I dined here with a friend this past Friday and was, as always, not disappointed. The dishes were all on point, and true to their requested spice level. Portion sizes were generous enough to allow for a decent lunch the next day. I got the lamb saag, which had just a tiny hint of pleasant gaminess to tell it was lamb. My friend got the seafood korma, which was delicious as well. In the past, I have also enjoyed the chicken tikka masala, which is my default go-to option. We also got garlic naan for the table, which was good, but a bit small in portion size. Service was friendly and prompt. If only this place had more seating - we came at 5:30 and there was already a sizable wait to dine indoors. Nevertheless, Cardamom is my favorite Indian restaurant in A2 and would definitely come again. read more

See all

This place is small and gets packed so expect to wait for a table. The food is definitely worth it though. We started with the vegetable pakora and they were like little vegetable fritters. We could have eaten a dozen more. Very tasty! I ordered the Chicken Korma with a medium spice level and it was good, but pretty mild. My daughter ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala and loved it. Very saucy and great for dipping garlic naan. The service was very friendly and attentive. I'd like to go back and try some other dishes. read more

We were in the A2 apartment hunting & we wanted something soul-satisfying. Indian food is usual on that list for me + Cardamom definitely helped to hit the spot. There seem to be a plethora of fantastic Indian options but I liked that Cardamom was not a lunch buffet. It was a little premium (~$60 for 2 people), but I also overordered per my usual protocol. So, we did get another meal out of it! We had the: *Vegetable Samosa (Popular​ North Indian street food. Spiced potatoes + peas inside a crispy turnover. Housemade tamarind + cilantro-mint chutneys.) - Solid samosa! You get two per order. I loved how fresh & non-neon the cilantro-mint chutney was. Cardamom does tout fresh ingredients and something as seemingly small as a chutney really showcased that. *Chicken Tikka Appetizer (Melt-in-your-mouth tender. Boneless chicken breast marinated in yogurt + spices, cooked in the tandoor with onions + green peppers. Cilantro-mint chutney.) - Definitely really tender with great smoky flavor. *Bread basket (one each: naan, garlic naan, onion kulcha, aloo prantha) - I couldn't help but spring for the $11 bread basket. It's only $1 cheaper if you order this basket versus a la carte. The naan was BEAUTIFUL especially the garlic naan. When it reads "real butter," they mean it! It's like they used Challenge or Kerrygold butter - mMm! This was my first time having onion kulcha (The Naan stuffed with fresh chopped onion) and it reminds me a bit of a Chinese scallion pancake so the familiarity was comforting. The aloo prantha (Prantha​ stuffed with spiced potatoes) was also a first for me. Usually carb wrapped in carb is my jam, but this was fine! I was too enamoured with the garlic naan. *Chicken Curry (Boneless chicken breast, tomato-based curry sauce) - Unlike the masala & butter chicken, this curry didn't have a creamy coconut base but was stil just as flavorful and luscious! We ordered this medium hot & their medium hot read pretty mild to the both of us. Hot is probably closer to a true medium. *Palak Paneer (Housemade cheese + spinach, creamy curry sauce with distinctive fenugreek leaves.) - This was the most fantastic version of palak paneer i have EVER had. The paneer was BEAUTIFUL - so fresh. The touch of ginger was really tasty as well. I've seriously gotta stop eating TJ's frozen Indian food because I thought it was passable, but Cardamom has completely raised the bar. *Chai (Traditional preparation. We roast & grindr our own chat masala (tea spice mix), then combine with India's ubiquitous "Red Label" tea and milk.) - This was OUTSTANDING chai. I've never had chai this good. No sugar needed at all. So why only 4 stars? Really lackluster service. They seemed to have a lot of people working, but everyone had tunnel vision. I'm used that at a Chinese resturant back home in California, so it's not that I'm uncomfortable with it, but at a nicer place like Cardamom, I expect more. read more

