Cafe India

09/14/09

HORRIBLE FOOD AND SERVICE

by melanie anderson at Citysearch

While taking part in a family trip, we decided to try this place since it was nearby and convenient. Here's the breakdown on how bad the place is.

Bad Service: Upon entering, we were not seated right away but had to seat ourselves. The server finally came by and dropped off menus, but after watching us enter and be seated. We found this insect-looking thing on the drinking straw and a long piece of plastic IN THE FOOD. We finally received the garlic naan halfway into finishing our meal. The waiting time was too much considering we paid extra for the garlic naan.

Bad prices: They charged a 15% gratuity (coming to 11 dollars), service charge (a separate 11 dollars), and overcharged us on the tea (7.50 when it should have been 6). Mind you this is for buffet, where we shouldn't have to give tip at all since we are serving ourselves. We ordered a $13 shrimp dish and were amazed to receive a small dish, the size of a small platter with about 5 to 8 pieces of shrimp. The dishes were overpriced for their size. They even charged us a dollar for chutney! Really, a dollar for sauce? Any other Indian restaurant would have provided that as a given.

Bad Food: The entire family had stomach problems afterwards. The garlic naan was burnt and bitter because it had too much garlic. This was the first time that I've seen flat crispy naan too, usually it's thick and soft.

In summation, there are a lot more options available for affordable, tasty food with quality service. I would never eat here again and would warn others about the hidden costs and cost-saving measures whioh occur at the expense of the consumers. It was just not a happy experience and brought a low point on an otherwise happy day.

• Pros: NONE
• Cons: FOOD, SERVICE, PRICE

05/10/09

Wanted It To Be Good!!

by mrgringo23 at Citysearch

My wife and I were in San Diego this weekend for a cool escape from the Phoenix heat. Frustrated with an overcrowded Gaslamp district, we headed out of the bustle a little way and found Cafe India. We were seated by a heavily tattooed young waitress and were excited to try a new Indian restaurant as we have our own perennial favorite in North Phoenix. The waitress did not introduce herself and handed us the menus without a word. After she left we looked the menu over and were very pleased with the amount of vegetarian/vegan offerings. We decided on drinks and dinner and waited for her to come back. And waited. An Indian family entered. Another Indian family entered. They were greeted and drink orders were placed. Then their drinks were brought to them. Then dinner orders were placed. Then our ink-adorned waitress began listlessy wiping down tables. At long last she came back and asked us what we had decided on. Thus began a thirty-minute wait as we watched plate after plate of steaming food arrive at the tables of the Indian families. Now before you think that we went in looking for trouble or were looking for reasons to be unhappy, please understand we were stoked upon finding this place and really wanted it to be a good experience! When the food did arrive, the sauce was scalding hot and the rice lukewarm. We had both ordered "Mild" but apparently that equates to bland at Cafe India. The portions were meager and the Iced Tea that was to come with a free refill was never refilled. We were not checked upon between entree delivery and handing us the check. By the time we had almost finished eating, other families were kicking back, reclining and basking in their apparent fullness. Neither my wife nor I were full nor satisfied and we silently paid the 34 dollar check and walked out. I have no problem whatsoever with waiting long periods of time for proper food preparation. What is a problem is when other people enter an establishment long after we do and the clear "favoritism" (thats the nicest term I can use) sees them served long BEFORE we are. Please do not waste your money or your time with this restaurant.

05/01/09

AWESOME healthy food at great prices...

by famosa at Citysearch

i read some reviews here that people wrote. I felt inspired to share my own. The portions are what they should be. If you want a place to overeat at, go to another spot. But this place makes perfect portions for 1 or 2 people to share. I think in America we tend to think that more is better. But health conscious people will say less is more beneficial. for under $10 you can eat a lot in a buffet or just eat enough to satisfy. check out there yoga classes!! they teach belly dance too!!

• Pros: healthy portions, best homemade chai ever!!
• Cons: not enough of them here !!

