I have come here 3 times for the buffet and I'm obsessed. They have a good amount of vegetarian options. Even though it is buffet style, the food is still so fresh. I wish I had a bigger appetite because it's delicious!! Im writing this review because I have been craving this place and I was just thinking that I should write about how good it is! The service is also great. Everyone here has been kind the 3 times I have gone. I highly recommend this place! read more

Bring your bae to Masala Bae in Tustin to enjoy some great Indian and Pakistani cuisine. Masala Bae has a number of biryani dishes in a variety of regional versions. Biryani is a rice dish consisting of layers of basmati rice, spices, and meat or vegetables. Karachi Biryani: A biryani's spice blend (masala) can signify where it is from. The Karachi version from the Sindh province of Pakistan includes cardamom, cumin, turmeric, cloves, black pepper, bay leaves, garlic, and ginger. You can choose meat (chicken, goat, or lamb) either boneless or with the bone in. The bones provide more flavor. The meat and masala coat the potatoes and most of the basmati rice. Chicken 65: Chicken 65 is deep-fried chicken marinated in tomatoes, curry leaves, red chili peppers, and other spices. The crispy and tender boneless morsels are garnished with onions and lemon wedges. There is a bit of a mystery surrounding the number 65. Some say it was the year (1965) when the dish was conceived. Others claim that it contained 65 chili peppers. Then the theories really go off the rails, such as 65-day-old chickens or 65 pieces of chicken. read more

Masala Bae - Chicken 65 - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

See all

This place was delicious! The vegan options are off the chart, the food quality was amazing, portion was good for the price. Staff was attentive and friendly. Will definitely be coming back! They get busy so be aware of that! read more

Masala Bae - Aloo Gobi Adraki - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

I came in for a buffet. When you walk in, you are greeted with attentive service. One of the main reasons I come in is for the appetizers. Unfortunately, we waited half an hour before the appetizers were refilled. It also took a while for our naans to be served, so unfortunately our food got cold before we were able to enjoy it with naan or eat appetizers. I have come in before and this was not the case in the past. One thing I really appreciate about Masala Bae is their lassi drinks. I had never had a raspberry lassi before coming in here and theirs is so good. This time around, they had mango and it was just as enjoyable. When the appetizers did come, they were really delicious. Their pakoras, samosas, and spring rolls are so crisp, warm, and satisfying, especially in cold weather. The best item they prepare here is the butter chicken. Overall, the buffet is really worth it and tasty. I just got unlucky this time around with the service but I know it's not the norm. read more

See all

$21.99 for a Buffet is a great price I thought for all your can eat Indian Food. Service was great! Servers would come by and check if we needed more water or Naan regularly. The food could've been a bit hotter but the taste was great. They do replenish it often. Chicken samosas and Mango Lassi are the best! Dessert bar was also great! Their fruit salad was delicious not too sweet it was perfect! Ambiance is interesting... definitely would benefit to undergo some serious renovations since it is outdated with mismatched tables and the buffet line being near the bathroom which to me is not the best place to have it. read more

Are you kidding me? I've lived in Irvine for 3 years and never saw or tried this place until now!? I've been craving local Indian food, and so glad that Masala Bae popped up in my search. It wasn't hard to choose from between the photos and rave reviews, which is well deserved. I wish I could convey how delicious this food was.... Tasted homemade and the seasonings were delicious and aromatic. My first bite I did a happy dance because wow! The amount of food and meat I received made me that much happier. The lamb was cooked so well it was falling apart almost. The tikka masala sauce was to die for. It was my first time trying feta naan and I dont think I can ever go back... the service was so amazing, proper and kind. I hadnt seen the lamb tikka masala on their menu and when I asked they said theyd be happy to make it for me. The restaurant looked nice and clean. They had great music playing and it was nice to see people in there with family or friends enjoying a meal together. read more

Masala Bae - Lamb Tikka Masala/ Feta naan - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

