Dwaraka Indian Cuisine
3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR, 97214
Dwaraka Indian Cuisine Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Portland for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Portland, OR, 97214 - Phone (503) 230-1120
- Website https://www.dwarakapdx.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, 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 : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Tiffiny W.
My husband and I are huge Indian food addicts. We had our favorite spot in SLC, UT...but moved to Astoria, OR a few months ago. We have an Indian option here that is just fine...but not as great as our options back in Utah. It is sad that we have to drive two hours to get fantastic Indian food...but Dwaraka is worth it. We visited the restaurant for the first time yesterday and nearly cried it was so good (trust me--after not having a great Indian option for months...you want to cry when you finally find one). We love this place and were extremely pleased with the level of spice and flavor. We will definitely be going back--even with the two hour drive!
(5)Prep M.
Opted for buffet. Food tasted like home cooked food. It was very simple and variety was too less for vegetarians. Also, veg. curries were not that great. Seating area was pretty crunched up. Service was so-so. Nobody came to ask if the food is ok. Washroom was not at all cleaned.
(3)Jason A.
The spice is back in SE! So I've been complaining for a few years that there was no good Indian food left in SE PDX. I've been out of the loop when it comes to Dwarka. Great buffet! My buddy and I went here specifically to give it a try in the hopes that SE still retained some quality Indian food. Excellent choices for the buffet. Special props for the wonderful peas and potatoes, and the real standout for me, the eggplant with vegetables. Dwarka adds a nice amount of spice to their dishes just to give you a bit of a sweat. Being a veggie I was really satisfied here, although I think the chicken and goat offerings were a bit thin for meat eaters. Regardless, I really was glad to find this place. It's super clean, the staff is very friendly, and you feel very welcome. Negatives? The buffet could use some more choices, and the salad was very dissapointing. Just lettuce and cucumbers and oranges. Not really fit for a buffet, and the dressings were all gone. Pakora was just potato, so basically french fries. I'd like to see some more authentic ones here. Overall, just a great place for lunch. I will be back for sure. So glad to see this part of town still does Indian and does it well. Give this place a shot, you'll have a happy tummy.
(3)Kira H.
Not gonna lie, this was a 2nd choice after the 1st was closed- & was well worth it. There was no wait for a table, even for a Saturday night, the place was rather spacious with tall ceilings & the staff was very friendly. Everything was piping hot- both picante & caliente- & shocked the senses with a barrage of spices. My lamb biriyani was delicious! Came with mung daal, curried veggies, a nice soup, some tikka gravy & this mixed veggie raita, which were all tasty, & it came with a small bowl of keer (rice pudding)... One of the best meals I've had in a long time. Definitely a place to come, be it by yourself or with a large group.
(4)Mike S.
I have eaten many a good meal at Dwaraka, and several great ones. I was just reading some of the bad reviews from the past and feel a little need to defend one of my favorite Indian restaurants in town. I've been going to Dwaraka since it opened. It has been mostly consistent with a couple of times when it was just ok. However, it has always satisfied with good flavors and the friendliness of the family that runs it. I have been a fan of their butter chicken, the chicken biriyani, lamb saag, and saag paneer for the most part. I've stuck mostly to those because I love them so much, in particular the lamb saag. Yet, many of the vegetarian dishes are delightful(including a mushroom and pea dish I forget the name of), and the goat curry is very tasty on the occasion when I've had it at the lunch buffet. I cannot attest to authenticity, but I will trust an Indian family who has been cooking this food for years over the judgmental opinion of a white person who had it in Phuket. And while there there may be off days, I'm sure, the food is made from scratch daily with just enough heat most days. That's about the only area that I've seen them cave to people's tastes in the area. Most of the folks around here don't eat stuff as hot as they do in India, and I'm sure if you needed to kick it up a notch then all you have to do is ask.
(5)Jennifer K.
We lost our local Indian place quite a while ago, and reviews on Namaste made it sound like maybe it had gone downhill quite a bit? So tried something different, based on reviews here. We were just looking for a lunch buffet, and this fit the bill. The staff were friendly and very efficient--taking away plates, refreshing the buffet, pouring water, greeting customers. The food was good, too. Nothing spectacular, and it's not a huge buffet, but everything was hot and fresh and constantly being refilled. I was hoping to see a paneer dish but perfectly satisfied with the choices--lots of vegetarian options today, along with chicken makhani, goat curry, and tandoori chicken, rice, an okay naan, little fried bonda (?), sambar, dal. I considered the trays of iceberg, cucumbers, and oranges to be garnish, maybe something to cool the palate? Spice is a personal preference--I thought a couple of the dishes had a nice heat, and what didn't was at least very flavorful. I would definitely try this place for a non-buffet dinner in the future.
(4)Nancy G.
Four of us just tried Dwaraka for dinner. We found the atmosphere very pleasant, the service truly excellent, but the food just average. I had the chicken saag, and my husband had the tandoori fish (mahi mahi) tikka. Both the chicken and his fish were kind of dried out, maybe overdone. The seasonings were not great. My spinach had a slight sweet taste in it that I had not tasted in saag dishes at the many other Indian restaurants I've tried. Too bad, as these seem like very nice people, and the restaurant is pleasant -- not as noisy as many places are in Portland.
(2)Kara S.
Great Buffett! Food was authentic. Restaurant was clean. Fair price
(4)Chris I.
Margarine Chicken! It tasted a little off while eating it at the restaurant, but reheating it the next day was pretty revealing: The "butter" chicken dissolved into a orange-tinged oily broth with chunks of chicken floating in it - where did the cream, butter, tomatoes, etc go? Disgusting. A long time ago, as a poor college student, I made a cheap and easy butter chicken using campbell's tomato soup as a base - tasted as good as it sounds but it cost a few bucks to make and I was 21, so whatever. This is pretty much the same recipe I imagine, except even as a broke college student I had the good taste to use real butter and cream, which Dwaraka apparently lacks. Truth is, if you want decent Indian food, you gotta take a trip out to Beaverton/HIllsboro where Indians actually live. It's worth the drive, you'll be rewarding true restaurateurs, and you'll be saving yourself from the debilitating shits that Dwaraka's "food" gave me. Yuck.
(1)Tzippi D.
Yummy. Lots of food for good prices. Great comfort food. Full experience if you get thali (all the fixings) for only $3 more.
(4)Levi L.
It's killing me how hard it is to find good Chicken Tikka Masala in Portland. Yet another bland, uninspired, flavorless disappointment. I had quite a sampling of other items too and I would like to note that the naan was very dry and rubbery. After spending some time in Thailand (lots of good Indian food in Phuket) and even trying Tikka Masala in India - I have to say that Portland has a very long way to go on the Indian food cuisine front. Denver even has better options!
(2)Travis S.
Outstanding service. Sweet kind people. Amazing flavors. They really make you feel at home. Reasonable prices.
(5)Patrick M.
Awesome food. One of the few places that has Dosa's. Great chicken 65, paneer, etc... We have never had a bad meal and the service is always great. Definitely be aware of spice levels when ordering, if you like it HOT they can make it that way.
(5)geeta b.
I wouldn't bother with the naan but the family that runs this place is sweet! I recommend them to people all the time for solid desi khanna in se pdx. I don't even eat seafood that often but the shrimp vindaloo & saag is yum!!
(4)Noah U.
Dwaraka Indian Cuisine has a great lunch buffet for a $10 weekday lunch. I was seated quickly and an older man looking like the owner served me. The buffet selection is decent. Only a little of it is meat because this is Portland after all, but they have naan, rice, lots of sauces, some chicken and that's it. I loved going back for a second helping. The food was good. It wasn't great, but it substantiated it's value as a buffet. Elsewhere, there are better values, even with regard to buffets, but this can do. The decorations were highly authentic. Dwaraka is a decent spot to go to on an empty stomach.
(4)Kiki R.
My new favorite Indian food restaurant in Portland! The staff are all very sweet and congenial, they're great about helping with gluten free items and the food is delicious!
(4)Neha A.
This is the worst indian food i have ever had. I would rate it as zero star. We were visiting portland and went there after seeing 4 star ratings on yelp. Anybody looking for good spicy indian food , please run in opposite direction. The curries had no taste and paratha was like papadum. I never ever write reviews at any site and the poor quality of this place forced me to write a review hoping yelp can correct the terrible mistake of giving 4 stars to this place.
(1)Oz D.
YES YES YES! I had the Lamb Curry and garlic naan. So, delicious, and the staff was great. Portland doesn't have an abundance of Indian restaurants--not like I'm used to having available in Chicago. So, it's been 3 months since I've had naan. Dwaraka is the 3rd Indian restaurant I've tried. They have excellent naan and the food is outstanding. I'll definitely be back.
(5)James C.
VEGAN FRIENDLY. The menu indicates a wide variety of dishes that can be made vegan (dosa love!). Very friendly staff. Love this place!
(4)Neo G.
This place is no where close to Authentic Indian food.. Totally westernized food.. The food served is totally bland with no flavor or spice.. Any body who wants to enjoy proper Indian food don't waste your hard earned money here.. I would give zero stars if I could..
(1)hannah k.
food was really good. Their naan was so yummy and the service was great. Their chicken tikka masala was really tasty. Their mixed grilled meats, i forget what it's exactly called, was ok. The meat was pretty dry for the most part. Would definitely come back and try the other curries.
(4)Karen B.
I'm really sad to say that it's more like 2.5 stars. My husband and I moved to Portland in June and have been searching for some good Indian food. So far, we haven't had much luck other than some good food trucks. As my husband is Indian and grew up in Delhi, and I have been part of an Indian family for the past 4-ish years, needless to say we have high standards. We had the Navaratna korma, chicken curry, and Andra masala dosa for take-out. The korma was good, but not great. The dosa was really greasy. The sambar was weak. The chutneys, watery. Naan didn't seem like it had been cooked all the way. Husband had the chicken curry, which was good but not great. For the price, it just wasn't worth it for sub-par Indian food. We were really disappointed, but someday may be willing to give Dwarka another chance because it's family owned and it has solid good reviews on Yelp.
(3)Trav15t ..
Very tasty and healthy lunch, not to mention a very friendly family behind the business. Vegetarian, vegan and carnivore friendly. We usually go to Swaggats in Northwest for the lunch buffet but was pleasantly surprised to find this place in Southeast. Highly recommend this place!
(5)Crystal D.
Sue me as this was my first time trying Indian Food. I had a neighbor that cooked Curry all the time that pretty much soured my views on Indian Food. What the heck was I doing? Dwaraka was way yummy with the right type of spice I like. I had the Chicken Tikka Masala with Naan bread and rice and it came with more than enough to enjoy. It was bright, spicy, seasoned wonderfully. I cant say I am an expert at Indian Food, however Dwaraka changed my views on curry and I will be eating here again and trying other Indian food. The staff was nice and the restaurant was clean and cozy.
(4)Tim F.
One of the better indian places in pdx. I liked it. But not enough to keep going.
(3)Adam J.
Now that's some mighty fine Indian cuisine. They really hit the hammer on the nail with the Chicken tikka masala, good prices, cheap beer and the owner and staff are super friendly to joke around with.
(5)Shimran G.
This place is great for lunch buffet! The owners are a sweet couple that keep your water refilled and ensure speedy service for everything you need. It is $9.95 all-you-can-eat buffet which if you are really hungry turns out to be a decent value. Their buffet consists of some of the more westernized options for Indian food (milder in spicing, etc) but the food is still delicious, and they do have some good dals and bonda. I hear dinner you can get more typical Indian dishes with their flavors, but I have not been there for dinner.
(5)maryam h.
I'm the kind of person that loves to see an authentic restaurant, where the people who prepared the menu come from the country they say their food is from. I love those kinds of restaurants because they move money into new pockets. I like those restaurants and I don't like those other restaurants, where white people sell you ethnic street food in a hip setting because they can afford to pay the recently raised rents in ridiculously gentrified neighborhoods. ANYWAY, I love a good family owned business, any type of cuisine is really alright with me. This place has all the makings for what could become my favorite spot except for its not Vietnamese. Which is fine, however, they use velveeta cheese in their creamy cheesy sauce. I know this because I grew up in Germany where I ate velveeta out of the container because my mother made cheese soup once a week. I've spent years trying to get myself weened off of that junk. Im sure this review won't hurt their business. But for anyone who's looking for fresh ingredients, consider yourself warned.
(3)Alison P.
Our second time eating here. Navaratna Korma is the absolute best I've tasted. We ordered that with basmati rice, naan and potato pakora. What a treat to have indian food cooked to perfection! This place closes at 2:30 then reopens for dinner at 5:00 so plan accordingly. Thus us a nice neighborhood establishment. Not a large place, but very popular for dinner. We will definitely come back!
(4)Katelynn P.
Best indian food in PDX! Not too much oil like most other places and the service is prompt and friendly. Casual atmosphere. It's fuckin fantastic. Seriously, go, experience, you'll see :)
(5)Jennifer M.
The food here is both flavorful and hearty. The Lamb Pasanda is one of my favorite dishes. The sauce is rich and complex in flavor while the lamb is tender and falls apart in the mouth. I've been here for the lunch buffet and for dinner; I prefer going during dinner time. It is less busy with people going to and from the buffet. Take out is also adequate here and the food is usually ready fairly quickly. I gave it only four stars because a few of the dishes miss the mark and the friendliness/helpfulness of the staff is hit or miss.
(4)Giovanna M.
Decor: typical of any shopping center middle eastern place. As a matter of fact, it was almost identical to 3 other places I've been to! So it's okay. We're not here for the decor. Chai: Delicious. Get it. Na'an: Very good. Fluffy and crisp just like it should be. Curry: Tasty. Very flavorful. Chicken was a little dry though. And unless you know you like all those other dishes that come with the entree, I recommend getting a la carte, and ordering the sides you know and love. Raita: Very tasty. Kheer: Delicious... but warm. I like mine cold and it is served that way everywhere else I've been. Service: Amazing. It's clearly a family business. They have pride in what they do and they want the experience to be great for all who come. I'd go again.
(4)adam b.
I always look forward to eating at Dwaraka!
(5)Lindsay A.
After living in Los Angeles for a few years we were spoiled by good, inexpensive Indian food. We've lived in PDX since 2007 and had never found anything that measured up until now. Even better...each entree comes with rice or naan for free! I had the palaak peneer and husband got a shrimp dish. We did the dinner meal with all the sides. It was great, but maybe too much. Next time just the entree. I'm looking forward to going back. Food was great, service was excellent and the food was delish, like Indian food should be! Yum!
(5)Diane C.
I went to the lunch buffet and was impressed with the number of choices I had. I am mostly vegetarian and there was lots for me to eat. The food was good but not great. The owner (woman) was incredibly friendly and helpful. The interior is a bit shabby but clean. A normal Hawthorne-y place. Not the great Indian food of Bollywood Theatre, but okay.
(3)Tristan D.
Seriously, the best Indian food I've ever had. Tandoori chicken was perfection. I can't wait to come back. Everything was so delicious and the server was delightful.
(5)Kyla T.
The chicken tikka masala is one of the best things I've put in my mouth. This place redefined Indian food for me and is now one of my favorite restaurants. Sometimes they are very busy. Worth the wait! The service is kind and charming. Oh, and I much prefer this over Bollywood Theater. More bang for your buck and waaaay tastier.
(5)Rick W.
Samosa was really good, a little tough on the outside, but the interior was oh so tasty. The dosa was one of the best things on the table. My lamb masala was a total hjt. We ordered two appetizers, a full entree and a partial entree and it was way too much food. At least there's leftovers. Definitely a place we want to try again.
(4)Maria N.
