Darbar Restaurant

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1412 Polk St
San Francisco, CA 94109

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(415) 359-1236
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Darbar Restaurant - San Francisco, CA
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Reviews
( 19 )
( 5 )
( 2 )
( 1 )
( 3 )

Best

Delicious Indian, big portions, cheap, fast, good service. My favorite Indian joint in the city!

Worst

I've ordered here three times. The food is good and their lamb samosas are excellent. Unfortunately, on my third order, the food took two hours instead of the 45 minutes they ...

Editorial review from GrubHub 7/25/2013

by Eric at GrubHub Provided by GrubHub
Delicious Indian, big portions, cheap, fast, good service. My favorite Indian joint in the city! more
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Editorial review from GrubHub 7/9/2013

Food is always good, but it took over 1.5 hours to receive the order. All they said was we're sorry. Maybe offer a discount coupon next time. more
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Editorial review from GrubHub 8/1/2012

by Matt at GrubHub Provided by GrubHub
I really like Darbar. Great food and not expensive. Try the veggie samosas or tikka masala. more
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Slightly Inconsistent Food; Totally Consistent Low Price 2/23/2010

""Where royalty comes to eat"" is their motto; the service is unquestionably good, and you do feel like royalty because of it. Inconsistent food means it's not going to be as good as you remember it was, say...after you had a few beers. Other times, it's good enough to make you think you should have paid at least $3 more for your $6-9 entree. The vegetarian dishes are actually flavorful, and not hiding an ineptitude behind a generous layer of spice. Delivery can take as long as an hour, maybe longer, depending on the night--which is why I only gave them 3 stars, instead of 4. But really, getting 3 entrees, 2 different kinds of naan, 1 order of samosas, and rice for two and only paying $32 (not including tip)? So worth the wait. Important tip: Don't get the lamb. You'll regret it in that ""digestive"" way later. Pros: the food isn't always as good as you remember it was Cons: super-duper cheap, and well worth the money. more
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Delicious. 8/20/2009

Had a great time here last night. The food is spicy and tasty and the restaurant is clean. Live in the area and plan to go back soon! Pros: clean, friendly, fresh ingredients more
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Excellent Food! 8/16/2009

By far the best Indian food we have had in the Bay Area. Very authentic flavors. Prices super low! OMG!!! We are def. coming back and having some more of naan, roti and raita. Oh- and Chicken Tika Masala- to die for!!:-) Pros: fantastic food- low price more
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Great food. Good price. 5/26/2009

We went here to satisfy a craving for Indian food after reading the reviews and were not disappointed. The tandoori prawns were flavorful and delicious, although a little pricey at $13 for 5 of them. The other entrees, such as gobi aloo, lamb vindaloo, and others were reasonably priced and quite flavorful. We had some garlic naan and keema naan, both of which were delicious. They were chewy and thick and probably some of the best tasting naan we have ever had. We started the meal with some papadam and samosas, both of which were quite tasty, especially the papadam. Overall, we spent about $50 before tip and ate until we were going to explode. Pros: Great Naan, tasty entrees Cons: Kind of a seedy area more
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GRACIOUS DINING ON THE CHEAP 5/24/2009

This little bit of Indian/Pakistani food heaven has a modest entrance. Inside is artfully decorated, clean and quiet (no echo chamber. Menu has many entrees-2 big samosas for $3, Naan for $2-so cheap we knew we had gone to heaven. So- the tandoori chicken was neon and sizzling on carmelized onions- impressive for $6.00. The samosas and sauces yummy. Lamb/okra- to DIE for. etc- the wrap was immense for $7 and lots of salad greens with it...all is a la carte but for 4 women who wanted to taste all and not fill up on rice, that was GREAT!!! The tea was yummy (no beer/wine,sad) Pros: Great food,nice setting,gracious service Cons: it is not in my home town of Sebastopol- boo hoo more
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Editorial review from GrubHub 9/2/2008

I've ordered here three times. The food is good and their lamb samosas are excellent. Unfortunately, on my third order, the food took two hours instead of the 45 minutes they promised. I started calling them after an hour and fifteen minutes had passed. The first two phone calls they said the food was already out for delivery. On the third phone call they said they'd lost my order and they'd have a new one at my door in 10-15 minutes. I waited 25 minutes until my fourth call, and they said the delivery guy was about to knock on my door, which he did a few minutes later. I'm not sure if it's worth giving them another chance considering how many other restaurants are in the area. To their credit, they did throw in a free rice pudding and teach me a valuable lesson: don't pre-tip on your credit card. more
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Pakistani/Indian cuisine 7/23/2008

4 stars for this place!!!! excellent food and i would suggest to go at dinner time, order from menu and enjoy there specialties. Very clean and great service!! Try there Bangan Bharta, Chicken tikka masala with fresh garlic naan grrrrrreat!!!! Pros: Sevice more
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This restaurant is a real gem 5/19/2008

