Aroma India (Cuisine and Bar)

Stopped in for lunch and had an absolutely wonderful experience. The Mocktails were an unexpected treat and were very good! My Butter Masala Paneer dish was so flavorful and full of good spice and the Goat Curry 🍛 was perfect. The rice was light and fluffy and a perfect serving station for my meal and sauce! My garlic naan was just super tasty. I understand why this location is highly rated. It's so, so good! It has a nice big space outdoors (I loved the couple hanging chairs that they had!) and a nice cozy interior with a lot of tvs near the bar area. I would absolutely come back and I encourage anyone who is a fan of Indian food to check this spot out. Parking may be a factor if you drive primarily so plan accordingly (or be prepared to park and walk). Excellent job to the chef staff and wait staff. Absolutely yummy!

This Indian restaurant is absolutely delightful! The butter chicken and chicken korma are both outstanding — the chicken is incredibly tender, practically melting in your mouth with every bite. The garlic naan arrives warm, soft, and full of flavor, perfect for soaking up those rich, aromatic sauces. The East Indian Gimlet is light, refreshing, and a great complement to the meal. What really makes the experience special is the service. The waitress — and the entire staff — are genuinely kind and attentive, always making sure you have everything you need without being intrusive. Their warmth adds a personal touch that makes you feel truly welcome. If you’re in downtown Phoenix, this is a must-try spot. The combination of authentic flavors, relaxing atmosphere, and exceptional service makes it one of those places you’ll want to return to again and again.

Absolutely outstanding Indian Cuisine! Very friendly and respectful staff in a chill atmosphere right in the city with excellent patio option. Being from the UK where this type of restaurant is very popular I had been searching for that same taste and I found right here! My new go to.

Good great. Best Indian food I had. Cheesy bread was good. Lamb was amazing. Not chewy. Perfect. Bathroom a little dirty. Roaches. So makes me wondering if I just ate Indian street food. All and all if it was I like it.

Beautiful ambience… sadly, that’s all you’ll enjoy here. My butter naan was the star of the night (round of applause 👏), but the goat curry tasted like it sprinted out of the kitchen half-cooked—chewy, oily, and in a portion size fit for a toddler. Service? Let’s just say my food showed up before plates or silverware—fine dining, caveman edition. I asked for onion slices and got handed the head of the onion… eye and all. At that point, I knew dessert wasn’t happening. Nice décor, but never again.

Wow the Goat curry and the Punjabi cloe!! Was epic stomach satisfied... the price and serving size 👌 For not having a drive through... the food was faster than I was expecting...

I recently tried Aroma India Cuisine and ordered three dishes: Paneer Bao Buns, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Aroma Paneer (recommended by the chef). The highlight was definitely the Aroma Paneer—it’s the best paneer I’ve ever had and absolutely a must-order dish! The flavors were rich and authentic, and the chef’s recommendation did not disappoint. Highly recommend this place, especially for the Aroma Paneer!!

This place is sooo amazing, I wish I could rate more than 5 stars! The food is always so fresh and so flavorful! I have brought all my friends who have been to so many Indian food restaurants and they all say that this is by far the best Indian food they’ve ever had! Our server was always so friendly and service was fast! I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else!

One of my top food spots in Downtown Phoenix. The taste of the food is amazing! Service is always great! Ambiance is simple and clean! Must try spot for Indian food in Phx Downtown! Their Karaikudi chicken and Panner tikka masala are Fire

We hit up Aroma last night for a couples date night and we had a great experience! The food was very flavorful and extremely reasonably priced. We had two dishes off the chaat section, which appears to just be a bunch of delicious savory appetizers. One of them is probably best described as crispy onion balls, the other was like a deconstructed samosa heavy on the chickpeas in a delicious sauce, served with a spoon. Along with a healthy portion of garlic naan, we also had the Bharwan Baigan curry (eggplant dish, absolutely delicious), butter chicken, and something described as a tofu special curry. They have both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, and I got the salted lassi; I usually have a mango lassi but wanted to try something different. The salted lassi is like a somewhat spicy yogurt drink and was fantastic (and less than $4!). Overall, amazing experience and I wouldn't hesitate to come back. The only thing keeping this from 5 stars in my mind was that it was so busy that after we were seated, nobody realized we hadn't ordered anything or been approached by a waiter yet, so we had to wave someone down after 30 minutes who seemed in shock that we hadn't placed an order. Apparently it was a busy Monday! Just make sure you come on a day where you have a few hours for a leisurely dining experience.

