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Gill's Indian Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Indian Indian [Edit]
838 S Grand AveLos Angeles, CA 90017
Neighborhood: Downtown
(213) 623-1050
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 3 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 10:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Validated
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
142 reviews for Gill's Indian Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Some of the best chicken tikka masala."
(in 20 reviews)
"We had garlic naan (which was heavenly."
(in 31 reviews)
"Highly recommend to have lunch buffet."
(in 23 reviews)
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142 reviews in English
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Review from Ingrid L.
Los Angeles, CA
1/4/2012
Placed an order on Grubhub. When we got there they never got a fax. Pulled up the receipt on the phone and the chef started cooking our meal. It was done by the time we reparked the car.
The lamb korma was delicious! We will be back to try the buffet. -
Review from RaShae W.
Carson, CA
1/6/2012
Is this some kind of sick Indian joke??!?!?!? Why do restaurants take advantage of the good, kind, hard-working folks of downtown LA? I'm guessing this place has a high rating because it's the only Indian restaurant within a 5 mile radius (or walking distance). Oh wait...I forgot about the comercialized Indian restaurant downstairs in my building....which is better than this.
First off, a buffet is supposed to be just that....a buffet. Five dishes don't count. And who the hell has a buffet without samosa or pakoras????? Second, this place is located in a seedy, hourly-rate kinda hotel. As soon as the doors open, you are greeted with the smell of piss, pine cleaner (I didn't say pine sol), and then a faint whif of Indian food. This place still has paper record keeping on index cards, and I'm sure the crowd gets pretty entertaining at night-fall.
Cauliflower/potato - too salty and mushy
chicken masala - runny and bland.
dal (lentils and kidney beans) - undercooked (which is hard to do for lentils) and bland.
curry fish - runny and bland.
Penne pasta with sauce, peas, and onion - *blank stare* Uhhhh they don't serve pasta in India....y'all are just reachin.
I will stick to my usual Indian buffet in Norwalk where they actually season the food correctly and give you plenty of options. I'm so annoyed I walked 6 long blocks (one way) in the elements of Downtown for this nonsense, and even more annoyed I brought it back for my manager and I. Hope I don't get a bad performance review for this one. -
Review from Keila N.
It was Saturday night on New Year's eve. My date and I walked into Gill's excited about having Indian food.
We had free samosas for checking in. This time, we were both disappointed with our dinner. The chicken tandoori was dry. We asked for spicy lamb vindaloo, which came out mild-even for my date who's not a fire eater like myself. The lamb was also tough.
The service here is faultless, however. Our water glasses were always full and the food was very prompt.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/26/2010
I went here with my dear friend, Kevin, for dinner. I didn't know that there was an Indian… Read more »
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Review from Richard K.
Los Angeles, CA
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm not going to defend Gill's for being in a shitty run-down hotel called the Stillwell. I mean the building reminds you of what downtown LA used to look like before LA Live. You know, the ghetto LA when it was dangerous to wear the wrong colors in certain neighborhoods and when Skid Row extended beyond San Pedro Street. It's weird though because up the street is FIDM and down the street is Bottega Louie. Go figure.
However, I will defend it from all these Yelp reviewers with less than 10 reviews putting this place on blast - especially the morons that order delivery. People, Indian food isn't pizza or even cornstarched Chinese food that can be easily reheated with your microwave. It's complex food that should be eaten "hot" and "fresh" at the restaurant. It makes me wonder if these people even know what they are talking about. Word of caution though. Everything at Gill's is well-seasoned unlike some of the Indian places on the Westside that are toned down for all the "goras".
So if you can manage to get past the ghettoness of the building and the really shady bar filled with some of LA's most unsavory drunkards, the food here is probably some of the best Indian food you will find in Los Angeles. Disregard all the other Yelp reviews dogging on their garlic naan because Gill's naan is second to naan. To truly appreciate naan you must eat it at the restaurant so that you can taste it fresh off the tandoor oven. Just the thought of Gill's imperfect oblong-shaped naan with its crispy crust and slightly doughey interior makes me want to sing "naan-na-na-na!"
Some dumbass below wrote that if we order chicken tikka masala then we know nothing about Indian food. That is absurd because there is a reason why this dish has become one of India's most popular and well-known dishes. That is akin to saying don't order steak at a steakhouse or pad thai at a Thai restaurant.
