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Currylicious
Categories: Restaurants Indian Restaurants Pakistani Indian, Pakistani [Edit]
5299 College Ave(between Clifton St & Bryant Ave)
Oakland, CA 94618
Neighborhood: North Oakland
(510) 450-0644
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
195 reviews for Currylicious
Review Highlights
"The chicken tikka masala was delectable."
(in 22 reviews)
"Hands down, the best Naan in the east bay."
(in 86 reviews)
"Lots of curry choices, including vegetarian options."
(in 47 reviews)
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195 reviews in English
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Review from Melissa C.
Oakland, CA
12/5/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal
The first time I tried this place, I made the mistake of basing my opinion on the Palak Paneer, which (even though I - a total spice wuss - ordered it mild,) was way too spicy for me to enjoy it. My husband, however, is a big fan of the spicy, so he went with the Chicken Vindaloo and promptly named it his favorite Vindaloo EVER. Perfectly cooked chicken, complexly spiced, just the right amount of heat to make his forehead sweat and his belly warm and happy. Alas, since I thought the place was beyond my delicate sensibilities, the only time he ever got it was when he happened to be home for lunch on the weekends and went by himself. Poor neglected hubby.
Fast forward to a year later: I have since learned that Palak *anything* is nearly impossible to do "mild". If it's done in any semblance of traditional manner, it is just going to be somewhat spicy. Plus, my spice tolerance has gone up a bit, so I agreed to go back for dinner, and - following the vast majority of Yelpers' advice- elected to try the Madrass Chicken special. Oh. Mah. Gah. SO absurdly tasty! Like...not-so-surreptitiously-lick-the-bowl-and- your-fingers-at-the-table tasty. The chicken was tender, the sauce incredibly rich and complex. Add really savory and delicious samosas and crispy charred onion naan and I was one happy girl. Well played, Yelpers! And it's nearly always one of the specials, so I can lick that bowl on a regular basis. (Oooh-- dirty!) Now the hubby can get his vindaloo on as often as he craves it, and I am more than happy to join in for the fun.
One word of advice...eat it there. We've gotten it delivered, and while it always arrives hot and in a timely manner, the naan and the samosas just don't travel well. -
Review from Emmanuel H.
Rodeo, CA
1/10/2012
My go-to spot for Indian food.
You get over the restaurant name pretty fast. Quality wins out over a silly name. (Isn't that right, Buffy the Vampire Slayer?)
The chicken tikka masala keeps me coming back. And I mean, for life. It's just the right amount of creamy, and to me, the flavor can't be beat. Reliably awesome. I usually pair it with both naan and a side order of rice.
The garlic naan is unnecessary for the tikka masala, in my opinion. The garlic doesn't really add anything. For once...in the history of food.
Their lamb vindaloo is also pretty good, but like I said, that masala has got me hooked. -
Review from Zed Z.
Oakland, CA
12/15/2011
The food is excellent as are the prices and the people...
BUT! They really don't give you a decent amount of
meat in the dishes: really kids... Don't nickel and dime
the customers!
When I commented to waitress about the tiny amount
of chicken in the dishes, she got all huffy about it - I kinda
pointed out that a few small bits were hardly a decent
serving. To the restaurant's credit, they did provide more
meat - but why should I have to "bitch" and then be made
to feel small about it?
Still, for the veg and naan/breads - well worth it. Cheap
of not on the meat, the quality is excellent and the flavours
totally authentic Desi as is the heat in the food - I'd go back
in a heartbeat for veg... -
Review from Jen O.
12/12/2011
I bought the recent Groupon for this place because I'm a Groupon junkie - I see that timer counting down on their website ("Time left to buy: 10:21:33..."), panic and buy whatever it is they're selling impulsively ("Apple picking in Watsonville, an out-of-the-way town that I would only ever go to because of this apple picking coupon? Buyin' it."). Thankfully, I've been able to resell most of the ones I regretted buying, but I really need to be more discriminating.
