I'm so excited about all these Indian restaurants popping up in Champaign! This restaurant is right in downtown Champaign next to Sushi Kame and Art Theater. If you go in, during the winter, I would sit as far away from the door as possible... very drafty. The menu is extensive.... I've had the dosa and it is wonderful... it's filled with curried potatoes (the name escapes me) but it is so good... the coconut chutney and soup are wonderful accompaniments. It's a bit much for lunch, and you could feasibly split this between two people. I also had their awesome, MR. Chicken Tikka Masala.... not sure why they add Mr. to the front of it, but it's memorable....I love chicken tikka masala and adding a mr. in front of it, just made me love it more. Prices are decent and the crowds that was in the restaurant on a Thursday lunch hour really had me impressed! read more

I had always been meaning to stop into Himalayan Chimney, and the day I finally did, I was wondering what took me so long. I was planning to order the Tikka Masala, since that's my usual go-to order. However, our waitress recommended the Quadruple Play instead & I was not disappointed. It was probably some of the best chicken I ever had, and I loved the variety of flavors. I also ordered it with the Garlic Naan, which was fresh and super warm and garlicky. I'm happy to have finally found a decent Indian joint in the CU area - I will be back. read more

The Himalayan Chimney - Quadruple Play - Indian Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Ordered from this place during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are nice enough to be open and serving patrons during this tough time. The food was good, we ordered the butter chicken, pistachio chicken, and chicken biryanis. The pistachio chicken was pretty unique, never had it anywhere else. It was creamy and had good flavor. Personally I liked the butter chicken better. My favorite from this place was the chicken biryani, it had a lot of flavor. read more

Really great Indian food...definitely the best in Champaign. Everything is very well made with attention to detail. The ambience is really nice; owners did a fantastic job renovating it from the dumpy thai restaurant it used to be. It's a little on the pricey side and portions could come with more meat, so I would give it a 4.5 rather than 5. However we keep coming back :). We normally get goat madras (dark sauce, spicy, tender meat with bone on) and Shahi paneer (so good). But anything on the menu is delicious. Of course, the garlic naan is a must have with your meal. read more

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I had been longing to see a fine Indian restaurant in Champaign and finally my prayers got answered. Yes, there are others so called Indian restaurants in Champaign but trust me not one serves Indian food. Because of my experiences with these restaurants, I was little skeptical to try out Himalayan Chimney but still I took the leap of faith and went here for dinner. We were greeted and seated immediately. The decor is so romantic, loved it. We ordered tandoori triple play, Malai kofta, garlic naan, onion kulcha, samosa and a cocktail (lemon shot martini). Everything tasted great. This is the first time I loved malai kofta in US. It reminded me of what we used to get in Delhi :)(nostalgic). The pastry of samosa was tad oily but it still tasted great. My husband loved his drink and ordered one more. All in all, a wonderful experience. After this, I have ordered many times for pick up too. I tried their Bengali menu which was a bomb. I tried channar dalna and goat kosha. I'm drooling as I'm writing this review. So, let me finish here and place a pick up order :) read more

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Outstanding! Service was impeccable. The only thing that wasn't great was my wine and for me, that's hard to pick out. I had the Tenschen Rome, A blend of whites. I do not recommend it. Tasted like a cheaper wine such as Barefoot etc. After appetizers of these spicy, unbreaded chicken chunks which I have forgotten the name of, we had Butter chicken and Saag Paneer. They really could not have been better. Also enjoyed the salad with honey mustard-type yogurt dressing. Wonderful! Thank you to the staff. Ambience is delightful. We will definitely be back. I can't wait. read more

I had the Avocado Jhalmuri and Saag Paneer and both were excellent! The renovation of the space is very impressive! Very classy and elegant. I got my order to go, and they gave me a mango lassi while I waited, on the house! I ate my food right away so no pictures were taken, but everything was just so amazing! The portions are generous and the naan was very good also! read more

Best Indian food I've had in awhile... not just in Champaign but anywhere (and I travel a lot). Atmosphere and service was great too! read more

The Himalayan Chimney - The dinner menu as of 7pm Thursday 10/10/2017. Part 1/2 - Indian Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Aaaammmaaazing! Come you won't regret it. Portions are more than enough. We had chicken tandoori and lamb vandaloo with rice and garlic naan for lunch and had enough for a second portion for dinner. Amazing flavors...mango lazzi's are delicious. Boy did they renovate and redecorate...it looks classy inside. Love it will come back. read more

