On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Harlem (Green)
"This is a GREAT resturant that doesn't advertise. If your not a big Indian food fan, I have three suggestions for you. 1) Go during the…" read more »
Loading...
Indian is easily my favorite kind of food. During my first adventure to Oak Park, I was both surprised and pleased to discover this little spot. I was even more pleased when I realized they had a dinner time buffet. More Indian for me!
The buffet came with a sizzling hot plate of tandoori chicken...nice touch. Everything, EVERYTHING, on the buffet was good. It was all fresh and very tasty.
The only thing I wasn't a big fan of was the masala tea. It was nothing special...at all. Otherwise, if I find myself back in Oak Park, I will definitely visit again.
I love Indian food. I crave Indian food. I sometimes reek like Indian food. Yesterday, the urge hit.
I started off with a mango lassi that was in a pint glass. These are good to have handy to cool off the taste buds when the spiciness gets a bit too hot and the clear the palate for the next dish.
Buffets are always the best way to go. I am a major fan of tandoori anything, so I was surprised that they brought a sizzling platter of chicken with onions out as part of the buffet along with the customary naan bread.
I sampled almost everything and the Samosa's were fantastic. Their sauces included a sweet tamarind, some yogurt stuff i did not try and a mint-jalapeno that was interesting. The best item was the chicken in a tomato cream sauce that I swear was butter chicken, but was indeed another recipe all together. It was damn good.
Dessert was mango kulfi, a sort of ice cream but much more fruit pulp. The other choice was rice simmered in milk with shredded coconut and carrots. It was so good, I had two bowls of it.
It was a great deal and the total came to $42 for three people.
I'm an Indian virgin.
I can't believe I've never had the pleasure of experiencing this spicy goodness.
I must admit that I thought my first time would be on Devon street ::sigh::
The food here was good but I wasn't very daring with my selections. The chicken kabob with chicken (obviously), fresh raw and roasted veggies was very flavorful.
I also had some sort of potato pancake type of dish and the potatoes were crispy on the outside and like mashed potatoes on the inside with pretty big pieces of red chile and curry. I also had the complimentary lentil soup (tasty!) and some of the nan (thanks Mary!). The Malbec recommended to me by one of the staff actually complimented the food really well.
I will definitely be dropping in again.
The food here was soooooo TASTY! I am a fan of Indian food, but can't really stand curry....I know, I know, don't say it, most of the dishes are flavored with some curry. However, that is what I loved about the dishes I ate; nothing overly reaked of curry and it was nice and spicy.
I'm sorry I can't remember the names of the dishes to save my life, but it was good! I went on a buffet day, but instead I ordered straight from the menu...I think a preferable choice sometimes when trying out a new restaurant.
I gave the restaurant 4 starts because the Nan, I think its called, tasted like dish water. Blech. Aside from that little turn-off I'd definitely return.
I've never liked any of the bites of Indian food I've had until I tried the chicken mukhni from Khyber Pass at Oaktoberfest, so this was actually the first Indian meal I've sat down for. That is to say, I have no idea what "good" Indian food or "bad" Indian food tastes like, since I have no real frame of reference.
But I liked this. I got a full plate of the chicken mukhni, some saffron rice, and nan, and I ended up splitting a samosa with a friend. As it turns out, I may be more of an Indian food nibbler than a full plate kind of girl, since I loved the nan and samosa the best, and the saffron rice was great.
I liked the chicken mukhni, but I can still see traces of me not being that into Indian food when I eat it--there's something about the spices that seems pretty typical of Indian food and which didn't offend me, I just didn't love it. And I know this is a completely American thing to say, but I just really prefer white meat chicken, and the mukhni is definitely dark. I could eat it and it wasn't gross, but I think there may be a mental block for me there. So I did waver a tiny bit between 3 and 4 stars, but ultimately, it seems lame to punish a restaurant for just not exactly being my bag. But beyond that, I'm impressed that a restaurant exists in this world to get me to sit down for a meal of Indian food, and just for making me more adventurous and me enjoying the process, it more than earns its 4 stars.
My fella and I were in the Oak Park area on Sunday to visit friends and check out "Oaktoberfest". Well, we seemed to have missed most of the fest and found ourselves pretty hungry for late lunch around 3:30. Walking down Lake to the fest, I made a mental note of Khyber and once I got the idea of Indian food in my head, it was hard to turn back.
