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Mehfil Indian Cuisine
Category: Restaurants Indian Indian [Edit]
2301 Fillmore St(between Clay St & Washington St)
San Francisco, CA 94115
Neighbourhood: Pacific Heights
(415) 614-1010
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 3 pm
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Classy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
94 reviews for Mehfil Indian Cuisine
Review Highlights
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"...and have a delicious lunch menu that changes daily." In 5 reviews -
"...pretty sure i'll be eating the samosas at least once a week." In 3 reviews -
"rogan josh - great the one time I ordered." In 3 reviews
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94 reviews in English
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Review from Isabella L.
Berkeley, CA
5/25/2012
I ordered their Chicken Tikka Masala extra spicy, and it was really really good. The friends I was with also really enjoyed their food, yay!
The pricing is average as far as indian restaurants go and the neighborhood it's in is really nice.
The service was only okay...but oh well, really nice decor! -
Review from A J.
San Francisco, CA
5/18/2012
I'm part Mayan and I grew up with plenty of chilies hiding innocuously in my comfort foods; hence, I like spicy things and can tolerate more heat than a lot of folks I know, but really, I prefer stuff mild- my favorite kind of cuisine is Japanese and you can regularly find me picking jalapeños out of things . Hence, I never thought I'd be writing a review calling Indian food bland. However, most of what I ate here is forgettable save for how bland it is.
I went here with my parents. There are better places near me but I guess my mother got grossed out by a cockroach in the place we normally go to and so she said she wanted to go to someplace more "upscale". (I didn't mention to her nearly every restaurant in the city likely has them, including all the "upscale" places I've worked for (which unlike Mefil actually *are* upscale (and have much more concise menu descriptions)), lest I get stuck cooking her. Hence, this review may not be as objective since I was mentally comparing it to like a dozen far tastier local Indian restaurants. At first I figured the place was probably going to be okay. Most of the diners looked Indian, though in retrospect I can't help wondering if they were related to the owner or something and/or questioning my ability to accurately spot Indian folks.
I got makani panneer, rice, a mango lassi, and my mother wanted me to order an appetizer for us all so I also ordered vegetable pakora for us to split. The service was friendly but hard to find at times and it really, really wasn't busy.
If there was a mango harmed in the making of my mango lassi, I didn't taste it... but I was ready to forgive that. It's all about the food, right? The pakora made it seem promising that the food would make me forget about that. It was nice and crispy, not soggy or burned. My mother commented that it was some of the best pakora she'd had. (She's been to India and eaten a lot of Indian food- she used to work at an Indian restaurant back in the day.) It could've used more spice in my opinion but whatever, I was eating, not complaining.
My meal, however, was bland. My Makani Paneer tasted not unlike the .75 cent Sunny Select [virtually unseasoned] Tomato Sauce that I've been chucking lots of basil into to feed to the recent onslaught of accidental dinner guests. For the price we paid, I hope this is just a coincidence. Basically it was super bland and too sweet for my taste.
My mother enjoyed her food (something with shrimp) but to be fair, she picked the restaurant and I don't think I've ever heard her say anything bad about places she's picked. My father didn't say much at all which suggests that whatever chicken dish he got was okay- not good enough to comment on nor bad enough to warrant the wrath of my mother lest he voice what I was guessing- that he knew there were many better Indian food places in the city.
It's not bad food by any means, it's just not very good food by any means, either. I might have something more passionate to say but I wasn't paying the bill. (Secretly, however, during the meal I was thinking of the awesome peach dressing I made and wishing I was at home eating salad.) I'd say skip this one, unless someone else wants to go and they're paying the bill. I keep feeling like I'm being too hard on this place but at the same time, I'm not the diet type and I skill can't help feeling I wasted calories eating this.
I'd give it two and a half stars but it's too boring to be three star worthy so in this case I rounded down. -
Review from Lorraine L.
San Francisco, CA
5/8/2012
A friend and I went for lunch together..
She has different dietary restrictions, and sharing a meal was cheap and fit us both beautifully.
