Thanal Indian Tavern, Philadelphia PA

Our recent visit to Thanal was a memorable experience for a special occasion celebrating a friend's upcoming wedding. The food was a highlight of the evening, with dishes like Chicken 65, Gobi Manchurian, Mutton Biryani, Garlic Naan, Chicken Tikka, and Chicken Korma (although we had ordered Chettinad) impressing our taste buds. The flavors were spot-on, and the aroma of the biryani was simply tantalizing - reminiscent of Kolkata style biryani with the boiled eggs!

The restaurant added a heartwarming touch to our celebration by surprising the groom-to-be with a complementary dessert, which was a thoughtful gesture.

However, there were a few shortcomings to our visit. The service was slower than expected, and it was evident that most of the staff were new employees. They appeared somewhat overwhelmed, and when we asked about certain menu items, they seemed unsure. The restaurant was also quite crowded, with a queue of people waiting to be seated, which may have contributed to the delays.

Despite these minor hiccups, the quality of the food and the joyous occasion made it a special evening. We would recommend the restaurant for the delicious Indian cuisine but advise patience if you plan to dine during a busy time.

It was a decent place, food was better than most Indian restaurants near by. But we felt that it might have been a little over hyped, because some of the prices are insane for the amount of food they give and the ambiance. Overall, you can give it a shot for the food, but not a place I would go again and again to!

I normally say Indian in USA is so bland, but this place does a great job of curry. Vindaloo is amazing and the rice is fluffy.

I've been here a few times and the food never disappoints. The staff are so nice and attentive. I can't wait to return to try even more goodies!

Overall a decent spot for some Indian food. We ordered Anjeer Kofta curry, chicken tikka masala, chicken tikka tacos. The kofta curry tasted really yummy, however, it was very heavy to taste, probably used a lot of cashews/heavy cream and was heavy to swallow after a few bites. The chicken tikka masala was average tasting but had the same issue - very heavy to taste and swallow. The chicken tikka tacos were good, but I would recommend the restaurant to use less sour cream and a bit more spices/flavoring, perhaps a bit of Pico de Gallo and dash of lime juice to make the tacos less dry and a bit more juicy.
The staff is friendly and helpful.

We had a lovely dinner experience on a week night! The food was fresh and tasty and the portions generous. All the food came out quickly. The service was very friendly. Highly recommended to everyone.

This restaurant is authentic and delicious! We went during restaurant week and had the most delicious meal. We definitely will be returning.

It was my first experience with Indian cuisine and I really glad that I choose this place! Really delicious food! Excellent service! Thank you!

I believe it's northern coastal Indian cuisine. Lots of curries. Excellent fish curry. The best Indian food I've ever had.

Service
Started off so good. The waiter was attentive. However, after we finished the meal, they just forgot about us. No one offered to refill a beer or suggested any desserts.the dirty plates were on the table for like 15 minutes.

Food
Disappointing. Samosas and naan were so oily! We asked for mild chicken and eggplant masalas. The chicken was fine, but the eggplant was crazy spicy (I guess they forgot about it).

Maybe I had too high expectations, but overall experience was disappointing….

Absolutely amazing Indian food! Probably one of the if not the best in Philly! Perfect combination of great food and wonderful service!

Terrific indian food in a sit down restaurant.
This is a nice restaurant, with a full bar, not a buffet style place. It would be a good restaurant for a date.
My only quibble - a very minor one - is that the lighting is a bit bright.

I had a fantastic dining experience at this restaurant, and it definitely deserves 5 stars! The food was exquisite, the service was impeccable and staffs were attentive.

Great friendly service and good value. The acoustics are a little loud but not too much and an overall great job.

Traveled from DC to Philly for my 70th birthday celebration. Arrived earlier than our reservation and we (3) were seated with no problem. Service was excellent. I'm in a wheelchair accessible bathroom was an added bonus. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Have a look at the one star reviews about some of the five stars being fake. I 100% agree!

Everything was overpriced and the food was below normal standard.

The service was 3 stars.
Food was 1 stars.

Amazing food. The special goat curry is truly special. Rohit our server was just a delight. 10/10, will come back again for Rohit and John.

"I had the misfortune of dining at this Indian restaurant, and it was a complete disaster. The food was incredibly bland and lacked any authentic flavors. The service was horrendous, with waitstaff who seemed completely disinterested in helping us. The ambiance was equally disappointing, with outdated decor and uncomfortable seating. To top it all off, the prices were exorbitant for the low-quality experience we received. I would strongly advise anyone considering dining here to save their money and go elsewhere for a true taste of Indian cuisine.
And read the bad reviews, because they have lots of fake reviews. Don’t waste your money here.