Punjab Arlington

Service was solid and atmosphere was relaxing. We started with a vegetarian and a lamb samosa and both were very good. My shrimp curry was excellent with lots of shrimp. I got it medium hot but wasn’t hot enough so the brought more hot sauce which was homemade and excellent. My friends said their meals were good ( see pic) the naan was very good.

My significant other and I have been trying to find decent Indian food since moving. This place was recommended by a couple of colleagues and Punjab did not disappoint! We love spice and this restaurant knows how to do it. The bartender/waiter was wonderful and very attentive. We will definitely be back! Thank you for a delicious celebratory lunch (100 days sober!)

Upscale Indian Punjabi restaurant in Arlington Ambiance: it was super pleasant. We sat by the window although there were some appealing seats towards the center. The place has a calming atmosphere good for an evening out. Service: the servers are friendly and they are quick to respond. The food and drinks were brought to us promptly. Food and drinks: pre-pandemic times when I visited Punjab, I really liked the Indian cocktails they had. I was disappointed to hear that they weren't served anymore considering that was the reason I picked the place for dinner that night. The rest of the food was quite delicious and we enjoyed dining there. Veggie: they have plenty of vegetarian options and I would highly recommend if you are vegetarian!

Not a authentic Punjabi/ Indian restaurant as they advertised. Ambience is good but felt like we are paying just for that.. taste was horrible and not even close to Indian style cooking. Breads were good but appetizers and curries were not at all upto the mark.. there are lot other better Indian restaurants with cheaper rates and better quality in MA

This is « the » Indian restaurant in Arlington. I do not have the expertise nor the experience to judge the quality of the food. For me, it’s ok. Chicken was well cooked but drown into a thick sauce… but maybe it’s the way you serve it. Great staff and great people.

I was expecting delicious northern indian/punjab curries that were flavorful, instead I was greeted with not so yummy curries and also not very thick or rich. I have had much better ones. I am not sure why it’s even 4.4 on Googlereviews. Price was comparatively ok given that it comes with basmati rice. We ordered hot lamb korma and hot lamb curry but both of them are not spicy. We are really quite disappointed.

Food was good, loved the tandoori chicken and lamb chop. Tandoori Naan was little burned/over done. Salmon curry and lamb curry was exceptionally well - perfect desi heat. Punjab garden salad was pretty ordinary, overall 4/5 exp. Would recommend others and also I would love to come back for more.

Best Indian cuisine I’ve had by far, the drinks were great and service was even better, really great dining experience if your in the Boston area. I will definitely be back soon !

Tasty Punjabi food! In our rotation alongside Spice Delight, Masala, Mint, Punjab Palace, and Rangla Punjab (too much good Indian food around here). Tikka masala, samosas, daal makhani, saag, garlic naan, kheer all delicious.

Great food. Got tandoori chicken and chicken Marsala. Garlic and coconut naan bread. Quick, friendly service. Reasonably priced. Street parking free after 8pm. We will be returning.

The food here is extremely good every single time. The restaurant itself is very pretty and very clean. It's a staple every time I visit Arlington.

Oh! I don't know what happened to this food here. First time we tried it as new in the area, the dishes we ordered were superdelicious with an Indian aroma, just the way we like it. We've since dined in two or three other times, but typically order pick up. I typically order biryani. My last two orders weren't nothing like the biryani i ate here the first time, or elsewhere. Nor the chicken tikka masala. Also, other times we were asked if we wanted it regular and I said no -medium/mild, mine peeps have ordered more . So, I assumed the default is medium, like any authentic Indian restaurant...except we got regular without any impressive flavors or taste! Oh well

We had a nice server, excellent food and never felt rushed. We shared 3 dishes: the saag paneer, chicken tikka masala, chicken korma and plain naan. It was a lot of food, but we couldn't make up our mind, so we ordered 3 dishes and had plenty of leftovers for the next day.

Tried the chicken tikka masala and bone in chicken vindaloo with garlic naan, potato naan, and the potato fritters. The flavor of the chicken tikka was pretty good with a slight smokiness that I liked, but the vindaloo just didn't hit at all, it was bland and not spicy, but the bone in chicken was tender. Fritters were tasty but naan left a bit to be desired, seemed very dried out. Ambiance was nice and service was good, the food was okay, and I might revisit when I get a chicken tikka craving because it's so close to my apt.

