Yelp knows me pretty well by now. It knows I like Indian food, so Vande Bharat kept popping up in my recommendations. It's been sitting there for a while, so the wifey and I finally decided to drive down to Milpitas and give this Thali place a try. I'm glad we did because their Thali is probably one of the best we've had, if not the best. FYI Thali is LUNCH only. Here is my take. Food (4.5 stars) +The Combo Thali for around $18 is the way to go. Don't overthink it and don't order anything else. You get a little bit of everything, which is exactly why we like Thali. If there's something you don't like, just give it to your partner. My wife doesn't like lamb, so I ended up with double lamb. Bonus for me! + Lamb curry was probably my favorite. Tender meat with a flavorful curry and it went perfectly with the rice. Since my wife donated hers to me, I had plenty! + Fried fish is also very good. You don't get a huge piece, but with so many other things on the plate, it's enough. That's the beauty of Thali--you get a few bites of everything instead of committing to one giant dish. + Chicken curry was also good. Nothing on the plate really needs to be eaten by itself because everything complements each other. You get savory, spicy, sour and even a little sweet throughout the meal. + There are also the usual Thali sides like dal, sumbar, yogurt, dessert and another sour/soupy dish. Rice sits right in the middle and you basically mix and match your way through the entire plate. + I also really like the papadum. It's that thin crispy Indian cracker that gives you a nice crunchy break between all the curries and softer foods. ~ PRO TIP: The only thing to consider is whether you prefer a Thali or an Indian buffet. At a buffet, you can essentially get many of these same types of dishes and eat as much as you want. With a Thali, you're getting smaller portions of everything. Personally, I like the variety and having everything served together, especially when the combo is only around $18. Service/Ambiance (4.5 stars) + We came during lunch and there was only one other customer while we were there, so service was good and the food came out rather quickly. + The restaurant has some really nice paintings along the walls. Some of the scenery almost looked Mediterranean to me, although I'm assuming they're depicting places somewhere in India. Either way, they add some character to the restaurant. + It's a comfortable, casual place to sit down and enjoy a Thali without much fuss. GET THE COMBO! You get fish, lamb, chicken, rice, dal, sides, dessert and all the little extras that make eating Thali fun. Between the two of us, if one person doesn't like something, the other person probably will. In my case, that strategy resulted in double lamb, so I definitely wasn't complaining. Wifey gives Vande Bharat 4.5 stars and I'm right there with her. For the price, variety and flavors, this is easily one of our favorite Thali meals we've had. Yelp got this recommendation right! read more

Vande Bharat - Combo Thali - Indian Near Me - Milpitas, California

Visiting from Orange County, would recommend for great South Indian food. Ordered: Fish fry Tandoori chicken Kereal partotta (OUTSTANDING) Garlic tandoori roti Chetinad chicken (EXCELLENT) Chai Key lime soda Collators garlic naan Aloo gobi Everything tasted phenomenal and could taste the spices in each dish. Hospitality was very welcoming and service was quick. read more

We went for lunch and got a mutton thali and a combo thali . Everything was delicious, very homely and left us feeling full in a good way. I personally loved the fish fry! Perfectly balanced flavours and the sweet reminded me of home. The chef and the staff checked up on us multiple times and refilled as we needed, appreciate the attention to customers. Loved the whole Indian railway theme and the TV was playing train vlogs of scenic destinations in South India. We will be back for sure! read more

Seems expensive for the food quality to me. Ubereats prices are way more expensive than the restaurant so we called directly and ordered to-go. In $55, we got: - butter chicken - spicy - 3/5 - i told them spicy as i had read the reviews that its really sweet. The consistency was good but chicken pieces were not juicy. The spice was just a lot of red chilli powder and no flavor. No point saying spicy maybe regular should have been better - mutton sukka - 1/5 - read a lot of good reviews of their goat/ red meat so tried this. Meat was under cooked and its way too oily. Dont know what to do with it now as no one wants to eat it :( - chicken tikka - 4/5 - this was the only saving grace for this order. I am glad this was flavorful and decent quantity. We didn't order roti chapati as it was $2 for each piece of roti which again is too expensive so i made it at home myself! Not ordering from here anymore.. yelp reviews didnt help this time :( read more

