Singh Haveli — Restaurant in Laguna Beach

I am only writing this review to encourage this establishment to change. I gotta be honest…. Anyone who thinks this is good Indian food has never had good Indian food. If you don’t believe me, go to either of the Indian places in San Clemente. Indian is my favorite cuisine and I would want nothing more than to have a good Indian restaurant in my hometown and not have to drive to San Clemente, San Juan, or Irvine to get it. First of all, this place is exorbitant. $23 before tax and tip for a curry and $12 for samosas that clearly were frozen (more about that later.) But let’s just start from the beginning. It was a Friday night at 7pm and my friends and I are the only ones in the establishment. Their wine and beer list consists of a $7 bottle of Budweiser and $9 glass of Merlot. Already, this is a pitiful sign. I’ve never seen an Indian place that doesn’t at least have Indian beers (as long as they have their license.) Next we order our food. We ordered the samosas and garlic naan for the table and paneer tikka masala for myself. When the samosas came, they were the worst I have ever had from a restaurant. They clearly had been frozen due to the texture, the large air pockets within them, and the slightly cold filling after having been deep fried. They were well spiced but paying $6 per samosa for this quality of food felt like being scammed. That being said, it wasn’t atrocious enough for me to comment. Next we get our curry and naan. As we’re eating, the waiter asks what I think of the food so I decide to be brutally honest. I tell him “this naan bread is terrible. It clearly was frozen. Do you even have a tandoor oven?” The waiter then lies to me and tells me that they do have a tandoor and that the naan is not frozen— the owner hears this and comes out to tell me that I was right and that it is frozen and that they don’t have a tandoor. I tell him that it’s ridiculous to not have a tandoor as an Indian restaurant and even more absurd to serve frozen food for prices akin to some of the best Indian restaurants in the world. He agrees with me and then tells me he’ll make me paratha instead. He then goes on some random tangent about how their food is “North Indian— and ‘made for kings’ while most Indian food in America is South Indian” which is a complete lie… there are barely any South Indian places in the US— especially outside of the Bay Area or New Jersey. Also, these guys know exactly what they’re doing here. They have heavy Indian accents and know that they’re getting away with putting in minimal effort and scamming white patrons that don’t know anything about Indian food. But no matter how clear it was I knew what I was talking about, they just kept lying to my face.

When the paratha came out, it was fresh and it was okay. But they still charged us for it 😂😂😂 for two orders… when we had only ordered a single naan bread. The waiter who lied to me profusely and continually apologizes to me to a point that it made my friend and I very uncomfortable because I had caught him in a lie and he didn’t want me to leave a bad review.

In terms of the main course— the paneer tikka masala I had just wasn’t even paneer tikka masala. The paneer tikka obviously wasn’t cooked in a tandoor so it just felt rubbery, and gross. And the masala sauce was far more akin to a malai or korma sauce. It was bright yellow which is not the color that tikka masala sauce looks like. It also clearly had nuts in it which is more standard for Malia or korma— the nuts weren’t properly blended into the sauce which gave it a very grainy texture. It tasted ok but for over $20 it was robbery. My friend loved his butter chicken sauce… but the ironic part is that his sauce looked and tasted like a tikka masala sauce.

Stop serving frozen food, get a tandoor oven, have a real wine and beer list, and lower your prices and this place MIGHT make it long enough to see the festival season. If you fail to do any of these things, say goodbye to your restaurant. Laguna Beach residents aren’t as stupid and culture-less as you think (at least...

Atmosphere: 5 stars

I recently dined at Haveli Cuisine in Laguna Beach, and I must say, it was an exceptional experience! The atmosphere was lovely with soft, pleasant music that set the perfect ambiance. The restaurant was also spotless, which immediately made me feel comfortable and welcomed.

Quality: 5 Star.

I started with the white rice, which had a subtle hint of cinnamon—such a unique and delightful touch. Their Naan bread was fresh and warm, a perfect complement to the meal. The highlight for me was the chicken curry*. It was bold, rich, and packed with fresh, vibrant flavors that made each bite flavorful.

I also tried lamb for the first time, and while the taste didn’t quite align with my personal preferences, I could tell it was well-prepared and seasoned just right for those who enjoy lamb.

Service 5 Stars.

What truly set Haveli Cuisine apart was the outstanding service. The staff was incredibly friendly and polite, making me feel like I was their most important guest from the moment I walked in. Their warmth and attentiveness really enhanced the dining experience. I will definitely be returning to Haveli for another flavorful meal!

Value: 5 Stars. Like Suchi, there is no cheap Indian food. For Laguna Beach, however, their price feel fair for...

My partner and I dined here over the weekend, as we attended the annual art event. The service was sub-par, as it took them over 40 minutes to let me know my originally ordered dish was “out”, so it was too late to go elsewhere. The veggie dish I received was clearly frozen vegetables and an “authentic Indian spiced sauce”, that was not readily identifiable and inedible.

So, I ordered hummus……..we were hungry as it was late, but the hummus clearly consisted of canned chickpeas, which did not have a single hint of tahini, garlic, cumin, etc.

My fiancé’s dinner was cold and flavorless. The naan was also obviously packaged (roti isn’t even on the menu), rice was dry and day old texture.

The owner insulted his own culture by telling us “Indians and Pakistanis will walk out before paying my prices….it’s Laguna Beach….I pay $15k monthly lease”. Well, I’m Indian and my fiancé is Pakistani, but we paid for the bill, plus the $30 parking.

Authentic cuisine is with Himalayan Taste, that’s actually in Laguna Beach and not Laguna Canyon. Price point very similar.

I’ve noticed nasty and lengthy responses from this owner, so I am kindly asking him to refrain from responding, in poor taste. The experience and insults were...