Mela Modern Indian Cuisine

We were looking for a quick dinner after arriving at Logan airport from a long trip, we found this gem. We didn't have a reservation, were seated right away but we definitely recommended it. As soon as I opened the door, the aroma from all the spices were incredible. The food was incredible, service was very prompt. The lamb coconut curry dish was amazing, it was nice and hot, the garlic and onion naan and the mango lassi were good. We were seated in front of the window and it was just a beautiful feeling. I would say it's a tight place but there is plenty of space, a very cozy restaurant, the chairs were a bit uncomfortable but suitable. The atmosphere was very peaceful, relaxing, everyone enjoying the moment. I can't wait to come back.

Ate the buffet for lunch. And it was amazing! Good taste and a lot of variety!

This is definitely a cute and cozy Indian restaurant in Tremont street. Delicious food and all ingredients are fresh and you can really get the fragnance of the fresh spices . This is only one of our fav Indian restaurant in Boston. I highly recommend this place if you in Tremont street and would like to taste a good Indian food !!

Beautiful restaurant interior. Excellent Indian food and pistachio shake. My favorite dishes are the lamb entrées, especially the lamb vindaloo. Staff will replenish plain rice for free if you ask, but it was hard to get a hold of server. Service was not attentive. One time, several months ago, a customer at the table next to mine (a large group) chastised the server for not checking on them during the meal or refilling the water glasses. I've been coming to this restaurant for more than 10 years, but service has noticeably lapsed since 2020. Food is still delicious, but please improve the service.

While visiting Boston, my girlfriend and I had a wonderful dining experience at this Indian restaurant in a very lively block of the city. The ambiance was inviting, the service was excellent, and the food was incredibly delicious. We tried the duck masala and the lamb biryani: every dish was a delight. We left feeling satisfied. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a tasty and fulfilling meal in Boston!

Amazing Indian restaurant experience at Boston. The waiters were very kind and helpful. I visited this place with my girlfriend and we had a really good experience here especially recommend the lamb Rogan Josh, Butter chicken, Lamb Saag and Lamb Biriyani. Their mango lassi is a must have. Will come back soon for sure :)

Went there on Monday night, place was not too busy but a steady stream. About half full all the time which may be due to the proximity to 2 major colleges in town. The Good: Nice ambiance and atmosphere, quick service, great staff (college kids). Good amount of menu choices to satiate most palates. Don't recall seeing South Indian fare on the menu. Food - Breads (Naan, Kulcha) were the best among all courses. Vegetarian Entrees could have been better. Malai kofta was more like veg pakora in a very tomato dominant gravy, didn't give the "Malai" feel of the dish. Okra seemed made with frozen stuff. My son loved the butter chicken and polished off the whole thing. Dessert: Chocolate souffle was frozen stiff like icecream. Not good: Parking....luckily I was able to snag a spot in front as there was a Construction vehicle only sign banning other vehicles there which was only until 4 pm.

Great spot located in the south end on Tremont St. I haven't been to many Indian restaurants so I didn't have any expectations walking in. But I'm really glad my girlfriend suggested this place. The food was delicious and service was great. Liked having the table next to the window to have a view of the neighborhood while eating delicious food.

This place is incredible! The service is fabulous and the food is even better! Great location and atmosphere we will be back - also great for gluten free people as they fry in chick-pea batter! A favorite of the neighborhood :)

