Nyingma Restaurant — Restaurant in Himachal Pradesh

Disappointing Experience Despite High Expectations

I had previously enjoyed my visits to this place, but sadly, the recent experience was extremely disappointing.

I brought my brother here specifically for their thukpa, having skipped several reputed alternatives and walked quite a distance just to get here, based on my earlier good experiences.

Unfortunately, it all started on a poor note. When I asked for the menu, the waiter casually told me to “pick it up from the reception” — not exactly the kind of service one expects.

We placed an order for two thukpas and waited for nearly 30 minutes. I reassured my brother that the wait was probably because they were preparing it fresh. However, what we received was underwhelming to say the least — a bowl packed 90% with noodles and barely any soup. The noodles themselves were bland, hard, and tasted like they were simply boiled without any seasoning.

Despite complaining, they refused to help saying it is like this only.

Overall, the food lacked flavor, the service was indifferent, and the experience did not justify the effort we made to get here. I sincerely hope the management takes this feedback seriously and works on improving both food quality and customer service.

The photo you see attached is after i consumed a lot of noodles and still all...

If I could give negative stars for this restaurant I would but since I can’t, I’ll settle for this scathing review. I ordered a Greek salad which states that it has mixed greens, olives, feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, and dressing. I ordered the salad sans cucumbers with dressing on the side.

The waiter first brought out a bowl of raw onions with some tomato and olives. As I’m not able to eat raw onions, I requested the salad to be remade. It came out with no greens again and with no dressing. I asked for dressing and the waiter dismissed my request. The cheese wasn’t feta and the carrots looked rotten. I tried to send back the salad and he left it on the table. If I had been dining alone I would have left but I was with a companion so I sat there and he picked at the salad. It should be noted that even he wouldn’t eat it and he eats everything ! The salad wasn’t cheap either- at 160 rupees in a small town, one expects something rather substantial. All in all an awful experience which is sad because as a dharma practitioner, I want to support the monastery but not when I’m treated rudely and given food I didn’t order. Don’t waste your money on food here. If you want to support the monastery, perhaps just give a donation and...

We visited Nyingma Coffee House based on a recommendation from one of the frequent tourists of Bir who suggested we try their Asian food. The location is quite charming, surrounded by fellow travelers, foreign visitors, and students attending workshops or courses at the nearby Nyingma Institute.

We decided to order some typical Asian dishes like Chicken Momos, Thupkas, and Chicken Kung Pao. While the food was decent, it didn’t quite live up to our expectations. The dishes were just okay—nothing particularly flavorful or outstanding. One of the staff members also accidentally took the wrong order, which meant we ended up with a dish we had actually canceled. While it was a minor mishap and we didn’t mind too much, it’s worth noting for future visitors.

That being said, the cafe has a lot of potential, and I believe there’s room for improvement, especially when it comes to the taste of the dishes. During our stay, we tried a few local restaurants that offered better-tasting food at more affordable prices. If Nyingma Coffee House could focus on enhancing the flavors of its dishes, it could certainly become a popular spot for both locals...