Friends Indian Cuisine — Restaurant in Orlando

No star Review. The bill is a total scam. We were a two families of eight people went for buffet. Food trays were empty when we went to get food. No body care to fill it up. We were waiting for Nan tray, tandoori chicken try and chicken trays to be filled up. They took long enough time to fill up. The place was full already, before we could go and get, the trays were empty, they had goat curry with lamb meat, the chicken briyani was saggy, may be from Fridge. The service was very poor, they took money on service, tips, and credit card charges, please please please DON’T GO TO THIS PLACE. I have already disputed my charges.

My dispute is,

when the payment showed up in the system, it showed 119.92 (8 people x $14.99 Buffet per person) and a Sales Tax of $7.79. A total of 127.71. This is an amount $127.71 I saw when I paid through my Credit Card. A few months ago, the same 8 people went to have lunch at the same place on Nov 23, 2023, with additional drinks and tips I paid only $167.16.

What is different this time:

Service Change 10% - Not communicated, although legally bound. When you pay this amount, you expect good treatment, But on this day, the place was crowded, and teenagers were frustrated waiting for food. The trays (Nan, Tandoori chicken, chicken briyani ) were empty for long time. They were not paying attention to the empty tray. This worst experience for a lunch buffet. Again, this amount never showed up in the final bill, the was added later on the bill without my concern.

Tip: - The service could have been better, we were waiting a long time for the food trays to be filled. I did not see this amount in the final bill I paid, I would not have disputed it.

Credit Card SubCharge 3%: Why is this on me? I would have paid in cash. Again this was not told to me and I did not see this amount in the final bill I paid, I would not have disputed.

I did not sign the bill, I texted the bill to my phone, and when I came home I was surprised at the amount I paid.

This is all about honoring the ethical way of doing things. This business is starting to rip off customers without their knowledge.

Just to refute the business owner comments - "We wanna inform you that we have a sign by the register that informs customers about the charge which you can avoid by paying cash or debit card and also order total and the items are shown on customer facing screen for their review before they make a payment and the charge is always taken off the total (if anyone refuses to pay)without a question asked."

1.The charges were not shown when it singed. 2.The person who received the payment at the counter never had the courtesy to talk about pay by debit card and cash.

The truth is this restaurant can't handle a crowd of more than 25 people. More customer interaction is needed People were waiting to be seated More openness on the billing

I was very impressed when I came in first time during thanksgiving. My second experience was very bad. I am not here to defame your business. Good Luck. I will not be coming back. You are...

(Below find my 1st review of FRIEND’S) and here is my 2nd visit:

This time I went inside and nibbled as I waited for an enormous order of 16 different menu items for take-out. Inside the place is laid back, super casual but clean. There’s extremely ample space for wheelchairs, the ladies-room was roomy with turnaround space and there’s some handicapped parking. They have tables and booths. I had the pleasure of meeting both Rebecca and Mohamed (plz forgive if misspelled) who greeted me warmly and instantly and who patiently waited on me. What genuinely kind young people!

Now, the food: As we try each of these to-go dishes throughout this week, I will add to this review. So check back if you want thorough information…

Predictably, today I gobbled one of those chicken samosas before I pulled out of the parking lot and as before, they are DELICIOUS…ADDICTIVE.

When I got home I fixed a variety plate with Shrimp Biryani and Lamb Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken and shared an identical plate with a friend. The accompanying white basmati rice was light and fluffy and not a clump anywhere. The lamb was tender and I got just the spice level I asked for. It was MOUTHWATERING! The butter chicken, as before, was so yummy and that shrimp biryani was off the charts SCRUMPTIOUS! Best biryani I’ve ever had. They deserve their rep! Check back in a few days to hear how the other dishes compare…

UPDATE: Now we have tried the Lamb Palak, the Shrimp Curry, the Lamb Biryani, the Garlic Naan, Kashmiri Naan and the Cucumber Salad. Once again, the sauces are just DELICIOUS! The generous meat servings are NOT overcooked which is a common problem at many Florida Indian restaurants we’ve tried. Every entree was a complete success and will lead to frequent visits and referrals. I wish I could award FRIEND’S more stars!

1st visit: SO EXCITED TO SHARE! I had begun to despair about ever finding delicious Indian food in central Florida (after looking for over a year.) Then, quite by accident I stumbled onto FRIENDS CUISINE. First, the owner is nothing less than THE MOST stand up professional I’ve met since moving to Florida. Really - an enormously compassionate and generous gentleman. I’d continue patronage just to see his small local business prosper, even if the food were just reasonably good but thank God, I don’t have to settle because everything I bought was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! The aromas from the chicken samosas were making me salivate and I had to pull over and pounce on two of these lightly crisp and perfectly fried, spicy puffs of heaven! As I noshed in the car, tickled as a kid at Christmas, I realized I’d not even noticed I forgot to dip them in the chutney…they just didn’t need it! Later, at home I enjoyed a small plate with a sample of each; butter chicken, shrimp korma and chicken tikka masala. The basmati was tender and fluffy and the SAUCES- spectacular!!! I just can’t wait to try the biryanis and lamb dishes! And of course…I dreamed about those chicken samosas last night so THEY’RE definitely on my horizon…yes indeed…FRIENDS has...

Synopsis: Good atmosphere Lovely, patient, and attentive staff Absolutely delicious food Good portions for the price Various assortment of menu options Will visit again!

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My mother and I were looking for a good Indian restaurant nearby the area my father lives in; we've had Indian food several times from different restaurants, whereas my father's never tried it. We found this place and decided to give it a try due to its current 4.8-star rating. At first, the nearby location and outside of the restaurant looked a little off-putting, especially given it was dimly lit, dark, and raining when we arrived to the restaurant. However, the interior was different from the exterior; it was nicely lit, clean, cozy, and nicely decorated.

The hostess was kind, welcoming us shortly after we entered before we were seated. Our server, who I unfortunately do not recall the name of, carried the same demeanor. In addition, he was attentive, patient, and very helpful, answering any questions we had about the food, providing more details, or appointing us to recommendations based on what we were in a mood for.

My family opted to drink water for beverages, but I tried their mango lassi and I loved it!

For our food, we started off with an appetizer sampler consisting of aloo pakora, chicken samosa, vegetable samosa, chicken pakora, and vegetable pakora accompanied with two sauces. The first sauce was a green hot sauce that had some herbal, earthy notes to it, while the other one was a sweet, slightly tangy, mild, aromatic sauce. Both the sauces and the appetizers were delicious. The appetizers were perfectly seasoned and came right out of the fryer. Despite the appetizers inherently being deep fried and/or fried, none of the appetizers were greasy or tasted oily at all. My father, who never had Indian food at all in his life before this instance, loved it all.

As for our main dishes, we had palak chicken, tandoori chicken, and butter chicken accompanied with basmati rice and garlic naan. The tandoori chicken arrived hot and sizzling on an iron skillet with onions, red onions, and peppers. The butter chicken, basmati rice, and palak chicken are in their respective serving bowls.

Once again, the food did not disappoint at all. The tandoori chicken was perfectly seasoned, the palak chicken tasted delicious, the basmati rice was not over or undercooked, the butter naan was delightful, and the butter chicken was simply perfect. Everything was cooked to perfection and rich in its respective spices and aromatics without it overpowering any of the dish's elements.

It is safe to say that my father is a new fan to Indian cuisine thanks to the pleasant food and the lovely experience we had. My family and I will certainly come here again to try the buffet, other dishes, and beverages this place...