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Al Watan Halal Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Indian Restaurants Pakistani Event Planning & Services Caterers Indian, Pakistani, Caterers [Edit]
13619 Inglewood AveHawthorne, CA 90250
(310) 644-6395
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
174 reviews for Al Watan Halal Restaurant
Review Highlights
"The Chicken Tikka Masala is unbelievable."
(in 35 reviews)
"Delicious and they have garlic naan as well."
(in 35 reviews)
"Don't forget to finish up with some mango lassi."
(in 18 reviews)
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174 reviews in English
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Review from Antho L.
Hands down one of the best Pakistani/Indian places in the South Bay!
Love, love, love coming here for a meal. The food seems to be a little on the spicy side which is great for me so consider yourself warned if you're not a spicy food lover.
It's a really casual spot and they provide great service!
I came in the other day to redeem a coupon I had purchased that had already expired. I showed it to one of the servers and he said they still would honor the face value or the amount I had paid for the coupon which was $10.
I would have ordered the lunch special which is a decent sized ensemble of traditional Pakistani cuisine on a platter but decided to go a la carte and ordered the chicken curry, rice and a plate of naan.
They served me up with a plate of lettuce, onions and cucumbers first which was really good with squeezed lemon. I used it as a chutney of sorts to help mitigate the spicy curry.
The chicken curry was really tasty and the rice was good too as they made it with saffron spices so it had that yellowish hue to it.
The naan was fresh and hot and was delicious for dipping in the curry sauce.
Towards the end of the meal, I somewhat could hear the server who okayed my coupon getting reprimanded by the owner/manager about saying they would honor my expired coupon at face value. Good it was the waiter I had asked because I think had I had asked the other gentleman, he would have said no. He brought my bill and the total was $14.16 but I only had to pay $4.16. He did mention that the coupon expired a while ago and I said the coupon stated it could be honored at face value after expiration and he said he thinks I should have just requested a refund with Groupon.
Wew! I guess since the worker had told me it was okay, he felt obliged to go ahead and honor it. Very fortunate for me
If you like this type of cuisine, you'd love this place! Definitely check it out if you're in the area as you'll be a fan too! Enjoy! -
Review from Rahli H.
Torrance, CA
2/6/2012
I have been going here I was alittle kid. When I was younger, I used to love this place but as I get older, the quality of the food has decline a lot. It has also because very expensive.
I rarely come here now because there is better Indian/Pakistani food out there. The good isn't bad but for the price you pay you can definitely get a better bang for your buck.
Double check your bill, the prices gets higher on the bill then what was written on the menu. -
Review from Martin S.
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is one of my " I have to have this and nothing else will do" places. And my dish of choice here is the Chicken Tikka Masala. Spicy hot, savory, creamy meaty love in a dish! My only disappointment is that being a Halal restaurant they don't serve beer.
So take out is a good option. The mixed tandoori is another fav as well as the garlic naan. In the south bay you would be quite hard pressed to convince me that there is any other place as good for tandoori or chicken tikka masala. Indian or Pakistani. Although I do love Al Noor as well but Al Watan is my first love as far as this type of food is concerned.
Go and enjoy! -
Review from Stephanie B.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
In my quest to make sure that I have found the best South Asian restaurant in Southern Los Angeles County, I checked out Al Watan last night (Bombay Tandoori maintains its 5 stars). For those of you concerned about an Al Noor v. Al Watan battle, Al Watan wins. Al Noor was featured on the Best Thing I Ever Ate for their naan - well that naan, sorry Chef Greenspan, does not hold a candle to Al Watan's naan.
So, why only A-OK (three stars)? Well, first I will tell you the dings:
Interior - this place has zero ambiance. You would never bring a date here. It is clean, with long, glass covered tables, and there is lots of buzzing from the flourescent lights.
Service - Very attentive in taking your order and bringing your food, but they were not good about checking back in or refilling water. Big bummer.