Beautiful ambience, nice presentation, decent service, prices not unreasonable considering it's in Arlington. Actual food quality? Not bad, but not great either. Food seemed overly adapted to non-Indian palates: curry spices lacked layering/complexity and zing, food seemed a bit under-salted, and rather light on the ghee. Maybe should have ordered vindaloo instead of curry? Chutneys were delicious, onion naan was strangely bland tasting despite its nice flaky texture. Meat was adequate in portion size, but a bit too lean and overcooked, wish it had some fat and gristle to give it more flavor. Local demographics and economic reality? Looked around the dining area and noticed that the diners were a mix of Caucasian, East Asian, and black...not a single South Asian (Indian) person in sight. Sigh...too late.

The food was good. The shrimp coconut tikka masala was excellent; it was flavorful, and the shrimp were cooked perfectly. The baingan bhartha was also good. The problem was that there was a private party going on in one section of the restaurant, and several children were chasing each other throughout the restaurant, including right past our table. I saw one woman (the owner? the manager?) speak to them, but it didn't stop them, and none of their parents said a word. I complained to the woman who cleared our table, but she just gave me a look as if to say, "Yeah, it's too bad, isn't it?" Not even an apology, never mind an attempt to say anything to anyone It was distracting and put a damper on what would have been a lovely dinner.

Saag Naan Rice We got takeout this time, but have eaten there in the past and it's lovely very elegant yet warm service. The decor is really outstanding and special.

Incredibly delicious food, beautiful restaurant, and the service is fantastic. The food takes me back to India. Love it!

We are regulars because the spices are so fresh that flavors just pop in everything we have tried.

We defied the warning signs on good ol' yelp and decided to give this place a try. I'm afraid everyone is right about the food being bland. For an Indian restaurant, this place definitely misses the mark - big time! Bevs: The husband ordered an Irish old fashioned cocktail. Sadly it was so diluted to the point where there was no flavor whatsoever. Almost no alcohol or bitters. The husband said, verbatim, "it tasted like sparkling orange that has lost its sparkle". Instead, he enjoyed the macerated cherries that came as a garnish. I ordered the basil lemonade. Let's just say that YOU can make a better lemonade beverage at home! Save the $8 and get yourself some ice cream or pastry - from somewhere else of course!! Apps: We ordered paapdi chaat. Below average at most. It needed some help. We added some sweet tamarind sauce and spicy mint chutney that came with the Paapad. Main dish: The husband ordered chicken tikka with Punjabi chili paratha. The parathas are spicy - they're good if you enjoy spicy food. The chicken tikka was average. We've definitely had much better. I ordered a masala dosa. Sadly it was a miss. Again, when a restaurant messes up the basics, it makes you wonder. Unfortunately, we won't be returning.

Great food, great service, great environment, really good and reliable restaurant. The naan is made on a traditional tandoori which makes it much better. Can be a little pricey if you have a large crowd

I've been a fan of Punjab Restaurant for many years, and my recent visit showed why it's my first choice for Indian cuisine in the area. The food is always tasty, and the portions are more than generous. We always leave happy and with a full stomach (and often, leftovers which are great for the next day's lunch!). Friendly service is also nice and they will give you good advice when asked. A staple of ours is the veggie pakoras. Crispy and tasty and they come served with a three tasty dipping sauces. For a great chicken dish I recommend the chicken 'on the bone' korma. The thigh/leg meat is far tastier than chicken breast meat IMO! The chicken is tender more flavorful when cooked on the bone (doesn't all meat taste better on the bone?!), and it's a dish that meets my expectations. Yum! Their vegetarian options are equally great, with the Baingan Bhartha (eggplant dish) being a favorite of mine. I've found most of their vegetarian dishes to be consistently good choices and have yet to have one disappoint. A special treat at Punjab is the Punjab Lamb Chops. While they're a bit on the pricey side they are quite good. We also always get a plain naan or paratha. Perfect for dipping in the tasty rich sauces and don't forget to order a side of their yogurt sauce, raita to balance the spiciness of the dishes and provides a refreshing contrast. Check out Punjab. It's one of my favorite restaurants in the area.