I really enjoy eating here! -
Review from Lola B.
San Francisco, CA
5/7/2012
My husband and I love ordering in from this place every other week or so as a treat. We both get the Korma-E-Chicken, I order it "mild" though. The chicken is tender and the sauce is very, very good. I also order their dessert, the rabri. The dessert is a white creamy concoction with these small bursts of saffron (I think) which tastes like bursts of flowers. We're very happy with this place. The only thing I would say is that just a few times they've gotten the order wrong (not the food, but the level of spiciness we ask for). Also, their appetizers are a bit bland. But other than that, I'm a fan!
Update: I went to the restaurant for the first time (rather than take-out) and although the food was still good, they got our orders wrong. So we had to wait until they prepared the right orders (20 minutes or so). Because of this big error, they gave us extra dessert and Naan bread which was nice. My rating will stay as is because of the food, but the service is not as good as the food. -
Review from Ken B.
San Francisco, CA
3/29/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Another one of those "wish there was a zero star" reviews.
Having had a reasonably good experience one time a few months ago, Mehfil seemed a good choice for our evening meal in the neighborhood. During a previous meal there, everything was quite reasonable. The service was attentive, and the food was above mediocre.
HOWEVER, I must express my utter disappointment during a recent visit in March 2012. I can't give an honest review of the food this time, for we were not given the opportunity, viz. this review.
On a Friday evening, our party of four was greeted at the entry by a person lacking all manner of skill normally possessed by one in such capacity. He gave us no traditional greeting, but simply a cold "Can I help you?"
We were told they were not able to accommodate us, which was clearly not true, since there were already five or six tables seated in various parts of the restaurant. Our immediate inquiry for some explanation was met with a terse response "It's too close to closing time." This puzzled me immediately, since there is a very large clock over the entrance, and it quite clearly showed 9:25 PM. When pressed, our gracious host was all too quick to respond that closing time was 10:00 PM.
Rather than beleaguer the point, we opted to find another suitable venue in the area, actually just kitty-corner across the street.
On a whim, we waited across the street for a few minutes. No less than five minutes later, a couple entered, and was seated immediately. I can't help but wonder why a group of four men was virtually escorted out, while a mixed-gender couple was seated immediately.
With so many other wonderful restaurants in this area, I can't think of a single reason I would ever return here, nor would I give any less than this full account to anyone who should ask my opinion. Steer clear. -
Review from Mark S.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2012
My experience with this restaurant is the single thing that has made me decide to actually register and write a review at Yelp for the first time in all of the time I've read reviews here.
I have gone to Mehfil in SOMA several times and had wanted to try the location on Fillmore for some time. On Friday night (3/23/12), I and three friends walked through the door at 9:25 and the waiter looked at us and glanced up at the clock above the entrance. We said "4 for dinner" and he looked at the clock again and said "we close at 10:00." We looked at the clock and said "but it's only 9:25." He again said "yes, but we close at 10:00."
I asked if he would prefer that we not come in for dinner and he shook his head up and down and said "yes". I couldn't believe that on a Friday night, 35 minutes before they were due to close, that they would not seat us.
One of our party wanted to stay and argue the point but at that point, it was obvious we weren't wanted there. We decided to go across the street and had a wonderful Italian dinner. They closed at 10:00 as well but didn't seem to mind having us as customers.
We had to wait outside for a few minutes until a table was free. I glanced back at Mehfil to see a man and woman come through the door, be greeted and sat for dinner. I was stunned. The only possible reason I can come up with is that four men coming in together was unwelcome, for what appears to be an obvious reason.
Needless to say, I can't imagine returning to either of their restaurants. There are plenty of Indian places in the city to enjoy. I'm sorry I had to give them one star for this review as zero stars would be my preference. -
Review from Lisa C.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012 7 Check-ins Here
Ever since Mehfil opened on Fillmore, I've been ordering delivery from them at least once every couple of weeks and have never been disappointed. The online ordering system on their website is totally easy and while I don't receive a confirmation that they received our order, our food has always arrived within 10 to 30 minutes. Yes, I said 10 minutes. However, we do live only 6 blocks away. Once, I made the mistake of ordering via Seamless, and that order took over an hour to show up. Not making that mistake twice.
