Perfect spot for a date night. Affordable, comforting dishes and great service. The Mela dinner for 2 had generous servings of delicious food. Would definitely come back!
Midway through the meal, my daughter found a plastic piece in the food. Server was apologetic, said it was from a container lid and offered to replace the dish but no offer to comp the dish. We decided to stop eating the rest of our dinner, paid and left.
Paula B.
I get my salads at Thyme, which are amazing. I sometimes grab a few delicious cookies as well . I had a baby shower and needed a cake so I ordered from Thyme . It was by far the most beautiful and delicious cake I have ever had as well as their amazing macrons . Thank you Paula
Christina P.
Honestly, a hidden gem in Back Bay and maybe my second favorite Indian place I've been to of all time (I've been to quite a few along the east coast too) Veggie pakora (8/10): the vegetable were well seasoned and warm, pairing super well with the tamarind sauce and mint (?) chutney that was complementary. Personally, I like my pakora batter a little flakier, less heavy, so I was expecting something less heavy so I could have more room for the main entree, but it was still amazing. Eating a couple of these would make me as full as having one samosa (but I could have more of these so that's a plus) Goat korma (10/10): literally SO tender, juicy, fatty, gamey, meaty, all in the right proportions. there was a good amount of goat in my bowl, so do not be fooled when you see a ton of curry hiding it all. I love goat bone-in because those cuts are usually my favorites of goat, but Mela does a fantastic job of not skimping on portions and giving you more goat than bone itself. I asked the waitress for hot as possible, and for me, it was pretty hot, but it could be hotter. nonetheless, still amazing. probably my new korma place in boston. lamb korma (8/10): my friend is a bit of a copy and got the same curry with different protein, ordered medium; I tried it, and it was great (goat is still superior). I didn't get the taste of medium hotness to it, but the lamb was so tender and fell apart in your mouth, it's hard to deny how great this dish was. garlic naan (not pictures, 9/10): so warm and fluffy! came out just in time with our curry. comes in 4 pieces. I feel like the garlic could've been incorporated better (it tasted like it was just brushed on), but maybe that was the best way. Still, so good, a must-have staple during any dinner. masala tea (not pictured, 6/10): I wanted to like this, because I love chai and I make it at home, but I feel like it was missing a signature punch. If you like a more cardamom/clove heavy spiced chai, this one has that taste but much lighter. It also came unsweetened so you can sweeten it yourself, which I thought was neat. I think what brings this review down is the fact that it was lukewarm when brought out. Gulab jamun (10/10): by the end of the dinner my friend and I were SO full but I love Indian desserts and had to get gulab jamun. When I tell you they were so fragrant and warm and soft, soaked in a deliciously sweet cardamom-rose syrup, I almost caved and got another. I could eat 5 plates of these if I hadn't eaten dinner. Service was great! The people are young and sweet; I had a lot of requests and questions and they answered with ease and sincerity. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, large enough to handle a small dinner party and intimate enough to take friends/family you haven't seen in a while or a date there. Will definitely be making the trek back to try their other desserts.
PaulaB
Our food was prepared fresh and was delightfully seasoned. The wait staff was attentive without being obtrusive and seemed genuinely pleased to serve us. I look forward to dining there again.
KRBoston
As always, the food was flavorful and the service, attentive. They make a great saag and have extensive vegetarian dishes if anyone in your party is vegetarian. They also have excellent nan offerings.
Emily B.
The food is so tasty and the service is good. We usually get take out because the atmosphere is a little lacking.
Lauren N
I’ve been coming for years and the vegetarian dishes are consistently delicious. I recommend the naan breads as they are fresh and delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Winni Z.
I like how the plates were meant to be shared. I thought the main dish were flavorful, but the chicken was honestly pretty dried. I was able to add chicken to the Gobhi Charchi for the same price as the chicken tikka masala. The vegetarian appetizer platter was a miss...flavorless and mushy and tasted like it was straight from frozen. The space was small, servers were quick and friendly. I really did enjoy the flavor of the Gobhi Charchi, I think I try to come back and try other protein options though.
Shequita C.
The service via phone was good. 4 of us ordered 4 meals. The first issue was they didn't give us separate rice, they gave 2 containers (I didn't like that aspect). Second issue is the containers with the entrees (chicken vindaloo, lamb vindaloo, goat mela, chicken tikka marsala) were not marked at all to distinguish which was which. We order 4 orders of naan bread (3 garlic, 1 peshawari) the nann were really greasy, and the peshwari lacked coconut and was rather bland. Needless to say, we are disappointed and will skip this place in the future. They def need a little work. We all agreed, we have had better Indian cuisine elsewhere.
The best Indian food in Boston! I have been there twice and love it every time. The Goat Curry and Chicken Tikka Masala are amazing. Same with fresh Naan Bread. Highly recommend lunch buffet on weekends.
BostonBestEats X.
I was pleasantly surprised how flavorful the food was here. Delicious! I wish there were comparable places out in the 'burbs where I live. The cocktail I had was excellent too (tamarind margarita). Seems to be popular for takeout/deliver too as there was a constant stream of bags leaving.
David L.
I ordered online and the food was good with the exception of the garlic naan, which wasn't great. As I ordered take out, I can't comment on service or ambiance.
Harpreet S.
Most authentic and delicious Indian food! While traveling, we ate there two days in a row. Service was unbelievably great! Dal makhani, veg and non-veg platters, bhartha, paneer were most delicious! Aloo paranthas are to die for.
