Tarka Indian Kitchen

This is a modern casual Indian food kitchen that serves up some great food. We ordered the chicken tikka masala and it was creamy, rich, and loaded with spices. The masala was amazing, beyond my expectations. The medium spice level was quite mild, and so most eaters can probably go for the hot. The garlic naan was also spot on. Very light and fluffy. Could have used a bit more garlic. What a great place to get some quality food at an affordable price (and not have to wait so long). You'll want to add this restaurant to your list in the Heights.

Delicious. Ordered a pick up during the week to cover lunch + dinner plus next day lunch and it was a fairly quick and easy.. Staff was nice. Ordered garlic naan, vegetable samosas, chicken tikki masala, chicken biryani and mango lassi. Garlic naan - good portion, for me personally not garlicky enough Vegetable samosas- good and crispy, 2 large samosas filled with potatoes and peas. The seasoning was on point. The dipping sauce paired well. (You can also eat alone bc it is seasoned so well) Chicken tikki masala - came with a small white rice, the masala was delicious. (I also used it as a dipping sauce for the naan), there was a good portion of chicken and it went well with the rice. Chicken biryani - just enough of spice to make me happy, tender chunks of chicken mixed with deliciously made rice. I love biryani and their version was pretty good Mango lassi - in heaven, never had one and this was a great first time! I tried not to drink so much of it in the car ride home but it was soooooo delicious Def in my list of quick food spots by the house. The price was reasonable. Total with everything was $37.78. It adds a different option other than my normal Chinese or Vietnamese choices or the fast food options. Def will order in the future.

Was in the mood for Indian and this place is fast, convenient, and good. I think this is my 3rd time here. Overall, it has the general fare you would expect. This time I ordered the Samosa Chaat, Chicken Tikka Masala, and some garlic naan. The Samosa Chaat is like an open faced Samosa. The flavors were good, but I think next time I'll stick to a traditional Samosa. More of a texture thing for me. I didn't finish it, so size wise it might be a good shareable dish. The chicken Tikka Masala hit the spot. I ordered it mild. Next time I'll try a little hotter on the spice level. It came out piping hot and full of flavor. More on the creamy side than hitting you with spice. The chicken was delicious! And the white rice with caraway seeds rounded it out. Portion was perfect for 2 person. The garlic Naan kinda fell flat. It was very good Naan. Just not very garlicky. To me it was more like a plain Naan. Still good, but I wanted to warn off vampires. Very friendly staff. Offered recommendations. And the food comes out fast and hot. The restaurant is order at the counter, self serve sodas, and plenty of seating in the dining area. The staff keeps it real clean as well! They were fast to clear tables and it just has a very clean feeling about it. They have Indian music playing, not too loud but enough to give you the ambiance. Cool design mural on the wall to round out the Indian feeling in a non cheesy way. Plenty of parking available as they are located in a kinda strip mall type of lot.

Love Tarka!!!! Super fast food, Indian style. Pakoras are my favorite. Tarka Daal is really good with the basmati rice. Beyond Keema is a best seller for all my plant based lovers. Mango Lassi is also delish & yes they have a vegan kind. Garlic naan is always super warm & the pav is like a vegan roll super yummy! Reasonably priced & great portions. Staff are always really helpful and knowledgeable about what to order. Lots of seating options cafe style.

The Customer Service is amazing in the store. The food is very reasonable in price for the beautiful proportions they give. They are big on customer satisfaction too.

Delicious chicken biryani!!! It keeps me coming back to this spot! That dish won my heart ever since ive tried it! I will explore more of the menu in the future. Their naan bread is also very good , and their somosas!!! Definitely give them a try yall! ;) Level 3 is a good heat level. Thank you Tarka! For keeping it spicy!! :)) -Santangelo Balli Gonzales

When I'm in the mood for Indian food in Houston and I want to eat somewhere that's fresh and hot food, this is my go to for the heights are

3.5 stars. Decent value. Tikka masala was better than the korma. On the sweeter side for sure. The biryani was passable for sure. Huge portions on the naan. Kinda feels like Indian version of rice Box. Strawberry lassi was good as well.

We ordered matter paneer, channa masala and vegetable pakoras! Those are very good and very pleasant! I'd love to try more Indian foods there!! :) Keep up the good business there! :) Vegetarian friendly place! :) Good service and love it! Come and enjoy Cheers I

Please come here. You will not be disappointed. This place is an "order at the counter place", it's not fancy, but the food will surely make up for all that. The owners have it right: focus on good food at a good price and this is exactly what they have achieved. I went with a colleague here for lunch and he's from India. Even he said the flavors were very authentic Indian. I ordered the hottest tikka masala, it's wasn't hot up to my standards, but I eat really spicy. Overall, yes, please come here to eat. I will definitely visit this place again when I'm in the area.

