Shalimar Restaurant

Small hole in the wall that serves food, plain and simple. I caught some bugs crawling along the floor which wasn’t pleasant to see. We ordered garlic naan, onion naan, chicken tikka masala and one other chicken dish I don’t remember the name of. Food was very, very oily but seasoned well. Garlic naan would be my favorite thing that we ordered. The portions were pretty small which disappointed us but it might be because we weren’t ordering the right stuff off the menu. Probably won’t return due to poor cleanliness inside the restaurant.

I love this place. The chicken tikka is very unique and amazing. They also have very fast service.
If it’s by enough that it’s the best, their prices are lowest in the area.

After reading the reviews that raved about how good this place was, my friend & I decided to try it. Honestly, don’t know why we walked in because everything we ordered was not up to expectations. The service and staff were really nice, however, the food itself is too bland and tasteless.

No frills but always delivers!
Remember numbers 6, 9, 20 & 22… you can’t go wrong! The chicken tikka is delicious.

If you’re looking for delicious, authentic food, this place is it! If you’re looking for ambiance and service, go elsewhere…
Shalimar has a diverse menu. Everything is made to order. The food is delicious (delicious doesn’t do it justice). You order at the counter pub-​style, they deliver the food to you, and you’re then left to your own devices. If you need anything, you have to go to the counter and ask.
I highly recommend this place.

Shalimmmmmmmmar.
Best late night spot west of Ben’s Chili Bowl.
Chicken tikka masala, garlic naan, regular naan. 12am breakfast of champions.

I am pretty stingy with my 5-​star reviews, so if you want to get one from me, you have to knock my socks off. Well, my socks are off in the gutter someplace on Jones St. tonight. Shalimar is awesome.
My wife and I picked this place because the review ratings were high, and it was just around the corner from our hotel. We knew nothing about the menu or the protocol to follow for such an authentic Pakistani restaurant like Shalimar.
When you enter the place, you know it’s the real deal, because it is loud, the guys in the kitchen are working hard, and the wonderful smells of cooked meat and spices fill your senses. A guy pointed us to a table and handed us a menu, but it wasn’t real clear how things worked here. Finally, we figured out that you need to go to the counter in the back and tell the cook what you want. Also, it’s good to note that you can go get your own water (and maybe even soda) and sauces from the fridges back by the kitchen. And while we are talking protocol, it’s up to you to go up to the counter again to pay the bill when you are done with your meal. Now there may be some exceptions to the procedure, as we did notice that some tables were delivered their tickets, and water was sometimes delivered to some tables.
Now onto the food. We ordered Chicken Jalfrezi, Nihari, Garlic Naan, and Shalimar Chawal. Everything in this meal was nothing short of excellent. Both the Nihari and the Chicken Jalfrezi were seasoned beautifully, and the chicken had a slight sweet taste to it. The garlic naan was delicious as well, and the rice tasted great with the sauces from the chicken and beef. Once we finished the meal, the spices and tastes were still dancing on my tongue for several minutes. It was just great!
[ What would the world be like without rhetorical questions? ]

When my friend Harry said we were going to authentic Pakistan cuisine I couldn’t wait! And since Harry is from Pakistan I was doubly excited to try something that a local would recommend.
My favorite dish is saag so I’m always looking for the perfect spices and spinach ratio. I also love mango lassi and both didn’t disappoint.
We also ordered their chicken and onion dish, naan and yogurt dip. Forgive me if I can’t name everything, I took a picture of the menu for reference then accidentally deleted it.
The chicken was tender and all white meat with some spices. Think grilled white meat chicken with grilled onions.
I loved everything we had, including the free hot chai tea.
If it wasn’t in such a sketchy neighborhood with limited parking I’d be here more often.
Mad props for authentic reasonably priced food!

