I'm a regular at another local restaurant for a very good Indian buffet that's become our favorite to-go place, but I came across this one by chance and thought I needed to check out this place.... that was opened not too long ago. The place has a nice, simple, and casual ambiance to enjoy a good buffet at lunchtime and full menu to order from at dinner times. Sadly, I was really hoping to try their dosa (crispy Indian crepes), but I was told it was only available at dinner times....bummer. What I liked about the buffet here is that they offer a very wide selection of very yummy looking dishes....perhaps a few more than my regular spot.... like the shrimp curry. Also, pleasantly surprising is that they offer really good mango Lassi (which wasn't overly sweet) and chai tea as part of the buffet price. I must say that the quality and taste of the food here is spot on good! Everything was very delicious and not too salty like some other Indian buffets we'd been to. Everything was hot and fresh prepared, especially as we were the first ones there after opening, but the place soon filled up within 20 to 30 minutes. Delicious hot and freshly baked Naan bread also comes with the buffet and is made fresh once we're seated. I tried most of the dishes they offered in the buffet.... tandoori chicken, chicken and shrimp curries, lentil daal, etc. and everything was absolutely delicious.... all went great with the hot and fresh Naan bread. But a word of warning, however... the food is so good that it can all become very addictive and difficult to know when to stop. Unfortunately, I had to deduct a star because on this day they didn't offer palak paneer (spinach and goat cheese), my absolute favorite and must-have dish in any Indian buffet....bummer again. Service was good and attentive, although everyone seemed so robotic and without any smiles or expressions of enthusiasm.....probably just shy. Price is a bit more than other Indian buffets.... regularly $21.99, but during this holiday season, it's $17.99. Still very well priced for such good quality Indian food... and all you can eat too! read more

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Really good indian food for pretty good price around $20. No complaints. Friendly and fast service (made very sure we had enough naan) and the food is great! Clean store and buffet style bar as well Personally wasn't a fan of the donut ball thing, the chicken was alright. Chicken masala on top "This is fire bro" - my friend read more

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Great deal for under $20 for all-you-can-eat. The food overall was delicious and flavorful. My only minor complaint is that a few of the items were served at room temperature rather than hot, especially for the soup-based dishes where warmth really matters. The naan bread was served & refilled quickly by the attentive servers. I couldn't really taste any garlic, so that could've been stronger. Still tasty, though! The ambience was really pleasant with a nice vibe and great music playing in the background. It made the whole experience feel relaxed and enjoyable. Would definitely return if I'm in the area again. Worth a visit if you're looking for good food at a great price! read more

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If you're looking for a cheap place to satisfy your Indian food craving, this is it! It is buffet style and they refill your garlic naan basket which is great! The quality is not as great as other a la carte places but it is only $20 for lunch buffet. They do have a couple options, including the popular chicken tikka masala, but everything else was just okay. Although it satisfied my craving, it wasn't the best Indian food I have had. read more

Masala Bae - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

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Highly recommended Indian cuisine that did not disappoint! My husband and I love Indian food so we were excited to try this location so close to home. We arrived on a Saturday night and it was already full. Thankfully a table opened up right when we got there so we were able to be seated quickly! We ordered the samosa appetizer, chicken Tikka masala, chicken 65, and garlic Naan. We were very happy with all of our choices. The chicken 65 was our favorite (highly recommend). The samosa was okay and very spicy so we will skip that for next time. As delicious as the chicken Tikka was, we have tried better. It was a different consistency that others we have tried and wasn't as flavorful. Still, it was a good dish and certainly worth a try. The staff were accommodating and welcoming. We will definitely be back again soon! read more

