Nirmal's Reviews

We were in Seattle for a first time visit from Detroit, MIchigan. We were looking for a good Indian restaurant and Nirmal’s caught our attention. We had a great time at Nirmal’s. Assorted Pakora for appetizer was excellent. The kofta sabzi, yellow lentil curry, methi roti, pudina roti were excellent. The basmati rice was exquisitely cooked with the right texture and aroma. It’s hard to find good Indian restaurants where the owner takes pride in cooking from scratch with good ingredients and Nirmal’s is such a place. The owner Oliver spoke to us at the end and we had a great time talking to him about Seattle and Washington state’s culture. Very highly recommend this restaurant.

Ordered 5 course Thalis meal. All tasty and it was fun to match different things with each other. The mango lassi was great; very creamy and heavy, but it is super tasty!! The real winner for me was chicken roti, sandwich style. it is a THICK sandwich and the flavor is amazing and complex! and servicewise, they REALLY take care of you, in a good way I mean. If I lived in Seattle I would have been their usual customer

the attention to detail and flavor here is exquisite. i could eat nothing but indian for the rest of my life and die a very happy person, and Nirmal's is one of the best i've had stateside. the service was also spectacular. highly recommend this spot to satisfy all your tastebuds😋

Tried Nirmal's on a whim and it was great. A full lunch meal with 5 small bowl(Dal, chicken curry, vegetables, soup, rice and naan bread). Lots of dishes but small enough to not be too filling was great! The owner came over twice to check in. I am looking for a time to take my wife in the evening!

My wife and I had a hankering for some Indian food; luckily, this place was in walking distance from our hotel. Our meal was top notch! Everything was superbly flavored, and service was great! We were delighted to have found this place and we will definitely eat here again whenever we return to Seattle.

This restaurant is in a great location in Pioneer Square - just off Occidental park. However, the service and the food are disappointing. The service is very slow and inefficient. The food is bland, and caters to western taste. But the end result is a restaurant that people do not go back to. I would suggest to the owners to travel to India, Canada and eat at a really good Indian restaurant with fresh spices. Vijs in Vancouver is an example. Make your food innovative. Otherwise, people will not return.

What a beautiful restaurant! We started with Mango Lassi and Hara Bara Tikki which is a spinach appetizer. It was a perfect beginning! Next we had Naat Yakhan which lamb shank, the Murphy Da Dhaba chicken and the Nadan Beef Curry. Wow! Wonderful food! Will be back for sure.

I visited Nirmal's during Seattle Restaurant Week and took advantage of the 3 courses for $33 offer. The physicial space is very nice and the overall vibe of the place is very friendly, with the owner coming around talking to everyone. I always appreciate it when someone takes the restaurant business seriously and wants to discuss the food. My appetizer was the Mangalorean fried fish, which was delicious. My main course was an eggplant dish in a very nice tamarind sauce. I have had baingan bharta at a number of restaurants over the years and always enjoyed it but this was something different, featuring small, whole Indian eggplants that were remarkably tender. It was the kind of vegetarian dish that even non-vegetarians such as myself can thoroughly appreciate. I couldn't quite rate Nirmal's as excellent simply because I was in London a few months ago and sampled high-end Indian cuisine there. Nirmal's isn't quite up to that level but it's definitely on the right track. I will happily return to try more items on Nirmal's very interesting menu. After all, it's a long trip to London!

We ate here on our last night in Seattle and the staff were very accommodating and very helpful! We started out with thin "cracker" type bread which was delicately spiced. It burned my lips! One member of our party had the Sabzi Gulbahar Kofta. It is green! It was delicious and was very delicately flavored. Another member of our party had the beef laalmas which was very tasty. The beef was tender and a little spicy. The staff brought some yogurt sauce to mix in to tone down the spiciness. Another member of our party had the shingry mutter. It was spicier than the beef laalmas, but also delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant which was very busy and has very nice staff! Absolutely mouthwatering food!

My wife and I by happenstance stumbled into Nirmal's after a Mariners game. We sat at the bar and had a fantastic time and the best service I have experienced in many years. Mesha the bartender was phenomenal. He kept us entertained and informed on the menu. Saying the food was great is an understatement. The chefs in the back truely created something special. It was both delicious to our tastebuds and nourishing to our souls. After our meal the owner himself, Oliver Bangera, came out and had a great conversation with us. Told us why he started the restaurant and a few personal stories about his experience and love for Seattle. It was something very special, heartwarming and beyond welcoming to a few out of towners exploring Seattle for the first time. I want to thank Oliver, Mesha, and the rest of the staff for a great night, a fantastic meal, and one of the best experiences and atmospheres I have ever wandered into by happenstance.

This is a great spot for lunch with friends. Service is quick, there is a great selection, and the food is wonderful. One of my favourite dishes is the Thali because you get to try several different things at once.

Came here for dinner looking for good Indian. This was a good, upscale choice. We got the Cinnamon Imli and the Hot Toddy for drinks to start. Both were excellent. For food, I got the Rofan Josh(lamb shank) & my wife ordered the Nizami Goat Curry. Both were good. The lamb shank was perfectly cooked & seasoned. The owner's wife came and spoke with us for a while, which was a nice touch. The servers were nice & attentive as ever also. A great option if you're in downtown Seattle.

The location in Pioneer Square is a bit sketchy in the evenings, which may be why it is generally easy to get a booking for dinner. The space is industrial chic, tables are not too close and the ambient noise is not intrusive, a good atmosphere for dining IMO. The Indian cuisine here is quite distinctive relative to other places in Seattle and in a good way. In several dinner visits we've skipped the appetizer and gone for Gobi Anarkali, Jinga Shia Mirch, various curries, garlic naan, and our favorite Naat Yakhan (braised lamb shanks). All of these dishes are excellent. The food is pretty spicy and not for the uninitiated (we took some friends who were new to Indian cuisine and sadly they did not enjoy the experience). The staff are great and the owner is super friendly. Overall my favorite local Indian restaurant.

This has become a family ritual. Between the food, which has never disappointed, and the staff, especially the owner, I always leave with a smile and a happy full belly!!

What an amazing restaurant. Usually avoid typical Indian restaurants with garish decor and food full of cream, butter, oil and refined starches. Fresh ingredients, artfully prepared resulting in delicious food, good portions, with wonderful services (Tara) , owned and run by such a friendly couple. Thanks for a lovely evening.

Food from multiple regions of India, with perfect spicing, varied tastes and reasonable prices. Setting is a 120 year-old building that had been a train station, providing an airy setting in an interesting neighborhood. The food varies from day to day so I expect that I'll never be tired of the place.

I normally don’t write reviews, let alone bad ones. But, this restaurant was so horrible, people need to be warned!!! Food: One of the worst Indian food I EVER tasted. That is from a guy who had eaten at 100s of Indian restaurants while traveling. We ordered Chicken Tikka Pakora for appetizer and Whole Wheat Lentil and Chicken Chettinad for dinner entrees with additional Garlic Nan for the two of us. Chicken Tikka Pakora - So so. Little bit on the dry side and very bland, but compared to the other dishes this was slightly better. Whole wheat entree - No salt and no taste. This watery lentil tasted so bad that we left is completely untouched. Chicken Chetinad - Horrible. Given that this is one of my favorite items, I was hoping they didn’t screw this up. Yet, they did. We can taste the powder they mixed in to create this. Generally for this dish, most other restaurants put sliced chicken, but these guys put two whole chicken legs which is kinda weird. Those legs had no spices sunk in and tasted so bland. We left both chicken pieces behind. But, couldn’t eat the gravy either with Nan and rice. Basmati Rice - This came with the Chicken. Honestly this was their best item! Garlic Nan - Tasted like a regular Nan. They swore it was a garlic nan. Couldn’t tell the difference or they made a wrong nan and lied. Service: Their service was so pathetic, it made their food quality sound better. It started off good. Right off the bat, served us water and took appetizer order. The women who worked there is not Indian, and clueless about the dishes they served on the menu. Didn’t bother to write it down either. We ordered Garlic Nan and Onion Kulcha to go with the rice that was served with entrees. Instead we got regular nan and “chopped onions.” We reminded her again about the kulcha, she disappeared into the back, nowhere to be seen again. Last time we saw her. We gestured the manager and told him what happened. He said they don’t serve Onion Kulcha, but offered to bring in another Nan. We said fine. After waiting for another 10 mins, we lost interest, so we “finished the meal.” He came in later and said he forgot to order the Nan and apologized. Overall, not only I will NEVER go here again, but I very strongly recommend others to seriously look for other better Indian restaurants in the Seattle area. If you choose to take the risk of going here, at least don’t order any of the above dishes. Hopefully, you will have better luck. Makes me wonder if they have their “friends and family” give the few good ratings they have. The only reason I am giving a 1 start is because that is the least the system will allow me to - wish there was an option for 0 or negative review

My boyfriend suggested this place, as he knew I love Indian food. Nirmal’s is in a great location, right in Pioneer a square. The ambiance was beautiful, Christmas lights on all the trees outside, and the restaurant itself is beautiful. The samosas were good, but a bit over cooked. The dipping sauces were delicious. I had the paneer masala, it was a bit bland, and not spicy as I had asked. The garlic naan was not fully cooked in the middle. My boyfriend had a lamb dish, he said it was good, but nothing special. Overall, for the a $75.00 dinner I had higher expectations. There are so many delicious Indian restaurants in the Seattle area, with reasonable prices. Check them out!

