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Clay Oven

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15435 Jeffrey Road
Irvine, CA 92618

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(949) 552-2851
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Clay Oven - Irvine, CA
Clay Oven - Irvine, CA
Clay Oven - Irvine, CA
Clay Oven - Irvine, CA
Clay Oven - Irvine, CA
Clay Oven - Irvine, CA
Clay Oven - Irvine, CA
Reviews
( 78 )
( 19 )
( 3 )
( 6 )
( 12 )

Best

I recently dropped in for lunch in the hopes of getting some hot food. When I say hot food I mean spicy. Being from the south I really crave spicy food from time to time and I kne...

Worst

Here's our experience with their food:\r 1. The Chicken TIkka Masala had lemon (or similar) in it which made it tangy and really lemony. This is a joke. We all know CTM should no...

Decent food, not worth your money 10/14/2007

I heard good things about this place and decided to take a friend there who was visiting from LA. The service was poor- they kept trying to rush everyone out of the restaurant to close by 10 on a Saturday night. When a couple came in after 9, instead of just telling them that they were not seating customers any longer, they were really rude to them and rushed them through the entire thing. They even started taking away their serving plates without even asking if the couple was done (they were still eating, both with fork in hand). They turned off the music ten minutes before the advertised closing time, and also started turning off the lights early too. As for the food, it wasn't anything special, and definitely didn't justify the price. My chicken tikka masala was pretty good- nice thick, creamy sauce, big pieces of white meat. The breads were not impressive at all. The nan and garlic nan were nondescript- good but not special. The paratha was unlike any I've ever had, and not in a good way. It was dry and tasted of way too much rye. My friends said theirs was pretty good. My BF had the chicken vindaloo and it was very spicy. All I could taste was HOT, but he says there was a lot of flavor under all that hot, so he really liked it. Pricewise: The entrees were definitely overpriced, especially seeing as the serving sizes were half of what they are in a lot of other local Indian restaurants. 1 cup of rice (1 cup as in measuring unit, not an estimate) is $3.00. The plainer breads were 3.95-4.95, the more interesting ones (cheese nan, aloo paratha) were as pricey as $9.00. In total, we had three entrees, 3 pieces of bread, and 2 cups of rice. Add one beer, one glass of wine, and one mango smoothie sort of drink, and it came to $100 before tip. I could have had the same quality food elsewhere for cheaper. Overall, it was a decent meal, but due to price and service, I will not be returning. Pros: Good food, seated immediately Cons: over-priced, rude service more

Delicious food and gracious host 9/21/2007

Coming from NY, we weren't sure what to expect in SoCal re: Indian food, but Clay Oven put a rest to that. The host Pravin (sp?) was extremely friendly. He asked us what we were in the mood and he ordered our entrees for us (neither were regular menu items). The braised lamb shank fell off the bone and was cooked perfectly. The chicken and fresh figs dish was sweet and scrumptious. We will definitely be back. Pros: great food, gracious host, not crowded more

Delicious food and gracious host 9/21/2007

Coming from NY, we weren't sure what to expect in SoCal re: Indian food, but Clay Oven put a rest to that. The host Pravin (sp?) was extremely friendly. He asked us what we were in the mood and he ordered our entrees for us (neither were regular menu items). The braised lamb shank fell off the bone and was cooked perfectly. The chicken and fresh figs dish was sweet and scrumptious. We will definitely be back. Pros: great food, gracious host, not crowded more

Best in the OC 7/25/2007

Without a doubt the best Indian cuisine in Southern California. The atmosphere and service are warm and friendly. The host is especially cheerful and the food is to die for. If you go, definitely try the Lamb Vindaloo, it's cooked perfectly. Pros: Ambience, Food, Service more

Best in the OC 7/25/2007

Without a doubt the best Indian cuisine in Southern California. The atmosphere and service are warm and friendly. The host is especially cheerful and the food is to die for. If you go, definitely try the Lamb Vindaloo, it's cooked perfectly. Pros: Ambience, Food, Service more

Excelent host and food to match. 3/25/2007

Our host was very friendly and informative. The food was as good as I have eaten for Indian food in this country. This is a small restaurant in a strip mall but it is very comfortable and beautifully maintained. I asked for my Vindaloo to be spicy but it was rather milder than I am accustomed to. the host immediately supplied a small dish of fire paste that made all the difference.\r \r Highly recommended if you want an authentic Indian meal. Pros: Excelent food and a great host. Cons: Small stip mall location. more

Excelent host and food to match. 3/25/2007

Our host was very friendly and informative. The food was as good as I have eaten for Indian food in this country. This is a small restaurant in a strip mall but it is very comfortable and beautifully maintained. I asked for my Vindaloo to be spicy but it was rather milder than I am accustomed to. the host immediately supplied a small dish of fire paste that made all the difference. Highly recommended if you want an authentic Indian meal. Pros: Excelent food and a great host. Cons: Small stip mall location. more

