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    Viva Goa

    4.3 (736 reviews)
    ModerateIndian
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order Viva Goa Takeout or Delivery

    Viva Goa Photos

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    VIVA GOA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Viva Goa

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    Butter Chicken
    Michael P.

    Hands down best Indian food in San Francisco and you can't tell me otherwise. Food is incredibly fresh and flavorful. The perfect portion of food served fast and perfect temp. The restaurant always has parking out front, good seating, and the staff is personable and responsive. Viva Goa is located on a busy street but you would never know as it's super relaxing inside and comfy. I've eaten almost everything on the menu over the e years but the butter chicken is my go to favorite.

    Garlic Naan Channa Masala Fish Xacuti Rice
    Christiane F.

    I loved the food here! I hate that it took me 2 years to finally come here. The fish coconut curry was delicious and really stood out to me. It was both flavorful and extremely spicy. (Actually spicy) the Chana masala was pretty average. The service was great, attentive but not overbearing. And the vibe of the place was on the fancier side but the actual food prices were very affordable. My favorite combination. Will definitely return!

    Vegetable Caldin, Prawn Xacuti, Roti
    David K.

    Goa on the west coast of India used to be a colony of Portugal, and the food is a fusion of Portuguese and Indian flavors. Viva Goa is a rare breed of restaurant serving regional Goan cuisine (along with more typical Indian fare). The Prawn Xacuti was a savory, tangy, spicy, soupy curry made of onions, spices, grated coconut, poppy seeds, and red chilies, along with plenty of whole shelled prawns. I was an even bigger fan of the Vegetable Caldin, a thick, grainy spiced coconut stew with mixed vegetables including green beans, cauliflower, and carrots. On the side, I had a thick whole wheat tandoori roti flatbread, which was rather dry and hard, but went nicely with the curries. A better option was the Aloo Paratha, a whole wheat bread with a thin layer of spiced potatoes stuffed inside, which separated the layers of bread. In addition to the Goan specialties, I also tried a few more typical Indian dishes including Chicken Tikka Masala, made of chunks of chicken in a creamy tomato sauce; Navrattan Korma, made of peas and carrots in a thick, mild sauce made cashews, onion, and tomato; and the creative fusion Pesto Paneer Tikka, made of cubes of homemade cheese grilled with onions, peppers, and a flavorful pesto sauce. Though the Goan specialties were the items to come for, everything was flavorful and delicious!

    Lamb Vindaloo, Garlic Naan
    Tiffany F.

    Service was good. The tandoori chicken was a bit dry and didn't have much flavor. Chicken tikka masala was tasty but needed more spice at a medium level. Lamb vindaloo was solid and the garlic naan was incredible. Also got the mango lassi which was solid.

    Chicken Xacuti
    amy T.

    Everything was good. Service was excellent. Food yummy. You couldn't even tell from inside we were on busy Lombard. It's the place to go for Indian in the neighborhood. There wasn't really a coconut milk taste to the chicken and they recommended it. Needless to say it was all pretty good.

    Garlic naan

    The food was delicious and I will be sure to order it again next time I'm in San Francisco. I got the vegetable caldin, channa xacutti, samosas, plus naan and rice. As is often the case with Indian food, it doesn't look like much in a photo! Also, I should note that I requested no cilantro, so if you don't see any in the photos that's why. I'm going to lead with the vegetable caldin because it tasted so amazing. It's rich and coconutty, well spiced, and I'm planning to learn how to make it at home. The channa xacutti was very good, too. It's supposed to be coconut-based but to me it leaned more towards having garam masala-type flavors. Hard to go wrong with those, though. The samosas were fine, but bland - although I find most restaurants' samosas to be bland so this may be a "me" thing. The food was all hot (in temperature) and plentiful, and I have no complaints about the naan and rice. I was very glad they left the cilantro out for me. The only snag in the delivery was that I requested utensils and a napkin, but didn't get any. Nothing was the least bit spicy, so if you want something with some heat I imagine you'd have to ask. I probably will, next time. Be aware that you have to explicitly order rice and naan; the entrees don't come with either of those.

    Veg Pakora
    Hailey K.

    We saw this restaurant while waking around SF and decided to give it a try! We ordered the Veg Pakora, rice and raita, onion and garlic naan, malai kofta and paneer tikka masala. All of the dishes were super tasty! My favorite was the Paneer and I also thought that the onion stuffed naan was unique. The service was good as well and the interior was clean and has a nice ambiance.

    Butter Chicken and Lamb Korma
    Linda Y.

