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Name: Essence of India
Address: 4601 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL, 60625
Telephone: (773) 506-0002
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.42

Essence of India

4601 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL, 60625

(773) 506-0002
Store is closed

Essence of India Menu

Appetizers

Vegetable Samosas

Vegetable Pakoras

Vegetable Cutlets

Paneer Pakoras

Papadum

Masala Papadum

Vegetable sampler

Jhinga Karahi

Non-vegetarian sampler from the tandoori oven
Vegetable Essence

Malai Ka Kofta

Shahi Paneer

Saag Chaman

Mutter Paneer

Paneer Khurchan

Baigan Bharta

Bhindi Ka Masala

Gobhi Gulastan

Vegetable Korma

Aloo do Pyaza

Chana Masala

Mushroom Mutter

Dal Makhani

Dal Turka
Tandoor Essence (clay/charcoal Oven)

Tandoori Shrimp

Seekh Kabab

Bhuni Machhli

Indian Chicken Tandoori

Chicken Malai Kabob – Chef’s Specialty

Murg Tikka

Lamb Chops
Chicken Essence

Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani)

Murg Lajwab

Chicken Shahi Korma

Chicken Karahi

Murg Tikka Masala

Achari Murgh

Chicken Saag

Bhuna Chicken*

Chicken Vindaloo*
Lamb Essence

Gosht Korma

Lamb Pasanda

Rogan Josh

Lamb Palak

Achari Gosht

Lamb Vindaloo*

Goan Lamb*
Fish Essence

Goan Fish Curry*

Jhinga Masala

Shrimp Vindaloo*

Amritsari Fried Catfish
Biriyani / Rice Essence

Non-Vegetarian Biriyani

Vegetable Biriyani

Peas Pulao

Kashmiri Pulao

Saffron Rice

Plain Basmati Rice
Bread Essence

Naan

Butter Naan

Garlic Naan

Keema Naan

Peshwari Naan

Onion Kulcha

Paneer Kulcha

Paratha Tandoori

Pudina Paratha

Aloo Paratha

Tandoori Roti

Poori

Bread Assortment
Side Items

Raita

Mango Chutney

Mixed Salad
Dessert Essence

Gulab Jamun

Ras Malai

Kheer

Gajar ka Halwa

Kulfi

Essence Faluda – Chef’s Specialty
Beverages

Lassi

Mango Lassi

Masala Tea (Chai)

Soft Drinks

Coffee/Tea

Cappuccino

Espresso

Healthy Meal suggestions for Essence of India

Appetizers

Vegetable Samosas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Pakoras [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Cutlets [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Paneer Pakoras [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Papadum [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Masala Papadum [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable sampler [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Jhinga Karahi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Non-vegetarian sampler from the tandoori oven [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Vegetable Essence

Malai Ka Kofta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shahi Paneer [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Saag Chaman [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mutter Paneer [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Paneer Khurchan [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baigan Bharta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bhindi Ka Masala [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gobhi Gulastan [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Korma [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Aloo do Pyaza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chana Masala [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mushroom Mutter [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Dal Makhani [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Dal Turka [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Tandoor Essence (clay/charcoal Oven)

Tandoori Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seekh Kabab [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bhuni Machhli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Indian Chicken Tandoori [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Malai Kabob – Chef’s Specialty [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Murg Tikka [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lamb Chops [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Chicken Essence

Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Murg Lajwab [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Shahi Korma [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Karahi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Murg Tikka Masala [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Achari Murgh [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Saag [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bhuna Chicken* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Vindaloo* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Lamb Essence

Gosht Korma [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lamb Pasanda [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Rogan Josh [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lamb Palak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Achari Gosht [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lamb Vindaloo* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Goan Lamb* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Fish Essence

Goan Fish Curry* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Jhinga Masala [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp Vindaloo* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Amritsari Fried Catfish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Biriyani / Rice Essence

Non-Vegetarian Biriyani [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Biriyani [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Peas Pulao [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kashmiri Pulao [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Saffron Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Plain Basmati Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Bread Essence

Naan [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Butter Naan [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Garlic Naan [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Keema Naan [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Peshwari Naan [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Onion Kulcha [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Paneer Kulcha [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Paratha Tandoori [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pudina Paratha [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Aloo Paratha [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tandoori Roti [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Poori [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bread Assortment [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Side Items

Raita [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mango Chutney [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mixed Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Dessert Essence

Gulab Jamun [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ras Malai [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kheer [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gajar ka Halwa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kulfi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Essence Faluda – Chef’s Specialty [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Beverages

Lassi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mango Lassi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Masala Tea (Chai) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soft Drinks [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Coffee/Tea [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cappuccino [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Espresso [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

erin k.

but... i said spicy. because i meant it. so i would assumed that there would be a little spice involved, and i was ready for it - looking forward to it even. but no spice. sigh. none. and the waiter forgot to drop our check, then changed clothes to go home for the evening, then glowered at us as if we were holding him up. uhm, check please? i could have gone one star, but the veggie appetizer combo was great. i should have had that for dinner.
(2)
Theresa K.

I've always passed by this place while taking classes at Old Town School of Folk Music, just across the street, and always wanted to dine here. I ended up being in the neighborhood again looking for another restaurant since the place we wanted to eat at was packed. We decided on Indian and ended up at Essence of India. I should have known better not to go inside since the place was practically empty and all the other restaurants nearby were pretty much full. First off, the service could be better - our server was very short with his responses and barely made any eye contact. He also never checked up on us to see how our meal was or if we needed anything else. We started off with some appetizers: regular Naan, Vegetable Samosas and Vegetable Pakoras. I was not impressed. The Naan was flavorless and the appetizers were really greasy and unsatisfying. For my entree, I ordered the Baigan Bharta: smoked, pureed eggplant cooked with tomato and onion. This is one of my favorite Indian dishes and I was truly disappointment with the dish here. It was pretty bland and lacked any spices. The rice was equally unsatisfying. It was so unfortunate since I rarely venture out to other Indian restaurants, my favorite is hands down India House, but I don't live nearby. I have stumbled upon other good Indian restaurants here and there, but this was by far the least pleasant. I ended up paying close to $50 for two people and left not feeling quite full which is rare for me since I LOVE Indian food. It's too bad because I've been wanting to branch out and try more Indian restaurants hoping to find a gem. Guess, I'll have to keep looking...
(3)
Ak S.

My husband and I are vegetarian so that restricted our choices quite a bit. So maybe the meat dishes are more desirable. The veggies dishes were just okay, and in fact one of the dishes was supposed to come with veggies and cashews and it did not "because we don't do that anymore" due to many people having allergies to nuts. They said they would update the menu. In the meantime, if you go there, perhaps ask what comes in a dish before you order it. The samosas were great though!!
(2)
Beavis M.

Surprised to see so many iffy reviews as this is my favorite Indian restaurant in the Midwest. All the dishes I have had our well prepared and flavorful, but their Tandoori Shrimp is the best I have ever experienced. Holy Moly. It's a little pricey, but you get what you pay for.
(5)
Stephanie M.

i agree with someone who said the food tasted like the kind out of the pouch, which really isn't all that bad if you get a good brand, imo. too much money for what it is. service was nice. kind of hot in the restaurant. i'm not a sweaty person and i was getting very uncomfortable do to the heat (june). its located right in the heart of lincoln square, across from the davis theater. so that is convenient at least? but then again so is using my microwave.
(2)
Kristen W.

Again, having just moved here from a minor midwestern city, I am not impressed with Essence of India- mainly for the price. I have had buffet Indian food for much, much, less, and yet it dominated Essence in quality. I have a feeling that much better quality Indian food can be found in the Devon Avenue area (about 10 mintes from this location). That having been said, if you're interested in an expensive Indian meal with fabulous service, Essence is the place for you. The ambiance/surroundings are perfect, and the service is fast and attentive. Enjoy Essence of India!
(2)
Dora V.

Food is consistently delicious - and if I bat my eyelashes and *insist* that I want my food "Indian spicy," I can get it as spicy as I want it! This is not an easy feat. Great date place: cozy size, not too pricey. Can have a small wait on the weekends, but it's worth it!
(5)
Slu S.

Not my favorite Indian joint in the city, but certainly the closest. The Lamb Vindaloo is not scorching hot, but definitely hot enough. The saag is creamy. The rice can be dry. The entrees tend to be a little saucier than I like (I don't like eating my Indian with a spoon). I would stick to the Pakastani joints on Kedzie.
(2)
Jon S.

LOVE this place; every time we've ordered in the last year the food comes within 20 minutes .... hot .... fresh ... flavored oh so perfectly! We've gone into the restaurant at least 4 times this year with friends or family, and although it's busy as anything, the service is always great and the food equally good. It is a bit expensive, but honestly ... for consistency and quality; it's worth it!
(5)
Jenni S.

Probably my favorite chicken tikka masala in the city. The samosas are okay. Can't beat the location, and the service is always super nice. Oh, yes, and wonderful naan. Naan naan naan.
(4)
Jeff J.

I love Essence of India. My wife and I have lived in Lincoln Square for three years, and we have spent a lot of money at Essence, both dine in and delivery. You can always count on Satya and team in delivering a first rate meal. I especially love the Butter Chicken and the Keema Nan. My wife loves the Veggie Korma with added cheese.
(5)
dave a.

It is my opinion that the only good thing here is the profit margin. Better quality and variety all along Devon.
(1)
Heidi T.

It's not perfect. It's a really good option for Indian food south of Devon. If you live in the neighborhood, then by all means, come here. I always go here before seeing a film at the Davis, and I get take out once or twice a month. However, i live in the neighborhood. If I lived southeast of Lincoln Square and were going to drive north for Indian food, I'd go the extra ten minutes to get to Devon. As has been mentioned, some of the spicing seems...odd. The samosas are bland, but the sag paneer is spicier than advertised. I've tried a bunch of things and settled on a couple favorites that are better than I could make at home and a good alternative.
(4)
Kimberly B.

Now I'm not a native or experienced Indian eater.... My knowledge is from a few Chicago Indian restaurants and a few in London (including my frequent takeaways) while I was abroad so keep that in mind. I went with my boyfriend on a Saturday night and we were lucky we got there when we did because it became so busy there was a wait at a about 7:30 (Note: it's not that large of restaurant). The inside is warm and cozy inside. Towards the end of our meal we felt a little too cozy with the people waiting for a table surrounding us. I'm pleased to share this is a very clean restaurant. The waiter was pretty attentive although he seemed be overwhelmed with the crowd. Overall, I thought the food was very good. We ordered the average Indian fare that you can never go wrong with: samosas, naan (butter is the best!), and the murg tikka masala (which we shared). My boyfriend enjoyed trying an Indian beer which thought was really good and would definitely order again. The samosas were mild with a little kick and still somewhat moist - I've had samosas where they were too spicy for me and so dry they fell a part. The appetizer of samosas is just 2 samosas but they are very large. The naan was warm and moist too which is important to me because it's just not good if it's cold and dry which sometimes happens. Make sure you order rice because it does not come with most of the entrees! Also, consider sharing an entree, because there's definitely large portions. We left more than full! Overall, I thought the spices (which we ordered mild a.k.a. American style) were just right.
(4)
Tim V.

This is our go-to Indian place. It's not that it's the best I've ever had, but it's really, really solid and close to our place. I WISH, WISH it was cheaper. Then I would be able to give it five stars. So if you're rich, just pretend I gave this five stars. The chicken tikka masala is awesome, and the Vindaloo is just right (perfect spiciness). Also love the samosas. Chutneys and tamarind sauce are made in-house and are complimentary. They deliver, but it's a bit too pricey for weekday takeout. You can get by splitting an entree and ordering an extra naan to keep it on the cheap.
(4)
Natasia O.

Essence of India has been a Thursday night staple in my house for at least a year. The butter chicken and Mutter Paneer are delicious!! They also deliver rather quickly too. We have had consistently good food and service every time. I have to say I'm not a huge fan of their sat/sun buffet- but I guess I not really a buffet girl and kinda stick to the same two dishes I like here. They also have outdoor seating which is great in the summer- Indian food and people watching- what's better?
(4)
Julee M.

Hmmm, I really wanted to like this place since it's so close to my house. I just recently discovered the wonders of Indian food and I prefer to do a buffet because I like a little bit of different things and that gets way too expensive when you order full dishes. I went here for their lunch buffet and and I was disappointed. First off they didn't have any of my favorites which are pretty standard and they didn't have much of a selection. I guess I'm used to the wonderful buffet at India House and I thought that this was no where close in quantity or taste. I have only eaten at a couple Indian restaurants and I just didn't think this was all that great. It was OK, but just nothing to make me go, "Wow that was good. I want more!". Maybe I'll give it another shot and order some of my favorites off the menu.
(2)
Amanda J.

Yes, this place is slightly overpriced and the wait can be ridiculous, but what you lose in $ and minutes, you gain in quality and creativity. i grew up on devon avenue and have been to so many indian restaurants, i've lost count. essence of india is what you want those "hole in the wall"'s to be. it's cleaner, the decor is nicer, and there's not bones in your meat. yeah hema's kitchen or viceroy may be able to throw down in a match of heat and authenticity, but essence of india can hold its own, even being outside of devon avenue. which leads me to my next point.... yes, the prices are higher, but like i said, you're paying for quality AND location. the other fabulous thing is that this place is NOT BYOB. they have a full bar and some Indian beer selections(they're umimpressive lagers, but Indian, nonetheless). try the dal makhani w/ some raita and butter naan. and if you love your naan (fluffy bread baked in tandoor oven), try the kashmiri naan. it has pistachios and cherries baked into it. YUM!
(4)
Christina S.

I just moved here from San Francisco, so I'm accustomed to mediocre, overpriced Indian food (all of the good stuff is in the suburbs). Imagine my surprise when the first place I stumble into in Chicago is serving up really good food. Excellent service. Convenient location. Four stars.
(4)
Danforth Ridgewell Rutherford V.

I ate their lunch buffet, and thought it was pretty good. Good selection, tasty, not too salty. Definitely don't go out of your way to eat here but if you are here, it's a solid choice.
(3)
Jason D.

Decent food. Way overpriced. Why can't I get out of this place when I dine alone for under $23? Four or five ounces of chicken in a sauce an two pieces of naan cannot possible cost this much! Service was not much better either, I once joked with the server about prices and he responded "The prices they are". What a jerk.
(3)
Tina B.

Yummmmmmy! I always love going here. It's like a taste explosion. Wish I could enlarge my stomach for certain meals. Then I could fit even more deliciousness into my little body. Of course, whatever we don't finish makes for the best leftovers the next day. The service is always friendly and fast.
(4)
Adam B.

Great Indian food, my favorite so far in the city. Service is decent, but the food is outrageous. The flavors and aromas are intense. I recommend ordering the Veggi dish Shahi Paneer, which is one of the most flavorful dishes I've had. It's very saucy and it's a great sauce to use with any of th other dishes, including the Naans. Yum! My own review is making me hungry. Also great to bring Indian food newbies too!!
(4)
Bryan S.

I have eaten at quite a few Indian restaurants in a few different states and, I have to say, Essence of India has excellent food. I've found that the a la carte dishes are a little better than what is served in the lunch buffet, but either way, the food is delicious. The atmosphere is perfect and the staff is polite and attentive. Essence of India has made me a customer for life. I have only eaten at one Indian restaurant that rivals this one and that is Raja Rani in Ann Arbor, MI.
(5)
Lindsay M.

Def. my fave. indian restaurant in the Chi. Tamarind sauce, naan, murg makhani, vindaloo anything, service, demeanor, atmosphere, everything about this place loves me & I love it back.
(5)
Joy Z.

DELICIOUS garlic naan -- even get one to-go as you are walking by...it's amazing!
(4)
Ben E.

Having only eaten at the buffet here, I probably shouldn't give this restaurant such a bad review...but...the food was awful. Everything was bland, the buffet selection was poor at best, and I left feeling ripped off (despite the completely reasonable price). Maybe the food is better a la carte, or perhaps it was an off day, but I'm very reluctant to go back. If I lived in Lincoln Square I might give it another try, but otherwise I don't think it's worth a special trip.
(1)
Brandi M.

Great food, great service. The Chicken Korma & Chicken Malai Kabob (Chefs specialty), were especially yummy.
(4)
heidy b.

I have been here three times and all three times I have ordered the butter chicken with the lamb biryani--both are phenomenal! My husband has had the tandoori chicken, which was also very good. We also tried the samosas as well and those too were great. Good service. Tab does seem unusually high, then again it is located in a restaurant hot spot.
(4)
Jennifer B.

This place delivers, so when we feel like staying home for the evening and want Indian we order from this restaurant. We have also eaten at the restaurant which is a nice cozy, little corner spot. I love the vegetable korma which I don't often find on menus, so that's another reason I prefer this spot. My boyfriend orders lamb or chicken dishes. He likes the chicken kabobs, lamb meatballs from the tandor, and chicken bhuna. I have eaten at restaurants on Devon and don't see much of a difference when I compare the restaurants.
(4)
Alison T.

This was the worst Indian food I've ever had. The food was bland, and one dish (chicken korma) was so bad we didn't even eat more than a bite. The only plus was that delivery was fast but I'd rather wait for better food.
(1)
Ginger W.

I really like Essence of India. While they are a little more expensive than I would like, I do think their food is superior to most other restaurants. The saag is killer and malai ka kofta (cottage cheese and potato, dried fruit and spices in tomato and cream sauce) is one of my favorites. Everyone there is friendly and attentive. They have a lunch buffet on the weekends that is cheaper than their dinners and gives you the opportunity to try a variety of different items.
(4)
Ebru Y.

I saw this place accidentally when I took a different route to work a while back, sometimes traffic can be useful he he Being an Indian food fan, I was very excited because I haven't had any Indian food since I have moved to Chicago, it's been a year and few months. So this evening I decided to try this place with a friend. They had no chicken pakoras or that sauce it's served with, I am not sure what it is, it's garlicky yogurty something, so instead I got vegetable pakoras, which were okay but weird (taste wise) nothing compared to what Chutney's in Seattle has! Our server was equally weird, I was asking him if they had chicken pakoras, his reply to me is, no go for this one, pointing to something else on the menu, so I ask about what type of vegetables they have in samosas, because I really dislike cauliflowers or broccoli, this time he says, it's only vegetables, I ask again, WHICH ones? He is like it's all in the menu! What the hell is this guy doing working at this place, seriously? I hope he isn't the owner or something, I was so annoyed. So I quickly ordered something and he vanished, thankfully. The bill wasn't too bad for an appetizer, two entrees, naan bread, rice and drinks. It was a lot of food for a reasonable price. I am pretty sure, despite being far away from me, Devon has a lot more to offer than this place.
(3)
Stacey A.

I'll be honest, I couldn't tell you the names of the things I ate here if you paid me. But EVERYTHING I ate here was fucking amazing.
(4)
Cynthia F.

The food is usually amazing, although a bit pricey. I say usually because sometimes an often amazing dish comes out a little lacking. Not sure what causes the inconsistency. They charge for rice, which is a bit odd. My favorites are the chicken malai kabob, the papadum, and the gulab jamun. The food always comes out fast, and they have a decent selection of Indian beers as well as regular mixed drinks.
(3)
Vanessa U.

My Momma had just arrived in Chicago for a week-long visit, and after attempting (and failing, thanks to unexpectedly locked doors) to show her the Old Town School, we decided we were hungry but we didn't know what for... I don't know Lincoln Square too well, but it seemed like the majority of the places were serving upscale bar food, and we were hoping for something different. Ah ha, Essence of India! One major plus for them: they had a patio. I LOVE a patio. I will eat/drink just about anywhere if they have a patio. Thankfully for us, the food was awesome! We started with vegetable samosas, and something that was brought to the table (although I couldn't tell you exactly what it was) involving a think crunchy cracker/bread, and various topping sauces. All of it was really great, although one of the toppings (it looked like spiced olives?) was really spicy and sent me into something of a fit. Mum ordered a dish with spinach and shrimp, and liked it, but said it was a little too salty. I ordered shahi paneer and loved it, although maybe I shouldn't have asked for it "extra spicy"? I was a little flushed by the time we finished. We shared a plate of basmati rice and garlic naan. I really enjoyed this experience, and I thought the food was good (although I have had better Indian food here in Chicago), the winning combination for me is tasty food and a PATIO! I would like to return and try some different dishes.
(4)
Sarah B.

Yes, it is Americanized, yes, it is expensive. It is also more convenient than Devon for a Southern Uptown girl. Also the meat is less creepy than the the mystery meat you may find in more authentic restaurant's dishes. Yes, I am a white girl from Nebraska; get off my case. I have not eaten in the restaurant. I have had delivery once and take out another. The first occasion was delivery and the food came hot and fast (heh). My Samosas were a little dried out but everything else was fine. I asked for spicy and really got spicy. Love that. The second occasion was take out. The guy on the phone asked for my phone number and this must have brought up previous orders because he asked if I wanted everything spicy this time, too. That was kinda nice. I will have to eat in sometime and check out the atmosphere. The staff seemed friendly enough.
(4)
Annie M.

I'm obsessed! Tonight was my first time and I'm happy to say, I'm hooked. I have had Indian cuisine a few times with girl friends, but didn't really know what to order. I called to place a pickup order and the girl helped me choose the veggie korma and the saag chaman. I was afraid of "cottage cheese", but it's more like the texture of feta. The sauces that they provided on the side were yummy too. I suggest medium spicy! Honestly a party of two would be very happy and extremely full with a garlic naan to lap up the veggie korma with. I promise it will not disappoint. So long sushi cravings, hello Essence of India!
(5)
Len L.

I usually don't order carry-outs for any cuisines, but was surprised how good the food was when I brought it home. The veggie samosas was very flaky and filling. Had my favorite, butter chicken with garlic naan. It was excellent, I was surprised that they put a lot of chicken in this order and the chicken was juicy, not dry like other places. The prices was reasonable and won't break the bank.I will definitely come back to this place.
(4)
Trish W.

Tonight I ordered via GrubHub from Essence of India and I was sorely disappointed. First of all, for the first time, I had huge delivery issues. My order was mixed up with someone else's. The restaurant called me and apologized profusely and reassured me the driver was coming back to get the " wrong" order and would bring mine. When he arrived, I told him to please ensure my food hadn't been tampered with at all. Finally he returned with my order. Of course by now everything was cold and even after reheating just didn't taste like I remembered the food tasting previously from this place. My drink was forgotten also. Plus, I wasn't at ease eating food that they can't guarantee hasn't been touched, etc. They should have prepared new food for both of us. I say this because in the past when other places mixed up orders that's what they did, and they explained that once they deliver something, it's out of their control. So they won't take back a wrong order to redeliver! Makes sense.
(2)
E M.

This is the essence of something all right, but it ain't India... I can't be the first one to make this joke. A friend took me there last night and confirmed everything I've always felt. While Essence of India is clean and pleasant enough, it's definitely not fresh. How can I tell it's not fresh? Well, it was flavorless and not really moist in texture; all the ingredients were separated (with some spices clumped on top to mask the tastelessness); and... It came out in a jiffy. Usually it's just plain bland (even when you request "spicy"), but last night it gave me stomach problems. And not in the way you expect from a decent Indian meal. With Devon right up north, why would you waste your time here? This place is the only thing that's survived as long as the Daily on Lincoln, and I can't figure out why. Surely the fine people of Lincoln Square have more discriminating palates than this!
(3)
Scott C.

In Lincoln Square, Essence of India tends to be our go-to place for Indian food when we are in the mood for it. The food is consistently flavorful and there is a hearty amount in dish - we rarely leave without taking leftovers with us. The restaurant is simple but clean and the service is consistent. Most of the menu allows you to select your heat (or spice) level so you are not in danger of having really hot food unless you do it to yourself. I've found that the medium level spice is spicy enough but if I'm feeling adventurous I'll have it a bit hotter. My favorite dish is chana masala which is rich with spices and flavor. It's always outstanding with the freshly made nan. The papadum is tasty along with the dipping sauces that are available too as an appetizer. The liquor selection is a bit limited but there are a variety of wines and a small beer selection that compliments the meals. A nice cold beer is very good with the spicy dishes at the restaurant.
(4)
jennifer p.

Two things: 1. We were served undercooked tandoori chicken (on two separate occasions) 2. They recently installed a flat screen television in the dining room that plays graphic music videos-- everything from violence to sex. NOT a family friendly experience. Will not return.
(1)
Edward L.

Few all you can eat Indian places can compare to the holy grail of Gaylords, but it was a warm afternoon and some samosas and tandoori chicken seemed like a good idea. You pass Essence of India all the time on your way to Gene's or Mertz's and always think to yourself I should keep this place in mind, but rarely commit it to memory. Then, the clouds part and you're walking down Lincoln and all-you-can-eat beckons your name. The food is plentiful and spiced quite nicely, if someone conservatively. The samosas were plump and paired especially well with the zesty cilantro chutney. The tandoori chicken was a highlight, tangy and super moist. I was disappointed to not see Saab paneer and the meat curries were served in an oily broth rather than a rich curry sauce. Some of the vegetables curiously close to Green Giant especially in respect to the carrots. I was perhaps most disappointed by the lack of tapioca pudding as a dessert, som drying I take to be a staple at all you can eat. In it's place was a tart, vaguely warm yogurt and fruit cocktail "custard" that warranted a bite but no more. Essence of India, for 10 bucks you provide value and decent food and the definite advantage of being close, but for better all you can eat, I will still be trekking up north.
(3)
Josh S.

Essence of India is a good Indian restaurant that consistently meets your expectations. Its prime location (in Lincoln Square, across the street from a movie theater, near the Brown line and near plenty of bars) ensures that its always busy, but I've never needed a reservation. The service is always excellent. Essence of India serve fantastic samosas; they're the one thing I order every time. Besides that, I try to order new items on the menu. Thankfully, Essence will serve you food that is as spicy as you order it. I normally ask for the Rogan Josh, very hot. The lamb is beautifully tender and the deep, flavorful sauce transforms even the blandest rice into a a delicious meal. The food is reasonably priced. Expect to pay between 11-15 for an entree. Rice and naan come in wide varieties and are solid. Parking is easy and they have limited wine, beer, and cocktail menus.
(4)
Maggie M.

I am a picky eater. I have lived practically my whole life on grilled cheese and cheez-its. Sad I know. About 4 years ago I moved to Chicago and decided that this was the time in my life to go Vegan. I tried that for about a year it was OK. I can't imagine not being able to eat Indian food again. Apparently a lot of their food includes heavy butter or ghee. Being so close to all of the Indian food on Devon doesn't scare this place at all. My husband and I usually make Essence a "treat" for ourselves since it can get pretty pricey but we always have enough left over for the next day's lunch/dinner. GO HERE ...I dream of the Malai Ka Kofta...you need to try it (medium or spicy)
(4)
Emily S.

FOOD POISONING - APRIL 2012 Chicken tiki mesala was super sweet, as were the butter chicken and the veggie dish. The mesala gave me vicious food poisoning - three days later and still not able to eat a real meal (other two in my party did not get sick). We have been here a few times before with no issues, but definitely won't be going back.
(1)
Erin G.

Great Indian! Love their vegetarian dishes.
(5)
Heather R.

When you're dining at Essence of India, it's almost like you've been transported to India for your meal. The decor consists of bright colored fabrics and lots of brass lamps and figurines. The pungent aroma of Indian spices consumes the restaurant and gets you excited about your meal. Me and two other girl friends had dinner there in the late fall and were all pleased with our selection. The Tandoori Chicken and the Tikki Misala are two of my classic Indian dishes to enjoy and both were nothing short of amazing. The naan bread was also cooked to perfection, but beware of the lemony pepper sauce jardiniere looking sauce they bring to the table. It is disgusting and the taste takes forever to get rid of. There are lots of choices and it's fairly affordable. I'd be as bold to say that it's my favorite Indian restaurant in the city. It's definitely worth the trip to Lincoln Square and conveniently near the Western brown line stop.
(4)
Allison C.

Hubby and I went here when we were about to see a movie across Lincoln Avenue. It fell a bit flat. My chicken dish was a little dry. The food wasn't bad or done incorrectly, but I didn't find that punch of flavor that I love so much.
(3)
Ellie F.

A friend and I ducked into this place trying to avoid the rain after skipping out on Maifest. I was excited for something flavorful and filling, but I was disappointed. The complimentary cracker-thing and condiments was OK. Two out of three dips were good enough, one was potent and terrible. I don't know what kind of flavor it was, and I hope to never taste it again. Why would you do that to a pepper? The menu isn't clear, and what look like entrees are really a la carte options. The $12.95 lamb something or other? It's just the meat and sauce - no additional sides, not even rice! You have to order it separate. I'd already spent over $15 on my meat and bread, and I wasn't about to kick it up to over $20 for a late lunch by adding in some rice. But the dishes were sorely lacking without it. The naan didn't soak up the sauce as well as I'd hoped, but it was yummy on its own (we had garlic naan). It was fine for stopping in and getting out of the rain, but I won't be back. There are much more flavorful places to explore!
(2)
Sharad H.

I order delivery at least once a week from Essence, sometimes 3 times a week. I am hard core Indian foodie having lived in India for the first 25 years of my life and have to eat it 3 times a week. This is the one of the best S of Devon other than my Gaylord, Cumin , Indian Grill, Tandoor further South in the city. The achar lamb, Bhuna chicaken are my favorites, very flavorfull and authentic. The other Indian restauratns in Lakeview are all fake Indian.
(5)
Dani S.

I've had Essence twice now: take out once and I dined in once. I give both experiences two thumbs-up. Overall, the flavors are fantastic, the service was very pleasant (I like that they actually walked around with incense at one point which enhanced, the quiet, calm ambiance), and the portions are pretty large so you will have two meals out of a single visit which is always a plus. Last time I was there, I had the Murg Lajwab and it was just as great the next day for lunch. Also, the naan is probably the best I've ever had. The dishes are a little pricey, but despite this, I definitely recommend Essence and I will certainly be going back soon.
(4)
Amy S.

I am surprised to see so many mediocre reviews on here. This is my go to indian spot. Love love LOVE the butter chicken, have not found any I liked better, even on Devon. Samosas are killer. I like most of the veggie dishes, sometimes the saag is weird though, so I might steer clear of that. Rice is maybe expensive since it is extra, but it has a ton of saffron and cardamom goodness, so I always order it anyway instead of making my own. Delivery is always prompt. Seriously though, butter chicken.
(5)
Adam E.

Decent food but way too expensive for portion size. The food was delivered and so little showed up for the $60 we spent, that I called the restaurant to ask if it was possible that they gave us appetizer sizes. Owner got very defensive and told me that I should order from somewhere else next time if I wasn't happy. I will, and I encourage others to do the same.
(2)
Jorge M.

The complementary bred was good and had a nice spicy kick to it, but one of them was just awful! They should explain what is what, because I had to spit it right out in a semi full dining room. The entree were just delicious, both us had different chicken plate and were offered rice, but we didn't know if it came with it or if we had to pay for it, again not explained. My boyfriend which is sort of picky with food, cleared the plate, I was full way too fast, so I took mine home and re-heated the next day, it didn't look pretty but it tasted just as good. Service was okay, they had only one server and one bus-boy. They server was having a bad B.O. which was hard to tolerate and it was for sure one of the reasons why I didn't ask too much about the menu. We'll be back!
(4)
Erik N.

This place is good- but not great. It is a good choice if you live in the Lincoln Square area but if you live closer to Devon id go to some of those Indian places first.. This one is definitely better than the other 2-3 in the immediate square area though. Ive ate a good number of their meals here and my favorite is a spicy rendition of their chicken tikka murg, it is incredible (if I was rating that dish alone, it would be 4,5 stars but the rest of their menu is lacking and a bit pricey)
(3)
Emily M.

I really love this place. I wish it were just a little less expensive. I would go there more often if I could afford to. And I go there more than I should because it is so good. It's very friendly and quick service, and man oh man is it delicious.
(4)
Mark K.

Good food. Good atmosphere. Always able to get a table without waiting. I left without my clothes smelling like the food. When I go to Devon Street, I have to go home and change immediately.
(4)
Allison S.

So so so good! I love Indian food, but rarely have a chance to eat it - a lot of my friends are skeptical. I had 2 friends with me willing to head here, and they did not regret it. The food is super spicy, very filling and yummy. We got vegetable samosas (highly recommend), lamb vindaloo, Murg Tikka Masala, and another lamb plate with vegetables and saffron rice. We all shared and mixed the flavors. We cant wait to plan our next trip here.
(5)
Colleen C.

Had dinner for 4 last night...just wasn't impressed. Location was good, ambience was nice enough. Our waitress seemed disinterested, didn't really want to help us (we weren't that experienced with Indian cuisine). My dish was HOT (even had other people try it) when I ordered mild...the dishes were so/so. Nothing stellar. Presentation was bland. My dish was cracked. The desserts were borderline gross, bad texture, strange tastes. Our entrees came basically in bowls with no rice, so when we ordered the rice (extra) our entrees came out to like $17. And, the rice was undercooked. And the waitress acted like we were inconveniencing her for ordering some rice to go with the "lamb floating in bowl" entree. Hello! Obviously we don't know what's going on, you are the server, recommend we order rice with the dishes and that 2 people can split it! Just not that impressed. Maybe with a more informative server we would had a better time....but for $130 for 4 people, I think we could've gone elsewhere and had a better time...
(2)
Orlando R.

I went here for a birthday celebration on a Saturday night. I had the lamb in sauce, the rice with chicken and the yogurt sauce. Bland. Its a decent place if you are hungry but nowhere near the best Indian food in town. The options on Devon are much better.
(2)
Matt G.

Good service, tasty food and reasonable prices are the short on this place. I've seen some lower reviews, but not sure if it was their experience or mine that was out of the ordinary. I had the Chicken Vindaloo and my wife had the Butter Chicken. Both were piping hot when they arrived on the table and were perfectly seasoned (I wanted mine a bit spicier than standard). If only the portions were a tad larger, I wouldn't have qualms with the place at all.
(4)
Jamie J.

We order delivery from these guys on a very regular basis. They're super fast. Typically within 30-40 minutes. And they always get our orders right. They're prompt and they're courteous. Definite pluses there. Regarding the food, there is definitely some inconsistency. It seems to depend on who's in the kitchen that night. Sometimes you can order mild, and it will burn your tastebuds off. Other times, you order medium spicy and it's just right. Overall, the food is really good though. Our standbys are the Saag Chaman and Gosht Korma. We've been taking turns ordering other things throughout the menu so we don't get stuck in a rut. Other highlights are the dal, murg tikka masala and vegetarian korma (yummy!). Steer clear of the shrimp masala dish - way too tomatoey/acidic for my tastes. As long as we're in the neighborhood, this will be our go-to delivery for Indian.
(4)
Kristin S.

I love Indian food, and this seemed to be the only place south of Devon that had a good weekend buffet so I could stuff myself sufficiently. It's a bit expensive, but most buffets are and don't have nearly the quality of food you get here. The naan is perfectly cooked and addictive. It's also very nice and clean, so I liked sitting and talking after the meal. I never felt rushed to eat and leave. I haven't been back since we moved farther south, but I miss it and Trader Joe's simmer sauces can only do so much for me.
(3)
Laura W.

My boyfriend lives in another town so for Valentine's Day I decided treat myself to some Indian food. I didn't feel like driving all the way to Devon and I had seen Essence of India while driving through my neighborhood so I decided to try it. I ended up spending $34 for two beers, naan, rice and chicken korma. My chicken korma was cooked well but was just...missing something. Flavor? Spice? I dunno. I just felt like it was chicken covered in almonds and plain yogurt sauce. Meh. The beer, rice and naan were perfect but they were supposed to complement my korma, not be the best part of my meal. I felt pretty disappointed for spending $34 and not being that impressed. The ambiance is really nice and the service was good. And maybe the other dishes are good. And maybe I'm just bitter because I was there alone and texting my boyfriend and surrounded by lovebirds. But whatever. Not impressed by the meal I got for the money I spent. I'll drive to Devon next time, I guess I get what I deserve for being lazy.
(2)
Gabe M.

