This is a neat family establishment. The mother is the chef and Khadija (forgive me if I botched the spelling) is the daughter and our server. They were so welcoming. I am still learning about middle eastern cuisine so the chef described some entrees. I told her about a Pakistani dish I really enjoyed and she made me a similar chicken dish that isn't even on the menu! What I love about middle eastern food is that it is so fragrant and a full scale sensory overload. It looks, smells and tastes all at once. Khadija was adorable and very outgoing. I was super impressed by the whole vibe. All of the other patrons were probably far more familiar with the cuisine, but we felt welcome and were so honored that they presented something off the menu for me. I plan to try the regular menu dishes next time. The naan is outstanding, too. read more

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I came here during Covid and was unable to get food as it was to go preorders. For whatever reason I never made it back. I happen to pass it the other day and put it in my Yelp want to go list. This morning I'm like what am I in the mood for and Indian food came to mind. I went walk through Yelp & this came up for Indian Food. Now it is a combined international food experience a blend of middle eastern and Indian. I did the buffet and it did not disappoint. Curries, naan, salad bar, and a juice buffet also. The juice buffet won me fresh and great choices cucumber lime mint, watermelon mixed with something, & mango mixed with something (didn't matter it was liquid crack as they all were good). Fluffy Grandma recommends. read more

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We have been here four separate times now, and it has become our go-to spot for Indian food. We really love Indian food and have tried other places, but none of them do it like this location. Every time we come, we end up ordering the same thing because it is just that good. We even joked about trying something new, but of course we ordered our usual again but we recently found out they have a buffet on Sundays, which is really nice if you want to try different dishes or expand your palate! The garlic naan is always a favorite, super savory and hard to stop eating. You can also choose the spice level for the masala. We finally tried the spiciest level, and I would say to be careful with that one. We would recommend medium instead. We are Hispanic and even for us the spiciest level was a little intense on our gastrointestinal system, but we still ate everything. If you want authentic Indian food with great spices, this is the place to go. It is usually pretty empty when we visit, which surprises us because the food is so good. We hope this place gets longer waits and we will definitely be eating here many more times. read more

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What went well?? EVERYTHING!!!! I've driven by this spot so many times and never even considered going in- I've wronged myself! I've in all honesty been missing out!! This place is delicious!!! HANDS DOWN DELICIOUS!!!! Gone in the wind is any diet idea! I'm being pleased with this food! Even the juice drinks are top notch! Everyone working here is sweet! I love it here and never want to leave! It's a buffet, but I couldn't bring myself to take pics of my plates, but I ate them too fast! Everything is FANTASTIC! read more

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Really nice people but really uninspiring visit. Half-decent chicken biryani, boring and slightly chewy chicken tikka. The inside is really dated and dreary. It would take a lot for me to go back, although it is convenient to airport hotels and has safe surroundings. Again the kid who worked the desk and seemed to do everything was really nice. read more

We decided to give this place a try after a long day of driving and craving an Indian meal. And this place did not disappoint. Come for the Sunday Buffet! The tandoori chicken was grilled to perfection and very moist. We will be back! read more

Hands down the best Pakistani/Afghani/Indian food I've ever had at a restaurant-- very much like home cooking. There are so many options to choose from on the menu. Everything we tried was so well flavored and the meats were all perfectly tender. We got the chicken boti with white rice, sheesh kebab with biryani, and nihari with garlic naan. For drinks, we tried their mango lassi, black tea, and chai. We were very impressed. The hostess was very kind and diligently checked on us multiple times during our meal. The ambiance is also nice--very homey/cozy. And finally, the cost is very very reasonable--you get so much (both in quantity and quality). Highly recommend to anyone looking for halal food in Phoenix. To the locals--you're lucky to have this spot! And to the travelers, don't pass up an opportunity to try them out! read more

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First stop on Wednesday for lunch... had to bring friends back on Saturday! Very good food . We tried buttered chicken- flavorful with good portion of chicken, baked eggplant- butter soft with a hint if spice- eggplant shone through; palak paneer- great flavor.. very smooth; lentil main- a little soupy but added to afghani rice was perfect. Service was great- checked on us to make certain spice level and flavor good. Ambiance is nice with traditional music, art and rugs on walls. O my frequent list. Side note: a large non-profit was meeting after we left. They accommodated an entire conference !!! read more