Hakeem - a "specialty" made from mashed lentils and shredded beef. It had a decent flavor (think reduced split pea soup with beef), but the texture was off-putting. It was sticky, like wallpaper paste (there was actually a cheese like drag from the serving spoon back to the dish). Yuck!
What was first class:
Plain Naan and Onion Kulcha - uber fresh, and some of the best that I have ever had. Also, a screaming deal at $1 and $2, respectively.
Bhindi - they have some of the best Bhindi that I have had. No woody pieces, well seasoned (could have used some more heat) and lots of onions and tomatoes.
What was just ok:
Aloo Matar - underseasoned and peas were way beyond cooked.
Parking - street only.
It is funny that the menu says an item is $7.99, and then they charge $8. But, my total was $23.19 (with tax), and they only collected $23. So, really the customer ends up ahead, but they should just correctly list their actual prices.
And other reviewers I right - I stank when I left there. I smelled like I had been in the kitchen. Maybe they pipe the fumes into the restaurant?
I would come back for some bhindi and naan, but this is not making this list of greatest hits. -
Review from Daryl C.
El Segundo, CA
12/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good Food.
Went with 2 friends from work. Ordered: Mix Tandoori, Chicken Curry, Chicken Tikka Masala, Rice & 2x Garlic Naan, cost $43. We were unable to finish all the food they gave us. The Mix Tandoori came out sizzling on a warm plate, the Curry & Masala in bowls.
Everything was very tasty, I wouldn't go so far to say it is the best in So. Cal. though. I find it very comparable to: http://www.yelp.com/bi... and they have a larger menu. But, I also have to admit, my experience with Indian food is very limited. Anyway, this place is worth coming back to. -
Review from Imran K.
Walnut, CA
12/2/2011
The food ordered came quickly, was hot and tasted awesome
the prices are very good
During eating I noted the center of the Kaboob was still cold , so obviously they were not making fresh food and serving it under cooked. This can cause some sickness.
The bread came hot but in a cold plate uncovered so it lost heat quickly.
The parking is zero so you have to park on the street and pray no one gives you a ticket. -
Review from Danny S.
Torrance, CA
1/22/2012
Last night was my second time visiting Al Watan. On my first visit, I thought the food was great and they had a customer for life. However last night we were severely insulted by the staff at Al Watan, and because of this I will NEVER visit this establishment again.
We ordered the Goat Karahi. They made a mistake and brought us Goat Khorma instead. Okay no problem, we informed them of this. Five minutes later they brought us back the SAME dish with most of the sauce removed and told us this was Karahi. They actually tried to tell us Karahi is just Khorma with less sauce.
I have NEVER been so insulted at a restaurant in my entire life. I have had a lot of Pakistani food over the past few years and I know what Karahi is. Karahi is the dish they gave us when we ordered it on our first visit. It is not Khorma with less sauce. Even worse they tried to pull this with my Pakistani friend sitting at the table with us.
Shame on you Al Watan. -
Review from J B.
Manhattan, NY
Updated - 1/24/2012
Again my trip to LAX end up at my Favorite Alwatan all the Crew enjoyed as it was all
new crew members had some chicken curry ,Nihari, well done Naan straight from the Oven and least but not last Mix tandoori the best dish i ever had.
split the bill $11.00 per head amazing place for the groups.
Keep it up Alwatan ++++++++1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/25/2011
On my recent trip on long haul nights to Los Angeles, end up in this restaurant on the… Read more »
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Review from Lee S.
La Puente, CA
1/21/2012
Food is ok and reasonable priced.
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Review from Sara B.
Pacific Palisades, CA
12/15/2011
This place is my all-time favorite in LA. I always stop there when I go to or come from LAX. Simple, excellent, family style indian/Pakistani food.
The lunch special is a real special: good and generous choice of various curries, rice and naan. The bread - naan - is so good there that a lot of times I just enjoy the chickpeas with 2 naan. They raised their prices about 3 years ago which was a little disappointing - but hey, there are only 5 stars here on yelp anyway and Al Watan definitely deserve all of them. -
Review from Majid K.
