Would have given it 3.5 actually but 4 is not too unfair too. Looks like the only south indian place in cincinatti. Huge south indian buffett, with decent quality food. Taste was OK, nothing to write home about and nothing to hate at the same time. Appreciate the hard work they put in there to maintain such a huge buffett at only $10 for lunch. read more

I think they recently changed the management ( that's what I have heard) and I use to like it even before but now I love it! They are really courtious and have great service! The gentleman owner at the restaurant actually comes to each table and offers a range of dosas that can possibly be eaten with the buffet. The food is excellent! I made my American fiance fall in love with South Indian cuisine. He loved their pongal while their veggie puffs, gulab jamun and mutter paneer were our common favorites thanks to the freshness of these items. Besides these items their South Indian food items like curd rice , dosas and sambar are excellent! I would definitely keep coming here over and over on weekends to get that dose of home cooked feel of Indian food! Thanks for you except service. read more

Oh my gosh this place is amazing. A coworker took me here for the Wednesday vegan buffet and the food was incredible. I had eggplant curry, lentil donuts, samhar soup, yellow curry, rice patties, masala dosa, a fried cauliflower dish (so good), coconut burfi...Yes I ate way too much but the food was so fantastic I almost couldn't stop myself. I believe it's Southern Indian cuisine and it's always vegetarian but also vegan on Wednesdays for the buffet. I would give up meat if I could eat like this all the time! There is plenty of seating and parking and service was quick and friendly but the standout was the food, it knocked my socks off. This might become a Wednesday tradition. Definitely check it out if you like Indian and are looking for the real deal! read more

Drove out to reading Rd and had a birthday dinner for my mother who is vegetarian. Food was great and served very quick. They were a bit short handed but still did a fantastic job. We went there mainly for my mom and for the paper dosa. Yummmm!! read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE eating here! We have been going here for years and the food is always amazing ! It is wonderful to take my vegetarian daughter out to eat and know she can choose anything on the buffet and end up with a delicious meal. The food is so well prepared and the seasoning is perfect. A great selection of scrumptious food! :) read more

As a vegan, I was super pumped for this place. We came here on a Sunday night- I was craving some Indian food and it here been quite a while since I last indulged. I had never tried Southern Indian food, so I ordered a dosa and also some vada. The vada was okay, kind of blandish. The dosa was good, but it was a very large portion for one, so be prepared to share. The curry was okay too. I wish the wait staff was a little more attentive and welcoming. They seem detached a bit. I am not sure what they are using to clean the floors but it's all sticky. I think they can do a bit better in terms of ambiance. read more

Amazing vegan food Vegan Wednesday buffet lunch great choices and very tasty food Great read more

I was excited to try Amma's due to the great reviews. It is vegetarian-friendly and the naan and cauliflower dish I had were both amazing. However, the service was medicore, the atmosphere was outdated and shady, and the other dish I ordered was hard and undercooked. Our server was unattentive and the rest of the staff was unfriendly. The walls seemed dirty and cracked, along with the outdated, tile floors, the set up of the tables did not allow for much privacy, and the building seemed very run down. Decent food, but overall not a positive experience. I do not recommend eating here. read more

Good vegetarian options! There is a selection of meat dishes as well. There's a salad bar too. Loved the cauliflower dish the most. Reasonable prices. Adequate parking in private lot. Atmosphere is casual. Worth a visit. read more

Really solid, wonderful south Indian cuisine. Lots of coconut, freshly ground masalas, and a wonderful vegan buffet on Wednesdays. Not a fan of the desserts, but everything else is all good. Friendly, efficient service too, definitely a step above where Udipi was before. Definitely visit if you're a fan of Indian cuisine--there are so many regional fares to explore, and this one is not to be missed! read more

A complete different take on Indian food. All vegetarian and on select days is vegan. They could do a little better on the displaying of their food in their buffet. That may sound weird but you gotta see it. Bathrooms could be a bit cleaner. But overall, great food and service. Always wanting to go back. read more

We just tried their Wednesday vegan buffet and absolutely LOVED it!! Wonderful flavors, great variety, and nice atmosphere. The staff was warm, friendly, and welcoming. read more

In town for work. Stopped in on Wednesday and they had vegan buffet. Food looked delicious but I did not stay to eat because when I used the restroom prior to eating, there was an employee in the restroom as well and he left without washing his hands. read more

This is a great place to go to enjoy great authentic Indian food. It's also all vegetarian, too! I usually get the Saag Paneer, as well as the fried cauliflower (I forget the exact name of the dish) but it is absolutely my favorite thing! Although I go there about twice a month, I still have yet to try their Vegan buffet on Wednesdays. I'm sure it's great as well. The staff seems to cater to our needs, which is always a plus as well. read more

