House of Curries
Categories: Halal, Indian/Pakistani [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Claremont, Elmwood2984 College Ave
(between Ashby Ave & Webster St)
Berkeley, CA 94705 (510) 841-1688
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sun 11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: None
103 reviews
Albany, CA
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121 Reviews for House of Curries
Super cheap and very tasty - only been once but will have to try again. I loved the samosas and Tikka Masala Chicken, and the naan was as good as I've had anywhere in Berkeley. The chicken in the Chicken Biryani was a little dry, but the flavor was nice. I also liked the mango lassi, but it's hard to get that wrong.
I appreciated the guy at the counter warning me which dishes were really spicy (I guess my complete lack of melanin screams "my palate can't handle spice! Protect me from chiles!")
Great location and price point, so I'll definitely come back again to try more on the menu.
This place was actually really good, and trust me, i've had a distaste for indian food ever since I first tasted it! Fortunately, I tried their garlic naan and curry, it was very fulfilling and cheap.
This is the king of Indian fast food. I'm telling you, you go in, order your food and it's out pretty quick.
The best dishes:
Chicken Tikka Masala (spicy)
Paneer Tikka Masala (spicy)
Chicken Curry
Chicken Biryani
Spinach and Potato
I go here religiously once a week and the food is always consistent and yummy to my tummy.
Granted, I think they cater to the american palette, but for a quick bite with good ambiance you cannot go wrong.
On a good night they have some Indian house beats playing that make you want to dance in your chair!
I don't claim to be a connoisseur of Indian food, but I do like food that makes my mouth happy. And on that note, the chicken tikka masala at House of Curries makes my mouth very, very happy. The fluffy naan and the tangy curry are a match made in tummy heaven.
Unfortunately, the service is often quite slow. A 30 minute wait for your food is not atypical, although they have been quick on occasion.
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i've been looking for a cheap, no frills indian food option in berkeley and i finally found one that measured up! price point and time from order leaving your lips to food in your mouth is on par with naan n curry (aka deliciously cheap and about 5 minutes). we ordered the chicken tikka masala (chicken was a little dry but sauce was great) and the baigan bharta (very rich), with some veggie pakora and veggie biryani (delicious--they add lots of carmelized onions which i thought was a good touch). for the price point, a great choice.
Everything is done well here.
The people are nice.
The selection is varied and what you expect.
It is easy to get a table.
The food comes quickly.
And it tastes really good.
Perfect!
I find myself at this place about once a week and I always leave happy. The guys who own and run the place are very friendly and all-around nice. I love the chicken vindaloo and get it every time. And when I finish a long week work it's usually the first thing I crave besides a cold beer. The naan is awesome and I also really like the palak paneer and chicken tikka kabobs. And best of all? I get two orders of vindaloo, one order of tikka kabob, one naan, rice, and one soda for $25 sans tip. And they have free tea while you're waiting. Hooray. Oh and a tip...get the vindaloo spiced regularly or mild. I ordered it spicy once and it royally kicked my ass.
I really like Indian food especially a restaurant that's nestled away on College Ave.
First, you order, eat and then pay for your food. I was this close to walking out but then I realized I hadn't paid.
I got the Benghan Bartha--eggplant puree with spices and tomatoes. It's so good especially if you get the garlic naan for dipping. Each meal comes with free hot chai and goes perfectly with your meal. I also tried the whole wheat naan and chick pea side dish. Everything I tried was really tasty and well priced.
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When you serve spicy food, it goes without saying that your toilet should be functional.
Thank you, Mom, for teaching me at a young age to put paper down on the toilet seat in a public restroom, especially one as decrepit and run-down as the one at House of Curries. And thank you, Mom, for teaching me how to shorten my time in yucky bathrooms, deal with no toilet seat covers, and limit my physical contact with the crapper by laying toilet paper on one side of the seat only and doing the one-butt-cheek-lean while I pee.
F*ck you, House of Curries, for serving me all-you-can-drink chai as I waited for a table at which to consume your mediocre Indian cuisine. F*ck you, House of Curries, for making me have to pee before I even sat down at that table. F*ck you, House of Curries, for somehow deeming it acceptable to have a toilet that is not bolted to the floor. And f*ck you, House of Curries, for giving me the biggest scare of my existence when I went to do the one-butt-cheek-lean and the whole motherflippin' toilet lifted off the tile and my entire life flashed before my eyes.
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Bland.
But I go here anyway because it's convenient and I love Indian food. The naan and rice are good but otherwise everything's just too bland! I'll have to tell them I like it spicier and see what happens-- whether they just kick up the chilis or whether to food gains more complexity.
