Dhakshin
19752 SH 249, Houston, TX, 77070
Dhakshin Menu
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Address :
19752 SH 249
Houston, TX, 77070 - Phone (832) 237-8811
- Website https://www.dhakshin.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
India is the birth place of Chicken Tikka Masala and Curries. Indian foods are prepared with a blend of finely mixed spices quite popular across the region. The spices develop the rich taste in Indian food enough to boggle your mind. The ever-increasing fan base of Indian food around the New York city is steadily increasing because of the large number of Indians who traveled to the land of dreams. The Indians also brought their very own vibrant, colorful, and aromatic authentic dishes for the people in the West. While most of the Indian population is Vegetarian, Indian food is great for people who are looking for vegan or vegetarian food option. If you are a Meat lover, don't get disappointed yet. Indian food also boasts of some popular non-vegetarian dishes too. Few examples are the famous Butter Chicken, Mutton Biryani and Tandoori Chicken are enough to satisfy your taste buds.
Indian food has gained reputation all over the world especially in the United States. You can find many places serving the appetizing Indian food across all major cities in the US. India is a diverse country with different food culture originated from different parts of the country. While the Northern region boasts tandoori dishes and korma offering royal taste, the Western Ghats offers sea foods that is made in naturally sweet tender coconut milk. The South Indian food servers a quality of different dishes made from rice accompanied with spicy chutneys, curries and famous sambhar. Also, the Indian sweets are a delight to relish. If you ever want to have a burst of sugar syrup in mouth, don't forget to try few Bengali Sweets. Be it spicy, tangy, or sweet flavor, you can find everything in the Indian cuisine. Be assured that the melody of spices will surely bring delight to you.
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Ty D.
Been going for years. Great food and good staff. Garlic naan is a must. My personal fav. Is the dry chicken curry with a king fisher beer. Never had the lunch buffet been wanting too. Located by kroger off of cypresswood and 249.
(5)Sajul N.
Its pretty decent for Indian food. I prefer their regular menu to their buffet. For the buffet, I suggest coming in early when the foods still fresh and warm. Problem with the buffet is, its catered to the average palate so all the spices are a bit watered down for Indian taste. On the regular menu on can ask them for Indian level spicy. Although I am an out and out meat eater the dish I really liked here was the vegetarian "Chettinaad Kara Kuzhambu" made with eggplants. They also make a good chicken tikka masala.
(3)Raquel V.
I have ordered take out from here once before and today im having a craving for it again. I just placed an order and can't wait to eat. The lamb briyani is great and the naan is good. I've heard good things about the interior and can't wait to stop by for the lunch buffet sometime real soon. Well I'm off to pick up my order. If its just as good as it was the last time I'll let you guys know :)
(4)M T.
Solid and consistent. Great place for a casual relaxing dinner. Staff are efficient and friendly.
(4)Bobby S.
Place was clean. The wait staff was nice. I went for lunch and had the buffet. The food bar was lacking variety. They had no dal.. isn't this an Indian cuisine? The non-vegetarian bar was pretty good with butter chicken, lamb, masala grilled chicken, and this shrimp platter. The naan was chewy and rubbery.. i hate that. And last but not least, they practically had no good dessert (only a few pieces of fruit). It was like $10 for one buffet.
(2)Larry B.
I have only been for lunch buffet. I like the food, especially for a buffet. Of course, it does not compare with a fresh meal at a nice Indian Restaurant, but I find the food quite satisfying. The selection is not very large, but maybe that allows them to concentrate on better quality. The place is busy at lunch every time we go. My ranking is in comparison to eight other Indian restaurants scattered in/around Houston.
(3)Lauren P.
The first time I went here was about 3 years ago on the recommendation of my older sis who used to work at HP. {who introduced me to Indian culture/cuisine in the first place back in the early mid 80's through having a close friend of Inidan origin in HS} The buffet was small and I thought a bit pricey but that they served Dosa at the table I got over it. The food was flavorful - not hot but not blah either. Wasn't the best Indian I've eaten but not even close to the worst. They rotate what they carry on the buffet and that's a plus so you know when you go in while they keep the standards there will be something new to try. And they are very careful to have vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes and keep them decently separated too. The last time I went the price of the buffet both lunch and weekends had jumped nearly $3 a person and the Dosa were disappointingly missing from the table. I'll still go for lunch but what they offer compared to the price - they just don't even out. I will continue to go for lunch as there is just not anything in the Tomball/Magnolia are even close. I'm not even sure if The Woodlands sports such a place.
(4)Alex L.
I work just across the way and have been to the lunch buffet about 4-5 times. Considering the lack of Indian restaurants in the area, this is really the only choice when I get that craving. That said, this place is pretty darn good. Not the best Indian food in town, nor the most authentic, but I keep coming back. The lunch buffet price could be slightly cheaper but the place is usually packed so I guess it works. It would be nice if they improved the lunch buffet selection, it's always the same-old staples. But hey, not a bad spot.
(4)Christy I.
January 14, 2012 Awful- 3 people found hair in their food, at 2 tables, within 5 mins by Joe I. I would absolutely never consider going back here again. I went there for lunch this morning (Jan 15th, 2012) with my wife and daughter. The buffet tasted mediocre. A few minutes into the meal, some people sitting across from us complained that there was hair in their food. A few minutes later, my wife found hair in her food and stopped eating. Then I found hair in my potatoes. We did not eat anything else and asked for the manager. Found out that the manager was actually the rude waiter who showed us to our seat. There was no apology etc. We told him we wanted our check and were ready to leave. He was ready to charge us for the meal, and I asked him if he was actually going to charge us for that. He said "well if you didnt like it, dont pay". I didn't pay. This place needs to be inspected by the Health Dept. They need to be put out of business before people get really ill. I hope my family and I don't get sick from this.
