Avatar's Indian Bistro

Avatar had a great atmosphere with soft instrumental Indian music and incense in the air. The Garlic and Cilantro Naan was thin style and a mix of soft and crunchy textures. The garlic and cilantro flavors created an excellent combination. We ended up ordering more. The Lamb Vindaloo was moist, savory, and flavorful. It wasn't the softest lamb vindaloo I've had, though, with a couple of slightly chewy pieces. The medium spicy level was okay. If you're used to spicy flavors, I'd recommend a higher level if you want a kick. The Butter Chicken had a soft, buttery texture to start and finished with a rich herbal and spicy flavor. The medium spicy level is satisfying if you are used to spicy flavors. The Basmati Rice was soft yet firm and had enough flavor to enjoy on its own. I'd say one order is just enough for 2-3 people with two entrees.

We came to visit from Texas, just found the place randomly, and hands down the best Indian place I have ever tried! We got greeted by Susana, she was such a joyful and happy person, she made the whole experience so much better! Highly recommended!

As soon as I took my first bite I was instantly transported to the streets of India. Each dish tastes homemade. The chicken biryani is the best I’ve had in any Indian restaurant in the Sacramento area. Honestly, I haven’t found a better Indian restaurant anywhere else in Northern California. All the others have been terrible and don’t even come close to the authenticity of this Indian restaurant. Even the service was top notch. Our server was the manager (I believe his name was Sagar) and he was a very nice guy. I will definitely be coming back to try more authentic Indian delights

Amazing Indian food! This is a unique place with a smaller menu of amazingly well prepared dishes. I strongly recommend the avocado Chaat!! The apricot fig salad was incredible! UPDATE or second review: I don't write reviews every time we go somewhere, but this place is so good I need to update the review every so often. So we had not been here in a while just busy and it's a little bit out of our way, but the good is really good so we had time to run over here later in the evening about an hour before closing. I can't tell you enough that everything I've tried is just amazingly delicious. I have been wanting to try to mixed vegetable coconut curry, so today I finally ordered it. I'm going to tell you to order the next time you go there it's amazing. The coconut curry sauce was delectable I've never had a sauce quite like this one it was just amazing, the coconut was obvious but not over powering, and the other flavors in the sauce mixed well and complimented each other. I was amazed at the crispness of the vegetables, they were absolutely the perfect texture cooked just enough, but still crunchy. I will tell you no matter what you order it will be delicious, but do yourself a favor and try this mixed vegetable coconut curry!

Great find in Granite Bay, CA. The food was delicious. Service excellent Nice ambiance with soft music. Ordered Yellow Daal Tadka which was piping hot and very tasty and the Garlic Cilantro Naan was freshly made. Ended with a perfectly made Masala chai. Waiter asked if I wanted refill on my Chai 😀. (Chai refills were free!). Had a nice seating area for people that came to pickup. Will definitely revisit to try other items like Apricot Fig Salad.

Avatar Indian Bistro is a must-visit for anyone craving authentic Indian cuisine. The chicken tikka is a standout dish, perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. The chicken biryani is also a must-try, with fragrant rice and tender pieces of chicken. The restaurant's atmosphere is cozy and inviting, and the service is attentive and friendly. Overall, Avatar Indian Bistro is a top-notch dining destination for lovers of Indian food.

We love Indian food and this is our favorite Indian restaurant in the region. It’s family run and the recipes are authentic, packed with delicious flavors from fresh ingredients and spices. The ingredients are clean, fresh and largely organic. Many options without seed oils and lots of gluten free choices, but don’t come for that. Come if you like amazing Indian food at very reasonable prices. Try their new lunch specials! You’ll get more food than 2 people can eat for $22. The service is warm, friendly and very accommodating to food preferences, food allergies & food sensitivities.

This is a gem of an Indian restaurant. The Spinach Potato Kofta is my favorite dish by far. The potato dumplings were rich and amazing. The ground lamb and cheese kabab had a lovely flavor and was delicious with the three sauces. The spicy sauce is super spicy! The restaurant is very cozy and decorated to enhance your experience. Love it, will be back regularly!

Excellent food. Always fresh, great blend of spices! If you haven't tried them- do it! You will not be disappointed.

I ate here because the reviews were so positive. I found more negatives than positives. - the naan was stale and dry - asked for "spicy" but it was somewhere between mild and medium. Barely any detectable spiciness. - samosas were small and overcooked And also, compared to other Indian restaurants, I was somewhat disappointed that - rice was not included with my order - no complimentary pappadum was provided So I will be ordering from other restaurants instead of this one.

