Ive been wanting to try this place out for years when they were doing those Indian pizzas when I used to go on Instagram. I got to go yesterday! Its located in the heart of branford. It was a bit difficult to get into because parking there was weird. I ate inside alone. The host was a bit brash but he was also talking to the uniform guy so I ignored it. The restaurant was empty. Then again it was good Friday. I got served this flatbread with chimichurri sauce, this tamarind one that got me hooked and some chopped pepper. The server arrived within 5 minutes and I was ready to order. I ordered the signature darbar pizza which had lamb, shrimp and chicken with curry sauce and a naan cheese flatbread which was basically another pizza lol. There was a TV playing bollywood shows and music. The food took a little bit but by the time it arrived I was ready to go to town. The pizza was amazing, especially with the tamarind sauce. The curry wasn't too overpowering and the crust was thin. So think new haven pizza with an Indian twist... that isn't trying too hard like Bobbi's. The flatbread was good but i soon regretted it as I had an appointment afterwards! The server was very kind and there in also a koi fish tank that another employee was tending to. 4 stars, because the darbar pizza, flatbread and a soda was a whopping $51 before tip. So i probably won't go out of my way from Danbury to grab this. However if I was close by, this would be a once in awhile treat. read more

Darbar India - Darbar pizza. Shrimp, lamb and chicken with curry. - Indian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

This is one of the best Indian restaraunts in Connecticut! The food is fantastic and everything is delicious and extremely fresh. read more

Darbar India - Indian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

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I met a couple friends here for lunch on a Sunday. We were greeted promptly and seated in a bright clean booth by a window. Our server took our drink orders and papad were brought out along with 3 sauces. I ordered the Navarattan korma lunch. It was served in a bowl with white rice in another bowl on the side. It was fabulous with nice chunks of vegetable in a creamy red sauce. One of my friends ordered a lamb dish and the other ordered a chicken dish. They both loved their meals as well. We also ordered garlic naan and cheese naan to share. Both were heavenly! The service was excellent as well. Our water glasses were kept full and the check was brought out in a timely manner. I look forward to my next trip here to try other vegetarian meals! read more

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It was my first time eating at Darbar at their new location, and my group had a positive and enjoyable experience. Given the glowing reviews, I decided to try the Chicken Tikka Masala pizza. Even as someone who isn't usually a pizza enthusiast, I found it incredibly legit. The chicken was tender, the flavors and cheese were delicious, the dough had a perfect balance of crispiness and chewiness, and I easily made quick work of 6-7 slices. It might be a hot take, but I think their pizza might be even better than a classic tikka masala dish! One of our friends ordered the Chicken Vindaloo at medium spice, and it definitely packed some heat. This isn't your typical American spice level, so just a heads up! The service was impeccable. The waitstaff was attentive and friendly, ensuring all our needs were met without being overbearing. They were also very welcoming and thoughtful towards the kids, which I greatly appreciated. I love how they have an extensive cocktail menu, though most of our table ordered a mango lassi, which everyone seemed to enjoy. My only minor gripe was it felt like a furnace walking into the restaurant and everyone had to take an extra layer of clothing off. Aside from that, I'm definitely looking forward to returning and exploring more of their menu in the future! read more

Darbar India - Chicken Tikka masala pizza - Indian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

Another visit to Darbar proved their creativity and consistency once again! This time - a pizza flight! We loved trying each pizza and it was a fun appetizer to share. Big fans of the bao, cheesy garlic naan flatbread, vindaloo tacos, and new seasonal drinks too. read more

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Incredible food, staff is kind and attentive, the restaurant smells SO good, and is well decorated and clean. Perfect for my boyfriends' birthday dinner, and even though we live an hour away, we'll be coming back for mine soon too! read more

Darbar India - Chicken Naan Bao Buns - Indian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

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Loved visiting Darbar India! The staff were all super friendly and accommodating. I loved trying the tea and coffee flight: the quality of the thick cold foam was unbelievable and the mix of sweetness and spice in the drinks was perfect! All the food dishes (and top selling options!) Chicken Tiki Marsala pizza (on naan dough), Bao Buns (w/ Chicken), Tikka Tacos (w/Shrimp), or the Naan Buns (with Chicken). Looking forward to trying other things on their menu, definitely did not disappoint! Key Features: Parking, outdoor patio seating, indoor seating, high top bar. Large menu and rotating specials, excellent specialty cocktails, caters to allergies if needed, quality and fast service. Takeout as an option as well. read more

