Awesome atmosphere! Samosa appetizer was a fantastic must have! Also I loved the very eclectic music played in the background. Chai Tea was very nice!
(5)
PK I.
I give points to the restaurant for their 'innovation' on the menu, they've taken some traditional indian food and put a twist on most items, which is good to see. Unfortunately, their innovations fail across the board. For anyone who's familiar with high quality south indian food, this is poor quality and unusually overpriced. It's pretty obvious you're paying for the ambience and the friendly staff, which doesnt quite do justice to the pricing, leave along the food. The dosas we ordered were fine, but the filling, and the chutneys were sub par. I was told this place was well known for it's chutneys, and that frankly was the biggest let down. Additionally, the spice rating for the menu is all messed up. I ordered something was a 3 outta 5, and it wasnt spicy at all. The 4/5 wasnt spicy either. The 5/5 was slightly spicy, but I dont quite understand how their rating is 5 tiered, if only 1 tier is spicy. Overall, the ambience and friendly staff are the reason for higher prices at this restaurant, certainly not the food. If you're looking for better food, try another south indian restaurant in Exton
(1)
Anurag P.
I visited this restaurant bcoz it showed on my search results and looked decent enough. What I encountered though, well let's just say, I wasn't ready for it. The lunch buffet had a huge variety of dishes, which simply stuns you. And if that doesn't, then the taste of those dishes sure will. A must visit restaurant!
(5)
Andres L.
This is a rather upscale Indian restaurant, especially for it being in Downingtown. Carried out the kadai veggies, order of samosas and some naan. The kadai was pretty spicy but tasty as well. That came with a side of either rice or naan or something else. Opted for the garlic naan and it was delicious. The samosas were filled with mashed potatoes and maybe other veggies. I prefer the diced potatoes and peas, etc. Overall you pay for what you get and you'll pay a little extra for the decor, service and quality of food.
(3)
Matthew B.
man i really like thier approach to indian food. The corn and curry soup was a winner, the naan was outstanding, and the little pastries filled with yogurt were differnt and very tasty. We had the goat with rice and spiced lamb. both were execllent. This place fills up fast - we arrived at 5 and were like 2 of 10 in the place. By the time our appetizes came it was packed and people were waiting. great ambiance, up scale indian dining experience. better than most in the area. return trip in order.
(4)
Christy W.
The decoration reads traditional Chinese to me, doesn't read Indian. Lamb dosa was super delicious and the waiter was super nice and helpful.
(5)
Priyanka M.
Not impressed! The only thing impressive about this place is the decor and ambience. The food was just average. The only good thing was the mango lassi which didn't taste any better than any other Indian restaurant. The cuisine has been altered to match the local taste buds and lost the authenticity in the process. We ordered vegetarian dosa and Chana bhatura. The dosa which is a South Indian dish had North Indian style taste and Chana Bhatura which is from North part of the country had South Indian spices. I'm not sure if that's the idea but for me it failed big time. So far it is the most mediocre Indian food I have tried so far. If you are craving good Indian food there are better restaurants in the area to try..
(1)
Sanjeev G.
Awesome food. gets crowded in the evenings..But, worth the wait
(4)
Sujeet B.
I had a chance to visit this place on a trip to PA recently. It came highly recommended by a friend and he could not be wrong! I have not tasted such GOOD Indian food in the US after India. The flavors are vibrant and left us ecstatic! Yum! The setting is upscale and classy. The waiters are professional and service was immaculate. We wish this place was in Toronto!
(5)
Matthew L.
Had the three course tasting menu: the seared scallops were quite good though possibly slightly less done than I typically like. The daal dosa was delicious. It was served along with a vegetable soup and two chutneys. I was so obsessed with the soup that I forgot to even try either chutney...next time. The main was the chicken curry served with naan. This was deboned thigh meat that was perfectly cooked...just fell apart as it was scooped up in the naan and really tasty. A terrific meal again...
(4)
Anish K.
I came here with high hopes for excellent biryani. I did arrive for a Saturday lunch at 2:30 pm... So a little late. They were very nice and I ordered the chicken biryani from their alacarte menu. It looked beautiful, and was actually fairly good. Only major issue was that there were 2 small pieces of chicken in the whole dish. I thought it was a mistake and asked. The response was that this was intentional. I'm Indian, I've eaten a fair amount of biryani all over the place. I've never seen that type of rice to chicken ratio. And if that were the case, 15 dollars for 2 pieces of chicken?? Last time I'm coming here, unfortunately.
(1)
Anil R.
One of the best restaurants for a lunch buffet I have ever been to ! The ambiance and hospitality is as good as the food :)
(5)
Retro R.
The food was excellent... the service, not so much. It felt like there was an over abundance of bus personnel, but only 2 servers. Took a while to be seated, even though there weren't many people and a considerable amount of time to have our order taken. I'll give them a pass because our server had a large party and was very apologetic. They might want to employ some of their busboys as food runners to reduce the strain on their wait staff or put more people on the floor. Just an idea.
Bangles is a new restaurant to Exton area which already has good number of Indian restaurants. That means it competitive market, to retain customers you have to be consistent. So this is good news for food lovers:) Anyways, coming to the review of Bangles- This is an high end sophisticated Indian restaurant, with banquet hall available for parties. All waiters are non-indians but they do have some good knowledge on Indian cuisines( yes, i tested them some tongue twisters dishes and got right answers). They are well informed and make you comfortable. Ambiance is good as most other other have written, but i felt little uneasy when its too crowded during peak buffet times because of the open "L" shaped seating area. Again, you can see the richness everywhere in the restaurant, its not a typical desi restaurant where Food alone is the priority. This is the best Indian restaurant around Philly. Coming to food- we tried veg-thali, non-veg thali, biryani and desert everything was great. The flavor, spice levels, masalas, presentation, aroma, and taste were excellent. This is not surprising for any new Indian restaurant the taste is always good for first 1 year as the Chef is top notch but the trick is the maintain the same level of food which imply's to retain the Chef at same place for long time. Not sure who the Chef is but he/she is amazing and I wish they continue here long and sat "Thank You". This restaurant is owned by South Indians(Kerala) and they did an great job. Congratulations to them on their grand success for launching and good high end Indian restaurant in the area! Yes, i would defiantly recommend this restaurant.
(5)
Shravya S.
The best food of philadelphia.... I just loved the non veg and veg varieties here in bangles..they serve some yummy biryani and very very delicious appetizers .. The ambience is amazing with the mouth watering sweets... The buffet here is one of the best in the whole philadelphia .. We drove two Hours just to eat in bangles and we realized that the journey was worth so much ... From then we are going to this place for every alternate week ends to fill out stomach with awesome indian food.. The other speciality is that they also serve buffet even during week days just for 11$...!
(5)
Shiva S.
I visited this restaurant with my family yesterday after reading some really positive reviews. We had reserved a table and were promptly seated. The buffet counter was open and we thought of trying the buffet. I am a vegetarian and was hoping to find some good food here. There were a couple of appetizers, there was samosa and mushroom. I opted for the samosas it was very oily and the filling was not good. The mushroom seemed less appealing, I gave it a pass. There was soup but we were told its not vegetarian. There was idly and sambar which was ok. Then there was channa masala, punjabi kadi and paneer. Kadi and paneer were not good, channa masala was ok. There was no dal which is something that we can expect in a decent buffet. There were very limited option for vegetarian and whatever was available was not good. The items dint work well together which is important in a buffet. There were 4-5 meat\fish items in the buffet and they seem to be more popular. Naan was served on the table which was good. Onto the dessert, there were a couple of items both looked gooey. My wife had the mango pudding (I guess) and she liked it, there was another pudding which we dint have. I was hungry but had enough of this restaurant. This buffet was priced at $17 and definitely not worth it. The service and decor was better than most indian restaurants. But unfortunately service and decor cannot beat taste and hunger, I went to a drive through and had a veggie burger which was unusually more satisfying. 2 stars for service and decor @Bangles.
(2)
Sasikanth V.
I've been to Bangles with my friends for a wknd buffet. Food was good & tasty. Ambience is nice & service is really good. Me and my friends had good time here. We would like to come here again.
(4)
Missy L.
