Roti Indian Bistro

Very overpriced. Terrible service.
This place is incredibly loud, I came here for date night with my husband and we didn’t even talk because it was so loud. The food was mediocre at best. I had the chicken tikka masala and it was ok, I’d give it a 6. We also ordered the goat curry and wow was it terrible. It felt like low quality fatty meat chunks. Now the service wasn’t rude or anything, but we were never checked on. We both went without refills and never got to order extra naan or dessert because our waitress never came back. We asked some other person for the check so we can leave and get ice cream down the street. The whole process of trying to get someone’s attention, paying, and getting our card back took 15 minutes. Meanwhile it seemed like our waitress was waiting on everyone but us and literally running around looking stressed out. Maybe they are understaffed? Still, not my problem, I’m trying to pay for good food and leave when I’m done. None of that happened.

Love this place, love the location and I love the company. There’s no waiting time and the food is amazing. Highly recommend it if you love Indian cuisine.

Look, I’m gonna say it. Based on the 2 top-​rated restaurants we’ve tried in West Portal, West Portal has 1 – 2 star inflation. We just moved to a nearby hood, and have started to scope out restaurants. Based on all the awesome reviews, we decided to give this joint a try. We were spoiled to have a couple of amazing Indian restaurants within walking distance in the Mission, and were sooooo hoping Roti would represent.
We used Order Ahead to order, and within about an hour, we had our comestibles. Everything was packed immaculately, the tamarind sauce was not forgotten, and it was thickkkkkk. The yellow lentils were bathed in a rich tomato sauce. The tomato sauce in the lentils, not my thing, yo. Tasty, but again, not my thing. The palak paneer was flavorful, but the paneer was kinda gummy, not soft and chewy in that rightttttt kinda way. The navrattan korma was pretty bada**. Hella vegetables, drenched in a smooth, creamy, rich sauce, and peppered with golden raisins, almonds, and pineapple. The garlic naan was good.
So, would I order from here again? Allow me to serve up some honesty… when we pay $ 80 for a delivery meal, it should break my mauf, make out with my taste buds, and leave me wanting more. Did any of those things happen? Yes, with the navrattan, but that’s just not enough for me to order a whole meal from here again:(

I am not a connoisseur of Indian food. I usually select Indian restaurants based on proximity and/​or delivery service. In college I ate several times at a place that was later revealed to be owned by a scoundrel who was hoodwinking women into coming over from India to work as slave labor in his many businesses. In retrospect, the service was lackadaisical, but I thought the food wasn’t bad.
That said, Roti serves some of the nicest Indian food I’ve eaten. It is fresh and unexpected, with offerings that are unfamiliar to readers of takeout menus but still approachable (and very delicious). The meat is tender, the sauces are diverse, and the herbs are fresh.
As a bonus they are extremely friendly to children, greeting them with a mango lassi upon arrival and usually gracing them with a visit from the manager (or maybe owner?) who arrives bearing tasty little bowls of chutney and the beatific smile of a monk achieving transcendence.

This is undoubtedly our favorite Indian restaurant in San Francisco. I was reminded of how authentic and excellent the food is recently when I had the opportunity to compare it with that of another highly rated Indian restaurant as I dined at both within less than a week and ordered exactly the same dishes. The Roti versions were more flavorsome, fresher tasting and less greasy. Our favorite dishes include: chicken pakoras, served with Roti’s amazing mint chutney, the chicken tikka masala, the lamb korma and the jheenga palak (jumbo prawns with spinach). We always over-​order so we can take food home with us. The service is friendly, personable and speedy. The staff make a special effort to welcome children, bringing delicious mango lassis soon after arrival.
The stylish, smart interior, inviting lighting and attractive wall hangings make for a great ambiance too. Well worth the excursion to West Portal if you’ve never been out here.

