Aabha Indian Cuisine

This place was ahhhhhhmazing! We were in town (visiting from Colorado) & liked this space sooooo much— that we came back twice in our 2 week visit! ***not to mention that it was vegan friendly! PS-the Togo masala was deeeeelish!

best indian food i’ve ever had. excellent customer service. my very favorite restaurant in carmel! highly, highly recommend.

We used them for catering our wedding in coordination with Mr. Bhupender, who is the owner of the place. He went above and beyond to deliver with lot of personal touch. He also gave us specific dishes which were our favorite as bride and groom present. Overall, presentation, food, quality and service was too notch. I will highly recommend. Thanks Bhupender ji:)

+1

If you’re looking for a great LUNCH SPOT, this is the place. They have all you can eat buffet that is set up for Lunch time. Such a great and budget friendly way to introduce yourself to new dishes. Although the trick is to show up right when they open if you want the freshest and best. Highly recommend the butter chicken curry, rice and mango pudding. I do recommend ordering their Mango Lassi(not included with buffet ). Although you do get a selection of sodas/mimosa included with the buffet meal at no additional charge. Make sure to order some Naan as it’s not included with buffet. I enjoy the garlic and original naan.

I stopped in to have dinner before I left California. Indian food is my favorite. They did not disappoint! I had my favorite Tikka Masala, with coconut rice and garlic Naan. It is a small little quaint place with a fireplace to warm you up on cold days.

Must try place!! The ambience, the service, the food all gets 5 stars! We were so hungry after skydiving at Monterey, we found this place and we hogged up the food so fast. Heavenly, indulging, awesomeness!

+2

After spending two days visiting the beautiful European cafes and restaurants of Carmel-by-the-Sea, a nice want of change of cuisine led us to Aabha in the cute Barnyard Plaza. Nice decor with live Indian Music made our experience special. Service was excellent and so was the cuisine especially the Lamb Roganjosh.

My first Indian cuisine experience was here. I was blessed that this has been my first experience. I have come here four times now and will be a lifelong customer. The flavors are out of this world! The 12 P.M-3 P.M. buffet is filling with so much variety! Vegetarian and Vegan options! The customer service is delightful. They are kind, courteous, and attentive. Everything you try is just delicious! I could eat every meal here. 💯 oh a the herbaceous “after dinner mints” chefs kiss!

Good menu, good food and good service! highly recommended! Went there with less expectations but food was at par at any good India restaurant in India! We were pleasantly surprised.

This is the #1 rated Indian Restaurant in the 831. Been a regular here since they opened up this location. Food is on point. Bar and Drinks are limited to Beer and Wine but they have the best. Service is impeccable and never have we had anything that tastes different. They accommodate your taste preferences for mild, medium and spicy infusions in their offerings. Even during the pandemic, they have been delivering their best with no compromise. Go there with an appetite and I promise you will not be disappointed. Binit, Ashish and the rest of the crew there will make sure you have a delicious dining experience. Right from appetizers, drinks, main course to dessert, everything is awesome 👍👌👌

Food was delicious though on a bit pricey side. The lady serving us was very nice. We ordered Samosa, Tandoori momo, butter cilantro naan, lamb rogan josh, chicken biryani, Mango lassi. Everything was just perfect to our taste!

I shared dinner and it was incredible! Baigan Bharta, Paneer Tikka Masala, Garlic Naan and the Coconut rice just made the perfect side for it! Great vibes with live Indian music and the food was pure perfection! Can't wait to come back.

Zinzu Bobby

After spending two days visiting the beautiful European cafes and restaurants of Carmel-by-the-Sea, a nice want of change of cuisine led us to Aabha in the cute Barnyard Plaza. Nice decor with live Indian Music made our experience special. Service was excellent and so was the cuisine especially the Lamb Roganjosh.

A Agarwal

Good menu, good food and good service! highly recommended! Went there with less expectations but food was at par at any good India restaurant in India! We were pleasantly surprised.

Faith Santina

My first Indian cuisine experience was here. I was blessed that this has been my first experience. I have come here four times now and will be a lifelong customer. The flavors are out of this world! The 12 P.M-3 P.M. buffet is filling with so much variety! Vegetarian and Vegan options! The customer service is delightful. They are kind, courteous, and attentive. Everything you try is just delicious! I could eat every meal here. 💯 oh a the herbaceous “after dinner mints” chefs kiss!