This has to be the worst Indian food I've ever had. I'm half Indian, so admittedly, maybe I have high standards, but I don't see how anyone could enjoy the rock hard, dry meat at this place. I got chicken and my friend got lamb and they were both awful. I literally signed up just to post this review, that's how disappointed I am. Do yourself a favor and don't come here!
(1)Arthur A.
Food selection and quality is barely acceptable. Not much service. Not good at all for kids. Tables barely big enough for 4 people. Have not tried the dinner a-la-carte yet. Hopefully it's better
(3)Nancy G.
Wow! We found our new favorite! We hit all the Indian restaurants in the area, and enjoy the food in each for different reasons, and have our favorite dishes in each. Hands down, this one has beat them all. But if you are squeamish about spicy, go elsewhere. One pepper will ruin you. LOVE This place! Two wait staff, so if its busy, youre going to wait a little. But the food is worth it! Spicy, Wonderful flavors! They don't open until 5pm, so we call ahead sometimes and do take out.
(5)Wanderlust C.
Delicious food, but it can get pretty loud in the small restaurant.
(4)Lanay G.
This was my second visit and it was just as good as the first! The food is very authentic with good quality ingredients. We received great service both times. Two thumbs up for their patience with a 2 year old! (And they have high chairs)
(5)Alex B.
This place rocks. The naan was solid and plentiful, lamb pasanda wasn't too spicy even for me (which is saying something). The owner was a champ and came out to make sure my dish wasn't too hot after I expressed concern. I heard the lamb vindaloo was great as well, but on the other side of the spice spectrum. Very hearty meal for a reasonable price in a chill environment.
(4)Claire G.
As Indian goes, this I one of the safe staples in the Portland metro area. I prefer Bollywood under any circumstance, but they do have a good lamb pasanda. Claire orders the lamb curry and it's good, she actually finishes her plate, but she's been mostly soured to the Portland Indian restaurants after trying Taj in Yakima. No matter the case, if I stroll into Dwaraka, I know that 1. We will receive excellent service, 2. We will receive a well made meal, and 3. I will still be craving a Mumbai Sandwich at the end of it all.
(3)Rad M.
I couldnt tell you the difference between Tikka Curry and Tim Curry. I dont find Indian culture fascinating, nor is it my dream to visit the Taj Mahal. That being said, I do enjoy spicy food, and this place is great. For upper-crusters lamenting that Dwaraka cannot capture authentic Indian savoir-faire, you are a fucking boob. It's Portland Oregon. Hipsters stroll down Hawthorne and expect Hyderabad. Idiots. The atmosphere is akin to most small places on Hawthorne. Small, open seating. It is decorated with stuff from India and you get that Indian vibe as expected. Nothing momentus. The service is exceptional. Our server both times was Ude. He was very prompt, polite, and worked his Bombay balls off. FAR better than any other place in this area of town where you are going to get sloggard service and snarkey semblance. This guy was taking care of the entire restuarant by himself; seating, taking orders, serving, bussing, and cashing out, and was much faster than most fully staffed non chain places in Portland. They should call him the Hindu Hustler. The prices are fair for what you get. The food is delicious. Their Magnum Opus is their yogurt sauces and chicken IMO. The raita and mint cilantro sauces are the shit. the Tandoori Chicken is well spiced and tastes really good. The Chicken Mahkani is my favorite dish with the cilantro mint sauce. The only downside was the Dal Curry, which could give pause to a hungry shit hawk. Na'an is hit or miss with the moisture level. The Rice Kheer more than made up for it though. I reccomend trying the Lassi. It is something that most Americans will never taste but is delightful. Overall, this place is a worthwhile hole in the wall if you like spicy or creamy cuisine. Great service, fair prices, and excellent taste.
(4)Jess T.
I used to not like Indian before I moved to Portland but I think that may be because I had a Texas experience with it. I straight up crave this place like no ones biz. Don't ask me about it because it isn't your biz. The spice is too much for my roommate who is crying right now. He looks real dumb. NICE. Obvi they have a shit load of veggie choices and it's all so simple and delicious. I want to eat it now. Oh wait I am eating now! No wait. I'm not. It's none of your biz. Go away.
(5)Parker T.
My girlfriend & I visited Dwaraka today based on their vegan friendly Yelp reviews & were pleased with the swift service as well as the the plentiful & flavorful vegan lunch buffet options. We tried the cabbage pakoras, chana masala, aloo mutter, sambar, spinach dal, the house salad & basmati rice, along with several spicy dipping sauces -- each dish thankfully tasted like its own creation with its own unique set of spices & we found the level of heat present overall to be more authentic than what we've experienced elsewhere in Portland. For $8.95 per person, we'll definitely visit again.
(4)Kal C.
Dwaraka is quick for take out and they're friendly, but I find that they're on the expensive side for the food and portions you get. I only see the value in the lunch buffet. There was very little chicken in both the chicken makhani and the chicken tikka masala. And it was my friend's first time having those dishes. Sadness. The garlic naan is delicious, and was the only reason I was moderately satisfied after eating the chicken dishes. I love dipping the naan in leftover sauce. I ordered everything for carry out, and added a lentil soup on at the last minute via phone. It had no lentils in it. I'm confused. Maybe they accidentally gave me something else? It should also be mentioned that their makhani sauce is heavy on the butter. "Heavy as a really heavy thing," if I do say so myself. But it's still good. Being that this is my neighborhood Indian joint and there are no indian places close to work for a lunch buffet, I'll continue ordering dinner here. It's a bit of a trial/error/splurge factor. Next time, Dwaraka, next time.
(3)Jim C.
Tried this place for the first time after just walking-by and feeling hungry for a dosa. The andhra dosa was loaded with chopped white onions, but the seeds and membrane of the peppers had been completely removed, so the filling was not spicy at all. Most of the dosa was crispy, but the bottom was limp and soggy - maybe from steam from the onion. The sambar and chutneys were disappointingly bland. If I'm walking-by again and hungry for Indian food, I might try this place again, but I thought the food was pretty boring for Indian food.
(3)Donna K.
This place gets me to do the Bollywood jig!! The food is soo good, my favorite place to get Indian food! They have a lunch buffet till 2, which is a great deal! I could just eat naan bread for days! Dinner is a little bit pricey, but it's money well spent. Service is very good! My favorite dish here is the chicken saag which is a creamy spinach dish with potatoes and chicken. It is sooo good with the naan and rice. It feels a little barbaric at times eating with my hands, but it's part of the experience. The saag comes in a variety of ways if chicken is not your thing. There's lamb, potatoes, or cheese curds. The chicken vindaloo is burning good. It's pretty spiced and gives my stomach something to run for but again part of the experience.! I recently tried the appetizer cauliflower dish, I can't think of the actual name, but I'll name it my favorite dish to order here! At first, I thought it was a baked or streamed concoction. I ordered it because I was being healthy conscious. Well, needless to say it was fried! Not healthy and I don't care! Sooo delicious! The batter had a spice that I'm not sure what it was, but it was magic in my mouth! Bonus: your meal comes with a crispy flat cracker that you can use to dip in their 3 sauces. My favorites are the red and green :)
(4)Jens J.
While Dwaraka is much smaller than crosstown Namaste, it still makes for a quick, decent buffet lunch. In the past, I've been skittish about Indian cuisine because cilantro is prominent in their dishes. But that's not true at Dwaraka. Only one or two buffet items contained coriander leaf. The owner or manager somewhat nervously hovered over the dining room as another staffer did an outstanding job keeping up with water refills and removing used dishes from tables. What I liked best was the Cabbage Pakora, which is like a cousin to tempura. I found the onion cucumber tomato yogurt on the condiment bar delicious. Ranking up there with the pankora and the yogurt was the potato/pea/tomato soup/stew Mutter Aloo. Very tasty. Other typical Indian dishes graced the buffet, including Chicken Tandoori, Chicken Makhani and Sambar. The Rice Kheer dessert was served warm and was rather spicy hot. While quite good, I was surprised because the kheer I've had before has always been served cold.
(4)Abhishek C.
Take it from an Indian, the food here is terribly bad. We got the buffet and it was terrible. The veggie curry was tasteless. My friend ate the meat (I am a vegetarian) and she said it did not taste fresh. The vada and the cutney was good though. The buffet was cheap at $8.99.
(1)Rachel H.
I liked Dwaraka but oh man was it spicy! Next time I would get pretty much everything a little less spicy so I could still enjoy it. However, the biriyani was light, aromatic and comes with two lovely sauces including a really great yogurt sauce. The mango lassi tasted like pure mango puree, it was incredibly sweet and syrupy and I don't think there was hardly any yogurt in it. I did like the flavor of the tikka masala.
(3)Ang C.
Came here for dinner and the rice had the consistency of being left out all day. The food was alright and I would still like to check out their lunch buffet
(3)Nicole B.
This is a review on the lunch buffet, which was pretty decent. We definitely tried mostly everything at the buffet even the goat. Which wasn't stringy as it can be. I love the standard butter chicken and potato curry. Mango lassi's were pretty tasty. At 2pm, it wasn't the freshest. But it was still pretty tasty. I would definitely come back for dinner and see how it is. The one thing about Indian food, is that it's never going to be on the cheap side. So don't go into an Indian restaurant complaining how the prices are. Anyway, if we weren't so hungry and grumpy we would've ordered from the standard menu. Which we would do in the future. We'll definitely be back!
(3)Liz K.
Delicious food, friendly staff and owner. Love the gobi manchuria and chicken makhani!! We drive 20 min to eat here about 5 times a month.
(5)Marcelitte G.
If you are an Asian, Latino ,African, or Arabic person -- you should call ahead to ask if the owner is working the day you wish to dine there -- if so and you are not a masochist--- it is a great idea to find another restaurant -- the owner seems to have held onto a colonialized mindset that has him treat people of color with a degrading attitude --and then smile from ear to ear with the present dominant inhabitants . The wife and son are sweethearts though! Today was the last straw -- I stood up in front of him and gently asked him for another napkin -- he did not look at me and ignored me for an uncomfortable amount of time -- then he looked to the side of me and asked a woman if she wanted something to drink --she said no - and not until then did he get me a napkin -- Enjoy--- if he's not there !!!
(3)Amy T.
Came at 7pm on a Monday to only one other couple sitting down. But by the time we left, it was packed. I cannot remember what I ordered; some sort of shrimp in a yellow cream sauce that was slightly too sweet but very tasty. Service was good, no problems getting refills or extra stuff. Will visit again in a few weeks to see if my rating stays at 4 stars...
(4)Andrew R.
Mahesh is right on. This is Indian food for Americans. Not spicy, tandoori chicken not done properly. That being said, it's decent, just not authentic.
(3)Mark M.
The sambar served with the dosa and idli is better than average. The malai kofta, palek paneer, bengan bharta, korma were all very good. The flavor at this place tends to be slightly sweet, almost like there's a gujarati influence in the kitchen. The carrot pickle is good for heating things up. Overall, a good casual place for an indian dinner.
(4)Charles S.
Lunch buffet today,. When I arrived, one couple had just got there also. So the place was empty. The lunch buffet is small an other words not much to chose from.the food was ok, but for me it lacked in spiciness and flavour.the staff was gracious and attentive.and the price of $9.95 wasn't to hard to swallow. Honestly I might not come back here, for the stated reasons above. Open to any recommendations for tastey indian buffets in portland.
(2)H. L.
The Indian lunch buffet was tasty and affordable! I liked the lentil soup, butter chicken, fried cauliflower balls, and rice pudding. The sauces were great as well. The service was okay. I believe it was the owner who was always refilling our water and friendly. There was some earlier reviews that stated the owner was rude to some of his "particular" clientele, but my husband is Chinese and my friend, Korean and we had no problem whatsoever. One negative was that naan was a little dry. I like my naan a little more fluffy. We'll be back again and maybe we'll order off the menu next time.
(4)Michael V.
Best Indian Lunch Buffet in Portland! I've tried them all, even tried all the ones out in Beaverton and Hillsboro. As a software engineer, Indian food is my daily go-to. Dwaraka's buffet is sensational! The vegetarian choices are always spot-on and amazing. Their Palak Paneer is sensational, the Aloo Gobi is delectable, the Mushroom Mutter is wonderful. Even the Dal is great. There are usually 3 veggie choices, plus Dal and lentil soup. They always have excellent chicken makhani and tandoori, and the tandoori is better than any other in town. It's always at least great, and sometimes it is the most mouth-watering tandoori I've ever had. They also generally have another meat choice (usually a tasty goat curry), and spectacular naan. Spice level varies, but is usually perfect for my tastes. I like food that I can eat without pain, but that comes across the palate with savory flavors and a spice level that brightens everything without killing my tastebuds. That's where they're generally at. Some dishes have a subtle kick that sneaks up on you. But there's not usually anything that will blow your tastebuds out, nor is there generally anything too bland on the buffet. I think that the people who have submitted low reviews are just trying to scare folks away so it doesn't get too crowded. :) It's a small place and gets full at lunchtime, so there is excellent turnover on the buffet dishes- they don't sit around and get gnarly. Service is very friendly. Great spot for a 2-4 person lunch! It's a real neighborhood gem, and a total bargain at $9.95 for the buffet.
(5)Karina J.
Get the paneer makhani... It is amazing!!!!!! I've spent time in India and I can honestly say that dwarkas makhani dishes are as good as the makhani dishes I have had in India. So rich, so flavorful.. Perfection.
(5)Betty K.
I love this place! The lunch buffet has a good selection of delicious food for both vegan and meat eaters. The gentleman overseeing the dining area was friendly and very helpful answering my questions along with offering information to make this lunch a great experience.
(5)Hunter S T.
I LOVE DWAKRKA!! But do NOT order takeout. You get the shaft.. These guys charge a lot for Indian food, when you order takeout you receive at least half the portion size you would order when dining in. Its almost absurd how little food you get, its like they only have one size takeout container and its tiny. I dont recommend for the money. order Thai food takeout...its a wayyyyy better deal.
(3)Jamie C.
This was the first Indian restaurant I've ever been to... So mind you, I don't have much to compare it to. However, the friend I was with-whose been around the Indian block-said it was good, so I'm going with that. We shared the Chicken Tikka and it was buttery and delicious! The courses are kind of fun. The Naan was soft and extra tasty in the Tikka sauce as well!
(4)Mary G.
Shut UP. It is the day after my first Indian food experience. I am still in awe. I was almost in tears over the amazingness of this food last night. My husband and I have never had Indian food. We are 30. It was ABOUT DAMN TIME. We picked Dwaraka because of the high reviews on Yelp, and it did not steer us wrong. Our waitress was awesome. So helpful. So non judgemental, with it being our first time and everything. She was great. Recommended an incredible dinner. The curry. THE CURRY. It was incredible. Rice was perfectly cooked. Portions were great. Potatoes were cooked to perfect consistency. I want to eat nothing but Indian food for the rest of my life, based on last night's experience. We will be back many, many times. It was incredible. GO THERE.
(5)Meg H.
Dropped in for lunch. Their lunch buffet is a very good value. We both loved the curried cabbage dish, which was a bit spicy, in a good warm way. They offered little fried pieces of cabbage, new to us, but equally tasty. Naan was ok. Butter chicken lacked spices, but not bad. Love, Love, Love the fresh cucumbers which taste like they come from a roof-top garden. Owner was withdrawn and dodged a request for additional napkins, but he did keep the water glasses full which was very nice indeed.
(3)Prateek B.
Worst ever experience; very very very rude owner. Worst food -- poor taste and quality. The owner actually was practicing parenting on a bunch of adults -- issue being somebody mixed two chutneys. Owner: better get humble.
