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Cafe Raj
Categories: Restaurants Indian Restaurants Pakistani Indian, Pakistani [Edit]
1158 Solano Ave(between Kains Ave & Stannage Ave)
Albany, CA 94706
(510) 524-5667
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11:30 am - 11 pm
Sun 5 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
253 reviews for Cafe Raj
Review Highlights
"Solid menu with an excellent chicken tikka masala."
(in 38 reviews)
"Our favorites are the Shai Korma and the Saag."
(in 14 reviews)
"The whole wheat and garlic naan are my favorite."
(in 21 reviews)
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253 reviews in English
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Review from John N.
Albany, CA
1/15/2012
As a neighborhood local, Cafe Raj is one of our favorites in the Solano avenue circus of restaurants. It's nothing fancy, but the food is consistently good and satisfying. The family that owns it works hard to provide a wide range of choices.
However, if you go after 6:30 pm on almost any night, you will have to wait for a table. Much better to have a light lunch and go on the early side so you will be sure to get a place to sit when you are hungry. -
Review from Jason H.
Millbrae, CA
1/2/2012
I used to go here often. I love Indian food and have eaten it quite a bit. I have mostly had their vegetarian dishes. Kofta Mahlai is my usual. I also get the baingan bharta.
One problem, the resulting sauce for their dishes all taste very similar for some reason. Despite what I hope are genuinely differing ingredients - they must use a spice in them that appears to be a dominant flavor between the spice mixes.
Went there tonight. Food was fine, but the ordering went wrong.
I am not vegan, or vegetarian for that matter, (yey BBQ!) but I was attempting to eat slightly healthier for the new year. I asked for something to be cooked vegan which is an option on their menu for this dish.
I repeated it 3 times.
I got the bill and noticed they didn't note my request on the hand written order sheet. I asked and they said they cooked it regular. (-1 star). I suppose I will have to ask them next time if they are noting the request on the order sheet.
If you usually say spicy, you might want to say 'medium plus' here. Spicy is very spicy.
2.5 stars, but rounding up. -
Review from Omar K.
Berkeley, CA
12/12/2011
lol, they intentionally prepare their food to taste like that?
Weak. Skip. -
Review from Mik A.
Berkeley, CA
2/8/2012
The food here is pretty delicious but the service not so tasty. Come with patience and a big appetite!
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Review from Gerald P.
Berkeley, CA
2/7/2012
solano has alot of cool shops cool places to eat but if you want a solid genuine indian dish go to the raj. they have special sauces to go with anything if you want to take that extra step and of course complimentary chai while waiting! located at the bottom of solano ave just in case you passed everything else up on the vibrant walk down!
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Review from Matt D.
Berkeley, CA
1/27/2012
Good food at a good price. Good weekday place. Very nice staff as well.
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Review from Jason F.
11/19/2011
I had dinner here lastnight and it was perfect. The food was excellent, the service was friendly and nice. The decor is simple and well put together. I am very picky about Indian cuisine and this place does it very very well. Obviously worthy of a 5 star rating.
Apps: Veg Samosa, keema naan
Main Course: Saag Paneer, Chicken tikka masala, Lamb vindaloo, rice, naan
Everything was very yummy. It was ordered with medium spice because my friend doesnt do spicy very well. I would have had is spicy but other than that, DELISH!!
Thank you Cafe Raj! -
Review from The X.
Albany, CA
12/2/2011
Been many times and have never been disappointed.
One time I ordered really spicy hot and it was too much. They take spicy hot very seriously.
The only thing I don't like, are the lines for a table in the evening. -
Review from Jennifer W.
Berkeley, CA
11/2/2011
Got a to go order for lamb korma and unfortunately they didn't get the order right and they gave me chicken korma instead.
The food itself was okay, not great and I've had better Indian food elsewhere. The spice level was fantastic (I asked for spicy and they really put in a good amount of spice).
Anyways, I'll still go and try some of the other dishes but if it wasn't so close to me, I probably wouldn't go that often. -
Review from Peter H.
San Jose, CA
11/11/2011
Cafe Raj is probably one of the best quality late-night Indian/Pakistani restaurants in the Berkeley/Albany area. Here are some reasons why you might want to check this place out for dinner when you're in the area.
1. They are open till 11 PM on weeknights, yes, weeknights =)
Due to unfortunate circumstances, my friend and I couldn't eat dinner until past 9:30 PM. Though we were in Berkeley, most of the highly rated restaurants on Yelp were closed, including some great Indian restaurants. This was probably one of the few restaurants that was still open with an above-average rating and reasonable prices.