Currylicious has a casual lunchtime vibe. The space is fairly small, you order and pay up front and seat yourself. The night that we went they were definitely feeling the Groupon crunch. The staff ran around like crazy bringing out food and clearing tables. They ran out of teacups for the chai, so I asked them to bring some out but they never did. Another woman asked about five minutes later but still no teacups. We were then told to just use the water glasses. Tough luck, kiddies.
A woman sitting nearby offered her extra naan and rice to us, and of course we obliged. The rice tasted amazing! So flavorful.
I loved the somosas and the pakora. The chicken karahi lent just a bit of spiciness that paired well with the fish special (fish in curry sauce) that I ordered.
A nice little spot that I might frequent again once the Groupon frenzy has calmed down. Or until they offer another Groupon, because you know I can't stop myself. -
Review from kristy l.
Oakland, CA
2/6/2012
The madras chicken was to die for! A creamy coconut based curry, a little sweet, not spicy. Chicken tikka masala was buttery mouth-watering goodness. Veggie stuffed samosas were excellent. The beef stuffed naan was a little too salty. The mango lassi was thick and creamy. Nice little patio out front. What a treat. We'll be back!
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Review from Meridithe M.
Oakland, CA
1/28/2012
Continually pleasantly surprised by this reasonable and consistently tasty restaurant. Just what College Avenue needed. The staff are very friendly, too. The chai is a bit weak and the proteins are very minimal in the dishes. The sauces are flavorful.
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Review from Howard G.
Oakland, CA
1/31/2012
Our favorite Thai place nearby was closed and stumbled upon this hideaway. I ordered the lamb kabob and loved the variety of sides and naan that came with it. Very reasonably priced, and the owner was very friendly. He informed us that each Indian restaurant nearby on College Ave. featured its own taste character even though they were all from the Punjab area. Be prepared for spicy! Outdoor patio seating off the street, limited indoor seating in the front, larger seating area in back behind the kitchen.
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Review from Andrew C.
Currylicious is a small Naan & Curry style spot where you order at the counter, grab your own silverware, water, and chai and they deliver your food when ready. We came for lunch and ordered paneer tikka masala, one of the chalkboard specials (chicken, fenugreek, and coconut curry), and a plain & garlic naan.
It took about 10-15 minutes for our food to arrive which seemed a little slow given we were the first customers of the day.
The paneer tikka masala was skimpy with just 5 cheese cubes in the sauce with a touch of cream (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). The flavor was odd; it was not tomato-y and very sweet. I don't know if they had a pumpkin curry on the menu, but that's what I though of when I tasted it. Maybe the cook scooped from the wrong orange sauce?
The chicken curry was very good. A much more substantial serving of protein (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) and a medium spicy kick to it. Strong flavors in contrast to the tikka masala.
The naan were fine. Chewy with a nice char. Is cilantro a garlic naan standard now? (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
Chicken curry: 4+ stars
Paneer Tikka Masala: 2 stars
Naan: 3.5 starsListed in: Indian
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Review from Christina C.
Oakland, CA
I always get excited to find amazing places that blow my initial expectations away. I guess they say, "don't judge a book by its cover" for a reason.
It's even more exciting when these places are are in your very own neighborhood. I had always walked by this place thinking I would try it one day.
The truth is my favorite Indian restaurant is down the street. But this is closer to me, so I decided to give it a try.
I always get Palak Paneer, Lamb boti and naan. This is my favorite combination. However, they didn't have lamb boti so I ordered a lamb palak. I was unhappy with the spinach consistency. It was a little too creamy for me and just had a flat flavor.
However, I ordered a samosa appetizer that was so amazing. Usually samosas aren't flavorful enough for me to get. However, I can't help but order one every time I eat here now. The green sauce they have with it on the side is such a great combination with it.
My boyfriend ordered the lamb vindaloo which has now turned out to be our favorite dish. We have returned here several times for this specific dish.
They also have very flavorful rice that should not be missed.
The ambiance is so cute, the service is impeccable, the chai tea is complimentary and delicious.
