This is the worst service for an Indian restaurant, when we order online they have missed our main courses and are always late. Even when we come in person they make your order 30-45 minute delay with no notification of the delay. This has also been a constant issue, for such a long time, I understand that rush hour is busy, but every time a person comes in they should not always leave with a bad experience. read more

Today was there breakfast buffet opening day , food was tasty and work while for the price . They had 3 types of chutney and sambhar for refill . read more

Southern Spice - Breakfast buffet - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is definitely on our weekly rotation of places to go for dinner. We went the last time on a Saturday night when it was super busy. The interior is very nice with many different seating options, from topics booths to swings. They oftentimes play hindi music which definitely adds to the vibe. The service is a bit slow but not too bad since they are always typically very busy. If you want to go when it is less busy, go on a weekday like Wednesday or Monday. The food itself is very good. We always get the Paneer Butter Masala, Paneer Makhana and The garlic naan and somosas. The food is all super flavorful and this is a great spot for vegetarians! read more

Southern Spice - Somosas with two different chutneys. - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

Recently, I ordered a few items from a restaurant's menu, including a white steamed rice portion that was supposed to be 16 ounces. However, upon receiving the order, I noticed that the rice was significantly smaller than expected. Instead of 16oz, the package contained less than 8oz, which was quite disappointing. Immediately after noticing the discrepancy, I called the restaurant to report the issue. I explained that the package was not the size they claimed and expressed my dissatisfaction with the situation. They seemed dismissive and did not offer a satisfactory solution, which only added to my disappointment. read more

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Last week, we visited "Southern Spice" in Irvine (3850 Barranca Pkwy) and placed our order online through their self-service system inside the restaurant table. Unfortunately, our experience was very disappointing. The Veggie Hyderabadi Biryani was excessively spicy, while the "Dhai Sev Batata Puri" lacked essential ingredients such as yogurt, sev, and onions -- and the puris themselves were very small. When we tried to get help from the waiter (kitchen front desk) regarding the spice level and missing items in Sev Batata Puri, we were simply told to re-order online, which was quite frustrating. Never heard to re-order when we already ordered and eating inside their restaurant table? Additionally, an automatic 15% tip was added, which did not reflect the poor food quality or lack of service. The food presented in their website photos looked completely different from what was actually served -- very misleading. Overall, it felt like a total rip-off and a very disappointing dining experience. read more

Southern Spice - Dahi Sev Batata puri actual picture but they give you something else!? No enough SAV' and no white yogurt. - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

Chicken Tikka Masala and butter chicken are very sweet. Service is not very welcoming. At a sit down restaurant we were given plastic to go cups to go and fill our own drinks. Service is less than friendly. The garlic naan was the only thing that was good. Would not come back and is not worth the price at all!! When asked to for to go containers. read more

Food was cold , ordered batura on two occasions, served cold, not puffed up at all. Service lousy and rude. read more

Same great good and this time around the server came to the table to take our order. Probably because we were a large party. Food has great flavors and is fresh. Saud is a great server. read more

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Something to fill the tummy but nothing to rave about. I had Apollo fish and a chicken dish, partner the dosa The paper dosa was decent, chutneys well done. I won't be dreaming of the chicken or fish. Got a real heavy feeling after eating a few bites. Oh and don't come here if you enjoy service, they aren't set up for it. But hey I'm not cooking tonight read more

Took an hour for takeout to be ready and food was mediocre, restaurant was super disorganized and chaotic vibe, everyone clustered around in crowds waiting for their orders with no concept of a line. I would not recommend sadly read more

Amazing food, lovely atmosphere. If you're thinking about going, GO! I can't wait to come back and try more dishes.

They would not want you sit, order and eat food inside. Service is not even concept for them. They want you go in there order food on a giant touch screen and take it out. Why do they even have a place is beyond me. read more

Used to be my go to but honestly my issue is with the service, it took them about 20-25 minutes after they had given us our actual plates for us to receive our garlic naan (that was after I went up twice to them) and when I went up to them, they had said about 2-3 more minutes. 10 minutes later I am just annoyed and want to cancel it and one of employees replied rudely and told me its coming out. Once he came out, no apologies about it and was just mean. Worst experience ever probably never coming back, rather go to Indian Curry Cuisine off of Dupont, where the owner of the establishment is actually grateful to have people come in and not rude. Also they had alot of flies surrounding the drink area, and that is probably a red flag but regardless not worth coming anymore. read more

