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Chautara Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Himalayan/Nepalese Himalayan/Nepalese [Edit]
334 State StMadison, WI 53703
(608) 251-3626
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- 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
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
43 reviews for Chautara Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Even my kids ate the entire bowl of dal."
(in 13 reviews)
"...eaten at both Chautara and Himal Chuli and I think both are..."
(in 6 reviews)
"...highly recommend the Lamb Secuwa, it's perfectly spiced and..."
(in 6 reviews)
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43 reviews in English
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Review from Ian M.
Bridgewater, VT
11/15/2011
Great food.
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Review from Steven L.
Cambridge, MA
12/16/2011
It's fine. I was expecting and wanting more. My husband is from India via UK and he said it was ok.
Nothing spectacular.
Very midwest.
That's all. -
Review from William P.
Montclair, CA
7/9/2011
While looking for a different restaurant, we came upon this one, and stopped in for a quick dinner. Although the attitude of one of the waitstaff was a bit offputting, we got good care from our waitress, and the food was delicious. Light, tasty, spiced nicely without severe heat, I'd be back there in a flash. If I lived here, this one would be a place that I'd probably visit at least twice monthly.
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Review from Tess K.
Milwaukee, WI
2/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
We were up in the capital protesting the Repair Budget Bill, and needed to get warm and eat. We only waited about 10 minutes and the staff was very courteous. I ordered the curry lamb, it was small in portion, served with white rice. The lamb was quite tasty, but the sauce was more of a cream sauce then a curry. Hardly any spice. I ordered roti and what came out look more like a fried pita. No sauces for the bread. My friends ordered a tofu sandwich, again on a Pita and Marsala Dosa. They enjoyed them and the meal filled them up and we did get warm. Probably would not go back though.
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Review from Grace C.
Madison, WI
3/25/2010
I'm not a food expert by any means, so for me, Chautara falls under the "Indian food" umbrella. Buuut, it's by far the best "Indian food" I've ever had. the last few times I've gone, I've gotten the chicken secuwa, and it's been fantastic every time. Very flavorful, and not spicy like I worried it might be; the dal is also REALLY good.
My only complaint is the cost, but that's because a college student can't really afford a $16-$18 meal all that often. For the occasional date night, though, or a dinner with family, it's great! -
Review from Molly O.
12/24/2009
Chautara and I have been dear friends since back in the day. My family came here the night before Christmas Eve, and basically had the whole upstairs to ourselves. We had spot on service (hey, he only had one table...but he also managed to take about 20 pictures for us), and great food.
I think that the way to go is vegetarian here. Some of the fam ordered halibut (the night's special), but it just wasn't as special as it could have been. The veggies on the side, however, were awesome. Or, get a vegetarian entree, plus the Rogan Josh (lamb marinated in yogurt), with the side salad (poppyseed dressing, trust), maybe some samosas or the fried chickpea app, and you will and your partner will be happy (but full) campers. The daal is good, too, but lord there is something amazing about the salad.
I agree, you can probably get cheaper, better Nepalese food in Chicago, but this is Madison...let's be realistic.Listed in: Madison, My Homeland
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Review from Katrina V.
Hardwick, VT
5/6/2009
Very good value, very tasty food, friendly service that seemed to become distracted towards the very end of the meal.
Having never been to Nepal (but the cuisine is not strictly nepalese?) I can't judge the authenticity of the food, but my Lamb Secuwa was nicely crispy and moist, and well-complemented by a flavorful herbed rice and decent curried vegetables. The dal was tasty but runnier than what I prefer, with subtle but well balanced flavors.
Excellent beers! -
Review from Lee B.
Houston, TX
7/14/2011
We ate here on a business trip and were very pleased. I had the Bandipuri and my partner had Khaya La, and both were excellent. The dal was a little bland, but the waiter provided some hot chili paste and that fixed that. They also gave me a glass of ice to pour my hot chai into -- it's Wisconsin, the idea of iced chai is apparently not something they'd thought of. :-) We split an order of kheer for dessert; it was average, with a little less cinnamon/cardamom than I'm used to. If you like mid-continent Asian food, you're sure to find something good to eat here.
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Review from Michelle M.
Omaha, NE
7/12/2011
Came upon this place by chance- and we're soooo glad!! Yummm!!
