Food is good. The owner is really friendly. This is the second time we visited this place.

This is the best Indian food we have had! The Nirvana chicken, tandoori shrimp,garlic naan,and chicken marsala are now our favorites.The servings are enough to share and the food is delicious. Definitely try this restaurant and its true authentic Indian food. Located on State State with several parking structures near by, great place for lunch or dinner. We will definitely be back when in the area. Cheers! read more

Went here a few weeks ago as we were lured by the smells. We came about an hour before closing (sorry y'all!) and we're treated kindly and served well. The samosas were a good idea in theory but I actually did not like them. They were a bit too fried and crunchy/ too heavy on the spice for my taste- I wish I had a different starter. The saag paneer was plenty for two. Actually all the dishes seemed like plenty of two. It was delicious well. Excellent flavor, hot and tasty. I would feel too gross eating the whole thing (always the way with Indian) but it was great to split. Their naan is also amazing. Everyone at the table enjoyed their dishes- with veg and non veg and gluten and non gluten free there's something for all! read more

This place is amazing! Very reasonably priced and the portions were huge! Very good service and nice setting. Ah, but the food! There have been a number of fine Indian restaurants in SB over the years, but this is far ahead of ANY of them. We ordered extra spicy, and were not disappointed. But beware, the spice indications are accurate (some restaurants don't believe you want spice). If you ask for spice, you'll get spice. We loved it. The flavors, the spices, the chutneys, the variety. The Tandoori was the best I've ever had. So impressed. Also, great beer and wines. My favorite Indian restaurant was Khan's in London, UK for years. Apna has pushed Khan's to a second place. Check it out! read more

The best Indian food I have ever had...and I have eaten Indian food all over the world for 50 yrs...simple and delicious and well priced...lovely owners do yourself a favor and eat there....they will not disappoint ... read more

Excellent taste. We order lamb curry and chicken tikka. Both served with rice and chicken comes with some coleslaw and red cabbage. The chicken were little dry but still good. The lamb curry is amazingly delicious. The services were not fast but the food worth the wait. They brought us two glasses of hot Indian style milk tea when we were waiting for pay, so sweet read more

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The best Indian food we have had in a while. We had their puffed rice dish (which was spicy and full of flavor) and the vegan chickpea dish with rice , both were amazing and YUMMY! This restaurant has authentic excellent Indian food! The service was outstanding as well. The manager went out of his way to bring our dogs a dish full of cut chicken. Highly recommended! read more

My favorite Indian restaurant in Santa Barbara County although the bar is set pretty lol, but Apna is really good.

My boyfriend and I go in once to twice a week and every time is just as good as the last. The butter chicken is so good I have dreams about it. We always order two cheesy garlic naans and when I say it's so good I would give up my first born child for it I'm not joking. It's that good. The servers are all very friendly and the music they play gets me in the mood to destroy my butter chicken. I am constantly talking this place up because it's amazing. 11/10 recommend. read more

A great place in Santa Barbara if you are looking for good Indian food. We ordered the samosas, malai kofta, dal tadka and garlic naan. All of the food was delicious. The service was also nice and friendly! Will definitely come back when we are in the area. read more

Great food if you are looking for authentic Punjabi cuisine, in Santa Barbara, which has a lot of "fake" Indian restaurants. Good ambience and v friendly servers is one of the best features of this restaurant. Owner is unfriendly though. His attitude takes away the fun of this place, which, in every other way, is fantastic. read more

This place rules!!!! Absolutely delicious food. Very spicy and very very yes please in my tummy Can't wait to come back again. Thanks for a great lunch! P.S. the cheesey naan will be something I dream about. Delish! read more

It tastes like the Indian food I used to get in England and have never found in southern CA. Service was very nice. Feels like a little hole-in-the-wall. I am looking forward to the next time I am in Santa Barbara. We will definitely be eating here again! read more

The best Indian food I've ever tasted. I've traveled from Santa Cruz multiple times just to get the taste of this wonderful place. Amazing owners as well. read more

The food was amazing! So yummy and fresh. Service was quick and accommodating. Patio seating is very cute!

Roasted chicken i ordered was almost burnt and was looking black ,no quality food. Paneer masala curry was too sweet for diabtic guys. read more

Apna Indian Kitchen - Horrible food ,I ordered roasted chicken which was almost burnt.Please maintain the quality so that people can get value for their money - Indian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Wonderful! Service and food were fantastic. Really glad this place is in town. Definitely gonna be one of our new regular spots. Thank you!!

Stopped here while exploring State street and oh wow, this will be a place I frequent often. Samosas are so good, but the sauce they come with is the icing on the cake. The butter chicken is tender and the sauce, I can drink the sauce. Got the garlic naan, and it was perfect. Ordered the crab cakes to go, and when I got home, I was so happy I ate those in the privacy of my home. They are something else! The atmosphere was colorful and laid back and the staff were friendly. read more

Yep amazing.. dear GOD amazing.. everything is made at order-the rich flavors , the meats the taste- definitely worth trying..

Fantastic food and service! Highly recommended!! Terrific curries, garlic naan, papadams and crab cakes.