Had a little date night at this location and had a very pleasant experience. The staff were super friendly and greeted us with a HUGE smile! We got seated very quickly and after we sat the place seemed to fill up quickly! I also noticed a lot of other Indian people eating here which means they got good food!! There must have been some confusion because at first someone took our order but then we were going to add something else on because we were still deciding. But then once we waited for a long time they came and said they didn't take the order only 2 thing was submitted which was the lamb and the app. So we got that figured out lol We started with appetizer desi doo bun and it had great flavor but wish they had more chicken. I enjoyed these but this was not my wife's favorite. The lamb was phenomenal! This definitely stood out because the meat was a good portion and it was SO tender. The sauces were great compliments to the flavors! We had butter chicken that followed with some vegetable curry and garlic naan. The butter chicken was 7/10 . The chicken was dry unfortunately. The vegetables curry was very flavorful and delicious! The naan came out super hot and delicious as well! I finished off with some rice pudding which was their house special. Haven't had it for a while but it satisfied my sweet tooth. I would recommend checking out this place for good food and friendly service

Tried Aroma India for the first time and was really impressed! We ordered the Pav Bhaji and Dal Tadka--both were flavorful and comforting. The Pav Bhaji had a rich, buttery taste with a good balance of spice, and the pav was toasted perfectly. The Dal Tadka was warm and homestyle, with just the right amount of garlic and tempering to bring it to life. Portions were generous, and the food tasted freshly made. The service was attentive without being rushed, and the overall ambiance was cozy and welcoming. Definitely a solid spot for authentic Indian vegetarian dishes--can't wait to come back and try more.

Yall... this is a great spot to support. I know it may not be "vibey" but their lunch deals are worth it! They also have plenty of seating outside and inside (although I haven't sat indoors yet). I'm a sucker for chicken tikka masala and naan bread. This was so good for the price. The servers weren't super social. We had a couple of servers that are more shy so don't expect a bubbly server here. They'll take your order and take care of you with the portion sizes. :)

We tied the vegetable samosa and enjoyed it with the green sauce. We then also split the chicken tikka masala with naan bread. Loved the masala and thought the naan bread was good but regret not trying their garlic naan. The reason for a 4/5 is due to the chicken being overcooked and airless dry. The service was average and the tables and chairs could have been a little bit better. I think this place could do really well with some better seating and prices were okay. I would come back and try their lunch special as that seemed reasonable.

One of the biggest challenges I've found living in Phoenix is finding quality Indian food. So when Aroma opened up downtown I was excited for anything that would offer one of my favorite cuisines. For the first time in, I wanted to get a taste of a variety of items, and had the Special Paneer, Aloo Tikki Chaat, Chicken Bao Bun, Lamb Biryani, and Special Chicken Curry. In addition, I ordered garlic Naan and Mango Lassi to drink. The Bao Buns were tasty! The buns itself were so-so, but the filling was phenomenal. The Chaat was great! I liked the balance of flavors. The sauce that came with the paneer was the winner of all three appetizers, and I used that for all the dishes. For the curry, I was offered medium or mild. I wish that I had ordered hot or something more spicy, because medium was fairly mild. It had a good amount of flavor though. The best of the meal was the lamb biriani. The rice and lamb were perfect, and I cancelled my plans for after dinner to make sure I had time to bring home the leftovers from that. My only negative was that the boiled egg was a little dry and overcooked. Overall, this was a very quick, affordable, and tasty meal for what I would say is the best Indian food i have found in central Phoenix, and is worth trying. I certainly will be back!

