The worst Tandoori Chicken we've had on Solano Ave. Bland spices and overcooked. Try Khala Peena across the street. It's not as fancy, and the service isn't wonderful, but the flavors are perfect. And isn't that why we are there? Get your act together, Ajanta, and taste your own food. read more

We enjoyed a spectacular meal here for Mother's Day dinner. Spicy green fish curry, Butter Chicken, Garlic naan, Sabzi Rangarang and Saag Paneer. Everything we ordered was cooked to perfection! This is definitely the Best Indian food on Solano Ave. or in Berkeley for that matter. read more

Ajanta - Garlic Naan,Sabzi Rangarang,Saag Paneer, Butter Chicken and Spicy Green Fish Curry - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

When it comes to Indian food, it's hard to deliver because there are so many good and affordable places in the area. What makes a place shine is the extra flavor, good prices and excellent service. This place, especially after the ownership change, doesn't deliver on any of those. Sure, the food is OK but wouldn't say it's more than just mediocre. The prices are not great for what you get. And the service... well, it's terrible. I doubt I'll be coming here again. It's a shame since it used to be a decent place. With dirty glasses, others getting food poisoning, and the service being abysmal, even 2 stars seems like a lot. read more

Ajanta - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Ajanta is a favorite spot in east bay for very delicious Indian cuisine. The tandoori sampler is my favorite but also the tiki masala is fantastic. Really, there is nothing I've eaten there that wasn't great. Give them a try because I know Covid 19 has drastically impacted their business. There space and service are also top notch! read more

Excellent Indian food well above the average and typical offerings. Even old standbys like Saag Paneer were on another level. Get the eggplant appetizer, tandoori scallops, and kofta. Service was very friendly and attentive. Overall a great experience and even though we ordered plenty of food we didn't leave feeling overly stuffed. read more

There was some talk when the owner left that the place had gone downhill a bit and I had the same experience. I didn't go back for a while, but I've gone twice recently and the food is once again extremely good the ambience and the service I don't think ever changed, but it's excellent, we tried the vegetarian tasting platter last night and other than being too much food. It was a great experience. read more

Really enjoyed eating here! We were in the neighborhood and decided to try this place and it was a pleasant surprise. We were at the tail end of the Lunch service, as they were closing, but the staff and service was excellent and they didn't rush us to leave. We ordered the Daal soup with Garlic naan (had to get extra naan as it was so tasty), and decided to share the 'Special Dinner' item which allows you to choose a small appetizer (Chicken Samosa), an entree (Machi Dilwala), and a dessert (Kheer) - we asked if we could also add the Mango sorbet. Everything was delicious! So flavorful and tasteful - and just the right amount of portions too. We will definitely be going back here to try their other dishes. read more

A friend swears by this place as authentic upscale Indian cuisine. Authentic definitely. Very familiar and some new items not seen before. The flavors were spot on, but none of what I ordered as Indian hot were close. The tandoori special featured a small taste of various proteins, the emphasis on small. This was accompanied by a side of rice and Saag Paneer. Both what you would expect, although the rice was a bit dry. We started with Tandoori scallops which were rubbery and over cooked, and looked pathetic on that plate. I can't recommend them. The hit for me was the garlic naan. I've never had naan chocked so full of garlic petals. It had a nutty texture while the naan was soft moist and flavorful. Following that up with onion naan which wasn't as good, but we had extra sauce from Baes chicken curry dish to sop up. The service was certainly fast and friendly. I worked for 5 years for a gent from Bangalore. As well as with folks from southern India. They marveled at my ability to keep up with then when it came to the spicy items. But while this wasn't the heat I wanted, I'd rate the food 4.0 for flavorful. 2.5 for portions 5 for service. I don't think it's upscale at all. But it's not a dive either. Upscale certainly in price! read more

Great service, great food! Very accommodating staff and attentive to our needs! Everything was done professionally and we all had s great time! We got a late reservation for part of 8 and so it was pretty low key! read more

Yum! I love picking up food from here. We've had most of the different entrees when we were able to dine in-person safely. Now we mostly pick up and I usually order their different curries. Everything is super tasty and fresh. The family and staff who run the restaurant are so gracious and I'm so glad they're still able to stay in business through this pandemic. read more

Flat out the best north Indian food in the bay area. Very authentic flavors. Attention to detail in the cooking. Great service. I also love the ambience. read more

Great customer service, and food was ready on time. There were whole cloves (about a dozen) in the Chicken Biriyani which were way to strong and overpowered the taste of the dish. My kids wouldn't eat it once they bit into a clove. Adults couldn't eat until picking out all of the cloves. Baadal Jaam (Eggplant) was interesting, but a bit too sour for my taste buds. Maybe it was goat yogurt on top, but not sure. Chicken Makhanwala was great. read more

What a delightful find! A friend recommended this restaurant while craving Indian food recently, and man, we will certainly be back! We ordered a few appetizers to begin with, and shared several main courses, which were all amazing and delicious. Certainly not your average run of the mill Indian restaurant! We will certainly be back again soon. read more

Generally, Indian food on the East coast is better, but this place is an exception. Every dish I've tried is amazing, spicy, and delicious.