Hmm, I thought it was ok. We got delivery and the butter chicken was 3/4 gravy. That was a little disappointing considering 2 entrees with tip was $42. The ghobi was not bad. But after eating at many indian restaurants I was a bit disappointed.
(2)
Chrissy P.

As a former resident of the UK I can say I know my curry. I know it well. I miss curry takeaway being as easy as ordering a pizza here in the States but whenever I have a serious taste for some spice I head to Essence of India. Whether I order off the menu or come here for the buffet on the weekends I always leave happy. Prices are very reasonable and the location is great if you're going to a movie at the Davis.
(4)
C. A.

If you are looking for tikka masala, go somewhere else. They make there own version of tikka masala which is terrible and overpriced. Not to mention, rice does not come with it - that's extra!! Lastly, the masala tea was deplorable. It tasted like it was old and been reheated several times. Very disappointing! We really wanted to like it!
(1)
Ann B.

Essence of India is one of our go-to places for Friday night takeout-they deliver quickly and the food is almost always great. We get the butter chicken and the shahi paneer. One star off for occasional variance in quality (when you get the same thing a lot, you know when it's not quite up to snuff).
(4)
Mill V.

After remembering how good their tandoori chicken was, I was longing and ordered some delivery. I got saag chaman, the tandoori sampler, and poori bread. Nothing stood out. One thing did actually, was the to go containers were dirty on the bottom, collecting whatever was on a dirty counter they were sitting on. The chicken breasts were cooked perfect, not dried out. That's huge to me, a great feat many restaurants fuck up. But the sampler was just all that, all the same. There was no seek kebab, which made me sad. If I had known that, I wouldn't have ordered that, since they replaced it with even more chicken breast. The prawn was tasty, though. The saag chaman was actually gross, and very disappointing. There was lots of heat with no other backing flavors. Poori was just mmm...ok. Overall, just ok.
(3)
Rudy S.

This is one of the best places in Lincoln Square. They have this dish called Vegetable Korma which is a coconut curry vegetable stew. This has to be one of my top 5 favorite dishes in the Chicago. It's so delicious I can't even explain it. Only complaint, I'd skip the appetizers, they are usually dry and not as fresh as some other places. I usually get the taste for samosas and I've tried them several times here and they're not my favorite. They have a great selection and prices on wine as well. This place does get packed on weekend nights..but definately worth the wait. One of the best Indian restaurants in the city. Even though I'd skip the appetizers, come here for the service, wine, and meal.
(5)
Giselle G.

I dined at this place last night and had wonderful dreams about sharing it with all you yelpers. The night started perfectly enough. Went to see a movie and walked across the street to find that Fat Willy's would be an hour long wait. Although those times given are never what they quote we decided to pass. And thank god we did! We arrived at Essence around 9:15 and were seated immediately. Warning, the place is small and a little cramped ( Have fun getting through the maze to the bathroom!). That didn't really put a damper on the mood. The place was filled and people were laughing and talking, having a good time. We opted out of the appetizers and ordered straight through to our menu items. (Our tummies still filled with popcorn and soda) Our choices Saag Paneer, Vegetarian Korma( A mixture of peas, cottage cheese, potatoes and carrots in curry sauce), and Chiken Makhani ( Butter chicken with a butter and tomato sauce with spices), Rice and Naan and Onion Kulcha. The food came and it was time to dig in. The first thing that instantly got me was the Butter Chicken. It was AMAZING! The Flavor was delicate with the perfect mixture of spice. It wasn't heavy and the chicken was perfectly cooked. Soft and very tender. It had a sweet aftertaste, coconut milk perhaps? The Saag Paneer was an old standby, did not really jump out in flavor but was an empty bowl at the end of the night ( I have only had one bad bowl of Saag Paneer in my life). The veggie Korma was close in flavor to the Butter Chicken, it was sweet and spicy, the pieces of veggies gave it amazing texture. The Onion Kulcha was amazing as well. It had decently sized specks of onion throughout. The prices or so-so, we payed around $60 with tax for three people. Pretty standard for the Indian places that I have frequented. So in total, give it a try! You will not be disappointed.
(4)
Jeff C.

Very nice people, great location and really good food. This is one of my favorite restaurants in the square.
(4)
Stacey R.

Good salad, papadum and chutneys. Decent service. Loud and cramped restaurant. Overcooked entree. I requested spicy, and I got what can only be considered mild, at best. Not impressed.
(2)
Suzanne P.

Came here this past Friday night with two dear friends who, like me, LOVE Indian cuisine. The location is great, being right in the heart of the square, and I think the restaurant has a nice ambiance. Our service was great, with nothing to complain about there. I hate to say it, but I have had better. I ordered the Palak Paneer, one friend ordered the Butter Chicken, and another ordered Malai Kofta. These are three of my favorite dishes, yet sadly, only one of them stood out to me as delicious, and it wasn't mine. The Butter Chicken was out of control amazing. Perfectly seasoned and delicious. My dish was WAY too hot even though I asked for Medium (and I'm a girl who can handle her spice!). The Malai Kofta was just...bland. The naan and basmati rice were fine. I would give this place another try, but wasn't entirely thrilled with the experience.
(3)
Brett G.

The service at this restaurant was spectacular. The service in itself would merit a return visit. However, the spiciness of the food causes my tongue to cringe a little. I like spicy. A lot. However, my friend and I both had mouths afire before we finished with our appetizers, well actually before we finished the crispy flat-bread chips and toppings. We ordered the paratha tandoori, which was a wheat flat bread / pita. The two orders of it were very good. For the main courses, my friend got the tikka masala, which was made with breast meat. I didn't realize the importance of that until my chicken biriyanti had loads of gristle and fat in it. To the point where I couldn't eat multiple bites of it. There were enough food that I had leftovers for lunch the next day, and the spiciness was a little more tolerable when the food was not fresh off the stove and cold. My singapore sling drinks were, well, as my friend best put it, better after you're halfway through the first drink. I don't think I would have them again, although we had a nice buzz going by the time we left - my friend forgot her purse inside and I forgot my scarf. Our server was so kind and came out to let us know what we'd left inside! Of course, we were both a little embarrassed. Bottom line - quality Indian food, but maybe a little too spicy for my taste. If I go back, I will know to go a little easier on the salsas/chutneys/sauces.
(3)
Esther A.

Lincoln Square was pretty bare of Indian cuisine until Essence of India opened, so I'm definitely grateful for this tasty addition to the neighborhood. If you live near the Square and you're craving Indian food, this is the place to be! Essence of India is a little pricy, maybe, but the caliber of the food is high, and not having to take the bus 35 minutes north to get Indian food makes the extra cost worthwhile. My favorites include the tandoori chicken (really moist and flavorful, along with being one of the more reasonably priced options), the lamb vindaloo (spicy and a little vinegar-y), and the vegetable samosas (big and savory). Service is competent, beer selection is appropriate, and although the tables feel a little crowded together in the smallish space, the atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant.
(3)
Luther Z.

They deliver Keema naan Murg Lajwab (spicy as hell) That's all you have to know.
(5)
Mila G.

The ultimate meh. the girl pack and I were originally going to go to one of the Indian places on Belmont, but we were foiled by the "kill yourself before you find it" parking situation. Parking here was plentiful and available, and the neighborhood is really nice, cute bistros and Lincoln Square itself a block away. Sadly, this place was a major disappointment. One girl didn't like spicy things, and asked for no spice, no spice at all, and we joked with the waitress about sucking out all the flavor from her dish. Ironically, her Tandoori chicken turned out to be the tastiest dish we ordered. Dal makhani, and chicken saag, ordered medium spicy, were compeletely flavorless except for the pepper. Not that the pepper killed all the other flavors...they were just MIA. Normally, I am of the school of thought that says any food I leave on my plate is actively robbing a starving Ethiopian child, but this dal makhani was so bad that I sadly patted my high horse and abandoned it. The dish would be happier in their garbage than mine. On positive notes, the naan was fluffy, hot and delicious, and the mango lassi, which I tried for the first time, was tangy and rich. Bonus star for that.
(2)
Shawn C.

Um...ok, this place is fine because it's convenient. It's located in Lincoln Square on the strip where there are lots of bars/restaurants/shops etc. Also it's the only Indian restaurant around for a couple of miles. That being said, I have come here a few times because i live in the neighborhood and I LOVE Indian food. It does hit the spot when you don't want to get in the car and drive up to Devon, where it's definitely better. I'm not bashing Essence of India, it's just not up to par with other Devon Indian restaurants- which if that's not what you are looking for that's fine...I guess. Anyway, you will definitely pay about 10%-20% more for your meals. Generally at most Indian restaurants I've eaten at on Devon the Papadum comes as soon as you sit down. Here, it's an option on the appetizer menu??? To me that's like paying for chips/salsa at Mexican restaurant - not cool. Their dishes are good. The butter chicken was delicious, my lamb vindaloo was just too hot - and I can definitely handle some spice. I couldn't taste the lamb because my mouth was burning. The Naan was good. I can't remember one of the lentil's that we had, but it was just ok. Overall my meal was satisfying, but ok when you are in the mood for Indian and not wanting to trek to Devon for obviously a much better meal. The service was fine and courteous...nothing wrong there.
(3)
Bill M.

This Indian restaurant has a nice corner location at Lincoln and Wilson, an interior that is cute but not too fussy, and a substantial menu that features several "essence" categories (vegetable, chicken, lamb, tandoor). Unlike the typical Indian buffet restaurants, the a la carte selections limit you in one sense but improve on the quality of the dishes themselves. The lamb palak featured chunks of lamb bathed not only in spinach but also in a complex secondary layer of ginger, garlic, and coriander. Other selections are labeled as spicy if you want to go that route. Saffron rice goes well with the dishes here, but again this is an extra cost. The breads are good, and I enjoyed a refreshing Indian beer too. For a better value meal here, I might have to try the weekend buffet here.
(4)
Stephanie H.

Um, yuck. I've walked by this place several times. Indian food is my favorite, and I figured I'd better try the one that's closest to my house in case a craving hits. Well, I'd rather crave. The service was terrible. The watier was incredibly rude. The food was worse than the service. The "chicken" was the most fatty meat I have ever eaten. The sauces were not good, and the dishes had very little taste. Save yourself the money and the stomach ache. There are many much, much better Indian restaurants in the city.
(1)
Whitney R.

Everything is always excellent! It's fun to order a few things and share. By far the best vegetable korma I've ever had and when I go anywhere else for Indian I am always comparing it to Essence's Korma. Great Samosas and papadam. They deliver too! And fast! I've always had great service and never had to wait for a table but a few minutes if at all. Outside seating along wilson is nice too! If I bring people to Essence they always go back for more! It's addictive!
(5)
Beebe G.

my daughters and i had dinner a few weeks ago and we had a wonderful time. the place is beautifully decorated and very clean. i ordered the elephant ride cocktail which suprisingly refreshing. we ordered the lamb vindaloo, malai ka kofta and the vege biriyana with basmati rice and garlic nann. i really liked all of the dishes and side dishes. the wait staff was very nice. i look forward to coming back soon.
(4)
Ed Z.

Protip for Indian Buffets: Check the buffet before you commit. Protip #2 for Indian Buffets: Fresh Naan and Tandori Chicken brought to your table is the sign of an establishment that cares. My date and I, craving Indian food, headed north on Lincoln to hit Devon. Our hunger got the better of us, and when we saw the Indian Buffet sign, we went in to try it. Parking: Street parking on Lincoln, across from the Davis Theatre. Also very accessible via the Brown Line Western El stop. Decor: The decor was nice enough, but the tables we packed closely together and I had to weave past many filled chairs to reach the buffet. Service: It was prompt and friendly. Price: $11 for a lunch buffet is about right for the neighborhood. Food: Everything was either cold and/or tasted like it was made many hours ago (an unfortunate reality in unpopular buffets). The only original dish I tried was a vegetable medley with mustard, and I didn't like it. Their potato and eggplant dish was just tasteless mush. Their tandoori chicken was tasty, but it had been sitting on a hot serving dish and the onions were dried up, so I didn't think it was terribly fresh. The naan was chewy and cold. The worst was the veggie pakora (battered and deep fried vegetable clump). It was cold and soggy with oil. They didn't have Chicken Tikka Masala or any kind of Paneer dish. These two are pretty serious staples for me, but it was our fault for not inspecting the buffet before we committed. After one bite of each of these things, we requested our checks, paid our bill and made our way to Devon Avenue for much better Indian fare. NB: there are plenty of excellent and mediocre Indian buffets elsewhere in the city, but this one was the worst I've ever been to.
(1)
Mary F.

Ordered delivery from this Indian restaurant last night. We ordered Chana Masala, Dal Turka, Murg (chicken) Tikka Masala, Veggie Korma for entrees, and then basmati rice, and the yogurt raita with a side of "pickle" for the side. Excellent flavors abound! My only complaint was that when I opened the main dish containers, it was half sauce and maybe half meat. (only the Veggie Korma was full up.) And this was $65.00 for hubby and me. I felt a little skimped, but not that big of a deal because it was so damn good. I asked everything be medium spicy, and it was. The pickle was really good too. So four stars for this place. The delivery was efficient and the food was hot, hot, hot (as in temperature - I didn't have to warm it up.) Well done, Essense of India. But more than six medium-sized chunks of chicken next time in the Tikka Masala, please.
(4)
Michael B.

Quaint Indian restaurant located on the corner of Lincoln Ave. and Wilson. The dining area was typical Indian decÃ³r and the service was very expeditious but not annoyingly so. The food was extremely good; better than average Indian fare priced just right. The food was not over-spiced, very hot and fresh and consisted of large portions. Definitely worth the stop if in the Ravenswood neighborhood since it is half a block from a spacious, pay-park lot and half a block from Old Town School of Music.
(4)
Kelly C.

Best Indian food I've ever had....I love Indian food. My husband and I order Indian take out from here all the time.....and we are not big take out people. There is something about Essence of India that has me hooked. We love the Potato and Pea Samosas, Chicken Tikki Masala and the Chick Peas with Rice and Naan! It is just the best dinner ever!!! We do prefer to order take out but we have dined in the restaurant a few times. The service is good and food is hot. The atmosphere is pretty average - exactly what you would expect but honestly the food is worth it. Great location too! Enjoy!!!
(5)
Megane Y.

This is my favorite Indian restaurant in Chicago, and I frequent Devon Street! Everything I have tried is delicious, from the light and fluffy naan, the perfectly seasoned rice, to the creamy lassies. I like their cozy dining area and the service is always attentive. I regularly get the craving and order take-out, too. The prices are fair - the same as any comparable restaurant. As stated before, they serve the best murg tikka masala in the city! You can choose your spice level, mild, medium, or hot...but it tends to come out spicy. If you can't take the heat, just reiterate it to your server and they'll turn the heat down for you.
(5)
Shakeia T.

Went here with a friend. I would've loved to have had more enthusiastic service as this was my first time having Indian food. Got no help. Ended up choosing my selection on my own. The food was okay [I've no real comparison point] but everything was extra. Bread, rice, etc. I would've enjoyed getting a side with my chicken. I'll definitely try Indian again, but perhaps at a different restaurant.
(2)
Samantha L.

Let me start by saying that when my boyfriend told me that he wanted to get Indian food with me sometime I told him that it is the only cuisine that I won't eat. This is pretty out of character for me, I eat and like almost everything, but for some reason I have always put my foot down on this issue. I relented when I thought about the fact that the last time I ate it was when I was 16, I had to admit that there was the possibility that my taste buds had changed. And boy was I right! I absolutely loved it! I had the butter chicken, mmmmm so good! Spicy chicken in a buttery tomato sauce. I asked for medium hot and thought it was prefect for me. My boyfriend had a curry lamb dish, he likes things hot and asked for it really hot. He got what he wished for, it was so hot he was sweating but he liked it. We also had the vegetable basmati rice and it was fantastic. The samosas weren't that great, at least I didn't think so, next time we would skip the app all together. Perfect entree amount served so no need anyway. Next time I am in the area I will be back! But if I am seeking out Indian food in the future I will probably try a place on Devon.
(4)
Mathew C.

I guess I'll throw in with the "good, not great" crowd. I absolutely agree about the oddness of their spice scale. I was there last night and I asked for my Goan Lamb to be "pretty spicy" but it showed up not spicy at all, although it did taste good. A friend of mine must have cracked the spice code, though, because he started sweating about five minutes into the meal. The owner thought he was hot and offered to turn the fan on, which was nice.
(3)
Michael J.

Good food and a charming dining room. Also the location is great, tons of places to go for a drink or show later. The service started out OK, but when the place filled up, there were long intervals between seeing our server. Unfortunately, the longest wait was after we had finished eating and our wine was gone.
(4)
Greta P.

The prices were high and the service was minimal. They were packed on a Friday night and I understand that... but the place is quite small. We should not have felt ignored. I also didn't think that the quality of the food warranted $12.00 entrees.
(2)
Scott H.

A very solid Indian restaurant in an area where South Asian cuisine is hard to find. Can't beat a delicious and very reasonably-priced lunch buffet that runs all weekend until 2:30pm. Food selection (meat and veggie) was quite adequate for a small restaurant. Nan is fresh and plentiful. Gulab jamun (usually a favorite) and rice pudding desserts were unremarkable on our last visit, but admittedly we sat down at about 2:29 for a buffet that ran through 2:30. We've been there a couple times and will definitely return, especially when we know we can enjoy a good meal for little more than we'd pay at the sub shop down the street!
(4)
Catticut P.

Some of the reviews for this place makes me wonder if Chicagoans know what real Indian food tastes like. I have a deep love for Indian cuisine. Done well, it almost tops Japanese as my favourite culinary adventure. Having lived near Lincoln Square for over a year, Essence of India was a natural destination for the regular Indian food cravings that hit me every so often, cost be damned. I've eaten here three times now, and have been sorely disappointed with each visit. Here's a run-down; * Naan should be crisp, flaky, hot, and a little oily. Not doughy and bland. And if you sell garlic naan for $2.95, for God's sake, please use fresh garlic - not that mass-produced shit out of a jar. * Samosas should not be dry, devoid of flavour, and lacking those famous Indian spices. If you're going to make them the size of a baby head, then at least do them right. I enjoyed the sad little rubbish heap of limp salad it was presented on, though - very artistic. * If your customer is unfortunate enough to be seated alone in an empty restaurant, it kinda unnerves them somewhat if you sit and stare directly at them with a glazed expression for the entirety of their meal. * Chai can be amazingly good, even better when you serve it in an adult-sized cup for your adult-sized price. It's also nice when you offer honey to go with it instead of the less traditional Sweet-n-low. * What the hell is going on with places that charge extra for rice, as though it is a side dish? For $3.95 you can have this apparently optional accessory for your $12.00 curry, made fresh but complete with little clusters of yesterday's rice. Speaking of curry prices, I typically go for the vegetable-based curries when eating Indian food, but I balk at paying $10+ for a vegetarian dish (I know full well that Indian is one of the more expensive cuisines, and truly understand why, but this is utter lunacy). So - after figuring I'd give them another shot and reading the mixed reviews here - I ordered the butter chicken. Big mistake, unless you live for bland chunks of tandoor chicken floating in a sickly sweet day-glo pink coconut sauce, void of any real spicing or (imperative to Indian food) depth of flavour. Then, gentle reader, be prepared to fork out $25 (incl. tip) for one person, for one sorry meal. This was with the lunchtime special of 20% off. What disturbed me most was the complete lack of aroma. I've both gifted and assaulted my stomach with Indian food from across the world, and one of the most beautiful, pornworthy reasons for doing so is that dense, rich, incredible scent wafting from the meal placed before you. Indian food is a treasure, an art form, a labour-intensive act of love. Not so here, and how terribly depressing. You guys are meant to be at the top rung of spice-wrangling genius. You kinda break my heart. I give you one star for a fairly good mint chutney, Essence of India, but woman can not live on chutney alone. Three strikes and you're out. I'm going to kidnap Raj's dad from India House in the Quad Cities and bring him to Chicago to kick your arse.
(1)
Hilary C.

I think this place is wonderful, just a little out of my budget so I don't go there too often. I'll admit I've only tried two dishes; they were so fantastic I just want them every time: chicken tikki masala and vegetable korma. Out of this world, I tell you! And the waiters are very courteous and attentive.
(5)
Cindy S.

I can't believe I have lived in Lincoln Square 4 years and it took me this long to get to this restaurant! Especially since it has always been recommended to me by my brother in law, who is Pakistani and loved this place when he was still living in the city. It should also be said that it has been around since 2004, which in this city, definitely says something. Tonight we suddenly had a taste for Indian food and after checking out the menu online, (great website by the way) we ordered the Murg Tikka Masala and the Lamb Vindaloo, along with some basmati rice and naan. After hustling it home in the rain, we hunkered down with our German beers and Indian food. The food was amazing. And I will say, the short time that we were in the restaurant to pick our food up, it was a very clean, well decorated restaurant that I would love to eat in next time. They had a well stocked bar and several wines on display as well. My husband and I split everything and were stuffed and very happy with our choice. We will definitely add it into our rotation of local restaurants.
(5)
Jessica S.

Service is phenomenal. Samosas are the size of a baby. Food is excellent. Prices are appropriate for the quality of food, while not terribly high. This is for a special night near Lincoln Square.
(5)
jenny m.

I'm still a big fan of this place, but is it just me or in the past 6 months, has everything gotten spicier? I swear, even when I order a dish mild, it's more like mild/medium spice then mild/mild. So for all of you big babies (like myself!) - be careful if you can't handle the spice. Make sure and order it extra mild (not sure if that's a thing....but I'm gonna try it next time I get food there).
(4)
Hayden J.

I feel I should stick up for Essence of India. Sure, there are some favorable reviews on here, but there are also quite a few one and two stars. I don't get it because I have only had good experiences with the food (I always order take out). One of the signature dishes I get at any Indian restaurant is a korma dish. And the vegetable korma here is one of my favorites that I have found in the city. Now, there are going to be those who claim to get good Indian food you have to go to Devon. Well, my trips to Devon have always been a bit disappointing (Udupi Palace, Hema's Kitchen, and Bhabi's Kitchen) Often, I found the dishes oddly prepared (full boned chicken in the chicken korma, green vegetable korma, etc.), very oily, and extremely spicy. I actually like some spice, but what's the point of so much heat that it's overpowering? I actually like to taste my food! My wife can't take spicy food at all, and no one on Devon seems to understand the request for mild. At Essence of India, you can request a spicy level of mild and actually expect that. One reviewer mentioned that when they ordered medium it was still mild. However, I find my medium dishes to be pushing the hot level. So you might want to approach with caution according to how much you can take. The price level is not that much over other Indian restaurants in the city. And if you order take out, dishes are typically ready in twenty minutes. Does Essence of India deserve 5 stars? Well, I might be guilty for over starring, but that's only because I'm determined to see Essence's average rise for proving consistently good food and fast service. Plus, it's the best Indian that I have found close to Bucktown. Ignore the Indian food snobs and give it a shot!
(5)
Mary S.

I ventured to Essence of India this past Saturday with a friend after I expressed my craving for Indian food. We arrived around 1:45, unsure if the buffet was still running, but to our luck, it was! We were greeted immediately and asked if we needed anything. We ordered naan and plated up. Even though I almost choked on a tiny bone in the curried chicken, it was all delicious. Unlike Hema's (which I still also really like), the food was spicy enough to make it Indian food, it wasnt so spicy I wanted to cut my own tongue out. I thought the fare was really great and the samosa I had was huge. I didn't feel rushed, and I didn't have to wait an hour for the check either. In addition, the bathrooms are incredibly clean, which is really important for an indian buffet, if you know what i'm sayin. I should also say that there was a guy just hangin out reading a newspaper, leisurely enjoying his indian cuisine. Not sure if the guy was a regular, but it was great that he wasn't rushed or anything.
(4)
Kendrah R.

I have been here probably 6 or 7 times over the past five years. I ate there last night and was extremely disappointed and won't go back. Staff is friendly, good, fast service, but our food had zero taste. How is that possible with Indian food? I had to put salt on my spinach and potatoes. Insane. Since Devon is so close by, I'll stick to my favorites up there.
(2)
Becky R.

I was on my way to Devon with my dad and sister in tow, when we passed Essence of India. I've passed this place many, many times and always though, "ooh, I should try this." Anyway, being the city tour guide to my family, I decided we were going here instead. I know it's not Devon, but I thought it might be a little more accessible. The appetizers were only so-so. We had the samosas and veggie pecoras. I've had way better at other places. I'd skip them next time. Our entrees were really great. We over-ordered, of course. I've also never been to a restaurant that was so attentive with water refills. Bravo!
(4)
Rozen O.

I always passed by this place because it's close to where I live...I told myself I'll stop by and check it out one day because it looks really promising... The ambiance was great. That was about the only thing that was great..The service was horrible., The waiter acted like he was doing us a favor by taking our order and giving us an evil eye for asking for the menu again to look at their desserts. The food was horrible! I've had better samosas than that place., and my friend and I had stomach aches after we ate and it's not because the food was spicy, which it was not. Not even a little bit. Never again, Essence of India..Never again. Keep your over priced, nasty tasting, lack of spice food to yourself. Oh yeah, and your mean waitstaff too.
(1)
A S.

We're vegetarians and ate all vegan entrees. All were pretty good but the cauliflower and potatoes were by far the best. Yellow lentils good but the spinach with potatoes was a little lacking. Nice ambiance.
(3)
Sarah O.

My go-to spot for Indian food. I tend to stick with my favorites -- their vegetable korma is awesome. The location is great and the servers have always been nice when I've eaten in. Delivery tends to take an hour, at least, but I've never had the cold-food problem that others here mentioned.
(4)
Kim J.

The boyfriend and I eat here pretty regularly. The food is good, but it's honestly nothing special - we're just often too lazy to go all the way up to Devon. If you want a decent amount of heat in your food, order it spicy. Their heat levels seem to be off (medium gives you almost no heat). They recently changed the menu. Last night I tried a new dish - a dish with dried fruit, potato, and paneer. I did quite like it - but I do have a fondness for things that are sweet. I also had some of the boyfriend's lamb vindaloo - not bad, but the lamb was a bit overcooked in my opinion. We'll continue to go here because it's convenient for us - but I wouldn't go out of your way to go here. Go up to Devon instead.
(3)
Cam B.

I just ordered my meal (deliery) from Essence and I'd have to say that it was just average. I got the Butter Chicken (which came Mild, even though I was never given an option...I would have preferred some heat to it). It was VERY sweet. Sweeter than what I've ever had at another Indian restaurant. Chicken was tasty. I couldn't eat much of it because it was so sweet and rich...I think a little heat would have helped. Had I known it would come mild, I would have said so (so, if you want it kinda spicy...speak up!). I also got basmati rice, paneer kulcha and a soda. The bread was okay...char'd a little too much. The rice...I can't tell if my order got mixed up or what...but I think I actually got the saffron rice instead. It was okay. Delivery service was pretty expensive. Food for one person was almost 26 dollars. Granted, there are plenty of leftovers. I just think it's a little ridiculous that an indian dish doesn't come with rice automatically...the rice was an extra 4 dollars. Overall: WAY WAY WAY overpriced. Average food. Big portions. I'll stick to Standard India on Belmont instead.
(3)
Mike F.

Good. Real good. Nice, fast, tasty and a wide variety. At first blush some of the portions might look small to you but they are so rich you will be filled up all right. Then when you wipe the remaining sauce out of the bowl with that last piece of naan you'll be pleasantly beyond your limit.
(4)
Katie F.

The wait staff here are all very nice... But their food is not. I got the butter chicken and every piece was fatty. Completely inedible. I will not be back.
(1)
Donovan H.

one word sums up this place for me...YUM! I thought I hated Indian food until I tried this place. I had the Butter Chicken (chicken Makhani) The chicken was tender and lean...it was delicious. We accompanied our main dishes with Butter, Garlic and Keeman Naan and I would recommend any/all of these. I also tried my friends dishes and loved them as well. I'll be back to try more...maybe this weekend.
(5)
Anurag D.

This place truly sucks! We went here for lunch buffet. We asked for the a la carte menu as well which never came so we were forced to eat the buffet. The buffet was pretty much fuc$Ed up! The "butter chicken" was some concoction of tandoori sauce with sweet tasting butter, $hit to say the least. The tandoori chicken felt like it was crow meat! The vegetarian section was not cooked properly and the mutton was undercooked. All in all this place is a $hit hole!
(1)
Rui Carlos d.

The decor is great...that's about it. Finding a parking space in the neighborhood might be tough, even in the pay-to park areas, where I lost a space I was heading towards first by some less than considerate driver. The service is less than friendly, except for the busboy, (who happened to not be South Asian). The busboy greeted my girlfriend and me and showed us to our table in the corner, however, we had to get by two tables of people whose chairs were close to each other, and asked them both to please scoot their chairs in so we could get to our table. The waiter was stiff and rather unpleasant to have around while he took our order or checked up on us every now and again. Their papadums were the best part of the whole meal, the mint chutney was great and the mango pickles were lovely. After finishing my first glass, I had to ask to have my water refilled, after it sat at the edge of the table for about five minutes. The most egregious moment was when I tasted the garlic naan, which came to us, cold and damp, hardly edible at all. I took a bite and left it to take home and put in the oven to reheat it. But they didn't even have the courtesy to put it in our leftovers bag. Their Kashmir rice was greasy and nowhere as good as we've had it at another Indian restaurant (The Little India on Bryn Mawr). Their mango lassi comes in small glasses (not very tall and not very wide round, maybe 6 oz.). Their serving sizes were small. We ordered their vegetable appetizers (which my girlfriend had to ask if they were actually vegetarian, as she saw something that was questionable; the waiter informed us they were in a very harsh damage control sort of way, after we had asked the friendly busboy if he knew). I ordered lamb saag (spicy), however, I had a less than pleasant moment in the restroom as their food made me immediately sick. (And other than the giant ornamental sink, the toilet seat wobbled from side to side, and the state of the men's room was perfunctory, not very elegant at all, not like the main dining area). Overall, other than the garlic naan, the food was good, but the whole experience left me feeling rotten about having dinner there. We're not going back, even if someone else pays the bill. Thanks, but no thanks!
(1)
Jenna P.

I am admittedly biased towards Hema's Kitchen, so that is what I compare every Indian restaurant to. And Essence of India didn't live up. First of all, the bf and I both ordered cocktails. They were $9, which is annoyingly high but it's what I've come to expect from Chicago. However, these cocktails were tiny! I did not feel my 6 ounces of hurricane was worth $9. Next, the food. We ordered the butter chicken, which was tasty but a little too bland even for my taste (and I am not a huge fan of spice). The lamb biryani was especially disappointing... it definitely seemed to lack some key flavors. And several pieces of lamb had huge chunks of fat on them, ew! The service was also a little strange. I was there on a Saturday night and about half of the tables were still full. The staff of 4-5 waiters stood in the corner near the buffet and stared at everyone while they ate. On the one hand, this made for VERY fast service... the second anyone twitched, a waiter would swoop down to the table. But on the other hand, it was a little strange and it made me feel like I had to rush through my meal. I would have understood if we were there near closing or something... but when I come to a restaurant a full hour before closing on a weekend, I don't want to be rushed! I will most likely try this place again, mostly because there are few Indian restaurants in this neighborhood. But I was not impressed and I felt this mediocre food was overpriced.
(2)
Kristine U.

It all started with the movie DARJEELING LIMITED. My boyfriend and I had an Indian night with Indian food and the Wes Anderson flick mentioned above. This was my first venture into Indian food (I don't count prepackaged meals from Trader Joe's) and it's been quite delicious. We've ordered from here three times now. The samosas are great although the third time we got them they were a little spicier than before. I highly recommend the Gosht Korma which is a lamb dish that just melts in your mouth. I've also had the Chicken Shahi Korma but the chicken was a little on the dry side the second time around. But the Aloo Paratha is my absolute favorite thing on the menu. It's basically potato stuffed naan. Delish! It's even better with a side of mango chutney. The red sauce is also good. The green sauce not so much. I've only ever had delivery from here so I don't know how good the dining experience would be. But delivery has always been quicker than quoted on the phone and they've always been pleasant (be sure to order a side of rice if you're getting delivery because it won't come with your meal). The food is usually big enough that my boyfriend and I split an entree. All this reviewing is making me hungry and I think I know what I'm having for dinner tonight.
(4)
Erika G.

Good food . . . just good. I had the Lamb Vindaloo, medium hot - and while it was tasty, it wasn't hot-spicy, or even exceptional. A tad overdone. The food here doesn't seem to have the wonderland of spices that more authentic places on Devon have. Attractive decor, and charming, low-key waiters. My dining experience was pleasant enough, and I'd probably go back if it was a group consensus, but I doubt I'd search this place out on my own.
(2)
Javier B.

Kills me to give this place 2-stars. I love the fact that there is an Indian restaurant within walking distance of my house, but I have eaten here three times now and the food has been very mediocre every time. The first two times I had lamb dishes for which the sauce was really tasty, but the lamb itself was really tough and barely edible. I have tried a few vegetarian and chicken dishes and I just haven't had one thing yet that made me think that I was having really good Indian food. I hope they stay in the neighborhood forever, but I also hope they improve their food quality. Probably won't be going back unless I really have a craving for Indian and am feeling lazy.
(2)
Anon N.

For the price, this place is a bad deal. I'll echo what other reviewers have said with the "rice isn't included? WTF??". $21.00 for a single vegetarian meal? Wow. Good thing I didn't order the chicken. The paneer was hard and the sauce was soupy and runny. Decent flavor but noticed a weird plastic-y aftertaste a few bites in. Only thing going for them is the fact that they serve lunch on Fridays-Sundays. Next time, I'll just wait an extra few hours and order from Paprika, which is just a few blocks west on Lawrence.
(2)
Alli H.

I usually haul all of the way up to Devon for good Indian, but was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this restaurant that is a little closer to home. It's definitely not the best Indian I've ever had, but it was pretty darn good. Prices are fair, outdoor seating in the summer is really nice and the garlic nan is killer.
(4)
MARK G.

It feels funny not to have to go all the way to Devon to get such amazing Indian food... but you don't. The food at Essence of India is so delicious they have kept us as customers since we discovered them in 2004. Dinning in is always nice as it is a very casual setting, easy to bring kids to, and pretty easy to get a table too. We mostly take out so we can over order and nobody will know! Parking is never an issue because of the Old Town School of Folk's parking lot about half a block down.
(5)
Jon S.

The service was fine, and my date's dinner seemed alright. But my dinner was definitely a one-star, so I can't bump this up any higher than two stars. I've had a lot of Indian food and this was not good. It was a chicken dish with a masala sauce, I forget the exact name. I think it was #38. So at the very least, avoid #38!
(2)
A Q.

Cool atmosphere, so-so food.
(3)
Katya C.

If I wanted to eat bread and potatoes for dinner, I would've visited my Russian grandparents. Seriously, I don't expect to drop 40 bucks and get a bunch of starch with some sauce on it. The shrimp vindaloo (spelling?) had about 3 peices of shrimp in it, and the sauce tasted suspiciously Prego-esque. Rip off!
(2)
Bev h.

food heaven. i have been craving this basically for months- since the last time i had it! the minute i smelled the tikka masala and keema naan my taste buds started crying tears of sweet joy. exquisite flavors. perfectly tender chicken. savory sauces. delightful naan. omfg, i could go on forever! called in a to go order and it was ready in 20 min- no fuss. officially my favorite restaurant in the city!
(5)
Tiffany S.