(1)Walter H.
If you're looking for good Indian food in the Portland metro area, THIS is the place! They treat us so well there every single time we show up, no matter if it's lunch or dinner. It's one of the best-attentive restaurants we've ever been to. But the food... WOW! The food is incredible! I'm a vegetarian, so Indian food is always a good bet. But here, the food is exceptional. And they have both North and South Indian delicacies, so if you're wanting a dosa, you're in luck! This place is incredible. Try it; you will NOT be disappointed!
(5)Sarah B.
This is one of my favorite places and I tell everyone I know about it. I love the staff - they're welcoming and remember you when you've been there more than once. And i swear that they put something addictive in the chicken mahkhani. It's the best I've had anywhere.
(5)Georgie K.
So glad there is an affordable and delicious Indian restaurant in SE. Pretty amazing curry and mutteer penner. The garlic naan tastes like plain naan so not my favorite. The decor leaves a lot to be desired, but it's clean and tidy. Service is pretty good and quick. Parking is no good because its street parking. Right next to new seasons.
(4)Uday K.
I like everything I have tried here. Nice casual environment with friendly staff and great food!
(5)Sameer C.
It's overhyped. All of the dishes were tasteless and I didn't like the food at all. Normally, I don't write reviews but I have to write on this one so that other guys don't get fooled.
(1)David D.
The food is fresh and tasty and the portions are generous. Their sambar is the very essence of Indian comfort food. Service is friendly and efficient. They are happy to recommend dishes based on your preferences. The lunch buffet is a great way to start. Bring an appetite and don't miss the squash curry if it is offered (the buffet selections change each day). There is parking in the back, a real plus on Hawthorne.
(5)Mamta S.
I don't understand all the positive reviews, unless they are from people who don't know quality indian food and so they enjoy this place which is mildly indian type food. Aside from the lack of flavor from the lunch Buffett, The food just seemed like it was going to go bad any minute. The raita had an odor to it that made my stomach turn. Not surprising since the cold dishes were sitting in a tray of water which probably used to be ice. The butter chicken was too sweet, the tandoori chicken also had a funny taste to it. I am Indian and I know good indian food which doesn't have to be spicy. This is not it. Find a different restaurant if you're craving indian.
(2)Meg N.
The service couldn't be better. The staff are kind and friendly , and make you feel like family. The food is delightful. Perfect for cold weather. The chicken makhani and paneer tika masala are my favorites. Large portion make excellent left overs. Unlike most places in Portland both naan and rice are complementary. I will never again way at another Indian restaurant in town.
(5)David S.
Incredible experience! Excellent portion size, fun and friendly service, joyfully accommodating for gluten allergies. This place will be a place to return to!
(5)Danae T.
This place won't disappoint. The perfect amount of variety and flavor. I recommend the lunch buffet. A great price and you get to try a little bit of everything.
(5)Amanda Y.
Amazing little find on SE Hawthorne. Northern and southern Indian fare. Portion sizes (thali) are ginormous with deceptively "small" vessles of food. Share an appetizer -try the Gobi Manchurian- and a thali meal and 2 people will be full, and satisfied. Great value for the price, amazing flavors, and consistantly well-pepared. Clean and tidy dining area too! Highly recomnend!
(5)Amanda L.
I'm quite surprised at the handful of bad reviews I've just read scrolling down the page. I'm a big fan of Indian food and recently moved to Oregon and this is the first Indian restaurant I have tried in the area. My boyfriend and I grabbed take out for dinner to bring home to the family, and it was delicious! Up to par with my favorite Indian restaurant back home. One of the reviews I read said that the naan bread here was brittle? Our naan was quite the opposite, so perhaps the recipe has changed since that review? Naan was great, chicken tikka masala was great, chicken saag was awesome, along with the spinach pakora, tandoori chicken tikka kabob, veggie samosas, and chicken vindalo. The point is - the food was great and it was ready quickly for a decent price. I cannot say anything to the buffet as I didn't have it... but when I'm looking for great food I don't usually choose a buffet... The only thing that made me mildly disappointed was that the rice that comes with your dish is just straight up plain rice. My previous experiences with Indian cuisine has a nice floral jasmine rice - that really sets the meal, in my opinion. Otherwise, everything was great!
(4)Chrisi B.
Located in a SE Hawthorne strip mall, what Dwarwka lacks in ambience is more than made up for in delicious food and excellent service. The family-owned business opened a few years ago in a space that had been occupied by multiple different Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants since the mall was built. Dwaraka does a steady business, the only establishment to survive in that spot. And for that I am glad. We stop in there regularly for their lunch buffet, which runs from 11-2:30 daily. I gravitate toward the Chicken Makhani; tender chicken chunks in a mild butter sauce. It is dangerously tasty, since the more I eat, the more comes out of the kitchen. My guy goes straight for the Palak Paneer; spinach with homemade cheese cubes, which he refers to as 'sweet cheesy green goodness, followed immediately by the curried goat. Other curry offerings on the buffet include an addictive green bean and peppers dish and another with eggplant. The tandoori chicken is also a standout. Oh, and the Bonda...like a savory donut hole. Really, we love everything on the buffet and always leave there stuffed. There's also a full traditional menu (dinner is served from 5-9:30), and they seem to do a brisk takeout business. Try the Chicken Tikka Masala, it's one of the best I've had anywhere. If you order takeout in person, grab a mango lassi while you wait. It's practically a meal on its own and will sustain you for the trip home. There's pop-style Punjabi music to entertain you during your meal. Expect frequent but unobtrusive checkins from one family member or another, and also expect not to need anything else to eat until the following day. Highly recommended.
(5)C M.
I have been hunting for this place for, Mmmmm, 6 years in PDX. Happily found great indian food for not-so-fancy price. Wait staff is kind and kind of hilarious. A bit conservative with spices, but they provide sauces for you without even having to ask. I have been back three times and keep getting more and more happy with my choice. try the great big crepe things, (forgot name?!?!) and the mango pudding desert. And the Eggplant. Great place to bring friends and share. I am not into buffet food. But if you are, they have one!
(4)Sam G.
I wonder why a lot of reviews are positive for this place, maybe those people haven't had real Indian food. We were a group of 12 people looking for a place for treat. Looking at the reviews, we decided to give a try to this place. I was expecting a big restaurant but turned out to be quite tiny "Dhaba" like ambiance. Although the service was nice, food wasn't, at all! We ordered different Ala Carte dishes, mostly vegetarian. All dishes were "Sweet" for no reason. This also includes dishes that would be spicy in a real Indian place. Here's how they were- 1. Bhendi Masala There was more onion and tomato than Bhendi. Just a touch of spice, mostly garlic. 2. Malai Kofta This tasted like Super Sweet dessert. There was ONLY one kofta and liquidy gravy. We could not eat this. 3. Paneer Butter Masala Again, sweet. 4. Palak Paneer There was hardly 4 blocks of paneer in the whole dish. Again, sweet tasting. This is NOT how real Indian food tastes like. There are things called Spices. The only acceptable thing was Nan, it was soft. This place does not deserve high stars. A big disappointment :(
(1)Erin N.
Exactly what I was looking for in an Indian buffet, well delivered. Not super trendy, not divey, good tasty food and great, friendly service (my water glass never went empty.) Only down was that the daal was very salty and the naan was flat and a little more tortilla-like than expected, but I've only been here once for dinner so that might be a fluke. Will definitely be back to try it again!
(4)Lance B.
I've been for dinner a few times and it's the best Indian food I have had in Portland, and I've tried a lot of them. It's just fantastic from start to finish, everything on the menu is awesome. The prices are reasonable. The service is fantastic. It's just really great Indian food in a laid back atmosphere. You gotta go...
(4)Benjamin Y.
If you are going for the lunch buffet bring your elastic pants, you might find yourself attempting a third trip to the food bar. A wonderful selection of curries that switch daily. Ordered the mango pudding and it did not disappoint either. Go for the value but stay for the flavors.
(4)Sowmya U.
I wouldn't rate even one star for this. I don't know how people are giving positive reviews about this restaurant, I wonder if people really had tasted Indian food. Food was terrible and pathetic. Very less options for vegetarians in buffet.
(1)Chad S.
Been coming here for many years now, thanks to my best friend who practically lives there and knows the entire staff like he's family. Good people and great Indian Food. Love the Chicken Tikka Masala and the Chicken Pakora, but it's pretty much all good!
(4)Mahesh B.
Very Americanized Indian food. Indian ppl will not enjoy here for sure. They do not use spices at all.
(2)Nick H.
Second time at this place, dinner both times. The food is great, but expect to pay $13 for a meal. The portions seem small, but you get full pretty quick. I'm a big guy who eats a lot and I can say the meal kicked my ass. I didn't want to waste food, but I had to leave the rice. One meal can really feed two people. Anyway, I would give this place a 5 but as the owner was cleaning up for the night I saw a big sanitation no-no: Each table had a set of three small bowls of different flavored curry sauce, each with their own small spoon. The remaining sauces at the tables he took and dumped BACK into the main serving/refill buckets for each respective sauce at the buffet table. In other words, whatever germs were at the individual small bowls at the tables had now contaminated the main serving source. A lot of people could get sick from this, even if his intentions were noble. These small bowls at each table were very much subject to germs, hair, etc. Grossed me out and almost question coming back because who knows what's happening in the back kitchen.
(4)Theresa C.
Great service and food arrived quickly.
(4)foodfoodfood f.
Although I love Indian food, I'm a little disappointed in Dwaraka. The rice is just plain long-grain white rice with no butter or cloves or anything. The parathas also don't seem to have much butter, and they're not flaky at all. Also, I wish they had dal makhani. I will say that everything seems very fresh.
(3)Amy E.
Oh, how I loved this lunch buffet!!! Soooo many delicious items: the lentil soup was an excellent starter! The curry, chana masala, the pakoras, and ohhhhh the rice pudding dessert was so delicious!! If I lived in Portland, I would eat here at least weekly for lunch! The value was perfect too! Friendly service as well!
(5)Winnie F.
Meh...had way better Indian food in other cities. Granted, this is one of the rare place in Portland area that serves lunch buffet, but I rather drive further to get my Indian fix! Their selection is very limited and only one meat dish. The chicken masala and tandoori. Other than that it's all vegetarian. Also their naan is too dry and seems to be not made with enough dough. The restaurant itself is clean and the waiter is very attentive. Probably won't be back here anymore.
(2)D K.
My wife and I tried this place after it opened and keep going Back and back! Delicious! Is cheaper than most other Indian places and run by a Super friendly family. It's a hole in the wall but that's cool with us. You know it's good when they started withjust ma and pa, added their sons, then had to hire outside the family to keep up with demand. Also I didn't get and fire snakes shooting out my ass, like what happens at other Indian places. These bros know hygene!
(5)Paula W.
Based on my 30 years in the food service industry, and having eaten Indian food in five countries, I would say it is almost average. I will be going back to "the theater" next time I want great Indian food.
(2)Meghan C.
I was surprised to find how few Indian lunch buffets there were in Portland--on the East Coast, they're all over the place. So I was really excited to find Dwaraka! The food was pretty decent, but the variety on the buffet was very small (I think 8 dishes) compared to the places I'm accustomed to. They didn't have any paneer or saag dishes, which are my favorite. I was also surprised that nothing on the buffet was spicy. I like my nose to run a little when I eat Indian food, and this didn't do it. There was also a certain blandness to the food, some depth of flavor lacking. And the naan sucked--thin, dry, and crunchy. Okay, that's a lot of complaints...but I swear the food wasn't bad! It defintely satisfied my Indian craving for the time being. I'm going to keep looking for a better Indian restaurant in the city, but I'm sure I will be back here for a cheap lunch in my neighborhood. Update: Have been here a couple times hoping that the selection of dishes will change and I'll get my Palak Paneer. Nope, always the same stuff on the buffet. Bummer.
(3)Caroline F.
Frickin' Loved it. We were too hungry and went a little crazy with the ordering. Onion Pakora, Veggie Samosas, Sambar, Raita, Masala Dosa, Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Vindaloo; and it came with a "desert of the day" ~ My only complaint is that everything was so delicious that we overate and felt sick. This is not the restaurants issue obviously. Great flavor, great spice without going to crazy, attentive service without being annoying. We walked out of there in awe that we hadn't heard about this place from our plethora of foodie friends. I highly recommend it. I can't wait to go back.
(4)Kathy L.
This place kind of rocks. I have only gotten take out so I can't say much about the dine-in experience but for take out, it's awesome. Delicious curries, naan, tandoori, vindalho's. Whenever I order, I order a ton (for leftovers!) and they always throw in something free. Last time I got free raita, dal, and some deep fried okra! How nice is that???
(4)Troy P.
My wife and I had dinner here on a weeknight and we were extremely happy with our food. We ordered the manchurian cauliflower and veggie samosas for appetizers. Both were delicious, and the manchurian cauliflower really stood out. For entrees, I had tandoori chicken, which was absolutely, positively the best chicken (Indian or otherwise) that I have ever eaten. It came out fajita-style, on a sizzling, steaming platter, and it was just as good as it was hot. My wife ordered the paneer tikka masala. I'm not a huge fan of paneer, but her tikka masala sauce was wonderful. Next time, we look forward to getting garlic naan and a special type of naan that our very solicitous waiter told us about - a semi-sweet naan with cranberries and other treats in it. Can't wait to go back and try the lunch buffet!
(5)Sanders K.
2 cockroaches in our waters, gave them a chance cause we thought there were fruit flys in the first water, the I found the second roach in my own NOW EMPTY water, I was disrespected by management and denied my refund, ultimately a horrible experience and something I would NEVER RECOMMEND TO ANYONE ELSE. AVOID THIS PLACE.
(1)Holly D.
Goat. If you have never had goat curry, it is time to expand your horizons, forget the Three Billy Goats Gruff from your childhood and plunge ahead at Dwaraka. We had to restrain ourselves from licking the bowl. On this night dinner was superb and equal to my favorite Indian eatery in New York City.. The samosa's were as big as my fist and perfectly assembled. Chutney was excellent (actually need a 12 step program for it). Get your meals "Thali" rather than al a carte. Gives you a small bit of lots of different things. I know the mango pudding is popular, but i will skip it next time....similar to eating the gak I made in chemistry class only sweeter. Service was excellent. We ate outside. Good for you Dwaraka....Indian food at a decent price on the eastside of Portland.
(5)Amelia H.
Enjoyed the lunch buffet and the price. Really great tandoori chicken and goat curry, but the selection could be larger.
(3)Gordon S.
This is very good Indian food. The chicken tikka masala is great but perhaps too hot. Sometimes I wonder if these excellent Indian cooks just think the hotter the better.
(3)Prashant R.
Food: We just go there to eat Baingan Bharta which we like it. It suits our taste. Ambience: Below average. Needs to be improved. Service: Average.ok ok . Recommended for people who like to try new restaurants.
(3)Erica I.
Worst naan I've ever had. The stuff you can buy at the grocery store tastes better. Food was bland and, as if to add insult to injury, they tried to charge me 75 cents for the sauces that are free at the table. Not impressed.
(1)Food A.
Let me just preface this review by stating that I'm not from India. I love Dwaraka. I'd been to dinner three times, and had the lunch buffet so often I stopped counting since july last year. I enjoyed everything on the lunch buffet, and dinner was always good. I can't eat goat because it's the meat is too gamey, but the rest of what I had: Chicken Makhani, Chicken Tikka Masala, chicken vindaloo, Navaratna Korma, Aloo Mutter.. were all good. The chicken Tandoori a bit dry. The mixed veggie pakoras were delicious (in batter & fried- need i say more!) The chutney tasted fresh to me. I usually am too full to touch the raita (so imbalanced i know.. ) but so far it's the one restaurant that's most consistent with its good flavor and good customer service.