Hubby had a special of the day farmer's market beet salad, Kids had a burger, beef kabobs, and veggie stew, I had spiced potatoes wrapped in a giant crepe. We also really enjoyed our salads and dal. 2 of the kids are not very adventurous eaters- but, EVERYTHING ON OUR TABLE WAS GOBBLED UP!! Next time we're through, we'll definitely stop in. Only problem was the parking ticket we got. Madison- you don't have enough time on your parking meters :( -
Review from Roz K.
Milwaukee, WI
4/15/2009
I've come to the conclusion that this place is overrated and overpriced despite all the good things I've heard.
I'm not quite sure if I'm willing to pay more than $7 for any meat curry (and they're asking for $15 or more) and I'm also not too keen with what I ate -- I felt that the curry was either too Westernized or watered down (not spicy enough, somewhat bland, had some vegetables that seemed out of place for the dish) and the chicken meat was just too rough.
I've been disappointed in the two times I've been there and I personally find Himal Chuli to be the better of the two restaurants (even though I also find Himal Chuli to be overpriced). -
Review from Pat J.
Washington, DC
10/27/2009
Love this place. Good Nepalese food for the middle of the midwest at a good price.
The restaurant has a nice modern atmosphere and outdoor seating on state street during the summer. Wait staff are very friendly
The food is incredibly tasty, decent portions, at a good price. Definitely the best options if you are a vegetarian, but more meat options than their sister restaurant, Himal Chuli
I highly recommend the Lamb Secuwa, it's perfectly spiced and incredibly flavorful. -
Review from tracy f.
Chicago, IL
4/30/2009
Better than Himal Chuli because they have the tofu wrap lunch special.
It's like $8, big, comes with dal (yay) or salad (great dressing), makes me happy before 3 pm. It's pretty much my favorite thing to eat in Madison.
Otherwise, the seitan is good, the tofu buff is better. Their dal has fresher and generally more interesting ingredients than Himal Chuli.
Sidenote: Service is completely unpredictable. They tip-share so I feel like they're often overworked and some people put in more effort than others, which is too bad because the food rocks. -
Review from Jeremy K.
Madison, WI
2/20/2007
Turning the laws of economics on their collective heads, there are two fantastic Nepalese establishments mere feet from each other in Madison.
While there is some connection between the two (I believe the same family owns both) and they both serve tasty and comforting food, the slight differences are noticeable. Chautara clearly provides a higher end dining experience. Less crowding, better wait service, more pleasant views. However, folks with more respectable palates than mine claim the food at Himlu Chuli is more flavorful. Perhaps a higher level of delicious that I can't quite discern.
In any case, they're both worth a visit. -
Review from Andrew G.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2010
I've never actually been to a proper Nepalese/Himilayan restaurant, and so when the opportunity to try one in Madison came up I was intrigued.
The food was awesome!
We started with an appetizer of cauliflower battered with garbanzo baste and fried with a spice tomato dipping sauce, followed by a Vegetarian Lentil soup with chunky tomatoes and onions. We ordered as well a curried chicken burrito with greens and seasoning and basmati rice but it was too much to eat so we took it to go.
Gotta mention the lemonade -- very fragrant and light, and free refills!
We loved Chautara, I'd be happy to go back! -
Review from Dave S.
Milwaukee, WI
4/22/2008
3.5. After reading the rave reviews of this place my expectations for it were rather high. The appetizers my party ordered certainly got things off on the right foot. A sampling of different eggplant, potato and peanut based finger foods, all quite good, served with yogurt and a Nepali version of "salsa."
One thing I noticed right off the bat was the snobbish atmosphere and the cold demeanor of the staff. The service was rather indifferent, and you were made to feel like the place is doing you some big favor by having you there. Quite frankly, this snobbish and "cooler than thou" atmosphere is something I've noticed in quite a few Madison establishments I've been in. I've come to expect this kind of treatment when I'm in Madison.
Of course, if the food was all of that, then I suppose the folks at Chautara could be excused for holding themselves on a pedestal. But while my appetizers were quite good, the entree was underwhelming. Over salted, and, surprisingly, quite bland. Overall my entree, combined with the haughty atmosphere and treatment by the staff lead me to knock a couple of stars off. I give the appetizer menu the full five, though. -
Review from Jen I.
4/6/2009 2 photos
Stopped by for a late lunch after catching a film during the Wisconsin Film Festival. The film was rather dark and depressing. The stomach was empty and growling. My sister took me here and noted she takes everyone here.