This is a great place and the staff here is awesome! I Highly recommend and I will definitely be back soon.

You can never go wrong with Tarka! I've never had a bad meal here. I love the chicken kabobs... they are so flavorful and juicy! The chicken tikka masala is delicious as well. The restaurant itself has a welcoming/casual feel to it. And the employees are very friendly and helpful. Don't forget to order some naan!

They no longer take cash! Which seems silly and something a classist business would do. What if someone doesn't have credit? They have to go track down a cash card to buy a plate at Tarka? That's silly, businesses should be offering more options to pay... not LESS. Poor form CORPORATE execs of Tarka. Moving forward would have been accepting Bitcoin, NOT taking away a cash option. Our family loved Tarka, and for years we typically used a credit card for purchases there, with the occasionally cash purchase. We stopped going to Tarka a little over a year ago, we won't ever return. Our family doesn't support any business that subtly imposes ANY sort of "ism", including (and not limited too) classism. You're a fast food restaurant Tarka, stop acting too big for your britches (as people say). Probably for the best anyways, better food at LOCAL Indian restaurants for the same price.

Craved some Indian food one night and didn't want to go far from home. Saw that Tarka is less than 10 minutes away and gave them a try. I have no complaints at all. I ordered the Tika Masala with garlic Naan and it was good. This will be my go to from now on. Everything was flavorful and hot even ordering from a delivery service.

Been to Tarka a few times and their food is usually pretty good. there's plenty of accessible dishes with your choice of protein, as well as some more authentic stuff. It's a walk up service counter and the food comes out fast. However my friend did get food poisoning from the chicken tikka masala here :( hence the two star knock off.

Food delicious is ordered at the bar and always served quickly. The place has been very clean and soft music playing.

We had mild chicken biryani, aloo gobi and garlic naan. It was good for a order first location. There was plenty of seating and the chai was good.The biryanis was well spiced but not much chicken or vegetables. The food came fairly quickly and the aloo gobi and naan are made to order. The music sets a nice relaxing atmosphere and it is a very bright space. There are nearly more windows than there are walls. The host/manager came around frequently. It would have stayed as a five star until they came around spraying Clorox scented spray and I nearly gagged.

Food is consistently awesome and delicious! Just wanted to show our most recent receipt. I always order no onions from every restaurant and 75% of the time my request is ignored. Since Tarka's veggies are prepped they said to order the veggies in a separate container. I ordered it that way this time and not only did they do it... check out the receipt. They're so nice!!

Went back to Houston for Father's Day weekend and was craving Indian. I was visiting a friend so we settled on something quick and nearby. We got the chicken pakoras, chicken biryani, lamb vindaloo, naan, and gulab jaman. The pakoras was courtesy of their app's sign-up offer. I think the pakoras was okay but perhaps not worth being priced at half that of an entree given how much you get, also thought it could have been crispier, had a soggy-ish texture. The chicken biryani was not bad, decent portion size, decent heat (I got hot), and flavors were on point. The color of the rice was slightly off compared to other biryanis but for the price and being made-to-order, it's hard to complain. I thought the lamb vindaloo was a bit too tangy and sweet for my friend's and my tastes. Wasn't quite expecting the sweet & sour taste profile more reminiscent of Americanized Chinese rather than Indian curry. For better or worse, you can taste the gamey-ness of the lamb. Naan was okay, it had a texture that reminded me of tortillas, more doughy than crispy. Personally I like my naan closer to the almost charred Neapolitan pizza crust. If you haven't had gulab jaman, it's basically fried dough in a rose-flavored syrup. Very heavy. I would say it's pretty close to the ones I've had elsewhere. Tarka is good for fast casual Indian food, but I'd check out Aga's or Biryani Factory if you want something more authentic.

I ordered the shrimp curry, forgetting it was full of potatoes. I wanted just cauliflower instead of rice, but they said they dont do that so i asked for a side of vegetables and no rice. i got both. The curry was so hot I blistered the roof of my mouth. It was tasty, despite the over abundance of potatoes. This was the Tarka in Round Rock Texas. Id like a phone call. 979-571-7407 Dara Mosher

I came in today for my very first time recommended by a friend and decided to try it out.. I order the most "popular dish" tikka masala or something like that and the guy in front of me. I think his name was (Mike) was a well educated dude and he guide me throughout the whole menu and recommendations.. he was really knowledgeable and understood what exactly I wanted.. the food was amazing and the service was top notch! I will definitely will be back and pass the word for this place. thank you! the ambiance was amazing and the place looks so clean!

