Kumar's

South Indian restaurant · Briar Meadow

Kumar's

South Indian restaurant · Briar Meadow

2

8383 Westheimer Rd #168, Houston, TX 77063

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Highlights

South Indian fare with vegetarian options & weekend buffet  

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8383 Westheimer Rd #168, Houston, TX 77063 Get directions

kumarmesshouston.com

$10–20 · Menu

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8383 Westheimer Rd #168, Houston, TX 77063 Get directions

+1 832 454 3806
kumarmesshouston.com
KumarMessHouston
𝕏
@HoustonKumar

$10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 8, 2025

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@eater

14 Excellent Spots For South Asian Cuisine In Houston | Eater Houston

"Housed in Fadi Mediterranean Grill’s previous space on Westheimer, this fledgling chain offers curries, rice dishes, and pastries galore. On weekends, the restaurant offers an unlimited lunch buffet brimming with options. We recommend trying one of the thalis, which is a singular perfect plate that boasts sweet, salty, and savory flavors, this one particularly (with both meat and vegetarian options) will quickly fill your belly with big flavor." - Nadia Gire

https://houston.eater.com/maps/houston-best-indian-pakistani-restaurants
View Postcard for Kumar's
@eater

South Indian Cuisine Will Soon Take Over Houston - Eater Houston

"Kumar’s is a fast-casual Indian restaurant chain with locations in Plano and Austin. It serves curries, biryani, and Southern Indian bread dishes like mutta dosai and kothu parotta. On weekends, it offers an unlimited buffet of dishes served on banana leaves. The Houston location at 8383 Westheimer Road has been delayed due to a construction permit backlog post-Hurricane Harvey." - Amy McCarthy

https://houston.eater.com/2018/3/30/17179144/kumars-mess-godavari-fast-casual-indian-restaurants-opening-houston
View Postcard for Kumar's

Joel Koshy

Google
Kumar’s is hands down the best Indian restaurant in Houston! From the moment we walked in, the warm and inviting ambiance set the perfect tone for an unforgettable dining experience. The food was absolutely phenomenal—each dish bursting with authentic flavors and cooked to perfection. Whether it was the rich, creamy curries, the perfectly spiced biryanis, or the freshly made naan, every bite was a delightful journey to India. The staff were incredibly attentive and made us feel like family, adding to the overall charm of the place. This is more than just a meal; it’s an experience. We can’t wait to come back and indulge in the culinary masterpiece that is Kumar’s!

Saurabh Goel

Google
1 star for the food thali only. Mysore masala dosa no taste. After waiting for seating. Long wait foor serving. Everyone is served after one had finished. And that too after this wait food was served cold. Prantha’s are frozen microwaved but served cold. Service is extremely poor long wait is owing to mismanaged table service. Host are extremely forgetful And no 1 in giving excuses. Didn’t had such bad service experience in a while. To point in returning or bringing any guest or party here.

AAA

Google
5 stars for the terrific waitstaff. 3.5 stars for the food. 4 stars for ambience. I think this establishment is quite lucky to have such welcoming waitstaff. The ladies are indeed kind, hospitable, & sweet. P.S. I figured many restaurants fail to pass digital tips onto intended recipients: the staff. So, I try to bring cash. Sending best wishes to these waitresses.

Ahmad Mubarak

Google
Literally one of the best Indian restaurants ever, it’s so yummy and the vibes are incredible.

Akshay Mohikar

Google
Everything is so fresh here..! Never had such fresh chutneys anywhere in Houston. Food. Quality is amazing. Service is usually quick and the staff is courteous.

Mahendran Mani

Google
Writing review after few visits. Kumar's is the one and only South Indian restaurant that provides authentic Tamil Nadu food. Have tried Mutton Soup, Chapathi, Kothu parotta, Masala Dosa, Veg meals, Chicken curry fried rice, Chennai Chilli Chicken, Chennai Chilli Prawns, Egg Biriyani, Thalapakatti Mutton Biriyani ( May be only restaurant which serves Mutton biriyani with Seeraga Samba rice). Chennai Chilli Chicken, Chennai Chilli prawns, Masala Omlette, Masala Dosa and Thalapakatti Mutton biriyani is a must try. Their Masala Dosa, along with sambar and tomato chutney tasted good. The sambar was too good when compared with the A2B, which I recently tried in Chicago. Mutton Soup was very good and Mutton pieces inside the Soup were so tender. All the dishes are served on top of Banana leaves which is unique in this restaurant. Will keep updating this review after my future visits. On Aug 5th 2023, visited again and had non veg meals this time. Non veg meals for lunch, Meals had 2 mini poori’s, Boneless chilli chicken, Fish gravy, chicken gravy, mutton gravy, Sambar, Rasam, Curd, Vegetables, Papad and pickle. All the non veg gravies had one bite size meat in it. Sambar and rasam was really good. Had a good Indian food after a long time.