We were about the only ones in the restaurant (as it was pretty late in the afternoon), but the buffet was still on simmer in the background. I really liked my samosa (nice flaky pastry) and vegetable pakora (nice little portions), and the Sag Paneer was delish. I tried a few other of the veg options (veg jalfrezi and green beans and chana masala) and really enjoyed them!
Fella tried some of the chicken dishes and declared them very tender. We also enjoyed some piping hot complimentary naan, but passed on the tandoori chicken, since I'm veg and he hates meat on bones.
Dessert was mango ice cream and a soupy, but delicious rice pudding. Indian food coma ensued.
Since it's quite far from our place in Logan Square, we probably won't travel all the way back to Oak Park just to nosh, but it totally hit the spot while we were there.
My only complaint was the total lack of friendliness from the wait staff. Not friendly. At all.
I've eat here about 4 times before at their lunch buffet , but not since spring , I learned that they remodeled so I thought I'd see how it is. The place looks nicer than before, but you don't go there for that , its about the food. Although this is one of the few experiences with Indian food , I have to say that the cuisine in of itself is one of my favorites. They don't have a big selection of food , but for the price it's not bad. The vegetable items are my favorite when it comes to Indian food , the peas and potatoes cooked in the orange curry is the best one there. But the 2 meat dishes they have ( the curried chicken and the curried lamb) seems as if they were made from leftovers and were very fatty and it was a pain in the a** to eat with all the bones. The tandori chicken they give you is usually good , but turned out a bit dry this time around.The thing that really stands out is their rice pudding and mango ice cream which I would consider my favorite ice cream I ever had at a restaurant . The service was good as always.
I give it 3 stars , 1 for the service and atmosphere, 1 for the great veggie dishes and mango ice cream , and 1 star for being worth the money.
Things they need to improve on: Have better quality meats , with less bones , have more selections , more desserts. Would be a 4 star experience with a little improvement.
The worst Indian buffet ever. For about $11 bucks per person, it's a complete waste and overpriced for the crap they serve. The samosas are a mush of unflavorful nothingness, the Tandoori chicken is not warmed and set on top of sizzling onions (that taste quite gross), their naan is just drizzeled with olive oil to 'enhance' a flavor that wasn't quite there; their mango ice cream cubes were melting; the balls in yogurt sauce was quite putrid; barfing up your food is a must afterwards, or just opt not to set foot in this place.
I've been here a few times but always for the lunch buffet. not a bad deal for all that you get - $8.95 and you're full of all the goodness that most Indian buffets can offer. The variety is pretty good and the food is pretty tasty - samosas, fresh nan, lentils, chicken & some other meats I don't eat. Not the very best tandori chicken I've had but definitely still good for the price. The food buffet was refilled often and kept pretty fresh; despite the fact that I got there towards the tail end of the buffet hours. My only gripe would be that they started to remove the food before those of us who were there for the buffet had left (I had to take a quick call & before I made it off the call and back for round 2 the food was already gone). I must say they did a nice job with the updates/remodel.
I couldn't decide between 3 or 4 stars, I'll update my review after another visit.
Four of us decided to go to dinner here on a Saturday night. Since it was Memorial Day Weekend, my friend convinced me that there would be no wait and she was right. Granted, we got there a little before 6, but when we left it was not much busier.
At this restaurant, you have an option of ordering from the menu or eating from their buffet. At the buffet, they have a few favorites, nothing out of the ordinary. There is also, soup, sauces, and rice pudding and mango ice cream for dessert.
The buffet cost us $16.95 and the large bottles of Indian beer were $6.95 each. When we ordered naan, they also brought out a chicken for us (legs and breasts). I guess it's part of the buffet, unnecessary in my opinion. My husband and a friend tried the lamb from the buffet and it came with a ton of bones, so beware.
Overally, it was a nice experience. I'd come back but with a much emptier stomach next time.
This is definitely one of my favorite Indian places in Chicagoland. I have never had a bad meal at Khyber Pass and have been going for years and years. The service has always been fine, nothing exceptional or horrible. Last time I went, at their temporary location, was probably the best experience I've ever had with them. The food was fresh, tasty, and left me feeling satisfied but not too full.
My only complaint would be the lack of vegetarian options. There were certainly enough, but I expect more from an Indian place. I'm sure they're just catering to their American, meat-loving clientele, but I'm always wishing there was more.
Not sure why so many people hated it, but every time I have gone to Khyber Pass, everyone in my group has absolutely loved it.
