House of Khan

I am so sad they closed! I totally wanted to come back here again.
You were able to get a proper 3 course meal for just $ 15…man…
The service was great and server was super helpful and guided us in getting the best dishes for an authentic experience.
Reopen sometime soon, House of Khan, I will definitely come back if so!

Actually I am very familiar with this type of food and how samosas are cooked. Yes they are cooked in hot oil, problem is when I big into your, it was full of said oil and burned my mouth. With the number of people I saw walking out while I waited, I doubt you’ll be around much longer.

This place is good for starters only, the main food is excessively salty! I won’t come back!!! The cook and the server is very sweet! They need to improve on the spices quality I guess!!!

I’ll start off by saying that if you like Indian food, please eat here.
You will not see your classic Indian buffet dishes here. The food is very much like Indian food but with far more ingredients to make it taste out of this world. But, I must give a word of caution that their food is spicy. But, it isn’t spicy just to be spicy, it part of the whole flavor pallet.
Our server was awesome. Since I had never had Pakistani food before, she was very helpful in explaining the various dishes on the menu.
Actually, every single restaurant employee was very friendly and warm. This made the dinner an experience and not just a time to eat. In other words, the people, food, and atmosphere was right on the mark.
The server indicated that the owner was a passionate cook. Believe me, please eat there and you will definitely tell she carefully creates a wonderful dish hoping that you enjoy the each and every bite. Everyone at this restaurant wanted to be there and made me feel like they wanted me there to enjoy their food.
The wonderful people I met at this restaurant are the type of people you want to be successful. They didn’t open a restaurant just to make money. They are doing it because they want to share their talent for preparing food with us.
I could go on and on, but I suggest you give it a try.

Let’s talk about the FOOD! The food is marvelous! If you’ve never had Pakistani food, just think of it as Indian food, but more refined, more spicy than hot. An American palette might find the flavors a bit overwhelming, but you’ll get used to it. Don’t expect a typical curry dish you can get at just any Indian take-​away. Having been raised on home-​cooked Pakistani food all my life, I can say these recipes MUST be family recipes! Very flavorful, very seasoned. Very authentic. Very delicious!
The samosas are great, but not like any I’ve had at an Indian eatery.
The Chicken Biryani tasted just like my mom makes — which is a good thing!
The Chicken Karhai is good, especially if you like a pureed tomato sauce.
The Nihari was fantastic — again very seasoned with incredibly tender chunks of beef and plentiful sauce that I even saved to use in a chicken sauté I made the next night.
The kebab masala has great texture and is a great pairing with naan.
I also had the BBQ Beef Bihari Kebab Fry — very good!
If you’re a fan of lentils, the Chicken cooked with lentils is a great choice, but expect more lentils than chicken.
Incredible, flavorful culinary experience! I’ve never dined-​in here, but have ordered food TO GO on 3 separate occasions. Hopefully soon the dine-​in experience will be better than what I’m reading here from other reviewers once this restaurant gets more established. I own a small business, too, so I know — it’s tough! And it seems that most of the staff are busy busy in the kitchen preparing the unique flavors you’re about to enjoy. At least while I’ve waited for my food to be prepared to go, I definitely enjoyed perusing the Pakistani/​Mogul art and tapestries on display.
I’ll definitely be back — at least once a month or if I crave my mother’s cooking, perhaps more often.
Although being waited on might leave one wanting more attention, the FOOD here is
surely what I come back for! I spoke with the owner, Salina (sp?) and I can tell what a sincere, kind and well-​traveled person she is, who decided to set up shop in Hillcrest to share her unique story — her food.

I was very excited to try this place, as it looked like a mom-​n-​pop type eatery with the kind of food I love. But we ended up surprisingly disappointed.
We ordered the nihari ($ 12), which is «Slow-​cooked over 6 hours, thick beef stew served with naan bread.» Sounds good, but do you see the word «spicy» anywhere in there? This dish was INCREDIBLY spicy. Even my eating partner, who never thinks anything is spicy (he tied for 3^rd place in the Unilocal spicy wing eating challenge), admitted it was spicy – and he never admits that! I got to the point where I was in so much pain, I had to stop eating it, even though I tried to power through. I know you are all thinking I’m just a huge wimp, but I know lots of people who can handle less spiciness than me. The flavor was good, but it was very «one note». It was just meat in a small bowl of stewiness – not impressive looking. I don’t remember any veggies. The fact that **neither the menu nor the server mentioned it was spicy at all** is a huge oversight… almost a negligence. What if someone who didn’t like spicy food ordered this? They would send it back and not be happy. I am just baffled as to why you wouldn’t mention the extreme spiciness on the menu (seriously, just add the word «spicy»! It’s that easy!) or to the person ordering the food – whether they liked spicy food or not. Also, the nihari was only warm – both I and my eating partner noticed it independently – it wasn’t hot enough, temperature-​wise.
The other item we tried was the Kebab Roll. It is described as, «Minced beef kebabs, garnished w/​cilantro chutney & mint salsa, wrapped in a paratha roll.» I liked it, but it wasn’t amazing. A sauce like a raita or chutney or something would have added some excitement. For $ 9, it was a decent value. The presentation left a lot to be desired, though. It just looked similar to a burrito on a plate.
We never got our water refilled, which would have been nice because the stew was spicy and we finished our waters. The nihari was small, painfully spicy, and one note, and the roll was ok, but not great. The service was lacking a bit even though we were the only ones there.

