East India Co Grill & Bar

Delicious, authentic Indian food! We were pretty hungry when we arrived and had quick service by the kind staff. We ordered the masala wings and Kati wrap for appetizers. DELICIOUS! With a nice kick. The three of us shared lamb vindaloo, chicken saag, and gubi muttar (I think that’s what it was called) and we were completely blown away by the delicious food. Also for all the food we ordered, the meal was still under $ 100. Great price for quality food and atmosphere.
Highly recommend.

It Pains me to Update my review, because i absolutely love the food here. The Redhead old lady at the bar who also happens to be the hostess is beyond Rude and killing this business completely. She has no compassion and respect for customers. She acts as if she is doing you a favor by allowing you to eat food at this place. Ive had enough of her b. s and will not give this place another chance until she is here.
Note to the Owner: Your Restaurant could be the best indian place in Portland if you have a better hostess or bar tender. The rest of the staff are great and the chef is fantastic. Please save your business!

I would love to give them a better review but alas I cannot.
The food is great, but the atmosphere is lacking… and for one reason only… the overly aggressive and horribly rude hostess/​bartender. When we first started going here everything was cohesive and pleasant. The wait staff worked together and everyone was friendly. The last two times we have gone we have had to deal with the red headed bully. She’s rude to the customers and the wait staff. It is clearly obvious that all of the employees walk on egg shells when she is there. She throws things around, slammed our drinks on the table and in general looks angry and as though it is a waste of her time to do anything for anyone. And God forbid you show up one minute before 5pm, even if the door is unlocked!!!
This used to be a place that we looked forward to going and enjoying a nice quite meal, however we will not return if this woman continues to work there.
A word to the owner, your business is suffering because of this woman. The sooner you realize this the better off you will be.

Food is way better than other Indian restaurants in town. We ordered chicken tikka masala, makhani, special Monday biryani and tandoori grill which by the way was recommended by our server. We were welcomed by a very friendly Indian lady. She was very attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. She recommended naan bread to try with the sauce and OMG! It tasted so good. We got papdam by her right away with chutneys. They were busy so we had to wait for the food to come longer than usual. We are going back there to try some other dishes and desserts. Server recommended Indian ice cream (mango and pistachio) flavors, yum. Very good experience with great hospitality. Thanks to the server for taking care and guiding us. Next time I have to get her name for you all

Stay away from this place. Average food with terrible customer service. The food isn’t worth the price. You are better off eating at any other restaurant in downtown.

We never tried this place because I used to feel this is one of the places that serves fusion indian food and hence leaving with bland indian food! Not so bad at all! Given that Portland doesn’t have any of those authentic indian ones. This is ok of you want to try some decent indian food. Getting to the food
Paneer Tikka — avoid! Huge cubes of dry bland Paneer, served without any chutney, can choke you! Really!
Samosa chole — v good, small Samosa, covered with flavorful chole, chutneys perfect
Malai kofta was good
Aloo gobi mild and pretty decent
Biryani was mild yet flavorful, surprisingly better than expected, it is no joke to make a decent Biryani
Breads nothing to complain
Certainly a good option to try and the ambience is quiet and classy! So plus plus for that

I can’t seem to stay away from this restaurant for too long. When curry comes to mind, east India is the place! I always get the Samosa chaat and chicken tikka masala. Like always the food looks and tastes great! Yeah. They may need to work on their service part alittle, but that shouldn’t turn you away from trying this place out! I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who’s looking for some tasty indian food! Till next time east india!

Great food, rude hostess. I am suspecting this place has low reviews cuz of the hostess. She sat us, told us she will get a high chair but then disappeared for 10 min. We had to flag someone to get it. Food is yummy, just don’t expect any good service and be ready to wait on your self!
The table next to us actually had to walk to the hostess counter to get their check after waiting for a while!

Forgot to mention the food took forever and I found TWO hairs in them.
Would never go back.

