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- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- None
597 reviews for Pakwan
Review Highlights
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Holy crap! This place is delicious. I really liked the chicken tikka masala, and the garlic naan. The lamb and spinach was alright but I've had it better elsewhere. We got there at a decent time and beat the dinner rush so dinner came and went pretty quickly! Also being able to bring in your own beer of choice makes it even better.
How have I lived here for 3 years and never gone to this place till now!?
This is white people Indian/Pakistani food, and it's delicious. I am not calling it white people food because of the multitudinous herds of white folk that soberly and drunkenly stampede in and out of this place, but rather by the fact that none of their dishes are spicy...these people know better.
Location: Half a block away from my house. That's all I need to know to love a place. It's such a great place to go before the bars, or after the bars sine their open pretty late. If you're in the area, this place is always open...and that's a good thing.
Ambience: Hipsters everywhere; Hipsters sho love their Indians foods. It's fun. Although what's really annoying is that these hipsters travel in herds so there's always a herd in front of the register, instead of a line to order. The menus are also at the front, so you have to weave through the, sometimes douchey, aggregation to get to the menus...luckily, I've memorized it.
Service: Pakistani/Indian style. Disinterested expression, slight joke to the fellow compatriot in a foreign language and the yelling your name out, only once, when the food is ready. Gotta love it.
Space: Ghetto
Food: Pretty effin good. It's quick, it's greasy, it's pretty cheap and it's pretty delicious. They do naa'n really well. I heart their samosas, pekoras and beghan bharta pakwan style. Although I do like spicy, it's nice to eat Pakistani/Indian food once in a while that doesn't scorch your tongue.
Overall: This is a wonderful place. If you manage to weave your way through the rude hipster concentration, have tough skin for Pakistani men yelling at you and a good $15 in your pocket, this is a great place to stop by anytime you're in the 16th & Valencia hood.
I had the Chicken Korma and Naan. The naan was great but the korma sauce was a bit weak I thought. Kind of a disappointment compared to places like Chaat Cafe in SOMA.
But what was really weird was that it's self-service. Which is a bit odd since there's a station near the front set up with utensils and glasses and water pitchers as if a waiter would be serving you. But you order at the counter and get a number plaque, except instead of someone delivering your plate, you have to go back to the counter and return the number plaque to get your plate.
I guess it keeps the costs down but the place looks like it was designed for a full-service restaurant but they made it into counter service.
I'm totally enamored with this place after trying it for the first time tonight.
As it was already 10pm, and my friend and I were looking for a place to get some fast grub after a hard workout, we parked at 16th and Valencia, and saw the soft light beckoning from this full restaurant like a glimmer of hope. (This was after some concern that it was late, and most restaurants were already closed on a weeknight.)
Upon walking in, I was immediately hit with an amazing aroma of spices and happiness.
It only got better from there! I opened up the menu and the food was soooo inexpensive! $6.99 for chicken tikka masala -- and boneless white meat, at that?? That's crazy talk!!
We ordered the following:
1. Chicken tikka masala
2. Bengan Bhartha - eggplant cooked in onions & tomatoes
3. 2 pieces of naan
4. 2 orders of rice
5. An order of kheer for dessert - a sweet pudding
The grand total?
$21.35.
I had to look at it again. Are you serious??? Most Indian places charge $13-14 for chicken tikka masala alone!
This place is cafeteria style, in that you order first, take a number, and pick up your food at the counter when it's ready. The utensils, water, napkins, sauces, etc. are self-serve too, but if it keeps the cost of food down that much, TOTALLY worth it.
The cashier was suuuper nice, too. We didn't have the 35 cents, so the guy said, eh, $21 was fine. It's just 35 cents, but how nice of them!
Next test--for a price like that, you have to wonder, how's the food?
Well, let me tell you--the food passed my taste and quality test with flying colors. The rice was a little dry, which I actually prefer, because it means it wasn't cooked and drenched in butter. My favorite was the eggplant--I would definitely recommend this dish!
We left full and happy -- and with enough leftovers for a full meal later! There is no doubt I'll be back here next time I get a hankering for Indian.
The food is okay and decently priced. I'd say I mostly go here because it's walking distance from my house. I don't appreciate the cashiers bullshit attitude. Some eye contact would be helpful to their tip jar. Ever heard of a "pakwan bomb" ? It's what sometimes happens a few hours after eating here. Also, it's BYOB.
