India Cafe
| Address: | 7826 Portland Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55420, USA |
| Phone: | +1 952-884-1067 |
| Site: | indiacafempls.com |
| Rating: | 3.6 |
| Working: | 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–10:30PM 11AM–10:30PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 6
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Samreen Saadi
This used to be owned by someone else before (maybe 4-5 years ago) so I think the really amazing reviews make sense for then but I dont get the 4-5 star reviews now. So, it took 15-20 minutes for our appetizers to come out and another half hour for our food. 50 minutes is a bit too long and this place really needs more staff than just the owner and their son handling so much behind the counter and waiting on tables. They actually came over and asked us if we were waiting for more food - really? Anyway, their food is actually not too bad, especially their Sambar Idli and Sambar Vada - delicious sambar (tangy + spicy). Their naan is very thin and yummy but not the usual thick one with bubbles. We ordered medium spice but the food was a bit too spicy still. Their "special" goat dum biryani was decent but had one too many jalapenos in it (guess to make it spicier than it was already?). And why call it "dum" biryani? Every biryani is "dum"-ified which means to basically cover and cook rice + meat together until steam is achieved throughtout the pot. So, not sure what was the "specialty" behind this biryani. Pass on pani puri - was very ok. Chicken tikka masala was pretty good. Lastly: They also need to get rid of the many fruit flies in their restaurant - so annoying while trying to eat. Another desi restaurant tried in Minnesota, another one on the "OK" list.
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A Private User
Ive been here 3 times for take out the FOOD IS GREAT and the prices very fair! My Sister in Law lived in India for a year in college and she got me hooked on Indian Food. Over the past 15 years weve dined at most of the India restaurants in the Twin Cities many times. This is our favorite for take out. The food is delicious. Yesterday we had Navaratan Korma - my favorite veggie item, Butter Chicken, Chicken Makhani with Naan all were rich and creamy. Medium spice is a MN Medium - not hot. The Naan is very good. On the on-line order is it says most items do not come with rice do you want to order rice. I found that hard to believe so I did not order rice and rice did come with the order as it should. They should specify on the menu which items include rice. Their rice is really tasty. This is a hole in the wall - little ambiance, not someplace where I would want to go out for dinner. They have take out and delivery and a very easy and efficient online ordering system that worked perfectly. The only reason I gave this a 4 is because the first time I ordered here I called in and the order wasnt ready when I got there and clearly they hadnt started it. That was a bummer. The second time I dropped in because I was in the area so waiting made sense. From now on online ordering all the way.
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Harriet Ulak
Tbh I didnt really even see the restaurant because its very much hidden behind a huge pillar in a strip mall. I only happened to stumble across it because of the yummy aroma that was wafting outside. Im SUPER happy to have found it though b/c the food and service were both wonderful! Very happy to have met the owner. A friendly and very helpful lady who was patient explaining all the dishes to me. I took the $10.00 weekday buffet and fell in love with their naan, chicken biryani, matter paneer, and gulab jamun! Gave the mango lassie a try while I was at it as well...a very yummy sweet drink. Had a very satisfying lunch :) I will say however...Im disappointed at some of these negative reviewers that are judging the restaurant like its some posh, high-end place. Thats a very unfair comparison to make given the small space and location of restaurant itself. This is a simple, hole-in-the-wall hidden gem with authentic tasty food. There are many upscale restaurants that look like a million bucks and serve mediocre or disappointing food. If looks are all you care about then this place is not for you. If taste, freshness and quality of food is what youre looking for then this is where you need to be. Simple as that. I will be returning here with friends in the future! :)
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A Private User
I always loved the food at India Cafe and hence went very often to this place. I had ordered a particular dish couple of times because it was my favorite, but the last 2 times I ordered, they werent as good as the previous time. So this time, when I mentioned this to the lady at the counter, she was just not ready to accept the comment. I was not expecting her to owe up to the mistake or apologise to me or give me a free item. I was just expecting the lady to listen me out and tell me that she will look into it. But her attitude was not right and she was hell bent on proving me that I was lying. Shocked by this behaviour I said that if this is the way she behaves, then she would be losing out on a customer and she said that she is fine with it. In fact I tried to be as soft as possible so that other customers dont hear my comment, but her tone looked like she didnt care. I have heard her scream at the cooks but never knew the same behaviour would be shown to customers. After this kind of behaviour, I have decided NEVER to go to that place since along with good food I expect some respect and professionalism from the management.
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Lucretia Anderson
I ordered the vegetable pakora for pick up and was quoted 5-10 minutes for them. Well, it was ready when I got there, which was a plus. They were hot, crispy, and came with the jalepeño mint chutney and a tamarind sauce. The pieces were a bit large and seem to be primarily onions, but it is still good. Beware, they have a sign up saying any total $10 or less is cash only. Yea, right. All I had was my card. The man asked if I had cash twice and both times I said no. Once I noticed his attitude, I politely let him know that it is against the law to enforce this rule, just to avoid fees. He went and spoke with someone in the back, came back and literally snatched my card before throwing my receipts at me. Other patrons saw this, but they were all white and Indian and no one spoke up about the disrespect. I even had my child with me who witnessed the disrespect. Because of this treatment, I will never return.
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Arun Madhavan
Great food, horrible service. We showed up at 11 am, and despite the sign on the door saying they open at 11, we were waved away very obnoxiously by one of the cooks, who claimed they only open at 11:30. When we returned at 11:30, we were greeted by a "closed" sign on the door, which an annoyed-looking person flipped to "open" only when we peered in through the door. I guess this place operates on IST. Once we got inside, it was like pulling teeth just to find out if their regular menu is available, or only the lunch buffet. That said, the food was excellent, and at $10.99 the price is quite competetive with other Indian restaurants in the Twin Cities. I do plan to come here again, but I hope that the management is reading this and that they will instruct their staff in basic courtesy.