Vikas Patel

This is the #1 rated Indian Restaurant in the 831. Been a regular here since they opened up this location. Food is on point. Bar and Drinks are limited to Beer and Wine but they have the best. Service is impeccable and never have we had anything that tastes different. They accommodate your taste preferences for mild, medium and spicy infusions in their offerings. Even during the pandemic, they have been delivering their best with no compromise. Go there with an appetite and I promise you will not be disappointed. Binit, Ashish and the rest of the crew there will make sure you have a delicious dining experience. Right from appetizers, drinks, main course to dessert, everything is awesome 👍👌👌

Anindita Chowrashi

Food was delicious though on a bit pricey side. The lady serving us was very nice. We ordered Samosa, Tandoori momo, butter cilantro naan, lamb rogan josh, chicken biryani, Mango lassi. Everything was just perfect to our taste!

Carol

I shared dinner and it was incredible! Baigan Bharta, Paneer Tikka Masala, Garlic Naan and the Coconut rice just made the perfect side for it! Great vibes with live Indian music and the food was pure perfection! Can't wait to come back.

Arushi

We used them for catering our wedding in coordination with Mr. Bhupender, who is the owner of the place. He went above and beyond to deliver with lot of personal touch. He also gave us specific dishes which were our favorite as bride and groom present. Overall, presentation, food, quality and service was too notch. I will highly recommend. Thanks Bhupender ji:)

Private Account

If you’re looking for a great LUNCH SPOT, this is the place. They have all you can eat buffet that is set up for Lunch time. Such a great and budget friendly way to introduce yourself to new dishes. Although the trick is to show up right when they open if you want the freshest and best. Highly recommend the butter chicken curry, rice and mango pudding. I do recommend ordering their Mango Lassi(not included with buffet ). Although you do get a selection of sodas/mimosa included with the buffet meal at no additional charge. Make sure to order some Naan as it’s not included with buffet. I enjoy the garlic and original naan.

A good restaurant serving decent Indian food with great ambience and service. A very reliable option around the Carmel/Monterey bay area - but slightly on the pricier side with "Americanized" style of cooking Detailed review: While on a road trip in California, was craving for some Indian food and happened to visit the restaurant for dinner. Firstly the restaurant was a bit hard to find as they didn't have proper signage outside. The restaurant had fabulous ambience - especially the patio seating outside next to the bon fire is highly recommended and the service was really great. I found the food pretty decent but the pricing was slightly on the higher side with decent portion sizes. As soon as one got seated, we were served some fresh papad with a trio of chutneys as an appetizer. Found the menu pretty vegan and vegetarian friendly as one would expect from Indian restaurants. We tried Mattar Panner and Aloo Gobi here. Both the curries were good and the preparation was more to please the American taste buds. Along with the curries we ordered a trio of Naans which were great. Onion kulcha was one of the best I have ever tried and would recommend it to everyone trying this place. Overall for food alone it would have been 3/5 but the overall experience was really pleasant making it a 4/5. Recommendations: Outdoor patio seating next to bon fires Breads: Trio of Naans/ Onion Kulcha Curries: Mattar Paneer, Aloo Gobi

+6

Came for lunch with my buddies. The food was nice it a buffet, so you get to try everything. Does the job if you have a craving for the type of food.

After taking in the 17-mile Scenic Drive through Pebble Beach we drove in to Carmel to this amazing gem at The Barnyard. Beautiful inside, great atmosphere. I ordered the Cauliflower-Turmeric soup, a bonus that it's dairy free and it was so silky smooth and delicious. Perfect for a drizzly foggy evening. I also ordered the Chili-Garlic tofu tandoor which the server warned me was very spicy. He was right- it was fiery, fragrant and delicious alongside a generous helping of coconut rice. It also came with vegetables that unfortunately were bland and uninteresting but don't let that stop you. We left most of one piece only because we were stuffed. We also had the vegetable coconut curry, saucy, flavorful and delicious and a perfect naan. We're in town for Rennsport 7 at Laguna Seca so we won't be back but I would be a regular here if I lived in the area. Go visit them!