As you may have seen from my past reviews, I am all about experience - that means great food AND great service. Unfortunately this place lacked on the later. Good was delicious but no flexibility as far as the spice level. I like my food spicy but not so much that I can't taste any other flavors. At Nirmal's no options. That's okay so I requested side order of green chilies, lemons, and onions. I was more than half done with my meal before it arrived. Oh btw, when we walked in, were told wait at the bar for a table - while there was a table available across from bar. Sure after few min of waiting we got seated and then it was another loooong wait before the waiter came and took out food order. Anyway, I would may be order a take out from here again if I really had an itch for descent Indian food. One last thing, ambiance is pretty good BUT due to the layout (high, hollow ceiling), it is very noisy.

In all of our dining experiences all around the world, we have never once experienced anything like Nirmal's kind approach to dealing with allergies. Without our having to mention our daughter's peanut allergy or my husband's shellfish allergy, the server initiated the conversation by asking whether we had any food preferences. She then took the paper menu to the chef and brought it back with certain menu items crossed out. The owner came to us at the end of the meal, and when we mentioned how unprecedented we found this approach to be, he said that he tries hard to accommodate food allergies because he suffers from them himself and has had the horrible experience of an anaphylactic reaction. I would have given Nirmal's a five-star rating even without its sensitivity to food preferences, because the food was absolutely delicious, service outstanding, and ambiance lovely. I wish we lived in Seattle so we could be regulars at Nirmal's.

I rarely have to go into Seattle but when I do I like to find great restaurants to try. Being vegetarian I also do research before choosing a restarant to attend. Given the stellar reviews of Nirmal I was excited to give them a try yesterday. I have point out that I am basing my review on a lunch service, not dinner. The lunch menu is VERY limited in options. One salad, one soup, a platter option, a curry option, a 5 course thali option and dessert. There did not appear to be any beverages other than Chai, coffee or Lassi. I asked our server who was obviously new and not very knowledgeable about the contents of the soup of the day. She said.....it's a soup with vegetables. Period....nothing else! Then I asked what vegetables were included in the vegetable curry. She said there were potatoes and maybe cauliflower?! I decided to take a risk and opt for the curry. The food arrived fairly quickly and while the curry had pretty good flavor, it was very greasy. There was a visible layer of grease laying on top of the food. It also came with a very small (maybe 1/3 cup) bowl of rice and 1/2 a naan bread. The naan and rice were very good. I was pretty disappointed in the curry and thought that the cost for the meal ($12 for the curry) for lunch was too much. Also they need to train their staff better. Doubt I will be back again.

Had a lovely meal here. That last stop on our road trip from Canada then to Seattle.Great service, fitted us in on a busy Friday night even though we had not booked.Pioneer Sq is a great area to find good food.Also no rip off service charges. Wine was also very good

I started eating at Nirmal's with friends earlier this year, and I keep coming back for more. My most recent visit was with a friend who has an interesting diet of vegan + fish. We were able to order several dishes to share, and the flavors were, as always, incredible. I've also been there for lunch, and the Thali plates are to die for. One of the incredible features of Nirmal's is the menu: it is always changing. You could eat there every day in a week and not see all of the same dishes each day. Compared to the usual Indian fare I've found in Seattle, the variety is a welcome change. The restaurant is a wonderfully restored brick interior with new floors. It looks quite nice. The staff is awesome, and the food... wow. Can't say enough about the food!

The first thing I noticed about Nirmal’s was the location and the tranquil interior of the restaurant. I went for lunch, on a nice sunny day in Seattle and the streets were full of people. It was a nice walk to this Pioneer location. Once inside Nirmal’s I noticed how low key it was, in a good way. Lots of wood and exposed brick, very nice. The food was ok. The lunch menu is limited. I ordered “the platter” thinking it was one of the Indian dishes with the small portions of everything. While it was small portions, it was not what I expected. Again.. the whole lunch fit on a smaller than normal plate. It was a good thing that it was tasty; very seasoned with two sauces. The service left much to be desired. When I arrived there were only 6-8 people inside, and about 8 people outside. There seemed to be 3 people waiting on tables but it took at least 10 minutes to place the order, another 10-15 to get our drinks and another 10 to get our food. The food was also brought out sporadically, with one person getting their entrée and the rest of us (4 people) waited another 5 minutes. I would recommend Nirmal’s for at least one visit... I've had mine.

This is perhaps over rated Indian restaurant in Seattle area. From the time to enter to exit the experience is vastly different. I was put off by the host at check-in who asked if we had reservations for 4 at 5.30PM when restaurant was opening with barely anyone seated on a cold and rainy day. He wanted us to take the bar stools even after noting two kids in our party. While we were sitting there he comes and says we could take a table but have to rush in one hour. Then another server comes to take the order and says since you are going to be moving out fast you cannot order Biryani and few items that takes time. The correction came a bit later while having appetizers saying that they had a bunch of cancellations so we can order what we need and stay back. First came a small serving of poppadum without any chutney on side, We ended up ordering vada Pav which was way too spicy and was served without any chutney. Out of 4 dinner plates one was oddly enough different. Our order of Naan and paneer brought its own surprise. The garlic naan pieces were not consistent -some had lot of garlic and some pieces rarely any. The Naan was too thick and not really crisp. The edges were too thick and looked raw. Our order of dum biryani served well and tasted authentic. The server suggested salt lassi was too salty and offered to mix sweet lassis with it which at declined. On my way back my Uber driver who happened to be a Punjabi asked how the food was with a chuckle. I said the Naan could have been better. His comment summed up the experience ' a restaurant overall quality is defined by the quality of Naan" No wonder my gassy stomach needed some immediate relief (FEW TUMS) upon Arriving At my hotel room.

This is the best Indian food I’ve had in seattle. Well presented and v tasty. Vegetarian dishes were the best.

I read about Nirmal’s in Seattle over two years ago - while working in Washington, D.C.. My wife and I had been away from our home in Seattle for nearly 20 years while serving in the State Department in several countries overseas. While away, Seattle had attracted some world class chefs that were attracting national attention. We looked up Nirmal’s soon after retiring and moving home to Seattle in the summer of 2016. The east coast reviews were spot on... and the changing multi-regional dishes have been a source of fabulous evening meals ever since. This past year featured a different region of India each month! The owners are always there to greet you and make sure the service is as excellent as the food. This is not your standard Indian buffet restaurant - what an amazing addition to the Seattle restaurant scene!

Tucked into a street that one would not notice, worth just going there! The food is all freshly made, so it may take a little longer, but well worth the wait. Fantastic flavors and great portions! The service is impeccable. They take care of your needs and if you need something that is not on the menu, they will accommodate your wishes as much as possible - and with a fantastic smile and care. The place itself is a historical building that is so well done from inside - beautiful lighting and they have preserved the old brick walls that bring out the history. I wish them well and will certainly visit them again when am in the city. Totally recommend them.