My regular order is the chicken tikka masala, saag paneer, and naan - the perfect dinner combination, if you ask me. I also really like the murag makhni, which has both low-fat cream AND butter...mmm...so FAT! Saag aloo is delicious as well, if you prefer potatoes over cheese.
I've also eaten in the restaurant itself, which is nice, but given the choice, I much prefer to eat indian food in the privacy of my own dining room. That way, no one else but my husband has to witness the continuous shoveling of food in my face. -
Review from Rylan C.
3/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place was just okay. Service was slow even though we were the only ones in the restaurant on a Tuesday night.
The food was good but not impressive. I feel like I've gotten better food at Naan'n'Curry. Anyway, I wouldn't come back not because it was just THAT bad but only because there are better places for much cheaper prices. -
Review from Tony G.
Santa Monica, CA
4/15/2012
This place is horrible! Period
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Review from Nick V.
San Francisco, CA
12/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Everything was tasty and high quality. Make sure to get the mint/chile/sweet sauces to try with the various dishes. Also ask for mixed pickle if you want to add a tangy spicy element.
The lamb dish is hit and miss, but I love lamb so I usually get it. -
Review from Janice C.
Definitely lives up to their name: meh.
An Indian restaurant should be able to do curry. Aside from the oily curry, the lamb meat itself was tough. The korma-e-chicken was a bit better (but that's not really saying much) and the garlic naan was good, as was the mango lassi which was thick and not too sweet.
But for the small serving size and prices they charge, (entrees are $12.99 and up) I'm kinda wishing for the old Crepevine back. However, don't despair. Your Indian cravings will be satisfied by more reliable Dosa about 8 blocks away. Well worth the walk and your meal won't be "meh". -
Review from Danielle Y.
San Francisco, CA
2/29/2012
I love this place! Really high quality food, amazingly attentive staff. Total neighborhood favorite. We usually order the chicken tikika masala, saag paneer and punjabi channa paneer. I think it's the best saag paneer i've had in a while and my husband is obsessed with the punjabi channa paneer (the garbanzo bean one). We've also ordered take out from there several times; it's always packaged neatly and the the order is always correct. Five stars!
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Review from Eric N.
Washington, DC
2/21/2012
We brought a group of five, including one vegetarian, and everyone came away happy, for $20 apiece that included two appetizers, four entrees, $16 corkage and three orders of bread. the favorites were probably the mehfil chicken and the simosas. the "paratha" is really just naan. tons of space, good service, reasonable prices, online ordering and reservations - it may not be special, but it was great for a low key group looking to enjoy a typical punjabi dinner.
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Review from Jeanne L.
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Indian food that is just ok. I think I ordered the Korma Chicken. All I remember was that the description on the menu sounded amazing, with mention of saffron and coconut. The chicken in my meal tasted dry, just a tad bit overcooked. The sauce was kinda bland (both in spiciness and flavor).
Since I came for lunch, my entree came with soup and salad. The soup was also bland as well.
Oh well, at least the service was good. -
Review from Scuba Z.
San Francisco, CA
11/9/2011
Great Murg Makhani! Absolutely wonderful. It's not cream as other sauces...seems they make this more authentic. I'm very happy I tried this dish and am look forward to getting this again.
The Saag Paneer was very good...loaded spinach and again not swimming in cream.
They said everything comes out from the kitchen with 'medium' spice. I asked them to give it extra heat. Wasn't overpowering but did push the limit. -
Review from Robert S.
San Francisco, CA
3/18/2012
Solid food, good service, and good atmosphere, but no real memorable dishes or flavors. This place is good when you need regular Indian food.
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Review from Sarah S.