Yes, service is almost nonexistent here (you have to get your own plates and utensils and listen for them to scream out your order so you can pick it up) and the decor isn't a lot to write home about, but the food is SO delicious and inexpensive that you don't even care!
To tell you how inexpensive it is, my friend and I had the Pakora appetizer, Achar Gosht (a super spicy lamb curry served with a roasted pepper), Chicken Tikka Masala, rice, and an order of Naan (er..."Nan"...as they call it) for only $22. The serving portions are generous and the flavors are rich.
Oh, they don't serve alcohol, but they don't care if you bring in your own adult beverages. Last night we saw people drinking everything from wine to a 24-pack of PBR!
The line can get kind of long (especially from 8PM on), but be patient...it goes fast and it's so worth it!
Dirt-cheap and tasty!
Rich & flavorful Indian/Pakistani food, at rock-bottom prices. Most of the entrees are in the $6-7 range, and rice & naan are only a buck each. Even better, they're BYOB! They don't have a liquor license, so they let you bring your own paper-bagged-booziness to accompany your tasty curries.
The space itself is pretty large, clean, lots of earth tones. It's also cafeteria-style: order at the counter, get a number, and go pick it up when they call it. Plates, silverware, water, and chai tea are over by the cash register.
Things to know: the naan is awesome. Seriously. Reliably the perfect blend of crusty outside, soft chewy deliciousness inside.
They believe in the power of ghee (clarified butter) and its tasty-enhancing powers. Health food it ain't, but health food isn't why you're here, is it?
If a dish has chicken, unless it explicitly says "boneless" it'll have bones in it. This usually means you get less tasty bird flesh.
Cash only.
My favorites:
chicken tikka masala - their version of this classic is rich, slightly smokey, and very good.
saag dal - probably one of the healthiest things on the menu, being not much more than spinach & lentils. The thickness of the soup varies from day to day, but it's hearty & flavorful, and doesn't feel like it's clogging your arteries while you eat it. Bonus!
Pakwan is also one of my favorite places to get takeout - $15 = 3 meals worth of food for me, and I eat a lot!
Inexpensive, tasty, no frills, awesome naan, cash only.
Casual place, order up front, get a number, sit down, get your food your order is ready. This is basically a self service place. But the prices are really inexpensive, $6 for a dish, $1 naan. Loved the chicken tikka masala and tandori.
The ventillation isn't the greatest, so if you are by the kitchen, your hair/clothes might smell like spices long after you've left...
Cheap
Tasty
BYOB
4.5 starz, .5 for the free PTM after they gave us CTM instead.
The naan (spelled nan here) here is thicker an fluffier than naan I've had elsewhere, and it was still crispy on the bottom without getting burnt. I didn't want to get the garlic naan because I've had too many bad experiences with charred garlic, but my friend's looked really good.
Saag Paneer was tasty and the right consistency, not watery like other places. Achar Gosht (lamb curry with roasted pepper, extra spicy) was good as well. The lamb was only slightly gamey and like the menu says, it's on the spicy side. It's also a bit oily, so be careful of your clothes. The mint sauce helps with the spiciness.
Whenever I see fish on the menu at Indian restaurants (in this case a Pakistani Indian restaurant) I order it. It's not that common, and even though they only had tandoori fish I wanted to try it. On the menu it's simply "Fish". Fillet of sole, very lightly spiced (they mean it), marinated & cooked on skewers in our clay tandoori oven. I liked it a lot (mm, fish!), but I wished there was a fish curry so I could have some with my naan.
Here's how the place works: Order at the register, grab utensils (CHECK your silverware before eating 'cause some of it was still dirty), drinks, plates, and your number and bring them to your table. They'll call out your number when your food is ready to be picked up at the counter. I like places like this because you get to enjoy your company and food without being bothered. If you need anything, just go up to the counter and the people there are responsive. It's also affordable. Don't forget that Indian food is really filling.
This place falls at 3.5 for me. I liked it, but I've had better mango lassi elsewhere. What pushes them to the 4 rating is the naan. It's made exactly the way I like it and is my favorite so far in the Bay Area.
Super tasty and cheap to boot. Chicken tikka masala was great, and I loved the fluffiness of the naan. And BYOB - a definitely plus.
