Curry Lounge - Indian Punjabi fine dine restaurant — Restaurant in Artesia

8/2025

Update – 5 Months Later 🌟

Back at Curry Lounge in Artesia (a.k.a. Little India) in the middle of summer, and once again I was blown away by the quality of the food. This time, I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Rajesh himself, who personally presented each plate to my friend and me. He shared that he worked for 15 years in 5-star hotels across India, and you can taste that same level of culinary craftsmanship in every dish here.

For example, the Kofta Chicken is made with real butter and cream—not oil like some places cut corners with—and the difference is incredible. The Tandoori Chicken came out sizzling, beautifully plated, and marinated three times so the flavors seep all the way through. Tender, juicy, and perfectly spiced.

Having traveled through India in 2017–2018, I’ve been searching ever since for food here in the U.S. that captures that same balance of authenticity and finesse. Many spots are tasty, but often too heavy, too salty, or overpowering. At Curry Lounge, the spices are bold yet balanced, the ingredients feel fresh and high-quality, and the flavors are authentic without being overwhelming.

I walked out of here feeling like I’d been transported back to India for a meal—no small feat. Curry Lounge continues to prove why it’s one of the best Punjabi food experiences in SoCal.

⭐ Still a 10/10. 📍 Curry Lounge, Artesia, CA

3/2025 Curry Lounge – The Best Punjabi Food in SoCal! 🇮🇳🔥

When I was in India, I loved having Indian food three meals a day. But here? It just doesn’t hit the same—too heavy, too salty, too overwhelming. But Curry Lounge in Artesia? This place gets it right. The flavors are bold but balanced, full of spice without overpowering. And the best part? It’s hands-down the closest I’ve had to the real deal in India.

The space is unpretentious and cozy, yet packed—even on a weeknight. You know a spot is legit when it’s this busy. And the food? Next level.

🔥 Must-Try Dishes: 🍗 Punjabi Chicken Tangdi – Marinated drumsticks cooked in a clay oven, served with a squeeze of lime and green chutney. Juicy, smoky, perfection. 🧀 Saag Paneer – Creamy spinach with homemade paneer. Classic comfort food done right. 🌽 Makki di Roti & Sarson da Saag – A Punjabi winter favorite! Cornmeal flatbread paired with mustard greens curry. Rustic, hearty, and full of tradition. 🫓 Garlic Naan – Buttery, garlicky, and perfect for scooping up every last bite. 🥭 Mango Lassi – Thick, creamy, and the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. ☕ Masala Chai – Fragrant, spiced, and warms the soul. 🍓 Falooda Strawberry – A refreshing Persian-Indian dessert drink with basil seeds, vermicelli, rose syrup, and ice cream.

Spice levels are totally customizable, so you get the heat just how you like it. If you’re craving legit North Indian Punjabi food, this is the spot.

📍 Curry Lounge, Artesia, CA ⭐ 10/10 –...

03/03/25 Update

Great food, everytime I've dined here.

Having been to Curry Lounge over a handful of times, their food has always been lovingly made & packed with flavor. Manu and his staff greet customers with courteous hospitality, wanting very much to make an enjoyable experience for everyone who passes through their door.

Out of all the eateries in Little India, Curry Lounge reigns supreme as my favorite. It has always been a pleasure to dine at Curry Lounge, and I'm already looking forward to my next visit.

Highly recommend!

I'm in a hurry for some great curry

20% Ramadan discount

Curry Lounge occupies the former location of The Punjab Restaurant. 20% off is nothing to sneeze at, so giving a new restaurant a try seemed to be a good idea.

Wanting something substantive, I opted for the Meat Fanatics Thali, which came with choice of meat (chicken, goat, lamb).

Meat Fanatics thali (lamb)- The thali came with lamb curry, chole masala, pickles onions, garlic naan & basmati rice. The lamb was tender, sopped up in the spicy curry. The chole (chickpea) masala was prepared well, with the rest of the accoutrement balancing out a hearty amount of food. However, being labelled "Meat Fanatics", I'd expect to, at least, have 2 portions of meat. Also, thalis usually have a varied selection of items, and the Meat Fanatics had not so much. Nevertheless, what was there in the Meat Fanatics thali, was done well & flavorful.

On a second visit, I was looking forward to a snack & decided on the Gobi paratha.

Gobi paratha- I found the gobi paratha hearty & filling. Dipped in the sauce, with a little onion & pickles, I found it to be a great snack which I highly enjoyed.

Service was excellent. The staff was friendly & hospitable, making me feel welcome to their establishment. The dining area is on the smaller side, with 1 large table for group dining. Parking is via metered street parking and adjacent parking structures.

An upgrade to the former occupant, The Punjab Restaurant, Curry Lounge is a great Punjabi restaurant in Little India. I was impressed with their lamb curry & gobi paratha. I'm eagerly looking forward to coming back & exploring the rest of their...

Parking: Parking can be difficult. You can get lucky with free street parking, but I found free parking in a structure on 187th and Pioneer.

Ambiance/Environment: This spot is located along side the street of Little India. The outside is cute with no outdoor seating. The inside is clean with limited seating. We visited on a Saturday afternoon, and this spot was poppin.

Service: Shout out to Sandy and a couple other servers that took care of us! They’re very courteous and caring. They’re also knowledgeable about the menu and gave us good recommendations. They had a large menu, so it was a bit overwhelming. But I was glad Sandy assisted us!

What we ordered:

1. Samosa (appetizer) - thin, flaky outer layer made from unleavened dough, filled with a mixture of spiced potatoes, peas, lentils, or minced meat. The filling was definitely flavorful! The green sauce made it even better. Great appetizer to start off with.

2. Goat Biryani - rice cooked with goat and spices. You can also adjust the spice level; I ordered this mild. I never had goat meat, so why not lol. I expected it to taste like chicken, but it actually tasted like beef. Some parts were difficult to chew, but it was still delicious. I love Indian rice, so this dish really exceeded my expectations!

3. One Item non-veg combo - We were recommended the Butter Chicken, which is one of their popular dishes. This was served with rice, garlic naan, slices of yellow onion, plain yogurt, & chick peas. It is extra for garlic naan. I looove the garlic naan! The butter chicken was cooked well and drenched in sauce. The sauce was creamy and paired well with everything. They’re generous with the amount of rice, and the naans were huge!

4. Strawberry Lassi - traditional Indian yogurt based drink made with strawberries. It wasn’t too sweet or thick! It was a nice, sweet treat after.

5. Masala Chai - The chai was basic. It was served in a small hot glass with condiments.

Pricing: $$$ is the average price now. I’d say it’s worth it because we left fulfilled and even had leftovers. Everything was flavorful and definitely tasted authentic....