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Ambrosia India Bistro
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
102 reviews for Ambrosia India Bistro
Review Highlights
"I love the lunch buffet at Ambrosia."
(in 24 reviews)
"I didn't love the Butter Chicken."
(in 9 reviews)
"Tons of types of naan, which is great."
(in 22 reviews)
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102 reviews in English
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Review from Teresa R.
Soquel, CA
2/3/2012
Best Indian food in Santa Cruz area!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great for vegetarians. Favorite entree is their grilled eggplant.
If you like okra, they have the best.
Service could be better for an upscale restaurant...but they are still growing.
Restaurant is quieter than most, so it is more relaxing and enjoyable if you have time to enjoy the evening. -
Review from Carmen T.
Aptos, CA
12/13/2011
The best Indian food in the Santa Cruz area. Lunch buffet is amazing for the price and they always have naan available.
Place is clean and neat. Service is prompt and efficient. -
Review from Madison O.
Santa Cruz, CA
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I really like the atmosphere of the restaurant but the people working don't seem like they want to be there, one of them was sick and it was disturbing hearing the coughing.
I had the chicken tikka masala, it was yummy. My first time trying it but it was sort of like "grown up" Chef Boyardee sauce. now I have had different Chicken Tikka Masalas and it was way different then at Ambrosia, unsure if this is normal? Either way, Chef Boyardee was good when we were kids but when you're older and try it you wonder what ever was the appeal? I guess I am trying to say that Chef Boyardee is not yummy but there sauce had this slight essence of it and I couldn't get that thought out of my head.
I don't like those sugary watery mushy balls they make for dessert, but that could just be my taste buds, so I am not marking them down for that. Just the service and the price was not great. -
Review from Ivan M.
Santa Cruz, CA
2/5/2012
The food is mediocre at best. We went there for dinner and while the atmosphere and service were impressive, the food was disappointing. The dishes were over-salted, cold and lacked spices. The only worth ordering is chicken tikka masala. For comparison how Indian food should taste like you need to go over the hill to Sunnyvale, Mountain View or Berkley.
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Review from Suzanne A.
Oakland, CA
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
What a DEAL! Feel like the Maharaj and his family by eating at this delightful place for lunch. The service is fantastic, the place is clean and bright and the food is delicious. If you like chicken for lunch, this is your place!
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Review from Neera B.
Aptos, CA
1/3/2012
The lunch buffet is a great deal! I highly recommend it for the first timer as you get an amazing array of choices. The Butter Chicken is fantastic. The tandoori chicken is moist and flavorful. The vegetarian options are generally good and so tasty. I haven't found a dish I dont like really (okay the pakora at lunch are kinda gross) but everything is else is great. Dinner can get pricey but it is so worth. This is the ONLY Indian place I will recommend to people in SC Co.
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Review from Susan v.
Aptos, CA
10/9/2011
This is the best Indian restaurant this side of the hill! This is a north indian cuisine restaurant that has a great ambiance. I love all of the indian diety statues.
It's a little expensive for Indian food, but it's higher end than many Indian restaurants that I've been to. They do, however, have a reasonably priced lunch buffet. I brought a friend who grew up in Delhi here and HE liked it too. My favorite is the Chana masala. I love ginger and love that they put shredded ginger on every thing, but some people might not like that. I never saw that much ginger on any dish in India.
I really appreciate that they have a vegan menu insert, which is admittedly much smaller than the rest of the menu, but I assure you that you could bring anyone who likes indian food here and they'll enjoy it. -
Review from Juliet S.
San Francisco, CA
11/1/2011
It hurts me to write a review that has absolutely amazing food and downgrade it because of the service. This is the best Indian food I have ever had...authentic...yet healthy and fresh. My favorite lunch in the world is the Ambrosia buffet. I used to live in Monterey...they have outdoor seating, which is nice for lunch. The lunch buffet in Aptos is much bigger though for some reason, even though there are a lot more people dining in Monterey.
The service is horrible though. It's not even the rude... they're probably having a bad day bad service. It's the completely ignore/never talk to service. Every time I go to this restaurant it makes me wish I owned it because I would put my heart and souk into it and ensure that there was great customer service. It's a shame to have such delicious food and such bad service.
Some of my favorite dishes are the palak paneer, chicken masala, butter chicken, the green house salad dressing, and the complimentary naan bread. -
Review from Carrie L.