This place is a hidden gem! I never would have expected food and atmosphere this good to come from a place in a strip mall in Downingtown! The people in the kitchen know what they're doing. The staff is kind, courteous and helpful. The food is fresh and delicious. Glad to have found this secret stash of awesome!!!
(5)
Lavanya V.
Bangles love the ambience,decor is classy and simple.Food reminds me of home ,truly authentic Indian food made with high quality and extrodinary service.
(5)
Dana S.
Love this place. U must try the lunch buffet. The owner (women) was lovely to talk to. My favorite Indian restaurant in Pennsylvania.
(5)
Jen J.
I really wanted to like this place but it was a disappointing visit on Thanksgiving day. The restaurant was full and had a special event in the big room. The entrees were pretty standard Indian buffet fares but the problem was some of the entrees were lukewarm - I think the burners were out without anyone noticing or replacing them. The fish dish had pretty much been drained out of the chunks without the restaurant adding more. We counted more than 20 minutes (and a few people asking for it) before a new batch was put in. The goat meat in rice (forgot the name) was chewy and again did not have enough chunks and was never replenished while we were there. Service was terrible. Our waiter never took away our used plates. We had a pile of 5 plates/soup bowls sitting in the middle of a table for four for a long time before we had to flag him down to grab them. The waters were not refilled until we had to flag him down again. Restaurant workers were walking back and forth behind us all meal long but I'm confused on what exactly they were rushing to and from if they are not refilling entrees timely, checking the burners, or providing base level of service. The owners/managers seemed friendly so maybe it was just an off day? Either way there are plenty of other Indian restaurants in the area. I had lunch buffets that are tastier/cheaper/hotter/better replenished than we did here so it will be a long while before we come back here to try our luck again.
(2)
Valarie F.
I am still a fan of Bangles, because the food is wonderful! However, it seems that the management is struggling to find their niche. Originally, there was a Thali (like a sampler platter with about eight different dishes) available for lunch each day. Not long after opening, the Thali because a weekend lunch thing and the menu switched to more dosas and salads during the week. On my last visit, this past weekend, I discovered that the weekend lunch menu, altogether, is a thing of the past and the lunch is now a buffet. After a significant wait (good food is worth the wait), I was seated. It was approximately ten minutes before the waitress stopped by the table and told me there was a buffet around the corner. I asked for a menu and she told me they didn't have menus anymore then she walked off. I went through the buffet, which sadly didn't have a single paneer dish (my favorite food EVER). When I got to the table, I picked at my Sambar and Idily (sp) while I waited for Naan. I was able to catch the waitress after another ten minutes to ask if I needed to place a separate order to get Naan and she replied that it was coming. I also asked if I could order Masala tea, to which she replied, "that is going to cost extra". I said I understood and she left. At this point the table next to me told me they had finished their entire meal while waiting for Naan. Ironically, as they put their coats on, the waitress appeared with a basket of Naan. She seemed surprised they no longer wanted it. Even the buffet food was good, but it's awesome to have a place that sets itself apart, since almost every Indian restaurant offers buffets for lunch. And the Thali was an excellent way to try new dishes. I'm sure we'll go back, I'm hoping the Thali will have reappeared by the time we do. Please check them out, buffet or not it's good food and this was my first time ever having inattentive service, so I'm assuming it was an off day.
(3)
Manimaran S.
I have enjoyed food from Bangles for a very long time (both dine in and take out). You can never go wrong with the food and the servers are nice and courteous as well but there is one thing that has been a constant that made me give only 4 stars and not five. If you are doing a take out always make sure they give you all chutneys that goes with dosa / idly and kabob's. They consistently miss giving us the chutneys that goes with these food. Having said that there is nothing else to complain about this place. It's BYOB, excellent food, amazing ambience for an Indian restaurant. Best Indian restaurant in Pennsylvania/Delaware.
(4)
Mary M.
Spent my birthday at Bangles. Had a delicious meal with terrific entertainment and the ambiance was so relaxing. We each got the Chef's Tasting Menu, a 3 course meal...each dish was better than the previous one! Can't wait to go back!!!!
(5)
Bradford G.
Hidden in the corner of the shopping center, Bangles is nicely decorated inside if a bit commercial feeling (eg high ceilings). The food is presented in uniquely upscale ways, not the typical one pot of this dish and one pot of rice. Dishes coming out of the kitchen look fantastic but wow, the food is hot. Most dishes (and all the tasty looking ones) apparently cannot be heat adjusted according to our waiter. I like spicy food but "Indian spicy" is beyond my limits. The lamb was on fire!
(4)
Neha S.
Does not deserve even 1 star. Lunch buffet the worst ever... Not a good place for vegetarians! Appetizers only 2 options and no soup for vegetarians. No dry veggie at all, only so called shahi paneer and veggie korma... Both on sweeter side. Made a mistake of ordering strawberry lemonade.... What came was red colored sugar juice!! I worst ever place for vegetarians!
(1)
Vasanthan B.
Bangles is a refreshing find when eating in Indian restaurants had become a sort of boring. The Kozhi milagu rasam is a classic not to be missed. Overall experience was awesome at a great price.
So they say second time around is the charm, well I guess I might slightly agree, so this time around they did do a few improvements, as far as the ambience, they have slightly dimmed the lights, but enough with that, main purpose is the cuisine, know let's remember, we are looking for authenticity, so please if you are going to an Indian or Thai place, you have to remember it's going to be spicy food, so if your sorry ass can't handle spicy food I suggest you stick to other cuisines. With that being said, the appetizer was very good this time, and not much delay, and as for the entree I think it was very authentic Indian, not very spicy but spicy enough to make me sweat a little lol, as for the taste let's say for someone having a little Indian background, job well done! Oh the only complain this time, is whoever set the tables I only got a knife, no fork lol.
(4)
Pramod M.
This is a real 5 star indian restuarant, food is awesome & real authentic indian food i have had in US. Ambience is wonderfull, staff is aware of the menu & how food is prepared. All in all a great place
(5)
Beth Ann P.
I have had takeout from here and the food was excellent. Met a friend to dine in tonight for the first time. The ambiance is great, very deceiving from what you see on the outside. The food, again, was excellent. The service, not so much. Our waiter was very nice but never showed up to take our dinner order until we had finished our appetizer. We had to flag him down. When food showed up, it was staggered. One entree, 5 minutes later, the other. Rice and naan didn't show up at the same time either. This is a big pet peeve of mine so it was a bit annoying. Food is excellent though. Next time, I'll get take out.
(4)
Jason H.
Wow and wow. Amazing food. I got take out including Tandoori Seekh and Red Beet Halwa Saffron Payasam. Both amazing and the Halwa is definitely an exotic fantastic treat. The price is bit high but quality is great and its definitely on my frequent must visits.
(5)
Chris L.
Just discovered this restaurant on Google Maps and was not disappointed. The food was of high quality and delicious, although the buffet was missing some the condiments one expects like tamarind chutney, etc. This is definitely an upscale establishment, the ambience was relaxed, and the service was attentive, but not intrusive. I will definitely be back
(4)
Hailey D.
Amazing! The small plates were perfect! The masala dosa was amazing!! perfect! The chicken curry and the winter root veggie dish was incredible, the coconut flan for dessert and the Nutella dosa and the chai was perfect. Great service attentive. The owner came by to check on our table and was very friendly and welcoming. We will be back. All five of us loved everything we ordered. Top Indian food we have ever eaten!!!! Worth a two hour ride!!!
(5)
Stephen Z.
Have eaten here several time and it is such a pleasure to have a restaurant of this quality in the suburbs. Service, while polite, has been inconsistent and the faces don't seem to hang around for long.
(4)
Sarah G.