Lunch buffet 22.99 a little pricey but everything was hot and fresh and delicious. The butter chicken, lentils naan and condiments were fresh and tasty. Will def be back.

The taste of the dishes ordered was good. Decent Indian restaurant in the locality.

This is inside the barnyard village (building F).. We order the paneer tikka masala n the naan.. food came pretty fast and was good.. Price is a little in the high side when compared to San Jose area.. will visit again if in the area

Really great spot for Indian food! The tikka masala and dal tadka were both full of flavor and perfectly spiced, definitely the stars of the meal. The naan and samosas were really good also. Bonus points for the outdoor area. There’s a cozy fire pit that makes it a great place to relax and eat outside. The food is great, but service could use some improvement. Both times we visited, the momos took a long time - once they came out with our main dishes, which weren’t very hot, likely from waiting on the momos. Another time, they arrived after we finished eating everything else. A menu note about the wait time would be helpful, especially since they are listed as a starter.

Overall, it was very good. The price is amazingly affordable. $20 for an all you can eat buffet. Wow. The only minus was needing to ask to place a drink order instead of being asked. Needing to find the server again for a refill of the iced tea. Plus side... fresh naan brought to the table, ambiance was nice, basmatti rice was cooked just perfect. Food most mostly wonderful, only downside was just a hazard of buffet dining... some things like chicken maybe sat maybe too long... it was a bit dry. But you just can't beat it for the price!

Aabha Indian Cuisine: A Pleasant Surprise Along the Big Sur During our scenic drive along the breathtaking Big Sur coast, we stumbled upon Aabha Indian Cuisine, an unexpected gem that made our journey even more memorable. With our final destination being LA, we decided to take a dinner break a bit early, aiming to reach LA by midnight. The restaurant's location was perfect—nestled in a serene spot with a positive ambiance that instantly made us feel at ease. A significant plus is ample parking space available, which is appreciated after a long drive. As we entered, it was encouraging to see a mix of patrons, including many Americans, clearly there to savor the rich flavors of Indian cuisine. We started our meal with the Chicken Lentil Soup. However, it turned out to be more like a traditional daal with chunks of tandoori chicken. While it was hearty, it didn't quite meet our expectations as we were hoping for something more distinctive. For the main course, we opted for the Mint Salmon Tikka and Lamb Biryani. Both dishes were well-prepared, arriving with just the right spice levels, and the portions were generous enough for our family of three (two adults and a 7-year-old). The Mint Salmon Tikka was particularly delightful, with the mint adding a fresh twist to the succulent salmon. The Lamb Biryani, though flavorful, had a slightly tangy undertone that was unexpected but enjoyable. Overall, our dinner at Aabha Indian Cuisine was a satisfying end to a long day of taking in nature's beauty. If you find yourself near Big Sur and craving some Indian food, this restaurant is definitely worth a visit.

Best Indian food near Carmel by the sea. If you looking for Indian taste and want to stop by on your highway one road trip this is a best place 😋 We tried buffets everything was a quality food👌🏻 Plenty of parking available

Gourish

This is inside the barnyard village (building F).. We order the paneer tikka masala n the naan.. food came pretty fast and was good.. Price is a little in the high side when compared to San Jose area.. will visit again if in the area

Lisa Stone

Really great spot for Indian food! The tikka masala and dal tadka were both full of flavor and perfectly spiced, definitely the stars of the meal. The naan and samosas were really good also. Bonus points for the outdoor area. There’s a cozy fire pit that makes it a great place to relax and eat outside. The food is great, but service could use some improvement. Both times we visited, the momos took a long time - once they came out with our main dishes, which weren’t very hot, likely from waiting on the momos. Another time, they arrived after we finished eating everything else. A menu note about the wait time would be helpful, especially since they are listed as a starter.

BJ Hastings

Overall, it was very good. The price is amazingly affordable. $20 for an all you can eat buffet. Wow. The only minus was needing to ask to place a drink order instead of being asked. Needing to find the server again for a refill of the iced tea. Plus side... fresh naan brought to the table, ambiance was nice, basmatti rice was cooked just perfect. Food most mostly wonderful, only downside was just a hazard of buffet dining... some things like chicken maybe sat maybe too long... it was a bit dry. But you just can't beat it for the price!