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First time trying Indian food was here and I've been back once a week ever since! I love the shrimp curry personally and my bf loves the butter chicken or the chicken tiki masala(this one's his fav)! I wish there was a shrimp tiki masala cause the sauce is perfect, And I always eat his!! The cilantro garlic naan is the BEST and you should definitely get one of your own cause it's too good to share ! We also tried the Mango Lassi today and my baby girl and fiancé love it so much they're fighting over it. Kavian I think is her name, Is super nice to my baby, Always helps us out and is super sweet. My favorite Indian food with the best atmosphere! Can't wait to come back and try their new buffet they have ;D read more

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Food is very good. The service is very prompt to refill water or get you more naan. The samosas are my favorite. The place is good sized and dressed up for dinner service. It is buffet style so you can try a bit of everything. I highly recommend it. read more

The food was amazing both times I have had it so far! Everything tasted great and was well prepared.

Tried out Masala Bae in Tustin with my dad this weekend, and it's a solid spot for AYCE Indian food. We came for lunch and it turned out to be $18.99 per person. The staff is super welcoming, and the food is authentic with lots of variety. I recommend getting there before 12pm to avoid the crowd - I've heard it can get pretty crowded. While I enjoyed the flavors, I do wish a few of the curries had a bit more heat, and the desserts were a touch too sweet for my taste. The lamb curry was really tender and flavorful read more

Good variety of items for vegetarians Chicken and meat halal options. Would go again. Can get busy after 12pm. read more

Small buffet.. I was excited to see aline for the opening but the menu was small.. the food was good but I needed more options

This excellent indian buffet is located in a plaza on Red Hill in Tustin adjacent to Del Taco. I came here on a weekday for the lunch buffet at $18.99 per person. The place was packed for lunch with people on break as well as families with children. We were sat after about a 15 minute wait and began to get our food. FOOD: I instantly went for the chicken tikka masala and chicken biryani since that's my favorite combo. The tikka masala was seasoned very well and had a generous amount of chicken inside. The chicken biryani was also delicious and paired nicely with the tikka masala. The garlic naan is made fresh to order and was phenomenal, best naan i've had around OC. I love dipping the naan in the tikka masala and eating it with chicken. They also have some greens so you're not loading up on just the savory stuff. In addition, they have a yummy fruit salad and delicious pineapple lassi which I couldn't get enough of. SERVICE: Service was impeccable. The guys there are always looking for things to do and did a great job keeping waters filled and bringing out more naan since I can't get enough. They seem like they take great pride in their work. The restaurant feels a bit cramped towards the middle when it's busy, but it's a nonissue when you a promised a delicious meal. I am happy to have found this spot and I will absolutely be back to try more delicious items soon. read more

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Came by for the first time on a Thursday evening for dinner. We ordered Chicken Tikka Masala, Samosa Chaat, Garlic & Cilantro Naan, Chana Batoora, Biryani with chicken. EVERYTHING. WAS. DEEELICIOUS! Every 5 seconds my mom was saying "wow!" or "this is amazing!" The food was sooo flavorful! Very homemade feeling and great sharing portions (there were 3 of us in our group). The few staff they had were very helpful and nice. We will definitely be back and are now very interested in trying the buffet! One random tip- the tables closest to the entrance are right next to the AC unit, which was pretty cold. So I recommend bringing a jacket in case you are sitting near the cold air! read more

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Their Masala curry and tandoori chicken is on point! Great value for the price, this has become my new favorite Indian restaurant. read more

This month has a great holiday special pricing of $17.99 for their weekday/weekend buffet on Tue-Sun from 11am-3pm (see their IG). Even without the pricing, we usually come here around lunch time. It varies from how busy it gets, but the wait is never long. Restaurant is very clean and plenty of seating. Parking out in front is fairly easy. Service is amazing. Never really have to ask for water, they come and fill it for you! Garlic naan comes out super fast and they always ask if we want more. You can tell they are constantly churning out fresh dishes for the buffet. What is even more interesting is that it seems to me that they rotate their dishes. One time we had this amazing pasta dish there (yes you heard me right, pasta), and we just haven't had it since! Another notable curry we had was a mushroom one. Obviously they will always have their staple dishes such as biryani, chicken tikka, and tandoori chicken. So I appreciate them trying different options. They also have lassi! Depending on the day it could be either rose milk or mango flavored. Both are super good, not too artificial tasting. So much yum! Extra plus on the way out you get some Andes chocolate too :) read more