2. They provide "casual dining for the sophisticated palate" at a $ price
Typically, above-average Indian/Pakistani food comes at a premium with high prices and smaller portions. My friend and I ordered two curries, naan, and samosas, and we left fulfilled and financially fit. We would have had leftovers, but I didn't want my car to linger any reminders of the delicious curry. We decided to just hunker down, man up, and finish it all.
3. The food was aesthetically pleasing, flavorful, and filling.
We ordered the Buttered Chicken and Lamb Vindaloo curries, and both were very tasty. Even though their Beef Samosas were pretty good, they had fairly small portions on this dish (2 samosas), so I'll probably not order this again. Lastly, their Naan is hot, fresh, cheap, and necessary when eating their curry dishes.
4. Great customer service and family atmosphere
As many Yelpers pointed out, this is a family run business, and you can tell that they're passionate about their food and each other. Our waitress was extremely kind and made my eating experience there very pleasant. Her patience, kindness, and timely service convinced me to write this review for their restaurant. -
Review from Chris d.
San Leandro, CA
10/22/2011
The BEST Indian food you will get this side of London!
That's it! -
Review from Carolyn T.
Berkeley, CA
6/28/2011
I wanted to like this place so, so badly. They're open later than most restaurants, the parking is extremely easy in the later evening hours, and (important) they serve banana-flavored lassis. They're also extremely friendly and welcoming.
They have your standard Indian curries, and they'll let you customize them by spice. However, in all the times I've come here, I've never had a curry that I liked. I'm not new to Indian food, and I've tried a variety from their vegetarian menu, searching for one that was good enough to order a second time.
The last curry I ordered, the vegetables korma (I added paneer), was my standard curry wherever I go. When I got it, it was about 95% broccoli. I don't mind broccoli, but this was really excessive. The sauce was OK, not bad and not great.
I do like their appetizers and naan, but I also don't like the biriyani (vegetarian) very much. They have a really good pickle to go with everything. I sometimes come here, but I avoid their curries and stick to appetizers (the onion pakoras are really good) and naan, and a lassi. -
Review from Michelle B.
El Cerrito, CA
5/27/2011
It isn't the WORST I've had... but it isn't the best either. The curry was bland and the naan was meh.
I wouldn't have gone here otherwise if it hadn't have been for my friend who dragged me here. -
Review from Julie M.
Berkeley, CA
7/14/2011
I absolutely *love* Cafe Raj.
Their food is amazing, and perfectly spiced for my (admittedly pansyish) tastebuds. We normally order the mixed vegetable curry, and the vegetables always taste and feel fresh. The vegetable samosas are also a huge favorite, even with my picky little 7 yo (which is flabbergasting!).
The service is also impeccable. We always feel so pampered with at least three servers making sure we have exactly what we want.
I would absolutely recommend Cafe Raj to anyone looking for some comforting Indian food.
Bon Apetit! -
Review from Cy T.
El Sobrante, CA
11/9/2011
This is an excellent family run Indian restaurant. We remember it from way back when we used to go there for lunch. Several years ago, they expanded it, but the food quality has stayed excellent. Definitely place to go especially for lunch!
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Review from Tim W.
Berkeley, CA
4/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've eaten at Cafe Raj a couple of times and have slowly realized something: the food simply isn't as great as I thought it was. Let me start of by saying that my usual choice for Indian food during my years at Cal is House of Curries because it's open late, has free chai and is a good sit down place to hang out and eat. So I was accustomed to the buttery oily curry served there.
The first time I ate at Cafe Raj I was surprised because the curry wasn't oily at all. Rather it was nice and filling and had a good, thick consistency. They topped off the dishes with sliced almonds and some raisins which were a nice touch. I think it was this initial surprise that caused me to overlook one thing about the food: that it was kinda bland. I crave Indian food for the tons of spices that are used in the cuisine. But when I eat at Cafe Raj, the curry mostly tastes like tomatoes, cream and sugar. Even ordering the food spicier didn't do much for the flavor. I've ordered the Kofta Mahlai, Chicken Shai Korma, Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Vindaloo and they all seem to fall victim to this blandness. On a good note, the Naan is generously large and has a nice fluffy texture and the pakora is light and crunchy.
I've enjoyed eating at Cafe Raj but it just doesn't satisfy my craving for Indian food anymore. -
Review from Judy K.
Berkeley, CA
11/12/2011
If you're a fan of Indian rice pudding, Cafe Raj has the best home-made tasting kheer. Solid menu with an excellent chicken tikka masala. Open surprisingly late for Albany.
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Review from Vihar R.
Fremont, CA
12/28/2011
nice staff and decent food
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Review from Miss L.