WOW! A met up with a friend from work, before heading to another meeting Downtown so we wanted a place in the area. Aroma was delicious, great service and left me wanting more. It definitely on the list to try again.

I had an excellent experience at Aroma India! I ordered the Malai Kofta and the garlic naan and both dishes were incredibly flavorful. All of the curries come with rice, so they're extra filling! I ordered my meal at a spice level three, but honestly could have gone a bit spicier as somebody who has a higher spice tolerance than most. We visited in the summertime in Phoenix, so their AC was super welcoming. It was honestly such a great relief from being outdoors in the heat! But their staff was also incredibly friendly and were constantly refilling our glasses--just showing us how dedicated they were to making sure our service was phenomenal. I'm excited to dine here again next time I'm in Phoenix!

We have eaten here twice and both times the food was just ok. The dosas are decent but I wasn't a fan of much else we ordered (pav bhaji, special paneer, naans, chicken curry, okra). I'd be open to trying more South Indian fare though.

Wow, this is the best Indian food in the valley! I loved everything here. From the desi bao buns, to the tikka masala, to the butter chicken, to the tandoori chicken, to the garlic naan... it was all fantastic! The food was delicious and made with love. We picked mild for spice level and it was perfect; not too hot but also had a kick. The service was outstanding. Everyone was very attentive and made sure to check on us multiple times and made sure we loved everything. It's a cute little place with intimate vibes, which I love. The prices are more than fair and we got a lot of food for what we paid. Overall, I will be returning!

I usually order from her on DoorDash and the food is always consistent. Everything has great flavor!

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant. I'm always on the hunt for a good Indian food restaurant and this one didn't disappoint. Everything we had was flavorful and tasted fresh. I especially liked the garlic naan and the tikka masala. We will for sure be back in the future.

Aroma India was a fantastic find! I stumbled upon their $9 TO-GO vegetarian lunch special while taking a walk around downtown Phoenix. I was blown away by the value. A generous portion of rice, naan, red paneer curry, and a green lentil dish, all packed in a sturdy container I can reuse. The inside felt a little lacking in decor but it's a new place so I'm sure they can work on that. Also, there is a wonderful outdoor space that would be great when the weather is nice. Staff were friendly when I placed my order and it came out quickly. If you are vegan I would recommend asking about the ingredients, I was unable to eat the curry dish because I don't do dairy but that's okay. It was a good price and I was able to share it with friends. I'll definitely be back to try dining in.

I really enjoyed myself here. Fast service, good food, nice place to spend an hour. The chicken biryani was terrific. The chicken aroma curry was darn good as well. Would go back.

Easy to order and easy to pick up. Was able to park near the door and walked in to a friendly greeting and my food was bagged and ready to go. First time here so I quickly looked around the place was clean and looked like a great place to enjoy a meal. The food was delicious and prepared just right. I will definitely be ordering again and again!