Our family loves Punjab! This is one of the first restaurants we tried when we relocated to Massachusetts and it quickly became a favorite. The food is always outstanding and the atosphere is warm and welcoming. When the restaurant is busy, service can be a bit slow but the food arrives quickly and is always excellent. My husband's family is Punjabi and for him, this restaurant tastes like home. :)

The restaurant has a lovely decor and perfect lighting level. The food is delicious. I've never had pakora so perfectly crispy. The sauces were flavorful without overwhelming the filling. The Masala dosa was good and beautifully presented. Honestly, the spicy vegetable soup that came with it was better. I will

My family and I came for a Saturday night dinner. The place was certainly busy, and the restaurant was on the louder side. Our waiters definitely seemed a bit rushed throughout our meal. I had to flag someone for more dipping sauce because our waiter only whisked by to check on us. My chicken masala dosa was quite tightly wrapped. I tend to like a little more crispness to the bread. I also didn't find the flavor very distinct, though the coconut chutney helped with flavor. The other dishes at the table were a bit better. The biyrani dish was large and contained big chunks of meat, and the tandoori chicken had the bold flavor I was looking for.

Service specially from the barman is amazing. Food is average Indian, white naan is not fresh and seasoning for the chicken massala just did not meet my expectation. The ambience is totally Indian and restaurant ia very nice.

Service was excellent. Food tasted fresh. It wasn't too salty like a lot of a places. Goat was cooked very well. Dosa was a bit thick. Sambar was good. Aloo gobi was a bit oily and I couldn't pull a flavor from it. The menu had a nice variety of options. I look forward to going back and trying more dishes.

We used to love this restaurant, but in the last year or so, their food has gotten a *lot* more spicy. Like, way spicier. For some of us that's not a bad thing, but others in my family do not enjoy spicy food; and unfortunately, the restaurant always ignores instructions left on dish orders - whether it's requests for labeling to distinguish dishes, or increasingly desperate please for milder spicing. I suspect they have a different head chef, and probably one who likes spicy food, and thinks everybody should, too. It used to be very mild here, and my wife would love it. Now everything from this restaurant is too spicy for her, and even requests like "PLEASE NOT SPICY *AT ALL*" are ignored. I don't know why they put a field for special instructions if they don't want to bother paying attention to what's written there. This is a great restaurant if you like spicy food. If you don't, I very reluctantly have to advise that you go somewhere else.

I've come here a couple times, and the food was just okay. This last time I ordered takeout and received the wrong order. I also found a ladybug in my food which was very disturbing

Very nice, reasonably placed Indian restaurant with a large vegetarian menu. It's a quiet spot and nice to go to alone with a book. The service was a bit slow when they were crowded, but they were all very nice so I didn't mind. The channa paneer was my favorite dish.

Came here on a weekday evening and were seated right away. This place has higher prices then some of the other Indian food spots in the area but after trying the food, it was sooo worth it! We started with the chicken momo and would highly recommend it! Then I got the paneer tikka masala (mild) and my boyfriend got the lamb vindaloo (very spicy). We also got an order of the garlic naan. We both really enjoyed our meals and the naan was nice and crispy and well seasoned. Great Arlington spot, we'll definitely be back.

Quality staff, excellent service and some delicious food! Punjab is simply the best Indian food you will find in and around the area. Lucky for us, they also do event catering, which they are really good at. They catered Indian food for our reception event, which was loved by everyone and was a highlight of the evening. We had a backyard wedding and asked them to bring out their Tandoor to cook fresh chicken and naans for our guests on site. They sure did deliver on that, our guests got to enjoy some fresh delicious food from them. They had delicious momos, mutton curry. Chicken curry, Veg Tawa, Malai kofta and kheer as well. Everything was just delicious and we could tell it was made with the freshest of ingredients. Raj ji, the representative from Punjab we interacted with, is an honest man and full-time food wizard. We got exactly what we signed up for and we are fans forever

Food was very good! Peshawary naan and lamb samosa were 10/10! Definitely going back. Good ambience, not too loud, definitely a good place for catching up with a friend. Service was also great. Everyone was helpful, friendly and we didn't feel rushed. Good location - right around the corner from a parking lot or easy bus access

Delicious, authentic, great quality Indian food. Ordered the palak paneer, tandoori chicken and paratha. The tandoori chicken was cooked to perfection, charred on the outside and deliciously moist on the inside with the perfect level of spice. It comes with naan and a side of lentils. The palak paneer was velvety and the paratha was the perfect complement to it all. Pick up is convenient, service quick and friendly.

Best Samosas in this area... If you love samosas you must try their samosas... Was kind of disappointed with their mushroom mutter curry... the gravy was watery... expected it to be thick and creamy like a proper gravy but it was too thin and watery...

One of the few good Indian restaurants near Boston. Loved the appetizer and main course. Lacks in variety / novelty in desserts, since it was a fine dining, I was expecting it to be different than the regulars. Great ambience and service.