San Francisco, CA
10/31/2011
I went here for a casual dinner with friends. The ambiance is pretty nice and the Fillmore district is always a good place to go out. Indian food is always a good choice when trying to accommodate vegan + normal diets. I ordered an eggplant and potato dish that was able to be made vegan, but was not able to order rice as it was cooked with butter. I feel like eggplant is a bit more rare of ingredient to find in an Indian dish, so it was nice to have something different other than the standard aloo ghobi or channa masala dish. I'm a big fan of curry sauces and this dish was dry.
The food was nothing to write home about and the service was a bit strange. Portion sizes were fairly small, which is pretty typical of Indian restaurants. Honestly, I prefer Naan'n'Curry much more for the taste, portion size, and price, though not the restaurant itself. I wouldn't go out of my way to go back to this place. -
Review from Derrick V.
San Francisco, CA
9/10/2011
Pretty quick delivery with an easy online ordering system.
Saag aloo was nice and spicy as requested, a bit creamier than I'd like and the potatoes were slightly undercoked.
Rogan Josh was pretty spicy as well, with tender cubes of lamb. Not much complexity in the flavors though.
Raita calmed the spiciness down and the basmati rice was cooked well.
Not the best Indian I've had but I'd order delivery from here again.Listed in: Spicy Food, Indian/Pakistani/Afghan, Delivery
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Review from Aditya M.
San Francisco, CA
8/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I eat lunch here almost everyday!!
Order the veggie combo each and every time.
They have a menu that changes daily, so new dish names get put up everyday on their website, but honestly it all just tastes the same to me.
Thats not at all a bad thing. I really appreciate the complete predictability of Mehfil's $5 lunchboxes.
My life has enough unpredictability coming in from other sources;
I appreciate the nice 5-10 minute walk I need to make to get to this place, the fact that I have to speak just two words while I am in the restaurant ("veggie combo"), and the bland yet yummy box of rice and vegetables I eat afterwards.
Another alternative to Mehfil is Bindi near 2nd and Market, whose lunchboxes are equally cheap (well $0.5 more expensive) and have a *little* more variance in how it ends up tasting! -
Review from Colleen C.
Brooksville, FL
9/19/2011
I was in San Francisco in June for a vacation with my mom and daughter. Mom is not so adventurous in her food choices, but my daughter and I were dying to try some Indian food (something we don't have in our small town). We selected Mehfil based on location first (walking distance to our rental apartment) and then by the menu posted outside. Tikka masala for my daughter - check!
My daughter and I both had the chicken tikka masala. It took my mom a little longer to decide but the waiter was very helpful and explained how the different dishes were made and how spicy they were, or weren't. She selected the murag makhni, or butter chicken.
My only complaint is my issue - not the restaurants. Had I known how large the portions were and that they were severed sort of family style, I would have selected a completely different dish (not the tikka masala, like my daughter) so that we could try 3 different things. Oh well! We also ordered plain naan - delish when dipped in the sauces we had from our dinners! -
Review from Cathy K.
6/8/2011
Craving Indian food that's flavorful and not too oily? Try Mehfil.
My friends and I had it delivered and it's amongst the best Indian food I've had in a long while. Our bounty included:
- Shahi Paneer ~ cheese cubes cooked in curry with tomatoes, spices and *low fat* cream.
- Bengan Bharta ~ I love eggplant - it's a dish of clay baked eggplant, peas tomatoes, spices.
- (the all time classic) Chicken Tikka Masala ~ so good!
- Fish Tikka Masala - tandoori baked salmon fillets ~ a bit on the dry side, but still delicious. A nice contrast to the curries listed above.
- Papadum & Naan (they have several kinds) - complimented the sauciness.
- Raita - homemade yogurt with slices of cucumber + mint - helped to cool some of the spicy dishes.
- Basmati rice accompanies all entrees.
Online ordering available - they offer a lot of choices:
http://mehfilindian.co...
I walked by it en route to my friend's home and it's a large restaurant - seems like a good place to hang out or take a date. If you want to chill out, lots of benches along the outside. -
Review from Nathan K.