Amit Pawaskar

Aabha Indian Cuisine: A Pleasant Surprise Along the Big Sur During our scenic drive along the breathtaking Big Sur coast, we stumbled upon Aabha Indian Cuisine, an unexpected gem that made our journey even more memorable. With our final destination being LA, we decided to take a dinner break a bit early, aiming to reach LA by midnight. The restaurant's location was perfect—nestled in a serene spot with a positive ambiance that instantly made us feel at ease. A significant plus is ample parking space available, which is appreciated after a long drive. As we entered, it was encouraging to see a mix of patrons, including many Americans, clearly there to savor the rich flavors of Indian cuisine. We started our meal with the Chicken Lentil Soup. However, it turned out to be more like a traditional daal with chunks of tandoori chicken. While it was hearty, it didn't quite meet our expectations as we were hoping for something more distinctive. For the main course, we opted for the Mint Salmon Tikka and Lamb Biryani. Both dishes were well-prepared, arriving with just the right spice levels, and the portions were generous enough for our family of three (two adults and a 7-year-old). The Mint Salmon Tikka was particularly delightful, with the mint adding a fresh twist to the succulent salmon. The Lamb Biryani, though flavorful, had a slightly tangy undertone that was unexpected but enjoyable. Overall, our dinner at Aabha Indian Cuisine was a satisfying end to a long day of taking in nature's beauty. If you find yourself near Big Sur and craving some Indian food, this restaurant is definitely worth a visit.

Rohit desai

Best Indian food near Carmel by the sea. If you looking for Indian taste and want to stop by on your highway one road trip this is a best place 😋 We tried buffets everything was a quality food👌🏻 Plenty of parking available

We ordered take away. Saag paneer, chicken briyani, naan, and kulcha (bill $46). The taste was OK - the saag had no spicy flavor, the briyani came without raitha or egg, no chutney was included, and we had to ask for plastic spoons and napkins. The kulcha was well made, as was the Naan. In a pinch you can go here, but we will likely not be visiting again.

+6

It was ok..Rice was very dry and needed more cooking. We ate lunch at their buffet. Being vegetarian..there were decent items..flavors could.havr.been better. While we were eating.the server comes to inform to get the food as he is closing the buffet.. as it was close to end of their buffet time but it was bit a rude. We kinda felt rushed..

Average food, overpriced. $25 weekend buffet with very limited options. Definitely not worth it but not too many options in this area.

The restaurant is located in a beautiful town, the surroundings are lit with flowers. The restaurant is also beautiful but the food is average. I was not surprised as they have to cater to a wide variety of people. I would appreciate it if rice and dal were properly washed before cooking. The reason why I will not visit here again

I tried dinner over here. The place was not very crowded on a Sunday. The service was pretty good and fast. Their portion sizes were good as well. I took the tea which was okay. We started with gobi Manchurian which was a bit soggy. Tried tandoori momo as well which was okay. Their garlic naan stood out for me which was pretty good. We took the salmon from the tandoori specials section. The salmon lacked salt which was a let down. I tried the chicken curry which was okay and so was the saag paneer. My friend took the paneer butter masala which was okay as well. Overall nothing but the naan stood out and the rest was okay at best. Oh, I did like their kulfi. ☺️

Deepti Gaonkar

The restaurant is located in a beautiful town, the surroundings are lit with flowers. The restaurant is also beautiful but the food is average. I was not surprised as they have to cater to a wide variety of people. I would appreciate it if rice and dal were properly washed before cooking. The reason why I will not visit here again

Binit Banerjee

I tried dinner over here. The place was not very crowded on a Sunday. The service was pretty good and fast. Their portion sizes were good as well. I took the tea which was okay. We started with gobi Manchurian which was a bit soggy. Tried tandoori momo as well which was okay. Their garlic naan stood out for me which was pretty good. We took the salmon from the tandoori specials section. The salmon lacked salt which was a let down. I tried the chicken curry which was okay and so was the saag paneer. My friend took the paneer butter masala which was okay as well. Overall nothing but the naan stood out and the rest was okay at best. Oh, I did like their kulfi. ☺️