The set up of this informal Indian restaurant is set up better than some around the area.
Ever restaurant does something better than others. For Currylicious, it is:
1. Samosa
2. Lamb Vindaloo
3. Rice
4. Although I have not tried it yet, I hear their biryani's are excellent. Most ordered dishes seem to be the vindaloo and the biryanis.
I absolutely adore Currylicious! -
Review from John B.
Berkeley, CA
1/3/2012
I went there on a Groupon, and I'm upset that the Groupon was deceptive.
I've used a fair number of Groupons, and I've never encountered this before. You get the Groupon, you read the fine print, maybe read the Yelp reviews and look a the website and decide.
In this case, what's advertised is a shared salad, two appetizers, and two choices of entrees. When you get there, you find out that there's a "fixed price" menu for Groupons, with a specified salad, two specified appetizers, and a very limited set of entrees.
It's the ethics of the thing that really gets me. Advertise one thing, deliver another. When you see this, the quality of the food doesn't matter. -
Review from N. D.
Oakland, CA
10/28/2011 1 photo
I don't usually write too many reviews but I feel compelled to let people know about what happened to me, for their own health and safety. I really wanted to like these guys. I had been to their restaurant one time previously, and had thought the service and food was pretty good.
However, recently, I had a very bad experience with them. A few months ago I FOUND A MAGGOT in the food they delivered to me! This really disgusted me and my children. My children and I had an aversion to Indian food for some time after this. I called and the guy who spoke to me said he was sorry but there was nothing to be done. I then called back and got through to the owner who assured me he was sorry and asked me what I wanted to do. I told him it would be fair to at the minimum refund my $40 for the order and assure me he'd look into the problem. He then agreed.
Several weeks passed and I didn't receive a refund. I called back and he apologized and said my mail had been returned to him. This in retrospect was nonsense. So then he promised to resend it. Several more weeks passed and no refund. I sent him an email stating that I couldn't believe that he had not addressed this issue. He wrote back promising to refund me but it's been a month and I have not received anything. I now fully believe he is stringing me along and is totally unethical... which leads me to believe that he also lied about changing the rice vendor after I found the maggot in my food. I have a recorded telephone message in which he tells me he did this because of the maggot I found. I have a picture of the maggot I found in my food and will post it here if I can.
BEWARE what you swallow from this food establishment. Any owner willing to lie and string someone along this much, only cares about his bottom line and not your health. -
Review from A. H.
San Francisco, CA
12/23/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Soooo good! My boyfriend and i always order the same thing when we go out for indian, and this place does all of it right! Plus, about 10 bucks cheaper then we usually pay. We've gone twice so far, and we only found out about this place last week :)
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Review from Susan W.
Oakland, CA
1/5/2012
I'm writing a negative review for Currylicious because of the delivery service. I have eaten at this restaurant before -- their food is mediocre quality, but their prices are pretty good for what you get. I placed an online order for delivery and was given an estimated delivery time of 45-60 minutes (perfectly acceptable). After 90 minutes had gone by, I called the restaurant to see where my food was. I was told that my order was prepared and waiting, but that the delivery driver was out and it would not be delivered for at least another 30-45 minutes. Taking over 2 hours to deliver cold food is simply unacceptable. I won't be returning to this place again.
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Review from Simon b.
Oakland, CA
11/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ask what you might like!
The server will totally help you find what you might like.
Friendly service and yummy food. A great place to start trying Indian food.
I wish all my curry experiences were like this place.
I would love to have a group of friends join me in the back dining room. Super cozy.
If you get food to go make sure you wait with a glass of flavorful chai.
So..... Eat here and enjoy! -
Review from Yumi H.
Fremont, CA
12/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
We came here with the special $10 for $20 from http://restaurant.com. Small restaurant with various curries, biryanis, chaat, naan, and more! My favorite dish was the Lamb Biryani-the meat was tender and not overcooked. My least favorite was the Chicken Tandoori-a bit too dry for my taste.
