Kathmandu Cafe

Sadly, Kathmandu has closed for good. Udim was tired of running the restaurant and wanted to return home where the majority of his family lives.
This was hands down our favorite neighborhood place, and the source of our first meal when we moved to this neighborhood 4−½ years ago. We will miss the butter chicken, special lamb dishes but most of all the family. Good luck back in Pokhara!
Eric & Kari

It went something like this:
5 of us gather in the living room.
The question is posed: Raise your hand if you’ve ever had Nepalese food before.
No one raises their hand. it is decided.
We walk two blocks to Kathmandu Café on a Saturday night. Get ourselves a little table… we’re all giddy with excitement. Will we like Nepalese food? The Suspense!!!
So yeah, we don’t just like it. We love it. We eat our prawn curry, our butter chicken, our chicken with tomatoes and spinach like some sort of crazy, ravenous band of gypsy.
The little lanterns are a nice touch. I squinted with one eye and cocked my head to the side and I was almost convinced that the waterfall mural was real.
The bread… errr… dang it I forgot the name! Whatever that pita-​bread/​Naan deliciousness was — I asked for seconds, and thirds. (I even wrapped up the last piece in a napkin– grandma style!)
I recommend finishing things off with a hot cup of chai. delicious!

Food was delicious, service was friendly, atmosphere was OK (not into murals myself).
I don’t know how authentic the food is since I’ve never been to Nepal. A friend of mine, who had just come back from a two month trek through the Himalayas and had nothing to eat but Dahl Bat during his stay was visiting the area and we went with him. He liked it, but I don’t think he found it as authentic as he wanted it. I think he found it better (less bland).
I had the Dahl Bat as well (Rice, Lentils, two vegetable sides, salad and kheer). The salad is a regular side salad so nothing great and kind of odd for this restaurant, but everything else was delicious.

«Love the one you’re with!»
I set out to Kathmandu Café in search of vegetarian momo — I’ve been craving them ever since Namaste closed in Berkeley, and that was many, many critical masses ago. When my eyes scanned the menu to find that chicken momo are the only kind served, I thought all was lost. (Chicken and I haven’t been on good terms since that time my mom undercooked a chicken cutlet.) How wrong I was! I had the fish curry combo and enjoyed it so much I felt ashamed for my premature misjudgement!

I have a hard time understanding the food being referred to as «bland», because that’s one thing this place is not.
Everything was just right, price, portion size, even the service was just the right amount of attentiveness. But the flavor was exuding from each dish; all three entrees got the thumbs up, but the eggplant is a definite must try.
The restaurant is small, but not so tiny that a couple groups would be dining on top of each other. (Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.)

I think I’m going to Kathmandu.
That’s really, really where I’m going to.
If I ever get out of here,
That’s what I’m gonna do.
— Bob Seger
Well, Bob, we got to Kathmandu today, and we saved the air fare!
At about 5:30pm, as the cold wind whipped pieces of neighboring houses past the door, we walked into a warm, nearly empty little country cottage, lined with pictures of the old country (Annapurna, Mount Everest, Tilicho Lake, sky-​high villages). Tibetan-​style eyes peered at us from the lamp shades. Quiet waitresses waited, as only waitresses can, for our bid for attention.
My Lady played the Little Question Girl, and I got to play the Sage Teddy Bear.
LQG: Is Mount McKinley as high as these mountains?
STB: No, Mount McKinley is only 14,000 feet; these are over 25,000.
LQG: That picture says 7,000 metres.
STB: That would be well over 21,000 feet.
LQG: What do Nepalese really live on?
STB: Yaks, mostly.
LQG: Do they eat them?
STB: Sometimes.
With apologies to the Himalayan cultures, Sage Teddy Bear has a tendency to make stuff up without any regard to authenticity. I spent the evening afterward reading Wikipedia and learning how wrong I could be. It turns out the Gautama Buddha was raised in Nepal.
The food here was outstanding!
We started with chicken momos (much like potstickers), and ordered black tea and mango lassi. Then we had a main course of BBQ prawns, sauteed fish, caulifower and potatoes, and fried rice with egg and chicken.
The plates were larger than we expected, but we ate everything we were served. The nine BBQ prawns were charcoal grilled without sauce, so their full flavor was unadulterated. The sauteed fish tasted like sweet and sour, without the vinegar. The cauliflower and potatoes had a light cardamom perfume in them. The basmati fried rice was delicate, as if it had been steamed and then fried just for a moment.
The chef came out to view the room while we were eating. I gave him a thumbs up, and said, «This food is the best!» He responded, «That is because you ordered the best food!»
We left very satisfied, and the bill was only $ 47.47 + tip. That is a whole lot cheaper than two tickets to Nepal.