After reading good reviews we decided to try this place. Service was great, food was excellent and felt like home made, in comparison to other many I've tried. Indian soft music went well with the Indian decoration on wall, maybe it needs some details on table like candles or flowers to make it more fancy, but it was all great in general. This is the type of place you leave with a smile on your face and a very happy belly. read more

Whoever is in charge of this event called Mother's Day ought to consider tweaking it a bit. A single day on which everyone feels obligated to take their mother out for a meal has proven a dining disaster. The last time I had a Mother's Day brunch it was at a place that was serving a "special menu" and they weren't allowing any substitutes, even for mothers. What the day has turned into is one of packed restaurants with put-upon servers putting out joyless meals and just trying to make it through the all-day rush. That's what it felt like in 2010 - 2014 and again last night in 2015. Ajanta may very well be a wonderful restaurant but the service experienced on Mother's Day, even with a 7:30 p.m. reservation and probably no subsequent diners was so impersonal that it left me wondering why Mother's Day isn't extended into Mother's Week so that everyone could just enjoy themselves a bit more. Dishes were practically thrown onto my table with little to no explanation, service was hurried, the table was crowded, and I left with the impression that this day, from a service standpoint, was just one to get through. Making any mother - or even any guest - feel valued and welcome wasn't part of the equation on this night. So there's that. Ajanta has some interesting things going on: 1. The restaurant is supposedly a favorite of Alice Waters; 2. They offer a multi-course chef's tasting menu ($28.50; $25.50 for vegetarian); and 3. Items are rotated off the menu monthly to make room for new menu items. The tasting menu is a wonderful way to sample a lot of good Indian food. It's served only for parties of 2 or more and if selected, must be the choice of all of the diners at your table. Although you get to choose the overall level of desired spiciness that choice applies to all of the food served to the whole table. If some like highly spiced food and others do not - the situation at my table - best not to order the tasting menu. On several dishes the suggested "Medium spice" proved to be excessively hot for one member of my party. The tasting menu includes 3 appetizers, 4 main dishes, an assortment of accompaniments (rice, chutney, pickles), and a choice of 4 desserts. It represents good value even though the portions may be less than they'd be if ordered individually. You won't leave hungry and you won't be dissatisfied with the food. With the exception of the desserts (which were quite mediocre) I really enjoyed everything on that menu. Had I come to Ajanta on any day other than Mother's Day I imagine my dining experience would have been more leisurely and pleasurable and I would've departed with a better overall impression. The tasting menu deserves to be a bit spread out so that one feels they are getting a true succession of dishes rather than a table buffet. Regardless, the meal still set us back considerably and for that I expect warmer, less hurried service. If that's your thing too, come here for Mother's Week, not Mother's Day and I imagine you'll leave with a far better impression. * Corkage is a reasonable $13. read more

Ajanta - The 3 desserts I sampled were the weakest part of the tasting menu. - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

We had a delicious meal at Ajanta tonight. The chicken was so tender, the saag was perfect, the rice so fluffy... The pistachio ice cream was divine. A perfect (and very reasonably priced) meal. read more

I think Ajanta is one of the best Indian food restaurants on Solano avenue and there are quite a few on Solano. Their Chicken Tikka Masala, vegetable samosa and Chana Masala are delicious. Since it's just me, this order lasts for about 3-4 lunches. I order pick or delivery so my only complaint is that they forget to put everything you ordered into the bags so might be good to check if you pick up. I called when something was missing and they said next time you get it for free. So I am owed at least one thing. read more

Ordered food from here for the first time. Two out of two of the dishes were wrong and the food itself was airline quality at best. Some of the worst Indian I've had. Looks and tasted like someone threw some frozen vegetables into a mediocre sauce then failed to cook it all the way. Delivery was very fast though so giving two stars for that. read more

Expect food innovation here. It's Berkeley - taking liberal view of classical recipies - what else did you expect? Fairly trendy place and can get crowded fast. Even on a weekday evenings, the place got close to full. Suggest reservation. Try their yellow daal (lentil) soup - it was gingery and yummy. Went for Palak Kofta and tandoori roti as the main entree. It was unique for sure! While taste was not bad, the gravy and the kofta somehow did not gel perfectly. Innovation - yes, traditional - no, taste - ok. Verdict - good for the one time but will not try again. They serve the entree with a side accompaniment of black Chana (chick peas). Once again, for a traditional North India cuisine place, the side dish was not typical North Indian. Almost as if a South Indian chef had prepared this North Indian dish - masala did not jive with the Chana. In retrospect, should have gone with their veggie dinner sampler - boy, that looked very good (see pic) with several choices . As a single patron, did not want to over indulge but should have - at least on that day. read more