My husband and I were just hungry and had no expectations for dinner at Nirmal’s, and wow! What an amazing dining experience. The atmosphere was romantic, smart, and chic with red brick, metal, and natural wood accents. Reservations are recommended, and from the steady flow of people, we realized how lucky we were to get a table right away. We ordered appetizers, drinks, entrees, and dessert. The food was beautifully presented and tasted AMAZING! I won’t attempt to spell the names of the dishes, but our fantastic waiter was great with his recommendations and we went with his suggestions. Flavors were subtle yet spicy. Everything was delicious and plentiful, and so we were reluctant to order dessert, but our waiter said we had to try the ice cream and chocolate cake. We were so glad we did! The cake has several different layers of chocolate and was outstanding. However, the ice-cream... I am not young, and I don’t claim this lightly, but the ice-cream was the BEST I have ever had. It was creamy and full of flavor. I have never tasted anything like it. We spoke with the owner and she explained that she makes the ice-cream herself from fruit and other ingredients she has to import. So when you dine there, save room! This dining experience is wonderful. Make this place one of your destinations! Fantastic!

A good Indian Restaurant in downtown Seattle. Fresh flavorful food. Delecious enough to make you over eat. Some new additions from your run of the mill Indian. Clean place, good service

I was online looking for an Indian restaurant around the area and came across Nirmal's awesome taste and service ,will go again and highly recommended if you are in the area , a five star for me and my friends and very unique Indian taste which I didn't find in any Indian restaurants across the places I visited and I am an avid traveller 😊 cheers

Again, this restaurant is amazing. Difficult to get a table on a Monday night. Despite the hype, the restaurant does not pack tables to squeeze as many people as possible. The noise volume is also low. The menu changes depending on the season and Indiana celebration. Whatever is ordered is of excellent quality and full of flavor. My Indian friend admitted that the restaurant was one of his best one on he west coast

First and last time here! Took over 45 minutes to get the entrees, the place was not busy. The chicken was rubbery and the sauces bland. There's much better indian places in this town. I only gave them a second star because they discounted the food, since we missed a good portion of the soccer game waiting!

A friend and I went for lunch and really enjoyed our meal! We each ordered something different and shared both. LOVED the beef tandoori. Great ambiance too. Make a reservation if you can to avoid waiting....it is a popular place!

My former colleague recommended this restaurant and I was not disappointed. The location was in a really cool location in downtown Seattle. The food was delicious and the service was quick and friendly. I will try this location for dinner on another trip to Seattle.

Hands down the best Indian I have eaten in the US which includes several cities like New York, SF, Chicago, DC etc. At par with indian in India. The owner and chef are also very friendly. The chef came and spoke to us. He is highly trained having worked at 5 stars hotels in india. We tried the chicken chettinad and manglorean fish. Brilliant. One mild development point. The gentleman at the front desk (Caucasian) was generally nice but could be a bit warmer.

We couldn't have been more pleased with Nirmal's. From the moment the door was opened the atmosphere, staff and food were unparalleled. Sat at the bar and enjoyed conversation with the owners and all the staff. Food was brilliant! The green curry and prawns was exquisite. Oh and the lamb....definitely will return to continue the adventure! Bravo Nirmal. Welcome to Seattle!

Great lunch! Thali is a wonderful way to taste so many traditional Indian dishes, Dahl, vindaloo, vegetable curry, ginger soup, naan, rice and a devious desert. Oliver is a gracious host to boot.

We dined at Nirmal on a busy Friday evening, and they were able to fit us in without a reservation. Our server was very helpful and pleasant. We had the lamb shank and pork vindaloo; both were excellent. The dining room was not loud, making dinner conversation easy.

The minimalist decor was lovely. Beautiful and understated. The servers were attentive and knowledgeable. The menu had plenty of options, and it was difficult to choose. I will say the appetizer had a much larger portion than any of the entrees. The entrees provided plenty of sauce, and everything was beautifully cooked, but the proteins were all very small in portion size. In a large bowl of sauce were a small number of shrimp, which, given the price of the entree, seemed very skimpy to me. The sauce was delicious, but I think if there had been just a bit more of the protein I would have been very happy with this restaurant and would return. As it was, I enjoyed my meal, but given the price, don't feel that I got a good value.

Indoor and outdoor seating. The tables were set more than 10 feet apart. We had lamb, fried yogurt, and rose desert. With 3 drinks, the dinner came to $75 not including tip. Worth it.

We enjoyed the atmosphere and food at Nirmals. We were a table of six and we shared multiple dishes. We had the Tandoori chicken and were pleased with the flavor. The Goochi was delicious and wished there was more. The beef curry and the pork was delicious. I would suggest if sharing, to increase to more than one of each dish if you have a hungry group.

My wife and I love Indian food, and this is one of the best and most interesting Indian places we've tried. The menu, although not particularly extensive, offered a lot of unusual options. We had an appetizer that amounted to the Indian version of mozzarella sticks, and the quality of the paneer was top-rate. We particularly enjoyed the Pork Vindaloo, which made good use of the pork (an unusual protein for Indian food) and had a much subtler, less vinegar-y curry that allowed some of the other spices to shine through. All in all, it was a very satisfying meal. The décor is not kitschy, it is nice, but pretty standard "modern urban restaurant". The tables and chairs are a bit small, but not uncomfortable.

We wandered in after checking out Pioneer Square and were so glad we did! Everything we had was amazing! The rack of lamb, oh my! Butter chicken, so much flavour! ❤️All other Indian restaurants will be compared to Nirmals.

Wow! Curries are unique in flavor, dishes are truly original- don't miss the dungeness crab with a spicey sauce that begs for naan and a bib. Lamb shank made our middle eastern friend grin from ear to ear. The owner made us feel as we were being welcomed into his home. Full bar. Don't miss!

The owner was extremely nice. He Came to the table and chatted for a bit. Service was good as well. They were able to seat us 30 minutes before our reservation. I enjoy spices in my food but not necessarily spicy. If that is what you like in Indian food, you may be disappointed here. The samosas were bland and left something to be desired as well as the pomfret dish. The eggplant and veggie masala were flavorful.

Excellent service. Friendly staff. Nice environment. It stops here. The food is barely average. The restaurant couldn’t even get the samosa right. The samosa was hard as a rock, with filling that had little flavor. The chicken dishes were ok but not spectacular. Food overall seemed not freshly cooked. Very disappointing. Definitely not coming back.

The food was excellent. We had a big lunch group and the meals all arrived at once, everyone loved what they ordered, friendly servers. I want to go back for dinner.

Party of four. Two thalis, one veg one meat, tandoor lamb chops and cornish hen.. Had better buffet at many Indian restaurants. Tried the Thali to sample the offerings. Thought it overpriced at $23.00 and $24.00 for the quality and quantity. Dishes lukewarm, indifferent tastes. couldn't distinguish the soup from the other two dishes. A few pieces of chutney, a small hard tasteless pakora. Bland desert. Lamb chops and chicken enjoyed by the others. No sides save bits of greenery. Cuisine didn't seem authentic Indian - Indian American, Indian Lite? Impression reinforced by neither ethnic Indian staff nor diners Double doors let in blasts of frigid air. High ceilinged room never got warn. Service friendly casual. Popular. Not noisy. No music. Will not be returning.

Food was not really good, and only a small menu. They were out of a lot of beverages on the menu. Service was really poor.

Great food. Lovely staff and service. Atmosphere is busy and jovial. You should definitely make reservations. The food was tasty. I try to visit Indian restaurants wherever I travel and this was a solid performance. The spices were different. A blend or fusion of spices than a traditional Indian restaurants, but lovely all the same. Close to the stadium!

I'm sure plenty will complain about the price of this place, but sometimes the price is worth the value. A group of 5 of us came in one time and ordered half the menu. Each item was a delight and were not disappointed in anything that came out. The owner even came out and spoke with us a bit. If you're willing to spend a little extra for some excellent Indian food, I suggest you try this spot.

When was the last time you went to a restaurant, especially an Indian restaurant, where the chef received a standing ovation at the end of the night? I was quite taken by the joy and celebration as Chef Nirmal walked out around 11pm to a round of applause. He had cooked up quite a meal and it showed in the smiles and claps. I've been in Seattle close to twenty years and finally there's an Indian restaurant that I'm proud to recommend to friends looking for an upscale Indian food experience. The lamb shank was my favorite dish at dinner with just the right amount of spice and tenderness. The service was genuine and friendly, not a bunch of stressed out waiters simply following bosses orders. The setting in Pioneer Square has a nice Seattle loft feel with the brick walls and high ceilings. Oliver and Geeta were gracious hosts, was fun to speak with them and hear some of Nirmal's journey as a chef. I hope to be back soon to try the lunch thali.

