Masala Craft

Really enjoyed the food here. Wasn’t quite sure what to expect especially in a little town like Big Bear. Food came out quick and was delicious. Server was very helpful, and always checking on us, never Missed a water refill! We went with the butter chicken and lamb tiki masala. We initially did 1 order of regular naan but ended up ordering an additional one and one order of garlic naan. Each order comes with 4 hand size pieces. Would go back here again!

This is my first time eating at an Indian Cuisine. They have a lot of good food options to choose from I went with the chicken momo because it sounds delicious, and it is far by one of my favorite foods to eat. And the sauce that comes with it makes it taste more delicious. There were lots of seats to choose from, and since we came to the restaurant as a big group, the service was kind enough to merge two tables for us, and they are really quick with the food and our service.

Everytime I come to big bear I just have to come and get some take out. Food is great and always hits the spot!

Tsova Anya

If you’re looking to try something delicious and a bit different – this is the place! We ordered the chicken chat, tomato soup, lamb vindaloo, fried chicken & mushrooms, and rice. Everything was very unique but incredibly tasty! The chicken had a slight sweetness to it, and the lamn literally melted in my mouth. The place is super clean, with almost obsessive attention to detail – even the glasses were spotless, not a single smudge. Only two guys were working on a busy Saturday, but somehow they cooked and served everything really fast. Meal was $55 total for 2 people. The only thing to be aware of is that the waiter’s outfit is super casual, and he’s not really helpful when it comes to choosing dishes, so I’d recommend looking up some Indian meals in advance, just to have an idea of what you might like. Good thing the menu is big and has pictures. Highly recommend checking this place out! We’ve tried other restaurants around Big Bear Lake, but the food here was by far the best.

Vitali Zabelin

There’s something about this place that’s hard to describe, you just have to come see it for yourself. If this isn’t my first time trying Indian food, then it’s definitely my second — and honestly, this little experiment turned out great. At first glance, it looks like a simple spot. But the longer you sit, the more details you start to notice. It’s super clean — like, surprisingly clean. Tables, glasses, silverware, even the restroom — spotless. You can feel when people really care about their place. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure what to order. I’m not big on spicy food, so I asked the waiter for a little help and then decided to trust my own instinct. Went with tomato soup and chicken with mushrooms. Both hit the mark — warm, rich, perfectly seasoned, just enough flavor without burning you out. After that, I ordered ginger tea, and that sealed it. Could’ve taken it to go, but I stayed and finished every drop. Only small thing I noticed — the staff was dressed kind of casual, more sporty than uniform. Not really a complaint, more like an observation. I was dressed the same way, so it worked. Total was $55.70, and worth every dollar. This one’s a solid 5 stars from me. I’ll be back for sure.

Maheshwari Parmar

we went first time in big bear and i found best vegetarian option in this restaurant. Food was fresh and delicious. my American friends also loved it ! we will surely visit this restaurant again 👍

James Luei

Amazing food overall awesome experience and will be back for sure my next trip Big bear.

Russell J.

We were in Big Bear last year. The food at Masala Craft is so good, this was our first stop for dinner this year. We ordered chicken Tikka Tandori and chicken Tikka Masala. The Tandori was so tender and flavorful. It came out sizzling with bits of stayed peppers and onion. I'd order this again. The Masala was lightly spicy and creamy. We shared an order of rice, naan and raita. The raita was a little sweet. This was more food than we could eat. Service was great, friendly and quick. Our server checked on us throughout dinner. The Tandori is pictured. We'll be back!

WanderingLife

Nice little restaurant on the shopping strip. We stopped in for a bite after an evening of shopping 🛍. Food was something different and new for us to try. It was very yummy!

Tiara Dallner

This is my favourite place for Indian food! We went on a Monday and it wasn't busy at the time. The gist/ waiter was very nice and all of our food came was delicious. We are a family of four and we ordered aloo Gobi, butter chicken, garlic naan, samosas, and tandoori chicken.

Evan Liang

Amazing food. Can't believe there are these flavors here in big bear. Service was not as friendly as we wanted, but food was great. My wife and I spent the first ten minutes talking about how delicious it was.

