Punjabi Tandoor (San Diego) — Restaurant in San Diego

I had the unfortunate experience of dining at Punjabi Tandoor on Activity Road in San Diego, and I have to say it was an absolute disappointment. The poor quality of food served here left a lasting negative impression.

Firstly, the samosa I ordered was nothing short of a disaster. The outer crust was incredibly dry and the filling tasted as if it had been sitting out for days. It had a strange, unpleasant smell that made it impossible to even take a second bite.

Next, I decided to give their carrot halwa a try, hoping for something better. However, it was an absolute letdown. The halwa was overly sweet, mushy, and had a distinct taste of stale carrots. I couldn't finish more than a couple of spoonfuls before giving up.

Thinking that maybe the main course would redeem my experience, I ordered the chole bhature. Unfortunately, it was yet another disappointment. The chickpeas were undercooked and lacked any flavor, while the bhature was greasy and heavy. It was evident that no effort was put into making this dish appetizing or enjoyable.

Even their tea, which is usually a saving grace at some places, was a complete letdown. It tasted like it had been brewed with stale tea leaves and had a weird aftertaste that lingered unpleasantly.

To make matters worse, the overall ambiance and cleanliness of the restaurant were subpar. The tables were sticky, and the place felt dirty and dingy. It was definitely not a pleasant environment to enjoy a meal in.

All in all, I cannot recommend Punjabi Tandoor on Activity Road in San Diego. The poor quality, stale food, bad taste, and strange smells made it a regrettable dining experience. Save your taste buds and money, and avoid this place...

I always feel great after eating here! (You know sometimes after eating Indian food from some places, you feel kinda sick afterwards?). I've come here many times and never had a problem!

i WILL say, it's "hit or miss" depending on when you come or who's the chef that shift. MOST of the time, the food is consistently great & will taste amazing, and then a couple times it has been "fine"/nothing special. (I'm not sure if it's a "lunch vs dinner" thing, or "weekday vs weekend" thing, I haven't figured it out yet.) For example, their Naan is legendary & usually made-to-order for you; you CAN tell the difference, it comes to you soft, warm, and fresh. Then those other times, you could tell it was sitting for a bit...

My friend who grew up in SD has been coming here since highschool & says it has always been the Hit or Miss thing, but overwhelmingly the majority of the time this place holds up to its reputation!!

TIP: make sure to sign up for Clover rewards so you can collect POINTS every time you order! The staff doesnt seem to really know about the loyalty program, but just use your cell/the app, and you can keep track...

I placed a GrubHub delivery order, the order was delivered within 20 minutes. I ordered Naan, Chicken curry, and Chicken Briyani. The naan was soggy, the frozen ones I buy from groceries tastes much better. Chicken curry was a nothing but a salty soup with a couple of overcooked chicken pieces. There was no spices, no flavors, just nothing, it was just a greasy salt water. Oh man, the biryani, where do I start? First, it was certainly not a basmati rice, basmati was mixed with some other low quality rice. Due to over mixing, the rice was broken down into tiny pieces. For some reason the biryani had too much water, again no spices, no flavors. I'm eating biryani for the last 20 years, I never tasted such a worst biryani in my life. My instant pot biryani taste way better than this. If I were you, I'd skip this. I'd never order anything from...