Decided to try this place last Saturday night by a friend recommendation. Ordered the lamb chop kabob, garlic naan, basmati rice, and mango lassi. First off the lamb chop kabobs were pretty good. Not the best but not the worst. Oddly enough, I expected it to be spicy but it wasn't. That said, since I have extremely low tolerance to spice, I didn't use the added sauces. I did like it as is. However, for four pieces, I did expect them to be a bigger. They were small and half of the pieces were bones. So perhaps next time, I might go with chicken. The flavoring otherwise and the cooking of it was good. The garlic naan which I didn't expect to be spicy was a bit spicy which surprised me. It wasn't bad. If anything it's pretty good even if it was mildly spicy. It was pretty soft to eat. Now for the basmati rice, when you order on DoorDash, they give you a box for what is considered "one serving". Trust me, it's not one serving, it's about 3 servings. Not that I'm complaining. The rice is pretty good since it was fluffy and lightly flavored. The only thing I would say is that they should probably consider another type of container for the rice. My ex tried to open up his box of rice and the entire plastic lid came off due to the weight. Finally the mango lassi was delicious. Granted it's not the sweetest of mangos given the season but it was creamy and sweet enough. Fair warning though, when ordering from DoorDash, don't expect the pickup time to be correct. Despite being told it was ready, we had to wait another 10 min or so before it was actually ready. Otherwise, wouldn't mind trying this place again for different menu items. read more

Pakwan Restaurant - Garlic Nan, Tandoori Lamb Chops, Basmati Rice, and Mango Lassi - Pakistani Near Me - Hayward, California

Fish no flavor, Fremont location better. Much better. Service quick, ambience nice spacing kinda greasy though. A little dark for my taste!

I have always got food from Pakwan Fremont. Yesterday I decide to get it from Hayward. A very bad decision. Malaiwala (butter) chicken smells of lighter fluid. Biriyani was old and not palatable. Tandoori chicken again smelled of lighter fluid & only the nan could be eaten. After calling them & letting them Know about their food didn't ask them for refund. I don't post reviews but this is an exception. read more

Just picked up a chicken tandoor leg. We do so almost once a week and somehow they get it so perfect every time. Service is equally pleasant, as is the ambiance. read more

Pakwan Restaurant - Tandoori Chicken Leg - Pakistani Near Me - Hayward, California

I found 4 short black hairs in my brain masala. I wish I took a picture but I was so disgusted I threw it out right away.

Very delicious . Even though the service too very long . Okay environment . They forgot one of the items that I ordered

Horrible place to eat. Staff said that they close at 10 pm and they took our order at 9:30 and at 10 they asked us to leave the place while we get food at 10:50 pm. The front desk indian guy who took our order said that we close at 10 pm so everyone has to leave at 10. Th restaurant timing is 10 pm closing time. Everyone of their staff was so rude as they wanted to leave at 10. Food was not cooked properly and looks like old food. read more

They make the most delicious biryani i have ever eaten. Especially, the Mutton biryani is full of flavor and so aromatic.

Me and my family been going but lately we stopped going that much. The vegetable dishes are getting very bad. We order chana and it was super hot, then they replace it with Spanish potatoes and tasted old and it's seems that they add lots ghee to hide the taste. Me and my mom almost throw up. We left it for them on the table and it was $11.99 I went there a couple of days alone and noticed that the beef kabab was a little red and though this color but was not cooked from the inside and I had samosa but it was alright. When I went home I had diarrhea and I was sick for a couple of days. After a couple of month I went back and my stomach is not feeling to go back again. I rather go to Shalimar. Even though it's farther from where I live but their curries are the best. The bathroom stinks every time I go there. They should put an air refresher. We don't trust their cups and water, we always bring out own. The utensils are not clean. It's time to stop being stingy and clean your filthy place and have a high quality food. read more

I usually go to another spot for Pakistani food but I heard of this place multiple times from numerous people stating how good it is. I finally had the chance to try it out at a friends house who had ordered take out from here. We ended up having the chicken tikka masala, whole chicken, beef seekh kabob, naan, & basmati rice. The chicken, beef seekh kabob, and rice were really good. The rice was cooked to perfection and the beef seekh kabob was seasoned really good. I was not a big fan of the naan or chicken tikka masala. The masala didn't have much flavor to it and lacked a kick to it. I was really disappointed in how it turned out only because I expected it to be delicious. The naan was soft and crispy at the same time I felt like it had another added ingredient that gave a off taste to it which I was not feeling; I don't know what spice they added in it, but I did not like it. Although the chicken tikka masala wasn't that good, I'm sure the other curry dishes they have are probably good and I wouldn't mind trying them out in the future. read more

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Everything about Pakwan Hayward is amazing. The food not only tastes out of this world but the portions are huge. It is self service. Gotta pick up your food after you order. Ambience, compared to other Pakistani restaurants is better. The bathrooms need to be remodeled. They are very old, stinky and dirty. Note to owner: Pl remodel the bathrooms with a nice design and you will make this a great place. read more

