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Best Butter Chicken in Minneapolis (2026)

12rooms ranked
August 2026last updated
Kou Thao
By Kou Thao Staff Writer · Top of Minneapolis · Scores from Issue № 137 · How the score is built
Best Butter Chicken in Minneapolis (2026)

Butter chicken in Minneapolis runs from Northeast takeout counters to skyway lunch lines and stadium-village storefronts. This roundup sticks to the Minneapolis city limits and judges each room on the curry itself: how the tomato base is built, how the tandoor chicken comes out, and what the rice and naan are doing alongside it.

№ 01

Gorkha Palace Indian Cuisine

23 4th St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55414 +16128863451

Gorkha Palace Indian Cuisine Photo via Yelp

Northeast regulars order the chicken tikka masala here first and the buff momo second. The tomato base runs tender and well seasoned, the rice portion is generous, and takeout orders during dinner rush still land in about twenty minutes. It is a go-to for a neighborhood that keeps coming back for the same two dishes, and for good reason.

What to orderchicken tikka masala, buff momo, lamb
Scored from the full review record
№ 02

Namaste Cafe

2512 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55405 +16128272496

Namaste Cafe Photo via Yelp

Samosas and chicken tikka masala anchor a menu that has held loyal customers for years. The room is small and warm, which makes it a fixture for birthday dinners and other group occasions where advance ordering and attentive service matter. Long-term regulars treat it as their default Indian order in Minneapolis, not an occasional stop.

What to ordersamosa, chicken tikka masala, naan
Scored from the full review record
№ 03

Clay Oven Minneapolis

1027 S Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55415 +16128871075

Clay Oven Minneapolis Photo via Yelp

Tandoori chicken and butter chicken share the spotlight, with naan built to scoop both. Delivery orders arrive hot even an hour out, a sign the kitchen holds temperature well. Quality reads as consistent across most visits, though a few orders land less evenly than others, making this a dependable rather than flawless choice for a Minneapolis butter chicken fix.

What to ordertandoori chicken, butter chicken, naan
Scored from the full review record
№ 04

India Kutir

3621 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406 +16122242022

India Kutir Photo via Yelp

India Kutir holds a spot on the Minneapolis Indian map among rooms built for straightforward curry orders. Without published specifics on its signature plates, it stands as one to check firsthand for how its butter chicken and accompanying breads compare to the neighborhood's established counters and dinner rooms.

Scored from the full review record
№ 05

Hello! Hyderabad Nicollet Ave Minneapolis

6009 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55419 +16125843357

Hello! Hyderabad Nicollet Ave Minneapolis Photo via Yelp

Biryani and curry dominate a small, mostly takeout room on Nicollet where ordering ahead saves time. First-time visitors notice the kitchen's aromatics before the food even hits the table, and the flavor has drawn repeat lunch orders from people who forgot to pack their own. A dependable stop for a fast, well-seasoned meal.

What to orderbiryani, samosa, curry
Scored from the full review record
№ 06

Hello! Hyderabad Fridley

765 53rd Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55421 +17633108634

Hello! Hyderabad Fridley Photo via Yelp

This location extends the Hello! Hyderabad name into Fridley, sitting outside Minneapolis proper but worth noting for anyone tracking the brand's biryani and curry work across the metro. Specific dish details for this room were not available, so it is best treated as a satellite to check against the Nicollet Avenue original.

Scored from the full review record
№ 07

Kadai Indian Kitchen - Skyway

601 S Marquette Ave, Ste 200, Minneapolis, MN 55402 +12564722545

Kadai Indian Kitchen - Skyway Photo via Yelp

The kadai chicken and chicken tikka masala combo, paired with spiced rice and naan, makes this skyway counter a downtown lunch fixture. Portions in the lunch combo run generous for the price, and the flavor has drawn comparisons from diners who eat internationally for work. Worth leaving the skyway for on a weekday break.

What to orderkadai chicken, chicken tikka masala, naan
Scored from the full review record
№ 08

Hello! Hyderabad North Loop

430 North 1st Ave, Ste 150, Minneapolis, MN 55401 +16122008081

Hello! Hyderabad North Loop Photo via Yelp

The North Loop outpost of Hello! Hyderabad joins its Nicollet and Fridley siblings under the same brand, presumably built around the same biryani and curry lineup. No independent dish details surfaced for this specific room, so it reads as another access point to the chain's Hyderabadi cooking rather than a distinct destination.

Scored from the full review record
№ 09

Channa Kitchen

2940 Harriet Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408 +16125683342

Channa Kitchen Photo via Yelp

Roti, channa, and a weekend bake and shrimp platter set this room apart from the metro's butter chicken pack entirely, serving Trinidadian home cooking instead. Curry fries and pholourie round out the specials. It is a reminder that Minneapolis's Indian-adjacent food scene runs wider than North Indian curry, and this counter fills that Trinidadian niche well.

What to orderroti, channa, bake and shrimp platter
Scored from the full review record
№ 10

Kumar's Express Stadium Village

815 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414 +16124897037

Kumar's Express Stadium Village Photo via Yelp

The thali plate here draws attention first for its plating, a bright sampler letting diners taste several curries at once. Combo specials keep prices low near the University of Minnesota, and the chicken tikka masala holds its own within that variety. A useful stop for anyone near Stadium Village wanting range over a single dish.

What to orderthali, samosa, chicken tikka masala
Scored from the full review record
№ 11

Spice & Tonic - Indian Cuisine & Bar

903 S Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55415 +16123339020

Spice & Tonic - Indian Cuisine & Bar Photo via Yelp

Chicken makhani comes out rich and well balanced, paired with naan strong enough to carry the sauce on its own. The downtown room occupies an older building with a rustic, unshowy interior, and it has built a following among after-work and post-gym groups who return for both the food and the familiar service.

What to ordersamosa, chicken makhani, naan
Scored from the full review record
№ 12

Darbar India Grill & Bar

1221 W Lake St, Ste 106, Minneapolis, MN 55408 +16128223300

Darbar India Grill & Bar Photo via Yelp

Malai kofta and chicken tikka masala are the dishes regulars order first, often in bulk for family gatherings or groups of eight to ten. Portions run generous for the price, and service gets credit for friendly recommendations, though delivery orders have occasionally arrived missing requested utensils. Best suited to bigger tables and shared plates.

What to orderMalai Kofta, Chicken Tikka Masala, Biryani
Scored from the full review record

Frequently asked

What is the best butter chicken in Minneapolis right now?
Based on the Insider Score, Gorkha Palace Indian Cuisine and Clay Oven Minneapolis stand out for consistent, well seasoned tomato-based curry, with Namaste Cafe close behind for its long track record with regulars. No restaurant pays to be listed here; placement follows the Insider Score alone.
Where can I find good Indian food near me in Minneapolis?
This list spans Northeast, downtown skyway, Nicollet Avenue, North Loop, and Stadium Village, so there is likely a strong option near me no matter which part of Minneapolis someone is searching from. Each entry names its actual neighborhood so readers can match distance to craving.
Is butter chicken the same as chicken tikka masala?
They are related but distinct: butter chicken uses a butter and cream forward tomato sauce, while chicken tikka masala adds more spice depth to a similar tomato base. Several rooms on this list, including Gorkha Palace and Clay Oven, serve both, letting diners compare directly.
Are any of these restaurants outside Minneapolis city limits?
Hello! Hyderabad Fridley sits in Fridley, a separate suburb, not within Minneapolis. The rest of the list is located inside Minneapolis proper, and each entry names its real city rather than blurring it with the metro's other municipalities.
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The data first, then the verdict

We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →

Kou Thao
Kou Thao
Staff Writer · Top of Minneapolis

Kou Thao is the St. Paul & Corridors Editor at Top of Minneapolis. Born in St. Paul and raised in Frogtown, he grew up working the family egg-roll stand at Hmongtown Marketplace. He covers the marketplaces, University Avenue, the East Side and West Side, and every corridor counter worth the trip across the river.

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