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Very Small TO GO Portions, and they weren't cheap, when they charge $1.50 for rice as well. Some places include the rice. Some places the to go entree is 3-4 times the size, and I'm talking good places that give you a breast or two per entre.
This is some of the worst Indian food I've ever had. We ordered 5 dishes and every one tasted exactly the same. I couldn't bring myself to eat the leftovers. Bad ambience as well. On the plus side, it is a good place to bring children.
there once was a house of curry
which we went to in a hurry
after a day of rafting
our noses piqued at the wafting
of spices galore
and free tea at the door
to gobble the naan, the curries and more
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This is one of the few decent Indian food spots in Berkeley, this place is really quite good! My buddy drives over from Marin to have lunch there, and I met him there one day. I've been going there ever since. Actually, I just phoned in an order to go, and he's picking it up.
Fast service, good food, always seating available...now if they only had some parking.
One of my favorite dishes that you just don't find many places is the Malai Kofka.
Another likely suspect when it comes to finding cheap but satisfying food in the College/Ashby area. The chicken tikka masala here might very well be the definitive version; the sauce, which relies on copious amounts of heavy cream, is outrageously good, and the aloo naan is the perfect vehicle for mopping it up. The decor is a bizarre legacy of the Chinese restaurant that was the space's former occupant - a randomly placed ledge of fake brick juts out over the dining room and the tables and chairs (of similar vintage) look like they were salvaged from a dumpster. But the food and the delicious free chai are what make this place so good.
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Berkeley is no great destination for food. Wait, let me clarify...food near the Berkeley Campus is utter shit. Complete and utter flamingo shit.
Until House of Curries...
There's nothing wrong at this establishment. Delicious curry - yes. Crispy, yet soft pillowy pieces of naan - yes. Good for groups - yes. A delicious mango lassi - yes.
On a recent blistery night, a sick friend suggested this place, because "curry helps clear sinuses". I took his word as THE TRUTH, and we met up. The menu is short, and broken down into multiple categories, including curry, naan, and tandoori.
We ordered the chicken palak, with spinach and spices, plain naan with butter, and potato naan. The chicken was very juicy, and the intense spices really gave it a kick. It's spicy enough for those that enjoy spicy, and less intense that need to ride in the backseat and carry tissues. The naan was delicious, maybe a little bland, but with the curry as a backdrop, we were all smiles. I washed everything down with a creamy and sweet mango lassi.
The owner is great, and always has a smile plastered on his face. And if you're lucky enough, you'll be able to grab a table near the sailboat-shaped chandelier.
p.s.. - Do not leave without drinking a cup of the chai tea. Will warm you up on a cold night
****Update 2/22/2008****
The paneer is delicious; soft, creamy, with just the right amount of saltiness. Yum!
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I reviewed this when they HAD their Naan-N-Curry license. The fact that Naan-N-Curry Restaurants don't want to be associated with them any more says it all. It will take a lot of begging and pleading to get me in their door and even then I don't think I'd eat anything.
News Flash: After 2500 years of experimentation, the recipe for ambrosia, the food of the Olympian gods and goddesses, has been discovered. It is called Bhaingan Barta and they sell it at House of Curries for $5.99.
I've loved everything I've tried here and I'm still working my way through the menu: Chicken Curry, Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Curry, Spinach and Potatoes, Vegetable Pakora. I'm salivating just writing this review.
Because of this place, Gordo and Ici, Elmwood has become one of my favorite spots for cuisine in the East Bay.
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Even though they know my name at the Telegraph Naan n' Curry for about 5 years now, I gave it all up. Yes, I betrayed my first (deflowered me with palak gosht in 2003) and by 2006 became a frequent at the "cooler" Naan n' curry, soon to be renamed into a more populist "House of Curries."
This is not only a good immersion venue (lower-div) for Indian cuisine, but also a great place to bring a date/parents/friends.
There are 2 ways to go about eating here: 1) the white way 2) the other way
1) The white way: you get a white man's dish, aka Chicken Tikka Masala and share a plate of rice with one regular naan.
2) The other way: get lamb biryani, tandoori chicken and/or palak gosht, two garlic naans and a mango lassi to soothe the firestorm in your mouth (yes, all of the above for 1 person)
While you wait, get some chai tea and utencils and start salivating. It's fun to swtich from the two ways from week to week, and if you are a student, park in the yellow curb zone, get it to go and you can continue cramming with just 15 mins spent on food acquisition and 10 mins on consuming it.
5 stars because it is best in its class (and the service/crowd here are better than at the Durant House of Curry). If you want more authentic indian food, there is a place on Solano and outside of Berkeley.
