Do order food here! One star for very tasty food. One star for really reasonable prices. One star for good size portions worth the cost. Zero star for poor waiter service. The heavy nicotine smell from his breath. Never checked on us, no follow up, may be because we were not the mainstream skin color. Zero star for toilets with no paper products. Also, poor cleaning under the buffet table. See photo. I would order again if they can give more training to the waiter. He needs to be more attentive, use breath freshener and treat all customers the same way. read more

Zaiqa Indian and Pakistani Cuisine - Below the buffet table. - Indian Near Me - Hercules, California

Best Indian food in Pinole and Hercules area. Ambience is your typical hole restaurant but when it comes to the food and drinks, it's a 10/10. I would recommend going here if you want authentic and flavorful Indian food. Everything was so good even the spice that we asked for. read more

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We live here got years, finally got around to trying out this place. We went in for the weekend lunch buffet. Excellent price. Food was fresh and hot. Enough of a selection of salad, rice (plain and biryani), a good selection of curry, tandoori, and veggies dishes, rice pudding for desert, and delicious masala tea. Garlic naan is crispy on the bottom, soft and chewy on top, absolutely delicious. Took off 1 star cos the main dishes are a bit salty. read more

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First time here. We were looking for a good deal and a buffet. Which we found here. Food was good worth the drive and cost. Parking is easy. And variety of dishes is good. I wish there were samosas but we enjoyed what we had for under 21.00 weekend deal. We will come back because it's close by. And the food is tasty. Good naan if u ask for some. It's not on the buffet table. read more

This was my first time having food here that wasn't the lunch buffet, which they now only have on weekends. I ordered the Chicken Biryani Spicy and it was so good. Was very surprised with the generous portion and amount of chicken in the dish. The heat level was perfect, read more

Zaiqa Indian and Pakistani Cuisine - Chicken Biryani - Indian Near Me - Hercules, California

Ordered " Chargrilled Tandoori Chicken Leg w/Roti Indian Bread. The CHICKEN LEG TANDOORI ""was Awesome !!! Had a ' Wedge Of Lemon & Fresh Onion Slices on the Side !!! Mango Lassi was Great !!! Only we couldn't reach their Telephone Number to ascertain the ' Lemon Wedge ' would be on the Side !!!! read more

Food: 3/5 I was skeptical to try this restaurant after reading some of the reviews, but the food turned out to be just ok. The chicken tandoor did have a nice flavor but was slightly dry. They included a tamarind sauce and chutney, I dipped the chicken into the mint chutney to add some moisture. I have had much better than this so my expectations were a bit high. The garlic naan was flavorful, lots of garlic, not burnt. The last item I tried was the shahi panner, which was a bit disappointing. It does not have much creaminess (even non-dairy, some versions use cashews), it was incredibly sweet, and the paneer pieces were quite small. There were nearly full pieces of raisins in the dish. If I was to order here again it would be for the chicken and or naan. Service: 2/5 I ordered this for delivery, so I cannot say this is because of the restaurant or the delivery person, but my bag was leaking heavily. When taking the items out of the bag, the oil and grease got everywhere. Ambiance: Delivery order. read more

Zaiqa Indian and Pakistani Cuisine - Shahi Paneer, Garlic Naan, Chicken Tandoor - Indian Near Me - Hercules, California

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Their steam table is the best. It's available from 12-3. Their lunch buffet was very enjoyable.

Delicious chicken curry with cheese naan to soak up the tasty sauce. Service excellent. This is my favorite restaurant in the area. Ambience is not fancy. read more

First time dining in but second time eating here. I prefer dining in, it was a good and quiet experience. Food I could not complain about. Very good and what my body needed after a long week. Comfort food! A good way to treat yourself. The server was kind and made sure I was good. Definitely will be coming back. Want to check out the buffet one day. read more

Zaiqa Indian and Pakistani Cuisine - Veggie Combo - Indian Near Me - Hercules, California

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Yesterday I ordered goat biryani and chicken tikka. Chicken tikka meat near bone was not done well. Goat biryani had too much masala and meat was not done properly. Meat was hand and couldn't chew. read more

Yesterday we ordered online for pick up. The order went through. I went to the place to pick up the order but nobody there. The open sign is on. There was no one answering to the phone. Wasted my time read more

Food is good! I always order from here, and the prices are reasonable! Please give this place a try!