Marshall Shakro

I don’t eat Indian food often but when I do I want it to be good. I was super hesitate to go in here since it’s up in Big Bear and wasn’t to sure what to expect being a small hole in the wall spot but turns out it was the best Indian food I’ve ever had. The Okra dish had so much flavor. And the lentil soup hit the spot being a cold time of year. I honestly would go back to big bear every night for this food. They really do well with there spices & flavoring. Give the chef a raise; please & thank you!

Alex Daredia RE

The food was delicious and came out fairly quickly, which was impressive! The flavors were authentic, and every dish we tried was well-prepared. However, the masala aroma in the restaurant was quite strong, which could be a bit overwhelming for some diners. Overall, a great experience with excellent food and good service. Would definitely recommend it to others!

Michael C

Really enjoyed the food here. Wasn’t quite sure what to expect especially in a little town like Big Bear. Food came out quick and was delicious. Server was very helpful, and always checking on us, never Missed a water refill! We went with the butter chicken and lamb tiki masala. We initially did 1 order of regular naan but ended up ordering an additional one and one order of garlic naan. Each order comes with 4 hand size pieces. Would go back here again!

Allie Roberts

Seems like this place is more popular for takeout, we came around 6pm on Friday, were seated immediately, and got our food super fast! We tried a couple of the vegetarian dishes and loved them. Super delicious! Rice isn’t included with the entree, so we ordered two separate rices and one naan. Very stuffed by the end of the meal.

I wasn’t sure if I would like Indian food. This place is so good. Everything I ordered was so good. The server was very attentive and seemed to never stop moving. The wife and I ordered way too much food and surprisingly the bill was not bad at all. If you’re in the area you must try this place. You will not be disappointed.

First thing my wife and I noticed when we walk into the restaurant was how clean and neat it was. The service was top notch and the food was amazing. We will definitely return to try different dishes!

We order the butter chicken regularly. It is SOOOO good. Very consistent. The portions are generous so it typically covers another meal in leftovers (we carry out). The staff is always very friendly.

Alana Matias

Wow! This place is amazing. Service is great, friendly staff and super quick but besides the great service the food was phenomenal, super flavorful, fresh and great portion sizes for the price. I will definitely be coming back, if you’re looking for flavorful food and great service come here !!

Abhi

The atmosphere is okay. A basic Indian set up. Service was also okay. Kind of introverted and quiet and nothing spectacular, 25 percent of our requests were unheard or not given. But the food is where this place shines. As an Indian I must say this is some of the best Indian food I've had. The food is delicious and flavorful. It outshines all the okay to great. I wanted to try different spots while up in big bear but just to taste it again I'm coming back again for lunch before leaving. MUST TRY SPOT

Masala Craft Indian Cuisine offers a pleasant dining experience with a menu of classic Indian dishes. While the flavors were not as bold or layered as I had hoped, the food was enjoyable overall. The samosas stood out as my favorite item of the evening. They were crispy on the outside with a savory filling that hit the right balance. The service was attentive, though understandably a bit reserved given that there appeared to be just one waiter managing the entire dining room, from bussing to serving. Even with the multitasking, he kept things moving at a steady pace. Overall, Masala Craft delivers a decent meal in a casual setting. It is a solid option if you are in the mood for Indian food, with standout appetizers like the samosas making it worth the visit.

Food was great but service was lacking. We visited for a late lunch (around 1pm) and sat on the patio—although small (only two tables), it is dog friendly which we appreciated since we brought our dog along for the trip. We ordered the chicken momo, paneer pakora (fried cheese), chili naan, garlic naan, butter chicken, saag paneer, and the fried chicken and mushroom. Everything was very good. The food arrived within minutes of us placing our order, which was nice. The only reason I’m giving four stars rather than five is because we didn’t receive our drinks within a timely manner and we would have liked to have been checked in on a little more frequently—it took awhile to get boxes for leftovers and to get the check. Otherwise, very good food and would recommend!

