Food was so good! Also, the staff were very nice and super attentive the whole time we dined in! Will be coming here again soon.l

This was the first place we ate in Costa Mesa when we were thinking of moving into the area and has since become a staple in our household. I think they changed ownership at some point, but the food is the best Indian food I've had in OC. The menu has a lot of northern Indian/Nepalese items that are really tasty. We are vegetarian and always have a ton of options. Our favorites are the Gobi Manchurian, Mali Kofta, Shahi Paneer, and the vegetable samosas. Service is friendly and they even deliver to our door when we don't want to walk over and pick it up. This place is one of Costa Mesa's best kept secrets. Do yourself a favor and grab something to go! read more

I've ordered takeout and delivery here several times. The food is delicious! My orders are always accurate and the portions are very generous. This is one of the better Indian restaurants I've eaten at in Orange County and if you are craving Indian food I would highly recommend trying this place out. read more

Not a sit-down restaurant but the food is pretty amazing. The tandoori chicken is super moist and what I love the most. We love the curries and the garlic naan is one of the best, if not best in Orange County. It's not super bready and has the right amount of garlic. We love Indian food and have it once a week so lately, my straying to other Indian restaurants has allowed us to explore but then, we fully regret it. This plus the sitdown Natraj in Alicia Parkway are our favorites for the best food outside of Artesia. read more

India food is one of my favorite cuisines. This place makes really amazing dishes, Good flavor Good pricing Their staff are also very friendly and always helpful and it's a great place for India take-out. Recommend Homemade The India Cafe read more

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Very simple, bare bones family run restaurant. But WOW felt like I was eating a home cooked meal. We got the Aloo Gobi (cauliflower and potato stew) and Saag Aloo (creamed spinach with potato) with whole wheat paratha - flat bread!!! So yummy - spices were on point and everything came out hot. We ate everything up! Please come and support this Costa Mesa gem! read more

The chicken tikki was super sweet.. like there was sugar in it. Lentil dal had a really weird flavor. We ordered a bunch of food to have left overs but unfortunately will be throwing it all out. Very bad. Like surprisingly so. Haven't had a meal this disappointing in a while! read more

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Ordered twice through Postmates. First time was good, second was not: Lamb Vindaloo with 2 tiny pieces of lamb and Chicken Curry that was watery and flavorless read more

Food is fantastic! Shrimp Biryani was so good. Ordered food 2 days early for pick up on Mothers day. Food was hot, packed very well and ready for pick up at time specified. Chicken and lamb masala is yum-yum! Pricing is reasonable! read more

We got a pretty sweet lunch for two Groupon. We thought we were going to get small portion sizes but we each got 2 pretty big servings of entrees. If we went to any other restaurant that was not a buffet, our items would have been close to $50. It is about $20 and the Groupon made it only $10. I liked the flavors because it was a little more natural and not as creamy. The only thing that was kind of odd is that they didn't give us serving spoons. We were okay using our own, but I think the service can improve a little. It may be difficult for a small place, but some basic things like that or asking if we needed tamarind/other chutneys would have been a warm gesture. read more

DON'T JUDGE THIS HIDDEN GEM BY ITS COVER! We came here for lunch time, the ambiance wasn't the greatest but the food was amazing! Definitely recommend getting take-out. I'm super picky with Indian food but this place is definitely on my top go-to! My friend and I got the combo and it was super cheap! Chicken Tikka Masala & Veggie Korma was so delicious! The chicken was tender and not dry at all. Ask for garlic naan instead you won't be disappointed! I also love how they ask how spicy you want it, I never had an option before! I forgot to take a picture because I was ready to dig in!! read more

Mahesh has to be to be the cook ever, great service great ambiance, awesome food. Will definitely come again and again and try all kinds of variety read more

The best spot for Desi food in Costa Mesa / Newport Beach. Everything is made fresh and the menu has options for all kinds of taste. Special mention for Mahesh who always goes above and beyond to make sure our dining experience is a pleasant one. read more

Really great food. That's why the 4 stars. But it's pricey so we don't go as often as some other favorite places. read more

Lamb saag great! Lamb kabab great Lamb Biryani - no. For the price not enough lamb. Its like 10$ of flavored rice. read more

Seriously best lunch specials in town! No frills Indian restaurant with the best deal on Lunch Specials, which comes with 2 dishes, salad, garlic naan and rice. Efficient service. I usually order lunch online and save half of it for dinner. Plenty of meatless options. It's run by a Nepalese owner so you'll find momos here. I love the korma and matter paneer. If you dine in, their Masala Tea will hit your comfort spot! Would definitely recommend!! read more