Subtle flavors, pleasant ambiance, creative interpretation on Indian classics and high quality ingredients! I can't say enough good things about the food here. I've eaten a lot of Indian from hole in the wall honesty to more luxurious sumptuous and this still is the best Indian I have ever eaten.

Went for a business dinner with colleagues and had a wonderful time. Fabulous food - deeply flavorful. Owner is bursting with stories and love of food. Will certainly return

If you've ever been to India or South Asia, you will not be impressed. The menu is tweaked for the American palate, which is unfortunate since the reason you would go here is to eat Indian. The murgh kebab was bland, and the rogan josh was actually a lamb shank in a tomato-based sauce. The dal tadka was fine as were the roti and naan. At these prices, one would expect more.

went there for dinner after driving down from Boeing factory..as they were open till 10.30 pm in the night.. Simple decor..brick walls..service with smile even at late hours.. Ordered vegetarian meal suggested and was excellent..freshly made..nothing to complain about..except they did not serve any pickled onions.. One of the owners saw us..and he asked us if things are fine..and he requested some pickles and papad.. did not charge for these

This Indian restaurant just opened this week(lunches only until January). My husband, son and I had Christmas Eve lunch here today. It is leaps and bounds ahead of anything else in the Seattle area. We love a restaurant in London, Quilon, which due to the distance we don't get to very often. I am thrilled to report that this is in the same league . Usually restaurants have kinks to work out. Not this one. The food is superb. The thali included amazing soup, a Goan fish coconut curry,daal, it even gad a delicious eggplant pakora on top of the rice. Our son had the tandoori platter. I tend to avoid them, as the meat can be dry. Not here! Moist and tender and delicious. The thali even includes a delicious dessert. The thalis change daily. I can't wait until they open for dinner. The service was also excellent.

Not typical indian fare. Very good. A nice location downtown. Takes reservations. $$ Dinner Attentive staff- didn't seem familiar with some dishes though.

Owner Oliver and Chef Ashish make this place a welcoming, warm place that serves up superbly crafted dishes and a menu that is constantly refreshed. I have eaten at Nirmal’s many, many times. Everyone I have brought there has uniformly loved the experience. Everything on the menu is great and made to order. Including the biryanis! And the bharwan baingan is just sublimely tasty. BTW, this place has absolutely the best soups (only one choice each night, and it does not disappoint). With age, my stomach has become less tolerant of less than fresh food. At Nirmal’s every meal has ended with the same feeling I have after a freshly cooked meal at home - sated and happy. I am not a Seattle native but travel there often. And Nirmal’s is my safe harbor on every single trip.

My last review was of a Michelin star Indian restaurant in London. This was better in every respect. I confess to a love of Indian food from England to San Francisco to India and now Seattle. From the ambience, with a chat with the owner visiting tables, to the service, to ultimately, the food, all was excellent. We started with small plates, including vegetarian and tandoori--very reasonably priced. I went directly to the curries as I always do, selecting a terrific goat curry. Actually, a couple of us started with cocktails from the special list -- mine, I couldn't resist, with the name Bombay in it to remind me of a week spent there with my Indian father. Here are a few things we had off the extensive menu: vegetable pakoras, prawn phalnaire (spicy jumbo prawns), tandoori chicken, paneer makhan masala, peppers stuffed with smokey eggplant, excellent nan and roti. We had a precocious 3 1/2 year old who got special attention -- and food gifts. In every respect, an exceptional experience. Will will be going back next time in Seattle.

We love Indian food, but it can be quite variable in quality. Here at Nirmal's they get it very right, with their own imaginative take on this cuisine. It's a warm and historical dining room, and we had excellent service; a rarity at Indian restaurants in my experience. The owner flits from table to table to greet you and make sure everything is to your liking. We will certainly be back next time we visit Seattle.

I had high hopes for here but I ultimately left disappointed and will not be going back.I almost gave this place a "poor".It really is more 2 and a half than three due to what you are charged. The portion sizing is far far too small for what you pay and simply not worth it. We paid over 80 dollars with two small, I mean SMALL, "entrees" which were barely appetizer sized if that.They did not come with rice either which was ridiculous for their pricing.No dessert and one beer each is all we had. The food is well prepared but only a "B-" or maybe a "B", it was good but by no means worth what they are charging.It wasn't THAT great and I for real have had better Indian at a buffet at a strip mall place. The service was very good and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable on all menu aspects. The restroom was clean and i liked the interior ambiance and lighting but won't come back due to their pricing vs value received.

We love Indian food and could not wait to go to Nirmals. We were not disappointed! We were met at the door by the owner Oliver and chatted with him as we were seated. We had the Tandoori Sabz, Murgh Moghlai, and Murgh Malai Tikka along with Roti and garlic naan. Everything was so delicious i wanted to order more to take out.

awesome experience. this city is spoiled to have such a great chef in the area. just left, going back tomorrow!

I have eaten Indian food all over the world and this rates in the top! Plus great attentive service. Lots of Indian customers which is always a good sign imho Food was great I had the chicken pakora and the lamb Rohan josh - my go to fish to see if I like a place Definitely coming back

Went for dinner at this place after reading the the positive reviews. Overrated reviews. Most probably from the restaurant owners friends and family or from customers who have no idea how a properly cooked Indian Cuisine tastes like. Some one gave the decor 5 stars. I would give it a half star or 1 at the most.Uncomfortable seating. Feels as if you sitting in someone's garage. Food quality and quantity is poor. Outrageous price for the subpar choice and quality of food. This is by far the worst Indian restaurant i have ever been to.

The setting is lovely. High ceiling, red brick, cool lighting, nice jazz. Food is upscale, modified Indian (they service beef) and okay. The spicier salmon we had was good the rest bland or too sweet. The naan is a joke in terms of size but considering how slow the service was we didn't dare ask for more nor for desserts. When you walk in you are left staring at the patrons for a very long time until someone seats you. It seemed that the Indian man (owner?) readily greeted the Indian guests but the others were left a the mercy of the white waiters. Dinner was quite pricy at 100 for what we got -- 3 entrees, 1 starter, 3 drinks. We came here craving Indian food. While that craving was met for the most part, we led somewhat unsatisfied.

Olivier, the proprietor paces around the room checking in with each table and then greets you when you leave. The upscale surround speaks more Seattle, than India with exposed bulbs and brick. But the meal, oh the food instantly took me back to the year I spent teaching in Sri Lanka and we had some Indian students cook for us. Instead of muddled flavor, each dish is precise with each flavor profile highlighted making each dish build on each other. It was a revelation and how Indian must be done. This isn't your local curry house, but an elevated experience for your sense of adventure. I will not be having Indian cuisine anywhere else in Seattle and told Olivier, we would be back!

The best place to eat indian cuisine in seattle. every dish was superb & sumpteous. best were rack of lamb, Goat rogini & tiger shrimps . loved the decor of old Railway station with bench dining.

Indian food seems to be coming on of late and Nirmal's is a great addition. It is better than the typical Indian place that would have a lunch buffet. They only serve dinner Thursday, Friday, and Saturday but lunch Monday through Friday. The Thali's offer a nice variety of tastes. The service is good and knowledgeable. The space is large and airy and can be cold. We look forward to going back.

