Pondicheri is clever indian fusion food in a trendy setting. I like the thalis, which are trays with a little bit of everything. Small portions seem to apply to other dishes as well. Although small, the dishes all pack a lot of flavor. The paneer masala was not the best I have tasted, probably would not order again. The restaurant also has an upstairs bake shop which had a variety of treats, from ice cream sandwiches to cookies, cake, and granolas. They use a ton of different spices in their desserts which make them really unique. Loved the way they decorated the shop, definitely a cool place to bring a date. read more

Pondicheri - Earth thali and paneer masala - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Love everything about this place! The wait staff is very helpful in explaining the different food choices (if you don't know what you want). The food and wine selection is quite yummy! If you are like me and love flavorful, different spices and Naan :) you have found the right place! read more

Pondicheri - I cannot remember the name of this dish, but it's spicy & yummy...comes with chicken, lamb, rice and salad - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Came here for brunch on a busy Sunday. All I wanted was oatmeal, and the Pondicheri morning oats did not disappoint. Steel cut oats cooked with jaggery, cinnamon, cardamom & coconut milk, topped with granola and fruit (some strawberries and blueberries). The rest of the menu looks really delicious (as did everyone else's food at the tables around me). Would definitely love to come back sometime for dinner and drinks! read more

Pondicheri - Morning oats, drip coffee, and fresh squeezed orange juice - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

My first time at Pondicheri was a blast. It was meatless monday and I truly enjoyed my meal. I sat at the bar where it was actually quieter than the rest of the place. The bartender was very attentive and nice. He kept checking on me. The second time, i took a friend with me, and it sadly was not as good. Whatever the case was that evening, the server eventually tried to compensate for the experience. I think ill still give it another shot. read more

I love the ambience and decor here, such a cute place. There was a short wait if we wanted a table so we sat at the bar. The staff was super friendly and attentive. The food came out super fast! i was so surprised since it was a busy night. Thali Rancher (3/5) & lamb curry (3/5) - The food was decent and really nothing stood out about it. There was really not much flavors to it. Coconut naan (4/5) - this was tasty but wish they would have noted that it's really spicy! Mango lassi (3/5) - taste like mango yogurt Great place to try out but not for me. Nothing really stood out. read more

Pondicheri - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Such a special place in Houston. I absolutely love coming here for their brunch. My favorite is the breakfast thali - you get a little sample of a few different dishes and the flavors make your taste buds sing! But everything is soo so good, I've also enjoyed the breakfast frankie, omelet and potato cakes. They have a small selection of Indian inspired baked goods but you can also go upstairs to the bake lab for a wider variety. The food at Pondicheri is intentional, fresh and extremely delicious! read more

I had never had chickfu until I came here. Chickfu is tofu made with chickpeas. It was really nice. The whole meal was very good. And the prices are very reasonable considering the swankiness of the area. I am a fan! Good place. read more

4 for food, 1 for service. Came here for a friend's birthday during lunch. We brought a cake for her as a surprise, they refused to let us finish singing to her because they have a bakery upstairs. I understand that but we are in the middle of lighting her candles. Management handled the situation poorly. I emailed the upper management and received an apology letter but we will not come back ever again. read more

Pondicheri - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Definitely the most delicious stop for breakfast Upstairs for lighter fare, downstairs for brunch! Great variety, something for vegans and those who just want to add a little spice to life!!! read more

Came here for lunch while on a business trip in Houston. Coming from NY with the vast options of amazing restaurants I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant. I ordered the Yogi Thalis and it was amazing. Good spices, fresh ingredients and overall seemed to be pretty healthy. I will definitely come back next time I'm in town. read more

