Tamarind

This is the most ridiculously disgusting food I have had in a while. I ordered a Madras Masala Dosa and they used the potato stuffing of dosa in my other order of poori bajji. Aweful taste and nothing authentic. Staff is lazy. Avoid like plague.

Absolutely fantastic. We stopped in here on a Saturday because we were in town for another event — since it’s the Holiday Season, the pay lot up the street even had free parking. Bonus! Unfortunately, they didn’t open until 5 PM, so we had to wait a couple minutes beforehand, but it was well worth it. We were actually the first ones in the door. I’m not going to talk about the ambiance/​setting — others have pretty well covered this. The kitchen was a little slow with our food, but the tableside service was still good. I can’t complain that much about the kitchen — as soon as we sat down, 5 other tables filled up right behind us. While others got their appetizers and meals before us, we didn’t mind because their food seemed a little less complicated to make, and I can understand the restaurant’s approach of trying to make as many patrons happy as fast as they can. But we did wait at least 30 minutes for our orders to come out (hence, the one star deduction). Again — well worth the wait. I had the Curry Goat; super flavorful; my only complaint is the amount of bones that came with it. My dining partners had the Chicken Makhani (with tomato & cream sauce; it was delicious), and the Chicken Saag with spinach. Everything was cooked to perfection. The waiter came over and even asked if the spiciness was OK,…as if he could read our minds, especially since one of us experiences chronic indigestion. She was fine throughout the meal and even after. They were out of Naan bread, so they provided us a couple orders of other dipping bread, perfect to sop up all the leftover sauce. They didn’t push drinks on us; the water was fine and was refilled several times over.
The big question: would we go back? Absolutely. Even through we live about an hour away, we agreed we would drive that far just to come to this restaurant and try out more items.

Good food. Worth a try

I really enjoyed the ambiance here. The setting in an old house with original trim was really lovely. I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala and garlic Naan with Mango Lassi. The spices were just right and the portions were decent for the price. The mango lassi was very sweet and tasty, if a little warm, but overall still yummy.

ABSOLUTELY UNHYGENIC & IRRESPONSIBLE!
Im giving them 1 star because u cannot give 0stars.
Its the WORST place to have food.
I had hair in my food and when i complained the waiter said «so many people have taken food from the buffet so we dont know whose hair it is.»
He blamed other customers very comfortably. The attitude is worst and he said. sir we cannot help.
PLEASE DONT GO HERE!!!

Located in the first floor of a house (not that I think anyone lives upstairs, but it is possible) Tamarind is a decent Indian buffet for lunch. The place is a bit cramped but I’ve never had to wait for a table for lunch.
Decent selection of all your go-​to Indian cuisines and the price is decent.

Tamarind is well rounded restaurant that provides a very enjoyable eating experience. We had the Saag with lamb. This dish is fantastic. I would eat this everyday. We also had the goat curry and the tandoori chicken. They were also good but not like the Saag. The naan was outstanding.
The fact that the place is in a house makes the place feel very communal. We talked to the people at both tables next to us the entire night. BYOB is nice as well. We were out the door for around 50 bucks and had 3 meals. The service is really attentive and the people are very nice. We had a great time. Def recommend it.

The restaurant is really cool, it’s a old house converted into a restaurant. The area inside is small but sufficient. We didn’t know Sunday lunch time was only buffet, we saw the dosa pics and went in for dosa and had the buffet. Luckily plain dosa is included in the buffet. For 10 dollar there isn’t much to complain. The food was good but the options weren’t traditional, they didn’t have a single paneer dish on the buffet that day. Taste wise I would give the food a 6.5÷10. Service for the dosa could have been quicker. The naan was too chewy but a decent place to grab a meal.

Me and my wife enjoyed the variety and quanlity of the food here. Curry chicken was good, hearty and spicy. I really enjoyed the mirchi bajji, which I had never tried, very crispy crust instead of greasy. Dal and the chickpea curry which accompanied the bread were spicier than we’d like to, but were very well-​prepared. Friendly staff. Will come back as soon as possible for sizzling tandoori meats.

Old house converted to restaurant. Casual atmosphere, caters to students around.
The 3 stars are because the service was good.
The food itself — decent.
Gobi manchurian was a good appetizer. The butter dosa was good too. The sambhar not the best I’ve had, but not bad. I didn’t like that they put the bowls of sambhar and chutney on the dosa itself, rather than bring it on the side. If you’re particular about hygiene, let them know.
The paneer tikka masala was RED. I think that’s food color, but could be wrong. Was not bad but I wasn’t impressed. The chettinad was also decent. Like I said, decent food. Nothing bad. Except made me feel a little sick.
Nothing wrong with it. But nothing to make me return.

