Karma Lounge — Restaurant in Yorba Linda

We hosted my dad's retirement dinner here on July 25 with a group of 14 people. This was a once-in-a-lifetime occasion, and we were hoping for a smooth and celebratory evening -- but unfortunately, the service and experience left us disappointed.

I reached out to the restaurant privately 5 days ago before posting this review, but never received a response, which is why I am sharing this review here in hopes of helping out other customers.

Reservation & Setup We had a reservation for 8:00 p.m., but it appeared the staff had either forgotten about our party or mistakenly gave our table inside away. We were eventually seated on the private patio, which worked out fine and gave us room to decorate and play music (which we appreciated).

Service Service was the biggest issue.

Our server often disappeared for long stretches, and it took 20-30 minutes (and three reminders) for our group's alcoholic drinks to arrive. For reference we only ordered four drinks in total, 1 beer and 3 cocktails.

There was a long gap between appetizers and dinner; we didn't get our entrees until nearly 10 p.m., right as last call was being announced.

Several items we wanted to order at last call were never brought because our server never returned.

One of our family members has type 1 diabetes, and her blood sugar dropped significantly during the wait -- making the long delay even more concerning.

After dinner, it felt like we were forgotten again. I had to go inside to ask for plates to be cleared, since we had placed our own tablecloths and wanted to tidy up. When I asked, the server said something like "Oh, we were planning to deal [with the dishes] tomorrow" -- a comment that felt unprofessional and awkward.

Food The food was disappointing. I had requested medium spice levels (my family is Punjabi so we can handle a little heat!), but the dishes were very bland and clearly geared toward a non-Indian palate. The naan was doughy and undercooked, and the server seemed to pressure us into picking either naan or chapatis rather than a mix.

Cleanliness & Ambiance The couch-style seating on the patio had an unpleasant odor (possibly from the cushions or the astroturf).

The lights automatically shut off toward the end of the night, leaving our party in the dark until someone could be found to turn them back on.

The restaurant is in a beautiful space, and I wanted this to be a joyful, memorable evening for my dad -- but the service and overall experience fell short. I hope management takes this feedback seriously. When my aunty tried to explain gently that the service and timing of everything was an issue, I feel like the server brushed it off with "well, these things just take time." I don't know if he relayed our feedback to the owner or if they honestly took it seriously.

I really wanted to have another small business in the area to support, but I can't in good faith recommend this restaurant to anyone. You're better off going...

Updated Review

I’ve been a customer of this restaurant for over five years and have generally had positive experiences—both in terms of food and service. It was once one of my go-to spots, especially for dishes like Dum Aloo, Dal Makhni, and fresh Naan.

However, my last two visits were quite disappointing.

The first was an online order placed a few weeks ago. Although the food was only prepared after I arrived (not ideal, but understandable), the bigger concern was the stark difference between the food I received and what was advertised online. The Crispy Okra and Tandoori Aloo, in particular, were poorly presented and lacked flavor. (See the attached photos of the order ticket and the food as received to draw your own conclusions). On the positive side, the Naan and Dal Makhni were still decent. I sent the restaurant photos and feedback directly via a text message but never received a response.

Hoping it was an isolated incident, I gave it another chance and tried their Friday buffet more recently. While the spread looked promising, nearly every dish was underwhelming—either overly salty or dominated by certain spices. Most items also had paneer in them, which made the selection feel repetitive and uninspired. Even the Naan, once a reliable favorite, missed the mark.

Given the decline in quality and lack of consistency, I won’t be returning. If you’re looking for truly flavorful and authentic Indian cuisine, you may want to explore other options—or even consider making it at home.

—MK They got my order wrong. That happens...I understand. Not a big deal. But, the arrogance and the inability to simply say ‘sorry about the mistake’ compels me to give this review. I paid for half the order that was correct and left.

Follow up: The owner called me to apologize for my above referred experience and to thank me for the constructive feedback. He acknowledged the issue and vowed to correct it with better training of his staff. That was very customer centric and I truly appreciated it. I expect to return to this restaurant again - at least for that reason....

We visited Karma Lounge for dinner on a quiet Monday evening in January. The restaurant was not crowded, with 15-20 diners. The interior of Karma Lounge is spacious and well appointed, decorated with a good deal of flair mixed with south asian contemporary. The seating is a mix of booths, stand-alone tables and wall tables with chairs and cushioned bench seats. Very comfortable. And now the food. We ordered a good selection of dishes: chicken korma, vegetable korma, chicken curry, fish curry, saag paneer, tikka masala, a few different appetizers and a healthy helping of plain and garlic naan. Wow. It was all fantastic. The vegetable korma was prepared in a way that I had never seen before and was delicious. The fish curry was very good. All of the dishes were as tasty as i’ve had in any Indian restaurant. Our waiter, Edward, took very good care of us. His service was prompt and efficient. I don’t think five minutes ever went by without him checking on our table. We received our food in good time. No long wait for us—for appetizers, entrees, desserts or drinks. The desserts, by the way, were great. All in all, Karma Lounge delivered; friendly, efficient service, delicious food (in good-sized portions) and a clean, well-appointed dining area. I’m planning on coming back for the weekend buffet! Info: The bathrooms are single use. Karma Lounge also offers a bar area. Parking is plentiful and easy. There is plenty of seating for your...