Clay Pit Reviews

Interesting place with an interesting menu. We ordered a lot of items and shared them family style. We sampled a wide variety and it was all great. I think this caters to those who like Indian food but also has items that would appeal to anyone. Vegetarian or carnivores will find menu items that satisfy. Wine was excellent. Atmosphere was very welcoming and relaxing. Service was slow but tolerable. Prices were reasonable and seemed appropriate for serving sizes and items.

Food was good. Service okay. BUT don't eat downstairs and get a head injury like I did. WATCH OUT! They have too many tables close to low walls downstairs and don't seem to care that customers hurt themselves on the low ceilings. I was told by a manager that people have hurt their heads many times, yet the restaurant continues to seat people in unsafe seating areas. Seems money is more important than clients' well being.

Very good Indian comfort food with a nice selection. Was a little disappointed in the curried hummus as I couldn’t really taste any curry in it. The vegetable samosas were good. An order is just two decent sized ones, not small, but not big either. Loved the chicken tikka masala! A favorite that I get often, and The Clay Pit didn’t disappoint. Another dinner had lamb korma which had a very tasty sauce. The other two dinners had seafood, one was a tandoori dish of mixed seafood that she said was very good. Other friend had mixed seafood in a red wine sauce that was similar to the tikka masala,but with the definite taste of seafood and wine. They have a full serve bar so do not bring your own-it’s against the law for them to open it for you.

We stopped by the Clay Pit while visiting our kids at UT Austin. It is located very close to campus. Our party of four all decided to have the lunch buffet on Saturday after looking at the buffet offerings (which varies daily). While each of us have different tastes in Indian food, we were all able to find food that we enjoyed. I had the curried potato and spinach salad for the first time and thought it was delicious! The paneer and tandoori were also excellent. You can request naan bread (which comes with the buffet price). The food quality and value were both excellent and we would certainly be back again!

Four of us went here for dinner. It was packed. Very helpful staff. The place was immaculate. In the center of town. The food included all your favorites with manageable heat. Paired with some chilled Sonoma Cutrer it was the perfect evening👌

First off, this is historical in Austin. The building has a great history. The food is well worth it for getting Indian food which doesn't hurt for non Indians. They also make foods which are more Texan in flavor like the jalapeño cream cheese naan. Order it. It's amazing.

Great Indian food option close to UT campus. Accomodating for our largish party (of 7), with efficient helpful server. Everybody in our party loved their food. Highly recommended!

Did pickup only. Had only tried once or twice before and found their Tikka Masala chicken wanting. Decided to try kebob chicken from the lunch menu - Exceptionally Good! Wow. Description read: "Juicy chicken breast roasted in our clay oven and served with basmati rice, grilled vegetables and house chutney". Got 3 kebobs with 3 pieces of very juicy chicken each. Great seasoning, with a chutney that was very nice. Good amounts of rice (I like to eat a LOT of rice) and veggies in the box. Really a great meal at a reasonable ($10 plus tax.) price. Plus 1/2 Naan, which was also excellent!

A big group went from work, at the last minute. They gave us a beautiful private room, an extremely competent waitress handled separate checks. The food was great. Parking was kind of weird.

Definite 3+, definitely not a 5. Slow to greet at the front, and slow to get me water on a hot day. Water service was uneven...sometimes had ice, other times no. The restaurant was not busy, so no excuse. Food service was also uneven. I ordered naan and coconut curry with lamb. I waited about 20 minutes with nothing but water, but a guy who had just come in had his Naan and his entree before I had mine. I asked and the explanation was that he ordered tikki masala, which is made ahead, so they have that ready all the time. That seems odd to me. I'll go back but if the service is so uneven again it's off my list. Enjoyed the food, surely, but the service was lacking.

While on a recent visit to Austin, we tried The Clay Pit for dinner as it was the closest restaurant to our hotel. We were so glad we did! We did not have reservations and did have to wait a little while for a table. But once we were seated, we had a wonderful time. Service was outstanding - friendly and attentive throughout our meal. Everything we ate was absolutely delicious, and portions were generous. We had plenty to pack up and take with us as leftovers. We felt the prices were excellent considering the quality of the food, service and atmosphere. Only bad thing about The Clay Pit is that we won't be able to eat there again until next time we visit Austin - but we definitely will be back!

I went here on 1/15 and had Khuroos-E-Tursh as recommended by the server. I also had garlic naan. The food was fantastic and the server was nice and efficient. I would take friends, coworkers or family here.

The Clay Pit pleasantly surprised me with the food quality and flavour. We were a group that ordered to share. I sampled the Dhingri Mattar Paneer, Jeera Saag Paneer, Rice, & Cheese-Jalapen Naan. The flavours and spices were spot on. The Masala Chai tasted authentic and freshly brewed. I would go back.

The restaurant serves tasty indian food with good mix of spices. Non spicy food eaters may not prefer it, but overall good experience. Nice option for pure vegetarians also.

The Clay Pit is located near the capital in an old limestone building that was reportedly a former house of ill-repute. The interior is open and inviting andthe staff is friendly and relaxed. The menu was the most creative I have ever seen in an Indian restaurant. We had mussels in a creamy tomato sauce that was more like a bisque. Other dishes were well seasoned and equally different. I have had Indian meals in many places in the US, the UK and India. This was the least traditional of all but in a very positive way.

Went with a large group before my daughter's graduation. The food was absolutely delicious. The ambience of the place is upbeat. The servers were very helpful explaining some of the dishes for members of our family who had not eaten Indian food much in the past. Everyone enjoyed themselves. Look forward to going again when we visit.

Simply some of the best India food I have ever had! You won't be disappointed on anything you order on the menu.

CLAY PIT: Great atmosphere, ethnic, options for meat, fish or vegetarians. For the quality, options and atmosphere, this is very reasonably priced. I highly recommend you give the Clay Pit serious consideration. RNelson (Austin, TX)

This is a great place in an old building, which is airy and nicely decorated. The service was excellent, and the food very tasty. However, none of our dishes were in the ballpark of vindaloo or hot, which was ordered.

Loved both the food and atmosphere of this restaurant. We eat Indian a lot, and this may have been the most pleasant Indian restaurant atmosphere I've seen. Big, open space with several rooms, brick and wood, and high ceilings. Service was good, and the food excellent. The mughali chicken was unlike anything I've tasted, highly recommended.

We ordered a variety of dishes from tikki masala to Tandorri chicken and everything was delicious. Loved the naan and samosas

I have dined at this restaurant at least three times and have been impressed by the quality of the food each time. The sauces reflect subtlety and care in preparation and are a cut above other Indian restaurants in which I have eaten. The dining area is open with limestone walls and hardwood floors so it is somewhat noisy but not so loud one cannot carry on a conversation. The service has always been excellent. Parking is limited in that part of town but the restaurant is in walking distance from most capital area hotels. It can be busy on Friday and Saturday nights but we went on a Sunday and were seated right away. I will definitely eat here again when in Austin.