Santa Cruz, CA
12/18/2011
I have no idea why other reviews are putting down the service. I found the staff at Ambrosia to be kind, easy-going and helpful. Not only that, but their food is absolutely amazing. The lunch buffet is delicious and reasonably priced (about $12 per person). Best lentil dish I've ever had, best tofu masala I've ever had, best potatoes and green beans I've ever had, best seasonal wood-oven cooked vegetables I've ever had. I am a vegan and there were so many great options available.
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Review from N H.
Santa Cruz, CA
11/18/2011
We had the Chicken Biryani, Chicken Tikka Masala and the Paneer Tikka Masala. Omigosh, they were absolutely delicious! We thought the portions were a little smaller, but don't be deceived! We couldn't even order dessert, the dishes were so filling, we got really full quick and ended up bringing leftovers to enjoy the next day...yes!!
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Review from John E.
Updated - 5/10/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Ambrosia is a hidden gem tucked away behind a 76 gas station in the old Blue Spoon building near Seacliff Beach. It doesn't look like much from the outside and in fact, I was hesitant to try it the first time because Blue Spoon was old and dirty inside.
But forget about that. This place rocks. The decor has been updated and it's somewhat romantic, but still casual. This is the best Indian place in the SC area for sure. The flavors are extremely rich and there's just the right level of spiciness. I've been extremely impressed by every dish I've had there. The wine list isn't bad either. And of course, they have Indian beer.
The service is outstanding--my water glass was never more than half empty before it was refilled. Apparently, the staff are from Nepal (at least that's what we were told) but the food is traditional Indian. Trust me, you'll love it!
Update: I had to up the review to 5 stars because the food here is just that great. We go almost every Saturday night and the food is consistently amazing. If you have not been here, do yourself a favor and go. My favorite dish is the Paneer Tikka. Omigod, it's so amazing!Listed in: Top Restaurants
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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3/26/2011
I had to up the review to 5 stars because the food here is just that great. We go almost every… Read more »
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Review from Lesley R.
3/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Excellent! "Just go".
The food was fantastic and I am even a picky eater. I ate everything even before i knew what it was. I do not know that that has ever happened before. : ) I dated my share of cooks -- two being Iranian -- and I loved the food at Ambrosia. I am STOKED that they have two more locations in Monterey, CA as I may be moving over that way.
Easy to get to off State Park Drive in Aptos, CA (where the Blue Spoon used to be). Parking is a cinch (in their lot, or on the street for "a quick get away" as my husband calls it?). The place was *packed*, but service did not suffer. Being 'packed' is always a good sign. Excellent, and entertaining service. The decor is excellent and authentic.
I had the chicken curry (something about that building always makes me order that -- even when it was not Ambrosia)....but the others had a whole slew of other items. It was all good. -
Review from John P.
Santa Cruz, CA
12/11/2011
stopped by this place on a last second whim (was heading for Aptos St BBQ but my wife's heart wasn't really into the BBQ thing, and suggested this instead as we were pulling off the State Park Drive exit).
we ordered a 'chile garlic basa fish' special, also a 'jeera rice' (fancy basmati rice with whole roasted cumin) from the special sheet, and a vegetable korma from the main menu. and onion nan.
WOW. the fish was incredible, very(!) spicy hot, fantastic, fresh delicate white Basa fish. the cumin rice was awesome too, very nicely done, with the roasted cumin flavor permeating the very nice basmati... the vegetable korma was just the perfect counterpart to this, mild, a nutty/creamy sauce that offset the fiery heat of the fish. the onion nan was superb too. This was perfect for the two of us.
I'd have given this 5 stars, but the service was a bit lackadaisical... they almost forgot the korma, had to be asked. we initially sat by a window in the front room (wow, california diner circa 1964, with Indian overlay... I guess this was the Bleu Spoon for awhile, does anyone remember what it was originally?), but it was way chilly cold by the glass and each time the door opened, so we moved to the back dining room. -
Review from Ben C.
San Jose, CA
5/30/2011
Loved my meal. Chicken Biryani was awesome.
Yo Yo -
Review from Doris L.
Aptos, CA
7/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
What a treat to have Indian food in my neighborhood. For dinner order the Butter Chicken (around a 4 in hotness), saffron rice, Bhindi Jaipuri (yes Okra but trust me!), and the Palek Paneer and pair it with a bottle of David Bruce Petit Syrah and you will have a wonderful meal to share with someone special.
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Review from Groovy K.
Capitola, CA
3/18/2011
We have always gone over the hill to Amber India for Indian food but now we are so glad that we don't need to make the long drive and have a great place here.