(5)Jean B.
Best Indian food I've found in town so far. Namaste is good for a quick fix, but for a really great meal, we hit up Dwaraka.
(4)Andy K.
I went there for Lunch Buffet Sunday.. They have a good buffet for only $8.95 all week long... Good place to have lunch if you are near by...
(3)Ben D.
Mmmmmmmm. And affordable too. My only issue with this place is that I tend to overeat when I go there. Yum.
(5)mark b.
Man, this place is what I've been looking for for a long, long time. A decent curry house in PDX. Bollywood Theater is fantastic for street food (love that place too), but if you're wanting a more 'traditional' (i.e. what I would call a curry hours back in the UK), then this is it. The food is fantastic. A great menu. The Lamb Pasanda is luscious, as is the Butter Chicken. Literally everything we ordered was great. In fact, my mouth's now watering so I am going to have to try the lunch buffet there.
(4)Christine A.
My husband and I have visited Dwaraka multiple times each month since we moved to the neighborhood in late 2012. Dwaraka is the best Indian food we've had the pleasure of eating. Our go to dish is Chicken Tikka Masala, which I highly recommend. The dish has the perfect balance of spice and cream. The staff is always so friendly, the establishment is very clean, and I love knowing that we're supporting a family owned and run business.
(5)Matt L.
I'm going to out on a limb and say this is the best indian food I've had on the east side for a long while. I'm no connoisseur, I can barely remember the names of the dishes I like, but this ranks pretty high in the overall indian cusine I've experienced in Portland. Everything was fresh, the meat was moist and spiced oh-so-reasonably, and the sauces were complicated enough to make a mouthful delightful. On top of that, it's entirely possible to secure a very reasonable amount of food for a very reasonable amount of money, they're open later than a few of their counterparts, and the service has been unimpeachable.
(4)Wolf L.
We all got dosas, which were not all that awesome. Just not much flavor or punch to the food. After a couple of bites, I was looking around for something to spice the stuff up. The chutney trio on the table didn't help much, either. The dining room looked clean and the service was good. I enjoyed the giant bottle of Kingfisher I ordered because it was ice cold and came with a chilled glass. This place is fairly standard. I may return sometime to try the buffet, if I'm in the neighborhood. Otherwise, I won't be planning any special trip back.
(3)Seymour D.
I'd give this place between two and three stars. The place slightly disappointed. It was around $40 for two, that's for three beers, one appetizer, and two a la carte dinners. Not exactly inexpensive; seems like it should have been more affordable. I got the goat curry and was surprised to have pieces of goat bone attached to the meat. I think most of my dish actually was bone, rather than meat. Oh well. I might go back again someday for the buffet. Ambience left something to be desired. Low-volume music, perhaps, so everyone's chitter-chatter isn't heard? Paint the walls? They also leave the curry sauces on the table, from customer to customer... Without lids, or anything.
(2)Ethan D.
Sometimes you just need to pig out at a buffet... you just sort of owe it to yourself... American food buffets (those with fried chicken, macaroni & cheese, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, etc) pretty much suck and should be avoided unless you absolutely have to eat at one. Chinese food buffets are pretty sweet, even if the Chinese food is subpar. But Indian buffets typically serve darn good food! They are few and far between here in Portland (I only know of three: Dwaraka, Namaste, and Swagat). Dwaraka: An inexpensive Indian Lunch Buffet on Hawthorne that includes flavorful chicken masala and outstanding tandoori chicken? The owners wear traditional Indian clothing and play Bollywood music while you dine (rather than top 40 pop, thank goodness)? They have Hayward 5000 beer for sale? Yeah, I'm a fan. Namaste way out on 82nd and Sandy is arguably Portland's premier Indian buffet. It's a bigger restaurant with a buffet twice if not three times the size of Dwaraka, it's offered for lunch and dinner, and it has a bar connected to it. But it's also more expensive than Dwaraka, it's has this cheesy, seventies rent-able banquet hall-turned-Indian buffet feel to the interior, and frankly who wants to drive out to NE 82nd and Sandy? There is no reason to go out there unless you're en route to the airport. Dwaraka on the other hand is a much smaller, more intimate restaurant with a smaller buffet, it has a far better location than Namaste, the owners are very charming and sweet, and thought the buffet options aren't as varied or numerous as at Namaste, they are nevertheless very delicious and satisfy the "lunch-buffet-gorge" that I was craving quite nicely... oh, and they have HAYWARD 5000!! (which is by far the best beer to wash Indian food down with... the two just complement each other... as does the Bollywood music they play!). So if what you're looking for is a midday Indian food fix and you're hungry as all hell- Dwaraka can help you. If you want more options in your Indian buffet and you don't mind driving out to the airport basically there is always Namaste, but Dwaraka is far more charming and the food is darn good. I could've sat there eating tandoori chicken all day.
(4)Hey U.
I'm a little surprised at the great reviews but maybe I went on a so-so day. Went to lunch buffet today, and the service was great. Nice folks, absolutely. The food was average. The butter chicken (can never remember the real name) was really good; but that was it. Tandoori chicken, waaaaay overcooked not to mention 3 lonely pieces cold in the bottom of the pan. The curried goat was ok, not my fav dish but was fine for a buffet. The potato dish was cold and lacking any flavor. Frankly there just wasn't a lot of options. I know it is a small place but limited options and 1/2 the dishes the burner was off so they were cold kind of tuned me off. Also I'm all about naan. And I didn't like theirs. It was thin, even crispy in places. Could just be a style I have never had at the 50 other Indian places Ive been too....But it left me wanting good naan. I did like the warm rice pudding. Usually served cold, I really enjoyed it warm. It was clean and again service was very attentive and nice. Will give another shot, may be for dinner and non-buffet.
(3)Kendle C.
I have to say its been years since I had indian food. I have to say I was not at all disapointed. Our waiter was knowleagadeable and suggested a meal when I asked him to get me his favorite dish. ( I do this often in new places) The meal was out of this world delish!! I would love to come back over and over again!
(5)Rose S.
As someone who has worked in two Indian restaurants, I feel like I know what I can be picky about and how certain items should be served and taste. This place is great. Naan and papadam - awesome. Navratan koorma, lamb saag and paneer tikka masala - to die for. Samosas and tandoori chicken you'll be happy to dig your teeth into. The owner is super sweet and always makes us feel welcome. Service is prompt, helpful and courteous. My boyfriend and I have enjoyed Dwarka for both the dinner menu and the lunch buffet. We both highly recommend this restaurant. The only reason I've knocked it down a star is for atmosphere - which is really no biggy if you've got your own good company. But I don't recommend it as a romantic date spot for that reason. Much more of a comfortable and delicious neighborhood jewel where you can have a little intercultural experience and a bite of India. And also, pretty decent Indian food for Portland (as compared to India House downtown, among others). To you one star reviewers out there: don't judge a restaurant by it's lunch buffet! (And by the way, of course things won't be as "fresh" or "spiced" as they are for INDIVIDUALLY PREPARED dinner courses! Have you ever tried cooking Indian food to feed a hundred people? Additionally, you might have to pay a little more than $8.95 for that. What are you, new?).
(4)Joanne M.
Love this place. Enough curries to make your head spin. Amazing, delicious. The lunch buffet is not to be missed!
(4)Lindsey L.
I can't remember what its called right now, but whatever it's called to order your food with all of the extras and not ala carte, DO THAT. As I looked down at all of the foods in front of me I had to remind myself to be open minded. I did so, and was very satisfied. Skip the appetizers, the entree with all of the extras is so much delicious food that you wont want to miss! I was a bit upset that I somehow ended up with my own bill and another persons bill charged on my credit card, but we were able to sort things out and the other charge was removed. Try this place! And check you bank statement afterwards.
(4)Lacy L.
Every time I've eaten here, it has been desolate with the exception of the party I'm with. I have no idea why this is the case, because the food and service is terrific. We loved the spinach pakoras! So nice to see spinach pakoras made with fresh spinach. Also, the "chicken 65" appetizer was nicely spiced and very tender. I highly recommend the shrimp tikka masala and the malai kofta, which was surprisingly SWEET, but enjoyable. Folks of Portland- EAT HERE! It's ridiculous this place isn't busy, considering there are so few Indian restaurants to choose from.
(4)Ashley G.
This is the best Indian food I've had since moving to Portland. The owner is extremely nice and helpful about what is vegan on the menu. There are so many options! In the three or so visits my girlfriend and I have made there since discovering this "mom and pop" gem, we've tried the mixed pakoras, vegetable samosas, masala dosa, aloo gobi, and chana masala. Everything is extremely flavorful and perfectly spiced. Portions are generous. The service is very prompt and courteous as well. I can't say enough about this unassuming little strip restaurant on Hawthorne. Go get some good Indian grub asap!
(5)Chanele B.
I've been looking for a decent Indian place (other than a food cart) in Portland, this was another experience that left me uninspired. We started with veggie samosas, which were alright, pretty spicy and nothing to remember, though. My entree was chicken tikka masala, and it was spicier than I would have liked, but not overdone. It definitely seems to be on the spicier side of the standard scale. The main complaint was that the tikka masala tasted too strongly of ginger. It was just too much of one spice that kind of ruined the dish. I did get some mango chutney to go, and that really improved the dish the next day. So, it wasn't the worst Indian food experience, but it definitely wasn't a place I'd make a point to go back.
(3)Ameet G.
Chicken 65 was delicious tender with balanced amount of spice. Masala Dosa had 1/2 pound of potato curry in it!
(3)Troy S.
Since my trip to India I have only had Indian food a few times, something about 2 1/2 weeks of good Indian food makes me not want the typical been out too long, underspiced Indian Buffets.. Dwaraka is not that kind of buffet! There were plenty of fresh veggie and non-vegetarian fare. If in the area and looking for a quick tasty meal, I would definitely recommend Dwaraka.
(4)Melissa L.
We've been here a couple of times for dinner (can't comment on the lunch buffet) and had delicious food both times. Delicious, and actually really light, healthy food. That's a seemingly rare thing, a curry that doesn't feel like a brick in your tummy. I highly recommend the chicken and lamb karai. Staff are very helpful & friendly, but not all Indian, which is a bit odd, but okay all the same.
(4)Jason K.
A small group of us had dinner here on. Friday evening and thy were hopping busy. There was a table open and we were seated right away. Very friendly staff and just the right amount of attentiveness. We all ordered a variety and sampled each others dishes. All were well spiced and pleasantly hot. I would give a 4 star review except my lamb, while we'll seasoned and spiced was overdone, dry and dough. While not inedible it was a little off putting. Still, the rest of our meals were wonderful.
(3)Sachmo P.
Absolutely fantastic food, service, and prices. The wife and I had two à la carte plates of chicken tikka and lamb vindaloo (which come with rice AND naan) and could not have left more happily plumped. Everything about the restaurant from the floors to the meals were clean, simple, and lovely. This restaurant is going to make me break my vow to never eat at the same place in Portland twice. I'll be back and you should see for yourself.
(5)Shawn S.
Delicious food, excellent staff, clean environment. I highly recommend if you want authentic and delicious Indian food. AAA++++
(5)Susan D.
Lunch buffet = reheated food. Very disappointed. I had dinner here when they first opened and the food was fresh, hot, and nicely spiced. Seems they've dropped their standards, daytime lunch not the same at all. Side note: I was uncomfortable with seeing "goat curry" on the buffet beside the 2 chicken dishes. While eating anonymous chicken, worried that it might be goat instead? May be just me, but that made me uncomfortable. Good points: Terribly nice people run this place. The gentleman refilling my water glass was fairly attentive. Also each buffet item is clearly labeled. The $8.95 buffet price is a good value - if only the food were truly fresh and very hot, instead of being made the day before and reheated. However, the rice WAS fresh.
(1)Danni D.
This little slice of real estate on Hawthorne has been many, many restaurants in the handful of years I have lived down the street. Some have been great, some easily forgetful. Most disappeared overnight, unexpectedly. I am slow to trust this locale, especially now that it houses some genuinely pleasing, home-cooked Indian food. Dwaraka is a family-run establishment, and they put their heart and soul into their dishes. You can taste it in their gentle curries and other sauces. I have been in several times for their lunch buffet, and a few times for dinner. Each time, the husband or wife checks in to make sure you are enjoying all that they have prepared for you. It is a friendly neighborhood spot, and I am pulling for them to make it. I do hope that with time, they will address the "sterile" dining room. This is a spot with zero ambiance. I think the tables and chairs are the same ones that have occupied each restaurant that came before. Paint the walls; hang some appropriately sized giant art work. Give the space some character to compliment the gentle, buttery curries that are oh so delicious.
(3)Lily L.
*Review about dinner* My boyfriend order curry chicken and I order spicy chicken and potatoes. We both forgot to mention how spicy we wanted it our food. That was a big mistake. Our food was really spicy but good. About the food: The curry chicken used a dark thigh like slimy chicken meat. The spicy chicken and potatoes I got used a cubed chicken meat that was more 'dry'. The naan bread was typical, but it was really crunchy for the most part. Their menu had a good selection of vegetarian options. About the service: The guy waiter was prompt. When you arrive at the door, from 10 ft away the waitress will tell you to take a seat. Then he came over with a menu and ask what we want to drink. Then 10 minutes later he took our order. Our water got refilled once. The service wasn't terrible but nothing spectacular.
(4)Don B.
Dinner brought this to a solid 4. $18 got me a Thali plate with some chicken vindaloo, 4 sides, a pile of rice, some garlic naan (caution, it's $1.5 extra), a choice of dessert (I chose the rice kheer), and a mango lassi, which was quite a delicious lassi. There are definitely hints of brilliance here and there, and you can tell the food is scratch made. While good, it doesn't have the thick, heady pungent flavors that I prefer in my curries. You could say that I like my curries like my women. Dirty and full of spice. Here, the flavors are a tad more subtle, which I'm sure some folks love. Overall, I was to the gills when I walked out after dinner. All of the dinner dishes are offered either a la carte or as a whole dinner. It's hard to tell, but it seems to me that in the future I'd probably just go with the a la carte portions for a few dollars less. While you don't get the sides (raita, dal, veg curry and lentil soup), and you don't get the dessert, it looks like you get a slightly larger portion of the main, and you still get rice and naan with the meal. For one person, a la carte is PLENTY. The guy who runs the joint is very proud of his food and his restaurant, and is quite the character. Friendly and engaging, you can tell he has a passion for what he does. I gotta respect that. Good stuff.
(4)Mark H.
Friends of our have been going to India regularly for 20 years, and say that Dwaraka is the best Indian food in town. We had the lunch buffet, I thought it was on par with the better Indian buffets in Beaverton / Hillsboro. She goes for spicy food and says that the home made spices are excellent. It's $9/person for the buffet, which again is what you'll pay at the better Indian buffets on the west side.
(4)Olivia T.
Dwaraka is totally not a good place for you, if you are planning to have a productive weekday afternoons. You will be so stuff after you eat some delicious Indian food here (in my case, I inhaled all of my food). The price per person is $8.95, who can beat that? I LOVE everything on the buffet station. They have good selections, but these are my favorites. I love the Cabbage Pakoras (deep fried cabbage). They are so crunchy but so light. They weren't greasy at all. The Chicken butter curry was soooooooooooooo gooooooooooooooooood. I could ate a whole plate of that by itself, but I realized that I'm a lady, and no proper lady will eat like that (yeah right :) ). The Eggplant curry was amazing. Naan was warm and soft. I couldn't get enough of it. For dessert, they only serve the rice pudding, and oh boy...it was sweet, warm, and gingery. It's a total comfort food and a great ending to an epic meal. I was so stuffed and couldn't function right at work. All I wanted was an epic siesta to follow an epic meal, but I couldn't do that :( . We will come back to Dwaraka again. I always need an Indian food fix and the food is just that good.