The guy at the front is extremely rude ! Don't come here . Worst customer service . I called ahead of time and they promised to take seat me and when we arrived with a baby in tow , the guy at the front started to saying things like I'm being generous to you to allow for a takeaway and then he started to get personal by saying things like your wife is trying to be assertive and he was being extremely rude, saying other things that's not worth writing here. He didn't even care that I had a hungry toddler . And guess what he even grabbed the menus away and just said "we won't serve you". Bunch of arrogant people! This business has no professional ethics whatsoever. What a shame ! read more

good food yum i would definitely go back again and eat here honestly it was not too long a wait ordering through yelp

This restaurant blows me away everytime I come (which is like almost every 2 weeks at this point). My friends and I always share a bunch of dishes and always leave perfectly satisfied and stuffed! Our usual order is: Cheese naan: holy crap, this naan is amazing. We always have to order two. The naan itself is so soft and cooked perfectly while the cheese is nicely melted and has that amazing cheese pull. Samosas: perfectly balanced with potato and spices. Super soft in the middle and crunchy on the outside. The pairing with the tamarind sauce and the cabbage slaw just knocks it out of the park! Latke (potato pancake): these are just amazing. Super soft with a slight crunch that just leaves us wanting more than the 2 that they give! However, it's an appetizer so we can't be disappointed. Curry fries: only ordered these once, but my god, we were enjoying every bite of these! Also nice to dip them in the curry. Chicken Tikka masala (&butter chicken): perfectly spiced and perfectly creamy! Always a hit for us. There was once where our butter chicken was a tad over cooked but that's okay because the sauce and other dishes made up for it. Lamb korma: this is definitely the star for me! I can't not express enough how much I love this dish. We get it medium spice and it's always perfect and tender with an overwhelmingly great flavor. I cannot stress enough how great this restaurant is and probably my favorite Indian food in all of SB. Staff is super friendly and nice and willing to accommodate all your wants and needs. Please check this out and you won't be disappointed. read more

worst service. The owner behaved as if he did a favor on us. We were not all happy with the service and hence to make a point, we decided not to give any tips. The owner came out and started shouting and using bad words infront of the kids. I would advise people to avoid this place and let the owner face the consequences of his actions. read more

Very good , and a nice place to eat it. Everything was great, Flavorful and spicy with a good variety on the menu too.

There's a new game in town...I love Flavor of India, been supporting them forever, etc., etc., but Apna is mind-blowing. Good menu of mostly Northern Indian classics. We did takeout during corona lockdown with chicken korma, chicken masala, saag paneer, mixed vegetables, tandoori chicken, samosas and garlic naan. From the first bite to the last, our taste buds were in a state of ecstasy. The food has so much freshness, flavor and depth. It's downright three dimensional; you taste every herb, spice and ingredient. Each dish tastes more than the some of its parts - not the same flavors re-arranged, but distinct and unique; we were talking about how good it was for days after. Fast service, decent portions and a reasonable price, considering it's right on State. We're very lucky to have Apna in SB; I can't wait to go back and try some other dishes! read more

Great food - new favorite Indian food in SB. Great, friendly staff thank you Babli. Restaurant is light and bright. They also play Indian action movies which are the shit. one of the best restaurants on State. read more

Ughhhhhhh this place is tooo gooodddddddd. This review is for Butter chicken and curry fries. They're my go to forever and (okay I guess maybe this isn't the most original order) but they should recognize the people that always order those two things by now =P. (The last time I got the butter chicken, sadly, I think they messed up my order because it was way spicier than any other time I got it, so :(... But it was still delicious nonetheless (I just couldn't eat as much in one sitting).) I know that I loved butter chicken at other places before (in NYC) but it's not usually my goto.. But after looking at pictures and reviews on yelp, I tried it the first time, and it has become my regular... I need to eat it at least several times a month hahaha. Their curry fries are also so so so good... The first time I ate it, I got nervous because I thought there were onions all over it (I dont like onions XD) but then I realized that they're not onions (I think it says what it is on the menu description) and so I've continued to get them.. 2nd day curry fries are also to die for!! I have also tried their curry... (?) which I thought should be the same as the curry that they use for their curry fries.. I don't think they quite were the same.. the curry was a lot spicier maybe... (Or maybe I'm getting mixed up..) I had the Tikka Masala (or was it callled something else.. sorry I'm not looking at the menu right now).. and that one was also spicier than I would life (maybe I'm thinking of the same dish...).. And then I also tried the Saag, and in comparison to the butter chicken, it was more on the bland side. (saag and tikka masala are usually my go tos). But it's fine because I love butter chicken and I'm happy with that foreverrr. :D read more

This is the BEST indian food I have had in a while. It was unfortunate Tamira closed as that indian buffet was my go to. HOWEVER I realize I have been missing out on the BEST indian food in SB area with this place!! SO delicious, we ordered spicy and it was the perfect amount of flavor. The staff was so nice and the chef even came out to make sure we liked it...i answered "we LOVE it!!" so much better than bibi ji a few blocks down too. Also much fairer prices. I will definitely be back:-) read more

Apna Indian Kitchen - saag paneer, butter chicken, coconut curry with prawns - Indian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

