Kama
Kama Bistro is a family-owned contemporary Indian restaurant group operating three dine-in locations across the Chicago metro area (La Grange, Wicker Park, West Loop), serving individual diners, families, corporate clients, and wedding/event customers with made-from-scratch Indian and Indian-inspired Americana cuisine.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersLa Grange, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Kama does
Kama Bistro is a privately held, family-owned contemporary Indian restaurant group operating three dine-in locations across the Chicago metropolitan area: La Grange (headquarters, 9 South La Grange Road), Wicker Park (1560 N. Milwaukee Ave.), and West Loop (812 W Randolph St). The business was founded by the father-son team of Hall of Fame chef Manmohan Singh and chef/owner Vikram Singh and produces regional Indian dishes and Indian-inspired Americana using traditional techniques, including a charcoal tandoor grill and sous vide preparation, with all sauces, spice blends, desserts, dressings, and beverages made from scratch to order. Co-owner Agnes Kalusiewicz leads an Indian spice- and chutney-infused cocktail program, and the West Loop location is staffed by Executive Chef Esteban Nuñez.
The core product is full-service dine-in, supplemented by direct online ordering and take-out/delivery via the company website (concierge delivery within an 8-mile radius of La Grange) and third-party platforms (Uber Eats, DoorDash) for out-of-zone customers. Secondary revenue comes from a sizable private-events and catering operation — four event rooms accommodating 12-200+ guests across locations — and from product extensions such as the Ameri-Kama six-course prix-fixe tasting menu (Wicker Park), a Mother's Day Brunch Buffet ($55/guest), and weekly specials (Happy Hour, Tandoor Tuesday, Wine Flight Wednesday, Thirsty Thursday). Unit pricing on mains ranges from roughly $17-$46, with private events, off-site catering, gift cards, and the Kama-Krazee loyalty program all transacted through the ToastTab platform; reservations are managed via OpenTable.
Kama serves individual consumers and families in the Chicago suburbs and city neighborhoods, alongside corporate clients (meetings, team celebrations) and wedding/social-event planners, with marketing concentrated on Instagram (@kamabistro), email newsletters, and earned media coverage including Chicago Magazine's December 2023 "10 Hottest Restaurants in Chicago Right Now" list and a Chicago's Best TV Hot & Spicy feature.
Kama firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kama
- Legal name
- Kama Bistro
- Website
- https://kamabistro.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Kama Bistro is a family-owned contemporary Indian restaurant group operating three dine-in locations across the Chicago metro area (La Grange, Wicker Park, West Loop), serving individual diners, families, corporate clients, and wedding/event customers with made-from-scratch Indian and Indian-inspired Americana cuisine.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kama industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Contemporary Indian Restaurant
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Specialty & Dietary Catering (Halal, Kosher, Vegan, Allergen-Free, Medical) (THAHAKAK)
Keywords
Where Kama is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- La Grange
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Kama business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Dine-In Service: Full-service restaurant with three locations offering contemporary Indian and Indian-inspired Americana cuisine. Revenue generated from food and beverage sales during operating hours. Operating hours vary by location.
- Take-Out and Delivery: Direct ordering through restaurant website for take-out and local delivery within specified zip codes (60525, 60526, 60521, 60558, 60513, partial 60523, 60546, up to 8 miles). Third-party delivery via Uber Eats and DoorDash for areas outside delivery zone.
- Private Events and Catering: Private dining rooms accommodate 12-200+ guests. Off-site catering with pickup and drop-off options. Event types include corporate events, rehearsal dinners, holiday celebrations, wedding receptions, and birthday dinners. Four rooms available across locations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Regular Menu Pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mother's Day Brunch Buffet |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Weekly Specials |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Kama product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kama operates contemporary Indian and Indian-inspired Americana restaurants, serving scratch-made regional Indian cuisine and fusion dishes (e.g., Tandoori Chilean seabass, BBQ Ribs Namaste, curried lamb tacos) prepared using traditional tandoor charcoal grilling and sous vide techniques. The brand runs three full-service locations in the Chicago metro (La Grange, Wicker Park, West Loop) offering dine-in, take-out, local delivery, scratch-made cocktails, private events (12-200+ guests), and on-site/off-site catering. Online ordering, gift cards, and the Kama-Krazee loyalty program are managed through ToastTab, with reservations handled via OpenTable.
Product overview
Kama is a contemporary Indian restaurant operating as a single unified dining brand with three Chicago-area locations (La Grange, Wicker Park, and West Loop). The core offering is Indian cuisine featuring regional dishes and Indian-inspired Americana, cooked using traditional techniques including charcoal tandoor grilling and sous vide. The restaurant's portfolio includes dine-in service, online ordering/take-out with local delivery, and catering/private dining capabilities. An integrated bar program features scratch-made cocktails with Indian-inspired ingredients. The business operates on Toast Tab's ordering platform and OpenTable's reservation system across all locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dine-In Restaurant Service Full-service contemporary Indian and Indian-inspired Americana restaurant service at three Chicago-area locations (La Grange, Wicker Park, West Loop), featuring scratch-made sauces, spice blends, desserts, dressings, and beverages; tandoor charcoal-grilled proteins; and regional Indian curries and fusion dishes for individual diners, families, and groups.