Garlic naan takes about an hour to get but you’ll get your food in 15 minutes so order in advance. Food is good, if somewhat untraditional for me but not their fault that India is so large and has so many ways of making the same dish. I didn’t expect lamb curry to be in red sauce because it never has been (should’ve read the menu when it said in tomato sauce), The dal makhani was nice and at level 7 spicy, I’m sure it was white man 7 not Indian 7 (just had a hint of spice for me who eats a lot of hot sauces and Mexican and Thai foods). The butter chicken was really creamy and flavorful and when the Garlic naan came wife loved it. The samosas were a huge, a tad too thick but delicious, tamarind sauce was somewhat sweet and the mint sauce was delicious and spicy.

Lonney Gordon

Masala Craft Indian Cuisine offers a pleasant dining experience with a menu of classic Indian dishes. While the flavors were not as bold or layered as I had hoped, the food was enjoyable overall. The samosas stood out as my favorite item of the evening. They were crispy on the outside with a savory filling that hit the right balance. The service was attentive, though understandably a bit reserved given that there appeared to be just one waiter managing the entire dining room, from bussing to serving. Even with the multitasking, he kept things moving at a steady pace. Overall, Masala Craft delivers a decent meal in a casual setting. It is a solid option if you are in the mood for Indian food, with standout appetizers like the samosas making it worth the visit.

Sam Beau

Food was great but service was lacking. We visited for a late lunch (around 1pm) and sat on the patio—although small (only two tables), it is dog friendly which we appreciated since we brought our dog along for the trip. We ordered the chicken momo, paneer pakora (fried cheese), chili naan, garlic naan, butter chicken, saag paneer, and the fried chicken and mushroom. Everything was very good. The food arrived within minutes of us placing our order, which was nice. The only reason I’m giving four stars rather than five is because we didn’t receive our drinks within a timely manner and we would have liked to have been checked in on a little more frequently—it took awhile to get boxes for leftovers and to get the check. Otherwise, very good food and would recommend!

Derakhsh Fozouni

Garlic naan takes about an hour to get but you’ll get your food in 15 minutes so order in advance. Food is good, if somewhat untraditional for me but not their fault that India is so large and has so many ways of making the same dish. I didn’t expect lamb curry to be in red sauce because it never has been (should’ve read the menu when it said in tomato sauce), The dal makhani was nice and at level 7 spicy, I’m sure it was white man 7 not Indian 7 (just had a hint of spice for me who eats a lot of hot sauces and Mexican and Thai foods). The butter chicken was really creamy and flavorful and when the Garlic naan came wife loved it. The samosas were a huge, a tad too thick but delicious, tamarind sauce was somewhat sweet and the mint sauce was delicious and spicy.

Andrew Gedman

The food was good. Not a lot of spice heat the places I’m used to in San Diego are much hotter as far as the spice level. I do like that they offer a thali.

Nice Indian restaurant with authentic flavor. The taste was above expectation, portion size good and environment family friendly. I ordered takeout and they gave plain naan instead of chicken naan. That’s the reason to deduct one star. Rest of the order was good.

Sanjeev Mishra

Nice Indian restaurant with authentic flavor. The taste was above expectation, portion size good and environment family friendly. I ordered takeout and they gave plain naan instead of chicken naan. That’s the reason to deduct one star. Rest of the order was good.

William S.

Don't trust the positive reviews. We believe this place must have a new owner, because it's a complete different experience than what's depicted here. When we arrived, the restaurant was nearly empty, which already made us wonder about its popularity ... but we decided to give it a chance. The experience only went downhill from there. No one greeted us when we walked in, even though a server was nearby. Eventually, another staff member came over, seated us without a word, and dropped the menus on the table in a rather dismissive way. My wife and I were already disappointed at that point. The waiter who then took over didn’t seem knowledgeable about the menu. For example, he didn’t know that “dal soup” is simply lentil soup. That, combined with the overall inattentiveness, was already concerning. The final straw came when we were told that even basic sides like rice or naan would be charged extra with every dish. I have been at hundreds of Indian restaurants and never heard that rice is charged extra when ordering things like Chicken Curry or Tikka Masala. Have you? At that point, I decided to cancel our order and leave. They didn't care, the waiter just said 'ok'. They seem to be used to disappointed customers. Atmosphere and service didn’t provide one bit of trust, and I’m glad I listened to my instinct and we ran away. We ended up in Fire Rock, completely different cuisine and style, but felt very comfortable like it should be.