I really liked the building it is in, the services was good and the food was delicious although not as amazing as Amber India. I made the mistake of having 2 plates of food at their buffet which was too much because the food was real rich. We look forward to eating here again. -
Review from Icaro V.
Aptos, CA
6/28/2011
This is the BEST Indian food in Santa Cruz County. And the lunch buffet is second to none, anywhere. I've had better, just slightly, in Indonesia of all places, but for a local joint this place rocks!
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Review from Amy Y.
9/17/2010
From the outside, it doesnt look like it's much.. but inside, I was surprised by the sleek and modern decor. I loved the bright and airy part of the restaurant right when you step in.
There's a huge variety of dishes to pick from the lunch buffet line. Everything had robust flavor and spiciness and carefully decorated as well. My only complaint is that it's generally too salty for me including the grilled vegetables. I dont get what's with the salt But I'll let this slide since everything was indeed very fresh and clean. I enjoyed my meal but may not come back again due to the high sodium content of the food. -
Review from Cynthia D.
Aptos, CA
5/22/2011
I am not a huge eater. So, lunch buffets are usually too expensive for what I get out of them With thar said, I love the lunch buffet here. They always change the vegetarian opition. I love coming in and seeing what new is on the spread. My favorite has been the garbanzo curry. The buffet comes with naan and dessert. The drinks are extra and I don't think they have Coke. But, overall this spot is the best Indian buffet in Santa Cruz.
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Review from Kim T.
5/13/2011
We eat here all the time because the food is always really good and it's close to home. The downsides I find with the place is that it is pretty expensive for small portions, we usually don't have leftovers after spending $45 for 2 people. Sometimes we even order 2 orders of one item so that we have enough. Also, we've never had great service. It's always borderline rude and/or awkward. We have yet to try out the buffet, that may be a better option.
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Review from Nick S.
Aptos, CA
4/7/2011
14.00 for chicken tikka masala?
RIGHT?!
GO TO TASTE BUDS IN SUNNYVALE, CA
6.95 for the best damn tikka masala on the planet. Dont be fooled. -
Review from Tetsuro O.
Aptos, CA
6/3/2011
Good Indian food. Dinner is bit pricey but Lunch buffet is reasonable. Service wasn't great but acceptable. Back dining area is bigger and dark. They might mean romantic but too dark to read the menu. Naan are too small and too thin.
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Review from Nick T.
Santa Cruz, CA
5/21/2011
It's really delicious
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Review from Sam R.
3/25/2011
Great food and service. I'm looking forward to trying the places in Monterey. The meals is not rushed and the service is great. The waiter will assist in picking food out if you're a first timer eating Indian food. He'll even explain the section of India the food comes from.
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Review from D T.
San Jose, CA
7/10/2011
Ambrosia, will you marry me? Discovered this place last summer and every time I go back to Aptos this place is a must. We eat family style when dining there, and as we dig in we all say mmmmmmmmm this.is.so.good.
We haven't ventured out too far on the menu, since the usual dishes ordered are savory and exciting each time. I love love love this restaurant! -
Review from Daddy O.
Long Beach, CA
1/24/2009
FINALLY! A decent Indian restaurant in Santa Cruz. And by "decent", I mean best in the County. I was amused to see that the giant spoon sign, from the former restaurant (The Bleu Spoon, which was awful btw), was still there, although not lit up.
I agree with Chelsea S.'s assessment that Ambrosia is "not at all Santa Cruzish". Here's my take. The interior is well lit, but is tastefully decorated. Tables have a candle and a small vase with a piece of juniper bush. Servers are dressed in all black, which is typical, but they also wore ties in defiance of the casual SC vibe. The music is lots of fun. It sounded to me like they had a bountiful collection of "Buddha Bar" world lounge music playing, which is ultra chill, and very -not- SC.
The service felt a bit inconsistent and sluggish at times, and I'm willing to bet that it may have had something to do with my position facing the kitchen door, and seeing endless trays of sizzling Tandoori meats sail past me only to be served to other diners. It was brutal, but the payoff was worth it. I'll have to return when I'm less starving.
I was intrigued and excited by many of the menu items, but couldn't order them all, sadly. We settled on a few things. The Tandoori Chicken was moist, flavorful, and abundant. They actually served it on the bone, which helps with all of the above. Navartan Korma was the favorite at the table. It was sweet, crunchy, and creamy. Perfect with the basmati rice and naan sampler we ordered. The only miss of the evening was the Palak Paneer, which to me seemed pretty average and bland. My only overall suggestion is that the food was lacking in "esspicy". Definitely muted spice for the white folk of Aptos. I think turning up the heat would make this place a home run.
