Karma

Amazing food, excellent service and a wonderful atmosphere. We loved it here and will definitely come back! The staff were phenominal!

My precise rating for this place would be 3.5, and trust me that is a good rating from a not so generous food critic like me that too for a place offering Indian cuisine (yeah am Indian)!
It is easy to miss or even ignore Karma among the numerous other culinary delights along Chestnut, in the old city area. But am so glad that after years of ignorance and hesitation, I did give this place a try.
We went for dinner and got the dinner deal which contains 2 appetizers, 2 main courses, basmati rice, and 2 glasses of wine for $ 40. It was a good deal and the food was appropriately portioned for regular sized adults. Additionally we ordered kandhari naan which was a tandoor bread stuffed with sweet cheese, pistachio, almonds, and raisins, and it well complemented with our spicy curries.
Needless to say I will be back!

This unassuming & casual hidden gem in Old City really hit the spot on a quiet Friday night. I had not heard anything good/​bad about Karma, but was really pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food and my overall experience.
We started with two appetizers:
— Tandoori Gobhi (cauliflower)
— Amristsari Kulcha (Naan stuffed with potatoes, onions, paneer)
Both were delicious — the Tandoori Gobhi was exceptionally good. The cauliflower is blistered and coated in a savory yogurt/​spice sauce, served on a cast iron skillet. The cauliflower was incredibly flavorful, tender, and bright. The stuffed naan was also really great.
For our entrees, we ordered:
— Lamb Korma
— Paneer Tikka Masala
Again, both dishes were absolutely fantastic. Both were rich in flavor and spice (without being too spicy), tremendously balanced and very flavorful. The paneer was dream-​worthy — I absolutely loved it.
Service was pretty good, and the space itself is pretty standard. A real hidden gem with tremendous dishes!

Great food. But, have patience… food came out an hour after we ordered, which took place 45 minutes after we sat down.

By far the best Indian food in Philadelphia I have tried yet. For one reason. If you ask them to make your food spicy they definitely will give you spicy, from Karma Spicy to Indian Spicy (1 – 10). Their staff is amazing every single one of them & Money always makes sure to hook me, my girlfriend & my family up when we go. GiGi (the owner) is great. He makes sure to go around and talk to everyone of his customers. He treats everyone like family.
The reason I gave them 4 stars is because I have been going to Karma for over a year and recently it seems like the chefs were changed although they say no. The portions are becoming smaller. The taste is different and the hot sauce I usually get on the side does not compare what I use to get before.
Definitely recommend for a nice place in philadelphia, comforting place and great food. Prices compare to any other indian restaurant. An average of $ 18 per meal. They do have a $ 20 special with an appetizer, meal, and a glass of wine but its only chicken or vegetarian options.
Good luck!

I really wanted to love this place, but I unfortunately can’t say that I did. The staff is great and the inside is comfortable and spacious and well lit, but the prices are extremely high for the quantity of food you get. It’s pretty good food (albeit a bit salty) don’t get me wrong, but other restaurants give you more for the same amount or cheaper.
We ended up ordering the chicken tikka, shrimp vindaloo, and garlic naan. The naan was HUGE which was awesome, but the chicken tikka and shrimp dish were both really small. There were probably eight pieces of shrimp in the vindaloo, which for $ 18 dollars is exorbitant. Another, maybe small, gripe I had was that I asked for a bit of yogurt since the food was quite spicy (I ordered it that way, and it was great but I just wanted something to cut the spice a bit) and our waiter brought out a pot of it (I finished maybe a quarter or fifth of it), not telling me that he was charging for it or how much he was charging for it. It ended up being three dollars, which definitely isn’t a huge amount of money, but I just wish that he would have told me. (I figured he’d just bring out a chutney sized bit of it and wouldn’t charge.)
Anyway, it was all together a good meal and I don’t regret going, but was a bit disappointed with the price.

This place is so good. They took us right in on a Saturday night, our waiter was very friendly and efficient, and the food was top notch. Our table ordered a variety of dishes including the shrimp vindaloo, goat curry, and a chicken and lamb dish. Each dish was served with rice but if you go to this place you have to try the garlic naan with your entrees. It completely makes the meal. The homemade yogurt eaten on the side of the entrees helped cool the spice a bit although you have the option of ordering the dish less spicy if you want.
I would absolutely recommend this restaurant for anyone who is looking for some Indian cuisine. I am looking forward to going back and bringing new people to try!