Are you ready for a flavor explosion in your mouth?
The fragrant and exotic smells of Shalimar will make your mouth water for the deliciousness that is to come. You won’t find reheated dishes in the microwave here and the Tandoori chicken is served fresh off the grill.
Go LUNGE for a table as soon as you see it being vacated or your wait could stretch out longer than 20 minutes. Order and pay at the counter, grab your utensils/​plates/​water and wait for your meal to be delivered to your table.
We all LOVED the moderately spicy Daal Masala. While considered a poor man’s food, here it’s made rich with a variety of lentils and cooked with cumin and coriander. Just perfect. Their chai is served piping hot and I absolutely love that it comes unsweetened! The Palak Paneer is some kind of special too. With a slightly golden paneer and soft spinach cooked in exotic spices, mop this one up with a big piece of Garlic Naan. Speaking of which is deliciously stuffed with garlic bits enough to drive the boyfriend away ;-)
I wasn’t impressed with the Chicken Tikka. Like Merica, I found it to be a bit greasy and the chicken was kinda dry. I prefer the creamier/​tangier version which I found to be prepared much better at other places.
Nevertheless, the incredibly affordable prices and generous servings will keep me coming back for more. Plus, the sticky tables, divey atmosphere and pungent smell stuck to my coat (hello drycleaning!) is a foodie adventure I can’t wait to experience again.

San Francisco, CA
Food ⁸⁄₁₀. If I knew any better it may be ¹⁰⁄₁₀ given the level of authenticity.
* Chicken Tikka Masala — was suggested to me by Guy behind counter. I was offended… Said «Are you offering the CTM because I do not look like a local».
Anyways I’m a sucker and ordered that. Taste, not bad, the best I’ve had probably as all the others I’ve tried were probably not as authentic.
* Garlic Naan and Garlic Naan —
I seriously think this his how Naan should be done! Exquisite.
* Regular rice — almost bland, I really think it was seasoned very lightly to pick up the other flavors.
* Chicken — tender, well seasoned and fresh, like everything else.
* Mango Lassi — Almost frothy, not ice cold but really tasty!
Tip: Sauces GET Both located in the cooler. Self Serve — The employees thought I was a regular asshole and didn’t hook it up. I had to grab it as if I was playing for keeps.
Tip: Complimentary Tea and Sugar are Awesome! I had 4 cups and was stimmied out of my mind!!! (Caffeine high)
Note: Surprisingly the food takes a while to come out after ordering — must be the Shalimar Secret /​Way!
Note: American standards this place is a a divey dump. I think it’s just fine. Also, don’t expect great service you nerd.
Note: This is the Taxi Drivers Go To aka this place is really good.

Unless you live in San Francisco, coming to Shalimar to dine can be quite an experience. It’s located in the Tenderloin (ruff and not the best neighborhood) and literally a hole in the wall. This isn’t the place for one to bring a date. If you can overlook all this then this is the place to eat authentic home cooked Indian food.
You order and can prepay for your meal at the counter. Credit cards are accepted. The server will bring your utensils and food when ready. I ordered the chicken tikka masala, chicken curry, palak paneer (spinach and cheese), and Shalimar rice. The portion sizes of each dish were average, but together the four dishes were enough for the three of us. The flavors of the dishes were different for me and I can’t say that I appreciate them as much as others have. The only plus to this place is that it is BYOB. Overall it was an ok experience and an inexpensive meal.

THE BEST INDIAN FOOD PLACE EVER!
I admit they treated some other customers better but I don’t mind because they were still very nice and the food is so BOMB. It’s located in a sorta sketchy place and there’s literally three other Indian restaurants within the intersection but this one is the place to go!

Every time I went SF, every time I try their food and every time I got sick, from today no more… Never again, what are they doing, food is old and smelly, what I know is they prepare their food somewhere in Fremont and then transport it to all other branches.
Also this food is not Pakistani at all, not at all, it might be naypali or Indian but not Paki at all, too much creepy spices, don’t go there

We waited awhile at 9p on a Saturday night. But it cleared out at 10p. You have to wait to be seated but then you go up to the cashier and order. Then the waiter brings your food but you get your drink and desert yourself. Then you go up to the cashier and pay after telling him what drinks you had (soda, water). They take credit card.
Food was good. We had the potato pancake paratha, garlic naan, chicken biryani, saag spinach and chicken tikka masala. Prices were not bad. The tikka masala was very oily. The saag was good with the garlic naan. I would pass on the mango lassi.

