My first time here. Service was really good. All the servers were very friendly and attentive. We started with the Onion Bahji (chopped onions deep fried in chick pea flour). I don't like chick peas but I did enjoy it as breading with the onions. For my main dish, I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala because it was the only curry with white meat chicken. I also ordered Basmati Rice to eat with the curry. The curry had a good flavor. I tried their Garlic Naan which was fresh and delicious. My husband and I enjoyed our dinner here. read more

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Bombay Cafe is a decent spot to get your Indian food fix. There's not much good Indian food in the area so it's nice to have this as a local option. They have a nicely decorated restaurant with a window to look into the kitchen. I did takeout and I ordered chana aloo, Tikka masala, kashmiri rice, and garlic naan. The chana aloo and tikka masala were both good, but a little on the sweet side. The kashmiri rice was flavorful but it was a little soggy. The garlic naan came out great. Service was great and pretty quick. The whole order was ready in about 20 minutes. read more

Phenomenal. Best Indian food in North County, maybe the entire county. Tiny place, great service, fantastic food!

I strongly recommend avoiding this place. The food is nowhere close to authentic Indian cuisine, it's a complete disappointment. It feels like a waste of both time and money. To make matters worse, the staff was quite rude, which only added to the negative experience. read more

The food is absolutely delicious. This is a small, family - run business with a fairly large menu.

After living in Vista for almost 5 years, my bf and I finally checked this place out. We walked over and there were no diners. That was fine with us. We immediately noticed that the atmosphere was dim which I liked because it made me feel cozy, but my bf wanted more light. We were integrated greeted walking through the door and were sat. The nice lady came to us with menus and utensils and didn't rush us with ordering. I greatly appreciated that. When she came back, we were ready with our orders: Rogan Josh - spice level of 3, mango Lassi, chicken Masala - spice level of 5, garlic Naan, basamti rice, stuffed paratha, and mixed pickles. Our food was brought by the nice lady and a girl and every interaction was pleasant. I have a big problem with thanking people every time they drop something off and they didn't seem annoyed with me. I tried everything but the pickles because in general, I don't eat those. My bf gave those a try but didn't care for them much. He didn't say they were bad, but he just didn't like them. Everything else was delicious and we devoured our food. I don't eat a lot of Indian food, but the food was great! Nothing was really spicy which was great for me. All the flavors were balanced, nothing was overpowering. The sauce is to die for. There was even 2 customers who came in when we were dining and one said they came from Carlsbad just to get this food. I'm happy that we tried this place and we'll be back. read more

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This is an established restaurant in Vista and was hankering for some Indian food. Darn, so disappointed! Ok, service was fine...I ordered the Chicken Makhani, a side of basmati rice and plain naan. They did not serve ( on the menu ) Raita!!???? what?...so bummed. That is a FIRST for me--no one is ordering it...ummm. Should have taken that as a "sign". Took about 20 minutes for service....a tad slow...But, I had a beer....ok ...the main event. I was so hungry for the Chicken Makhani, and this was so underseasoned, small portion, and worst the chicken--stringy, tough, pieces of I think thigh and leg?, just no flavor, tasted NOTHING like the delicious Makhani I am used to. Like a tomato gravy, ugh. The basmati was weird, kinda like an instant rice, small grain, no flavor. Expecting fluffy white long-grain basmati with the addition of saffron on top. That was a NO. Next, the Naan...oh, I thought this had to be great, nah...it was undercooked. Tasted like dough, even though it was cooked beautifully! I mentioned this to the server, she said it is supposed to be soft, yes, (but cooked!)..she looked at me weird...ok...whatever. Beer was good, but shocked no pricing on the menu and at $14.00 a tad pricey. Yes, it was Indian beer...Back to CURRY CRAFT in San Marcos for absolutely perfect Chicken Makhani, sorry I was so looking forward to this. I want to support local businesses, and so disappointed in the quality of ingredients and their chef's cooking style was bland and sad. read more

I was the only one in the restaurant, this was my first clue. I ordered the lamb saag, only to find out that rice is not included with the entree (which would make the dish a small soup not a curry). The dish itself was good but there was almost no lamb, and the rice was not fresh- clearly microwaved and definitely not Basmati rice. Their lights didn't work so I moved to an open table near the window. Then they asked me to move because that table was reserved (I was literally the only person in the restaurant). I got garlic naan as well, it was tiny and it seemed to be fried and not prepared in a tandoori oven. I also apparently got eaten alive by mosquitoes while dining there. That meal cost 30 dollars, 35 with the tip. Definitely not going back for seconds. read more