(1)Mitch M.
Some of the best Indian food I've ever had in my life. Don't let the fact that it's buffet-style turn you off; the majority of the food here is authentic, vegetarian, Southern-style cuisine. The curries, especially the pumpkin curry and the vindaloos, are heavenly. The naan is baked to perfection - it's pretty much one of the best vegetarian eateries outside the loop, in the Northwest area. (They have one or two meat based dishes as well.) The interior is classy and comfortable, and you'll probably be happy it's a buffet after your first time anyway. ^^;
(5)Scorpio U.
I'd stopped even considering this a place to eat because of the excessive chilli they add to "spicy" dishes. But we went again last week as a friend wanted to eat "spicy". And wow, did they sink to a new low! The egg fried rice was horrible. Plain white rice would have more taste than that!! I askedfor biryani instead. I specifically mentioned twice that I didn't want raisins in it. They bring it with raisins and. A bunch of em sitting on top. I ask them to get me one without the raisins and they just remove those on top and get me the same dish still mixed with the raisins!!! I ask them if they can just cancel the dish and promptly get a solid 'no'.
(1)Gigi G.
Dhakshin has some dishes that are extremely tasty and others that just make you want to run to the back and rinse your mouth out. I'm a huge fan of Indian food and this place came recommended to us. We didn't go for the buffet, so I can't vouch for that. But we've gone to dinner there several times. The prices are a bit high for a down-home Indian joint in a strip mall, but that's forgiven if you get the good dishes. One of my favorites is the palak paneer, which is a creamed spinach dish with a fresh white cheese. The tandooris are ok, although sometimes they come out overcooked. The chicken Tikka Masala (always a crowd favorite) isn't bad either, although the sauce is just a little *too* runny for my taste. Flavor-wise, however, it's delicious. We also usually get the Chicken 67, I think it's called. That's really good too. The samosas are divine. The veggie one is pretty spicey, so keep that in mind when ordering it. They also have a bunch of specialty naan that they serve (like garlic naan, cilantro-flavored naan) and those are absolutely divine. I love ordering a bunch of the flavors along with some chutneys and going to town. Really, I could make a whole meal out of that alone. My complaints about this place -- stay away from the rice dishes. Blech. We tried a shrimp rice dish and it was awful. I also hate how you have to choose between rice and naan. Can't I have both? Sometimes if you ask, they'll give you both.
(3)Philicia S.
OH MAN! I was craving Indian food for the longest and me and my cousin searched on the Navigation and found this restaurant. They are sooooo delicious! As soon as I walked into the door I already loved the presence, Its clean, light smells of the indian spices and very excellent service. They were dressed professionally and treated us great! We immediately got service. I order the Palak Paneer, my all time favorite and I love it, its delicious, its hot and it was GOOOOD. We started off with the Lamb Samosa's although i didn't like the sauce too much it was still good and tasty and the spices were not too overwhelming. My cousin ordered some kind of Shrimp curry and she let th ewaiter know EXTRA EXTRA HOT and it was EXTRA EXTRA DELICIOUS.. The always made sure our drinks were filled and checked on us at the right times and made sure that the both of us were finished eating before they offered boxes. But anywho I definitely recommend this place. They are delicious and pretty fast. Excellent service, Delicious Food, Convieniently Located in a Shopping center area right off the freeway and Fairly priced as well!
(5)Chris G.
We stop in here for the weekend buffet at least once per month, usually on Sundays. The weekend buffet is a little more but they usually have a Biriyani which I love. Their Saag Paneer is awesome and I usually have WAY more than I should eat. Really exceptional for the money if you love Indian food and the staff are extremely nice.
(4)Sarah D.
This place was surprisingly yummy! I had the chicken korma, it was not as rich and creamy as I have had at other places, the BF had the chicken vindaloo, which was super yummy and had chunks of potatoes too! The rice was perfect and the garlic naan was to die for and the samosas were bigger than my hand!!! I was pleased to find Indian food so close to our house!
(4)Himmad K.
Stopped by here after seeing the reviews here. Got there 15 minutes before they re-opened for dinner. First of all the place was nicely decorated and nicely arranged. The food was sort of bland but good. I really enjoyed that they had dosas and whole wheat naan. The reason I am giving 4 stars is because the service was not too great. Seem kind of rude. But me and my family really enjoyed the restaurant.
(4)Rich D.
The best South Indian food in the greater Houston area. Excellent buffet and very reasonable prices. The buffet has meat, poultry, and fish. The fish was excellent, cooked to perfection! The variety of vegetable dishes were prepared exceptionally well. The spice used in several dishes was spicy hot...the way I like it. The dining experience was exactly what I would expect at an Indian restaurant and more. Authentic Indian Cuisine.
(5)Ajay S.
I would eat here again. The environment was clean, and a notch above casual. The food was good, I agree with an earlier reviewer that the portion sizes were small, relative to the prices. This won't be the best Indian food you've ever had, but you won't leave disappointed either.
(4)David O.