If I ever make it to Jannah by Allah’s mercy… I’m sure there will be better food served, however, as long as I am on earth, Shalimar is as close as it gets.
Shalimar is the spot. Full flavor, the chai flows and doesn’t run out (unlike some Indian places), hella good price. Curries are super heavy and oily so don’t eat chicken tikka masala everyday unless your trying to get fat. Naan is perfect. Kebabs are unbelievable. The freshness is unrealistically consistent. The kitchen is a nonstop machine.
Unlike every other desi food spot in SF, this place is not catered towards 1^st world upbringing/​privileged expectations, which includes but are not limited to: friendly staff, colorful décor, toned down spices, being formally seated, having a real waiter, etc. don’t bring a date here, this place ain’t cute. If your scared, go to church/​synagogue; this place is straight out the balad.

Packed on a friday night. Go up to the counter in the back to place your order and then grab a table before anyone else does. There’s no real system on finding a seat so you need to be aggressive (3 tables got snatched because we weren’t sure how the system worked– and ended up waiting 20 minutes before finally sitting). You pay at the end when you’re done eating.
Ordered: Chicken tikka masala ($ 7.95), bhuna gosht (grass fed lamb, $ 8.50), naan ($ 1), and shalimar chawal (basmati rice with spices and lots of flavor, $ 2).
Curries are less than $ 9 and overall this place is the best bang for your buck in terms of delicious Indian food. Don’t forget to grab a cup of their (free) milk tea, sauce bottles, and a pitcher of water.

This place is great!
My friends and I were feeling the taste of Indian food and happened to choose this place because of the Unilocal REVIEWS!
We had no expectations and we’re relying on our past experiences and Unilocal reviews for our food of choosing.
The following foods were order:
Rice (⁵⁄₅):
–its just rice… hahaha
Garlic Nann (³⁄₅):
–Very oily. I wish it wasn’t as oily as other places
Potato Nann (³⁄₅):
–Very oily
Lamb Brain Masala (⁵⁄₅):
–Personally, I was very hesitant to try this. I had my friends try it out first and then asked for their opinions. I was honestly scared. I had to jumped out of my comfort zone to eat this and I don’t regret it. Lets say that, we ended up ordering two plates. I hope that tells you something
Chicken Tikka Masala (⁴⁄₅):
–It wasn’t over creamed like the others I had before. Nothing special, just the same olé stuff
Goat Karahi (⁴⁄₅):
–I like spicy foods but my body cant really handle it. In my opinion, this plate was pretty spicy and had to grab a few napkins to wipe some sweat off my head.
When eating these curry plates, I suggest to order rice instead. The nann will definitely fill you up faster. If we all stuck with nann, we wouldn’t be able to finish the curry plates because its too filling.
Parking was hard, so I’m guessing this is a only a one time stop for me. Other than that, I’ll come by if I have another chance.

Another win for cheap eats in the Tenderloin. This place is grimy like the neighborhood, but if you can get past that, you’re in a for a real treat!
Their chicken tikka masala isn’t oversaturated with heavy dairy. Instead, it has a touch of creaminess to let the aromatic spices shine through. Love the chunky strips of fresh ginger in it. Pair that with one of their freshly prepared naans, and you’ve got yourself a meal for about $ 10. Their potato naan (aloo paratha delhvi) stuffed with spiced potatoes and brushed with butter, is the most amazing thing I have yet to put in my mouth. Their tandoori chicken is also another great option, flavorful and tender pieces of white meat.
They say they take card, but if it’s closing time will only take cash.

