Tigerlily Berkeley

I was excited to see a fusion indian spot and couldn’t wait to give it a try. Tigerlily is a trendy bar/​restaurant across the street from the cheese board so you can people watch all the folks waiting on their cheese.
It’s pretty small inside with a wrap around bar and then some table seating. It shares its space with smaller food stores so you have to actually leave the restaurant to use the bathroom.
The portions are quite small for the price, so order a bit to get full. The menu is quite eclectic squid ink naan and pork belly. The flavors were good but again, the portion sizes are what turned me off.
I’d go back for drinks and small bites, but maybe not for a full meal.

I’m salivating as I reminisce this amazing meal. My friend had her birthday dinner here, and even though it’s a relatively small restaurant, they were able to accommodate for all 12 of us.
I ordered the Tikka Masala Fried Chicken. IT WAS HEAVENLY!!! It was so so so so good!!! Words cannot do justice for how amazing this was. The chicken was fried perfectly with just the right ratio of meat and breading. The chicken was tender and juicy. The mashed potatoes that came with it were so buttery and fluffy. The fermented greens were a nice palate refresher. Lastly, the sauce was glorious. I drowned my chicken in it. It was savory and creamy without being overwhelming. I also had a bite of my friend’s Mt. Lassen Trout, and it was really good too! It was delicate, light but still full of flavor. EVERYTHING WAS JUST SO GOOD!!! You just have to try it!
On a side note, I loved the décor and plates they used. The ceramic plates and water jugs they used were super cute. Also, the back wall was decorate with jars and jars and jars of fermented goods.
Lastly, the service was beyond amazing. As most of you know, splitting checks among 3 people is already hard. With 12 people, it was a disaster. They allowed us to split it among 4 cards, and it was still really hard. We wrote down the orders to put down on each card. The waiter accidentally made a mistake when putting the orders on each card, which led to him having the cancel all the transactions and redo it based on what we had written down. We felt really bad because there was so many of us, but he was patient and redid it for us without giving us an attitude.
I’m not sure if I’ll be able to try anything else on the menu knowing how good the Tikka Masala Fried Chicken is but I’ll definitely be returning!

A restaurant with amazing food, creative cocktails and a trendy vibe! My friend and I shared all the dishes and we weren’t disappointed by any of them.
The tuna tartare was light and well balanced with creamy avocado, fresh tuna and soy-​miring dressing. The papadum on the side was crispy with a slight hint of salt.
The tikka masala fried chicken is a must-​order with outside being golden crispy but inside still remains tender and moist! The masala sauce was put in small container on the side so the outside wouldn’t get soggy.
Their sergeant pepper cocktail was smooth and slightly sweet from the condensed milk.
We had the mint and curry flavored ice cream sandwich for dessert (they only had one option). We couldn’t really taste the curry flavor because of the overpowering mint flavor.
We had a pleasant experience here, and the waiter was attentive and funny! The only slight downside was that both dishes came with odd number of food so it’s a little bit inconvenient when sharing.

Stopped by with a friend who wanted to try this place on a Thursday night; the place was packed but we got seated right away. I really like the low light setting here, makes the place feel very cozy. Their drinks menu was pretty innovative but all I wanted that night was a mojito. Our drinks took… quite a while to get here but the waiter apologized so it was all good.
We noticed their dishes were on the smaller side so we ordered:
1. Avocado and roasted rainbow beets — when it came I really didn’t think much of it, or more like I thought I could probably make this at home. It was actually really good! It tasted very creamy and I liked the beets, I just wished there was more food on the plate.
2. Tamarind chili baby back ribs — yum, very tender and flavorful. The deviled eggs had curry in it and it completed this dish.
3. Tikka masala fried chicken — it really didn’t seem like much, but the chicken was actually fried perfectly! It was still moist on the inside and the tikka masala was amazing with the chicken.
4. We ordered a scallop dish but I can’t remember the name anymore. It was probably my least favorite dish of the night since the scallops were a bit well done.
Our server was very attentive and made sure to check on us every so often. Between the food, prices, execution, service, and décor, I think Tigerlily highly exceeded my expectations.

