Chauhan Ale & Masala House

I’m into this place. We’ve visited for both dinner and brunch on a number of occasions. There is a diverse menu with some semi-​traditional Indian dishes and some not so traditional things. Make sure you get the naan sampler thing with a bunch of spreads. I like that they put random spices and things under the glass table. Very chill. They also project movies on the wall at night which is very hip. Good place to have a meal you normally wouldn’t have at home.

I’ve ordered a table in 3 weeks before the Xday, planned to celebrate our marriage anniversary.
It was our 1^st time there. We were seated near the restrooms though there plenty of free tables around. No need to mention that our celebration mood has disappeared immediately.
I didn’t know that on Sundays they serve only Brunch menu — it was the 2^nd «surprise».
Apart from traditional hot tea I’d never guess this was about Indian cuisine. I wasn’t impressed by Woodlands, but in comparison Woodlands has much more authentic food and attitude towards their customers.
Our waitress was the second positive impression after the tea.

Girls’ weekend in Nashville. I picked her up from the airport and one thing was clear. We were hungry and the only thing that suffice was Indian food. Within minutes of searching Unilocal,we decided on Chauhan Ale & Masala House.
Finding on street parking right outside made parking a breeze, which from my experience in Nashville can be an expense ordeal. Once inside, I was blown away. Located in what appears to be an up and coming part of town, the exterior is rather unassuming. The interior, however, was trendy. Warm. Lush, even. We got lucky and were seated right away. Our server was with us quickly and was sweet as can be. She rambled through the specials and helped my table mate, who has some very challenging food allergies, decipher the menu. She patient and a god send! She went back and forth to the chef to make sure that what we ordered fit into my lovely’s guidelines.
We started with the Kale Pakora Chaat, substituting locus chips for the kale chips. The chips on their own were too salty, but once topped with the spiciness of the garbanzo beans and the freshness of the mint, they were perfect!
I ordered the Desi Fare with Paneer Vindaloo, but I may or may not have a paneer addiction and while curry was tempting, I was in the mood for spicy. It was absolute heaven. The right amount of spice and delicious flavor. The accompanying rice had been cooked in cream and was the perfect mate.
I would make this decision over, on repeat. The food was phenomenal. The service was top notch. It was a little pricy, but wine will do that to any bill.

I’ve been wanting to try this place forever but somehow always forget about it. Maybe because it’s tucked away from the opposite side of the Gulch where most of the other restaurants are.
I called at 6 PM to make reservations the day of just in case. We got there at 8:45, 15 minutes before our reservation, and we were pleasantly surprised to find street parking (although they do have complimentary valet parking), and we were seated immediately at a nice corner table in the back of the bar.
It took a while for someone to greet us and service was a little slow in general the entire time which seemed a little off since they weren’t that busy, but everything else was perfect. I love the atmosphere, and I want to sit in the main dining room when I return so I can get a better view of the videos being projected on the brick wall.
The food was phenomenal! We got the hot chicken pakoras which were so delicious and the perfect fusion of Indian and Nashville cuisine. The chicken is super tender white meat and the fried coating is so light you could eat a dozen of them and not feel guilty. Very different from the traditional fried batter used on Nashville hot chicken. The ghost pepper sauce is no joke!!! Unless you know you can handle hot and love it, stay away. Wonderful flavor but seriously on fire.
For entrees, my husband and I shared the chicken tikka masala and the vegetable korma with garlic Parmesan naan. The chicken tikka masala was the best I’ve ever had. I am snobby about my chicken and I don’t like dark meat. Most Indian food uses dark meat, but the tikka masala had the best, tender white meat chicken. It was perfection! We’ll definitely be back here.

I recently visited Nashville and my friend took me to Chauhan for a birthday dinner. I am so glad she did. The décor and ambiance was great and the food was so delicious. I am still thinking about my meal!
We had the garam masala pork belly and tandori chicken poutine as appetizers. For my meal I ordered from the desi fare menu: lamb korma with garlic parmesan naan. I loved every bite.