I’m astonished by the fact that Shalimar has so many good reviews! We walk in and I think to myself «Should we be even dining here??» The ambience is so bad that it gives a bad vibe to the entire dining experience, being in downtown San Francisco you expect more. We should have listened to our instincts and moved on to a different restaurant but because it was getting late, we anyhow thought of giving the place a chance with their food. Well, we were terribly wrong!
Ordered Murgh Tikka Lahori for starters which was okay. For main course, we ordered Murghi Korma Shahi, Paneer Masala, Palak Paneer, few Garlic Naans and Onion Naan. You might at the least expect the non-​veg dishes to be delectable but it was just not good! The gravy was so watery and there was nothing Shahi (Royal in English) about it as the name suggests it to be. I can’t even start talking about the Paneer dishes! The Paneer (Cottage Cheese) in both the dishes were so dried out and hard that it was difficult to eat them. Palak Paneer was really awful and I don’t even believe they used Palak (Spinach) to prepare it. Seemed like Saag (Mustard Greens) to me! Lacked salt and all other essential spices.
Hygiene seems to have gone on vacation at this place. We were first seated at a table which was not properly cleaned after the previous customer, we had to ask for it to be cleaned. The kitchen is quite open and you can see the chef’s and other employees in the kitchen. None of them were wearing a hairnet. The restroom (just 1) was in a very bad shape with toilet papers on the floor and the floor was wet.
I’d never come again to this restaurant!

Terrible attitude. Really unprofessional about how they handle crowds. Food was decent.
The waiter «Noman» needs to be commended though. Attentive and respectful unlike the guy at the counter.
Would have been a 1* review otherwise.

Grungy feel to this divey restaurant that serves up impressive, flavorful spiced up curry!
I love their Shalimar rice and use the curry from any of the dishes that you pick from here (rest assured, their curry dishes do not disappoint), and it will be superbly delicious. Garlic naan is of the essence as dipping for the curry.
Their gamey goat karahi was rich with spices and kicks in with a tad bit of spiciness. I adored it and cleaned every drip of sauce there was on the plate. They offer butter chicken curry and lamb as other ogling options.
Cash only spot.

Although in a slightly more dodgy part of town, this place is a little gem and worth visiting. It certainly looks authentic and the food is not posh by any means but sure tastes good.
The food was delicious, served quickly and well portioned. Overall it was really good value for money.
The staff also accommodated our large group of 8 people without stress or hassle.
Be aware that the restaurant does not allow alcohol. This wasn’t a problem for our group but wasn’t something we were aware of until we got there.

I saw the good reviews and had high expectations. Unfortunately, it didn’t meet my expectations.
First of all, it has a truly hole in the wall feel, but almost too much and too literally – I felt kind of dirty eating there. The tables were old school, with slightly dirty utensils, and slightly weird tasting water (like lemon and dish water?).
The food itself was decent Indian/​Pakistani food, but it was not amazing – compared to other Indian restaurants I’ve gone to, it isn’t really a thing to write home about. I got the palak paneer and the murghi korma shahi. The palak paneer was definitely the winner between the two. Note that this chicken korma has bone-​in dark chicken pieces, as some restaurants do.
They also have a strange service model: go to counter to order, they bring you utensils and cups and a pitcher of water, they bring you food, you go up to counter to tell them you’re ready for the check, they bring you the check, you pay and leave.
Maybe I’m missing something here, but honestly not sure what the hype is about this place.

Food was just ok. Naan was a bit too greasy. The place was kind of unsanitary, which probably explain why I got stomachache afterwards. It unnerved me because it’s the first time it ever happened during my many experiences of eating heluva spiced and spicy Indian food.
They do have a bunch of Indian customers though, so the food must be pretty authentic.

