Spice Lounge

My boyfriend and decided to try this place out after passing on a walk back from the beach about six months ago, and now it is one of our favorite spots in Pacific Beach. From 4pm -6pm patrons can enjoy $5 cocktails, wine, beer, AND appetizers. The happy hour appetizers are an absolute must, especially the Curry Fries and Aloo Tikki! You get the same portion for half the price! In addition to Happy Hour, Spice Lounge offers daily specials, our favorites being Meatless Mondays ($11 vegetarian/vegan dishes) and Tuesday Treats (buy one entree get one half off). With quality food at an amazing price and excellent service, you can't go wrong with Spice Lounge.

AMAZING!!! I have had Indian food in England, San Francisco, LA and other places. These guys are legit. Everything was cooked perfectly. The land vindaloo was tender and delicious. The chicken tikka was moist (breast is usually dry), and the naan and chutney was tasty. Make sure to order the potato pancake appetizer- really special!! I’ll be back!!!

SO good per usual. The curry fries were a great starter app. Went with the chicken masala clay oven dish, papadum?, and garlic naan w/ mint chutney (a must). Lastly, we had chai (tea) to digest it all, accompanied by a couple donut holes (a delicacy that melts in your mouth). This place has been around for more than a decade and it continues to impress me.

Everything was delicious and the service was awesome. We tried samosas, wings, tandoori chicken, lamb biryani, butter chicken, chicken tikka, dal makhani and garlic naan. It was so good that we have to order a second bowl of butter chicken and we were surprised with desert on the house. Nice place!

Gurkarn was an amazing waiter. He was incredibly attentive and kind. Highly recommend the Holy Basil with lamb, so savory!!!! And of course a mango lassi. Enjoy and cheers

visiting from Arizona and had such an incredible dinner here! The food and drinks were excellent and the service was quick & kind! Will definitely be back

Such a hidden gem in PB! The happy hour is insane and the service, music, location. ALL SO GOOD! Curry fries are the best fries I’ve ever had. The drinks are delicious too. Happy hour is every day 4-6 but their prices outside of it are so reasonable. I almost didn’t want to post the review to keep this gem to myself but I want them to succeed because they are so great!

Food so good I forgot to take a picture before we ate! We ordered the veggie biriani with cucumber salad & garlic naan, our friend ordered the lamb vindaloo all of which was outstanding! Delicious and clearly a local favorite. It was bustling! We will definitely be back!

What a great hidden gem in PB, just a short walk from the beach! I met up with a friend, and since we weren't too hungry, we were just looking for something light and stumbled upon this spot. The portions were actually quite generous for a light bite. We shared the papdi chaat and ordered chai both were absolutely delicious. The staff was friendly, and the atmosphere was relaxed and casual, with no overwhelming crowds. I'd definitely come back to try more from the menu!

My FAVORITE Indian food restaurant in all of California!! Family owned, great service, and lots of love goes into this food! I typically order take out but do enjoy coming in the dine. Butter chicken, mango chutney, and garlic naan are my go to's! Friendly staff.

Went for dinner to this place after spend time on the beach. It was not too busy during the weekday, they have bar counter as well and it's nicely decorated. Tried saag paneer, they had mix lentils dal which was really good and we liked it. My kid liked their cheese naan, which was fresh and other naan we ordered was chilli garlic naan which was little crispy and can be little soft. All entree comes with rice and also their service is faster, server was gentle and very polite.

Delicious and full of flavor. Our go-to Indian Food in Pacific Beach. Always great service and they have a good happy hour from 4-6. Order the Chutney Sampler and Nirvana Curry!

AMAZING!!! I have had Indian food in England, San Francisco, LA and other places. These guys are legit. Everything was cooked perfectly. The land vindaloo was tender and delicious. The chicken tikka was moist (breast is usually dry), and the naan and chutney was tasty. Make sure to order the potato pancake appetizer- really special!! I'll be back!!!

My boyfriend and decided to try this place out after passing on a walk back from the beach about two months ago, and now it is one of our favorite spots in Pacific Beach. From 4pm -6pm patrons can enjoy $5 cocktails, wine, beer, AND appetizers. The happy hour appetizers are an absolute must, especially the Curry Fries and Aloo Tikki! You get the same portion for half the price! In addition to Happy Hour, Spice Lounge offers daily specials, our favorites being Meatless Mondays ($11 vegetarian/vegan dishes) and Tuesday Treats (buy one entree get one half off). With quality food at an amazing price and excellent service, you can't go wrong with Spice Lounge.

