India Cafe, ByWard Market in Ottawa

Worst Indian food ever

Terrible rude old man who doesn t know how to run a restaurant. We asked for a couple of chais and he said we must order food bacause there s nothing readymade in a chai. Why the hell you are running a restaurant and not a souvenir shop?

Bad quality food , bad customer service. Rotten food.

Worst quality food.

Dirty food

Good service, cheap price, but the food is terrible.

delicious halal food

Excellent food

Such a bad experience.

Very good flavours, large portions and decent prices

Relaxed, Good Saag Paneer.

me and my friends ordered for delivery a delicious and such good value dinner from here, such lovely and authentic vegetarian curries, it was all lovely especially the chana masala! highly recommend, a warning the food is quite rich, delicious but possibly a little heavy. but we really enjoyed thank you so much! p.s we really enjoyed the poppadoms and the lovely note : ) we will definitely be back thank u so so much!

They just literally charged me twice for a meal and refused to give me the food, then threatened to call the police when I asked for my money back! Eat there at your own risk!

Dreadful. Pathetic. An absolute travesty to stumble upon such a disgrace of an establishment that associate the name India with it.

Over priced..! Below Average taste. There are much more Indian food options available around with better taste and same price points.

The food was overpriced and it tasted very average. It tasted like something you could make at home with the jar of premade curries. The old man present was rude and we did not feel wanted there. There was no background music and at one point we were alone and it felt awkward to even speak since it was so quiet. I had a butter chicken and my friend had a briani. They were both a huge let down. Don t waste your money there.

Its a crime to call their food an Indian food. Utterly disappointed. If you are looking for back home taste, this place is not for you. Avoid Avoid Avoid!!!

I had a wonderful experience at this simple place. Great taste, plenty of food in the plate and reasonable pricing. I recommend.

Good food. Happy to have this place in downtown

I have passed this restaurant many times but only just recently tried it. The Tikka wrap caught my eye. It s a little unsuspecting but this place is amazing!!! All Naan is made fresh to order. The chicken was flavourful and juicy. The wrap was delicious! I can t wait to go back, bring friends and try more!!! I highly recommend this little hidden gem.

Best Naan and homely saag paneer. Really enjoyed the food.

Popped over here on Canada day.. delicious homemade food, ( they also have vegetarian options) very affordable and right in the market...love this place and glad they are still here! Vegetarian options: Fresh ingredients!

Samosas are weird tasting and tea is watery to another level. Would never recommend.

A must in Byward Market. Ask for the special secret sauce from the garden. Crazy good and spicy. Food : 5/5

Really amazing food! Chicken curry and butter chicken were fantastic, tastes like homemade! Highly recommend.

Best onion salad Ive ever had. Absolutely excellent joint. Food : 5/5

Was the worst Indian food I ever had. I ordered tandoori chicken it tasted old and the Curry chicken was nothing to talk about. Will never go there again

Great Indian food that you can get quickly! I love Indian food, and eat it whenever I get the chance as its a lot of work to make at home. I had the beef curry and lamb curry another time, and both were so tender and served with basmati rice and a salad. All of it just hit the spot perfectly. I also had an onion bhaji which was super good and was like $2 I think. Super nice owners. Go there!

Good service and atmosphere for a cute shop but the food was tasteless and over priced.

Rude staff

So far, and I know my byrani Bi, BTW, and this has been best in the city, for me! There was a few times, I couldnt finish it. However, I go back again and again you know, Go here first for your Briani. And write a review for them damit!

Scammer.

Worst service. Racial. We went there to order food. He denied saying restaurant capacity is just 6 people and ask us to wait outside. When we were waiting 2 local people entered and I saw from the window he offered them table for dine-in. Not hygienic as well. There are some good restaurants within 1 km. I ll edit this and add name of restaurants you should visit.

Soggy and stale samosas. Horrible. I didn t get a chance to go back to the shop to report as my wife threw it away.