Pretty hefty portions. Didn’t really need a reservation for 3 at 7:30pm on a Sat night.
There were 3 of us. Started with the Momo (chicken dumpling with curry sauce). Very tasty lentil soup. We shared 3 entrees: curry lamb was not spicy at all, butter chicken was QUITE buttery and the cauliflower/​potato dish. One order of basmati rice for only $ 2 is ridiculously huge. The roti is wheat based and it’s just as enormous. Yogurt drinks were alright, but that’s cause I’m not a big fan of them to start with.
Very attentive staff. It was quite hot in there and no AC.
Very reasonable pricing but it is 85% Indian food with 15% spin on it. Unless I happen to be in the neighborhood, I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat it again.

Not quite sure where all these good reviews are coming from. Makes me think I might need to try it again. But unfortunately my one and only experience there was not great at all.
The food was blander than bland. Is there a word for that? Also, our food came out literally 2 minutes after we ordered which made me slightly nervous. Quick is good. But that is MUCH too quick.
Also, I realize that this is a tiny restaurant so of course you are going to be cramped, but the fact that a man’s ass literally swiped my face as he scooted past me to use the restroom was totally unacceptable.
The bathroom was disgusting as well.
I’ll give them one extra star because our server was very nice.

The Sunday brunch here is to die for and they give you a free mimosa. Benedict is scrumptious, potatoes perfect, I was really surprised I hadn’t noticed they do breakfast until recently, and now I’ve been three times. though, there bloody mary’s need a litle work.
Service is always friendly and efficient and I like the window table where I can people watch Divis while absorbing my hangover over some lox. lines here not as bad as some of the other guys as well.
Dinner here is also good, the sauteed shrimp was grubbin, and the curry here is damn good. This place doesn’t break the bank, provides a nice neighborhood experience. I’ n ot sure of the authenticity of the food since I don’t really know Nepalese food, but stil, highly recommended!

Holy crap, this place is so delish and well-​priced! I found this café on here the other week and my husband and I tried it with friends and LOVED it. The food is absolutely amazing. Get the potato and veggie fritters for sure! Oh, and the chicken curry. Yum.
not an upscale place at all — just a little joint with great food.
The atmosphere is not that great, but still definitely worth going. Take out is a good option too.

I can’t believe I’ve live in this neighborhood for two years and never eaten here – this place is bomb! I just got back from my fantastic dinner here and thought I’d pass on how fantastic it is. The BBQ shrimp are off the hook (could be ordered as a appetizer) the spinach and potatoes – also very good, and the veggie curry was solid as well. That’s all I tried, but they have tons of other stuff on the menu for both meat eaters and veggies. The service was pretty good. This is not an upscale place – just decently priced, high quality food in a casual atmosphere.
UPDATE: 6 months later… I still love this place!!!

I find it hard to believe that eighty-​six people have written reviews about this place, let alone eaten here.
Every time I visit Kathmandu Café, it’s empty. I don’t mean there aren’t many people inside; I mean that I (and whomever I’m with) are the only non-​employees here. OK, so I’m exaggerating. Last time I came, there were people here, but it was the first time after four visits!
The food is very good, although I don’t know what the difference between Nepalese and Indian food is. Can someone explain the difference to me?
I really like how small this place is, how hidden it is, and how friendly the staff is.

in my 2008 quest to visit 100 new bars and restaurants, here in january i’ve been bagging low hanging local spots i’ve never been to. i’ve lived in the panhandle for most of the 8+ years i’ve been in SF and the spot next to Fly Bar, formerly inhabited by a sketchy Jamaican joint, held little allure for me even when it was taken over ~ 5 years ago by Kathmandu. So i avoided it.
STUPID. This place rules. Small, homey, inexpensive and flat out delicious. Nepalese food? i had no clue what that is, so i brought a culinary sherpa, my more-​adventurous buddy Mikey, to order for the group. Man — we had grilled fish, chicken curry and a lamb dish that rocked my world.
They were closed last week, the week Sir Edmund Hillary — the first man to summit Everest — died, and the note on the door said «closed due to family emergency». Coincidence?

I’d probably have given this place 5 stars if I had
— tried Nepalese food before Indian food.
— tried momos before gyoza.
I might have given this place 3 stars if not for
— the fact that there are no Indian restaurants in NOPA.
— the fact that the super friendliness of the waitstaff outweighs the rather long wait for the food.
In conclusion, Kathmandu Café gets 4 stars for
— its ability to fall into the cute, casual mom and pop category.
— its chill environment and neighborhood surroundings, in which I can definitely picture taking a date who’s a picky eater in hopes of eventually eeeeeasing them into Indian food (yeah I know I keep comparing, but I’m just a spicy gal, aight?).
It is what it is: Nepalese is a less zesty version of Indian cuisine, but hey… sometimes that’s ok.

