My hubby and I like to go to Jalsa for our monthly date night. The food is always delicious and the service is really great. The Samosa Chaat is on my list of my favorite foods I ate this year. It is so good, just go and order it. My only dislike of Jalsa is the gambling. Gambling machines are so tacky and such an eye sore. Go try the Samosa Chaat! read more

See all

Service is great Restaurant is super clean Food is great Prices are very reasonable I've had lots of Indian food but this place blew me away!!! I'm a regular now and I highly recommend this place to everyone who likes authentic Indian food!!! read more

Great food and excellent service! They took time to explain the menu and that helped us decide what to order . It was fun to explore a variety of choices. read more

Jalsa in Gujarati means "have fun"!!! This is an absolute gem of a place where you can satisfy all your food drink and gambling cravings. This place has a full bar and full kitchen with great cook inside. They were so good I actually did my catering from them for my new years party. Everyone loved their food. If you are there or you are ordering in definitely ask for Rajwadi Lassi. Insanely awesome with any flavor (Rose or mango or plain) so smooth. I can sip on it all day. They are coming up with an awesome menu, should be fun to visit them. The folks who owned were very friendly and helped me choose for my take out, which was nice. Highly under rated! Will visit them soon! read more

We had dinner here last night and the experience was exceptional. Mickey was our server and was very helpful with his recommendations. We didn't know much about Indian food so we just went with whatever items he said, and they were absolutely fantastic. Two of us shared a couple of small plates and then a pizza. The small plates had great flavor and also great texture - samosas fried to perfection, so crunchy with delicious sauce. And then the pizza was excellent; I would prefer it any day to most "regular" pizzas I've ever had. It had tons of flavor and a really great crust. If you love Indian food, this is your place. But also, if you're not sure if you're an Indian food fan, this is the place I would try. I think any palette would have loved the food we had last night, and the phenomenal service made it that much better. read more

Awesome samosas!!!!!!!!!! That all I ever eat from there because I don't see vegetable Briiyani listed. Never went on there but always get samosas delivered read more

Have only had take out and we really enjoyed it. Looking forward to trying the buffet sometime.

This was the most interesting and a little awkward experience at a Indian restaurant in like ever. My friend and I decided to check out this Indian restaurant that was basically in her neighborhood. I'm always game for new places and tastes. Enter Jalsa Bar and Restaurant. We actually phone ordered ahead and they told us 30 minutes. I was like, alright, let's head out and kill time. We drove around the neighborhood and my friend gave me the dime tour. After 25 minutes of this, we drove to Jalsa Bar and Restaurant to pick up our phone order. Upon arriving, there was plenty of parking here, so that was not an issue. My friend and I entered the restaurant around 7:30pm and the order was ready. It was a large enough restaurant that can seat maybe 30-40 people max. They had 3 arcade / gaming machines in the restaurant. The weird part was that when I decided to pay, their entire sales and credit card system decided to crash. It crashed hard enough to where we had to wait for the system to clear. When it didn't for 5 minutes, they tried to reboot the system, so more minutes waiting for it to return to normal. While the order was waiting to be picked up, one of the restaurant staff offered a 10% discount if paid in cash. I didn't have enough and my friend didn't either. One of the restaurant staff pointed to one of the gaming machines and said "ATM". I was bewildered and thought it was a gaming machine. I looked at it stupidly and eventually the staffer pointed it out to me the ATM part and was successful in drawing out cash. While the 10% off is a good thing, I would have the original price due just to get out of there with my order instead of waiting around for 15 minutes extra that I could have spent elsewhere. For the most part though, it was a mix bag of feelings during my time here at Jalsa Bar and Restaurant. My friend and I ended up having dinner at her place. The overall experience here at Jalsa Bar and Restaurant was decidedly mixed. Yes, the 10% off the bill was good, but I had to draw out cash from their in-house ATM, was a little bit weird and usually not the case with other credit card purchases. All in all, can't complain too much. Just annoyed at how the system can crash at the most ill opportune time and are forced to withdraw cash to complete the transaction. It certain isn't cool, but it is what it is. At least the restaurant wasn't busy so we could wait. We were offered ice water while we were waiting, so that was cool of them. Jalsa Bar and Restaurant is located in Crystal Lake, Illinois. They are at 1295 Randall Road, next to the CVS Store and Pharmacy. They accept credit cards and cash. But be aware of a system crash that could happen during your visit, like how it did with mine. I came here in April 2024 on a nice and casual Thursday evening. As far as parking goes, they have a small but cozy spots for parking. Come early enough to secure your favorite spot. I came and left with my friend who was driving. Not sure about Crystal Lake's public transportation system, but check online to see if they exist. There's also the Metra train that comes from downtown Chicago and passes thru Crystal Lake, so there's that if you need to. There's always Uber and Lyft, if you need the service. With that said, Jalsa can be a good place to dine, however, with what happened with their system that evening I was there was left to the imagination. I guess I was thankful that they had an ATM in-house, so I didn't have to go a few miles to grab cash. Then again, that's strangely convenient though to have one. Maybe it happens more than you know. Not sure I can recommend this place, although just happy I got my order right and the 10% off the bill was compensation for the system crash that should not have happened. 3.0 stars for the overall experience. Staff was friendly but system crash. Support local! C read more