San Francisco, CA
8/11/2011
I was with two friends who just got married to each other, so I wanted to treat them to a nice dinner (I couldn't come to their wedding as I was out of country). We were near Japantown where they lived, so we walked around, looking for a nice place to eat and we also weren't sure what kind of cuisine we were in mood for. We initially stopped by a pub as I wanted some beer but the pub was full of patrons and there seemed to be some sort of a party going on, so we skipped the pub and went to hunt for another restaurant. Lo and behold, stood this restaurant, Mehfil Indian cuisine, without the aid of a friend's suggestion or even Yelp, which means we had no idea of how good this restaurant was, except for the Yelp sticker that's on the front doors. The restaurant just happened to be there. :)
If my memory served me right, the atmosphere inside was pretty nice, though a bit too dark for my own taste, considering that my friends and myself are deaf and rely on sign language to communicate. We can't just be in a room that seems to be more accommodating for bats than humans. :) Service was prompt as we were quickly given a menu and I ordered up for a beer right away and got myself a newcastle. Looking at the menu, my stomach quickly pointed to the India's most popular plate, the Chicken Tikka Masala. The newly-married couple ordered theirs, then we chatted away in sign language.
Our dinner arrived and boy, was it excellent. Actually, I had thought this place was just one of those Indian restaurants that cooked predictable dinners but there was something different to this place. Chicken Tikka Masala tasted better, richer, and more exquisite. I've had that plate many times before and I hereby rated this as one of the top five I've ever had. Although I've only been to a few Indian restaurants in San Francisco, if my friends are in mood for some serious chicken tikka masala, I'd recommend this restaurant first-hand.
My friends thoroughly enjoyed their dinner too and we unanimously agreed that this was one excellent Indian restaurant -- that we'll come back again and share recommendations to our friends too. Just typing this review up makes me want to dine there asap! I'm also eager to try another dish too. -
Review from Chuck G.
Redwood City, CA
12/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
The samosas arenot overpowering with crunch but made perfectly and very flavoeful.
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Review from Rebecca S.
San Francisco, CA
6/21/2011
This is our go-to Indian delivery restaurant. Dosa may be a few blocks away, but Mehfil is more affordable and has those comforting Indian dishes I wish Dosa had. Although I've never eaten in the restaurant, we order take out from here often and are never disappointed.
Everything we've ordered is yummy and meets all my taste buds' expectations: somosa, vege pakora, chicken tikka masala, chicken korma, saag gosht, AND they have malai kofta!
Thank you, Mehfil for coming to town! -
Review from Janna W.
Manhattan, NY
1/21/2012
No options for eaters with dietary restrictions. The mango lassi was decent for a twist on a smoothie. I would definitely order that again. However the server didn't write down our order and then got the spice preferences mixed up which was regrettably a painfully hot mistake.
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Review from Carolynne K.
Hayward, CA
5/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
My coworkers and I came here often for lunch during work. Everything we've had has been delicious. Mehfil has even turned one of our colleagues into an Indian food eater.
My only wish was that they didn't use salmon for their fish for everything. I love salmon but I prefer a white fish in my Indian dishes. -
Review from Adelle W.
San Francisco, CA
6/1/2011
Go-to Indian delivery place! (Fillmor location)
I have had this twice now, the first time was kind of disastrous (but food was good). The second time (tonight) was fabulous!
I've been searching for a new Indian delivery place for a while. The ones I've tried are: Golden Gate Pizza & Indian (meh), Saffron Grill (NOT good), Dosa (not delivery, but close enough to walk to - problem, I really don't care for Dosas and it's too expensive). So, I tried the place....
Pros:
- chicken tikka masala - VERY good both times I ordered
- rogan josh - great the one time I ordered
- samosas - solidly good
- mango lassi - not so great the first time, amazing the second time
- naan - AWFUL the one time I ordered (think thick hockey pucks)
- chicken tikka - standard
- rice comes with all dishes (and it was very good the second time)
- online ordering (came SUPER quick the second time, took 1 hour and 15 min the first time)
- pleasant delivery person who didn't ask me to come downstairs to get the food (I hate that!)