This is some of the worst Indian food in OC. The dosas were very bland with hardly any taste. The idlis were ok. The Sambhar and chutney were super bland too. The chicken majestic was overly fried and rock hard. The chicken biryani is the worst I've ever had with absolutely no flavor. Very disappointing. Their service is better than other Indian restaurants since they have automated the system. Overall, mediocre bland under seasoned food for a premium. Just go to udupi place or bhima's in Cerritos if you want tasty South Indian food. read more

This place was absolutely delicious! I loved the design of the space too, so beautiful. I will be back very soon to enjoy more of this wonderful food. We enjoyed Chettinad Kuzhambu with chicken, medium spice level, Mulia Kofta, also medium, and the Onion Kulcha . I want to eat this every day ! So happy to find this great restaurant serving regional dishes! The staff were also very kind and talented. read more

The mini idli was so delicious it was hot and lots of ghee dosa was really big and had good quality read more

Southern Spice - The Dosa (V) - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

I used to love this place. The food was very flavorful and I would recommend it to everyone but as of the last few visits the food has lost its magic. No flavor, very bland almost to the point that I can only describe it as warm. So disappointed, will have to find a new Indian place. read more

A pretty nice place. Food was good and fairly priced. And I appreciated the extra effort with a unique decor for a small food court sort of restaurant. Definitely worth a try. read more

Decent option overall. The ambiance is very ethnic so you definitely get a feel of coming into a traditional south India restaurant. They have a good-sized menu with some options but nothing extensive. You seat yourselves and either order at the common screen at the counter or through your phone. We got the Mysore masala dosa and the paneer dosa along with a samosa Chaat. We also got a couple of chais. The chai was a load of sugar so maybe you'd like to specify less or no sugar if you don't like it. The Mysore masala dosa was huge. It also got cold pretty quickly. It was a little difficult to tear after it got cold. The masala powder inside and the potato subji were good. The coconut and tomato chutneys and the sambar were tasty. The paneer dosa was more like a spring dosa and tasted nice. Both were heavy so we ended up taking the leftovers. The Chaat was decent but I would've liked more of a kick to it, especially since we asked for the spicy version of it. I recommend them if you want quick service without airs and decent tasting food. The servers aren't very interested in serving you, just there to help if you ask. read more

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Ordered chicken vindaloo with a side of garlic naan. Generous portions of chicken, considering that most places tend to skimp on proteins. I would guess a ratio about 70/30 chicken to potato in the bowl I got. Pretty flavorful overall and spicy, which is a must for me. Definitely worthy of a try read more

This is one of my favorite Indian food restaurants in Irvine. They have been consistent in their Biryani dishes over the years! We always get the Goat Biryani. Can't go wrong with this dish if you like lamb. You can taste the amazing flavors the spices bring out of the rice. One entree usually feeds both myself and my wife. When we order takeout. They definitely pack the food in! read more

I ordered takeout out at 8:03 and waited in line until 8:46 for my food. They didn't bother putting any sauces in my bag for my samosas. Also, found a hair in my food. This was my first time here, overall would not come back. read more

This restaurant had been on my bucket list for a while now and finally got a chance to try it. My first impression was a little off as there is no waitstaff. You need to scan a QR code to see the menu, and the staff that was there was busy preparing to go orders. After getting the lay of the land, we scanned the QR code and perused the menu on our phones, deciding on a few things to try. We pushed submit and pre-paid for our food. I must say, the food was outstanding! We tried the Dosa and it was so delicious and came with 3 yummy dipping sauces. Then we tried the eggplant curry and the Chicken Korma. All 3 dishes were so flavorful. Will definitely we back for some takeout. read more

Southern Spice - Dosa - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

The Hyderabad Dum Biryani was delicious and the portion size was pretty large. I also had the dosa and mango lassi. The sambar and aloo masala which came with the dosa were also very tasty. I would definitely come back here! read more

Southern Spice - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

Been ordering from them over the years but lately the quality of the food has nothing short of horrible. The staff sounds temporary and unconcerned. Sad wont be ordering again. read more

I tried to give them a second chance but my stomach is hurting atm. I believe the chicken might have been a little under cooked. The yellow daal had no flavor and very watered down. Won't be eating here again. read more

