Yak & Yeti Cafe
719 Broadway, Somerville, MA, 02144
Yak & Yeti Cafe Menu
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Address :
719 Broadway
Somerville, MA, 02144 - Phone (617) 284-6227
- Website https://yaknyeticafe.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
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 : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
India is the birth place of Chicken Tikka Masala and Curries. Indian foods are prepared with a blend of finely mixed spices quite popular across the region. The spices develop the rich taste in Indian food enough to boggle your mind. The ever-increasing fan base of Indian food around the New York city is steadily increasing because of the large number of Indians who traveled to the land of dreams. The Indians also brought their very own vibrant, colorful, and aromatic authentic dishes for the people in the West. While most of the Indian population is Vegetarian, Indian food is great for people who are looking for vegan or vegetarian food option. If you are a Meat lover, don't get disappointed yet. Indian food also boasts of some popular non-vegetarian dishes too. Few examples are the famous Butter Chicken, Mutton Biryani and Tandoori Chicken are enough to satisfy your taste buds.
Indian food has gained reputation all over the world especially in the United States. You can find many places serving the appetizing Indian food across all major cities in the US. India is a diverse country with different food culture originated from different parts of the country. While the Northern region boasts tandoori dishes and korma offering royal taste, the Western Ghats offers sea foods that is made in naturally sweet tender coconut milk. The South Indian food servers a quality of different dishes made from rice accompanied with spicy chutneys, curries and famous sambhar. Also, the Indian sweets are a delight to relish. If you ever want to have a burst of sugar syrup in mouth, don't forget to try few Bengali Sweets. Be it spicy, tangy, or sweet flavor, you can find everything in the Indian cuisine. Be assured that the melody of spices will surely bring delight to you.
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Meredith S.
We ate here for the very first time last night and it was amazing. We got a variety of different dishes which were all good. The staff were very nice and attentive. I will definitely go back and try some other dishes ore even the lunch buffet. The only thing missing was alcohol, but given the great taste in foods this did not diminish my review.
(5)Takao Y.
The food is delicious. But the service was awful on a Saturday evening. Note, there were only 3 tables with customers. One guy cannot speak English so he has to grab the manager if you want to ask anything. They also forgot a dish and had to ask twice what we ordered. They also rarely pick up the phone if you want to ask any questions or order. Also note, there is no alcohol at this location.
(2)Jolene S.
I have been back a few times--for brunch, lots of options. If you pick and choose what you want, you'll be happy. For dinner, I have had the Nepalese food. It's ok. I like that the location doesn't have waits and I've had excellent service experiences. I go for medium and the food is plenty spicy for me and it comes out piping hot. I like the chapati more than naan here, but there is enough rice, with the tarkari orders. I think the cook changed over time, but it's alright--though I think the food may have been better when this place was brand-new. A-ok, pretty much sums it up.
(3)Brian O.
They charged $25 extra to my card. When I asked them to fix it they acknowledged the mistake but refused to fix it, saying that they would instead give me a credit for the next time I came back. I ended up having to cancel my credit card to prevent further disreputable activity by the hostile staff at this place. Check your bill! I can't imagine how they'll stay in business - recommend others to stay away.
(1)Paul B.
Wandered over to Somerville on a random Wednesday night. Food was good and the price was right! Really enjoyed the decor.
(4)Amy B.
Would love to rate this restaurant higher because the Nepalese bean stew was really good, but the experience and meal here is just not that great overall. Went twice, once for dinner and once for lunch buffet. I would say dinner was 3 stars and lunch buffet was maybe 1. The air conditioner over the door leaks so you have the opportunity to possibly get rained on when you enter or exit. The buffet was picked pretty clean when we arrived for lunch, but the restaurant was pretty empty. When I was nearly done eating, they brought out fresh food to the buffet, but just added it to the old sauce that was already there. Kind of yukky.
(2)Tom B.
Delicious Indian food, and great service. Large portions and great flavors in all of their dishes that we tried (we ordered 3).
(5)Lee C.
I used a groupon for this deal. The food was great although it is mostly soup filled with limited meat. What I don't like was the corner that I was asked to sit had many Mosquitos near the windows. It was very unsanitary and ruined my appetite. Also the waiter asked me to pay 5 dollars tax after I finished my lunch which I don't understand why, I mean isn't that he supposed to tell me that when I showed him my groupon?
(2)Liliya M.
The food is just ok and the presentation & interior feels so cheap. Don't take a date here!
(2)Abby R.
The weekend lunch buffet is pretty baller. They had vegetable samosas and pakoras, chicken tikka masala, some tandoori chicken that was sadly gone when I got there, muttar paneer, a lentil curry, and an aloo channa dish, to name most of them. Definitely a lot of options if you're a vegetarian. I really liked the decor and atmosphere. There are like these woven bands all over the main room and the ceiling is green which was just really working for me. We stuffed ourselves with food. I tried a little bit of everything with rice and the only one I didn't like was the lentil curry because it was extremely greasy. The pakoras had just the right amount of spice and the samosas were predictably delicious. You can order a naan for your table at no extra charge when you're having the buffet so we ordered garlic naan and I'm not lying when I say it might be the best naan I've ever had. It was hot, it was perfectly seasoned... crunchy and chewy at the same time and not too heavy with dough... just great. 5 stars for the naan! Would definitely be back for the buffet or just for dinner.
(4)Tobias G.
We came for the lunch buffet on a Saturday. The waiter was very friendly and fast. We liked the zucchini/potatoe, the sauces, and the chili chicken. The naan bread, both plain and garlic, was VERY good. The chicken in the chicken tikka masala could've been a tad more tender. The sauce was good but not overwhelming. Also, the interior is a bit rundown, and the music was a little too loud. But overall an OK place for Indian food.
(3)Vivian C.
My DC managed to find a metered spot - 2 hour limit, on until 8pm - while I hiked on over from the Davis Square T stop, which took a leisurely 18 minutes once I got myself out through the College Street exit and headed on right. To my surprise, Yak & Yeti was located diagonally across the street from the well known neighboring brunch pair of Sound Bites and Ball Square Café. The restaurant itself consisted of two dining spaces, the longer brighter main space, and a smaller darker, louder Mt. Everest room overlooking the sidewalk. Initially I thought it odd that each party which arrived for dinner were seated in this smaller side space, but once I observed how the host/waiter was alertedly watching us, I realized he clustered us so that he could respond to our needs more readily. Sure, there was a second staffer delivering food and checking up on us, but the host stand fellow was still our primary service provider of the evening. Unfortunately, however, noise carried in that little room. Every single conversation held in reasonable indoor voice levels were quite audible by all parties who weren't currently engaged in their own tête-à -tête. The music playing in the background was more hushed in our room, and so it did not help with the privacy issue. After we placed our order, they brought over a complimentary plate of two vegetable pakoras - how nice! Then came our drinks and Bhatmas Shadheko $5.99 Roasted soybeans mix with ginger, garlic, onion and Himalayan herbs. The soybean dish arrived as a dry conglomerate of ingredients - a total surprise to me. But though the diced raw red onions were a bit strong initially, the flavors and the textural differences grew on me. According to their menu, "All entrees served with basmati rice and chutney." The rice arrived in one larger portion in a shared bowl along with our two entree selections - Pharsiko Trkari [Vegetarian] $11.99 Pumpkin cooked with ginger, garlic and Nepali herbs from the Nepali side, and the Lamb Palak $14.99 Boneless lamb and chopped spinach cooked with traditional curry sauce from the Indian half. We requested mild for everything seeing as I am more of a spice wimp than my DC, however, the lamb dish arrived with quite a kick. We tried to tame my tongue with some yogurt, but that didn't quite work. And I didn't want to chug my Mango Lassi $3.50, which by the way was thicker than what I have previously experienced and quite good. They appropriately made up a new mild batch for us, which even my DC proclaimed was much better. The meat chunks were tender and there were a goodly amount of them hiding under the spinach sauce. The pumpkin was chunky/saucy, but was rather tasty. But I only just realized that the chutney never arrived to the table! We had also ordered the sweet bread Peshawari Naan $5.99 White flour bread stuffed with coconut, cashews and raisins baked in tandoor, but when I peeked inside, I was a bit confused by what looked to be a spread with diced garlic scattered about. Turns out they use yellow raisins and blend the ingredients together before spreading it in the bread. It wasn't quite as sweet as I had hoped, but I still rather enjoyed it. I was already pretty much stuffed, but we decided to give dessert a shot and opted to share an order of Kheer Badami $3.99 Creamy and sweet rice pudding. And good thing we did! The portion was definitely sized for sharing, and it was very good! The way they handled my confusion over the bread and the incorrect spicing of our dish rounds them up to 4 stars in my book. We came with the assist of a voucher that basically took off $10 from our meal, but it turned out that my DC is not into Indian food - my bad! Prices I located online at eat24hours.com/yak-yeti-… were lower than those in the plastic covered menu in the restaurant.
(4)Derek S.
You should come and eat here. Nepalese food has a delicious simplicity, and this was the best I've had in Boston. I felt like I was eating lunch at a Nepalese friend's house. The food was wonderfully fresh. The lunch buffet has a satisfying mix of Nepalese and Indian dishes and is a great deal. Service was also very friendly and helpful.
(4)Gabriel S.
I brought my 6 year old here for lunch. I got the indian buffet (pretty good!) but I wanted to get a small size of chicken noodle soup for my boy. The host agreed to make his selection as an appetizer price. It was clear he went out of his way to make it good, and said he made it himself. I tasted it and it was a bit spicy, delicious, but most of all had that earthy flavor it's hard to find when you are not actually in Asia. We took home the leftovers and finished them to the last drop. All that for less than 25 bucks. He keeps asking when we're going back.
(4)Annie S.
Came here for dinner and was impressed by both the food and the service. As other reviews have noted, the people who work here are incredibly sweet and created a really nice experience. The chicken tikka masala was really delicious and creamy, I could have had spoonfuls of the sauce (in fact, I did :)). It was also fun to try Nepali food that I'd never tried before. The vegetable mono was very flavorful dumplings of sorts!
(5)Jane S.
Yick! I'm a big fan of nepalese food - and yet I just threw out $20 of uneaten food from Yak and Yeti because it was really inedible. The chicken mo mo's tasted like turkey sausage and the chicken thukpa - I'm 98% certain - was just a bowl of spaghetti mixed with a can of Campbells vegetable soup. The interesting wall decoration is actually covered from end to end in a thick layer of dust which is really really unappetizing. I can only imagine how they keep the kitchen if they keep the front facing side of the restaurant that dirty. Very disappointed.
(1)Denise M.
I came in on a coupon, groupon or social living I cant remember but the staff were gracious and the food was ok. I would return, but not too quickly. I got my standard vindaloo and lamb saag. They were both satisfying. The best part is that the staff are just so amazingly nice and looking to please. They gave me a free candy dessert just for comin in. It could have been the mountain of food I ordered ontop of the certificate that made them want me to return. I spend a fortune at Indian/Nepali restaurnats. It is gluttenous and I do not feel sinful at all.
(3)Kishan A.
When I first tried food in 2012 it was typical nepali good that was great food Came here today I think now it's owned by indian so food taste like indian If you are looking for Nepalese food avoid this place this is not a Nepalese restaurant any more
(1)Mary M.
1st time here, we had just missed the buffet, but that was ok since we didn't plan on it. The menu has Nepalese and Indian food. We ordered chicken mo mo (dumplings), chicken chow chow (stir fry noodles), chicken tiki masala, fish masala and special bread basket. Everything was delicious. Will definitely be back. All that was plenty for 5 adults.
(5)Ju L.
Have had better Nepalese food else where, but the service here is decent and the staff is very friendly. I'm not sure how I feel about the atmosphere, though.
(3)Sri H.
Food is not good. Place is ok. Nothing special. If you are hungry , just go and eat something. Nothing is good about this place. Veryyy pricyyyy in a suburban place. Better to stay away of it.
(2)Foodie Z.
Came for lunch buffet on a Saturday. I'd had an 8 mi run that morning and planned to run another 16 the next day. So I was there to carboload, big time. The result was - I went in extremely hungry and stuffed my face with two huge plates of deliciousness. I was in physical pain for 2 hours afterwards. But I really cannot blame the restaurant. The next day I had a wonderful 16 mi run thanks to those 5000 calories. Buffet options were excellent, although I was hoping for a couple more Nepalese choices (most seemed to be indian to me). My favorite was probably the spinach cheese. Suggestion to the restaurant: please make it less greasy? Greeting and table service was all done by a single person, who was so nice and extremely polite! When I was leaving we were kind of like.. bowing to each other.. I'm going back again this weekend and hopefully will exercise better self-control this time around. Also I'm hoping to see some different options from last week.. (cauliflower please?)
(5)Shekhar P.
It takes only one bad experience to ruin it. I'm a regular here, and took some of my friends for a nice Sunday buffet. Flies on the food and around the table, top that with stale rice and a very unfriendly cashier/server. Ps: it wasnt the regular server Raj, who infact is very friendly. Maybe a one time thing but for sure I was totally disgusted with the unhygienic conditions in the restaurant. Not coming here again.
(1)Dana S.
used an Amazon local coupon for their two for one buffet . It was ok. Nothing spectacular- Basic Indian food (I didnt notice anything that would be called Nepalese but maybe I didnt see it). Not a huge assortment for a brunch. I would have expected a few more dishes... There were only a few other people there at the time we went . Service was nice- he was very pleasant. Parking is horrible (Its Ball Square after all) for those of us not living in the area. Place was chilly too-everyone was wearing their coats and there was a small space heater right next to our table. Id try it again- maybe it isnt as busy on Sundays... (the two places across the street were MOBBED!)
(3)Edward N.
Excellent and inexpensive lunch. Alot of varieties. Try the milky sponge cake at the end... really hits the spot.
(4)Mary D.
We ordered delivery from these Yak and Yeti and it was delicious! The Tikka Masla was fantastic!
(4)Joseph S.
I'd recommend the Nepalese entrees over the Indian ones, but everything was great. Good service and very funny waiter. Ras Malai for dessert was top class (and I've tried about 2 dozen varieties of Ras Malai).
(5)Laura B.
Back for a little grad-school reunion, this time with the boyfriend in tow. Like an idiot, I thought we would be able to get within 100 yards of Sound Bites on a Sunday morning. Live and learn! In an effort to minimize the anxiety and increased hunger of finding a place to eat, we decided to quickly adjust our Sunday brunch palates from stuffed French toast to Chana Masala. Yak & Yeti it is! Walking in, we were immediately seated. Take that, Ball Square hipsters standing in line across the street! The service was incredibly gracious and pleasant, and they had the most delicious buffet I have ever experienced at an Indian restaurant. It got to the point where I started loading small bowls with Palak Saag instead of plates to avoid looking like a food hoarder. Everything was fantastic (chana, chicken tikka, lentils, fresh veggies, raita, etc.), even down to the clove-infused chai. :-) Sunday brunch buffet is only ~$10/ person, and you'll leave full and happppy! Lovely decor, great natural lighting, fantastic food and the friendliest service in town. You can already bet on it - I'll be back.
(5)Shadia A.
I just went here for the first time for a lunch Buffett and really loved the place. The food is delicious and the service is great, so I am confused why this place doesn't seem that popular. Pros: -Lunch Buffet: the lunch buffet not only had more offerings than the usual Indian buffet, but also was cheaper: with only 8 per person (you're basically paying the same price as you would for a sandwich somewhere else) -Clean Restaurant -Nice Service -THE NAAN: the naan was delicious and didn't cost extra like most other Indian buffets Cons: -They didn't offer a lot of protein options: this didn't bother me because I only cared for the chicken tikka anyways, which was delicious -Difficult to get there via T Overall this place was great, and deserves more customers.
(5)Bill S.
Has become my new favorite restaurant. Absolutely delicious all you can eat indian food, and for an insanely inexpensive price. Love going there
(5)McKenna H.
First time ordering. Delivery took a long time. I ordered the Aloo Palak spicy but they over did it to the point where I couldn't taste the dish itself for the over spicing. I ordered 3 main dishes and an appetizer for more than $50 but did not receive one bit of Basmati rice though it was listed on the menu as part of the dishes. The rest of the food was good but lukewarm. I will give this place one more chance but twice shy.....
(3)George M.
EXCELLENT fried breads. The best! Their aloo chole is top notch. We've had a variety of the Indian dishes they were all perfect.
(5)Dennis T.
OMG!!! What a scam for Nepalese food... The cook has not even the faintest idea of what basic Nepalese food is like... the THUPKA is a dead give away and disgusting... Only thing edible was the chicken mo mo.. Don't waste time and money... This place is a scam and a shame on Nepal
(1)Melanie W.
This is a really cute spot to get something to eat in Ball Square. The service is always friendly and the restaurant is always clean. Also, it is BYOB. First, I'll start with the naan. So, so, incredibly good. Like fluffy clouds of doughy goodness. You can also get it whole wheat, but the portion looks like it might be a little smaller and it is pricier. The lamb biryani had a good portion of lamb, but I found it to absolutely need the raita to give it any flavor. The lamb curry was also really tasty. I asked for mild, but got the medium. I'm not one to shy away from spicy foods, but sometimes I think the spice can take over the taste of the food. Luckily, that wasn't the case here. The chicken tandoori was really tender and flavorful. The basmati rice was a little dry without having a sauce to go over it. Overall, I will be back for my Indian/Nepali food fix.
(4)Insanomania A.
Other than amazing food, these guys know what "customer service" is. I always order and enjoy their amazing food but tonight when I had a pick-up that was missing one soup THEY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND to deliver me not one but TWO soups to make it up (in 15-20 mins). Conclusion: they have all 3 (Price, Food, and Customer service) so they just won a loyal customer. If I could give 6 stars , I would.
(5)Hannah R.
BLECH. Just ordered take-out from this place. They quoted us an hour wait, and after an hour and a half, we tried to call the restaurant. No one picked up. When the food finally showed, the chicken jalfraz was cold and the chicken palak tasted like the pan. Like. The. Pan. You know what I'm talking about. The salsa cups were barely filled up. The only thing worth eating were our samosas (how did they manage to stay warm when nothing else did?), but that was not enough to save this meal. Not even close.
(1)Kevin M.
Visited with a party of 11. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Food took longer than normal to arrive, but was well done. We stuck to mainly Indian, and the flavors were good. Unfortunately the restroom maintenance left something to be desired and the space for seating was tight. Nothing very creative on the menu, just the usual.
(3)Christine J.
First time trying Nepali food, and got to use the groupon I got. 1 app and 2 entries. funny thing is i only saved $5, what kinda groupon is that! anyway... GREAT NEPALI food, light and flavorful.. not a big list to choose from though, just one type of sauce. Indian food was below avg. smelled burnt - spinach lamb dish. not a fan. hearty nepali soup too. the older server guy charged us tax on the groupon items lol. was funny. $0.78 and $0.46 etc. took me by surprise. loved the nepali food, but not too crazy about customer service or their indian food.
(3)Mary E.
I'm going to have to agree with the previous reviewer about how unsanitary this place is. First off, it was unseasonably hot one day last week when we went to this restaurant. There were two box air conditioners as far as I could see but only one seemed to be on. My husband and I were sweating like mad in there. Now why is this important, aside from the fact that we were really uncomfortable? Some of the food on the buffet were not in warmers, just sitting on a large metal plate exposed to the elements. Can we say "food poisoning???" It only made me wonder what they were doing in the kitchen, and if the food was kept to the right temperature standards. Also, the server brought the silverware over and instead of placing them on the napkins, placed them on the bare table. Yuck. That table has been wiped by the same rag that has wiped all the other tables, and now I have the pleasure of ingesting all the residue. The bathroom was totally disgusting, like it had never been cleaned. The walls and doors were dingy and nasty looking as well. We got there fairly early so it's not to say they got busy and couldn't keep up with the maintenance. I could totally understand if that were the case. But they were far from busy. I noticed there was no soap to wash my hands, and when I mentioned this to one of the men working there, he had no idea what I was saying, due to the language barrier. He looked at me quizzically a few times and finally acknowledged me by saying "soap!!!" so I thought he got it. I watched him to see if he did anything about it but he didn't, which told me he was just placating me or had no idea what I just told him. He just sat down a few minutes later. Now, on to the food. I can't speak for the Nepalese food, but the Indian dishes were not very good. The chicken tikka masala was gross. All I could taste was tomatoes. Bland and lacking spice. The palak paneer had absolutely no chunks of paneer in it. It was just spinach. Incredibly disappointing. The momos reminded me of potstickers I could get from the grocery store. Nothing fancy. The naan was probably the best part of the buffet. What a shame about this place. Beautiful decor, with lots of potential, but the service and food leave a lot to be desired.
(1)Rick G.
I was feeling adventurous and decided to try this place out for lunch. What a great decision! I had never had this type of Indian food before and it was absolutely delicious!! The waiter was extremely attentive and answered all of my questions. I will definitely be back!
(4)Jeff S.
What a major disappointment. After eating there, the name should be changed to Yuk & Yikky. After reading the GR8 reviews in the Boston Globe and elsewhere, then reading the better reviews here on Yelp, I'm both disappointed and astonished that there have been such a copious number of higher-level reviews. Regardless, here are my Star ratings in 9 categories: 1. WAIT = 4 Stars. Even though the foyer was crowded with people waiting to eat, it took me and my GF only 20 minutes to get seated on a Friday night at 8:30pm. Of course, it is definitely much quicker to seat 2 people than a larger party, and 8:30pm is less busy than 7:00pm. 2. DECOR = 2.5 Stars. Quite Spartan. Nice huge photo of the Himilayans on the wall, though. 3. FOOD SERVICE = 3.5 Stars. Waiters were attentive, but the quality of their English is lacking, which will definitely make things difficult if you have questions or special requests. 4. FOOD = 2 Stars. We started with $3 Lentil Soup (1 star) which was absolutely vile. After my GF and I both tasted the first spoonful, we immediately asked the waiter to remove it. I wouldn't serve it to my worst enemy. Next, we had the $6 Kukhuraku Sekuwa appetizer (2 stars) of Marinated Chiken cubes, which were uninspiring. Then, we had the $10 Pharsiko Tarkari (2.5 stars) of Mashed Pumpkin & Ginger, which was bland and not worth finishing. For our main entree, we had the $13 Lamb Palak (3 stars) of Boneless Lamb Cubes with Spinach in a curry sauce. It tasted good, but it was seriously lacking in Lamb content. 5. SALT CONTENT = 1 Star. Everything was hugely salty. See their grossly inadequate remedy immediately below. 6. WATER SERVICE = 5 Stars. The waiter came extremely often to fill our glasses. Evidently, they know that their heavily salt-laden food requires constant water. 7. PRICE = 3.5 Stars - Prices are average. 8. PARKING = 2 Stars. My familiarity with the extremely poor parking situation in that area, I was amazed that I was lucky enough to find a spot on Friday night. But, then again, it was already 8:30pm, and it's Somerville, not Boston. 9. VALUE = 2 Stars. Even though the prices are quite average, the value is very much diminished by the low food quality and preparation. Even though the unweighted mathematical average is roughly 2.75 stars, I demoted the rating to 2 stars due to the inexcusable Food Quality and Salt considerations. 10. RETURN - Never. Not even if I'm treated by a friend. In fact, I had purchased 2 Groupons for Yuk & Yikky, and I threw the second one away. I'd never subject any of my friends to such torture.
(2)Cristina C.
Although I only get one thing from here when I've been here for take-out, it's the best thing for me to get. Baigan Bharta. Yum. It may look like a baby diaper or mush food but it is so freakin' good! Man! I get it spicy, ow my mouth is watering thinking about it, mix it with the rice in a bowl; whoa man. I never thought I'd be into Indian food, a friend of mine was ordering from here one night and I decided to try it out. I gravitated towards the Baigan Bharta because it has eggplant in it and I was hooked. Thanks JF!
(4)Eva K.
I don't think I've ever given a restaurant with decent food one star for just service, but apparently there is a first time for everything. On the phone we were informed that they don't take reservations, but to "come before 7" because then it's busy. Umm... ok. We got there before 7, when the place was nowhere near full. Out order was taken in a reasonable amount of time, but the waitress seemed confused when I asked her a question about my entree. More on that later. Then we waited some more, becoming acutely aware of the horrible acoustics in the place. It's loud loud loud, probably because there is nary a booth or tablecloth to dampen the sound. Everything in the place is hard, the better to amplify your fellow diners' conversation. Our samosas came relatively quickly, but that's the point at which the experience went completely downhill. We were served by at least 4 different people over the course of the meal, all of them unfamiliar with any of the basic English words required to serve food in a restaurant. I'm not kidding either. The entree came probably about 40 minutes after the samosas - this was the Nepali meal, which the waiter was unable to explain to me - he actually went back to the kitchen with the food to make sure I was getting the right thing. Lamb? I said... No glimmer of recognition. After he came back, I said... This is supposed to come with an appetizer, right? He said... it's coming. I said, shouldn't the appetizer come before the meal? And oh, we also ordered a salad, a basket of bread, and the mixed pickle. It took 3 separate people, multiple requests, and another 10 minutes for the remaining food items to make it to the table. Despite the fact that the food was actually good, by then the experience had turned into a complete fail. We asked for the check - another confused look from one of the servers. Finally it gets there, and there is a 15% tip automatically added to the check. I can actually understand that, as otherwise nobody there would ever get tipped. Nevertheless, I took a lot of pleasure in crossing it off the bill, and writing HORRIBLE SERVICE on the receipt. I hope someone there can understand what I wrote.
(1)Deanna D.
Thurs. night at 7pm: Our meal at Yak & Yeti took almost 2 hours including 25mins to order + 1hr. wait for our food----that was just way tooo damn long. The staff was friendly but they were very unorganized, understaffed, confused....all of which was very apparent. We had to flag down the waiter to place our order, check on the status of our food, get our check, and pay the bill. We had the Royal Lamb Korma, Palak Kofta, House Biryani, and Garlic Naan--all of which were delicious but did not make up for the wait for it. The House Biryani was lovely and enough for 2 meals. The Palak Kofta was very flavorful and filling. The prices were reasonable, the food was good, and the portions were reasonable but the wait and process took way too much time, so 3 stars it is. It's a nice addition to the Ball Sq area and I will give them another shot; hopefully they will have the kinks worked out by then.
(3)Joanne G.
It's a bit of a trek to get here, but their parking is abundant on the street, and the people are friendly. The noodles I got were scrumpdelish and they refilled my water. I asked for super spicy and got ok. I can handle way more heat Hubbie got the goat, it was lovely. Came here on a kgbdeal - I have one more and I may share it with someone.
(3)Craig S.
Mediocre Tibetan/Nepali/Indian food. I realize that I'm spoiled to live in a place where there numerous options for this kind of food and I can consider this place mediocre. But since there are way better versions of this cuisine in my city, I have no reason to go back.
(2)Jes H.
The momo were delicious and the chicken curry was good. However, I don't appreciate being ripped off. We used a Groupon and were leaving in a hurry because our daughter became fussy. We didn't notice they'd already tacked on 18% gratuity, so my husband added a gratuity that was extremely generous because we felt bad about our daughter. He left nearly 30%. I called them when we got home and they said they'd correct it and call me back. They didn't call back, and now I see they never corrected it. We ended up paying more than if we hadn't had a Groupon. Boo - that's just rude.
(1)Mary G.
So thoroughly meh, so easy to do better. If they hadn't messed several things up, it still would have "not bad," but they did. My friend and I go in on a Thursday night, we do get seated relatively quickly. It took them awhile to take our order. we ordered the vegetable kothe and a peshawari naan for starters, the pharsiko tarkari and a lamb palak for entrees, and lastly some gulab jamun for dessert. We waited well over half hour for any food to come out, our waters glasses empty. When our food did arrive we were served one of our ordered appetizers and the entrees at the exact same time. The peshawari naan never came at all. The dumplings were pretty good, a refreshingly unique starter. The pharsiko tarkari, a pumpkin cooked in ginger and spices, was quite tasty: again, refreshingly different. The lamb dish didn't stand out, particularly, and the servings of both were quite small. However, no rice was brought out to accompany our dishes. Lastly the gulab jamun wasn't noteworthy, and the 2 balls were about half the size of a ping pong ball each... not so big and not worth 3 dollars. At least they didn't charge us for the naan that they never brought out, but ultimately portions were pretty small, tab was pretty high for what we got, and nothing really was so noteworthy as to want to come back here rather than trying just about anywhere else for a first time... be it Darul Kabob, or that Tibetan place in Teale Square. I'm pretty sure there was some other noteworthy service mistake that I am forgetting, but it is slipping my mind right now.
(2)John C.
My gf had a free groupon and this place had pretty good reviews so we decided to try it... BLEH. is the final verdict and i'll tell you why. we get seated in the "everest room" which at the moment was hosting 2 parties of 6-8.. not a big deal, festive atmosphere, it was nice. we were at a table that seats 6 and put closest to the window. the first thing i noticed was how nice and warm it was. unfortunately after 3 minutes it got hot.. directly below our table was the forced hot hair duct blowing heat onto my balls... it was hot as balls.. hardy har har. we get served the typical chips with chutney. good spice, good flavor.. ok, off to a decent start.. we get served water pretty quickly. but, as many have complained, the service here SUCKS. instead of having a waiter assigned certain tables they kinda run it family style.. within 20 seconds we were asked if we were ready to order. we ordered the chicken mo mo's (aka chicken pot stickers) and two Nepalese dishes, the chicken and the goat. i swear the waiter had never taken an order from that menu before because he sure acted like he was reading hieroglyphics. anyways, 5 min or so goes by and this plate with 6 dumplings come out with a little sauce. the first impression is that they looked like they were microwaved, then i bit into them and was saddened. my gf was thinking how many more dumplings you can buy frozen at trader joes for 7 bucks. i must admit the sauce was interesting, it was light and had good bite and the dumplings themselves tasted good (the filling). by this time i had finished my glass of water. next our entrees came. our waiter put them down and mumbled something and left. he was the 5th different waiter to have served us. luckily we have eaten indian food/curries before. but he didn't specify what was what, he just put it down, mumbled and left. i guess i shouldn't expect anything amazing.. the food you're eating is peasant food pretty much. it's a nice change to have something simple and filling. the shotty service just killed it for me. luckily for me i was in great company. the last thing that did this place in was the 20% gratuity for 2 people.. that's CRAZY. if we didn't have a groupon this meal would have cost us 40 dollars.. chicken curry goat curry a bowl of basmati rice 6 potstickers 40 bucks for that.... the ONLY reason this place is still in business is because the lovey dovey liberals of boston think it's so cool to try random ethnic foods. rest assured, once all the liberals and hippies have tried your food, you'll be done for! but then again, you'll be millionaires considering the markup. we were finished eating and service was nowhere to be seen. i purposely pick up my empty glass a few times to sip out of it hoping a waiter would notice, finally the owner notices because i make eye contact with him.. he comes fills my glass and i ask for a check. instead of just doing it, he waits for his staff to do it. and here's the most interesting part. he DOES NOT bring us a check. he sees my gf's groupon under her wallet, comes over and picks up her wallet and grabs the groupon while asking if it was the groupon. really? don't touch the customers belongings. that's just fubar. so we get the check, pay and leave. but as we leave i hear a girl from the neighboring table ask the waiter if a certain part of her dish is supposed to be served cold. he misunderstands and says yes, it's made in the store. as she continues to ask, he then says they are made in the morning and reheated. ha ha.. epic fail. ok.. i change my mind.. i give this place 1.5 stars.. the photo of everest in the background is pretty friggan awesome.. i kinda want that for my room wallpaper.
(1)Amanda D.
Went last night and had a very different experience than the first time we went. (In August when I gave it a 5 star review) Firstly, the wait staff were a bit annoying. The moment I sat down and before my husband had a chance to pull out his chair and take his seat, a waiter was cowering over my shoulder making me feel like I couldn't breathe. If he had just waited a minute or two for us to get comfortable we would have been more receptive to his attention! Plus, the English comprehension was bad. Having to repeat everything 2 times can get annoying unfortunately. I felt I had to really project my voice and speak slowly for him. This can be frustrating also when you are about 6 inches from the couple next to you who are also trying to enjoy their meal and you feel like you're yelling in their ears. Plus, the food wasn't great. The Sekuwa appetizer was o.k. Nicely marinated, but a few grizzly fatty bits in the chicken which my husband ended up spitting out. He got the Chicken chow chow and was sadly disappointed that the noodles just seemed like spaghetti out of a box, and there weren't enough vegetables and chicken or stir-fry sauce. I got the pumpkin takari, which was a let down. It was essentially just a puree. There were no chunks of anything in it. a strange mix of spices, which were not complimentary to the pumpkin.
(2)Amy S.
I hope this place makes it. They are never crowded which makes me a little sad. Crossing my fingers, as this is, by far, my most favorite neighborhood restaurant! I tried their lunch buffet and I'm adding a star! My parents were cheap, so trust me, I know buffets. Generally they suck. However, at Yak & Yeti's it's different. They offer a peak ethnic buffet experience. Seriously - who gives 5 stars for a buffet? It is really that good. Bonus points for making each customer a new circle of nan when they sit down. Unbelievable.
(5)Maryann D.
Visited Yak and Yeti last Saturday night around 7:30. The food was good but not any better than other Indian and Napalese restaurants. The chicken tikka was moist even without the sauce served on the side. The service was subpar. We waited over 30 minutes for our food to arrive. We ordered tea and it arrived after the food and after reminding the waiter. The restaurant was also not very clean. We sat next to a window covered with smeared fingerprints. The table tops were dirty and the lids on the chutney and tamarind sauce were dirty. Without a Groupon, I wouldn't go there again.
(2)Add D.
Went here last weekend. Ordered Nepali and Indian from the menu. Chicken Kukhurako Tarkari was good but not great. Lamb Tikka Masala was great. The highlight were the appetizers, the chicken momo and chilli chicken. Overall a good experience.
(4)Kate R.
Ok, I have read the reviews and everyone has neglected to say anything about the music!! I wasn't sure if the one minute song on loop was a form of torture they were trying out. I did like the food but it was a long wait (there was only two other tables with people) I really want to say more but it would only be negative things.. I really wanted to like this place more.
(3)Angie C.
I guess I would've rated Yak & Yeti 2.5 stars if I could, but 2 really isn't too harsh in my opinion. My husband and I tried it from the Groupon they ran, and we were disappointed. First, though, the positives: great mango lassi (I would know because I LOVE it), yummy simosas, and good naan. Also, my water glass never got low because it seemed like every staff in the house was constantly topping off water glasses. Now for the negatives... There was no host/hostess at the front, so it was pretty tricky getting someone's attention to just get your name on the list. Also, we were seated near the door and the constant opening and closing made for an unpleasantly chilly dining experience. They really need an outside door, then the inside in between (does that make sense?), so not every opening lets in the big, bad winter wind. The wait staff was impersonal. Like I said, there was no lack of water filling, but we never really knew who was "our" waiter or waitress because so many different staff came by our table. They were hurrying around trying to serve everyone, so I'll give them kudos for being busy bees. However, beware because no matter what size your party, at least for Groupon people, the tip is automatically included in your bill and they don't tell you. My husband had read on yelp to beware of that, and we were glad for the tip... No pun intended. Otherwise we probably would've unknowingly and unwantingly double tipped. Back to the food, the Nepalese food was okay - probably what it should be - but we much prefer the Indian food at Punjab in Arlington. Yak & Yeti was very busy and loud, though, so maybe other people know of great menu items that we didn't try. Some suggestions from our waiter would've helped there. Even with the Groupon, our meal was more expensive than it was worth. We won't be going back.
(2)Jason W.
Do you speak Yak or Yeti? Well you better not rely on English to communicate at this place. Christ sakes... at least have a couple English speaking people on staff for the 95% of your patrons who are there only because of their groupon deal. My biggest problem here... THEY BROUGHT THE NHAN LAST. What the hell... maybe I'm being culturally absent making a big deal of this, but I ordered the assorted nahn basket as a primary staple to go with other things we ordered... without bread my dinner was extremely discombobulated. I also had to ask for the appetizer I ordered after the entrees were dropped. And when I asked I was met with puzzled expressions from one of the 5 servers we had... I guess he didn't understand me, or had no idea about my order because he didn't take it. I went in here hungry, and left not entirely dissatisfied with the food, but actually angry because of the service. Get a farking clue people. Two stars, because the food wasn't bad, just hard to get and out of order.
(2)Nick G.
If you want delicious, hot, fresh, and authentic Indian/Nepalese, here - this place. I honestly can't believe the reviews some people are leaving. You don't leave 1 star because someone tacked on tip when the deal explicitly says they have to (Groupon). With regards to another review, If YOU don't know what the hell you're ordering, you have no right criticizing.
(5)Meg D.
My roommate and I placed an order with Yak and Yeti. Dialing the place was a nightmare, I kept getting hung up on and transferred to a busy signal. With encouragement from my roommate, I kept dialing until someone picked up. We figured it was Valentine's Day, the place was probably busy - we wanted to give this place a change based on the excellent reviews. Unfortunately, not only did our delivery never show, but when we called to see what was happening, I keep getting hung up on again and am transferred to a "system code" prompt. Never in my life have I been so relieved that I didn't pay first because I now believe I would have paid for a no-show meal. Unfortunately, we will never order from this place again based upon this unprofessional and unwilling service.
(1)Julia F.
I have received one meal from this place that was not as good. I asked for extra spicy chicken tikka masala, and got a side order of naan, mango lassi and it all came up a little short. By short, I mean it took a lot longer than it was supposed to, and longer than I would have expected after ordering delivery food from them many times before. The lassi was chunky, and kind of too silty to be able to enjoy fully. It was carried in the food bag that made it overly warm. The combo was not very tasty or appetizing. I'm was really sad that the best thing I got was papidam. The naan was soggy, and none of it really made my meal great. I was really hungry, so naturally I ate until I was full... My boyfriend polished off the rest of the meal when he got home from work. Successful purchase in the end, I suppose... It all got eaten. It wasn't the best thing I've ordered at all. Maybe it's time to go pick up my orders, or eat INside the restaurant...
(3)Shannon M.
After getting a deal online, we decided to give Yak & Yeti another try and it was delicious! The service was also outstanding this time. I'm still only giving it four stars, because of my previous experience, but we will definitely be coming back. I hope that the great service and food continues. Previous review - 2 stars So my relationship with Yak & Yeti is complicated. The food is all right, but the service just makes me so nervous it really hurts the dining experience. The first time we went they didn't get our appetizer order and then we tried to reorder and it never came out. They finally asked if we wanted it to take home.... It is so close to where we live and again the food was decent, so when we saw the groupon for it we figured we would give it another go. We ordered the special bread basket as an appetizer and it took us a long time to get the waiter to understand what we were trying to do (we weren't ready to order entrees yet). I would say I would come back if one night I was really desperate for Indian food that is really close, but otherwise there are places around that have just as good of food and the dining experience is a lot less stressful.......
(4)Laura L.
The only complaint we have about Y&Y is that it tends to be a bit warm in the restaurant if you're not sitting in the first room... other than that, my husband and I love it! We've been there 4-5 times, and we're big fans of Indian/Nepali/Tibetan foods as they make eating vegetarian so easy. (Our first date was Maartsa on Elm!) I was excited when a "HomeRun" (same as groupon, etc.) had a $20 for $45 deal. Since the prices are incredibly reasonable, we knew that $45 would be more than enough for us to go out for dinner. We started off with both vegetable momo and vegetable pakora. The momo are steamed and delicious, and their dipping sauce is fantastic (I have no idea what it is, but it's great). They have some of the best pakora I've had. It doesn't have the incredibly dense texture that many pakoras have, and it's always crisp and light. It comes with a green, herby dipping sauce which is refreshing and perfect. For dinner, we ordered the bread basket because we just couldn't decide what naan we wanted! The onion naan is thicker, doughy and delicious. The onion is cooked just enough inside to melt in your mouth when you bite into it. The garlic naan is heavenly, and the "plain" naan has the classic, addicting flavor. We also shared navratan korma and tofu ra palung. Absolutely fantastic. We had them "medium" spiced, which definitely made us sniffle a bit. We felt that the portions were nicely sized. We both have good appetites, but after sharing two appetizers, we ended up taking home half of both entrees, over half of the rice, and all but 2-3 pieces of naan! When we were ready to pay, they told us that we hadn't spent enough money for our whole groupon, and suggested we have some desserts. We were full already, so they asked if they could send some home with us. We ended up taking home my husband's favorite, Gulab Jamun (which we joke a DD munchkins in honey), and a mango lassi. Their gulab jamun are spiced with cardamom (I think that's the flavor I'm remembering...) just right. And the mango lassi is amazing. (I saved it for lunch the next day and made it my "reward" for going for an extra long run!) Their service is definitely not American, meaning that we often feel as though we should be eating as quickly as possible so the restaurant can turn the table. We felt as though the servers here gave us enough time to slow down and enjoy our food without leaving us wondering where they had gone. They also were quick to fill our water glasses whenever they started to get low. They were gracious and lovely the entire evening, and we left talking about taking some guests from out of town there when they're here in a few weeks.
(5)Jason F.
we went here for the brunch buffet on saturday, very pleased with everything. the inside decor is kinda like a cafeteria, but the food was great. i wasn't eating meat, so i can't speak for everything - but the samosas were excellent, as was the chickpeas and vegetables. also the service was excellent, most indian places have horrible servers. would go back!
(4)Caitlin I.
Yes, I was one of the many, MANY people there the night of an expiring Groupon. Yes, I might have silently (and not so silently) swore out the line skippers and people who were taking their sweet time finishing up, but you try standing for an hour and twenty minutes to be seated and keep your cool. It doesn't happen and if it does, congratulations, you're a better person than me. I'll admit my hunger pains took over and if it hadn't been for the Groupon, I would have bounced, but damn if that thing didn't keep me around and I'm glad it did. The smell alone is enough to make you forget that your stomach is grumbling at you and the food is what keeps you there and content through the long, long wait. The manager/owner was very nice about the whole thing saying that it's been that busy for the past two weeks, and you could tell he genuinely cared that each customer had a good experience there, as evident by him walking around and striking up conversations with some patrons. The menu...well let's just say you have MORE than enough to choose from. I had the lamb samosas and the chana masala and the boy had, well, I'm not entirely sure, but it came out in something that resembled a cafteria tray, and before I knew it, it was gone. I'll take that as a sign of how good it was. I was full after the simosas (those things are damn filling!) but powered through some of the chana masala and it was just right. It definitely puts the one I make at home to shame, that's for sure. I asked for 'medium' spicy cause let's be honest, I can be a wimp sometimes, and it was a great balance of spicy that was appetizing yet didn't make me reach for my water glass after every bite. The location is within walking distance to Davis Square, the atmosphere was cozy and cute, and although I didn't really pay attention to the prices because of the Groupon, when I went back to check, they were more than reasonable. Totally worth the wait, just bring something to snack on in the meantime. Just in case.
(4)Naomi U.
This place has freshly prepared fantastic food. It's also reasonably priced; the buffet in particular is a great bargain. The vegetarian Momos are to die for and frankly this is the healthiest/freshest tastiest vegetarian food to be had in eastern Massachusetts. It's family run, and there is care and there is obvious pride in and care given to every detail. I read some negative comments about the service, all I can say is that in the five or so times we have been there it's been almost embarrassingly attentive.
(4)Rosalita E.
Came in with a Groupon for the buffet. I had come to Yak and Yeti before for dinner, but the food was even better than I remembered it. They had the best cauliflower I've ever tasted. Gobhi Bhatwa - kind of like Indian tempura. Amazing. The waiter, who was very friendly and nice, told me it was a new dish. I want to go back just to eat a plate of that.
(5)Lynn P.
I went just earlier today for their lunch buffet - still $7.95 Mon-Friday from 11am to 4pm-! Yes, 4pm! This is my second time but it was yummy as the first. The buffet spread is limited but still more than satisfactory: when I went it had: basmati rice, cauliflower pakora, lentil soup, dal makhani, aloo palak (i think, or aloo chole, I didn't have any), chicken tikka masala (what i find most yummy), tandoori chicken (moist and flavorful), and chicken with bone (that was the name given) - dark meat with spices. You also get unlimited chutney, raita, and salad + fruit. Pretty awesome for $7.95! Additionally, you get to choose from a few different types of naan. I love the garlic naan. They bring out two pieces per diner and it's hot, garlicky, herby and yummy. Apparently they have dinner buffets too for only $10.95, which is pretty cheap for a buffet! The service is nice: water is continually filled and plates cleared away really fast. The decor is also pretty! Only con was the heat, as Laura wrote. Even in the first room it was a bit hot today.
(5)Sarah G.
Kana O. you were right! I did finally get to writing up this review!! She and I had pretty different experiences here hence her 2 star review and my 3. Overall for the price and what I got with my masala dosa it is hard to beat especially for how fresh it all tasted. The dosa was HUGE! For those of you that don't know what a dosa is, it is basically a giant Indian version of a French crepe that is filled with different fillings like potatoes, chicken, spices etc. This thing was MASSIVE. And it came with a bowl of soup as well for about $9!! Crazy!! There was no way after having Yak and Yeti's pretty darn tasty samosas as an appetizer after the free mini starter they give all tables that I would be able to finish that dosa. My boyfriend had to finish up the leftovers I brought home later that night! But the flavor was great, my only problem is I asked for it SPICY and the waitress per usual in Boston questioned my ability to handle spice and once my dish came, it was spicy but definitely not anything that I couldn't handle. I barely needed water ha ha But overall it was a pretty good dosa. And the soup was just so so btw. Kana O. was not happy with her spicy spaghetti type dish--she ordered her's medium a couple steps below mine in spice level and it was just way too spicy for her. Our waitress was nice enough to offer replacing it with something else, but she just brought it home for her husband instead ha ha The rest of our group were actually all pretty content with their meals Bailey and Nicole saying that the classic and common American choice of Chicken Tikka Masala was one of the best ones they've had and Jenni one of my fav vegetarian friends had trouble deciding what to order because for once the menu had too many vegetarian options! For a new restaurant I hope this place makes it (and we got all of our leftovers given to us in these fancy paper bags which I am sure will go eventually to save costs ha ha). They have a giant wall mural of the mountain ranges in Nepal since half of the menu here is Indian and half is from Nepal which looks pretty nice, but the chairs and the benches could use some cushions to make the dining experience a little nicer and a smidge more comfy. Perhaps I will go back for one of their lunch buffets for $8 soon!! I mean it is close to the Tufts campus so if the student body discovers this place in Ball Square their lunch buffet could potentially lose its profit at that price!! We'll see!