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Review from Pam W.
Oakland, CA
10/23/2011
Had their food for take-out. I got the Aloo Palak. The boyfriend got the Lamb Curry. I don't have much to say besides the food was delicious!
Aloo Palak is my go-to dish when I eat Indian food so that's the dish that determines whether or not I will go back. The dish was really good and not too spicy for me (I don't handle spicy very well. I know I know..then why would I go eat Indian food...). Although halfway through, it started to get a little too salty for me. So then I switched to trying the Lamb curry and that was YUMMY. A little watery which makes it hard to dish onto the naan but I guess it's understandable since the description does describe it as tomato broth.
I would go back again. Maybe eat there instead since yelpers state there's a difference. Maybe the dine in experience will boost my rating to 5 stars. :) -
Review from gaby g.
Oakland, CA
12/12/2011
I strongly disagree with the lukewarm (or worse) reviews on here for Currylicious. I am a huge fan of Indian food, and I eat tons of it. Which is to say, I have a point of reference. And Currylicious stacks up among the better spots in the Bay Area. While the East Bay prize does and will always go to Vik's (and the honors in the city goes to Lahore Karahi), I think Currylicious is a fine choice anytime. My fave: chicken jalfrezi. Fabulous!
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Review from nora b.
Oakland, CA
12/9/2011
I'm surprised I haven't reviewed Currylicious before now. We've been going there for a few year or so now and have consistently had good food. I fully expected to log into Yelp and edit a glowing review written a long while ago. Regardless, I'm not giving it a good review tonight.
I think they're having Group-on syndrome. You know what it is. You've been going somewhere for a while, they're good, and then they do a Group-on. Suddenly, the staff are overwhelmed, there is more business than they're used to handling, and the quality of food and service deteriorate. Tonight was one of those nights. We ordered delivery, and, when I got there my curries were sitting out on the counter, ready to go. However, they don't make the naan until you get there to pick it up. This should be awesome. Tonight, though, they were overworked and understaffed, and it took **half and hour** for my naan to come out -- all the while my curries were getting cold on the counter, and other people who were changing their minds about their orders were shuffled above me. The naan was still hot when I got it home, but the curry was lukewarm at best. I'm sure I'll be back to dine in -- the people who work there are nice and the chai is wonderful, even if the space isn't the most comfortable -- but I cannot imagine getting take out again. -
Review from O A.
Oakland, CA
12/16/2011
The prices are good, and the food is flavorful. I had a chicken dish, and I must say it was very tender and cooked to perfection. However, the place could be cleaner and more inviting and I probably would not eat there again. I didn't see the restroom myself, but someone in my party said it was not clean at all. I did witness someone who worked there (manager or owner is my guess) use a cup to free a spider and then come back inside and go straight to dealing with food without washing his hands!!!!!! When I saw that, I KNEW I wouldn't be back. That's too bad, because like I said the food was pretty good.
Also the service is weird. It's part self serve I guess, but it's not clear what they do for you and what you do for yourself. For example, the tables are super tiny, and no one ever came to remove our plates. Not even when they brought our food. You would think clearing the tables would be part of the experience if they are bringing your food. -
Review from Annaliese D.
Berkeley, CA
8/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went to use my Groupon before it expired. We went during lunch and wanted to order chicken tikka masala and lamb vindaloo. They were OUT of lamb...at 11:30am. When we got our menus the guy working (owner and cook? not sure) didn't even bother to mention this.
Not having lamb wasn't a big deal to me since I don't like it, but my boyfriend was looking forward to lamb and grudgingly switched to chicken vindaloo.
After we added on an order of naan and an order of rice, we got water and tea and sat at a table outside. When the food came it was pretty good. The vindaloo was very spicy and had good flavor. The tikka masala was about the same as it is at all Indian restaurants. Naan was really good, but the rice was undercooked.
We only came here because I had a Groupon, but I might come back to try a wrap for lunch.Listed in: Cheap Eats
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Review from Jeff R.