Honestly, a hidden gem in Back Bay and maybe my second favorite Indian place I've been to of all time (I've been to quite a few along the east coast too) Veggie pakora (8/10): the vegetable were well seasoned and warm, pairing super well with the tamarind sauce and mint (?) chutney that was complementary. Personally, I like my pakora batter a little flakier, less heavy, so I was expecting something less heavy so I could have more room for the main entree, but it was still amazing. Eating a couple of these would make me as full as having one samosa (but I could have more of these so that's a plus) Goat korma (10/10): literally SO tender, juicy, fatty, gamey, meaty, all in the right proportions. there was a good amount of goat in my bowl, so do not be fooled when you see a ton of curry hiding it all. I love goat bone-in because those cuts are usually my favorites of goat, but Mela does a fantastic job of not skimping on portions and giving you more goat than bone itself. I asked the waitress for hot as possible, and for me, it was pretty hot, but it could be hotter. nonetheless, still amazing. probably my new korma place in boston. lamb korma (8/10): my friend is a bit of a copy and got the same curry with different protein, ordered medium; I tried it, and it was great (goat is still superior). I didn't get the taste of medium hotness to it, but the lamb was so tender and fell apart in your mouth, it's hard to deny how great this dish was. garlic naan (not pictures, 9/10): so warm and fluffy! came out just in time with our curry. comes in 4 pieces. I feel like the garlic could've been incorporated better (it tasted like it was just brushed on), but maybe that was the best way. Still, so good, a must-have staple during any dinner. masala tea (not pictured, 6/10): I wanted to like this, because I love chai and I make it at home, but I feel like it was missing a signature punch. If you like a more cardamom/clove heavy spiced chai, this one has that taste but much lighter. It also came unsweetened so you can sweeten it yourself, which I thought was neat. I think what brings this review down is the fact that it was lukewarm when brought out. Gulab jamun (10/10): by the end of the dinner my friend and I were SO full but I love Indian desserts and had to get gulab jamun. When I tell you they were so fragrant and warm and soft, soaked in a deliciously sweet cardamom-rose syrup, I almost caved and got another. I could eat 5 plates of these if I hadn't eaten dinner. Service was great! The people are young and sweet; I had a lot of requests and questions and they answered with ease and sincerity. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, large enough to handle a small dinner party and intimate enough to take friends/family you haven't seen in a while or a date there. Will definitely be making the trek back to try their other desserts.

I like how the plates were meant to be shared. I thought the main dish were flavorful, but the chicken was honestly pretty dried. I was able to add chicken to the Gobhi Charchi for the same price as the chicken tikka masala. The vegetarian appetizer platter was a miss...flavorless and mushy and tasted like it was straight from frozen. The space was small, servers were quick and friendly. I really did enjoy the flavor of the Gobhi Charchi, I think I try to come back and try other protein options though.

The décor is lovely, one of the nicer interiors in an South Asian restaurant that I've experienced. The feeling is a little cramped though, I don't like being this close to other diners. They clearly cater to Gora clientele, the food is a little mild for my tastes. Prices are fair for the area and the classy atmosphere, an easy bus ride from downtown hotels.

First time trying this place, and overall, it was a mixed experience. The tadka daal and butter chicken were flavorful, and the goat curry was tender. However, the non-veg platter was disappointing--dried and rubbery. We mistakenly received naan, thinking it came with the entrees, but were charged $4 for it, which seemed excessive. Staff were mostly friendly and we had to ask them to refill our waters.

We liked the location, service, and the guidance with the menu. We had chicken soup, multi lentil soup, mixed grill and both samosas. We did not care for the mixed grill but it was not a let down. The samosas are not too thick like some at other places where that dough dominates. We would come back.

Very authentic Indian cuisine! Love coming here for the warm staff and consistent food quality! Great value for money too :).

I was pleasantly surprised how flavorful the food was here. Delicious! I wish there were comparable places out in the 'burbs where I live. The cocktail I had was excellent too (tamarind margarita). Seems to be popular for takeout/deliver too as there was a constant stream of bags leaving.

Weekend buffet is the move! It's small inside but there was no wait around 1:30p on a Sunday. The buffet does not have a huge selection but it has all the classic dishes, including chai and dessert, and nothing was ever left to get cold. Their garlic naan was very buttery and they were proactive in giving us more and refilling our waters. It's a steal for $20 considering you can hardly find a meal for this price anywhere now. Charming ambience. Only point of improvement is to have a directionality to the buffet line.

We got Mela takeout for lunch one day. They don't have individual-sized entrees or bowls, so it's not a great place for takeout if you're looking for a quick meal with co-workers. Three stars is not a bad review in my book. Fortunately, we had tons of plates, napkins and utensils at the office to make the meal work logistically. All of the takeout containers are messy and oily; there was one major spill in the bag we got. In general, dumping a hot and oily curry dish into a small plastic container and then transporting it for any distance isn't a great idea. Mela doesn't label its vegan options, unfortunately. I shared a gobhi charchi ($15) which I assume is vegan by default. It was tasty but oily. The shahi bhindi ($18) I also assume is vegan by default. It was fine but nothing amazing. I wouldn't go out of my way for Mela. It's not memorable or different from any other North Indian restaurant. But it's not bad.