The butter chicken was good. Sweet and a little spicy. VERY buttery. Can't be good for you. The tandoori chicken was dry and flavorless. We ordered some catfish dish that was just gross. Lamb vindaloo was okay. Service is alright.
(2)
Sara S.

our server wasn't entirely helpful, but whomever created the masterpiece we consumed made up for it. the matar paneer was so good i'd have made a bet that i could live on only it for the rest of my life, but i wasn't dining with a gambler. the lamb vindaloo was superb as well - though i don't recommend it to the faint of tummy... if you are an indian food enthusiast - this place should be on your list.
(4)
Sara B.

I was surprised that Essence received such low marks from others, but it seems that there is a significant difference in quality between meat and veggie dishes. As a vegetarian, I can't speak for any of the meat dishes. However, every veggie dish I've ordered has been spot-on yummy! I like my food hot, and they don't disappoint. If you're looking for a meat-free meal, this is a great place. Samosas and naan are also spectacular. Yay for Indian in Lincoln Square!
(4)
Joel S.

Ever order your favorite dish at a restaurant because you are afraid you'd order something not as tasty and have wasted your trip there? That's how I feel when I try other Indian restaurants that aren't Essence of India. I live equidistant from Devon and Essence of India, but tend to return to the latter again and again for my dependable favorites. The restaurant also has the perfect atmosphere, due to the busy city corner location with windows looking out and it's small but not too small size - I'd describe it as "GemÃ¼tlichkeit "... appropriate maybe because of the once-German neighborhood. Cosiness is the closest in English, but doesn't really do justice to the overall feeling there. Anyone headed over to Devon would be well served to check out this alternative a little bit south in Lincoln Square.
(5)
Robert F.

BUFFET Essence of India has one of the best Sunday buffets I've ever buffed. For the size of restaraunt, the selection is perfect. There's enough there to get plenty of dishes you enjoy, but small enough that you can try everything. I lament I am unable to expound the gastronomic virtues of each dish, so you'll forgive me if I advise you plainly: The food tastes fantastic. NON BUFFET Its a touch pricier than I had expected, but you can't begrudge cost when the food and service are so good. The girlfriend and I ordered separate "essences" and each shared an order of rice. SERVICE Truly excellent. Unlike a number of places in the city, these people seem genuinely happy to see you. The staff are polite and understand that not everyone has a PhD in Indian food. They'll explain everything and make suggestions without making you feel like an outsider. An altogether satisfying experience. Be sure to save room for a mango lassi for desert. :)
(4)
Scott H.

$11 - $14 a dish for Indian is not cheap by any means. So I expected a delicious meal. The Buhra chicken we received, while sufficiently spicy, was full of fatty and stringy pieces of dark meet. The good sauce and naan are what salvaged a 3 star rating.
(3)
Bill C.

After running by this place nearly every week on my way to Montrose beach for my marathon training, or to take my dog Max-a-Million to the dog park, my girlfriend and I were really excited about going to the Essence of India for dinner. We went on a Saturday night and the decor was really nice, and the service was adequate, however the quality of the food was horrible (and I don't consider myself to be a picky eater). I ordered a lamb dish with a spinach sauce, and the quality of the lamb was horrible. The pieces of lamb were cut into small bite-size chunks, however it was loaded with fat and gristle, I couldn't even eat the pieces. Disappointed with my dish, I would have been fine with not ordering the lamb again, however I was shocked yet again when I went to reheat my left-overs the next day. When I opened the dish, I found a small white textured item in my food. I'm not sure what it was, and I really don't want to jump to any conclusions but the white item certainly did not look like a piece of rice. Needless to say, I ended up feeding the left overs to my garbage disposal since I was too frightened by the food to eat it myself, or even feed it to my trusty dog, Max-a-Million. If you choose to go to the Essence of India, please take my advice, and stick with the chicken.
(1)
Brian T.

Essence of India is a small, quaint restaurant located in the heart of small, quaint Lincoln Square. In general, I like the idea of the flatbread plate. It's designed to prep your taste buds for the main course, and it accomplished that and then some. I was famished upon entering, so after trying the very light and flavorful flatbread and chutney, I was practically ready to storm into the kitchen and submerge my head into a vat of mulagatani. Then, I remembered our city's health codes and ordinances, and decided to be patient and converse with my lovely dining partners, instead. Those aforementioned partners chose two vegetarian dishes. The most notable of the two was an okra-based dish. It had none of the nasty qualities that I usually associate with okra, but rather had a very nice texture and consistency. My lamb dish was bursting forth with all sorts of flavor; wonderful. When we declined our waiter's offer for something else tonight, he seemed genuinely hurt. As he sulked back to the bar area, we decided to reconsider with an order of rice pudding. Rice, milk, and cinnamon, right? Think again! Add to that whole pistachios, and cardamom spice that was like an Air-Wick air freshener for our mouths.
(4)
Dawn K.

I went here for the first time over Christmas and have been back twice since. The food is unbelievably good and the service was wonderful! It is my favorite indian food place and they are awesome with the spices, I don't like food too spicy and they gladly accomodate. The butter chicken is die to for!!
(5)
Kristina K.

Pricy: Yes. 10.95 for vegetarian entrees is on the high end of my price range. Add 3.95 for rice, and that's a little much Service: Decent. Food: My BF has declared it's the best Indian he's had in Chicago. It reminded him a lot of his favorite place in Springfield, Gateway to India (I've reviewed that too). My malai ka kofta was quite tasty, and did remind me of GtoI. I greatly prefer Hema's shahi paneer to Bonus: Outside seating on an absolutely gorgeous summer thursday night.
(4)
noel c.

my worst dining experience thus far in chicago... and also the most awful indian food i've ever had in my life. you know those microwaveable boxed indian food dishes that come in a shiny silver looking pouch? i would give these meals a significantly higher rating than any of the food that i tried today. oof, i hate to be so harsh because the staff was friendly and accommodating... but there is absolutely no way i can look past how disgusting my food was. the chutneys seemed sugared down and as if they had been sitting in the fridge for five days. the samosas seemed as though they had been re-fried several times, the paneer was the consistency of rubber and the sauce it was served in had to be a can of tomato sauce mixed with heavy cream... no spice whatsoever (as if it wasn't already bad enough). the naan actually looked like it could have been good, but i was so disgusted at that point that i didn't even try it. besides, what's naan if there is nothing good to dip it in. aside from the naan, i tried a bite or two of each item just to be fair. my partner did not even eat! what a let down. yelpers, why is this restaurant rated so high? i'm sure my experience was not a fluke.
(1)
Jay S.

Very nice Indian restaurant in Lincoln Square. The dishes are well prepared and the prices are reasonable. You don't have to go to Devon to get quality Indian food. They can spice your order up or down according to your tastes. I usually get take out and it doesn't lose anything like takeout sometimes does.
(4)
Melissa B.

Had take out from here last night with a few friends. I was pleasantly surprised, since reviews are somewhat scattered. We had the somosas, papadum, Jhinga Karahi, Dal Turka, Chicken Shahi Korma, Murg Tikka Masala, Chicken Malai Kabob, Naan, Mango Chutney and some rice. Everything was pretty tasty. I really loved the sauce of the Chicken Shahi Korma, it had a very distinct nutty taste in the delicious creamy sauce, yum! Overall though, the chicken seemed a little too dry in all of the dishes. This was a bit disappointing (especially since it is a pretty expensive place). I did not like that many items that are usually complimentary at other Indian restaurants were charged for here; rice, naan, papadum etc. Overall I would go back just for the Chicken Shahi Korma. The food was good, just a little too pricey.
(3)
Andrea W.

We order delivery from here almost once a week and visit the restaurant after seeing movies across the street at Davis Theater. Have been to Devon for Indian food many times and think this is just as good and sooo much more convenient! Delivery is super fast and food is always packaged with care and really travels well. Achari Gosht and Murg Tika are two favorites, but everything we've tried is good. For most dishes they ask how spicy you'd like, which is also nice. Delivery service saves your order from last time, which makes it really easy to place an order. You could probably find cheaper Indian food in the city, but I think in this case you get what you pay for.
(4)
Diane S.

No, not as good as the Indian you can get on Devon, but for those of us who don't have a car to drive out that way, Essence of India is a great local option. The buffet is good, but I think their dinners really shine. I love the Saag Chaman and the naan is always delicious. The atmosphere is intimate and lovely--it's a favorite date place of mine. The delivery is fast and friendly, too. Really, a decent price for how rare good Indian food is if you're not on Devon!
(4)
Tracy K.

I ate here last night for the first time. I'll go back at some point, prolly to try the lunch buffet, but I'd just as likely check out another spot. The peshwari naan that we ordered was awesome. My mushroom mutter was very good as was the basmati rice. I thought it was a little weird that rice didn't come with the entrees, especially if you're paying $11 for a bowl of curried mushrooms and peas, but yeah, whatever. It was still very tasty. The service was incredibly prompt. So much so that we had to ask three times for another minute because apparently us studying the menu wasn't enough of an indication that no, we weren't ready to order yet. On the plus side, the food arrived superquick. I wish I had noticed the outdoor seating area prior to popping a squat inside because it would have added to the experience.
(3)
Pam D.

My boyfriend and I spent a Saturday wandering around Lincoln Square and decided to have dinner at Essence. We were seated right away in the corner, granted by the window, but had to squeeze through other patrons that ignored my three requests to get by. We could hear everything being said at both tables and one table really needed to take their conversation home or tone it down. The waiter was fine, but needs to learn how to smile, or make people feel more welcome. My boyfriend was undecided between two dishes and ask for a recommendation and got nothing. He decided on a lamb dish, myself a vegetarian dish. We also got the vegetarian sampler, a rice dish, garlic naan and mango lassis. We were brought a plata of papadum and various chutneys and their papadums are amazing with the cilantro mint chutney, or I was really hungry! The mango lassis were good, but came in tall, narrow glasses with ice so not worth it. The food was okay. The Kashmiri rice, which we've had someplace else, was a bit dry, small and just not that good. Our entree dishes were fine. The garlic naan was awful! It was cold, had garlic only in the middle and the garlic was probably the jarred stuff. Was very difficult to eat. We had lots of leftovers which is fine, but when we got home I realized that they didn't give us our leftover naan. That's half an order that they threw away! And I could have fixed it at home and made it decent. And we were never asked if we wanted dessert, which we might have.... We were handed our bill with out leftovers. I brought my leftovers to work and the container opened up during transit, fine, but when I went to reclose the lid the container broke! We will never go back!
(1)
Dennis L.

I love Indian food! Thus, I wanted to give Essence of India a shot due to it proximity to where I live. We visited for dinner on a Saturday evening. The atmosphere was very comfortable and homey. My wife and I were constantly drawn to the one TV in the restaurant that was showing Indian Music Videos and Bollywood advertisements. We order the vegetable samosas, garlic naan, peshwari naan, tandoori chicken, and murg tikka masala. Yes, it was way too much food for two people (especially with the 2 order of naan), but I wanted to try a few different things. Besides...we were celebrating my birthday a day late. The samosas were excellent, and I love the garlic naan. I did not really care for the peshwari naan, which sounded like it was going to be amazing. The tandoori chicken was perfect and the murg tikka masala was delicious. Overall, a solid dining experience with good service and wonderful food.
(4)
Richie D.

All this time I thought I had to go all the way north to Devon for good Indian food... Well thank the Hindu Gods that I have discovered this not just good but DELICIOUS Indian hotspot in my neighborhood of Lincoln Square. It didn't help that this entire week I had been craving Indian food oh so badly and just overfed my desires. EoI starts you off with three complimentary chutneys which are all superb. Don't pass up the liquidy red one (sweet with a little kick and goes perfectly on the Samosas) or the green one (sweet seasoned perfection). I usually strongly dislike the crunchy things they serve them with due to some strange fish oil taste that leaves a horrible after taste but EoI does something right because I ate it right up like it was my very own Last Supper. Their Samosas are delectable and perfectly fried golden with a tender potato and pea stuffing. There is no better way to get your taste buds accustomed to the flavors of spices. I can never pass up Naan when dining on Indian cuisine (pay the extra few cents for the garlic one with pieces of garlic cloves), simple basmati white rice to bring the spice down a notch, the Butter Chicken in a heavenly red cream sauce and any of the vegetable dishes seasoned just right. For those who have sensitive tastes, mild spiciness is just right. Just a few suggestions for ya. EoI accepts reservations so take advantage of it on the weekends by making one. The outdoor patio is also pleasant on nice days. They also deliver if you live within a 12 block radius. Be sure to plan on taking a stroll along Lincoln Square after eating to work off all the deliciousness you are about to experience. I'll be back for their lunch special for sure!
(5)
Gina F.

I hadn't been to Essence of India in some time...several years maybe. I always felt they were a little pricy, so we'd usually head to one of the places on Devon. I'm glad we came back, though! Friends suggested it for dinner tonight & there we went! Everything was excellent. My friend's husband & I split 2 veggie dishes while she & my husband did the meat dishes. We started with some drinks & samosas (which are huge...easily split). For dinner I tried vegetable korma for the first time, and it was very nice. Medium turned out not to be spicy at all, so I'd probably go hot next time, but it was very tasty. I also tried something from the new menu, a dish of potatoes & green beans. It was not a spicy dish, and actually had a mild sweetness to it, like carmelized onions. It was really good! I'd definitely order that again. The meat-eaters had chicken sag, which they requested be extra spicy--which it was-- and the rogan josh. By both accounts both dishes were delicious. In addition to all that food (if you can beleive it) we got an order of vegetable biriyani & the bread assortment with the 4 types of bread-- peshwari naan, garlic naan, onion kulcha, and pudina paratha. I'm a bread-lover & this did not disappoint. It was great to try a couple varieties at once. Overall, I was impressed by the food. The service was attentive and the food came out timely. I still think it's a little pricy, but still a good place to eat at a nice location in Lincoln Square
(4)
Megan K.

After trying a few Indian restaurants on Devon when I was a student at Loyola I was surprisingly sorely disappointed. After recently moving to Ravenswood, I happened across Essence of India and thought I'd give it a go. I arrived around 7:45 on a Monday night and there was literally NO ONE in the restaurant... the wait staff was just hanging out by the bar waiting for someone to come in. This was a little awkward (and typically a bad sign!), but I was determined to have some delicious Indian food. The waiter was very friendly and gave us a few moments to look over the menu. I've tried a wide variety of Indian food, so I was comfortable with trying out one of their "Lamb Essence" dishes, the Josh Rogan. My dad, on the other hand, was freaking out because he couldn't find his go-to Indian dish, Lamb Madras. I asked the waiter if they had something similar on the menu, to which he gave a prompt no to. After my dad hemming and hawing of the menu for another 10 minutes, the waiter came back and said they'd make the Lamb Madras for my dad. That took me by surprise, and I was happy that they were so accommodating. The food took about 20 minutes to come out, which I take to be a good sign meaning that it's somewhat, if not completely, made to order. While we waited we were served Indian "chips" and a variety of chutneys. Their mango/jalapeno salsa was quite spicy, but it was balanced out by the mint and sweeter chutney. I enjoyed these as you could tell they were homemade and fresh. When the entrees came out I was pretty pleased with the dish. It had a nice spice to it when ordered medium, and it built up as I was working my way through. A few pieces of the lamb were tough/fatty, but some of the pieces were extremely succulent and melted in my mouth--the way lamb should be! I finished about two thirds of my dish and was absolutely stuffed. You could definitely get two entrees and share between three people with 1 or 2 sides of rice (which unfortunately you must order separately). Considering this restaurant is dangerously close to my apartment, I will definitely be back and up for trying some of their other entrees.
(4)
Katie B.

The naan was fantastic, some of the best I've ever had. I was disappointed in the lack of heat. You really have to beg them to turn it up! The dishes are delishes, but too expensive. I think next time I crave Indian I'll stick to Devon.
(3)
Christine M.

For a first timer I didn't know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. Clean restaurant and quick friendly service with good food.
(4)
Dilip D.

everyting good, except for Saag paneer. good atmoshphere.
(3)
Michele W.

I have eaten here four times now, and was always sad that they didn't deliver, but I would happily drive over to Lincoln with mouth watering for yummy Indian goodness -- but YEA!!! They do NOW!! They really listen to the spice level requests and I don't know why other people are whining about "skimpy" portions.. there was more than enough in each container for three people to have healthy servings of all the entrees we got: Malai Ka Kofta- which was so flavorful I think I have my new favorite, Shahi Paneer - another yum.. the cheese was just so fresh we battled over the leftovers, and of course -Butter Chicken. We had the Paneer Kulcha instead of Naan, which was really good. Totally recommend :)
(5)
Te D.

I'm on a quest to find the best Indian food in Chicago... so far, Standard India Restaurant by Belmont is winning. Essence of India was kinda pricey. The waiters were average (you know, they took our order and brought our food- the usual). The food was more filling than I expected but maybe that's because I had half a croissant and starbucks before I came. The ambiance is cozy if not a little crowded. Hmm, can you tell I'm a little disenchanted with this place? I ordered Vegetable Biriyani, and my friend ordered an okra dish. The okra dish was perfect. The rice, on the other hand, was kinda dry and not spicy enough. The naan was pretty good and the water was delicious! At the end of the day, I'd rather take my money to S.I.R's buffet for the same price ($13) way more food and better flavor. Sorry, Essence, I was rooting for ya'
(3)
Brian C.

I really have enjoyed every meal I've had here. One night after having eaten here months ago my girlfriend and I were craving Indian food and looking for delivery. THEY NOW DELIVER! Awesome... but we were hesitant. Would the food be as good delivered as it was when we had it in the restaurant? The answer was a pleasant surprise as the the food was deliver fast and very fresh tasting! The chicken tandori is incredible, the mutter paneer was wonderful and the nan was perfect! I would highly recommend this gem
(5)
Aurore L.

Once upon a time, my gals and I were gathering once a week for food, booze and TV shows. And gossip. LOTS of gossip. Then, life happened. Winter settled down, Isa dislocated her shoulder, Mimi had a massive job interview to prepare, Monica and Jen - papers to write, and me, well, I was freer than I had been in years but left alone with my gourmet dinners, my bottles of wine, and Netflix. You can shed a tear. After 6 months of this regimen, we decided that it was enough. Essence of India came up to spicy up our first get together of the year. And you know what?!?!?! The guys were invited...... Not totally a four star in my books (a tad too expensive, a vindaloo dish not-so-spicy, a forgetful waitress) but since the menu is expansive and the naans delicious, I round it up. No BYOB, but fairly priced wine and beer (and a nice cocktail list), busy on a Friday night but not overtly so, no fixed gratuity for groups, easy parking. If you have vegetarians in your life Indian is the best option out there. And when you also have a spice fiend who couldn't handle the heat in your life she can easily find mild dishes to indulge with the rest of the group. Winner. Finally, I cannot end this review without mentioning our new ecological cause, born in a moment of drunken exhilaration. I invite all of you to embrace it, without question please: "Maple trees are animals too. Maple Syrup is Murder" Order your tee-shirt NOW.
(4)
Luke L.

Best Indian food, EVER! you may see a lot of people talking about this butter chicken dish, which is actually called Chicken Makhani, and if you love an amazing tasting spicy curry dish, PLEASE TRY THIS! its so good its name is misleading, although it sure has a ton of butter, the sauce is a tomato/curry sauce with a great spicy kick and a bright red color that makes it a good candidate for the worst possible thing to spill on a carpet, ever Note: i have tried this dish at over ten + other places and nothing could even compare the green sauce that comes free with every order is an amazing salsa like flavor that contrasts spicy foods perfectly if you go here, anything you get on Devon Ave will look like garbage there is only one drawback, which is that it is very expensive, but totally worth it
(5)
K W.

It's tough to go wrong here. I love the coriander (or is that mint?) chutney and pickled vegetables (who knew that pickled vegetables could be so dang tasty?!). The restaurant is cozy and the service is always very good. My absolute favorite is the butter chicken, although the palak paneer is really great too, and so is the rogan josh, and well it's tough to go wrong at Essence. I do wish they'd improve their wine selection and invest in a cooler to keep the red wine at the proper temperature.
(4)
Bridget S.

My co-worker kept yammering on about vindaloo. Vindaloo-this and vindaloo-that. I had brought my dinner so I didn't get on the vindaloo boat. After a quick order from GrubHub we were welcomed with a bag full of piping hot shrimp vindaloo, nann, and some other aromatic dishes. I soon felt the sharp pang of regret for bringing my dinner from home. Admittedly, I'm an Indian food novice, but the co-workers were nice enough to share their dinner and I was really impressed. We were all impressed, really, so impressed we ordered it a second night (there's talks of ordering it again this week, too). Holy freakin' VINDALOO!
(4)
Simone B.

Great way to try lamb, the way it was be to served. I had the tandoori lamb, the spices were great. Nice. Hot meal after long day at work. Also they have drinks. It's surrounded by bars, so if u want to sit and dine before you go out (great location)
(5)
Brian R.

Chicagoans... Let's be honest in saying that there are hundreds of Indian Restaurants. And we can also say a majority are mediocre. Essence of India after many failed attempts at finding authentic Indian Food is the best! The dishes literally melt in your mouth. If you're having a bad day instantly you're happy. Yes - I'm going to say it. This food is magic. Try it - you won't regret it. Obviously need to get the butter chicken. It's the most cliche thing to get, but it's always a must when ordering. All of the food is amazing. Especially any of the chicken entrees. Naan is great. The vegan choices are amazing as well. And the rice is delicious too. Not dry and plain. Well flavored - You'll love it. It's a bi-monthly routine in my house.
(5)
Fernando B.

We were greeted by the owner and although the place was nearly empty he didn't seem to happy to see customers. He didn't offer anything hing to drink other than water and when I asked him about beers he simply directed me to the wine menu and disappeared. I had to call him again to order a beer. The food was not great. I ordered the murg tikka masala, rice and nam. It was poorly spiced and rather bland. My wife's lamb was better. Overall not a great experience. I will not be coming back.
(2)
Anne M.

I have wanted to try this place for a long time, and finally did over the weekend. This is a small, cozy restaurant with a small outdoor patio for summer seating. We sat inside and had a nice meal. Upon seating we were presented with some flat breads (tortilla-like - don't know what they're actually called sorry) and a trio of sauces. We ordered some butter naan, rice, a creamy chicken curry and some kind of lamb dish. We enjoyed everything we ordered. My chicken dish had zero spice to it and it was almost sweet. I ordered the mild version of the dish, but next time I would kick it up to medium to try and get some kind of spice (and this is coming from someone who doesn't like spicy food). Aside from the tasty food and quick service, I also enjoyed the details here. A fresh rose on every table. Heavy silver serving dishes for all the food. Antique looking little silver spoons for sauces, and dishes. I'd definitely come back for more.
(4)
Gino W.

A few years ago, when I frequented Essence of India, they were doing quite well in terms of output from the kitchen and front room service. I never got a chance to blog them when I went in the past, so I wanted to see if they would be a good fit for my blog now. The food is still good, but something in the table service changed between my visits years ago and now. Daal turka. Curry coconut shrimp. Poori. I had a hankering for daal turka rather than the usual daal palaak or daal makhani. Having ordered the daal turka spicy, it was definitely a hit. The curry coconut shrimp was sour, and I don't mean that in a bad way. The coconut was clearly the most dominant flavour in the dish. I ordered rice and poori to accompany the two dishes. It is possible that I may have returned when timing was not good. After the detached disposition received this time, I shall put off any returns for a lengthy stretch of time. I did enjoy the flavours of the dishes I had, though.
(3)
Bahar M.

We stopped by this place one night for an early dinner. There were only 3 other parties seated inside and at least 2 parties outside on their patio. The owner/manager welcomed us in and gave us our choice of table inside. Our waitress seemed very hurried from the beginning to the end of the meal, which didn't make sense to us as the restaurant was largely empty. We ordered the tandoori chicken, lamb vindaloo, naan, and raita. The tandoori chicken was nicely spiced and juicy. The lamb vindaloo had a harsh vinegar flavor to it. It would have been a pleasant dish otherwise as the lamb and potatoes were well-cooked. The raita was also very disappointing. It's usually one of my favorite things to get at Indian restaurants, but theirs was too sweet and vinegar-y again! Couldn't have more than a few bites of the lamb or the yogurt sauce. I tried to appease my tastebuds by ordering their Kheer for dessert. Unfortunately, it was a dish consisting of cooked white rice swimming in sweet heavy cream. Only a few bites and that was pushed away as well. We left feeling very unsatisfied. We were really hoping that this would be a great Indian place since its the only one in the area. The search continues!
(2)
Bernard L.

We passed by this place so many times while walking in the heart of Lincoln Square and promised to come hear, but never did. We finally waked in and overall were pleased by the experience. There are about 15-17 tables with a nice little bar in the back. We sat in the back by the bar to get a good view of the place. We waited a little longer than needed for our waiter to arrive since it wasn't packed. In the beginning, it seemed that the waiter almost had a little bit of an attitude, but towards the end he was pleasant. We started with an appetizer that was a crispy flat bread that has cilantro and some other spices in it. It came with the three sauces including one that tasted like barbecue. The dish was spicy and had a lot of flavor. For the entree, I ordered the Lamb chunks with an almost gravy type of sauce. The lamb was tender in the beginning, but got dry towards the end. Overall, this is a great Indian restaurant that I will return to a lot.
(4)
Sof B.

Came here with hubby after my music lesson at the old town. The food was good. We ordered chicken tikka masala and goat mean in yogurt sauce both in mild. Chicken tikka is a little sweeter than my liking but overall good. We ordered rice and naan to go with it. You can never go wrong with the rice!
(3)
Jacob J.

I think I might be overrating them, but for much of the past year, I've been in and out of here and the food has been grrrrrreat. People tend to think that Devon is the cure-all for Indian food. It's not and flavor can be found elsewhere. My usual visit has been for dine in service. Many of the entrees and appetizers we ordered were fresh and tasty. My only gripes would be aimed at cost breakdown and size of the meal. I think Indian restaurants are notorious for charging extravagant pricing for meals. Also, those that reside in popular, trendy areas get away with charging $12 plus for chicken entrees and $14 plus for lamb or other. If the quantity was a good standard size, I would visit more often. Instead, I go once in awhile. I've even forgone Sunday brunch to do Indian lunch instead! But it can get overwhelming on the pocket book when the often spend is close to fifty dollars. That's for service for two with two entrees, bread and appetizer. Service has always been the same. It's good, not great. I've noticed that when I visit with my folks I get better service and when I visit with North Indian friends, I also get better service (but that's a conversational thing) . When I visit with everyday Americans I get better service too. LoL, WTF, maybe my beard is intimidating, I dunno. But I won't harp much on that, it's not worth it. I return for the food and the clean atmosphere because unlike much of their competition on Devon Ave, this place is a LOT cleaner. Next time your in a restaurant lay your (bare) arm across your table space, you'll know what I mean instantly. Hopefully things don't change for me, I've been lucky to eat great every time. Also, I like that they offer levels of heat or spice, rather. At times I find it hard to relate with the guy to make my meals spicy. He'll ask me questions that, kind of, don't make any sense and we end up going back and forth on spice level. The good thing is, they usually get it. So, a few spoons into my curry, I've got a good stream of sweat pouring down my scalp. I'm completely fine with that.
(5)
Elina S.

Some of our friends absolutely love this place so we wanted to try it out with another couple who says this is their favorite Indian place in Chicago. I have to say that overall we had a great time and enjoyed our time here but it was definitely not the best Indian food I've ever had. It's nice that they take open table reservations which might be a good thing on a busy Saturday night. The place has a pleasant atmosphere with a nice amount of space in between tables which is always a plus since I hate being right next to my neighbors to the point where I can hear their entire conversation. The servers approach you right away and throughout the night we had great service so no complaints about that as everything was brought out in a normal fashion and we didn't have to wait too long for our food. Speaking of food, because that is why I came here. Like I said I just wasn't overly impressed. It was tasty but nothing that made me say, "this is remarkable or amazing." We decided to try the butter chicken which is apparently the signature dish here consisting of Tandoori chicken simmered in tomato sauce, butter and spices. When asked how we wanted it cooked, we said mild, but I hated it mild. I should have definitely said a little spicy because it felt like a dessert dress with more of a sugary taste instead of what I'm used to in a chicken tikka massala which is what I would order next time. I guess I'm more about the orange curries over the red ones even though the red can be as equally delicious as long as I get it on the spicier side. Then our friends made us get the chicken biryani dish because they swear it's the best one they ever had. This I felt was tasty but the pieces of chicken were huge and I wish they spent more time making them smaller since they were overwhelming in comparison to the rice. The flavors were there and we definitely liked it more than the butter chicken but it's not the best I've ever had. They do, however, have fantastic naan here, on the chewier side which I definitely recommend and a few portions to dip into your curries. Overall, we had a nice time, they have excellent customer service, a nice atmosphere, and decent food. Am I dying to come back? Probably not, but I definitely enjoyed the time we had here.
(3)
Chris B.

Would give 4.5 stars if I could. We had a nice server who helped us carefully navigate the level of spiciness for each dish, which is crucial given our caucasianness. The Baigan Bharta and Chana Masala were both delicious - these are my favorite Indian dishes and Essence did justice to both of them. The veggie sampler appetizer and chutneys were among the best I've had. And oh my, the paneer pakora - clearly this cheese was made to be deep fried. I'm just sorry it took me so long to find and experience that!
(4)
Rachelle D.

I just ordered from Essence for the first time. I've been craving Indian food and didn't want to drive to Devon. Essence is closer to home. I ordered tikka masala, biriyani and bhindi masala.The Murgh/chicken tikka masala was not like anything I've had in the past, and I've had a lot of Indian food in Chicago. It tasted like they used sugar instead of salt and the sauce is a lot lighter than I'm used to. My husband and I couldn't even eat it. This was not a good dish. The other two dishes were ok, not good enough to order from here again. Next time I'm craving Indian, I'm driving to Devon Street. I really wanted to like Essence--very disappointing.
(1)
Lauren M.

Yum! I finally tried this place out and was pleasantly surprised. It doesn't stand out on the street, but upon entering we were greeted warmly and treated well. There were only about 3 tables full on dinner on a Monday night. We ordered specialty cocktails which were delicious and were provided with naan and a trio of some of the best sauces I've had. We ended up ordering multiple vegetarian dishes and curry (I'm sensitive to spicy foods and they made it the perfect level of mild for me). My boyfriend had a chicken dish that he couldn't help but devour. The small details also made this a nice place to eat--traditional Indian decorations, candles on the table, etc. All in all, we are definitely going to return!
(5)
Mike G.

Just walked out. It's 10:58pm on a beautiful, crisp and warm Friday summer night. This place has made my night. The location couldn't be better, right in the heart of Lincoln park. Amongst many very good restaurants but tonight we chose to come here. We were in the mood for some real Indian cuisine. Our expectations were beyond met. I had the butter chicken and a vegetarian dish with homemade cheese (paneer) and rice with wheat nan. The food tasted amazing and was perfectly spicy and creamy and wonderful. The Basmati rice was also cooked to perfection. The service was quick and polite, the owner stopped by and checked on us. He was a very personable man and his passion for food and Indian cuisine was obvious. This place has it all. The portions are generous and prices are fair. I recommend anyone who loves great food and a truly authentic ambiance to have dinner here, you will love it and come back for more.
(5)
Atif M.

Average food average service. This is not a place suited for those who like flavour in their dish.
(3)
Khan K.

The ambience is ok, but I drove from the loop up here for good food... which if you are wondering I did not find... the Shahi Paneer was below average, not bad, but below average. The Goan Curry tasted nice, the only reason that this place did not get 2 stars from me. Worst was when I asked for napkins and I got kitchen wipes, I mean seriously! An average place overall, nothing I would recommend someone to go out of their way to get.
(3)
Pauline Y.

Really tasty Indian food. I love the lamb Bryani !
(5)
Tom G.

The chicken masala is fantastic! The essence of India is one of my favorite Indian restaurants. The service is also quite good. Love it...
(4)
Ron A.

Had dinner here this past week with Pakistani neighbors who had highly recommended it. I hadn't had Indian food, other than home-cooked meals by friends and neighbors, for many years. We elected to order a little bit of everything and share amongst our dining companions. EVERYTHING was outstanding from the samosas,rice,butter chicken,tandoori chicken,etc,etc.etc. The service was excellent and the hosts were gracious as they chatted with us and greeted my friend's mother who was visiting from Pakistan.I plan to return soon.
(5)
Cole G.

Tldr Manager Sucks at Customer Service/ Girl on phone a gd employee I ordered from Essence today and it took me 3 calls just to get a order. They said their system was down. Okay, that was absolutely fine. I understand unexpected things happen. But after I call, a very courteous young lady took my address down. She had said she wasn't sure they delivered that far. Though I live only one block beyond the line she said. Or 4 at the most because it wasn't clear. She then asked her manager to deliver to me because I had waited for the system and most of all I was a new customer. I did get the order, though only for today they will deliver to me. So I guess I'll have to move my house pass Kimball to get delivery. Its a great restaurant but clearly this manager SUCKS at Customer Service. This place is at Wilson and Lincoln. I'm at Central park and Montrose. Not like its the south or west side. I've worked in the restaurant business, and the point is to get business; not turn it away over a small triviality
(2)
David K.

The first bad sign was when there wasn't a single Indian person dining in, and the two chicken dishes we ordered were not memorable and tasted rubbery. They might have been having a bad day, but it was so bad that we didn't even take our leftovers, and I am a human garbage disposal. Recently, we gave them another shot, because we love Indian food and decided to order for delivery. The food was ok, but the prices were more expensive than what their website was reflecting. Maybe I was spoiled from going to Cumin all the time when I used to live in Wicker Park, but there are better options.
(2)
Carne A.

Simply outstanding! Very nice, quiet and clean restaurant that served as an incredible meal. They adjusted the spice level to our desire and accommodated a special dietary request without any problem. I had the chicken makhani (Butter Chicken) and Chicken Korma, Lamb Vindaloo and son had a veg dish called Paneer Khurchan. We had the garlic naan and vegetable samosas which were perfect. We are only visiting, but would eat here frequently if we could! Thanks for a great meal.
(5)
N L.

I no longer trek to Devon Avenue for a good Indian meal. Essence of India has wonderful Indian food closer to home. Excellent samosas, the test of every Indian restaurant. We've tried almost everything on the menu and haven't been disappointed with anything; from the vegetarian items, to the seafood, to the chicken. This place can be pretty crowded, so make a reservation, especially on the weekends. They also have take-out and delivery. One caveat: they clean the tables with an ammonia glass cleaner WHILE YOU'RE EATING! It's horrible. Nobody wants to smell ammonia while they're eating
(4)
Janardhan K.

Great place, good service. Reasonable prices and authentic tasting food (im Indian). Baingan bharta is a winner. Order mild or medium, not spicy. Best Indian food I've had in Chicago so far.
(5)
Jez E.

Delicious Indian food with so many gluten-free options - a definite win.
(4)
Rachelle M.

best vegetable samosas i've had!!!! delicious & authentic! definitely my new go to spot!
(4)
Michelle F.

