Tiffin Bistro
1100 Federal St, Philadelphia, PA, 19147
Tiffin Bistro Menu
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APPETIZERS / INSALATA
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PASTA
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ENTREES
Healthy Meal suggestions for Tiffin Bistro
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APPETIZERS / INSALATA
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PASTA
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ENTREES
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Address :
1100 Federal St
Philadelphia, PA, 19147 - Phone (215) 468-0104
- Website https://www.tiffin.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
India is the birth place of Chicken Tikka Masala and Curries. Indian foods are prepared with a blend of finely mixed spices quite popular across the region. The spices develop the rich taste in Indian food enough to boggle your mind. The ever-increasing fan base of Indian food around the New York city is steadily increasing because of the large number of Indians who traveled to the land of dreams. The Indians also brought their very own vibrant, colorful, and aromatic authentic dishes for the people in the West. While most of the Indian population is Vegetarian, Indian food is great for people who are looking for vegan or vegetarian food option. If you are a Meat lover, don't get disappointed yet. Indian food also boasts of some popular non-vegetarian dishes too. Few examples are the famous Butter Chicken, Mutton Biryani and Tandoori Chicken are enough to satisfy your taste buds.
Indian food has gained reputation all over the world especially in the United States. You can find many places serving the appetizing Indian food across all major cities in the US. India is a diverse country with different food culture originated from different parts of the country. While the Northern region boasts tandoori dishes and korma offering royal taste, the Western Ghats offers sea foods that is made in naturally sweet tender coconut milk. The South Indian food servers a quality of different dishes made from rice accompanied with spicy chutneys, curries and famous sambhar. Also, the Indian sweets are a delight to relish. If you ever want to have a burst of sugar syrup in mouth, don't forget to try few Bengali Sweets. Be it spicy, tangy, or sweet flavor, you can find everything in the Indian cuisine. Be assured that the melody of spices will surely bring delight to you.
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Ian S.
Great for delivery! Other reviewers complained about long waits for delivery and problems with orders so I wanted to chime in with our great experience. Ordered on grub hub and it seemed like before we knew it there was a knock at the door, 30 min tops. Also I might add we ordered in the middle of Thursday night dinner rush. Food was perfectly prepared and neatly packaged, even with pre-printed labels on the containers. Definitely a tasty affordable delivery/takeout Indian food option
(4)Alyssandra D.
DECENT FOOD, SLOW SERVICE: I ordered veggie samosas, naan, and chicken tikka masala to pick up, expected to be ready 8:30-8:40 on a Thursday night. I arrived at 8:28, and sat at the bar to wait. While sitting there, I watched as the hostess and the delivery guy put together numerous to go bags. It became clear very quickly that they were overwhelmed with orders. The phone was constantly ringing, the order hub was dinging, and a couple other folks walked in to pick up or order to go. I heard the hostess apologize repeatedly to customers on the phone who were calling about late deliveries, and even watched as the manager came over to refund a late order over the phone. Another fellow who had waited ages with me to pick up his order, returned 10 minutes later to say that what he took home was not what he ordered, and after all that time he was not thrilled. I continued to sit patiently, realizing that my food would come when it would come and there was no use harrying this poor girl any more than she already was. At 9:20 I finally walked out with my bag. In all that time, there were no grub hub updates to tell me it would be later than initially expected, but at 10:30- after I was home and finished, I got an update that my food was ready. The food itself was decent. The samosas very good, the rice plain, the chicken quite good, and the naan less than average (a bit soggy and undercooked/doughy). It might be a fine place to sit down to dinner, the staff were friendly- if a bit stressed- and it's a cute little place. But the food is definitely not worth the wait of delivery, and maybe not even pick up. If I were to try again- and I might as it is conveniently located - I'd hope for a slow night and prepare to wait.
(3)Nick M.
All the food here is very one-dimensional. Avoid the black pepper crab appetizer, as it leaves one wondering where exactly the pepper is. Not to mention it kind of looks like a can of cat food when they bring it out to your table. For an appetizer, it's not very appetizing. I guess I was expecting a whole crab, like you'd get in Singapore, where this dish originated. Of the entrees we ordered, the malai kofta was dominated by coriander, and the lamb kohlapuri was sickly sweet, like some microwave Trader Joe's dish. Nothing was good enough to make us want to come back. All in all, Tiffin Bistro continues the Tiffin empire's tradition of making food that feels like it belongs in a New Jersey strip mall, which is too bad because I really liked the first restaurant when it first opened and they hadn't yet toned things down. It's a little cramped, loud, and uncomfortably warm as well if you're seated in the back. Two thumbs down.
(2)Tim H.
We really like Tiffin, but we live in Hawthorne. We treated ourselves to Tashan once, and we liked it too, but it's a little more upscale and fusion than we prefer. Tiffin Bistro is perfect for us. It's super tasty, our server was fun and professional (wish I could remember his name to give him credit), and the setting was comfortable. We'll be back.
(5)Laura C.
You can't beat the happy hour here. A friend and I went and each got a cocktail, plus we split 4 appetizers, which was more than enough to serve as a meal. Our bill? $19.
(5)Adam F.
Tiffin Bistro has a bit more class than a typical Indian restaurant/buffet place, but it still has a casual feel to it. It's BYOB and has outdoor seating as well. Inside is stylish but not overbearing. I was a bit nervous of the food since most of the waitstaff was non-Indian, but the food was very good. This place just opened a month ago, so a lot of the service kinks were worked out and operating smoothly. Tiffin Bistro sits somewhere between classic Indian fare and Indian-fusion. Tried the Aloo Papri Chaat, Lamb Korma, and a Pork Belly dish. All were very good. Asked for the Korma to come out spicy and it had a lot of heat. Surprisingly they give you a lot of food here (which is odd for nice Indian restaurants)... they are happy to box up anything you want to take home.
(4)Elizabeth K.
Was excited to try Tiffin Bistro, as I had tried the Northern Liberties location before and liked it. Got the Cauliflower Bezule and Green Pea Kulcha to start. Would have much preferred it if the cauliflower had not been battered, as with the creamy sauce, the batter ended up making the cauliflower doughy. The Green Pea Kulcha was good with the chutneys but by itself, a little dry. For entrees, got the Gunpowder Scallops and Sri Lankan Fish Curry. The scallops were very tasty, rich, and the tamarind rice on the side was something I had never tried before. The flavors were good together. The Fish Curry was pretty good as well. Overall, our experience was pleasant. The interior is well done, and our server was attentive.
(3)Luke L.
stopped by last friday to check out the new tiffin bistro in south philly. It was jam packed, I didn't think to make a reservation, fortunately the manager was near by and he squeezed us in. Food was great, service was great. Still working out a few bugs with timeing and such but overall we had a excellent experience. can't wait to go back. glad to have a tiffin in south philly.
(4)R Y.
This place is BYOB. The food was good but not fantastic. Service was timely. No wait at 9pm on a Saturday night.
(3)Aundrea R.
I was so impressed with this spot. Great service and great food. I went to Tashan not long ago which is a much more upscale spot for Indian food. Quickly you become spoiled after eating there. I don't think I'd be able to tell a difference between a dish from Tashan or one from Tiffin. Reasonably priced and absolutely delicious. Definitly going back.
(5)CC C.
I ordered takeout from Tiffin Bistro. First of all, the takeout took 2 hours, and when I called to check on the status of my order the staff couldn't find any record of my order even being placed. It did eventually arrive, but god only knows how! It also, obviously, was cold by the time it got to my house. Secondly, the food is okay, but not nearly as good as most Indian restaurants I've been to with comparable pricing. Everything is very one-dimensional and not especially flavorful. The rice, in particular, tasted like plain white rice (like you might get at a Chinese restaurant), rather than the fragrant basmati rice I'm used to getting at Indian places. The chicken tikka masala sauce was especially disappointing. Overall, it certainly wasn't awful, but coupled with the ordering issues they had, I won't be eating from there again.
(2)Ky T.
This place opened close by recently and I've already ordered here three times. WHen we first dined here they just opened and the service wasn't so great but they were trying. Chicken tikka masala, awesome sauce, chicken was a little dry, wish they used thigh meat Garlic naan, AWESOME, probably my favorite item there Lamb and chicken kabob, pretty good, a little dry Pork belly, pretty good Sliders, really good, loved the buns they served them on Overall a great place for indian. They also do takeout and delivery
(4)J W.
Beat expectations. 2nd try at Indian food delivery (1st was Lovash) and was satisfied. Ordering thru Yelp! was a breeze. Received order, retreived food from bag to delightfully discover each item individully labelled (with printed decals). Genius! Food tasted hot, fresh & flavorful. Good deal.
(4)Rethna E.
As an Indian woman who has eaten Indian for most of her life, I know a thing or two about great tasting Indian food. I love the atmosphere here and I love that their curries are worth the hype. Loved their naan and paneer! It is incredible. I cannot wait to go back and the service was great as well.
(5)Tim K.
Everything was fresh, excellently prepared and perfectly seasoned. Service was impeccable but not stuffy or contrite. Atmosphere was perfect. Wish i had room for the kulfi but the pork belly was to good to stop eating.
(5)Ky T.
This place opened close by recently and I've already ordered here three times. WHen we first dined here they just opened and the service wasn't so great but they were trying. Chicken tikka masala, awesome sauce, chicken was a little dry, wish they used thigh meat Garlic naan, AWESOME, probably my favorite item there Lamb and chicken kabob, pretty good, a little dry Pork belly, pretty good Sliders, really good, loved the buns they served them on Overall a great place for indian. They also do takeout and delivery
(4)J W.
Beat expectations. 2nd try at Indian food delivery (1st was Lovash) and was satisfied. Ordering thru Yelp! was a breeze. Received order, retreived food from bag to delightfully discover each item individully labelled (with printed decals). Genius! Food tasted hot, fresh & flavorful. Good deal.
(4)Michelle C.
Tiffin is not my favorite Indian, but it is far less expensive than my favorite, so it wins out when it comes to delivery. After reviewing a previous order, I again ordered the chili chicken and garlic naan, plus chicken tikka masala and onion bhaji, a new-to-me app. The chili chicken was completely different from what I remembered, and my fiancé and I were not fans and will not order it again. I actually loved the onion bhaji for an inexpensive and slightly guilty app (they are fried) and the chicken tikka masala was very good but contained only 7-8 pieces of chicken. For the price, it's still a good deal and I'll likely choose Tiffin next time I'm craving Indian food at home.
(3)Michael H.
The chicken masala was really really good. The only problem I had was that they really skimped out on the chicken. You figure for $14 they would give you your money's worth. Also, the tandoori chicken looked amazing, but it was pretty bland by itself. Luckily I had the sauce from the masala to eat it. Again, over priced. They gave us two thighs and two drum sticks for $14. You can get way more for your money at other places. Would love to come back here, just can't help but feel that I'm getting ripped off.
(3)DanaJoy88 ..
Love this place. My boyfriend and I order from here often and it's a great Indian restaurant. There menu has great portions and is decently priced.
(4)Carol W.