Decent food but it may burn a hole in your pocket 1/24/2007

Clay Oven's food is decent...but very very expensive in my opinion. Also, the place is small and so there's an issue with lack of privacy. Service is decent as well. But then again they are charging 5 star prices. more

Decent food but it may burn a hole in your pocket 1/24/2007

Clay Oven's food is decent...but very very expensive in my opinion. Also, the place is small and so there's an issue with lack of privacy. Service is decent as well. But then again they are charging 5 star prices. more

Best Indian Dining Experience 7/1/2006

My husband and I enjoyed one of our best dining experiences ever at Clay Oven last night. The lamb with figs made great use of fresh produce and the roasted beet salad was mouth-watering. The service was prompt and friendly. The specials were especially interesting. We'll be back regularly to this great spot. more

Best Indian Dining Experience 7/1/2006

My husband and I enjoyed one of our best dining experiences ever at Clay Oven last night. The lamb with figs made great use of fresh produce and the roasted beet salad was mouth-watering. The service was prompt and friendly. The specials were especially interesting. We'll be back regularly to this great spot. more

good, but pricey 6/8/2006

This indian restaurant has excellent food. The ambience is quite good, and its a great place for a date. However, be warned - this place is quite pricey! An average meal for two people can easily set you back by $60 to $80. And yes, the service can be a bit slow too. However, if you're patient and have the dough, the quality of the food will impress. PROS: great food CONS: slow service, pricey more

Delicious Dinner 5/23/2006

the Chicken Masala was delicious.. loved the Lamb Vindaloo and garlic nan - so far the best I have tried in southern california. Service was great too. more

Delicious Dinner 5/23/2006

the Chicken Masala was delicious.. loved the Lamb Vindaloo and garlic nan - so far the best I have tried in southern california. Service was great too. more

Great Indian Food in the OC 5/23/2006

Having just moved from San Francisco, I have been in search of great indian food. I finally found it at Clay Oven! It was a great dining experience -- wonderful food and great service! I highly recommend it! Pros: Great Food, Excellent Service Cons: A Bit Pricey more

Great Indian Food in the OC 5/23/2006

Having just moved from San Francisco, I have been in search of great indian food. I finally found it at Clay Oven! It was a great dining experience -- wonderful food and great service! I highly recommend it! Pros: Great Food, Excellent Service Cons: A Bit Pricey more

Very Pricey! 1/9/2006

We went for dinner, and ordered one appetizer and one entree (naans and rice not included) and spent $40. The entree (chicken tikka masaala) wasn't anything exceptional. more

Very Pricey! 1/9/2006

We went for dinner, and ordered one appetizer and one entree (naans and rice not included) and spent $40. The entree (chicken tikka masaala) wasn't anything exceptional. more

Mixed Bag 12/23/2005

I tried Clay Oven yesterday based on Citysearch reviews for Lunch, and found it solid, but nothing mind-blowing. We were originally planning on ordering individual dishes, but discovered that their Lunch Menu prices were pricey (Entrees ~$15-18!), adding in Naan and Drinks would've pushed us to easily ~$25 / person... for lunch. :( Take note. So we tried their Lunch Buffet instead ($9), and it was serviceable. It is a ""buffet"", but it was solidly prepared. Their Dahl (Lentil) was very good; the Spinach was ~Ok. And they only had 1 main course (very sparse compared to other buffets), the Chicken Mahkni, which was solid (but nothing amazing). Their Garlic Naan (for free w/ Buffet) was amazing, though (not too thick or thin like some places). Would like to try it again, but at over $20 / person for lunch, it'll have to be a special event. Fabulous service, though! Pros: Garlic Naan, Lentil, Service Cons: Expensive, Average dishes more

Mixed Bag 12/23/2005

I tried Clay Oven yesterday based on Citysearch reviews for Lunch, and found it solid, but nothing mind-blowing. We were originally planning on ordering individual dishes, but discovered that their Lunch Menu prices were pricey (Entrees ~$15-18!), adding in Naan and Drinks would've pushed us to easily ~$25 / person... for lunch. :( Take note. So we tried their Lunch Buffet instead ($9), and it was serviceable. It is a "buffet", but it was solidly prepared. Their Dahl (Lentil) was very good; the Spinach was ~Ok. And they only had 1 main course (very sparse compared to other buffets), the Chicken Mahkni, which was solid (but nothing amazing). Their Garlic Naan (for free w/ Buffet) was amazing, though (not too thick or thin like some places). Would like to try it again, but at over $20 / person for lunch, it'll have to be a special event. Fabulous service, though! Pros: Garlic Naan, Lentil, Service Cons: Expensive, Average dishes more
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Menu for Clay Oven


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Owner Message
  • * Open 7 Days
    *For Lunch: 11:30am-2:30pm
    *For Dinner: 5:30pm-10:30pm

    * Lunch
    * Dinner
    * Take-Out
    * Catering Available
    * Also Serving Beer & Wine

Additional information
  • Hours: Monday-Sunday
  • Payments: Master Card, Cash, Travelers Check, American Express, Discover, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: Oak Creek
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