Zaiqa Indian Cuisine - South Waterfront

What a treat! SUCH good Indian food. Authentic Indian cuisine, with light, crispy pastry in the samosas, delicately spiced sauces with an excellent balance of richness, sourness, and spiciness. Perfectly pillowy and fluffy Malai Kofta and a fragrant, delicious butter chicken. The garlic naan was extremely moreish and the mango lassi well balanced with just enough sweetness without being too candy-like. For desert, we enjoy a favorite Indian sweet of mine, gulab jaman, which were perfectly light and balanced. For us, it's a little out of the way but we shall definitely pay another visit once we are able. And a warm, friendly welcome from our waiter, Manali.

This was absolutely incredible. The smell was intoxicating from the moment I approached their restaurant until every bit of food disappeared! I ordered my food "medium spicy" and I think I'll try "spicy" next time as I didn't notice any spice, just wonderful flavor. I'm returning with my kids and grandkids soon. They're going to love the coconut water served in coconuts!

Vegetarian Food Review: Was very excited to try this place. Good location and big space. Customer service was decent. However the food was definitely not for my desi tastebuds. No flavor at all in the paneer or garlic naan. I don’t mean hot spicy. I mean actual desi flavor in the sauce. The naan felt bland too. However the paneer pieces were soft. Naan was crisp and papad was fresh. Thus the 3 star. I hope the flavors evolve but considering the dinner crowd I don’t think it will change much. I did have to wait for water and order while they were busy setting up table for future reservations which was a tad weird. And was not offered an itemized bill before asking for payment which I did inform them about before I paid so that patrons get a chance to review their bill. Let’s see maybe will be back again after some time.

The food was phenomenal. Very balanced in flavors and a good portion. The owners are very hospitable and friendly. Didn't wait too long for the food. I'd come back to this place

The food here is amazing! Kudos to the chef on creativity - usually all curries taste similar in Indian restaurants but we had 3 curries that we were unexpectedly surprised with the taste of! So unique. The service was average. Expect a restaurant this good at such a location to have a better service. will return for the food, maybe with low hopes on service

Been here quite a few times now, and each time has been absolutely fantastic. The food is delicious and the service has always been wonderful. Also, on a very important personal note. I have Celiacs, so finding a restaurant with so many amazing food options that I can enjoy in one place is a huge plus for me. I can't recommend this place enough 👍.

Absolutely LOVED our dinner here tonight. Our server, Menali was so sweet and gave me a glass of wine on the house. When the food came out, I just knew we were in for a treat. We ordered garlic naan, chicken karahi, butter paneer and a mango lassi of course! Everything was to die for. So well seasoned, buttery and spicy. Truly authentic flavors. Indian food is my favorite and ever since I moved to Portland, I’ve really struggled to find authentic well spiced Indian food. Zaiqa just got a new regular customer out of me!

The chicken tikka masala was not what I received. The curry I received was yellow and had a lot of vegetables and a few pieces of chicken. The nann was very thin as well, also paid extra for rice as it wasn’t clear if rice came with the curry. Overall, the food was okay but it wasn’t what I ordered and I’m very disappointed. Chicken tikka masala is almost always orange and thick and creamy. I honestly don’t know what curry I received.

My wife and I went here for an anniversary dinner and I was a bit worried because on a Saturday night, it was pretty empty. Despite that, the food was tremendous, the flavors were great and the spice levels were perfect on both of our dishes (I got medium and my wife got mild). The ambiance was tough to judge because the restaurant was fairly empty.

Delicious food and friendly staff. The menu calls out the gluten-free and Veg options for those with dietary restrictions. I'm GF, DF and Pescatarian and enjoyed my Aloo Gobi Masala. I ordered it Medium spicy. It made my nose run, so I think their mild will still have a little kick. My spouse ordered the Chicken Vindaloo (spicy) with butter naan. He ate every last drop. Several other things caught our eyes on the menu, so we hope to be back soon! Easy location for public transit.