Let me start off by thing that the whole experience was not just about the food. So it was late on Christmas Day with limited delivery options and we decide to order from Tiffin on GrubHub. I should've called off the whole thing when it said that it was going to take an hour and 35 minutes for my food to arrive and we only live about seven blocks from there. It was only meant to be a small supper but small was the operative word here!! 'When the food finally arrived after 90 minutes of waiting, for each of my entrée that I paid $15 for (lamb chattinad & chicken vindaloo) there was literally a pint of sauce --ONE SMALL PINT CONTAINER EACH--with a few chunks of meat stewed in there. The lamb was way too gamy tasting. I've had goat meat that's been more tender & less gamely. An order of chili naan was one piece of naan with tiny chilis sprinkled on top, not baked into it. Over all it was just a huge disappointment. Guess we're going to cross tiffin off from the list of places to go in the neighborhood.
(2)Zahra A.
Yummmmmyy! I ordered all the apetizers here and they are alll sooo good!! I love the one with the cauliflower. The flavors are soo rich and mouth watering. I would take anyone here because you really can't go wrong.
(5)Jake D.
Don't ever order from this place. Left instructions to call upon delivery. Waited about 2 hours and when we called to check the status for the second time, found out it had been delivered. The delivery guy was let into the building and left the food sitting on a step downstairs.
(1)Lene P.
My first choice for dinner was busy with their happy hour crowd so decided to try Tiffin Bistro after craving it the day before. It was nearly empty so we were immediately seated and served water. I enjoyed my citrus cocktail while my date ordered the amaretto sour. The waiter explained to us that the phones were ringing off the hook because Grubhub was down. However, our order still arrived pretty fast. They added lamb to our saag paneer for a couple extra bucks and we also had the chicken tikka masala and an order of garlic naan (3). As we are both used to the Indian buffets from West Philly and at Karma in Old City, I have to say that the amount of food served was adequate for my appetite. Granted, I have a relatively small one, but there were still leftovers. Overall, I enjoyed our experience at Tiffin Bistro for Indian food in South Philly. The service was friendly, food was tasty albeit smaller portions than what people may be expecting, drinks were strong, atmosphere was relaxed. We were in and out in 30 minutes. Edit: Forgot to mention I took off a star because they forgot to give us plates.
(4)Jason R.
I rarely post a negative review. This has made the exception. I don't care how decent the food is, they would get negative stars if i could give right now. The service here is just lousy. I ordered just before 7 PM. Now I understand its a friday night. But its now 9:10 and I have yet to receive my food. Somebody called me almost an hour ago saying we're short staffed. They should have called when my order was placed online. Called back. I got the lousiest apology. to make it worse, they didn't even try to make me feel like they cared. They must not have much customer retention. I'll never step foot into this place nor will I order from them ever, even if they were giving food away!
(1)Joy M.
The word "sucks" does not do justice as an adequate description for how bad this place is. I am shocked that they have so many locations! It just goes to show, there is no accounting for taste and there must be a ton of people out there that like watered-down, horribly disgusting and ultimately, an extremely poor representation of Indian food. Not to mention, we waited over an hour for delivery! What a terrible experience, by the time it was delivered, we were near absolute starvation and forced to eat what proved to be the worst Indian food of my life. It was sooooooo horrible. It was like eating a box of crayons. It almost looked good, but had no flavor whatsoever.
(1)Meredith W.
Excellent food! Consistently slow service, even when there seems to be almost no one else in the restaurant - very good for takeout or delivery
(4)Parker S.
I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. The decor is nice and somewhat upscale for a moderately priced indian restaurant. The menu is fairly limited but has most of the indian staples that you would seek out. We had three separate entrees as well as an order of vegetable somosas, and chili naan. The veggie somosas were quite good. The chili naan was also very good. The rest of the table thought it was spicy but i like heat so it was fine for me. as for the entrees they were all pretty good. I had a califlower vindaloo, which was pretty mediocre. The vindaloo sauce seemed like it was a little watery and lacked the spice that a vindaloo is supposed to have. The rest of the entrees were good, but there was nothing that blew me away. the drink list was OK. a few interesting beers and some specialty cocktails. my wife got a specialty gin drink that was a little disappointing. our service was good and personable. Overall its a decent place. I probably wouldn't rush back and will instead continue the search for a top notch indian restaurant.
(3)Cassidi B.
After all the glowing reviews from my friends and coworkers, I figured to try it out. Man, I was sooooo bummed! It was boring and had no spice. And it cost $25 dollars for chicken tikka masala, naan, and rice! Are you kidding me dude? Not worth it at all.. I am super bummed about this place. I was hoping for an affordable, good Indian place in South Philly.. I guess i'll still be looking.
(2)Kelly T.
I came here by myself on a gorgeous Friday night to grab some dinner before meeting friends in the area. I was craving Indian and heard good things about this spot. When I arrived around 5:30, I had no problem grabbing a table outside. In fact, I was the only one out there (though it quickly filled). From 4:30 to 6:30 all drinks and appetizers are half off. As a result, I decided to try a couple appetizers for my dinner. I started with vegetable samosas, which came with two samosas and three dipping sauces--mango, lindenberry, and creamy cilantro. All of the sauces were good, as were the samosas--I enjoyed the mango in particular, which had big chunks of the fruit in the chutney. I followed that up with the chili chicken. It was a more than generous plate of juicy, dark meat chicken. It was not what I expected, as the chicken came fried, and while it was served with red and green peppers, there were no actual chilies to be found. I expected it to be a bit spicier than it was, but the taste was good. I ate this with an order of garlic naan, which tasted great, but was a bit more oily than I want in a five-star naan (and expensive at $4 for one). The service was fine, if a bit neglectful. This is likely due to my sitting outside by myself, but it could definitely be improved upon. I ran completely out of drinks for about ten minutes at one point (perhaps not so coincidentally at the spiciest part of my meal). Also, I ordered a glass of wine, waited for it for five minutes, and then the server told me it would be several more before I received it because they had to chill the bottle. I switched my order, but perhaps Tiffin would be better served to keep one bottle of the four whites they offer in a refrigerator at all times. I had all that food and two drinks for less than $20 (plus tip). I will definitely be back to try some other dishes they offer, including the main courses.
(3)Madeleine S.
Everything was completely delicious, and the wait staff was really pleasant. Two of us ordered three dishes, spent about $40, left stuffed AND with a full second meal's worth of leftovers. Hard to find Tiffin's prices anywhere else, especially when it's so good.
(5)Suzie L.
If I can give zero stars I would for service and overall experience. I went for Sunday dinner and it took over an hour to get my entree. I know the server is not 100% at fault but I ordered the Chicken Tikka Marsala only to find out 45 minutes later that it ran out so it took them another 15 minutes to make it. I don't understand why the kitchen didn't relay the message to the server sooner but it put a damper on my experience here. They didn't bring out the naan bread to help ease the hunger pains. After they acknowledged the slow service, no one bothered to take a % off the bill or give us something to lessen the burden of 2 hungry people waiting for over an hour for a meal. Food was subpar, nothing great and service was mediocre. Most likely not going to return.
(1)Daniel O.
Full disclaimer I've never actually been here, only get it delivered. That being said I wish I could give this place more stars as the food is absolutely delicious but I've never ordered delivery here and waited less than an hour. Sometimes it takes so long I'm pretty sure I could get food from Mumbai faster. Up your delivery game!
(3)Bhumi P.
great food, great service!
(5)Swati S.
I ordered the saga panel and the butter panel masala. This was my first time ordering so I did one spicy and one medium. But neither were even a little spicy they had no heat to them at all.. which was unfortunate because the flavor of the food is pretty good. Portions are a bit small for the price. I also got the onion and garlic naans... the onion was great and frsh. The garlic was just crunchy and maybe left over from yesterday not sure. The delivery was quick - but I did but in my order around noon which is probably before the rush for lunch Overall it was good but not great. The fact that I choose spicy and it wasn't at all was a big no for me.
(3)Sara P.
The food was ok, just ok, but the price was out of range for the type of food that we had. The atmosphere was ok, just ok, because the seating is tight. The service was ok, just ok, as there seemed to be a disconnect between the servers about who was doing what. The prices were high for the services and food offered. Our children enjoyed it much more than we did, but they weren't picking up the tab. Nuff said.
(3)Carol L.
Food is good, and staff and atmosphere are excellent. The specialty naan and roti are interesting and I would recommend getting a few for the table. The apps are so good that next time that will be my meal. Nice portion sizes too. Great choice when you want Indian in a classy setting.
(4)ian y.
Empty restaurant. How long do we wait to get a menu after sitting down. 12 minutes. Two standard dishes. 35 minutes and still waiting. Delivery was good 3 years ago. Poor service dining in
(1)Steve C.
Our experience was solid. Flavors were fantastic...price point was decent. This spot will definately be one of our go to Indian options!
(4)Chris V.
This place frustrates the heck out of me. I LOVE the food, I LOVE the outdoor seating but everything else is infuriatingly bad. The service is so slow and the wait staff is unknowledgeable to the point that you wonder if it's their first day at the restaurant. Like, I could tell you it's bad, you go, and you would tell me that it was worse than bad. My last experience there, they were in the process of releasing some new appetizers, chicken wings & something called chicken 65. My first reaction, this is an Indian restaurant... Why are you selling chicken wings as an appetizer? My second reaction, what the heck is chicken 65? I ask (who I thought was our waitress) and she said she really doesn't know. That's fine, if it's a new item, she might not know. She goes inside and the manager comes out and says that "it's chicken with leaves and stuff". What does that even mean? Chicken with leaves? So, we skipped that. I normally order a couple apps and then split an entrée. Bae and I usually get the Vegetable Dumplings, Lasooni Chicken, Cauliflower Bezule and cheesey naan and they're all awesome! You might just have to wait 30+ minutes for your food and if you have any questions, forget about it. Google is your best friend at this place. Another thing I noticed, if you come at odd times, there is a good chance the place is empty. At any other place, that'd be great but not at Tiffin. If it's empty, the staff just watches you and it's super awkward. I guess because it's a small space they don't have anywhere else to congregate but in the front of the restaurant. All in all, go with low expectations for service. The food/drinks are good and the outdoor seating is great.
(3)Juliana K.
A bit higher than a 3. Food is good here! Veggie samosa was decent. Pretty standard. Cauliflower bezule is very coconuty. My friend loved it, I thought it was a bit overwhelmingly coconut. Mango lassi tastes delicious, but I wish it were served colder. Dhaba chicken was very ready! I loved the savory sauce. Kerala pepper shrimp was okay. Sauce had a pretty powerful shrimp flavor. Cheese kulcha is awesome!!! Cheesey naan tasted so flavorful and delicious! Garlic naan was also good, though a bit oily. Creme brûlée (in a throwaway aluminum container) and tiramisu were horrid. Won't come back for desserts, but I will come back for food- especially the cheesy naan! I heard happy hour is half of drinks and appetizers! Service was great. Very friendly and attentive. Restaurant was neat, clean, and felt comfortable. Music was great (someone was playing hip hop. Haha)
(3)Mike R.
fantastic food, some of the worst service i have ever encountered. After waiting 2 hours for an order i finally called in to rude, argumentative manager who told us we were wrong about the order time and had another 45 minute wait. we were weekly customers. i'll never order from them again
(1)Liza K.
