Best Date Night Indian Restaurants in Los Angeles
15 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Anarkali Indian Restaurant
44-year family legacy with Northern Indian and Bengali specialties
Notable Picks
8.7
One of LA's oldest family-run Indian restaurants since 1980, serving Northern Indian and Bengali-influenced dishes with a loyal following built over four decades. The Choudhury family's hospitality and complimentary discount coupons keep regulars returning for consistently executed classics like chicken tikka masala and lamb rogan josh.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Rogan Josh, Garlic Basil Naan
What Makes it Special: 44-year family legacy with Northern Indian and Bengali specialties
8.6
Electric Karma blends Punjabi comfort food with a stylish Third Street setting, complete with Bollywood projections and an airy patio. Brothers Paramjit and Lakhvir Singh lean into vibrant curries, kombination platters, and cocktails that make it a go-to for casual date nights and small groups.
Must-Try Dishes:
Butter Chicken, Tandoori Platter, Masala Dosa
What Makes it Special: A 20-year Beverly Grove fixture combining romantic courtyard dining with Punjabi dishes and modern LA flourishes.
8.6
Since 2007, this family-run Studio City mainstay imports spices directly from India to craft North Indian classics in an elegant yet casual setting. The tandoori chicken emerges perfectly charred from the clay oven, while the butter chicken and tikka masala showcase rich, creamy tomato-fenugreek sauces that have earned a devoted following. Server Abu's legendary hospitality adds warmth to the polished dining experience.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, Garlic Naan
What Makes it Special: Spices imported from India with exceptional service from seasoned staff
8.5
New York import Baar Baar brings chef Sujan Sarkar’s modern Indian cooking to a dramatic DTLA dining room, pairing richly spiced small plates with serious cocktails. It’s the upscale Indian choice near Crypto.com Arena, better for composed dishes and drinks than a quick curry-and-rice fix.
Must-Try Dishes:
Baar Baar Butter Chicken, Cheese & Jalapeño Naan, Gulab Jamun Cheesecake
What Makes it Special: High-design Downtown room serving polished, cocktail-friendly takes on regional Indian dishes.
8.5
Bollywood Grill serves a broad menu of North Indian and Indo-Chinese classics just off the Hollywood Walk of Fame, drawing pre-theater crowds and tourists looking for substantial curries and tandoori platters. Portions are generous, flavors run comforting rather than avant-garde, and the room stays busy with groups fueling up before shows and sightseeing.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dal Makhani, Chicken Tikka Masala, Gobi Manchurian
What Makes it Special: Tourist-friendly Bollywood-themed spot for hearty Punjabi-style curries near major Hollywood theaters.
#6
Fitoor
8.5
From the team behind Michelin-recognized ROOH, Fitoor brings contemporary Indian coastal cuisine with theatrical cocktails and weekend fire dancers. The avocado chaat with burrata and pan-seared Hokkaido scallops showcase California-Indian fusion at its most refined.
Must-Try Dishes:
Avocado Chaat with Burrata, Maryland Soft Shell Crab, Pulled Butter Chicken Kulcha
What Makes it Special: Fire-based cooking meets craft cocktails inspired by the five natural elements.
8.4
Vibes:
Date Night Magic
Group Dining Gatherings
Business Lunch Power Players
Family Friendly Favorites
Akbar Cuisine of India is a longstanding Washington Boulevard restaurant serving richly spiced North Indian curries, tandoori specialties, and fresh-baked naan. Locals treat it as a reliable choice for sit-down dinners that work as well for a low-key date night as they do for larger gatherings.
Must-Try Dishes:
Coco Lamb, Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Biryani
What Makes it Special: Old-school Marina Indian dining with deep flavors and warm service.
8.3
Listed in the 2025 Michelin Guide, Tumbi elevates street food to haute cuisine in an industrial-chic setting. Clay tandoor proteins and unique desserts like Nutella dosa make this a locals' favorite away from the tourist crowds.