When my favorite Indian restaurant on Devon closed down, I was heartbroken. But then I tried Essence of India, and I feel as though I've been given a second chance at love. My husband and I went here for dinner on Valentine's Day. We made a reservation ahead of time for 7:30 p.m. We were able to find parking relatively easily, though this can be a challenge in this area. When we got inside the restaurant, all but one of the tables was taken. We got the last table, which of course was in the worst location. It was right by the door, so not only was it cold but people standing around waiting for a table were basically looming over us. Then, of course, a couple came in after us that didn't have a reservation, and they were seated within moments at a nice cozy table in back. Oh well, c'est la vie. Anyway, our experience got much better from there. They gave us that crispy wafer-like bread (I don't know what it's called) along with various sauces and chutney. Really tasty. For food, we ordered three different dishes and shared them between the two of us. In addition to wine, Naan and rice, here's what we got: - We got the Shahi Paneer. This had cottage cheese cubes in a cashew, tomato and cream sauce. This was amazing. So creamy! We absolutely loved it! - We also ordered the Murg Tikka Masala, which is basically chicken in a creamy sauce. Delicious! - We also got an order of the Shrimp in Coconut Masala. It was OK. It's a sour dish and just didn't have the same great flavors that the other two that we ordered did. I wouldn't order this again. We were pretty stuffed after all of that, but we still had some food left to take home. We also ordered two mango lassis to go, which were a nice way to end the meal. Overall, this was a great Valentine's Day dinner. I defiantly want to go back when it's less crowded, like when it's not Valentine's Day. I feel like we would get a better table and better service. The service was OK, but it did seem like they weren't used to it being so busy with the holiday. I'll be back!
(4)
Rajini J.

Excellent cuisine! Great value for the price. This is one of the favorite neighborhood restaurants of my family and a frequent destination whenever anyone of us have a craving for good Indian meal. We love almost everything on the menu...you cannot go wrong.
(4)
Melissa C.

The food is fairly good- their standards are worth eating. Do not try to order over the phone- the staff will hang up on you and or put you on hold multiple times in the middle of a sentence without mentioning it to you first. When you arrive to pick up your order, you will notice that they are not busy at all and it will only add to your confusion about why they had to hang up on you. Honestly, very weird- but there food is pretty good.
(3)
Anne-Marie K.

The food was plentiful but very sweet. I've enjoyed a great deal of Indian food in my 56 years but have never had such sweet Indian food. However, everything was well prepared and fairly well spiced and you can order mild to hot spiciness. The waiter was very attentive and accomodating. I'll probably not come back unless in the area.
(3)
Philly G.

Great food. Well stocked bar. Had the vegetable samosa and butter chicken with naan. All of it was delicious and not oily at all. Would definitely be back.
(5)
S C.

After hearing my friend complimenting the chicken makhani for the 1000th time me and my friends decided to try this place. The food was GREAT, the interior is good and even though we were sitting by the door we weren't cold (I am the kind who will have sweater on at 70â„‰). I did like the chicken makhani and the soft naans but not fan of the saag paneer, it only had one little piece paneer in it (I questioned my friend wondering if they had blended the paneer with the spinach). I didn't feel welcomed at all. The server barely came to check on us, the only time he came was when we had to turn around and try to catch him looking at us so we can call him. Disappointed with the service but will go back for the food. Don't live to far so I can always do carry out.
(3)
Jacob T.

The night I went the service was slow despite the place being nearly empty. The food was fine, nothing memorable, but not bad. What makes the place a 1 star instead of a 3 star rating for me is that you have to buy rice with your entree, which at an Indian restaurant is intolerable to me.
(1)
Nicole R.

Essence has great food. We've tried other places but no where has come close to the rich flavors that essence has. We always place the same order and they are very consistent in providing the same flavors each time. It is a bit expensive but we don't mind because we know we will never be disappointed.
(4)
Adam K.

Great neighborhood place. Great service, tasty samosas, chicken tikka masala and the naan here is divine. Try their specialty cocktails, they are pretty great. I'm coming back here for classy Indian cuisine done right. Highly recommended by many people.
(4)
Nicole B.

Essence of India was ok. I really liked the paratha. My favorite indian food is the saag paneer/palak paneer/ anything that is spinach and cheese, so I got the saag chaman. The pieces of cheese were small and sparse. The overall texture felt sort of pasty in my mouth, but it tasted good with quite a bit of rice. We also had a chicken dish that was good, very well cooked, but a little sweet for what I think of indian food. Both dishes had zero spiciness which was shocking since it is an indian restaurant. So, if you are wanting something that has a mild spice you might want to specify about that. We added cayenne pepper to our liking (this was delivery). Overall, I don't think the food was worth the price. Two entrees, add rice, add a paratha, and now its $45 for two people without drinks. Personally, I have higher expectations if I'm spending $20/person vs $10-12, and I don't think this was worth it. Next time I want Indian food I think I will go to Paprika.
(3)
Paige L.

The decor was nice, our servers were very attentive and we loved the food. We had the vegetarian sampler to begin with and devoured everything on the plate. Our main dishes were large enough portions for lunch the next day and they were both delicious. I admittedly don't know a ton about Indian food but was very pleased with the way everything tasted, including the naan. Paying extra for rice (when they didn't mention we would be charged) wasn't cool but also wasn't enough to ruin our experience. And the mango vodka martini was like dessert in a glass - if I knew the first thing about making martinis, I'd try to replicate it at home!
(4)
Erin B.

I just want to start off by saying that I rarely write yelp reviews. I am not picky, I have good experiences at most restaurants I go to. Also, I love Indian food...it is my favorite. That being said, this was some of the worst Indian food I have ever had. I paid $12 for a small bowl of saag. The saag (usually my favorite dish, also very hard to mess up) was awful. It had very little flavor. I'm pretty sure baby food is more complex in flavor than this saag. I've had better saag out of a microwave packet, which says a lot because that stuff is nasty. I was so hungry and it was so bad I couldn't even eat it. Also, for $12 they do not include rice or anything. Just a small bowl of nasty, flavorless goo. My fiancÃ© got lamb and it was overcooked, but his wasn't nearly as bad as mine. I should also mention that we were not greeted until we had been seated for about five minutes, no drinks or anything. After being greeted, My water glass sat empty for a solid ten minutes after I drank my first glass and they were not busy at all. There were two servers literally staring us down while we ate. But I refuse to be that annoying customer who waves a server down, and I shouldn't have to be. I told the server that I didn't care for my saag. He didn't ask if I wanted anything else, he just took the bowl away and the saag remained on our check. I didn't expect to get anything for free, but it would have been nice if he had offered something else. This place was all around awful. I recommend going a little farther north and eating somewhere on Devon. Do not go here.
(1)
Jaime G.

Been a long time since I had some Indian food so I happend to find this place. And I love the Essence of India. The Butter Chicken blew me away. Think of a great mild Thai curry - add yogurt and the typical red spice that you see in many Indian dishes. Add chicken and basmati rice and it's a home run. I also tried the tandoori chicken salad (just because I was jonesing for some tandoori chicken but wasn't too hungry. It was excellent too. Service is good here but come early. This place in a Friday / Saturday night seems to get packed quickly. Prices are a little high esp as compared to Devon street and stay away from the Indian chi tea (awful). All in all, great place to get your Indian fix without going to Devon.
(4)
Martii K.

Tasty, but a little bit on the pricy side. If you enjoy your food on the milder side, this is the place. Their chicken makahani is some of the best I've ever had. Cozy little neighborhood place. Parking can be tricky, but no more so than up on Devon.
(4)
Kylie S.

Dropped in last night for date night and we had a nice experience. I love the location, right on Lincoln Ave. it's easy to walk to/from other bars and restaurants. It's also across the street from the Davis theatre - so a good pre-move dinner. We had great service and the restaurant was busy, but not overly crowded, on a Thursday night. Ordered Taj Mahal beer and a glass of red wine during dinner and the drinks were good. The food was the most "okay-ish" part of the evening. We ordered the vegetarian Dal Turka and the Bhuna Chicken for our main course, served over rice. There was almost too much spice going on -- I think every spice was good, but there were just too many mulling around in each dish for me. Additionally, with all those spices in the dish I would have preferred plain white rice, but it was a jasmine (or something) rice that had it's own flavor which complicated what was going on in my mouth. We might be back, but I'm going to shop around for a bit.
(3)
David G.

I have had much better Indian food in the past. I am in no hurry to go back sorry to say.
(2)
Shawn P.

So I initially gave this place 5 stars, then revised it down to 2 recently because we had ordered a few times and the chicken was rubbery. I am happy to be revising this back to 5 stars because the chicken has improved and we are back to ordering here on a regular basis. If you want traditional indian with the full flavor you can't go wrong with this place. Best place outside of Devon Street. I live in Lakeview and when I found out they delivered I've been ordering here like a mad man! I've ordered from virtually every indian restaurant around me and not one single place comes close to Essence when it comes to flavor. I'm very happy they have made a change to higher quality meat. I go with the tika masala (hot) . . . its amazing!
(5)
Kelsie L.

We wanted to explore Lincoln Square and it's many restaurants it has to offer, so we chose Essence of India and we were ultimately disappointed. While the food was fine, the service was hilariously bad. Our waiter was a middle aged gentleman who didn't care about us at all. He didn't offer us drinks, he didn't once ask how the meal was, and when we needed the check he waved a bus boy to drop it off at our table. Essentially, he never came to our table after taking our order. What a shame, I love Mutter Paneer and theirs wasn't bad but, we won't be back.
(2)
Natalie B.

Clean, nice atmosphere and expansive menu. Pretty much all of the requirements for your neighborhood Indian restaurant.
(4)
J S.

I do not know how this place managed to have such a high rating. The food is terrible or at the very least not very Indian. Again when I mean terrible, I do not mean the quality. It is clean and fine. If you are not looking for authentic or remotely satisfying Indian food maybe you can go here. The decor is nice and you feel like you are eating some kind of ethnic food. If you want real Indian do not go here. I also noticed non of the good ratings are by Indian people. The true test of good food is if the restaurant can attract people who are from where the food is. (Indian people eating at indian restaurants, Chinese people eating at the Chinese restaurant etc ...)
(1)
Sara D.

At the beginning of my meal I would have given this place 4 stars. Our waiter was a little impatient and grumpy which knocked down a star but he seemed to be that way to everyone. After ordering our food it was casually asked "rice and naan?" so I thought nothing of replying with an immediate "sure!". Everything tasted great. The crackers and chutney at the start were nice and the main entrees (both chicken: murg tikka masala & murg lajweb) were flavorful and nice portions. We ate through the rice quickly so asked for a refill. Then, the bill came. It turns out our agreement to rice and naan cost us an extra $10!! Seriously?! Now, I know I'm going to get knocked for not looking at the menu because I'm sure it was listed but when you have an impatient waiter tapping his foot at you one tends to order quickly so as not to get the evil eye more than once. Each plate of rice (because yes, they charged us for the refill) cost an extra $4 each. I assumed (wrong, obviously) that rice would be included with our meal and when asked to add it on I was never told it was extra. Even when we asked for a refill of rice no one spoke up to say it was an additional charge for a refill. I dunno, I just think that's bullshit. THEN, four hours later it started: the sickness. I am still (almost 12 hours later) dealing with some of the worst stomach issues I have had in a very long time. To be clear I am not someone with a "sensitive stomach" who ate something they knew would not sit well. This restaurant has put me off Indian food for a very long time and I will never visit this particular establishment again. Not worth the risk.
(1)
Andrew C.

I love Essence of India. Great service, delicious food, great naan, what more could you ask for? Every bit as good as any place on Devon...and just a WAY better atmosphere. My only beef is that the samosas are SO big that they sometimes arrive a little cold in the middle. That I don't like....and it would be great if that would improve. Nothing disastrous, though. Other than that, it's my "go to" Indian restaurant. Very good staff who have been there from day one. You can tell everyone's happy to be there...and that's a big deal!
(4)
Alicia M.

The samosas are amaaaaaazing! We've had Essence of India delivered and we've also eaten in the restaurant. It's so good no matter how you have it! It's also super affordable. Hubby and I always order the samosas, naan, and the butter chicken. It's more than enough to fill you up and you can't beat a night out with quality food/service under $50! We had that plus wine and beer and it was still under $50 including tip. Everyone keeps talking about how pricey it is, but I completely disagree if you compare it to other places on Lincoln Ave.
(4)
Emily B.

We had butter chicken (requested all white meat), tikka masala, garlic naan and rice- Everything was AMAZING. I can't wait to go back. The service was also great
(5)
Guillaume Z.

My wife and I really like Indian food and having just moved back to Chicago, we were eager to find a good Indian restaurant in our area. Yesterday we tried out Essence of India and called for delivery. Unfortunately, Essence of India was one of the worst Indian food experiences we've ever had. The first warning sign was the delivery time. When we called, they told us that it would take about 45 minutes which seemed reasonable for delivery. However, the delivery guy showed up just 20 minutes after we called. We live about 10 minutes driving distance away, so this meant that Essence of India only needed 10 minutes to get our order ready! We know that a restaurant doesn't cook everything from scratch after you place your order, but in this case it was clear that there was no fresh cooking involved at all! Just taking pre-cooked stuff and putting it into delivery containers. We always order the same 2 dishes at every Indian restaurant we go to: saag charman and murg tikka masala. We love these dishes and by always ordering them, we have established a good reference point for comparing restaurants. Unfortunately, the quality of these 2 dishes from Essence of India was among the worst we've ever tasted. 1. The spinach in the saag charman had been pureed into oblivion and all that was left was a watery dark-green sauce with little spinach taste left. 2. The tikka masala sauce was also watery and the chicken was dry - which is not surprising I guess given that it must have been sitting there for a while. We were unable to finish eating the dishes and ended up heating up frozen Indian entrees from Trader Joe's that we had in our freezer. It's sad to see that a frozen Indian entree was better than restaurant Indian food from Essence of India. Add to this that Essence of India is not a cheap place (e.g., rice needs to be ordered separately) and we'll have to continue our quest to find a good Indian restaurant. Essence of India definitely is not one of them.
(1)
Tamasin F.

Just moved into the neighborhood and walked into this place randomly, and had a really great experience. It was busy but there were 2-3 tables open so no wait and service remained prompt and friendly throughout. I asked my server for a recommendation between 2 dishes I was eying and he steered me to the lamb biriyani, a great choice: big chunks of lamb, which were very tender, in a flavorful rice dish. And what really made it come alive was adding the raita, a yogurt based sauce which came with it. When I commented on this combination, my server gave me a quick oral recipe for raita, and made me think for a moment that I could actually make this myself at home. Ha! And why would I, when I have a place that makes it so beautifully, just around the corner from my new apartment?
(5)
M P.

Came back here a week or so ago after not having eaten here in several years. The food is definitely better. If you eat meat, the non veggie appetizer sampler is a must! Excellently cooked. The chicken is so tender it's magical. Every dish was awesome. You will spend more here than up on Devon but I'm willing to pay more for high quality like this.
(5)
Natalie S.

I have to say... I was plesantly surprised! My husband and I were meeting some friends at Spyner's just around the corner but needed to grab some dinner first. We wandered the Square but he didn't want German... wandered away from the square and saw this place. Is it the best Indian food I've ever had? Absolutely not... that spot is reserved for Hema's Kitchen... and I've eaten in my fair share of Indian places. But this is closer to my house than Devon and delicious so I will be returning. We had the shrimp appetizer... Yum. The shrimp were on the small side but flavorful. We also ordered the chicken murg and lamb vindaloo. The chicken was moist and lamb was tender... can't complain. We ordered our food as spicy as they can make it and weren't all that impressed with the heat... but our tollerance is significantly higher than the average person. When I want AWESOME Indian food, I'll trek out to Devon. When I want something in the area, I'll head here.
(4)
Dan S.

Ordered through grub hub, found a piece of METAL in an samosa, yes a PIECE OF METAL, see photo. Tried calling restaurant and phone must be off the hook. This place should be closed down!
(1)
Holly L.

YUM. I don't know why this place doesn't have higher reviews. Yes, it is a bit pricier but I honestly think it's better than some places in Devon I've been to. It's clean, service is nothing to complain about, equipped with Indian beers, better atmosphere than most Indian places I've been to, and the food is excellent. The first time I went it was a week night and there was probably one other table in the restaurant which concerned me a bit.. But we ordered two Indian beers, vegetable samosas, butter naan, rice, butter chicken, and I believe the murg tikki masala. As you guys read, they give you a little crunchy naan like thing (I have no idea what it is) and a few chutneys. Those are good, although one of them is unbelievably salty. All of the dishes that we ordered were really good, but the star was the butter chicken. AMAZING. I never knew I can enjoy Indian food this much. The murg tikki masala was yummy too but the butter chicken was just so buttery and savory. I craved the butter chicken after that so much I had to go back! That time I tried the lamb pasanda or palak and butter chicken. The lamb was good, although it was like dark green in color and definitely didn't look appetizing. But again. THE BUTTER CHICKEN WON. Oh and I also tried this mango martini (I know, martini at an Indian place? I dont know) but it was surprisingly pretty good. It was definitely different from anything I tried before, heavy with mango flavor (which tasted like fresh mango) with cinnamon powder on top.
(4)
Sarah M.

My friend and I ate here and we have no complaints. Her butter chicken was a bit sweeter than we've had it at other places, but that's not a huge deal. My lamb was amazing, and my mango lassi even better. Our waiter was nice, even though he hovered a little, but to be fair we were the only ones in the restaurant as we were there at off hours.
(4)
Russell K.

Food is excellent but it is simply far too expensive for what you get.
(3)
Dallas F.

You know those essence waters that has a hit of fruitiness but ultimately no real flavor? That is what Essence of India was to real Indian food, a hint of what could possibly be Indian food, but essentially no real flavor. All in all a massive disappointment, unfortunately. I went in on a weekend so they had a lunch buffet available. Having frequented many Indian buffets lately I was accustomed to standards such as chicken tikka masala, palak paneer, and lamb curry being available, however at Essence of India these very popular items were missing from the line up. The veggie samosas looked like little potato pancakes instead of a stuffed pastry. They were hard, from perhaps being out too long, and flavorless. The naan was burned. The one highlight was the tandoori chicken which was moist and flavorful. Ultimately the tandoori chicken couldn't even save this meal. I paid and left and went to Devon Avenue to satisfy my Indian craving as this was a let down.
(1)
David Z.

Another local gem that I hadn't visited in the 3+ years I have lived in Lincoln Square. Man, I suck. Food: I had the butter chicken. Although it came out in a weird neon red-orange color, I wasn't fazed.....I ate the whole thing despite the fact that I could have made two or three meals of it. Whoops. I guess that is all you need to know about how good the food tasted. Although some may consider the price a little high (think $10-$20), if you don't eat it all like a gluttonus pig, you will have enough for at least one additional meal. Drinks: They have some cool Indian beers that I have never heard of before. They're pretty decent, and cheap to boot. Can't argue with that! It's not the selection of say, Fiddlehead Cafe (across the street), but they don't pretend to be a bar with a huge beer list, so it's all good. Service: Waters filled promptly, quick ordering and plate clearing, and a very short wait for the food to come out. Sweet. Seriously, every time I go to an Indian place it seems like the service is a million times better than regular Joe-American place X. Ambiance: I liked the interior a lot. It was dark in there, but not too dark. It's a little small inside but we still had no wait for a party of five. Misc: I used the men's bathroom and noticed that the toilet is literally right up against the wall. I cannot imagine anyone actually having to sit on that thing. How would that work? You'd have to side-saddle it or something. I only had to pee so I didn't have to figure it out for myself, thankfully. All in all, I really enjoyed this place, and will definitely be back.
(5)
Elizabeth P.

I love Essence of India! Their food is always top notch. I usually order take out, and their delivery is always super fast. I have dined in though and the restaurant is very cozy. Service is always excellent. The downside....can be a bit noisy when crowded, but well worth it for the food. Also four stars because it is a bit pricey.
(4)
Vanessa R.

For over 2 years we have walked by this place and said, "We should definitely come here sometime." And this weekend we finally made it out to Essence of India after living in the neighborhood for a couple of years - shame on us! However, I now fear that I will frequently be returning, and I will be heavier and poorer for it. We came here on a Saturday night with some friends and the atmosphere was very pleasant. The dining area is cozy (in a good way, not a packed way) - great for a group or for a dinner date for two - and the interior features a very tasteful typical Indian dÃ©cor. Also, good views of the heart of Lincoln Square. I first tried the complementary crispy cracker-like item (someone please enlighten me - I have no idea what it's called) and 3 sauces to dip it in. The green sauce is AMAZING - such a unique blend of sweet/sour/spicy goodness. For dinner, I opted for one of their spiciest options, the chicken vindaloo. It was very flavorful and the sauce had just the right amount spice that I was looking for (I could have handled something spicier, however this was just right -- not overly spiced where I could no longer taste the flavor). The portion size was okay, although the potatoes were more plentiful than the chicken. I enjoyed the really neat kettle-type dishes the meals were presented in (yes, I pay attention to these things.) Oh, and the naan, my God the naan. This was probably my favorite part of the meal. Perhaps because I'm a carb addict. It was so good that we had to order several baskets. While there are a variety of flavors, we ordered the plain naan and it was warm, crispy, goodness. It was great to dip in your food or to devour on its own. The service was fast and friendly, and not at all overbearing. So why not 5 stars? * Pricy for Indian food - without any drinks & smallish-portions, expect to pay $20+ per person; * Adding to the price, surprisingly the rice is not included with the meal. However, the rice you do order is good and plentiful (two sides of rice sufficed for 5 people). Based on our experience and all of the reviews on here, I think they should consider including the rice with the meals as the dishes are already pricey. The prices however will not keep me away; I will definitely be back. I can't wait until it gets warm out and we get to enjoy some tasty Indian food on their outdoor patio. Kicking myself for waiting so long to try this place!
(4)
Matthew H.

Went there for a late afternoon lunch. We ordered chicken and lamb curries (though they don't call them curries, but you get the idea). Very good. Prices reasonable. Nice, clean dining room in great area. Don't go out of your way, but definitely recommended if you're in the area and up for some Indian.
(4)
Scott H.

I can't stop ordering delivery from this place. I'm almost embarrassed when I are the same delivery person each week at least once. The Murg Tikki Masala and Butter Chicken is excellent. The only knock is its a little pricey but maybe the best Indian food I've had in Chicago.
(4)
Kevin R.

I had dinner her last night with my niece. We started out with the Samosa's and they were great. The Chutney's were also very good. We then had the Butter Chicken and the Chicken Korma. Both dishes where great. The only issue I have is I got mine with Medium Spice and my niece got mild. There was barely any difference between them.
(4)
Helena B.

Primo location on Lincoln, lovely interior - a wonderful start before we even sat down. We started with samosas - quite good. I recommend using the sauces they bring out - the green and red ones are perfect complements. Next Round: I went with the tandoori catfish (Why? When have you had tandoori catfish? Never, my friend! This dish sparked a conversation as to whether catfish were native to North America and I was, in fact, dining on a true global fusion dish). Anyway, tasty. I like fish. If you don't, you... probably won't like this dish. In that case, I recommend what Fiance got - the butter chicken. Butter chicken? I know - I thought it sounded a little dumb, but it is FANTASTIC. The sauce was amazing! Seriously, I dumped it all over my dish and then lapped up the remainder with naan. This is, no contest, what I will be ordering next time I'm here. Don't let the color of the sauce fool you - it's bright red and kind of looks like it would taste like liquid fire, but it's pleasantly sweet. Do it. We both washed our meals down with Indian beers. Go local, y'all.
(4)
justine h.

I'm surprised at how much this place has gone down hill. The food was not good at all, extremely over-priced, and even worse the naan was sub par!!!
(2)
Veronica L.

Met some friends here for Sunday dinner...the atmosphere was nice and staff attentive...the food was good.
(4)
Demetri G.

Okay...so essence used to be hit or miss, I think it depended on the chef working that night. On the whole it was good. I'm a yelper who posts "wow this was absolutely fantastic" or "wow, this place is just poo"...we ordered tonight and have to say it was absolutely fantastic. Whomever the chef was tonight knows his or her stuff....the samosas were phenomenal...crispy, light and not greasy. The bhuna chicken was a delight and the paneer kulcha was perfect. I hope that essence keeps the same staff in the kitchen, because we liked this place but now we love this place!
(5)
S. P.

This is a nice place to fulfill your craving for Indian food in LS. They have redone the menus which make ordering a little easier for people not as familiar with Indian cuisine. I am not a fan of hot/spices food, and they have several options which are flavorful but not 'spicey' per se. Also has a lot of good vegetarian options.
(4)
Javier O.

We've been to quite a few Indian restaurants throughout the city and still look back to this as our favorite. The atmosphere isn't stellar but if you get to sit outside, it's quite nice. The tables can also be a bit small for all you order, so don't be afraid to put some of the table decorations on the floor. All the dishes I've had have been wonderful. i love their sauces. In fact, that's one thing other places just can't seem to match up to. The naan is always a pleasure, as well. Overall, love Essence and always love coming back!
(4)
Alycia P.

When you walk into a restaurant to pick up your to-go order, and the owner is sitting in one of the back tables eating Subway, you're probably not in for the best meal of your life. So, we dug into our food with low expectations and were not disappointed. I ordered the buttered chicken and the meal came luke-warm (we live 1 block away; it didn't get that cold on our walk home), the sauce was quite sweet, and the actual chicken was absolutely disgusting - I'm not sure what part of the chicken I was eating. Super fatty pieces as well. Also had some garlic naan, which was covered in garlic yet didn't taste very garlic-y at all...weird. Another reviewer was right - with Devon Ave not too far away, it's much better to take the trip north than settle for this place. Or, do like the owner and get some Subway instead.
(2)
Angela W.

I used to visit this restaurant a lot (I live within a block), but after a number of sub-par experiences, I won't be going back. It's expensive, but I could previously overlook that because the food was decent and it was the only Indian food in the area. Recently, however I don't know if they have changed their chef or recipes, but the food has tasted distinctly different- as if it has an artificial flavor additive, such as liquid smoke.to adjust the heat in each dish. I visited this past week, and you could smell the 'smoke' flavor in the dining room- a definitive flavor additive, not anything coming from the grill or cooking process. In future, I'm taking my business to Paprika on Lawrence- a little further away, but hands down better and more authentic Indian.
(2)
Steve M.

We ordered dinner from Essence of India last night, and it was a delicious! We had 2 garlic naan and 2 chicken tikka masalas. One of each is definitely enough for two people to split. We asked for spicy tikka masala, and while it was no vindaloo, it was successful at producing some schvitz on my brow. The chicken was delicious, and the garlic naan was about the size of two frizbees together. It was perfect for sopping up that extra curry goodness. Delivery came quickly, and was $40 for the entire shebang. I guess Indian food delivery is just expensive in this town. Essence of India: do it if you've got the Indian food addiction and you're up north!
(4)
Arlene A.

A completely enjoyable experience all the way around. We were with a group of 10, and honestly I can't think of a better way to dine. We got to try a multitude of dishes, all delicious. Butter Chicken? yes please! If you enjoy rice dishes, may I recommend the Biriyani with chicken? Also available with other meats or none if that's the way you roll. Reasonably priced, and proof that a place doesn't have to be super fancy to provide you with a wonderful dining experience.
(4)
Simone T.

How this restaurant has remained in business while others far better have come and gone is beyond me. This is mediocre Indian food, at best. Make the hike up to Devon. Once you do, you'll see why this place isn't worth it, even as a delivery or take out option when you're too exhausted to cook.
(2)
Renee E.

Ever since my friend planted the samosa seed in my head the other day, I haven't stopped thinking about them. So, my husband and I had a lunch date for Saturday and the first thing that popped in my head was mmmmm....INDIAN! We didn't feel like trekking to Devon, so I did a little search for someplace closer to Logan Square. Essence is in Lincoln Square and those Squares need to stick together. We started with the vegetable sampler, which was advertised as a samosa (MINE!), a vegetable cutlet and a vegetable pakora. What we actually got was TWO of each item, plus some extra unidentified breaded vegetables, plus some supplementary raw veg and another mystery breaded item (which was delicious). The sad part was, the samosa wasn't the best I've ever had. It kind of reminded me of a mini potato pie. The crust was a little omnipresent. But, I was hungry... For entrees, I got the saag paneer (they called it something different, sag chaman?) I was asked if I wanted it mild or medium spicy, I said, "bring it on, I can take the heat!" My husband got the Paneer Khurchan, non spicy. And a side of garlic naan. Unfortunately, we stuffed ourselves on the apps and the complimentary poppadums so our entrees packed the punch of a tiny kitty fist. My saag was indeed VERY spicy, but it was really strangely textured, pureed to an almost puddinglike consitency. This was redeemed by the fact that they didn't skimp on the paneer (like a lot of places do). Unfortunately, I think I actually liked my husband's more. All in all, we had enough food left over to reheat for dinner and I ended up enjoying my saag more the second time around, in front of the TV, in my jammies.
(3)
Heather H.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! That would be for the Mango Spice Martini. Outrageously addictive too, I want a pitcher of 'em, or better yet, can I swim in a pool of this stuff?! I'd drown happy. Left the 5th star off because I really don't think they need to charge so much. I get it, you have to pay rent on a Lincoln/Wilson corner, but $11 for the vegetable dishes? Boo. However, I will say that I really enjoy the spices that they put in the food and they seemed to fix the portion sizing, it was getting a bit skimpy a few years back. Happy that seems to have been taken care of. I'm a sucker for their Chana Masala, which I have to say is my favorite in Chicago. It's my go-to dish I always order, and nothing on Devon can compare to this one. I get it with the saffron rice. Sure, that turns it into a $20 dish, but I will say that yes, it's worth it. Plus, you'll have leftovers. Shared with the Baigan Bharta (smoked, pureed eggplant with tomato and onion), and the Onion Kulcha (it's oniony happiness!) it was really the perfect meal. While it's not cheap, and not a fan of the television that's in their now, it is good Indian eats in Lincoln Square. And check out their cocktails; you won't be sorry.
(4)
Dan P.

The food is really good... maybe not super authentic but really fucking good. Then I got a job here, and realized why... everything has heavy whipping cream in it... making it super rich. But who cares when its this damn good! Tikka Masal, Butter Chicken and Saag Chaman, keema naan, and lamb biryani.... are the best options. I gained too much weight on my delivery shifts! I still love you Satya!
(5)
Noa P.

Tonight, 4/2/12, I ordered Indian Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Biryani and Garlic Naan at 6:24pm on a Monday night. I paid about $30. Not cheap. It is about 60 degrees outside and clear skies. At 7:30pm the food arrived (I live 1/2 mile from Essence) and it was cold. The tandoori chicken, 2 pieces (a leg/thigh and a wing/breast, about half of a very small chicken) arrived wadded up in a crumpled up sheet of aluminum foil. The naan also came in a crumpled up piece of foil. They looked like balls of aluminum foil en route to the recycling bin. Both of these I will generously call tepid in temperature. They tasted fine, but were cold and packaged like I was eating leftovers of someone else's dinner. The biryani came in a typical round plastic take-out container. The chicken was greasy and fatty and the rice was not very flavorful. This dish was totally cold. You fail, Essence of India. -- Authors Note: I called the restaurant to let them know the food arrived cold. I was told that the food leaves the restaurant hot but that the driver had 2 or 3 deliveries before mine. I was then thanked for my feedback and told I could get a free Tandoori Chicken next time I placed an order. As if there will be a next time....
(2)
Jenny B.

$4 for basmati rice??? WTF I wouldn't complain but the quality of the food is not on par with places on Devon Ave. Big rip off!!
(1)
Kay A.

My husband and I visited Essence of India last Sunday and found it to be a very good experience. We had never been to an Indian restaurant and expressed this to the waiter. He was very kind and helpful and recommended two entrees and an appetizer. All of it was delicious. The atmosphere in the restaurant was just delightful and very pleasant. Additionally, we ordered dessert. I ordered a rice pudding which neither of us liked at all. We told the waiter and he immediately took it off the bill which we appreciated very much. We are so glad to have ventured into Essence of India and will definitely return. Thank you ESSENCE OF INDIA.
(5)
Minna A.

I like it! But I'm biased because I love restaurant that allow you to personalize your own level of spiciness. I love that everything is attune with their "essence of India" theme, with their list of imported Indian lagers and their wall art and decor. (The salt and pepper shakers are cute!) We had the garlic samosas, butter chicken and the lamb palak--plenty of food to share with some left over! The spicy lamb and savory butter chicken were pretty memorable, but I think my favorite thing... was the free dipping sauces. The cilantro/mint one that tastes kind of like chimmichurri is to DIE for.
(3)
Marc W.

Should be a 3.5 review....come on yelp give us half stars! Essence would have been an easy 4 star restaurant if the following happened. 1. My server seemed angry at the world. Not sure what his problem is, but he brought it to work today. 2. Why don't we just assume that I want rice with my dish. Last time I checked rice won't break the bank. Other than that, this is a clean restaurant in a great neighborhood that stands up to any of the other Indian options you will find in the city. If you have any suggestions for 5 star Indian let me know. VItals: 1 Beer Garlic Naan Vegetable Samosa Malai Kofta White Rice $27.50
(3)
Emily K.

I was a total skeptic before I actually ate here. Indian food outside of Devon tends to be overpriced and not great tasting. But now I'm a believer! Food is great and service is prompt. It's more formal than most Indian places (not stuffy but you tend to see people on dates rather than families coming in for meals) and more expensive than what you'll find on Devon but I like to think of it as a convenience charge for not having to take 2 buses north. They charge extra for rice, which I hate so much. So much. Do you really expect me to eat my butter chicken with a spoon or something? It's like charging extra for tortillas when you order fajitas. The cost to you is negligible and it's basically a part of the meal anyway. I can rant about Indian restaurants charging for rice all day. Anyway, you'll pay more to eat here than you would at most places on Devon but the food is comparable and (for me, at least) the location is easier to get to. I've done takeout too and the food was ready quickly and packaged nicely to get home.
(4)
Caroline M.

We order delivery from here a lot. The food is consistent and good and the delivery person is a woman which I dig.
(4)
Melisha S.

I have enjoyed the food when I eat in the restaurant, but the delivery quality is frankly terrible. And for the price of the food, I won't be ordering out again from Essence of India.
(1)
Johnny L.

Great chicken special and the naan is really well done. The Mango lassi is really tasty but not the best I've had. The chicken was super moist and flavorful.
(4)
Jamie H.

I've been here two times now, and I'm not totally crazy about it. It's decent food, just nothing great or special. Both times I started with the fried veggie dish for an appetizer, it was good...but it was disappointing there wasn't really any sort of "healthier" alternative (ie not fried) for an app. The nan wasn't too bad, I should have gotten it with butter or garlic, plain it was very plain. It was hot and fresh, though, so that's a plus. I got one of specials the chicken salad (very crazy, Indian, I know), it was only $8 and had a TON of chicken on it...so that is a huge plus. But, all the other "real" Indian dishes have just been OK. Staff is nice enough and it's close, but I likely would pick somewhere else next time I go out.
(3)
Omar K.

This place is pretty good. If you're looking for a nice indian place for a date or something its pretty solid, with a nice atmosphere, good service, and relatively good food. Being a pakistani however i am pretty critical of indian/paki food and would say this is just your average place, nothing special. If you're concerned more about taste than ambient or service I would go to paprika which is closely. I don't like to steer people away from a particular business, but I'm just trying to help people out who want good indian food.
(3)
May K.

I went there with my Indian friend for dinner before going to Old Town School of Music. I got a fish curry and he got something else. We were both VERY disappointed with our food. You could not have Indian food that is more Americanized than this. Both of our dishes were extremely sweet and had barely any spices in it. There's something wrong if you get bland food at an Indian restaurant. We both asked to make our food hot. Um.. either the server mixed up his instructions or what we got is the hottest they can make their food, which wasn't hot at all. My friend was furious - and rightly so, since he's Indian and he thinks they misrepresented Indian food. We will certainly never go back to this restaurant nor encourage our friends to do so. If you want real Indian food, go to someplace on Devon. Anything has to be better than this place.
(1)
Vicki Z.