We went to Tiffin for Happy Hour after work and it was well worth the trek from CC. We basically had the place to ourselves and the food came out quickly. They have half off apps and drinks - so nice cocktails were just $4.50 and $3 beer. Between the three of us we had four apps which was more than enough. We were very full and happy with the food. The price was fab - only $12 per person with tax and tip. Can't beat that. We tried the vegetarian samosas - they serve only two, so if you have a bigger group you might want to order more than one set. They had a nice crispy shell, and the traditional potato and pea filling was really soft, smooth and flavorful. The samosas themselves were really big and filling. However, they weren't anything special in my opinion. We also had the cauliflower covered in some sort of dough, which was my favorite. I'm kicking myself for not taking pictures, but once we started eating there was no stopping for photos! Soft, cooked to perfection and not too much dough. We sampled the Aloo Papri Chaat, which was lentil wafers on the bottom, covered with potatoes, chick peas and yogurt. SO good! My favorite app by far. It had all the right spices, and was a fresh dish I had never tried before. Highly recommend it! We also tried the lamb and chicken kabob. It was definitely interesting. It was lamb on the inside with chicken around it, kind of in the form of a sausage. It was a lot of meat, so I'm glad we paired it with veggies. I thought this was the least exciting app, but I'm glad we tried it. Overall, good service, good food, and a good price. However, in my opinion nothing special. I wasn't really thinking about the food afterwards, but I'd return for a happy hour for sure.
(4)Andrew B.
Can't review the food because it never arrived. I ordered delivery on a Sunday night and was told to expect an hour fifteen minute wait (even though I. After one and a half hours I called to check and was told that it would be here in "less than 15 minutes." After another 20 minutes I called again and was told they would call the delivery guy and call me back. They never called back and after more than 2 hours I called to cancel. Shortly after that, they called and revealed that my order was not even in the system, despite my numerous calls. They never offered anything beyond an apology to make it right. Totally unprofessional, I would strongly recommend against ordering from this place. Update: 1 week after this fiasco, despite more phone calls (some unreturned), they still have not reversed the charge to my credit card. Hard to imagine how ordering delivery could have gone much worse...
(1)Dionne D.
Super mediocre...especially the service. Server is a jerk. Take out is a joke, nothing to eat with. One piece of naan is $5, ridiculous. He made three mistakes with order and billing and didn't care that we were inconvenienced by their poor service.
(1)Delilah H.
I should start by saying I actually really like Tiffin. Just not this one. I used to go to the one in Elkins Park all the time and loved it. I feel the exact opposite towards this one. On January 1st, my husband and I were craving Indian so ordered from them online. An hour plus later we called because our food never arrived. We were told that it was in the delivery car and would be to us within 15 minutes. 45 minutes later it never came. We called back and they said they had only just received the order when we had called 45 minutes ago (and they confirmed it was on its way). The person on the phone was not helpful at all but said that they could refund our money, and that the manager would call us to discuss out problem. 69 DAYS LATER and we have called repeatedly and been told our refund is on the way. We finally gave up and had to contact the Better Business Bureau to help us. Maybe their food is as good as Elkins Park's Tiffin, but we'll never know because there is no chance we would ever go there/order from them again.
(1)Jennifer N.
DON'T BOTHER!!!!! THIS PLACE IS THE WORST! On our first order of drinks, the wait was long and the waitress screwed up one of the drink orders (it was one of their specialty drinks and she brought the wrong one). Took a long time to get the correct drink, and the place only had a few tables (pretty empty). My boyfriend's specialty drink was served in the same glass as mine, but his was filled to the top, mine was filled 1/2 way. Our table of 4 was sandwiched between a table of 4 and a table of 3 - they were so loud we could not hear each other. This place is small and the sound from other tables really carries. We ordered an appetizer (the cauliflower one that everyone raves about). When it came my friend informed us as we ate that it was different last time she had it. It had more of a sauce last time and was hot. This time it was room temp and all lumpy (the sauce was congealed). Being our first time, we had no idea till our friend pointed it out. It took forever to order and receive our next round of drinks. I ordered a glass of wine for my 2nd drink (everyone else switched their drink orders to beer). When my wine arrived, it was 1/4 full - I thought that was weird. The table next to us received the same wine, but their glasses of wine were 1/2 full. So the bartender was VERY inconsistent when pouring drinks. We sat for an hour and 20 minutes, had one appetizer and 2 drinks each. In that time, 4 tables were seated around us, variety of groups ranging from 2-6 people. Every table that was seated after us was served their dinner. Our waitress noticed us looking at everyone around us and approached us to say that there was a problem in the kitchen, our ticket was lost. She then went on to say, " I can put the order in and take a whole bunch off", she didn't wait for a response, just walked away. Take a bunch off? What did that even mean? She was not specific. We flagged her down and asked if we were to reorder how long would it take... she did a ditzy head tilt and said, "about 15 minutes or so". I said cancel the order and bring us our check. 15 minutes passed before she brought the check; she stated that she gave us happy hour prices on our drinks for the mix up. When all was said and done, the check total was $50 - that was for 8 drinks, one appetizer and an hour and 40 minutes of aggravation and horrible service. SAVE YOUR MONEY AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!
(1)Lauren C.
I met a girlfriend here for dinner on Wednesday night. I was really excited to see Tiffin pop up in the neighborhood, but we both had to wait for the opportunity to ditch the anti-curry boyfriends and go out! I made a reservation, but I didn't really need it. When we got there, the place was pretty quiet. To be fair- its a Wednesday at 6:30p! Currently, Tiffin a BYOB, though they made it clear that they're after a liquor license. I am a bit biased, but i prefer the BYOB! We were sat at a very nice table, and given menus promptly. The first thing I noticed is that this place is definitly a cut above the costs of Tiffin on Girard. $$$!!!. I'm used to paying $8.50 for Saag Paneer, but at Tiffin Bistro, it was $12. I also noticed that the portion size was larger, so I got some leftovers out of it, which was fine by me! We also split the veggie samsoas which were pretty damn good. I didn't see that the Saag Paneer came with rice, so I ordered a naan which was pretty good, but also another $3 for a piece of basic bread. All in all, my meal was pretty good, and it was under $20. The service was also pretty good. As a BYOB, I'll be back to this spot. But there is so much good Indian food around the city, if i have to pay $8 for a glass of wine that I won't like as much as my own, this place may fall from favorability. I enjoyed catching up with my friend a lit more than the food itself.
(3)Christine S.
It doesn't matter what the food tastes like. We ordered and our food didn't arrive for TWO HOURS. I will NEVER order from here again and would gladly go out of my way to let people know how horrible this place is.
(1)Aruna A.
I am obviously Indian by descent; as a result, I"m a little picky when it comes to Indian food stuffs. It's tough to beat mom's home cooked food - even if I am south Indian and this is all north indian food. Also, I've been going to Tiffin for YEARS, and I'm clearly a fan. I have a love / hate relationship with Tashan, and I really don't go there for food at all. But I do think that I'll go to Tiffin Bistro more often. Plus, its in my neighborhood! I stopped in with two friends on their opening night - and I must say, I do like the inside of this joint. It's cute, and definitely smells great. Additionally, they have lovely outdoor seating. The service was great, there were definitely attentive waiters and waitstaff. I really appreciated their knowledge of the menu, and they genuinely seemed to appreciate feedback to improve upon their current service, which is rare. The food: Aloo Papri Chat - delicious, well made, and well seasoned Saag Paneer- well done, well made, and well seasoned. ALSO really warm, and a pretty big / filling serving Eggplant curry - it was a little weird - it was delicious, but weird. It had the top of the Eggplant in it? The rough stem like part? Which I thought was more than weird / strange / kind dumb. Also it was a LITTLE too spicy than I thought it should be - but it was delicious overall Naan - well made, not oily, and just the right amount of fluff / taste Overall - great experience, and great addition to the neighborhood!
(4)Roshni P.
Don't bother going here! I came here twice. Both times, I ended up waiting for 1.5 hrs to get the food. Thought I get it delivered next time, nope not worth it either. Took 90 minutes to get one entree. Servers screw up orders frequently.
(1)Jennifer L.
My boyfriend and I ate here Saturday night. When we walked in, the tiny bar area was packed and noisy. We found out later that it was a group of people who were bar hopping and stopped in to do some shots for someone's birthday. Once they left, it was nice and quiet. In fact, weirdly quiet, and sort of empty, for a Saturday night. Our server told us about a special $3 cocktail called Her Majesty, which consisted of (I think) red wine, vodka, and lime. We each had two of those over the course of dinner. Our server took our appetizer and entree order at the same time for some reason, then approached us and said all of the food had come out all at once. It wasn't a big deal but it was hard to squeeze everything onto the small table. We got the veggie samosa appetizers (yummy) and for our entrees, I ordered the saag paneer and my boyfriend got a curry with shrimp in it. My saag paneer was okay, but I've had better. My boyfriend enjoyed his and said it was really spicy, which he likes. I'm happy that rice came with our entrees, and we also got a free refill on the rice, which was great. Overall, it didn't blow me away, but it wasn't terrible either.
(3)Li D.
Continues to be a 3-star restaurant. Went to Tiffin on Saturday afternoon. Had the Baingan Bharta (spelling?), which is roasted eggplant with onion and tomato. They offered me the lunch special. Total cost was ~$10 (not including tip), which is a true bargain! The food was great. The lunch special comes with a vegetable samosa (not my favorite food, so I don't hold it against the restaurant). The naan was good and the Baingan Bharta had whole cardamom seeds in it (yum). I wasn't impressed with the hostess' attire. A sweatshirt and torn jeans are really not appetizing. Still . . . she was friendly. It's the kind of restaurant where they leave you to eat in peace, which is very nice.
(3)Asish P.
We love Tashan (one of their sister restaurant)... so when this place opened, we wanted to make sure to try it. Went there during the 4th of July weekend.. for a quick bite of lunch. Found parking right outside, and were quickly in the restaurant and seated at a window table. Ordered some small items to snack on (too hot to eat a heavy meal)... The eggplant chaat was really nice... fresh and tasty. We had the veg kati roll and the chicken kati roll. Both were nice, but a little sloppy to eat, and didn't have enough of a kick for me. The veg samosa's were nice... simple and crispy. Not oily at all. The best thing had to be the chicken sloppy joe... tasted like chicken kheema on a potato roll... very tasty and good. Unique dish and great flavor. The decor inside is nice, especially all of the photos of india. Nice little local lunch spot.
(4)Dana M.
Eaten here twice. First time food was very good, cauliflower appetizer was great. But the service was slow, however the server was nice. The second time, the same appetizer was not very good and the kitchen lost our order. It took an hour for the server to tell us.
(1)Brendan K.
I ate or had delivery from the Tiffin on Gerald street over 10-12 times and it was always 4.5 or 5 stars. As I live in Graduate hospital I had hoped that the newer one in Federal Street would be equal or thereabouts but sadly after giving it 3 chances (all delivery) it has been terrible every time. Firstly it has taken at least 90 minutes for delivery on each occasion (the 2nd delivery took 2hrs 15 mins) and the food has been below par each time. The last order I placed (which has precipitated my rare review) was for 3 x chicken vindaloo's and it arrived luke-warm and not very good at all. the rice was also sub-par. At $45 for 3 bad dishes I am sorely disappointed yet again and will not be giving them a chance again. Sorry- I don;t like giving negative reviews but I hope someone there listens to their customers (or ex-customer). BK
(1)Reid C.