Concord, CA
12/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Great food, great service, chai tea on tap, and a colorful dining area. What's not to love?
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Review from Mark M.
Walnut Creek, CA
12/10/2011
From the outside, the place is nothing special. Inside, it's nothing special and really would appeal to the lunchtime crowd. That being said, the food was very, very good. Totally unpretentious. It was cooked in front of of us, so totally fresh.
We ordered the chicken tikka masala, along with lamb vindaloo (probably the best tasting vindaloo I've had in a long, long time, perfectly spiced, not blowing my head off, and was pretty damm good!)
The naan bread was perfect.
We tried this place because of a living social coupon special. Will certainly return again without hesitation. -
Review from Tyler A.
New Haven, CT
8/30/2011
My experience with Currylicious wasn't particularly great, but also is limited to a single delivery order. So, keep this in mind when reading this review.
My girlfriend and I ordered the Chicken Biriyani (medium spice), Aloo Gobi (mild), and Naan from the website http://eat24hours.com. We also requested that they be sure to include tamarind sauce (something most places do, but just to be sure).
When the order arrived, it became apparent that there were several issues.
1 - no tamarind sauce.
2 - the Aloo Gobi was noticeably spicier than the Biriyani. I suspect they reversed the spiciness of the two orders or simply didn't pay attention to our order.
3 - Aloo Gobi didn't come with rice, which in my experience is standard.
4 - the Biriyani had a single weird, salty meteor in it that had the consistency of bone. I didn't eat it.
Beyond that, the food was reasonably tasty and inexpensive. However, considering the number of problems with our order, I don't think I'd get delivery from Currylicious again. -
Review from Sue O.
Albany, CA
7/30/2011
I first came here because my regular Indian restaurant was closed. I had a wonderful saag that made me take note to return.
Since then I've gotten take-out which was very decent. Then I came with my daughter and we ate in the restaurant. What a difference! Of course the naan was crispier, but even the biriyani and saag tastes better when comes fresh to the table instead of sitting in a box for 15 minutes.
Best dishes:
Chicken biriyani is delicious, better than the lamb biriyani which has big chunks of lamb, but the meat is a little dry.
Palak paneer is really good with soft cheese and you can choose the level of spiciness. I like this best with the onion naan. Which, the onion naan will come to your table with beautiful sprinkles of glittery onion. We liked this naan better than the garlic naan.
Chicken tikka masala - yummy creamy tomatoey sauce with big chunks of tender chicken.
Mango Lassi is very good, but filling, so I don't order it because then I can't eat as much. The mango juice is lighter, ours was a little frozen, sort of like a mango smoothie.
There was a special chicken dish in a sauce with fresh coconut which was fantastic, but I can't remember the name! The owner said he would like to put the dish on the regular menu, but it takes so long to make, he doesn't always have time. If you see it on the specials blackboard, order it! My daughter who doesn't even like coconut, loved this.
The restaurant:
It's set back from the street, but still easy to find. It looks small when you first walk in, but there is another dining room in the back.
They give complimentary milk-chai that is self-serve so you can have as much as you want.
You need to order and pay at the counter, then they bring the food when its ready. When its busy, you can end up waiting a bit, so don't go on a Friday night expecting quick service. Either go early or expect a wait. Its worth it. -
Review from Tim E.
Oakland, CA
10/1/2011
Yes yes yes, I agree. Four stars for deliciousness, and one more for value-for-money. Biriyanis are wonderful. vegetable tikka, yum.
But the best dishes we have had are the specials, often from Pakistan (where the owners are from), and are dishes we've never heard of before. They are apparently family favorites, as others have said. One they called "crazy chicken" was particularly good. -
Review from Mariko B.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 8/5/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I have to change my vote to 5 stars for the following reasons:
1. The chicken biriyani. It's the owner's family recipe, it's mouth-watering. I have dreams of this stuff.
2. Eat it there. My first rating was based on take-out and for some reason it's a world apart when you eat it there.
3. Can you say mango in Hindi? Can you say it fast three times? I have no idea how to, I was just wondering if you could... because they have three different mango drinks there that are ALL outstanding.
