We ordered takeout and found the website to be user friendly and easy to place an order. The restaurant is located in a food court with several other restaurants and there appeared to be ample seating in a clean and pleasant dining area. The food is always the highlight and we enjoy all of their vegetarian options (especially the saag paneer and baingan bhartha), as well as the chicken vindaloo, makhani, and tikka masala. The staff are always very friendly and kind when we arrive to pick up our food. This is our favorite spot for Indian takeout! read more

One of the best Indian takeout I've ever had. Their chicken makhani is absolutely the best; so delicious! I got their bowl. For $11, you can get some rice and a chicken entree on top of it. It's not the biggest serving, but good enough for a lunch. Their Dinner Combos are a great combo of items, but slightly pricey (the Yelp menu prices here are outdated). If you want to get garlic on your naan, it's $2 extra which we thought was a bit too much for a tbsp of minced garlic. read more

Punjabi Tandoor - Irvine - Butter Chicken rice bowl - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

Everything was great and tasty prefect for spicy food lovers enjoyed it had a great staff

I came for lunch because I've been craving Indian food for awhile now. The parking here is easy. It's in a small food court in the corner of the plaza with many other small stores. I got the lunch combo with 1 chicken and 1 lamb dish. I got the Rogan Josh and the chicken makhani (butter chicken). The combo also comes with rice pudding and naan. I'm really weak to spicy food and I like that nothing was too spicy for me but was still flavorful. They do package the lunch combos in a divided clamshell for to go orders. So just be aware it probably will leak. I would say it was a really good value and I will definitely be back again. read more

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Hello everyone! Food food food for all you indian doods! And non-indians, of course. Welcome to Punjabi Tandoor! It's a quick service restaurant in Irvine, located in a local small food court in the business district. Tucked away in a corner, it's really difficult to spot, but we PROMISE it's worth it! Sometimes, it can be a hassle to go and sit down at a proper south asian or Indian restaurant, but a stall like this makes it easy to grab and go! You also get a TON of food for what you pay! You're not leaving hungry, that's on god! The menu is pretty straightforward, so get what you'd like! There's a combo for everything. We both got a chicken and veg combo. I went with the chicken makhani, which is butter chicken, and the saag paneer, which is a spinach and spongy cheese dish that you've gotta try! Brandon ordered chicken vindalu, which is a spicy curry, and a mushroom curry dish with peas! We got our food, and, oh my goodness, look at it! Overflowing wells of curry, a huge bed of rice, and naan! You can get your naan buttered for a small charge, and it's worth it! And, of course, you tear some off and dip it in your curry! Gander at the glory as that naan meets the gravy...mmmmmmmm~~~ There's really not much more to say! Savory, hot, and silky. Something about that radioactive red really gets my goat...or chicken in this case! This stuff is just plain good! It definitely reminded us that we need to get to some more south asian food! I don't know what I'm a fan of more, but one thing's for sure, you gotta head to Punjabi Tandoor! read more

I've been coming here for years! The food is excellent. This has been family owned for years. They are part of a chain, but each location is individually ran. The service is impeccable. They work hard and they work fast and your food is always hot. I always get their chicken tikka masala and chicken makhani. They have different variations and vegetable curries and seafood curries. I love their naan bread. I didn't get to take a picture of my food because I was so hungry and I ate it so fast lol! Highly recommend this place if you're in the area. And it's even worth driving too if you live far. Honestly, it's the only Indian food place that I really ever eat at. Nothing compares. This storefront is in a strip mall. Nothing fancy, but it's always very clean. I love it here! There's plenty of parking. And you don't have to pay for parking. read more

Bad food even worse service. Persistently packaged to be as unenjoyable as possible. . read more

Punjabi Tandoor - Irvine - Poorly packaged food, seeping through the container. - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

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Good spot for quick service and flavorful food. I usually get combo #4 (chicken, vegetables, rice, raita or rice pudding, naan) and get chicken makhani and saag as my chicken/vegetables. Occasionally I'll also get a mango lassi. The saag is creamy, smooth, and aromatic; the chicken is tender and flavorful, and the naan is both chewy and crispy. The food portion is decent (especially how big the naan is), although I feel like they could give more meat. read more

