This is the only place I order Indian food from. Literally. Nothing compares to it. I usually get the chicken tikka masala, garlic naan and rice. SO GOOD like what. RECOMMEND. read more

Dinner with BFF, picked Indian as haven't had it in ages. Saffron also really revamped itself during the pandemic, now it's very white/bright and modern, nice to see the upgrade in style. Couldn't make a reservation but got seated immediately when we arrived at 6pm (weekday), and it got packed by 7pm! At least two large groups, and unfortunately with the restaurant full it got very loud and a bit hard to hear my friend across the table at times. We got garlic naan (yum! Lots of garlic), Chinese cauliflower (tasty but me being Chinese it didn't taste Chinese to me ‍), lamb green curry (cuz I'm a spice wuss) and saag paneer (my fav). Oh and mango lassi - which was very thick. Everything was super tasty!!! Service was attentive although made us feel a bit rushed as starting at 7:30 they would come by every 10 min and ask "how is everything". ‍ guess they really want to wrap up by 8, so we did leave. read more

5 stars on food, service and ambience! Loved it. I had yellow daal, wholewheat roti and chai. Everything was just how I like it! read more

We had a wonderful experience at this restaurant. The service was friendly and guided us through their menu. The food was delicious, full of unique flavors. The prices are reasonable for such high quality food. The only thing that needs improving is the wine menu as it lacks creativity. Last spring we ate at their Burlingame establishment and were just as impressed. We are going back for sure! read more

Yess! Go here if you want the real deal. The flavors and textures in the butter chicken and saag paneer were amazing -- far above average. The prices may look a bit high and the portions a bit small, but it's all worth it when you taste the quality. The basmati rice was tender and fluffy. The garlic naan was perfectly crunchy and chewy at the same time. Our server, Bijay, was super friendly and knowledgeable about the food. He took good care of us and made us feel at home while enjoying the level of Indian food we'd not been able to find in the Bay Area for a long time. Go there and see for yourself what you've been missing. read more

I went here with my 2 year old daughter and husband when we met with our visiting in-laws over graduation weekend. The service is the most professional and friendly I've EVER HAD! The server's and food are incredible. This place was so great, I visited again last week with just my baby and husband and once again, it didn't disappoint. The asparagus soup is my favorite and is so yummy outside on a chilly night. This restaurant really creates a great atmosphere and attitude. I recommend eating outside. It's super photo-worthy too! Beautiful place! read more

Saffron - General cauliflower , Asparagus Soup, Kale Pakoras - Indian Near Me - San Carlos, California

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Came here for dinner on a Saturday night. Ordered the Spiced Veggie Cutlets for an appetizer and tandoori chicken and shahi malai kofta for entree. We were starving and the food came out pretty quickly so we were happy about that! Everything was very nicely presented, it was delicious, and the service was excellent! I also thought the portion sizes were perfect, not too much or too little. It's pricier than most Indian restaurants but you get what you pay for. I would definitely come back, likely for a special occasion. read more

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The food is very very delicious! The experience of dining out and dining in at Saffron is surely a must. Our Steward/Waiter was very courteous, polite and patient. We reached a little before their closing time yet the staff was welcoming and food was really tasteful. Also, he warmly welcomed another set of guests even when they entered around closing time. We both blessed this place Thank you for your great service and amazing food! We will surely recommend our friends and family to visit Saffron and we will surely visit again especially to try the aloo parathas on weekends ! Thank you read more

Saffron - Cheese Naan Chopped Salad Mango Lassi Saffrons Daal Makhani Basmati Rice Amchuri Bhindi Masala - Indian Near Me - San Carlos, California

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Wow! This place has never disappointed us. Through COVID they did a very nice face light to the interior as well as their menu. Very clean in decor and everything we ate was absolutely fantastic! Definite winner if you are looking for some solid Indian taste that is delicately balanced with their fresh ingredients. read more

Saffron - Ate the apps too fast to snap a photo. Briyani chicken and butter chicken above. - Indian Near Me - San Carlos, California

Celebrate a friend's birthday here and they were very sweet enough to give us a dessert for the birthday girl! We ordered many different dish like the chicken curry punjabi, jafrani malai kofta, malabar shrimp curry, dahi aloo poori, chicken tikka masala, fish curry, aam adrak thanda and of course garlic naan! Everything was really good but I think our favorite was the jafrani malai kofta, the sauce was slightly sweet but it was so creamy and flavorful! It is a must have along with the garlic naan! read more

We went again for dinner at Saffron. It was amazing, everything was very tasty and delicious. The service was perfect as every time. We will come again. read more