The name made me visit from the diagonally opposite side of the town... and O B'boy ain't I happy that I did! I insist that you try their stuffed breads and just enjoy my them warm - with your eyes closed... yummm - don't need any curry or daal. I loved them! Then, there are couple of items I didn't see on many other Indian restaurant... one is "Achari" (typically means pickled ) but don't you get fooled... this is a full body curry (with veg or meat options) with a very distinct and attractive after-taste and aroma! The third thing that I found very distinctive was the use of Methi (fenugreek leaf actually) - a very favored herb from Western India... that pungent sweetness brings your pallet to such an elevation - that's the one I'd try first before Aachari. I did notice they make all items from scratch - kinda unusual for lunch. Ah - they need to upgrade their ventilation in the kitchen... I felt. The server (sorry forgot your name buddy) was very respectful... need more people like you man!

I would rate this place a 4.5/5. While I enjoyed the food and experience, I may be a bit biased and say that I'm spoiled by such delicious Indian food in the Beaverton/Hillsboro area. Perhaps I was expecting a lot since they specialize in Indian and Pakistani food. While I'm not sure if we ordered any Pakistani dishes, we really liked a lot of the dishes we tried! Some were a bit mild on the spice, but still quite flavorful. The Vegetable Pakora was crispy but heavily battered. The Lamp Chops were seasoned well but a bit chewy. My favorites were the Chicken Biryani and Tikka Masala, both dishes were packed with flavorful spices and paired well together.

We ordered delivery through uber eats. The food was flavorful with good portions. Our order included a biryani and some kababs, both items were delicious. I would order again.

Zaiqa serves delicious and authentic Indian food at a fair price. I come here for afternoon my chai and chaat, as well as curry and biryani dinner. There's also WiFi, so I bring my laptop and work out of the restaurant while enjoying Indian food. Amazing place!

Went here on a lunch date. We ordered an appetizer, to share, 2 different curries, 2 naans and a dessert. First off, the ambiance is very clean, chic. When you first walk in, you can SMELL the spices, it was Heavenly. We were greeted, warmly and seated promptly. Ylwe were given an ice cold pitcher of water and ice cold cups, which was a nice touch. They have a lot of options for appetizers and meals, not so much for desserts. All in all, I give this restaurant and 4.5/5 stars . The wait time between ordering our food and serving was really quick. My thought, it is because there was no lunch rush when we arrived. Food: The appetizer we chose was the Aloo Tiki Chaat. It was full of flavor! A small hint of spicy, the chickpeas were a perfect texture and the potatoes were amazing. The main course, we ordered Achari Masala, and mango Tikka Masada, both with chicken as our protein, medium level of spicy. Let me tell you how the chicken was so tender and the curry was so fresh and full of flavor! We got the chili cheese Naan and garlic cheese Naan. There was no lack of herbs or spices in any dish. Dessert: This is where the "wow" factor simmered out. We ordered Gulab Jamun, which looks like 3 donut holes swimming in a juice/thin sauce. So, for me, it wasn't super sweet, which is nice. However. The texture was a big no for me. The texture was just a soggy donut for me.

This is definitely the place that will satisfy any desi cravings you have in Portland! There are several different types of curries to choose from (even achari, one of my favorites, which I have a hard time finding in a lot of places). You can add any protein of your choice to them and they seem to be very vegetarian/vegan friendly with tofu/paneer options! They have a spice level you can customize for each curry (I chose spicy and it was indeed spicy). Other than the achari chicken, I also have pictures the chicken 65 and garlic cheese naan which I totally recommend. The chicken 65 is super saucy btw which I didn't expect but it was still great! I ordered take out and the service was quick to bring out my order at the ready time. The food was still fresh and hot when I got back home. I hope I can dine in another time (as the space looked nice, with lots of outdoor seating) and try their whole menu!

Was really excited to try Zaiqa while visiting Portland due to its great reviews! Unfortunately, the food ended up being just okay. The butter chicken was almost sour tasting, but also somehow was lacking in the classic flavor that makes butter chicken so delicious. I may have gotten an off batch. However, the garlic naan bread and chai was yummy, and the service was good. If you're looking for a close and quick option, Zaiqa is decent option. But I wouldn't go out of my way to have it again.