Hilal Grill - Baked Eggplant - Indian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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I'm glad you run a good takeout business but that shouldn't be at the expense of the services of the customers sitting in your restaurant. Also I'm not sure I've ever been to an Indian restaurant that charged extra for rice for a curry or butter chicken and it was not included read more

We enjoyed the Sunday buffet, it's a great way to try all the different items. Waiter even brought us a bowl of butter chicken to try that was not on the buffet. I would recommend trying. read more

Placed a pick-up order about 45 minutes before closing, and everyone was very friendly while placing the order and while picking up. We ordered butter chicken, naan, and tikka masala. The food was absolutely delicious! A little on the oilier side, but honestly didn't even care because it was that good. The inside looks very old, but it was full, so it seems like a local favorite. I'm not sure I would dine in, but I will definitely order here again whenever I'm in town again. read more

Wow! What a great way to experience Indian Cuisine for the first time! Amazing 10/10 service and food I could not wait to grab a bite I had to pull over to a park to enjoy my dinner.. the cheese naan is to die for the chicken tikka masala and the chicken handi were all phenomenal read more

Hilal Grill - Chicken Handi - Indian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

The food was outstanding! We came primarily for Afghani fare but everything was on point, including the nihari and freshly baked naan. Friendly, homey feel. Amazing! read more

I ordered again a few weeks ago and was thoroughly disappointed. The butter chicken was far too citrus flavored and lack the tomato and cream flavors. Plus, they no longer serve it with rice. read more

One of my favorite places to eat! Always a warm welcoming experience with family owned recipes! The food is amazing no matter what you get! The Chicken handi probably my ultimate favorite as well as the perfect naan! Great service and staff! read more

The food left much to be desired. We had the nihari, which was okay, the mantu, which was spicier than I've had it before, but delicious, and okra. The food was okay, it hit the spot for a weeknight dinner, but I've had better fare before. The naan was fresh and tasty. Service was difficult to flag down, but the food came out relatively quickly with very little fuss on that end. read more

Food was good. Place was nice and quiet. The issue was the front of house staff picking his nose and then working the touchscreen register. Kind of concerning. Hygiene read more

This was genuinely one of the best experiences I have had at a restaurant. I came in with a group of friends and the staff was incredibly hospitable. When we went up to get our food one of the staff members took the time to explain what everything was too us. They were always coming to our table to check on us and bring us anything we needed. The food tasted amazing too!! read more

We loved this place as a quick stop before flying out the next morning. Very popular for takeout. The service was excellent, I had inquired about some of the rice dishes and they brought me an entire serving to try for free. Loved the curry and naan. Authentic! read more

Food/Taste/Flavor: 4/5 - note that the curries do not come with rice but you can order it on the side or some nan. Chicken Tikka Masala and Tandoori Plain Nan were great! The curry was very creamy with a hint of garam masala closing out each bite. The chicken pieces were large but varied in tenderness and flavor. The nan was fluffy and soft. Chicken Biryani was yummy overall but the chicken pieces were on the drier side. Ambience: n/a - ordered food to go. Large space that is well lit in the front but dark in the back. Faint music from the cashier area. The set up in the front looks like there's buffet style at certain times Service: 5/5 - professional and invited us to sit while we waited for our food Value for price: 4/5 - reasonable price but was a little disappointed by the portion size and the amount of protein given. read more

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We were visiting Phoenix for a family medical emergency & family couldn't stop talking about the food. So we had a wonderful dinner-All the dishes were prepared with extra care. One of The best places for Indian food in Phoenix hands down. The service was also exceptional read more

Best Indian/pakistani food in town. A hole in the wall sort of joint. The Sunday buffets are the jam. Affordable and tons of variety. Service is a bit lacking but food more than compensates for it. I would make reservations to guarantee a seat for Sunday lunch. highlights of the food - Nihari, Paya, Grilled Chicken and halwa/puri. read more

Best food ever we had experience last night we always go there we love there amazing people read more

The town's best barbecue nights and Pakistani cuisine. Hilal Grill is a great place to go if you're craving real Pakistani food in Arizona. The owners are amazing and sweetest people Try the Friday night tandoori grill and Sunday buffet, which have a lovely atmosphere and delectable fare. read more