A part of me wants to give this place 5 stars (good food, trendy dark atmosphere, scenes of Bollywood projected on the brick wall), but the steep prices and other details are what ultimately docked Chauhan’s a star.
As faved about on Unilocal,we started with the Tikka Masala Poutine, which was absolutely out of this world. This was one of the most innovative ways to using tikka masala sauce that I’ve seen, though it makes sense. The savoriness of the sauce against the creamy cheese and slight crunch of the fries was delicious, but I wasn’t sure if it should have been priced at $ 11.
The beer flight was also pretty good, as most flights do. I don’t remember the names of all of them, but the amber ale was definitely my favorite. It complimented the fries and also the dishes to be mentioned.
We ordered (not remembering the exact names of the dishes) the seafood masala curry and the ribs. The curry was REALLY GREAT. All of the seafood was tender and not overdone, which is usually a problem in seafood curries. My one complaint was that there definitely was not enough rice to eat with the amount of curry they gave. The ribs were tender and juicy but perhaps a little too burnt for my taste. There was enough food, but I wish there could have a been more dedicated side dish that came with the ribs, not just a bed of smoked corn. Good thing we were too full for dessert, or we would have left broke.
On the way out, I noticed that there was valet parking available. I felt bad for the one guy working valet, standing on the opposite side of the street, alone, in 30 degree weather. Then I saw that valet constituted this guy parking your car on a slab of concrete behind him and felt even worse for him.

This place is so dope!
I stopped in while in town under the suggestion of my awesome cousin and cannot begin to thank her and everyone here at Chauhan!
We stopped in for a later than usual bite I suppose, and to check out some cocktails of course; the place was packed with an hour wait, we talked a little to some locals who were regulars and just as friendly as the staff. We decided to go to another bar to wait when a spot at this bar cleared up. Perfect! We are bar people anyway and dove right into this exciting menu.
While I wanted quite a few things it wasn’t difficult to decide on getting the pork belly to start and man oh man could we not have made a better choice! This melt in your mouth, spiced delight, was one of the most orgasmic apps you could imagine. I didn’t need the weird salad in the middle, they should probably put in a classic Indian sauce or make like a cilantro yogurt something … I dnno the pork belly was perfect so I’ll shut up. Perfect.
Perfect in every Porkbelly way!
The cocktails were so on point, my rye drink was served high and high in the as well but so darn tasty, the saffron IPA and whatever fruity ginger cocktail my girlfriend had was awesome too! Their taps are dominated by Mantra ales about an hour outside of the city. They were out of three beers and I was super disappointed as I was dead set on try the gose and the pucker something or other.
Man I’m still so upset about that.
Moving onto the dinner and skipping the kale my gf got (it was great, really, but… Dinner time!)
Chicken korma is my girlfriends favorite so we split it as we do and man was that great! I wish we had gotten a tiny bit more rice for the sauce we had left after the chicken quickly ran out but man was this dish good. We got the amazing side of garlic parm naan and you should too!
Don’t skip this place when in town; you will love the atmosphere, you will love the food. The service is great so drink the drinks, tip the awesome servers and skilled bartenders well and everyone leaves with a big smile.
I also had no idea when we stopped in the celebrity chef behind the place… Have fun y’all.

This place has stood the test of time.
Get the chicken korma. It’s fingerlicking good.
This is my go to place when I have guests over and show them how good the South can do Indian food.

I LOVED Chauhan. I went for dinner before the day before Christmas Eve with my boyfriend and his parents! Not only did I love the décor — but Chauhan was playing old Christmas movies (by projector) on the long brick wall of the restaurant (first the original Miracle on 34^th Street, then A Christmas Story)!
My boyfriend and I started our meal by sharing a flight of beers — they were all great, unique options. They also had wine and cocktails (I wanted to try everything!)
As long as you like Indian food, you’ll like Chauhan — they offer something for everyone: lots of veggie and seafood options!
We started with two appetizers: the Gol Guppa shots and the Amritsari fish and Masala Aloo chips! The chots were AMAZING. The mint cilantro water is CRACK. I wanted to drink it. The fish and chips was good (but not as good as the shots) — the fish was well-​fried and the fish and the chips were both very flavorful! They had several other appetizers we wanted to try — we had to work hard to narrow down what to try!
For our entrees, my boyfriend and I shared the coriander spiced salmon kababs and the chili paneer bhurjee relleno (fire-​roasted poblano, yogurt kadi suace, and potato rice cake). We liked the relleno, but thought that the salmon kababs were excellent! Just like with the appetizers, we had a hard time deciding what to order! (Malabari Seafood Cioppino, Catch of the Day, Beet Cauliflower Croquette… I could keep going)! We were too full for dessert!
I will DEFINITELY be back! I can’t wait to try new things (and get the Gol Guppa shots again)!