Can't speak higher of this restaurant. The food is so flavorful, I can't wait to eat my leftovers. Especially the Kempu Bezule $27.98 Gobi The takeout experience was very smooth. They had everything ready and provided utensils. I wish I had time to hangout and eat in the restaurant because the decor was so cute and cozy! 10/10 Highly recommend read more

Fair warning: I think maybe Malai Kofta is made differently across the board and my rating is based on my tastes buds. We have frequented many Indian restaurants in San Diego and we typically only get malai kofta and garlic nan and share. It was subtle a in flavor and the ball part was alright (disclaimer: the fried ball part is our least favorite part of the dish but it's our favorite dish). My sister and her friends love this place and it is definitely worth a try if you're Indian food. Their ambiance is decortive beautifully, garnished with paintings. It's well lit, the utensils are on the table already and the menu is a scan and order by app and food will come out without having to wait on staff to take your order amd ypu paid on your phone which I found convenient. The 2 tables to the sides of the entrance are swings. We sat there but the swings made me engage my core. I recommend the regular tables if you don't wanna work out and eat at the same time. Overall, service, convenient, kind staff, esthetically pleasing. Malai kofta was not as flavorful as we've had. Mango Lassi was delicious. read more

Southern Spice - Chicken tiki masala - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

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The food exceeded our expectations! We will definitely coming back to try other menue items! The Dosa is way more filling than it looks so be careful of how much food you order haha read more

Southern Spice - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

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Please disregard my previous review. I have been back here a few times, and the food and service is not longer good. The food is not the same, and the wait time isn't the best. Not sure if the place is under new management ,but the food does NOT taste the same. The butter chicken and tikka masala curries have NO FLAVOR whatsoever. Very disappointing, will not becoming back here anymore. read more

Southern Spice changed my whole perspective on Indian cuisine for the better GOODNESS Food: Chicken Tikka was the perfect amount of spicy and the seasoning was chef's kiss. I do love me some spice and everything nice. The chicken was slightly dry, but I'm okay with it being more cooked due to raw chicken anxiety lol. I loved dipping the chicken in the sauce. Nothing was bland not even the rice. The rice texture was evenly cooked and flavorful. The cabbage and onions were a healthy crunch addition to clean my palette. Garlic naan was delightful and wanted to order a second serving because I'm a carb addict. I finished everything on my plate without hesitation Drink: was my first time having mango lassi and I loved the smoothness. It was very sugary but hey it's a treat and a refreshing touch to the meal Service: ordering from the QR code and paying ASAP made it more efficient. the waiters came around to bring the food, but it did get tricky because they wouldn't say what the dishes were and it was our first time. So we had to guess what was what for which individuals. Environment: the variety of seating arrangements was chic and suitable for many types of parties. I loved the cultural decor and high ceilings. Be warned the table right by the door gets all the coldness from outside but there is a sign that states "please keep the front door closed" Overall: I preferred the food here over The Yellow Chili in Tustin District. It was more homely and food was delicious. I will return for some biryani and every kind of naan read more

Southern Spice - Kasuri Chicken Tikka (GF) - Indian Near Me - Irvine, California

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So far the quality of the Biryani remains the same, it is good but-the quality of other food items are decaying every time we visit. Example- Vada tasted sour, batter is not freshly made. Tikka masala is a disaster, tasted like tomato paste. Naans are stiff & hard to chew On a side note, they need to fix the door if anyone enters the door remains open it doesn't close by itself. read more

FOOD: I always leave this place in a food coma (in the best possible way). - My friend and I decided to try out some new dishes we hadn't before, and they were both absolutely delectable. The Onion Spinach Pakora ($5.99) was perfectly fried and packed with flavor on its own. It was crispy, yet delicate, and didn't feel greasy. The two chutneys added a great flavor dimension, so we thoroughly enjoyed those as well. - We also tried the Dahi Sev Batata Puri ($6.99) which was literally an explosion of flavor. The puri is so delicate and held a spicy chaat drenched in a variety of chutneys and yogurt. When you bite down, you can taste a variety of textures from the soft potato, tangy sauces, sweet sev, and cooling yogurt. - The curry we chose today was our go-to Butter Chicken ($15.99) and Garlic Naan ($3.99). You can't go wrong with either, and their Butter Chicken has large chunks of chicken. SERVICE/AMBIANCE: You scan a QR code and order/pay on your phone and there's a self-serve water station, so there isn't much interaction with the staff. However, they're all really kind and helpful if you do ask any questions. The restaurant is pretty clean, sometimes the tables are a bit sticky, but they will wipe it down again if you ask. It's always pretty packed whenever I come, but there's a lot of tables and booths, so I never had to wait too long. There are is also a large table available, in case you have a big party. OVERALL: I've never been disappointed by a meal here, and I always find myself wanting to come back. It's a great place to order a bunch of dishes and share with your friends! read more