Just had dinner here tonight and their food is fabulous. They have a huge menu with many items that I have never seen before on an Indian restaurant menu. I had chicken korma that was excellent and the other members of my party of five each had a different order and we all shared. It's a place that will be going back to and be sure to order the coconut naan because it was the best naan that I've ever had. read more

Food (5/5 stars): We enjoyed Bombay Cafe's Chicken and Paneer Masala! The curry was rich and creamy, and I appreciated the sweetness with hints of spice Experience (3/5 stars): * Price: quite pricey for the portion size * Wait Time: we waited a long time for our food. We were the only party dining in, but they were busy with lots of takeout orders * Service: very good and friendly! I love the family-owned restaurant vibes * Parking: there's a parking lot * Ambiance: it's a nice, traditional restaurant. A little dim though read more

Bombay Cafe - Chicken Masala , Paneer Masala - Indian Near Me - Vista, California

We called for take out a few days ago - lamb biryani, tandoori chicken, samosas and garlic naan. The biryani was good but a bit on the wet side and had more tomato flavor than I prefer. Tandoori chicken was also good - it did not come with rice which was a surprise. Overall the food was good but not great. We had a takeout order so I was only in the dining room for a few minutes. The ambiance is a bit odd, it feels very old fashioned, something like grandma's parlor. Or maybe great grandma's parlor. Very dim lighting too - I don't like bright lighting in a dining room but this was extremely dim. The staff seemed nice for the brief interaction we had. I know inflation has hit everyone but the prices seem high for the portion size. Portions are a bit on the small side for the price in my opinion. read more

The restaurant was recommended to me, and we will definitely be returning customers! The food and service were great. We ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Vindaloo, Garlic Naan, and Coconut Naan. Everything was so fresh and absolutely delicious! read more

-Service slow, but already heard that. 1/2 hr wait for phone order. Hot & fresh. -Prices in the high side (and not listed) dont even tell total til pick up your order, so ask. -Food tasty ; small to moderate portions. We had two entrays,1 order of naan, small order of rice and 1 pudding-$50 ‍ -The order of naan was essentially only one naan split in half! Hmmmm- - dark , small & funky/we ordered to go. read more

Got takeout here and ordered a mango lassi, chicken tikka masala, and 2 orders of garlic naan. Total was just over $35. Mango lassi: this is the first lassi that I've had over ice. Reminded me of a mango flavored milk. All the ones that I've had have been a smoothie like consistency. Not bad, just different! Tikka masala: so so so sweet. Sweeter than what I have experienced with other Indian Restaurants. I also got a level 3 so expected to have a bit of a bite. Garlic naan: carried the meal! So yummy! Overall glad I tried it, but probably won't be back! read more

food very tasty. prices too high. portions small especially the protein source. and they use no air conditioning . the dining area is probably 90 or 100 degrees. awful read more

Customer service is great and is a family friendly atmosphere. Food is awesome, small portions but tasty. A bit on the expensive side as it's about $16 -$22/plate plus nan. I love the vibe in here, very intimate. read more

Gave this place a 2nd chance. Mistake. The garlic naan was ok. The Vegetable Korma seemed to have a cup of sugar in it. Weird. Will not be back. read more

Favorite Indian restaurant!! I've been coming here with my kids over the years and now they are adults and we still go here.

Great customer service! Great food! Tenderest lamb in all of SD. Be sure to get the Rogan Josh! Succulent quality lamb with just a touch of fat for flavor! RECOMMEND! 10/10 read more

We had the Shrimp Biryani, Chicken Korma, and Paneer Masala, garlic naan, and coconut naan. Everything was delicious!! Very hot, great seasonings and wonderful service. We enjoyed our dinner. read more

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The food was amazing it's so flavorful and it gives off a homemade feel, our server was amazing as well and recommended a delicious dessert overall 10/10 would recommend to everyone who wants to try something new read more

