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Shalimar Cuisine of India
Category: Restaurants Indian Indian [Edit]
23011 Ventura BlvdWoodland Hills, CA 91364
Neighborhood: Woodland Hills
(818) 225-7794
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
72 reviews for Shalimar Cuisine of India
Review Highlights
"Shalimar has THE BEST Chicken Tikka Masala--ever."
(in 13 reviews)
"I had the plain and garlic naan - both very good, soft, and..."
(in 9 reviews)
"The best Indian food in the Valley."
(in 8 reviews)
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72 reviews in English
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Review from Carolyn Y.
Berkeley, CA
10/12/2011
Shalimar was my gateway drug to Indian food. All my impressions of Indian food after Shalimar was based on their chewy, thick naan (thought that was the norm) and rich but not-so-creamy chicken tikka masala. I know now that that's not the 'normal' way but I still can't help loving Shalimar the most, especially their chicken tikka masala which has a ton of spices and is of a much darker orange color than normal masalas which I feel are too creamy.
Get the garlic & onion naan, mango lassi, basmati rice, and the chicken tikka masala. Wouldn't recommend the pakora/samosas - too greasy. To be honest I don't really like much of the other dishes here but maybe it's because I'm so accustomed to my routine.
Also the service here is great - a bit slow, but when I used to go here a lot with my friends in high school the waiters would always be super friendly about taking our picture and they would repeatedly give us frequent customer discount cards (15% off) even though we already had them. -
Review from Sunil R.
1/13/2012
This reminds me of Indian restaurants from the 90s when Indian restaurants were more "exotic". Very kitschy setup with red seats and old Indian music.
The food was decent but could not get over the prices. $2.50 for a plain nan!! The paneer tikka masala and boneless chicken were flavorful but again don't see the value for the price. -
Review from Nadia Y.
12/3/2011
Maybe between a 3-3.5 for me so far. I only had take out from this place. I was able to order online and go pick it up. The parking lot is small but it wasn't a problem because there were still a few open spots. I was able to get my food, sign and leave all with in a couple minutes so no complaints there.
The food itself wasn't bad or anything but I think i prefer Anarbagh down the street. I'd probably still get take out from here, but given a choice i'd rather go to the other place. -
Review from Yaseen N.
Davis, CA
1/12/2012
I have ordered from Shalimar a few times, and the food was good. That's not my problem.
My problem is that whenever I ordered, I would have to argue with them on the phone over the minimum order because on their website, through which I usually order, it states the minimum is $3.00. However they state it is wrong and it is actually $30.00. Having a minimum is fine, but they need to make sure they are giving the correct information over the phone AND on the internet.
I will definitely not order from them again, since this last time the person who called me was impolite about it. -
Review from Edward W.
11/21/2011
Wow. This place has great food. The tikka masala and korma are terrific! Garlic naan is great, though you may ask for your waiter for the bread well done, but maybe that's just me. I like my naan with some crispy spots. Samosas are standard fare. Rice with ground beef, Kima style, is very good. Service can be a bit scatterbrained but always gracious. A large Taj Mahal can bring the 3 star service up to a 4, matching the food, which is actually a 4.5 in my book. Parking is in a tiny lot, though plenty of parking is available on the street. This is a great find! You will enjoy Shalimar! after dinner walk east a few blocks on Ventura Blvd. to Islands Spa for a $20, hour-long massage. Heaven on Earth.
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Review from Chris C.
WOODLAND HLS, CA
10/12/2011
I went here recently based on Yelp reviews, my experience was good not great.
First the staff:
Rating : Average. Points off for filling my water glass when I was seated but not my wife's ( took another 10 minutes for her to get her water, and it was slow). Additional points off for not coming back to offer me another beer, I wanted one.
The meal:
Appetizers: Weak. (Vegetable Pakora and Beef Samosas) were forgettable, greasy.