(3)Simon L.
Yak & Yeti. Heard about it. Tried it. Liked it. Ate the chicken, chili stir fried with green chillis, onions and bell peppers, spiciness, hot, very hot but delicious. Followed up with the Kukhurako Tarkari - chicken again, with ginger, garlic and herbs. Add an order of poori and some white rice and you're set. Excellent, simple, cheap.
(4)Curt W.
YAK & YETI has been bumped up a star to 4 because of the consistently delicious & plentiful food and in my book, consistency is king! Have had several meals from them and they have yet to disappoint. A couple things we've learned: The always ask "mild, medium or hot" for the spice quota in your dish. Their "medium" is most other places version of hot, so we've begun ordering things mild and it seems to be "just right". Give them a try.
(4)AM G.
Read a positive review in the Boston Globe and soon after saw a Groupon valued at $30 (for a cost of $15). Decided to purchase.....and glad I did! Restaurant has a nice atmosphere and style. The food was very tasty. Had a mixed grill platter with delicious chicken, lamb, beef. Service was good - no complaints. We arrived 5pm on a Sat. and by the time we left, the place was full and there was a line waiting to get seated. Looking forward to going back!
(4)stacey l.
I really like this place. The food doesn't send me over the moon, but I do love the service. I think the menu has something for everyone, and the lunch buffet is tasty. I want to see them stick around, so please go here!
(4)Amanda L.
My husband and I came here for a quiet "date night" together, and it totally met our expectations. The staff was so friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere in the restaurant was conducive to conversation. It's cozy inside but not so cramped that you are on top of one another. We really liked the food. I love spicy and my husband likes mild, and they tailored everything to our preferences. We tried a few things from both the Nepali and Indian sides of the menu: vegetable dumplings, garlic naan, a few eggplant and lamb dishes....it was all amazing. Highly recommend.
(4)Emma D.
My friends and I ate here on a snowy Thursday evening. The food was delicious, although spicy. I ordered the Bhedako Tarkari (Nepali lamb special) and asked for the mildest possible, but even that was at my spiciness threshold. My friends, who are not wimps like myself, also thought that the cooks were liberal with the spices. But the waiters were super attentive and constantly refilling our water glasses. They also let us hang out for a good hour after we finished eating. I would definitely come here again.
(4)Jonathan G.
I ate there three days into their opening, and they were still getting out some of the restaurant opening jitters. The food, however, was FAN-tas-TIC. Oh man, that was good. Seriously. They serve a mix of Nepali and Indian food, and it was the best of either that I had recently. And best yet, food is reasonably priced. I was thrilled that a non-breakfast restaurant was opening in Ball Square, but this topped anything that I expected. Take the appetizer, for example. Can't remember was it was called, but it was an amazing mix of potatoes, bread crisps, cilantro, tamarind, and yogurt, had enough for two people to enjoy, and it was 6 bucks! 6! As for the meals, the vegetarian kofta paneer was delicious, not heavy at all, and the nepal lamb tarkari was tender and delicious. Each item? Less than $12. I'm going back.
(5)Ian B.
I had a very savory veggy soup called quantee. The chicken mo-mo (dumplings) were great, like little soft chicken sausages in a fresh dumpling blanket, with a creamy orange sauce that I guessed was roasted sweet pepper and or tomato based. I also had goat, my wife and kids the tandoori chicken and fish, all tender and tasty. There is at least one veggie dish with bamboo shoots, if you've never had them before be aware some people can't stand them, even the smell.
(4)Crista B.
It has been a little while since my last Yak and Yeti visit, but I always love going. The staff is friendly and I always let them pick my food. You have to have the naan though. It is also so yummy.
(4)Silent S.
I'm updating with some new information, based on several subsequent visits: 1. Yak & Yeti deliver. I didn't realize this when I wrote my original review. This makes a huge difference for residents of Somerville: previously, the best Indian restaurant in the area to deliver was India Palace. If you're looking to eat some perfectly cooked Indian-style lamb at home, you can order from Yak & Yeti. (And yes, the lamb is still perfectly cooked.) The only problem with this is... 2. The Indian dishes, while excellent, are not as good as the best Indian dishes from India Palace. The Nepali dishes, however, are all great. I really recommend steering toward the Nepali menu at Yak & Yeti, both for the experience (if you're unfamiliar with Nepalese cuisine and flavors) and the quality of the dishes. 3. Another word about their delivery services: they will deliver EVERY item you'd receive on your table with your order. The bread and chutney that they serve when you first arrive? Included in the delivery. The garnishes and sides that come with certain orders? Included in the delivery. They deliver everything but the table and chairs. I don't know how long they'll keep this up, but it's a great practice (and one not shared by many of the other Indian and Asian restaurants in the area). The folks at Yak & Yeti they seem very excited whenever you order from them (whether dine-in or delivery). This place has great energy, and good food (for more about that, see my previous review). I'm writing this update mostly to let everyone know about their excellent delivery service.
(4)Michael R.
The chicken mo-mo are worth the trip on their own - a delicious dumpling if ever I've had one. Roasted soy beans were spicy and crunchy and overall a solid appetizer selection. My only (slight) gripe was with the chicken takari - the meat itself was tender, but the sauce was a bit overpowering with some kind of really fragrant spice. Cardamom? I'm too much of an uncultured oaf to place it. But unless my dish was a mistake, if you try it you'll know in an instant what I'm talking about. Still, 3 stars - I finished all of all of the above, and left pretty happy. Next time I go, I'll venture away from the Nepali dishes and give some of their Indian options a spin.
(3)Renee G.
I'd been dying for decent Indian food since returning from Mumbai a couple of weeks ago (I know a lot of people get sick of Indian food easily but for me personally, the more I eat, the more I want to eat), but it was a freezing cold night and I wasn't exactly in the mood to walk to Teele Square for Guru the Caterer then all the way home to Winter Hill. (Yes, I'm aware that there are buses for this sort of thing but the problem is that buses don't come when you snap your fingers.) I headed home, figuring I'd just let Foodler rustle something up for me while I basked in the warmth of a heated apartment, but as I passed Ball Square I noticed Yak and Yeti and thought, hmm. I'd noticed it before and my reaction had been, "They found yetis? And they're serving them?" but it turns out they serve neither yak nor yeti (tough to import a yak, I guess) and I was pretty hungry despite an afternoon spent munching the Moose Munch that had mysteriously appeared in my office kitchen and decided to give it a try. I got the house biryani, with chicken, lamb and shrimp. I asked for it Indian spicy, but there is apparently just something about my so-pale-I'm-practically-transparent complexion that makes restauranteurs skeptical about my ability to handle heat, because it was only moderately spicy. It was, however, quite delicious nonetheless, especially with the raita and chutney that come alongside it. It was also fairly inexpensive and an enormous amount of food, more than enough for two meals, which is always a plus. I got takeout and was Blackberrying as I waited, so I can't really say I noticed the decor, but it seemed like a pleasant enough place. I'd definitely go back, potentially to try some of their Nepali delights next time.
(4)Ann G.
I really enjoyed my meal at Yak & Yeti. I've been meaning to try this restaurant since it opened and finally got a chance on our first snowy evening of the year. The restaurant only had one other table of diners (it was quite snowy and a Monday night) but the staff didn't hover too much or forget about us. I love the decor - the huge mural of a mountain range is awesome and I love the architectural design of the main dining area. The bamboo tables and red chairs really add to the unique look. I thought the petal-shaped rice bowls were nice, too. My friend got a typical Indian dish, Chicken Tikka Masala, and I got a Nepali pumpkin dish. Both were delicious - the tikka was sweet with mild spice and the pumpkin was really unique and yummy. Their naan was super fluffly and had a light coating of butter. I'm no expert on South Asian foods but I loved the food and ambience at Yak & Yeti!
(4)Ed M.
After this place opened, we had been meaning to eat here for quite a while. Then Groupon had a deal that we couldn't say no to. They bring out some papadums and chutneys to start and the menu has some really interesting things on it combined with the usual Indian items you are used to. We ordered the roasted soybeans and chicken kothe (stir fry dumplings) to start and for the meal we had the kukhurako tarkari (chicken with ginger and garlic in a tasty sauce), nariyal lamb (lamb in a coconut sauce) and the bread basket (3 styles of naan). You can specify how spicy you want it, we went with Medium and it was the perfect spice level for us anyway. With the rice and bread and starters, we had enough for lunch the next day, so the meal was more than enough. We were here on a Wednesday and it was dead, so we were seated right away. We might come back for the buffet and we would definitely come back for another meal, great food and quick, friendly service.
(4)Wendy F.
Yak and Yeti offers an array of vegetarian options. Staff is knowledgeable about food ingredients and claim that most vegetarian dishes (those that do not include cheese), can be made dairy-free upon request. Unfortunately, all of their naan breads are out. Fitting Himalayan wall design is a nice touch. Majority of dishes and sides under $10 each but larger entrees are a bit more. Some portion sizes are small but you can easily fill up when paired with basmati rice and a side of bread.
(4)Chad F.
I tried their shrimp vindaloo and chicken tikka masala with a naan bread basket (which gives you plain, garlic and onion naan). I liked all the dishes but thought that their naan bread was just excellent. It was quite soft and tasted great even without dipping it in curry. Their service was also appropriate. They are there for you but not in your face, if you know what I mean. For leftovers, they neatly packed our dishes in separate plastic containers. I kinda liked that.
(4)Whitney R.
Was excited to try the buffet today after seeing 'coming soon' for months. Was not disappointed; the food was delicious. I did not notice anything that seemed other than Indian at the buffet, so I will go at a later time to sample the momos. My only small issue was that the food was lukewarm, but this not out of the ordinary for a lunch buffet. The servings of naan that came with the buffet lunch were huge,tasty and hot from the oven. Even without the 50% discount for grand opening, the food is reasonably priced, our lunch was $7.95 each at full price. The ambiance is nice, nothing fancy, but not a typical neighborhood dive. The clean lines and bright colors make for a good experience.They also appear to serve dinner until 10 pm, which is great for us Ball Square residents!
(4)Gleb Z.
Came with the GF on a kgbdeal, the deal was 20 for 8 so I bought two coupons. Aloo Taama soup---she thought it was ok, I wasn't a fan Lamb Samosas---not very good, neither one of us liked them Paneer Parath---couldn't taste the cheese, tasted like pitas Lamb Kabob---the lamb was not very tender but overall ok Tandoori Mix Grill---The shrimp tasted good, the chicken wasn't good When were about to pay the waitress informs me that they will not accept both coupons at the same time. I explained to her and showed her a print out that they were 1/person but she refused to accept the second one and only took 20 off the bill. Overall the place is a joke compared to a place like Punjab Palace
(2)Eric L.
Yak and Yeti bemuses me. Consistent and good reviews on Yelp but everytime I go in, no one is there?! It's weird. Perhaps everyone orders take out like me...I dunno. Anyways, Y&Y delivers a consistent experience. I usually order the Paneer Makhani extra hot and it's delicious each and every time. The sauce is very well spiced. A good judge of Indian food, for me, it the spice factor. If you order it extra hot, it better make you sweat. Y&Y delivers on this front. The Paneer is perfectly cooked, not too soft but not too hard. It's very very good! The rice, rice seems like such an easy component to over look during an Indian dinner. Some Inidan restaurants mess up on this part of the meal on a consistent basis. I know cookig perfect rice can be tough and I believe Y&Y cooks near perfect basmati rice. The bread is the only thing I would complain about. It's usually very very good. Sometimes it's a bit too thick though. They give you the option of getting Garlic naan instead of the regular naan. The garlic naan is very very good if done correctly. Also, the Tamarind and Chutney is unique and very good. I hope more people go to Yak and Yeti; it's clean, it has good character and the staff is very nice and you can tell they appreciate your business. (This would be the perfect place for a Groupon or LivingSocial deal...)
(4)Susie Q.
I liked the food when I first ate in the restaurant, so I figured I'd order delivery from here. I was not happy with my experience, and here's why: The delivery took forever! It was at LEAST half an hour later than it was supposed to be. And on top of that, they forgot my utensils, even though I specifically asked for them. I was getting the food delivered to my workplace; we don't just have a bunch of forks lying around. I don't understand why they don't just include utensils and napkins in every bag. This is bad, bad customer service.
(2)Amica M.
I've had the lunch buffet in this place. I was surprised by how good it was. In fact, I craved it and came back 2 or 3 times in the next few months. It wasn't as great each time, but still was a cut or two above what you usually get. One thing that I really liked was that the food was well prepared and very flavorful. For me, often Indian food/Himalayan food can be very spicy, but it doesn't enhance the flavor. Sometimes it just tastes overspiced. This food was spicy and delicious. And not overcooked.
(4)Elizabeth K.
The service here is amazing! Our waitress, runner, and (owner/manger?) were all very friendly and thanked us about 10 times for coming as we left. Also, this is the first place I've used a Restaurant . com coupon where they have smiled, asked if it was ok for them to add the 18% gratuity (which we then chipped in some cash to make it 20%), and after, sent us a survey about our experience via the Restaurant . com site. Typically any type of discount is met with an obvious eye roll... As for food, we ordered a little bit from each side of the menu - mo-mos & a pumpkin dish from the Nepali side; tomato & coconut soup and a paneer dish from the Indian side. It was all super delicious! The portions were rather large too. My one word of advice, we asked for "medium" spice and it was just about at the brink of what we could stand spice-wise...and we like really spicy food!
(5)Jennifer M.
We ordered at Yak & Yeti through a Living Social deal and the food was cold once it arrived an hour and 15 minutes after we ordered it. They also forgot to include our naan and added a vegetarian app we didn't request. Major bummer as the chicken tikka masala (ordered spicy) was nicely flavored.
(1)Kay A.
I'm sad this place isn't ever bustling! The food is so good!. A good combination of nepalese and indian food. Whenever I go try to order from the nepalese menu since I don't know of many other nepalese restaurants. Try the chicken with lime appetizer it's delicious. Last time I was at Yak and Yeti, I got the nepalese lamb, so good and they can make real spicy (just how I like it!). Also I love naan and I especially love their garlic naan. The atmosphere was nice, quiet, and not too busy (I'm hoping that's just due to it being the winter) but the staff was also really attentive. I would suggest this place for a first date or a nice quiet night out with a loved one, or even a hated one, I guess anyone just to have an excuse to eat there.
(5)Matt J.
Having just bought the groupon to this culinary vehicle to the Himalayas, I came on a Saturday night and it was jam packed. I don't think these guys realized just how much busier they would get as a result of the Groupon. Sarah G. and I waited for 45 minutes for a table and sat 20 minutes before they even took our drink order. We ordered some vegetable momos (come on, how can you not love just saying that word...momos) as appetizers, but they didn't even bring them to us until after we finished our entrées!! That being said (cue the joke), the food was excellent. We split a lamb vindaloo which, despite its utter lack of hotness (we ordered it "hot" and it tasted not a hair above "mild"), was delicious (if you like spicy food, tell them to make it extra hot). As for the other entrée, well I don't remember. The naan, though, was fluffy and tasty, and the $3 mango lassi was refreshing. The momos, though late, were fantastic with a bit of soy sauce the next day. The prices are more than reasonable, and I hear their lunch buffet for $7.95 is a fantastic deal. I'll definitely be back!
(4)AC T.
Went there last night and had the goat sekuwa which was great. The meat was so good. Nicely marinated and all so tender. Then we got the Chicken chow chow. This was just okay. The noodle is spaghetti and it was too dry and bland for me. Nothing exciting about this dish. We also had the pharsiko tarkar (pumpkin) which very tasty. And the Bhedako Tarkari - the lamb was also very tender and comes with the sauce was great on the basmati rice and garlic naan. I really enjoyed the goat and lamb dishes because I don't usually like them. I'm glad I tried this place out.
(4)Aboud Y.
Disclaimer: this review was for Y+Y's delivery and I'm totally uninitiated to Nepalese cuisine (though it seems very similar to Northern Indian). So I thought this place was alright and I think I'm gonna give them another shot with a visit to the restaurant sometime soon. Here's what I ordered: -- Lamb Thukpa: a delicious noodle soup though I would have preferred some more broth and a little more kick (nothing that some scotch bonnet peppers couldn't solve) -- Bhedako Tarkari: this was a lamb stew...it tasted like many other Indian dishes I've tried but with less flavor. It was ok. -- Peshawari Naan, Mango Lassi, and Rice Pudding: all were average to below average (particularly the Naan). Maybe I just don't get it?
(3)Kathy M.
Lunch Buffet: The veggie pakora was cold. There were 3 chicken items offered (tikka masala, curry, tandoori) and 3 veggie options that all were pretty similar. The bread they offered was really good but most buffets offer complimentary naan so that was disappointing. The one waiter/host rarely came by my table so i often had to find him to put in a drink request, clear my dishes and get our check.
(2)Renée P.
I tried the pashwari naan, lamb samosas, veggie samosas, chicken mo-mo, the pumpkin dish and the tandoori chicken. To start you eat a crispy bread that is very thin like a cracker. On it you can put a pepper spread or a watery spread. I left the watery one alone. The pepper spread was too delicious. I even had them pack me some in my to - go bag. It was spicy and yummy and familiar yet different than anything I had ever tried. I can't explain why it was familiar. Must be a spice I recognize but can't place. Then came the samosas- deeeelish I loved them both. They are not the best I've ever had but were very good. You get 2 of them for around $4 - I'd say they are worth it. The green dip they came with was delish too. I'm a big fan of new and unusual flavors so I was loving that. The mo-mo came next. They were good but I am so used to the dumplings at Wang's that I guess I am spoiled. They were a tad bland. I compared them to the chinese dumplings at wangs because they are just similar.... you know? They're dumplings.... haha anyway I probably won't get them again. They weren't bad but I'll use that money to try something new next time. And there WILL be a next time. Next came the Naan. The pashwari naan was manna from heaven - oh my gosh I loved it. Delicious, flakey, crispy, warm, sweet - I was surprised it came out with dinner but hey that's how they do it and I dug it. So good. It comes with 4 pieces. If your party has more than 2 people get 2 orders. I savored both of my pieces. I would not have wanted to settle for just one. Then came the entrees The pumpkin dish (I got mild they asked how hot) it was like a butternut squash dish kind of but pumpkin (obviously) and way yummier and buttery. On the side came a white rice that had some coconut infused too. So alone the rice would have been a tad dry but not undercooked it was just a dry rice not a wet sticky rice. Well I mixed each bite of rice with a bite of the pumpkin and it was amazing. I'd be surprised if this was not their intent. The tandoori chicken came with some veggies and 4 big pieces of chicken. I tried it. It was flavorful but the chicken was dry unfortunately. I would never order that again. Well it was not my entree but I tried it and def glad I got the pumpkin. The neighbor table had this crepe looking thing... not sure what it was but it looked good. The flavors here are great and the prices are unbeatably great. They are on restaurant.com and have been on groupon and coupme. I would try them with a restaurant.com gc if you are debating it. Their prices are really good though so you could also just go, get the naan and pumpkin and samosas and not be disappointed at all. :) ENJOY! I'll be back within 2 weeks for sure.
(4)Samuel F.
Went here with a few friends, and it was phenomenal. Great food, wide selection, good service, reasonable prices. Even the tea and bread were exceptional. Our meal came with complimentary coconut and tomato soup (don't know why, they were trying out a new recipe?), which was also very good. Don't miss this one if you're in the neighborhood.
(5)Sean B.
I have been to Yak and Yeti a couple times, and both times was satisfied with the quality of food, but it was a lot of little things that kept me from giving it a higher rating. Both times I visited, the waiter/waitress did not tend to our table right away, and the restaurant wasn't that busy. The first time I was with a larger group, and when our server finally took our order for drinks, I remember one of the women in our party asking for water, and never received it (I find this happens at many restaurants, so I can't exclusively put all the blame on Yak and Yeti. It's like servers sometimes don't believe that all you want is water, and not a soda or beer). Upon realizing the mistake, however, the server apologized and immediately brought out the water. On another occasion, I went in the first week of July during a heatwave, and there was no air-conditioning to speak of. It may have been an off day, but the wait for food seemed a little longer than usual (which, even with the air-conditioning would have been a little longer than usual). Thankfully, the food was wonderful, and one could argue, worth the wait. I wouldn't say it is cheap, but it definitely doesn't break the bank. Delivery is also an option, which is good for me as I live in the area. I definitely would recommend trying the food here. If I make my way over again, I hope the service has improved some, as the quality of this Nepali restaurant is actually very good.
(3)Katie R.
I bought a groupon for this place, so a friend and I decided to try it out. The decor is beautiful! We loved the mountain mural and the red accents everywhere. My friend and I kept commenting on how nicely decorated it is! We ordered the set Nepalese meal, and got the goat for our appetizer, which was delicious. I highly recommend orderin it, because it isn't something too easy to come by! When they brought our food out, we were shocked by how much there was! It was an entire tray full of food! I ordered the fish and she ordered the chicken, which was much more delicious. The entire experience was great, Nepalese food isn't easy to come by and it was worth ordering! I would like to go back and try their indian food at a later date.
(4)F. C.
Hooray for Nepali food! Yak and Yeti is such a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Their Indian food is some of the best around- I actually prefer it to both Diva and Namaskar. But the real star of the show here is the Nepali food. The set Nepali meal (Dal Bhat) is wonderful. It gives you a chance to try several dishes and it's HUGE. I took about 2/3 of it home as leftovers. The lentils included in the set meal were without a doubt some of the best lentils I've ever had. And that's including the many dal dishes I had while I was actually in Nepal. One drawback is that they don't have a liquor license and they also won't allow you to BYOB. But with food this good it's barely an issue.
(4)Kristina P.
We've eaten several times at Yak and Yeti since it's right down stairs from our condo. The cracker-like stuff they give you first is really good, especially with the mango chutney they give you. I can't remember what the dipping sauce was....maybe a tamarind chutney? Anway, they are both really good. We've tried the mo-mo before which were pretty good but I'd recommend the vegetarian platter which has veggie samosas, vegetable pakora, paneer pakora and aloo tiki... everything on this dish was so good I could probably live off it. They give you a sort of green godess type sauce to go with it. The paneer pakora was my least favorite on the platter so I would probably skip that and order them individually next time. The garlic naan and chicken vindaloo are both to die for. We order the vindaloo spicy and with the naan it goes perfectly. The decor inside Yak and Yeti is very cool, not that it speaks to the food but it is a cool atmosphere! The people who work at Yak and Yeti and super nice and very helpful if you need suggestions or ideas on what to order. The first few times we had no idea what we were doing and they were very helpful. We still ask them for suggestions on new things to get. If you're thinking about trying Indian or Nepali I'd definitely recommend Yak and Yeti.
(5)Sean R.
I'm sure it was a bad night for them..... We went there on a Friday night. We came in and got a table. It raised our expectations to see such a booming takeout business. We thought we'd be in for a treat. Ultimately service is the worst I've experienced in years. At first they tried seating another party at our table with us. Then the food took forever. In the end 1 hr 45 min and they didn't even get everything we ordered out. The slap in the face is that they never stopped answering the phone and the takeout/delivery orders kept flowing by our table. The Nepali was interesting but the Indian food wasn't any good. And there isn't even anything to drink while you wait.
(1)Mister Chub S.
I had the tandor meal special. It was a large plate full of perfectly grilled, tender meats with rice. Whoa, it was meat-tastic. Get it! The waitstaff was attentive and didn't ever let our water glasses go empty. The interior was simple- nothing fancy. I sat in the room with the giant mountain mural- it was a big tacky but the food was good and everyone was helpful. They easily accommodated a large group of us too. It wasn't the easiest to get to by T but you can take a bus from Davis Square or walk about 3/4 of a mile from Davis Square stop.
(4)V L.
The buffet had a wide variety of tasty food and was a great value. I was running late once before they were going to close the buffet and they kept it open just for me! Soup was tasty and large. The only thing is that it can get quite hot in there especially in the late spring/summer.
(4)wolf t.
This place should just ditch the indian menu and concentrate on the Nepali food. Cambridge is already drowning in excellent Indian, so any new restaurant has to work hard to justify its existence. The Nepali is perfectly adequate for a relaxed weekday dinner. It's less greasy than House of Tibet and more flavorful than Annapurna. I could have used more spice; my dinner compatriots needed "medium" and it came out "barely perceptible." Watch out behind you, though. The waiter dumped a bowl of lamb sauce on my friend's new shirt.
(3)Stephanie G.
This restaurant combines Nepalese and Indian food and, in my opinion, is the best Indian place in my neighborhood. Although you might think from the name and decor that the focus is on Nepalese food, the majority of the menu is actually pretty standard Indian fare. I got a masala dosa, and it was exactly the kind of thing you get an Indian restaurant, down to the soup and sauce. My boy got a Nepalese lamb dish, and it was perfectly cooked. Like perfect. I love lamb, but I often fear ordering it at restaurants because it frequently comes too tough, but this was really exactly right. And the Nepalese sauce was reminiscent of Indian food, but also certainly distinct. Both the service and the prices were good - I think the prices were better than the Indian places in Davis, so I am genuinely excited to have this new addition to the neighborhood.
(4)Rick H.
Food was excellent. You get to choose how spicy you want your dish, great for those who don't like spicy foods but still want to explore the menu. Service was very good, our whole party was given a complementary cup of soup between apps and the main course. Will definitely be going back.
(4)Colleen B.
I'm sitting here eating my delicious leftovers from last night's meal. Even the way they packaged up my meal in tidy, separate containers was thoughtful. What an enjoyable experience the Yak & Yeti was. The waiters were gracious, the food tasty and the price was reasonable. Loved eating at the foot of Everest too. I hope this one makes it. They deserve to.
(5)Peter N.
Great food, courteous, friendly service. Lunch buffet is very affordable and everything I've had is delicious.
(5)Eric Y.
Went here for the 1st time on a Thursday night w/2 friends. One of us had a coupme gift certificate ($10 for $25) and have been meaning to try this place for a long time. The atmosphere was nice, very clean and simple with plenty of seating. Menu was very extensive with lots of choices from both Nepalese and Indian cuisine. The waitress asked us each how spicy we want our dishes which was nice as Inidan cuisine can be a bit bold/spicy if you are not prepared. We ordered 2 appetizers- Lamb Samosas and Chicken Dumplings-both of which were very tasty. All of our entrees were also quite good and came out very hot and fresh. The garlic naan was especially very satisfying with loads of yummy garlic everywhere. Even thought we all ordered out main dishes "mild" they still packed a spicy punch-but nothing we could not handle. Meats and veggies in all of the entrees were good and portion size was plentiful and more than enough for us. Service overall was great and we really enjoyed our experience here the 1st time--will for sure be back soon!
(4)Lisa D.
***UPDATE ***went in on Friday 7/16/20 and found out B.Y.O is no longer allowed - HUGE bummer...they have not got their liquor license yet either.
(4)Laura B.
tasty Nepalese food in ball square? oh yes. the menu is split into two sections: one part nepali and one part indian. judging from friends recommendations the nepali food is much better than the indian food here, so we decided to order from the nepali side of the menu. disclaimer: if you do not like spicy food, alert your server before placing your order. i love spicy food. we ordered all of our food very spicy. we split the Dal Bhat Masu {for $19 it is the nepali equivalent of a japanese bento box, it has a little bit of everything, you pick the meat and appetizer}. for our meat entree we chose the Khasi Ko Masu {goat meat with bone in, cooked in a savory spicy sauce}. for our appetizer we went with Chicken Kothe {six lightly fried chicken dumplings served with a fruity, spicy dipping sauce}. we ordered an additional entree of Tofu Ra Palung {steamed tofu, sauteed with spinach and garlic in a light curry-ish sauce}. thumbs up! preliminary suggestions: 1.) hot plates please- i think all restaurants should serve hot food on hot plates. the plates here were rather cold, thus cooling our hot food rather quickly. nobody enjoys eating luke warm food, that is supposed to be piping hot! 2.) seating- the red chairs were comfy, but the benches along the wall in the side dining room were not. they desperately needed padding. 3.)lighting- it would have been nice if the lights were turned down slightly. the bright white walls, sculptural woven web-like installation running the length of the main dining room, and the 180 degree mural of the Himalayan mountians, makes this interior of Yak and Yeti feel like a mountainous snow cave. so why so bright? why not go with dimmer lights? Yak and Yeti currently does not have a beer and wine or liquor license. one of the yelp reviews says that you can bring your own bottle of wine. this is simply incorrect. i brought my own bottle, and they said i was not allowed to open it. i am hoping they get their license soon, so i can go back and enjoy my spicy nepalese food with a glass of red wine.
(4)Stephanie G.
Love this place! I have spent ample time in India, so I am a critic. Especially of simple things like lassi and chai! If you like traditional Indian food, you won't be disappointed. The tandoori style entrees have incredible flavor and are fresh. Plenty of delicious vegetarian options (I mean, who knows how to do vegetarian better than the Indians?!). I have eaten a lot of Tibetan food as well, and Nepali food definitely has different spices. It was a new adventure for me, and I wasn't disappointed. The staff is friendly, the food comes out in a timely fashion, the decor is intriguing. If they could just get a little Old Monk rum or Taj Mahal beer in there, dining would be perfect! Check out the cool wall art made of string.
(4)Dara R.
I ate lunch at Yak and Yeti today with my guy and it was surprisingly satisfying and and wonderfully delicious. We loved the various things offered at the buffet. My two favorites were the Bhindi Masala [okra stew] and Rajma [kidney bean curry]. The chicken TIkka Masala, chicken dumplings and lentil soup were also delish. I really liked the spiced tea after my meal and appreciated that it was not pre-sweetened so you could add sugar or not. The only thing that disappointed me was the raita, I didn't like it. The atmosphere was peaceful and calm and the wait staff was friendly and attentive. I really enjoyed it.
(4)Jerad L.
If you don't want to read the rest of this review, here's the quickie. The Nepali food is good, the Indian fare is less good, and the customer service and delivery is horrible. My wife and I ordered some food for delivery the other night and were advised it should be delivered in about 45 minutes. An hour and 15 minutes later, without having yet received the food, we tried to call the restaurant but all calls went directly to a "This mailbox is full" message. So, we just had to wait and hope that it would arrive. Finally, over 1.5 hours after ordering the food, it was finally delivered. The momos, which we'd had from here before, were very good, as was the Nepali veggie/potato soup-ish dish (I don't remember what it was called). The chicken vindaloo was nothing like any vindaloo I've ever had before. I expect vindaloo to be very spicy. I can enjoy one that is more mild, but still has some spice. This one was completely bland. It wasn't just that there was no hotness to it, it had very little flavor at all! We may stop in to the restaurant for the lunch buffet again, but we will never order something for delivery and will probably stick to the Nepali dishes from now on.
(2)Eric R.
Food: Tasty. On the Indian side of things, we got mutter paneer and veggie pakoras. They were solidly good, though nothing extraordinary; ditto for my lassi. My exposure to Nepalese food is more limited, so take the following with a grain of salt: the veggie momos were spicier than I expected and not entirely to my taste (I prefer House of Tibet's), but the pumpkin dish we got was excellent... sweet and spiced and spicy. Service: Earnest and well-meaning, but somewhat amateur. The waiter wasn't entirely familiar with the menu, the water-filler interrupted an animated conversation to ask us to pass a water glass so he could fill it, the waiter accidentally tried to take away a lassi I wasn't done with yet, we had to spend a bit of time flagging someone down for the check rather than it being left for us (or being asked if we wanted dessert) - that sort of thing. But we got our food in reasonable time, staff were all friendly and helpful, and they were excellent about not minding us having a very long conversation over our food. One small but noteworthy negative: After getting the bill, I paid with credit card + Groupon. The credit card slip they gave to me had an adjusted subtotal, then lines for tip and total. But the adjusted subtotal included a gratuity which had *not* been on the check previously shown to me! This was shown on another receipt buried further down in the stack, but not at all obvious; had I not read about this on Yelp and made mental note of how much the bill-minus-coupon should be, I probably would have double-tipped accidentally. So basically, 2 - 2.5 for service, 3 - 3.5 for food. I'll happily eat there again someday, but probably won't seek it out with great vigor.
(3)Leo G.
I liked the buffet on the two weekends I've been. It's not the best Indian buffet I've been to, but it's a good deal in the area in a pleasant atmosphere and with good service. Like others have said, maybe the waitstaff is a little too attentive and of the food could be hotter. Other than that, this place is a great addition to Ball Square.
(4)Sandy K.
I live in the area, and I was really, really looking forward to this place opening -- which is why, my fella and I were there for it's opening day. We haven't been back since. Albeit our expectations were on the high side, but the food just wasn't very good. Under seasoned would be an under statement. The kind staff and the abundant buffet selection just didn't make up for the underwhelming flavor.
(1)Svetlana F.
The place is great and very accommodating. The staff service was excellent. The food was very good, nothing particularly stands out but I also can't point to a single bad thing. We only sampled the Nepali section and I can't wait to come back and try the Indian part of the menu. Nepali food was delicious, not too spicy and felt authentic. The best part are the prices! Much better deal than Diva's.
(4)Anton A.
Everything I have had off the Nepal side of the menu has been very good. The mo-mos are the best dumplings I have ever eaten, especially the vegetable version. I can't speak to the lunch buffet, since I specifically avoid buffets. If lunch was a la carte, I would go for lunch also.
(4)J L.
Five stars for the food! Everything my boyfriend and I had was fantastic. We both ate off the Nepali menu since we have an indian groupon that we will be using soon. We had vegetable mo-mo, khasi sekuwa, pharsiko tarkari and khasi ko masu which were all outstanding. I don't know the proper name for the thin, crispy bread they serve when you're seated but that was also quite tasty! We had 3 servings. I docked a star for a few reasons. This place is TINY and was very busy on the Saturday evening we went (which I was happy to see --- I really hope this place survives long into the future). As a result, every time the door opened, pretty much everyone in the restaurant would be blasted with cold air. That and the fact that we sat practically hip to hip with the people next to us made it uncomfortable. Most of the servers seemed nice but they were being pulled in so many different directions that we often felt forgotten. When they took our plates, we asked for the leftovers and they never came back AND they charged us 18% gratuity (maybe it was because we used a Groupon and people too often short change them?). I probably would have given 15% and was a bit annoyed that I wasn't allowed to make that judgement call. I think under better circumstances (during the day, maybe a warmer day) this place would be outstanding. I'll be back.
(4)jack n.
the first time i went there i ordered a chicken tiki marsala and a lamb saag. i thought both were pretty tasty, but the portions seemd small. the next time, i tried their lunch buffet. the chicken tiki marsala at the buffet didn't taste nearly as good. like it was watered down or not as creamy. prices are average to slightly below average for indian food. seems like they have a groupon on groupon now! every so often so it's worth checking that out if you're planning on stopping by. quality of food 3 stars value - 3 stars intangibles 3 stars ----------------------------- kebab factory is still tops on my indian list.
(3)Liz C.
Delicious, fast, healthyish food in Ball Square a stones throw from home. I can walk and get a mango lassi in 5 minutes? I'm in heaven. The Nepalese food is great , particularly the pumpkin dish and the goat. I'm too satisfied to write a long review, let's just say this place will likely be frequented weekly. Even better, they have very fast one dollar delivery in Somerville! Folks, don't go on Foodler (who failed me miserably with an Indian order earlier this evening) and pay a 5 dollar Mixmenu fee, order directly from Yak and Yeti. They happily took a delivery order at 9:40 without complaint despite closing at 10 and not knowing how close we are. Great service.
(5)Greg D.
I'm writing principally to rebut the one other breakfast review here. The breakfast here is excellent. It's a cheap ($7) all-you-can-eat buffet and high quality. It's basically a western breakfast: eggs, pancakes, french toast, sausage, hash browns, with a couple Indian items thrown in, including samosas and naan. A little cheese in my scrambled eggs would been extra-awesome, but tasty nonetheless. Oh yeah, that $7 includes coffee and orange juice. Very nice decor and waitstaff to boot.
(4)Katie M.
*disclaimer I used the scout mob voucher to get 50% off one entree My boyfriend and I alternate who buys dinner so I am always looking for deals at new restaurants. We ordered Chicken Tiki Masala and Palak Paneer with an order of garlic naan and it ended up being $28 with the discount. I never received my own copy of the receipt but this is what showed up on my debit card. I am glad I had my voucher and I don't ever recommend coming without some sort of discount. The food was mediocre. The Chicken Tiki Masala tasted like canned tomato soup and didn't have any flavor even though it was medium. The meat quality was good at least. The Palak Paneer was like spinach baby food with cheese chunks, over-pureed and bland. The garlic naan was good. I really think they used canned tomato soup and canned pureed spinach, no joke. There is a good Indian restaurant in Davis Square, so I don't think I will be coming back to Yak and Yeti since neither the price nor the food quality was worth it. I was sort of embarrassed that I chose the place, just save yourself of the embarrassment of taking someone here. With the groupon promotion and now the more recent scout mob coupon, I think they have an issue keeping repeat customers. I honestly won't come back.
(2)nicole p.
Ball Sq is tasting better and better! They did a great job with the remodel. The interior is not overly fancy with plush banquettes but has an interesting wall sculpture and has an airy open feel. We did take-out so I can't comment on the service. But you really want to hear about the food, right? Fresh, flavorful, options galore. I stayed on the Nepalese side of the menu as I get Indian food pretty often. We had an amazing pumpkin dish that was just the right amount of savory and sweet and a fabulous goat dish that was in this complex sauce (which means I don't know how to describe the flavor) - let's just say not a single drop of sauce was left when the meal was done. The last thing we tried was a noodle dish with chicken. This was again, very fresh tasting, not greasy at all like most noodle dishes. I think this dish could have probably used a little more punch. I am really excited to try the lunch buffet and BREAKFAST buffet! And then I have the whole Indian side of the menu to try. Guess I won't be losing any weight this summer...
(4)Ada L.
I hate to say it, but since going to Namaskar in Davis, the food here just doesn't taste as good!
(3)Katty H.
We took the family here and it was a first experience with Nepali food for everyone. As lovers of Indian food, we anticipated eating somewhere that combined these two foods. The food was wonderful, with flavors I've never experienced before. The waitstaff was extremely kind and patiently walked us through the menu and buffet, explaining every item. Everyone opted for the buffet and left very satisfied. Their masala tea is incredible! I give it four stars because I am new to this type of food and thus have nothing to compare it to :)
(4)Lane Clare B.
Love this place. Love the cheap delivery charge. Love the food. We had the buffet the day before we moved out of town and are kicking ourselves for not doing that more often. Go there.
(5)Tushar S.
I will never go to this place again! The best part, food was still okay, nothing exceptional. Just that the breads were served after everyone had finished their first round and were half way through the second (buffet). Pathetic service. The servers did not really care and were no where in sight. They charge you a 20% gratuity for a self service buffet, so effectively you end up paying $10 for a $8 buffet. Now the best part, there were 3 of us who had to pay $10 each for our individual share, so we gave them 3 credit cards. 10minutes later he comes back and say that we don't accept Amex, whereas right at the entrance they are advertising that they do. So I give him my Visa and he comes back in another 5minutes and says that he has charged me $30 for all 3 people and in his exact words "Why don't you all split the money amongst yourselves". That's not all, after getting back, the 3 of us check our accounts and find out the the first person has been charged once on his card, despite me paying for all 3. The second person was charged 2 times, AND I was charged 4 times on my AMEX, which he did not even accept. So for a $30 meal they ended up charging us $100 total. I still have not got my money back!
(1)Bob B.
Although my wife and daughters frequent this place, I hadn't been here until tonight. Overall, excellent service, delicious food and reasonable prices. We took the Nepalese route tonight and were not disappointed. Momos and Vegetable Kothe to start, both were great. Simiko Dal was excellent, the beans were cooked perfectly and nicely spiced. The Tofu in the Ra Palung was soft and creamy and the Pumpkin dish was a seasonally perfect dish. All around it was a delightful meal.
(4)D C.
I would really give this place 3.5 stars, but since that's not an option... A friend and I went here for the buffet at lunch time, and were pleased with the food. There weren't many options for proteins, chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, and lamb jalfrezi, but there were a lot of vegetarian options. The chicken tikka and tandoori were well-seasoned and moist; the veggies in the tandoori were actually cooked-through which they rarely are at Indian restaurants. There was a great selection of lentil and chickpea, and black-eyed-pea dishes, all were great save the black-eyed-pea which had a really funky flavor. The naan was ridiculous. I think it was deep-fried, and it was flaky and delicious. Could've eaten ten of them, if I hadn't been so full. They also offer all of the standard chutneys and sauces to accompany the meal, which I appreciated. The price was also really reasonable, at $7.95/person! The restaurant was pretty empty at 2:45 on a Thursday, and hence, the staff were a little intense with the hovering and inquiring and describing of dishes. I could've done without that! Several of the items were really heavy on the salt as well, hoping this was just a fluke. Would definitely go back!
(3)Mama P.
If you come earlier on a weekend before the crowds (before 6pm or earlier), the food and experience is better. Once they get busy (Friday night at 7p) like during last night's visit, it quickly falls apart. They have quite a few servers for a modestly sized restaurant but they all got pretty frazzled as more and more people arrived. People who had a reservation did not get seated since they don't know how to plan for that. The door kept getting propped open as more hopefuls tried to enter from the frigid cold chilling the whole restaurant and our meals down. It was a very unpleasant meal and there were noticeable serving errors for many of us in the dining room. No water refills, no plate clearing, missing utensils, food served without a plate, incorrect and missing orders, etc. What about the food? The momos were the only appetizers cooked fresh and arrived hot. The veggie sampler had the usual Indian appys like Samosa, pakoras and were clearly reheated and fried earlier so they were lukewarm and very dry. Unappetizing appetizers. The Nepalese chicken with lime appy was horrid. The flavors of chili and lime-dressed chicken bits on lettuce was a good idea but once again, the chicken was obviously microwaved to heat up precooked chicken and there were dry edges on each piece which made them hard to swallow. Ick. We ordered two set meals, one with lamb tarkari and the other with chicken. Both were fine but although they asked how spicy and we said hot, both came out with no heat at all. There are only 4 small pieces of lamb in the set meal entree, some mustard greens, some pasty cold potato salad, a chunk of raw onion, a lemon wedge, a small cup of lentil soup and a pile of dry rice not cooked recently. This costs $18.95!!! I think the cook was overwhelmed by then as the place was full so he was just cooking. We also had a tandoori platter which took an additional 15 min to come out so my son had to wait while we decided to eat given the frigid blasts of cold air hitting our meals with every patron's arrival. That at least had freshly cooked chicken leg and thigh, 3 chunks of chicken breast, a couple of pieces of sausage, and a couple of lamb chunks. The meat was tender and tasty. Unfortunately, it was served on top of a bed of raw onions on a sizzling platter. The platter didn't sizzle long enough to remotely cook the onions so the meat tasted of raw onion. It took a long time to get water and the wait staff needs to make role assignments when it is this busy and chaotic so they aren't all running around missing people's orders and forgetting to deliver what dishes to the right tables. The phone also rang nonstop which added to a stressful eating experience. I felt pretty awful for what they were going through but I had to pay $79 so think they have to figure out quickly how to improve the customer dining experience if they want to survive. They added a generous tip onto the tab which surprised us as well. Not sure we would have tipped 20% when we had less than decent service. I gave them 2 stars even though last night was a 1 star experience because I know they can do better on different nights. We will return but never again on a Friday evening.
(2)Tara G.
Don't you give me no dirty looks Your father's hip; he knows what cooks Yakety yak (don't talk back) We ate dinner here tonight and I thought it was really delightful. My boyfriend and I split the navvrattan korma (vegetable and paneer) and the Nepali combination platter with chicken. The korma was excellent., with a sauce that was rich but not excessively thick, so it went perfectly over rice. The combination platter was really good too, and had a bunch of different pieces including some not mentioned on the menu, including a roasted seasoned cold potato side and cooked mustard greens. The lentil soup it came was was really good, although very rich and buttery. The only quibble was that the peas in the potato side had an odd texture as they seemed uncooked, but we weren't even expecting to get this so I really can't complain. As the appetizer in the platter, we chose the goat Sekuwa -- this was absolutely the best part of the meal. The chutnies that came on the side were good -- I really look for a good onion chutney as the mark of a good Indian restaurant, and so far this is in the top 5. The atmosphere was really nice, very clean and well kept. The service was extraordinarily attentive. The host that seated us was able to give us recommendations (namely, the Sekuwa we loved), which is nice -- I find it rather bland when restaurant staff say "everything is good".
(4)Anjib M.
Nice and quite place to be with friends and family for Nepali food. Food are put into the table when you need. Wait staff are also friendly and helpful in deciding dishes. I went with my roommate on Monday night dinner and really had opportunity to taste real Nepali food. Garlic naan was best I ever had in Indian/Nepali restaurant in US. Lamb curry, Pharsi and Chicken roast was cooked with excellence. And to forget the MoMo as appetizer. Next surely gonna try their buffet also.
