(415) 928-0333

  Full halal menu

  Alcohol-free

  $ out of $$$$

   accepted

  Available to-go

  Mass transit nearby

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★★★★☆ It's not a classic sit in or romantic type of restaurant. It's like desi places with lost cost but delicious food. Their BBQ is really good especially served with hot naan. It's a busy place and you will see non desi people eating here too which speaks of quality. Be careful with surrounding neighborhoods and you will see homeless people around. Posted on March 22, 2017

★☆☆☆☆ Skip not worth it Posted on January 24, 2016

★☆☆☆☆ This place is a contradiction. They have a sign that says "No Alcohol" and yet they allowed patrons at two tables to drink beer that they had brought in. The recent health inspection showed a score of 98, but the floors and chairs had grime and the waiter touched the forks and plates that he brought to people's tables while also digging in his ear during downtimes. We ordered the Chicken Karahi, which we have enjoyed for years in Fremont's Shalinar location. Here it tasted bland; they had skipped using tomatoes and were with some alternative unsatisfying recipe. Next time, we will we are in the City, we will go for a clean halal place and pay a little more for the comfort of not being ordered around by an uncle and eating a Kabob that the cashier touches raw while putting into the oven and then touches cash and people's debit cards without washing his hands. Skip this place! Posted on December 9, 2015

★★★★★ Good food, it was tasty and cheap.I had their chicken tikka, and beef kabab with naan, which was really tasty. Posted on April 13, 2015

★★☆☆☆ This place needs a facelift.. It's not like they are not making any money. City rating on the wall states 84.. Which is below " meets requirements". And the food. Mediocre, if that.. Come on Bay Area, if this place was good back in the day.. It is not now and It definitely isn't the 5 people have been giving it on here. 1 if I was being 100% and a 2 just because they are Muslim and I'm giving my brothers a point for being Muslim.. Would not recommend to ANYONE. Posted on January 25, 2015

★★★★★ Must visit place to visit if you love barbecue. If you are looking for a nice environment to enjoy your food in, this isn't the place for you. But if you want the best Desi food without minding the ambience, you can't go wrong here. Posted on November 17, 2014

★★★★★ So its non-descript, dirty, and divey but its also the best bar bq joint this side of the atlantic. Amazing chicken tikka and really good nihari and naan. Its chaos at times on weekends even after 18 years of being around. The original is still the best. Posted on June 1, 2014

★★★☆☆ If you want good Pakistani food and don't mind unhygienic environment, with classic desi style service! Posted on December 26, 2013

★★★★★ I was in the Bay area for work and stopped by here with co workers for the second time in two years. LOVE the food. Posted on July 27, 2013

★★★★★ If you care exponentially more about the food rather than customer service, ambiance, decor etc. like I do, then you'll find this place truly amazing! I've been going to Shalimar for the past 10+ years and their food is just superb. Whether you order, chicken tikkas, kabobs or naans, you won't be disappointed. Who knew you could get taste of Lahore in the heart of San Francisco. Posted on January 21, 2013

★★★★☆ Good solid Pakistani food in SF. The location is not the best, so beware at night. Ordered seekh kabab, naan and chutney. Enough said. Posted on September 11, 2012

★☆☆☆☆ This place is pathetic!!! The owner is a snob and he does not care about hygiene at all... The rest rooms are shabby and dirty along with the resturant. The restroom stinks and seems it hasn't been cleaned for days!!! Ambience rating: 1 Hygiene rating: 1(pathetic) Courtesy rating: 1(rude) Service: 1 (crap) Avoid the owner, he is a very rude and arrogant person. My First and last visit here !!!! Posted on September 5, 2012

★★★☆☆ Pros: Food was not oily and some items tasted better than others. Chicken Tikka was awesome, Chicken Tikka Masala was great and the kabobs and chicken karhai were average. Chai was GREAT and I think free. Cons: The plain Naans were terrible -- very dry and hard. This was the typical desi hole in the wall. Absolutely disgusting and DIRTY facilities. There were FLIES everywhere. GROSS GROSS. Posted on August 30, 2012