By far my favorite Indian restaurant in the Ann Arbor area! The prices here are a bit steep but they give huge portions! I usually can split it into to meals. The basmati rice here is fantastic. My top 2 favorite entrees here are palak paneer and the chicken korma. I love how creamy the palak paneer is! It's seasoned so well with the spinach purée mixed with other spices that gives it so much flavor. Additionally, the paneer here is one of my favorites. It's flavorful for paneer and it's something I wish I could snack on all day. I love how creamy the chicken korma is and love the almond pieces in it. It's definitely not the healthiest option on the menu but I love getting it to treat myself. It's also a more expensive option but hey, it's amazing. I sometimes like to order a side of naan with an entree and even a mango lassi. It is expensive, but worth it when you need to treat yourself. Overall, great place and would recommend it to anyone who likes Indian food. The online ordering system requires a long wait since they're only open a few days of the week during dinner time. I believe it's still carry out only, so if you don't wanna wait a long time, definitely order early and order in advance! read more

The food was just ok this time. I got 3 chicken Hyderabad dinners and garlic naan for about $65 + tip. I went on a Sunday because the operation hours are so sparse... very few if any lunch hours since Co-vid. We they reopened it's been hard to get a takeout meal at convenient times. Not the same as I remember being so delicious and thick . The naan was very good as usual. I will probably try to find another Indian cuisine restaurant closer than Ann Arbor Cardamom going forward. read more

The food is really good. The atmosphere was awesome. I had some salad it was delicious. The Tikka masala was so good super super good that it was delicious. I would come back again. read more

What a charming restaurant. The visual appeal of the interior and menu alone beckoned me in, although I was unaware of their presence until an old friend invited me out for lunch. This is about that occasion. The pictures on Yelp looked good, and I liked that Cardamom did not offer a lunch buffet like so many counterparts in California do. Additionally, I could tell from the menu online and pictures that everything is made to order so I was excited about seeing my buddy again and had my sights set on a lamb dish. While they could have made Lamb Joghan Rosh from the dinner menu I decided that the Lamb Curry was sufficient. Pompadons came first ($2) and they were characteristically crunchy, perfect for breaking off a piece and dipping into either the spicier mint chutney or sour tamarind offering. The lunch prices ate fantastic for entrees, between $8-10 and include a salad or soup as well as naan. My lamb curry kept the subtle spice of the soup alive and I was also happy with the chickpea and black eye peas on the side. The sauce resembles vindaloo and had consistent seasoning and viscosity to hold up to the lamb. I didn't try it but the Masala sauce on my buddy's dish looked equally delicious and he finished it all. The naan of course is essential for scrapping up all those wonderful flavors and making a little sammie in the process. I don't know when I'll be back since I now live in California but I found Cardamom to be reasonably priced, plus, they have cocktails! read more

See all

I love Indian food, and Cardamom hit the spot for lunch recently. Located in a small shopping center off of Plymouth Rd, it is in a great secluded location. Convenient enough to find and quiet enough to offer a relaxing outdoor seating experience. When I visited with my friend, we decided to take advantage of the nice weather and sit outside. Our server greeted us promptly and got us waters, and gave us just enough time to peruse the menu. After asking a few questions we both decided on the Sheesh Kebab. Along with the soup or salad and side of half order of Naan, it was an ideal lunch portion. The flavors were delicious! Starting with the soup, I could have eaten a gallon of the yellow lentil soup! With that intro I could hardly wait for my main course. Savory lamb with delicious spices was served with light basmati rice and some roasted vegetables. The portion size was perfect -- if they had given me more, I would have eaten it all. I can't wait for my next trip to Cardamom, especially if they have that lentil soup! read more

Cardamom - Yellow Lentil Soup -- wish I had a jug of this - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

See all

Simply the best Indian food I've had in Ann Arbor. I've tried several of Cardamom's curry dishes and none have disappointed me. The Lamb Vindaloo is my favorite out of the ones I've tried because it's full of delicious spicy flavors. This one is a must-try if you can do above average spicy. As for appetizers, I've had the Chicken Momos, which are basically chicken dumplings. They were delicious, but not anything out of this world. The plain and garlic naan I've had at Cardamom were also decent. I also love that Cardamom offers free fill-ups on rice so you don't have to feel guilty for buying more rice. The prices are pretty standard for Ann Arbor - averaging about $14 per entree. Make sure to budget a good amount of time for visiting here if you plan on coming during peak hours Fri/Sat as the wait can get pretty long. The longest I've had to wait was about 45 minutes on a Friday evening. All in all, you can't go wrong with Cardamom for tasty Indian cuisine. read more