Pondicheri - Yogi Thalis - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I was a little wary of trying Pondicheri because a few of the reviews said that this place wasn't authentic Indian cuisine. I may not be well versed in Indian food but I do know good food. It was my first time here and it definitely won't be the last. I went around 11:30AM on a Saturday so the lunch rush was just starting. You order at the front when you walk in and then you seat yourself at any table. We were hoping to sit outside because it was nice out but it was way too windy so we settled for sitting at the bar. It was still a nice atmosphere to be in because of the floor to ceiling windows and the bar area had a TV with a wall full of quotes that I was reading the entire time I was eating. Now the most important part - the FOOD. It was delicious, authentic or not. I had the Morning Thali which is basically just a sampler plate with several little dishes and a fried egg over a carrot paratha. It may not look like it but it will fill you up. The way everything was seasoned was spot on. Nothing was overly spicy but if they were, it was just spicy enough to wake up your taste buds. Their fruit yogurt wasn't the normal yogurt consistency but it's tartness finished the meal off really nicely. My boyfriend had the Buddha Burger and even though it didn't have any meat, it still tasted great. This place knows how to make a meatless patty AND they pack in the fries. Their fries are a combo of normal and curly fries. Yum. My friends got the Butter Chicken and the Masala Eggs. I got to pick off of some other people's plates too and even though I didn't know what the dish was, I'm still mentioning it here because I literally did not taste anything that I didn't like. I have nothing else to add except that this place is a must try. You won't regret it. And their mimosa was one of the best I've had! read more

Pondicheri - Morning Thali. The potato curry (center bowl) was my favorite! - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

First, a little background. I've provided digital marketing services to the service and hospitality industries for over 20 years. There is a best practices formula for handling customer complaints. Acknowledgment + Apology + Solution. Now, there are times a customer is out of line and this formula fails. However, it is the FIRST tool any well trained and knowledgeable manager uses to resolve a customer complaint. This is the formula I expected when faced with a service issue today. However, this was not the case. I entered Pondicheri just after noon. As I had done many times before when dining alone, I made way to the bar. There were 7 guests already seated. Menus were sitting in a rack at the end of the bar. No server was present when I sat myself. A staff member eventually returned to make a few drinks. He did not welcome me. He did not look at me despite being in his direct line of sight. He left the bar never acknowledging my presence. No, "I'll be right back" or "Hi, I'll be with you in just a minute" or "We are not taking orders at the bar today. Please visit the front counter." My experience having worked with approximately 100 restaurants over the years is that any decent training of a server includes instructions to always acknowledge a waiting customer. This sets the customer at ease and with the reasonable expectation that they will be served relatively soon. I was a little thrown this didn't happen. However, I continued to wait for the server to return. After approximately 10 minutes of waiting, I decided to ask for a manager at the front counter. To my surprise, the server I had seen at the bar, the same person who failed to acknowledge my presence, was the manager. I expressed my surprise that he of all staff members would ignore such a basic responsibility. He responded, "There is no bar service." I was in complete disbelief of this response. Exactly how was I supposed to know this? I made reasonable assumptions based on the other patrons sitting at the bar, the menus in plain sight, and lack of any signage indicating otherwise that I would be served at the bar. As I shook my head and turned to leave, he asked if he could get me anything. I said no and continued to exit. I got in my car, put it in reverse, checked the rearview mirror, and saw that the manager was approaching my window. Now, I've never managed a restaurant before. However, I have been in manager trainings as a way to get more familiar with a client's business. Never have I heard it suggested that a manager or any staff member should follow a guest to the car after the guest has decided not to patronize their business. Matter of fact, one of the "do not" rules I've heard repeatedly is that a staff member or manager should never follow a dissatisfied customer out of their establishment. All it does is serve to further aggravate the situation and could be perceived as intimidation. I used to love visiting for the delicious lamb burger. However, this is such an over-the-top incident that I doubt I'll be back. My hope is that the owners of Pondicheri use this feedback as an opportunity to review training and provide ongoing education for managers and staff. read more

Visited Pondicheri over Memorial Day weekend during our vacation in Houston. I really enjoyed the food - we ordered the Aviyal and the Texan thali, along with some stuffed naan and mango lassis. Everything was really delicious, albeit a little on the spicy side for me. Service was very good and everyone there was friendly and attentive. Slightly on the pricier side, but overall a very nice experience. read more

