Honestly don't understand the high ratings of this place. Had these dishes: Lamb Rogan Josh Chana Masala Okra curry Garlic naan The dishes were incredibly oily and greasy. The cooks clearly use too much ghee everytime. The flavor was subpar. The naan was definitely not done in a tandoor, was flat, firm, and dry and looks to be not made in house. Nothing like real naan from other restaurants that's puffy and light. Can't believe the prices they are charging for this mediocre Indian food. Won't be back.
Di C.
I called them first to order to-go and the lady said they don't trust people so I need to come to restaurant and order . Fair enough drove down and ordered chai and two samosas. Pricey $16 but the chai had a Lipton dip in it and didn't look like it was made the Indian way. Got home and the samosas had the strangest filling so I called them and they say if u had ordered meat or veg. Being a vegetarian I was upset that the person taking the order didn't even ask to confirm and ofcourse whoever was on the phone challenged me that there is no way one could have NOT asked me what kind of samosa I'd like instead of saying I apologize if there was a confusion. Chai and the samosas were a big thumbs down .
Sharon F.
What a charming restaurant to enjoy classic Indian cuisine. Packed with flavor, desired heat, and made with much love and attention from the chef! Service was friendly and helpful choosing our last dish to accompany our order! Very clean, and friendly. Just the aroma from the street will make you come inside to eat! I'll be back. Some reviews rant about the non use of bathrooms. I understand it's probably a deterrent for outside public use, the owner is friendly and nice enough to unlock them if you're polite and ask him! No problems with our party of five!
Alene Cali
It is completely illegal to not have restrooms available at an establishment that serves food. If you can even call what they serve food. Mostly just serve attitude.
Saule Piktys
i love Rita’s kitchen my favorite for very long time
Teri Kahn ..
The food was delicious!! Rita has been cooking Indian food for over 50 years. She has the spices down to a science/art, and she is the artist. The restaurant is blocks from the movie theaters in Santa Monica and near the Promenade. it is my new "go to" place. Best Indian food I have had on the Westside!!
Shyam Sheth
they seem nice enough so it pains me to give this review. but how do i put it... you will never get high blood pressure from eating here. if this is the gate of india, it's intended to fool the british into thinking the country has absolutely no spices left.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 4
Michael Godinez III
Eat here with caution!This place puts me in a tough spot because when you get the food that you actually order, it's good but the people running this restaurant are rude and literally lie to you.They brought us a dish that we were certain was not what we ordered. We asked the man that is always there, what it is they brought to us. He wouldn't answer the question. He kept asking us what we ordered, and when we told him, he then responded with, "yes, that is what that is." This was obviously very upsetting.We then ordered the dish we were certain was brought to us, and it was the exact same dish. When the lady brought it out, we asked her what she brought and what was on the table. She wouldn't answer the question.The point here is that when you have a major character flaw where you lie to people knowingly, that bleeds into other areas. What if they have expired food? What if they drop the food on the floor? Well, they would just serve it. They don't have an issue with lying and being dishonest!I have been to this place 5 times and 3 out of the five times, that same guy lied about something. It was extremely weird. However, this last time it dawned on me, IT IS DANGEROUS to eat here or anywhere that you find unscrupulous humans.At the time of this writing, the chef is good, but that is all this place has to offer and not worth the risk.EAT HERE AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Coconut Curry, Tikka Masala
Ryan M.
Authentic. Aromatic. Heartwarming service and ambiance. This restaurant is a local gem. If you happen to be by the beach in Santa Monica and are craving Indian, this is the spot.
Anthony Z.
10/10 food, amazing service and the vibe was very authentic and chill. 100% recommend the chicken tika, garlic naan and veggie samosa.
Where do I start with this place? This was THE WORST "Indian" food we had ever tasted, and we have tasted A LOT! I can only imagine the people posting the five-star reviews have never eaten proper Indian food before or they are fake. My husband ordered the chicken tikka masala and I ordered the chana masala. Both dishes looked like the same "mush-like" consistency. The chicken tikka masala was completely bland in taste, and you could tell the garbanzo beans in the chana masala came straight out of a tin! YUCK! At $21-$25 this slop didn't even come with rice included. Next, our microwaved pappadum came out half-done and had to be sent back, and there was a strong chemical-like taste in the drinking water. A truly disappointing experience. If you are looking for good Indian food, save your money and go elsewhere!
Liz C.
Ha well you can say what you wish, but the samosas wer cold and undercooked. They need to be deep fried so you may want to check with your servers who took their time slivering undercooked doughy cold samosas. I have eaten Indian All Over the world. You need to try harder if you want to stay in business. Also as a provider of service (which I have been) you may want to learn to treat your customers and their comments better. We followed you from your last location, figuring we should give you another chance... never again. And BTW you have 2 signs Your bathroom is out of order. Right inside the front door. Another couple left because they saw the signs before sitting . We were by the door so heard them. Literally you have two signs saying "bathroom out of order" No restrooms! Pathetic response to a customer response. Good luck at your new location we will not join you again. Wish I could give zero star after that untruthful response to my complaint. DO NOT EAT HERE!
hong peng
Very unique Indian food at very affordable prices.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Rob wolf
Great spot!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Andrew L.