My husband and I wanted to try Indian food and choose Nirmal's from recommendations online. We were not disappointed. From the moment we arrived the staff was courteous and helpful. As we are unfamiliar with Indian food we had many questions which our server answered very patiently. The restaurant is lovely in an old brick building near Pioneer Square. We were seated by the window with a view of the interesting goings on outside. We ordered cocktails a Mumbai 75 for me and a Goan Mule. Unfortunately the server came back and advised they did not have Ginger beer for the Mule. But about 10 minutes later we saw someone come in with a grocery bag and head for the kitchen. I said to my husband "I bet they went and got your Ginger beer." Sure enough the server came back and said they could make the drink as they had the beer. That's service. We had the Tandoori chicken as a starter and for the entree's Chicken Patiala and Rogan Josh with rice and naan bread. They serve family style so it was a lot of food. But so delicious! The sauce that the chicken was in I would eat like soup. It was so flavorful . The Rogan Josh is tender lamb shank in a spicy but not too spicy tomato based sauce. My husband was going to pass on the rice until he tasted it. I don't know what they do but it was the best rice I've ever had. Not clumpy or sticky and so flavorful. And the naan bread..... Anyway, the owner comes around and chats with everyone and is so nice. When he found out it was our anniversary and we hadn't ordered dessert ( I had planned to but was too full) he had our server bring us a dish of the restaurants award winning Ginger and Turmeric Ice Cream. I wasn't sure if I would like it but it was so refreshing after the spiciness of the food that it was the perfect end to the meal. And if your vegan it's made with coconut milk not dairy. Needless to say we will be returning to Nirmal's as soon as we can.

I truly wanted to like this restaurant, especially since we walked in on a Friday without reservation and the owner could not have been more gracious. The restaurant has minimalist urban, yuppie ambiance. Those of you looking for tacky Taj mahal replicas and paintings of garishly dressed village belles will be disappointed. The table are small and the chairs are uncomfortable, made even more noticeable by the slow kitchen. (30 minutes between starter and main course). However the biggest let down was the food. The chicken tikka was flavorless, lacked salt and a tad bit on the dry side. This however was the best dish of the day. Chicken Moglai had a nasty smell.after taste of stale reheated chicken. The gravy again was under seasoned and underwhelming. Rogani lamb or was it goat? and the goat biryani both used poorly butchered pieces. Not the mark of an award winning chef( what award ?) The meat itself was overcooked and yet retained a gamey texture because it can=me from an old goat. Not the kind a self respecting chef would use. In India this is called old goat mutton and used to save money. The biryani again was under seasoned and way underspiced, lacking it flavor and fragrance. The rogani curry was again non descriptive and under seasoned with a smell of under caramelized (Bhuna) onions and meat. Vast majority of Indian housewives will do a better job with meat curry than this. Will not go again and cannot recommend it either. Get your act together Zagat.

It was so exciting to try different Indian food specialties. You can tell a lot of thought and care went into cooking and plating the food. Beautifully done. Here's what we tried: * Butter Chicken Patiala: cashew curry based. It was so creamy, complex, and flavorful * Vegetable Kofta curry: with spinach and cashew base, also really love this dish * For the side, I personally like the naan better whereas my hubby preferred the roti, so it may be a matter of preferences. To be honest, a lot of the dishes were unfamiliar to us but the server was nice enough to provide descriptions and recommendations, and they were on point. The owner was also friendly and stopped by to check on us. Will return for lunch to try their thalis next time.

The veg Thali was horrible. The Nan was bought from Costco. The two veg curry were tasteless. The yellow dhal was good. Gulabjamun was from Halidiram, Amul tin I am sure. Dissatisfied Disappointed

We had the pleasure of choosing Nirmals and having Nick serve us. He steered me in the right direction with the curry margarita and the coconut curry crab. Nick's service was excellent, the food was to die for, and the ambiance of this place is cozy and romantic with it's lofty brick walls. I highly recommend this great Indian food. My only note is beside to plan to stay a while. Service is not slow but the experience requires a few hours to really enjoy correctly.

Three of us had lunch recently at Nirmal's and were wonderfully engaged by the owners, the staff and the meal. Lunch time tables fill up quickly so we arrived at 11:30 with plenty of open seating, by 12:00 the restaurant was nearly full. Alli (sp?) greeted us and told us stories of the history of the building and hurdles they had to overcome to open the restaurant. A very personable fellow. The lunch menu offered a straight forward fare with choices for all three of us. Two of us had the Thalis, the third had the Vegetarian Platter. On the day we visited, the designated meat for the 5 course Thalis was beef and we asked if chicken could be substituted, which it was gladly. The Thalis is served on a large silver platter with six individual bowls of the days selections including soup, a vegetable dish, a meat dish, a lentil dish, a dessert, Nan bread, rice and a crisp wafer. Each dish was absolutely delicious. I will tell you straight out that the food is a treat for your taste buds and spiced for robust flavor, not for heat. Lunch portions and presentation of the 5 course Thalis were perfect. The ladies raved about the Chai tea and cardamom flavored Kulfi ice cream, as full of flavor as the meal. Do yourself a favor and visit this restaurant. We look forward to a dinner engagement.

We arrived around 12:45 on a late summer Thursday afternoon and had no problem getting a table --- although they were plenty busy! Appeared to be lots of business customers from the Pioneer Square area. We both opted for the rolls: naan with pork and roomali roti with chicken. Both were delicious and were accompanied by great fries and a couple of dipping sauces. Three comments about the rolls: (1) The portions are very generous. We're both seniors, and we could easily have done a split and not gone away hungry. (2) Allow plenty of time if you order the rolls. The curries seem to arrive much more quickly. (3) Be sure to ask for extra napkins! Our host also graciously provided us with moist towlettes. We ordered chai to drink as I am not a big lassi fan (although it looked tasty). The chai is quite strong, so the accompanying sugar packets were welcome. Service was reasonably attentive, but they failed to ask how we were doing after the food arrived, so my wife had to go ask for the extra napkins. Noise level is fine, even with the bare walls. Don't expect to hear traditional Indian music --- they were playing contemporary pop. After having read so many good reviews, we were eager to eat here. We were not disappointed --- highly recommended.

The staff is attentive and knowledgeable, the menu selection has many options, portions are generous, the atmosphere is relaxing and the food is toothsome. Had a pork curry that was nicely seasoned and paired well with an order of nam.

Excellent ambience, food and service. Our roots are from Mangalore, a small coastal town in the Southern region of India and we were quite excited to know the chef is of Mangalore origin as well. Don't miss the Manglorian fried fish under the appetizer menu. This fish was flavored to precision and tasted like pomfret fry. Delicately spiced and not over fried. The other dish dish was prawn rasaa in tomato sauce which was delicious. I highly recommend these dishes as you would never know the cuisine of Mangalore if Nirmal's didn't offer these dishes on their menu. We haven't tried their lunch menu yet. Vegetarian appetizers worth trying are the aloo Makhai chaat and the hara- Bhara tikkis. We ordered another entree with greens and the spinach gulbargha kofta curry was delicious. The chef also gave us a couple of samplers to try; one was a mixed sea food curry which was not even on the menu and it was out of this world. The other was baghara baingan an egg plant curry in tamarind paste which was delicious. We ate so much that we didn't make it to the fig kulfi but there is always a next time! This place is worth a trip from Eastside if you looking for something different within Indian cuisine with a fine dining ambience.

The food is bland. Watered down for tourists. Also, the service is lacking. Our thalis were lukewarm, expensive and everything tasted the same. In fact, we got two different thalis and we literally could not tell them apart. This restaurant has the potential to be great as in wonderful space. But as it is, it is not worth the money.

We ate here twice during the Mumbai food festival. Our experiences both the times were fabulous. Some pros: 1. Food was delicious. Wada pav and misal tasted like back home. The rest of the food we ordered also tasted great. 2. The service was excellent. 3. Food was reasonably priced. 6 of us ordere a lot of food and a drink each. Our bill was $200 odd.

