I come here regularly, and really enjoy the eclectic mix of Indian/Himalayan food, with tons of veggie options. My only complaint is that I almost always enjoy it too much, as it's a buffet at lunch. And love the seats & cushions! So, save room, try a bit of everything, and take your time! read more

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Fantastic food! Perfect amount of salt and not overly greasy. The tandoori chicken was really crispy yet juicy on the inside- definitely my favorite dish. The chicken korma had the perfect amount of spice and the chicken was tender. I did not like the complimentary appetizer. It tasted like overly greasy chips but the tamarind sauce was addicting. Service was fast and portion sizes were on the larger size- we still finished everything though! They do not validate parking but they do split the bill for you! I can't wait to try their lunch buffet! read more

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The first time we ate at this place we had a good experience. We therefore returned for another meal a few days ago and received probably the worst service imaginable from the waitress, who also happened to be the owner. She forgot to put in our order for appetizers and we waited 45 minutes just for our appetizers to arrive. She similarly forgot about our drinks as well until we reminded her. We let all this slide since we assumed she was probably busy and we didn't mind waiting a little bit if needed. We continued to wait patiently for our entrees. We got extremely angry and frustrated, however, when we noticed that other parties that were seated around us were getting their food before us and we had already been WAITING FOR TWO WHOLE HOURS. Even some parties that came in after us received their food, paid for their meal and left while we were still waiting for our main course. The waitress walked by our table numerous times, noticed that we had no food, but did not think to double check with the kitchen about our order. Instead, she spent her time making small talk with all the tables around us while completely ignoring that she had not yet served us our food. It was particularly cringe when we saw her literally sit down at the table next to us to make small talk with the diners and tell them how the restaurant "is a family" and in the meantime we're just looking at each other and wondering if she was gonna get up and decide to finally do her job. After 2 hours and 15 mins of waiting we flagged down a different waitress and asked her when our food would be served. She went back to inquire and returned to tell us that the kitchen never received our order. At this point we were frustrated enough that we just wanted to leave. So we told them to bring us our check so we could go find someplace else to finish our meal. But the waitress/owner (the one who did a pathetic job waiting on our table) was super apologetic and said she would serve us shortly and that "it would be on the house". So we agreed and accepted her offer. They did bring out the meal shortly, however, when she presented us with the check, nothing was on the house as she had originally suggested. She charged us for all the entrees that she served us, even though they were 2.5 HOURS LATE. We didn't want to create a scene so we just paid the full check and left. If she had actually excluded the entrees from the check, like she had initially suggested, we might have accepted that as an apology and not left this negative review. But the fact that she led us to believe she was going to exclude those dishes, but ended up asking us to pay for it anyway just left a sour taste in our mouth. She was also trying to be overly nice and sweet towards the end after she realized her mistake but her over the top behavior came across as fake and insincere. If she was really sorry, she would have adjusted our check to reflect that. We will NEVER return here again and we don't recommend this place to anybody. There are plenty of other ethnic restaurants with good food and good service nearby that would ensure a better experience than this establishment. STAY AWAY. read more

I had some sort of Lamb Curry. It was delicious. BUT overpriced with very small portions. I'm fine with ordering the Naan separately, but its also pricey for a few small pieces. I really liked it despite it not being like the other Naan I've had. I don't even REMEMBER seeing the waiter and it wasn't even that busy. In short: Great, yummy food but not for the wallet or for service. I recommend this only for special romantic nights out when you want to be left alone as a couple. read more

Judging by the mixed reviews of this place, it sounds like the lunch buffet is the way to go. It's not the grandest of buffets, but has enough for a filling and satisfying lunch. And judging by what my lunch pals said, they seem to change up some of the menu items, which is helpful if the buffet doesn't have a large variety. But I still think there's enough variety to satisfy both vegetarians and meat-eaters. My favorites were the chickpea chips and the green mint. The chips were so thin but had the crunchiness that I love without it being greasy. I liked the flavors of the baked chicken dish but it got a little messy so I stayed with the masala. There were also two types of salads, which I thought was a little out of place because it wasn't Himalayan or anything, but it's still a good way to get your greens in. The only big knock is the service. For a place that isn't terribly busy, they sure do take their sweet time. read more