Pakwan restored my faith in Naan.
Their fluffy, tender, just-right naan, whether onion or garlic, has just the right mix of crispy, nearly charred spots and tender, fluffy parts and is always piping hot.
They also restored my faith in Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Korma which were nearly ruined by the rampant inconsistency of the Indian places we had been patronizing.
IQ prefers the Pakwan in Fremont, while I prefer this location.
Look, it's not a place you go to for the atmosphere, which is non-existent--this could be a Bingo hall in any frosty Midwestern City--you go there for hot, fast, fresh Pakistani-Indian food.
Period!
Pakwan was one of the first restaurants at which I ate when I first moved to San Francisco and remains one of my favorite. I usually order the same thing everytime: paneer tiki masala, garlic naan, vegetable samosas, and a little plate of rice (usually doubled when I bring a friend). Always delish dish. The atmosphere is very San Francisco (I usually don't like to use cities as adjectives but in this case I will make an exception): laid back, hustle bustle voices, bring your own alcohol if you so choose, order and sit down until they call your number, and then feast. If I am with friends, it's all homestyle, just order ten plates and share and laugh. I associate Pakwan with a new city and new friends so I am biased of course but I'm okay with that. I take my friends from out of town here and they love it. Paneer tiki masala is the epitome of comfort food; the feeling of safety and relaxation travels right to my sinuses when I walk through the door.
I really liked this place. It was pretty good in comparison to the Indian food that I have tried in the city and they were really inexpensive. Three of us ate for less than 30 dollars with is unheard of in the city. The only draw back is the self service and the hole in the wall feel of the place, but what can you expect for prices like these. However there is a pretty cool bonus, they let you bring in your own alcoholic beverages to drink with your meal! If you are in the area and want some decent Indian food. I definitely recommend this place.
The basic formula for all these Pakistani Indian (really just Pakistani in practice) kebab houses is a handful of meats available by themselves or in some curry base. If the meat is not cooked nicely, then the whole menu will suffer. Though I wanted to like Pakwan because it's not in the Curry Loin, the dryness and toughness of the meat did not win me over.
Saag Paneer: The paneer was rubbery instead of firm. The spinach was decent, I appreciated that there was some texture instead of just a blatant purée.
Chicken Tikka Masala: The chicken was dry and far from tender. The masala was quite good though, with rich spices and a good creamy balance, so helped mask the meat.
Tandoori Lamb Chops: Too tough. Seemed more like old mutton rather than young lamb. They either need to start using a better grade of meat or cook the existing meat at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. Sadly, there was no curry to cover this up.
Naan: Fresh and fluffy with a few good crispy sections. About what naan should be.
Another fantastic late-night option, and conveniently located as to make it a good pre / post-drinking option.
Pakwan is to Indian as Sushi Delight (Market & Duboce) is to sushi: You can get better, but it's disproportionately more expensive, and you can get cheaper, but it's disproportionately less tasty. Dollar for dollar, Pakwan is some of the best Indian in the bay area.
My favorites are the chicken tikka masala (big chunks of chicken in a creamy, slightly spicy tomato-based sauce) & the saag dal (a thick spinach-and-lentil soup). I used to get the sabzi (stewed or boiled vegetables in some kind of sauce, I think?), but it started getting more and more greasy, so after I while I stopped getting it. It's clear that the tikka masala & saag dal still come with a fair amount of clarified butter, but we usually manage to drain most of it off. The rice is tasty, and the naan is better than some I've had at much pricier Indian places. We usually get two entrees, rice for two, and two naan, which tends to run ~$17. Given how tasty it is, you really can't ask for more than that.
Other important points:
- Open late.
- You can eat in or take out.
- Cash only, but there's an ATM next door.
- They don't serve booze.
- No table service; you order & pay at the counter & get a number, then get your own plates, silverware, napkin, glasses, water, etc., grab a table, & wait for your number to be called. Don't expect any additional service.
It's not health food, and it's not *the* most amazing Indian ever, but it's damn good, quite filling, and cheap as all hell. Love it.
After a full day of holiday weekend (Black Friday) shopping, the crave for Indian food was rampant!
Yummy from the start to finish, but you need to know a few things before you enter:
1) Cash only - there's an ATM at the smoke shop next door.