Dhakshin is an excellent restaurant with solid service and solid food. Portions are large - I always order far too much. I'd comment on specific dishes, but I'm just not that well versed in the tandoori/Indian cuisine. I typically eat a seafood dish with a garlic or butter naan and a bowl of soup. Always good, always clean, and always polite service.
(4)Toy D.
I love indian food BUT if this restaurant thinks people will come without AC they are WRONG. This has happened almost 9 times around summer between 2012 and now ...2013 May...shame on them since theyhave the same AC system as Kroger which never has theirAC off, and Kroger owns the strip center. I think the Owners if Dhaksin turn the AC off to save money so the only ones who can bear the summer heat without AC in Houston, are Indians who are used to hot temperatures. Won't dine with out AC.......don't go if you want AC with your meal.
(1)Nikita K.
Strongly recommend if you know what Indian food tastes like. The only destination for authentic Indian cuisine. We have been here so many times and the quality and taste has been consistently good. I love the buffet here. Every time we visit Dhakshin, we experience an A class service no matter how many customers they have and what time of the day it is. All the staff especially Farook and Malhar have been extraordinarily polite and quick in their service. The place is very clean and meet hygiene standards. Unlike at other restaurants serving buffet (irrelevant of cuisine), they always serve fresh and delicious dishes. Usually at other restaurants, I have noticed that only 2-3 things are good to eat in entire menu and nobody has so many dishes for the buffet. On any regular day , you will find 4 veggies, steamed rice, veggie biryani/masala rice, naan, dosa, idli, medu vada, rasam, sambar, chicken tandoori, chicken curry, fish/lamb curry, 2 desserts, fruits, salad, 2 chatnis, curd rice, etc etc on the buffet menu and I find all this at a reasonable price. Trust me, its worth it. Dhakshin is also into catering services and you will always get the best rates from them for the best quality of tasty food in Houston. Must try: Rasam, Medu vada, Paper dosa, Chicken chettinad (dry), Gobi manchurian, Chicken tikka masala and Naan. Will keep eating at Dhakshin, keep it up guys!
(5)Bajamin M.
After reading the reviews here I am a bit surprised how one persons experience can be completely different from another. I have been here twice and I think the food is pretty good! Is it the best food in town? No. Is it good enough to spend a night eating here? Absolutely! I enjoyed the chicken curry very much. Someone complained about portion sizes below, I am a big guy and I had to share mine! The naan is great and cooked well. Service is attentive, not over the top exceptional but not poor by any means. The location is a bit 'meh' but it's not some ghetto. The reason it doesn't get more stars from me is simply price. The menu is a bit expensive and the wine is absurdly priced. I took a date there and she loved it, also ate there alone and though it was great. Food hipsters need not apply there.
(3)Kelly R.
Definitely not the best indian food I have ever had. Everything seemed to meld together flavor wise. This means in a roundabout way that it was bland. There was a bit of spice but not a layering of yummy flavors. I just wish there were more options in the area so I could give a recommendation.
(2)Habib P.
Vegan have a good choice of dishes to be tried and also the way dosa is made made here is amazing
(3)Andrew H.
Absolutely delicious. Everything I have had here is great. Tikka masala is delicious and the naan is near perfect and the chai is ultimately satisfying. Definitely a good Indian stop in spring.
(4)Just V.
Pros: Ambience and cleanliness - good Food quality is OK Their menu selection is pretty good. Lot of south indian delicacies like idli, dosa Cons: Over priced Waiters need to smile a little bit more. Entire atmosphere looks gloomy. Could spice it up. Buffet is horrible - very average , low dishes, less quality food
(2)Denis C.
Didn't get a chance to sit in the restaurant, (we ordered for take-out), but gotta say that the food didn't disappoint. We tried to stick with the basics: curry/naan/rice and we were happy with that. The staff was friendly and service was prompt. I've heard that the staff could be a little stand-offish, but I didn't sense that at all.
(4)Delhi B.
One of a great Indian restaurant in this area! Nice ambiance. - I always liked the Crispy DOSA and Idlis. There Lunch Buffet is also quite good. I never had complaints till now about the food taste. - Very reasonably priced with good service. Even for function, we had the catering from this restaurant, and they really made sure to prove great food and timely service. Location is also pretty convenient, and its a safe Neighborhood.
(5)Mohun K.
Pretty okay food - lunch on 4/2/13, had the buffet. Good mix of veg and non veg options. The masala dosa on the table was a nice touch.
(3)R K.
This place has lost its charm over the years. It is expensive and overrated. We ordered a Malai Kofta to go and there was not a single Kofta in the box! There were times we've enjoyed the buffet but now even that feels repetitive and monotonous. It's time for some revision at Dhakshin, I guess!
(2)Tom N.
I've eaten here twice, both for their buffets. I always see it off the freeway off 249 and decided to check it out. Decor is average. Staff is very nice and helpful. The buffet selection here is ok, but not great. First time last year, I was intent on eating meat that day and came away disappointed as the options were limited and subpar. Second time I ate here last month, I was trying to go vegetarian and remembered this place offered more vegetarian options than meat. I started off with 2 soups: sambhar soup and something else (didn't see/taste any meat in it so I guess ok). The soups were decent and I went for seconds. There was a dish called Manchurian but it was like cauliflower in a hot/sour soup mix? It was pretty decent. Palak paneer seemed more like saag paneer (I'm not sure what's the difference), but the green glop was good either way. The lentils in their dal fry was good. The naan was ok, nothing special. They come out with a separate plate of fresh dosa for you. It was a little skimpy on the potatoes, but that's almost always the case at any buffet. Overall not bad for the area if I'm in the mood for Indian food for lunch.