TLDR: Great food ruined by bad service and a long wait. I am thoroughly disappointed in my experience here. When we arrived, we were pointed toward a table, given water, and left to ourselves. There are QR codes on the table which take you to an online menu. We received no direction on using them but gave it our best shot. I have previously enjoyed this method at restaurants, but we received no indication that our order had been received. It was 45 minutes from when we were seated before someone came to our table. I asked after the drink I had ordered with my food, and they said they would fetch it for me. 15 minutes later, the drink still had not come, so I flagged down a staff member. They said they would take care of it and left the table. By then, it had been over an hour since we placed our order and I asked for an update. We finally received our entrees after an hour and ten minutes of wait time, but it came without the naan. The staff said they would be right back for the bread. I picked at my food until the worker returned 15 minutes later with our bill. I was flabbergasted. Never had I been in the situation where I received the bill before having my complete meal in front of me. I mentioned that our meal was not complete, and they went back for the naan. The naan came 20 minutes after the rest of the meal had come out. It was piping hot which was great but the rest of the food had gone cold. Two tables got up and left without their food and another left without receiving their entire meal while we dined. I was sorry that the meal came in fragments and went cold because when the Lamb Saag came out initially, it was fantastic. I think that if everything came out together, it had the potential to be an amazing meal. Unfortunately, the service left MUCH to be desired. I will not be returning here unless I am ordering takeout (because those orders seemed to be leaving the restaurant faster than the food was coming to the tables). If you do decide to dine in, see your movie before dinner, bring your knitting, and get comfortable. read more

TLDR: This is the best Indian food in Charlottesville. My girlfriend and I came here for dinner on a bitter cold January weeknight. Himalayan Fusion is on the sleepier east end of the Downtown Mall and we had the place largely to ourselves. The service was attentive and the food was incredible. Both of us have lived and worked in spicier parts of the globe and enjoy our food with a little kick. HF's kitchen accommodated by delivering perfect Vindaloo and Korma, leaps and bounds beyond what other restaurants in Charlottesville with "Indian" in the name are putting out. The proteins were high quality cuts of meat and the sauces were complex, spicy, and thick. Give this place a shot. read more

I had heard good things about this restaurant, but I was disappointed with the food. I have now eaten here twice, once I ate from the buffet and the other time I ordered the garlic naan and tarka daal with "medium" spice. Both times the food was quite bland. My tarka daal was sufficiently spicy for me, but it was seriously lacking in flavor supporting the initial heat. I have also had better garlic naan (I prefer more garlic in the naan than what I was given). This is usually not something I would notice, but this restaurant also struggled to find its identity with the background music. I observed 80s rock, modern pop, and what I assume was Indian folk music. It was a perplexing blend that was somewhat distracting from my dining experience. Overall, I would recommend a different restaurant to satisfy your Indian food craving. read more

The best curry house in Charlottesville, the food at Himalayan Fusion is spectacular!! The service is superb and when it is not Covid time the beer selection is great as well. read more

I came here with my friend for their lunch buffet.. This is definitely worth coming for!!! So many choices.. all delicious. It's the perfect opportunity to try all the different dishes being offered! You can definitely feel very full afterwards and leave in a heavenly food coma. Well worth the price. :) read more

Gear momos though not in the traditional round shape, but the taste and the dipping sauce were spot-on, just like we had in Nepal. Even better were the Nepali chicken curry and the channa saag, and even the basmati rice was superior to what we've had in other South Asian (Indian) restaurants. Himalayan Fusions will be our "go to" for South Asian food in C'ville and for remembrances of a past life experience in Nepal. read more

Decent atmosphere. Maybe what I got wasn't the best, but the water was warm. The food was flavorful but it could've better.