Bonus points for the location - no other indian food within PB, plus they have my favorite dish which is not at all Indian restaurants - malai kofta. This cute little restaurant has a teeny patio and fun Indian pop culture magazines on the wall. Service was great for both my visits - one to eat in and one to take out.

Food is AMAZING. I got chicken tikka masala and garlic naan. I have no complaints. The owner is so nice as well. Please visit if you're in PB!

So. Great. Food was DELICIOUS. Staff was friendly. Vibe was boho-cute. Hosta growing all around one wall and vintage Indian magazine covers collages on the other. Hanging colorful metal lamps. Modern soul on the speakers. Menu is clearly marked with vegan and gluten free options. There is table seating, booth seating, and bar seating inside. The bar faces is open to the sidewalk which is lovely for people-watching.

Okay let's talk. I'm a mod 30s gujarati woman that woke up with the WILDEST craving for masala papad today, only to find that my go-to place is no more. Found spice lounge on uber eats and although they didn't have masala papad, I ordered. 2 orders of the papad, the kachumbar salad, and cheese samosas with a side of mint chutney. I added in the notes of they had chaat masala I would pay extra for some on the side; they came through I am the HAPPIEST girl on the world rn. Also, although I only ordered the mint chutney, I received a variety of them. Everything was so fresh and delicious. Will be ordering again!

We stopped by for dinner and were so impressed by the quality of the food. It was fresh and delicious. So many restaurants use so much oil and salt in their food preparation, that is not the case at Spice Lounge. Their food was perfectly seasoned. The service was friendly and not rushed.

I had the Vindaloo curry, chicken masala, chicken tikka, garlic naan, kachumber, curry fries, and chutney sampler. All of the food tasted great. I want to give a shout-out for the service. When I had placed my order, I used Grubhub. And the Grubhub driver picked up only part of my order to deliver it to my house as Grubhub drivers sometimes do! Grubhub is not the most reliable. But the amazing thing that happened this day was that someone at Spice Lounge realized that the Grubhub driver did not get all of my food, without me complaining, and without Grubhub being involved. This gentleman who worked at Spice Lounge got in his own car and drove the missing items to my house! That's service above and beyond. I just want to say thank you again to whoever did that. I should have asked your name. And did I mention the food was great. 5 stars for sure.

Heard this place had good Indian food and came here to satisfy some cravings. I would say it's good but not the best in San Diego. I like how they had the Tandoori Roti and it was quite fresh. But it was also very similar to the Naan. It was kind of like a whole wheat version of the Naan, but a little bit crispier. Definitely more vegetarian options than the other place we like. The Kofta from the Malai Kofta were really nice. Curry itself was a little too sweet for me but husband really loved it. Also got the Saag Curry with Chicken; It had the right amount of spicy for me and a good amount of chicken as well. Spinach leaves were not as pureed though so I would give it a 4 for that. Saag curry with the kofta was good combination though. Curries came with rice. Husband also got the Masala Chai (tea) and loved this too. Hot and soothing.

This place is THE BEST Indian food I've ever had. Don't go here unless you want every other Indian place to disappoint you that it's NOT SpiceLounge It's a hole in the wall kinda vibe, not too many seats available but a cute sit down environment. I always order to go, makes great left overs Get the Nirvana chicken, shrimp pakora, garlic naan trust me...it's worth the price

Ordered takeout. The tikka masala was not what I was expecting, was way too sweet and I wish it was spicier and more flavorful. Naan was dry and hard.

This place is really good. The Nirvana Curry and Curry Fries were amazing. The service here was fantastic. Definitely check it out.

The food is really good--excellent wings and lamb saag and garlic naan--and the people there are also very nice! We went there in winter so it was cozy, but with their big garage door I bet it's an awesome place to have lunch/dinner during the summer when the weather's nice and they can open up the patio.

So good! Came for happy hour on a sunday great service and amazing food! So happy Pb has such a great place to eat!

I can't believe I didn't know about Spice Lounge before, I moved from the Bay Area where there is a ton of great Indian food, but didn't think there was anyplace in PB, but that has changed. I got the standard Chicken Tikka Masala which has a good portion for the price, I had some leftovers to take home. The heat was just right about a 5 out of 10, enough to wake up your taste buds but not so much as to be an issue. I would recommend Spice Lounge when in your the mood for Indian.

Such a quality Indian spot! I've lived here for 5 years and I never knew about it. The butter chicken was soo tasty with the garlic naan. Fast service and such a cozy ambiance. Will definitely be back!!! Thank you spice lounge

The Lamb Vindaloo and Saag Paneer were excellent. We had the chips and chutney appetizer, but asked for the poppadoms instead- that was the right choice. The Nirvana Sangria is really good, too. The service was really nice, and prompt.