This time Dave and I were attempting 5 at 5pm. When you get a craving for Indian food, it’s 1) Contagious and 2) Irreplaceable so there we were piling into the car driving across town to West Portal, one of the few village like enclaves in San Francisco. Entering Roti with three kids in tow including twin two year old boys, I could barely lift my head to look the maître d in the eyes as we followed him to our table in the middle of the restaurant. «Cool», shouted Cate jumping onto the banquet full of throw pillows followed by her brothers climbing on up as she rearranged pillows and scooted on down to the other side of the table facing me. I was still draping jackets and hanging purses off my chair which gave me a chance to scan the restaurant and judge whether or not any uncomfortable looks were coming our way. I got a warm nod from an elderly couple and saw that there was another little girl seated quietly with an iPad. I don’t know how my nerves would make it through the day without the iPads at home but I’m not bringing them to restaurants or cafés. It’s one of the few rules that haven’t fallen to the wayside like eating on the couch and jumping off the coffee table.
Before I’m even settled in my seat, our charismatic server brought out three mango lassies in tiny fancy glasses with colorful straws. The kids eyes widened with enjoyment as they slurped down their treat. I took this opportunity to say hello to my husband while gathering all the knives from kids arm length. We were then offered papadam which ended up being a bit too spicy for Cate and Shane but Declan crunched away. Encouraged by his gusto I introduced him to the fresh plum sauce thinking dipping would entice him to try it, I was wrong so I distributed crayons and paper and picked up the menu. We ordered the tandoori mixed grill platter that sizzled and steamed onto the table capturing everyone’s attention. I could not get any eye contact while I chanted over and over «no touching.» Chicken, beef, lamb, prawns, and salmon sat piping hot in front of a captive audience. Dave and I had watched the skewers turning our meat in the open kitchen and the tenderness of each piece did not disappoint. I divvied up the pieces for the kids but their plates were still left untouched when the lentils, chicken masala, and prawn vindaloo arrived. I thought I’d spare the restaurant of having to sweep up afterwards so instead of ordering a rice dish we went with two orders of regular naan along with a keema naan. Needless to say we ordered way too much food but what’s better than going out to Indian? Eating the leftovers the next day.

My girlfriend was using the restroom and I was waiting to wash my hands. As I was waiting for her I noticed the art hanging on the wall had fly crap all over it. When She came out and announced that there was no toilet paper I let one of the employees know and he handed me a roll that had a cockroach on it. Disgusting! We did not stay and will never return. My perception is that it is filthy.

Roti is my favorite Indian food in the city. It’s great and the owners are fantastic always bringing food over to try and good snacks to have.
They also deliver if you call their number
My favorite food recommendations:
— lamb korma
— game hen
— veggie pakora
— chai
Always order rice, mango chutney and raita with everything SOOOO good.

My sister and I made a last minute decision to come here for lunch since Bursa was closed (and we already paid the parking meter). My only experiences with Indian cuisine were at Naan N Curry, and I found that pretty gross. But I remembered my friend saying this place was good, so I was optimistic.
My sister wasn’t too hungry so she ordered the appetizer sampler, while I opted for the Chicken Tikki Masala. When the appetizer sampler came out, I think the food runner forgot to the bring the sauce out with it. After a couple bites, our server offered us the sauces, but handled the situation in a rude way… Anyways, the chicken on my dish was pretty dry. I wasn’t a fan of the rice that came with the dish. The grains of rice were super thin, it felt like I was eating nothing. The vegetable salad was good and tasted fresh. Disappointed with the rice, I ordered garlic naan to dip into the sauce of the masala. The garlic naan was pretty good, but when dipped into the sauce, it just tasted like I was eating a pizza.
I think I would’ve given this place three stars, if it weren’t for the flies and the service. During our whole meal, my sister and I kept shooing away flies from our food. They were small fruit flies, and there were a good amount of them. I didn’t want to eat my dish anymore because I was scared one of the black peppers could’ve been a fly. Another table actually smacked one really loudly against the wall.
The server was just really rude from the beginning. After ordering, there was one more menu I forgot to hand her, and she stared at it and was like, «Um, do you need that?» The menu was within arms reach of her, so I couldn’t understand why I needed to hand it over myself. During the time I ordered naan, and after she put it in, she asked, «You just wanted the plain naan, right?» I asked what kind they had, ordered garlic naan, and she just rolled her eyes and looked annoyed cause she had to redo the order. I just don’t understand why she didn’t ask which one I wanted when I first ordered it… I’m a server myself, so I understand there can be bad days. But there is no reason to be rude to a customer.
I would never come back here… The service can be forgiven since I am a server myself, but there were just so many flies.

