Came in for a late lunch after the buffet was over, ordered chicken tikka masala and vegetable momos. The momos were freshly made and tasty, however the chicken tikka masala was too blend and creamy, not so impressive. The naan served was good, but the curry was somewhat disappointing. read more

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Went here on Christmas Day for dinner with family. We tried several dishes - all of them were fantastic. The service was not good though. We were there for a good 20 minutes before anyone brought us water and even longer to place our orders. Their portions weren't very large, particularly for the price. But again, the food was so delicious I would totally go back. read more

the people are super nice and the food is always delicious! it's definitely a place to visit for a nice lunch or dinner

I LOVE THIS PLACE!! The lunch buffet is so delicious!! And it's reasonable - $10 for all you can eat food that includes salad, fruit, dessert, soup, rice and several main dishes, vegetarian and with meat. Plus, if you have an axxess card, it's 10% off your check even on the lunch buffet. Himalyan food is very similar to Indian food. And they serve Yak meat which my son and and I tried and it's sooo yummy. The chai is amazing and the iced tea is delish. They use a black tea with floral notes or one that is more minty. They serve it with a sprig of fresh mint leaf. The owner is friendly and gives good service but sometimes the lunch server (it's always the same guy) doesn't refill or clear the dishes very quickly. I usually have to ask for refills of iced tea. The place is clean, the food is fresh and I always leave full and happy. 10/20/16 Update I recently found out that the manager Karma is no longer there. He is a very kind man and I already see and can feel a difference in the place. It seems much more focused on making money vs. providing good service and a nice atmosphere to keep customers happy. I'll keep going for now but it makes me a bit sad. read more

Absolutely loved this place!!! The servers and staff were SO nice and sweet. We had dinner with 5 adults and 1 child on a Monday night. Other customers where at the restaurant, but it wasn't too busy or crowded. Our table ordered "family style" with a starter platter, salad, 5 entrees, 2 sides of rice, tiara (yogurt sauce) and the chutney assortment. EVERYTHING WAS DELICIOUS! Without the child, 4 entrees would have been enough.... Generous portions. I am very happy to have FINALLY tried this SB restaurant! Eating family style was a great first time experience, but not needed as I liked it all!!! I am going to eat lunch buffet here and dinner frequently. My now problem now is making an entree choice .... Decisions decisions read more

Even my picky kids love this place! I go for 2 reasons: 1. THE FOOD IS AMAZING!! SO YUMMY!!!!! 2. The people that work there have the sweetest smiles and make you feel like they are so happy to share what they love with you. It truly is a heartwarming experience as much as a belly warming one. Go! Now! read more

I've eaten here a few times and thought it was about time I write a review. As a British Indian, I know my curry and I know how it should taste. Since living in California, I have not only struggled to find authentic Indian food but, I have struggled to find curry enthusiasts! This is something that I struggle to wrap my head around. Indian food is so popular in so many different countries due to its diverse flavor and endless options! Whether you are a meat eater or a vegetarian, there is something for everyone when it comes to indian cuisine. However, don't expect to find any beef dishes in an authentic indian restaurant! Cows are deemed as "sacred animals" in India so their meat is not used in any dish. Himalayan Kitchen serve Yak as an option at their restaurant. Yak is a red meat but it is lighter than beef. Last night, my craving for "a taste of home" had to be curbed. I was sick of eating thanksgiving leftovers! My friends and I ordered food to go at Himalayan Kitchen. We ordered the chicken vindaloo, lamb makhani, saag paneer and chicken biryani. Chicken Biryani: The portion was huge! Great value for money and I will definitely be ordering this again!! It was so tasty and there was a generous amount of chicken included. Chicken Vindaloo: The guy taking my order warned me that this was a very spicy dish. I acknowledged his warning but insisted that I loved spicy food, the spicier the better! It was soooo spicy! My advice: Order a side of raita with this dish to cut the spice a little. Lamb Makhani: This dish was my favorite. It was decadent, creamy and so flavorful. I will definitely be ordering this every time I visit! I just wish there was a little more lamb included though. Saag Paneer: This was decent but I think I will go with saag chicken or saag lamb next time. I've never really been a fan of paneer but I do hope that one day I will find a dish that will change my mind. This wasn't the one. I give Himalayan Kitchen 4 stars. I would give 3.5 if I had the option. I feel that 3 stars would be a little harsh as I did enjoy the meal overall. They lose points as their curries do not come with a side. I don't mind paying for naan but, If I'm spending $12-15 on a curry I would hope it would come with at least a small portion of rice. Also, it was quite pricey considering the portion sizes. The chicken biryani was great value for money but I don't feel that the curry dishes were. They do offer a lunch buffet for $9.99 so I look forward to trying this out one day. It would be great if they offered an evening buffet option (for a higher price of course). Overall, I have enjoyed the food here every time. They are consist and the menu is giant. This isn't the most authentic indian food you will eat but it is at the top of my list for Santa Barbara! read more