So, apologies up front, but there is no way I will remember any of the names of what I ate since I never get to eat Indian food these days. I stopped in after a day on my own and a movie at the Lake to indulge in the buffet. For $20 (buffet and soda), I would expect a lot, and you certainly do get a lot. It is interesting that even though I was eating solo, they still gave me a good portion of breads and the roasted chicken that come separate from the buffet itself. (Plus!) I thought the Mulligatawny soup was a bit over-spiced, but most everything else was pretty tame. The eggplant dish seemed to be a slow burn, so I only took/ate a mouthful. The lamb samosas were so delicious, I could have made a meal out of those alone. The rice was a bit bland - more saffron please!! I also enjoyed the other lamb stew dish and the spicy chicken mix. Not so much on the veggie patry - was that mashed potato in a pastry?? Not fun. The nan bread could have been baked a little longer, I felt like I was eating raw dough at points. My server was definitely very friendly and explained to me that this was food from the northern regions and that southern food would be more rice based and spicier. I would definitely come back, perhaps even get take out for the samosas alone!!!
My wife and I gave this place 3 trys. I really wanted to like it, since, at the time, it was the only game in town for Indian cuisine. The food is bland. The meat dishes were not of bad quality: they were just bland. The vegetable dishes were not of bad quality: they were just bland. If that is the way you prefer your indian dishes, this is the place. Asking them to spice them up turned out ok the first time (second visit), but a fiasco the next and final time.
If you want a more authentic and excellent experience, I highly recommend that you visit Klay Oven down the street.
Khyber Pass is still fantastic. They temporarily changed their location, but the greatness is still there.
The tandoori dishes are wonderful and quite the spectacle, with the loud sizzle-action.
Chutneys: Mint = five stars That Red Stuff: four stars
Frequency of water glass refill: after every two sips
Vegetarians are in luck. Their meatless dishes are not an afterthought
You will be craving sa-more of their wonderful samosas. Groan. If you go for the buffet, try to limit yourself to under eight. They'll kick you out if things get out-of-hand samosa-wise. Trust me.
I disliked the food here... a lot.
I don't quite remember what we had, but I remembered my fiance ordered something roasted chicken, and it smelled like wet dog.
Sorry to say guys, I wish we had better Indian in the hood!
This place is great!!! My mom has been hiding it from me!!! She brought me here for lunch last week and my mind was blown away!! They have a buffet during lunch for a low price. I really didn't understand the tags on each dish at the buffet but I knew what had meat and what didn't. Lol. I got a nice combination of yummy veggies, curries and rice!! Everything was great. The was one dish that I didn't like because it was just way too salty. i believe it was the Aaloo Mutter. The Nan was very good specially when it was warm. Mmmm....The service was also great. They were very kind and attentive. One waiter also helped me figure out what some of the dishes were. I definitely recommend this place.
***Since I wrote this review, Klay Oven opened down the street, and it is Excellent! The Only decent Indian food in Oak Park. We Love it and were so glad to see it open after extreme the disappointment of Khyber Pass***
I truly wish there was good indian food in Oak Park, but this isn't it. We've tried them twice, the first time was awful, but we thought they deserved a second chance since they've changed location.
The fist time we ate there, we had their buffet. Nothing was good or fresh, but the tandoori chicken was horrible... It actually smelled like decomposition and we couldn't eat it.
The second time we went (a couple of nights ago) the food was better, but not very flavorful, and the tandoori chicken (I got it again, to compare) was very dry and flavorless.
The naan was ok, and they might have some ok food, but nothing we had was worth leaving the house for.
This place is now in are modeled location. The food is fantastic and you cant get better service. The buffet is an awesome deal and they put our fresh stuff regularly and the buffet includes ingredents like lamb and chicked for me and also pleny for my vegan girlfriend. Try it i recomend it .
Khyber Pass is by far the worst "Indian/Pakistani" restaurant I have ever been to. I don't claim to know all about south asian cuisines but I know bad food when I taste it. My boyfriend ( he's from Kolkata) and I went to this place for dinner and it was the worst food we've had in a very long time. Even the tandoori chicken which is a staple for most Indian restaurants was only barely mediocre. It was the only thing we tasted that we could eat. Additionally, the food is horribly overpriced which isn't surprising since it's in Oak Park and there's not much choice out there in terms of south asian cuisine. Please save yourself the money and the bad experience and make the trek up to devon st. instead. Almost any random restaurant you pick up there is better than this place.
I went the other night and thoroughly enjoyed my dinner. They've relocated while the restaurant is getting remodeled and haven't decorated the temporary location. The walls and floor are clean and white, and it is spotless. It seems strange to saunter into an Indian restaurant and be under bright lights and actually notice the absence of sitar music. But it's all temporary so this wont matter in a few weeks anyways.
