Best Indian Restaurants in Downtown LA
9 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Baar Baar - LA
High-design Downtown room serving polished, cocktail-friendly takes on regional Indian dishes.
Notable Picks
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.
#2
Curry Boys
8.2
A fast-casual Downtown curry counter that leans into bold, comfort-forward North Indian staples with a simple pick-your-curry flow. The sauces hit warm spice balance and travel well for takeout, making it a steady lunch-and-dinner regular for the Historic Core crowd. Expect more “reliable weeknight curry fix” than white-tablecloth production, but execution stays clean.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken tikka masala, Chana masala, Garlic naan
What Makes it Special: Fast-casual Indian curries with bold flavor and dependable execution.
#3
Mr. Masala
8.2
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Group Dining Gatherings
Hidden Gems Heaven
Family-run since 2017, Mr. Masala is the workhorse Indian spot by Crypto.com Arena, known for a sprawling North Indian menu, big portions, and heavy delivery traffic. Dine in for simple curries, naan, and tandoori plates before events, or rely on it as a reliable go-to for takeout.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken Tikka Masala, Garlic Naan, Chicken Biryani
What Makes it Special: High-volume, family-run Indian kitchen feeding Downtown workers and arena crowds daily.
A casual, mostly vegetarian Indian eatery in the Historic Core that mixes street-food energy with a broad regional menu. Dosas, chaat-style bites, and rotating curries keep things lively, with flavors that skew bright and snackable rather than heavy. Best for an affordable, quick sit-down or takeout run when you want variety without formality.
Must-Try Dishes:
Masala dosa, Two-curry combo, Vada pav
What Makes it Special: Vegetarian-leaning regional Indian street-food favorites in a casual DTLA format.
8
A modern Indian counter in TASTE that keeps things punchy: fragrant rice bowls, tandoori-leaning proteins, and rich curries built for fast pacing. The flavors skew bold and crowd-pleasing, making it one of the stronger quick options in the hall.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tandoori chicken bowl, Butter chicken curry, Paneer tikka bowl
What Makes it Special: Indian bowls that stay flavorful and filling at a fair price.
Worthy Picks
7.9
Tucked inside the Stillwell Hotel off 8th and Grand, Gill's Cuisine of India serves classic curries, tandoori platters, and a value-focused lunch buffet. Office workers and longtime regulars use it as a dependable, no-frills stop for hearty plates and warm naan.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken Makhni, Vegetable Samosas, Tandoori Platter
What Makes it Special: Old-school downtown Indian spot hidden behind a hotel lobby with strong value.
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.
#9
Paratta
7.8
A desi street food counter in the Arts District that wraps grass-fed organic wagyu beef inside handmade lachha paratha rolled out daily on-site — a combination nobody else in LA is doing. The menu is tight and opinionated, built around kuch rolls and South Asian snacks with premium sourcing that punches well above typical quick-service. With only 35 reviews it's still early, but the 80% five-star rate and polarized distribution (almost no middle-ground ratings) suggest a spot that lands hard when it connects.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken Kuch Roll, Wagyu Beef Kuch Roll, Lassi
What Makes it Special: First and only desi street food spot in LA wrapping 100% grass-fed organic wagyu beef in handmade lachha paratha made fresh daily by in-house chefs.