One of the best dining experiences I’ve had in a long time, with the great food not even the show-stopper. Went on a Thursday night at 8.30pm, as the throngs from the just-completed Seattle Seahawks’ football game were making their way to the restaurant. Between the fella manning the host stand and the waitress handling a large number of tables in my seating vicinity, the service and care was exceptional. They were clearly moving with pace and juggling orders, reservations, the phone, walk-ins, etc, but you couldn’t sense any stress or attitude. Every request (including some unreasonable ones from the table next to me) were met with a can-do smile. I watched as the owner, Oliver, greeted friends, delivered food, provided direction. And it dawned on me, they were incredible communicators. Everybody knew what had to be done, picked up for each other, just kept the wheels rolling. I was so surprised how soon my food came. It was such a great experience. Oh, the food? Superb. Modern, creative take on Indian. Healthy amount of spice (my preference for Indian), buttery naan, soft rice, tender chicken. And a couple of Goan Mule’s to wash it down. My new fave to match Metropolitan Grille, Wild Ginger, and Canalis in Seattle.

entrepreneurial hands-on owner who really cares (oliver), food was great (tandoori chicke), in the pionbeer square area. service was actually good despite some reviews i've read to the contrary

I've eaten here multiple times since it opened, mostly for lunch, but a few times for dinner. The menu changes between lunch and dinner. Also: it's not a typical Indian restaurant where you know you can get the same dish as you did yesterday and the week before; they make different dishes every day. For example, at lunch you can get a thali, and you can choose between meat or vegetarian and sometimes the meat option is also a choice of chicken or beef, but the content of that thali is dependent on the chef. All of the naan and yogurt are made in-house; the naan is made fresh to order. It is a wheat-based naan if you are allergic to wheat, so keep that in mind. The few times I've been disappointed by a dish have been largely due to the spice level, as in: too hot for my taste. It is not cheap Indian food by any means; if you want cheap Indian food in Pioneer Square, keep looking, because Nirmal's isn't it.

Took the ferry into Seattle for a special lunch with family. We were so disappointed. The Biriyani promised layers of rice, vegetables and chicken. Almost all rice, no vegetables and a few pieces of chicken at the bottom. Pretty tasteless. The beef dish was oily and the pieces of beef very fatty. We couldn't tell if the tandoori chicken was cooked enough. The server dropped a lid, scattering rice on the table and didn't return to clean it up. Won't be returning to Nirmal's.

3.5/5 stars. I had high expectations after reading others reviews, but was left wanting more by a few lacklustre items. I prefer my Indian cuisine to be extremely flavourful and rich, didnt feel it hit the mark as a whole. Please note the sauces (incl. chicken tandoori dipping sauces) were all exceptional! Moderately priced at $60pp all in, including an appetizer and cocktail each. Recommend: Nadan Beef Curry, Prawn Tomato Rassa, Curry Margarita Not Recommended: Tandoori Chicken (needs more flavour), Rum cocktail (not listed online, but overly watery), Roti (too dry for preferences)

The food was great, not exactly your normal Indian menu, but everything we ordered was exceptional! Nice atmosphere, and the staff was very friendly and knowledgeable, we also met the owner who seemed like a great guy! If you love Indian food, try this place. (I have only been to 1000 Indian restaurants and this is the only one I reviewed.) Yummmm

Went as a group and did the usual many plates of different things. As a big meat eater we went down a heavy vegetarian route for the group and it did not disappoint. Came away with a full belly and feeling like I'd eaten some seriously tasty Indian food. They did seem to run out of the drinks fairly quickly, which wasn't a problem, but worth bearing in mind.

This has got to be one of the best Indian restaurants we have ever visited. At the last minute my friend and I, was looking for a place to eat, on our last night in Seattle - we decided to go for Indian. Despite being busy at the time we called to make a reservation, the owner asked us to come along, and would find us a slot. Once there, we were very impressed - from the layout, to the atmosphere and ambience. Once we were seated, and ordered - we were treated to a feast of feasts. From the curries to the garlic naan to the truly wonderful bottle of malbec wine. What makes this restaurant a cut above, was the owner, who takes the trouble to stop at every table, and will engage with the clientele if necessary. My dining companion had not tried port before, and the owner without hesitation brought him a free sample. All in all this was a highlight of our 4 night stay in Seattle, and very reasonably priced. A wonderful dining experience, and well recommended if ever you find yourself in Seattle.

Awesome little Indian café near Pioneer Square. If you're doing business in downtown Seattle, this is a great place for Indian food. They have lots of lunch specials that are affordable and very tasty. Highly recommended.

My wife and i went there for brunch on Saturday and had the dosas. We eat a lot of indian food and their dosas were the best we have had. The service was great as well. A must go.

Visited this place for lunch, small but tasty menu. when a restaurant makes veggie food awesome- then that says a lot for me. ambience was good. servers were attentive. will definitely visit this place again.

The food is excellent and unique among Indian Restaurants. I'd call it upscale gourmet Indian. The food is milder and the menu is much more limited than the typical Indian restaurant. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. The flavors are exceptional and the quality perfect. During our visit the service was poor. Our waitress was not very attentive and spoke with such a quiet voice that we all struggled to hear her. And, unfortunately, we arrived at the same time as a group of twelve people and our order hit the kitchen behind theirs. The good news is that all meals are made to order and receive special attention. The food isn't just slopped out of a large container. The bad news is that if you get behind a large group: Your wait time can be huge. We waited almost 90 minutes for our food! Had the waitress been paying more attention we could have been offered some naan or something to pass the time. She did offer us a free desert at the end of the meal .. but, it was too late. I should also mention... Nirmals is located in the Pioneer Square district of Seattle on Occidental. Maybe I'm just a wimp, but I do not like wandering around that part of town at night. Between where I parked the car and the restaurant I was accosted twice by rough looking characters seeking donations. Then, while at our table waiting for dinner, a rough looking lady came in wandering table to table asking, "Would you buy me a burger?". To the restaurant's credit, when they observed her they offered her a free drink and sent her on her way, rather than chasing her out. Overall .. an excellent restaurant and we will be going back (but .. will go earlier .. and hopefully not be behind a large group).

Nothing was special other than the atmosphere. Moderate taste of indian food prepared sloppily. (Chicken had uneatable parts in a tikka masalla type of dish) Slow service. I definetly ate much better indian food in many places (first time ate indian in Seattle).

This was the best eating experience in a long time. The maître d' walked us through the menu with a lot of patience. And we didn' t regret a single choice we made. The food was tasty, simply delicious. The owner walked by to have a chat and the chef came to our table to find out if we enjoyed our meal. And all of this in a historic high-ceiling room with rough bownstone walls. If I lived in Seattle, I would eat here every week.

Fairly pricey Indian food with a wide range of styles and flavors. We ordered a number of dishes to share--portions were large and there was a lot left over. We found that the flavors were subtle but overpowered by the heat level in most cases. Still, we enjoyed the meal.

It is rare for us to visit an Indian restaurant whilst on holiday in the USA as they tend not to have the food quality that we have come to love from our Indian restaurants. This was clearly the exception and both the food and service were of a high standard. Not massive portions but to be honest when food tastes that good you don't need quantity. All in all a satisfying experience.

We stopped in mainly because it was the nearest restaurant to our hotel that was still open - and what an extremely pleasant surprise. Everything was perfect and incredibly tasty. Servers helpful and really nice, a great selection of entrees, also a good cocktail list, and lots of people coming in for carry-out which I always think is a good sign. There was absolutely nothing wrong - do give it a try, you’ll be glad you did.

Unlikely many indian place, the restaurant has a modern look and vibes. You are well welcome by the owner. Waitress with hypster look will advise you on the menu. The menu is changing based upon the season. The dishes are simply amazing, tasty but not too spicy. You are served quickly. A very good address

We found it ! Had a great experience. Loved the decor, food and service. Very personably owner who explained the restaurant concept.

My third time to eat at an Indian restaurant. I thought it was very good but I don't have enough experience to say whether or not is was great. The service was great and the food came out in a timely manner.

We had a large group, and they were open to splitting the check 12 ways, so that was much appreciated. One of the dishes ordered was very spicy, and the owner came out to make sure that the person who ordered it understood that/was okay with it, which was very thoughtful. Atmosphere is very minimal/industrial, and service was fine. The featured region was Andhra Pradesh, and the Andhra goat curry was delicious. The biriyani flavors were not as expected, pieces of on-the-bone chicken were difficult to manage, and the dish ended up having a bit of sauce at the bottom (maybe from the chicken?), which is not what I've experienced with other biriyani dishes I've had. Also I don't know what spices were added to the raita served on the side, but I ended up not eating it. If I go back, I will definitely order something different. With rice and naan as extras and most people ordering a drink, the bill added up, but overall everyone seemed pretty happy with their meal. Just hard for me to be enthusiastic given my dish. 4 stars though since most people seemed happy.

This restaurant is simply fantastic. Everything about this restaurant is excellent. The space is very nice with high ceilings, windows and a bar at the back. The staff is friendly and welcoming. The food and drink are excellent. It has been so long since I have had Indian food as good as this. If I lived closer I know I would go here a lot. We sampled many dishes and all were excellent.

