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    Desi Tavern

    4.5 (54 reviews)
    ModerateIndian
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
    Updated 3 weeks ago

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    Recommended Reviews - Desi Tavern

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    Beer
    Bill L.

    Food and Service are amazing. Had the goat biryani and DT Chicken Curry. Perfect amount of spice for my liking. Garlic Naan was good as always. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a solid meal in or out. 10/10

    Rachel W.

    My husband found this place when he was trying to plan his date night. We had not had Indian food yet in Garner and we wanted to try out this place. 10 out of 10 would recommend! Everything was freshly made and amazing! The staff was super helpful and the menu is extensive for all types of eaters. We will be coming back here shortly!

    Fried Rice , Naan , and Butter Chicken
    Anna B.

    We were in a rush and didn't have time to eat out or make dinner so we ordered a doordash order from Desi Tavern. We are planning to come in soon but sometimes we like to preview the menu ahead of time with ordering in. We got the fried rice and butter chicken with butter naan. It was so delicious! If you are a fan of authentic Idian cuisine definitely a safe chocie to order!

    Masala papad
    Priyanka B.

    So glad that this place isn't opened up close to the home! It has so many options and we're so excited to come back and try them. I love that they have Indian snacks for bar bites it really sets them apart from other Indian restaurants. The bartender was so kind and it was obvious that she was really trying to learn the menu and about Indian food since she was not Indian herself. She had such a great attitude and told us that she's working on you drinks for the restaurant.

    Chicken Lollipops
    Kurt W.

    Exceptional experience! The food was amazing. This evening I tried the DT omelet and Chili Shrimp. Wow, it was delicious. I paired it with a martini. YES.... The service was quick and the ambiance was great. Tonight, DT had Indian Music Night. This was an authentic experience. I highly recommend DT to anybody seeking great food, service, and ambiance.

    Rice
    Cliff H.

    One of the best Indian restaurants I have been to anywhere. Great atmosphere and excellent specials such as all you can eat dosas on Thursday night. Their tandoori wings are by far the best chicken you will ever have. They come to the table sizzling in a cast iron platter. Their biryani has great variety and I highly recommend the goat biryani. The paneer here has excellent texture and works well in the saag paneer.

    Samosa chaat (tastes amazingly delicious)
    Anna V.

    The ambiance of the place is so wonderful! Their service is quick and the waiters were so respectful and friendly, especially Bhanu, Akhil, and Nikhil were really sweet and making sure we got everything we needed. We went there for their unlimited chaat on Wednesday and the samosa chaat was the best, the pani puri reminded me of the one in India. Had to be the best pani puri I've had since I've been here in the US.

    Tammy W.

    We've eaten at this place several times, and each time has been great. My favorite is the Chicken Korma with Garlic Naan. Very yummy !!!

    Love the vibe

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    1 year ago

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    9 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Food was delicious! We got the saag chicken/butter chicken hot/ and garlic naan. Everything was delicious! Highly recommended

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    10 months ago

    Great food and service. Butter and tandoori chicken were great. Flan was also excellent

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    11 months ago

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Desi Tavern

    Mustang House

    Mustang House

    4.8(112 reviews)
    12.2 mi
    $$

    Really solid Indian fare. Very accommodating of allergy requests, even ordered via Door Dash…read more Portions were right-sized, had a few leftovers. All in all, highly recommended

    "Nepalese and Indian food in downtown Raleigh, near Marriott"…read more With a great location, this is VERY close to the Raleigh Convention Center. We arrived on a Thursday night at 6pm with a group of 5. The dining area didn't really accommodate a group that size, but they made it work by moving tables around, which was nice. The place was not very large, but there was maybe only one other family eating inside. The bathroom was clean. I split two dishes with my son-- salmon tikka masala and shrimp (prawn) saag, both coming with rice. We were given some papadum, I think, as a snack as we waited on the food, along with some spicy dips. Food came in maybe 10 minutes or so, which was great timing. However, I have to say, both dishes we tried were underwhelming. The shrimp was oddly translucent and not very flavorful in its dish, and the spinach in the saag wasn't especially tasty (though it did have a nice spiciness). The tikka masala sauce was great, but the salmon also was pretty underwhelming. We both said we'd probably just get chicken next time and not splurge the extra for the salmon. No dish was "bad", but just we expected them to be delicious and they were just OK. I'm just really surprised given how many people said this was the "best Indian" they'd had. The staff were friendly-- refilled drinks well and were good at answering questions. And the price was reasonable. Altogether, I'll give it 4 stars given the great location, good service, good price, but not 5 given the food was "just OK". Realistically, I probably wouldn't go back-- we have lots of great Indian in Durham and Chapel Hill, so I'd rather wait and get that.

    Photos
    Mustang House
    Mustang House - Chicken C momo

    Chicken C momo

    Mustang House - Mustang Cauliflower

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    Mustang Cauliflower

    Tamasha - Murg Pasanda -  could have licked my whole plate so good!