SERVICE: table side, BUT this is a small operation, so they might all be in the back - there's a bell by the door you can ring to get seated, pacing is more leisurely AMBIANCE: clean and colorful, very cozy FLAVORS: clearly using quality ingredients and there is a vision, but overall too sweet... Lamb shank masala (3/5) - a very tender lamb shank swimming in sweet, cinnamon-y tomato sauce... Aloo gobi (3/5) - cauliflower was still on the crisper side, very fresh, but again... the dish was mostly overpowered by the flavor of sweet tomato sauce... Fig and apricot salad (3/5) - great idea, great combination, beautiful visually, but the textures and the flavors aren't working together PORTIONS: filling and hearty PRICE: appropriate BONUS TIP: beer option is limited an only serving taj mahal beer at this time, bathroom is immaculate!

We like that they have 4 entrees and 2 appetizers clearly marked as vegan. The vegan bread it roti without butter. They also have brown rice available if you'd like. The people who work there are very friendly. The food is made to order as hot, fresh and to your desired spice level. We also like that the items we ordered were not too oily.

We really liked this place. The staff were friendly and answered my menu questions. The food was amazing and flavorful. The Palak Paneer is a little different from other places. Their's is less creamy and more spinach rich. The Paneer also appeared to be roasted or pan fried before going into the dish. It's different but very good still. The ground lamb appetizer was wonderful and had a great texture. The lamb biryani was also very good. And don't forget to try their mango lassi! It was very thick and mango rich. The restaurant was decorated more than most. It had a lot of art and art pieces on the walls. It was still organized nicely and the place had a comfortable meal environment. We'll be back again, hopefully soon!

Always delicious! We went with our sons to celebrate my birthday early. We all ordered our favorites and shared. So good. I didn't take any pictures tonight.

We have ordered from this restaurant many times and find it very inconsistent. The tandoori chicken tonight was very charred and super spicy. Almost inedible. The naan was thick and very chewy. Other times it has been very good. But the inconsistency is a reason we probably won't order takeout again.

Wonderful experience!! Tasteful and fun environment is very welcoming. The food was very delicious! Super service. Highly recommend.

I placed a takeout order on their website. It went smoothly, and the order was ready right on time. My one critique of the ordering system is that the only choices of Spicy Level are 'Medium' and 'Between Medium To Spicy'. Really? I added a note that the entrees should be more spicy than medium, but in retrospect I should have just asked for spicy (if not very spicy), as the entrees were both quite mild. I shared two dishes and two breads: Eggplant Bharta, Mix Veggie Coconut Curry, Garlic Cilantro Naan, and Whole Wheat Roti. The breads were a big disappointment. Both breads were moist, chewy, tough, and nothing like any Naan or Roti we've had before. I don't know if they were made wrong, or if being wrapped in aluminum foil ruined them. The two entrees were ok (adding our own chili flakes to each helped with the spice level). I liked the very large chunks and variety of veggies in the Coconut Curry, though the curry sauce itself wasn't particularly flavorful. The Eggplant Bharta was our favorite of everything, with a caveat that the strongest spice we tasted seemed to be salt. Overall, it was ok, but not good. If we try again, it will be dining in, and hopefully everything will be much better.

This is the best Indian food I have eaten in years. Absolutely delicious. We asked for mildly spicy and it was. Sweet and sour cauliflower - the dipping sauce was so good we saved some to put on other stuff. Yummy naan. The chicken tikka masala was wonderful. Tender and delicious. Palak Paneer was yummy. Well priced. Very nice atmosphere, cute place. Totally recommend!

Amazing Food! I absolutely LOVE ordering their coconut chicken curry with a side of naan! The people that work there are so nice too!

I love this place so much! I go often and usually order a few different things for leftovers. The food is delicious and quality with ample portions and quite reasonably priced. The ambiance is soothing, pretty, sweet and comfortable. Very cozy and pleasant to sit and eat yummy food! Also, the people are quite nice.

Excellent service by Sagar. Food was delicious and portion sizes were adequate. Will be coming back.

Second visit to Avatar's and it was absolutely as good as the first time. This is clearly one of the very best Indian restaurants I've ever been to!

Wonderful genuine Indian food, with a wide menu of choices. Happened on Avatar yesterday and the lamb curry, fig salad, yellow dal were all terrific! Next time I'm In the area, I'll return for sure!

This might be my second review...because the food is so good here! There are so many dishes to try! And don't forget to have a mango lassi!

Best chicken you can get at a restaurant. The servers are incredibly nice. The size of the dining area is perfect and extremely clean.

We lunched at Avatar today, and we loved it. We shared the Apricot and Fig salad (which had a lot of beets and walnuts in it), Kale Pakoda, Butter Chicken, and Lamb Korma. All were very tasty. The items on the chutney tray were all good and the mixed pickles tasted the way I thought they should (warning, these are an acquired taste, and not for everyone---think lemon-based wood polish mixed with chili sauce, and you are close), which meant I liked them and my wife almost ran screaming in fear that some might get into her mouth. They have good naan, and several rice options. The service was excellent and the place was very clean. It has a nice atmosphere for a romantic meal, and we will probably avail of this for dinner soon. For vegetarians, vegans, and those avoiding gluten, there are many options.

