This place is the one I always prefer. I visit a lot of restaurants but to this restaurant I constantly return again and again. The crew is very amicable and the cuisine they cook is so fresh and tasty. I never decline to have a nice meal here. Highly recommended.
Ken D.
Akbar is a very interesting restaurant in Pasadena. The people are extremely friendly, and the curries are very tasty. Ive had the chicken curry, crab curry, tandoori chicken wings, and tandoori salmon. All of those are completely delish! The only minor issue with Akbar is if you order delivery they may frequently get 30 mins to 75 mins late (past the time they say). Ive learned you dont order from here b/c you want on time delivery. You order here b/c you want the best Indian food in Pasadena.
Sweetie G.
Went here for dinner and it's delicious!! Pretty good indian food and service. The naan was hot, soft and crusty . Paneer tikka masala was really good. We enjoyed it. Definitely recommend this place if you're looking for Indian food.
Keo N.
This place will be closing down soon, so there were more customers than usual, to try and beat the closing date. But fear not it will be reopening near Down town, at 701 W Cesar Chavez, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Just outside Chinatown. Of note were the crab curry and lamb chops. Every dish was good. There was a Putin dish which was not Indian but it was palatable. This certainly is not the run of the mill Indian where they serve the usual Tandoori, Masala and daal dishes. That is what every Indian restaurant serves in town. For your authentic and broader spectrum of Indian, this is the place. Will be back to try other dishes.
Richard R.
I'm not going to post one of my usual lengthy reviews for Akbar. They will only be open until the end of February 2018. While they will be opening a new location in Chinatown, I was told that the menu will not be exactly the same. Every dish we ordered was AMAZING! (take that "City of Gold"! I said it!). One of the most difficult cuisines to find in the greater Los Angeles area is truly good Indian food. Finally we found one but it's so sad it won't be open for very long. We will be back again as many times as possible before they close. I urge you, if you love Indian food you should make the effort to try Akbar before the curtain falls.
Ken N.
Slow service, bland naan, small portions, relatively bland curry. I liked the ambiance of the place, but the dishes I ordered were just lacking. Garlic Naan should be loaded with enough garlic to taste it over the flour flavor of the Naan. The curry dishes were lukewarm and honestly not as flavorful as i was hoping. The tandoori dishes looked really good, I will definitely try them next time. Overall the food was good, but the summary of my experience leaves more to be desired when there are so many other restaurants in the area to try.
Sheila Z.
Date night in Pasadena. Super yummy have been coming for the last 6 1/2 years. The chicken Tikka Masala is our to go dish, never disappoints. A must try if you are in the area. Crate barrel and Sur la Table just a hop and a skip the parking garage only $7.00 after 5pm. Gets crowded on the weekend calling a for a reservation a must. A prefer a quiet , and romantic dinner on a weekday in Pasadena.
Bao-Quynh J.
Food was three out of five stars. Flavorful but chicken can be tough and on the dry side. Garlic naan was had minimal garlic flavor. One thing that really bothered me was after we were seated we were ignored for approximately 30 minutes without receiving menus or our waters And then after having to flag down the waitress multiple times and place an order the food took another 45 to an hour to arrive. The table of four next to us received their menus and food and probably half the time we did. The server was nice to us, but the waiting and no apology was kind of off putting. It's kind of an expensive dinner which we were expecting , But needed better service and more flavorful curry. May come back again but more likely not.
Slade B.
I'm guessing they've changed owners sometime in the last few years. We used to go all the time and it was so delicious. We went once about a year ago and it wasn't good anymore. Tonight we thought we'd give them another try and we ordered delivery via Postmates. It was completely disgusting. The tikka masala was the biggest disappointment- the sauce was chunky like it was curdled and there was a thick layer of red grease on top. The samosas and naan were both soggy. The whole meal was pretty inedible, but still just as expensive as ever.
David L.
Most delicious India food I have ever had. The food is always fresh and delicious every time. I am considering to cancel my Slater's VIP membership so I can come here more often. I am willing to give up free beer to eat here. That's how good it is.