And you know what? Gill's masala is fucking tasty. I love the marinated tandoori chicken mixed with a tomato and fenugreek saffron sauce. In fact, I can always taste the saffron unlike other restaurants. Throw that shit down with a bottle of hoppy Kingfisher and you will be singing "all is well" as if you were one of the "3 idiots" (I love Bollywood movies).
Their curries are great as well. Of particular was their shrimp curry, which had a tangy lime twist that almost made it seem Mexican. And how could I forget the free chutney dippings sauces that Gill's offers?
In my opinion, Gill's has some really good authentic Indian food that really represents India's flavors. Just remember to bring the pepper spray or a taser if you come for dinner. -
Review from Kay H.
Los Angeles, CA
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Keep in mind that this is the only Indian restaurant in downtown, so there isn't much competition.
The good:
Chicken coconut curry was sooo good; I couldn't wait to eat the leftovers.
The dishes contained a lot of chicken -- probably a higher chicken-to-sauce ratio than I've ever had at an Indian restaurant. Love that.
The service was top notch: attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly -- never overwhelming.
The ehhh:
Weird location (in the oddest hotel I've ever been in) means I'll probably be ordering takeout from now on.
The butter chicken was a tad sweet for my liking; it reminded me of the version I found in many places in Australia.
The rice was just plain basmati, with no saffron or cumin flavorings. -
Review from Christina T.
Los Angeles, CA
1/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Its simple - All you can eat Indian food for $9.75 (at lunch). Good for the price especially in overprice downtown. Not the best but good enough for the asking price.
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Review from Clelia E.
Los Angeles, CA
12/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
We had the buffet there. It's an old hotel so it has its charm.
I don't know for parking we had to walk (bad idea).
The food was quite decent, the service was good but being used to have my lunch buffet below $10 at my other Indian restaurant, the 13-15 dollars I paid left me no choice than to give 3 stars instead of 4!! -
Review from Sheri M.
Lancaster, CA
2/1/2012
Lunch buffet is great. Excellent tandoori chicken.
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Review from Amy P.
Updated - 7/1/2011 6 photos
I've been here a couple of more times and I feel like I should raise it up a star. The food has definitely been better and has not been overly salty as when I first visited.
Besides, it's as authentic and wallet-friendly as you can get in downtown. Where else do you get grandma and grandpa sitting by the door watching all the patrons come in and out?
M-F AYCE lunch for $7.99 is a winner!Listed in: DTLA, Lunch Munch, Great Asian Food, All you can eat list
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/20/2011
Wow, a little authentic Indian restaurant hidden in the midst of downtown. I met up with a couple… Read more »
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Review from Nadine R.
Valencia, CA
7/8/2011
I have been coming to Gill's for almost ten years. They recently had a makeover and oh how I love what they've done with the place. The food is as good as ever, maybe even better, and the naan bread is to die for.
The lunch buffet is excellent, have I mentioned that I loved their food? There was a period of time there where the flavor of the food changed, maybe a different cook? I don't know, but the flavor and the quality is excellent once again.
I have brought friends from Germany and France to dine here as well as several of my co-workers and everyone loves it.
The place is hidden in the back of the lobby of an old hotel, you wouldn't even know it was there if you weren't looking for it. It's the only Indian restaurant in all of downtown and I love it. They could move to a nicer location but then the food would be way over-priced to meet the overhead.
Definitely a find, if you're ever in the downtown area and are craving Indian food, give it a try. Parking is $5 in the lot next door and street parking is very expensive, $4 an hour I think. That's downtown L.A. for you.
Bon appetit! -
Review from Celia C.
7/20/2011
FOOD DELIVERY REVIEW.
Gill's has the best Indian in downtown (although, that's not saying much with our slim pickings to choose from) but their deliveries move at a glacial pace taking on average of over an hour. This has been pretty consistent and works the same with take out as well. From the looks of it, if you can handle the average customer service and long delivery waits, I'd recommend eating here. -
Review from Jen m.
Los Angeles, CA
6/3/2011
I went to Gill's after hiking nearby with 2 friends. We wanted Indian food and this was the only place we could find in downtown LA.