(5)Kiley W.
So good. The food was absoulutely delicious! I cannot remeber what I had, but it was good! It is even better as leftovers. Probably one of my favorite Indian places in Portland.
(5)Brian C.
After craving Indian food for a few weeks, we decided to try a different restaurant and Dwaraka had been recommended by a friend of a friend. I am glad we tried this place because now we have another great Indian spot in our bag of restaurant tricks! Service was prompt and adequately friendly. I had the complete thali dinner of chicken tikka masala (I know, not very adventurous, but who doesn't love the comfort of some tikka masala!). My dining companions also had the thali dinner of a lamb dish that was yummy and grilled mixed meat that could have fed three people easily! The great thing about the thali style dinner is that you get to try a bit of everything (including dessert) with your main dish. I loved the the variety of flavors of all the dishes. And the naan was great! I have heard from some people that they think the portion sizes are proportional to the amount you are paying for the food. I couldn't disagree more. The portions may look on the smaller side when brought to your table, but then as you start to eat...you realize you will have more they enough food.
(4)Francis L.
My husband and I came here it was a date night for, I treated him to a sit down dinner. The food here was amazing, so many delicious flavors and textures. I had the butter chicken, and ordered an appetizer that had 3 or 4 different meats in it plus veges, and some chicken pakoras and meat samosa's. My husband ordered a spicy chicken meal between the appetizers and our meals we got extremely full this place is just so good, our meals included dessert my husband got the rice pudding and I got the mango pudding we both said in unison to our waiter when he asked which we liked the best "Mango" hands down that was my fav dessert. I would recommend this place to anyone hands down, we ordered a ton of food its something we do when we try a new place but the menu prices and portions are quite affordable and large this is just a superb eatery and so yummy.
(5)Christian B.
This is one of the best Indian food spots in Portland. And I'm glad it's quite close to where I live. The samosas were really good; very hot and packed full of goodness. The chicken tikka masala and tandoor chicken were both perfectly spiced and delicious as well. I didn't find the masala to be too buttery; in fact, I think it was one of the least-buttery masalas I've had. The service was absolutely phenomenal. Our waiter went out of his way to make sure we knew what we wanted to order and suggested trying their sweet naan, which is a MUST for everyone to try. I've never had sweet naan before but it was delicious! Definitely happy to have these guys in the neighborhood. Looking forward to going again and bumping this up to five stars.
(4)Stanley W.
Yes It was so good , I would go back for sure,service was great as well
(5)Pooja B.
Tried their lunch buffet on a weekend and it was pretty good. Lots of choice for vegerarians too... I had nan,4 choices of curry,rice,sambar and some vada. They kept re-filling the containers with fresh food as and when it got over .. What I loved is their alacarte menu and am waiting to try it soon!The decor is not the best,but who cares,its the food that matters !!
(4)Mike K.
If you're looking to get a LOT of good food without spending a fortune, this is your place. I'm no expert on Indian food...I can count the times I've gone for Indian food on one hand (not because I don't like it, but for reasons too numerous and lame to list here). I had no problem at Dwaraka, though, because the servers were extremely helpful without being snarky or condescending. The place is small but not tiny or cramped, and casual but not dirty or tacky. The servers were ultra cool and the food all came out very quickly. In my mind the good-fast-cheap triangle is complete here. I would say if you're not super hungry and don't want leftovers, get your entree a la carte. Otherwise, get it Thali style and enjoy the side dishes...there were like five of them (not including the rice and nan) and they were all outstanding and complemented my entree (chicken Tikka Masala) perfectly. Throw in a yummy meat somosa, some dank mango pudding and a nice selection of beer and wine, and you have all the makings of an instant favorite in my book.
(5)Gabey R.
Best Indian restaurant we've been to in Portland. One of the best we've been to anywhere. Lunch buffet is always hot, well stocked, and interesting. They do a killer job on our great Portland culinary love -- Chicken Makhani. Delicious saag, korma, sambar that is celestial...oh hell, it's all really good. Seriously. AND, they have Taj Mahal beer *sigh*. Now for the part that I can't decide is good or bad -- the host. This guy can have one heck of an attitude, so watch out. On the other hand, the next minute he can be laughing. I guess I'll subtract a star for his frequent not so great attitude, but the confusion arises because it can be kinda funny. Still, gotta love this place!! You get fantastic Indian food and interesting entertainment!
(4)Neill P.
The atmosphere isn't fancy, so keep that in mind if that's what you are looking for. However, the food is fantastic and cheap. Of particular note, are the side dishes you get. Normally, I am lucky if I even acknowledge the existence of Indian side dishes. But at Dwaraka they are delicious and I gobbled them all down and was wanting more. I NEVER do that! Highly recommended if you are looking for delicious Indian food for a good price, and don't mind going somewhere with a non-fancy vibe to get it.
(5)H H.
Best Gobi Manchurian I have eaten, ever. We like the atmosphere, Sanjiv is a good host. We both ordered Veg thalis. I had the Paneer Tikka Masala. Flavors were put together well, but I found it heavy on the onions. If you like a creamy onion curry, then it is perfect. it had plenty of Paneer. The wife had Palak Paneer. It was very good albeit a bit light on Paneer. The yellow Dahl could have been softer. All elements came together well, but it was more food than we could eat. Mango lassi was good and it was good to get naan that was lighter and not burned. We will return.
(4)Jenni B.
I'm going to try to help out for the culturally undereducated people who complained about them "not having a good meat selection for their lunch buffet" and "mostly only vegetarian options" because I think some clarification might help. Many people in India are vegetarians because of their religious beliefs. It is not commonplace for people in India to eat beef so if you want those, go to a place that serves it on their menu. Good luck finding it at any Indian restaurant run by Hindu's. It's obvious from some of the art at this place that they are Hindu, which again, is a religion that is traditionally vegetarian. That being said, I'm not saying all Hindu's are vegetarians, but cows in India are considered sacred animals for the most part. If the Krishna art on their walls didn't give that away for you, I fear there is no other way to explain or help. More for those of us who like this place I guess. Goat is a common meat in a lot of other places in the world India included- it's not strange for them to have it on their menu nor should you be bothered with the location of it in the buffet spread. Okay, now that we have that straightened out, I want to tell you why this place wins. First, it's very clean (including the restroom) but casual which is the perfect combination for a rainy Sunday afternoon trip to the buffet. Did I mention how wonderful it is to find a lunch buffet special on a weekend? Second, the menu selection for the buffet is tasty and everything we ate was hot and obviously not reheated leftovers as some of the other reviewers mentioned. We got there about an hour into their buffet time, so maybe that's why our food was better than theirs? Don't show up to a lunch buffet three minutes before the buffet ends and expect to get fresh, hot food. The meat of the experience: The vegetarian dishes were all spiced perfectly and had good flavor and amount of heat. The Dhal Curry was the best I've had anywhere and the Eggplant Masala had the perfect amount of heat and spice to it. The Chicken Tikka Masala was exactly what I expected- hot, rich and sinfully tasty. Everything else including the chutney was wonderful and exactly what I expected from a lunch buffet. I think I ate about seven pieces of the naan because I couldn't stop dipping it in all the tasty sauces. The service is good and both the man and woman working asked us if we wanted anything else to drink etc. and our water was refilled on the regular. They cleared our plates as soon as we were finished, and I didn't feel rushed to get out of there even though it was getting busy toward the end of our dining experience. I've had Swagat's buffet too, but honestly I think Dwaraka's is better. I realize that the atmosphere at Swagat is a little nicer, but I liked the food here much better. I highly recommend this place if you want something good, but in a casual atmosphere where you won't feel rushed to get out.
(5)Lauren G.
This is my 2nd edit of a review for this place - only because the first time I reviewed it I thought I was reviewing a different place. Came here a month or so ago for a Friday dinner. My boyfriend and I split a lamb curry and a tagine dish. Both were pretty good. Nothing amazing, but enjoyable. I was probably most impressed by the mango ice cream.
(3)Robert A.
Best Indian food in Portland, owner is super nice and always remember us even though we only make it in 2 or 3 times a year. Everything we've had here is delicious. The chicken makhani is so good I could easily OD on it.
(5)Brandi G.
Definitely not my favorite Indian food in Portland... That being said, I was pleased with the lunch buffet I had today. They had a decent selection (about 12 items) of vegetarian and meat options. The rice was fresh, it definitely hadn't reached a state of dried out clumpiness that I have seen in other restaurants. The Chicken tikka and cabbage pakora were great, if I had room I would have eaten more of both. (Side note... tikka sauce is by far, one of my favorite foods on the planet). I was disappointed with the naan, it wasn't warm and I think it was overcooked as it was crispy as opposed to chewy. I wish the signs weren't hand written, only because the letters were starting to fade and it was kind of hard to figure out what a few things were. The restaurant was incredibly clean and the servers were very attentive. I probably would have given 4 stars if it weren't for the naan and the signs. Maybe I'm being picky today. If you haven't been and you live in the area, it's worth going to. I'm sure I'll be back.
(3)Cyrus C.
It is certainly an Indian buffet. The food is not spicy at all, unless you count salt. My naan was crispy, but not the kind of crisp you want. But at the end out the day, the food is passable and you can eat all you want for $9.
(2)Mickie C.
Hands down the best Indian in town. Discovered it while walking along Hawthorne... and I have to say I am so happy that I did ! Probably there at least once a week. The buffet is killer! Small pans so it isn't the cold stirred food you are used to in buffets, and the dinner is AMAZZZZZING!!!! Thali style is definitely the way to go. You get to taste just a little bit of everything. It is very clean and simple inside without too much hype. and the family that runs it are just wonderful. I have brought more than a handful of people in with me and they all have felt just as strongly about how delicious the food is. The flavors are bold, and have a round variety of flavors depending on your liking of spice levels. if you are thinking about going there... DO IT!!!!!!!!!!! You will be doing your taste buds a favor. Ps: the cat pictures in the bathroom make me smile.
(5)Eve C.
The tandoori chicken was yummy. The saag paneer was weak--oily, too mild, and a miserly paneer-to-saag ratio. The pakoras looked like mangled shoe fries and were unpalatable. The naan was TERRIBLE: stale, without texture, and cold, like a 3 day old pita pocket. They get two stars instead of one because of the tandoori chicken. I don't know if the food is usually this disappointing or if they foisted it on me because it was takeout; what I do know is that I won't be back.
(2)Miz C.
spendy and sub-par. the chilli chicken tasted like chinese food (i work at a chinese restaurant, so this was VERY disappointing) and the food lacked the spice and flavor profile that I and my white, male companion were craving. ill have to keep on with the quest for excellence.
(1)Morgan S.
Dwaraka has very affordable food with amazing flavors. I went on a Saturday evening with a party of five and we were seated immediately, although the restaurant was close to capacity. Our meals were all great; I had Chicken Tikka Masala and it was perfectly spicy. Our water glasses were never empty! I've been once for the lunch buffet and once for dinner, I will go again.
(5)Ajay S.
Very good & tasty Indian food.
(4)Mandarin Y.
This place was pretty good. The curries are slightly on the sweet side for me but the blend of spices are spot on. I like how they have the a la carte options for their entrees as well as a combo option that comes with vegetarian curries, naan, rice, raita, and dhal. The combo options are a great value because you get a little bit of everything without breaking the bank. Their mango lassi is also very tasty and refreshing which helps cool down the heat in the food. I like spicy food, but If you don't specify how spicy you want your food you may not be able to handle it. Also the dipping sauces that they offer are sooo good I use them on everything. Service was very friendly. I want to go back next time and try their their lunch buffet (also a good deal).
(4)Kate F.
They don't offer Thali for takeout, subtract one star I ordered the tandoori mixed grill and palak paneer. I promised my husband and grandkids it wouldn't be very spicy. I was wrong. Both dishes were delicious, but the palak was surprisingly spicy. Oh well, more leftovers for me. The kids loved the lamb and rice.
(3)Carolyn W.
Smaller selection than some local buffets I've been to, but what's here is very tasty! I love the Chicken Makhani(sp?)! Would definitely lunch here again.
(4)Julie T.
Wow. Sorry to say I was disappointed. No heat, not spicy. This *is* Indian food, right? Not everyone in Portland is a sissy about heat in their food. Don't be afraid to let it rip on the curry!
(3)Jim D.
We live near Dwaraka and eat there regularly -- usually at the lunch buffet, but also for dinner sometimes. My favorites are the dahl and the aloo mutter, and garlic naan. My wife enjoys their palak (spinach) dishes, which she says are the best in town. A bonus is that Dwaraka also specializes in South Indian fare, which is tough to find in the states. So, if you've never had, say, a masala dosa, give it a try! As for the commenter who mentioned feeling watched by the manager, I think there's a good explanation for this... I've been in a lot of buffets here in town and have seen people get up to go back for seconds using the same plate -- which is a big no-no for health-code reasons. So, I think a lot of restaurant owners have to keep an eye on their patrons so that they can go grab empty plates. Also, in places where they serve spicy foods, I find that the better places tend to look your way more often so that they can refill water glasses and so forth. :-)
(5)Kristi L.
I'd been craving Indian food, which for me means a buffet- there are so many dishes I enjoy I don't want to be tied down to just one. I live a few blocks away and was delighted when my partner and I walked past Dwaraka on a weekday and had an "A-ha!" moment- Indian lunch buffet! So we went this past Saturday, March 9th. At 11:30 we were the first ones there for the day (they open at 11) so the buffet was uncovered and we had first dibs on the delicious spread. I'll give a special shout-out for the butter chicken (creamy and tender) and curried vegetables. I'll admit that I can't handle overly spicy, and the food here wasn't so hot as to be unpalatable. There was a great variety, from eggplant to chicken to ground turkey (I'm terrible with remembering the actual dish names, apologies) and loads of veggies. The only disappointment I had was with the naan. It was crunchy, which is not how I remember it to be. I'll definitely want to come back and try dinner for a more classic and focused plate, but at $9 for the buffet on a Saturday lunch, I felt the price and quality were splendid.
(4)Gregg W.
So hard to find a good indian restaurant, but I think I finally have! I am super picky when it comes to spicy food. It needs to be just right. I love it hot, but still needs to have the right balance. I order the chicken tikka masala spicy and it was absolutely perfect. Not too mention the naan was soo fresh. Service was less then desirable, but I will be back!
(4)Derek M.
Lunch buffet $8.95 gem! Always wanted to try this place but since PDX is not known for it's Indian food, I was suspect. The place is simple. Some Indian art on the walls, but over all it wasnt appealing, but it wasnt offending either. The buffet is simple. i was surprised to see butter chicken and tandori chicken. they were very nice. however some of the other dishes were a little watered down, and the naan bread was not the best. soggy naan bread just turns me off. the daal was particularly runny, a big no-no for my wife. however, the bathroom was spotless and the restaurant was very clean. i peeked into the kitchen and it was actually very presentable. overall, it was an average experience. a solid 3 stars and if you're looking for a good Indian lunch buffet, this would be the first I would recommend. will likely go back in a few months whenever we get a tandori craving again.
(3)Julie P.
While the decor could certainly use an update, the meal was delicious and definitely satisfied my Indian food craving. (Am I the only one that gets those?) The Tandoori lamb dish was especially good. Had prompt and friendly service too.
(4)Charles F.