Zaiqa stands out as a premier destination for those seeking authentic Indian and Pakistani cuisine in Portland. With its flavorful dishes, accommodating service, and inviting ambiance, it offers a dining experience that resonates with both traditional and contemporary tastes. Loved the food here biryani was a standout for me loved the aroma and taste

Went to this place for date night on Saturday around 7pm. The place only had two table full when we got there but as we stayed got a good flow of traffic. We were seated quickly. The service was pretty good here, they seemed slightly hectic as the place filled up but they were very nice and transparent about the situation. I ordered the garlic naan and malai kofta, raita and mint chutney. Probably some of the best naan I've had around it was not too dense so you could really eat a lot of it with your curry! The malai kofta wasn't bad but I do order it at every Indian restaurant so I still have a top favorite in Portland. We got medium spice and I must say it was definitely medium so keep that in mind if you are wary of spice. We had a very lovely time here and I would maybe come again to try a different dish. I hope this place continues to due well as I believe it is new to the area.

We have gotten take out two times from here. It's ok, but not special. It's great advantage is location. The folks ate friendly, which probably matters more if you're dining in. Not much more to add.

This meal was incredible! It's only been open a couple of months, so I'd get in quickly before it blows up, this place is going to be one of those restaurants that's always backed. It's a sleek interior with a peaceful vibe. The service was mellow and to the point, but we wanted for nothing. The food itself was blasting with flavor! We had the butter chicken, Tika masala with Lamb, chicken lollipops, and some amazing naan. Already can't wait to go back!!

We just had the best Indian food we've ever had outside of India ! We ordered tandoori chicken, lamb merthi curry, nan, rice and mango lassi. Everything was so flavorful and well spiced. You will not find better Indian in Portland and probably anywhere else on the west coast

Just grabbed some food for takeout. Everyone was really friendly and helpful. I got the half plate tandoori chicken and the aloo tikki chaat. The chicken was well-cooked and had decent flavor. Wouldn't have minded just a bit of coriander and onion with it. The aloo tiki chaat was quite sumptuous and had a lovely mix of textures balancing sweetness with savory curry flavors. I had terrible lighting for the photos, so note the food was tastier than it looks in these.

The food is very tasty. They seem to still be working on the service as the take out pick up times vary be quite a bit.

Recently opened, this place seems a good amount of busy and the ambience is nice. Service was helpful and accommodating, but also checks in on you from time to time. The food was, of course, cooked well and delicious. Great portion size for the price and I highly recommend butter masala and a lassi, salted, not sweet and ask for sprinkled mint leaf on top. It's nice to have a variety down here where we live.

Stopped here for lunch in the S. Waterfront. Service right off the bat was pretty bad. No menu and then the girl didn't come back for at least 10 minutes. Other tables were not sure there was table service, so they walked back to the kitchen to try to order! Menu is pretty standard - everything you would expect - thankfully no buffet here. Environment is spacious and clean, but not particularly "Indian". I had lamb biryani and it was excellent. I asked for spicy and it was. Lamb chunks were plentiful and tender. Delicious. If they get their service in order, this place has a lot of potential!!

This place is solid! So far I've ordered butter marasala, goat biryani, sagwala, and the punjabi goat masala, and tandori chicken. They were all really tasty. I like that the goat is a little chewy, although you should be careful because there are bones in it, however the bones adds cartiliage which makes the meat tasty. The tandori chicken is tender and not dry. The naan is really huge, so I think one is enough for 2 people, unless you're really hungry. However, it is perfect for the dishes to soak up the sauce. They just opened so if you go at peak eating times, it will be busy. Ordered take out and that worked out well. They have an extensive menu, so I'm excited to try more things there.

The naan was good. The food was salty. what got me was how rude the server was. She acted like she didn't want to serve us. She said we didn't order appetizers when we had 2 orders of samosa. We were there on a Thursday night, not crowded at all. She decided to clear the whole table including our waters after finishing our dinner. We were dinning with friends which made it awkward to continue to chit chat. At 8:30 pm, with another table still eating, she tells us they are closing and we need to leave. The restaurant closing time is 9 pm.

This is a great new joint in the neighborhood. Try their biryanis - very flavorful. Their curry tends to be a little on the oily side but packs flavor - perhaps you can ask them to make it less greasy. The place is cozy, service is fast for takeout and the price is great!

Too much traffic after an afternoon of appointments at OHSU waterfront so grabbing an early dinner. Drinking mango lassi and chai milk tea. Enjoying onion bhaji, lamb seekh kabab, navratan korma and a variety of naan and Punjabi batura breads. The bread basket was full! Shared it all, enjoying it all!

Still working on the service, but still friendly. The food was great, spicy, and we loved it.