★★★★☆ I took the family here while visiting SF. The place isn't the cleanest and seemed to be in a rough part of town. We had the chicken, haleem, and kabobs. The food was tasty and enjoyed by all, though the naan was a bit burnt/crispy. I would recco this place. Posted on June 28, 2012

★★★★★ Visited this with a friend. The food took some time to come but it was so worth the wait. The nihari was yummy and the naans were good. I wish to visit again! Posted on May 1, 2012

★★★★☆ This is a must stop over when ever we visit SF. small place but worth the wait food Posted on April 16, 2012

★★☆☆☆ The place is dirty, the lines are long, there wasn't enough staff to handle the crowd, but overall the customer service wasn't bad and the food was decent. Nothing too special about it though. Posted on December 29, 2011

★★★★★ The place reminded me of eating somewhere in Lahore. The food was excellent and the mango lassi was the best I have ever had here in the states. The naans were jumbo sized so better to start with less. All in all a very good place to eat. Posted on December 27, 2011

★★★☆☆ I saw new faces at the store. Person at cash register seemed to be Punjabi(sikh) with gold chain and kada. Food also tasted different. Can someone PLEASE validate and reconfirm HALAL authenticity. In my opinion, if management has changed then Halal verification should be reconfirmed. Posted on November 7, 2011

★★★★☆ Shalmiar serves one of the best Tanduri chicken. Place is simple, yet food is good. Posted on September 30, 2011

★★★★☆ Always try one of the branches whenever I am in the bay area. Still very good. The service was polite and food was great and still reasonably priced. Posted on December 8, 2010

★☆☆☆☆ I've been coming to Shalimar for the last 2 years. Though it started off as my favorite Paki-Halal place in the bay area, it is now one of the worst. The kitchen is unkempt and unclean, and all of the food lacks the flavor and seasoning that this place was once famous for (I ordered my standards: CTM, seekh kabob, palaak paneer, and naan). Posted on October 4, 2010

★★★★★ Awesome tandoori. Chicken tikka, chicken boti, both seekh kababs all very good. Shalimar and Kabab & Curry's are easily the top two Indian restaurants in the Bay. (This is a fact.) Posted on September 25, 2010

★☆☆☆☆ Let see, seats are terrible, service is really bad, the place is soo noisy, and it smell. We didn't eat at the place and left to another place. I don't recommend the place to any married person or some one how is looking for quit nice dinner. Posted on May 28, 2010

★★★★☆ Definitely some of the best Pakistani food you can find in the bay, but not always consistent. Don't know why everyone was obsessed with going to eat here when I was in college because the place itself is really small and not so nice, and there definitely are other places where you can get food of the same quality in nicer settings. Posted on March 30, 2010

★★★☆☆ South Asian food in the heart of the city. It's in the Tenderloin area, so it's not a very nice neighborhood but its still worth going to. The seating is extremely limited, and the service is completely self-serve. I would recommend it more for take-out than dine in. Posted on July 27, 2009

★★★★★ I lived in the Bay Area from 2001 to 2007 and I have to say Shalimar was the best desi restaurant in the Bay. If you are going there order the chicken boti, chicken kofta, beef jalfrazi, and mango lassi. You are not an offical bay area resident until you have ate there. They had 4 locations in when I lived there 2 in the south bay and 2 in SF. As one other review said it is home away from home and I totally agree with him. Posted on April 12, 2009

★★★☆☆ I disagree with most of the reviews here because I think these people might not have tried many other restaurants recently. Once, you do that, you will easily say that Shalimar is an overrated restaurant. I have been eating there for past 5 years. Had heard its name earlier than any other name, so kept on going there and not discovering other restaurants. The food used to be pretty good but has deteriorated much in past year or two. They have started putting Elaichee in every dish they cook like Saag Goasht, Daal etc. These dishes have nothing to do with Ilaichi, but do not know why these guys do that. Also, their chicken tikka used to be good but now it has lost its taste. Its just tasteless. I think the owners need to reinvest their time and interest to bring the taste to the level it was before. Posted on October 27, 2008

