I have heard about this place many times, and I have to say, I love it! I ordered the vegetable samosas, which were delicious - definitely a good mix of flavors and not just potatoes. For my entree, I ordered the Aloo Gobi (potato & cauliflower) and got it in medium-hot. There was a solid amount of vegetables in just the right amount of curry sauce. I also ordered the garlic naan; I'm not an expert on naan but they tasted like a healthier version of Italian garlic bread. For dessert, I couldn't resist the Chocolate Coconut Cake. It was drizzled with chocolate sauce. I love anything coconut, so I might be biased on this one. The ambiance was really nice - not too dark, not too light. Friday nights are very busy, as other reviews have stated, but the wait was only 10-15 minutes, and it was worth waiting. The servers are all extremely nice and accommodating! read more

Cardamom - aloo tikki - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

When Cardamon is ON, they are ON FIRE good. When they are knocked off their stride, things get dodgy. (Like fuel economy, your mileage may vary...) I do not do "take-out" (too many bad spills on the dead cow skin seats in the back of my car so I cannot speak to that part of the business although my friends tell me it is "hit or miss"). I have visited several times but I forget to check into Yelp because I am bordering on "hangry". I came by today for lunch on Wednesday more on a lark because I was driving by. Nagomi sushi was my back-up if I could not find parking. Because the wait times can border on ridiculous, I did not know what to expect. I did not have a reservation, so I came "hat-in-hand". I entered and there were several parties waiting to be seated. Hostess was busy seating diners. The front check-in booth was empty. Looking around the dining area, this place seems to be a north campus magnet for the omni-present A2 hipster douchebags, yuppie-wannabes, rich yuppie scum who have "made it", or elderly "ladies who lunch". I waited some time for the hostess to arrive but a very angry couple who waited over AN HOUR for their food was heading out. They asked for the manager to DEMAND JUSTICE but was told he was in the kitchen cooking! No one's in charge? WTF? They left empty-handed but look for their Yelp review on this page (they were muttering something about leaving a Yelp review or tip as they passed me heading out the door.) They were very polite and overly professional about this SNAFU situation as I would be shaking my clenched fist overhead. I am just glad they did not open up with the assault guns! The couple looked like working professionals who had to get back to the office but I am retired and can/have waited out "disappearing" managers/owners. Holding them accountable! Demanding justice! (Whether I get any justice is 50/50 at this point.) I thought of ordering the veggie lunch combo (I have had that before) but at the last minute, went with the lamb curry thali lunch combo which was excellent. See the picture I posted to the photo section of this page. My lunch platter arrived in reasonable time - no complaints here. It was hot and the lamb was excellent. The wait staff kept my drink full too. (Important on a hot day). My server recommended the rice pudding for dessert - good call. Thank you. It seemed I got more lamb and chicken than my Yelp friend Allison O. who got SHAFTED on weak portions and left a previous review when she visited. I hate paying for nothing! I eat slow so the lunch crowd thinned out considerably over the course of my leisurely lunch. I was enjoying the many different flavors! I have not had the service shortcomings described here in other reviews. I tend to come for lunch and I keep my expectations low. The wait times are often long if you come during peak lunch or dinner times but other times, the wait is not too bad. Just be ready to order when your server comes. They don't like to be jerked around (then again, who does?) Enjoy! Budget a lot of time for your meal! Good eats here! read more

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One buttery sauce for all dishes, artlessly spiced slightly differently in each instance. Rude 'progressive' staff...mostly female. Do the math ... university town. Crammed in dining area. Generally unpleasant all-around. read more

I was visiting from Minneapolis where we have plenty of Indian restaurants and didn't have super high expectations for Indian restaurants in Ann Arbor. Cardamom pleasantly surprised me. The ambience is nice, accompanied by quick service. We ordered minced lamb seekh kabab and it was delicious - it was served with onions and green chutney. Mango lassi is a popular item on their menu, and almost every table had one person drinking mango lassi. Mutton Rogan josh was okay, the mutton seemed undercooked but not too much. Kadhai chicken was good! For dessert, we ordered Rasmalai and Gulab Jamun. Gulab Jamun was amazing--- must try! Overall, I found it to be a value for money! read more

Cardamom - Kadhai chicken- goooood! - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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I weigh 5 pounds heavier but it was worth it. Dimly lit atmosphere with high quality classic Indian dishes - good for dates or any intimate conversation. I Recommend the chicken tikka masala, lamb chettinad and that sweet stuff they call garlic naan. Medium spice is good for most people, but I dare ya to get hot and let me know how it is. Cheers! read more

Cardamom - Chicken tikka masala - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Good food. Many choices. Great serving crew. Over all nice experience. I recommend this place read more

This is the Indian Restaurant that suits American taste palette. If you fall in that category than you will love it. Nothing against it, the service is great, food was good too but if you are looking for something closer to homeland than this isn't it. I would recommend Pind in Grand Rapids or Pakwaan in Plymouth for closer to home kind of feel. We ordered the following - Chicken Korma - Goat Biryani - Paneer Karahi - Garlic Naan - Sheekh Kebab - Chicken Tikka - Onion bhajji read more

I live near this indian food place. Its not really my favorite place to get Indian food. I like some of their offerings. However, I'm not a fan of their mainstream punjabi food offerings like Butter Chicken, chiken tikka masala, tandoori chicken and paneer. The dishes named above lack a boldness to them, they are creamy and rich, however don't contain the ever so needed kick. I would not consider their punjabi foods quite authentic. All that being said. They do have some other mindblowing dishes. Their Naan is the best I have had in the United States because it is quite crispy/crunchy on the outside and melt in you mouth soft on the inside. The smell you get from this naan is sure to make your day. Another one of their offering I was quite impressed by was their daal tadka. For some reason, their Daal tadka contains the boldness I had been looking for in their food. It was smooth but bold, I felt like I was back in India because the flavors there were so on point. I think this place has quite accostomized itself to serving american not quite familiar with Indian food. Also this place is quite a bit more expensive than some of my favorite Indian food places. read more

I like Cardamon. A lot of Indian restaurants don't have as many naan options as this place. Cardamon has onion naan, garlic, regular naan, and one w nuts in them. We ordered samosas as an appetizer. It comes with 2 per order. We ordered 3 orders of curry and a rice dish. All of our favorites were the chicken makhni. It was creamy and better than the original tikki masala. The best part is that they give you free rice refills! I came here as a party of 8 on a Sunday night. They don't take reservations. We had to wait 45 mins if we could be split into 2 tables of 4 or 1.5 hours if we wanted to all sit together. We chose the first option. I understand why the wait is pretty long. This is one if the better Indian food places in AA read more

This place was recommended to me before I even moved to the Ann Arbor area. It has been on my list for three years and I finally made it there. I was not disappointed! They were busy for a weekday night and we had a short five minute wait. The staff was very friendly and accommodating from the second we walked in. We got an order of the samosas, the bhindi masala (my new favorite way to have okra), and the dal tarka. I ordered some momos as well but they were out for the evening. Probably a good thing as we had plenty of leftovers. Good reason to go back again! read more

Delicious I love it so much my favorite Indian restaurant ever. Get the chicken tikka masala

Always good, always fresh, perfect service and pleasant atmosphere. I've never had a bad meal at Cardamum, and I've been here many times.

Cardamom is my absolute favorite Indian restaurant in Ann Arbor. There is a parking lot right in front so it is easy to find parking. You also know it's a good restaurant because it is always PACKED during dinner time. Even when I got there at 5pm, there was a line of people waiting to be seated. It gets even busier around 7pm. Nevertheless, I also really enjoy my food and experience. The service is always really quick and waiters are always willing to handle any allergy concerns including dairy. A lot of dishes can't be modified but they can let you know which dishes have no dairy at all! Today, I ordered the lamb saag for dinner (which is served with rice) with garlic naan on the side. The naan they serve here is thicker and more pillowy than other places I've been in Ann Arbor which I enjoy. The lamb saag is a slightly creamy spinach and lamb dish. Although lamb can sometimes be games, the curry sauce really complements it. The portion sizes are huge so I always have plenty to take home for leftovers. Overall I would highly recommend and would definitely come again! read more

Always delicious! As a celiac, they have so many gluten free options and I always feel safe eating there.

The chicken Briyani is the worst I ate here. It is more of cinnamon rice with dry fruits and chicken. The Momos are ok, better than near by places but if you can go to Detroit than DSC has much better than here. The food is little far from the Indian flavors and spices. The rice quality for the Briyani is worst as well. They have used pieces rice instead of basmati or good quality rice. They should remove it from their menu. read more

This is my absolute favorite Indian place in Ann Arbor (and quite possibly ever), and one of the best restaurants on the north end of town. Food is really good - love the Chicken Tikka Masala and the Rogan Josh in particular... tried the biryani once and didn't like it as much because it was a bit too moist for me. Other than that, really love everything else here. The interior is modern and clean, menu is tastefully designed (because these things matter...), and would highly recommend going for lunch because it's just a lot more worth it (you'll get a comparable portion to dinner at like.. half the price). read more

Cardamom - Lamb vindaloo and chicken tikka masala - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

i ordered the chicken tikka masala and garlic naan. I've eaten hundreds of Indian dishes. the chicken as good but it felt very under-flavored. The garlic naan had a good texture but i don't know where the garlic was. for the price point and overall flavor, I would not recommend. if you don't care about the price and want something decent then it may be an option. read more

Great Goat Karahi, momos and tandoori chicken. It's the only Indian restaurant in North campus. They stay open after 9 as well. Good overall experience read more

Indian food is my favorite type of food, and Cardamom is a great introduction for those looking to try it for the first time. We tried the momos and Kashmiri naan in addition to our entrees, and both were fantastic. I'd especially recommend the naan - I'd eat it again in a heartbeat. We were both very impressed by the atmosphere as well. read more

Cardamom - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Yelp review #1000--dedicated to the staple that got me through residency at U of M and easily a top contender for one of my favorite restaurants in Ann Arbor. There's a Cardamom conundrum because you want to explore try the whole menu, yet you are so satisfied with what you got last time. There are pages and pages of options, from vegetarian dishes to goat and lamb, from Indian food classics to novelties (they even have chicken tikka salads, Indian-inspired cocktails, cardamom cheesecake). The little blurbs with the descriptions are also very helpful and include fun facts about the background of selected dishes. To start off with, the simple MOMOS are a Nepalese specialty of steamed dumplings (my friend loved them so much, he got two orders for himself). The PAKORAS are a good choice if you're craving something fried, except it's even better than your average fried food because they use chickpea flour and lots of veggies. You can't go wrong with the curries for entrees, and the list is never-ending. The CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA is a classic, and I like how Cardamom's version isn't too creamy. I personally prefer the CHICKEN MAKHNI which switches things up and adds a nutty dimension with the cashew paste. For lamb curry options, I like the LAMB SAAG which feels healthy because of all the spinach, or the more hearty, intricately seasoned, Portuguese-inspired LAMB VINDALOO. The TANDOORI entrees feature juicy, perfectly roasted meats, reminiscent of Mediterranean kebabs. I like the KARAHI LAMB (also available with chicken), which has a lot of oomph and is a mash-up between the curry and wok stir-fry. There are so many great vegetarian/vegan curries, and I joke that I could easily become vegan if I ate at Cardamom every day. One of my favorites is the BHINDI MASALA. I used to dislike okra, but decided to give this a try when my roommate suggested it and subsequently this became my go-to (Funny enough, the menu description says "If you don't like okra, think again.") Another of my staples is the DAL TARKA, with lentils in a amazingly complex blend of spices. The VEGETABLE KORMA is a deliciously creamy option, but nonetheless healthy because it's based on an almond cashew sauce. Other vegetarian dishes I rotate through include the BAIGAN BARTHA (eggplant), PALAK PANEER (paneer cheese i.e. Indian creamed spinach), ALOO GOBI (cauliflower/potatoes), CHANA PINDI (chickpeas with tomato curry). Although the entrees come with a generous portion of basmati rice, it's hard to pass up their fresh NAAN. I usually get the garlic naan, and the KASHMIRI NAAN is an indulgent version stuffed with nuts and fruits. I have developed a habit where I always get an extra order of BIRYANI to-go in order to feed myself for the next couple of days (I toss in some mixed greens on a skillet at home, and it is the highlight of my day). Unlike biryani I've had at other places, it's not too oily. The mix of spices, raisins, nuts, vegetables, and fluffy basmati rice is so on point with a memorable flavor explosion. Another habit I've picked up (even with my take-out orders) is always treating myself to a refreshing glass of MANGO LASSI. Cardamom's version is by far the best I've had, with just the right balance of fragrant mangoes blended with tart yogurt. I think from my review you can conclude that the TL;DR is that basically you can't go wrong here. The place can get crowded during peak times, but their take-out with phone ordering is quite efficient. Otherwise, the space is clean, comfortable, and elegant with bright colors to reflect their array of spices, cardamom included. read more

The chicken tikka entre was hardly tandoori and was mostly rice. I included a photo for scale. In the photo we had already eaten the chicken, FYI, but the takeout container gives you an idea of the rice to chicken ratio. We were really disappointed because it was $13 for mostly rice. We also had the chicken biryani which was fine, but not spicy. For chicken tikka entre and biryani there were no spice options. Especially for Ann Arbor, this isn't great Indian Food. Madras Masala continues to be my favorite. read more

Cardamom - Chicken tikka entre (we ate the chicken already) - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Wanted to love the food given the great yelp reviews - unfortunately it missed the mark for me. Came in on a Friday evening and sat at the bar to avoid the 15-20 minute wait. It definitely is a popular spot. Prompt, service at the bar (I did note they had difficulty in determining the appropriate serving size for wine and some of the eye ball assessments were way off). Naan bread was good and hot. Rice was hot and pretty standard. So disappointed with the chicken makhni. I ordered it mild which was synonymous with bland. It was lukewarm and the chicken was really dry. Despite this review, I will try it again in hopes it was an off day. I saw folks who received their food after mine and it seemed piping hot and they were complimentary. read more

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Best Indian food in town! The chicken or paneer makhani is my favorite. Friendly staff and great service if you decide to dine in.

Over 1.5 hour wait for normal orders, staff is obnoxious, at least open outdoor dining, get with the pandemic times.

Whenever we're in Ann Arbor, we make sure we make time for a meal at Cardamom. Introduced to us by our Wolverine daughter many years ago, it's one of our favorite Indian restaurants - anywhere. It was a gorgeous August evening and we were up for eating on the patio, which meant that we had no wait for a table. Bonus! We ordered Chicken Tikka Masala (which was as always, delicious), a side of naan, raita, and for the first time and because it was a warm summer evening, we ordered the Tandoori-Roasted Vegetable Salad (paneer is part of the salad, too), with lime vinaigrette dressing. Everything was delicious, service was fine, and it was nice, having ordered the salad, that we were able to walk away not feeling as if we had overeaten. A nice change for us. read more

Very disappointed. Was the second guest seated and ordered when they're opened. Took nearly 40 minutes to get our food. Meanwhile the restaurant filled up and others got their food. Was told the kitchen was backed up? We were the second order! Then was told that they were short staffed, again we were the second order! Food was modestly warm at best. Don't plan on returning. Update: Downgraded to 1-Star - Then she piled all the dirty dishes in front of us at our table before attempting to grab them and carry them away. Where has service gone. read more

Cardamom - Messaged them on FB as well. - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Good for lunch! There is very cheap but good quality lunch menu! Very delicious and comfortable :) We ate Chicken Makhni which is served with Naan and one side dish. read more

Cardamom - Chicken Makhni - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Delicious, awesome flavor. Order everything medium spice. I'm someone who can't tolerate spice and mild was too mild even for me. The one medium dish we got had barely any spice but gave the dish its complete flavor read more

Excellent eating experience! We got there just as they opened and already they were busy ( 5 pm Saturday) - fast service- tight seating- cold water and lots of refills - I had a lemonade w/ goner- delicious- hubs had the chai - it was very good, too- samosa and pakora veggies were light and delicious- not over cooked- served with my two fave sauces- we then had the Kashri Goat, tandoori chicken, palak paneer- yes! I want to lick the plate the goat was lean and so tender- tasty tasty. The palak was the best ! It's reasonably priced- will definitely be back read more

Food - just okay. Service - just okay. Nothing I'd write home about. We went on a Saturday night so the place was packed, and after a 10 min wait we were seated in the side extension area that was sectioned off a bit haphazardly out in the open. Luckily, the area was heated so we weren't cold. Unfortunately we had to keep flagging down our waiter throughout the night to bring just about everything -- it seemed most people in our section were being forgotten about. The food was pretty mediocre as well. The appetizer pakoras were crispy, but the Varanasi Aloo was too oily for my taste and my stomach felt a bit uneasy later that night. We ordered a few desserts as well but none were really that impressive. This might suit the average American palate, but for someone who has grown up on Indian food, it was really just okay. read more

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I used to think Cardamom was really good but I recently ordered takeout and found the food to be quite underwhelming. Given that it was Valentine's Day, I ordered takeout the avoid the inevitable hour long wait. While the food was actually ready for pickup when I showed up (unlike some other places) 45 minutes later, what it essentially came down to was two small containers of bland food with a larger box of equally bland rice. The chicken tikka masala that I ordered medium spicy lacked the creamy tomato-y kick I was used to and was more mild in terms of spice. The chunks of chicken, while tender, lacked any flavor and was just accompanied by a thin, creamy mess. I thought that the palak paneer ordered mild spicy would save the day but it was just another extremely bland creamy mix of spinach with cubes of tofu cheese. While it's been a while since I last ate here, either the chefs have lost some of their taste buds or it's just a bad idea to order out from this place. I may give Cardamom another shot, but when I'm in the mood for yummy Indian food full of flavor I will likely look elsewhere. read more

Cardamom - Takeout - Chicken Tikka Masala and Palak Paneer - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

I SOOO wanted to be blown away by the food here but sadly, I wasn't. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad by any means but I'm not rushing back for another visit. Several people had recommended this place saying it was the best Indian food in Ann Arbor so I think my expectations were pretty high going in. I had read the Yelp reviews before going and had a pretty good feeling I'd be satisfied with my food. I tried to go before during the week (on a Thursday, I belive) around 1 p.m. or so but the wait was so long and the restaurant doesn't seat many people, I had to leave and return the work. I think the lunch crowd is pretty large so I learned my lesson. The second time around, I met a friend there at 11 a.m. We were seated right away and our waiter came to take our order. I had studied the menu prior to coming so I knew right away that I wanted to get the chicken Thali. I love options so it seemed like the perfect choice. The soup of the day was lentil soup. It was warm and the flavor was good but it was soupier that I would have preferred. The veggies it came with were seasoned carrots, potatoes, and green beans. They were all good but I wasn't blown away. The tandoori chicken was my favorite with the chicken tikka masala in second. The huge disappointment was in the naan and the dessert. I absolutely LOVE bread and it's nothing worse to me than hard bread. To me, naan is supposed to taste like soft, warm pillows of deliciousness. This naan was hard which was off putting. Secondly, the dessert was disappointing in its size. I went with a friend and based on the waiter's recommendation, we got two different desserts and tried each others. I went with the rice pudding and she went with the gulab jamum (which is a donut). What he failed to mention was that the donut was the smallest donut I've seen in life and not really big enough to share. I understand that it's just a tasting portion but it would've been nice if he would've told her it wasn't really big enough to share. As a side note, I'm also not a huge fan of the Achaar (the Indian pickle) but that's just my personal taste. All in all, the food is not bad but I won't be making a special trip to visit a second time. I'm always open to giving a place a second shot because maybe I didn't try the right thing. read more

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If we were rating on food alone, I would give this place 4.5-5 stars. The chicken tikka masala is WONDERFUL. The sauce was so flavorful and came with a sizable portion of chicken inside. Garlic naan was ok, but more crunchy instead of fluffy as naan should be. Chicken bryani was good as well, especially when paired with the yogurt sauce, but wasn't anything too special. The three star deduction is because of the service. The staff was friendly enough but SO SLOW. My boyfriend and I went on a Tuesday night after peak hours and it took them a solid hour to get two dishes and naan ready. We almost passed out from hunger! read more

Cardamom - Chicken tikka masala. YUM. - Indian Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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When it comes to Indian food, there is no denying that Cardamom is the best in Ann Arbor! You will find yourself eating much more than you should, to the point of being uncomfortably full at every visit (know that feeling?). Cardamom is quite small, you have to be comfortable sitting in tight quarters and if the person sitting next to you is wearing a pungent scent, well then, you're sol! The space is minimally yet aptly decorated. The walls are bright, chairs comfortable and lighting dim. This would definitely be a great place for a nice date...if the people next to you couldn't hear every word you utter. In terms of service, the staff is friendly and attentive. You will always find your water glass to be full thanks to the attentive and friendly Jeffrey who is always engaging and such a delight! Recommendations: Everything I've ordered has been delicious so don't be scared to try something new! read more

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A full restaurant experience is everything from the flavor of the dish, the waitstaff, the ambiance, and I would even go so far as to include the authenticity of the place. Especially when it's an ethnic restaurant. That being said, I love Indian food. I'm a foodie and just simply love flavors and the conglomeration of tastes and such and with Indian food, the sheer amount of scents, spices, intermingling with rich flavors and textures between curry, meat, rice, and if you get it, naan all form this great tapestry of an experience that the restaurant ambiance itself can only heighten. That being said, the 3 stars is mainly because this place seems like it's the same place as some of the other Indian restaurants in America. I visited here based on the recommendation of a co-worker. And with Indian, i LOVE butter chicken or the Muhkni. I used to eat that stuff every 2 weeks or so depending on the budget. At first, my butter chicken experience was great till I heard of this place. And with it being recommended by an Indian himself, I guess you'd call my expectations set a bit high. Why wouldn't you? A native recommending a restaurant from the culture he knows better than I could? You have to take that into account. Luckily, I was in the area. But let me just say... I wasn't impressed. The butter chicken tastes just like other places here in SE Michigan. A tinge of tamarind, tomato paste, maybe ghee was used, and such. Just like all the rest of the butter chickens I've tried. Wasn't impressed. And their naan bread wasn't all that spectacular either. And if you had basmati rice from one Indian place, you've had it all so again, nothing special to say the least. Part of the lack of the 5 star experience was also due to the horrid wait time. Sure, Indian foods use sauces and curries which may take some time. But I've had places where a butter chicken took 8 minutes to come out. Here, it took almost 20. And it wasn't the staff's fault at all but let's consider that normally, a server checks in on his patrons every so often. My man did nothing of the sort. I did tip him well though because a good patron does that regardless of the service. Call it showing grace. But it was slow and very disconcerting. All I can say, the ambiance was pretty cool. Set in a college town which comes with essentially poor college students but then again, Sallie Mae seems to be helping U of M students quite well! At prices ranging from $11-$17, this is better than a simple pizza or Easy Mac boxes. And you will walk into Indian pop music/Indian techno with a trendy college aged waitstaff. But for the most part. If you've had Indian food anywhere else, you've probably tried them all and probably won't be too impressed. I wasn't... and now to go back to my co-worker and mock him for his sub-par recommendation... read more

Let me start with an irrelevant(ish) story. I grew up off Devon street in Chicago, which is the mecca of Indian foods and groceries. Yet I have rarely ventured into the territory of Indian foodstuffs, and of the nonhomemade Indian foods I DID try, I haven't been particularly blown away. Let me tell you: Cardamom changed that! The lamb saag is ridiculous here. So tender and flavorful! I also had the Chicken tikka masala, which was also delicious. The garlic and kashmiri naan are fantastic. I cannot comment on authenticity, but whatever flavors they do use here, I like it! So glad I was introduced to this joint by CloverEats's beautiful food blog. I will be back over and over and over again. Nice staff too. I am excited to find a joint on Devon that can match up to Cardamom. read more

This is my favorite indian restaurant in ann arbor! This restaurant serves delicious food with ample portions! I ordered chicken tikka masala ($13), lamb saag ($14), and onion Kulcha (which is naan bread with onions $2.50). They also give unlimited rice. (I asked for more rice twice and they gave more unhestitantly) I highly recommend the chicken tikka masala and lamb saag! They were both delicious! The sauce for lamb saag was incredibly savory. They also serve ample portions. I eat ALOT and it's hard for me to get full. However, the food here really filled me up. Service was great considering how busy the place was. read more

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Best Indian restaurant in Ann Arbor-- I've tried them all, and when factoring price and quality, it really doesn't get any better than this. Compared to many of the Indian food lunch buffets and dinner options on campus, the freshness of the ingredients here is unparalleled. The naan is extra fluffy and the curries just taste...so pure. I can't put a finger on exactly what sets it apart but this is just quality you can taste right away. I would recommend coming for lunch if you can! They have great lunch deals and lines are also much shorter. If you come for dinner, make sure you leave plenty of time for your meal. The wait time can seem impossibly long-- I once waited ~45 minutes for my food after ordering it. read more

I have now tried Cardomom for dining in and carry out and the food is fresh, tasty and the selection is expansive. This place was recommended to me by a friend from the Tamal Nadu region so my first visit I ordered the Chettinad Lamb and it was gorgeous. My husband had the chicken tikka salad with was also great. We had, usual walked in off the street. WARNING: this place is very popular indeed. We agreed to wait to dine and ended up at the bar. The cocktails look amazing. Sadly I couldn't try them as I am still pregnant but the bar was pretty sociable and the lady next to me was eating the veggie eggplant dish which looked yummy. Last week I was in town, craving spice, so I ordered the veggie okra dish with rice and roti to carry out. It was really tough to find a parking space and I ended up at the bottom of the hill. On my walk up I could smell the aromatic casserole coming from Cardomom and was glad to eat there again. My okra dish was lovely but I think they should offer a meat version too, it just seemed to lack a little something. However I am really taken with this place and hope to have a proper date here after the baby arrives. read more

*updated version* Since the post below I have been here three times. I knew the restaurant would have good food, but at first I was really turned off by the service... This may be the only restaurant that rises from a one to a five because they completely redeemed themselves. There is a lack of good indian food in the metro Detroit area. I haven't really had one stand out like Cardamom. The flavors that their dishes mix are complex. There is nothing flat about this food. It's just "really good indian food" with a twist. Let's start with the appetizers. That onion bahji is fantastic. It's the sauces really. You can get them in other indian restaurants but damn these ones are good. I could eat a boat load of this and still not be satisfied. They are gluten free too! The momos are popping up in other reviews and they again are a notch above other dumplings. It's their spices that make them good. My favorite so far has been the bapus goat chops. Pricey , but worth every penny. The indian mashed potatoes are aaaammmazing. Hot hot heat up in therrrrr. Just a word of advice...there are chiles hidden in there. Don't accidentally eat them whole like I did. It burns. The Karahi goat and the lamb saag were the faves. There's just an interesting mix of flavors that come together and explode on the palette to make a flavor baby. So good. I don't think that I have hit the chicken groove yet. The lamb and goat dishes are excellent though. Karahi chicken and the rogan josh were also pretty damn good. I mean seriously... Everything has been good here. Other reviews have said this too, but the ingredients and meat are quality. It all seems very Ann Arbor fresh. Post visit crave factor and the leftovers alone make this a five star experience which I will be returning to repeatedly. Oh, and the service has been good. It's not phenomenal, but the people are really nice. There is a gentlemen that greets people and chats you up about your experience at the restaurant. I haven't figured out if he's the bus boy, host, or ? Whatever he is, you should keep him Cardamom because he helps make the dining experience. -------- This will be a quick review and entirely based on service as I was not able to have their food. I have been super excited to try this place and living an hour away it has been difficult to get there. The stars aligned today when I was in town and thought, "Yelp says they close at three and open at 5pm again. I can totally squeeze in before they shut down their kitchen." Nope. With a half an hour before they closed I was turned away because they said their kitchen closed. I understand that they close and open but if their kitchen closes at 2:30pm then they should have that be the close time. There were tons of people inside eating. It was very disappointing. I will update this review if I ever get to actually eat in this establishment. Closed on Mondays Yelpers. Watch the times or you may go hungry. E2 read more