If you’re going to have the audacity to charge me money for utensils and a plate at least deliver it to me. Also Indian food is spicy so when I order water it would be nice if that came with my water as well.
Try harder.

Went here for my boyfriends bday as we both enjoy Indian food. I wasn’t too sure about this but he wanted to go and give it a try. Once we got into the resturant there was nobody in there and I would say we went around 6:30 which should be a normal busy dinner time for a center city resturant but sadly It wasn’t.
We were seated by the door which was the worst because the cold draft from outside and the amount of times the door kept opening from the amount of people coming in and out for take out orders from grub hub, but I will say that the food wasn’t that bad.
I had the lamb curry which was spicy in all the right places and my boyfriend had the chicken tikka Masala and both dishes were good but don’t forget to get their garlic nann bread because that is amazing! I had many of Indian dishes throughout the city but I must say the food here was pretty good from others, I wish this place had more of a nightly vibe because it’s in a good area but I guess they can continue to win with their good dishes.
Ohh I forgot so it was my boyfriends bday and they played the birthday song for him over their music system and gave him a free slice of cake I thought that was so sweet.

Above par Indian food in Old City, and the naan is a special craft – crisp, yet chewy. We would certainly return, but we would also hope for a livelier atmosphere and crowd.

Following the power of Unilocalers, my wife and i decided to try Karma.
It pains me to write this, especially because when the food finally arrived, it was delicious. Reading other Unilocalers’ reviews, tonight just must have been an off night for service… it wasn’t bad, it was just non-​existent.
Our table of two arrived around 5:30 on Saturday evening, with the restaurant half full. It took about 10 minutes before drinks could be ordered, and wasn’t too quick coming off the bar either. This was a repeated theme in getting a second round.
For dinner, weordered:
–Beer: Taj Mahal (x2)
–Wine: House Red (x2)
–Appetizer: Tandoori Gobhi
–Entrée: Tandoori Chicken
–Entrée: Vegetable Jalfrezi
–Naan
The appetizer came out within 15 minutes of ordering, but then we waited, waited, and waited some more. With hungry tummies, finally, one of the servers brought food out and placed on the table, only for us to realize very quickly that it was not our order… oh shucks!!! The server promptly picked everything up and placed on the table behind us. The waitress came over and assured us that our dinner was on its way. Fifteen minutes passed and this time our food arrived.
The food was quite good. My tandoori chicken came out sizzling and spicy (as ordered). My wife loved her vegetable jalfrezi as well.
Hoping this was just an off night.

My girlfriend and I were looking for some good Indian food close by and came across Karma in old city. We ordered take-​out and overall, the food was great, but the price was a little inflated for what we got.
We ordered:
–Butter Chicken (~$ 16): we got the mild since we weren’t in a spicy kind of mood and the flavors were excellent the chicken was tender. The sauce definitely complements the thin-​grain rice well and the rice acts as the perfect medium for the dish!
–Chicken Tikka Masala (~$ 16): the mild sauce was flavorful, but a little less so compared to the butter chicken. The chicken wasn’t as tender (it was larger chunks compared to the butter chicken which was more like strips), but still good regardless.
–Garlic Naan: Delicious! Aside from the fact that the edges were a bit burnt all around, the garlic naan was amazing with the sauce from tikka masala and the butter chicken (would be loads better if it wasn’t burnt though)!
Overall the quality and taste of the food I would give 4 stars, but the price was a huge turn-​off because you can definitely get cheaper Indian food of similar quality at other restaurants in the city. So I’d give them about 3 – 3.5 stars considering quality, cost, and quantity. If I were to pick between the butter chicken and tikka masala, I would recommend going with the butter chicken!
*Note: They do honor the Unilocal 5% off check-​in offer!

We looked at a couple of options before selecting this place… Excellent choice! The wait staff was very friendly and gave good recommendations.
We ordered Vegetable Samosas as our appetizer it was excellent.
For the entrée We ordered shrimp maharaja, it was filled with flavor and spices. My friend ordered hers at a level 4 spice range (out of 10), I don’t so spicy food so I am at a 0. We both enjoyed out dishes. To top it off, we ordered garlic nana Whig I dipped the sauce of maharaja. Great place to dine, this was my first but not the last time here!

Ordered delivery via GrubHub, the chicken biryani and samosas. I’m Indian and always ask for spicy — typically it’s still not spicy… this was well spiced without being overpowering, and very flavorful! Samosas were also good. Delivery on GrubHub for some reason said it would take 2 hours but when I called they assured me that was not the case, and it came within 30−45min which I think is quite reasonable.
I’m excited to see there’s such good delivery Indian in Philly!

