This long time Berkeley restaurant has a rare and charming ambiance! Rare, because you can actually talk to your dinning mate! The decor is subtle and tasteful. The service is friendly. It is a great place to take a date. Order about 1.5 to 2 times what you can consume at the restaurant. Everyone should leave with a some spicy Indian faire, because it is better the next day. read more

We went with the fixed price menu, of $45 per person. It's available to parties of four or more. From a list of several appetizers, you can pick four. And from a list of several entrees, you can pick four. Several side dishes are included, including naan, rice and daal. Finally, you can pick four desserts. You can also pick the level of spice for the entrees. The appetizers were beautifully presented. They were truly appetizing and they tasted really good. Two of the entrees were really good, the other two less so. The service was excellent. Prompt and very courteous. The serving size was generous. About a third of the food came home with us. I loved the ambiance. Prices were reasonable and street parking was easy. It was a perfect evening. What more can one ask for? read more

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The last time I went, the smell of their candles had me and my friend ask them to open the doors. The previous time, the smell of incense was excessive. Don't go here if you don't want to be overwhelmed by unnecessary intrustive scents from strongly-scented incense and/or candles. The food/service was fine but not amazing. Plenty of other destinations for this category of dining. read more

We've been coming here for 30 years, but haven't eaten here since before the pandemic, Walked in at dinner and it was empty, something has clearly happened. We had about five different things and none of them tasted very good at all. They were all really bland, we asked for medium spicy and it was not spicy at all. They no longer sell the spices in the box which they used to make themselves, maybe that has something to do with it. Really a shame because this is a beautiful little place that had killer food. To make it all even worse there were gnats all over the place.. read more

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this restaurant is here for so long. they have good food and very clean space. the tandoori dish was amazing. definitely trying the salmon next time. read more

Ajanta - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

My friend and former colleague brought me here for lunch. It was my first time here. I have been in the area several years ago for the Solano Stroll and never noticed Ajanta. I haven't had chicken tikka masala for quite some time, as in pre-COVID. The ambiance is comfy and casual, quite quaint. The lighting fixture is unique in design. Eats: Chicken tikka masala with jasmine rice, garlic naan and mango lassi. The entree was okay. The spice level was medium. I couldn't really pinpoint what exactly was missing that it did not taste the same as what I had years ago at another Indian restaurant. The garlic naan and mango lassi were on point. However, the entree left a lit to be desired. Inasmuch as I wanted to give a better rating (4 star), I wasn't quite feeling up to doing so. The service was okay. It could have been better if the employees were a tad more attentive. My friend had to remind them that she was supposed to have the cardamom ice cream for dessert read more

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We picked this up for take out night. I was shocked once I arrived home and saw how small the portions were. Barely enough for a single person which is quite disappointing given their prices. The vegetables and meat were rubbery. Everything was bland. I am also quite confident that they give us some of the wrong entrees and when asked gaslit us about what we ordered vs what they made. read more

The food was delicious! We got takeout on a weeknight and were impressed by how fast they were and how nice they were when we picked up! Very delicious Indian food. We wish the portions were bigger though for the price they charge. read more

Most favored Indian Restaurant for quality of food, service and atmosphere. We go for special occasions and sharing the pleasure with out of town guests. Hope to be there this New Years eve. read more

Service was friendly & quick. Food was good. Ambiance nice. I would suggest they not use incense as the restaurant had a strong smell when you walk in. read more

I've been coming to Ajanta (and formerly New Delhi Junction) for I believe around 30 years now. The first time I sat down and tasted one of their curries I was struck by how savory and flavorful and multilayered the curry tasted. This was no ordinary curry. It definitely was a northern Indian type curry, but it was uniquely different from any other such curry I had ever tasted. One can taste the quality and care that went into the preparation of the dish. If you want to taste what Indian food with freshly ground spices and ingredients and expert preparation tastes like, then visit Ajanta. read more