★★★★★ I think in all west coast mid west including Houston and Chicago. You can never find a Pakistani restaurant taste like this. This is the best a Pakistani food can ever taste, outside Pakistan. The other place i can think of is may be and its a may be Jackson Heights restaurants in New York. Try their brain dish. Try kabab with nan(bread) and chicken tikka and chai (tea). Always remember when ordering pakistani food always order bbq that is kabab with nan and more bbq like bbq chicken (chicken tikka). Mutton ribs bbq. Or lamb ribs bbq. Posted on May 10, 2008

★★★★★ Great Food! Kinda messy and dirty environment. Fresh naan and kabob. Good and cheap dishes. The best shamilar among the rest of them. Posted on May 2, 2008

★★★★★ Excellent Food! Seekh kabab to die for and Nihari, Vah! Great prices and nice hole-in-the-wall atmosphere. Some people have a problem with them allowing non-Muslims to bring in beer and wine. I say, don't go there if you don't like their policies. Otherwise, great food and great prices. Service is very good also. I HIGHLY recommend. Posted on December 30, 2007

★★☆☆☆ We have been dragged to this place by our family for years because the food speaks for itself. This last trip was the worst experience we've had. It was a friday night and the group ahead of us were drinking 40's and big bottles of beer while they were waiting to be seated. They were loud, totally obnoxious, and the women were practically wearing bikinis. We were seated shortly after them but got our food a lot later. Seems like they would rather cater to the screaming drunks than some plain muslim folk. This place has definitely gone downhill and has shifted from being a family friendly place to a true tenderlion freak show. I hope they change their alcohol policy or else they will be losing a lot of their old customers. Posted on September 25, 2007

★★★★★ Still the king! I eat there at least twice a month as it is right down the street from the Jones Street Masjid. I've taken every non-desi in my office there and they have each gone back several times without me. If you can get past the fact that you have to walk through crackheads and homeless in the tenderloin, you can't beat the quality or prices at Shalimar. Long live the king! Posted on August 5, 2007

★★★★☆ What can I write about Shalimar?..... The food is the only reason I keep coming back to them. It's like an addicting drug it's so good. Not to mention it's cheap. The only negative thing that comes to mind is the place is dirty,and ordering the food is a challenging situation. It's all about the eye contact with the guy behind the counter, and hope he gets your order right. The waitor's don't speak english to well either. I know they make alot of money,and dont need anyones advice, but if they could only clean the place up and offer good service, they could definitely make alot more money. Posted on March 23, 2007

★★★☆☆ I went here in September of 2004 during a work-related trip. The food was decent, considering that fact that I hadn't had desi food for about 2 up to that point. Really crowded. I have to say the food service was decent but the guys taking the order at the front was a very disrespectful. Posted on April 21, 2006

★☆☆☆☆ If you are coming to Shalimar for any kind of enjoyable dining experience (whether it be food or ambience)...take a detour and go to Mirchi or Pakwan. Shalimar is just raking in money based on a legacy that is LONG over...the food here is crappy, the service is even worse, and basically they bring new meaning to the word repulsive. Customers (including US) are contemplating turning these guys in to the Health Inspectors, IRS, FBI, CIA, NSA...anything that would stop them from insulting desi cuisine..and ruining the reputation of other restaurants that are on the continent. Nutshell...if this "shalimar" represents the original Mughal Gardens, then Shah Jahan is probably twisting in his grave... (although this branch is better than its sister branches elsewhere). Posted on February 10, 2006