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I had buffet here once and decided to never come back. Came here by chance with friends, ala carte is way better, not the finest Indian but still hits some right notes here and there. Doesn't serve cocktails, indian mock tails were pretty decent, must try. Starters and food was nice as well. If you're near San Mateo county then do check it out! read more

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We have ordered a few times takeaway from here and today decided to dine in! Absolutely the right decision. The food was delicious. The right amount of spices, we'll seasoned and they have also made the naan with oil instead of butter. They have good vegan options (several dishes). The ambient is also nice, it is bright but cozy and quite modern. We absolutely recommend it! read more

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It was Diwali Wednesday that I decided to take my team out for lunch on me. Yeah I am a nice manager. Of course it did not occur to any of us that the restaurant would be packed. Our bad! Anyway we got there early enough to get seating outside the front of the restaurant. The restaurant was on a quiet side of the street and I guess made the outing more fun and casual. The buffet lunch was not large compared to some other places I have been to but admittedly, the food was very good. Service that day was expectedly a little slow but that was fine with us being out of the office. Prices were also reasonable and the drinks were good. I am impressed by the restaurant and will definitely come back some other time. read more

I WISH that I could give this restaurant a 4 or 5 star rating, but that would then be referred to as, "wishful thinking". The ambiance echoes Indian finery, as it is adorned with lovely Indian decor and white table cloths. The silver chargers may not be Indian per se, but it reflects their desire to complete the pretty "package". With this "package", included superb service! They were so gracious from the moment we stepped in, during our meal and at the close of our stay. They refilled my BF's water glass five times without a single needy glance from him. Our waiter gave his suggestions and also answered any inquiries we had regarding the herbs used and cooking processes. In addition to our waiter, other waitstaff ensured that we were in need of nothing. It was nothing short of an A+! Despite the wonderful "package" so far, the food was what made this bundle incomplete. The visual cues were heightened; the palate was unimpressed. Our dishes included: Ajwaini Fish Tikka ~ This is a marinated Mahi Mahi grilled in a clay oven. Perhaps due to eating sashimi my entire life, I felt this dish was slightly overcooked, as the texture was somewhat tough, like dry chicken; the flavors were average. Butter Chicken ~ The color and creamy texture looked inviting, but the flavor just didn't taste authentic enough for me. It was too subtle; lacking some of the distinguishable Indian flavors. Saag Paneer (also called Palak Paneer) ~ This is their creamy spinach with a firm, cubed, cottage cheese. The flavors in this dish were actually quite good. I wish it had a little more texture to it, as the spinach was overly blended. Kashmiri Vegetable Pulao ~ Basmati rice with vegetables, caramelized onions, nuts and mint. This dish appears to be very flavorful as it has quite the assortment of ingredients. Surprisingly, it had very little seasoning, except for a kick of mint and the grilled onions. It appeared as though a bag of frozen vegetables were tossed in; nothing can beat high quality, freshly chopped ingredients. If I were to factor in service to our dining experience, I would give Saffron a 4 star. Because I've had more flavorful, authentic Indian cuisine, I will have to give them a 3.5 star rating. I could only compare it to what I've experienced in the past. read more

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After seeing such rave reviews for this place I must say I was left yet again disappointed. I guess my high standards in regards to Indian food is partially to blame for that. 2.5 / 5 Being our first time here my husband and I decided to order a few items: Chicken Pakora (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/7ZMQ3Z-LgQyhbVvBQO3qug?select=0ilvmNMF73G_m2K_ONvtLQ) Chicken Korma (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/7ZMQ3Z-LgQyhbVvBQO3qug?select=0uTXEC6tqi3BeCI6LMwhWw) Chicken Vindaloo (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/7ZMQ3Z-LgQyhbVvBQO3qug?select=u8OpD8x7Fd83xkdOJ7GU3w Roti (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/7ZMQ3Z-LgQyhbVvBQO3qug?select=tqc00YHpqHN0yP-RBPTajw) Naan Bread (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/7ZMQ3Z-LgQyhbVvBQO3qug?select=JnypkxM9yfKgp_-shLVQ5w) and Rice. The Chicken Pakora was fairly tasty, a little too much pastry which made it overly dry but combined with the accompanying sauce was ok, a nice start to the meal. Both Curries were a bit of a let down, my husbands Vindaloo was overpowered by Cardamom and where the Korma had a strong Cardamom flavor as well it wasn't quite as strong as the Vindaloo. It was almost as though they use the same base for both curries and then add different ingredients to give them a their own flavor. The portions were big with plenty of Chicken. As for the bread, had it not been for the server telling us which was which we wouldn't have been able to distinguish it ourselves as both the Roti and Naan were the same thickness. Roti is usually a thin flat bread but this was way too thick and doughy, under cooked in some places. Service was fine. The servers kept our water glasses filled but appeared to forget that we ordered rice when they brought our meals out and instead got a double order of Roti, which we didn't realize until the bill came. The food has potential, just cut down on the Cardamon and work on cooking the breads properly and to the right thickness and they might just be on to a winner. * New Check In offer for 10% off of your bill * read more

