Tandoori Bistro

The best Indian food in Austin hands down! So why only ⁴⁄₅ stars you ask? Well, the restaurant is next to a motel and yes, it looks it looks discouraging. The ambiance needs a lot of effort. We usually sit in the room with the tvs, so it is like being at a sports bar with Indian food rather than fried bar food.
This place has the most authentic Indian food in South Austin. Authentic Gujarati food, which is a rarity. They also have catering service; great for parties, etc. Vegans will also enjoy the menu.
Lamb samosas are delicious.
I can’t say much about buffets — I never really trust buffets.
If you go to a restaurant and you only tried the buffet — then you really can’t say it is the worst Indian food in Austin based on a crappy 30 minute lunch buffet.

In Austin for son’s graduation and needed a place to eat after battling I 35 for what seemed like forever. Went strictly on Unilocal reviews and was not disappointed. TB is connected to a motel so my sights were set a bit low. Ambiance was motelish and nice but plain. The service was good and not overly attentive which I like. And for a graduation eve the crowd was pretty sparse. But the food was quite good although the menu was not particularly diverse — standard Indian restaurant fare. If you’re looking for «push the envelope» cuisine look elsewhere. And if you’re wanting to dwell among the hip and hipper try Whip In across I 35 north of Oltorf. A word to the wise, when the waitress says «hot» listen to her. I had the Saag and, since I am a Native Texan dude, got the hot version. Holy Jeebus. Next time medium. Got the naan with spinach and feta. Yum. Had seconds. I will return.

Indian cuisine has slowly but surely become one of my favorites for dining out. It used to be always be Mexican food (don’t be surprised) but I’ve become more and more acclimated to this amazing cuisine.
On a Saturday evening, we ventured here for dinner and found the place right off 35, and almost empty. I found the place to be very clean, decorated as anyone would expect from an Indian bistro. They even have happy hour every night (including weekends) from 5 – 7.
*The food*
The spinach & feta naan was insanely delicious, but next time we’ll try the jalapeño & cream cheese naan and some of their samosas. I ordered the Mutter Paneer (paneer cheese with green peas in a creamy curry sauce). It was served separate from the basmati rice as most Indian dishes are. I don’t recommend the Dal Makhni dish, unless you really dig black lentils. We didn’t. The vegetarian entrée prices are from $ 8 – 10 which I find to be very reasonable, considering it’s practically 2 meals in one. The menu has a lot to offer and I”ll surely be back to try other options. There seem to be a plethora of Indian restaurants out south that are worthy of trying.
If you want quality food, quality service, reasonable prices and a particular ambience (ignore the La Quinta next door) then you’re in for a treat at Tandoori.

You guys have got to be kidding me. This is hands-​down the worst Indian food in Austin. The naan was just white bread. The buffet was weird and cold, with dried-​out chicken and no flavor. The lentil soup had NO LENTILS. And was bitter. How do you mess up lentil soup? I went back to the buffet to find something fried, because usually fried heals everything, but instead I found cold, greasy, limp strings of battered… potatoes? Something?
Even the chutneys were gross, and those usually come out of a can. The atmosphere felt like a seedy bar (there is a bar, at least). The service was inattentive — we had to find the folks at the bar to pay up. Do yourself a favor and go find Maharajah off 183 in north austin.

We went here for dinner. The food was pretty decent. Nice fresh naan and basmati rice.
I was a bit disturbed that our dishes ordered «hot» smelled like tabasco sauce. Not nearly as bad as an experience I had at Clay Pit — but the smell was certainly there. Maybe it is a legit pepper ingredient, but it really had that distinctive Tabasco smell.
Service was OK — there were times when I wished I had water but my glass was empty.
Décor was… about what you’d expect. It felt like a converted taqueria inside. There is way too much space for how many people were there, and they had spread everybody out quite, making it feel even more empty.
Overall, the experience was fine. The food was fine. I have closer options for better Indian food (New India) so I don’t see many compelling reasons to come back here, unfortunately. Tarka is still the top of my list for food quality.

