Little Goan

An Indian restaurant in a small strip mall on Novato Blvd in a residential area with plain decor rates a five star review simply because it has the best Indian food in the whole Bay Area! A pleasure for lunch or dinner. "Medium heat" the best for my palate, but the taste sensations are perfect at any level of speciness.

Whenever I come to this shopping center I can smell the aroma coming from Little Goan...no matter the time of day it always makes want to grab a bite to eat. I am always super satisfied when I do. The food is amazing and the owners are very kind. Highly recommend for foodies!

I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant. Everything was freshly made and tasted great! We tried so many different things. The appetizer plate, vegetable Biryani, chicken Tikka Masala, a Giant dish shrimp curry, Paneer, and everything was memorable. I will be back! Prices are reasonable and the service was solid!

This has to be one of our favorite Indian restaurants 🥰 Our favorite dish is the Chicken Tikka Masala !

Just over a year ago I learned of this gem. My go-to for a restaurant experience is a place that offers food that I am unprepared to prepare at home…think spices, ingredients and techniques unknown to me. This restaurant is so exciting and while I’ve never dined-in, the beauty of picking up several dishes, all with unique flavors, is appreciated by me and my whole family. Good job Little Goan Indian Cafe and thank you.

My wife and I have made Little Goan our favorite Indian restaurant in Novato. We go almost every time we're in Marin. Sharona and Frankie are super sweet people and very accommodating. We always order an extra meal to take home. It's rare when I find a place where I want to eat s-l-o-w-l-y enough to truly savor the food. Little Goan captures my hedonistic desire to experience spirituality in a spoon

Excellent little place- family run, very friendly and attentive staff, easy for kids, fast service. About $60 for two people for a three main/ two side dinner. Great for fast takeout, too. A little gem tucked away in a forgotten shopping center. Highly recommend!

This place is a hidden gem in Novato! Warm curry and hot garlic naan is so comforting on a cold day. The people that work here are always so friendly. My go to is the chicken caldine, sometimes the tandoori chicken. Great spot for lunch.

Really well done Goan cuisine. Fast, friendly service. Good for kids. Lots of vegetarian options. All the dishes we tried were delicious! The Caldine curry with fish was a standout. The fish was so tender and the curry was flavorful, a bit sweet, and so so yummy.

Wow!! Sharon & her staff make such amazing food!! The shrimp caldene curry was full of flavor. The kheer was soo good. I'd say this place has the best garlic & plain naan! Tucked away at the corner of the shopping complex. Definitely worth the visit.

Love this place! I've been here with my family a handful of times over the last year. The place is set in a tired shopping center in Novato ('hole in the wall'), but don't let that dissuade you. The interior is spartan, but clean and colorful. But, the reason we come here is for the food. It's fantastic! We tend to order three entrees (1 lamb dish, 2 veg dishes)..Lamb Roganjosh, Aloo Ghobi, and Saag Paneer. When my son joins us (3 of us total), we typically add another lamb dish (ordered Lamb Caldine the last time. Yum!). The servers are always very prompt and friendly! Highly recommended the next time you are in Novato seeking some savory Indian cooking!

Wonderfully flavorful food!! No kids menu but ended up not being a problem as the Littles enjoyed the side dishes. Garlic Naan was very good. The masala was creamy, and the lamb tender. I would live to eat here again if we visit this area again.

Good food that is fresh and flavorful. I'm from South India where we are used to spicy food. This food was bland to me yet it was good. I tried the chicken tikka and the rice pudding and they are both delicious.

Have been here twice and each time the food has been delicious. I highly recommend the papadum as a starter, the shrimp masala, and the lamb kulcha.

DELICIOUS FOOD! We got the veggie caldine curry and veggie saag aloo, so happy with both. Curries are excellent, vegetarian/vegan and gluten free options (including gluten free naan!!!!), service is lovely. Can’t recommend enough. What a treat to be vaccinated and eating out again... especially somewhere as delicious and conscious as this! Thank you! Will certainly be back.

Stoked Ryan

Really well done Goan cuisine. Fast, friendly service. Good for kids. Lots of vegetarian options. All the dishes we tried were delicious! The Caldine curry with fish was a standout. The fish was so tender and the curry was flavorful, a bit sweet, and so so yummy.

Joan Falleiro

Wow!! Sharon & her staff make such amazing food!! The shrimp caldene curry was full of flavor. The kheer was soo good. I'd say this place has the best garlic & plain naan! Tucked away at the corner of the shopping complex. Definitely worth the visit.

Doug McKay

Love this place! I've been here with my family a handful of times over the last year. The place is set in a tired shopping center in Novato ('hole in the wall'), but don't let that dissuade you. The interior is spartan, but clean and colorful. But, the reason we come here is for the food. It's fantastic! We tend to order three entrees (1 lamb dish, 2 veg dishes)..Lamb Roganjosh, Aloo Ghobi, and Saag Paneer. When my son joins us (3 of us total), we typically add another lamb dish (ordered Lamb Caldine the last time. Yum!). The servers are always very prompt and friendly! Highly recommended the next time you are in Novato seeking some savory Indian cooking!