- decent food amount to price ratio
Cons:
- INCONSISTENCY, and um, inconsistency. I will keep ordering and hopefully my first time ordering experience was just a hiccup. -
Review from Winton W.
San Francisco, CA
11/12/2011
You guys don't deliver to 94115? I'm like six blocks away. Weak.
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Review from Liwei Y.
11/14/2011
Great Indian food. Came here for lunch and the lunch food came with salad, soup, and naan. The menu here changes every day. I ordered chicken that came in some type of pistachio cream with other Indian spices. The chicken was dark meat so, not dry at all. Also, the meat basically just melted in my mouth because it was so tender! Also tried another meatball dish that was medium spicy. Once again, the meatballs just dissolved in my mouth!!! The quality of their meat was excellent!!
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Review from Lokesh J.
San Francisco, CA
5/8/2011
This place is relatively upscale as far as Indian restaurants go. The other Mehfil in SOMA, not so much. They are authentic Punjabi Indian food rather than the Pakistani-Indian restaurants you find all over SF.
Quite a few items on the menu are chef's specials like the Mehfil-e-Nan and the Mehfil chicken, and if the chef experiments he must be good at his job right? Though these were strictly okay-okay.
2 things you gotta try - the Zafrani Lassi and the appetizer in prawn - I forget the name but there is just 1 of those on the menu.
Service is slow but the food is worth the wait so go there if you have enough time on your hands. -
Review from Jamie T.
Oakland, CA
2/12/2011
This must be the best option for North Indian food in a two-mile radius -- I'm so happy Mehfil opened a location in this area since I love Indian food and I spend a good amount of time in the area. Down the hill, DOSA is excellent, but it's a very different menu (South Indian) and scene.
I had the Malai Kofta and it was fantastic. The spice and seasoning of this dish was absolute perfection. I don't know if I could ever order anything else now. YUM. At first glance, the prices seemed to be on the higher side, especially compared with some of the good divey Indian restaurants in town, but the entrees come with rice included, and the serving size was generous. I had a full meal of leftovers after stuffing myself for dinner and I can usually finish off a full entree of Indian food and still have room for some kheer at the end. Yes, I eat a lot. The naan I think was actually a little pricey, but it was very tasty.
The service was decent, and the manager was great -- he came out after our meal and told us about their happy hour, which I would love to try sometime soon. -
Review from Nabeel N.
Baldwinsville, NY
10/5/2011
Way better than the one on Folsom. Food was still awesome but service was much better.
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Review from craig b.
San Francisco, CA
11/11/2011
Great restaurant and nice people. Delivery is consistent as well as the food...
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Review from Michelle S.
San Francisco, CA
11/8/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Go to Mehfil for breakfast, and order Indian! The channa masala with naan was amazing! I've been craving it since we finished brunch there last Saturday!
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Review from Jackson G.
Sacramento, CA
2/19/2012
We had an excellent lunch. Fabulous food, great service, and the mixologist behind the bar outdid himself with the vodka and tequila house cocktails which to our pleasure were perfect WITH the food. If you are Indian food savvy or want to dabble, this is a safe no risk bet. Try the fish tikka masala and the Karachi prawns....very fresh savory and elegant!
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Review from alvir n.
San Francisco, CA
11/25/2010
God I love this place. Its one of the few Indian restaurants in San Francisco that causes me salivate like a Pavlovian dog.
Perhaps its trained behavior because I'm a huge fan of their Folsom location, or maybe its because the Saag Paneer, Punjabi Chana Paneer, and Veg Biryani are quite possibly the most delicious and authentic dishes I've had outside of the motherland itself. The garlic naan is perfectly fluffy and soft, and most importantly authentically doesn't contain eggs like all the other indo-pakistani joints in San Francisco. And the sweet lassi is made with fresh homemade yogurt and sugar. Ahhhh its fantastic!