(4)Afshan K.
I have to say the service at this place was amazing. The owner was really nice - he brought us soup by mistake and it wasn't even a big deal but he gave us complimentary samosas to make up for it! But unfortunately, the food wasn't that great. We ordered a lamb tarkari and black eyed beans with bamboo as our meal. We also ordered the stir friend chicken dumplings. The food wasn't bad but it was pretty much something we could make at home. It wasn't anything special. If we hadn't had a Groupon for this, we probably would've been upset for having to pay about $40 for the meal, given how average it was.
(2)Sidanshu G.
Nothing a lot to say about the ambience. The service is very slow. I cannot say much about the nepali dishes, but the Indian food is really not upto the mark. My friend had ordered the Nepali thali, half of which was served cold :(. The parathas were half cooked. Wondering how come this place has such nice reviews.
(1)Jennifer D.
The rating is pretty much right on. I like the place, I don't love it, but boy do I like it. The location's a bit out of the way for me, but the walk's pleasant enough.. the appetizers we had were really fantastic, but when it came time for the main course, the magic had subsided. I'd give it another try in a heartbeat, though.. the appetizers were really special, and despite the lackluster, the main meal wasn't bad. Oh, and the service? Spectacular.
(4)Marlene S.
If you have allergies to any food ingredients, do not order here! I have many dietary restrictions due to severe migraines, so it is extremely difficult for me to eat out and I am very careful to ask about everything that might be a problem. My beau and I ordered take-out from Yak & Yeti--he had ordered before and found the food decent for the price. The person I spoke to on the phone was helpful (or so I thought), I told him what I couldn't have and asked him what could be tweaked to accommodate me. Before getting off the phone, I asked him AGAIN to be sure if there was anything else in the dish that wasn't listed on the menu, and was told no. When the food arrived, however, this was not the case--it contained a food I can't eat that I had asked about. I was upset because we had no food at home (hence the take-out), and now had nothing to eat for dinner. So I called the restaurant back and spoke to the same person, and explained that I wasn't able to eat the food they brought. The man on the phone was so rude--without even so much as a pretend apology, he immediately told me that he's not obligated to tell me everything that's in a dish, even went so far to say "do I have to tell you when something has salt in it?" The conversation was brief, and after hanging up, I was determined to be refunded just for the money for that specific entree--it was, after all, the restaurant's fault. When I called again I asked to speak to the manager, and it was the same man! He proceeded to argue with me and sarcastically sneer into the phone "the customer is always right". I don't get upset easily but was appalled by this customer service or complete lack thereof. He finally agreed to refund me the money, but only if I came and brought the entire order back to the restaurant. Completely unprofessional. Mistakes in orders happen, as anyone with allergies knows. But at least be nice about it. If he had even just said "oh, I perhaps your order got mixed up, we'll bring you another one or refund you", I would definitely have tried again with this restaurant. But after being treated like THAT, they definitely lost my business.
(1)Maria C.
Great service. Food is incredible, especially the mango lassi, I only did not give it five stars because it is a bit too pricey for the area.
(4)Tim M.
After running into some private-party problems at one of our local favorites, we decided to finally give Yak and Yeti a try. I have one thing to say... wow! I ordered the vegetarian Nepalese platter... steamed dumplings and the black eyed peas with potato and bamboo shoots... my wife went for the meat Nepalese platter... fried chicken dumplings and some kind of lamb dish. Anyway, the platter came with lentil soup (creamy and spicy and awesome), spicy sauteed greens (super yummy with lemon spritzed on), and a cold potatoes and peas dish... all delicious. The black eyed peas dish was really incredible, (spicy) hot with all sorts of subtle flavors, I stuffed myself silly. The vegetable dumplings were great, with a wonderful spicy dipping sauce. We were in the main room by the crazy wall-sculpture thing... it was really pleasant and calm on an otherwise hectic and cold night. The only thing I couldn't figure out was how a restaurant that incredible could be relatively quiet on a Friday evening... I know it's a somewhat odd location, but it's totally worth the trip (remember, if you drive, that Somerville meters run until 8pm). Prices weren't the cheapest, but quite reasonable when you factor in the amount of food involved. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Steven N.
Service was slow and inattentive. But...the food was so good that I'll give it another chance. We went Nepalese, and had the goat appetizer, chicken noodle stir fry, and the lamb.
(3)Keeks L.
As someone who has been traveling to Nepal since 2004, I am in constant need of a proper daal bhaat fix! Yak and Yeti didn't disappoint. If you have never had this Nepali cuisine of lentils, vegetables, chutney and rice, this is the place to experience its healthy and hearty wonders outside the Himalayas. The dining room was meticulous and vibrant and the Nepalese waitstaff delightful. When we dined a few weeks ago, it was BYOB with a great wine store right across the road. Parking was super easy right in front on the street. I'll be a frequent patron for sure! Dhanybad!
(5)Julia Y.
We were excited to try this place, but were a little let down. The food was just okay. We got chicken tikka masala and a lamb curry kind of thing (not memorable?) ... it was all right, but we prefer other places and probably won't go back. On another note, we found the atmosphere to be a little stark for our taste... a little on the cold side. But that's personal taste. To be fair, we only tried it once. So maybe see for yourself!
(3)Jessica G.
My fiance and I love this restaurant!! We've been there twice so far and it will definitely be a regular for us. First of all, the restaurant is decorated beautifully, with very hip, unique design. The food is excellent. The first time we went we had only Indian food, and our second time tried some different Indian dishes as well as Nepali dishes for our first time (we had the chicken and the pumpkin, both cooked in garlic and ginger). All of the food we've had there has been delicious. We also had a couple Indian appetizers and could not believe the portion size for the price--they were so big that we couldn't finish our meal. The service was exceptional each time we went. The owner has been there both times and made it a point to come and talk to us. The other staff is very warm, friendly, and accomodating. And, it must be mentioned that Yak and Yeti's mango lassi will show up in your dreams it's so good. In short, the food, decor, and service at this restaurant are fantastic. I cannot say enough good things about it. Go to this restaurant! It's a real gem!!
(5)Erick H.
Having been to Ball Square Cafe and Soundbites on a few occasions, I'd noticed Yak & Yeti mostly because of its name. I'd never bothered to Yelp it, but since I've visited most of the eateries in Ball Square, it was inevitable that I'd stop in at some point. On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Jeremy K and I decided to try their $7.95 lunch buffet and it turned out to be an excellent decision (neither the price nor the two-minute drive from our apartment are much to complain about). Upon entering, two things struck me: the decor and the lack of other patrons. The walls of one room feature a stunning wraparound photograph of the Himalayas rising from the wooden bench seating, while the main room includes a series of what can best be described as string interlaced horizontally through poles running from one wall to the ceiling. The juxtaposition makes for an interesting atmosphere, one that is both playful and modern. Given our proximity to Tufts, I expected there to be at least a few people taking advantage of the buffet, though I didn't mind that we could have a nice, quiet lunch either. We were greeted promptly by the hostess, who told us we could sit where we'd like. After confirming that we'd come in for the buffet, she took our order for naan (we opted for garlic, which was tasty but very thickly coated with the stuff) and then disappeared. Meanwhile, we made our way to the buffet, which consisted of six different dishes, as well as rice and aloo taama (essentially french fries). Main courses included Chicken Tikka Masala, Tandoori Chicken, Chana Paneer (whole chick peas cooked with spices), and a lamb dish whose name I can't recall. There were two additional dishes which also escape me at the moment. I do, however, remember trying and enjoying all six options. Each featured bold, distinctive flavors comprised of tender meats drenched in rich sauces that were superbly spiced. My favorite was, by far, the lamb, which makes me wish that much more that I could remember what it was called. That said, I would gladly order any of these dishes when I next visit. For just $7.95, the meal was incredibly satisfying and exceeded my expectations. My only complaint is that the waitress never offered us any drinks. She brought us water with the naan, and then stood at the far end of the dining room until we finished our meal. This isn't to say that we couldn't have approached her or called her over and requested something.
(4)Owen W.
We were excited to see Yak and Yeti open in Ball Square because it looked like a big step up from the dumpy Chinese restaurant that used to be there. We went on their opening night, and although it was very busy we didn't have to wait for a table. The interior is cafe-style, with lots of small tables. The design is minimalistic, with cool wall coverings created with strings along the left side. The mostly-bare walls result in somewhat echo-y acoustics, though. When it was busiest, we had trouble hearing each other across the table. That's about the only complaint we had, however. The food itself was awesome. We ordered two Nepali Set Meals, one vegetarian, one meat. For the veggie dish we chose Kothe (fried momos) and Pharsiko Tarkari (spiced mashed pumpkin). The meat dish was regular momos (steamed) and Bhedako Tarkari (a lamb dish). The appetizers were excellent. They give you six or seven momos each, and they came with a peppery tomato-based sauce that we gobbled up after we ran out of momos. Everything was hot and delicious. The steamed momos, somehow, didn't stick together at all (edit: I mean, they didn't stick to eachother -- I don't mean they fell apart!). The main course was served in a partitioned silver tray, much like at Punjabi Dhaba. We ordered our dishes spicy, and they didn't disappoint. The pumpkin was like a spicy version of thanksgiving sweet potatoes. The lamb was perfectly cooked, not falling apart but not tough at all. The dahl was a little thinner than I'd like. Service was very friendly, and they were apologetic that our food was slow in arriving. They hadn't expected quite such a rush on their first day and were a little overwhelmed. We couldn't be annoyed, however, because everything still arrived fresh and hot from the kitchen. Yak and Yeti will probably be our first choice for indian food, period. The fact that it's right across the street from us is icing on the cake -- or, uh, the curry on the lamb.
(5)Rachel J.
We ordered takeout from the new Yak and Yeti a few weeks ago and were very impressed. The food arrived in a timely manner. Everything was delicious. The veggie samosas were so good (not too greasy) and my husbands lamb vindaloo was very spicy (he loves the spice). I tried a new spinach dish that was excellent. I'm looking forward to having dinner at the resetaurant soon so we can see what the service there is like!
(5)Kena M.
I ordered today and it was good. The food arrived still very hot delivered arrived very hot. The price was good and the food tasted delicious, I'll definitely be ordering here again!
(4)Em B.
Yak and Yeti is still pretty new-we decided to try it out...Delicious! Food was spiced perfectly (we chose medium). Portions were perfect and naan was sooo good-it was not too expensive, either. They let us bring our own beer because they do not have the liquor license yet. Service was great! I am definitely coming back because I want this place to make it!
(5)John M.
The Nepali food is amazing! My wife and I get takeout here every couple weeks or so. My wife gets typical Indian fare -- samosas, naan, biryanis, curries, chicken tikka masala, etc. -- and it seems pretty good overall. (The samosas are definitely far above average, though.) Not greasy, like many cheap Indian places, but with a lot of flavor from good spices. My wife once had a vegetable biryani that was lackluster, but for everything else, it has been her favorite Indian food place. I'm more adventurous and tend to go for unfamiliar items on the menu, which means I gravitate toward the Nepali cuisine. Do try this. I recommend the Nepali dinners, which come with choice of appetizer, choice of entree, and a bunch of other stuff for less than $20. The first time I ordered it for take-out, I came home with a giant bag wondering what everything was. The lamb entree was very good quality and wonderful. The meat was very tender and did not have that strange gamey lamb taste you get with poorer quality meat at some Indian places. It wasn't particularly unique in terms of spices -- it tasted like some variation on a standard Indian curry -- but it did have a lot of flavor. Everything else was a great adventure though. The spiced, marinated goat meat appetizer is a revelation -- it was the best goat meat I have EVER tasted. In fact, it's one of the best overall meat experiences I have ever had in my life. It was that good. The lentils that came as part of the meal had a wonderful set of spices. Another sidedish was a spiced potato salad with dried green peas, served with some red onion and lemon, that again had an incredible flavor. Finally, there were some mustard greens (or something like that) that were quite good though not my thing. Add a huge amount of rice, and you have a Nepali dinner -- all for less than $20. The Nepali dinner by itself is probably enough to feed two, at least for takeout. The portions are quite large. Overall, I was most impressed by the spices in the food. Everything had a great deal of flavor, but without artificially making it taste "better" by putting in a bunch of grease, as I feel many South Asian places do. Along with that, I have to say I'm very happy with the quality of their relishes and other sauces. The mo-mo chutney was so good I put it on everything, and the three standard Indian chutneys that come with everything (spicy, mint, and sweet) are in generous takeout portions that I end up using for days afterward in my home-cooked dishes, because they are so flavorful and fresh. Between the two meals I get out of the Nepali dinner, and the three more meals I get spiced by throwing some of the great chutneys over my own rice or whatever, I can't beat the value.
(5)Lia D.
Why don't I live in Boston!? This place, and the service, was amazing! We tried both the chicken and the vegetable mo-mo, which were splendid. Perfect spices and that sauce was good as ever. We also got an order of the fried chicken dumplings and they were ridiculous. I usually don't like fried dumplings b/c they are so small and tasteless, but these were unbelievably good. My uncle got this chicken soup that is on the appetizer menu and it looked like such good quality homemade stuff. Then the waiter brought the rest of us complimentary Nepali bean soup which had a little kick to it, but man oh man it had such FLAVOR. The flavors of the Nepali food are unlike any other and that's why I'm so obsessed with it right now. For my main course I ordered the Nepali noodle soup with chicken. I really loved the broth and the chicken and vegetables very fresh. My only complaint was the noodles, which were basically vermicelli, but the waiter insisted they were "Nepali" noodles. Now, I'm not an expert, but I was like "Really!?" ANYWAYS. My other dining companions ordered a chicken curry w/potatoes, a vegetarian potato dish (not aloo gobi muttar...something else, can't remember name), and the lamb with mushrooms. They brought out a heaping bowl of basmati, more than enough for everyone. When all was said and done, we took home a TON of leftovers. They gave generous portions, but quality was not sacrificed. Oh, wait how could I forget the onion naan!? It was absolutely heavenly. I've never had anything like it in my life! I want more! The two desserts that were ordered were honey balls (wasn't a fan) and the rice pudding (didn't try but two out of four did and both liked it so that counts as a score!) The waiter was chatting with us about the spices and even gave me a small container to take home that red powder that is only available in Nepal. He explained how to add tomato and make a paste out of it or to sprinkle it onto rice. He was such a sweetheart! I was glad the place was pretty busy. This is a gem and I hope it's around for a long, long time!
(5)David X.
Perfectly Adequate food, with the most annoying over-solicitous waitstaff ever. That about sums it up. Okay, we're up to... what...SEVEN Nepalese/Tibetan restaurants in Cambridge/Somerville now? I mean, apart from tibetan food being fairly bland, the fact that it was rare and exotic usually made eating at this type of restaurant an interesting and fun and 'special' experience. But we're moving into chinese/indian/thai food territory now - one on every street corner - so now you've got to rely on the food itself. The restaurant is beautifully decorated. I'll give them that. And the food is excellent quality. But its half nepalese and half indian, and so, really, it's not like you're going to be seeing anything here you haven't seen before. Like those other ethnic restaurants, I think someone must have come out with an "Indian Restaurant for Dummies" book, since every restaurant's menu seems identical to all the rest. So, I would normally say that this is a good, decent, albeit boring addition to the neighborhood. If not for the waitstaff. Maybe they are overstaffed? Or maybe the owner cracks a whip and wants everyone to look busy. The restaurant wasn't empty, and yet - FIVE, count 'em FIVE waitstaff watched everything we did like a hawk. Each time I'd raise a glass and sip some water, either one of the staff would rush over to fill it up - literally standing at my side before I had even put the glass down - or the owner, standing 10 feet away, would snap his fingers and order one to run over. We stupidly ordered an appetizer, which I will NEVER do again if I ever eat there again, which of course I won't. Six momos on a plate. I ate one. My partner ate one. The waitress comes over - maybe 2 minutes after putting it down - "Are you done with this?" "Uh, no, there are still 4 on the dish, and we are still CHEWING the others!" (I didn't say that to her). She walks away. Finish chewing. Maybe 20 seconds pass. Another waiter comes over and asks if we're done. Still, not, thank you! Another 30 seconds, another waiter - 'you're main dishes are done. they're getting cold. you need to finish this.' Um, seriously. (Apparently the table was too small to put it down with the appetizer on there. I guess. I really don't know.) So, THEN, the table is surrounded by FIVE waitstaff, maybe ten feet away. My partner's back was to them so he couldn't see what they were doing. His body blocked their view of the appetizer plate. So they craned their necks, or stood on their tiptoes to try to get a view. When they saw the back of his arm move down from his mouth (suggesting he had just taken a bite) - I see the owner snapping to the others 'what's the problem here. Go check their table to see if they're done') and so the waitress asked again. She had just asked 30 seconds before. At this point, I was getting furious. It wasn't that the restaurant was crowded, or they were rushing us out. It was that they didn't want the main dishes to get cold and for some reason wouldn't put them on the table until we finished the appetizer. So we shove the rest in our mouths and instantly 3 people rush over - 2 clearing the table and one putting down the dishes. And they walk away. And then the waitress turns around and comes back - maybe TEN SECONDS later. Before we've even served ourselves. "How is everything?" "We haven't tried it yet." She walks away. The manager/owner comes over "Is there a problem? Is everything okay? Too spicy?" No, we haven't tried it yet! Leave us the F** alone!! We take a bite as the five waitstaff watch like hawks. We give the thumbs up. MMM-MMM- Good. They let us eat in peace for 2 minutes - except for the water guys who keep refilling the water glasses with a teaspoon of water. The waitress returns and asks how everything is. The manager returns. Another waiter returns. We finally finish but don't finish all the rice. Uh - Oh! Waitress: is there a problem? It wasn't good? No, we're full. Manager comes over. "You're not finishing? Is it not satisfactory?" No, we're full. "Let me wrap it up for you". No, it's just rice. No need. Urgent whispers between all the staff. Oh no! What do we do??! They are unhappy! Maybe they write bad review on yelp!! Easily, the most absolutely neurotic staff I've EVER had the displeasure of being served by. It felt like we were at someone's house, having a dinner, where we're expected to finish the plates and rave about how wonderful everything was, and thank them profusely, even if it wasn't. Well, that's the requirement for eating at a friend or colleagues' home - not the requirement when PAYING someone to eat at their restaurant. So, I get it. They put a lot of work and money into opening the restaurant. And they care about serving good quality food. So I want to be understanding about that. But I can't in good faith not let this pass, without giving fair warning. Good food. Bad Service. Nice people.
(3)Jim W.
I am a huge Indian food fan and was excited to see a new offering in Somerville. We had dinner last weekend and it was the best meal I have had in a very long time. We had "set dinners" that included appetizer, entree and some delicious extras, along with Nepali tea that was scrumptious. The interior is simple but fun and the service was very friendly and efficient. This is a 'must try'!
(5)Matt C.
Delicious food. Friendly service, but a little slow. Very nice decor & feel to the place.
(4)Danielle W.
This place is absolutely great. Though I have only had the brunch buffet which is decently priced, more expensive on the weekend, they have really good food, a clean establishment and friendly service. They even include free coffee and tea and a basket of naan as part of the buffet. Being a vegetarian, sometime the meat to veggie proportion is usually not equal, but here it is more equal, have salad and soup options available and perfectly spiced crispy veggie pakora and tons of big plump veggie samosas. You will leave completely satisfied, vegetarian, omnivore or carnivore.
(4)Purple S.
Well I am an Indian, and no surprises, I like my food spicy and flavorful. Sad to say, Yak /Yeti can provide spicy but not delicious Nepali/Indian food. On the day we went (Friday night), the place was understandably crowded, but that didn't warrant the service we got. We ordered appetizers and soup-chicken dumplings which were phenomenal but the server forgot to get the soup. After about 20 minutes I reminded him of the same. He apologized and immediately brought me a chicken soup lacking in salt, taste and chicken! The maincourse (Navratan Korma) and Chicken Vindaloo were average fare, too bland for Asian tastes. The server didn't remember to get us the roti (bread) which we had ordered. Over all, not a very pleasant experience.
(2)Molly N.
I love Yak & Yeti! It's less than a block from my house, so it's my go-to takeout spot now. Eating there is also very pleasant. The food is great and pretty reasonably priced. I've had a lot of mediocre Indian food in Boston, but this place is really top notch. I will have to try the Nepali food next time.
(5)Jonathan C.
Great take out. Nice restaurant for dining out. Excellent chicken tikka masala and saag paneer. Two staples for me. My wife found a great coupon on restaurants.com for Yak and Yeti, we felt bad using it because we love the food so much.
(4)Steven L.
Lunch with my nephew and niece from out of town. After looking over the lunch buffet, we opted for ordering from the menu. My niece is a vegetarian, and ordered the Palak Kofta, which were balls spinach, carrots, mushroom and potato, in a really nicely spiced sauce. My nephew and I both ordered the lamb palak --- mine was medium, which was spicy enough to make me break a bit of a sweat. Both were delicious. The peshawary nan bread was fabulous, and vegetable pakora excellent as well. Essentially, very good, well spiced indian food. Not much for ambiance, but I might well return.....
(3)Jim B.
This place is on and off. Had some lovely food, and some bad food, I assume it depends on the chef that happens to be working. I love Aloo Mutter but sometimes the peas are as hard as bullets. Order hot and I get mild, order mild and I get hot. The room off the the right of the door is soooo loud I can't even think. Last time the Naan was really bad, thin and cold.
(3)Nadia A.
Another reason why Yak and Yeti is AWESOME...their BATHROOM...I'm being real serious. Yak and Yeti has the best restaurant bathroom...it's warm and clean and well-kept. I generally avoid using restaurant bathrooms because they are usually cold, filthy and scary, even in many nice restaurants. Not the case at Yak and Yeti. I love this place more and more...
(5)Lesley R.
Very clean establishment. Kind and attentive staff, with extra care to make sure the buffet was always replenished. Super tender and mild lamb curry, chicken tikka and assorted veggie dishes including a dal. Your choice of bread made on the spot!
(4)J L.
Excellent Napalese food - had the goat curry as a "set meal" dinner with the Chicken Momo's (fried version) - loved everything. There's so much in a set meal I always have leftovers. The staff has been helpful and attentive both times I've been there.
(5)Anne M.
Went here last Wednesday after getting the Groupon a while ago. After reading the reviews for this place, I was a little terrified of the service and prepared to be there for a lonnng time, but we had a wonderful meal and ran into no issues. When we got there we were given the choice of a table near the window or the door. We went with the door, but should have gone with the widow because it was definitely chilly when people came in and out. Our own fault though. We started with the chicken mo-mos, which were delicious, and it was nice that there were 6 (I think) in an order. I ordered the pumpkin dish from the Nepalese side of the menu and it was absolutely delicious. My girlfriend got the chicken tikka masala and it was also really good, although a bit sweeter then most Indian places I've been to (not a bad thing, just different). Oh, and we go the garlic naan. So good, just the right amount of garlic. One thing to note is that the prices are all incredibly reasonable. I thought the service was great. Food came out promptly, we were helped by several different people and all were quite pleasant. They did add a tip to the bill but i think that could be because we had a Groupon (although I'm not sure). After reading Yelp, I was prepared for it, but I suppose it would be annoying if you weren't aware that it was a possibility. All in all, a great experience. I'm excited to have Y & Y as a take out option.
(4)Sheryl L.
The mango lassi is delicious. I enjoy the crispy lentil spicy crunchy complimentary cracker thing that comes out first. The noodles with shrimp and veggie came out piping hot (a very good thing) and spicy (yum). The paneer pakora is yummy! The service is impeccable. The decor is delightful and whimsical.
(5)Katie Q.
Yum! Everything was very tasty. If you sit in the front room and it's cold outside, bring an extra sweater. Service was good... except, they forgot to bring us our leftovers. They had been packed up and just took a little long to get to us. Anyway, we asked for them and they promptly brought them to us. We had stopped in before for take out, and were waiting for a long time with our order ready and waiting for us. All in all, we'll be returning and hopefully sitting in the other room.
(4)Sachin A.
Went here for the first time from a good friend, went for the lunch buffet that is served on weekdays, as well as weekends, and loved the food. Had gone three times in under a week. The prices are pretty good, not to expensive for the pockets. Service was polite and friendly. Staff was on top of the buffet food, when it got low, they refilled it. Chicken was so tender you could cut it with your fork. Mango lassi, my favourite. Nice location, spacious interior, music fits the culture, would be five stars if there was available parking instead of street parking. It can be a nightmare! Other then that ... ye bahut acha hai!!
(4)Eric S.
They seem to be a bit hit or miss. A previous reviewer talked about how tender the goat was. Well I tried it tonight, and it was tough and grizzly. REALLY tough. Maybe sometimes they take the time to slow cook it properly so the meat becomes falling apart tender, but they certainly didn't tonight, and this meat badly needed it. My girlfriend's lentil dish, despite having asked for it medium spicy was completely flavorless. Seriously I'm not exaggerating it tasted like plain lentils, despite the spices listed in the description. Maybe they simply forgot the step where they add the spices tonight. It wasn't a busy night either. Maybe the good cook had the night off, and someone lousy had the job. The momo, the lassis, and the dessert were very good, and other people were with seemed to like their dishes, so it wasn't all bad, but the two dishes we had were simply poorly made.
(2)Zerah J.
Came here for dinner with some friends a week or so ago and was astounded. I haven't had Chicken Vindaloo this good since I was in London in July.......spicy and delicious!
(5)Elizabeth M.
I had heard about Yak and Yeti for some time, and was very eager to give it a try. I was not disappointed. The decor is very cool and unique. On one wall, you have an interesting wall sculpture; and on another set of walls, you can gaze at Mount Everest towering above you and your dining companion. It's definitely not your average dining room. Nor is it your average dining experience, for that matter. We started by ordering an appetizer, and opted for the Bhatmas shadheko. These are crunchy soybeans flavored with lots of ginger, garlic and cilantro. My boyfriend (who is not at all familiar with Indian or Nepali food) was expecting something more akin to edamame, so he was a little taken aback by the texture. I thought the flavors were bright and vibrant, so I enjoyed this dish. Just a quick note about this dish, though: there are whole, julienned strips of ginger and slivers of garlic. Watch what you bite into! The dish was also a little too spicy. The waitress had asked us if we wanted the dish mild, medium or hot and we were thrilled that we had the option. I asked how spicy spicy was, and she compared it to one of the condiments on the table that I could try. (Which I did) Because we like a little heat, we went with medium. Medium apparently = hot. In fact, significantly hotter than the waitress' comparison. It was just a bit too much, especially for an appetizer. For entrees, my boyfriend ordered the lamb Bhedako Tarkari, which was very similar to an Indian curry dish. Again, we thought it was flavorful and delicious. My dish was good, but had a few problems. I ordered the Lamb Thukpa, which is a Nepali noodle soup. Again, I was allowed to choose if I wanted it mild, medium or hot, and went with medium. If I were to order this again, I would have gone with mild. The spicyness and the heat (that is, from the temperature of the soup) made it a bit hard to enjoy. But the lamb was not overcooked, and was nice and tender. The next day, when I re-heated my leftovers in the microwave, it was actually much better because I had more control over the temperature of the soup. All in all, despite some inaccuracies regarding the spiciness of the dishes, the service was great and the price was right. I'll definitely return to Yak and Yeti, and will try some of the other things on the menu.
(3)Amy A.
I spent time in Nepal several years ago and the food here takes me right back. Great authentic dal bhat and momos. And the tea is spot on! We ordered the set dinner and while the price seemed a bit high at first, we definitely got our money's worth. Full size app plus complementary soup (recommend the tomato coconut), dal bhat with sides, and a cup of tea to end the meal. The service was great and we'll definitely go back soon. We stuck to the Nepali side of menu but are interested in trying out some of the indian dishes next time (which looked good on the neighboring tables). Also curious about the weekend brunch. Welcome to the neighborhood Yak & Yeti!
(5)Michael B.
We're very happy with the food here, both eating in the restaurant and getting delivery. The heat level is a bit erratic, though it almost always errs on the side of caution. It's become one of our standard delivery options, and we often order enough to have several lunches out of leftovers.
(4)Andrea D.
We went last night to use an expiring $30 groupon and had a great meal. The place was packed (likely due to expiring groupon), so we had to wait about 10 minutes to be seated. Service was a little slow, but in a good way because we didn't have wait staff harassing us every 5 min (but I wouldn't go here if you're in a rush to get in and out). Everyone was welcoming and attentive and the food was great. There are two menus - a Himilayan and an Indian. If you've never had Himilayan, it's like a cross between Indian and Chinese (curries minus the milk/cream and more garlic/ginger flavors). We shared the Veggie platter from the Indian menu as an appetizer. It included your standard veggie samosa, veggie pakora, paneer pakora, and aloo tikki. It was OK, but too much fried stuff for 2 and not very hot. I ordered the Vegetable Thukpa (noodle soup) from the Nepali menu and it was different from any other Asian noodle soups I've ever had. My boyfriend ordered the Masala Dosa, a thin crispy lentil and rice crepe filled with spicy potatoes and onions from the South Indian section of the menu. He really enjoyed it and it was different from anything either of us have ever seen/eaten at an Asian restaurant. We also ordered 2 cups of tea and all that only came to $28 so we ordered dessert just so we could use the full value of our $30 groupon! Glad I went with the Ras Malai, sweet cheese patties served in sweet milk. SO GOOD! One of the managers suggested it and said they make the cheese there and I could tell... it was seriously delicious! The menu at this place is huge and I love that they break out the vegetarian options in separate sections of the menu. We'll be back!
(4)Gary C.
Quantee mixed bean soup made the meal. Otherwise... Place was freezing, extremely loud, no atmosphere at all, and mediocre food. Lamb tarkari better than the chicken, but not by much. Basmati Rice tested like cold minute rice. I'd have to be real hungry to return.
(2)Shirley P.
Lovely new place. Nice clean casual decor. Good service. They have two menus -- Indian and Nepalese. Since we've tried Indian a million times, we went for the Nepalese. Quite delicious and different. My favorite were the chicken mo-mo -- dumplings. A welcome newcomer to this neighborhood! A great spot of a casual meal.
(4)Nora D.
I ordered takeout from Yak and Yeti. Not only did it take them an hour to deliver my dinner, the deliveryman was unable to find my dorm and spoke such terrible English that I was unable to redirect him. When he finally did find my dorm, he delivered to me the wrong order, and accepted without objection the difference between the cost of the orders... about a $10 tip for terrible service. 15 minutes later, after having realized he had delivered the wrong meal (which I now resigned myself to eating) he called me demanding that I tell him the address on the order that he delivered to me, so that he could then deliver my order to whoever ordered the dinner I had mistakenly received. Then he curtly hung up the phone on me.
(1)Dolores W.
The owner of this place has NO customer service skills. We have ordered delivery from this place 7 times - out of the 7 times 5 times the food arrived cold......they are too cheap to hire delivery guys on a busy Friday night - also please note delivery takes @ 2 hours. Last night we ordered for the 7th and FINAL time and we received the wrong order when we called the lady who answered seemed to know they screwed up - they said they would send a replacement quickly - 2 hours passed again and finally it came but it was just one dish no sides - they expected us to eat the cold rice from the first screw up with the main dish that they replaced instead of sending out the corrected entire order - I called again to discuss and the owner said "what's my problem - to eat the rice from the dish that had arrived 21/2 hours prior"..... what an ass ...got a refund today but will never order or recommend this place again - owner does not give a $%^ about customer service.
(1)Alexander D.
Food wasn't bad, but it took forever.
(3)Archana V.
Very mediocre. I was excited to try Nepalese cuisine and purchased one of the restaurant.com coupons. The momos were interesting but the Nepalese vegetarian thali meal was definetly not worth the hefty price.
(3)rayasa R.
I went there after about 3 days since they opened for business!! We went there on Friday evening around 6..hoping to finish up dinner and then be in time for the celtics game! However, that did not come true. We waited for over 30 min for them to get our appetizers out. We got vegetable momo instead of chicken the first time and then the next time it was undercooked and then the third time it was still undercooked! So we gave up on that..but the chicken chilli was very good..looked good and tasted good :) we had also ordered thukpa(fried momos) and it was also undercooked..we sent it back an we never got to eat that dish :( we were running late so we asked them to to-go our food..but that also took another 30 mins..all in all we spent about 2 hrs in that restaurant but all we got to eat was undercooked momos :( But the entree's (Nepali thali) was delicious..cooked perfect and with the right amount of spices. The food was good/ amazing but the service was slow, and poor.
(2)Naina S.
If it were just for the food, I'd give this place four stars. My boyfriend and I ordered delivery (he lives about five minutes from Y&Y) and the food took an HOUR AND A HALF to arrive. We called twice, and both times the guy just said "we have no orders here, it must be on it's way" and then rudely hung up. When the food arrived, it was not great - the chana masala was good, the chicken tikka okay - it tasted ketchup and not at all authentic - and as an Indian, I know what it's supposed to taste like. If you want authentic, Indian food and great service, hit up Masala in Teele Square.
(2)Vivian S.
I am returning to write another review as promised since I did not make it pass the door last time as we didn't want to wait an hour for a table and were already starving. I gave a one star rating last time since we had to wait for a table and do the signing in thing. The couple next to us had told us we need to put our name on a list as there was no greeter or server to let us know that we are on a waiting list. I've come back to give a good review but this applies to only the weekends when they have buffet and on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. I had called in to find out a better time visit and this did actually work out for me since there was no wait and the buffet food was very authentic and delicious! This was excellent buffet food since I've never thought buffet food was very good since it can be dried out and old. The owner was there and we introduced ourselves. He was responsive to what we needed. You get free nan with your buffet. The price is $10.95 for all the soups, momos (dumplings), meats (chicken and goat were very tender and chicken was made to perfection with the spices and tandoori oven as they make in most Indian restaurants. There were plenty of vegetable dish options if you are a vegetarian as well. I vote them for four stars and not five because of the service during the weekdays. They have to get a much better system of seating people and greeting people if I am going to give them five stars. A good restaurant should also include excellent customer service and that is where they can fall short when it is busy. Maybe it is too overwhelming for them since I noticed how many people did spend the time to right a review and for those who didn't there must be that much more people who were waiting in line like myself to takes the yummy Indian/ nepalese food! I hope you try it on the weekends if you are not the kind to have patience to wait for a seat!
(4)Xin S.
Came with a Groupon and had a tasty meal for a good price b/c of the Groupon. I will defend Yak + Yeti against some of the awful reviews on their service: we received excellent service, everyone was attentive and very nice! We got a plate of their homemade flatbread (?) chips (?) with 2 chutneys--the onion one is fantastic! We got a chicken appetizer, a Nepalese chicken entree, a Dosa, and the naan stuffed with coconut, cashews and raisins. Everything was tasty and came in good sized portions (the dosa was even accompanied with a cup of soup!) Given all the other Indian/Nepalese restaurants around Boston, I probably won't come all the way back (it's a bit out of the way for me), but I did enjoy my meal. Also, tip was not automatically added to my bill despite using a Groupon.
(3)Lisa M.
First time diners at Yak & Yeti and we'll definitely go back. Ordered two apps and two entrees and everything was delicious. Portions were large and we had enough leftovers for a second meal. Prices were reasonable, atmosphere was very pleasant and the staff was friendly and attentive. Highly recommend.
(4)Kana O.
Ok.. Let me break this down. Service = 4 stars Food = 1 star (but this only reflects the dish I had which was Chicken Chow Chow, and the other girls that I went with said they would give 4 stars for their curry dishes) But this is MY yelp review and I get to write what I thought! ha I went to Yak & Yeti with 6 girls. 4 of them ordered curry, 1 (Sarah G who introduced me to Yelp and I'm sure will be writing a review about this place in the near future!) ordered a dosa and I ordered a Nepali dish called Chicken Chow Chow. I had no clue what this was going to be but I ordered it because I had never had Nepali food before and it sounded fun (Note to self: never order a dish just coz it "sounds fun"). Turns out that this was just spicy spaghetti with absolutely no flavor at all - all I tasted was spice and there was no depth in the flavoring at all. I ordered the dish in medium spice level, but apparently their medium was too hot for me. When the waitress overheard me complaining about the spiciness, she offered to take the dish back, but I knew that the spiciness wasn't the issue... this was just a bad dish. On the plus side, their portions are huge - although this doesn't really help when you don't like your dish. ha I'll probably go back to try their Indian menu in the future so that hopefully I can update this review with more stars - for now, I can only give 2.
(2)Megan P.
Delicious Nepalese food! Absolutely no trouble getting a table on a Friday night. Great service and a clean, inviting space. I'd recommend this place to anyone and will definitely go back!
(5)Chris M.
Randomly decided to try these guys out and was not disappointed. I ordered their vegetarian samosas and chicken biryani and was so full I got two servings out of the biryani. Most important though is that the food was delicious (fell in love with their samosas at first bite and the chicken had a nice seasoning). Delivery took almost an hour, which was a downer because I was so hungry. However I will definitely order from them again, maybe even go there as opposed to relying on delivery once the weather improves.
(4)Dianne W.
just went to yak and yeti. they offered the best service that i have ever had in boston. when i said that my korma dish seemed kinda soupy, they took it back, apologized profusely and made it exactly right. the owner came over brought us a nepalese dish on the house. the food was good, not great, but because of the service, this will be our new go to indian and nepalese spot!!
(4)Scott L.
The food here is incredible!! We tried the buffet on a Sunday and it was delicious!!! Everything, even the goat, was some of the best that we have ever had. Definitely give it a try next time you're in the area.
(4)Michael D.
A much needed addition to the neighborhood!
(4)karan K.
The more I eat there the more I lile it. The Lamb kebabs are always great, as are the veggie momos. Over all a great addition to the ball square area
(4)Ed S.
Great decor, good food, poor service. We've eaten here twice now and enjoyed the food both times, but it's nothing special in comparison to the half-dozen very good Indian restaurants in Central and Harvard Squares. The decor is very flashy and attractive, but you'll probably be too busy dealing with the waiters to enjoy it. Everyone has been very nice, but there is constant miscommunication. The first time we ate here, we were surprised to be served our entree before our appetizer. In fact, the appetizer still had not come when we asked for the check and then our waiter seemed surprised that we no longer wanted it. We had no such issues the second time we went, but only because our waiter triple and quadruple checked ever aspect of our order with us. I hate to fault anyone who is clearly making every effort, but it significantly affects the dining experience when your conversation is interrupted every few minutes to confirm your order.
(3)Rachel W.
Really delicious food, and attentive, friendly service. My friend and I went on a Tuesday night and realized as we were leaving that we were the last people in the restaurant and they were waiting (very patiently) for us to leave to close. We did not feel rushed or hurried at any point, I was impressed. Everyone on staff was super friendly and helpful, we went with their recommendations for food from the Nepali side of the menu and had the Chicken mo-mos, Pharsiko Tarkari (an AMAZING pumpkin dish), Jhinga Macha Ko Tarkari (delicious shrimp dish) and garlic naan. Everything was great, I am definitely coming back for the Pharsiko Tarkari again soon.
(5)Allison R.
Ick. Reviewers complaining about the service were right. My roommate and I dragged our asses in to make use of a group buying voucher, which typically translates to a nearly free meal. The storefront looked welcoming, and the Nepalese mountain painted on the wall was cool. The front door was really heavy. The host seated us at a table for 6 right by the door. I asked to be seated somewhere inside more, but he refused, since there was a heating vent under my feet. It helped but I was pretty freezing during the whole meal. It was 19 degrees outside. But, other patrons were also wearing jackets, so maybe the entire place was cold. I'm not sure if they've raised their prices since recent CoupMe and Groupon promos, because my $25 of credit didn't go too far. Appetizers hover around $8 or $9, and entrees range from $9.95-$18. Entrees don't come with nan, so we got a bread basket with assorted nan for $6.95. As for the food, it was pretty good. We tried chicken pakoras, which really tasted like Chinese chicken fingers. Other pakoras I've had are fried in a sort of netting of coating and include veggies-- these did not. My chicken tikka masala was tasty, but not at all spicy, though our waitress asked us how spicy we'd like our dishes, and we each said "moderately." The nan was good, and it was economical to get the bread basket. As for the service? They were slow and non-communicative. We had to wait at least 5 minutes between appetizer and entrees. When the entrees did come out, we were served everything but one side, and had to flag them down to ask about it-- turns out it was coming, but no one told us it would be out a good few minutes after the rest of the food, which got a bit cold sitting by that window. It was also awkward how the servers wanted to put our food right under our faces, when we had tons of table space to spread out. So, the food tasted good, but there are less expensive options locally-- try Aman Palace, Dosa Factory, or my personal fave, Punjabi Dhaba. Also, I didn't see saag paneer--my Indian food must-have-- on the menu. Additionally, I didn't think the portions were worthy of the hefty price tags. Atmosphere left a little to be desired, since it was ass cold in there and there were about 7 wait-people yet our food took a while to come out. My voucher got me to try a place I might not normally, but now that I know what to expect, I don't think I'll be back.
(2)Karen G.
I have only tried the Nepalese food, and it reminds me of my time in Nepal and have been here three times in the past few months. The dinner set is the way to go with an appetizer, meat, side vegetables, dal and rice, a small salad ish thing, and chai tea afterward. The chicken momos are the way to go with the subtle curry dipping sauce. And I am absolutely in love with the pumpkin curry. The goat was also very good, but there were some shards of bone in it which made it a little more difficult to eat. The service is very friendly and you get a somosa when you sit down!
(5)Jessie C.
Yum. I've never had Nepalese food before so this was a first. I was pleasantly surprised. I'm gonna warn you now - pardon my spelling :-) We had the Veggie mo-mo's, rice, pashwari naan, the pumpkin dish and the chicken dish that started with a K and vegetable noodle soup. Overall the Pumpkin dish was my favorite. So sweet and buttery. Yum. The noodle soup was good as well but very very spicy for being medium. Good experience, not the most comfortable place to sit but i'd go back for takeout.
(4)Pre S.
No kidding ! I usually wouldn't mind a food truck if the food is tasty. This is zero by all standards.. First, the service.. I wouldn't blame the waiters..after all what are they supposed to do if they aren't well trained in their jibs. We ordered for 1 vegetable kothe..and 1 veg momo..we were a group of 6 and a mix of veggies and non vegetarians. We also had chicken orders ..But, we got two veg kothes, and two momos, why ? Because the waiter decided one kothe wouldn't be enough for us and so placed an order for an extra of both.. Seriously ??? We didn't want to make it a big deal and asked him to get it. And no, we didn't want mothering as well. The next crazy part was when we found that the kothes served were chicken and not vegetables. When we pointed it to him, he stood there and tried to convince us that it was indeed vegetable. C'mon, a waiter who doesn't know the difference between vegetable and chicken from his own menu !! We already knew our dinner was starting to get ruined. After 7 mins of us convincing him that we got the chicken kothe and asking him to please check with the chef he said let me check ! Came out 10 mins later apologizing for the ' wrong order '.. The service was way too slow than any restaurants I've been so far. It seemed like they were never ready for large groups. The coke that has to be just taken out from refrigerator and poured into a glass by itself took 25 mins to reach our table besides the no.of times we had to ask him. Poor guy definitely seemed lost. But, unfortunately for us we had babies and kids who were so hungry that they were gulping down water and visiting restrooms instead. We even wondered wether there was just one chef and one waiter for the entire restaurant. The food tasted dull. We ordered chicken tikka masala and no, what they served shouldn't come under Indian menu. The lamb biryani was even sadder with more corn and carrots instead of lamb. My suggestion, please do not try cooking items like them if you don't know the basic recipe. Another friend ordered some soup which he still has nightmares about. Overall, a very bad place for dining. I would not go back even if free food was offered there. Thank you very much.
(1)Celia W.
Tasty food!!
(4)Tony J.
It was just ok. Nothing so special. They also didn't have any yak, which I was very disappointed to find out. Also no yeti's, but that's to be expected. They did have goat, which was reasonable and probably one of the few highlights of the meal. I felt quite bloated afterwards from the heaviness, and unfortunately the seasonings were not nearly as aggressive as it should have been. Maybe will come back in the future, but possibly not. I guess the dinner would probably be better than the weekend brunch probably. I also found a piece of bell pepper with the sticker attached to it, after being, cooked. Not cool. Eww.
(2)Emily L.
Absolutely the best Chicken Vindaloo I have ever had. Chicken is tender and juicy, not dry lumps like some Indian restaurants! We also tried the Chicken Korma (asked for it spicy) and loved that too. Seriously, this is the kind of food day dreams are made of.
(5)Damien S.
Ever been to the den of the Black Widow? Neither had I, until I met Biba for lunch at Yak & Yeti. Mind you, this has nothing to do with the company; rather, the cloth strip web that hugs the left wall of the dining area, sprawling over the register and the souls of the feeble. Odd decorating aside, the lunch buffet (normally $8) is a spread of their Indian entrees, two soup options, fresh fruit, coffee and gulab jamun. I sampled the chicken tikka masala over basmati (adept), vegetable samosa (um, fine whatever), the chicken tandoori (EXTREMELY dry and flavorless), and lamb vindaloo (savory, not hot at all with properly cooked potatoes). All in all positive but the blatantly doughy naan and the severely overcooked tandoori chicken were a four-star deal breaker. One other minor pain point: the lunch buffet is advertised as Monday through Friday, 11a-4p. We feasted like GODS on Monday, 11/11 and were charged the weekend price of $12 because "it's a holiday." Now, I understand that holidays are often coupled in to weekend pricing, but in those cases, it's advertised as such. There was no "holiday disclaimer" anywhere on their site, menu or window ads. Not shady, but really teetering on proper. Service was great. While the Indian buffet was middle of the road, I'll likely return for the Nepalese dishes. Expect an update.
(3)Sam G.