Tired of Mexican food I decided to try something different.. glad I did!! Other than the food being amazing one particular staff went above and beyond to help me pick out my food! Thank you Carla for making me not feel stupid I will be back Only con. Food that was supposed to be super Hot was not .. I wanted my nose to run..

Ordered take out. Presentation was nice and it arrived still warm. Based on yelps reviews I was very excited to try this place and find an Indian spot near us. We got the following Chicken biryani: I asked for hot. This was not spicy at all. It tasted mainly like turmeric and coriander power. It did not have a equal blend of spices. This was a huge disappointment. The rita that came with was okay but missing something. I still can't put my finger on what it was. Chicken tikka- again the spices and blends were not good. Asked for Medium spice and did not taste like your typical "Indian" chicken tikka. It also did not come with a side of rice which at most Indian places they provide it but this one does not I guess. So make sure to order a side of rice or naan if you do choose to order it.

Excellent food....tasty but not overloaded with sauce. I will definitely go back and I would highly recommend.

3.0 - Chicken kabob. Mild. Fine, but plain. 3.8 - better with rice. 4.0 - Chicken Tikka. Med. Better with naan. 3.5 - Naan. 4.0 - Pav 2.9 - Rice

Tarka is by far my favorite new "fast food" night. After a long day of work when I do not feel like cooking, Tarka is my favorite thing to call in to eat at the restaurant or take home. I have been making Chicken Tiki Masala for years and it is never as good as what I get from tarka. This is such a great spot, extremely consistent, with lots of seating a menu options! We always get some Naan bread, Medium spice Chicken Tiki Masala, and Hot Chicken Vindaloo. I cannot recommend this place enough!

They package in Environmentally responsible paper containers. And honestly that's all I could ask for. For that they have my loyalty. The food is also amazing at an amazing price. Great vegetarian selection. The madras soups is great. Thank you!

The best indo-pak "take-out" restaurant. Everything here is soooo good, freshly made to order, and prices are reasonable. Come here if you want great Indian food in a casual environment. You won't be disappointed.

Excellent! This was not my first time eating at Tarka and I've never had a bad experience there, but today my experience was exceptional! The staff were very friendly and went above and beyond to make sure we got exactly what we wanted to eat. The food tasted fresh and delicious. Take care of your amazing staff!

Great food that's consistent and delicious each time! The samosas and chutney are fantastic. Haven't had a dish I didn't like!

The mango lemonade is to die for!!! Any time you want fast Indian food this is your place. I've gotten the chicken, paneer, and veggie tikka masala and loved every one!!! The vegetable samosas are a bit pricy for only 2 but they are also really yummy :) The costumer service is always great and fast 5/5

Not going to lie I was very excited to try this place but was very disappointed the saag paneer was definitely not what I expected and was very dry and the paneer had an off taste. The naan was under cooked and very bland. Definitely not authentic or what I was expecting. They should definitely step up their naan game. That's basically the best part of eating your food. Id like to say their tikka masala was decent not the best but it wasn't as bad as the other stuff. Definitely wouldn't recommend.

Very good food. I got the extra HOT and it was HOT, which is good cause most places are wimps. :) Staff was very nice. Overall great experience.

First time trying this place, it's so good! I got the chicken kabob and I loved it. Everything is so tasty and everyone was so helpful and nice! I definitely recommend this place, I'll be coming back soon!!

I decided to stop by this place because I was craving Indian food and it's right down the street from my job right off of 19th Street and North Shepherd. If you're looking for authentic Indian Cuisine this is not it!! think of it as fast food Indian cuisine aka mall food. Even though the portions do look small, trust me it's very filling they have a variety of curries to choose from. I believe it's around five or six curries, you pick your curry you pick your protein (chicken, beef, lamb) and it's all reasonably priced between nine and twelve dollars They also have vegetarian options for those who would like a meatless meal and they provide indoor and outdoor seating which is nice it's not the best Indian food in Houston however it does satisfy that quick craving that you may have so check it out

Really fresh tasty, fast Indian curry. Really enjoyed it. Service at front is terrific. I recommend this restaurant.

Bomb. I'm vegan and they have quite a few options. My go to Indian dishes are Chana masala & aloo gobi. I don't like their aloo gobi however the Chana masala is perfect! Love the rice as well (I'm a rice nazi) Customer service is good as well. They are cashless fyi

We ordered Mirch Masala with shrimp tonight and received a container that was literally half full. We've ordered from Tarka a dozen times and never had an issue, but the quality control tonight is a serious problem. $11 for a half-full container of curry is not ok. UPDATE 2/3/21: I went back to Tarka to give the Mirch Masala w/ shrimp another shot, and it was much better this time. The container of curry was full, so it looks like they've gotten their inconsistencies ironed out. Also, I noticed how spread out the tables in their store are... great job Tarka! I didn't notice last time, but they've moved out tons of crowded tables and really cut down on the number of people in the store at one time.