Main: Excellent! My Chicken Vindaloo was delicous, I asked for spicy and it was just right. Wife's Chicken Tikka Masala was asked for mild and so given, tasty but chicken parts were a bit gristly for Tikka. Garlic Nan was good, I did not order rice.
They have a few tasty Indian beers of course and wines by the glass, about on par for this type of eatery.
I've dined at many Indian restaurants, mostly in the UK and I have friends from India who have cooked for me so I feel my opinion is valid.
Verdict: If you love Indian food like me then I'd pay them a visit just for that Vindaloo especially if it's to go. -
Review from Bad L.
Simi Valley, CA
8/28/2011
Shalimar is THE place for Indian food! Shalimar is head and shoulders above the rest. Service is great, the staff are all friendly and most importantly, the food is fantastic!
I don't live near Shalimar anymore, so I don't go nearly as often as I'd like, but when I'm in the area -- well -- my mouth waters just thinking about it ... I had it last night and thinking about it now, I want it again. I'm hungry. (Homer Simpson) "Mmmmm Shaaaaalimaaaaaarrrrr ..." -
Review from Kristin H.
Encino, CA
11/18/2011 3 Check-ins Here
$7.99 lunch buffet. That's pretty incredible for having some of the best naan I've ever had, some amazing chicken tikka masala and tandoori chicken, and the basmati rice was incredible! The service was better than in the reviews, the waiter filled our water glasses often. I will definitely be back!
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Review from John P.
Long Beach, CA
11/17/2011
I've been here three times for the lunch buffet, you can't beat all you can eat for $7.99. Not what I would consider real Indian food, not spicy at all. More like "American-Indian" food. All the chicken dishes are very good, especially the boneless-skinless dishes. I'll be coming back to the buffet for sure!
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Review from Erin B.
WOODLAND HLS, CA
7/21/2011
We get delivery from here relatively often, and it's great! We love all the breads, as well as the lamb and chicken curry. Also great is their dal saag, which has whole lentils. Delish!!
Only eaten in the restaurant once, but it was a fine experience. Plus, I was starving and they fed me, so I was pretty happy. :) -
Review from Kristen P.
West Hills, CA
11/14/2011
Great food and prices not too bad. When we asked for food to be made "Indian hot" we got it!! Awesome Chicken Tikka misala and lamb vindaloo. Nice atmosphere, romantic place for a date. My boyfriend and I treat ourselves to this place once a month and look forward to it!
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Review from Rbaby T.
Los Angeles, CA
4/21/2011
I am a huge fan of Indian food, I try SO many places thinking that I'll find one that's better..but I don't, then I kick myself for realizing that I've just wasted my time...again.
Shalimar has THE BEST Chicken Tikka Masala--ever. Sure, it's not as dainty and pretty as Anarbagh down the street...but the food is far more superior.
The service is...meh, they could look like they could enjoy their jobs a bit more, but they're friendly and attentive. I always have to order a Mango Lassi with Chicken Tikka Masala (with extra sauce), heaping helpings worth of Garlic Naan, Saag Paneer and Shrimp Vandaloo. -
Review from Lisa B.
2/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
We were hankering for Anarbagh and didn't feel like waiting as we were starved. The place was sufficiently full, but there was immediate space for us.
The service was acceptable and the food was fine. Nothing stood out, but I would say a good back up if you can't get a table at Anarbagh. -
Review from benito d.
Los Angeles, CA
5/1/2011
Went here only one time while looking for a place in Topanga Cyn and now that I moved to LA I'll be coming back.
I had the Shahi Khana dinner special for $16.95, a great value for the quality of everything you get from start to finish:
- Mulligatawany soup which was good
- One piece of tandoori chicken that they finished on a skillet with onions and the Choice of one meat curry, Pilao rice, Dessert of the day, Tea or Coffee.
Maybe the best Indian food I've ever had and I've had a decent amount. -
Review from Megan P.