ON SERVICE: A 50-min wait to have someone take the order (food) for a party of twelve (in an almost-empty restaurant) at 6pm on a Wednesday. Worse, someone had to go call the server. And a 30-min wait post-dinner because of mistakes with the checks. Also, they should be prompt with drink refills and update their menus for missing ingredients. ON FOOD: Good taste, among the best in town. Which isn't saying that much to begin with. Bhuna Ghosht (curry) is well-spiced, with fairly tender chunks of meat. Subz Chicken (curry) is all spice with tender chicken and juicy vegetables. Chicken Korma (curry) is mild and creamy, but got cold within 10 minutes so it's clearly been reheated. But the Lamb Seekh Kebab takes the cake- cold on arrival, reheated, with three leaves comprising the "accompanying salad" and 6 small pieces of kebab for $14.99 TERRIBLE value for quantity, and that's where you lost me. I only see myself returning to pre-order their breads for takeout- these were appropriately priced and well made with respect to both seasoning and texture. read more

Went here for lunch with my friend today. We ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala and a Lamb Vindaloo. Not sure what other posters are mentioning regarding saltiness of flavor, the curries we had were great. The naan was buttery and soft, rice was great too. LV was more vinegary than spicy, but good. CTM was flavorful and filled with veggies. Portion sizes were just enough, would recommend a side if you're a big eater though. Interior design is top notch, there's ample natural lighting or darker booths if that's what you prefer. Service was great, the server persistently refreshed our water and was generally very attentive. Would come here again! For its price and flavor, I'd say this is my favorite Indian restaurant in Champaign. read more

Pros: Fresh, top notch Indian food and naan that will make you happy all day. And the jasmine rice was so-o-o-o yummy. Cons: The wait staff seemed shy, or hesitant to approach our table, so everything seemed to take longer (hey--where are you? we're ready to order...hey--come on over--we need more napkins....hey--why are you standing way over there not checking on us? we're ready for our checks). read more

Outstanding & consistent food -- many many awesome dishes to try but personal favorite & house specialty Chicken Chettinad has such complex flavors it's a treat for the taste buds! Also love the stuffed Dosas and Saag Aloo (spinach & potatoes). I'd put this up against the best Indian restaurants anywhere in the country -- so lucky it's here in Champaign-Urbana. In COVID times they do take-out. read more

VERY bad service. We had dietary restrictions, none of which were politely accepted. The waiter was rude and disrespectful. After we decided not to order the main course, we asked for the bill for appetizers. He then brought us the bill for the appetizers PLUS main course and refused to take it off. Don't come here, it's their way or the highway. read more

The food was delicious. Truly tasty. Would definitely return if I am back in Champaign.

This place never disappoints me. I would say best indian food in the area. The starters are amazing, the staff is always nice. No doubt this place is always full with customers. read more

Great Indian food, for a change. Newly opened restaurant, spacious, great interior, avoid toilet. On the whole, food was very tasty. For starters, Mixed Tandoori grill was nice, but quantity was on the lower side, for $20. We tried the house recommended, Nalli ghost(Lamb shank) - it was Awesome, a must try, for 2 people. Chicken Tikka masala was perfect. I believe they hv a Bengali cook, who does an authentic Bengali menu once in a while - will hv to track. Overall, well satiated. read more

This restaurant was simply amazing! The service was professional, polite and quick. Despite the fact that the attire was casual, the setting was well done and could easily accommodate for a more formal evening. Very refreshing take on Indian dining! A definite must do for all visiting Urbanna Champaign. read more

The Himalayan Chimney - A snapshot of the hostesses counter and bar - Indian Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

I would give this place 3.5 not 3 stars. Food was pretty good and so was the naan. We got the butter chicken, naan, and chicken vindaloo. All were good. The vindaloo was so spicy though. I'm used to spiciness and grew up eating Indian food but this was extreme. One small bite set my mouth on fire so maybe they should ask their customers for their heat preference. Also, it's very annoying that they charge for extra rice. That should really be a no no at any place where the rice is the foundation of the food aka Indian Thai and Chinese restaurants. Also, their menu is not updated so the prices are substantially more when you go to pay. The downside to this place is that it's overpriced read more