I would give them no stars if it is allowed. We arrived at the restaurant 4:56 pm and the sign was OPEN. When we got inside the restaurant an old women came to us said «we open at 5:00». and asked us to leave. I told her that the OPEN sign is flashing. We got in the restaurant because the sign told us the restaurant is open. We waited outside. Then she turned off the OPEN sing for a couple of minutes. They way the women asked us to leave was not friendly. We then entered around 5 minutes after 5.
another bad story! The waiter chose uncomfortable seat for us in the middle of the restaurant despite the restaurant was empty!!. We asked her to let us set in one of the sides but she refused and said «side seats are assigned for more than 3 people» though they are the same size!
the food is good just like most Indians in PDX but it’s very expensive. I do NOT recommend it because the service is very bad.
by the way, before leaving, most side seats have no more than 2 people!!!

This is going to be titled: «HOLY SHIT I LIKE INDIAN FOOD»… Because I have tried Indian food several times and had some bad experiences making me really question what the hell is wrong with people.
This was very very good though. I started with the Samosa Chaat which is «Spiced potatoes in a crispy pastry shell, served on garbanzo beans seasoned with ‘Bhel’ spices» and wow — I am a spice wuss — it had some heat to it but good heat… warming, not the «I am punching you in the throat with an iron».
Next up, Chicken Tikka Masala which was served with their rice and more beans. It was all pretty incredible. Such excellent flavors — super mild for my wussy tastes just like I asked for. Their naan was so fluffy and amazing and the chicken had loads of extra sauce for drenching.
Just when I thought the meal could not get any better, desert happened. Ok, I’ll admit it… I am super white American girl when it comes to deserts and I just want something tasty and sweet. I love going to restaurants from other cultures but I rarely get deserts because usually I am just not a fan. For Portland Dining Month it came with desert and they asked mango or pistachio. I was thinking, which might I not hate as much however that was some of the tastiest ice cream I have had in a long time! — I chose the pistachio btw but another party at my table said he loved the mango.
So, yes… all of this… in your mouth!

I had the worst customer service experience ever! I order Lamb Biriyani with rice and it took more than 45min to get! Even when I had called it in 15min ahead! When I came, they weren’t even aware of my order so I had to wait another 30min for my food on site!
What is the use of calling in my order? That is not even the worst… I got back and started eating it, it was chicken! So I called back and told them they got it wrong. They told me to come back and get the right one. So, it took another trip to the restaurant and when I got there, they asked for the old chicken biriyani dish back! I told them I didn’t bring it. I can’t believe they asked for it back! They didn’t even apologized. Sheesh, will never be coming back to this place. Unbelievable!

Went for the first and maybe last time last night. Early Friday night — restaurant half full — took over 20 minutes to get a drink after we ordered. Very yummy food — but very small portions for the money. Too bad — when you walk in it has a lovely atmosphere.

Went for a road trip with family from one end of Oregon to another returning back to California from Portland, Oregon. Several restaurants later found this amazing Indian restaurant with Great food and excellent service. I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for delicious authentic Indian food. Very conveniently located in the downtown Portland. Hope you enjoy their food as well where taste, presentation and service all get top notch.

Amazing Service– I brought an impromptu party of 8 to dine after work and we were treated like Royalty. They worked quickly to get us seated and the attention to our table never stopped. Outstanding Dishes-​from the appetizers, main courses and desserts we had more than we could possibly eat. They paired wine and cocktails that complimented the flavor of each dish. Beautiful Décor– the high vaulted stain glass ceiling, elegant booths offers an old world feel with charm and grace. I highly recommend and I will visit again very soon.

it’s hard to pick which part of the experience here made me feel the most sad.
Was it the slow, uncaring, indifferent bar tender? The one who neglected to mention several allergy causing ingredients in a dish?
Was it the lies about how long food would take? When «15 minutes» became 40 minutes, and the servers response was, «sorry, the kitchen is busy with a large catering order.»
Possibly it was how various courses slinking out of the kitchen at random times without any rhyme or reason?
Or was it the food itself, priced like rare steak and tasting like Burger King?
No matter what you want to dislike about this restaurant, I can assure you that you will have many choices!