The wait staff was amazing. They were kind and courteous, anxious to please; looking back on it, they reminded me of the ball-boys at tennis matches. It's probably all in my mind, but I can remember trying to look around and not attract any attention from these guys. Every glance away from the table was met with a "Can I help you sir?."
You could probably drop a fork and have a replacement before the second bounce on the pristine floor.
Food was excellent! The Chicken Tikka Masala was perfect. The chicken was well marinated and tender. The Lamb Rogan Josh was cooked to perfection. Samosas were super tasty and I had this fried potato thing that was out of this world.
When I was leaving I mentioned Yelp to the servers and none of them even understood me...I may have been slurring after my awesome "Hayward 5000" beer...(so pimp)
This food is neither Indian nor Pakistani/Afghani frontier food. I don't know a single Pathan/Pashtun with enough dignity to eat here. Avoid at all costs. You have better luck making your own food.
Well, I'm a harsh critic when it comes to Indian food. From samosa to pakoras, from vindaloo to gosht, from roti to naan... give me a tiffin for lunch and I'm a happy, happy man.
Too bad Khyber pass doesn't make me all that happy.
I'm surprised by the lack of Indian places in Oak Park... I think Khyber Pass is it. Which doesn't leave many options. Or any options. So if you want Indian in Oak Park, this is the place!
The food isn't bad, it's acceptable. But I just want more from Indian restaurants. In fairness, I haven't been to the new location, but I can't imagine it's changed that much (if at all).
If you want Indian that is really good, venture up to Devon Ave. in Chicago and try some of the places up there, which are much better.
We used to travel to Devon Ave. to enjoy Indian food, but Khyber Pass puts it right in our back yard. If you're feeling timid, the buffet gives you a chance to sample things you might not have tried before. It includes samosas, soup, and several rotating entrees. It also comes with Tandoori Chicken and nan bread, which is brought warm to your table.
Of the menu items, my favorites are onion kulcha, a double-layered bread with chopped sauteed onions in the middle, and the chicken muchni, which is served in a rich and spicy tomato cream sauce.
Service is attentive, and the prices are very reasonable. It is conveniently located across the street from the Lake Theater, and a short walk from two very good ice cream shops. (I have not yet developed an appreciation for Indian dessert food).
I came here on a lazy Sunday to try out their lunch buffet. Overall, I think this place did a bit better than Gaylord in downtown Chicago. For one, the food wasn't burnt. I know if I try to even pronounce or spell half the things on the menu, I'd just make myself look more of a dumbass than usual so suffice it to say, I like most of it. The fact that the labels on the buffet items were scribbled bits of crusty ... erm aged? .. paper didn't help.
The nan were warm - crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside... perfect really. The lamb curry and the tandoori chicken were good but a bit low on heat. My favorites happened to be this cabbage and peas concoction and their single appetizer which I likened to a falafel fritter.
Although the overall selection was very small by any buffet standards, just about all the available dishes can be considered a good shade of tasty. Definitely a good value for $8.95. I was kind of bummed when I saw they had no more desserts, but maybe it'll be there on my next visit.
Khyber Pass had the unfortunate situation where they were forced to move to new digs temporarily. They have recently moved back into their old building. It is very nice. The food was excellent and the service was great. I hope the temporary move does not tarnish their reputation. For those who have had bad or mediocre experiences at the temporary location, it might be worthwhile giving them another try.
I was not impressed with the service. I think the Indian food on Devon Ave is much better.
My experience with Indian food is limited, but I can say I've never had a bad meal at this place (or when eating the leftovers at home - two items and some bread are enough to feed two people two times).
I usually stick to the meatless items and have enjoyed them all, but the spinich dish (can't recall the name and I don't have a menu, but it had chunks of cheese in it) is a favorite and their saffron rice is a must.
I'm not too impressed with their bread. The Naan always tastes sort of dry and burned and last time I didn't like any of the selections in the catch-all "bread basket for four" we ordered.
Service is hit-or-miss. Generally our water glasses remain filled (essential with spicy food), but the food can take forever to arrive and we once waited over 15 minutes just to place our order.
Overall, though, it's a good place to eat in Oak Park, especially if you don't want to spend a lot. Two people can eat for under $25 and have a lot to take home (or, in our case, to first take with you across the street into the theater, so that you are occassionally hit with a blast of Indian food stink during your showing of The Queen).