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Perfect spot to meet a friend or two for a casual lunch. Nice modern space with plenty of windows. My friend and I both had the butter chicken - delicious! The dish was simple but also really pleasing to look at. read more

Pondicheri - Butter chicken, baby! - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Very rude and unwelcoming to customers. Advertised as outdoor seating but there is no service outside in the winter in Houston, a place where outdoor seating is comfortable in the winter only and not in the scorching heat when people want to sit inside the air conditioned restaurant. The tables are laid out on the patio but I guess the new meaning of that is "no outdoor seating in the winter". Won't be coming here again. read more

Always love this spot. Great portions, loads of options & my friend from out of town loved the mix they pour on the table when they greet you! read more

I went to Pondicheri for dinner with high expectations to be disappointed. I got there at 8pm and our servers didn't get to us until 8:30. I understand if it would've been busy but I noticed our server had only two other tables besides us. Finally she realized she forgot about us and took our order. We ordered a Samosa, the Earth Thali, and the Aviyal. We got everything at the same time 45 minutes later. I had super high expectations about the food, but I found the entrees to be mediocre. I must admit the samosa was really good as well as the hazelnut chocolate cookie, but the overall experience was not pleasant. I've had much better food/service for less than half of the price. read more

Ambiance is cool, served in stainless steel plates , cups.Service is good.Food is excellent. I like. read more

This restaurant is super cozy and inviting, from all the intricate decorations on the walls, to the attentive and extremely friendly waitstaff. In terms of ambiance, I would give it an A+ for sure. When I ordered, I got two small plates off the appetizer menu, and it was definitely enough to fill me up (and then some). The saag paneer samosas were tasty, and savory, though not exactly what I expected. The dahi puri dish that I tried was also rich in flavor, and definitely was very yummy. As an Indian-American, I find myself to be a harsh critic of Indian food, even if it's fusion. Maybe it's because my mom made such great Indian food for me growing up, or maybe it's just because I have a preconceived notion of what is "authentic". Though this restaurant is definitely not "authentic", I definitely would recommend it to anyone - the dishes are put together with great care. The thing that really elevates Pondicheri for me, though, is the bake shop upstairs. Everything in there is AMAZING. From the cookies with slight spices, to the Indian sweets, this place is great! Also the Pondicheri Bake Shop rewards card makes everything so much more worth it. read more

Pondicheri - samosas and chaat - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

If you are going in to get a good Indian breakfast, this is a disappointment. I ordered green dosa and it contained pomegranates and cooked spinach. So who puts sugar in dosa? To me, this is Americanizing Indian food with out of box thinking but very disappointing for someone with love for good dosa. My wife ordered Thali and for the amount of side dishes they only served one small bread and it costs 12 bucks. I just feel that the breakfast menu is designed without good application of thought on what is a satisfying food experience. If you are going in for upscale experience in a beautiful part of the town, this is one of the most beautiful restaurants. I love the idea of bringing Indian food into American palate. I'm certainly willing to try lunch sometime and may update my overall experience based on that later. read more

Pondicheri - @pondicherri in Houston - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Food was very yummy, staff very helpful, but I got this confused with the Pondicheri Bakery and they're two separate things, directly on top of each other, and I wasn't greeted/helped at the bakery while I was there. read more

Pondicheri - Butter chicken/chicken curry with a salad. Soooooo yummy! - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I live above Pondicheri and have been to this restaurant a few times. They decided to lie to me about getting a food delivery this morning after the delivery driver cussed me out after asking him to move from my apartment's loading dock because I had it reserved and it was only for residents. Try hiring ethical employees and vendors. read more

Pondicheri - Here are photos of the driver and truck that you lied to me about. Try being ethical to the community. - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I have come here several times, hoping for good Indian food but always left disappointed. The food itself is not authentic Indian food at all - they try to present it as a modern fusion with American influences. Everything was overpriced and bland. The price is outrageous for mediocre food. If you want good quality Indian food, go to Hillcroft (shiv sagar!!!). read more

