First impressions can really make or break a restaurant experience. For us, it was arriving at 6:30pm on a Thursday night and being told that there was absolutely no seats available for at least 45 minutes, even though the place was near empty. Other couples came in and were seated immediately (without asking their names) which had us puzzled. When we asked the hostess why, she refused to say anything. Make reservations ahead of time if you want to go, or else you'll be treated to a cold hostess who tells you to wait at the bar kthanksbye. \r
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Pros:\r
Aside from the hostess, the wait staff is very friendly and will see that you're taken care of. The food selection is unique and diverse, and the ambience is very nice.\r
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Cons:\r
The appetizer we had (crab cakes) were covered in cayenne pepper it was overwhelming. The lamb meat was quite dry and we couldn't even finish it because it was so coarse. The Naan was a bit too thin and crispy, cracker-like for our liking. \r
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Overall, we had a poor experience at Shiva's. There are plenty of better Indian restaurants around the bay area that will offer higher quality food without the rudeness.
Pros: Ambience, selection
Cons: Rude hostess, food dry and subpar
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