So I've eaten a lot of Indian food in my lifetime and it's one of my favorite ethnic foods. I have to admit this is the second time I've overlooked an amazing Indian restaurant because of it's location in a somewhat seedy strip mall. You'd think I'd have learned my lesson after the first time but no, apparently I have to learn my lesson the hard way. Learn from my mistake and don't overlook India Cafe just because of it's location. Once inside it's a cute small place...could probably use a little more decor but it's clean and comfortable. We were quickly greeted with friendly and attentive service. The food here though is the real selling point... holy smokes! Some of the best Indian food I've tried. Apparently this a northern Indian food restaurant. We tried a variety of things but the standouts to me were definitely the mixed vegetable pakora (hands down BEST I've ever had), the chicken tikka masala (delish!), the paleek paneer (sooooo creamy and loaded with cheese!) and the garlic naan -- oh, the garlic naan. #faint Really impressed with this little hidden gem and if you love Indian food as much as I do I HIGHLY suggest you check them out! :) Note: Parking can be a hassle in this center. It's in the same center as Social Restaurant as well as a big pool hall/bar and some other somewhat suspect looking small shops. No real advice on where to park when the lot is full other than the side streets or uber if you're not far away. That's prolly your best bet or go on a Monday when the popular Social is closed. :) read more

Been twice, both takeout. First time I was out off by the shabby appearance of the place and the fact that the restaurant didn't smell anything like an Indian restaurant which seemed super odd. Vegetable biryani, butter chicken, shahi paneer all good. Entrees come with rice so don't order extra. Second time was a huge miss. Everything was flavorless. Paneer pakoras, Gobi Manchurian, aloo gobi, fish pakoras. Meh. read more

I got the Paneer Masala and the sauce was out of this world but I was disappointed I only got 7 small cubes of cheese for $12. Thus it feels like I basically paid $12 for sauce :(. The proportion felt off. Definitely not even close to feeling like I had a dish for dinner. I have to give credit they were open at 4pm when many other Indian places were closed. The garlic naan was gooey bread if you like that. Felt a little under cooked to me but it could have suppose to be that way. read more

The food is really good and the care they put into everything is reflected in the food and service. We just moved nearby and look forward to sampling other things on the menu. I took away a star because both samosas were cracked and filled with oil and were too greasy to eat. If it would have been one, I would have understood, but both. That was a bummer. That said, I'll adjust my order and definitely be back. read more

I purchased a pretty sweet deal for this place on Groupon and since I love Indian food and this place isn't too far from where I live, I figured I will give this new restaurant a try. They've got an extensive menu: from tandoori to chicken to vegetarian to lamb/goat options. I wouldn't consider myself an expert in Indian food so I always go for my favorite staples: Chicken tikka masala, shrimp biryani, and garlic naan. I also got the meat samosas and mango lassi. It was a Friday, so why not?! Overall, all the food was absolutely delicious. Meat samosas were golden and flaky on the outside and meat filling was tasty, chicken tikka masala had a perfect kick of spicy, buttery-tomato-y goodness, shrimp biryani had a nice flavor of saffron and indian spices, and the garlic naan was fresh and fluffy. Don't let the portions fool you. Your hungry tummy might think that they look small when they first come out but since Indian food is generally very heavy, I was sooooo stuffed at the end. I had some leftovers to bring home which tastes great when heated up! My only gripe was that it took quite a long time for the food to come out. We waited nearly 40 mins to get our full meal from the time we ordered. I'm sure that being a new restaurant and all, they'll improve with that over time but because the staff was so friendly and the food was so good, I would come back and give this place another chance. read more

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If and when you ever head to London, England, go eat at a place called, Dishoom. You're going to line up and wait for over an hour for that meal. Really, a line up for Indian food... look up that restaurant on Yelp. The food at India Cafe reminded me of that restaurant at London. Impressive. Flavorful. Keep up the great work. read more

Literally so good. I have tried Indian food a handful of times but i saw a video recently of dipping butter chicken in Raita and had to try it. I ordered on DoorDash, which I usually feel is not as good as eating in store....but oh my god. It was so amazing. I'm still not over it. My girlfriend and I got two different dishes, veggie samosas and the raita and legitimately every item was to die for. I can't recommend them enough. I'm looking online right now to order and had to leave a review because I'm that obsessed. All hail The India Cafe. read more

I rarely give bad reviews but this place... We tried their Vegetarian Momos n it literally smelled so bad when we opened the box. We still tied but couldn't even eat half of that small dumpling. We would have appreciated it if they told us it's old or can't make it. We would avoid it in the future. read more

this place has the worst ever momos. I am generally not very picky on food but this was awful. not just the taste was bad but the momo was half cooked and unhealthy. really bad experience and wi not recommend at all read more

Butter Chicken is my go to here! The garlic nan smacks. LOVE this spot. This place is a hidden gem of CM.