(3)Alexander T.
This place is pretty expensive as everything is over anywhere from 12-15 for a single dish, I feel that if I wanted to try different dishes I would have to bring a large crowd with me to make it economical. The food is OK, but I cannot justify coming here often as there are so many other great places for much less of a cost. The other consideration is that there are very few Indian places in the area so this stands out in the ethnic aspect.
(3)Jack H.
I swung back by the Kroger that anchors this strip center off 249 around lunch time to see if they still had any of the St. Arnold Divine Reserve No. 11 I had found there earlier in the morning. They did not, but a few doors down I noticed Dhakshin Indian Cuisine, and was drawn in for a change of pace from all the Vietnamese places I patronize along 249. As I opened the door, the smell of curry and spices wafted out, and my appetite was piqued as the host promptly seated me, took my drink order, and directed me to the buffet. There were 3 counters: one with vegetarian options like Potato Poriyal, which is diced potatoes lightly fried with dal, curry, and sambar, and Chana Masala, which is essentially a chickpea version of the Chicken Tikka Masala over at the "non-vegetarian" counter, along with Mutton Curry and fried fish. Finally, a third vegetarian counter, which mostly had desserts, like the delectable Gulab Jamun, which, since I was introduced to them in high school by an Indian friend, I have taken to describing as "pancake balls." The two stand-outs for me were the Chicken Tikka Masala, with tender chunks of chicken in a rich, orange-colored puree of tomatoes and an array of spices like cumin and coriander, and the Gulab Jamun, which are essentially fried little balls of dense dough, like a pancake or donut, soaked in a sugary syrup infused with cardamom or rosewater. I'm not big on dessert, but I couldn't pass these up, and was glad I didn't. Now that I've found this little gem, I'm eager to return.
(4)Tony B.
There's not a lot of options for Indian cuisine in the area but even if there would be Dhakshin would probably still be one of the top choices. for lunch, they have a buffet with a lot of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. However I am a fan of their extended dinner menu - I've been there quite a few times and every time I try something new. The Tikka Masala is one of the best I've ever had with the perfect amount of spices.
(4)Fernando R.
Best Indian cuisine in town. Naan is expensive and yelling loudly is looked down upon in this professional and classy establishment. The melted crayon dish (chicken Tika masala) is especially good. The vegetable pakora (fried roach wings) is also a memorable dish. If you like Indian food, this is the place to jerk it!!
(5)Scott S.
This place has a very good buffet. It is not fancy, but the food is good and the service is usually attendentive. Thumbs up on the chicken tiki masala and palak paneer. Thumbs down on the kheer. It taste good, but they use vermicelli "( It makes it hard to eat because it keeps sliding off the spoon. Rice people....RICE! All in all, for a buffet spot, I give it three stars.
(4)John W.
Tastiest Indian buffet (lunch) I've ever had!
(5)Shyam K.
One of the best place in Houston to have delicious South Indian food.. always my first choice for Indian food. I will strongly recommend to try.. Specifically folks who assist inside r really awesome.. polite and courteous.. Buffet is absolute worth for the money ..;load of varieties .. Then..wats up? go give a try ..
(5)Mark T.
I ate here not too long ago, and the food was amazing! The staff were very efficient and extremely polite --consistently refilling water and ensuring everything is OK. I ordered a Chicken Jalfrezi and something similar to an onion bhajji. I also ordered their garlic naan bread. The Jalfrezi was outstanding. It was extremely flavorful and the chicken used was white meat and not the greasy dark you sometimes find. I asked for the Jalfrezi to be spicy, and it ended up being relatively mild, so if you like spicy, make sure you ask for extra hot --either that or they thought I was a wuss :) The restaurant itself was located in a strip-mall and had a bit of a grimy feel to it --though I've only been in a couple of Indian restaurants that didn't feel grimey. The tables/seating wasn't exactly 5 star material, well, not even 2 star for that matter, and the Indian decor was pretty tacky. However, you can put all that aside as the food itself was extremely worth the visit --just pretend they don't have a kitchen in the back and you'll be alright... The next time I want Indian food and I'm around this area, I'll certainly be stopping here.
(4)Dan G.
The aroma made a good first impression. We were seated immediately. We had some Masala appetizer and then I had some spicy , and I do mean spicy , Chicken Vindaloo. The food was very tasty and was good to dip with the naan that comes with the order. We had excellent service as well. Downsides: A bit pricey, but most Indian food places seem to be unless you are getting appetizer meals.
(4)Devon N.
i absolutely love Dhakshin! I just got home from another wonderful meal there, and I feel it's about time I posted a review. I've always brought timid but curious friends with me, and they have always left feeling like they had a great experience and their minds (and palettes!) opened a bit more. I started out with the Cauliflower Manchurian, which is an appetizer favorite of mine-it consists of cauliflower fried in what I could only refer to as an Indian buffalo sauce, topped with some green onions. Delicious! Everyone liked them, and it was a hard sell at first! I ordered the Kudai Chicken, and my boyfriend got a Sheek Kebab, both of which were fabulous and well-seasoned. Both of my friends got the Lamb Curry, which i did not try, but they absolutely loved it. We ordered a side of garlic naan that was buttery and wonderful, and they offer an impressive array of kinds of naan. For dessert, we had two orders of the Rasamalai- cheese served in a sweet cream sauce with pistachios, and a chai tea, which was smooth & invigorating. All of it was perfect, and my friends were raving. We had a wonderful conversation with our waiter, and we all left thoroughly happy-and I was ecstatic I could show them something new and receive such a positive reaction! Some other favorites of mine include the Chicken Curry & Palak Chicken as entrees, and the Payasam for dessert. It might be a little pricy, but I can make at least one more meal with the leftovers, if not two, so I don't see it as a large expenditure for the value I'm getting. Go, now!!!