We had 2 kinds of lamb in sauce, the okra, a chicken dish, and a couple of vegetable curries at our table. Everything was delicious. The naan was remarkably good, and you can watch it being handmade and tossed into the tandoor. The service was attentive. The entire staff was kind and welcoming. The prices are on the high side for the amount of food in each dish, but they are made to order; you can watch if you wish. We particularly enjoyed the mushroom rice. If you enjoy spice, the chutneys provided were outstanding, so delicious, better than other Indian places I've visited in NY. None had ghost chilies or anything, but they made me sweat a bit. I'd return for the chutneys alone. We chose Akbar because it was close, convenient, not due to Yelp stars. I think it's a solid 4-star place, so despite the below-4 average, I strongly recommend it, and we will return as we are occasionally in the neighborhood.
Kovelamudi L.
My husband and I just came back from this restaurant , the food is below okay ! We are Indians and we know the authentic 'Taste of India' , this is definitely not authentic ! -Samosa channa chat - samosa tasted like it was spoilt . -Bread basket - the Naan's were like thick pizza base . And it wasn't cut into half . Usually breads back home in India , they are usually thinner and always cut into half . - chicken tikka masala - was super lemony. There was no tikka flavour - paneer Saag - the saag was almost burnt . And the paneer was bland Anyways , we are not the type who complain about food AT ALL .. But this place had to be spoken about . I moved to the United States 3 weeks ago from India and I was craving for some Indian food and hence walked into Akbar. My bad . Sorry .. Hope you guys do better . Cheers ! :)
Linda W.
What can I say? This is my favorite Indian restaurant! It has all of the traditional dishes plus some special creations from Chef Avinash. The garlic cheese naan is soooo good! Its creamy texture is addicting and filling. Don't give in to temptation and finish it since you need to save room for the main courses. The Chilean Sea Bass is amazing ... melts in your mouth and bursts with flavor! And of course, the classic Chicken Tikka Masala never disappoints. The special condiments created by the chef add a twist to the dishes' flavors. The all time favorite is the spicy pickled veggies. But it's a 4/5, so be careful. The green sauce tastes salty on its own, but when added to the Tikka Masala sauce, it turns a little tangy. I learned so much about sauces and condiments here, so I can appreciate and take my dining experience to the next level.
Sklar T.
Ordered food for our staff lunch last Friday, and scheduled it for a 12:30pm delivery. Was surprised that they were able to deliver bit early, which was fine with us. Had the classics of Chicken Tikka (Tandoori) and Chicken Tikka Masala. Also ordered the Vegetable Akbari (mixed vegetables in a yellow curry), Bhartha (Eggplant with tomatoes and peas), and assorted naan (garlic, onion kulchura, green herbs, and plain). Portions were huge, and every dish was delicious. Very flavorful, and the vegetable curry was nice and creamy, despite ordering it to be made coconut milk rather than regular milk. Practically all of us had 2nds. Love to head over to the restaurant and try out more dishes.
Anna N.
Recently came back here after a while. Service was excellent, came during lunch. The recipe to their coco lamb definitely changed. It's very imbalanced and has too many "dry" elements in its palette...they started using dried red chilies (like one would find in a kung pao dish) and while my friend liked the red chilies she's never had the coco lamb before and she didn't like the dish overall. Previously they used fresh green chilies as done in their spicy garlic shrimp appetizer which was just ok...it was about $10 and maybe ten shrimp tossed in vegetables in a reduced and thickened sauce that didn't have much of a garlic flavor to it. I asked for a 5 hot and it wasn't hot at all and my friend who doesn't have much spice tolerance didn't find it spicy either. Lastly the lamb had way too much tandoor smoke flavor permeating it...the excessive smokiness, dried red chilies, pull back on sweetness of coconut milk made this dish difficult for me to enjoy. Previously it was as coconutty-sweet as it was spicy and the smokiness was balanced. The dish felt more comforting when it was balanced and sweet and spicy... At least they validate parking? It'll be a while before I come back...