While the food and service were good, the dishes seemed to exist in separate worlds, without any cohesive connection among them. The beef dish had good flavor, but no sauce. The chicken dish bordered on dry, although it was well-spiced, and the garlic naan had little perceptible garlic. I expected the best Indian meal in my life, and I was disappointed.

Had lunch at this little jewel nestled in Pioneer Square. It was amazing. Food and service were extraordinarily good. The owner stopped by our table two or three times to check on us, making sure we were completely satisfied with our food. I will definitely visit them again, bringing friends along with me. Authentic Indian food at its finest.

This was a great twist on Indian food wig a lot of unique dishes I had not seen before. Far from the run of the mill Indian restaurant. Prices were reasonable. Atmosphere was very open and inviting. Server made some great recommendations.

My husband and I went to Nirmal's for a second time together after an appointment one day, and our server this time was amazing. I'm so upset that I cannot remember his name but he was so sweet and accommodating. He made sure everything was perfect and gave us a surprise dessert for free upon learning we were expecting our first child. He even insisted on taking our picture with our candle lit dessert. As usual, the food was great and thanks to our server, we tried some new things at his recommendation. One of the better dining experiences we've had since living in Seattle!

We stepped into it for a dinner - 7 of us for a work trip to Seattle. The restaurant is not very large so for such groups they usually have a long bench to sit on both sides - that worked for us. The dishes were well cooked but a bit pricey. We went to the same restaurant after 3 days and had the same feeling. Tried the crab dish ( picture attached ) - the fact that they cook crab in an Indian restaurant is something !

Its a good restaurant in terms of decor and services but don't expect true Indian food. Its fusion restaurant more towards non-Indian.

While visiting Seattle, my husband and I met family here for dinner. I’m a vegetarian who loves Indian food. I was blown away by the complex and delicious flavors in the food we shared. The meat eaters taunted me the how much they enjoyed the rack of lamb and prawns on toast. There wasn’t a dish we wouldn’t order again. We will definitely be back on our next visit.

Above and beyond! Stopped in on a busy Saturday night. We were instantly greeted by friendly staff. We were looking to take out and we were informed it only happens on the weekdays. The owner came by and chatted with us, and said it would be no problem and they would be happy to accommodate us! Great staff and beautiful interior design. The best part was finally sitting down to eat the DELICIOUS Portk Vindoloo.

We talked about going here for a meal and finally it happened today, for lunch. There have been many notes about this Indian spot in Seattle's historic Pioneer Square between Yelser and Washington Street on Occidental. Diners will be greeted by a King County Health Department sign on the front window stating it is "Okay." The highest is very good, then there is good, okay, and poor. Generally we don't stay at a place rated less than the "good rating" but we carried on. It is a big open space with brick interior and strange music for an Indian place, echoing in the empty space and distorted as if it came off a cell phone. The interior is bare and is not adorned by much giving it a cold feeling that might be different at dinner when the place is full. There were quite a few office workers eating at a long table when we arrived. We had seen the menu online (without prices) and on the window of the restaurant which looked appealing. We were told that lunch was "thali lunch" and there was a vegetarian choice or chicken. Yes. there are just two options at lunch and no explainer as to what was featured in either thali, no menu. Disappointing. Usually, an Indian place has many vegetarian options and part of the fun is choosing an entree. Perhaps when we heard it was thali lunch we dreamed about the now closed Traveler's Thali House once on Beacon Hill and previously on Capitol Hill that was always tasty and innovative. We chose the vegetarian thali to share and we were glad we did share. It had three options with a small rice, a small portion of dessert, and a naan. I asked to please have a roti and I was served naan instead. The yellow dal was good but the other options were only so-so. In a great Indian place you can taste the spices and each dish has distinct fresh flavors, many have just this one spicing and the dishes sort of blend together. The articles in the newspaper described this as a stunning addition to the cuisine of India and perhaps it is at dinner, but with such a low rating from the health department and consistent violations, I would suggest that you go elsewhere. The bill was almost $30, $5 for a naan I didn't order and there was not a detailed bill to be reviewed. Yes, this was for one lunch thali. Seemed like it was all smoke and no fire to us, a trendy spot that we would not return to. There are many better options in the area that are more tasty and priced as a lunch should be. My husband was the only Indian evident in the place and even at lunch this is an indication of its following. Go to Naan and Curry two will eat for the price of one here and you will have dozens of options to choose from all tasty and fresh. Many many Indians fill their dining room at all hours and leave with takeout for another meal at home.

I enjoyed dinner here, after finding so many other places close at 5. Nirmal's is located in a hip section of Pioneer Square area, between parks. I was impressed when I first entered. The restaurant has a very high ceiling and warm lighting, with lots of space. The waitstaff is attentive and friendly. I ordered the vegetarian meal of stuffed bell peppers with eggplant and paneer, called Bharwan Simla Mirch. It was quite aromatic and well-presented. When the waiter saw my eyes watering with the spice, he thoughtfully brought me a dish of yogurt to tone it down -- perfect! The meal even came with naan. I felt that the vegetarian options were high-priced, but this is an expensive city.

Food is very flavorful, I'm unfortunately allergic to chili peppers, the chef made me an amazing dish with great flavor and no chili peppers. My wife is gluten intolerant and she had an amazing cashew based dish that tasted like nothing I've ever eaten before. That's saying a lot as I used to be a chef and have lived all over the world.

Friend recommended this place because 6 of us were going to Safeco field later that night. When I walked in I was immediately greeted with warm air and relaxing ambiance. The greeter pointed me to the area where 5 of my coolest friends were seated already. The owner was very interested in how our meal and experience was going, he was quite talkative and truly a nice guy. I learned a bit about India from talking with him. The food was not your typical, I'd describe as Indi-fusion. Most of the dishes I've never had before, quite exquisite. The naan from the fire was a little on the dry side but everything else was tasty. You must try the homemade dairy free ice cream, amazing party of flavors! I will probably go back some day.

This is a great addition to the Seattle restaurant scene. Excellent, high-end Indian food for both lunch and dinner (we have done both). The atmosphere is pleasant, the staff are outstanding. Highly recommend their curries and fritters. You may need reservations in the evening (which they are happy to accommodate). They are located off Pioneer Square and near the stadiums.

Met a friend here for lunch, after reading wonderful reviews and being an Indian food aficionado. My expectations were high ; they certainly were NOT met. Thalis were lukewarm; dishes were perfunctory and uninteresting. I ate about half; it simply was not worth the calories to eat more. Perhaps dinner is a whole different experience, but I won't bother returning. If you like thalis; Poppy is 10 times better bet, as is Traveler's Thali House.

The menu changes regularly, and on the night we went, there were dishes I'd never seen on a standard Indian Restaurant menu. We had the booth table at the end, and the host was welcoming and chatted with us about the restaurant and food. Lots of vegetarian dishes, presented beautifully. It was our first night in Seattle, and was definitely a hit with our entire group. The service was excellent. The food was delicious and reasonable. Highly recommended.

I love Indian food and often search out restaurants from the subcontinent whenever I travel. Fortunately, Salt Lake City, my home for the past year and a half has some good Indian restaurants. When I read about Nirmal's, I was very excited to experience their cooking. Reviewers, from multiple publications, raved about Nirmal's kitchen. WHO ARE THESE CRITICS? HAVE THEY EVER EATEN INDIAN FOOD??? Bland, with hardly any flavors, the curries served at lunch, "turned its back" on Indian culinary tradition. Neither the fish curry or the chicken curry had much flavor, but then, it was difficult to find any fish or chicken. Even our very pleasant server, the best part of Nirmal's, had difficulty discerning which of the curries were chicken or fish. She spent a moment scooping the bowls to figure out which dish to serve to whom. Even the rice was poorly made. I'm talken bout rice! Clumpy and hard, the rice was not good. This was not a buffet. Everything was supposedly made to order. I was able to eat the food. Thus, the two stars. I have tasted food I refused to eat. However, I would never consider returning to Nirmal's. If you consider Nirmal's cuisine to be good, I can unquestionably write you know nothing about Indian food. Oh, the decor was as bland as the food.