(5)Andree W.
Food was ok, Ive had better. Quite pricey actually... Starter: Tandoori Chicken appetizer. (tasty/moist, but $8.49 for 3 legs, really?) Order of Aloo Paratha (whole wheat bread stuffed with potato, onion & spices)...very good. Him: Lamb Kolambu ( in curry sauce), served with naan , meh....some pcs of lamb hard and overcooked, but good flavor overall ($13) Me: Lamb Biriyni (kind of like an Indian Jambalaya, best way I can describe it...$14) Reason for only 2 start...First of all, it was at least 80 degrees in there, I was literally sweating by mid-meal.Service was terrible..all I wanted was cold water and a tea refill....got room temp water, and no tea refill. I needed it after sitting there sweating for 30 min. Lastly, they took my AMEX and ran it before even bringing out my bill.... May be back for takeout, but 95 degrees all day does not make me want to sit in 80 degrees at night. I couldnt get out of there fast enough into the cool a/c of my car.
(2)Suzie L.
We stopped here on the recommendation of a friend, and are so glad we did. The buffet had a great selection and the food was authentic! My litmus tests are Saag Paneer and Chicken Tikka Masala - both of which can be made cheaply and easily, but taste pretty bad if not done with care. These were excellent - flavors were complex and well spiced without being blazing hot. The Tandoori Chicken was presented in an attractive manner, even on the buffet. We would got back in a heartbeat!
(4)Karen G.
Nice atmosphere and attentive staff. The food was good but not the best. It did take a long time to come out but I can't complain too much since it was hot when it finally arrived. Also, the egg fried rice was really good.
(4)An N.
The presentation for all of the dishes were lovely. And going with a group of people that thinks highly of this place certainly helped my initial impression of Dhakshin. However, after the food cooled and our hunger had been tamed by a decent helping of the delicious stuffed naan, I realized it was rather mediocre Indian food. Along with the stuffed naan and chapathi (indian tortilla), we also got the sampler platter for our appetizer portion. The platter came sizzling hot and the seasoning was alright, but the chicken was extremely dry of flavor and juice. For the entrees, we had a red curry with lamb, green coconut curry with chicken, dosa, and biryani. The lamb smelled off but I loved the red curry. The dry chicken was saved by the nice and mild aroma of coconut in the green curry. If I had to go again, I think I'd skip anything with meat and just go vegetarian. The biryani was my favorite here because you really can't mess up with basmati rice. What made this place stand out was their extensive menu. It offered more than just your typical tandoori chicken, naan or curry. There were so many dishes and whole sections of dishes that I had never seen on other Indian menus. It's definitely the place to hit up if you want to see some variety.
(3)P R.
Food is typically between average and good...but I like to visit this place often only coz I haven't found other great ones in this neighborhood... For those who know their Indian food--a few words of caution: Paneer pakoda is actually paneer bajji The malai kofta is v v low on spice The veggie Biriyani had more elaichi than I care for :( The lunch buffet is awesome though... If I had to choose, I would go there for the lunch buffet instead of dinner...!
(3)Cristina N.
The chicken in the chicken tikka masala was dry, the rice was dry, the naan was burnt on the outside and a weird chewy/grainy texture on the inside. The chicken vindaloo left much to be desired. The only positive thing I can say is that now I know not to waste my money here again. The search for good Indian food continues...
(1)Christopher M.
Decent Indian Food for the NW part of Houston. Bland Chicken Tikka Curry, not much variety in the buffet line...if you want a quick fix for Indian food, this could be a good place
(3)Danielle G.
This place is the best for southern Indian cuisine, I'm so happy that we discovered it last year. Our favorite dishes happen to be everything we've had there, I've never had a less than spectacular dish. All the curries, dosas, apps, naan, specials. Every single dish I had has been outstanding. The amazing service is just a bonus but with food this good I almost would let it slide. Nope, the great service just keeps coming. Quality food, great service, and fantastic prices.
(5)Tom H.
Tried the vegetable korma and garlic naan. Wasn't impressed with either. Neither highly flavorable or memorable. Rather expensive for the meal at nearly $16 with tax. Nothing inspired me to return, but my sample is admittedly very small. Perhaps they do better. They didn't motivate me to find out....especially the garlic pretzel, I mean naan. Blah. Not untenable, just blah. Blah and comparatively expensive. Expensive blah, that's it!
(2)ANastasia B.
Great food and flavours. Awesome service! 9$ all you can eat buffet Monday through Friday. Chicken tandoori, and their mango juice were the standouts out of a really good meal. Everything down to the rice on that buffet was cooked fresh and fantastic.
(5)Saggie S.
