Namaskar Fine Indian Cuisine

Had an absolutely incredible meal at Namaskar a few months ago. Tried an appetizer sampler and also their mixed grill, so I didn’t know what a lot of the items were, but they were alllllllll delicious. My girlfriend and her friend both found the food to be a bit too spicy for their taste (even the mild), but I thought it was perfect. I do like spicy food, but I think it would be reasonable for most people with a normal tolerance.
The naan was also enjoyable, but the mixed grill simply made my night. Can’t wait to eat there again.

Poor excuse for Indian food. I went there for brunch, the food was cold, uncared for and very blah! Bad start to my discovery of Davis square!
Well the only reason they got a star from me is because that so called «fine indian cuisine» place was very affordable!

I was hesitant to dine here for a long time because of its modest appearance and the fact that most people seem to prefer the flashier Diva. Clearly, I’m an idiot. Namaskar has some of THE best Indian food I’ve had in Boston.
Staples like pakoras, samosas, and saag paneer are solid. Meanwhile, their tandoori chicken is probably the best I’ve ever had. It’s amazingly rich and falls off the bone. I almost never like soups of any kind, but their tomato coconut is creamy and delicious. And I know it’s a stereotypical– white– person thing to say, but I especially love their masala sauce, which has a nice kick and is creamier and more flavorful than others I’ve tried. (I’m Italian. I like tomatoes! Leave me alone.)
Also their lunch buffet is incredible: They offer a wide variety for only $ 7 AND you can take out! I always end up with enough food for at least two meals.
Lastly, the staff is warm, friendly, and considerate. I work in the square and they recognize me on my extremely short and hurried lunch breaks. When I have the time and money to sit down and have dinner, they encourage me to relax, offer complimentary soup or apps, and make me feel spoiled and pampered. Quite outstanding service.
Frankly, I’d probably come back even if they were rude.

A group of us came here for dinner last week and really enjoyed our meal. It wasn’t the absolute best Indian food I’ve ever had, but it was very good, and the service was great. The staff was very friendly and accommodating, even when we asked about splitting the check. They were also happy to guide the Indian food newbies in our party in answering questions about the menu. In addition to all this, we were served an extra appetizer and extra order of garlic naan on the house!
For an appetizer, our table split an order of the Gol Gappa and the Vegetable Pakora (the complimentary appetizer). I wasn’t a huge fan of the Gol Gappa, but thought the dish was well-​executed (the poories were nice and crispy) and the rest of the table enjoyed it. On the other hand, I loved the Vegetable Pakora: the spinach and onion fritters were perfectly fried so that they were crisp without being too much so and the grease was kept to a minimum. I’m definitely planning to order those again!
This time around, we each ordered our own entrees; however, I would recommend eating family style. The portions are large and served in a way that makes splitting the dishes quite easy. Besides, taking this approach means you get to try more things! This is important considering how many tempting options there are on the menu…
After bouncing around between the Chicken Vindaloo and the Madras Chicken I settled on the Madras. The idea of a spicy ginger and tamarind sauce sounded delicious, and I wasn’t disappointed. The flavors of the dish were solidly good and definitely not one-​note. My one complaint is that the dish could have used a bit more heat (spiciness) to it. It was more mild that I’d hoped, which was surprising considering that I asked for it to be spicy. From what others at my table said, the Vindaloo had more heat to it (it should have!). In addition, the garlic naan, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Boti Kabab were all deemed quite tasty.

Don’t judge a book by its cover. During the day, the restaurant is dimly lit and seldom crowded, almost giving the appearance that it is closed. I am guilty of passing over namaskar more than once for these reasons and settling for my usual indian buffet indulgence down the street at Diva. I even confess that I once walked in to Namaskar, glanced over the buffet and walked out, having assessed that the presentation was not grand enough to possibly contain anything capable of sasiating my appetite.
Well, let me guarantee to you that, for all that is lacking in ambiance and presentation, the food does not suffer one bit. Each dish is richly crafted with deep and delicate flavours that blend harmoniously while inexplicably retaining their unique characters. Each of the half a dozen curries offers something distinct and honours the quality ingredients it contains with authenticity and balance.
Diva is out. Namaskar is in. Take the plunge. After your first bite, you cannot regret it.

After more than a few sub-​optimal dinners at Diva, I brought my business (and stomach) to Namaskar, and I haven’t looked back! As a previous Unilocaler wrote, this place treats their customers like royalty. I once went there on my birthday and had a complimentary glass of wine sent to the table by the owner (who is there most nights) when the waiter overheard that it was a celebratory dinner.
The chicken tikka masala is good, as is the garlic naan. Their aloo tiki/​poori is delicious as well. Honestly, save yourself the headache of Diva and walk the extra block to Namaskar.

