Nawab of India

As the previous reviewer stated, the food has definitely changed and not for the better. Whether or not the chef has left, the tastes of the curries and tandoori chicken have been off. I usually go there for their lunch buffets and this time around I noticed that the food tasted more on the bland side. The tandoori chicken wasn't cooked thoroughly, still bloody and red close to the bone. Either one by themselves would've made me go somewhere else, but the bloody chicken is downright dangerous. Heck, even the garlic naan, which is pretty basic, wasn't good. Too doughy and a little soggy. There are a number of other Indian restaurants out there so I think that I'll be checking up on those more often now.

Pros: Nicely priced lunch buffet

Cons: Underdone food, bland food

Posted 09/27/08

i went to nawab of india last weekend and the food did not taste the way it used to. i found out that the chef no longer works there.i dont know if i will be coming back to nawab. he made the best indian food i have ever tasted! i used to go there every weekend! but fortunately i learned the chef of nawab is opening his own restaurant called "Copper Chimney." it is in Woodland hills. I can't wait till it opens!

Pros: THE CHEF IS OPENING A NEW RESTAURANT!

Cons: THE CHEF HAS LEFT!

Posted 05/06/08

Keep in mind though that they can get busy, and when they are busy their service is not very good. But, if you come early or on a weeknight, you will not have to worry about service being an issue. The food is high quality - a lot higher quality than your average indian restaurant. If you wanted to judge the place on it's Mango Lassi, then Nawab would get the Gold Medal. Their Mango Lassi (yogurt mango drink) is the best I have ever had. Their nan is terrific, rice is delicious, and they have plenty of vegetarian options, along with some nice seafood and chicken dishes. The waitstaff is very friendly as well.

Pros: quality of food

Cons: pricey

Posted 11/23/07

We had a couple nice dinners and were very impressed with the flavors. Nice decor, traditional indian restaurant - white table cloths, traditional music, etc. A little pricey compared to other establishments close by with equivalent or better food (Jaipur on Pico/Westwood by Westside Pavilion). Dinner menu is Vegetarian Friendly. Food is extra oily - even for indian. Awesome sinks in the bathrooms, just FYI.

We returned for their lunch buffett and were very very disappointed. Modest selection. Not Vegetarian Friendly - 1 dish. Our water glasses both had lipstick on them. We requested new glasses and both came dirty (one with more lipstick). Silverware was dirty too. Maybe it was a bad day for them, maybe a lunch staff thing, or maybe we could just see when it was light out.

More expensive than it's competition - no good reason why. Santa Monica rent?

Would consider going back - the Mali Kofta and Korma was very good. Still, Electric Karma on 3rd St near the Grove is better and more fun for dinner. Jaipur's (on Pico) lunch buffett is infinitely better regarding food, selection, and cleanliness.

Posted 10/28/07

Best Indian buffet in LA! The food is amazingly good for such a reasonable price and they have more choices than the other restaurants. I would prefer eating the buffet at Nawab as opposed to dinner at many other places.

Posted 10/21/07

We love Indian food but this place is one of the worse Indian restaurants that we have ever been to. First our food arrived late and cold. Our Poori (deep fried bread) was soft and soggy. The tandoori mushrooms tasted like bad meat. The Chicken Tikka Masala was average. To complete the horrific meal, The Raita (cucumber yogurt) had a funny smell like sour milk. We should have known better than to have eaten it because both of us became sick after our meal.

Pros: none

Cons: bad food, bad service

Posted 05/17/07

we had dineer there for 4 people and the food was tasty and good qulity, the service was friendly too. I will recommend it

Posted 12/18/06

The place did not look appealing as it was old and unpainted. It was recently painted in brick color and t looks much better. I have only been for the lunch buffet and it is very satisfying. The Tandori chicken is excellent and the rice is so flavorfull. Now that it looks more like a restaurant and less like a cafeteria, I wil give it a shot for dinner.

Pros: tandori

Cons: no atmbience

Posted 11/21/06

At least, so far. I have been to quite a few Indian places but my foodie buddies have always recommended Nawab over others in the area. There are booths and linen napkins. A bit on the quiet side, it was really empty but perhaps because we ate a bit later. The mint chutney was obviously fresh and thick and tasty. The shrimp, lamp, and chicken dishes I've ordered here and there have been terrific. There's a lunch buffet that's actually quite good. $18 per plate, plus naan, plus rice, plus appetizer equals about $25/person for dinner. The rice was a bit dry but the curries more than make up for it.