Also: If you go on Friday, keep an eye out for the hippie white guy with the sitar. He plays this slow, slow version of Norwegian Wood every single time I've seen him there, like it's real clever. He probably thinks no one will notice.
My wife actually decided to try Indian food for the first time while we were strolling the mall. We had the buffet and it was delicious. Our waiter helped explain the items when we had questions. There weren't a huge number of items, but enough to do, especially for someone like my wife who is a newbie. The kids enjoyed it, too. I though it was good, not great, but would go again.
Update (Aug 4th 2007): I just had the Chicken Tikka Masala at Khyber Pass as take out. WOW!!!!!!!! It was absolutely fantastic! One of the best dishes I've ever had from any restaurant ever. If you enjoy Indian that's not particularly spicy, you have got to try this dish. Can you tell I was impressed :)
Khyber Pass is a favorite place for my husband and I to go for a cheap date night, especially when we're catching a movie at the Lake. The food is pretty consistent, but I'm happiest when they have their murg makhani--I could just spoon that sauce over rice and make a meal of it! The samosas are flavorful and awesome with their mango chutney. The buffet also includes naan and tandoori chicken, which is a bonus.
The service is a little inconsistent, but overall, we love the place for great Indian food, a nice atmosphere and a buffet with a great variety.
---
Just visited again to see the new decor and it's lovely! The food, however, wasn't as good as before and was a little on the cold side, while the mango ice cream more of a soup. I'm not sure what happened here, but I'm hopeful they'll step it up. Also, they didn't offer mango chutney for the samosas, though they brought some for no charge when we requested it.
We were concerned enough that we'll be checking out Klay Oven and considering switching allegiances. Still, we'll give Khyber Pass another chance.
I love this place! Whatever you do, get the Buffet. My favorites are the Samosas and Chickpeas in a red sauce. Its not very expensive either. I didn't like the soup very much though, so it didn't get a perfect 5 stars.
What a great Indian restaurant. Maybe my favorite in the Chicago area. Buffet stays refilled with fresh food throughout lunch and they balance the selection between American-ized favs like chicken tikka and palaak paneer and some of the more exotic goshts and vindaloos. Great Fish Tikka (a dish often done wrong in Indian joints).
What puts this place over the top is the peripherals. *Great* appetizers (samosa, pakora), noticeably good rice and bread (+ nan obviously).
Love this place!!! Their samosas are some of the best I've ever tried! Their chicken tikka masala is awesome...could be spicier but still really good! I've tried a lot of stuff off their menu and also the buffet...been happy every time!
The service is also good, everyone is always polite! They also have belly dancers on occassion. Fun to watch!
Very good Indian buffet. A must try while in Oak Park.
Yeah, went here a second time and was really not impressed. Did the buffet again, but it was not very tasty. My companion bit into small bones that were in one of the meat dishes. Over all not very pleasant, i will not be eating here again.
Went here for the buffet. I enjoyed the food and did order tea which was really good. They brought… Read more »
Really good Indian Food. Always get the buffet. There is a really good garbonzobean dish sometimes, an awesome Chicken Muchni, and Tandoori Chicken served. Also, the Naan bread rocks! Great for soaking up sauces. Then of course there is the mullagatony soup...mmm. Go here, its really great!
I find their buffet selection quite good. They always have a couple of vegetable dishes, plus a few meat dishes, and rice pudding-type dessert. The food is never overly spicy. Anyone can go there, even someone not familiar with Indian food.
Very good and worth a try. I cannot add much to what has been said already. If you are able to, try coming here for lunch since it is a bit cheaper and the same buffet. But on Friday and Saturday night, you get the full experience with entertainment of some sort and it really is a different atmosphere then.
Indian food is one of my favorite cuisines. I had the lunch buffet and found it to be okay. The food was not very spicy, and the curries were a bit watery for my taste. The tandoori chicken was a bit dry. I also did not like how all of the meat was served on the bone. The samosas were very tasty.
The price was unbeatable at around $9 for the buffet.
My favorite restaurant of all time... hands down!
Had the buffet for a midweek lunch. Comatose the rest of the afternoon. The food was decent and satisfied the craving but it does not light a candle to the many great places up on Devon! Go naan and you will go back often.
Oak Park, IL
Category: Indian
Oak Park, IL
Category: Middle Eastern
Park Ridge, IL
Category: Indian
Oak Park, IL
Category: Hot Dogs
Oak Park, IL
Category: Italian
We love to eat on a low budget so here are a few…
I have come to conclusion that I'm picky. Here are…