Lancaster, CA
1/15/2012 2 photos
This place is an amazing resturant, I have been coming here for years and it has stayed consistant in both taste and service. Like most I ordered naan along with a combination of chicken or masala dishes. The owner and waiters are friendly also and very fast even in the busy hours. Al watan is definitely one of the best Pakistani restaurants in southern california.
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Review from Mona A.
Corona, CA
1/7/2012
Step outside of the chicken tikka masala box and go for the nehari and haleem-delicious. Hardcore paki food, the stuff people eat at home on the regular. Hole in the wall looking- but aren't those always the best?
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Review from Jonathan L.
Monterey Park, CA
12/30/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This is one of my favorite go to spots for Indian/Pakistani food. I discovered this place due to a friend who loves Indian food. The restaurant is hard to find, so make sure you keep a good lookout on it. It is located across the street from a car wash place.
I recommend this place for a group setting, because almost everything is a la carte. And trust me, you do not want to order the lunch special. It doesn't look that appetizing to me. We ordered the following which I ranked by order of deliciousness.
Chicken Tikka Masala
Aloo Palak (creamed spinach + potatoes)
Garlic Na-an bread
Nihari (Beef + spice, this was one really spicy for me)
Basmati rice.
The quality of the food was really exceptional. Everything came out blazing hot from the stove. The garlic na-an bread was to die for. If I could eat this every day, I definitely would. The service was good, they made sure our waters were always filled.
I would highly recommend this place for lunch. Make sure you bring some gum or mouth wash, because you'll definitely have some kick ass breath after the meal. -
Review from Roman F.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
12/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Food was tasty, service was okay. We had the Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Curry and Mixed Tandoori. Still prefer Addi's Tandoori on Torrance Blvd
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Review from aliya y.
Los Angeles, CA
12/7/2011
Hands down the best Pakistani restaurant in LA. The grilled items are my favorite (tandoori chicken, seekh kabab) as opposed to the curries. And you can't pass up the garlic naan (I wouldn't even bother ordering rice).
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Review from Lucy P.
7/30/2011 5 photos
"Al Watan Halal Restaurant" serves some of the best Indian food we've eaten in Southern California. This place does not look like too much from the outside so "don't judge a book by its cover" (as trite as this phrase may be). Service was stellar and it was an ALL male staff. Our orders were accurate, food was brought out rather quickly, and we got constant refills on our drinks. Why the 4 stars then???? I assume the constant refills of water had something to do with the food which can be described in one word: SPICY!!!!! You will drink copious amounts of water with your meal. Although the food was flavorful and fresh, it was a little too much heat for my sensitive palate and stomach. We were never offered an option on the spiciness factor.
We ordered chicken tikka masala and I got the something they call a dinner combination. The chicken tikka masala was tasty but the gravy was spicy and a little too oily. The naan bread went well with the said gravy. My dinner combination was a mere $7.99 and my plate was literally OVERSPILLING with food. It came with chicken korma, daal (lentils), a small beef kabob, basmati rice, and curried vegetables. Everything was delicious!!! We also ordered a piece of butter naan and a piece of garlic naan. The side of basmati rice was cooked perfectly. One of the servers even brought us a complimentary salad, plain naan, and a small dish of Indian rice pudding. These items were not only good but free ;o).
The business owners and their entire staff are truly remarkable and we shall return. Thank you for a memorable and pleasant evening.
Note: Although the food is really good, this is not a place to take someone on a first date. The furniture is simple and may not be the most romantic place to dine. However, if you are looking for GREAT Indian cuisine and you like spicy food, this place will be Indian Food Heaven. I'll meet ya at the gate!! ;o)Listed in: Vegan and Vegetarian places, Indian Food!!
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Review from Attique I.
Lomita, CA
8/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've eaten here a number of times over the years, and the food IS good, but not as great as everyone claims. It is one of the better Indian/Pakistani places around though.
