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Tandoori Mahal
Categories: Restaurants Indian Restaurants Buffets Restaurants Pakistani Indian, Buffets, Pakistani [Edit]
941 Kearny St(between Jackson St & Columbus Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 951-0505
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Fine Indian cuisine specialize in Tandoori curries and freshly baked breads.
150 reviews for Tandoori Mahal
Review Highlights
"The naan ($2) and parantha (~$3) were perfect."
(in 58 reviews)
"Great lamb curry and the garlic chicken was delicious."
(in 7 reviews)
"I started taking a little bit of everything."
(in 3 reviews)
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150 reviews in English
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Review from Jared Z.
San Francisco, CA
12/22/2011
i've only ever gotten delivery from this place, but it is great, try the Kashmiri naan, its amazing, although i'm sure its bright red color is not natural. who cares. Mmmmm. Get the aloo/paneer sag, the hyderabad vegetables or the Malai Kofta. delivery times are usually 20-40 minutes depending on the day of the week and the time you order. fridays seem to be bad.
They have their own sweet website to order off of, no phone orders needed. -
Review from Ali K.
San Francisco, CA
1/15/2012
I don't really write reviews, but to save you all from what I went through, this place is TERRIBLE.
I attended for dinner with a guest, upon entering I noticed a large group of guys sitting at the table making noise, about over 10 of them. This looked like a rather nicer, calm restaurant by appearance and one of the reasons I brought my guest here was because it was very quiet the last time I was there. We were still the only other customers there. Over the course of our dinner they guys on the other table were going louder and louder, with obnoxious laughs, table slamming and guys running around, it was like we were at some loud rowdy irish pub, they were often yelling and screaming, it was like they were pissed drunk and out of control. At one point two of them picked one of their other friend (one from the feet, one from the shoulders) and started carrying him around, shaking and pretending to throw him at the tables, while the others yelled and screamed. When their favorite song came on in the background music, they made the music volume go all the way up to an extreme loud. It was already hard to hear my guest but now I couldn't even hear myself.
I called over the waiter and complained. He apologized, at which point I had actually to spell it out for him and say: "I expect you to DO something about it". He looked confused and went towards the table, but turned away and did not confront them! The music volume went down half way. The guys remained rowdy.
Here is where it got interesting. The waiter then came and told me that he couldn't do much about the guys, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE OWNERS OF THE RESTAURANT. He apologized again and said our dinner was complimentary. I don't know about you but I don't go to restaurants hoping to get free food, I go there hoping to get "good" food and a good atmosphere. This was absolutely terrible and I could hardly have a decent conversation with my guest and it ruined our plans to have a nice evening. This restaurant should stop with the calm ambiance thing and just call itself a pub.
The guys at the table remained rowdy throughout. We wrapped up and left the food unfinished, we had no intention to finish it. As we prepared to exit the restaurant, one of the guys from the other table yelled out "Sorry" while interrupting himself from his laughs. I did not respond, and proceeded to exit. After 2 seconds, that table bursted in to another laughter.
Simply put, customers are a laughing matter to this restaurant. I'd rather go somewhere where my presence and that of my guests is valued more.
As for the food, it isn't that great. -
Review from Jessica P.
Emeryville, CA
12/19/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
I really don't know what to say here, since my dining experience was more like a Twilight Zone episode than a rip roarin' buffet extravaganza.
Came here on a late Friday afternoon for lunch (1pm is late for us FiDi folks) with a coworker who had a coupon from SF Daily Deals. I also made a reservation on Open Table since i wasn't sure how busy it would be if it was a sit-down establishment.
Upon entering, the gentlemen at the host desk was on the phone. No greeting, no polite "one minute, please", just a blank stare after a few minutes and a rough arm gesture directing us to just go find a seat somewhere.
There is no sign that says "seat yourself", nor are there any menus to grab. Only a few tables were occupied and basically on their way out the door. There was ONE waiter/bus boy on the floor. He silently came up to our table and filled our water glasses, but didn't say a WORD. I've never been there before and had no idea they had a buffet, but my friend and I were looking for specific items off the menu for our meal. We also presented our coupon and asked if it was still valid for lunch dining. He grabbed it, walked to the front and handed it to the host who was still on the phone. No words whatsoever, mute!