Must-Try Dishes:
Masala Dosa, Pani Puri Shooters, Deconstructed Carrot Halwa
What Makes it Special: Michelin-recognized modern Indian combining street food with haute cuisine.
8.2
Family-run fine dining establishment serving authentic North Indian cuisine since 1997, with imported spices and recipes refined over three decades. Known for perfectly tender chicken tikka masala and rich butter chicken featuring cashew-infused cream sauce.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken, Lamb Biryani
What Makes it Special: LA Times-recognized pioneer bringing halal North Indian to Beverly Hills since 1997.
A Hollywood stalwart since 2007 that built its reputation on tandoori technique and an unusually good naan program—the garlic cheese version runs thicker and crispier than most LA competitors. The lamb vindaloo and house-original Hollywood Mixed Masala draw repeat orders from neighborhood regulars who treat it as their default Indian spot. Works well for groups splitting platters at casual price points with BYOB as an option.
Must-Try Dishes:
Garlic Cheese Naan, Vegetable Samosas, Chicken Samosa
What Makes it Special: Longstanding Hollywood-area Indian spot known for tandoori specialties and consistently praised naan bread
#11
Badmaash Fairfax
8
Badmaash’s Fairfax outpost is a lively modern Indian gastropub from the Mahendro family, blending Punjabi recipes with burgers, poutine, and craft beer. It’s a go-to for loud, energetic dinners where rich flavors, playful mashups, and a tight playlist matter as much as the curries.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spiced Lamb Burger, Chicken Tikka Poutine, Butter Chicken
What Makes it Special: Modern Punjabi cooking meets burgers, poutine, and a buzzing gastropub room.
#12
Cobi's
8
Chef Tin Vuong's Southeast Asian and African fusion menu leans into high-impact dishes—rendang, curry puffs, branzino—served in a moody, design-forward room on Main Street with a soul and reggae soundtrack that sets the energy level. It draws couples and adventurous eaters who want bold, globally inflected cooking without the stiffness of fine dining. Expect a lively room better suited to a fun night out than a hushed conversation.
Must-Try Dishes:
Butter Chicken, Curry Puffs, Short Rib
What Makes it Special: Southeast Asian and African-inspired dishes from chef Tin Vuong, served in a moody, design-forward Main Street space
Worthy Picks
7.9
A 12-year DTLA fixture that fuses Punjabi technique with Canadian comfort—the butter chicken samosa and chicken tikka poutine deliver genuinely inventive crossovers rather than gimmicks. The small, loud room runs on hip-hop energy and works best for groups who want shareable plates with some heat. Bib Gourmand-recognized, though spice levels run mild unless you ask otherwise.
Must-Try Dishes:
Poutine, Butter Chicken Samosa, Pork Belly
What Makes it Special: Indian-Canadian fusion from brothers who blend Punjab flavors with LA street food attitude
7.9
A Michelin-starred chef's Indian-Californian fusion concept that leans hard into technique-driven reinvention—pot pies filled with butter chicken, rendang built on lobster, tandoori applied to sea bass. The kitchen runs well above the category average for DTLA, but front-of-house staffing can stretch thin on busy nights, leading to uneven service that doesn't always match the price point. Best experienced on a weekday when the dining room is calmer and servers aren't juggling bar duty.
Must-Try Dishes:
Butter chicken pot pie, Eggplant bharta lasagna, Tandoori chicken wings
What Makes it Special: Indian spice profiles applied to inventive, comfort-driven fusion dishes.
Located in Belmont Shore's dining corridor, this family-operated restaurant combines Indian and Nepalese cuisine with outdoor patio seating steps from the beach. The menu spans traditional curries and tandoori dishes alongside Himalayan specialties like chicken momos, with customizable spice levels and a strong vegetarian selection including the praised aloo gobi.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lamb Tikka Masala, Aloo Gobi, Chicken Momos
What Makes it Special: Dual Indian-Nepalese menu near beach with customizable spice levels