The dal was ok, the samosa was great despite the sweet sauce it came floating on top of. This is my opinion though. I'd rather coat my potato-y goodness in mint and cilantro.
My dosa was pretty good and the spice was just enough, not too much. My sister's chicken korma was good. I was digging the gigantic chunks of potato on her plate. I stole them while she wasn't looking.
I want to bathe in the coconut chutney served on the side.
Pictures of dishes posted for your viewing pleasure. :) -
Review from Rosie D.
Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, CA
12/31/2007
Thank you Yelp and Yelp members! I found this place on yelp to save me from eating at Applebee's. Bleh. My father in-law gave us a couple of choices and Applebee's was amongst the disgusting display of non-foodieness.
Chautara on the other hand, what a fantastic discovery. We all ordered something we liked. Nobody ordered the wrong thing. The mother in-law side of the family are all vegetarians, so when we get a chance to go out...we grub on meat. Between us, we ordered the lamb palunga, khaya la, lamb secuwa, some talapia dish and some beef with yogurt thingy. All really good. So good that my daughter says to the server, " this is so good, and I'm a really picky eater. I'm lovin' this"
I'm proud of my girl.
All the entrees come with dal (lentil soup) or a really nice green salad.
Service is really warm and friendly. Price is great. They have a terrific selection for those who are vegetarians.
Nepalese food, good. -
Review from Laura F.
9/12/2006
Tonya and I apparently eat at all the same restaurants! I frequently see her new reviews and am reminded of them as places I need to review...
With that, I have eaten at both Chautara and Himal Chuli and I think both are excellent. Chautara is more expensive, boasts a more sophisticated environment and somewhat more upscale food. Personally, I prefer Himal Chuli, but that's because I love dives, and I like that I can go up and attempt to communicate with the little Nepalese woman cooking my food in the small, cramped kitchen.
In that kind of place, I'm not looking for amazing service, so it doesn't bother me that they are friendly without being overly attentive. I have had a great lunch at Chautara too though. The service, food and atmosphere were excellent. Both restaurants are great places to find uncommon cuisine that appears to be very authentic. Adventurous eaters who desire a somewhat upscale experience will definitely love Chautara. -
Review from Diana H.
Encinitas, CA
6/25/2008
Good food. Basically Indian, to my uneducated palate. The mango lassie was a little dull. The food was yummy. Even my kids ate the entire bowl of dal. Two people had the lamb curry and enjoyed it - I thought it was a little salty, but I didn't order it. I had the salad with grilled chicken breast. Next time I would ask for the citrus vinaigrette on the side because the bottom of the bowl was swimming. We also had an order of tandoorie chicken kabob and some tofu kabob, both of which were completely eaten and enjoyed.
Service was friendly with many hands to help. The ambience has some of that State St. grunge feel. But, you're on State St., so, duh.
We enjoyed speculating as to the nature of the statue in the entrance. -
Review from Abhijit G.
Philadelphia, PA
4/17/2008
Great food....a little on the expensive side if u are out for just a casual dinner....but the food is well worth the money I think!
If you are there with a special someone (of if u r not), try to get one of the tables by the window on the 2nd floor....the view of State st. is enchanting....especially around X'mas with lights on the trees. -
Review from Andrea H.
Madison, WI
4/26/2011
We just added Chautara to the Madison Food Explorers tour. They are offering us their famous lassi drink. It's the most refreshing yogurt-mango taste treat I've had. On a hot day, try a lassi.
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Review from Thomas A.
Chicago, IL
4/3/2007
There is a lot to love in Chautara, a wonderfully tasty, two story, restaurant along State St. I was in town over this past weekend for a conference and with the help of local Yelper reviews, I had to check it out when I arrived. At 9pm on Friday during the Badgers' spring break Chautara was mostly empty with only about 5 tables occupied. Service was excellent with just the right amount of attention balanced with leaving us to our dinner conversation. The funny thing is that our local conference organizers took us to Chautara on Saturday night, and I was happy to return to try something else on the menu. At 6pm on Saturday the tables were full, but not so much to make our group of 18 wait more than a few minutes to set up tables. The service was equally as good and attentive with a full house as it was the night before.