See all

New Year's Resolution was to go to Ajanta Restaurant. I'd heard so many good words about it. The manage exhorted both of us to a table and recommended tandoori and salmon. Both were exquisite to our tongues. The naan was the best of all Indian restaurants in the Bay Area. The waiter was attentive and not oppressive. The bill with a generous tip was $70 or $75. We will be back. read more

We went here after seeing this little gem highlighted on the show Check Please! Bay Area. We got the green fish curry that was recommended from the show. The salmon was moist and delicious. Naan was on point. Service was excellent, really friendly waiters. We will be back. read more

The food was boring and gloppy. Very disappointed. Pleasant setting. People were friendly (although they asked us half way through the meal if we wanted to go containers). Can't recommend. read more

Overall energy the whole evening was as if we were burdening the staff. When asking which wine was which (after long pause following the waiter putting them on the table) the waiter responded "I will tell your if you have any patients" We were also asked to leave right after we paid the bill because they wanted to seat other customers, meanwhile the restaurant was half empty. Great food, no knowledge of customer service. read more

Ajanta serves gourmet Indian food; I've been going to Ajanta for six years now and I've never been disappointed. Ajanta's menu is seasonal. The menu items are changed as different ingredients come in and out of season. Because of this the food is always excellent quality and fresh. The depth of favor in the dishes Ajanta serves is profound. The savory qualities of the meats and vegetables complement the spices perfectly, one never drowns out the other. The atmosphere of the restaurant is quiet and intimate. The restaurant features a beautiful mural and the ceiling has several unique lamps. The furnishings are classy and the restaurant is always clean and neat. The service is prompt and professional. The servers give the guests a good amount of space, allowing for uninterrupted conversation. The superb quality and taste of the food paired with the good atmosphere make Ajanta my favorite Indian restaurant of all time. read more

Ajanta - Garlic Naan - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

So very disappointing. Ajanta was our favorite Indian restaurant. Ajanta is no more. The food was bland and too salty, cold and uninspiring. So sad. read more

Delicious food- best Naan ever- and a lovely ambience I recommend the lamb korma and garlic naan read more

This little restaurant deserves all the accolades. The food is amazing, the service is sweet. It should be on every list of the bay's best restaurants. There are dishes I ate there 5 years ago that I still think about, because they were perfect. It's great for people unaccustomed to Indian food as well as those who grew up eating it at home. Just outstanding. read more

Not what it was or just an outlier experience? We've been big fans of Ajanta in the past. Not only were the dishes well prepared (at least to my American palate well above the median with respect to other ethnic, never mind Indian restaurants) but, for me the thing that really stood out was their attempt to expose other "off the beaten path" regional Indian cuisines. We went tonight and were pretty disappointed with the dishes we sampled. They weren't bad per se but they were certainly not of the quality i've enjoyed there in the past. Have they recently changed ownership (I noted that the older Indian fellow that used to great us was not there)? read more

A once fantastic restaurant well worth the splurge has unfortunately descended into mediocrity. It's fine, but memories of how special it used to be only add to the feeling of meh. That plus smaller portions, higher prices and muddled flavors make 3 stars perhaps a bit generous. read more

I've been coming here for years. Maybe a decade. The food is excellent, and I mean EXCELLENT. I'd say it's the best Indian food in the Bay Area. ..BUT... the service is attentive and accommodating, although sometimes quite surly from one server in particular. Furthermore... they won't tell me what they put in the mango chutney to make it taste so good, dammit, SHARE THE LOVE, people!! I'm not gonna start a business and take anything out of your pocket, I just wanna make a ton of it for which to top my ice cream!! Their guardedness is something I haven't encountered anywhere among fellow foodies yet, and as someone with no ill intent, I'm personally hurt they won't share the ingredients so I can make it at home, nor will they allow me to purchase any by itself unless I buy a whole dinner where it comes on the side. For that, they get three instead of five stars from me. Selfish surly nonsense. read more