Overall, the most impressive restaurant I’ve seen open in Nashville in quite some time — at least the most unique. As a New Yorker who loves Indian food, I didn’t find that Chauhan offered something that evolves or transforms Indian cuisine — many of the dishes are slightly altered versions of the standards. Some of those standards are updated with current trendy additions like kale or with southern staples like okra. Yet, it is the appetizer menu that truly moves beyond the usual and offers diners with something truly innovative for Indian cuisine. I enjoyed a plate of crispy fried balls with an empty core filled with beans and other ingredients then eaten like a «shot» with a shot of cilantro juice. The result? An explosion of tastes in your mouth. (Warning: you must like cilantro).
I opened my meal with a beer that is made by the restaurant’s brewery. I live in Brooklyn. I work in Vermont. Both craft beer capitals. The wit beer with habanero and other flavors was one of the best beers I’ve tasted this year, and certainly one of the most memorable. I’m going to be searching for it everywhere.
While I did not find that the restaurant offers much that is truly new for Indian cuisine (unless you haven’t had Indian food), what it does offer is Indian in a beautiful trendy setting that does not fit the Indian restaurant stereotype at all. This is Indian for the 21^st century in a trendy town. Incredible framed portraits with moving images grace the brick walls. The colors in the room are relaxing and provocative. The music was fun. My server was delightful.
Epice and Chauhan Ale are two of my favorite restaurants of 2015, and both are in Nashville. Job well done. I’ll spread the gospel everywhere.

I’ve been here twice now and both times were positive experiences. Everyone is right about the kale chips, they are amazing. It’s not something I would have normally ordered, but the reviews had me curious, and it was a real winner.
I really liked my ribs entrée. It comes with the Mole and it was almost to flavorful. It was cooked to perfection. The ribs literally fell off the bone. My husband had the ribeye, and at $ 38, it’s a stellar value. It seems so strange that one of the best steaks in town is at an Indian restaurant. The steak is brined I think, super flavorful.
I also really appreciate the variety in the cocktail menu here. Very creative.
The only negative I will mention are the chairs. Life is fine if you are in a booth, but the chairs at the tables just aren’t made for anyone with more than a 36 inch waist. Pretty uncomfortable.

We stopped in here on a Sunday afternoon around 12:15pm. We’d done an Open Table reservation because we thought that bunch was going to be crazy. We found the restaurant to no be busy at all. The hostess greeted us & sat us at a table. The restaurant is located one street off of Broadway. The location is nice because it’s close to the main roads, but it’s not the best location because it’s around a lot of industrial stuff. Knowing how Nashville is growing (up) there will probably be a high rise across the street in that gravel lot in a few years.
Our server was a young lady who was very attentive & helpful. They serve water at the table in glass bottles, & thankfully the water is chilled. So many places now seem to be serving room temperature water (Bartaco, I’m looking at you). It was brunch & therefore they had a brunch menu. I wished they’d had the regular lunch menu as I’d been eyeing some chicken mushroom sliders online. Maybe next time. I picked the Elvis pancakes, peanut butter pancakes with bananas on top, served with bacon ($ 12). Phillip got the ‘What came first, the chicken or the egg’ which is potato hash, chicken tikka, fried egg, Texas toast ($ 14). We did the bacon chicken deviled eggs that is tikka masala, tandoori chicken & bacon ($ 9).
It didn’t take but 5 minutes for the deviled eggs to come out. You get five of them, or rather, 2 & a half eggs. At 9 bucks, that’s a joke in my opinion. I’m not sure if there was supposed to be chicken in the egg or maybe the egg is the chicken? A riddle perhaps? Anyway, they did have a slight tikka masala taste but were bland otherwise. Maybe more sweetness, maybe more saltiness? We both weren’t a fan of them. We should’ve got the kale chips like everyone raves about.
I was surprised with how large the portion was for my pancakes & bacon. Three, LARGE, fluffy peanut butter pancakes & five pieces of delicious bacon. After the 9 bucks for 2 eggs, I was thinking I wasn’t going to get much for 12 bucks but I was wrong. The pancakes were fluffy & had the right amount of sweetness with the syrup. I’m glad it came with bacon, even if it was candied because it help cut down on the sweetness. I was able to clean my plate, but just barely. I tried some of the chicken or the egg dish and it was good. The egg was cooked a little too long & wasn’t runny, but the flavor was good, maybe needed a little salt. They don’t have salt or pepper on the table which I find a little annoying. I really did enjoy my pancake & the atmosphere. We will be back.