We had a nice dinner here 4-20-13, and got the Lamb Vindaloo & Lamb Pasanda. The sauces and spicing were great, but the lamb was a bit tough. Do upgrade from a la carte to the Thali full meal, with several nice sides and dessert. Very gracious and attentive service, and lower prices than downtown. It's a welcome Indian spot in the Southeast side.
(3)Madame M.
If you like to eat under the disapproving eyes of a manager, this restaurant is for you, if not, go elsewhere. A friend of mine brought me here for lunch because of their "All You Can Eat" lunch buffet. When we arrived, I was a bit underwhelmed by the lack of atmosphere and unfriendly reception. The manager just pointed to a table and we sat. When I saw the buffet, I wasn't impressed. Their salad consisted of a tray of iceberg lettuce, a tray of orange slices, and a tray of sliced cucumber? The hot foods weren't very well stocked also. There were some tasty selections of sauces and some sort of creamy orange curry that was good, but those few bright spots were overshadowed by what I assume was the manager/owner watching every scoop of food you took like a hawk. It was as if he was trying to telekineticly make sure you only ate a tiny amount cause he really doesn't want you to eat "all you can". I felt very uncomfortable eating while he was glaring at me out of the corner of his eye. Since the food was too spicy for my taste, I did not want seconds, even if I did, I wouldn't dare try to go get more fearing he may throw a fork at me. How dare people actually take this all you can eat advertisement literally (sarcasm). I didn't not see many people going for seconds either. People came in, ate one plate and left. He would walk around the restaurant pretending to fold napkins but instead he was glaring at his customers so they would just eat and leave. Even if this manager didn't patrol his precious buffet, I do not see the big deal because the food wasn't very memorable. Good Things The rice was fresh Orange colored Curry Dish was good Price was reasonable for the advertised 'all you can eat' Bad Things Lack of variety of fresh dishes Dishes available weren't fully stocked Manager was hovering and bothersome As a customer, I didn't feel welcome Overall, I wouldn't return to this restaurant, mostly because of the cold reception that I received and the hovering eye watching my every forkful made me wildly uncomfortable.
(2)Mike M.
For the price this place is great. You can order your entree "Thali" which means it comes with three small side dishes, naan and any one of three dessert choices. I ordered the chicken vindaloo (which wasn't as spicy as I hoped it would be) and my wife and I split the side dishes. The side dishes vary from week to week but that night we had a mushroom curry vegetable mix, curried corn and a thin yogurt sauce that took the heat out of any spicy mouthful nicely. I ordered the Kabuli naan which I've ordered at other restaurants before. Sometimes it's called Kabuli, sometimes Kashmiri, and I can never remember which I like more. I found out during this meal that I don't really care for Kabuli. Some restaurants will make it with dates and nuts mixed in with the naan dough, which is delicious. Others make it with what looks like minced candied fruit, which is how Dwaraka makes it, and it leaves a lot to be desired. To round it out we shared a mango pudding which was heavenly. The other choices were rice pudding and gulab jamun. Otherwise the meal was great and the price was under $30 for the two of us. I would definitely go back.
(4)Philippe B.
Dinner review (not the lunch buffet). This place is a great spot for the classic hits (tikka masala, palak paneer, etc.), and the South Indian options (masala dosa) are tasty as well. Super-friendly family-owned place. If you order it spicy, it's perfect!
(5)Bud G.
Dwaraka has really grown on me over the last few months that it has been around. When it first opened I was uber excited to see an Indian restaurant pop-up in the 'hood. I had high hopes that this place could finally kill my craving for the decent, reasonably priced Indian food I grew to love in San Francisco. My first couple of trips were a little disappointing, not quite as tasty as I had hoped, and a little inconsistent in their quality but definitely as good as anything else we have for Indian in Southeast. It was initially a solid 3 star experience. But I kept coming back to feed my Chicken Tikka Masalla addiction (and they are like 2 blocks from the house and I am lazy!). They have definitely hit their stride and are now doing really good, well developed dishes consistently. They moved right up to a 4 star experience. What gives them that extra star is the service and the family that runs the place. They are just super nice and really care about my liking their food. I usually get take out and have some time to chat with them while I am waiting for that buttery, curried goodness. They always ask how my last meal was and have even suggested other dishes they think I would like. They now even recognize my voice when I call. They are really a nice addition to the neighborhood.
(5)nick c.
Good cheap Indian lunch buffet. I have been a couple of times randomly and it is the same thing over and over...
(3)Ellen E.
Delicious food, fast and friendly service and an amazing fried ball of dough dessert in syrup.
(5)'Katherine V.
price and selection Left me wishing i had gone to the one on Barbur
(3)Eric V.
Went here for the lunch buffet, and was very surprised by how good the food was. Not a huge selection, on the buffet, but everything was tasty, and reasonably priced.
(4)Foodie V.
The food here was decent, nice and hot (temperature), however nothing stood out as amazing. The restaurant and bathroom is clean, and we were greeted and seated promptly. My only complaint was that the meat dishes were right next to the vegetarian options. I did see that there were drippings from the meat dishes, coming into the dessert and veggie dishes. For vegetarians, that's not very appetizing. Prices are reasonable and coffee is good! The naan bread is also nice and thin--yum.
(3)Rad S.
I've been to this spot a few times now and I think it's time to give it the credit it deserves....the wait staff are very pleasant, polite, attentive and personable. The food is really tasty, always fresh, in large portions, and very reasonably priced! my favorite- their veggie samosas, the reita (yogurt with onions, tomatoes and cucumbers), and their entire veggie menu of curries-all the spinach stews are really good and the chana masala is yummy! also, they have a few different deserts all of which are very tasty.... and decent wine as well. Well done, stoked to have this spot in the neighborhood.
(5)wei w.
Love the goat curry , will come back for the lunch buffet again.
(4)Justin B.
There isn't much in the way of quality Indian food to choose from in PDX. Out of all of the somewhat "traditional" indian restaurants in the portland area I would say this is one of the better ones - I have NOT tried non-traditional Vindalho. I should state right off that I have not had their buffet and have mostly ordered south Indian dishes from the menu that they do not normally serve from the buffet line. They have a mix of northern and southern Indian dishes. The food is not incredible but it is pretty good, reliable, flavorful and bold for Portland and they have a largish menu with a good selection of north and south Indian cuisine. I go here primarily for the south Indian food. Their north Indian dishes are typical for Portland and some of it can be had better elsewhere, their south Indian dishes are pretty good for Portland because it's nearly non-existent unless you want to make the trip to Hillsboro for Channai Masala. Their Dosa's and papad are thin and crispy and never greasy . THe Papad is a bit too thin because you can't scoop your food with it, it falls apart. The Sambar is underwhelming and disappointing - The idli's and dosa are quite good so I want to dunk them in really flavorful sambar but theirs is bland, watery and sweet (I want more dahl, spices, tamarind, fenugreek, and to TASTE the curry leaf - I can't taste any curry leaf in their sambar) so the otherwise nice dosa-idli-vada experience is ruined by bland sambar. The Mango Lassi's are pretty good although I tend to like a better balance of sweet and sour, theirs is sweet. The Chilli chicken is spicy and flavorful. After speaking with the owner I was a bit disappointed to hear that Portlanders tend to like very mild and bland food so they temper the flavors quite a bit. This might explain why so many Indian restaurants drastically reduce the spices in Portland and also explains why so many really bland restaurants get good reviews here. On the other hand this could be a cop-out for not wanting to spend more on making food delicious and thus having to charge more. Also, the owner explained that desserts like Burfi, carrot and beet halwa, payasam or ladoo did not go over well in Portland either so he no longer makes them. Supposedly people cry out for rice pudding and won't eat anything else - sad :( My true Indian food love is for south Indian cuisine as it tends to be very flavorful, bold and spicy... just not so in Portland apparently. North Indian cuisine uses more cream sauces, less spice and is the dominant style found in the US. About five years ago a south Indian restaurant called Chennai Masala opened in Hillsboro, they had some of THE BEST south Indian food I have had in years - Since leaving the Philly area. Since then the original owners sold the business and the food and service went down hill in a big way so I haven't been there in a couple of years - they might have gotten better again, I'll have to drive there to find out. After the Chennai Masala letdown I went to the Hillsboro Swagat which was primarily Northern Indian and primarily mediocre. When my wife and I moved to Corvallis we had moved to Indian food hell as Evergreen and Nirvana were pretty bad (Super oily/greasy and bland). After I moved from Corvallis and into Portland I found the Portland Swagat to be horrible and most of the rest served primarily mediocre north Indian - I should add that India Oven on Belmont is a little above the mediocre line for North Indian.
(3)Sagar S.
Good food. Nothing great but good.
(4)Annelise K.
I love this place--you get a real mountain of food when you order the thali, and when you order a la carte, you STILL get naan & rice with it--so many indian restaurants charge extra for those. AND you get a papadam to start, before you place your order, to be enjoyed with the trinity of tasty, not-hot chutneys on the table. And the best part--southern Indian food just a few blocks from my house, hooray!! I'll be having masala dosas regularly--what a treat.
(4)Myah O.
I hardly ever post anything on these sites, but this place is worth it. Hands down the best Indian food I have had in Portland BY FAR, and maybe the best Indian food I have ever had. If not, it is pretty darn close. I have had the palak paneer (spinach and cheese), the chicken tikka masala, the paneer tikka masala, veggie samosas, and all have exceeded my expectations. All the desserts I had were equally amazing (I tried the gulab jamun/fried dough and the mango pudding). The mango pudding was good but I much prefer a mango lassi because of the consistency of the pudding. It was kind of like mango flavored flan, which freaked me out a little :) The wait staff was great, too. Super friendly. If I had to say anything is wrong with this place, I would complain about it being on 40th and Hawthorne cause parking can be pretty sucky. But, totally not their fault and I am so glad they are located close to my house!
(5)jackie s.
This is my favorite Indian place in Portland, that said its not my favorite Indian place. Service is always very nice and fast. The food is pretty good I have gotten the tikka masala a few times and the flavor is awesome Im just not in love with the texture of the sauce, I dont know is that a most authentic thing? Anyways its good food, and service annnnnnnnd has a kinda amazing picture of a cat in he bathroom (it moves!)
(4)Scott E.
Loved the chicken makhani and paneer tikka masala. Very friendly and clean, could use a little decorating but a great value and perfect for families too.
(4)Jennifer P.
This place is really REALLY good. They have hands-down the best butter chicken I've ever had, their naan is perfect...I was EXTREMELY impressed. I think what really struck me about their food is how...um...refined (?) the flavors are. You can really taste all of the 40-bajillion different spices and ingredients that go into the sauces, and it's perfectly balanced. Only four stars, since the ambiance is a little lacking, but really, you'll be so distracted by delicious tastes, you probably won't care.
(4)Marcos W.
A simple restaurant and the best Indian food we've found in Portland. We catch the buffet every once in a while to try new dishes, but more often than not simply savor our favorites (navaratna korma and palak panneer). Going for dinner has the added bonus of free, crispy papadam to eat with their wonderful chutney sauces. Aside from the tasty food, we love Dwaraka because of the folks working there. We usually run into the same three or four waiters, who have started recognizing us when we arrive, and have always been wonderfully friendly. Oh, and have I mentioned the reasonable prices? Just hard to beat this place.
(5)Scott M.
This review is for the buffet only. I have to say based on the reviews for this place, I was very excited but in the end this is just another mediocre Indian buffet. My major "beefs": --Only one chicken dish--you can have two, it's okay --Regular instead of Basmati rice--who are you kidding?? --Pakoras that just were not that good --Too much water in the curry --Tapioca in the rice pudding--I've experienced this at another Portland area Indian buffet--gross!! and finally... --Bones in the "boneless" chicken curry---the worst of all sins. I'm still on a quest to find the best Indian buffet in Portland. Maybe this is a quest in vain.
(2)lori s.
i'm so sorry to say that i don't like this place. i had samosa and chai (which is my measure of an inidan restaurant) and it wasn't good. the somosa and the chai was bland.....especially the somosa. my friend had the malai kofta and it was ok. the sauce was good. i mean, the food wasn't appalling and the waiter was nice. if i had to go there again i wouldn't take a stand. but i'll never choose to go there again. i much preferred the indian food carts on nw yamhill and 12th.
(2)Carmen L.
Great place for a cheap basic Indian buffet. Nothing spectacular. A place to just get your Indian food fix. Will go again if in the area. $8.95 lunch buffet.
(4)Bob K.
We went with 5 friends and family. The service was excellent. The food was good but nothing special. I usually only give 4 or 5 starts to a place that knocks my socks off and I know that I will want to return. I would eat here again because I know I can get reliably good Indian food. But I probably will also try to find a better place that deserves 4-5 stars.
(3)Beth M.
This place is great for Indian in SE. Go here when you're in the neighborhood and feel like great Indian food. Decor needs more interest though.
(4)Maya S.
How foolish of me to wait so long to give this restaurant a try, I live just blocks away. We've got good to abysmal Indian food in Portland and this definitely falls into the good category. The people who own it are absolutely lovely. Friendlier service BY FAR can be found here than in most of the overpriced, hipster, cooler-than-thou places that are really starting to piss me off in Portland. I want good food and nice people to bring it to me. How hard can it be? Pretty hard sometimes. But not hard at Dwaraka! All of us didn't need to order the Thali style dinners, that was too much food, but that's not exactly something to complain about! Can't wait to try the lunch buffet sometime soon.
(4)Stephen M.
Food was sub par, atmosphere sub par. Pushy waiter. Avoid.
(2)Mary C.
Celebrated my 60th birthday at Dwaraka so all my kids (some vegans) could sit down for a meal together. Had been to the lunch buffet to screen it first and was quite happy with the food and the wonderful service that only a family restaurant can seem to offer. The service was even better for dinner, although the place was very busy, even on a Monday night. The food was good, but did not seem to live up to the first visit with the vegans' food being a little too spicy and the carnivores meals a little too salty. Nonetheless, we had a great time and I expect to be back to see how the food is at a less busy time. I can't overemphasize how important good service at any restaurant is and mostly why Dwaraka rates 4 stars.
(4)Melissa B.
The husband and I are Indian food junkies. Love love love it. And we have been spoiled by living in Oakland (tasty Indian food on pretty much every corner) and central Massachusetts, which is also chock full of amazing Indian food. So we were so glad to find Dwaraka shortly after moving to Portland. We had the Chili Pakora (super excited to see this on the menu, and although it wasn't as spicy as we might have liked, this could have been the chili pepper's fault), Gobi Manchurian (I am in love with gobi manchurian, so I was so excited to see it on the menu, and it was excellent), Andhra Dosa (super tasty), and the Aloo Gobi Thali. I was giddy not only to see a Thali on the menu, but the fact that you can order any entree as part of a thali is awesome. Everything on the thali was great, full of flavor and spice and very fresh. The naan was also crazy good, as was the mango pudding which I did not have any room for but managed to put down all of anyway. We enjoy our Indian food very spicy, and none of the food really knocked our socks off in that department, but we didn't specify either, so that can be easily taken care of next time we go. And there will be many more next times. Other than that the flavors were all excellent and everything was very nicely prepared. My biggest problem is that I will inevitably order way too much food every time I come here because I want every vegetarian thing they have on the menu. Which is a lot.
(5)Cam T.
Finally, Indian food in Portland that actually tastes like Indian food! The Palak Paneer was delicious, as was pretty much everything else we ordered. They even have dosas, which are big crepes, some made with beans and rice flour that even my super-sensitive gluten-free friend could eat. Yay gluten free! The owners came by the table to say hello, which I love, and one of them suggested a new dessert he made - mango pudding (!) that was, of course, creamy and delicious. I'm looking forward to trying the lunch buffet!