Busy Sunday Lunch. Packed House. As in, there was a line that snaked around and pushed people so.close.together it felt kind of gross. A few, very hardworking, very kind, over-worked staff. Empty mango lassi bin Empty tandoori chicken bin Empty water cup Decent Taste Good Service High Rents? Tough Margins? Mismanagement? Who knows. Not enough staff to support operations? That much is clear. Two stars. I'm going back to India Gate. Stay tuned for next episode. read more

First of all, all of staff is really nice and accommodating over the phone when making plans and asking questions. We came here on Eid for the buffet and were very happy with the food (lots of variety w meat fish paneer daal biryani and everything was delicious). Naan was fresh and perfect. The service was excellent as well. The place was packed and people were waiting but they kept our table ready for us because we made a reservation for 20 people. The mango lassi and chai were great as well! We will def be back! read more

First time trying Indian food was here and I've been back once a week ever since! I love the shrimp curry personally and my bf loves the butter chicken or the chicken tiki masala(this one's his fav)! I wish there was a shrimp tiki masala cause the sauce is perfect, And I always eat his!! The cilantro garlic naan is the BEST and you should definitely get one of your own cause it's too good to share ! We also tried the Mango Lassi today and my baby girl and fiancé love it so much they're fighting over it. Kavian I think is her name, Is super nice to my baby, Always helps us out and is super sweet. My favorite Indian food with the best atmosphere! Can't wait to come back and try their new buffet they have ;D read more

See all

Went on weekday from coming from airport . The food is great and service was quick. Ambience is decent nothing much exceptional. Must try the kofta and Samosa they were delicious. read more

Good food and very friendly staffs. Pricing is awesome and also have early discount.

The service wasn't too good and the price for dinner isn't that good. Wait staff don't check up on you, and the food took about an hour to deliver. Expect water to not be re-filled. The food is good but I haven't paid this much for Indian food before. The music is like being at an LA club so it kind of confuses you. The food is the only redeeming factor read more

I've been meaning to come try Masala Bae for a while, and now, it is DEFINITELY a spot I will be frequenting! Everything from the food to service is excellent. I also noticed everything was very clean and they are halal! This is definitely one of my new favorite spots in OC. When I came on a weekday during lunch rush the place was quite busy. However, I was seated promptly after 15 min, just as they had told me. I noticed the busyness died down more after 1 PM, so you can come later if you prefer. The wait was not bad at all though and definitely worth it!! THE FOOD WAS SCRUMPTIOUS. Everything is fresh and they actually have a wide variety of dishes. I highly recommend the Chicken 65 and Paneer Do Pyaza! So flavorful and delicious. Their garlic naan pairs so well with everything and was so steamy and soft. I loved their pineapple lassi, as well! The staff here were so so attentive and always trying to make sure you were having a good experience. They were so kind and made everything so pleasant. Overall, I highly recommend coming here. You will not be disappointed. read more

See all

The food here is great - lots of no mod vegan options but was very sad to see they took their tofu dish off the menu that all the vegans have been raving about on here. The staff said "none ordered it" :( The staff were not great. A bit rude, curt and very slow. I have been here twice traveling over 30mins each way to try to get that tofu dish - now that they took it off menu I'll be moving my business to another Indian restaurant closer to me. read more

Gotta say their holiday buffet pricing at $17.99 is a great deal. If you know when to stop at a buffet. If you're like me, good luck. I was way too taken in by all the selection they had. Curries, samosas, even salad. They bring naan to the tables too and are pretty quick on the refill when you finish a basket. They had dessert and mango lassi too. All in all a solid selection to choose from, so much that I was KO'd completely after 1.5 plates. For me, this can really only ever be something I can let myself enjoy once every long long while. We were pretty far down the list when we arrived also but it barely took any time for them to seat us. Super efficient! read more

Masala Bae - Selection from the buffet - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