This is my takeout spot for a meal once a month or so when there's a craving for Indian food. Again, not too many good options nearby. I got the Tikka Masala and Korma for takeout this time and the taste was way off. Tasted sour for the Tikka masala for some reason and tasted awful. The korma was just literally heavy cream. Not sure what was up with the food but I think I'll be taking a long break from here.

Went in to get a Tikka Marsala with shrimp. It was pretty much just sauce with maybe ten tiny shrimp. Like the tiny shrimp you see in fried rice. No veggies. It was basically just sauce and rice. I've been here before and got the chicken with the garlic naan which was really good but I feel like they're a bit stingy with the protein. I've gone to other locations which are a bit better.

Good choices and flavor in the dishes. Personally most of the dishes are too creamy, sweet, and oily, prefer a lighter meal with the same flavor. The mint chutney tastes like sugar syrup. Dishes need more cilantro, ginger, and garlic. Good when craving Indian food in a pinch, but the dishes could be improved.

I came here on a whim in a rush and walked in. They don't accept any cash. Can't judge their food because I just shoved some cash in my pocket as I ran out between meetings. Just posting as a heads up to others. Hope to head back soon and be able to rate on their food. Place looked clean though, smelled good and ample parking.

Do you ever get a craving for Indian food? Last Wednesday night I did. Thankfully Tarka saved me and I even had enough for lunch leftovers the next day. And I tell you, the leftovers were even better than the meal itself. You know, the flavors really get to know each other overnight in the fridge.

A cute little walk up and order place that will bring your food to you. They bring your food out and have a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating . The parking was easy and prices good. The food was fantastic.

Tarka is not bad when you are craving a quick bite! Here are my personal opinions: ⁃ chicken tikka (med) - 3.5 not really spicy, not bad flavor tho 4 for me ⁃ Saag paneer - not bad but not my favorite 3.5 ⁃ Lamb Briyani - 3.5-4. It's alright ⁃ Naan- kind of undercooked, it's little too chewy for me and I prefer consistency of stone naan ⁃ Probably get hot spice for curries and medium spice for rice ⁃ Mango lassi - both coconut and yogurt is good!!

I gotta remember to stop coming here. This restaurant is way too pricey for what you get. It reminds me of Tikka Shack back in Lubbock, the exact same concept of overpriced Indian food. I could spend a lot less at a traditional Indian restaurant which has all the meals included. I think Tarka has its flare for trendy than quantity with it's quality. I've only gotten three and a half items off the menu and it cost me a whopping $19. That's bizarre. I ordered two sides of samosas, a roti, and veggie biryani. Not even a drink included. Don't get me wrong my vegetable rice was delicious with spice level medium, but it shouldn't have cost me $20. The roti was a miss. Nothing to it, but several pieces of tortilla looking dark bread with cilantro on top. No flavor just blandness. The samosas were delicious, but they are delicious anywhere you go. The mint chutney was not very fresh to tasting. It was quite dull in taste. Too wet as well. I have to remember when I see hardly anyone in the dining room on a Friday during lunch time, it means something. It means to go somewhere cheaper. Tarka is a typical Tikka Shack, all for the hype, but not worth the ridiculous pricing. You can get the same if not better deliciousness at a traditional mum and pop Indian restaurant for a far less meal!!

Mirch masala and garlic naan This is great fast food Indian food!! I travel a lot and I love Indian and Persian food! I saw some reviews saying the hot isn't hot so I got hot and I think hot is hot. My nose was running and I still had to get a cup of water. It's good hot. I love spicy food but unless all you eat is spicy food all the time be aware that for most hot is hot. It definitely has a kick you can taste. Portion was great. It looked small at first but was plenty to share with a friend with the rice and bread. I highly recommend. Bread was soft and loved it! It's still fast food but great quality when you want a quick Indian food fix

Not impressed, the biryani in my neighborhood is better. I tried this cuz of the reviews

I. LOVE. TARKA. I always go for the chicken vindaloo and the garlic naan. I have never been disappointed with an order from TARKA, and I always have enough leftovers for the next day. HIGHLY recommend.

This is a new place that is just opened up on my errand route. I swooped in to give it a try while I have Yelp discount. The ordering system is simple: pick your curry, meat and then level of spicy. I opted for a hot chicken tikka masala and added a samosa chat with my order pickup. The food took 7-10 minutes to prepare. I did order the wrong thing. I expected samosa but I ordered samosa chat so that was a disappointment for me. The tikka masala chicken curry was decent and not too spicy. $14 and changes was the total cost I think it was alright for what I got, not quite the feeling of getting bang for the buck though.