2) BYOB - there's a liquor store... well it's the Mission just walk in any direction about 2 feet and you'll find one.
3) It's no frills. Place your order at the counter, get a number, get your own water, plates and silverware and sit and wait for your number to be shouted. Get your own food...
4) Be ready for some of the most tastiest Indian food you have ever had. Enjoy!
You don't come here for the atmosphere. Just good Indian/Afghan food!
The restaurant is delightfully simple. You order at the register and take a number to your table. Water is self-serve carafes from a fridge. Very little in decor, but the food is excellent and very affordable.
Glad I succumbed to the many good reviews and decided to try it for myself. Asking for quite the risk by bringing it to Indian food loving friends, it hit home and served its purpose.
We had eggplant dish (forget the name), saag paneer, chicken tikka, chicken achar, and busha (curry lamb) - all good. Naan was decent. Samosas were quite yummy. Rice was blah. For mere $60 we feed the five of us.
Pakwan is a quick & easy + tasty take out choice worth a return visit!
I have been going to this place for over 8 years. Back in the day, I used to average 2-3x a week. But, then I had to slow my roll a bit.
The paneer tikka masala is my favorite. and their mint chutney is the best i have found.
And while, i have never been lucky enough to have indian or pakistani food in the countries themselves, this stuff is the bomb. thats all i know and all i need to know.
Pakwan makes Naan n' Curry look like the BK lounge.
You know this place rules when:
1. It's an Indian restaurant that Indians actually go to eat.
2. only 2 out of 20 tables are vacant at 6 p.m. on a random monday.
3. You end up leaving smelling like you worked a full night shift slinging Naan
4. You find yourself thinking about every plate later while at work miles away.
I forgot about this place for a while until I had to go to the area to get my car worked on. I used to go all the time when I was semi-foot-loose-and-fancy-free living the life in the mission, trying to be a hipster (and failing) with not much a care in the world. Now with kids, its a little different (beware hipsters..kids extinguish yer hipster status) but will make an effort to go more often. The Tika is the real deal.... a touch spicy for my tastes but thats how its sposed to be silly. The meat is seasoned to perfection with a real-deal smokey flavor that'll keep you coming back for more.. The Naan is fluffy and not doughy like some places....Try this place!!
Pakwan is the best Indian-Pakistani restaurant in San Francisco. Its delicious and spicy food cost very cheap too. They have friendly employees too. Pakwan is one of my favorite places to eat.
No service at all, take a number and pick up yourself. Not the cleanest- don't just grab any fork in the bin. Cash only. BYOB. Chai is always out or on the verge of it. So you squoosh the thermos button and it farts air into your half full china cup. That's because it's so damn good. Beware, because you won't stop going back to refill your tiny cup even after you can't stuff in any more of the generous portions. Then you will be wired all day and night, and do a 2AM yelp review about it. $7-10 buys more than you can eat, and you will be drooling for more of the spices all night too.
2 blocks from our place, so if Ben is actually home and asks if I wanna get dinner, we don't even have to ask where. Pakwan.
Surprisingly peaceful place to read books at the sunny window seat, on an uncharacteristically bright november sunday at noon.
Central to the 16th street karnival kreepshow and the sidewalk homeless bazaar. In case you want to bring spare bills for dubious junque that's probably hot (stolen and/or radioactive) or from a garbage can, and you definitely won't want to wear it.
Don't change, Pakwan.
Cheap, delicious and right in the middle of the action.
One of my favorite places to grab dinner and people watch. It's magical! Even though Pakwan always packed, you somehow manage grab a table and chairs right before your number is called.
The best way to enjoy Pakwan is to sit outside with a bunch of friends and drink beer that you bought across the street.
My favorite is Chicken Achar, naan and a raita - for 10 bucks!
Oh yeah, we found a super satisfying spot for a pre-Roxie meal.
We had the saag paneer (fresh, spinachy and not at all pureed), chicken tikka masala (generous portion of chicken, easily twice what they give you at Chutney for the same price), chicken biryani (ahh, you'll feel you've returned to purana Lucknow), and fluffy garlic naans.
Now be warned, here at Pakwan you have to PAY for the chai ($1), unlike at the rest of the desi hole in the wall joints you love.