Unfortunately, I only got the opportunity to come here one time before I left for the summer. . . but Bangles, I will be back when I return to PA in August. This is a really great restaurant, albeit portion sizes are a bit small (minus the biryani, you get a lot of that. . . like more rice than is humanly possible to consume). The food itself is absolutely lovely :). As with all Indian restaurants, they start you off with papadam--but the papadam at Bangles is so good compared to what I've eaten in other places :). I would have been very content to just sit and eat that all day. Based on a recommendation I received, I ordered the paneer makhni and it was amazing. I really love paneer. I mean, I make paneer tacos at home because paneer is good as anything, ever. But this paneer was really awesome and it will be hard for me to go back and order something else because the memory of how great this dish was, is so strong (and I'm usually the one ordering the spiciest thing possible on the menu, and this is not spicy at all. That's how good it was. I didn't need spicy this time). My husband ordered the chicken biryani and he loved that as well. Now. . . I don't usually order dessert when I go to a restaurant but when my eyes read "payasam" on the menu, my heart skipped a beat and I knew. . . no matter how full I was, that semiya payasam was mine after I polished off my paneer. And so, because of the gloriousness of the small portion of paneer I received(which, let's be honest is a double blessing because paneer isn't known for it's trace calorie count ;) ), I bestowed upon myself the red beet halwa saffron payasam. How beautiful it was. Semiya payasam is actually my favorite Indian dessert . . . personally, I like it sans all the fancy stuff they put in it at Bangles (read: I really didn't need the halwa with it, even though halwa is my second fav. dessert.) but it was really nice to eat :). My yearning for this type of payasam has grown to a point of frustration. . . as I cannot recreate it's beauty in my own home...and it's only gotten worse since I visited Kerala this past winter. So thank you Bangles, for making a really nice payasam which I will be happy to return for frequently :) (PS- if you let me order it without the halwa I will be a loyal patron forever.) I know that my review is already really long but I want to add one last thing that just sets this place apart from so many other Indian restaurants. . . they pair your food with rice or naan and that, to me, is amazing. I didn't have to think about what to get with my paneer--they just gave me naan. Thank you Bangles, because I am really indecisive and this made me happy. So, although the portions are a bit small (but definitely not unsatisfying :) ). . . this place rocks :)
(5)
Hitesh S.
One of the worst experiences ever....just came back from there. It was my mothers birthday. We had a reservation for 8:30PM. They said it will take 30 mins more so we went to chuck-e-cheeses. Cam back at 9:00PM and still had to wait. Finally got the table at 9:50PM. All the 3 kids were very hungry and upon shouting a bit they gave mango lassi to drink.We placed our orders and got half the order....did not get the dal tadka as the kitchen was closed. My friend asked for coffee...again the kitchen was closed.On top this horrible exp they included 18% tip which is like a loot for the service. The so-called manager, probably in her first job did not entertain the complaint on the food, and boasted that they fed 600 people today....what do I care...I wasn't fed. While leaving we met the owners and they when I said that I am not coming again laughed away. I would go hungry rather than go to this place again......
(1)
Raghari P.
Ambience was excellent. Food was great. Price was little on higher side. Good menu. Will visit again. Pakoda was great and Dosa as well.
(4)
Malli V.
Called ahead to see if a reservation was needed for Mother's Day 2014. They said it was not. We go there and ended up leaving after a wait of ~45mins
(1)
Vishwa M.
Very good restaurant. Class. Great ambience. Awesome quality of food. We tried pakora, paneer dosa and malai kofta and they were really good. Biryani and naan could be better but no complaints. Looks like they have thali for lunch. No buffet and expensive, but worth for quality. Very decent and will go back for sure!
(5)
Berb I.
3.5 Stars ... Watched Indian cooking show and had to try this new place that evening. I like the decor, nice stuff inside, they have a hall/private room area for events and such, good idea. Service was good and so was the food. Only negative for us was the that they are not kid friendly. No juices for the little one, just fructose filled sodas - pass! She had the Mango Lassi, which was good ($4) and the sparkling water ($5 ..wtf?!?). No dishes for the kids, so we tried to share, but too spicy for the tender little tongue... so she just ate the Naan. Overall I enjoyed myself, but cannot visit regularly, since the little one needs to enjoy herself also. This is one of the better Indian restaurants in the area.
(4)
P S.
I have been to this place 3 times in last 30 days. I love the food here. Everything I have tried has blown my mind. The service is excellent and decor is very nice. It's an upscale Indian restaurant. The portion size is more than I can eat and spice/hot level is on the higher side. So don't ask for more spice/hot level. First try the regular level as it may be more than what you need. I would highly recommend this restaurant if you want to try some authentic south Indian food. I would go there again and more often.
(5)
Balraj B.
Met up with a friend at this newly opened place. While the servers were still in training, the kitchen knows the ropes. The Pepper Lamb I was served today transported me back to Kerala in Southern India, where I spent some time. Excellent is the only word that describes it. Not very fond of Tilapia, but the chef did something amazing in a tamarind Southern curry that my companion ordered. On a recommendation, we ordered the sprouted lentils starter which hit the right notes with the shredded coconut, mustard seeds and lemon juice. No room for dessert but plan to return when I am back in the area, to explore the rest of the interesting menu.
(4)
Ravneet D.
It's a gem. We were greeted by a beautiful girl to our tables and our server Tyler was very courteous and polite. I m Indian so wasn't sure that all these American staff would be upto the task but my doubts went out of the window when I didn't even have to repeat the name of any dishes. Tyler followed all directions , we had platter of lamb, chicken and fish. Very tasty. We had Rasm, malai kofta and murg Chicken with naan and roti. Also kids had mango lassi. This place rocks and no brainer with nice ambience. Just visit it
(5)
Matt L.
This place was really good in my opinion. Fairly new restaurant located in Downingtown that transforms Indian cuisine into a more elegant high end experience. The food was top notch, management was very helpful and the decor was tasteful. I was a little put off at first to be honest because I didn't see any Indian people working there. The staff was mostly young kids. However the food was fantastic and I highly recommend this place if you want a fancier take on Indian cuisine.
(5)
Kim S.
This was a HORRIBLE dining experience. I made my reservation 22 days in advance. I had a party of 14. I called the day of to confirm the reservation and was told everything was set. I showed up early for my 6:30 reservation and luckily I did because that's when the problems began. I was told that they had 8 high chairs ready for me. I did not request 8 high chairs. My party was a book club full of adults. I had asked when I called to make the reservation if we would be able to hear each other and inquired about the ambiance. I was assured that we would. That was a blatant lie. They were able to put a table together for us, as they had already clearly made a reservation mistake, and they seated us right next to the other party of 14...with 8 SCREAMING children. The restaurant was empty and we could have been seated anywhere. Instead we were sat next to them with a 4 person empty table between us. Clearly the manager is unaware of the scientific fact that sound travels. In this case it reached us very well. We couldn't hear the people at our own table over the screaming coming from the other table. The manager did nothing about it. NOTHING. Is this how anyone would want to spend dinner? I might as well have sat in the middle of a McDonald's romper room. It was terrible. Next, when we were sat, I told the server that we had asked for separate checks, something I had specified when I made the reservation. He said, "Ok," and then proceeded to put everything on one check, which he then had to divide at the end and ask everyone AGAIN what they had ordered. You would think with only 2 parties in the restaurant that he could keep track but apparently not. I had asked that my boyfriend and I be placed on one check. That didn't happen; we ended up paying separately because we wanted to get out of there as fast as possible. Who knows how long it would have taken to fix that error? One of the checks was messed up as well. Had the checks been separated properly in the beginning, there would be no need to sit there and wait for the check to be "itemized" at the end. Furthermore, we had to ask for water refills. I ended up asking for a pitcher and was brought out room temperature tap water with no ice. Indian food is spicy; water is necessary. The room temperature water was disgusting. The place was BYOB and one of the people in my party brought WHITE wine. However, we had to ask SEVERAL times for wine glasses. By the time we were actually able to drink it, the wine was warm and we were not provided with ice for that either. The owner says below that ice buckets are "automatically" provided for white wine...that wasn't the case. This was a Viognier wine, definitely not a red as assumed by the owner below. Most places would have an ice bucket. The server was not attentive and we had to chase him down so our whole party could order. One woman didn't order until after everyone else had received their food. The food was brought out individually. Clearly this place has never heard of serving platters. Another boy wandered around our table and can only be described as Lurch from The Addams Family because he would walk up to the table and stand really close with a solemn look on his face without saying a word. It was bizarre. As if all of this isn't bad enough, the kids were then given DRUMS to play with. DRUMS!!! During dinner! If I knew I was attending a raucous screaming drum circle I would have never made the reservation. The manager, if that's even what she was, conveniently disappeared into the back during this time. You'll see in the comment from the owner below that management addressed this- another blatant lie. I will NEVER go there again even though the food was decent. I thought Bangles was supposed to be a high end sophisticated restaurant...this was no better than a fast food joint. In fact, given the atmosphere, it was significantly worse. If you want to have a great Indian dining experience, go to Himalayan in Malvern. That place isn't run by incompetent people that can't run a restaurant properly.
