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Karma Restaurant, Philadelphia, PA

Karma Restaurant

4.9
4.9
184 Reviews
$31 to $50
Indian
The idea for Karma was born out of the simple premise of providing superior quality traditional Indian Cuisine, great ambiance and friendly, efficient service. Karma has worked exclusively with the local talent from Philadelphia.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 7 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Cuisines
    Indian
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Sun 11:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu, Sun 2:30 pm–9:45 pm Fri, Sat 2:30 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (215) 925-1444
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Private party contact
    Jiji Thomas: (215) 925-1444

What 184 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9
4.9 based on recent ratings
  • 4.9Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 4.8Value

NoiseModerate

184 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I had a dinner date with a longtime mentor and friend. The restaurant was pretty full by 7. The service and food was excellent. Our server was very knowledgeable about the dishes and was very courteous. Our meals arrived in timely fashion and were delicious. There are varying spice levels from 1-5 for all dishes and only cash tips are accepted. If you are looking for an affordable and scrumptious (authentic Indian) meal with a casual dining experience, this is the place to be - walking distance from Philly's famed Old City district and a short drive away from Penn's landing.

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  2. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 5, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    Karma is absolutely delicious! Our waiter was attentive and patient- he took the time to describe dishes we weren’t familiar with and helped my partner find a sauce he’s had in the past but couldn’t remember the name of. Although the ambiance is a bit quaint the food and service was phenomenal. Definitely a new favorite of mine!

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on June 17, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    We love this place. The food is excellent, we always leave full and it is a BYOB!

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  4. Megan

    Philadelphia

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on June 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Delicious food, friendly service, not too packed/busy. We will be back!

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on April 29, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    The food was very good.. I had the butter chicken and it was delicious. I ordered the garlic naan bread, it was fresh, warm and sooo good. And I am a bread person.. the service was good . The only negative I will say is , it needs more lighting a lil too dark to my liking..

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  6. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on April 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Casual night out with friends was upgraded to a new level with the amazing menu. We were able to get shareables and our own meals and it was delish! Would recommend 100%

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  7. Cyndi

    Philadelphia

    39 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    39 reviews

    Dined on April 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Haven't been here for a while and we were happy it was just as good. Our server was great Abhi (spelling?) We will be back.

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  8. MiaJ

    Philadelphia

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on March 17, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    Food was amazing! We were thrown off by the aesthetic at first since we were the only customers, having a resy at 4:00 when they opened. However, I said to my friend, the less fancy the place is, the better the food. I was right! We enjoyed every single thing we ordered and our server Ahbi was really nice and attentive, he gave us a few recommendations and all were a hit! We’ll for sure be back. Oh, and yes it’s BYOB

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  9. BrianM

    Philadelphia

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 4, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    some of the best indian food i have ever had! absolutely will be going back!

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  10. IsabelP

    Philadelphia

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great will come again. Food was was delicious and service was great.

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  11. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 18, 2023

    overall1food1service1ambience1
    Never got our food after and hour. We walked out.

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  12. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on February 4, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our food was incredible! We ordered the salmon raita (HIGHLY recommend this!) and it was the best raita I’ve ever had. We also had the butter chicken and the lamb korma (not on the menu but our waiter recommended it) with garlic naan. The flavors were so complex and delicious, every bite was amazing. I am lucky enough to have authentic Indian home cooking quite often from my boyfriend’s mother, and so far nothing in Philly or DC has compared to her cooking until I tried Karma. I will definitely have to bring her next time to try their food! Also the portion sizes were perfect- we were so happy to have leftovers to bring home!

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  13. SamH

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on June 24, 2022

    overall1food1service1ambience1
    Arrived and they stated that they were not doing dine in after making a reservation. Restaurant was cavernous with no decor. Would not at all be a pleasant place to eat and it is sad that they are no longer the great restaurant that they were at their previous location.

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  14. StephanieO

    Charleston

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 21, 2022

    overall2food3service2ambience1
    We took some visiting friends to Karma because they requested Indian food. When we walked in at 7:30 on a Saturday night the place was a ghost town. The space has zero ambiance, except for dark and kinda grungy. Not as represented online in pictures. Their site also says "restaurant and bar" but they don't serve alcohol. The food was okay. Doubt I'll ever go back.

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  15. JRDE

    Philadelphia

    3 reviews

    1.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on April 30, 2022

    overall1food1service1ambience1
    The restaurant was closed. We made a reservation through Open Table but when we arrived, the restaurant was dark inside and a man called out from the kitchen that it was takeout only. So we turned around and went elsewhere. Luckily, we found another place to go without a reservation (Vista Peru, which was very good). But I'm writing so Open Table will know about this, as Karma should be removed from the list of restaurants accepting reservations until they reopen for in-person dining again.

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  16. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Delicious food as always and surprisingly fast service, this time. :)

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  17. NYC10017

    New York Area

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 22, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I cannot wait to come back! It was recommended by a new Indian friend of mine, so you know it is good!

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  18. dennis

    Philadelphia

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 21, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Very very good Indian food the veggie player was amazingly great. Service perfect naun bread was perfect

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  19. OpenTable Diner

    Austin

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 6, 2018

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Good quality and service. Good spot for Indian food. Was not overwhelmed by the food but it was still good. I would go back and try more dishes as overall I liked the place.

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  20. AngelaMG83

    Philadelphia

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on October 5, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    Not a fancy place at all, but cute for a date, birthday dinner, or meet up with friends. The staff was friendly and attentive. Indian food is authentic and absolutely delicious. We had the vegetable pakora, kofta, and chicken biriyani.