Chaitanya Machavarapu

Google
I went on July 12, 2025 for lunch and ordered the unlimited non-veg thali. When I asked for repeats, they said chicken dry, chicken curry, and mutton curry were finished. For an “unlimited” plate, this was disappointing. It was a Saturday, and the restaurant is open from 11:30 AM to 10 PM — how was the food already over? Either the management is poor or they are not honest with customers.

Kshitija Pansare

Google
Just had an amazing time at Kumar’s! We went for the non-vegetarian thali and it was pretty good, but the portions of chicken, mutton, and fish were a bit limited. However, the chole bhature totally blew us away - so delicious! Despite that, we had a great overall experience. It gets super busy on weekends, so make sure to book your reservation in advance!
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Don T.

Yelp
I'm a neophyte to South Indian food, so my opinion is likely not the most reliable. Nevertheless, I have fallen in love with this restaurant. I've been several times over the past year and I can honestly say this is one of my favorite restaurants in Houston. The food is simply amazing. I've tried several things on the menu and I haven't found a bad one amongst the lot. My personal favorite is the non-veg sampler meal they serve for lunch on Fridays and weekends. It's a little bit of everything. Another winner is the mutton curry with naan bread. Service is impeccable. They are attentive and will promptly refill drinks and dishes for the unlimited meals. I once went on a holiday for India, not sure which as it was a pleasant surprise. The place was packed but I got a free dessert and it was great. Be advised, the place is BYOB. I brought a bottle of wine and they don't charge a corking fee. They provided plastic cups to drink out of. No complaints here about that, but if you want some alcohol you need to bring your own. I find the place very welcoming. It is sort of tucked away in the back of a strip center so easy to miss, but I think it is worth the extra effort to find the place. The ambiance is nice and I found it fitting. There were usually several families there and it was a delight to see them all enjoy the food and place. I think I've taken many friends here because I won't shut up about the place with them. I just wanted to share this gem with as many people as possible.

Leon F.

Yelp
My family and I came to this restaurant expecting a peaceful dining environment, but we walked instead into a party blasting music at an unbearable volume. We approached the manager, who simply shrugged off our concerns and told us there was nothing she could do. People come to a restaurant expecting a nice, calm place to eat, not to be overwhelmed by deafening music. It was so excruciatingly loud, and when I asked for the music to be turned down, I was flat-out told no, and to make matters worse, the music got even louder after we spoke up. We had my elderly grandparents with us, and it was so uncomfortable for us and for them that we ended up canceling our order and leaving. The fact that the staff did absolutely nothing to handle this situation is incredibly disappointing. We were paying customers, and our experience was completely ruined - we have no intention of returning. This kind of treatment is unacceptable, and something needs to change.
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Annie A.

Yelp
Excellent South Indian food! My family is South Indian and Kumar's is very authentic and traditional with good portion sizes and pricing. They also have several North Indian dishes as well. We tried the Nandu lollipops and mutton perattal as appetizers and mutton kolambu for our entree. Food came out fairly quickly and piping hot. We were seated quickly and our waitress was very attentive. The seating area is large, ambiance is a bit dark but the vibe is family friendly and welcoming. Not only does the food come out quickly, it is hot, fresh, and most importantly, delicious. Their menu indicates that they are proud of the sourcing of their ingredients and it shows in the quality of the dishes. Other highlights: BYOB Weekend all-you-can-eat veg & nonveg thalis Several specials including soups and biryani Lots of refreshing beverages
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May Jean C.

Yelp
The only place I know that serves non-veg thali set in Houston, it's available on weekends. Love the menu at Kumar's, and I always enjoy my meal here. Also try the bru coffee! Service is good. Parking is easy.
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Darryl C.

Yelp
I've never been to Kumar's, i've never heard of the restaurant, they were not even close to being on my radar. I was craving the Indian food so I took a look onto Uber Eats, the "offers" button, and cars had all the items I wanted to order as two for one. You can't ignore that, I looked here and these are good so I placed the order. All I'm gonna say is, Kumars, if you want someone to tell you that offer turned you a solid customer, I'm telling you. Everything was amazing, tendori chicken, Chana masala, biryani. That was some of the best Indian food I've had in Houston in 10 years. Thank you for putting a special offer on Uber eats. You gave me a reason to try your restaurant.
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Ravi K.

