Now THIS is an AUTHENTIC Indian restaurant. Tucked into a corner building along one of the most hipsterish stretches of Penn Ave., People's offers diners a smorgasbord of rich, complex flavors at a supremely reasonable price. Our vegetarian table got a variety of tofu preparations to share, including vindaloo, saag, and kadhi -- all were fantastic. Our appetizer, the $4 (!) vegetable pakora served with a variety of chutneys, was delicious also. I cannot stress enough how none of their food was oversimplified for a Western audience: here, you really can encounter the full range of tastes and aromas that characterizes the Subcontinent's vast culinary world. People's gets the full "Chris O. Endorsement"! read more

Buffet for a very economical price! People's Indian does not miss! Make sure you get the masala chai! Service is top tier and the staff are very friendly! Space is small but atmosphere feels close knit! read more

People's Indian Restaurant - It's a lunch buffet so lots of items! - Indian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I had a rare craving for Indian food last night and I've had my eye on People's for a while! I've definitely heard a lot about their lunch buffet, but we ended up trying this spot for dinner and it was great! Service is friendly and warm, prices are reasonable, and the food was delicious! We ordered two vegetable samosas (best $4 appetizer for sure!), the bread basket (came with 4 slices of plain, onion, and garlic naan), chicken tikka masala, and one more lentil/daal dish from the back of the menu. I don't quite recall the name of the last one since that came recommended by our server, and unfortunately it was a little too salty for our liking. The other three dishes were hits though! The samosa was crisp without being oily, the chicken tikka masala was tender and full of flavor, and we really enjoyed the plain and garlic naan. The basket was probably too much, but it was nice to be able to try all three. Drinks were also in the $4 range, and if I was a little more hungry I would've gone for a mango lassi or a chai! I can't wait to come back to try more dishes during their lunch buffet. They also have high chairs if you're looking for one! read more

Best Indian food in Pittsburgh! I haven't had it in over 2 years since I moved a bit away from it so this meal was well overdue. Their tikka masala is absolutely bursting with flavor. I don't like spice so the level 1 is perfect for me. The portions are big enough for leftovers! Love the garlic naan too. Definitely try this spot! read more

People's Indian Restaurant - Chicken Tikka masala and Garlic Nan - Indian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

People's Indian restaurant serves Indian foods and beverages for lunch and dinner for dining in, takeout, and delivery. The menu lists many dozens of items, including appetizers, soups, naan, chicken, lamb, goat, seafoods, vegetarian specialities, biryanis, desserts, and more. My husband and I ate one lunch here. The restaurant is located on Penn Avenue, which currently has much construction, so we had to ignore our vehicle's GPS and figure out how to drive around to the other side of Penn Avenue. Upon our arrival, an employee promptly seated us at a table. The restaurant was offering a buffet that cost $15 per adult (less for children) plus tax and tip. We filled our plates a couple of times to try every food and drink, which included tandoori chicken, lamb vindaloo, chicken tikka masala, palak paneer, aloo gobhi, jeera rice, vegetable pakora, vegetable samosa, vegetable kofta, chana daal, chana bhatura, gulab jamun, naan, masala chai, mango juice, and more. I thought that every food and drink tasted "very good." read more

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Went for lunch with a friend for the lunch buffet and though we got there in the last 30 or 40 minutes, they still have plenty of fresh options on the buffet. Everything I had was good and I really enjoyed the mango lassi they had available as well. Buffet price was reasonable as well and definitely worth it for lunch read more

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I stopped by People's Indian on Saturday at 1pm. The sign outside says the lunch buffet closed at 2:30pm. The inside is pretty small but I was still able to snag a small table right away. I was excited to try their lunch buffet that I've heard so much about. You eat first and then go up and pay at this buffet. There was a pretty good variety of items and I liked trying everything. I'm not Indian so I can't speak to the authenticity of everything but it tasted pretty good to me. My favorites were the crispy chicken 65, the refreshing mango drink, the crunchy vegetable pakora, and the flavorful lamb vindaloo and palak paneer. I would definitely come back!! read more