I've had the lamb briyani and the chicken briyani and it's really good. My brother had the tandoori chicken and loved it. It's very good. But the service and ambience are definitely the opposite. Love what I've order but definitely keep getting to go food here is better. read more

I am giving this place five stars for the food, value, and kind service. If you're looking for amazing quality and not too caught up on the ambience, this is the place for you.. read more

Recently picked up an order to go, spent over $100 however they were unwilling to give a side of sliced onions/ green chillies. Apparently not their " policy " anymore. More importantly, prices way up and quality down. Will not return read more

I accidentally placed an order here instead of the Fremont location. By the time I realized, I was sure that the food had already been made so I just decide to drive the extra 30 mins to pick it up. Turns out I had come to this location before, but I was not sure if it was Pakwan back then. The guy that helped me out was nice and told me that I could've just canceled my order. I like how they had sanitizer at the front desk. As for the food, I would it's okay at best. I ordered the mutton biriyani, veggie biriyani, saag paneer, paneer makhani, and nan. The mutton biriyani was flavorful but not as flavorful as I hoped. The rice felt kind of old since it was hard. The veggie biriyani had good flavor but the same thing with the rice being hard and or old. The saag paneer was decent but it was missing that tartness that I was looking for. There were still chunks of spinach and it felt a little bit undercooked to my liking. They do give a huge portion though. Paneer Makhani was pretty good here. I enjoyed it! The nan here is smaller than I expected. They're about 9 inches and they were kinda salty. Glad I tried this place out but I don't think I would come back here since Fremont is a lot closer. read more

This like the Roadhouse of Pakistani/Indian restaurants! Let me elaborate - Roadhouse starring Patrick Swayze is considered the best worst movie of all time. It's so bad that its good. Pakwan is kinda like that! You like the food but it may not be good for you. It's so bad that it's good! Get the Goat Curry but order it at the restaurant and eat it right there. If you order ahead the goat somehow seems to taste and feel weird in the curry. The Goat Pulao is also Epic! Available only on Fridays but gets sold out pretty fast. Get ready for upset stomach, breakouts on your face and other reactions depending on the day and dish. But while eating, most times it feels great! read more

Been hearing about this Pakwan resto in SF for quite sometime now. We really love Indian food and we discovered that they also have branches in Union City and Hayward so we went to this Pakistani/Indian restaurant in Hayward. We wanted to try their lunch buffett which happens only on Sundays. Before anything else, I got curious why they named it "Pakwan"? Because in our tagalog/filipino language, it is a fruit, watermelon that is. So I googled and it means "dish" in Hindi. Ok, so now I see... Then Pak wan in Thai means "sweet talker". And there's also in Hirdu, which means "pancake". Lot of meanings... For $17/pp, incl tax, and no tip is needed, I'd say it is worth it. You pay upfront. Just don't mind the crowd though since it is like a circus with people swarming by the buffet table, with long line and atmosphere is kind of loud. If you get there after 11 am, expect that there will be a long line out the door. The room has the capacity of upto 150 seatings so just imagine. Could be more. Their food is really an authentic pakistani and indian dish. All types of meat in Paya, Haleem, Nihari, Kadahi, Curry, Tikka Masala and Biryani. It's a fair amount of varieties considering with two types of dishes. I just dont like their curry and the poori. I think its too oily. Disappointed they dont have the Paneer and Pakora. I love their Goat Paya best, Lamb Curry and their Beef Kadahi. The Chicken 65 and Kabobs are good too. Dessert is ok but could be better. So far, I like it here due to their reasonable price and food selection. It's closeby and satisfy cravings. Have to come back and try again. My overall review - 3.5 Food - 4 Customer Service - 3.5 Parking - 3.5 read more

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Drove all the way from Fremont and came 10 minutes before to place an order for a brain masala. I get dismissed saying that they are closing soon and won't take my order and wanted to sell me something else ( most likely something they had already cooked and wanted to get rid of) Supposedly last call is at 2:45pm I am all for supporting small local restaurants, but no longer coming to this location Drove all the way from Fremont and came 10 minutes before to place an order for a brain masala. I get dismissed saying that they are closing soon and won't take my order and wanted to sell me something else. Supposedly last call is at 2:45pm which they fail to mention or out on their website. Wasted my time and gas driving here. read more

Pakwan Restaurant - Pakistani Near Me - Hayward, California

Been going here for over ten years. It's a go to spot for us when we want Pakistani and Indian cuisine. The food is consistently delicious. The service is no frills and you are serving yourself but for the prices and food quality and flavor I think this is absolutely worth it. Restaurant is large and open. Plenty of tables for families and couples. I wish they would do their Sunday buffet again. It was great. read more

Great place to eat, cozy, comfort, Indian food, and still avoid guilty. I just stopped by here to grab some butter chicken. It was amazing.

