I've always been pretty stand-offish when it comes to Indian food. Co-workers would have to force me to get it and the dishes I've tried in the past (while OK) were not what I consider "great" food.
Today Dusmesh has turned me into a full blown foaming at the mouth Indian food addict. Chicken Vindaloo level 4 spiciness was cooked to perfection. It was so good it put me in this euphoric mood the rest of the day... or maybe it was the endorphins released from the spiciness... EITHER WAY this place is awesome.
I want to get in the DeLorean and go back to 2009 so I can prevent myself from being so ignorant of good Indian food and depriving myself of all those excellent lunches I could have been eating here. To top it off it's served and cooked by some of the most hospitable staff I've ever encountered. I haven't even tried the 8$ all you can eat buffet yet which according to others is the "best" thing about Dusmesh. So I can't wait for that...
Add this to your lunch rotation if you are anywhere even remotely nearby. You won't be sorry you did.
Dusmesh is a great place and has some special options. I believe them to be the only ones who offer a full vegetable tandoori (not just paneer), my favorite dish! I have probably been there for a variety of different occasions (birthdays, date night, girls night out..etc) and have left satisfied everytime.
The servers are attentive and one of the servers has actually started to remember me..even though I only eat at Dusmesh about every 3 months.
The decor is average, the restaurant is small, and the parking lot can probably fit only 12 cars at best. This can be tricky during prime meal times.
The buffet is probably what prevents me from giving 5 stars, the buffet is fine, and I have eaten it plenty of times, but really it is just average. The menu food is stellar, go for that!
To wrap this review up, I have to mention a joke we have about Dusmesh. The tandoori dishes come out smoking (highly recommmend these tandoori dishes!). So when they serve one, the dining area also gets a bit smoky and spicy, so we always say, "food, spice level 2, air, spice level 5."
High quality and delicious!
I'm pretty much a newbie when it comes to Indian fare (I've only been eating it regularly for a little over three years now), so I've probably not had more than five different Indian eateries in the Cincinnati area. They've been pretty great ones, though, so I like to think I have a pretty good idea how to compare (by "great" I mean Ambar, Baba, Shaan, and Taj Mahal in addition to Dusmesh for reference).
I'd heard a multitude of great things about Dusmesh--most notably that it is largely the favorite, as far as Indian places in the area go--so Date and I figured, hey, we both love Indian food, so what the hell.
[Disclaimer: because I typically get the same dish at every restaurant (Matar Paneer--a vegetarian north Indian dish featuring paneer and peas in a slightly sweet and spicy sauce), it's hard not to compare how each establishment produces that particular dish. My review will likely reflect that.]
Location: Conveniently located next to highways (I-75, I-74, and the Lateral) across from Cincinnati State Community College, at the bottom of Clifton, and the top of Northside. More importantly, Dusmesh features a lot, which boasts unprecedented ease in the parking department (at least compared to other Clifton Indian eateries).
Atmosphere: Located in what I presume to be an older home, Dusmesh is special in the fact that it doesn't provide the same dull, tired, repeated Indian restaurant décor experience (see: every other Indian restaurant I've been to). There is quite a bit of character and there is a ton of seating for when they have higher volume crowds. The ambience was relaxed and casual, yet pretty quiet, providing a great atmosphere for either a date, small group, or even a larger party.
Food: The food is pretty great, and I quite enjoyed my Matar Paneer, even if it was not quite as flavorful as its Ambar competitor's (note: the Paneer, or mild cheese, was pretty fabulous, even if the sauce wasn't entirely up to snuff). The rice was outstanding, as well as the Garlic Naan that Date and I opted for. All around a very good culinary experience.
Overall Grade: B [out of a possible A+]
My personal favorite Indian food remains Ambar India, but Dusmesh is definitely doing something right, and it's right up there with my other favorite Indian place. Great, attentive service; delicious food; and nice atmosphere.
Wow, this place is definitely a great neighborhood find. Â First, if you have some vegan Indian food loving friends (or if that's you), you should definitely come here as they can tailor most dishes to your needs and they do so without ever missing a beat...or at least to my admittedly not very trained Indian palate. Â
For your carnivores out there, definitely try out the goat curry. Â The flavor is great but the way the goat falls off of the bone is even better. Â Also, the pieces of naan are huge so don't order too much of that and fill up on it. Â
Lastly, it's BYOB, does it really get any better than that?