4. The specials: Talked to the owner who mentioned these are treats that take an especially long time to cook which hinder their addition to the regular menu, but honey they're worth the wait. Try them.
So in summary, daal-ings, Currylicious has moved up a notch in my book of 'liciouses. Take note.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/1/2010
The name says it. It's currylicious. They could also call it currytastic and curryriffic.… Read more »
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Review from Laura S.
Berkeley, CA
10/17/2011
One night around 10.15, I was trolling Rockridge for dinner, being a local with no food in the house. The lights and currylicious were on. I walked in, and asked if they were open, but no, it was just the owner and a friend hanging out. "But what do you want?" he asked me. "Food!" I said. "No problem, we always have that. I'll just make you something simple for dinner." Then he made me a delicious chicken curry with lots of sauce and rice, with a made up recipe from left over spices. I hung out with his friends, chitchatted about politics, and he wouldn't charge me a cent. THAT is what makes local businesses great: a human face. =)
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Review from Shiyuan D.
Oakland, CA
7/22/2011
We used a http://Restaurant.com coupon for dinner.
Ordered the palak paneer, lamb curry, roasted eggplant veggie dish, veggie samosas, and the first item on the chaat list.
The best part of our meal? The chutneys that come with the samosas. For that, and the http://Restaurant.com coupon, they get 2 stars. For the free chai tea, they get another star.
There is so much good Indian food in Oakland/Berkeley (Mount Everest) for example, why would you come here. When the waitress, who was really nice, came by to ask us what our favorite dish of the meal was, we struggled to give her an answer. -
Review from Andrea C.
Berkeley, CA
4/13/2011 8 photos
Groupon, we need to talk.
You know, I trusted you. And yet, you still disappoint me. I have simple needs, I just want you to help me like I help you. Yet, when I extend my arms out to you, yearning for affection, you give me the cold shoulder.
Or in this case a meal at Currylicious.
On a Saturday night at 7 the place only had one couple seated. That's a bad sign off the bat. However, I was focused on getting my $7 worth from Groupon (you dog!) so we went in anyways.
The place has a set up similar to Naan N Curry, you order at the front, serve yourself water and chai, and they bring your food to your wobbly table.
I opted for chicken tikki masala, rice, and naan. A classic that should be difficult to mess up for any curry house. They asked me how spicy I wanted my curry and I asked for somewhat mild. I like flavor, but was apprehensive as to whether I could handle the 'real' spice.
Food took about 15 minutes, which I felt was a little long considering they place was practically empty.
Alright, so I just want to say my curry came out hot. That's about all I can say for that. However what it had going for it in temperature, it lacked in flavor. The naan was thin and buttery and the rice seemed like it had been sitting around for hours. The curry was incredibly yogurt-y. It was mostly yogurt. I'm semi-lactose intolerant and had to stop myself.
Ok, anytime I leave a restaurant hungry, it upsets me. Anytime I have too much dairy, it upsets my tummy.
SO over. it. -
Review from Connie T.
Castro Valley, CA
5/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
LOVER OF INDIAN FOOD HERE.
Came here for the first time armed with a groupon, for some reason i had bought two and really hoped it was going to be a place i'd like to return to.
The ambiance and decor is perfectly fine, especially in Berkeley where everything is 'laxed.
It's all self serve, order at the register when you walk in, drinks (chai tea & water) is complimentary, serve yourself whenever you desire.
The food is set on the counter when it's done, usually 10-15 mins, keep an eye out and pick it up when you see your order, but for some reason both the times i've been there they've brought it to our table.
The chai tea is honestly delicioussss!
And the food is gooood.
They have lunch specials that end around 1.
Everything's about 6-8 including rice and naan for each dish.
If you get there and order off the regular menu it's only a few dollars more for bigger portions.
Went to another self-serve Indian place in Dublin tonight and decided Currylicious is alwayyyyys going to be my go-to.
