Possibly one of the best Indian restaurants in Boston! I'm still drooling from my meal there yesterday. The Kebab Factory is located in Somerville, near several other high end restaurants (Dali and EVOO). When you enter, it doesn't feel like an Indian restaurant (very similar feeling to Namaskar in Davis). Very modern, with cool colorful lighting. Tables are pretty neat--different types of leaves and beans. The menu is very extensive, so there is something for everyone. After ordering, we were given little cups of tomato soup which was a touch spicy but still delicious. I ordered a lamb sheek kebab and my friend had the vegetable and paneer korma. We split the garlic naan. I had never seen my kebab served the way it was! Before it came out, we were given large square plates that held our accompaniments and in my case, the sauce for the lamb. The kebab came out in a huge vase like metal container, with four pieces in the shape of sausages. It smelled as great as it tasted! I have never had lamb so tender and so filling before. My friend really enjoyed her korma, so much that she still had some to take home for lunch! I really can't wait to go back, it was that good. Service was not overbearing and the location is unbeatable--you can take the 86 directly to the restaurant or walk from Harvard or Porter Square. Supposedly it's easy to park there too, which is a rarity! But no matter how long it takes to get there, it's so worth the trip!!! read more

Really loved the food at this quant little joint in Boston. Arrived here with friends after sunset and surprisingly we were the only people there. Dont know why that was the case.I think we interacted directly with the owner. We ordered kali mirch chicken and tandoori chicken both of which were pretty spectacular(especially the former). The main course was also delicious and we left a satisfied bunch. I would recommend trying out this place if you enjoy authentic indian food :) read more

Don't believe the yelp ratings. This place has a great lunch buffet and very good service.

This was a spectacular experience! I came here on a date and was incredibly impressed with the decor, the service, and best of all, the amazing food! I'm a giant fan of lamb, and I strongly, strongly recommend their lamb kebob! The behemoth was cooked and spiced to perfection and served simmering in an elegant pot. My only concern was that it took the staff a long time to bring out our food, but I guess great food takes more prep time. As I'm reviewing this restaurant, I also noticed that they serve a lunch buffet? That's something I'll have to look into later. Food: 5 stars Staff: 4 stars Price:....4 stars (dinner for 2 only cost $20/person with plenty of leftovers) read more

Kebab Factory love! I have come here at least once a week every week for the past year -- unless I was home for the holidays. I frequently grumble to my classmates and friends that the food in the Boston area is not as good as the food in the San Francisco bay area. THIS is the one exception. This is the *one* place I miss when I'm not in school. Here's why I love it so: 1. Wonderful staff. They know me, they're kind to me, they know I love the weekend dosas. :-) 2. Wonderful buffet that is especially great for meat-eaters. So many of the Indian buffets I know have a large number of vegetable dishes and only one or two meat dishes. Kebab Factory has enough buffet variety to satisfy just about everyone. The chicken kebab meat offered at every buffet is great for Indian food newbies and the paleo/low carb crowd. There's also usually some other chicken options, and frequently goat curry, in addition to shrimp dishes. 3. Vegetarian dishes even *I* eat. This is the only okra I like other than my grandmother's recipe. They've also had other dishes I like -- they always appear freshly made with fresh (not frozen) vegetables. I know, that seems basic, but not every place does it. 4. Weekend buffet! On the weekends they have extra things not available during the weekday, including lovely crispy dosas with potato filling, pani puri (which I fill with the potato mixture heavily dosed with tamarind chutney!), and this dessert I love, which is basically semolina with butter and sugar. Weekend buffet runs until 4 PM, and yes, it's very crowded until pretty late. WHY is it crowded? Because the food is good and many families come! 5. The many moods of Kebab Factory. So, during the day, it's buffet, but at night, it becomes a lovely romantic place for dinner, with some amazing foods. I often suggest it for dates! :-) They have really amazing lamb kebab dishes, and bring tiny appetizers and soups for the table when you' have dinner there. So nice! Is it crowded? Yes, if you go during the height of the lunch rush. Is it cramped? Yup, they have a lot of tables. But it's still my favorite Indian place on the east coast. Go! read more