Two days ago (8/14/2011), I had them cater food for 50 people... and this turned out to be a nightmare situation. First they tried to overcharge me, They quoted me one price one day, and when I called back to confirm, the guy said it was this which I've seen them do, and the customers have called them on it.
Secondly and more importantly a few of my guests pointed out that the seekh kabobs had this unpleasant odor to it. One of my guests actually got sick because of it. When I called to tell Mohammed the owner about it, he said I made kabobs for 900 people that day, and you're the only one that had a problem.
He made an excuse that after four hours the food goes bad and he didn't want to do anything about it. He offered to me free kabob after I spent a significant amount on the catering, what a joke.
Here's what I ordered:
Samosas
Pakoras
Channa Chaat (garbanzo beans)
Salad (without tomatoes)
Navarattan Khorma (vegetables)
Lamb Khorma
Chicken Biryani
Naan
Raita
Keer (rice pudding) -
Review from Omar Q.
Columbus, OH
12/11/2011
Al-Watan is my favorite Pakistani/Indian restaurant in the Greater LA area. The food is excellent. Always fresh, and with tons of flavor. I think like many others, my favorite here is the nihari. There is just something very special about its flavor. I love the tandoori items on the menu as well. Portions are of good size, and the price is excellent. I'm always surprised at the bill when I am done eating because it seems like I have eaten a lot more than I have paid for. Service is good, especially for a South Asian place. Yes, it is in a somewhat sketchy area, but I have never found it to be a problem. The restaurant itself, while it could use some advice from a designer, is clean and relatively spacious.
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Review from Mama T.
Hawthorne, CA
12/7/2011
Wow such great food and awesome prices. My mouth was burning after but I liked the spice and het . Yummy to the max
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Review from Carmelee O.
San Fernando Valley, CA
6/10/2011 4 photos
Al-Watan is an awesome Pakistani restaurant. Complimentary salad given. Dishes ordered:
-lamb chops (bone in lamb chops marinated in spices and cooked in special clay oven): I enjoyed this dish very much because I love lamb. The dish came out sizzling and the meat was perfect and had the right amount of tenderness to it.
-mixed tandoori (Beef/Chicken in spices and cooked in a clay oven): wonderful mix of beef and chicken!
-Aloo Palak (Potatoes and creamed spinach cooked delicately): This dish is spicy and flavorful... pick up a potato piece with some naan and you are good to go!
-plain rice (Pakistani basmati rice with a flavored touch of saffron): Rice will balance the spicyness of the sauces.
-plain naan (Buttered and layered with whole wheat bread). perfect to dip in sauces or grab chunks of potatoes or meat.
-butter naan (Leavened bread stuffed with butter). Delicious and they have garlic naan as well.
-mango lassi (thick sweet yoghurt drink blended with mango and milk): delightful cold mango shake!
We ordered more than enough for two! The food came out sizzling and arrived sooner than we expected. Staff was friendly.
Note: Interesting menu items include Maghaz Massala (beef brain pieces cooked with herbs and spices) and Paya (beef foot with spicy sauce). -
Review from Mathew K.
Laguna Niguel, CA
9/15/2011
yo indian food, i'mma let you finish, but al watan is one of the greatest indian restaurants of all time.....OF ALL TIME!!!!!
chicken tika masala. mixed tandoori. garlic naan. done. #bucketlistitem -
Review from Ari A.
Los Angeles, CA
7/22/2011
Over all, I have to admit that Al Watan is perhaps the best Pakistani/Indian restaurant in LA. It may not have much going in the way of ambiance, but when it comes down to authenticity, portion sizes, and over all bang for your buck, then Al Watan definitely comes out the clear winner!
The food has the perfect balance of spice and flavor. They don't use heat to mask a lack of flavor. Like true love, when it's real, Indian food doesn't hurt, but it really does add flavor to your life!