THE Himalayan sanctuary in Santa Barbara. Zen music soft light, Tibetan flags, himalayan art = perfection. Plus, I think some of the waiters are really from Tibet and/or Nepal! I'm always down to try new things and it was incredible to taste Yak meat. The plate was hot n fresh..... and delicious. My friend ordered the curry and it was very very different from traditional curries. Everything about this place screams authentic. And if its not, the kindness and hospitality makes every square inch of this space worth it! read more

This place was amazing. And very affordable for the area. We got a ton of food, it was about $25 a person and the serving sizes are generous. I highly recommend the thali. Service was great and fast on a Sunday at around 6 pm. read more

I've ordered delivery from here via SBMenus and I felt like the food has declined in quality. The first two times I've had chicken korma here, I was absolutely in love with it. I ordered chicken korma again with medium spiciness on 10/19/15, and it felt out of its element. The cream sauce was bitter, with unpleasant chunks of lemongrass in it and no raisins to be seen. I resorted to fishing out the very few chunks of chicken there is in my sadly-sized delivery bowl. Maybe it was a rough day in the kitchen, I hope to see that the quality of this restaurant is more consistent for the better. read more

Service was good, server/owner was super friendly! We got the mixed grill platter and lamb vindaloo to share and both were very flavorful and delicious. They served a little appetizer that was like a thin crunchy cracker flavored with cumin and served with chutney and it was very delicious as well. I'd like to try the yak next time. read more

I'm not big on Indian food. I decided to try this place to be adventurous. The food was good. The ambiance was nice. I would recommend trying this place and the service is nice. I'm not sure if I'm sold on Indian food. read more

Himalayan Kitchen - I like Romantic art work. - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Picked up food and it was a couple a Prices of ok meat covered in onions not going back read more

Although they were really busy and the service was really slow in the beginning, I have to say I enjoyed the experience. My date and I had a few Indian dishes (although we originally came to try the Nepalese cuisine) and were really happy with everything. I especially liked the fresh lemonade with a ginger zing. The food was flavorful, the portions generous, and I was really relieved to have the wait staff refilling her waters continuously. I can't wait to go back and try the lunch buffet! read more

I had their buffet bar for the first time and it was surprisingly tasty! I'm a big foodie so I really enjoyed eating foods that I've never tried before. Nothing was a disappointment. I wish they had more of a variety for the buffet but I think it was substantial for $10 per person. I would definitely go back with an empty stomach read more

Came in on a Sunday and grabbed the buffet. Decent looking assortment of dishes. Unfortunately none were really memorable. The chicken korma was decent, with a rich sauce and tender and most important not over cooked chicken. The goat curry was a pleasant surprise but the flavor was quite muted. The naan was soft and fresh with a slight elastic texture good for mopping up the curries. The vegetable korma was an average rendition, as was the vegetable salad. The lentils were bland. The saag was chewy and a bit over salted. The chickpea dish while in a pleasant sauce was also over seasoned. All in all an average meal that could have benefited from brighter flavored or more pungent seasoning. read more