The food was superb, although if you like it hot, then ask for some chili paste on the site to add to your dish. On Friday I had the goat, but I can't remember the name - it was the only goat on the menu. Luscious spices and if you like your goat well cooked - you're in luck. On Saturday I had the Rogan Josh, a Kashmiri dish, also excellent. The steamed vegetarian - samosa like - appetizer was also delicious. -
Review from Deepti R.
Bellevue, WA
Updated - 9/13/2010
Their samosas are top notch too. So simple, so perfect!
1 Previous Review:
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4/20/2010
Simple, unpretentious food. Licked my fingers clean of their cauli tarkari.
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Review from Michael B.
Milwaukee, WI
2/17/2010
The food is very tasty. My favorite tofu of all time is at this place as part of the tofu secuwa. They grill it on kebobs till it gets a light, almost flaky, texture while seated between delightful vegetables. Mmm, I have a problem ordering anything else when I go there.
They have very professional service. Sometimes it's a bit slow, but they're very respectful, attentive and have yet to make a single mistake on an order; that's worth an extra minute here and there.
Good for vegetarians and omnivores alike.
I gave the place a 4 instead of 5 due to being a bit pricier and fancier than I generally like. If you're willing to pay a little extra for the tranquil atmosphere, more than enough elbow room around your table, and well paired wines, Chautara will probably suit you wonderfully. -
Review from Timo W.
Chicago, IL
7/22/2007
This is a great spot for the weary traveler who happens upon Madison. We dined outdoors and the service was casual but friendly and the State Street ambience very pleasant despite a bus or two and the accompanying exhaust.
Both lamb dishes we tried were very flavorful, amply portioned and reasonably priced. All-in-all a nice dining experience and we'll be headed back there on our next visit. -
Review from Dan S.
Montclair, NJ
11/22/2010
You know you're in for a good meal when they nail the simple things. The dal that came as an app was a perfect blend of textures and flavors. After that, a local pale Ale balanced off the lean and tender goat beautifully. Loved it!
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Review from Luther Z.
Madison, WI
Updated - 12/27/2009
Molly O., don't be an apologist for mediocre food and poor value. If anything, prices in Madison should be cheaper for the simple fact that the every day cost of living here is significantly cheaper. I am being quite realistic in my assessment of Chautara being a mediocre rip off... but if by "this is Madison" you imply that it's just that folks here don't know any better, you're right.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/20/2009
Madisonian mediocrity strikes again. The equation for restaurants around here seems to be mediocre… Read more »
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Review from Oliver S.
Union, NJ
7/17/2010 1 photo
This was the first time I've actually ever heard of a Nepalese/Himalayan Restaurant so I was happy to know the company I was interviewing for decided to bring us here for dinner.
My order consisted of Momocha and Mumari for appetizers and Khasi Ko Masu as an entree.
The Momocha was basically a steamed vegetable dumpling served with a side sauce. For me, it tasted very much like any other vegetable dumpling so if you want to be more adventurous, I'd recommend ordering the Mumari.
The Mumari is a mung bean pattie spiced with garlic and ginger served with a side of yogurt sauce two other sauces that I couldn't figure out. The patty was crunchy and not greasy at all. Adding the yogurt and the two other sauces really completed the flavor due to the creaminess and very slightly sourness of the yogurt but the freshness and earthiness of the two other sauces.
Last, I had the Khasi Ko Masu as per the recommendation of the server. Khasi Ko Masu uses goat meat with a blend of curry and vegetables. I was actually pretty excited to order this since I've never had goat meat before and the goat that was used was farm raised in Wisconsin. The goat meat was tender and fell of the bone easily. Goat meat definitely tastes much different than any other meat I've had but the cut of meat I was served resembled beef short ribs. I would say that goat meat is like beef but much more earthier. The blend of curry spices and vegetables was a nice addition to the dish, adding so many layers of flavors and textures.
In total, this place was a good find and a great place for an Asian like me to experience so many different foods prepared in various ways. A great place to go to if you are vegetarian as well. -
Review from Tonya C.
9/9/2006
I've eaten here twice now, and both were outstanding experiences. In particular I've enjoyed the strawberry lassi (though it does take them some time to make) and the appetizers, which are amazingly fresh. The entrees also deserve praise for their variety and interesting combination of ingredients... which, again, are amazingly fresh. In general my impression is that these folks really strive for the freshest ingredients possible with an enjoyable, slow-food delivery.
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Review from Kedar D.