Good quality food, but very small portions and when they deliver food if they leave something out, they refuse to compensate you forut. How to say how much that's on the restaurant versus DoorDash Probably some of the more authentic Indian food not the cheap stuff but you pay for it. I give you very small survey as mentioned, especially if you get delivery and you don't get everything you ordered the chicken tikka masala photo on the DoorDash site is a big giant portion and what actually comes for a little tiny squares of chicken with a delicious Tika masala sauce, of course I don't think it's really worth ordering. I think if you want special dinner and you're ready to handover 100 bucks it's worth going to the restaurant. read more

We really enjoyed a lovely vegetarian Valentine's Day dinner. Delicious food, excellent service. Delicious mango sorbet and pistachio gelato. read more

A wonderful meal on Solano Ave. we enjoyed tandoori and tiki masala. The food service and ambiance was great. Ajanta is always a good time.

Feb 2,2025 This is my first time coming to Ajanta, I don't know why people are leaving such bad reviews, my experience here during lunch was amazing, you can tell the owner was passionate about the food being served. Each dish had a health benefit. The detail to flavoring is great. If you are a true foodie, you would be able to tell small details such as cardamom in the basmati rice. People on here complaining about how thick the curry is and no flavor to any of the dishes. I don't see that at all. Overall it was a great lunch and I would recommend the lunch special! I'll be back for the dinner tasting very soon. read more

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Came here with my friend for lunch. The lunch special is an amazing value and the portions were huge! The owner was very attentive and taught me something new about how to enjoy the food with the sides. Great music and quaint for lunch. It's rare to get such a great value from a lunch special! We even needed a box. I will definitely be coming back for dinner as well. read more

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Food, Service, & Ambiance. We have always liked the food there!! It is easy to get there & parking is really easy!!

Good food with ample parking on Solano. The tandoori cod tasted fresh and was quite delicious. Vegetable korma was tasty. The good thing is they allow the guest to specify mild medium or spicy which is an attractive feature. Overall good food although it's pricey. read more

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First time to Ajanta since the remodel a few years back. The food was superb. A scallop appetizer was possibly the best scallop dish I have ever had. Excellent curries. The service was very friendly, seemed slightly disorganized but they were very busy on a Saturday night. Pleasant decor. We shall be back before too long. read more

Absolutely the best Indian restaurant I've been to! The samosa chaat was bursting with flavor and the mango mojito was so refreshing. Service was top-notch -- super polite and friendly. Came here with friends and we all had an amazing time. Highly recommend! The ambience is really good as well. The new service is really good and modern. read more

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Ajanta truly is a gem of Indian cuisine. One of my personal highlight dishes was Badal Jaam, the eggplant, yogurt, and rich tomato sauce all came together to make a very delicate and flavorful dish. They provide a warm and friendly service and elegant yet warm atmosphere. You can clearly see that behind each course and everything else, too, there is concern and care. New and experienced Indian food enthusiasts alike can enjoy a fine and cozy dining experience at Ajanta. I highly recommend it, particularly if you're up for something new, give Badal Jaam a try! read more

We tried this place as it was recommended by a friend. The food was fine but the service was really lacking and I was very disappointed with the chai I ordered! In no rush to come back. read more

The food was amazing. The chicken tikka masala does wonders! Top tier service all around

We've been here twice for Friday night dinner. We tried both the vegetarian and non-veggie tasting menus. The meat one was more flavorful. The veggie one was just awful- everything needed salt. The curries has a weird cornstarch thickened texture. Even the veggie samosa needed salt. To add to the terrible food was the terrible service. We were seated well before 2 other tables and we didn't even look at the menu bc we already knew what we wanted and yet, the 2 other tables placed their orders first. We also noticed that the wait staffmade extra efforts to be nice to the other tables and hardly wanted to deal w us. The only time anything happened quickly was running the credit card. If I could give them negative stars, I would. Also my husband - who has a stomach of steel- got sick from something here. So, more stars off for that. read more