Yelp
Parking: plenty of space to park Seating capacity: 160 person The ambience is decent but it gets noisy as more people come in. I ordered unlimited non veg thali which comes with chicken curry, goat curry, fish curry, rasam, sambhar, dessert, pickle, curd, paratha, rice and papad. It's strange not to see any lentil in this combo. Sambhar and rasam were fillers and tasted bad. Dessert was okay. Noon veg curries had decent spice level and tasted good but they all come with 1 piece and the bowl is full of gravy only. Its annoying to ask for more and more curry. Overall it cost $22 to have this thali but it's certainly not worth it. It took them a while to get my order to the table but then the service was fine. Wont recommend a thali unless you are looking for quantity and quality don't matter.
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Byron H.

Yelp
I was trying to double back on a Tuesday to find out they were closed. The food hit & the juices are top tier. I'll be back
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Anette A.

Yelp
We loved the food, we ordered the non-veg thali and it was sooo good. It was genuinely delicious, and the meat. The non veg thali came with fish, chicken, and mutton. The pieces they gave us were good and not all fatty pieces. We had also ordered filter coffee, rose milk and the tropical sunrise which was also amazing. Even though they were short staffed, the people were so sweet and they always asked us if we needed a refill on any of the curries from the thali. ( the thali is unlimited). The location is kinda bad, because they were hidden, and you kinda have to find it if you are going to it for the first time. The ambiance of the place was kinda dark, however, it's not a bad at all. However, more than the ambience the food is the bestttttt. And having a 3.9 star is just not enough. I will vouch for this restaurant because it was just so good.
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Eliza M.

Yelp
The food was amazing! I've mainly eaten northern Indian food before, so I was excited to try something different and Kumar's delivered. The service was good, but it was busy, so it took some time for the server to take our order, which was good. It gave us time to study the menu. The atmosphere was decent, but not exceptional, you can tell the emphasis is on the food, and I'm more than happy to make that trade off. Parking is easy, it's located at the end of a strip mall, with plenty of parking.
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Meenakshi R.

Yelp
I want to add a point here. Recently tried aatu kaal soup. Omg / it's heaven. Loved the authentic taste as i use to get in Chennai, india. Highly recommend amd it's perfect to have in chill weather and too good for health. I gave four stars earlier and now reduced two star because of serving experience. Having one server for all the tables is just ridiculous .... Everyone is hungry and has to wait for their food stay hungry is I can't accept when we pay for it. I love the taste and just because if this bad serving experience I will not come. Management you make decent profit and not at the cost customer hungry. Please do appoint some servers and I pity for one gal in that reception, has to handle for billing, serving, snd everything and I condemn this. If you are not able to recruit some additional servers either reduce cost price or have very limited spaces... you just can keep continuing this snd you will eventually have only frustrations from customers rather than appreciation for food.

Yen S.

Yelp
The Pompate fish came out brunt and when we brought to their attention, they had comments. The lamb chop had too many whole spices that you would have to take out of your month. Not the most enjoyable mean. To many employees running around but no coordination. Upper management really needs to look into this. One of the ladies at the cashier understood our frustration and offered free dessert but the damages were already done. Very frustrated experience.

Vijay K.

Yelp
Service is very poor. Ordered the food and need to wait 15-20 mins to get the food. While having the food, they bring the dish cart and park next to us and clean the table. Worst experience. Never going back. We ordered Thalapakatti Biriyani. There is 3 small piece of meet in the Biriyani, immediately we showed the Biriyani and asked the people who served. No answer. After 10 mins came with the answer it'll have only 3 - 4 pieces. ($17) total waste of money.
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Akhilesh B.

Yelp
Hate their service. Food is good but you will hate it when you need to stop your meals and wait for 20 minutes since they would not serve you and make you wait. Take out may be an option to try if you are really wanting to eat food from here. Also, the previous owners that started this place ran it for years (the Indian couple) are no longer involved - explains whats gone wrong here!
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Crystal L.

Yelp
Ordered the vegetable biryani to go! Very delicious. Very flavorful! 5 stars.The service is very efficient. The setting would be nice for a family night out.
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Jeffrey C.

Yelp
This food is truly different and wonderful! Everything is very spicy for a gringo so prepare for that. Otherwise, it is amazing. The tandoori Pomfret is the best cooked fish in town. The fried anchovies are great. All the vegetables that I have tried are delicious, but incendiary. There are breads that I have never seen, including gluten free fermented rice bread. The fried ground goat with spices is complex and fantastic. It looks like people love or hate the service so that hurts the ratings. The bottomless food also hurts the ratings. I have only had deliver and would give the food a 6 for flavor and uniqueness. Don't let the reviews keep you away because nobody says the food does not taste good no matter how bad the rating.
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Crystal John K.

