Passage to India

true powerhouse for decades. Every location delivers incredible food, perfect portions, elevated hospitality, and cocktails that rival top bars. The sophisticated flavors and complex spices keep me coming back again and again.

This restaurant truly stands out for its authentic Indian cuisine and outstanding service. The flavors were perfectly balanced, using fresh ingredients and traditional spices. From appetizers to desserts, everything exceeded expectations. The staff was knowledgeable and welcoming, and the atmosphere was clean and elegant. This is now our go-to place for Indian food. Highly recommended!

It is good food. The lunch menu is a good price, and the seasoning was exactly what I imagined. I do wish they had put the cover on the containers fully. It spilled all over my front seat on my drive home. They put plastic wrap over it instead of sealing it with a lid. It is a significant wait for the food (with nowhere there it was at least a 20-30 min wait for takeout) but the food was hot and fresh.

Disgusting undercooked food. Imagine getting biryanis with undercooked hard rice and not getting a refund. If there’s a promo on an item it’s probably bad food. Threw out two containers of the bone in goat biryani.

If you are looking for authentic Indian food in and around Cambridge, Passage to India is an ideal option. Nestled under the metro station, this place is smartly located enabling easy access. As soon as you enter this place, you see all transparent glass walled restaurant. Staff is super polite, vibe is fresh and neat. They have a fully stocked bar with scrumptious food (veg and non veg options). They serve good cocktails and other drink options. They have good array of tandoor, friend and traditional Indian entrees. Must try.

I never write bad reviews. As an artist who works hard for every dollar I spend, I genuinely believe in supporting restaurants, not punishing them. But this place — Passage to India — made me feel morally obligated to warn people before they waste their time, money, and sanity. The restaurant is hidden on a random corner that is nearly impossible to find, with no designated parking and city signs everywhere threatening towing after certain hours. We arrived two hours before the towing window, thinking we were safe. We weren’t. We walked into the restaurant at 6:45 PM and were the only guests in the entire place — and now we understand why. The food was, frankly, shocking. I’ve eaten Indian food across India itself — from Goa restaurants to Delhi street markets — and I’ve eaten Indian food across the U.S. This was easily the worst, most Americanized, watered-down imitation I have ever had. We asked for spice; we got runny, bland, joyless dishes with no depth, no heat, and no identity. It was “Indian-accented” food for people who don’t know what Indian cuisine is supposed to taste like. As if bad food weren’t enough, my car was towed, costing me $250 on a trip where I had only one day in Boston. When I asked the manager what happened, they casually told me that this is “a tow zone” and that they “have parking vouchers” that could have prevented this. Let that sink in. They knew the parking situation is a trap. They had vouchers. They simply didn’t bother to tell us. Blaming us for not seeing a worn, barely noticeable sign on the door is unacceptable. A responsible business — especially one in a high-risk tow area — warns every guest when they walk in. A simple: “If you drove, let me give you a parking pass.” They didn’t. They never even asked. The staff were polite, but that doesn’t erase the negligence. A respectable restaurant would have compensated part of the towing fee to prevent a guest from leaving furious, especially when the food was already disappointing. Instead, they shrugged. And now I understand why the place was empty — every cent seems to matter because the business itself is struggling. All three of us at the table were unhappy, both with the food and the experience. The night was ruined, the money wasted, and the meal completely forgettable. I strongly warn anyone considering eating here: choose literally anywhere else. Boston has too much good food to gamble on a restaurant that can’t even warn you that your car is about to be hauled away.

Brought my family here for lunch on Thanksgiving day and we had an awesome time. The food was delicious, and great vibes all around. We were drawn by the mouth-watering smell of food as we were walking past and decided to eat here on a whim. So glad we chose to. Thanks for a great experience!

came here for dinner during my weekend trip. absolutely wonderful. i had the lamb masala and garlic naan, and my date had butter chicken. for starters we also had the chicken samosas dishes were spiced and seasoned to perfection, not to mention the basmati rice also had a wonderful aromatic flavor as well i was also recommended a beer (i don't remember the name but it was 4.9% ABV) and it was also excellent with the meal.

Love, love, love this place! The butter chicken was amazing, I just wish there was a little more sauce because it was that good. The mango lassi was delicious too, not overly sweet and you can really taste the yogurt! Food came out fast and staff was very attentive.

Phenomenal lunch experience. Had the bhindi masala (level 4 spicy) and mutter paneer (level 3). Spice level was perfect and the flavors were great. Will visit again when I'm in Boston.

