Annapoorna Indian Cuisine in Irvine

Review №1

2023-07-17 14:00:45

A small niche restaurant hidden away in the corner of the shopping complex. The ambience is good, service friendly, efficient and patient. Food is a solid 4 out of 5. Some things are a hit and miss and some are very good.Take out was well packed, cutlery was provided on request and was clean.For some reason I feel the quantity is very less for what they provide with respect to the quality for some dishes - for example the gobi manchurian in the picture - had like 7-8 pieces as a whole. Doesn’t even go as a shareable appetizer as it should be.

Review №2

2023-11-17 18:02:41

We decided to celebrate my friend’s Big birthday here. One of the six guests had never been to an Indian restaurant. I have to tell you that the food was excellent. The curry dishes were on par with any of the top eating establishments anywhere. We had to fight for our share of the goat dish since it was so delicious. My friend who was experiencing Indian food for the first time was in heaven as he is a vegetarian. Service here has always been very attentive and polite. The best part which is rare these days was when the bill arrived. Very fare prices here whereas I feel many restaurants are gouging us nowadays in the name of rising prices and inflation. My hats off to Annapoorna and its management. Highly recommend them.

Review №3

2023-05-25 19:48:15

I have been coming to this location for the last couple of years and I always get the same dish. Biryani and naan. I feel the quality of the food has decreased each time. Few days ago I was there and I got the goat biryani, it was a large portion of rice with small amount of meats. You could barely taste the meat. I felt like I was eating just rice or a vegetarian biryani. I hope they do not become complacent, otherwise they will loss customers.

Review №4

2023-06-30 03:49:25

Enjoyed a variety of dosas at dinner time. Quantity was good and the food was tasty. Prices are reasonable around $11-$12 per dosa. There are a good number of vegan and vegetarian options. I wish the staff was a bit more warm. I also wish they didnt wear masks (it makes the service feel a bit distant). But overall, very good place.Here is a picture of mysore, spinach and rava onion dosas (I cut each into 3rds as we shared the dosas among our dinner group)

Review №5

2023-03-09 06:35:13

I was recommended to come try this Indian Buffet via my mom. I came with my sister and a friend for lunch and was greeted by quite a few parties also waiting to get in to eat.We opened the door to put our names on the wait-list, and was greeted immediately with the smell of Indian spices, which made us really hungry. Overall, we waited maybe 20 minutes or so to get in.On the inside though, the decor seemed like a super fancy fine dining restaurant but the place doesnt seat a whole lot of people. In fact, it was a bit of a squeeze to get up and walk to the small buffet area.They had a small amount of offerings - perhaps maybe less than 20 dishes. The naan I felt was okay - some were soft and some were crispy, so it was inconsistent in my opinion. As for the dishes, the flavors were incredible and I loved the curries especially the one with I believe lentils. However, I felt that the meat was dry in all the dishes, with the exclusion of the chicken dish that was by itself.I do regret not trying to go for the desserts though, as we got too full.The service though, was decent overall, and at about $18USD per person was not too bad for a buffet.

Review №6

2023-09-06 04:17:55

Stumbled here accidentally when my wife and I realized we were under time pressure yet urgently hungry. This place was ideal. We were eating within moments; my allergy concerns were listened to; and we were able to comfortably arrive to our next appointment well fed. The pleasant surprise? It was cheap. We would have paid through the nose, desperate as we were, but we lucked into great value.A fun aside: I really appreciate how the manager interceded to stop me when he saw I had misunderstood his instructions and was serving myself dairy food. He told me, in blunt terms, that I was being foolish. I walked away amused at his manner of expression and happily reassured hed really given some thought to the allergies I communicated.Minor quibble: Id say theyre slightly better described as Himalayan than Indian.

Review №7

2022-11-09 11:02:34

Best lunch buffet in town! Even on a weekday. Everything was delish and fresh. Highlights were goat curry and butter chicken. They were even nice enough to let me take the naan home. 🥲❤️

Review №8

2023-01-24 15:28:23

Ordered through their website — it directed us to “beyond menu” and when I went to pick up food, they said they had not received the order and they sometimes with beyond menu it’s slow to get orders in. But they said they will get the order ready in 15 min which they did. That’s why the one star.Coming to food, it was rushed to be prepared and everything was so so underwhelming and extremely overpriced. The dal makhni as the worst I have ever had. It lacked richness and looked like plain green moong dal. The gobi manchurian literally had 8 pieces (counted). Veg noodles was so oily and rancid smelling. This is my last order with them. Pathetic food.

Review №9

2022-09-02 03:50:33

Great food. Homemade 😇❤ Didnt know was buffet. Its so tasty & light. Butter chicken/ goat/ chicken curry to die for. Idli/ fresh garlic Naan. Recommended. Great service. Best chai! Will definitely come back if we visit San Diego again. 👌The sweet dont even go there. I wish I had more space in my tummy.

Review №10

2023-11-07 18:22:32

We tried this place for Diwali last year and the food was really good. Not too spicy. The have a buffet for lunch and it is $$ but you will not be disappointed.