The seekh kebab($4.99) at Al Watan is beef instead of lamb, but is done really well. The goat tikka($9.99) is a nice portion of tender succulent goat meat, and isn't gamy at all. The meat is thoroughly marinated so each bite is really flavorful. It's a nice change from the tandoori chicken and lamb available at every other tandoori restaurant. the karahi and jalfrezi chicken(both $7.99) are excellent at Al Watan as well. The dishes go great with the large house naan($1). They do excellent rice dishes and the lamb biryani($6.99) is excellent!
The curries are good but they seem to use ghee which renders them a little greasy for those not used to it.
While I hardly ever get dessert, the carrot halva($3) makes a great treat and isn't something that appears at a lot of restaurants.
Al Watan puts the bulk of Indian restaurants to shame by offering what hardly any of the competition can match; authentic food, excellent service, fair portions, and all at a more than fair price!Listed in: India to LA
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Review from Daniel G.
Los Angeles, CA
5/13/2011
$4 for rice!?
This place is really going down hill.
There were a ton of labels on the menu showing all their recently raised prices. The chicken tikka masala wasn't fresh and all of the oil was separating from the rest of the sauce. It's very hard to make a bad chicken tikka masala. Service was a bit slow. Plain rice was $4, what a damned ripoff. They also scam you by putting $3.99 or $9.99 on the menu and then putting $4 or $10 on your bill.
Maybe this place used to be great but it's a bit of a ripoff nowadays. there are two much better places right down the street. -
Review from Andrew F.
3/19/2011
CUT TO THE CHASE:
Came here for lunch because of the Groupon. Parking is very limited, so look on the streets, if you dare. Clean and well-lit dining area. Very slow, but very kind service. Meat was overcooked. Won't be coming back.
THE LONG STORY:
Being a major sucker for Groupons, and seeing how this place was close to work, I bought the Groupon since I love Indian and Pakistani food.
My co-workers and I walk in, peruse the menu to find that most of the items are $1~$2 more than what we'd like to pay, but figured, since we have a Groupon, it's fine.
We ordered the chicken tikka masala [um.. isn't that mandatory?], a lamb and spinach dish, and rice.
We waited.
And waited.
And kept waiting, as our food took quite a while.
I believe it took 35 minutes for us to get our food. Why? I really couldn't figure it out. The servers were really nice, coming over to check on us and see if we were doing well, but waiting 35 minutes for a lunch.. was kind of ridiculous.
When the food came out, the lamb was overcooked and, after chomping on it for 2~3 minutes, was spat out and avoided for the rest of the meal. The flavors were tasty and full of good quality yumminess, but the fact that the meat was tough and basically inedible was annoying.
The chicken tikka masala's flavors were not as good as the likes of Al Noor or even India's Tandoori on a good day. The chicken was lean and bordering overcooked as well, but at least it was chewable and digestable.
To compensate for our waiting a heck of a long time, the server asked us at the end of the meal if we would like complimentary rice pudding, but fearing it may have taken 15 minutes to serve, we kindly declined and went on our way.
The food was forgettable, since there are other nice places around town. The service was nice, but dangerously slow.
Thank you Groupon for expanding my horizons. Unfortunately, this was a miss. -
Review from anthony s.
Lawndale, CA
12/15/2011
overpriced and over hyped, want real kabob go to a Persian resturant like seaside palace in Torrance, Iranians are the real kabob makers not pakistanis. enuff said.
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Review from Jenn S.
Los Angeles, CA
11/7/2010 6 Check-ins Here
Rundown
- if you're new to Pakistani food, this should be your first stop
- love the prices
- downfall is that you might smell odd going back to work. :(
I'm not an expert in pakisatni food. Actually, I never really liked it before. It always made me feel sick, so I was hesistant to come to Al Watan with my coworkers.
Glad I did. Unfortunatly, I've never had anything other than the lunch plate. Actually, I have no idea what it is. I think it's tandori chicken, lentils (???) and some other chicken dish. It comes with rice and nan(??).