Ok so I am from Pakistan and have tried many Indian buffets around Boston and the suburbs and by far this place is absolutely one of my favorites now!!! The food selections and their hospitality is to be respected we are definitely coming back! The chai reminded me of home! And the kheer (rice pudding dessert) was authentic and I had thirds !!! Their dosas were very good too! And the best part was that the naan came out so nice and hot ! Love this place and just have to say to them to keep up this great work !!!!! read more

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We ordered takeout from here for work. I've heard some good reviews on the place. Overall the meal was fine. They have a decent sized offering for a menu. I do think it gets a little overpriced for some of the items. The food is ok. It didn't wow me, but it wasn't bad either. I think it's pretty generic Indian Food so I really can't complain too much. Granted I'm not a huge Indian fan, but it tasted like all takeout Indian food I've had before. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in all of Greater Boston. Simply put. To start, I've never been somewhere that cares for their clientele like the Kebab Factory. Even if you order takeout, they are fast and polite while they get your food, which is always prepared in the exact amount of time they tell you, and then, while you wait and pay, they provide you with a sampling of their soup in a small tea cup. It's details like these throughout that make this restaurant the best there is. As far as the food, I don't think you can order anything that you won't like. I've tried 20 items on the menu and have never been disappointed. Starting with the basics, the Chicken Tikka Masala is the best there is. This dish is usually a go-to for many at the Indian places and Kebab Factory does it best. Simple. The next best thing out there is all of the soups. Every single soup is delicious, unique, tasty, fulfilling -- they are almost worthy of a meal in and of itself. The Mushroom Soup is number 1 though, try that first. The runner-up to both of these dishes is a little customization we've come up with, that is a Jeera Aloo with chicken added and extra-spicy. Try this and you'll never look back. I can't say it enough, this is the best restaurant in Boston. The best. BEST. The people are warm, caring and customer focused -- the food is prepared exactly to your liking with unbeatable flavors, and the overall experience will leave you completely satisfied. I'm probably going to go there now for their lunch buffet just thinking about it and writing this review. Do not miss the spot, it's the best there is. read more

This review is for buffet : The restaurant has got few choices for vegetarians. Food wasn't spicy. Ambience is poor. Service is decent. A decent choice for non vegetarians. read more

This place. Is awful. It is a realy lousy place to eat. Let me break it down the experience here: 1. It is pretty cramped. The waiters continously bumped into my chair. Do not dine in. It feels like a closet. 2. The service is garbage. You gotta bend over backward to get someone to look at you. EVEN WHEN THE DINING ROOM IS EMPTY. The staff is rude and slow as possible. 3. The food. This god awful food. Are you serious Kebab factory? A. The paneer pakora was hardly fried. The cheese was hard and had absolutely no taste. It feels a little more like soap pakora. B. Kundan Kaaliya. Creamy curry ordered medium. This curry was so ungodly bland. Bland curry. I've never had a bland curry in my life. $18.50 for this milquetoast, culinary disaster. Avoid it, it is insulting beyond repair. C. Cheese naan. Again, the cheese was hardly melted. Felt like a half cooked grilled cheese sandwich. Naan. NAAN?! Seriously? You manage to screw up a decent naan bread too?! What on earth can you do right?! So, We ate a few bites each, and felt like we both felt like we just bit into a pit of despair. On top of everything else, our stomachs felt the same way. The complete absence of culinary competency resonaned in our stomaches with gurgles and groans of regret. In summary, this was not tasty. This was not fun. I really love indian food, and there are some great places, like Punjabi Dhaba down the street. Half the price, and a million times the quality. Or eat anywhere else for that matter. Plenty of places are a better choice. Seriously, I'm never going back. read more

the food here is absolutely delicious -- a definite must-try if in the boston/cambridge/somerville area!