We were craving Indian again so we gave Passage to India another go! We did another Uber Eats order and again received our food in a timely manner. This time I ordered the chicken tikka masala (medium) and my partner had the butter chicken (medium). The masala had more flavor than it did mild, I liked it the first time but this was the best! My boyfriend really enjoyed his butter chicken, but actually preferred his last order. The garlic naan is delicious and we took advantage of the free vegetable samosa offer again. Good spot with good Indian food!

Catering review: I had a delicious vegan lunch from a catered event! I tried the baingan bharta, aloo gobi, and bhindi masala, all of which were fantastic. Appreciated the variety of vegan options and that everything was clearly labelled.

This might be my new go-to indian takeout spot in the Boston area! My partner and I ordered some takeaway from here, hoping to try some delicious curry and (hopefully) have some leftovers to last us a couple more meals. Passage to India ended up being exactly what we were looking for and more! We were impressed with their menu options, especially because they had several combo meals which included different curry options to try. We ended up choosing one of these combinations and tried the chicken tikka masala, saag chicken, and goat korma. We also ordered a mango lassi and some garlic naan which were very tasty and filling! We really enjoyed the flavors of each curry.. nothing super out of the ordinary but all very solid. The portions were also pretty large and it ended up being about 4-5 smaller meals worth for us! Our only complaint (which is probably our fault) was the spice level. We can usually handle spice pretty well so we ordered the medium spice level, but it ended up being more like a hot spice level for us which made it pretty difficult to eat at first. I'd definitely recommend sticking to mild unless you love your food super spicy. Either way, we still are super excited to come back and try more food here!

Stayed nearby in Cambridge and was glad to discover this Indian restaurant within walking distance. The restaurant was clean and their service was decent. Not a lot of people dining in but they were very busy handling takeout orders. This caused me to wait a good while for my food. Thankfully, I wasn't in a hurry but it took over 30 minutes for them to bring out my food. The food was hot, authentic and delicious though.

Everything checked my list. Good food, quick service and clean bright dining area. I've been to the old location years ago. It was a quick stop for lunch. Entree comes with rice. Matta paneer tasty and cooked properly. They offer a tag to put on the dashboard of your auto so as not to get ticketed. That's a plus.

I dined here with colleagues for lunch. Hoped there was all-you-can eat lunch, but there was not. I got garlic naan and shrimp curry and mango lassi. All good. I liked garlic naan a lot. This is not the best Indian restaurant I've ever been to, but still good.

We visited this restaurant as it was close to Museum of Science. It was empty on our arrival and we were seated quickly. There are lot of tables and there is a huge bar. Overall decor is nice. We ordered for Paneer Tikka Masala, Tandoori Roti and Mango Lassi. Tikka Masala and Lassi was fine, the Roti was overly crispy to the point of being like Papad. I provided this feedback to the server, but he didn't seem to care. I recommend trying this place but with some other bread options

I ordered Delivery Food this evening. Your food was terrible. No proper Tandoori spices on Mixed Grill (it also did not contain any frilled fish) and no Biriyani spicesin the lamb Biriyani. I ordered Raita with cucumber and yogurt. Got Raita with spice seeds with no cucumber. The gulab Jamun was stale, made with Gulab Jamun mix and had a stale odor. No Keora Jol or Gulab jol. Horrible experience on 4th of July festive night. I am going to boycott your restaurant The bill was $82.80. I lost this amount because I had to throw away most of the food. Silabhadra Sen shobansen@yahoo.com

Best Indian food tried ever. Good taste & good service as well. Try them if you have chance visit the area. Super yummy!

The tandoori chicken is awesome! Seasonings and cooking both on point - the chicken was moist and flavorful but not overwhelming. I also had aloo paratha and garlic naan. The former was 10/10, latter 7.4/10 (edges just a little dry). The chutneys were very tasty, too! I made the mistake of ordering a large container of hot onion chutney because I didn't realize that a little container would come with my dish I'll find some other foods to put it on this week - thankfully the hot onion chutney was my favorite of the three. Looking forward to trying some curry and/or dal next time!

I really used to like this restaurant, but it seems they either changed chefs or management because the food was completely different this time. The naan was dry and the actual indian dishes tasted nothing like what they should have -- the butter chicken was shredded and had basically a tomato vodka sauce. As someone who never really uses yelp, I want to write this review to warn others that the quality is just not the same as before. Won't be coming back.