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Been wanting to check this spot out for the longest time and finally was able to go. So so good great service flavors delicious and just a good valley spot for great Indian food. Can be intimidating from the outside and parking is difficult but don't pass by get in and support another great spot in the valley read more

Hilal Grill - Little bit of everything on my plate - Indian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Definitely one of the best places I have ever eaten in Arizona and I have lived here my whole life. You can taste the freshness and quality in the ingredients. On top of that the hospitality is also A1. I would recommend Halal Grill to anyone. read more

I wish I could give this place a 6/5 stars. I went for the buffet today & I tried everything they had on their buffet offerings. The Jeera Aloo (cumin potatoes), chicken tikka, butter chicken, Daal fry, goat curry, goat paaya (trotters), nihari, Halwa, poori, phirni, Naan, everything is on-point and taste so yummy. The basmati rice is cooked so well, as soon as I opened the lid of the cooker, it smelled so fragrant and tasted just like home. Unlike many restaurants that serve different meats in the same curry, this place has a blend of spices that reminds me of food back home in India (similar to Pakistani food). This continues to remain my favorite South East Asian food restaurant in the area. Even after filling up on all the food, I don't feel overstuffed or lazy, it's really something I would recommend to anyone looking for authentic flavors, in a heartbeat. read more

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10/5/24: Short version - the food was decent and there was plenty of it!, the service was all right (more on that later), and the decor was pretty typical (beautiful rugs and paintings). There was not anything that made Hilal stand out for either of us which means if someone asked if we would return, our answer would be no. Longer version - Food: this was our first time at eating mantoo (steamed beef stuffed dumplings, topped with yogurt, meat sauce ad mint) so maybe it is eaten cold (?). Regardless, it was flavorful and was presented on the plate very well. All of the naan was hot but it was also thinner than many other Indian restaurants (we love bread so the thicker the better); the mango lassi was good but it also felt like it was at room temp (I prefer mine chilled) and I am pretty sure they had it pre-made, set up in cups in a display case; the water bottle did not arrive at our table until the meal came out (why was it not the first thing delivered?); the paneer biryani was a huge portion (I'm going to have it as leftovers for at least 3-4 more meals) and boy was it spicy (for me, anyway); my sister's lamb kabab w/ rice was tasty and she enjoyed it. We opted not to try any of the desserts. Service: we were greeted immediately and told to pick any seat so we opted to head to the back of the restaurant. The greeter followed us and gave us the menus. I would say about five minutes passed before anyone returned to the table. It was the same gentleman who sat us, yet he says "I didn't know you were back here." Huh? He asks for our drink order and my sister asks for a Sierra Mist (they had a self serve station, we saw it), but the guy didn't know what that was until she pointed it out on the menu, to which he then says "we don't have that anymore" so she opted for the mango lassi. Two minutes later, my sister sees another customer walk by with a Sierra Mist (it was not water as it was bubbly so what else could it have been as she walked from the self-serve fountain machine). Huh? times two. The guy brings us our pre-made mango lassis and drops off two straws. My sister says "no straws" and hands them back to him, then he says "you need straws" and leaves them on the table. Huh? times three. We immediately popped off our lassi lids and drank w/o straws. Parking: we arrived around 2 o'clock and the small parking lot was already almost full. There were a couple spots open but they were in a location that essentially blocked another vehicle. There was street parking and maybe double parking (see photo), but regardless the parking lot is not large enough for a big crowd. Parking is a deal breaker for us. If it sucks, we won't be back -- although Hilal's lot didn't suck, it is not a parking lot we would be eager to park in again. read more

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The rice pilau was good. Veggie options on the buffet are limited, mostly meat. $36 plus tax etc, this was too much for what I could eat. I would not return. The environment is family friendly and locals here. read more

I have been to this place several years ago, and it was then a good experience, which is why I returned here when I was in town. We had the buffet on Sunday. Food was extremely ordinary for $25 buffet. They don't want to wash plates, so they put out disposable plates and bowls (look away if you are an environmental advocate). The plates are small in size, the kind one uses to hand out cake slices at kids' birthdays. I spoke with the guy at the counter and asked him why they didn't have regular size (paper) plates? His answer was, paraphrasing, to avoid wastage. I told him, this experience was unfortunately not nice and I won't be returning. Also, they didn't explicitly mention to us that puri (fried bread) are included in the buffet but one must ask for them. We saw the little notice on the wall saying so after we were done eating. Overall, how do I say it politely... this place is not the best use of your $$. Your $25 will give you better return in most other places than this. The only thing I appreciated about this place was the hard working staff member, who tried to answer my questions as best as could despite his language barrier. Both of my two stars are for him. The business gets zero stars. read more

