Tamara Modern Indian Cuisine — Restaurant in Orlando

TLDR; Save Your Money

Where do I even begin? I don't normally post reviews, but I feel it's my duty to warn others about this abysmal place. I went on Sunday, 7/9/2025, around 11:45 AM for a buffet, arriving with high expectations fueled by their elegant Instagram ads and reels. What I found was a disgrace.

1/5 - Service: Utterly Incompetent

Most of the staff were either rude or made us feel completely unwelcome. The only exception was the man who billed us—presumably the manager—who was polite. The rest of the staff, however, were truly awful. One staff member had the gall to approach our table and rudely instruct us to stack our used plates, speaking to us in a privileged and condescending tone, as if they were doing us a charitable favor.

1/5 - Food: A Disgusting Disappointment

The food was the biggest crime of all. While the dishes looked great on display, the taste and quality were an absolute travesty. I tried both vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, and the only things that were remotely acceptable were the samosas, pakoras, and the fresh naan. Everything else was inedible.

The paneer was so hard and chewy that it felt like a cheap, synthetic substitute, not actual cheese.

The pav bhaji tasted like a leftover sludge of daals and sabzis from the previous night, with a flavor that was nothing short of horrific.

The chicken wings were equally terrible, with an obviously artificial color.

As for the desserts? The cashews in the payasam had an awful, stale taste, and the dish had little to no sweetness. The carrot halwa was horrendous—a dry, flavorless concoction of grated carrots and mawa. It was like eating dry sawdust.

Overall, the low quality of the ingredients was painfully obvious.

3/5 - Ambiance: The Only Saving Grace

Credit is due where it's due: the only positive aspect of this entire experience was the ambiance. The open and bright space was the only thing that raised our expectations in the first place after seeing pictures online. The free parking was also convenient.

1/5 - Price: A Daylight Robbery

We paid around $50 for a buffet for two, including a 22% tip, which felt shockingly high given the complete lack of quality in the food and service. I wouldn't pay more than half of what we did for a meal of this level. For this price, you could have a fresh, healthy, and genuinely satisfying meal at a reputable fast-casual place like CAVA. This meal was not worth the money at all.

Overall, I would rate this restaurant a shocking 1 out of 5.

Please, save your hard-earned money and your well-preserved health. You don't have to trust a stranger on the internet, but if you still decide to try this place, at least you've...

Five-Star Review for Tamara Restaurant

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tamara Restaurant delivered an absolutely exceptional dining experience from start to finish. I had heard great things about this place, but experiencing it firsthand was truly something else.

Food: The food was simply outstanding. We ordered Paneer Achari and Gobhi Angara, and both dishes were packed with rich, authentic flavors. The Paneer Achari had the perfect balance of tanginess and spice, and the texture of the paneer was incredibly soft and fresh. The Gobhi Angara was equally impressive — smoky, spicy, and cooked to absolute perfection. Every bite was bursting with deliciousness, and the portion sizes were very generous. We also ordered a few items to-go, and even after reheating at home, the flavors were still amazing!

Drinks: The highlight of the evening was definitely my drink — the Heart of Pan. It was unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before. The drink had a perfect blend of sweetness and refreshing flavors with that signature paan (betel leaf) touch. It was mesmerizing and complemented the spicy dishes perfectly. Highly recommended for anyone visiting!

Service: The hospitality here is top-notch. Our server, Partik Bhai, was an absolute gem. He was incredibly friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our dining experience. His warm demeanor and knowledge about the menu made us feel truly welcomed and valued as guests. Honestly, Partik Bhai is perfect for his job — his service elevated our experience to another level.

Ambiance & Atmosphere: The ambiance at Tamara is cozy and inviting. The lighting, decor, and overall vibe of the restaurant create a very comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere. Whether you’re dining in with friends, family, or on a date, it feels just right. The cleanliness and attention to detail in the decor also stood out to me.

Price: What really surprised me was how reasonable the prices were compared to other restaurants I’ve visited in Florida. For the quality of food, drinks, and service, Tamara offers unbeatable value. You truly get a five-star experience without burning a hole in your pocket.

Overall Experience: I can't praise Tamara enough! The combination of amazing food, mesmerizing drinks, friendly service, and affordable prices makes this place a must-visit. I’m already planning my next visit and will definitely recommend this place to everyone I know. Huge shoutout to Partik Bhai for making our evening even more memorable. If you haven’t been to Tamara yet — do yourself a favor and go. You...

Replying to my review’s response from the business :

The reason we didn’t bring it up at the floor was as I’ve previously mentioned that none of the faces seemed like they wanted to be there or be of any help. Everyone was in a rush to empty the dining hall and be done with their shift or so as it seemed. There was no point in talking to anyone because I did feel that management was present and could care less. Our reaction definitely showed disappointment But I can call at the number provided and talk to Gagan. I’m not sure what that would achieve because I’d have the same things to say.

This is the first time we came for the buffet. While we’ve tried ala carte before for dinner, it was when the restaurant was very new and the food and service were both great! But today was quite the very opposite. I’m being very generous with 1 star for today’s experience. The food was cold, starters were dry and super salty, curries were bland with the exception of Kadhi. Rice must’ve been from the night before if not older! There was nothing given under the name of service! We were being called by the staff by doing a hand gesture to come and get the naans (because they were out when we went to self serve ) There was no courtesy to bring the naan to our table since we were already in the middle of eating. But to be honest it didn’t matter because the naan was as bad as the curries. Paper thin and charred. The posted hours are 11:30-3pm. When I see those hours I expect to get food until 3pm however the staff stared rushing us at 2:40 saying they’re taking away the food if we want to grab anything now is the time. I’m positive our disappointment showed on our face but not one server cared to ask if everything was alright. I forgot to mention their “corn soup” had 2 kernels of corn total for our entire party. Also the cleanliness - pay attention to the floor by the windows. There’s bits of naan, rice n food on the sides. If your guest area so so dirty I can only imagine how the kitchen must be. To summarize it was a beyond disappointing experience. I’m sorry we really thought this would be the next best Indian...