★★★★★ i have a potbelly to attest to the fact that i love to eat. shalimar has the best chicken tikka this side of the atlantic - or this side of the pacific. their food, atmosphere - everything about them - even in their cramped original location is amazing. to put things into perpspective - we drove 8-9 hours from vegas (however long it takes, can't remember) and rushed it to get to shalimar before it closed. upon returning to san fran to visit with my wife - i got in the car from the airport, went to the hotel, checked in, and drove straight to shalimar....we even did a 'to-go' for our flight back to dallas. Posted on January 23, 2006

★★★☆☆ Ok, the the food is very good. Authentic, and in my opinion way better than Chutney's across the street. I love the chiken tikka masala. The menu is very cute, like a newspaper. But this is one of the shadiest dirtiest establishments I've ever been to voluntarily. Expect good food, polite but shabby and crude waiters, crappy seating, atrocious bathroom, and dont be shocked when you see buckets of food lined up on the floor outside the kitchen. In the end, the food outweighs the discomfort, hence I still eat here. If only the Shalimar waiters would take a crash course in waiting (like not sticking their finger in your glass) and if they could hire a discount contractor to give the place a cheap renovation. Also, I have heard this place is partial to punjabis. Hope thats not true because that is very shady. Although, I do have a halal restaurant conspiracy theory that halal restaurants feel no need to increase their hygeine or service standards whatsoever since they know you have no choice but to patronize them and being a desi you are probably to naive to demand better standards. Posted on December 28, 2005

★★★★★ So far in my humble experience of about 60 or so halal restaurants from East Coast to West this is the best, at least from the South Asian perspective. It is no wonder they have expanded successfully into a chain. I was there 4 years ago in SF for a conference and ate here at least once a day. total of 8 times out of 5 days. Yeah it is that good! Posted on December 23, 2005

★★★★☆ Ate dinner here while traveling on business. Food was very good. It isnt a family restaurant. You do not want to bring wife and kids. Prices were very reasonable and food was delicious. I would definately eat here again when I am in town. Posted on December 17, 2005

★★★★★ WOW..what can I say. I used to drive from walnut creek to this place on a weeknight to have their kebabs, maghaz and garlic nan! Very tasty food and comes with the back-home dhaba-like environment, which is half the fun. A must for anyone in the area or visitors. Iv'e taken many non-asians to this place from work to give them an experience of Pakistan - not just with food, but with service and the overall atmosphere. Posted on November 18, 2005

★★★★☆ Good food, nice service. Not the best naan. Posted on October 18, 2005

★★★☆☆ Maybe because this place was hyped up as the "best desi place ever" my husband and I were very disappointed but the food was normal...nothing exceptional. Their mango lassi is good and I actually spilled mine and they very kindly cleaned it up and gave me a new one for free. Posted on August 20, 2005

★☆☆☆☆ The food is okay. Shalimar is all hype. It offers the smokey, side of the (dirty) desi road experience for those who feel naustalgic. Personally, I would rather go to a place where I don't choke on smoke from the grill and get knocked out of my rickety seat by the crowd trying to get in, but that might just be me. Posted on May 6, 2005

★★★★★ Shalimar is AWSOME!!! I have been coming here for over 5 years!!! It is the best PAkistani food I have ha in California. I would recommend everyone to come to Shalimar, especially if you are home sick and you need some of your comfort food. Posted on February 27, 2005

★★★★★ Greatest food. Never had a problem with anything. However if you are very much used to McD Service, then this is not the place. Will love to go again and again. Posted on December 6, 2004

★★★★★ I love Shalimar restraunt the food is great cooked to perfection, Yeah you have to wait in line and the customer service is not all that great but when you get your food fresh and hot it's worth it. The people who gave Shalimar bad ratings are crazy and too pretentious. Posted on November 30, 2004

★★★★☆ I was in California 2 weeks ago and I ate here. The food was amazing. Best dishes: Chicken Tikka, Bhindi, Tikka Boti and Chicken Korma. Here are the two biggest problems with the restaurant. They had very poor customer service and professionalism. The semi-bald guy taking the orders had a very disrespectful attitude. Second, i went there twice and they did not have chicken biryani; they only serve it on Thursday and Friday. However, after eating the food, I walked very full and with a doggy bag. Posted on October 5, 2004