I ordered delivery from this place a little while ago and was not impressed. Never again. I called knowing I wanted the samosas, one other appetizer and an entree, and asked for help deciding. The person on the phone seemed a little impatient and wasn't particularly helpful. Whatever, I decided. I immediately called back and asked if rice came with the entree. She said "uh, yeah" like it was obvious. C'mon, really? That's a reasonable question, especially when there is a side of rice dish at the bottom of the menu. Red flag, should have cancelled it then and there, but I wanted to see if it was any good. I remember liking what I had at Tiffin on Girard Avenue a few years ago. The food arrived at my house in a timely fashion but the person who delivered it didn't have change, even though I SPECIFICALLY said that I would be paying cash when THEY asked how I was paying. That was ridiculous. The food was less than mediocre, not to mention cold. The samosas were ok, definitely the best thing that I got, but there are great food trucks in the city with samosas that run circles around theirs. The chicken kebobs were not good, and I didn't even finish them. The lamb dish I had was saucy and bland and there was very little lamb to be found, mostly bone. The rice it came with was cold and dried out as if it had been sitting in the container for some time. Again, didn't finish it, and I hate wasting food. Add it all up? Bad experience, and I can't recommend it in the least.
(1)marina v.
I've been coming to tiffin bistro for quite a while now almost every week. They're food is consistently amazing. Speciality cocktails that bartender Roman makes are on of the best in the city. They use high quality ingredients and it shows. His service is always impeccable. We've also been there when their manager was behind the bar. He is very slow and thinks he's job is to talk to everyone. Overall as long as roman behind the bar and the kitchen is open you won't be disappointed.
(5)Ellie B.
I've always been a fan of the food, since the Girard location opened. Last night was my first time in the South Philly location. The food was excellent as always. I tried chocolate tea at the end of the meal which was my first time and it was amazing! What most impressed me most was the service. The (manager?) went out of his way to be accommodating and friendly. It was a pleasurable meal and evening.
(5)Dee D.
Very tasty, very well-prepared Indian food with quality ingredients. Tiffin Bistro offers really well seasoned food, generous portions, excellent specialty cocktails in the intimate, classy atmosphere and it's super close to East Passyunk (great for dates!). The location on 11th is actually great because of the parking, but I know they do take-out too if you'd rather nosh at home! If you dine in, make sure to have a cocktail or two! We had delicious gin cocktails. I saw a reviewer complaining about the cost, but seriously you guys, it's only slightly more expensive than what you'd pay for mediocre Indian food.... only it's delicious with top notch ingredients. I got a chicken dish that was just enormous chunks of white meat, no mystery meats here. When we got delivery, it came piping hot and with big portions. We had enough for lunch... and then a snack the next day.
(5)Francis U.
A welcomed addition to the neighborhood. Being a fan of Tiffin (at other locations), I was very excited to see one moving into our little corner of the world. I love the fact that Tiffin does take away, and dine in. They are a great option when one isn't in the mood for a grease bomb for dinner, al la cheese steak or pizza. I would, however, recommend dining in when opportunity presents itself. The menu is slightly expanded for dine in, and one gets to experience the plating element of the meal. Lady Mary and I have tried most of the menu now, and let the restaurant get up and running before weighing in. To be honest, all the standouts are appetizers. Spicy Calamari, Eggplant, and the Prawns are all top notch. They are modern takes on very tradition Indian flavours, and done well at that. The entrees are generously portioned, but really never exceed 'fine'. I'm not sure if the approach is too careful, or if the result is actually the flavour profile the chef is shooting for. Either way, it could use more pop in my universe. It's Indian...where's the heat? Service was very good. Our server was quick, and attentive, but didn't hover. The price point makes Tiffin all the more attractive. You can have a lovely date for $40...and it's B.Y.O. That makes Tiffin a solid 4 star no brainer. Urqhart Imperial stamp of approval.
(4)Jennifer M.
The service is abhorrent. I would have given it even fewer stars but the food is actually tasty. Poor waiter. Everything took forever to get, every single thing we ordered. Drinks took 30 minutes and the place is empty! We've been here for over an hour and all we've gotten is appetizers. We're beginning to eat the condiments. I will never come back. And that stinks because I like the food. What happened, Tiffin?! Used to be good. The drinks are different every round that arrives, one drink didn't even have garnish and it was about one finger less alcohol than the previous drink.
(2)Laura D.
The more and more I come here the better it becomes. Service is here is GREAT and they don't hover over you at all times like some places do. Standouts on the menu include a truly addictive chicken lababdar, the chili garlic appetizer, aloo ghobi (cauliflower), and their garlic naan. Portions are sizeable and very satisfying. They will give you extra rice too no problem. The restaurant space itself is adorable...nice cozy lighting with candles flickering in the windows complete with a truly great music selection. They even have outdoor seating. I would recommend this place to anyone.
(5)Jacob T.
The more places the Narula Restaurant Group opens, the better. Tiffin Bistro, like its 5 sister Tiffin Restaurants, is a delicious, consistent, and comfort bringing purveyor of Americanized Indian cuisine. It's great stuff, and I can't get enough of it. My girlfriend and I ordered delivery (which we never do but we're in the process of moving) to our new apartment and 45 minutes later, as soon as we opened the bag, we knew happy stomachs would ensue. We decided on Garlic Naan, Veggie Samosas, Malabar Shrimp, Chicken Tikka, and Aloo Gobhi--not particularly adventurous dishes, but all standard orders that would give a strong impression of the new Indian eatery. Simply put, everything was really good and held up to the standard that Tiffin has established throughout the Philadelphia area. I would say the only difference between Tiffin Bistro and Tiffin Restaurants is the menu--but certainly nothing too dramatic. A couple of new options added, and a couple of favorites excluded. Living a mere 3 blocks from Tiffin Bistro, I'll be sure to return again, and eat in--soon!
(4)Elizabeth M.
We went for a late dinner on a Thursday and were very happy with the experience. We are both vegetarians and had lots to choose from. The food was delicious and so was the apricot pistachio naan. I ordered a cocktail and it was very good. The only down side was after we had finished, it felt like we had kind of been forgotten- I don't like being rushed, but it wasn't too crowded and servers walked by us a few times without checking in on us. I think it's because the bartender seated us and took our order so maybe they didn't have us on their radar. It won't stop me from going back. I am so happy that I can get Indian food near home and don't need to go to Fishtown or west Philly to satisfy that craving!
(4)Kevin P.
I have been here a couple times since the first. The food comes out extremely slow. We waited over an hour for an entree. We will no longer be going here and I would not recommend eating in.
(1)Angie H.
We were patiently awaiting the opening of Tiffin, particularly since we live so close and really enjoy Indian food. I'm so glad we went! We started with the green pea ginger kulcha which was interesting. Husband liked it more than me. I went safe and ordered the chicken tikka masala, while he ordered two apps, the indian sloppy joe and the dungeoness crab. The little sliders were very small, but very delicious! The bread itself was warm and crispy and the sloppy joe was extremely flavorful. He really liked the crab, which was a bit spicy for me, but a good enough portion that he was full. My dish? My dish was WONDERFUL. Might be my favorite new place for tikka masala... The prices were pretty reasonable, too. I was skeptical of that, but I think they found a good balance of class for a bit less. The sauce was so good that we ordered some garlic naan to ensure we got all of it and it paired very well with the sauce, just as our friendly and knowledgable server said. Tffin Bistro's menu successfully fuses traditional Indian dishes with other styles of food without venturing too far from the spices and flavors you're used to. We definitely suggest it!
(5)Penelope P.
I ordered delivery from Tiffin tonight. Not only did it take an hour and 35 minutes to arrive, but instead of the 3 cans of Diet Pepsi that I ordered, I received 3 leaking, partially-full tupperware containers of flat soda. Disgusting!!! I can't believe any restaurant would find that acceptable!!
(1)Hari P.
I love this place. It has some of the best Indian dishes I"ve had in Philadelphia. The Palak Paneer I've had here was quite good. The cauliflower appetizer was awesome. Chaat dishes I've had better elsewhere, but not bad. I also love that it's in the Passyunk Square neighborhood. While there are a lot of "hot" restaurants here, they tend to cater to the meat-eaters. Virtually everything at Tiffin can be made vegetarian. So glad it's here!
(5)A C.
I would not recommend Tiffin Bistro to anyone. The service is atrocious and because of this food suffers. Food is served slowly and cold and the servers/management seem to be oblivious to this. I'd rather order from Ekta on the other side of the city.
(1)Mike G.
Meh
(2)Jemma C.
How can this be called an Indian restaurant??? It's no unauthentic. They don't offer any curries, no poppadoms (however you're given chutneys at the start?), no balti, no jalfrezi, no dahl, danask, karahi..... I could go on. This was our first Indian in Philadelphia after moving from UK where Indian food is a staple so maybe this is Indian in America? Either way super disappointing. What we did have was below average regardless of cuisine type and the meat was overcooked. Wouldn't go back. Ever! The search for good, authentic Indian food continues.
(1)Shane L.
Could've been a 3 star rating, but service needs some work. I really, really, really, really like indian food...especially affordable indian food (the way it's supposed to be). We came to dine on a late Sunday afternoon and were pretty anxious about this place. Tiffin Bistro is a casual dinner spot with really good food and located in a nice part of town. Cutting to the chase......we ordered 1 app and 2 entrees. I forget the names exactly, but it was tasty and hit the spot. The only problem was the lack of attention by the service and staff. Maybe it was bad timing on our part, but it just wasn't a welcoming experience. Our server was a little too attentive to the TV and not to our needs. We came very hungry and waited 30 minutes for our first app since ordering. Our entrees came 20 minutes after we finished our app. Did i mentioned we were 1 of 2 tables in the restaurant? The staff just seemed to work at a snails pace and everyone was just sluggish. In all fairness, Tiffin Bistro has only opened it's doors for about 3 months so I understand there's some kinks to work out. I am not a hater and will likely dine here again. Word of advice to the owner....you're a new place and you want good business. Please oversee your restaurant during these first critical months of your new establishment. I'm local to the area and like many others, word of mouth is so important. At the end....Tiffin Bistro still has huge potential.
(2)Jim B.
First, the bad: i generally appreciate, even prefer informal service, but referring to you table(s!) as "kiddies", as in "are you kiddies doing okay?" is never, ever okay. I understand you've been open for 2 weeks, are in the weeds and trying to cut the tension, but just stop. Also, as of 6/10/2013, they're still a couple weeks away from acquiring a liquor license. i was pretty disappointed after seeing bottles of wine prominently displayed behind the bar and no mention of BYO, but the staff kindly referred us to the wine and spirits store at 11th and wharton and devil's den at 11th and ellsworth. I opted for a growler from the latter. take a detour before you arrive and pick up a nice IPA. they're surprisingly affordable - but that's another review. The Cauliflower Bezule was not bad, but i was expecting something with a little more flavor to start off the meal. This is probably more a matter of taste. The good: The vegetable dumplings (the name of the dish is escaping me) were surprisingly light and fluffy, both holding their own and complimenting the creamy sauce. Not much spice but a lot of flavor. The lamb kolhapuri was my favorite: fork-tender lamb in a spicy red sauce. Enough to take home for at least a second serving. I wish I had the self-control to save some of the perfectly cook garlic naan for later, but we were through it in no time. $5 for bread may seem a little steep but it's well worth it. Tiffin is a great addition to the neighborhood. I'm really looking forward to returning in a couple weeks when they've settled in and worked out the kinks, and hopefully upgrading them to 4 stars.
