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    Javed Nihari

    4.0 (39 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Javed Nihari Takeout or Delivery

    Javed Nihari Photos

    Business Info

    JAVED NIHARI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Happy hour specials
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Javed Nihari

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    Garlic Naan
    Amber A.

    I had such a great experience at Javed Nihari! The food was absolutely delicious -- full of flavor, perfectly cooked, and so satisfying. You can really tell they take pride in what they serve. The staff were incredibly nice and helpful, making sure everything was just right and checking in with a smile. It's rare to find a place with both amazing food and such warm service. I'll definitely be coming back and recommending it to friends and family!

    Nalli Nihari, Chicken Biryani, Daal Fry
    Sara R.

    First of all, Bilal (our server) was so nice! The restaurant and the bathroom was clean and well kept, but keep in mind if it gets really busy, seating may be difficult. As far as the food goes, everything was really good! The nihari was one of the best we've had in TX between different spots in Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, and Austin. The biryani was soft and very flavorful and the daal was great as well. Overall, DEFINITELY worth the visit.

    Beef Nihari and Naan

    The food was just as I needed it to be. Exact same taste as back home! Service was quick and the manager on the front was so cordial and friendly. Ambiance was good and cleanliness was 10/10 which is my first thing to get attracted to a restaurant

    Regular nihari with naan.
    Natasha L.

    Decided to branch out and try a different nihari place. Bad idea. The food was extremely spicy and the amount of oil used was insane. Felt like I was eating a box of masala. Their naan was a good size for a great prize.

    Meagan T.

    I had a great experience at Javed Nihari! If you are a fan of spicy this is the place for you! I am still a little new to Pakistani cuisine. However, I thought the food was great. I got the Beef Nihari which was VERY spicy! It was really good, but it took me by surprise how spicy it was. The Nihari came very oily and I'm not sure if that is how it is traditionally served or not. I also got the chicken biryani which was delicious and had less spice to it. It was a good balance to the very spicy Nihari. The restaurant was very nice and clean. The staff was so helpful and friendly. I have only had Pakistani cruise a handful of times and the man working the counter really took the time to ask me what meats I like and recommend dishes they have.

    Ghana H.

    I love the taste , totally recommended , very fresh naaan , also not too expensive , if you havent tried it yet you are seriously missing out

    Beef Nihari ($10) this was amazing. So much flavor and they definitely don't skimp on portions.
    Syed A.

    This new local business opened during the the COVID pandemic. As someone who doesn't want to risk catching the virus I appreciate how fast, seamless, and contact less their pick up was. Now let's get started on the food, Houston is a melting pot for many different cultures and one of the most prominent ones is Indo-Pak. There are plenty of places with great Nihari in Houston but man this one by far takes the cake the Nihari is flavorful, spicy, comes with good portions of meat and honestly is the best one overall because it's so dang affordable. Most places charge a ridiculous price for subpar Nihari but not Javed Nihari. I was very questionable going in because traditionally Nihari isn't that good to go but you don't have to worry about that in this place. Definitely give this local place a try.

    Garlic Naan and Beef Nihari

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    1 year ago

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    7 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    8 months ago

    The BEST Nihari and paye in Houston, no competition. Get the regular Nihari, it's authentic!

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Off hwy 6 path you'll find a jewel in hidden of no where Best Nihari reminds me of Delhi! My to go dish!

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Placed a to go order. Was ready to go when I got there . Really good boneless chicken Nihari. Not too spicy.

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    just ate here. this is the best beef nihari I have had in hiuston. i will be back to try everything. good job guys!

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    The best Nehari and paya in USA, reasonable prices, once you try , will go every other day

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Of all the states we have visited in the US, no other place serves Nihari as authentic. We can't get enough of it!!

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    One of best beef Nihari I have ever tried. Friendly owner and honest delicious Nihari. Definitely recommend this place.

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    6 years ago

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    6 years ago

    We gave them 2nd try today after the first try months ago and they really fixed the spice issue and we loved it this time. Good job guys

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Best Nihari I've ever tasted and perfect in spicy levels. I love coming here every time. Highly recommend!

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    Ask the Community - Javed Nihari

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    Pak-Man - Empty plate. Vegetarian Super Pak. I'm going to finish the rice as soon as this post drops.

    Pak-Man

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    I didn't eat all the pellets on my first try, but when eating those fried pickles a felt like they…read morewere the large flashing dots called "Power Pellets" which cause the ghosts to temporarily turn blue, allowing Pac-Man to eat them for bonus points. The spicy kick to those fried pickles will stay embedded in my brain because It gave a new twist on the fried pickle I had never imagined nor experienced before. Ok and now the burger story, and so many other good things to eat here for the palate. Although the inspiration for the Pac-Man character was the image of a pizza with a slice removed I would say the Pak-Man burger was the perfect Puck-(in a burger)-Man. The Pak sauce is for real and just the right taste to go with the seasoning. The brioche buns held tight together even with the dripping sauce and flavors coming out of this fantastic meal. I love Samosas too and the truck says it all. Next time I'll get some of the Nutella samosa and or kulfi ice cream if they have it. Glad I stopped in to try this truck out and the staff was supper friendly and efficient.

    Loved the concept of the video game design. The staff was very friendly and provided some good…read morevegetarian options for my friend. We ordered the Potato Samosas and fried pickles. Both were very delicious (good seasoning, excellent texture/flavor). The food came out very fast on a chilly afternoon in front of Silver Street studios. Later on in the evening I ran into them again outside of Cidercade! It was meant to be for me to write this review. Would definitely go back and try some of their other wraps/kabobs.

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    Karahi Boys - Sultan chicken.

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    4.0(171 reviews)
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    Out with 2 teenage boys, whom by the way, 5 star ratings are for restaurants worth visiting more…read morethan 2 times... With that said, absolutely loves the flavors offered here! We ordered the goat, spinach, some chicken and some goat rice as seen in the photos. Official names- Goat Biryani, Potohari Goat Karahi, Aashik Beef Kabob, Palak Paneer, Classic Chai and Garlic Naan BUT!! the one thing is appetizers coming out the same time you order a main meal- normally I would subtract a star... I love the classic chai because it's not sweet and great ratio of milk to tea. You can choose your spice level on dishes and also note that all goat items have bones. The ambience is very cultural, colorful and peaceful. Quick service and comfortable seating. Our waitress was also kind enough to explain the different dishes and sauce bases. So don't feel intimidated and definitely come hungry! yummy!

    Service is a little slow but the staff is great and extremely accommodating . It's a beautiful…read moreplace, clean well maintained. We had the family garlic naan I forgot which karahi but the chicken breast with a cream based sauce, mango lassi, chole (chickpeas), lahori fish. It took me this long to go because I kept looking at their prices and couldn't justify, but don't be like me and let it scare you away. The portions are definitely more than enough for 2. They are not stingy with their portion size. Looks like their weekday lunch prices are pretty decent so I'm going to have to go back for that for sure. Pretty much everything we had was great. I will say next time I want to try a more traditional tomato based Karahi. Family size Naan was $10 it's probably like 3 regular naan super fluffy not dense so it's easy to eat. Chole was perfect great flavor all around chickpeas were soft. Mango lassi was good but I think it was too heavy for me so I may pass on it next time and leave more room for food. Not sure what kind of fish they use for the lahori fish but the flavors were great, I feel like it should come with fries and I wish it was another type of fish but otherwise on point. The Karahi was chicken breast, really good flavor if you are introducing someone to Pakistani food,it's cream based so it's milder but still has great flavor. My bill was around $87 and I definitely had leftovers. I suggest not going alone if you are getting off the regular menu and not weekday lunch.

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    BBQ Tonight - Roghni naan

    BBQ Tonight

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    There's a moment that happens in every desi person's life in Houston when you stop apologizing for…read moreour food and start evangelizing it. The biryani isn't "kind of like jambalaya," the kababs aren't "Pakistani street meat," and the chai isn't "spiced tea." It's just biryani, kabab, and chai, full stop, and if you're lucky enough to live in this city, you have access to two operators doing it at a level that demands attention: Chef Saadat and BBQ Tonite Katy. If you grew up watching ARY Zauq or Hum, you already know the man. Saadat Siddiqi is a MasterChef Pakistan judge, hosted travel-and-food programming across Pakistan's biggest networks, and built a global following while half the rest of us were still figuring out how much haldi goes into daal. Now he's based stateside, and Houston has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of that move. What separates Chef Saadat from your khala who "could open a restaurant if she wanted to" (every desi family has this woman, may God protect her) is that Saadat actually trained. Australia, formal kitchen work, years of broadcast cooking that demanded consistency. So when he runs a pop-up or a curated dinner in Houston, you taste the difference immediately. The masalas are layered instead of blunt. Proteins hit the right doneness without going leathery. The chaat isn't drowned in chutney; it's balanced. It's Pakistani food cooked with the kind of precision that French and Italian kitchens take for granted, and it's a revelation when you realize our cuisine has always deserved that treatment, just nobody was bothering. The man is also genuinely warm. Walk up to him at an event and he'll talk you through what he made, why he made it, and where the recipe came from. That's not nothing. Most celebrity chefs would rather you take a selfie and move along. Tucked into Park Row in Katy, BBQ Tonite has quietly become one of the most reliable Pakistani spots on the west side of greater Houston. The Katy location runs on the same DNA as the broader BBQ Tonite family; charcoal grilling, generous portions, halal across the board, weekend buffet ambitions, but it caters specifically to the Katy desi diaspora that has exploded in the last decade. You're as likely to hear Urdu and Punjabi at the next table as English, and that's the highest compliment I can pay a Pakistani restaurant in America. The mixed grill is the move. Bihari kabab with that papaya-tenderized melt, beef seekh that holds together without being a hockey puck, chicken boti with proper char and yogurt-marinade tenderness, and a tandoori chicken that's actually red because of masala and not food coloring (the cardinal sin of lesser kitchens). Pair it with garlic naan straight out of the tandoor and a side of green chutney, and you're operating at peak efficiency on a dollar-per-flavor basis. The karahi game is strong. The goat karahi has the proper tomato-and-ginger backbone, and they don't drown it the way Americanized desi spots do when they get scared of their own cuisine. Order it with a roghni naan if you're feeling indulgent. Houston's Pakistani food scene has always been good. With Chef Saadat doing his thing and BBQ Tonite holding it down in Katy, it's now genuinely great. Bring out-of-towners. Bring skeptics. Bring the colleague who only knows "tikka masala." Both of these will do the convincing for you.

    Amazing food and incredible service! Love the goat karahi and garlic naan. Chai is yummy. Beautiful…read moreambiance. Would highly recommend!

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    3 people ordered for 6

    Mai Colachi - Sugar Land

    Mai Colachi - Sugar Land

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    As one of the most well known South Asian restaurants in Sugar Land, Mai Colachi has spent the…read morebetter part of the last decade showcasing their Pakistani flair in the form of ambitious buffet offerings and a menu that appeals to both longtime desi food fans and newcomers alike. The space has touch of modern vibes in a warm group friendly / community setting. The layout can be customized for large groups, but yours truly prefers the booths with a window to the outside world. (#1) The bathrooms are clean and the very enthusiastic Afghani (?) staff are a bubbly and fun bunch. One of their standout offerings is their weekly buffet nights and weekend brunch buffets, which regularly draws locals looking for variety and value. The Thursday evening service is street food inspired with chaats, nihari "tacos" and a mix of Indo-Chinese foods such as fried rice (#2) and spring rolls. The Sunday all day buffet is a bit more of my speed, which a number of curries, naans, and desserts. The spread varies from week to week, but it is generally quite good. Prices are standard and the aforementioned parking is abundant. I would be compelled to return on different Sundays to peep the seasonal selections and look forward to my return in the near future. ____________ (#1) Or a view to a massive parking lot. (#2) So much for biriyani.

    Outstanding per usual! Had the chili shrimp and goat chops. Both had delicious flavor and just the…read moreright amount of spice. Goat chops had plenty of meat. The service was 10/10 with very attentive and kind employees. Restaurant was clean. I would def come back! The buffet looked so inviting and smelled incredible. All the food stations were filled as needed. I will definitely have to come back to try it!

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    Musaafer - Mishti Doi

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    4.3(1k reviews)
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    This was my second time at Musaafr, and it honestly reinforced why I wanted to come back in the…read morefirst place. On my last visit, I had the Lychee Ceviche, Barrah Kebab, Mushroom Khichdi (highly recommend), Dal Musaafar (also a must-order), Laal Maas, Lamb Chop Sulfiyan Biryani, and Brussel Sprouts -- so I already had a strong impression of how layered and ambitious the menu could be coming into this meal. This time around, the experience felt even more intentional -- not just in individual dishes, but in how everything was meant to be combined. The Paani Puri was easily the most fun dish of the night. Each puri came filled with spiced potato and chickpeas, paired with a lineup of flavored waters -- Yogurt Chili, Passion Fruit, Guava, Mango, and Traditional Tamarind. We ended up tasting the waters individually first, then building our own combinations. The tamarind was smoky and nostalgic, while the guava leaned especially exotic, and the passion fruit came in as a close second with its bright tropical notes. I also tried mixing the traditional tamarind with mango, which oddly created a more Hispanic-leaning flavor profile -- sweet, tangy, and super familiar in a completely different way. The passion fruit + guava combination ended up being my favorite overall. It was so light, refreshing, and interactive that we immediately ordered another round. Mithu's Coriander Shrimp was my favorite savory dish of the night. The shrimp sat in a coconut-based curry that had this mellow, toasted depth that reminded me a lot of Vietnamese chicken curry -- warm, aromatic, and comforting without being heavy. The bread soaked up the sauce perfectly, but what really made this dish stand out was how well it paired with everything else. When combined with the Chicken Tandoori Kulcha and its butters, it genuinely elevated both dishes and created one of the best bites of the entire meal. The Chicken Tandoori Kulcha came stuffed with spiced chicken and served with Kashmiri butter and fenugreek butter. On its own, it was already a buttery flavor bomb -- rich, slightly spicy, and incredibly aromatic. The Kashmiri butter brought warmth and heat, while the fenugreek butter added a refreshing, almost yogurt-like herbal note. But the real move was layering the coriander shrimp curry onto the kulcha -- that combination balanced the spice and added depth, making the dish significantly better. The Malwani Fish Curry featured unbelievably tender sea bass -- I compared it to silken tofu, almost like the filet mignon of fish. The curry itself was coconut-based with kokum, which gave it a citrusy, slightly sour edge. While I appreciated how regional and complex it felt, it leaned a bit too citrus-forward for my personal taste when eaten alone. That said, it completely transformed when mixed with rice or the biryani -- creating this incredibly cohesive, flavorful bowl that balanced everything out. The Jackfruit Kolkota Biryani was one of the dishes I was most curious about, and it delivered in a really interesting way. The jackfruit had a texture surprisingly close to meat -- similar to chicken or pork but softer -- and absorbed the spices incredibly well. The rice itself was extremely aromatic, layered with saffron, rose, and warm spices. Like many dishes here, it really shone when combined with the fish curry or dal, which added richness to the overall dish. The Daal Musaafar continues to be one of the most reliable standouts here. It's a 72-hour slow-cooked black lentil dish that comes out incredibly creamy, buttery, and rich. This time, it felt slightly saltier and a bit less creamy than I remembered, but once mixed, it balanced out nicely. It's still one of those dishes I would come back for on its own -- comforting, indulgent, and consistently one of the best things on the menu. The Nimbu Naan was thinner than the bullet naan I had on my previous visit, but that actually worked in its favor. The lemony brightness cut through the richness of the meal and made it the perfect supporting piece for soaking up dal, curry, and biryani. It added a refreshing contrast rather than just being a filler carb. The Pour Me a Slice cocktail -- winner of Truffle Masters 2026 -- was exactly as advertised. It's a truffle fat-washed rum drink designed to taste like a margarita pizza, and somehow... it really does. The savory notes, herbs, and slight cheese element came through in a way that was bizarre but incredibly accurate. Not something I'd drink every day, but easily one of the most memorable concept cocktails I've had. Despite it being Mother's Day and the restaurant running at full capacity, our waiter, Justin (with six years of experience), curated an incredibly smooth and thoughtful experience for us. The pacing, recommendations, and overall flow of the meal never felt chaotic, which is impressive given how hectic the night was. Huge thanks to Justin for really elevating the experience.

    Beautiful decor and excellent service. A great place for a celebration or to catch up with friends…read more The food was good overall, though I wasn't particularly wowed, especially for the price. I also wish some of the dishes had more spice, but that is more of a personal preference! - Mithu's coriander shrimp: Good flavor with hearty sizes of shrimp. - Chaanp: Chargrilled lamb chops that were very tender. - Dum ki ribs: Beef short ribs that were also extremely tender and flavorful. - Malwani fish curry: I had never had sea bass in an Indian curry before, but it paired surprisingly well. The fish was very soft and delicate! - Garlic naan and Bullet naan: Both were good. Get the bullet naan if you want spice/pepper flakes. Overall, I think it's worth checking out if you are looking for an elevated dining experience!

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    Javed Nihari - pakistani - Updated May 2026

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