This is a great place to get Indian food. We arrived when they first opened, and slowly they got busier. The servers were kind but it took a little bit to get our food. We ordered samosa, which were 10/10, tandoori fish my favorite that we ordered, butter chicken and tikka chicken masala. Unfortunately, I didn't love those two dishes, and the chicken was under cooked. If you are going in stick to the vegetarian dishes because they were full of flavor. If you enjoy spicy food make sure to ask for it because the dishes were not that spicy. read more

See all

Very non descript place in a shopping center. Only had soft drinks in a refrigerator. But the buffet was excellent. Probably 15 different items plus desserts. Every one of the hot items was very tasty. The fruit custard and the mango drink were very good. They brought hot naan to the table. Came to $41 for 2 lunch buffets, which nowadays is the price of 2 sandwiches. If they had fountain drinks and a little atmosphere it would be a 5. read more

I just love masala bae.. Their service is immaculate.. you are immediately served water and it gets refilled as soon as your glass starts getting empty without being told... the host keeps checking if everything is ok.. and the food is made fresh.. it's one of the most authentic Hyderabadi restaurant.. their dosas are one of the best I have had....i love their filter coffee.. my husband wanted to have shrimps masala but requested the coconut flavor to be underwhelming.. and it was served perfectly.. I mean this is my goto joint to enjoy desi food.. my daughter loves their butter chicken.. read more

See all

I stopped by Masala Bae with a small group of friends. We ordered several dishes here to see how the fared to some of our other favorite places in the OC/LA area. All the food served here is HALAL. Malai Chicken Tikka - $18 - This consisted of boneless barbecued chicken in an Indian cheese dip sauce with cilantro and cardamom. While the chicken was tender I found that it had an overpowering smoke flavor that is common in South Indian dishes. It was also several dollars more than Bundoo Khan's version and didn't taste as good. Chicken 65 - $13 - This dish consisted of fried boneless chicken in a tomato and curry leaves sauce. Unfortunately the chicken wasn't as crispy as it should have been. Curry Leaf Chicken - $14 - This dish consisted of roasted chicken and curry leaf masala with spices. I didn't care for the spices or taste of this dish, and it was overpowered by a smoky flavor. Chicken Tikka Masala - $17 - Originally I wanted to order the butter chicken as that was made with chicken leg. But the server insisted on the chicken tikka masala. Unfortunately the chicken was not tender and was dry. The taste was just average for this dish. Tandoori Fish - $18 - This dish consisted of pieces of swai fish marinated in a yoghurt sauce and smoked in a clay oven. This was probably my favorite of all the dishes that I tried. Naan - $3 - The naan was ok, and a bit pricier compared to Bundoo Khan. Overall the menu here has a lot of choices. The spices used here are mostly of the South Indian variety. Pricing is on the high side compared to other Indian/Pakistani restaurants. The quality of the dishes here are just average in terms of taste. read more

See all

This spot in my opinion is the best local Indian food in the OC. They take forever to make their dishes. But when they are done, Oh my samosa it's amazing. Their chicken tandoori is on point. Perfectly made. Dry yet juicy. The onions have that raw perfection no soupy madness. The Chana masala is so stewy it's super comfort. And boy they make it spicy. So if you don't like spicy. Kick back on that. The naans are very good and huge portion. And the rice dishes are fantastic. I always get food to go. But I'd love to sit down at this large hole in the shopping center. And really enjoy a meal. read more

the best indian buffet i've ever tried! they not only offer such fresh dishes but also serve unlimited garlic naan, chai tea and lassi the best deal is on tue-thurs when it's $18.99/pp which is more than worth it for the amount of food and quality of food ~Food~ i haven't had a dish i didn't like there. my particular favorite is the fish curry and butter chicken. they also offer salads, sauces, drinks and desserts ~Service: friendly and attentive ~Cost: $ so worth it ~Parking: plenty of free parking outside restaurant read more

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

@masalabaeoc is such a gem! It's not been easy finding nice affordable food in the area so we really love this. They offer a lunch buffet for just $20 (after tax)! The curries were delicious! The meats were all tender and the fried items were crispy. They had three choices of rice that day and there's unlimited naan too! And the unlimited mango lassi was the best thing ever. I was so busy eating I only took a video of the first plate I took! I had 4 plates that day! read more