I enjoyed all of the food that was ordered! Was just bummed about a long wait for my food outside in the rain. This may be the necessary pickup procedure during COVID but I wish I had ordered delivery instead. read more

If I could give this place a negative 50 stars I would. Terrible, horrible, disastrous experience. My friends and I went to this disgusting place for a birthday dinner. The birthday girl made a reservation for private dining 2 WEEKS in advance and arrived early for her table to be told "it was given away" (what does that even mean?). So everyone said ok whatever and kept it moving attitudes were still up, then there were people standing because we didn't have enough chairs (again, how? it was a reservation). After everyone is finally seated, the waitress takes 500 years to get everyone a cup to drink water and take orders. No one got their food until 3 hours after we arrive. The excuse for that was because they were slammed and under staffed. Ok so boohoo sad story you knew about this event for 2 weeks there's no reason you were unprepared to this level. Many egregious things happened this night but the worst of all was the blatant racism and disrespect from the waitress/manager/owner, as well as other customers in the restaurant who were not even standing up for a group of young black women as they were being harassed. A few that stand out: 1. The owner waved his finger in a young woman's face (a threat). 2. The waitress told two people at our table who had undercooked chicken to just eat their 2 pieces that was cooked. 3. A White waitress asked one of the individuals in the party if she was about to hit her when she was calmly speaking to her. 4. When asked for names of the manager and waitress, they refused and when told its because we will be reviewing on yelp the manager responded "yes I know that's what I don't want" well guess what sis here I am yelping. Overall extreme unprofessionalism and disrespect. However, there were 2 waitresses who were extremely accommodating, respectful, and nice and attempted to help when they could but it did not make up whatsoever for the terrible terrible service. read more

We ate at Himalayan Fusion while in Charlottesville for a quick weekend getaway. We had considered a multitude of places but for some reason Himalayan Fusion stood out.The inside looked nice but we decided on outside seating in the square. The service there was fine -- we ordered a few different dishes to try including various curries and other meals. Everything was fantastic -- the only downside is that they ran out of lamb that night. The price wasn't bad either, it felt like we ordered a feast for only $60 or $70. read more

Unique and wonderful experience! I loved the atmosphere and the service was great! It was my first time having Nepalese food and I loved it. The menu consist of Indian, Nepalese, Tibetan, and an assortment of delicious curries. The lamb curry was super tender. They have local beers on tap and fun mixed drinks as well. Great appetizer menu! I will be back for another meal. read more

Our favorite place for Malai Kofta in town. We have enjoyed getting takeout during the pandemic, and the owner is always so sweet.

Terrible service Once seated we waited for about 45 minutes just to get water and the meal arrived about an hour later. It seems as though they were extremely understaffed and very poorly managed Overall the food is fantastic but if the staff was manned more adequately and had more structure the experience would be more enjoyable. read more

OK so admittedly this review won't be very helpful since I discovered HF during lunch and had the buffet which, in itself, isn't what is going to make this review a bit lame. What occurred that leads to a less-than-inclusive review is that I tried the Chili Chicken. Whoa! What?!?!?! Is food capable of being perfect? Did I solve Socrates' enigma and discover the true essence of beauty? I'm not sure but I have not strayed since. That's right. I am a regular now and all I have ever tasted is the Chili Chicken. Yea. It's that good. read more

The lunch buffet is a great deal! Comfortable ambiance, a great selection of food, and friendly staff. Conveniently located downtown. Would recommend! read more

First day visiting the area and had dinner here with friends, who often eat here because they have many vegan options. The food was some of the best Indian I've had in awhile! I asked for medium spice - it started out mild and gradually increased, but just enough to make it hot and spicy where you could still taste everything. The wait staff was very courteous and attentive and the atmosphere had a cool, funky vibe to it. The only reason I didnt give it 5 stars was because I felt it took excessively long to get our food, but that may also be because I'm from NY and unfortunately, everything is fast there. I would definitely return, though. read more