The wife and I had a wonderful dinner at The Clay Pit last evening. We were a little concerned about getting to it downtown because we are unfamiliar with the area, but it was easy access from I35, and there was a slot in their lot so no parking expense. My wife had the Vegetarian Ayam and I had the Mixed Grill. Both were exceptional. We started off with garlic and basil naan and Peshwari naan. My wife is a naan nut so I picked this restaurant because they have the Peshwari naan which has nuts, raisins, and cherries folded into it. We were not disappointed. We had their award winning Mango Cheesecake and the Kheer rice pudding for dessert. The cheesecake was the best we have ever eaten and the pudding was excellent. If we had asked to have the pudding warmed I think it would have been even better. Our server Eddie was very attentive and he suggested the Ayam to my wife which turned out to be a real positive. Considering the great food, service, and atmosphere we thought the tab of less than $60 was a steal (also included 1 mixed drink). Don't miss this one when you are in the Austin area.

My wife and visited here for dinner during a recent trip to Austin. We just walked in (no issue on a Wednesday night). Service (Juliana T) was fast and friendly. Food (samosas, goat curry, naan, and chicken tikka masala) was all hot and tasty.

I’ve been here several times and each time is never a disappointment. The naan is to die for. The service is excellent. Everything about this place is great.

The food here was absolutely amazing. I had a coconut curry that was still rich even though I got mild spice. I would recommend making a reservation though.

Four of us went here, it is a lovely place. Service was fine as was the food. there was lots of it and we could not eat it all . not the best Indian food i have had though.

The Clay Pit's food is absolutely fantastic, but I think this restaurant may have gotten more popular than they can handle. I go out of my way to make reservations in advance but half the time there are no open table reservations available. Calling the restaurant, they tell me that seating won't be an issue for brunch. But when I get there, with or without reservations, the wait time is at least 30 minutes. Also, you have to deal with the hostesses who seem to give seating preference to their friends and can be downright rude to anyone else. Once you're actually seated, the food and drinks are so good. It keeps us coming back every time we are in town despite the grumpy hostesses. Even though TripAdvisor makes me commit to one visit, this review is based on multiple visits at multiple times of day over the course of years of visiting Austin.

The naans were amazing. The soup was really good. For the main course, I ordered The Saag lamb & it was luscious— the meat was cooked just right— succulent and emerged in the slightly spicy but not hot savory sauce. My young son ordered the tiki masala and enjoyed it very much. Joel ordered the Butter chicken— it was very well seasoned and tasty. My other son ordered the chicken korma and it was perfectly seasoned. The mango lassi drink was filling and delicious—a favorite for kids. Allow for wait time, call ahead for a reservation and expect to wait for your full meal—it is to be expected for such a popular place, especially when we went on Saturday night. Jason made great recommendations and promptly brought us everything, knowing we were off to our next engagement as soon as possible. I would definitely go again and order the same or try new items. Hope we get Jason again— he’s very knowledgeable about the menu and the kitchen’s timetables on busy nights. Hope to try the desserts next time. The ambience is wonderful. Definitely worth a try if you’re unsure!

I’m not sure if there’s a whole lot of Indian options in Austin. But Clay Pit is everything one would need. It hits the spot quite nicely. It’s filling and tasty. Each time I went I leaned on my friends for assistance with ordering. Each meal was full of flavor and all sorts of goodness. Highly recommend!

The food here was amazing! I had lamb vindaloo and my husband had seafood. Both were delicious and the naan was excellent as well. The service was great and the atmosphere was very nice too. I would definitely recommend it.

The food was well seasoned and perfectly prepared and the prices were well below what you would expect for a restaurant of this calibor

My husband and I enjoyed a nice, quiet dinner here. The ambiance of the restaurant is nice. We had efficient but not rushed service. They were out of a couple of things we had asked for due to New Year’s Eve rush the night before but our server offered tasty alternatives. Prices are reasonable! We had naan, two meals, two desserts and a beer for a little over $40. We enjoyed our food and the portions were good, we had leftovers to take home.

I tried to order online and they charge a fee for ordering online AND a fee for pickup AND they suggest a tip. Here’s a tip: stop nickel and diming your customers. Your food is good but not so good that I would contribute to your unending greed and fees that are ridiculous. I have to pay to pick up my own order? I will not only not do that, but I will no longer patronize your establishment. There are plenty of fish in this sea.

We had dinner at three different restaurants in Austin. The Clay Pit was the best food of the three, and the lowest priced. Interesting interior in an old stone building. If you want a break from texmex, bbq and Italian, go here!

Austin is a city of incredible restaurants but the Clay Pit was our absolute favourite and I'd recommend it to anyone. We wanted to share everything so we got a curry (the chicken tikka masala), the mixed grill, and the peshwari naan, along with rice. The rice is 'bottomless' which is great - I only wish the rest of the food was! It was all in incredibly high quality, so flavoursome and delicious. The service was excellent - we felt very well looked after. We were happy to give the biggest tip of our holiday to the States, not least because the food was very reasonably priced considering how good it was.

I have eaten at this restaurant probably over 100 times, but I just went back after Covid for the first time, and things have changed drastically. There was no longer a lunch buffet, which had been a strong suit, menu had changed drastically, and food changed. The menu now has a lot of pizzas, which I found odd, and other non traditional foods. No Aloo Gobi, which had been a favorite. I had the vegetarian vindaloo, and the flavoring and vegetables seemed off...lots of bell pepper and zucchini, which seemed odd. I also ordered kheer, and it was so terrible it was inedible..I had to toss it...it was something wrong with the rice...maybe it had been stale or undercooked and then sort of disintegrated. Kheer is literally my favorite dessert that I order whenever I can, and they used to have wonderful kheer before Covid. (Naan and rice were good, with many flavors available.) I don't know if there is new management or ownership, or if this is just a result of post Covid jitters due to low staffing or whatever. This place is also known for a spectacular bar with lots of great drinks, but I didn't have a chance to test it since I was just eating lunch while working. There are not a lot of places with significant indoor seating in this area of town and the restaurant is lovely, and the restaurant will pull by on that alone...so many of the adjacent buildings are huge government buildings, or residential buildings housing law offices or hair salons, but there is little commercial/retail. The area north of here by U.T. has lots of restaurants but many are fast food or don't have indoor seating, like the Chik FIL A. There will be a large courthouse opening a block away, and juries panels might come here for lunch. This place stands to make a lot of money if they can get their menu and food back on track.

The food was just fantastic and a special mention for Khuroos-E-Tursh, we also had the Kofta and Dal Makhani and they were all cooked to perfection. The dine in setup is really neat and shows the passion of the owners who seem fully invested.

Amazing Indian Food and Cocktails! We heard about this place from a friend and so we had to try it. We asked for cocktail recommendations from our server and he did not disappoint. He recommended the Lal Toofan which was a rum drink with lots of pineapple and mango. Completely amazing! We started out with the chicken pakoras which were perfectly seasoned and juicy. Next, we both had the chicken tikka masala. Mine was spiced medium/spicy while my husband got the spicy version. Both were spiced to out liking. Nice ambiance and great food and drink!

The food was delicious and wait staff were great and helpful! The prices were very affordable and portion sizes were large. I don't usually take food home because I usually finish my plate. I got the goat saag and it was more than I could eat.