We stopped by the last 45 min before 3pm, the end of their buffet. We were thinking of just ordering a salad, butter chicken and plain rice but they only offered buffet. We didn't ask the price for buffet, it turned out $20 per person while the sparkling waters were $7 each. The lukewarm food was laid out, looked a bit tired. Basmati rice, tofu masala, , daal, potatoes, butter chicken that tasted more like chicken masala, mushy cauliflower in sauce and chicken tikka. The chicken was good as well as the rice and daal. The rest were a bit off, butter chicken too tangy, the cauliflower did not seem to have texture. The kheer, rice dessert, did not have any cashews or pistachios nor much cardamom essence. We haven't had Indian buffet in a long time and probably not have it again. I would have checked the names but their were pulled off after our initial round. Ordering small plates of your preferred food would have turned out better. Service was rushed, it would have been better to be turned away than feeling like they wanted to close before dinner time. No one else was in the restaurant and they did turn away other tourists for another half hour.

Quick service. Ordered a take out of Dal Fry and Chicken Curry with Naan. Had very high hopes based on ratings 😟 Taste was not at all good. They made it super spicy which felt like burnt ur taste buds. Just felt like the food was made in a super hot iron wok and felt burnt. So I feel they need to work on the taste to be called an Indian Dineout. Ambiance looked good though.

I am vegetarian, order veg biryani and got Mushrooms and Broccoli. First time I ever saw a broccoli in Biryani. Too bad.

I love Indian cuisine and have been to many places. The samosas were good. The paneer tikka masala, the paneer itself was perfection, bummed it didn’t have that many pieces. The tikka masala was severely lacking the actual masala. It tasted like tomato sauce with paneer, not good at all. Wouldn’t recommend it. The garlic naan was good. The vegetable curry; the curry sauce was good but was lacking with the vegetables. Felt like random veggies tossed in there and for the size and price point it didn’t even come with a side of rice. It was my first time here and I wouldn’t come back. The minimal service we did have was good, our waitress was so nice but I think she left before we even finished since we didn’t see her.

Food was pretty solid , actually for takeout in the valley very good. But $26 for (4) shrimp and a ton of sauce , I get margins , but for 13.99 at Safeway I can get 16 shrimp (1#) do better. My family each had one shrimp 🤣

So, I am an avid Biryani lover. The biryani looks a lot better than it tastes. Do yourself a favor, and go to namaste india, 15 mins away. I say this as someone who ate at both places on my 4 day trip to monterey.

Dan Furey

Food was pretty solid , actually for takeout in the valley very good. But $26 for (4) shrimp and a ton of sauce , I get margins , but for 13.99 at Safeway I can get 16 shrimp (1#) do better. My family each had one shrimp 🤣

Arjun Singh

So, I am an avid Biryani lover. The biryani looks a lot better than it tastes. Do yourself a favor, and go to namaste india, 15 mins away. I say this as someone who ate at both places on my 4 day trip to monterey.

Being the only Indian restaurant in Carmel/Carvel Valley keeps them around but do yourself a favor and drive to the others in Monterrey for real Indian food. Their Biryani Rice is basically friend rice with chicken thrown in...no joke...nothing Indian about it but it was "yellow"....yikes...it's not real Biryani. Their Lamb Rogan Josh is definitely not cooked today and is old...no flavor, meat was not fresh or soft and it tasted as if it was made at least yesterday or was leftover from the lunch bugger...and ordered dinner. I called in to the restaurant to see if we could get a new Briyani or be refunded for a new one so we wanted to give them another chance as we easy going people and but the manager tonight or the acting manager was as rude as one could be, saying it is skillet fried and that it's our issue - then don't advertise it at Briyani....I didn't even want to get into the Tandoori Chipotli Chicken which was not even cooked enough to dry the sauce and didn't look like it was even put in a Tandoori Oven and for close to $40 wow....and the "manager"...holy cow this guy...not exactly helpful...so in the end the food was not good and either was the service. I am sorry but your not doing me a favor as they were acting so next time....drive the few extra miles if you are coming up US 1 from your weekend drive or if you are local try the Monterey Indian restaurants...but this one is fortunate to be the only place near by...losing a customer and kind of fortunate...drive the few extra minutes for real Indian food and Indian service.