Yelp
They have excellent samosas here. I got the chicken and it was hot and fresh. Excellent. Will be back.
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Dileep P.

Yelp
The first time we tried their food we didn't like it. Tried it after a couple of years. Food taste has improved. Service could be better. Dishes come in batches.
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Mao P.

Yelp
Chicken tandoor. The chicken was burnt. The pieces not burnt were moist and flavorful but every piece of chicken had burnt parts. What a waste.

Ekambaram M.

Yelp
Against my best advice, my friend wanted to go here. We dined on Friday evening. The restaurant was almost empty. Few people were having a drink (byob) and making loud noise. The restaurant is almost has a beaten look. Many of the items on the menu are not available. We ordered kothu paratha which was incredibly spicy and the salna it came with was just a red chilly powers mixed in water. Not at all palatable and close to being dangerously unhealthy. The Methu vadas are not "methu" it was like a rock. The mutta dosa was sour from a real old pulicha batter. Sambhar was disaster. Overall terrible food. Not sure how long this business will last if the quality is maintained like this. The waiters and workers were polite and nice. Good luck
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Arundathi R.

Yelp
This review is just for two items on their Menu - Nandu masala (crab masala curry) and Seppan Kelaangu fry. The crab curry just tasted out of the world to me. The Seppan Kelaangu fry is always yum, crispy and spicy.
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Jeff B.

Yelp
I really enjoyed my initial visit to this upbeat and friendly staffed restaurant. I was unsure as to what to order, so the manager made a few suggestions. All the items were tasty, a little spicy, on point, and served in a timely manner. I had a "Shrimp Appetizer", followed by "Chicken Tikki", "Rice", "Naan", and a "Special House Tea" to drink. All items were served in generous portions, and brought to the table on a tray with a large banana leaf. The presentation was unique, and made for an immediate note that they take pride in what they serve, and pay attention to all the details. I would say their "Naan" is much better than most other establishments. I think it is because they do theirs very, very thin, add the appropriate "Olive Oil" and seasonings I believe, and then toast it so that it has nice "charred spots" that add to the flavor. "South Indian" themed music was upbeat, and very enjoyable to listen to while eating your meal. The music was different than what I was accustomed to, but it provided for an authentic experience. Great Job! Will definitely go back!
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Sehar S.

Yelp
We loved everything! I've tried different cuisines but this by far was superior in all desi standards! I plan to take my family for a weekend buffet.
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Sankit G.

Yelp
We were in a group and ordered bunch of food like Chennai Chilli Cauliflower, Mutton Chops, dosas, kothu parothas, pepper chicken, etc. My friend liked the Pongal she ordered and I also liked the dosas we ate. I ordered egg Kothu Parotha which came like the attached picture which I wasn't expecting. I was expecting Parotha to be more solidified like a chapati and then some topping or fillings, but this took me by surprise. It did taste okay but the texture and presentation was not something I was expecting or I liked. The Chennai Chili Cauliflower was good, fresh hot and crisp. We could have had ordered some mango lassi and other things if we had known they serve it. They didn't have it listed on the menu but written on a board near the payment counter. While eating we did see a cockroach crawl out from underneath one of the buckets of dal and called out to the owner, but the owner seemed fine because the cockroach was outside the bucket and not inside the food. At the same time, my other friend mentioned about similar experience with someone else. And that was the point where everybody lost their appetite and interest. If it was just for the food I could have given 4/5 but the cockroach might not be a good thing if there are multiple instances.
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Atul S.

Yelp
One of the best indian food we ever had. They claim to serve village food and they really do. Food has that incredible taste. Be it vegetarian or non-veg. You will see many vegetarian dishes here so vegan/vegetarian people should be happy too. We took thali along with vada/idli plate. Both were awesome. Presentation was top notch too. Thali had mutton, chicken and fish along with other veggie items and sweet. Wife took tea and i went for mint cooler. We loved both. There is not even a single knit picking i can do for their food. Coming to interior - it's classy looking. You feel to have a high end experience but ironically prices are low end. You can get an idea with thali price being just $13 or so. They do unlimited buffet on weekend too. Will definitely visit here next time too. Most recommended place to eat when you are in Houston.

Lakshmi N.

Yelp
We had lunch here. Ordered the vegetarian thali. They claim it's unlimited food but never ask for refills. We called and asked for a refill of the vegetable and no one came by and we were already done eating. Other vegetarian restaurants offer atleast 2 veggies in a thali. The place was not even crowded for them to be busy and not serving their customers. Not coming back here again!
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Sasha G.