I ordered the Tandoori Tikka and It sure looked like Tikka but didn't taste like it, the taste was washed down with no flavor. One more thing, The introduction paragraph on the restaurant's website seems like someone was angry when they wrote it. read more

I have been going to this restaurant for a while and their food is excellent. We had the lamb samosa which was delicious. Their lentil soup was a bit heavy for my taste but very good overall. However, their mushroom soup is a must try. It is a delicate balance of cream and essence of mushroom combined. For the main course, we had the mango chicken. This dish is very flavourful, combining spices and sweet and sour flavours into an intricate taste. I couldn't have any dessert because I was with my gf and didn't want her to gain more weight. That being said, their service was awful. We waited around 10 minutes to be seated although there were empty tables. The restaurant seemed to be short staffed that night and weren't very organized in terms of who was seating or serving. They mixed up our appetizer order and brought us the incorrect samosa at the beginning. Once told about their mistake, they offered the first samosa they had brought on the house and came back with our original order. Another error on their part was bringing a flat coke at the beginning. Once again, when we mentioned it to our server she was happy to replace it. The food quality is definitely very good. They just have to find a way to improve their service on busy nights, as other times that I've gone the service has been good. read more

Came here for dinner tonight. I was actually expecting it to be busier, but my grumbly belly was psyched that there were plenty of seats available. The small space is nicely brightened with floor to ceiling windows and colorful decor. Don't be dissuaded by the establishment's cartoon-ish sign and bright colors, because the food rocks! The service was kind and attentive. Immediately water was served and wine list provided. It was easy to choose our entire meal from the menu, which is divided onto four different pages: appetizers and curry special entrees, traditional kebabs, typical indian dishes, and naan and desserts. The back menu offers specials for the evening. Dave and I were delightfully surprised when the manager or someone came over with a small cup of warm soup and a fried shrimp appetizer, both complimentary. I have no idea what was in the soup, but it was smooth, aromatic, green, and absolutely decadent. The shrimp wasn't special, except for the two drops of mustard-yellow sauce arranged on the shrimpy to look like eyes. Funny! We ordered an appetizer: the vegetarian fried plate with several different potato or paneer-filled dumplings. All of these were fantastic and perfectly portioned for two to share. I didn't order any kebab, but I blatantly stared at our neighboring customer's kebab. It looked crazy! because it was served in a hammered, piping hot copper beehive. My dinner was the Chicken Dhaniwal Korma (nice try spelling??), mildly spiced with coriander, creamy as heck, and ultra tender (as most chicken dishes are) served in a bowl next to a bed of rice. Yuuummmy! Dave ordered the stuffed pepper kebab (not served on a skewer), which was a nice light vegetarian dish served with a green salad, potato salad, rice, and was stuffed with potato (starch much?). And once again we were surprised with some complimentary shallot naan when we ordered garlic naan. Nice! I liked the shallot version better than the garlic this time. I sit here now, pleasantly stuffed and ready to pass out at any moment. Well done, Kebab Factory! read more

For a $9 weekday lunch buffet, it was fantastic. They had 6 huge jugs of food to choose from (tandoori chicken, tikka masala, spinach with homemade cheese, and 3 more delicious vegetable/bean heavy dishes). Compared to Diva's, the waiters weren't cheap with the naan bread. We couldn't finish it even with the frequent naan-in-sauce dipping. The mushroom soup was wonderful and creamy. The help-yourself chai dispenser was equally pleasant and a wonderful surprise. Diva's would penny pinch you for this meal-ending hot tea. Not The Kebab Factory. This Indian hub has become my favorite in the neighborhood. I took one star away because I didn't see samosas. I am in loooooovveee and in search for a buffet with the best import from India. Also, in the cold "dessert" section, be careful of the white-ish containers with tiny balls (I thought it was tapioca in sweet coconut sauce). I was completely mistaken. Imagine as my face cringes as I am expecting sweet, creamy, coconut complexities and get a huge spoonful of sour, mayonnaise-y, tongue-film with mealy balls. I have no idea what that was! read more

I love love love Indian food, but I've been mostly disappointed with Cambridge's offering (particularly for delivery). I like my Indian food two ways: authentic or funky fusion, but either way, it's got to be spicy. This is where Kebab Factory comes in...you walk in thinking it's fusion but quickly realize that, despite the odd name and nouveau decor, it in fact tries to stay true to authentic recipes. We were first served up some tiny but infinitely tasty cups of soup - an app? on the house? no idea, but they were awesome. We then ordered--him a kebab, me a curry--and were not disappointed. The portions are huge (my curry equaled two meals) and the meals are reasonably priced, topping out around $15. The only downfall is that the space is utterly tiny, and I'm not totally sure they had a restroom (if they did, it was through the kitchen). We'll be returning for sure. read more

Way too expensive. Stay away. Can get better food for that price. $18 for a curry with 4 pieces of meet in it ?! For God sake.