A completely unique and astonishing experience, just like its owner! Not to be missed during an express visit to Ottawa

Very yummy food!! Loved all the meat dishes we ordered, and the rice with peas was delicious! When it says spicy, they mean it! Customer service was fantastic. They went above and beyond. Delivered our food by foot for free to our hotel in the freezing cold. Then after a miscommunication, did so again and then refused payment and included a little something extra. Thank you for a great meal Wish we lived nearby. Would definitely order weekly. Cheers!

Whenever I miss delicious home made food, India Cafe is my #1 restaurant to go. Whether dining in or taking out, their butter chicken and lamb-spinach curry is simply delicious with warm freshly baked garlic naan! The hosts are always welcoming and make you feel like family and I always admire their hard work to satisfy their customers. I recommend to everyone! I love coming back here again and again.

Food is amazing! Great friendly service. Vegetarian options. Will definitely be back.

Best of the best ...service food and quality!!

We were well received without discrimination last February. The employees were friendly. Simple dinner dishes cost around $10, which is affordable these days. It remains a café, with only a few tables while still being able to buy some Indian and exotic products (juices, dry mixes) and hors doeuvres to take away. We will come back to it :)

It s an okay place, I feel like theirs much better places in the city for Indian. I haven t been here in years and I can remember why. Nothing really memorable about the food, the place or service. If you want Indian I d say try else where sorry say.

This is so far my absolute favorite indian restaurant in Ottawa. Excellent, unassuming and wonderful find. The food is stunning and the service was delightful. We had veggie samosa, chicken biryani and shrimp biryani can t wait to return and try more stuff. I wouldn t hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for somewhere to eat in Downtown

you get worst than what youve paid for !! fakest Indian restaurant Ive ever been to . what a shame for such a prime location . absolutely despicable taste . the use of cheap Chinese sticky rice instead of basmati is intolerable

Worst hospitality ever, don t support this place. Very rude with kids.

Delicious food.

Samosas are the best I ve had

I went here for food while visiting Ottawa. This place is okay. Upon entering the store, I saw trays of hot curries/dishes and a mini-store of Indian ingredients labeled with prices. There was a woman who rudely cut me and ordered her food after I did. She got her food (samosas) before me though. I had to wait over 20-30 minutes even though I was the only person who was there. The food wasnt very great and the food was expensive.

Worst place for indian cuisine

Worst food was un cooked didn t taste good please don t come here

Mom and Pop, small Indian food - eat-in or takeout restaurant and grocery store. Great food and very reasonable prices! Friendly service.

Wouldnt eat again at this place even for free.

The food is pretty good

Loved the food here. I am very finicky when it comes to indian food. So i was pleasantly surprised by the taste of chicken curry and chana masala which i had with rice. Talking about rice, the rice was good. The food was not too spicy but had flavors. If you are visiting Ottawa like me and are in the Byward market area then give this place a try. Its not your typical indian restaurant but its food is good and inexpensive.

Bought butter naan and chicken Tikka platter. Naan was good but chicken Tikka platter was below average. Chicken was dry didnt feel like eating chicken Tikka. It tasted like murgh chole (chickpeas and chicken).

Awesome butter chicken, best to get it earlier in the day though

Not worth the money.. it s a small place, but 13.99 for butter chicken with rice & salad(lettuce, cucumber, tomato) rice was served with little quantity. The guy working was kind enough to serve a little extra rice when asked. Taste was okay.

I wish if there was no star option as the place is not worth the money and is over priced. Ordered chicken curry and rice for myself and butter chicken rice for dad, neither it was good in taste nor the quantity for $13. My dad couldn t even fill his stomach with the food provided. Had to ask for extra rice, the guy working there was kind enough to serve but when asked if that s the quantity they provide, he said yes. Wouldn t recommend this place for someone looking for good Indian food.

Butter chicken, naan and samosas were all delicious!! So glad I stopped in.

Amazing service. Delicious authentic Indian dishes. Great prices!!

Amazing food, spices were on point and service was great. The man who served us was quick, kind and helpful.

Indian food right on the Byward market.

The food was good, but not like that I was expecting authentic Indian flavor.

