Dilli-6 — Restaurant in Kirkland

I’ve been to Dilli-6 a couple of times so far, and honestly, they haven’t missed yet. It’s one of those rare Indian spots that manages to balance authenticity with a bit of flair without losing the soul of Delhi-style food.

They seat around 80 to 90 people, and if you plan to go, book on Resy because it fills up fast. Now, there are a few quirks worth noting: They charge a 4% surcharge on credit card payments and encourage cash, which is ridiculous. I’m absolutely against that nonsense. They don’t do takeaway or delivery. Their logic is that to-go orders mess up the consistency since the chefs would have to rush dishes, and I get that. Still, if you really want takeout, you have to dine in, get a table, order food, ask for boxes, and pack it yourself. Wild!

AMBIANCE Classy yet comfortable. Modern Indian touches with warm lighting and vibrant wall art. Plates and bowls are beautifully presented, with cast-iron skillets and brass cutlery adding a touch of flair.

FOOD Chicken Dilli-6: My favorite dish here. The smokiness, the spice level, everything hits just right. This alone makes the trip worth it. Paneer Dilli-6: Right up there with the chicken version. The smoky flavor is unreal, rich without being heavy, and the paneer is perfectly coated. Karol Bag Ki Aloo Tikki: The star of the show among the appetizers. Excellent balance of sweet, tangy, spicy, and crunchy. They absolutely nailed this one. Murg Makhani: Basically butter chicken with a subtle smoky note. Slightly sweeter than most versions I’ve had, but man, the flavor is crazy good. Alternating bites between this and the Chicken Dilli-6 feels like heaven. Paneer Peeli Mirch Tikka: Packed with flavor, though the paneer leaned a little chewy. Still, very enjoyable overall. Bhogal Ke Chholey Bhature: Extremely close to what you get in Delhi and by far the best Delhi-style chholey I’ve had in the US. Amritsari Chholey Kulcha: The chholey are the same delicious ones served with the bhature, and the kulcha itself was decent, not extraordinary. Makkhan Murgh Malai Seekh: I was skeptical at first because, as far as I'm concerned, “malai” and “seekh” don’t usually go hand in hand, but this one proved me wrong. Tender, flavorful, and surprisingly well-executed. Not something I’d always order, but if it’s served, I’ll happily finish it. Malai Soya Chaamp: Pretty good and packed with richness. Might be tough to keep consistently perfect, so I’ll try it once more before fully vouching for it. Choor Choor Naan: For anyone unfamiliar, this naan is half-smashed, flaky, and layered into large bread pieces that have an incredible, crunchy, textural charm, making it a must-try. Raam Laddoo: Underwhelming but not disappointing. The chutneys did most of the heavy lifting. Aloo Paratha Dilli-6: Decent but not something I’d go for again. It’s fine, just doesn’t stand out next to the heavier hitters.

SIDES & DRINKS Boondi Raita: Technically a side, but almost feels like a dessert. The raita itself is yellow, likely from saffron, and the quantity of boondi (tiny, crispy fried gram flour pearls soaked in yogurt) is generous enough that you’ll probably get more crunch than yogurt. Sweet Dry Fruit Peda Lassi: Delicious and dessert-like. You’ll want to eat it with a small spoon instead of drinking it. Shikanji: Refreshing and balanced, perfect palate cleanser. Aam Panna Mojito: Sweet, tangy, and minty; easily one of my favorite drinks here.

DESSERTS I’m not a big fan of Indian desserts in general, so take this part with a grain of salt. Giani Da Falooda: Decent. Pretty presentation and nice flavor, but it didn’t blow me away. Fans of traditional falooda will probably love it more than I did.

FINAL THOUGHTS Dilli-6 is the real deal when it comes to North Indian food in Kirkland, or actually anywhere in the US. While the credit card surcharge is annoying, it’s hard to stay mad when the food’s this good. If they can keep the consistency, this place will be a home run for anyone craving authentic Delhi...

We really wanted to like this place. It’s new, it’s buzzy, and getting a reservation feels like trying to score Taylor Swift tickets. Online booking caps at 6 people, so we reserved for 6 adults and added a note that we were bringing 2 kids. We also tried calling multiple times to be considerate — no one ever answered, and no one ever called back.

When we arrived, we mentioned the note. The guy at the front desk immediately shot back, “We don’t check notes,” with enough attitude to sour a lemon. I explained that we tried calling — he literally shrugged and, with full arrogance, said, “Look at the crowd.” Thanks buddy, glad you think the hype is real.

It felt like we were the inconvenience, despite doing everything we reasonably could. Not a great start.

They were also out of high chairs — fine, it happens — so the kids sat in our laps.

Then the first waiter shows up. No greeting, no welcome, just “ready to order?” before we’d even seen the menu. And yes, he looked annoyed that we weren’t. Customer service 101 — failed.

Thankfully, our second waiter (a Punjabi guy with a turban) completely saved the service from being a total disaster. Friendly, helpful, great suggestions — he deserves a raise and a better team.

Food: They seem to be following the classic “manufactured hype” strategy — no phone pick-ups, online reservations only, long waits. And sure, they nailed the hype. The food… not so much.

We ordered a ton: • Golgappe – good • Chili veg momos – good • Chole & sheek kabab – good • Everything else? Meh. Definitely not worth the price or the attitude you have to endure to get it.

Falooda & shahi tukda were a nice finish, though.

Just when we thought the experience was leveling out, Reception Guy came back at the end — rushing us out like he had somewhere better to be. Zero professionalism. Zero customer respect. His attitude alone would keep me from returning.

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Bottom Line: One rude gatekeeper is enough to ruin an entire restaurant experience — and this guy managed to do just that. The hype may be high, but the hospitality and food don’t rise to meet it. If this place wants to stick around, step one is fixing their front-of-house attitude...

It almost feels like Indian cuisine and fine dining just haven’t figured out how to coexist yet. On one hand, this restaurant charges premium prices — including a 4% credit-card surcharge and mandatory gratuity — yet on the other, the service experience doesn’t come close to fine-dining standards that the pricing deserves.

For instance, the Chhole Kulche is listed at $22, but with added fees, the bill comes to nearly $30 for one dish. It tasted quite good — authentic and flavorful — but that alone doesn’t justify the price tag when the overall experience lags behind.

We were a group of six on a busy Friday evening, and yes, we had a reservation. Yet we weren’t even offered water for nearly 25–30 minutes after being seated. I eventually had to raise my hand to get someone’s attention, and only then they came over to take my order. When they came, they shouted across the hall to the busboy to bring water. The order taking experience felt rushed and it seemed like the waiter was hurrying us to move to a different table. That’s not fine dining — that’s a crowded dhaba with fine-dining prices.

True fine dining requires setting boundaries — limiting capacity to ensure quality and attentiveness. Perhaps having a separate area or limited timing for kids, or even limiting group sizes. That is what the non-Indian establishments that command $50+ per person for food and drinks offer. Instead, this place seems to prioritize volume over experience. The staff felt overwhelmed and under-trained, lacking the calm precision you’d expect at this price point.

It’s a shame, because the food itself was excellent, and we would have gladly stayed for drinks (a high-margin opportunity for them), but the loud, chaotic environment made it impossible to relax or extend our evening.

I genuinely hope management takes this feedback constructively. With better staff training, service consistency, and crowd management, this restaurant could deliver the sophisticated experience its pricing implies.

TL;DR: Food was great. Service and...