I wanted something different in Hercules & decided to give Zaiqa a try. At noon on a Tues. it was surprisingly busy with customers for indoor dining as well as take out orders so that was a good sign. As a party of 5, we decided to try the lunch buffet at $16.99 pp since there was much more variety rather than choosing 1 dish for $13-16 pp. plus Chai tea was included, rice & salad. The hot trays all consisted of chicken with the exception of 1 lamb dish & a vegetarian dish. The variety chicken dishes comprised of curry, tiki masala (my favorite bc of the creamy tomato sauce), chicken Kopora (fried chicken & at noon there were sparse pieces available & not replenished the entire time we were there), & Tandori chicken (didn't try bc I was really full but it was the only dish that had Saran Wrap which was interesting). Additionally, the Chicken Briyani had a unsettling taste to my palette. The consistency was perfection, however there was a chemical taste to it. After a couple bites, I opted for the Basmali rice, which was a great accompanist to the Chicken Curry and other saucy dishes. read more

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Flavorful Dishes for their lunch buffet. Never had goat prepared so deliciously. It wasn't gamey at all! They had two variations of Basmati rice to choose from. Naan comes with the lunch special, which was made fresh to order. I also liked this fried vegetable fritter that had a medium heat to it; forgot its name. The dessert was a chilled rice pudding of sorts, nice and light. Chai tea was available at the dispenser, fragrant and freshly brewed. Every dish I tried was well seasoned with a complexity and balance of flavorful herbs. I think this may have been the best Indian food I've had! I haven't had Indian food in a while and used to go to a place in a town over. I'm glad I finally tried this place. read more

Zaiqa Indian and Pakistani Cuisine - Chicken Tikka Masala, Goat Masala?, Chicken & Vegetable fritters?, and more! - Indian Near Me - Hercules, California

Like other Yelpers, I have to concur that this place is now trying to do the least to stay afloat. Had the lunch buffet yesterday and the food felt old and uninspired. Only dish I liked was the mutter paneer. The tandoori chicken was barely chicken ... just a few desiccated pieces they did not want to refill because it was the end of the buffet. The chicken curries could have been so much more. But the worst were the vegetable biriyani, which literally smelled old, and the lumpy and stale kheer. I have eaten here before - about a year ago - and it was good for a la carte. But wondering if the standards are now the same ... read more

Always the best, There buffet ++++ their goat A++++++++ Their owner is a new one. He used to own one restaurant Antioch, but I guess they switched read more

INDIAN: I love my food spicy. Zaiqa is our hometown favorite Indian food. They are still open during Covid but only doing take out no outside seating. We have been coming here for over 5 years we usually order Vegetarian Biriyani, Veggie Samosa. Our additional favorites are lamb or chicken curry and naan! Food is always fresh and service is always impeccable. Quality is always high and owner is super friendly and even knows my name now lol.. Plenty of parking and they always have a hall and can host big parties next door as well. They also have a lunch buffet have still got on my list to try it ! Highly recommend Zaiqas! read more

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First time I tried Zaiqa indian food. The biryani's portions were amazing. I order Butter chicken, fish Tilka masala and Garlic Naan. It's delicious, you can titrate the level of spiciness on the dishes. The service was fast and easy. The ambience is quiet and clean. The staff were friendly. I recommend this place. read more

We ordered goat curry, lamb palak, garlic naan, and gulab. Everything was tasty. I really enjoyed that the naan had a pronounced garlic flavor. I ordered medium spice for the meats, but it was barely present. I will order spicy next time. I cannot speak to their customer service because we had our food delivered, but it arrived hot. read more