Just pay it and enjoy yourself.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/11/2008
I'm writing this review partly to praise their one-dollar naans ... but mostly to offset all of my… Read more »
Finally went to Pakwan after many years of hearing and reading positive reviews. I've been walking by it for over 8 years - it's one of those places that isn't particularly inviting or sanitary looking from the outside but remains on your to-try list because others like it.
Well, I'm happy to report that this place ROCKS! Awesome food, awesome prices, awesome portions, cool vibe (due to diverse array of diners), fast, and did I mention the awesome food! Tried the chicken korma, filet of sole, samosas, and nan. Everything was SO tasty. I've never had fish at a Pakistani-Indian restaurant and I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it was (although it could have been a tad warmer). My only other complaint was that the nan was little too thick for my liking around the edges.
Order at the counter, grab a table, and get your own napkins, cutlery, extra plates, water and drinks. They'll call your number for pick up at the counter when it's ready. Cash only. Totally worth trying!
If I was to rate Pakwan for the food and price only I would rate them 5 stars, unfortunately for them there is a thing called service which they suck at. How often do they bus their tables so you have a clean place to sit, and when the first 5 spoon I grabbed out of their community grab your plate and utensils are dirty, and not just kind of dirty we are talking really dirty. To top it off the main guy there is probably one of the most unpleasant people I have ever met, I have never had him smile or even look at me, my friends have all commented on what a jerk he is even when we say thank you he won't acknowledge it, and we are the ones paying him!
I do have to admit I do enjoy the food there though, the nan is great and so is the skewers and chicken tikka masala is one of the best dishes on their menu. It's just too bad that they have to have such a jerk running the place...
Went to Pakwan on Saturday night for the first time ever and I really enjoyed it. We were a party of 4 and we walked in at about 10:00 pm and got immediately seated. I love the fact that they are BYOB. We brought a bottle of wine with us to enjoy with our meal. Since my friend is a regular here (to the point where he knows the owner on a first name basis), I let him do the ordering for us. He ordered more than enough food for the 4 of us and within 10 minutes we were served. What a delicious meal! I would definitely come back here if I had the opportunity. Oh, and if you're looking for something to do afterwards, Double Dutch next door is a great option (no cover charge and good stiff drinks).
Great food that's worth the fight. And believe me, when an awesome restaurant like Pakwan runs on a "first come, first serve" basis, a battle for a table is bound to happen. Pakwan is an oasis of cheap and tasty Pakistani food. They do their chicken tikka masala justice, and you can't go wrong with their naan. Fast service and BYOB/W. No wonder this place draws serious crowds.
On another note: For all of you Mission haters, I think there's an Indian fusion restaurant up in Pac Heights. It definitely screams authenticity...
Since they don't deliver I had to call in my order to go.
99% of the time when I order food spicy they either don't care or don't believe me. I must have sounded Indian on the phone because this was the hottest Chicken Tikka Masala I've ever had; I loved it!
The portions, prices, and quality is about on par with Alhamara. http://www.yelp.com/bi... Pakwan has a better atmosphere but they don't deliver so I'll stick with Alhamara.
This is a great place to get my indian fix when I just want to have a chill night. The prices are wonderful and the portions are great! My bf and I ordered naan, chicken tikka masala, chicken tikka, some kebabs, and rice....AHHH SOOO SATISFYING!! The bill was even better!
The location is great because it's close to all the great bars in the mission.
Remember, this is a no-frills experience, so don't expect someone to wait on you hand and foot. But, the plus is that you're paying for great indian food at really cheap prices.
Every time I go to Pakwan I remember how much I love it. And it doesn't take too much time spent not going there before I miss it and have to go back.
It's not the fanciest or most gourmet; it's just really good. And the bare bones decor and service just remind you that you're spending your money purely on the food and nothing else.
Their Bengan Bertha ("Pakwan Style") is my favorite incarnation of that dish anywhere, but really, it's all good.
You can BYOB (and there's a liquor store across the street if you forget that till you get there).
I always have a moment of anxiety when I see all the tables are full -- you order at the counter, get a number, and are left to fend for yourself to find a table before your food is ready -- this gives you maybe 10 minutes, eyeing the other waiting people competitively and trying to pounce on the first table that opens up -- but somehow it always works out fine, and tables do become available as people need them.
Over all, pretty good flavor. The food looked like a bowel movement and we had to retrieve it from the front counter, instead of having them bring it to us. I smelled like the restaurant hours after I left, but they were nice and the place was clean.