★★★☆☆ I strongly agree with the brother, if the food is good why can't they go the extra mile to improove service , look and most important cleaniness. My suggestion is to hire ( pay some money) a manager that have experience managing a good restaurant and imporove the place. That is islamic. go visit La creperie du monde in San Bruno and see how a muslim restaurant should be. Posted on October 3, 2004

★★★★☆ NJ I guess why dont you go and try open your own rest. and improve the service. People like you are always jelous of somebody successful. you talk about service but when asked to pay a dollar more you will just backoff Posted on September 27, 2004

★☆☆☆☆ Today i.e. September 08, 2004, my family had an 'opportunity' to have dinner at Shalimar(SFO). The food was just average which was well below expectations. The worst thing that we noticed was lack of professionalism, poor service and most interestingly they do not accept Credit/Debit Card. They only accept CASH (one can imagine WHY....?). After dinner forget about using bathroom as it was too filthy. I don't know why we 'the desies' cannot deliver good service, neet environment and good food....probably thats the way we are... Posted on September 9, 2004

★★★★★ Yes, seating is a problem, however I just found out recently Shalimar offers a back room which is a bit more private. Mashallah, the food is great - try the Chicken Korma, Chicken Tikka, Seekh Kabob...anything barbequed...and finish it off with the chai, even if there's no room for it :) YUM! Prices Are Great! Posted on September 4, 2004

★★★★★ Extremely good restaurant and well worth price. Tikka, lamb chops excellent. all other dishes like saag and chole were fantastic. Atmosphere not really nice, but one of the best tasting South asian places in the US Posted on August 13, 2004

★★★☆☆ If you're looking for excellent but heavy South Asian fare this is the place to go. This is in the Lahore khoka/dhaba tradition. No service to speak of, a negative rating on ambiance, but plenty of belch-producing ghee laden goodies. If you're expecting anything other than a greasy spoon reataurant you will be sorely disappointed. Oh, & when the place is packed, if you ask nicely in Punjabi, they just may let you eat in the OTHER room in the back--complete with satellite TV & trick stop atmosphere. It really feels as if you've been transported back home! Posted on July 26, 2004

★★☆☆☆ I went to two locations in SanFran and the one on Polk (I think) was better. The food overall was not great as mentioned by many. I have had better food here in Chicago at an average resturant.The service was the worst I have ever experienced. I asked about Biryani (was told only on Fridays), I asked about the salad (dont have any), I asked about chicken karahi(only on weekends). This is a problem many desi joints have, but I mean this was the worst. I know this place used to be much better based on comments from people who had gone there before, but it has dropped. I hope they improve. Posted on June 10, 2004

★★★★★ I think it is the power of Shalimars best taste that attracts people. Remember people used to drive more than 50 miles when there was not a Shalimar in Fremont. The best desi food in the bay area. I hpe the Santa Clara one will open soon. Posted on June 1, 2004

★★★★★ The best place for Tandoori and authentic ambience - flickering lights, desi music, etc. They also have a place to pray in the basement. Eclectic crowd and the place is always packed. Posted on April 15, 2004

★★★★☆ Awesome but overrated. My favorite thing about this place is the order taker, who will never look at you, but somehow he knows where every order goes. My least favorite thing is the long wait for my meal. Posted on April 10, 2004

★★★★☆ Love the food! But the line's too long and the place is too stuffy. The kitchen tends to drop their utensils to check the last lady coming through the door. Was it just me or do i notice that the kitchen floors always wet? Posted on April 10, 2004

★★★★★ Best Food. Excellent Food... Always Busy and Food is like Home Made Posted on February 28, 2004

★★★★★ This place is rocking man. Too bz and the best tikkas and brain in california. Posted on February 24, 2004

★★★☆☆ the food was very good. i was a fan of shalimar but now the worst customer service. standard of food going very down. Posted on February 17, 2004