    Really tasty - I came here with a friend who had family in the Goa region in India and she was explaining to me that the region is known for its seafood and also tomato-ey flavors (with Portugeuse influence). I got the butter chicken and my friend got lamb korma - both very flavorful and juicy meat. The garlic naan was some of the crispiest and most garlicky I've had in the city. We also got an app that was very crispy outside moist inside (forgot what it was though oops). The inside atmosphere was pretty old school (white tablecloths, lots of Indian families) and quite the gem in the Marina. Service was good and the servers were patient as we explored the menu. Would come back with friends or family

    2 Pieces Vegetable Samosas
    Pascale S.

    Went to Viva Goa for another amazing dinner last night. The service here is always so friendly and quick. They also decorated really nicely for Christmas this time of year. We started with the vegetable samosas which were delicious. Crispy on the outside and warm and flavorful on the inside. For our mains we got the butter chicken and baingan vindaloo (our favorites here). We asked for the vindaloo extra spicy and it came out the perfect amount. Also got garlic naan and rice with the curries. The garlic naan was so good we had to get a second basket later in the meal! Overall this is still my favorite Indian restaurant in SF. The food is consistent, delicious, and affordable, and the service is always welcoming and friendly.

    (From 12 o'clock) Mango chutney, Prawn Korma, Paneer Pakora, mint sauce, Lamb Vindaloo & Pesto Naan
    Jennifer O.

    Have been intrigued to try Viva Goa so we did takeaway tonight. Prawn Korma - shrimp in a creamy cashew sauce Lamb Vindaloo- ground lamb in fragrant spices Paneer Pakora - chickpea coated farmer's cheese Naan - both onion and pesto naan breads Basmati rice, Raita yogurt, mango chutney Galub Jamun - rose water & coriander mini donuts Every bite was delicious and even with a hungry teenage swimmer we both ate heartily and still had some leftovers (light lunch?) The Lamb Vindaloo looked like it might be too spicy but it wasn't, just lightly and perfectly so with lots of fragrant spices (cinnamon, fenugreek, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, garlic). It was the standout dish ($17.49). The Prawn Korma (a tomato cashew cream sauce) ($17.99) was so good and didn't skimp on large, juicy shrimp, about 9-10 in this dish. Wasn't a fan of the Paneer Pakora because it was so dense. It was good to dip in the savory tamarind and mint sauces but half of one was enough. I thought the onion naan was too sweet (cooked sweet white onion and/or shallots); the pesto naan was superior. Casual ambiance, good service and our order was ready under the time promised. Would totally return!

    Side of rice
    Mary Bryan O.

    I've been wanting to try viva goa ever since my friend told me it's his go to Indian take out spot! I ordered chicken tikka masala, rice and garlic naan. I appreciated that I could choose the spice level and opted for medium. The spice was no over powering which I appreciated, but probably could handled the spicy version too! Everything was great! Will definitely be ordering again.

    Butter chicken
    Nicole R.

    Amazing food and customer service! Chicken is well cooked and seasoned, server asked for spice level and kept checking in on us

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    3 months ago

    High quality meats and fresh ingredients. Consistent dishes and flavors time after time. Well done folks.

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    2 months ago

    30 minutes late for a take out order. Locked bathroom. Unhelpful service. Do not order from here.

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    1 year ago

    Best desi food in town, been going here since 2020 and quality is just as good now as 5 years ago

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    Page 1 of 19

    Viva Goa Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Viva Goa

    Do they have rava fish or rava prawn?

    I am sorry unfortunately we don’t have any rava fried items.

    Do they have buffet on weekends?

    Hey! No they don't do buffets anymore unfortunately.

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    Sewa Indian and Nepalese Cuisine

    4.8(183 reviews)
    1.9 miInner Richmond

    Absolutely hands down the best Indian food in the Bay that I've ever tried! Every dish was…read moreincredibly flavorful, rich, and creamy...served fresh, hot, and bursting with authentic taste. One bite instantly took me back home. You can truly taste the care and quality in the food. The tea was outstanding, and every single dish we ordered exceeded expectations. On top of the amazing food, the customer service was exceptional. The young lady and the gentleman were so kind and thoughtful & they even bagged all of our leftovers for us. She kept our water glasses filled to the rim the entire time, which did not go unnoticed. My husband and I already know we'll be coming back for my birthday...that's how good it was! The ambiance was so calming and the music was jamming the whole time! Delicious food, warm hospitality, and an unforgettable experience. Highly recommend!

    Very friendly and efficient staff and clean interior. Food came out decently fast too, but there…read moreare a few critiques I have about them. Starting off with what was good though, their mango lassi is tasty and momo chili dumplings are so flavorful with great texture. I would say they excel at their doughs in general because their naan was also great (especially the onion stuffed naan). Their Sewa/kale chaat was also passable (but would love if the kale pieces were bigger so that beans don't cause it to be as soggy after a while). That being said, it seems like they could do a little better with packing a flavor punch for their other dishes. Their shrimp tandoori was good but nothing to write home about. Lamb biriyani was also good but could've been stronger in flavor. Chicken tikka masala seemed like it was lacking something (but not sure what...), and the artichoke pakora didn't taste like artichoke? Thought it was still decent... I also think their tamarind chutney could be a bit thicker in consistency (maybe like that of the mango lassi), the mint chutney was nice.