Tarzana, CA
9/23/2011
Good food. I was impressed with the Naan and sauces. The spices weren't overwhelming but definitely had a kick. The prices are reasonable. My partner and I got a gut filling meal, drinks, and leftovers for about $40 plus tip. As we were leaving they gave us a VIP card which offers an additional 15% off. Good deal, if you ask me.
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Review from Lesley B.
Thousand Oaks, CA
8/31/2011
The best Indian food in California. We have eaten at many other Indian restaurants but this is the VERY BEST. We have been going there for 12 years and it is consistently great. The staff are courteous and quick. the food is fantastic. Love it. Love it. Just writing about it makes me want to go there. Salik you and your staff are the best.
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Review from Joanne M.
WOODLAND HLS, CA
8/23/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Food is delicious! Upside: My parents loved it for their first time eating it. Downside: It's not spicy at all, unless you request it, I guess for the American taste. But, it didn't worry me since my parents can't handle the spice (GERD). Portions are small, but its very filling. And their mango lassi is really good, not too sweet, not too thick. Will come here for their $7.99 lunch buffets one day.
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Review from Patrick C.
Marina del Rey, CA
1/31/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've been coming here for about ten years now. From the very first visit, the chicken tikka masala and everything else we ordered was amazing! It's always consistent and always the best.
I've been to about twenty different Indian restaurants all over L.A. and I still drive out of my way to come here! Try it once and you will never go anywhere else! -
Review from Alex E.
Los Angeles, CA
7/25/2010 1 Check-in Here
I've been going to Shalimar for years, ever since I moved to the west valley. I always thought Shalimar was pretty decent, and then I started trying some of the other Indian restaurants in Woodland Hills.
The other Indian restaurants in Woodland Hills = yuck! Shalimar is definitely the best.
My favorite Indian meal in general is tandoori chicken and Saag Paneer (Spinach with cheese). The Tandoori chicken is some of the best I've ever had at Shalimar, yet I do wish they would try a new recipe for the saag; I've had much better in the past.
I always thought the service here was hit or miss, until they started to recognize me. Now I feel as if I'm treated like a star whenever I walk in the door!
To make a long story short, I find that this is the best Indian food in the area and I would recommend it over any of its competition. Give it a try. The prices are pretty fair too. -
Review from Justin T.
Ventura, CA
4/2/2010
In the many years that I've been visiting Shalimar, they've never missed a beat. The staff is very friendly and professional. The interior decoration is very elegant.
In my opinion, the food has set the standard for what Indian cuisine should taste like (in Southern California anyway). The curry has just the right amount of spice, with rich taste and texture.
Service is a little bit slow, especially during the evening when there are a fair amount of patrons. This is justifiable because curry takes time to cook if it is prepared well. On certain evenings, seating can be a little bit limited, so be prepared to wait a little bit for a spot.
Parking space is a little bit limited, so you may need to park on the neighboring streets.
Overall, the dining experience is terrific. I would recommend anyone looking for fine Indian cuisine to explore here. -
Review from Rod C.
Camarillo, CA
12/29/2008
I like Indian food, haven't tried many places, but I enjoyed the following dishes here:
Shrimp biryani rice - Aromatic rice cooked with shrimps, greens, herbs, spices, nuts and raisins
Chicken tikka - Boneless chicken breast pieces marinated in spices and roasted.
Saag paneer - Homemade cottage cheese and spinach sauteed with a touch of cream.
Aloo gobhi masala - Cauliflower and potatoes cooked in spices with fresh tomatoes, onions and herbs.
Eggplant bharta - Eggplant mashed with tomatoes, onions simmered with herbs and spices.
Garlic naan - Bread stuffed with garlic, butter and baked in tandoor.
Pakoras - Crisp mixed vegetable fritters with chickpeas flour served with assortment of chutneys -
Review from Stephen D.
Santa Cruz, CA
3/24/2008
While working in Agoura Hills, I would head to Shalimar with coworkers sometimes 2-3 times a week for their lunch buffet. You simply cannot beat the price and the food is AH-MAY-ZING.