I've wanted to dine at Ajanta for years. I recently ate here for lunch, and yes they do have lunch specials for around $20 per person which includes papadam, samosa or other appetizer, chutneys, choice of entree with basmati rice and spinach, nan, and dessert! A pretty good deal I think. I had the salmon curry and my friend had a chicken curry, both were excellent. For dessert I had cardamon ice cream, and my friend had pistachio ice cream, again excellent. Now for the strange part, we were the only ones dining in the restaurant! It was a little dark inside too with a couple waitstaff and possibly the owner present. Service was good and the restaurant was very clean, actually smelled of disinfectant. So overall a good experience but a little strange to have the whole place to ourselves on a Friday at noon. read more

Ajanta - Lunch specials - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

If I could give this place an 11/5 I would. The lamb chops were absolutely amazing/tender/flavorful. Other appetizers were also peak. I always liked indian food, but this place made me realize all of the other indian food restaurants I had been to before were garbage. The flavors/smells alone are amazing. Service was also great! Nexr time i'm in Berkely, will absolutely stop by again. read more

Ajanta - Lamb chops - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Wanted to come here to get the 1000 points on Open Table but it turned out that the food was good. It was a little different and not your normal Indian food. I liked the Murg Moulee the best and then the Pistachio Korma. Also, the asparagus tandoori was a good side as a vegetable. But all the food was good and the service was also good. I will be back to try other dishes. read more

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Food is excellent - crispy samosas, savory entrees and the mango sorbet is so ice cream like I asked them to go back and confirm it was vegan. On that topic - this is somewhat unknown but they have a $35 tasting menu (at least two people must get it at table) with four apps, four entrees, and dessert. The portions were plenty and it came with rice and naan. Better yet - they can do the whole tasting menu with (1) meat, (2) vegetarian, (3) entirely vegan options. I used to have a severe dairy allergy and I always felt safe eating the vegan choices here. It's SO challenging to get nice vegan Indian food and they nail it. Service was attentive and quick. Last, there is a whole to go menu if you aren't in the mood to dine there. Cannot recommend enough! read more

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The maitre d' was quite helpful in understanding the various dishes. We were there on a Friday night but still got plenty of attention from the maitre d' and the rest of the wait staff. The restaurant was not too noisy, so conversations were easy to understand. We started with the papadam which came with a mint-cilantro sauce. We also split an appetizer of tandoori scallops. The papadam was very fresh and crispy but a little too salty. The scallops were undercooked (as usual, but we had asked that they be cooked more towards "medium"). The sauce accompanying the scallops was very bland, having almost no taste at all. We got a glass of the Edelzwicker wine, which is a not-too-sweet blend of riesling, gewurz and pinot gris. That is a good complement to the spicy entrees. Our main entrees were Chicken Tikka Masala & the Chicken Biriyani. We had asked for a mild version of the biriyani but it was still pretty peppery. The raita helped lower the spice heat though. The chicken tikka masala was milder but the chicken itself was a little bit dry. The plain naan was very fresh and was a good way to get the last bits of the masala sauce. read more

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Worst Indian meal I've ever had. We tried the non-vegetarian tasting menu. Everything was bland, the curries were thickened with cornstarch, the naan was more like flatbread.. The waitresses were sweet, but were either inattentive or inexperienced. Ambiance was ok. read more

Best food and service Indian restaurant in the bay. Beautiful and upscale ambiance. The coconut and rosemary naan is delicious. The lamb chops, Portobello Mushroom and Tandoori Scallops are my favorite. They also have a well thought out wine list. read more