Wow, first review in a while and once again I wrote a book. If TL;DR, just skip to the pics. I'm a Gone-Dark Yelper, having submitted only 3 reviews since 2017, my hey-day being the era prior to that. This wonderful new (as of October 2024) spot for Indian cuisine in downtown Phoenix motivated me to dust off the Yelp login: In town from Dallas for a Friday night only (work conference), I was delighted to find something other than burgers/wings/etc. in the walkable area. I had to choose between this and the hotel staff-recommended Zen Thai, but I was feeling Indian so made the 17-minute walk from the Hyatt Regency to this quaint, intimate spot that features a nice covered patio and has somewhat limited indoor seating options--I chose the bar to allow the one free table to remain available--and as always was pleased I did. Didn't get anyone's names, but the gal behind the bar was extremely helpful and accommodating while also very busy and running orders. Got an Old Monk rum & coke because not just everyone carries Old Monk, so you get it when you can! Long sentence alert: The menu features a variety of items, and among them are dosai, which isn't always readily available so I knew I'd have one of those, and then the goat or lamb curry choice was too impossible for me to make so I asked a guy running food from the kitchen on his way back to recommend one, which he did after giving it a thoughtful look over. He vanished back into the kitchen and moments later, the chef comes bounding out, beaming and happy to tell me which to get: he said the Butter Masala Dosai ("thin rice crepes filled with potatoes and onions") and then, after warning me that the goat would feature bones while the lamb wouldn't, I said I don't care about that. I love them both--which do I need to get? He responded, get the goat. And I did. Wow, couldn't believe what they brought me--the dosai was beautiful! And enormous--I put my drink glass in the pic for scale. It was delicious and somehow light & delicate with 3 featured sauces to either dip or spread on. Only teeny regret was not getting the Spl. Rava Dosai as it also had chillies and I like hot. The goat curry? Oh yeah. A rich, thick deep brown sauce covering tender cuts of goat (yes, with some bones occasionally) over the standard rice that comes with. I went into this knowing that it would be more food than I could consume and planned on taking it back for breakfast in the morning, haha. But I darn near ate all of both. The whole time either the food runner or server would stop to see how I liked it. They were very fun and personable, and it was obvious they took pride in their craft. On leaving, I shook the hand of the runner to say goodbye and he grabbed my hand and pulled me back into the kitchen to tell the chef how I'd liked it! I only wish I'd gotten a selfie with them, but was all too happy to thank the man himself and enjoyed my constitutional back to the Hyatt. Zen Thai, I'm coming for you on the next conference!

Me and my girls really enjoyed this place. They've got good flavor and the food didn't take long at all. My only part that bummed this experience was our naan bread was burnt we were able to eat a lot of it, but one round we had the bottom and entire round was black worse part was it tasted such. So over all we didn't have any issues. And we took food to go! Our server was amazing and I think we got a chance to meet the owner who checked in to see how everything was. The spot is nice and cozy for some good authentic Indian food. I had the Kadai chicken and they got the vegan options of the paneer. The white pea soup was delicious. We got some Lassi's too.

We had the best night sitting outside on the swingy chairs! We had Rudhra as our server and he was amazinggg. I love paneer and couldn't decide what to order as it was my first time here. He suggested the aroma special and it was SO GOOD. Trader Joe's does not compare!!!!!! My friend got the butter chicken and it was equally as good. The owner comes around often to make sure you are satisfied (sometimes you need more than one bite to know) and I realized I would like more spice and he brought so much spice it was perfecttttt. Could make it to my liking. Thank you for making our experience wonderfulll we will have to come back . Not to mention the leftovers. I'm making paneer omelet for brekkie right now. Thank youuuu

Okay, this spot did not disappoint! Everything was so flavorful and comforting--the kind of meal that just hits after a long day. The butter chicken was rich and creamy, the matar paneer was perfectly spiced, and don't even get me started on the naan--fluffy, warm, and ideal for scooping up all that sauce. We also got pani puri and pav bhaji, which were super fresh and full of flavor. The dessert? Classic gulab jamun and rasmalai, both were the perfect sweet ending. Whether you're craving classic Indian comfort food or just want a spot with great vibes, Aroma India is definitely worth checking out.

I was excited that an Indian restaurant moved in downtown, but unfortunately it did not leave me feeling very inspired. As others noted, it moved into the old Topaz space and did little to change anything up. It felt very half-finished with blank walls and so forth. As for drinks, I think even the old alcohol from the bar moved with it, but it looked like it was there just for display purposes. While they had a drink menu of Indian whiskeys you could sip, there was no actual cocktail menu. We asked about wine, and the server looked over and said, "Uh, I think we have some red." So, basically either drink Indian whiskey or Indian beer. It was weird. The food was hit or miss. We started with a dosai to share for the table that was quite good, and the sauces on the side had a great flavor profile. I ordered paneer makhani ("butter paneer"), and the server didn't ask me the spice level. What I got was below the standard mild at any other Indian restaurant. I don't know if he assumed we couldn't handle spice, didn't want spice, or if the food just doesn't come with spice, but it was the most bland Indian dish I've ever had. There are a lot of ways this place could be great, and maybe it will improve with time and some attention to the space and menu. Otherwise, this will be something else in the revolving chain of restaurants at this location.