Food is excellent! Good potions made fresh. Such a wonderful spiciness. Needs more light, but I suppose it is decorated in a culturally appropriate manner. Gives one the feeling you are in a small nook of a poorly lit castle.

I’d give this place 0 stars if I could.
I’m Desi on my dad’s side and had really high hopes for this place! Unfortunately, it was a terrible experience.
Samosa– texture was soggy and horribly chewy. Inside was a spicy goop.
Chicken Karhai– cooked to absolute death, dry, tough
Fish Masala– fish was swampy, tough, fishy
Bun Kebab– listed as «potato sliders» but more of a big pile of spicy goop on a stale bun
Even the rice was hard and dried out. Honestly, it tasted like the entire meal had been cooked 3 days ago and reheated in a microwave. No chutneys, sauces, raita, yogurt or accoutrements and the portion size was about the volume of a tv dinner.
I feel personally affronted that it is being called «Pakistani/​Indian food» and even more disappointed that Unilocalers were so hopelessly wrong. 80% of the meal went into the garbage, and now we are heading to get burritos.
I’m a fan of local business, and a bigger fan of South Asian food, but come on…

Best BBQ in the town! Decorations, service, food everything was excellent. I love this place. Want to come back again.

Food is delicious! Finally a restaurant making desi food the way you are supposed to. This is different because they don’t use the same sauce for all dishes. They are original full of flavor. Folks are really nice and prices are reasonable. My new favorite got sure!

By far the best South Asian establishment in San Diego. Before HoK I honestly thought for good desi food one had to drive to LA. No more.
It’s reminds one of true home cooked meal. Flavor is authentic and menu fresh along with very reasonable prices. As a Lahori with deep love for Punjabi Food, I can honestly say HoK delivers on all fronts.
Can’t wait for them to start a Tandoor with good old spicy BBQ!

We came here last night, and initially we thought House Of Khan served Chinese food, but that was just my mistake.
The atmosphere of this place is pretty chill, great for date nights or family nights.
The food: we ordered a bun kabob, a chicken and ginger slider and a plate of BBQ behari kabob. The bun kabob, imo, was the best dish out of all 3. The bun was slightly smaller than the potato made kabob but it was delicious. Presentation was A+
The chicken and ginger sliders were just okay. Nothing too special. I am still fascinated how those are «authentic Pakistani/​Indian» food — maybe it’s a new dish.
The BBQ behari kabob plate was definitely something I’d order again if I decided to come to this place during my stay in SD. It was BEYOND SPICY, even for my liking but it still makes my mouth water. The presentation let me down a bit, but the taste made up for it.
This place is a bit pricier for «Desi» food, but if you are in Hillcrest Area and in the mood for some of it, this is a decent place.

What a delightful surprise! This is a small family owned restaurant and the food is rich on flavor and absolutely delicious. It hasn’t been opened very long but you can tell they genuinely care about their customers and the food they bring to the table. This is my first experience with Pakistani food and I have to admit I have found a new favorite!
The server was friendly and took time to explain to us the difference in the dishes. We had the Samosas and and Bun Kebabs as appetizers which were tasty and balanced on flavor. The Nahiri with the Naan bread was very rich and the meat just fell apart on your fork. A unique restaurant that’s a must try!

My friends and I visited House of Khan for dinner last night and I was excited to hear that this was a more Pakistani restaurant than Indian. As such, I was curious to understand the difference between Indian and Pakistani cuisine.
The restaurant has been open just over two months and provides a simple yet flavorful menu. The four of us had the opportunity to order a variety of entrees including the Chicken Biryani, Chicken Narhai, and the kebab roll. From the samosa appetizers to the entrees and desserts, we were quickly tended to between several ladies who checked on us on a regular basis.
This restaurant shows a lot of promise and I hope the word spreads that this is an affordable restaurant with a tasty menu. They are located in a hidden spot in a very competitive location of Hillcrest so I hope they would have more visibility in the community.
I have no hesitation returning back to this place and recommending this to family and friends.