When we went in, we were told that the AYCE will close in 10 minutes, so grab all the food you want before it gets carried away. We were told that the restaurant itself will close in 30 minutes. We nodded in agreement and didn't notice that the place was devoid of customers. We started to place our belongings on a chair at a nearby table, but were told we could not sit there as "it is a table for 6." I replied, "sure, but there doesn't seem to be a rush of customers, and anyway isn't the restaurant closing soon? I do not see the issue with us sitting here." The man argued with me and refused my request. (minus 1 rating star) He insisted that we sit at a dark, depressing, TINY corner booth. Only after I said, "come on, this booth is depressing, and small" .. and then he let us sit in a slightly less dark, depressing, small booth across the room.
The food was average. I would have liked to see more veg - sabzi options. Minus 1 rating star.
Minus 1 star for the staring from two burly, scowling sardars (maybe the cook and owner?) who came out of the kitchen and literally watched every spoonful of dal and saag go into my mouth and that of my female friend. No friendly smiles and no attempt to slightly hide the staring. It was blatant ... and very creepy. Near the end of the meal, I said: "please stop staring at me, my friend and our food." Instead of obliging, the seating jerk from before appeared, came over, and proceeded to tell me that I have an attitude. He arrogantly berated me for 3 minutes, until I told him to go away. Minus 1 star.
It was the creepiest and least enjoyable dining experience I can remember.
Never going back there. Can not recommend it.
One star earned for having Kingfisher beer. That's it.
Of course, as we walked out I could not resist the temptation to say over my shoulder, "by the way, the food wasn't very good." heehee -
Review from Cyndi L.
Los Angeles, CA
1/9/2012
I liked this place a lot. Food was good and very good prices and there is a buffet for $11.00 at lunch time.
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Review from Tim E.
Arcadia, CA
5/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was kinda spooked walking around downtown LA not knowing who could lunge out and grab us.
Gil's is inside an old run down LA Hotel which are probably in movies or TV shows. Too bad there wasn't any filming cause I would have felt safer.
Otherwise this place recommended by Helen L suggested it on a Saturday early evening. She said they have a really good deal M-F for lunch. $7.99 AYCE. Too bad that wasn't the case for Saturday. Everything was ala carte on a Saturday.
I did enjoy the chicken tikki masala and the garlic naan a yummy combination.
The staff were very helpful and attentive. The restaurant looks like it was built and maintained ma
Winnie H has it right it was inside a run down hotel and I felt uneasy leaving the premise at 7:30pm and having to walk 4 blocks to my car. -
Review from Caroline C.
Los Angeles, CA
7/18/2011
I love Indian food and was on a hunt to order in and came across Gill's...
From the reviews I knew this wasn't something special but without many options I decided "Fuck it" I just won't expect to much.
So I dial their number and the guy who answers, takes my order, and then tells me he's to busy to take my credit card and would have to call me back! hmmmmm that was the first red flag but I ignored it (we worked it out).
So finally the delivery guy shows up and I'm starving so we sit down and open up our boxes. . . . . . .
The "rice of the day" had a NO nuts in it, some peas and the rice was not cooked all the way. It was super bright yellow, but it lacked any distinctive flavor.
The Jumbo shrimp WAS the Worst ever!!! the menu said it was "mildly marinated with garlic, cilantro and black pepper" this was not how it came! it had a soggy layer over it and it did not have any cilantro. It was rather disgusting. The texture was way off and I am not one of those people that don't eat things because of strange textures either. This was just weird.
I will never order here again it just wasn't good people. -
Review from julie h.
Los Angeles, CA
4/19/2011
Here's a rule when reading Indian food reviews: don't listen to anyone that mentions ordering chicken tikka masala. Sorry kids, but this makes you lose all foodie credibility. I can only assume this is why this place has such a good Yelp review.
I ordered the garlic naan that everyone was raving about and thought it was chewy and thin. When I get naan, I like it bubbled, light and slightly crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. This tasted microwaved; and then microwaved again.
The "rice of the day" had a few nuts in it, some peas and that was it. Although bright yellow, it lacked any distinctive flavor.
The sauce for the Makhni Paneer was pretty good, but the menu said there were supposed to be mushrooms. Where did all my mushrooms go??
