An affordable and tasty Indian buffet! The weekend lunch buffet was $22, which is around the price you'd pay for a normal restaurant anyways, so this was a great deal to try many dishes. My favorite dishes were the chicken biryani, paneer tikka masala, and chicken tandoori. The paneer tikka masala was better than the chicken, and the sauce went perfectly with the hot garlic naan. The server came by frequently to refill our waters and naan. The food was also was all hot and fresh! The setting is very casual, I'd definitely come back for this buffet. read more

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I went for their lunch buffet and the price is amazing (18.99) but I think their flavors are a bit more mild than other restaurants and not as memorable. It's good if you want to try a lot of different things but I found nothing to be particularly mindblowing. However, since flavors are mild, I think it is also less spicy than a lot of places so it's more welcoming to those who can't handle space or very strong particular flavor. read more

Masala Bae - Pani Puri (VEGAN), Chicken Tikka Masala, Hyderabadi Dum Chicken Biryani - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

It's been ages since I've had a proper Indian buffet, so I decided to try this local spot and had a really good experience. The pricing is very reasonable--$18.99 on weekdays and $21.99 on weekends. The spread was decent with a nice variety. The appetizers were a highlight; both the samosas and kachoris were crisp and flavorful. I loved that they bring fresh garlic naan directly to your table instead of letting it sit out under a heat lamp. For drinks, the hot tea and mango lassi were both spot on. My only minor critique was the biryani, which tasted a little on the salty side. However, they made up for it with a solid dessert station featuring 2 to 4 options, including gulab jamun, custard, and bread pudding. Bonus points for plenty of free parking in the lot. Definitely a solid option if you're craving a buffet! read more

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They just started doing buffet and wow what a value. It was $20 for 2 naan, hot curries, tandoori chicken, lamb, chutneys, mango lassi, and gulab jamun. Very clean restaurant and friendly service. read more

Masala Bae - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

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Came here in a rainy night and it was packed. We were hungry and ordered so much food and the flavors of everything just hit the spot. The chicken tikka masala was not anything spectacular as I have had better elsewhere. But it definitely hit the spot. The samosa and the paneer were stars as each bite produced additional flavors which continued to build on each other. I could just eat these two dishes forever. We tried the dosa and the goat. The dosa was perfectly crispy when it was hot. I personally didn't enjoy eating it as leftovers the next day. But I couldn't stop eating it and dipping it in all the curries and sauces when it was piping hot. The goat surprised me as I'm not a huge fan of lamb or goat. But the flavor profile and the spices made this a dish that was more flavorful than our usual go to tikka masala. Will definitely come here again and again. read more

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We usually meet here for my bookclub as they have a nice private room available, unfortunately they don't usually have it ready even though we call in advance they always seem surprised to see us. They also split our check per individual which helps a lot too. There is a huge crack in the ceiling of this room though that I keep envisioning will give way one of these days and have that faux chandelier come crashing down on us. Service wise they are pretty slow with taking our orders and am pretty sure they hate us because we are loud? Also, coincidentally, every item we like and order seems to disappear off their newly printed monthly menus by the next time we go...the paneer burger, masala Mac n cheese and feta kulcha (which has disappeared but was luckily still made for us last week). We feel like we are slowly being pushed out. The food is fine but the dosa take ages to make. I had the dahu puri last time and wasn't impressed...they had a weird lining in the puris which I didnt love the taste of. I also didn't like the feta kulcha when I got it but a bunch of the other girls did. They also love the lassis. The gobi faash was pretty good but I'd suggest it as a shared dish since it's pretty oily. read more

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Pretty good Indian food! Personally, I never gravitate toward Indian food because it tends to be on the heavier side, but I enjoyed all of the dishes I tried here. I really liked the lamb, it was super tender. And I also enjoyed the flavor of the potato inside the samosas. read more