(3)Alyssandra D.
DECENT FOOD, SLOW SERVICE: I ordered veggie samosas, naan, and chicken tikka masala to pick up, expected to be ready 8:30-8:40 on a Thursday night. I arrived at 8:28, and sat at the bar to wait. While sitting there, I watched as the hostess and the delivery guy put together numerous to go bags. It became clear very quickly that they were overwhelmed with orders. The phone was constantly ringing, the order hub was dinging, and a couple other folks walked in to pick up or order to go. I heard the hostess apologize repeatedly to customers on the phone who were calling about late deliveries, and even watched as the manager came over to refund a late order over the phone. Another fellow who had waited ages with me to pick up his order, returned 10 minutes later to say that what he took home was not what he ordered, and after all that time he was not thrilled. I continued to sit patiently, realizing that my food would come when it would come and there was no use harrying this poor girl any more than she already was. At 9:20 I finally walked out with my bag. In all that time, there were no grub hub updates to tell me it would be later than initially expected, but at 10:30- after I was home and finished, I got an update that my food was ready. The food itself was decent. The samosas very good, the rice plain, the chicken quite good, and the naan less than average (a bit soggy and undercooked/doughy). It might be a fine place to sit down to dinner, the staff were friendly- if a bit stressed- and it's a cute little place. But the food is definitely not worth the wait of delivery, and maybe not even pick up. If I were to try again- and I might as it is conveniently located - I'd hope for a slow night and prepare to wait.
(3)Ian S.
Great for delivery! Other reviewers complained about long waits for delivery and problems with orders so I wanted to chime in with our great experience. Ordered on grub hub and it seemed like before we knew it there was a knock at the door, 30 min tops. Also I might add we ordered in the middle of Thursday night dinner rush. Food was perfectly prepared and neatly packaged, even with pre-printed labels on the containers. Definitely a tasty affordable delivery/takeout Indian food option
(4)Nick M.
All the food here is very one-dimensional. Avoid the black pepper crab appetizer, as it leaves one wondering where exactly the pepper is. Not to mention it kind of looks like a can of cat food when they bring it out to your table. For an appetizer, it's not very appetizing. I guess I was expecting a whole crab, like you'd get in Singapore, where this dish originated. Of the entrees we ordered, the malai kofta was dominated by coriander, and the lamb kohlapuri was sickly sweet, like some microwave Trader Joe's dish. Nothing was good enough to make us want to come back. All in all, Tiffin Bistro continues the Tiffin empire's tradition of making food that feels like it belongs in a New Jersey strip mall, which is too bad because I really liked the first restaurant when it first opened and they hadn't yet toned things down. It's a little cramped, loud, and uncomfortably warm as well if you're seated in the back. Two thumbs down.
(2)Tim H.
We really like Tiffin, but we live in Hawthorne. We treated ourselves to Tashan once, and we liked it too, but it's a little more upscale and fusion than we prefer. Tiffin Bistro is perfect for us. It's super tasty, our server was fun and professional (wish I could remember his name to give him credit), and the setting was comfortable. We'll be back.
(5)Laura C.
You can't beat the happy hour here. A friend and I went and each got a cocktail, plus we split 4 appetizers, which was more than enough to serve as a meal. Our bill? $19.
(5)Adam F.
Tiffin Bistro has a bit more class than a typical Indian restaurant/buffet place, but it still has a casual feel to it. It's BYOB and has outdoor seating as well. Inside is stylish but not overbearing. I was a bit nervous of the food since most of the waitstaff was non-Indian, but the food was very good. This place just opened a month ago, so a lot of the service kinks were worked out and operating smoothly. Tiffin Bistro sits somewhere between classic Indian fare and Indian-fusion. Tried the Aloo Papri Chaat, Lamb Korma, and a Pork Belly dish. All were very good. Asked for the Korma to come out spicy and it had a lot of heat. Surprisingly they give you a lot of food here (which is odd for nice Indian restaurants)... they are happy to box up anything you want to take home.
(4)Elizabeth K.
Was excited to try Tiffin Bistro, as I had tried the Northern Liberties location before and liked it. Got the Cauliflower Bezule and Green Pea Kulcha to start. Would have much preferred it if the cauliflower had not been battered, as with the creamy sauce, the batter ended up making the cauliflower doughy. The Green Pea Kulcha was good with the chutneys but by itself, a little dry. For entrees, got the Gunpowder Scallops and Sri Lankan Fish Curry. The scallops were very tasty, rich, and the tamarind rice on the side was something I had never tried before. The flavors were good together. The Fish Curry was pretty good as well. Overall, our experience was pleasant. The interior is well done, and our server was attentive.
(3)Luke L.
stopped by last friday to check out the new tiffin bistro in south philly. It was jam packed, I didn't think to make a reservation, fortunately the manager was near by and he squeezed us in. Food was great, service was great. Still working out a few bugs with timeing and such but overall we had a excellent experience. can't wait to go back. glad to have a tiffin in south philly.
(4)R Y.
This place is BYOB. The food was good but not fantastic. Service was timely. No wait at 9pm on a Saturday night.
(3)Aundrea R.
I was so impressed with this spot. Great service and great food. I went to Tashan not long ago which is a much more upscale spot for Indian food. Quickly you become spoiled after eating there. I don't think I'd be able to tell a difference between a dish from Tashan or one from Tiffin. Reasonably priced and absolutely delicious. Definitly going back.
(5)CC C.
I ordered takeout from Tiffin Bistro. First of all, the takeout took 2 hours, and when I called to check on the status of my order the staff couldn't find any record of my order even being placed. It did eventually arrive, but god only knows how! It also, obviously, was cold by the time it got to my house. Secondly, the food is okay, but not nearly as good as most Indian restaurants I've been to with comparable pricing. Everything is very one-dimensional and not especially flavorful. The rice, in particular, tasted like plain white rice (like you might get at a Chinese restaurant), rather than the fragrant basmati rice I'm used to getting at Indian places. The chicken tikka masala sauce was especially disappointing. Overall, it certainly wasn't awful, but coupled with the ordering issues they had, I won't be eating from there again.
(2)Rethna E.
As an Indian woman who has eaten Indian for most of her life, I know a thing or two about great tasting Indian food. I love the atmosphere here and I love that their curries are worth the hype. Loved their naan and paneer! It is incredible. I cannot wait to go back and the service was great as well.
(5)Tim K.
Everything was fresh, excellently prepared and perfectly seasoned. Service was impeccable but not stuffy or contrite. Atmosphere was perfect. Wish i had room for the kulfi but the pork belly was to good to stop eating.
(5)Nicole M.
Driver was rude, didn't know male from female names and would not deliver to our door because he was behind. Food was mediocre and had foreign ingredients in it. Never again.
(1)Sam L.
Good, not great. I ordered take out and it was prompt, but the wait staff was a bit rude/disorganized. The food was not bad, but I have definitely had better Indian food in the city. I like that they give you a little soup thing at the beginning (honesty not sure what it was, tasted like chicken noodle soup Indian style). The garlic naan was a bit bland and the chicken tikka masala was not as flavorful as I'd hoped, but I still overall enjoyed them. I will probably go back out of convenience since my bf lives down the street, but it isn't my first choice.
(3)Abby B.
Ordered online because sometimes you just don't feel like making dinner. You can't go wrong with anything here, especially the chicken tikka masala. Our order came 40 minutes (!) early, which made my stomach very happy. Is this the cheapest take-out Indian food in the area? No. But I always know that the food will be good, so I'll pay a few extra bucks. Add in the speedy delivery and I'm a fan forever.
(4)Kelley L.
I've gotten delivery here a few times and have eaten in once as well. The food is a bit expensive compared to typical Indian places, but in my opinion, it's the best Indian I've found in Philadelphia, and the quality and flavor are definitely worth the extra money. I always order paneer butter masala and peshawari naan (the samosas are good too though!) The atmosphere inside is a little weird, and I wasn't too big of a fan, so I prefer making this a take-out place (I guess because they try to make it feel like a bistro mixed with an Indian restaurant?), but regardless, food and service is great!
(5)Swati S.
I ordered the saga panel and the butter panel masala. This was my first time ordering so I did one spicy and one medium. But neither were even a little spicy they had no heat to them at all.. which was unfortunate because the flavor of the food is pretty good. Portions are a bit small for the price. I also got the onion and garlic naans... the onion was great and frsh. The garlic was just crunchy and maybe left over from yesterday not sure. The delivery was quick - but I did but in my order around noon which is probably before the rush for lunch Overall it was good but not great. The fact that I choose spicy and it wasn't at all was a big no for me.
(3)Michelle C.
Tiffin is not my favorite Indian, but it is far less expensive than my favorite, so it wins out when it comes to delivery. After reviewing a previous order, I again ordered the chili chicken and garlic naan, plus chicken tikka masala and onion bhaji, a new-to-me app. The chili chicken was completely different from what I remembered, and my fiancé and I were not fans and will not order it again. I actually loved the onion bhaji for an inexpensive and slightly guilty app (they are fried) and the chicken tikka masala was very good but contained only 7-8 pieces of chicken. For the price, it's still a good deal and I'll likely choose Tiffin next time I'm craving Indian food at home.
(3)Michael H.
The chicken masala was really really good. The only problem I had was that they really skimped out on the chicken. You figure for $14 they would give you your money's worth. Also, the tandoori chicken looked amazing, but it was pretty bland by itself. Luckily I had the sauce from the masala to eat it. Again, over priced. They gave us two thighs and two drum sticks for $14. You can get way more for your money at other places. Would love to come back here, just can't help but feel that I'm getting ripped off.
(3)DanaJoy88 ..
Love this place. My boyfriend and I order from here often and it's a great Indian restaurant. There menu has great portions and is decently priced.
(4)Nicole M.
Driver was rude, didn't know male from female names and would not deliver to our door because he was behind. Food was mediocre and had foreign ingredients in it. Never again.
(1)Sam L.
Good, not great. I ordered take out and it was prompt, but the wait staff was a bit rude/disorganized. The food was not bad, but I have definitely had better Indian food in the city. I like that they give you a little soup thing at the beginning (honesty not sure what it was, tasted like chicken noodle soup Indian style). The garlic naan was a bit bland and the chicken tikka masala was not as flavorful as I'd hoped, but I still overall enjoyed them. I will probably go back out of convenience since my bf lives down the street, but it isn't my first choice.
(3)Abby B.
Ordered online because sometimes you just don't feel like making dinner. You can't go wrong with anything here, especially the chicken tikka masala. Our order came 40 minutes (!) early, which made my stomach very happy. Is this the cheapest take-out Indian food in the area? No. But I always know that the food will be good, so I'll pay a few extra bucks. Add in the speedy delivery and I'm a fan forever.
(4)Kelley L.
I've gotten delivery here a few times and have eaten in once as well. The food is a bit expensive compared to typical Indian places, but in my opinion, it's the best Indian I've found in Philadelphia, and the quality and flavor are definitely worth the extra money. I always order paneer butter masala and peshawari naan (the samosas are good too though!) The atmosphere inside is a little weird, and I wasn't too big of a fan, so I prefer making this a take-out place (I guess because they try to make it feel like a bistro mixed with an Indian restaurant?), but regardless, food and service is great!