1/3/2009
The food here is good and fresh, but it's not totally different from its next door neighbor (and sister restaurant), Himal Chuli. Chautara is the upscale one of the two (which accepts credit cards), and is a good place to take a date. Prices are on the higher side, but Himal Chuli has become more expensive as of late too, so either one is a good bet if you're looking for Nepalese-Tibetan food.
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Review from jen h.
Pittsburgh, PA
6/16/2007
Hmmm....Maybe I'm just getting old (get of my lawn you damn kids!) or maybe my taste memory puts everything through a rosey colored nostalgic filter....It seems like I have been suffering from "I remember that being better syndrome". I remember Chautara being better, although the service was always somewhat poor....Anyways, For the good (old) times and for the fact that litlle old Madison's two Nepalese restaurants still manage to beat the snot out of the Nepalese restaurants in the Bay Area, I'll give it 4 stars.
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Review from Kelly E.
Madison, WI
1/13/2006
I eat here for my birthday every year. Love the nepalese food, especially the jasmine rice. You really can't miss, I've never heard any complaints about any of the food. About $18-22 for an entree, and worth every penny. Much better than its sister restaurant Himil Chuli. Nice atmosphere and window seating. A State Street can't miss....5 stars.
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Review from Jane W.
San Francisco, CA
12/18/2008
I'd never had Nepalese food before coming here. Now I visit Chautara several times a month. The food is somewhat similar to Indian, but feels much lighter. Nothing I've ever ordered here was oily or greasy, and I never feel weighed down after a meal. There are lots of veggies in most of the dishes, and everything has a lot of flavor, so it's a good place for vegetarians. As an omnivore, I really appreciate that the veggie dishes are not the least bit bland or boring. They have two choices of salad dressing: both are great, both are on the sweet side. The vinaigrette is tangier. Their house soup is like dal and is fantastic. i've never had anything here that wasn't absolutely delicious. If you are on a budget their lunches are quite affordable. My only wish is that they had a bigger variety of (non-booze) drinks.
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Review from Justin G.
Oak Park, IL
9/6/2009
This place is all the rage and i thought it was okay. The taste isn't bad, and seems to be a good value if you are vegetarian, but if you aren't, the price seems to almost double. Not financially friendly to the carnivorous.
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Review from Laura P.
Columbus, WI
First time here for dinner, based on reviews from a friend (her fav). Saturday night, made reservations, but not necessarily needed (it was only slightly busy). My date and I had our preference of tables upstairs, though ended up between two large groups (but okay, because it never got too loud). The ambiance was perfect and our waitress was probably one of the best I've ever had. Got a bottle of wine (decent price for the choice), and started with the Chef's Choice app. A great starter, though we had to pay for two. The waitress gave us her favorite menu item (Rogan Josh, which my date ordered), and I got the Beef Secuwa. The best part was the waitress waited until our app was done before bringing salads, and waited to bring the entree until we finished the salads. Finally, a place I didn't fee rushed to eat my food! The food had just the right amount of flavor and was cooked well. Portion size was good for the money, and leftovers were taken home. I'll be back to try more menu items!
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Review from Parker ..
Chicago, IL
12/21/2007
My first favorite restaurant in Madison. The dal and roti are excellent and the service is great. A bit costly.
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Review from Sagar S.
Philadelphia, PA
5/5/2010
Excellent food. They have an incredibly delicious hot sauce, ask for some on the side. It' got a great amount of heat and compliments the food very well.
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Review from Jon Z.
Honolulu, HI
5/24/2009
Really freakin awesome... A little pricey, but totally with it. At first I was disappointed that the portion I got was small, but that was just the fat American in me. The food was just right amount, wonderful relaxing ambiance, and prompt *cute* and friendly wait staff. Totally recommend.
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Review from Zach R.
Chicago, IL
10/15/2007
Very unique experience. Food was similar to Indian, but still seemed to differentiate itself. Diverse menu, good spirits selection, comfortable and casual environment, and overall pleasing experience. Food was a bit more expensive than i'd like, but the price is worth the unique taste.
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Review from jennie b.
Madison, WI
12/6/2010
This was my first experience with Nepalese food - it's similar to Indian food, but what we ordered was less saucy than Indian food. I highly recommend the Chef's Choice appetizer plate, the dal, and the fish dishes. The chicken tandoori also looked delicious! Service was just ok, but the food was delicious and healthy! This restaurant is an expansion of Himal Chuli a few doors down.