Punjabi Tandoor - Irvine - Chicken Makhani, Saag, Naan, rice pudding, Mango Lassi - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

Delicious Indian food! I can't wait to go back. The staff is so nice and friendly. The prices are very reasonable and the portions are great. You won't be disappointed, it's so yummy. Just writing this I am dreaming of my next meal there read more

such an underrated spot for indian food! absolutely love their chicken tikka masala and garlic naan, the portion sizes are great and if you ask for extra rice they give a generous amount. it's located in a small food court that has some other great food spots as well. there's a good amount of seating, staff is super friendly, and they have a good selection of food. overall i have nothing negative to say! def recommend :) read more

Punjabi Tandoor - Irvine - Chicken Tikka Masala - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

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Still has the best chicken tikki masala I've ever tasted. Brought a friend and she did a happy dance and we both finished the 2 side lunch special read more

The quality of the food for the price was not worthy of a four rating. I'd give it more of a three best. The curry sauce was like light brown water nobody to it at all . read more

cheapskate owner likes blame repeat customers when politely pointing out order mistakes, which are increasingly frequent.

Located in a small food court in the corner of the plaza, so there is plenty of seating. Employees were lovely and accommodating! Food is ready instantly if you choose items from the lunch buffet menu. I got the Combo #7. $14 for 2 chicken curries, rice, raita, and naan. Chicken tikka masala and Chicken makhni - The curry was flavorful but not as spicy as I wanted, so I asked for more chili powder to add in. Raita - Definitely sweeter than other raita I have tried. Naan - Amazing and fresh! It had an almost chewy texture and paired wonderfully with the curries. read more

Punjabi Tandoor - Irvine - Combo #7 (Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Makhani, Naan, Raita) - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

Solid spot with friendly employees. Not an overpriced upscale dining experience, nor does it try to be. Punjabi Tandoor fills a rare niche in South OC by offering good quality, reasonably priced Indian quick service. My girlfriend and I love grabbing takeout here on lazy weekends. The lamb vindaloo is the move. Swing by when you get the chance. read more

My family tried takeout from here since they had 4.2 stars. I think it's a popular casual lunch spot for their combos, but I think doing take out for dinner didn't work out as well. It's a bit cheaper than most other Indian restaurants, but the portions were small. The website said the 16 oz paneer serves 2-3, but it was 16 oz of sauce with very few pieces of paneer. We had paneer tikka masala, chicken tikka masala, and rogan josh lamb curry. The meats were on the dry side and none of them were all that flavorful. To their credit, the food was ready in a reasonable amount of time and their mild spicy level truly was only mildly spicy. The mango lassi was good. I've been on the fence between 2 stars and 3 stars. I think seeing the website description "serves 2-3 people" and finishing it while still being hungry clinched 2 stars. read more

I 100% recommend this place food is so yummy and staff is very sweet! I love coming here when I'm in Orange County read more

Punjabi Tandoor - Irvine - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is the brightest star in the food court! Been coming here for years and time after time the food NEVER DISAPPOINTS! Everybody there is so nice and so friendly. If I lived closer, I'd go there for lunch everyday! read more

Honestly, I was hoping for much more flavors, moistness and spice. I basically chugged 2 water bottles to get through this food. Here's a breakdown of my order: - Butter Chicken (3/5) - Dry chicken. Asked for medium spice and didn't taste any spice at all. The sauce itself was okay but it didn't stand out to me. - Chicken Tikka Masala (3.5/5) Less dry, but still pretty dry. Also asked for medium spice and had basically none. - Garlic Naan w/ Butter (2.5/5): Garlicky enough for me, but dry and honestly did not feel like there was any butter. - Tandoori Roti (1.5/5): Could not have been any more dry. - Mango Lassi (5/5): Can't go wrong here. read more

it was just okay. its inside of a food court, the way they have their menu set up is a bit confusing. the food was bland, which is surprising with indian cuisine, but everything tasted a bit watered down. the kheer and naan were good. read more