Kebab Factory is in a random area of Somerville, but since we found it 2 years ago, we've been addicted to the weekend lunch buffet. We've even waited outside in the winter for 45 minutes before. Today we went at noon, and there was no wait yet, but it filled up quickly. As of 2 weeks ago, they started having dosas that are crisped to perfection on the outside (weekends only). They bring them fresh to your table. Naan was buttery and fluffy, as usual, and I love watching them make it through the glass window to the kitchen. I haven't been back in a while, but they now have 2 soups at lunch, and they got rid of the dumplings but added more dishes. Like before, shrimp masala was the most generously sized shrimp I've seen at an Indian buffet. There was a new cauliflower dish in a large flat metal pan, so the bottom of the battered and roasted cauliflower became kind of crusted, and it was so aromatic and spicy and good! Other dishes were all very flavorful as usual. The desserts are consistent, and the masala chai tea is always a nice end to the dessert. Service has been very attentive, with my water glass never even reaching half full. Plates were cleared immediately, and foods were replenished quickly. The waiters periodically stir the foods, and the manager even asked what we'd like to see on the menu. Don't be fooled by the modern interior and cool plates/bowls. The food is very authentic. Street parking has never been a problem, but I just found out today that there's a parking lot available for Kebab (2 hour limit). I always over eat and have a major food coma (I fall asleep immediately after), but it's so worth it. read more

The Kebab Factory is delicious. I need to get that out of the way up front. Because it's important to know. The food is pretty awesome. The place was surprisingly packed for a Wednesday night. At least, I was surprised. Though the restaurant is pretty small, so it's not hard to feel crowded. Like any good Indian restaurant, they were playing Bollywood music videos on a pair of flatscreen TVs in the front and back of the restaurant. Now that's entertainment! The food, as I already mentioned, was delicious. I had the tikka masala with chicken, because that's how I roll. It was one of the better examples of the dish I've experienced; the sauce had a delicious, smokey flavor, and the chicken was perfect. The cheese naan complemented it well. The service was kind of slow. I know they were busy, but it took a good long time for us to even get our orders in. We had to remind them for our drinks. I don't know, maybe that's a dick move, but it was a good 15-20 minutes after we'd placed our order. I needed my mango juice up in here. Anyway, service notwithstanding, I really like the Kebab Factory. It's not super expensive, comparatively, and the food is damn good. Especially as leftovers the next day. Definitely give them a try! read more

Lunch buffet over the weekend - $14 with tips, not including drinks... Best Indian food I've had since moving to Boston...you would have to go to a restaurant in Jackson Heights, NY or Devon Ave, Chicago for better Indian... Very pr icy for dinner, as most Indian restaurants are hence the recommendation for weekend buffet. They also serve hot dosas now which is a South Indian speciality. If you do end up at dinner, order the kulfi. Be prepared to wait for a long time (1 hour) on a nice day...the 83 bus stops right in front of it. Edit: Moving it down a notch after Bollywood Grill read more

So I will admit that I've been missing Indian food, and in a way, I wish I'd tried the much-lauded lunch buffet first, just so I could have tried a wider selection of things. However, I went on a double date with three people who were all at least somewhat regular visitors, and thus I was given excellent recommendations. Maybe we weren't the most experimental in our selections, as we basically just got double of chicken tikka masala and saag paneer, as well as two spinach soups. But other than the fact that originality wasn't our strong suit, it was a very good, and very enjoyable meal. The food itself is rich and thick and very creamy, so you're definitely not going to leave with any semblance of hunger remaining. The portions are generous enough to take home some, although not as huge as many Indian places I have been. It's true that the space of the restaurant is a might petite. If you're going at a peak time on the weekend, I would recommend calling ahead for a reservation. Also, the service is a little slow and not the most organized. But if you can forgive them those sins, neither of which is impossible to manage, then it's worth a trip. read more

A small, homey, and cheap lunch buffet. While some things tasted off for me, there are plenty of other foods in the buffet that tasted good. Service was prompt and courteous, though ti wasn't much that we needed. read more