02/09/09

Save your Money

by steevo92123 at Citysearch

Food was awful. Prices were average. Atmosphere was hoorible. I went to restaurant DOT com looking for a deal and a good Indian restaurant....I did get a good deal, but the restaurant was awful. They even boasted that they have been in business for over 23 years. - must have been an off night for them. Rice was mushy, the lamb was over-cooked and the tea was awful.

• Pros: I was able to get a discount from Restaurant DOT com
• Cons: Now worth it even with the discount

12/31/08

Poorly managed, lack of courtsy, high price for tea

by IndianGuyInCA at Citysearch

I was in San Diego for a vacation and there I got a chance to go to Cafe India Indian restaurant. Here are few points which I want to mention:

(1) It was buffet on Saturday night but was very POORLY MANAGED.

(2) Food was not sufficient considering that it was buffet.

(3) We first took Rajma + rice in first round, for second round, neither rajma nor rice were available.

(4) For filler, they put BOILED POTATOS.

(5) We ordered two teas for after dinner. Guess what... the price of each tea was $3.50 and the quality was at par with the tea served in marriages in night just to keep everyone wake up ;) I am not kidding. It was very very dilute.

(6) For me, I am not having many expectations from Indian restaurants in USA, but this was way below the general expectations. The server was kind of "lala type" person who was having some attitude problem.

Overall, I will NOT suggest this place to anyone.

The only good part was parking which was available at this place.

• Pros: Parking
• Cons: Overly price tea, poorly managaed buffet, attitude problem with servers

05/31/08

fresh and healthy

by 3760sportsarenablvd at Citysearch

I went during the day, and it was closed... their temporary hours of operation are Tues-Thurs 5-10pm and 12-9pm Fri Sat and Sun. You would think it's like the rest of the stereo type Indian restaurants that you would find in just another San Diego plaza but no, this is very different...Thank God I returned this evening to find an actual "Ma and Pa place". Im from India and this tastes like the fresh healthy food my Mom used to cook for me at home. I happened to be seated by a painting by their daughter, Preet Srivastava from NYC, who is a mind blowing artist. I actually bought the painting. It doesnt stop there, Cafe India offers yoga, music, and cooking classes. C'mon San Diego lets show our love for culture.

06/24/07

Love this place as much as everyone told me I would

by lovelyre at Citysearch

I am sorry to hear that someone had a bad experience at Cafe India. I have been going there for years. It has been in San Diego for 20 years and one of the first. Everyone who I have taken there has loved it. Sure the atmosphere isn't a rich fancy one but it is nonetheless positive. They promote yoga (teach super affordable classes weekly), all home made recipes ( cooked with soy oil and less fat in everything). In fact this family was one of the first Indian restaurants to serve mock meats in Indian food. The prices equate the quality...they are authentic. I am someone who cooks Indian and eats a lot of Indian and this cuisine isn't traditional oily over-creamed indian restaurant style food. It is as if you were sitting in an Indian friend's home. The family who owns it is sweet and will do what it takes to make you happy. After reading this other review I felt like I needed to respond because too often people review places they don't have a good time at. By the way the food isn't overpriced it is quality. What Indian restaurant serves brown rice options, vegan naan and mock meats?

• Pros: Parking good, friendly service, healthy food
• Cons: not fancy

04/08/07

Grossly over-rated

by bryces at Citysearch

Upon dining at this establishment, I am left to wonder how it is rated 4 or 5 stars on other websites. Upon being seated, we were served one beverage and then served our "entree" with no one returning to check on us until the bill was to be paid. For $28, we received 2 beverages and 2 "entrees" which were smaller than the appetizers I've recieved elsewhere. One meal was ordered hot, and there wasn't a difference in taste between my "hot" and my partner's "medium". They didn't even serve naan as a complimentary appetizer to which I've grown accustomed in every other establishment I've frequented. If you're looking to over pay for extremely poor service, bland food, and leaving with the empty stomach with which you entered - this may be your place. There are so many better Indian restaurants with MUCH better service, MUCH better flavor, and portions with enough subtance to earn the term entree. I do not know anyone who is familiar with Indian cuisine who would applaud this establishment in any way. Cafe India is the worst of the ten or so Indian establishments I've visited in the US and if it is the best in San Diego, then I will have to go without. Needless to say, we will not be returning.