We sat there for a good ten minutes more with no service, no menus and basically just ignored. We had to flag down the waiter for menus and physically went back to the front host desk to ask for silverware.
Once another 10 minutes passed (we'd been there about half an hour so far) and the waiter came to take our order (after having to flail my arms wildly for him to see us in an EMPTY restaurant) he was gracious enough to accept our requests.
Not two minutes after we ordered, a very disgruntled chef came out from behind the bar/kitchen area and gave my friend the hairy eyeball. It was as if we had tits of steel to be brazen enough to order food while-- heaven forbid--a dried out array of lentils, mushed cauliflower and an empty rice pan lay before us, beckoning us to their culinary oasis. Really.
Thankfully, when our food arrived it was good, but not worth the shoddy customer service, non-existent communication and downright stink eye. The naan was great, tandoori chicken moist, spinach dishes divine and aloo gobi just right, so I was stuffed and satisfied, but I also feared for my life.
There is no signage saying when "lunch" is over especially since they are open until 11pm. Surely with paying upwards of $13 a plate for food, ordering drinks and being as polite as punch, the staff could be a LITTLE bit more amicable. They may be better off as delivery only, and from the reviews, I see that's a 50/50 risk too. -
Review from DH L.
Alameda, CA
2/7/2012
No smile whatsoever from the server and even though we were the only table in the restaurant, still could not hear the server talk. Ordered a mango lassi but did not get it until almost finishing the meal. Asked the server about it and all he said was "oh, it's coming!" Should've just told the truth that he forgot about it.
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Review from Linh T.
1/23/2012
I went for the lunch buffet and it was amazing! It was the best curry I had and there was a great selection, it included naan bread, rice, salad, dessert and there were many different types of curry to choose from, one of my favorite was the lamb curry, it was delicious! The atmosphere of the restaurant was amazing too, the tables were set with flowers and there were many beautiful paintings on the walls. The restaurant and washroom was also very clean! In addition, the price of the lunch buffet was really cheap too, it was only $10 for all you can eat lunch! It would be a perfect place for a date or just to enjoy some authentic Indian cuisine.
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Review from Mark D.
4/4/2011
1. Review of delivery from Tandoori Mahal Indian Restaurant.
2. Easy to order on http://Grubhub.com.
3. For the second time in my life, I forgot to order rice with Indian food. Boo! I have to give myself 1 star in the ordering food category.
4. Chicken Vindaloo - This definitely ranks near the top of the vindaloos I've had in San Francisco. I ordered it very spicy. It did have some zip and some other spices showing up for the party also. The chicken was tender. The potatoes were cooked just right.
5. Vegetable Samosas - These were pretty good. The shell was relatively crisp. The stuffing had a nice texture to it and had a pretty good mix of spices.
6. Garlic Naan - This was absolutely horrible. It was soggy, cold, and overcooked.
7. The food was well-packed. The vindaloo was in a nice resealable plastic container. The samosas were in a Chinese carryout container. It was all in a very nice bag. There were no leaks whatsoever.
8. Delivery came in right at the hour. So, it was on-time. The service was polite and professional.
9. They did not have paper plates but, to make up for it, they game me a free Sprite.
10. Overall, I will order again for the chicken vindaloo and the samosas. I will skip the naan. If the naan hadn't been so bad, I would have given them four stars. -
Review from sean h.
Denver, CO
3/27/2011
Lets play a quick game. You order a Chicken Tikka Masala, a Saag Paneer, and Naan for delivery. Your total comes to over $30 with tip. Your food arrives promptly, is the proper temperature....
Would you expect a meal, or appetizer-sized everything?
I read a lot of reviews about the buffet, how cheap it is, blah blah blah. Seems they make up for it by delivering snack-sized "entrees" to delivery customers.
Good food. Just want more of it for what I paid. -
Review from CUNYC S.
San Francisco, CA
9/16/2011
I would give this place 4 stars, except for the following:
1/2 the times I ordered from Tandoori Mahal, something was missing or done incorrectly (e.g., no tomato chutney, not "hot" or "spicy" as requested).
Sometimes when I order for delivery, the order is fulfilled by its sister restaurant, Indian Oven. Even when I specifically and expressly indicate that I want Tandoori Mahal to fulfill the order. The food at Indian Oven is not as good. PERIOD.