Okay so I’m a little biased here maybe, because I really, really like India Palace in Union Square… a lot…
With that out of the way here’s my take on Namaskar:
My g/​f and I stopped in for the lunch buffet on a Sunday. The sign outside (on Sunday) says in big bold letters «LUNCH BUFFET: $ 6.95» — sweet. Let’s go.
We get seated at a booth that is completely torn on both sides of the booth and with the one non-​functional light in the restaurant. Okay… thanks.
We go up to the buffet and not all of the things on the buffet have little description cards, and some of the items in the hotline have metal tongs to serve… these tongs get HOT!!! Be frickin’ careful!
The good about the buffet is most of their food is good and they have a wide array: more than most. Their kofte was probably my favorite thing they had, more for the sauce, which was nicely spiced and creamy, than the actual kofte, which was a little dense and dry. Their lentil dish was also pretty spot on.
The better about the buffet was they served the best, fluffiest, naan I’ve ever had.
We got asked if we wanted anything to drink in addition to water exactly zero times.
Oh and remember the sign that said $ 6.95 out front? Remember? «Sweet»? Oh there was a smaller line that says «weekdays only» under– on Sunday it’s like $ 10.50/person. Not so sweet. It seems a bit disingenuous to me to put this sign outside your restaurant on a Sunday while you’re clearly serving a lunch buffet at the same time. I call shenanigans.
Look, if they hadn’t been a tad deceptive about the price, and they actually asked if we wanted something to drink besides water, and maybe we got a complete seat, and I didn’t still have red marks from the tong burns on my fingers, this would probably be a 4 star review. If it weren’t for the actual food, this would probably be a 2 star (or maybe even a dreaded 1…). Well they cancel out– 3 stars.

I’m lucky that I have a mom who makes ridiculously awesome Indian food, so I guess I’m a little spoiled. I don’t often go out for Indian (since my taste buds have been oh so priviliged) but I went to Namaskar last night. They have many dishes on the menu ranging from several regions of India. When I placed my order (app: veggie platter $ 8.99, entrée: ringan bataka $ 12.99, garlic naan $ 4.49) I asked the waiter to make the food somewhat spicy. Thank god they understood that I meant an Indian level of spiciness. They even finished off the meal with a complimentary dish of kheer (rice pudding).
The only thing that annoyed me was that after I ordered a drink (Kingfisher $ 5?) and my appetizer, the waiter came back every 30 – 45 seconds to see if I was ready to order my entrée. Calm down buddy.
Also, there was an street festival in Davis 2 weekends ago and Diva had a food stand. So I got plate of $ 2 pakoras (literally vegetables deep fried in batter) and they sucked. I don’t even know how it’s possible to mess up something so simple. There were pakoras in my veggie platter appetizer last night at Namaskar… they rocked.

Stopped in here for a quick solo lunch as I’ve always passed by here and went to their competitor down the road. I had a dish of Chicken Tikka Masala with rice and it was top notch. Really some of the best I’ve had on the east coast.
The décor of Namaskar is nice, clean, and basic. The service was also friendly.

I originally thought this was Diva. and I was like. noooo. this can not be good. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was down the street.
It was pretty good… it’s not really a dive. Nice décor inside. Only complaint. it was really cold because they left the doors open at night.
The food was pretty good. we got the lamb saag and the benghan bartha (eggplant dish). The waiter/​owner threw in naan for free which was really really nice of them. I will go back again. I read about the lunch buffet… oooo!!!

The best Indian food in the Somervile/​Cambridge area!
As others have mentioned, I never fail to be completely puzzled walking by the always-​crowded Diva, and then finding Namaskar just a few feet down, half-​empty. To my fellow Davis-​Square-​ians, give this place a try if you haven’t yet — it definitely deserves a greater following.
What’s so great? THE FOOD, first and foremost. The garlic naan is incredible… we’ve started ordering two orders of naan when we go here so that there will be plenty for leftovers. All of the dishes I’ve tried have also been delicious — the chicken curry is great, but by far my favorite menu item is the Chicken Kashmir. so good (chicken, banana, pineapple, in a light curry sauce. mmm!) I also have to give a huge shoutout to the service — the staff is SO attentive and nice. They even gave us extra rice for free to go with our leftovers.
Pricing is maybe a buck or two more per entrée than Diva, but so worth it. The environment is much more intimate/​cozy, too.
Bottom line, this place definitely qualifies as a hidden gem — check it out if you haven’t already.

I love Indian food, despite the invariable suffering that always accompanies a plate full of non-​Latin spiciness.
We came here in a group of 10 people for a friend’s birthday, and were seated promptly upon arriving (we made a reservation). Upon recommendation of our server, we ordered enough naan to feed at least half of India, with no regrets (~ $ 5 per order, which feeds 2 – 3). Garlic was my favorite, but the paneer, mughlai and regular naans were also stellar.
I would recommend going family style, since each entrée serves 2−3+ people if you’re all sharing, and maybe even if you’re not. I ordered the Chicken Jalfrazi ($ 14), which was fantastic, and I’m the only one who bitched out and ordered medium instead of skin-​searing, babies-​are-​crying, house-​is-​on-​fire super spicy. Glad I did.
The leftovers are even better, and your water glass will never go dry. I’d go back in a heartbeat.