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Good: - Vegetable samosa - Mango lassi Bad: - Chicken tikka masala and butter chicken were overly sweet. Not exaggerating, it tasted more like a dessert than a "sweet" main dish. - Garlic naan was undercooked and doughy. Ugly: - Service. We ordered 3 orders of garlic naan. First order came about 10 minutes after our mains. The second two orders didn't come out until after I checked in with the staff. Dude just came by and plopped it on the table lol. Safe to say my first time here will be my last. read more

I had catering for my event the food was absolutely delicious, everyone really loved it. I didn't saw anyone complaining about food. Thanks lots for making our event a resounding success. read more

Omg this place is so pretty when it's full of life. I finally got to try the food as its meant to be! Take with a grain of salt as I'm not too well versed in Indian food. First off, super self service. You sit down at a seat, order via qr code, pay first and then get your food. You get takeout and water yourself. That being said, if you plan to use the check in coupon then you better not be socially awkward haha. The boss didn't really want to acknowledge it so they might remove it soon. The online menu has photos! I'm not sure what would be spicier dishes but nothing I got was spicy :). The food came out in relatively good timing, however not in like appetizer then dish order, just whenever it was cooked. Samosa- flavor is still very nice. Lots of spice. Comes with a minty sauce and a slightly spiced. I was a bit sad that the lamb one is around 9.99? now, I feel like 7.99 was the most worth price. But they are pretty big. Dosa- the size is surprisingly nice. There's a coconut sauce, a spiced soup and a spiced slightly tomatoes sauce. I was surprised most of the sauces was good. Its a very good mindless snack ( something to munch on). I thought it would be crunchy but it's actually more like a thin crepe with a slight sourness. Garlic naan- it didn't hit for me but its a good accompaniment. It looks good, but flavor wise needed a bit more salt. It had a toasted garlic flavor, chewier than soft n fluffy. The butter chicken was my favorite. If you usually eat at buffets, there's more sauce than chicken, but the chicken was tender and the curry was super rich, coconut and creamy. Definitely filling. The mango lassi was good. Very yogurty w/ mango note to finish. Ras malai was the dessert we got after several soft tries hehe; the waiter was very nice to try to get it for us. But yeah.. if u have troubles talking to waiters to get stuff I wouldn't recommend. Its quite sweet and has a soft sponge texture. But it's cheese? It would be super good frozen as ice cream hwahah. Overall this place is good for casual, aesthetic place, open space, and trying different Indian foods. I feel the price for most of their entrees are decent to portion/quality. Waiters are very chill and will answer questions, and most of it is self serve/clean up. read more

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Had to order food online and paid tip as well. Service was terrible. Dosa was ok but sambhar was not authentic. Mango lassi was good. Overall experience was disappointing. I don't recommend this restaurant. read more

Got the Travancore goat roast (mild spice) for take-out. There was a good amount of meat, and the flavor was strong. Some pieces were tender, but some pieces were drier. It was a little too spicy for me, so I gave most of it to my bf, and he enjoyed it. The menu here had so many items, which looked authentic. Def would like to come back read more

This has happened multiple times with our online order messed up by restaurant. 1. First time burnt naans - you cannot eat them. ( 2 times ) 2. Ordered chicken biryani and they gave mutton biryani. It was ordered for a family member who cannot have red meat, so now again drive to find alternative. Sometimes family orders take out to have some Good time with family. This place really takes it customers for granted, the quality of food is going down. I hope owner reads this. read more

This place used to be really good. Something changed about them. It's not quite the same. On a weekend I got vadas to try. These South Indian savory pancakes. Tasted tart like they used old flour mix. Waste of my money. Waste of my time. I did like this place for a long time. read more