Split Decision: Unique Indian Cuisine vs Himchuli, Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken tikka masala is the Indian order nobody at the table has to explain. This week it's Unique Indian Cuisine on South Colorado Boulevard in University against Himchuli on West 32nd Avenue in West Highland, and the order at both is the same: one chicken tikka masala, dinner portion.

An undated Westword new-openings roundup, written when Unique Indian moved into a strip mall at 2246 S Colorado Blvd, named chicken tikka masala as one of its go-tos. Himchuli's own About page says it was founded in late December 2016 at 3489 W 32nd Ave.

Short version: Unique Indian Cuisine takes it 1-0 on paper, and Consistency is the only card anybody won.

The scorecard

• Price: Himchuli posts Chicken Tikka Masala (GF) at $19.00, no size listed, checked Oct 26, 2026. The listing doesn't mention rice, and the Sides section has basmati or brown rice at $4.00 each. The menu page shows no date, though its metadata says it was last modified June 7, 2025. We couldn't confirm Unique Indian Cuisine's price because its menu pages wouldn't load when we checked Oct 26, 2026, so there's nothing to line up against that $19.00. Card: nobody.
• Consistency: Unique Indian Cuisine has 4.9 stars on 674 Google reviews for a score of 13.89. Himchuli has 4.5 stars on 1,133 reviews for 13.76. Both numbers come from our directory's snapshot as of May 2, 2026. Himchuli's extra 459 reviews nearly close the gap, and four-tenths of a star still holds it off. Card: Unique Indian Cuisine.
• Track Record: Nothing we could source for either spot since 2021. We only ran a few award searches this week, and they turned up features on Himchuli's RiNo location plus a 5280 buffet battle whose result we couldn't confirm. None of those count as honors for the Highlands spot. Card: nobody.
• The Bite: On paper. This card is Michael's call and only counts once he's eaten at both, so it stays blank for now. Card: nobody.

The verdict

Unique Indian Cuisine wins 1-0 on paper. With Price, Track Record and The Bite all blank, it comes down to Consistency: 13.89 to 13.76, built on a 4.9 rating across 674 reviews against Himchuli's 4.5 across 1,133. That's a 0.13-point margin, close enough that a Bite card for Himchuli would tie it 1-1 and hand Himchuli the win.

When the loser is still the right call

• You're already in the Highlands. Himchuli is at 3489 W 32nd Ave in West Highland, and Unique Indian Cuisine is across town at 2246 S Colorado Blvd in University.
• You want to know the bill before you sit down. Himchuli posts $19.00 for the tikka masala and $4.00 for a side of basmati, and we couldn't confirm Unique Indian Cuisine's price this week.
• You're feeding vegan friends. Himchuli's About page advertises "Denver's Biggest Vegan Dinner Buffet," held every third week of the month.

What to order at each

• Unique Indian Cuisine: the chicken tikka masala. We couldn't confirm its menu name, price or a house signature because their site wouldn't load on Oct 26, 2026. Westword's openings roundup listed it as one of the menu's go-tos.
• Himchuli: the Chicken Tikka Masala (GF), $19.00, plus Basmati Rice at $4.00 if you want rice with it, per their site. The food menu doesn't flag any dish as a signature or house favorite.

How we scored it: prices as posted on each spot's own menu, checked Oct 26, 2026; ratings from our directory's Google snapshot as of May 2, 2026, scored as rating x log10(reviews + 10). Track record covers sourced honors since 2021. The Bite counts only when Michael has eaten at both in the past year.