Stop everything you are doing and get over to Dusmesh right now, order the Chicken Makhani and you can die happy. The Chicken Makhani is a dish with raisins, nuts, tomatoes and onions and angel dust. I might have tried to lick the bowl clean it was so delicious. I thought I had eaten a delicious Indian meal before, but I was wrong. Dusmesh is now one of my favorite places to eat Indian food.
Review Source:I'd heard about this place from a co-worker who had nothing but great things to say about the food and the staff at Dusmesh. I was happy to finally check it out and see that it was all that my co-worker said it would be.
I had the Dushmesh's Special and it was wonderful. Perfectly seasoned and just the right amount of heat I was hoping for. And the portion was very generous. I also tried the saag paneer and it was very flavorful. As others have said, the nan comes in 2 large pieces, larger than I was expecting or needed, but it was tasty as always.
I think this food is definitely a step or two up from some of the other Indian restaurants in the area and is definitely worth checking out. It can get crowded on the weekends, so making a reservation is a good idea.
If I could give this restaurant 10 stars, I would. I had the Saag Paneer and the Vegetarian Appetizer Sampler, which consisted of 5 or so veggie apps. I also sampled a few different styles of naan. Each dish was more delicious than the last!
I was there for dinner and even though they were busy the service was great! Everyone had a smile on their face and was more than willing to help. The whole vibe was very welcoming.
Not only did they have great service and food, but it's BYOB with no additional fee for bringing your own alcohol. I brought a bottle of wine to share, which made the evening even better.
After a successful dinner here, I went back for their lunch buffet. This is quite a steal for all of the food you're offered. The food was good too!
If you love Indian food, you should give Dusmesh a try!
I have never eaten at Dusmesh until today. I have always heard people talk about how it is their favorite Indian restaurant to eat at, so I gave it a try. I arrived around 11 a.m. for the lunch buffet when everything was still being brought out. The waiter was very friendly when I walked in and was very attentive to my table even though I was only eating off the buffet.
 The buffet has a large selection of Indian food and everything is very hot and fresh. I tried a little bit of everything on the buffet. I can't recall what it is called but they had this really good mushroom dish that I hadn't had anywhere else before.
 I will be back here and I will be sure to tell others to come here too!
I'm a really big Ambar fan, but lately I tend to choose Dusmesh for a couple of reasons. One, it's BYOB, so we can get out of there with a much smaller bill. Two, truthfully, everything on their menu is better than Ambar's except the nav rattan korma and their salted lasses.
Now, if I had a last meal, it would probably be an Ambar nav rattan korma and salted lasses, so sometimes a girl just needs to go there.
On the other hand, if I'm craving Dusmesh's kashmiri nan (not even on the menu at Ambar), and I almost always am, there's nothing to satisfy my craving but Dusmesh.
Let's put it this way. They are my two favorite Indian restaurants and they each have advantages. They are both near and dear to my heart.
With some things in life I am easy to please and Dusmesh caters to that sentiment. Â I have had the pleasure of frequenting this establishment on several occasions and have yet to be disappointed. Â The Tikka Masala and Chicken Vindaloo are delicious and served perfectly with some freshly baked naan used as my utensil of choice. Â I also love the fact that you are able to bring your own spirits without a corking fee. Â Service here is great and one can hardly put their cup of water down before it is refilled and the food is served very quickly even when dining with a large group. Â Needless to say I would highly recommend Dusmesh as a great place for a casual dining experience or for a large group looking for great food and a place to have a few drinks on a budget.
Review Source:Mediocre food with a friendly staff. In Clifton, there are several different Indian restaurants. Myself and a date tried this place at about 9 PM last night (Saturday). We were seated in the front room which is nicer than the back room, which does not have a good feel to it. I ordered a vegetarian sampler. The food was not at all interesting: not especially good, not bad. The food at the nearby Ambar is much better. Ambar's ambience is marginally worse because the tables are closer together and parking is occasionally more difficult.