This is not a business of heart and integrity, they are trying to make a buck on hype. Only reason I gave one star is because there was a pleasant waitress and the lighting on the ceiling was nice. The waitress disappeared but returned to carry and remove the plates. A gruffy looking guy appeared to seat us and to take the orders on Saturday afternoon 11/2. I hate it when the restaurant is empty but they give you some side table as though they are expecting a crowd of customers that they need to save the seats for. While placing the order I found that the lunch didn't include all that was mentioned on the website. So we had to order extra. On the website there are 5 levels of spiciness offered as though they were going to tailor the level of spice exactly to suit your palette. I ordered medium and it was way too spicy. The portions were puny as the other reviewer mentioned. This is a strategy, so you order more to feel satiated. All the supplements were fried ,carbohydrates and sugary. We saved our money from unhealthy options available, however enticing they seemed. Left the place still hungry and with bad taste from their attitudes. read more

Ajanta - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

This place made me fall in love with Indian food. They execute their dishes with perfection. I especially love their korma and tandoori portobello (not available right now), their lamb chops, and all the seafood curries. I am leaving town and will miss this place dearly. The people there are very friendly. One time I drove half an hour just to ask their advice on cooking tikka masala, and they graciously talked me through the steps. Today I called in to complain about what seemed like a mistake on their part. IlBut it was my fault. I was mixed up in figuring out what was what in the bag. They were unbelievably patient and accommodating, and I feel bad about complaining. I am going to miss this place very much. But I'll be back. I have a friend who lives thousands of miles away, and when he's in town he always wants to hit this place up. I too will long for it from afar. I will recommend it liberally, as I have for years. Do yourself a favor and give Ajanta a try. There is a lot of excellent Indian food in the Bay Area but this place is special. And if you liked one thing on the menu, don't be afraid to try something else. Everything is outstanding. read more

Our go-to for incredible take out during the COVID pandemic! The Chicken Makhanwala, Saag Paneer, and Palak Kofta are the best Indian dishes I've ever had. Their customer service is amazing, and they cater well to dietary restrictions/preferences. Vegan friendly. Perfect balance of flavors and spices in each dish. Even the rice is deliciously seasoned with cardamom, and the garlic naan has real fresh roasted cloves of garlic embedded within the steamy bread (none of that chopped garnish silliness). Ajanta clearly cares about their food and their customers. It brings me and my stomach joy to support such a wonderful restaurant. read more

Heard Ajanta is one of the best options for Indian food in the Bay Area so decided to give it a try for Berkeley Restaurant Week. Went in w/ high expectations, and it didn't disappoint! Tried a lot of food I haven't had before and loved all the flavors. EATS Khumb alu tikki - great appetizer, my first time trying this! Mangalore chicken curry - amazing flavor! Curry is so creamy and rich. I asked for medium spicy and it was pretty spicy even for me, but still not too overpowering. Just right. Gulab jamun - highly recommend this dessert! It was so sweet, so satisfying after my meal! They are not skimpy on their servings -- everyone in my party of 4 took some leftovers home! Meals come with rice AND naan. SERVICE Great service. The host who we ordered with was very familiar with the menu (I think he was the owner?). He explained and recommended all the authentic dishes with less familiar names. ATMOSPHERE/DECOR Pretty standard, more upscale than other Indian restaurants in Berkeley I suppose. Busy on a Fri night. It's right on Solano Ave which is bustling with great options for food! Cost reflects the quality of food and experience of dining here. I am definitely going to stop by again the next time I'm craving Indian food! read more

See all

Nice to have an Indian restaurant with a number of different menu options, and different takes on traditional items. Service was very good, pleasant ambiance, quiet vibe. Easy to recommend. read more

Incredible dinner. We went there with our friends. The service was excellent, the food was excellent, it wasn't overly noisy, and everything was fabulous. I couldn't have had a better experience. read more

Dude, this was amazing takeout, what a bright spot in this covid drudgery! We got chicken tikka masala, chicken biryani, kadhai gosht, and shrimp curry and they were all excellent -- generous and high quality meat and shrimp, wonderful depth of flavor, medium spice was just the right amount of heat. Some of the best Indian food I've ever had. Garlic naan wasn't anything to write home about unfortunately but I was thrilled about the rest. read more

FAST cooking on a Sunday night. Vegetable dishes: delicious and plentiful. Nan: large, fresh and just chewy enough. Really good! Meat: tastes good. Teeeny tiny portions. Offensively small. We paid $17 for mixed tandoori and got a few small pieces of meat and fish. Ridiculous. Rip off. read more

I love their food, it's very good and tasty and they change dishes all of the time. Each month they feature three different dishes from different regions of India and will give a little bit of information about it. I find that the service is wonderful, the food amazing, and every once in a while, a newly featured dish will become a part of the menu. Their portions are rather small, so there won't be a lot of left over's to take home for the next day, but the food is quite tasty. If you sign up for their emails, they will let you know what new dishes there are and will let you know what's being taken off the menu. My husband and I don't come as often, because it's not a casual restaurant, and we usually decide where we are going to eat on the fly. However, when we are going out for a night on the town, and we allow enough time to plan, we come here. read more