Punjabi Dhaba — Restaurant in California

We decided to give Punjabi Dhaba a shot based on our friend's strong recommendation while we were on our way to North California. From the moment we arrived, we were truly impressed by the authenticity of the food and the charming simplicity of the place. The restaurant is set up as a food truck, offering both indoor and outdoor seating options.

The ordering process is unique, as they use pagers 📟 to notify you when your food is ready. It's a family-owned restaurant that has been going strong for years, and we learned that the uncle himself cooks the food in cold-pressed oil. We couldn't wait to try their dishes!

We opted for the chicken curry, shahi paneer, and Kheer. It's worth noting that none of the main course curries or sabjis come with rice, so you'll need to order it separately for an additional $4 charge. Unfortunately, they were out of garlic naans, but the butter naan we settled for turned out to be delicious as well.

The service at Punjabi Dhaba was quick and efficient. Don't expect fancy cutlery or a formal dining experience here. When your pager beeps, you head over to the truck to pick up your food, which is served in plastic containers, plates, and utensils. It's a self-service setup, so remember to clean up after yourself. They even have a mobile bathroom outside, along with a small hand wash basin, which was clean and neat.

One thing that caught us by surprise was not receiving lemon slices when we asked for them. It's a bit unusual for Indian restaurants, but considering the quality of their food, it's easy to overlook such minor details. Trust is an important aspect of their business, as they accept payments via Zelle or cash 💰. If the amount is relatively small, around $3-5, they kindly ask you to pay next time you visit. It's a thoughtful gesture that ensures visitors feel welcomed and encourages them to return.

Overall, our experience at Punjabi Dhaba was fantastic. The authentic flavors, the humble setup, and the warm hospitality all combined to create a memorable dining experience. We highly recommend giving this place a try, and we'll definitely be returning on our next trip to the area. Punjabi Dhaba is a gem that deserves recognition for their delicious Punjabi cuisine and genuine service.

P.S Few furry friends 🐈 🐈‍⬛ for...

Was on my way to sequoia national park from LA and was searching on maps for Indian food. Was particularly looking for “Dhaba” as I was told there were many on SoCal. Saw a few options , read through the reviews and ended up being to this place as others were a bit off the route. It’s a small food truck with limited menu. Owned and operated by a family. As was on the road and had a destination in mind , ordered to go for dal makhani and roti. Was told the wait time was 20-25 mins so to utilize the time , ended up ordering aalo parantha. Got the parantha after 10 mins and thoroughly enjoyed it. When done , went to the truck and my to go was also ready, paid in cash (as that was the only option of payment they were taking) and headed out. Had the packed food as lunch and was very pleasantly surprised to see the roti was so well made (it’s rare to get tawa roti here) and dal makhani was authentic. Because of what we got on first day, the next day while heading back to LA, stopped here again for a to go order of Chana masala and roti. When we had the food , I was left disappointed as Chana masala was meh compared to dal makhani. It was too oily and the taste was just very average. Definitely not worth 5 stars for food but it is authentic punjabi. Cost wise also, the food was not cheap and prices were at par with outlets in LA. But if you want authentic taste , then this place is offers it in loads , would recommend if you are on this route and need Indian food. Not worth going out of the way as a few have recommended( no offense to anyone but that’s...

I visited this restaurant with three other women — two of us Punjabi, two non-Punjabi. The food was acceptable and the service from the staff was friendly and attentive. Unfortunately, what completely overshadowed our experience was the behavior of the owner.

Throughout our meal, we witnessed the owner yelling at the female staff members in an extremely disrespectful and aggressive tone. Even those of us who didn’t understand Punjabi could sense the hostility through his volume and demeanor. Those of us who did understand the language were horrified by the degrading and abusive way he spoke to them — absolutely unacceptable under any circumstance.

It created a very uncomfortable atmosphere. One of my non-Punjabi friends even spoke quietly with a front counter staff member, praising their service but also expressing concern for their wellbeing. The employee became emotional and started crying — a heartbreaking moment that confirmed just how toxic the environment was.

Before leaving, we asked to speak with the owner privately to express our concerns. We made it clear that while the food was great, the way he treated his female employees was completely unacceptable. Rather than listening, he immediately became aggressive, yelling again and even threatening to "blast us on YouTube."

In all my years, I have never witnessed such blatant disrespect toward women, especially from someone in a leadership position. This owner should be ashamed. No good food is worth supporting an establishment where women are...