The Yellow Chilli of Georgia — Restaurant in Johns Creek

A Night of Disappointment at Yellow Chilli of Georgia (Johns Creek, GA)

Let me start by saying, I'm a huge fan of Indian cuisine. The vibrant flavors, the aromatic spices - it's a culinary journey for the senses. However, my recent visit to Yellow Chilli of Georgia in Johns Creek was a frustrating detour on that journey, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth that went far beyond the food itself.

Food: A Meh Moment

While the food itself wasn't terrible, it wasn't anything to write home about either. It was a case of "been there, done that" flavors, lacking the spark of excitement or authenticity I often find in good Indian restaurants. Perhaps it was an off night in the kitchen, but compared to the rest of the experience, the "just ok" food became a mere footnote.

The Waiting Game: An Exercise in Patience

I arrived early to meet a friend, explicitly informing the wait staff that I wouldn't be ordering immediately as we were waiting for their arrival. Despite this, the servers seemed eager to rush me into an order. This initial pushiness was a sign of things to come.

A Friend Arrives, The Pressure Mounts

My friend arrived, and just as we were settling in to catch up, the server materialized like a culinary phantom, order pad poised. It was only 6pm, and my friend, unlike me, was looking for a light snack rather than a full dinner. Perhaps this wasn't the "ideal" customer Yellow Chilli was hoping for, but the restaurant was practically empty – we were the only patrons initially, with just a couple more tables occupied within the next hour and a half.

Two Hours Later: The Unwelcome Eviction

Fast forward two hours. We finished our meal, paid the bill, and left a generous 20% tip. As I was wrapping up a final conversation with my friend, the server reappeared, hovering like a vulture circling its prey. He curtly informed us that if we weren't planning on ordering anything further, we should "vacate the premises" as he needed the table.

Empty Seats and Empty Promises

Here's the kicker: the entire restaurant remained mostly empty throughout our visit. We were practically the only customers for most of the evening. There were plenty of open tables, and the notion that we were somehow taking up valuable real estate with our post-dinner conversation was not only absurd but downright insulting.

Hospitality Lost in Translation

This experience at Yellow Chilli was the antithesis of what a dining experience should be. It lacked the warmth and hospitality one expects from an Indian restaurant, or any restaurant for that matter. Being pressured to order immediately, then practically ushered out the door despite a near-empty restaurant, left me feeling unwelcome and undervalued.

Final Verdict: A Yellow Card (Not a Spice)

If you're looking for a relaxing and enjoyable Indian dining experience in Johns Creek, I strongly urge you to steer clear of Yellow Chilli. There are far better options out there that understand the value of good food, good service, and most importantly, the simple act of letting customers enjoy their dining experience at...

Occasionally (in 3-4 months) I visit the place most of the time for take away. My better half has particular liking for Puran Singh da Tariwala Murgh & Lawrence Road Tandoori Chicken. The ambience is nice at least better than the most in the vicinity. Each time I have tasted the food it is not the same. Today evening we decided to dine in and was a met with special experience. Apart from the 2 dishes mentioned earlier, we also ordered Chicken Dum Biryani (never a fan of Biryani here). For half an hour we were not served anything, I thought we were in for a special treat and my wife gently asked for our wait time, a gentleman gestured us to wait. Then after 10 more minutes (40 mins of wait) I called somebody over and he came back to confirm our order again cheekily said my order was never placed, now he was kind and gracious enough to do so. Mistake can happen but in the entire process till now there was no apologies tendered.

Should I have expected some complimentary starter dish, some papad (??).

Our order arrived nearly after 1 hour of wait, the full Tandoori Murgh had four small leg pieces (along with 4 other small pieces). I always thought ‘full murgh’ (chicken) would mean entire chicken…but nonetheless must confess it was succulent and liked it though it tasted different than the last time. The next inviting dish was the tariwala chicken, here I must admit that I like the gravy preparation more than chicken itself and poured bit of the gravy and to my utter disappointment it was nothing like I have tasted on previous occasions. Tomatoes were slightly prominent in the gravy and tasted more like watered down tomato sauce which was tempered with masala. Was it cooked rather hurriedly?

I did not have the courage and the appetite to taste the Biryani (which anyway is not my preference here). When I ordered boxes (to take the remainder), one of the guy was gracious enough to tender apology though passingly as if he was apologetic about tendering any apology.

This is the second time I dined here and today’s experience was appalling. I can still understand an honest mistake of delayed order but there was no honest attempt rectify it thereafter. Attitude was “If you want you can leave the place, we have so many other guests to serve”.

Normally in a pedigree INDIAN restaurant what do you expect

1. While taking the order often they ask the spice level.
2. Server often visits the guest to ask for refill or any other requirement.
3. At the end server tries to get a feedback about the food.

...may be my expectations were higher. My review is for them to improve so that other guests going there may experience better service and of...

If you’re expecting respectful, customer-oriented service, avoid The Yellow Chillis. Appalling service and an utter lack of basic courtesy from the staff, something that should be non-negotiable in any service industry.

From the moment we entered the experience was disappointing. The person at the reception didn’t bother to smile, greet us, or show a shred of basic human decency. You might be inclined to excuse this behavior as someone “having a bad day,” but what followed proved that this wasn’t an isolated incident but it’s the culture of the place.

I visited today with my family for the Sunday lunch buffet. Out of the dishes offered, at least five were gravies or had a liquid consistency, including dal.There were no bowls at the lunch section. Bowls were placed near the dessert and soup section, so naturally, my husband picked one up to serve himself some gravy. That’s when the manager, oozing arrogance, stopped him and snapped that those bowls were only for desserts. When my husband rightly questioned the logic since there were no alternative bowls provided. The manager doubled down, became rude, and smugly stated, “That’s our policy.”

Let me be very clear: we were already eating the snacks, otherwise we would have walked out on the spot. We were not raised to leave a meal half way but that doesn't mean we should tolerate disrespect. I'm glad my husband stood his ground though he didn't take any more bowls infact the meal was ruined. We hurried through it, utterly frustrated and unwelcome.

Here’s a message for the owner: Not every diner in your restaurant is uncultured willing to eat gravies and curries on a quarter-sized plate with everything bleeding into everything else. If you can’t provide bowls for a buffet , at least have the decency to put up a sign telling people not to use the ones that are “off-limits.” That’s basic communication. The ones who are comfortable will continue those who are not will have a choice to take their business elsewhere. If you can’t afford bowls or signage, maybe rethink your buffet concept. No clear signage. No alternative bowls, just condescension toward paying customers is not tolerable.

After 21+ years and dining across 6 states, I have never encountered such ridiculous, illogical buffet rules nor staff that behave so condescendingly toward paying guests. Train your staff. Teach them to treat customers with basic respect. This is not a soup kitchen. This is not a charity. We paid. We expected service. What we got instead was...