Yelp
I'm a big fan of any restaurant where you can order a tray full of small food items to try, so I tried this place out when I saw their thali pics. Don't love the location, next to a sketchy Walmart parking lot, in a not so great neighborhood. Not much staff bc of covid, not many customers so it was just the guy in the front who sat us, took our order and brought out our food. He was friendly, wore a mask and gloves. Cleaned after every customer. They also brought sanitizer to your table once the food was brought out. Was not a fan of the interior, or lack there of. Black walls, no deco, no color. Dark wooden booths. Completely bare, depressing and unappealing. I'm not sure if it's bc of the current covid situation or this is how it always is. Went to use the restroom to wash hands and almost passed out. No ac, got hit with humidity and heat walking into women's room. And a stinch of sewage. Had we not have ordered I may have left bc that's very unappetizing. We ordered vegetarian thali and it was good. Spice level was acceptable for my non- Indian tastebuds. The thali is great if you don't know what to order, bc you get a little taste of a variety of items. The tray has spicy, savory plates matched with some sweets to balance everything out. Comes with white rice and yummy bread on the side If I was rating just on food I'd give this place a 4 but since it's an overall score, a 3 bc of all the little things that took from the ambiance of whole place.
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Marcus P.

Yelp
Interesting concept...similar to Texas de Brazil in a buffet sense. Supposedly it's only on Sundays they have this special. Food came out hot, but took a while. Not a problem when waiting for fresh food. The concept is when you choose the item you like from the plethora of choices, they keep bring you out that food until your stuffed. After trying all the sample items I was stuffed. Maybe I have a small stomach . With soooany choices, some foods delicious like the curried chicken countered the not so familiar foods like the fried fish. Not sure what type of fish it was. If your looking for authentic Indian food and are hungry to try new items...don't pass this place!! It's a great experience. One that I will probably not revisit die to paying more for a sample item that I liked vs the other items I did not perfer. Service was nice but slow.
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David B.

Yelp
Horrible service with worse follow up. I ordered through Uber Eats. At 10 minutes past the 20 minute delivery window I requested updates. At 15 minutes passed I called the restaurant and they said they would call me back. At 23 minutes passed I called and canceled due to no response. At 27 minutes passed the window the guy drops the food at my door. I told him to take it back as I had canceled the order. No communication and no follow up... my guess is the food would reflect the service.

Bushra S.

Yelp
Love the service here! Kate served us and she was extremely sweet, we were fasting and got there last minute, while ordering we mentioned we were fasting and she got us dates and complimentary drinks. We will for sure return only because of the amazing service by her. Chicken tikka masala is great by the way!
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M P.

Yelp
Don't EVER order delivery from this place. I ordered about $40.00 worth of food from these crooks last night. I waited almost TWO HOURS for the delivery. I was messaging the delivery person about 50 times trying to find out what was going on with my order. NO RESPONSE whatsoever. I left very explicit instructions on how to enter my apartment building and stated that my apartment is immediately on the left once you enter. I noticed from the tracking app that the delivery person appeared to be waiting outside (2 minutes away) for about 20 minutes--still not responding to my messages. I looked outside, but there was no one there. I tried calling multiple times but this crook never picked up the phone. Suddenly I got a message saying "I'm leaving it outside your door. I already waited 20 minutes." I had specifically said in my instructions (which I reiterated in my countless messages) NOT to leave the food outside on the doorstep or outside my apartment door, but rather to enter the building using the access code that I provided and knock on my apartment door and directly hand off the food to me. So once I got this bizarre message from the crooked delivery person, I checked outside the door, on the doorstep, and even checked my BACK DOOR. But NOTHING was there. I tried messaging and calling the delivery crook multiple more times and of course he didn't respond. He was probably sitting somewhere eating my food--which he STOLE from me. Uber Eats was extremely UNHELPFUL. It took forever to even get someone on the app to speak to and they tried to pass the buck saying it was the restaurant's responsibility--which it actually was. Everything about the experience was infuriating, and I would never trust this restaurant again. They literally stole my money AND my food but the sleazy delivery person reported on the Uber One app that he DID deliver the food when in fact they STOLE it. Don't waste your time or money on these criminals--unless you want your time, money and evening completely WASTED. This restaurant is a total SCAM operation. I believe these are fake reviews by the way. This is a dishonest, corrupt establishment.
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Ritodhi C.