We went in for 4th of july lunch buffet. They dint allow us to order from memu. Big turn off. Buffet food was ok. We had to ask them to refill our water glass and nans etc. Restaurant was not even busy but service was inferior. Goat meat in goat biryani was raw. Gulab jamun was flimsy. The worst thing two pople from restaurant staff i beleive on of them was owner and other was manager started fighting in loud voices. In the middle of restaurant in fron of cuatomers really? Thats was ridiculous and un professional at their end. For 5 ppl medicore buffet 75 dollar plus tip is a rip off. We are not going there again, please stay away. We should have driven extra miles and gone to one of the Hilcroft restaurants.
(2)Krishna D.
Taste was okay, nothing special there.. The service was bad though. We order for a Thali and they tell us it is not available. We order for something else and surprise surprise.. they get both the dishes. We tell them we don't want the first one but they insist we take it since it has already been prepared. Service sucks and I suggest you try somewhere else
(1)Derick B.
Where do I even begin. Do not spend your money here, better to drive to Hillcroft and enjoy a better quality meal with great service. They served our food cold, are rude, and don't care about their customers. I went there a year ago and was certain that I will not return till my friend convinced me to try again. The waiter took forever to refill my water and I was very close to dying due to the overkill of spices on my food. There are no positives about this place. Nothing...Go somewhere else or try a different cuisine. DO NOT WASTE YOUR $ Place is absolutely horrendous
(1)Ayla D.
Can't speak much to the ambiance as we have only eaten in once. Anytime we are craving Indian food we order takeout from Dhakshin. Every time it's fantastic! The aloo mattar is awesome. Not sure what the deal is with the reviews saying it's stale - food quality and freshness has always been great in my experience. It is a bit pricey, but you're not going to find better on this side of town.
(5)Nora S.
Almost, almost forgot about this one. We went to so many places on our last trip to Houston. The outskirts of Houston are finally catching up food-wise. This is probably the only southern style Indian place in the whole Cypress area (ok this is not strictly Cypress but close enough). I remember when there used to be maybe two Pakistani/Northern Indian places to choose from and that was it. Fast forward many years and now southern Indian has finally made it to the burbs. Not only that, but this is a southern Indian BUFFET! SCORE! Or maybe not as my stomach loudly proclaimed afterwards, but I was stuffed in a very satisfying, good way. I am giving the place extra points for being a buffet and actually having decent food. Some of the dishes, notably the dosa, were not on par with southern Indian here in the Bay Area. However, they do serve masala dosa with their buffet. How can you complain? The dosa should have been crispier and the filling spicier, but otherwise they were fine. Other items were very good. Most of the buffet was vegetarian, which suited us just fine. The vegetarian dishes were very good and the goat biryani was the bomb. We loved the sambar. This version contained a lot of veggies, which we prefer. They even had a savory cream of wheat porridge. Love that dish even if I can never remember the name. Buffet also included idli. Props for a decent southern Indian lunch buffet!
(4)Sayantan R.
Ambience is very pleasant, and even loved by parents visiting from India. Great service with nice and soft spoken in-charge. Tasted Awesome chicken dishes, like cholli chicken and chicken tikka masala ... those definitely have repeat values. The left over in next morning still tasted delicious. Both thumbs up. The Chapatis were softer than home-made ones. Need to know how they make it so well. only need improvement in typical North Indian dishes like Chana Vatora, tandoori rotis, need adjustment in prices too in those. A survey from the authority to typical North Indian restaurants will bring desired improvement in those as well.
(4)Shay P.
The experience was poor, inside the restaurant feels filthy. We were sat by the wall and the walls were dirty-with spots, food, scratches, paint chipping, etc.. and the menus we were given was very dirty, old, cracked. ( at this time I thought of just walking out but decided to give a chance ) My waterglass had lipstick stain, I asked the young girl to change it and she instead brought the glass to another table and gave me that one ( I did tell her it is dirty, she than brought it back) after that I was hesitant but still stayed. I had a glass of wine ( okay) and little bit of palak paneer ( which was okay).. The whole restaurant felt really dirty, and I know I took a big chance eating there. The servers were in simple street t shirts, It is close to HP and I am sure it is frequented by many Indian and American workers, this restaurant should be shut down, cleaned and cared for. Very SAD example of American standard of cleanliness. I will not go there again, and very sad that the owners cannot spend little bit of money cleaning. I wonder if it would pass the Health Dept. check.. I always think the cleanliness of a restaurant usually gives you a good idea of what their kitchen is like, and in this case it was very DISAPPOINTING for people in Northwest Houston. WILL NOT GO BACK THERE.
(1)Charlotte D.
Delicious! Could be a little more flavorful - but I was restricted to the vegetarian food! The vegetarian food was conveniently labeled which I liked. It's buffet style most the time and the dessert is fabulous. Only 11 bucks per person for a buffet.
(4)Donna M.
We always enjoy Dhakshin. We usually get the same things...chicken tikka masala, palak paneer, and naan (butter and garlic). If you like soup, try the Rasam...it's spicy deliciousness! (They say it's a cure for colds and many other illnesses of that type. I'm not sure, but we love it!!)
(4)Victor I.
Awesome!!! As soon as we walked in we were welcomed by a smiling face and wonderful aromas! The selection was a little small, but the quality was out of sight! The side dishes were sooooo good that I forgot about the meat dishes! Don't worry, had a big plate of their tandori chicken and it was delicious!
(5)Mike A.
Fantastic Indian Food With Great Service I 'd been to a few Indian restaurant which here been great always good and fun.went dinner tonight along to this one with my friends, The place had buzzing atmosphere and busy, probably what you'd expect from a Saturday night The food was perfect and speedy Service which always make for a better eve All 5 of us had 3 course and were impressed , Will definitely be going again.