Nice little gem in Santa Monica. My family very much enjoyed this place. The samosas, hummus, and chicken vindaloo were my favorites. Would recommend.
Honestly don't understand the high ratings of this place. Had these dishes: Lamb Rogan Josh Chana Masala Okra curry Garlic naan The dishes were incredibly oily and greasy. The cooks clearly use too much ghee everytime. The flavor was subpar. The naan was definitely not done in a tandoor, was flat, firm, and dry and looks to be not made in house. Nothing like real naan from other restaurants that's puffy and light. Can't believe the prices they are charging for this mediocre Indian food. Won't be back.
I called them first to order to-go and the lady said they don't trust people so I need to come to restaurant and order . Fair enough drove down and ordered chai and two samosas. Pricey $16 but the chai had a Lipton dip in it and didn't look like it was made the Indian way. Got home and the samosas had the strangest filling so I called them and they say if u had ordered meat or veg. Being a vegetarian I was upset that the person taking the order didn't even ask to confirm and ofcourse whoever was on the phone challenged me that there is no way one could have NOT asked me what kind of samosa I'd like instead of saying I apologize if there was a confusion. Chai and the samosas were a big thumbs down .
What a charming restaurant to enjoy classic Indian cuisine. Packed with flavor, desired heat, and made with much love and attention from the chef! Service was friendly and helpful choosing our last dish to accompany our order! Very clean, and friendly. Just the aroma from the street will make you come inside to eat! I'll be back. Some reviews rant about the non use of bathrooms. I understand it's probably a deterrent for outside public use, the owner is friendly and nice enough to unlock them if you're polite and ask him! No problems with our party of five!
It is completely illegal to not have restrooms available at an establishment that serves food. If you can even call what they serve food. Mostly just serve attitude.
i love Rita’s kitchen my favorite for very long time
The food was delicious!! Rita has been cooking Indian food for over 50 years. She has the spices down to a science/art, and she is the artist. The restaurant is blocks from the movie theaters in Santa Monica and near the Promenade. it is my new "go to" place. Best Indian food I have had on the Westside!!
they seem nice enough so it pains me to give this review. but how do i put it... you will never get high blood pressure from eating here. if this is the gate of india, it's intended to fool the british into thinking the country has absolutely no spices left.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 4
Eat here with caution!This place puts me in a tough spot because when you get the food that you actually order, it's good but the people running this restaurant are rude and literally lie to you.They brought us a dish that we were certain was not what we ordered. We asked the man that is always there, what it is they brought to us. He wouldn't answer the question. He kept asking us what we ordered, and when we told him, he then responded with, "yes, that is what that is." This was obviously very upsetting.We then ordered the dish we were certain was brought to us, and it was the exact same dish. When the lady brought it out, we asked her what she brought and what was on the table. She wouldn't answer the question.The point here is that when you have a major character flaw where you lie to people knowingly, that bleeds into other areas. What if they have expired food? What if they drop the food on the floor? Well, they would just serve it. They don't have an issue with lying and being dishonest!I have been to this place 5 times and 3 out of the five times, that same guy lied about something. It was extremely weird. However, this last time it dawned on me, IT IS DANGEROUS to eat here or anywhere that you find unscrupulous humans.At the time of this writing, the chef is good, but that is all this place has to offer and not worth the risk.EAT HERE AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Coconut Curry, Tikka Masala
Authentic. Aromatic. Heartwarming service and ambiance. This restaurant is a local gem. If you happen to be by the beach in Santa Monica and are craving Indian, this is the spot.
10/10 food, amazing service and the vibe was very authentic and chill. 100% recommend the chicken tika, garlic naan and veggie samosa.
Restaurantji Recommends
Where do I start with this place? This was THE WORST "Indian" food we had ever tasted, and we have tasted A LOT! I can only imagine the people posting the five-star reviews have never eaten proper Indian food before or they are fake. My husband ordered the chicken tikka masala and I ordered the chana masala. Both dishes looked like the same "mush-like" consistency. The chicken tikka masala was completely bland in taste, and you could tell the garbanzo beans in the chana masala came straight out of a tin! YUCK! At $21-$25 this slop didn't even come with rice included. Next, our microwaved pappadum came out half-done and had to be sent back, and there was a strong chemical-like taste in the drinking water. A truly disappointing experience. If you are looking for good Indian food, save your money and go elsewhere!
Ha well you can say what you wish, but the samosas wer cold and undercooked. They need to be deep fried so you may want to check with your servers who took their time slivering undercooked doughy cold samosas. I have eaten Indian All Over the world. You need to try harder if you want to stay in business. Also as a provider of service (which I have been) you may want to learn to treat your customers and their comments better. We followed you from your last location, figuring we should give you another chance... never again. And BTW you have 2 signs Your bathroom is out of order. Right inside the front door. Another couple left because they saw the signs before sitting . We were by the door so heard them. Literally you have two signs saying "bathroom out of order" No restrooms! Pathetic response to a customer response. Good luck at your new location we will not join you again. Wish I could give zero star after that untruthful response to my complaint. DO NOT EAT HERE!
Very unique Indian food at very affordable prices.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Great spot!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nice little gem in Santa Monica. My family very much enjoyed this place. The samosas, hummus, and chicken vindaloo were my favorites. Would recommend.