Went here for a casual dinner; we ordered the Chicken Tikki Masala and the Chicken Korma, as well as the side naan and rice. The food was outright delicious. The Chicken Tikki Masala was just the right amount of spicy and extremely flavorful. Our bill was $ 55 without tax/​tip for a 2 person dinner. I mean sure, that’s a bit pricey for Indian food. So if you’re solely craving Indian food for the heck of it, I would suggest a cheaper alternative such as those on Irving St (Naan and Curry/​Noori). However, if you want to have a nice dinner experience with attentive customer service, definitely check this place out.

They are back !!! But come on peeps — get your health department score UP !!! Come on!

Today is my husband’s bday and after a long debate he finally decided to come here. I happily abide as we came here once long time ago and had good memory of the last visit. Not only we were not disappointed tonight, we have even better experience than the last one. Food was beyond expectation though my husband thought it was too salty to his palate since he recently went on a low-​sodium diet for health reasons. The manager, whom we really like and respect (yes respect because he has this really calm and wise demeanor) took my husband comments so seriously and offered to give us extra onions to be added to his dish since he loves onions. He also reminded us tell them ahead of time in the future of any diet restrictions. We were also given a complimentary ice-​cream with candle. ;) All the servers were excellent and professional. My husband was proud of his choice and I’m too! We will come back soon.

Tonight I’m very grateful to my partner’s advice to go to this old place for a very wonderful dinner. Old means they are doing so well that they can survive all these years with all competition. For appetizers, we have the Garlic and Basil Naan, Keema Naan (naan stuffed with grounded lamb) & Fried calamari. Entrée we had Tandoori Duck Breast & Keema Aloo Matter. My favorite is Tandoori Duck Breast. It’s only on the December Special menu. The meat is juicy, not over or under cooked, & not greasy at all. Both Keema dishes are spiced so well that the gamy nature of lamb is minimized. The fried calamari is distinctively marinated with Indian spice. Ambience and service are great. All is very good here Except the noise level is relatively high inside, may be due to inadequate sound protection. Must come back soon.

Everything at this place is fabulous! From the food, to the drinks, the wait service, to the owner stopping by to check in, it is all great.
I have eaten at Roti numerous times and I try to order something different every time. I have never been disappointed.
The food is reasonably priced and I always leave feeling full with leftovers to enjoy the next day. I love when that happens! This restaurants is one of my favorites in the city. I definitely recommend it to all people, including families.

One of the best Indian food joints in the city. Flavors are wonderful, and the service is absolutely fantastic. With monthly specials that introduce fantastic dishes to try along with amazing standards that taste amazing, it’s hard to beat Roti.
I highly recommend the Chicken Korma to folks that normally go for the Chicken Tikka Masala. Put this over their Kashmiri Biryani for a fantastic blend of mild spice with sweet fruit and nuts. Served with a thick Mango Lassi and goat cheese naan? Wow! Oh, and don’t forget the Vegetable Pakora to start or their Mixed Green Salad with the spicy dressing.
But whatever you pick, I don’t think you can go wrong. Amazing food and amazing service.
One note, the restaurant does tend to get loud, as sound seems to be focused into the front with the shape of the ceiling and lack of sound absorbing materials. If you’re wanting to have a good conversation at your meal, I suggest you sit near the back and avoid the front by the windows.