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We did a takeout dinner buffet which I believe only happens on certain days. It was very busy and lively in there, but we got our food quickly. The take out buffet is by weight. I liked how the containers had multiple compartments. They label all their food at the buffet so you know which ones are vegetarian. I loved the cauliflower and corn Manchurian. read more

When I woke up that day, I had no idea the joy I'd experience at a simple but charming Indian restaurant in the hills of Pittsburgh. Everything in the buffet was delightful. The tikka masala? Delicious. The naan? Excellent. The sweet and spicy potatoes? The biggest surprise of them all. I walked up with my plate a stranger, but now I can't imagine life without them. All of that, plus complementary mango juice and chai? What did I do to deserve this high-quality culinary experience? I want to personally thank everyone who made this restaurant's existence possible. The owner(s), the employees, the zoning commissioner, the mayor, the city manager, the garbage man, the tables and chairs, the country of India, God Himself - I could go on. read more

People's Indian Restaurant - The face of pure bliss. - Indian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Open saturday morning- huge plus unlike some other buffets in the area. Not that much seating but we were able to snag a spot- this might not be the space for a big group tho (more than 4 will be hard to seat). Buffet was delicious tbh their naan and meat curry dishes are amazing. They also have chai tea and mango lassi and some dessert too. We ate so many plates and was so full by the end but the food quality was still very good. This place is the best indian restaurant in the area by far. This was also where I asked these three little boys to be part of my groomsmen : ). read more

People's Indian Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Simply the best. Service, Flavor, authenticity, ambiance, and price! Long time neighbor staple.

After seeing all these great reviews, I was expecting this to be a great restaurant. However, as Indians we were disappointed, who might not be their standard clientele. The interior of this place is typical small Indian restaurant - nothing special. We noticed that this is likely a Punjabi-owned restaurant, so Punjabi dishes might turn out better than non-Punjabi dishes, such as, say, chaat and dal tadka. We made the mistake of ordering both Pakora Chaat and Aloo Tiki Chaat, which literally looked and tasted almost the same, with lots of chickpeas. The flavors and ingredients did not meet our standards for good chaat. To my surprise the Dal Tadka came out as what we would typically consider Dal Makhani looking. It came as the Punjabi Maa ki Dal, which I didn't know. The Paneer Shahi Korma was nothing special and of the lesser paneer dishes I've had at other restaurants. I didn't even enjoy the chai's we got at the end. I think Indian customers come less, so the praise might be skewed, and does not meet Indian knowledge and taste. Overall, the price for food that leaves more to be desired means that I wouldn't go out of my way to come here again. read more

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My gf and I ordered the chicken tikka masala and the Lamb Korma. The tikka was silky smooth with very tender chicken thigh. The lamb was wonderfully warm with toasted spices. On the side we had pillowy soft naan and each received a large portion of basmati rice with our mains. Would definitely recommend both dishes. read more

People's Indian Restaurant - Chicken Tikka Masala (top) Naan Lamb Lamb Shai Korma (bottom) - Indian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Great service with kind staff! Delicious food as always and I love the vibe here. Four star bc they use styrofoam for togos, but if you don't mind that, this is a great place to go with your family or friends. read more

People's Indian Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Authentic Indian food with reasonable pricing. The Mango Lassi, soups, naan, salads always extremely fresh and tailored towards one level of hotness tolerance. Go and enjoy from an expansive menu. You can tell the desirability from the number of take out orders and the turning tables. read more

We enjoyed the lamb vindaloo and chicken tikka masala!! We also got the garlic naan, rice with both of our entrees, and mango chutney. It was a really calming restaurant vibe and the service was attentive. The only downside was how close together the tables were--I felt like I had to whisper to avoid disrupting our neighbors 4 inches away. I think the spice level should be taken seriously!! If you say a spice level, you're going to get that spice level! read more

People's Indian Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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We have been twice for the lunch buffet and are always very satisfied with the options, flavors, and quality. The staff was very sweet and nice (even though we have a toddler and sometimes are lil messy). We are pretty picky when it comes to flavor and spice (especially in Pittsburgh), but we have been pleasantly surprised. I would love to go back to try their regular menu. Although, the buffet is such a great value for price! It is a little small if you have a larger group, but we went on a Tuesday afternoon, which seemed to not be busy at all read more