One of my favorite things to do in any Indian restaurant is watch Bollywood movies on the TVs. I was pleasantly surprised to see this «tradition» sneak into Chauhan in the form of projected picture frames with moving films inside! The restaurant felt intimate, cool, and dark… kind of sexy! There was free valet parking, too.
We started our meal with drinks and apps. (Note: the menu changes seasonally and even daily, in case you don’t see these items when you go.) I believe my drink was the Moni and the Mule, with a delicious mint garnish. In fact, everyone’s drinks were on point. It’s no wonder, since their bartender won Eater’s Bartender of the Year for Nashville, ahead of folks from cocktail-​centric places like The Patterson House.
We also kicked off with some DELICIOUS lamb nachos. Yes, LAMB. I don’t even like lamb that much, and I was digging in. Can’t remember the name of these, but if you ever see them, GET THEM. We also ordered a double-​helping of the Masala Dabba and Tandoori bread. This was an experience, dipping bread into all of the spices and sauces. I think the mango was my favorite.
I can’t say no to anything involving duck fat or pork belly. I just can’t. In this case, I saw the Garam Masala Pork Belly on the menu, it was a must-​have. This pork belly was juicy and fatty, and the spices added a really unique flavor.
For my main dish, I had the Hyderabadi Ribeye, because it just seemed like something «different» to do for Indian food. (I mean, how much beef do you see at your typical Indian restaurant? Chauhan branches out and has a lot of fusion and other influences.) The ribeye was huge and tasty, and the sides were delicious.
That said, I was jealous that everyone else ordered what they typically would get at an Indian restaurant, using the Desi Fare section of the menu: pick a protein, and pick a sauce. I tried theirs, and it was just so delicious and filled with truly awesome spice! Next time I’ll get my cliché favorite Chicken Tikka Masala, because the sauce at Chauhan is extra special.
I left feeling completely fat and happy. Maneet’s restaurant is as delightful as she is!
I’d heard a couple of people say that they felt like the restaurant served Indian food «lite», but after visiting myself it feels to me like those folks wanted to find something wrong with it… probably because it’s associated with a celebrity chef. But to me, while we are regulars at House of India in Franklin, this food was a truly different experience. It had high-​end cocktails, fantastic ambiance, and really flavorful, aromatic food. It manages to be both Indian and Indian-​inspired, with a variety on the menu that would please just about anyone. I’m so glad for this entry on the scene in Nashville, a restaurant serving something different and creative, something other than farm-​to-​table «upscale Southern» fare.

I first tasted a snippet of what Chauhan might be like at a couple of different Unilocal events. I was excited to finally go here and check it out. And it was good enough that I went back again within a month or so… and honestly, I’d go every week if my wallet and my ass could handle it!
First off, you need some reservations. They take them on OpenTable but if none are available, just call the restaurant. They also seat people in the bar area and if you don’t mind sitting there at tall tables then you can likely get in even if you call same day.
The ambiance is dark and kind of sexy. Exposed brick with Bollywood movies projected on the wall (pretty cool how they project in different sizes and with «frames» around them so they look like paintings on the wall almost). As for dress, you can wear jeans in here with a sassy shirt, but wouldn’t feel out of place dressed up either.
Menu consists of items that are kind of Indian fusion (like ribeye or lamb with Indian spices, a chili paneer bhurjee relleno, etc.) and then Desi fare where you pick your meat and your sauce. Note they also have brunch which looks to have some unique items with Indian flair. I’ve been for dinner only, but I assume that lunch and brunch are equally as delicious.
On to the food! OH MY GOD. I had a hard time not ordering the same exact thing both times I was there, but I managed to switch it up a little… but not much. For the appetizer I have had the kale pakora chaat which consists of crispy kale chips with spicy garbanzo, tamarind, mint, and yogurt underneath. I like to crush up the kale into it and eat it. The flavors are so rich and somewhat spicy but not too hot. I love this so much I got it on both visits.
For the entrees I basically stick to the Desi fare. The sauces are listed in order from mildest (tikka masala) to spiciest (vindaloo). I ordered the lamb vindaloo, served with rice, and a side of naan. First, this is really spicy. But in a GOOD WAY… flavorful, not burning your tongue but definitely too spicy for some people to stand. It was DIVINE. It was HEAVENLY. I sopped up every last bit with my naan. The next time I got chicken bhunna, which is a curry that is right under the vindaloo in spice level. And IT WAS ALSO DIVINE. I cannot even stress how much I like these two items. I may never be able to order anything else. I want to go there right now. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention they have good cocktails and a decent wine selection as well.
So I basically love this place. It is my favorite new restaurant in Nashville and definitely the best one I’ve visited this year. Even if you «don’t like Indian food» (which is crazy, I don’t even understand you), you will likely find some food here that will open your mind and maybe make you a fan.

I had been putting off trying Chauhan as I wasn’t sure if the fiancée would like it. This was a great place to break her into Indian as after looking at the menu it was half fusion as well. We showed up early when they opened for $ 5 drinks at the bar area. The vibe there is very hip and fun while casually up scale. They have projectors projected Bollywood movies on brick with the outside being a picture frame which is cool. For a starter we got Tandoori chicken poutine which is French fries and cheese with a curry sauce over it. A tasty start. I got a stuffed pepper which was very good although small. She got a traditional lamb meal which was quite good. I ordered some extra Naan for me to dip into her lamb meal. The app was on happy hour as well. It was a great meal at a cool location.

Chauhan’s is the perfect introduction to the essentials of Indian cuisine. Everything tastes authentic sans the heat level which is dialed down for the Western palate. My party ordered a slew of appetizers and we thoroughly enjoyed all of them but the chicken tikka poutine was the star! It is simply one of the best poutines I have ever had! The gol gapa shots were my next favorite.
We didn’t try any of the Southern fusion entrées because the desi fare looked so promising. We ordered the chicken korma, chicken bhunna, and vegetable korma. All three were incredibly rich and flavorful. The portions were generous and we had plenty for our doggie bag.
Other thoughts:
Mango lassi hit the spot, raita did not. Naans were excellent. Chutneys and butters were also great.
Our server Asha was an absolute delight.
The Bollywood videos being projected on the wall were a great aesthetic enhancement. The fireplace is beautiful and I want one just like that for my home.

Incredibly delicious chicken korma, chicken tikka masala, naan, and mango lassi. We had reservations and were seated right away (early diner, 5:30 on a Saturday). The hostess was pleasant. The interior is very unique and trendy, pretty cool. The chairs weren’t too comfortable.
The food is the real star, it was fresh, delicious, and well… delicious.
I would not hesitate to stop in here again and if I lived in Nashville I could very well become a regular.

Our first visit was fantastic. I got the meat and 3 which came with the lamb. The flavors were perfect with a delicious blend of spicy, sweet and savory. We started off with the chili cheese kulcha, which was like a spicy, Indian quesadilla. So good! There’s also a nice beer and drink selection.
Definitely try this place out. Make sure to make a reservation.

I had the Kashmiri Spiced Braised Lamb Shank. The meat was very tender, and the caramelized onion and almond sauce on it was simply divine. I’ve never been very big on lamb, but I was definitely a fan of theirs.
My boyfriend ordered the Chef’s platter, without meat, and he seemed to enjoy it very much!
The restaurant has nice ambiance, dark and romantic lighting. The food was good, and the service was good. And on top of that, it was a pretty neat experience knowing that its Maneet Chauhan’s restaurant!

So I’ll start out this review by saying that I love love love Indian food. It is my favorite cuisine! That being said, I am half Pakistani, so I’ve been raised to love this type of food! My family and I are frequent visitors of Sitar but it’s not an upscale dining experience. CAMH is not only a place to get good food, but also such a wonderful environment. I literally ate there an hour ago. The first thing I wanted to do when I got back was write a review on this magnificent place.
So we came here for Father’s Day. I made a reservation a week in advance. You don’t have to have one, but I would highly recommend it. The atmosphere is great! It is a very ambient environment. They turned an old brick warehouse into an interesting restaurant! We were immediately seated in a spacious booth (request it when you make your reservation) that was super comfy and even had pillows! They had old Bollywood videos projected onto the brick walls which was a fun touch!
Here is what we ordered!
Apps:
Gol Guppa Shots: I had never had them, but they were so different! They give you these crunchy and hollow ball things that have potatoes and chick peas in them. You then pour in a cilantro mint water and eat them! Soooo different and good!
Chicken pakoras: my favorite item of the night! They come with a ghost pepper sauce that is so spicy and delicious!
Meal:
Chicken Tikka Masala and Salmon Kabob! Both tasty. I think two people could easily share one order of the masala. We had a bunch of leftovers. The rice, daal and naan were delicious!
Dessert:
Keer Sundae, which is a rice pudding Sunday with a gulab jamon on top! And we got another desert that had Carmel ice cream, cardamom cupcake and garam masala cake pop. That was the only purchase I regretted. It wasn’t worth the ten bucks.
One of my favorite parts of the night was the tea service. They brought our masala tea in a cute pit with little cups.
For two appetizers, three entrees, several sides and two desserts is was about 150 bucks for three people. So it wasn’t cheap, but most certainly was delicious!