Indian cuisine does not have to do much in the way of quality to impress me. I love the flavors; I dig the smells, which many people do not; and well… how can you go wrong with a sub-​$ 10 buffet? All you can eat? And this ain’t no salad bar, you light-​eatin’ Austinites. They really do put it on you, so as it let it sit real heavy.
I would say that the selection here is minimal, and the flavors are OK at best. The sauces are all very similar, and heck, I couldn’t even tell the difference between the fish and chicken curry when I was eating them. At times, I felt like I was paying $ 8.99 for a single dish, though they offer ~10 different curries.
The soups were extremely boring, watered down, and unsatisfactory.
Now, if a joint offers even a run of the mill naan or saag paneer, I can usually get by, but the naan here was sub-​par, and the saag was very one-​noted in flavor, not having that usual Indian depth.
I feel bad not enjoying my experience at Tandoori Bistro more, but I mean… it is really hard to mess up Indian food when it comes into my radar of grub discernment, but TB managed to do so. Will I return? Most likely not. I assume they lack in quality what they make up in location, being set on 35, in a hotel complex. Yikes; just don’t go for the buffet.

Amazing food. Absolute best Indian in the ATX, and great service as well. Excellent naan, korma, curry, and I could eat the basmati rice all by itself and call it a meal.
The area is a bit dodgy; right next to a seedy looking motel where I’m fairly certain you could go for an after-​dinner prostitute or hit of black tar heroin if you knew the right door to knock on (it is off Oltorf).
Even so, the food is well worth any surrounding nefariousness, and the restaurant itself is clean and well-​kept. Moreover, the bar area always has sports playing on several large TVs.
Also, it’s owned by a local mom and pop Indian couple (Support Local Austin!) originally from Dubai, so you know they know their shit when it comes do traditional Indian cuisine. I recommend trying at least one dish extra how, but just be prepared, cause it can really knock your dick in the dirt.
Clay Pit can suck it. Tandoori Bistro is way better.

We weren’t really sure what to expect, but this joint was pretty tasty! We had a late lunch with some friends who all loved the curry. I didn’t eat at the buffet, but the Chicken Tikka Masala and Korma (and the rice it came with) were fantastic. The garlic naan was too crispy, even burnt on the bottom. I thought the service was perfect but the atmosphere is a little off. They have a giant TV on the wall as you walk in, neon beer signs near the huge empty bar, and some brown paint on the walls. Had the place not been called Tandoori Bistro, I would have no idea what type of cuisine they served… BUT, they made up for it with the food and service so GOOD JOB guys!!!

We came here for Sunday brunch — ok, it was just their regular lunch buffet, but it was quite delicious. The Saag Paneer was fabulous and loaded with cheese. They have an egg and potato curry that is surprisingly good. The chicken tandoori is delicious. Yes, their naan is a little underdone, but overall, this was a fantastic way to eat Sunday brunch. Probably my favorite Indian Place in town, other than G’raj Mahal, which isn’t open for lunch and is way more expensive. Great value. Super nice people. Easy to get to. Win win!!!

This place is kebobalicous
The buffet was ehh but if you order the kebobs off their regular menu you won’t be disappointed. The lamb Kebob was really well marinated and soft. The Reshmi chicken made with garlic and spices was really moist and juicy. So the moral of the story is if the restaurant has tandoori in the name then give their tandoori a try ;)

The lunch special here can’t be beat for the price. Buffet for about $ 7.99 I believe. They keep the lines well stocked and when something starts to run out they seem to replenish it pretty quickly. The naan is included for free.
The actual flavor of the food is really good as well. Since they are putting out smaller batches it is pretty fresh as well for a buffet.
No complaints. It doesn’t blow my mind but it’s good and we eat there once every couple of weeks or so during work so it’s definitely A-​OK to me!

