03/02/09

trendy Hip Indian Cuisine

by socialbutterflyclub

I had a great time getting drunk off the yellow chakra drink!!! It was pure heaven.

food was not authentic home-cookin indian, but more upscale american-indianish

still satisfied since they had basic indian dishes.

vegetarian friendly!

• Pros: great drinks, trendy lounge atmosphere
• Cons: not homecookin

12/19/08

Horrible management

by deepraj

My wife and I ate at Chakra the other night, and at the beginning of our dining experience everything was pleasant. The server was very nice and friendly and the food was good (not great). What ruined it for me was that I noticed the manager storming around the restaurant and being very rude and demanding to the staff. He had a sour look on his face the whole time and he was very short tempered, especially to the bus boys-walking around fast and pointing while barking out orders to servers. At one point he was yelling at the cooks to make him something-which ruined the "tranquil ambiance" the restaurant tries to come off with. The food, service and music were good, but the negativity from the manager was bothersome and sadly we won?t be returning. Slightly overpriced.

• Pros: beautiful interior
• Cons: grumpy manager, food overpriced

05/06/08

Alluring & Delicious Indian Experience

by Thalia7

My husband and I LOVE this place and it always makes for a great night out (or in - if we order it to-go)! The atmosphere is alluring and the food is fabulous. We love the "chips" and assorted chutneys they bring out to start. My favorite is the goan shrimp curry. The service is always very attentive! It may be a bit more pricey than other local options, but definitely worth every penny!

• Pros: Food & Ambience
• Cons: Nothing!

02/12/08

love it!

by mandy2

We came to Chakra on Monday, February 4th. My friends from Europe are kind of picky so I tried to choose the place they would really like. Never been at Chakra before, but friend of mine told me about it. On that night there was a private party going on, I think, but they welcomed us very friendly and seated us in a lovely patio. We didn't have any clue about the Indian food, but gentlemen explained and answered all of our questions. We were kind of impressed when we get our food, it was just AMAZING. Samosa and calamari was sooo delicious. We all ordered different food so we could tried little bit of everything, lamb, chicken, mashed eggplant and okra which was so good. After good meal we enjoyed the nice smooth band that was playing there, together with our chakratinis. I really recommend this place to everybody who wants to have nice dinner with friends or family, it is really lovely, with friendly smiley people and yummy food. I m happy I chose this place and spent nice evening with my friends. and $$? it was really worthy!

• Pros: :)
• Cons: :)

04/09/07

Terrible Service; Avoid large parties

by pvdesi

We had a birthday for my Dad's 60th birthday, and were extremely disappointed with the service. With the appetizers, there was nothing to serve the food. Ordering the food, no plates were provided, cutlery was not provided on time, and food was delivered in a piece meal fashion (which resulted in cold food while waiting for rice and naan).

We specifically ordered food without garlic, and every dish included garlic (the main guest could not eat because of her allergy to garlic).

The manager stated that each guest would receive their own dessert plate, but 28 guests had to share from very few plates.

• Pros: Ambience
• Cons: Service; Unprofessional (Dishonest)

10/14/06

Great Indian Food in Orange County

by paulxanthos

This place serves great food. I went for lunch, craving Chicken Masala. I ordered it, and spent an extra $3 on the "extras" of the meal, like the yogurt cucumber sauce, vegetables, and naan. The meal ended up being almost $20 at lunch, and the portion of Chicken was very small. Excellent, but small.

• Pros: Great food
• Cons: Price and skimpy portions.

08/18/06

Great upscale Indian dining

by uscrocks

I really liked this place. I was excited that we finally got Indian food on the UCI side of Irvine (and something unique, for that matter) and it was pretty darn good. The staff were really nice when we walked in (and throughout the course of the meal), which always adds a bonus point in my book. The wine and food were very yummy. The portions were small, however, so don't go when you're starving or you'll spend a bundle. Ambience was great as well.

• Pros: Good food, good service, easily accessible.
• Cons: Small portions, waitress not familiar with menu.

05/03/06

THE WORST INDIAN FOOD I EVER HAD!!!

by xhotnessx

Oh my gosh...By far this has been the worst indian food I have ever ate...The ambience was beautiful...But the food and service was horrific...All you pay for is the ambience...The food is overpriced and not tasty at all...They give you the smallest portions you can imagine and charge you an arm and a leg.

I took my co-workers here ranting and raving about how Indian food is the best..But after our experience here I was so embarrassed...I couldn't believe it...WOULD NEVER GO BACK AGAIN even if it was comped.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE to anyone!!!

03/21/06

Excellent Dining Experience

by muditatiwari

We had a lovely time at this quiet, ornate restaurant. The staff was very courteous and drinks were exceptionally great. "Midnight in Goa" is highly recommended. You can hang out in the lounge or the patio area by the fire, or enjoy a delicious meal with just the right amount of spices. Call ahead for reservations.

• Pros: Decor, Good Parking, Food
• Cons: Price

Upscale Indian cuisine served in a warm and inviting atmosphere within the University Center at UC Irvine.

by Contributor

In Short
An elegant and welcoming environment provides the perfect backdrop for the upscale cuisine. Seating options include a main dining room, an outdoor patio and a private lounge. The creative menu incorporates both classic and contemporary ingredients to create beautifully plated dishes like masala halibut and lasooni champen. Enjoy a pre- or post-dinner drink in the fashionable private lounge--adorned with flat-screen TV sets and complimentary wireless Internet.