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    Sewa Indian and Nepalese Cuisine - So greatfull environment

    So greatfull environment

    Sewa Indian and Nepalese Cuisine - Saag Paneer; Chicken Tikka Masala

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    Jalebi Street - Delhi Special Chole Bhature

    Jalebi Street

    4.4(129 reviews)
    2.0 miThe Haight

    Jalebi Street has been highly recommended to me by multiple vegetarian and non-vegetarian friends,…read moreso I suggested it as the dinner portion of our regular try-all-the-bars-listed-in-this-one-book nights (that night's bar was Zam Zam). We ordered a bunch of fried things and enjoyed it all. Very flavorful and well executed. The friends did not recomend the actual jalebis, but I insisted on ordering one because of the name and really liked it.

    We were excited to try this restaurant, but unfortunately the experience at the front desk…read morecompletely ruined it for us. The check-in process was extremely confusing, there were no clear signs indicating where dine-in guests should wait or check in. We stood in what looked like the line, only to realize later that other parties had somehow gone ahead of us and were seated first. When we tried to clarify things with the host, instead of helping, he was very rude and dismissive. He abruptly said something along the lines of, "There's only one line, can you make it quick? What's your party size?" He wasn't listening to us at all and made no effort to acknowledge how chaotic and unclear the system was. The interaction felt hostile and unwelcoming. We ended up leaving immediately because the entire experience felt unpleasant before we even got seated. For a restaurant in San Francisco, especially one representing Indian hospitality, I really expect a more organized and respectful front-of-house experience. Clear signage, a proper check-in system, and basic courtesy from hosts would go a long way.

    Photos
    Jalebi Street - Inside

    Inside

    Jalebi Street - Delhi Special Chole Bhature

    Delhi Special Chole Bhature

    Jalebi Street - Mango Lassi

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    Tiya - Butter chicken

    Tiya

    4.4(260 reviews)
    0.0 miMarina/Cow Hollow

    This is most likely the best restaurant in the world I'm…read moretraveling every week for the last 30 years all around the world and I love trying the best places This is by far top notch From the insane level of details to drinks to the unbelievable food flavors that are just impossible to find elsewhere! The chef is a genius Never seen such attention to detail Can't wait to bring anyone I know there!

    I would normally not bother writing a review but the other reviews on this page are beyond insane…read moreand I felt a need give you guys the facts before you spend a couple hundred at this place. The person who states "This is most likely the best restaurant in the world" has to be beyond sheltered; It's not even the best restaurant in the _neighborhood_. The main thing you must understand: the food is "inspired" by Indian food, but it does _not_ taste like Indian food. I suspect its been intentionally watered down to be palatable to milquetoast palettes. We ordered three small plates and the butter chicken as the main. Chicken Tikka Taco. This was greasy to the touch, with chicken and cheese. The dominate flavor is the cheddar cheese. They were trying to be creative but the ultimate effect was similar to a frozen burrito with cheddar cheese and chile verde. If you eat this, close your eyes and imagine a microwaved, frozen burrito..you'll see what I mean. Tandoori Avocado. This features an avocado that's been warmed and covered in a chili sauce. There's a green hummus and a fried dosa crisp. While it sounds wild, once the flavors are mixed together on the plate...the overall effect is that of a green-goddess salad. It's not bad, but its not mind bending. Octopus Xec Xec. The octopous was was cooked nicely and there was a tomato based sauce. Unlike something you'd find in India, it is _not_ heavy on the spices, or tang, or nuttiness. It's just very _neutral_. Butter Chicken. This was the biggest disappointment. I've never had a butter chicken curry that tasted so close to tomato soup in my life. I've eaten tons of butter chicken in my life, hundreds of Indian restaurants. I cannot imagine this was not an intentional choice...It was extremely disappointing. Also, the choice to use chicken breast was poor. Inevitably you get overcooked, chewy chicken pieces. They must have chosen this because (like Disneyland) sometimes you water things down to make it more popular with less adventurous people. The customers next to us (not Indian) kept slathering it on their rice and saying "I can't believe I didn't use to like Indian food!" -- that told me all I needed to know. BTW the naan is insanely bad. They stretched it very thin and then crisped it to the point that it breaks like a cracker. In what world is naan not pillowy and soft? Personally, I was really disappointed with this experience -- the other reviews on yelp are absolute insanity IMO. I know there's a hype train right now -- but someday people will realize this place is not it.

    Photos
    Tiya - Dining room

    Dining room

    Tiya - Butter chicken

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    Cauliflower Pakoda

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