This was my go-to Indian spot at least two decades ago, but I had not been back until quite recently. There was no legitimate reason for my absence except the number of emergent high quality South Asian eateries must have dropped the ranking for a return visit. It also doesn't have a welcoming vibe as the windows are always so well covered from the sidewalk that you can't even tell when they're open even when they're open. I decided to have a late lunch and the high-end decor reminded me of dining experiences from the days of yore. They have quite a menu full of both familiar dishes and ones that appeared somewhat more rarefied. I was in a veggie mood, so I ordered the $7 Tandoori Portobello Mushrooms which were a bit bland but helped by the accompanying yogurt-cashew-mint sauce (photo: http://bit.ly/36hAXz1). The portion was also a bit paltry even for an appetizer. Much more satisfying was the $14.50 Sabzi Rangarang, a purely vegan dish consisting of cauliflower, green beans, broccoli, carrots, and peas, all of it simmered in a sauce made with coconut milk, onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and lime juice (photo: http://bit.ly/2P73EJ7). It was so cleanly presented that I only ate half the complimentary basmati rice that came with it (photo: http://bit.ly/343a5RF). Just as I recalled, this restaurant is best appreciated with a more refined palate and a slightly thicker wallet. FOOD - 4 stars...the veggie choices are plentiful here with the sabzi the standout AMBIANCE - 4.5 stars...still quite gorgeous in here SERVICE - 4 stars...pretty attentive though a tad slow for lunch TOTAL - 4 stars...my memory didn't fail me for a change RELATED - Strolling on Solano Avenue? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2P4dOdH read more

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We were attracted by Ajanta's slightly unique menu (a few items were influenced by Afghan cuisine), and went there for our anniversary. The Alu Tikki, Machi Dilwala, Karahi Gost, and Lam Boti Kabab were really good. Loved the decor. High quality food at a very reasonable price. The restaurant has been around for 32 years (multiple owners) and the staff were greeting some repeat patrons. It seemed to be well liked by the clients in this really nice neighborhood. read more

My husband were looking for somewhere to grab a bite on Saturday evening and a quick OpenTable search led us here. Pros: They take COVID seriously and all staff fully uses their masks and they avoid touching anything they don't have to in addition to sanitizing everything. Service was attentive and quick. I didn't have to flag anyone down for anything. Food had solid base flavors but our server didn't ask us if we wanted any heat, so our food came out mild and we both would have preferred spice to it. Portions are a great size and left us feeling full for sure. Great variety of dishes. We appreciated that they offered some common dishes and some less common ones. Cons: Lack of spice in food Food didn't feel like it came out warm enough Garlic naan felt like we were eating spoonfuls of garlic. I love garlic and put it in everything but this wasn't enjoyable. All and all, we would try them again and would make sure to ask for spices. The family and staff who own the restaurant were lovely and attentive. It was an overall enjoyable experience. read more

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Service was superior. Food lacked traditional flavors Two in our party ordered tandoori salmon and were sick most the night after dining. Palak Paneer was mushy arriving lukewarm. Garlic naan was bland lacking in garlic New chef poor execution on cuisine. read more

Went there with my girl and some friends and had high hopes. Was disappointed. First, I've never been a place that service my favorite dish (Chicken Tikka Marsala) that was bland as this one. Also the naan had no flavor. There was one dish that ai forget the name of it that was good. Overall, it was a disappointment for me. read more

I've eaten here many times, and the food is always excellent, as is the service. (I'm from India, and I have high standards for Indian food.) Had the tasting menu for the first time, and really enjoyed it. A wonderful variety, and very good value for money, we felt. It's really great if you're 2 or 3 people, because you get to taste many more dishes than you would have otherwise been able to. read more

Hello all, I have been coming here for a few years and always a great experience and food. Last nights early dinner was great reservations at 6 PM checked in before hand, and everything was going smooth as normal towards the end of our meal. The head of the house comes up an asked us to finish up because somebody else needed the table and then said take your time which seem pretty rude because we spent good money and left a nice tip and I get flipping tables and it was just an hour and 10 minutes. The young man the major "D" head of house needs to check himself. read more

Some good, some not even average, the Samosas were good, but Chix Tikka Masala had bland taste, the wings were not Tandoori and really western and the Naan was ok, the atmosphere was nice and good service, but the food we chose was and wished we went elsewhere for better food, maybe the other food was better but our limited choices were not great, read more

Can't say enough about this restaurant. From beginning to end we sampled many dishes. After each I would say . This is the best food I've ever had. I can't wait to return and order other selections. The owner and staff so attentive and gracious. They brought me plate while I was waiting. Great place. read more