I think the people were nice, great service, i thought the food was very good. My son wanted to try it and it was very close to the Hampton Inn. It was nicely decorated as well.

We love the Clay Pit! Excellent food and great service everytime (this was our 4th time)! Great/reasonable pricing on the entire menu! We enjoy trying a variety of items on the menu and sharing! They even accommodated our large group for my daughters UT graduation dinner!! Great restaurant!

This restaurant was within walking distance of our hotel. The air outside smelled enticing with spices. Inside the setting is very attractive with wooden tables and chairs and interesting artwork. We had a hard time deciding what to order because it all sounded so good. Our choices did not disappoint (a lamb dish and a chicken dish). They have a nice wine list so we enjoyed a bottle with our meal. We've eaten Indian food in many cities across the country and this one is a standout!

Three of us dined on Thursday night. Goat curry, beef curry, chicken spinach paneer were excellent—but the mussels—OMG! We used our shells as scoops and drained the dish! Naan was divine—everything we tried was delicious! Can’t wait to return to Austin for those mussels!

I've been here twice with a friend for the lunch buffet and loved it! I still crave the potato salad; oh my goodness, it was so good. Was met with prompt courteous service and the place had a nice yet comfortable ambiance. Highly recommend if you're in the mood for some curry and spice.

High quality food at an affordable price and located in a safe area with an excellent interior ambience.

Good Indian food. They have a buffet, but I ordered off the menu. Some kind of chicken in yogurt sauce which was really good.

We have been to this restaurant quite a few times. Last week for our anniversary and in February for my 70th birthday. I will review both occasions. For my birthday we had about 50 people and we ordered special menu and drinks we selected. Everyone enjoyed all the varied drinks and the food. The staff were very cordial and pleasant. For our anniversary we had our family with our grandkids. The chicken tikka, the malai kofta, the lamb rogangosh, the naan, everything was delicious. A good place to celebrate special day anytime.

We used to love this place, it was our choice restaurant for years, we absolutely loved the food. Everything changed on January 29th 2022. I was warned by my nephew not to get food from there as their recent experience was not good. We ordered only vegetarian except for one item we asked others to be spicy as the restaurant caters to American taste and we being originally from India preferred somewhat spicy You will not believe this they threw in "Jalapeños" in all the items to make it spicy. To add "jalapeños" in Indian food is "blasphemous". It was uneatable. We literally threw the food. The "Naans" were raw at the edges and under cooked

Very “dumbed down”/Americanized Indian food. Out of over 50 Indian restaurants I have eaten at worldwide, this would have ranked at about 49. VERY limited selection on the lunchtime buffet. The Tandoori chicken had neither the color nor the flavor of any Tandoori dish I have been offered before. It was grilled chicken with no flavor. Convenient location near the Capitol building. Pleasant ambiance with friendly service - however no refills offered on the naan. Items off the menu MIGHT be better, but if you are looking for an authentic Indian meal I would say try elsewhere.

First time at Clay pit. Place is busy at their peak hours, yet the space is big allowing for an easy wait. The food is excellent! The service is good, a little slow at times to check on you between the meals, but manageable as you get to enjoy conversations without much interruptions. A definite repeat when we are in the search of some great curry dishes! Bar is well covered with the right choices on liquor. Great Austin spot with some parking next door and a public parking a short distance.

Went on a Sunday and had to wait about half an hour but there was room at the bar. Prompt service once we were seated. Food was very good, though could have been a bit spicier. The rice was outstanding! Great naan too.

Great place, food is great and the atmosphere is excellent. Indian food is toned down a bit for American taste buds.

I am from a small town in North Carolina. We have a few Indian restaurants in the area but I have never really been impressed. I have to admit I truly enjoyed eating at The Clay Pit. There were four of us and we each got a different dish and then shared between us all. I loved everything except the lamb but that is just because I do not have a taste for lamb. We absolutely will go back next time we're in the area.

Friendly staff, nice atmosphere (especially downstairs) and food was heavenly! A good choice for vegetarians! Highly recommend! And do try their special drinks too! Yummy!

My stepdaughter got us a gift card here and we finally got the chance to use it. Situated in an old rock building, they first tryied to put us in the downstairs room which was neat looking but also like a dungeon because there are no windows and the ceilings are super low.. We decided to move upstairs where there was more action & scenery. Eddie was our fantastic waiter and started us off with the Mussels which were the best we've ever had. Go ahead & order 2 baskets of the Garlic Basil Naan because you will need it to soak up all of the yummy soup surrounding the mussels! There was some soup left so I got it to go :) We also ordered the Chicken Tikki Masala & the Beef Mirch Masala, both were equally delicious. Spice levels are always subjective to your palette but Medium was a good choice for us! Your water cup will never go empty which is good for the spicy food! We will definitely go back again & recommend to others.

Aside from a great ambience, the food is perfect. Some times Indian food can be so authentic that the western pallet just can’t take it. This place achieves a nice balance between authenticity and flavor. I have eaten Indian food all over the world and I can truly say this place is comparable to the best.

This place was recommended by a friend and he was right. Wow! Great tasting food. I had the lunch buffet which was a great value. I don’t live in Austin but will recommend it to anyone I know that is traveling there.

I came here with a group of about 8 people. The restaurant was quite busy while we were there so it was a bit noisy but not enough to interfere with conversation. Decor is attractive and pleasant. The waitstaff was helpful and service was efficient. The menu is interesting and there were great choices. The food was well prepared and tasty, with reasonable portions (not outsized nor skimpy). This is definitely I place I'll return in order to try other dishes.

We enjoyed the food, the service, and the ambiance. Parking was a bit of a hassle but it was worth it. We look forward to returning to Clay Pit for lunch on our next visit to Austin.

On a business trip to Austin, I left something behind in the restaurant, and they were kind enough to mail it to me.

We love the food at this restaurant which is why we brave the consistently bad service to order out and eat in regularly. There is no comparable Indian food in Austin so they have you between a rock and a hard spot. The take out or delivery food is at times below standard and the lunch buffet is not recommended but if you make reservations a dinner can be very good. Manage your expectations regarding the service. Avoid at all costs if you are on a tight schedule. This is the only Indian food in Austin that is worthwhile and the location is excellent!

Top notch classical Indian fare. Sumptuously spicy, but not overwhelming. Plenty of choices at a reasonable price ($9-12)

I was in town for 3 days and ate there twice. Granted, I rarely find Indian food that is this awesome. But when I do, I swear I could almost eat it every day when it is off the charts like it is at The Clay Pit. The first night I dined with locals, friends that have been coming here since it opened in 1998. I can't believe it took me this long to find it. If you have "insider" knowledge, you know to order the "butter chicken." It's not even on the menu, but my excellent Tikka Masala was 2nd best to this dish. But the BEST dish was the Chicken Korma. OMG are you kidding me? It's outright addictive. The next day I was working on a project in my hotel room and couldn't to out for dinner, it was getting late, restaurants were closing but The Clay Pit has online order. OMG again! ChowNow delivered my order of Korma in 30 min. Did I pay a lot for the service? Probably. Was it worth it? Definitely. I got my fix and now The Clay Pit is my Indian Food Fav on a very long list. Austin over NYC? Are you kidding me? No, go and see for yourself. Simply awesome and yes, the Naan is to die for too (according to my guests as it was a carb free night for me)

Truly great ambience...nice location near the capital the food is excellent. Was not too spicy and service was excellent. Food was served one course at a time and you should be aware of that else you will be too full before the main course or the dessert.