Oh my, I know I'm butchering this review with my lack of knowledge of what I've been eating. In my defense, I have been coming here monthly for almost 2 years and have never really looked at the menu. I just say lunch plate and water. :)
If you're curious...try this place. -
Review from Chris Y.
10/14/2010
This is one of those little gems that easily get passed-by everyday. I used to drive by this place all the time and think "I'd never eat there". I love Indian/Pakistani food, but I always felt that there would be issues with sanitation. Fortunately, this wasn't the case.
One day, a friend and I decided we'd give it a fair chance and have lunch there. The inside of the restaurant is nicer than the outside, although still very much lackluster.
The food, on the other hand, is fantastic. I can't recall exactly what we ordered, but I believe it was tandoori chicken, rice, chicken tikka masala, and regular & garlic naan. Everything was phenomenal. The tikka masala sauce was a bit more oily than I'm used to, but tasted great. We ate so much, it felt like our belts would burst. Intense flavors! Some spicy, some not so spicy.
Parking can be found on the street just outside the restaurant or around the local residential neighborhood.
If you're looking for an epicurean adventure, satisfy your craving at Al Watan. Your mouth & tummy will thank you. -
Review from Chris K.
North Hollywood, CA
10/29/2010
amAZing!
They are the kind of the place where you would drive from near or far to eat anytime.
Whatever you pick off their menu if you're a first timer, you won't be disappointed.
I am amazed and an immediate follower of this spot. You would think in LA there are so many restaurants that you'll never run out of places to go and wouldn't need to go to the same place twice; however this place you need to keep going and going because it's sooo good! -
Review from Hannah E.
3/25/2011
Based on these other reviews (that I'm just reading now) I guess I should have ordered the sampler platter or something Karahi. Oh well. I didn't. I ordered the lamb sag, and Dan ordered the chicken tikka masala. Once again (this is kind of becoming a pattern) I made fun of him for ordering something so boring, and his dish then turned out to be better than mine, and I ended up having to eat my words (and his lunch).
So my lamb sag was not lamb. It was goat. I tend to like goat better than lamb, so this in itself was not a problem - the problem that it was so overcooked that I had trouble chewing and swallowing it. I really liked the sauce that it was in, and dipped the bread in it until it was gone, but I was unable to eat the goat chunks (though I did suck the marrow out).
The chicken tikka masala was pretty good, though nothing out of the ordinary. It was spicy enough to make my nose run but not make my mouth burn, which is exactly the window of spicy I was after that day.
We also had a tasty mango lassi, wonderful chai, passable rice pudding, and awful gajar halwa. It's a place I would come back to for a quick and cheapish lunch if I worked in the area, but not a place I'd make the drive for.
Oh, and if anyone is considering not coming here because of the descriptions of the neighborhood, relax. It's fine. -
Review from Ujj N.
Manhattan Beach, CA
9/19/2010 1 Check-in Here
I have been going to Al Watan for the last 15 years. Many Pakistani food restaurants have come and go, but this is the real deal. Their Chicken Karahai, Chicken Seekh Kabab, Chicken Tikka (you can tell I dont eat too much beef). In addition their Goat Karahi is awesome.
Dont expect too much of an ambiance - this is a simple "hole in the wall" restaurant with extremely honest owners (left my credit card at their shop and got it back 1 month later when I went back).
Their Naan, Roti everything is good. I get them to cater too - the quantities are huge, but you have to pick up yourself unless you have a very large gathering. -
Review from Luis M.
Los Angeles, CA
4/15/2011
Surprisingly good service and great food. In less than 15 minutes from ordering, we had chicken tikka masala and goat korma - ready to go.
My only complaint is that the food was slightly oily - but hey, the garlic Naan helped soak that up!
The restaurant was well priced and easy to get to. Unfortunately, I am not in that part of town very often - but when out and about in Hawthorne, think of Al Watan for lunch or dinner!
Lots of space for the entire family - PS, ask for ice with the water. -
Review from Zahabia E.
Torrance, CA
3/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
For some delicious Pakistani food - this is the place to go!