Food: 1) vegetable samosa 2) chicken tikka masala 3) special chicken biryani 4) bread bowl. The food was more than enough to feed three people.
The basmati rice was beautifully cooked to a nice fluffiness. The chicken tikka masala was very tender and lean. The chicken biryani had a bit of a kick to it, as the chicken was spicy. Naan was phenomenal. Overall, delicious.
Service was extremely hospitable. Restaurant was first floor of a house, which was quaint.

A slightly grubby restaurant in a slightly grubby part of town. But the food was pretty good. In particular, the naan was very well prepared and tasty. We also had the aloo gobi masala and the kadai fry with okra which were both good. The raita was a bit watery but the daal tasted great.
Excellent value for money.

Great casual neighborhood Indian restaurant. I’ve come here semi-​regularly over the past few months and have never left unsatisfied.
First the place– the restaurant is in a Victorian style house, and is warmly decorated with nice paintings on the wall. It is nothing fancy, very casual, but it feels very welcoming. Easy to have a long relaxed lunch or dinner here.
The food — solid Indian food. No bells or whistles, just solid cooking. The food feels like authentic home cooking. Very reasonably priced. The chicken tikka masala is always good, and I have a soft spot in my heart for their vegetarian dishes with okra and eggplant.
The service — very friendly! Prompt and courteous.
Tip– Come by for the lunch buffet! For just $ 9.23 (incl tax) on weekdays and around $ 11 on weekends. It’s all you can eat, (including mango lassi! *drool*) and has a wide variety of vegetarian and non-​vegetarian options. Good option for serving larger groups too.

SETTING
Cute Victorian house with hardwood floors. Well lit and has enough space for small to medium parties. Casual. Feels like I am dining at a relative’s house!
FOOD
Came for the «Sunday Dinner for Two» deal: 1 appetizer + 2 entrees + 1 bread (all for $ 25). Seriously, what a fantastic deal! Definitely filling too.
Went with the Gobi Manchurian for the app. I’m not a huge fan of cauliflower because it looks like a mini albino tree and tastes like cardboard. That being said, if cauliflower was always done this way, then these albino trees would be deforested in a minute. Crunchy and delicious.
First time I had Channa Batura and it was great! It was like a big puffy bread that could be peeled/​ripped apart and dipped in the chickpea curry. Chickpeas are tasty and they have a cute name. Chickpea IN curry? Count me in.
I’m a big fan of Saag because I like spinach and Popeye the sailor man. Chicken Saag was rich and just the right amount of creamy. Good quantity of tender chicken as well.
SERVICE
Waiters are knowledgeable about the menu and describe the dishes well if you have trouble understanding what you are ordering. Nice people. Very mellow and quiet personalities, which go with the atmosphere of this place.
IMPRESSION
Convenient location and high quality food (with good deals on certain days) makes this place a must-​visit if you are a fan of indian cuisine. Personally, I enjoy coming here for their deals and quality dishes, but I also enjoy their arch nemesis down the street if I am solely in the mood for buffet (more offerings there).
Not much parking except in their «driveway». Oh, and I’ve always wondered what’s upstairs… anyone know? A hidden albino forest, perhaps? *smacks lips*

I had been bemoaning the lack of good Indian food in Pittsburgh, as I felt like there was an embarrassment of good options in Boston, so my partner was like, «Wait, I haven’t taken you to Tamarind yet?»
Tamarind is located in a renovated house, with very high ceilings, and unsurprisingly has a homey, but classy, environment.
I ordered a mango lassi, the chicken vindaloo, and garlic naan. The mango lassi was a little sweet for my tastes, and I worried because they didn’t ask me how hot I wanted the vindaloo: at a lot of ethnic places that means you get tourist or anglo-​level heat, or «mild».
But when the vindaloo came out it was fragrant and super spicy. Enough to make my scalp itch [when I told my partner, she though I was a lunatic, so am I the only one who rates the spiciness of food by whether the sweat beads up and my head itches a little?]. Suddenly the sweetness of the mango lassi was just right! More importantly, as well as being spicy it was delicious. The garlic naan was also tasty.
I will definitely go back. I have to try the «Chicken 65», described as marinated, fried chicken, there take on a classicl Indian street food. While we were there, a party of about 15 people came in, all speaking Hindi to each other, and they ordered half a dozen plates of what I assume was the Chicken 65 to share: I need to get some of that!