I want to eat there twice a week! This place is another hidden gem tucked away in Granite Bay. I've tried a few other Indian Restaurants but they have fallen short of this place.

If you like Indian food, you need to try this place. We've been here about 10 times and have had great food and great service every time.

Wow! What an amazing restaurant! High quality and creative menu. Great atmosphere and great service. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I would now like to try everything on the menu! We got the saffron lassi, Soup, cheese naan, and Salmon Tika Masala. EVERYTHING was delicious!! I am eating my leftover right now and savoring every bite. Can't wait to go back!

By far the BEST Indian food I have ever had (even in the Bay Area). The food is magnificent and the service is exceptional. Do yourself a favor and support this family owned restaurant, you will NOT regret it .

Food- ‍ great flavor, tender, add your own spice level. FYI we got all medium and definitely will choose spicy next time. Very much home cooked vibe. Service-‍ friendly, fast, considerate Ambiance- casual, clean, laidback

Everything about this restaurant was excellent. My husband and I had the avacado potato chatt, basmati rice, butter chicken, and garlic cilantro naan. The menu had lots of options. As we entered the restaurant we heard other customers as they were leaving, raving about those items. So we figured, let's go with that! Did not disappoint. So delicious!! Looking forward to trying so many other items on their menu. The restaurant was very clean, with beautiful decor. Service was wonderful, as well as the price. I'm not very adventurous with food, but I'm certainly looking forward to going back and trying lots of other dishes.

This review is for takeout which was wonderful! We started with the samosa appetizer and the apricot fig salad-both were delicious but the salad was amazing with the best vinaigrette. For entrees we had the butter chicken and the pistachio chicken with sides of basmati rice and naan. Not sure which was my favorite as I loved everything!

I'm just gonna say it. Avatar is the best Indian joint in the Sacramento region. Ive been to most of them and many are awesome but not quite up to Avatar's standards as far as food quality and service. My girlfriend and I went nuts there on my birthday last night. We started with the best samosas ever and ordered chicken curry, butter chicken, chicken tikka masala and palak paneer. Everything was absolutely first rate but the palak paneer was the star of the show. It was the absolute best I've ever had in my life. They could enter it in an international competition and win first prize. We cannot possibly recommend Avatar enough. It's our new go-to for amazing and authentic Indian cuisine.

The ambience was impeccable, I loved walking in and I felt like I was in the village in India. The decor pieces were thoughtfully curated, and even the tables and chairs. Usually at Indian restaurants the decor is an afterthought. The ambience was definitely something I wasn't used to. We had a few dishes, and I thoroughly enjoyed the Malai Kofta. The servers spoke so gently and kindly I felt like royalty. I will definitely be back here again. The was also very yummy.

I didn't think I would be a fan of Indian food, but this place changed my mind. The service was fantastic with friendly and efficient staff, a nice clean environment and delicious food. The first bit of every dish caught me by surprise as the spices were not the usual for me. I'm really glad we ventured into this restaurant right down the street from us. It's been here over a year, and this was our first time, but definitely not our last. Can't wait to try some other dishes

Food was just ok. Does not taste like an authentic Indian restaurant. The chai tea's flavor was Not good. The lamb shank masala tasted like they opened a can of tomato sauce and dumped it on the meat. I definitely would not return. The waiter was very sweet and nice.

Avatar is fantastic. Various biryanis, chicken tikka, etc. are phenomenal. Restaurants seem to come and go at this end of Douglas, but Avatar is absolutely a keeper. Better than most Indian food I've had in the East Bay and SF.

This is the second time we've enjoyed a great meal from Avatar. Last time was dine-in. This time, we ordered take-out via a delivery service. We ordered Channa Masala, Butter Chicken, Palak Paneer, Kale Pakoda, Lemon Grass Malai Chicken, with rice and naan. Fantastic! Asking for mild spices delivers lots of flavor, with a mild heat kick -- perfect for us.

Finally!!! We have been searching since moving to the area 3 years ago for a good Indian food restaurant. Avatar checks all the boxes. Most importantly, the food is outstanding. The samosas were the best I've ever had! The servers were incredibly kind and endearing. The restaurant is charming and clean. We will be back and can't wait to try more of the menu next time!

This is our new go to place for Indian food. The flavors are consistent and complex. The spice level could be a little greater but overall the food is delicious. We have only ordered take out but the service has been fast and friendly.