As others have mentioned -the appetizer sampler is delish. Our other favorites here are the boti kebab, nihari, chicken korma and the chicken seekh wraps. The biryani is also good.
We've always done take-out.
Parking is street-side. -
Review from Emily S.
Alas, my dear yelper. I am writing this review in tears.
I'm went here this weekend with my sister. We had a http://restaurant.com certificate. We ordered the chicken tikka masala, goat korma, basmati rice, and garlic naan.
The meal was enough for four people. We ate until we were stuffed, and then we took the rest to go.
Right now, I am eating the goat korma with basmati rice. I still have some chicken tikka masala left over. :)
And why am I in tears you ask? Because most of the food they serve here is spicy. ((For me)). It always leaves me teary eyed, with a runny nose. But it's just so good.
The garlic naan this weekend was good. Some parts of it was soft and some was crispy. I like the soft naan more.
The chiken tikka masala was... okay this time around. It usually comes out too oily. And the chicken tasted like it was just cooked then thrown into the masala sauce. Meeh.
What stole the show was the goat korma. MmmmMm. If I were to recommend one dish for you to order, it would be the goat korma. It's good. And spicy. Has ginger in it, and nice juicy pieces of goat. I don't usually like to eat spicy food, but this dish I would eat!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/8/2010
Indian food is one of my favorite types of food. Having said that.. I found this place off of yelp… Read more »
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Review from Victor C.
San Mateo, CA
2/8/2011
We were in town for a couple of days at a conference at LAX and decided to get dinner here.
If you are skittish of shady areas like me, the area this restaurant is located in will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Seriously, I was expecting someone to burst into the restaurant any moment and start shooting.
But anyway, the food is not bad here. I am not an expert on pakistani/indian food but have been to quite a few yummy places with my coworkers. The food here is average and is quite greasy...but then again most of the very good pakistani places I've been to are all greasy. -
Review from Pamela M.
Venice, CA
8/30/2011
My family and I have been coming here for years. I'm so glad everyone likes this place as much as we do.
The service is great, the food even better, but best of all are the prices. It's so cheap! The place is a little dodgy, but I would rather have great food than great decor.
So funny but I meet different people all the time and the conversation always gets around to food and I've had so many random people tell me that this is their favorite Indian/Pakistani restaurant. -
Review from elle b.
Los Angeles, CA
8/27/2010
OK...so after literally spending 5 hours at the gym (OK..I did lay out by the pool and took a steam and sauna then shopped for gear so it wasn't full on work out) I was craving chicken korma. I asked people at the gym for recommendation and was told to check out yelp on the internet upstairs. Me being familiar with this site rushed up the stairs and was recommended this place.
I did a drive by first, hoping there was a parking lot. But I could not find one. Surprisingly, the whole place was lit up so bright inside. A bit bright for my liking at dinner, even for my party of one. Luckily, I found a parking spot up front, walked in and was a bit intimidated. Not sure how the place operates or what to do, but I made my way to the cashier. The man said..."takeaway" I said yes real quick, because not real sure what else to do. I was handed a menu and took a moment to look it over. I knew I wanted korma but I wanted to check the menu for biryani because I LOVE that too!
While checking out the menu the guy at cash register asked if this was my first time. I said yes, so he suggested something and I went for it. I also ordered garlic naan. He said 2...so I said sure taking his lead. After I ordered I did not know what to do...so I awkwardly looked around then hit the door. No place to wait. And I was right under the tv that many were watching...so just felt weird. About 10 mins later (or at least that is what it felt like since I was just standing outside) ...I saw a bunch of bags waiting to be picked up so I went in to check on my order and asked if I should enter again in 5. That is when he said yes. So out I went to my car to try and organize that mess when a man comes running out and brings my food to my car. That guy was nice...he also helped me parallel park (not something I do much).