Pro: tender, reasonably prepared meats. Huge rice portion Con: naan is crisp, not tender. Garlic naan is naan with granulated garlic sprinkled on, for significantly more money. Overcharged compared to displayed menu prices. Cook wasnt wearing mask Although the dishes were good enough quality, there was nothing special about the taste. Rice biriyani was huge in portion, but meats consisted of about 4 x 1 inch cubes. I love naan, and found this inedible; crunchy with granulated garlic sprinkled on top. Overall, the meal was disappointing, especially given what we were charged. Wont be back.

Quite disappointed with my experience here. The naan wasnt that good, and neither was the sambar.

Amazing portions.. better taste and quality and the best customer service ..

amazing prices,better quality and taste ...the best customer service... sorry didnt catch the food but it was delish

Delicious & affordable!!

Butter chicken is tasty!

Really bad food. Too much salad. Almost no meat in the kebab Very disappointed

The butter chicken poutine was amazing! Fries were done perfectly and the butter chicken sauce went amazing with the cheese! My favourite new take out spot!

The biriyani had no flavour and sides was missing

Chicken tikka sandwich is always on point!!

The chicken biryani was amazing! I recommend this restaurant to everyone!

Its an absolute travesty to be calling the food sold here Indian. Its almost as if the person making the food has never tasted Indian food before. Do not recommend in any way; save yourself from the grief and pain, seriously.

Best samosas in town!!

Awesome lamb curry with mix veggies, super good. Thanks.

Great family-run restaurant. The owner is so sweet, always attentive and generous. The food is good, especially if you don t like it too spicy. Our go-tos are the butter chicken and the Saag Paneer with naans, that are so very very good with butter Give them a chance whenever you re in the neighbourhood, it s a real treat to have them in such a touristy area!

Loved their Saag Paneer. Will be returning!!

Tasty classic indian curries , mango drinks, friendly service and very fair prices. Will go back.

We recently ate Chicken Biryani at the India Cafe in the Byward Market. The owner was friendly and helpful, letting us know which items were gluten and dairy free. After we d ordered, we could hear lots of chopping and food prep sounds coming from the kitchen, and when our food arrived it was delicious and included whole cardamom pods and cloves, which naturally enhanced the excellent flavours.

Chanced upon this small eatery while roaming around byward market..we had chicken curry n chicken Tikka biryani combos..food was great n quantity was good..definitely recommend..

ate here once, never will again. indian food should have flavour. the butter chicken i had did not taste like anything, almost as if the sauce was watered down. very unfortunate experience

Had chicken biryani, it was so good

Got the tandoori chicken combo and the channa masala for takeout. Didnt take too long, the food was good, and the service was friendly. One star missing for atmosphere it was deadly silent inside while we waited some music or a tv or something to entertain while waiting would have made it a five star takeout experience

Love it, Im never disappointed with the meals, the owners are always friendly. Food is delicious!!!!

Their tikka chicken wrap is probably in my top 3 in terms of sandwiches/wraps!

Great family business :) My favourite indian place in town

Easily my favourite food spot in the Market! Amazing food and amazing service. The family running the business is always so welcoming and kind! I love their butter chicken and fresh made nan! Beef samosas are always delicious too!

Amazing food, wonderful friendly family business would 100% recommend

Worst experience.!

Best bang for your buck

Whenever I am in Byward and feeling hungry and want something quick but not fast food, this is the place I go. Two delicious vegetable samosas for $5 and you won t be hungry. The spices and ratios of ingredients are lovely, and has me coming back for more. The beef samosas are very good too, but I find the vegetable samosas have a pinch more spiciness which I love. 100% recommend!

Reasonable prices, friendly owner. I had the lamb curry. The lamb was tender and the sauce was made with fresh tomato.

Love this place. Best naan in the city

The food was enjoyed on the Patio and the chicken biryani was delicious! I eat Indian food quite regularly and am always in search of delicious Indian food. This was one of my favourite biryani dishes to date. Both my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the food!

Amazing experience, lovely service. They deserve 5 stars for flavor and customer service. Well go back next time we bike from Barrhaven.

I love Chicken Biryani at this place!! Must try food item :) I went again today and had chicken biryani, samosa, and vegetable kabab. The flavour of spices had made my day!! Completely loved it!!

