Namaste Dine In Nepali & Indian restaurant Georgetown — Restaurant in Georgetown

I moved to Georgetown back in March and was beyond excited when I found Namaste down the road from Me. They weren't open yet, but I took pictures of what Their hours would be and told Myself I would come back. Yesterday I fulfilled that promise to Myself...and I am soooo happy that I did. I have lived in ATX since 2001 and have dined at numerous restaurants over the years, but it has been some years since I have had Indian food this delicious (there was a restaurant off of Riverside I frequented back in the day). I came in expecting to order off of the menu and was delighted to find out They have buffet. It was the BESTEST way to try a lil bit of everything and NOTHING disappointed. happy dance ensued with each bite. They even served hot chai tea and mango pineapple juice complimentary when You get the buffet. I def got more than one glass of the mango pineapple juice. It was smooth and refreshing after all the humidity and Texas heat We have had with these frequent thunderstorms. The ambiance was so cheerful yet calming at the same time. I loved the music, color scheme and decorations. The way The owners have incorporated the natural beauty of the trees into Their space made My heart smile I look forward to sitting on the patio. Good news for anyone with back problems and short legs like Me...the booths and the tables both have comfy seating that accommodates all shapes n sizes. The bathroom was super spacious and roomy (which I really appreciate as someone with curves). The staff was so gracious and patient. I witnessed Them greet every customer with the same enthusiasm and how They made sure everyone felt at home and welcome. There was a family inquiring on catering and Dinesh brought out an example of the pans They would be serving in and explained how many people it would feed. He never rushed the family and asked probing questions to make sure He addressed all of Their concerns. Not gonna lie, I came back today to see if They had buffet again and was thrilled to see They did. A few items were different from the menu yesterday (for example, today it was an orange drink instead of the mango pineapple juice) but every item I put on My plate was just as yummy. Sushil recognized Me from Yesterday and remembered I like Dr Pepper with My meal. Today They had the rice pudding and I couldn't help but cheese when I fixed My serving. Both days They have been busy and both days They provided excellent customer service. I am so grateful to have a go to place to meet My Indian food cravings with authentic Nepalese cuisine. Ohhh and I asked about Their stage n party lights. Sushil told Me They have events! clapping hands Bring on the good times! I almost forgot. Yesterday I ordered the Gulab Jamun separate from the buffet. Lemme tell You...when it arrived, I already knew I had made the Right Life choice lol It was the perfect temperature and was the sweet goodness I have searched for over the years and hadn't been able to find. If You made it this far, high five Come with Your Appetite for real for real and if You order off of the menu, prepare to wait for it to be prepared fresh. If You can wait patiently for Whataburger, then You can do the same here and wait in anticipation knowing that it was Made Just for You and hasn't sat all day gathering wonkiness. Each plate is crafted with skill and care and...

My siblings and I arrived at 7:30 PM and noticed that there wasn't a large crowd of cars in the parking lot. My sister and I grew suspicious so we immediately checked on Yelp to see how the reviewers feel about this place and were pleasantly surprised that there were positive things to be said.

We all grew a relief and proceeded to walk inside. Upon entering the restaurant, an older gentleman sitting at the bar greeted us with a smile and invited us to sit in a booth next to the door. The observation of the restaurant was clean, and colorful, and had a few Nepalese decorations. I noticed a man vacuuming the carpet while a couple was enjoying their meal in the back of the restaurant. It was a strange occurrence since the machine was so loud that it overpowered the music that was playing in the background.

The older gentlemen went to the back and brought out some water in a copper pitcher with three copper tinned cups with plates, silverware, and the menus. The man who was vacuuming finished his task and greeted us as our waiter. He was friendly, but reserved.

For appetizers, we ordered samosas and our drinks. My brother had the homemade soda, my sister chose the homemade lemonade, and I got the chai marsala hot tea. The waiter came to bring out our drinks, but not everyone's drinks came out at the same time as my brother had to wait for his. Everyone's drink was tasty.

The waiter then asks if we are ready to order our food. I'm sitting wondering about our appetizer. I ask him about it and he brings it out. The samosas weren't the best and did not have any spiciness to them. It tasted pretty bland in my opinion. I only took a bite and couldn't finish the rest. Neither were my siblings fancied of them.

My brother ordered the sekuwa khaja set, my sister got the mango chicken curry, and I settled on the dal makhani. My siblings wanted some garlic naan to add to the meal. The food took its time to come out, but it wasn't long until we were sinking our teeth into some delicious food. Our waiter only brought out a small side dish of rice for my sister and me to share with our dishes. Honestly, I would have eaten more if I had more rice. However, my dish was so rich and creamy. The lentils were cooked to perfection and gladly they weren't overcooked. My sister mentioned that she enjoyed her meal as it was flavorful and not sweet considering it had mangoes in it. My brother said that the meat in his dish was tasty, but he did not care for the textural components. Considering that it was three people eating, I have no idea why they only brought out one piece of naan for us to share. It just wasn't enough.

The most concerning thing about our experience was that the older gentleman sitting at the bar stared at us the whole time nonstop. He was very focused on us eating. He made the atmosphere dismaying. Also, when it was time to close up, the older gentleman was playing with the front door and making a lot of noise to disturb us so that we could stop eating to leave. I did not care for that part.

However, the food was well-seasoned and good for the...

I have to say, any negative reviews posted within 2 weeks of a restaurant opening should probably be taken with a large grain of salt. ALL restaurants have to 'work out the kinks' and get their operations running smoothly when they first open, especially when they're slammed from the moment they open. Let's have some grace for small business owners who are working hard to bring something new and desirable to our city.

I was excited for this place to open - I love Indian food and wanted to experience Nepali food for the first time. It did not disappoint. We ordered a mango lassi and veg samosas (our Indian food stand-bys) and both were delicious. The naan was excellent, though there wasn't much garlic on the garlic naan. The biryani and curry were both tasty, and portions were ample. There was enough biryani for two meals.

I have no idea why another reviewer though this was "frozen" food - it's clearly made in-house, with fresh spices, upon ordering. It takes a while to come out, but be patient. The wait is worth it.

Our server wasn't very knowledgeable about the dishes on the menu, unfortunately - he must be newly-hired help. But the other server working was - he was able to explain in detail and compare dishes and he had a lot of enthusiasm. I think he might be the owner or in the owner's family.

There was one thing I found odd - the rice that came with my curry had a garnish that was one pea, one carrot, and one bit of chopped green bean. Aside from being very not-traditional (and unnecessary), it looks like it came from those frozen mixed-veg bags you get at HEB. Maybe that's where the "frozen food" comment before came from.

My rating is 4.5 out of 5, but I'm rounding up. I will definitely eat here...