I then take off and head home, kind of tired and hungry after a long day at the gym. I get home, unpack my bag and wonder...where the heck is the rice. I have never ordered Indian or Pakistani (Not sure what kind it is) and it not come with rice. And the guy knew this was my first time, so I think he should of told me to order the rice and not suggest the 2 HUGE pieces of naan. Maybe he thought I had enough carbs with the naan but I honestly only like to soak up the last bit of the gravy with it. I prefer to eat any dish with gravy with some rice. And NONE! But I opened up a tin foil full of lettuce, cucumbers and a lemon wedge with some sort of dressing. Seriously...where is the rice. If I wanted a salad, I would of ordered one..I wanted rice!
I am home, I don't cook, and I have to pour my chicken tiki something over my naan. With no rice.
If there would of been an explanation of rice, I would of ordered and probably given 5 stars....but the rice is sort of half the meal. It is like getting spaghetti sauce without noodles...Just not right! .I was going to call to see if it is supposed to come with rice, but then what would I do...certainly not get back in the car and drive back. So I figured I would ask next time in.
So food without rice. Good but with rice would of been better
I only needed 1 piece of naan
It was very crowded in there
Salad very unexpected but a kind of nice treat now that I think about it.
No place to wait for food.
And very bright in there.
Will I go back...probably! -
Review from Farhan S.
Coppell, TX
We were visiting LA for a weekend and wanted to have some authentic Pakistani food. We searched online and Al Watan seemed to a good choice.
As usual, this is not a place if you are looking for ambience. It is all about great authentic Pakistani cuisine. We ordered Goat Karahi and Beef boti. The food came sooner than expected. Dishes looked and tasted great. We wanted some gajar halwa as dessert but they were out, instead they offered delicious Kheer, on the house. We loved their Naans as well. Excellent food and friendly service. Highly recommended. -
Review from Jeff D.
Los Angeles, CA
7/24/2010 1 Check-in Here
The kids couldn't eat even the rice at this place. Everything was way overspiced. I enjoy spice, but the food was not kid-friendly at all. The kids had Mango Lassi and Naan, but everything else they couldn't eat.
Perhaps it was our fault when they didn't ask how spicy that I should have spoken up and said mild. The rear bathroom was a mess, with water all over the floor. Service was fast though and the prices were good given the portions. I probably wouldn't go there again though. -
Review from Sarah Q.
Bellflower, CA
12/4/2010
AMAZING food. I tried the instant Indian food in a box last year and figured I would look for the real thing. A friend suggested it to me and I am very glad I went.
The area is not all that nice (I was told after the fact by family, "You know that's gang territory, right?"). But I think it's worth it for the food.
VERY nice service. They don't harass you six times while you're trying to eat. Prices were great; we got two big plates of food and a specialty drink and it was less than $20!!
The Chicken Biryani is awesome.We also had the Chicken Tandoori and Naan Bread. The plain Naan Bread is...well...plain, but we plan on trying the butter version next time. Definitely get a few plates and share like we did so everyone can taste everything.
And the Mango Lassi is probably the best thing I have ever drank. -
Review from Trung N.
Los Angeles, CA
My friend got a Groupon for Al Watan - $20 coupon for $10, so we decided to check it out.
The restaurant is located in Hawthorne off of Inglewood, which is not the best area to be after sunset. There is street parking and a lot next door. The inside of the restaurant is very office-like with lots of mirrors. The menu, however, is very extensive and cheap!
For two people, we ordered the following [I always over-order]:
- Mix Tandoori - beef and chicken
- Chicken Saag
- Aloo Matar, potato and peas
- Plain Rice
- Garlic Naan
- Stuffed Paratha Aloo, Potato
The mix tandoori was decent. The meat was tender, especially the chicken and the portion for the mix was abundant. I was not a fan of the chicken saag, I think it would have been better if was lamb, plus it was missing a kick to it. The aloo matar was standard and the naan and paratha aloo were decent.
All in all, I think the meal was above average but the restaurant was completely affordable - the bill was $39 for a ton of food. I'd say Al Watan Halal is pretty standard but nothing special.