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Me and my wife came here for an early dinner last week and we had a good experience. The restaurant is clean and with each table already prepared with clean plates and utensils. There's a wall with a nice mural of the Indian state's transportation system; a light rail train, a station and green mountains. The menu has most of the main Indian items I'd say. I ordered their goat curry with garlic naan, samosa chaat, and masala dosa. The goat curry had small pieces of meat with lots of bones as expected. The curry sauce was really light and tasted more like a curried lentil soup rather than a thick, bold, sauce. I thought this entree was just ok; it could be a lot better. The samosa chaat is delicious with lots of flavors and textures. We tasted mint, spices, chutneys, yogurt, etc. It was nice and cold! It was my first time and it was unique. Their masala dosa is smaller than some of the ones I've had but it's delicious and they're generous with the spiced potato filling. The chutney selection could be better, I think; I've had better sauces. Overall, the host, was super nice and treated us with so much respect. He kept pushing me to try their popular fish curry in which I'd definitely love to try sometime. I love their garlic naan because it's fresh, crispy with a nice chewy dough texture for some thickness. I'll definitely like to come back and try their butter chicken or chicken curry. read more

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We really enjoyed our lunch here! The theme of the restaurant (the railway of India) was very entertaining and it was especially cool to have the live feed of the trains in India on a big TV; it brought some fun conversation to the table. The food was delicious and the service was fast. Highly recommend! read more

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My favorites so far: Any Tikka Masala Any Biyarni Alo Machuri Garlic Naan Authentic food and ambiance. read more

Great addition to the neighborhood. We were pleasantly surprised by the comforting chapatis and gravies. The vibe is lovely - walls painted with nostalgic Indian railway themes, and a TV playing a journey on the Vande Bharat Express, the superfast train that connects several destinations across India. The menu is quite diverse. We ordered chapatis, curry leaf chicken, and vegetable Maggi. The chapatis were soft, hot, and truly home-like. The curry leaf chicken was flavorful without being overly spicy or overpowering. Our kid especially enjoyed the veg Maggi. We'd love to come back and try more dishes--hoping they continue to maintain the same taste and quality. read more

Vande Bharat - Indian Near Me - Milpitas, California

The service was amazing and they gave us great recommendations. I ordered the malabar fish curry and chicken chettinand curry and both were amazing. Different flavor profiles compared to the usual curries that most people get and I loved it. read more

One of the best authentic Indian food in San Jose, if not the best Ive ever had. Came in wanting common plates such as chicken tikka massala but was persuaded into trying other plates by the owner and was not disappointed with the suggestions! Tasty, flavor, and good service. Love it. Will definitely be coming back! read more

We were driving to the South Bay and I was craving Indian. This place popped up and we gave it a go! I was hungry and the food was fabulous, so we didn't get pictures. I started with a mango lassi - loved it! We got samosa chaat to start. It was delicious! Lots of texture and flavor. We ordered palak paneer and butter chicken with rice and garlic naan. The palak paneer was seriously amazing! I could tell that they went the extra step of toasting the spices and then pouring the hot oil over the dish before serving. It was perfection! The garlic naan was some of the best I've had. The butter chicken was a little sweet for my taste, but my husband loved it. The staff was friendly and really happy to have us it seemed. The decor is pleasant. We were there at 2 pm and there was a steady stream of folks coming in. I hope that bodes well for their success!! read more

The taste of the food was amazing, especially the fish fry in the thali. Chapati was so soft. Nice ambiance bringing back the train memories. read more

Good food and fast service. Nice place for a quick and peaceful meal! Staff is nice and friendly and gave good recommendations.