On our trip to Austin, We were walking around looking for somewhere to eat, when we came upon The Clay Pit. I ordered the Tikka Masala with Lamb and some naan. Wow was it delicious. Enjoyed some wine, good laughs and great food.

Delicious Indian food. Great variety and a good wine list. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu and you can choose how spicy you want it. The old, stone building creates a great ambiance.

I went there this year with my friends and I was very impressed with the quality of food and preparation. I would highly recommend this place and it’s perfect for a foodie like me :-)

My husband and I taking a leisurely stroll around Austin and all of a sudden we were surrounded by the best Indian food aroma. We immediately turned our heads around to find out where the smell was coming from and found the sign to The Clay Pit. We had a buffet lunch that was delicious!!! Totally worth the $12 per person. I loved the tilapia with coconut sauce, the eggplant dish and the palak paneer. Naan was served hot and fresh. The gulab jamun was a treat too!!! The ambiance is beautiful and the staff is very pleasant. When I return to Austin I'll want to go back.

As an avid listener of The Night Owl podcast, I looked forward to dining at the historic, and possibly haunted, Clay Pit restaurant which was featured on the podcast. Clay Pit serves excellent Indian cuisine in an inviting and interesting old building in Central Austin. I love the atmosphere there. Clay Pit is very veg-friendly with a clearly marked menu. The Naan bread is amazing. My husband and I also enjoyed sharing the Saag Paneer and Aloo Gobi dishes. (Entrees are served family style with yummy rice.) Our cocktails, Mango-Infused Martini and Foran 75, were a bit too sweet for our tastes. When I asked for the Hidden Spirits drink menu (which is a delightful collaboration between Clay Pit and The Night Owl podcast), our server said he'd never heard of it, and did not offer to ask the bartender about it. *shrug* Otherwise our server was attentive, checking back with us a few times. While a favorite podcast brought me to the Clay Pit, I will return for the excellent food and charming atmosphere.

The place is downright gorgeous on the basement (supposedly haunted too) and the smells and vibe of the place is amazing, the drinks are properly priced and the service is pretty good as well.

The restaurant ambience is nice, has a separate bar too. In my opinion, the food is average compared to the price. Service is good.

This is the best Indian Food in Town. Love , Love, Love. Great atmosphere, food, service. we love coming here on a special occasion. would recommend to anyone.

I have visited the Clay Pit multiple times while in Austin for business and pleasure. The food and service are always outstanding. Great cocktails and prices.

You can't throw a rock in Austin without hitting some new food truck-turned-restaurant in a renovated co-working space in East Austin, so it's nice to see a historic location that has been in business for more than twenty years and hasn't forgotten how to serve a good meal. Ordinarily I'm not a very creative customer at an Indian place: na'an, tikka masala, check. I was downtown by myself with some time to kill so asked the waiter (Austin) to recommend three courses and wasn't disappointed. Samosas, Chicken Korma, and a Gajar Halwa (carrot cake) were all excellent. Honorable mention goes to the "Desi style" Old Fashioned that adds a distinctive twist without overpowering an already-excellent drink. I was hoping to try a second cocktail but the bartender was pretty generous with just one, so bring a designated driver if you want more than that! The interior is spacious and elegant without being too formal, and while I didn't go downstairs, it's probably worth another trip to experience the cellar. Clay Pit reminds me of my first experience with Austin back in 2004: unique, interesting, confident but not too full of itself. This isn't Kemuri Tatsu-ya with a samurai mask and longhorns on the wall. It's a great place to eat in an historic building and there's not anything quite like it.

I'm not expert on Indian food but we 4 loved our choices and want more. There is a popular lunch buffets, but you're free to order off the lunch and dinner menus and we did. I don't remember the names of the dishes, but we scarfed it down and of course, vegetarian and gluten free options. It is housed in the Bertram Building, built in 1853 of lovely local limestone and spent many years as a trading post and general store. There is a tunnel in the basement that long ago led to a local brothel so the upper crust/city fathers could discreetly arrive. Our overworked waitress was patient and kind. We tipped accordingly.

Some of the best Indian food I've ever had. Ordered the chicken tikka masala and cashew almond chicken dish on their specials (can't remember exactly). But both were so amazing and creamy deliciousness! Also got the cream cheese jalapeño naan and that did NOT disappoint!

Within our group we had people with a lot of experience with Indian food, some with minimal experience and one lady that didn't like Indian. Everybody enjoyed the meal! We all got something different and ate family style and every single dish was fantastic. Wonderful service, served quickly. The naan was awesome and the samosa chaat was one of the best I've had!

We had dinner at the Claypot prior to going to the theatre. We have avoided Indian restaurants over the years because often the food was outrageously spicy hot. We gave Claypot a try and were pleasantly surprised. Service was prompt and we didn't have to rob the bank to pay for it.

What a great meal! We had not been in years and took our kids for a meal last night. I had a lamb curry some mussels. Awesome.

Did not know if we would like Indian food. Friends recommended it. We went and it was fabulous. Can vary the degree of seasoning (we got mild) and slect from different sauces. Not being familiar with the menu we let the server pick and he hit a home run. I had salmon and my wife had an Indian dish. Both were delicious. Great food, great service, great value, and decent ambience.

One of my friend love Indian food so we took her to this Indian restaurant. All I can say it was overpriced and food quality was medicore. Every other Indian restaurant serve snacks (either Pakoda or Samosa) in buffet but this was the only place which has none. There were only two veg items in buffet.

My friend and I visited this place while in Austin for a concert. The atmosphere and space was really warm and welcoming, and the staff were amazing! Food was exceptional and was like an orgasm in my mouth lol 😂 I will be back best authentic Indian cuisine!

We visited this restaurant during happy hour waiting for our bus. While drinking our beers we asked the bartender about the large glass infusion jar on the bar and were promptly given a small glass to sample. It was heavenly mango-ginger infused vodka and we knew we had to return for dinner. We were not disappointed. The drinks made with this vodka were outstanding; had a version of Moscow mule and husband had a martini. Apps were samosas and pakoras which paired nicely. We needed to wait for a table as it was Saturday and we didn’t have a reservation. We were seated in the cellar which is lovely and service was attentive. Dinners were acceptable, my Goan yellow curry was exceptional while my husband’s Khuroos-E-Tursh was dry. It is worth noting that you can order your level of heat on each dish from mild to despair hot. I definitely recommend a visit to Clay Pit to try a wonderful tasting experience.

Well, I had not been to this place since before 2020. The atmosphere is pretty different now. Warning....do not go here on Thursday lunch time. They are understaffed and really overworked. The food is still very good. That has not changed. I had the dish with 3 potatoes. Forgot the name. Not sure if and when I will try again.