It's too bad I had too many of these experiences, I just can't depend on Tandoori Mahal to deliver the order I made. Otherwise, the food is really good. I found a new place called India Palace which delivers the order I request. -
Review from Fannie S.
1/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I like this place... I know, it's part of a chain, Clay Oven Restaurants, etc.
But it's a good thing, really!
Quality = fantastic.
Flavors = delicious, savory, spicy.
Service = friendly.
I come here for their lunch buffet...it's worth the $10.00!
And their kheer, pretty damn good stuff, especially with more cardamon than sugar. Excellent!
And I like this location because it's close to my work. :) -
Review from Ryan P.
Las Vegas, NV
8/8/2011
This has been a horrible choice for delivery- they hired a guy who doesn't know where he is going. I was staying at a hotel, and the delivery driver had the nerve to ask me for directions. I had an employee of the hotel give him directions and he still couldn't get here!!! 90 minutes I'm still waiting,..avoid this place!!!!!!
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Review from Brandon M.
San Francisco, CA
12/9/2010 1 Check-in Here
First a warning, the 10% discount mention on Yelp, the waiter says did you print it? Manager not here, I know nothing about it as we tried to show him the Yelp app discount. So, no manager but a waiter at 7pm on a Wednesday night. And you have to print what, an app? Hmm.....
That's OK, the waiter would have gotten the 10% discount added to the 20% tip anyways so not like we would have saved anything.
Now for the positive. Cleanest Indian restaurant in San Francisco. Note, I said San Francisco, not anywhere else. Best garlic naan, still good spices for medium heat. Yeah, I hate sweating when eating so no hot for us.
Best Indian Beer ever tasted.
Date place Indian restaurant, nice decor when you want Indian and not feel like eating hole in the wall places that's cheap near Chinatown. -
Review from Matt M.
Columbia, MO
9/1/2011
My family was just wandering the streets of San Fran at around dusk. We couldn't find any place with empty seats, but Tandoori Mahal was relatively free. We went in, got seated, and ordered. The chef made us a dish we modified, and everything was tasty. Definitely wish my home in Missouri had an Indian place this good.
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Review from John F.
San Francisco, CA
5/26/2011
The chicken taste good really moist and tender not dry inside. Chicken Tikka Masala had alot of shredded chicken meat that are bite size not big chunk. I also ate the rice pudding, Palak pakora, vegetable pakora, and cheese pakora which was spicy. Not alot of people come here wededay at lunch. Close to my work too.
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Review from Jon L.
11/5/2010 2 Check-ins Here
When the temperature dips and the sky is gray, it's a good idea to head on over to Tandoori Mahal for some lunchtime curry pick-me-up.
It's hard to beat a $10 spread, especially one that offers variety and fairly good quality food. It's a buffet so get off your high horses and enjoy it for what it is. I really like the bismati rice with lamb curry over it and the pakora. The Saag Paneer and the chickpeas aren't bad either actually. All in all, it's a very satisfying meal of fragrant spices and, "oh here comes the heat."
On that note, I must admit I'm a water hose when I eat spice. Sweat slowly builds in my pores and I know a drenching is imminent. This last trip was no exception but the kind folks at Tandoori Mahal were nice enough to crack a window for me without asking. They also kept the water coming and cleared our plates quickly.
It wasn't crowded when we were there and we had a satisfying lunch in hardly any time. For a little something something here and there, the lunch buffet is a good delicious bet and the folks here at Tandoori Mahal are just the sweetest. I'll be back for sure.Listed in: Curry Favor
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Review from Andrew S.
6/23/2011
went to this place at the tail end of the lunch buffet so take everything with a grain of salt.
some bits of the rice were extremely hard, the chicken tikka masala type dish was okay but i usually like mine with a little more spice. the lamb curry was very meh. the vegetable pankora(?) was really good with tamarind on top but the fish pankora was well a little fishy. HA!
this place is probably worth it if you come when you're really hungry in the middle of the lunch buffet. but i probably wouldn't want to come if i weren't in the mood to gorge myself, especially with so many decent options nearby. -
Review from Jay S.