Ordered a combo on doordash that included channa masala, garlic naan (+$3), rice and a small container of kheer. Also ordered 12oz chicken makhani, another order of garlic naan, mango lassi, and two chutneys (tamarind and mint). Overall, aside from the lassi and chutney, the taste of all of the food was pretty bland and underwhelming. The channa masala and kheer were watery and lacked flavor. The garlic naan also lacked garlic - it felt like it was just regular naan. Maybe I ordered too close to closing or the wrong items but would unlikely return to this Indian restaurant. I lastly, I'll add that the lassi and chutney were delicious! read more

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I came in around lunch and ordered a two item dinner combination. While the na was quite good, the portions of the curry were small and the chicken tikka masala sauce was watery and low on cream and had almost no chicken in it. Really only three chunks. Matter Paneer was also watery, but at least had some spice. If I were to come again, I would probably just order a 16 ounce of the tikka masala and some naan. The person behind the counter was polite and helpful, but the food was just so disappointing. I don't think I'll be back. read more

It was EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING. We didn't want to order what was already prepared as it'd be too bland and not spicy so we ordered off the menu for takeout. We ordered some Chicken Tikka, Lamb Vindaloo and Chicken Vindaloo along with some Garlic Naan and Rice. In a nutshell, besides the Naan which was OK, everything else was just NOT good AT ALL. It wasn't even close to being acceptable by Indian standards. I can honestly say it was the worst Indian food I have had at any restaurant, fast food or sit down. I'm not even a cook but I'd be willing to bet I could make better tasting food by following some recipe. HARD PASS !! read more

Ridiculously expensive, $15 for a 12 ounce cup of saag paneer. You cannot mix and match plates you must order it as is. They give very small portions and are overpriced. The bread gets hard fairly quickly once you take it out of the foil and it's hard to chew. I had amazing Indian food, this is the worst I've ever had ! Not worth my money. read more

Punjabi Tandoor - Irvine - Saag Paneer - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

Fresh and delicious take out, easy 5 stars. Punjabi Tandoor hit all the marks for a take out. When I wanted some Indian food, this spot was listed nearby and I'm glad I came. Located inside a corner indoor food court, my first impression was meh, but that changed when I was greeted enthusiastically by the dude there, and looks like a family run place with his parents running the back. The combo was perfect, it came with naan and was around $12 including tax. Naan: 5/5. Surprisingly fresh tasting and super buttery. A must get if you're ever here. Smells great too. Tikka Masala: 5/5 very creamy and has a nice spice that creeps up on you. The sauce was good. I tried both the chicken and the vegetarian tikka masala and both are pretty fire. There's no online ordering at the moment so you'll have to bring your butt over, but for a quick takeout this place left a good impression on me. I'll definitely return :) read more

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This place rocks! You kinda have to try a few different items before knowing what YOU think is good, but once you find it, you'll realize this is the best VALUE Indian cuisine you can get not only in Irvine, but probably for many miles around. They have several different Lunch specials that basically provide enough food for two people. I usually get something at lunch and then save the rest for dinner. No, this is not a pretentious, overpriced Indian sit-down restaurant, and thank goodness it isn't. It's humble, fast, and friendly service with generous portion sizes, authentic flavor, and is a perfect take-out spot. read more

I've had Punjabi Tandoor bookmarked and am happy to finally get to try it! Located in an unassuming plaza inside a corner food court, Punjabi Tandoor is serving up a variety of delicious Indian cuisine. They have their own online ordering system that I highly recommend you use. When I got there, I was greeted very nicely and service was great! Everyone was wearing face masks. Overall, pickup experience was great! The good: 1. Nav Rattan Korma - This was the spiciest of the two curries I got. I love that they use an abundance of fresh vegetables! The curry has amazing spices and flavors. Would definitely get this again. 2. Chicken Tikka Masala - Another great curry. Not as strong in flavor as other places I've tried but the lightness almost lends a somewhat more sophisticated Tikka Masala due to that. You still get amazing flavors but it wasn't heavy. Chicken wasn't as tender but they served up a generous portion of it. This went well with the Garlic Naan. 3. Garlic Naan - As others have stated in their reviews, I love that you can smell, see, and taste real chunks of garlic on the naan. Other places say it's garlic, but I feel like they are just using garlic powder. They also have a variety of lamb and goat curries that I want to try next time I visit! read more