This is my 2nd time at Zaiqa Restaurant. I love the food here especially The service and Ken extremely a nice person also the price is very good, and the ambiance. I would recommend more people to come and try. read more

this was the first time that I had ever ate Indian food because I had swore I would never eat it. It was not only delicious, but our server Ken was the most miraculous server I've ever had. He explained to me everything that didn't have curry in it and how it would taste and he was precisely exactly right. His mannerism was so amazing and I would recommend this restaurant to anybody and ask for the server Ken read more

Zaiqa Indian and Pakistani Cuisine - I had the Chicken biryani and chicken pakora and I had a mango Soft Drink - Indian Near Me - Hercules, California

Had their lunch buffet on the weekend. About $23 per person after a 15% tip. They have about 10 hot dishes at a time and serve you fresh naan when you get started. They had basmati rice and chicken briyani. Most of the main dishes were chicken (chicken Tikka masala, chicken curry) or vegetable dishes Chana masala was my favorite with the naan. I was pleasantly surprised they had a goat dish out I don't usually goat served at other Indian buffets I've gone to. The offer Chai tea as part of the meal alongside three sauaces - raita, tamarind, and mint chutney. For dessert thay day they had Kheer and Gajjar Halwa. They were both nice and sweet. First time having Gajjat Halwa and it was like sweet cous cous. Would definitely come back here! read more

Came here for a Holiday lunch with a coworker and was so excited. I've been wanting to try Zaiqa's lunch buffet for a while! The inside was cute and cozy. It was around 1pm on a Thursday and nobody was there. They had about 8-10 different (chicken, beef, and vegetarian) hot dishes, salad, chicken biryani, plain basmati rice, naan, chai tea, and a rice pudding for dessert. I had 2 plates and tried almost everything and was so impressed. Everything tasted great to me, and I didn't get any off putting taste for having it sit out buffet style. It all tasted fresh and hot. The staff was extremely friendly and attentive. I cannot wait to come back! Wish I snapped more photos! read more

Zaiqa Indian and Pakistani Cuisine - Indian Near Me - Hercules, California

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I visited Zaiqa with my family just yesterday and we were so glad we did. It was our first time trying this restaurant and we had a great experience with excellent food, wonderful service ( Ken was the perfect host!)and a very calm ambiance. We tried several options on the menu which were all delicious including the butter chicken, chicken Tikka Masala, chicken boti, garlic and cheese naans and chicken and vegetable pakora. All options were so good paired with some white rice. Our family was particularly impressed with the chicken Boti which was very moist and had bold flavor it was the best we have had in the area. Another plus about this location is that it is open and does not close like many other venues that offer this type of cuisine. My family will be back again for sure, and we will be recommending Zaiqa to our friends and family as well. I would really encourage anyone interested to visit this location, you wont be disappointed. ​ read more

Zaiqa is the best Indian food in Hercules... the owner is very personable, and the food is excellent. My wife and I will sometimes go out of our way from Antioch to get here. They have a broad selection, rotate dishes, and make everything fresh. My *only* suggestion would be to make the naan fresh to order and not have it in a warmer. Come here to check out their buffet! Thanks for reading my review! read more

Zaiqa Indian and Pakistani Cuisine - Buffet - Indian Near Me - Hercules, California

I was craving Indian food and needed somewhere close by. I ordered veggie samosas (my fav) alo gobi, garlic naan and veggie biryani all in medium. I like a lily toe spice but not so much that it makes my tongue numb. The alo gobi was one spice level away from tongue numbing. Maybe I'll try mild next time but I hope it doesn't sacrifice the flavor. Overall I enjoyed my food but the alo gobi was a tad oily. Delivery was fast and the food was fresh and tasty. read more

Got take out from here and it was SO GOOD! I love the variety of the menu, and each dish was incredibly flavorful. Be warned, spicy means SPICY, but really everything tastes like an amazing array of spices as well. I can't wait to try more options next time! read more