Ambrosia was pricey for Indian food. Our total came out to about $20 each including tip, but no apps or drinks. That's a bit steep if you ask me. Then again, I would have spent extra money on gas to drive to San Jose for good Indian food so it's a tradeoff. I'll definitely be returning. -
Review from J D.
Santa Cruz, CA
12/19/2008
Well, there's a first for everything, and unfortunately for Ambrosia, this first was at their restaurant.
I think I'm going to try to cut to the chase on this one: They literally told us to leave because they were closing... 10 minutes before their posted closing time! (10pm) And not only that, they rushed the plates off our table, rushed the check, and turned off the music in the restaurant about 25 minutes before 10pm.
I'VE NEVER, AT ANY RESTAURANT, EVER BEEN TOLD TO LEAVE LIKE THAT. IT'S RIDICULOUS.
In fact, a customer should be able to walk in 5 minutes before a restaurant closes, and still be served. Don't ya think?
We were a party of three, and decided to try this place out, which we've heard good things about. Needless to say, with the almost total lack of Indian food in the county, I was very excited about it. We yelped it beforehand, noticing it had some pretty good reviews, and we noted they were open until 10pm. We got there about 8:30.
The restaurant looked nice, no weird remnants that I could site that existed from the previous restaurant that inhabited the place. That's good, real good. The table we sat at, along the window, was quite small for 3 people, and much more suited for two.
The wait staff seemed ok, but the food took a very long time to get to us. Once it did, I thought it was pretty good (which saved them from having a 1 star). Was it good enough though, that I thought it was ok that they told us to leave 10 min. before they closed, after we spent 150 bucks at their restaurant? Let me think: NO.
For all they know, we could have bought another bottle of wine, a few more beers and 3 desserts. The people in the table next to us were told to leave as well, and they didn't seem to happy about it either. It was just weird and awkward.
Anyhow, the food was decent enough to go back and give them one more shot, but I'm not going to be counting the days or anything....
NOTE TO OWNER: DON'T KICK CUSTOMERS OUT AFTER YOU TAKE THEIR MONEY: IT'S FUCKED UP AND IT TOTALLY OVERSHADOWED THE FOOD! -
Review from jen b.
Crockett, CA
7/28/2010
Was vacationing in Capitola for a week and NEEDED Indian food. Yelped and decided to try Ambrosia. I AM SO GLAD WE DID! In one word: DELICIOUS!
To start we ordered the Prawns of Heaven Appetizer -- the best Indian dish I've ever had HANDS DOWN!
Then we had Chicken Masala, Butter Chicken, and Dal Bukhara with Plain Nana, Garlic Nana, Onion Nana, and Butter Nana. All of it was soo good. I didn't love the Butter Chicken. Everything else was just so outstanding it seemed like a dud in comparison.
To say the least we had many to go boxes. And that just made the experience better!
Oh for you spicy junkies! This place made it HOT! LOVED IT! -
Review from Steve B.
Sunnyvale, CA
2/7/2010
Ambrosia is, without a doubt, one of those, "why didn't we come here sooner?" places.
No question, their *buffet* food beats the dinner service food in any other Indian restaurant in Santa Cruz county.
The chef at Ambrosia clearly understands spices. Butter Chicken, Mushroom Masala, and even the chutneys/condiments/pickles were spot-on. Freshly prepared, top quality ingredients will always shine through. The right-from-the-oven naan breads were great, with just a hint of fennel (I think it was).
Polite, prompt, attentive service? Check. Good location, plenty of parking, clean lavs. All checks.
It pains me to use the cliche, but the interior ambiance can best be described as "groovy" Not as in dirty hippie "groovy" -- but rather, modern-Indo-chill groovy.
Consider this review 4 of a possible 4 stars. Perfect score. Only four possible stars because we had the buffet and it wouldn't be fair to evaluate the fifth star attributes (bar and table service, waitperson, host/hostess) without going back for the full dinner service. Which we will - soon - and I'll update this review accordingly. -
Review from Dane G.
Santa Cruz, CA
11/3/2010
Really nice friendly staff. I have been here 4 times and liked it a lot.