Food was fresh and very flavorful. Drinks are also fantastic. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good dinner in pioneer square. The owners came to our table and everyone else too and talked to us. Extremely nice couple. Definitely my new favorite Indian food spot.

Don't dine here for Valentine's day or on your first date, you won't be able to be yourself freely or kiss your person of interest afterwards. If you've been together for years, your partner might have seen it all. No after-meal burping might make them break up with you. With that out of the way, I am happy to have dined here. I loved the high ceiling, the brick wall, and the fresh flowers. Apparently, this was an old warehouse. I was there for lunch and 2 items I saw at most tables were the sandwich and the thalia. I jumped right into the Meat Thalia; I wouldn't forgive myself for ordering the Vegan version. Everything came out beautifully with different colors from the dishes. Nan is like the hot of the press canvas for the other dishes to paint colors: squash soup brings orange, lentils beige, vegetables red, chicken curry green, cardamom dessert milky white. The lentils had an after taste kick so I was sweating the whole time eating. Nothing was too overwhelming in flavor or spice. Balanced and light. Come for your exotic adventure but you've been warned about the possible after-meal dilemma.

Very comfortably located on an old train station in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle. This is by far the best Indian fare we have enjoyed to include establishments in London, New York, Chicago, Los Angles, Toronto and San Francisco! Frequented by many natives of India who work in the tech field that dominates Seattle. Try the Dungeness crab entree. Also do not leave without having the chocolate cake for dessert ( Voted best in Seattle!) Shout out to Ron our server for great service. The owner Oliver takes care of all! Do not miss Nimal’s!

My husband and I had dinner here this week. We were told it was only the 4th night they'd been open for dinner, so we were prepared for possible chaos. That didn't happen. The staff was more than attentive, and very friendly. The dining space is lovely. Old brick walls, nice wooden tables, linen napkins, nice lighting. You get the picture... no complaints there. But, having heard that they have a 5-star chef, we were expecting to be wowed by the food, and that definitely didn't happen. For starters we had the Tandoori Sabz, which was fairly tasty (curry), but was lukewarm in temperature. (possibly that is how it should be served, I don't know). For entrees, I had the Vegetarian Dum Biryani, which was ok. The veggies were rather overdone, and the favors were quite subtle, except for an occasional rather large, dry chunk of some herb or spice that was wayyyyy too strong. My husband ordered the Goan Fish Curry, which ended up being 8-9 chunks of salmon in some very bland un-currylike sauce. Mine came with rice, but he would have had to order a side of rice for an extra $3!! (we just shared my rice, which was fine). We also ordered Naan ($3), which was garlicky and nice, but you only get 4 smallish pieces. No desserts. Bottom line, they really seem to be trying, have a HUGE staff, and we hope they do well. Prices were pretty high for what you get, and there just didn't seem to be anything really special about the food that we ordered. Perhaps we just didn't order the right things, but the menu is fairly small. The owner (we think) came over to see how things were, and said the reason it took so long (not a problem for is) was that everything is cooked to order. We really hope they do well, but wouldn't recommend dinner here yet. Maybe it's better at lunch?

We went there before a baseball game and it was outstanding. The service was really good as well. The food had wonderful spices in it. It was one of the best Indian food restaurants I been to. Can't wait to go back.

Went with a group to have our periodic dinner. We were not disappointed with the quality of the food (lot locally sourced) , exquisite taste, unique dishes but still brought back memories of various parts of India. You will not go wrong to eat here, menu changes so it is different every time we went. The desserts are also unique. As a vegetarian we were happy. The folks who ate everything were ecstatic about their meat dishes (can't vouch for that other than the pleased looks on their faces).

The spices are light, the potions just right, and the location so central, which make Nirmal's just a terrific place to go for a business lunch. In and out within the lunch hour.

The first star is for the ambience. Now coming to the food and the service. We ordered the aloo tikki chat for appetisers, it was alright, nothing special. And that's the second star. For the main course we ordered the paneer makhan masala, pudina roti, garlic naan and Dum biryani. Needless to say these are all among the popular dishes here and we had heard a lot about them. The paneer curry was mediocre at best, the paneer cubes were hard and the flavour was very ordinary along with it being lukewarm. The roti was dry and hard, as opposed to soft and brittle. Now coming to the biryani, well, the most overrated Biryani that I've ever had. It was not a biryani, just rice served on top of a bland curry. This is a result of someone not wanting to put any effort into figuring out what real Biryani is and compromising it instead, disappointing to say the least. We ended our dinner with a chiku ice cream for the dessert and it was very sweet, and for some reason it had chocolate sauce on top, not a combo that works! Oh, and also all the orders took more than 30 mins to get served. Wouldn't recommend the place, not worth the price or the flavours! Skip this, a lot better ones out there!

Perhaps the most standout thing about this Indian restaurant is their seating / ambience. In a city where most of the limited Indian options have mediocre ambience at best, Nirmal's is a standout. Coming to the food, they have a monthly rotating menu that focuses on a particular state, available for dinner. Lunch on the other hand has a very small menu. Taste is decent, with flavors and spice toned down considerably for the American palate. Prices slightly higher than other Indian restaurants in the area. Service is very good. Unusually noisy.

We recently had lunch at a wonderful new restaurant in Pioneer Square. Nirmal's serves what they call "Indian Cuisine reimagined" and the food is fantastic! We were a large group so we tried a variety of items on the lunch menu and shared each. Really tasty! We especially liked the Tandoori chicken but all the flavors are good. Good prices and a very professional staff. Can't wait to go back for a dinner!

Nirmal's is the kind fo Indian restaurant where you can have a business meeting (as I did), go on a date or meet family and friends without leaving the restaurant feeling bloated, stuffy, and smelling of curry. It's sophisticated, just right on the taste buds, and with an amazing ambiance.

When you hit a home run there has to be fireworks. So long a neglected area full of bums and running the gauntlet to games, Nirmal's and recently for us Delicatus has given us ample reason to brave the area on off game nights. The service was very friendly and attentive. I would imagine that even Indian Food Novices could be safely guided through the heavenly menu. We tried a few different dishes and were not let down by the taste, presentation or amounts. The in house prepared achar (pickles) were so good I wanted to get more rice just to eat them. Chicken Tikka, rice, smoked eggplant and more were delicious!!! This was a winner and we now have it on our must stop list.

My husband and I came for dinner on a Saturday night. The restaurant is in Pioneer Square area - hip part of town. The restaurant is modern with exposed brick walls, counter seating and table seating. We had the fried fish to start. It was perfectly crisp, flavorful and not greasy. I come from a south Asian household so my standard for Indian food is high. This place nailed it. We did not have any rice but chose to have the dosa and garlic naan instead. Dosa is not readily available and so we are glad we ordered it. The lamb chops were perfectly grilled and spiced. Must have with mint chutney. We had the dark meat chicken curry - very spicy - just how we like it. This restaurant also serves pork which is rare in any Indian or South Asian restaurant. We did not try it but interesting to know it's an option. Overall we had a great meal. We met the owners after. Both were hospitable and friendly. My only critique for him was that $16 for a lentil dish seems too high - even for an upscale restaurant. He said he pays his employees well and provides health insurance. If that's true then I suppose it might be justified. The cost of this restaurant is definitely higher than your typical Indian buffet restaurant but the experience and food is well worth it. They also have a good wine list - I'd recommend a Washington Riesling with all the spicy food. Go check it out!

Classy minimalist environment where the food speaks for itself. I had the daily Thalis and each of the five small plate flavors were fantastic. Going to make this a regular stop for lunch.

We were suggested this restaurant from the concierge at our nearby hotel. We were glad that we ate dinner here during our overnight stay in Seattle, because, as vegetarians, we were amazed at the selection of menu items, the quality of the food and generous portions. Very good service and modern atmosphere. Highly recommend making a reservation via phone or on-line, because this restaurant is very popular.

Lovely city atmosphere and we enjoyed our food. I’m not enough of a connoisseur of Indian food to talk in nuances but I liked it. The Nojito (non alcoholic Mojito) was packed with mint and so delicious. A great contrast to the spices of the food.

This Indian restaurant is one of the best I have had the pleasure to dine out in. We found the menu small but every course we had was above our expectations. The evening was made even better by the excellent staff and the comprehensive wine list. I will definitely be returning when we are next in Seattle.