A coworker suggested this place since we were in the area for a documentary screening. And so we went....
The menu didn't have much of a selection so I ordered the chicken makhanwala with basmati rice. It was a little odd that they didn't have wait service. I ordered, sat down and when my number was called I had to get up and get my food myself. That was kind of a new experience for me....
The food was pretty good. In the middle of eating, one of the latin dudes gave me free nan. I think it was free...I didn't order it. My coworker seems to think he was interested in me so he gave me free nan. Haha....whatever.
If I was in the neighborhood, I'd probably check out other Indian places before I come back to this one.
why is this place so delicious?!?!?!? got the achar gosht- extra spicy lamb curry- it was a little on the salty side, but SOOOOO good. also go the chicken with spinach and herbs, which is pretty much saag paneer with chicken and no paneer- YUMMMMMY and NAAN- i eat youuuu all day!!!!
ok, so the bathrooms are gross and the place gets effing loud, but the food is so worth it!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
12/2/2009
star- cheap (easy on the wallet)
star- delicious (tikki marsala, saag paneer are my faves)
star-… Read more »
Located on 16th St between Guerrero and Valencia, Pakwan is in a pretty big space and was fairly clean. It was pretty empty around 1:30pm on a Sat when I came with my sister a few weeks ago. It had the same setup as Naan and Curry where you order from the cashier and pay (cash only), then get a # and pick up your order when they call it. Self serve water and utensils too. Here's what we ordered:
regular naan ($1) - Came out piping hot and was fluffy, thick and tasty!! Better naan in my opinion than N&C.
garlic naan ($1.99) - Wasn't too garlicky and was topped with fried garlic pieces I think. Not really worth the extra $1 since it wasn't too different from regular one.
(http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
mixed veggie curry ($5.50) - Mildly spicy with a mix of peas, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, and onion. Not very thick curry but was full of flavor...a little too oily for my taste though. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
chicken tikki masala ($6.99) - Not too sweet or like tomato soup...was creamy and contained a decent amount of chicken. The chicken wasn't the most tender but wasn't bad. It was slightly spicy unlike other tikka masalas I've had and we had leftovers from this dish. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
Great Indian meal for less than $17 and above all, we didn't smell like Indian food afterwards!
OK for the price: service is less than friendly, food was overly oily, and they don't have mango chutney. Not 4 star quality!
Pakwan is my favorite restaurant in San Francisco, bar none -- even your Gary Danko and Boulevard. Why?
1. The food is great and without pretension. Chicken Tikka Masala's sauce is a delight, as are the veggie dishes. The lamb chops will knock you out. I'd gladly pay 50% more for this food if I had to, but it's a delight to have dinner for two for about $25.
2. You can bring your own booze. They don't care. That means beer, wine, watever. Just bring it.
3. The atmosphere. This is a normal Mission person's restaurant. Comfy. Eclectic crowd.
4. The help is always polite and professional.
The only negative is you kind of have to wipe down the silverware and you have to get your own tableware, but really that just ads to the charm.
Pakwan, I love, love, love you.
Love this hole-in-the-wall place. It's cheap, it's pretty authentic Indian-Pakistani food, no frills place where you can get some cheap eats that are filling, deliciously satisfying, and won't break the bank. Don't expect service here, that's not what it's about.
And for under $10/person I wouldn't expect it either. I rate most Indian food in comparison to my mum's (not really fair, I know, but that's my yardstick!) and this comes in close to my best friend's mother from back home. So it's pretty damn good. Won't ever find a place that does anything as good as my mum or grandmum but this is a fair substitute.
I know my Indian food and the city lacks really good stuff so I'm lucky enough to live around the corner from the one place I will recommend over most anywhere else. The only other place I would recommend is Vik's over in Berkeley. Dosa is a good vegetarian south-Indian alternative (pretentious and over-priced for what is really "street" food) but hands down, if you want real Indian food with no BS, this is the place to go.
Not particularly friendly which can be annoying but it's not about the 'experience' anyway. Get it to go so you can avoid the possibly not-so-clean cutlery and non-ambiance and enjoy it at home.
Fast, cheap, popular, loud.
The Chicken Tikka Masala is tres tasty. That is THE reason to go to Pakwan.