There is nothing like chai to make the Indian connection and this is one of the rare places where it was on the house! I was so impressed with the hospitality that we came back for samosas n mango lassis which were delicious in the evening! So, we decided to return for dinner but were running late and would arrive 10 mins before closing! We called and they took the order over the phone and when we arrived, our food was hot n ready! Not only that, we also added more breads and were promptly served! There was so much warmth and hospitality from everyone - Raman, our hostess who took meticulous details n got the kitchen to recreate a dish that was spicy, Kuldeep who was magnanimous and Anmol who got us everything quickly! Delicious soulful food with amazing service!!! We'll definitely be back n also recommend to all our friends! read more

Nice ambience and great food..nice find in Santa Barbara for desi/Indian food. The menu checks all the basics for Indian food and the service is nice too. read more

Food is great, service is friendly! I prefer the outside tables but inside is good too!

Looking at their pictures online will not do justice to the food quality they serve at this place. We ordered 5 sabzi and 2 appetizers and their food was Authentic Indian. I am from India and I give them 5 stars for their amazing food and good service. The owners are very friendly and they are doing an exceptional work over here in Santa Barbara. Shout out to the owner and the chef for great work. Made my heart happy #wadiakhanathapaaji read more

Great desi food right in the middle of most happening street in Santa Barbara. Awesome vibe and ambiance. Tikka masala was awesome. Portion size is slightly small but taste of food covers it all. read more

Alright, LISTEN UP, Tip #1 Check in on Yelp for a free Mango Lassi Okay, we're now off to a great start. Next, order anything off the menu and I can assure you, you will be happy with any decision you make. The fact that this restaurant maintains a solid 5 star rating after 100+ reviews, means that this place is the real deal. The spices, the flavors, the quick service, the variety of dishes and meats, & the free Mango Lassi...Apna, you have stolen my heart. Now onto the food--you can't go wrong with the samosas. It comes in two, perfect for sharing, & that spicy green dipping sauce it comes with is addictingly good. Curry waffle fries--you heard right....CURRY FRIES. I love this fusion dish. So simple yet done so well. I recommend sharing these fries with whoever you're with b/c you need to make sure you have room for the rest of the dishes. Their butter chicken was stellar. It comes in what looks like a tiny bowl but trust me they do not gyp you on the chicken. There were times where I thought that bowl was endless. And, the garlic naan that we chose to accompany this dish was like icing on the cake. The naan had great texture with the right amount of chewiness. The butter chicken does come with rice too! I haven't had the chance to try the lamb curry but my friend recently had it & she loved it. So I can't wait to come back and try everything else from the menu. Thank you Apna Indian Kitchen for opening up in SB. I'm so happy that you guys are here!! read more

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I am extremely happy that Apna is one of our newest additions to the central state area. The chicken tikka is BY FAR some of the best Iv ever tasted. The cheese naan is my latest craving...SO delicious. Everything I've tried here is WONDERFUL. Very fragrant and flavorful. Beware sometimes you wait here, either for a table or food. It gets busy!! I do have to say, I wish they'd expand the menu more because I just want to taste more happiness :) read more

Apna Indian Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Holy Moly this place is amazing! My family is Indian and I grew up in NY, I would easily say that this is the best food I've had since eating with my family. The sauces and flavors were PERFECTLY balanced and everything was beyond delicious! We ordered: Samosa (whoa!) Naan (yes!) Garlic Naan (heck yes!) Roti (phenomenal) Masala Curry (OMG!) Vegetable Korma (For real?) Basmati Rice (BEYOND standard) We have friends coming into town next week and we WILL be ordering from here again and for always!!! Thank you SO MUCH for doing it right! read more

Let me tell you... this place is fantastic! It is the first time I came here, and the food was delicious. It came out quickly, service was superb, and I am extremely happy. I recommend this place a million times over. Will be back. Recommend to all. Thank you so much to the people that work here for a wonderful meal. This is not sponsored this is a review of a very happy customer!!!! read more

Apna Indian Kitchen - WHHHAAATTT . Complementary chai tea, TOO! - Indian Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I had heard that this new Indian place was very good. Actually the word used was "great". And well it was great and then some. I ordered to go craving Indian and I certainly wasn't disappointed. It was perfect. I ordered the chicken kabob (tandoori chicken), the butter chicken, the lentils and garlic naan. It was superb. And I've had a lot of Indian cuisine most recently in London. This is right up there and I'd highly recommend that you try this wonderful place. This is my highest rating and it deserves 5 stars.... read more

Spent the weekend in Santa Barbara and was craving something savory. Lo and behold we find a pretty yummy Indian restaurant! We appreciated the fact that it was a little away from the busy areas in downtown Santa Barbara. Good for keeping away from Covid. Service was acceptable, with an average wait time for food to come out. The chicken tikka masala and veggie masala was pretty good, but not the best I've had. Samosa's weren't bad either. I would def try the latke as it was perhaps the best food I had from the restaurant. Overall, while it may not be the best Indian food I've had, it definitely hit the spot and perhaps the best Indian restaurant in DT Santa Barbara. read more