Preethi Indian Cuisine

Very friendly staff. Authentic South Indian cuisine (be careful that you understand what "hot" means.) vegan dishes well marked and most vegetarian can be made plant based instead.

An excellent restaurant and an undiscovered gem. I've never been disappointed by their tasty food and yummy vegan buffet the 1st and third Th.

I've been to my share of Indian buffets, and Preethi has been the best yet. Their dishes are heavy, with spices, so the flavor is off the charts. It's a husband and wife team, that try to keep their customers happy. Definitely worth trying.

Don’t sleep on this very good lunch buffet! Offerings go well beyond the classic Indian-American buffet staples. Everyone beelines for the meat, but the vegetarian dishes and lemon rice are especially strong and taste of South Asia. Delicious fresh breads. Quite a good deal for twenty bucks. Will eat here again! My one complaint: the food was a little cold. It was a slow day in the restaurant, to be fair, but probably best to turn the buffet temperature up a bit.

The owners are so friendly and kind. So many amazing vegan options. So delicious! I drive all the way from Sacramento to eat their buffet because it's that good!

As soon as we walked in the door for lunch today we knew we were going to LOVE this place. The smell of spices was so intoxicating and wonderful. We were greeted by a smiling face and cheerful woman who owns the restaurant. We ordered a lot for just two of us: Goat Biryani, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Lamb Vindaloo. But we were hungry. We also ordered samosas and she threw in some pakora. While we waited, we sipped on a delicious mango lassi drink. The ride home with the food in the car was unbearable because it smelled so amazing! We got home and made plates sampling everything. The pakora was so delicious. I’ve never had that before but now am hooked! Everything tasted amazing. We moved to NorCal from Los Angeles and have had such a hard time finding good Indian food. This place turned that around. The owner was so friendly and the customer service was impeccable. I’m so glad we found this gem of a restaurant because we WILL be going back! Thank you!

I came here during my lunch break and the service was very quick. I got the goat biryani which was full of flavor and lots of meat, the picture doesn’t do justice on the size and flavor! I will definitely be back.

Some of the best chicken Tikka Masala I’ve ever had! The staff was super friendly and helpful! Update: still fabulous! Tasty food! Some of the best in Davis! Friendly staff!

I’ve been coming here for the past three years and I’m never disappointed. The food is always delicious, whether you’re dining in, picking up, or getting doordash (tho I try to avoid that because I like to be able to tip the restaurant). The owners are so kind, a cute married couple who have been running Preethi’s for over a decade. I always get vegetarian food but my boyfriend enjoys their meat dishes! The more often you come here, the more the owners will chat with you or throw in a free mango lassi! (Gobi Manchurian picture included in review)

If you're searching for an exceptional South Indian restaurant in Davis, look no further than Preethi Indian Cuisine! This restaurant offers a truly authentic experience, with owners hailing from Andhra Pradesh in Southern India. The food here is packed with flavor and spice, making for an unforgettable dining experience. All of the curries and chutneys are expertly spiced, with each dish delivering a powerful kick that's sure to leave you satisfied. The flavors are rich and delicious, and the food is incredibly healthy as well. The lunch buffet is a must-try, featuring both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options that will please everyone. The standout dish on the buffet is undoubtedly the masala dosa, which is simply out of this world. The chutneys and sambar are also excellent, and will leave you feeling like you've been transported to culinary heaven. Not only does Preethi Indian Cuisine serve incredible food, but they're also deeply involved in the Davis community. Supporting this fantastic business is a great way to give back to the community while enjoying some of the best Indian cuisine around. Overall, if you're looking for a truly authentic and delicious South Indian dining experience, Preethi Indian Cuisine should be at the top of your list!

Justin Hoke

Don’t sleep on this very good lunch buffet! Offerings go well beyond the classic Indian-American buffet staples. Everyone beelines for the meat, but the vegetarian dishes and lemon rice are especially strong and taste of South Asia. Delicious fresh breads. Quite a good deal for twenty bucks. Will eat here again! My one complaint: the food was a little cold. It was a slow day in the restaurant, to be fair, but probably best to turn the buffet temperature up a bit.

Ilsa Hess

The owners are so friendly and kind. So many amazing vegan options. So delicious! I drive all the way from Sacramento to eat their buffet because it's that good!

Jill Dale J.D.