The best Indian buffet in town! The service is quick and they are constantly refilling the buffet. They have indoor and outdoor seating available, depending on weather. Great ambiance! read more

We came here on a Friday afternoon for lunch at 12:30 and it was super busy! The restaurant inside is a bit small but they do have an outdoor seating. They do lunch buffets for $14.95 a person from Mon to Sat. They post their buffet menu on their Facebook every day. There's a good spread since they have a lot of meat dishes and vegetarian dishes. They have a salad bar as well as a drinks station with mango juice and chai masala. The chai masala was very milky but good nonetheless. There was a huge platter of wings that were good. There's samosas and naan and rice. For the mains, there was chicken tikka, tandoori chicken, chicken tikka tandoori chicken, curry chicken, veggie korma, deep fried potatoes in a sweet and sour sauce, and more vegetarian dishes. For dessert, they had gulab jamun which was really good, mango pudding, rice pudding, and this shredded carrot dessert in syrup. It's definitely a great spread and it's so popular! The staff is nice but moves very fast too, they cleared our table when we got up for more food and had to get new silverware and water. Definitely recommend this place if you're craving Indian food. read more

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Amazing food. We've ordered numerous items for takeout from here, and it's been a hit every time. Can't go wrong with People's!

This is our go-to restaurant for takeout/delivery Indian food in Pittsburgh. It is available through Uber Eats, which makes ordering delivery simple. Our typical order is the Palak Paneer, Lamb Vindaloo, Aloo Paneer Tiki and various types of Naan. The quality has always been delicious and has never failed us. read more

Delicious. Highly recommend eating in or takeout. Caution: spice level is crucial. I can handle spice generally but even a 5/10 was making me sweat. I tried 7/10 when I first ordered take out from here and couldn't eat more than a third of my order!! In comparison to other restaurants I would knock 4 or 5 levels off whatever you think. Portions and price are reasonable. You're not going there for restaurant style or ambience- it's the food. Expect a classic Indian restaurant in terms of atmosphere and food read more

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This is in my opinion one of the best Indian places in Pittsburgh. I gone at lunch, dinner , for buffet times, and a la carte meals as well. I rate Indian places on how good some staples are. My benchmark include Tandoori chicken, Paneer Saag, and Naan. This place won't disappoint. The chicken which was in a buffet, was moist, flavorful, and spiced to perfection. The Saag was on point. The Naan was perfectly crispy with a moist center. What more could you ask for. The people working there are great and always friendly. We go generally most first Fridays. They have a dinner buffet on the first Friday of every month. Then you can check out the local art exhibits and have a local brew before calling it the night. Get there early it not a secret how good this place is. read more

Just moved to Pittsburgh and this is an absolutely amazing find. Great lunch buffet and reasonable prices as an east coaster. Lunch buffet has good variety, naan is not remotely burnt as I saw in another review. Love their community focus and feeding the needy :) read more

I would love to go here after church on Sundays but u r closed very good food though. Please put ypur buffet days abd tumed on YOUR WEB SITE read more

We get delivery from this restaurant every other week. Food is tasty and consistently good.

Food: I went for the buffet and was impressed with the variety they had despite it being a smaller place. It was something of a spectacle when I first walked as the food was presented beautifully in the middle of this tiny restaurant. Service: Friendly and prompt. They we're giving people who were down on their luck free boxes of food to go Ambiance: Small but it plays well for them Overall: Had the lunch buffet and was very happy with my experience, would recommend to anybody read more