Poor food paired with worse service, leading to a fusion of two shitty things into one, even shittier restaurant. I'm being harsh, but it's completely deserved. The other places I've given piss poor reviews have been fairly inexpensive. Himalayan Fusion gives the worst experience at an outrageous price no less - coming to over $25/person for routine Indian food. Somebody has to stop this from happening. Food rundown: 1) Veggie samosas - burnt on the corners, too much dough was used causing this weird chewy/crunchy texture that made it taste, if anything, stale. The samosa was far to heavy on the salt, which seemed to have crystalized in the cooking process. No sauces - well, that's a lie. Two shmears of sauce, roughly enough for one bite each, sat on the plate. 2) Naan - made from pizza dough. Acceptably good as bread, a horrible substitute for Naan. Burnt, stretchy, way too chewy. Where's the fluffy Naan lightness? 3) Rice - mushy. Just mushy. 4) Chicken Tikka Masala - no spice. That's fine, but if you're gonna do a mild dish, the Masala sweetness has to be there to back the dish up. It wasn't. The chicken "cubes" were so overcooked, they actually had the texture of biting into a tire. 5) Lamb Vindaloo - the menu warns you away because it's spic(e)y hot. It's not. So much for that. On to the atrocious service. Now in narrative form! When we walked in, we were granted by a frantic and apologetic host, who didn't quite seem to know what he was doing. He worked this weird back and forth between the reservation podium and the outside seating (to make sure people hadn't skipped on their bill? I guess?) flustered and out of breath, knocking into diners and those waiting to dine alike. As he was about to offer us a table immediately next to the door outside (which had the misfortune of being both by the cold, as well as in our host's bumbling line of fire for bumps, jolts, and spilled drinks), we told him we didn't mind waiting for another table to open. One did - immediately by the restroom and the exposed kitchen. The company was good so I frankly don't remember how long we waited for service, but it came at some point and we ordered. Then there was a snafu. We didn't order drinks, which was a combination of our oversight and the waitress'. Let me establish that at this point I don't hate her yet. When she comes back around, we ask for the drink menus back and she returns. Here's where things start getting a little weird. My friend had already ordered the Vindaloo. She was looking at red wines that would stand up to (what the menu had promised) extreme spice. So when the waitress comes over, and my friend asks for help in narrowing down the list of reds to a particular selection, the waitress was remarkably helpful. In selecting a Riesling. Oh yeah, totally fruity and chilled and it'll calm down the Spice Extreme! (TM) in your Vindaloo. Definitely get the Riesling. I think. After ordering a Syrah, our Samosas arrived. See above for complaints on the actual food. Service-wise, we hadn't even finished the appetizer when the entrees came. -10 points people. I can't stress this enough, it's a huge pet peeve. When the entree comes while you're still eating the appetizer, it means poor communication between the kitchen and the front of the house. It's a typical and unwanted sign of mismanagement and confusion, and the one that suffers is the diner. As we were eating, I caught the waitress out of the corner of my eye, holding the check, staring at our table intently. She stood there for a solid 3 minutes, as though she had nothing else to do. I try to communicate this to my friend without moving my lips (in case she could make out the words). Eventually, she comes over, and asks if my friend would like hers to go. Earlier, things got weird. Now things got ugly. A quick background: Indian food, nearly everywhere that I've had it, is served in a couple of different dishes. There's a plate of rice, the dish holding in this case Vindaloo, and an empty plate to mix before eating. The rice dish was empty, but my friend had food both on her plate and in the little bronze dish. So when my friend said, yes, she would very much like the rest of her food to-go, we were kind of perplexed as to why the waitress only took the plate, and not the bronze dish, with her. Was she not going to pack half of the food? Why were they being separated? Wasn't it all going to the same place? She comes back with a large brown bag, a small Styrofoam cup, and no plate. And throws the packing supplies down at the table, without a word, before turning her back and leaving. So half of the meal had been trashed. And the other half we were going to pack ourselves. It was certainly an adventure. Before you say "you're too pretentious, haven't you packed your own doggie bag at a restaurant before?" let me answer you. Yes, I have. But I've never paid $28 for the pleasure. We tipped poorly and left, never to return again. read more

Disclaimer: This review is solely based on experiences with the weekday lunch buffet special. For $8 AYCE+ validated parking, this deal is hard to beat on the Downtown Mall. It's not a huge buffet, but what they had was tasty, at the appropriate temperature and consistently replenished. The naan was hot with a crisp/charred texture on the outside and soft on the inside - perfect for soaking up all the sauces such as my favs - green mint and tamarind. As usual at Indian restaurants, I fill up on the dal (lentils) and chicken tikka masala, which had just the right balance of kick and creaminess here. I also appreciate the fresh salad on the side, just to have something light on my plate. The only reason I had to dock a star is because the service had been slow both times I visited, which seemed odd when it was a buffet. (e.g. waited a while to be seated and to get our check) read more