Things we've tried:
Paneer Tikka Masala
Chicken Tikka Masala
Lamb Shahi Korma
Another lamb dish...can't remember which, i think it was the only one for Lunch Specials, but regardless everything is really gooood!
The naan is also nice and fluffy but crisp on the outside, can't go wrong with this restaurant, really! -
Review from Jennifer W.
Berkeley, CA
5/13/2011
This place caught my eye because of its catchy sign and bright orange walls, despite it being set back from the street and sunken into a little alcove. The lunch specials are attractive too, with most being $7. There's a chef's special lunch special that includes chicken tikka masala, veggie curry, rice, and naan. There's a lunch special of chicken curry, veggie curry, rice, and naan. There's another lunch special of three pieces tandoori chicken, veggie curry, rice, and naan. There's another lunch special of kebabs, veggie curry, rice, and naan.
Unfortunately, the Groupon we had did not apply to lunch specials so we went with a regular chicken tikka masala, aloo gobi, samosa, rice, and naan. Too bad there was no samosa either so we switched it to a veggie pakora. The pakoras looked either overfried or else the oil was too old/used. The chicken tikka masala was very mild. I suppose it was good because it tasted like no other tikka masala I've ever had, but there was no kick to it. The aloo gobi I liked a lot. The rice was a small portion and the naan was really small too. Both were $1.50 each.
The food is not fast here. It was not a busy day and only one other table, but the food did take a while. Food gets out significantly faster if you order take out. Other than the handful of tables in the immediate dining area, there's a nice little private room in the back and some tables in the front outside. The restrooms are not that pleasant. -
Review from boo d.
Oakland, CA
7/27/2011
They get a 5 star for their delicious chicken tikka massala, great naan, friendly service, and solid lunch combos.
I had some not so great experiences the first few times I went (long wait especially), but it has been great recently. I hope they stick around. They are now my favorite Indian in the neighborhood. -
Review from Jana C.
4/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Will never be back. If you want good, or even decent Indian food, there are many other options than Currylicious.
Pros:
1. Clean
2. Samosas were good
3. I was told the chai tea was good (I didn't taste it)
Cons:
1. SLOW service
2. We asked for mild and it was so spicy I couldn't even eat the food.
3. When they asked how the food was and we explained it was so spicy to even eat, the owner (?) berated us for not having an appreciative palette
4. The naan was flat and burnt
5. All the dishes tasted like burnt charcoal
6. Even with a $25 coupon, we still paid an additional $30 on top (for 2 people)
7. Small portions
8. The consistency of the curry was mealy and not good -
Review from Angela S.
San Francisco, CA
6/3/2011
Yeah, I've been eating a lot of Indian food lately. This place is right by my school, so my friends want to eat here a lot, but I have to say, I was somewhat disappointed. The tikka masala sauce was way more tomato - y than I've had at most restaurants, but the most important thing about Indian food to me is the sauce - to - substance ratio in any ______ curry, _______ masala, or whatever, and at this place, it was kind of disappointing. Even with naan to soak it up with (which, to be fair, was pretty good. It was kinda doughy, but that's how I like it) there was still a ton of sauce left from my paneer tikka masala. My friend's curry that I tried had some good flavor, but again, was lacking in the meat department. (That's what she said lol)
Inside, the atmosphere is pretty pleasant, and I especially like the bold choices of color, which is pretty unique compared to other similar Indian places I've been to.
Besides the decor, Currylicious is pretty similar to a lot of Indian places that I've been to in SF and the East Bay. It's self - serve, and serves pretty standard North Indian fare for a reasonable price, but as far as Indian places in the area go, I prefer House of Curries, I gotta say. -
Review from Drew P.
Hayward, CA
4/3/2011
My girlfriend and I went in here for lunch the other day a little after 1pm and we had the place to ourselves.
We tried to lunch specials, one chicken tandoori the other chicken Marsala, both come with rice and a side of vegetable curry.
