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Situated in Palo Alto, RARA is a beacon of modern Nepalese cuisine, blending authentic flavors with innovative twists in an ambiance adorned with Nepalese flare. Here, guests can relish a myriad of meticulously crafted dishes like crispy mustang aloo, spicy akhbare wings, aromatic pulao, and succulent momos, offering a gastronomic journey through Nepal’s rich culinary heritage.
Hours
| Friday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Sunday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Monday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–10 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 201 California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Phone: (650) 485-1055
Website: https://rararestaurant.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: opentable.com
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
Rara Restaurant – Nepalese Cusine – Palo Alto California
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Book now at Rara in Palo Alto, CA. Explore menu, see photos and read 58 reviews: “The food was excellent and very generous portions.”.
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229 followers · 18 posts · Modern Nepalese Restaurant in the Heart of San Francisco Bay Area! NOW OPEN! See you at 201 California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306.
Reviews
Malavika Kale
Rara was a great restaurant for a casual sit down dinner with friends. We did wait over 30 minutes for dinner on a Sunday evening, but we were quite a large group so it was understandable. The restaurant’s vibe is sort of upscale casual dining.
Service was polite, friendly and attentive from the get go. In fact our server was great taking our order from two ends of a large group and even came back to clarify a couple of items to get everything right.
The menu was expansive yet authentic – it wasn’t at all the same curries you’d find in a typical Indian/Indo-Nepali restaurant, which made it a joy to choose items from.
Must try items were the Asan Indrachowk ko Lassi (an absolute must try – it was like drinking a shrikhand mixed lassi, with cardamom, kesar and crushed pistachios and cashews), the Mustang Aloo (potato wedges spiced with sichuan pepper – will cause a little, temporary tingling/numbing), and the Grilled Paneer Sizzler Platter (fresh paneer cubes grilled, with veggies and noodles that had a delicious charred flavor). We got several more items which were decent (see images).
TLDR: if there’s one thing you get from this review, it’s the lassi! Get it!
… moreService was polite, friendly and attentive from the get go. In fact our server was great taking our order from two ends of a large group and even came back to clarify a couple of items to get everything right.
The menu was expansive yet authentic – it wasn’t at all the same curries you’d find in a typical Indian/Indo-Nepali restaurant, which made it a joy to choose items from.
Must try items were the Asan Indrachowk ko Lassi (an absolute must try – it was like drinking a shrikhand mixed lassi, with cardamom, kesar and crushed pistachios and cashews), the Mustang Aloo (potato wedges spiced with sichuan pepper – will cause a little, temporary tingling/numbing), and the Grilled Paneer Sizzler Platter (fresh paneer cubes grilled, with veggies and noodles that had a delicious charred flavor). We got several more items which were decent (see images).
TLDR: if there’s one thing you get from this review, it’s the lassi! Get it!
Felicia S
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Exceptional Dining Experience at RARA – The Rice Special!
I had a fantastic meal at RARA – The Rice Special! As an appetizer, the chicken momo was amazing — perfectly steamed, flavorful, and tender. The Chicken Nepali Jeera Pulao and rice were wonderfully aromatic and delicious. The sizzling plate with noodles was outstanding, full of rich flavors and great texture.
The chicken curry was pure perfection — comforting, flavorful, and beautifully spiced. I finished with a soothing cup of chai tea and two delightful desserts: the warm, sweet Lalmohan and the creamy, traditional Juju Dhau.
Every dish was crafted with care and full of authentic Nepali flavor. I can’t wait to return!
… moreI had a fantastic meal at RARA – The Rice Special! As an appetizer, the chicken momo was amazing — perfectly steamed, flavorful, and tender. The Chicken Nepali Jeera Pulao and rice were wonderfully aromatic and delicious. The sizzling plate with noodles was outstanding, full of rich flavors and great texture.
The chicken curry was pure perfection — comforting, flavorful, and beautifully spiced. I finished with a soothing cup of chai tea and two delightful desserts: the warm, sweet Lalmohan and the creamy, traditional Juju Dhau.
Every dish was crafted with care and full of authentic Nepali flavor. I can’t wait to return!
Amir Hermelin
We loved the food and the service was great! Tbh we dined at 3pm when the restaurant wasn’t busy, but still the waiter was patient and very attentive. We didn’t try too many dishes but tried the more traditional dishes like Thenduk and the meat Khana Set and both were really really good! The crispy cauliflower was absolutely spectacular!
Once you get past the atmosphere – place looks average, seats aren’t the most comfortable – you’ll really enjoy dining here.
… moreOnce you get past the atmosphere – place looks average, seats aren’t the most comfortable – you’ll really enjoy dining here.
Teresa Park
I love this place. Service is attentive and wonderful. Food clean, nicely prepared and delicious. I am happy to find an excellent place for Nepalese food, without flying to Nepal, which I do miss 🙂
… moreAnahita Khalilzadeh
The place has an interesting old school vibe to it. We saw the great google reviews and decided to try the Nepali food for the first time. We got seated quickly but I would say the service seemed a bit slow. Took them ~20 minutes to get our order even though the place was practically empty.