Dear Yak & Yeti: You guys have a serious problem. There's no ambient noise or anything to muffle the sounds that bounce around here. It's a one conversation establishment. There's no sound privacy at all. We were seated right next to this father and college age daughter. She was confronting him about some serious childhood issues and even though she was using an inside voice, we were privy to all the details of some of her most difficult childhood moments. Yuck, Yak & Yeti. I didn't pay attention to the food. I didn't care about the service. I just wanted to get out. I was sweating. I started to side with the poor girl, but by the end of the whole thing, I felt that she deserved her crappy childhood. I lost any ounce of compassion for any living soul. Were they actors? Where was Ashton? Torture, man.
(2)Stephanie P.
I came here twice so far, both times the food was fantastic. I came to order dinner to go, and while I waited for the food, they brought me veggie pakora to snack on, which I thought was nice. The waiter was very helpful even though I wasn't eating in. The food arrived quickly and I was surprised with a few more free pakoras in my order on top of the snack they gave me at the restaurant. It was about as good a pick up experience one could get haha. I will certainly be back!
(4)L F.
I have eaten at Yak and Yeti twice now and gotten take out once (see my previous review about my in restaurant experience). The service is excellent! I was so happy with how quickly my takeout arrived. The Foodler service told me that I would receive my order by 7 and my door bell rang just before 7! I loved the care that went into preparing my meal. All my items were nicely packaged. I even ordered the fresh squeezed orange juice, which they had taken the trouble to put saran wrap around to protect. Their takeout service may be a new staple!
(4)Ryan L.
Long story short, I had a great experience at the Yak for lunch today! I've never had Nepali food before but it does hold some similarities to Tibetan food in that it has some Chinese ingredients but it's lighter than indian food in spice and ghee (butter). I enjoyed the tofu and potato curry as well as the Nepali chicken curry. Both were flavorful (subtly seasoned as opposed to the traditional strong indian taste) and I didn't feel like I swallowed a bowling ball after eating them. The tandoori chicken was decent as well and I loved that they had some light brothy soups (chicken soup, lentil soup) to choose from as opposed to the cream based soups that most indian places serve. Not as spicy as indian, but definitely more flavorful than Tibetan. Adding the Y&Y to my weekly list of places to dine at.
(4)Ojas V.
UPDATE 2015: This place has really fallen off over the past 2 years. There was a distinct moment when their indian food changes for the worst (perhaps a new chef?) and that is unfortunate. ORIGINAL review (2013): Solid Indian food! I am a little wary of the Nepali side since it tends to be more of a risk. Yes, I am Indian.
(3)Nicole H.
I love that this restaurant serves paneer makhani, which is my favorite and isn't served at many Indian restaurants. So that's why I tried it. I was blown away the first time I ordered it - the paneer was excellent, the naan was the best, i got a huge serving of rice, and I got a bonus veggie pakora that I definitely didn't pay for. I ordered it again last night with my boyfriend. We waited an extra 20 minutes longer than the estimated delivery time of an hour - that's 80 minutes. And it was not all hot. Paneer makhani was still great, naan was still good, but there seemed to be less rice. My boyfriend pointed out that there was no flavor, and I noticed that it was a bit bland. I don't mind this too terribly much, but it's a huge dealbreaker for him. I will order again, but definitely not during peak times and only when I'm ordering for myself alone.
(3)Laura S.
I came here with a friend, who fortunately paid for my meal. I might have been a little frustrated if I had been paying, but I wasn't, so. Everything about this place just said "meh" to me - the food was a bit bland (i had the pumpkin vegetarian dish and samosas), the ambiance was not good, and I had to ask to be re-seated due to smelling smoke. They really need to change something to kick this from alright to actually good. Better spicing and ambiance would be a good start.
(3)Kim K.
We arrived at 6PM on a Monday night and were the only people in here. As we ate and chatted the place filled up though. The service was pretty good. I expected a little more attention, and our food to come out quicker, seeing as how we were the only diners in Y&Y for a good 30 minutes but it wasn't a big deal. The Baigan Barta was delicious. I was happy to pick my own spice level (mild) because sometimes it's hard to fully enjoy your meal when the restaurant doesn't ask and it's way too hot. I wish there was a little clearer eggplant flavor but on the whole it was very good. The chicken mo mo was good, very reminiscent of chinese potstickers. The naan bread was delicious.
(3)Janice T.
Tasty Nepali cuisine in a super casual atmosphere...service was slow at first but after first bite decided it was worth the wait. Try the Kukhurako Sekuwa, charcoal chicken appetizer marinated overnight in coriander and other Nepali seasonings...very savory and will definitely whet your appetite. The Machako Tarkari was quite good...rich orange gingery sauce complements the firm fish well (swordfish or mahi mahi?). Server was very friendly. Take note: they don't serve alcohol here. It would have been nice to have a glass of riesling to complement these spicy and flavorful dishes.
(4)Kaitlyn C.
Love this place. The food is always delicious and the vegetarian choices are awesome!!
(5)Jamie S.
My friend an I came in for a Friday afternoon lunch and decided to try the lunch buffet. Delicious, especially the Nepali food! The spices make the difference in each dish. Don't try reusing your old plate, just leave it at the table and pick up a new plate. For sanitary reasons they want you to use fresh dishes each time. Came back for dinner when Dad was in town. We tried the Nepali "set meal," and were very pleased. Despite being served on a prison-like metal tray, there was more than enough food. The set meal was supposed to come with hot tea, but we had to remind the waiter. Generally pleased with the whole experience. Love the modern decor and the overall vibe/atmosphere.
(4)Michael Y.
OK- I know those of you without food allergies will roll your eyes- as I used to, but there is a certain amount of attention to detail a service provider should adhere to. I have a child with a nut allergy, and it was specifically noted on a delivery order. The menu description for the Palak Kofta did not indicate the dish contained nuts. After my son tried a bite and immediately spit it out and started coughing, I noticed crunchy components to the dish that looked very much like nuts. I immediately called the restaurant, only to have the hostess start reading the menu to me. I indicated that I can read, as well, and that she should ask the kitchen. After much time spent wasted convincing her to ask the kitchen, she returned to say that, indeed, the kitchen had used cashews and started by saying she could have the order re-made without nuts, at which point I had to cut her off, as she completely missed the point and did not seem to grasp how serious such an allergy can be. I spent the rest of the night watching over my son to determine whether a trip to the ER would be necessary. I know it might be demanding asking for something special with regard to allergies, but when the menu indicates no nuts, and the order specifically notes that there is a nut allergy, this was unacceptable. I will not comment on the quality of the food, as the delivery order pretty much ruined my night and my son's night. Although I would love to be able to say reviews should be all about food, but in this case, something this important should have been attended to. I would sincerely hope this was just a one time oversight with lousy consequences, but there are too many options for take-out/delivery around for me to trust this place again.
(1)Joanna F.
I waited for a groupon before trying out Yak and Yeti, but it was on the top of my list of exciting new restaurants. Three friends and I headed over on a Wednesday night and were seated immediately. We decided to do everything family style, which ended up being a cheap and delicious choice. The mo-mos were like very good chinese dumplings, the samosas weren't too heavy and I really enjoyed the chicken noodle dish we tried. Their chicken tikka masala was sweeter than a lot of the other versions I've had which ended up being a good thing. I found the palak paneer to be a little bland but very good overall. I also really liked the garlic naan... the garlic flavor wasn't horribly overwhelming like I find it to be in other versions of this dish. The service was attentive without being overbearing and the price is right. I'll definitely be back.
(4)John S.
Very, very satisfied with both the meal at the service here at Yak & Yeti. Camberville has a wealth of really solid Indian food, and so oftentimes the tie-breaking factor is value. And thankfully, Yak & Yeti came out on the friendly side of the bell curve with that metric. Some friends and I split a number of items from both the Nepalese and Indian side of the menu and were satisfied with everything. Tender lamb, flavorful palak paneer, crisp (and not overly oily) samosas and a spicy noodle dish called Chicken Mo-Mo. All of them hit and hit hard flavorwise, but left out wallets none the worse. The decor isn't anything to write home about, but the food far outshines the humble storefront. I would strongly recommend this place to the value-conscious Indian food fan.
(4)Kerry M.
Super attentive wait staff. Your water glass will be topped off several times throughout your meal. Really great prices and nice diversity in the the menu. I love that their channa masala has a little oomph to it!
(5)Sarah W.
Immediately after seating we were supplied with a free side of vegetable pakora. This was the least delicious of all things we were served, and it was still quite tasty, and the accompanying sauces were great. We took Yelp advice and ordered the Peshawari Naan, (a sweet bread). This turned out to be the best dessert-type food I've had at an Indian place. Ordinarily Indian desserts are very sugary sweet, but the Peshawari Naan had a very good balance. We ordered both the roasted soybean and the charcoal-fired chicken dishes for appetizers and they were both amazing. Overall, the service was quite prompt, even if the food was a little slow coming out of the kitchen at times. When I requested coconut curry and was told they didn't have any, the server immediately offered to go request the kitchen make up a special batch. Great service!
(5)Spatial H.
Great food with a gluten- free savvy kitchen and staff.
(5)Jeff M.
Yak & Yeti serves its dishes in a pleasant and clean environment. Breads were nice but the curries were a bit flat. I'll go back since its literally down the street from my home.
(3)Ido W.
The bottom line: We came for the brunch buffet. We are definitely planning on coming back - either for the buffet or for dinner. The good: The best thing about "Yak & Yeti" is the atmosphere. It is 'minor' and very unassuming, extremely pleasant and welcoming. As someone who has been to Nepal I can say that as far as I am concerned these qualities are also what make Nepal a wonderful experience for many. The buffet itself was surprisingly rich and versatile. We could pile up from about 10 different vegetarian or chicken dishes and there were some nice salads to throw on the side. There was also chi and a nice ramen desert that we enjoyed very much as well. Finally, the owner and one of the employees that we have met were also very pleasant and helped make the experience into a whole positive one. The bad: Nothing really. As I said, I will come back again. The only reason I did not score '5 stars' is that 'Yak & Yeti' is a simple place and I would like to reserve 5 stars for the fancier or perhaps most original places.
(4)Cait A.
I love Yak and Yeti. For how little my boyfriend and I go out to eat, a large percentage of our trips out are here. It doesn't hurt that its right around the corner from us, but we feel so lucky that its right there cause its always awesome. I am a big fan of chicken tandoor, but on our second to last visit there I branched out a little and got the chicken masala dosa, which was great and gigantic, by the way! I tried the chicken uttapam this last time and it was just as good- a fried crepe with veggies and chicken and fried pancake with veggies and chicken, respectively, with sauces on the side. The waiter even gave us pakoras for free! I picked up this thing called a Belly card in DC which seems to be less popular up here, but Yak and yeti has a iPad for me to tap the card for free treats when you rack up enough points. I got a mango lassi on the house last time and will get kheer (rice pudding) next time, just for the customer loyalty- its a nice little perk. The bill is always remarkably low and while they don't have a liquor license, the waiter let us know we could swing by Ball Sq Liquors and byob, which we will totally be doing next time. This is the type of place you want to succeed, because its just delightful in every way :) Another note, its very casual, but you can easily go on a laidback date here and have a very nice time.
(5)Matthew S.
Very decent place, I'd visit again. The inside isn't spacious, but they make good use of it. Tables are somewhat close together, so if you're looking for an intimate evening I'd suggest elsewhere. The wait staff was excellent, very friendly and informative. The food was decent as well. Portions for appetizers were good. On the 'Indian' side of the menu get the battered cheese...holy crap. I still can't believe how good they were. For my main dish I got lamb and it came in a deep dish basically as a stew which was a surprise. It was tasty, portions were a bit small though for everything we got, I thought there'd be more. It was rich, but I wish there was more. other miscellany: Bathroom was immaculate, service was quick, restaurant itself was clean.
(3)Mary J.
enjoyed the food and service I would recommend this to anyone looking for Indian cuisine. Parking is difficult, but we did find a space nearby. Naan was really good, hot, crispy and chewy. Lots of vegetarian and vegan options. Something for everyone.
(4)Stephanie M.
The food is ok. Not once but TWICE (shame on me!) I have gone to Y&Y and had the same experience. It begins with a 20 minute wait for a table while a single harried waiter/host/buss boy runs around a crowded restaurant looking like he is being chased. 20 minutes to take an order and bring water followed by an hour or so wait for luke warm meals. On my second visit, the app was forgotten completely (stuff happens) but when we mentioned that we never got the food, a harried looking manager seemed to want to argue the point. We let him know that this was not a gray area - we were not paying for food we never got and he removed it from the bill - another 10 minute wait. 2 stars for the food because it wasn't bad and because I kind of feel bad for the place. Their food is unique and I really wanted to like them...
(2)Hannah C.
We bought a restaurant.com deal to eat here since we just moved back to the Medford area. We dined in the other night and ordered the chicken tikka masala, vegetarian appetizer plate, and a lamb dish. The service was good, the setting was nice, but the food was definitely mediocre - I didn't realize how good the Indian food I have eaten before was until I ate here. But it was definitely fine - not the best, not my favorite, but we would probably come back because it is convenient for us.
(3)Sangye S.
Have tried this place too many times over the years but I have to say its better to go there for buffets. Some time back they used to serve momos on buffet only in weekends. However, they serve it daily these days but it's not the best. Besides that, buffet over here is always good. I used to go a lot for dinner here but it always tasted like average during those hours. Service is just okay. I will say if you want to get the best out of your dollar, buffet is the best option.
(4)Erica M.
Did the buffet. Food was ok (goat curry and chicken masala were pretty good). Not for those who want spicy. Main complaint: goat curry was swimming in oil. In terms of cleanliess, not impressed. Floor was dirty with crumbs. Booths were out of wood or laminate and could have used washing. Service was fine.
(3)Candy A.
The buffet options are all very delicious. The food tastes fresh and you can tell the food has not been sitting a while like other Indian buffets.
(4)Lisa P.
Eh, it's ok, but to be completely fair I had the lunch buffet here, which generally isn't the best representation of a restaurant's food. First impression of the place as I walked in was that it smelled like a yak or yeti had visited the restaurant, which was not a plus. Very odd- I am certainly no stranger to food cooked in pungent spices since that's what comes out of my kitchen most nights, but this wasn't the tasty kind of pungent. No matter, I was hungry and bravely soldiered on. I've noticed everyone raving about the mo-mo, and with good reason- the dumplings were the best part of the buffet. There was a tamarind based curry that was pretty tasty as well, which name eludes me at the moment. But everything else seemed to be "just okay" interpretations Indian food food to me. The veggie pakora was cool, bland, and grease laden. The curries were mildly spiced and didn't taste complex enough for me. Boooo. My advice- skip the buffet and order something from the Nepalese menu instead. I'm willing to bet you'll have a better experience than I did. At least the servers were nice. : /
(2)Carol W.
I came here through a Groupon/Eversave promotion and was pretty excited about checking this place out. Unfortunately, feel pretty bad that I have to give this place two stars. The service was excellent, but I just didn't like the taste of the food here at all. I came here to experience the Nepali food and to get some Indian food as well. Firstly, the Indian food here was not what it normally tastes like at most other Americanized Indian food places. The flavors seemed a bit off or the food was just way too spiced/salty for me. I was disappointed with the chicken tikka massala and the baigan bartha. For the Nepali food, we ordered the chicken momo appetizer and the pumpkin cooked in ginger and Nepali herbs. The chicken momos were unremarkable and almost forgotten as I'm writing this review. I didn't like the pumpkin dish at all, and I think it was the herbs b/c my mom cooks pumkin Chinese style with black bean sauce, and it's AMAZING. I've realized that I don't care too much for Nepali food. The tastes and herbs do not excite my palate...
(2)Ryan R.
I have tried many Nepali-Indian places, and this is BY FAR the best. Their himalayan bean soup is wild! And great for veggies! In fact, this whole restaurant is great for vegetarians! Their chicken soup is amazing...imagine your Jewish grandma going on a wild vacation to the Himalayan mountains, and this is what she would come back with. Their Okra is out of this world AS IS their eggplant. Their Mo-Mos come steamed OR fried, which is so nice to have the option! Their coconut/raisin/cashew naan was OUT OF THIS WORLD! Neither too sweet nor oily, but very tasty. Their masala chai is also crazy. SUPER spicy...none of this sweet starbucks mess. If it couldn't get better, this place is not bad in price! Soups are between 2 and 5 bucks. Entrees are between 9 and 12. ALSO, 8 dollar all you can eat brunch during the week! WAHH! They also give 10% off to students! Decor: intense. Towering mountains around you, wicker basket woven along the far wall, great big windows and lots of heat in the winter. Cant ask for more! If you are looking for any generic straight up Indian place, go somewhere else...like to Guru the Caterer. They are SUPER cheap, no service and not many options but the few indian dishes they do are stellar. If you want to try something that I think of as a STRONG HERBY MIX BETWEEN INDIAN AND CHINESE food, YOU MUST come here! THE ONLY DOWN SIDE: it is a bit of a walk from davis and there is no great bus :-( but if you can get here, I would! Also, their desserts were just 4 of 5 stars. My boyfriend says they are very well done for what they are, but just not for our American sensitivities.
(5)Pia J.
This is an ok place to grab a casual meal. Food was good but 2 different curries had a very similar tasting base, I would have appreciated if the waiter had warned us about it so we could have chosen differently.
(3)Angband A.
I ordered delivery from this place twice, and twice I was vastly disappointed. Expensive, bland, greasy mush. Yuck and Yeti.
(1)Yiwen G.
I like to come there if i feel like a light meal. i love their momo, and the sauce come with it.
(4)Sarah M.
Just want to say thank you to the delivery guy tonight. He was very patient and very helpful!!!
(5)Emily S.
First of all this experience began with some miscommunication between Foodler and Yak & Yeti. I always order through Foodler because I don't like to talk to people. Yes, I am one of those people. There was some issue about Yak & Yeti not confirming the order, Foodler canceling it as a result, Yak & Yeti calling me the mili-second before I clicked submit for an order from somewhere else and food appearing at my door a minute after that. Whatever. I got my food when they said I would and a $5 Foodler credit for whatever the heck that was. Moving on . . . . I had been wanting to try this place since moving to the area, mostly because of the name I have to admit. I really like that Yak & Yeti sounded DIFFERENT and I was in the mood for something a little on the lighter side that was not sushi since I think I am approaching my monthly limit on mercury intake. I ordered the Chicken Korma and my boyfriend got the Palak Kofta. Both were very good, just wish there was more chicken in my dish and more balls of whatever in his dish. It was more sauce than anything else. I also wish there was an option to add a vegetable because that's kind of an important food group and it would have gone well in my dish. It was all delicious still so I'm only taking one star off. I got some Naan on the side that was excellent.
(4)Charlotte M.
I love this place! I am so surprised that this place doesn't have more stars! This place is right around the corner from my boyfriend's apartment, we've been here twice together. The atmosphere is very cool, I love what they've done with the walls. Service is always very attentive and so nice! The tomato and coconut soup is my favorite soup of all time! I'm not a huge soup person, but I really enjoy it. The channa masala is always great. Their website is down at the moment, so I can't remember what else we ate!!
(5)Maya T.
We went for the Saturday brunch buffet. Had a good selection of items, and they bought us fresh naan to our table which was great. They also had some dumplings at the buffet that looked good. Staff was nice and attentive. Would go back.
(5)Annie W.
i went here with an expired groupon and a friend, dining in. i really like these guys. my only complaints (ergo 4 not 5 stars) are that 1. their momo are made with dumpling wrappers, not homemade dough (yes, it's easier, and yes, their filling was fabulous, but still) and 2. their thukpa is made with spaghetti noodles (yes, it's easier, but man, i miss my hand-pulled noodles from the tibetan/nepalese joints in boulder with a big steamed ting-mo on the side). the nepalese (or at least for the purposes of this restaurant) rendition was spicy and tasty. what else. masala dosa was good but nothing spectacular. the samosas were great. complimentary pakoras were perfect. not so 50/50 split of nepalese and indian food. of note...according to the website, this restaurant sources locally/regionally and they pay their workers fair wages with health insurance (nearly unheard of in this industry). and their food is good, and fresh, and reasonably priced. i guess we'll go up to 4.5 stars in that regard. the decor is big, spacious, modern photo/prints on the walls. it works.
(4)Jeremy K.
Headed there for lunch after a co-worker of mine told me that the place was worth checking out. After a bit of Yelp-stigating, I found out that the place has a daily, $8 buffet and figured that it would be worth checking out. Earlier today, this opportunity came and I seized it! The place is located right in Ball Square, and as always, parking spots are easy to find. It was rather late when we arrived, almost 2PM but their buffet we found out runs until 4PM. We were the only patrons there but it didn't matter, both Erick H. and I were hungry. The decor inside the place is quite unique, but somehow, it works. It's very clean and modern, but nothing I'd expect inside an Indian & Nepalese restaurant. There's these were horizontal cloth stripes on the wall, which give way to these lights that stick out. And the table and chairs are bright red. Yet, it works. I actually found it original and neat. The extended dinning room's wallpaper features a wall-sized photography of Mount Everett. It's actually pretty cool and almost makes me want to travel there. But I digress. We were promptly greeted and sat down and off we went, to the buffet that lay upon us in the main dining room. In front of us lay many items: curry chicken and lamb dishes, some chickpea-battered fries, some rice w/ some green peas, some spicy chickpea dishes, some chick tikka masala and even some vegetables. There's all sorts of foods and it's spread over two buffet tables. On the third one lays some vegetables, salads and some kheer for dessert. The waitress asked us if we wanted some naans, which come included with the buffet deal and gave us the option between plain, garlic or onion. We settled for garlic and dug in right in. Moments later, the naans arrived. They were very, very garlicky and pretty good. As far as the rest of the meal goes, the chicken tikka masala was surprisingly dry, which was odd since it was sitting in this huge puddle of delicious sauce. A shame really because it tasted pretty good. The tandoor chicken was pretty solid and came with some grilled, chopped onions. The chickpea dish was pretty good as well and so was the rice. The lamb dish was the real standout; it was extremely tender and perfectly seasoned. On the downside, the chickpea-battered fries weren't all that great, and neither was the kheer - the latter of the two features some whole cashews in it, but it tasted weird and was much darker in color than any other I had seen before. Weird. The place was clean and the food was pretty good, especially for the amount of money we spent. Our bill was just over $17 and considering that we stuffed ourselves there, making two trips each to the buffet, this is pretty much a steal. Ideally, I'd give this place 3.5 stars out of 5 but I'm feeling generous, and four is their score.
(4)Bree G.
This place is totally yummy, especially fresh, and I found the servers to be thoughtful. I don't love Indian food, so I walked into Yak & Yeti for lunch somewhat reluctantly and not expecting much. I was so delightfully surprised! The buffet was full of really fresh and tasty food, and when I shyly asked about Gluten-Free options the staff responded by identifying each item and whether or not it was safe for me to eat, and checked with the kitchen just to be safe. After we sat down, they thoughtfully brought over a plate of super delicious fried veggie somosas that were gluten-free for no extra charge. I NEVER get to eat fried things & I was SO happy! Finally, the meal was incredibly cheap & the rice pudding TO DIE FOR (rose-water or something?)
(4)Evelyn Y.
Ordered takeout from Y&Y for the first time two days ago. Chicken Mo Mo Khasi Ko Masu Garlic Naan Palak Kofta I read the ingredients before ordering the dishes. Palak Kofta: Balls of minced Spinach, Carrot, Mushroom Potatoes and'home made cheese cooked with ginger, garlic, onion and mild Creamy yogurt sauce Under Grub Hub's Special Instructions I also indicated there there was a shellfish allergic and a nut allergy, just for a safety precaution even none of the dishes I ordered indicated nuts. My order was delivered fairly on time. They gave me regular naan instead of garlic naan. bad sign- or perhaps simple mistake. The palak kofta was not particularly tasty to me but the goat (Khasi ko mass) was a little better. Midway through our meal, my husband noticed a crunchy taste in the palak kofta dish - it tasted nutty to him. He immediately stopped and asked me to read the ingredients. I looked online and saw that no nuts were indicated. I called Y&Y and asked them to check if there were nuts in the dish. She adamantly said 'no' and read the ingredients to me. My response was to tell her I could very well read but that she needed to speak to the kitchen and ask the chef specifically. By this time my toddler was coughing and seemed uncomfortable. He has severe nut allergy. We needed to know quickly what was in the dish and yet the woman on the phone could not provide me with anything until I handed the phone to my husband who insisted she ask the chef specifically. She kept denying there were no nuts but once she spoke to the kitchen her response was, "Oh..just cashews..." really? no apologies offered at all. simply hung up. We attended to our toddler and watch him for several hours, giving him benadryl and making him drink plenty of liquids. Although he did not break out into full blown hives and anaphylaxis shock (I suspect it was because he didn't have more than a couple bite or two of the dish), he swelled up a bit. I went back to my order form and saw that the order specifically indicated the shellfish allergy and nut allergy. You'd think a restaurant would be more sensitive to food allergies in this day and age. Disappointing. very disappointing. I'll never order from Y&Y again. Poor customer service. Didn't get part of my order. ...and lies about their ingredients. An apology and a refund would be nice...but that hasn't happened.
(1)Lauren F.
And my search for a decent Indian delivery place continues . . . I've ordered from Y&Y several times. The first few times, the food was delicious and came with free samples of veggie pakoras! Yay! The delivery time was over an hour but I reasoned that my house was probably a bit farther than they usually deliver. And then tonight happened. I placed my order at 7:30. By 8:50 there was no sign of my food, so I called the restaurant. The lady on the phone was very nice but I had to repeat my whole order before she knew who I was, and then told me the driver was on his way. Doesn't it always seem like the driver is on the way when you call to complain about late food? At 9:18 I got a call from a BLOCKED number, which normally I wouldn't answer but did, knowing it was the driver. "Is your porch light on?" "Yes." "Well I'm on S----- Street and I don't see it. Guess I'll have to start checking house numbers." Right. That is how you find an address for the first time. I waited on the porch until the driver walked (?!?) up the street with my food. "Uh, is this paid for?" "Yes!" (with an are-you-f'ing-kidding me eyebrow raise that Cersei would be proud of) And after all that, the food was cold, over-salted, and under-spiced. Will not be ordering from Y&Y again.
(2)Kristin N.
Ok my roommate and I are probably going straight to hell for what we put poor Jerry through tonight...however! Please cut this poor guy a break and get him another delivery guy!!!! I think the reason the delivery is such a shit show is because this poor guy is doing it all on his own!!! And he's the best!!! Not only did he come all the way back to our place to deliver the kheer that they forgot to pack, but he also took out of trash for us! (Yes that's the part about us going straight to hell) He even offered to bring us more naan because our fat asses ate all the naan we ordered! The food is delicious from both delivery and in house, we just want faster delivery! And I love that you guys deliver, just get Jerry a partner!!!! P.S. Throw in some extra naan every time for us fat girls please!!
(4)Rebecca D.
A little over a week ago I decided to order from Yak and Yeti because of all the positive reviews I had seen here on Yelp. I was exceedingly puzzled by such a poor experience which I had since reviewed. Well there is something to be said for customer service. After writing my first review I was contacted by the establishment giving sincere apologies for such a poor experience. They outlined some extenuating circumstances (including that the head chef was out) and took full responsibility. They hoped that I would be willing to give the restaurant another go. (I want to be clear that it was not in any way in the hopes of a re-review. This addendum is entirely of my own volition.) After some thought I decided that everyone has a bad night now and then and with an empty stomach and an open mind I made another order this past Friday. I am pleased to report that this experience was every bit what I had hoped for on the first go round. The food arrived in a timely manner nice and hot, cooked to perfection and well seasoned. I for one was glad I gave a well deserved second chance here.
(4)John D.
I really had high expectations for this place. It came recommended by my Nepali colleague, and when the Groupon came out it seemed like a no brainer to try a new cuisine. We went into this restaurant to try only the Nepali options and leave the Indian options alone (I can cook that at home :-) I loved the Chicken Mo Mos... and the Chicken Kothe (that really was delicious) ...and that's it! We tried the two Nepali Set Meals (vegetarian and non vegetarian). Both came with Simiko Dal and Aloo Ra Rayoko Sag. The nonvegetarian meal came with Kukharako Tarkari (chicken), while the vegetarian one came with MORE Aloo Ra Rayoko Sag. Maybe this is what the cuisine is, but it all tasted the same to me... very tomato 'brothy' withe very little flavor. We could not finish our Sag overloaded plate, but I did, reluctantly, finish the rest since I was starving. It's a nice neighborhood restaurant, but I don't think I'll be visiting again!
(3)Wil D.
I loved this place until the management changed. I've returned several times to see if service and food improved as the new guys settled in, but walk away disappointed every time. The service is now less friendly, and the food sub-par. I recently ordered from their online menu to be rudely surprised with price increases when I pickup up. Be sure to call ahead or get an actual menu before ordering. That being said, if I could rate their lunch buffet separately, I would give it four stars. Its fresh, delicious, and because you have minimal interaction with the staff, the experience seems pleasant. I don't know why there is such a disconnect between lunch and their regular service.
(2)Elizabeth M.
Had the takeout and very disappointed on the quality of the food. Naan was greasy and leaden, curry was thick and tasteless. So sad.
(1)Kris T.
I really wanted to like this place. I love new foods, and Nepali food was a completely new experience for me. The place was small and rather stark, but looked clean, and the plates, as I passed, had a pleasant presentation. My girlfriend tried a sample of the salt lassi, and I tried a sip. The less I say about that experience, the better. Needless to say, I very much doubt that it had to to with the restaurant itself, but, rather, was a cultural difference. If you like drinking ocean water, you'll love the salt lassi. I do, however, love (LOVE) mango lassis (however, since mangoes (and cashews) are related to the poison ivy plant, I cannot eat them- no one ever warned you of that, eh?). I then tried the soup (Aloo Taama ko Jhol). This was to be my first experience with Nepali spices, and I was very excited. I became alarmed, a bit, at the strong, pungent smell. And it tasted like the cook bathed in it...after a very long day...of riding a goat. Even though I don't believe that there was goat in the broth, it really did taste like strong goat and BO. Again, this might just be a cultural thing. I don't blame the restaurant (much), but it was unpalatable. Having said that, I was a trooper, and finished most of it. No, where I was really disappointed, and what led to my low score, was my main dish. I ordered the goat (as part of the fixed, sample meal). Considering that it was a dinner portion, and not all that cheap ($18), I expected far more. What I got was some rice with gritty brown gravy. And bones, lots of bones. I would say that I had two pieces of meat, about as wide as my thumbnail, and as thick as my thumb, a few chunks of fat, and the rest was bones. The two small pieces of meat that were there took a lot of work to even get off the bone (the bones were rather small pieces, not like, say, a beef or pork rib that one might be used to getting). I said something, when asked, and the waiter said that he was going to bring me extra, since I got such a meager portion of meat (it was very clear to see). He came back with more bones, more fat, and a couple more slivers of goat. I still don't feel that I know what their goat actually tastes like. The rest of my plate was "okay", but nothing special. The lentils were pretty good. The Paneer Paratha was interesting, but quite bland, compared to what I am used to. I feel bad giving this place just two stars; however, if three means average, I honestly have to stick with two. They seemed like nice people, and their presentation was good, but the value just wasn't there.
(2)Ivy P.
Absolutely delicious! The noodles, naan, samosas, lentils, and herbs are so fresh you can actually tell! Just don't get the momos. If you've been to Nepal, and have had actual Nepalese food, this restaurant is not bad at all, but don't get your hopes high for the momos cause what they have look like mass produced frozen dumplings you can buy from the Chinese grocery store. Not that the momos tasted bad, just a little disappointing. Fine, very disappointing.
(5)Austin J. A.
We ate here last week. The decor is beautiful (back-lit scores of white, flat strings wrapped around intermittent posts, reds, greens, cute chairs, and contemporary faux wood) but the food is really over-salty (both the Nepalese and Indian foods) and it wasn't very good. For appetizers, we had a hot Indian dish and a cold Nepali dish. The samosas (lamb and vegetable pockets) were good. The Bhatmassadeko (dried crispy soybeans with fresh chopped onion and spices) was huge, and it was hard for the two of us to finish it. We had two entrees: the Aloo Ra Rayo Ko Sag (cooked potato, green mustard leaves, ginger, garlic, and Nepali herbs) and the Kukhurako Tarkari (boneless chicken with ginger, garlic, and Nepali herbs). The Aloo Ra Rayo Ko Sag was okay, but not spicy at all (we'd ordered it spicy), and the chicken dish was WAY too spicy (we'd ordered it super mild). I was rather unhappy to discover that they automatically added an 18% tip to our check (there were just the two of us), while still including an ADDITIONAL tip line. Not very classy. Without looking closely at the bill before signing my charge slip, I wouldn't have noticed, and I would have ended up leaving a 38% tip on a meal that wasn't even really very good.
(2)Nikhil P.
There were way too many issues with Yak & Yeti tonight ... We came here with friends on a Restaurant.com deal and had $100 to spend. That's an awful lot of money to spend on indian food and we were expecting to be walking out with so much extra. The delay in getting our food though was the first of a couple of issues. Our appetizers came out after about 45 minutes, followed by the rest of the food an hour later. When we finally got the food, we were told they had run out of shrimp and needed to place a different order. Things tasted fine, but the portion sizes were just not even close to appropriate. The house biryani was tasty, and the lamb was really flavourful. You could see the waiters working pretty hard, but if you've got issues with less chefs that night, say something. For $100 of expense (3 appetizers, 5 entrees, 4 naans, and 1 dessert), 4 non-obese people who are not taking appetite-stimulants should not be finishing all their food. And you can't tell someone you've run out of shrimp 90 minutes after taking their orders. Any place that's marketing hard on deal-sites like Restaurant.com are obviously looking for customers. Take care of them. Apologize when you're presenting frankly bad service or if something is screwed up in the back kitchen. Wait staff, and the nightly management need to work harder together to show that they care, or it comes across like they don't.
(2)Julie L.
I had a solid experience at Yak & Yeti and will likely return if I'm in the area. I bought a deal for the brunch buffet. We arrived right around opening time so the food wasn't quite ready yet. However, once the food did start making it's way to the buffet station, my stomach became very excited! I thought all the food was great. It was fresh and hot (probably because we were one of the first customers) and I like that the naan was brought to your table straight from the oven. The typical Indian dishes I'm accustomed to were done well. The Nepali stand outs for me were the vegetable momos. They were very unique. There was at least 5 different types of curries and vegetable dishes to choose from, along with noodles, momos, and salad. For $11, I thought the buffet was a great deal and gave us a chance to sample the menu.
(3)Matt I.
This place was fantastic! I can't recall exactly what I had, but the food was delicious. Chicken moo-moo. The chutney! To die for! Dumplings were awesome. I bought the Amazon Local deal and it proved to be well worth the value! I am a fan and will definitely be back to this neighborhood gem in Ball Square!
(4)Cailin J.
Excellent lunch buffet!! Skip the lines across the street (although Ball Square Breakfast is delicious as well) and try something different. The food is fresh and delicious, lots of vegetarian options, reasonably priced, great service, free naan and chai tea.
(5)Bibek B.
I can sum up my experience in bullet points: 1. It wasn't very clean. This was first thing we noticed, but being a Nepali restaurant, we expected that! 2. Took for ever to get our menu and then to get the food we ordered (approx. 15 mins to get the menu and then approx. 35 mins before anything was served, after we ordered). And the place wasn't crowded either! Btw, we ordered a plate of momo and chicken chuwela-- that's it. 3. The food was not at all tasty (we are from Nepal. So it is not the first time we had those dishes). The momo was too big with too little chicken in it (trying to save money? I don't know!). Plus the tomato sauce was as thin as water-- like nth we have tried before. If you are from Nepal-- it tasted like a plate of momo from a local "bhattee," and I am not even exaggerating. We were delighted to find a Nepali restaurant in Boston but we will never go there again. Will stick with other Indian restaurants in the area.
(1)Alex M.
Food: Tastier Indian than I've had at many places in the region. The mango lassi were awesome. The vegetable momo were a *bit* salty but not bad. Everything else was very good. "Medium" spiciness was pretty mild. Going to try hot next time. Interior: I picked up, but my brief first impression was that, though it is small, the interior is attractive, warm and snug (it was very cold outside). Potentially date-worthy, even. Miscellany: I picked up. The takeout container was thoughtfully arranged, but it was difficult to find parking.
(4)P S.
Had an ominous feeling after reading another reviewers Foodler experience w/ this restaurant but tried it anyway. Well, should've listened to my instinct. 2 hours and 2 follow up phone calls later, food finally arrived. So, yeah, don't use Foodler here. The food: Kuhrkurako Tarkari-tasted good but was SO greasy. Samosas-delicious! Veggie Biryani-pretty good. Good variety of veggies. Though it would've been nice if they'd trimmed the green beans before tossing them in whole. Raita-also delicious.
(3)Elizabeth P.
We've gotten take out from here a couple of times now and have been quite pleased with the quality of Yak and Yeti's food. Last night we ordered delivery and the speed was average--well within the range of what I expected, so no complaints there! The staff is particularly careful about packing to-go bags: both times we've ordered, everything has been very nicely wrapped and cold beverages have been kept away from the hot stuff. So far, our ordering has centered mostly on the Indian side of the menu... nothing against Nepalese food, I'm just highly partial to Indian cuisine at this point in my life. We did try one of the momo appetizers from the Nepalese side of the menu as our first order, which I wasn't particularly crazy about. They were high in salt (though I'm admittedly sensitive to that) and I wasn't in love with the spice combination: it was all a bit overwhelming. That being said, I've found all of the dishes we've ordered from the Indian side of the menu to be very tasty. The mango lassis are excellent: the yogurt tang comes out nicely, and they don't taste too sweet, even though there's definitely more sugar in those tasty tasty concoctions than I really want to know about. You get a couple of vegetable pakora with your order (that's the free appetizer others have alluded to in their reviews), which are tasty in flavor, though they're definitely one of those things that would be MUCH better in-house. We've enjoyed both their peshawari naan and aloo paratha--the kitchen has a nice touch with breads. Entree-wise, the palak/saag paneer is quite good. Initially I wasn't entirely sold on the spice combination, but two orders later, it's grown on me quite a bit to the point where I've craved it. The paneer cheese has more flavor than other places I've had it, which is a definite plus, and the texture of the dish is lovely. We've also enjoyed the chicken korma greatly--the sauce is creamy, but not too much so, with a great nutty flavor. The chicken vindaloo was solidly good, though the best rendition of the dish that I've had. I found medium to be pretty mild, while the hot dish was noticeably spicier than the medium one, but not very hot. If you're craving super spicy stuff, I'd recommend communicating that, rather than settling for their preset "hot." Overall, I definitely recommend trying Yak and Yeti if you're searching for a nice, reasonably priced Indian place. I like Guru, but the convenience of Yak and Yeti and the larger menu has turned it into our go-to spot for take-out Indian.
(4)Andrew R.
Too much Yak, not enough Yeti. Or is it the other way around? Maybe. At any rate, while the Nepalese is downright the yums, there's little of it to go around. The server informed me the dishes had been brought to the table, and try as I might, I could only see the giant mound of rice. Upon further inspection with a magnifying glass, I found them! Two small bowls were indeed on the table. I guess a dinner of rice and sauce was in order. Delicious, yes. Worth it, no. Though the free shtuff in the beginning is quite good.
(3)Sam P.
ek !!! please dont waste your time and money ! everything is sourly !!! dont wanna do the mistake again !!1
(1)Shelagh M.
HOW DOES THIS PLACE HAVE 3.5 stars???? I went with two other people and a reservation. When we got there, we waited for about 20 minutes for a table and it wasn't because there were no free tables. There was only ONE waiter for this entire 12ish table restaurant. No hostess, no take out person. He had one helped which might have been the owner, but that was it. The phone was ringing off the hook, people sitting looked annoyed and impatient and there were several people at the front stand waiting for a table or take out. We would have left if we didn't have a groupon. We ordered the chiken mo-mo and 3 entrees. The entrees came out and we figured they must have forgotten the appetizer or something so we started eating, then they brought out the appetizer. I told them we didn't want it anymore, so they took it away. When the manager walked by, I told him (reminded him?) what happened with the appetizer and we didn't eat it so it shouldn't be on our check and he ACTUALLY was about to start a disagreement with me, but I didn't really let him. Having worked at a restaurant previously for 2 years, I know how NOT ok this is. This restaurant is managed poorly in a SEVERE and visible way. We reluctantly tipped 20% because probably none of this was the waiter's fault, but the experience was not good. Don't waste your time, even with a groupon.
(1)Kristin K.
This place is so tasty and has a nice atmosphere. I have been here a few times for dinner, and occasionally the service was slow but the food did not disappoint. Stopped in for the lunch buffet today, very satisfying, with a good range of options for a buffet.
(4)Caroline S.
I've been going to yak and yeti for a couple years now. It's in ball square across from sound bites on Broadway. The staff is always very nice. The ambiance is okay, not as warm as I like if I'm dining in so I usually grab take out. Unfortunately I'll have to go a bit further from my house now to get Indian. Last night was the final straw. The food quality has become so spotty and now it's more common to get poor quality than good. Last night I got two staple favorites - malai (palak) kofta and vegetable curry. Once again, the kofta sauce tasted like tomato soup and the curry sauce was more like water and oil with cumin seeds. Im pretty sure I could have made better and that's pretty bad if you knew my cooking experience. There was one good thing - the aloo paratha bread. Good service and bread isn't enough. I remember the Kebob factory in Inman being awesome so that will hopefully be my new spot for consistently delish Indian food.
(2)Dan E.
Fantastic and reliable. I have only done the buffet here - weekday and weekend. Recommend it for a lunch spot.
(4)Amanda H.
Really disappointed. Having worked in the industry, I've never written a negative review about a restaurant because I know how it can be, but this was absurd. We ordered food at 7:20. The original delivery estimate was for 8:20-8:30. At around 7:40 we got an update from grub hub saying it would now be 8:35-8:45. Not a big deal - it was a Friday night - I get it. Then it was 9, 9:15, 9:30. Now I was getting hungry and grouchy. I used GrubHub's customer service to report that my food hadn't come. They got back to me right away, apologized, and gave me an updated delivery of 9:45. 9:45 came and went. We were starving. I contacted Grub Hub and told them to cancel the order, they immediately issued a credit and apologized. We left to go to Applebees. At 10:05 my neighbor calls me. The delivery guy showed up, and after banging on our door repeatedly, decided to start banging on my neighbors door, over and over, until he got up out of bed to answer it - and then gave him attitude. COMPLETELY out of line. Who does that? Ridiculous.
(1)Gale S.
Came here relatively late (9PM) on a rainy Friday about a week ago. Although there is both Indian and Nepalese on the menu - my two friends & I all ordered Indian food. We were satisfying a certain craving. I'm always a bit apprehensive when using a Living Social/Groupon deal, but the staff was very accomodating and welcoming. I ordered the mixed tandori grill and raita as I am apt to do, while my friends ordered chicken masala and a vegetarian dish. We shared the plain naan. Timing on the orders was a little funny - I ended up waiting an additional five minutes for my tandori -- I think it was for the grilled vegetables (they were hot while the meat was luke warm). No matter, though. We were all pleased with our meals and would definitely either order or take out again.
(4)Kelly C.
Really friendly staff, and generally delicious take out!
(4)Jocelyn C.
I just ordered delivery from Yak and Yeti having moved into the neighborhood today with no food in the kitchen. I give the food a 4 to 4.5 - I ordered the Palak Kofta, which is I quote "Balls of minced spinach, carrots, mushrooms, potatoes and homemade cheese. Cooked with ginger, garlic, onions, and mild creamy yogurt sauce. Served with basmati rice and chutney." doesn't that just sound delicious??? Well it sure was. and they really respected my request to make it "As MILD as possible please" (yeah, I'm a spice lightweight). It even came with some silvers of nuts, which upped the yum factor even more. The mango Lassi had some bits of mint leaves too, which is unusual I think, and was a great addition. I'm also a fan of the veggie momo dumplings. The SERVICE was incredible, and definitely 5 stars, so I bumped the overall rating to a 5 star. The delivery guy had accidentally spilled my Mango Lassi on the way, so he apologized and went back to get another. In the meantime I saw they didn't provide any utensils, so I called to ask if they could pass some to the delivery guy when he went back, casually mentioning that I just moved in and didn't have any utensils. The phone guy then asked if i needed plates and napkins too (which I thought was nice of him), which of course I said yes. When the delivery guy came back, he had brought me TWO mango lassis to make up for the first spilt order. Then I opened up my food and they had given me a free appetizer! (this was before the spill, so they had just added it to my order for free. amazing no?) So overall good food, great service - nice welcome to the neighborhood!
(5)Mariya F.
This is a nice restaurant near Tufts University that serves Indian and Nepalese cuisine. Their Indian menu is much larger than their Nepalese menu; but we decided to try everything from the Nepalese menu since we have never had that cuisine before. I got a delicious tomato and coconut soup and the lamb tarkari which was great as well. Our food did take a while to come out but the manager told us there was a small fire in the kitchen and brought out a complimentary appetizer and mango lassi. The only dishes we did not like were the appetizer and the dessert. We got the vegetable mo-mo which had a very distinct flavor that we couldn't quite place; it was some kind of very strong bitter spice that we did not enjoy at all. For dessert we got the rice pudding, which wasn't really what I was expecting. It was basically jasmine rice with some heavy cream poured over it with some raisins. I don't think either of these dishes were poorly made, I just think they weren't our taste. I don't know if I would go out of my way to come back here since it is not near a T stop, but it is nice to try at least once.
(3)Hermin M.