Hated the food! Awful! My parents and I could barely eat it. We were there on a Saturday at lunch time and I felt they served us leftovers from the day before. NOT the place to go for Indian food!!! They arent Indian!

Watery tasteless food! Sag paneer no flavour, butter chicken even the supermarket ones are better. they might put water to make more. Save your money, don t come here.

Honestly disappointed. The chicken biryani I ordered had only a few pieces of meat and als as the menu claimed. The daal soup was weak and watery af. The only good thing was the vegetable samosa. Not worth it.

Tasteless food, wastage of money and time

Awesome lunch spot - food is great and I love when they give us a mix of different dishes.

Amaaazing authentic curry- beef, chicken, lamb and veggie. The rice is super good too! The veggie and beef samosas are delicious! They also sell grocery products. The family is so wonderful and kind so its always a pleasant experience as well as delicious!

The best chicken curry and chickpea curry! This is home cooking right here! Whenever I am in the market I look forward to coming over here. Give them a try and you wont be disappointed.

Worst service with extra charges. Staff behaviour was so rude.seems like don t want customers even not happy to have us for their business

Tried the Lamb Curry and the BEEF SAMOSA it was great. The staff was very friendly and smells very authentic! Highly recommend if youre in the area. Will be back soon

The food was splendid amazing Lamb curry and Samoans the service was very professional. I also love how they have a mini Indian grocery store on the side. I would highly recommend!

Cozy, home-cooked Indian food right here in Ottawa. I had the healthy mix vegetable curry and soft saag panner plate with an additional potato spiced samosa on the side with tamarind sauce. Great value and kind people working here at the India cafe. Would recommend this place to all!

Very good tea and warm-welcome

Good samosas, reminds me of Gujarati taste

There are so many better Indian restaurants in the city! Search further. We had the butter chicken and the sagpaneer. None were tasty. The naan bread was really nice tho.

Handmade Naan and paneer, was quite good. Service was quick and very friendly. Buttered chicken was tender, but the sauce was sub-par. Salad that accompanied the dish was a little boring. Good spot to grab a quick meal.

Stopped by India Cafe while I was in the Byward Market for a quick bite, got a mixed plate with Butter Chicken, Homemade paneer and Chicken Curry. Everything was perfectly spiced and the chicken was full of flavour! Butter Chicken was the best Ive ever had in Ottawa! Employees were also very courteous and friendly, highly recommended!

The Staff here are so welcoming. The food is heartwarming. if your looking for good indian food on a budget this is the spot. the samosas are on point also very good diner

Friendly staff and great food!a must

Its hard to know what to make of this little shop- its been around forever, but its not considered an Ottawa institution, and the food is good, but not incredible. It is a pretty faded spot with yellowed signs and small tables, but the food is quite good and for a decent price- I have always had my naan made fresh for me, and the staff is always courteous. If youre looking for ingredients for a homemade Indian dinner, you can also get your ingredients here. Its worth popping in to this place if youre in the market.

Good location! Like that they sell Indian spices and sauces in store.

Nice place . I got the butter chicken with naan. Great dish!

Good vibes

Great naan!

My wife and I ordered the beef samosas plate, and the butter chicken. The beef samosas were big, and flavourful. Mildly spiced and filling with a simple salad. The butter chicken was unlike any other butter chicken Ive ever seen. The chicken was all white meat, but the sauce is very bland. It was like Kraft dinner vs. homemade Mac and Cheese. There were seemingly no spices at all in the butter chicken, and it looked neon orange? If I go back I wont order the butter chicken again.

Mediocre food...variety not good at all...

Worst food ever i had in entire canada journey

Not at all good food!

Good home-style, fresh Indian food. Friendly service. The excellent naan is made to order. Sauces were not super flavourful but still a good value and a nice experience.

I frequently stop by to take home Samosas, Veg kebabs or onion bhaji. I have a few picky eaters around me and these are the only Samosas they eat. The best! I brought some on a camping trip once and reheated on the campfire, a highly recommended camp snack! The house sauce is excellent. A family run business and always welcoming.

Friendly service and well priced for a downtown touristy area. Delicious and good serving sizes.

