Gate of India

I am a local who goes to this restaurant when I really want to treat myself...as they do not spare the calories! I never do the buffet...and you shouldn't either. Spend the extra dollars and order off the dinner menu. The Saag Paneer is the BEST I've tasted in town. And the Chicken Tikka (masala or simple tandori)...YUM...exceptional!! The Chana Masala is terrific also. The service can tend to be a little slow and distracted, but if you are content to relax and talk over drinks while you wait, then you will enjoy the experience (order Indian beer, as the wine is pricey and tastes like it came from a box). The staff may seem quiet...but start a dialog...they actually are quite friendly with a good sense of humor. Pros: Tasty dishes, nice decor Cons: unattentive staff, slow service more

We went there on a Friday for lunch. Overpriced buffet with no flavor. Rude staff. The food also made me sick. Avoid at all costs. Cons: food, service, overpriced more

We went there on a Friday for lunch. Overpriced buffet with no flavor. Rude staff. The food also made me sick. Avoid at all costs. Pros: none Cons: food, service, overpriced more

We visited Gate of India on saturday night. On hindsight, I am surprised the place even had customers. The waiters seemed rather disinterested and had a strange attitude. On being asked about the status of the food which was ordered some 20 mins back, we were counter questioned if we wanted good food or bad food! Further, the guy asked us if we wanted fully cooked food or half cooked food!! The basic point he was driving at was 'we d have to wait'. But there is definitely a politer way of handling customer queries. No one goes to a restaurant to eat bad half cooked food, for heavens sake! Cons: Bad service, overpriced, low quality of food more

We visited Gate of India on saturday night. On hindsight, I am surprised the place even had customers. The waiters seemed rather disinterested and had a strange attitude. On being asked about the status of the food which was ordered some 20 mins back, we were counter questioned if we wanted good food or bad food! Further, the guy asked us if we wanted fully cooked food or half cooked food!! The basic point he was driving at was 'we d have to wait'. But there is definitely a politer way of handling customer queries. No one goes to a restaurant to eat bad half cooked food, for heavens sake! We ordered the Green Chilly Bhoona. For those who actually end up eating there even after reading 17 bad reviews on this site about Gate of India, DO NOT ORDER THIS! Bhoona means roasted/ fried which tends to reduce the 'sting' in the chilly. Needless to add, the chillies were not and the end product was rather avoidable! Further, the Paneer Tikka Masala is far from what it is supposed to taste! So all in all, bad service plus bad food plus overpriced menu is a recipe for disaster. The restaurant is just thriving on its location. Dont think the owner has actually bothered to read, let alone do anything about customer feedback! Pros: None Cons: Bad service, overpriced, low quality of food more

Four of us went on a Saturday night. The place was busy but not swamped; however, we stood at the front of the restaurant for about 5 minutes before anyone acknowledged us. When we were finally seated, it was another 15-20 minutes before anyone came to take our order (there was no ""welcome"" or drink order from anyone). Finally a terse, annoyed man showed up, insulted us when we asked for jasmine rice with our order (he told us to go to the Chinese restaurant next door if we wanted jasmine rice - he actually said that!), and then we never saw him again. The food was fine although nothing extraordinary, and no one even came by our table to ask how it was... it definitely wasn't worth the rude treatment we received. On our way out, nobody thanked us for coming or even said goodbye. Do not waste your time here! Pros: Decent food Cons: Horrible, very rude service more

Four of us went on a Saturday night. The place was busy but not swamped; however, we stood at the front of the restaurant for about 5 minutes before anyone acknowledged us. When we were finally seated, it was another 15-20 minutes before anyone came to take our order (there was no "welcome" or drink order from anyone). Finally a terse, annoyed man showed up, insulted us when we asked for jasmine rice with our order (he told us to go to the Chinese restaurant next door if we wanted jasmine rice - he actually said that!), and then we never saw him again. The food was fine although nothing extraordinary, and no one even came by our table to ask how it was... it definitely wasn't worth the rude treatment we received. On our way out, nobody thanked us for coming or even said goodbye. Do not waste your time here! Pros: Decent food Cons: Horrible, very rude service more

Zero stars- Worst Indian food ever. We accidentally ordered from here when we mistook the phone number in the sidebar for the menu we were looking at. The total was $50 (before tip) for 2 meagerly portioned dinners, both of which were poorly seasoned and overcooked, and the basmati rice (a la carte) only amounted to about a cup. We will never order from here again and may contest the charge due to the quality of the food. Diner beware! more

I hate writing a bad review, and I used to like this restaurant, but recently I went for dinner and felt like I had been ripped off. The total was nearly double what I had expected it to be ($80) for dinner for two. When I checked my bank statement the next day, they had tacked on an additional $4 of gratuity (I had paid with a credit card). I called to dispute the bill and they gave me the run-around. It's not even worth pursuing. I will never go there again. more

My husband and I were craving some Indian food. He told me about this place, Gate of India in Santa Monica... more

I hate writing a bad review, and I used to like this restaurant, but recently I went for dinner and felt like I had been ripped off. The total was nearly double what I had expected it to be ($80) for dinner for two. When I checked my bank statement the next day, they had tacked on an additional $4 of gratuity (I had paid with a credit card). I called to dispute the bill and they gave me the run-around. It's not even worth pursuing. I will never go there again. more

$3.00 SODA REFILLS !@#!$!. I asked the waiter for a refill on my diet coke. Without a word, (because he spoke no English) he goes to get another one and when I get the bill, there it is, an extra $3.00 for a refill on my diet coke. Unbelievable!!! After paying as much as I did for the vindaloo and $3.00 for mediocre rice, It is unfortunate that a restaurant in a location like that would have the nerve to pull a stunt like $3.00 refills. If they were going to charge me $3.00 for a refill, at least they could have warned me!!! Price gauging on soft drink refills is a sign that they owner does not respect their customers. The owner should know better. I will not be coming back. Pros: Suace Cons: Lazy, uncaring wait staff. more

