Tarka Indian Kitchen, Austin TX

The spices taste like they're 10 years old. So stale. Service is great but food is just not good at all.

My husband, son (18mos) and I had the pleasure of dining here yesterday. We originally intended to go to our favorite Greek spot next door when we were devastated to find out they were no longer in business. Disappointed, we decided to try something new and conveniently walked inside this gem.

(Regretting not taking any photos now.)
My husband had the Chicken Kabob, my son enjoyed the Kid's chicken kabob with fries, and I thoroughly enjoyed the Malai kofta. I took a shot in the dark with my choice, not having eaten genuine Indian cuisine before and I can say, I was beyond pleasantly surprised. The flavors are rich and delicious. The tomato-onion curry surrounding the delicious vegetable dumplings has been my main craving since my first bite. Luckily, the dish was so filling that I was able to take 2/3 of it home to enjoy today. Bonus points for the leftovers tasting as amazing as it did when freshly prepared. (Forgot to mention we also had the vegetable samosas (2 per serving) as an appetizer. Again, absolutely delicious and I could've drank a gallon of their mint chutney alone.). Husband stuck to what he knew (the chicken kabobs) which he did enjoy, he finished his plate, so I'd say it was 10/10. He also helped himself to some of my meal, which he couldn't stop raving about afterwards. It was too good not to share with someone I love.

I 100% plan on talking Hubs into bringing us back again sometime this week (if not tomorrow) to broaden my pallet with another dish I've never seen or heard of before. I think it's safe to say, you cant go wrong with anything on their menu. We're also on a mission to try their naan bread. We missed it on the menu when it was time to order, but it immediately caught our eyes while passing another guests' table.

Aside from food, the ambiance was nice, music kept at a level where you can hear it but also hear everyone around you. The place was clean and the dining area had a good amount of seating options (including an outside covered patio). The service was polite and as quick as humanly possible.

I am honestly so thankful we gave this place a chance. We may have lost our favorite Greek spot, but it forced us to try Tarka Indian Kitchen, immediately calling it our new favorite spot. We'll be seeing the staff easily 2-3 days a week!

Edit: Also forgot to mention all of our food (1 app, 2 meals, and a kids meal) was no more than $30!

Tried this place on my 2nd day in Austin. The ambiance was good, the music did set a mood. They had one of the best chicken korma I have had. Creamy with a perfect balance of a lot of flavors. The menu allows combination of curries with different proteins. Would recommend for a filling, savory meal.

Relatively inexpensive and tasty. Be careful with how hot you order first time out. Can be spicy

Looks like little food plates, but it's actually a whole lot for one person. The naan is delicious, the rice is too, and samosas are a must try. Vegetarian food available.

Are you new to Austin, and are looking for some amazing Indian foods? Because I am!

I have been looking for a good Indian restaurant, and I discovered Tarka Indian Kitchen on Yelp.
Never been to a casual and fast Indian restaurant before, and I must say I am impressed!

The food is great, and I like that you don't have to be waited on:)

Enjoy! Also follow my vanlife trip on @atticus.verses

I have been to this restaurant a few times with my family now and the food is always consistently good, flavorful and served hot. We have tried various dishes and never had any complaints. The only reason I have not given it five stars is that the restaurant itself is lacking in decoration, could do with some artwork or something to liven it up a bit more.

Very Bad! Ordered Chicken Biryani and couldn’t eat more than once. This isn’t Indian food! Indian food is supposed to be traditionally prepared with correct spices temperature and a RECIPE!

Ordered Chicken Tikka Masala, Tarka Dal and Chicken Biryani! If this is what's being served in the name of Indian food, I am disheartened!

I can always tell how good a restaurant is by their shrimp. I was amazed at how fresh and delicious the shrimp is here. I have had it three times now so I know it's not a fluke. All the ingredients are quality fresh ingredients. I'm completely amazed at the quality of the food here. I'm very grateful my boyfriend brought me here. I eat here all the time now. Every dish I have tried has been delicious!

Overrated Place. Went for Biryani and It Wasn’t Worth a Drive. Service was Very Poorly.
I Would Recommend Other Place, Ignore This.

I have been ordering via the favor app from Tarka Indian Kitchen for a year now. I have probably placed around 20 orders. Every time I order the food has been amazing and consistent, except recently. I'm not sure if you guys got a new cook but your Lamb Tikka Masala has not been the same (that is what I order 90% of the time). I am disappointed and hope you guys didn't change your ingredients or something as I miss the old taste!: (

Very Americanized and poor quality food. Taste was not good at all. Lamb was horrible. Korma was sweet. They literally put sugar. Paneer Tikka was ok but paneer was not fresh. Will not ever come back!

This place is awesome. I used to live in the far west area and I love coming here. It's inexpensive, quick, and delicious.

The food here is always good. It is the fast food of Indian food. I like that you can linger and not feel rushed.

Fair price. Good food. Not Indian authentic, but it's good. What do I even know about Indian authentic food

Been going to Tarka for a long time. Generally the food is fresh and full of flavor because it is well spiced. While it is not gourmet Indian, it is a great place for every day. Tonight was samosas and chicken pakora, fresh and flavorful including the mint chutney.

Always clean and service is friendly. I have ordered food to go and eaten in the restaurant many times and the quality is always consistent.

This is a great place to pick up some quick curries! Their Tikka masala is one of my favorite dishes here. For their curries, you basically choose the curry sauce, protein, and heat level. Hot (their spiciest) is very tolerable if you enjoy heat, so I recommend getting that if you're a typical spice lover. Definitely recommend checking this place out!

Portions are kind of small and sucks that the roti costs two bucks extra. I ordered hot and it had no heat just two slices of spicy chilli on top. Otherwise the food was good and flaverfull. If you want traditional Indian fair there are lots of good spots where you can get more bang for your buck in town.