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Been coming to Darbar for years at both of their locations. Always a hit. My family's favorite Indian food restaurant. Their new place is a little away from the center of town, but a bit more peaceful and modern. Delicious tikka and vindaloo. My parents love the vegetarian cheese dishes. Will always support this local business. Thank you Darbar for years of delicious food. read more

Darbar India - Chicken Tikka Masala & Lamb Vindaloo (subportions) - Indian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

Delicious food and amazing service! Barbara lives up to their reputation for creative Indian food. We loved the samosa assortment and tikka masala. The naan bread was layers of yummy dough with great flavors. read more

Darbar India - Indian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

Well done, Darbar. This was by far the most unique and flavorful food I have had during my time in CT. The service was quick and accommodating with our questions. Darbar's food was ALL fresh and made on the spot. Indian food is already flavorful so I got what I expected from here. Everything tasted delightful, so I'll keep this review short. Def recommend and I want to stop by again. read more

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Such a great experience here last Saturday. I'd totally give this a 5 other than the fact that they had loud landscapers doing work outside by the front as we were having dinner outside. Aside from that, the team completely made up for it. Again, we sat outside and it was beautiful. Night string lights on the patio. Wait staff incredibly helpful and friendly. The owner is a doll. We came inside to the bar just as we finished dinner to finish our drinks when it started raining and were greeted by the owner and one of the servers. I told them I never had mango lassi and they let us try some on the house. Amazing food. We had the Chicken Majaraha and chicken tacos. Both very good. They give you these large crispy wafers with three tasty sauces as u sit down as well. My favorite was the cilantro mint sauce. Loved my smoked drink I got as well. Quite a presentation they put on for that. Very nice experience here. Would definitely come back. Thank you Darbar. read more

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Darbar India has become one of our favorite spots. The fusion aspect of it brings you items such as the chicken tikka masala pizza and chicken tikka tacos. Both items are absolutely amazing. The pizza is truly a standout for unique items. Their regular menu items should not be slept on. My gauge for a good spot is their Chana saag and theirs is one of my favorite in the area. The space is very clean with a good amount of seating. There is also a great patio for when it is warm out. The staff and owners are always so kind and constantly check in to make sure your experience is a good one. This is a must stop! read more

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This place is delicious. The service is quite literally the best my girlfriend and I have ever had at a restaurant and everyone treated us amazingly. I would also like to give a special compliment to our waiter B, who made sure our cups were full of water whenever he passed by, was extremely kind, and even offered to give us some extra free rice to take home along with our leftovers. Thank you guys so much for an amazing experience for me and my girlfriend. read more

Great spot, pick service and great lunch deal! Would return and very convenient for road trips up and down 95

Such a great place and great food ideas from a traditional Indian inspired street food concepts. Great location, well decorated inside, offers plenty of seating as well. The food was amazing, I always wanted to make a Chicken Marsala pizza and they nailed it and of course the outcome was amazing. Pizza was crispy on the bottom, very cheesy but also very light and the Chicken with the Marsala sauce hit the spot. They offered up some other great treats like the chicken lollipops which is a great appetizer, the aluminum foil around the drum of the bone made it easy to handle if it was hot. The chicken taco and burrito was also a super idea that had the inspiration of Mexican style but with the flavor of Indian spice. This was such a great combination I could easily eat 3 of the tacos it was so good. Lastly the Gulab Jamun inside the rice pudding was a great end to an amazing food experience. So sweet and delicious. They offered Rupee beer which helped compliment the food I loved all the cocktails offered my favorite was the mango cocktail. The staff was super friendly and of course family owned makes it feel each plate was made with love. read more

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After 28 years of success they do not need my review, but my pizza flight was so delicious I have to share my photo and words of high praise that will only echo everyone else's. We started with the Tamarind Margarita which was delicious with a tiny perfect bit of spice. Then we tried the vegetable samosas which were delicious with a filling slightly fluffy -- a nice surprise from the dense ones I've gotten elsewhere. Then we had the pizza flight -- the most excellent choice we could have made!! Our selections were Saag Paneer, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Navarattan Korma pizzas. The naan crust was crispy on the bottom and chewy in the middle, so good you wonder why it's not used more often. The chicken was extraordinarily tender and moist, making us wonder how on earth they cooked it that way. The Navarattan Korma Pizza was my favorite: outstanding flavor. Oh, and the service was impeccable and the place immaculate. We live an hour away and will absolutely 100% be back for more. You should definitely go. read more