This place is bomb!! No hesitation in giving it a ***** Food quality is fabulous, I must say that though that their vegetarian options were far far better than the three chicken dishes I tried there. Especially recommend the Vada Pav, the paneer Tikka Masala pizza and the Mango lassi. Just awesomeness. The ambience is not much.. it's a bar with sitting areas beyond the bar, but the service is exceptional. I will recommend this place to anyone who is looking for Indian food in the NW Burbs! read more

We visited this establishment today and the food was amazing. We ordered chicken samosa, garlic naan, buttered chicken, chicken vindaloo and chicken biryani. It came out fresh and fast, great portion sizes! The service was also amazing as well, we had a lady who was very personable and thorough. We will definitely be visiting this location again! read more

Very good vegetable samosas. I would totally recommend going here if you like Indian Cuisine.

Absolutely wonderful food and outstanding customer service! The fusion options are creative and delicious, making every visit a great experience. Highly recommend 100%! read more

Walked in during lunch hours and they had NO lunch specials. Also place was empty. I ordered an appetizer until I made up my mind on what to order. The 3 stars is for the appetizer and service. However the food is very mediocre. Almost non authentic. It was my first time trying Jalsa but not my first with Indian food. I ended up ordering the chicken Tikka and lamb biriani for my significant other. The rice is NOT a true basmati rice. It was a long grain yes but not a jasmine or basmati kind! It still needed more time to cook or it previously cooked and warmed up. The food seemed very bland even though it was spicy and had seasonings. It just wasn't what I expected and I am a lover of Indian food. I know I won't be back. They had a game room if you like to gamble and sell liquor (full bar). Music was ok but could be better considering Bollywood is HUGE! Just too bland for uppity and exotic taste. read more

What a delight! Found this place on a Sunday night in -11 weather. We were the only people in there. The service was kind and attentive, the food was outstanding, and the ambiance was clean and lively with music videos and games on large screens. The menu was extensive. They have loads of crossover dishes like Indian pizzas. My husband had a butter chicken pizza that was yummy. I had paneer tikka masala that was very tasty. The samosas were the best we've had in the area and we ordered more for home. We will be back with our family. There is something for everyone here! read more

Never consistent. Food is hot or cold. Spicy or weak. Service is through UberEats, they fail repeatedly because the drivers pick up multiple orders or spill. We have never stepped into their establishment. read more

I would stick with the Indian food only which was only okay. Ordered from there because the place we wanted was closed on Mondays. We ordered for the kids too so needed to pick something that we wouldn't normally order from a place like this out of convenience. Pizza and chopped salad were terrible. read more

To see that this place serves, in house, foil lined, paper, or in styrofoam, for the prices that they charge made me wary to begin with. Alas, because if it's proximity and the urgency for a spicy mouth feel, I decided to give this place a try, but baby steps. I started grubhub. Chicken biryani, lamb biryani. So far, unimpressed. An overabundance of noodley onions throughout. Who does that? The only visible onion that should be in biryani is a fried crispy garnish. Onion creates the gravy in which the meat simmers, but it is dissolved. Going boneless isn't preferred by Indians, it fancifies biryani and therefore gives grounds to charge a little more. We counted only 3 or 4 dry pieces of lamb and chicken in each serving. At around $16 a serving, cmon Jalsa, throw a few extra morsels in, don't be all scroogey. I'll be watching Jalsa. It is new. Unless I hear good things from friends and loved ones, I don't feel moved to visit. read more

Excellent food, generous portions and great prices. The owner - Dara - is an exceptional chef and a world-class hostess (engaging & delightful!). If you want a fantastic lunch or a great evening out, I highly recommend Jalsa. It is our new fave restaurant. read more

