Atithi Restaurant

Best Bengali food that I had in a while! I lived in Bangladesh for couple of months, this restaurant reminded me the great time that I had there! Very authentic flavors! Staff also friendly and polite made a great experience. Samosas, chicken tandoor and the beef tehri rice were my favorites! Place very cozy! Thanks for the experience! I recommend a try!

If you’re looking for authentic Bangladeshi cuisine, this restaurant is an absolute gem! The food is bursting with flavor and authenticity, from the tender and perfectly spiced beef curry to the aromatic fried rice. The naan was fresh, warm, and delightfully buttery, complementing the dishes wonderfully. The sautéed vegetables with meat were cooked to perfection, with just the right balance of spices and freshness. The presentation of the dishes was impressive, and the portions were generous. The ambiance of the restaurant felt cozy and welcoming, perfect for a hearty meal with friends or family. Highly recommend this spot for anyone craving a genuine Bangladeshi culinary experience! I will definitely be coming back to try more of their offerings. Excellent food and overall a memorable dining experience!

It was too hot too spicy even for my very authentic Bangladeshi taste bud. Not sure if the spice really interprets Bangladeshi beyond chef’s own preferences. Most of us travel with kids and needs at least medium spicy food. I also think the spice came from unnatural amount of ginger and blended green chili which is a whole different spice than just red chili itself. I desperately want Atithi to leave a stable mark on the map as a Bangladeshi restaurant. We need that in the map. Here’s some of my humble 2 cents. Please cut down the menu, serve fresh food, cut down the spice level. It was obvious the same spice blend you had for egg korma is the same in goat curry and same in raita in all different proportions. Egg had become tough on the exterior , obviously quite cold, refrigerated and heavily microwaved. The korma curry was inedible. Tehari was not tehari at all :( no flavor. NONE Goat curry , Polao was redeemable!!!! But goat curry was very spicy. You want returning Atithi. Not one and done. Please change some of the things and stay shining on the map. Your staff was great.

We had goat rezala with garlic nun and a weekend special Hilsha curry. It was simply amazing! Also we got the beef samosa as an appetizer, the best appetizer we have eaten in a while 🙌

Stopped by while traveling and had a wonderful experience. I ordered the grass-fed beef, which was absolutely delicious, paired perfectly with naan and the Bangla Salad. My daughter chose the chicken tandoori, which arrived sizzling on a stone plate—she was absolutely thrilled with it. Our server, Nomi, was incredibly friendly and attentive, making the experience even better. The food is very reasonably priced too. Highly recommend!

Fantastic food, friendly service every time we went. We had beef lentil, Bangla chicken curry, saag paneer ... all full of new flavors. We dined there a few times and also had take out, both great. Will definitely be back.

Everything was so good - Flavor, portion, price, and service. I will definitely be coming back!

I've ordered food through the restaurant website, got an email with a confirmation, drove to pick up the food only to find out that the restaurant was closed. Called the restaurant, a lady said that she doesn't know why the order was taken, her husband is handling the system and she'll let him know. "Don't worry, you'll get your money back." It's been 3 days, there was no call, no email, no one picks up the phone, the money is taken without service ever provided. That is not a way to conduct a business, sorry. UPD: Another day later there is still no refund and no attempt to contact me. UPD 2: And one more day later - still no refund, no attempts to contact me, and no one picks up the phone.

Tasty, creative, and thoughtfully-made food. The owner is friendly and helpful. I go out of my way to try to grab lunch here every week or two... love this place.

Unusual and very tasty food. Unlike any place else I've in the area Friendly and helpful owner Give it a try

Atithi serves Bangladeshi and Southeast-Meets-West Fusion cuisine in the heart of downtown Orinda. Ambiance: The decor and overall ambiance is very cozy and attractive. We love the beautiful umbrellas hanging from the ceiling, and the plating and presentation of the food is quite lovely too. Atithi is just the right size venue for an intimate dinner or lunch for two, or for a small group meal. When we came in this week, the restaurant was inexplicably WAY too warm inside. It was maybe 72 degrees fahrenheit outside, and felt about 85 in the restaurant. Luckily the chef and waiter opened the door and kept it propped open to cool the place down. Maybe they were having some issues with their furnace? Service: Waitstaff and owners are consistently attentive, helpful and friendly. Food: We loved items we've ordered off their dinner menu (but have not yet ordered off their more Fusion oriented lunch menu). Highlights: The standouts for us were definitely the Goat Rezala (goat meat in fabulous pistachio curry and yogurt sauce), saag paneer, and the garlic naan. Super duper delicious, fresh and flavorful, and just the right portion sizes for the two of us. However, I did find the goat a little tricky to eat in that there are a lot of small bones and such, and it is a little too fatty for my tastes, so be warned if that's not your thing. I would have enjoyed the dish more if the meat was leaner, and there had been fewer bone shards for me to worry about accidentally chewing. Also, one piece of the goat meat I had was cold in the middle (?) I'm guessing this was due to reheating this item. However, despite all of that, the flavor of the sauce and that lean meat straight off the bone is hard to beat. My dinning companion *loves* fatty meat, and meat straight off the bone, so these were non-issues for him. I also really enjoyed Atithi's chai, which has a much stronger and maltier black tea flavor, and with less spice, than what one might typically expect in a chai served in most South Asian restaurants in the area. I'm a big tea fan, so I notice and appreciate small differences from one restaurant, or regional cuisine, to another in how it's prepared. We'll definitely be back to try other items.

