Himalaya Café - Old Saybrook

The trip was coming to an end, actually quiet done to be honest. While driving down from Devil 's Hopyard falls, since we got pretty soaked in the falls, we decided to take a detour just to have some good hot masala chai (tea) as we were passing through Old Saybrook, we searched and just found 1 Indian Bistro open called Himalaya Café Indian Bistro Lounge. This Bistro looked beautiful on the Instagram page and was serving curbside with limited options due to the COVID19 pandemic following CDC 's regulations.Not knowing the menu we continued to drive 10 mins to reach it. Upon arrival we see the menu with no Masala Chai or snacks, just Entree 's and couple of traditional Himalayan drinks. Man, one of the executives who was working there, came out to greet and help us as we looked disheartened. He went in there and came back and told us that the chef can make us some Tea since we came from a far, we nodded and said thank you. He goes back and comes with the masala chai and though he was wearing a mask I knew he had a big smile on his face. Man said We thank you to reach out to our bistro and in gratitude the tea is on the house and on top of that we would like to give you our special dessert of the day Cheesecake Passion Fruit Tart . We looked at each other and told ourselves that connecticut is filled with such good souls. We gladly accepted and spoke to the Manager Seema. Who was just as welcoming as Man!The Masala Chai was aromatic and amazing! We could have asked for anything better, but there was this delicious tart waiting to be devoured! Honestly speaking, I didn 't know that people can be so cordial and sweet to one another. I wish there were more of these kind people around the world. Connecticut is truly a friend to a feller in need.It 's sad to know that it is temporarily closed and I am optimistic in seeing them grow. A big shout out to Man (like Man out of Superman) and Seema! Also the Chef who I didn 't get to meet! You have magic in your hands please don 't let it fade! Everyone should visit @the_himalaya_cafe to experience the warmth, taste, and gratitude Kid friendliness: They have a nice kid friendly menu such as wraps, fries, burgers and so on! They can also make something out of their magic hat. Parking: Plenty of parking spots on site. Wheelchair accessibility: Disabled friendly and has a ramp to get in.

Its one of the best restaurants in Connecticut for authentic Indian food. The paneer tikka masala was finger-licking good and the naan bread was soft n full of flavour. The vegetable pakora was yum. However there was no soup available. The ambiance and lighting was great and the place had an upbeat vibe with beautiful artifacts and decor from India. It felt very cozy and the service was quick. The hostess and the wait staff were very polite and friendly. Over all experience was very memorable.

The ambience was good! They played Indian classical as background music. The manager was nice and welcomed and chit chatted with us. Nice restaurant

We used to love this place but they seem overwhelmed lately! I did a takeout order and both orders were to be mild . Once I brought hem home and we started to taste them one was mild and the other was spiced extreme to the point that my wife needed to eat yogurt to stop the burn. I immediately called the restaurant and was told that a manager would call. No one ever called back! Left a message on their machine the next day, no one ever called back! A simple phone call would have sufficed but nothing! A $21 waste of food! Clearly they don 't need the business! Do yourself a favor and go elsewhere!

We recently had dinner outside at Himalaya Cafe. Had some doubts after my husband had to let them know we were waiting outside. Boy were those doubts put to rest. The food was fantastic! My husband enjoyed his chicken dish and I adored the lentils dish. Love Indian food but many places tend to make things too spicy. If you like Indian food, you don't want to miss this place. The staff couldn't have been nicer and were apologetic for the wait. They were short staffed and busy. Place does a lot of takeout business, as well.