I eat Indian food all over the bay area so I might be a little biased but they do a good job for Santa Cruz. Good Tiki Masala and really good tandori chicken. Naan is pretty good. Salty lasi is kind of ashy and not like some others I've had but I would seriously recommend this drink. My main disappointment is the rice. Saffron rice should be amazing and it's easy to make. Here the rice is bad and that kind of sucks. Also, if you go there within an hour of closing they make sure you know it and they shut off the chia machine so you can't get chia which sucks. Good for the Santa Cruz area. -
Review from Michael S.
Santa Cruz, CA
3/10/2009
Great! I went the other night with my girlfriend anticipating the potential of good Indian food in Santa Cruz (after eating at Dosa in S.F. the weekend before) and I was fulfilled.
The food was very good. For me, it retained a sense of integrity. It was definitely authentic , yet there was a sense of freshness (conceptually as well as literally). I noted a strong presence of fresh ginger in some of the dishes, which I loved. They also have a decent wine list!
The staff was very friendly. Our server, Bindra I think was his name, was helpful and pleasant. We did have to get his attention in order to pay the bill, but overall I felt that his service was very good.
We will definitely be coming back to Ambrosia, and are very very pleased to have good Indian food paired with good service so close to home. -
Review from Louie O.
Aptos, CA
12/30/2008
Without a doubt, this is the best Indian Restaurant in Santa Cruz county. Finally! An Indian restaurant for us self-indulgent heathens. If you're a fan of Amber India over the hill (as I am), then you'll love this place.
Years ago when I was growing up here in Aptos, this restaurant used to be "The Cookbook," and as I recall, it was a mediocre breakfast spot.
I was on my way home late Friday night through Seacliff. I noticed that the old "Cookbook" had a brightly lit "Open" sign beckoning. I decided to swing 'round and have a look.
When I pulled into the parking lot, my dashboard clock indicated 9:55. I really wasn't expecting to get served so late. I wanted to go in and at least have a look around, though.
I walked in and the place was empty with the exception of the host and wait staff. I received a friendly welcome from the crew so I asked if they were still serving dinner. The host replied, "Of course! Please come in and sit wherever you like. I chose the counter (black granite, BTW) so I wouldn't mess up any of their tables that had all been prepared for the coming day's business.
I quickly ordered some standard items: the brown basmati rice, chana masala, palak paneer, and a full order of the Tandoori chicken. While I was waiting for my food, I took a look around. The decor was beautiful. Definitely a nice place to take a date, I thought.
The rice, chana masala, and palak paneer came out first. The flavors just blew me away - just the right amount of "heat" for me - and they were served in very nice, tin-coated ornamental bowls. The chicken was served on a sizzling, steaming platter on a bed of carmelized onions. It didn't have that funky orange tint to it that a lot of Tandoori dishes do. The taste was exquisite too.
I had a little bit of everything that I ordered and had the rest packed up to take home. The service was excellent and so was the food. I left a 20% tip. I really appreciated everything about my time there.
I do have one tiny suggestion for them. The brix on their soda fountain needs to be adjusted. The diet Coke I had was a little on the watery side.
One last observation here. It appears they use very good quality ingredients and they don't serve their food swimming in ghee. When I pulled the leftovers out of the 'fridge for lunch the next day, the chana masala and palak paneer were soft and easily spoonable, that is to say they were NOT solidly congealed in grease.
The food that I ordered came to about $52 with tax before tip. Counting leftovers, I got a total of three meals out of it - a pretty decent value these days. -
Review from Brian S.
Capitola, CA
2/14/2010
Forego the fry-cook grease wafting from Sno-White, skip the 64 oz Coke at the 76, and tucked behind all that, downwind from the beach off State Park Drive is the coziest plate of Indian cuisine -- Ambrosia.
An unexpected spot tucked away in our little niche by the sea, but expect great food, a wonderful(ly re-built, thanks to the recent arson) environment, with treats for the eyes, nose and mouth. -
Review from Timothy C.
Washington, DC
3/11/2010
We went on a Friday night date and it wasn't crowded and the corner tables with the large windows are and excellent date spot. The staff is very polite and accommodating, and we had called for a 6:45 reservation and sure enough, we walked right in and sat down. The only bummer about the seating is that it is diagonal and the acoustics make it easy to hear your neighbor's conversation.
We were brought a dish of wafery things that had 3 dipping sauces - a mix of peppers, a pickle sauce, and a barbecue like sauce.