I use Unilocal a lot to find good places to eat, but this is my first review– I was so inclined to join because of the lower ratings that this restaurant had. It was so contradictory to my experience! The restaurant has a cool vibe– it’s comfortable but classy. I first ordered a bellini at the bar during happy hour– it was only $ 5!
The food was really good. Indian food is not usually my first choice– I visited with my friends, but I was delightfully surprised. I tried a few things. First I had the samosa chaat, which was super yummy. The chutneys on top were just to die for. I also tried the chicken kati roll, which was also great. My boyfriend had the masala wings and seemed to really enjoy them. I also had the bhindi pyaaz which is like Indian-​style okra. I loved it also!
I also had a great experience with the service. There’s no hostess inside, but I was greeted by the bartender who offered a seat at the bar or in the dining room. My servers were warm and friendly, and they helped me to navigate a menu that I was unsure of.
Overall, I thought that East India Co was a really great restaurant. I would definitely recommend this if you’re looking for something different in the Portland area!

This place is the real deal. Awesome food and great ambiance! The chicken curry was delicious and had a nice kick to it like I like. The service was friendly and fast.

This is a nice spot. Good location. Short walk from Max. Easy walk to the Schnitz. Tastiest Indian food I’ve had in some time. We had drinks, vegetable masala and saag aloo and naan.
Each was fresh with incredible flavors. Presentation was well done.
Service is slow and the kitchen is slower. We arrived 10 mins late (540pm) for our reservation. We had a simple three item order. Our meals arrived at 630pm. Wow! Glad we didn’t order appetizers, we’d have never made it to the Schnitz before curtain.
Because the food was so good we’ll return in hopes they’ve resolved the slow service and have implemented better controls in the kitchen. I took the opportunity to mention the delay as I was receiving the bill. The response did not inspire confidence. Again, good thing the food is so good.

Hands down the best Indian in the city. Plenty of vegan dishes, all of which are clearly marked on the menu. The staff are all extremely friendly, and my god, the food is fantastic. Delicately spiced, crispy, saucy, perfect. Of course I wish the portions were bigger (an order of samosas is only two delicious samosas that are cut in half so there are four halves on the plate), and it’s a bit on the expensive side (entrees start around $ 14 and go up from there), but those are minor quibbles for such amazing food.

Like an overstaffed amateur hour run by 10-​year olds!
It’s a small-​ish restaurant with a lot of staff. I always feel bad for people when they’re working on a holiday, but here is a recap of my experience with my friend on Christmas.
We arrived 20min early for our reservation and sat at the bar, after announcing ourselves to the host. We were offered some water after about ten minutes. Time went on. We ordered a bottle of wine. Meanwhile there were about six tables open within sight, never mind what we couldn’t see around the corner. Finally, someone asked us if we wanted to order food at the bar. I said we had a reservation, which was at this point past due, and could they check. There was some confusion and consternation in the crowed of staff. They talked amongst themselves and almost forgot to reply to us, the customers, waiting for an answer.
Finally we were seated at a table that had been empty since we arrived!
I flagged down a waitress to ask for an appetizer.
While we were eating waiters tried to deliver us items we hadn’t ordered twice.
The food was only ok. Granted I’m from NYC. I miss the super authentic food of curry hill. This is Portland, but yes, so-​so food for high prices.
Then we got the bill! They’d added an 18% gratuity, without telling us this would be the case, for a party of TWO. «Is this a holiday thing?» I asked my friend. I thought maybe it was a holiday /​PDX thing. He’s been here for 20 years, whereas I only arrived last March. «No,» he said, «It’s not.»
We’d been patient the whole time. It was comical rather than infuriating, but ya, totally like amateur hour. For such a small restaurant with such a large staff, they really do NOT have their act together.