Got a chance to try out this very delicious Indian cuisine located just right across the train stop. Unfortunately they're still not offering dine-in services but man is their food really worth the visit. The curry I ordered was quite hot too even when I got home like 10-15 minutes later and the portion is quite generous. Definitely well worth a visit if you were craving for something different like I was. The pick up process was quick and painless as I ordered through a mobile app, they were ready well under the original estimate time and the curry lasted well over two meals for me. I especially like the garnish sides they make the meal even more enjoyable!

I usually go to The Maharaja or India Pavilion, but I finally tried this place because it's right near my house. TERRIBLE-- the servers were very nice but the food had ZERO flavor. Utterly disappointing. The palak paneer tasted like just spinach and the tandoori mix was equally as void of flavor with dry, poorly cooked meat. At the end of our meal the server took a long time to bring us the check despite there being 3 servers working and only three tables with customers. I wish I had one good thing to say about this place but I truly do not. Dinner was a bummer :(

Ordered a chicken Tikka masala - Bad quality food with lack of spices. We ended up getting served burnt Naans as well

I worked in this restaurant and they process food unhygienically. Please find the photos from the kitchen and freezer.

Great food but more expensive than any other Indian restaurant in the area; for example their Chicken Tikka Marsala and Chicken Korma are $21 vs $18 everywhere else I looked. Plus they charge for condiments (i.e., mango chutney is $4).

Was in the mood for some comfort food delivery and this fit the bill, but I wouldn't classify it as quality Indian food. Meat samosas: covered in a strange powder--chaat powder? Not sure why, but makes them quite messy. The meat filling was fine, but not especially well seasoned. Lamb rogan josh + chicken tikka masala: Both lacking in any deep or umami flavor, mostly just creamy and very sweet.

I've tried Passage to India 3 times over 6 years. Each time has been more disappointing than the last. The Korma and Tikka were some of the blander and more boring Indian dishes I've had in Boston. And this wasn't helped at all by the dry overcooked tasteless chicken that the dishes came with. In a city with such good Indian food I have no idea how Passage to India survives; you owe it to yourself to go anywhere else. Not only is the food terrible, the restaurant is also incredibly unpleasant on a personal note. The owners are very rude, and now they've put up signs saying that cyclists aren't welcome. Ok, good to know! I will definitely never return.

I'll start this review by saying that I would be a bit gentler in my opinion if the food at this establishment was not so expensive. The Chicken Tikka alone was 21$. That's very pricey. I decided to stop here as I seemed to be passing by on my way home, 5pm on a Friday night and not a single person was in the restaurant, it was quite strange, but perhaps telling. The server very begrudgingly asked what I wanted and I placed an order to go. The service experience overall was quite bad as the one person who served me was genuinely unfriendly and I was receiving looks from all of the staff inside, as if my presence in their restaurant was unwarranted. When I tried the food, the chicken tikka was incredibly dry and tough, and it was pretty clear that this chicken was not cooked to order. I can't speak on the rest of the food but this was my experience with this dish. Again, 21$ for that - ridiculous. I'm honestly just surprised that this was what I received being the only customer there on a Friday night, you'd think the establishment would be excited to serve its clientele, but it was evident that it was quite the opposite for Passage To India. I do not recommend going here.

My favorite spot for Indian food recently shut down. One of my new favorite items to order is masala dosa and when done right is fantastic. Lately all of the places I have tried make this dish quite sloppy, ingredients not cooked together etc. I tried Passage to India this week and am so excited because I have found my new go-to Indian food spot! I ordered the masala dosa and kabuli chana (both are dairy free and gluten free) and both were *delicious*. The masala dosa was cooked with care, spices and potatoes cooked together and the crepe / wrap was also cooked to perfection. It was cut up into three sections and was easy to eat with my hands and dip in sauces- I absolutely loved it and can't wait to order again. The kabuli chana was cooked spicy just as I requested and came with jasmine rice. There isn't a single complaint with this meal, all was really well made and delicious. I highly recommend this spot to others and it will be a place I order from again soon :) Also, this is a great spot if you are dairy free and/or gluten free - lots of options!

I was visiting a friend and we decided to order from here since it was within walking distance. What we ordered: - Vegetable Mixed Appetizer - Chicken Korma (mild) - Chicken Tikka Saag (mild) - Garlic Naan Overall, it wasn't bad, but it's not the best I've had. I've had better in the North Shore area of Boston. This was my friend's first time having Indian food, and I think this was a good introduction into the cuisine. Although I get mild spice all the time, there is generally more flavor, which was not present in my chicken tikka saag. The aroma was lacking and it was less fragrant. Not disappointed, but also not wowed. The portion itself is adequate and the chicken pieces were large. I did like the garlic naan, but I've also had better -- with better char/brushed in ghee/more embedded garlic flavor. My friend liked it, so personally, I think this is a stepping stone for people to broaden their palates.