Daly City, CA
8/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
I always do the lunch buffet. The prices are reasonable and there's enough variety to please everyone that I go with. Don't miss their tandoori chicken and there's a chicken marsala that's fabulous. I forget what the marsala is called on the sign (it's not labeled as chicken marsala), but you'll recognize it by the orangish sauce color.
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Review from Denise T.
San Francisco, CA
11/12/2010
Mhmmmmm.... Clean awesome Indian food isn't a normal combination, but we're on a roll here people! Perhaps we'll see more joints like these sprout up in time. Indian food isn't ever cheap, so go here knowing its probably an additional two to three bucks per order.
My friends and I normally get the set for two, but share it amongst three people and get more naan because the portions are pretty large. The Tandoori Chicken and Chicken Masala are pretty awesome, but if you like it a little spicer; tell them beforehand and they do wonders. Even if you tell them after its out, they still perform magic! -
Review from Michael S.
San Francisco, CA
1/5/2011
This restaurant has an excellent lunch buffet for only $10. I frequently go here specifically for their lunch deal for it's volume in food and reasonable price.
The food variety is average for an Indian restaurant, but hey, what do you expect for $10?
Here's a lil breakdown of their buffet food:
They have amazing naan. Now I am not verrry familiar with Indian cuisine, but their naan was different: it was buttery, thick, super soft, and maybe a lil chewy. It was AMAZING. Dunk it in that green curry sauce...yummmm.
They have this mango drink, like $3, but it's worth it. It's like a mango smoothie with a lil yogurt/dairy twist. Excellent.
Chicken Marsala is great. So tender, the meat just comes right off the bone. I'm hungry just thinking about it.
Anyways, I highly recommend this restaurant for their lunch buffet. The food is so good that every time I eat here I have to loosen up a few notches from my belt to finish my 3rd plate of food. And I am not even kidding. You will not be disappointed. -
Review from Bonnie L.
San Francisco, CA
5/26/2010
Oh Tandoori Mahal, the 5 star review I was going to give you after my first visit has quickly been downgraded to 1 star before I even had a chance to write my initial review. *sigh* To bad. I visited this place in search for an alternative to Naan and Curry, which is just a few blocks away. "What a great buffet deal," I thought to myself. I was quickly impressed by the quality of food for the price and was reminded how much I love Palak Paneer. Yes, I have no complaints about the food. This is why I would have given this place 4 stars, if not 5. I rushed back to work to tell my coworkers about the great place i just found and how I couldn't wait to return.
A few weeks later, I returned. I was hoping there would be new food options in the buffet. But what more could I expect with the price that I paid. The food was good, but it was the same-ol-same-ol. My real WTF moment was when I was presented my check
1. before I had asked for it, or for that matter before I had even finished eating
2. with an error on the bill
3. i paid and my credit card was not returned to me --WHAT--
4. the host refused to fix the error on my bill and insisted that I work out the math myself and use the tip line to make the adjustments --THE--
5. the host hovered over me, finger pointed at the tip line insisting that I write $5 before he would leave me alone --FUDGE!!?--
I'll never be back. What a jerk! -
Review from Jen K.
4/3/2010
I think they put crack in their saang paneer.
I've never eaten here but regularly order from here off Grubhub. One week I got on a weird kick and ordered from here 3 times in a week. The delivery guy must have thought I was preggers. Or nuts.
I keep meaning to eat in, but trust me, I'll def continue to order out from here. Add some Aloo Paratha and some wine and I'm good to go for the rest of the night.
Ahhhhh. -
Review from R. B.
San Francisco, CA
8/11/2011
This is a nice respite from all the crap going on in North Beach at night! Nice dining room. The food is pretty good too. I thought the tandoori chicken was nicely done and the samosas were tasty. We had a dish with cauliflower and another with lamb - both were good but not great. I'd go here again. It's fairly inexpensive and never very busy.
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Review from Kenny R.
Napa, CA
7/21/2005
"Can I get some more naan, please?"
I don't come to the financial district to make friends, I'm all about the biz... but on this one occasion, I was enjoying the Bollywood action when I realized my naan basket was empty... I asked Gil for a refill and he brought me a cigar and a glass of merlot. Besides the minor translation difficulty, I really, really enjoyed the food. As we say in my line of work, "it's tasty for the price and you can't beat the smiley service".