Nothing about the place that was good.
Service was awful, we pretty much had to stand up and ask for more water.
Food was not very good.
Atmosphere wasn’t good either, it was freezing inside and the sound of the refrigerator at the bar was louder than the music.
In conclusion, the place was too expensive for such a mediocre experience. Never coming back!

Usually we have a good experience here, but not tonight. After seating us and bringing water, our waitress disappeared and never returned. We noticed the place was more than half empty so it didn’t seem too busy. And we had made reservations, so we expected better service.
After half an hour we stood up to leave expecting someone might notice or say something. All we heard, on our way out the door, was Thanks for coming!
Not a good way too keep regulars coming back.
Reading other reviews, you see a trend: good food, bad service. If you come here, be prepared to wait. If you’re hungry and want quick service, go elsewhere.

My friend has had his birthday dinner here twice, in December 2013 and 2015. Both times the food has been very nice. I’m not a conoisseur of Indian food; I just know what I like.
Specifics: I like the naan. The crispy bread with chutney (served before the meals arrive) is interesting. I forget what I ordered the first time, but I liked it; this last time I ordered the fish makhani and it was delicious: very rich and creamy but flavorful. The vegetable side was just peas and corn and kind of boring.
Spice level: Even though most of the diners on both nights looked Indian, the spice level seems somewhat geared toward white people. I have no tolerance for pepper so I chose one of the mildest menu items, and I was grateful when the waiter asked me if I wanted it made even milder. It was still slightly spicy but that was fine with me. I get that you need pepper in there for the flavor. One of my tougher-​mouthed friends asked for «medium-​spicy» and was a bit disappointed because she found it too mild.
Service: Polite, prompt. Water refilled often, preferences sought and fulfilled. Mostly I felt well taken care of. I’m not sure the communication between servers was the best, though: we ordered an appetizer that never came (and wasn’t on the bill), and we ordered a drink that never came (and was on the bill).
Atmo: I love the atmo. It’s a quiet ambience, with relatively soft music, and the interior decoration is elegant. It feels fancier than Portland restaurants typically are, and I enjoy that. (It made another friend feel out of place, but then she admitted that pretty much anything above Taco Bell is too fancy for her.)

The food is delicious but simply overpriced. To add to it, the last time I visited here was on Thanksgiving. We were a party of 6 and chose the dine-​in option for lunch. We liked the food, so we opted for a To-​go for dinner.
The owner, seeing this, applied a gratuity of 18% on
ToGo order! Yeah that’s right, who on the right mind would apply gratuity on not dining in?!
When asked for an explanation, she mentioned,
«Well, I have to keep my staff on duty on Thanksgiving».
Isn’t that her benefit?
Why charge it on the customer without prior acknowledgement?
Yep. She means business.
And that’s to it.

I went there yet again, for lunch and sat at a table. The waitress says «Could I get you some coffee or tea?» I said, no, I’ll have a chardonnay. She comes back and explains that they can’t serve alcohol because there was no bartender! I had to walk out. I will never return, this time I mean it!

Good place to eat. Not much of an exotic either so when I looked at the menu I was quite baffled. The staff was friendly, kind, and courteous to explain all the options at what I would like best.
The food was really good and I was really impressed. I think I found my new Happy Hour spot.

Overpriced and overrated. The food was meh and left a bad taste in my mouth, and the service was atrocious. East India Co seemed more interested in trying hard to look trendy and «cool» instead of actually having qualify food and service. Definitely won’t be coming back.
Also, if you are allergic to gluten or on a high-​protein/​low carb diet, this is not the place. The entire menu consists of mainly carbs and fat.