Melonie Ottenhoff

Wonderfully flavorful food!! No kids menu but ended up not being a problem as the Littles enjoyed the side dishes. Garlic Naan was very good. The masala was creamy, and the lamb tender. I would live to eat here again if we visit this area again.

Rama Koneru

Good food that is fresh and flavorful. I'm from South India where we are used to spicy food. This food was bland to me yet it was good. I tried the chicken tikka and the rice pudding and they are both delicious.

Daniel Nava

Have been here twice and each time the food has been delicious. I highly recommend the papadum as a starter, the shrimp masala, and the lamb kulcha.

Kayla

DELICIOUS FOOD! We got the veggie caldine curry and veggie saag aloo, so happy with both. Curries are excellent, vegetarian/vegan and gluten free options (including gluten free naan!!!!), service is lovely. Can’t recommend enough. What a treat to be vaccinated and eating out again... especially somewhere as delicious and conscious as this! Thank you! Will certainly be back.

We got take out from here and the food was delicious! We got a fish curry that was perfectly cooked. We got 2 other vegetarian dishes that were excellent - must try the kofta. Homemade bread selection was great! Overall, very pleased with our choice! Thank you!!

The Little Goan Indian restaurant is excellent! Most delicious Indian food I have ever had, anywhere in the world, including in India. Fresh, gorgeous tastes, organic and natural ingredients, cooked to specific requests re spiciness. The service is excellent, and the food comes quickly. The saag is not overcooked, which many places can’t seem to accomplish. The speciality curry with coconut milk — oh yummm. We ordered the “breadbasket” even tho there were only two of us dining because we wanted to try all the wonderfully different preparations of naan — good decision! The location is in a very unassuming and partially vacant strip Mall - don’t be put off by this; the restaurant itself is charming, and clean.

What a charming restaurant that we would not have noticed from the location, but once inside we were not disappointed with the food, service or the the decor. We would highly recommend this place to all and it will be one of our favorites for future eatings.

I love this place!!! Such amazing food and the staff are super friendly! The consistency of the quality over the last five years has been keeping me coming back even though I moved away.

I would drive to Novato just to eat here. I’ve never seen Goan food truly given its due on a menu outside Goa. Many other North Indian options too, all delicious and fresh. Very friendly service in a clean well cared for space they are clearly trying very hard to make special. Don’t let the dreary strip mall fool you, this is a gem!

The food tastes fresh and fillings. I love the lamb vindaloo. If you need gluten free Naan they have that too 😉 Everything is good on the menu

While on the way to Airport, we stopped to eat at this restaurant, and Enrique went above and beyond! I highly recommend this place to everyone!

Family run restaurant. Direct from Goan India... so good! Yummy menu. I've ordered nearly everything (meat or veg) and all is delightful. My personal faves are the aloo Gobi, Dal makhani, Chana Masala, and baigan bharta. Meat dishes yummy, biryanis delicious, and my young kids can eat the mild, I don't go above medium- hot for myself (I love spicy food).

RJ Contre

Family run restaurant. Direct from Goan India... so good! Yummy menu. I've ordered nearly everything (meat or veg) and all is delightful. My personal faves are the aloo Gobi, Dal makhani, Chana Masala, and baigan bharta. Meat dishes yummy, biryanis delicious, and my young kids can eat the mild, I don't go above medium- hot for myself (I love spicy food).

Rebecca Mitchell

I would drive to Novato just to eat here. I’ve never seen Goan food truly given its due on a menu outside Goa. Many other North Indian options too, all delicious and fresh. Very friendly service in a clean well cared for space they are clearly trying very hard to make special. Don’t let the dreary strip mall fool you, this is a gem!

Alexandria Biasotti

The food tastes fresh and fillings. I love the lamb vindaloo. If you need gluten free Naan they have that too 😉 Everything is good on the menu

Pam

What a charming restaurant that we would not have noticed from the location, but once inside we were not disappointed with the food, service or the the decor. We would highly recommend this place to all and it will be one of our favorites for future eatings.

Valentina Lagomarsino

We got take out from here and the food was delicious! We got a fish curry that was perfectly cooked. We got 2 other vegetarian dishes that were excellent - must try the kofta. Homemade bread selection was great! Overall, very pleased with our choice! Thank you!!

Joyce Clements

The Little Goan Indian restaurant is excellent! Most delicious Indian food I have ever had, anywhere in the world, including in India. Fresh, gorgeous tastes, organic and natural ingredients, cooked to specific requests re spiciness. The service is excellent, and the food comes quickly. The saag is not overcooked, which many places can’t seem to accomplish. The speciality curry with coconut milk — oh yummm. We ordered the “breadbasket” even tho there were only two of us dining because we wanted to try all the wonderfully different preparations of naan — good decision! The location is in a very unassuming and partially vacant strip Mall - don’t be put off by this; the restaurant itself is charming, and clean.

Jessica Beckman

I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant. Everything was freshly made and tasted great! We tried so many different things. The appetizer plate, vegetable Biryani, chicken Tikka Masala, a Giant dish shrimp curry, Paneer, and everything was memorable. I will be back! Prices are reasonable and the service was solid!