The restaurant was as I expected from previous reviews. My friend and I went to Kathmandu Café last Thursday for dinner and really enjoyed it. Our server was very kind and helpful in explaining the different dishes to us. I ordered the lamb curry w/​potatoes and my friend ordered the chicken curry with potatoes (I think). We both shared a bowl of basmati rice – big bowl of rice it was! Generous portions for a good price.
I guess in some ways I was slightly disappointed by the momos… not that they tasted bad, but I guess I expected something different. I felt like they were pretty much comparable to Japanese gyozas or Chinese dumplings. They were still tasty though.

I tried this place right after it opened, after being a Jamaican place for a while. I was not too impressed. Thinking this was perhaps a result of the place just opening up and having yet to iron out those initial bugs. My opinion didn’t change much.
Still not a big selection. Still no veggie momos. Still too similar to your average Indian place. Still, service was excellent and very friendly.

I noticed this place near my house a couple of weeks ago and went to check it out last night with some friends. I was eager to try Nepalese food and was both disappointed and happy that it was a lot like Indian food – while I love Indian food, I was hoping to find something new. My friend was disappointed in the lack of yak meat.
The food was good, but not mind-​blowing. The vegetable fritters were pretty tasty. The ambience/​décor left something to be desired. I subtracted one star for the décor, and another star because they were reluctant to take the chicken out of my Butter Chicken so that I could share it with my vegetarian friends. Overall it was a pleasant but underwhelming experience. Given its proximity to my doorstep, however, I can see myself visiting again.

Here I am thinking that the Kathmandu Café is some kind of neighborhood secret that only a handful of people know about, & then I go check it on Unilocal & see that it’s got 51 reviews!
Well, so much for that, then.
This has all been said in other reviews, but I’m going to reitorate it – hammer the point home, if you will. This atmosphere is tiny & intimate (& ideal for a date), the food is delicious, the prices are very reasonable, the portions are certainly large enough, the waitstaff is super friendly, etc. etc. etc.
I’d file it under «diamond in the rough». This is one of my absolute favorite places to eat in the city, without a doubt.

From the moment I walked in, to the moment I walked out, there were nothing but smiles.
This is a very small and quaint restaurant around the corner from Fly Bar and The Independent. The food was excellent and the wait staff (owners?) were extremely hospitable.
We had a large party (7 people) and they were quite accommodating. The food took a lot longer than I thought it would, but I think it was only due to our large group, so I won’t hold that against them.
Food was VERY good and reasonably priced ($ 7.50 — $ 11 per properly portioned dish). Many curries to choose from and the saag was delightful.
What have we learned? Small place, so don’t bring a lot of people unless you’re willing to wait a bit. Otherwise, a great find that you should pass up!

In college, I’d regularly eat alone at my favorite Chinese restaurant. For me it was zen. Nearby tables, perplexed by my lack of dining companions, would always shoot quick glances at me, with furrowed brows. I could hear them whisper among themselves, assuming I’d been stood up or simply had no one to eat with. But… I’d just put my earphones in, pull out a book, and sink into my own world and meal.
Eating alone can be an extremely cathartic experience. It allows you to relax, breathe, savor your food, and can be a much needed break from typical meals with friends, consisting of a step by step dialougue of each bite («too spicy!,» «too sweet!,» «It was much better before,» «I can’t believe he didn’t take our plates!») why you couldn’t finish your laundry that afternoon, and the stressful drawn out conversation of what you’re going to do that night.
Eating by yourself takes you out of all of this. It is nothing but you and your food.
Tonight I ate by myself at Kathmandu. I’d just discovered that this hidden Himalayan restaurant existed, so I was eager to try it. Instead of trying to gather a group to go — I went alone.
When I first stepped inside, I was surprised at how tiny the space is. The décor is a little lacking, but it feels warm and inviting, and the small dining area is very quaint. I ordered the vegetarian combo meal. It was just the right amount of food: a small salad, two vegetarian dishes, daal soup, and a rice pudding to finish it off. My vegetarian dishes were tasty, fresh, and were spiced just right. The daal soup was rich with flavor and the rice pudding was a lovely ending accent for the meal. Throughout the meal, the servers were quick, accommodating, and very friendly. They made sure my water glass was never empty, brought everything promptly, and checked on me regularly throughout the meal.
The price for my combo meal was very reasonable, and I left satisfied, smiling, and relaxed. With such pleasant lone dining experiences like Kathmandu, I may just start hitting the town solo more often.