On the second try, the waiter got our order right and we had an appetizer of crab cakes that had a good texture and were cooked well but were a disappointment compared to the entrees. My wife ordered chicken curry and I ordered a halibut curry with coconut - both were delicious. They were served in quaint metal dishes with a garnish, and we wished that we had ordered a side of rice - it seemed like a strong, rich stew without the rice. We also ordered garlic naan, which helped with the whole stew thing.
I tried Taj Mahal beer and wasn't impressed, but hey - if you're gonna have an Indian beer have an IPA! We love indian food and we both hope to return. -
Review from Marc B.
Anchorage, AK
7/19/2011
Not bad. But the lunch buffet was definitely lacking in terms of vegetables (lots of chicken though).
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Review from marcel s.
Watsonville, CA
This is the first time that i have eaten an indian dish and man ive been missing out!!best part is the buffet and it happens to be till saturday also,not just the weekdays.service is great and place is well kept.locations is pretty easy to find due to the blue giant spoon outside(previous owners,probly would cost more getting rid of it).
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/3/2010
i work in the area and ive always passed by this place so i decided to give it a try,man i was in… Read more »
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Review from Beau S.
Soquel, CA
4/4/2011
I had heard of Ambrosia through a number of food friends over the last year or so and recently was able to eat there for lunch. I decided to try the lunch buffet as I wanted to get a chance to try a few different items that they offered.
They had a nice selections of food to choose from... soups, salad, meats. Everything was fresh, nice and hot, and the flavors were excellent. I ended up with two large plates full of food before I grudgingly decided Id had enough. I had by no means satisfied my apetite for their food and will certainly be back.
The ambiance of the restaurant is quite lovely. Small tables lined the walls along with windows in front of the bar, with larger tables in a dining room towards the back. Their regular menu looks excellent and I cant wait to get 4 or 5 friends together and spend a nice dinner there trying the other dishes they have. If the service is anything like their lunch, I feel quite confidant that we would leave well attended. We felt well taken care of for lunch... there was a constant observation that was in no way obtrusive.
In conclusion, if you live in Santa Cruz and are looking for great indian food, come check this place out. Nice atmosphere, good prices, good food. What more could you ask for? -
Review from Kat M.
San Francisco, CA
10/19/2008 2 Check-ins Here
It's about time Santa Cruz got a great Indian food restaurant. Ambrosia has great food, great service, and a nice ambiance that is perfect for a date, an alone night or just to eat with a group of friends.
We've eaten the Chicken Tikka Masala which was tender and perfectly spiced, the baigan bhartha that had a great smokey flavor, and the Kurkuri Bhindi which was also spicy and delicious. The naan is fluffy with a crispy exterior and the waiters kept our water glasses full before we had to ask. Overall the dining experience has been great the two times we've been here.
We brought a friend the second time we ate here who doesn't like spicy food and the chef was able to make her baigan bhartha mild without sacrificing the flavor and the waitstaff was very nice about making sure our meals were to our liking (ours spicy and hers mild.)
The price is only slightly higher than what you would pay for lesser quality. Do yourself a favor and enjoy great food. -
Review from Julie S.
1/7/2011
Finally got to check this place out. Have been dying to try it after reading so many good reviews- and I love Indian food. All in all, it was just a very pleasurable, yummy time. Ambiance is great- cozy and romantic. Sultry, mysterious Indian music was great. Free starter of crispy, thin indian...crackers? with assorted spreads was nice. We ordered the Tandoori Sampler appetizer, which was DELICIOUS, and the chicken Chettendi, also good, and of course some Naan and rice. Great from start to finish. Prices arent outrageous either.
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Review from Christa f.
Martinez, CA
8/31/2011
If I had to write one word to describe this place it would be HORRIBLE! First of all, my boyfriend and I went in and sat down at the table where the server directed us. The waiter told us (he was Asian, we could barely understand him) that if we wanted the buffet (we did) that we need to sit on the other side of the restaurant. We got up and sat by where the buffet was. Then, he comes over to us and points to the other table and tells us that he "put our water over there", he says he will go and get it BUT then he starts drying dishes by the bar. My boyfriend walks over to get our water himself (no big deal) and the guy says "what is he doing?" I told him that he went to get the water..he lets out a sigh of disgust and rolls his eyes. Ohhhkay..whatever, we tried to ignore him but he kept looking our way giving us dirty looks. I couldn't believe he was acting this way. We filled our plates with food from the buffet. It was GROSS! Not only was it lukewarm but it also had no flavor and NO spice..was NOT authentic Indian food, that's for sure. So, all in all, it was a very bad experience. Bad food and bad service!