Whenever I eat at Darbar I am amazed at the quality of the food and the price you pay for that quality. The last time I was in I had the samosa which is like a fried wonton with potatoe, peas and spices. You get two and they are fantastic. I also like the spinich, palak paneer. The Dabari Nan is great but if you need it doctored up they have garlic and onion nan too. I usually get the Dabari Chawal for a rice. The Tandori Fish comes out sizzling and has just the right amount of spice. The last time I had it they used talapia. I have to say that the food and service are consistently good. At night the owner is always there tending to his customers. He really makes sure that they are satisfied. The restaurant has a nice decor and is clean. If you're looking for terrific Indian/Pakistani food Darbar is the place. Parking, it's easy there is a city lot nearby. Pros: Great prices, terrific food more
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bad experience !!! 3/20/2008

i complete agree with Sonu1 reviews for this restaurant. where i too had same bad experience.. This is one of the worst restaurant i've seen in SFO. more
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Hands down the best Indian food for the price 1/12/2008

Amongst the many Indian restaurants I have eaten at, this restaurant is certainly at the top of the list in both the quality of food and service. I've been to about a dozen Indian restaurants and this restuarant is exceptionaI. I chose this restaurant based on Citysearch's positive reviews since I was visiting from out of town and was unfamiliar with local restaurants. Choosing Darbar turned out to be a great move, surpassing my high expectations. more
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Can't say enough good things 12/20/2007

I love this place. The dining room is warm and inviting. The owner is always there at dinner and provides wonderful customer service every single time my girlfriend and I have eaten there. Most importantly, the food is exceptionally delicious. I highly recommend the tandoori chicken, chicken tikka masala, vindaloo and my personal favorite, lamb brain masala. The food always arrives promptly and perfectly prepared. I have never eaten a bad dish here yet, and to date I've dined at Darbar more than a dozen times. Ive eaten at quite a few restaurants serving Indian/Pakistani cuisine in the city, but none so far come close to the quality and low prices of Darbar. If you enjoy Indian/Pakistani cuisine or want to try it out for the first time, this is the perfect place to go. Pros: Prices, service, food. Cons: none! more
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Good food! 10/25/2007

The food is soooo incredibily CHEAP! And food is so fresh! I went in during lunch time for some snacks, and found the samosas to be very good, not to spicy just the way I like them. The Chicken Wrap was one of the cheapest filling food items I've bought ($5.30ish) full of chunks of chicken, perfectly seasoned, and fresh veggies. And to top it off, the Rice Pudding was very good! It was a creamy, cool texture doing down my throat. The restaurant is clean and service is great so I'm definatly going back! ! ! Pros: fresh food and inexpensive Cons: parking more
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Cheap food + Good service + Clean bathroom! 10/25/2007

Darbar Restaurant is a restaurant that everyone should try out at least once. My friend told me about it and I went for lunch, and the buffet was cheap and delicious. The restaurant itself is a small, cozy place with cute pictures and lighting. The food (especially the Tandoori chicken) was fresh and sizzling, with the plate leaving a trail of seasoned aromas behind it. The hostess is attentative and helpful with her recommendations of spicy or mild dishes (all of which were awesome). Lastly, the bathroom was extremely clean...the cleanest I've ever seen in an Asian restaurant. For me, the bathroom is really the critical point. If the staff can take the time to clean out the bathroom, it suggests their service and food is worth a try. I experienced eating at Darbar earlier this week, and I must say, I definately did not regret the experience. Go try Darbar!!! Pros: Cheap food that tastes great, good service Cons: parking more
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Not a gud place!!! 9/28/2007

NOT A GUD PLACE FOR LUNCH more
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Great food for a low price 9/28/2007

I love Darbar! This is my top choice when I'm craving Indian. You can't beat the prices and if you're lucky enough to go when the owner is working, you'll have a best service too! Be careful when asking for ""spicy"" food though, because they don't hold back. The lamb samosas are delicious. They give you free chai also. Try it out! The service is great as well. Pros: Cheap! Cons: Not in the best part of town (tender-nob), cash only more
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Great food 4/3/2007

Taste-wise the food rivals the best indian restaurants out there. It's very casual and the room is a bit plain, but the owner (I'm guessing he's the owner) is always friendly and has always made sure to take care of us. The to-go wraps are fantastic. The lamb wrap doesn't have as nice of a presentation as the others, but 'tis still tasty. Pros: Food, service Cons: Decor more
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Menu for Darbar Restaurant


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Classic Indian Cuisine in a great setting.

Owner Message

  • Discover the wonderful and exotic authentically spiced dishes of Pakistan, prepared from the finest ingredients and cooked to perfection.Choose from (Halal) meat or vegetarian entrees, spiced and prepared to your specific request. We believe you will find all our menu selections to be of exceptional quality. With a background in 4-star hotel management in both the U.S. and U.K., proprietor Mohammad Khan is highly aware of both the nature and value of quality and personal service. Knowing this and what fine dining is, he naturally brings these advantages to his restaurant and patrons. You can be assured of high standards and a best value while dining at Darbar.

Editorial

  • In Short
    Tandoori specialties here cost so little and taste so tender it's hard to believe other places charge double. Seasoned lamb chops are the biggest splurge on the menu at $9.99....

  • 7/22/2005 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Daily 11am-10pm
  • Payments: Discover, Visa, Master Card, American Express
  • Neighborhoods: Civic Center, Northeast
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