For those of us who enjoy our palettes thrown into the fiery depths of an inferno, requesting dishes to be as spicy as humanly possible often ends in utter disappointment. Countless south Asian restaurants I gone to... so much promise in how hot they can make their dishes.... that is until I went to Yak & Yeti! I ordered a tofu and spinach plate and jokingly stated "make it as hot as you can" to the owner, believing that this would just be another exercise in taste bud ED.... The dish came out with a think bright red sauce, I took a big bite of tofu.... Well I can't really recall what happened immediately after that because that what I casually referred to a "sauce" was in reality lava and it threw me into some sort of hypnotic state where I swear I met Buddha himself... All I remember is coming back, my eyes where watering... my tongue long obliterated, was now a metaphorical piece of charred muscle... The pain was excruciating and I loved it! The only drawback is that since they do not serve alcohol, I had no access to the true heat equalizer... red wine, but I grabbed my daughter's mango drink and chugged it so it was all good! If you are a true heat seeker, you'll enjoy the food here!
(4)Amy B.
Would love to rate this restaurant higher because the Nepalese bean stew was really good, but the experience and meal here is just not that great overall. Went twice, once for dinner and once for lunch buffet. I would say dinner was 3 stars and lunch buffet was maybe 1. The air conditioner over the door leaks so you have the opportunity to possibly get rained on when you enter or exit. The buffet was picked pretty clean when we arrived for lunch, but the restaurant was pretty empty. When I was nearly done eating, they brought out fresh food to the buffet, but just added it to the old sauce that was already there. Kind of yukky.
(2)Brian O.
They charged $25 extra to my card. When I asked them to fix it they acknowledged the mistake but refused to fix it, saying that they would instead give me a credit for the next time I came back. I ended up having to cancel my credit card to prevent further disreputable activity by the hostile staff at this place. Check your bill! I can't imagine how they'll stay in business - recommend others to stay away.
(1)Paul B.
Wandered over to Somerville on a random Wednesday night. Food was good and the price was right! Really enjoyed the decor.
(4)Takao Y.
The food is delicious. But the service was awful on a Saturday evening. Note, there were only 3 tables with customers. One guy cannot speak English so he has to grab the manager if you want to ask anything. They also forgot a dish and had to ask twice what we ordered. They also rarely pick up the phone if you want to ask any questions or order. Also note, there is no alcohol at this location.
(2)Jolene S.
I have been back a few times--for brunch, lots of options. If you pick and choose what you want, you'll be happy. For dinner, I have had the Nepalese food. It's ok. I like that the location doesn't have waits and I've had excellent service experiences. I go for medium and the food is plenty spicy for me and it comes out piping hot. I like the chapati more than naan here, but there is enough rice, with the tarkari orders. I think the cook changed over time, but it's alright--though I think the food may have been better when this place was brand-new. A-ok, pretty much sums it up.
(3)Meredith S.
We ate here for the very first time last night and it was amazing. We got a variety of different dishes which were all good. The staff were very nice and attentive. I will definitely go back and try some other dishes ore even the lunch buffet. The only thing missing was alcohol, but given the great taste in foods this did not diminish my review.
(5)Vivian C.
My DC managed to find a metered spot - 2 hour limit, on until 8pm - while I hiked on over from the Davis Square T stop, which took a leisurely 18 minutes once I got myself out through the College Street exit and headed on right. To my surprise, Yak & Yeti was located diagonally across the street from the well known neighboring brunch pair of Sound Bites and Ball Square Café. The restaurant itself consisted of two dining spaces, the longer brighter main space, and a smaller darker, louder Mt. Everest room overlooking the sidewalk. Initially I thought it odd that each party which arrived for dinner were seated in this smaller side space, but once I observed how the host/waiter was alertedly watching us, I realized he clustered us so that he could respond to our needs more readily. Sure, there was a second staffer delivering food and checking up on us, but the host stand fellow was still our primary service provider of the evening. Unfortunately, however, noise carried in that little room. Every single conversation held in reasonable indoor voice levels were quite audible by all parties who weren't currently engaged in their own tête-à -tête. The music playing in the background was more hushed in our room, and so it did not help with the privacy issue. After we placed our order, they brought over a complimentary plate of two vegetable pakoras - how nice! Then came our drinks and Bhatmas Shadheko $5.99 Roasted soybeans mix with ginger, garlic, onion and Himalayan herbs. The soybean dish arrived as a dry conglomerate of ingredients - a total surprise to me. But though the diced raw red onions were a bit strong initially, the flavors and the textural differences grew on me. According to their menu, "All entrees served with basmati rice and chutney." The rice arrived in one larger portion in a shared bowl along with our two entree selections - Pharsiko Trkari [Vegetarian] $11.99 Pumpkin cooked with ginger, garlic and Nepali herbs from the Nepali side, and the Lamb Palak $14.99 Boneless lamb and chopped spinach cooked with traditional curry sauce from the Indian half. We requested mild for everything seeing as I am more of a spice wimp than my DC, however, the lamb dish arrived with quite a kick. We tried to tame my tongue with some yogurt, but that didn't quite work. And I didn't want to chug my Mango Lassi $3.50, which by the way was thicker than what I have previously experienced and quite good. They appropriately made up a new mild batch for us, which even my DC proclaimed was much better. The meat chunks were tender and there were a goodly amount of them hiding under the spinach sauce. The pumpkin was chunky/saucy, but was rather tasty. But I only just realized that the chutney never arrived to the table! We had also ordered the sweet bread Peshawari Naan $5.99 White flour bread stuffed with coconut, cashews and raisins baked in tandoor, but when I peeked inside, I was a bit confused by what looked to be a spread with diced garlic scattered about. Turns out they use yellow raisins and blend the ingredients together before spreading it in the bread. It wasn't quite as sweet as I had hoped, but I still rather enjoyed it. I was already pretty much stuffed, but we decided to give dessert a shot and opted to share an order of Kheer Badami $3.99 Creamy and sweet rice pudding. And good thing we did! The portion was definitely sized for sharing, and it was very good! The way they handled my confusion over the bread and the incorrect spicing of our dish rounds them up to 4 stars in my book. We came with the assist of a voucher that basically took off $10 from our meal, but it turned out that my DC is not into Indian food - my bad! Prices I located online at eat24hours.com/yak-yeti-… were lower than those in the plastic covered menu in the restaurant.
(4)Tom B.
Delicious Indian food, and great service. Large portions and great flavors in all of their dishes that we tried (we ordered 3).
(5)Lee C.
I used a groupon for this deal. The food was great although it is mostly soup filled with limited meat. What I don't like was the corner that I was asked to sit had many Mosquitos near the windows. It was very unsanitary and ruined my appetite. Also the waiter asked me to pay 5 dollars tax after I finished my lunch which I don't understand why, I mean isn't that he supposed to tell me that when I showed him my groupon?
(2)Liliya M.
The food is just ok and the presentation & interior feels so cheap. Don't take a date here!
(2)Abby R.
The weekend lunch buffet is pretty baller. They had vegetable samosas and pakoras, chicken tikka masala, some tandoori chicken that was sadly gone when I got there, muttar paneer, a lentil curry, and an aloo channa dish, to name most of them. Definitely a lot of options if you're a vegetarian. I really liked the decor and atmosphere. There are like these woven bands all over the main room and the ceiling is green which was just really working for me. We stuffed ourselves with food. I tried a little bit of everything with rice and the only one I didn't like was the lentil curry because it was extremely greasy. The pakoras had just the right amount of spice and the samosas were predictably delicious. You can order a naan for your table at no extra charge when you're having the buffet so we ordered garlic naan and I'm not lying when I say it might be the best naan I've ever had. It was hot, it was perfectly seasoned... crunchy and chewy at the same time and not too heavy with dough... just great. 5 stars for the naan! Would definitely be back for the buffet or just for dinner.
(4)Tobias G.
We came for the lunch buffet on a Saturday. The waiter was very friendly and fast. We liked the zucchini/potatoe, the sauces, and the chili chicken. The naan bread, both plain and garlic, was VERY good. The chicken in the chicken tikka masala could've been a tad more tender. The sauce was good but not overwhelming. Also, the interior is a bit rundown, and the music was a little too loud. But overall an OK place for Indian food.
(3)Derek S.
You should come and eat here. Nepalese food has a delicious simplicity, and this was the best I've had in Boston. I felt like I was eating lunch at a Nepalese friend's house. The food was wonderfully fresh. The lunch buffet has a satisfying mix of Nepalese and Indian dishes and is a great deal. Service was also very friendly and helpful.
(4)Gabriel S.
I brought my 6 year old here for lunch. I got the indian buffet (pretty good!) but I wanted to get a small size of chicken noodle soup for my boy. The host agreed to make his selection as an appetizer price. It was clear he went out of his way to make it good, and said he made it himself. I tasted it and it was a bit spicy, delicious, but most of all had that earthy flavor it's hard to find when you are not actually in Asia. We took home the leftovers and finished them to the last drop. All that for less than 25 bucks. He keeps asking when we're going back.
(4)Annie S.
Came here for dinner and was impressed by both the food and the service. As other reviews have noted, the people who work here are incredibly sweet and created a really nice experience. The chicken tikka masala was really delicious and creamy, I could have had spoonfuls of the sauce (in fact, I did :)). It was also fun to try Nepali food that I'd never tried before. The vegetable mono was very flavorful dumplings of sorts!
(5)Jane S.
Yick! I'm a big fan of nepalese food - and yet I just threw out $20 of uneaten food from Yak and Yeti because it was really inedible. The chicken mo mo's tasted like turkey sausage and the chicken thukpa - I'm 98% certain - was just a bowl of spaghetti mixed with a can of Campbells vegetable soup. The interesting wall decoration is actually covered from end to end in a thick layer of dust which is really really unappetizing. I can only imagine how they keep the kitchen if they keep the front facing side of the restaurant that dirty. Very disappointed.
(1)Denise M.
I came in on a coupon, groupon or social living I cant remember but the staff were gracious and the food was ok. I would return, but not too quickly. I got my standard vindaloo and lamb saag. They were both satisfying. The best part is that the staff are just so amazingly nice and looking to please. They gave me a free candy dessert just for comin in. It could have been the mountain of food I ordered ontop of the certificate that made them want me to return. I spend a fortune at Indian/Nepali restaurnats. It is gluttenous and I do not feel sinful at all.
(3)Kishan A.
When I first tried food in 2012 it was typical nepali good that was great food Came here today I think now it's owned by indian so food taste like indian If you are looking for Nepalese food avoid this place this is not a Nepalese restaurant any more
(1)Mary M.
1st time here, we had just missed the buffet, but that was ok since we didn't plan on it. The menu has Nepalese and Indian food. We ordered chicken mo mo (dumplings), chicken chow chow (stir fry noodles), chicken tiki masala, fish masala and special bread basket. Everything was delicious. Will definitely be back. All that was plenty for 5 adults.
(5)Ju L.
Have had better Nepalese food else where, but the service here is decent and the staff is very friendly. I'm not sure how I feel about the atmosphere, though.
(3)Sri H.
Food is not good. Place is ok. Nothing special. If you are hungry , just go and eat something. Nothing is good about this place. Veryyy pricyyyy in a suburban place. Better to stay away of it.
(2)Foodie Z.
Came for lunch buffet on a Saturday. I'd had an 8 mi run that morning and planned to run another 16 the next day. So I was there to carboload, big time. The result was - I went in extremely hungry and stuffed my face with two huge plates of deliciousness. I was in physical pain for 2 hours afterwards. But I really cannot blame the restaurant. The next day I had a wonderful 16 mi run thanks to those 5000 calories. Buffet options were excellent, although I was hoping for a couple more Nepalese choices (most seemed to be indian to me). My favorite was probably the spinach cheese. Suggestion to the restaurant: please make it less greasy? Greeting and table service was all done by a single person, who was so nice and extremely polite! When I was leaving we were kind of like.. bowing to each other.. I'm going back again this weekend and hopefully will exercise better self-control this time around. Also I'm hoping to see some different options from last week.. (cauliflower please?)
(5)Shekhar P.
It takes only one bad experience to ruin it. I'm a regular here, and took some of my friends for a nice Sunday buffet. Flies on the food and around the table, top that with stale rice and a very unfriendly cashier/server. Ps: it wasnt the regular server Raj, who infact is very friendly. Maybe a one time thing but for sure I was totally disgusted with the unhygienic conditions in the restaurant. Not coming here again.
(1)Dana S.
used an Amazon local coupon for their two for one buffet . It was ok. Nothing spectacular- Basic Indian food (I didnt notice anything that would be called Nepalese but maybe I didnt see it). Not a huge assortment for a brunch. I would have expected a few more dishes... There were only a few other people there at the time we went . Service was nice- he was very pleasant. Parking is horrible (Its Ball Square after all) for those of us not living in the area. Place was chilly too-everyone was wearing their coats and there was a small space heater right next to our table. Id try it again- maybe it isnt as busy on Sundays... (the two places across the street were MOBBED!)
(3)Edward N.
Excellent and inexpensive lunch. Alot of varieties. Try the milky sponge cake at the end... really hits the spot.
(4)Mary D.
We ordered delivery from these Yak and Yeti and it was delicious! The Tikka Masla was fantastic!
(4)Joseph S.
I'd recommend the Nepalese entrees over the Indian ones, but everything was great. Good service and very funny waiter. Ras Malai for dessert was top class (and I've tried about 2 dozen varieties of Ras Malai).
(5)Laura B.
Back for a little grad-school reunion, this time with the boyfriend in tow. Like an idiot, I thought we would be able to get within 100 yards of Sound Bites on a Sunday morning. Live and learn! In an effort to minimize the anxiety and increased hunger of finding a place to eat, we decided to quickly adjust our Sunday brunch palates from stuffed French toast to Chana Masala. Yak & Yeti it is! Walking in, we were immediately seated. Take that, Ball Square hipsters standing in line across the street! The service was incredibly gracious and pleasant, and they had the most delicious buffet I have ever experienced at an Indian restaurant. It got to the point where I started loading small bowls with Palak Saag instead of plates to avoid looking like a food hoarder. Everything was fantastic (chana, chicken tikka, lentils, fresh veggies, raita, etc.), even down to the clove-infused chai. :-) Sunday brunch buffet is only ~$10/ person, and you'll leave full and happppy! Lovely decor, great natural lighting, fantastic food and the friendliest service in town. You can already bet on it - I'll be back.
(5)Shadia A.
I just went here for the first time for a lunch Buffett and really loved the place. The food is delicious and the service is great, so I am confused why this place doesn't seem that popular. Pros: -Lunch Buffet: the lunch buffet not only had more offerings than the usual Indian buffet, but also was cheaper: with only 8 per person (you're basically paying the same price as you would for a sandwich somewhere else) -Clean Restaurant -Nice Service -THE NAAN: the naan was delicious and didn't cost extra like most other Indian buffets Cons: -They didn't offer a lot of protein options: this didn't bother me because I only cared for the chicken tikka anyways, which was delicious -Difficult to get there via T Overall this place was great, and deserves more customers.
(5)Bill S.
Has become my new favorite restaurant. Absolutely delicious all you can eat indian food, and for an insanely inexpensive price. Love going there
(5)McKenna H.
First time ordering. Delivery took a long time. I ordered the Aloo Palak spicy but they over did it to the point where I couldn't taste the dish itself for the over spicing. I ordered 3 main dishes and an appetizer for more than $50 but did not receive one bit of Basmati rice though it was listed on the menu as part of the dishes. The rest of the food was good but lukewarm. I will give this place one more chance but twice shy.....
(3)George M.
EXCELLENT fried breads. The best! Their aloo chole is top notch. We've had a variety of the Indian dishes they were all perfect.
(5)Dennis T.
OMG!!! What a scam for Nepalese food... The cook has not even the faintest idea of what basic Nepalese food is like... the THUPKA is a dead give away and disgusting... Only thing edible was the chicken mo mo.. Don't waste time and money... This place is a scam and a shame on Nepal
(1)Melanie W.
This is a really cute spot to get something to eat in Ball Square. The service is always friendly and the restaurant is always clean. Also, it is BYOB. First, I'll start with the naan. So, so, incredibly good. Like fluffy clouds of doughy goodness. You can also get it whole wheat, but the portion looks like it might be a little smaller and it is pricier. The lamb biryani had a good portion of lamb, but I found it to absolutely need the raita to give it any flavor. The lamb curry was also really tasty. I asked for mild, but got the medium. I'm not one to shy away from spicy foods, but sometimes I think the spice can take over the taste of the food. Luckily, that wasn't the case here. The chicken tandoori was really tender and flavorful. The basmati rice was a little dry without having a sauce to go over it. Overall, I will be back for my Indian/Nepali food fix.
(4)Insanomania A.
Other than amazing food, these guys know what "customer service" is. I always order and enjoy their amazing food but tonight when I had a pick-up that was missing one soup THEY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND to deliver me not one but TWO soups to make it up (in 15-20 mins). Conclusion: they have all 3 (Price, Food, and Customer service) so they just won a loyal customer. If I could give 6 stars , I would.
(5)Hannah R.
BLECH. Just ordered take-out from this place. They quoted us an hour wait, and after an hour and a half, we tried to call the restaurant. No one picked up. When the food finally showed, the chicken jalfraz was cold and the chicken palak tasted like the pan. Like. The. Pan. You know what I'm talking about. The salsa cups were barely filled up. The only thing worth eating were our samosas (how did they manage to stay warm when nothing else did?), but that was not enough to save this meal. Not even close.
(1)Kevin M.
Visited with a party of 11. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Food took longer than normal to arrive, but was well done. We stuck to mainly Indian, and the flavors were good. Unfortunately the restroom maintenance left something to be desired and the space for seating was tight. Nothing very creative on the menu, just the usual.
(3)Christine J.
First time trying Nepali food, and got to use the groupon I got. 1 app and 2 entries. funny thing is i only saved $5, what kinda groupon is that! anyway... GREAT NEPALI food, light and flavorful.. not a big list to choose from though, just one type of sauce. Indian food was below avg. smelled burnt - spinach lamb dish. not a fan. hearty nepali soup too. the older server guy charged us tax on the groupon items lol. was funny. $0.78 and $0.46 etc. took me by surprise. loved the nepali food, but not too crazy about customer service or their indian food.
(3)Mary E.
I'm going to have to agree with the previous reviewer about how unsanitary this place is. First off, it was unseasonably hot one day last week when we went to this restaurant. There were two box air conditioners as far as I could see but only one seemed to be on. My husband and I were sweating like mad in there. Now why is this important, aside from the fact that we were really uncomfortable? Some of the food on the buffet were not in warmers, just sitting on a large metal plate exposed to the elements. Can we say "food poisoning???" It only made me wonder what they were doing in the kitchen, and if the food was kept to the right temperature standards. Also, the server brought the silverware over and instead of placing them on the napkins, placed them on the bare table. Yuck. That table has been wiped by the same rag that has wiped all the other tables, and now I have the pleasure of ingesting all the residue. The bathroom was totally disgusting, like it had never been cleaned. The walls and doors were dingy and nasty looking as well. We got there fairly early so it's not to say they got busy and couldn't keep up with the maintenance. I could totally understand if that were the case. But they were far from busy. I noticed there was no soap to wash my hands, and when I mentioned this to one of the men working there, he had no idea what I was saying, due to the language barrier. He looked at me quizzically a few times and finally acknowledged me by saying "soap!!!" so I thought he got it. I watched him to see if he did anything about it but he didn't, which told me he was just placating me or had no idea what I just told him. He just sat down a few minutes later. Now, on to the food. I can't speak for the Nepalese food, but the Indian dishes were not very good. The chicken tikka masala was gross. All I could taste was tomatoes. Bland and lacking spice. The palak paneer had absolutely no chunks of paneer in it. It was just spinach. Incredibly disappointing. The momos reminded me of potstickers I could get from the grocery store. Nothing fancy. The naan was probably the best part of the buffet. What a shame about this place. Beautiful decor, with lots of potential, but the service and food leave a lot to be desired.
(1)Rick G.
I was feeling adventurous and decided to try this place out for lunch. What a great decision! I had never had this type of Indian food before and it was absolutely delicious!! The waiter was extremely attentive and answered all of my questions. I will definitely be back!
(4)Pia J.
This is an ok place to grab a casual meal. Food was good but 2 different curries had a very similar tasting base, I would have appreciated if the waiter had warned us about it so we could have chosen differently.
(3)Emily S.
First of all this experience began with some miscommunication between Foodler and Yak & Yeti. I always order through Foodler because I don't like to talk to people. Yes, I am one of those people. There was some issue about Yak & Yeti not confirming the order, Foodler canceling it as a result, Yak & Yeti calling me the mili-second before I clicked submit for an order from somewhere else and food appearing at my door a minute after that. Whatever. I got my food when they said I would and a $5 Foodler credit for whatever the heck that was. Moving on . . . . I had been wanting to try this place since moving to the area, mostly because of the name I have to admit. I really like that Yak & Yeti sounded DIFFERENT and I was in the mood for something a little on the lighter side that was not sushi since I think I am approaching my monthly limit on mercury intake. I ordered the Chicken Korma and my boyfriend got the Palak Kofta. Both were very good, just wish there was more chicken in my dish and more balls of whatever in his dish. It was more sauce than anything else. I also wish there was an option to add a vegetable because that's kind of an important food group and it would have gone well in my dish. It was all delicious still so I'm only taking one star off. I got some Naan on the side that was excellent.
(4)Charlotte M.
I love this place! I am so surprised that this place doesn't have more stars! This place is right around the corner from my boyfriend's apartment, we've been here twice together. The atmosphere is very cool, I love what they've done with the walls. Service is always very attentive and so nice! The tomato and coconut soup is my favorite soup of all time! I'm not a huge soup person, but I really enjoy it. The channa masala is always great. Their website is down at the moment, so I can't remember what else we ate!!
(5)Angband A.
I ordered delivery from this place twice, and twice I was vastly disappointed. Expensive, bland, greasy mush. Yuck and Yeti.
(1)Yiwen G.
I like to come there if i feel like a light meal. i love their momo, and the sauce come with it.
(4)Sarah M.
Just want to say thank you to the delivery guy tonight. He was very patient and very helpful!!!
(5)Maya T.
We went for the Saturday brunch buffet. Had a good selection of items, and they bought us fresh naan to our table which was great. They also had some dumplings at the buffet that looked good. Staff was nice and attentive. Would go back.
(5)Jeremy K.
Headed there for lunch after a co-worker of mine told me that the place was worth checking out. After a bit of Yelp-stigating, I found out that the place has a daily, $8 buffet and figured that it would be worth checking out. Earlier today, this opportunity came and I seized it! The place is located right in Ball Square, and as always, parking spots are easy to find. It was rather late when we arrived, almost 2PM but their buffet we found out runs until 4PM. We were the only patrons there but it didn't matter, both Erick H. and I were hungry. The decor inside the place is quite unique, but somehow, it works. It's very clean and modern, but nothing I'd expect inside an Indian & Nepalese restaurant. There's these were horizontal cloth stripes on the wall, which give way to these lights that stick out. And the table and chairs are bright red. Yet, it works. I actually found it original and neat. The extended dinning room's wallpaper features a wall-sized photography of Mount Everett. It's actually pretty cool and almost makes me want to travel there. But I digress. We were promptly greeted and sat down and off we went, to the buffet that lay upon us in the main dining room. In front of us lay many items: curry chicken and lamb dishes, some chickpea-battered fries, some rice w/ some green peas, some spicy chickpea dishes, some chick tikka masala and even some vegetables. There's all sorts of foods and it's spread over two buffet tables. On the third one lays some vegetables, salads and some kheer for dessert. The waitress asked us if we wanted some naans, which come included with the buffet deal and gave us the option between plain, garlic or onion. We settled for garlic and dug in right in. Moments later, the naans arrived. They were very, very garlicky and pretty good. As far as the rest of the meal goes, the chicken tikka masala was surprisingly dry, which was odd since it was sitting in this huge puddle of delicious sauce. A shame really because it tasted pretty good. The tandoor chicken was pretty solid and came with some grilled, chopped onions. The chickpea dish was pretty good as well and so was the rice. The lamb dish was the real standout; it was extremely tender and perfectly seasoned. On the downside, the chickpea-battered fries weren't all that great, and neither was the kheer - the latter of the two features some whole cashews in it, but it tasted weird and was much darker in color than any other I had seen before. Weird. The place was clean and the food was pretty good, especially for the amount of money we spent. Our bill was just over $17 and considering that we stuffed ourselves there, making two trips each to the buffet, this is pretty much a steal. Ideally, I'd give this place 3.5 stars out of 5 but I'm feeling generous, and four is their score.
(4)Bree G.
This place is totally yummy, especially fresh, and I found the servers to be thoughtful. I don't love Indian food, so I walked into Yak & Yeti for lunch somewhat reluctantly and not expecting much. I was so delightfully surprised! The buffet was full of really fresh and tasty food, and when I shyly asked about Gluten-Free options the staff responded by identifying each item and whether or not it was safe for me to eat, and checked with the kitchen just to be safe. After we sat down, they thoughtfully brought over a plate of super delicious fried veggie somosas that were gluten-free for no extra charge. I NEVER get to eat fried things & I was SO happy! Finally, the meal was incredibly cheap & the rice pudding TO DIE FOR (rose-water or something?)
(4)Evelyn Y.
Ordered takeout from Y&Y for the first time two days ago. Chicken Mo Mo Khasi Ko Masu Garlic Naan Palak Kofta I read the ingredients before ordering the dishes. Palak Kofta: Balls of minced Spinach, Carrot, Mushroom Potatoes and'home made cheese cooked with ginger, garlic, onion and mild Creamy yogurt sauce Under Grub Hub's Special Instructions I also indicated there there was a shellfish allergic and a nut allergy, just for a safety precaution even none of the dishes I ordered indicated nuts. My order was delivered fairly on time. They gave me regular naan instead of garlic naan. bad sign- or perhaps simple mistake. The palak kofta was not particularly tasty to me but the goat (Khasi ko mass) was a little better. Midway through our meal, my husband noticed a crunchy taste in the palak kofta dish - it tasted nutty to him. He immediately stopped and asked me to read the ingredients. I looked online and saw that no nuts were indicated. I called Y&Y and asked them to check if there were nuts in the dish. She adamantly said 'no' and read the ingredients to me. My response was to tell her I could very well read but that she needed to speak to the kitchen and ask the chef specifically. By this time my toddler was coughing and seemed uncomfortable. He has severe nut allergy. We needed to know quickly what was in the dish and yet the woman on the phone could not provide me with anything until I handed the phone to my husband who insisted she ask the chef specifically. She kept denying there were no nuts but once she spoke to the kitchen her response was, "Oh..just cashews..." really? no apologies offered at all. simply hung up. We attended to our toddler and watch him for several hours, giving him benadryl and making him drink plenty of liquids. Although he did not break out into full blown hives and anaphylaxis shock (I suspect it was because he didn't have more than a couple bite or two of the dish), he swelled up a bit. I went back to my order form and saw that the order specifically indicated the shellfish allergy and nut allergy. You'd think a restaurant would be more sensitive to food allergies in this day and age. Disappointing. very disappointing. I'll never order from Y&Y again. Poor customer service. Didn't get part of my order. ...and lies about their ingredients. An apology and a refund would be nice...but that hasn't happened.
(1)Lauren F.
And my search for a decent Indian delivery place continues . . . I've ordered from Y&Y several times. The first few times, the food was delicious and came with free samples of veggie pakoras! Yay! The delivery time was over an hour but I reasoned that my house was probably a bit farther than they usually deliver. And then tonight happened. I placed my order at 7:30. By 8:50 there was no sign of my food, so I called the restaurant. The lady on the phone was very nice but I had to repeat my whole order before she knew who I was, and then told me the driver was on his way. Doesn't it always seem like the driver is on the way when you call to complain about late food? At 9:18 I got a call from a BLOCKED number, which normally I wouldn't answer but did, knowing it was the driver. "Is your porch light on?" "Yes." "Well I'm on S----- Street and I don't see it. Guess I'll have to start checking house numbers." Right. That is how you find an address for the first time. I waited on the porch until the driver walked (?!?) up the street with my food. "Uh, is this paid for?" "Yes!" (with an are-you-f'ing-kidding me eyebrow raise that Cersei would be proud of) And after all that, the food was cold, over-salted, and under-spiced. Will not be ordering from Y&Y again.
(2)Annie W.
i went here with an expired groupon and a friend, dining in. i really like these guys. my only complaints (ergo 4 not 5 stars) are that 1. their momo are made with dumpling wrappers, not homemade dough (yes, it's easier, and yes, their filling was fabulous, but still) and 2. their thukpa is made with spaghetti noodles (yes, it's easier, but man, i miss my hand-pulled noodles from the tibetan/nepalese joints in boulder with a big steamed ting-mo on the side). the nepalese (or at least for the purposes of this restaurant) rendition was spicy and tasty. what else. masala dosa was good but nothing spectacular. the samosas were great. complimentary pakoras were perfect. not so 50/50 split of nepalese and indian food. of note...according to the website, this restaurant sources locally/regionally and they pay their workers fair wages with health insurance (nearly unheard of in this industry). and their food is good, and fresh, and reasonably priced. i guess we'll go up to 4.5 stars in that regard. the decor is big, spacious, modern photo/prints on the walls. it works.
(4)Kristin N.
Ok my roommate and I are probably going straight to hell for what we put poor Jerry through tonight...however! Please cut this poor guy a break and get him another delivery guy!!!! I think the reason the delivery is such a shit show is because this poor guy is doing it all on his own!!! And he's the best!!! Not only did he come all the way back to our place to deliver the kheer that they forgot to pack, but he also took out of trash for us! (Yes that's the part about us going straight to hell) He even offered to bring us more naan because our fat asses ate all the naan we ordered! The food is delicious from both delivery and in house, we just want faster delivery! And I love that you guys deliver, just get Jerry a partner!!!! P.S. Throw in some extra naan every time for us fat girls please!!
(4)Rebecca D.
A little over a week ago I decided to order from Yak and Yeti because of all the positive reviews I had seen here on Yelp. I was exceedingly puzzled by such a poor experience which I had since reviewed. Well there is something to be said for customer service. After writing my first review I was contacted by the establishment giving sincere apologies for such a poor experience. They outlined some extenuating circumstances (including that the head chef was out) and took full responsibility. They hoped that I would be willing to give the restaurant another go. (I want to be clear that it was not in any way in the hopes of a re-review. This addendum is entirely of my own volition.) After some thought I decided that everyone has a bad night now and then and with an empty stomach and an open mind I made another order this past Friday. I am pleased to report that this experience was every bit what I had hoped for on the first go round. The food arrived in a timely manner nice and hot, cooked to perfection and well seasoned. I for one was glad I gave a well deserved second chance here.
(4)John D.
I really had high expectations for this place. It came recommended by my Nepali colleague, and when the Groupon came out it seemed like a no brainer to try a new cuisine. We went into this restaurant to try only the Nepali options and leave the Indian options alone (I can cook that at home :-) I loved the Chicken Mo Mos... and the Chicken Kothe (that really was delicious) ...and that's it! We tried the two Nepali Set Meals (vegetarian and non vegetarian). Both came with Simiko Dal and Aloo Ra Rayoko Sag. The nonvegetarian meal came with Kukharako Tarkari (chicken), while the vegetarian one came with MORE Aloo Ra Rayoko Sag. Maybe this is what the cuisine is, but it all tasted the same to me... very tomato 'brothy' withe very little flavor. We could not finish our Sag overloaded plate, but I did, reluctantly, finish the rest since I was starving. It's a nice neighborhood restaurant, but I don't think I'll be visiting again!
(3)Wil D.
I loved this place until the management changed. I've returned several times to see if service and food improved as the new guys settled in, but walk away disappointed every time. The service is now less friendly, and the food sub-par. I recently ordered from their online menu to be rudely surprised with price increases when I pickup up. Be sure to call ahead or get an actual menu before ordering. That being said, if I could rate their lunch buffet separately, I would give it four stars. Its fresh, delicious, and because you have minimal interaction with the staff, the experience seems pleasant. I don't know why there is such a disconnect between lunch and their regular service.
(2)Elizabeth M.
Had the takeout and very disappointed on the quality of the food. Naan was greasy and leaden, curry was thick and tasteless. So sad.
(1)Matt I.
This place was fantastic! I can't recall exactly what I had, but the food was delicious. Chicken moo-moo. The chutney! To die for! Dumplings were awesome. I bought the Amazon Local deal and it proved to be well worth the value! I am a fan and will definitely be back to this neighborhood gem in Ball Square!
(4)Cailin J.
Excellent lunch buffet!! Skip the lines across the street (although Ball Square Breakfast is delicious as well) and try something different. The food is fresh and delicious, lots of vegetarian options, reasonably priced, great service, free naan and chai tea.
(5)Andrew R.
Too much Yak, not enough Yeti. Or is it the other way around? Maybe. At any rate, while the Nepalese is downright the yums, there's little of it to go around. The server informed me the dishes had been brought to the table, and try as I might, I could only see the giant mound of rice. Upon further inspection with a magnifying glass, I found them! Two small bowls were indeed on the table. I guess a dinner of rice and sauce was in order. Delicious, yes. Worth it, no. Though the free shtuff in the beginning is quite good.
(3)Sam P.
ek !!! please dont waste your time and money ! everything is sourly !!! dont wanna do the mistake again !!1
(1)Kris T.
I really wanted to like this place. I love new foods, and Nepali food was a completely new experience for me. The place was small and rather stark, but looked clean, and the plates, as I passed, had a pleasant presentation. My girlfriend tried a sample of the salt lassi, and I tried a sip. The less I say about that experience, the better. Needless to say, I very much doubt that it had to to with the restaurant itself, but, rather, was a cultural difference. If you like drinking ocean water, you'll love the salt lassi. I do, however, love (LOVE) mango lassis (however, since mangoes (and cashews) are related to the poison ivy plant, I cannot eat them- no one ever warned you of that, eh?). I then tried the soup (Aloo Taama ko Jhol). This was to be my first experience with Nepali spices, and I was very excited. I became alarmed, a bit, at the strong, pungent smell. And it tasted like the cook bathed in it...after a very long day...of riding a goat. Even though I don't believe that there was goat in the broth, it really did taste like strong goat and BO. Again, this might just be a cultural thing. I don't blame the restaurant (much), but it was unpalatable. Having said that, I was a trooper, and finished most of it. No, where I was really disappointed, and what led to my low score, was my main dish. I ordered the goat (as part of the fixed, sample meal). Considering that it was a dinner portion, and not all that cheap ($18), I expected far more. What I got was some rice with gritty brown gravy. And bones, lots of bones. I would say that I had two pieces of meat, about as wide as my thumbnail, and as thick as my thumb, a few chunks of fat, and the rest was bones. The two small pieces of meat that were there took a lot of work to even get off the bone (the bones were rather small pieces, not like, say, a beef or pork rib that one might be used to getting). I said something, when asked, and the waiter said that he was going to bring me extra, since I got such a meager portion of meat (it was very clear to see). He came back with more bones, more fat, and a couple more slivers of goat. I still don't feel that I know what their goat actually tastes like. The rest of my plate was "okay", but nothing special. The lentils were pretty good. The Paneer Paratha was interesting, but quite bland, compared to what I am used to. I feel bad giving this place just two stars; however, if three means average, I honestly have to stick with two. They seemed like nice people, and their presentation was good, but the value just wasn't there.
(2)Ivy P.
Absolutely delicious! The noodles, naan, samosas, lentils, and herbs are so fresh you can actually tell! Just don't get the momos. If you've been to Nepal, and have had actual Nepalese food, this restaurant is not bad at all, but don't get your hopes high for the momos cause what they have look like mass produced frozen dumplings you can buy from the Chinese grocery store. Not that the momos tasted bad, just a little disappointing. Fine, very disappointing.
(5)Austin J. A.
We ate here last week. The decor is beautiful (back-lit scores of white, flat strings wrapped around intermittent posts, reds, greens, cute chairs, and contemporary faux wood) but the food is really over-salty (both the Nepalese and Indian foods) and it wasn't very good. For appetizers, we had a hot Indian dish and a cold Nepali dish. The samosas (lamb and vegetable pockets) were good. The Bhatmassadeko (dried crispy soybeans with fresh chopped onion and spices) was huge, and it was hard for the two of us to finish it. We had two entrees: the Aloo Ra Rayo Ko Sag (cooked potato, green mustard leaves, ginger, garlic, and Nepali herbs) and the Kukhurako Tarkari (boneless chicken with ginger, garlic, and Nepali herbs). The Aloo Ra Rayo Ko Sag was okay, but not spicy at all (we'd ordered it spicy), and the chicken dish was WAY too spicy (we'd ordered it super mild). I was rather unhappy to discover that they automatically added an 18% tip to our check (there were just the two of us), while still including an ADDITIONAL tip line. Not very classy. Without looking closely at the bill before signing my charge slip, I wouldn't have noticed, and I would have ended up leaving a 38% tip on a meal that wasn't even really very good.
(2)Nikhil P.
There were way too many issues with Yak & Yeti tonight ... We came here with friends on a Restaurant.com deal and had $100 to spend. That's an awful lot of money to spend on indian food and we were expecting to be walking out with so much extra. The delay in getting our food though was the first of a couple of issues. Our appetizers came out after about 45 minutes, followed by the rest of the food an hour later. When we finally got the food, we were told they had run out of shrimp and needed to place a different order. Things tasted fine, but the portion sizes were just not even close to appropriate. The house biryani was tasty, and the lamb was really flavourful. You could see the waiters working pretty hard, but if you've got issues with less chefs that night, say something. For $100 of expense (3 appetizers, 5 entrees, 4 naans, and 1 dessert), 4 non-obese people who are not taking appetite-stimulants should not be finishing all their food. And you can't tell someone you've run out of shrimp 90 minutes after taking their orders. Any place that's marketing hard on deal-sites like Restaurant.com are obviously looking for customers. Take care of them. Apologize when you're presenting frankly bad service or if something is screwed up in the back kitchen. Wait staff, and the nightly management need to work harder together to show that they care, or it comes across like they don't.
(2)Julie L.
I had a solid experience at Yak & Yeti and will likely return if I'm in the area. I bought a deal for the brunch buffet. We arrived right around opening time so the food wasn't quite ready yet. However, once the food did start making it's way to the buffet station, my stomach became very excited! I thought all the food was great. It was fresh and hot (probably because we were one of the first customers) and I like that the naan was brought to your table straight from the oven. The typical Indian dishes I'm accustomed to were done well. The Nepali stand outs for me were the vegetable momos. They were very unique. There was at least 5 different types of curries and vegetable dishes to choose from, along with noodles, momos, and salad. For $11, I thought the buffet was a great deal and gave us a chance to sample the menu.
(3)Bibek B.
I can sum up my experience in bullet points: 1. It wasn't very clean. This was first thing we noticed, but being a Nepali restaurant, we expected that! 2. Took for ever to get our menu and then to get the food we ordered (approx. 15 mins to get the menu and then approx. 35 mins before anything was served, after we ordered). And the place wasn't crowded either! Btw, we ordered a plate of momo and chicken chuwela-- that's it. 3. The food was not at all tasty (we are from Nepal. So it is not the first time we had those dishes). The momo was too big with too little chicken in it (trying to save money? I don't know!). Plus the tomato sauce was as thin as water-- like nth we have tried before. If you are from Nepal-- it tasted like a plate of momo from a local "bhattee," and I am not even exaggerating. We were delighted to find a Nepali restaurant in Boston but we will never go there again. Will stick with other Indian restaurants in the area.
(1)Elizabeth P.
We've gotten take out from here a couple of times now and have been quite pleased with the quality of Yak and Yeti's food. Last night we ordered delivery and the speed was average--well within the range of what I expected, so no complaints there! The staff is particularly careful about packing to-go bags: both times we've ordered, everything has been very nicely wrapped and cold beverages have been kept away from the hot stuff. So far, our ordering has centered mostly on the Indian side of the menu... nothing against Nepalese food, I'm just highly partial to Indian cuisine at this point in my life. We did try one of the momo appetizers from the Nepalese side of the menu as our first order, which I wasn't particularly crazy about. They were high in salt (though I'm admittedly sensitive to that) and I wasn't in love with the spice combination: it was all a bit overwhelming. That being said, I've found all of the dishes we've ordered from the Indian side of the menu to be very tasty. The mango lassis are excellent: the yogurt tang comes out nicely, and they don't taste too sweet, even though there's definitely more sugar in those tasty tasty concoctions than I really want to know about. You get a couple of vegetable pakora with your order (that's the free appetizer others have alluded to in their reviews), which are tasty in flavor, though they're definitely one of those things that would be MUCH better in-house. We've enjoyed both their peshawari naan and aloo paratha--the kitchen has a nice touch with breads. Entree-wise, the palak/saag paneer is quite good. Initially I wasn't entirely sold on the spice combination, but two orders later, it's grown on me quite a bit to the point where I've craved it. The paneer cheese has more flavor than other places I've had it, which is a definite plus, and the texture of the dish is lovely. We've also enjoyed the chicken korma greatly--the sauce is creamy, but not too much so, with a great nutty flavor. The chicken vindaloo was solidly good, though the best rendition of the dish that I've had. I found medium to be pretty mild, while the hot dish was noticeably spicier than the medium one, but not very hot. If you're craving super spicy stuff, I'd recommend communicating that, rather than settling for their preset "hot." Overall, I definitely recommend trying Yak and Yeti if you're searching for a nice, reasonably priced Indian place. I like Guru, but the convenience of Yak and Yeti and the larger menu has turned it into our go-to spot for take-out Indian.
(4)Alex M.
Food: Tastier Indian than I've had at many places in the region. The mango lassi were awesome. The vegetable momo were a *bit* salty but not bad. Everything else was very good. "Medium" spiciness was pretty mild. Going to try hot next time. Interior: I picked up, but my brief first impression was that, though it is small, the interior is attractive, warm and snug (it was very cold outside). Potentially date-worthy, even. Miscellany: I picked up. The takeout container was thoughtfully arranged, but it was difficult to find parking.
(4)Shelagh M.
HOW DOES THIS PLACE HAVE 3.5 stars???? I went with two other people and a reservation. When we got there, we waited for about 20 minutes for a table and it wasn't because there were no free tables. There was only ONE waiter for this entire 12ish table restaurant. No hostess, no take out person. He had one helped which might have been the owner, but that was it. The phone was ringing off the hook, people sitting looked annoyed and impatient and there were several people at the front stand waiting for a table or take out. We would have left if we didn't have a groupon. We ordered the chiken mo-mo and 3 entrees. The entrees came out and we figured they must have forgotten the appetizer or something so we started eating, then they brought out the appetizer. I told them we didn't want it anymore, so they took it away. When the manager walked by, I told him (reminded him?) what happened with the appetizer and we didn't eat it so it shouldn't be on our check and he ACTUALLY was about to start a disagreement with me, but I didn't really let him. Having worked at a restaurant previously for 2 years, I know how NOT ok this is. This restaurant is managed poorly in a SEVERE and visible way. We reluctantly tipped 20% because probably none of this was the waiter's fault, but the experience was not good. Don't waste your time, even with a groupon.
(1)Kristin K.
This place is so tasty and has a nice atmosphere. I have been here a few times for dinner, and occasionally the service was slow but the food did not disappoint. Stopped in for the lunch buffet today, very satisfying, with a good range of options for a buffet.
(4)Caroline S.
I've been going to yak and yeti for a couple years now. It's in ball square across from sound bites on Broadway. The staff is always very nice. The ambiance is okay, not as warm as I like if I'm dining in so I usually grab take out. Unfortunately I'll have to go a bit further from my house now to get Indian. Last night was the final straw. The food quality has become so spotty and now it's more common to get poor quality than good. Last night I got two staple favorites - malai (palak) kofta and vegetable curry. Once again, the kofta sauce tasted like tomato soup and the curry sauce was more like water and oil with cumin seeds. Im pretty sure I could have made better and that's pretty bad if you knew my cooking experience. There was one good thing - the aloo paratha bread. Good service and bread isn't enough. I remember the Kebob factory in Inman being awesome so that will hopefully be my new spot for consistently delish Indian food.
(2)Dan E.
Fantastic and reliable. I have only done the buffet here - weekday and weekend. Recommend it for a lunch spot.
(4)Janice T.
Tasty Nepali cuisine in a super casual atmosphere...service was slow at first but after first bite decided it was worth the wait. Try the Kukhurako Sekuwa, charcoal chicken appetizer marinated overnight in coriander and other Nepali seasonings...very savory and will definitely whet your appetite. The Machako Tarkari was quite good...rich orange gingery sauce complements the firm fish well (swordfish or mahi mahi?). Server was very friendly. Take note: they don't serve alcohol here. It would have been nice to have a glass of riesling to complement these spicy and flavorful dishes.
(4)Karen G.
I have only tried the Nepalese food, and it reminds me of my time in Nepal and have been here three times in the past few months. The dinner set is the way to go with an appetizer, meat, side vegetables, dal and rice, a small salad ish thing, and chai tea afterward. The chicken momos are the way to go with the subtle curry dipping sauce. And I am absolutely in love with the pumpkin curry. The goat was also very good, but there were some shards of bone in it which made it a little more difficult to eat. The service is very friendly and you get a somosa when you sit down!
(5)Jessie C.
Yum. I've never had Nepalese food before so this was a first. I was pleasantly surprised. I'm gonna warn you now - pardon my spelling :-) We had the Veggie mo-mo's, rice, pashwari naan, the pumpkin dish and the chicken dish that started with a K and vegetable noodle soup. Overall the Pumpkin dish was my favorite. So sweet and buttery. Yum. The noodle soup was good as well but very very spicy for being medium. Good experience, not the most comfortable place to sit but i'd go back for takeout.
(4)Jeff S.
