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Flavor of India
3026 State St, Santa Barbara
Phone: (805) 682-6561

  • Category: Indian
  • Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am-3pm & Mon-Thu 5:30pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 5:30pm-10:30pm, Sun closed
  • Price: $10 - $20
  • Serving: Lunch, & Dinner
  • Reservations: Yes, recommended
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Reviews by the General Public

Best in SB, 11/6/2009
Reviewer: Nicole from Santa Barbara, CA
Great food and great service. The buffet is a great deal at $8.95, with all you can eat garlic or plain naan. The buffet is constantly being refilled so the food is always fresh (unlike some buffets). The chai is wonderful and comes with constant free refills. The service here is stellar. It is family owned and the entire family will be there on any given day, making sure everything runs smoothly. Some reviewers have mentioned they'd like more spice. If this is the case, ask for some chili powder and they will bring you a shaker so you can spice it how you like it! For dinner I recommend trying the chicken tikka masala, navratan korma, onion baji appetizer and onion kulcha bread. I've eaten at every Indian restaurant in SB and this one has the best food and best service by far.
My favorite restaurant in SB!, 10/29/2009
Reviewer: CJ from Santa Barbara, CA
I love Flavor of India. The food is always delicious- my favorite dishes are the chicken korma and aloo gobhi. The service is stellar, and the staff is very accommodating for large groups- just call and hour or two in advance. I've never had a bad experience here, and I've been a regular for the last few years. I agree that the portions can be on the small side, but it could just seem that way because it's just so tasty, it's gone before you know it!
Exceptional food and service, 8/22/2009
Reviewer: Marion Starkey from Santa Barbara, CA
Wonderful food. Friendly and very efficient service. I don't like spicy food but my husband likes it very spicy...and we were both happy. Felt like someone tipped them off that we were food critics or something(we're not) until I looked around and saw everyone else getting the same service. I've never written a food review before but I've driven past this place for years and wish I'd found it sooner.

Avoid the dessert, at all costs., 8/8/2009
Reviewer: Paola Gonzalez from Santa Barbara, CA
I have actually gone to this place many times, there is only one thing they have that brings me up and that is their roti/phulka the tortilla looking breads, apart from that everything is just bland, but just stay away from the dessert, they have soggy donut type things that have so much sugar id rather call them instant diabetes.
Consistenly Good and Excellent Service, 7/7/2009
Reviewer: Mindy from Santa Barbara, CA
We eat here a few times a year and have for many years. Our recent visit reminded us why we keep going back. The food is simply excellent across the board and the service is really friendly. If the owner is there, he's always so concerned about his patrons and I like that he sometimes talks about how they make things. He once told us the process behind the pistachio ice cream with cardamom. Fascinating. One teeny gripe I have, though....last fall we bought some friends a gift certificate here for $100. When we got it home to wrap, we saw that it's not good certain days of the week. I think someone there has the concepts of coupons and pre-paid in full gift certificates mixed up. There shouldn't be any stipulations on gift certs. Other than that, excellent place that we always look forward to!
Simply Great, 7/5/2009
Reviewer: Matt from Santa Barbara, CA
The food here is miles ahead of the other local Indian restaurants, I have yet to order a dish that I didn't enjoy. This is also genuine Indian food, I have several Indian friends who have told me that this is the best authentic Indian food in the area. The service is great, the waiters all work together to make sure that you're always getting fast service. The water and drinks are always promptly refilled, no waiting for the waiter to come around. I feel obliged to respond to the one who complained about the "metal prison plates". That is an Indian-style plate, not a restaurant being cheap. I believe they only use those plates though when you order the combo meals.
No vegetables in Vindaloo, 6/24/2009
Reviewer: Annika from Santa Barbara, CA
I was there with my husband for our Anniversary. We ordered Vegetable Vindaloo. When the dish arrived, the curry had only potatoes and panner. We called the waiter and enquired for which he went to the hostess and came back just to say 'Like this only we make'. I hate potatoes. So my husband had to eat all the potatoes and I ate all the panner. We missed bell peppers, carrots and other vegetable that are usually in this item. The hostess did not even bother to come to us and just ignored us while we left the restaurant. Very disappointing.