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Darbar has been super popular on social media so I wanted to give it a try for myself. I was super excited seeing how cute the interior was with the fountain and neon lights when I was walking to my table; that's often a good sign. It was also very empty inside when I went at 3pm on a weekday so the service was quick and attentive. I got the mango lassi and vegetarian chef's special. The mango lassi was good but a bit smaller than what I'm used to for the price. I thought the vegetarian chef's special came with a good amount of food for $25. However, I never received my dessert. My friend got the lamb tacos and another chicken dish which were both $20+ which seemed very overpriced based on the size of the dishes. I also thought a lot of the food was a bit bland. This spot is overrated and overhyped in my opinion. read more

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I recently visited Darbar for the second time, and for the first time in its new location. The new digs are modern and classy. Service was very friendly and efficient. My friend and I are both food Bloggers, and out of intellectual curiosity, we way over-ordered: a Thali Dinner, a Chicken Korma Pizza, Shrimp Poori, and a vegetarian app platter. I thought Darbar executed these dishes at a high level. There were too many parts of the meal to discuss, but I'll highlight a few. First, if you're not familiar with an Indian style Thali dinner, think of it as buffet plates brought to you. It included mulligatawny, lamb samosa, saag paneer, chicken korma, chicken tikka masala, lamb curry, tandoori chicken, seekh kebab, Chana masala, dal, Naan, raita and Gulab Jamun. Darbar had very good versions of each. The saag and tikka masala sauces were about as good as you'll find. I have less experience with lamb curry, but that sauce was very tasty as well. Second, the pizza, which is one of the reasons for our visit, was much better than I anticipated. I heard that the crust has a naan base, but it was transformed in the cooking process to be something else. It was like a thin, delicious, crispy, pastry crust. The mozzarella and Korma sauce married to form something better than the sum of its parts. I won't tell you that Darbar's pizza is better than Sally's or Modern. I will tell you that it's a completely different style of pizza you should know. Sometimes you're in the mood for Detroit Style. Chicago Style. Bar Style. Now, sometimes I'll be in the mood for Darbar Indian Style. Third, the meat, chicken and shrimp, in all the various dishes, were all cooked perfectly. Nothing was overcooked. Everything was tender. Terrific execution. There are some great Indian restaurants in the stretch of cities and towns between Branford and Orange. For me, Darbar is one of them. Five Stars read more

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Stopped by for dinner on our way from Boston to New Jersey. Restaurant was a quick detour off of I-95 but set in a quiet town in Connecticut. Staff were incredibly friendly and helpful as we weren't sure how much food was in the dinner plate and if it was meant to be shared. Good thing we asked because the only way we were able to finish it was how delicious it was! Would highly recommend going with someone as the dinner offers a portion of 6 different dishes, two meats and a samosa! We were not expecting to find such good Indian food in the middle of Connecticut but so very happy we did. read more

Darbar India - Dinner plate (not vegetarian) - Indian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

I've truly never had a bad experience at Dar Bar. The owners of such hard workers and fantastic people and all their staff are as well. I always start out with the Mango Lassi because it is so delicious. I've always been a fan of their classic dishes like the chicken tikka masala and their samosas, but I recently tried out some of their fusion items like the bao buns, the quesadilla, and the butter chicken pizza (not pictured), and boy oh boy were they good. The inside is very nice. The bar is beautiful and they have so many delicious cocktails to choose from. They also have an outdoor patio which is a very nice spot to enjoy a dinner on a nice day. read more

Darbar India - Butter Chicken Bao Buns - Indian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

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Had the pizza was very good, coconut soup Service was great and the ambience so pretty sat outside beautiful flowers tables with umbrellas. It's a beautiful night. I recommend this to anybody you won't be disappointed. read more

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Darbar India in Branford is a place that Yelp put on my radar. They offer traditional Indian dishes and fusion dishes. I visited twice in the last month and had two fabulous dinners. On the first visit, we had the chicken lollipops, chicken tikka masala pizza, and the Indian eggplant parmesan. Last night, we had the chicken lollipops, tandoori salmon, and saag paneer pizza. Each dish was perfectly flavored and generously portioned. We also tried their gin cocktail with blueberries and an Aperol spritz. The cocktails were nice and strong, and they have a lot signature drinks to choose from. We enjoyed dining on the patio both times. All of the servers were friendly and attentive. We felt welcomed and appreciated as guests. Even though Darbar is 40 minutes away from home, it's worth the drive. I want to go and try the bao buns next and my husband wants to get a quesadilla. If you like fried chicken, I highly suggest the chicken lollipops! Darbar has so much to offer, and it's a new favorite of mine. read more