At 10 PM, even though we were still eating, we were told that that restaurant was closing and that they would put our food in  boxes if we wished.
No Indians were eating there, although there is a large Indian community in the neighborhood. And, Indians frequently drive across the city to eat at one of the other nearby Indian restaurants.
In summary: I recommend trying someplace else if you have a yen to eat Indian.
I'm an Indian food fiend and this is the best Indian outside of Bombay! The staff is very friendly, the food is gourmet, and it's a casual environment with great prices. They don't have a liquor license, but they don't mind if you bring your own drinks. In fact they encourage it, and they don't charge an uncorking fee!
Review Source:This is by far the best Indian restaurant in Cincinnati. Forget all the others! The staff here are VERY friendly, the food is always amazing and you aren't stuck at the table waiting for an hour. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and meat-eating friendly! Big servings too.
Also, the option to bring alcohol with no corking fee is awesome. Makes for a more affordable meal... and more affordable equals more enjoyable.
I went here for a Friday lunch buffet with my girlfriend on the basis of really positive reviews here on yelp.
Sadly the food didn't really live up to billing.
To be honest the food is very very "watered down" or in general modified to suit the American palette and it isn't really "authentic Indian food" anymore, and that was kind of my main gripe.
It was non-spicy Indian food lacking in any of the subtlety of flavor that I would expect from a place so highly rated. Looking at their clientele (who to Dushmesh's credit all looked like regulars on the basis of their interactions with the restaurant staff) I noticed that we were the only people of Indian-origin there, that probably says a lot :)
Specifics :
+ Egg "Bhurji" was nice
+ Their Pakoras were really good, especially the spinach ones which went really well with the chutneys that were quite were tasty themselves!
+ The Naan when fresh was quite nice
+ Aloo-Gobi was good
- I found everything else pretty poor
- The broccoli chicken : seriously under cooked chicken and terrible terrible amounts of food-color. I would recommend avoiding that like the plague!
- Chicken dishes were very so so. Tandoor chicken was poor and once again too much artificial food color!
- Desserts : seriously terrible. Kheer is supposed to be rice AND milk. Not just some overly sweetened milk :( . Gulab-Jamun : the lesser said the better. I felt like they would be better served just putting out some decent ice-cream and fruits instead!
Bottom Line :
I would NOT recommend Dushmesh to someone seeking authentic Indian fare, and would point them in the direction of Ambar a little further up Ludlow.
On the other hand I can see how someone who doesn't enjoy more authentic Indian food, looking for "Americanized Indian food" would enjoy this place.
Though Shaan is a close second, Dusmesh continues to be our favorite Indian restaurant in town.
Dusmesh Indian Restaurant is located in Clifton, near the Cincinnati State college campus. Drive past the other popular Indian mainstays on Ludlow Avenue, past Apna, Ambar and Amol. Continue for another mile and Dusmesh is on the right.
My favorite item on the menu is easily the Lamb Vindaloo --vibrant, spicy, with tender hunks of meat. Â Their Kashmiri Naan is one of the most unique and delicious forms of naan I've ever tried. Â It's filled with nuts, coconut and dried fruit, lending a blissful sweet/salty compliment to any dish.
Full review:  <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincinnatibites.com%2Freviews%2Fdusmesh-indian-restaurant%2F&s=fe9b5a4ab80c0cd7300477313ec824266c095ad6401ba5e84a2b330ab5065ca3" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.cincinnatibit…</a>
We went on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and the place was packed. They were greatly understaffed, but they were working their tails off. Â The food was great, with me ordering the chicken vindaloo, and my date the lamb Rogan josh. We also split a garlic nan. I will say that their food is great, although the spices were a little varying. For example a 5 is not the same 5 for every dish.
 The food was delicious and the price was reasonable. I would recommend this place to anyone.
After a quick trip to the zoo, my family and I decided to get some lunch near Clifton and the University of Cincinnati. We quickly remembered the large number of Indian restaurants in the area and decided to give one of them a try. We settled on Dusmesh, which just might be the highest rated Indian in the city.