Grab some Bukowski at City Lights Books just down the street and camp at a table where you can keep an eye on the Charles Nelson Reilly inspired dancers on the TV and enjoy the all-you-cat -eat Indian buffetery. Go at nine. Eat some orange sauce on rice. Read a couple of short stories and grin at the produce guy as he carts in fresh vegetables for lunch. At 10, go for the green sauce and dip in the naan. Don't over do it. I'm speaking from experience. Drink water and just relax. It's all-you-can-eat. These gentlemen aren't in a hurry to get you out of the door.
At around 11:30, it's time to plate it up. Don't hold back now. The food is fresh and the lunchtime rush of 5 people are getting ready at their cubes out there somewhere to migrate to the heat lamps for spices and boring conversations about people that aren't around. Better get it all while you can. The orange and the green and the juicy red sauces on the rice and hot as all... The toasty naan under napkin cloth waiting to be smothered with the sumptious buttery oil essence. Make a salad. Eat some milk rice. They've got a great variety... you won't be let down.
You might see me there. Reading by the candlelight... trying not to laugh too hard at the music videos. I've been there since 9 or 10... I'm not leaving until 3. It's . . what . . 8 bucks? I've never got more bang for my buck.
"No, I said 'naan', but thanks for the candle."Listed in: 2005...
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Review from Valeria R.
San Francisco, CA
12/8/2008
4 stars = "Yay! I'm a fan."
Which I am.
Lately I've noticed that Tandoori Mahal is the only place I've been calling for Indian food delivery. I simply haven't been tempted to branch out and try a new place. I suppose it's a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Price: Reasonable.
Delivery time: Speedy.
Food: Arrives hot and delicious and in nice, big quantities that I can stretch into 2 or even 3 meals, depending on how hungry I am.
I've never had anything that I didn't like from Tandoori Mahal. My go-to dishes at any given time are the tandoori chicken, lamb tikka masala, chicken coconut curry, aloo gobhi (cauliflower with potatoes) and chana masala (spicy garbanzos), all excellent. The sauce-based dishes are robust with nicely-developed flavors, as though they've been simmering on someone's mom's stove for hours.
Whenever I walk or ride past the restaurant it looks kind of empty, so I'm guessing they get most of their business from hungry Financial District folks at lunchtime...and evening delivery to people like me who are too lazy to cook dinner! -
Review from Cassie J.
San Francisco, CA
9/2/2009
As someone who isn't faithfully an Indian food fan just yet, Tandoori Mahal has definitely enticed me to want to try more Indian items.
My co-worker and I have ordered for delivery from here twice so far each time, delivery has been speedy fast, and packaged to perfection.
Ordering food for deliver can sometimes be a bit of a mess depending on what you order. Mia and I ordered the Hydradabi Chicken, which is chicken cubes, with apricot and potato straws. The flavor was great, and the sauce had a nice zing. The chewy apricots complimented the spiciness very well. I very much appreciate that Tandoori Mahal wraps their to-go containers of curry in plastic wrap to help avoid spillage from the delivery over.
We also ordered the Kashmiri Naan which is stuffed with nuts, raisins, coconut and cherries. While parts of the bread seemed to be burnt, the flavor of the ingredients definitely worked well together. I definitely love the combination of spicy and sweet, and Tandoori does a great job.
Overall, I will continue to be ordering here for delivery as they are very reliable. -
Review from M The C ..
Northern, CA
6/30/2006
Now, I don't know how to rate Indian food, so bear with me...
The 'Team' had lunch together today. When the boss said "what do you want for lunch?" I said "SUSHI!!!" (being the sushi junkie that I am ...), but he furrowed his brow, kind of scrunched his nose, made a small grumble and said "I think [Other Employee] wants Indian ..."
Ok ...
We all toddled together up a block and a half to Tandoori Mahal. The place is pink inside with sequin adorned Indian love scenes on the walls. Kinda cool.... in a foreign sort of way ... The staff were quite friendly ... and then they directed me to the buffet. HELP! I don't know what this stuff IS!!! Preet wasn't with me so I was totally lost. So, I just started shoveling.
When I sat down and started eating ... it wasn't bad. [Other Employee] said he could taste that they cooked several dishes with the same oil (recycled), so he had decided to not return after today.