After being burned by a bad experience with both dine in and carry out, the best Indian restaurant around was avoided like the plague :/ that is, until I was dragged out by my younger sister to try it one more time because the food is so damn good. So we went and it was absolutely stellar. The waitress didn't leave us alone for long enough to need anything and another gentleman continually checked in on us to make sure everything was delicious and drinks were full. Great service and phenomenal food. I can't get over how delicious everything is. You can almost not go wrong here at all. My favorites are chicken biryani, butter chicken, and tandoori chicken. The lamb biryani is also absolutely amazing, but it's not for the weak palated. And the naan? Oh. My. Goodness. You should probably just head over now. Why four stars only? Because I have had bad service experiences here before so be warned, but hopefully they've turned over a new leaf and this is the new normal for them. I WILL BE BACK read more

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We had takeout from this place last week and my boyfriend and I both got food poisoning!!! An article just came out recently that this places temporarily closed for critical violations that pose an immediate health threat. Their food tastes good but they cook in extremely unsanitary conditions. Stay away! read more

The Himalayan Chimney has great interior design with good sitting arrangement. Servers are really nice and friendly, but I wish the food quantity are enough for one person. 16 friends went together and everyone agreed that ~food quality - good ~quantity - Not enough for one person. You need to order two lunch/dinner for one person. Compare to the quantity, it's really expensive. I hope they improve their quantity of food. read more

We had lunch today and I asked about a non dairy option. Our server, Asif, made sure my food was prepared well and to meet my request. I'll definitely be back. Everything was absolutely delicious!!! read more

The good: decent food and bar. The Himalayan Chimney serves quite delicious food, well seasoned, and not overly spiced. I prefer the other restaurant, the one in Urbana (different strokes, I guess), but in all fairness, the Chimney stands in the same standard other places in town have already set. Plus, it's a more refined dining experience (in terms of decor, atmosphere, and fancy plating). Also, if you're searching for alcohol, this place will not disappoint. Try the Dosa - it's quite unique and fantastic. Also worth mentioning is the affordable prices - certainly one of the best dinners your money can buy. Needs improvement: slow service ! The attitude was a little sleepy, sometimes apathetic, and we felt ignored. That could be improved. read more

The Himalayan Chimney - Plain Dosa - Indian Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

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Himalayan Chimney is reliably good and their menu has something for everyone! I come back to the vegetable biryani because it is amazingly flavorful and always lasts me for at least two meals! Good quality food and great location! read more

I was instructed to give them 7 stars but I only see 5 here... All the food is well prepared and more interesting than your typical chicken Tikka, palak paneer everyone does it the same. The chicken Tikka here is a brighter sause with an almost butternut squash flavor. The chicken 65 is the most amazing thing.. Order two if you have more than 3 people with you because no one will want to share. It's just as good when delivered with Door Dash!!! read more

I love the creamy curries that Himalayan has, and although it may be expensive (relatively), I personally love coming here whenever I'm looking for lavish Indian meals. I always get the classic butter chicken, naan, and Shahi paneer. I'm a huge fan! read more

Wow! Just amazing! The food, decor and the service. The nalli gosht was superb with garlic naan. Loved their Darjeeling Darling cocktail. Everything was just so great and food was hugely satisfying. Wonderful job ! Would recommend to anyone for delicious food and warm ambience! read more

The Himalayan Chimney - Indian Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

The food here is very good. We came in with a group of 8 and had the old stand-boys: tandoori chicken, chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, lamb korma, lamb vindaloo, saag paneer, bhindi. Everything was yummy. The garlic nan was awesome. Very buttery and right amount of garlic. For something different we tried the pesto nan. Reviews were mixed. Half the group liked it, half Thought it was just ok. I have to agree with other reviewers that the service is not great. Not only did it take a very long time to get our food - as soon as we signed the check we were basically told to leave. Seriously - we were told they needed our table. I know it was a busy weekend, and I understand that you can't expect to tie up the table for an unreasoble period. But we had literally just finished paying the bill. And if they want to turn over tables quicker they need to address issues in the kitchen. read more