(5)The R.
Obnoxiously loud music for a restaurant. Guy who seats at the counter doubles up as host and the only server. He seems more interested in choosing the playlist than anything. You get water once when you arrive. Don't expect anyone to fill it up again even if you are choking. Food is mediocre as for Indian food. Kitchen plays its own music which is loud enough to hear outside in the dining room. They don't believe in service. Nothing great about cleanliness and ambience either. If you really crave for indian food and can't find it elsewhere just order a takeout from here. Dining in will be a horrible experience.
(1)Gran D.
We stopped in for lunch on a Saturday the food was very good and fresh. It is what it is a small Indian restaurant with fairly decent flavors and a fairly price.
(4)Corey M.
Hmm anyone for extremely poor quality, poorly executed Indian food, with an abnormally high price, and followed up with 3 days of severe food poisoning? Oh then this is your place, conveniently located out off the crime ridden streets of 249 and Cypresswood (was a nice place to live 20+ years ago). Obviously using store bought ingredients, nothing tastes authentic, poorest excuse for Vindaloo I've ever had and at greater than $15 for a meager amount of food you can count me out (the lamb was awful gamey and in huge sloppy chunks). Seems people in Champions wouldn't know decent Indian food anyway, and they cater to the American pallet -- the reviewer complaining about it being too spicy made me laugh out loud (*sorry you're a wuss). I guess if I want good food out in BFE I should go to la zeeza on 1960, where the food is actually authentic, reasonably priced and isn't going make me sick for an entire weekend. Steer clear of this travesty..
(1)Mark T.
We are repeat visitors to the Dhakshin lunch buffet for over 10 years, despite limited selection, $10 price, and tight seating. But today we both found hairs in our food; one was a short stiff hair (perhaps from a large rat, dog, or horse). The other hair was a long/curly human hair. Needless to say, it will be awhile before we go back. Probably the health department should visit first.
(2)Don C.
Vindaloo and 65 masala were really good. Chicken tikka masala was a little bland. Nut naan and garlic naan were very nice. Tandoori was great, could taste the lime!!!!
(4)Matthew S.
This was my first time ever trying Indian Food. I informed my waiter of the same and just went with his recommendation without even really looking at the menu. I had a fried chickpea appetizer that was really good with the dipping sauces it came with. The main dish was a chicken curry I can only assume was the one everyone else recommended. The food has interesting flavors. I'll have to come back for the lunch buffet so I can try more items. The location is hidden away in a strip mall but the atmosphere is still inviting. My waiter was friendly as well, although they weren't that busy and it took awhile for my water to be refilled. Other than that I enjoyed myself and would try it again.
(4)Nicole H.
After a yelp search in the area, my husband and I came here for dinner last week and really enjoyed it. The restaurant is in the Kroger mini-mall and not much to look at, as well as pretty basic inside. The service was prompt and responsive. We shared a orders of pepper chicken and chicken vindaloo, spicy, and both were quite good and hot. They also made good leftovers for lunch. We will be back.
(4)Jando S.
Aside from my usual bouts with Houston Vietnamese, Chinese, and Mexican food, another must have cuisine for me is Indian. Dhakshin piqued my interest after sampling many of their catered veg items at a wedding not too long ago. I eventually found myself in north Houston, a part of the city I rare venture to and decided to give Dhakshin a try on the spot. The place is a lot bigger than it looks from the outside. The interior reminds me of a little bit of Mogul ( yelp.com/biz/mogul-india… ) but somewhat nicer. They did a good job with their decorations without going overkill on the maharajah decor or oddball curtains streaming from different corners of the room. This place has just enough charm to keep it intimate and enough patron buzz to maintain some semblance of activity. Like many Indian joints, Dhakshin is very high on their lunch buffet. They're also one of the only restaurants I've *ever* seen that publicizes their daily buffet menu online, which I thankfully read prior to arriving. Most of the time going to Indian buffets is a total crap shoot, where folks are always hoping that something they like will be on available. I still call restaurants sometimes just to get an idea of what they're serving, Dhakshin gets a point automatically for this feat alone. I did recall what I liked from the catering buffet I had tried and thankfully there were a couple of items (aloo tikki, kadai paneer) that were also part of the Thursday spread. While those items were solid, the majority of the buffet offerings were a tad on the bland side. There wasn't enough spice and most of the things were things I would normally enjoy, such as chicken curry, chicken tikka masala, veggie biriyani, lamb keema, and dal palak. A saving grace was deciding to order something a la carte. With Dhakshin's south Indian specialties as their strong point, I opt to order a masala dosa and a vegetable uthappam on the side. The paper thin masala dosa was thin to the crisp, like in crepe fashion, stuffed with a good bit of potato and onions, seasoned perfectly. Uthappam is like an Indian pancake and mine was decorated veggie rainbow of peas, carrots, onions, cilantro and peppers and was definitely the kind of crunchy goodness I was looking to eat. Knowing Dhakshin's outstanding reputation as a quality Indian place in the community, it's definitely worth another shot. The service was cordial the whole time and answered all of my annoying questions about their food and preparations. Whether it's in buffet form or a dinner of feastly proportions, I'll be back. If variety is the spice of life (pun intended), then Dhakshin has plenty of it.
(3)Sam K.