One of our favorite restaurants for takeout these days. The food is reliably good and the pickup is on time. Portions are a good size for the money. They did switch to a different ordering system last year (via Toast) which made the process more reliable - and also costs them less. We also used to go there in olden times when you could still go to restaurants, and my only complaint from those days would be that their wine selection was quite terrible. But I don't see that as a real problem, just something to keep in mind.

I used to be a regular customer here between 2005-2012, but had moved out of the area. My children and I moved back and my son said tonight that he read a story about biryani and wanted to try it. I remembered my favorite biryani was from Punjab and told him we'd order and pick up tonight. He was so excited. We ordered two orders, expecting all the spices, nuts and raisins listed in the menu, and what I remembered the dish had years ago. We dug into both orders and there was plenty of chicken, but found only 3 cashews, NO raisins, and NO almonds. That, for me, was what made this rice dish unique and flavorful. I won't be ordering from here again. 3 stars for chicken, to be fair.

I've only ordered delivery, but I remember the first time I had the food... it blew me away. I loved the samosas (the vegetarian being my favorite but the chicken was good as well) and the Chicken Tikka Masala was to die for! The nan was not my favorite, but it was still good and the mango lassi was great as well. Unfortunately, the consistency was not great and it is expensive outside of delivery costs but I do recommend trying at least once!

Never going give our business to this place m. They are looking for ways to take more money from customer. We were a party of 5, and they charged us service fees of 18%. Bill clearly says the service charge is for a party great than 5. So common sense it's for party of 6+. The waiter clearly lied on the bill to say the guest count is 6 to extort money. Luckily we checked the bill right after coming home because we sensed a wrong doing. You ask for onions, they give 3 slices and charge $4. This was new charge after visiting this place from past 5 years.

What a shame. My husband and I have been faithfully ordering from Punjab for the past three years and have always been impressed with the quality of the food, but after our experience with the restaurant tonight, I don't know that I'll continue to order from them in the future. I always order the paneer tikka masala. On Grubhub, there isn't an option for this, so years ago when we first ordered it, the restaurant instructed us to select the chicken tikka masala and make a note to use paneer instead. We've never had a problem doing this previously. However, this evening we mistakenly received the order with chicken. No problem, mistakes happen. When we called the restaurant regarding the error, we were put on hold for fifteen minutes, then had our call passed between three different employees, who all insisted that we'd received paneer and required us to supply a photo of the food to prove that the order was wrong. We found the whole situation somewhat ridiculous, but were glad when we were informed the correct order would be redelivered shortly. After an hour passed, my husband called the restaurant for an update. Again, we were put on hold and passed around to several employees. Finally we were told that the driver had "called and called until he was sick of calling" and that there had been no answer. We hadn't received any calls, nor had the driver rung the doorbell. Once more, we were told that the driver would redeliver it. Two hours and 45 minutes after we first placed the order, the driver finally arrived. I was waiting for him in the entryway of our building; he didn't call and if I hadn't been there, I would have missed him. He first demanded that I give him the incorrect order (which I did), and then, unprompted, proceeded to admonish me for "placing the order wrong" and told me what had happened was "all my fault." Having previously worked in the food industry, I am stunned by the lack of professionalism of every employee with whom we interacted. I have lost a great deal of respect for this business.

Ordered via Uber Eats and it took a long time for the food to be prepared (all we ordered was lamb samosas and chicken tikka masala). Some nights the kitchen gets busy--no problem, I get that. I wouldn't deduct a full star from a review for that. Got our food, and my chicken tikka masala was pretty good! Had a nice subtle kick to it. But then a few bites in I found myself biting down on something hard. "Maybe it's a bone, okay sure no problem," I thought to myself ... I take the "bone" out of my mouth, and it's an unidentifiable piece of metal. Flavors were good and I kept eating my meal because I was very hungry, but I didn't feel very safe eating my meal because I was worried I would encounter more metal.

A little chilly (bring a sweater) and a little loud (lively!) with delicious food. The line of UberEats drivers in the foyer is a good indication that the people want Punjab! The menu is very extensive with a large variety of food for any type of eater. We got a biriyani, Rogan Josh and saag. Flavors were so delicious and they come over a flame so your meal stays warm over dinner conversation. The garlic naan has coriander on it (not my fave) but was great for sopping up sauce at the end of the meal. Excited to come back!

I absolutely love this restaurant! The food is always good. I love the large window looking into the kitchen. I'd definitely recommend making reservations as the restaurant can be quite busy. They have a nice bar and waiting area in case you don't make a reservation in advance. Also, it can be a bit loud so perhaps try dining before it gets very busy. This place is definitely a must try when in Arlington.