Masala Bae - Food - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

Finally had a very rare opportunity to go out and enjoy lunch since I had a Tuesday off (which felt illegal by the way), but what better way to take advantage of a random weekday off by going out and enjoying an Indian lunch buffet! I got a friend to tag along with me and when we arrived there was a bit of a wait. It was about less than 30 minutes so we walked around the shopping center to see what else was around. When I was getting my first serving I was initially pretty disappointed since a lot of what was left were the scraps. I was a little worried this would happen since we were showing up 1.5 hours before the lunch buffet ended. However, I later learned that they didn't realize it was a holiday and that they had only prepared lunch service as if it were a regular Tuesday. Once the restaurant began to empty out, the kitchen was finally able to catch up and restock a lot of the items about halfway through the meal. The food came out fresh and piping hot! Anyway, speaking of the food, once the fresh batches came out, everything was excellent. My friend and I particularly enjoyed the mutton! It was incredibly tender, the sauce had body to it, and was flavorful. It went perfectly with rice and naan. However, I personally would've liked maybe a pinch of salt to really highlight the flavors just a bit more, so maybe S&P at the tables would be nice. The other item we enjoyed that came out at the very end of the meal was Chicken Karahi (assuming the label was correct). If I wasn't so full I would've definitely loaded up on a few pieces! With every being so rich and heavy, I really wish they restocked the salad. I was lucky enough to get a few pieces of onion/tomatoes at the beginning, but they never restocked it after that. I just needed that fresh vegetal component to switch things up a bit. Also a lot of the dishes had tiny bits of bone mixed in. As someone who's bitten down on a bone fragment vertically in the past, it's incredibly painful. Not sure if it's practical for them to pour the sauce through a sieve, but that could be something to consider. Service was very friendly! Plates were picked up promptly and the gentleman at the register apologized for the slow lunch buffet service (as I previously mentioned). He offered me a discount for next time which was really nice of them. Can't wait to come back soon! read more

I recently dined at Masala Bae after a long gap -- my last visit was a few years ago and had only been delivery until now. This time we ate in, and overall it was a good experience. We ordered Chicken Tikka Masala, Bhel Puri, Mysore Masala Dosa, lemonade, and Mango Lassi. The portion sizes were very generous, which I appreciated (leftovers are always a plus). The Chicken Tikka Masala was creamy and well made, though there was a slight flavor -- possibly hing -- that I personally don't enjoy. Otherwise, it was solid. The Bhel Puri was perfect and tasted great. The Mysore Masala Dosa was a bit too spicy for me, so I'll try something else next time. The lemonade tasted just like Limca, and the Mango Lassi was decent. Customer service was excellent -- everyone was kind and welcoming. One heads-up: the food does take a while to be served, so plan accordingly. read more

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Taste and food was excellent. However food took a while 30-40 minutes to come out but worth the wait when the food was good. Utensils needed to be exchanges due to old food stuck but otherwise pretty clean. Seems authentic. No wait on weekend got seated right away. Def coming back for more Okra. read more

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THE WORST SERVICE. They are clearly not equipped to run a restaurant. The complete lack of common sense and speed of urgency is truly mind boggling. Expect to wait an additional 30-40 minutes when you arrive for your pick up order AFTER you were told 30-40 minutes to for pick up. Whether it's dine in during their lunch buffet, dinner or take out the service is ALWAYS terrible and slow. please learn from my many mistakes and do not subject yourself this place. read more

I've been here a variety of times, but more recently when I visit I make sure to order one dish...the Highway Karahi Chicken. It has quickly become one of my favorite dishes to order in the Tustin area. It starts with the dish's unique presentation, as the server brings it out in the karahi pot it was prepared in. The chicken is quite tender, coated in a spicy, tangy tomato sauce that's got quite a kick to it. One note, it does take some extra time to prepare, so if you know you're going to order it, be sure to inform the server when you get seated so you don't have to wait to long to enjoy it! From what I understand, they often serve it as one of the items as part of their buffet, so I recommend checking it out there if you want to give it a try irst. read more

Masala Bae - Highway Karahi Chicken - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

I don't eat Indian food that much but I really should! This buffet had all the classic dishes and even included drinks (the mango lassi was amazing), naan (served warm and toasty), and desserts. I especially liked all their paneer and chicken based dishes, but I unfortunately did not like any of the dessert options they had. Still a great experience, especially at this price point! read more

Masala Bae - plate 1 - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

I love their lunch buffet! For 18.99, it's a steal. They have a variety of dishes and dessert. The beverage station comes with mango lassi, and you get fresh naan for the table. The staff is friendly and helpful. They did an excellent job refilling out waters. The tables are clean and well maintained. The standout dishes for me are their samosas, chicken tikka masala, navratan korma, palak paneer, and malai kofta. Their gulab jamon and mango pudding are the best desserts. Great place for an affordable meal! read more