This place is a joke. I wish I could give it no stars. I came here 4 or so years ago and the service was so bad that I didn't come back until now. We come here today on a Sunday for lunch, only to be told that the kitchen is closed--- buffet only and no a la carte. Who closes a kitchen on a weekend? When I asked the guy he said they closed to clean the kitchen. Huh?? Really!!! Sorry Dhakshin. You won't get another chance.
(1)Amy T.
Went here for lunch today with my husband. The food was good but the customer service needs improvement. We were on dessert and had to flag down a staff member who was waiting on another table to get a water refill. That was the only refill for the whole meal. Other than that, I would go again and give them another try.
(3)Thomas F.
This used to be our favorite Indian restaurant in Houston, but the service had been so bad the past few times we went, that we actually got up and left the restaurant before they even took our order yesterday. They had seated us, given us our menus, and then for over 10 minutes no one brought us chips or came over to take our orders or anything. We had previously introduced some friends to this restaurant. Already posted to Facebook for them to not go, as it would be embarrassing for us if our friends went and had such poor service after we recommended the place.
(1)Chris H.
Typical mediocre indian restaurant with poor quality food.. Only good thing was the friendly service. The food was stale and dry. Had severe stomach problems and never return this place again.. It was also ridiculously expensive for the quality of the food. My mistake, there is no mention of price of the items in the website..Beware
(1)Don C.
Great quality buffet and a great price. Friendly services. Always enjoy the large vegetarian selection even though I am not a vegetarian.
(4)Christy D.
I'd only been here once before, years ago, and had a decent experience. I came back here because my favorite Indian restaurant in the area (Indian Wok) was closed for an Indian holiday, without any warning. Perfect timing when you have a friend drive over to your area for Indian food, because you've been bragging about this one place nearby. Hmph. So, their menu is a bit pricier, but the atmosphere seems a bit more upscale. Granted, I took my food to go. Our order consisted of the tandoori sampler platter, vegetable samosas and palak paneer. The sampler platter was a bit disappointing. It had ground spiced lamb, chicken coated in a creamy sauce, chicken tikka and shrimp. The shrimp were a tad bit overcooked but tasted fine. The lamb and chicken tikka were both pretty tasty, but the chicken coated in a "creamy sauce" was very dull and needed the mint chutney to save it. The samosas were awesome! They were really big and packed full of potatoes, peas, etc. The two sauces it came with, the mint chutney (personal fav) and tangy brown one (don't know the name), were both delightful. The palak paneer (which tasted just like saag paneer...not sure the difference?) was great...creamy spinach and semi-soft chunks of cheese. The guy who took our order was very friendly. I would venture to say this place had an inviting atmosphere, considering the friendliness of the waitstaff and the overall ambiance (and the fact that it's in a Kroger shopping center). I could see myself coming back, especially because I didn't read yelp reviews beforehand to see that they're supposed to have delicous chicken tikka masala. Of course I'll have to try that. 3.5 stars, but I'll round up to 4.
(4)Meredith H.
An Indian place that serves all my favorites (including Dosa!!!)? Awesome! This place is legit. Great buffet at lunch, and large, delicious portions for dinner. Best Saag Paneer I've had in Houston...the Kashmiri Naan, peppered with nuts and dried fruit? Sooooo tasty. Service is VERY FRIENDLY (love these guys!), but a little bit slow when they're busy...like, they don't have enough help during peak hours. But the food is worth the wait. I'm very confused by the critical reviews...I've eaten there many times (probably more than 20 in the past year or two - they recognize me when I come in now) and I've never had any gastro-intestinal distress, never had dry or cold food...it's always delicious, and always fresh, and always tasty. I wonder what could have happened to these folks who had such unfortunate experiences!
(4)Yugan S.
Very good food and great service. Coming from California, we had pretty high standards for Indian food. Dakshin lived pretty well upto it. A 5 star on south Indian food (which is its specialty and 3.5 on North Indian, making it a 4+ star overall rating). Not exclusive, but definitely decent!
(4)Jigar B.
I usually review after couple of visits but sometimes there are exceptions !! Dakshin being one.. :-/ I know what INDIAN food is and I also know how it should taste for an Indian.. Hence i was not impressed by the quality of the food... It was just OK OK kinda .. Best bet is to opt for buffet since u can taste different stuff and hence decide if you are trying ur luck back again !! At 12.30 if they keep the food unmamaged and going cold .. I cant expect a better service !! There was a good variety of food .. Liked rasam (which was recommended by one of the yelper) and coconut chutney !! Cabbage veggie was nice and typical but other items were just mediocre :-/ There are couple of real GOOD n TASTY indian restos in houston and this place cant be comapred with them... To name them biryani pot on westhiemer, bombay tadka in clear lake are one of better places to get tasty indian food. Trust me people with mild taste buds will have no problem with this place. Overall this place is JUST OK and once in two months if u feel like having indian food and if you have no option ... Dakshin will save you !!
(2)Ben B.
Don't even bother if you want to order off the menu during lunch. Buffet only and that's not all that. Food is dry and cheaply prepared. Service is slow...almost immobile. There are other Indian restaurants who aren't bothered to cook food fresh for their customers instead of serving (probably) leftovers from the day before at the buffet.
(1)Anne S.
Carry out dinner tonight. First trip here. Lamb and spinach delicious. Rice nicely cooked. Naan with garlic perfect. Chicken from tandoori could have been a bit more moist yet was delicious and enjoyable. Large dining room. Service was fine in busy place on TH night. We'll try the lunch buffet for $10 next time.
(4)