The saag paneer! Unlike other places whose saag is dark green on the edge of brown, Masala Bea's was super fresh and vibrant green! Oh and obviously delicious. This is my third time ordering delivery from them and all three times the food was perfect. Even when my grub hub delivery person left the food on the ground in the rain and didn't ring/text/call so it was out there doe at least ten min. read more

I drove an hour from downtown LA to take my mom here for Mother's Day, at her request. We arrived at 2:10pm and I was told that the waitlist was closed even though the buffet ends at 3pm according to the Instagram flyer. I saw empty tables while I was there so I honestly wasn't sure how the waitlist was closed. I will not be returning here to try the food based on the service. read more

Yes, this place is a few dollars more expensive than other Indian buffet restaurants in town, but they use better ingredients that you can actually taste. It's worth the extra a few dollars. Their menu differs slightly from one day to another. So it's a great excuse to try them often. read more

Masala Bae is your average Indian restaurant in OC. The first thing you notice is that the dining room is the condition. It's not nice enough to call it distressed but not bad enough to call it shabby. The ambiance is so so. It's not a nice date place. But it's good for a random night of Indian food out. The service is decent. They have a few people working and they are decently prompt when you need something. The food though is good. They definitely do South Indian better than North Indian food. But everything is good. I would go there any day as my default don't know what to eat place. read more

First time here. Very good authentic Indian food. Best crunchy naan bread, chicken tikka masala was perfect and chicken was moist, even white rice was cooked perfectly. We ordered some appetizers that was so good we ordered more ... but forgot the name. read more

I came here two sundays ago with a couple of friends to try their lunch buffet. Overall the buffet was good. The majority of it was vegetarian with a couple of chicken dishes. I would come back to try their regular menu items since I enjoyed the quality of their buffet food. The price for the adult buffet is $20 and some change. I'm not sure if they offer children prices. The buffet was clean and maintained. And staff were proactive taking away places, offering naan bread and wiping off tables. I will return and recommend. read more

Went for Iftar buffet. I had high expectations after lots of positive review in social media. The food was awesome. Chicken tandoori, biryani, Chicken 65, daal every thing was awesome. The dessert custard and falouda was top of the world. Also don't forget the unlimited Mango Lassi and tea. The ambiance was nice. They also managed to refill quickly as it was packed with people . The service was quick and attentive. One of the best Indian foods I had. For $25 AYCE buffet during Ramadan it's totally worthy. read more

The tastiest Indian spot in the area!! The curries we got were both very tasty and spicy. The waitress was able to customize our spice level to make it a bit spicier to suit our needs, which we really appreciated. The curries also tasted very authentic. The only gripe we had about this place was that service is lacking and the food takes a long time to come out (we went here for dinner on a Saturday). There was no line, so not sure what was taking so long! Will have to come back and try their buffet sometime. read more

Masala Bae - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

This place is great! I normally go to India gate nearby but decided to give this place a try. What sets them apart is the unlimited mango lassi and edm music! Service was a little slow given there were only 2 people covering the floor, but I didn't mind, we have to get our own food anyway. read more

Masala Bae - Lunch buffet - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

So glad to find this Indian spot in OC! The staff is very welcoming here. We had the Gobi Faash and Chicken Tiki Masala. The gobi faash is a curried cauliflower served with creamy mouse and raw onions. It was salty and spicy and absolutely delicious! The Chicken Tiki Masala was one of the best I've had. The portion was big, can't wait to come back next time to try more dishes! read more

The mutton dum biryani is to die for ... literally!!! Super awesome and very generous portion. It's not too over spiced, just perfection!