(1)
S W.
I have not had much Indian food but this place was excellent. The menu had many choices, the atmosphere was very nice, and the staff were friendly and conscientious. We had the calamari and fried chicken on curry leaf for starters. We then had the curry lamb and the scallops (appetizer/small plate choice). Everything was spicy as I expected which I really like. This is a BYOB and the prices were very reasonable. We will go back here when we want Indian food. The location is also very convenient for us.
(4)
Scott S.
The food was excellent. We are novices when it comes to Indian cuisine but pros at the dining experience. First, it's in a box store strip mall but we heard the food was so good that did not deter us from trying it out. The decor is nice so once inside you forget that element. The menu is very vague so for someone that does not know much about Indian food you will need to rely on the server to explain what things are. And this is the reason for the low review...this was the worst server I have EVER had. He knew nothing about the food. 30-40% of the items had Paneer in the dish. What's Paneer? The waiter had no clue??? It took 15 minutes to get wine glasses and when we wanted a second bottle opened it took 4 requests before one of the other wait staff finally saw our frustration and came to the rescue. We were not offered dessert or coffee. The food was delicious which is why I give it the 3 stars. Of course at the end of the evening one must exit to the lovely box store parking lot.
(3)
Angela J.
My boyfriend loves Indian food, me not so much but I keep trying. For starters, the place is super nice for being in a shopping center. The service was also fantastic. We had so many different servers come to our table to refill drinks or bring food or take away our empty plates and they were all so pleasant. The price was also great. The food I think is probably really good if you like that type of cuisine. Its also a BYOB. I say most definitely give it a try.
(4)
John G.
My new favorite Indian restaurant! Everything I tasted so far has been excellent.
(5)
Alli V.
The lunch we had was flavorful... Lamb kofta, mango feta salad and cheese naan. The lettuce in the salad wasn't all that fresh or I'd give it 5 stars. Server was very knowledgeable and prompt.
(4)
Charles R.
Been to all the Indian restaurants on MainLine, Etka, etc., and they were very good. However, Bangles is a slightly different Indian experience. Our waiter, who was Indian told us upfront that this was Southern Indian cuisine which was different than the normal Indian dishes we're used to. I like Vindaloo which they don't serve, but if you're like me and want spicy they can make sure you get enough spice. The fried chicken in lettuce leaves was great, spciy, not at all greasy, and plenty of kick. The califlower also had plenty of spice to it. I can't remember the one dish that comes with what tastes like a popover, only it's like a hollow tube about 30" long. Very good and never seen this before at an Indian restaurant. I had the lamb that was close to Vindaloo in heat. Service was very good, plenty of free parking in the strip mall parking lot. Would absolutely go back and try some of the other dishes.
(4)
Anjali A.
Everything was impeccable! The service is great, the food is fantastic and the overall experience is really good. Everything we ordered tasted like an authentic home-cooked Indian meal. The vegetable biryani was AMAZING and the onion rava dosa was perfectly made. The only thing I wasn't a total fan of was the sambhar; it tasted more like a thick rasam (tomato-y), but it tasted good with rice. Their tamarind and mint chutneys are made from fresh ingredients, not frozen, and it makes so much of a difference in the flavor. The biryani came with a spicy peanut based chutney which was so tasty. I will definitely be coming back here to try some more north Indian and seafood options!
(5)
Ed L.
I nearly did back flips because there is FINALLY an Indian restaurant in Downingtown! If you like Indian food, we highly recommend it. They brought an architect from India and a chef from Dosa in San Francisco. For a non-glamorous location (next to Best Buy), it's a really high-end place without being too expensive. The manager, staff, and owners were all really nice. I will definitely be going back.
(5)
Falguni K.
Love it. Absolutely Love this place. Upscale Indian restaurant with amazing food, just what Downingtown needed. I got a chance to dine here last week. Service was great. For being a brand new restaurant they sure know what they are doing. My favorite on the dish was Curry Leaf Fried Chicken and Lamb Pepper Fry. Flavors were so authentic, reminded me of India. Highly recommend this place to everyone. Try it!!
(5)
Andrea A.
They get a little weirded out if you actually want to spend time reading through their menu. But, they seem very nice and eager to be sure you order something you'll like. Maybe they assumed we had never eaten Indian food and were lost. I don't really know, but if anything it was an over abundance of helpfulness. I like to try new things and was looking for a sample of dishes I hadn't tried elsewhere in a same or similar style. They have lots of options; many of which are vegetarian and sound delicious. We tried a sample of dishes to get a flavor for the place, and everything was incredibly yummy! We'll be back! Soon! If the service hadn't been a little odd over the fact that I wanted 5 or 10 extra minutes (after ordering an appetizer) to read through and consider a plethora of appealing options, I would have given it 5 stars.
(4)
Raj N.
Bangles is amazing Indian restaurant that me and my family had the pleasure of dinning. Excellent food and service I would recommend this restaurant to all . My favorite dish Is their tandoori chicken and murgh makhni well prepared so go in check it out I know I did....
(5)
Jill G.
Not only was this the best Indian food I've ever had, it's probably one of the best meals out I've ever had. There are now at least 5 Indian restaurants in the Exton/Downingtown area, and this is hands down the best. (and that's saying something, because the others are excellent too!) The food is just incredible. My sister had the Baluchi Murg Tikka and I had the Paneer Makhani and we shared. To. Die. For. The Beet Halwa was...different. Not bad, but definitely something to get used to. The servers were fantastic, very friendly. I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Raj K.
We went with some family friends for mother's day lunch to Bangles and had a very bad experience. First the positives, the decor is very nice and the table was ready when we got there (with reservation). The food is decent. Everything else unfortunately was not good. We ordered appetizers which started arriving after a good 30 mts, literally one every 5-10 minutes. Looking at the pace of service we ordered the entrees soon - however we had to wait more than 45mts before they started serving. Similar to the appetizers the entrees also arrived one every 5-10 minutes. It just ruined the lunch because some in our party had already finished, while others were still waiting. We had to get the last one packed as it was past 4:00PM (we started at 1:00). We were having a bad experience so we asked for the owner. The person who came to our table as the owner (he later said he was the manager) apologized but with a lot of attitude. Adding he is doing everything he can. He said he will not charge for entrees that have not been served and take 10% off the bill. Which he did - but added 18% towards required gratuity. The compulsory gratuity is not mentioned anywhere on the menu (not even in small print), when we mentioned it to the "owner", he said he is only the manager and does not make the policies. This does not appear legal, one cannot tag on charges without clearly disclosing them in advance. We never saw the real owner, we were told he left a while ago. Needless to say we are never going back, and do not recommend it.
(1)
Frank W.
This was a very nice experience at a new place. Presentation of the dishes was very nice and pleasantly surprising. Food was excellent. It is spicy so be aware (this I enjoyed). Service was attentive. I will be back soon.
(4)
Aravind G.
Absolutely delightful food! Their madras fish curry and kerala chicken are to die for...They have thali for lunch and each dish is authentic and cooked to perfection. I would have given five stars if not for their prices!
(4)
Christine C.
It's the curse of the Craig LeBan good review. The restaurant can't handle the added volume. We arrived at a bad time. We had reservations so we sat down in reasonable time. Water glasses filled right away. There nothing. After almost 15 min(!) we had to ask a server (who wasn't ours, it turns out) for wine glasses and the appetizer thing they give out complementary. We also asked for our waiter. Nothing . After almost 10 min, when we were asked if we wanted more water, we asked for our server. Nice water filler obliged. Still took another 5+ min for out waiter to arrive, feigning surprise that we were his table. (He was paying a lot of attention to a huge table on the opposite end of where we were) Food was pretty good. Loved the scallops, naan, shrimp entree. Not thrilled w the chaat I picked or the fish appetizer (too bland). Note to bangles: I get that you are now busy. That's ok. Please teach your staff to apologize and say I will be w you as soon as I can. And the management should be on the lookout for the forgotten tables like us. We couldn't even drink to pass the time bc we had No wine glasses. We will return .. But not for awhile. Work those service kinks out please!