What a major disappointment. After eating there, the name should be changed to Yuk & Yikky. After reading the GR8 reviews in the Boston Globe and elsewhere, then reading the better reviews here on Yelp, I'm both disappointed and astonished that there have been such a copious number of higher-level reviews. Regardless, here are my Star ratings in 9 categories: 1. WAIT = 4 Stars. Even though the foyer was crowded with people waiting to eat, it took me and my GF only 20 minutes to get seated on a Friday night at 8:30pm. Of course, it is definitely much quicker to seat 2 people than a larger party, and 8:30pm is less busy than 7:00pm. 2. DECOR = 2.5 Stars. Quite Spartan. Nice huge photo of the Himilayans on the wall, though. 3. FOOD SERVICE = 3.5 Stars. Waiters were attentive, but the quality of their English is lacking, which will definitely make things difficult if you have questions or special requests. 4. FOOD = 2 Stars. We started with $3 Lentil Soup (1 star) which was absolutely vile. After my GF and I both tasted the first spoonful, we immediately asked the waiter to remove it. I wouldn't serve it to my worst enemy. Next, we had the $6 Kukhuraku Sekuwa appetizer (2 stars) of Marinated Chiken cubes, which were uninspiring. Then, we had the $10 Pharsiko Tarkari (2.5 stars) of Mashed Pumpkin & Ginger, which was bland and not worth finishing. For our main entree, we had the $13 Lamb Palak (3 stars) of Boneless Lamb Cubes with Spinach in a curry sauce. It tasted good, but it was seriously lacking in Lamb content. 5. SALT CONTENT = 1 Star. Everything was hugely salty. See their grossly inadequate remedy immediately below. 6. WATER SERVICE = 5 Stars. The waiter came extremely often to fill our glasses. Evidently, they know that their heavily salt-laden food requires constant water. 7. PRICE = 3.5 Stars - Prices are average. 8. PARKING = 2 Stars. My familiarity with the extremely poor parking situation in that area, I was amazed that I was lucky enough to find a spot on Friday night. But, then again, it was already 8:30pm, and it's Somerville, not Boston. 9. VALUE = 2 Stars. Even though the prices are quite average, the value is very much diminished by the low food quality and preparation. Even though the unweighted mathematical average is roughly 2.75 stars, I demoted the rating to 2 stars due to the inexcusable Food Quality and Salt considerations. 10. RETURN - Never. Not even if I'm treated by a friend. In fact, I had purchased 2 Groupons for Yuk & Yikky, and I threw the second one away. I'd never subject any of my friends to such torture.
(2)Rachel W.
Really delicious food, and attentive, friendly service. My friend and I went on a Tuesday night and realized as we were leaving that we were the last people in the restaurant and they were waiting (very patiently) for us to leave to close. We did not feel rushed or hurried at any point, I was impressed. Everyone on staff was super friendly and helpful, we went with their recommendations for food from the Nepali side of the menu and had the Chicken mo-mos, Pharsiko Tarkari (an AMAZING pumpkin dish), Jhinga Macha Ko Tarkari (delicious shrimp dish) and garlic naan. Everything was great, I am definitely coming back for the Pharsiko Tarkari again soon.
(5)Allison R.
Ick. Reviewers complaining about the service were right. My roommate and I dragged our asses in to make use of a group buying voucher, which typically translates to a nearly free meal. The storefront looked welcoming, and the Nepalese mountain painted on the wall was cool. The front door was really heavy. The host seated us at a table for 6 right by the door. I asked to be seated somewhere inside more, but he refused, since there was a heating vent under my feet. It helped but I was pretty freezing during the whole meal. It was 19 degrees outside. But, other patrons were also wearing jackets, so maybe the entire place was cold. I'm not sure if they've raised their prices since recent CoupMe and Groupon promos, because my $25 of credit didn't go too far. Appetizers hover around $8 or $9, and entrees range from $9.95-$18. Entrees don't come with nan, so we got a bread basket with assorted nan for $6.95. As for the food, it was pretty good. We tried chicken pakoras, which really tasted like Chinese chicken fingers. Other pakoras I've had are fried in a sort of netting of coating and include veggies-- these did not. My chicken tikka masala was tasty, but not at all spicy, though our waitress asked us how spicy we'd like our dishes, and we each said "moderately." The nan was good, and it was economical to get the bread basket. As for the service? They were slow and non-communicative. We had to wait at least 5 minutes between appetizer and entrees. When the entrees did come out, we were served everything but one side, and had to flag them down to ask about it-- turns out it was coming, but no one told us it would be out a good few minutes after the rest of the food, which got a bit cold sitting by that window. It was also awkward how the servers wanted to put our food right under our faces, when we had tons of table space to spread out. So, the food tasted good, but there are less expensive options locally-- try Aman Palace, Dosa Factory, or my personal fave, Punjabi Dhaba. Also, I didn't see saag paneer--my Indian food must-have-- on the menu. Additionally, I didn't think the portions were worthy of the hefty price tags. Atmosphere left a little to be desired, since it was ass cold in there and there were about 7 wait-people yet our food took a while to come out. My voucher got me to try a place I might not normally, but now that I know what to expect, I don't think I'll be back.
(2)Kaitlyn C.
Love this place. The food is always delicious and the vegetarian choices are awesome!!
(5)Jamie S.
My friend an I came in for a Friday afternoon lunch and decided to try the lunch buffet. Delicious, especially the Nepali food! The spices make the difference in each dish. Don't try reusing your old plate, just leave it at the table and pick up a new plate. For sanitary reasons they want you to use fresh dishes each time. Came back for dinner when Dad was in town. We tried the Nepali "set meal," and were very pleased. Despite being served on a prison-like metal tray, there was more than enough food. The set meal was supposed to come with hot tea, but we had to remind the waiter. Generally pleased with the whole experience. Love the modern decor and the overall vibe/atmosphere.
(4)Pre S.
No kidding ! I usually wouldn't mind a food truck if the food is tasty. This is zero by all standards.. First, the service.. I wouldn't blame the waiters..after all what are they supposed to do if they aren't well trained in their jibs. We ordered for 1 vegetable kothe..and 1 veg momo..we were a group of 6 and a mix of veggies and non vegetarians. We also had chicken orders ..But, we got two veg kothes, and two momos, why ? Because the waiter decided one kothe wouldn't be enough for us and so placed an order for an extra of both.. Seriously ??? We didn't want to make it a big deal and asked him to get it. And no, we didn't want mothering as well. The next crazy part was when we found that the kothes served were chicken and not vegetables. When we pointed it to him, he stood there and tried to convince us that it was indeed vegetable. C'mon, a waiter who doesn't know the difference between vegetable and chicken from his own menu !! We already knew our dinner was starting to get ruined. After 7 mins of us convincing him that we got the chicken kothe and asking him to please check with the chef he said let me check ! Came out 10 mins later apologizing for the ' wrong order '.. The service was way too slow than any restaurants I've been so far. It seemed like they were never ready for large groups. The coke that has to be just taken out from refrigerator and poured into a glass by itself took 25 mins to reach our table besides the no.of times we had to ask him. Poor guy definitely seemed lost. But, unfortunately for us we had babies and kids who were so hungry that they were gulping down water and visiting restrooms instead. We even wondered wether there was just one chef and one waiter for the entire restaurant. The food tasted dull. We ordered chicken tikka masala and no, what they served shouldn't come under Indian menu. The lamb biryani was even sadder with more corn and carrots instead of lamb. My suggestion, please do not try cooking items like them if you don't know the basic recipe. Another friend ordered some soup which he still has nightmares about. Overall, a very bad place for dining. I would not go back even if free food was offered there. Thank you very much.
(1)Celia W.
Tasty food!!
(4)Tony J.
It was just ok. Nothing so special. They also didn't have any yak, which I was very disappointed to find out. Also no yeti's, but that's to be expected. They did have goat, which was reasonable and probably one of the few highlights of the meal. I felt quite bloated afterwards from the heaviness, and unfortunately the seasonings were not nearly as aggressive as it should have been. Maybe will come back in the future, but possibly not. I guess the dinner would probably be better than the weekend brunch probably. I also found a piece of bell pepper with the sticker attached to it, after being, cooked. Not cool. Eww.
(2)Emily L.
Absolutely the best Chicken Vindaloo I have ever had. Chicken is tender and juicy, not dry lumps like some Indian restaurants! We also tried the Chicken Korma (asked for it spicy) and loved that too. Seriously, this is the kind of food day dreams are made of.
(5)Damien S.
Ever been to the den of the Black Widow? Neither had I, until I met Biba for lunch at Yak & Yeti. Mind you, this has nothing to do with the company; rather, the cloth strip web that hugs the left wall of the dining area, sprawling over the register and the souls of the feeble. Odd decorating aside, the lunch buffet (normally $8) is a spread of their Indian entrees, two soup options, fresh fruit, coffee and gulab jamun. I sampled the chicken tikka masala over basmati (adept), vegetable samosa (um, fine whatever), the chicken tandoori (EXTREMELY dry and flavorless), and lamb vindaloo (savory, not hot at all with properly cooked potatoes). All in all positive but the blatantly doughy naan and the severely overcooked tandoori chicken were a four-star deal breaker. One other minor pain point: the lunch buffet is advertised as Monday through Friday, 11a-4p. We feasted like GODS on Monday, 11/11 and were charged the weekend price of $12 because "it's a holiday." Now, I understand that holidays are often coupled in to weekend pricing, but in those cases, it's advertised as such. There was no "holiday disclaimer" anywhere on their site, menu or window ads. Not shady, but really teetering on proper. Service was great. While the Indian buffet was middle of the road, I'll likely return for the Nepalese dishes. Expect an update.
(3)Sam G.
Dear Yak & Yeti: You guys have a serious problem. There's no ambient noise or anything to muffle the sounds that bounce around here. It's a one conversation establishment. There's no sound privacy at all. We were seated right next to this father and college age daughter. She was confronting him about some serious childhood issues and even though she was using an inside voice, we were privy to all the details of some of her most difficult childhood moments. Yuck, Yak & Yeti. I didn't pay attention to the food. I didn't care about the service. I just wanted to get out. I was sweating. I started to side with the poor girl, but by the end of the whole thing, I felt that she deserved her crappy childhood. I lost any ounce of compassion for any living soul. Were they actors? Where was Ashton? Torture, man.
(2)Stephanie P.
I came here twice so far, both times the food was fantastic. I came to order dinner to go, and while I waited for the food, they brought me veggie pakora to snack on, which I thought was nice. The waiter was very helpful even though I wasn't eating in. The food arrived quickly and I was surprised with a few more free pakoras in my order on top of the snack they gave me at the restaurant. It was about as good a pick up experience one could get haha. I will certainly be back!
(4)L F.
I have eaten at Yak and Yeti twice now and gotten take out once (see my previous review about my in restaurant experience). The service is excellent! I was so happy with how quickly my takeout arrived. The Foodler service told me that I would receive my order by 7 and my door bell rang just before 7! I loved the care that went into preparing my meal. All my items were nicely packaged. I even ordered the fresh squeezed orange juice, which they had taken the trouble to put saran wrap around to protect. Their takeout service may be a new staple!
(4)Ryan L.
Long story short, I had a great experience at the Yak for lunch today! I've never had Nepali food before but it does hold some similarities to Tibetan food in that it has some Chinese ingredients but it's lighter than indian food in spice and ghee (butter). I enjoyed the tofu and potato curry as well as the Nepali chicken curry. Both were flavorful (subtly seasoned as opposed to the traditional strong indian taste) and I didn't feel like I swallowed a bowling ball after eating them. The tandoori chicken was decent as well and I loved that they had some light brothy soups (chicken soup, lentil soup) to choose from as opposed to the cream based soups that most indian places serve. Not as spicy as indian, but definitely more flavorful than Tibetan. Adding the Y&Y to my weekly list of places to dine at.
(4)Ojas V.
UPDATE 2015: This place has really fallen off over the past 2 years. There was a distinct moment when their indian food changes for the worst (perhaps a new chef?) and that is unfortunate. ORIGINAL review (2013): Solid Indian food! I am a little wary of the Nepali side since it tends to be more of a risk. Yes, I am Indian.
(3)Nicole H.
I love that this restaurant serves paneer makhani, which is my favorite and isn't served at many Indian restaurants. So that's why I tried it. I was blown away the first time I ordered it - the paneer was excellent, the naan was the best, i got a huge serving of rice, and I got a bonus veggie pakora that I definitely didn't pay for. I ordered it again last night with my boyfriend. We waited an extra 20 minutes longer than the estimated delivery time of an hour - that's 80 minutes. And it was not all hot. Paneer makhani was still great, naan was still good, but there seemed to be less rice. My boyfriend pointed out that there was no flavor, and I noticed that it was a bit bland. I don't mind this too terribly much, but it's a huge dealbreaker for him. I will order again, but definitely not during peak times and only when I'm ordering for myself alone.
(3)Laura S.
I came here with a friend, who fortunately paid for my meal. I might have been a little frustrated if I had been paying, but I wasn't, so. Everything about this place just said "meh" to me - the food was a bit bland (i had the pumpkin vegetarian dish and samosas), the ambiance was not good, and I had to ask to be re-seated due to smelling smoke. They really need to change something to kick this from alright to actually good. Better spicing and ambiance would be a good start.
(3)Kim K.
We arrived at 6PM on a Monday night and were the only people in here. As we ate and chatted the place filled up though. The service was pretty good. I expected a little more attention, and our food to come out quicker, seeing as how we were the only diners in Y&Y for a good 30 minutes but it wasn't a big deal. The Baigan Barta was delicious. I was happy to pick my own spice level (mild) because sometimes it's hard to fully enjoy your meal when the restaurant doesn't ask and it's way too hot. I wish there was a little clearer eggplant flavor but on the whole it was very good. The chicken mo mo was good, very reminiscent of chinese potstickers. The naan bread was delicious.
(3)Michael Y.
OK- I know those of you without food allergies will roll your eyes- as I used to, but there is a certain amount of attention to detail a service provider should adhere to. I have a child with a nut allergy, and it was specifically noted on a delivery order. The menu description for the Palak Kofta did not indicate the dish contained nuts. After my son tried a bite and immediately spit it out and started coughing, I noticed crunchy components to the dish that looked very much like nuts. I immediately called the restaurant, only to have the hostess start reading the menu to me. I indicated that I can read, as well, and that she should ask the kitchen. After much time spent wasted convincing her to ask the kitchen, she returned to say that, indeed, the kitchen had used cashews and started by saying she could have the order re-made without nuts, at which point I had to cut her off, as she completely missed the point and did not seem to grasp how serious such an allergy can be. I spent the rest of the night watching over my son to determine whether a trip to the ER would be necessary. I know it might be demanding asking for something special with regard to allergies, but when the menu indicates no nuts, and the order specifically notes that there is a nut allergy, this was unacceptable. I will not comment on the quality of the food, as the delivery order pretty much ruined my night and my son's night. Although I would love to be able to say reviews should be all about food, but in this case, something this important should have been attended to. I would sincerely hope this was just a one time oversight with lousy consequences, but there are too many options for take-out/delivery around for me to trust this place again.
(1)Joanna F.
I waited for a groupon before trying out Yak and Yeti, but it was on the top of my list of exciting new restaurants. Three friends and I headed over on a Wednesday night and were seated immediately. We decided to do everything family style, which ended up being a cheap and delicious choice. The mo-mos were like very good chinese dumplings, the samosas weren't too heavy and I really enjoyed the chicken noodle dish we tried. Their chicken tikka masala was sweeter than a lot of the other versions I've had which ended up being a good thing. I found the palak paneer to be a little bland but very good overall. I also really liked the garlic naan... the garlic flavor wasn't horribly overwhelming like I find it to be in other versions of this dish. The service was attentive without being overbearing and the price is right. I'll definitely be back.
(4)John S.
Very, very satisfied with both the meal at the service here at Yak & Yeti. Camberville has a wealth of really solid Indian food, and so oftentimes the tie-breaking factor is value. And thankfully, Yak & Yeti came out on the friendly side of the bell curve with that metric. Some friends and I split a number of items from both the Nepalese and Indian side of the menu and were satisfied with everything. Tender lamb, flavorful palak paneer, crisp (and not overly oily) samosas and a spicy noodle dish called Chicken Mo-Mo. All of them hit and hit hard flavorwise, but left out wallets none the worse. The decor isn't anything to write home about, but the food far outshines the humble storefront. I would strongly recommend this place to the value-conscious Indian food fan.
(4)Kerry M.
Super attentive wait staff. Your water glass will be topped off several times throughout your meal. Really great prices and nice diversity in the the menu. I love that their channa masala has a little oomph to it!
(5)Sarah W.
Immediately after seating we were supplied with a free side of vegetable pakora. This was the least delicious of all things we were served, and it was still quite tasty, and the accompanying sauces were great. We took Yelp advice and ordered the Peshawari Naan, (a sweet bread). This turned out to be the best dessert-type food I've had at an Indian place. Ordinarily Indian desserts are very sugary sweet, but the Peshawari Naan had a very good balance. We ordered both the roasted soybean and the charcoal-fired chicken dishes for appetizers and they were both amazing. Overall, the service was quite prompt, even if the food was a little slow coming out of the kitchen at times. When I requested coconut curry and was told they didn't have any, the server immediately offered to go request the kitchen make up a special batch. Great service!
(5)Spatial H.
Great food with a gluten- free savvy kitchen and staff.
(5)Jeff M.
Yak & Yeti serves its dishes in a pleasant and clean environment. Breads were nice but the curries were a bit flat. I'll go back since its literally down the street from my home.
(3)Ido W.
The bottom line: We came for the brunch buffet. We are definitely planning on coming back - either for the buffet or for dinner. The good: The best thing about "Yak & Yeti" is the atmosphere. It is 'minor' and very unassuming, extremely pleasant and welcoming. As someone who has been to Nepal I can say that as far as I am concerned these qualities are also what make Nepal a wonderful experience for many. The buffet itself was surprisingly rich and versatile. We could pile up from about 10 different vegetarian or chicken dishes and there were some nice salads to throw on the side. There was also chi and a nice ramen desert that we enjoyed very much as well. Finally, the owner and one of the employees that we have met were also very pleasant and helped make the experience into a whole positive one. The bad: Nothing really. As I said, I will come back again. The only reason I did not score '5 stars' is that 'Yak & Yeti' is a simple place and I would like to reserve 5 stars for the fancier or perhaps most original places.
(4)Hannah C.
We bought a restaurant.com deal to eat here since we just moved back to the Medford area. We dined in the other night and ordered the chicken tikka masala, vegetarian appetizer plate, and a lamb dish. The service was good, the setting was nice, but the food was definitely mediocre - I didn't realize how good the Indian food I have eaten before was until I ate here. But it was definitely fine - not the best, not my favorite, but we would probably come back because it is convenient for us.
(3)Cait A.
I love Yak and Yeti. For how little my boyfriend and I go out to eat, a large percentage of our trips out are here. It doesn't hurt that its right around the corner from us, but we feel so lucky that its right there cause its always awesome. I am a big fan of chicken tandoor, but on our second to last visit there I branched out a little and got the chicken masala dosa, which was great and gigantic, by the way! I tried the chicken uttapam this last time and it was just as good- a fried crepe with veggies and chicken and fried pancake with veggies and chicken, respectively, with sauces on the side. The waiter even gave us pakoras for free! I picked up this thing called a Belly card in DC which seems to be less popular up here, but Yak and yeti has a iPad for me to tap the card for free treats when you rack up enough points. I got a mango lassi on the house last time and will get kheer (rice pudding) next time, just for the customer loyalty- its a nice little perk. The bill is always remarkably low and while they don't have a liquor license, the waiter let us know we could swing by Ball Sq Liquors and byob, which we will totally be doing next time. This is the type of place you want to succeed, because its just delightful in every way :) Another note, its very casual, but you can easily go on a laidback date here and have a very nice time.
(5)Matthew S.
Very decent place, I'd visit again. The inside isn't spacious, but they make good use of it. Tables are somewhat close together, so if you're looking for an intimate evening I'd suggest elsewhere. The wait staff was excellent, very friendly and informative. The food was decent as well. Portions for appetizers were good. On the 'Indian' side of the menu get the battered cheese...holy crap. I still can't believe how good they were. For my main dish I got lamb and it came in a deep dish basically as a stew which was a surprise. It was tasty, portions were a bit small though for everything we got, I thought there'd be more. It was rich, but I wish there was more. other miscellany: Bathroom was immaculate, service was quick, restaurant itself was clean.
(3)Mary J.
enjoyed the food and service I would recommend this to anyone looking for Indian cuisine. Parking is difficult, but we did find a space nearby. Naan was really good, hot, crispy and chewy. Lots of vegetarian and vegan options. Something for everyone.
(4)Stephanie M.
The food is ok. Not once but TWICE (shame on me!) I have gone to Y&Y and had the same experience. It begins with a 20 minute wait for a table while a single harried waiter/host/buss boy runs around a crowded restaurant looking like he is being chased. 20 minutes to take an order and bring water followed by an hour or so wait for luke warm meals. On my second visit, the app was forgotten completely (stuff happens) but when we mentioned that we never got the food, a harried looking manager seemed to want to argue the point. We let him know that this was not a gray area - we were not paying for food we never got and he removed it from the bill - another 10 minute wait. 2 stars for the food because it wasn't bad and because I kind of feel bad for the place. Their food is unique and I really wanted to like them...
(2)Sangye S.
Have tried this place too many times over the years but I have to say its better to go there for buffets. Some time back they used to serve momos on buffet only in weekends. However, they serve it daily these days but it's not the best. Besides that, buffet over here is always good. I used to go a lot for dinner here but it always tasted like average during those hours. Service is just okay. I will say if you want to get the best out of your dollar, buffet is the best option.
(4)Erica M.
Did the buffet. Food was ok (goat curry and chicken masala were pretty good). Not for those who want spicy. Main complaint: goat curry was swimming in oil. In terms of cleanliess, not impressed. Floor was dirty with crumbs. Booths were out of wood or laminate and could have used washing. Service was fine.
(3)Candy A.
The buffet options are all very delicious. The food tastes fresh and you can tell the food has not been sitting a while like other Indian buffets.
(4)Lisa P.
Eh, it's ok, but to be completely fair I had the lunch buffet here, which generally isn't the best representation of a restaurant's food. First impression of the place as I walked in was that it smelled like a yak or yeti had visited the restaurant, which was not a plus. Very odd- I am certainly no stranger to food cooked in pungent spices since that's what comes out of my kitchen most nights, but this wasn't the tasty kind of pungent. No matter, I was hungry and bravely soldiered on. I've noticed everyone raving about the mo-mo, and with good reason- the dumplings were the best part of the buffet. There was a tamarind based curry that was pretty tasty as well, which name eludes me at the moment. But everything else seemed to be "just okay" interpretations Indian food food to me. The veggie pakora was cool, bland, and grease laden. The curries were mildly spiced and didn't taste complex enough for me. Boooo. My advice- skip the buffet and order something from the Nepalese menu instead. I'm willing to bet you'll have a better experience than I did. At least the servers were nice. : /
(2)Carol W.
I came here through a Groupon/Eversave promotion and was pretty excited about checking this place out. Unfortunately, feel pretty bad that I have to give this place two stars. The service was excellent, but I just didn't like the taste of the food here at all. I came here to experience the Nepali food and to get some Indian food as well. Firstly, the Indian food here was not what it normally tastes like at most other Americanized Indian food places. The flavors seemed a bit off or the food was just way too spiced/salty for me. I was disappointed with the chicken tikka massala and the baigan bartha. For the Nepali food, we ordered the chicken momo appetizer and the pumpkin cooked in ginger and Nepali herbs. The chicken momos were unremarkable and almost forgotten as I'm writing this review. I didn't like the pumpkin dish at all, and I think it was the herbs b/c my mom cooks pumkin Chinese style with black bean sauce, and it's AMAZING. I've realized that I don't care too much for Nepali food. The tastes and herbs do not excite my palate...
(2)Ryan R.
I have tried many Nepali-Indian places, and this is BY FAR the best. Their himalayan bean soup is wild! And great for veggies! In fact, this whole restaurant is great for vegetarians! Their chicken soup is amazing...imagine your Jewish grandma going on a wild vacation to the Himalayan mountains, and this is what she would come back with. Their Okra is out of this world AS IS their eggplant. Their Mo-Mos come steamed OR fried, which is so nice to have the option! Their coconut/raisin/cashew naan was OUT OF THIS WORLD! Neither too sweet nor oily, but very tasty. Their masala chai is also crazy. SUPER spicy...none of this sweet starbucks mess. If it couldn't get better, this place is not bad in price! Soups are between 2 and 5 bucks. Entrees are between 9 and 12. ALSO, 8 dollar all you can eat brunch during the week! WAHH! They also give 10% off to students! Decor: intense. Towering mountains around you, wicker basket woven along the far wall, great big windows and lots of heat in the winter. Cant ask for more! If you are looking for any generic straight up Indian place, go somewhere else...like to Guru the Caterer. They are SUPER cheap, no service and not many options but the few indian dishes they do are stellar. If you want to try something that I think of as a STRONG HERBY MIX BETWEEN INDIAN AND CHINESE food, YOU MUST come here! THE ONLY DOWN SIDE: it is a bit of a walk from davis and there is no great bus :-( but if you can get here, I would! Also, their desserts were just 4 of 5 stars. My boyfriend says they are very well done for what they are, but just not for our American sensitivities.
(5)Amanda H.
Really disappointed. Having worked in the industry, I've never written a negative review about a restaurant because I know how it can be, but this was absurd. We ordered food at 7:20. The original delivery estimate was for 8:20-8:30. At around 7:40 we got an update from grub hub saying it would now be 8:35-8:45. Not a big deal - it was a Friday night - I get it. Then it was 9, 9:15, 9:30. Now I was getting hungry and grouchy. I used GrubHub's customer service to report that my food hadn't come. They got back to me right away, apologized, and gave me an updated delivery of 9:45. 9:45 came and went. We were starving. I contacted Grub Hub and told them to cancel the order, they immediately issued a credit and apologized. We left to go to Applebees. At 10:05 my neighbor calls me. The delivery guy showed up, and after banging on our door repeatedly, decided to start banging on my neighbors door, over and over, until he got up out of bed to answer it - and then gave him attitude. COMPLETELY out of line. Who does that? Ridiculous.
(1)Gale S.
Came here relatively late (9PM) on a rainy Friday about a week ago. Although there is both Indian and Nepalese on the menu - my two friends & I all ordered Indian food. We were satisfying a certain craving. I'm always a bit apprehensive when using a Living Social/Groupon deal, but the staff was very accomodating and welcoming. I ordered the mixed tandori grill and raita as I am apt to do, while my friends ordered chicken masala and a vegetarian dish. We shared the plain naan. Timing on the orders was a little funny - I ended up waiting an additional five minutes for my tandori -- I think it was for the grilled vegetables (they were hot while the meat was luke warm). No matter, though. We were all pleased with our meals and would definitely either order or take out again.
(4)Kelly C.
Really friendly staff, and generally delicious take out!
(4)Jocelyn C.
I just ordered delivery from Yak and Yeti having moved into the neighborhood today with no food in the kitchen. I give the food a 4 to 4.5 - I ordered the Palak Kofta, which is I quote "Balls of minced spinach, carrots, mushrooms, potatoes and homemade cheese. Cooked with ginger, garlic, onions, and mild creamy yogurt sauce. Served with basmati rice and chutney." doesn't that just sound delicious??? Well it sure was. and they really respected my request to make it "As MILD as possible please" (yeah, I'm a spice lightweight). It even came with some silvers of nuts, which upped the yum factor even more. The mango Lassi had some bits of mint leaves too, which is unusual I think, and was a great addition. I'm also a fan of the veggie momo dumplings. The SERVICE was incredible, and definitely 5 stars, so I bumped the overall rating to a 5 star. The delivery guy had accidentally spilled my Mango Lassi on the way, so he apologized and went back to get another. In the meantime I saw they didn't provide any utensils, so I called to ask if they could pass some to the delivery guy when he went back, casually mentioning that I just moved in and didn't have any utensils. The phone guy then asked if i needed plates and napkins too (which I thought was nice of him), which of course I said yes. When the delivery guy came back, he had brought me TWO mango lassis to make up for the first spilt order. Then I opened up my food and they had given me a free appetizer! (this was before the spill, so they had just added it to my order for free. amazing no?) So overall good food, great service - nice welcome to the neighborhood!
(5)P S.
Had an ominous feeling after reading another reviewers Foodler experience w/ this restaurant but tried it anyway. Well, should've listened to my instinct. 2 hours and 2 follow up phone calls later, food finally arrived. So, yeah, don't use Foodler here. The food: Kuhrkurako Tarkari-tasted good but was SO greasy. Samosas-delicious! Veggie Biryani-pretty good. Good variety of veggies. Though it would've been nice if they'd trimmed the green beans before tossing them in whole. Raita-also delicious.
(3)Mariya F.
This is a nice restaurant near Tufts University that serves Indian and Nepalese cuisine. Their Indian menu is much larger than their Nepalese menu; but we decided to try everything from the Nepalese menu since we have never had that cuisine before. I got a delicious tomato and coconut soup and the lamb tarkari which was great as well. Our food did take a while to come out but the manager told us there was a small fire in the kitchen and brought out a complimentary appetizer and mango lassi. The only dishes we did not like were the appetizer and the dessert. We got the vegetable mo-mo which had a very distinct flavor that we couldn't quite place; it was some kind of very strong bitter spice that we did not enjoy at all. For dessert we got the rice pudding, which wasn't really what I was expecting. It was basically jasmine rice with some heavy cream poured over it with some raisins. I don't think either of these dishes were poorly made, I just think they weren't our taste. I don't know if I would go out of my way to come back here since it is not near a T stop, but it is nice to try at least once.
(3)Hermin M.
For those of us who enjoy our palettes thrown into the fiery depths of an inferno, requesting dishes to be as spicy as humanly possible often ends in utter disappointment. Countless south Asian restaurants I gone to... so much promise in how hot they can make their dishes.... that is until I went to Yak & Yeti! I ordered a tofu and spinach plate and jokingly stated "make it as hot as you can" to the owner, believing that this would just be another exercise in taste bud ED.... The dish came out with a think bright red sauce, I took a big bite of tofu.... Well I can't really recall what happened immediately after that because that what I casually referred to a "sauce" was in reality lava and it threw me into some sort of hypnotic state where I swear I met Buddha himself... All I remember is coming back, my eyes where watering... my tongue long obliterated, was now a metaphorical piece of charred muscle... The pain was excruciating and I loved it! The only drawback is that since they do not serve alcohol, I had no access to the true heat equalizer... red wine, but I grabbed my daughter's mango drink and chugged it so it was all good! If you are a true heat seeker, you'll enjoy the food here!
(4)Purple S.
Well I am an Indian, and no surprises, I like my food spicy and flavorful. Sad to say, Yak /Yeti can provide spicy but not delicious Nepali/Indian food. On the day we went (Friday night), the place was understandably crowded, but that didn't warrant the service we got. We ordered appetizers and soup-chicken dumplings which were phenomenal but the server forgot to get the soup. After about 20 minutes I reminded him of the same. He apologized and immediately brought me a chicken soup lacking in salt, taste and chicken! The maincourse (Navratan Korma) and Chicken Vindaloo were average fare, too bland for Asian tastes. The server didn't remember to get us the roti (bread) which we had ordered. Over all, not a very pleasant experience.
(2)Molly N.
I love Yak & Yeti! It's less than a block from my house, so it's my go-to takeout spot now. Eating there is also very pleasant. The food is great and pretty reasonably priced. I've had a lot of mediocre Indian food in Boston, but this place is really top notch. I will have to try the Nepali food next time.
(5)Jonathan C.
Great take out. Nice restaurant for dining out. Excellent chicken tikka masala and saag paneer. Two staples for me. My wife found a great coupon on restaurants.com for Yak and Yeti, we felt bad using it because we love the food so much.
(4)Steven L.
Lunch with my nephew and niece from out of town. After looking over the lunch buffet, we opted for ordering from the menu. My niece is a vegetarian, and ordered the Palak Kofta, which were balls spinach, carrots, mushroom and potato, in a really nicely spiced sauce. My nephew and I both ordered the lamb palak --- mine was medium, which was spicy enough to make me break a bit of a sweat. Both were delicious. The peshawary nan bread was fabulous, and vegetable pakora excellent as well. Essentially, very good, well spiced indian food. Not much for ambiance, but I might well return.....
(3)Jim B.
This place is on and off. Had some lovely food, and some bad food, I assume it depends on the chef that happens to be working. I love Aloo Mutter but sometimes the peas are as hard as bullets. Order hot and I get mild, order mild and I get hot. The room off the the right of the door is soooo loud I can't even think. Last time the Naan was really bad, thin and cold.
(3)Nadia A.
Another reason why Yak and Yeti is AWESOME...their BATHROOM...I'm being real serious. Yak and Yeti has the best restaurant bathroom...it's warm and clean and well-kept. I generally avoid using restaurant bathrooms because they are usually cold, filthy and scary, even in many nice restaurants. Not the case at Yak and Yeti. I love this place more and more...
(5)Lesley R.
Very clean establishment. Kind and attentive staff, with extra care to make sure the buffet was always replenished. Super tender and mild lamb curry, chicken tikka and assorted veggie dishes including a dal. Your choice of bread made on the spot!
(4)Anne M.
Went here last Wednesday after getting the Groupon a while ago. After reading the reviews for this place, I was a little terrified of the service and prepared to be there for a lonnng time, but we had a wonderful meal and ran into no issues. When we got there we were given the choice of a table near the window or the door. We went with the door, but should have gone with the widow because it was definitely chilly when people came in and out. Our own fault though. We started with the chicken mo-mos, which were delicious, and it was nice that there were 6 (I think) in an order. I ordered the pumpkin dish from the Nepalese side of the menu and it was absolutely delicious. My girlfriend got the chicken tikka masala and it was also really good, although a bit sweeter then most Indian places I've been to (not a bad thing, just different). Oh, and we go the garlic naan. So good, just the right amount of garlic. One thing to note is that the prices are all incredibly reasonable. I thought the service was great. Food came out promptly, we were helped by several different people and all were quite pleasant. They did add a tip to the bill but i think that could be because we had a Groupon (although I'm not sure). After reading Yelp, I was prepared for it, but I suppose it would be annoying if you weren't aware that it was a possibility. All in all, a great experience. I'm excited to have Y & Y as a take out option.
(4)Sheryl L.
The mango lassi is delicious. I enjoy the crispy lentil spicy crunchy complimentary cracker thing that comes out first. The noodles with shrimp and veggie came out piping hot (a very good thing) and spicy (yum). The paneer pakora is yummy! The service is impeccable. The decor is delightful and whimsical.
(5)Katie Q.
Yum! Everything was very tasty. If you sit in the front room and it's cold outside, bring an extra sweater. Service was good... except, they forgot to bring us our leftovers. They had been packed up and just took a little long to get to us. Anyway, we asked for them and they promptly brought them to us. We had stopped in before for take out, and were waiting for a long time with our order ready and waiting for us. All in all, we'll be returning and hopefully sitting in the other room.
(4)Sachin A.
Went here for the first time from a good friend, went for the lunch buffet that is served on weekdays, as well as weekends, and loved the food. Had gone three times in under a week. The prices are pretty good, not to expensive for the pockets. Service was polite and friendly. Staff was on top of the buffet food, when it got low, they refilled it. Chicken was so tender you could cut it with your fork. Mango lassi, my favourite. Nice location, spacious interior, music fits the culture, would be five stars if there was available parking instead of street parking. It can be a nightmare! Other then that ... ye bahut acha hai!!
(4)Eric S.
They seem to be a bit hit or miss. A previous reviewer talked about how tender the goat was. Well I tried it tonight, and it was tough and grizzly. REALLY tough. Maybe sometimes they take the time to slow cook it properly so the meat becomes falling apart tender, but they certainly didn't tonight, and this meat badly needed it. My girlfriend's lentil dish, despite having asked for it medium spicy was completely flavorless. Seriously I'm not exaggerating it tasted like plain lentils, despite the spices listed in the description. Maybe they simply forgot the step where they add the spices tonight. It wasn't a busy night either. Maybe the good cook had the night off, and someone lousy had the job. The momo, the lassis, and the dessert were very good, and other people were with seemed to like their dishes, so it wasn't all bad, but the two dishes we had were simply poorly made.
(2)Zerah J.
Came here for dinner with some friends a week or so ago and was astounded. I haven't had Chicken Vindaloo this good since I was in London in July.......spicy and delicious!
(5)Elizabeth M.
I had heard about Yak and Yeti for some time, and was very eager to give it a try. I was not disappointed. The decor is very cool and unique. On one wall, you have an interesting wall sculpture; and on another set of walls, you can gaze at Mount Everest towering above you and your dining companion. It's definitely not your average dining room. Nor is it your average dining experience, for that matter. We started by ordering an appetizer, and opted for the Bhatmas shadheko. These are crunchy soybeans flavored with lots of ginger, garlic and cilantro. My boyfriend (who is not at all familiar with Indian or Nepali food) was expecting something more akin to edamame, so he was a little taken aback by the texture. I thought the flavors were bright and vibrant, so I enjoyed this dish. Just a quick note about this dish, though: there are whole, julienned strips of ginger and slivers of garlic. Watch what you bite into! The dish was also a little too spicy. The waitress had asked us if we wanted the dish mild, medium or hot and we were thrilled that we had the option. I asked how spicy spicy was, and she compared it to one of the condiments on the table that I could try. (Which I did) Because we like a little heat, we went with medium. Medium apparently = hot. In fact, significantly hotter than the waitress' comparison. It was just a bit too much, especially for an appetizer. For entrees, my boyfriend ordered the lamb Bhedako Tarkari, which was very similar to an Indian curry dish. Again, we thought it was flavorful and delicious. My dish was good, but had a few problems. I ordered the Lamb Thukpa, which is a Nepali noodle soup. Again, I was allowed to choose if I wanted it mild, medium or hot, and went with medium. If I were to order this again, I would have gone with mild. The spicyness and the heat (that is, from the temperature of the soup) made it a bit hard to enjoy. But the lamb was not overcooked, and was nice and tender. The next day, when I re-heated my leftovers in the microwave, it was actually much better because I had more control over the temperature of the soup. All in all, despite some inaccuracies regarding the spiciness of the dishes, the service was great and the price was right. I'll definitely return to Yak and Yeti, and will try some of the other things on the menu.
(3)Andrea D.
We went last night to use an expiring $30 groupon and had a great meal. The place was packed (likely due to expiring groupon), so we had to wait about 10 minutes to be seated. Service was a little slow, but in a good way because we didn't have wait staff harassing us every 5 min (but I wouldn't go here if you're in a rush to get in and out). Everyone was welcoming and attentive and the food was great. There are two menus - a Himilayan and an Indian. If you've never had Himilayan, it's like a cross between Indian and Chinese (curries minus the milk/cream and more garlic/ginger flavors). We shared the Veggie platter from the Indian menu as an appetizer. It included your standard veggie samosa, veggie pakora, paneer pakora, and aloo tikki. It was OK, but too much fried stuff for 2 and not very hot. I ordered the Vegetable Thukpa (noodle soup) from the Nepali menu and it was different from any other Asian noodle soups I've ever had. My boyfriend ordered the Masala Dosa, a thin crispy lentil and rice crepe filled with spicy potatoes and onions from the South Indian section of the menu. He really enjoyed it and it was different from anything either of us have ever seen/eaten at an Asian restaurant. We also ordered 2 cups of tea and all that only came to $28 so we ordered dessert just so we could use the full value of our $30 groupon! Glad I went with the Ras Malai, sweet cheese patties served in sweet milk. SO GOOD! One of the managers suggested it and said they make the cheese there and I could tell... it was seriously delicious! The menu at this place is huge and I love that they break out the vegetarian options in separate sections of the menu. We'll be back!
(4)Gary C.
Quantee mixed bean soup made the meal. Otherwise... Place was freezing, extremely loud, no atmosphere at all, and mediocre food. Lamb tarkari better than the chicken, but not by much. Basmati Rice tested like cold minute rice. I'd have to be real hungry to return.
(2)Shirley P.
Lovely new place. Nice clean casual decor. Good service. They have two menus -- Indian and Nepalese. Since we've tried Indian a million times, we went for the Nepalese. Quite delicious and different. My favorite were the chicken mo-mo -- dumplings. A welcome newcomer to this neighborhood! A great spot of a casual meal.
(4)Nora D.
I ordered takeout from Yak and Yeti. Not only did it take them an hour to deliver my dinner, the deliveryman was unable to find my dorm and spoke such terrible English that I was unable to redirect him. When he finally did find my dorm, he delivered to me the wrong order, and accepted without objection the difference between the cost of the orders... about a $10 tip for terrible service. 15 minutes later, after having realized he had delivered the wrong meal (which I now resigned myself to eating) he called me demanding that I tell him the address on the order that he delivered to me, so that he could then deliver my order to whoever ordered the dinner I had mistakenly received. Then he curtly hung up the phone on me.
(1)Dolores W.
The owner of this place has NO customer service skills. We have ordered delivery from this place 7 times - out of the 7 times 5 times the food arrived cold......they are too cheap to hire delivery guys on a busy Friday night - also please note delivery takes @ 2 hours. Last night we ordered for the 7th and FINAL time and we received the wrong order when we called the lady who answered seemed to know they screwed up - they said they would send a replacement quickly - 2 hours passed again and finally it came but it was just one dish no sides - they expected us to eat the cold rice from the first screw up with the main dish that they replaced instead of sending out the corrected entire order - I called again to discuss and the owner said "what's my problem - to eat the rice from the dish that had arrived 21/2 hours prior"..... what an ass ...got a refund today but will never order or recommend this place again - owner does not give a $%^ about customer service.
(1)Alexander D.
Food wasn't bad, but it took forever.
(3)Archana V.
Very mediocre. I was excited to try Nepalese cuisine and purchased one of the restaurant.com coupons. The momos were interesting but the Nepalese vegetarian thali meal was definetly not worth the hefty price.
(3)rayasa R.
I went there after about 3 days since they opened for business!! We went there on Friday evening around 6..hoping to finish up dinner and then be in time for the celtics game! However, that did not come true. We waited for over 30 min for them to get our appetizers out. We got vegetable momo instead of chicken the first time and then the next time it was undercooked and then the third time it was still undercooked! So we gave up on that..but the chicken chilli was very good..looked good and tasted good :) we had also ordered thukpa(fried momos) and it was also undercooked..we sent it back an we never got to eat that dish :( we were running late so we asked them to to-go our food..but that also took another 30 mins..all in all we spent about 2 hrs in that restaurant but all we got to eat was undercooked momos :( But the entree's (Nepali thali) was delicious..cooked perfect and with the right amount of spices. The food was good/ amazing but the service was slow, and poor.
(2)Naina S.
If it were just for the food, I'd give this place four stars. My boyfriend and I ordered delivery (he lives about five minutes from Y&Y) and the food took an HOUR AND A HALF to arrive. We called twice, and both times the guy just said "we have no orders here, it must be on it's way" and then rudely hung up. When the food arrived, it was not great - the chana masala was good, the chicken tikka okay - it tasted ketchup and not at all authentic - and as an Indian, I know what it's supposed to taste like. If you want authentic, Indian food and great service, hit up Masala in Teele Square.
(2)Vivian S.
I am returning to write another review as promised since I did not make it pass the door last time as we didn't want to wait an hour for a table and were already starving. I gave a one star rating last time since we had to wait for a table and do the signing in thing. The couple next to us had told us we need to put our name on a list as there was no greeter or server to let us know that we are on a waiting list. I've come back to give a good review but this applies to only the weekends when they have buffet and on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. I had called in to find out a better time visit and this did actually work out for me since there was no wait and the buffet food was very authentic and delicious! This was excellent buffet food since I've never thought buffet food was very good since it can be dried out and old. The owner was there and we introduced ourselves. He was responsive to what we needed. You get free nan with your buffet. The price is $10.95 for all the soups, momos (dumplings), meats (chicken and goat were very tender and chicken was made to perfection with the spices and tandoori oven as they make in most Indian restaurants. There were plenty of vegetable dish options if you are a vegetarian as well. I vote them for four stars and not five because of the service during the weekdays. They have to get a much better system of seating people and greeting people if I am going to give them five stars. A good restaurant should also include excellent customer service and that is where they can fall short when it is busy. Maybe it is too overwhelming for them since I noticed how many people did spend the time to right a review and for those who didn't there must be that much more people who were waiting in line like myself to takes the yummy Indian/ nepalese food! I hope you try it on the weekends if you are not the kind to have patience to wait for a seat!
(4)Xin S.
Came with a Groupon and had a tasty meal for a good price b/c of the Groupon. I will defend Yak + Yeti against some of the awful reviews on their service: we received excellent service, everyone was attentive and very nice! We got a plate of their homemade flatbread (?) chips (?) with 2 chutneys--the onion one is fantastic! We got a chicken appetizer, a Nepalese chicken entree, a Dosa, and the naan stuffed with coconut, cashews and raisins. Everything was tasty and came in good sized portions (the dosa was even accompanied with a cup of soup!) Given all the other Indian/Nepalese restaurants around Boston, I probably won't come all the way back (it's a bit out of the way for me), but I did enjoy my meal. Also, tip was not automatically added to my bill despite using a Groupon.
(3)Lisa M.
First time diners at Yak & Yeti and we'll definitely go back. Ordered two apps and two entrees and everything was delicious. Portions were large and we had enough leftovers for a second meal. Prices were reasonable, atmosphere was very pleasant and the staff was friendly and attentive. Highly recommend.
(4)Kana O.