We ate here for brunch on December 23 with my in-laws and nephew who'd never had Indian food, let alone Indian fusion. The food was definitely not traditional Indian, but it was very good - I loved my railway omelette, the barley salad and chicken lettuce wraps were delicious, the samosas were pretty good, and the kids liked the french toast with the jaggery syrup. The problem was the staff behind the counter - they knew NOTHING about the menu. They could offer no suggestions; when pressed, the guy described the barley salad by reading the menu to us. My nephew asked what the guy taking his order liked best on the menu, and he said, "I don't know." They seemed put out that we asked questions, and like they'd be much more comfortable taking orders for the Big Mac #3 combo. It was surprising in such a lovely restaurant in high-end location. Frankly, I'm rating it 3 stars because 1) we were so surprised we liked the food as much as we did after the terrible customer service/ordering experience, and 2) the guys who run the food were very kind and helped us move some tables around so the 7 of us could sit together. I do recommend going up to the Bake shop though - decent service and delicious ... next time we're just going to grab something to eat up there. read more

Food and ambiance are great. Salad with shrimp on it (can't remember name) is really good, as well as the saag paneer and mango lassi. Cafe upstairs with desserts is worth going to after your meal! read more

Pondicheri - This was a vegan key lime pie but actually delicious! - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Very surprised to see the average rating lower but when looking through the reviews, comments are those that don't fit such as price (it's on the menu before ordering) or waiter service (as this isn't a full service eatery). I love Pondicherri. Interestingly, It's a different craving than I would have for other Indian restaurants in Houston - I guess more fusion but I'm not an expert to know. It also doesn't seem as heavy and while spicy, not aggressively so, so certainly a mood. Love the breakfast items and really looking forward to the end of Covid, so we can go back to Thalis because that's my main go to. read more

This was a great Indian restaurant. The dishes took traditional Indian dishes and flavors and gave them a twist. The ambiance was very quaint, it felt like a high class modern cafe with warm overtones of India. Furthermore the menu was amazing and very clearly organized gluten-free and vegan options! Each dish was partly traditional, partly recreated with new ingredients and Indian flavors. I had fried chicken that was battered with a spiced chickpea paste and delicious sautéed veggies and fries with yummy chutneys. I highly recommend. read more

Pondicheri - The Texan thali - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Amazing flavors and spices! Everyone is very nice and helpful. I really enjoyed the garlic naan! It goes well with all the food they have. The area is super nice and the parking garage is extremely accommodating. read more

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Ooof! Where do I start? The hostess was not welcoming as if she seemed annoyed to be there. When we were seated the waiter greeted us. He never came back for 15 minutes asking if we wanted anything else. Next time we caught him, we placed our order Earth, Ocean, Yogi, and desi fries. It took about 35 mins to get our food. We never got an apology or even a heads up as to what was going on from our waiter. Our food was hot thank goodness but our fries were cold...we asked for another batch. I wouldn't be so annoyed if he would have informed us the kitchen was backed up or checked on us. Food was ok. My bro in law had 3 small pieces of butter chicken, my sis only liked her mussels, and my yogi was decent. I would rather make the drive to Hilcroft area for Indian food. read more

Pondicheri - Aesthetic - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Pondicheri is a pretty place. The decor, presentation of the food (thali style) to the overall vibe. It's not your typical Indian restaurant which is why I think people come in the first place. When you look at the menu, however, you will be baffled to see that they are charging $20 for butter chicken (an Indian staple) and rice is charged separately. Everything here is overpriced and I am not sure why-- literally ONE SAMOSA is $5!!!! I also tried coming here on a Monday (after driving 45 minutes out of my way just to eat here) to find out they do not serve meat on mondays. This was utterly disappointing and does not make sense. It makes sense to have a vegetarian menu but not to exclude all meat. 3 stars for being an Indian place that appeals to people who probably have never had real Indian food. read more