People's Indian Restaurant - Variety, wish I had taken a photo of the food spread - Indian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I don't know what has taken me SO long to review PIR. I have been ordering take out and eating here for years. This place is amazing and it has never changed. That's something special because the area has become trendy and so many places have changed to cater to the gentrification that's taken place. The ambience is wonderful. It's a small place. They can get busy. So don't expect to come in for dinner and be in and out in 20 minutes. They actually make their meals. This is NOT a place that has everything premade and throws it out. Also keep in mind their spice level is not. 5 is not for the faint of heart. Almost anyone I've ever heard complain is because they couldn't handle the spice level and expected food immediately like at Indian buffet places. This is not that kind of place. The food here is amazing. Truly one of the best restaurants in the area. And not just for Indian food, I mean amongst all. I can't say what our favorite items are. Our only issue is we often over order. read more

I ordered a goat vindaloo with Raita and chai masala. The vindaloo was really good- but a little salty. I got heat level 6 and it was perfect med heat for me. The masala chai was ok, it was just like a sweet chai latte but you couldn't taste the spices. Overall would try this place again read more

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So you see... This is one o dem special places. Good indian food w cheap all you can eat lunch like 15 bucks or smthing like that. I like it lots, was pleasantly surprised! Bippity bappity boo! read more

I was taken to this fine Indian restaurant on a cold, windy Pittsburgh night. Upon entering this establishment, what hit me was the wonderful scent of the indian spices floating in the air, and a welcoming atmosphere. The Chicken Tikka was excellent, and the heat scale (1-10) is used for the dish. Being from the SW US, I usually get a a spice level of 8, however, our party opted for a 5. It was the perfect combination of spice and taste. The Aloo Saag and Chana Daal were the perfect compliment to the Tikka. Additionally, the Naan was perfectly buttered and cooked. I would definitely recommend going for a pleasant dinner and will return again. read more

People's Indian Restaurant - Chicken Tikka, rice, Aloo Saag - Indian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

It is buffet style which has its pros and cons. I am not a fan. I went with a group of friends and enjoyed the company but the restaurant was loud and had a strange flow to it with the buffet in the back. I tagged along for a girls night and went with the flow. I would have made other suggestions for dinner in the neighborhood but was okay with at least trying somewhere new. In addition to the weird flow of the foot traffic around tables, the food was bland and mild with spice. However, they did have a great variety of proteins and dishes offered. read more

Each curry had its own distinct flavor (despite similar names) and the sauce and meat were the perfect texture without excess (visible) oil. The pakora chaat appetizer, naan and masala chai were quite good. The Lamb saag, Chicken curry and Chicken coconut curry were fabulous, and you could really taste the coconut. A heat of 6 to 7 was perfect for us, and there was more of a difference between 6 and 7 than we expected. Will definitely return. read more

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Never disappoints. So goooood! I'll b back soon! Such an inviting environment. Been many times and will b back many more!

Look no further, People's Indian lives up to the hype. not sure how to dip your toes into indian quisine? Just come out People's Indian for their delicious lunch buffet! I know it is my ignorance I have no idea what I actually get here but I like it all. I mean sausy tasty rice, meats, and potatoes... what is not to like?! their mango drink is quite nice as well. price is right - all you can eat, would recommend. read more

Owner and staff are some of the kindest people around. The food and flavors are always fresh and on point. There's a warm sense of community the place radiates here that can't be matched. read more

People's was my go-to Indian place during pandemic times and I still order from them every few months. This time I was thrilled with the ever-awesome baingan bharta, Shahi kofta, and samosas. The gobhi Manchurian was chewy with an occasional tooth cracking crunch, and the parantha had a solid char on one side that made me think it was left on the stone too long. On average, 3 stars. I will be back! read more

We heard rumors about how good this place was, so we had pretty high expectations. I'm happy to report they were all met and we get the hype now. The restaurant space is warm and inviting. Pickup is always smooth. The dishes have great flavoring and the portions are generous. I know this sounds basic but we usually get the butter chicken and chicken tikka masala every time because they never disappoint. The lamb vindaloo is amazing, too. This is my favorite Indian spot in Pittsburgh so far! read more

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My favorite Indian spot in Pittsburgh. Consistent, friendly and prices are reasonable

I need another People's night soon! Tikka masala and palak paneer are *chef's kiss*. Food comes out quickly. Delicious. One of our favorite Indian spots in Pittsburgh for sure. read more