Delicious fresh food in a beautifully designedly CLEAN environment. We have been here many times and we are always so amazed at the experience. Delicious!!!! Thank you for such great service. :)

Garlic cilantro naan was bussin' my girl loved the eggplant baharta. Friendly vibes inside they coo, happy people. Guabjaman was served cold, every time I've eaten it they served it warm. One of my favorite dishes. Next time ima have them throw them balls in the oven.

I got a DoorDash from this restaurant a few months ago. Tried the Lamb curry and Tandoori Chicken. Food was average and prices were higher compared to similar restaurants.

Ate here back in October and to be honest, Indian food isn't always my fave but we were nearby and hungry. Wow am I glad we stopped here. We shared a whole hodge podge of things and we both loved it all. The butter chicken was out of this world and the raita was excellent. We ordered everything with little to no spice and I was pleased that they were able to accommodate. Service was very friendly and it's cute inside. Definitely give this spot a try.

Try this place. I don't yelp, maybe twice ever. This place is incredible. The lemon grass chicken was the best I've ever had. Butter chicken was excellent. Coming back to try the pesto chicken.

We have had take out from them before but eating in is another experience. Love the trio of chutneys on the table. Naans were really good-fresh and light. And everything was flavorful and well prepared. We had the paneer, kofta, yellow dal, and tikka masala chicken. Kids asked multiple times if we can eat here every day.

Good food and prompt service. Ordered delivery. Kababs are pretty good! Would definitely try again

The food is excellent. The service, as experienced on May 24, 2024, was subpar. We have eaten at Avatar many times over the years because the food has always been good. Our last visit, which I hope is an aberration, was not good. 1. During a slow early evening arrival, it took several minutes for the wait staff to offer us anything. 2. The nice gentleman who took our order had a hard time getting it correct. 3. After the salad, the meal was delivered without the rice. That took several more minutes for it to be brought out to us. 4. Nearby tables had not been cleared of dirty dishes. When we finished our meal and asked for the check, not one plate was cleared from the table. 5. My spouse paid for the meal with her credit card and gave it to the waiter. He returned the receipt to me. My wife found that insulting. It was her credit card. Finally, ditch the soft guitar music and put on something more upbeat and in line with the ethnicity of the food. It is appropriate to put felt or glides on the feet of the chairs so when you move back from the table you don't create that horrible concrete-chair noise. I want this restaurant to continue and thrive. They are on course to lose business and close up shop.

Amazing food and WONDERFUL service!! The food tastes super fresh and arrives to the table hot. Authentic and perfectly spicy (we like Medium spice). The ambience is perfect. The music is always on point. The servers are SO nice and friendly. Wow - what a gem of a place!!!!!

Oh my goodness! Now I see what the fuss is all about! If you love Indian Food or you've never tried it, run - don't walk. The staff was incredible, so friendly. Can't wait to go back!!

I had been craving Indian food and found this place hidden away in the corner of the shopping center off of Douglas and Auburn Folsom. I had a gift card, so I ended up ordering online for pickup over delivery as it was a much faster time. Traditional Tandoori chicken - 4/5 nice flavors mild on the spice level with excellent flavor. Tikka Masala Chicken - 5/5 was medium on the spice scale for me; it was not overwhelming but a progression of spice as you continued to eat it. It was delicious and flavorful, and I poured it over my rice. Rosemary Garlic Lamb - 3/5 I was hoping this would be better as I love lamb; it was just okay to me. Saffron Basmati Rice - 5/5 was delicious excellent with the Tikka Masala and the Naan bread. Garlic Cilantro Naan - 5/5 very delicious I got two orders so glad I did as I love the bread.

Great food and exceptional service. I had the samosas and the butter chicken. Yummy!!!!!

The food is amazing. Super fresh! Our family has been to a lot of Indian restaurants and this is our favorite around town. Ambience is full of fun colors and very clean. The service is wonderful. Very kind people.

The food is outstanding!!! This place is a hidden gem. All of our dishes were perfect. Chicken pistachio korma, Chicken Tika Masala, Garlic naan, & Samosas. All of it amazing. The ambiance is so relaxing. The servers and owner are the nicest of people. We have to support great local restaurants like this. Otherwise these great restaurants disappear. And that's sad.

Wow! Eaten at this new Indian place called Avatar four times since they opened in December I'm so excited that I live close by. This food is outstanding. Its so good I didn't want to let other people know about it's going  location. I suggest start at the top of the menu and try everything.

Nice restaurant layout and service was pleasant. However, the food tasted rather plain compared to other Indian restaurants. The naan and accompanying sides and sauces were pretty good. But the main dishes all tasted similarly bland and warmed over rather than fresh. We dined inside and there were a few flies around. I may have come on an off day for the kitchen, and I hope the restaurant does well, but I'm one and done.