The service is attentive. #free samosa Soft samosa bathed in sauce. Butter chicken only tastes like coconut milk. In general it was dry, little sauce on the plate. The chickpeas and the overcooked rice which makes meatballs, a big blah. Commercial Salad Dressing/Thousand Islands. Damage...

Awesome service!

Good food and amazing service!

Excellent lamb saag with naan and biryani!! Must visit for Indian food lovers!!

Please don t waste your money here 1. Food has no flavour 2. Dishes are uncooked 3. Who puts mayo ? On indian salad ???? Literally BS !

Next to no customer service. The Samosas were delicious but I ordered 2 masala chai that tasted like everything but masala chai.. it was like your regular cup of tea with 2 drops of milk. I was very disappointed.

Good food but small restaurant

Aboslutely disgusting food. You can tell it was frozen before being served. Still made me pay even tho I did not eat my watery butter chicken, did not offer me anything else. Avoid at all cost.

Awesome place the food is excellent and the staff is friendly I highly recommend the place

Very tasty Indian food. I liked it. Awesome.

Maybe cheap but tasteless

Amazing delicious food. Generous amounts great price, warm family run service. Thank you.

this little hidden place is small, basic, and not fancy at all but they will serve you good food at a good price. it is a nice little family restaurant so the food looks like its home cooked

I typically wont eat butter chicken if its not super spicy, because I dont like the chicken taste to overwhelm the dish, literally the best butter chicken dish Ive had that didnt need to be spicy, as the sauces and everything were seasoned to perfection(Ive had it multiple times)...also, hands down, they have the BEST samosas Ive ever tried, and Ive tried maaaany different ones from restaurants all over the city. They are not dripping in oil and taste amazing, and the size of one? HUGE....I love it.

Good location, old looking cafe. The service is good...Tried their butter chicken.

I ordered food from here for a group of 11 people. Everyone really enjoyed the food! It was delicious and well made. When I preordered the food, the staff was so kind and even gave me an extra dessert to try :) I recommend this place to anyone, any day!

A small restaurant in the market boasting traditional and delicious Indian food. Was exactly what I was looking for when the lads and I were walking around downtown hungry on Sunday. India Cafe did not disappoint. Delicious naans and curries, will definitely come back.

Really great food!! Good prices too

This was a pleasant stop on a trip to the Byward Market. The food was a perfect serving size. Excellent taste. I would definitely recommend to a friend and eat here again. Also, they do have vegan/vegetarian options. Which are just as tasty as the plates that are made with meat.

One of my favorite spots in the city! Amazing from the chicken tika to the fresh samosas! Friendly staff and great prices! Highly highly recommend it!

Great food with awesome service. I love these types of family rum businesses.

Great food at a stable price

Great food, lovely atmosphere, and super friendly staff!

Very tasty beef curry and great service. I highly recommend.

Great little gem in the byward market. Lovely atmosphere and staff :) amazing veggie samosas!!

Delicious food, large portions and kind service!

Nice cozy place with homemade food and generous portions!

great service, cheap prices. tasty curries.

I tried India Cafe for the first time for lunch. I had the butter chicken, naan bread and a vegetable samosa. The samosa was huge, delicious and very filing! With a more rigid crust, it would have been the perfect samosa. The butter chicken came with rice and salad. The chicken portion was very generous for the price and was cooked perfectly. I like my sauce more thick than what was served but mixed with the rice, it was fine. Lastly, I did enjoy the naan bread and its size. My only suggestion would be to make it more buttery. I ll definitely come again!

Good food but very expensive food

Amazing! The service and food are great!

This is my go to place for Indian food. Good sized portions and a very good price considering how much food they give you. Excellent authentic naan bread for 2.25$.

Great food, friendly staff!

Good place for indian bites

Loved the food. So tasty and good potions.. very friendly staff. The owners are really nice and good customer service. Definitely would go there again

Amazing and authentic food. Highly reccomend it!!

Great place to eat in the bayward market. Will definitely be back.

Delicious food, big servings and great prices!! Will definitely come back.

Really nice and friendly staff. Great food for a good price.