More reasonable prices than other Indian restaurants in Marin. The chicken tikka masala was on the creamier, sweeter side (I was not given the option for medium or spicy). The chicken was on the tougher side - it was alright. The garlic naan was great, along with the white rice. Although I ordered takeout, the brief service was good. The place could have better decor. Overall, the price matches the quality of the food.

Delicious food and the staff are genuinely warm and friendly. They have a few gluten free and vegan options which is wonderful. My only complaint after frequenting this place many times: the food is extremely salty. Usually we order take out and the last couple times the lentil dish was so salty, that I added water to mine to dilute it. The gluten free Naan is awesomeness, 2 orders are never enough!

Lovely Goan restaurant. I appreciated the colorful decor and orchids lining the windows. Located in a strip mall. Friendly staff. Ordered lamb korma, rice, and garlic naan. Not the most flavorful or complex, but good.

Pretty good Indian food at a reasonable price for the area. Definitely Americanized in terms of spiciness, the "spicy" vindaloo was delicious but very mild for my taste. Excellent garlic naan and the sweet lassi was very good as well. The staff was friendly but service was slow.

Although it is tucked away in the corner of a very quiet strip mall, and so is easily overlooked, the attentive service and flavorful well priced meals make this a place well worth seeking out.

Erik Abair

Pretty good Indian food at a reasonable price for the area. Definitely Americanized in terms of spiciness, the "spicy" vindaloo was delicious but very mild for my taste. Excellent garlic naan and the sweet lassi was very good as well. The staff was friendly but service was slow.

Paul Hemmings

Although it is tucked away in the corner of a very quiet strip mall, and so is easily overlooked, the attentive service and flavorful well priced meals make this a place well worth seeking out.

More expensive than I would have expected for the portion and quality, but overall decent Indian food.

Very tasty lamb curry, and also a delicious vegetable korma. However for $14 I expect more than 9 little bites of lamb in an order. It really isn't quite enough for two people and we were three. Thus, when we finished dinner we were still hungry.

The free side salad they give me was horrendous. It taste like they hadn't properly washed the lettuce. It was so bad I wouldn't dare swallow it. I spit it out.... the curry that I had was amazing! My experience was ok.. they are very accommodating but they wouldn't leave me alone while I was eating. Which isn't a bad thing but I'd prefer them wait until I was done chewing lol

Decent little hole in the wall Indian place. The only downside was that the dishes didn't have enough spices in them and were mostly creams and the portions were small for their lunch specials.

Daniel Kelley

Decent little hole in the wall Indian place. The only downside was that the dishes didn't have enough spices in them and were mostly creams and the portions were small for their lunch specials.

Biryani was quite flavorless and tikka portions were small. Staff were rude; the guy with the raggedy mustache with split ends and chubby face had an attitude over anything; being asked for a water, spare plate, anything. And the woman with dead eyes and the snaggletooth sitting at the front kept staring at me, and making snarky remarks about us to the other waiter, thinking we couldn't hear her. Took forever to even get our order placed, nevermind to us, even with 5 workers in there. And they all loved to stare. I see why the place is empty.

Didn't honor Lunch Special on website. Said not doing it during Holiday season. ...update the website then. "Website literally says "New!" Waste of my time. Food was fine.

I am not sure if they changed ownership, or if the cook was out sick, but we ordered food from here yesterday via Door Dash and it was the most disgusting Indian food I have ever eaten. I am not sure if it was spoiled, or they added some extra ingredient, or what it was, but the whole order was bad. The naan was undercooked, the verdur korma was extremely bland, the sauce for the chicken tikka was thick and tasted like it full of bad mayonnaise. The rice was fine. I feel sick thinking about it and I felt compelled to write a review.

Biryani came with just rice and tiny chicken pieces — no salad, no sauce nothing. For the price, it’s just not worth it. A few slices of tomato or onion wouldn’t hurt. One star

Some of the worst food I have ever had. The curries and chicken were very over cooked and did not have much flavor. The lives were very high, even for California. I would never come back here.

The worst ever! Chicken few pieces are raw, other pieces are unbelievably chewy. Every item is over seasoned with tons of garlic - killing all other flavors and taste. No salt in veggies. Palak paneer is a shameful attempt. I wish, I could say a single positive thing about the entire order. Wasted money but never again.

We palace a order today at the name Kuldeep and the Chapati quality is very poor also I upload the picture of the chapati. That is my first order with your restaurant and first experience is very bad experience. The restaurant is also very expensive.

Raman Kumar

We palace a order today at the name Kuldeep and the Chapati quality is very poor also I upload the picture of the chapati. That is my first order with your restaurant and first experience is very bad experience. The restaurant is also very expensive.

Worst indian food experience! Chicken biryani had one small piece of chicken and all rice. Curry was bland. Scam of a place for the price. Avoid.

Aishani Sood

Worst indian food experience! Chicken biryani had one small piece of chicken and all rice. Curry was bland. Scam of a place for the price. Avoid.

T. M

Biryani came with just rice and tiny chicken pieces — no salad, no sauce nothing. For the price, it’s just not worth it. A few slices of tomato or onion wouldn’t hurt. One star