If life ever sends me again into the People's Republic of Berkeley, I will be sure to visit the House of Curry where they may not remember my name but where I know great food when I taste it.
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I like this place. It's perfectly casual, and yet the food is very flavorful. I did have to convince them that I really do like very-spicy food, and once they understood that, the food got better and better.
I think out of all of the Houses of Curries in Berkeley, this one is the most convenient in terms of location as a late night eatery - not as dodgy as Durant and not as quiet as Solano. The ambiance is pretty funky, what with the blaring Indian pop music and nonchalant staff. The self service aspect of the place makes it great for either large groups or solo diners, but definitely not a place you'd go on a first date (unless that's just how you roll). The chicken biryani is hot hot hot the way I like it and I love their (cheap!) naan, but I found the chicken tikka masala and other curries a little disappointing. Plus, the whole serving curry on a plate ups the difficulty of eating all of the sauce. A positive is the free chai with your entree, but like most other things here (cutlery, to-go boxes, napkins, water) you have to get up and get it yourself.
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How could I forget to review this place? Good Indian food on the cheap. I have never experienced a wait here. Naan is hot and fluffy/chewy. Garlic naan is especially good. The saag daal is outstanding. The chicken tikka masala needs a little more chicken to balance out the excess sauce. The samosas are good, although the filling is better than the dough (could be a little flakier). Bonus, they are open till 1:30am I believe. Service is always friendly and the chai is free and delicious.
A great place to get caught in a blackout in Claremount. No, seriously though, it's tasty and atmospheric with all you can drink chai. I had never had true Indian food before this Friday night, and now I'm hooked.
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When I placed my order at the counter, I felt like a greedy little gnome: Eggplant, Okra, Garbanzos, Naan, Tandoori Chix, Raita, Rice and more! It was so good, I wish I'd ordered more. I don't know what it is about good Indian, but it really makes me feel that I CAN acheive in the art of Power Eating. So so so good, spicy and sweet and really really tasty.
This is a really cool Indian restaurant. From the Hip Hop/Bhangra music playing, to the bomb ass and reasonably priced food, it hit the spot!
It's a get your own plate, your own drinks type place and I kind of like that. Kind of like you would do at your best friends house. I got really good vibes from this place, and I definitely will be coming back.
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My husband got takeout from there so I can only speak to the food, which was great - solid 3.75 stars. We had: chicken tikka masala, lamb vindaloo, mixed veg, okra, lamb seekh kabab, chicken tandoori, rice & naan. Damn! It didn't seem like THAT much food at the time but listed it out like that, it's hard to believe that two of us ate almost all of it in one sitting. We are a couple of piggies!
Everything was nice and spicy and very flavorful. My only complaint was that the chicken tikka masala, while delicious, was a little too rich. My favorite was the mixed vegetables and the lamb seekh kabab.
Cool! A new go-to place for my weekly Indian cravings.
I come here for 2 things and 2 things only. Chicken Tikka Masala and Rice. Everything is great here. I just have this habit of ordering what I like at specific places, even if it's the same thing each time. I rarely get tired of things, unless they start tasting bad.
This is where I get my local Oakland Indian food fix. My Indian friends also love this place too.
Just don't expect to be seated and served. You get your own dishes, silverware and water or drinks. BYOB. This is how the food stays so good.
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Reliable cheap, good Indian food, tending toward the spicier side of the spectrum. I like that the decor is fun and colorful, unlike its cafeteria-like Telegraph Ave. cousin Naan 'n' Curry (this location itself was also once Naan 'n' Curry until a mysterious family rift caused a division of the franchise and subsequent name change). A few recommendations (besides chicken tikka massala) - the tandoori chicken and seekh kebabs (lamb or beef) are excellent. The real downer about this place is the spinach; I usually love saag paneer and palak paneer, but the sauce here never comes out quite right. On the other hand, the prices can't be beat, and there are plenty of other options on the menu to choose from. Plus, free chai tea to warm you while you wait!
Finally, the ordering/serving thing can be a little confusing, so here's how it goes: order at counter, pick up silverware/plates/beverage, bring back to table, wait for waiter to bring steaming tray of naan/rice/various deliciousness, order more naan when you realize you don't have enough left to soak up the tikka massala sauce, continue eating until you're in physical pain, drag yourself out of your chair, pay at counter, go home to enjoy your food coma.
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This place is pretty cool. I liked the food, but the vegetarian dishes are better than their meat. Their curry is awesome and I enjoy the setting, so if you can get past the Berkeley pseudo-elitist crowd then enjoy the grub and have fun.
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I can't believe it took me so long to write a review of this place, because my husband and I are here at least once a week.