Bought the Yelp deal because I am always scared to try Indian restaurants that are new to me (I am a creature of habit). The restaurant is small but don't let the appearance deter you! The chicken tikka masala was amazing!!! It was enough for two people so I took the other half home for lunch the next day. The garlic naan was giant and also so delicious. One of the best naans I've had!!!! The food came out so fast too. I will definitely be going back soon!! read more

The India Cafe - Garlic naan, rice, chicken tikka masala and chicken vindaloo - Indian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

These guys are really nice! Even have me a free drink! Great service! I'm a delivery driver and they really did a great job preparing my order. read more

Veg Samosa - felt like it was a frozen samosa that they just hit up. Definitely not freshly made. Center of it cold right after we cut it open. Butter chicken and lamb curry - seemed premade. Nothing special about gravy or taste either Garlic naan - it was ok. Pretty standard. Pistachio Kulfi - basically just ice Service was prompt and good. Not the worst place to get Indian food but there are better options in same price range. read more

Great hospitality. Tasty Indian food. Good flavors. The decor is a little older but I would definitely go back and dine in again.

Ordered 2 chicken biryani. Although it tasted good, the actual protein pieces where like 2oz max (chicken breast cubes). Its Like 98% rice. Expected more meat for that price especially since chicken is cheap. Some restaurants even give you whole pieces. If I think about it...it's more like Rice Biryani than Chicken Biryani read more

The India Cafe - Almost done and I still can't find more than 2 small cubes of chicken. Chicken Biryani - Indian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

India Cafe is a great find. I had the tomato spinach soup and cheese naan bread. Tasted great. The restaurant is clean and the waiter was efficient. Would have like to have some lunch specials on the menu, but otherwise great. :) read more

The India Cafe - Dining area - Indian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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This restaurant has always been a go to for me since I discovered it during My COVID Delivery era. The food has never been a disappointment and sometimes it has even surprised. My favorite is the chicken tandoori which is always generous. Today I tried to order and the ordering through door dash was closed. I suspect this is because of this restaurant is being overwhelmed with customers. I ordered from another Indian restaurant because of this. That being said -- I have ordered from this restaurant The Indian Cafe when trying to fix or save another Indian restaurant's disappointing food delivery. read more

My husband and I found this place after talking about our times in Australia and how much we miss good Indian food from a restaurant there. We absolutely adored the food. We had the butter chicken that was incredible and the garlic bread with cheese and garlic. Absolutely LOVE this place! New favourite and a great staff. The man and woman serving were extremely kind, friendly and would cater to our specific orders. Xx read more

The India Cafe - Butter chicken and naan bread! - Indian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The food was good. Their nuun was soft, garlicky and went great with my meal. I'll for sure order again from The India Cafe.

The MOMO dumplings are phenomenal. I love dumplings, I have tried multiple places but these are by far my favorite dumplings for around the Orange County area. We also got the butter chicken, paneer, and lamb biyrani. The butter chicken was really great as well, not as flavorful as I thought, and a tad salty. Still really great food/service! read more

Our first visit after seeing great comments on Nextdoor. We had Goat Curry #21 and Chicken Biryani #77. We will be back for sure to dine in and will make it part of our take-out routine:) Ajit was very friendly and helpful. I love finding new flavors and new eating spots. read more

I was shocked. Came back into town after being gone for a few years. This is officially my number 1 spot to come back to now. The food took a while to come out but it was worth it! There was a big group there which is cool that they accommodate party sizes. Little intimate tables. Indian people eating there so you know it's good. :) I wish they could deliver to me up here. I remember the prices being average and the flavor was banging! Definitely try this place out. A big parking lot and one across the street if that doesn't work. read more

This is my favorite place for Nepali food! Love the chicken momos. Great vibes and delicious food all around :)

Wow! This place is excellent! I've tried a few of indian places around and I think this is the best. The staff is so nice! The cook even came out and asked me how the food was. I got the chicken curry and aloo paratha. They even bring out some hot tomato soup for free. Which was delicious. Don't be scared if you come and it's not crowded. It's new. So try it before it starts getting packed I will be back for sure. And the only Indian place I will eat around! read more

The India Cafe - So good! Chicken curry and aloo paratha - Indian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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