We also got an order of the Aloo Gobi which was not adequately spiced (I ordered medium and it was virtually spiceless). It was a bit gritty tasting and overall just bland.
Not having a decent Indian restaurant downtown is SUCH A BUMMER!! -
Review from Joanna P.
Los Angeles, CA
4/11/2011 5 Check-ins Here
We stumbled across this place one day while walking to dinner. Bottega was packed as usual and since no one felt like waiting, we decided to give Gill's a try. It's located in a shady looking hotel where you would imagine questionable things going on.
The restaurant itself isn't the nicest, but service is prompt and the food is good. They have an AYCE buffet during lunch for a cheap price, but we were there for dinner. The price was reasonable for a group of 4 people and we ordered a variety of dishes.
I don't know if I'd dine again in the restaurant. The snob in me thinks the decor can be a bit nicer and if I was eating blindfolded, I wouldn't have a problem. But the food is good so we always order delivery from here. You can call them directly or order online from Eat 24 Hours (http://eat24hours.com/).
FYI, they're closed on Sundays! So try not to crave Indian food on Sundays. Unfortunately for me, I always seem to crave Indian food then so I usually end up sitting at my dinner table with a sad face trying to figure out what to eat. -
Review from Aaron G.
Downtown, Los Angeles, CA
6/14/2011
This place needs to stay open later man!
I would give them a 4, but they've gotta figure out a way to stay open until 11 at least! -
Review from Simon j.
Los Angeles, CA
10/30/2011
Found this place by accident. Better than my regular Indian restaurant and much better than its appearance would suggest.
I will be back again!!! -
Review from TASTEITLA K.
Los Angeles, CA
11/14/2011
Being the only Indian Restaurant in the general DTLA area I ordered takeout from Gill's Indian Restaurant. I was hoping (praying) for something comparable to my beloved (I was a stalker) Agra Indian (who is also offering a coupon special via Yelp right now-snatched!)
But Gill? We need to talk. What I received left me questioning the definition of "authentic" and "good" in relation to one another. The chicken masala tasted more like chicken in tomato sauce and the portions were tapa size for full dinner prices. Spicy translated to mild apparently when ordering, the meat was bland and the Saag Paneer was watered down. Upon arrival I was told that they were out of garlic naan...but they had plain naan...so really aren't you just out of Garlic...? I get that its baked in but I gladly would have just added garlic to my plain naan.
And the Raita? Well, perhaps it was an off night for Gill but that's what has prompted me to write this posting: http://tasteitla.blogs...
Btw my chicken tikka was also dry.
SIIIIIIGH
WTH GILL? I need good indian food in DTLA. -
Review from jodi f.
Los Angeles, CA
9/26/2011
I certainly do not come here for the service... the service is generally horrible and I am not just speaking about once... its pretty much everytime I go here. I would never make a trip to Gill's in a hurry (or order delivery or order take out.) With that said, I still go here... a lot!
Let me just preface the rest of this by saying that if I had to pick one cuisine to survive off of for the rest of my life, it would be Indian...
Gill's food is sooooo tasty.... I used to work in an Indian restaurant owned by some friends, so I feel like I know a thing or two about the cuisine. Is it the best? Nah, probably not, but it is pretty damn good.
I have had quite a few items from the menu. I usually go with a friend and like to get a meat dish and a veggie dish. I highly recommend the matar paneer and the malai kofta. When it comes to meaty dishes I'm a huge fan of the lamb korma, any kind of vindaloo and of course the tikka masala. I'm not much of a rice eater; I prefer to slop up my Indian delights into my mouth via naan. Garlic naan is a must by the way.
Food is most definitely 3-4 stars... Service is like 2. -
Review from Vanessa H.
Los Angeles, CA
3/23/2011
This is lcoated in the back of an old hotel near 8th and Grand. They have a great $8.95 lunch buffet that includes all the naan you can eat (for those of you that don't have food allergies like me.) Buffet includes salad, rice, and options like daal of the day, chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, sometimes a lamb dish, a vegetarian dish, some mixed veggies in sauce, and then dessert which is rice pudding and fruit. The service is good - a waiter came around several times for drink refills and to cpear plates both times I've been there.
For those gluten-free options: I asked the manager and he said they use no flour in any of their dishes. It is simple everyday Indian consisting of tomato based sauces, and lots of veggies. Who could ask for more in a GF lunch getaway you can enjoy with your coworkers?