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I'm new to Indian food and absolutely loved this place. Best of all at lunch its a buffet. I can try very small portions to see if I like an item before loading my plate. I didn't know what most of the items were but I love them. Everything is Halal too. The employees were very nice especially the lady working the dining room. This is a must if you want delicious AYCE Indian food for lunch. read more

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great selection of dishes, including some non-Indian dishes like empanadas. It's halal so they serve beef. Inside is cozy. I can't speak to the service since I went for the dinner buffet and it is self-serve. read more

Amazing food and great service. Love this tucked away spot for Indian food. At the end of a strip mall, but definitely a great place to check out! read more

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Indian food in the area is usually pricey and the portions aren't as big. Their lunch buffet serves delicious Indian classics at a good price of $20, the food tastes clean and very flavorful. Overall a pretty good spot. read more

Went here with two friends and we all loved it so much! The staff was so kind, the food was delicious! I also loved this hot and sour soup they had and went back for multiple rounds. The unlimited Mango Lassi was also such a delight! Usually I do not like buffet style since I feel like the quality can be forgotten with quantity, but this was not the case here! Every dish was amazing and flavorful, I even got to try some I don't typically order or see at other restaurants! Would definitely return! read more

Masala Bae - Buffet bar - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

Not absolutely terrible but not great. Service 2/10. Food 4/10. Location 6/10. Prices 7/10.

Came for lunch on a Saturday and realized that they served ayce buffet style only during weekend lunches. Was disappointed at first because we only wanted to order a la carte but we were told that most things were unavailable on the menu. After deciding for a long time, we didn't have the stomach for an ayce buffet so we were going to visit another restaurant instead, but the server came up to us and informed us that she had asked the kitchen and they were willing to cook a dish for us that was not part of the buffet. We were very happy and surprised to hear, and it was really sweet of them to do that. We ended up ordering an Old Delhi Chicken Makhani and Garlic Naan with rice, and this was probably one of the most fulfilling meals I had that weekend. Loved the spice and texture of the curry and the chicken was made with a good texture and softness. Would love to come back next time for their buffet now that we know they only do ayce buffet during weekend lunches! read more

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*HALAL FRIENDLY* We arrived at about 2 PM on a weekday and almost had the entire place to ourselves! The interior was warmly intimate, yet spacious at the same time. Also very clean! There was such a large array of food options that I feel like a one time visit does not do justice on the full Masala Bar experience. For a Thursday, the price for the lunch buffet was $18.99. I thought this was a pretty decent price for a buffet considering the good quality of the food, drinks, and desserts were great. I filled my plate with tandoori chicken, biryani, white rice, butter chicken, and the chicken curry. My favorite has to be the butter chicken! Overall, it was very flavorful and delicious. They brought out fresh garlic and cilantro naan for us which was SO good to pair with all the food. I also got the raspberry lassi which is a flavor I have never tried before. I was surprised in the best way! It balanced the meal perfectly. The service was also very lovely throughout. They were very attentive to us -- taking away any of our finished dishes and offering more naan! We also stayed until the lunch buffet ended and they gave reminders to get more food before they cleaned it up which was kind. They even let us stay after the buffet ended even thought they were closed until dinner time, which was very nice. I plan on returning for sure and would recommend a visit! read more

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Let's start with the parking situation, there are plenty of spots in the strip mall, which makes things so easy. We opted for the lunch buffet on Saturday because we were indecisive about what dish to eat. There were so many options to choose from and the food was coming out consistently throughout the time we sat there. The naan was complimentary and the mango lassi and chai tea. I was disappointed that they didn't have any pani puri on the menu, which was another reason for choosing this restaurant. The food was overall pretty good and was happy with the quality of the food. My favorite was the biryani, chicken tikka masala, and dal tadka. read more