Went there tonight and had a beautiful experience. Jennifer was our server and she was amazing and gave us top of the line service for my sister's birthday dinner. The food and drinks were out of this world. I will be back. read more

This is a date night spot for sure . Got two dishes but was only impressed with one . The roti dal was definitely a mistake . The spinach naan was dry and the side it came with was not enjoyable :-( . The butter chicken was quite the contrary. The naan was rich with flavor and the curries that came with them were so very tasty read more

Pondicheri - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Really enjoyed this restaurant and thought they had an intricate menu! We ordered The Texan and a side of eggplant and both items were delicious and great flavors. They have a lot of vegetarian options as well. Our server was okay but, I think he was new. I definitely would like to go back and try other options. read more

Pondicheri - The Texan Thali and bowl of the eggplant was delicious. - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Last winter I went to meet friends at Pondicheri at about 10 minutes till 5. Even though it was pouring down raining and cold your millennial hostess opened the door to tell me that I couldn't come in. I said please let me just step inside, it's raining. She said "Sorry." I had a similar experience at Oporto yesterday. Please train these people in customer service. I certainly haven't been back. There are too many wonderful restaurants that make my whole experience enjoyable. read more

Very good food. It was relatively expensive, but a lot of food. I got the Texan which is chickpea fried and very good. The fries it came with were very good. The naan it came with was so-so. Overall I would say it was the quintessential "fusion dish". My girlfriend got the Butter chicken which was amazing. Next time that's what I'll get with rice and naan. read more

Pondicheri - Indian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Indian infused Food, with a hint of American Swag. Pondicheri is a Casual earthy feeling restaurant that offers a mixed infusion of street and home style Indian Food, in the middle of the swanky West Ave! I absolutely LOVE this place, we are DEF regulars. Personally I am a fan of the Brunch, I tried the french toast which is made wit FRESH brioche bread, and topped with strawberries, Banana, and Blueberries, The Syrup was really interesting as well!! NOW for the interesting part, the DESSERT... OMGGGGGGG the Chocolate Mint Coconut Almond cookies are to die for, oh and the Lemon and Rasberry Breakfast cake is also YUMMMMMY, it has this homemade old school lemon cake taste to it, and its a hint of something that gives it a kick.. We have so much more to try here but so far im in LOVE, read more

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This is an interesting and clever place in the Houston-Kirby region, two nearby locations that are different but complementary. The main restaurant is an enjoyable Indian fusion cafe serving an excellent brunch menu. Upstairs, however, is the secret - a bakery on the second floor, also serving great food for brunch as well as a unique variety of pastries and other treats. You will always want to return after you go the first time. Bonus: a dog-friendly outdoor sidewalk seating area. read more

Love this place. Insanely delicious food and drink. One of my go-to's when in Houston.

I'm biased here because I live in this complex but this is a great go to for lazy Sunday morning breakfasts. You'll see loads of people on their laptops, in sweats, just having some great chai and food and enjoying the morning. Some of my favorites include the Parsi eggs, Bombay Benedict, a couple pastries of the day (they rotate), and a solid chai or latte. This location is one of a kind (the New York one is horrible) so it's definitely worth a stop by! read more

As a desi person, I was initially bewildered by the menu. Even for a fusion place, the ideas are pretty out-there. The food did have good flavors though and some interesting ideas. I liked the aloo paratha, the papdi chaat, and the masala chai was very unique. Unfortunately, our experience was mired by missteps in service. - I believe the staff member confused our order number (36) with another (38). This caused a considerable delay in us getting our food. - When I received my paratha, it did not have the fried egg I ordered. The staff member showed us the ticket and said we didn't order that. However, I distinctly remember her asking how I wanted my egg (sunny-side up) when I initially ordered. - My chai that I ordered came after the food. Finally, while the food was unique and had good flavors, I'm not sure I got what I paid for, when it comes to value and portion-size. read more