My friends and I came here for Charlottesville restaurant week, which had a three course meal available for $19. The ambiance of the place is cozy and cute; it's dimly lit and has lots of Indian and Himalayan decor. I ordered the salad as my appetizer, Tandoor salmon as my entree, and chai for dessert. The salad was DELICIOUS-it had slices of mango, onions, and carrots with cilantro and a light dressing. Definitely one of a kind. My friends all ordered naan, which I tried too. It was soft and warm, but nothing special. Our entrees took a very long time to come out. When they finally did, I was disappointed to find that my salmon was seasoned with mild spiciness instead of medium as I had ordered. They offered to remake it for me, but at that point I was very hungry and didn't want to wait. They offered me some chili to add to it, but it wasn't the same. Other than that the salmon was delicious, and I loved that it came with an option for brown rice! One of my friends ordered chicken tikka masala and thought it was delicious and filling. For desert, my chai was rich and thick. My friends ordered the carrot pudding (this was sweet and delicious, despite its name) and the rice pudding (less exciting). Overall, the food was good, but I personally felt that it was a little overpriced. The service was also a little slow. read more

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This place is a little lost. Himalayan fusion....so you're thinking ooOOh okay, a mix of different types of ethnic foods...oh nope. it's an Indian restaurant. When i actually asked about where the fusion was, the waiter stumbled in words not really sure what to say (the rare times we saw him). Average Indian food, not great prices AND they don't make it spicey really. Oh, and the service is EXTREMELY slow even though all of the times that i've been, it's been completely empty besides our table. ODD really. I don't know how this place has survived for this long! read more

(tl;dr it's good to tip $1-2 at buffets) Would be five stars because the lunch buffet is really really great. However my lunch there was very strange, because we were only approached by a staff member when we were given water and when we asked for a check. Since it was a buffet, I understand the self service, but my friend and I were unsure if it was customary to tip, since we didn't really speak to anyone and didn't know who our tip would go to. We decided not to tip, and later read that it would have been good to leave a dollar or two. Oops - decided we'd tip well the next time we went. I ended up being charged 15%... Which was odd, because I never read a clause that said they would auto-tip if you didn't. I'm not upset, just thought it was a really strange thing to tip yourself if the customer doesn't. Anyway the food was amazing and I will try this place again! read more

Delicious! Wonderful curries, breads and himalayan inspired dishes. The atmosphere is great, especially if you can eat outside on a nice day. Our service was wonderful, and most importantly the food was fabulous. Sweet, spicy & fresh - so much flavor! Try: Malai Korta read more

One of my favorite spots in Charlottesville. The decor is inviting, the service friendly and food is delicious. The lunch buffet is a great value and they make an effort to keep it fresh. On a recent trip, we stopped by towards the end of the shift and they made the extra effort to replenish with fresh food for our party without hassle and made us feel very welcome. Super impressed! read more

Wife and I were there tonight for happy hour. Drinks were good and very reasonable at $5. It was a pleasant night so we sat outside. The waitress was very helpful and attentive. We had two appetizers and two main courses. We enjoyed everything. I thought the lamb vindaloo was particularly good and well cooked to the heat level that I like. We'll definitely try it again. read more

This place was such a hidden gem in the Downtown Mall. I came here spontaneously with my boyfriend and it was such a pleasant surprise. They offer such an affordable lunch buffet option. Overall, their food was really good and also incredibly affordable. It's a great addition to the Downtown Mall especially when everything else there is a bit pricier and requires a decent wait. If you're in the area, definitely give this place a try! read more

Everyone ordered garlic naan. I ate mine with a delicious marsala sauce (yummy)! It is Restaurant Week, so for my entree I ordered the Tandoori chicken. It wasn't what I expected, but it was really good; juicy and tender. I also tried the Tandoori Salmon that was ordered by a table mate. Also delicious. The portions were ample. There was a calming atmosphere. Our waiter was Sage. She was extremely accommodating and a beautiful spirit. I highly recommend the restaurant. read more

Himalayan Fusion - Beautiful art! - Indian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