Yelp
When most Americans think of Indian food, they envision North Indian fare (e.g., butter chicken, chole bhature, tandoori chicken). I like that Kumar's casts a spotlight on the world of South Indian cuisine, not just the excellent vegetarian options, but also the vastly under-rated non-veg. As a sort of virtual family get-together, we ordered take-out from Kumar's in Houston and my parents did the same from the branch in Dallas, and we all ate together on Zoom. Apparently the restaurant does its own delivery (even though we ordered through Uber Eats), and it took longer than we expected for the food to arrive--around an hour--but the hand-off was smooth. The online website is pretty slick, but we found the menu a little overwhelming and, frustratingly, devoid of prices. We got the Mutta Kolambu (southern-style egg curry), Guntur Kodi Kura (chicken curry), Kathirikka Vadhakkal (stir-fried eggplant), and Chole Bhatura (chickpea curry). The egg curry was our favorite with a thick, immensely flavorful gravy. The chole bhatura was solid but exceedingly spicy, so be careful. The spiced eggplant dish was a drier stir-fry, which was nice in an otherwise curry-heavy meal. The chicken item was the worst of the bunch, as the meat was sparse with too many fibrous, cartilaginous bits. Almost without exception, the dishes were too oily for our tastes, with a thick layer of orange liquid floating to the surface if left undisturbed. Kumar's is a decent bet if you're craving Indian take-out, but not sure my stomach could handle that much oil and spice more than once every couple months.

Nick G.

Yelp
This is an absolute parody of a "restaurant". We REGRET walking in here. Upon entering we were not greeted but asked if we have been there before. After waiting about 15 minutes we were seated on a table. Requested a high chair for our 1y old son, they took 5 minutes to seat others waiting prior to bringing it and had me standing holding the baby. Careless. Upon bringing the chair we were given printed sheets of paper (their menu). I had immediate questions on it and was told to wait 5 minutes. After my entire family waited for about 15-20 minutes, we asked the server/front desk lady when she will come take our order/talk to us. We were told she needs "5 more minutes". Are you joking? At that time we left the establishment. The feel is like you went into someone's open house but you were uninvited to ever be there. Shocked this place has not closed doors given how competitive Houston is for restaurants. Run far away!
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Praveen M.

Yelp
Got served spiced butter milk, as soon as we sat down!! Woohoo! Loved that... came in for lunch on the weekend. There were a few of us, and we all decided to run with the non veg thali meals (essentially, a traditional indian unlimited buffet, served at your table..)! It included south indian style chicken curry, fish curry, goat curry, and about 6 veg curries/ sautéed veggies all cooked to perfection.. I am a solid Indian foodie! And I can vouch for the flavors!! Just like how we have it back home! We also ordered a few add on dishes like fish fry and chennai chili chicken (dry). To finish off there was a almond based sweet and we also ordered some rice pudding (payasam) on the side...Man oh man, I almost had to call a fork lift to help me stand! Lol.. amazing meal! Give it a try.. y'all will like it for sure. Ambience is nice - looks like its set up to mimic a thatched hut from india in some ways. Service was prompt and polite. Will be back.
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Bijou N.

Yelp
Appalling service. There was a cockroach on our table and the owners did very little to address the actual issue. They still charged us for all of the items, including the vegetable curry that the cockroach crawled out from under. The food here is decent--I got the egg dosa, but if you're concerned about cleanliness and the service, I wouldn't recommend coming here.
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Nidhi M.

Yelp
Highly recommend this restaurant.. everything we ordered was delicious! Chennai chili chicken and meen kolambu were my favorites
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Bradford G.

Yelp
TLDR: I don't know where Harold is, but this place is worth making the trip. Kumar's serves up solid Indian cuisine that's packed with authentically bold flavors at reasonable prices. Do it. Visit: Weekday (dinner) Order: Kaalan Pepper Fry 8.7 Palaa Kotai Kolambu 8.2 Oor Style Parotta 8.3 My first impression of Kumar's was a positive one. While the interior layout feels a bit confining, the food was quite tasty. They have a wide variety of dishes that showcase various regional Indian foods. On this occasion I wanted to be adventurous, so I decided to try dishes I've never heard of before and opted to try some vegetarian options. Let me preface this by saying that without meat, the star ingredients really have to step up to satisfy not only my appetite but also my tastebuds. I'll be honest, I was skeptical... but believe me when I tell you that these dishes really impressed me. My favorite was the Kaalan Pepper Fry. The amount of bold, complex, and distinctive flavors that were melded together so well is astonishing. Do it. Do it now! ***update*** on subsequent visits, the owner informed me that this dish is sporadically in and out of stock due to the availability of the special kind of mushrooms they use... pray that you're lucky enough to go on the right day or call ahead! As for the Palaa Kotai Kolambu, it too was quite tasty. I loved the sauce and the Jackfruit seeds that served as the protein component was interesting. Finally, the Oor Style Parotta was light, crispy, and so satisfying when used to dip into those delicious sauces. All in all, you don't need to be high as a kite to enjoy a veritable feast with Kumar's. The food alone just might have you feeling on Cloud 9. Do it.
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Sneha A.