(5)Carol W.
Let me start off by thing that the whole experience was not just about the food. So it was late on Christmas Day with limited delivery options and we decide to order from Tiffin on GrubHub. I should've called off the whole thing when it said that it was going to take an hour and 35 minutes for my food to arrive and we only live about seven blocks from there. It was only meant to be a small supper but small was the operative word here!! 'When the food finally arrived after 90 minutes of waiting, for each of my entrée that I paid $15 for (lamb chattinad & chicken vindaloo) there was literally a pint of sauce --ONE SMALL PINT CONTAINER EACH--with a few chunks of meat stewed in there. The lamb was way too gamy tasting. I've had goat meat that's been more tender & less gamely. An order of chili naan was one piece of naan with tiny chilis sprinkled on top, not baked into it. Over all it was just a huge disappointment. Guess we're going to cross tiffin off from the list of places to go in the neighborhood.
(2)Zahra A.
Yummmmmyy! I ordered all the apetizers here and they are alll sooo good!! I love the one with the cauliflower. The flavors are soo rich and mouth watering. I would take anyone here because you really can't go wrong.
(5)Lene P.
My first choice for dinner was busy with their happy hour crowd so decided to try Tiffin Bistro after craving it the day before. It was nearly empty so we were immediately seated and served water. I enjoyed my citrus cocktail while my date ordered the amaretto sour. The waiter explained to us that the phones were ringing off the hook because Grubhub was down. However, our order still arrived pretty fast. They added lamb to our saag paneer for a couple extra bucks and we also had the chicken tikka masala and an order of garlic naan (3). As we are both used to the Indian buffets from West Philly and at Karma in Old City, I have to say that the amount of food served was adequate for my appetite. Granted, I have a relatively small one, but there were still leftovers. Overall, I enjoyed our experience at Tiffin Bistro for Indian food in South Philly. The service was friendly, food was tasty albeit smaller portions than what people may be expecting, drinks were strong, atmosphere was relaxed. We were in and out in 30 minutes. Edit: Forgot to mention I took off a star because they forgot to give us plates.
(4)Daniel O.
Full disclaimer I've never actually been here, only get it delivered. That being said I wish I could give this place more stars as the food is absolutely delicious but I've never ordered delivery here and waited less than an hour. Sometimes it takes so long I'm pretty sure I could get food from Mumbai faster. Up your delivery game!
(3)Bhumi P.
great food, great service!
(5)Kelly T.
I came here by myself on a gorgeous Friday night to grab some dinner before meeting friends in the area. I was craving Indian and heard good things about this spot. When I arrived around 5:30, I had no problem grabbing a table outside. In fact, I was the only one out there (though it quickly filled). From 4:30 to 6:30 all drinks and appetizers are half off. As a result, I decided to try a couple appetizers for my dinner. I started with vegetable samosas, which came with two samosas and three dipping sauces--mango, lindenberry, and creamy cilantro. All of the sauces were good, as were the samosas--I enjoyed the mango in particular, which had big chunks of the fruit in the chutney. I followed that up with the chili chicken. It was a more than generous plate of juicy, dark meat chicken. It was not what I expected, as the chicken came fried, and while it was served with red and green peppers, there were no actual chilies to be found. I expected it to be a bit spicier than it was, but the taste was good. I ate this with an order of garlic naan, which tasted great, but was a bit more oily than I want in a five-star naan (and expensive at $4 for one). The service was fine, if a bit neglectful. This is likely due to my sitting outside by myself, but it could definitely be improved upon. I ran completely out of drinks for about ten minutes at one point (perhaps not so coincidentally at the spiciest part of my meal). Also, I ordered a glass of wine, waited for it for five minutes, and then the server told me it would be several more before I received it because they had to chill the bottle. I switched my order, but perhaps Tiffin would be better served to keep one bottle of the four whites they offer in a refrigerator at all times. I had all that food and two drinks for less than $20 (plus tip). I will definitely be back to try some other dishes they offer, including the main courses.
(3)Madeleine S.
Everything was completely delicious, and the wait staff was really pleasant. Two of us ordered three dishes, spent about $40, left stuffed AND with a full second meal's worth of leftovers. Hard to find Tiffin's prices anywhere else, especially when it's so good.
(5)Jake D.
Don't ever order from this place. Left instructions to call upon delivery. Waited about 2 hours and when we called to check the status for the second time, found out it had been delivered. The delivery guy was let into the building and left the food sitting on a step downstairs.
(1)Suzie L.
If I can give zero stars I would for service and overall experience. I went for Sunday dinner and it took over an hour to get my entree. I know the server is not 100% at fault but I ordered the Chicken Tikka Marsala only to find out 45 minutes later that it ran out so it took them another 15 minutes to make it. I don't understand why the kitchen didn't relay the message to the server sooner but it put a damper on my experience here. They didn't bring out the naan bread to help ease the hunger pains. After they acknowledged the slow service, no one bothered to take a % off the bill or give us something to lessen the burden of 2 hungry people waiting for over an hour for a meal. Food was subpar, nothing great and service was mediocre. Most likely not going to return.
(1)Chris V.
This place frustrates the heck out of me. I LOVE the food, I LOVE the outdoor seating but everything else is infuriatingly bad. The service is so slow and the wait staff is unknowledgeable to the point that you wonder if it's their first day at the restaurant. Like, I could tell you it's bad, you go, and you would tell me that it was worse than bad. My last experience there, they were in the process of releasing some new appetizers, chicken wings & something called chicken 65. My first reaction, this is an Indian restaurant... Why are you selling chicken wings as an appetizer? My second reaction, what the heck is chicken 65? I ask (who I thought was our waitress) and she said she really doesn't know. That's fine, if it's a new item, she might not know. She goes inside and the manager comes out and says that "it's chicken with leaves and stuff". What does that even mean? Chicken with leaves? So, we skipped that. I normally order a couple apps and then split an entrée. Bae and I usually get the Vegetable Dumplings, Lasooni Chicken, Cauliflower Bezule and cheesey naan and they're all awesome! You might just have to wait 30+ minutes for your food and if you have any questions, forget about it. Google is your best friend at this place. Another thing I noticed, if you come at odd times, there is a good chance the place is empty. At any other place, that'd be great but not at Tiffin. If it's empty, the staff just watches you and it's super awkward. I guess because it's a small space they don't have anywhere else to congregate but in the front of the restaurant. All in all, go with low expectations for service. The food/drinks are good and the outdoor seating is great.
(3)ian y.
Empty restaurant. How long do we wait to get a menu after sitting down. 12 minutes. Two standard dishes. 35 minutes and still waiting. Delivery was good 3 years ago. Poor service dining in
(1)Steve C.
Our experience was solid. Flavors were fantastic...price point was decent. This spot will definately be one of our go to Indian options!
(4)Juliana K.
A bit higher than a 3. Food is good here! Veggie samosa was decent. Pretty standard. Cauliflower bezule is very coconuty. My friend loved it, I thought it was a bit overwhelmingly coconut. Mango lassi tastes delicious, but I wish it were served colder. Dhaba chicken was very ready! I loved the savory sauce. Kerala pepper shrimp was okay. Sauce had a pretty powerful shrimp flavor. Cheese kulcha is awesome!!! Cheesey naan tasted so flavorful and delicious! Garlic naan was also good, though a bit oily. Creme brûlée (in a throwaway aluminum container) and tiramisu were horrid. Won't come back for desserts, but I will come back for food- especially the cheesy naan! I heard happy hour is half of drinks and appetizers! Service was great. Very friendly and attentive. Restaurant was neat, clean, and felt comfortable. Music was great (someone was playing hip hop. Haha)
(3)Mike R.
fantastic food, some of the worst service i have ever encountered. After waiting 2 hours for an order i finally called in to rude, argumentative manager who told us we were wrong about the order time and had another 45 minute wait. we were weekly customers. i'll never order from them again
(1)Liza K.
We went to Tiffin for Happy Hour after work and it was well worth the trek from CC. We basically had the place to ourselves and the food came out quickly. They have half off apps and drinks - so nice cocktails were just $4.50 and $3 beer. Between the three of us we had four apps which was more than enough. We were very full and happy with the food. The price was fab - only $12 per person with tax and tip. Can't beat that. We tried the vegetarian samosas - they serve only two, so if you have a bigger group you might want to order more than one set. They had a nice crispy shell, and the traditional potato and pea filling was really soft, smooth and flavorful. The samosas themselves were really big and filling. However, they weren't anything special in my opinion. We also had the cauliflower covered in some sort of dough, which was my favorite. I'm kicking myself for not taking pictures, but once we started eating there was no stopping for photos! Soft, cooked to perfection and not too much dough. We sampled the Aloo Papri Chaat, which was lentil wafers on the bottom, covered with potatoes, chick peas and yogurt. SO good! My favorite app by far. It had all the right spices, and was a fresh dish I had never tried before. Highly recommend it! We also tried the lamb and chicken kabob. It was definitely interesting. It was lamb on the inside with chicken around it, kind of in the form of a sausage. It was a lot of meat, so I'm glad we paired it with veggies. I thought this was the least exciting app, but I'm glad we tried it. Overall, good service, good food, and a good price. However, in my opinion nothing special. I wasn't really thinking about the food afterwards, but I'd return for a happy hour for sure.
(4)Dee D.
Very tasty, very well-prepared Indian food with quality ingredients. Tiffin Bistro offers really well seasoned food, generous portions, excellent specialty cocktails in the intimate, classy atmosphere and it's super close to East Passyunk (great for dates!). The location on 11th is actually great because of the parking, but I know they do take-out too if you'd rather nosh at home! If you dine in, make sure to have a cocktail or two! We had delicious gin cocktails. I saw a reviewer complaining about the cost, but seriously you guys, it's only slightly more expensive than what you'd pay for mediocre Indian food.... only it's delicious with top notch ingredients. I got a chicken dish that was just enormous chunks of white meat, no mystery meats here. When we got delivery, it came piping hot and with big portions. We had enough for lunch... and then a snack the next day.
(5)Francis U.
A welcomed addition to the neighborhood. Being a fan of Tiffin (at other locations), I was very excited to see one moving into our little corner of the world. I love the fact that Tiffin does take away, and dine in. They are a great option when one isn't in the mood for a grease bomb for dinner, al la cheese steak or pizza. I would, however, recommend dining in when opportunity presents itself. The menu is slightly expanded for dine in, and one gets to experience the plating element of the meal. Lady Mary and I have tried most of the menu now, and let the restaurant get up and running before weighing in. To be honest, all the standouts are appetizers. Spicy Calamari, Eggplant, and the Prawns are all top notch. They are modern takes on very tradition Indian flavours, and done well at that. The entrees are generously portioned, but really never exceed 'fine'. I'm not sure if the approach is too careful, or if the result is actually the flavour profile the chef is shooting for. Either way, it could use more pop in my universe. It's Indian...where's the heat? Service was very good. Our server was quick, and attentive, but didn't hover. The price point makes Tiffin all the more attractive. You can have a lovely date for $40...and it's B.Y.O. That makes Tiffin a solid 4 star no brainer. Urqhart Imperial stamp of approval.
(4)Jennifer M.