Today I returned to work sleepy but happy, with a full belly of grub. Check it out; you won't be disappointed. And for $8.95, it's cheaper than many other lunch locations and you get to eat to your hearts content. :-)
Oh, and did I mention Bollywood movies that play while you eat? They are quite amusing. -
Review from Torr L.
Downtown, Los Angeles, CA
9/6/2011
Terrible food, over-priced. Trader Joe's frozen Indian food is better than this place.
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Review from I P.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 9/2/2011
Went inside for pick up, and had a glass of wine while they wrapped up our order. I could have stayed all night, man. That Bollywood Boom music video channel is THE BEST! And what a nice family. I may come and hang out to watch tv and eat with them next time, instead of ordering delivery. You think I'm joking but I am not. :)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/7/2011
One star off for not being open Sundays for True Blood night.
COCONUT SHRIMP one for each of us, plz.… Read more »
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Review from Peter P.
Los Angeles, CA
2/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This review is mainly for the $8.95+ tax AYCE lunch buffet from 11am-2:30pm, which is totally awesome! The Garlic Naan is both very crispy and doughy at the same time and taste amazingly delicious especially dipped in the Chicken Tikka Masala or Palak Paneer! The cook in the back is a workhorse and is super attentive every time you run out of Naan, great service!
When you're craving Indian food, this place is definitely tops! Best to go only during Friday's though, cuz that's when they have the best selections for lunch. -
Review from Maggie Z.
Los Angeles, CA
10/5/2011
They won't deliver unless you spend over $20--get this--not including tax. it's not like you can spend $15 and pay a couple dollar charge--they just won't do it. Pleh.
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Review from Sharon K.
Los Angeles, CA
3/2/2011
Came in for all you can eat for 8.95. You can't beat that for good food in DTLA. Loved that they give you unlimited amounts of garlic naan, which was good. The selections were good, there was chicken tikka marsala, onion bhaji, tandoori chicken, saag paneer, agoo, dal of the day, and sauces galore. The flavors were good, had two plates and I was done. Completely stuffed to the point of obvillion.
Don't let the hotel scare you off, since it's inside the Stillwell Hotel, it's totally worth it. I know when I'm craving indian food while at work, I will head over here! -
Review from j w.
Minneapolis, MN
1/11/2011
Today was my second visit to Gill's. The first was over a weekend and the tandoori chicken I ordered for lunch took an unbelievably long amount of time to come out of the kitchen. It was tasty as was the garlic naan but I don't think it should take almost 30 minutes to get chicken served. So today I tried the buffet. Others observed that the selection is rather limited. Today was no different but there was something in common with my previous visit: where's the tandoori chicken??? This time, though, it was the other customers hovering like hawks waiting for it to come of the chicken and then not doing the best in sharing with everyone else who had been waiting.
Another thing my two visits have in common is very good, friendly service. That's the real reason for three stars instead of two. -
Review from Toni G.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 9/22/2011
Went there with a friend the other night to check it out afterall. It's in the back of some grubby hotel lobby, tacky red decor and tv's playing Bollywood videos. It's small and seemingly unpopular given that we were the only people there on a Thursday night. Yeah the food's tasty but the ambience is non-existent, the wait staff are just ok and the location and venue suck. Not going back. Stars awarded for food that, as with most Indian restaurants, appeared on the table about 2 mins after ordering, meaning it's reheated stuff that's sat around all day.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/16/2011
The food here was tasty, can't comment on the ambience as I had the food delivered. It's a shame I… Read more »
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Review from Alicia M.
Los Angeles, CA
4/6/2011
Indian food, when done right, can be absolutely amazing and I believe Gill's is one of these places. Not only are their prices very reasonable, you get huge portions for your money. I've only ordered delivery but I loved it so much after trying it the first time that I placed another order that very same week. Since then I find myself regularly craving Gill's.
The Saag Paneer, Chicken Tikka Masala, Pork Masala, and Garlic Naan are all amazing! An order of the rice of the day is just 3.95 and you get tons of rice. Last time, they threw in an order of the rice pudding for dessert for free - and it was also very very good! If you're looking for a place to get affordable Indian from - Gill's is it. -
Review from Kim W.