Even in a buffet plate, the food is always hot and fresh, the Naan is chewey and delicious; I compare the Naan here to anywhere else I go and it's still my favorite (including Gaylord in Las Vegas at the Rio).
It's simple: The food is wonderful, the place is clean and pleasant, the price is right and I LOVE SHALIMAR. If you haven't been yet, you better go. -
Review from N h.
West Hills, CA
3/23/2010
Oh Shalimar, I have a love hate relationship with you.
I don't know why you can never give me between Medium and Spicy, and when I ask it comes out more like Mild. But hey, what can you do. Also, one time I asked for Medium and you gave me tomato hot?
My samosas were cold in the center, every time I've reordered it. How sad. I saw you microwave it, too, in the back.
But hey, although you can't give me the spicy kick I crave, I still enjoy your vindaloo the best out of the other Indian restaurants even though you only gave me two pieces of chicken once in the whole curry. TWO? yeah, two. Too bad I was already at home and couldn't complain because I didn't wanna to drive back to the restaurant.
I also do not like your Naan, Anarbagh beats you at that. But, I still come back to you even though Anarbagh delivers.
And, yes, I guess I do cheat on you with another Indian restaurant. But like I said, they deliver. -
Review from Candice Y.
Glendale, CA
1/22/2009
This is where I indulged in my first taste of Indian food, and ever since, I've been hooked!
They offer a lunch buffet here for $7 or $8/person and it is VERY good (especially for a buffet). It consists of your standard selection of Indian fare including soup, salad, curries, tikka, and naan.
And the tikka, oh the tikka... You can taste the smokey flavor from the fire when you bite into a piece of the tikka... OH, IT'S SO GOOD! Chicken tikka and me... it's love at first bite, baby!!!
Despite the stingy, seemingly judging eye of the staff there, most of my visits here have been pleasant with the exception of one time. Once when we stopped in for lunch, I wasn't feeling well and I only had maybe half a cup of soup, yet they still charged me for the full buffet. Kinda lame, but I still love them.Listed in: Good Grubs
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Review from Pao A.
Simi Valley, CA
5/25/2011
Not a huge fan of Indian food, but this place is pretty good! Vegetable Kirahi was yum!!
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Review from Rachel K.
Los Angeles, CA
3/4/2007
Good food, prices are good and the service was great!
The portions are pretty good too. Enough to feed two people well.
If you order the dinner, you get coffee and dessert too. The tea (which you can get instead of coffee) is yums. The dessert? SOOO good! Even though I couldn't eat another bite, I managed to almost finish it.
Try the food here. You'll Like it! -
Review from Lydia D.
San Francisco, CA
11/30/2009
Frankly I'm shocked that this place doesn't have 5 stars!
My family has been going there for 20 years, and it's ALWAYS been amazing.
Favorite meal: onion bhaji, chicken tandoori, chicken tikka masala, vegetable curry.
their mango lhassi's are amazing too! -
Review from David O.
Walnut Creek, CA
Updated - 2/6/2009
UPDATE 02/10/2007:
I'm upping this place one star cuz they finally gave me a hard on and Indian food that gives you a hard on is worthy of 5 stars.
I came here on a Saturday, 12:45 PM, by myself. There's another couple eating lunch but it's just me and them. I started with a 22 oz Himalayan Blue Beer to whet my appetite. I then ordered the Onion Bhaji, the Chicken Tikka Masala, and a Garlic & Onion Naan. Stick a motherfucking fork in me, I'm done. The chicken was so good and the sauce...oh the sauce... I got a weird stare from the manager when I was licking the plate but oh so worth it... To add to the ambiance, some bollywood music was playing and two chefs were arguing very loudly in the kitchen. They were clearly screaming obscenities at each other in Indian... very authentic. In any case, the Onion Bhaji this time around totally rocked and Shalimar most definitely deserves 5 stars!Listed in: Eating in the 818
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/15/2006
Ladies and gentlemen, let's get ready to rumble! In this corner, serving Woodland Hills since 1983,… Read more »
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Review from Mike A.