Quality food! Went for a take-out order but we ended up also dining in. We had the samosa chat, paratha, the lamb kabab with Afghani rice, and chicken kadhai. The flavors were shuttle and each item tasted delicious. The chat was not the typical north Indian Delhi style chat but rather different. I liked it though not too spicy or tangy, had a taste of its own. The rice, kabab, and chicken kadhai were amazingly good. Tender meat and rich gravy. The rice was flavorful too. Portions were good too! Four stars for now! The decor and seating arrangement not so great! Bdw the staff were wearing masks! read more

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Great menu selection. Excellent service. Had tikka and cauliflower and Afghan rice. All had great flavour and lots of food. Huge naan was good. Would go again if I lived in the area. read more

The food was okay, but I wouldn't order again unfortunately.The chicken curry was , but the tandoori chicken was good.The naan was good as well.The chicken tikka masala was missing something, therefore it wasn't good.Maybe it needed more yogurt or something, but it didn't taste like the good chicken tikka masalas I've had at many different Indian restaurants in the west coast and east coast.It's lacking in flavor.The chai tea cup size is tiny.It is smaller than your standard coffe cup, and smaller than the smallest size at Starbucks.I've hard larger cups from other Indian restaurants.The other issue is that it didn't taste good.It tasted like plain tea, no spiced flavor, and no sweetness.I've had much better chai tea from other Indian restaurants. I will try my luck with other restaurants now. read more

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I've been coming here for years. My best friend is friends with the family. We typically order catering from here: chicken tikka is just mouth watering and a great hit for guests especially when trying new foods. I recently ordered take out. Got my chicken tikka and also ordered a biryani. Both were amazing and flavorful. I'd consider this spot my go to for Indian/Afghan. read more

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Always thought about trying this place but never have a chance to visit. So we got delivery order! I am craving for curry and got three veggie curries. They have uniquely complex and delicious flavors. My love to paneer cheese made me order paneer every time i tried a new restaurant. It is kind like my test to the restaurant. This paneer curry is tasty. Paneer is soft and moist, not dry and hard. Curry sauce tastes sweet and savory. Okra curry is also good, different from what I had before, but I love this flavor. I am surprised that I like potato and pea curry. Usually I didn't like potato but the way they made this curry make me change my mind. It is hard to decide which curry I like the most. I like them all. They compliment each other. I did not know that the food did not come with rice or naan, so I heat up frozen naans I always had in my fridge. Then I enjoy my favorite rasmali (cheese curd floating in sweet milk cream) and gulab jamun (fried dough ball soaking in syrup) desserts. I wish I get a big bowl of rasmali! read more

Hilal Grill - Paneer Karahi, Aloo Mutter, and Afghan Bamya curries - Indian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Female owned and operated by Chef Mamoona Hilal -this restaurant offers Afghani and Pakistani dishes, made with love from family recipes passed down through generations. This restaurant is as authentic as it gets! Don't expect ambiance and decor...this place is really just about the food! Try the Mixed platter with rice, the butter chicken and chicken tikka masala, palak paneer, and ABSOLUTELY must try the Mantoo (afghan dumplings filled with beef and onions, topped with a creamy herbaceous sauce. For a true authentic foodie adventure, come here! read more

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Attended a private event at the Friday night BBQ! Food and ambience was amazing. Outdoor heaters make it a nice cozy setting for AZ winter evenings. read more

Hilal Grill - Indian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Excellent , authentic food. Courteous service in a clean environment. Sunday buffet is a must try !

Christmas is supposed to be a happy and jolly time, and this place drained my spirits away with their hospitality and wait time and quality of food. Ambiance was non existent. read more

Amazing food. They play fun music. It's big enough to dance or skate around. :) Great use of space. Really cute partition so the staff have their personal space. I'm sad I didn't come sooner, I've lived in the area for a couple years. Hidden treasure for sure. They open at 11:00 close at 8:00 come eat. If they have a dance night I will see you there. read more

Hilal Grill - Well organized clean spread. Great environment to have a meal in. Open 11 to 8 - Indian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona