A girlfriend and I decided to try out Kathmandu in Sebastopol and I'm honestly surprised I had never been before. We walked in and immediately loved it. The restaurant is inside an old train car which makes the whole experience feel extra cozy and unique. The aesthetic is absolutely adorable and the delicious smell of the food filled the air the second we walked in. I was already excited to sit down and eat. We started with the lentil soup and it was SO good, especially on a rainy day. Warm, comforting, and full of flavor. We also ordered the aloo gobi and added tofu which was absolutely delicious. This is honestly some of the best Himalayan and Nepalese food I've had in a long time. Since then, I've gone back and tried the garlic cheese naan filled with chicken. It was yummy but could have used a bit more flavor on its own. Dipping it into the aloo gobi though? Perfect combination. Super friendly staff, excellent service, cozy atmosphere, and flavorful comforting food. Definitely adding this spot into the regular rotation. read more

Kathmandu Cafe & Grill - Aloo Gobi and Organic Garlic Basil Naan - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Sebastopol, California

The curry was good the naan was different than what I like, not my favorite. This restaurant is well staffed and has a long menu, that you will come back to try another dish. read more

I have had a lot of Indian food, and this place is just as good as, or better than, many spots in the San Francisco and Oakland areas. Fresh ingredients, and every curry I tried was excellent. The chicken tikka masala, saag paneer, butter chicken, and naan were all amazing. The mango lassi is right on point. My only note is that the service is incredibly slow. THE SLOWEST SERVICE I HAVE experienced EVER! With one person cooking and serving, expect a two-hour meal even for a table of two. It is worth the wait. read more

I've been waiting 40 min for my online order and it's still not ready at the time they said it would be. Luckily I learned my lesson and I'm calling for updates before going out in the rain to wait for it there. But it's a Sunday night and they should be able to have the food ready when they say it will be. On my second call 10 minutes later (after being told it would be ready in 5-10 minutes) I was told it was ready, and at the end of the call told it would be ready in 2 more minutes. I'm still waiting now 5 minutes after that call and more than 60 minutes after placing my order. I consider this unacceptable service and will no longer come here. read more

Food was good. Ordered the Chicken Thali Set meal. Flavor was good but found a metal wire mixed into the chicken thali. An unpleasant discovery. Service was decent. Ambiance was quiet for a Friday evening. read more

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I have been buying food from this place for many years since they first open with the first owner Robert. Ever since the new owner took over, food and service is not consistent. There is always something missing in our orders, something they forgot on our food, or ingredient, on level or spiciness, the extra rice, the naan, you name it, the list is short. There has not been one time they didn't messed up our order. Yesterday was the last time we order from this place. We are vegan and they put chicken in all of our dishes. Imagine that, we could not eat out food and wasted over $130 Don't waste your time and money at this place, go somewhere else, they also don't even speak or understand well English. I do not recommend this place. read more

The food hardly had any taste. The tandoori chicken was flavorless and dry. We were so excited to try a new place but this sadly was a flop for our family. We will not be returning. Staff was kind. read more

I've always liked this place, but I ordered takeout here after a year that I haven't been back and I was pretty shocked about the quality and portions. The same order of food that would feed 3-4 people, fed 2 people at best. The tandoori chicken came with 4 incredibly small pieces of chicken and my chicken tikka masala arrived the same way with 3 pieces of small chicken. The flavor was lacking too. read more

It's easy to forget about this place; the setting is very cool but it has always been a tough location with lots of turnover. My review is specifically for the Seafood curry (I haven't had a chance to explore the menu). The Seafood Curry is absolutely fantastic, luscious & velvety with symphony of flavors; if it was served at a Michelin rated French place everyone would be raving about it. Wines are well selected for the price point & the staff are warm & friendly. read more

Loved the ambience and food. We tried momo and chowmein and both were great. The service was great and the staffs were quite friendly. Would come again to try this place whenever we are in Santa Rosa. read more

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I could eat curry every day, but hubby really has to be in a particular mood to join me on my curry quests. On my most recent curry expedition, he found Kathmandu and we made our way over for lunch on a weekend. I was surprised that I never tried this place before- it's so conveniently located off downtown Sebastopol. We parked in their convenient parking lot just outside the restaurant and were seated promptly in the dining car inside. A long time ago, I used to work at The Barlow just across the street, back when it was a little more than a barn with renters. I'd come numerous times to the cafe inside this adorable rail car building and loved the quirky ambiance and the "not quite downtown" feel. This time was no different, still quirky, still "off downtown" and that suited us just fine. We knew what we wanted before we sat down, but we looked over the menu anyway. I was happy to see how many options they had for vegetarian, vegan and other dietary restrictions, and lots of items looked good to this hungry diner. I ordered the Veggie Tikka Masala with brown rice ($16.99) and Garlic Cheese Naan to share ($5.99). He ordered the Saag Paneer with basmati rice ($16.99) and a side of Raita ($5.99). Although it smelled good and the menu looked appetizing, I was a little taken aback by the prices, so we hoped for the best. Our order was placed pretty much immediately after we were seated because we already knew what we wanted, and that was great because it took literally an entire hour for our food to get to us. Thankfully we were in an unusually patient mood, but others in the train car with antsy kiddos were not so patient. We listened to growing hubbub from many hungry diners and exasperated parents, all wanting to know where their food was, or even just for an update on how much longer they would be waiting. Finallllllly the food arrived. The plating was lovely, and we were immediately renewed with our excitement for the meal. First to try was the garlic cheese naan which was a little thin on the cheese, but overall, a good taste and good texture. My tikka was next, and it was creamy, spicy, and packed with lots of fresh veggies. The brown rice I imagine might have been what held us up- it was a hot disaster with a weird chewy/sticky texture and was soggy and horribly cooked. Hubby's saag was delicious but the paneer was super squeaky to chew which was weird, and the raita was downright sugary sweet, which was off-putting for us both. The portions were large so we both took leftovers home and had them for dinner. Reheated, the rice sadly did not improve, but both entrees themselves were good the second time. Overall, prices still really high in my opinion, especially for the hit and miss quality and honestly pretty excessive wait time. Staff were distant but not inherently unfriendly, the parking was convenient, and they offered an overall clean restaurant experience. I would return; however I'd recommend to others to have a snack ahead of time to anticipate the wait, and be prepared to pay more than usual for the unusual dining car experience. read more

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Food was great and so was the service. The restaurant is upstairs in an old diner car and you can see the aspects of a diner car in the restaurant. Two men, we assumed brothers were the cooks and one served us. You could order in various levels of spiciness. read more

We tried the restaurant with DoorDash and the food was fantastic! We enjoyed the Organic Fried Noodles , Veggie Tikka Masala and Lentil Soup. Everything tasted delicious! The pictures of this place look great on Yelp and it looks like they have a really nice ambiance. We look forward to going for a dine in experience next time :) read more

Located across from the Barlow, this restaurant is one of the coolest spots I have ever dined. You can sit in a booth in a train! The food was just short of being great. The veggie tikka masala and saag paneer both had great texture and tasted like they were made with quality ingredients. Unfortunately, the flavor was lacking just a little bit. I hate to say this because everything else about the food was perfect. It's definitely worth a try because the food is good and the train is really awesome. read more

Kathmandu Cafe & Grill - Veggie Tikka Masala with tofu added, Saag Paneer, Brown Rice, and Garlic Cilantro Naan - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Sebastopol, California

The food, service, and overall experience was incredible. I got the lamb chili which was awesome. read more

Kathmandu Cafe & Grill - The food, service, and overall experience was absolutely incredible. - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Sebastopol, California

What a gem! Nepali food is influenced by Indian and Tibetan food. But the flavors are different. I had the Masala curry lamb, and I did not recognize the flavor. But it was very complex and delicious. They also serve momo, a stuffed dumpling that reminds me of shiaolungbao, except with a rich and robust flavor. I was also pleasantly surprised to find the restaurant is operators out of a genuine train car. read more

I haven't explored all the Indian restaurants in the area but this place has kinda become our go to. I love the location inside the train car for one thing and the food is great. One word to the wise however, if you don't mind spicy food order it mild. It's got spicy at all. If you want mild, order it medium, and if you want medium order it hot. Not sure if you can actually get hot at this place, maybe it's a special order thing read more

Cute lil place inside an old train car in center collective. It's quaint, fun, great menu, food is pretty awesome too. But the service is exceptional. Most of the dishes you'd love to order are on the menu. read more

Great service and great food. We tried their noodles and Indian curries (chicken tikka and butter naan), they were delicious! They gave us a side of spicy sauce, which changed the game for the noodles read more

Stopped in after work one night and was pleasantly surprised at how good the food was. I was in town for a few months and returned quite a few times. read more

Everything was divine. Especially the veggie pakora and chai. Mmmmm. I'll definitely go back.

Food was good and flavorful, particularly the pork rib sizzling platter. The chicken tikka masala and naans however, were very mediocre. Service was slow and some wait staff do not speak much English. Watch out for the bill though, as we caught several overcharges. read more

I hate to leave two stars, but there was just nothing special about this place for me. After a rainy day out, I was ready for a cozy night in so I settled on ordering some take out. I've been wanting to check this spot out for quite some time. So I called in my order on a late Sunday evening and was quoted about 30 minutes. Perfect! I arrived roughly about 35 minutes later and was told my order wasn't ready. I'm patient, so I hung around just observing the space. Only took another 30 minutes more for my order to be ready which at that point I was able to see other parties becoming very impatient. Hour later with food in hand, I arrive home starving and ready to dive right into my meal. Sadly, it falls short here as well. I ordered mild daal soup and a spicy saag paneer. Both were just incredibly plain, little to no flavor. It was a huge disappointment after waiting around so long. Given the veggie momos were good, but everything else, for the price and the wait time, was just boring. read more

Incredible! Best Himalayan I've ever had. Every dish is SO flavorful and fresh and innovative and healthy - tastes you've never tasted before. Everything was so stinkin' perfect. Get the creamy tikka paneer masala, the sweet and savory squash saag, the doughy delicious veggie momos, and the masala chai. The dal soup that comes with your meal is so cleansing and yummy. 5 stars!!!!!! read more

Kathmandu Cafe & Grill - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Sebastopol, California

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We've moved back to West Sonoma County after a 2-year hiatus and were real glad to see Kathmandu still open and serving up some delicious meals. Even better is that they source mostly organic ingredients. Agree with others that the one gripe is the time it takes to get your food. Hate to complain about that just because it's a small operation and I'm sure they can only fit so many in their little train car kitchen. Plus they seem to get busy with take out orders, so I'm sure it's tough for them to keep up. And yet, it's a consideration. Unless you order ahead, be prepared to wait. That said, great food and great people here. read more

Tucked away in our Sabastopol, Kathmandu Cafe & Grill offers a cozy ambiance with a cool trains and things on the inside. The food was decent; We enjoyed the Samossa , Tikka Masala and Veggie Curry. The flavors were good, though a bit more seasoning would have made a difference. However, the service needs improvement. Despite only having two customers, the staff seemed overwhelmed and busy in the kitchen, leading to long waits and forgotten drink orders. The friendly atmosphere and charming decor are appealing, but the disorganized service detracts from the experience. To the owner: Your restaurant has great potential. Focusing on streamlining service and better coordination in the kitchen could significantly enhance the dining experience. I'm looking forward to seeing these improvements on my next visit. read more

Had a late dinner here last night with my daughter. It was very pleasant seating outside, cool trains and things on the inside. The staff were all amazing. The food was delicious(Chicken Momo, Chicken Tikka Masala, Veggie Curry). The prices very reasonable. It was my very first time there and in the building at all. I really enjoyed it and will be back! read more

The restaurant is in a train which is cool. The food was over priced and a little plain, but service was fine. The chai was not sweet, and too expensive! A small cup was $4, with no refills. read more

Kathmandu Cafe & Grill - Organic Garlic Cilantro Naan Saag Paneer Veggie Tikka Masala Brown Rice - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Sebastopol, California

It took a little over an hour for our food to come out. Had there been any communication from cook/ server (he was doing both) to let us know it would take that long we would not have stayed. We had to be somewhere by a certain time and even though we gave ourselves plenty of time to go out to eat, over an hour to receive food made it so we had to basically scarf it fast. it was a little bland and no one ever came to check on us.​ overall it made for a bad experience and we will not go back. read more

Very good curry! The server is always so friendly, it is a cool ambience in a little train car with comfortable booths. We got the chicken butter curry and veggie tikka masala with garlic cheese nan and it was all delicious. Lunch special comes with yummy lentil soup. read more

Kathmandu Cafe & Grill - Veggie Tikka Masala and Butter chicken - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Sebastopol, California

Well, it looks like I have to be that guy... the first reviewer to give less than 5 stars. I don't see the point of a dishonest review so here goes. The location--a renovated train car--is super charming, but the food... there were some problems with mine. I ordered the vegetable korma, made with coconut milk rather than cream (so it's stated on the menu) and I was pretty excited as this is one of my top 5 all-time favorite dishes. The server was very helpful in selecting the proper heat level (spicy, since medium is still rather mild). Free dal soup was served while we waited for our entrees--delicious. Probably my favorite part. The korma wasn't what I expected. The first thing I noticed was the lack of coconut flavor--maybe not much milk was added? The heat level and spices were spot on, but there was also an unusual sweetness to it which seemed unnecessary. As I ate it (slowly, since it was hot both in taste and temperature) the sauce separated and a lot of oil rose to the top... so much, in fact, that I ended up spooning it off. This was not an affordable dish so subbing in tons of oil for what should have been mostly coconut milk doesn't really make sense. I did finish most of it, and my stomach was kind of a mess afterward. Maybe this was a fluke or I just chose the wrong item. My companions ordered spinach dal and stir fried veggies which came with the most delicious mango-dressed salad, and they both greatly enjoyed theirs. read more

Kathmandu Cafe & Grill - Free dal. Very good. - Himalayan/Nepalese Near Me - Sebastopol, California

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I was passing through town and decided to stop in for dinner. The space is really fun and unique, and the staff here are very welcoming and friendly. The food was very, very good. I'd love to come back another time if my travels take me through here again. read more

We ordered food for pickup And was told would be ready for pick up at 7:35. The food was not ready at 7:35. It was not ready at 8:00. It was not ready at 8:10 or 8:15. It was ready at 8:20!!! The food was ok but it was so late and they were not able to tell us how long it would take that it was frustrating to wait and wait so that when the food was ready it was not as enjoyable if it had been on time. Will not be ordering take out from Them Again! read more

Amazing food. One of my all-time favorite restaurants. It's definitely a hidden gem. So glad we stumbled on this place. Amazing Himalayan food, and the staff is the best. All of their spices are hand ground, and the flavors you can taste. All the extras they do, they don't go unnoticed in the robustness of all the dishes that are served. Must try!!! read more

Stopped in after the Rialto Monday night, a bit on the late side. Hardly anything else was open (wish more restaurants closed a different day). The owner (I believe) and server were incredibly welcoming, didn't rush us at all. All 4 of us try to eat vegetarian and were delighted by the menu and the quality of the food. I have to say all 3 local Indian/Tibetan/Nepalese restaurants are excellent and inviting. Very hard to choose where to eat but if you're dining out on a Monday, Kathmandu is THE place. read more

The best Indian in Sebastopol and some of the best Indian I've ever had. And I traveled in India for 2 months. Service is always great here. They are very generous and their warmth of spirit comes through in the food. Excellent. What are you waiting for? ;) read more

This place is wonderful!!! Great food, fun atmosphere in a train car turned restaurant, and the staff is attentive and friendly! Also the prices are very reasonable read more

Wonderful food here. Been going for about 4 years now. I love the korma and chow mein.

Great service and delicious food! Came here with a group of 5 after grabbing some beers at The Barlow. I was actually shocked to find the restaurant could accommodate our group despite being so narrow (the restaurant is in a literal train). But we fit great and didn't feel cramped at all. It was, however, a very quiet atmosphere so we immediately felt a bit out of place because of the loud chatting that ensued with how many people we had. This is definitely a more intimate setting. I think the most exciting part of this restaurant for me was how many vegan and gluten free options they offered. It was wonderful how everything was labeled! I decided to go with the tofu saag with white rice. It was super creamy (coconut milk) and rich. I will admit that the medium heat level was too much for me. So next time I go I'll have to go with mild. Everyone else in my group ordered the combo which came with soup, salad, option of main (chicken, tofu, fish, or lamb tikka masala) and a dessert. The prices here are decent and the server was excellent. Can't wait to return! read more

I've been meaning to try this place for a while but never got around to it until today and I loved it. The food was great and the waiter was very friendly. I thought the set up of the old train car was really cool too. We got the chicken momo, butter garlic naan, chicken curry, and pork rib tandoori. Everything was fantastic. They ask how spicy you want your food on a scale of 1-5 when you order. I'm a little bit weak when it comes to spiciness but I like a little bit so I said 2 and it wasn't bad at all. It was the kind of thing that starts to accumulate a little after a few bites but I think I could've said 3 and been fine too. All in all, I definitely would recommend this place and I will definitely be going back soon. read more