Cardamom - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

See all

Haven't been here since before Covid. Always Great. But, no. Not this time. Got there before restaurant opening at 5p.m on Saturday. Stood in line (as usual) with others waiting for someone to let us all in. We were one of the first to order today. (And may I say the food came out much quicker than usual). Server was kind of weird. Flat affect. Aloof. Wow, and the night was just starting. She may never make it til closing! Mango lassi- good but not cold. Pakora- like out of a box. Gets stuck in your teeth and gummy when chewed. My friend and I were laughing about this. He said "I thought is was just me and my dentures!". And the Tamarind sauce served with the pakora tasted odd. Slightly fermented.(spoiled maybe?) Also the green chutney was watery and tasteless. Tandoori Chicken- Dry, over cooked, dry over spiced, and unrecognizable pieces of chicken. Potato side vegetable of the day was just o.k. Vegetable Korma- Very, very, very thick sauce that was overflowing the dish. The vegetables were not like usual. Sauce more like paste. Garlic Nan- totally cold. (When did they bake these?) Could have at least warmed them up before serving. Sadly, we were looking forward to a wonderful dinner like we always have had in the past. Will try somewhere else next time. read more

We always enjoyed eating there. The food and drinks are great However our last dining experience was marred by a gentleman in a green T shirt and bandana who intimated we were taking too long to finish up. As a table of 4 women who spent upwards of $200 on drinks and food (not including tip), it was insulting to be encouraged to leave as we were finishing up. This despite 4 other open tables for 4 and not that many people waiting to be seated .. in fact less people waiting than tables available. We will not be back .. Sadly because our group loved going there over the years. read more

This place is amazing! The food is good. The service is good and the ambience is great. The only thing that makes me sad is the days that it's not open read more

Great food and good value. Wide variety of tasty Indian entrees, all for $15 or less, and each come with rice. So you can have a nice dinner date with multiple entrees, a starter, naan, and dessert for not much more than $20 per person. My favorite appetizer is the vegetarian pekora, which are basically spicy, fried nuggets that come with two good chutney sauces for just $4.50. I also really like the palaak paneer, which has a nice leafy, chunky spinach sauce (feels very healthy while also being delicious!). The butter chicken is good but fairly standard, with a rich and somewhat sweet red sauce. Small, pretty outdoor seating area is also a plus in warmer months. It's also encouraging that real Indian people eat here. Only downside is that they do not take reservations and the place gets quite crowded on weekends around dinner time. I've waited an hour for a 4-person table under these circumstances. read more

See all

We ordered the Goat Biryani and it was basically rice with very small pieces of meat. It should be named "GOAT Biryani without Goat". Another dish with braised lamb in a curry also underwhelmed us with such few pieces of meat. Very disappointing. read more

Great food, but they changed hours during the pandemic and I haven't been able to eat there since. Sad, because there's not many other Indian food spots as good as them but they don't open until after I'm off work. I hope they change back their hours. read more

Really enjoyed the food. The medium spicy had good heat. We both got Paneer. I had the Palaak and it had a good balance of cream to spinach.... The service was very excellent! They also did a great job of catering to gluten allergy as they note in their menu that their son has severe allergies, so they understand allergies. Would definitely recommend for a really good Indian meal... read more