Food was delicious! Best naan ever and the butter chicken was so good, I came back here one week later and just as delicious! A great addition to Lincoln Square :) P.S. I wasn't too familiar with Indian food (it was the second time I've had it), but the servers gave great recommendations and were really friendly.
(5)
Courtney G.

I would give Essence of India 5 stars in a heartbeat if I could get past the cost. It is our absolute favorite Indian restaurant in Chicago. Murg tikka masala, add mushrooms. Garlic naan. Samosas. Mmm. God. I always, always plan to eat my leftovers for lunch the next day. And I always, always eat them around 2AM instead. The prices are also higher than any other Indian joint I've encountered in the year we've lived here. $14 and NO RICE?? WHA? Sadly, the other Indian places in our neighborhood can't compete, so I guess it's worth it. We keep paying.
(4)
Paul S.

Favorite and most consistent Indian place I know. It's more than I like to pay for Indian, but it's good.
(4)
Karen X.

Still clueless on ordering the right kind of food - can't get used to the "mud-like" dishes :-)
(3)
Reina L.

I like Indian food, and have visited this place a number of times. Overall, the restaurant, layout and menu are not bad. Not consistent, but not too terrible not to come back to. I really like their chai tea, which, with a light veg meal, sometimes makes my afternoon after a nice walk in the area.
(4)
Robin L.

Ordered delivery a few nights ago. I got butter chicken,garlic naan, and vegetable samosas (I didn't really want the samoas but I heard they were good and I was trying to hit the delivery minimum.) The Butter chicken was excellent but not as spicy as I wanted. Next time I'll put "medium" in the comments--what I got tasted like a "mild." Garlic naan was good as were the samosas. Delivery took only half an hour and the food arrived hot. Would be five stars if rice wasn't extra. Who doesn't eat rice with their Indian food?? Despite that I will definitely be ordering from here again.
(4)
Janardhan K.

Great place, good service. Reasonable prices and authentic tasting food (im Indian). Baingan bharta is a winner. Order mild or medium, not spicy. Best Indian food I've had in Chicago so far.
(5)
Jez E.

Delicious Indian food with so many gluten-free options - a definite win.
(4)
Rachelle M.

best vegetable samosas i've had!!!! delicious & authentic! definitely my new go to spot!
(4)
S. P.

This is a nice place to fulfill your craving for Indian food in LS. They have redone the menus which make ordering a little easier for people not as familiar with Indian cuisine. I am not a fan of hot/spices food, and they have several options which are flavorful but not 'spicey' per se. Also has a lot of good vegetarian options.
(4)
Brian R.

Chicagoans... Let's be honest in saying that there are hundreds of Indian Restaurants. And we can also say a majority are mediocre. Essence of India after many failed attempts at finding authentic Indian Food is the best! The dishes literally melt in your mouth. If you're having a bad day instantly you're happy. Yes - I'm going to say it. This food is magic. Try it - you won't regret it. Obviously need to get the butter chicken. It's the most cliche thing to get, but it's always a must when ordering. All of the food is amazing. Especially any of the chicken entrees. Naan is great. The vegan choices are amazing as well. And the rice is delicious too. Not dry and plain. Well flavored - You'll love it. It's a bi-monthly routine in my house.
(5)
Gino W.

A few years ago, when I frequented Essence of India, they were doing quite well in terms of output from the kitchen and front room service. I never got a chance to blog them when I went in the past, so I wanted to see if they would be a good fit for my blog now. The food is still good, but something in the table service changed between my visits years ago and now. Daal turka. Curry coconut shrimp. Poori. I had a hankering for daal turka rather than the usual daal palaak or daal makhani. Having ordered the daal turka spicy, it was definitely a hit. The curry coconut shrimp was sour, and I don't mean that in a bad way. The coconut was clearly the most dominant flavour in the dish. I ordered rice and poori to accompany the two dishes. It is possible that I may have returned when timing was not good. After the detached disposition received this time, I shall put off any returns for a lengthy stretch of time. I did enjoy the flavours of the dishes I had, though.
(3)
Bahar M.

We stopped by this place one night for an early dinner. There were only 3 other parties seated inside and at least 2 parties outside on their patio. The owner/manager welcomed us in and gave us our choice of table inside. Our waitress seemed very hurried from the beginning to the end of the meal, which didn't make sense to us as the restaurant was largely empty. We ordered the tandoori chicken, lamb vindaloo, naan, and raita. The tandoori chicken was nicely spiced and juicy. The lamb vindaloo had a harsh vinegar flavor to it. It would have been a pleasant dish otherwise as the lamb and potatoes were well-cooked. The raita was also very disappointing. It's usually one of my favorite things to get at Indian restaurants, but theirs was too sweet and vinegar-y again! Couldn't have more than a few bites of the lamb or the yogurt sauce. I tried to appease my tastebuds by ordering their Kheer for dessert. Unfortunately, it was a dish consisting of cooked white rice swimming in sweet heavy cream. Only a few bites and that was pushed away as well. We left feeling very unsatisfied. We were really hoping that this would be a great Indian place since its the only one in the area. The search continues!
(2)
Bernard L.

We passed by this place so many times while walking in the heart of Lincoln Square and promised to come hear, but never did. We finally waked in and overall were pleased by the experience. There are about 15-17 tables with a nice little bar in the back. We sat in the back by the bar to get a good view of the place. We waited a little longer than needed for our waiter to arrive since it wasn't packed. In the beginning, it seemed that the waiter almost had a little bit of an attitude, but towards the end he was pleasant. We started with an appetizer that was a crispy flat bread that has cilantro and some other spices in it. It came with the three sauces including one that tasted like barbecue. The dish was spicy and had a lot of flavor. For the entree, I ordered the Lamb chunks with an almost gravy type of sauce. The lamb was tender in the beginning, but got dry towards the end. Overall, this is a great Indian restaurant that I will return to a lot.
(4)
Sof B.

Came here with hubby after my music lesson at the old town. The food was good. We ordered chicken tikka masala and goat mean in yogurt sauce both in mild. Chicken tikka is a little sweeter than my liking but overall good. We ordered rice and naan to go with it. You can never go wrong with the rice!
(3)
Jacob J.

I think I might be overrating them, but for much of the past year, I've been in and out of here and the food has been grrrrrreat. People tend to think that Devon is the cure-all for Indian food. It's not and flavor can be found elsewhere. My usual visit has been for dine in service. Many of the entrees and appetizers we ordered were fresh and tasty. My only gripes would be aimed at cost breakdown and size of the meal. I think Indian restaurants are notorious for charging extravagant pricing for meals. Also, those that reside in popular, trendy areas get away with charging $12 plus for chicken entrees and $14 plus for lamb or other. If the quantity was a good standard size, I would visit more often. Instead, I go once in awhile. I've even forgone Sunday brunch to do Indian lunch instead! But it can get overwhelming on the pocket book when the often spend is close to fifty dollars. That's for service for two with two entrees, bread and appetizer. Service has always been the same. It's good, not great. I've noticed that when I visit with my folks I get better service and when I visit with North Indian friends, I also get better service (but that's a conversational thing) . When I visit with everyday Americans I get better service too. LoL, WTF, maybe my beard is intimidating, I dunno. But I won't harp much on that, it's not worth it. I return for the food and the clean atmosphere because unlike much of their competition on Devon Ave, this place is a LOT cleaner. Next time your in a restaurant lay your (bare) arm across your table space, you'll know what I mean instantly. Hopefully things don't change for me, I've been lucky to eat great every time. Also, I like that they offer levels of heat or spice, rather. At times I find it hard to relate with the guy to make my meals spicy. He'll ask me questions that, kind of, don't make any sense and we end up going back and forth on spice level. The good thing is, they usually get it. So, a few spoons into my curry, I've got a good stream of sweat pouring down my scalp. I'm completely fine with that.
(5)
Simone B.

Great way to try lamb, the way it was be to served. I had the tandoori lamb, the spices were great. Nice. Hot meal after long day at work. Also they have drinks. It's surrounded by bars, so if u want to sit and dine before you go out (great location)
(5)
Elina S.

Some of our friends absolutely love this place so we wanted to try it out with another couple who says this is their favorite Indian place in Chicago. I have to say that overall we had a great time and enjoyed our time here but it was definitely not the best Indian food I've ever had. It's nice that they take open table reservations which might be a good thing on a busy Saturday night. The place has a pleasant atmosphere with a nice amount of space in between tables which is always a plus since I hate being right next to my neighbors to the point where I can hear their entire conversation. The servers approach you right away and throughout the night we had great service so no complaints about that as everything was brought out in a normal fashion and we didn't have to wait too long for our food. Speaking of food, because that is why I came here. Like I said I just wasn't overly impressed. It was tasty but nothing that made me say, "this is remarkable or amazing." We decided to try the butter chicken which is apparently the signature dish here consisting of Tandoori chicken simmered in tomato sauce, butter and spices. When asked how we wanted it cooked, we said mild, but I hated it mild. I should have definitely said a little spicy because it felt like a dessert dress with more of a sugary taste instead of what I'm used to in a chicken tikka massala which is what I would order next time. I guess I'm more about the orange curries over the red ones even though the red can be as equally delicious as long as I get it on the spicier side. Then our friends made us get the chicken biryani dish because they swear it's the best one they ever had. This I felt was tasty but the pieces of chicken were huge and I wish they spent more time making them smaller since they were overwhelming in comparison to the rice. The flavors were there and we definitely liked it more than the butter chicken but it's not the best I've ever had. They do, however, have fantastic naan here, on the chewier side which I definitely recommend and a few portions to dip into your curries. Overall, we had a nice time, they have excellent customer service, a nice atmosphere, and decent food. Am I dying to come back? Probably not, but I definitely enjoyed the time we had here.
(3)
Chris B.

Would give 4.5 stars if I could. We had a nice server who helped us carefully navigate the level of spiciness for each dish, which is crucial given our caucasianness. The Baigan Bharta and Chana Masala were both delicious - these are my favorite Indian dishes and Essence did justice to both of them. The veggie sampler appetizer and chutneys were among the best I've had. And oh my, the paneer pakora - clearly this cheese was made to be deep fried. I'm just sorry it took me so long to find and experience that!
(4)
Rachelle D.

I just ordered from Essence for the first time. I've been craving Indian food and didn't want to drive to Devon. Essence is closer to home. I ordered tikka masala, biriyani and bhindi masala.The Murgh/chicken tikka masala was not like anything I've had in the past, and I've had a lot of Indian food in Chicago. It tasted like they used sugar instead of salt and the sauce is a lot lighter than I'm used to. My husband and I couldn't even eat it. This was not a good dish. The other two dishes were ok, not good enough to order from here again. Next time I'm craving Indian, I'm driving to Devon Street. I really wanted to like Essence--very disappointing.
(1)
Lauren M.

Yum! I finally tried this place out and was pleasantly surprised. It doesn't stand out on the street, but upon entering we were greeted warmly and treated well. There were only about 3 tables full on dinner on a Monday night. We ordered specialty cocktails which were delicious and were provided with naan and a trio of some of the best sauces I've had. We ended up ordering multiple vegetarian dishes and curry (I'm sensitive to spicy foods and they made it the perfect level of mild for me). My boyfriend had a chicken dish that he couldn't help but devour. The small details also made this a nice place to eat--traditional Indian decorations, candles on the table, etc. All in all, we are definitely going to return!
(5)
Mike G.

Just walked out. It's 10:58pm on a beautiful, crisp and warm Friday summer night. This place has made my night. The location couldn't be better, right in the heart of Lincoln park. Amongst many very good restaurants but tonight we chose to come here. We were in the mood for some real Indian cuisine. Our expectations were beyond met. I had the butter chicken and a vegetarian dish with homemade cheese (paneer) and rice with wheat nan. The food tasted amazing and was perfectly spicy and creamy and wonderful. The Basmati rice was also cooked to perfection. The service was quick and polite, the owner stopped by and checked on us. He was a very personable man and his passion for food and Indian cuisine was obvious. This place has it all. The portions are generous and prices are fair. I recommend anyone who loves great food and a truly authentic ambiance to have dinner here, you will love it and come back for more.
(5)
Atif M.

Average food average service. This is not a place suited for those who like flavour in their dish.
(3)
Khan K.

The ambience is ok, but I drove from the loop up here for good food... which if you are wondering I did not find... the Shahi Paneer was below average, not bad, but below average. The Goan Curry tasted nice, the only reason that this place did not get 2 stars from me. Worst was when I asked for napkins and I got kitchen wipes, I mean seriously! An average place overall, nothing I would recommend someone to go out of their way to get.
(3)
Pauline Y.

Really tasty Indian food. I love the lamb Bryani !
(5)
Tom G.

The chicken masala is fantastic! The essence of India is one of my favorite Indian restaurants. The service is also quite good. Love it...
(4)
Demetri G.

Okay...so essence used to be hit or miss, I think it depended on the chef working that night. On the whole it was good. I'm a yelper who posts "wow this was absolutely fantastic" or "wow, this place is just poo"...we ordered tonight and have to say it was absolutely fantastic. Whomever the chef was tonight knows his or her stuff....the samosas were phenomenal...crispy, light and not greasy. The bhuna chicken was a delight and the paneer kulcha was perfect. I hope that essence keeps the same staff in the kitchen, because we liked this place but now we love this place!
(5)
Cole G.

Tldr Manager Sucks at Customer Service/ Girl on phone a gd employee I ordered from Essence today and it took me 3 calls just to get a order. They said their system was down. Okay, that was absolutely fine. I understand unexpected things happen. But after I call, a very courteous young lady took my address down. She had said she wasn't sure they delivered that far. Though I live only one block beyond the line she said. Or 4 at the most because it wasn't clear. She then asked her manager to deliver to me because I had waited for the system and most of all I was a new customer. I did get the order, though only for today they will deliver to me. So I guess I'll have to move my house pass Kimball to get delivery. Its a great restaurant but clearly this manager SUCKS at Customer Service. This place is at Wilson and Lincoln. I'm at Central park and Montrose. Not like its the south or west side. I've worked in the restaurant business, and the point is to get business; not turn it away over a small triviality
(2)
David K.

The first bad sign was when there wasn't a single Indian person dining in, and the two chicken dishes we ordered were not memorable and tasted rubbery. They might have been having a bad day, but it was so bad that we didn't even take our leftovers, and I am a human garbage disposal. Recently, we gave them another shot, because we love Indian food and decided to order for delivery. The food was ok, but the prices were more expensive than what their website was reflecting. Maybe I was spoiled from going to Cumin all the time when I used to live in Wicker Park, but there are better options.
(2)
Carne A.

Simply outstanding! Very nice, quiet and clean restaurant that served as an incredible meal. They adjusted the spice level to our desire and accommodated a special dietary request without any problem. I had the chicken makhani (Butter Chicken) and Chicken Korma, Lamb Vindaloo and son had a veg dish called Paneer Khurchan. We had the garlic naan and vegetable samosas which were perfect. We are only visiting, but would eat here frequently if we could! Thanks for a great meal.
(5)
N L.

I no longer trek to Devon Avenue for a good Indian meal. Essence of India has wonderful Indian food closer to home. Excellent samosas, the test of every Indian restaurant. We've tried almost everything on the menu and haven't been disappointed with anything; from the vegetarian items, to the seafood, to the chicken. This place can be pretty crowded, so make a reservation, especially on the weekends. They also have take-out and delivery. One caveat: they clean the tables with an ammonia glass cleaner WHILE YOU'RE EATING! It's horrible. Nobody wants to smell ammonia while they're eating
(4)
Michelle F.

When my favorite Indian restaurant on Devon closed down, I was heartbroken. But then I tried Essence of India, and I feel as though I've been given a second chance at love. My husband and I went here for dinner on Valentine's Day. We made a reservation ahead of time for 7:30 p.m. We were able to find parking relatively easily, though this can be a challenge in this area. When we got inside the restaurant, all but one of the tables was taken. We got the last table, which of course was in the worst location. It was right by the door, so not only was it cold but people standing around waiting for a table were basically looming over us. Then, of course, a couple came in after us that didn't have a reservation, and they were seated within moments at a nice cozy table in back. Oh well, c'est la vie. Anyway, our experience got much better from there. They gave us that crispy wafer-like bread (I don't know what it's called) along with various sauces and chutney. Really tasty. For food, we ordered three different dishes and shared them between the two of us. In addition to wine, Naan and rice, here's what we got: - We got the Shahi Paneer. This had cottage cheese cubes in a cashew, tomato and cream sauce. This was amazing. So creamy! We absolutely loved it! - We also ordered the Murg Tikka Masala, which is basically chicken in a creamy sauce. Delicious! - We also got an order of the Shrimp in Coconut Masala. It was OK. It's a sour dish and just didn't have the same great flavors that the other two that we ordered did. I wouldn't order this again. We were pretty stuffed after all of that, but we still had some food left to take home. We also ordered two mango lassis to go, which were a nice way to end the meal. Overall, this was a great Valentine's Day dinner. I defiantly want to go back when it's less crowded, like when it's not Valentine's Day. I feel like we would get a better table and better service. The service was OK, but it did seem like they weren't used to it being so busy with the holiday. I'll be back!
(4)
Rajini J.

Excellent cuisine! Great value for the price. This is one of the favorite neighborhood restaurants of my family and a frequent destination whenever anyone of us have a craving for good Indian meal. We love almost everything on the menu...you cannot go wrong.
(4)
Melissa C.

The food is fairly good- their standards are worth eating. Do not try to order over the phone- the staff will hang up on you and or put you on hold multiple times in the middle of a sentence without mentioning it to you first. When you arrive to pick up your order, you will notice that they are not busy at all and it will only add to your confusion about why they had to hang up on you. Honestly, very weird- but there food is pretty good.
(3)
Anne-Marie K.

The food was plentiful but very sweet. I've enjoyed a great deal of Indian food in my 56 years but have never had such sweet Indian food. However, everything was well prepared and fairly well spiced and you can order mild to hot spiciness. The waiter was very attentive and accomodating. I'll probably not come back unless in the area.
(3)
Philly G.

Great food. Well stocked bar. Had the vegetable samosa and butter chicken with naan. All of it was delicious and not oily at all. Would definitely be back.
(5)
Ron A.

Had dinner here this past week with Pakistani neighbors who had highly recommended it. I hadn't had Indian food, other than home-cooked meals by friends and neighbors, for many years. We elected to order a little bit of everything and share amongst our dining companions. EVERYTHING was outstanding from the samosas,rice,butter chicken,tandoori chicken,etc,etc.etc. The service was excellent and the hosts were gracious as they chatted with us and greeted my friend's mother who was visiting from Pakistan.I plan to return soon.
(5)
S C.

After hearing my friend complimenting the chicken makhani for the 1000th time me and my friends decided to try this place. The food was GREAT, the interior is good and even though we were sitting by the door we weren't cold (I am the kind who will have sweater on at 70â„‰). I did like the chicken makhani and the soft naans but not fan of the saag paneer, it only had one little piece paneer in it (I questioned my friend wondering if they had blended the paneer with the spinach). I didn't feel welcomed at all. The server barely came to check on us, the only time he came was when we had to turn around and try to catch him looking at us so we can call him. Disappointed with the service but will go back for the food. Don't live to far so I can always do carry out.
(3)
Jacob T.

The night I went the service was slow despite the place being nearly empty. The food was fine, nothing memorable, but not bad. What makes the place a 1 star instead of a 3 star rating for me is that you have to buy rice with your entree, which at an Indian restaurant is intolerable to me.
(1)
Nicole R.

Essence has great food. We've tried other places but no where has come close to the rich flavors that essence has. We always place the same order and they are very consistent in providing the same flavors each time. It is a bit expensive but we don't mind because we know we will never be disappointed.
(4)
Adam K.

Great neighborhood place. Great service, tasty samosas, chicken tikka masala and the naan here is divine. Try their specialty cocktails, they are pretty great. I'm coming back here for classy Indian cuisine done right. Highly recommended by many people.
(4)
Nicole B.

Essence of India was ok. I really liked the paratha. My favorite indian food is the saag paneer/palak paneer/ anything that is spinach and cheese, so I got the saag chaman. The pieces of cheese were small and sparse. The overall texture felt sort of pasty in my mouth, but it tasted good with quite a bit of rice. We also had a chicken dish that was good, very well cooked, but a little sweet for what I think of indian food. Both dishes had zero spiciness which was shocking since it is an indian restaurant. So, if you are wanting something that has a mild spice you might want to specify about that. We added cayenne pepper to our liking (this was delivery). Overall, I don't think the food was worth the price. Two entrees, add rice, add a paratha, and now its $45 for two people without drinks. Personally, I have higher expectations if I'm spending $20/person vs $10-12, and I don't think this was worth it. Next time I want Indian food I think I will go to Paprika.
(3)
Alicia M.

The samosas are amaaaaaazing! We've had Essence of India delivered and we've also eaten in the restaurant. It's so good no matter how you have it! It's also super affordable. Hubby and I always order the samosas, naan, and the butter chicken. It's more than enough to fill you up and you can't beat a night out with quality food/service under $50! We had that plus wine and beer and it was still under $50 including tip. Everyone keeps talking about how pricey it is, but I completely disagree if you compare it to other places on Lincoln Ave.
(4)
Erin B.

I just want to start off by saying that I rarely write yelp reviews. I am not picky, I have good experiences at most restaurants I go to. Also, I love Indian food...it is my favorite. That being said, this was some of the worst Indian food I have ever had. I paid $12 for a small bowl of saag. The saag (usually my favorite dish, also very hard to mess up) was awful. It had very little flavor. I'm pretty sure baby food is more complex in flavor than this saag. I've had better saag out of a microwave packet, which says a lot because that stuff is nasty. I was so hungry and it was so bad I couldn't even eat it. Also, for $12 they do not include rice or anything. Just a small bowl of nasty, flavorless goo. My fiancÃ© got lamb and it was overcooked, but his wasn't nearly as bad as mine. I should also mention that we were not greeted until we had been seated for about five minutes, no drinks or anything. After being greeted, My water glass sat empty for a solid ten minutes after I drank my first glass and they were not busy at all. There were two servers literally staring us down while we ate. But I refuse to be that annoying customer who waves a server down, and I shouldn't have to be. I told the server that I didn't care for my saag. He didn't ask if I wanted anything else, he just took the bowl away and the saag remained on our check. I didn't expect to get anything for free, but it would have been nice if he had offered something else. This place was all around awful. I recommend going a little farther north and eating somewhere on Devon. Do not go here.
(1)
Jaime G.

Been a long time since I had some Indian food so I happend to find this place. And I love the Essence of India. The Butter Chicken blew me away. Think of a great mild Thai curry - add yogurt and the typical red spice that you see in many Indian dishes. Add chicken and basmati rice and it's a home run. I also tried the tandoori chicken salad (just because I was jonesing for some tandoori chicken but wasn't too hungry. It was excellent too. Service is good here but come early. This place in a Friday / Saturday night seems to get packed quickly. Prices are a little high esp as compared to Devon street and stay away from the Indian chi tea (awful). All in all, great place to get your Indian fix without going to Devon.
(4)
Martii K.

Tasty, but a little bit on the pricy side. If you enjoy your food on the milder side, this is the place. Their chicken makahani is some of the best I've ever had. Cozy little neighborhood place. Parking can be tricky, but no more so than up on Devon.
(4)
justine h.

I'm surprised at how much this place has gone down hill. The food was not good at all, extremely over-priced, and even worse the naan was sub par!!!
(2)
Veronica L.

Met some friends here for Sunday dinner...the atmosphere was nice and staff attentive...the food was good.
(4)
Kylie S.

Dropped in last night for date night and we had a nice experience. I love the location, right on Lincoln Ave. it's easy to walk to/from other bars and restaurants. It's also across the street from the Davis theatre - so a good pre-move dinner. We had great service and the restaurant was busy, but not overly crowded, on a Thursday night. Ordered Taj Mahal beer and a glass of red wine during dinner and the drinks were good. The food was the most "okay-ish" part of the evening. We ordered the vegetarian Dal Turka and the Bhuna Chicken for our main course, served over rice. There was almost too much spice going on -- I think every spice was good, but there were just too many mulling around in each dish for me. Additionally, with all those spices in the dish I would have preferred plain white rice, but it was a jasmine (or something) rice that had it's own flavor which complicated what was going on in my mouth. We might be back, but I'm going to shop around for a bit.
(3)
David G.

I have had much better Indian food in the past. I am in no hurry to go back sorry to say.
(2)
Shawn P.

So I initially gave this place 5 stars, then revised it down to 2 recently because we had ordered a few times and the chicken was rubbery. I am happy to be revising this back to 5 stars because the chicken has improved and we are back to ordering here on a regular basis. If you want traditional indian with the full flavor you can't go wrong with this place. Best place outside of Devon Street. I live in Lakeview and when I found out they delivered I've been ordering here like a mad man! I've ordered from virtually every indian restaurant around me and not one single place comes close to Essence when it comes to flavor. I'm very happy they have made a change to higher quality meat. I go with the tika masala (hot) . . . its amazing!
(5)
Kelsie L.

We wanted to explore Lincoln Square and it's many restaurants it has to offer, so we chose Essence of India and we were ultimately disappointed. While the food was fine, the service was hilariously bad. Our waiter was a middle aged gentleman who didn't care about us at all. He didn't offer us drinks, he didn't once ask how the meal was, and when we needed the check he waved a bus boy to drop it off at our table. Essentially, he never came to our table after taking our order. What a shame, I love Mutter Paneer and theirs wasn't bad but, we won't be back.
(2)
Natalie B.

Clean, nice atmosphere and expansive menu. Pretty much all of the requirements for your neighborhood Indian restaurant.
(4)
J S.

I do not know how this place managed to have such a high rating. The food is terrible or at the very least not very Indian. Again when I mean terrible, I do not mean the quality. It is clean and fine. If you are not looking for authentic or remotely satisfying Indian food maybe you can go here. The decor is nice and you feel like you are eating some kind of ethnic food. If you want real Indian do not go here. I also noticed non of the good ratings are by Indian people. The true test of good food is if the restaurant can attract people who are from where the food is. (Indian people eating at indian restaurants, Chinese people eating at the Chinese restaurant etc ...)
(1)
Sara D.

At the beginning of my meal I would have given this place 4 stars. Our waiter was a little impatient and grumpy which knocked down a star but he seemed to be that way to everyone. After ordering our food it was casually asked "rice and naan?" so I thought nothing of replying with an immediate "sure!". Everything tasted great. The crackers and chutney at the start were nice and the main entrees (both chicken: murg tikka masala & murg lajweb) were flavorful and nice portions. We ate through the rice quickly so asked for a refill. Then, the bill came. It turns out our agreement to rice and naan cost us an extra $10!! Seriously?! Now, I know I'm going to get knocked for not looking at the menu because I'm sure it was listed but when you have an impatient waiter tapping his foot at you one tends to order quickly so as not to get the evil eye more than once. Each plate of rice (because yes, they charged us for the refill) cost an extra $4 each. I assumed (wrong, obviously) that rice would be included with our meal and when asked to add it on I was never told it was extra. Even when we asked for a refill of rice no one spoke up to say it was an additional charge for a refill. I dunno, I just think that's bullshit. THEN, four hours later it started: the sickness. I am still (almost 12 hours later) dealing with some of the worst stomach issues I have had in a very long time. To be clear I am not someone with a "sensitive stomach" who ate something they knew would not sit well. This restaurant has put me off Indian food for a very long time and I will never visit this particular establishment again. Not worth the risk.
(1)
Andrew C.

I love Essence of India. Great service, delicious food, great naan, what more could you ask for? Every bit as good as any place on Devon...and just a WAY better atmosphere. My only beef is that the samosas are SO big that they sometimes arrive a little cold in the middle. That I don't like....and it would be great if that would improve. Nothing disastrous, though. Other than that, it's my "go to" Indian restaurant. Very good staff who have been there from day one. You can tell everyone's happy to be there...and that's a big deal!
(4)
Emily B.

We had butter chicken (requested all white meat), tikka masala, garlic naan and rice- Everything was AMAZING. I can't wait to go back. The service was also great
(5)
Helena B.

Primo location on Lincoln, lovely interior - a wonderful start before we even sat down. We started with samosas - quite good. I recommend using the sauces they bring out - the green and red ones are perfect complements. Next Round: I went with the tandoori catfish (Why? When have you had tandoori catfish? Never, my friend! This dish sparked a conversation as to whether catfish were native to North America and I was, in fact, dining on a true global fusion dish). Anyway, tasty. I like fish. If you don't, you... probably won't like this dish. In that case, I recommend what Fiance got - the butter chicken. Butter chicken? I know - I thought it sounded a little dumb, but it is FANTASTIC. The sauce was amazing! Seriously, I dumped it all over my dish and then lapped up the remainder with naan. This is, no contest, what I will be ordering next time I'm here. Don't let the color of the sauce fool you - it's bright red and kind of looks like it would taste like liquid fire, but it's pleasantly sweet. Do it. We both washed our meals down with Indian beers. Go local, y'all.
(4)
Guillaume Z.

My wife and I really like Indian food and having just moved back to Chicago, we were eager to find a good Indian restaurant in our area. Yesterday we tried out Essence of India and called for delivery. Unfortunately, Essence of India was one of the worst Indian food experiences we've ever had. The first warning sign was the delivery time. When we called, they told us that it would take about 45 minutes which seemed reasonable for delivery. However, the delivery guy showed up just 20 minutes after we called. We live about 10 minutes driving distance away, so this meant that Essence of India only needed 10 minutes to get our order ready! We know that a restaurant doesn't cook everything from scratch after you place your order, but in this case it was clear that there was no fresh cooking involved at all! Just taking pre-cooked stuff and putting it into delivery containers. We always order the same 2 dishes at every Indian restaurant we go to: saag charman and murg tikka masala. We love these dishes and by always ordering them, we have established a good reference point for comparing restaurants. Unfortunately, the quality of these 2 dishes from Essence of India was among the worst we've ever tasted. 1. The spinach in the saag charman had been pureed into oblivion and all that was left was a watery dark-green sauce with little spinach taste left. 2. The tikka masala sauce was also watery and the chicken was dry - which is not surprising I guess given that it must have been sitting there for a while. We were unable to finish eating the dishes and ended up heating up frozen Indian entrees from Trader Joe's that we had in our freezer. It's sad to see that a frozen Indian entree was better than restaurant Indian food from Essence of India. Add to this that Essence of India is not a cheap place (e.g., rice needs to be ordered separately) and we'll have to continue our quest to find a good Indian restaurant. Essence of India definitely is not one of them.
(1)
Tamasin F.

Just moved into the neighborhood and walked into this place randomly, and had a really great experience. It was busy but there were 2-3 tables open so no wait and service remained prompt and friendly throughout. I asked my server for a recommendation between 2 dishes I was eying and he steered me to the lamb biriyani, a great choice: big chunks of lamb, which were very tender, in a flavorful rice dish. And what really made it come alive was adding the raita, a yogurt based sauce which came with it. When I commented on this combination, my server gave me a quick oral recipe for raita, and made me think for a moment that I could actually make this myself at home. Ha! And why would I, when I have a place that makes it so beautifully, just around the corner from my new apartment?
(5)
Paige L.

The decor was nice, our servers were very attentive and we loved the food. We had the vegetarian sampler to begin with and devoured everything on the plate. Our main dishes were large enough portions for lunch the next day and they were both delicious. I admittedly don't know a ton about Indian food but was very pleased with the way everything tasted, including the naan. Paying extra for rice (when they didn't mention we would be charged) wasn't cool but also wasn't enough to ruin our experience. And the mango vodka martini was like dessert in a glass - if I knew the first thing about making martinis, I'd try to replicate it at home!
(4)
Natalie S.

I have to say... I was plesantly surprised! My husband and I were meeting some friends at Spyner's just around the corner but needed to grab some dinner first. We wandered the Square but he didn't want German... wandered away from the square and saw this place. Is it the best Indian food I've ever had? Absolutely not... that spot is reserved for Hema's Kitchen... and I've eaten in my fair share of Indian places. But this is closer to my house than Devon and delicious so I will be returning. We had the shrimp appetizer... Yum. The shrimp were on the small side but flavorful. We also ordered the chicken murg and lamb vindaloo. The chicken was moist and lamb was tender... can't complain. We ordered our food as spicy as they can make it and weren't all that impressed with the heat... but our tollerance is significantly higher than the average person. When I want AWESOME Indian food, I'll trek out to Devon. When I want something in the area, I'll head here.
(4)
Dan S.

Ordered through grub hub, found a piece of METAL in an samosa, yes a PIECE OF METAL, see photo. Tried calling restaurant and phone must be off the hook. This place should be closed down!
(1)
Holly L.

YUM. I don't know why this place doesn't have higher reviews. Yes, it is a bit pricier but I honestly think it's better than some places in Devon I've been to. It's clean, service is nothing to complain about, equipped with Indian beers, better atmosphere than most Indian places I've been to, and the food is excellent. The first time I went it was a week night and there was probably one other table in the restaurant which concerned me a bit.. But we ordered two Indian beers, vegetable samosas, butter naan, rice, butter chicken, and I believe the murg tikki masala. As you guys read, they give you a little crunchy naan like thing (I have no idea what it is) and a few chutneys. Those are good, although one of them is unbelievably salty. All of the dishes that we ordered were really good, but the star was the butter chicken. AMAZING. I never knew I can enjoy Indian food this much. The murg tikki masala was yummy too but the butter chicken was just so buttery and savory. I craved the butter chicken after that so much I had to go back! That time I tried the lamb pasanda or palak and butter chicken. The lamb was good, although it was like dark green in color and definitely didn't look appetizing. But again. THE BUTTER CHICKEN WON. Oh and I also tried this mango martini (I know, martini at an Indian place? I dont know) but it was surprisingly pretty good. It was definitely different from anything I tried before, heavy with mango flavor (which tasted like fresh mango) with cinnamon powder on top.
(4)
Sarah M.

My friend and I ate here and we have no complaints. Her butter chicken was a bit sweeter than we've had it at other places, but that's not a huge deal. My lamb was amazing, and my mango lassi even better. Our waiter was nice, even though he hovered a little, but to be fair we were the only ones in the restaurant as we were there at off hours.
(4)
Russell K.

Food is excellent but it is simply far too expensive for what you get.
(3)
Dallas F.

You know those essence waters that has a hit of fruitiness but ultimately no real flavor? That is what Essence of India was to real Indian food, a hint of what could possibly be Indian food, but essentially no real flavor. All in all a massive disappointment, unfortunately. I went in on a weekend so they had a lunch buffet available. Having frequented many Indian buffets lately I was accustomed to standards such as chicken tikka masala, palak paneer, and lamb curry being available, however at Essence of India these very popular items were missing from the line up. The veggie samosas looked like little potato pancakes instead of a stuffed pastry. They were hard, from perhaps being out too long, and flavorless. The naan was burned. The one highlight was the tandoori chicken which was moist and flavorful. Ultimately the tandoori chicken couldn't even save this meal. I paid and left and went to Devon Avenue to satisfy my Indian craving as this was a let down.
(1)
David Z.