Their lunch buffet is amazing -- seriously, the best North Indian buffet fare around town (though I should stress the buffet part), and only $7.95, which is a steal for what you get. They don't go cheap even though it's the buffet. There was at least one shrimp option, and it was pretty damn tasty. They also have all of the classic American favorites, chicken tikka masala, saag paneer, korma, etc., though these were mostly decent only, not spectacular. And the naan. is. amazing. Downsides: it gets very busy around lunch time, and you may have to wait a bit for a seat, particularly if you're in a large group. Also, I asked for more bread, but they never brought it :(. So ... Go early. Go often. Be assertive. read more

When I was working in Somerville, I was hitting this place up weekly. In the death of winter, there's nothing better than burying your face in a plate full of butter chicken. They have a great buffet, and their food is always fresh and delicious. It's small, totally casual, and the service is super smiley. ...Extra star for the streaming bollywood dance videos! read more

4-4.5 stars here. The food is amazing IMO. Service lacks sometimes (twice they have spilled our water, once the glass broke by my foot, and they just walked away. seriously. they didn't clear the spill until after we left. no apology or verbal acknowledgement. weird.) read more

After driving by this place every day for 2 years, I finally went for the lunch buffet the other day. FREAKING AMAZING. The food was interesting anf fusiony--there were these noodles that didn't really taste indian to me, more like faux Chinese or something. But that's fine because everything was delicious. The quality was really good and the flavors so much more complex than your run of the mill Indian food. The grilled chicken stuff was awesome, way better than the usual tandoori chicken. BONUS -- there's a bathroom, and it isn't sketchy! And the service is good! My only complaint is something appetizer-y, like samosas or pakoras, would have brought the buffet to the next level. read more

How can anyone NOT love this place?! I just had their lunch buffet today and was completely blown away. Yeah, I've never been to India and had Indian food there, but this is really the best Indian buffet I've ever had in my life. Even you guys in Jackson Heights in Queens are deprived. This place has the best tandoori chicken ever! Not to mention the really great variety of dishes. It has all the staples -- goat and chicken curries, naan, basmati rice, kheer, etc., but it also has a lot of more unconventional buffet items, like pan poori (very popular Indian breakfast item that is virtually almost impossible to find in the U.S... until now!!) and halwa (the semolina flour based dessert). The shrimp curry was cooked to perfection -- these guys know how to make sure that shrimp doesn't get rubbery. They also have masala chai overflowing, and it certainly tastes homemade -- rich and spicy! The chutney variety is really good -- the onion chutney is loverly. Their service is really friendly and attentive as always, but for buffet service, they do a lot more than you would expect them to. I LOVE KEBAB FACTORY! If only they would open up a location near my apartment in New York... :( read more

We got out of our car because I wanted to check out "The Biscuit," but the heavenly smell coming out of Kebab Factory drew us in. The brunch buffet is very reasonably priced, fresh, and tasty. They even bring fresh dosas right to your table! One star off for the space being super-small, however it makes for good people-watching. read more

This is my goto Indian restaurant, their kebabs and the chicken Dhaniwal Korma is excellent.

The kebab factory has solid brunch buffet on the weekends for a good price. In some dishes with chicken, the meat was a little dry. Their curry could have stronger flavor. read more

It clearly says they take credit cards on the website. Beware they try to make you walk to an atm to get cash but they did a "favor" this one time and allowed us to use a credit card. I should have just opened my cell phone created the order in front of him and selected for pickup. Also when we arrived home we were missing items. Probably did this as retaliation that we didn't want to walk to an atm to get cash. Will not come here again as it is run by new poor management who is deceitful. read more

My favorite Indian good. There are many great places in the city but I like the setting (the Indian music videos in the background are awesome) and the small setting. It feels cozy and the waiters are great. Great vegetarian food and I've never ordered anything I like. Best items, Mali Kofta and Korma curries. Update: 9/2009 Went back and the food was not as good as I remembered. It tasted good, but not great. I will go back one more time because of this history I have with this place but the curries were not as good as before. I asked if management or the chefs had changed and they said not so I am hoping it is an exception. read more

great indian food served in a chic, comfortable setting. The ingredients were fresh and the food came out steaming hot (my biggest pet peeve eating out is being served warm food). The kebabs come in a cools metal cone thing that I've never seen before, but it makes it all the more interesting. The lamb kebab we got was tender and tasty. The korma was yummy. Bhindi was also tasty, but overly salty. Solid breads, fresh out of the oven. The food was not very spicy, even though I ordered it medium spicy...maybe get spicy or very spicy if you like some heat. read more