Service is quick and easy. Ordered over the phone and it took about 15 minutes for my order to be ready. The butter chicken was good, I just wish it was a bit creamier. The garlic naan was good and the puri was delicious! Samosas were good too. Would come here again for a reliable Indian restaurant . read more

his place is inspired by the Vande Bharat Express, the flagship train that connects major cities across India. In a similar spirit, the restaurant takes you on a flavorful journey through India's diverse regional cuisines. While there's a clear tilt towards South Indian flavors, you'll also find North Indian staples like Punjabi dishes on the menu. The overall walk-in experience is decent, with thoughtful touches that reflect the Vande Bharat train theme. I really liked the aesthetics--brass idols, copper/brass plates, spoons, and glasses give it an authentic, earthy vibe. We ordered the thali, garlic naan, and paneer butter masala. The rotis and naans tasted freshly made, right off the tawa, which made a huge difference. The dal in the thali tasted genuinely home-style--like something mom would make. Loved it! Spice levels were perfectly balanced--not too mild for South Indian tastes and not too spicy for North Indian preferences. It hits the sweet spot. The lime soda is definitely a hit--refreshing and well-made. Overall, it seems like the dine-in experience is underrated. I'd definitely recommend giving it a try! read more

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This is my go-to North Indian spot in Milpitas, this place never disappoints. The food is always flavorful, full of spices, and clearly made fresh. There are many vegetarian options. My all-time favorite is the paneer biryani. It's loaded with Indian spices, topped with peanuts and cooked onions, and it smells incredible. I also go for the kadai paneer, it's super spicy and probably my favorite paneer dish here. The staff is super friendly and always happy to recommend something new to try, which I appreciate. Prices are a little on the higher side. The place is clean, has a fun vibe with murals of Indian trains, and there's plenty of parking! read more

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Delicious Tandoori fish and Chicken 555 Very Authentic taste. We were pleasantly surprised by how fast the service was. I would recommend if you are fish lovers- to try this place. read more

Vande Bharat - Tandoori Whole Fish - Indian Near Me - Milpitas, California

I was expecting good quality food, but this was so greasy. The paneer tikka masala was more like kadhai paneer. The Kerala paratha was not crisp enough. The tandoori roti aata had no salt in it. They don't even serve onions or pickles with food. read more

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Awesome addition to the Indian scene in Milpitas. Food is authentic, tasty & without cream. The Chicken Sukka & Paneer chili starters were mouth watering. The Gravies - VB Special Goat curry, Malabar Fish curry, Chettinad Egg curry were all very tasty, rightly spiced & surprisingly different from each other(!!!). We had them with some luscious Kerala parottas. Cozy place with a train theme(Vande Bharat), service is fast & friendly. Reasonably priced. Must try. Ask for Vincent for recommendations. read more

We ordered garlic naan, goat curry, chicken biryani, tandoori chicken and fish fry (per the owner's recommendation) Every dish is good. The service is attentive. read more

Service is so kind. Very respectful too I really just have to mention that. Coming inside is always so welcomed no matter who or what you are. And the food is top tier. I would arguably say that in Milpitas that this has to be the best Indian food around. Seriously if youre reading this, please go try this place out. My recommendations the panner butter masala and the chicken tikka dosa! read more

Poor food quality. Raita was a watered down buttermilk.. biryani was a soggy rasam rice. Overall pricey for such low quality food. Hard to believe how this place is highly rated. read more

I've been here a few times with coworkers for lunch and enjoyed it. They have a great thali lunch. A few of my coworkers are Indian and when they take us to an Indian restaurant it is always really good. This visit, my husband and I decided to go for dinner. It's in our neighborhood so it was a quick 10 minute walk, if that. When we arrived, we were greeted and told we could sit anywhere. We ordered rice, palak paneer, aloo gobi, buttered chicken, cheese naan and parotta. Everything was so delicious and flavorful. Staff were attentive and friendly. We'll def be back. This is a neighborhood gem!!! read more

We were looking for a new Indian restaurant in the area, and decided to give this one a try. It did not disappoint! The train theme was charming, the service was amiable and professional, and the food was delicious. We ordered the combo thali, butter chicken, paneer 65, garlic naan, and goat bone soup. Unfortunately our stomaches are only so large, so we could not order other items to try, but that means we simply have to return here again soon! read more

Vande Bharat - Garlic naan, butter chicken, paneer 65 - Indian Near Me - Milpitas, California