    Tamasha

    4.4(145 reviews)
    16.2 mi

    My dining experience at Tamasha is one of the best I've ever had. Chef Chhatwani's creations are…read morenothing short of heavenly... Everything about this locale is intentional: the lighting, the decor, the colors... it's truly the perfect date spot. I'd like to recognize Sam Sanchez at the bar, who guided me from cocktail to entree and beyond for my eventual second visit while in Raleigh. He listened closely to my taste preferences, and his recommendations were flawless (although I can't imagine ANYTHING on the menu isn't delightful). On my first visit I started with the Byadgi Chili Shrimp and then feasted on the Lamb Sheekh Kebab. The shrimp texture was just right and the coconut sauce is a perfect compliment. The lamb kebab comes in two separate pieces; one is wrapped in naan and the other is naked. The chili beurre blanc sauce has a kick that I really enjoyed! And my favorite: Dal-e Tamasha, 24 hours slow cooked black lentil. My mouth is watering even as I think about it. You might think something as humble as lentils could not make one's heart race... but you would be wrong. My second visit saw me reunited with my dear Dal-e Tamasha plate and what became the pinnacle of my visit to Raleigh: MUSHROOM "MADE IN HEAVEN" dish. It is difficult to describe how AMAZING every bite is. There is a complexity of flavors that somehow blend AND standout. Each nibble of the dumpling and a bit of risotto along a sip of the "umami bomb" is an experience. I am actually very glad I was sitting on the patio dining solo because I was able to give my full attention to this experience. To wrap it all up, I was fortunate enough to try the pink guave lemon lime and tahin sorbet... don't snooze on it, it's a must try! A big shout out to the Tamasha team, owner Mike (thank you for checking on me and chatting up spices and culture!), and Chef Chhatwani for sharing your passion with the world. I can't WAIT to return to Raleigh and visit again.

    Imagine a spot that's equal parts Mumbai majesty and Southern comfort. You walk in, and the vibe is…read moreinstantly lively--like a Sunday supper where everyone actually likes each other, just with way better spices and a whole lot less drama. They've got these plush, deep green velvet booths that hug you sweeter than a Southern grandma, paired with large, dramatic blue dining chairs that practically scream, "Sit and Stay a While". Everywhere you look, there is gleaming copper decor catching the light, reflecting off soft, warm wood tones that keep the whole place from feeling stuffy. It's upscale, sure, but it breathes. It is bustling, animated, and humming with gossip and laughter. It's high-end, but not overly formal. Now for the bar - The Old Fashioned is absolutely gorgeous, the star of the show being the unique craft ice. That giant block of ice is taking up about 90% of real estate so they are giving you a very short pour on the liquid. It's about three sips of actual cocktail swimming around a diamond-grade ice cube. It is high-end and it tastes wonderful--just don't expect a heavy pour. A must try - The Ultimate Four-Cheese Truffle Kulcha, they threw out the rulebook for this blend. Pillowy, tandoor-baked dough with sharp, bitey white cheddar, a wonderfully funky and oozing brie, a sharp and nutty asiago, and just enough mozzarella to give you a cheese pull that stretches all the way to next week. It's laced with finely minced fresh chili and topped with blistered, smoky shishito peppers, complete with a truffle flex. Now hold onto your pearls, darlin', because their butter chicken is not that neon-orange, overly sweet butter chicken you get from the mall food court. This is the sophisticated, high-society glow-up that your tastebuds have been praying for. They start with chicken thighs that are so perfectly moist it ought to be a crime. Then the Gravy (The Showstopper): This is a velvety, luxurious makhani sauce made from deeply smoked tomatoes and red peppers. It has a sultry, back-of-the-throat woodsmoke depth that plays beautifully with the sweet acidity of the peppers. It's finished with a generous dusting of fragrant, herbaceous fenugreek leaves. Just when you think it can't get any richer, it's crowned with dehydrated butter that melts right back into the sauce as it hits your table, creating an impossibly glossy, silk-sheet texture. The food is pure luxury, but the rice portion is giving 'recession.' Don't let them starve your sauce--order extra rice right out of the gate and eat like the king or queen you are. Before you get completely drunk on truffle butter and smoky makhani sauce, you need to look at the bottom of that menu, they are slipping in a warning and I am here to make sure you don't get caught off guard when the check drops. They are feeding you like royalty, but they are also making sure their staff gets paid like royalty--automatically. Check your math before you add an extra tip, because that 20% is already locked, loaded, and heading straight for your credit card.

    Photos
    Tamasha - Inside. Dining room view from entrance. Beautiful booths, decor, and interior design.

    Inside. Dining room view from entrance. Beautiful booths, decor, and interior design.

    Tamasha - Butter chicken

    Butter chicken

    Tamasha - Chicken Biryani with Burani Raita

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    Chicken Biryani with Burani Raita

    Desi Tavern - indpak - Updated June 2026

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