(4)
Irv E.
Wife and I went for dinner last Friday night we are not extremely familiar with Indian cuisine and therefore this was a new experience for us. We found the food to be excellent the waitstaff very knowledgeable and the atmosphere super pleasant. We were extremely surprised that there were not more people at the restaurant. It's a great Indian BYOB and if you're in the Downingtown area looking to try something new or enjoy Indian food I recommend Bengals.
(4)
Rafmatazz M.
One of the finest restaurant in this area! The ambiance, service and food is exemplary! All star and a must go place! It's our favorite Indian cuisine!
(5)
Nirmal K.
My goodness, this is fantastic, amazing food. Best ever in Philadelphia
(5)
Gulshan I.
I tried Hyderabadi Biryani yesterday. It was authentic & delicious and I went back today to try other items. I was pleased with taste, quantity, presentation and decor. It's close to my place so I will be visiting frequently. So far I have been getting take-outs so I can't comment on service. Hope they can maintain the food quality. Five star for now.
(5)
John G.
My wife and I dined here Friday night (8/22). We both ordered the taste menu at a fixed price of $29pp for 3 dishes each. My first dish was supposed to be 3 scallops and instead were 2 miniscule. I asked the waiter what happened to the 3rd, which he initially said I was to receive, and never mentioning the size, only received his apology. The rest of our food was fine, except a little bowl of soup which was exceptionally spicy. All considered, the full menu which other than our dinners is a la carte, and the fact that we had no beverages with a bill of $71 including an 18% tip, one cannot beat the food and price of the Himalayan lunch Buffet in Frazer. If you are a foodie, and do not need the " overpriced food and dim ambiance" of Bangles for dinner, I suggest you try it. Bangles even charges for naan bread, while at Himalayan you can feast on 2 kinds, which are on the buffet. The total cost for lunch $19 for 2 people.
(3)
Kim B.
Delicious! I highly recommend this Indian restaurant. Beautiful inside and the service was wonderful. I ate lunch today and the value for the price is outstanding. Everything is made fresh to order. The Paneer is out of this world. Possibly the best I've tasted anywhere in the country. It's tucked back in the corner of the shopping center but there is good parking. Congratulations to the owners on opening a wonderful new Indian restaurant in Downingtown!
(4)
Sera R.
I went to this restaurant on Friday night with my family. When I walked in I was amazed at the decor, felt like a top class NYC restaurant. The hostess was so friendly and got us seated quickly. I couldn't stop looking at every little detail about this place. I have travelled a lot and I've seen restaurants of this class only in major cities. The dinner menu was awesome, so many different options!! The servers gave us a quick intro into the most popular dishes. We ordered the roasted fennel soup, tandoor platter, lamb pepper fry and the Hyderabadi biriyani. again I was so thrilled with the presentation and the taste. The staff, owners were all so friendly and made us feel so special - an experience that is a rarity these days. The prices were also very reasonable. Since its BYOB just grab your favorite wine and go give this place a try - its every bit worth it. Keep up the good work guys. I would surely be back - would be one of my favorite weekend destinations.
(5)
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
Address :889 E Lancaster Ave
Downingtown, PA, 19335
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner, Dessert Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
India is the birth place of Chicken Tikka Masala and Curries. Indian foods are prepared with a blend of finely mixed spices quite popular across the region. The spices develop the rich taste in Indian food enough to boggle your mind. The ever-increasing fan base of Indian food around the New York city is steadily increasing because of the large number of Indians who traveled to the land of dreams. The Indians also brought their very own vibrant, colorful, and aromatic authentic dishes for the people in the West. While most of the Indian population is Vegetarian, Indian food is great for people who are looking for vegan or vegetarian food option. If you are a Meat lover, don't get disappointed yet. Indian food also boasts of some popular non-vegetarian dishes too. Few examples are the famous Butter Chicken, Mutton Biryani and Tandoori Chicken are enough to satisfy your taste buds.
Indian food has gained reputation all over the world especially in the United States. You can find many places serving the appetizing Indian food across all major cities in the US. India is a diverse country with different food culture originated from different parts of the country. While the Northern region boasts tandoori dishes and korma offering royal taste, the Western Ghats offers sea foods that is made in naturally sweet tender coconut milk. The South Indian food servers a quality of different dishes made from rice accompanied with spicy chutneys, curries and famous sambhar. Also, the Indian sweets are a delight to relish. If you ever want to have a burst of sugar syrup in mouth, don't forget to try few Bengali Sweets. Be it spicy, tangy, or sweet flavor, you can find everything in the Indian cuisine. Be assured that the melody of spices will surely bring delight to you.
Ian A.
Awesome atmosphere! Samosa appetizer was a fantastic must have! Also I loved the very eclectic music played in the background. Chai Tea was very nice!
(5)PK I.
I give points to the restaurant for their 'innovation' on the menu, they've taken some traditional indian food and put a twist on most items, which is good to see. Unfortunately, their innovations fail across the board. For anyone who's familiar with high quality south indian food, this is poor quality and unusually overpriced. It's pretty obvious you're paying for the ambience and the friendly staff, which doesnt quite do justice to the pricing, leave along the food. The dosas we ordered were fine, but the filling, and the chutneys were sub par. I was told this place was well known for it's chutneys, and that frankly was the biggest let down. Additionally, the spice rating for the menu is all messed up. I ordered something was a 3 outta 5, and it wasnt spicy at all. The 4/5 wasnt spicy either. The 5/5 was slightly spicy, but I dont quite understand how their rating is 5 tiered, if only 1 tier is spicy. Overall, the ambience and friendly staff are the reason for higher prices at this restaurant, certainly not the food. If you're looking for better food, try another south indian restaurant in Exton
(1)Anurag P.
I visited this restaurant bcoz it showed on my search results and looked decent enough. What I encountered though, well let's just say, I wasn't ready for it. The lunch buffet had a huge variety of dishes, which simply stuns you. And if that doesn't, then the taste of those dishes sure will. A must visit restaurant!
(5)Andres L.
This is a rather upscale Indian restaurant, especially for it being in Downingtown. Carried out the kadai veggies, order of samosas and some naan. The kadai was pretty spicy but tasty as well. That came with a side of either rice or naan or something else. Opted for the garlic naan and it was delicious. The samosas were filled with mashed potatoes and maybe other veggies. I prefer the diced potatoes and peas, etc. Overall you pay for what you get and you'll pay a little extra for the decor, service and quality of food.
(3)Matthew B.
man i really like thier approach to indian food. The corn and curry soup was a winner, the naan was outstanding, and the little pastries filled with yogurt were differnt and very tasty. We had the goat with rice and spiced lamb. both were execllent. This place fills up fast - we arrived at 5 and were like 2 of 10 in the place. By the time our appetizes came it was packed and people were waiting. great ambiance, up scale indian dining experience. better than most in the area. return trip in order.
(4)Christy W.
The decoration reads traditional Chinese to me, doesn't read Indian. Lamb dosa was super delicious and the waiter was super nice and helpful.
(5)Priyanka M.
Not impressed! The only thing impressive about this place is the decor and ambience. The food was just average. The only good thing was the mango lassi which didn't taste any better than any other Indian restaurant. The cuisine has been altered to match the local taste buds and lost the authenticity in the process. We ordered vegetarian dosa and Chana bhatura. The dosa which is a South Indian dish had North Indian style taste and Chana Bhatura which is from North part of the country had South Indian spices. I'm not sure if that's the idea but for me it failed big time. So far it is the most mediocre Indian food I have tried so far. If you are craving good Indian food there are better restaurants in the area to try..
(1)Sanjeev G.
Awesome food. gets crowded in the evenings..But, worth the wait
(4)Sujeet B.
I had a chance to visit this place on a trip to PA recently. It came highly recommended by a friend and he could not be wrong! I have not tasted such GOOD Indian food in the US after India. The flavors are vibrant and left us ecstatic! Yum! The setting is upscale and classy. The waiters are professional and service was immaculate. We wish this place was in Toronto!
(5)Matthew L.