Wow! We don't get Indian food very often, but Jalsa was great! The menu was very large with even some Chinese dishes to choose from (we stuck with Indian). We tried a couple of rice meals - 1 veggie and 1 chicken - and they were really delicious with lots of great flavor. We also got the garlic and cheese naan and an appetizer, both of which were also delicious. The service was great although I don't think our server knew English very well. Our order came back perfect despite the language barrier. The chef also came out to ask how the food was, which was surprising. If you're up for something new, or are looking for a larger sit down Indian restaurant in the area, give Jalsa a try! read more

See all

Decided to give Jalsa Bar and Resturant a try this past weekend. It's my understanding that they rebranded from their previous restaurant which was called Indian Chatpata Swad. I was not a big fan of Indian Chatpata Swad as their portions to cost size was less than desired but I decided to give Jalsa a shot. I placed the order through my Door Dash app and got the Butter Chicken, Chicken Tikka, Garlic Naan, Rice, and Gulab Jamun dessert. The order came nicely packaged with no spill and everything was hot. The only issue is that nothing was labeled! If you're not keen to eating Indian cuisine then you'd have no idea what is what. The first thing I checked for is portions, did they have enough protein for what you are paying? And to answer this I'd say they did do a better job then what they did previously. But spending $14 for an entre I'd expect more than a small soup size container of food. The main dishes were good and full of flavor and proteins were cooked good. The Garlic Naan tasted like it was reheated. I'm not sure if this is normal or not but you could tell it wasn't fresh. It wasn't soft and chewy but more so hard in texture. The rice was good and gulab jamun was delicious. I'm glad I gave Jalsa a shot and they are heading in the right direction. read more

The interior is a bit gaudy with LED lights, video gaming, and a few tvs on the wall, but it was otherwise clean and fine. It was a bit warm inside as I believe that they try not to use the A/C? Server was friendly and prompt. I ordered the Mixed Vegetable Curry, and he asked if I wanted it mild, regular, or spicy, and I chose spicy. He warned me that it was "Indian spicy," and I said that was fine. The rest of the table ordered regular or mild. The dishes were all flavorful and came with jasmine rice that was cooked perfectly. My spicy dish was Indian spicy, as promised, and very good, but I appreciated the advance warning. read more

Had a great lunch here. Samosas, lentils and another delicious vegi dish that I can't remember the name of were all delicious. Staff were friendly and restaurant/bathroom were super clean. The menu is huge so it was hard to decide what to try. Will definitely habr to come back to try more of their dishes. The music is very chill and relaxing. Its like a relaxing spa. read more

Food actually tasted good that's the only reason I give it 2 stars. The service was absolutely horrendous. Very impatient waiter and hard to communicate with. Seems like they are very short staffed. Food portions are small and over priced. The food was good though. Seemed like a clean restaurant, Just no hospitality whatsoever. read more

First time in Illinois and was craving Indian food sooo badly! Found Jalsa with a quick search and I've got to say I'm blown away how amazing this food is! I got a wonderful Lamb Saag and it was so delicious, very flavorful and a creamy texture. Got it with garlic naan and a sweet mango lassi! I can not wait to order again, and the owner was so nice! 10/10 Would recommend! read more

Jalsa Bar And Restaurant - Lamb Saag, Mango Lassi, Garlic Naan! - Indian Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

I can easily say this is not even close to Indian cuisine. It's such a disgrace to Indian cuisine and so over priced and expensive. I ordered carry out and so much food that too and everything was garbage. My hard earned money went into drain . I'd rather recommend 'Gaylord's' in Schaumburg and Chicago city if you want to eat Indian food. It's lot better , clean and reasonably priced. This restaurant is taking its guests for a ride !!! It's a big NO for me to go back there and I will not recommend this place either. Wish I took pics to post ... I was so frustrated after seeing and tasting the food !!! read more

Amazing food! Very cool and nice building too. It's a shame to always see the place empty inside. The Butter Chicken Pizza is ingenious and one of the most delicious, crispy, and flavorful pizzas my tongue has ever had the pleasure of having graced its presence. Highly recommend going in, getting some delicious drinks and scrumptious Indian Pizza! read more