Went on a whim on a Tuesday night; it was quite busy, but the service was good and reasonably fast. The cocktails all sounded delicious, but we found them a bit weak (and full of ice), especially for the price. The food: two of us shared four smaller plates:
1. Red Beet Naan with three dipping sauces — out of this world naan, chewy and buttery with some crispiness on the edges, light beet flavor but a nice addition
2. Avocado and Beets — tasty and creamy; we both liked it a lot but agreed it could use something lighter and crunchier to offset the creamy avo, beets, and cheese
3. Tamarind Chili Baby Back Ribs — delicious ribs, tender and well-​spiced. My favorite part of this dish might have been the curried deviled egg that accompanied it — yum.
4. North Indian Style Meatballs — though good, this was our least favorite — it looked beautiful, and is a hearty dish that could easily be a meal itself. The curry just wasn’t as flavorful as it looked, but the meatballs were cooked well, and we still ate the whole thing. The squid ink naan on the side was a bonus.
Our total bill was about $ 75 for 4 small plates and two drinks. I would definitely go back.

I heard this place as new so I wanted to try it out. It was a cool place in North Berkeley, with a sleek dark and modern ambience with a natural «woody» vibe to it too. Drinks were cool, unique and innovative. Definitely a little pricy on the drinks though.
Me and my friend only went here for drinks, but it seems like the food is really good too. Looking forward to coming back and trying out the food!

What a delicious way to finish up a long day in Berkeley!
I’m going to regret not going often enough to north side to check out the different restaurants Berkeley has to offer but I surely won’t forget my experience at Tiger lily.
With its modern décor and organized layout, Tiger Lily is a wonderful restaurant when you want an intimate dining experience or drink.
My friend and I were very amazed by the dining setup. The water was offered in a beautiful container and we were also eating by candle light!
Ordered the famous fried chicken tiki masala as well as the squid ink naan and food came out very quickly.
First off, chicken was amazing! Fried to perfection and the tiki masala dressing was warm and flavorful. I’m surprised most places don’t offer this. Definitely get this and experience it like us.
Squid ink naan was an interesting experience. I didn’t taste much of a difference between this and regular naan but the beer flavored pork and parsley gave another level of flavor. However I thought the chicken was ten times better.
The coolest thing was probably the check that we received. Instead of the generic black plate, we got a passport style notebook with notes instead. THATS AWESOME!
Overall, cute and quaint dining experience. The food didn’t blow my mind away and I thought the price was a bit steeper for what we got. However, I was pleased by the service and the little quirks about the restaurant.
Eat well and prosper,

Food (⁵⁄₅): My friend and I split the avocado fry bread appetizer and the tikka masala fried chicken. Both dishes were amazing! The fry bread was soft, pillowy, and topped with guac, cheese, and balsamic vinegar. The accompanying arugula was slightly overdressed, but very fresh.
The tikka masala fried chicken was fried perfectly. It came with a rich curry dipping sauce, potato purée, and sauteed greens. Everything on the plate was amazing! Would def get again.
Service (⁵⁄₅): Everyone we encountered went out of their way to make sure we were well fed, well hydrated, and well taken care of! No complaints at all.
Value (3.5÷5): Portions aren’t huge, so for larger appetites it might get a little pricey, but I felt that the food, service, and ambiance were so good that I didn’t mind :)

Indian American Fusion at its best!
Although a little pricey for the size of its digs, Tigerlily will not disappoint. If you like the cocktails at East Bay Spice Company, you have to experience the dinner at Tigerlily. Tikka masala fried chicken and oh the red bean naan – every item on the menu creates a unique dining experience. Been here for ladies night, catching up with a friend, and the place seems perfect for date night.
I loved it so much, I’ve booked my graduation dinner at this restaurant!