The food is okay, but whatever it is you can find better elsewhere, and often cheaper. It's a weird sort of place that can't decide what it wants to be. I sort of wish they banished the straight-up Indian food, or the Chinese parts. I'm not a huge fan of most fusion-type restaurants, so some of this may be my own bias. My service was a little slow, but not inordinately so. read more

This place deserves more credit for their food, but service is quite horrendous. The owner is even more snotty - she once served us and it took her forever to get the food out. I always like getting the vegetable samosas and chicken dishes (curry-based or not). The vindaloo dishes are awesome. I also love their naan. read more

Thankfully, seven months after the most recently posted poor review, Himalayan Fusion seems to have gotten their act together. Service was responsive but not overbearing and my food was quite good. My wife and I tried the Chicken Tikka Masala and the Vegetable Korma and enjoyed both with the naan Bread Basket assortment. My Korma was a little watery and nowhere near as creamy as I'm used to, but I chalk that up to local variability. The Chicken Tikka Masala was juicy and flavourful. read more

I was expecting Himalayan Fusion to have at least a few Indian/Tibetan fusion dishes and was extremely disappointed when majority of the menu consisted of standard Indian food. Had I known, I could have gotten better quality Indian food for the same price elsewhere. I came here for dinner during restaurant week with my roommate. The food was extremely bland and unoriginal. The vegetable samosas, paneer naan, and vegetable momos had little flavor which is surprising for Indian food. The paneer naan was essentially naan filled with plain, unseasoned paneer. It could have benefitted from some extra spices. I have also only ever had homemade momos which are usually very spicy and flavorful. Overall, I would not come back here again. However, I hear the food is worth the buffet price and selection so I might consider coming back for that. read more

Mediocre Indian food. The papad could have been more crispy, the portion sizes are small compared to the cost. I ordered the nepali chicken curry in spicy, but they didn't make it spicy at all. Even without the heat in the curry, the taste was just mediocre, and I can make better ones at home myself. The chicken in the curry was pretty tasteless, not at all succulent. The naan was dry, not moist and fluffy the way naan is meant to be. The only good things here are the chilli chicken and the momos. The rest is all mediocre and the curries seem like they've been made using sauce from a pre-packaged bottle. So save your money, go buy some sauce from Kitchens of India or Patak's and your dish will taste just as average, or even better, as the ones served in this restaurant. read more

Great food and a very good portion of meat on the Nepali Chicken Curry. But WOAH, the $7 "four" samosas was actually the portion of slightly more than one samosa at other establishments. It left such a bad taste in my mouth it admittedly overwhelmed the senses, detracting from the quality of the food. read more

Went here for the lunch buffet, ONLY $7!! That being said, awesome choices for Indian style foods and a large variety. All of it was tasty and hot and did not have that 'sitting out for a long time' taste/look. Can't wait to try more things on the menu. Nice, friendly service. read more

We stopped by here on a Sunday evening. Great location at the Charlottesville mall. The food was excellent however the service was TERRIBLE. Slow, inattentive, and they forgot one entree entirely. Won't be back. To their credit, staff was friendly. Just poor service. read more

Went here for dinner during summer restaurant week 2014. Would probably not come back for dinner, but could see the lunch buffet having potential. Here's why: The entrees were delicious. We had the Malai Kofta (koftas in a creamy cashew sauce) and Chicken Vindaloo (we ordered it on the extra spicy side, duh). The main reason I'm giving this place a 2 was the rest of the food and the service. The appetizers were less impressive than the entrees. The naan was decent (in the way that buttery, seasoned carbs can be) but the samosas were nothing to be excited about. The dessert was blah. I'm not a big fan of Indian dessert anyway, but the carrot pudding reminded me of cooked canned carrots you are forced to eat in preschool. Our waiter, as well as the one we overheard next to us, was not professional. Additionally, neither waiter knew anything about the menu, which was frustrating when we asked questions. I've worked in restaurants while in high school/college and am usually pretty forgiving when it comes to service, but I couldn't overlook the lack of knowledge and care. My brother is the GM of a 4 star restaurant and couldn't get past it either - they were perfectly nice but it appears as though there is a lack of training or oversight on management's part. So given that the lunch buffet requires minimal service and a variety of entrees, I can see why it's popular in the reviews. But i wouldn't come back here for any other meal. read more