Dusmesh isn't as close to campus as other Indian places, but would it be worth the extra drive? It does sit across the street from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. The building itself appears to be an old house that has been modified into a rather large dining area when compared to other Indian restaurants we have visited. Google maps shows a different outside color, so it seems that the outside was painted somewhat recently.
There are two main dining rooms, and we were sat in the street side room, which was relatively empty compared to the other room. The other room also contained the lunch buffet, the main reason for our visit. We were quickly offered water by our server and he asked if we would like anything else to drink. The restaurant does not serve alcohol, but you can bring your own.
I started with a large serving of chicken tikka masala, chicken & broccoli, and some mixed vegetable pakora (clockwise from bottom). First of all the pakora were delicious, easily the best I've had. This was my first experience with an Indian style chicken and broccoli dish and I really enjoyed it. It was a bit sweet at first taste, but comes through with a nice kick of spice at the end. The sweetness was a little much on my second plate, so I don't know if I would order it as an entrée, but I did enjoy it at first. The chicken tikka masala was also good, but I wish it was a bit spicier. I would definitely consider ordering it as an entrée and spicing it up a notch.
My wife sampled a lot more of the food than I did with her first plate. From what I can remember the real standout of her choices was the mushroom saag (at the top of her plate). We've had other saag dishes before, but the mushroom was new to us and it was very tasty. This was easily the favorite of our toddler son. The buffet itself cost just $8.50 each, which I feel is a great price for a lot of excellent quality food. We will be back.
There's no doubt the food here is good. The first sign is a PACKED parking lot. Yes, a busy restaurant is always a good sign. I've been here twice before - once for dinner quite some time ago and once for the lunch buffet. Both of those experiences were pre-Yelp. Tonight's dinner rocked my world.
We started with the vegetarian sampler and some papadum. The papadum was fresh, warm and crispy with a hint of heat. The vegetable samosas were SO fresh - a big difference from eating them at a buffet (no, not comparing to the Dusmesh buffet). The sampler came with other things Indian. I am obviously not an expert. I eat a lot of Indian food, but I don't pay too much attention to the names of things. Each item was quite delicious.
I ordered Saag Paneer for dinner because I always do. We shared a chef special naan. My dinner was out of this world. I've eaten saag paneer across the continent. This was truly the most amazing saag paneer I've ever had. As I was eating it I thought, "pay attention to details so you can report back to Yelp". Well of course I didn't. I am not really all that good at delving into the detail of the spice, flavor, mouthfeel, etc. All I know is the saag paneer at Dusmesh put me in a plate-licking mood. Did I? Well of course not. I'm not that uncouth! But by golly it was extraordinary. My partner LOVED his chicken vindaloo. He came away with the same feeling, "That was amazingly good and so much better than any other Indian restaurant food".
For Indian in Cincinnati, and there are a LOT of places from which to choose, Dusmesh is THE place or Indian cuisine.
And if you're so inclined, BYOB.
This is my favorite Indian joint that I have tried in Cincinnati. Mind you, I've only been to about 5, but this is definitely good no matter how many restaurants you've tried.
I've had a variety of their dishes, all wonderful, and their naan is excellent.
I can't really give any more specific comments. I always do takeout and while the service has been nice in this sense, it's not much to go by. But seriously though, you can't beat this from my experience.
I really dig Dusmesh.
We moved fromt he Boston area in September 2011 and had our favorite places for Indian food there; we have tried a few other places here in Cincinnati and this is my favorite.
It is set apart from the more bustling portion of Clifton, which I actually like, since it has been pretty easy for us to park in Dusmesh's parking lot.
The service is great and so is the food. Our standard order here is Aloo Chole (chick peas) for my wife and Nav Rattan korma for me (vegetables and paneer in a somewhat creamy sauce that resembles tikka masala sauce but with a different flavor), some naan, some vegetable samosa, and some papardam. Delicious!
We bring our 2-year-old daughter (chicken pakora for her) and the staff is great with her; I feel like this place is quite kid-friendly. We tend to do earlier dinners with her and I notice the early crowd has a pretty big kid-contingent.
The place is BYOB and people at various tables around us were enjoying beer and wine they had brought.