Posted 11/02/06

I have always had a good experience at this place. The food is rich and tasty, and there are many different varieties to try. The ambience is ok, there are better, but its not bad either. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place.

Pros: Good food, good service

Posted 09/19/06

We were nearly put off by the bad reviews on this site, but my husband is a big fan of Poori which we don't see in every Indian restaurant and so we decided to give it a go, regardless. I'm certainly glad we did, and feel sad that some people have had bad experiences with what we found to be friendly and attentive wait staff. The food was really authentic to our tastes (I'm English, my husband is from NYC) and not too expensive at all. The Mint Chicken Tikka was delicious! We went on a Friday night at about 8.30pm without reservations and were seated immediately.

Pros: Quick Seating, Reasonable Prices, Friendly

Cons: Parking

Posted 04/20/06

Almost immediately after our arrival, my mother and I were seated by two of the restaurants staff. When we were ready to order, we were assured our server was on his way. We then waited and waited and waited some more. During this time, several parties who arrived after us had their orders taken (but even their service was not in the order of their arrival). Whats more, the waiter taking their orders was one of the very men who seated us. By the time the waiter got to our table, we were ready to leave. Upon hearing this, the waiter vehemently made it clear he didnt care whether or not we left. Other reviews seem to indicate I am not alone in my experience. If you plan to eat here, understand youre taking a gamble with their service; perhaps its good at times, but when its bad, its horrendous.

Cons: Terrible Service

Posted 01/06/06

Having grown up eating Indian/Pakistani food, Nawab is one of the best options you can find in LA. The change in menu/chef/ownership was a positive thing, as many more of the dishes you would eat at home have made it on to the menu (shaami kabab, plain ol' yellow daal). The ingredients are fresh, the food flavorful, and the service warm and attentive.

Posted 01/06/06

The food was great and inexpensive the first three times I went -- which was two years ago. The time I went a month ago, the service was slow and the food was not as good as I remembered it. The prices had also risen. The last time I went (this past week), my party of three was seated promptly and then forgotten for 25 minutes. After the server went to get the orders from two other tables that had been seated AFTER us, he came to us with a surly attitude! We left. I was lamenting that we had lost a great restaurant, but after reading the other reviews, I realize that others also believe the food has gone downhill while the prices have been climbing. Since we live in L.A., there are plenty of other Indian restaurants to frequent.

Cons: Expensive, Surly Service, Food so-so

Posted 12/25/05

Before I moved to LA I lived in "Little India" in NYC, so was worried I wouldn't get my chana masala fix out west. Luckily I've found Nawab! The food and service are always great. Every one of my friends that I've brought here agrees, this place rocks. Order a side of raita, you won't regret it.

Pros: great food, friendly waitstaff

Posted 10/11/05

I'm not generally a fan of buffets, but Nawab's lunch buffet is actually tasty most of the time. If you're not a water drinker with lunch, beware. Each soft drink is $2.50 and served in ridiculously small glasses. This wouldn't be a problem in and of itself, however, there are no refills on soda. While this might seem trivial, with a lunch group of 4 to 5 people and a couple of refills, your drink order quickly becomes half of the price tag. Although they're generally quick to seat your party and clear your plates if you're having the lunch buffet, service after that can be painfully slow. Despite these negatives, however, I still frequent and recommend the restaurant. The food can be quite good.

Pros: good food

Cons: expensive drinks, slow service

Posted 10/10/05

we have been going to nawab for about a year and a half, and I consider them to have some of the best indian food in the area. lately, the food has been especially good - perhaps they got a new chef.

try the "rara mutton" lamb special - excellent.

Pros: food, friendly service

Cons: bland interior

Posted 08/24/05

This used to be my favorite Indian restaurant in L.A. but the food has declined over the last few years. It's still decent and worth a look, but is not nearly the priority it used to be. It does boast a good variety of dishes including some excellent vegetarian selections. Sadly the food has strayed into blandness compared to its previous scintillating flavors.

Pros: Variety, Friendly

Posted 06/30/02

This used to be a reliable, reasonably priced spot for a great Indian meal. However, under new management and with a new chef in the last year or two, the food has become unreliable. The spices that once livened my favorite dishes have been tamed. Chicken curries can either be tenderly delicious or dry and disappointing. Nothing is the same--even the prices have risen. While the staff is still wonderfully knowledgeable and friendly it can be a bit slow. Sadly, I've had to go in search of a new favorite Indian restaurant.

Pros: Friendly Service, Good Chai

Cons: Spotty Food, Slow Service

Posted 05/20/02