Outstanding food; tasted such a flavor full goat biryani after a long time. Maybe the best one for me in the Pprtland, Seattle area (one of the best meats; using a goat meat with a lot of fat; and cooked to perfection). The Karahi was also outstanding; will go for goat karahi next time.

This is my new South Waterfront go-to! We tried the gobi 65 and the lamb biryani, both were super flavorful. The fried cauliflower was perfectly crunchy and the lamb was fall-apart tender. At on $3, I'll definitely be getting the chai again. The waiter was polite and attentive, and the ambiance was light and not too loud - super easy to hear each other. We will be back!

Came here for a birthday dinner and it was okay. Appetizers were a little disappointing (samosas too thick with breading and the breaded fried vegetables were mostly potatoes). The tikka masala was the best and the Makni was okay. Garlic naan was good. They waiter brought food to our table and came back quickly and swooped it away because it was the wrong dish. He promptly took it to a different table. Luckily we didn't touch it. Atmosphere is very loud due to all the hard surfaces. Not cozy and had a bit of a cafeteria feel to it. We wanted to give it a try and glad we did. I'd maybe come for lunch. If you want something more romantic or intimate this isn't the place I'd pick.

What a gem. Went with husband and friends for my birthday this week. The food was so good!!! My husband was indulging me with Indian food for my bday, but he can't wait to go back. Everything was flavorful and well spiced. We ordered mild to accommodate everyone, and it worked great. The two gentlemen serving us were attentive. All our items were delicious, but the winners for the evening were the mango masala and the chicken pakora. We'll be back often!

I love Indian food, Portland isn't endowed with much good Indian food. Found this place and rushed to try it. Ordered Baighan Bartha, Butter Chicken and Goat Masala, and 2 breads, service was prompt, place was clean and pleasing. Food was a step above okay. The eggplant came from a can, was mushy, should be fresh and Tandori roasted. The Butter chicken was well cooked, but I prefer dark meat chicken in mine, the goat was tasty , but needed more trimming. I discussed with Chef, he gave me some Tandori chicken to take home, nice of him. I think with a few tweaks this place could be really good. They are new, so, I'll go again, after they settle in, and see if they can raise their game just a few ticks to be really good

They started ok, not great. The chicken Masala didn't taste like chicken Masala. The service terrible. I gave them a 2nd chance and the food got worse. We have some good Indian Food here and Zaiqa will not be able to compete. They better re-think/restructure their plan or before long, they'll be out of business. They need to go and eat at all the Indian restaurants around Portland/Vancouver and Beaverton. ​I've been eating Indian food for 20 years and even had a roommate from India that cooked on occasion. These guys need to re-think what they're doing including the quality and freshness of the food. They will end up being audited by Dpt of Food and Agriculture. I can swear the bread and some of the food was recycled.

On a recent trip to Portland from California, we stopped for dinner on a Friday evening. First off, the food was quite good. We ordered the chicken tikka masala, kadhai chicken, and tandoori chicken with some garlic naan and lachcha paratha. The curries were very flavorful and the chicken was soft and tender. Now if the management is reading this review, I hope you can fix and improve a few things and you will thrive, given the location and quality of the food. We arrived at the restaurant around 7:30pm. Restaurant was about half full, and we were seated immediately in the corner table away from the kitchen. There were two other parties that came right after us and were seated closer to the kitchen. After about 15 minutes, I got up and went to the kitchen and asked for water for the table, since we had been out and about the city on a hot day. 25 minutes passed no water, and no order was taken. While the other two parties that had arrived and were sitting closer to the table had their food arrive, while our order was not even taken. 30 minutes later, the young lady came and took our order. We asked for some recommendations and ordered our food. No big deal. 50 minutes had passed and we still did not have our food. We approached the gentleman working behind the counter and enquired about our food, and he sends the young lady back to our table, and she asked us if we had ordered the food. To which we replied yes, and that 'you took our order, remember?'. She had no recollection of it. She apologized and took our order again. And after over an hour later we got our food. During this entire time, the gentleman working behind the counter, who seemed to be the manager, did not once come to our table and spoke to us, which should be the normal courtesy if you are in the restaurant business. The tables were laid out haphazardly and changed often without their locations set and no numbering on them. So it's difficult for the staff to see who came in first and who got served first or if a table had ordered food, but did not yet get served. If this level of service continues, even if the food is good, it will be hard for people to return. At the end of the meal, we asked for to-go containers for the curries, rice and naan. We were given couple of clam-shell type containers, without a closeable lid. If you are carrying curry in them, there is no way, it will not leak. This is an easily rectifiable issue. I truly hope the restaurant management gets better with time, as their food is quite good.