I have not tried the buffet.
Last night I tried this place again for the first time in 7 years. Â I'm told that the restaurant has changed hands at least once since then and it showed.
I was a bit skeptical of all the favorable reviews and I am a big fan of Ambar which is right up the hill, but I found that everything about this place was well executed.
I was running about five minutes late for my date, but when I arrived, having never seen me before in their lives, the staff knew who I was, called me by name and led me to a booth in the corner where my date had already been seated. Â The staff is extremely friendly and greets you with smiles and warmth and does not seem to let any sort of language or cultural barriers come between them and their clientele.
Once seated we opened a bottle of red wine that my date had brought. Â The server at Dusmesh was kind enough to provide us with the necessary utensils to cork and serve our BYO bottle.
For dinner, I ordered the Bhatura and Lamb Korma- my date had the Panir. Â Dusmesh uses the 1 to 6 spice level scale that I think all Cincinnatians are now accustomed to. Â The Lamb Korma was excellent! Â At spice level 3, the Korma was spicy but it did not detract from the taste which was perfect. Â The Panir I felt had a bit too much of a spicy after taste (spice level 5). Â The Bhatura tasted like Bhatura.
Overall the cost for our meal was VERY reasonable. Â $26.00 (before tip and taxes) for two meals and the bread. Â I would say the cost was significantly lower than at Ambar and that the food was of the same high quality.
The only thing I would take away from this place is that going on a Thursday night they closed at 10:00 and you could tell that the servers wanted to get going. Â The music was turned off right at ten and everyone was wearing their coats, so we did feel a bit rushed, despite the fact that they had otherwise been keenly hospitable.
Aside from that, this was an A+ experience and I will return soon.
Please don't ask me to go to Dusmesh. My mother said, "if you don't have anything good to say about something, don't say it." I simply must explain and move on, in this case, back to Akash.
Disappointedly, after almost three years of dinner at Dusmesh every three or four days, we've been told, by Mya and AJ's mom, that we "always complain." Hmmm ... on an average, that's easily $75-$100 a week in receipts. Most independent restauranteurs would not dispel the significance of regular customers and those friends they introduce to the cuisine. And, let's remember, they do not have a liquor license, so that sum doesn't enter that  equation.
Last Saturday, we suggested meeting friends for dinner. Other restaurants were mentioned but we decided on Dusmesh. Our experience was a dissapointment- and, I'll admit, again. I say "again" because we have "complained" on three occasions over the years.
Our first occasion focused on one of three (99% of the time, we get 3 not 2 for two people) entrees having long hairs in it. They were on my plate (ewwww!) We did not make a scene, calling staff to the table. There was no apology forthcoming, the first thing out of their mouth was "what color is it?" No apology was made or any restitution, "oh, we will tell the kitchen to wear hair nets."
Their second failure resulted from mention that reservations could be made. We called on a Friday night to make reservations. The mother seated a couple without reservations in a booth that would have been ours had our reservations been viewed as " an arrangement whereby something, esp. a seat or a room, is booked for a particular person or persons.
Although there were some other questionable moments in the service, our third "complaint" occurred when my husband was enjoying our Saag Choley. Chewing, he  discovered sharp metal in his mouth. We called Mya over, again, no apologies, did not take the plate. She said, "oh, that is from the dish washer." A few minutes later, the mother came over and repeated, ostensibly, the same thing. "That is from the dish washer's (metal scrubby.)"  The bill was presented, the plate was finally taken away. No apologies, no offer of restitution was made, nothing.
Our party was clearly over... my husband said to the mother on the way out the door "I don't think you handled this matter properly. What if it was a roach?" She again, offered no apologies, just wanted him out the door while she whined "oh you, you complain all the time!"
One of our dining companions equated the experience to the action one must make to draw liquids through a straw. I think you get the point.
We had been supportive of this small family run business... we will not be back.
As far as me and the missus are concerned Dusmesh has - for several years now - vastly out-buffeted the other lunchtime Indian buffets in Greater Cincy by a bazillion miles.
I was a little loathe to Yelp it until I had also tasted its evening dinner menu, a problem resolved during my recent birthday week. Yes, a week... got a problem with that?