Indian food is a tough gig for me. I am exposed to it far more frequently than most WASP farm boys from the fruited Northwest Ohio plains, but it has always just eluded quantification for me.
The only thing more mysterious to me in the realm of Indian Cuisine has been the inscrutable entity called the Indian Restaurant. I have never been so confused in my life, staring blankly at uniquely (not wrongly) spelled Romanized interpretations of Hindi, Tamil, and countless other characters that are supposed to translate to flavors somehow in my head. If not for the patient ministrations of Nivarni and Sumintra (and on occasion Priya), I would just wander lost from table to table sampling things until some poor bastard socked me in the mouth for dipping a finger in his Chicken Makhani.
Before I get too far let me relay a hard won understanding. There is no «Indian Food» per se. Indian food is, in many ways, more drastically diverse than almost any cuisine I can think of. You have several different cultures, religious food laws and preferences colliding with geographical food definitions going back, in some cases, a few thousand years colliding in the Indus Valley. Each of those influences informs every South Asian Restaurateur uniquely as they plan menus and set recipes. Put simply there is no such animal as homogeneity in Indian Cuisine. GREAT for the taste-​buds, horrific for planning a night out.
Of all the places I have wandered into in Austin, good or bad, the tip of this hat goes to Tandoori Bistro. Not to disparage any other restaurants like Curry In a Hurry or Maharaja (GO EAT GEORGE’S FISH CURRY!) for which I have great affection. Tandoori Bistro brings four things to the table that stand out from the moment you walk in. In ascending order:
1) Ambiance: Comfort, an impression of space, and a minimalist (almost essentialist) eye toward distracting lights, pictures or TVs combine well with warm colors and a sturdy feeling. There are no garish or cheap qualities at play in the room.
2) Flavor: Flavor is often one thing most Indian Restaurants get a good mark on, but at Tandoori Bistro, they take it seriously. I test consistency of flavor between visits and judge other continuities as well. Textures in the food, presentation, timeliness, and staff knowledge are big points to me. I am no professional critic, but I am a picky customer. Flavor HAS to be consistently great for me to recommend it and Tandoori Bistro has never failed that stringent test.
3) Cleanliness: There is not a more black and white judgement in my book. Cleanliness is not just desirable, it is critical. I am no neat freak. I don’t sanitize everything I get within a foot of, but cleanliness is a mindset and it bespeaks a certain pride and attention to detail in a staff. I have consistently been impressed by the attention to cleanliness the staff at this restaurant has.
4) The People: Mo, Viril and the entire staff impress me every time I walk in. They remember my name, greet Nivarni warmly and answer every question I have knowledgeably. Viril even went so far as to have the kitchen graciously prepare just one single paratha for me. I had had a horrid day and really wanted one but they were off the menu. I was lamenting that when Viril ducked into the back and simply had it made for me. Stunning.
Others in their comments have been, in my opinion, a little fast on the draw. Their opinions matter and I think anyone has a right to publish one, but I will never review a place on one visit. Anyone can have a bad day. Be assured that If I say something negative, a place will have truly earned it. Go check it out for yourselves though. Greet Mo and Viril by name and shake a hand or two. I think you will be amazed at the experience.

My sweet Garmin Nuvi told me about Tandoori Bistro as I was careening down I35 about 2 PM on a Saturday. I’ve bonded with a machine, and an old one at that. .
The Bistro has two dining rooms and a long bar area. A kind of anteroom has a buffet table, which was not stocked when I visited. I lingered a long time while reading the two page menu. Great choices. Especially for me who is deprived of good Indian food while living in SW FL, and yet savors a memory of so many good Indian meals in and around London.
I settled on the unadulterated Nan to accompany chicken Vindaloo. My server asked about temperature, and inquired as to my choice of white or brown rice, then brought a Coke in a can with a glass of ice.
Alone, I ate a fine meal., Too bad I couldnt invite my buddy Nuvi in from the car to lunch, too.

Love their lamb samosa’s but I would pass on their combination platter. They don’t use 100% lamb. It’s a combination of grounded lamb and breadcrumbs stuffed like a sausage. Kheer was disappointing as well.
If you’re looking for a romantic, high class restaurant, Tandoori Bistro is not for you.

As I normally start out reviews about disappointment, I *really* wanted to like this place.
I don’t get a lot of weekday lunches around town, so when I had to take a day off to run errands, I was ecstatic that I could try this place out for their lunch buffet. I’ve heard good things, and I’m a HUGE lover of good Indian food, so I was super excited about a place down south where I could meet a friend.
Unfortunately, I’m also a huge lover of good service, and this place failed miserably when it came to that.
I walked in, and there was nobody up front (this was 12 noon, typically a busy time, I would think). I stood around, looking for a wait staff person to walk by so I could figure out whether or not I can just sit down, or if I needed to be seated. When nobody came by, I decided to go take a peek at the buffet. That’s when a gentlemen (owner, maybe? He wasn’t dressed like wait staff) called at me and asked if I wanted to have a seat.
I said yes, and he said «sit anywhere” – I was meeting a friend who I hadn’t seen in a while, and I wasn’t sure if she was bringing her child, so I gravitated towards the empty seating room on the right side of the restaurant. The man snapped at me «Not in there!», so I then went towards a table in the corner, hoping for some place we won’t be in the way and that would be quieter. He snapped at me again, «that table is for a larger group!» So I found another table closer to the front (which I hate since it was noisy and it was in the middle of foot traffic). During the meal, it took a while before waters were refilled, and it was the end of our meal before our naan bread was refreshed.
Now on to the food: The buffet was small, with a limited selection. While what I tried was relatively decent, I do have to agree with a previous review – what was salty was SALTY, and what was bland was, well, very bland. The mulligatawny soup was very, very bland. The palak paneer, while the tastiest dish I tried from the buffet, was quite salty. The chicken in the tikka masala was very dry. The naan they brought out was relatively good, and went well with the sauces. Maybe they were having an «off» day, or maybe the stuff from the menu is better – I’ll probably never go back to find out. Overall I’d say it was mediocre. Definitely clean and bright, the atmosphere was good, but the service and food didn’t hold up to my expectations. I guess I’ll just have to stick with going way up north for decent Indian!