I highly recommend this place. Our server was amazing very attentive and friendly he got us refills before even asking. The food was at our table pretty quick super flavorful 10/10. I definitely recommend the shrimp curry with the garlic butter naan. Chef kiss! I love the environment of this restaurant very welcoming and cozy.

Had takeout from here. The tikka masala was delicious.. I almost ate all of it. The delivery was really quick and the food was packaged well and still warm. I also had masala naan which was very good. Will definitely have to stop in!

Great tasting Indian food in Phoenix downtown. Tandoori Chicken and Naan were delicious. Will definitely go back for more. Lots of vegetarian and non vegetarian options to choose from.

We were visiting Phoenix for business while we found this amazing jewel of india food and the owner Ashok took care of us and treated us like royalties. Food was amazing and we had great time with him and his son Vish. We would recommend this place to everyone looking for good Indian food. We will visit it again soon.

Food taste and ambiance really must try...very chill n unwinding with some really good drink selection

Empty dishes! Great food and kind waiter. Good options for vegetarians. We will come back.

Great service, friendly staff. I ordered the lamb biryani and mango lassi both were good. First time here, will be back! Glad it's in downtown Phoenix.

Pricey for Small portions Forgetful staff. I kept requesting the same thing from multiple people. Untimely they bring one thing at awkward Naan now and ten later our small meal. They brought me something i didn't order. If If I did, I forgot 30 They're confused and embarrassingly disorganized This is rough.

I ordered a dinner to go a few weeks ago and I'm so glad I did. Food is reasonably priced and delicious. I ordered the garlic naan and chicken biryani. Both were delicious. Chicken was tender and the rice was very flavorful. Garlic naan was yummy too. Definitely recommend if you're craving indian in downtown.

Amazing everything. I just finished my meal and don't even have the words to describe how great everything was. If you're on the fence about what to eat tonight, stop dilly dallying and get here. Massive menu and you can't go wrong. Try the Indian "scotch". It might not make sense but once you taste it, it'll make sense.

This place was a pleasant surprise. I did t realize an Indian food place opened here. It was previously the milk bar, then jackalope, and then Topaz. Hopefully Aroma sticks around because it's delicious and adds some welcome diversity to downtown food and drink options. The samosas were crispy invite outside and full of flavor. There are so many good options on the menu but I just went with biryani to see how it compares with some others around the valley and it was really good. There was so much of it too. I also tried the chicken tikka masala. That was also perfectly cooked and delicious. I really wanted to try the tamarind whiskey sour but they were out of the whiskey so I went with the old monk beer and it was unexpectedly huge. I can't wait to come back and try some of the cocktails and other food options. Everything looked really good and the service was super friendly and attentive.

This place was absolutely amazing. Great service not very familiar with Indian food and they were able to walk me through the menu very well. Food was excellent atmosphere was cool.

The place looks great and has a really nice vibe, but the food just didn't deliver. For Indian food, I expected way more flavor -- everything was super bland and had no taste at all. It's a shame because the atmosphere is nice, but I wouldn't come back just for the food.

Do not eat here. The Indian food was supposedly "medium" and was bland. We ordered Raita and for 5 dollars got about 2 oz of yogurt in a cup. Worst of all, they did not give us our complete order. I called twice to get a refund for the missing food. Both times the owner said he would "call back to issue the refund". He never did. UPDATE: After seeing this review the owner agreed to comp our next meal. I went in today, and the offer changed to "we will replace the missing bread from last time and 30 percent off your bill." No thanks, and the review stays up.

Sooo yummy I highly recommend! I got the butter chicken and garlic naan and it was to die for

Finally an Indian restaurant I can walk to! We went the second day they were open, enjoyed our lunch and they were FAST. Owner has run restaurants in the east valley for years so he was able to make my friend something that wasn't on the menu which was really appreciated. Large vegetarian options and it seems like they're figuring out what to highlight on the menu, so if you can't find what you're looking for, just ask. This building has been 4 different concepts in the last few years but I really hope this one sticks. Give them time to dress it up, I'm sure they'll dial in the ambiance once they start making some money. Mint chutney was a far better version than what I get from the doordash-able options which was a bonus.