I’m a huge fan of Indian cuisine so I can be very picky. Karma is my go to restaurant in the old city/​society hill area. I would give it five stars if not for the menu being on the pricier side but it’s to be expected in old city. They have a $ 20 dinner dine-​in special which includes an appetizer, an entrée and a glass of wine. This is more than worth it because a good entrée costs at least $ 15-​$ 16.
I really enjoy the complimentary papadum that they offer and the tandoori chicken wings as appetizers. I also recommend the butter chicken which in my opinion is the best curry here next to the tikka masala and vindaloo. Their garlic naan is also to die for. I’ve gotten the fish Briyani but didn’t care for it too much as it wasn’t as flavorful as other entrees.
Overall very good Indian cuisine, service is pleasant.

I’ve been meaning to go to Karma for some time now (Sorry it took so long Bobby!). As soon as my friend and i walked in we were greater with a smile. If theres one thing i’ll remember its the great customer service they have here. Everyone is so nice and willing to make your dining experience as enjoyable as possible.
We sat down and each order a martini (i the mango and my friend the passion fruit). the mango martini was definitely better.
Our dinner order:
— 1 order of naan (which is HUGE!) i have never gotten naan that size before! Amazing.
— 1 order of chicken tikka masala (chicken was cooked just right and enough curry for endless naan dipping) :p
— 1 karma fish fry (south indian styled fried fish-​just like my mom makes it)
— complementary order of basmati rice which comes with the chicken tikka
So much food and it was all delicious. Presentation is very nice and we had enough for leftovers.
Overall the place isn’t as big as most of the other restaurants in the area and the décor could use an update. Also where we were sitting the lighting was very dim and dark. But these are all just aesthetics! Food is on point
Service is on point
Thanks again!

Friends planned a night out and recommended Karma. We ended up going a la carte, but the $ 20 dinner special looked good: glass of house wine, veggie/​chicken app, and veggie/​chicken entrée.
As a group of 6, we were able to sample a lot!
–Papadum: Thin lentil flour crisps (I liked the tamarind? sauce)
–Malai Kofta: Vegetable dumplings stuffed with fresh basil and herbs
–Tandoori Gobhi: Baked cauliflower florets coated with a special marinade
–Saag Paneer: Cubes of paneer in spinach, enriched with herbs
–Baingan Bharta: Roasted eggplant cooked with chef’s special spices
–Chicken Tikka Masala: Chicken tikka in an herb-​infused, creamy tomato gravy
–Butter Chicken: Tandoori chicken simmered in creamy tomato gravy
–Hara Bara Kebab: Chicken marinated in coriander, chillies, ginger and garlic
–Lasooni Naan: Garlic flavored naan
Yum!: Saag Paneer, Tandoori Gobhi, Butter Chicken (divine), Malai Kofta (awesome sauce! hah!)
Ehhh: Hara Bara Kebab (dry), Bainga Bharta (personal dislike of eggplant texture, but I tried it — I did!)
We requested all items at a medium spice to accommodate all palates.
I’ll definitely try the lamb, dessert, and amp up the spice level at my next visit.
Alas, It’s a touch pricey for the volume — best to visit with a group for optimal sampling opportunities. However, the heavenly sauces aaaalmost made up for it.
4 Stars! (I’m still thinking of the sauces and tender butter chicken. Staff was very nice too!)

I recently dined at Karma with a group of 10 Unilocalers and friends for a UYE dinner. The service has to be mentioned first since they did such a great job. I’m sure the service would have been great with a small group, but it was excellent with a large group and that really goes a long way in my opinion.
Many us, myself included, took advantage of the dinner special. $ 20 gets you an appetizer, an entrée and a glass of house wine/​bottle of beer. You can pick any appetizer and entrée off the menu as long as it was chicken or vegetarian. There were so many options I didn’t feel limited in the least! They also had several different drink options. There were multiple whites, reds and even Yards IPA was included for the beer that evening.
I opted for a glass of Sauvignon blanc, the Tandoori Gobhi and the Chicken Madras. The Tandoori Gobhi was baked cauliflower florets coated with a special marinade. The marinade wasn’t spicy and wasn’t overly marinated into the cauliflower. It was okay but not overly exciting. At least I was eating a vegetable and vegetables are healthy, right? I ordered the Chicken Madras between a spicy and very spicy level. It turned out to not be overly spicy at all. The flavor was still nice and the portion was decent, but I wasn’t overly impressed by it.
I also tried some of the Papadum and Garlic Naan we ordered for the table. I thought they were both tasty and to standard of what could be expected of those items. For dessert we each received a complimentary Gulab Jamun (thanks for getting us hooked up Sari A!). This was the first Gulab Jamun I’ve ever tried and I really enjoyed the deep-​fried donut holes soaked in a syrup.
So overall the food was good but not great, but the service was standout and the price was right. I’d go back for another group meal or if I’m looking for an inexpensive Indian dinner.