This place seems far more concerned with presentation and plating than they do with making the food actually taste good or making the servings satisfying.
What I ordered:
Samosa chaat — A really bland version of this dish, which is not only my favorite Indian dish, but my favorite food to order out, period. First of all, the inside of the samosa chaat just tasted and looked like mashed up potato. Practically no other veggies or spices — it was just bland. But making matters even worse, it came with the tiniest dime-​sized dollop of yoghurt on top and an even smaller drop of tamarind chutney. What am I supposed to do with that? Have they ever seen samosa chaat? Considering how bland the inside of the samosa was, they need the sauce to make up for it, but they barely give you any. It’s looks pretty, sure, but it also doesn’t taste very good.
Vegetable korma — Barely any spice and they didn’t even give me the option to ask for spice level. That said, I do think it was pretty decent and had a good amount of vegetables in it, even if it was about $ 4 too much. It came with basmati rice and the rice was fine, nothing special.
Chutneys — I asked for a side of the mint and tamarind chutney. They just ignored my request. I went back and looked and you have to purchase side cups of it for $ 4. They charge $ 4 for something every other Indian restaurant on the planet gives you for free. Are they joking, or???
Chocolate cake — They also ignored my request to skip the raspberry drizzle — thanks guys! However, I really enjoyed this because it was chocolate cake with a hint of chili spice, which I’ve never had before. It wasn’t hot, although you could catch a bite that would sneak up on you. Overall, I thought it was an interesting flavor combination and a good finish to the meal.
Prices: I guess they feel that smearing the tamarind chutney on your plate in a design allows them to slap an extra $ 3 on it. Everything is just way overpriced. Portland has too few Indian restaurants, in my opinion, but maybe try Siri instead where prices are a bit more reasonable or Bollywood Theater, which is my favorite spot. If you want samosa chaat, maybe try the Bombay Chaat food truck.
Bottom line: The food looks pretty, but it’s way too overpriced and skimpy. I’d give it 2.5 stars, but I don’t know, it cost a lot and I just was so disappointed in the chaat and annoyed that they couldn’t even give me some extra cups of chutney on the side, which would’ve vastly improved it. I doubt I’ll be back.

Undated review. I went back, but this time I called in advance and told them I have felt rushed in the past and didn’t want to be rushed. They sat us at a nice table (opposed to the corner tiny table we are usually placed) and each course was served shortly after the last was completed. I had time to enjoy conversation with my wife without feeling rushed. The food was delicious, as always. The dinning experience was perfect!
I will test the waters again, without phoning 1^st to get better service, and if the change is consistent, I will probably even go back for a special occasion.

Just had a great lamb vindaloo. First time in the US was the heat was real. Ordered it extra spicy and it reminded more more of a oh all I had when I was 21 in the UK.
Staff where very friendly, I will come again next time I’m in Portland.

Looking for a fantastic dining experience? Then look no further. The East India Company is simply one of the best Indian restaurants in the Portland area in my opinion.
The atmosphere is a essential hallmark to enjoying a unique dining experience as well as receiving good service and quality foods that are freshly prepared for each guest. This is what you can expect at East India Company.
As for the abundance of delicious and delectable menu options, some of the highlights of my experience that I would strongly recommend trying:
Tandoori Khumbi, grilled mushrooms marinated with herbs, fresh ginger and Tamarind chutney. These are great.
Laziz Paslian, grilled lamb chops is a must as well as the Paneer Tikka, a grilled homemade cheese skewed with onions peppers then grilled in the Tandoor oven.
If you enjoy seafood then I strongly recommend their tandoori salmon as well as tandoori shrimp. The flavors from the tandoor oven truly make it. I mean, it’s that good!
Saag Paneer is also one of my favorite vegetarian dishes and East India Company knows how to make it just right. Whether you choose the homemade cheese or chickpea with the saag both are fantastic.
This restaurant has so many delicious choices on their selective menu and I don’t think you can go wrong with trying any of them. I hope that you will enjoy this restaurant as much as I have.