We went to this restaurant for lunch with my family of three. There was no buffet, so we ordered from a-la-carte menu. My daughter, a student in UCSB, who knows that I am vegetarian recommended this place from her prior experience. This restaurant serves Nepalese cuisine, which is close to Indian cuisine. However, the name of some of the entrees may look different. We ate a dumpling like appetizer called "Mo Mo". They have a vegetarian version and it is very tasty. The lunch preparation was spicy and not very hot. The waiters are very courteous and the interior is neat and clean. It is a medium-priced restaurant. Overall I was very satisfied and I will love to revisit them whenever I am in Santa Barbara. read more

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Himalayan kitchen is one of those secret gems of Santa Barbara. The lunch buffet is such a great value - fresh, healthy, yummy food - great for vegetarians! Their mint sauce is sooo delicious! read more

Himalayan Kitchen - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Wonderful food. Had the Thukpa & garlic naan. Wonderful. Very nice staff and the food was fast & very good. Ca't wait to try more from their menu. Definitely a place I hope to return to whenever I'm up here. read more

We went in the evening time around 6:45. The place was not crowded, still the service was very poor. They served partial order after 45 min. We got our breads and a dish 15 min after that. They are very short on staff. On top of this, they made everything double on the bill. We had to get that corrected. The serve size is small but it tastes good. Maybe a good place for take out. Very bad for dine-in. read more

After our drive from Orange County, we were famished and on a lookout for a good place for lunch. There are no dearth of options in Santa Barbara and Himalayan Kitchen caught our attention. Being an Indian, I know that many restaurants that advertise themselves as Himalayan/Nepalese just serve momos(dumplings) and thukpa (stew) along with a standard Indian fare. Our experience in a Himalayan restaurant in LA had been quite good and we were sort of under the assumption that this restaurant was part of the chain or something. But the menus looked different so I am not sure. Nonetheless, the food was really delicious. From the appetizer list we ordered a plate of lamb momos that came with a yummy red chutney dipping, and Himalayan Kitchen special chow chow for the entre. They got both the dishes at the same time but we were starving and not quite particular about when each of the dishes came. The special chow chow is an absolutely delicious combination of chicken, lamb, egg and veggies pan fried noodles. It reminded us of the Indo-chinese food we get back in India but with a Nepali twist. The quantity was quite a lot so I would recommend sharing. I would have given it a full 5 but the service wasn't really extraordinary as one of the waiters seemed a bit grumpy. I should also mention that the other waiter who wound up the service was better and promptly got us the take-out container. I would go back here again if I am craving for Nepalese/ Indian food when in the area. read more

Himalayan Kitchen - Himalaya special Chow Chow. - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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The food was good but definitely not Tibetian or Nepali. I've had better authentic food. Also, only ask for spicy food if you can actually handle it. read more

I have to start of by saying that I do agree with Marie T regarding the smell in a certain area of the restaurant, right by here the buffet table is, it does smell like a dirty, sour towel. We ended up moving to the window where the smell did not exist. I had been looking forward to the meal for a few days. At first I was not sure, as the restaurant itself needs a bit of a clean, I think if they cleaned it a bit it would definitely do a lot of justice. The 4 stars is for the food, the food was absolutely amazing, they actually make it from scratch so it takes a while, which my mum and I were fine with. We do not like being rushed. We got the popudums to start of with and for our main I got the chicken korma and mum got the chicken tandoori. AMAZING!! the chicken was so white and delicious in my korma. The rice was also very delicious. Hopefully next time we go back maybe I can re review if they have taken notice of the comments about the smell towards the back area and some clean up. read more

I'm picky and don't want anything but authentic- I came here with 2 other well-traveled, seasoned Toronto/Montrealers, and the food was delicious! We were all very impressed read more