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Went here to take advantage of the final days of their cheaper buffet Some basic stuff like samosa/daal was not good, while their chicken tandoori tasted fine but was also nothing to write home about I tried mostly everything at the buffet and most things were ok, two were yummy. Not a stellar buffet, but they had good music (anjunadeep stuff) =============== Eh Daal is a bit bitter Pakora reminded me of the viet spicy deep fried fritter but not a spicy one Samosa not flakey , filling was kinda bland Custard with fruit not my fav The ball wasn't overly sweet, but also reminded me of soggy bread. Didn't stand out Yummy Mango lassi was yummy. Could taste the mango and the yogurt, not too sweet Garlic naan wasn't bad, not super doughy and good amount of garlic throughout. Crispy Chef special was tasty though I just know it's chicken in curry lol Okra curry dish was tasty Falooda (Fruit custard soup) was pretty good with the nuts and the hint of rose. Refreshing Veggie eggroll was better than pakora Overall, I've had better non-buffet Indian spots. Couldn't beat the $15 price though to load up on protein. read more

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We tried this place out with family again and the floors this time were not sticky. The tables were better positioned and less crowded. Unfortunately the food experience was similar. I tried the gol gappa, chicken samosa, beef biryani, malai chicken, beef nihari, channa chaat, chicken Tikka masala. Gol gappa - although they had the liquids, I couldn't find the stuffing to put in it. It was very plain. Chicken samosa - this was food. The crunch of the samosa with the filling inside dipped with green chutney was the right flavor. Beef biryani - when I saw this dish swinging by before the people started linning up, it looked super promising. But by the time it was my number in line, it was mostly yellow rice leftover. People must have pulled all the meat. Very disappointing. Beef nihari - this has little to no flavor that you would expect from this dish. Chicken Tikka masala - this was better and had a good taste. Channa - it was a mix of chaat and a cholay salan and failed to stick out on either. Malai chicken - it was okay. Overall the experience was better. Still getting fresh naan to the table. But food taste is still mediocre. The chai was also not right. Needed more milk. read more

I tried the chicken tikka masala here and wow... it was actually so good. The sauce was really tomatoey in the best way; super rich and flavorful. What impressed me most was the chicken; they use breast meat, but you honestly couldn't tell. It was cooked perfectly, super juicy, and not dry at all (which is rare for breast chicken). I also got the garlic parsley naan which is HIGHLY recommend. You get 4 pieces for $5, and it's totally worth it. The naan soaks up the tikka masala sauce so good, making every bite even better. Overall dish: solid 9/10. Service: 10/10. The staff checked on me twice to make sure I was good, brought me water refills without me even asking, and really respected my time. The ambiance is really nice too. They had ethnic instrumental music playing (non-lyrical), and it kind of reminded me of the build-up in Interbloom by RÜFÜS DU SOL--super chill vibes that made the meal even more enjoyable. Definitely coming back. Only thing is that the presentation didn't have cream on top of the sauce like the images showed so just be aware of that. read more

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Really yummy Indian food! Came for dinner. The place was empty but a lot of takeout business. The girl working there was so sweet. Some of the food was a little spicy for my young son and she noticed and brought him some mango lassi. Very thoughtful! read more

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Masala Bae is hands down one of my favorite Indian Buffet places in SoCal. We drive all the way to Tustin from LA, just for Masala Bae, several times a year. Great price, super food quality and a variety of spread for their buffet. Look at some pictures to know what I am talking about. There is always a few appetizers usually samosa and pakora, gobi manchurian, a couple of veggie curries, atleast 1-2 paneer dishes, tandoori chicken, a couple chicken curries, rice, biriyani, 1-2 desserts and raita. They always serve hot and fresh garlic naan on the table and it's sooo good! Oh and lets not forget the mango lassi and the masala chai!! Great service. Not too busy, easy to find a table without reservations. Ample parking spots and its all free. Casual ambience. Overall always worth the buck and a wonderful dining experience. Must visit!! read more

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Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Can't complement enough of this place. Our go to Indian food! Haven't find any better Indian restaurant anywhere else in OC. Never disappointed!! read more

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I've been wanting to come here forever and FINALLY got the chance to visit this past Veteran's Day. If you asked me how the experience went, let's just say my expectations were met, my stomach was satisfied, and we came back again to eat today! The customer service was good (very soft spoken but nice workers). Food was hot and fresh. I got to try so many new dishes and loved how we had mango lassi included with the lunch buffet. Tustin is a bit of a far drive for us but this place is worth the drive :) read more

