The Himalayan Chimney — Restaurant in Champaign

I recently had the misfortune of dining here, and I must say it was one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. From the moment I walked in, it was clear that this establishment had absolutely no regard for customer service or basic manners.

The guy at the reception was shockingly rude and arrogant. His complete lack of politeness and respect was appalling. It seemed as though he couldn't be bothered to answer any of my questions or address my concerns. His dismissive attitude left me feeling unwelcome and unwanted. A simple smile or a kind word would have gone a long way, but unfortunately, he failed to deliver even the bare minimum of customer service.

Now, let's talk about the food. In one word: terrible. The menu boasted a variety of dishes, but the actual execution was sorely lacking. The quality of ingredients was subpar, and the flavors were bland and uninspiring. It was evident that little effort had been put into creating a memorable dining experience. The dishes lacked creativity and finesse, and it felt like they were just going through the motions without any passion or care.

To make matters worse, the portion sizes were meager for the exorbitant prices they charged. I left the restaurant feeling unsatisfied and hungry, with an empty wallet to boot. It's disheartening to pay such a hefty price for a meal that falls far short of even the most basic culinary standards.

Overall, I cannot recommend it to anyone. The combination of the rude and arrogant receptionist, along with the lackluster food, makes for an incredibly unpleasant dining experience. Save your money and find a restaurant where you can actually enjoy a meal without feeling disrespected and disappointed. There are far better options out there, and this place should be avoided...

The Himalayan Chimney, the famous Indian restaurant, is located in downtown Champaign.

AMBIANCE(3/5): This restaurant is big enough with a decent ambiance. It has enough dining tables and a separate bar. A little more Indian touch can be added though.

FOOD(3/5): This places servers both Veg and Non-Veg dishes. The overall experience was good as per the location and efforts. Being vegetarians we ordered.

1. Samosa's and Chilli Planner in Starters. Well the Samosa's lacked salt in its masal but the dips(chutney's) green and tamarind were both good. The Chilli Paneer on the other hand was made directly from a shezwan sauce which was above par.

2. Paneer Tikka Masala and Veg Jalfrazi in vegetables by the side of Naan. Paneer Tikka Masala was a disappointment. The gravy was too thin, which one can feel the amount of water added in it. Lacked the spicy taste. Veg Jalfrazi was at par and contained mixed vegetables like Beans, Cauliflower, Onion, Peppers, etc in a gravy. Naan was good and soft but gave a feeling of pita bread.

3. Gulab Jamun and Kheer for Dessert. Well both were obviously served from 'ready to made' containers, surprisingly both were good.

SERVICE (4/5): The staff was friendly and welcoming. The service was too fast. It looked like everything was prepared. Good when one is hungry.

VALUE FOR MONEY: Well it's one of the famous Indian Restaurants in Champaign and gives enough quantity in comparison to its competitor's restaurant. It's good to have a place like this for a major amount of Indian population in the city. We spent an average of $20/person.

Definitely eat at this place for trying...

This place is my favorite new place in town.

FOOD: It was my first time trying indian food and ordered Goat Curry. The goat has bones. The flavor just burst into my mouth. The Naan bread was freshly made - crunchy and soft at the same time. I dip it on my curry and put some of the goat in there. I was surprised how big the portion was, too. I also ordered the Indian mule. The drink didn't taste any different than regular mule. I wouldn't order it again.

SERVICE: Service was okay. We got seated right away, but the waiter we had didn't check on us enough, granted there were a lot of people. When my group was ordering drinks, our waiter told us there was only one kind of beer. Then he "checked" and turned out there were other beers. I asked for his recommendations, especially since we had never been there. He didn't have any answers. He said everything is good.

ATMOSPHERE: The place is really nice inside. they had low light, booth, or table seating. It's a really nice restaurant to go on a date, a couples date, or celebrate.

PARKING: The place is close to metered parking and garage parking. depending on the time and day, you have to pay for it. the restaurant doesn't have its own parking lot. so u have to walk a little bit.

PRICE/RESERVATIONS: they don't do reservation. you go there and tell them your name and how many in your party. We got there around 7 pm on a Friday and was busy. Then they have a seating area for you to wait. They don't text or call you when your table is ready. The price is midrange expensive but it's worth it.

SUMMARY: Food tasted amazing, which made up for the...