Had the three course tasting menu: the seared scallops were quite good though possibly slightly less done than I typically like. The daal dosa was delicious. It was served along with a vegetable soup and two chutneys. I was so obsessed with the soup that I forgot to even try either chutney...next time. The main was the chicken curry served with naan. This was deboned thigh meat that was perfectly cooked...just fell apart as it was scooped up in the naan and really tasty. A terrific meal again...
(4)Anish K.
I came here with high hopes for excellent biryani. I did arrive for a Saturday lunch at 2:30 pm... So a little late. They were very nice and I ordered the chicken biryani from their alacarte menu. It looked beautiful, and was actually fairly good. Only major issue was that there were 2 small pieces of chicken in the whole dish. I thought it was a mistake and asked. The response was that this was intentional. I'm Indian, I've eaten a fair amount of biryani all over the place. I've never seen that type of rice to chicken ratio. And if that were the case, 15 dollars for 2 pieces of chicken?? Last time I'm coming here, unfortunately.
(1)Anil R.
One of the best restaurants for a lunch buffet I have ever been to ! The ambiance and hospitality is as good as the food :)
(5)Retro R.
The food was excellent... the service, not so much. It felt like there was an over abundance of bus personnel, but only 2 servers. Took a while to be seated, even though there weren't many people and a considerable amount of time to have our order taken. I'll give them a pass because our server had a large party and was very apologetic. They might want to employ some of their busboys as food runners to reduce the strain on their wait staff or put more people on the floor. Just an idea.
(4)Ankit J.
Overall experience We reached at 8:45 in night. The sign had no lights and impossible to locate. From outside it looked damn dull. When we stepped in we were surprised with a very nice ambience. We were told to wait for 5 minutes but we were called almost 30 minutes late. Strike 1!!! Next, we did a pre order while we were waiting and they were very nice to place our order. When we finally got a chance to sit and eat, here were more surprises: 1. Papad (served on house) was dipped in oil coating with a very unpleasant (no combination) chutney. Strike 2!!!! 2. Next we had ordered goby fry. Here is the deal, burnt masala was stuck on deep fried gobi. Worst prep ever. We had to return it and they were good enough to waive it off from the bill.Partial strike 3!!!! I had sour mango shake which was not worth drinking but was helpful to dissolve some of the papad 3. Our entrée was malai kofta which was fine but the garlic bread had super large garlic pieces which were disappointing. Strike 3 over!! To summarize: Pros : good friendly staff, nice ambience Cons: pricey and bad food Not worth to spend time or money!!
(1)Rama P.
Bangles is a new restaurant to Exton area which already has good number of Indian restaurants. That means it competitive market, to retain customers you have to be consistent. So this is good news for food lovers:) Anyways, coming to the review of Bangles- This is an high end sophisticated Indian restaurant, with banquet hall available for parties. All waiters are non-indians but they do have some good knowledge on Indian cuisines( yes, i tested them some tongue twisters dishes and got right answers). They are well informed and make you comfortable. Ambiance is good as most other other have written, but i felt little uneasy when its too crowded during peak buffet times because of the open "L" shaped seating area. Again, you can see the richness everywhere in the restaurant, its not a typical desi restaurant where Food alone is the priority. This is the best Indian restaurant around Philly. Coming to food- we tried veg-thali, non-veg thali, biryani and desert everything was great. The flavor, spice levels, masalas, presentation, aroma, and taste were excellent. This is not surprising for any new Indian restaurant the taste is always good for first 1 year as the Chef is top notch but the trick is the maintain the same level of food which imply's to retain the Chef at same place for long time. Not sure who the Chef is but he/she is amazing and I wish they continue here long and sat "Thank You". This restaurant is owned by South Indians(Kerala) and they did an great job. Congratulations to them on their grand success for launching and good high end Indian restaurant in the area! Yes, i would defiantly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Shravya S.
The best food of philadelphia.... I just loved the non veg and veg varieties here in bangles..they serve some yummy biryani and very very delicious appetizers .. The ambience is amazing with the mouth watering sweets... The buffet here is one of the best in the whole philadelphia .. We drove two Hours just to eat in bangles and we realized that the journey was worth so much ... From then we are going to this place for every alternate week ends to fill out stomach with awesome indian food.. The other speciality is that they also serve buffet even during week days just for 11$...!
(5)Shiva S.
I visited this restaurant with my family yesterday after reading some really positive reviews. We had reserved a table and were promptly seated. The buffet counter was open and we thought of trying the buffet. I am a vegetarian and was hoping to find some good food here. There were a couple of appetizers, there was samosa and mushroom. I opted for the samosas it was very oily and the filling was not good. The mushroom seemed less appealing, I gave it a pass. There was soup but we were told its not vegetarian. There was idly and sambar which was ok. Then there was channa masala, punjabi kadi and paneer. Kadi and paneer were not good, channa masala was ok. There was no dal which is something that we can expect in a decent buffet. There were very limited option for vegetarian and whatever was available was not good. The items dint work well together which is important in a buffet. There were 4-5 meat\fish items in the buffet and they seem to be more popular. Naan was served on the table which was good. Onto the dessert, there were a couple of items both looked gooey. My wife had the mango pudding (I guess) and she liked it, there was another pudding which we dint have. I was hungry but had enough of this restaurant. This buffet was priced at $17 and definitely not worth it. The service and decor was better than most indian restaurants. But unfortunately service and decor cannot beat taste and hunger, I went to a drive through and had a veggie burger which was unusually more satisfying. 2 stars for service and decor @Bangles.
(2)Sasikanth V.
I've been to Bangles with my friends for a wknd buffet. Food was good & tasty. Ambience is nice & service is really good. Me and my friends had good time here. We would like to come here again.
(4)Missy L.
This place is a hidden gem! I never would have expected food and atmosphere this good to come from a place in a strip mall in Downingtown! The people in the kitchen know what they're doing. The staff is kind, courteous and helpful. The food is fresh and delicious. Glad to have found this secret stash of awesome!!!
(5)Lavanya V.
Bangles love the ambience,decor is classy and simple.Food reminds me of home ,truly authentic Indian food made with high quality and extrodinary service.
(5)Dana S.
Love this place. U must try the lunch buffet. The owner (women) was lovely to talk to. My favorite Indian restaurant in Pennsylvania.
(5)Jen J.
I really wanted to like this place but it was a disappointing visit on Thanksgiving day. The restaurant was full and had a special event in the big room. The entrees were pretty standard Indian buffet fares but the problem was some of the entrees were lukewarm - I think the burners were out without anyone noticing or replacing them. The fish dish had pretty much been drained out of the chunks without the restaurant adding more. We counted more than 20 minutes (and a few people asking for it) before a new batch was put in. The goat meat in rice (forgot the name) was chewy and again did not have enough chunks and was never replenished while we were there. Service was terrible. Our waiter never took away our used plates. We had a pile of 5 plates/soup bowls sitting in the middle of a table for four for a long time before we had to flag him down to grab them. The waters were not refilled until we had to flag him down again. Restaurant workers were walking back and forth behind us all meal long but I'm confused on what exactly they were rushing to and from if they are not refilling entrees timely, checking the burners, or providing base level of service. The owners/managers seemed friendly so maybe it was just an off day? Either way there are plenty of other Indian restaurants in the area. I had lunch buffets that are tastier/cheaper/hotter/better replenished than we did here so it will be a long while before we come back here to try our luck again.
(2)Valarie F.
I am still a fan of Bangles, because the food is wonderful! However, it seems that the management is struggling to find their niche. Originally, there was a Thali (like a sampler platter with about eight different dishes) available for lunch each day. Not long after opening, the Thali because a weekend lunch thing and the menu switched to more dosas and salads during the week. On my last visit, this past weekend, I discovered that the weekend lunch menu, altogether, is a thing of the past and the lunch is now a buffet. After a significant wait (good food is worth the wait), I was seated. It was approximately ten minutes before the waitress stopped by the table and told me there was a buffet around the corner. I asked for a menu and she told me they didn't have menus anymore then she walked off. I went through the buffet, which sadly didn't have a single paneer dish (my favorite food EVER). When I got to the table, I picked at my Sambar and Idily (sp) while I waited for Naan. I was able to catch the waitress after another ten minutes to ask if I needed to place a separate order to get Naan and she replied that it was coming. I also asked if I could order Masala tea, to which she replied, "that is going to cost extra". I said I understood and she left. At this point the table next to me told me they had finished their entire meal while waiting for Naan. Ironically, as they put their coats on, the waitress appeared with a basket of Naan. She seemed surprised they no longer wanted it. Even the buffet food was good, but it's awesome to have a place that sets itself apart, since almost every Indian restaurant offers buffets for lunch. And the Thali was an excellent way to try new dishes. I'm sure we'll go back, I'm hoping the Thali will have reappeared by the time we do. Please check them out, buffet or not it's good food and this was my first time ever having inattentive service, so I'm assuming it was an off day.