Good, just not as good as I expected. The weekday lunch specials are a really good deal. In general I like the bread here more than the curries; sometime the naan is hard and reheated rather than fresh though. It's often really crowded here, which can sometimes lead to really long wait times, and service varies from super friendly to forgotten orders. The kashmiri naan is the best dish I've had here. The spiciness levels here are on an "American scale," according to a waiter. I find the hot level sort of mild so I usually ask for extra spicy. The lunch special comes with a choice of lentil soup or salad, but I don't think either is very good. The lentil soup is too watery and not very heavily spiced, and the salad is really vinegary. None of the curries I've tried stood out to me except the lamb korma, which I wouldn't get again. I also liked the vegetable samosas. Plain naan - good when it's fresh but not otherwise Garlic naan - quite good, really garlicky. Onion kulcha - really good, softer than the naan. Not too oily. Aloo prantha - ok, I found it sort of heavy and hard to eat with curry. Kashmiri naan - delicious, sweet and filled with nuts and mango Lamb korma - overly sweet with a really nutty sauce; I couldn't detect any yogurt flavor under the sweetness and nuts. It also wasn't very spicy even though I asked for it hot. Lamb curry - I liked this more than the lamb korma. Rogan josh - I couldn't taste the yogurt in the sauce, which was also a little watery. Tastes sort similar to the goat dhansak. The lamb was cooked well though. Goat dhansak - goat meat was tough and stringy. I liked the lentils, but I couldn't taste any butternut squash in the sauce, just the three or so solid chunks. Lamb saag - sort of similar to the palak paneer but less creamy and slightly saltier. read more

See all

Visiting my son in AA we gave Cardamom a try. Good food, atmosphere and excellent service. It was busy on a Saturday night but restaurant was well run from start to finish of the meal. Made for an enjoyable experience. read more

I am going to give this a 5, if this were jersey I'd give this a 4/5, however, with the other indian restaurnt so have been to in Michigan this was the best one. The chicken was tasty and the vegetarian dishes my partner and I ordered were fantastic. Location is okay, but the service and food was excellent. read more

This Indian restaurant trumps all, as far as I'm concerned . The location lacks something to be desired, as it is in a tiny strip mall with minimal parking options. That being said, it is well worth the drive from central campus. The food is authentic and intoxicating. The menu is extensive , and clearly indicates allergens. read more

See all

Beautiful place. Beautiful food. Beautiful atmosphere. Beautiful people. WONDERFULL STAFF. From the entryway to the bar to the dining area professionalism oozed. I loved the fact that the staff was VERY DIVERSE. There were both men and women working different stations, none was in "traditional" roles. along with different nationalities, ages, and sexes the inclusion was excellent. My server was a young African American gentleman(please forgive me. I asked his name. He gave it. but I forgot to write it down SHEESH). But nonetheless he was very patient. Very knowledgeable about the history of the dishes pertaining to the spices and the preparations. He was kind enough to adhere to my keto diet by including vegetables instead of the traditional rice.(so sweet). I got the goat and my friend got the coconut milk chicken(YUM). Together they made a wonderful pairing. Along with my martini of course. The fact that this place is conscious of its carbon footprint is marvelous in itself. From the natural breath mint at the door to the eco bio degradable take a ways. Overall this will become a go to for me when I'm in the area. Be well my friends and keep yelping! read more

See all

I have had fairly good experiences eating at the restaurant. But this takeout wasn't a pleasant one. 1. Following their website, I tried to order by calling three times but the restaurant didn't answer. 2. I went to the restaurant and placed the order in person. The manager at the counter said it would take about 40-45 minutes. I asked why he didn't answer my calls and if he could message me once the food was ready. He said quite carelessly that the restaurant is simply too busy as there are only two employees at the counter, and he would not give me a call. 3. When I picked up the food, I realized that they placed the paper bag containing the food on top of an open rice container. The garlic naan was cold as well. I won't order from the restaurant until it sorts itself out. read more

Cardamom - Paper bag on top of an open rice container from carry-out. - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

I don't have anything to say other than this is a good place to eat. Good food, service, and ambiance. I'd eat here every day if I could. Not even kidding read more

Awesome food, good ambience. The best in Ann Arbor. Will always come back. This is my 2nd time here

Fantastic food, we always have great meals here. It's usually crowded but worth the wait. read more

Food is consistently good and more of a fusion Indian cuisine. The tandoori chicken is always good and the menu is small but fulfills my Indian food appetite. Service has been mostly excellent, few times forgot dish or naan for takeout order. But been quickly resolved without issues. Dinning in is a little cramped for parties bigger than size of 8. But service is good and quick. read more

After more than ten visits over the past two years, a five star rating is deserved due to the consistently great service and food.