The service is abhorrent. I would have given it even fewer stars but the food is actually tasty. Poor waiter. Everything took forever to get, every single thing we ordered. Drinks took 30 minutes and the place is empty! We've been here for over an hour and all we've gotten is appetizers. We're beginning to eat the condiments. I will never come back. And that stinks because I like the food. What happened, Tiffin?! Used to be good. The drinks are different every round that arrives, one drink didn't even have garnish and it was about one finger less alcohol than the previous drink.
(2)Laura D.
The more and more I come here the better it becomes. Service is here is GREAT and they don't hover over you at all times like some places do. Standouts on the menu include a truly addictive chicken lababdar, the chili garlic appetizer, aloo ghobi (cauliflower), and their garlic naan. Portions are sizeable and very satisfying. They will give you extra rice too no problem. The restaurant space itself is adorable...nice cozy lighting with candles flickering in the windows complete with a truly great music selection. They even have outdoor seating. I would recommend this place to anyone.
(5)Jason R.
I rarely post a negative review. This has made the exception. I don't care how decent the food is, they would get negative stars if i could give right now. The service here is just lousy. I ordered just before 7 PM. Now I understand its a friday night. But its now 9:10 and I have yet to receive my food. Somebody called me almost an hour ago saying we're short staffed. They should have called when my order was placed online. Called back. I got the lousiest apology. to make it worse, they didn't even try to make me feel like they cared. They must not have much customer retention. I'll never step foot into this place nor will I order from them ever, even if they were giving food away!
(1)Joy M.
The word "sucks" does not do justice as an adequate description for how bad this place is. I am shocked that they have so many locations! It just goes to show, there is no accounting for taste and there must be a ton of people out there that like watered-down, horribly disgusting and ultimately, an extremely poor representation of Indian food. Not to mention, we waited over an hour for delivery! What a terrible experience, by the time it was delivered, we were near absolute starvation and forced to eat what proved to be the worst Indian food of my life. It was sooooooo horrible. It was like eating a box of crayons. It almost looked good, but had no flavor whatsoever.
(1)Meredith W.
Excellent food! Consistently slow service, even when there seems to be almost no one else in the restaurant - very good for takeout or delivery
(4)Andrew B.
Can't review the food because it never arrived. I ordered delivery on a Sunday night and was told to expect an hour fifteen minute wait (even though I. After one and a half hours I called to check and was told that it would be here in "less than 15 minutes." After another 20 minutes I called again and was told they would call the delivery guy and call me back. They never called back and after more than 2 hours I called to cancel. Shortly after that, they called and revealed that my order was not even in the system, despite my numerous calls. They never offered anything beyond an apology to make it right. Totally unprofessional, I would strongly recommend against ordering from this place. Update: 1 week after this fiasco, despite more phone calls (some unreturned), they still have not reversed the charge to my credit card. Hard to imagine how ordering delivery could have gone much worse...
(1)Sara P.
The food was ok, just ok, but the price was out of range for the type of food that we had. The atmosphere was ok, just ok, because the seating is tight. The service was ok, just ok, as there seemed to be a disconnect between the servers about who was doing what. The prices were high for the services and food offered. Our children enjoyed it much more than we did, but they weren't picking up the tab. Nuff said.
(3)Delilah H.
I should start by saying I actually really like Tiffin. Just not this one. I used to go to the one in Elkins Park all the time and loved it. I feel the exact opposite towards this one. On January 1st, my husband and I were craving Indian so ordered from them online. An hour plus later we called because our food never arrived. We were told that it was in the delivery car and would be to us within 15 minutes. 45 minutes later it never came. We called back and they said they had only just received the order when we had called 45 minutes ago (and they confirmed it was on its way). The person on the phone was not helpful at all but said that they could refund our money, and that the manager would call us to discuss out problem. 69 DAYS LATER and we have called repeatedly and been told our refund is on the way. We finally gave up and had to contact the Better Business Bureau to help us. Maybe their food is as good as Elkins Park's Tiffin, but we'll never know because there is no chance we would ever go there/order from them again.
(1)Jennifer N.
DON'T BOTHER!!!!! THIS PLACE IS THE WORST! On our first order of drinks, the wait was long and the waitress screwed up one of the drink orders (it was one of their specialty drinks and she brought the wrong one). Took a long time to get the correct drink, and the place only had a few tables (pretty empty). My boyfriend's specialty drink was served in the same glass as mine, but his was filled to the top, mine was filled 1/2 way. Our table of 4 was sandwiched between a table of 4 and a table of 3 - they were so loud we could not hear each other. This place is small and the sound from other tables really carries. We ordered an appetizer (the cauliflower one that everyone raves about). When it came my friend informed us as we ate that it was different last time she had it. It had more of a sauce last time and was hot. This time it was room temp and all lumpy (the sauce was congealed). Being our first time, we had no idea till our friend pointed it out. It took forever to order and receive our next round of drinks. I ordered a glass of wine for my 2nd drink (everyone else switched their drink orders to beer). When my wine arrived, it was 1/4 full - I thought that was weird. The table next to us received the same wine, but their glasses of wine were 1/2 full. So the bartender was VERY inconsistent when pouring drinks. We sat for an hour and 20 minutes, had one appetizer and 2 drinks each. In that time, 4 tables were seated around us, variety of groups ranging from 2-6 people. Every table that was seated after us was served their dinner. Our waitress noticed us looking at everyone around us and approached us to say that there was a problem in the kitchen, our ticket was lost. She then went on to say, " I can put the order in and take a whole bunch off", she didn't wait for a response, just walked away. Take a bunch off? What did that even mean? She was not specific. We flagged her down and asked if we were to reorder how long would it take... she did a ditzy head tilt and said, "about 15 minutes or so". I said cancel the order and bring us our check. 15 minutes passed before she brought the check; she stated that she gave us happy hour prices on our drinks for the mix up. When all was said and done, the check total was $50 - that was for 8 drinks, one appetizer and an hour and 40 minutes of aggravation and horrible service. SAVE YOUR MONEY AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!
(1)Lauren C.
I met a girlfriend here for dinner on Wednesday night. I was really excited to see Tiffin pop up in the neighborhood, but we both had to wait for the opportunity to ditch the anti-curry boyfriends and go out! I made a reservation, but I didn't really need it. When we got there, the place was pretty quiet. To be fair- its a Wednesday at 6:30p! Currently, Tiffin a BYOB, though they made it clear that they're after a liquor license. I am a bit biased, but i prefer the BYOB! We were sat at a very nice table, and given menus promptly. The first thing I noticed is that this place is definitly a cut above the costs of Tiffin on Girard. $$$!!!. I'm used to paying $8.50 for Saag Paneer, but at Tiffin Bistro, it was $12. I also noticed that the portion size was larger, so I got some leftovers out of it, which was fine by me! We also split the veggie samsoas which were pretty damn good. I didn't see that the Saag Paneer came with rice, so I ordered a naan which was pretty good, but also another $3 for a piece of basic bread. All in all, my meal was pretty good, and it was under $20. The service was also pretty good. As a BYOB, I'll be back to this spot. But there is so much good Indian food around the city, if i have to pay $8 for a glass of wine that I won't like as much as my own, this place may fall from favorability. I enjoyed catching up with my friend a lit more than the food itself.
(3)Christine S.
It doesn't matter what the food tastes like. We ordered and our food didn't arrive for TWO HOURS. I will NEVER order from here again and would gladly go out of my way to let people know how horrible this place is.
(1)Aruna A.
I am obviously Indian by descent; as a result, I"m a little picky when it comes to Indian food stuffs. It's tough to beat mom's home cooked food - even if I am south Indian and this is all north indian food. Also, I've been going to Tiffin for YEARS, and I'm clearly a fan. I have a love / hate relationship with Tashan, and I really don't go there for food at all. But I do think that I'll go to Tiffin Bistro more often. Plus, its in my neighborhood! I stopped in with two friends on their opening night - and I must say, I do like the inside of this joint. It's cute, and definitely smells great. Additionally, they have lovely outdoor seating. The service was great, there were definitely attentive waiters and waitstaff. I really appreciated their knowledge of the menu, and they genuinely seemed to appreciate feedback to improve upon their current service, which is rare. The food: Aloo Papri Chat - delicious, well made, and well seasoned Saag Paneer- well done, well made, and well seasoned. ALSO really warm, and a pretty big / filling serving Eggplant curry - it was a little weird - it was delicious, but weird. It had the top of the Eggplant in it? The rough stem like part? Which I thought was more than weird / strange / kind dumb. Also it was a LITTLE too spicy than I thought it should be - but it was delicious overall Naan - well made, not oily, and just the right amount of fluff / taste Overall - great experience, and great addition to the neighborhood!
(4)Roshni P.
Don't bother going here! I came here twice. Both times, I ended up waiting for 1.5 hrs to get the food. Thought I get it delivered next time, nope not worth it either. Took 90 minutes to get one entree. Servers screw up orders frequently.
(1)Jennifer L.
My boyfriend and I ate here Saturday night. When we walked in, the tiny bar area was packed and noisy. We found out later that it was a group of people who were bar hopping and stopped in to do some shots for someone's birthday. Once they left, it was nice and quiet. In fact, weirdly quiet, and sort of empty, for a Saturday night. Our server told us about a special $3 cocktail called Her Majesty, which consisted of (I think) red wine, vodka, and lime. We each had two of those over the course of dinner. Our server took our appetizer and entree order at the same time for some reason, then approached us and said all of the food had come out all at once. It wasn't a big deal but it was hard to squeeze everything onto the small table. We got the veggie samosa appetizers (yummy) and for our entrees, I ordered the saag paneer and my boyfriend got a curry with shrimp in it. My saag paneer was okay, but I've had better. My boyfriend enjoyed his and said it was really spicy, which he likes. I'm happy that rice came with our entrees, and we also got a free refill on the rice, which was great. Overall, it didn't blow me away, but it wasn't terrible either.
(3)Li D.
Continues to be a 3-star restaurant. Went to Tiffin on Saturday afternoon. Had the Baingan Bharta (spelling?), which is roasted eggplant with onion and tomato. They offered me the lunch special. Total cost was ~$10 (not including tip), which is a true bargain! The food was great. The lunch special comes with a vegetable samosa (not my favorite food, so I don't hold it against the restaurant). The naan was good and the Baingan Bharta had whole cardamom seeds in it (yum). I wasn't impressed with the hostess' attire. A sweatshirt and torn jeans are really not appetizing. Still . . . she was friendly. It's the kind of restaurant where they leave you to eat in peace, which is very nice.
(3)Asish P.
We love Tashan (one of their sister restaurant)... so when this place opened, we wanted to make sure to try it. Went there during the 4th of July weekend.. for a quick bite of lunch. Found parking right outside, and were quickly in the restaurant and seated at a window table. Ordered some small items to snack on (too hot to eat a heavy meal)... The eggplant chaat was really nice... fresh and tasty. We had the veg kati roll and the chicken kati roll. Both were nice, but a little sloppy to eat, and didn't have enough of a kick for me. The veg samosa's were nice... simple and crispy. Not oily at all. The best thing had to be the chicken sloppy joe... tasted like chicken kheema on a potato roll... very tasty and good. Unique dish and great flavor. The decor inside is nice, especially all of the photos of india. Nice little local lunch spot.
(4)Dana M.