$3.00 SODA REFILLS !@#!$!. I asked the waiter for a refill on my diet coke. Without a word, (because he spoke no English) he goes to get another one and when I get the bill, there it is, an extra $3.00 for a refill on my diet coke. Unbelievable!!! After paying as much as I did for the vindaloo and $3.00 for mediocre rice, It is unfortunate that a restaurant in a location like that would have the nerve to pull a stunt like $3.00 refills. If they were going to charge me $3.00 for a refill, at least they could have warned me!!! Price gauging on soft drink refills is a sign that they owner does not respect their customers. The owner should know better. I will not be coming back. Pros: Suace Cons: Lazy, uncaring wait staff. more

My dining experience here was the worst I have ever had to date in any sort of restaraunt. more

My dining experience here was the worst I have ever had to date in any sort of restaraunt. The service was extremly slow, non-existent. The food I ordered was not prepared how I asked, not a huge deal, but again the service was slow to correct the mistake. My friend and I understand as I am an ex-server and she is a current server. We are both extremly understanding of all of the things that can go wrong in a restaurant setting and the best way to correct those things. Half way through the meal we smelled a strong smell of cigarette smoke. I investigated the bathroom ; thick with smoke and the smell was nausiating. I am highly sensitive to smoke and currently with child. It is illiegal to smoke indoors any where in Los Angeles. We did not think that the service and overall experience merited what the bill was requesting. Reminding ourselves of what we would do (talk to a manager, discount the bill, apologize), we found our server and in the nicest way, my friend mentioned the above complaints. Server: "You have to pay, it's not my fault you ordered late" I requested a manager. He came fuming towards us extremly confrontational from the get go. "You have to pay, I'll call the cops" Me: "sir, we are not saying we are not going to pay, we are simply expressing our discontent with the dining experience and typically in establishments like these some sort of compensation is offered". Him: "this is not one of those establishments, you pay or I'll call the cops". My friend and I were completly mind boggled. I have worked at a few different varieties of restaurants and any time a guest has been disatisfied, I have never in my life seen a manager treat a guest in this manner. I am quite outraged in fact. Really all we were looking for was an acknowledgement of the poor experience maybe some sort of compensation. I would urge any future patron to reconsider when thinking about dining at the Gate of India in Santa Monica California. more

I love this place!! I'm a big Indian food lover and I have to tell you best Tikka Masala and Coconut Curry I ever had.. and I've been around a few places..(I have to add I don't eat meat) Service was wonderful, was greeted and sat immidiately, food took time, but only because food is made fresh. They validated parking next door. What else can you ask for? Even my 5 year old nephew loved it. Ambiance is lovely especially with the music. Wonderful experience, highly recommend to anybody! more

I love this place!! I'm a big Indian food lover and I have to tell you best Tikka Masala and Coconut Curry I ever had.. and I've been around a few places..(I have to add I don't eat meat) Service was wonderful, was greeted and sat immidiately, food took time, but only because food is made fresh. They validated parking next door. What else can you ask for? Even my 5 year old nephew loved it. Ambiance is lovely especially with the music. Wonderful experience, highly recommend to anybody! more

I think it is for the tourists who come once in a while and then leave with a bad feeling. But then who cares about them! I thought that it would be good restaurant. But the non-veg was horrible in terms of oil and spice. I mean really horrible. It was tasty but do you want it at the cost of health!! I hope not. Chicken curry and tandoory chicken were 2 non-veg items. Tandoori chicken was cold but it was perhaps because we went there at around 2:00pm. But then they claim to serve you till 3:00pm. When we entered there was only one guy (non-indian) eating food. He was done and was waiting for waiter to collect the check. Eventually he had to shout for his attention. I have been to several indian restaurants and this one is definitely not recommended for Lunch Buffet. Other items might be ok but I really doubt it. It is an overpriced buffet ($10.99+tip $2.00 - very generous and never again), perhaps because of the location. If you wanna get rid of your date, do take him/her along with you. :) You will end up eating lots of tums and will spend the rest of the day wondering why GOD? Why? The vegetarian food is boiled and bland. I bet you can cook any time better than this (even in your sleep). The ambience was great since there was no one around! They have decorated the walls well. But do you go to a restaurant for that? The dessert part is hilarious. It was noodles pudding. When I went to take it, the waiter told me that it was dessert!! What the hell dude!! I then realised that he doesn't want me to take much as the quantity was not even sufficient for 2 persons, let alone 3. Well it was not even worth it!! If you still want to try as I did, good luck. But please do take couple of friends with you to cheer you up as well as lots of tums tablets. Pros: prompt seating, ambience, nice location. Cons: food & service. more

I think it is for the tourists who come once in a while and then leave with a bad feeling. But then who cares about them! Pros: prompt seating, ambience, nice location. Cons: food & service. more

we went around 5pm and only one person was there. the waitress was very annoying. first of all, my sister asked for a cold turkish coffee, she snapped at us telling us that turkish coffe supposed to hot and warm.second of all, we ordered our foods, and she asked how spicy we want it,because we are used to spicy foods. and she insisted for us to take medium and giving us the look when we said we still want it spicy. it's our decision come on! there are couple other people after us and their foods came before us, it took about 45 min to prepare the food. oh and NO refill for sodas the waitress' service really turn you off. im hesitated to go back there just because i don't want to run into her again. so UNPLEASANT!!!! i just signed up to citysearch just for this review Pros: nothing Cons: annoying waitress, long food preparation, no refill for sodas more