The curries were so hot I could barely eat them, even my girlfriend who tends to favor spicy food said "THIS IS SPICY" . Overall everything was good, I was disappointed in the spiciness, but next time I know to ask for it less spicy or ask for assistance on ordering.
The Naan is to die for! They use the right oven to make it authentic.
Overall, hole in the wall with good food. -
Review from Emily J.
3/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Vegetable Pakora ($2.99) = Crispylicious
Paneer Tikka Masala ($6.99) = Creamylicious
Chicken Vindaloo ($7.49) = Spicylicious
Naan ($1.49) = Fluffylicious
My favorite thing was putting the potato pieces from the vindaloo on a piece of naan. That was some fabulous carb on carb action.
Frugalicious even without a Groupon.Listed in: East Bay Indian Eats
-
Review from danielle l.
San Francisco, CA
I walked into Currylicious and was greeted immediately. There was no one else inside. I was presented the specials of the day and decided to get the veggie combo, chana masala and spinich and lentils served with rice and naan. I asked for spicy and spicy it was. I also ordered veggie samosas. While I was waiting for my food, one of the guys working gave me a mango lassi on the house. Score! i love free stuff. Oh they also offer free chai tea. The food came out in a timely manner. The samosas were good, not great. I wanted more of a kick to them and maybe a little more salt and the dough wasn't crispy enough. The chana masala was ncely seasoned and very spicy. The spinach and lentil dish was okay. I probably would never order that from there again. The naan was great (big, fluffy, and slightly crispy). The veggie combo ran me about $8. Samosas about $3 for two pieces.
There service here is friendly and attentive, the food okay. Will I be back? Can't say. -
Review from Timothy G.
Oakland, CA
4/13/2011
My kids love Indian food - not usually my first choice. But when my kids get a great report card I let them choose a restaurant. My son chose this one.
I can't tell you what I ordered (chicken kabob?), and my wife had a spicy fish dish. I liked it!
I'll be back. -
Review from H C.
Bay Area
3/2/2011
Currylicious? Not so much. We came here after buying a recent groupon deal and I simply wasn't impressed by the food. The owner/manager of the place was sweet and funny but I won't be returning on account of the food, nothing personal.
We ordered a chicken tikka masala and a chicken korma. First of all, if you like spicy, this is the place for you. We ordered our dishes medium and whew, were they spicy! The chicken was tender enough but the sauce was lumpy and lacked the curry taste that I was looking for.
Frankly, curry is such a subjective thing - and can be made in so many ways. I like mine smoother, perhaps richer and creamier, and I didn't get what I was looking for in either dish.
On the upside, the naan and rice were delish and the food was obviously freshly prepared. The price point was right - around $6.99 for the entrees, keeping in mind that it's "self-serve" as we were told. At first, I thought "buffet" and looked around but it just means that you go up to the counter to order when you're ready. The food is delivered to your table and then you pay at the end.
Not a busy place at all - we overlapped with one other table at the start of our meal and another table at the end of our meal. -
Review from Katrina A.
Manhattan, NY
5/1/2011
Bought a http://restaurant.com $10 gift certificate for a buck, so I thought I'd try this place. I haven't had Indian in a while, and was craving it so bad.
This is what we ordered:
2 Garlic Naan
2 Mango Lassi
1 Saag Palak
1 Paneer Tikka Masala
1 order of rice
Total: 32ish dollars (including the added %15 tip) - $10 GC = 22
Not too bad. Considering that the food was way too much for the boy and I to finish. I brought home half of the spinach dish, 2 slices of naan, half of the rice and poured the tikka masala sauce on top.
Food took a while to come out and they weren't too busy at that time. Naan was delish and so was the saag palak. I wasn't the biggest fan of the tikka masala sauce... I've had way better. It was my 1st time trying the paneer tikka masala (never ordered it before because I thought cheese in that sauce would just be gross), but it was actually tasty! Mango lassies were okay, I thought they had too much yogurt. I like more mango than yogurt.