Eaten here twice. First time food was very good, cauliflower appetizer was great. But the service was slow, however the server was nice. The second time, the same appetizer was not very good and the kitchen lost our order. It took an hour for the server to tell us.
(1)Brendan K.
I ate or had delivery from the Tiffin on Gerald street over 10-12 times and it was always 4.5 or 5 stars. As I live in Graduate hospital I had hoped that the newer one in Federal Street would be equal or thereabouts but sadly after giving it 3 chances (all delivery) it has been terrible every time. Firstly it has taken at least 90 minutes for delivery on each occasion (the 2nd delivery took 2hrs 15 mins) and the food has been below par each time. The last order I placed (which has precipitated my rare review) was for 3 x chicken vindaloo's and it arrived luke-warm and not very good at all. the rice was also sub-par. At $45 for 3 bad dishes I am sorely disappointed yet again and will not be giving them a chance again. Sorry- I don;t like giving negative reviews but I hope someone there listens to their customers (or ex-customer). BK
(1)Reid C.
I ordered delivery from this place a little while ago and was not impressed. Never again. I called knowing I wanted the samosas, one other appetizer and an entree, and asked for help deciding. The person on the phone seemed a little impatient and wasn't particularly helpful. Whatever, I decided. I immediately called back and asked if rice came with the entree. She said "uh, yeah" like it was obvious. C'mon, really? That's a reasonable question, especially when there is a side of rice dish at the bottom of the menu. Red flag, should have cancelled it then and there, but I wanted to see if it was any good. I remember liking what I had at Tiffin on Girard Avenue a few years ago. The food arrived at my house in a timely fashion but the person who delivered it didn't have change, even though I SPECIFICALLY said that I would be paying cash when THEY asked how I was paying. That was ridiculous. The food was less than mediocre, not to mention cold. The samosas were ok, definitely the best thing that I got, but there are great food trucks in the city with samosas that run circles around theirs. The chicken kebobs were not good, and I didn't even finish them. The lamb dish I had was saucy and bland and there was very little lamb to be found, mostly bone. The rice it came with was cold and dried out as if it had been sitting in the container for some time. Again, didn't finish it, and I hate wasting food. Add it all up? Bad experience, and I can't recommend it in the least.
(1)marina v.
I've been coming to tiffin bistro for quite a while now almost every week. They're food is consistently amazing. Speciality cocktails that bartender Roman makes are on of the best in the city. They use high quality ingredients and it shows. His service is always impeccable. We've also been there when their manager was behind the bar. He is very slow and thinks he's job is to talk to everyone. Overall as long as roman behind the bar and the kitchen is open you won't be disappointed.
(5)Ellie B.
I've always been a fan of the food, since the Girard location opened. Last night was my first time in the South Philly location. The food was excellent as always. I tried chocolate tea at the end of the meal which was my first time and it was amazing! What most impressed me most was the service. The (manager?) went out of his way to be accommodating and friendly. It was a pleasurable meal and evening.
(5)Parker S.
I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. The decor is nice and somewhat upscale for a moderately priced indian restaurant. The menu is fairly limited but has most of the indian staples that you would seek out. We had three separate entrees as well as an order of vegetable somosas, and chili naan. The veggie somosas were quite good. The chili naan was also very good. The rest of the table thought it was spicy but i like heat so it was fine for me. as for the entrees they were all pretty good. I had a califlower vindaloo, which was pretty mediocre. The vindaloo sauce seemed like it was a little watery and lacked the spice that a vindaloo is supposed to have. The rest of the entrees were good, but there was nothing that blew me away. the drink list was OK. a few interesting beers and some specialty cocktails. my wife got a specialty gin drink that was a little disappointing. our service was good and personable. Overall its a decent place. I probably wouldn't rush back and will instead continue the search for a top notch indian restaurant.
(3)Cassidi B.
After all the glowing reviews from my friends and coworkers, I figured to try it out. Man, I was sooooo bummed! It was boring and had no spice. And it cost $25 dollars for chicken tikka masala, naan, and rice! Are you kidding me dude? Not worth it at all.. I am super bummed about this place. I was hoping for an affordable, good Indian place in South Philly.. I guess i'll still be looking.
(2)Carol L.
Food is good, and staff and atmosphere are excellent. The specialty naan and roti are interesting and I would recommend getting a few for the table. The apps are so good that next time that will be my meal. Nice portion sizes too. Great choice when you want Indian in a classy setting.
(4)Dionne D.
Super mediocre...especially the service. Server is a jerk. Take out is a joke, nothing to eat with. One piece of naan is $5, ridiculous. He made three mistakes with order and billing and didn't care that we were inconvenienced by their poor service.
(1)Penelope P.
I ordered delivery from Tiffin tonight. Not only did it take an hour and 35 minutes to arrive, but instead of the 3 cans of Diet Pepsi that I ordered, I received 3 leaking, partially-full tupperware containers of flat soda. Disgusting!!! I can't believe any restaurant would find that acceptable!!
(1)Jacob T.
The more places the Narula Restaurant Group opens, the better. Tiffin Bistro, like its 5 sister Tiffin Restaurants, is a delicious, consistent, and comfort bringing purveyor of Americanized Indian cuisine. It's great stuff, and I can't get enough of it. My girlfriend and I ordered delivery (which we never do but we're in the process of moving) to our new apartment and 45 minutes later, as soon as we opened the bag, we knew happy stomachs would ensue. We decided on Garlic Naan, Veggie Samosas, Malabar Shrimp, Chicken Tikka, and Aloo Gobhi--not particularly adventurous dishes, but all standard orders that would give a strong impression of the new Indian eatery. Simply put, everything was really good and held up to the standard that Tiffin has established throughout the Philadelphia area. I would say the only difference between Tiffin Bistro and Tiffin Restaurants is the menu--but certainly nothing too dramatic. A couple of new options added, and a couple of favorites excluded. Living a mere 3 blocks from Tiffin Bistro, I'll be sure to return again, and eat in--soon!
(4)Elizabeth M.
We went for a late dinner on a Thursday and were very happy with the experience. We are both vegetarians and had lots to choose from. The food was delicious and so was the apricot pistachio naan. I ordered a cocktail and it was very good. The only down side was after we had finished, it felt like we had kind of been forgotten- I don't like being rushed, but it wasn't too crowded and servers walked by us a few times without checking in on us. I think it's because the bartender seated us and took our order so maybe they didn't have us on their radar. It won't stop me from going back. I am so happy that I can get Indian food near home and don't need to go to Fishtown or west Philly to satisfy that craving!
(4)Kevin P.
I have been here a couple times since the first. The food comes out extremely slow. We waited over an hour for an entree. We will no longer be going here and I would not recommend eating in.
(1)Angie H.
We were patiently awaiting the opening of Tiffin, particularly since we live so close and really enjoy Indian food. I'm so glad we went! We started with the green pea ginger kulcha which was interesting. Husband liked it more than me. I went safe and ordered the chicken tikka masala, while he ordered two apps, the indian sloppy joe and the dungeoness crab. The little sliders were very small, but very delicious! The bread itself was warm and crispy and the sloppy joe was extremely flavorful. He really liked the crab, which was a bit spicy for me, but a good enough portion that he was full. My dish? My dish was WONDERFUL. Might be my favorite new place for tikka masala... The prices were pretty reasonable, too. I was skeptical of that, but I think they found a good balance of class for a bit less. The sauce was so good that we ordered some garlic naan to ensure we got all of it and it paired very well with the sauce, just as our friendly and knowledgable server said. Tffin Bistro's menu successfully fuses traditional Indian dishes with other styles of food without venturing too far from the spices and flavors you're used to. We definitely suggest it!
(5)Hari P.
I love this place. It has some of the best Indian dishes I"ve had in Philadelphia. The Palak Paneer I've had here was quite good. The cauliflower appetizer was awesome. Chaat dishes I've had better elsewhere, but not bad. I also love that it's in the Passyunk Square neighborhood. While there are a lot of "hot" restaurants here, they tend to cater to the meat-eaters. Virtually everything at Tiffin can be made vegetarian. So glad it's here!
(5)A C.
I would not recommend Tiffin Bistro to anyone. The service is atrocious and because of this food suffers. Food is served slowly and cold and the servers/management seem to be oblivious to this. I'd rather order from Ekta on the other side of the city.
(1)Mike G.
Meh
(2)Jemma C.
How can this be called an Indian restaurant??? It's no unauthentic. They don't offer any curries, no poppadoms (however you're given chutneys at the start?), no balti, no jalfrezi, no dahl, danask, karahi..... I could go on. This was our first Indian in Philadelphia after moving from UK where Indian food is a staple so maybe this is Indian in America? Either way super disappointing. What we did have was below average regardless of cuisine type and the meat was overcooked. Wouldn't go back. Ever! The search for good, authentic Indian food continues.
(1)Shane L.
Could've been a 3 star rating, but service needs some work. I really, really, really, really like indian food...especially affordable indian food (the way it's supposed to be). We came to dine on a late Sunday afternoon and were pretty anxious about this place. Tiffin Bistro is a casual dinner spot with really good food and located in a nice part of town. Cutting to the chase......we ordered 1 app and 2 entrees. I forget the names exactly, but it was tasty and hit the spot. The only problem was the lack of attention by the service and staff. Maybe it was bad timing on our part, but it just wasn't a welcoming experience. Our server was a little too attentive to the TV and not to our needs. We came very hungry and waited 30 minutes for our first app since ordering. Our entrees came 20 minutes after we finished our app. Did i mentioned we were 1 of 2 tables in the restaurant? The staff just seemed to work at a snails pace and everyone was just sluggish. In all fairness, Tiffin Bistro has only opened it's doors for about 3 months so I understand there's some kinks to work out. I am not a hater and will likely dine here again. Word of advice to the owner....you're a new place and you want good business. Please oversee your restaurant during these first critical months of your new establishment. I'm local to the area and like many others, word of mouth is so important. At the end....Tiffin Bistro still has huge potential.
(2)Jim B.
First, the bad: i generally appreciate, even prefer informal service, but referring to you table(s!) as "kiddies", as in "are you kiddies doing okay?" is never, ever okay. I understand you've been open for 2 weeks, are in the weeds and trying to cut the tension, but just stop. Also, as of 6/10/2013, they're still a couple weeks away from acquiring a liquor license. i was pretty disappointed after seeing bottles of wine prominently displayed behind the bar and no mention of BYO, but the staff kindly referred us to the wine and spirits store at 11th and wharton and devil's den at 11th and ellsworth. I opted for a growler from the latter. take a detour before you arrive and pick up a nice IPA. they're surprisingly affordable - but that's another review. The Cauliflower Bezule was not bad, but i was expecting something with a little more flavor to start off the meal. This is probably more a matter of taste. The good: The vegetable dumplings (the name of the dish is escaping me) were surprisingly light and fluffy, both holding their own and complimenting the creamy sauce. Not much spice but a lot of flavor. The lamb kolhapuri was my favorite: fork-tender lamb in a spicy red sauce. Enough to take home for at least a second serving. I wish I had the self-control to save some of the perfectly cook garlic naan for later, but we were through it in no time. $5 for bread may seem a little steep but it's well worth it. Tiffin is a great addition to the neighborhood. I'm really looking forward to returning in a couple weeks when they've settled in and worked out the kinks, and hopefully upgrading them to 4 stars.
(3)