*1^st time visitor*
Made reservations for this place thru my Unilocal app. (I’m a big fan of reservations «why wait?»). Showed up for my 5pm Sunday afternoon reservation for 2 and the place was half empty so perhaps no reservation was needed but better safe than sorry.
The weather was quite warm that day for the East Bay which made me fall in love with the wide open wall out front that connects the small inside with a couple tables outside. The décor was great! Very industrial meets green room slash hippie gardens. *picture it*… dim lighting set the mood for a relaxed afternoon with a breeze coming in from the front.
We were seated quickly by the host and greeted promptly by our waiter who seemed very relaxed and comfortable with us. He was a good listener and great with his own suggestions for what to order on a hot day. He helped me pick out the Lady Marmalade drink which was so perfect I ended up getting two of those. My friend wasn’t sure what to order so she described her cravings to the waiter and he delivered a refreshing drink which she also multiplied by 2!
The garlic cilantro naan for starters was so good I could have eaten all of it for dinner but of course I had to try more on the menu so I ordered the deliciousss Tikka masala with mash. The only inconvenience was that the chicken was still on the bone so you kind of have to leave your lady manners at the door ;)
P. S. Sorry no pictures! I was immersed in the atmosphere that I didn’t even think to reach for my phone. I’m surprised I remembered to check-​in!

This might be one of the best restaurants I’ve been to in a long time. Everything from the décor and ambiance to the food was totally noteworthy. A unique blend of New American and Indian fusion — you’re sure to enjoy dishes you’ll likely not find anywhere else.
Things you’ve got to order:
Cilantro Garlic Naan
Avocado + Beets
Tuna Tartare
Lamb Chop
Fried Chicken

I’ve been to a handful of Indian restaurants and sort of know what to expect when blindfolded. If I were to come here blindfolded, my mind would be asking myself what am I eating because it’s not registering in my database of memories. Tigerlily takes some of the usual ingredients and styles of traditional Indian cuisines and basically modernize it. Fusion or contemporary could be words passed around by other peers as well.
Our party of 6 ordered more than a handful of items and we were comfortable with each other to share some of our portions so we can all sample the goods and give our own feedback or two cents. All 6 of us agreed the following were the most memorable of the night and will definitely come back again for me (note that it’s rare for 6 of us to all love something):
1. Michael’s Pollen = A very refreshing cocktail themed around bees (lemon, honey, and pollen). I easily downed two of them without noticing but later felt the alcohol kick in. Concocted like a boss.
2. Tikka Masala Fried Chicken = Who here loves fried chicken? Who here loves Tikka chicken masala? What if we combine the two? Profit.

During the last week of January, people were enjoying Restaurant Week in both San Francisco and Berkeley. There were a ton of restaurants in San Francisco to choose from, but there weren’t any restaurant that I really, really wanted to try. Everyone goes to Roka Akor, but I already checked it out two years ago.
I really enjoyed dining at Joshu-​ya Brasserie with Clay last year for Berkeley Restaurant Week, so I decided to check out what Berkeley had to offer this year. I’ve read all the rave reviews Tigerlily got on Unilocal,so I made a reservation for me and my siblings!
Opened in January of 2015, Tigerlily serves Californian cuisine with an Indo-​Asian twist. The restaurant is rustic and uses low light for that intimate feel. They pride themselves on serving food that uses produce from organic farms and whole spices. Chef Joel Lamica likes to use ingredients to their full potential and waste as little as possible.
Their menu is organized into: fire, earth, sea, land, and sky. Pretty cute! For $ 35 per person, we got to enjoy a salad, entrée, and dessert.
— Avocado and Beets with pistachio salsa verde, paneer cheese, kohlrabi, arugula, and citrus vinaigrette: pretty delicious salad, but it was a little overdressed for my liking.
— Tikka Masala Fried Chicken with buttermilk marinade, tikka masala, cauliflower, and walnut caponata and buttermilk mash: this is their signature dish! Chicken was nice and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I really liked the buttermilk mash.
— Chocolate cake: it was a too dense for me! I like my cakes nice and fluffy, hah.
Since my baby brothers attend UC Berkeley, I need to take full advantage of checking out the food scene there. And what better way to do it than Restaurant Week? :)