I love this place! It was my first time here and the reviews definitely didn't disappoint. Not only is it cute on the outside but inside feels so cozy. The staff is amazing and attentive very sweet as well. Shiv was amazing! I couldn't complain about anything honestly. I found out they opened last year and their chef is from India. Food hit so close to home. It's authentic and the richness of the spices were phenomenal. Food came out so fast! The samosas are soooo good! I'm definitely coming back.

We stopped in here for lunch on a Saturday. The restaurant is small and intimate with warm customer service. The food was very good and the menu had a large selection of tandoori and curries. The drink menu also had some interesting cocktail choices with Indian influences and liquor.

Order takeout Chicken Vindaloo. Staff very friendly and gave me some ice water while I waited. Food was good and portion to price was great. It would be nice to have a spice level option, as I like my food spicy/hot and mentioned that in the comments but spice level was mild/medium. Also, asked for cutlery in comments, but none in bag.

Really nice food and great service! The lamb biryani, kaju mushroom , hakka noodles were awesome

My mother and I dined here during her visit, and she liked it much more than I did. We ordered the Indian tea, poppadoms, vegetable samosas, Mushroom dish, and chicken tikka masala. She ordered the mushroom dish 3 out of 5 spiciness, and I requested 4 for the tikka masala. The samosas were very hot and very nicely spiced, especially hood with the mint chutney. The popadoms were cold and very spicy. They made me cough with each bight. The mushroom dish was not at all spicy and had a variety of vegetables plus cashews. My mom loved this dish, but I did not care for it. The tikka masala was visually overcooked and dry upon arrival and had very little sauce, which was void of spice. The sauce tasted like cambell's tomato soup. I ate a few pieces of the tough chicken and then saved the rest for my dog. The samosas and mint chutney were my favorite thing, because they were made fresh and were spicy. We also got a garlic roti and butter naan, which were ok but not great. The naan needed some good sauce for dipping. We also got 2 desserts togo, and they were ok. The ambiance was not bad. The service was friendly but not fast.

Thanks to Kumar our waiter for introducing some of their good foods but I came here to try my favorite Chicken Tikka masala and Vindaloo. Their service was very friendly and outstanding. Thank you for accepting song request musics I used to listen to in my childhood watching Hindi movies. I highly recommend for y'all to go ahead and try out this place.

I LOVE this restaurant. Everything was bomb I forgot to take a photo before hand i just went straight to eating. Our server was attentive and refilled my water ever time it was like half way. We had a chicken dish (tikka masala) and a tofu dish and the tofu one was better. The chicken was a little too rubbery but the sauce was bomb

The best thing about our dinner at Aroma India? The spinach and potato dosa! Stunningly tasty and unusual in my experience. The worst things? (1) The Gobi Manchurian appetizer which was salty beyond belief--we sent it back after one taste. (2) The obnoxiously loud music! My husband didn't get what he ordered, presumably because the manager/waiter who was standing right over him couldn't hear his order! Everything else was "ho hum."

Great produce, incredible flavor. Best ever lamp. Highly recommended. Clean, easy to parking, great costumer service. Very good price.

Food here is good, especially for the price and traditional as far as I can tell. The waiters served us constantly and made sure we were well taken care of. Really, judge the place for the smell as the indian authenticity can be detected as you walk into the door.

I had the butter chicken with garlic naan and a masala chai tea martini -- and every bite (and sip!) was bursting with flavor. The service was excellent and prompt; I was greeted with a warm smile as soon as I walked in, which set the tone for a great experience. Everything was well-seasoned, satisfying, and made with care. I cannot wait to return!

Super kind staff but the food was dissapointing. garlic naan was chewy, chili paneer was soggy, and chicken was dry. Traveling all over the country this was by far the least flavorful Indian food I've had and overall just bland.