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I was looking for my new go-to spot for indian takeout and i stumbled upon this little hole in the wall restaurant. It's tucked away in a little food court. It doesnt look like much but the food is absolutely amazing! The price is more reasonable than most indian restaurants i've tried and it's just as good, if not better. The cashier here was super friendly on the day that I went. I will be coming again! read more

So glad I stumbled upon Punjabi Tandoor. I was familiar with the location in San Diego so I thought to try and see if it's the same. Did not disappoint, quality and taste was just as I remember. Chicken Tikka Masala was perfect. They do not skimp out on the chicken. Saag Paneer was better than I expected. The earthy taste surprised me in a good way. The rice dessert was sweet and a treat at the end of the meal. Wish I found this location sooner. This will definitely be my go to Indian place in the area. Do you see this perfect crispy naan? read more

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This place is usually my goto for Indian food because it's close to work. They've be great in the past, but maybe due to coviid the portion sizes are smaller now:/. Got a meat special and veggie special combo. There's only about 3 pieces of lamb. This was also upcharge by a dollar and some change. The combo comes with naan and a small dessert. It's pretty filling due to all the carbs you get, but pretty disappointed with the amount of meat received versus in the past. read more

Punjabi Tandoor - Irvine - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

Came here for lunch had a delicious tasting lunch plate with very generous portions. It was quick and convenient will definitely be coming back. read more

Overall rating three The ordering the meal was strange as I sense some negative energy from the cashier initially. I guess it was because I asked about the buffet service. The food took almost 20 minutes to come out to be exactly 17 minutes. Lamb curry was light on the curry and the tandoori chicken was a bit dry -overall three out of five The nun was very soft and stretchy I'd give that a five. The ambiance was lunch setting open shared dinning -average three out of five read more

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Punjabi Tandoor is located in a small food court in Irvine, close to Jamboree and Main. They are a family run business with several locations in Southern California serving up northern style Indian cuisine. The menu consists of several lunch/dinner combinations, breads, a la carte curries, appetizers, and tandoori dishes. Their steam trays had 4 veggie options (mushroom curry, spinach curry, chaana masala, and a potato curry) and 3 chicken options (chicken tikkah masala, chicken makhani (butter), and chicken curry). I decided to go with combination #4. All of their combination come with at least 2 entrees. Combo #4 ($8.50) - This came with freshly prepared naan, rice, kheer (rice pudding) or yogurt, choice of 1 chicken entree, and 1 veggie entree. I went with the chicken makhani, which was tender and had a delicious tomato based curry which was rich and buttery. I also enjoyed my mushroom curry, although I feel the consistency could have been a bit thicker. The naan was plentiful and freshly made. It was so soft and doughy and tasted wonderful! I was already so full by the time I got to the dessert (kheer), which was just a sweetened milky rice. It was just ok taste wise. Overall, the food tastes great (especially the naan) and the customer service is outstanding! While the steam tray options are limited, the lunch combinations are very reasonably priced and won't leave you broke. This is a great place to go when craving Indian food! read more

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I am a huge fan of Punjabi Tandoor in Anaheim and in San Diego. I was so excited to see this place open when they arrived in 2022. However, the location is small and is inside a food mall. The service is very friendly and their prices are reasonable. However, their hours are not always reflected accurately on yelp. I have visited during their reported hours to come to a closed shop on multiple occasions. Which leads me to give a 3 star review. Otherwise, their foods are great. read more