Ok.. Let me break this down. Service = 4 stars Food = 1 star (but this only reflects the dish I had which was Chicken Chow Chow, and the other girls that I went with said they would give 4 stars for their curry dishes) But this is MY yelp review and I get to write what I thought! ha I went to Yak & Yeti with 6 girls. 4 of them ordered curry, 1 (Sarah G who introduced me to Yelp and I'm sure will be writing a review about this place in the near future!) ordered a dosa and I ordered a Nepali dish called Chicken Chow Chow. I had no clue what this was going to be but I ordered it because I had never had Nepali food before and it sounded fun (Note to self: never order a dish just coz it "sounds fun"). Turns out that this was just spicy spaghetti with absolutely no flavor at all - all I tasted was spice and there was no depth in the flavoring at all. I ordered the dish in medium spice level, but apparently their medium was too hot for me. When the waitress overheard me complaining about the spiciness, she offered to take the dish back, but I knew that the spiciness wasn't the issue... this was just a bad dish. On the plus side, their portions are huge - although this doesn't really help when you don't like your dish. ha I'll probably go back to try their Indian menu in the future so that hopefully I can update this review with more stars - for now, I can only give 2.
(2)Megan P.
Delicious Nepalese food! Absolutely no trouble getting a table on a Friday night. Great service and a clean, inviting space. I'd recommend this place to anyone and will definitely go back!
(5)Chris M.
Randomly decided to try these guys out and was not disappointed. I ordered their vegetarian samosas and chicken biryani and was so full I got two servings out of the biryani. Most important though is that the food was delicious (fell in love with their samosas at first bite and the chicken had a nice seasoning). Delivery took almost an hour, which was a downer because I was so hungry. However I will definitely order from them again, maybe even go there as opposed to relying on delivery once the weather improves.
(4)Dianne W.
just went to yak and yeti. they offered the best service that i have ever had in boston. when i said that my korma dish seemed kinda soupy, they took it back, apologized profusely and made it exactly right. the owner came over brought us a nepalese dish on the house. the food was good, not great, but because of the service, this will be our new go to indian and nepalese spot!!
(4)Scott L.
The food here is incredible!! We tried the buffet on a Sunday and it was delicious!!! Everything, even the goat, was some of the best that we have ever had. Definitely give it a try next time you're in the area.
(4)Michael D.
A much needed addition to the neighborhood!
(4)karan K.
The more I eat there the more I lile it. The Lamb kebabs are always great, as are the veggie momos. Over all a great addition to the ball square area
(4)Ed S.
Great decor, good food, poor service. We've eaten here twice now and enjoyed the food both times, but it's nothing special in comparison to the half-dozen very good Indian restaurants in Central and Harvard Squares. The decor is very flashy and attractive, but you'll probably be too busy dealing with the waiters to enjoy it. Everyone has been very nice, but there is constant miscommunication. The first time we ate here, we were surprised to be served our entree before our appetizer. In fact, the appetizer still had not come when we asked for the check and then our waiter seemed surprised that we no longer wanted it. We had no such issues the second time we went, but only because our waiter triple and quadruple checked ever aspect of our order with us. I hate to fault anyone who is clearly making every effort, but it significantly affects the dining experience when your conversation is interrupted every few minutes to confirm your order.
(3)Cristina C.
Although I only get one thing from here when I've been here for take-out, it's the best thing for me to get. Baigan Bharta. Yum. It may look like a baby diaper or mush food but it is so freakin' good! Man! I get it spicy, ow my mouth is watering thinking about it, mix it with the rice in a bowl; whoa man. I never thought I'd be into Indian food, a friend of mine was ordering from here one night and I decided to try it out. I gravitated towards the Baigan Bharta because it has eggplant in it and I was hooked. Thanks JF!
(4)Eva K.
I don't think I've ever given a restaurant with decent food one star for just service, but apparently there is a first time for everything. On the phone we were informed that they don't take reservations, but to "come before 7" because then it's busy. Umm... ok. We got there before 7, when the place was nowhere near full. Out order was taken in a reasonable amount of time, but the waitress seemed confused when I asked her a question about my entree. More on that later. Then we waited some more, becoming acutely aware of the horrible acoustics in the place. It's loud loud loud, probably because there is nary a booth or tablecloth to dampen the sound. Everything in the place is hard, the better to amplify your fellow diners' conversation. Our samosas came relatively quickly, but that's the point at which the experience went completely downhill. We were served by at least 4 different people over the course of the meal, all of them unfamiliar with any of the basic English words required to serve food in a restaurant. I'm not kidding either. The entree came probably about 40 minutes after the samosas - this was the Nepali meal, which the waiter was unable to explain to me - he actually went back to the kitchen with the food to make sure I was getting the right thing. Lamb? I said... No glimmer of recognition. After he came back, I said... This is supposed to come with an appetizer, right? He said... it's coming. I said, shouldn't the appetizer come before the meal? And oh, we also ordered a salad, a basket of bread, and the mixed pickle. It took 3 separate people, multiple requests, and another 10 minutes for the remaining food items to make it to the table. Despite the fact that the food was actually good, by then the experience had turned into a complete fail. We asked for the check - another confused look from one of the servers. Finally it gets there, and there is a 15% tip automatically added to the check. I can actually understand that, as otherwise nobody there would ever get tipped. Nevertheless, I took a lot of pleasure in crossing it off the bill, and writing HORRIBLE SERVICE on the receipt. I hope someone there can understand what I wrote.
(1)Deanna D.
Thurs. night at 7pm: Our meal at Yak & Yeti took almost 2 hours including 25mins to order + 1hr. wait for our food----that was just way tooo damn long. The staff was friendly but they were very unorganized, understaffed, confused....all of which was very apparent. We had to flag down the waiter to place our order, check on the status of our food, get our check, and pay the bill. We had the Royal Lamb Korma, Palak Kofta, House Biryani, and Garlic Naan--all of which were delicious but did not make up for the wait for it. The House Biryani was lovely and enough for 2 meals. The Palak Kofta was very flavorful and filling. The prices were reasonable, the food was good, and the portions were reasonable but the wait and process took way too much time, so 3 stars it is. It's a nice addition to the Ball Sq area and I will give them another shot; hopefully they will have the kinks worked out by then.
(3)Joanne G.
It's a bit of a trek to get here, but their parking is abundant on the street, and the people are friendly. The noodles I got were scrumpdelish and they refilled my water. I asked for super spicy and got ok. I can handle way more heat Hubbie got the goat, it was lovely. Came here on a kgbdeal - I have one more and I may share it with someone.
(3)Craig S.
Mediocre Tibetan/Nepali/Indian food. I realize that I'm spoiled to live in a place where there numerous options for this kind of food and I can consider this place mediocre. But since there are way better versions of this cuisine in my city, I have no reason to go back.
(2)Jes H.
The momo were delicious and the chicken curry was good. However, I don't appreciate being ripped off. We used a Groupon and were leaving in a hurry because our daughter became fussy. We didn't notice they'd already tacked on 18% gratuity, so my husband added a gratuity that was extremely generous because we felt bad about our daughter. He left nearly 30%. I called them when we got home and they said they'd correct it and call me back. They didn't call back, and now I see they never corrected it. We ended up paying more than if we hadn't had a Groupon. Boo - that's just rude.
(1)Mary G.
So thoroughly meh, so easy to do better. If they hadn't messed several things up, it still would have "not bad," but they did. My friend and I go in on a Thursday night, we do get seated relatively quickly. It took them awhile to take our order. we ordered the vegetable kothe and a peshawari naan for starters, the pharsiko tarkari and a lamb palak for entrees, and lastly some gulab jamun for dessert. We waited well over half hour for any food to come out, our waters glasses empty. When our food did arrive we were served one of our ordered appetizers and the entrees at the exact same time. The peshawari naan never came at all. The dumplings were pretty good, a refreshingly unique starter. The pharsiko tarkari, a pumpkin cooked in ginger and spices, was quite tasty: again, refreshingly different. The lamb dish didn't stand out, particularly, and the servings of both were quite small. However, no rice was brought out to accompany our dishes. Lastly the gulab jamun wasn't noteworthy, and the 2 balls were about half the size of a ping pong ball each... not so big and not worth 3 dollars. At least they didn't charge us for the naan that they never brought out, but ultimately portions were pretty small, tab was pretty high for what we got, and nothing really was so noteworthy as to want to come back here rather than trying just about anywhere else for a first time... be it Darul Kabob, or that Tibetan place in Teale Square. I'm pretty sure there was some other noteworthy service mistake that I am forgetting, but it is slipping my mind right now.
(2)John C.
My gf had a free groupon and this place had pretty good reviews so we decided to try it... BLEH. is the final verdict and i'll tell you why. we get seated in the "everest room" which at the moment was hosting 2 parties of 6-8.. not a big deal, festive atmosphere, it was nice. we were at a table that seats 6 and put closest to the window. the first thing i noticed was how nice and warm it was. unfortunately after 3 minutes it got hot.. directly below our table was the forced hot hair duct blowing heat onto my balls... it was hot as balls.. hardy har har. we get served the typical chips with chutney. good spice, good flavor.. ok, off to a decent start.. we get served water pretty quickly. but, as many have complained, the service here SUCKS. instead of having a waiter assigned certain tables they kinda run it family style.. within 20 seconds we were asked if we were ready to order. we ordered the chicken mo mo's (aka chicken pot stickers) and two Nepalese dishes, the chicken and the goat. i swear the waiter had never taken an order from that menu before because he sure acted like he was reading hieroglyphics. anyways, 5 min or so goes by and this plate with 6 dumplings come out with a little sauce. the first impression is that they looked like they were microwaved, then i bit into them and was saddened. my gf was thinking how many more dumplings you can buy frozen at trader joes for 7 bucks. i must admit the sauce was interesting, it was light and had good bite and the dumplings themselves tasted good (the filling). by this time i had finished my glass of water. next our entrees came. our waiter put them down and mumbled something and left. he was the 5th different waiter to have served us. luckily we have eaten indian food/curries before. but he didn't specify what was what, he just put it down, mumbled and left. i guess i shouldn't expect anything amazing.. the food you're eating is peasant food pretty much. it's a nice change to have something simple and filling. the shotty service just killed it for me. luckily for me i was in great company. the last thing that did this place in was the 20% gratuity for 2 people.. that's CRAZY. if we didn't have a groupon this meal would have cost us 40 dollars.. chicken curry goat curry a bowl of basmati rice 6 potstickers 40 bucks for that.... the ONLY reason this place is still in business is because the lovey dovey liberals of boston think it's so cool to try random ethnic foods. rest assured, once all the liberals and hippies have tried your food, you'll be done for! but then again, you'll be millionaires considering the markup. we were finished eating and service was nowhere to be seen. i purposely pick up my empty glass a few times to sip out of it hoping a waiter would notice, finally the owner notices because i make eye contact with him.. he comes fills my glass and i ask for a check. instead of just doing it, he waits for his staff to do it. and here's the most interesting part. he DOES NOT bring us a check. he sees my gf's groupon under her wallet, comes over and picks up her wallet and grabs the groupon while asking if it was the groupon. really? don't touch the customers belongings. that's just fubar. so we get the check, pay and leave. but as we leave i hear a girl from the neighboring table ask the waiter if a certain part of her dish is supposed to be served cold. he misunderstands and says yes, it's made in the store. as she continues to ask, he then says they are made in the morning and reheated. ha ha.. epic fail. ok.. i change my mind.. i give this place 1.5 stars.. the photo of everest in the background is pretty friggan awesome.. i kinda want that for my room wallpaper.
(1)Amanda D.
Went last night and had a very different experience than the first time we went. (In August when I gave it a 5 star review) Firstly, the wait staff were a bit annoying. The moment I sat down and before my husband had a chance to pull out his chair and take his seat, a waiter was cowering over my shoulder making me feel like I couldn't breathe. If he had just waited a minute or two for us to get comfortable we would have been more receptive to his attention! Plus, the English comprehension was bad. Having to repeat everything 2 times can get annoying unfortunately. I felt I had to really project my voice and speak slowly for him. This can be frustrating also when you are about 6 inches from the couple next to you who are also trying to enjoy their meal and you feel like you're yelling in their ears. Plus, the food wasn't great. The Sekuwa appetizer was o.k. Nicely marinated, but a few grizzly fatty bits in the chicken which my husband ended up spitting out. He got the Chicken chow chow and was sadly disappointed that the noodles just seemed like spaghetti out of a box, and there weren't enough vegetables and chicken or stir-fry sauce. I got the pumpkin takari, which was a let down. It was essentially just a puree. There were no chunks of anything in it. a strange mix of spices, which were not complimentary to the pumpkin.
(2)Amy S.
I hope this place makes it. They are never crowded which makes me a little sad. Crossing my fingers, as this is, by far, my most favorite neighborhood restaurant! I tried their lunch buffet and I'm adding a star! My parents were cheap, so trust me, I know buffets. Generally they suck. However, at Yak & Yeti's it's different. They offer a peak ethnic buffet experience. Seriously - who gives 5 stars for a buffet? It is really that good. Bonus points for making each customer a new circle of nan when they sit down. Unbelievable.
(5)Maryann D.
Visited Yak and Yeti last Saturday night around 7:30. The food was good but not any better than other Indian and Napalese restaurants. The chicken tikka was moist even without the sauce served on the side. The service was subpar. We waited over 30 minutes for our food to arrive. We ordered tea and it arrived after the food and after reminding the waiter. The restaurant was also not very clean. We sat next to a window covered with smeared fingerprints. The table tops were dirty and the lids on the chutney and tamarind sauce were dirty. Without a Groupon, I wouldn't go there again.
(2)Add D.
Went here last weekend. Ordered Nepali and Indian from the menu. Chicken Kukhurako Tarkari was good but not great. Lamb Tikka Masala was great. The highlight were the appetizers, the chicken momo and chilli chicken. Overall a good experience.
(4)Kate R.
Ok, I have read the reviews and everyone has neglected to say anything about the music!! I wasn't sure if the one minute song on loop was a form of torture they were trying out. I did like the food but it was a long wait (there was only two other tables with people) I really want to say more but it would only be negative things.. I really wanted to like this place more.
(3)Angie C.
I guess I would've rated Yak & Yeti 2.5 stars if I could, but 2 really isn't too harsh in my opinion. My husband and I tried it from the Groupon they ran, and we were disappointed. First, though, the positives: great mango lassi (I would know because I LOVE it), yummy simosas, and good naan. Also, my water glass never got low because it seemed like every staff in the house was constantly topping off water glasses. Now for the negatives... There was no host/hostess at the front, so it was pretty tricky getting someone's attention to just get your name on the list. Also, we were seated near the door and the constant opening and closing made for an unpleasantly chilly dining experience. They really need an outside door, then the inside in between (does that make sense?), so not every opening lets in the big, bad winter wind. The wait staff was impersonal. Like I said, there was no lack of water filling, but we never really knew who was "our" waiter or waitress because so many different staff came by our table. They were hurrying around trying to serve everyone, so I'll give them kudos for being busy bees. However, beware because no matter what size your party, at least for Groupon people, the tip is automatically included in your bill and they don't tell you. My husband had read on yelp to beware of that, and we were glad for the tip... No pun intended. Otherwise we probably would've unknowingly and unwantingly double tipped. Back to the food, the Nepalese food was okay - probably what it should be - but we much prefer the Indian food at Punjab in Arlington. Yak & Yeti was very busy and loud, though, so maybe other people know of great menu items that we didn't try. Some suggestions from our waiter would've helped there. Even with the Groupon, our meal was more expensive than it was worth. We won't be going back.
(2)Jason W.
Do you speak Yak or Yeti? Well you better not rely on English to communicate at this place. Christ sakes... at least have a couple English speaking people on staff for the 95% of your patrons who are there only because of their groupon deal. My biggest problem here... THEY BROUGHT THE NHAN LAST. What the hell... maybe I'm being culturally absent making a big deal of this, but I ordered the assorted nahn basket as a primary staple to go with other things we ordered... without bread my dinner was extremely discombobulated. I also had to ask for the appetizer I ordered after the entrees were dropped. And when I asked I was met with puzzled expressions from one of the 5 servers we had... I guess he didn't understand me, or had no idea about my order because he didn't take it. I went in here hungry, and left not entirely dissatisfied with the food, but actually angry because of the service. Get a farking clue people. Two stars, because the food wasn't bad, just hard to get and out of order.
(2)Nick G.
If you want delicious, hot, fresh, and authentic Indian/Nepalese, here - this place. I honestly can't believe the reviews some people are leaving. You don't leave 1 star because someone tacked on tip when the deal explicitly says they have to (Groupon). With regards to another review, If YOU don't know what the hell you're ordering, you have no right criticizing.
(5)Meg D.
My roommate and I placed an order with Yak and Yeti. Dialing the place was a nightmare, I kept getting hung up on and transferred to a busy signal. With encouragement from my roommate, I kept dialing until someone picked up. We figured it was Valentine's Day, the place was probably busy - we wanted to give this place a change based on the excellent reviews. Unfortunately, not only did our delivery never show, but when we called to see what was happening, I keep getting hung up on again and am transferred to a "system code" prompt. Never in my life have I been so relieved that I didn't pay first because I now believe I would have paid for a no-show meal. Unfortunately, we will never order from this place again based upon this unprofessional and unwilling service.
(1)Julia F.
I have received one meal from this place that was not as good. I asked for extra spicy chicken tikka masala, and got a side order of naan, mango lassi and it all came up a little short. By short, I mean it took a lot longer than it was supposed to, and longer than I would have expected after ordering delivery food from them many times before. The lassi was chunky, and kind of too silty to be able to enjoy fully. It was carried in the food bag that made it overly warm. The combo was not very tasty or appetizing. I'm was really sad that the best thing I got was papidam. The naan was soggy, and none of it really made my meal great. I was really hungry, so naturally I ate until I was full... My boyfriend polished off the rest of the meal when he got home from work. Successful purchase in the end, I suppose... It all got eaten. It wasn't the best thing I've ordered at all. Maybe it's time to go pick up my orders, or eat INside the restaurant...
(3)Shannon M.
After getting a deal online, we decided to give Yak & Yeti another try and it was delicious! The service was also outstanding this time. I'm still only giving it four stars, because of my previous experience, but we will definitely be coming back. I hope that the great service and food continues. Previous review - 2 stars So my relationship with Yak & Yeti is complicated. The food is all right, but the service just makes me so nervous it really hurts the dining experience. The first time we went they didn't get our appetizer order and then we tried to reorder and it never came out. They finally asked if we wanted it to take home.... It is so close to where we live and again the food was decent, so when we saw the groupon for it we figured we would give it another go. We ordered the special bread basket as an appetizer and it took us a long time to get the waiter to understand what we were trying to do (we weren't ready to order entrees yet). I would say I would come back if one night I was really desperate for Indian food that is really close, but otherwise there are places around that have just as good of food and the dining experience is a lot less stressful.......
(4)Laura L.
The only complaint we have about Y&Y is that it tends to be a bit warm in the restaurant if you're not sitting in the first room... other than that, my husband and I love it! We've been there 4-5 times, and we're big fans of Indian/Nepali/Tibetan foods as they make eating vegetarian so easy. (Our first date was Maartsa on Elm!) I was excited when a "HomeRun" (same as groupon, etc.) had a $20 for $45 deal. Since the prices are incredibly reasonable, we knew that $45 would be more than enough for us to go out for dinner. We started off with both vegetable momo and vegetable pakora. The momo are steamed and delicious, and their dipping sauce is fantastic (I have no idea what it is, but it's great). They have some of the best pakora I've had. It doesn't have the incredibly dense texture that many pakoras have, and it's always crisp and light. It comes with a green, herby dipping sauce which is refreshing and perfect. For dinner, we ordered the bread basket because we just couldn't decide what naan we wanted! The onion naan is thicker, doughy and delicious. The onion is cooked just enough inside to melt in your mouth when you bite into it. The garlic naan is heavenly, and the "plain" naan has the classic, addicting flavor. We also shared navratan korma and tofu ra palung. Absolutely fantastic. We had them "medium" spiced, which definitely made us sniffle a bit. We felt that the portions were nicely sized. We both have good appetites, but after sharing two appetizers, we ended up taking home half of both entrees, over half of the rice, and all but 2-3 pieces of naan! When we were ready to pay, they told us that we hadn't spent enough money for our whole groupon, and suggested we have some desserts. We were full already, so they asked if they could send some home with us. We ended up taking home my husband's favorite, Gulab Jamun (which we joke a DD munchkins in honey), and a mango lassi. Their gulab jamun are spiced with cardamom (I think that's the flavor I'm remembering...) just right. And the mango lassi is amazing. (I saved it for lunch the next day and made it my "reward" for going for an extra long run!) Their service is definitely not American, meaning that we often feel as though we should be eating as quickly as possible so the restaurant can turn the table. We felt as though the servers here gave us enough time to slow down and enjoy our food without leaving us wondering where they had gone. They also were quick to fill our water glasses whenever they started to get low. They were gracious and lovely the entire evening, and we left talking about taking some guests from out of town there when they're here in a few weeks.
(5)Jason F.
we went here for the brunch buffet on saturday, very pleased with everything. the inside decor is kinda like a cafeteria, but the food was great. i wasn't eating meat, so i can't speak for everything - but the samosas were excellent, as was the chickpeas and vegetables. also the service was excellent, most indian places have horrible servers. would go back!
(4)Caitlin I.
Yes, I was one of the many, MANY people there the night of an expiring Groupon. Yes, I might have silently (and not so silently) swore out the line skippers and people who were taking their sweet time finishing up, but you try standing for an hour and twenty minutes to be seated and keep your cool. It doesn't happen and if it does, congratulations, you're a better person than me. I'll admit my hunger pains took over and if it hadn't been for the Groupon, I would have bounced, but damn if that thing didn't keep me around and I'm glad it did. The smell alone is enough to make you forget that your stomach is grumbling at you and the food is what keeps you there and content through the long, long wait. The manager/owner was very nice about the whole thing saying that it's been that busy for the past two weeks, and you could tell he genuinely cared that each customer had a good experience there, as evident by him walking around and striking up conversations with some patrons. The menu...well let's just say you have MORE than enough to choose from. I had the lamb samosas and the chana masala and the boy had, well, I'm not entirely sure, but it came out in something that resembled a cafteria tray, and before I knew it, it was gone. I'll take that as a sign of how good it was. I was full after the simosas (those things are damn filling!) but powered through some of the chana masala and it was just right. It definitely puts the one I make at home to shame, that's for sure. I asked for 'medium' spicy cause let's be honest, I can be a wimp sometimes, and it was a great balance of spicy that was appetizing yet didn't make me reach for my water glass after every bite. The location is within walking distance to Davis Square, the atmosphere was cozy and cute, and although I didn't really pay attention to the prices because of the Groupon, when I went back to check, they were more than reasonable. Totally worth the wait, just bring something to snack on in the meantime. Just in case.
(4)Naomi U.
This place has freshly prepared fantastic food. It's also reasonably priced; the buffet in particular is a great bargain. The vegetarian Momos are to die for and frankly this is the healthiest/freshest tastiest vegetarian food to be had in eastern Massachusetts. It's family run, and there is care and there is obvious pride in and care given to every detail. I read some negative comments about the service, all I can say is that in the five or so times we have been there it's been almost embarrassingly attentive.
(4)Rosalita E.
Came in with a Groupon for the buffet. I had come to Yak and Yeti before for dinner, but the food was even better than I remembered it. They had the best cauliflower I've ever tasted. Gobhi Bhatwa - kind of like Indian tempura. Amazing. The waiter, who was very friendly and nice, told me it was a new dish. I want to go back just to eat a plate of that.
(5)Lynn P.
I went just earlier today for their lunch buffet - still $7.95 Mon-Friday from 11am to 4pm-! Yes, 4pm! This is my second time but it was yummy as the first. The buffet spread is limited but still more than satisfactory: when I went it had: basmati rice, cauliflower pakora, lentil soup, dal makhani, aloo palak (i think, or aloo chole, I didn't have any), chicken tikka masala (what i find most yummy), tandoori chicken (moist and flavorful), and chicken with bone (that was the name given) - dark meat with spices. You also get unlimited chutney, raita, and salad + fruit. Pretty awesome for $7.95! Additionally, you get to choose from a few different types of naan. I love the garlic naan. They bring out two pieces per diner and it's hot, garlicky, herby and yummy. Apparently they have dinner buffets too for only $10.95, which is pretty cheap for a buffet! The service is nice: water is continually filled and plates cleared away really fast. The decor is also pretty! Only con was the heat, as Laura wrote. Even in the first room it was a bit hot today.
(5)Sarah G.
Kana O. you were right! I did finally get to writing up this review!! She and I had pretty different experiences here hence her 2 star review and my 3. Overall for the price and what I got with my masala dosa it is hard to beat especially for how fresh it all tasted. The dosa was HUGE! For those of you that don't know what a dosa is, it is basically a giant Indian version of a French crepe that is filled with different fillings like potatoes, chicken, spices etc. This thing was MASSIVE. And it came with a bowl of soup as well for about $9!! Crazy!! There was no way after having Yak and Yeti's pretty darn tasty samosas as an appetizer after the free mini starter they give all tables that I would be able to finish that dosa. My boyfriend had to finish up the leftovers I brought home later that night! But the flavor was great, my only problem is I asked for it SPICY and the waitress per usual in Boston questioned my ability to handle spice and once my dish came, it was spicy but definitely not anything that I couldn't handle. I barely needed water ha ha But overall it was a pretty good dosa. And the soup was just so so btw. Kana O. was not happy with her spicy spaghetti type dish--she ordered her's medium a couple steps below mine in spice level and it was just way too spicy for her. Our waitress was nice enough to offer replacing it with something else, but she just brought it home for her husband instead ha ha The rest of our group were actually all pretty content with their meals Bailey and Nicole saying that the classic and common American choice of Chicken Tikka Masala was one of the best ones they've had and Jenni one of my fav vegetarian friends had trouble deciding what to order because for once the menu had too many vegetarian options! For a new restaurant I hope this place makes it (and we got all of our leftovers given to us in these fancy paper bags which I am sure will go eventually to save costs ha ha). They have a giant wall mural of the mountain ranges in Nepal since half of the menu here is Indian and half is from Nepal which looks pretty nice, but the chairs and the benches could use some cushions to make the dining experience a little nicer and a smidge more comfy. Perhaps I will go back for one of their lunch buffets for $8 soon!! I mean it is close to the Tufts campus so if the student body discovers this place in Ball Square their lunch buffet could potentially lose its profit at that price!! We'll see!
(3)Simon L.
Yak & Yeti. Heard about it. Tried it. Liked it. Ate the chicken, chili stir fried with green chillis, onions and bell peppers, spiciness, hot, very hot but delicious. Followed up with the Kukhurako Tarkari - chicken again, with ginger, garlic and herbs. Add an order of poori and some white rice and you're set. Excellent, simple, cheap.
(4)Curt W.
YAK & YETI has been bumped up a star to 4 because of the consistently delicious & plentiful food and in my book, consistency is king! Have had several meals from them and they have yet to disappoint. A couple things we've learned: The always ask "mild, medium or hot" for the spice quota in your dish. Their "medium" is most other places version of hot, so we've begun ordering things mild and it seems to be "just right". Give them a try.
(4)AM G.
Read a positive review in the Boston Globe and soon after saw a Groupon valued at $30 (for a cost of $15). Decided to purchase.....and glad I did! Restaurant has a nice atmosphere and style. The food was very tasty. Had a mixed grill platter with delicious chicken, lamb, beef. Service was good - no complaints. We arrived 5pm on a Sat. and by the time we left, the place was full and there was a line waiting to get seated. Looking forward to going back!
(4)stacey l.
I really like this place. The food doesn't send me over the moon, but I do love the service. I think the menu has something for everyone, and the lunch buffet is tasty. I want to see them stick around, so please go here!
(4)Amanda L.
My husband and I came here for a quiet "date night" together, and it totally met our expectations. The staff was so friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere in the restaurant was conducive to conversation. It's cozy inside but not so cramped that you are on top of one another. We really liked the food. I love spicy and my husband likes mild, and they tailored everything to our preferences. We tried a few things from both the Nepali and Indian sides of the menu: vegetable dumplings, garlic naan, a few eggplant and lamb dishes....it was all amazing. Highly recommend.
(4)Emma D.
My friends and I ate here on a snowy Thursday evening. The food was delicious, although spicy. I ordered the Bhedako Tarkari (Nepali lamb special) and asked for the mildest possible, but even that was at my spiciness threshold. My friends, who are not wimps like myself, also thought that the cooks were liberal with the spices. But the waiters were super attentive and constantly refilling our water glasses. They also let us hang out for a good hour after we finished eating. I would definitely come here again.
(4)Jonathan G.
I ate there three days into their opening, and they were still getting out some of the restaurant opening jitters. The food, however, was FAN-tas-TIC. Oh man, that was good. Seriously. They serve a mix of Nepali and Indian food, and it was the best of either that I had recently. And best yet, food is reasonably priced. I was thrilled that a non-breakfast restaurant was opening in Ball Square, but this topped anything that I expected. Take the appetizer, for example. Can't remember was it was called, but it was an amazing mix of potatoes, bread crisps, cilantro, tamarind, and yogurt, had enough for two people to enjoy, and it was 6 bucks! 6! As for the meals, the vegetarian kofta paneer was delicious, not heavy at all, and the nepal lamb tarkari was tender and delicious. Each item? Less than $12. I'm going back.
(5)Ian B.
I had a very savory veggy soup called quantee. The chicken mo-mo (dumplings) were great, like little soft chicken sausages in a fresh dumpling blanket, with a creamy orange sauce that I guessed was roasted sweet pepper and or tomato based. I also had goat, my wife and kids the tandoori chicken and fish, all tender and tasty. There is at least one veggie dish with bamboo shoots, if you've never had them before be aware some people can't stand them, even the smell.
(4)Crista B.
It has been a little while since my last Yak and Yeti visit, but I always love going. The staff is friendly and I always let them pick my food. You have to have the naan though. It is also so yummy.
(4)Silent S.
I'm updating with some new information, based on several subsequent visits: 1. Yak & Yeti deliver. I didn't realize this when I wrote my original review. This makes a huge difference for residents of Somerville: previously, the best Indian restaurant in the area to deliver was India Palace. If you're looking to eat some perfectly cooked Indian-style lamb at home, you can order from Yak & Yeti. (And yes, the lamb is still perfectly cooked.) The only problem with this is... 2. The Indian dishes, while excellent, are not as good as the best Indian dishes from India Palace. The Nepali dishes, however, are all great. I really recommend steering toward the Nepali menu at Yak & Yeti, both for the experience (if you're unfamiliar with Nepalese cuisine and flavors) and the quality of the dishes. 3. Another word about their delivery services: they will deliver EVERY item you'd receive on your table with your order. The bread and chutney that they serve when you first arrive? Included in the delivery. The garnishes and sides that come with certain orders? Included in the delivery. They deliver everything but the table and chairs. I don't know how long they'll keep this up, but it's a great practice (and one not shared by many of the other Indian and Asian restaurants in the area). The folks at Yak & Yeti they seem very excited whenever you order from them (whether dine-in or delivery). This place has great energy, and good food (for more about that, see my previous review). I'm writing this update mostly to let everyone know about their excellent delivery service.
(4)Michael R.
The chicken mo-mo are worth the trip on their own - a delicious dumpling if ever I've had one. Roasted soy beans were spicy and crunchy and overall a solid appetizer selection. My only (slight) gripe was with the chicken takari - the meat itself was tender, but the sauce was a bit overpowering with some kind of really fragrant spice. Cardamom? I'm too much of an uncultured oaf to place it. But unless my dish was a mistake, if you try it you'll know in an instant what I'm talking about. Still, 3 stars - I finished all of all of the above, and left pretty happy. Next time I go, I'll venture away from the Nepali dishes and give some of their Indian options a spin.
(3)Renee G.
I'd been dying for decent Indian food since returning from Mumbai a couple of weeks ago (I know a lot of people get sick of Indian food easily but for me personally, the more I eat, the more I want to eat), but it was a freezing cold night and I wasn't exactly in the mood to walk to Teele Square for Guru the Caterer then all the way home to Winter Hill. (Yes, I'm aware that there are buses for this sort of thing but the problem is that buses don't come when you snap your fingers.) I headed home, figuring I'd just let Foodler rustle something up for me while I basked in the warmth of a heated apartment, but as I passed Ball Square I noticed Yak and Yeti and thought, hmm. I'd noticed it before and my reaction had been, "They found yetis? And they're serving them?" but it turns out they serve neither yak nor yeti (tough to import a yak, I guess) and I was pretty hungry despite an afternoon spent munching the Moose Munch that had mysteriously appeared in my office kitchen and decided to give it a try. I got the house biryani, with chicken, lamb and shrimp. I asked for it Indian spicy, but there is apparently just something about my so-pale-I'm-practically-transparent complexion that makes restauranteurs skeptical about my ability to handle heat, because it was only moderately spicy. It was, however, quite delicious nonetheless, especially with the raita and chutney that come alongside it. It was also fairly inexpensive and an enormous amount of food, more than enough for two meals, which is always a plus. I got takeout and was Blackberrying as I waited, so I can't really say I noticed the decor, but it seemed like a pleasant enough place. I'd definitely go back, potentially to try some of their Nepali delights next time.
(4)Ann G.
I really enjoyed my meal at Yak & Yeti. I've been meaning to try this restaurant since it opened and finally got a chance on our first snowy evening of the year. The restaurant only had one other table of diners (it was quite snowy and a Monday night) but the staff didn't hover too much or forget about us. I love the decor - the huge mural of a mountain range is awesome and I love the architectural design of the main dining area. The bamboo tables and red chairs really add to the unique look. I thought the petal-shaped rice bowls were nice, too. My friend got a typical Indian dish, Chicken Tikka Masala, and I got a Nepali pumpkin dish. Both were delicious - the tikka was sweet with mild spice and the pumpkin was really unique and yummy. Their naan was super fluffly and had a light coating of butter. I'm no expert on South Asian foods but I loved the food and ambience at Yak & Yeti!
(4)Ed M.
After this place opened, we had been meaning to eat here for quite a while. Then Groupon had a deal that we couldn't say no to. They bring out some papadums and chutneys to start and the menu has some really interesting things on it combined with the usual Indian items you are used to. We ordered the roasted soybeans and chicken kothe (stir fry dumplings) to start and for the meal we had the kukhurako tarkari (chicken with ginger and garlic in a tasty sauce), nariyal lamb (lamb in a coconut sauce) and the bread basket (3 styles of naan). You can specify how spicy you want it, we went with Medium and it was the perfect spice level for us anyway. With the rice and bread and starters, we had enough for lunch the next day, so the meal was more than enough. We were here on a Wednesday and it was dead, so we were seated right away. We might come back for the buffet and we would definitely come back for another meal, great food and quick, friendly service.
(4)Wendy F.
Yak and Yeti offers an array of vegetarian options. Staff is knowledgeable about food ingredients and claim that most vegetarian dishes (those that do not include cheese), can be made dairy-free upon request. Unfortunately, all of their naan breads are out. Fitting Himalayan wall design is a nice touch. Majority of dishes and sides under $10 each but larger entrees are a bit more. Some portion sizes are small but you can easily fill up when paired with basmati rice and a side of bread.
(4)Chad F.
I tried their shrimp vindaloo and chicken tikka masala with a naan bread basket (which gives you plain, garlic and onion naan). I liked all the dishes but thought that their naan bread was just excellent. It was quite soft and tasted great even without dipping it in curry. Their service was also appropriate. They are there for you but not in your face, if you know what I mean. For leftovers, they neatly packed our dishes in separate plastic containers. I kinda liked that.
(4)Whitney R.
Was excited to try the buffet today after seeing 'coming soon' for months. Was not disappointed; the food was delicious. I did not notice anything that seemed other than Indian at the buffet, so I will go at a later time to sample the momos. My only small issue was that the food was lukewarm, but this not out of the ordinary for a lunch buffet. The servings of naan that came with the buffet lunch were huge,tasty and hot from the oven. Even without the 50% discount for grand opening, the food is reasonably priced, our lunch was $7.95 each at full price. The ambiance is nice, nothing fancy, but not a typical neighborhood dive. The clean lines and bright colors make for a good experience.They also appear to serve dinner until 10 pm, which is great for us Ball Square residents!
(4)Gleb Z.
Came with the GF on a kgbdeal, the deal was 20 for 8 so I bought two coupons. Aloo Taama soup---she thought it was ok, I wasn't a fan Lamb Samosas---not very good, neither one of us liked them Paneer Parath---couldn't taste the cheese, tasted like pitas Lamb Kabob---the lamb was not very tender but overall ok Tandoori Mix Grill---The shrimp tasted good, the chicken wasn't good When were about to pay the waitress informs me that they will not accept both coupons at the same time. I explained to her and showed her a print out that they were 1/person but she refused to accept the second one and only took 20 off the bill. Overall the place is a joke compared to a place like Punjab Palace
(2)Eric L.
Yak and Yeti bemuses me. Consistent and good reviews on Yelp but everytime I go in, no one is there?! It's weird. Perhaps everyone orders take out like me...I dunno. Anyways, Y&Y delivers a consistent experience. I usually order the Paneer Makhani extra hot and it's delicious each and every time. The sauce is very well spiced. A good judge of Indian food, for me, it the spice factor. If you order it extra hot, it better make you sweat. Y&Y delivers on this front. The Paneer is perfectly cooked, not too soft but not too hard. It's very very good! The rice, rice seems like such an easy component to over look during an Indian dinner. Some Inidan restaurants mess up on this part of the meal on a consistent basis. I know cookig perfect rice can be tough and I believe Y&Y cooks near perfect basmati rice. The bread is the only thing I would complain about. It's usually very very good. Sometimes it's a bit too thick though. They give you the option of getting Garlic naan instead of the regular naan. The garlic naan is very very good if done correctly. Also, the Tamarind and Chutney is unique and very good. I hope more people go to Yak and Yeti; it's clean, it has good character and the staff is very nice and you can tell they appreciate your business. (This would be the perfect place for a Groupon or LivingSocial deal...)
(4)Susie Q.
I liked the food when I first ate in the restaurant, so I figured I'd order delivery from here. I was not happy with my experience, and here's why: The delivery took forever! It was at LEAST half an hour later than it was supposed to be. And on top of that, they forgot my utensils, even though I specifically asked for them. I was getting the food delivered to my workplace; we don't just have a bunch of forks lying around. I don't understand why they don't just include utensils and napkins in every bag. This is bad, bad customer service.
(2)Amica M.
I've had the lunch buffet in this place. I was surprised by how good it was. In fact, I craved it and came back 2 or 3 times in the next few months. It wasn't as great each time, but still was a cut or two above what you usually get. One thing that I really liked was that the food was well prepared and very flavorful. For me, often Indian food/Himalayan food can be very spicy, but it doesn't enhance the flavor. Sometimes it just tastes overspiced. This food was spicy and delicious. And not overcooked.
(4)Elizabeth K.
The service here is amazing! Our waitress, runner, and (owner/manger?) were all very friendly and thanked us about 10 times for coming as we left. Also, this is the first place I've used a Restaurant . com coupon where they have smiled, asked if it was ok for them to add the 18% gratuity (which we then chipped in some cash to make it 20%), and after, sent us a survey about our experience via the Restaurant . com site. Typically any type of discount is met with an obvious eye roll... As for food, we ordered a little bit from each side of the menu - mo-mos & a pumpkin dish from the Nepali side; tomato & coconut soup and a paneer dish from the Indian side. It was all super delicious! The portions were rather large too. My one word of advice, we asked for "medium" spice and it was just about at the brink of what we could stand spice-wise...and we like really spicy food!
(5)Jennifer M.
We ordered at Yak & Yeti through a Living Social deal and the food was cold once it arrived an hour and 15 minutes after we ordered it. They also forgot to include our naan and added a vegetarian app we didn't request. Major bummer as the chicken tikka masala (ordered spicy) was nicely flavored.
(1)Kay A.
I'm sad this place isn't ever bustling! The food is so good!. A good combination of nepalese and indian food. Whenever I go try to order from the nepalese menu since I don't know of many other nepalese restaurants. Try the chicken with lime appetizer it's delicious. Last time I was at Yak and Yeti, I got the nepalese lamb, so good and they can make real spicy (just how I like it!). Also I love naan and I especially love their garlic naan. The atmosphere was nice, quiet, and not too busy (I'm hoping that's just due to it being the winter) but the staff was also really attentive. I would suggest this place for a first date or a nice quiet night out with a loved one, or even a hated one, I guess anyone just to have an excuse to eat there.
(5)Matt J.
Having just bought the groupon to this culinary vehicle to the Himalayas, I came on a Saturday night and it was jam packed. I don't think these guys realized just how much busier they would get as a result of the Groupon. Sarah G. and I waited for 45 minutes for a table and sat 20 minutes before they even took our drink order. We ordered some vegetable momos (come on, how can you not love just saying that word...momos) as appetizers, but they didn't even bring them to us until after we finished our entrées!! That being said (cue the joke), the food was excellent. We split a lamb vindaloo which, despite its utter lack of hotness (we ordered it "hot" and it tasted not a hair above "mild"), was delicious (if you like spicy food, tell them to make it extra hot). As for the other entrée, well I don't remember. The naan, though, was fluffy and tasty, and the $3 mango lassi was refreshing. The momos, though late, were fantastic with a bit of soy sauce the next day. The prices are more than reasonable, and I hear their lunch buffet for $7.95 is a fantastic deal. I'll definitely be back!
(4)AC T.
Went there last night and had the goat sekuwa which was great. The meat was so good. Nicely marinated and all so tender. Then we got the Chicken chow chow. This was just okay. The noodle is spaghetti and it was too dry and bland for me. Nothing exciting about this dish. We also had the pharsiko tarkar (pumpkin) which very tasty. And the Bhedako Tarkari - the lamb was also very tender and comes with the sauce was great on the basmati rice and garlic naan. I really enjoyed the goat and lamb dishes because I don't usually like them. I'm glad I tried this place out.
(4)Aboud Y.
Disclaimer: this review was for Y+Y's delivery and I'm totally uninitiated to Nepalese cuisine (though it seems very similar to Northern Indian). So I thought this place was alright and I think I'm gonna give them another shot with a visit to the restaurant sometime soon. Here's what I ordered: -- Lamb Thukpa: a delicious noodle soup though I would have preferred some more broth and a little more kick (nothing that some scotch bonnet peppers couldn't solve) -- Bhedako Tarkari: this was a lamb stew...it tasted like many other Indian dishes I've tried but with less flavor. It was ok. -- Peshawari Naan, Mango Lassi, and Rice Pudding: all were average to below average (particularly the Naan). Maybe I just don't get it?
(3)Kathy M.
Lunch Buffet: The veggie pakora was cold. There were 3 chicken items offered (tikka masala, curry, tandoori) and 3 veggie options that all were pretty similar. The bread they offered was really good but most buffets offer complimentary naan so that was disappointing. The one waiter/host rarely came by my table so i often had to find him to put in a drink request, clear my dishes and get our check.
(2)Sandy K.
I live in the area, and I was really, really looking forward to this place opening -- which is why, my fella and I were there for it's opening day. We haven't been back since. Albeit our expectations were on the high side, but the food just wasn't very good. Under seasoned would be an under statement. The kind staff and the abundant buffet selection just didn't make up for the underwhelming flavor.
(1)Svetlana F.
The place is great and very accommodating. The staff service was excellent. The food was very good, nothing particularly stands out but I also can't point to a single bad thing. We only sampled the Nepali section and I can't wait to come back and try the Indian part of the menu. Nepali food was delicious, not too spicy and felt authentic. The best part are the prices! Much better deal than Diva's.
(4)Anton A.
Everything I have had off the Nepal side of the menu has been very good. The mo-mos are the best dumplings I have ever eaten, especially the vegetable version. I can't speak to the lunch buffet, since I specifically avoid buffets. If lunch was a la carte, I would go for lunch also.
(4)Renée P.
I tried the pashwari naan, lamb samosas, veggie samosas, chicken mo-mo, the pumpkin dish and the tandoori chicken. To start you eat a crispy bread that is very thin like a cracker. On it you can put a pepper spread or a watery spread. I left the watery one alone. The pepper spread was too delicious. I even had them pack me some in my to - go bag. It was spicy and yummy and familiar yet different than anything I had ever tried. I can't explain why it was familiar. Must be a spice I recognize but can't place. Then came the samosas- deeeelish I loved them both. They are not the best I've ever had but were very good. You get 2 of them for around $4 - I'd say they are worth it. The green dip they came with was delish too. I'm a big fan of new and unusual flavors so I was loving that. The mo-mo came next. They were good but I am so used to the dumplings at Wang's that I guess I am spoiled. They were a tad bland. I compared them to the chinese dumplings at wangs because they are just similar.... you know? They're dumplings.... haha anyway I probably won't get them again. They weren't bad but I'll use that money to try something new next time. And there WILL be a next time. Next came the Naan. The pashwari naan was manna from heaven - oh my gosh I loved it. Delicious, flakey, crispy, warm, sweet - I was surprised it came out with dinner but hey that's how they do it and I dug it. So good. It comes with 4 pieces. If your party has more than 2 people get 2 orders. I savored both of my pieces. I would not have wanted to settle for just one. Then came the entrees The pumpkin dish (I got mild they asked how hot) it was like a butternut squash dish kind of but pumpkin (obviously) and way yummier and buttery. On the side came a white rice that had some coconut infused too. So alone the rice would have been a tad dry but not undercooked it was just a dry rice not a wet sticky rice. Well I mixed each bite of rice with a bite of the pumpkin and it was amazing. I'd be surprised if this was not their intent. The tandoori chicken came with some veggies and 4 big pieces of chicken. I tried it. It was flavorful but the chicken was dry unfortunately. I would never order that again. Well it was not my entree but I tried it and def glad I got the pumpkin. The neighbor table had this crepe looking thing... not sure what it was but it looked good. The flavors here are great and the prices are unbeatably great. They are on restaurant.com and have been on groupon and coupme. I would try them with a restaurant.com gc if you are debating it. Their prices are really good though so you could also just go, get the naan and pumpkin and samosas and not be disappointed at all. :) ENJOY! I'll be back within 2 weeks for sure.