The food was brought out as it was prepared.
I would say the momo was pretty good. The Bhat Khana set was also a good experience. However, we did not quite love the Buffalo Sukuti set (I would say it was a matter of personal preference as it did have a jerky like texture which was not for us).
… moreThe food was brought out as it was prepared.
I would say the momo was pretty good. The Bhat Khana set was also a good experience. However, we did not quite love the Buffalo Sukuti set (I would say it was a matter of personal preference as it did have a jerky like texture which was not for us).
Kara and Kathy Fitzpatrick
I’ve been here several times and the service is always wonderful, though very prepared for them to make your meal and it’s not “fast” food.
The cauliflower 8848 (or chicken) is incredible, nuanced and layered spice atop crispy pieces of cauliflower/chicken. The mustang aloo is great, potato wedges with aromatic spices that add taste and texture.
The gorkhali lamb shank is flavorful, truly falling off the bone in a rich sauce – I wanted to lick the bowl.
The chicken momos were soft and fresh with pillowy doughy covering and warm spiced chicken meat inside. The mom sauce is light and delicious.
We had dessert – juju dhau – a tangy delicious yogurt served in a sweet little clay pot topped with pistachio.
I am so happy to be so close to this restaurant and plan on working my way through the menu. Great for vegetarian and vegan folks, great for sharing, and so many options. When I’ve been previously w friends we’ve ordered tons of appetizers and shared.
… moreThe cauliflower 8848 (or chicken) is incredible, nuanced and layered spice atop crispy pieces of cauliflower/chicken. The mustang aloo is great, potato wedges with aromatic spices that add taste and texture.
The gorkhali lamb shank is flavorful, truly falling off the bone in a rich sauce – I wanted to lick the bowl.
The chicken momos were soft and fresh with pillowy doughy covering and warm spiced chicken meat inside. The mom sauce is light and delicious.
We had dessert – juju dhau – a tangy delicious yogurt served in a sweet little clay pot topped with pistachio.
I am so happy to be so close to this restaurant and plan on working my way through the menu. Great for vegetarian and vegan folks, great for sharing, and so many options. When I’ve been previously w friends we’ve ordered tons of appetizers and shared.
Aven Pradhan
This is the best Nepali food in the silicon valley. The food is 100% authentic and fresh. They had the best thali I’ve had in a long time. The Thali comes on a brass dish just like in Nepal.
The tea and kheer are very flavorful.
The service is impeccable and welcoming. The staff will chat with you if you wish and are so happy to share Nepali culture.
The music is what actual Nepali people listen to instead of just Nepali classical
I wish I could eat here every day
… moreThe tea and kheer are very flavorful.
The service is impeccable and welcoming. The staff will chat with you if you wish and are so happy to share Nepali culture.
The music is what actual Nepali people listen to instead of just Nepali classical
I wish I could eat here every day
Linda Danialy
The appetizers were ok except the papery rice that went with them but the main dishes were average at best. There was not much flavor and the meats were overpowered by spices. We all asked food to be “spicy” which was not at all. Even the “hot sauce” we asked for was not hot and had no taste. Service was slow and we had to ask for place settings, water, etc. I’m not sure where the 4.8 rating came from, we were definitely not impressed with the food or service
… moreGeorge Z
Total Score: 4.11
Bathroom: N/A
Didn’t use the bathroom
Customer Service: 1.5/5
The orders took a very very long time to come it seemed like they forgot our orders lmao. And also took asking twice to get the checks. But they refilled waters tho
Ambiance: 3.5/5
Moody lighting with some nice decor
Food: 2.5/5
Food was alright. In the gorkhali pulao there was so much rice was given and so much bone. Not much meat. The soup was okay but not much flavor/depth. The chicken 8848 was highkey p good though. Nice sauce and good chicken.
Wow: -0.5/1
Took so long to get our food
Total Score = (CS + 2*AM + 5*FOOD + WOW)/0.9
… moreBathroom: N/A
Didn’t use the bathroom
Customer Service: 1.5/5
The orders took a very very long time to come it seemed like they forgot our orders lmao. And also took asking twice to get the checks. But they refilled waters tho
Ambiance: 3.5/5
Moody lighting with some nice decor
Food: 2.5/5
Food was alright. In the gorkhali pulao there was so much rice was given and so much bone. Not much meat. The soup was okay but not much flavor/depth. The chicken 8848 was highkey p good though. Nice sauce and good chicken.
Wow: -0.5/1
Took so long to get our food
Total Score = (CS + 2*AM + 5*FOOD + WOW)/0.9
Dipul Luitel
Just visited California, USA, and finally tried Rara Restaurant in Palo Alto—a place I’d been hearing about for the past two years. The Chicken Momo was fantastic: soft, juicy, and full of authentic flavor with a perfect spicy achar. The customer service was warm and welcoming, making the experience even better. Definitely worth the hype and a must-visit for momo lovers.
… more