The Dhaba

Reviews 4

JE

Jennifer Greco

WARNING- 18% GRATUITY AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED REGARDLESS OF PARTY SIZE I will preface with this food is good and this review is based solely on the "service" we received today January 7th. I am really disappointed to have to write this review. We are visiting for a few weeks and were recommended this restaurant from our wonderful Indian friends back home. Weve come 3 times in the last two weeks and were so excited to bring our friends here. Our party of 5 arrived Saturday for lunch just before 2:00, upon walking in, a woman (the owner?) abruptly told us, "Just so you know, we close at 3:00, you will need to order before 2:15 and be out by 3pm because my cleaner is coming." Despite this attitude we said "it was fine, we already know what we will order and will eat fast". Our friends had already driven a distance to come here. She seemed annoyed we were actually staying and that set the tone for the "service" we received for the rest of our meal. I witnessed her telling people coming in after us, and watching them turn away. For someone who was so interested in getting us out, she sure took her time coming over to take our order. When she did come, as we were placing our order she was very "curt". As my husband was ordering, he had a question. She stood at the end of the other end of the table and complained she could not hear him, he asked her if she could come closer so he didnt have to shout, she said "I can stay here". It was really odd and ridiculous. Then she condecendingly corrected the pronunciation of the dish he was asking about. When we got our order we were shorted an appetizer, it was brought out at the end of the meal. When we asked for Naan bread, she said "kitchen is closed". Our drinks were never refilled and my husband took it upon himself to refill our drinks from the water pitcher (Indian food can be quite spicy). She then took her time to bring us the check. We noticed she added an 18% gratuity for herself, but didnt tell us, pretty presumptuous given the level of service we got. Its customary to add on parties of 6+, but this explains her service and attitude (a guaranteed tip). No papadam was ever offered either. Maybe they dont offer it at lunch? The difference is so STARK from the last few times we visited this restaurant. There has always been a sweet woman working at night that is absolutely delightful, sweet and funny. I was under the impression she was the owner. Clearly the woman we dealt with today is the owner. Lady, you are rude and super tacky adding on 18% for your poor service and attitude. That being said, I refuse to give my hard-earned money to a business that CLEARLY does not appreciate the very people who pay their bills. My review alone wont put you out of business, but bad attitudes like yours will.

SH

shanker krishnan

This was our first time to The Dhaba . We decided to go based on the reviews in Yelp . It was very disappointing . - We had set up a reservation at 8:00 PM and when we reach there the lady probably the owner says that we have just 30 mins to make all the orders and they take the last order only till 8:30 . We had to rush through the appetizers , main course , drinks and desserts . -Service was very poor . The lady was cocky and wasnt pleasant at all . The waiter who came to serve had no idea where to keep the food and was literally giving the plate of naan to us and was not even bothered to take the finished plates off the table - Coming to the food . Now Ive seen a lot of 5 star reviews for this restaurant . I feel it is the worst food for the price you are paying . Every dish was mediocre and costs atleast 15$ We ordered Paneer , Butter chicken and some lamb curry . ALL THE CURRIES TASTED ABSOLUTELY THE SAME . There was no salt and the base gravy was the same for all three . And they add too much color in their food - I ordered Butter naan , and what I got was just some hard "naan" which had absolutely no butter in it . The naan was really hard and in 5 minutes it became rock solid . The gobi parathas were under-cooked If I could give this place Zero stars I would have done that . Not even one dish was worth eating . It is just a n overpriced place that serves poor quality food . Now a lot of people here might like it but being an Indian and knowing what actual Indian food tastes like , I feel the restaurant is a big disaster only good enough to burn a hole in your pocket . There is just too much hype about this place in all these websites . The food is not even average and I would advice everyone to PLEASE NOT GO TO THIS PLACE . You have other Indian restaurants in Tempe , they are far better and cheaper . THIS IS AN OVERATED PLACE . FOOD IS POOR QUALITY , PRICEY and NOT AUTHENTIC . It is just not worth it

PE

Pete S

Been to The Dhaba twice. First Time wasnt all that bad. One of the drinks we ordered was very salty. My grilled food was good. Good enough to come back another time. Second time though which was July sometime was pretty bad. We sat down and the waiter (Younger Male) told us the kitchen was closing so we had to hurry and order. My partner felt very rushed and ended up ordering something she was unsure of. I kinda know what I like so I thought I ordered well enough for being rushed. Just get me my beer I though. Drinks come out followed by the food a bit later. We were hungry so we dug in. My partner instantly complained to me her food was way too salty. I ignored her and ate mine :) . After a quarter through mine, I realized mine was also just h=getting saltier and saltier :( We drank water and beer and went back to it, grabbed some naan bread which was burnt and tried to disguise the saltiness with the bread. didnt work. tried my partners and OMG it was like drinking ocean water! poor girl, hers was horrible. We were past the kitchen hours so we didnt feel like sending the dishes back. The waiter wasnt trained well in how to be a waiter so we didnt bother talking to him. His mind was set on closing the place down. vowed to write a review though. So here I am. The bill was up there for horrible food. Seeing as both our dishes were ultra salty, there was something wrong in the kitchen. Im not sure if this is a regular thing as I said an Indian drink we ordered a while back was too salty also . Couldnt stop drinking water afterward. Dont let my experience stop you from visiting though, its a good place. I just want the owners to be aware of this. they are nice people (The older folks?). They werent there that night.

A

A Private User

When I have a craving for home-cooked food from the mother country, I come here! The reception is changing to keep up with the trend. The beautiful statues in the doorway add a traditional flavor to the experience while the decor of the restaurant brings a calming resonance. Subdued ambiance along with a low person wait-staff make it feel more intimate and dinner progresses without being rushed, as one might expect at other eateries, aiming to do quick turn-overs. The food is excellent and authentic. The service staff is always pleasant and accommodating. Bonus!!, I dont go home feeling as though I have just eaten a bunch of processed or salty food. With so many health conscious recipes on the menu, I always feel energized after a meal here. Its evident that much thought was put into preparing the food and creating the menu. Considering all these factors, it is important to note that this not a buffet serving, short-cut taking type of place! A automatic gratuity charge will be added to the bill but considering how many coupons, The Dhaba, has put out, a great deal is still to be had. Many other Indian restaurants in the valley, recycle their food items so freshness is not part of the equation. The Dhaba promises quality and they deliver, for this, a consumer must pay extra. Just like that special wheel of cheese imported from New Zealand found at Whole Foods or World Market. So ... if you looking for a mediocre experience or mediocre food, then perhaps dine somewhere else; it would be a far better option than to rant and rave about the prices, the service, and the overall quality of this magnificent gem in Phoenix.