Bombay Cafe - Tandoori Chicken - Indian Near Me - Vista, California

My bf and I have only really agreed on one Indian restaurant and that one is near my place in LA. Since my bf lives in Oceanside I've been meaning to find an Indian restaurant that we would both like near him. I saw this place on a map while looking for directions to an Italian place up the street and telling myself I need to check it out. Finally was able to last week on New Year's Eve. They seemed to be doing a good take out business that evening. When we arrived we were the only ones dining in but they were busy filling take out orders so the young waitress who is the daughter of the owner was very apologetic and offered us free rice pudding and gave us an extra order of garlic naan. Unfortunately they ran out of samosas and she said they had 40 take out orders of them that day so they must be pretty good. We will have to try another time. I ordered my standard chicken vindaloo spicy (scale of 1-10, I ordered an 8). The bf ordered his usual chicken tikka masala mild (level 5). We got basmati rice and like I said garlic naan. We were happy with everything we ordered and found prices quite reasonable. The waitress was very pleasant as well. Happy to find our new Indian spot in North SD! read more

Every time I go here, I think why do I not go here more. Seriously the best in SD maybe the world! If you have not had the coconut naan - it's a must if you like coconut, order for dessert! read more

I really love this restaurant! The food is so fresh and incredibly delicious. We had curry and another rice and prawn dish that was fabulous. We also had the garlic naan as well as the coconut naan- the coconut was an unexpected treasure. It was just so yummy. The prices are incredibly reasonable. The one thing I have to say is that the service was not terrific, but it is a one woman show from what we could see- Our chef was also our server. Bombay is in a nondescript strip mall. It is not fancy at all but they do serve beer and wine. They do not open until 4 o'clock. I will make a point of dining there again - they are a hidden treasure and I hope if you are in the mood for Indian food you will give them a try. I don't think you will be disappointed. read more

I love their food! It is consistently delicious every time. My last meal would absolutely include their coconut naan, it's so good! Yes, their curries are mostly sweet, but I like that it balances the spice. The chicken korma is my favorite, along with their to die for veggie samosas! If you dine in, this is a place to take your time and enjoy your company and the food. This is not fast food, the Indian mamas in the back work hard and make each meal with love. So don't dine in if you're in a hurry, call ahead and order to go. I love that this is family owned and run, in today's world of chain restaurants it's good to support locals. Everyone who works here is so kind. Highly recommend! read more

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This place was ok; not bad but not amazing. My primary issue was the food was so salty. The portions were large and everything is al la carte. One rice can feed two people if you don't eat more than a cup a piece. It took a solid 40 minutes to get our food, but I was able to go do a quick grocery store run to keep my 2 year old busy. Sprouts is about a 5 min walk across the shopping center so I went there and back and still had to wait a bit longer for the food. It's clearly a family run restaurant, and they were very nice. I would recommend calling this in with plenty of time so you can grab and go if needed. read more

This place is so freaking good. Every dish I've ordered was delicious. Some of the reviews talk of some of the entrée curry's to be too sweet, and i will agree they are on the sweeter side. I thought it might be a problem when i read those reviews before trying and it wasn't an issue. Spice order was a bit inconsistent as I've ordered medium both times, and the first there was no spice at all. I recommend getting their 2 entrée meal they have listed on their menu. Its a little pricy but as theres not much good Indian food in the area i will 100% keep coming back read more

We moved to Vista a couple years ago & this was the first time we tried Bombay cafe. We love Indian food, and eat/cook it often, but have been going to San Marcos to get our fix when we don't want to go through the process. We thought we should give our neighborhood offering a try. Sadly it was a really terrible version of Indian cuisine at a very unreasonable price. We always try to see reviews with an open mind but unfortunately the other 1 star reviews are spot on. I'll start by saying that the lady who sat & served us was really very nice which made writing this review tough for me. The place was completely empty. We ordered chicken makhani, navratan korma & matar paneer. Each dish looked the same color (odd), each tasted very similar (odd), each dish was extremely sweet (really odd & inedible). The chicken & paneer dishes had like 5 pieces each in a very small dish. The rice was extra $$ (odd) especially for a very small portion & it was bland/overcooked. The only thing that was edible was the Naan which we ordered garlic but there was not a hint of garlic on it. Overall just a really sad experience & don't understand any higher rating. We don't wish them any bad but would never eat here again & I personally think it's doing a huge disservice to Indian food as a whole especially if this would be your 1st go at it. This is not what good Indian food tastes like & would recommend you go elsewhere. read more