[This first part is from 12-23-23] I ate at The Spice Lounge tonight, and had great curry chicken with even better garlic bread. It was sort of like slightly raised pita. Family-owned Indian food place. I appreciated how the guy quietly asked me if I wanted it spice level 5 (out of 10) and gave me the opportunity to moderate it down to "mild". His cousin was there, visiting from L.A. where their family owns two places, one Melrose called Roots and another on 3rd called Electric Karma. I think I'll look them up when I'm in town. The prices here are higher than what I saw online, but that's expected these days. I had the Chicken Tikka dish. He comped me a Taj Majal beer. I will return. [12-24-23] That was my Instagram review of Spice Lounge, from shortly after leaving the restaurant as I sat in my van before driving off. I was hungry as hell a mere hour later so I felt like returning or going somewhere else to eat almost immediately. The portions were so small, especially the rice, like middle-school cafeteria size. Also that Taj Majal beer was awful. I think it, combined with the food, is what gave me indigestion. The cousin sitting at the small bar up front told me that in the L.A. spots they own they cater to a more wine crowd. If I do follow up and check out the places they have I hope the wine combines better with the food.

Yes, yes, and YES! This is a hidden gym off Hornblend and Mission Ave that you must try. The happy hour specials are great, but prices are good enough that it's worth checking out for lunch or dinner, as well. My husband and I checked this spot out a month ago and we're so impressed have been back twice since with our friends. The only downside is they don't open until 4p, but then again leaves time for a solid beach day before enjoying some amazing food and drinks accompanied by great service!

This was my favorite restaurant while here in La Jolla. Food and service were great. Kids liked it, as well!

First time to Spice Lounge. From the outside the place looks like a bar so I didn't realize it is a restaurant with the most delicious Indian food until I saw the menu. Their food is wonderful, not too salty nor too fatty. We will be back again.

Amazing food and service! My favorite mango lassi.Best Indian restaurant in San Diego . I will be back .

Food was delicious. The service was amazing. Such a cute little place. Felt clean, relaxing and inviting. We Definitely will come back.

The food was one of the best Indian food I have had in a longtime. I ordered Nirvana curry and t was different and delicious. Spice level was good too. Butter chicken was outstanding. It had personal portions which I liked. Service was exceptional. It was nice and cozy ambience too. Must must must try if in San Diego.

It's a while since I've been to Spice Lounge. I'm really glad it's as delicious as I remember! The last time I lived in PB was a while ago. Now that I'm back in the hood I'm excited to retry all my favourite spots and this is the best Indian in my opinion by far. The service is impeccable - even on a busy night we were looked after really well. I got the curry fries on the happy hour deal which was fantastic. The sauce was delicious and freshly made. My friend got a full meal with rice and couldn't get enough of it. I didn't get the lassi this time but I know that it is normally a really good pick. My friend got a posh cocktail and she said it was delicious. I'll be bringing people back here for sure!

This place is always really good, and I've been going for years. I love their vindaloo. Great flavor and spice. And they are always really nice there. They make the great food an even better experience.

So many gluten free options! Food was delicious and the employees were so friendly! They have a great happy hour menu. Would recommend to come during that time.

My wife and I had a nice dinner. We found parking right in front. We got a aloo tiki to start us out which was very tasty. I got saag aloo and my wife got veggie nirvana. I really enjoyed both. My wife didn't really care for my saag aloo she prefers it more creamy when this version is more herbaceous/vegetal. I thought it was tasty. They had a meatless monday special which I thought made the dinner a great value. It was fun looking at all the pictures on the wall too.

Absolutely delicious spot! Great service (our server, Jinder, was absolutely fantastic) and comforting atmosphere. Will definitely come back to try more!

Comforting food. Great service. Pleasant ambience. Absolutely loved it here. Ordered : dal, tikki, garlic naan, roti, nimbu pani, salad, raita

Ample parking outside the store and good sitting space inside and outdoors. We ordered a take-out for total $24: - garlic naan 4/5 - aloo tikki - 1/5 soggy and chewy - 2 pcs - chicken tikka masala - 2/5 it comes with rice They offer 4 spice levels - mild; medium; spicy and very spicy. We ordered chicken tikka masala to be "spicy" and i think it was mild :( very bland taste :( disappointed!

This place has a great selection for a solid meal. Not too many options but great options in every category. Also good drinks and chutney selection . Dog friendly and nice staff. Great neighborhood spot

Great food, Jinder was behind the bar and very approachable and kind! The food is delicious and they made it extra spicy for us. Great vegetarian options. Delicious food. Cute ambiance Covid friendly with indoor outdoor space Reasonable prices $15 for paneer tikka with rice $4 garlic naan Free tiki for Yelp check in.