Yelp
Who doesn't like rice and all these additional items in one sitting.. I love their food. I heard that their management has changed but haven't gone back after that.
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Courtney K.

Yelp
This place is AMAZING!! We had mutton curry, chennai chicken, and tomato rice. It was all super tasty and very approachable spice wise. I loved that there were a ton of apps you could choose from to eat while you wait on your mains. Lots and lots of veggie options too, obviously. I would like to come back to get the veg thali (only available at lunch time).
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Mark B.

Yelp
This is a solid place for lunch. The thalis was good with a number of items. The fish was the only thing I did not care for. But there was so much, skipping this was not a huge deal. It was a little fishy. Everything else was very good. I subbed the rice for more of the bread things. They give you a nice pitcher of water, but it is room temperature, with no ice. Which I know is better for you, but not my preference. On the side of the building there are some interesting people, but park out front and you will be fine.
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Shirin L.

Yelp
Ordered the Naatu Koli Varutha Curry (farm raised chicken curry, in a semi-gravy, with bones) with garlic naan, Tandoori Pompfret with chapatti! Food was delicious! We asked them to make the chicken curry spicy, which was too spicy for me to handle but my friend really enjoyed it. It's got a strong pepper taste to it so if you like that kind of flavor then the Naatu Koli Varutha is for you. Their garlic naan is really good. But the best is their Tandoori Pompfret, it's a must have for anyone visiting Kumar's! It's filled with the right amount of spices and grilled to perfection. It comes with a mint chutney that pairs really well with the fish! Does not come with chapatti or naan so make sure to add that to your order when you order the Pompfret!
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Jibran K.

Yelp
This place is okay. I wouldn't come here by myself. Took a lot of coworkers. They seem to like it a lot more. Seems like some of the items are just overly flavoured to take away from the quality of the meat. The chicken tikka masala flavor was good, but the chicken itself in it, not so much. The non veg thali had some weird options: there was 4-5 just liquids which are dipping things, fillers. The fried fish in the thali was ok, the chicken meh and the goat was just bones. How do you make a thali veg or non veg without lentils/daal?! The beets portion was the best. My friends seem to like the dosa a lot here. Service was good. Water in a tin cup, feels authentic. Nice vibe. Lots of seating for large parties. Location is good and no issues with parking.
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Vlad V.

Yelp
I checked out Kumar's for lunch on a Sunday with some colleagues. Kumar's is located in a shopping center in the Galleria area. After being seated, I found out that they do an all-you-can-eat buffet on Sundays. I'm a little picky with my Indian food so I ended up ordering off of their regular menu. Kumar's is a South Indian restaurant. While they do have dishes from other parts of India, which they comically include on their menu as "The Other Stuff," I stuck with South Indian fare for my visit. That means I stayed away from classics like tandoori chicken, chicken tikka masala, etc. They have a nice selection of six or seven fresh juices and I went with one that has cantaloupe. I've said time and time again that when it comes to the crown of breadmaking, I give it to India. I've tried some of the classics like naan, roti, parantha, etc. and I was pleased to see that Kumar's has a nice selection of bread, many of which I was unfamiliar with. Kothu Parotta Mutai (4/5): At $9 a pop, this is pricy for bread. But when it comes out, you know why. It was huge! Enough to be a meal in itself. This is a South Indian specialty and it's made with egg and served with a cup of chicken in some sort of sauce. The bread was freshly grilled and warm and ended up being my favorite part of the meal. Chicken biriyani (2.5/5): This is a classic dish and it was a generous portion. Tons and tons of rice with good flavor. The problem? I wasn't impressed with the quality of the chicken which made the dish overall mediocre for me. The service was also a little bizarre. They had way too many servers working when we were there for the number of people who were in the restaurant. Since a lot of waiters didn't have anything to do, they were all grouped really close to where all of the diners were seated which was a bit awkward. Made it seem like they were watching us while we were eating. If I were the manager, I'd tell my employees to stay a little further away. A little tough to put into words but you'd know what I mean if you experienced it. Added bonus: cash back on Yelp!
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Review J.