Needless to say, we LOVE this place; my husband is a super picky eater, and I attribute House of Curries to opening his mind and his palette to new tastes.
The naan is really fresh and tasty here. The tandoori chicken breast is my favorite; the white meat is moist and doesn't stick to your mouth like sawdust. We also love the Chicken Biryani and order it "regular spicy" which translates to SUPER spicy by weak American standards.
Love the casual but clean atmosphere; great place to take friends, family, and kids. Love the warm and friendly staff.
And love the rocking bhangra music.
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CHEAP. DELICIOUS. SO DAMN SPICY.
Nan is $1.00... and it tastes amazin' and handmade. Their milk tea is bomb... and free.
Yes, the dishes have a lot of oil, but sheesh, for all that spice, its worth it! My favorite is the chicken curry EXTRA SPICY... In the past month, I've eaten here about 4-5 times.
The reason I give the place a 4 out of 5 star - the bathroom is FILTH, SMELLY and gives my nose a bad feeling... and its hard to erase as you eat their spinach dish ;).
Knaw, but seriously, a great place to eat for under $12.00 for two!
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amazingly tasty, perfectly spiced, rich, hot, fresh curry for not too much money. the tikka masala may just be the best thing i've ever put in my mouth, and the eggplant dishes also shine. it's nothing fancy, and they don't have a huge variety of dishes, but the decor is nice, the folks here run a tight ship, and the food tastes amazing. the chai is also free, which is nice.
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They know my order. They know my name.
(Alright), so I come daily. Or every other day. It's a bit embarrassing but I do know all the table numbers. And how many spoons (two) to the cup size ratio for the ultimate (FREE) chai experience.
As for the food, I HIGHLY recommend the Prawn Masala (even though I dislike seafood) and the Chicken Tikka Masala. ONE plate is more than enough for two people unless you're the size of China. However, I do advise ordering an extra naan if you're sharing.. It's just too good.
The staff is really sweet, especially the owner who comes table by table to check in on customers.
MCM and I regulars here. Solidly good N. Indian and Pakistani food and damn those prices are good! The chicken tandoori and naan totally did the trick for my craving for 'the real' stuff i ate while living in India.
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Good food, but way to rich for me. If you are into health this is not the place for you.
Buckets of cream, slabs of butter, truckload of flavor!
Great value for the dollar, I'd say it ranks higher on my list than Naan N curry, but I've heard that Nann N curry varies from location to location, so perhaps that is not a great generalization.
Of course, my old standbye is the Chicken Tikki Masala, and it is great here, flavorful, just the right thickness to properly coat the naan before chomping.
Next, I do like the spinach and potatoes (aloo something?) it makes me feel a bit healthier than the masala, and complements it well. Finally I like the Benghan Bharta, (eggplant) although here it has a bit too strong of a mustard seed taste, but the creamy consistency of the eggplant makes up for it IMHO.
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I was in the area and thought to give it a try since I didn't want to spend a whole lot for dinner. And it got okay ratings here on yelp, can't be that bad right?
I was totally disappointed.... Tikka Marsala tasted like they pured in a gallon of heavy cream and forgot to add the spice in it. It's chicken breast chunks in there that had been cooked to the point it taste like cardboard. it was reasonably priced, but I was not impressed. I've had inexpensive indian food takeout at indian grocery store that taste ten times better than that. Maybe I went at a bad night, but I figured that was a very safe dish to test out the water.
On a good note, the rice pudding was really good.
The chicken tikka masala was DELICIOUS. I was in heaven! The free chai is a MAJOR plus (and it tastes great as well.) The naan is SO large and is only $1. Our group of four ate family style and we were more than satisfied. We all were super full from our 3 entrees & 2 side orders. We each only paid about $5.50. What a deal for such delicious and flavorful food. Cliche as it sounds, It was like a party in my mouth.
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I used to eat here all the time. I love the laid back attitude. I had a couple of stomach grumblings after leaving there but just assumed it was the spicy factor. After the last three times of having to fight my boyfriend for the bathroom, I thought, "maybe this isn't for me". I still kept going because I love cheap Indian food regardless if my system doesn't. The saag paneer (or palak to some) is tasty as well as the bengan bharta. Alas, after my boyfriend swearing that we need to race to the house after eating there, we decided to just stop going there. Well, at least together. I will keep going by myself, that way if nature calls, my boyfriend's and my bowels will not be in tandem.
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I brought a lot of people here and all of them were shock with how the food taste and of course, the price! It's such a hole in a wall place but the food is always good. I think my highlight is drinking their tea! I have a difficult time with spicy food but I've been trying their different dishes but I know, I always opt out for their chicken masala. I get that with a naan and rice with tea...done!
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