I’ve had Tigerlily Berkeley bookmarked for some time after seeing their eclectic menu. My friend was in town visiting and we were looking for a spot for brunch. I thought why not try this place out for something different than the usual brunch fare. A huge plus was that there isn’t a long wait for brunch and they have some great dishes on their brunch menu. Service was fantastic as well.
My friend described the food most eloquently in between bites calling it «Indian food (and spices) translated through the channel of classic comfort food.» Our group had the chicken tikka masala waffles, pork belly eggs benedict, and an egg sandwich. Everyone enjoyed their meals for the most part (the egg sandwich was a bit too salty). But the other two dishes were great. The fried chicken that came with the chicken and waffles was crispy, moist on the inside, and had a nice touch of spice. Dunking a piece of waffle with crispy chicken into creamy tikka masala sauce made for a very satisfying bite. It’s not a dish that blows your mind in terms of unique flavor but more in the fact that it’s a unique combination, making it a fun dish to eat. I had a bite of my friends pork belly benedict which was good as well, but again more unique in the combination than mind blowing flavor.
Looks like their menu changes frequently too which is awesome and just means there’s always something new to check out. Another dish that caught my eye was the tandoori shrimp and grits (hopefully I can get that during my next visit!) Also, if you need a brunch drink to go with your meal, try their house bloody mary. I really enjoyed the Indian spices in there which gave it a unique flavor.
The ambience inside is dimly lit, cool, trendy, etc. They’ve got some outdoor seating on the patio as well to enjoy on a warm day. Definitely worth checking out if you want something different!

I will forever rave about Tigerlily to all my friends and then anyone that is willing to listen. This place is perfect, from the décor to the service to the mix of flavors you get from a single bite into any dish.
I went around 7 p.m. for a birthday dinner with two other friends. At the end, Tigerlily helped us surprise my friend for her birthday by helping us prepare a dessert with a candle on top.
When you walk into Tigerlily, what first strikes you is the decoration and lighting inside. At night, the place is dimly lit with decorative fabric draped across the ceiling. Each table has cups and candles as well as an adorable blue corked bottle with water in it.
The service was excellent. The waitress was incredibly attentive, constantly checking up on us and filling out water. We started off with a blood orange crush, which was a delicious cocktail. It’s pretty sweet and the blood orange flavor really shines through. We tried the squid ink naan first, which was so good. The squid ink flavor wasn’t too strong and the light saltiness of it tasted great in the naan bread. There were three types of dipping sauces for the naan: a traditional tandoori spicy sauce, a cilantro-​oil mix and a Greek yogurt type dip. All three tasted with the naan bread.
For our main course, we split their famous tikka masala fried chicken and the tandoori spiced pork. The chicken comes with mashed potatoes on the bottom and this tandoori sauce to pour over it. The fried chicken is out of this world. I have honestly never have fried chicken better than this place. The chicken is perfectly fried with soft breading and it melts in your mouth. I’ve never had chicken melt in my mouth before. The mashed potatoes on the bottom compliments the fried chicken well. It’s seasoned well with crunchy baked basil that melts in your mouth too. The sauce is great at bringing the entire dish together. Seriously drooling right now thinking of this dish.
The tandoori spiced pork comes with a marinated sweet pear and a coleslaw dish on the side. Both are great paired with the sweet glaze of the pork. The pork is cooked perfectly, just a tinge of pink on the inside. I have to say that I preferred the fried chicken to this dish but it was still very well done and delicious.
The only downside I will say about this place that it’s not for anyone on a budget. Our entire night came out to $ 100 with tax and tip. It’s an amazing place for a night out with friends or for a date night.

I was a fan of Mint Leaf so was curious to see what new restaurant had taken its place. Tigerlily Berkeley has been here for a year and I was intrigued to try it. I used Unilocal SeatMe to make a reservation. My first choice (6:30 for two people) was available and I got a res immediately!
The ambiance of Tigerlily seems similar to Mint Leaf: casual, trendy, cozy. Perfect for a date or a catch-​up dinner with friends. The service was excellent! The staff was attentive, professional and warm. The food was AMAZING!!! We started with the squid appetizer (yummy — my only complaint was that there seemed to be more potatoes than squid). We HAD to order the popular Tikka Masala Fried Chicken. Crunchy on the outside, moist on the inside! However, our favorite was the Slow Braised Pork & Naan Negro. The pork was so flavorful and tasty! And squid ink naan is now a new favorite of mine. I had the IPA of the day (Fieldwork) to complement the dishes.
We loved this place and I already can’t wait to return!