I've been to the Clay Pit a couple of times, and each time something is just missing. The staff are very friendly and attentive, the location and the interior is lovely but the food should be a lot better. The lunchtime buffet is just very average Indian food with a poor choice and for dinner, the curry's are fine but for the price they charge and the way they market themselves, this food should be at the top of its game. I have had similar tasting curries for far cheaper from less fancy places and I think it just needs more flavour.

I was in Austin for a fortnight and ate here regularly. The service in the main restaurant was slow so I started eating at the bar where the service was much faster but a more limited menu. All the staff were very friendly.The tandoori chicken was not as spicy as I was expecting but the curried mussels were great and a decent sized portion. Good beers and good atmosphere..

I came to Texas for meat. Steak. Big red and unapologetic. I spent the evening here with colleagues for. Work and we went vegetarian and I was surprised. Surprised I could enjoy a meal which didn’t have meat but more so, that I want to go back and try other veggie dishes. Staff were helpful and friendly and guided us through well. Service was efficient but not rushed. Will definitely be back next time through

If you are in the Austin Texas area and looking for great indian food, this is the place for you. Every thing from the lamb to the chicken and the roan was absolutely fabulous.

Excellent blend of spices. Not too strong not too bland. Been here twice. Unusual for me to go back to a place since there are so many restaurants to visit in Austin but this place is worth it. I recommend reserving a table in the basement. It is very romantic.

Just a few blocks from the Capital, the inviting buffet opens at 11 am, but they seat you pretty quickly. We enjoyed the salads and chutneys, many chicken and veggie items, and fresh naan brought to our table by a very friendly service person. Check was brought promptly, but we never felt rushed to leave, and our water glasses were filled regularly. $9 buffet, can't be beat.

This is truly great Indian food. Every plate we ate was super tasty. Highly recommended, good service and friendly environment

I had been wanting to try Clay Pit for awhile. Finally did and sorry I waited so long. Food was delicious. Some of the best in Austin.

Very good on all counts: decor, service, breadth and quality of food all first tier. Tandoori mixed grill a little too well done, but it was a very busy night and all else was very good

This is one of our favorite places to eat but tonight they let us down a bit. After ordering it was 50 minutes before the manager arrived and told us that our meal had been delivered to someone else's table. At least she was upfront and had the courage and responsibility to come tell us what happened. I admire that. She said our order had been given to both chefs as top priority. We did get our meal of Mixed Grill, Tikka Masala Chicken, Jeera Saag Shrimp and Garlic Naan 10 minutes later. The food was as usual delicious and we mopped up every morsel of it. The manager comp'ed us deserts and those were great too. We love the food, so we'll go back, but the wait tonight wasn't fun.

Bring the family and bring an appetite. The atmosphere is nice casual, as is most of Austin. The food is terrific.

I had Indian for the first time here. It was certainly the place to ignite my appreciation for the cuisine! The food was absolutely delicious! The restaurant itself was beautiful! The staff were amazing too, they were friendly, respectful, and helpful. I would definitely recommend this restaurant and look forward to going again.

Great Indian food in a really nice building. The interior is warm and inviting. It seems like it can get quite busy on the weekends, but it was worth the wait. They will make the food spiciness to your preference.

Went to Clay Pit for an early dinner on a Saturday, it was busy but the staff was very attentive. We had 5:45pm reservations, but arrived a bit early and were seated right away. The server was very attentive, and very nice. We ordered the curried mussels(must try!!!!) and a couple of types of naan it was great. For entrees my daughter's decided to order if of the appetizer menu( hummus+ naan and calimari) my husband ordered chicken tikka masala, and I ordered goat saag. The food was soooooo good! They brought out 1 tray of rice with the entrees but let us know more was available upon request. It looked like there were all type of parties: dates, friends, families. I would totally go back, and recommend you give this place a try.

There were different rooms and my family sat in a quieter room which was great. The food was good and the staff was kind.

Clay Pit HAS NO BUFFET PEOPLE UPDATE YOUR INFO!!!!!!!! Looked online it is listed EVER6AS HAVING A BUFFET FALSE INFO !!! UP DATE !!!

The Clay Pit is scrumptious. The curried mussels and jalapeno cheese naan is super! It's my favorite. Try the lamb vindaloo. It has hints of paprika which is one of my favorite spices. Paneer tikka masala is a must try dish. It explodes with flavor. Great place - great value

Downtown Indian style. Excellent buffet lunch but rather disappointed with the menu service. Our waitress seemed overwhelmed and they substituted beef and chicken because they ran out of lamb and served it that way without telling us, hoping we wouldn't notice.

I stopped here for lunch as I passed through Austin. I went out of my way to dine here because I've been before. The menu is varied. The staff is excellent. The service is great. I arrived fifteen minutes before lunch service ended and they were more than happy to let me order from the menu instead of browsing the extensive buffet. The waiter was superb. I really have never found an Indian restaurant to compare and I will always stop when I'm anywhere near Austin.

Very disappointing ! Food was tasteless, chicken dry, sauce had no taste ! Waited 1.5h for take out !! Staff not very friendly. Will not go back !!

Early dinner and just chose this place as the building looked very interesting. The food and service was amazing. Samosas were lovely snd dessert very unique. Didn’t want too spicy but there were many choices

We stopped by lunch time. busy. Only one waitress for 15 tables. Took them 30 minutes to serve us. Host did nothing except wear a Santa hat. Thank heavens the food was tasty

Took a friend to dinner here and really enjoyed the serene, Old World vibe. Delicious Indian cuisine can be tailored to your palette (mild, smoky, hot) and we left feeling full and content. Memorable Goan shrimp curry in a yellow cream sauce. Would absolutely dine here again the next time I'm in Austin.

Its been a while since we visited and if anything the food is even better - almost to Scottish Indian standards . :-) . .We were seated at the time of our reservation , nice and cool table despite the heat outside. Service was a little bit slow bit only due to understaffing. Manager and staff were very good , helpful , responsive. Food was excellent for all 3 of us , including vegetarian.We will be back , for sure.

If you are into Indian food you will be disappointed. The food is okay and the atmosphere is nice. But there is no depth or subtlety to there flavors. It is a clean and pleasant restaurant but there is nothing interesting going on in the food department. I would skip it.

The Clay Pit is a nice Indian restaurant in downtown Austin. The restaurant is in an historic building with limestone block walls, giving you an opportunity to experience a great building indicative of the architecture in Austin 100-150 years ago. Downtown attractions, the Capitol and associated state museums and the University of Texas at Austin are all within walking distance. The staff is very nice, and the food is good. Order family style so everyone can try a variety of dishes. The restaurant is expensive, though not out of line for this area of town.

My husband and I recently enjoyed lunch here and it left us both impressed! The bread was tasty, the appetizers were hot and well-made, and the main dishes were fantastic! We ordered two different curry sauces with shrimp and chicken (both delicious), and we especially liked that you can order them with mild, medium, or very high spice levels, medium was hot enough for us. The rice was tender and delicious. Service was prompt, but not overly friendly. Sunday lunch is buffet only, we had wished the menu was available on Sundays as well. Overall, the atmosphere is beautiful - well decorated with attention to detail, and we would gladly come back for more delicious favorites!