The ambiance and food are amazing! The food was fresh and PACKED with flavor. I absolutely love Indian food, and this is some of the best I've had. It was a bit out of the way for me, but it was well worth the drive. When I arrived, there was a short wait (10 minutes). The staff seated us promptly and was attentive. They offer naan and bring it to your table. It was freshly made and super tasty! I enjoyed everything I tried. I even tried some dishes I hadn't had before, and I was extremely satisfied with all of it. Though the location isn't convenient for me, I'd definitely go back. The spot is a small family owned restaurant, so there may be a wait depending on when you go. Also, it's buffet style, so the line for food can get a little long, but it moves quickly since there's not a huge list of things to choose from. However, there's a good amount of options to choose from, including some vegetarian dishes. Also, there's a water and mango lassi station. The mango lassi is AMAZING! Try it out for yourself. You won't be disappointed. read more

Picked up chicken masala for lunch today. We have been craving this for weeks. Food was delicious. Until I crunched into a solid, clear piece of plastic glass lodged in one of the chicken cubes halfway through the meal. At first, I thought they had missed a piece of bone until I spit it out. I bit onto it hard and was caught by surprise. Luckily, I didn't get hurt from the sharp edges of the material or chip my molars. If this shard was found in one little cube of chicken, I would be cautious about where the other pieces could have possibly gone. tl&dr: I bit into a chicken tikki masala cube and found broken plastic glass. read more

See all

Located in a rather unassuming spot, this place is truly a hidden gem. My friends and I went here for dinner last night and we were blown away by the quality of food and hospitality. We ordered chili chicken, karahi chicken (came with a side of white rice), mutton biryani , roti and naan. They served the biryani in a pot, perfectly layered, The meat was cooked to perfection in every dish. The karahi chicken was served in the same karahi it was cooked in! While some of the prices were absurd like $5 for a roti and $8 for lemonade, the food was undoubtedly amazing. It exceeded our expectations and we all agreed it was the best Indian food each of us had had in the U.S. The quantity of the dishes was good too. The space doesn't have a lot of seating and surprisingly not a lot of wait time either. I'm sure that won't be the case for very long! read more

Glad we tried this place! Tandoori chicken was different than I've had before at other Indian buffets, but I really liked it. And my other go tos of butter chicken and spinach paneer were on point! I appreciated the mango drink that was included with the buffet. Fair price for everything that you get. read more

I don't eat Indian cuisine often because the flavors can sometimes be so strong and overpowering that it stays on the breath even hours after a meal. Not the case at Masala Bae which serves fresh food and has a full array of Southern and Northern Indian cuisine choices that I would describe as exquisitely flavorful and rich yet balanced. This restaurant can be found in the corner of a strip mall off of Red Hill Avenue and near the 5 freeway. They have indoor seating as well as a few outdoor tables. Menu is extensive and they also offer plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. I also want to comment how impressed I was at the presentation and how each dish was plated so nicely. This was my sister's second visit so she highly recommended the Malai Kofta which looked like meatballs but were in fact grated vegetables. This dish was served in a creamy tomato and onion sauce which was perfect for dipping our Garlic Chilli Naan in. We also tried the Aloo Gobi Adraki (Curry Potato, Cauliflower, Ginger in Tomato Sauce) and the Vijayawada Biryani with Chicken which offered a nice kick of spice. Every dish was delightful and I look forward to trying something new my next visit! read more

Masala Bae - Menu Cover - Indian Near Me - Tustin, California

Went for lunch and it is a buffet setup, all you can eat situation. Got there right after opening so everything was hot and fresh. A very wide range of dishes from popular to unique. Everything I tried was good and filling so I only sampled like 4 options. I'm not even sure what exactly I was eating but it was all tasty. Samosas were delicious that much I know. There was an interesting mushroom dish that I'd never had before anywhere else. Self service but they bring out naan and water and clear your plates. Very attentive staff and they came by frequently. I was starving so ended up eating it all without taking any pics sorry! Plenty of parking and easy access to the 5 freeway in either direction. read more

Amazing food and quality is superb with a wide variety of Buffett and good service from everyone with key location close to 5 freeway