The food here is delicious! I had the buffet so I got to sample a wide range of dishes. The atmosphere is quaint and cozy. I will definitely be visiting again! read more

Best south Indian restaurant in cincinnati... hospitality is really good and after a very long time i felt like having home food ... staffs were so friendly ... I will always recommend Ammas kitchen .... it's my destination on weekends ... read more

Great food and great service. I'm happy we stopped in! I loved it all. We had the dinner for two and the crepes were crazy good! It was a nice way to sample a few things. I will be back for the buffet so I can try everything!! read more

I can't believe that I have lived in Cincinnati for 3+ years and not written a review for Amma's kitchen ! I have to start with a warning : This place is 100% vegetarian. However, if you go there with an open mind and go with a love for Indian food, then you will fall in love with this place. Now Amma's kitchen showcases traditional South Indian food. Now, South Indian food is VERY different from North Indian food. Its simple, spicy and delicious. Anyways, I digress ! Coming back to Amma's kitchen, try their appetizers of Idlis (steamed Rice dumplings) or Vada ( fried lentil donuts) served with coconut chutney and sambar (spicy lentil soup with veggies). Do try from their different assortment of Dosas, which are humongous Indian style crepes, with a sicy potato stuffing, or Uthapams, which are pancakes with veggies. Also, I love the Chana bhatura, which is a dish of spicy chick pea curry served with a HUMONGOUS fried puffed bread ! I highly recommend either (or all) of these entrees. The interior of the restaurant is simple, and the service is fast and efficinent. They accept credit cards, and the prices are reasonable. Parking is plenty and safe. Oh, I forgot ..one item that you MUST try in this restaurant is the Madras Filter coffee. Its delicious Indian filter coffee with milk and sugar. All coffee affectianados have to try this. It's a perfect ending to a satisfying meal. So, I appeal to fellow Yelpers to give Amma's kitchen a try, just to experience the diversity of Indian cuisine and to learn that Indian food is much much more than Saag Paneeer and Chicken Vindaloo ! read more

Note: this review is for the daily/weekend Lunch buffet. I always enjoy coming to Amma's kitchen when I'm craving a decadent vegetarian-Indian meal! The ambiance of this place is typical of most Indian restaurants- there's some obscure Indian movie song playlist blaring, and there is hustle and bustle of a combination of Indian/Jewish families and international students lining up for the delicious vegetarian food. Menu/food: The lunch buffet is always reliable and the Gobi/Veg Munchurian is AMAZING. Usually the buffet includes a variety of South Indian and North Indian dishes. I would focus on trying the sambar and the included mysore masala dosa as they are always well-made and delicious. Service: Mixed reviews here. The service is OK, but really doesn't matter when you are coming for the lunch buffet. When it gets packed, it's difficult to flag down the wait staff to order the buffet-included dosa option. However, I do know the owner/manager from a previous Restaurant he ran down in Austin, TX, and he's a gem of a guy! Price: this buffet is one of the most affordable indian lunch buffets! I think it's a great value for the quality of the food served up. AND the buffet runs from 11:30-3pm so you have plenty of time to get your money's worth of mulitple helpings of food :) read more

Delicious! And varied options - slightly different than the usual options you would find at a Indian buffet, and everything was fantastic.

Went in for the buffet on a Saturday and it was excellent. Interesting Southern Indian vegetarian dishes, with occasional usual items. Lots of distinctive items. The staff was engaged and attentive to the buffet and the guests. The number of Indian families who were there was a testimony in and of itself. Happy to have found this gem and will be back the next time I am in Cincinnati. read more

This one was a tough one to rate, friends. When you have a place called Amma's Kitchen, "Amma" being the word for "Mother" in Tamil/Telugu, you expect some good, old-fashioned, home-cooked meals. You'll find some of this and more... in the eclectic flavors of found in Amma's Kitchen. When I think about the romance of the food, I can fondly give the place four stars. However, in my heart of hearts, with all things considered, and on my scale, it's probably more of a 3.5-3.8, therefore I can't round up. The largest factors that bring it down is the dated decor and urban blight around it. Unless you live in the area, there's no other reason to come this far for Indian food. Sure, it might be certified Kosher, but in this case I can't use the double entendre of saying "it's all good." We went with Amma's Dinner for Two. A reasonably priced selection of food that really allowed us to try everything. So I can't comment on what the portion would be like if everything stood alone, but below I'll give you a taste by each bite. Actually, scratch that. I typed it up and deleted it because it's the same old shtick. You'll find your traditional North Indian curries and find your friend Paneer Makhani in all it's cheesy and buttery glory. It doesn't taste any different. The Vegetable Jalfrezi won't put you into some kind of jalfrenzy. There are some places where freshness could be improved upon, and the authentic aspect suffers as a result. What does make Amma's Kitchen stand out is its wholesome, unassuming approach to the fare. Some would say that's a factor to authenticity, although it might be the fact that it's all vegetarian. There's an attitude behind idea that you've been given such generous portions, and it's only natural that your Amma wants to make sure she's sending you off with plenty of food. read more