We'd passed by this restaurant so many times with the intention to try it out for take out and finally made it in for lunch. They were offering their lunch buffet so decided to try it out. The restaurant was bustling with nearly all tables full, but we were able to be seated quickly upon arrival. The buffet included an incredible assortment of vegetable dishes, chicken and lamb. They brought out fresh naan to accompany the meal. They also had delicious mango lassi and chai to go along with everything (haven't seen this offered at another indian buffet, so it was a nice surprise!) Everything was delicious and the staff was friendly and attentive. It's a family run business so will happily support this restaurant with delicious offerings! read more

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Still enjoyed eating at this place! Everything tastes so good! The garlic naan chili is so soft and delicious. The tikka masala was perfect with delicious pieces with no fat. The biryani was amazing and I loved that it was spicy and had potato in it. The mango lassi is always a favorite here. Everything was delicious and it was not too badly priced. Loved that the parking was easy in this plaza and they had two restrooms. read more

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Very affordable lunch Indian buffet with good quality of food. The parking lot is large. We found a parking without any issues. We came on a Sunday around 1pm, we got seated immediately. The restaurant looks clean, which is important. Staff was attentive. I liked that there is a drinks station. Come on! Can you can fill mango lassi? You can't find it easily at Indian buffet restaurants. All the curry was decent. I liked the egg rolls and the fried veggie which you don't usually see at Indian restaurants either. I will come back when I'm in the area again. read more

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This place never disappoints. I look forward to every visit here. There tandoor chicken has so much flavor I left nothing behind on this dish. I consider myself a harsh critic but they get 5 stars for sure. read more

Easily my favorite Indian restaurant. Lunch time is buffet style and every dish was good, especially their Malai Karahi Chicken dish omg so juicy flavorful and tender!! I was a chicken tikka masala girl only so i love how i get to try a variety of indian food this time. Super clean place. Friendly staff and good service. Recommend! read more

Masala Bae - Lunch Buffet. Malai Karahi Chicken was especially my favorite!! - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

Apparently I'm a regular now after my second check-in... I managed to get a picture of the buffet set-up today. I like how they change up the dishes that are offered, I just wish they labeled everything more clearly (mainly so I can recall the names of them). The garlic naan was so crispy and hot, but soft on the inside!! Of course the mango lassi was perfect. I tried the mint chutney with the chicken biryani and mixed vegetable pakora - delicious. The shahi paneer was delectable and paired perfectly with the naan and tamarind rice. I thought the spinach dal was slightly too bitter for my taste, but it wasn't bad. The large chicken pieces in the tikka masala can be a bit dry, but I just tried to get the smaller pieces that were more tender/juicy. Service was great as per usual, and the restaurant was very clean and nicely decorated. This time they had Batman playing! read more

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A well-deserved five stars - everything from the service, the variety of offerings, to the taste of the dishes exceeded expectations. I came for the lunch buffet, and started off with some thick, creamy mango lassi. For food, the staff mentioned the dishes change everyday, but the day we came, there were mixed veggies samoas and pakora for starters, three rice dishes (chicken biryani with large chunks of chicken, basmati rice, and a yellow rice), about 4-5 different veggie curries (mushroom masala, daal dish, veg korma, paneer curry), about 4 chicken dishes (chicken Tikka, chili chicken, etc.) and a goat curry. For sauces, they had mint chutney, tamarind and raita. They also served fresh grilled garlic naan (with refills). They had three dessert options and my favorite was the fruit custard. My favorite were the curries (especially the Tikka masala), which were hearty and flavorful, just like curries should be. The servers were friendly, prompt and helpful. Not only is this the best tasting Indian food I've had in OC, it's the best value at $18.99 for lunch (as of Feb 2025). I'm excited to come back to try diff dishes, and will recommend to any of our curry loving friends! read more

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We recently stopped by after a trip to Discovery Cube and I'm so glad wet did. We started by ordering 2 appetizers, we asked for recommendations and the server nailed it! We also ordered a lamb plate, lamb tikka masala, chicken... we requested everything extra spicy. The spice did not disappoint. I like that they had a kids menu because my favorite place doesn't and our kids are always with us. The restaurant is clean and welcoming. read more

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You truly cannot beat the price for the quality and amount of food. What sold me was the huge container of mango lassi that I could go at for quite some time if my stomach would have allowed me. My only gripe is some of the mismatch of reusable dining wear with disposable, but whatever it takes keeps the buffet prices down. read more