(4)Jackie S.
Delicious, affordable and authentic Indian food is just what we needed in SE! I used to live in Hillsboro and was very disappointed that there was not the same caliber of Indian food in my new neighborhood. I think this place will do the trick .... Only thing, he did not ask us how spicy we wanted our food (Navratan Korma and Potato Sabji) and I found it a little too mild. A third dish (Bhendi masala) was perfectly spiced though. Maybe next time I will ask for spicier preparation. Glad to have Dwaraka in the neighborhood!
(4)Kyungil K.
Great food great service! Tandoori was very tasty. Make your order 'thali' so that you'll have some nice selection of sauces to go with the tandoori. I'd like to come back and try their masala.
(5)Andrea G.
Having just moved to Portland, this is the first Indian food that I've had here. I've had some darn good Indian food in my lifetime, but this is definitely up there with some of the best. You are greeted and immediately given a selection of chutneys and papadom. I started out my dinner with an onion pakora appetizer. It was served with a lot, but the flavor was eh. It tasted like onion rings. Something was off about the flavor on this one compared to pakora I've had in the past. Chicken Makhani is one of my favorite dishes, but not every restaurant has it on the menu. I knew that this was what I'd be having as soon as I saw it. It was sweet and savory and the sauce was some of the best I've had. Just perfect. The dish was served with rice and naan. In addition, they also had Masala (Chai) tea, which I have also discovered is not a thing that all Indian restaurants have. Bonus points again because I LOVE masala chai. The food was great and I'd definitely go back.
(4)Beth W.
The owner is really funny. Folksy dude. Real sarcastic. The veggie korma rocked.
(3)Gregg R.
As a frequent visitor to India, I am so pleased to have this authentic and delicious option in my neighborhood. As in India, I am a vegetarian and this food is wonderful. Perhaps the Thali is a little pricey but then again, we are not in Delhi anymore.... Love the friendliness of the Indian staff.
(5)Breea G.
After I come back from California or the East Coast with my memories of delicious and authentic Indian food (northern, central, southern - I love all the varieties) and then try a place in good ol' PDX.. I am constantly disappointed. I don't know what it is about the cold weather climate that seems to dampen any spicy and curry laden deliciousness but something certainly is amiss. About this restaurant in particular, which was a take-out affair (I try not to be That Person who is irritated in restaurants and so, when I try something new, I take it out!). When I got it home I was keeping my spirits up with the deliciously flakey and bready chapati, but my chicken tikka marsala was like chicken tikka broth. It was a very odd color and tasted more like butter chicken gone awry. I will subject myself to this place again in the hopes that the chicken tikka improves and report back. Until then: enter not into this restaurant if you've actually experienced real Indian food either from the other more culturally diverse states or from India herself.
(2)Lee F.
While not as atmospheric as other Indian Restaurants, you'll find excellent service, delicious and beautifully prepared Indian cuisine. The Lamb Vindaloo is expertly spiced and medium heat is not scorchingly hot. The British national dish, Chicken Tikka Masala is buttery, complex and nuanced with perfect heat. Classics like Vegetable Samosas are a real treat, filled with a higher ratio of peas to potato than the usual potato festival that other restaurants offer. Great Indian beers are offered at reasonable prices, they are a classic counterpoint to the endorphin producing spice. You'll leave Yogi serene...Prices are moderate.
(5)d g.
Great family operated place, awesome food & service. Very reasonably priced dishes. Also serves many vegan and gluten free dishes. Getting my curry-fix twice a week here. YUM !!
(5)Damian L.
I love this place! The Dosas here are so good I have yet to try anything else, and the owner and his family are extremely professional and accommodating to dietary restrictions. Seriously bonus stars for service if it were possible. I have not tried the lunch buffet, but definitely recommend this place for dinner.
(5)Pat C.
The appetizers were great. I was a little disappointed in the entrees though. While they were tasty enough but the taste wasn't as tangy as I've experienced in other top notch places. They were a bit sweet. Not the taste I was expecting. The service was great, and I think the main courses are best if you end up staying with the southern cuisine rather than the northern food we had.
(3)Karin W.
That was possibly the BEST SAMOSA I've had. Crunchy with a very tasty filling, and the dipping sauce was fabulous. The other 3 sauces that came on the table weren't quite as good, but not bad either. Very quick, polite service. The lunch buffet was fine, but not quite as good as the samosa. They offer about a dozen different dishes. Most are tasty but something in the mix had an "off" oily smell - maybe the rice? The "butter chicken" (you'll recognize it by the orange colored cream sauce) is my favorite dish at Swagat's but was just okay here on the buffet. The dahl, curried cauliflower, and kheer (rice pudding) were very good. Pakoras on the buffet were fabulous. 11:30-2:30 daily, $9. Dinner 5-9:30. Indian or American beers and wine available.
(4)Erick M.
We really enjoyed the meal of samosas, tandoori and korma. Good price and excellent, friendly family service. It was my wife's first real attempt at eating Indian cuisine that wasn't in some "cheap pre-packaged deal". She was a big fan. Korma was a little creamier than I'm used to but I'd give it equal marks to others I've eaten. Green bean curry was to die for.
(5)Ashlee H.
My SO and I stopped in for dinner, excited that an Indian place nearby was getting some good reviews. We ended up being quite pleased with our meals. While it didn't blow us away, it is so far our favorite Indian place in the area. I got the chicken tikka masala and my SO got the chicken tikka kebab, both a la carte. I always have to test the waters with something "safe-sounding" at Indian joints since I'm anti-cilantro. Both these meals, unsurprisingly, came with quite a bit, but fortunately they tossed it on top in a way that's easy enough to avoid, and it looks like I can ask for it without in the future. We both preferred the chicken tikka masala. My major complaint is there really wasn't that much chicken at all within the sauce, but the flavors were very good. They do naan right, too: it's served a-plenty (four pieces each!) and it's warm and chewy and not at all burnt. Love dipping it in the masala sauce, mmm. We'll definitely be back.
(4)H. M.
Oh what can I say, we love this place. The service is very attentive and gracious. The food is lovely. Definitely on the list.
(5)elizabeth d.
yes.....Yes...YES!!!!!!!!!! It has been so hard to find good Indian in Portland. Our search has finally come to an end. Dwaraka is a new and must hit Indian restaurant on Hawthorne. Our dinner consisted of melt in your mouth lamb, spicy and perfectly seasoned vindaloo and yummy garlic naan. We left planning our next visit. In my opinion that is a true sign of a great restaurant. They have so many more menu options and a lunch buffet that we can't wait to try....! We are so happy to have Dwaraka as our new neighbor!
(5)Ven R.
We ended up here for dinner after seeing 4/5 stars on Yelp but ended up quite disappointed with the food. The place is decent and service was okay but the food lacked taste. We ordered Chicken curry and thali. The other curries that were given with the Thali were bland and we didn't enjoy the food at all.
(1)Lacey S.
Had lunch here on our very first "scouting" trip to Portland from the Bay Area. It was buffet style so we were a little hesitant but overall it was hot, yummy, and filling.
(3)Kyle G.
A true family run restaurant that is everything I could ask for out of Indian food. Mom is really in the kitchen here
(4)Sylvia S.
YAYYYYY! An Indian restaurant close to my house! We went here tonight for dinner and I was happy to see they are keeping busy. The service was prompt and very attentive. Good selection of Indian beers and the mango lassi was sweet and thick. I ordered the chicken curry thali and my husband ordered the lamb curry. The food came out hot, the naan was fresh and you can tell everything is made from scratch (no re-heated frozen veggies!) Overall a great meal and a very good price.
(4)Nishant P.
Absolutely terrible North Indian food. Ordered Butter chicken and Malai kofta and they both had same gravy and to add, there was no consistency. The naan were paper thin. Mango lassi was just a Mango shake. Terrible quantities, not worth 13 dollars per dish(relatively high for Indian food) and only for one person which doesn't include Nan and Rice. South Indian food was also only decent. And to top it off, horrible customer service. Grumpy manager that also charged a random gratuity charge of 10 dollars and tried to pass it off as tax..bad service bad food bad decor and bad restaurant. STAY AWAY - coming from an Indian
(1)Celine B.
We ate here last night. It was cold and I was jones'ing for some Indian. It was delish and did not disappoint. The Raita was the best I've ever had. The Chicken Tikka Masala had the perfect blend of savory, rich, with a hint of sweetness. It was so delicious. We went Thali style, and at the end, mixed our mango pudding with the rice pudding. This is delish. We thought we were being innovative; the server informed me that his brother always eats it this way. (in the super nicest way). The service is excellent; they are super nice and make sure your water glass is always full. I love this place.
(4)Chip B.
5 star Indian food! Gotta give it to these guys they know what's up. After living in PDX for 6 months and trying everything everywhere I just couldn't find Indian food that had any flavor but finally Dwaraka found me and I'm full almost every week.
(5)Evey I.
Great food, great people. This is our favorite Indian restaurant. The butter chicken is to die for. Owners are very friendly and accommodating. They have gluten free options as well. Definitely my favorite Indian Place.
(5)Af R.
Good chicken tikka masala although the chicken is a bit hard. The first time I went I got the chicken saag and there was a bit too much spinach. Either way both meals were good, tikka was better. It also comes with a nice serving of rice, naan, and three chutneys. For $10 you can't beat it and I had another meal of it the next day, plenty for leftovers. The staff are great, they really explain everything and want to make sure you're having a good meal. The only downside to this place IMO is the atmosphere. I prefer to get carry-out since I wouldn't want to hang out there. It seems very clean, it's just very plain/basic and there's no bar or anything.
(4)amanda m.
And here I thought there was no good Indian food in Portland (not including the carts.) Dwaraka has a great menu, with both North and South Indian offerings. Go hungry, make sure you're wearing pants with an elastic waistband, order a thali, and be happy.
(4)Scott T.
I know very little of Indian food, but this was a good experience. I tried everyones dish and they were all good. Very friendly service as well.
(4)Paige H.
Average lunch buffet. Definitely tasty and looked fresh, but nothing really special and it seemed expensive for what we got.
(3)Daniel C.
Best Indian food in PDX. Atleast, the best desi delicacies that have yet graced my gora tongue in PDX. The korma is probably the best korma I've ever had. Korma is my measuring stick for all Indian restaurants, and it turns out that said stick was not long enough to measure the spiced pleasures of the clarified butter dish. The saag? Effing great. (Take that, scrabble.) The samosas? If you love samosa, they are exactly what you expect, and in the best way. Paneer tikka masala? Also buttery and delicious. If you get the thali dinner, you can get mango pudding, which is AMAZING. Yes, it's more expensive than a couple good burritos, but with Indian food you tend to have to pay for quality/flavor. Dwaraka specialized in Madras-style cuisine, so prepare yourself for some nice, BIG dosas filled with flavor. If you're unfamiliar with dosas, Dwaraka is a good place to get up to speed. The proprietor is also really nice and, if you manage to eat a LOT of food (like myself), will enthusiastically joke around with you, even if you can't understand him due to his accent and your terrible hearing.
(5)Shaun F.
I had been craving good Indian food that wasn't from a cart for over a year now. This has been resolved. When I go to an Indian joint for the first time, I always get the chicken tikka masala. Just like you can tell a lot from an ice cream parlor by it's vanilla, I feel the same can be said for this Indian dish. I got it as a meal with soup, curries, raita, as well as your entree (naan and rice are included without getting the meal), and I believe dessert. Not necessary if you are getting anything serious for starters, but I always order raita anyway so it seemed like added value to me. The sides were good, but the entree was delicious. The chicken was tender and the sauce was rich and thick. I bordered on the edge of too buttery, but it was so full of flavor. The raita was good. I prefer mine with julienne vegetables, not chopped, but I still enjoyed it. Liked the naan and the samosas, but the pakoras were over-breaded and just kinda missing something. Mango lassi was great and so was the mango pudding dessert. The service was great! The owner was one of our servers and he was extremely pleasant. They were attentive and friendly. And it is always great when you can check the menu online before you go. As of right now, I have no reservations about giving them a full five stars.
(5)Maria D.
I will preface this review by saying that I am an Indian food snob and that the staff here was really nice and friendly. The food however was fast food Indian. Food was not made to order but rather reheated. The chicken tikka masala was butter chicken, not tikka masala. Naan was not good. My husband said his shrimp dish was fine but not good and he felt bad after eating it.
(1)Nicole B.
I will quantify my review my stating it was takeout and I realize that takeout is often not as good as the restaurant experience. However, this food was terrible. The masala tasted like spicy tomato sauce and the lamb was fatty and GROSS. I almost got sick on the grizzly and gamey taste of it. The naan was overcooked and chewy. The rice pudding was very runny, not very rich and came with one whole raisin. The chicken tikka kabobs were just plain and boring. No sauce, no nothing. Also, the size of the portions were miniscule. Overall it sucked and was expensive. Food cart Indian food is about 100 times better than this restaurant. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT.
(1)Anonymous R.
I ordered two chicken dishes and the meat was very tough in both. I wouldn't be surprised if they had used left over tandoori chicken to put in these dishes. The flavor is quite good but I wasn't pleased with the meat. Next time (if there is a next time) I will probably go for the vegetarian options. The staff was great.
(3)Sam O.
I've hit up their lunch buffet twice, and have been very happy both times. They always have plenty of variety, and enough food. I'm not an indian food expert, but the food tastes great to me. I'd give them 4.5 stars, but not quite a 5.
(4)jon k.
After much discussion and wanting to try a new Indian restaurant besides the 2-3 that we normally frequent, we agreed upon Dwaraka. We made a fine fine choice and this will be our new place to crave. We haven't tried the lunch buffet yet but if our meal this evening was any indication, we will be back for lunch very soon. The experience began by being greated and waited on by the owner (whose name we never did ask which i regret!). He was helpful, funny, friendly and eager to learn why we decided to eat there....as he knew we were first timers to his restaurant which was also impressive. The food was delicious, well prepared, reasonably priced and happily devoured!!! Go there, support this new Hawthorne spot and, as we did, encourage him to expand to Nopo/NE!!! :)
(5)Elias A.
Friendly service as they accommodated us even though they where busy. Was not that impressed with the food. My wife enjoyed it much more than I did. I am a big fan of onions, but too many in the Chicken Tikka Massala.
(3)Justine J.
I was toying with giving them four starts for a moment - just because the decor in the restaurant isn't particularly inviting - but what the heck. Once the food arrives, who's going to notice. With food this good, if it was really fancy it would easily be able to charge prices I couldn't afford. I went with a friend who has a lot of food sensitivities and allergies. He told the waiter what he couldn't have and I was so impressed - the waiter came back after double-checking in the kitchen and gave us a complete run-down of what everything we were interested in contained. We felt really well taken care of. And the food was absolutely spot on. I'm so happy we found this place. I now have my go-to Indian.
(5)Micah A.
Went for buffet - and will go back for dinner! There are a couple of decent Indian places in Portland, but I think this one maybe the only one to combine amazing food , friendly service and great price all in one! Every thing tasted so wonderful and the guy didn't even charge me to have my 5 year old share my plate ( it always kind of bugs me when an all you can eat charges me full price for a preschooler or toddler who eats less then a 1/4 cup of food!) And btw My daughter said that the food gave her a flaming fire of goodness in her belly! A pretty high rating from a preschooler!
(5)Melisa C.
I've been twice. Lunch buffet was average (although my daughter thinks their chicken makhani is the best ever) but at dinner time the food is cooked fresh and you can order from their South Indian menu. I was overjoyed to find dosa, idli, uttapam, and vada in Portland, without having to cross the river. The madras combo plate is a bargain and everything was delicious. The servers were nice, the atmosphere was pleasant, and I left very, very happy.