- Online Ordering, Take-Out and Local Delivery Direct online ordering system for take-out and concierge local delivery within an 8-mile zone covering zip codes 60525, 60526, 60521, 60558, 60513, and portions of 60523 and 60546, ordered through the Kama website via ToastTab. Includes the Kama-Krazee loyalty program for direct orders; Uber Eats and DoorDash cover areas outside the direct delivery zone.
- Catering Services Off-site and on-site catering service with pickup and drop-off options. Includes customizable menus for corporate events, rehearsal dinners, holiday celebrations, wedding receptions, engagement parties, sangeet ceremonies, and birthday dinners. Event inquiries are managed through ToastTab.
- Private Dining Events Private and semi-private event spaces accommodating 12-200+ guests across four rooms at three locations: La Grange (30-150 guests), Wicker Park (60-80 guests), and West Loop (25-80 guests, up to 120 for buyouts). Reservations and large party inquiries managed via OpenTable.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 40 menu selections for Mother's Day Brunch buffet
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Kama
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Kama technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature4 records
Kama partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- OpenTablecoreOnline reservation platform used across all three Kama locations (La Grange, Wicker Park, West Loop) for table reservations and large party event inquiries.
- ToastTabcoreRestaurant management platform handling online ordering, catering orders, gift cards, loyalty programs (Kama-Krazee), and event inquiry management for large parties.
- Uber EatsminorThird-party food delivery service for customers residing outside Kama's designated direct delivery zone.
- DoorDashminorThird-party food delivery service for customers residing outside Kama's designated direct delivery zone.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kama competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Tandoor Char House: Chicago-based modern Indian restaurant using traditional tandoor cooking techniques. Comparable to Kama's tandoor-led Indian menu and full-service dining format in the same Chicago market.
- Bombay Spice Grill & Chicken: Chicago-area Indian restaurant serving Indian and Indo-Chinese dishes through dine-in, take-out and delivery. Shares the same Chicago metro market and Indian cuisine category as Kama but at lower price points.
- Indian Garden Restaurant: Established Chicago Indian restaurant offering traditional north Indian cuisine and banquet facilities. Comparable as a regional Chicago Indian competitor with event/banquet services similar to Kama's private dining.
- Ghareeb Nawaz Restaurant: Iconic Chicago Indian/Pakistani restaurant famous for its casual, value-oriented Indian menu. Comparable as a long-standing Chicago Indian competitor, though positioned more in the value/casual segment than Kama's premium pricing.
Direct peers
- Tiffin Indian Cuisine: Long-standing Chicago area Indian restaurant chain with multiple locations serving traditional and contemporary Indian cuisine. Comparable as a multi-location Chicago Indian concept serving dine-in and take-out.
- ROOH: Contemporary/progressive Indian restaurant in Chicago's Fulton Market, offering a chef-driven modern Indian tasting menu. Most directly comparable to Kama in cuisine category, contemporary positioning, and Chicago full-service dining market.
- Vermilion Restaurant and Bar: Chicago River North restaurant known for Indian-Latin American fusion with a sophisticated bar program. Shares Kama's upscale full-service Indian-fusion positioning and event-friendly vibe.
Broad incumbents
- Saravanaa Bhavan: Largest international vegetarian South Indian restaurant chain with US locations. Comparable as a multi-location Indian restaurant operator in North America, though vegetarian-focused and far larger scale than Kama's boutique urban concept.
- Adyar Anand Bhavan (A2B): Large global Indian vegetarian restaurant and sweets chain with US presence. Comparable as a multi-location Indian full-service operator serving the same cuisine category, though at much higher scale and vegetarian focus.
Emerging players
- Bungalow by Modern Indian Kitchen: US-based modern Indian restaurant brand with multiple locations serving contemporary Indian cuisine. Comparable to Kama's Indian-American fusion positioning, though more fast-casual and broader geographic footprint.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kama social profiles
Digital presenceKama compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Kama financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kama leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Kama funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kama M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kama
What does Kama do?
Kama operates contemporary Indian and Indian-inspired Americana restaurants, serving scratch-made regional Indian cuisine and fusion dishes (e.g., Tandoori Chilean seabass, BBQ Ribs Namaste, curried lamb tacos) prepared using traditional tandoor charcoal grilling and sous vide techniques. The brand runs three full-service locations in the Chicago metro (La Grange, Wicker Park, West Loop) offering dine-in, take-out, local delivery, scratch-made cocktails, private events (12-200+ guests), and on-site/off-site catering. Online ordering, gift cards, and the Kama-Krazee loyalty program are managed through ToastTab, with reservations handled via OpenTable.
Is Kama a public or private company?
Kama is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Kama founded?
Kama was founded in -1. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Kama based?
Kama is headquartered in La Grange, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kama make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Dine-In Service is the primary driver. The others are take-Out and Delivery and private Events and Catering.
Who are Kama's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Tandoor Char House, Bombay Spice Grill & Chicken, Indian Garden Restaurant and Ghareeb Nawaz Restaurant. Direct peers are Tiffin Indian Cuisine, ROOH and Vermilion Restaurant and Bar. Broad incumbents are Saravanaa Bhavan and Adyar Anand Bhavan (A2B). Bungalow by Modern Indian Kitchen is listed as an emerging player.
Does Kama have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kama.
What industry is Kama in?
Kama's product category is Contemporary Indian Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAD, Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAHAKAK, Specialty & Dietary Catering (Halal, Kosher, Vegan, Allergen-Free, Medical). Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5812.