Another local gem that I hadn't visited in the 3+ years I have lived in Lincoln Square. Man, I suck. Food: I had the butter chicken. Although it came out in a weird neon red-orange color, I wasn't fazed.....I ate the whole thing despite the fact that I could have made two or three meals of it. Whoops. I guess that is all you need to know about how good the food tasted. Although some may consider the price a little high (think $10-$20), if you don't eat it all like a gluttonus pig, you will have enough for at least one additional meal. Drinks: They have some cool Indian beers that I have never heard of before. They're pretty decent, and cheap to boot. Can't argue with that! It's not the selection of say, Fiddlehead Cafe (across the street), but they don't pretend to be a bar with a huge beer list, so it's all good. Service: Waters filled promptly, quick ordering and plate clearing, and a very short wait for the food to come out. Sweet. Seriously, every time I go to an Indian place it seems like the service is a million times better than regular Joe-American place X. Ambiance: I liked the interior a lot. It was dark in there, but not too dark. It's a little small inside but we still had no wait for a party of five. Misc: I used the men's bathroom and noticed that the toilet is literally right up against the wall. I cannot imagine anyone actually having to sit on that thing. How would that work? You'd have to side-saddle it or something. I only had to pee so I didn't have to figure it out for myself, thankfully. All in all, I really enjoyed this place, and will definitely be back.
(5)
Elizabeth P.

I love Essence of India! Their food is always top notch. I usually order take out, and their delivery is always super fast. I have dined in though and the restaurant is very cozy. Service is always excellent. The downside....can be a bit noisy when crowded, but well worth it for the food. Also four stars because it is a bit pricey.
(4)
Vanessa R.

For over 2 years we have walked by this place and said, "We should definitely come here sometime." And this weekend we finally made it out to Essence of India after living in the neighborhood for a couple of years - shame on us! However, I now fear that I will frequently be returning, and I will be heavier and poorer for it. We came here on a Saturday night with some friends and the atmosphere was very pleasant. The dining area is cozy (in a good way, not a packed way) - great for a group or for a dinner date for two - and the interior features a very tasteful typical Indian dÃ©cor. Also, good views of the heart of Lincoln Square. I first tried the complementary crispy cracker-like item (someone please enlighten me - I have no idea what it's called) and 3 sauces to dip it in. The green sauce is AMAZING - such a unique blend of sweet/sour/spicy goodness. For dinner, I opted for one of their spiciest options, the chicken vindaloo. It was very flavorful and the sauce had just the right amount spice that I was looking for (I could have handled something spicier, however this was just right -- not overly spiced where I could no longer taste the flavor). The portion size was okay, although the potatoes were more plentiful than the chicken. I enjoyed the really neat kettle-type dishes the meals were presented in (yes, I pay attention to these things.) Oh, and the naan, my God the naan. This was probably my favorite part of the meal. Perhaps because I'm a carb addict. It was so good that we had to order several baskets. While there are a variety of flavors, we ordered the plain naan and it was warm, crispy, goodness. It was great to dip in your food or to devour on its own. The service was fast and friendly, and not at all overbearing. So why not 5 stars? * Pricy for Indian food - without any drinks & smallish-portions, expect to pay $20+ per person; * Adding to the price, surprisingly the rice is not included with the meal. However, the rice you do order is good and plentiful (two sides of rice sufficed for 5 people). Based on our experience and all of the reviews on here, I think they should consider including the rice with the meals as the dishes are already pricey. The prices however will not keep me away; I will definitely be back. I can't wait until it gets warm out and we get to enjoy some tasty Indian food on their outdoor patio. Kicking myself for waiting so long to try this place!
(4)
Matthew H.

Went there for a late afternoon lunch. We ordered chicken and lamb curries (though they don't call them curries, but you get the idea). Very good. Prices reasonable. Nice, clean dining room in great area. Don't go out of your way, but definitely recommended if you're in the area and up for some Indian.
(4)
Scott H.

I can't stop ordering delivery from this place. I'm almost embarrassed when I are the same delivery person each week at least once. The Murg Tikki Masala and Butter Chicken is excellent. The only knock is its a little pricey but maybe the best Indian food I've had in Chicago.
(4)
Kevin R.

I had dinner her last night with my niece. We started out with the Samosa's and they were great. The Chutney's were also very good. We then had the Butter Chicken and the Chicken Korma. Both dishes where great. The only issue I have is I got mine with Medium Spice and my niece got mild. There was barely any difference between them.
(4)
Javier O.

We've been to quite a few Indian restaurants throughout the city and still look back to this as our favorite. The atmosphere isn't stellar but if you get to sit outside, it's quite nice. The tables can also be a bit small for all you order, so don't be afraid to put some of the table decorations on the floor. All the dishes I've had have been wonderful. i love their sauces. In fact, that's one thing other places just can't seem to match up to. The naan is always a pleasure, as well. Overall, love Essence and always love coming back!
(4)
M P.

Came back here a week or so ago after not having eaten here in several years. The food is definitely better. If you eat meat, the non veggie appetizer sampler is a must! Excellently cooked. The chicken is so tender it's magical. Every dish was awesome. You will spend more here than up on Devon but I'm willing to pay more for high quality like this.
(5)
Alycia P.

When you walk into a restaurant to pick up your to-go order, and the owner is sitting in one of the back tables eating Subway, you're probably not in for the best meal of your life. So, we dug into our food with low expectations and were not disappointed. I ordered the buttered chicken and the meal came luke-warm (we live 1 block away; it didn't get that cold on our walk home), the sauce was quite sweet, and the actual chicken was absolutely disgusting - I'm not sure what part of the chicken I was eating. Super fatty pieces as well. Also had some garlic naan, which was covered in garlic yet didn't taste very garlic-y at all...weird. Another reviewer was right - with Devon Ave not too far away, it's much better to take the trip north than settle for this place. Or, do like the owner and get some Subway instead.
(2)
Angela W.

I used to visit this restaurant a lot (I live within a block), but after a number of sub-par experiences, I won't be going back. It's expensive, but I could previously overlook that because the food was decent and it was the only Indian food in the area. Recently, however I don't know if they have changed their chef or recipes, but the food has tasted distinctly different- as if it has an artificial flavor additive, such as liquid smoke.to adjust the heat in each dish. I visited this past week, and you could smell the 'smoke' flavor in the dining room- a definitive flavor additive, not anything coming from the grill or cooking process. In future, I'm taking my business to Paprika on Lawrence- a little further away, but hands down better and more authentic Indian.
(2)
Steve M.

We ordered dinner from Essence of India last night, and it was a delicious! We had 2 garlic naan and 2 chicken tikka masalas. One of each is definitely enough for two people to split. We asked for spicy tikka masala, and while it was no vindaloo, it was successful at producing some schvitz on my brow. The chicken was delicious, and the garlic naan was about the size of two frizbees together. It was perfect for sopping up that extra curry goodness. Delivery came quickly, and was $40 for the entire shebang. I guess Indian food delivery is just expensive in this town. Essence of India: do it if you've got the Indian food addiction and you're up north!
(4)
Arlene A.

A completely enjoyable experience all the way around. We were with a group of 10, and honestly I can't think of a better way to dine. We got to try a multitude of dishes, all delicious. Butter Chicken? yes please! If you enjoy rice dishes, may I recommend the Biriyani with chicken? Also available with other meats or none if that's the way you roll. Reasonably priced, and proof that a place doesn't have to be super fancy to provide you with a wonderful dining experience.
(4)
Simone T.

How this restaurant has remained in business while others far better have come and gone is beyond me. This is mediocre Indian food, at best. Make the hike up to Devon. Once you do, you'll see why this place isn't worth it, even as a delivery or take out option when you're too exhausted to cook.
(2)
Renee E.

Ever since my friend planted the samosa seed in my head the other day, I haven't stopped thinking about them. So, my husband and I had a lunch date for Saturday and the first thing that popped in my head was mmmmm....INDIAN! We didn't feel like trekking to Devon, so I did a little search for someplace closer to Logan Square. Essence is in Lincoln Square and those Squares need to stick together. We started with the vegetable sampler, which was advertised as a samosa (MINE!), a vegetable cutlet and a vegetable pakora. What we actually got was TWO of each item, plus some extra unidentified breaded vegetables, plus some supplementary raw veg and another mystery breaded item (which was delicious). The sad part was, the samosa wasn't the best I've ever had. It kind of reminded me of a mini potato pie. The crust was a little omnipresent. But, I was hungry... For entrees, I got the saag paneer (they called it something different, sag chaman?) I was asked if I wanted it mild or medium spicy, I said, "bring it on, I can take the heat!" My husband got the Paneer Khurchan, non spicy. And a side of garlic naan. Unfortunately, we stuffed ourselves on the apps and the complimentary poppadums so our entrees packed the punch of a tiny kitty fist. My saag was indeed VERY spicy, but it was really strangely textured, pureed to an almost puddinglike consitency. This was redeemed by the fact that they didn't skimp on the paneer (like a lot of places do). Unfortunately, I think I actually liked my husband's more. All in all, we had enough food left over to reheat for dinner and I ended up enjoying my saag more the second time around, in front of the TV, in my jammies.
(3)
Minna A.

I like it! But I'm biased because I love restaurant that allow you to personalize your own level of spiciness. I love that everything is attune with their "essence of India" theme, with their list of imported Indian lagers and their wall art and decor. (The salt and pepper shakers are cute!) We had the garlic samosas, butter chicken and the lamb palak--plenty of food to share with some left over! The spicy lamb and savory butter chicken were pretty memorable, but I think my favorite thing... was the free dipping sauces. The cilantro/mint one that tastes kind of like chimmichurri is to DIE for.
(3)
Heather H.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! That would be for the Mango Spice Martini. Outrageously addictive too, I want a pitcher of 'em, or better yet, can I swim in a pool of this stuff?! I'd drown happy. Left the 5th star off because I really don't think they need to charge so much. I get it, you have to pay rent on a Lincoln/Wilson corner, but $11 for the vegetable dishes? Boo. However, I will say that I really enjoy the spices that they put in the food and they seemed to fix the portion sizing, it was getting a bit skimpy a few years back. Happy that seems to have been taken care of. I'm a sucker for their Chana Masala, which I have to say is my favorite in Chicago. It's my go-to dish I always order, and nothing on Devon can compare to this one. I get it with the saffron rice. Sure, that turns it into a $20 dish, but I will say that yes, it's worth it. Plus, you'll have leftovers. Shared with the Baigan Bharta (smoked, pureed eggplant with tomato and onion), and the Onion Kulcha (it's oniony happiness!) it was really the perfect meal. While it's not cheap, and not a fan of the television that's in their now, it is good Indian eats in Lincoln Square. And check out their cocktails; you won't be sorry.
(4)
Noa P.

Tonight, 4/2/12, I ordered Indian Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Biryani and Garlic Naan at 6:24pm on a Monday night. I paid about $30. Not cheap. It is about 60 degrees outside and clear skies. At 7:30pm the food arrived (I live 1/2 mile from Essence) and it was cold. The tandoori chicken, 2 pieces (a leg/thigh and a wing/breast, about half of a very small chicken) arrived wadded up in a crumpled up sheet of aluminum foil. The naan also came in a crumpled up piece of foil. They looked like balls of aluminum foil en route to the recycling bin. Both of these I will generously call tepid in temperature. They tasted fine, but were cold and packaged like I was eating leftovers of someone else's dinner. The biryani came in a typical round plastic take-out container. The chicken was greasy and fatty and the rice was not very flavorful. This dish was totally cold. You fail, Essence of India. -- Authors Note: I called the restaurant to let them know the food arrived cold. I was told that the food leaves the restaurant hot but that the driver had 2 or 3 deliveries before mine. I was then thanked for my feedback and told I could get a free Tandoori Chicken next time I placed an order. As if there will be a next time....
(2)
Jenny B.

$4 for basmati rice??? WTF I wouldn't complain but the quality of the food is not on par with places on Devon Ave. Big rip off!!
(1)
Kay A.

My husband and I visited Essence of India last Sunday and found it to be a very good experience. We had never been to an Indian restaurant and expressed this to the waiter. He was very kind and helpful and recommended two entrees and an appetizer. All of it was delicious. The atmosphere in the restaurant was just delightful and very pleasant. Additionally, we ordered dessert. I ordered a rice pudding which neither of us liked at all. We told the waiter and he immediately took it off the bill which we appreciated very much. We are so glad to have ventured into Essence of India and will definitely return. Thank you ESSENCE OF INDIA.
(5)
Marc W.

Should be a 3.5 review....come on yelp give us half stars! Essence would have been an easy 4 star restaurant if the following happened. 1. My server seemed angry at the world. Not sure what his problem is, but he brought it to work today. 2. Why don't we just assume that I want rice with my dish. Last time I checked rice won't break the bank. Other than that, this is a clean restaurant in a great neighborhood that stands up to any of the other Indian options you will find in the city. If you have any suggestions for 5 star Indian let me know. VItals: 1 Beer Garlic Naan Vegetable Samosa Malai Kofta White Rice $27.50
(3)
Dan P.

The food is really good... maybe not super authentic but really fucking good. Then I got a job here, and realized why... everything has heavy whipping cream in it... making it super rich. But who cares when its this damn good! Tikka Masal, Butter Chicken and Saag Chaman, keema naan, and lamb biryani.... are the best options. I gained too much weight on my delivery shifts! I still love you Satya!
(5)
Emily K.

I was a total skeptic before I actually ate here. Indian food outside of Devon tends to be overpriced and not great tasting. But now I'm a believer! Food is great and service is prompt. It's more formal than most Indian places (not stuffy but you tend to see people on dates rather than families coming in for meals) and more expensive than what you'll find on Devon but I like to think of it as a convenience charge for not having to take 2 buses north. They charge extra for rice, which I hate so much. So much. Do you really expect me to eat my butter chicken with a spoon or something? It's like charging extra for tortillas when you order fajitas. The cost to you is negligible and it's basically a part of the meal anyway. I can rant about Indian restaurants charging for rice all day. Anyway, you'll pay more to eat here than you would at most places on Devon but the food is comparable and (for me, at least) the location is easier to get to. I've done takeout too and the food was ready quickly and packaged nicely to get home.
(4)
Caroline M.

We order delivery from here a lot. The food is consistent and good and the delivery person is a woman which I dig.
(4)
Melisha S.

I have enjoyed the food when I eat in the restaurant, but the delivery quality is frankly terrible. And for the price of the food, I won't be ordering out again from Essence of India.
(1)
Johnny L.

Great chicken special and the naan is really well done. The Mango lassi is really tasty but not the best I've had. The chicken was super moist and flavorful.
(4)
Jamie H.

I've been here two times now, and I'm not totally crazy about it. It's decent food, just nothing great or special. Both times I started with the fried veggie dish for an appetizer, it was good...but it was disappointing there wasn't really any sort of "healthier" alternative (ie not fried) for an app. The nan wasn't too bad, I should have gotten it with butter or garlic, plain it was very plain. It was hot and fresh, though, so that's a plus. I got one of specials the chicken salad (very crazy, Indian, I know), it was only $8 and had a TON of chicken on it...so that is a huge plus. But, all the other "real" Indian dishes have just been OK. Staff is nice enough and it's close, but I likely would pick somewhere else next time I go out.
(3)
Omar K.

This place is pretty good. If you're looking for a nice indian place for a date or something its pretty solid, with a nice atmosphere, good service, and relatively good food. Being a pakistani however i am pretty critical of indian/paki food and would say this is just your average place, nothing special. If you're concerned more about taste than ambient or service I would go to paprika which is closely. I don't like to steer people away from a particular business, but I'm just trying to help people out who want good indian food.
(3)
May K.

I went there with my Indian friend for dinner before going to Old Town School of Music. I got a fish curry and he got something else. We were both VERY disappointed with our food. You could not have Indian food that is more Americanized than this. Both of our dishes were extremely sweet and had barely any spices in it. There's something wrong if you get bland food at an Indian restaurant. We both asked to make our food hot. Um.. either the server mixed up his instructions or what we got is the hottest they can make their food, which wasn't hot at all. My friend was furious - and rightly so, since he's Indian and he thinks they misrepresented Indian food. We will certainly never go back to this restaurant nor encourage our friends to do so. If you want real Indian food, go to someplace on Devon. Anything has to be better than this place.
(1)
Vicki Z.

Food was delicious! Best naan ever and the butter chicken was so good, I came back here one week later and just as delicious! A great addition to Lincoln Square :) P.S. I wasn't too familiar with Indian food (it was the second time I've had it), but the servers gave great recommendations and were really friendly.
(5)
Courtney G.

I would give Essence of India 5 stars in a heartbeat if I could get past the cost. It is our absolute favorite Indian restaurant in Chicago. Murg tikka masala, add mushrooms. Garlic naan. Samosas. Mmm. God. I always, always plan to eat my leftovers for lunch the next day. And I always, always eat them around 2AM instead. The prices are also higher than any other Indian joint I've encountered in the year we've lived here. $14 and NO RICE?? WHA? Sadly, the other Indian places in our neighborhood can't compete, so I guess it's worth it. We keep paying.
(4)
Paul S.

Favorite and most consistent Indian place I know. It's more than I like to pay for Indian, but it's good.
(4)
Pam D.

My boyfriend and I spent a Saturday wandering around Lincoln Square and decided to have dinner at Essence. We were seated right away in the corner, granted by the window, but had to squeeze through other patrons that ignored my three requests to get by. We could hear everything being said at both tables and one table really needed to take their conversation home or tone it down. The waiter was fine, but needs to learn how to smile, or make people feel more welcome. My boyfriend was undecided between two dishes and ask for a recommendation and got nothing. He decided on a lamb dish, myself a vegetarian dish. We also got the vegetarian sampler, a rice dish, garlic naan and mango lassis. We were brought a plata of papadum and various chutneys and their papadums are amazing with the cilantro mint chutney, or I was really hungry! The mango lassis were good, but came in tall, narrow glasses with ice so not worth it. The food was okay. The Kashmiri rice, which we've had someplace else, was a bit dry, small and just not that good. Our entree dishes were fine. The garlic naan was awful! It was cold, had garlic only in the middle and the garlic was probably the jarred stuff. Was very difficult to eat. We had lots of leftovers which is fine, but when we got home I realized that they didn't give us our leftover naan. That's half an order that they threw away! And I could have fixed it at home and made it decent. And we were never asked if we wanted dessert, which we might have.... We were handed our bill with out leftovers. I brought my leftovers to work and the container opened up during transit, fine, but when I went to reclose the lid the container broke! We will never go back!
(1)
Dennis L.

I love Indian food! Thus, I wanted to give Essence of India a shot due to it proximity to where I live. We visited for dinner on a Saturday evening. The atmosphere was very comfortable and homey. My wife and I were constantly drawn to the one TV in the restaurant that was showing Indian Music Videos and Bollywood advertisements. We order the vegetable samosas, garlic naan, peshwari naan, tandoori chicken, and murg tikka masala. Yes, it was way too much food for two people (especially with the 2 order of naan), but I wanted to try a few different things. Besides...we were celebrating my birthday a day late. The samosas were excellent, and I love the garlic naan. I did not really care for the peshwari naan, which sounded like it was going to be amazing. The tandoori chicken was perfect and the murg tikka masala was delicious. Overall, a solid dining experience with good service and wonderful food.
(4)
Annie M.

I'm obsessed! Tonight was my first time and I'm happy to say, I'm hooked. I have had Indian cuisine a few times with girl friends, but didn't really know what to order. I called to place a pickup order and the girl helped me choose the veggie korma and the saag chaman. I was afraid of "cottage cheese", but it's more like the texture of feta. The sauces that they provided on the side were yummy too. I suggest medium spicy! Honestly a party of two would be very happy and extremely full with a garlic naan to lap up the veggie korma with. I promise it will not disappoint. So long sushi cravings, hello Essence of India!
(5)
Richie D.

All this time I thought I had to go all the way north to Devon for good Indian food... Well thank the Hindu Gods that I have discovered this not just good but DELICIOUS Indian hotspot in my neighborhood of Lincoln Square. It didn't help that this entire week I had been craving Indian food oh so badly and just overfed my desires. EoI starts you off with three complimentary chutneys which are all superb. Don't pass up the liquidy red one (sweet with a little kick and goes perfectly on the Samosas) or the green one (sweet seasoned perfection). I usually strongly dislike the crunchy things they serve them with due to some strange fish oil taste that leaves a horrible after taste but EoI does something right because I ate it right up like it was my very own Last Supper. Their Samosas are delectable and perfectly fried golden with a tender potato and pea stuffing. There is no better way to get your taste buds accustomed to the flavors of spices. I can never pass up Naan when dining on Indian cuisine (pay the extra few cents for the garlic one with pieces of garlic cloves), simple basmati white rice to bring the spice down a notch, the Butter Chicken in a heavenly red cream sauce and any of the vegetable dishes seasoned just right. For those who have sensitive tastes, mild spiciness is just right. Just a few suggestions for ya. EoI accepts reservations so take advantage of it on the weekends by making one. The outdoor patio is also pleasant on nice days. They also deliver if you live within a 12 block radius. Be sure to plan on taking a stroll along Lincoln Square after eating to work off all the deliciousness you are about to experience. I'll be back for their lunch special for sure!
(5)
Karen X.

Still clueless on ordering the right kind of food - can't get used to the "mud-like" dishes :-)
(3)
Gina F.

I hadn't been to Essence of India in some time...several years maybe. I always felt they were a little pricy, so we'd usually head to one of the places on Devon. I'm glad we came back, though! Friends suggested it for dinner tonight & there we went! Everything was excellent. My friend's husband & I split 2 veggie dishes while she & my husband did the meat dishes. We started with some drinks & samosas (which are huge...easily split). For dinner I tried vegetable korma for the first time, and it was very nice. Medium turned out not to be spicy at all, so I'd probably go hot next time, but it was very tasty. I also tried something from the new menu, a dish of potatoes & green beans. It was not a spicy dish, and actually had a mild sweetness to it, like carmelized onions. It was really good! I'd definitely order that again. The meat-eaters had chicken sag, which they requested be extra spicy--which it was-- and the rogan josh. By both accounts both dishes were delicious. In addition to all that food (if you can beleive it) we got an order of vegetable biriyani & the bread assortment with the 4 types of bread-- peshwari naan, garlic naan, onion kulcha, and pudina paratha. I'm a bread-lover & this did not disappoint. It was great to try a couple varieties at once. Overall, I was impressed by the food. The service was attentive and the food came out timely. I still think it's a little pricy, but still a good place to eat at a nice location in Lincoln Square
(4)
Megan K.

After trying a few Indian restaurants on Devon when I was a student at Loyola I was surprisingly sorely disappointed. After recently moving to Ravenswood, I happened across Essence of India and thought I'd give it a go. I arrived around 7:45 on a Monday night and there was literally NO ONE in the restaurant... the wait staff was just hanging out by the bar waiting for someone to come in. This was a little awkward (and typically a bad sign!), but I was determined to have some delicious Indian food. The waiter was very friendly and gave us a few moments to look over the menu. I've tried a wide variety of Indian food, so I was comfortable with trying out one of their "Lamb Essence" dishes, the Josh Rogan. My dad, on the other hand, was freaking out because he couldn't find his go-to Indian dish, Lamb Madras. I asked the waiter if they had something similar on the menu, to which he gave a prompt no to. After my dad hemming and hawing of the menu for another 10 minutes, the waiter came back and said they'd make the Lamb Madras for my dad. That took me by surprise, and I was happy that they were so accommodating. The food took about 20 minutes to come out, which I take to be a good sign meaning that it's somewhat, if not completely, made to order. While we waited we were served Indian "chips" and a variety of chutneys. Their mango/jalapeno salsa was quite spicy, but it was balanced out by the mint and sweeter chutney. I enjoyed these as you could tell they were homemade and fresh. When the entrees came out I was pretty pleased with the dish. It had a nice spice to it when ordered medium, and it built up as I was working my way through. A few pieces of the lamb were tough/fatty, but some of the pieces were extremely succulent and melted in my mouth--the way lamb should be! I finished about two thirds of my dish and was absolutely stuffed. You could definitely get two entrees and share between three people with 1 or 2 sides of rice (which unfortunately you must order separately). Considering this restaurant is dangerously close to my apartment, I will definitely be back and up for trying some of their other entrees.
(4)
Katie B.

The naan was fantastic, some of the best I've ever had. I was disappointed in the lack of heat. You really have to beg them to turn it up! The dishes are delishes, but too expensive. I think next time I crave Indian I'll stick to Devon.
(3)
Christine M.

For a first timer I didn't know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. Clean restaurant and quick friendly service with good food.
(4)
Dilip D.

everyting good, except for Saag paneer. good atmoshphere.
(3)
Michele W.

I have eaten here four times now, and was always sad that they didn't deliver, but I would happily drive over to Lincoln with mouth watering for yummy Indian goodness -- but YEA!!! They do NOW!! They really listen to the spice level requests and I don't know why other people are whining about "skimpy" portions.. there was more than enough in each container for three people to have healthy servings of all the entrees we got: Malai Ka Kofta- which was so flavorful I think I have my new favorite, Shahi Paneer - another yum.. the cheese was just so fresh we battled over the leftovers, and of course -Butter Chicken. We had the Paneer Kulcha instead of Naan, which was really good. Totally recommend :)
(5)
Te D.

I'm on a quest to find the best Indian food in Chicago... so far, Standard India Restaurant by Belmont is winning. Essence of India was kinda pricey. The waiters were average (you know, they took our order and brought our food- the usual). The food was more filling than I expected but maybe that's because I had half a croissant and starbucks before I came. The ambiance is cozy if not a little crowded. Hmm, can you tell I'm a little disenchanted with this place? I ordered Vegetable Biriyani, and my friend ordered an okra dish. The okra dish was perfect. The rice, on the other hand, was kinda dry and not spicy enough. The naan was pretty good and the water was delicious! At the end of the day, I'd rather take my money to S.I.R's buffet for the same price ($13) way more food and better flavor. Sorry, Essence, I was rooting for ya'
(3)
Brian C.

I really have enjoyed every meal I've had here. One night after having eaten here months ago my girlfriend and I were craving Indian food and looking for delivery. THEY NOW DELIVER! Awesome... but we were hesitant. Would the food be as good delivered as it was when we had it in the restaurant? The answer was a pleasant surprise as the the food was deliver fast and very fresh tasting! The chicken tandori is incredible, the mutter paneer was wonderful and the nan was perfect! I would highly recommend this gem
(5)
Aurore L.

Once upon a time, my gals and I were gathering once a week for food, booze and TV shows. And gossip. LOTS of gossip. Then, life happened. Winter settled down, Isa dislocated her shoulder, Mimi had a massive job interview to prepare, Monica and Jen - papers to write, and me, well, I was freer than I had been in years but left alone with my gourmet dinners, my bottles of wine, and Netflix. You can shed a tear. After 6 months of this regimen, we decided that it was enough. Essence of India came up to spicy up our first get together of the year. And you know what?!?!?! The guys were invited...... Not totally a four star in my books (a tad too expensive, a vindaloo dish not-so-spicy, a forgetful waitress) but since the menu is expansive and the naans delicious, I round it up. No BYOB, but fairly priced wine and beer (and a nice cocktail list), busy on a Friday night but not overtly so, no fixed gratuity for groups, easy parking. If you have vegetarians in your life Indian is the best option out there. And when you also have a spice fiend who couldn't handle the heat in your life she can easily find mild dishes to indulge with the rest of the group. Winner. Finally, I cannot end this review without mentioning our new ecological cause, born in a moment of drunken exhilaration. I invite all of you to embrace it, without question please: "Maple trees are animals too. Maple Syrup is Murder" Order your tee-shirt NOW.
(4)
Len L.

I usually don't order carry-outs for any cuisines, but was surprised how good the food was when I brought it home. The veggie samosas was very flaky and filling. Had my favorite, butter chicken with garlic naan. It was excellent, I was surprised that they put a lot of chicken in this order and the chicken was juicy, not dry like other places. The prices was reasonable and won't break the bank.I will definitely come back to this place.
(4)
Luke L.

Best Indian food, EVER! you may see a lot of people talking about this butter chicken dish, which is actually called Chicken Makhani, and if you love an amazing tasting spicy curry dish, PLEASE TRY THIS! its so good its name is misleading, although it sure has a ton of butter, the sauce is a tomato/curry sauce with a great spicy kick and a bright red color that makes it a good candidate for the worst possible thing to spill on a carpet, ever Note: i have tried this dish at over ten + other places and nothing could even compare the green sauce that comes free with every order is an amazing salsa like flavor that contrasts spicy foods perfectly if you go here, anything you get on Devon Ave will look like garbage there is only one drawback, which is that it is very expensive, but totally worth it
(5)
Vanessa U.

My Momma had just arrived in Chicago for a week-long visit, and after attempting (and failing, thanks to unexpectedly locked doors) to show her the Old Town School, we decided we were hungry but we didn't know what for... I don't know Lincoln Square too well, but it seemed like the majority of the places were serving upscale bar food, and we were hoping for something different. Ah ha, Essence of India! One major plus for them: they had a patio. I LOVE a patio. I will eat/drink just about anywhere if they have a patio. Thankfully for us, the food was awesome! We started with vegetable samosas, and something that was brought to the table (although I couldn't tell you exactly what it was) involving a think crunchy cracker/bread, and various topping sauces. All of it was really great, although one of the toppings (it looked like spiced olives?) was really spicy and sent me into something of a fit. Mum ordered a dish with spinach and shrimp, and liked it, but said it was a little too salty. I ordered shahi paneer and loved it, although maybe I shouldn't have asked for it "extra spicy"? I was a little flushed by the time we finished. We shared a plate of basmati rice and garlic naan. I really enjoyed this experience, and I thought the food was good (although I have had better Indian food here in Chicago), the winning combination for me is tasty food and a PATIO! I would like to return and try some different dishes.
(4)
Sarah B.

Yes, it is Americanized, yes, it is expensive. It is also more convenient than Devon for a Southern Uptown girl. Also the meat is less creepy than the the mystery meat you may find in more authentic restaurant's dishes. Yes, I am a white girl from Nebraska; get off my case. I have not eaten in the restaurant. I have had delivery once and take out another. The first occasion was delivery and the food came hot and fast (heh). My Samosas were a little dried out but everything else was fine. I asked for spicy and really got spicy. Love that. The second occasion was take out. The guy on the phone asked for my phone number and this must have brought up previous orders because he asked if I wanted everything spicy this time, too. That was kinda nice. I will have to eat in sometime and check out the atmosphere. The staff seemed friendly enough.
(4)
Robin L.

Ordered delivery a few nights ago. I got butter chicken,garlic naan, and vegetable samosas (I didn't really want the samoas but I heard they were good and I was trying to hit the delivery minimum.) The Butter chicken was excellent but not as spicy as I wanted. Next time I'll put "medium" in the comments--what I got tasted like a "mild." Garlic naan was good as were the samosas. Delivery took only half an hour and the food arrived hot. Would be five stars if rice wasn't extra. Who doesn't eat rice with their Indian food?? Despite that I will definitely be ordering from here again.
(4)
Reina L.

I like Indian food, and have visited this place a number of times. Overall, the restaurant, layout and menu are not bad. Not consistent, but not too terrible not to come back to. I really like their chai tea, which, with a light veg meal, sometimes makes my afternoon after a nice walk in the area.
(4)
Trish W.

Tonight I ordered via GrubHub from Essence of India and I was sorely disappointed. First of all, for the first time, I had huge delivery issues. My order was mixed up with someone else's. The restaurant called me and apologized profusely and reassured me the driver was coming back to get the " wrong" order and would bring mine. When he arrived, I told him to please ensure my food hadn't been tampered with at all. Finally he returned with my order. Of course by now everything was cold and even after reheating just didn't taste like I remembered the food tasting previously from this place. My drink was forgotten also. Plus, I wasn't at ease eating food that they can't guarantee hasn't been touched, etc. They should have prepared new food for both of us. I say this because in the past when other places mixed up orders that's what they did, and they explained that once they deliver something, it's out of their control. So they won't take back a wrong order to redeliver! Makes sense.
(2)
E M.

This is the essence of something all right, but it ain't India... I can't be the first one to make this joke. A friend took me there last night and confirmed everything I've always felt. While Essence of India is clean and pleasant enough, it's definitely not fresh. How can I tell it's not fresh? Well, it was flavorless and not really moist in texture; all the ingredients were separated (with some spices clumped on top to mask the tastelessness); and... It came out in a jiffy. Usually it's just plain bland (even when you request "spicy"), but last night it gave me stomach problems. And not in the way you expect from a decent Indian meal. With Devon right up north, why would you waste your time here? This place is the only thing that's survived as long as the Daily on Lincoln, and I can't figure out why. Surely the fine people of Lincoln Square have more discriminating palates than this!
(3)
Scott C.

In Lincoln Square, Essence of India tends to be our go-to place for Indian food when we are in the mood for it. The food is consistently flavorful and there is a hearty amount in dish - we rarely leave without taking leftovers with us. The restaurant is simple but clean and the service is consistent. Most of the menu allows you to select your heat (or spice) level so you are not in danger of having really hot food unless you do it to yourself. I've found that the medium level spice is spicy enough but if I'm feeling adventurous I'll have it a bit hotter. My favorite dish is chana masala which is rich with spices and flavor. It's always outstanding with the freshly made nan. The papadum is tasty along with the dipping sauces that are available too as an appetizer. The liquor selection is a bit limited but there are a variety of wines and a small beer selection that compliments the meals. A nice cold beer is very good with the spicy dishes at the restaurant.
(4)
jennifer p.

Two things: 1. We were served undercooked tandoori chicken (on two separate occasions) 2. They recently installed a flat screen television in the dining room that plays graphic music videos-- everything from violence to sex. NOT a family friendly experience. Will not return.
(1)
Edward L.

Few all you can eat Indian places can compare to the holy grail of Gaylords, but it was a warm afternoon and some samosas and tandoori chicken seemed like a good idea. You pass Essence of India all the time on your way to Gene's or Mertz's and always think to yourself I should keep this place in mind, but rarely commit it to memory. Then, the clouds part and you're walking down Lincoln and all-you-can-eat beckons your name. The food is plentiful and spiced quite nicely, if someone conservatively. The samosas were plump and paired especially well with the zesty cilantro chutney. The tandoori chicken was a highlight, tangy and super moist. I was disappointed to not see Saab paneer and the meat curries were served in an oily broth rather than a rich curry sauce. Some of the vegetables curiously close to Green Giant especially in respect to the carrots. I was perhaps most disappointed by the lack of tapioca pudding as a dessert, som drying I take to be a staple at all you can eat. In it's place was a tart, vaguely warm yogurt and fruit cocktail "custard" that warranted a bite but no more. Essence of India, for 10 bucks you provide value and decent food and the definite advantage of being close, but for better all you can eat, I will still be trekking up north.
(3)
Josh S.

Essence of India is a good Indian restaurant that consistently meets your expectations. Its prime location (in Lincoln Square, across the street from a movie theater, near the Brown line and near plenty of bars) ensures that its always busy, but I've never needed a reservation. The service is always excellent. Essence of India serve fantastic samosas; they're the one thing I order every time. Besides that, I try to order new items on the menu. Thankfully, Essence will serve you food that is as spicy as you order it. I normally ask for the Rogan Josh, very hot. The lamb is beautifully tender and the deep, flavorful sauce transforms even the blandest rice into a a delicious meal. The food is reasonably priced. Expect to pay between 11-15 for an entree. Rice and naan come in wide varieties and are solid. Parking is easy and they have limited wine, beer, and cocktail menus.
(4)
Kim J.

The boyfriend and I eat here pretty regularly. The food is good, but it's honestly nothing special - we're just often too lazy to go all the way up to Devon. If you want a decent amount of heat in your food, order it spicy. Their heat levels seem to be off (medium gives you almost no heat). They recently changed the menu. Last night I tried a new dish - a dish with dried fruit, potato, and paneer. I did quite like it - but I do have a fondness for things that are sweet. I also had some of the boyfriend's lamb vindaloo - not bad, but the lamb was a bit overcooked in my opinion. We'll continue to go here because it's convenient for us - but I wouldn't go out of your way to go here. Go up to Devon instead.
(3)
Cam B.