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I'm visiting my sister in OC area right now and we both were craving Indian food for dinner so I looked up this spot on Yelp about a 10 minute drive from Tustin and we headed over. We got there kind of early (around 5:15pm and it was still pretty busy surprisingly). I ordered a masala chai for myself which was okay (it was missing clove and had a bit more cinnamon than my liking so tasted a bit more catered to non-desi tastes). We ordered pani puri (which pretty good and covered with sev but I wished it was spicier). The samosa chaat was different than what I was used to since it's usually wet, broken up, and covered in Dahi with the sev on top but it was more of like samosas on top of chaat mix. I asked for Dahi on the side to mix with all the chutneys and get that wet texture and taste that chaat is known for. The butter chicken and garlic naan was absolutely phenomenal in terms of quality of the meat. The meat just melted like actual butter in the sauce but the actual base itself missed a bit of the slight bitterness you typically get from Garam masala so again I felt like it was catered to a non-desi crowd's tastes. Overall the meal was very good and would definitely come back next time! I'm very particular about my Indian food but it's still a great place I'd come visit overall. I regret not using my Yelp check in discount so will be back again to try it out. read more

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We dropped by for the lunch buffet since we were in the area. Masala Bae has to be one of the best Indian food spots i've ever been to. The food is incredibly delicious and the staff and super friendly Will return soon read more

Very rude manager with the way he spoke with me on the phone call. He said my group of friends and I cannot break Iftar in his restaurant because other people will be there. His brother Ibrahim said there is a table of 16 and he can add two more chairs and he did not communicate with his brother about this. I called back to confirm how many people like he requested. I asked if we can sit there early and he refused and started speaking very loud and angrily. I asked him to lower his tone of voice. As a manager, you speak with professionalism and this guy needs training on how to speak with customers. I will not give them my business and neither will our friends. read more

This place is tucked away in a strip mall in Tustin. The food hits soooo good! It's really hard to find such a diverse menu in one location and with traditional flavors. The place was alive by dinner time and lots of catering activity. The service was super friendly, at one point the owner and/or chef came out to socialize with us! This without a doubt will be my meet up place with friends when I'm in OC! read more

I have been to a lot of Indian restaurants and I'm usually severely let down to be honest but this is one of those rare moments a place has genuinely made me feel like my money was well spent, good portion size, good solid flavor and friendly staff. I did takeout so I cannot really say for the ambiance but it seemed pretty chill. I'd 100% go here again and I'd get the tikka masala. read more

TLDR: Just eat here. Trust. I've been married to this spot for years now. Staff is friendly and attentive. Prices are reasonable and portions are pretty sizable (there will always be leftovers to take home). I've never had to wait more than ten minutes to get seated and food usually comes pretty fast as well. I've tried a lot of items off the menu and nothing has ever disappointed me. They seem to make everything well, so I always feel safe venturing out of my usual orders. That being said, my all time favorites would have to be any of the dosas, the samosa chaat, the yellow daal, and the saag. Their chutneys are phenomenal as well - my favorite is the green minty one. Haven't had a chance to try the lunch buffet yet, but you can never ever go wrong with Masala Bae. read more

The reason that our family chooses to come here over the many other Indian restaurants in the area is that they serve Chicken Biryani consistently in their buffet. Their peanut chutney is also unique and delicious. Excellent crispy Samosas and Pakoras too. We also love the Chicken Karahi. Their Garlic Naan is crisp and perfect. Very clean place, with friendly staff. Mango Lassi is included too. read more