Great Indian, Wonderful Service, 6/8/2009
Reviewer: Katie from Santa Barbara, CA
I love the food here-- I usually order the vegetarian combination plate though the lamb curry is awesome too (and the samosas...yummy)-- great, fresh food at reasonable prices. The lunch buffet is a bargain, too. AND the fact that the service is amazing is almost reason enough to go here. They are attentive but not smothering and seem to anticipate your needs before you even ask. They are just the best. Have tried every Indian restaurant in SB and this one beats everywhere else-- quality, cost, service. Perfect.
Stingy with the portions, 5/7/2009
Reviewer: Katie from Santa Barbara, CA
A few days ago my friends and I went there for dinner for the first time. We have had the lunch buffet before and maybe that's why we were so surprised at how small the dinner portions were! I ordered the lamb korma and it only had five small pieces of lamb in it! The food is still very, very delicious though. Consistently good service as well.
BEST RESTAURANT IN ALL OF SANTA BARBARA, 5/4/2009
Reviewer: Danielle from Santa Barbara, CA
Flavor of India is the best restaurant in all of santa barbara by far!! All of their food is abasolutely amazing and they really serve you the flavors of India! Their chicken tikka masala is to die for. My boyfriend and I go here at least once a week and it is going to be one of the things we miss most about SB when we leave. The staff is so nice and always so attentive. They really have the most flavorful food ever and a great ambiance!
Great Food/Service, 4/16/2009
Reviewer: Glenn from Buellton
Go for the lunch time buffet, you will be full in two plates and Naan bread provided. Only problem is the lack of close parking but you probably need to walk it off anyways!
definitely the place to go.., 1/28/2009
Reviewer: Leslie from Santa Barbara, CA
I go there atleast once everyweek. The staff is very friendly and food is great!! Just thinking about makes me hungry.
My favorite Indian Restaurant in SB, 1/17/2009
Reviewer: Gillian from Santa Barbara, CA
I've been going to this place forever! I started going for the lunch buffet but more recently I've been going there for dinner. The food is sooo good! The people who work there are really nice!

A say bland too - mediocre food, 1/1/2009
Reviewer: Mark from Santa Barbara, CA
I have eaten at the Indian food restaurants here in town and although this food is decent and the family feel to the service nice, don't expect a really tasty dish bursting with freshness. The food is bland as the other reviewer said. I have done the take-out too and it is ok, but definitely mothing to rave about.

Best Indian food in town!, 12/16/2008
Reviewer: Becky from Santa Barbara, CA
Flavor of India is sooo good. The naan, the tandoori chicken, the vegetable rice, etc. is so flavorful and mouth-watering. The food is cooked to perfection with just the right amount of spice. And the service is great, too. My water glass was never empty, the server gave great recommendations, and my party recieved free dessert! Even though the place always seems busy, we never feel ignored or feel like the service is slow. Go here if you want amazing Indian food!
Too bland, 11/26/2008
Reviewer: jinelle from Santa Barbara, CA
I like to shop local and am in the neighborhood so I am sorry this is the best Indian close by because it is not that good. They miss the boat on the wonderful flavoring combinations that make Indian one of the world's great cuisines. The flavors mush and get lost instead of being a inspired blend of individual parts- everything tastes the same instead of a haunting combination of multiple flavor tones. Something must go wrong in the kitchen from the start, or else they are selling to the lowest common denominator of the US palate. It is okay and a pleasant, basic sort of place for casual dining. The naan bread makes it still worth considering, but it could be so much more with just a more flavorful hand of fresh ingredients. It is Indian food that is afraid to be Indian food. Taj or Spice Avenue could teach them somethings. I hope they are listening.
Not the best Indian food in town...
Reviewer: Miley from Santa Barbara, CA
I went to Flavor of India on Saturday & ordered the chicken vindaloo w/ side of raita (my bf order the karhai chicken w/ side of salad)... when our food arrived, we both received the same dish (chicken vindaloo w/ side of raita)!!!! To top it off, it was served in a metal prison plate. The chicken vindaloo was bland, had no flavor & was a bit on the salty side. There were only 4 pieces of small bite-size chicken (hardly enough to fill someone up). It reminded me of a overly salty spaghetti sauce. I've had Indian food before & it didn't taste this bad.. I will not be going back to this place!! In the future, I will be going to Taj Cafe (downtown SB) instead!!!
Going to India
Reviewer: Mike K from Santa Barbara, CA
I'm considering going to India, just to tell them that the best Indian food is in Santa Barbara, at Flavor of India.
Bland Food but service was good !
Reviewer: Sapna Aggarwal from Santa Barbara, CA
I went to this Indian restaurant with my office colleagues. All of them love Indian Food and most of them are living in Santa Barbara for more than 20 yrs. They always go to Flavor of India, so insisted me on going there. The food doesn't taste like authentic indian food. It's too salty. The raita is excessively salty and so are other dishes. The buffet is very limited. We ordered some curries with "Spice" and after a mere taste of it everyone was burning in and out. We had to leave the lunch in the middle. There isn't much variety of foods either. However, the service is extraordinary. Food arrives on time. I would not recommend this place if you are crazy about indian food and looking for intense flavor.

My first Indian restaurant...
Reviewer: Bob from San Ramon, CA
The lunch buffet was limited but we decided to try based on reviews. We were not disappointed. The flavors were excellent and not spicy or alot of curry...like I thought it might be. The buffet was always well stocked. Our wait persons were very nice and brought us all the naan bread we wanted. I really had a positive visit here and will definitely come back. It's a nice friendly place.

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