Great induan food with options for items with a Texas twist, like jalapeno cream cheese naan. Many great traditional Indian options. Have not been here for the buffet, so can only comment on dinner service. Wait staff provided good service. Best to make a reservation for prompt seating. Food was flavorful and fried many items. Sauces are excellent. Highly recommend the mussels if you like seafood. Prices are reasonable.

Clay Pit has a great selection of dishes, including plenty for the vegetarians among us. I've found everything I've eaten here delicious. I like my food spicy but not too spicy and have enjoyed dishes ordered with "medium" spice. There will be something for everyone here. The downtown location is not too far from either UT or the South Congress area. I enjoy coming here with my parents when they are in town- the atmosphere is elegant and it's not too expensive. A friend commented to me that she finds some of the dishes too creamy-- if a really luxuriously-textured curry is not your thing, take heed. But if that's what you're after, enjoy!!!

Hurray for the Clay Pit for mailing our credit card back to us in Maryland after a conference. Thanks, guys!

Went for a late lunch and got a decent meal. People rave about this place - I don't think it quite lived up to the hype, but it was pretty good. $35 for two people.

We had a friend's birthday celebration here in the private room in the back. Our wait person was with us all evening to ensure we had a wonderful evening. He was able to keep up with 13 women, multiple orders of naan, mussels bottles of bubbly and all of our orders! He did a great job as well as cut and served the cake! I ordered the chicken in an almond-cashew butter sauce with 16 spices and heat level of HOT. It was delicious and the heat was just right, if I had ordered the medium heat, I would have been disappointed. The HOT was just right!

The food is just not very good here anymore. It used to be great. We had Korma, Saag and Naan. The staff is very nice and the building is historical.

Generally - it is sort of taste of India, maybe not a full experience as for me it was with less spices than I have experienced in typical Indian restaurants. The biggest disappointment was with chicken masala as the dish tasted more like tomato souce :( the desserts are average, more coming from local cousin than from Indian one. Good service. Some work with proper cleaning of the tables would be appreciated.

Between the West End and The Drag is the Clay Pit. A very busy delight, with a great menu. I am no Indian food critic - so this will probably appeal to the majority. Difficult to even decide what to have for dinner. Waiter was very helpful. So five of us ordered four different meals and shared to get a taste of the variety of offerings. Coconut Curry ( medium spice)(they offer mild medium and hot) Kothmir Salmon (Kormar sauce and masala = this was my favorite) Seafood grill, Mix grill (tandoori chicken, Malei kebob, Boti kebob, & sirloin kebob - comes with mild/medium sauce). All were excellent. Coconut curry was my second fav. Drinks were a good buy and strength. Cost was $16-$18/plate which I thought was reasonable for our trip to exotic India.

While here for a conference at AT&T center, we enjoyed a great versatile lunch for 8. Buffet is delicious and very reasonably priced, fast, and the food selection was great for those of us with special preferences (gluten-free, vegan, etc). The only complaint I have is that the regular menu indicated gluten options, but the buffet labels did not so I had to guess & I am not really familiar enough with all the recipes to know when to expect wheat ingredients.

We were in Austin for a concert. We met up with some friends and they chose the restaurant. We were not sure what to expect. Two thumbs up from all of us. We were pleasantly surprised. I loved the ribeye. My husband ordered one of the curry dishes. We had such a great experience we went back the next day. I ordered the ribeye again and he got the buffet. We will certainly return when we are in Austin.

Our Daughter and future Son in Law took us here while we were visiting, sharing one of their favorite places. We really liked it. a very bright and spacious room, and we had exceptional service that night. The drinks were lovely, and we found dinner options appealing to all of our palates. Our FSiL Matt ordered a Grapefruit Jalapeno Slush. He let me taste it, and I thought it was refreshing and fun. We shared a Calamari appetizer. It was great! Very tender, lovely flavor. My Wife and I are new to Indian cuisine, unlike the kids. I had the Mixed Grill, and Onion & Cilantro Naan. I loved both. All the sauces were great, my favorite was the Mint Chutney. My Wife enjoyed the Jhinga Sholay Shrimp. We were served in a very attentive, and friendly fashion. Everything was excellent during our dinner. I was very pleasantly surprised how affordable our great meal was. Top menu items for four, with appetizer and drinks for under $100 in a downtown locale. I Highly recommend

I work close to this restaurant and the food is always incredible. Some of the best Indian food I've had in Austin. The buffet is excellent but get there early cuz the place will get packed at lunchtime.

Good Indian food!! We were all very happy with our food. The only caveat was that the naan was stone cold. other than that, excellent!

Food was great but service was bad. Lots of great vegan options and well indicated. Love that! Favorite was vegetable Goan curry, delicious! Veggie samosas were great too with 2 yummy dipping sauces. Infused vodka with mango and ginger was fab in the infused Moscow mules. Arrived at 5:00pm with reservations but had to wait 15 minutes with lots and lots of open tables. Server was unfriendly and very slow. Clearing of table at end was terrible with stacking and dropping things on table making a mess. Birthday notation in reservation and nothing ever said. Never asked for dessert and just brought the check.

Saturday buffet looked a bit tired by 2 pm. Server told us that he had never looked on the menu so was unable to advise us on best choices. Food was lukewarm. Not a great experience but attractive surroundings.

We went here with a group of eight relatives after New Year's and left filled with tasty food and a few cups of leftovers to enjoy the next day. We had to wait perhaps 20 minutes for our group of eight to be seated without a reservation on a Thursday night. They gave us a corner spot where we were able to hear each other, which is not always the case with a crowd. Service was attentive and the food options satisfied the vegetarians, pescetarians and carnivores in the group, as well as the baby. We shared starters of tandoori broccoli, samosas, coriander calamari and garlic naan, and they were all good. I enjoyed the seafood grill which included whitefish, salmon and prawns in Indian spices.

We eat clay pit once a week minimum. We have ordered most of the food on the menu but have gravitated to the creamy chicken tikka masala. The classic northern indian menu is on offer, and the local crowd enjoys the tables. For an extra intimate setting ask to be in the wine cave like basement. The bar is solid and there is always an interesting and active crowd at dinner. Service is solid at this austin stalwart of the affordable but upscale restaurant. While a table might require a wait, you can aleays try take out!

When we visited Austin last year, I saw this restaurant in an AAA guidebook. Boy, were we in for a treat! It's in a beautiful old building with lots of character and charm. The staff couldn't be more pleasant and welcoming - they made us feel like royalty! They have a really unique space in the cellar, but it was full, so we dined on the main floor - which was lovely. The food selection is amazing - it was so hard to choose, and everything came out piping hot and delicious. My husband had the Vindaloo and I had Saag - both were spiced to perfection. The Naan bread is light, fluffy, and flavorful. If I lived in Austin, I would be here every week.