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I would have liked it if they had naan included in the lunch menu or had the naan at a reasonable price during lunch hour. Never seen tiny naans ever. The size of the naan was small and cost a bit too much. Overall food was flavorful & we enjoyed it. There is a nice little waterfall & Ganesha statue which was pretty cool. read more

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I was in town visiting family, and they said this was their favorite Indian restaurant around, and I can see why! This was my first time here and the food was amazing. The strawberry lassi wasn't too tart and had the right amount of sweetness. The tacos were my favorite, the paneer in the paneer tacos were so soft and the lime balanced the acidity of the onion. The paneer bao buns are new to the menu but also so good, the green chutney really balanced out the other ingredients. Their paneer pizza is also a must try item! The pizza was crispy and very flavorful. The malai sauce elevated the taste too! The staff was so kind, the owner came to chat with us and made sure we got anything we needed. He also provided great recommendations on what to order. The ambiance was nice and not too loud. We came on the weekend, and the place was packed by dinner time (around 7pm), so I recommend coming early or making a reservation. read more

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Darbar India Restaurant - 168 Montowese St - Branford, CT Darbar India is an authentic Indian and Indian Fusion restaurant that opened in Branford, Connecticut in 1994. It was founded by Nepalese restaurateur Laxman Sharma. He came to the United States in 1985 and opened his first restaurant, Royal India, in New Haven in 1991. Three years later, he opened Darbar (meaning "king's palace") along the Branford Town Green. The restaurant won several accolades for their authentic Indian cuisine. The restaurateur also opened Haveli India in Middletown in 2003. Sharma sold Darbar to Haresh Nariyani and his sister Manju Gidwani in 2008, but continued ownership of the building. Sharma later retired to Florida and began selling his Connecticut properties. When Darbar's building went up for sale, the Nariyani family knew that they needed to find a new location fast. A new restaurant space (former Italian trattoria Assaggio) became available on the other side of the Town Green and Darbar had its grand reopening in October 2022. In addition to their traditional Indian cuisine, Haresh (with help from his sons Vinny and Sunny) is now offering Indian Fusion dishes and cocktails at Darbar's new location.  Yesterday I had lunch at Darbar with my wife. I attended a Yelp Elite event there two months ago and I've been raving about it ever since. This was my wife's first time visiting and she was pretty excited. It just so happened that our visit coincided with the Indian festival of Diwali, and Darbar had some Diwali specials on the menu to mark the occasion. For cocktails, my wife ordered the "Royal Empress" (blueberries and honey shaken with Empress 1908 gin with a tangy lemonade kick) and I had the "Maharaja's Smoked Embrace" (smoked old fashioned made with Pierde Almas mezcal, tamarelo, aromatic bitters). The latter was smoked tableside and it was quite a show! Both cocktails were so flavorful and delicious! For food, we had the "Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza" (with added hot cherry peppers), "Shrimp Indian Tacos" (griddle tacos with tikka sauce, oaxaca cheese) and "Cheese, Garlic Naan" (clay oven bread stuffed with cheese, fresh garlic and coriander). We were so stuffed by the end of the meal but everything was fantastic! We plan on returning to Darbar India again and again! read more

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One of the most unique Indian cuisine experiences that I've ever had!!! The chicken tikka masala pizza was divine and so creative!! I cannot wait to go back here and order the pizza. The food is so flavorful and the staff is extremely warm, and friendly. Definitely check this place out if you're in the area! read more

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Delicious food, great service and very clean. Have eaten here a few times and I am pleased every time. Highly recommend!

For drinks we had the Smoked old fashion. The spicy mango mojito, mango martini and ginger martini. All the drinks were good, mango was on the sweeter side which I don't mind. For food, my husband has the Thali, which is like a sampler of all the staple dishes. He enjoyed it but was a large portion of food, good for an adventurous first timer... with a big appetite. The Paneer Tikka Masala Pizza which was flavorful, and cheesy. We also had the chicken Tikka Masala tacos (medium) which were okay. Their medium is definitely spicier, which I was fine with, but I wished it was heavier on the Tikka Masala. I did like the creative twist on the traditional Indian dishes. Service was okay, seemed to be only one person taking orders, but looked like plenty of staff on the floor. Had to ask to place our order, because the first time he came around we weren't ready. Food came out in a reasonable amount of time. Darbar was overall a good experience, food was good, and drinks were really good too. read more