Oakland, CA
12/6/2011
Very decent taste. Ask for it spicy. I asked for medium which it what I usually ask for at indian spots and it was absolutely mild. They don't have free tea here but my server offered me a cup to go at the end of our meal. I thought that was sweet of her. The atmosphere is nice and quiet.
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Review from Joey K.
Berkeley, CA
7/12/2011
I love this cafe. Honest prices, great coffee and delicious pastries. I wouldnt hesitate going there for coffee, easily better than starbucks and made to order.
Amazing quality and really cute baristas to boot! -
Review from D d.
San Francisco, CA
9/10/2011
We ordered food to go here it was probable the worst chicken saag I have ever had in my life. The chicken was old and the spinach sauce was terrible. Disgusting....
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Review from Mari C.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2011
Where was I yesterday? Did I eat Indian food? Did the dishes taste like anything? Was the server nice? Did I get free chai, or did I have to pay $2.50 for it?
The most memorable thing about my dinner at Cafe Raj was the soap in the bathroom, which made my hands smell like lye for hours. And I rinsed well. But other than that, the experience was very forgettable. The food was bland, averagely priced. The service, though prompt, was bare minimum. The chai was NOT free. MehhhhhhListed in: Tandoori Loin
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Review from Jenn C.
2/28/2011
I wanted to love this place as I attended with a group of folks who were all vegan. The service was impeccable - the ladies who cared for our group of 8 were attentive with taking orders, bringing out the dishes, refilling water - and amazingly enough, my table requested separate checks (seriously, right?) and the servers did not even bat an eye!
I asked for my mattar saag to be spicy - it came out spicy, but tasted like they just threw in a can of cayenne pepper (I felt like I was at a crawfish boil!) - and didn't really cook it with spice in a way that allows the flavors of the food to come through. There's a difference between spicy and overpoweringly flavored with cayenne, IMO, and this dish missed the mark. The rice was very overcooked and mushy - I tried both brown & white at the table.
I ordered onion bhaji - but they came out cold, dry and not very tasty - there was way more batter than onion, and I couldn't find onion in one when I bit into it. Not very flavorful. The naan is made with yogurt, so that was off the menu (though that may explain why it was rubbery to another reviewer). The chapattis were dry and tasteless. I tried another fried appetizer but mostly it just tasted like bland garbanzo flour.
The folks at my table seemed happy with this restaurant, so perhaps I have very high standards. I 'll head back to Raj India on Piedmont where they make excellent onion bhaji (you can ask for them thick or thin cut!), and they even make a killer vegan/coconut milk based veggie korma! -
Review from Nick H.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2011
Bland, boring and uninspiring are not qualities I typically associate with Indian/Pakistani food. I think spicy, aromatic, rich, vibrant, and expect a big dose of culinary excitement.
Unfortunately, our visit to Cafe Raj last night was absolutely dull in every sense. Curries that were oddly flavorless and lacking any semblance of spice, overcooked and dry meat, and cardboard-like garlic naan were the pillars of our frustratingly bad meal.
Normally you will never find any leftovers when I'm at your Indian/Pakistani restaurant table, but last night we barely managed to finish the lamb vindaloo, and barely even touched the chicken korma. Did we want to take those leftovers home? Hell no!
They do keep the place pretty tidy so +1 for that, but otherwise you would have to drag me kicking and screaming, offer a big bribe, or do something really amazing to convince me to try Cafe Raj again. -
Review from Virginia D.
El Cerrito, CA
2/12/2011
I can't believe I have never reviewed this place! we've been eating at Cafe Raj for about 10 years & have never had a bad- or even just ok- meal!
as with most Indian places, TONS of vegetarian options, a good amount of them vegan. definitely start out with the pakora or samosa-- not too greasy & the fillings are perfect. Garlic naan in the bomb! Every veggie dish is amazing- love the okra when it is in season, almost always get the eggplant (since I never cook it at home), dal is a lot heartier/chunkier than other places, channa masala is perfectly spiced.
this place is pretty small & popular, sometimes there is a wait. the service can be a little uneven (oddly long waits or dishes coming out slowly), but all the gals there are friendly & know their stuff.
pair dinner here with a movie down the block at Albany Twin for a great date night. -
Review from Roger L.
1/11/2011
Cafe Raj is super homestyle Indian/Pakistani food.
The waitresses were out of sorts and it took them awhile to seat us. Fortunately there was a guy with a unibrow here that was entertaining to discreetly look at. Have you seen Austin Powers the Spy Who Shagged Me where Austin goes *gasp* "... mole....... MOLEY MOLEY! mole..." I had as similar reaction.