I just ordered my meal (deliery) from Essence and I'd have to say that it was just average. I got the Butter Chicken (which came Mild, even though I was never given an option...I would have preferred some heat to it). It was VERY sweet. Sweeter than what I've ever had at another Indian restaurant. Chicken was tasty. I couldn't eat much of it because it was so sweet and rich...I think a little heat would have helped. Had I known it would come mild, I would have said so (so, if you want it kinda spicy...speak up!). I also got basmati rice, paneer kulcha and a soda. The bread was okay...char'd a little too much. The rice...I can't tell if my order got mixed up or what...but I think I actually got the saffron rice instead. It was okay. Delivery service was pretty expensive. Food for one person was almost 26 dollars. Granted, there are plenty of leftovers. I just think it's a little ridiculous that an indian dish doesn't come with rice automatically...the rice was an extra 4 dollars. Overall: WAY WAY WAY overpriced. Average food. Big portions. I'll stick to Standard India on Belmont instead.
(3)
Mike F.

Good. Real good. Nice, fast, tasty and a wide variety. At first blush some of the portions might look small to you but they are so rich you will be filled up all right. Then when you wipe the remaining sauce out of the bowl with that last piece of naan you'll be pleasantly beyond your limit.
(4)
Katie F.

The wait staff here are all very nice... But their food is not. I got the butter chicken and every piece was fatty. Completely inedible. I will not be back.
(1)
Donovan H.

one word sums up this place for me...YUM! I thought I hated Indian food until I tried this place. I had the Butter Chicken (chicken Makhani) The chicken was tender and lean...it was delicious. We accompanied our main dishes with Butter, Garlic and Keeman Naan and I would recommend any/all of these. I also tried my friends dishes and loved them as well. I'll be back to try more...maybe this weekend.
(5)
Anurag D.

This place truly sucks! We went here for lunch buffet. We asked for the a la carte menu as well which never came so we were forced to eat the buffet. The buffet was pretty much fuc$Ed up! The "butter chicken" was some concoction of tandoori sauce with sweet tasting butter, $hit to say the least. The tandoori chicken felt like it was crow meat! The vegetarian section was not cooked properly and the mutton was undercooked. All in all this place is a $hit hole!
(1)
Rui Carlos d.

The decor is great...that's about it. Finding a parking space in the neighborhood might be tough, even in the pay-to park areas, where I lost a space I was heading towards first by some less than considerate driver. The service is less than friendly, except for the busboy, (who happened to not be South Asian). The busboy greeted my girlfriend and me and showed us to our table in the corner, however, we had to get by two tables of people whose chairs were close to each other, and asked them both to please scoot their chairs in so we could get to our table. The waiter was stiff and rather unpleasant to have around while he took our order or checked up on us every now and again. Their papadums were the best part of the whole meal, the mint chutney was great and the mango pickles were lovely. After finishing my first glass, I had to ask to have my water refilled, after it sat at the edge of the table for about five minutes. The most egregious moment was when I tasted the garlic naan, which came to us, cold and damp, hardly edible at all. I took a bite and left it to take home and put in the oven to reheat it. But they didn't even have the courtesy to put it in our leftovers bag. Their Kashmir rice was greasy and nowhere as good as we've had it at another Indian restaurant (The Little India on Bryn Mawr). Their mango lassi comes in small glasses (not very tall and not very wide round, maybe 6 oz.). Their serving sizes were small. We ordered their vegetable appetizers (which my girlfriend had to ask if they were actually vegetarian, as she saw something that was questionable; the waiter informed us they were in a very harsh damage control sort of way, after we had asked the friendly busboy if he knew). I ordered lamb saag (spicy), however, I had a less than pleasant moment in the restroom as their food made me immediately sick. (And other than the giant ornamental sink, the toilet seat wobbled from side to side, and the state of the men's room was perfunctory, not very elegant at all, not like the main dining area). Overall, other than the garlic naan, the food was good, but the whole experience left me feeling rotten about having dinner there. We're not going back, even if someone else pays the bill. Thanks, but no thanks!
(1)
Jenna P.

I am admittedly biased towards Hema's Kitchen, so that is what I compare every Indian restaurant to. And Essence of India didn't live up. First of all, the bf and I both ordered cocktails. They were $9, which is annoyingly high but it's what I've come to expect from Chicago. However, these cocktails were tiny! I did not feel my 6 ounces of hurricane was worth $9. Next, the food. We ordered the butter chicken, which was tasty but a little too bland even for my taste (and I am not a huge fan of spice). The lamb biryani was especially disappointing... it definitely seemed to lack some key flavors. And several pieces of lamb had huge chunks of fat on them, ew! The service was also a little strange. I was there on a Saturday night and about half of the tables were still full. The staff of 4-5 waiters stood in the corner near the buffet and stared at everyone while they ate. On the one hand, this made for VERY fast service... the second anyone twitched, a waiter would swoop down to the table. But on the other hand, it was a little strange and it made me feel like I had to rush through my meal. I would have understood if we were there near closing or something... but when I come to a restaurant a full hour before closing on a weekend, I don't want to be rushed! I will most likely try this place again, mostly because there are few Indian restaurants in this neighborhood. But I was not impressed and I felt this mediocre food was overpriced.
(2)
Fernando B.

We were greeted by the owner and although the place was nearly empty he didn't seem to happy to see customers. He didn't offer anything hing to drink other than water and when I asked him about beers he simply directed me to the wine menu and disappeared. I had to call him again to order a beer. The food was not great. I ordered the murg tikka masala, rice and nam. It was poorly spiced and rather bland. My wife's lamb was better. Overall not a great experience. I will not be coming back.
(2)
Anne M.

I have wanted to try this place for a long time, and finally did over the weekend. This is a small, cozy restaurant with a small outdoor patio for summer seating. We sat inside and had a nice meal. Upon seating we were presented with some flat breads (tortilla-like - don't know what they're actually called sorry) and a trio of sauces. We ordered some butter naan, rice, a creamy chicken curry and some kind of lamb dish. We enjoyed everything we ordered. My chicken dish had zero spice to it and it was almost sweet. I ordered the mild version of the dish, but next time I would kick it up to medium to try and get some kind of spice (and this is coming from someone who doesn't like spicy food). Aside from the tasty food and quick service, I also enjoyed the details here. A fresh rose on every table. Heavy silver serving dishes for all the food. Antique looking little silver spoons for sauces, and dishes. I'd definitely come back for more.
(4)
Hilary C.

I think this place is wonderful, just a little out of my budget so I don't go there too often. I'll admit I've only tried two dishes; they were so fantastic I just want them every time: chicken tikki masala and vegetable korma. Out of this world, I tell you! And the waiters are very courteous and attentive.
(5)
Kristine U.

It all started with the movie DARJEELING LIMITED. My boyfriend and I had an Indian night with Indian food and the Wes Anderson flick mentioned above. This was my first venture into Indian food (I don't count prepackaged meals from Trader Joe's) and it's been quite delicious. We've ordered from here three times now. The samosas are great although the third time we got them they were a little spicier than before. I highly recommend the Gosht Korma which is a lamb dish that just melts in your mouth. I've also had the Chicken Shahi Korma but the chicken was a little on the dry side the second time around. But the Aloo Paratha is my absolute favorite thing on the menu. It's basically potato stuffed naan. Delish! It's even better with a side of mango chutney. The red sauce is also good. The green sauce not so much. I've only ever had delivery from here so I don't know how good the dining experience would be. But delivery has always been quicker than quoted on the phone and they've always been pleasant (be sure to order a side of rice if you're getting delivery because it won't come with your meal). The food is usually big enough that my boyfriend and I split an entree. All this reviewing is making me hungry and I think I know what I'm having for dinner tonight.
(4)
Erika G.

Good food . . . just good. I had the Lamb Vindaloo, medium hot - and while it was tasty, it wasn't hot-spicy, or even exceptional. A tad overdone. The food here doesn't seem to have the wonderland of spices that more authentic places on Devon have. Attractive decor, and charming, low-key waiters. My dining experience was pleasant enough, and I'd probably go back if it was a group consensus, but I doubt I'd search this place out on my own.
(2)
Javier B.

Kills me to give this place 2-stars. I love the fact that there is an Indian restaurant within walking distance of my house, but I have eaten here three times now and the food has been very mediocre every time. The first two times I had lamb dishes for which the sauce was really tasty, but the lamb itself was really tough and barely edible. I have tried a few vegetarian and chicken dishes and I just haven't had one thing yet that made me think that I was having really good Indian food. I hope they stay in the neighborhood forever, but I also hope they improve their food quality. Probably won't be going back unless I really have a craving for Indian and am feeling lazy.
(2)
Anon N.

For the price, this place is a bad deal. I'll echo what other reviewers have said with the "rice isn't included? WTF??". $21.00 for a single vegetarian meal? Wow. Good thing I didn't order the chicken. The paneer was hard and the sauce was soupy and runny. Decent flavor but noticed a weird plastic-y aftertaste a few bites in. Only thing going for them is the fact that they serve lunch on Fridays-Sundays. Next time, I'll just wait an extra few hours and order from Paprika, which is just a few blocks west on Lawrence.
(2)
Alli H.

I usually haul all of the way up to Devon for good Indian, but was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this restaurant that is a little closer to home. It's definitely not the best Indian I've ever had, but it was pretty darn good. Prices are fair, outdoor seating in the summer is really nice and the garlic nan is killer.
(4)
MARK G.

It feels funny not to have to go all the way to Devon to get such amazing Indian food... but you don't. The food at Essence of India is so delicious they have kept us as customers since we discovered them in 2004. Dinning in is always nice as it is a very casual setting, easy to bring kids to, and pretty easy to get a table too. We mostly take out so we can over order and nobody will know! Parking is never an issue because of the Old Town School of Folk's parking lot about half a block down.
(5)
Jon S.

The service was fine, and my date's dinner seemed alright. But my dinner was definitely a one-star, so I can't bump this up any higher than two stars. I've had a lot of Indian food and this was not good. It was a chicken dish with a masala sauce, I forget the exact name. I think it was #38. So at the very least, avoid #38!
(2)
A Q.

Cool atmosphere, so-so food.
(3)
Katya C.

If I wanted to eat bread and potatoes for dinner, I would've visited my Russian grandparents. Seriously, I don't expect to drop 40 bucks and get a bunch of starch with some sauce on it. The shrimp vindaloo (spelling?) had about 3 peices of shrimp in it, and the sauce tasted suspiciously Prego-esque. Rip off!
(2)
Bev h.

food heaven. i have been craving this basically for months- since the last time i had it! the minute i smelled the tikka masala and keema naan my taste buds started crying tears of sweet joy. exquisite flavors. perfectly tender chicken. savory sauces. delightful naan. omfg, i could go on forever! called in a to go order and it was ready in 20 min- no fuss. officially my favorite restaurant in the city!
(5)
Tiffany S.

The butter chicken was good. Sweet and a little spicy. VERY buttery. Can't be good for you. The tandoori chicken was dry and flavorless. We ordered some catfish dish that was just gross. Lamb vindaloo was okay. Service is alright.
(2)
Sara S.

our server wasn't entirely helpful, but whomever created the masterpiece we consumed made up for it. the matar paneer was so good i'd have made a bet that i could live on only it for the rest of my life, but i wasn't dining with a gambler. the lamb vindaloo was superb as well - though i don't recommend it to the faint of tummy... if you are an indian food enthusiast - this place should be on your list.
(4)
Sara B.

I was surprised that Essence received such low marks from others, but it seems that there is a significant difference in quality between meat and veggie dishes. As a vegetarian, I can't speak for any of the meat dishes. However, every veggie dish I've ordered has been spot-on yummy! I like my food hot, and they don't disappoint. If you're looking for a meat-free meal, this is a great place. Samosas and naan are also spectacular. Yay for Indian in Lincoln Square!
(4)
Joel S.

Ever order your favorite dish at a restaurant because you are afraid you'd order something not as tasty and have wasted your trip there? That's how I feel when I try other Indian restaurants that aren't Essence of India. I live equidistant from Devon and Essence of India, but tend to return to the latter again and again for my dependable favorites. The restaurant also has the perfect atmosphere, due to the busy city corner location with windows looking out and it's small but not too small size - I'd describe it as "GemÃ¼tlichkeit "... appropriate maybe because of the once-German neighborhood. Cosiness is the closest in English, but doesn't really do justice to the overall feeling there. Anyone headed over to Devon would be well served to check out this alternative a little bit south in Lincoln Square.
(5)
Robert F.

BUFFET Essence of India has one of the best Sunday buffets I've ever buffed. For the size of restaraunt, the selection is perfect. There's enough there to get plenty of dishes you enjoy, but small enough that you can try everything. I lament I am unable to expound the gastronomic virtues of each dish, so you'll forgive me if I advise you plainly: The food tastes fantastic. NON BUFFET Its a touch pricier than I had expected, but you can't begrudge cost when the food and service are so good. The girlfriend and I ordered separate "essences" and each shared an order of rice. SERVICE Truly excellent. Unlike a number of places in the city, these people seem genuinely happy to see you. The staff are polite and understand that not everyone has a PhD in Indian food. They'll explain everything and make suggestions without making you feel like an outsider. An altogether satisfying experience. Be sure to save room for a mango lassi for desert. :)
(4)
Scott H.

$11 - $14 a dish for Indian is not cheap by any means. So I expected a delicious meal. The Buhra chicken we received, while sufficiently spicy, was full of fatty and stringy pieces of dark meet. The good sauce and naan are what salvaged a 3 star rating.
(3)
Diane S.

No, not as good as the Indian you can get on Devon, but for those of us who don't have a car to drive out that way, Essence of India is a great local option. The buffet is good, but I think their dinners really shine. I love the Saag Chaman and the naan is always delicious. The atmosphere is intimate and lovely--it's a favorite date place of mine. The delivery is fast and friendly, too. Really, a decent price for how rare good Indian food is if you're not on Devon!
(4)
Bill C.

After running by this place nearly every week on my way to Montrose beach for my marathon training, or to take my dog Max-a-Million to the dog park, my girlfriend and I were really excited about going to the Essence of India for dinner. We went on a Saturday night and the decor was really nice, and the service was adequate, however the quality of the food was horrible (and I don't consider myself to be a picky eater). I ordered a lamb dish with a spinach sauce, and the quality of the lamb was horrible. The pieces of lamb were cut into small bite-size chunks, however it was loaded with fat and gristle, I couldn't even eat the pieces. Disappointed with my dish, I would have been fine with not ordering the lamb again, however I was shocked yet again when I went to reheat my left-overs the next day. When I opened the dish, I found a small white textured item in my food. I'm not sure what it was, and I really don't want to jump to any conclusions but the white item certainly did not look like a piece of rice. Needless to say, I ended up feeding the left overs to my garbage disposal since I was too frightened by the food to eat it myself, or even feed it to my trusty dog, Max-a-Million. If you choose to go to the Essence of India, please take my advice, and stick with the chicken.
(1)
Brian T.

Essence of India is a small, quaint restaurant located in the heart of small, quaint Lincoln Square. In general, I like the idea of the flatbread plate. It's designed to prep your taste buds for the main course, and it accomplished that and then some. I was famished upon entering, so after trying the very light and flavorful flatbread and chutney, I was practically ready to storm into the kitchen and submerge my head into a vat of mulagatani. Then, I remembered our city's health codes and ordinances, and decided to be patient and converse with my lovely dining partners, instead. Those aforementioned partners chose two vegetarian dishes. The most notable of the two was an okra-based dish. It had none of the nasty qualities that I usually associate with okra, but rather had a very nice texture and consistency. My lamb dish was bursting forth with all sorts of flavor; wonderful. When we declined our waiter's offer for something else tonight, he seemed genuinely hurt. As he sulked back to the bar area, we decided to reconsider with an order of rice pudding. Rice, milk, and cinnamon, right? Think again! Add to that whole pistachios, and cardamom spice that was like an Air-Wick air freshener for our mouths.
(4)
Dawn K.

I went here for the first time over Christmas and have been back twice since. The food is unbelievably good and the service was wonderful! It is my favorite indian food place and they are awesome with the spices, I don't like food too spicy and they gladly accomodate. The butter chicken is die to for!!
(5)
Kristina K.

Pricy: Yes. 10.95 for vegetarian entrees is on the high end of my price range. Add 3.95 for rice, and that's a little much Service: Decent. Food: My BF has declared it's the best Indian he's had in Chicago. It reminded him a lot of his favorite place in Springfield, Gateway to India (I've reviewed that too). My malai ka kofta was quite tasty, and did remind me of GtoI. I greatly prefer Hema's shahi paneer to Bonus: Outside seating on an absolutely gorgeous summer thursday night.
(4)
noel c.

my worst dining experience thus far in chicago... and also the most awful indian food i've ever had in my life. you know those microwaveable boxed indian food dishes that come in a shiny silver looking pouch? i would give these meals a significantly higher rating than any of the food that i tried today. oof, i hate to be so harsh because the staff was friendly and accommodating... but there is absolutely no way i can look past how disgusting my food was. the chutneys seemed sugared down and as if they had been sitting in the fridge for five days. the samosas seemed as though they had been re-fried several times, the paneer was the consistency of rubber and the sauce it was served in had to be a can of tomato sauce mixed with heavy cream... no spice whatsoever (as if it wasn't already bad enough). the naan actually looked like it could have been good, but i was so disgusted at that point that i didn't even try it. besides, what's naan if there is nothing good to dip it in. aside from the naan, i tried a bite or two of each item just to be fair. my partner did not even eat! what a let down. yelpers, why is this restaurant rated so high? i'm sure my experience was not a fluke.
(1)
Jay S.

Very nice Indian restaurant in Lincoln Square. The dishes are well prepared and the prices are reasonable. You don't have to go to Devon to get quality Indian food. They can spice your order up or down according to your tastes. I usually get take out and it doesn't lose anything like takeout sometimes does.
(4)
Melissa B.

Had take out from here last night with a few friends. I was pleasantly surprised, since reviews are somewhat scattered. We had the somosas, papadum, Jhinga Karahi, Dal Turka, Chicken Shahi Korma, Murg Tikka Masala, Chicken Malai Kabob, Naan, Mango Chutney and some rice. Everything was pretty tasty. I really loved the sauce of the Chicken Shahi Korma, it had a very distinct nutty taste in the delicious creamy sauce, yum! Overall though, the chicken seemed a little too dry in all of the dishes. This was a bit disappointing (especially since it is a pretty expensive place). I did not like that many items that are usually complimentary at other Indian restaurants were charged for here; rice, naan, papadum etc. Overall I would go back just for the Chicken Shahi Korma. The food was good, just a little too pricey.
(3)
Andrea W.

We order delivery from here almost once a week and visit the restaurant after seeing movies across the street at Davis Theater. Have been to Devon for Indian food many times and think this is just as good and sooo much more convenient! Delivery is super fast and food is always packaged with care and really travels well. Achari Gosht and Murg Tika are two favorites, but everything we've tried is good. For most dishes they ask how spicy you'd like, which is also nice. Delivery service saves your order from last time, which makes it really easy to place an order. You could probably find cheaper Indian food in the city, but I think in this case you get what you pay for.
(4)
Tracy K.

I ate here last night for the first time. I'll go back at some point, prolly to try the lunch buffet, but I'd just as likely check out another spot. The peshwari naan that we ordered was awesome. My mushroom mutter was very good as was the basmati rice. I thought it was a little weird that rice didn't come with the entrees, especially if you're paying $11 for a bowl of curried mushrooms and peas, but yeah, whatever. It was still very tasty. The service was incredibly prompt. So much so that we had to ask three times for another minute because apparently us studying the menu wasn't enough of an indication that no, we weren't ready to order yet. On the plus side, the food arrived superquick. I wish I had noticed the outdoor seating area prior to popping a squat inside because it would have added to the experience.
(3)
erin k.

but... i said spicy. because i meant it. so i would assumed that there would be a little spice involved, and i was ready for it - looking forward to it even. but no spice. sigh. none. and the waiter forgot to drop our check, then changed clothes to go home for the evening, then glowered at us as if we were holding him up. uhm, check please? i could have gone one star, but the veggie appetizer combo was great. i should have had that for dinner.
(2)
Theresa K.

I've always passed by this place while taking classes at Old Town School of Folk Music, just across the street, and always wanted to dine here. I ended up being in the neighborhood again looking for another restaurant since the place we wanted to eat at was packed. We decided on Indian and ended up at Essence of India. I should have known better not to go inside since the place was practically empty and all the other restaurants nearby were pretty much full. First off, the service could be better - our server was very short with his responses and barely made any eye contact. He also never checked up on us to see how our meal was or if we needed anything else. We started off with some appetizers: regular Naan, Vegetable Samosas and Vegetable Pakoras. I was not impressed. The Naan was flavorless and the appetizers were really greasy and unsatisfying. For my entree, I ordered the Baigan Bharta: smoked, pureed eggplant cooked with tomato and onion. This is one of my favorite Indian dishes and I was truly disappointment with the dish here. It was pretty bland and lacked any spices. The rice was equally unsatisfying. It was so unfortunate since I rarely venture out to other Indian restaurants, my favorite is hands down India House, but I don't live nearby. I have stumbled upon other good Indian restaurants here and there, but this was by far the least pleasant. I ended up paying close to $50 for two people and left not feeling quite full which is rare for me since I LOVE Indian food. It's too bad because I've been wanting to branch out and try more Indian restaurants hoping to find a gem. Guess, I'll have to keep looking...
(3)
Ak S.

My husband and I are vegetarian so that restricted our choices quite a bit. So maybe the meat dishes are more desirable. The veggies dishes were just okay, and in fact one of the dishes was supposed to come with veggies and cashews and it did not "because we don't do that anymore" due to many people having allergies to nuts. They said they would update the menu. In the meantime, if you go there, perhaps ask what comes in a dish before you order it. The samosas were great though!!
(2)
Beavis M.

Surprised to see so many iffy reviews as this is my favorite Indian restaurant in the Midwest. All the dishes I have had our well prepared and flavorful, but their Tandoori Shrimp is the best I have ever experienced. Holy Moly. It's a little pricey, but you get what you pay for.
(5)
Stephanie M.

i agree with someone who said the food tasted like the kind out of the pouch, which really isn't all that bad if you get a good brand, imo. too much money for what it is. service was nice. kind of hot in the restaurant. i'm not a sweaty person and i was getting very uncomfortable do to the heat (june). its located right in the heart of lincoln square, across from the davis theater. so that is convenient at least? but then again so is using my microwave.
(2)
Kristen W.

Again, having just moved here from a minor midwestern city, I am not impressed with Essence of India- mainly for the price. I have had buffet Indian food for much, much, less, and yet it dominated Essence in quality. I have a feeling that much better quality Indian food can be found in the Devon Avenue area (about 10 mintes from this location). That having been said, if you're interested in an expensive Indian meal with fabulous service, Essence is the place for you. The ambiance/surroundings are perfect, and the service is fast and attentive. Enjoy Essence of India!
(2)
Dora V.

Food is consistently delicious - and if I bat my eyelashes and *insist* that I want my food "Indian spicy," I can get it as spicy as I want it! This is not an easy feat. Great date place: cozy size, not too pricey. Can have a small wait on the weekends, but it's worth it!
(5)
Slu S.

Not my favorite Indian joint in the city, but certainly the closest. The Lamb Vindaloo is not scorching hot, but definitely hot enough. The saag is creamy. The rice can be dry. The entrees tend to be a little saucier than I like (I don't like eating my Indian with a spoon). I would stick to the Pakastani joints on Kedzie.
(2)
Jon S.

LOVE this place; every time we've ordered in the last year the food comes within 20 minutes .... hot .... fresh ... flavored oh so perfectly! We've gone into the restaurant at least 4 times this year with friends or family, and although it's busy as anything, the service is always great and the food equally good. It is a bit expensive, but honestly ... for consistency and quality; it's worth it!
(5)
Jenni S.

Probably my favorite chicken tikka masala in the city. The samosas are okay. Can't beat the location, and the service is always super nice. Oh, yes, and wonderful naan. Naan naan naan.
(4)
Kimberly B.

Now I'm not a native or experienced Indian eater.... My knowledge is from a few Chicago Indian restaurants and a few in London (including my frequent takeaways) while I was abroad so keep that in mind. I went with my boyfriend on a Saturday night and we were lucky we got there when we did because it became so busy there was a wait at a about 7:30 (Note: it's not that large of restaurant). The inside is warm and cozy inside. Towards the end of our meal we felt a little too cozy with the people waiting for a table surrounding us. I'm pleased to share this is a very clean restaurant. The waiter was pretty attentive although he seemed be overwhelmed with the crowd. Overall, I thought the food was very good. We ordered the average Indian fare that you can never go wrong with: samosas, naan (butter is the best!), and the murg tikka masala (which we shared). My boyfriend enjoyed trying an Indian beer which thought was really good and would definitely order again. The samosas were mild with a little kick and still somewhat moist - I've had samosas where they were too spicy for me and so dry they fell a part. The appetizer of samosas is just 2 samosas but they are very large. The naan was warm and moist too which is important to me because it's just not good if it's cold and dry which sometimes happens. Make sure you order rice because it does not come with most of the entrees! Also, consider sharing an entree, because there's definitely large portions. We left more than full! Overall, I thought the spices (which we ordered mild a.k.a. American style) were just right.
(4)
Tim V.

This is our go-to Indian place. It's not that it's the best I've ever had, but it's really, really solid and close to our place. I WISH, WISH it was cheaper. Then I would be able to give it five stars. So if you're rich, just pretend I gave this five stars. The chicken tikka masala is awesome, and the Vindaloo is just right (perfect spiciness). Also love the samosas. Chutneys and tamarind sauce are made in-house and are complimentary. They deliver, but it's a bit too pricey for weekday takeout. You can get by splitting an entree and ordering an extra naan to keep it on the cheap.
(4)
Natasia O.

Essence of India has been a Thursday night staple in my house for at least a year. The butter chicken and Mutter Paneer are delicious!! They also deliver rather quickly too. We have had consistently good food and service every time. I have to say I'm not a huge fan of their sat/sun buffet- but I guess I not really a buffet girl and kinda stick to the same two dishes I like here. They also have outdoor seating which is great in the summer- Indian food and people watching- what's better?
(4)
Julee M.

Hmmm, I really wanted to like this place since it's so close to my house. I just recently discovered the wonders of Indian food and I prefer to do a buffet because I like a little bit of different things and that gets way too expensive when you order full dishes. I went here for their lunch buffet and and I was disappointed. First off they didn't have any of my favorites which are pretty standard and they didn't have much of a selection. I guess I'm used to the wonderful buffet at India House and I thought that this was no where close in quantity or taste. I have only eaten at a couple Indian restaurants and I just didn't think this was all that great. It was OK, but just nothing to make me go, "Wow that was good. I want more!". Maybe I'll give it another shot and order some of my favorites off the menu.
(2)
Jeff J.

I love Essence of India. My wife and I have lived in Lincoln Square for three years, and we have spent a lot of money at Essence, both dine in and delivery. You can always count on Satya and team in delivering a first rate meal. I especially love the Butter Chicken and the Keema Nan. My wife loves the Veggie Korma with added cheese.
(5)
dave a.

It is my opinion that the only good thing here is the profit margin. Better quality and variety all along Devon.
(1)
Amanda J.

Yes, this place is slightly overpriced and the wait can be ridiculous, but what you lose in $ and minutes, you gain in quality and creativity. i grew up on devon avenue and have been to so many indian restaurants, i've lost count. essence of india is what you want those "hole in the wall"'s to be. it's cleaner, the decor is nicer, and there's not bones in your meat. yeah hema's kitchen or viceroy may be able to throw down in a match of heat and authenticity, but essence of india can hold its own, even being outside of devon avenue. which leads me to my next point.... yes, the prices are higher, but like i said, you're paying for quality AND location. the other fabulous thing is that this place is NOT BYOB. they have a full bar and some Indian beer selections(they're umimpressive lagers, but Indian, nonetheless). try the dal makhani w/ some raita and butter naan. and if you love your naan (fluffy bread baked in tandoor oven), try the kashmiri naan. it has pistachios and cherries baked into it. YUM!
(4)
Christina S.

I just moved here from San Francisco, so I'm accustomed to mediocre, overpriced Indian food (all of the good stuff is in the suburbs). Imagine my surprise when the first place I stumble into in Chicago is serving up really good food. Excellent service. Convenient location. Four stars.
(4)
Danforth Ridgewell Rutherford V.

I ate their lunch buffet, and thought it was pretty good. Good selection, tasty, not too salty. Definitely don't go out of your way to eat here but if you are here, it's a solid choice.
(3)
Jason D.

Decent food. Way overpriced. Why can't I get out of this place when I dine alone for under $23? Four or five ounces of chicken in a sauce an two pieces of naan cannot possible cost this much! Service was not much better either, I once joked with the server about prices and he responded "The prices they are". What a jerk.
(3)
Tina B.

Yummmmmmy! I always love going here. It's like a taste explosion. Wish I could enlarge my stomach for certain meals. Then I could fit even more deliciousness into my little body. Of course, whatever we don't finish makes for the best leftovers the next day. The service is always friendly and fast.
(4)
Adam B.

Great Indian food, my favorite so far in the city. Service is decent, but the food is outrageous. The flavors and aromas are intense. I recommend ordering the Veggi dish Shahi Paneer, which is one of the most flavorful dishes I've had. It's very saucy and it's a great sauce to use with any of th other dishes, including the Naans. Yum! My own review is making me hungry. Also great to bring Indian food newbies too!!
(4)
Bryan S.

I have eaten at quite a few Indian restaurants in a few different states and, I have to say, Essence of India has excellent food. I've found that the a la carte dishes are a little better than what is served in the lunch buffet, but either way, the food is delicious. The atmosphere is perfect and the staff is polite and attentive. Essence of India has made me a customer for life. I have only eaten at one Indian restaurant that rivals this one and that is Raja Rani in Ann Arbor, MI.
(5)
Heidi T.

It's not perfect. It's a really good option for Indian food south of Devon. If you live in the neighborhood, then by all means, come here. I always go here before seeing a film at the Davis, and I get take out once or twice a month. However, i live in the neighborhood. If I lived southeast of Lincoln Square and were going to drive north for Indian food, I'd go the extra ten minutes to get to Devon. As has been mentioned, some of the spicing seems...odd. The samosas are bland, but the sag paneer is spicier than advertised. I've tried a bunch of things and settled on a couple favorites that are better than I could make at home and a good alternative.
(4)
Lindsay M.

Def. my fave. indian restaurant in the Chi. Tamarind sauce, naan, murg makhani, vindaloo anything, service, demeanor, atmosphere, everything about this place loves me & I love it back.
(5)
Joy Z.

DELICIOUS garlic naan -- even get one to-go as you are walking by...it's amazing!
(4)
Ben E.

Having only eaten at the buffet here, I probably shouldn't give this restaurant such a bad review...but...the food was awful. Everything was bland, the buffet selection was poor at best, and I left feeling ripped off (despite the completely reasonable price). Maybe the food is better a la carte, or perhaps it was an off day, but I'm very reluctant to go back. If I lived in Lincoln Square I might give it another try, but otherwise I don't think it's worth a special trip.
(1)
Brandi M.

Great food, great service. The Chicken Korma & Chicken Malai Kabob (Chefs specialty), were especially yummy.
(4)
heidy b.

I have been here three times and all three times I have ordered the butter chicken with the lamb biryani--both are phenomenal! My husband has had the tandoori chicken, which was also very good. We also tried the samosas as well and those too were great. Good service. Tab does seem unusually high, then again it is located in a restaurant hot spot.
(4)
Jennifer B.

This place delivers, so when we feel like staying home for the evening and want Indian we order from this restaurant. We have also eaten at the restaurant which is a nice cozy, little corner spot. I love the vegetable korma which I don't often find on menus, so that's another reason I prefer this spot. My boyfriend orders lamb or chicken dishes. He likes the chicken kabobs, lamb meatballs from the tandor, and chicken bhuna. I have eaten at restaurants on Devon and don't see much of a difference when I compare the restaurants.
(4)
Alison T.

This was the worst Indian food I've ever had. The food was bland, and one dish (chicken korma) was so bad we didn't even eat more than a bite. The only plus was that delivery was fast but I'd rather wait for better food.
(1)
Ginger W.

I really like Essence of India. While they are a little more expensive than I would like, I do think their food is superior to most other restaurants. The saag is killer and malai ka kofta (cottage cheese and potato, dried fruit and spices in tomato and cream sauce) is one of my favorites. Everyone there is friendly and attentive. They have a lunch buffet on the weekends that is cheaper than their dinners and gives you the opportunity to try a variety of different items.
(4)
Ebru Y.

I saw this place accidentally when I took a different route to work a while back, sometimes traffic can be useful he he Being an Indian food fan, I was very excited because I haven't had any Indian food since I have moved to Chicago, it's been a year and few months. So this evening I decided to try this place with a friend. They had no chicken pakoras or that sauce it's served with, I am not sure what it is, it's garlicky yogurty something, so instead I got vegetable pakoras, which were okay but weird (taste wise) nothing compared to what Chutney's in Seattle has! Our server was equally weird, I was asking him if they had chicken pakoras, his reply to me is, no go for this one, pointing to something else on the menu, so I ask about what type of vegetables they have in samosas, because I really dislike cauliflowers or broccoli, this time he says, it's only vegetables, I ask again, WHICH ones? He is like it's all in the menu! What the hell is this guy doing working at this place, seriously? I hope he isn't the owner or something, I was so annoyed. So I quickly ordered something and he vanished, thankfully. The bill wasn't too bad for an appetizer, two entrees, naan bread, rice and drinks. It was a lot of food for a reasonable price. I am pretty sure, despite being far away from me, Devon has a lot more to offer than this place.
(3)
Maggie M.

I am a picky eater. I have lived practically my whole life on grilled cheese and cheez-its. Sad I know. About 4 years ago I moved to Chicago and decided that this was the time in my life to go Vegan. I tried that for about a year it was OK. I can't imagine not being able to eat Indian food again. Apparently a lot of their food includes heavy butter or ghee. Being so close to all of the Indian food on Devon doesn't scare this place at all. My husband and I usually make Essence a "treat" for ourselves since it can get pretty pricey but we always have enough left over for the next day's lunch/dinner. GO HERE ...I dream of the Malai Ka Kofta...you need to try it (medium or spicy)
(4)
Emily S.

FOOD POISONING - APRIL 2012 Chicken tiki mesala was super sweet, as were the butter chicken and the veggie dish. The mesala gave me vicious food poisoning - three days later and still not able to eat a real meal (other two in my party did not get sick). We have been here a few times before with no issues, but definitely won't be going back.
(1)
Erin G.

Great Indian! Love their vegetarian dishes.
(5)
Bridget S.

My co-worker kept yammering on about vindaloo. Vindaloo-this and vindaloo-that. I had brought my dinner so I didn't get on the vindaloo boat. After a quick order from GrubHub we were welcomed with a bag full of piping hot shrimp vindaloo, nann, and some other aromatic dishes. I soon felt the sharp pang of regret for bringing my dinner from home. Admittedly, I'm an Indian food novice, but the co-workers were nice enough to share their dinner and I was really impressed. We were all impressed, really, so impressed we ordered it a second night (there's talks of ordering it again this week, too). Holy freakin' VINDALOO!
(4)
Heather R.

