Arya Bhavan — Restaurant in Rogers Park Township

Title: Utterly Humiliating Experience at Arya Bhavan

Rating: ⭐ (1 star)

I cannot express enough how deeply disappointed and humiliated I felt after my recent visit to Arya Bhavan. A friend had generously gifted me a $150 gift card for this restaurant, and my anticipation was high as we embarked on a long journey of an hour and a half to savor their reputed cuisine. However, what unfolded at Arya Bhavan shattered all expectations and left me feeling insulted and disrespected.

Upon our arrival, we approached the restaurant with excitement, eagerly anticipating a delightful dining experience. However, our hopes were crushed when the staff at Arya Bhavan outright declined to accept our gift card. The shock and disappointment were palpable as we tried to reason with them, explaining that it was a valid gift card worth a substantial amount. Instead of addressing the situation professionally, the staff displayed a complete lack of empathy and understanding, leaving us feeling belittled and ignored.

As if the rejection of our gift card wasn't demeaning enough, the ultimate blow came when the restaurant personnel proceeded to lock the doors right in front of us, without any explanation or apology. This act of blatant disrespect and disregard for customers is truly unfathomable, especially in this digital era where businesses heavily rely on positive reviews and customer loyalty.

The level of arrogance demonstrated by the owner and staff of Arya Bhavan is not only infuriating but also deeply concerning. Their actions clearly indicate a severe lack of professionalism, work ethics, and basic customer service skills. It is shocking to witness such behavior from a supposedly reputable establishment that should prioritize customer satisfaction above all else.

I strongly urge anyone considering dining at Arya Bhavan to reconsider. No one deserves to be subjected to such humiliation and mistreatment when seeking a simple meal. Save yourself the embarrassment and frustration and choose a different dining option that values its customers and treats them with the respect...

The two stars is being generous because of Jay's hard work!!! (He was THE ONLY personnel in the restaurant, no kidding!!)😳 We made reservations and confirmed 2x with the OWNER!! When we arrived, (8 of us for dinner, we were the ONLY patrons on a Friday night). 😯Once inside, the owner demanded proof of vaccines: which we happen to have and masks. 😷NO problem. She acted surprised, irritated and hurried. She took our orders (which we had to do off of their website because she didn't have menus) and informed us she had to GO..😡 SHE LEFT WITH HER FRIEND & LOCKED US IN. There was NO ONE else there but Jay (who she called to fill-in for the chef, answer the phones and make & take care of carry-out orders, and STILL cook 8 meals). 😐We started to leave but JAY convinced us to stay. He got our orders right and started cooking our appetizers and meals.🙄 We offered to help him cook, answer the phones, take orders, etc. We were already manning the front door while he was in the kitchen; (remember, we were locked-in so everyone else picking up orders was locked out!) 🤨 One hour+ later, we were served. SUPRISE ENDING: the food was delicious!! 🤗Thanks to JAY! HE GETS 5 STARS for staying professional, not "losing it" and walking out too and refusing to let us down. 😜We were starving but JAY came to the rescue!! After all that, we discussed giving the restaurant another shot..after talking to the OWNER to ensure a better experience. We'll see if she has the time.🤔 As a small business owner myself, I have NEVER given another small business a sub-standard on-line rating!! I know how much work we put in to managing our business; especially during these pandemic times. We went there to support her business. My intention was to talk with the owner about our experience and see if we could arrange another (redemption) visit. No response; so no...

Kirti is a very sweet person and really cares about her customers. We first checked out her restaurant because we bought a Groupon for dinner. She made us feel really welcome, and showed us how to assemble and eat an interesting appetizer that involves punching holes in crispy balls and filling them with deliciousness. We had the buffet and everything was delicious. Even my girlfriend, who's a meat eater and not always huge on vegetarian food thoroughly enjoyed her meal.

About a year later we came back for a cooking class on a weekend morning and learned how to make tasty dosa masala, chana masala, and masala tea. Kirti hand grinds all her spices fresh as she's making the food, bringing out the flavors.

I went through a really busy period at work where I was skipping meals and not eating real healthy, so I signed up for her meal plan. She provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner at a price much cheaper than eating out all the time. Being able to take the stress out of grocery shopping and making meals when I was burning the candle at both ends was a huge help. I always had a yummy healthy meal waiting for me in the fridge, and didn't have to run and get fast food as I was running around. She provides smoothies for breakfast, salads and Indian pancakes for lunch, and a variety of curries and hearty stews for dinner. My favorites are the sautéed cabbage, the chana masala, the black lentils, the lentil soup, and the curry sweet peppers. She even got me to like cauliflower, a vegetable I've never liked before. Although my main reason for signing up was convenience, I also lost weight - about 10-15 lbs over a month.

I highly recommend her restaurant for dinner, her cooking classes, and her meal plan, for both vegetarians or meat-eaters looking for a...