Came here on a Monday night with friends after work. I barted to the North Berkeley station and from there it was a 5 – 10 minute walk. It’s on a side of Berkeley that I usually don’t venture or explore so I was excited to visit.
This place has an intimate, but also trendy and cool vibe from low-​lightning, candles and back seating area, to the high top seats and sports bar at the front. It’s a great place for date night or a cool place to hang out for drinks and apps.
The service was very fast. Even on a Monday night, the restaurant was relatively crowded (it is small). In the past when I have looked in passing by, it was a Friday or Saturday night where people definitely go out more and it was pretty crowded inside. The drinks were really great and the food was delicious. From the organic and cool décor, I thought the menu would be very expensive, but it is a solid $$ on Unilocal and is manageable. There was even a prix fixed menu of $ 25 that included 3 dishes which sounded excellent!
I ended up getting the tuna tartare which was on the light side, but still great. If you’re really hungry, I would suggest also ordering an appetizer.
Overall I loved this place and would definitely come back if I had the chance.
Ambiance: 4.5÷5 (A bit small)
Service: ⁵⁄₅
Food: ⁴⁄₅
Overall Experience: ⁴⁄₅

What I ate: Too much.
Visit date: December 28, 2015
First time? Yes.
I love everything about Tigerlily — the food, the dranks, ambiance, the dishware… yes, the dishware. I met up with an old friend and we thoroughly enjoyed every bite. We started with a pickle plate and avocado fry bread. The pickle plate had cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, and «grapes.» Each pickled item had a different flavor and texture — lovely. The avocado fry bread reminded me of a fluffy Funyun — try it and you’ll see. Salty bits with creamy avocado — yum!
Then, we split two entrees: the tikka masala fried chicken with a buttermilk mash, and the dahl kofta with runny egg and sunchoke purée over a bed of braised kale and mushrooms. The chicken had a delicate crunchy outside and a tender, juicy inside. It stood proud on its own, but then there’s a tikka masala sauce, served warm, that you need to drizzle on top. The kofta was comforting. Make a perfect bite with a little kale, a slice of mushroom, runny egg, and sauce, and it’s a perfect way to spend a winter evening.
As if we didn’t stuff our faces already, we topped off our meal with the Rosemary’s Baby (which was anything but scary). A rosemary chocolate cake with crème fraîche ice cream, balsamic reduction, and pomegranate seeds. Talk about unique flavor profiles!
Their cocktails were lovely, too — like adult fruit juice!
I shall return!

Who doesn’t like chicken and waffles? Now how about Tikka Masala Chicken and Waffles? Let me tell you, it’s absolutely delicious. One their own, each component is well executed. The chicken is crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside. The waffles also have a really nice crust to them. But bring them together with the masala sauce and you have something close to genius.
I also had another interesting dish: Onsen Eggs in a Coconut Curry. Olsen eggs are basically slow poached eggs, via an immersion circulator or other low temperature method. I found the curry too sweet on the whole, but mixed in with the eggs and potatoes, it was pretty good, although I probably wouldn’t order it again.
And although I didn’t partake of the cocktail menu, they have a good selection of interesting craft cocktails.
Lighting is a bit dim at this place, especially toward the back. It’s almost as if they don’t know what they want to be, and if there’s a knock on this place, that would be it – both in terms of food and concept. As for the service, it was friendly, if on the slow side.
But you’re looking for a brunch spot that is a bit more exotic, a bit more outré, then Tigerlily is the place.

Short Story: This place is to die for… it’s that good!
Long Story: We came here for brunch on a Saturday to celebrate a friend’s birthday. We got there close to 11:30am. I ordered the fried chicken and waffles with tikka masala sauce. It was definitely very different from your run of the mill chicken and waffles place. Most places have mashed potatoes or gravy and this place uses a tikka masala sauce!
The chicken is cooked to perfection… not too greasy and not too salty. The waffles are a bit sweet and I didn’t use any of the other sauces you can get. The tikka masla sauce definitely goes well! Can I say that again!
Verdict: I’m already driving up there for more!

Solo le doy 3 por que fue muy poquito lo que pedí y quizás no me gusto los huevos con el curry