We ordered the Butter Chicken, Lamb Tikka Masala, and some fried mixed veggies.
I had high expectations for the Butter Chicken based on yelp reviews. I really wanted to like it, but I found it to be a little bland. The mixed veggies were not memorable either.
However, the Lamb Tikka Masala was the bees knees! I would order this or the Chicken Masala upon future visits because that sauce was something exceptional! O behave! The Naan, while tasty, I thought was a little timid in garlic flavor.
So in the tradition of terrible Austin Power puns,
The food here isn't too........ b'aaaaaaaaad. (Get it.. the lamb...)
YEAH BABY, YEAH!!!! -
Review from EvaMama X.
Richmond, CA
11/28/2011
I've been here before and it was ok so I thought I'd bring my hubby to try it. The service was slow and the food wasn't as good as I remembered but maybe that was because I had just started to eat Indian food when I first came here. We ordered the chicken tikka masala and the lamb curry with garlic naan and the samosas. Then we asked for the bill and it didn't come. I ended up having to go up to the counter to get it and when I handed the lady my card, she said I can either pay cash or wait for someone who knew how to use the credit card machine. WTF? I ended up having to show her how to use her own credit card machine just so I could get the hell outta there! Why leave someone to man your restaurant if they can't even manage to learn how to use the machine? I'm just saying... the lady was elderly so I don't blame her entirely. But I think that was my last time at cafe raj.
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Review from William K.
El Cerrito, CA
11/7/2010
Two Words: Butter Chicken.
I love it so much I can't remember the last time I ordered anything else here. It is sooo delicious.
Additionally, I always find the take out service to be quick and convenient. -
Review from Hunny J.
Rodeo, CA
2/8/2011
Satisfying and yummy! We ordered:
Beef Simosas
Butter Chicken
Chicken Tikka Masala
Raita
For one order of simosas, they only gave us one each, which I thought there should have been more, but was still good...*kinda hard to mess up simosas, however it only came with one type of sauce (the green one)
Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala - The Butter chicken was good, not too buttery like most places, however the Masala sauce could have used a lil more flavor.
Raita was delish and a great compliment to our chicken.
All in all, for a dinner for 2 we had no leftovers, were not left hungry, but also not left over stuffed, prices were decent and it's close to home. It still doesn't compare to a lot of places in the south bay where Indian cuisine is in abundance... -
Review from Kathleen W.
Albany, CA
Updated - 10/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
Despite my waffling reviews from the last time I visited - it's been years since I've been back here.
It wasn't my decision but I'm glad we went.
Met up with a group of out of towners and we ordered a TON of food ... But when you order that much Indian food - the law of diminishing returns starts to apply b/c after a while, everything is the same color and everything starts to taste the same.
We were given a scale of spiciness 1-10 and we chose 7.5 with 10 being hot .... It wasn't that spicy. But that's probably smart when it's a table of 8 people to err on the more conservative side. All the dishes I tried - chicken tikka masala, prawns zafrani, kofta zafran, mushroom saag etc where all very tasty. Served fast and hot.
I liked the service - they seemed to be happy and it felt like they enjoyed the work (not in an artificial give me tips sort of way either).
Café Raj, you're back on my list ... this time it won't be another 2-3 years before I return, I promise.Listed in: Awesome Albany
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/17/2007
I kept changing my review for this place from 3 stars to 4 stars back to 3 stars. It's likely that… Read more »
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Review from Anna S.
El Cerrito, CA
Pretty bland, I had the Saag Paneer. Only a few pieces of paneer in the entire dish. Garlic naan tasted really weird, and bitter for some reason.
This will be my shortest post so far because I really don't have anything to say outside of that.... wasn't impressed; have had way better. -
Review from Caroline C.
Berkeley, CA
6/21/2010 4 Check-ins Here
I have mixed feelings about Cafe Raj since my last visit and I found a STRAND OF HAIR in my naan. :( Had it not been for this experience, I would have no problems giving this place 5 stars -- the food is always great, service is friendly, portions are good, and pricing is very affordable. I also like that they know how to kick up the heat when you ask for it.
But alas, finding a hair in your food is traumatizing and unforgivable. Sadly, I don't think I'll ever come here again. -
Review from Paul B.
Sacramento, CA
9/4/2010 1 Check-in Here
I ordered malai kofta and chana masala, which came with rice and naan. Since I had never eaten here before, I ordered medium, but the spiciness of medium was like baby food - not spicy at all. So, I was pretty underwhelmed.
The naan was so good - crispy on the outside and soft and pliable on the inside, although there could have been more of it.