Since we are doing the "We haven't eaten here on Wednesday" thing, Kridz doesn't really have an adventurous palate. So, when I said, lets do an Indian restaurant, she said NO! So, I've got a co-worker from India, and I asked if he'd go with us and order us things that aren't spicy "I don't even like pepper". I was like, we need to try an Indian place soon, because we don't want to get to December and only have that as the option. So, my guy Rak and his GF went with us. I have no idea what we ate. Kridz got a Kingfisher Premium Lager to drink. I went with bourbon (not Indian bourbon). Rak order the food, we had 2 appetizers, and 2 dishes to share (all chicken). Kridz really liked the second app, the first was like chicken wings, and the second was some extremely tender part of a chicken. Kridz and I both got Naan for our courses, while Rak and the GF got a different kind of thinner bread (and some rice). I got the cheese Naan, Kridz went with the garlic. I initially started to eat by putting the food directly on the naan and eating it like a sammich, to which Rak was like no, rip it apart and pinch up a piece of meat, and wipe up some of the curry. So, I'm like... ok. Everything was awesome. Our server was great. The company was great. Kridz really enjoyed the food (but we need to ask Rak what it was we had, so we can try it at other places). Kridz garlic naan was really garlicy. So, as we were leaving Rak told us to try a spoonful of the stuff by the entrance. It's some sort of licorice-y thing (or so it seemed), which immediately cut the garlic, and was quite pleasant. So, we really enjoyed our visit, and can have another place to go to on those nights when we are like "what do you want???" "I don't know"... (every restaurant downtown....) "Nah".... Himalayan Chimney? OK. read more

This update is merely to say that I have been here at least five times, brought various family members and friends, and each time it's been outstanding. Consistently excellent! read more

Fav place for Indian food in town hands down!! Loved the ambience and awesome food. Ari was so so courteous and walked me through the menu keeping in mind my preferences. Easy to go, kudos guys! read more

At the higher end price wise for local Indian fare, but Urbana-Champaign is filled with low price, low quality restaurants, so the scale here is skewed. My rating of 4 is for the local area. It does compare favorably with similarly priced Indian restaurants I've been to in Chicago or Indy. This restaurant is a decidedly upscale attempt at Indian cuisine for the area and the menu is ambitious. A couple of Indian friends recommended it to me, but advised lunchtime as it was very busy with long waits in the evening. I heard there were some predictable service issues when they first opened, but we experienced minimal mixups today (billing had to go back for a quick fix and our wait had to come back to clarify an order) but really no big deal for a new place. Food came out promptly. Ignore some of the early reviews with low scores and give it a chance if you like Indian cuisine. We had the Chicken 65 appetizer which was well prepared and fresh, and just a little less spicy than I would have liked (Perhaps this was due to the older, white demographic of our table). The dosa I had was well made and very good, but slightly less in amount compared to what I've had at other restaurants. Again, I would have preferred it to be a little more spicy, but otherwise the flavors were very good. My dining companions had lamb and chicken dishes. We enjoyed this restaurant and will include it in our regular rotation of weekly lunch spots. An aside possibly only of interest to me, this is the only Indian/Asian restaurant in Urbana-Champaign that has a properly functioning soda machine, quite the unexpected pleasure for someone who enjoys a nice fountain Pepsi. read more

When I went on a weekend evening, the wait time was about 5-10 minutes even though there were only a couple of guests. I was seated at the bar and I ordered the lasooni gobi (cauliflower appetizer) and chicken vindaloo. Both were tasty. The waiters seemed to take a while when asking for my order or getting the check. Overall, great food but the service can be improved. read more

I have not eaten here but it would be nice to browse the menu it usually makes me hungry to go check it out.. Just saying...luv indian food.. read more

Finally, an Indian restaurant with a South Indian menu in Champaign. The garlic naan and malai kofta combination was pretty good, but it was their dosa which stole the show. I ordered the Mysore masala dosa which is a slightly spicier version of the regular masala dosa, and it was perfect! The texture and the filling was great, and the sambhar and chutneys were nicely flavored. They will even give you free sambhar refills which is an added bonus! read more

My wife and I went here with our baby daughter. It was a really great experience. Our waiter was great, making sure we had everything we wanted or needed. At the beginning and end of the meal, a woman, who I assume was an owner or manager checked to make sure everything was good. We got some samosas which were delicious. We shared some with our little one. I asked for the spiciest chicken curry they offered and they delivered. Also enjoyed an imported Indian beer. Look forward to returning regularly. read more

I have been coming here sense they opened, and I think the food is very good. Their dishes are unique, yet authentic and they are priced well too. read more

Omg...been here almost a year from california and haven't found anything good. Finally this comes to town. It is so yummy. Would definitely recommend! The Himalayan special is so good and so is the chicken saag. read more

I personally liked Himalayan Chimney. The interior is aesthetically pleasing and it's a decent spot for a dinner night out if you're into Indian food. Lots of variety with different spices. I simply did not like it as much as Kohinoor with regards to the food value:quality ratio and the service. Still had an overall positive experience, so I would go back. read more