I was very excited about this place since it's new and it's in my neighborhood. Finally something in 3 minutes walking distance. I ordered chicken tikka masala. The chicken was kinda dry. There is nothing special about it but $22 for lunch ? It's a bit overpriced.

Delicious food, fast delivery, friendly service . Also we enjoy sit down dinners. Ambiance is very familial.

Fans of the passage to India in porter, please look elsewhere. The food is completely different and some of the worst i have had in Boston. Owners of this new establishment, do better. We used to love passage to India when it was in porter square, so we tried this all place for delivery. However, this place is completely different and so much worse. The naan was gummy and undercooked. the chicken tikka masala had stewed, tough, chewy meat (clearly not cooked in a tandoori oven) with a really watery, bland sauce. The chicken korma had oily dark meat and an unusual spice profile. In short, I was blown away how different the food is from porter square passage to India. This was some of the worst Indian food i have tried in Boston in the past 10 years.

Great food and awesome naan. Quick delivery and the order was correct. Great experience overall!

This was a great find for us. I was starting to think that I would never find a decent Indian Restaurant in the Boston area. In comes Passage to India. The food is flavorful and servings are plentiful. The prices are pretty fair so it's hard to complain. They put a good amount of spices and I had always been satisfied with what I got. I only dock it a star because their appetizers can sometimes be a bit dry (over fried) but overall very food.

Appalling. We just ordered for delivery: chicken tandoori, chicken shish and aloo gobi. Not only was it flavorless, it was also not fresh (microwaved?). Each dish was more than $20 and we basically threw it out. Even roti was inedible. Never again!

Ordered for pick and was very pleased! They are very COVID safe. I was able to order online, pick up my order and bike back to my apartment. I had chicken tikka masala with garlic naan. The naan came with two piece and was very flavorful. Next time I come back, I will take advantage and try if of their combos.

This place is looks good, Environment is also great. Good for people to try the Indian food. But you won't find the traditional taste. Little sweet in all food. I think that was supposed to take care of local American crowd. All dishes are ok. I won't suggest the soup but Overall Experience is good not Bad.

Not a ton of good Indian options in Porter/Davis area so I've been looking for a go-to spot for weeknight take out. Have gone a couple times now and I usually get the tried and true Chicken Tikka Masala and Saag Paneer. Chicken tikka masala was just okay and the chile oil they use kind of masks the flavor of the dish. On the plus side they actually serve spicey curry, but be careful when ordering hot because they mean it! The saag paneer definitely wasn't the best saag paneer I've ever had, but it gets the job done. You get a ton of naan for the price, would recommend getting the garlic naan. Unrelated to the food--the owners recently put up hostile signs in the windows opposing bike lanes through Porter Sq? That was kind of disappointing as someone who has to bike to the restaurant to pick up my food, which I can say is truly a miserable experience in Porter. A cyclist was literally hit and killed outside the restaurant only a few years ago!

Best indian food I have ever had! I love indian food and get it often, especially from smaller local run places. This restaurant tops it all! It was quick to pickup, fresh, and outstanding! 10/10 recommendation, and it really made my Boston experience amazing!

GET the Chicken Kabab appetizer! Comes out sizzling hot, perfectly cooked chicken. Lamb curry was also very good.

The food was great. Fast friendly service. we had the tandorian platter and butter chicken. Both was amazing. I will definitely be a regular.

Came here for a casual weekend dinner - the restaurant was busy, but we were seated right away. The restaurant definitely does most of their business with take out orders, so there wasn't much of an emphasis on dine in service. We were seated right next to the desk where the manager was answering the phone and coordinating to-go orders, which was a little loud and hectic. He was super nice though and made sure we were doing ok several times. Our waiter brought us fried dough with chutney and water as soon as we were seated. We decided on the samosas and the dinner combo special for two people. Given the large portions and high quality ingredients, I thought the prices ($15-20 for a dinner entree) were reasonable or a little high. If you're not set in a specific curry, the special is the way to go. You get smaller (but still generous) dishes of three curries, rice, soup of your choice, plain naan, and dessert of your choice. For two people it was an overwhelming amount of food and we brought home enough rice and curry for lunch the next day. We tried the coconut and vegetable soups. I wasn't a big fan of either, but that was mostly because the flavors were unexpected and unfamiliar. Coconut tasted like warm coconut milk with sweetened shredded coconut mixed in. A little weird for an appetizer - I was expecting something savory like Thai soups with coconut. The veggie was a mild puree, which probably included lentils and other veg. The combo came with chicken tikka masala, fish curry, and aloo matar. We asked for medium spice, but I thought they were all very mild. I like spicy food and would probably get hot or extra hot next time. The chicken and fish dishes came with excellent pieces of meat. The rice was aromatic, but was unevenly salted - I had a few bites that were almost too salty to eat. To top of the meal, we ordered the rice pudding, which was very refreshing and not sickly sweet like American rice pudding. The texture was not thick and gooey, but more like soft rice in a thick cream. Delicious. They serve a variety of bottled beer and make recommendations in the menu for pairings. They also serve glasses and bottles of California wines.