Excellent food. Fresh authentic south Indian taste. The lunch buffet is one of the best we ever had. Lunch buffet also includes made to order Dosa which most south Indian restaurants don't do. If you are looking for good south indian food - I highly recomment Amma's Kitchen read more

Nice delicious surprise while traveling on business! If I lived near here I would eat at this place once a week for sure! Thank you Stuart Davidovich for finding it! Namaste Amma's Kitchen read more

On a recent trip to Cincinnati, me and my family went out to dine at Amma's kitchen. The experience was a let down. We ordered 4 dosa and paneer chettinad. The dosa, sambar and nariyal chatni were at the best, average. The spices were not hitting the right notes. Paneer chettinad was worst. Chettinad curry was done by an amateur and rice was course. Service and location were below average. Overall an opportunity to have nice dinner was wasted. read more

Went on a Sunday, and they had their lunch/brunch buffet out. $10.99 per adult, all you can eat. Comes with one fresh dosa, freshly made, served to your table. The buffet was actively being replenished with freshly made food. It is super busy on a Sunday. Many big and small Indian families were eating here. The place was full! The staff was very nice, although you gotta catch them if you want to order something from the kitchen, or for ordering more dosas. Its all vegetarian, but many curries, and dishes to choose from. The lentil donut were the best I have ever eaten. Crispy outside, and soft on the inside when you bite into it. I liked eating mine with the tamarind sauce, but many others were dipping the soupy curries with it. They also provided, chaat [pronounced: chah-t]. Which is considered a street food dish in parts of India. It's a savory snack, but refreshing at the same time. Try it with the many different chutneys, or if you like sweet try putting more tamarind sauce and the mint chutney on it. Overall, this was the best South Indian food experience that I have ever had. There aren't a ton of options. But, I think that make for good quality control. They were welcoming, and great ambiance. Its really hot in the restaurant, so keep that in mind when you eat here. read more

Amma's Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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This is a family run establishment serving primarily South Indian cuisine. Never been disappointed with their Dosa or Uttapam creations (you are guaranteed that they will be made fresh). Idlis and Vadas on occasion have been served stale. Same with their Coconut and Tomato chutneys. Nevertheless, this is my go to place when i travel to Cincinnati on business (to satisfy my South Indian food cravings) ! Not nearly as good as the South Indian joints in the Greater Los Angeles area, but pretty decent fare served. Try them out ! read more

This was a sweet place. Service was good and food was pretty good too. Sound indian food mostly -- breakfast items. Vada, poori and couple of others were good. Chutney could have been better but sambar was good :). Desserts were fairly good as well. Nice place if you are new to town. read more

Food was good, but they have the same food everyday. When we came a man sat us down and didn't ask for any drinks or if we anted to order a dosa or something else. I had to get up and ask for 2 dosas. Then when we got the dosas it barely had any potatoes in it . It was as I was only eating the shell. I wish they give better service next time. I love the fact still available read more

The arrogance of the waiting staff baffled me. I used to love this place and frequented it together as a family and the food tastes very good over the weekend buffets. I just wish they would treat their customers with a little more courtesy. They were late opening the restaurant by 35 mins over a weekend and never apologized for the delay. read more

I visited This restaurant based on the good comments I read online. But there was nothing great about its food and place! Idli is a basic south indian food which any restaurant does good at... But shockingly even idlis were a disaster! I would NOT recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

#pathetic service Very poor service, very bad attitude of a mustache man, may be he is the owner but the way he was answering the queries it was totally rude. If the restaurant is always in busy or lack of chef in kitchen then they should update of their page that "Order before arrive" so you do not have to wait for 45 minute along with your kids. A restaurant is the place where a person comes with his family to spend some good time with good food but this kind of arrogance spoiled the whole mood. I m sorry for putting this review in that way but that is the truth. No Regards, Naval read more

Fantastic, consistent and great tasting authentic south Indian food. Great service each time.