We came here for the $20 lunch buffet. We arrived at 12:30 and there was no customer dining. It was our first time and I was a little bit nervous due to the recent negative comments. I am happy that we took a chance on this place because the food was delicious ... especially the chana masala, bhangan bharta, and goat curry ... and the garlic naan came out fresh ... it was really enjoyable. The food was nicely flavored with the right amount of spices... none was chilli pepper hot. 1 star off because some of the food ran out and they didn't refill after a takeout customer went through the line and took all the good food. 0.5 star off because some the food they had out was from the prior night. Rice pot was almost empty (not freshly made). A lot of the deep fried stuff looked old. The stir fried dishes also were not freshly made. It's hard to tell with the curries and stews since they keep longer. Except for the fresh naan, they did not bring out anything else. It was before 1 pm and I overheard that they were preparing for a banquet... so maybe that's why. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars -- Hoping they improve their service. I'll come back again. Around 1 pm next time so I don't get day-old food. If it happens again, I'll round down to 3 and find another place. read more

Zaiqa Indian and Pakistani Cuisine - Storefront - Indian Near Me - Hercules, California

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Hadn't been here in years since moving from the area. Decided to dine in for the lunch buffet which is now $20/person with about ten options including vegetarian options. All the options were solid! The veggie biryani rice was flavorful but spicy! The fried chicken bites were really good and the Dahl was decent. The paneer was one of my favorite buffet options. My husband said that the goat was delicious and flavorful! The most anticipated but disappointing option was the tikka masala as it had a strong tomato flavor but not much of anything else. Lacked curry and cream. We also got the garlic naan which was just like I remembered, crisp and fresh! Probably be awhile before I'll eat here again. Their buffet option is everyday Monday through Sunday from 11am-2pm. read more

Quick service, yummy food, chill ambiance, nice people that work there. Would recommend if you like Indian food.

I been here twice. Once for dinner and once for the buffet. The food is soso. It seems they keep replenishing the buffet with leftover food from the previous day. In the buffet, the service staff is not keeping an eye on which items need replenishing. I had to ask for the kheer to be available. There was no serving spoon for the kheer and other items. Had to use my table spoon. There is a young lady, probably in her 20s, who roams on the floor but is very serious all the time. It is a turnoff for customers. She needs to smile more and be more customer centric. American restaurants do it best! read more

Best Indian restaurant around. Food is consistently delicious. I always get takeout because it is usually after work and I just want to be home. Always service with a smile and small talk. read more

Their food is amazing. The rice is so aromatic and perfectly cooked, the naan is so moist (we got the garlic) and I wish we'd ordered 2) and every entree we ever get is the best of that type we have ever had. Lamb, goat and chicken curry are all full of flavor and terrific. The fish tikka masala is what made me write this review. Chicken kofta is delicious and I've had almost all their paneers and they're all great too. Samosas, yummy. The seasoning is what you want in Indian food: layered, aromatic and spicy. Their heat levels are accurate. I like spicy food and the mild is usually fine for me, it has some heat, but I appreciate that they give options. We have always ordered take out. I will say the staff that greet us with the food are friendly, the service is timely and the food is hot and carefully packed for travel. Try this place if you would like some quality Indian-Pakistani food. read more

This is such a hidden gem and I will be back for their AYCE lunch special. First off, the buffet, and dining area in general, was very clean and tidy which is essential for a good business. All of the dishes had labels and were kept at the right temperature. They had a variety of options so no matter what your preferences are you're sure to find something you'll thoroughly enjoy. I opted for the chicken tikka and pakora with rice and garlic naan which was so yummy. I even went back for seconds and tried the chicken biryani and tandoori. Soooo good. Our server was very nice and super informative making the overall experience very pleasant. They also offer to go options for the buffet if you'd so like. It was so tasty that I had to bring some home for later :P Zaiqa's is a modest mom & pop restaurant that offers delicious Indian and Pakistani cuisine at a competitive price without sacrificing the quality. 9/10 read more

Zaiqa Indian and Pakistani Cuisine - indoor seating - Indian Near Me - Hercules, California