I've been here 5 times since they opened a few months back, and while the service can still be a bit mediocre when they are busy, they're definitely still working through the kinks and its steadily getting better. -
Review from Matt B.
San Francisco, CA
12/31/2010
Well...Indian food on Fillmore that's not Dosa or buffet...damn times have changed. So what do you when it's raining like crazy, super dark outside, and you don't feel like cooking? You check out the new Indian place on Fillmore after checking Yelp of course.
So let me confirm what everyone else here has said: the food is pretty darn good (as is the service) and the atmosphere Is just absolutely awful. Straight up not good.
The atmosphere issue is not the current owners fault. I cannot eve recall all e places that have been in this spot, but there have been a bunch...even since B Spot or whatever that place was years ago. Long story short, this space is just bad for a restaurant. No two ways about it...it's really bad restaurant space. Someone creative (really really creative) might be able to solve this problem...but it will not be easy.
But to the food...pretty good. Excellent samosas. I have a thing for samosas and have bought 'em from the streets of Old Delhi where they wrapped in a newspaper. These are pretty damn good. Naan is excellent and our lamb and chicken dishes were also quite good. My only issue was that my food could have been spicier. Not that it was not flavorful. It was packed with flavor. Just could have been more spicy (and yes, I did ask for spicy). Certainly not an issue big enough for me not to go back and I will just know to ask them to make it more spicy than the first time.
All in, this is a place to go when you are looking for some comfort/Indian food on a random night. It's NOT a "night out" kind of place like Dosa, but it's definitely a very good standby for an evening when you just want to grab dinner out.
Quality place and the four stars should be in the context of: four stars for a place to go that has reliably tasty food. Atmosphere change would not get this to five stars.
When when when when when when when when when will someone turn this spot into a sports bar? It would be the best space in the city for a sports bar. It's literally perfect. -
Review from M K.
San Francisco, CA
11/3/2010
I loved Mehfil in SOMA, and I called them for delivery at least once a week. I've called them to cater large lunches for my office. The food is delicious, the prices are inexpensive, and the service was always so sweet and accommodating.
But now, they have a restaurant open within walking distance! I can eat samosas every day!
Please try this restaurant! The restaurant space was vacated by Crepevine, and I remember that there was another restaurant before Crepevine. It makes me worry that there is a lot of turnover in this space. Plus, there are a lot of businesses on Fillmore Street that have gone belly up in the past 6 months (e.g., Bittersweet, Vivande, O & Co olive oil, Smith & Hawken, Shu Uemura, Aveda).
Please don't let Mehfil fail! I need my samosa fix! -
Review from kay h.
San Francisco, CA
11/11/2010
Lack of professionalism will not work on Fillmore! We have far too sophisticated needs to put up with unprofessional and uncaring staff! I live around the corner and was looking forward to a new place to dine and take friends...well the current atmosphere at Mehfil will not work! The greeters didn't even look up from talking with each other to tell us hello or goodbye and our waitperson must have just moved up from being a busperson with no training!
I was going to take a group there next week and probably will take them down the street to Dosa...Mefil get your act together or you, sadly, will not make it as a viable business! -
Review from Bruce A.
San Francisco, CA
11/19/2010
This might be Pacific Heights, but the cost is outrageous. Really.
I called in a to-go order for (1) mango lassie, (1) plain naan and (1) chicken tikka masala (stereotypical white dude order), and when I walked in to pay the bill I was shocked. Total bill: $21.85
Here's what $21.85 gets you -- http://d.pr/pISx
I'm sorry, but the cost is excessive.
The (to-go) service was great, the food is good, but expect to be taken advantage of on cost.
And if you're going to include complimentary rice, don't make the customer feel like they're paying for it. The menu says an order of rice is $3.50, the same price of an order of plain naan, $3.50. I think that proves my point on excessive cost.
Lower your prices, this economy sucks. I'll drive to Kennedy's in North Beach just for lower prices and plus they carry my favorite, Bhindi Masala.