I have tried soo many Indian restaurants, this one is here is the best . I got Goat Sukka and lamb biryani. Very flavorful and rich in taste. The only reason am giving them 4 stars is because they forget to put bread naan at my pickup order. Also Goat Sukka it's a heavy nice delicious stew that didn't have any rice with it . And when I called to ask about it , I was told it was appetizer. While on the menu that entry was not on the appetizer section. read more

butter chicken is super creamy and goes perfectly with a warm order of garlic naan. i always enjoy coming here when i want a hearty and flavorful dinner. read more

Saw a TikTok on this place and decided to try the lunch buffet. It was pretty good. We came in and was seated right away. Service was great. Our water was filled and used plates taken away. Restaurant was clean and so was the buffet station. There were several tables occupied during lunch time for a Tuesday. The food was delicious. My favorite was the vegetable pakora. Had to keep coming back for it. I loved the samosas. The outside was crisp and the filling was really flavorful. They had a mutton curry and Chicken Tikka Masala. Both were delicious. The tandoori chicken was a little dry but the other chicken dish was much better. They also gave us some naan bread and it was hot and crisp and garlicky goodness. Overall it was a great experience. For a buffet and the cost, definitely worth it. Will be back for sure read more

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It's not always real spicy but it's always been good. Nice people serving water and bread, and the buffet is well tended. I have been eating here many times and plan to return. read more

Masala Bae offers a nice assortment of vegetarian and meat appetizers and entrees. We really enjoyed what we ordered including... Dahi puri appetizer: A stuffed puff pastry topped with a yogurt mousse. This is one of the more popular items on Yelp reviews and we can see why. Excellent butter chicken and tandoori chicken... though we wished the accompanying onions were grilled rather than raw. Garlic naan which was nice and chewy. Saffron rice which was good, but we realized that it's much better value to get regular basmati rice since the hint of saffron flavoring is lost when mixing entrees with the rice. The staff and our server were very friendly and attentive. read more

I tried the lunch buffet here and and, as with most Indian restaurants, it's a great deal. Decent selection of curries and side dishes and and also chai tea and mango juice were included. While I was there they had a Bollywood channel on the TV which I always find an atmospheric touch. read more

Was craving some good Indian food and decided to order from Masala Bae given the good Yelp reviews. We got 5 dishes to share amongst 4 people. I could never tell the difference between butter chicken and chicken tikka masala- so I ordered both to compare. They are definitely similar, but i preferred tikka masala slightly as it has a bit more acidity (tomato sauce maybe?) while still very creamy. The flavor is a bit more complex than butter chicken. I also really liked the lamb rogan josh - the pieces of lamb were perfectly tender and the sauce was a little bit spicy but still enjoyable. I was a little disappointed of the garlic naan, it was pretty thin and not super flavorful. When we picked up the order around 11:30, the restaurant is packed with people having lunch buffet and the dishes looked great! Will come to try the buffet next! read more

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Indian buffet with good quality food and unlimited chai tea and lassi! Masala Bae is an Indian restaurant located in Tustin. Parking is easy since it's in a large mall. Price for lunch buffet is $18.99 on weekdays and $21.99 on weekend. My Bf and I waited around 25 min for a Sunday lunch. Interior is on the smaller side, food is self serve with buffet and drinks in the back. Some of the foods were a hit and some were a miss. I really loved the naan! So fluffy and light, I liked it better than India kitchen. The mint and tamarind chutney was a little watered down to be. My favorite from the buffet is the spicy chicken, fish curry, and the paneer saag. Wish they had tandoori chicken and aloo gobi since those are my two favorite Indian buffet dishes. Mango pudding was so delicious and fresh, perfect dessert after all the savory food. The raspberry lassi was okay, was a little watered down but when I tried the fresh jug it was better. Atmosphere wise I do prefer India kitchen since it's more of a traditional Indian restaurant vibe. Overall solid Indian eatery with filling dishes. Prepared to be food comaed after visiting here! read more

Masala Bae - Lunch buffet - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

Great halal food! Affordable price for buffet style during lunch hours! The staff is very kind and hospitable. read more

Masala Bae - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California