Delicious food. Kind staff. Wonderful night! We had a good time together as a family and the restaurant made sure to stay open a bit past their hours to accommodate us which was very considerate and we were very grateful!

Food is solid, one of the better offerings in the Boston area. The Chicken 65 is particularly excellent.

I was there last week and I loved their food and service. The staff is super friendly. It's hard for me to choose between Mela and Nirvana. Both are my favorite restaurants please try both! Love Indian food!

Perfect spot for a date night. Affordable, comforting dishes and great service. The Mela dinner for 2 had generous servings of delicious food. Would definitely come back!

I get my salads at Thyme, which are amazing. I sometimes grab a few delicious cookies as well . I had a baby shower and needed a cake so I ordered from Thyme . It was by far the most beautiful and delicious cake I have ever had as well as their amazing macrons . Thank you Paula

Not sure why the reviews are so low, this is a solid spot in a great location and indoors and outdoors seating options. The service was quick and friendly. We ordered the butter chicken which was a perfect balance of flavor, comfort and delight. The channa masala was super tasty was well. The rice fluffy and we were able to get extra rice as we went on our meal

With all the various awards on the windowpanes, you'd think the food would be excellent. However, the lackluster meal left me thoroughly dissatisfied with the experience. I give out a 1-star rating only ~2.4 % of the time, so you know to earn a 1-star, you must miss the target by such a wide margin, you don't hit the backstop. I haven't had food this bland while dining out in over five years. There were two things I did like: one was that the rice was cooked nicely, and two that the prices were reasonable. The half-portion of Tandoori chicken I ordered cost $13. This looks fine on the surface, but eating it made me not hungry yet gave me virtually no pleasure. To start this deserved lambasting: there is a tiny side salad of lettuce, tomato, and onion. The veggies themselves were fresh, but they had not been dressed (not even oil), and to add insult to injury, they weren't even salted. My mother taught me to eat my veggies, but salt brings out the flavor, and fat carries it. Without either, I might as well eat crisp wet paper! Then there was the disgrace carrying the name Tandoori Chicken. This chicken went wrong in every direction imaginable. First, despite the seemingly flavorful red coating, the marinade was so bland it might as well have not been there. Second, the tomato-based sauce provided on the side had a muted flavor lacking any oomph at all. Third, other than one tender drumstick, the meat was astonishingly dry. Fourth, especially being a person who does not like to eat with his hands, all but one were neither wing nor drumstick. Getting the meat off the bone was a wonky experience. The service was appropriately fast, and the location was small and cute.

Beautiful atmosphere and great service. However, what holds this place back from five stars is that the quality of the food versus the price could not easily be justified, especially when other places do the same thing better and cheaper (although usually minus the atmosphere). Don't get me wrong, the food is more than good. The paneer was an awesome starter, extremely flavorful to the point it didn't really need the chutneys. Naan came out burning hot and delicious. I also got a lychee cocktail and it was great. The main dish is where it started to fall apart. I got malai kofta. The sauce was fine, but lacking in some extra 'umph' I couldn't quite place - it was very 1-dimensional. The koftas were also a lot less crispy on the outside than other places I've been to, which may just be a personal thing (they weren't mushy, just... not crisp). My overall conclusion is that I'd had pretty much the same, if not better and cheaper, at other restaurants. What keeps this from getting a 3 is that the atmosphere really did add to my experience, so if you're willing to pay a little extra just for that, I would recommend it. If you're planning on takeout, however, there are so many better options.

I'm not super familiar with Indian food, but I thought their food was really good! I got the lamb curry for $20, which I thought was kind of expensive. But it was really good, and wasn't too fatty and greasy. The curry was super flavorful and the lamb meat wasn't dry. I would def like to come back and try more different dishes next time.

I had a lovely time visiting Mela with a friend. We each ordered a dish and so they brought us one giant cowl of rice to split. We also split some garlic naan. I had the lamb vindaloo, which was quite good though very tomato centric. I asked for it spicy and it was delightfully so. The garlic naan was very standard. I wouldn't call this the greatest Indian place in town or anything but it's definitely good and will satisfy your craving.