This place is the one I always prefer. I visit a lot of restaurants but to this restaurant I constantly return again and again. The crew is very amicable and the cuisine they cook is so fresh and tasty. I never decline to have a nice meal here. Highly recommended.
Akbar is a very interesting restaurant in Pasadena. The people are extremely friendly, and the curries are very tasty. Ive had the chicken curry, crab curry, tandoori chicken wings, and tandoori salmon. All of those are completely delish! The only minor issue with Akbar is if you order delivery they may frequently get 30 mins to 75 mins late (past the time they say). Ive learned you dont order from here b/c you want on time delivery. You order here b/c you want the best Indian food in Pasadena.
Went here for dinner and it's delicious!! Pretty good indian food and service. The naan was hot, soft and crusty . Paneer tikka masala was really good. We enjoyed it. Definitely recommend this place if you're looking for Indian food.
This place will be closing down soon, so there were more customers than usual, to try and beat the closing date. But fear not it will be reopening near Down town, at 701 W Cesar Chavez, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Just outside Chinatown. Of note were the crab curry and lamb chops. Every dish was good. There was a Putin dish which was not Indian but it was palatable. This certainly is not the run of the mill Indian where they serve the usual Tandoori, Masala and daal dishes. That is what every Indian restaurant serves in town. For your authentic and broader spectrum of Indian, this is the place. Will be back to try other dishes.
I'm not going to post one of my usual lengthy reviews for Akbar. They will only be open until the end of February 2018. While they will be opening a new location in Chinatown, I was told that the menu will not be exactly the same. Every dish we ordered was AMAZING! (take that "City of Gold"! I said it!). One of the most difficult cuisines to find in the greater Los Angeles area is truly good Indian food. Finally we found one but it's so sad it won't be open for very long. We will be back again as many times as possible before they close. I urge you, if you love Indian food you should make the effort to try Akbar before the curtain falls.
Slow service, bland naan, small portions, relatively bland curry. I liked the ambiance of the place, but the dishes I ordered were just lacking. Garlic Naan should be loaded with enough garlic to taste it over the flour flavor of the Naan. The curry dishes were lukewarm and honestly not as flavorful as i was hoping. The tandoori dishes looked really good, I will definitely try them next time. Overall the food was good, but the summary of my experience leaves more to be desired when there are so many other restaurants in the area to try.
Date night in Pasadena. Super yummy have been coming for the last 6 1/2 years. The chicken Tikka Masala is our to go dish, never disappoints. A must try if you are in the area. Crate barrel and Sur la Table just a hop and a skip the parking garage only $7.00 after 5pm. Gets crowded on the weekend calling a for a reservation a must. A prefer a quiet , and romantic dinner on a weekday in Pasadena.
Food was three out of five stars. Flavorful but chicken can be tough and on the dry side. Garlic naan was had minimal garlic flavor. One thing that really bothered me was after we were seated we were ignored for approximately 30 minutes without receiving menus or our waters And then after having to flag down the waitress multiple times and place an order the food took another 45 to an hour to arrive. The table of four next to us received their menus and food and probably half the time we did. The server was nice to us, but the waiting and no apology was kind of off putting. It's kind of an expensive dinner which we were expecting , But needed better service and more flavorful curry. May come back again but more likely not.
I'm guessing they've changed owners sometime in the last few years. We used to go all the time and it was so delicious. We went once about a year ago and it wasn't good anymore. Tonight we thought we'd give them another try and we ordered delivery via Postmates. It was completely disgusting. The tikka masala was the biggest disappointment- the sauce was chunky like it was curdled and there was a thick layer of red grease on top. The samosas and naan were both soggy. The whole meal was pretty inedible, but still just as expensive as ever.
Most delicious India food I have ever had. The food is always fresh and delicious every time. I am considering to cancel my Slater's VIP membership so I can come here more often. I am willing to give up free beer to eat here. That's how good it is.