★★★★★ Best Pakistani and Indian food in US Posted on January 23, 2004

★★★★★ After visiting all the restaurants in the SF I am back to Shalimar becos I could not find the same food anywhere. Posted on January 20, 2004

★★★★★ Shalimar has been rated as No.1 in best of the bay and it is. I like there brain masala, chana and tikka masala. After they have opened a place at Polk the waiting time has been reduced a lot and the quality has also gone up. Posted on January 20, 2004

★★★★★ Excellent food!!! Posted on January 7, 2004

★★★★★ Their tikka, kabab, brain masala are very good. Curry dishes are not worth eating. Its a good restaurant to visit but if you are too sophisticated or like fine dining, then this place is not for you. I visit them every time I am in town. Posted on December 30, 2003

★★★★★ The BEST Chicken Tikka Masala around. I prefer their Polk St. location for dining in. (on Polk @ Pine). Posted on December 29, 2003

★★★★☆ Nice cheap Restaurant .... reminds one of the Truck Hotel in Punjab (Pakistan). Service is ok but food is very good ;-) Always very busy good for late Dinner. Posted on October 30, 2003

★★★★★ There is one feeling you have in your mind after you have eaten here. "That has to be the best food I have eaten in a long time". Food and only food is enough to get Shalimar top billing. For those reviews on this reataurant that whine and complain, I can only say either you " Go to Shalimar Gardens at O'Farrell if what you want is neat tables and ambience" or "you must be one of those people who are jealous of their success and popularity ". Shalimar is the king when it comes to desi food. Nobody can give you better food for the money you pay. Period. If people are not used to eating in "dhabas" or wayside restaurants" as in India/Pakistan, it will be difficult when you walk in. But strat eating and you won't care about anything else. Masha Allah, I wish he would open a branch in the San Jose area. Posted on October 20, 2003

★★★★★ All the awards won by Shalimar says the quality and taste of the food. BEST PAKISTANI RESTAURANT IN USA. Posted on October 13, 2003

★★★★★ "Before moving to SF Bay area in 2001, I had lived and/or eaten at all major Desi restaurants in LA, Chicago, NY, Houston, Detroit. Although the food there has been above average, Shalimar beats them hands-down. I can no longer sing U2's tune ""I still haven't found what I'm looking for"", as it relates to Desi food. Seekh kababs and brain masala are my personal favorites. Chicken Tikka is a must-have also. The flickering overhead lights and the smoke/haze create the optimum ambiance. Quality is more consistent at the SF Jones location than in Fremont" Posted on May 24, 2003

★★★★★ Best place for tandori chicken and goat. Posted on March 21, 2003

★★★★★ Shalimar is the best Indo-Pak restaurant in the bay area. It is the original one while all others are trying to copy the food as well as style but original is original. I love their brain masala, kofta and sk. kabab. Posted on March 21, 2003

★☆☆☆☆ "I heard a lot about Shalimar, and finalloy decided to take a day off and go see what all the fuss was about and I was very disappointed. First thing In noticed was the place was very filthy, we got our food, the naan's were burnt, and the kabab and tikka were really dry, and burned, we didnt eat our food becaues we lost our appetite, and just left the restaurant. I do not recommend this restaurant at all. THer are other restaurants much better than shalimar, at the very least they are clean. If the place is this dirty, imagine the kitchen and wher they cook." Posted on February 9, 2003

★★★★★ Food says it all..... Simply great Pakistani food. Posted on January 31, 2003

★★★★★ Nothing but the best South Asian food in bay area. Congratulations! to Shalimar for being rated in TOP 50 US restaurants and Best Bay area restaurant by bestofthebay.com. This is a place for people who really loves food and want to enjoy lvely environment. I also went to the new location in FREMONT thats great too. Same great Shalimar food. Posted on January 27, 2003