Most authentic and delicious Indian food! While traveling, we ate there two days in a row. Service was unbelievably great! Dal makhani, veg and non-veg platters, bhartha, paneer were most delicious! Aloo paranthas are to die for.

I've only gotten delivery from Mela and the food is consistently good. I'm not an Indian food connoisseur but I know what bad Indian food tastes like and Mela does not make bad Indian food. Everything we have ordered has been delicious. Some of my favorites are the garlic naan (a must order), chicken tikka masala, gobhi charchi, and the mango lassi. Pro tip: Add some white rum to the mango lassi to make a tropical cocktail. My wife and I like to get Mela when we're staying in but want to treat ourselves to a good meal.

I ordered online and the food was good with the exception of the garlic naan, which wasn't great. As I ordered take out, I can't comment on service or ambiance.

The food is so tasty and the service is good. We usually get take out because the atmosphere is a little lacking.

I ordered several items for myself and family: goat curry (comes with rice), butter chicken (comes with rice), meat samosas, vegetable samosas, plain naan and garlic naan. The butter chicken was tasty, rich in flavour and comforting. Mild is NOT spicy for people who wonder about spice levels. The goat curry was savory, but the sauce was less infused with the goat, meaty taste than some other Indian restaurant counterparts. Even so, it was a very good tasting dish. The samosas (both vegetable and meat) were not spicy which is good for heat spice sensitive folks and tastes almost like an empanada filling and still delicious. If you're looking for a spicier samosa this is not your place. Overall, I enjoyed the meal, the presentation and servings generally. I was able to confirm with someone on the phone that the entrees do come with rice so that is good to know if you're wondering about ordering extra rice or not. I feel like this Indian restaurant is very much catered to the American environment while keeping its charm.

This was my first experience at Mela Modern Indian and it is my new go to for Indian cuisine. I found this spot just in time as Punjab Cafe has just closed. By far the best Indian food I've ever had! The service was good and the restaurant was very nice. The food was very fresh and the Nan was incredible. Five stars to the Chef!

As an Indian living in Boston, we are regulars here both for dine-in and takeout. The food is always fresh and really flavourful. There aren't many authentic North Indian restaurants in Boston or the surrounding areas and Mela is definitely at the top of our list. Their garlic naan is a must get!

The service via phone was good. 4 of us ordered 4 meals. The first issue was they didn't give us separate rice, they gave 2 containers (I didn't like that aspect). Second issue is the containers with the entrees (chicken vindaloo, lamb vindaloo, goat mela, chicken tikka marsala) were not marked at all to distinguish which was which. We order 4 orders of naan bread (3 garlic, 1 peshawari) the nann were really greasy, and the peshwari lacked coconut and was rather bland. Needless to say, we are disappointed and will skip this place in the future. They def need a little work. We all agreed, we have had better Indian cuisine elsewhere.

This place came recommended by my girlfriend Ordered pick up, when I came back, the staff was waiting at the door and gave me my order before I even crossed the threshold. This is a first! They saw me coming up the street and brought it out to me as I approached. Ordered: chicken tika masala (medium spicyness) beef somosa garlic naan We started with the somosas, and they were honestly perfect, NOT oily or greasy, they were crispy, savory, and they came with 3 different sauces to dip them in. Naan was hot, garlic was clearly minced by hand, and everything you'd hope for CTM was flavorful, chicken chunks are very large, it does also come with free serving of rice, and was very tempting to keep dipping the naan into (even with the 3 other sauces present) Overall I was really pleased and will definitely be coming back. Amazing flavors and textures, they should be proud of their food.

The best Indian food in Boston! I have been there twice and love it every time. The Goat Curry and Chicken Tikka Masala are amazing. Same with fresh Naan Bread. Highly recommend lunch buffet on weekends.

Mela's Sunday lunch buffet is still $14.95, however, there is no more juice at the buffet line. Sadness. They do instead have a milky tea, which, once sugared, is quite nice. The sambar soup was spicy. I think everything else was made mild for American taste and general buffet line consideration. New to the buffet line up were chicken samosa, Chinese style springrolls, and a dense mini savory donut labeled Medu Vada. I preferred the vegetable samosa over the chicken variant despite their far greater size. The goat in the curry was tender, the chicken in the tika masala rather tough. I always enjoy the large cheese cubes in the palak paneer. Definitely go with the garlic over the plain naan. They filled up over the lunch time hour, so reservations are recommended. For dessert, I took some of each: watermelon chunks, kheer, gulab jamun, and think I over did it with the almost bowlful of the rice pudding.