got takeout from here for a lunch meeting at work - food prep was fast and delivery was speedy. i got the chicken curry - it was fantastic! immensely vibrant and deep flavors, with great texture. it came with rice, and it was great with naan as well, though the naan isn't necessary. would highly recommend the chicken curry!

We love Passage To India! Great food and service.

What a fantastic spot in Porter Square! I heard of this place as a staple in the area and tonight I finally got to try it. For dinner, portions were very good - both me and my friend were unable to finish our full meal after adding garlic naan and rice. I tried the Goat Curry and my friend tried the Chicken Tikki Masala. Both were very flavorful and delicious. No complaints. The ambiance was great and the service was very attentive. Strongly recommend!

Love love love this restaurant. The sauces are so flavorful and aromatic there's complexity in their dishes that only comes from slow cooking and fresh ingredients. You can really taste the quality. We come here often and it is always consistent. The staff is so friendly and the place is very clean. They have a great bar space with big tvs and a nice selection.

Great Indian food!! Favorite in the area. Used to love Kashmir on Newbury and since it closed in 2020 this is my new favorite.

Today I ordered lunch from this place because I heard great reviews of this place. First, I looked at the menu and there's this item named Bengali Jhinga Poori. As a Bengali person, I never heard such a thing in either side of Bengal. Not sure who created this recipe but I can assure you it's definitely not an authentic Bengali dish. Anyway, I ordered samosa and chicken bhuna with rice. The samosas are really good. They are crispy, flaky and warm goodness. However, the chicken bhuna was a big disappointment. It was cooked with onion and tomatoes as described in the menu but the chicken pieces were almost unseasoned and dry. Too much onion overpowered the entire dish and didn't taste anything like chicken bhuna. Total waste! I will order some other items to see how they are.

I can't say enough good things about Passage to India. The hubs and I lived down the street for a few years and ordered take out so often that we became regulars. I've dined in a few times and am surprised to see the negative reviews about poor service--not sure what's going on with that lately. Whenever I'm in the area, I stop back by. Last time, I chatted with the owner and told him we had moved away but will still come visit. I only wish we had something this good in my new 'hood. You absolutely must order the samosas--meat or veggie (I personally prefer veggie but they're all good)--and the rice pudding. The hubs loves their chicken korma and I was partial to any of their tikka masalas or similar dishes. Their sauces are top-notch and their teas are fabulous, too. Oh, and they often have specials/coupons either online or on their take-out menu!

Good quality food and service. Very conveniently located near the Museum and offices. Tasty food and spice level can be adjusted upon request.

Totally the best Indian food in the area! Go for the Chicken Korma. You will never find a better one - EVER.

I've lived in Cambridge for about 12 years and have tried every Indian place but this one and I think I may have found my favorite. Not sure why I didn't try this sooner. They are great with doing accurate spice levels. Many Indian places are shy with the heat but I found this place had it just right. I ordered pretty basic dishes; chicken curry and kabuli chana with keema naan. Portions were great, solid flavors and as mentioned earlier, accurate heat level. Pro tip: order directly from their website - these guys deserve every dollar they charge. Plus, there are options not available through the food apps (that take money out of their pockets, even for pickup!).

Delicious food and fast service! I ordered a fairly large order at 630 on a Wednesday and it was ready within 20 minutes to pick up. The naan was well baked and crisp on edges, tandoori was great, samosas were spiced and fried perfectly. All portions were good and reasonably priced. Will be returning!

Just good food, we pick up takeout since its so close to where we live. Definitely the best take out spot in Porter. You can't beat the lunch special! Don't understand why the bad reviews

These guys have the best Indian food around! And they're such nice people, the service is always great. Definitely order through their personal website, they have their own delivery drivers who get to you much faster than the gig apps.