First time guest with an incredible experience. Service: 100/100 The host was incredibly sweet. Food: 100/100 Chicken Tikka Masala, Garlic Naan, traditional Naan, and mango lassi. Incredible taste. Highly recommended! read more

Really enjoyed the lunch buffet at Masala Bae OC--it's a great way to try a little bit of everything without sacrificing quality. The tikka masala was flavorful and comforting, and the vegetable pakora had a great crunch. The karahi chicken and tamarind rice were both delicious, and I especially liked the palak paneer for its creamy texture. Everything tasted fresh, and they were on top of refilling dishes, so nothing felt like it had been sitting out too long. Service was nice and welcoming, and the overall atmosphere is casual and relaxed. I'd definitely come back for another buffet run. read more

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We came here for the Iftar buffet on the last day of Ramadan. The prices were reasonable, they had plenty of food and kept refilling. Included in this Buffett, fresh garlic nan and water delivered to the table. My favorites were the chicken samosa and the tandoori chicken. There is a clear Halal sign visible from outside. The staff members were attentive, friendly and maintained the place clean. read more

This was recommended to us by a friend. Service was ok, it was a little delayed in getting seated and to order but that could be because they were short on staff or kitchen. We ordered chicken masala and buttered chicken. Both dishes came with rice. The masala had a good kick to it but both dishes were dry even with the curry and flavors. read more

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Was super excited to eat at Masala Bae. My friend had been hyping the lunch buffet for so long and we would always talk about coming to eat here on a Saturday morning. Well today was finally the day and it really didn't disappoint. We showed up pretty much as soon as it opened and only had to wait about five minutes before we could start getting food from the buffet. It was all so delicious! The standouts for me were the paneer and the chili chicken. I felt like these two dishes complemented each other incredibly well. I am not much of a dessert guy but I also tried the different desserts they had and I enjoyed them very much. Especially the custard with the fruits. The waitstaff were all amazing as well. Super welcoming and friendly, they made us feel right at home. It was nice and cold inside which was also great because of the heat outside. Would love to come back and eat here again. read more

Came here for lunch $40 for two, come early, this place seems to be busy during lunch time. The mango Lassi is included with the buffet as well, and they come out with Naan Bread it seemed unlimited. Food was very favorable and very worth the price! Staff were super nice and friendly. Parking is easy, huge lot. read more

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Everything we had/experienced here was great! I ordered the masala dosa and my partner ordered lamb korma. Both were amazing. We also split a plate of roti and Dahi puri. Everything was great, my favorite was the dahi puri, I could eat a whole batch of those. Service was excellent. Our waiter was extremely nice and helpful with our questions. All of our food came out in a decent time. The place itself is very nice. Not formal but kind of fancy. They have some nice music playing, but you can still hear your conversations. I honestly haven't had much Indian food, but I definitely will be back to try more of it! read more

Masala Bae - Dahi Puri - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

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There are two great Indian food lunch buffets in Tustin. This place is not one of them if you ask me. The problem with fawning Yelp reviews is they create an expectation that many places have a hard time living up to. So, what are my gripes? * Naan was not to be seen before I finished my plate. The guy working the counter discounted my check without me having to say anything, but the damage was done. * Apparently, iced tea is not offered. I was never asked about a beverage to wash down the food. The guy working the counter delivered a cup of water to my table and others, but I was mostly done with my food at that point. * The food was so so in my opinion. I wished I made a different choice for lunch today. I couldn't wait to settle my check and leave. read more

Masala Bae - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

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Masala Bae hands down has the best Indian Lunch Buffet! Everything on the buffet had rich flavors and tasted so fresh! The buffet has numerous classic dishes as well as tasty things I've never had before. My favorite item this go around was the smoked chili chicken. The sauce is a flavor burst and the boneless chicken is cooked to perfection in the clay oven. Speaking of the clay oven, the garlic naan baby. Got to have it and they'll give it to you. Like a lot of it. The staff are super friendly and have no problem obliging you with so much naan. And don't skip on the Mango Lassi that's included with the buffet! Thank you Masala Bae! read more

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Came in during the wind storm. Was wearing my work clothes, was very grateful they treated me with dignity. Fantastic service. The restaurant is a great location for lunch. I loved the music they had playing it had a fun energy. The buffet was very tasty. I really enjoyed their butter chicken and palak paneer. Their nan was also on point. Definitely recommend stopping by for lunch. read more

Masala Bae - Super yummy! - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California