Woodland Hills, CA
5/29/2008
Had the chicken vindaloo...good stuff. Got there kinda late during the week and expected to be turned away. NOPe...they sat us right down and served us. GOod service,,,fast food....deelish !!!
Would like to try the lunch buffet that others are writing about.
Didnt dent my wallet either....dinner for two 40bux (including tip)
I will be back. -
Review from Sean R.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 10/3/2009
Has anyone ever lost/dislodged their dentures while eating naan? I don't have dentures, so I wouldn't be able to say.
But I'm curious. I'm curious because the naan here is chewy. Naan should NOT be chewy. Not salt water taffee chewy.
I really feel bad about knocking down an Indian restaurant, if anything because there are so few good ones out there, aside from going all the way down to "Little India" in Artesia. Despite the sheer number of restaurants, the majority are pretty crappy.
On one hand the curries here are still decent. no they don't stand out, they never did. But as I said before, if you ask for spicy, you will receive spicy. The ingredients and preparation are good, just not remarkable.
But the naan finally got to me. It is chewy. And for that reason, along with a few negatives I already was aware of (decor and layout), I finally decided to knock a star off and give it 3. Naan is a basic staple of Indian cuisine, and to prepare it as badly as they do is not right.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/1/2009
Shalimar is a Bangladeshi owned Indian restaurant right near Anarbagh in Woodland Hills.
When you… Read more »
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Review from Eric H.
Woodland Hills, CA
3/14/2007
this plce is just a stone's throw from our crib and it rules. The Indian food is great- probably the best I've had in the L.A. area and close to some great ones I've been to in NYC. The Chicen Tikka Masala is awesome as is the Lamb Vindaloo. Chana Masala, Garlic Naan, Chicken Tikka- man it's all real tasty.
The first time I went into this place it looked huge. It took me 5 or 6 minutes- literally- of standing waiting for my takeout order to realize I was looking in a mirror and the place was only half the size. It was dim and maybe I was tired or smoking the crack again. In any case, Shalimar is the best. -
Review from J W.
West Hollywood, CA
1/12/2011
I love love love this place!
Being from England, I like to think I know good Indian food when I eat it, and Shalimar is our go-to place. On any given night you will find a bunch of Brits in here, cus we know what's up.
Quit bitching about the parking, this is LA, parking sucks everywhere .. and I've really never had that tragic of a time finding a spot. To me, it's worth it!
The decor - delightfully tacky! Typical of any good Indian restaurant!
The wine - if you know good wine, you know they don't have any here! So don't order it and get a beer instead!
Food - everything I've had so far is great. Ask for it spicy, they say "actually spicy? or just some flavor?" tell them to go for it and you'll be blowing your nose for the whole meal!
Service - the guys here are SO nice. I love them. They are polite and attentive and have a good sense of humor.
My suggestion is to order a few dishes and share, there's more than enough for left-overs.
Yum. Yum. -
Review from Alex L.
Diamond Bar, CA
2/2/2010
This is by far one of my most favorite places to eat. I have been eating food from here for the last decade! Whether we eat in or take out, this place is always stellar.
I find their curry to be very flavorful and rich. They can make the curry mild for those with a sensitive pallate, but can definitely cook them up fiery hot if one so desires.
My personal favorites include karahi chicken/lamb, their garlic naan, chicken vindaloo, and their chicken tikka. This is what I order every time I go.
I have had their brunch buffet several times. However, I have found that their buffet offerings is not as tasty as ordering your own fresh serving. -
Review from George D.
Los Angeles, CA
5/29/2009
Meh.
My chicken tikka masala wasn't remotely spicy.
In fact, it wasn't even that hot temperature-wise when it came out.
Couldn't even tell the difference between regular and garlic naan.
The portions were tiny compared to other restaurants.
Service was a bit over attentive. Felt like we were being asked how we were doing every time we put food into our mouths.