We were hopeful about this place based on the reviews, but NOPE. Every dish we had tasted watered down, including the rice! Also, they charge $3 for chai with no refills. I guess we're used to Indian restaurants offering chai for free with unlimited refills. We will NOT be back. overall: 0/5 We will NOT be back Beef Saag 0/5 Super watered down. Not flavorful at all. The beef was not good quality. Goat Rezala 0/5 Watered down and too sweet. Sugar is the only flavor to this dish. Goat also not good quality. Chicken Lollipop 0/5 Sooooooo dry! And, it's $5 for half a drumstick. Overpriced! Rice 0/5 So watered down and no flavor. It was like eating mushy rice. Gross! Garlic Naan 4/5 The only thing we liked here. Lots of garlic and the naan wasn't too thick. Chai tea 2/5 Wayyyyyy too sweet. I had to have two cups because the only thing we liked was the naan. $3 per cup. Again, overpriced! Mint lemonade 3/5 Interesting flavor, but not refreshing because it was not just mint and lemonade. It was like they added rassam to it. They did not describe this on their menu. ambiance: 3/5 small cleanliness: 1/5 our glasses had stains on it and our table had grease on it restrooms: did not use service: 3.5/5 fast and friendly-ish parking: 3/5 street

Atithi is a rare breed of restaurant offering Bengali-inspired dishes in a casual setting. I was curious to try out this cuisine and started with the Goat Rezala, a curry made of bone-in chunks of goat in a thick sauce made of Dhaka spices, golden raisins, goat milk yogurt, and almond & pistachio paste. The boney, fatty goat meat and grainy texture of the sauce were acquired tastes, but went decently with a side of pan-fried paratha. The Free Range Chicken Roast was a bone-in chicken leg quarter in a spiced walnut & almond paste sauce, served with a side of long-grained palao rice. The sauce had an addictively creamy, earthy flavor that went nicely with the tender chicken and the rice. Finally, the Tandoori Platter came with a chicken quarter, beef boti (spiced ground beef) kebab, and salmon tikka, along with onions, bell peppers, and a drizzle of raita on top! The chicken and rare salmon were super tender, but my personal favorite was the beef boti, which had a slightly crispy exterior and a tender, spiced interior. Overall, the food here was decent, though most of the ingredients were reheated and were subpar in freshness and quality.

Just ordered food to go after realizing this new restaurant opened in Orinda. We were blown away. The food is fantastic. When they say fresh local ingredients - they mean it. We had the mixed tandoori grill - deee-licious! The salmon chicken and beef. All succulent and tender. We also had the salmon curry - yum! And chicken tika masala, rice and plain and garlic naan. Everything was fresh and delicious. I will definitely return. Looking forward to trying other dishes.

Food - Good Service - Good Ambiance - Mid as the place is fairly small like a cafe. They can improve on the price and add more choices in the menu.

Great to find delicious Bangladeshi food! I tried the Okra Masala and wasn't disappointed, wonderful texture and very well spiced.

We came here for lunch on a Thursday. First off, the restaurant was cold - probably 55-60 degrees inside. When we ordered, the waiter seemed to think it was an extra charge for rice and salad even though the lunch special included both. My wife asked for chutney and they brought her sriracha. We ordered pakoras, and while they were tasty they were more like falafel. Food was unremarkable, and service too.

I was concerned when I read a few of the negative reviews about no taste and watered down sauces. However those reviews don't give this place justice. Although we only ordered a few dishes, every one hit the mark. They were fresh, good quality and healthy although quantity was smaller. Yes the sauces weren't overly thick or creamy on two of the dishes but that was purposeful and healthier. The taste on the salmon dish and tandoori had a tasty light sauce. The flavor was outstanding. The chicken tikka masala was the typical saucey Indian variety. The only thing I didn't like was the herb on the naan Felt a little too overwhelming. Overall we are definately getting food from there again.

Finally we got a chance to visit this unique Bangladeshi restaurant and tried the food. It was amazing! Everything that we tried was absolutely fresh and delicious. You can tell that the owner really puts her heart and soul into the preparation of each dish. The chicken roast curry was so good. The spices used to make this dish is perfect and the polao rice was cooked to perfection. The beef Tehri and chicken biryani were also super delicious. Did I mention the Goat Rezala Creamy Curry? It was to die for and definitely a must-try!! Thinking about it makes me so hungry and I really don't mind the drive from SF to Orinda just to eat here. Can't wait to come back and try more fish on the menu. Service was also amazing, owner always checks on you and makes sure that you're enjoying everything. Plus the ambiance is really cute. See you soon Atithi!!

My wife and I just ate at this new Bangladeshi restaurant in Orinda and we thought it was excellent. The food is light and fresh, and the mix of spices used is very effective. We started with vegetable somosas and vegetable pakoras. For entrees my wife had the saag paneer and I had the beef Shashlik kabob. (see photos). Both of us has fresh, light naan with our entrees. My wife had the mango lemonade to drink. We eat Indian food often and Bangladeshi cuisine is similar. What I like is that there are beef versions of many dishes, since Bangladesh is a predominantly Muslim country. The menu is quite expansive and there are goat and seafood dishes as well. If you're an adventurous eater curious about Bangladeshi food, give this a try. The restaurant is a block away from theater square, right off the Orinda exit of Highway 24.

I had the Chicken Curry. There was very little sauce, and it was thin as several reviews have noted, chicken was dry. Not a fan, I would definitely not return. Orinda badly needs some decent restaurants, but this ain't it.

So good! Such a great find! I wish there was more of the Chicken Lollipops and more bread for the Paratha Dip but still very good regardless. Everyone there is so kind and constantly checked on us and made sure the food was to our liking. Definitely will be coming back

First impression, the decorations on the ceiling were really cute and the food was great!! Super flavorful and great presentation. The service was amazing as well, they were all very sweet!! Most definitely recommend!

nice little spot in downtown Orinda. Excellent food, their beef and goat curry's are very well seasoned and super tender. Best naans in the bay area, and the best indian/bangladeshi food in the east bay. The mishty doi was not awesome though

Amazing food! Highly recommend their kababs and goat rezala! Went there for lunch and I will be back soon for sure.

Went with the fam to this little gem. The food and service was excellent. We will definitely be back!

Stopped in to meet a friend for lunch and was pleasantly surprised to hear about this new restaurant. The menu is pretty extensive and we asked for advice in ordering. We ended up ordering samosas and shared the tandoori platter with regular and garlic naan. The platter was huge and even after the two of us did our best, we were not able to finish! The food is fresh, home made and very tasty. Please stop in and give Atithi a try, quality, taste, portions, and service are outstanding.

Came with the family tonight--wish I had taken some photos of the food to include here, but we were hungry and the food was excellent and eaten before I thought about it! Friendly and attentive service as well. Highly recommend.

Restaurant prices with fast food quality. Restaurant is a little hole in the wall in downtown orinda. Seems like the husband was doing the restaurant finances at a table and wife was doing the cooking. I'm guessing the high cost was to help manage their rent. Family seemed nice but I don't think it was worth it.

Delicious home made Bengali food. Awesome service. Felt like my aunty was giving us food- very home made feel. Super cozy! My family and I really enjoyed it!

Food was excellent. Had Samosas and the goat Razala, and both were fresh, flavorful, and distinctive. Clearly good quality ingredients, with some very tasty combination of flavors. I look forward to coming back again to try out other parts of the menu. The owner came out to chat and was very friendly and attentive to service. The location is a small store-front - nothing fancy, but a nice place to sit down with the family and have a nice meal.

Nomi was super friendly and helpful, and I ended up with the beef samosas...which she makes!! Literally the BEST samosas I have ever had!! Great flavor, crispy outside, amazing sauce. So happy!!

Good service for quick lunch. Chicken tikka was tasty. Garlic naan. I'd come back next time I'm in town

The service at this restaurant is amazing, food came on time and they made sure we had a great experience! Food was delicious, definitely coming back! My favorite is beef chop kebab!

Fantastic! Delicious butter naan, coconut chicken and a mixed vegetable rice bowl. Highly recommend!

I thought the Naan was very good. We both liked the chickpea appetizer but the entrees were uninspiring. I had the goat which had no flavor. My wife had the chicken masala which was not much better. They identify top notch ingredients but you need to accompany them with flavor. I was disappointed because I wanted to like them.

Under new ownership recently. Food was better than the last time I was here. Had a nice beef curry and service was very friendly!

We had heard good things about Atithi Restaurant and were looking forward to trying it out. If you liked Anya's menu you will LOVE Atithi's offerings. The selections are extensive, beautifully presented and delicious! I tried the Fried Cali Flower appetizer which was cauliflower dipped in garbanzo bean flour and fried to perfection. (I typically do not care for fried foods but this was light, crisp and not a bit greasy). My entree was the Khichri Vegetable Biryani, and my husband had Beef Samosas and a flatbread with a chicken curry dip. The portions were generous and everything was so fresh. The service was wonderful, the owners passion was evident, we enjoyed chatting with her during our meal. I can't wait to go back and try more dishes. Atithi is sure be an Orinda Jewel!

Amazing Bangladeshi food!! This is definitely one of the best Bangladeshi restaurants in Bay Area. Nice ambiance and wonderful service too. Would highly recommend this place.

A super cute business with excellent service and a very kind staff. The food was absolutely delicious, and I really enjoyed my whole experience. I wholeheartedly recommend it, and I will definitely be going again!!

I ordered 2 large trays of Morog Pulao and 20 beef kebabs for a 20-person party. The food was absolutely delicious and the portion was great! I was craving proper Bangladeshi-style morog pulao and this really hit the spot for me and my guests. Highly recommend!

food and customer service is good! try it out and see what you think. highly recommended to support a local and family business!