Khyber Restaurant

Doesn't Recommend

garywise

Joined 7 years ago

Expensive American Indian. Had lunch there last week, first time in 10 years. What happened?

$14.95 for a less-than-spectacular bland-ish buffet and unengaged, distant staff?

Nah, not ever again. I don't care if dinner is better, why would I risk it on that performance?

Really, really average and expensive.

Shame, as once it was great.

Doesn't Recommend

mrsesquilo

Joined 5 years ago

Eat ANYWHERE else!. I have eaten at Khyber many, many times, and though it's too expensive for what you get, and the food is not as good as many other Indian restaurants, it's still decent-tasting, and the location is convenient.

Last week, though, my family went for lunch and had one of the worst experiences I have ever had in a restaurant. The waiters were EXTREMELY rude, we were charged full adult buffet price for the tiny bit of food my

2 year old ate, our plates and flatware were removed from our table and our check plunked down unceremoniously before we were even able to get second servings, and we'd each only taken a little taste to begin with.

When leaving I started to approach the podium to discuss it with the owner, he scowled at me and practically waved me out the door dismissively. The restaurant was near empty though it was well within what should have been the "lunch rush," and now I understand why.

We did nothing to prompt this behavior (if that's even possible). We were quiet, cordial, neat, appropriately dressed, and ate in moderation (barely ate at all, more accurately). In return we were treated horribly - it was really just inexplicable, surreal, beyond the pale.

We'll never eat there again. Not if it's the last restaurant on earth. Khyber's lost a loyal, vocal and well-connected customer who'd have otherwise (continued to have) given them a lot of business.

Keep driving down Richmond to India's, where the food and the service are absolutely impeccable, or try one of the other myriad Indian restaurants in the vicinity . Khyber doesn't deserve your hard earned money, and you deserve a LOT better.

Recommends

shmi

Joined 6 years ago

Very good experience overall. My husband and I have been here a few times, and we have been pleased with it overall. Sometimes the service is a bit slow when it's crowded (Friday and Saturday nights), but that's to be expected, I guess. The portions for the vegetarian dishes are very generous - we always have a ton leftover. The saag paneer is solid, and the bengan bhartha is awesome. The shrimp dishes are also good.

Recommends

monnieb

Joined 6 years ago

Good food, but still disappointed. I love Khyber Grill. They have great food and a great atmosphere, but they are classified on this website as good for 'group dining'. So, I planned to take a group of people there for my birthday, and was excited to share this spot with my friends. Unfortunately, they only do 'group dining' up to 10 people. Even 15 people is apparently too much for this restaurant to handle. I guess the 'group dining' classification needs to be taken with a grain of salt so that you are not disappointed as well.

Recommends

gissen

Joined 6 years ago

Wonderful Indian food in a friendly atmosphere. My husband and I have been coming to the Kyber Grill since it first opened.

The food is consistently excellent! The service is attentive.

The host/owner (Mickey Kapoor) does his very best to remember his repeat customers. We have never been disappointed. Bring your out-of-town visitors, and come to the Khyber Grill often. You will never be disappointed.

Recommends

duske

Joined 6 years ago

Best Naan, Spinach and Kheer- Great Owner Manager. One of the best places in Houston to dine. I don't know what the problem is with some others who have posted, however Mickie-the owner/manager is one of the best people I have ever met and I have known him for 8 years. He is funny and yes he does have a humor that can bite a little however he is not mean, nasty or vicious and it can be thought provoking as well. His food is great and when you take the time to get to know him you will receive a great treat. When it is not super busy Mickie walks about talking to all customers making sure all is well and spends a little more time with those he knows. when it is mega busy and he sees you walk through the door, if he does not have time to meet and greet you personally, after you are seated and drinks are orders there is this whish... and what has landed on your table is hot fresh naan with either minced onion and spices or finely chopped pistachios and honey baked in the middle........ OH I LOVE THIS! If and when he has time Mickie will come back and chat later. in the mean time enjoy a fab meal...... Khyber has the only cooked spinach I will eat!

Recommends

suzistack

Joined 8 years ago

We love this place!. We have been going here for a couple of years and always enjoy it. The Chicken Tikka Masala is the best - it has large chunks of chicken smothered in a creamy tomato sauce. It is served with a cucumber salad and a yogurt dip called raita which all complement each other nicely. Their Naan Bread is great - fluffy and warm with a hint of butter. Yum! We have also enjoyed the Chicken Vindaloo Curry (which can be pretty hot so watch out) and the regular Chicken Tikka. The latter will please even the pickiest of eaters.

The service is pleasant and attentive - but on a busy night there can be delays. Also, the manager is a prickly fellow with a tendency towards unfunny sarcasm as other reviewers have noted, but he does not seem to interact all that much with customers so don't let him scare you off.

All in all, this is our favorite Indian place in Houston (even over Indika, etc..)

Recommends

mousermedia

Joined 7 years ago

Depending on the Indian food you want.... Okay. I was raised in an Indian household--my stepfather was from New Delhi and a fair bit of my family live in India--and I've consumed vindaloo curries from many parts of England. If you want spicy food, this is not the place for you; try Pavani instead. But if your palate doesn't tolerate a lot of heat, this place is great. My friends and I have been coming to Khyber for brunch for several years and love the food and the service. When they see us walk in, they almost always bring us our particular drinks without having to ask, and they always bring us fresh samosas! My favorite buffet dish is the saag paneer. Regarding the folks that gave Khyber one or two stars and complained about the bland food--surprise, but not all Indian food is spicy, folks. Yes, I prefer my aloo mattar and cholas with kick and eat achar with my meals, but not all Indians do; my Indian siblings can't take the spice. BTW: Khyber does great gulab jamans and samosas.

Doesn't Recommend

kriegman

Joined 6 years ago

Rude Manager + Bland Food. Went for the lunch buffett and found the food to be very bland and the meal to be relatively expensive. If that weren't enough reason to avoid the place, there was an insect in my iced tea! I mentioned this to the waiter and he simply brought me another glass (without an apology). I went to speak to the manager/owner and he said he would get back to me. He never came by my table, so I got his attention on the way out. His response to the insect in the tea was "that there are 10 million insects in Houston and I am not going to commit suicide over some "insect" in your iced tea." No offer of refund. No apology. Needless to say, I will never visit that restaurant again!

Doesn't Recommend

coog78

Joined 7 years ago

Bland food. This is a great example of what an Indian restaurant should not serve, bland food. I didn't finish my entree because it just tasted horrible. The atmosphere is one that emits superiority while the dishes embrace inferiority. If a restaurant has bad food, I don't care about the "ambience". The bread was half decent but that's where it stopped. Don't go here for good Indian food, Houston has so much more and better to offer,