As soon as we walked in the door for lunch today we knew we were going to LOVE this place. The smell of spices was so intoxicating and wonderful. We were greeted by a smiling face and cheerful woman who owns the restaurant. We ordered a lot for just two of us: Goat Biryani, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Lamb Vindaloo. But we were hungry. We also ordered samosas and she threw in some pakora. While we waited, we sipped on a delicious mango lassi drink. The ride home with the food in the car was unbearable because it smelled so amazing! We got home and made plates sampling everything. The pakora was so delicious. I’ve never had that before but now am hooked! Everything tasted amazing. We moved to NorCal from Los Angeles and have had such a hard time finding good Indian food. This place turned that around. The owner was so friendly and the customer service was impeccable. I’m so glad we found this gem of a restaurant because we WILL be going back! Thank you!

Aurora Azevedo

I came here during my lunch break and the service was very quick. I got the goat biryani which was full of flavor and lots of meat, the picture doesn’t do justice on the size and flavor! I will definitely be back.

Veronica Antal

Some of the best chicken Tikka Masala I’ve ever had! The staff was super friendly and helpful! Update: still fabulous! Tasty food! Some of the best in Davis! Friendly staff!

Jade Petaishiski

I’ve been coming here for the past three years and I’m never disappointed. The food is always delicious, whether you’re dining in, picking up, or getting doordash (tho I try to avoid that because I like to be able to tip the restaurant). The owners are so kind, a cute married couple who have been running Preethi’s for over a decade. I always get vegetarian food but my boyfriend enjoys their meat dishes! The more often you come here, the more the owners will chat with you or throw in a free mango lassi! (Gobi Manchurian picture included in review)

It is very disheartening to see the recent negative reviews that are clearly left by people who did not even eat at the restaurant. We have been going to Preethi for the last several months and have always been treated with the utmost kindness and given the some of the best hospitality we have experienced. The food is always made fresh, even when the buffet is being refilled, it is fresh. The volume of people enjoying the lunch buffet, the large numbers of people at dinner service and the constant to go orders show this restaurant has a very loyal following. We have gotten to know the husband and wife who run this restaurant over the last several months just simply by talking with them and they are some of the nicest people we have ever met. They care deeply about the food they make and how they make it. They make their own yogurt and the spices that they use are from their own personal spices they have curated from their family cooking history. The spices, to my taste, are amazing. If you are looking for a high end, fine dining experience with cloth napkins and the trappings this is not the place for you. If you are looking for some really good food that an Indian grandma would make, then I think this place is for you. THESE PEOPLE CARE A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THEIR FOOD AND THEIR CUSTOMERS. If you simply talk with them and treat them with a little kindness it is returned to you a hundred times over. If you are trying to get alcohol without an ID this is not the place either - don't trash a business because they are following the rules they are required by law to follow.

Very prompt and attentive service. Family owned business, love this place! Coconut chicken & butter naan was delicious.

The staff is very friendly and the service is quick. The food was very flavorful and the vegan options were delicious. The portions are large and able to be shared amongst 4 people.

The food here is exceptional and the menu has things that I've never seen anywhere in this country. The service and atmosphere are very much like restaurants. I've eaten all over the world. It's fond and familiar. Lovely people own the restaurant and they are such great cooks. The south Indian food is so rare and delicious and wonderful. Really recommend this place. We eat here often

Adán Roa

Very prompt and attentive service. Family owned business, love this place! Coconut chicken & butter naan was delicious.

J. Loye

The food here is exceptional and the menu has things that I've never seen anywhere in this country. The service and atmosphere are very much like restaurants. I've eaten all over the world. It's fond and familiar. Lovely people own the restaurant and they are such great cooks. The south Indian food is so rare and delicious and wonderful. Really recommend this place. We eat here often

Meadow Grant

The staff is very friendly and the service is quick. The food was very flavorful and the vegan options were delicious. The portions are large and able to be shared amongst 4 people.

Jesse Mullin

It is very disheartening to see the recent negative reviews that are clearly left by people who did not even eat at the restaurant. We have been going to Preethi for the last several months and have always been treated with the utmost kindness and given the some of the best hospitality we have experienced. The food is always made fresh, even when the buffet is being refilled, it is fresh. The volume of people enjoying the lunch buffet, the large numbers of people at dinner service and the constant to go orders show this restaurant has a very loyal following. We have gotten to know the husband and wife who run this restaurant over the last several months just simply by talking with them and they are some of the nicest people we have ever met. They care deeply about the food they make and how they make it. They make their own yogurt and the spices that they use are from their own personal spices they have curated from their family cooking history. The spices, to my taste, are amazing. If you are looking for a high end, fine dining experience with cloth napkins and the trappings this is not the place for you. If you are looking for some really good food that an Indian grandma would make, then I think this place is for you. THESE PEOPLE CARE A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THEIR FOOD AND THEIR CUSTOMERS. If you simply talk with them and treat them with a little kindness it is returned to you a hundred times over. If you are trying to get alcohol without an ID this is not the place either - don't trash a business because they are following the rules they are required by law to follow.

Always tasty food and the owners are very nice people! I had the egg biryani and found it delicious. The eggs were soft and yet a little crisp on the skin. The rice was spicy and so good. Their buffet is also a good selection and everything vegetarian was tasty and delicious!

Preethi was pretty good and our server was very sweet. Last two times I came here, my channel masala was way to hot to eat. It wasn't too spicy but the temperature was too hot! I kept trying to cool it down by pouring it over rice, and pouring a cold side dish over it ( a yogurt type sauce ) but to no avail. I had to wait a long time to eat it and it was still too hot. The people who work there are very sweet. We had to wait a while for our check though. Overall I like Preethi and I would come back when I have more time to wait for food to cool and wait for check. I love how they serve pretty little side dishes surrounding the main dish. This makes for a unique and fun meal and also makes conversation starters. It's a cute and cozy restaurant and I hope it will always be there. I would leave 5 stars if food was not so hot though.

Most of the food items are great, especially the non-vegetarian dishes..

+1

I had ordered goat biriyani with thali for delivery. It was a lot of food! It was my food for the day and I was STUFFED. The goat biriyani was moist with tender chunks of meat, nicely flavored but nothing memorable. I got "spicy" out of mild, spicy, and very spicy, and it was about a 5/10 heat (I am East and SE Asian). The yogurt (raita) it came with complimented it well. The thali came with 2 pieces of naan, a lentil soup (sambar), curry of the day, and lentil sauce (daal), as well as a desert of milk and rice (kheer). The curry was rich and sweet with sugary pops from the peas and was my favorite. The rest was nice too. However, the naan was a little cakey/spongey instead of stretchy or fluffy. I went once in person, and the atmosphere is a little too quiet and dark to feel comfortable talking loudly.

The food is authentic and tasty. The atmosphere felt a bit gloomy. Even though we went towards the end of buffet the food was getting cold.

Chicken Biriyani was good. We liked the veggie options as well. Especially the raita(yogurt +cucumber and onions) was awesome. The buffet is $13 each person so overall it was good.

H T

I had ordered goat biriyani with thali for delivery. It was a lot of food! It was my food for the day and I was STUFFED. The goat biriyani was moist with tender chunks of meat, nicely flavored but nothing memorable. I got "spicy" out of mild, spicy, and very spicy, and it was about a 5/10 heat (I am East and SE Asian). The yogurt (raita) it came with complimented it well. The thali came with 2 pieces of naan, a lentil soup (sambar), curry of the day, and lentil sauce (daal), as well as a desert of milk and rice (kheer). The curry was rich and sweet with sugary pops from the peas and was my favorite. The rest was nice too. However, the naan was a little cakey/spongey instead of stretchy or fluffy. I went once in person, and the atmosphere is a little too quiet and dark to feel comfortable talking loudly.

RAHUL H

The food is authentic and tasty. The atmosphere felt a bit gloomy. Even though we went towards the end of buffet the food was getting cold.

Parthasarathi Dash

Chicken Biriyani was good. We liked the veggie options as well. Especially the raita(yogurt +cucumber and onions) was awesome. The buffet is $13 each person so overall it was good.

I've heard good things about the lunch buffet here. We came as a group of 10 for dinner and ordered several dishes ala carte. My favorite was the chicken/paneer tikka masala (they had the exact same sauce, buttery and a little tingy and divine when paired with the super garlic naan). Cons: 1) portion size was super small for $10-13 per dish: 2) mango lassi tasted like mango purée, no yogurt

Master Maggie Li

I've heard good things about the lunch buffet here. We came as a group of 10 for dinner and ordered several dishes ala carte. My favorite was the chicken/paneer tikka masala (they had the exact same sauce, buttery and a little tingy and divine when paired with the super garlic naan). Cons: 1) portion size was super small for $10-13 per dish: 2) mango lassi tasted like mango purée, no yogurt

If you are visiting near the buffet's closing time, make sure there is still food in the trays; otherwise, you will be paying without getting enough to eat. The worker seemed somewhat rude, perhaps due to long working hours.

Jack Green

If you are visiting near the buffet's closing time, make sure there is still food in the trays; otherwise, you will be paying without getting enough to eat. The worker seemed somewhat rude, perhaps due to long working hours.

I’m so confused. We went here a few years ago and had a good experience. We went the other day since we had a large group and noticed they had plenty of open tables. Perhaps that should have been a sign. No one greeted us. We had to seek them out in the back to get menus or drink orders. They were not friendly and acted like they didn’t want us there. The buffet food clearly had been sitting out for a long time and not refreshed at all. I even checked their hours to see if perhaps they were getting ready to close but they were well within their open time. I really wanted to support this place, but it was almost like they didn’t want customers. So strange.

Yesterday I went to eat at this restaurant and it's disgusting I found a fly in the soup that lack of hygiene

I don't do google reviews. This is a first. I ordered mango chicken and butter chicken. The butter chicken was raved about in some reviews and it was awesome. There was absolutely noting about the mango chicken that tasted like mango. I was also disappointed that I spent the $40 for two entrees and only got one serving of rice. For the life of me I do no understand why establishments would short change on such an inexpensive grain. When I paid the bill at what used to be a bar there was clutter stacked on all the flat surfaces and all the glasses hanging from the bar were covered in dust. I wonder if this is what they are willing to let me see how bad is it in the back. In addition the young man that took my credit card was wearing gym shorts and a stained white t shirt. Maybe it is a CA thing. I should have known when I had to walk past five food establishments that were packed but this place at 3 tables occupied.

Disappointed in South Indian chicken curry. They cut up left over tandoori chicken pieces into curry. I never saw South Indian chicken curry like this. Very disappointing

Need magnify glass to find lamb in Lamb Kadai, it was filled with bell peppers. Not spicy at all. Fish Tikka was also less. Didn't get the complementary rice with one item. It was such a rip off for about $70 for three main courses and one desert.

horrible experience, called and confirmed they will be open and it's ok to arrive and order at 2:30 as they close at 3:00 drove 30 min to get there and the lady started to rush us "we close in 30 min" We were going to order big for party of 6 so just to help them out we placed a quick and small order or tried lol, to only have the lady embarrass us with "you made me turn on my oven for this small order" lol really? we just walked out and probably will never return.

Barks at customers. Food was okay. Average. Middle of the road. Nothing unique. None of the good reviews seem to be from people who intimately know Indian food. The food is average when compared to the various Indian restaurants in this area. Service was AWFUL. The owner; (Nalanda or Preethi), I assume appears to have some serious anger issues. She wants a customer to use one plate only for the buffet. Doesn't understand basic buffet etiquette. Second servings should use a fresh plate , not show up at the buffet line with a half eaten dirty plate. She has a problem with people using bowls for each dish on the buffet. Just wants you to heap all the food on one plate. Barks at customers. To the point of sheer rudeness. Said something like "All Americans use only one plate". So if you want to have lunch or dinner at Preethi with the owner yelling at you while you eat your food, then this is the place for you. The ambiance is dull and uninviting just like the owner.

Oh, I could write a novel about this place, but I’ll spare you and stick to the highlights. This is, hands down, the worst Indian restaurant you’ll find in the entire United States—maybe even the world if we’re being ambitious. Hygiene? What’s that? This place redefines the concept of “rock bottom.” It smells like a science experiment gone wrong, and the food? Leftovers would be a compliment. Want vada? Well, good luck—what you’ll get is onion pakoda in dosa batter masquerading as vada. The buffet? A flavorless disaster that tastes like regret. And those glowing 5-star reviews? Probably bought with free mango lassi, which, by the way, I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. I’m honestly scared to even look at it. Oh, and the cherry on top? I’m writing this masterpiece while standing by the restroom because my poor son now has a stomach so upset it’s staging a rebellion. He’s about two seconds away from imploding, and honestly, I’m not sure which smells worse—the food or this bathroom. So if you’re craving a side of Pepto-Bismol with your meal, look no further. Bon appétit!

When we entered their place they didn't seem to be happy and inviting. Very poor service The man was in a hurry. He just brought us the bill in between ordering. The couple 's behaviour was very rude and mannerless. Highly unprofessional couple

This review is only for their delivery and not for dine-in. I feel that the quality of food is VASTLY different in their deliveries than if you dine at the restaurant. And I'm not just talking about the food being less/more spicy or salty but like a whole different species. My main problem was with their South Indian Chicken curry which I loved when i dined in, but when I ordered the same dish (about 4 times in total), I got very different versions each time. Sometimes its like the restaurant but most times its a watery mess with chunks of chicken thrown in, no flavor and the spices just floating on top. I wonder if they have different chefs, but whatever it is, for the price I would not recommend to order delivery from here. Dine-in is good.

My son and I had the buffet lunch. We both got sick. The food is not being Made fresh each day. It was dirty and unkept. They only had two people working there. Be careful!!

I do not recommend this restaurant. Low quality food and higher than average prices. Uncomfortable seats and little to no AC used in this restaurant.

AVOID THIS PLACE. WORST SERVICE and ZERO SENSE OF BASIC BUSINESS ETHIC. VERY CHEAP MENTALITY. ON TOP OF ALL, WORST FOOD QUALITY.

Food and service of the lowest quality. None of the food was fresh and the ingredients were very low quality. The restaurant badly needs to be fixed up and thoroughly cleaned. Prices on the menu are not accurate. Server forgot about us. never even asked us if we needed anything or if the food was good. Amazing this restaurant isn't rated lower than it already is. Avoid this restaurant.

I ordered a Kadai paneer Thali, it provided me a chance to taste a variety of vegetarian items. The kadai paneer was basically few cubes of cottage cheese in a tomato paste with couple of big pieces of onion. The rest of the items on the thali were stale and tasted pretty much. The quantity of each item was very less, came in small sauce containers. I would not go back again for their ala carte menu.

Visited this restaurant while coming back from Reno expecting g good hot food on a rainy day. Boy, it turned awful. Let me start from entry. They were confused to place water glasses on the table for group of 7. Then comes ordering, menu has hundred of items but don’t expect all of them, even if it comes, it would be stale Thali came out very cold when asked, with no apology, he took the item and gave a different one since he knows thali is cold. Biryani has hair inside and naans are too cooked with black tar all over. Not sure how this restaurant survived this long. May be because of poor UC Davis students who stay out of their homes and craving for good food. Avoid this place at all costs even if you are craving for Indian food.

Subhrajit Chakraborty

I ordered a Kadai paneer Thali, it provided me a chance to taste a variety of vegetarian items. The kadai paneer was basically few cubes of cottage cheese in a tomato paste with couple of big pieces of onion. The rest of the items on the thali were stale and tasted pretty much. The quantity of each item was very less, came in small sauce containers. I would not go back again for their ala carte menu.

Sainath B

Visited this restaurant while coming back from Reno expecting g good hot food on a rainy day. Boy, it turned awful. Let me start from entry. They were confused to place water glasses on the table for group of 7. Then comes ordering, menu has hundred of items but don’t expect all of them, even if it comes, it would be stale Thali came out very cold when asked, with no apology, he took the item and gave a different one since he knows thali is cold. Biryani has hair inside and naans are too cooked with black tar all over. Not sure how this restaurant survived this long. May be because of poor UC Davis students who stay out of their homes and craving for good food. Avoid this place at all costs even if you are craving for Indian food.

Their food is garbage, they don't have bad ethical management, the gentleman who attends is disrespectful to the customers, he doesn't know how to attend

They charge higher prices than what's on the menu. For example, if the menu shows a drink costs 5 dollars, well get ready for it to cost 7.50 when you get the bill. If you bring this to their attention their staff are completely indifferent and just play dumb and say they can't do anything. Or they say the difference in price is from a 3% surcharge for credit cards, but 3% of $5 is only 15 cents, so it should be $5.15, not the $7.50 you see on the final bill. If they need to update the prices on the menu that's one thing but to lie and say it's from a credit card surcharge is so pathetic. Almost every item on the menu costs more than the listed price, so dishonest! It's just a dump of a restaurant, the owner clearly doesn't care. Plenty of other good Indian food places in this town. Sadly Preethi Indian is substandard in every measure. The food is bad, the restaurant is hot and stuffy, and the staff couldn't care less.

Kanak N

AVOID THIS PLACE. WORST SERVICE and ZERO SENSE OF BASIC BUSINESS ETHIC. VERY CHEAP MENTALITY. ON TOP OF ALL, WORST FOOD QUALITY.

fredie mcguy

Food and service of the lowest quality. None of the food was fresh and the ingredients were very low quality. The restaurant badly needs to be fixed up and thoroughly cleaned. Prices on the menu are not accurate. Server forgot about us. never even asked us if we needed anything or if the food was good. Amazing this restaurant isn't rated lower than it already is. Avoid this restaurant.

BlCk Dougan

They charge higher prices than what's on the menu. For example, if the menu shows a drink costs 5 dollars, well get ready for it to cost 7.50 when you get the bill. If you bring this to their attention their staff are completely indifferent and just play dumb and say they can't do anything. Or they say the difference in price is from a 3% surcharge for credit cards, but 3% of $5 is only 15 cents, so it should be $5.15, not the $7.50 you see on the final bill. If they need to update the prices on the menu that's one thing but to lie and say it's from a credit card surcharge is so pathetic. Almost every item on the menu costs more than the listed price, so dishonest! It's just a dump of a restaurant, the owner clearly doesn't care. Plenty of other good Indian food places in this town. Sadly Preethi Indian is substandard in every measure. The food is bad, the restaurant is hot and stuffy, and the staff couldn't care less.