Whenever I travel through Santa Barbara, I invariably find myself walking into Himalayan Kitchen. Every single time. Mostly because Nepali food is hard to find. And good Nepali food is even harder to find. I usually start my meal with a Chai (you get a pot full of it!) and Momos as an appetizer. Sometimes, my meal is entirely composed of Momos. Probably not good for your body, but your tongue will thank you for it. Their Thukpa (Nepali noodle soup) is pretty legit, as is their Nepali Thali (Daal Bhaat Tarkari), though the latter is fairly pricey. I've not tried their regular Indian fare. Nor have I tried their buffet. Unfortunately, there is no reason for me to experiment, because I don't visit Santa Barbara that often. And when I do, I'd definitely go get myself a plate full of Momos. Oh yea. I talked about it earlier, didn't I? :) read more

I got their vegetarian korma and garlic naan, the naan was burnt on the bottom and the whole thing had no flavor. I spent $16 and now I'm mad. Wasted my money and I'm still hungry but the people were nice. read more

Although the food was delicious, greediness and dishonesty can cancel how good the food is at a restaurant. My Dad brought in a group tour of 38 people. The price advertised for the lunch buffet was $11.99. However, when the Asian lady who works there saw how big the group was, she immediately took the sign down and threw it into the trash. Everyone was then charged $13.99 on a Monday! We were not there on a weekend or holiday! Then the same lady charged everyone for gratuity when the service was buffet. We are not recommending this restaurant to any friends or family. read more

By far the best Himalayan restaurant in California!!!! I'm from LA, Ca. I've tried may Himalayan Restaurant and nothing compares to the spicy ness and favor ness for this fabulous Asian must!!! A must for all Asian fusion lovers. read more

One of the best Indian food you will get in SB. The chicken fried rice and Mutton curry is awesome.

Nice food, but it wasn't stated that everything came with rice, so rather than call me, they sent 3 lots of rice (2 entrees and the rice I ordered, thinking it wasn't included). Better customer service would've been to call me and tell me this, offering substitutes. Delivery also took a while. read more

Came here during fiesta yesterday; so there was a 9.99 buffet deal. We were helped quickly and seated, and immediately our orders for drinks were taken. Oddly, my friends, whom of which ordered sodas, had received their drinks in the can. Sort of an oddity to me, as usually restaurants will pour the drinks into glassware. Onto the buffet: varied dishes, with actual salad (not that cheap iceberg crap), nice yogurt dressing (really complimented the salad well), fruit (watermelon), sauces (chutneys, etc), and then a reasonable variety of entrées (i believe chicken tika masala, a goat curry, deep fried vegetable, chow mein (very moist and delicious), and all else. I must say, everything was delicious except for one thing: the tandoori chicken. Although moist, it was burnt so badly on the outside, that it had a distinctly burnt taste that made you immediately stop eating it. Kinda bummed, but accidents happen! These people also seem to care about cleanliness and hygiene, so they make you get a new plate each time you visit the buffet. Overall, if i come back, it would be only for the buffet. Otherwise, i feel that everything else is too expensive to be justified for buying, when there are so many other "old world" restaurants in Santa Barbara. read more

This place is amazing. My sister and I stopped in to try it and the taste of each dish took us immediately back to our childhood. The dishes are so delicately nuanced, just like our grandmother used to cook from Chamba. We had the mattar paneer and was so delicious we ate the whole dish. The paratha was equally as delectable with a thin flakey crust but adequately stuffed with potato. The mint chutney for the somosa was freshly made, and the chicken makhani was so tender and buttery over the basmati rice. I strongly recommend this little place on State street in Santa Barbara. read more

Tasty food served up in abundance, huge menu with tons of vegetarian options, attentive service. Happy we stopped there for dinner.