(3)Manimaran S.
I have enjoyed food from Bangles for a very long time (both dine in and take out). You can never go wrong with the food and the servers are nice and courteous as well but there is one thing that has been a constant that made me give only 4 stars and not five. If you are doing a take out always make sure they give you all chutneys that goes with dosa / idly and kabob's. They consistently miss giving us the chutneys that goes with these food. Having said that there is nothing else to complain about this place. It's BYOB, excellent food, amazing ambience for an Indian restaurant. Best Indian restaurant in Pennsylvania/Delaware.
(4)Mary M.
Spent my birthday at Bangles. Had a delicious meal with terrific entertainment and the ambiance was so relaxing. We each got the Chef's Tasting Menu, a 3 course meal...each dish was better than the previous one! Can't wait to go back!!!!
(5)Bradford G.
Hidden in the corner of the shopping center, Bangles is nicely decorated inside if a bit commercial feeling (eg high ceilings). The food is presented in uniquely upscale ways, not the typical one pot of this dish and one pot of rice. Dishes coming out of the kitchen look fantastic but wow, the food is hot. Most dishes (and all the tasty looking ones) apparently cannot be heat adjusted according to our waiter. I like spicy food but "Indian spicy" is beyond my limits. The lamb was on fire!
(4)Neha S.
Does not deserve even 1 star. Lunch buffet the worst ever... Not a good place for vegetarians! Appetizers only 2 options and no soup for vegetarians. No dry veggie at all, only so called shahi paneer and veggie korma... Both on sweeter side. Made a mistake of ordering strawberry lemonade.... What came was red colored sugar juice!! I worst ever place for vegetarians!
(1)Vasanthan B.
Bangles is a refreshing find when eating in Indian restaurants had become a sort of boring. The Kozhi milagu rasam is a classic not to be missed. Overall experience was awesome at a great price.
(5)Janine L.
Stumbled upon this hidden gem by chance while searching OpenTable for something close to a last minute errand. I was surprised to see an Indian restaurant in Downingtown and even more surprised that it was located in the same plaza (Ashbridge Square) that I was in. The décor and ambience was quite nicer than expected - classy yet causal and super inviting. The menu offers a nice variety of traditional northern and southern Indian cuisine, meat and vegetarian options, and a nice pre-fixe menu for $27. And the service provided by the hostess and wait-staff was top notch as they were all friendly and knowledgeable about the menu - a rarity in the food industry these days. The food itself is delicious! You can definitely taste the high quality of ingredients they use in this kitchen and will feel satisfied with your meal. Another nice thing about this new neighborhood treasure is that it is a BYOB. So if you are looking for something different from the chain restaurants and that is not bar food or Italian cuisine, then grab your favorite beer or wine and give this place a try.
(5)Joshua D.
So they say second time around is the charm, well I guess I might slightly agree, so this time around they did do a few improvements, as far as the ambience, they have slightly dimmed the lights, but enough with that, main purpose is the cuisine, know let's remember, we are looking for authenticity, so please if you are going to an Indian or Thai place, you have to remember it's going to be spicy food, so if your sorry ass can't handle spicy food I suggest you stick to other cuisines. With that being said, the appetizer was very good this time, and not much delay, and as for the entree I think it was very authentic Indian, not very spicy but spicy enough to make me sweat a little lol, as for the taste let's say for someone having a little Indian background, job well done! Oh the only complain this time, is whoever set the tables I only got a knife, no fork lol.
(4)Pramod M.
This is a real 5 star indian restuarant, food is awesome & real authentic indian food i have had in US. Ambience is wonderfull, staff is aware of the menu & how food is prepared. All in all a great place
(5)Beth Ann P.
I have had takeout from here and the food was excellent. Met a friend to dine in tonight for the first time. The ambiance is great, very deceiving from what you see on the outside. The food, again, was excellent. The service, not so much. Our waiter was very nice but never showed up to take our dinner order until we had finished our appetizer. We had to flag him down. When food showed up, it was staggered. One entree, 5 minutes later, the other. Rice and naan didn't show up at the same time either. This is a big pet peeve of mine so it was a bit annoying. Food is excellent though. Next time, I'll get take out.
(4)Jason H.
Wow and wow. Amazing food. I got take out including Tandoori Seekh and Red Beet Halwa Saffron Payasam. Both amazing and the Halwa is definitely an exotic fantastic treat. The price is bit high but quality is great and its definitely on my frequent must visits.
(5)Chris L.
Just discovered this restaurant on Google Maps and was not disappointed. The food was of high quality and delicious, although the buffet was missing some the condiments one expects like tamarind chutney, etc. This is definitely an upscale establishment, the ambience was relaxed, and the service was attentive, but not intrusive. I will definitely be back
(4)Hailey D.
Amazing! The small plates were perfect! The masala dosa was amazing!! perfect! The chicken curry and the winter root veggie dish was incredible, the coconut flan for dessert and the Nutella dosa and the chai was perfect. Great service attentive. The owner came by to check on our table and was very friendly and welcoming. We will be back. All five of us loved everything we ordered. Top Indian food we have ever eaten!!!! Worth a two hour ride!!!
(5)Stephen Z.
Have eaten here several time and it is such a pleasure to have a restaurant of this quality in the suburbs. Service, while polite, has been inconsistent and the faces don't seem to hang around for long.
(4)Sarah G.
Unfortunately, I only got the opportunity to come here one time before I left for the summer. . . but Bangles, I will be back when I return to PA in August. This is a really great restaurant, albeit portion sizes are a bit small (minus the biryani, you get a lot of that. . . like more rice than is humanly possible to consume). The food itself is absolutely lovely :). As with all Indian restaurants, they start you off with papadam--but the papadam at Bangles is so good compared to what I've eaten in other places :). I would have been very content to just sit and eat that all day. Based on a recommendation I received, I ordered the paneer makhni and it was amazing. I really love paneer. I mean, I make paneer tacos at home because paneer is good as anything, ever. But this paneer was really awesome and it will be hard for me to go back and order something else because the memory of how great this dish was, is so strong (and I'm usually the one ordering the spiciest thing possible on the menu, and this is not spicy at all. That's how good it was. I didn't need spicy this time). My husband ordered the chicken biryani and he loved that as well. Now. . . I don't usually order dessert when I go to a restaurant but when my eyes read "payasam" on the menu, my heart skipped a beat and I knew. . . no matter how full I was, that semiya payasam was mine after I polished off my paneer. And so, because of the gloriousness of the small portion of paneer I received(which, let's be honest is a double blessing because paneer isn't known for it's trace calorie count ;) ), I bestowed upon myself the red beet halwa saffron payasam. How beautiful it was. Semiya payasam is actually my favorite Indian dessert . . . personally, I like it sans all the fancy stuff they put in it at Bangles (read: I really didn't need the halwa with it, even though halwa is my second fav. dessert.) but it was really nice to eat :). My yearning for this type of payasam has grown to a point of frustration. . . as I cannot recreate it's beauty in my own home...and it's only gotten worse since I visited Kerala this past winter. So thank you Bangles, for making a really nice payasam which I will be happy to return for frequently :) (PS- if you let me order it without the halwa I will be a loyal patron forever.) I know that my review is already really long but I want to add one last thing that just sets this place apart from so many other Indian restaurants. . . they pair your food with rice or naan and that, to me, is amazing. I didn't have to think about what to get with my paneer--they just gave me naan. Thank you Bangles, because I am really indecisive and this made me happy. So, although the portions are a bit small (but definitely not unsatisfying :) ). . . this place rocks :)
(5)Hitesh S.