Tried Punjab for the first time after years of passing by and hearing people recommend it. I've been missing out! The food was delicious and fast, presentation was nice, and the ambiance was great! We ordered lamb and veggie samosas to start. The lamb was nice and spiced, the veggie was a great soft texture on the inside with a crisp shell on the outside. The plates were triangular which was really cool and matched the shape of the samosas which made it even more fun! As the main meal, we got the chicken tikka masala and it was delicious! They give you an option of spice -- we got regular but next time I'll go up to mild because regular really had no heat (which would be great if you can't handle spice)! It was delivered with a candle underneath to keep the food warm the whole time which both worked and looked really cool! The naan bread was delicious and hot, but we forgot to ask for it without butter on top (which is Punjab's standard naan preparation). It was good with the butter, but I prefer it drier so it soaks the sauce up more. Make sure you ask for what you want, and try out their different types of naan topped with different spices, etc. Our clothes DID smell like spice afterwards so just wash them afterwards haha! All in all, I highly recommend. It's great whether you've ever tried Indian cuisine or not!

Food is good(though ready late) but despite local mask mandates staff is unmasked even when customers are present.

Great! Can't wait to come back. Taj Mahal beer and Indian spiced food are such a great combo. Nice window seat for people watching during the day.

The food here is fantastic. It's some of the best food I've ever had, and easily the best Indian food. The staff are cordial and it's a really nice vibe inside. It is a little pricey though so not really for every day. Highly recommend!

We love take out here especially the paneer tikka masala. The naan is consistently fresh and my young daughters also love the biryani. It is a great Arlington spot!

I love your restaurant. I usually order here once a week or at least twice a month. I love the food but when I order delivery my drink never arrives it's quite frustrating. It's happened at least 4 times by now.

I went to Punjab with three Punjabis -- one is a Jew who doesn't mix meat and milk on Friday nights, so doesn't eat tandoori or meat in cream sauces, so that limits what she could order. Another is Muslim and only eats halal meat, and also doesn't love to eat vegetables, so that limits what he could order. The third was into eating most anything, but was curious why a restaurant called Punjab would serve dosas and other Southern Indian food. The other people at the table were vegan and vegetarian. All this to say, the staff was great to us, and made sure that everyone got what they wanted and needed. They even brought us a plate for the challah we brought to make shabbes with. I ordered the tandoori lamb chops, and they were delicious. Beautifully seasoned, beautifully cooked, with al dente onions and peppers that tasted great with rice.

Much better and more polite Indian restaurants out there. Ordered grub hub and it took nearly two hours. Called the restaurant and the manager said "that's too bad bro". Food arrived cold. I would not waste your time ordering from here. It's too bad because once before I ordered and the food was pretty decent. I get being busy, but no excuse for being very rude.

I love the food here and having been coming for a few years. But their order management process was absolute mess for picking up. Over 30 min waiting on the curb for them to get it together. This is was extremely frustrating experience

Two stars only for some of the tasty appetizer and the drink. Everything else was not how I expected. The service on a not too busy Friday was terrible and that girl who did not have a name tag nor even introduced herself was not happy! She had attitude the entire time serving us and at the end for 5 ppl they added 18% tip which was not even close to the treat we got from her. Well all that being said ... No ladies and gentlemen i am not going back to waist time and money there ... I'm pretty sure i ll get better both food and service at other Indian restaurants!!!

Punjab was really a top notch Indian restaurant before they closed, and we patiently waited for their return. Since they returned we went with a group and had an absolutely disasterous experience. The manager was not present and the waitstaff clueless. The food was excellent but it took nearly 3 hours to eat and the manager was superficially apologetic. I gave them another try many weeks later with to takeout order. I couldn't believe how small the food portions were for a $60 takeout order for three people. The food was OK but nothing earth shattering. I think the bottom line is this place is going downhill fast. Being out of business for more than a year has me convinced that they are trying to make up for lost time with extremely overpriced food and under experienced staff. I would expect the latter to resolve itself eventually but I'm not going to take another chance unless I see a new menu with reasonable prices. I hope the management reads this and the plethora of other recent bad reviews and does something. Otherwise Punjab will have completely thrown away the good reputation they built up over the years (was: slightly expensive but excellent food/service -- is becoming: very overpriced average food with bad service).

Good, solid Indian restaurant (and there aren't many). Excellent service and reasonably priced.

All time favorite Delicious food and super friendly owner and staff I would Highly recommend it for Authentic Indian food