As Indians ourselves, we’re pretty picky about south asian dining establishments. In fact, we pretty much dislike all of the options in San Diego… That was until we saw ‘House of Khan’ on Unilocal.After reading the reviews and noting its prime location in Hillcrest, we went in this past Friday night. From the appetizers till dessert, the food had us back in our moms’ respective kitchens savoring every bite. Unlike other ‘indian’ restaurants in SD, the samosas and pakoras were made to order! They weren’t previously frozen and brought to you lukewarm. These were hot off the pan– and so so mouthwateringly good. The chicken biryani also wasn’t the watered down, yogurt fake version sold at so many other places– it was mom’s biryani right down to the cardamom seeds. Thank you Selina (the chef) for bringing us back home with your food– we will be back (often too if we’re both too lazy to cook this level of perfection.)

I’ve passed by the place a few times. After chatting with Chris G, (see his review) I was told I must go.
Decided to stop in today with a friend and check the place out. I’ve had Afgan before, and I’ve had Indian before. I’ve now introduced me to Paki which I found to be the best of both worlds. Finally a place that understands me!
The staff here is friendly. It awesome having the Chef come out, introduce herself, asks about everything, even hand me the bill. If you like small friendly restaurants go here. There’s plenty more on the menu I’ll be trying out!

Great experience all around at House of Khan! We were treated extremely well by Serina and she has delicious authentic Pakistani and Indian food to serve at this new restaurant.
We started with the chicken, cheese and spinach samosas and shared the chicken karhai, chicken biryani and a kebab roll. I don’t have a high tolerance for spicy food, but didn’t think that anything we had was too much. The kebab roll if anything was what surprised me with the heat. The two chicken dishes were both flavorful, with a slight preference of the biryani style. All of the food was prepared in house to order and timed well to arrive at our table.
We all tried the nimbu lemon-​lime soda and a sampling of desserts including the strawberry falooda, pistachio kulfi ice cream, and nutella kulfi ice cream. Definitely try the falooda if you’ve never had it before. It’s a dessert drink with ice cream and noodles.
There are some dishes that are only served either during the week or on the weekend, so if you’re really looking for something specific you may want to call ahead to check if you can order on the day you choose to visit.
The restaurant itself is warm and cozy, with a traditional game laid out on some tables, reminiscent of childhood or family fun. The décor is vibrant and welcoming. Take advantage of the intro specials to try out a 3 course meal for $ 15!

I went to the restaurant because I had a coupon. It is a small, but nicely decorated restaurant with a nice theme. I was met by two ladies, which I assumed were the owners. They were friendly and I cant say anything negative about them.
My gripe with the restaurant is that the portions are too small, the bread they give you is not naan, they use the microwave to heat up food, and $ 5 dollar samosas are really small.
I know that I am a big eater, but I came out of the restaurant hungry after paying for four of their dishes. I would have liked fresher ingredients, lower prices, or more food. Get rid of the microwave or put it on silent. Don’t give me half of a samosa and charge me $ 5, i want the other half.
I hope that they read their reviews and make some changes. They have a lot of potential and their food has a homemade taste, which can be a strength.

I’ve been in love with House of Khan since the pop-​up days by SDSU back in 2012.
Unlike a lot of new restaurants, the chef at House of Khan, Selina, puts the food first. Restaurants these days focus too much on the ambiance, furniture, and design of the restaurant, and the food is mediocre.
But House of Khan gives you the best of both worlds, a cute, homey restaurant, where home-​cooked food is served.
The introductory pricing is great. You can’t beat a 3 course meal for $ 15.00.
I ordered the chicken and coconut samosas. These are not your regular samosas. These were giant, filling samosas– full of flavor. The outside was crispy, and not too greasy. The fillings were excellently executed, I could taste every ingredient.
Her chicken biriyani is THE BEST in San Diego. Go ahead, test me on this. Order some raita with it.
I also ordered the nihari. The beef was tender, and the gravy was smooth and earthy. It went perfectly with the naan, which was also not regular naan. This looked wheat based, but it was soft, pillowy and delicious. Warning, the nihari is spicy.
Finally, I ordered the falooda. I did not like the jello. I don’t think I’ve ever had falooda with jello in it, and it was missing those little candies in it, but everything else about it was amazing.
I would recommend adding some rugs to the floor. A big party came in while we were eating, and it got super loud. I think it was just the sound bouncing around too much. The rugs might absorb some of that.
I would also recommend getting rid of the door chime, and in the future, having a hostess out by the outdoor seating. I saw a lot of people checking out the menu outside, but they never made it inside. I would hate for you guys to have any money walking away. The food is too good for that.
Thank you Selina, and House of Khan for an amazing dinner. I look forward to eating there all the time!

Phenomenal everything. Went alone at 2130 right before they closed. Ordered the fish marsala and it was cooked to perfection, tender, juicy and full of bold flavor. Also ordered the chicken kebab to go for my boyfriend and he inhaled it immediately upon receiving.
Extremely friendly staff you guys are amazing. Absolutely will come back.