Namaste Indian Restaurant — Restaurant in Franklin

I randomly wandered in today and had an absolutely 10/10 dining experience at Namaste 😊 My server Madhu was fabulous and super helpful in deciding what to order. I ended up getting the Paya Curry with Kerala Porotta combo and both were top notch. Porotta was flaky and super tasty. The Paya curry was creamy and delicious, though next time I'm getting it made waaay spicier, heh.

On Madhu's advice, I also got the Goat Fry biriyani and tbh it was one of the BEST biriyanis I've tried in the Middle TN area. Easily a Top 2 biriyani place in the region. (Persis Grill in Mt. Juliet was the other good one). They also have several other biriyani varieties I'm eager to try. I will most def be coming back to sample their other items.

Btw I dined alone and have TONS of leftovers--goat fry biriyani, paya curry, and one porotta. So their portion sizes are also quite generous.

I also ordered a Chilli Chicken appetizer to go. The owner claimed they had a Calcutta-based chef earlier who shared an authentic recipe for Chilli Chicken, so I'm kinda intrigued to try it out. My attempts at trying any form of Indo-Chinese in the Middle TN area so far have been a massive fail, so I'm hoping this will finally turn my luck around. I'll report back how it was.

UPDATE: Alas, the Chilli Chicken is Not It. It's kinda okay-types but NOTHING even close to Calcutta Chilli Chicken. (Why are the chicken pieces RED??!! It's not supposed to be tandoori chicken! The actual chilli chicken marinade is dark+regular soy sauce!) So my bad luck finding decent Indo-Chinese in the Nashville region continues. I'm not sorry I tried it out but Imma stick to this restaurant's strengths in the future, aka more South Indian style dishes which they do impeccably well.

A few notes:

1. On Tuesdays, they have BOGO biriyanis for take-out orders!

2. Thursday evenings from 5.30-9.30 they have a special South Indian buffet--featuring 10+ varities of dosai a chef makes fresh to order, idlies, vadas, pongals, chutneys, sambar, and chicken curry. I am 100% coming back for that. The chefs here are South Indian (I think from Hyderabad) and I'm sure the South Indian buffet will be fabulous! And it only costs like $14.99 😋

3. They have daily lunch buffet from 11-2.30 but on weekends the buffet includes special items like chaats, etc. Also curious to try those out!

In short, PLEASE try out this place. It is fabulous, and I'm incredibly glad I...

Indian is my favorite type of food, and this place is definitely the best Indian you can get in the area! I can't recommend them highly enough, specifically for dinner, and dine-in especially.

They have a wide range of dishes, including a smaller section of Indian Street food that you don't often see in a lot of other Indian restaurants, and a wider variety of breads (it's not only a bunch of types of naan, though their naan is also fantastic, especially the garlic in my opinion).

I've been to this restaurant many, many times, especially in the last 3 months, tried a whole bunch of their different dishes, and they were all absolutely delicious. I definitely recommend dine-in and ordering off the menu, rather than just trying the buffet.

(I actually think just in general this is very good advice for anyone looking for really delicious Indian food at any place. Buffets are great for trying a number of different things for the first time all at once, but they'll never be anywhere close to as delicious as a fresh entree, and actually prepared spicy to your preferred level (that is, if you like spicy, as buffet options are almost never made with noticable spiciness))

Regarding spiciness level, they use:

Mild, Medium, Hot, Very Hot

as opposed to a number system. And you can actually gauge them by the word accurately. I am someone who likes things quite spicy, and I typically order a "Hot," and it will have me sweating bullets, especially for dishes you'd more typically expect to be relatively spicier, like a Lamb Rogan Josh. For those dishes that are naturally more mild (creamier curries, heavier potato curries, etc), it is still pleasingly hot.

On the other hand, for those who don't like things hot, a "Mild" is very acceptable, such as for people like my mom, who has serious heartburn issues with spice and has to get things very mild.

Again, I cannot recommend this place highly enough! If you want the best-tasting Indian in the area, this is the place. I'd even say it's in the running for best Indian in the whole greater Nashville area (it's always hard to judge between the very best places, when...

A Truly Exceptional Experience – Namaste Delivered Beyond Expectations

As someone who ranks among the top 10% of restaurant reviewers globally and the top 1% in the USA, I hold exceptionally high standards when it comes to food, service, and overall experience. I don’t write reviews lightly, but this experience with Namaste Restaurant deserves recognition.

We placed a large dinner order for a family celebration on July 31, 2025, with over 225 guests in attendance. Given the size and importance of the event, I was understandably concerned—especially about consistency, taste, and quality. This was a prestigious occasion for our family, and everything had to be just right.

From the moment I spoke with Uday, my concerns started to ease. He took personal responsibility for the event and customized the menu to our needs. Not only did he help finalize the food selection, but he also provided guidance on quantity, which was incredibly helpful given the scale.

On the big day, Namaste delivered exactly as promised:

The spice level was perfect—balanced and enjoyed by all guests, from young children to elders.

The taste was consistently excellent throughout the event, from the first serving to the last.

The quality was top-notch—clearly prepared with care and attention to detail.

Guests kept asking us where we had ordered the food from—a true testament to how much they enjoyed it. Uday and his team didn’t just deliver food; they delivered trust, reliability, and excellence. Since then, many of my friends have used Namaste for their own events with similarly outstanding results.

I wholeheartedly recommend Namaste Restaurant for catering, dine-in, takeout, and delivery. Whether it’s a small dinner or a massive celebration, you can count on them to exceed expectations.

Thank you, Uday and the entire Namaste team. Your efforts meant a lot to us and helped make our event a...