Hearty meal for a good price

Good and large meal.

Delicious naan and Paneer! Thanks!

Pakoras were absolutely delicious! The curries were very yummy BUT the meat, both the chicken & the beef, were overcooked, dryish. The mango milkshake was tasty but far too sweet. I mentioned this to the owners, saying that one can always add sugar but not take it away. Generous portions, good service, nice family.

Its a bit of a dive but the food is tasty and the price is right.

A basic Indian menu for a quick meal, its a small place but a great place to stop when you dont want a fancy sit-down place. You can eat-in or take out. Personally I really like their chicken curry, and they make naan to-order as you watch.

Worth for money foo

Excellent !

Great food at a great price with amazing service! Generous portions, I was full before I could finish my plate! Lovely, friendly host Raisina advised us on meals when we were looking at the menu and served us. I am surely going back again!

Its the worst indian resturant i ever been too

Do not walk in or buy anything to eat . Quality and service is worse or go and waste your money

Food was okay. The place felt dated.

Great food,Ajwad was very helpful!

Their food is always wholesome and delicious. Most recently, I ordered a whole whack of samosas and onion bhajis for a party: they were made the same day, were so fresh, and were a total hit with everyone.

Do not come here, they charged me $16 for I kid you not, about 250 grams worth of food. This is not an exageration. He gave me a tablespoon and a half of chicked and sauce as well as a table spoon amd a half of lettise on the side with maybe 4 ml of sauce. If u want indian, go to the resteraunt in the Rideau mall or a buffet

The food was delicious and well seasoned. The naan bread was very light and good. We were well taken care of by the owner. I will be going back soon.

I dont know about the other foods this restaurant serves, but I know for a fact that the butter chicken it serves is substandard. Amaya restaurant in Rideau Centre is a better idea.

This place you can smell the amazingness from the sidewalk. I wasnt even hungry and I just had to walk in. The guy that works here was super cool and the food was fantastic! Must try this place!!! Yum!

Want flavour? They got it! So delicious. Got a platter with chicken curry and sag paneer with a mango lassi. Got a second mango lassi for walking around town. Yum! A little slow as it was probably just the owner, but that s what happens when they have a good product.

Took them over two hours to deliver my order. Gave them a second chance; they called back saying it would take about 2.5 hours to deliver because of car issues so decided to cancel it. After two phone calls asking them to cancel it so we dont get charge and nadda. Had to put a request in with Just Eat to make sure we arent charged. Not cool.

Lovely little place! The staff are always so friendly and very accommodating. Their vegetarian options are always fresh and tasty. I especially love their samosas and saag paneer. Service with a smile every time. :)

Very delicate food, nice service and smile. The choice is quite large in a small shop that is not made to impress your girlfriend but to eat good Indian food (definitely what I wanted). And I loved the Gulab Jamun (if this is the right spelling). I was there a month ago and I witnessed a bizarre event with another guest who dragged his family (apparently) into the café just to start complaining from the first step in (complaining about the choice, the recipe, ordering 3 plates for 6 people, not happy with the price). While the owners made a very professional job of being polite despite the bad treatment. How some people can be unreasonable!

Worst Indian Food ever had. The staff is so unprofessional and rude. Food was stale. Samosa smelled very bad and was not fresh at all. Also food was not even hot and when we requested to make it hot the staff said he cant do anything and behaved very bad. Would never go again. Yukkkkk food.

Best butter chicken. I really liked the flavours and the atmosphere of the restaurant. The customer service is amazing :)

Amazing customer service! The food was plentiful, colourful and delicious. Ill definitely be a returning customer.

Butter chicken is the best!!

The food is delicious - wonderful samosas!!!

The best sag paneer and naan Ive had. Was was good

Never go.. Worse food ever

So ridiculous food nothing tastes good and the prices are too high according to the quantity and quality of food RECOMMEND DONT GO

Been going here for years. This place has the best somosas Ive ever had! Amazing butterchicken and vegetable curry. Huge portions. Quality and quantity of food far exceeds the price. The staff are very welcoming and go out of their way to make our experience enjoyable. A true gem in Ottawa highly recommend it.