When you're dining at Essence of India, it's almost like you've been transported to India for your meal. The decor consists of bright colored fabrics and lots of brass lamps and figurines. The pungent aroma of Indian spices consumes the restaurant and gets you excited about your meal. Me and two other girl friends had dinner there in the late fall and were all pleased with our selection. The Tandoori Chicken and the Tikki Misala are two of my classic Indian dishes to enjoy and both were nothing short of amazing. The naan bread was also cooked to perfection, but beware of the lemony pepper sauce jardiniere looking sauce they bring to the table. It is disgusting and the taste takes forever to get rid of. There are lots of choices and it's fairly affordable. I'd be as bold to say that it's my favorite Indian restaurant in the city. It's definitely worth the trip to Lincoln Square and conveniently near the Western brown line stop.
(4)
Allison C.

Hubby and I went here when we were about to see a movie across Lincoln Avenue. It fell a bit flat. My chicken dish was a little dry. The food wasn't bad or done incorrectly, but I didn't find that punch of flavor that I love so much.
(3)
Ellie F.

A friend and I ducked into this place trying to avoid the rain after skipping out on Maifest. I was excited for something flavorful and filling, but I was disappointed. The complimentary cracker-thing and condiments was OK. Two out of three dips were good enough, one was potent and terrible. I don't know what kind of flavor it was, and I hope to never taste it again. Why would you do that to a pepper? The menu isn't clear, and what look like entrees are really a la carte options. The $12.95 lamb something or other? It's just the meat and sauce - no additional sides, not even rice! You have to order it separate. I'd already spent over $15 on my meat and bread, and I wasn't about to kick it up to over $20 for a late lunch by adding in some rice. But the dishes were sorely lacking without it. The naan didn't soak up the sauce as well as I'd hoped, but it was yummy on its own (we had garlic naan). It was fine for stopping in and getting out of the rain, but I won't be back. There are much more flavorful places to explore!
(2)
Sharad H.

I order delivery at least once a week from Essence, sometimes 3 times a week. I am hard core Indian foodie having lived in India for the first 25 years of my life and have to eat it 3 times a week. This is the one of the best S of Devon other than my Gaylord, Cumin , Indian Grill, Tandoor further South in the city. The achar lamb, Bhuna chicaken are my favorites, very flavorfull and authentic. The other Indian restauratns in Lakeview are all fake Indian.
(5)
Dani S.

I've had Essence twice now: take out once and I dined in once. I give both experiences two thumbs-up. Overall, the flavors are fantastic, the service was very pleasant (I like that they actually walked around with incense at one point which enhanced, the quiet, calm ambiance), and the portions are pretty large so you will have two meals out of a single visit which is always a plus. Last time I was there, I had the Murg Lajwab and it was just as great the next day for lunch. Also, the naan is probably the best I've ever had. The dishes are a little pricey, but despite this, I definitely recommend Essence and I will certainly be going back soon.
(4)
K W.

It's tough to go wrong here. I love the coriander (or is that mint?) chutney and pickled vegetables (who knew that pickled vegetables could be so dang tasty?!). The restaurant is cozy and the service is always very good. My absolute favorite is the butter chicken, although the palak paneer is really great too, and so is the rogan josh, and well it's tough to go wrong at Essence. I do wish they'd improve their wine selection and invest in a cooler to keep the red wine at the proper temperature.
(4)
Stacey A.

I'll be honest, I couldn't tell you the names of the things I ate here if you paid me. But EVERYTHING I ate here was fucking amazing.
(4)
Cynthia F.

The food is usually amazing, although a bit pricey. I say usually because sometimes an often amazing dish comes out a little lacking. Not sure what causes the inconsistency. They charge for rice, which is a bit odd. My favorites are the chicken malai kabob, the papadum, and the gulab jamun. The food always comes out fast, and they have a decent selection of Indian beers as well as regular mixed drinks.
(3)
Amy S.

I am surprised to see so many mediocre reviews on here. This is my go to indian spot. Love love LOVE the butter chicken, have not found any I liked better, even on Devon. Samosas are killer. I like most of the veggie dishes, sometimes the saag is weird though, so I might steer clear of that. Rice is maybe expensive since it is extra, but it has a ton of saffron and cardamom goodness, so I always order it anyway instead of making my own. Delivery is always prompt. Seriously though, butter chicken.
(5)
Adam E.

Decent food but way too expensive for portion size. The food was delivered and so little showed up for the $60 we spent, that I called the restaurant to ask if it was possible that they gave us appetizer sizes. Owner got very defensive and told me that I should order from somewhere else next time if I wasn't happy. I will, and I encourage others to do the same.
(2)
Jorge M.

The complementary bred was good and had a nice spicy kick to it, but one of them was just awful! They should explain what is what, because I had to spit it right out in a semi full dining room. The entree were just delicious, both us had different chicken plate and were offered rice, but we didn't know if it came with it or if we had to pay for it, again not explained. My boyfriend which is sort of picky with food, cleared the plate, I was full way too fast, so I took mine home and re-heated the next day, it didn't look pretty but it tasted just as good. Service was okay, they had only one server and one bus-boy. They server was having a bad B.O. which was hard to tolerate and it was for sure one of the reasons why I didn't ask too much about the menu. We'll be back!
(4)
Erik N.

This place is good- but not great. It is a good choice if you live in the Lincoln Square area but if you live closer to Devon id go to some of those Indian places first.. This one is definitely better than the other 2-3 in the immediate square area though. Ive ate a good number of their meals here and my favorite is a spicy rendition of their chicken tikka murg, it is incredible (if I was rating that dish alone, it would be 4,5 stars but the rest of their menu is lacking and a bit pricey)
(3)
Emily M.

I really love this place. I wish it were just a little less expensive. I would go there more often if I could afford to. And I go there more than I should because it is so good. It's very friendly and quick service, and man oh man is it delicious.
(4)
Colleen C.

Had dinner for 4 last night...just wasn't impressed. Location was good, ambience was nice enough. Our waitress seemed disinterested, didn't really want to help us (we weren't that experienced with Indian cuisine). My dish was HOT (even had other people try it) when I ordered mild...the dishes were so/so. Nothing stellar. Presentation was bland. My dish was cracked. The desserts were borderline gross, bad texture, strange tastes. Our entrees came basically in bowls with no rice, so when we ordered the rice (extra) our entrees came out to like $17. And, the rice was undercooked. And the waitress acted like we were inconveniencing her for ordering some rice to go with the "lamb floating in bowl" entree. Hello! Obviously we don't know what's going on, you are the server, recommend we order rice with the dishes and that 2 people can split it! Just not that impressed. Maybe with a more informative server we would had a better time....but for $130 for 4 people, I think we could've gone elsewhere and had a better time...
(2)
Orlando R.

I went here for a birthday celebration on a Saturday night. I had the lamb in sauce, the rice with chicken and the yogurt sauce. Bland. Its a decent place if you are hungry but nowhere near the best Indian food in town. The options on Devon are much better.
(2)
Matt G.

Good service, tasty food and reasonable prices are the short on this place. I've seen some lower reviews, but not sure if it was their experience or mine that was out of the ordinary. I had the Chicken Vindaloo and my wife had the Butter Chicken. Both were piping hot when they arrived on the table and were perfectly seasoned (I wanted mine a bit spicier than standard). If only the portions were a tad larger, I wouldn't have qualms with the place at all.
(4)
Jamie J.

We order delivery from these guys on a very regular basis. They're super fast. Typically within 30-40 minutes. And they always get our orders right. They're prompt and they're courteous. Definite pluses there. Regarding the food, there is definitely some inconsistency. It seems to depend on who's in the kitchen that night. Sometimes you can order mild, and it will burn your tastebuds off. Other times, you order medium spicy and it's just right. Overall, the food is really good though. Our standbys are the Saag Chaman and Gosht Korma. We've been taking turns ordering other things throughout the menu so we don't get stuck in a rut. Other highlights are the dal, murg tikka masala and vegetarian korma (yummy!). Steer clear of the shrimp masala dish - way too tomatoey/acidic for my tastes. As long as we're in the neighborhood, this will be our go-to delivery for Indian.
(4)
Laura W.

My boyfriend lives in another town so for Valentine's Day I decided treat myself to some Indian food. I didn't feel like driving all the way to Devon and I had seen Essence of India while driving through my neighborhood so I decided to try it. I ended up spending $34 for two beers, naan, rice and chicken korma. My chicken korma was cooked well but was just...missing something. Flavor? Spice? I dunno. I just felt like it was chicken covered in almonds and plain yogurt sauce. Meh. The beer, rice and naan were perfect but they were supposed to complement my korma, not be the best part of my meal. I felt pretty disappointed for spending $34 and not being that impressed. The ambiance is really nice and the service was good. And maybe the other dishes are good. And maybe I'm just bitter because I was there alone and texting my boyfriend and surrounded by lovebirds. But whatever. Not impressed by the meal I got for the money I spent. I'll drive to Devon next time, I guess I get what I deserve for being lazy.
(2)
Gabe M.

Hmm, I thought it was ok. We got delivery and the butter chicken was 3/4 gravy. That was a little disappointing considering 2 entrees with tip was $42. The ghobi was not bad. But after eating at many indian restaurants I was a bit disappointed.
(2)
Chrissy P.

As a former resident of the UK I can say I know my curry. I know it well. I miss curry takeaway being as easy as ordering a pizza here in the States but whenever I have a serious taste for some spice I head to Essence of India. Whether I order off the menu or come here for the buffet on the weekends I always leave happy. Prices are very reasonable and the location is great if you're going to a movie at the Davis.
(4)
C. A.

If you are looking for tikka masala, go somewhere else. They make there own version of tikka masala which is terrible and overpriced. Not to mention, rice does not come with it - that's extra!! Lastly, the masala tea was deplorable. It tasted like it was old and been reheated several times. Very disappointing! We really wanted to like it!
(1)
Ann B.

Essence of India is one of our go-to places for Friday night takeout-they deliver quickly and the food is almost always great. We get the butter chicken and the shahi paneer. One star off for occasional variance in quality (when you get the same thing a lot, you know when it's not quite up to snuff).
(4)
Mill V.

After remembering how good their tandoori chicken was, I was longing and ordered some delivery. I got saag chaman, the tandoori sampler, and poori bread. Nothing stood out. One thing did actually, was the to go containers were dirty on the bottom, collecting whatever was on a dirty counter they were sitting on. The chicken breasts were cooked perfect, not dried out. That's huge to me, a great feat many restaurants fuck up. But the sampler was just all that, all the same. There was no seek kebab, which made me sad. If I had known that, I wouldn't have ordered that, since they replaced it with even more chicken breast. The prawn was tasty, though. The saag chaman was actually gross, and very disappointing. There was lots of heat with no other backing flavors. Poori was just mmm...ok. Overall, just ok.
(3)
Rudy S.

This is one of the best places in Lincoln Square. They have this dish called Vegetable Korma which is a coconut curry vegetable stew. This has to be one of my top 5 favorite dishes in the Chicago. It's so delicious I can't even explain it. Only complaint, I'd skip the appetizers, they are usually dry and not as fresh as some other places. I usually get the taste for samosas and I've tried them several times here and they're not my favorite. They have a great selection and prices on wine as well. This place does get packed on weekend nights..but definately worth the wait. One of the best Indian restaurants in the city. Even though I'd skip the appetizers, come here for the service, wine, and meal.
(5)
Stephanie H.

Um, yuck. I've walked by this place several times. Indian food is my favorite, and I figured I'd better try the one that's closest to my house in case a craving hits. Well, I'd rather crave. The service was terrible. The watier was incredibly rude. The food was worse than the service. The "chicken" was the most fatty meat I have ever eaten. The sauces were not good, and the dishes had very little taste. Save yourself the money and the stomach ache. There are many much, much better Indian restaurants in the city.
(1)
Whitney R.

Everything is always excellent! It's fun to order a few things and share. By far the best vegetable korma I've ever had and when I go anywhere else for Indian I am always comparing it to Essence's Korma. Great Samosas and papadam. They deliver too! And fast! I've always had great service and never had to wait for a table but a few minutes if at all. Outside seating along wilson is nice too! If I bring people to Essence they always go back for more! It's addictive!
(5)
Giselle G.

I dined at this place last night and had wonderful dreams about sharing it with all you yelpers. The night started perfectly enough. Went to see a movie and walked across the street to find that Fat Willy's would be an hour long wait. Although those times given are never what they quote we decided to pass. And thank god we did! We arrived at Essence around 9:15 and were seated immediately. Warning, the place is small and a little cramped ( Have fun getting through the maze to the bathroom!). That didn't really put a damper on the mood. The place was filled and people were laughing and talking, having a good time. We opted out of the appetizers and ordered straight through to our menu items. (Our tummies still filled with popcorn and soda) Our choices Saag Paneer, Vegetarian Korma( A mixture of peas, cottage cheese, potatoes and carrots in curry sauce), and Chiken Makhani ( Butter chicken with a butter and tomato sauce with spices), Rice and Naan and Onion Kulcha. The food came and it was time to dig in. The first thing that instantly got me was the Butter Chicken. It was AMAZING! The Flavor was delicate with the perfect mixture of spice. It wasn't heavy and the chicken was perfectly cooked. Soft and very tender. It had a sweet aftertaste, coconut milk perhaps? The Saag Paneer was an old standby, did not really jump out in flavor but was an empty bowl at the end of the night ( I have only had one bad bowl of Saag Paneer in my life). The veggie Korma was close in flavor to the Butter Chicken, it was sweet and spicy, the pieces of veggies gave it amazing texture. The Onion Kulcha was amazing as well. It had decently sized specks of onion throughout. The prices or so-so, we payed around $60 with tax for three people. Pretty standard for the Indian places that I have frequented. So in total, give it a try! You will not be disappointed.
(4)
Jeff C.

Very nice people, great location and really good food. This is one of my favorite restaurants in the square.
(4)
Stacey R.

Good salad, papadum and chutneys. Decent service. Loud and cramped restaurant. Overcooked entree. I requested spicy, and I got what can only be considered mild, at best. Not impressed.
(2)
Suzanne P.

Came here this past Friday night with two dear friends who, like me, LOVE Indian cuisine. The location is great, being right in the heart of the square, and I think the restaurant has a nice ambiance. Our service was great, with nothing to complain about there. I hate to say it, but I have had better. I ordered the Palak Paneer, one friend ordered the Butter Chicken, and another ordered Malai Kofta. These are three of my favorite dishes, yet sadly, only one of them stood out to me as delicious, and it wasn't mine. The Butter Chicken was out of control amazing. Perfectly seasoned and delicious. My dish was WAY too hot even though I asked for Medium (and I'm a girl who can handle her spice!). The Malai Kofta was just...bland. The naan and basmati rice were fine. I would give this place another try, but wasn't entirely thrilled with the experience.
(3)
Brett G.

The service at this restaurant was spectacular. The service in itself would merit a return visit. However, the spiciness of the food causes my tongue to cringe a little. I like spicy. A lot. However, my friend and I both had mouths afire before we finished with our appetizers, well actually before we finished the crispy flat-bread chips and toppings. We ordered the paratha tandoori, which was a wheat flat bread / pita. The two orders of it were very good. For the main courses, my friend got the tikka masala, which was made with breast meat. I didn't realize the importance of that until my chicken biriyanti had loads of gristle and fat in it. To the point where I couldn't eat multiple bites of it. There were enough food that I had leftovers for lunch the next day, and the spiciness was a little more tolerable when the food was not fresh off the stove and cold. My singapore sling drinks were, well, as my friend best put it, better after you're halfway through the first drink. I don't think I would have them again, although we had a nice buzz going by the time we left - my friend forgot her purse inside and I forgot my scarf. Our server was so kind and came out to let us know what we'd left inside! Of course, we were both a little embarrassed. Bottom line - quality Indian food, but maybe a little too spicy for my taste. If I go back, I will know to go a little easier on the salsas/chutneys/sauces.
(3)
Esther A.

Lincoln Square was pretty bare of Indian cuisine until Essence of India opened, so I'm definitely grateful for this tasty addition to the neighborhood. If you live near the Square and you're craving Indian food, this is the place to be! Essence of India is a little pricy, maybe, but the caliber of the food is high, and not having to take the bus 35 minutes north to get Indian food makes the extra cost worthwhile. My favorites include the tandoori chicken (really moist and flavorful, along with being one of the more reasonably priced options), the lamb vindaloo (spicy and a little vinegar-y), and the vegetable samosas (big and savory). Service is competent, beer selection is appropriate, and although the tables feel a little crowded together in the smallish space, the atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant.
(3)
Luther Z.

They deliver Keema naan Murg Lajwab (spicy as hell) That's all you have to know.
(5)
Mila G.

The ultimate meh. the girl pack and I were originally going to go to one of the Indian places on Belmont, but we were foiled by the "kill yourself before you find it" parking situation. Parking here was plentiful and available, and the neighborhood is really nice, cute bistros and Lincoln Square itself a block away. Sadly, this place was a major disappointment. One girl didn't like spicy things, and asked for no spice, no spice at all, and we joked with the waitress about sucking out all the flavor from her dish. Ironically, her Tandoori chicken turned out to be the tastiest dish we ordered. Dal makhani, and chicken saag, ordered medium spicy, were compeletely flavorless except for the pepper. Not that the pepper killed all the other flavors...they were just MIA. Normally, I am of the school of thought that says any food I leave on my plate is actively robbing a starving Ethiopian child, but this dal makhani was so bad that I sadly patted my high horse and abandoned it. The dish would be happier in their garbage than mine. On positive notes, the naan was fluffy, hot and delicious, and the mango lassi, which I tried for the first time, was tangy and rich. Bonus star for that.
(2)
Shawn C.

Um...ok, this place is fine because it's convenient. It's located in Lincoln Square on the strip where there are lots of bars/restaurants/shops etc. Also it's the only Indian restaurant around for a couple of miles. That being said, I have come here a few times because i live in the neighborhood and I LOVE Indian food. It does hit the spot when you don't want to get in the car and drive up to Devon, where it's definitely better. I'm not bashing Essence of India, it's just not up to par with other Devon Indian restaurants- which if that's not what you are looking for that's fine...I guess. Anyway, you will definitely pay about 10%-20% more for your meals. Generally at most Indian restaurants I've eaten at on Devon the Papadum comes as soon as you sit down. Here, it's an option on the appetizer menu??? To me that's like paying for chips/salsa at Mexican restaurant - not cool. Their dishes are good. The butter chicken was delicious, my lamb vindaloo was just too hot - and I can definitely handle some spice. I couldn't taste the lamb because my mouth was burning. The Naan was good. I can't remember one of the lentil's that we had, but it was just ok. Overall my meal was satisfying, but ok when you are in the mood for Indian and not wanting to trek to Devon for obviously a much better meal. The service was fine and courteous...nothing wrong there.
(3)
Bill M.

This Indian restaurant has a nice corner location at Lincoln and Wilson, an interior that is cute but not too fussy, and a substantial menu that features several "essence" categories (vegetable, chicken, lamb, tandoor). Unlike the typical Indian buffet restaurants, the a la carte selections limit you in one sense but improve on the quality of the dishes themselves. The lamb palak featured chunks of lamb bathed not only in spinach but also in a complex secondary layer of ginger, garlic, and coriander. Other selections are labeled as spicy if you want to go that route. Saffron rice goes well with the dishes here, but again this is an extra cost. The breads are good, and I enjoyed a refreshing Indian beer too. For a better value meal here, I might have to try the weekend buffet here.
(4)
Kristin S.

I love Indian food, and this seemed to be the only place south of Devon that had a good weekend buffet so I could stuff myself sufficiently. It's a bit expensive, but most buffets are and don't have nearly the quality of food you get here. The naan is perfectly cooked and addictive. It's also very nice and clean, so I liked sitting and talking after the meal. I never felt rushed to eat and leave. I haven't been back since we moved farther south, but I miss it and Trader Joe's simmer sauces can only do so much for me.
(3)
Mark K.

Good food. Good atmosphere. Always able to get a table without waiting. I left without my clothes smelling like the food. When I go to Devon Street, I have to go home and change immediately.
(4)
Allison S.

So so so good! I love Indian food, but rarely have a chance to eat it - a lot of my friends are skeptical. I had 2 friends with me willing to head here, and they did not regret it. The food is super spicy, very filling and yummy. We got vegetable samosas (highly recommend), lamb vindaloo, Murg Tikka Masala, and another lamb plate with vegetables and saffron rice. We all shared and mixed the flavors. We cant wait to plan our next trip here.
(5)
Beebe G.

my daughters and i had dinner a few weeks ago and we had a wonderful time. the place is beautifully decorated and very clean. i ordered the elephant ride cocktail which suprisingly refreshing. we ordered the lamb vindaloo, malai ka kofta and the vege biriyana with basmati rice and garlic nann. i really liked all of the dishes and side dishes. the wait staff was very nice. i look forward to coming back soon.
(4)
Ed Z.

Protip for Indian Buffets: Check the buffet before you commit. Protip #2 for Indian Buffets: Fresh Naan and Tandori Chicken brought to your table is the sign of an establishment that cares. My date and I, craving Indian food, headed north on Lincoln to hit Devon. Our hunger got the better of us, and when we saw the Indian Buffet sign, we went in to try it. Parking: Street parking on Lincoln, across from the Davis Theatre. Also very accessible via the Brown Line Western El stop. Decor: The decor was nice enough, but the tables we packed closely together and I had to weave past many filled chairs to reach the buffet. Service: It was prompt and friendly. Price: $11 for a lunch buffet is about right for the neighborhood. Food: Everything was either cold and/or tasted like it was made many hours ago (an unfortunate reality in unpopular buffets). The only original dish I tried was a vegetable medley with mustard, and I didn't like it. Their potato and eggplant dish was just tasteless mush. Their tandoori chicken was tasty, but it had been sitting on a hot serving dish and the onions were dried up, so I didn't think it was terribly fresh. The naan was chewy and cold. The worst was the veggie pakora (battered and deep fried vegetable clump). It was cold and soggy with oil. They didn't have Chicken Tikka Masala or any kind of Paneer dish. These two are pretty serious staples for me, but it was our fault for not inspecting the buffet before we committed. After one bite of each of these things, we requested our checks, paid our bill and made our way to Devon Avenue for much better Indian fare. NB: there are plenty of excellent and mediocre Indian buffets elsewhere in the city, but this one was the worst I've ever been to.
(1)
Mary F.

Ordered delivery from this Indian restaurant last night. We ordered Chana Masala, Dal Turka, Murg (chicken) Tikka Masala, Veggie Korma for entrees, and then basmati rice, and the yogurt raita with a side of "pickle" for the side. Excellent flavors abound! My only complaint was that when I opened the main dish containers, it was half sauce and maybe half meat. (only the Veggie Korma was full up.) And this was $65.00 for hubby and me. I felt a little skimped, but not that big of a deal because it was so damn good. I asked everything be medium spicy, and it was. The pickle was really good too. So four stars for this place. The delivery was efficient and the food was hot, hot, hot (as in temperature - I didn't have to warm it up.) Well done, Essense of India. But more than six medium-sized chunks of chicken next time in the Tikka Masala, please.
(4)
Michael B.

Quaint Indian restaurant located on the corner of Lincoln Ave. and Wilson. The dining area was typical Indian decÃ³r and the service was very expeditious but not annoyingly so. The food was extremely good; better than average Indian fare priced just right. The food was not over-spiced, very hot and fresh and consisted of large portions. Definitely worth the stop if in the Ravenswood neighborhood since it is half a block from a spacious, pay-park lot and half a block from Old Town School of Music.
(4)
Kelly C.

Best Indian food I've ever had....I love Indian food. My husband and I order Indian take out from here all the time.....and we are not big take out people. There is something about Essence of India that has me hooked. We love the Potato and Pea Samosas, Chicken Tikki Masala and the Chick Peas with Rice and Naan! It is just the best dinner ever!!! We do prefer to order take out but we have dined in the restaurant a few times. The service is good and food is hot. The atmosphere is pretty average - exactly what you would expect but honestly the food is worth it. Great location too! Enjoy!!!
(5)
Megane Y.

This is my favorite Indian restaurant in Chicago, and I frequent Devon Street! Everything I have tried is delicious, from the light and fluffy naan, the perfectly seasoned rice, to the creamy lassies. I like their cozy dining area and the service is always attentive. I regularly get the craving and order take-out, too. The prices are fair - the same as any comparable restaurant. As stated before, they serve the best murg tikka masala in the city! You can choose your spice level, mild, medium, or hot...but it tends to come out spicy. If you can't take the heat, just reiterate it to your server and they'll turn the heat down for you.
(5)
Shakeia T.

Went here with a friend. I would've loved to have had more enthusiastic service as this was my first time having Indian food. Got no help. Ended up choosing my selection on my own. The food was okay [I've no real comparison point] but everything was extra. Bread, rice, etc. I would've enjoyed getting a side with my chicken. I'll definitely try Indian again, but perhaps at a different restaurant.
(2)
Samantha L.

Let me start by saying that when my boyfriend told me that he wanted to get Indian food with me sometime I told him that it is the only cuisine that I won't eat. This is pretty out of character for me, I eat and like almost everything, but for some reason I have always put my foot down on this issue. I relented when I thought about the fact that the last time I ate it was when I was 16, I had to admit that there was the possibility that my taste buds had changed. And boy was I right! I absolutely loved it! I had the butter chicken, mmmmm so good! Spicy chicken in a buttery tomato sauce. I asked for medium hot and thought it was prefect for me. My boyfriend had a curry lamb dish, he likes things hot and asked for it really hot. He got what he wished for, it was so hot he was sweating but he liked it. We also had the vegetable basmati rice and it was fantastic. The samosas weren't that great, at least I didn't think so, next time we would skip the app all together. Perfect entree amount served so no need anyway. Next time I am in the area I will be back! But if I am seeking out Indian food in the future I will probably try a place on Devon.
(4)
Mathew C.

I guess I'll throw in with the "good, not great" crowd. I absolutely agree about the oddness of their spice scale. I was there last night and I asked for my Goan Lamb to be "pretty spicy" but it showed up not spicy at all, although it did taste good. A friend of mine must have cracked the spice code, though, because he started sweating about five minutes into the meal. The owner thought he was hot and offered to turn the fan on, which was nice.
(3)
Michael J.

Good food and a charming dining room. Also the location is great, tons of places to go for a drink or show later. The service started out OK, but when the place filled up, there were long intervals between seeing our server. Unfortunately, the longest wait was after we had finished eating and our wine was gone.
(4)
Greta P.

The prices were high and the service was minimal. They were packed on a Friday night and I understand that... but the place is quite small. We should not have felt ignored. I also didn't think that the quality of the food warranted $12.00 entrees.
(2)
Catticut P.

Some of the reviews for this place makes me wonder if Chicagoans know what real Indian food tastes like. I have a deep love for Indian cuisine. Done well, it almost tops Japanese as my favourite culinary adventure. Having lived near Lincoln Square for over a year, Essence of India was a natural destination for the regular Indian food cravings that hit me every so often, cost be damned. I've eaten here three times now, and have been sorely disappointed with each visit. Here's a run-down; * Naan should be crisp, flaky, hot, and a little oily. Not doughy and bland. And if you sell garlic naan for $2.95, for God's sake, please use fresh garlic - not that mass-produced shit out of a jar. * Samosas should not be dry, devoid of flavour, and lacking those famous Indian spices. If you're going to make them the size of a baby head, then at least do them right. I enjoyed the sad little rubbish heap of limp salad it was presented on, though - very artistic. * If your customer is unfortunate enough to be seated alone in an empty restaurant, it kinda unnerves them somewhat if you sit and stare directly at them with a glazed expression for the entirety of their meal. * Chai can be amazingly good, even better when you serve it in an adult-sized cup for your adult-sized price. It's also nice when you offer honey to go with it instead of the less traditional Sweet-n-low. * What the hell is going on with places that charge extra for rice, as though it is a side dish? For $3.95 you can have this apparently optional accessory for your $12.00 curry, made fresh but complete with little clusters of yesterday's rice. Speaking of curry prices, I typically go for the vegetable-based curries when eating Indian food, but I balk at paying $10+ for a vegetarian dish (I know full well that Indian is one of the more expensive cuisines, and truly understand why, but this is utter lunacy). So - after figuring I'd give them another shot and reading the mixed reviews here - I ordered the butter chicken. Big mistake, unless you live for bland chunks of tandoor chicken floating in a sickly sweet day-glo pink coconut sauce, void of any real spicing or (imperative to Indian food) depth of flavour. Then, gentle reader, be prepared to fork out $25 (incl. tip) for one person, for one sorry meal. This was with the lunchtime special of 20% off. What disturbed me most was the complete lack of aroma. I've both gifted and assaulted my stomach with Indian food from across the world, and one of the most beautiful, pornworthy reasons for doing so is that dense, rich, incredible scent wafting from the meal placed before you. Indian food is a treasure, an art form, a labour-intensive act of love. Not so here, and how terribly depressing. You guys are meant to be at the top rung of spice-wrangling genius. You kinda break my heart. I give you one star for a fairly good mint chutney, Essence of India, but woman can not live on chutney alone. Three strikes and you're out. I'm going to kidnap Raj's dad from India House in the Quad Cities and bring him to Chicago to kick your arse.
(1)
Cindy S.

I can't believe I have lived in Lincoln Square 4 years and it took me this long to get to this restaurant! Especially since it has always been recommended to me by my brother in law, who is Pakistani and loved this place when he was still living in the city. It should also be said that it has been around since 2004, which in this city, definitely says something. Tonight we suddenly had a taste for Indian food and after checking out the menu online, (great website by the way) we ordered the Murg Tikka Masala and the Lamb Vindaloo, along with some basmati rice and naan. After hustling it home in the rain, we hunkered down with our German beers and Indian food. The food was amazing. And I will say, the short time that we were in the restaurant to pick our food up, it was a very clean, well decorated restaurant that I would love to eat in next time. They had a well stocked bar and several wines on display as well. My husband and I split everything and were stuffed and very happy with our choice. We will definitely add it into our rotation of local restaurants.
(5)
Jessica S.

Service is phenomenal. Samosas are the size of a baby. Food is excellent. Prices are appropriate for the quality of food, while not terribly high. This is for a special night near Lincoln Square.
(5)
jenny m.

I'm still a big fan of this place, but is it just me or in the past 6 months, has everything gotten spicier? I swear, even when I order a dish mild, it's more like mild/medium spice then mild/mild. So for all of you big babies (like myself!) - be careful if you can't handle the spice. Make sure and order it extra mild (not sure if that's a thing....but I'm gonna try it next time I get food there).
(4)
Hayden J.

I feel I should stick up for Essence of India. Sure, there are some favorable reviews on here, but there are also quite a few one and two stars. I don't get it because I have only had good experiences with the food (I always order take out). One of the signature dishes I get at any Indian restaurant is a korma dish. And the vegetable korma here is one of my favorites that I have found in the city. Now, there are going to be those who claim to get good Indian food you have to go to Devon. Well, my trips to Devon have always been a bit disappointing (Udupi Palace, Hema's Kitchen, and Bhabi's Kitchen) Often, I found the dishes oddly prepared (full boned chicken in the chicken korma, green vegetable korma, etc.), very oily, and extremely spicy. I actually like some spice, but what's the point of so much heat that it's overpowering? I actually like to taste my food! My wife can't take spicy food at all, and no one on Devon seems to understand the request for mild. At Essence of India, you can request a spicy level of mild and actually expect that. One reviewer mentioned that when they ordered medium it was still mild. However, I find my medium dishes to be pushing the hot level. So you might want to approach with caution according to how much you can take. The price level is not that much over other Indian restaurants in the city. And if you order take out, dishes are typically ready in twenty minutes. Does Essence of India deserve 5 stars? Well, I might be guilty for over starring, but that's only because I'm determined to see Essence's average rise for proving consistently good food and fast service. Plus, it's the best Indian that I have found close to Bucktown. Ignore the Indian food snobs and give it a shot!
(5)
Scott H.

A very solid Indian restaurant in an area where South Asian cuisine is hard to find. Can't beat a delicious and very reasonably-priced lunch buffet that runs all weekend until 2:30pm. Food selection (meat and veggie) was quite adequate for a small restaurant. Nan is fresh and plentiful. Gulab jamun (usually a favorite) and rice pudding desserts were unremarkable on our last visit, but admittedly we sat down at about 2:29 for a buffet that ran through 2:30. We've been there a couple times and will definitely return, especially when we know we can enjoy a good meal for little more than we'd pay at the sub shop down the street!
(4)
Mary S.

I ventured to Essence of India this past Saturday with a friend after I expressed my craving for Indian food. We arrived around 1:45, unsure if the buffet was still running, but to our luck, it was! We were greeted immediately and asked if we needed anything. We ordered naan and plated up. Even though I almost choked on a tiny bone in the curried chicken, it was all delicious. Unlike Hema's (which I still also really like), the food was spicy enough to make it Indian food, it wasnt so spicy I wanted to cut my own tongue out. I thought the fare was really great and the samosa I had was huge. I didn't feel rushed, and I didn't have to wait an hour for the check either. In addition, the bathrooms are incredibly clean, which is really important for an indian buffet, if you know what i'm sayin. I should also say that there was a guy just hangin out reading a newspaper, leisurely enjoying his indian cuisine. Not sure if the guy was a regular, but it was great that he wasn't rushed or anything.
(4)
Kendrah R.

I have been here probably 6 or 7 times over the past five years. I ate there last night and was extremely disappointed and won't go back. Staff is friendly, good, fast service, but our food had zero taste. How is that possible with Indian food? I had to put salt on my spinach and potatoes. Insane. Since Devon is so close by, I'll stick to my favorites up there.
(2)
Becky R.

I was on my way to Devon with my dad and sister in tow, when we passed Essence of India. I've passed this place many, many times and always though, "ooh, I should try this." Anyway, being the city tour guide to my family, I decided we were going here instead. I know it's not Devon, but I thought it might be a little more accessible. The appetizers were only so-so. We had the samosas and veggie pecoras. I've had way better at other places. I'd skip them next time. Our entrees were really great. We over-ordered, of course. I've also never been to a restaurant that was so attentive with water refills. Bravo!
(4)
Rozen O.

I always passed by this place because it's close to where I live...I told myself I'll stop by and check it out one day because it looks really promising... The ambiance was great. That was about the only thing that was great..The service was horrible., The waiter acted like he was doing us a favor by taking our order and giving us an evil eye for asking for the menu again to look at their desserts. The food was horrible! I've had better samosas than that place., and my friend and I had stomach aches after we ate and it's not because the food was spicy, which it was not. Not even a little bit. Never again, Essence of India..Never again. Keep your over priced, nasty tasting, lack of spice food to yourself. Oh yeah, and your mean waitstaff too.
(1)
A S.

We're vegetarians and ate all vegan entrees. All were pretty good but the cauliflower and potatoes were by far the best. Yellow lentils good but the spinach with potatoes was a little lacking. Nice ambiance.
(3)
Sarah O.

My go-to spot for Indian food. I tend to stick with my favorites -- their vegetable korma is awesome. The location is great and the servers have always been nice when I've eaten in. Delivery tends to take an hour, at least, but I've never had the cold-food problem that others here mentioned.
(4)

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Address : 4601 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL, 60625
Phone (773) 506-0002
Website https://essenceofindiachicago.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :5:00 pm - 10:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

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Essence of India

4601 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL, 60625

Essence of India Menu

Appetizers

Vegetable Essence

Tandoor Essence (clay/charcoal Oven)

Chicken Essence

Lamb Essence

Fish Essence

Biriyani / Rice Essence

Bread Essence

Side Items

Dessert Essence

Beverages

Healthy Meal suggestions for Essence of India

Appetizers

Vegetable Essence

Tandoor Essence (clay/charcoal Oven)

Chicken Essence

Lamb Essence

Fish Essence

Biriyani / Rice Essence

Bread Essence

Side Items

Dessert Essence

Beverages

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