★★★★☆ The food was excellent, and that is the only reason why you would go there. The service is okay, and the place is anything but clean. That being said, we went there twice on our last trip and the first day the wait was an hour so we were not alone. It is a local favorite as many of the taxi drivers, and other locals dined here. Definitely worth the dining experience. The price is also very reasonable. Posted on January 21, 2003

★★☆☆☆ They opened up another location in Pine Street and Fremont. Food is very dull. Not a very warm atmosphere. Just sit eat and go, no long crowds and a little cleaner then the jones street one. Posted on December 30, 2002

★★★★★ Excellent food. No doubt about it. Want to taste the real taste of meat like Karachi, try it then :). Long waiting lines. Now open in Fremont so dont have to go to SF. Posted on December 24, 2002

★★★★★ Great food, ignore the atmoshpere and be prepared to wait in long lines have fun and eat great pakistani food just like the street vendors in Pak Land, thanks Ameer for taking me there...*Hint* Cabby place they love food. Posted on September 30, 2002

★☆☆☆☆ This is probably the WORST Indian/Pakistani food I've EVER had. The grimey, soup-nazi atmosphere seemed promising at first, but the food ranged from mind-numbingly bland to thoroughly disgusting. First off, all the dishes were literally drowning in slimey, orange pools of grease. And I mean just oozing copious amounts of the stuff, and we watched it congealing on the plates as we tried to eat. Secondly, the dishes displayed a rather unsophisticated blend of spices, which is a polite way of saying that A. they weren't even remotely spicy or hot, and B. there was a glaring lack of other spices commonly found in a lot of Indian cuisine. The korma and masala were this greasy, bland mush, and every now and then you'd get this huge hunk of clove which would send this shock through your taste-buds. The eggplant dish tasted more like extremely bad Chinese food than anything even approaching Indian/Pakistani. And be careful with any dish with chicken: the bones were intact. It was clear they just took an entire chicken and cubed the whole thing, leaving bones, cartelidge, and what have you, intact, and the chicken itself was kind of slimey and in no way fresh. The rice was nothing special, and even the naan was mediocre at best (and burned). As someone who's eaten quite a lot of Indian and Pakistani food, I can assure you, the people who wrote heaps of praise for Shalimar don't have a clue as to what they're talking about. Maybe, just maybe, the praise makes sense if this was their very first experience with Indian or Pakistani cuisine. But even then, that's a stretch. But either way, it was sad to see the mix of Indian or Pakistani families and young, urban white folks in there eating this garbage, apparently oblivious to *real*, *quality* Indian joints like Vik's and Cafe Raj (in Berkeley), or the utterly amazing southern-style Udupi Palace (there are a few of these towards the south bay), to name a few. Giving this place one star would be far too generous. Posted on September 23, 2002

★★★★★ "The food is very good. We would recommend Chicken Boti, Seekh Kabab, Brain Masala (Not listed on Menu). Chicken Tikka, especially the leg pieces are usually not done well, they are red inside. Restaurant has improved the lighting and seems like it has been painted. Don't go to Shalimar if care for the ambiance, it matches the streets outside, and the service matches the people you see outside the restaurant. Other than that, this the best & most reasonably priced, Pakistani restaurant in the Bay area." Posted on September 6, 2002

★☆☆☆☆ "After being to some of the decent restaurants in the mid west, and smpling an excellant one at Sacramento, I expected a lot from Shalimar considering everyone who had been there talked a lot about it. With all due respect, it was a major definition of dissappointment. Especially since I was supposed to be treating a client there. Where should I start, obvious from other comments, they don't care if the place is clean or not, ill mannered waiter, the chicken curry looked and tasted that they added water as an after thought right before serving, the chicken tikka and the seekh kabob had curious characteristics. Burned black from the outside and still under cooked from the inside. This feature was shared with their nans also. I am really sorry that this level of zero quality is being presented as Pakistani food. Very honestly I would much rather waste my money at 'del taco', at least you know you are going to get ill prepared Grade F meat!" Posted on September 1, 2002

