicken (spicy) $18.00 1 Chicken 65 $11.00 1 Navaratan Korma $17.00 Medium 2 Naan / Butter Naan $7.50 1 Samosa Chaat $7.75 When I got home I realized there was no rice included. I called and they said that rice didn't come with entrees. That wasn't the impression I had from the menu. I made it rice. My favorite was the chicken 65. The Samosa Chaat also very enjoyable. Entree wise I was not impressed. The Butter chicken was not something I would reorder and honestly ate very little of it. The Navaratan Korma was very good but again nothing that I felt was something I would go back for. I would rank the food as average. The naan was charred and I have naan from scratch that was better (and I am not the best cook/baker). I fed it to my dog. She loved it! I had looked forward to this dining experience and maybe my expectations were too high based on reviews. I was disappointed. I may try something different to give it a second chance. There was a lot of food in the servings so the quantity to cost is worthwhile. If you have had great butter chicken this may not stand up to it. Overall Cumin gave me a decent dinner shared between myself a friends. The winners were the Chicken 65 and the Chaat. read more

Good food and chicken tikka masala. I'm still thinking about the garlic naaaaan bread. Looking forward to exploring more of the menu.

One of the best dinners of my life. It is so delicious, especially momos and dal. When I tasted the food, there was an explosion of flavors in my mouth. Suraj was very kind, fast, and prompt. The atmosphere was very calm, pleasant, friendly. Will definitely come back. read more

Memorable bday experience with delicious food, unparalleled service and great ambience.

I had a very pleasant time at Cumin. It was quiet on a Wednesday so my roommate and I took our time ordering some aalu tikka Chaat to start, which was delicious. For entrees we got the Butter Chicken and the Lamb Chili Masala. I don't think I can imagine myself going without getting the butter chicken. I haven't been to too many Indian restaurants but it's my favorite from the handful I've been. The lamb was good but I think I'd try a different option. To tie it off, the garlic naan is also a must. We got rice but if I went again I'd trade that in for another naan. I apologize for not photographing the naan or Chaat, I was too excited to get started and forgot. Would absolutely recommend to anyone looking to dine in or order to go! read more

Cumin - Lakeview - Butter Chicken and Lamb Chili Masala - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent food, service and overall experience. Glad to finally have a great Indian & Nepalese restaurant in our neighborhood.

My husband and I spent our anniversary here, it was very nice! Recently opened restaurant with a very nice scene, and the food was delicious! Service was excellent and they were all very handsome. Highly recommend their signature drink, the Cumin. read more

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It's criminal to charge people 16 bucks for the tiniest samosas. Head 10 more min up north and go to any restaurant on Devon. Very disappointed.. read more

The food is amazing. We ordered the whole tandoori chicken and some pakoras for delivery . Delicious, wonderful food! This restaurant is a gem! read more

Had takeout last week- delicious! The interior of the restaurant looks beautiful- can't wait to eat there in person.

Just went there last night to try it out. All 3 dishes we ordered were excellent. My favorite Indian restaurant closed a few months ago. This is now my favorite Indian restaurant. When they say spicy - they mean it. Excellent read more