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This negative review is because of their packaging for a pick up order. I picked my order for chicken curry and kept it on the rear seat of my car. By the time I reached home, the curry has spilled onto my rear seat, permanently ruining the leather. Please improve your packaging for pick up orders. read more

Saffron - Spilled Traditional Chicken Curry - Indian Near Me - San Carlos, California

The food was good. But the pricing is not ok. Food is not so outstanding to justify such steep prices: A basic butter chicken for 23$. And the annoying part is: it doesn't even come with rice or naan. What the heck? Do they expect to slurp just the sauce? Charging extra for extras OK but not just parts of the meal, especially if one "Lego piece" is already at a premium price. I feel overcharged and despite food is good, price does not match its value. There are other good places with similar quality but substantially less. One item I did not appreciate: Waiters started to remove plates and dishes while people were still eating! That's ok at a cheapie place but if they want to present themselves as a fancy place that's a No No. read more

Went to Saffron after a long time, and loved it. The decor is great: modern and artful, not gaudy. The interior is airy and spacious, not cramped like some of the other nicer Indian restaurants in the peninsula. We went on a Wednesday evening, so it was not crowded. Service was prompt and the food came out quickly. We ordered 6 different items (paani poori, pav bhaji, samosa chaat, shrimp curry, ODS butter chicken, and garlic naan) and each one was good, which exceeded my expectations. Typically, even in good restaurants, one or two out of 6 dishes are "Meh". Special mention to how they made the garlic naan: it was soft and not chewy, stayed that way even after it cooled down, looks like they used dried garlic and I much preferred it over fresh garlic which makes your fingers sticky. The curries were a bit sweeter and milder than I like, but the flavor was good. I assume the spice level can be adjusted on request. Overall, a great dinner out. read more

Tried this place because of so many good reviews.I feel its overly priced for average food. We ordered Roomali roti and laccha paratha and both tasted like plain wheat paratha . Jaafrani kofta were too sweet .Tried some other dishes too and were not impressed. Overall it was not a bad experience but not as good as we expect for the price. read more

Arrived at 12 pm. No problemo getting a table for 2. Dove right into the all you can eat buffet, $15.95. Vegetable pakora - nabbed one of these little babies right as the server brought them out. Smokin' hot, nice crispy coating, pretty light chick pea filling. Daal masala - good spice level, delicious hearty lentil stew. I hate that I love all the most fattening Indian dishes ... Saag paneer and butter chicken. Saag paneer - I give this saag a solid B. Not the best spinach flavor I've ever had, but quite delightful. Butter chicken - well, I mean, it's chicken in a creamy, buttery sauce. So so delicious. I wish it was all dark meat though. There were a few slightly tough pieces of chicken. Turnip masala - turnips in an onion-tomato sauce (I think). Really good with a nice spicy zing. Mabala fish curry - coconut based curry, I think. Light coating on fish. Raita with corn - I could drink this stuff, honestly. I could do without the corn though. Plain naan - good enough. Nothing to say here. There were more dishes than the ones I tried, including a salad, a chick pea curry, 3 desserts and several others. So a reasonable amount of variety. The seemingly all-male staff was all business and a bit short on smiles. Buffets are designed to make you feel fat and engorged and shamed of yourself for eating too much. Well, mission accomplished, Saffron Indian Bistro. I will come back for lunch after a few months have passed and I've lost the six pounds I just gained. read more

Saffron - Delights from the buffet - Indian Near Me - San Carlos, California

Food was just excellent and staff was super helpful with their suggestions and service. This was my first time to Saffron restaurant, I will definitely be going back. Prices were reasonable and their food selection, really hit the mark. Very complex and balanced taste. read more

Second time we've been there and continue to love the service, food and energy of the place. Drove up from Los Altos to eat there (again) and so glad that I did. Probably one of the best spots for Indian food on the peninsula! read more

3.5 rounded up to 4 for the flavors. The mango lassi was some of the best I've had - thick and fruity with a nice touch of herb. The garlic naan was fantastic, and the butter chicken had a full smokiness that's authentic & hard to find. My only issue was with the size of the chicken pieces in the butter chicken. Because I opted for naan instead of rice I planned to eat this with my hands - but the pieces of chicken were massive & definitely required me to break out a knife and fork. If it had been easier to eat, would've easily been 5 stars (even with the high price point) read more