This is probably my favorite Indian restaurant that I have tried. It's a super clean establishment, with very tasty food and good service. My group and I were seated promptly and the waiter helped us figure out what each food was and what we wanted. We ended up eating 3 types of chicken dishes. We tried the appetizer chicken tikka. And two of their entrees : Chicken Makhni and Chicken Korma. One was almond based and Ofer was tomato based. They were soooo delicious. I absolutely loved it all. We had them made at spicy level. Pair it with garlic naan (xtra charge) and you are in spicy food heaven. I will definitely be back. Overall , Lovely place. Lovely food. read more

See all

This is some of the best Indian food I've ever had!! The tamarind margarita was delicious, especially with the Himalayan pink salt. Ordered the chicken momos, tons of flavor and the sauce to dip them in is delicious. The chicken makhni was amazing paired with the garlic naan and jasmine rice. The interior is pretty small and cozy, and the service was pretty good. I look forward to trying more of their food in the future! read more

See all

One of the best Indian places in Ann Arbor. Other places tend to put a lot of sugar in their dishes (probably to cater to the American palette?) but Cardamom uses spices to really bring out the more authentic Indian flavor. We took a risk with the Bhindi Masala dish (okra) was surprisingly good, and I don't usually love okra. The Baigan Bartha (eggplant) was a classic for me, and had a lot more flavor than when I've had it at other places. The Karahi Goat (goat, obviously haha) was also super tasty. Honestly it was all good! (Hence the five stars!) The owner apparently has a son who has lots of food restrictions so he's really good about making sure the food can cater to all dietary needs. And I love the menu's little descriptions about parts of Indian food, like what "curry" is. And the best part? Unlimited rice!! Yummm. read more

Cardamom - Left to right: Rice (unlimited refills!), bhindi masala (okra), baigan bartha (eggplant), garlic naan, paneer makhni (paneer), karahi goat - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

My friend recommended this restaurant, so my boyfriend and I decided to check it out. Upon walking in, we were impressed by the overall ambiance.. Cardamom is one of the more fancy Indian restaurants we've ever been too.. they even had a variety of cocktails available on their menu. We first started off with the papri chat appetizer (Homemade white flour crisp , potatoes , chickpeas , onion , cucumber , tomato with yogurt tamarind mint sauce). We also ordered goat biryani (huge portion size!!), chicken tikka (very tender), and the garlic naan (probably would just order the original next time). We loved everything here and want to try the other selections on the menu the next time we come back!! read more

See all

As promised, I did end up dining at the restaurant because I was so enthralled by how good their carry out order was! Long story short: I was again blown away. Pulling the clout card on this one - I'm Indian and have had quite a bit of Indian food in my life. The quality of food at this restaurant is spectacular. So good that I even called my mom (an Indian mom chef extraordinaire) and told her that I have to bring her here! Ordered the samosas, chicken makhani, Channa pindi, garlic naan, and mango lassi (see pictures). The chicken makhani had such a rich but not overwhelmingly creamy sauce. It was still light and so flavorful. Perfect amount of heat too if you like spicy food. The chicken was well cooked too. Channa pindi was very fresh and I could tell that real tomatoes and a quality tomato paste were used to make this sauce - it had such a deep and delicious flavor. From reading other people's reviews it seems like service has been an issue in the past. In this visit, we were waited on by two separate people and I never felt unattended. The food came out quick and in a timely manner. Conclusions: best Indian restaurant in Ann Arbor, cute ambiance, amazing flavors and mastery of Indian cuisine read more

See all

What's the phrase... lWhenever you're the king everyone wants to knock you off"? Well after coming here for 6yrs I can now say Cardamom is no longer the king for Indian in AA. Very disappointing example of Chicken Tikka Masala tonight. Very little flavor, very mild (ordered medium), dry chicken and stogy, thick, doughy naan bread. Ironically the prior night I had the same from Namaste and honesty it's kicking Cardamom's butt. Not bad, but you can do far better for the $$ now. Obviously COVID and a 100% takeout marketing model killed the quality. read more