I'd never eaten goat before. I am used to goats giving milk and clearing away overgrown pastures and being company to horses. I didn't know we eat them!
I'm so uncultured. -
Review from David D.
11/1/2006
They catered a Diwali cultural festival where I'm working today. Wow! Indian buffet right here in the building! As Indian buffets go, it was just fine. Chicken Tikka and lamb kabab were great, I could eat this stuff all afternoon. Samosas were hotter than I'm used to, but tasty, too. Palak pakora, vegetable pakora, and cheese pakora rounded out the plate. There were several desserts that didn't show up on the menu -- of which they provided plenty of copies. Mango lassi on site, too! Yum!
It's good to know that Indian food travels well. -
Review from Minh V.
San Jose, CA
12/24/2008
So a couple of my work buddies and I were walking around in North Beach for lunch (with the intention of getting some Mexican food). Anyhoo, so we stumbled on this place, and we decided to pop in and give it a shot. Turns out that they have an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet - DING DING DING.. magic words to my ear. There was the usual goodies you expect at an Indian restaurant including: chicken tandoori, lamb vindaloo, basmati rice, chicken masala, veggies, and of course hella NAAN!! For a buffet meal, the meats were surprisingly juicy and not dried out. I ended up eating 3 plates (I got knocked out from food coma later on in the office that afternoon - oh wells)
The service was very pleasant and gave us plenty of icey water, food was already piping-hot so didn't have to wait. The meal came out only to be $12/person (including tax & tip). Delicious and well worth it. Definitely going to go here again for lunch.Listed in: SF Restaurants that I Love, Thai & Indian - Damn Good…
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Review from Srinivas R.
Los Angeles, CA
6/8/2007
Lulu and I decided on having an Indian buffet at Tandoori Mahal, and we realized this place should be called Kama Sutra Mahal, or pervert Mahal. After walking in, Lulu pointed to a picture on the wall, and the following discussion ensued:
Lulu: "Holy sh..t, that guy his hands on her tit."
Srini: wait a minute, all the pictures tell a story, look it continues on the other wall, she's wearing less
Lulu: pervert....
Srini: no, seriously, look(waiting in line for the buffet). The first picture is of the girls mom thinking "Oh, I hope he takes good care of her (said in Indian accent)
Lulu: pervert
Srini: look at the next picture. The guy has taken the girl away and he has some booze he's feeding her. He's trying to get her drunk so he can f$%$k her.
Lulu: Pervert
Srini: And then she starts dancing, and he puts his hand on her tit, and then she takes some more of it off. And then look, they're in some sort of Kama Sutra position.
Lulu: Pervert
Srini: And then look at them, he's like dragging her on his shoulder after they bathed in the river. They had to bathe because of the sweaty sex, and he f$%$%kd the shit out of her so she looks exhausted.
Lulu: You're such a PERVERT(hits me).
Somebody definitely placed those pictures strategically. Go check it out after you read my review and you'll see. -
Review from moujan n.
Beverly Hills, CA
7/16/2011
WOW! this place is AMAZING the hospitality was really great and the food was amazing. The first nite we got to San Francisco we were starving and looking for a great place to eat and i think it was near closing time ( but they sat us anyway ) actually we sat ourselves anyways then we asked the waiter who was the only waiter there for the evening what was he would recommend since we are vegetarians he told us which are good they can make it 3 ways mild medium or spicy for pple who like spicy. And you know when sometimes you might eat curtine indian food and it doesnt seat well with you well this place isnt like that
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Review from Miriam W.
5/18/2006
Chicken tikka masala had a flavor reminiscent of Campbell's tomato soup (that is, by the way, not a compliment).
Portions of rice and naan were stingy.
Would rather go to Chutney, Pakwan, Shalimar, Mehfil.
Actually, can't see any reason for me to ever return here. -
Review from Jonny C.
6/18/2007
The lunch buffet is a fickle and flighty beast. To hungry men whose eyes are perennially larger than their stomachs, they seem like an amazing idea. However, an hour later, they are shitting in their pants and need a nap, may have uttered "never again!" and crawled under their desk to sleep off that gut rot, over eat coma.
Tandoori Mahal is not ostensibly different, but fresher than a standard chinese buffet. All the na'an you can eat, plus an array of 8-12 lunch items,. typically composed of 2 or 3 chicken, 1 or 2 goat/lamb and a variety of veggie curry dishes and salad. All for about 8.75. Tasty stuff, doesnt kill your GI tract if eaten in moderation and not a bad bang for the buck. I cant do it more than once a month, but I am never in that bad of shape when I decide to sail down Ganges and get my Tandoori on. -
Review from Ken G.
3/17/2009
I've only been here for their buffet, but it's pretty good. They have the same items almost every day and all the same dishes you would expect at a typical buffet. The service is pretty good as well.
It can get fairly busy at lunch depending on which time you go, so it can get a bit packed and inconvenient when there's a long line for the buffet, but it's usually handled pretty well.
The location is great - after stuffing your face with all that heavy food, you can walk around North Beach and burn off at least some of those calories! -
Review from Gigi T.
San Pablo, CA
3/23/2008
This review is for their lunch buffet.
Pretty good selections of curries and their chicken tikka masala is delish! It is the creamiest ever and I just love it.
I also love their lamb curry, ohhhh sooo lamb-ey and flavorful. The spinach curry is the bomb too, and the one with cheese bits in it ohhhh...
i also love their traditional rice dessert, soo creamy, ricey, and delicious.
The price is definitely good for the great selection of food. The only problem is.. this place gimme a food coma every single time i eat there and i would be zzz-ing at work (-__-) ..zzoooo...Listed in: FiDi/Ctown/North Beach -…
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Review from Beth D.
San Francisco, CA
5/19/2010
For $10 I don't have the highest expectations for an Indian lunch buffet. I also don't think it's fair to judge a restaurant solely on a lunch buffet. However, after one trip here for lunch I am positive I will not be back.
When I walked in I was greeted by no one, and eventually frostily ushered to a table with a very stained tablecloth. The buffet didn't have any naan (what?!) and some of the tables around me had naan in baskets, but since I was never served any I have to assume it's extra. Pretty much unacceptable.
None of the dishes on the buffet are labeled, so while I can recognize sauces it's impossible to tell what meat or veggies are in them, which is how I ended up with a really unpleasant mouthful of unexpected seafood. I thought I got some chicken tikka masala but the meat wasn't like chicken at all and it definitely wasn't lamb so I had no idea what I was eating and it wasn't very good. The pakora was visibly freezer burnt and the tamarind chutney was thin and runny.
Before I'd even made it halfway through my plate a check was plunked down on the table, I took this as a sign I was unwelcome and promptly paid and left. Will never be back. I made a mental note of all the other restaurants listed on their business card (Clay Oven) so I can avoid those as well. -
Review from Wendy L.
San Francisco, CA
3/3/2008
I had a slightly funny experience with Tandoori Mahal. My friend and I wanted to order in Indian food and rather than go through a delivery service, we wanted to order directly from a restaurant.
The only place I remember ordering from was India Clay Oven in the Richmond when I lived much further west, but I thought I would give them a shot. And I realized they have an online ordering system - call me a nerd, but I thought that was pretty darn cool.
We ordered saag paneer, chicken tikka masala, rice and naan - pretty standard fare. As I'm processing the order online, the final/order confirmation screen said something to the effect of "your order has been sent to Tandoori Mahal." What? I thought I was ordering from India Clay Oven. Apparently, they are all owned by the same owner, and they just choose the location that is closest to where you live. Hmm, that might have been better to know when I was placing my order. But figured that since they were owned by the same owners, the food was pretty comparable...and it was. Standard chicken tikka masala and saag paneer.
The delivery was FAST which is pretty unusual for San Francisco delivery (at least in my opinion) - my food was at my doorstep within 30 minutes. (The website said they would call to confirm my order in 5-10 minutes; they didn't.) The food arrived on the lukewarm side but I was happy it arrived so quickly!
Food was reasonably priced - about $17 per person including tip. -
Review from Ben R.
San Francisco, CA
12/14/2006
All you can eat lunch buffets are like this crazy event that some people in my office love to seek out. It's very causal and laid-back but always an enticing thought at 12:30 after no breakfast and only coffee. I went along to the one at Tandoori Mahal, needless to say I gorged myself (you only live once). But so did everyone else, so I wasn't embarrassed. That's what you do at these events. I hit the wall after a seemingly endless supply of Indian delicacies. Reasonable prices (for lunch) and a close proximity to my office equals a great spot for an official stop on the Pro/Am Fi-Di Competitive Lunch Eating Circuit.