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Get the chicken chettinad! It's a curry our waiter recommended to us and it was so good. Paired with the kerala perata and the garlic naan. Fluffy soft and not too charred. The perata was masterfully flaky, doesn't seem frozen. The goat biryani was a great portion and will likely last two more meals at home. It comes with chips at the top hehe. They also have maggi on the menu which you never see around here!!!!!!!!!!!! Attentive and friendly service was what set this place apart the most! It's also priced very reasonably with much of the menu priced around $15 for entrees. Will be back with friends and fam. read more

Vande Bharat - Maggi on the menu - Indian Near Me - Milpitas, California

Great food, not crazy spicy nor greasy. Interesting story behind the name and ambiance, be sure to ask the owner about it.

Excellent food. I loved the pomfret fish fry and shrimp pepper fry. The fish & shrimps was very fresh & masala was perfect. My son loved the chicken lollipop. Highly recommend to everyone. read more

Very Authentic food... brought my 3 kids here and they loved it ... 100% recommend to come eat here. We infact keep coming back every week... feels like home .. amazing and friendly staff... Quality food , in a small homely place .. I wud give it 10 stars if I cud read more

Easy find and parking. Small sit down service is nice. Had palak paneer and their special chicken curry, naan. Good food, quiet on a Saturday for lunch. Good and humble service read more

Wonderful server, super passionate about the food. We all love the kerala Parotta here. The Kids recommend the fish 65 appetizer and the Malabar fish curry. We came for a late lunch and server brought samples of additional curries to try. read more

We ordered Gobi manchurian, Baby corn manchurian, garlic naan and tandoori roti, paneer butter masala and brinjal curry. Everything was super oily and bland. Paid 70$ and it was just not worth it. The only good thing is they actually customise your order if you specify your spice level - haven't seen a lot of Indian restaurants usually do that. Unless they up their taste, I will not be returning again. read more

I was expecting quality food but this was too greasy and salty. Service was bad, we left unattended. Not recommend

Lot of vegetarian options. Caters to everyone in a big group's needs as the menu is diverse with north indian curries, south indian dishes and chaat/snack items as well. Paneer Vijaywada Biryani had good spice and so did the veg chettinad. Paneer Tikka was ok. Breads were very good specially the garlic naan that had good garlic flavor. Giving 4-stars because, our food took a long time to come. Naan came 20 minutes before the curries came. Dosa came the earliest and then we waited around 30 min when breads arrived. read more

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If you're reading this you must try the biryani. We ordered the goat biryani and it was easily the best I've ever had from any restaurant.

Nice food and really good tandoors. Service was also pretty fast. Really liked the chicken pepper fry

New place, been in business only a few weeks. Everything we ordered was made fresshh! Yeah that fresh. We had the : Masala Vada Chicken Manjurian (they spell it that way ) Goat curry Kerala Porotta, And Chai. Did I mention they make everything fresh to order? The masala vada was so fresh I felt I was in India. The goat meat was tender and had zero gameyness. The curry was flavorful without being overtly spicy which was appreciated. The Kerala porotta was yummy enough to eat by itself, but paired so good with the curry. The owner said they only make it on the weekends though. The chai was just right and hit the spot. The only dish that didn't excite or impress was the chicken manjurian appetizer,the owner did mention that they are working on improving the appetizers . Planning to go back next week to try the Biryanis and dosas. Jai Bharat! Vande Bharat! read more

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Thoroughly enjoyed the Fish Thali and Chicken Thali at Vande Bharat! The flavors are very authentic and entice your taste buds. Must try the Thali and Biryanis if you are in the area. The hospitality is also super nice. Overall a nice cozy spot in Milpitas to try out some authentic Indian food. read more

Good food! The buttered chicken is very tasty. We also ordered dosa masala and garlic nan, they are good as well. Reasonable price as well. Friendly host/server, too. Our first time and won't be the last. read more

Great food - whole tandoori fish was wonderful! Service was fast and friendly, the train decor and history/relevance behind it is fascinating. Recommended! read more

Great food and service, owner and staff were very prompt on requests. Biryani and Manchurian were outstanding