Spice Lounge completely changed my view on Indian Food. To be honest I used to hate Indian food because it always messed with my stomach. This place is incredible and I am new woman now. Everything was so delicious, fresh and such a great price. My favorite was the paneer masala and chicken masala. Oh also the staff was so kind and honest. They accidentally charged us for the complementary Aloo Tikki, without us even mentioning it they ran up to us with a refund as we were walking out. I thought that was so sweet.

Delicious Indian food. Spice and ingredients were fabulously balanced. Friendly service.

I get takeout from here pretty regularly but decided to sit in last night. really cool vibe and Gherkin running the FOH was an absolute chiller. Got samosas, tikka masala, chicken vindaloo, and garlic naan. Perfectly crisped edges on the naan every time, amazing sauces. Ask for the spicy chutney if you're a real eater

I thought I would try the curry fries with added chicken as a step into this new place, I was not disappointed. In a very short time I realized they were Sikhs as I am Canadian and we have lots at home in my country. What a delight this was to find tonight. My husband got the Nirvana curry, which was the same curry as my dish and our server let us know they were the same. How nice of him to tell us

5 plus stars! Our new favorite Indian food spot in PB. The owners are awesome and the service is great! Love the ambiance of this restaurant too. We got the chicken masala, saag paneer, garlic naan, and chicken pakora- all of it was amazing! They gave us delicious dessert balls too.

Amazing find! Don't miss this one. Best Indian cuisine, outstanding service and very cozy location.

We've been ordering takeout from this place for years, and it is always very good. Last night, my husband and I decided to walk over and dine at the restaurant. The atmosphere was relaxed and cozy, and the service was great. We ordered the potato samosas, karma soup, garlic naan, and tandoori shrimp. Everything was excellent. We are so happy to have this place close to home and will definitely go back.

The food was really good I had butter chicken and my friend had that paneer. If you check in on the Yelp app and give you a free appetizer some kind of vegan pancakes which was delicious. There are about 30 seats in the restaurant so it's a small place but the service is decent can you give me a carafe of water and food comes out rather quickly. The naan bread was legit cooked perfectly and I got the garlic naan-excelente Very happy with the overall vibe and service will return most likely get the same thing and they give you a good portion so you have enough to take home and eat it for later he could use more rice next time. I'm a fan and I live with her supervisor.

Food is amazing. Family-owned by the nicest people. Always love to support local PB businesses.

Best happy hour!! $5 appetizers and drinks, all of which were delicious. Service was great, and very cute inside. We got the curry fries and samosas, both super yummy. I also got the Layover in Bombay drink, which I loved-- was tasty but also strong. Would have definitely ordered more of them if I haven't driven. They also have local beers on tap, like the Harland Hazy. I've gone back again and gotten all the same things, definitely want to try more and will be going again!

As a vegan eater - this place is AMAZING. Super flavorful, great homey vibes and friendly staff. Everything came with rice, ordered to go. The tofu masala, Ninana Vegan and Dal were alllll so amazing. Deff a keeper for Indian take out

It is truly crazy to me how this place is 4 stars, let me speak up. Here's a real review. First off I'm a big fan of Indian food and crave it from time to time, but I would never crave this place. I called on the phone, and was like hey I like veggie curry and paneer. What are your two best veggie curries. The guy over the phone recommended Nirvana and Vegetable Korma. I told him I don't like the butter chicken or chicken masala taste both are which tomato flavor. The Nirvana was literally butter chicken taste, but instead of chicken they put in paneer to call it "veggie." It literally tasted like you opened up a $.99 cent can of tomato paste and added paneer and called it a "veggie curry." The vegetable korma was equally bad, there was not enough contrast in the taste. I asked for two of your best and you gave me to of the same. The veggie korma tasted tomato flavor except with a lot of vegetables in it. Also, the vegetables were smothering, the curry had no room to breath. The vegetables did not taste fresh, tasted out of a can. I swear I'm not being a hater I am just being honest. Curries are supposed to be creamy, and savory and screaming in flavor. The food here tastes dull, old, and bland; and like someone who does not like their job is making the food. The naan was equally as bad. The garlic naan, tasted dry and stale. Also, usually indian places are generous when you order naan, and you get 2-3 pieces, they literally gave us one piece, but I am a bit thankful because I don't like to waste food, but when it comes to stale bread, that can be hard to eat. I did not even know naan could be dry and stale. Truly baffling how this place got 4 stars. By far the worst Indian food I have ever had. Kinda funny how I asked the waiter, "give me your two best veggie curries," and I got the worst curry ever.