(This circuit is fictional, but I'm thinking of starting an actual club. Good idea? Please discuss amongst yourselves in the talk threads. If there is enough support I might have to make it a weekly event. All you yelpers who are interested, let me know. Thank you.) -
Review from T M.
San Francisco, CA
11/29/2010
I've been meaning to write this review for months.
Back in September, I got Dehli style food poisoning from this awful, awful eating establishment. I made a visit to the emergency room, about five dozen visits to the toilet over a span of seven days and generally felt like hell for an entire week. All from a seemingly benign chicken tikka masala. Perhaps they replaced the chicken with plague infested rat.
Whatever the case, this place is either
a) really unsanitary
b) uses crap ingredients, or
c) both of the above
Because I have NEVER in my life been made remotely as ill from anything - food, cold, flu or otherwise, as I was from that tikka masala.
The public health department should shut this place down. -
Review from Annie Z.
San Francisco, CA
8/10/2008
Ordered from Tandoori Mahal via http://delivery.com the night of the Olympics opening ceremony. We ordered right as the show was beginning 7:30 and didn't see our food until 8:50. One star down for the wait. By then we were each a few glasses of wine in and needed our food. Not sure if delivery would have taken as long if we had just called but next time (and there will be a next time because the food was darn good) that's what I'll be sure to do.
We had:
Samosas
Garlic Naan
Chicken Coconut Curry
Chicen Curry
Vegetable Masala
Rice
I would order all of the above again except for the samosas. They were too dry for my liking. The Chicken Coconut Curry was delish! Similiar to tikka masala from other restaurants but didn't leave us feeling like we wanted to throw up or pass out from all of the cream and grease. -
Review from T N.
Sausalito, CA
5/10/2007
A couple of days ago I had almost hit that crying part of hunger, and the fact that I have a cold made me that much more petulant. I wanted Thai food like nobody's business, and was saddened to discover that pretty much no Thai restaurant will deliver to my office, even if they are close by and claim delivery. Thinking that there must be a non-sucky alternative to http://delivery.com, I stumbled upon http://grubhub.com, and by extension, Tandoori Mahal, which came up as Thai/Indian in their results.
Placing an order online made me instantly a little less pouty, and the food was delivered quickly after receiving a call from the sweet owner(?) to confirm my order. My chicken coconut curry was excellent, amazingly flavorful and well-spiced, a fact which was echoed by the bf as he snacked on the leftovers at home. Onion bhaji is also really good, and spicier than most.
And the dal? The dal is transcendent. I got two containers of that bitch today for lunch and dinner, because mama has a cold that only gossip blogs, shirking work, and delicious dal can cure (and she also needs to meet the $15 delivery minimum, holla!).
This would be a five star review if a) the wrapping of the delivery items weren't so ghetto (some containers don't seem to be designed to hold anything hot or liquid, not good for chicken curry) and b) it weren't for the fact that even after I requested utensils, they still did not include them in my delivery order. I am not an animal, damn it...give me that spork and I give you five stars.Listed in: Tasty Vittles
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Review from Marc S.
San Francisco, CA
8/5/2005
Naan and Curry was too crowded and even though I really wasn't in a buffet mood, I was in an Indian mood so I waked over to here. I have a feeling others did as well, because it was empty when I went in but nearly full as I left. $7.95 buffet is not bad considering if you want naan, rice, tandoori chicken, some other chicken in orange sauce, a bit of fried fish and a little salad, you'll have a tough time ordering that all for a reasonable price. So, it turned out to be a good move considering I was eating alone. I liked everything I had. Nice napkins, water service was good, and they offered to refill my naan basket, but I didn't need it. Only negative is that a long line can form by the one serving station if your timing is bad and a big group comes in. Not the best Indian food I've ever had, but certainly good enough for an infrequent eater of the cuisine such as myself.
UPDATE 6/29/06: I'm lowing one star. The Naan is now at the buffet table and was greasy and not fluffy. Dissapointing change. Rest was ok, but whole experience was just average.