(4)Samuel F.
Went here with a few friends, and it was phenomenal. Great food, wide selection, good service, reasonable prices. Even the tea and bread were exceptional. Our meal came with complimentary coconut and tomato soup (don't know why, they were trying out a new recipe?), which was also very good. Don't miss this one if you're in the neighborhood.
(5)Sean B.
I have been to Yak and Yeti a couple times, and both times was satisfied with the quality of food, but it was a lot of little things that kept me from giving it a higher rating. Both times I visited, the waiter/waitress did not tend to our table right away, and the restaurant wasn't that busy. The first time I was with a larger group, and when our server finally took our order for drinks, I remember one of the women in our party asking for water, and never received it (I find this happens at many restaurants, so I can't exclusively put all the blame on Yak and Yeti. It's like servers sometimes don't believe that all you want is water, and not a soda or beer). Upon realizing the mistake, however, the server apologized and immediately brought out the water. On another occasion, I went in the first week of July during a heatwave, and there was no air-conditioning to speak of. It may have been an off day, but the wait for food seemed a little longer than usual (which, even with the air-conditioning would have been a little longer than usual). Thankfully, the food was wonderful, and one could argue, worth the wait. I wouldn't say it is cheap, but it definitely doesn't break the bank. Delivery is also an option, which is good for me as I live in the area. I definitely would recommend trying the food here. If I make my way over again, I hope the service has improved some, as the quality of this Nepali restaurant is actually very good.
(3)Katie R.
I bought a groupon for this place, so a friend and I decided to try it out. The decor is beautiful! We loved the mountain mural and the red accents everywhere. My friend and I kept commenting on how nicely decorated it is! We ordered the set Nepalese meal, and got the goat for our appetizer, which was delicious. I highly recommend orderin it, because it isn't something too easy to come by! When they brought our food out, we were shocked by how much there was! It was an entire tray full of food! I ordered the fish and she ordered the chicken, which was much more delicious. The entire experience was great, Nepalese food isn't easy to come by and it was worth ordering! I would like to go back and try their indian food at a later date.
(4)F. C.
Hooray for Nepali food! Yak and Yeti is such a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Their Indian food is some of the best around- I actually prefer it to both Diva and Namaskar. But the real star of the show here is the Nepali food. The set Nepali meal (Dal Bhat) is wonderful. It gives you a chance to try several dishes and it's HUGE. I took about 2/3 of it home as leftovers. The lentils included in the set meal were without a doubt some of the best lentils I've ever had. And that's including the many dal dishes I had while I was actually in Nepal. One drawback is that they don't have a liquor license and they also won't allow you to BYOB. But with food this good it's barely an issue.
(4)Kristina P.
We've eaten several times at Yak and Yeti since it's right down stairs from our condo. The cracker-like stuff they give you first is really good, especially with the mango chutney they give you. I can't remember what the dipping sauce was....maybe a tamarind chutney? Anway, they are both really good. We've tried the mo-mo before which were pretty good but I'd recommend the vegetarian platter which has veggie samosas, vegetable pakora, paneer pakora and aloo tiki... everything on this dish was so good I could probably live off it. They give you a sort of green godess type sauce to go with it. The paneer pakora was my least favorite on the platter so I would probably skip that and order them individually next time. The garlic naan and chicken vindaloo are both to die for. We order the vindaloo spicy and with the naan it goes perfectly. The decor inside Yak and Yeti is very cool, not that it speaks to the food but it is a cool atmosphere! The people who work at Yak and Yeti and super nice and very helpful if you need suggestions or ideas on what to order. The first few times we had no idea what we were doing and they were very helpful. We still ask them for suggestions on new things to get. If you're thinking about trying Indian or Nepali I'd definitely recommend Yak and Yeti.
(5)Sean R.
I'm sure it was a bad night for them..... We went there on a Friday night. We came in and got a table. It raised our expectations to see such a booming takeout business. We thought we'd be in for a treat. Ultimately service is the worst I've experienced in years. At first they tried seating another party at our table with us. Then the food took forever. In the end 1 hr 45 min and they didn't even get everything we ordered out. The slap in the face is that they never stopped answering the phone and the takeout/delivery orders kept flowing by our table. The Nepali was interesting but the Indian food wasn't any good. And there isn't even anything to drink while you wait.
(1)Mister Chub S.
I had the tandor meal special. It was a large plate full of perfectly grilled, tender meats with rice. Whoa, it was meat-tastic. Get it! The waitstaff was attentive and didn't ever let our water glasses go empty. The interior was simple- nothing fancy. I sat in the room with the giant mountain mural- it was a big tacky but the food was good and everyone was helpful. They easily accommodated a large group of us too. It wasn't the easiest to get to by T but you can take a bus from Davis Square or walk about 3/4 of a mile from Davis Square stop.
(4)V L.
The buffet had a wide variety of tasty food and was a great value. I was running late once before they were going to close the buffet and they kept it open just for me! Soup was tasty and large. The only thing is that it can get quite hot in there especially in the late spring/summer.
(4)wolf t.
This place should just ditch the indian menu and concentrate on the Nepali food. Cambridge is already drowning in excellent Indian, so any new restaurant has to work hard to justify its existence. The Nepali is perfectly adequate for a relaxed weekday dinner. It's less greasy than House of Tibet and more flavorful than Annapurna. I could have used more spice; my dinner compatriots needed "medium" and it came out "barely perceptible." Watch out behind you, though. The waiter dumped a bowl of lamb sauce on my friend's new shirt.
(3)Stephanie G.
This restaurant combines Nepalese and Indian food and, in my opinion, is the best Indian place in my neighborhood. Although you might think from the name and decor that the focus is on Nepalese food, the majority of the menu is actually pretty standard Indian fare. I got a masala dosa, and it was exactly the kind of thing you get an Indian restaurant, down to the soup and sauce. My boy got a Nepalese lamb dish, and it was perfectly cooked. Like perfect. I love lamb, but I often fear ordering it at restaurants because it frequently comes too tough, but this was really exactly right. And the Nepalese sauce was reminiscent of Indian food, but also certainly distinct. Both the service and the prices were good - I think the prices were better than the Indian places in Davis, so I am genuinely excited to have this new addition to the neighborhood.
(4)Rick H.
Food was excellent. You get to choose how spicy you want your dish, great for those who don't like spicy foods but still want to explore the menu. Service was very good, our whole party was given a complementary cup of soup between apps and the main course. Will definitely be going back.
(4)Colleen B.
I'm sitting here eating my delicious leftovers from last night's meal. Even the way they packaged up my meal in tidy, separate containers was thoughtful. What an enjoyable experience the Yak & Yeti was. The waiters were gracious, the food tasty and the price was reasonable. Loved eating at the foot of Everest too. I hope this one makes it. They deserve to.
(5)Peter N.
Great food, courteous, friendly service. Lunch buffet is very affordable and everything I've had is delicious.
(5)Eric Y.
Went here for the 1st time on a Thursday night w/2 friends. One of us had a coupme gift certificate ($10 for $25) and have been meaning to try this place for a long time. The atmosphere was nice, very clean and simple with plenty of seating. Menu was very extensive with lots of choices from both Nepalese and Indian cuisine. The waitress asked us each how spicy we want our dishes which was nice as Inidan cuisine can be a bit bold/spicy if you are not prepared. We ordered 2 appetizers- Lamb Samosas and Chicken Dumplings-both of which were very tasty. All of our entrees were also quite good and came out very hot and fresh. The garlic naan was especially very satisfying with loads of yummy garlic everywhere. Even thought we all ordered out main dishes "mild" they still packed a spicy punch-but nothing we could not handle. Meats and veggies in all of the entrees were good and portion size was plentiful and more than enough for us. Service overall was great and we really enjoyed our experience here the 1st time--will for sure be back soon!
(4)Lisa D.
***UPDATE ***went in on Friday 7/16/20 and found out B.Y.O is no longer allowed - HUGE bummer...they have not got their liquor license yet either.
(4)Laura B.
tasty Nepalese food in ball square? oh yes. the menu is split into two sections: one part nepali and one part indian. judging from friends recommendations the nepali food is much better than the indian food here, so we decided to order from the nepali side of the menu. disclaimer: if you do not like spicy food, alert your server before placing your order. i love spicy food. we ordered all of our food very spicy. we split the Dal Bhat Masu {for $19 it is the nepali equivalent of a japanese bento box, it has a little bit of everything, you pick the meat and appetizer}. for our meat entree we chose the Khasi Ko Masu {goat meat with bone in, cooked in a savory spicy sauce}. for our appetizer we went with Chicken Kothe {six lightly fried chicken dumplings served with a fruity, spicy dipping sauce}. we ordered an additional entree of Tofu Ra Palung {steamed tofu, sauteed with spinach and garlic in a light curry-ish sauce}. thumbs up! preliminary suggestions: 1.) hot plates please- i think all restaurants should serve hot food on hot plates. the plates here were rather cold, thus cooling our hot food rather quickly. nobody enjoys eating luke warm food, that is supposed to be piping hot! 2.) seating- the red chairs were comfy, but the benches along the wall in the side dining room were not. they desperately needed padding. 3.)lighting- it would have been nice if the lights were turned down slightly. the bright white walls, sculptural woven web-like installation running the length of the main dining room, and the 180 degree mural of the Himalayan mountians, makes this interior of Yak and Yeti feel like a mountainous snow cave. so why so bright? why not go with dimmer lights? Yak and Yeti currently does not have a beer and wine or liquor license. one of the yelp reviews says that you can bring your own bottle of wine. this is simply incorrect. i brought my own bottle, and they said i was not allowed to open it. i am hoping they get their license soon, so i can go back and enjoy my spicy nepalese food with a glass of red wine.
(4)Stephanie G.
Love this place! I have spent ample time in India, so I am a critic. Especially of simple things like lassi and chai! If you like traditional Indian food, you won't be disappointed. The tandoori style entrees have incredible flavor and are fresh. Plenty of delicious vegetarian options (I mean, who knows how to do vegetarian better than the Indians?!). I have eaten a lot of Tibetan food as well, and Nepali food definitely has different spices. It was a new adventure for me, and I wasn't disappointed. The staff is friendly, the food comes out in a timely fashion, the decor is intriguing. If they could just get a little Old Monk rum or Taj Mahal beer in there, dining would be perfect! Check out the cool wall art made of string.
(4)Dara R.
I ate lunch at Yak and Yeti today with my guy and it was surprisingly satisfying and and wonderfully delicious. We loved the various things offered at the buffet. My two favorites were the Bhindi Masala [okra stew] and Rajma [kidney bean curry]. The chicken TIkka Masala, chicken dumplings and lentil soup were also delish. I really liked the spiced tea after my meal and appreciated that it was not pre-sweetened so you could add sugar or not. The only thing that disappointed me was the raita, I didn't like it. The atmosphere was peaceful and calm and the wait staff was friendly and attentive. I really enjoyed it.
(4)Jerad L.
If you don't want to read the rest of this review, here's the quickie. The Nepali food is good, the Indian fare is less good, and the customer service and delivery is horrible. My wife and I ordered some food for delivery the other night and were advised it should be delivered in about 45 minutes. An hour and 15 minutes later, without having yet received the food, we tried to call the restaurant but all calls went directly to a "This mailbox is full" message. So, we just had to wait and hope that it would arrive. Finally, over 1.5 hours after ordering the food, it was finally delivered. The momos, which we'd had from here before, were very good, as was the Nepali veggie/potato soup-ish dish (I don't remember what it was called). The chicken vindaloo was nothing like any vindaloo I've ever had before. I expect vindaloo to be very spicy. I can enjoy one that is more mild, but still has some spice. This one was completely bland. It wasn't just that there was no hotness to it, it had very little flavor at all! We may stop in to the restaurant for the lunch buffet again, but we will never order something for delivery and will probably stick to the Nepali dishes from now on.
(2)Eric R.
Food: Tasty. On the Indian side of things, we got mutter paneer and veggie pakoras. They were solidly good, though nothing extraordinary; ditto for my lassi. My exposure to Nepalese food is more limited, so take the following with a grain of salt: the veggie momos were spicier than I expected and not entirely to my taste (I prefer House of Tibet's), but the pumpkin dish we got was excellent... sweet and spiced and spicy. Service: Earnest and well-meaning, but somewhat amateur. The waiter wasn't entirely familiar with the menu, the water-filler interrupted an animated conversation to ask us to pass a water glass so he could fill it, the waiter accidentally tried to take away a lassi I wasn't done with yet, we had to spend a bit of time flagging someone down for the check rather than it being left for us (or being asked if we wanted dessert) - that sort of thing. But we got our food in reasonable time, staff were all friendly and helpful, and they were excellent about not minding us having a very long conversation over our food. One small but noteworthy negative: After getting the bill, I paid with credit card + Groupon. The credit card slip they gave to me had an adjusted subtotal, then lines for tip and total. But the adjusted subtotal included a gratuity which had *not* been on the check previously shown to me! This was shown on another receipt buried further down in the stack, but not at all obvious; had I not read about this on Yelp and made mental note of how much the bill-minus-coupon should be, I probably would have double-tipped accidentally. So basically, 2 - 2.5 for service, 3 - 3.5 for food. I'll happily eat there again someday, but probably won't seek it out with great vigor.
(3)Leo G.
I liked the buffet on the two weekends I've been. It's not the best Indian buffet I've been to, but it's a good deal in the area in a pleasant atmosphere and with good service. Like others have said, maybe the waitstaff is a little too attentive and of the food could be hotter. Other than that, this place is a great addition to Ball Square.
(4)J L.
Five stars for the food! Everything my boyfriend and I had was fantastic. We both ate off the Nepali menu since we have an indian groupon that we will be using soon. We had vegetable mo-mo, khasi sekuwa, pharsiko tarkari and khasi ko masu which were all outstanding. I don't know the proper name for the thin, crispy bread they serve when you're seated but that was also quite tasty! We had 3 servings. I docked a star for a few reasons. This place is TINY and was very busy on the Saturday evening we went (which I was happy to see --- I really hope this place survives long into the future). As a result, every time the door opened, pretty much everyone in the restaurant would be blasted with cold air. That and the fact that we sat practically hip to hip with the people next to us made it uncomfortable. Most of the servers seemed nice but they were being pulled in so many different directions that we often felt forgotten. When they took our plates, we asked for the leftovers and they never came back AND they charged us 18% gratuity (maybe it was because we used a Groupon and people too often short change them?). I probably would have given 15% and was a bit annoyed that I wasn't allowed to make that judgement call. I think under better circumstances (during the day, maybe a warmer day) this place would be outstanding. I'll be back.
(4)Katie M.
*disclaimer I used the scout mob voucher to get 50% off one entree My boyfriend and I alternate who buys dinner so I am always looking for deals at new restaurants. We ordered Chicken Tiki Masala and Palak Paneer with an order of garlic naan and it ended up being $28 with the discount. I never received my own copy of the receipt but this is what showed up on my debit card. I am glad I had my voucher and I don't ever recommend coming without some sort of discount. The food was mediocre. The Chicken Tiki Masala tasted like canned tomato soup and didn't have any flavor even though it was medium. The meat quality was good at least. The Palak Paneer was like spinach baby food with cheese chunks, over-pureed and bland. The garlic naan was good. I really think they used canned tomato soup and canned pureed spinach, no joke. There is a good Indian restaurant in Davis Square, so I don't think I will be coming back to Yak and Yeti since neither the price nor the food quality was worth it. I was sort of embarrassed that I chose the place, just save yourself of the embarrassment of taking someone here. With the groupon promotion and now the more recent scout mob coupon, I think they have an issue keeping repeat customers. I honestly won't come back.
(2)Afshan K.
I have to say the service at this place was amazing. The owner was really nice - he brought us soup by mistake and it wasn't even a big deal but he gave us complimentary samosas to make up for it! But unfortunately, the food wasn't that great. We ordered a lamb tarkari and black eyed beans with bamboo as our meal. We also ordered the stir friend chicken dumplings. The food wasn't bad but it was pretty much something we could make at home. It wasn't anything special. If we hadn't had a Groupon for this, we probably would've been upset for having to pay about $40 for the meal, given how average it was.
(2)nicole p.
Ball Sq is tasting better and better! They did a great job with the remodel. The interior is not overly fancy with plush banquettes but has an interesting wall sculpture and has an airy open feel. We did take-out so I can't comment on the service. But you really want to hear about the food, right? Fresh, flavorful, options galore. I stayed on the Nepalese side of the menu as I get Indian food pretty often. We had an amazing pumpkin dish that was just the right amount of savory and sweet and a fabulous goat dish that was in this complex sauce (which means I don't know how to describe the flavor) - let's just say not a single drop of sauce was left when the meal was done. The last thing we tried was a noodle dish with chicken. This was again, very fresh tasting, not greasy at all like most noodle dishes. I think this dish could have probably used a little more punch. I am really excited to try the lunch buffet and BREAKFAST buffet! And then I have the whole Indian side of the menu to try. Guess I won't be losing any weight this summer...
(4)Ada L.
I hate to say it, but since going to Namaskar in Davis, the food here just doesn't taste as good!
(3)Tushar S.
I will never go to this place again! The best part, food was still okay, nothing exceptional. Just that the breads were served after everyone had finished their first round and were half way through the second (buffet). Pathetic service. The servers did not really care and were no where in sight. They charge you a 20% gratuity for a self service buffet, so effectively you end up paying $10 for a $8 buffet. Now the best part, there were 3 of us who had to pay $10 each for our individual share, so we gave them 3 credit cards. 10minutes later he comes back and say that we don't accept Amex, whereas right at the entrance they are advertising that they do. So I give him my Visa and he comes back in another 5minutes and says that he has charged me $30 for all 3 people and in his exact words "Why don't you all split the money amongst yourselves". That's not all, after getting back, the 3 of us check our accounts and find out the the first person has been charged once on his card, despite me paying for all 3. The second person was charged 2 times, AND I was charged 4 times on my AMEX, which he did not even accept. So for a $30 meal they ended up charging us $100 total. I still have not got my money back!
(1)Bob B.
Although my wife and daughters frequent this place, I hadn't been here until tonight. Overall, excellent service, delicious food and reasonable prices. We took the Nepalese route tonight and were not disappointed. Momos and Vegetable Kothe to start, both were great. Simiko Dal was excellent, the beans were cooked perfectly and nicely spiced. The Tofu in the Ra Palung was soft and creamy and the Pumpkin dish was a seasonally perfect dish. All around it was a delightful meal.
(4)D C.
I would really give this place 3.5 stars, but since that's not an option... A friend and I went here for the buffet at lunch time, and were pleased with the food. There weren't many options for proteins, chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, and lamb jalfrezi, but there were a lot of vegetarian options. The chicken tikka and tandoori were well-seasoned and moist; the veggies in the tandoori were actually cooked-through which they rarely are at Indian restaurants. There was a great selection of lentil and chickpea, and black-eyed-pea dishes, all were great save the black-eyed-pea which had a really funky flavor. The naan was ridiculous. I think it was deep-fried, and it was flaky and delicious. Could've eaten ten of them, if I hadn't been so full. They also offer all of the standard chutneys and sauces to accompany the meal, which I appreciated. The price was also really reasonable, at $7.95/person! The restaurant was pretty empty at 2:45 on a Thursday, and hence, the staff were a little intense with the hovering and inquiring and describing of dishes. I could've done without that! Several of the items were really heavy on the salt as well, hoping this was just a fluke. Would definitely go back!
(3)Tara G.
Don't you give me no dirty looks Your father's hip; he knows what cooks Yakety yak (don't talk back) We ate dinner here tonight and I thought it was really delightful. My boyfriend and I split the navvrattan korma (vegetable and paneer) and the Nepali combination platter with chicken. The korma was excellent., with a sauce that was rich but not excessively thick, so it went perfectly over rice. The combination platter was really good too, and had a bunch of different pieces including some not mentioned on the menu, including a roasted seasoned cold potato side and cooked mustard greens. The lentil soup it came was was really good, although very rich and buttery. The only quibble was that the peas in the potato side had an odd texture as they seemed uncooked, but we weren't even expecting to get this so I really can't complain. As the appetizer in the platter, we chose the goat Sekuwa -- this was absolutely the best part of the meal. The chutnies that came on the side were good -- I really look for a good onion chutney as the mark of a good Indian restaurant, and so far this is in the top 5. The atmosphere was really nice, very clean and well kept. The service was extraordinarily attentive. The host that seated us was able to give us recommendations (namely, the Sekuwa we loved), which is nice -- I find it rather bland when restaurant staff say "everything is good".
(4)Anjib M.
Nice and quite place to be with friends and family for Nepali food. Food are put into the table when you need. Wait staff are also friendly and helpful in deciding dishes. I went with my roommate on Monday night dinner and really had opportunity to taste real Nepali food. Garlic naan was best I ever had in Indian/Nepali restaurant in US. Lamb curry, Pharsi and Chicken roast was cooked with excellence. And to forget the MoMo as appetizer. Next surely gonna try their buffet also.
(4)Mama P.
If you come earlier on a weekend before the crowds (before 6pm or earlier), the food and experience is better. Once they get busy (Friday night at 7p) like during last night's visit, it quickly falls apart. They have quite a few servers for a modestly sized restaurant but they all got pretty frazzled as more and more people arrived. People who had a reservation did not get seated since they don't know how to plan for that. The door kept getting propped open as more hopefuls tried to enter from the frigid cold chilling the whole restaurant and our meals down. It was a very unpleasant meal and there were noticeable serving errors for many of us in the dining room. No water refills, no plate clearing, missing utensils, food served without a plate, incorrect and missing orders, etc. What about the food? The momos were the only appetizers cooked fresh and arrived hot. The veggie sampler had the usual Indian appys like Samosa, pakoras and were clearly reheated and fried earlier so they were lukewarm and very dry. Unappetizing appetizers. The Nepalese chicken with lime appy was horrid. The flavors of chili and lime-dressed chicken bits on lettuce was a good idea but once again, the chicken was obviously microwaved to heat up precooked chicken and there were dry edges on each piece which made them hard to swallow. Ick. We ordered two set meals, one with lamb tarkari and the other with chicken. Both were fine but although they asked how spicy and we said hot, both came out with no heat at all. There are only 4 small pieces of lamb in the set meal entree, some mustard greens, some pasty cold potato salad, a chunk of raw onion, a lemon wedge, a small cup of lentil soup and a pile of dry rice not cooked recently. This costs $18.95!!! I think the cook was overwhelmed by then as the place was full so he was just cooking. We also had a tandoori platter which took an additional 15 min to come out so my son had to wait while we decided to eat given the frigid blasts of cold air hitting our meals with every patron's arrival. That at least had freshly cooked chicken leg and thigh, 3 chunks of chicken breast, a couple of pieces of sausage, and a couple of lamb chunks. The meat was tender and tasty. Unfortunately, it was served on top of a bed of raw onions on a sizzling platter. The platter didn't sizzle long enough to remotely cook the onions so the meat tasted of raw onion. It took a long time to get water and the wait staff needs to make role assignments when it is this busy and chaotic so they aren't all running around missing people's orders and forgetting to deliver what dishes to the right tables. The phone also rang nonstop which added to a stressful eating experience. I felt pretty awful for what they were going through but I had to pay $79 so think they have to figure out quickly how to improve the customer dining experience if they want to survive. They added a generous tip onto the tab which surprised us as well. Not sure we would have tipped 20% when we had less than decent service. I gave them 2 stars even though last night was a 1 star experience because I know they can do better on different nights. We will return but never again on a Friday evening.
(2)Sidanshu G.
Nothing a lot to say about the ambience. The service is very slow. I cannot say much about the nepali dishes, but the Indian food is really not upto the mark. My friend had ordered the Nepali thali, half of which was served cold :(. The parathas were half cooked. Wondering how come this place has such nice reviews.
(1)Jennifer D.
The rating is pretty much right on. I like the place, I don't love it, but boy do I like it. The location's a bit out of the way for me, but the walk's pleasant enough.. the appetizers we had were really fantastic, but when it came time for the main course, the magic had subsided. I'd give it another try in a heartbeat, though.. the appetizers were really special, and despite the lackluster, the main meal wasn't bad. Oh, and the service? Spectacular.
(4)jack n.
the first time i went there i ordered a chicken tiki marsala and a lamb saag. i thought both were pretty tasty, but the portions seemd small. the next time, i tried their lunch buffet. the chicken tiki marsala at the buffet didn't taste nearly as good. like it was watered down or not as creamy. prices are average to slightly below average for indian food. seems like they have a groupon on groupon now! every so often so it's worth checking that out if you're planning on stopping by. quality of food 3 stars value - 3 stars intangibles 3 stars ----------------------------- kebab factory is still tops on my indian list.
(3)Katty H.
We took the family here and it was a first experience with Nepali food for everyone. As lovers of Indian food, we anticipated eating somewhere that combined these two foods. The food was wonderful, with flavors I've never experienced before. The waitstaff was extremely kind and patiently walked us through the menu and buffet, explaining every item. Everyone opted for the buffet and left very satisfied. Their masala tea is incredible! I give it four stars because I am new to this type of food and thus have nothing to compare it to :)
(4)Lane Clare B.
Love this place. Love the cheap delivery charge. Love the food. We had the buffet the day before we moved out of town and are kicking ourselves for not doing that more often. Go there.
(5)Liz C.
Delicious, fast, healthyish food in Ball Square a stones throw from home. I can walk and get a mango lassi in 5 minutes? I'm in heaven. The Nepalese food is great , particularly the pumpkin dish and the goat. I'm too satisfied to write a long review, let's just say this place will likely be frequented weekly. Even better, they have very fast one dollar delivery in Somerville! Folks, don't go on Foodler (who failed me miserably with an Indian order earlier this evening) and pay a 5 dollar Mixmenu fee, order directly from Yak and Yeti. They happily took a delivery order at 9:40 without complaint despite closing at 10 and not knowing how close we are. Great service.
(5)Greg D.
I'm writing principally to rebut the one other breakfast review here. The breakfast here is excellent. It's a cheap ($7) all-you-can-eat buffet and high quality. It's basically a western breakfast: eggs, pancakes, french toast, sausage, hash browns, with a couple Indian items thrown in, including samosas and naan. A little cheese in my scrambled eggs would been extra-awesome, but tasty nonetheless. Oh yeah, that $7 includes coffee and orange juice. Very nice decor and waitstaff to boot.
(4)Steven N.
Service was slow and inattentive. But...the food was so good that I'll give it another chance. We went Nepalese, and had the goat appetizer, chicken noodle stir fry, and the lamb.
(3)Marlene S.
If you have allergies to any food ingredients, do not order here! I have many dietary restrictions due to severe migraines, so it is extremely difficult for me to eat out and I am very careful to ask about everything that might be a problem. My beau and I ordered take-out from Yak & Yeti--he had ordered before and found the food decent for the price. The person I spoke to on the phone was helpful (or so I thought), I told him what I couldn't have and asked him what could be tweaked to accommodate me. Before getting off the phone, I asked him AGAIN to be sure if there was anything else in the dish that wasn't listed on the menu, and was told no. When the food arrived, however, this was not the case--it contained a food I can't eat that I had asked about. I was upset because we had no food at home (hence the take-out), and now had nothing to eat for dinner. So I called the restaurant back and spoke to the same person, and explained that I wasn't able to eat the food they brought. The man on the phone was so rude--without even so much as a pretend apology, he immediately told me that he's not obligated to tell me everything that's in a dish, even went so far to say "do I have to tell you when something has salt in it?" The conversation was brief, and after hanging up, I was determined to be refunded just for the money for that specific entree--it was, after all, the restaurant's fault. When I called again I asked to speak to the manager, and it was the same man! He proceeded to argue with me and sarcastically sneer into the phone "the customer is always right". I don't get upset easily but was appalled by this customer service or complete lack thereof. He finally agreed to refund me the money, but only if I came and brought the entire order back to the restaurant. Completely unprofessional. Mistakes in orders happen, as anyone with allergies knows. But at least be nice about it. If he had even just said "oh, I perhaps your order got mixed up, we'll bring you another one or refund you", I would definitely have tried again with this restaurant. But after being treated like THAT, they definitely lost my business.
(1)Maria C.
Great service. Food is incredible, especially the mango lassi, I only did not give it five stars because it is a bit too pricey for the area.
(4)Tim M.
After running into some private-party problems at one of our local favorites, we decided to finally give Yak and Yeti a try. I have one thing to say... wow! I ordered the vegetarian Nepalese platter... steamed dumplings and the black eyed peas with potato and bamboo shoots... my wife went for the meat Nepalese platter... fried chicken dumplings and some kind of lamb dish. Anyway, the platter came with lentil soup (creamy and spicy and awesome), spicy sauteed greens (super yummy with lemon spritzed on), and a cold potatoes and peas dish... all delicious. The black eyed peas dish was really incredible, (spicy) hot with all sorts of subtle flavors, I stuffed myself silly. The vegetable dumplings were great, with a wonderful spicy dipping sauce. We were in the main room by the crazy wall-sculpture thing... it was really pleasant and calm on an otherwise hectic and cold night. The only thing I couldn't figure out was how a restaurant that incredible could be relatively quiet on a Friday evening... I know it's a somewhat odd location, but it's totally worth the trip (remember, if you drive, that Somerville meters run until 8pm). Prices weren't the cheapest, but quite reasonable when you factor in the amount of food involved. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Keeks L.
As someone who has been traveling to Nepal since 2004, I am in constant need of a proper daal bhaat fix! Yak and Yeti didn't disappoint. If you have never had this Nepali cuisine of lentils, vegetables, chutney and rice, this is the place to experience its healthy and hearty wonders outside the Himalayas. The dining room was meticulous and vibrant and the Nepalese waitstaff delightful. When we dined a few weeks ago, it was BYOB with a great wine store right across the road. Parking was super easy right in front on the street. I'll be a frequent patron for sure! Dhanybad!
(5)Julia Y.
We were excited to try this place, but were a little let down. The food was just okay. We got chicken tikka masala and a lamb curry kind of thing (not memorable?) ... it was all right, but we prefer other places and probably won't go back. On another note, we found the atmosphere to be a little stark for our taste... a little on the cold side. But that's personal taste. To be fair, we only tried it once. So maybe see for yourself!
(3)Jessica G.
My fiance and I love this restaurant!! We've been there twice so far and it will definitely be a regular for us. First of all, the restaurant is decorated beautifully, with very hip, unique design. The food is excellent. The first time we went we had only Indian food, and our second time tried some different Indian dishes as well as Nepali dishes for our first time (we had the chicken and the pumpkin, both cooked in garlic and ginger). All of the food we've had there has been delicious. We also had a couple Indian appetizers and could not believe the portion size for the price--they were so big that we couldn't finish our meal. The service was exceptional each time we went. The owner has been there both times and made it a point to come and talk to us. The other staff is very warm, friendly, and accomodating. And, it must be mentioned that Yak and Yeti's mango lassi will show up in your dreams it's so good. In short, the food, decor, and service at this restaurant are fantastic. I cannot say enough good things about it. Go to this restaurant! It's a real gem!!
(5)Erick H.
Having been to Ball Square Cafe and Soundbites on a few occasions, I'd noticed Yak & Yeti mostly because of its name. I'd never bothered to Yelp it, but since I've visited most of the eateries in Ball Square, it was inevitable that I'd stop in at some point. On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Jeremy K and I decided to try their $7.95 lunch buffet and it turned out to be an excellent decision (neither the price nor the two-minute drive from our apartment are much to complain about). Upon entering, two things struck me: the decor and the lack of other patrons. The walls of one room feature a stunning wraparound photograph of the Himalayas rising from the wooden bench seating, while the main room includes a series of what can best be described as string interlaced horizontally through poles running from one wall to the ceiling. The juxtaposition makes for an interesting atmosphere, one that is both playful and modern. Given our proximity to Tufts, I expected there to be at least a few people taking advantage of the buffet, though I didn't mind that we could have a nice, quiet lunch either. We were greeted promptly by the hostess, who told us we could sit where we'd like. After confirming that we'd come in for the buffet, she took our order for naan (we opted for garlic, which was tasty but very thickly coated with the stuff) and then disappeared. Meanwhile, we made our way to the buffet, which consisted of six different dishes, as well as rice and aloo taama (essentially french fries). Main courses included Chicken Tikka Masala, Tandoori Chicken, Chana Paneer (whole chick peas cooked with spices), and a lamb dish whose name I can't recall. There were two additional dishes which also escape me at the moment. I do, however, remember trying and enjoying all six options. Each featured bold, distinctive flavors comprised of tender meats drenched in rich sauces that were superbly spiced. My favorite was, by far, the lamb, which makes me wish that much more that I could remember what it was called. That said, I would gladly order any of these dishes when I next visit. For just $7.95, the meal was incredibly satisfying and exceeded my expectations. My only complaint is that the waitress never offered us any drinks. She brought us water with the naan, and then stood at the far end of the dining room until we finished our meal. This isn't to say that we couldn't have approached her or called her over and requested something.
(4)Rachel J.
We ordered takeout from the new Yak and Yeti a few weeks ago and were very impressed. The food arrived in a timely manner. Everything was delicious. The veggie samosas were so good (not too greasy) and my husbands lamb vindaloo was very spicy (he loves the spice). I tried a new spinach dish that was excellent. I'm looking forward to having dinner at the resetaurant soon so we can see what the service there is like!
(5)Kena M.
I ordered today and it was good. The food arrived still very hot delivered arrived very hot. The price was good and the food tasted delicious, I'll definitely be ordering here again!
(4)Em B.
Yak and Yeti is still pretty new-we decided to try it out...Delicious! Food was spiced perfectly (we chose medium). Portions were perfect and naan was sooo good-it was not too expensive, either. They let us bring our own beer because they do not have the liquor license yet. Service was great! I am definitely coming back because I want this place to make it!
(5)Owen W.
We were excited to see Yak and Yeti open in Ball Square because it looked like a big step up from the dumpy Chinese restaurant that used to be there. We went on their opening night, and although it was very busy we didn't have to wait for a table. The interior is cafe-style, with lots of small tables. The design is minimalistic, with cool wall coverings created with strings along the left side. The mostly-bare walls result in somewhat echo-y acoustics, though. When it was busiest, we had trouble hearing each other across the table. That's about the only complaint we had, however. The food itself was awesome. We ordered two Nepali Set Meals, one vegetarian, one meat. For the veggie dish we chose Kothe (fried momos) and Pharsiko Tarkari (spiced mashed pumpkin). The meat dish was regular momos (steamed) and Bhedako Tarkari (a lamb dish). The appetizers were excellent. They give you six or seven momos each, and they came with a peppery tomato-based sauce that we gobbled up after we ran out of momos. Everything was hot and delicious. The steamed momos, somehow, didn't stick together at all (edit: I mean, they didn't stick to eachother -- I don't mean they fell apart!). The main course was served in a partitioned silver tray, much like at Punjabi Dhaba. We ordered our dishes spicy, and they didn't disappoint. The pumpkin was like a spicy version of thanksgiving sweet potatoes. The lamb was perfectly cooked, not falling apart but not tough at all. The dahl was a little thinner than I'd like. Service was very friendly, and they were apologetic that our food was slow in arriving. They hadn't expected quite such a rush on their first day and were a little overwhelmed. We couldn't be annoyed, however, because everything still arrived fresh and hot from the kitchen. Yak and Yeti will probably be our first choice for indian food, period. The fact that it's right across the street from us is icing on the cake -- or, uh, the curry on the lamb.
(5)J L.
Excellent Napalese food - had the goat curry as a "set meal" dinner with the Chicken Momo's (fried version) - loved everything. There's so much in a set meal I always have leftovers. The staff has been helpful and attentive both times I've been there.
(5)Amy A.
I spent time in Nepal several years ago and the food here takes me right back. Great authentic dal bhat and momos. And the tea is spot on! We ordered the set dinner and while the price seemed a bit high at first, we definitely got our money's worth. Full size app plus complementary soup (recommend the tomato coconut), dal bhat with sides, and a cup of tea to end the meal. The service was great and we'll definitely go back soon. We stuck to the Nepali side of menu but are interested in trying out some of the indian dishes next time (which looked good on the neighboring tables). Also curious about the weekend brunch. Welcome to the neighborhood Yak & Yeti!
(5)Michael B.
We're very happy with the food here, both eating in the restaurant and getting delivery. The heat level is a bit erratic, though it almost always errs on the side of caution. It's become one of our standard delivery options, and we often order enough to have several lunches out of leftovers.
(4)John M.
The Nepali food is amazing! My wife and I get takeout here every couple weeks or so. My wife gets typical Indian fare -- samosas, naan, biryanis, curries, chicken tikka masala, etc. -- and it seems pretty good overall. (The samosas are definitely far above average, though.) Not greasy, like many cheap Indian places, but with a lot of flavor from good spices. My wife once had a vegetable biryani that was lackluster, but for everything else, it has been her favorite Indian food place. I'm more adventurous and tend to go for unfamiliar items on the menu, which means I gravitate toward the Nepali cuisine. Do try this. I recommend the Nepali dinners, which come with choice of appetizer, choice of entree, and a bunch of other stuff for less than $20. The first time I ordered it for take-out, I came home with a giant bag wondering what everything was. The lamb entree was very good quality and wonderful. The meat was very tender and did not have that strange gamey lamb taste you get with poorer quality meat at some Indian places. It wasn't particularly unique in terms of spices -- it tasted like some variation on a standard Indian curry -- but it did have a lot of flavor. Everything else was a great adventure though. The spiced, marinated goat meat appetizer is a revelation -- it was the best goat meat I have EVER tasted. In fact, it's one of the best overall meat experiences I have ever had in my life. It was that good. The lentils that came as part of the meal had a wonderful set of spices. Another sidedish was a spiced potato salad with dried green peas, served with some red onion and lemon, that again had an incredible flavor. Finally, there were some mustard greens (or something like that) that were quite good though not my thing. Add a huge amount of rice, and you have a Nepali dinner -- all for less than $20. The Nepali dinner by itself is probably enough to feed two, at least for takeout. The portions are quite large. Overall, I was most impressed by the spices in the food. Everything had a great deal of flavor, but without artificially making it taste "better" by putting in a bunch of grease, as I feel many South Asian places do. Along with that, I have to say I'm very happy with the quality of their relishes and other sauces. The mo-mo chutney was so good I put it on everything, and the three standard Indian chutneys that come with everything (spicy, mint, and sweet) are in generous takeout portions that I end up using for days afterward in my home-cooked dishes, because they are so flavorful and fresh. Between the two meals I get out of the Nepali dinner, and the three more meals I get spiced by throwing some of the great chutneys over my own rice or whatever, I can't beat the value.
(5)Lia D.
Why don't I live in Boston!? This place, and the service, was amazing! We tried both the chicken and the vegetable mo-mo, which were splendid. Perfect spices and that sauce was good as ever. We also got an order of the fried chicken dumplings and they were ridiculous. I usually don't like fried dumplings b/c they are so small and tasteless, but these were unbelievably good. My uncle got this chicken soup that is on the appetizer menu and it looked like such good quality homemade stuff. Then the waiter brought the rest of us complimentary Nepali bean soup which had a little kick to it, but man oh man it had such FLAVOR. The flavors of the Nepali food are unlike any other and that's why I'm so obsessed with it right now. For my main course I ordered the Nepali noodle soup with chicken. I really loved the broth and the chicken and vegetables very fresh. My only complaint was the noodles, which were basically vermicelli, but the waiter insisted they were "Nepali" noodles. Now, I'm not an expert, but I was like "Really!?" ANYWAYS. My other dining companions ordered a chicken curry w/potatoes, a vegetarian potato dish (not aloo gobi muttar...something else, can't remember name), and the lamb with mushrooms. They brought out a heaping bowl of basmati, more than enough for everyone. When all was said and done, we took home a TON of leftovers. They gave generous portions, but quality was not sacrificed. Oh, wait how could I forget the onion naan!? It was absolutely heavenly. I've never had anything like it in my life! I want more! The two desserts that were ordered were honey balls (wasn't a fan) and the rice pudding (didn't try but two out of four did and both liked it so that counts as a score!) The waiter was chatting with us about the spices and even gave me a small container to take home that red powder that is only available in Nepal. He explained how to add tomato and make a paste out of it or to sprinkle it onto rice. He was such a sweetheart! I was glad the place was pretty busy. This is a gem and I hope it's around for a long, long time!
(5)David X.
Perfectly Adequate food, with the most annoying over-solicitous waitstaff ever. That about sums it up. Okay, we're up to... what...SEVEN Nepalese/Tibetan restaurants in Cambridge/Somerville now? I mean, apart from tibetan food being fairly bland, the fact that it was rare and exotic usually made eating at this type of restaurant an interesting and fun and 'special' experience. But we're moving into chinese/indian/thai food territory now - one on every street corner - so now you've got to rely on the food itself. The restaurant is beautifully decorated. I'll give them that. And the food is excellent quality. But its half nepalese and half indian, and so, really, it's not like you're going to be seeing anything here you haven't seen before. Like those other ethnic restaurants, I think someone must have come out with an "Indian Restaurant for Dummies" book, since every restaurant's menu seems identical to all the rest. So, I would normally say that this is a good, decent, albeit boring addition to the neighborhood. If not for the waitstaff. Maybe they are overstaffed? Or maybe the owner cracks a whip and wants everyone to look busy. The restaurant wasn't empty, and yet - FIVE, count 'em FIVE waitstaff watched everything we did like a hawk. Each time I'd raise a glass and sip some water, either one of the staff would rush over to fill it up - literally standing at my side before I had even put the glass down - or the owner, standing 10 feet away, would snap his fingers and order one to run over. We stupidly ordered an appetizer, which I will NEVER do again if I ever eat there again, which of course I won't. Six momos on a plate. I ate one. My partner ate one. The waitress comes over - maybe 2 minutes after putting it down - "Are you done with this?" "Uh, no, there are still 4 on the dish, and we are still CHEWING the others!" (I didn't say that to her). She walks away. Finish chewing. Maybe 20 seconds pass. Another waiter comes over and asks if we're done. Still, not, thank you! Another 30 seconds, another waiter - 'you're main dishes are done. they're getting cold. you need to finish this.' Um, seriously. (Apparently the table was too small to put it down with the appetizer on there. I guess. I really don't know.) So, THEN, the table is surrounded by FIVE waitstaff, maybe ten feet away. My partner's back was to them so he couldn't see what they were doing. His body blocked their view of the appetizer plate. So they craned their necks, or stood on their tiptoes to try to get a view. When they saw the back of his arm move down from his mouth (suggesting he had just taken a bite) - I see the owner snapping to the others 'what's the problem here. Go check their table to see if they're done') and so the waitress asked again. She had just asked 30 seconds before. At this point, I was getting furious. It wasn't that the restaurant was crowded, or they were rushing us out. It was that they didn't want the main dishes to get cold and for some reason wouldn't put them on the table until we finished the appetizer. So we shove the rest in our mouths and instantly 3 people rush over - 2 clearing the table and one putting down the dishes. And they walk away. And then the waitress turns around and comes back - maybe TEN SECONDS later. Before we've even served ourselves. "How is everything?" "We haven't tried it yet." She walks away. The manager/owner comes over "Is there a problem? Is everything okay? Too spicy?" No, we haven't tried it yet! Leave us the F** alone!! We take a bite as the five waitstaff watch like hawks. We give the thumbs up. MMM-MMM- Good. They let us eat in peace for 2 minutes - except for the water guys who keep refilling the water glasses with a teaspoon of water. The waitress returns and asks how everything is. The manager returns. Another waiter returns. We finally finish but don't finish all the rice. Uh - Oh! Waitress: is there a problem? It wasn't good? No, we're full. Manager comes over. "You're not finishing? Is it not satisfactory?" No, we're full. "Let me wrap it up for you". No, it's just rice. No need. Urgent whispers between all the staff. Oh no! What do we do??! They are unhappy! Maybe they write bad review on yelp!! Easily, the most absolutely neurotic staff I've EVER had the displeasure of being served by. It felt like we were at someone's house, having a dinner, where we're expected to finish the plates and rave about how wonderful everything was, and thank them profusely, even if it wasn't. Well, that's the requirement for eating at a friend or colleagues' home - not the requirement when PAYING someone to eat at their restaurant. So, I get it. They put a lot of work and money into opening the restaurant. And they care about serving good quality food. So I want to be understanding about that. But I can't in good faith not let this pass, without giving fair warning. Good food. Bad Service. Nice people.
(3)Jim W.
I am a huge Indian food fan and was excited to see a new offering in Somerville. We had dinner last weekend and it was the best meal I have had in a very long time. We had "set dinners" that included appetizer, entree and some delicious extras, along with Nepali tea that was scrumptious. The interior is simple but fun and the service was very friendly and efficient. This is a 'must try'!
(5)Matt C.
Delicious food. Friendly service, but a little slow. Very nice decor & feel to the place.
(4)Danielle W.
This place is absolutely great. Though I have only had the brunch buffet which is decently priced, more expensive on the weekend, they have really good food, a clean establishment and friendly service. They even include free coffee and tea and a basket of naan as part of the buffet. Being a vegetarian, sometime the meat to veggie proportion is usually not equal, but here it is more equal, have salad and soup options available and perfectly spiced crispy veggie pakora and tons of big plump veggie samosas. You will leave completely satisfied, vegetarian, omnivore or carnivore.
(4)