My sister and I made a Friday night reservation here. I am not sure if reservations are necessary but the restaurant was full by 7-8pm on a Friday night. We came because we had heard great things about the dinner for two deal. We did the non-vegetarian dinner for 2 ($52 total) and had so much delicious food with enough for leftovers for the both of us!! Notable dishes were the meat samosas, veal korma, and raita (yogurt sauce). We also enjoyed the gulab jamun for dessert. Our server was very attentive and helpful in answering questions we had about our options for the 2 person meal. The whole place was cozy but lively. I am absolutely going to come back and would recommend this place to anyone looking for Indian food in Boston.

Love their lunch buffet! Lots of options for a reasonable price and everything is prepared really well. Naan (your choice of plain or garlic) comes included with the lunch buffet, but it took a while for it to come out for us. Their samosas are delicious and I really like their palak paneer as well. Pretty sure I'll be back often! Taste | 4 Atmosphere | 4 Presentation | 3 Service | 3.5 OVERALL | 4

Was craving Indian food so ordered pickup for lunch on a Tuesday around noon and my order was ready for pickup within maybe five minutes! I ordered the Coconut Chicken Curry, which came with rice, and the Onion Kulcha, which included two in one order. Both were extremely filling and honestly could've been divided into two portions, but it was so good that I ended up finishing them in one sitting! Would definitely order from here again.

One star taken off because the bathroom was so hot as if they were cooking the food in there. Everything is good and to standard and I loveeeee the garlic naan! Just the perfect flavor. My waiter was sympathetic and courteous when we explained the heat lol unfortunately there wasn't any outdoor seating but we were seated near an AC. Love this place!

TLDR: love the lunch buffet. Have never had dinner here. Lunch has all your favorites and some. I love the little touches like a "condiments" bar with raita and other extras. Or the fact that you also get your choice of naan or garlic naan. There's also a section for some cha that hits the spot. Galub jamen (spelling?) also exists so you can have a traditional desert. Very happy with the lunch buffet and overall value! Wish it was a little spicier but I understand having to make the buffet portion more universal.

Amazing aroma and authentic flavor. I always go for the lamb Rogan Josh extra hot with garlic naan and it didn't disappoint!

Mela Bangladeshi cuisine is a great find for me. I'm always searching out good Indian Restaurants and this is a winner. Everything is made from fresh ingredients. Healthy, simple, great tasting meals with vegan and vegetarian options. Not your typical Indian restaurant that are so common. Ill be back every time I am in Pullman.

Cute Indian food find in Boston on my family weekend trip up here with fantastic food. We are vegetarian and this spot had great veg options. This place had a decent bar menu including Indian beers like Taj Mahal and kingfisher, as well as crafted cocktails. The food was very good. We ordered medium spice as a family that is used to spicy food and we still felt the heat. Definitely level down your spice when ordering. Service was fast and efficient. I would recommend this spot.

What a wonderful meal we had. The special dinner for 2 at only $52 was not only delicious but also a great bargain with lots of food. Soup, appetizer, plate of various tandoori meats, choice of 2 curries, Indian bread, rice, chutneys and raita, and desert. We had so much food we took home leftovers! Best bargain on Tremont street! Nice interior plus outside dining. Friendly and efficient service. Looking forward to coming back.

I honestly don't know why this places review is not so great, because the food, drinks, service, and ambiance are all excellent. We got veggie samosas to start, an order came with two over a plate of salad, and they were big and yummy. We then got two curries (duck tikka masala, and a veggie dish sabji jalfrazi which was our waiters favorite), and both were fantastic, 10/10. There was a lot of food and enough for another meal of leftovers. The prices were more than reasonable, especially for a restaurant on tremont street with beautiful interiors. Our waiter was super friendly, food arrived really fast, overall will return soon because this was the best Indian food I have had in boston!