I have been to quite a few Indian restaurants in my life and this by far was the most unusual experience. Arrived and the place was fairly empty. A very friendly waitress came by our table to take our order. She had some good recommendations and we took them because they were probably their specialty. I must interject here and state that we are in the midst of a global pandemic. The waitress was not wearing a mask (despite state mandates) nor was she practicing any sort of social distancing. Quite the contrary. She was on top of us, literally, as in resting body parts on us. Food is served in take-out containers and you are given paper plates and plastic cutlery. Odd. Nice for leftovers, I guess? The food was tasty. The items that the waitress recommended were very good. Liked the large selection of Indian beers. Cost. Expensive. Everything is individually priced down to the condiments. I am used to getting free papadam and chutney/raita upon arrival, here you are going to have to pay for everything individually. All the stars of my review are going towards the quality of the food. Wait staff should consider personal space, even when there is no pandemic. I felt like I was at Ed Debevics for a minute and not in a good way, but in an uncomfortable, cringy way. Also might consider the pricing. Charging for condiments is highly unusual, might want to reconsider. read more

Came in on a blustery Sunday afternoon at about 1:00 pm. I'm, literally, the only customer here. Another customer came in while I was waiting for food, but neither of the two workers I have seen (one, the cook and waiter--- who seems very nice and another, older gentleman who doesn't really seem to work here so much as hang out) came to greet him so he left after 3-4 minutes. The restaurant seems clean, and looks new. I think this might possibly be a new venture. The red chutney cost $1.99 for about 2 tablespoons of tamarind water --- there's not one speck of chunk anything. Shame the restaurant actually charges for this item. HOWEVER, a new worker who just arrived explained I would not be charged.....apparently if you just want a little side for your meal they don't charge....so I guess a larger portion would incur the charge and that seems entirely fair to me. The plain naan is dense and chewy. Not bad but not the fluffy naan I love. The waitress (owner? Very nice ) explained the plain naan isn't made in the tandoori and if I want fluffy naan I should order the butter naan. Next time! The chicken vindaloo is excellent. HOWEVER, it's the spiciest I have ever had --- I really like it a lot, but be aware! The only criticism I have is the serving size is small for the price ($16.99)....but with prices soaring everywhere what can you do? Lastly, service is on paper plates and cutlery is plastic. Probably because of the pandemic and the critical shortage of workers.... And be forewarned the only worker wearing a mask was the cook who took my order. I really hope this restaurant makes it, and I will be back. read more

See all

Food and drinks were amazing. Service was prompt and friendly. Owner was especially attentive. We'll be back.

Pulling up I was skeptical because of the lack of dine in patrons at the establishment. I ordered takeout. The person serving me was so darn polite and kind. What a delight. However, the food was exceptionally average tasting. I had the lamb curry, and my date had the vegetable beerenoni. We both had some garlic pita bread. It was totally not baked in a tan doored oven. Writing this review has left me conflicted and confused as it relates chinese food. Which they ALSO serve there. Weird, Jalsa, weird. Don't reckon I'll be headed back any time soon. Thumka, I'ms a comin home, baby girl! read more

Don't order from grub hub, they charge a lot more and rice does not come with any entree.

Good food, good drinks. Did I mention good food?! So glad to finally get some amazing authentic Indian food in our area. D'licious!

Delicious food. If you order through the service preferred on their website I believe rice will come with the entrees.

This place use to sell food within a grocery store. We just returned and has been redone as a really nice restaurant. Great service and the food was so good! Best butter chicken and garlic naan I have had in awhile! read more

Atmosphere is equal to a sports bar with multiple TVs. Metal Chairs, Plastic plates and bowls. We were the only ones in the place at dinner time, which should have been a red flag. Dirty menus. Food was very expensive for the quality. We will not be back. read more

Have eaten here on multiple occasions. The staff is kind, the restaurant is clean and the food is great! I recommend trying the Paneer Tikka pizza, it is my personal favorite. Even calling in an order to go is easy and the food is always ready by the time I arrive. read more

We love Indian food and don't live near a restaurant. We were in the area and decided to order takeout and it was fabulous! We ordered the veg pakoda, lamb curry, palak paneer, dal makhani and chicken korma with garlic naan. All so delicious. Will be back and am intrigued to try an Indian inspired pizza! read more

Wonderful employees and tasty food! Love their paneer tikka masala and butter chicken!

If you are local you might already know these kind folks. They operate a few establishments through the area. Great service, care and most importantly awesome food! Get the lamb curry, butter chicken, or chicken chilli and you will not regret it. read more

The lady that took our order was very sweet and kind, the food was made quickly and it tastes amazing! I personally have been to Asia and have had Indian food there and this place gives those restaurants a run for their money! I highly recommend this place. i personally plan to eat here more! read more