Food was very flavorful. The tandoori shrimp was a tad salty but ok. The food came out quickly- but then we seemed to have been forgotten-- we sat a while - which actually we didn't mind too much since we were just enjoying the whole vibe
Perfect spot for a date night. Affordable, comforting dishes and great service. The Mela dinner for 2 had generous servings of delicious food. Would definitely come back!
Midway through the meal, my daughter found a plastic piece in the food. Server was apologetic, said it was from a container lid and offered to replace the dish but no offer to comp the dish. We decided to stop eating the rest of our dinner, paid and left.
I get my salads at Thyme, which are amazing. I sometimes grab a few delicious cookies as well . I had a baby shower and needed a cake so I ordered from Thyme . It was by far the most beautiful and delicious cake I have ever had as well as their amazing macrons . Thank you Paula
Honestly, a hidden gem in Back Bay and maybe my second favorite Indian place I've been to of all time (I've been to quite a few along the east coast too) Veggie pakora (8/10): the vegetable were well seasoned and warm, pairing super well with the tamarind sauce and mint (?) chutney that was complementary. Personally, I like my pakora batter a little flakier, less heavy, so I was expecting something less heavy so I could have more room for the main entree, but it was still amazing. Eating a couple of these would make me as full as having one samosa (but I could have more of these so that's a plus) Goat korma (10/10): literally SO tender, juicy, fatty, gamey, meaty, all in the right proportions. there was a good amount of goat in my bowl, so do not be fooled when you see a ton of curry hiding it all. I love goat bone-in because those cuts are usually my favorites of goat, but Mela does a fantastic job of not skimping on portions and giving you more goat than bone itself. I asked the waitress for hot as possible, and for me, it was pretty hot, but it could be hotter. nonetheless, still amazing. probably my new korma place in boston. lamb korma (8/10): my friend is a bit of a copy and got the same curry with different protein, ordered medium; I tried it, and it was great (goat is still superior). I didn't get the taste of medium hotness to it, but the lamb was so tender and fell apart in your mouth, it's hard to deny how great this dish was. garlic naan (not pictures, 9/10): so warm and fluffy! came out just in time with our curry. comes in 4 pieces. I feel like the garlic could've been incorporated better (it tasted like it was just brushed on), but maybe that was the best way. Still, so good, a must-have staple during any dinner. masala tea (not pictured, 6/10): I wanted to like this, because I love chai and I make it at home, but I feel like it was missing a signature punch. If you like a more cardamom/clove heavy spiced chai, this one has that taste but much lighter. It also came unsweetened so you can sweeten it yourself, which I thought was neat. I think what brings this review down is the fact that it was lukewarm when brought out. Gulab jamun (10/10): by the end of the dinner my friend and I were SO full but I love Indian desserts and had to get gulab jamun. When I tell you they were so fragrant and warm and soft, soaked in a deliciously sweet cardamom-rose syrup, I almost caved and got another. I could eat 5 plates of these if I hadn't eaten dinner. Service was great! The people are young and sweet; I had a lot of requests and questions and they answered with ease and sincerity. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, large enough to handle a small dinner party and intimate enough to take friends/family you haven't seen in a while or a date there. Will definitely be making the trek back to try their other desserts.
Our food was prepared fresh and was delightfully seasoned. The wait staff was attentive without being obtrusive and seemed genuinely pleased to serve us. I look forward to dining there again.
As always, the food was flavorful and the service, attentive. They make a great saag and have extensive vegetarian dishes if anyone in your party is vegetarian. They also have excellent nan offerings.
The food is so tasty and the service is good. We usually get take out because the atmosphere is a little lacking.
I’ve been coming for years and the vegetarian dishes are consistently delicious. I recommend the naan breads as they are fresh and delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I like how the plates were meant to be shared. I thought the main dish were flavorful, but the chicken was honestly pretty dried. I was able to add chicken to the Gobhi Charchi for the same price as the chicken tikka masala. The vegetarian appetizer platter was a miss...flavorless and mushy and tasted like it was straight from frozen. The space was small, servers were quick and friendly. I really did enjoy the flavor of the Gobhi Charchi, I think I try to come back and try other protein options though.
The service via phone was good. 4 of us ordered 4 meals. The first issue was they didn't give us separate rice, they gave 2 containers (I didn't like that aspect). Second issue is the containers with the entrees (chicken vindaloo, lamb vindaloo, goat mela, chicken tikka marsala) were not marked at all to distinguish which was which. We order 4 orders of naan bread (3 garlic, 1 peshawari) the nann were really greasy, and the peshwari lacked coconut and was rather bland. Needless to say, we are disappointed and will skip this place in the future. They def need a little work. We all agreed, we have had better Indian cuisine elsewhere.
Restaurantji Recommends
The best Indian food in Boston! I have been there twice and love it every time. The Goat Curry and Chicken Tikka Masala are amazing. Same with fresh Naan Bread. Highly recommend lunch buffet on weekends.
I was pleasantly surprised how flavorful the food was here. Delicious! I wish there were comparable places out in the 'burbs where I live. The cocktail I had was excellent too (tamarind margarita). Seems to be popular for takeout/deliver too as there was a constant stream of bags leaving.
I ordered online and the food was good with the exception of the garlic naan, which wasn't great. As I ordered take out, I can't comment on service or ambiance.
Most authentic and delicious Indian food! While traveling, we ate there two days in a row. Service was unbelievably great! Dal makhani, veg and non-veg platters, bhartha, paneer were most delicious! Aloo paranthas are to die for.
Food was very flavorful. The tandoori shrimp was a tad salty but ok. The food came out quickly- but then we seemed to have been forgotten-- we sat a while - which actually we didn't mind too much since we were just enjoying the whole vibe