I've had mixed experiences with Mela. The one consistent piece is that the food is delicious. However, I might stick to only the lunch buffet in the future. I'd been there before for the buffet so I decided to take my parents for dinner on a Saturday night. The restaurant had the door open, but no airflow and it was over 80 outside and humid. It made for a damp and uncomfortable eating experience that got worse as the restaurant filled up. They were also out of a bunch of menu items including beers and specials. Our waiter was pretty confusing in general, but he also got our order wrong and then when we commented on it and asked for the dish we'd ordered he argued that we hadn't. It was a complete mess, especially because Indian food is on the pricier side. I'll still go back because the food is tasty, but only for the lunch buffet and only in cooler weather!

I used to work here as a server 10 years ago. When I visited Boston a couple of weeks ago, I decided to come here for lunch with two of my close friends who were also my Mela colleagues back then. We ordered the non-vegetarian platter, butter chicken, chicken korma, mustard lamb chop, and some naan. All the foods were fresh and delicious. I am glad they still have the tamarind Margarita on the menu which happens to be one of my favorite drinks of all time. Not a lot of restaurants that I know of serve this type of margarita. I happened to drink two of those during this trip. It is sweet, refreshing, and gives you that buzz that you are looking for. Lychee martini is another cool drink that they serve here. For our dessert, we got some kulfis and a coconut sorbet (which is actually served in a coconut shell...mind-blowing, right?). We were glad to see Jatinder Paji (who used to be the manager when we used to work there) still running this place. He came every now and then to check on us and also agreed to take some pictures. He also introduced his daughter who was helping him in the restaurant. Jatinder Paji is a nice human being and we are glad that his daughter was very friendly as well. This place brings back so many memories and will always have a special place in my heart. I am glad the quality of the food has stayed the same over the years. Keep it up, Mela Fam!

Great lunch! I can't even explained how much I enjoyed the meal. I just ended up ordering a ton of random items and everything was amazing. This is one of the rare places in Boston that has REAL fresh fruit juices as well. Just a note: Order Tamarind sauce with ANY dish (you won't regret it) And the Lemon Curry Leaf Rice is a great addition as well!

Mela was delicious! My boyfriend and I thought that it deserves a higher rating on yelp. We got the chicken tikkaMasala, lamb curry, and garlic naan bread. It was all very tasty. The service was great. Everyone was very nice. The interior was cute good for a night out with friends or a date.

The food sucks and is way too expensive for what it is. Never have I gotten anything good. Half the time rice is undercooked. I wish this place would close Down and be replaced by an Indian restaurant that is actually f***ing good. Join me in saying #IHateMela

10/5 stars. Tasty naaan, great entrees, cheap drinks, and friendly service! we absolutely love the chicken coconut curry and malaai kofta ps. best rogan josh of your life. absolutely had to go back for more

I've had Mela twice now and loved it every single time! I've only had takeout from here so I can't speak about the dine-in experience but the food is A+! I've tried their Aloo Mutter ($13), Chicken Tikka Masala ($17), and vegetable samosa ($5). They also include papadum (spiced lentil wafers), basmati rice, and two/three different sauces with your order. The Aloo Mutter was delicious and had plenty of potatoes and peas. The thick sauce was equally as yummy and paired well with the basmati rice after all the potatoes and peas were consumed. The Chicken Tikka Masala was so flavorful! You can choose your preferred spice level, too. I loved the rich tomato-cream sauce and tender chunks of chicken, which also paired well with the basmati rice. Everything tasted fresh each time. I absolutely loved the vegetable samosas. Each order comes with two large deep-fried balls filled with spicy potatoes and green peas. The papadum crisps were fragrant and perfect! I loved dipping 'em in the sides of sauce. I highly recommend this restaurant for flavorful food and filling portions!!

Butter chicken and naan are awesome. Mango Lassi might be the best I've ever had. Outdoor patio is really nice with shade umbrellas.

Food was ready early. Great. Pick up was easy and no contact. Awesome. I Ordered enough food for two-three people... or so I thought. Portion size was disgusting. The Chicken Tikka Masala in the pic was $17... I ordered two sides of rice because the menu I used said nothing about the side of rice that comes with it. Regardless. Looks like they stiffed me on the one of the two sides I ordered. NO UTENSILS or NAPKINS... Haven't even started eating and my lunch is ruined. Had to send my girlfriend back to her job to get them... By the time she gets back we'll have 15 minutes, at best, to eat. Haven't even tasted to food yet... So much for that place...