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  21. CharlieR

    New Orleans

    39 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    39 reviews

    Dined on October 3, 2018

    overall4food5service4ambience3
    This place was close to our hotel and we wanted something different after four days in the city. Food was very good, everything from the naan to the curry and the deals. Would definitely go back.

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  22. Diane

    Philadelphia

    27 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    27 reviews

    Dined on October 2, 2018

    overall4food5service4ambience3
    Surprisingly delicious. Cauliflower appetizer and lamb entrees were very good. Madras mojito nice too.

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  23. nickb

    New York Area

    3 reviews

    1.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 22, 2018

    overall1food2service1ambience2
    I have been to Karma lots of times before it moved to Market St. I have also ordered online tons of times and the food was always great and so was the service. Unfortunately, none of that is true anymore. Service was terrible with servers asking us if we needed plates! How do we eat without plates? Food was served in parts over a 15 minute period with naan being the last. By the time naan arrived, rest of the food was cold. Roomali roti was a thick regular roti and was terrible.

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  24. CharlesG

    Philadelphia

    16 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on September 14, 2018

    overall4food5service3ambience4
    Well prepared traditional Indian food in a relatively upscale setting.

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  25. Sigi

    Philadelphia

    50 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    50 reviews

    Dined on August 22, 2018

    overall4food4service3ambience3
    Good food and service. Choice of "hotness" for dishes. Very good neighborhood place

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  26. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 19, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We love Karma. Great service and terrific food.

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  27. AlBh

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 10, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Wow. Amazing restaurant , wait staff was always there. Best South Indian food this side of Philly, Have then make you one of their dishes not on the menu.

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  28. PJD31

    Philadelphia

    18 reviews

    4.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on August 8, 2018

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    The servers are very friendly. Food was tasty and didn't take long. No complaints whatsoever. I'll definitely come back here.

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  29. GreenThumb

    Pittsburgh

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on August 4, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food and terrific service. Small dining room that felt intimate & special.

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  30. PatrickA

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 4, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had a great server who made nice recommendations. The food tasted amazing. Drinks were good. We had a great night and the icing on the top was that the restaurant paid for our meal completely because of a promotion they are doing called "Good Karma". The fact that they are doing that, whether they had chosen us or not, is really kind of them. Whether my meal was free or not I would still review the restaurant the same way because the service and food was great.

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  31. Shareeg

    Philadelphia

    35 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    35 reviews

    Dined on July 30, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    The food here is delicious and the drinks were great too. It was a little pricy being as though it was your everyday sort of Indian food, but I guess that's due to the location. Now the food was very good and so was the drinks so I ended up having a great time.

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  32. MaryS

    Philadelphia

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on July 25, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I enjoy Indian food and Karma's was excellent. I'll go again, lunch was very good

    1 person found this helpful

  33. JohannaL

    Washington DC

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on July 7, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This was a good find in the city. The Chaat was really good and not often served in most Indian restaurants. The decor was nice and the staff very attentive.

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  34. DelaniN

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 27, 2018

    overall4food5service4ambience4
    I went with my boyfriend for my birthday. The food was great, and the ambiance was good. I especially enjoyed my mango juice. The only downside was that they didn't have anything planned for birthdays. Like a free drink, or small dessert. Which was a little disappointing. But I did get to enjoy my leftovers for several days. The dishes will fool you into thinking they are small. But combined with rice and naan, you'll find yourself quite full. My only food regret, was not ordering more naan and rice to go.

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  35. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on June 14, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Best Indian food in Philly!

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  36. James

    Philadelphia

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 28, 2018

    overall3food3service1ambience2
    The Chicken Tikka Masala was dry and bland. We discouraged from ordering the Chicken Tikka Masala because "everyone orders it." The waitress actually responded to the request by asking, "why?" and tried to talk us out of it. We were encouraged to sit at the bar, with the assumption that the rear seating was full. However, many parties of 2-10 people were seated directly after us. I found this rather bizarre and uncomfortable. Their "spice level" system came with a dire warning which turned out to be total nonsense. "Indian spicy" was not actually very spicy at all, and if it were not for the warnings, both my partner and I would have made the right choice instead of backing off and going for milder dishes. I would not return to Karma.

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  37. OpenTable Diner

    Pittsburgh

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 25, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Super friendly and fast service and the food was great

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  38. DanielZ

    Chicago

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 22, 2018

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    The food was delicious and the wait staff was very good. We would gladly go back to this restaurant again the next time we are in the Philly area.

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  39. CallMomma321

    Philadelphia

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on April 25, 2018

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    My colleagues and I love this place for their lunch buffet. Authentic Indian cuisine, focusing on dishes from the south of India. Every table gets a basket of freshly baked homemade naan. A meal at Karma is an overall great experience!

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  40. RichardK

    Philadelphia

    25 reviews

    4.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on April 14, 2018

    overall4food5service1ambience4
    Food was excellent but service was very poor this time. We were ignored after they only half cleared our table

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FAQs

Karma Restaurant does offer delivery in partnership with Uber Eats.

Karma Restaurant is rated 4.9 stars by 184 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 7 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Karma Restaurant

114 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Old City
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Sun 11:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu, Sun 2:30 pm–9:45 pm Fri, Sat 2:30 pm–10:00 pm
  • Cuisines
    Indian
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Full Bar, Private Room, Wine
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