I had an idea, to get together over some spicy delights. Last Friday’s plan, was to make some of us Unilocalers– me included, appreciate Indian cuisine. 10 adventurous foodies gathered to sample some spicy food, with an Indian cuisine Virgin… Nando!
We got there few minutes before our reservation, and the hostess, Danielle, smiled and welcomed us warmly. First thing I notice, was the lack of the typical Elephant paintings, or the Taj Mahal pictures on the wall. Yet, I could feel the Indian vibe.
We were told that the dinner special was one glass of house wine, one appetizer, and one entrée from the menu. Our choices had to be either chicken or vegetable. Still it was a lot of choices. Danielle told us they don’t serve pork or beef. I believe most authentic Indian restaurants don’t serve beef, because cow is sacred in Indian. Karma is %100 Halal, that’s why they don’t serve pork.
Right after we put in our dinner orders, two baskets of poppadum came to our table, with some chutney. I liked the herbal green one (made of mint.) I didn’t try the red spicy one, but I could tell that everyone enjoyed it.
While we were munching on the poppadum, our appetizers came out. I ordered the vegetable samosa, they were crispy stuffed triangle flour turnover, stuffed with potatoes and peas. However, I was a little bit disappointed, the samosa lacked some kind of spices, they certainly tasted bland and dry. I’m not a stranger to Indian cuisine, and I’m used to super spicy samosa. This one had no taste, even with the mint chutney that I asked for. Vince S. ordered the Chicken 65, he love it, I tried it and I didn’t think it was spicy. Nando F. enjoyed his Aloo Samosa Chaat, and I thought it was really good, the yogurt added some taste to the samosa!
My Chicken Biryani was pretty spot on!!! It was served hot, both temperature
and spice wise. The rice was cooked perfectly, the chicken was tender, and the mild yogurt dip (rita) was a nice contrast as usual. I had a bite of the Butter Chicken and Chicken Xacuti, I’m afraid that I didn’t care much for either.
Few more pieces of info:
— We all had slightly different tastes for the spice level we chose. Some of us were unsatisfied of what we received. So, be aware when you order you spices!
— The service was great and everyone tend to be friendly. I didn’t see any empty water glasses.
— The on-​the-​house treat (Gulab Jamun) was highly appreciated. Thank you, Rony!
— Easy-​to-​order, set menu, and nice lunch buffet — for those who like buffets!
— Karma was very clean and simple restaurant, despite the slightly dim lighting and the tight seating.
— I was torn between three and four stars here and I am taking the fourth away — for now– because the hit or miss flavors.
From now on, Karma will satisfy Biryani my craving!
«I saw that»
That’s what karma said
Three and half Unilocal– for now

Very nice place for our UYE last Friday night. 10 brave souls ventured out after a laborious week to enjoy each other’s company and some good grub. Karma was the choice of our up and coming unofficial social director, Sari (Another great job!).
The space was a little tight in the back of the house on a long table next to the lunch buffet table and hot plates, but with the glass of wine that came with our $ 20 three course dinner had us forgetting our surroundings as we caught up with our Unilocalhriends and new initiates. True, that the cuisine is somewhat secondary to our passion for each other, but we are «foodies» to a greater or lesser degree, and we are aware of what we eat.
So, tonight had its good points and some of the other kind as well. My Veggie Samosa was quite good with good mashed curried potatoes, peas and onion is a lightly fried dough with good tamarind dipping sauce. One was enough for me. My Chicken Xacuti had a nice coconut milk based sauce, but with somewhat dry overcooked Chicken. The Naan/​Garlic Naan were very thin, but tasty and capable of holding both the pinched main course and the superior Coconut Curry bath it came in.
The regrettable shock of the evening was tasting my buddy’s Taj Mahal Indian Beer. It was downright skunky, like it had been left in the heat for far too long and only chilled at the last minute. Management took it off his check, but the damage to the taste buds was not as easily mended.
Overall, a decent meal, but one that was not as good as many nearby Indian houses can provide, although our camaraderie made up for much of its shortcomings.