Our meal included lots of choices and even those who don't handle spice well were very happy with their food. Staff was friendly and helpful. My only suggestion is better lighting/railings for the outdoor stairs, which almost injured one of our group.

I went to The Clay Pit twice this weekend while visiting Austin. First, I went on a Friday night. The restaurant was packed, and there was a twenty-minute wait. The second was for lunch buffet on Saturday. Both times the food was excellent and the service very good. The restaurant has several dining rooms and is very attractive and peaceful. Many people of south-east Asian origin were dining there, which is always a good sign.

We visited with friends and had a party of nine that consisted of four adults and five kids. We arrived about an hour and a half before closing. We could have gotten a table and the wait was only 20 minutes, but decided to sit near the bar and this was a great choice. Setting at the bar, the menu is limited and this allowed us to try a variety of dishes. The best was the muscles, garlic naan bread, and the cucumber salad. We did not leave hungry and this was the best dinner we had while in Austin. The service was great as was the food.

We enjoyed this restaurant very much. There were a variety of Indian food options (tandoori plus!), the service was prompt and attentive. Three of us shared a mussel appetizer (we opted for “medium” spice - maybe I could’ve have had spicier but it was fine for my not very spicy palate) the broth for which we sopped up with naan. (The server suggested he bring the naan with appetizer for that reason). We then shared the signature chicken dish (stuffed medallions - again medium spiced) the sauce for which was fabulous - and the lamb dish (roganjosh) which wasn’t as good but still delicious. For both dishes we ordered more naan to sop up the sauces!! The saag paneer was also great!! We did not have reservations for a Thursday eve and had to wait 30 minutes for a table.

Many, many Indian restaurants do not serve beef, but this one does. We had vegetable samosas, chicken tikka masala, chicken korma and naan: it was all delicious! Our waitress, Gretchen, was very friendly and helpfu,l and she got us in and out quickly when we told her we were on a tight schedule.

I've been here several times and the food is consistently excellent, with many vegetarian options. It's one of my favorite places in downtown Austin! Yesterday when I was there I nearly passed out from the terribly strong air freshener in the bathroom. It was horrible--making me dizzy, and nauseous, and faint. Please Clay Pit--get rid of that poisonous "air freshener"!

Clay Pit is always a solid choice that promises consistently delicious lunch and dinner. We did one buffet and vindaloo paneer with samosas and the hibiscus mint tea. The price of the buffet and lunch plate were excellent, especially considering the quality. Also, our server was personable and attentive. It's great to have them on Seated!

Watery dishes with no vegetables. Korma was missing home made cheese. Lack of consistency. Management made ridiculous excuses. Very disappointing!

I know that sounds silly to be just ok and keep coming back. It's the location and decor that wins but the food is very average. The cut of chicken for the vindaloo was largely dark thigh meat and the service poor. They depend on things that should not matter - yet prevail anyway. They need to be careful or they will begin to lose their edge. The portions get smaller every time and the naan can be hit or miss. Bar service is always impeccable.

We loved the reviews of this place and were excited to try it. But that quickly turned to disappointment. We were told our wait for the table would be an hour. So we decided to stick it out and wait at the bar. There, we waited a solid 15 minutes before anyone took our drink order. We also ordered and appetizer: naan. That took another 20 minutes. We finally got our table after 1 hour, 10 minutes. It was another 50 minutes before we got food. The meal was great: paneer korma and chicken tikka. But we wouldn't come again because of the wait.

Exceptional! Top to bottom every category is unequivocally the best most professionally staffed crew I've met in eight countries I've been in recently. If I could give them the five star Michelin award I would. The atmosphere is an old Mexican building. It's cozy the noise level was not bad considering it was almost a capacity for lunch. The background music is delightful Indian music. The staff is stellar. The busboy had the tables cleared wiped and reset before you could turn around twice. I did not see one employee on a cell phone, let alone six of them gathered in a corner. Dread, the manager must be doing an excellent job of training them. Details right down to having a hook for ladies purses in the restroom AND the trash can near the door.  Michael provided excellent table service. When all the tables were content, Michael would pick up the broom & sweep the floor. Someone else came by making sure the silverware was in the proper order on the plates and  every knife had no raindrops on it. Then square the chairs up to the table so nobody would trip.  The quality of the food was phenomenal. I had the lamb KORMA. You could cut the lamb with a fork.  Korma is an almond, cashew, pistachio sauce with cream. It's a Southern India specialty, I do believe I've never had before.  Thanks again to Michael for suggesting it. I was totally delighted. Since  I was celebrating just getting divorced, I decided to put a shot of Bailey's in my iced Chai.  Thus I have created the IRISH CHAI.  You may ask Michael or Dread for it. I highly recommend CLAY PIT top to bottom: ambiance, staff, food,  service!  The best I've seen in a long, long time. Yes I have been in many fine restaurants, including Scottsdale Arizona.  Highly Praised Clay Pit.

Very popular Indian restaurant, the waiter said we had to wait for 30 min to get a table. It was faster. Had their Biryani, maximum spice (they got a special name for it that I don't remember). The food was good, but not that spicy - medium at the most. Had the Kingfisher beer to the Biryani, it was perfect. The experience was well worth the money! Go there.

Chicken Tikka Masala, and Butter Chicken were great. We had three dishes with chicken that was tender, except the fourth as it was a tough consistency almost throughout the dish. A natural product and its to be expected. The sauces were very well made, tasted the fresh ingredients throughout. The garlic naan, and the garlic cheese naan were also great. Again, fresh ingredients were used. Didn't give 5 stars as the friendly wait staff were clearly overburdened, as our water and ice tea refills were few; ice tea wasn't refilled at all. Restaurant parking was also a challenge, get there early, but to expected in downtown Austin TX. A definite special occasion restaurant; we'll be back.

Situated in downtown Austin, Clay Pit is one of the Indian fine dining restaurants you can take someone out who is visiting from another city. The building itself is unique and gives you an iconic old era dining experience. The food is not authentic Indian (I am an Indian and I can tell the difference), it has been modified according to the American palette but the ambiance here is always good. Service is great and food is hot, which makes it one of the to go places for Indian food in downtown Austin.

The place had so many good review and a large selection of vegetarian options, we came. It smells great from outside and has fun Indian music playing. The vegetarian samosas were small but tasty. We also got the bariyan rice and tikkia masala. Both were bland. Service was unbelievably slow.

The food is just not what it used to be. The curry seems weak and the chicken was not plentiful. Freebies for the table are nonexistent.

I read their blurb, and took a recommendation from an old friend who lives in Austin. I was not disappointed in the food, it was hot, tasty and the service was good, the price reasonable. However, I do not agree that they have a great wine list, it is quite limited in range and the food itself is Indian Lite. I had mussels in a brown, almost curry sauce, all cooked nicely but the sauce was vapid at best and missing the notes of the more common Indian spices. The breaded calamari was just that and the accompanying yogurt sauce mild not sharp as you would expect from a good goat milk yogurt, and not particularly aromatic. The main dish of curried goat was ordered at their hot level, one below searing, and I found it a moderate heat and the goat was marinaded and cooked to the point of being unrecognizable as goat, and may have been anything. The roti was excellent. The waitress recommended I ask for extra goat, as it comes bony and I did. Good sized portions and not too pricey. They were doing a huge pick up service and the place is trendy and hopping, but I would have preferred less trendy and more authentic. That said, it is a good choice for a lot of people who might be unfamiliar with Indian food.