Los Angeles, CA
8/9/2011
My husband and I recently moved from Hollywood to Downtown. We were extremely spoiled with numerous awesome Indian restaurants in Hollywood, so it is hard to compete. Heck, prior to that we lived on the Westside with even more fantastic options. With Indian being one of our top 3 favorite foods, I searched Yelp to see what I could find in our new neighborhood. The reviews were pretty decent, so we decided to go check it out. Personally, I didn't have a problem with the decor. It's an Indian restaurant... they're not usually known for such things. The food was good, not great. We ordered the vegetarian dinner which is a pretty decent deal.
We also ordered a bottle of wine. They wound up bringing a different one from what we ordered which I didn't really notice until we got the bill and it was more expensive than what was listed on the menu. We pointed this out and the waiter said he had mistaken our order. He wound up adjusting the price for us which was nice.
We've ordered delivery from them a couple times since and I think the food is better in the restaurant... especially the naan. Until something better opens downtown, we'll probably continue ordering from here... unless we feel like making a trip to Hollywood or the Westside. :) -
Review from Jennifer J.
Ventura, CA
9/27/2010
This is one of the best examples of "don't judge a book by its cover" I've come across. Located in a somewhat random/sketchy hotel on Grand, to get to Gil's you enter through the front door of the hotel and walk toward the neon sign glaring Gil's name in the back, passing by the equally random/sketchy Hank's (dive) Bar. The restaurant has an Indian-ish décor about it, but feels more Cost Plus than authentic wares. There are two TVs on either side of the room which, during our visit, was showing "Sponge Bob Square Pants." When we arrived for dinner a little after 6:00PM on a Friday, we were, at that time, the only dining customers. At this point, I didn't hold much in the way of expectations.
Thankfully, while the atmosphere left a bit to be desired, the service and the food were exceptionally good. The restaurant is clearly family run and obviously low-key (hence Sponge Bob), but our server treated us with more hospitality than I've experienced at a number of fancy-schmancy high end restaurants in the area. We shared the Samosas, Chicken Tikka Masala, Shrimp Biryani, and Garlic Naan. The Samosas were perfect little fried pockets of heaven, without being too heavy or greasy. The spice and heat level of our main dishes were balanced beautifully. And the Naan was fluffy and tender, with just the right amount of garlic.
Do they deliver? Yes. But I say throw caution to the wind and go experience Gil's up close and personal. At least once. And then you can sit out the one to two hour delivery time they are notorious for. -
Review from Mary C.
All you can eat Indian food for $7.95 (LUNCH) - you can't go wrong! There are dishes prepared for those who are vegetarian. My favorite vegetarian dish is the eggplant one, but they didn't have that today. For the carnivorous, my favorite is the Chicken Masala. You also get Naan. Dessert is limited to slices of oranges and a sweet rice tapioca dish. I should start paying attention to what these dishes are called, but I don't.
The food is great! If you're not into spices, be careful because some dishes are spicy - there's no indication if this or that dish is spicy.
Be prepared to leave this place with a COMA! No matter how slow I eat and chew my food, I still come back to my desk feeling the need to crawl under it and just nap!
Great lunch place with co-workers & friends! -
Review from Nathreen W.
Los Angeles, CA
11/16/2010
I have only ordered delivery from this place....have yet to go in and sit down. I only discovered it's location a few weeks ago when I was walking back from the grocery store on 9th on my way to 8th to take the 10 bus when I noticed it was in the back of a small downtown hotel (not sure I would call it seedy like Lloyd B. had mentioned...just isn't the Ritz).
We found this place on http://Eat24hours.com when we have been finding a hard time locating restaurants that deliver. We are without a car for a little while and don't always feel like going out to eat good food when you can just have it delivered.
We ordered the Chicken Samosa, which were absolutely awesome, the Vegetable Pakora, again very good, the Chicken Curry mild, very tasty, and the Chicken Tikka Masala mild, which I thoroughly enjoyed, along with some Naan, if you mess up the Naan then you have some issues. I like the fact that you can choose your spiciness (mild, medium, hot) and everything comes very warm still. It does take time for them to deliver it (average of about an hour for us) but it is well worth it.
So far, we have ordered from here twice and both times have been consistently good. I recommend this place!! -
Review from Blair Z.