This local spot never fails to hit the spot! Whenever I'm craving Indian/Pakistani food, this always comes to mind. Comparable to other Indian restaurants, Zaiqa can be a little bit spicier (hot spicy) than others, but definitely doesn't miss out on packing all the flavor and good combination of spices. They also ask how spicy you want so I'm sure you can tailor it to your tastebuds. I usually get mild-medium. All time favorite dish at any Indian restaurant is the palak paneer (cheese cooked with spinach), so that's how I usually decide if I like the place or not. Their palak paneer definitely does not disappoint and is probably one of my all time favorite places to get it. It is so creamy and flavorful and the paneer is cooked perfectly to where it's still firm and chewy. I can't get enough of the spinach, even when I'm full I still go back for extra bites! Even days later, I still go back to my leftovers, it keeps well in the fridge! Second favorite dish is bhangan bharta (eggplant). This is actually the first place I tried it and it has definitely become my regular at any place I go. It's mixed with other vegetables, most notable the green pea which gives a nice pop and texture. It's a delicious blend of eggplant and spices, I can't even tell you what goes into it but it's a crowd pleaser. Other dishes I've had here are: Lamb & Veggie Biryani (fried rice) very flavorful. Just watch for the large spices that sometimes get left so you don't get a huge bite of it. Butter Chicken & Tikka Masala - both sauces are so smooth and creamy sometimes I can drink just the sauce like a soup. Tikka masala has more of a tomato forward taste and butter chicken is much more rich and creamy. Both never fail to pack flavor and smoothness in every bite. Lamb Tikka, Goat Curry, and Lamb Shank with spinach - lamb is my favorite meat when it comes to Indian food, but I usually order the veggies and chicken for my husband and family. All of the ones I've listed are a hit for those who enjoy lamb or goat like I do. The lamb shank was a little Pakora - fried battered veggies, I've only had it to-go so it wasn't as crunchy as I'd prefer, but I'm sure it's a lot different when fresh Garlic Naan - I usually like eating my curries with rice, because culturally that's my go-to, but I know typically naan is their staple. Whenever I do get naan, garlic all the way! For some reason, the last time I ordered naan, it was very different than the one they usually serve (unless I'm mistaken) but it was definitely a different texture and had sesame seeds on it. The garlic wasn't as forward as I'd like and the texture was softer more doughy, so it wasn't my favorite. read more

Really great portion size, really great flavors & really great prices! We usually order delivery/togo so never really chilled inside, but service is always fast & food always on point. My favs is 1. Chana Palak 2. Bhindi Masala 3. Garlic Naan 4. Veggie Samosa 5. Vegetable Biryani (this is so good but if you can't handle spice even the mild will be too spicy). ***Heads up: You will need to order the side of rice (Sada Chawal) with your entrees The people are really kind & helpful especially if you call, or have any questions! read more

I've doordashed from here a couple of times and the food isn't too bad. Not the best but not bad either. Today I went to pickup and although the lady at the counter was nice and helpful a male employee sitting had no sense of customer service. For small talk I asked whether he worked there and he sarcastically said "what does it look like?" Pointing at his apron. This made just picking my food up awkward. That was a turnoff and that is the reason I won't be going back. read more

I ordered for pick up just now. The restaurant was empty, only one doordash pick up. I got my food & open up a burnt naan.. I understand a toasty one, but this one definitely has burn marks on it. The food is ehh, the chicken tikka is sweet, no good. read more

Zaiqa Indian and Pakistani Cuisine - Plain Naan - Indian Near Me - Hercules, California

Still stand by my previous review: there's very little to see or do in Hercules but Zaiqa totally makes up for it. However I've noticed recently our orders from here have not been consistent with the spice level. I love it spicy but my kids can't handle it hot! They love palak paneer and I always order it mild for them. Sometimes its mild, and my kids will gobble it up. But sometimes it's noticeably spicier (even for me, and I can handle some heat). Wish they would try to honor my requests for mildly spiced dishes. Hey Zaiqa I'm trying to turn on the next gen to your food! They might be able to handle more spice as they get older but don't help them reject it completely! read more