Excellent for authentic Southern Indian food. The place is often packed with about 60% Indians and 40% other. No alcohol served but they don't mind if you bring your own beer. I'd rate the food among the best (Indian) in Cincinnati but quite different from some of the others. Try unknowns if you're adventurous: I have yet to order something that wasn't either excellent or even outstanding. Highly recommended. read more

Have been twice; both visits were great. All vegetarian, South Indian cuisine. The Dosas and Pancakes are wonderful. I also enjoyed the indo-chinese fusion dish of paneer with chilis. Have only been to the restaurant late in the day, so it's usually pretty empty. Prices are definitely good for the quantity/quality of the experience. read more

Best South Indian restaurant in Cincinnati area. Visited 4-5 times for lunch buffet it's quite huge. Visited for dinner 5-6 times. Great dosa varieties. Rassam is awesome. read more

Talk about fish out of water, and I'm so glad they are. So it's hard to get quality grub near my work in Bond Hill, as the main dining options are a popeye's, McD's and CaptainD's, yea, they can both suck D's. But it's not about them. South Indian Vegetarian cuisine in the HOOD. it's Ghettoriffic! but seriously, the staff is helpful, I've only gone in for the buffet, and both times it's been excellent. And as a serious meathead, There were plenty of things for me to eat, they even do Vegan Wednesdays if you want to adventure into that realm. read more

I have tested many Indian restaurants in Cincinnati, and this is BY FAR the best, no competition. In fact, I am currently at my apartment waiting for it to open for lunch. I often find other Indian food too greasy, and it tends to feel like the same, pre-prepared food at every location. In contrast, Amma's appears to make everything from scratch, and the high-quality spices and flavors reflect that. I usually go to the lunch buffet, but have been for dinner as well, and never leave disappointed. Even meat-eaters will find plenty to enjoy here. Staff is always friendly, and you can even BYOB. read more

The vegan lunch buffet on wednesday is amazing. I can't wait to come back

A Rock...... Good South Indian food is a staple of mine. After a long night of imbibing and buffonary, a heaping plate of steaming rava idlis, kootu, sambar and rassam do wonders for azeotrope driven hangovers this side of Bangalore. Whoever said one needs meat to feel full hasn't stuffed their faced with upma laden with ghee and cashews or a rava masala dosa and bowl after bowl of tamrind rich sambar and watery sinus draining rassam, only to have to unbutton various layers of clothing and lean back in their chair to fit in a mug of thick filter coffee. No such satiation however is to be found at Amma's Kitchen where South Indian food is served with classic South Indian efficiency. I arrived a little after noon, in the midst of the Saturday lunch time rush, and was promptly seated at a nearby booth by a kind old man who seemed to implicitly ask me why I wasn't yet married and he knows a nice girl in Columbus...but I digress. He seemed very nice. A masala dosa is included with the buffet I am informed; splendid. It arrives rather quickly (a charming surprise because many Indian restaurants will tend to make you wait for such things). I grab some of each type of the red, light green (coconut/cilantro) and dark green (mint) chutneys and clumsily poke around for a fully integrated bite of dosa and potato, only to miss on my first few attempts. Peeling open the dosa I find only a few teaspoons of very lightly seasoned potato in the center. The dosa itself I realize, is clinging to the plastic plate for its dear life to the extent that I eventually have to intervene with a fork and scrape it off, like paint off an old wall. The problem is, where ELSE am I going to get a decent dosa in any 45xxx zip code? Earlier, I had left my idly in the sambar to let the two become friendly. A few moments later though, they were at a standoff, each braving its own territory. To the sambar-educated, this is a sign of an overly dense idli, unwilling to let another's spice soak. Sadly though, I'd rather have a passe sambar at a card-carrying South Indian restaurant over what passes for imli soaked toor dal at some of the north Indian restaurants in the area. The bhel...not sure I even really want to go there. Unfortunately, I did. Nuff said. I generally like to get some fluffy upma into my system early on in the meal, but was not able to find any...but there was a tray of gobi manchurian. Now, I know we have a border issue with China in the Indian owned Aksai Chin region, but unless reports of central india's loss to the Red's have been greatly exaggerated, gobi manchurian is not south Indian fare. Id rather have my upma, thank you. But then again, it was tasty, and where else in a 20mi radius of the I-75/275 is one to find a bottomless tray of gobi manchurian? To close the event, I ordered their madras coffee was a pleasant surprise. Warm and thick and frothy, just how it ought to be, with mild sweetness and a definite bitterness lurking in just the right proportions. The service was consistently friendly and quick and they do seem to try hard at doing a good job. .....A Hard Place. And there you have it, my review of Amma's, lying somewhere between a Rock and a Hard Place. You see, as the only credible excuse for a South Indian buffet in the greater Cincinnati area my unfettered opinion would only serve to diminish its revenue stream and, as the limit of T tends to infinity, deprive me of this unindulgent indulgence. However, should I laud it with the niceties of people who have never had a proper dosa in their lives, I would only serve to promote what passed for an amalgamation of Tamilian/Kannada/Madrasi fare. If there were a better South Indian buffet here, Id gladly pay twice the $10 charged at Amma's. So, will I be back? Likely. But only when I have a hangover. The real culprit here is not Amma's - it is Capitalism, or the lack thereof. Perhaps the Reds and their commie ways have ventured further South than earlier feared. Someone, please open up another south Indian restaurant here!! I'll even invest! read more