Chinatown, Chicago, IL
7/29/2011
I love this place!!very delicious food, and very reasonable price. I love the garlic naan, chicken tikka masala, and the rose lassi. They are so so so delicious!!!!!! Highly recommend to have lunch buffet. The only thing I think the restaurant needs to improve is service although everyone is very nice, they need to communicate with customers.
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Review from Michael R.
Los Angeles, CA
11/20/2010
Gill's Indian sits in the back of the Stillwell Hotel building, home to Hanks Bar as well. The hotel is a total dump (the reviews on the hotel are truly hilarious and great for humorous fodder).
The restaurant is surprisingly good. Authentic and genuine I find myself ordering delivery here once a month or so. I have not eaten onsite, I have just had the delivery. Delivery took about 45-an hour but it was during peak dinner times.
The food ordered was all very well seasoned, very fresh, well packed and something I would order again. Being that I am on a gluten free diet (allergy, not by choice) I found this to be a very pleasant and safe experience. Here is what I ordered in the past:
Chicken Tikka Appetizer
Chicken Koorma
Chicken Vindaloo
Dal of the Day
Lamb Saag
Lamb Biryani
No naan bread
(if you are gluten free or celiac, I would cal and order to ensure there is not cross contamination). -
Review from Tracy D.
Los Angeles, CA
8/3/2010
This place is great. Years ago a guy I was dating had leftovers in his fridge and I gobbled them down happily. Since I had moved to LA I hadn't ever had Indian that was up to snuff (I'm from Toronto where the Indian food is pretty damn great)
Tonight I ordered for delivery. I knew it might take a while so I ordered an hour in advance...I was dead on, it arrived almost exactly an hour later.
I am really digging the Saag Paneer and the chicken tikka masala is a bit too rich and could be a little more complex in its flavours but the quality is top notch.
I also got some papadum and the gulab jamon (my fave Indian dessert)...I was happy/sad to discover they had thrown in an order of garlic naan (I try to stay away from the wheat)...all in all this was a very positive experience.
I can't believe how big the portions are! I just ate myself silly and it looks like I barely put a dent in the food! I'll have indian food for days!
BTW I live in Koreatown and they delivered to me for free. -
Review from Carmel L.
Los Angeles, CA
8/3/2010
We ordered delivery through LA Bites. Craving Indian. We were so impressed with the quality of the spices and dishes. Tandoori mixed plate, Began Bartha, Saag Paneer, onion naan and papadum. Raved about it for days. Couldn't believe we'd been in downtown for 5 years only 3 blocks from this place and had never tried it.
Family owned and operated since 1981. Word. -
Review from Lauren W.
Los Angeles, CA
6/7/2011
I love Indian food and Gill's has been my go-to spot week after week since I've lived downtown. I always get the same thing, and it's always amazing and is enough to last me two meals: Aloo Mattar, Garlic Naan, Samosas (extra tamarind sauce). Everyone who works there is extremely nice, and the food is prepared super quickly for both pick up and dine in!
Some people don't love the naan because it's not as fluffy as some other places, but I really like it plus it's smothered in garlic so is very tasty.
The samosas are good but not my favorite -- I prefer crispier but these are certainly satisfying!! -
Review from Scott J.
Atlanta, GA
2/24/2011
A hidden gem inside what could be the worst hotel in the city. It's easy to walk right past this place. It's inside the Stillwell Hotel toward the back of the lobby.
I was pretty uneasy about trying Gill's when I saw the hotel lobby and guests. My guard was really up when I was handed a key on a long metal rod to use the restroom ... yeah, kinda like a gas station in the wrong part of town. Surprisingly, the restroom was pretty clean. Conveniently, there is a cluster of pay phones right outside the restrooms, so if Doc Brown ever gets that flux capacitor up to 1.21jigawatts and you find yourself back in 1985, you're in luck.
My fears subsided when I sat in the booth at Gill's. The service was great and the food was terrific. The chicken tikka masala was excellent as was the garlic naan. The chicken naan wasn't all that great - I think you can skip that one.
My only complaint was our beers were not very cold. That, and I was concerned about being accosted by a meth head hooker in the lobby. Suck it up and give Gill's a try and enjoy the freak show in the lobby.