The cheap fruity chardonnay adorning the booths and shiny disco-style ceiling didn't do much for the decor either. -
Review from Iriet A.
Los Angeles, CA
7/11/2009
We have been going to Shalimar for years.
The ambiance is nothing special and the service is okay but the food absolutely rocks!
Also they are great for take-out and we even had their food for a party. There was not a morsel left and I do not order lightly! -
Review from Angela D.
Los Angeles, CA
9/28/2011
We ate at Shalimar for the first time today. Got the lunch buffet, which had a lot of items and was fairly inexpensive. (With a coupon, each meal was only $5.99). Unfortunately, the food was sort of bland and uninteresting. The sauces were a bit watery. Service was fine. Overall, not bad, but we'll likely not return.
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Review from Ch O.
Woodland Hills, CA
7/17/2011
I'm changing my review of this place. I used to love it. However, I stopped in there for lunch one day. They were doing a lunch buffet. They wanted me to get the buffet, and they were annoyed when I asked to see a menu. They finally did give me a menu, but gave me the DINNER menu. I asked if they had a luncheon menu, and they very reluctantly provided it to me. They also did not ask me what I wanted to drink. I was going to order a glass of wine, so they lost out on that sale. This is NO way to treat a customer!
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Review from Reg L.
Woodland Hills, CA
8/1/2008
I'm sorry, but "meh" is all this place gets from me. The food is good but nothing special. Of the two major Indian places reviewed in WH, we went there because it seemed to get better reviews. Hopefully, people just don't know what they're talking about at the other one.
We got Chicken Tikka Makhani, one of our faves, and it was like no makni I've ever had. Maybe that syllable makes a difference. It was good, but not garlicky, tasty but not tomatoey, and beautiful but not buttery. And as far as I'm concerned, you can't go wrong with garlic, tomato, and butter. Which is what (ought) to make a makni.
But, the meat was tender and the sauce still good enough to eat with a spoon, as it should be.
We also got Mattar Paneer, another fav. Again, the sauce was pretty "meh" but still good. The cheese was a little distressing: too hard, not much flavor, and kinda gave the impression of tofu masquerading as homemade cheese. At least there were peas.
We had mango lassi, which is hard to mess up: mango puree, yogurt, and sugar. And it was served in tall glasses with ice. Ice? The better to dilute my lassi! If we go back, I'll just order "without ice", although that should go "without saying". I kinda felt gyped, since I only got 2/3s of the lassi I would have without the ice.
The naan was good, again though, without being great. At the last, best Indian place in Burbank, the owner was offended that I might think her naan was not whole wheat, which made me assume all naan was (or should be). Not at Shalimar! White naan that's just a little thicker than it ought to be. But! Still good for sopping up the okay-curries.
And that's it: okay curries. I'll be trying the other reviewed Indian place soon. Hopefully it'll be worth the trip. -
Review from Jamal A.
Woodland Hills, CA
3/5/2011
This is my favorite Indian Resturant in the Valley, maybe because they serve beef... F.Y.I. -This Almost Never Happens. Like every review you read about this place, the chicken tikka masala is to die for. I have been to a ton of Indian places here in the Valley and this one always blows the competition away. I always get the chicken tikka masala (the bomb), the mixed tandoori, chicken karari, two naans (bread) and rice. This is more then enough food for two people. It's a little pricey but after you eat all that good food, you will forget about the price and it will be worth it. If it's your first time and you want to try it, go for lunch they have a great super affordable buffet .
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Review from Joseph T.
Camarillo, CA
9/3/2007
I don't know how you could possibly get in the parking lot during the peak of lunchtime. It's so small! The people who work there are very helpful and will get your drinks and whatever else you need right away.
The insides of the restaurant is very vivid and I like how the seating is arranged. I was also one of the naive and thought the seating area was larger than expected, but it was really a mirror on one side of the wall.
The food was filling and I made sure that I got my money's worth with the AYCE lunch deal. I stuck mostly to meat products and I swear my breath smelled great when I was done.