Restaurantji Recommends
We had 2 kinds of lamb in sauce, the okra, a chicken dish, and a couple of vegetable curries at our table. Everything was delicious. The naan was remarkably good, and you can watch it being handmade and tossed into the tandoor. The service was attentive. The entire staff was kind and welcoming. The prices are on the high side for the amount of food in each dish, but they are made to order; you can watch if you wish. We particularly enjoyed the mushroom rice. If you enjoy spice, the chutneys provided were outstanding, so delicious, better than other Indian places I've visited in NY. None had ghost chilies or anything, but they made me sweat a bit. I'd return for the chutneys alone. We chose Akbar because it was close, convenient, not due to Yelp stars. I think it's a solid 4-star place, so despite the below-4 average, I strongly recommend it, and we will return as we are occasionally in the neighborhood.
My husband and I just came back from this restaurant , the food is below okay ! We are Indians and we know the authentic 'Taste of India' , this is definitely not authentic ! -Samosa channa chat - samosa tasted like it was spoilt . -Bread basket - the Naan's were like thick pizza base . And it wasn't cut into half . Usually breads back home in India , they are usually thinner and always cut into half . - chicken tikka masala - was super lemony. There was no tikka flavour - paneer Saag - the saag was almost burnt . And the paneer was bland Anyways , we are not the type who complain about food AT ALL .. But this place had to be spoken about . I moved to the United States 3 weeks ago from India and I was craving for some Indian food and hence walked into Akbar. My bad . Sorry .. Hope you guys do better . Cheers ! :)
What can I say? This is my favorite Indian restaurant! It has all of the traditional dishes plus some special creations from Chef Avinash. The garlic cheese naan is soooo good! Its creamy texture is addicting and filling. Don't give in to temptation and finish it since you need to save room for the main courses. The Chilean Sea Bass is amazing ... melts in your mouth and bursts with flavor! And of course, the classic Chicken Tikka Masala never disappoints. The special condiments created by the chef add a twist to the dishes' flavors. The all time favorite is the spicy pickled veggies. But it's a 4/5, so be careful. The green sauce tastes salty on its own, but when added to the Tikka Masala sauce, it turns a little tangy. I learned so much about sauces and condiments here, so I can appreciate and take my dining experience to the next level.
Ordered food for our staff lunch last Friday, and scheduled it for a 12:30pm delivery. Was surprised that they were able to deliver bit early, which was fine with us. Had the classics of Chicken Tikka (Tandoori) and Chicken Tikka Masala. Also ordered the Vegetable Akbari (mixed vegetables in a yellow curry), Bhartha (Eggplant with tomatoes and peas), and assorted naan (garlic, onion kulchura, green herbs, and plain). Portions were huge, and every dish was delicious. Very flavorful, and the vegetable curry was nice and creamy, despite ordering it to be made coconut milk rather than regular milk. Practically all of us had 2nds. Love to head over to the restaurant and try out more dishes.
Recently came back here after a while. Service was excellent, came during lunch. The recipe to their coco lamb definitely changed. It's very imbalanced and has too many "dry" elements in its palette...they started using dried red chilies (like one would find in a kung pao dish) and while my friend liked the red chilies she's never had the coco lamb before and she didn't like the dish overall. Previously they used fresh green chilies as done in their spicy garlic shrimp appetizer which was just ok...it was about $10 and maybe ten shrimp tossed in vegetables in a reduced and thickened sauce that didn't have much of a garlic flavor to it. I asked for a 5 hot and it wasn't hot at all and my friend who doesn't have much spice tolerance didn't find it spicy either. Lastly the lamb had way too much tandoor smoke flavor permeating it...the excessive smokiness, dried red chilies, pull back on sweetness of coconut milk made this dish difficult for me to enjoy. Previously it was as coconutty-sweet as it was spicy and the smokiness was balanced. The dish felt more comforting when it was balanced and sweet and spicy... At least they validate parking? It'll be a while before I come back...