01/24/09

Quality Indian Food

by Slyking

Good options for vegetarians. Definitely the better of the two Ambers in the bay area. Wait can be longish - so, be prepared

05/23/07

Terrible Service

by mariadesouza

My husband took me there for my birthday dinner after hearing some reviews. But it ruined a great day! The service was bad. Had to wait amid a crowd and were being passed up! maybe because we were Indians they just didnt care! The food was mediocre. Did not make up for the bad service. There are far better Indian restaurants in the bay area. Our favorite is Chef India in Pleasanton. So worth the drive!

• Pros: Cant think of any
• Cons: Service

03/24/07

Passable food. Disinterested service.

by attrny

Good ambience. Very passable food. Disinterested service --

Maybe 10 years ago in the bay area, this place would have been unique.

Today there are soooo many excellent and cheap places in the south bay and peninsula that this place almost feels obsolete and lost in time.

Food is very passable for the money charged. Decent ambience. Blase service.

There are many cheaper and better Indian restaurants close by.

• Pros: Ambience
• Cons: Simple food. Disinterested Servie.

Vocal and obsessive fans return again and again for the butter chicken.

by Contributor

The Scene
Located in a bland strip shopping center along El Camino, Amber India also boasts a surprisingly pretty interior of authentic artwork and elegant serving pots and utensils.

The Food
If you're looking for fiery heat, Amber is not the place to visit; dishes reflect a balance and restraint seldom seen in northern Indian restaurants around here. Oh, the butter chicken: Tender chicken is marinated in yogurt, then roasted and ladled with a magical sauce of ginger, tomato, butter, cream, brown sugar, garlic, lemon, coriander and cumin. The chicken in question is the stand-out favorite, but the suave chicken korma and slow-burning lamb with peppercorn curry are nothing to sniff at.

04/14/06

Pleasantly Surprised

by spaink

I had been searching for a great Indian restaurant. I usually presume that the 'hole in the wall' places have the best food, yet when it came to Indian places, they were OK - average. When someone told me about Amber on Santana Row I thought I would give it a try. I expected it to be pricey and ok, yet I was pleasantly surprised. The food was excellent - next best thing to home cooking. The dinner prices were reasonable and definitely worth it. The service was impeccable. Lunch time buffet is the steal however. I highly recommend it.

• Pros: great parking nearby, clean, great price

01/22/06

Reservation... What's that???

by karamazov

A reservation for 2 @ 8 = a bad table @ 8:45. My zen-like patience was seriously tested at 8:30 when being called for my table, only to be led into the dinning room to be told that a mistake was made... please wait a few more moments. We were not alone since the wait room was packed unhappy reservation holders.

1/2 way through the meal, I am hoping they comp the meal or throw in desert gratis... cause the food is excellent, and I want a reason to come back. No such luck. However, they did apologize profusely & understood our unhappiness with how we were treated... yet they are too cheap or clueless to do something meaninful to offer ammends.

• Pros: food
• Cons: inconsiderate staff, crowded

01/21/06

Excellent but Crowded

by nancymaria1

You won't find better Indian food in the penninsula. The chicken tikka masala is probably the best I've tasted. The only negative is that the place is oh-so-crowded all the time and it takes 40 minutes, on average, to prepare pick-up orders. But if you have the time and patience, this is definitely the place to go for great Indian.

12/11/05

Good food, and the buffet is a good value.

by lovediningallover

I like Amber India, and have been to their weekend buffet many times. They offer a nice selection and their butter chicken is especially good.

I stopped going since they started charging full-price for my youngest son. I do not want to pay $12.95 for my child to have a piece of tandorri chicken and some naan bread. Now we go to Shiva's.

• Pros: Good Food, Nice Buffet
• Cons: Over-charge for kids

12/08/05

Best Indian Food in the Bay Area

by Jetace1

Three words - chicken tikka masala. You haven't lived until you've had it at Amber India. This restaurant wins award after award for their food. (As evidenced by the plaques on the walls.) While a little bit on the pricey side, it is absolutely worth every penny!

11/09/05

Tasty Indian Food in Classy Atmosphere

by tiger26

Classy Indian restaurany (hard to find) with great service & TASY cuisine.

No other Indian restaurant comes close except maybe Gaylords!

• Pros: food, service, ambiance
• Cons: none