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Delicious!!!! My family and I love Indian food and this place did not disappoint. Do not let the 3 1/2 stars reviews turn you away. The food, atmosphere, and service is great!!! read more

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The food was reasonably good but it was astonishingly expensive. I assumed the servings would be about twice as big as they were from the cost per item. read more

Great variety of dishes. The revamped menu got rid of their hyderabadi chicken curry which was their best curry, the only reason why I'm giving a 4 star rating read more

This review is for takeout only. I ordered baingan (eggplant) and a garlic naan to go. The eggplant was so poorly cooked - clearly used canned vegetables and the flavor did not taste like baingan at all. The garlic naan was extremely doughy and the garlic itself seemed like a garlic paste that was just slapped on top. Would not recommend this place for an authentic Indian food experience. read more

Liked everything we ordered. Naan is soft and inviting. Good sized portions for mains. Zofrani kofta is quite good. Great service.

We have been to the weekend brunch pop up cafe, Jugaad, a few times now. I think they get it spot on with the nostalgia for sure. There are probably better tasting brunch places around but for a brunch at San Carlos, it is definitely a nice one to hang out at. I would recommend the thali and the masala omelet for sure. The chai goes very well with the food. read more

We took the recommendations on the menu from the server and was not disappointed. We started with the Onion Bhaji which was tasted like an upscale onion ring...delicious. We then ordered the Black Pepper Chicken Tikka Kabob, garlic naan, cucumber raita, lamb kofta and mango lassi. All were excellent and I would order all again. Service was friendly and efficient. Restaurant was quiet and comfortable. Food was more than enough for 2 hungry people. Total with 20% tip was $93 read more

Saffron - Black Pepper Chicken Tikka Kabob. - Indian Near Me - San Carlos, California

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Service was pretty good, ambience was okay. The food was not great. The shrimp starter was uneatable, it was too salty and hard. The chicken biryani was below average, the chicken had a little after taste. The chicken tikka masala was too sweet and tasted like butter chicken. The pepper chicken kebabs are pretty good. All the vegetarian items were also good. read more

The food is pretty good especially the fish Amritsar and black pepper chicken kebab. The desserts are all rather nice. We had the Gajar Halwa and Kulfi. Both well crafted and tasty. Great presentation too. The chicken biryani was good , but not great . Service was prompt and noise levels were moderate. Overall, a pretty nice experience. read more

Great place for quite lunch outside by myself! I had the garlic nann and chicken tikka masala and I really enjoyed it. Very messy eating the Indian way with my hand and fingers but no one laughed at me! Thoroughly enjoyed the dishes there and I got a mango, ginger soda drink that was great also. Overall very satisfying lunch. Was hoping there'd be a buffet but since I wasn't able to finish just the chicken tikka masala a la carts, guess a buffet would be too much for me!!! Good job, Saffron! read more

The food reminds me of My home .. my family .. my friends ..Delhi :) Well balanced aromatic spices in the curry was the one which tickled my senses !! Would love to try more of your vegetarian items. read more

Loved the food. We ordered- Kale pakora- 9/10 - really unique and tasty Tso's cauliflower- 8/10- basically gobi Manchurian Cheese naan- 10/10 - loved it, so simple yet delicious Jafrani Malai kofta- 9/10- very flavorful ( a bit on the sweet side) Rumali roti- 10/10 - don't usually find this in other restaurants Mango thanda- 6/10- the drink was okay nothing crazy Would recommend this place to my friends too. Really liked the service with a great ambiance. read more

I had a very dear friend in hospice, and this restaurant had his favorite meal. From a distance, I ordered it and had it delivered. It ended up being his last meal. I was told it was absolutely delicious. read more

Yummy! The chicken was a little fatty but the sauce was amazing and so was the garlic naan and rice

DELICIOUS!!!!! First time trying Indian food and it was delicious! I called in and placed my order. Amazing Customer service, staff were all very friendly! Fast service my order was ready in 15mins!!! I order a few things from the menu and most of those items had NO clue on what they tasted like! I was amazed by the perfect cooked rice, the saffron butter chicken, Chilly lemon and onion, Cheese naan, garlic naan & soft & juicy lamb with a Lemonade and a Mango Lazzi! Definitely going to keep ordering here and surprising myself with their delicious menu! read more

Saffron - Indian Near Me - San Carlos, California

I'm a person that genuinely orders the typical indian staples, and they didn't disappoint. The portions were healthy, the food was aromatic and piquant, and the service was swift. Really happy with our experience! read more