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I ordered food to go as I was attending a Yelp event. I loved the energy I felt in the restaurant and the love from the owners on the food and their service. I ordered the Chicken Tikki Masala to go after tasting their delicious Chicken Tikki Masala Pizza. Their sauce is a family recipe that is made with love. I can't say enough about the amazing flavors. I ordered Naan garlic bread as well and I can say my husband and I devoured everything tonight. My only complaint would be the portion seemed small but perhaps it was cause I was sharing and it was too delicious but other than that this is a home run and I'll see you guys in a week. read more

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Chicken Tikka Masala pizza is delicious, I'm sure it's even better at the restaurant!!!!! Will definitely be trying more from this restaurant in the future. read more

Darbar India - Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza - Indian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

Branford local here. If you have not been to their new location I highly recommend giving it another go. It's a completely different restaurant. It's brighter and livelier. Easier parking now. Nice bar, Darbar I've always loved their food, but now, with the new pizzas they have on the menu, wow just wow. Get the Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza. You won't regret it. Enjoy read more

Darbar India - Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza - Indian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

If you haven't been here yet, do yourself a favor and visit! Friendly staff, great service, and absolutely DELICIOUS food! They offer things you might not find on other Indian restaurants menus such as chicken tikka pizza and tacos. We ordered a bunch off the menu to try, and everything was amazing. It's a bit of a drive from me, but it's definitely worth it! My husband and I will definitely be back! Just starting a food Instagram (only a few posts so far) where I'll be posting honest reviews often from restaurants in CT and NYC. Check out @nurse_foodies read more

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Darbar is simply perfect! Cute location, incredible food, friendly staff- can't recommend them enough! The menu is always changing with fun drink specials and unique new fusion menu items. We love the pizza flights, and tacos! read more

Darbar India - Pizza Flight - Indian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

4 words: Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza!! Recently checked our Darbar in their new digs with my friend to try their chicken tikka masala pizza. This was sooooo good and lived up to the hype. Actually thought it was so clever to make Indian pizza using Naan as a crust. In addition to the pizza we also shared chicken 65. It was good but not as spicy as I hoped. Service was attentive and the new space is beautiful! read more

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Cute spot, very welcoming and there was a lot to choose from in the menu. The food was delicious and fulfilling however the actual service could've been better. We had to ask for the menu and when we were ready to order we had to ask for the server. The table next to us was in the same boat. The highchairs are lower than the tables so it was awkward for the baby to eat. Otherwise the food was good and I do plan on returning read more

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Whoa! They're back open for business, and they're great! My Wife and I stopped in Darbar recently after we found out they opened in a new location in Branford, CT. We had to make the travel to check it out. We loved the new look of the bar and restaurant. We were greeted by the welcoming and very attentive staff. We started with the Naan, which was great, we had the Chili Chicken Appitzer, and the Butter Chicken dinner both were unbelievable! They truly are masters of their craft. We topped the night off with a couple of smoked old fashions that were carefully crafted with excellence. We can't wait to go back! read more

Darbar India - Chili Chicken - Indian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

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My husband and I have been looking for a good Indian spot for what seems like forever. We recently had a baby so takeout has been our best friend. I'm super impressed with this place. The restaurant looked very clean and was quite busy for the time that I went (around 3pm). The gentleman that took my payment was very nice and promptly helped me when he noticed me waiting to pay. The chicken tikka masala, vegetable samosas and butter chicken were all amazing. We had plenty of leftovers for the next day, too. We also ordered garlic naan but I didn't find it very garlicky. read more

I've been to Dar Bar when they were at their old location across the green years ago so I was really excited to see what their new location was like! They did such a great job decorating, it's so calming with the music and fountain. Love the outdoor space too! The food was great - the samosa, cheesy garlic naan and the chicken tikka is a must try. The chicken tikka pizza is a fun new take on chicken tikka but I prefer the chicken tikka kabob! Service was good - we went for lunch so it wasn't busy at all. Gina's tip: go for lunch! a lot of their popular dishes are offered at a lower cost! read more

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The hype about this place is real. If you come to Darbar, I'd skip the normal Indian options like chicken tikka and go for some of their creative options like the chicken tikka pizza (hint, they let you add however many toppings as you'd like without extra charge). I usually don't like when places do fusion but Darbar did it right. The service is also very attentive. The owner is constant circling the place making sure everyone is happy. The place is small but they pack in a good number of tables. There's also bar seating if you prefer! read more

I've only gotten takeout from this place so far, but it's consistently excellent. The food is always fresh, flavorful, and well-packaged. Highly recommend if you're craving solid, comforting Indian food! read more