My husband and I had been wanting to try Tamarind for years — literally! — and were so excited to finally check out the restaurant on Sunday. Service was quick from being seated to bringing the check. Lunch buffet was our only option, and it was a great introduction to the restaurant. I enjoyed all the dishes that I tried. My husband would normally order his food with an above average spice level while I would order a spice level 1 or 2, so I was very pleased that Tamarind’s buffet pleased us both. We were both shocked when the bill arrived… I believe the total was about $ 20? We’ll definitely be back soon!

We have returned many times and this has some of the best Indian food I have ever had!
I am a huge fan of their Saag Paneer and Tikka Masala Paneer. Their breads are also very fresh and delicious. Their lunch buffet is always well stocked and food is constantly being monitored and refilled.
I will continue to return!

I went on Sunday for their buffet lunch and it was SO good. We went because my Indian friend says it’s one of the only Indian restaurants he likes in Pittsburgh. It did not disappoint.
The selection for the lunch buffet is quite authentic and a mix of south and north Indian cuisine. They have naan, rice, curries, chutneys, a mix of meat and vegetarian dishes, and will bring out dosa to your table. Everything was really flavorful. I feel like it was helpful going with someone who is familiar with the cuisine because they had a number of dishes I wasn’t too familiar with, even though I have traveled in India before and have frequented Indian restaurants in the past.
I’m giving this place five stars because the service is good, ambiance is nice, price is great (a little under $ 10 for the lunch buffet), and the food is fantastic. Such a unique and varied selection that I don’t normally see elsewhere. (Makes it a fun meal if you’re into trying new foods.) I’m definitely planning to go back soon!

I’ve been here several times, mostly for dinner and once for Sun. brunch buffet. My most recent visit was in Mar. on a weeknight.
During my most recent visit, my dining companion and I ordered the dosas. They were much larger than expected, and quite filling, if a bit on the bland side. We also ordered the vegetable naan, which I wasn’t so much a fan of (I don’t like crunchiness in my naan), but I’ve had other naans here and they’ve been good, so I think this is a personal preference. Whenever I visit an Indian restaurant, I always order a mango lassi, so I did so here, and it was a nice accompaniment to my meal.
On my most recent visit, I ordered the chicken tandoori as my entrée, and it was quite pleasing. I particularly liked how the chicken was brought to my table sizzling – clearly, fresh out of the tandoor oven. I found it to be well-​seasoned and delectable, with a beautiful red coating. I like some heat to my food but not too much, so I usually order a spice level of ⁴⁄₁₀. On previous trips, I’ve ordered the chicken tikka masala and saag paneer, both of which were good, though I don’t remember as much about them. My favorite dish, however, is the chicken makhani, which I’ve sampled from friends who’ve ordered it. Next time I go, I’ll have to order it as my entrée!
I don’t remember as much about the buffet, except for that the food was decent, albeit not as good as the a la carte dinner entrees I’ve had. However, there was a lot more of it, so I was able to sample some foods I wouldn’t have otherwise tried. If you go to the brunch, you certainly won’t leave hungry!
Service has always been decent. The atmosphere is particularly cozy and romantic, given that it’s located in a converted Victorian house. It’s a great date spot!

I was craving indian food on a wednesday night and after checking the ratings I thought this place would be nice. The restaurant occupies a former home which was very open with high ceilings. With all this open space I figured the decorations would match the layout but they didn’t.
The tables and chairs appeared worn out in their oak finish and had no style in my opinion. The lighting was a little too bright like being in a cafeteria. The door leading to the bathrooms was an industrial style one with a large push bar. You know the kinda door that looks like a fire exit. The kitchen happened to be located behind this same door which made me a little weary.
I was craving tamarind sauce when I came here and since this place is called «Tamarind» flavor of indian I was expecting some great sauce. We order a samosa appetizer, Biryani rice and chicken tandoori. When our appetizer came out it was accompanied by three different sauces: tamarind, mint and coconut chutneys. The only upside to eating here was that the samosa tasted really good. The breading wasn’t too thick and it was nice and crispy but the sauces where horrible. The only one I enjoyed was the white coconut chutney. The mint sauce was watered down with no flavor and the tamarind tasted like sweet spaghetti sauce. The tamarind sauces I’ve tried have always had a nice rich flavor and are dark and thick like honey or honey-​like. This sauce was so thin and tasted nothing like tamarind sauce at all. It almost tasted like it had a ketchup base which disgusted me.
I was so disappointed by this sauces that I had the waitress cancel my dinner order. I was going to cancel the whole order but when I approached her she already had the samosa in hand. Although the samosa was good I don’t see myself coming back here unless they get some new sauce.