We had lunch at the Hayward location, as well as the San Francisco Ocean Avenue location. Food is always awesome. Just love it. Portions are generous. One drawback at most restaurants is that all the prep work is done ahead of time. I had a 3 year old with us and of course the spice level could not be adjusted. But the mango lassi always comes in handy and that was delicious. Chicken biriyani is always a go to item. I love the behari kabab, malai chicken kabab, nihari was awesome, Bengan bharta was tasty. Will keep coming back. read more

Have had food at many Bay Area restaurants and I got to admit that the area is full of great Desi, actually I need to be specific here - Pakistani restaurants. But one thing about Pakwan fremont is that their food is consistently good. Food quality has been maintained for a number of years. Kudos to the management and the person that marinates the meat - wah!! The only problem these days, which is not food related, is that they need a bigger parking lot. mA, business is booming!! read more

Food quality is getting worse while price increased. Look at this Haleem they sell now close to $17.00. oily, watery and less and less ingredients. They told me no chillies or fried onions anymore on Hakeem. The lady specifically told me last time they don't carry green chillies either anymore. The Hakeem quality, if I could have to give a negative 5 score, I would. What is going on with this owner at this Hayward location read more

The moment we went it smelled fungi and stuffy . We ordered and then decided to take out .. as it was smelling awful. The biryani rice seemed like normal rice ... no flavor and not fresh. read more

Pakwan Restaurant - The biryani rice were not great... no flavor.... I think not freshly cooked . - Pakistani Near Me - Hayward, California

Our go to restaurant for good Chicken Seekh Kebabs. They go well with their naan breads. Other favorites of ours are in the tandoori section. Have tried a few curries and found their starters to be better. read more

Really good food been coming here for years and was friends with the owner in high school. Although for some reason the table had food particles which is gross and the food particles touching ur arms when u eat during the Covid. Lol for real just clean the tables better and a solid experience. Update: now the tables are clean and the chairs are dirty. Bring the dang shampoo machine and clean it. Only reason I come is for the food lol read more

Friendly staff. They have newly renovated the place and it looks great inside. The food was authentic but ask for spice levels (if you're not used to spice). read more

Food here is Delicious... Food quantity per serving is also good.. can have 2 people eat from one serving of chicken tikka masala.. friendly customer service.. Best garlic naan I ever had.. Highly recommend this place.. read more

I love their naan the most . We eat alot of chicken breasts and legs here all the time. My favorite is their beef Nihari... yum!

When I want to take my Indian friends to Indian, this is where I take them. Their mild is still going to be spicey for some, which is just the way I want it when I'm going for real authentic Indian. I usually go for a mix of garlic naan and regular with the palak paneer then go from there. read more

worst place brought my family here and food was.l cold on top of that they were being very cheap and charging you for a cup of tea, where every other similar restaurants give it to you free of charge read more

Love this place for its quality food. The food is always consistent and fresh. Pretty busy place so the food is fast moving. No left overs from previous Day or shift gets served here. The quantity of food is good for the price. We always order chicken or goat biriyani, tandoori chicken, and chicken seekh kabob. The grill chicken is flavorful and juicy. The biriyani had plenty of meat and the rice is whole grain basmati with the flavor of the meat in it. They don't use lard as some restaurants use. The ingredients are good quality. Price is very reasonable. The staff at the counter are prompt, courteous, and quick in their service. read more

Excellent place delicious food tandoori chicken rice and nan very good Price is perfect read more

Best Pakistani/Indian food in Hayward. I recommend coming here. The service was outstanding. Food came quickly. The Seating area was clean and very organized business read more

If you looking for a great Indian brunch! (Only on Sunday) GO FOR IT! However, if ambience, crockery or service is more importantly than food, you might get disappointed! Highly recommendations - Kadhai Chicken, Amritsari Fish and Chicken Biryani! read more

Great food and great taste. We were coming back from San Francisco and decided to get some Indian food. One if our friends recommended us this restaurant so we thought, why not give it a try. And believe me, we were not disappointed at all. I am glad that we stopped at Pakwaan to get the good. Will definitely go back soon. Their Saag chicken was the highlight. read more

If you are planning to order to-go, be prepared to receive leftover items from the day before. We received a used chutney container in our to go order. Goat biryani doesn't taste fresh and sekh kabobs were over cooked. This place sucks!! read more

Pakwan Restaurant - Used chutney in our to-go order! Management needs to get it together. - Pakistani Near Me - Hayward, California

I ordered few items through uber eats. Chana masala was only filled half way. I called the restaurant and talked to shiva, his reply was we filled the container 100%, maybe the driver took out some food and I can't do anything. You should seal the bag or staple it so this doesn't happen. read more

Pakwan Restaurant - Food container was only filled 70% - Pakistani Near Me - Hayward, California

I rarely leave a negative feed back. I have been going here for the past 27 years but lately their food is way off. I guess the management needs to address this issue with employees. or chef. we ordered a tandoori fish my goodness i could eat a few bite. garlic bread was full of oil drenched with oil. total waste of my money. I think I will give this place a break. read more

I love their saag daal! We often visit and the food is always delicious. I would recommend taking it to go vs eating in if ambience matters to you. Give them a try! read more