Authentic food, light and fresh, service excellent. Desserts # 1. Desserts are not too sweet, but just right. Best Indian food in Austin

We were specifically looking for Indian food, so decided to go here for lunch as we has read very good reviews. We opted for the buffet, but it was very disappointing, and I've had much better in other places. The offering was very small - only a couple of main courses, and the taste was just average. The waitress was friendly but seemed overworked, as she was the only server for our room, and she wasn't able to attend to us well. We wouldn't go back, and while not terrible, it's certainly nowhere I'd recommend for great food or experience. Maybe the main menu is better, but the buffet was a disappointment.

We had a reservation for 4 on a Sunday night at 6:45 and were promptly seated. The restaurant is inside a former general store built decades ago. It has a nice ambience and the noise level was perfect! We shared deliciously well seasoned Tandoori bites including shrimp and chicken. Large shrimp which were perfectly cooked. The lamb Achari kebob were a hit. Our friends enjoyed the garlic Naan. I had read a glowing review of the jalapeño/cream cheese naan ... it wasn’t bad but I would recommend sticking with the standard version. The lamb roganjosh was OK but my husband preferred the lamb kebobs. The chicken Tikka masala was a hit. The curried mussels were OK, the problem was the top ones were cold probably had sat for tad too long. Wine prices were good with a $6 cava. My husband enjoyed two mango lassis. They do not offer mango chutney so bring your own! A fellow dining company really wanted that chutney to accompany his meal. Service was great with constant checking and no delay in meal delivery. We will definitely go again.

Great food, great location and very nice ambience of upscale restaurant! Must go place for Indian food if you are in Austin.

Have been to the Clay Pit several times but today was the absolute "PIT"! The food was fine but the waitress made this lunch date a travesty. Not once but twice yanked away half-eaten plates without asking if we were done. I have NEVER seen anyone so efficient in making you feel like you needed to get out of there so the next customers could take the table - and, we weren't lingering and it wasn't even crowded. This may not be about the Clay Pit's food but about the whole lunch experience which I will not want to repeat.

We ordered garlic naan and curried mussels as starters. Chicken Tikebar and Khutoos E Tursh. All are pretty mild. But one of mussels was really NOT fresh at all. Considering it is their signature dish, we were not impressed. Probably will not return to this place when we visit Austin.

Pretty packed place on a weekday. Food was great, tasty and large portions. Quite extensive menu too. Didn’t have coffee though.

This is the original location of this Indian restaurant and is well liked by the locals. The setting is unusual with the appearance of a restaurant in a hallway. The food is simple and delicious served by an attractive and attentive staff. Great wine selections along with good food makes this a sophisticated Indian restaurant.

I loved by experience at Clay Pit. Literally, from the time I walked in until I left everything was done with excellence. Our sever did a wonderful job explaining the menu and really gave different choices for meal options. The vegetable samosa was good and the Vegetable Jeera Saag was delicious with added paneer. The garlic and basil naan is a must have too. Try the mango lemonade and make sure to ask questions because wait staff knows the menu and really helps to steer you in the right direction. If you are in the mood for Indian food; go to Clay Pit and let them get you full.

We went back to Arturo's for a 2nd lunch, but they were closed for a holiday. Luckily we crossed paths with the owner, and he recommended a place right around the corner. The Clay Pit is food from India, with a lunch buffet that a lot of folks seemed to enjoy. We ordered off the menu, which had a lot of delicious sounding dishes, We started off with Vegetable Samosas, which were crispy on the outside and yummy on the inside! For the main course, we had the Kothmir Salmon and the Mughlai Chicken (I emptied the baking dish with the chicken & sauce over the generous portion of rice on the plate, allowing me to enjoy every last bite!). The place was packed by the time we left, clearly a popular spot for the locals. The service was excellent, and the price was right, with our 2 main dishes costing $10 each!

Many choices,can have an inexpensive meal however I think we ended up eating mostly rice since the dish I ordered was supposed to be rice and vegetables but there really wasn't that much vegetables.

Loved dinner! My son and I ordered several sides and dessert, and everything was delicious, perfectly cooked, and had good portions. Will definitely come back.

Really no issues here. Except maybe it can be a little too spicy depending on what you order. I’m a big fan of the chicken tiki masal really no issues here. Except maybe it can be a little too spicy depending on what you order. I’m a big fan of the chicken and shrimp vindaloo. It’s been here in Austin for quite some time and the staff is very friendly. Namaste

Normally I would have given 5 out of 5 if it was ordering from the menu as the food I had before was very very good. This time I made a mistake of going for Sunday brunch, let me be frank for the price $13 it's well worth it but the food quality was mediocre at brunch. They had no option of ordering from the menu during brunch time, it's just buffet. For the size of the restaurant, the parking is really bad, there are a lot of paid options across the street.

Finally got to try it and made it out here before dropping kid off at UT :) Hubby had it before and raved about it and so did every one else especially my Indian friends so I had to naturally try it. Am glad I did. Can see why most would like it esp hubs. He likes buffets fresh and simple not overloaded with choices that aren't fresh and he loves fresh brought to the table naan and that's what they had. Buttery soft, warm. Nice waiter, brought fresh hot naan right away before we went up to the buffet line. At the line, there's only 2 meats. Chicken tandoori and a chicken curry. Both good. The thing about simple items is that they will run out quick like the tandoori because lunch rush came at noon but they refilled it right away. I think I prefer that than fried sitting there food. I liked the Apple slaw. Went well with my curry. I was surprised the soup was so good. Curry like. I dipped my naan in it :). Loved the basmati rice. Potatoes were soft and a vegetable curry dish my daughter loved. The chimichurri was good she said too. The rice pudding ended the meal well. We are stuffed :) happy we went. $9 per person was a great deal albeit paying for parking but hey was worth it to try. Cute accessible location so very near UT. Clean, nice place. Enjoyed it a lot!

We went as a family for dinner. This was my first visit to this restaurant. The choice for vegetarians seemed limited but we managed to have a decent meal. The service was very good. Ambiance is OK.

We were staying at a nearby hotel and stopped in for dinner on a Friday night. The place was packed and it was a 2 hour wait. After standing at he bar for 15 minutes we decided to go somewhere else. The bartender Armand caught us outside and asked us to give him a few minutes to see if he could move some folks who were just drinking and waiting for their table to a sofa, so we could have their table to eat. Way to go Armand!! That was OTT!! The food was incredibly delicious! The salmon in curry sauce was YUMMO!! Quit scrolling and go get yourself a table. You will not be disappointed!

We ordered Vegetable Ayaam (mixed veg) and chicken Korma for lunch. Both were excellent with the veg curry being better. Typically I am skeptic of Contemporary or Fusion Indian cuisine- a lot of hype with little to show for quality, but this was a pleasant exception.