I totally love this place. There is a dearth of really good Indian restaurants in Santa Barbara. I've been here quite a few times since moving here three years ago, and this is one of the few restaurants that I always recommend to people. Although I think it's marked as Indian, it's truly a great fusion restaurant. So, if you like Indian and you also like Chinese, well there you go! My family and I came this most recent time, and ordered a few things: the dopzhi (spelling?), Veggie Sekuwa, Noodles, and Malai Kofta. Previously I've ordered the saag paneer, which is also great. They also have wine, so indulge yourself! Everything was delicious! Especially being vegetarian, they have an entire vegetarian section of the menu. I would highly recommend the non-veg plates given that from appearance alone, they look delectable. My only concern is that if you are looking for spiciness, the food doesn't tend to be super hot. It's flavorful, for sure, but I think they could amp up the spice. I'm always trying to convince people to come here with me, but it's also a nice place to go to if you want to have a cozy dinner by yourself. The space is really nice a comfy, and reminds me a little bit of home. I'll 100% be back! read more

We had Lamb Vindaloo and Kathmandu Sekuwa, a sizzling chicken dish with delicious garlic naan and basmati rice. The food was absolutely delicious and flavorful and well balanced as far as the spices and you can request mild or as spicy as you wish. The service was very thoughtful and attentive we will definitely go back the next time we're in Santa Barbara. They have spaced out the tables inside in compliance with the current health situation. read more

Had high expectations from this place. Living in Nepal for 5 years I was rather excited. Ordered the chicken and vegetarian momo, Annapurna chicken, veggie curry dish, rice and noodles. The food was not comparable to what My palate knows but good enough to consider maybe a takeout. The vegetarian momo and curry were awful. What made the experience really dismal was the actual service. There is one person to wait tables, usher, bus etc.... Took 15 minutes for my order, food was on time, another 10 minutes to get the check and a horrendous 15 minutes to actually get my card back. Constantly had people walking up to him asking him for a menu, the check and order status. In a nutshell, decent food with awful service and unforgivable wait times while seated. read more

We often eat Indian/Himalayan food at home and we're very pleased to find an excellent meal here. The dishes were prepared to our liking and we thoroughly enjoyed the meal. read more

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This place is delicious. Who knew I loved Himalayan food? If you aren't familiar it's very similar to Indian, but with a twist. The curry is really flavorful, but of a thinner consistency than you would expect with Thai or Indian, and really delicious. Santa Barbara seems to have a dearth of great Thai restaurants, so this place has become my replacement. Come hungry, because you will want to eat all the things. I usually go home with leftovers. I can't come here without ordering naan, and I'm currently obsessed with their Aloo Paratha which is naan stuffed with potato and spring onions. The Himalayan chow chow is a favorite, as is the lamb sekuwa served on a sizzling platter with onions. I'm generally not a big fan of chicken, but their chicken sekuwa is also amazing. The lamb vindaloo is quite good. They have a selection of yak meat dishes, though I believe the yak meat is seasonal. They often bring you a dry papad crisp, with various sauces. The mint sauce, served with some of their other dishes, is my favorite. So many placed don't have much in the way of non alcoholic drinks, but the chai tea with milk is excellent and the lassis (rose, mango and cinnamon) are all good. Overall, a really delicious place to enjoy a meal. They also deliver (within a set distance and as long as they aren't busy) which was both fantastic and dangerous for me to discover. Bonus: have a bunch of tables and the ability to host large groups. read more

Loved this spot! Compliments to the Chef! Will be coming back to explore the menu more. Oh! Lots of dining choices here and vegetarian/vegan friendly. read more

My husband & I stopped in here for lunch on our recent day trip to Santa Barbara and the food was incredible!! Such good flavor & all reasonably priced. Wow - will definitely be back! We got an order of Samosas, Garlic Naan (would order a bag of this just to take home with me - yum!), rice & Lamb Masala. Our server was so helpful & asked us from 1-10 what level of spiciness we would like & it came out just to our liking!! read more

Himalayan Kitchen - Samosas, Garlic Naan, Rice & Lamb Masala - DELICIOUS! - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California