Pippal

Review summary

1. P

   Pratima

   San Francisco

   1 review

   2.0

   1 review

   Dined on November 8, 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 4

   Overall overpriced for subpar service and just ok food. I did not find the food amazing or delicious and presentation was ok. They are trying to set a new precedent for Indian food but they have a long ways to go. I reserved the table for my husband’s birthday and specified on the reservation and then mentioned to the staff later when I got there too but they did not seemed to care. May be they should stop asking that question if they don’t want to help us celebrate special events there. There was never an introduction from a server and he started by saying “that part is for party of 6 or more” indicating we were looking into wrong part of the menu. Our order was placed wrong and I never heard server apology “ oh yeah you did ask for goat” The server was quick to take back the wrong food and said “ it does not take too long to make new food” Over all the service was very subpar lacking service training, warmth and hospitality. Food ordered at same time arrived at different times. IMO Just plating the food in fancier plates don’t make a restaurant fine dining, there is a service component. Had worked in service industry for long enough to know this is just another Indian restaurant trying to appear fancy, up charge for their location and ambience but in core still operating in older mindsets.
   

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2. A

   Abha

   San Francisco

   5 reviews

   4.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on October 28, 2024

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   The drinks, small plates, and desserts were excellent! The main dishes were pretty good. Our server was charming, funny, and attentive!
   

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3. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Tahoe

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on October 27, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   It was a treat, food was outstanding, every dish that we ordered was so flavorful. They had unique cocktail menu some of which I have never tried before. A must try if you like Indian food.
   

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4. R

   Raka

   San Francisco

   6 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   6 reviews

   Dined on October 22, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   I’ve been here several times over the past few months. But last night was the best. I really think Pippal has come into its own. And I am delighted about that.
   

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5. M

   Mitchell

   San Francisco

   4 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on October 15, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Amazingly delicious food! The Butter Chicken is the best ever. Pippal never fails to delight.
   

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6. P

   Paul

   San Francisco

   22 reviews

   5.0

   22 reviews

   Dined on October 14, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The mocktails are excellent. The menu is large and interesting with items from various Indian regions. The momos are to die for.
   

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7. J

   Jean

   San Francisco

   681 reviews

   5.0

   681 reviews

   Dined on October 11, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   Have 2x for lunch & 2x for dinner. Be aware Pippal will adjust chile heat but the food is best at higher spice levels! Dinner is a busier but tastier experience. Don't get me wrong, lunch is still very, very good; but dinner seems to get a little bit of extra effort from the kitchen. Curry gravy dishes are fine (the seafood Mango Alleppey is the best of them), but where Pippal truly shines is the unusual regional and updated-modern dishes. Ignore the well-known media critic re the Beef Asado; Pippal will do a perfect medium-rare if you ask. The bread underneath the steak is very crusty/chewy but delicious. Masala Fries are dynamite; Momos are excellent; and ORDER the fab Prawn Pepper Fry! Also, do NOT expect bottomless chai; this is not that type of place--their chai is the hot plain spiced tea, no milk or sugar. Pippal has a full bar and a dozen unique Indian-inspired cocktails, do try one! FYI; I reduced the rating 1 star for food as one of the meals was requested lower chile heat, and it just wasn't quite as good. The chile heat is not explosive here, but it is about a 6 on our personal scale of 10 chiles, if that helps.
   

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8. R

   RAJ

   Las Vegas

   21 reviews

   vip
   3.0

   21 reviews

   Dined on October 6, 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 3

   Food is OK, very comparable with other restaurants. Nothing spectacular that it will blow your socks away. Service was good, very busy on a Saturday evening. Drove about 40 miles from my residence but will not drive that far for average food
   

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9. R

   Richard

   San Francisco

   38 reviews

   vip
   4.0

   38 reviews

   Dined on September 16, 2024

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 3

   Very interesting Indian food, a mixture of offerings from the North (Punjab, Rajasthan) and from the South. Our starters, gongura chicken and dahi vada (lentil fritters in a yogurt sauce with tamarind and mint chutney) were absolutely delicious. We could have chosen better for the main courses. The dungeness crab with Goan spices was slightly overcooked--roasting too long makes the crabmeat shrivel, dry out, and stick to the shell, though it makes the shell very easy to crack--but the southern Indian sauce with it was excellent. I was curious to try the beef asado, since this is a dish rarely found and then only in Catholic or Muslim areas of Indian. (Hindus tar and feather those they suspect of eating beef.) It was served on a puffy naan, like a beef pizza, and the Goan spices didn't manage to give it enough flavor (the beef also would have had a bit more taste if cooked slightly less), while the chewy puffy naan didn't have much either--the restaurant's thinner regul;ar chili naan was far better--though it was very good when dipped in the spicy sauce for the crab. We had to wait too long for our main dishes, for a reason not clear to me.I suspect that other main dishes are better and look forward to exploring more of the very creative menu. With the meal we drank an excellent and reasonably-priced Willamette Valley pinot noir. Service was knowledgeable , friendly, and efficient, particular our server Ressard, with whom we enjoyed talking. This restaurant is more upscale than most Indian restaurants, and prices are correspondingly higher. On this chilly evening the restaurant was a bit cold inside. It was also quite noisy at first, even though not jam-packed, very resonant because of the high ceiling and lack of sound-absorbing surfaces. I think it deserves a more upscale location than the Emery Bay shopping mall, as would befit its aspirations, and should have one that accommodates restrooms inside, instead of sending clients out to those of the mall.
   

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10. E

    Ekta

    Central Coast

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 7, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5

    The food and drinks were amazing!! Our server , Rushad was fabulous. He knew the menu really well and whatever he recommended was awesome! We will definitely go back and recommend our friends/family. A suggestion though: Pls add to the menu some green vegetables like palak paneer. Thanks!
    

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