★★★☆☆ "Food is great, but once you look at how they do it you puke! They're extremely dirty. I used to go there until I saw how they cook and serve it. One of the waiters had cut his finger and he was serving plates with blood all over their bottom. Just disgusting. They had us sit at a very dirty table. We told them the cover is dirty so they flipped the cover to it's other side. Thank you very much, that did it! Their food tastes excellent, too bad they're that nasty!" Posted on July 8, 2002

★★★☆☆ "The food is great (rating: excellent), however the restaurant is extremely dirty (rating: very poor). Hence overall rating: Average. I have been there many times and have survived it. However after my Pakwan experience (on O'Farrell), I think I'm making cleanliness my biggest priority. My brother's father in law was in town so we took him there. We were sitting down he mentionned that there was a bone on the floor to the waiter. The waiter just kicked it aside. You would think that with the revenue they make, they could hire a minimum wage worker to just keep things clean. I'd be willing to pay 10 cents more per dish to cover the costs of another employee. Well we all know greed is part of the equation here. The beer comment is accurate. I have seen people bringing alcohol in myself. Anyhow, I think Shalimar is a good place to go if are willing to take the risk. Supposedly they are opening another one in San Jose. Might be something to take a look at." Posted on April 20, 2002

★☆☆☆☆ Me and my family came down after hearing about the food, but when we got their, the first thing we noticed was that it was very busy, but also very filthy, the dishes probably hadnt been washed for about a month, we asked the owner about the cleanliness of the restaurant, but he was very rude about it. When we finally recieved our food, it looked so disappetizing, that we didnt feel like eating at all. I hope he makes some changes soon. we will never go back again, and we do not appreciate the owner being discourteous. We cant say much about the taste of the food, we didnt eat it. Posted on March 30, 2002

★★☆☆☆ I believe that by now the owner should have made some money. It is about time for them to reivest and remodel the place with a cleaner and good looking restaurant. Unfortunately, you cannot remodel the personality of the staff. The service is the worst I have ever seen. I cannot eat there anymore , perhaps a to go order if someone other that me can pick it up for me. The food is good . I hope it is clean and does not make you sick. Posted on March 20, 2002

★★★★★ "Don't let the crack dealers outside Shalimar or the women of the night intimidate you. Once you walk into Shalimar you'll forget all about being in the SF tenderloin and whether if your car is gonna get ripped off or not. The food is quite good, cheap, and worth taking the risk of getting mugged." Posted on January 21, 2002

★★☆☆☆ My family has changed its opinion of Shalimar. There was a time visits to SF meant an obligatory stop for Shalimar's chicken tandoori botis. No more. In the past, we didn't mind Shalimar's "hole-in-the-wall" atmosphere, but we did start to mind the fact that we had to book quality toilet time when we got home because we all got the runs. Plus, the food itself has become inconsistent: sometimes its good, sometimes it is cold rubber with a detergent taste. Also, Shalimar has an unfortunate policy of allowing customers to bring in alcohol. It's disconcerting eating halaal tandoori when the bloke at the next table is chugging on a Budweiser or horsing down a Heineken. When asked about this, we were told we didn't have to eat there. Most annoyingly, White people get better service, especially if they are scantily clad. The staff seems fixated with the boobs of white female customers. From bad service to worsening food to rude management, Shalimar no longer gets our patronage or vote. There are better, equally cheap places for tandoori chicken and naan in the Bay Area. Posted on January 3, 2002

★★★★★ I have been in the US for the last 10 yrs and I have never tasted any better authentic Pakistani food than Shalimar. It is worth the 50 miles drive that we have to make from San Jose and wait another half hour to eat. Its is just hard to stop eating once you get started, the food is so good. Posted on November 23, 2001

★★★★★ "Don't worry about how the place looks cuz the food is excellent. My policy is, ""When in Doubt, Leave it Out""...but this place is legit. It's right across the street from Salama Halal Meat. " Posted on October 5, 2001