Tamarind Bay

The food was quite good, but arrived 90 minutes after I ordered. more

This place is fantastic. My boyfriend and I brought 20 people here for a birthday and they did a wonderful job. It's a small place, but they gave us a long table along the back wall. They accommodated extra people who showed up. It was very cozy and everyone had a great time. We had one waiter assigned to us, and did a great job coordinating our service. It's obviously well managed. The cook tries out fantastic, non-traditional recipes. I recommend straying from the standard chicken tikka masala and trying some of the different dishes, I haven't yet been disappointed. I can't wait to try their new restaurant in Brookline - I am not surprised this business is expanding. Pros: Everything Cons: Nothing more

This is not the first time I have been to Tamarind Bay, but this is the first time I tried their lunch buffet. It was terrible compared to any other Indian buffets I've had in the area. The variety of the food was limited (although it did have a curry dish, nan, vegetable, Indian fried chicken, potatoes). In addition, the chicken in the curry was really hard and the sauce was so salty that even when I tried to eat with with nan and rice, it was unacceptable. The vegetable curry tasted like it was chopped vegetable in water. The nan was stale and bland with no garlic/butter flavoring, unlike the other nans that I've had in the area (ex. Cafe India, Tanjore). What dissapointed me most was that the Indian fried chicken was burnt, cold and again, super super SUPER salty. The sauce was a plum flavor that tasted extremely unnatural. Generally, I am not a picky person about food, and I eat Indian food at least once a week, so I thought I would try out Tamarind Bay as friends informed me that their dinner was not bad. For all those who want good Indian buffets, you should definitely pick another restaurant in the area. After this terrible experience, I tried to give some feedback to the waiters, and they had a pretty bad attitude. I will definitely not go back to this place again. Tamarind Bay made me wish restaurants offer refunds. Pros: Good atmosphere Cons: Terrible Lunch Buffet, super super salty food more

Space is too small ...I am ok with it ....Food is really ..really good...curries are very good (Chicken & Goat )\r Vegg stuff is also good...Don't expect a Hyderabadi Biryani ..when you ask for a biryani.... little expensive Overall it's good.. Pros: good food Cons: too small more

I normally write quite a bit. But please just take my word for it. It's grubbier than the website makes it look, the food is mediocre, and the value...holy crap...don't they know that for the $15-18 they charge for a little bowl of curry, they could feed around 30 people in India for a day. They're just robbing the little Harvard boys of their allowance. Cons: Horrible value, misrepresenting photos, dodgy service more

Small little place but I guess good things come in small packages. Great lamb kababs (i have not had had so tender ones since Kernel Kabab's in Delhi). Lamb chops are great. Daal is outstanding. I liked the unusual fish curries and the non-colored tandoori chicken ( which shows the restaurant is authentic). Go there for food, not for a night out. Pros: Food, food, food Cons: space more

Dinner dishes was cooked with too much oil. Both veggie dishes had a thick layer of oil. The food was too greasy. Indian dishes require some oil for cooking but this was definately too much.\r \r As for the notation - not good for kids. Very true. Very poor structure for children. They had 2 high chairs available - both of which had no restraint straps working - useless. \r \r My recommendation - if you don't have kids or want Indian greasy food, then this is place for you. If not, check around the city, there are plenty of nicer Indian restaurants with better food. more

Tamarind Bay is our default restaurant. We have probably been there 6 times in the past 8 months and absolutely love going there. We usually stick to our routine selections, however whenever we go outside our comfort zone, we are almost always pleasantly surprised. At Tamarind Bay, you won't find your normal Indian staples. What you will find is a chef that knows the flavors of Indian food, knows how to combine different tastes, all with success. Adding twists to staple foods, or offering different Indian tastes that you can't find at any other Indian restaurant in Boston, including Bombay Club (right across the street), is definitely welcomed by this Indian couple! Pros: Excellent food and attentive waitstaff Cons: Limited space more

I have been to Tamarind Bay 3 times in last 6 months and I have to say that the experience has been nothing but great. People are too picky about small things that day and overlook the big picture. In my opinion, they have the best Indian food in Boston. I specially like the lamb-chops, lobster, mysore chilli and daal. Try the Zatar paratha if you want. I asked the manager food and he said that most of the food is cooked in ""desi ghee"" - home style clarified butter. Their policy about reservations he told me guarantees a table but not the time as they are such a small restaurant. Everyone things they are a food critic now so my two cents are that this is the top 3 Indian restaurant in town if not the best. The limitations are the space and size but the food is CitySearching deliciouuuuuuus. Pros: Food, atmosphere and quality Cons: Space more