We went in on a Sunday night around 30 mins before closing . Either you don’t accept the customers or you don’t force them to rush the dinner. It’s annoying how the staff literally rushed us to order without a minute’s time. Also the food is nothing great like on the reviews. Pretty disappointing

+6

Entrees don’t come with rice. Restrooms disgusting. Workers are rude. Save yourself ~$23 a person on mediocre, small portion food.

Extremely idiotic management. I came at 3:45 pm with my elderly mom over 80 years of age. They said they are closed for dining but can offer me takeaway. They also said they can't let me and my mom sit inside the restaurant but can sit in the patio outside. I agreed and paid. It was 4:18 pm but the order was not yet ready. I then asked them that I will wait till 4:30 pm and then eat inside only as it was windy for my mom. But the manager Cisco flatly refused. He said that after 4:30 pm, if I have to come inside and eat, he will not let me eat the takeaway food. I will have to order new food. I have never come across such unpleasant and inconsiderate behavior in USA! The food was handed over to me At 4:25 and we continued eating outside on the patio only. I strongly urge any one reading this review not to come here. Update: I see another review about the rude manager! So the unpleasantness I experienced seems to be a regular dish served to customers here.

Went there for lunch but had a very disappointing experience. We had to leave our meal halfway after discovering a dead fly mixed in the rice. We immediately informed the reception staff. While they did offer a discount on the bill, I still paid the full amount — this review isn't about money, but about ensuring food hygiene and safety for all customers. I hope the management takes this seriously and improves their kitchen standards. Cleanliness is just as important as taste.

Wayyyy too Americanized and unnecessarily expensive. I usually don’t write reviews, but this one warranted a review to warn others. If you’re looking for a Indian restaurant, don’t look here. The saag paneer tasted like broccoli and cheese (aka lack of spices/flavor), the biryani was off in both taste and texture (lacked flavor and felt more like pulao), the naan didn’t taste fresh, and the sauce on my gobi tasted like straight up ketchup. Very disappointing experience after a day of traveling

Jitesh Parmar

Went there for lunch but had a very disappointing experience. We had to leave our meal halfway after discovering a dead fly mixed in the rice. We immediately informed the reception staff. While they did offer a discount on the bill, I still paid the full amount — this review isn't about money, but about ensuring food hygiene and safety for all customers. I hope the management takes this seriously and improves their kitchen standards. Cleanliness is just as important as taste.

Sammy Watson

Wayyyy too Americanized and unnecessarily expensive. I usually don’t write reviews, but this one warranted a review to warn others. If you’re looking for a Indian restaurant, don’t look here. The saag paneer tasted like broccoli and cheese (aka lack of spices/flavor), the biryani was off in both taste and texture (lacked flavor and felt more like pulao), the naan didn’t taste fresh, and the sauce on my gobi tasted like straight up ketchup. Very disappointing experience after a day of traveling

Not sure how this restaurant has 4 stars. Went for a lunch buffet. Granted, it was cheap at $20, but food was super disappointing. There was not even a single paneer item for vegetarians. Basmati rice was literally crunchy as it was either undercooked or old and reheated. They did not have basic Indian items like desi curd , which I wanted to order separately because the buffet did not have it. Dal tadka had no salt. I called them before getting there to check if they had vegetarian momos on the menu because my wife is vegetarian and likes it, and they literally said they have it but when we arrived they’re like no such item. It’s a shame that the restaurant takes up such a nice location but offers such bad food

shashank bharadwaj

Not sure how this restaurant has 4 stars. Went for a lunch buffet. Granted, it was cheap at $20, but food was super disappointing. There was not even a single paneer item for vegetarians. Basmati rice was literally crunchy as it was either undercooked or old and reheated. They did not have basic Indian items like desi curd , which I wanted to order separately because the buffet did not have it. Dal tadka had no salt. I called them before getting there to check if they had vegetarian momos on the menu because my wife is vegetarian and likes it, and they literally said they have it but when we arrived they’re like no such item. It’s a shame that the restaurant takes up such a nice location but offers such bad food