Achaar Ghar Kamalpokhari — Restaurant in Kathmandu Metropolitan City

This place is lovely. The exterior of the building might not be the most charming — even a little hideous — but please, don’t be too quick to judge a book by its cover.

We arrived around 7:30 pm for dinner. Since we had pre-booked our table, it was ready when we got there. Just a small suggestion: the person I spoke to over the phone was really nice, but he didn’t ask for my name when I first made the reservation — I had to call back to provide it. I’m no expert in hospitality, but I think that part could be handled a bit more professionally. Details matter to me personally, and I believe they set the tone.

Now, moving on to the main part — the food. We were a group of 3.5, including our 2-year-old. I ordered the Badel Thali, my mother-in-law had the Local Thali, and my wife went for the Chicken Thali. We genuinely loved the overall platter — it was satisfying and well put together — but sadly, the highlight of the thali, the meat, missed the mark. Let’s be honest here — we were craving more authenticity. The flavours just didn’t hit home. The meats all had that tomato-and-onion-based gravy that’s commonly used across Europe, especially tailored for foreign palates. But we’re home now, and I think it’s time to reflect on that more seriously.

Service? Exceptional. A huge shoutout to the two lovely baini who kept calling me “sir” — until I asked them to call me dai, which felt more personal. I think they appreciated that too. They were so swift and attentive, moving around like little bullet trains! We never had to raise a hand — they were on top of everything. The boys were fantastic too — making sure we had all we needed throughout the meal.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the backbone of the restaurant — the kitchen staff. I genuinely wanted to thank them personally, but they were understandably busy, and the kitchen felt a bit out of reach from guests. I regret not asking the floor staff to pass along my gratitude. So here it is: thank you — you all were amazing. Please keep doing what you do!

Final Verdict:

Rest of the Thali: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Meat on the Thali: 🌟🌟.5

Drink – Lapsitini (made virgin): Sorry, it just wasn’t our cup of tea. The consistency was a bit slurpy, and the syrup's sweetness overpowered the lapsi's unique flavour. I won't rate it because with vodka, it might very well be a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 drink!

Service: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Price: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 (Easily could be 5🌟 with a few tweaks — you know what I’m talking about 😜)

Food on Time: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (Hey, we ordered thali — not rocket science if your team works in sync, preps right, and assembles with care, especially in a place that specializes in it!)

Hence, our final rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

P.S. These are just my personal thoughts — please don’t judge solely based on them. Everyone has their own taste, and that’s the beauty...

I thought this was just a pickle house as the name suggests but this turned out to be a full fledged restaurant. This food here is just too good 🤤. Also I consider it to be the best place for thakali in Kathmandu hands down 🙌. Previously I used to go to Mantra but now after discovering this place, this place has been my favourite place. The flavours of each dish are perfect. Also let's not forget the variety of pickles (over 10) they offer with the thakali set. You could eat the whole thakali with just pickles and without side dishes. The side dishes are also spot on. You can also get other food items like momo, burger, chicken items etc. Also if you are looking to quench your thirst then they also have a beer tap available (Barahsinghe beer) 🍻. Overall this place is a 10/10 and has a great ambience with great food. What more can you ask for? Don't believe me ? Pay a visit and try...

I have now visited all three Achaar Ghar locations and enjoyed all - for the food most of all but each has nice dining areas and staff were always attentive. We went to this new location on its first day! We most enjoy their Nepali "thali" (set dish). My wife gets the veg and I get the chicken thalis. But best of all are the 8 kinds of South Asian "pickles" (the restaurant name subtitle and I think translation in English is "House of Pickles". They have quite a variety of foods and I have pictures attached of the menu. This location is located "inside" a city block but there are signs bringing you in to the right building. There is plenty of parking for cars and motorbikes. Take the elevator to the third floor. Beautiful and modern sitting areas and several fine wood tables for various size groups! You might prefer to go to their Jhamsikel location or...