Tandoori Bistro is hands down the best indian food in Austin. I am a huge advocate for G’Raj Mahal (great ambiance, brown bag, ideal pricing). But, Tandoori Bistro is delightful.
The restaurant is very spacious, the pricing is just a couple dollars more than G’Raj Mahal, the location is convenient, and the food is outstanding.
The naan is the best I’ve ever had, and the curries are spot on. The rice they bring out with you curry is delicious on it’s own. Oh, and the basmati rice is HEAVEN.
Enjoy, I highly recommend.
The only reason why I’m not giving Tandoori Bistro the full five stars is simply ambiance. The staff is incredible. Very attentive, extremely nice and conversational (not in a chatty, please get away from my table kind of way– but a: Oh, yes. My jokes are funny. We did order entirely too much food, kind of way). There isn’t a «crowd» that stops in regularly for drinks, or big groups of people in any way. It’s not a busy restaurant, but a perfectly lovely dinner for two.

So we ventured back to our neighbor Tandoori Bistro, except opted for to go food instead of the whole restaurant experience, and though my expectations were low, it was pretty good!
I was impressed, way to make a comeback!
We got the vegetable samosas, they were as delicious as the last time. My tikka masala this time was larger in portion, with more sauce, and was SPICY! YAY!
Granted, I ordered it «extra hot,» and it didn’t make me sweat or anything, but it was exactly what I wanted.
My domestic partner got the reshmi chicken, it was kind of bland, didn’t come with a sauce or anything… but we also didn’t really know what it was, it just sounded good. The chicken itself tasted great, and I shared some of my curry sauce with him and we were happy.
The naan bread was the only downer in the meal, it was really thick and REALLY doughy. And there wasn’t much garlic for it to be considered «garlic naan.»
Either way, considering this place is about .5 miles away from my apartment, I am definitely returning Tandoori Bistro, you have won me over.

Kind of an unassuming place that you might drive right by without noticing. It’s right on the side of I35 just south of Oltorf. It’s in a building that looks like it may have once been part of the hotel next door, but I’m not sure. It definitely doesn’t look too inviting from the outside due to the ‘70s La Quinta Inn vibe going on. The bar had some dudes that looked like traveling salesmen on forced Saturday night stayovers. We stopped in on a friend’s recommendation, otherwise we might not have felt interested enough to give it a try.
Anyway, the bottom line is, the food is really good! I have eaten at The Clay Pit downtown many times and I would say the food here is equally delicious. The servings are generous and the waitress was friendly and prompt.
We ordered chicken tikka masala, dal (lentils) and garlic nan. We started with the cucumber salad (really fresh and delicious). The whole thing was great. We were pleasantly surprised and will be back. The chicken was really moist and the seasonings were great. Very satisfying meal! There were not too many patrons in there at the time we went so I hope the place makes it.
Since I’m always doling out unsolicited advice to restaurant owners on Unilocal,here’s my 2 cents: All that separates your place from the Clay Pit (aside from location) is Grooviness. You need to add some Austin Weird grooviness to your joint (i.e., groovy exterior signage and interior décor). Hire some local groovy restaurant consultant who can groovy the place up and next thing you know you’ll be voted best new groovy Indian restaurant south of Town Lake in the Austin Chronicle and all the weird Austinites will flock to your door. Why do I suddenly feel like Jerry in the Seinfeld episode where he wanted to help Babu with his restaurant?

New Indian restaurant. lets see shall we… Came here for lunch and had the buffet.
Service was attentive, seat yourself, laid back atmosphere, which was good for lunch. You get as much naan as you can stuff you face with (awesome). The buffet was good, the Tandoori Chicken wasn’t dried out like most Indian buffets. Saag Paneer was good, all of the dishes were seasoned well. We didn’t have anything from the bar so i cant comment on that.
Best thing about this place is that the total for buffet and tea for two came out to $ 21. That’s my kinda prices!

$ 7 lunch buffet — I’ll take it!
Food was good, service was speedy, and the restaurant was clean.
Saag Paneer, and Chicken Vindaloo were pretty darn tasty for a buffet I must admit! I didn’t drink but it looked like they had a full bar also!