The gulab jamun, though, was heaven-sent. The honey-rose water syrup that the cheese balls were soaking in was beyond delicious, and the texture of the balls was perfect.
Service was cordial and efficient, although considering that only three of the 15 tables were filled, she had an awfully hard time keeping water glasses filled.
I will definitely come back if I'm in the area to see what it means when someone orders very spicy, but otherwise, I'm not in a hurry to come back. -
Review from Cindy N.
Union City, CA
1/24/2011
I love Cafe Raj! They put raisins in their dishes which gives a nice subtle sweetness to the meal. They also win me over because they don't overdo it on the butter like other Indian restaurants in the Berkeley area. Finally, if you usually skimp on the naan because you don't want to pay an extra dollar or so for onion or garlic naan, then this is the place to finally stop skimping! Garlic and onion naan are only $0.25 more than regular naan (as it should be!), and my beloved potato naan is only $0.70 more. The only down-side to Cafe Raj is the chai tea isn't free.
If you ever pay a visit here, get the Kofta Mahlai (Vegetable balls)! -
Review from Clinton G.
Albany, CA
3/8/2011
Great staff and excellent Indian food. We ordered dinner for 50 from here last weekend for our Bollywood Dance Party. They helped us select dishes and advised us on quantities. They delivered it all and set it up and even loaned us some food warming stands with Sterno.
Can't wait to come back for more. -
Review from MacDaddy F.
El Cerrito, CA
7/13/2010
This is the closest restaurant to the new place I am living...a mere half block, and I have come to love it as much as everyone else.
I usually find that different restaurants of the same genre will make one or two particular dishes better than the other restaurants making the same thing.
For me, the non-veg mushroom curry (with chicken) is what stands out to me at Cafe Raj. Large chunks of chicken, a very savory sauce with deep flavors, and loaded with mushrooms that soak up the wonderful spices...WOW!
Staff is great, and there's always an attractive young female handling the money...go girl!
I would give it 5 stars if only the dining room was a bit more versatile, and felt less like a .... Cafe! -
Review from agharta t.
Albany, CA
8/5/2011
wish i could rate zero.
Me and my friend went on one afternoon around 2-3 pm since it was close by. We didn't know what to order and ordered lunch special,i.e. chicken and potato curry which was advertised by the window and mango lassi. We looked around and there was just one couple siting in one of the tables, rest of the restaurant was empty.
Should have figured out why?
The food looked yuck and tasted yuck. mango lassi was okie..nothing special.
We ordered two orders of lunch special and the fat old waitress brought two orders of curry and just one rice and said...here is two orders of curry and two rice while she brought out just one...infering to us that it was for both of us. Seriously, couldn't you separate and use two plates?
looking at the food we knew, we would have hard time even finishing that food..when we tasted it...it was yuckkkkkkkkkkkkk. everything was so so stale and no flavor.
We are glad,we both are still alive
Service was very poor.
Will we be back? never ever!!!!!
I have heard few good reviews about Raj cafe. I guess it was their experience long time ago. Trust me, stay away from this place, you don't wana get yaself food poisoning. There are so many options around berkeley, albany area. -
Review from Chris V.
Hollister, CA
2/24/2011
My date and I decided on vegetarian dishes only.
Worth trying are the Sag Aloo (spinach & potatoes) and the Dal (the one with red sauce).
Brown rice was okay and the Gulab jamun (pastry balls soaked in syrup) was not particularly exciting.
Great service, good locale and deco. I'd go back to try non-vegetarian dishes. -
Review from SiLen T.
Oakland, CA
7/10/2011
I'd told you four times I liked my Biryani SPICY yet you completely ignored me. And what happened when you didn't listen to your customer? The food turned out bad for her and she wasn't pleased! So, screw you for thinking you knew how spicy I could handle. And try to add some spices in your Tandoori chicken.
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Review from Chris E.
Albany, CA
Updated - 8/17/2010 16 Check-ins Here
Nearly everything I've had here has been very good. My absolute favorites are the chicken biryani, chicken shai korma, and since I order them very spicy, a mint/cumin lassi to let me eat at a normal pace. Other things I've liked--every meaty curry I've tried, channa masala, chicken tikka, chapati.
About that "spicy", most of the Indian restaurants on Solano now do pretty well at making my food spicy when I ask for it, but Cafe Raj seems to be the overall spiciest.
Downsides: the nimboo pani wasn't as good as it sounded (too sweet) and sometimes when they're busy they've been slow.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/10/2009
They make some extremely delicious food. The Chicken Biryani and (Cumin +?) Mint Lassi I had last… Read more »
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