(4)shanklin g.
Even though I only gave this place three stars I will most likely go back there once or twice a month. The three stars have more to do with the price of the food than anything else. The service was great. Our waiter was extremely nice and attentive. There is a wide selection of food and the food we ordered was very tasty. The garlic naan was delicious and the butter chicken although a bit soupy was still easy on the taste buds. My only issue with this place is just that it's a tad bit pricey for what you get. They don't give you nearly enough rice for the entree dishes but I think you can ask for more and they will give it to you for free. While we were eating there we did notice an unusual amount of people seemed to be stopping by and picking up orders to go. This might have something to do with the somewhat plain decor of the place but I tend not to care what a place looks like on the inside as long as it's clean and this place meets that standard. If you could give half stars on yelp I would give Dwaraka 3.5 stars!
(3)Pete L.
Easily, the best new Indian buffet in the Portland area. Not as good as the old Curry Leaf, but the closest (if not on par) I've found to inexpensively priced Indian food from San Francisco.
(4)Jonathan F.
I had a very disappointing dinner at Dwaraka last night. The staff and owner are very friendly, so no complaints there. But the food was a letdown: * The veggie pakora were way too heavily breaded. * The sambhar served with my masala dosa was thin, watery, and bland. * The stuffing for the dosa was OK. * The onion naan was too thick and almost seemed only partially cooked. * The idli was dry and flavorless. Maybe they do a better job with meat. But as a vegetarian, I probably won't go back. Too bad, because I was excited to see a restaurant in town making dosas.
(2)angie p.
Best Indian food I've found in Portland. Bangin' flavors, great portions and friendly waitstaff. I've been here three times and each time I have the same server, I think he may be a manager of some sort, and he's got it down. Always willing to take the time to answer questions on the menu, or recommend new dishes, I thank him for expanding my indian food palate. (although no other indian I've had in portland has been as good, they've spoiled me at Dwaraka!)
(4)Patrick W D.
Fantastic food and good service. Believe it. The portions are large but not too large. The flavors are all nicely balanced. And while some reviewers complain about the decor, you have to ask yourself if you're in it for the food (you should be) or the walls. The restaurant is clean, and tables are clean, the kitchen is clean, and yeah, the food--we've been over that. Delicious Indian food in PDX at delicious prices.
(5)Jessica S.
The food here is so delicious. We went for dinner and ordered the Chicken Makhani and the Mixed Grill. We also got the extra side dishes and two kinds of naan. Wow! Way too much food but so good. The service was excellent. They were so patient in explaining all the different foods and sauces. All I can think about is going back for more Chicken Makhani and naan!
(5)Emily S.
Nothing fancy here, but it's a solid, well prepared buffet. I would've like a few more diverse options, but what they had was nicely spiced. I really like the chutneys. Like other reviewers note, the owner and servers were kind and attentive and this is a family owned restaurant I like to support.
(4)M B.
Full disclosure--I am not from India and I haven't yet been there, but my husband has so his opinion slightly informs my own. Having said that, I love this place. The owner is a total character--he'll chaat your ear off (heh heh), while you eat freshly made food (and if you want, he can explain each dish and tell you it's history and cultural significance). Prices are fair, the restaurant is clean, and all the food (so far as I can tell, and my husband assures me) is very authentic. It's not necessarily a date night spot, but it is a great weeknight spot to have dinner with your long-time honey or friends.
(4)Devon D.
The all you can eat lunch buffet features some yummy Indian mushes, and it's very inexpensive. Nice curry, fairly prepared meats, etc etc. This isn't top quality cuisine, but it's some of the better affordable Indian food I've had in Portland.
(4)Jamie H.
I visited this establishment last week with a friend. We had the lunch buffet and both agree that it was very good. I'm a huge chicken makhani fan and this place didn't disappoint.
(4)evan r.
Great indian food, super tasty and not to fancy.
(5)Linus P.
What a disappointment. The palak paneer had no paneer to speak of, and it was intensely flavored with cardamom. It was almost like chewing on cardamom pods. The goat curry didn't taste bad, but the goat meat was gristly and full of bone shards. The only good thing I can say about Dwaraka is that the naan was fresh and hot- but it wasn't particularly good naan, either. Get your Indian food somewhere else- you'll probably still pay $9 for a lunch buffet, but it will almost certainly be better than Dwaraka.
(2)N. C.
Today the lunch buffet featured chicken makhani as tender and delectable as shoe leather. Obviously some of the meat had been recycled for days; I don't think it's possible to get meat that hardened in one day. Many of the dishes were literally MIA. They had vats sitting there with little or nothing in them. The tandoori chicken was of course dry and tepid, but that is standard for Indian buffets. The naan, even when fresh, was forgettable. On the plus side, there was a delicious soup, and the eggplant dish was nice. But even some of the vegetarian fare was bad. The chana masala was one-dimensional and way too salty; I took one bite and stopped. So ... very disappointing. I would say this buffet is way below that of India House (SW, downtown). Now, I know it's only a buffet, but I've had a lot of Indian food, and this place is not really doing its job. C'mon Dwaraka, I was so hoping your place would be good!
(2)Heather H.
seriously great Indian food.
(5)Giang P.
The food was delicious and priced accordingly. Located in a great part of town. Would easily recommend this restaurant for anyone who likes Indian food and is in the area.
(5)Evan L.
Great food, really good service, free Naan with your order (very awesome), good prices, & the Chai is the best I've found so far in Portland! I'll be back.
(5)Ben L.
Pretty good for a sit down place (I'm used to Indian buffets). Portions are comfortable even for this fat guy, we shared an appetizer and I'm stuffed.
(4)Drew L.
I've eaten here once, the $8.95 lunch buffet, and really enjoyed it. I cook Indian frequently (especially in the winter); I spend a lot of time in the Bay Area and eat plenty of Indian when I'm there; here in Portland I have resigned myself to driving to Hillsboro (Chennai Masala) or Beaverton (Abhiruchi) for Desi-grade Indian. Now that Dwaraka is in my neighborhood I probably won't make that pilgrimage anymore. I found all the dishes to be excellent, particularly the chana masala and tandoori chicken. It does seem to be standard North Indian fare, but that suits my palate (and probably the neighborhood) just fine. I'll definitely return for dinner and check out some non-buffet items - they do dosa so I'll be sure to pack in a couple.
(4)Lili S.
Portland's Indian buffet scene is ever-growing. This place wins! It's hole-in-the-wall vibe deters most from entering, but the food does not disappoint! Though, I've never gone for dinner, the 11:30am-2pm lunch buffet is always delicious. The menu isn't quite as sprawling as Swagat, but there is enough variety for the meat-eaters and the veggies and you get less of a Swagat vibe. The owner is always there and always pleasant. I feel good about eating at Dwaraka, support local business and eat good food!
(5)Andrew G.
While the decor is "simple" (to say the most), the food was great and fairly priced. It's nice to find a place in Portland that serves good quality traditional Indian food. Overall it was very good! One note, they don't take American Express... Not a huge deal, but an inconvenience.
(4)Elizabeth S.
I used to say that there isn't any really good Indian food in Portland except the carts. Well, I can't say that anymore! Dwaraka is really yummy. We've been for dinner several times, and I've been to the lunch buffet which is also really good. The first time we went to the buffet, we went right at 2:30 which is when they stop serving. They not only did not turn us away, but welcomed us right in, and the food tasted and looked fresh as if they'd been expecting us! I will keep going back. The only downside in my opinion is that they haven't done much to spruce up the atmosphere. It's about the same as the previous restaurant that was here. It could be made a lot nicer. Still, food and service dominates in my experience--I wouldn't trade better atmosphere in for those.
(4)Suzi B.
This is the best Indian food I have found in Portland. The food is always amazing. They have your traditional Indian cuisine, but they also incorporate some unique options like sweet naan. This naan has cherries, cashews, almonds, and more (I can't remember it all). They also have a goat dish that is just to die for. Goat can be really bad but they do it right at Dwaraka! Every day the food is fresh so get there early if you're in the mood for some meat samosas. What they make in the morning is all they have for the day. We usually order a few to go - they are that good! The prices are also really good. Most dishes are about $11 but you can opt for ordering a dish "thali" which means it comes with daal, vegetable curry, rice, naan, and dessert all for only about $3 more. Beer and wine is pretty average: $4-7 It is a friendly, family-run business with the father and sons running the front of the house and the wife cooking. I love this place and would recommend it to anyone and everyone. Can't wait to bring friends and family there to try. For a fun read, type in "Dwarka" to wikipedia. It's really interesting.
(5)John K.
Good hearty, traditional Indian food, which for some reason is rare in SE. Terrific menu with both North and South Indian fare. The aloo mutter and saag paneer were fine, and it's great that naan and rice are included. The only real let-down was dessert. The gulab jamun was dense and doughy, and the kheer was thin (are tapioca pearls traditional?). It's not drive-20-minutes-through-traffic fantastic, but it's a solid addition to Hawthorne and SE.
(4)Mark R.
We love Indian food, and took a friend here who thought she hated Indian food. Turns out she likes Chicken Tikka Masala and raita! The thali was a good selection of good foods, the Champion beer was pretty special. the only downside is that we asked for our Chicken Tikka Masala to be made hotter than normal, and while it did have a kick to it it still could have been a little spicier - having said that the waiter did ask if we wanted if spicier and we said no, so that could lie with us. We also had Lamb Pasanda which was very well made. All round good food here.
(4)Beeman S.
Naan and rice included with no charge? Reminded me of my days in Austin where, in every restaurant, chips & salsa showed up on your table before you sat all the way down. That said, free stuff isn't enough to keep me coming back. Perfectly fried samosas, exquisite dipping sauces, delicious channa masala and palak paneer, pillowy and just slightly oily naan, ... those are why I'll keep coming back. There hasn't been decent Indian on the East side since, well, since K2 Kebab departed that very same space. Like K2, Dwaraka sports a, we'll say, spartan look inside, and the servers I've dealt with (take-out only) respond to most questions by looking at each other. But whatever, I care about the food, and the food is real, real good. Welcome to the neighborhood!
(4)mateo m.
Welcome to the neighborhood! After seeing these folks at Swagat for so long, I was expecting great food and that was exactly what I got. The lunch buffet is a great deal. Everything was fresh, hot, and delicious. The goat curry was deeply spiced and superbly falling off of the bone. The saag paneer was incredibly velvety and yummy, with a hint of earthiness that I don't usually get in this dish. Very nice. The tandoor chicken was moist and very tender. The eggplant and turnip curries were excellent and the naan fresh and delicious as well. Thanks for being here Dwaraka.
(4)Christina N.
You will not be disappointed by this place. We eat here several times a month and the food is always consistently good and the staff are very friendly. I love the Marsala dosa and chana masala. They are very accommodating to spiciness level. You get a lot of high quality food for the price.
(5)D. B.
My wife and I are regular returnees at Swagat in NW and Swagath in Orenco, but we've often bemoaned the lack of a good Indian buffet in our own corner of town, near SE. No more. The food is excellent, with seemingly fresh ingredients and spices to my liking: not overwhelming. This is a definite thumbs up.
(4)amy h.
Second time in and the food was just as good or better than the last!
(5)Mitch R.
I've generally been disappointed with the Indian food available in Portland - restaurants seem to be either bland and not worth eating or ridiculously expensive. I'm happy to say Dwaraka breaks out of this mold. They serve some of the best Indian food I've had, in large quantities for a very reasonable price, plus extremely friendly staff - it's a winner all around. I had one of the thali menu options (full dinner) and it came with a larger portion of the entree (I had the paneer tikka masala), plus 4 or 5 smaller side dishes, plus rice, plus naan, plus dessert, all of it excellent and all for under $15. The staff took the time to come out and chat with us, explain the various dishes and options, and were just generally very nice. They were very child-friendly also, I brought my two-year-old daughter with me and it seemed like everyone (including the kitchen staff) took a turn coming out and fawning over her - she was a little overwhelmed by it, but I thought it was very sweet and a nice change from the dirty looks you get at a lot of places when you bring a small child. Overall it was just a great experience and I will definitely be going back often.
(5)Neeraj P.
Where do I begin with this one ? My family and I(we're brown - full disclosure) finished our shopping at the tax-free Outlets and then thought we'll go this restaurant(based solely on the yelp reviews), even though it was about a 25-30 minute drive and we were starving. Bad decision on our part. I don't care much about the service or the ambience for that matter, as long as the food is good - In dwarka's case, all 3 elements tank. My dad, brother and I ordered malai kofta, butter chicken and nans, and my mom ordered Masala Dosa. The kofta and butter chicken used the same tasteless curry - It looked like the chef had just done a 2 for 1 deal on the two dishes - made the same curry and added kofta's in one and chicken in the other. The gravy was watery and there was absolutely no thickness to it - just terrible(try putting that in your plate to eat with nans .. yuk !!). The Naan's were definitely not freshly made - they looked like they were left overs from the afternoon or something, and believe it or not each nan was half the size of a tortilla. I must say that my mom did say the dosa was OKAY - not good, but not bad as well - we didn't try that. We also ordered mango lassi for drink, and let me tell you that was not mango lassi, it was mango shake. Lassi's are supposed to exhibit slight saltiness - that one ws just a glass full of sugar. All of the dishes were just complete embarrassment in the name of indian cusine, in my opinion. Anyways, after we had the food - cause we were starving, the owner came over and asked us how we liked the food, and we were not shy about giving him a piece of our mind. He said he's been running a lot of restaurants, and was the head chef of a famous restaurant around here before,etc,etc. After quarreling over the food, he bought us our cheque, and guess what it had a 20% gratuity for a party of 4 - what ? I don't care if it's customary in portland or whatever, that's just plain stupid - I didn't even want to tip these guys cause of terrible food and service, and here I am getting charged 20% automatic gratuity. We argued about it, and didn't want to create a scene, so we paid the bill(about 78$ with that 20 % gratuity) and left - It's not like I am ever coming to this restaurant again. I don't know why this restaurant averages 4 star review, cause in my books it doesn't even deserve 1. Maybe all indian restaurants in Oregon are bad and this is the best of the worst ? PS - I am from Seattle.
(1)Josh G.
Best Indian restaurant in Portland. By a long stretch.
(5)Zen T.
[Update: 5/10/10] I've been back three times in the past week, and I'll say this: they are consistently tasty, well-prepared dishes with good service. A few of the waitstaff are still getting their sea-legs, but they are friendly and attentive. Every dish was excellent. The only thing really lacking right now is atmosphere (they're still building out, so no fault there). I plan on asking about vegan options, but traditionally, while Indian households use lots of ghee, Indian restaurants typically DON'T due to cost, but I want to make sure. I do see that they make cream sauce pretty frequently though. We'll see. Over-all, Hawthorne seems to have finally been re-blessed by Ganesha!
(4)S J.
One of the best Indian restaurants in Portland. It isn't pretentious, just good food with lots of flavor.
(5)Katie S.
Inexpensive, delicious, and authentic. I haven't had Indian food this good since I lived in London. The owner is very nice and gave me free papadam when I explained to him that I couldn't eat his (delicious smelling) naan because of my gluten intolerance.
(5)Chrys R.
This place is AWESOME! I knew this just from the smell of the take out bag in my car the first time I ate here and it didn't disappoint. Everything I've had is delicious, far superior to any other Indian food I've had in the SE. Not only that, the service is very good with a helpful staff that are eager to please. I hope that this relatively new restaurant is successful.
(4)