A solid 5 on a 1 to 10 scale. The samosas were reheated. The basmati was very dry. I ordered halibut curry. The fish was fresh but I found the dish to rather bland and uninspiring for $ 24. And I’m pretty sure the fish was cod. Perhaps I just prefer something more flavorful and spicy than this regional style. I do like the beer and wine selection however.

Quiet, clean, and friendly, Roti is on the slightly more upscale side of West Portal. It’s a nice ambiance because it’s crowded yet quiet enough to carry conversation, but the food wasn’t very memorable, on the expensive side for what they were offering (~$ 14/​plate), AND NOT SPICY AT ALL
–Must order: the garlic naan
–Skip: chicken tikka masala. It was garbage and essentially chicken in a canned creamy tomato soup base.
–Proceed with caution: the chicken korma and lamb biryani were standouts, but the meat was unfortunately cut (when you’re eating family style, it’s frusturating to get a plate with three huge chunks of meat in it).
I did have a small peeve about having water here, which may be a bigger problem for people senstive to spices: our waitress would come around often and always ask us each individually if we wanted water, regardless of when our glasses were empty. We’re trying to eat/​talk – just fill the cups!

I am always on the search for the perfect $ 10 lunch. Here at Roti Indian Bistro in West Portal, I’ve potentially hit the mother lode.
Roti is a quiet, congenial, cozy spot on West Portal Avenue and their lunch specials are served alongside a generous portion of warm, bubbly naan bread or puffy, delectable poori (fried puffed wheat bread) accompanied by a small but hearty main dish and a salad. I ordered a tasty vegetarian option of creamy curry with peas and potatoes, Navarrattan Korma, alongside rosemary naan and can recommend it. Best $ 10 (plus tax and tip) I’ve spent in recent memory and another one to add to my new best of San Francisco $ 10 lunch list. Ordered a second lunch just to confirm its good, and sadly had a bit of a a weaker order, but the naan was still terrific, and for $ 10, I really can’t complain. Make sure to come early –lunch service is over by 1:45 pm, so the chefs can get some downtime before the dinner service.

Looking for a spot last minute to grab dinner, my girlfriend and I decided to give this place a try after seeing it on Unilocal.Upon entering, we were greeted by the host who let us choose our table. Once we were seated I noticed he tried his best to level the table which was uneven — very nice of him as most places wouldn’t even do this. Our waitress was very cheery and did a good job checking on us.
Murgh Makhani (butter chicken): pretty good. The chicken was soft and not overcooked, but it could have used a little more time in the curry to give it that extra flavor.
Bhindi Masala (sauteed okra): delicious variety of sweetness and spice with a hearty serving of okra.
Garlic/​basil naan: Although it’s not as fluffy as traditional naan this packs a delicious flavor punch! The oiliness just adds more to the flavor!
We also had an order of Basmati rice which was fine. Portion size was great and I liked how everything was served together — each dish was fresh and hot. The place is on the louder side inside and when we left the place was full. Not a good place for a first date or a romantic evening. Parking on this street is tough to find, so you’ll have to look elsewhere or on the side streets.

Excellent Indian cuisine. Lovely and inviting. Cozy booths and ornate pillows provide an intimate dining experience.
Great hot chai tea, best chicken and vegetable pakoras ever and masala to die for. They offer a similar dish to the chicken masala that has peas and a zestier sauce than traditional masala. Ask the server about it. It’s popular and often over looked. Had the slow cooked veal shank special last time. Amazing! The goat cheese naan is exceptional. And the side dipping sauces are exquisite. Wayyy better than most Indian Restaurants.
Food is a bit pricey. This is my special occasion Indian restaurant. If you’re looking to taste without braking the bank come for lunch. The lunch portions and prices are reasonable.
Parking is tough but the quality is worth it.