Flying horse beer! Just as I was about to pour my beer I noticed some mold at the top and checked the expiration date. Pretty disappointed read more

Bombay Cafe - Indian Near Me - Vista, California

Really good food. I will definitely be back soon friendly staff and chef. They both made sure our meal and service was excellent read more

Avoid ..Not real indian food. 1 star reviews are correct. Staff are arrogant and service is almost non existent. If you looking for sub par service and food this is the place then. Price seems like they are a fine dining restaurant. Note: There is a $20/ person minimum. read more

Best Indian food I've had, if you are considering dying hair do not hesitate. It's a wonderful family restaurant, food has enormous amount of LOVE read more

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Here in Vista for baseball tourney. I am originally from UK and therefore grew up on fish 'n' chips and absolutely amazing Indian foods. I'm super picky and know my way around Indian cuisine. Have passed on my love of Indian food to my hubby and son (who would eat chicken tikka masala breakfast/lunch/dinner if he could). The love and care poured into the feast we had was unbelievable. Sumptuous, scrumptious, delicious and brilliantly crafted. Only sorry that will have to wait until next year to return. Thank you Bombay Cafe you are a jewel nestled in Vista. read more

Bad food quality , expensive and its not indian food I wish I give minus rating Plus the owner will defend the food by pasting definition from google and even after waiting for food more than 1 hour , the owner will say have patience... read more

I've been to this location two times and bought different kinds of menu items each time. I do say this it is on the pricy side however, it is amazing food and would recommend this place to other people. The service is also amazing as well and tend to the customer fast. The ambiance inside is a little dark but cozy. You can tell that it is a family owned business and they really take pride in their work. For the price of the food they don't give you a lot of meat however, the flavor of the food is amazing. read more

I have ordered several times for pickup. The food takes slightly longer because it is prepared to order. I feel the restaurant is more suited to takeout. The only thing I wasn't impressed with food wise were vegetable pakoras. And I don't blame the restaurant. Fried food to go never stands up as well and I'm also very food finicky. The naan, curries, and rice I have tried were very enjoyable. I will definitely order again. Obviously, the business is family owned and operated, and I love to shop local. read more

Amazing! Best Indian food I've ever had! They are so nice and friendly. It feels like you're eating genuine Indian food in their house with them. read more

Fast food with a home cooked taste. Curries were delicious and the Naan bread was highly addictive. We could have eaten a lot more if we were wearing stretchy pants...service was prompt and servers friendly. Highly recommend this great little jewel. read more

2nd time there and I am sorry to say it's a never again for me. The food just didn't taste right. And believe me I know what I'm talking about You're better off going to San Marcos and trying the 2 Indian restaurant out there. I really hate giving a negative review because I understand that everyone has to earn a living. Maybe it's just me give it a try but remember I didn't like it, sorry. read more

To start off, the service is great. Very attentive and nice staff. No complaints there. My complaints start and end at the food quality and taste. Chicken Tikka Masala (very commonly ordered dish): 1/5 The Sauce was very sweet it tinged my teeth (my teeth are not sensitive). The portion size is incredulously small. 6 pieces of chicken in a common curry bowl flooded with the God awful sauce. The chicken was cooked in a tandoori blend. Contributed more to that sweet teeth striking flavor. Shahi Korma (Lamb Korma): 0.5/5 The sauce was sweeter than the Tikka, to top it off 4 1/2 pieces of chicken flooded in the sugar sauce. Garlic Naan: 3/5 The Garlic Naan was the best thing here. Cooked well, also very sweet, but it complimented the Naan in a way. Barley enough Garlic to call it "Garlic Naan". Sweet Naan with a dash of garlic is a better name. Basmati Rice: 4/5 It tastes like all other regular basmati rices. No complaints. Beverage Accessibility: 2/5 Any drink besides water comes in a glass bottle. Not a fan, especially with the premium prices. Affordability: 0/5 Nothing is worth the price here. Portions are small for 15.99 a plate. 5-7 pieces of chicken. Glass bottles at a premium price for food feels like robbery. What if I want a refill? Pay for another glass? Ridiculous. One piece of Garlic Naan is $6. These prices would be fine if the restaurant gave the portions in accordance with the prices, but they do not. I can't recommend this place to anyone. Overall Rating: 2/5 Would not reccomend. read more