OMG, I was shocked that I have read so many good things about this restaurant and ate there today. 3 Tablespoons of oil per bite (I am not kidding). There are other Indian dining locations so close by I am shocked they try getting away serving this stuff! Pros: In Harvard Square Cons: Greasy, greasy, greasy!!!!! more

Excellent and innovative Indian food. However, innovation involves experimentation which comes with a price - while most of the dishes end up being excellent, a few can be fairly mediocre.\r \r I would recommend going for dinner when you can order a la carte. Lunch is buffet only and is quite good on some days but very mediocre on other days (the Sunday special lunch is usually the worst). Pros: Food, location Cons: parking more

Boy, are you in for a treat! This food is like a party in your mouth. You'll have a hard time finding street parking. more

I eat a lot of Indian food, all over the country. In Cambridge, I've been a long-time patron of both the Bombay Club and Tanjore. Now that I've discovered Tamarind Bay, it's my absolute favorite.\r \r The food at Tamarind Bay is slightly different from typical North or South Indian food found in local restaurants. Oh, the favorites are there... just under slightly different names and with a wonderfuly, tasty, and slightly different twist.\r \r The Lalla Mussa Dal is awesome -- Just like homemade. The Peshawari Chole is incredible. The Mysore Chilli Chicken and Lazeez Tikka Masala are also terrific. \r \r The restaurant is relatively small, and the tables can be pretty close together. The service is relaxed, friendly and sufficiently attentive.\r \r If you love typical Indian food, and you're looking for something a little different, I highly recommend Tamarind Bay.\r more

This place served one of the best Indian foods that I have ever had in any restaurants. I have been there 3 times within 6 months. On my 3rd visit I took 2 of my non-Indian friends with me. The next day all 4 of us had really bad stomach problems. I contacted the restaurant, spoke with the manager (I presume) and he promised to give me a call back after some time to let me know what went wrong. He never called back. \r I am really upset about their non-professional and unethical behaviour. I was embarrassed in front of my non-Indian friends. None of them ever went back to the restaurant again and certainly not me. This is a really tiny restaurant with a lot of patrons and your health is not their top priority! So, they cut corners by not maintaining a clean kitchen.\r My advice...........stay clear of this place!\r Pros: Great food. Cons: Very busy. Often have to wait for long, outside. Don't honor reservation well. UNHEALTHY food. more

Carefully prepared dishes. Although the bhutta is a little different from the authentic type you'd find on Mumbai streets, it was spicy and yummy. The okra was unbelievably tasty. Fish and lamb curries were also amazing. My fiance says this is the best Indian restaurant he's ever been to! Our waiter was extremely polite, helpful, and attentive. Although we are Indian, I noticed most patrons are not (perhaps this is because of the fusion-type food, or slightly higher prices). Small downstairs quarters, though, and the bathrooms are, as noted by the signs on their doors, quite tiny. Should make reservations. Pros: Savory food, Innovative ingredient, Great service Cons: Small quarters, Higher prices, Tiny bathrooms more

Great Indian restaurant. After living in London and India, I feel that I can get a good indian food here finally. Buffet is fresh and the Tandoori chicken is not fried to look fresh (thank God). Small but eclectic menu. My favourites - Quail, Bhuna Paneer, Daal and the Rogan Josh. Drink list could be improved. Pros: Food, Services, Atmosphere Cons: Space more

So I read the reviews on here and thought I'd take a good Indian friend, who is strictly vegetarian and also does not eat garlic and onion, here. There were no vegetarian items he could eat, the servers were rude when we asked if he could order something a la carte, and looked at him like he was crazy when he said he couldn't have garlic and onions. I ate the buffet and it was decent to say the best. They said they would bring him some mixed vegetables and ended up bringing out a plate of chickpeas with no warning. To say the least, our experience was terrible. I'd never go back. Pros: Decent Price, Nice Tables Cons: Bland Boring Food, Poor Service more

We made the mistake of going to ""The Best Indian Restaurant in Boston"" for Sunday buffet, and were sorely disappointed. The selection was meager at best, and the food not very good, and certainly not ""inventive"". I haven't been there for dinner or ordered off the menu, but I would strongly recommend not going there for their buffet. more

The food is fresh and the curry sauces are not stale and repetitive. The restaurants is TINY... but when you get good food to eat, you dont mind the place nor the money spent. The menu is ceratinly not the usual, none of the panner tikka's or aloo gobhi stuff. Everything is authentic and fresh. It was a real treat and i shall go there more often!! Pros: food Cons: space, slow service more

I do not understand what the buzz about this place is. The food was average, nothing different than any other Indian restaurant I have been too (an I'm Indian, so I should know) - and the service was very slow. more