Unbearably spicy i usually eat everything mild all three dishes veg biryani rice butter chicken and navrattan korma were nice and hot made to order but were flaming spicy we always order those dishes and they are usually mild and i didn't ask for burn your ass off spicy nevermind spicy really wish they had asked me if i wanted it mild medium or spicy the menu online didnt show fire next to to any of them plus when you order for pick up on your phone it gives you the options to choose my hubby warned me dont eat it as he loves hot food my mouth was burning i had to use mouthwash and brush my teeth after eating we had to add yogurt into it to cool it down but it was still too spicy all you can taste is burning mouth on all three dishes we both had ring of fire butt from the spicy food and i felt like puking the next morning so we threw out the leftovers i dont do well with spicy how unpleasant read more

Being a UCSD alumni makes Punjabi Tandoor a nostalgic joyride. The Irvine location is just as delicious as the San Diego location and the prices are fair for the amount of food given. Definitely a stable in my eating out rotation. Looking forward to coming back soon!! read more

Punjabi Tandoor - Irvine - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

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Fast, affordable, and flavorful Indian spot with a variety chicken and lamb curry dishes, 10 different kinds of Nann, and several side dish options. You can get a single curry dish for less than $10 or a combo with 2 curries, rice, and a nann for less than $15. Great for a quick weekday dinner! Chicken tikka masala and Lamb rogan josh are some of our favorites! You are able to customize your spiciness level - just make sure to ask when you place your order! Seems to be a family run place with friendly and efficient staff. read more

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Located in a small food court on an unassuming strip mall on Main street, it is truly a gem in hiding! The flavors! Amazing. One of the best Indian food I had locally. Sooo reasonbly priced and cashier was so nice and courteous. Simply a great place to to go a casual dinner or lunch. read more

I've been to the San Diego location and I was hoping this location would have similar quality. It was close but not quite the same! Still overall really good food - it's located in a small plaza with plenty of seating and parking. We got the butter chicken, Rogan josh and shrimp korma. The favorites were definitely the butter chicken and rogan josh - super flavorful! We will be back again to fill our Indian food cravings. read more

Punjabi Tandoor - Irvine - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

I ordered food delivery through DoorDash for this place because my first choice restaurant was so overwhelmed with orders, they cancelled my order after a half hour... so it came down to this restaurant or another Indian food restaurant, or two liquor stores (that DD would deliver from). Needless to say, I picked this one since it was closer to my home than the other restaurant. I ordered the Combo #5 (on DD's menu) - and selected the Lamb Vindaloo with Mushroom Masala and Kheer. I opted for the upgrade to Garlic Naan. The food arrived quickly, but it was a bit messy when I opened the box - it could have been delivery - but the food was there - so no blame. The garlic naan was amazingly good - I could taste and see the fresh minced garlic on the bread, as well as the fact that it was well-oiled and not burnt at all. The kreer was a nice side dish, a sweet/savory rice treat that I liken to Vietnamese che (sweet rice dessert). It was a great contrast to the main dish and it's spicyness. The lamb vindaloo was great - the one thing that really turned me off about the meal though was the mushroom masala - the sauce is good, garnishments are good - but the mushrooms... they were exactly the type you'd find in canned mushrooms! I mean, for a place that you would think makes everything fresh - they use canned mushrooms, not real mushrooms. As a fan of mushrooms myself, I was a bit disappointed about the use of canned mushrooms - it almost overshadows the quality of the dish. Now, I'm not expecting some restaurant-quality food, considering that this is located in a food court, but if they could use fresh mushrooms, it would definitely bring the dish up a notch or so in terms of quality. That being said, I'm glad that I stumbled over this place by accident (out of sheer desperation really, as it was one of two restaurants being served by DoorDash on Christmas evening). The garlic naan and kreet were great - and the lamb/rice portion of my main dish was delicious. I'll probably pay them a visit in person where I can see what I'm ordering, versus going off what sounds good from DD's menu. read more

Punjabi Tandoor - Irvine - Lamb Vindaloo and Mushroom Marsala - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California