I have to say, this place has the best Indian food in Ann Arbor area... first time trying with friends, we ordered 7 different curry dishes and 1 meat dish and they were all good... except for the goat dish... the meat was bit on a salty side. I love their Naans! While the food was great, the service was lacking on our visit... took about 35 minutes to get our foods... noticed others that were there after we arrived got their food before us... so this was very disappointing to wait 35 minutes to get our food. Otherwise, the goods we had were excellent and we will return... hopefully next time, it won't take 35 minutes to get our foods. read more

See all

I haven't been to Cardamom since before the pandemic, but we've always really liked it. The food is always excellent, the venue itself is beautiful, and the entire staff is always extremely friendly & attentive. The only downsides are that there's always a wait during dinner hours (albeit usually not more than 20-30 minutes), and I consider it a little bit pricey (not "overpriced" per se, just more expensive than others with comparable fare). That said, if you don't want to have to wait, and you don't care what the restaurant LOOKS like, you can usually walk right into "Taste of India" on State Street and pay less for equally good food (if not better). read more

Portions were quite small for the price. Biryani had little flavor. Enjoyed the vegetable and chicken momo, Malai Kofta, and Lamb Saag. Would come again for drinks and small bites but not a meal. read more

I was told from my Indian friends that Cardamom is the place to get Indian food in A2. We came here on Saturday night around 6:30pm and were told it was a 40 minute wait. We stuck it out as the promise of good Indian food was worth the wait. Plus, it was too cold to go back outside. We were seated maybe under 30 minutes. The three of us shared appetizers of papri chat (my favorite), samosas, and pakoras. The papri chat is a mix of white flour crisps with potatoes + chickpeas in yogurt + tamarind with mint sauce. It is all mixed together and placed into a mold. The samosas are standard samosas and the pakoras are a mix of spinach, cauliflower and spices in deep fried chickpea flour. For our entrees, we got a a veggie dish, the chettinad lamb curry and a chicken curry. All were incredibly flavorful. I have had issues at other places where the foods all kind of blended together for me. Here, I definitely feel each dish has a distinct flavor profile. Cardamom definitely is not light handed on the spices. Of note, the Naan is extra (4 pieces for $2). Please order the naan. read more

See all

The boyfriend ordered the chicken tikki and I ordered the curry chicken. Decent price and portion. Both dishes were very saucy and flavorful. Friendly servers. Plenty of seating area. We went at 5pm on Sunday, right when they opened, and there was a long line but the wait wasn't too bad nor did it take too long to be seated. read more

Cardamom - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Short review: It's good, probably the best in AA proper I've had. More detailed review: So this place falls into what I see as the best restaurants in Ann Arbor, which is to say, it tastes like it should, and reminds me of solid Indian takeout I've gotten in major cities. That's not a dig, but sets expectations. Like it would do great business and stay in business for years in a big city but it's not going to inspire lines around the block. Standouts included the paneer makhni, samosas (tasted freshly fried), and bhindi. Bhindi masala is my favorite Indian dish and this was the exact consistency I like (not too wet/slimy). Both were medium spice which was spot on--I'd call it appropriately medium for the area, and maybe "mildly spicy" if you're more used to, shall we we say, actual spicy. In my experience, it was a bit more spicy than other places nearby, but that's because those other places aren't spicy enough. Chicken vindaloo was a bit too tomato-y for me and not as spicy, but not bad or anything. The lassi was a little thick but had just the right mango flavor for the end of the meal. read more

Handsdown best Indian food in Ann Arbor, and it goes as close to being the top 5 Indian food I've ever had (and I'm coming from major cities where Indian food is large, plentiful and delicious). Cardamom is located in nearby North Campus inside of a shopping mall with tons of parking. Lots of seating inside the restaurant but the smell will hit you a mile away. Within my first week of Ann Arbor, my roomates and I had eaten here four times. It's THAT GOOD. While Cardamom doesn't deliver, its worth the drive to pick it up. Everything comes packed hot, prices are very affordable and portions are plentiful. My friend's and I have tried a lot of the menu but our favorites are the mala kofta, palaak paneer, lamb saag, onion baagi and the kaari goat. We really haven't had anything we didn't like, but these were our favorites and stood out the most. Make the visit to Cardamom, order a feast and enjoy!! read more

Cardamom - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan