I visited Jamavar for New Year's Eve (Dec 31, 2025) and left feeling completely exploited. For a restaurant that boasts a Michelin star, the experience was amateur at best and deceptive at worst. The Service & Billing Trap We were originally booked for the set New Year's Eve menu (£165 per person). Upon arrival, the à la carte menu looked more appealing, so we categorically asked the staff if we could order from it instead. They gave us a clear "yes" with no caveats. However, when the bill arrived, we were shocked to find a £132 "top-up" charge. When we questioned this, the staff bluntly claimed they had mentioned the price would remain the same regardless of what we ordered. This was a flat-out lie. At no point during our initial inquiry did they mention a minimum spend or a top-up fee. Furthermore, they made zero effort to "sell" or explain the special NYE menu items. The lack of transparency and the "hidden" nature of this charge felt like a predatory tactic. The Food Even if the service had been perfect, the food would have been a letdown. Most of the dishes were shockingly bland and lacked the depth you expect from high-end Indian cuisine. The only exception was the Dal Jamavar, which was flavorful, but one good lentil dish cannot carry a meal at this price point. Final Verdict Jamavar is extremely overhyped and overpriced. It does not remotely meet Michelin standards for service or culinary excellence. London has an incredible Indian dining scene with far better options where you will be treated with honesty and respect. I wish I had paid closer attention to recent reviews, as it seems many others have had similar issues with staff behavior and lackluster service. Avoid this restaurant at all costs. read more

Really loved this places. One of my top Indian recs and the food was delicious. Not terrible to get a Rez and service/ atmosphere was amazing. Staff went above and beyond - they were so kind and really made the experience. Went with a couple of friends and got drinks (so good- fruity but not too much), Mann, lentils, butter chicken, and lamb biryani. Such a wonderful night with amazing food. Can't recommend enough read more

Jamavar - Indian Near Me - Mayfair, XGL

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I don't understand the bad reviews. This was by far the best meal we had in London ( and we have eaten all over the world). Flavors melded perfectly, spice was just right, everything was so delicious including our drinks. I highly recommend the chutney, tandoori lamb , palak paneer, butter chicken and bread basket. Great service too! read more

Jamavar - Truffle rice and lentils - Indian Near Me - Mayfair, XGL

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Came here for valentine's dinner, and right away I appreciate that they make the Valentine's Day prix fixe an option rather than a requirement. We ordered a la carte, and the food was very good. I highly recommend the Malvani Prawn Curry; the prawns had a nice bite to them, and the curry had a subtle harmony of flavors. The pistachio cake for dessert was also very good; the texture was slightly chewy (in a good way), the cake itself wasn't too sweet, and the milk added a nice moisture to the cake. The cocktails are decent as well. read more

2/5 Food 1/5 Service 5/5 Interior 5/5 Bathroom I recently came here for dinner and was very disappointed. To me, the most important aspect of any restaurant, Michelin star on not, is the food. The food here was palatable, edible, but not one dish stood out and the flavors were nothing special. The service was abysmal. Highlights included: - Being offered only the a la carte menu and having to request the tasting menu - Getting the wine pairing and then each wine being put on the table with descriptors like, "this is a sparkling wine." There was a som on the premises, but he did not come to our table - Sticky stems on the cocktail glasses - Plates sitting untouched after a course for 10 minutes, and then a server coming to the table and saying, "ya done?" before taking the plates I'm unsure if this was just an off night for this restaurant, but I wouldn't return, and I would advise people against coming here. The experience was a waste of time and money. read more

Jamavar - 1st course of tasting menu: Tellicherry Pepper & Garlic Soft Shell Crab - Indian Near Me - Mayfair, XGL

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Food 4.5/5.0 Service 3.5/5.0 Value 3.5/5.0 Decor 3.5/5.0 Overall 4.0/5.0 Great spot just off Berkeley Square. A bit pricey but food was excellent. Would definitely come back. read more

We had a fantastic meal of classic Indian dishes at Jamavar last night. The service was fantastic, the ambiance was chic, the cocktails were top notch - but most importantly, the food was fantastic. We had the chadni chowk starter and the chutneys were spot on, great flavor exactly on key. For mains we got the butter chicken and laal maas, on top of sides palak paneer and their house daal. The highlights were definitely the chadni chowk, daal and butter chicken. Pretty much everything was amazing! Highly recommend if you're in London and want PERFECTLY executed classic Indian with some twists. read more

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Service was awesome and the meal from start to finish was amazing including the drink & wine. Our top favorites were the milk pistachio cake, the morels dish, truffle kicchadi, and the paneer. Pulao & jamavar dhal were also cooked nicely. Can tell they use good ingredients and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. The restaurant is more upscale, so dress appropriately. read more

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A Cautionary Tale of Private Equity's Grip on London's Dining Scene To anyone considering dining here: reconsider. The moment you make a booking, they essentially capture you in their iron grip with a draconian policy that charges you £50 per person if you amend or cancel less than 48 hours before your reservation. Plans change, life happens -- but they don't care. It's purely a money-grab tactic, and a blatant sign that this restaurant is more interested in your wallet than your experience. When you do sit down, don't expect a flavor-packed, authentically Indian meal. This food has all the soul of a reheated microwave curry. Bland, unimaginative, and embarrassingly inauthentic, this is what happens when a restaurant is gutted by a Private Equity firm with no real interest in culinary heritage. Private equity has been quietly buying up so many of London's gems -- from restaurants to theatres to even veterinary offices -- and it shows. What once might have been a place brimming with culture and flavor is now a hollow shell focused solely on squeezing out profits. If you don't want to feed their profits to your own detriment, do yourself a favor and eat elsewhere. read more

For some fancy Indian in Mayfair, Jamavar delivers with a nice ambiance and great service. We sat upstairs, although they also have a bustling downstairs seating area. I personally prefer the upstairs as it feels less cramped. The food was delicious but boy was it spicy! The first couple of chicken dishes were so spicy and I wasn't sure if the butter chicken and dal were also spicy as my body was still on fire. Dessert was light and refreshing and a nice end to the meal. Kozhi Kempu chicken fillets, kashmiri chillies, ginger, buttermilk & mustard yogurt dip Tulsi Chicken Tikka sweet basil, pickled radish & yogurt Old Delhi Butter Chicken Suffolk corn-fed, char-grilled pulled chicken, fresh tomato & fenugreek Jamavar Dal (V) - 24 hour slow-cooked black lentils Kesar Mango Rasmalai wheat biscuit, mixed berries cream & chutney read more

Jamavar - Indian Near Me - Mayfair, XGL

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We came with such high hopes and left hungry and disappointed. If you know what good Indian food is then you should avoid this place. It's too bad that Michelin was duped by the high prices, expensive building, and posh location in downtown London -- the food leaves much to be desired. The menu is lovely but beware -- the portions are tiny and the flavors aren't fully developed. Appetizers seemed to do better for our group than main dishes -- they were beautifully presented and were widely enjoyed. The curries and main dishes all tasted the same and lacked depth. The naan was ok -- if not slightly over cooked. If you get off spending 300 pounds on dinner that you could get for 50 from your neighborhood Indian place then please come here. Otherwise, steer clear. read more

Jamavar deserves a Michelin star if they don't have one already. Exceptional, Indian cuisine at its best. Only issue is they added some charges that were not obvious. Especially for non locals. Other than that service was very good. Cramped seating, but seems like normal in most London restaurants. read more

To begin, I'd like to say I have never been a fan of Indian food. I absolutely love spices & love to eat spicy foods, however I was never sold on Indian food. Then I came to Jamavar. From first sip (royal blush) to first bite (kid goat shami kebab) I was instantly a fan. The service was impeccable. From the host, to the manager, to the waitstaff everyone was extremely attentive and helpful. Once seated, I was handed a cocktail menu to which I had the royal blush. A lovely lychee cocktail that is one of the best I have had, and I have had a good hand full of lychee cocktails. I was handed two menus, one for a tasting menu/ early bird or an a la carte. Both had great options, and the tasting menu seemed to be a solid choice however, I wanted to try things a la carte but still wanted my variety. I ordered a couple from the small plates, something from the tandoor, and a main with a side. Was it too much food for one individual? Very likely, but I wanted a taste of them all. To start I had the -Lobster Idli Sambhar which was highly recommended. This was quite tasteful and very interesting. The vegetable stew was creamy and delicious, the peppered lobster had a nice kick and the lentil cakes were soft and delightful. The next dish, hands down being one of my favorites was the -Kid goat Shami kebab. The goat kebab itself topped with the mint chutney was wonderful but what stole the show was the bone marrow sauce- I asked them to keep this on the table. It was phenomenal. From the tandoor list I ordered one item but asked them to specify to put one piece since I was one person. I went with another signature dish -Malai Stone Bass Tikka, the bass melted in your mouth just as you would hope with its crispy skin and an amazing avocado & mint chutney. Highly recommend this. The manager said from the main course a must try was the -Old Delhi Butter Chicken, so I took his advice and had this. Soft chicken, cooked to perfection with this hearty tomato and fenugreek based sauce. I accompanied this with the -Jeera Aloo side which is potato spiced with cumin and it was such a perfect combination. Absolutely loved these two. As another cocktail I had the devils caiproska and if you love passion fruit as I do you will definitely enjoy this as a refresher with all the spices you're having in your meal. They also give you a few chutney options and some crisps to start if you'd like while you wait for your meal. A much enjoyable alternative to bread and butter if you ask me. The manager not only was attentive but he came and gave me a history of some of the foods I had ordered. All in all, this is a must try in London and in a beautiful location as well. Highly recommend and hope to be back soon! read more

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The service was excellent, but the food was uninspiring and very disappointing when compared to some of the amazing Indian restaurants in London- overall overpriced and not worth the price. It was fine just not dazzling. read more

We had tickets to a show at the West End so wanted to have a fancy dinner out. We made reservations and as soon as we arrived we were seated. They were attentive throughout dinner and very polite. The restaurant was elegantly decorated, a nice date place. So to the important part, the food. I ordered the Old Delhi Butter Chicken and my husband ordered the biryani. We also had mixed breads for the table. For drinks, I got the lassi and my husband got the Spring Garden. The presentation was beautiful. The lassi had a small flower floating in it. It cut through the spice nicely. The Spring Garden was a refreshing fruit drink. I really enjoyed the butter chicken. The sauce was great over rice or on the naan. The biryani came covered by a pastry cap that they cut off revealing a steamy bowl of well seasoned rice and meat. It was all very good but at twice the cost of average Indian food. However, average Indian food is still pretty good at arguably a better value. So ultimately, this is a special occasion place. read more

Incredible food, ambiance, and service! We asked our waiter to use his discretion with our order/bring out a few of the top dishes and everything he selected was so incredible! Excited to come back! read more

One of the best Indian meals of my life. The Dehli butter chicken was amazing, the Saag Paneer was transcendent and alive with fresh spinach flavor, and the tandoori prawns were beyond fresh, with a perfect seasoning and just a kiss of char from the Tandoor. I would not order the lobster or the kid mains again, but that's just my taste. I will absolutely return. read more

The food was good. Everything is very well seasoned and done. It was great that they have a separate no onion and garlic menu. +100. Service was slow. We got our first course within a matter of minutes but the 2nd course came 45 mins after I was done with the first course. I packed up my food to go but they left out one of my curries... They didn't pack my Gucchi curry with morels to go but got everything else. Pretty bummed because food here ain't cheap. I was really looking forward to eating it with the rice. read more

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Amazing Indian food, great service, fantastic drinks! Probably the best briani I had! Totally recommend. read more

Solid choice for quality Indian food. Expensive. Not worthy of a Michelin floret. I had the tasting menu with wine pairings. They switched back and forth between red and white during the evening - that was a first for me and not a good idea by them. The wines were pedestrian for 70 pounds for the pairing. Another 90 for the tasting menu. Again - food was well prepared and delicious. The space and overall experience should be evaluated by Michelin - their score needs a bit of updating. Naan was a bit stale - that surprised me the most. read more

Jamavar - Softshell crab - not bad.... But it should be really good at that price point. - Indian Near Me - Mayfair, XGL

Fine Indian dining in London.. highly recommended.. the apetizers were good, lamb felt a bit like it was pressure cooked and then put in the masala ( I could be wrong) The upstairs seating is much better as when i went downstairs to the restroom felt it was a totally different atmosphere and not the same Jamavar i have been here few times. Prices are good and great place to spend a Friday night in London! Bill turned out 222 pounds ($275) for 3. read more

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Top notch Indian food in London that will not disappoint. Service is impeccable. Only thing is the music is a bit dance club like for dinner. Otherwise, will return another time. read more

Not sure how they earned and maintain a Michelin star. We went there with high expectations, and had the tasting menu. Overall, the first several courses were amazing. They were absolutely perfect - though the lamb chops could have done with a little more spice. The last course of Butter chicken, daal makhani and saag paneer, with an assortment of naans were a bit of a disappointment. They were on the blander side, and the naans were cold and rubbery - not something one would expect in a tasting menu. The desserts were good, but not great. So, food good, but not 1-star worthy. Presentation - non-existent! At most 2 of the courses were 'pretty', but the rest of them were quite unimpressively laid out - again, not 1-star worthy. Service - this is where this restaurant completely lost us. We arrived on time, and despite making the reservation months ago, were given a small table right at the back of the restaurant next to the billing station. it was crammed and lacked any privacy. Service was unattentive, and we literally had to keep asking them for it. After the 1st course arrived, we still hadn't gotten our drinks. Upon reminding them of that, the waiter returned to our table and had to retake our drinks order. Ever heard of that in a Michelin starred restaurant??? They had been informed that I was allergic to shellfish - and so brought me a substitute for my 1st course. However, that simple fact was forgotten in the 2nd course serving. Luckily I asked - otherwise, I would have been in serious trouble. Bottomline is that this is by far the worst service we've ever had a restaurant of this caliber. I wouldn't be surprised if they aren't able to retain it next go round. read more

Delicious Indian experience in London! We had an amazing dinner with wine and the works! See pictures!! read more

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I been to this Reasturant on new year the food was so good and o had some drinks at downs the bar man Mr Tony he made amazing cocktails I loved there food and especially drinks. read more

Jamavar - The food was amazing. The Christmas and new year festival seasons amazing.there decorations. The bar man Tony amazing person nice . - Indian Near Me - Mayfair, XGL

Still scratching our heads as to how this restaurant has a Michelin star. Most of the food was very good, but then there were several things that were lacking - that you never encounter in a restaurant of such rating. The first thing we noticed as we entered was that all the brown people were seated towards the back of the restaurant...... many of the "brown people" were from the US - today's big spenders, but I figure these guys never got the message. Service was absolutely lousy. We had to constantly call out to the staff for service. Our drinks required a reminder and arrived after our first course. I'm allergic to shellfish, and one of the courses they apparently forgot that..... a BIG no-no in my books - especially when I am extremely allergic to shellfish. The first several courses of the tasting menu (we seemed to be the only people there doing the tasting menu) were amazing! However, the courses towards the end were just so-so. The butter chicken was a bit strange, the accompaniments - daal makhani and saag paneer were just about OK. The naans not great - in fact not even good - they were on the harder side and barely warm. The desserts while good, were just OK - and poorly presented. In fact all the dishes were presented rather poorly - with may be 1 of them being photo worthy. SO, overall, lousy service. Not-so-good presentation of the dishes. Most food items were excellent - though lacking towards the end - so inconsistent quality. Given that ratings are generally based on the tasting menu, I won't be surprised if these guys lose their 1 star rating in the near future. read more

Bottom Line: THIS PLACE IS DELICIOUS, but definitely come prepared to spend some coin! Definitely more modern/upscale take. Food: LOVED it. I didn't really know what to expect being that it was my first time in London. I'm glad I stumbled upon this place. It's good, definitely upscale. They know what they're doing with their flavors. Get rice to share between 1-2 people. FYI they have a menu that is for individuals and the. One that is based on full course meals, so be sure to tell them what you're looking for. Service: No complaints. I sat outside and was fine with a lovely glass of wine (tad pricey so I only got one glass) Atmosphere: Honestly I have no idea what the inside is like because I sat outside the whole time. Woops! (Hey, it was nice outside!) FYI- there definitely is limited seated outside and it isn't for large groups. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience and thought it was worth every pound... almost said penny ;) read more

Upscale neighborhood restaurant in posh Mayfair, great food. Choose seating upstairs if you have option, downstairs feels claustrophobic and the service buzz back and forth is dizzying. Foot is delicious and spice level perfect. Vegetable bryani is terrific, chicken tikka was devoured by the kids in minutes, kilfu ice cream was light and palate cleansing. Will return. read more

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We seem to be in the minority here but overall our party of 6 found Jamavar very underwhelming. Ambiance is just okay. We sat downstairs and it was a bit claustrophic without windows of any kind. Service is very friendly but be careful of the upsell. They suggest ordering far more than you need to. Food is super spicy and really just average: *Samosas were good but spicy. So spicy we could barely taste anything after a few bites. *Halim was good per another member of our party (I didn't try it). *Aloo gobi was super spicy. *Daal tadka was good. *Dum biryani was NOT worth the ridiculous price tag, and our waiter suggested two for our party of 6. We didn't even finish one because it was so super spicy!! *Bhindi was greasy. *Papadums were good but FYI they aren't complimentary and once again they brought out two portions (we didn't even finish one). We ordered a few other things I can't recall but honestly nothing was very good. Prices are really high. We left spiced out and unimpressed. We wouldn't return. read more

We were travelling to London from NYC and got food poisoning. We called them to cancel our reservation and asked to waive the fee as a courtesy since we were there only for 3-4 days so there was no way for us to reschedule, the lady on the phone said she needs to confirm with the manager but as its health related they should be able to do a courtesy. They charged us anyway and when we disputed with our card, they counter disputed claiming their policy. This is the worst greediest experience I've seen at any restaurant. They are sending me emails, claiming their money with no empathy or understanding of a health situation. We live in NYC and have been to many Michelin star restaurants and never experienced this in London or NYC or anywhere. I have made a note to never go here again, London offers so many excellent Indian restaurants, stay away from this one. read more

When you walk into the restaurant it feels like a club with the music in the background, not necessarily a fan of loud music when I go out for dinner. But it's cozy restaurant with beautiful decor. The best way to describe the food was homemade taste with elevated style. We had the aloo tiki, shami kabob, vegetable biryani and lamp chop kebabs. It's Indian spicy, which was perfect and the food was delicious. The cocktails were refreshing, we had the royal blush and the ginger mango mule. The waitstaff was great, felt like they were attentive to us and other patrons. We were treated to a small birthday surprise of ras malai at the end. Just a great place for any special occasion or dinner date. Believe me you will not be disappointed. We were visiting from the US and I've only had desi food like this a handful of times in the Bay Area and Vancouver. read more

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Just finished my very first Michelin-starred Indian meal...everything was fantastic at Jamavar! Came at opening time on a Friday night...no problem getting a table. At the suggestion of my waiter, tried the early evening 3-course sampling meal. Food was fresh, interesting, delicious, and filling. Service was impeccable and extremely courteous. Simply an excellent restaurant. I shall return to try more dishes! read more

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Jamavar is on a ridiculously over the top street where super cars drop off a VIP every minute. The restaurant looks more like a western steak house than an Indian restaurant. There were zero Indian diners in the restaurant when we were there. Yet despite all this, still worth a visit. - Soft Shell Crab - Tasty, aren't all battered and fried things? - Lobster appetizer - Meh - Roti and garlic naan - Average - Jhinga Moilee - Very good and rich - Ghobi Mutter - Average - Butter Chicken - Heart attack in a bowl, but very good - Rhubarb Chuski Falooda - Weird texture, pass - Trio of Sorbets - Unique and delicious, exceptional The food is above average but not blow-my-socks-off-food-gasm-good (except that damn sorbet!) You can get better Indian for less at a lot of places, but you don't get the attentive and friendly service that you get at Jamavar. Yet another 1 star Michelin that is more about the service than the food, but worth a visit when in London. read more

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I was responsible of choosing an Indian cuisine restaurant for the 8 group,so it was suggested to by agood lady . I can say very good restaurant,all of our dishes were good choices. The waiter was very attentive , friendly and helpful. I love to come again to try the biriany . I read more

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Incredible food! Delicious drinks! Great service! We are from California - had high expectations of Indian food in London. This place exceeded our expectations in every way. read more

This review is long overdue. I went to Jamavar a few weeks ago having read about it last year. I'm very critical of Indian restaurants- particularly fine dining and I must say I rank Jamavar up there with my world favorites: Pukka in Toronto, Vijs in Vancouver, Masala Library in Mumbai, Indego by Vineet in Dubai, Babu Ji and Tamarind both in NYC. I've been through the entire gamut of Indian restaurants (from Amaya to Benares, Tamarind to Cinnamon Club) in London searching for the attention to detail Jamavar nails. Its just too brilliant for me to describe but here it goes. Service is impeccable. The cocktails are unique infused with ingredients indigenous to India. I ordered the lunch prix fix which provided more than enough food easing my fears that the plate would have one bite surrounded by garnish typical of some fancy restos. Not here. You dine like the Raj himself. The Pan Seared Achari Pork will melt in your mouth. The addition of the quail egg caught me off guard at first but it works! The Chicken Tikka here are what dreams are made of. These are done right. You can tell these have been marinated for at least 12 hours. I'd imagine maybe longer then placed in the tandoor. The result? Bursting with flavor on the outside and the softest centre you're ever going to find in a chicken tikka at a restaurant in London. I would come back here and order this alone (maybe 3 portions) and be in heaven. The Old Delhi Butter Chicken is not like your typical neighborhood curry joint. They mastered the balancing act with ingredients to perfect a butter chicken sauce that isn't overly sweet or spicy. My only gripe with the sauce was it's consistency- I would have preferred something thicker but hey, maybe thats how they roll in Delhi. I was met with the Jalebi Caviar for dessert. This isn't your standard jalebi. They actually create little balls resembling caviar out of jalebi and form what I can only call art on a plate with them. It all swims on top of this masala pistachio milk which I wish they also served as a drink because its just that good. Can't wait for my next trip to London and Jamavar! read more

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The food at this place was amazing! It's authentic and very dish was delicious! We ordered the Aloo Tikki, Kid Goat Kabab, Haleem and Sea Bass Tandoor for apps and were blown away by the flavor and depth. For mains we tried the Butter Chicken, Laal Maas, Yellow Dal and Palak Paneer. The chicken and paneer was outstanding but o didnt like the other two dishes as much, other people on the table seemed to enjoy it though. Why three stars you ask? Post our main course we asked for the dessert menu, the manager came up to our table and said very apologetically that they have a strict 2 hour limit and ours was up so they won't be able to serve us dessert as the other guests were waiting and they were fully booked. He mentioned that he had tried to delay as much as he could but now we had to pay and leave. He wasn't verbally rude about it but he came with the check in hand and kept it at our table. While I completely understand there being rules what I would have liked was him giving us a heads up on our time. We were visiting from Toronto and had no clue regarding the policy and our friends who made the booking forgot to mention it as well. If they knew we were running behind on time, they could have come up to us at least 20 mins prior and let us know that and said "Sorry, we do have a strict time policy so if you'd like to have dessert we recommend placing the order now.' That's it. That's all that needed to be said and we'd have eaten faster and I'd have been able to enjoy the dessert I'd been dreaming about since a month in Canada. I was extremely disappointed at the way that was handled as no other option was provided either, no bar seating to finish dessert, no patio seating, no takeaway, no alternate option at all. I only ask that if you have such rules you also make it your job to keep your guests informed during dinner as it's easy to get carried away enjoying your meal and not notice the time. It was just a bit shocking to be cut off mid meal and handed a check. read more

Really lovely Indian food, great cocktails and wine pairings and a solid spot overall. We had the tasting menu and wine pairing and really enjoyed our dinner. read more

We made a reservation for Jamavar months in advance. I asked the dress code and was told casual. When we arrived with our two teenaged boys, we were turned away at the door. The boys had on a button down collared shirt with khaki shorts. Apparently, casual didn't mean shorts no matter how nicely dressed they were. They then charged us $100 the next day for not making our reservation. We not only had to scramble for another dinner, but were charged for breaking our reservation. So disappointing. read more

Yes it's fine dining and it lives up to to the standard. Great food and ambiance, ok service, CTM was good as was the garlic naan and rich, butter chicken was fine, lamb chops were undercooked and a rip off for the price, would go again minus the chops. read more