Some friends wanted to come down from Dayton and treat me to a meal with Indian food being their preference. I was certainly not about to argue, suggesting Dusmesh which they said they had wanted to try because they had already heard good things about it.
Located opposite the Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Dusmesh does not immediately look like a restaurant, almost invisible unless you happen to notice the car park adjacent to it. It is, frankly, somewhat isolated from everything but the college, but that's not to say it doesn't get the business it deserves. Its reputation has evidently grown by leaps and bounds since it opened a few years back... despite initially 'suffering' because it took over the property once occupied by another Indian restaurant with poor food and service.
The lunchtime buffet is always a rotating selection of popular favorites : Chicken Tikka Masala, Vindaloo, Chicken & Broccoli, curries, various veggie aloos, naan breads and, with a nod to the unadventurous eaters, Indian style meatballs. Nothing is over-spiced, the 'office crowd' accommodated perfectly... after all who wants to sit at a desk with 'curry breath' or ... erm... 'curry bottom' the rest of the afternoon? It's 10 bucks for all-you-can-eat and has to be one of the very best bargains in the city environs.
The evening dinner service has a completely different vibe. Table service is impeccable, no question you might have for the staff too difficult for them to answer with confidence. It does seem expensive compared to the buffet, especially initial impressions when your dishes are brought to the table. They seem... well... I suppose 'tiny' is the word I am ungraciously looking for?!
Please, don't let that fool you. Not everything has to be about quantity. This is quality, and once you start tucking in you realize that what you have been served is more than enough food than you need.
My veggie wife had her favorite Navratan Korma deeming it "even finer than the lunchtime version" whilst I opted for the Chicken Makhani. It was very very tasty indeed, both of our dishes doubtless improved by being given a little bit of a kick spice-wise. (Choose your own level from 1 to 10)
Dusmesh does not have a license but they allow you to bring your own booze to enjoy with your meal. We took a handful of chilled beers, but we saw other tables with their own wine and that adds considerable value - not having to pay through the nose for your preferred drinks.
Our Dayton friends reported it was amongst the best Indian food they had ever tried, it was certainly worth their drive and that they would definitely be coming back again very soon.
So, yes, Dusmesh can easily be recommended. And then some!
YES. Â Another solid Indian spot in Cincinnati. Â I've never lived in a city with so much good Indian. Â Anyways, I came here for the lunch buffet, and it was quite expansive. Â I feel a little bad comparing the buffet to ordering dishes, but the quality of food is just a little lower than Krishna or Ambar. Â That being said, it's still totally good, and neither of those places has a lunch buffet - a steal at $8.50.
Bottom Line: I'll definitely be back for Cincinnati's best Indian lunch buffet.
My boyfriend's birthday was this week and to celebrate we tried one of the many Indian restaurants in Clifton, Dusmesh.
The service at Dusmesh was amazing! As soon as your rice dish is close to being empty, they refill it; same with water. All of the dishes we bought were brought out quickly. And the 2 servers we had were extremely nice.
We had Tikka Masala and the Dusmesh Special (not saucy, spiced chicken and onions), garlic naan and some spiced chicken appetizer. We tried a few of our standards (Tikka and naan) and went out on a limb with the others and were not once disappointed. They have such a large menu, I was a bit overwhelmed being there for the first time, but I look forward to going back and trying more items.
A friend in our party did get some pickle thing off the appetizer menu and, well, I don't know whose pallet that is for but its tasted like cleaning supplies. Not to say it wasn't actually supposed to taste like that. We just weren't prepared for it.
Dusmesh also has a $6 off two entrees coupon in the BearCat!
I love indian food comas. I can't wait to try their lunch buffet!
Dusmesh serves the best Indian food in Cincinnati.
I had heard many friends declare this within the last year, but I hadn't tried it until a job placement landed me within walking distance. Now, I walk there at least once a week for the lunch buffet, and it never disappoints. Okay, maybe I was disappointed one time, but they were ridiculously crowded and were having trouble keeping up with the demand. That was once in the last 10 visits, and I can't dock them points for being so popular; they've earned their loyal following.
My favorite dish is probably the broccoli and chicken (something about the sweet tanginess of the sauce and a nice level of heat). I pretty much love everything else that I've tried, too.
I'm now such a repeat customer that I have the layout of the buffet memorized. I am really glad that I started going here before the weather turned cold, because now that it has, the buffet fogs up my glasses and I have to rest them on my head as I somewhat blindly glop their delicious food onto my plate.
The atmosphere is nice, kind of cozy, actually. The staff is probably the friendliest ever, too.
The parking lot is tiny, but there is on-street parking available nearby.
Hands down, my favorite Indian restaurant in Cincinnati. I've been for the lunch buffet and dinner. The lunch buffet offered many options - the food was hot and fresh. For dinner, the menu goes on and on. I like to try lots of different dishes, so I usually go for a combo dinner - vegetarian or meat- you can't go wrong. Plus it comes with gulab jamun - fun to say, yummier to eat!
Must know before going: If you enjoy a cocktail for dinner, keep in mind that Dusmesh does not serve any alcohol. However, this is not a problem if you think ahead. They do allow you to bring your own. For me, a total plus, as you can bring your fave IPA or bottle of wine, enjoy delicious food, and save some money.
But what really makes this place for me is the atmosphere. Every visit, the staff seems genuinely pleased to see you. The service is great, and the overall atmosphere pleasant. Definitely a nice, quiet place to relax and easily carry on a conversation.
We hit this place up about once a month. Â It is definitely our go-to Indian restaurant. Â
I generally feel like almost all local Indian food is about the same and have found only a couple places that seem to have a style all their own. Â This is not one of those places. Â So why do I go here?
1. BYOB--- A bottle of wine goes down fine with spicy Indian food and I love saving money!
2. Â Never very crowded-- Some of the Ludlow places can be so crowded, you feel like a sardine!
3. Â Service--- After coming in a couple of times, they will begin to recognize you. Â This is a family business, and they treat you like family.
4. Â Food- Consistent good quality.
5. Â Coupons--- Plenty of coupons around for a couple bucks off.
We almost always order the same things. Â All are great! Â Nav Ratan Korma, Vegetable Jalfreezi, Aloo Saag. Â Their naan is great too--- we have tried almost every variety, but like the Spicy Naan and the Chef Special Naan.
Their outdoor patio is nice during the warm months. Â They do have a buffet during lunch, but I haven't tried it. Â
If you are an Ambar enthusiast, try this place out. Â You may become a convert!
There is a saying (and if there isn't there should be) that if you throw a stone in Clifton, your bound to hit an Indian Restaurant. So I thought I had been to them all. Had it all. And found my favorite, Amol. But then some friends from Boston took me to Dusmesh and well let says it just stole the silver medal.
Now I usually eat Indian for dinner. So I am new to the whole lunch buffet thing. As a large man, I try to stay away from buffets. My will power is not that strong and I tend to eat my self to the point that I want to kill myself. But that was not the case with Dusmesh. I had one plate and felt full. The food was delicious. I ate pretty much all of the chicken options, since the lamb option came with bones. And I don't do well with bones once the fork goes a twirling like a hurricane. The rice was full of flavor. And though I don't usually eat carrots (texture thing), I didn't even notice them in the rice. The nan was delicious. The pakora (my favorite appetizer) was full of vegetables instead of dough. I am looking at you Amol.
It is so good. I really am having a hard time going more in depth without repeating myself. So just go. It is very hard to get bad Indian here in Cincinnati. And Dusmesh is not even close to being bad. But I will have to try it for dinner. Because until then it will be my lunch place. Hopefully it will be my dinner place soon.
DusMesh is almost my favorite Indian restaurant in town. My #1 Indian Dish, Saag Paneer, they make fabulously. They also make the Naan that has raisins and coconut which you can't find at Ambar. And their other Naan's aren't bad either. So far, I've been addicted to Onion, Pudina (mint), Garlic (of course), Chapati and their plain Naan which are all wonderful! You really can't go wrong. For appetizers, I really like the Chan Ni Ki Chat, which I'm not sure how to spell. This dish is a delicious mix of spicy and sweet and is great for sharing. Also their mixed platter and other fried appetizer options come with three different "chutney's" which are more like sauces at different levels of spice, and include a mild Tamarind sauce that I like to add to my rice.
For those of you trying to save a buck, a second entree is $6.00 off dine-in if you get a coupon form the BearCat Coupon book found by the City Beat kiosks all over Clifton. They also give you a free dessert, this cheese like ball covered in warm syrup at the end of your meal.
I have to say that there have been BIG improvements since my previous review!
The naan is excellent and quite large. Buttery and flaky, fresh and not too thick or dense.
All the ingredients are fresh, fresh, fresh. It's amazing. They are tender but have a bite to them, and you can make out the flavors of each ingredient. When you ask for spicy, it comes out spicy! which is rare. Â
I feel like the portion size for the price is a bit small, but, I am happy with the quality so, I won't complain too much about that. But, free dessert with each dinner I've purchased! that scores some extra credit.
The masala chai is not wonderful. A bit bland and too much milk in my opinion.
The service is exceptionally friendly.
Of the campus area Indian places, this is my choice. It is not my favorite Indian for all of Cincinnati area, but it's good for sure.
This is from two recent dinner experiences. I have not been back in for brunch.
Dusmesh is Du-licious!
I was never a big fan of Indian food growing up ... mostly because my parents didn't like it, so I never really ate it. But when I got to college, all that changed. I couldn't get enough of it ... and then I tried Dusmesh.
There are a lot of great Indian spots in Cincy, and especially in the Clifton-area. This is the best. The best of the best. Hands down amazing from first bite to final food coma.
I've only done dinner, so I can't talk about this lunch buffet everyone seems to explode over. However, dinner is solid. You get handed a giant menu that reads almost like a tome of good food. Everything is broken down into sections and you can figure out just what you want pretty easily (looking for chicken? There's a chicken section. Want some naan? Check out the naan section. In the mood for everything? ... Ok, you're screwed.)
I usually get the chicken tiki masala because it's crazy good. Crazy good! It comes in this small bowl and you think you're not getting a ton of food, but then you get a quarter of the way through it and you realize just how creamy and filling and full of chicken it is. I always have tons of leftovers at the end of the day.
I've also had some seriously good service here. Water glasses refilled constantly, more rice being brought it out when it looks like we're close to be finished, smiles and friendly greetings as we walk in. I couldn't have been happier with how things went.
It always feels a little cramped in here. I'm not sure if the tables are too close together or if it's just the layout of the house-turned-restaurant, but I always feel a little claustrophobic. Not much, mind you, but it's there. Also, parking can be tough, since there's a small lot outside and then no parking anywhere else close to this. If it's a busy night and you can't find a spot, you're in trouble.
Still, that is not stopping me from coming here and eating all the good food - best food. Mmm... 5-star Indian all the way..
Where else can you go and get a hug with your meal?
Mama Dusmesh welcomes new and regular customers graciously like you're coming home for a meal. She makes sure to say hello and hug every person during their meal, and remembers details about customers' lives.
My favorite thing at Dusmesh is the buffet. It's Northern Indian / Pakistani influence, and has 6-8 curries offered daily. Half of these are vegetarian friendly. The samosas and pakoras are the best in the city. They also offer both naan and poori.
I enjoy how the buffet options vary from day to day. For example, there is always saag, but one day might be saag paneer, mushroom saag, or chick pea saag. All are tasty and it allows customers to venture outside of their favorite dishes (which usually, is the saag paneer). I also like aloo matar or gajar matar: red curry with carrots, peas and cheese. Â All of the sauces are lightly spiced so that you can taste the other ingredients. If you desire to burn your tongue off, Mama can bring you extra hot spices to add.
There are also dishes that you can only find at Dusmesh: aloo gijjar (a gorgeously tasty potato-carrot dish laced with coriander and onion), and egg bhurji (scrambled egg masala). For dessert, there is tranditional kheer, as well as a frozen mango lassie.
For $8.50, you can't find a better Indian buffet deal in Cincinnati!
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,607 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,970 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,306 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,904 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,983 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