What the hell, Davis Square? Are we such a community of fickle fools, so easily distracted by stupid gimmicks and shiny things that we patronize that callow trollop Diva while the hands-​down superior Namaskar is left to quietly squander itself into a curry-​scented oblivion? YOU GUYS. IT’S SO MUCH BETTER. And unlike Passage to India, its brother in Indian-​restaurant-​neglect, Namaskar responds by upping its customer service and treating its few-​and-​far-​between customers like royalty.
The food is exquisite. Papadum and chutneys are served like bread, free of charge, and the dishes are well-​sized and really, really good. Old stand-​bys like chicken tikka masala are rich and textured – not bland, oily, and Americanized – and there’s a wealth of options for vegetarians. The service was warm and speedy, and the little sparkly rubber balls that reflect the light over the tables are the classiest of kitsch.
Davis, I’m only one woman. And I find your lack of faith disturbing. If this place goes under because of your sad devotion to Diva, you’ll have only yourselves to blame.

Stopped in here for the lunch buffet which was $ 9.
I hadn’t been here for a number of years and either my memory is bad or this place is not as good as it used to be. The fresh cooked naan that they bring out is great. Cooked perfectly and you can’t beat the freshness. The buffet had a decent amount of selections, but I was disappointed everything was with either veggie or chicken. What happened to the goat and lamb selections? The saag and tiki masala were good, but nothing else really stood out. The service was decent and the prices average. The quality of food is still better than Diva and the prices still lower so its the best place in Davis for Indian still.

My first foray into Indian cuisine happened at Namaskar many years ago. I had tandoori chicken, wary of the curries and vindaloos my dining mates were ordering. Did I want to try some curry? Meh, why the heck not. So glad I did. Got hooked and my relationship with Indian food has been copacetic ever since.
Namaskar has ranked high on my go-​to Indian joints. It shared a top spot with Rangoli in Allston (RIP) and now I have yet to try a place that is as delightful.
The food is aces. The atmosphere is nice, quiet and cozy. The service is always excellent. Love those dudes.
Much better than Diva and oh-​so tasty, Namaskar for life.

So I went here on basically my first date with my now-​boyfriend. We got dishes that satisfied both of us, even though I’m vegan and he’s an omnivore. Come to think of it, I think he didn’t eat any meat during his meal, but swore me to secrecy about that for the sake of his manliness or something. Oh well.
The server was friendly, though he didn’t really speak English as he definitely did not understand my questions about the menu.
The food was good, but VERY spicy. I mean, I enjoy some spice, and so does my boyfriend, but it was a bit intolerable after a while. We ended up bringing it back to my Indian roommate who ate the stuff like a white person would eat potato chips. We were pretty darn impressed. The samosas are good, though, and definitely aren’t as spicy.
Also, I’ve organized a few events over at Tufts that we’ve ordered a ton of veggie samosas for. They charge $ 1 per samosa when you do this, which is a pretty darn good deal. Also, if you’re picking up a platter of samosas, you can park in the back! This would’ve been really great to know when I drove around Davis forever looking for a space on St. Patrick’s Day.
Oh, and it’s definitely better than Diva.

I feel bad for Namaskar. They have the sad luck to be a fantastic Indian restaurant one block away from a really crappy Indian restaurant that is doing better than them.
I went to Namaskar for my birthday and got the Lamb Korma with some naan on the side. I’d tell you what my girlfriend got, but I honestly can’t remember. Something vegetarian… anyways:
My lamb was really, really good. It was excellently seasoned and went great with the garlic naan. My girlfriend liked her dish, but she did comment that it was a bit too spicy for her. The restaurant was very interesting too. I liked that you could see into the kitchen area and stare into the open tandoori ovens (which are terrifying, by the way). The staff was attentive, but not over-​bearing, and the meal was pretty reasonably priced.
If you are ever in the Davis square area and you crave Indian food, I strongly urge you to go over to Namaskar and ignore the bright flashing lights at Diva. You won’t regret it.

We went in on a Monday night with friends and the place was dead. Needless to say we were doted on until a few more customers showed up. I always hate when that happens. Service should be consistent.
The food itself was good. The veggie pakoras were very good and the naan tasty. For dinner I got the chicken biryani rice dish. It was nicely spiced and the portion was big.
Like all Indian eateries, we all have our favorites and biases. I have a few other go-​to places but good to know this one is so close. Prices were very fair, the location is convenient, staff is nice.

i went here with my wife, her two brothers and one of the brother’s girlfriend. We got a wide range of meat and vegetarian dishes. Saag paneer, several types of naan, lamb biryani, aloo mutter, and chicken tikka hariyali. Everything was excellent and the service was fast and efficient.
side note: I could eat papadum with the spicy onion curry at every meal.

I went for the lunch buffet the other day and the food was pretty awful. The only redeemable food was the chicken tikka misala and the chicken was dried out in that. The naan was still good. There were fried vegetable things that were completely dried out, and a lot of vegetarian dishes that were ok.
It was still a good value, but really unimpressive compared to just ordering the food straight up.