Yelp
Great South Indian authentic food. The mutton chops was amazing, the mutton biriyani was just like back home. Food was tasty, flavorful and aromatic. People were getting dosas which looked great. The idli, chutneys and sambar were the best soft idlis I've had outside India. True gem found. Gulab jamun was perfect, just like home. Service was fast and staff was extremely polite. The place is clean. Only restaurant in all the places I've been to where they face bottled water without charging for it. So good! The price point perfect. The portion sizes are large for the price point, taste and ambiance. It's not noisy at all as someone mentioned. Absolutely clean, clean, clean place. The tables were not just being wiped by a wet cloth but with disinfectant. Someone had a small error in their order, but the manager was so polite and quickly took care of it. It is spicy food but not too much. Expect the traditional, South Indian, authenticity! Will surely be back. Ditching other South Indian restaurants in houston for this is worth it for us!!
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A G.

Yelp
I used to go to this place for their weekend thali and enjoyed it. Haven't been back for that in a while so can't comment if the quality is still the same or not. However, I went there recently for lunch and ordered non-veg thali. It was a disappointment. Below is a run-down of the thali. Chicken appetizer - no flavor. Just appeared like fried chicken nuggets. Chicken curry - watery, lukewarm and chicken had no marination at all and therefore no flavor. Fish curry - again watery, lukewarm and the curry itself tasted like ketchup. Mutton curry - huge disappointment. Looked like leftovers, lukewarm, extremely chewy and meat was not tender at all. Best item in the thali was rasam.
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Maya M.

Yelp
It's been two years since I went to India and I was missing my mumma's Sunday lunches. Sunday lunches were always a homemade treat and Sunday dinners were for the leftovers! My favorites were the mutton chukka, fish fry and rasam rice for lunch and payasam for dessert. The mutton chukka leftovers were made into Kari dosa for dinners! Being from madurai, Kumar's mess there has always been our family's weekly dinner spot. Every time I crave for some madurai style homemade food, I would be at Kumar's the very next second. I've been meaning to try Kumar's Houston for a while now! But I've never made it as it's a bit too far from my place. Finally, I ordered directly through the restaurant today using chow now for delivery. Way better than other food delivery apps! 100% of the money goes to the restaurant. I ordered their ghee roast with extra chicken saalna , mutton varuval, vanjaram fry and semmiya payasam for my Friday lunch. This lunch took me back home and made me miss home more! The mutton chukka was cooked perfectly, the mutton was so soft and moist. I just wish they cut the mutton smaller. The flavours were on point. The vanjaram fry was perfectly spicy and the fish was fresh. The dosa was crispy and went well the flavorful chicken salna and the three types of chutney that came along with it. It came with sambar as well but since I personally don't like sambar I did not try it. The chutney's were perfectly ground and had the right amount of spice. I loved the coconut chutney. I ended the meal with their semmiya payasam. It was not that good and it had very less semmiya. It just felt like I was drinking milk with like one spoonful of semmiya. I wish I had ordered the rasamalai or gulab jamun or kesari! The prices are a bit high but it was definitely worth it for my once a blue moon craving. I definitely wouldn't be ordering every week from the restaurant. Some people might find their food to be loaded with spices and oily but that's how these dishes are made. Their dishes are basically what you would get in restaurants back in Tamil Nadu. This is a go to place for all my South Indians in Houston who are missing home and for people who want to try some good South Indian food from the state of Tamil Nadu. Kari dosa is a must try, it's the one dish everyone has to try when they visit the city of madurai in Tamil Nadu! The food may not be as good as the food back home in India but it's definitely a good one in Houston!
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karthik r.

Yelp
Excellent South Indian cuisine . The waiters and staff were very helpful and made some excellent recommendations. I ordered the crab which was quite spicy and of generous portions .

Karthik V.

Yelp
Good South Indian food in Houston area. A must try !. Staff are responsible . Nice ambience
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Janhvi I.

Yelp
The food is amazing! My all time favorites are: the Thalis, Dosai and urali roast! The ambience is homely, warm and the food is comforting! The service is impeccable too. The owner Mahera is a sweet lady who will go out of her way to make you feel at home. Her husband ( I think his name is Moheen) is amazing as well and he always makes an effort to strike a personal conversation with the customers making the whole experience pretty nice!

Not H.

Yelp
Taste is great, portions are plentiful. If you are going to use third party delivery apps like Uber eats or Postmates PLEASE UPDATE THE MENUS TO INDICATE BONE IN VS BONELESS!!!! I have been viciously disappointed twice now. Cut chicken bones are a heath hazard and do not belong on your menu for the average American. You are courting a lawsuit. Better yet, offer your bone in options as boneless (assuming the they are made to order?), for an extra charge if needed. I'm not I am not in any way saying this is a "bad" restaurant. I'm simply guiding them toward boniness, non cut, options for those of us who have experienced bone fragmentation and injury when an option for boneless breast and/or thigh could have served the same culinary purpose.