Whenever my fiance and I order take-out from the Kebab Factory, we both go to pick it up, because they give you little cups of delicious soup while you wait for your food. This place is almost always packed, and the tables are squeezed in pretty tightly, hence the 4 star, rather than 5 star, rating. But personal space issues aside, I love this place. Easily the best Indian food in the city. The mahi mahi kebab is reason enough to make the trip. So is the veggie korma. Or the naan. Or seriously, those little cups of soup. read more

OK vegetarian food. We got Malai Kofta and Veg Korma. Based on the description we thought that the Veg Korma would have a white gravy so, we asked one of our waitresses, she nodded, and we later thought that maybe she didn't really understand english.. Oh well.. Anyway, its not cream based. Its the standard tomato based gravy. For breads, I got roomali roti and its not like Copper Chimney's.. :-( I won't fault them for that. Their dahi ke kebab appetizer was pretty good. Didn't really try any of their desserts. The place is kinda small and we felt a little claustrophobic. Not a huge deal. Not bad, but not sure if I'd go there again just for their veg food. read more

Quick review for the Saturday lunch buffet. I would give Kebab Factory 3.5 stars if that was an option. The food was yummy and had a nice texture. The service was also great. With that said, I was a little disappointed with the buffet. There was only one vegetarian option, and that really surprised me. I usually count on Indian food to be veggie-friendly, but not so much this time. No real complaints, though. Solid food and friendly service. read more

The place is small restaurant on the corner and is overpriced for its food. We ordered 'kali mirch ke tikkey' which was not worth of its price. Chicken was not thoroughly cooked and it was more bland than any other regular kebab. Daal makhni which came with kebabs was good. Murg Aftabi and Malabar parantha were ok but again over priced for their taste and quality. Curry was on sweeter side. No wonder so many Non- Indian/pakistani giving good reviews about the place. Ambience and presentation was really good. read more

Been ordering from Kebab Factory for many years and been very satisfied with the food, so I write this with a heavy heart. The team needs to improve their online ordering system and also hire more people for delivery, or at least better manage expectations. I ordered my food at 5:45pm, expecting a 6:30ish delivery. The online ordering is through some janky system called Grabull, that doesn't even send an online confirmation email or anything to ensure you know that your order went through. At 6:45, I give them a call to confirm the delivery and they said that they're a bit backed up, but I should expect the delivery by 7:15 or 7:25pm. Give them a call at 7:50pm, they apologize and hand the phone to a man who yells that they are coming and should be there in 15 minutes. At 8:20pm, we call again, and they assure us that it'll be another 5 minutes. I am writing this review now at 8:30pm. It has now been almost three hours since we ordered our food. If they had at least told us hours ago that our food wouldn't be here, we could have cancelled, gotten some snacks, done anything, but wait for our food. I'm unlikely to order from Kebab Factory again. read more

This was a great place for years now not so much. I've been coming here for well over a decade. The food was always good as well as the service. It has steadily gone downhill over the last couple of years. I must not be the only one who feels this since the place was empty on a Saturday night. The service was very bad and the waiter kept disappearing into the back for long periods. It got so bad I almost left after getting my appetizer. The food isn't as good either. The chicken in the tikka was so dry it was near inedible. Finally the waiter had us pack our own leftovers which is pretty weird. Oh one more thing...there was a 1/2 inch of water on the women's bathroom floor. Thank you next. read more

I am not a big Indian food guy but this place was fantastic. A lot of Indian restaurants can look ghetto, sketchy and downright nasty-to me that is an indication of being sick and risking e coli but this place is nice. The Kebab Factory has the appeal of a fancy dining restaurant but is actually very casual and has an awesome buffet. It is right across from Dali and about 15 minutes walk from Harvard Square. I usually despise buffets because it is so quintessentially "FAT AMERICAN PIG" but this one was great and I swear I had several orgasms in my mouth from the stuff that was bright orange, olive green and deep red-whatever the hell that was it was fucking good. The naan is soft, fresh and tasty. The staff is super friendly and I didn't mind the large flat screen with CNN on it. Two thumbs way up! read more