Delicious! We loved everything! Next time we will need to ask for a little more heat (spice -wise) but otherwise great! We had the mango tikka masala and the mathi curry with garlic naan. Very flavorful and filling, and if we'd been eating at home, I would have wanted to lick the masala off the plate. Great place for veg folks. Friendly, clean and very good service.

We've been on the hunt for the best Indian in Portland and frankly, our search is over! We got the mango tikka masala, lamb khorma, garlic naan, and a mango lassi. Everything was incredible, cooked to perfection with so much flavor. The mango tikka specifically was so tasty and different from a lot of Indian dishes we've tried. The service was excellent, and the space looks great. We will most definitely be back!

A delicious addition to the neighborhood. I love the selection of Indian beers and wine. The best garlic naan I've ever had. I also enjoyed the samosas and chicken tikka masala.

Delicious Indian food! Best Indian in the area that we've tried so far Friendly and maybe a little shy staff. I want to try everything on the menu! We've been here twice now and have loved everything on the table

Yum!! Ever since I moved downtown, it's been hard for me to find Indian cuisine in general, but one that is also bursting with flavor. First time here, so I set up a reservation through OpenTable just in case they were busy. It's a small eatery on the corner of Gaines & Bond. We went on a Friday evening (I'd say around 6:30) and it wasn't as busy as I thought. No wait time! The restaurant was clean with nice open windows. Our server was fairly nice. I ordered the butter chicken masala with the bread basket for us to share. I tried the India Ale called Maka Di Honey as we las ordered their mango lassi. The maka was okay - I'm not a big fan of ales - for some tend to have too much hops for my preference. The lassi - on the other hand, is always good. It's a creamy yogurt drink so if you're lactose, I don't recommend. I don't remember what my husband ordered, but it was enough for him to have to take it home - and he always finishes his plates. It was his first time having Indian cuisine and he enjoyed the food. Will be coming back here again !

Amazing Indo-Pak restaurant. Great food. We went there twice in the last week and regret not having gone there sooner.

Ordered online 3 August, chicken 65 and onion bhaji. Both appetizers were undercooked and not crispy. Online ordering was a 30 minute wait. Received email order was received. Received a text message on 4 August at 3:00 pm order was ready. Will not be returning. Batter for chicken 65 and onion bhaji was doughy and not fully cooked. No pics available.

The food here is fantastic. The staff is a little overwhelmed and new. And now we are just getting to the character count.

Wasn't sure but I was hungry. So delicious. I'm eating here again and telling my friends

Some of the best Indian food I have ever had! We were sat right away but had to wait a long time to get our food after ordering. However I would have waited even longer for that food!!!

I had a Mango Marsala with prawns and it was excellent. The young man that waited on us was excellent in his service. I would definitely return to try other items on the menu!

Food was bomb, it was great by the water after going for a walk chicken was tender and lamb was great waiter was a little odd but everything else was great!

Excellent food and service. Biryani was some of the best I've had in the Portland area! There is even a kid's menu that appeased my picky 5 year old! Recommended!

I highly recommend this place! Everything we tried was excellent, the mango tikka masala is a stand-out.

Tried on their second night open. Ordered chicken vindaloo, chicken 65 and butter naan. Everything came out excellent and the extra spicy was actually extra spicy! So happy to have a new restaurant in South Waterfront

This restaurant is so good! They were able to adjust the food according to our allergies and food restrictions. The service was really good. They were really nice and hospitable. The restaurant had a friendly vibe and the food was really yummy. Overall, this restaurant is really good and I am hoping that they will expand their restaurant to other states like California and Arizona.

So delicious! Every bite of every dish was incredible! We had a large party and tried 4 appetizers and many different dishes and EVERYTHING was vibrant and delicious. Service was good & timely, prices were great, portions were large. We are all from out of town and so wish we had access to Zaiqa

The tikka masala was amazing, it's spiced well with a perfect rich consistency. The green sauce is also really good