And your taste buds will never be the same again. Just give up now, they’ll say. Don’t even bother trying to look for another Indian/​Pakistani place. It’s useless, and it’ll just make us cry, they say.
Poor little taste buds.
The garlic naan isn’t bad, but the plain naan is the way to go, mostly because you’re eating it with the curry, right? So the intense flavors just mask the garlic naan.
Go up to order, and enjoy the casual experience. The Murghi Korma Shahi is great, as is the Bhuna Gosht. Both are ~$ 1 more than is listed on the website. Both are also extremely oily and rich. A little goes a long, long way. And that’s what that naan is for.
Get yourself some chai up towards the front straight out of the dispenser. It’s like half milk, and really helps with some of the heat.

The food was alright, but I’ve had better (I’ve had Indian roommates before and grown to really appreciate the culture through delicious Indian cuisine). Ordered the grilled lamb for $ 13, garlic naan for $ 2 and a coke for $ 1.
The lamb was okay, but it was a little dry and under seasoned. The naan was fresh and hefty in size. The place had a true «hole-​in-​the-​wall» feel.
What I think would help the place a little better would be increase ventilation because it felt kind of stuffy and super hot, which made dining in a little uncomfortable. I was sweatin’ even before the spicy food came out!

This food. This food people… Just listen. Please… Freaking amazing. It made up for the overpriced ‘Michelin rated’ place we went the night before (no I won’t tell you where!). The food here is absolutely true to Pakistan and is delicious. Like… You will crave coming back. Yea the other reviewers are right in that it’s kind of a dirty little hole in the wall. Yeah yeah I know the bathroom is nasty. Yeah FINE I agree the inside looks like ass. But you know why we are here? FOOD! And the kitchen looks clean and it’s open so no it’s not like the bathroom.
So come and get epic food and just wear gloves if you are so bothered. Oh… And guess what? It’s cheap food. Like REALLY cheap. Wow!

Never mind the people making and serving the food look as sloppy as the food and the establishment itself, the flavors of each dish has the perfect blend of flavors and spices. Goat biryani, chicken kofta, seekh kebab, garlic naan, tandoori chicken, and mango lassi. Each item uniquely flavored.
Seat yourself, order your food from the newspaper menu by the counter, grab your water pitcher in the fridge, sit down with cheap dinnerware, and await the dirty finger lickin’ goodness to be served. Straightforward Indian food that doesn’t carry the westernized pretenses, though you also hope the food doesn’t carry salmonella or listeria of some sort. High risk, high reward FTW!

I’m all about hole in the wall places with good food, but I’m not down with dirty/​unsanitary restaurants.
Shalimar serves up some great tasting food, but I couldn’t help but be distracted from enjoying the food with how unsanitary the place is.
Some issues I witnessed–
1) Uncovered food (desserts) in the drink cooler, just sitting out. How many dirty hands open that cooler to grab things? It’s an open door for bugs/​airborne bacteria to land in.
2) The guy taking orders, answering phones, and accepting cash didn’t wear gloves while handling food. Saw him grab several kabobs off the long skewer and rip them in half to put on a plate BARE-​handed.
3) Busser wiped clean plates with the same rag he used to wipe the counter. Seriously?
4) No gloves, hairnets, caps worn by anyone in the kitchen. Is the health inspector on their payroll? How’s this place not shut down?
While the goat karahi flavor was really good, it was soaked in oil and had very little meat for $ 10.95 (mostly bones). Also, I ordered a garlic naan that never came and the people were just rude.

My friend and I think we might be famous soon. You see, an Indian TV network was filming at Shalimar while we were there and based on the angle of the camera, we’re sure that we will be featured prominently. If any of you see me on TV, please let me know.
In all seriousness, several of my friends have raved about Shalimar and I finally got a chance to check it out. It was a hot day and I was nervous that the restaurant would be too hot without A/​C but it turned out to be alright.
The menu looks like a (dirty) newspaper and we ordered 1) Chicken Tikka Masala, 2) Nihari (beef shank stew) and 3) Beef Seekh Kakab. All three items were very good and went well with the naan and basmati rice we got. I also tried a cup of mango lassi and I would not recommend it. It was very foamy and light.
I like hole-​in-​the-​walls but Shalimar could use a serious makeover or even a deep cleaning.