This is my second time here, both time we got excellent food, great service very friendly staff, fast and efficient :)

Portland is not the mecca of the Indian culinary world. We’ve actually found it really hard to find an Indian restaurant where the food wasn’t lack luster in some way. But last night, we may have found it.
East India doesn’t have an extensive menu, and it’s relatively unassuming, for a Saturday night, there were quite a few tables open. But don’t let any of that deceive you. Take a seat, and order their cucumber cocktails — it’s very refreshing! We ordered some chaat to start with — samosa and chile was spot on, the papdi chaat needed a little more tamarind and it would have been perfect — but the presentation was definitely nice.
So the key for us was the mains. Typically, we find that the makhani and the vindaloo have the same base at many restaurants, which is beyond off putting — it’s like going to an Italian restaurant and having Alfredo and marinara taste the same. Here, the chicken makhani was that beautiful curry, buttery and layered, while the vindaloo was a deep red, rich and spicy. (Just add a little bit more salt to get the flavored to brighten up).
We will definitely be back to try more of the items on the menu. And if you haven’t tried this place, you are missing out!

My ardent wish is to be allowed ownership of East India Co. Grill and Bar’s elegant lighting fixtures, but since that most likely won’t happen, let me tell you about my lunch at East India Grill.
We can start with their décor since we already know about my potentially nefarious plans for their lighting fixtures. The space is understated but rich in color all the way from the foyer clear back to the kitchen. Dark and rich earth-​spice tones are used throughout and lots of modern art is featured. You walk through the beautifully-​appointed bar area into the dining room and the décor is continued on in there. Besides the beautiful beaded and sparkly light fixtures, the dining room’s ceiling is taken up by a bold red and orange stained glass ceiling shaped into a dome. If they want to let me have this piece, I’d be more than glad to take it off their hands. Furniture and seating pieces are modern style and in dark wood. Lots of nice texture is added in the textiles used for napkins and placemats.
I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala and it was delivered in a metal bowl with the rice shaped into a pyramid. The preparation was subtle and spicy, allowing all of the flavors to come through equally. The chicken chunks were very tender. I adore chicken and rice, but this is not your mama’s average chicken and rice; it is well beyond it. The Naan bread was some of the best I’ve ever had, and the peachy iced tea as delicious. The amount served was perfect and made me want to take my time and savor all the flavors. The price at $ 8 for the lunch entrée (as well as $ 3 for iced tea and $ 2 for Naan) was commensurate with the quality of the meal and worth it to me to enjoy, almost a small vacation, at the end of a busy week.
The only reason East India Co. Grill & Bar is getting four stars is the service. The actual service was politely correct and performed flawlessly but distant and chill. I understand the restaurant is trying to maintain a truly upscale atmosphere by staying on the formal side, but really a smile and bit of chat would not be out of place or ruin the effect of what they’re trying to project.
The dishes and décor will make me return. That way I can scope out the lighting fixtures and domed ceiling and make mental measurements should they ever call and ask me to come over and pick everything up like right now. I definitely would come back simply for their whole restaurant experience (and not just the lighting fixtures) if they’d just soften up a bit, smile, and chat.

This food is way over priced. I ordered the chicken tikka masala which is priced at $ 18. It only comes with a little bowl of chicken masala, a spoonful of rice, and a side of some old mushy peas and carrots. Usually the nann bread will come customary with the meal, but not this place. That would cost you an extra $ 4 for some small pieces of bread. To say the least, I was still hungry afterwards. You can go to a Indian cuisine food cart nearby and receive a lot more food for way cheaper.
Also the food was very mediocre. Nothing to brag about. I only gave this place two stars because the dinning experience was nice. The place is like an upscale restaurant, and there’s a busboy going around to fill up your cup of water every time you take a sip. However, because of the extremely overpriced and mediocre food, I do not recommend this place.
Honesty, if you’ve ever had good indian food, you’d know that this food was sucky and not worth the money whatsoever. Don’t waste your time or cash.