When we came here to try the daily special, Brain Masala, I couldn’t help but think about the legendary scene in the movie, Hannibal, when Dr. Hannibal Lecter saws open Krendler’s skull, so that he can take a portion of his brain to sauté in a pan. Awful… uhm, awfully tasty!
One of the highlights of our dining experience at Shalimar included the lamb brain $ 8.95, that had been handsomely cooked in butter, onions, tomatoes, and spices. This delicate dish was texturally pleasing and had a distinctive flavor that I can’t completely describe. Minus its greasiness, this dish was good. Make sure to scoop up every bit of brain with their garlic naan, $ 2.50.
In addition, we were thoroughly impressed by how moist and savory the Murgh Tikka Lahori $ 7.50, was. The smoky flavor and the gorgeously charred exterior of the chicken leg were pleasing. So far, this was one of the more yummy tandoori charcoal barbecue items we’ve encountered.
Other dishes we ordered included the daily special: Goat Karahi $ 9.95, (diced goat cooked in northern spices), which had robust flavor. I love goat and this dish hit the spot. Beware of its greasiness though.
I was disappointed by the Chicken Tikka Masala $ 7.95, which was devastatingly greasy and watery in texture. I am accustomed to a thicker, rich, creamy sauce. Despite the fact that the chicken was swimming in a watery sauce, once I bit into a piece, it was noticeably dry.
Preferences, preferences. My fiancé actually really liked the dishes from here, but I was completely turned off by how greasy the dishes were, especially the Chicken Tikka Masala dish. How unfortunate. I think I’ll stick to the dishes at Pakwan, and only resort to this place if we’re really hankering for some lamb brain.
+ BYOB :)

Unscheinbares und lautes «Restaurant» — wenn man sich reingetraut hat, dann wandert man an die Theke und holt sich eines der wenigen Exemplare der Speisekarte. Dabei kann man bereits einen Blick auf den Tandori-​Ofen erhaschen, welcher in der offenen Küche steht. Danach sucht man sich das Essen aus und setzt sich an irgendeinen freien Platz (wir waren an einem Do Abend gegen 20:00 Uhr dort und es gab genug freie Plätze) und wartet. Das Essen kam zügig– wir hatten 2 Tandori Gerichte (Lamm/​Hühnchen) und 2 Curry-​Varianten mit Huhn– dazu Naan und Reis + Lassi. Das Essen war lecker aber insbesondere die Tandori Gerichte waren gut scharf/​authentisch gewürzt. Es hat alles wirklich lecker geschmeckt — und mit 4 «Hauptgerichten» und 60 Dollar stimmt das Preis-​/​Leistungsverhältnis durchaus.

After an exhausting weekend, we decided to go the lazy route for dinner and grab some food to take home. The top place on the takeout list was Shalimar, an indian/​pakistani hole in the wall at the edge of the tenderloin. This place is grungy, in a sketchy neighborhood and has less than friendly service but none of that really matters when you’re just looking for cheap indian food to go.
Chicken Tikka Masala — ⁴⁄₅ — Very smooth, oily and tasty. This staple did not disappoint.
Chicken Kofta — ³⁄₅ — Creamier than the Tikka Masala curry, also good.
Goat Karahi — ³⁄₅ — This had a bit of kick to it, which I liked.
Palak Paneer — ²⁄₅
Plain Naan — ⁴⁄₅
Garlic Naan — ⁵⁄₅ — Great by itself as well as for soaking up the curries.
Gulab Jaman — ⁴⁄₅ — This mixed together with the Banarsi was better than either of them by themselves.
Banarsi Kheer — ³⁄₅
Mango Lassi — ⁴⁄₅
Overall, this is a great affordable option if you’re looking to satisfy a craving for Indian food. I don’t have a whole lot of experience with this cuisine within SF to compare this to, but for now «I’m a fan.»