One of the worst experiences ever....just came back from there. It was my mothers birthday. We had a reservation for 8:30PM. They said it will take 30 mins more so we went to chuck-e-cheeses. Cam back at 9:00PM and still had to wait. Finally got the table at 9:50PM. All the 3 kids were very hungry and upon shouting a bit they gave mango lassi to drink.We placed our orders and got half the order....did not get the dal tadka as the kitchen was closed. My friend asked for coffee...again the kitchen was closed.On top this horrible exp they included 18% tip which is like a loot for the service. The so-called manager, probably in her first job did not entertain the complaint on the food, and boasted that they fed 600 people today....what do I care...I wasn't fed. While leaving we met the owners and they when I said that I am not coming again laughed away. I would go hungry rather than go to this place again......
(1)Raghari P.
Ambience was excellent. Food was great. Price was little on higher side. Good menu. Will visit again. Pakoda was great and Dosa as well.
(4)Malli V.
Called ahead to see if a reservation was needed for Mother's Day 2014. They said it was not. We go there and ended up leaving after a wait of ~45mins
(1)Vishwa M.
Very good restaurant. Class. Great ambience. Awesome quality of food. We tried pakora, paneer dosa and malai kofta and they were really good. Biryani and naan could be better but no complaints. Looks like they have thali for lunch. No buffet and expensive, but worth for quality. Very decent and will go back for sure!
(5)Berb I.
3.5 Stars ... Watched Indian cooking show and had to try this new place that evening. I like the decor, nice stuff inside, they have a hall/private room area for events and such, good idea. Service was good and so was the food. Only negative for us was the that they are not kid friendly. No juices for the little one, just fructose filled sodas - pass! She had the Mango Lassi, which was good ($4) and the sparkling water ($5 ..wtf?!?). No dishes for the kids, so we tried to share, but too spicy for the tender little tongue... so she just ate the Naan. Overall I enjoyed myself, but cannot visit regularly, since the little one needs to enjoy herself also. This is one of the better Indian restaurants in the area.
(4)P S.
I have been to this place 3 times in last 30 days. I love the food here. Everything I have tried has blown my mind. The service is excellent and decor is very nice. It's an upscale Indian restaurant. The portion size is more than I can eat and spice/hot level is on the higher side. So don't ask for more spice/hot level. First try the regular level as it may be more than what you need. I would highly recommend this restaurant if you want to try some authentic south Indian food. I would go there again and more often.
(5)Balraj B.
Met up with a friend at this newly opened place. While the servers were still in training, the kitchen knows the ropes. The Pepper Lamb I was served today transported me back to Kerala in Southern India, where I spent some time. Excellent is the only word that describes it. Not very fond of Tilapia, but the chef did something amazing in a tamarind Southern curry that my companion ordered. On a recommendation, we ordered the sprouted lentils starter which hit the right notes with the shredded coconut, mustard seeds and lemon juice. No room for dessert but plan to return when I am back in the area, to explore the rest of the interesting menu.
(4)Ravneet D.
It's a gem. We were greeted by a beautiful girl to our tables and our server Tyler was very courteous and polite. I m Indian so wasn't sure that all these American staff would be upto the task but my doubts went out of the window when I didn't even have to repeat the name of any dishes. Tyler followed all directions , we had platter of lamb, chicken and fish. Very tasty. We had Rasm, malai kofta and murg Chicken with naan and roti. Also kids had mango lassi. This place rocks and no brainer with nice ambience. Just visit it
(5)Matt L.
This place was really good in my opinion. Fairly new restaurant located in Downingtown that transforms Indian cuisine into a more elegant high end experience. The food was top notch, management was very helpful and the decor was tasteful. I was a little put off at first to be honest because I didn't see any Indian people working there. The staff was mostly young kids. However the food was fantastic and I highly recommend this place if you want a fancier take on Indian cuisine.
(5)Kim S.
This was a HORRIBLE dining experience. I made my reservation 22 days in advance. I had a party of 14. I called the day of to confirm the reservation and was told everything was set. I showed up early for my 6:30 reservation and luckily I did because that's when the problems began. I was told that they had 8 high chairs ready for me. I did not request 8 high chairs. My party was a book club full of adults. I had asked when I called to make the reservation if we would be able to hear each other and inquired about the ambiance. I was assured that we would. That was a blatant lie. They were able to put a table together for us, as they had already clearly made a reservation mistake, and they seated us right next to the other party of 14...with 8 SCREAMING children. The restaurant was empty and we could have been seated anywhere. Instead we were sat next to them with a 4 person empty table between us. Clearly the manager is unaware of the scientific fact that sound travels. In this case it reached us very well. We couldn't hear the people at our own table over the screaming coming from the other table. The manager did nothing about it. NOTHING. Is this how anyone would want to spend dinner? I might as well have sat in the middle of a McDonald's romper room. It was terrible. Next, when we were sat, I told the server that we had asked for separate checks, something I had specified when I made the reservation. He said, "Ok," and then proceeded to put everything on one check, which he then had to divide at the end and ask everyone AGAIN what they had ordered. You would think with only 2 parties in the restaurant that he could keep track but apparently not. I had asked that my boyfriend and I be placed on one check. That didn't happen; we ended up paying separately because we wanted to get out of there as fast as possible. Who knows how long it would have taken to fix that error? One of the checks was messed up as well. Had the checks been separated properly in the beginning, there would be no need to sit there and wait for the check to be "itemized" at the end. Furthermore, we had to ask for water refills. I ended up asking for a pitcher and was brought out room temperature tap water with no ice. Indian food is spicy; water is necessary. The room temperature water was disgusting. The place was BYOB and one of the people in my party brought WHITE wine. However, we had to ask SEVERAL times for wine glasses. By the time we were actually able to drink it, the wine was warm and we were not provided with ice for that either. The owner says below that ice buckets are "automatically" provided for white wine...that wasn't the case. This was a Viognier wine, definitely not a red as assumed by the owner below. Most places would have an ice bucket. The server was not attentive and we had to chase him down so our whole party could order. One woman didn't order until after everyone else had received their food. The food was brought out individually. Clearly this place has never heard of serving platters. Another boy wandered around our table and can only be described as Lurch from The Addams Family because he would walk up to the table and stand really close with a solemn look on his face without saying a word. It was bizarre. As if all of this isn't bad enough, the kids were then given DRUMS to play with. DRUMS!!! During dinner! If I knew I was attending a raucous screaming drum circle I would have never made the reservation. The manager, if that's even what she was, conveniently disappeared into the back during this time. You'll see in the comment from the owner below that management addressed this- another blatant lie. I will NEVER go there again even though the food was decent. I thought Bangles was supposed to be a high end sophisticated restaurant...this was no better than a fast food joint. In fact, given the atmosphere, it was significantly worse. If you want to have a great Indian dining experience, go to Himalayan in Malvern. That place isn't run by incompetent people that can't run a restaurant properly.
(1)S W.
I have not had much Indian food but this place was excellent. The menu had many choices, the atmosphere was very nice, and the staff were friendly and conscientious. We had the calamari and fried chicken on curry leaf for starters. We then had the curry lamb and the scallops (appetizer/small plate choice). Everything was spicy as I expected which I really like. This is a BYOB and the prices were very reasonable. We will go back here when we want Indian food. The location is also very convenient for us.
(4)Scott S.
The food was excellent. We are novices when it comes to Indian cuisine but pros at the dining experience. First, it's in a box store strip mall but we heard the food was so good that did not deter us from trying it out. The decor is nice so once inside you forget that element. The menu is very vague so for someone that does not know much about Indian food you will need to rely on the server to explain what things are. And this is the reason for the low review...this was the worst server I have EVER had. He knew nothing about the food. 30-40% of the items had Paneer in the dish. What's Paneer? The waiter had no clue??? It took 15 minutes to get wine glasses and when we wanted a second bottle opened it took 4 requests before one of the other wait staff finally saw our frustration and came to the rescue. We were not offered dessert or coffee. The food was delicious which is why I give it the 3 stars. Of course at the end of the evening one must exit to the lovely box store parking lot.
(3)Angela J.
My boyfriend loves Indian food, me not so much but I keep trying. For starters, the place is super nice for being in a shopping center. The service was also fantastic. We had so many different servers come to our table to refill drinks or bring food or take away our empty plates and they were all so pleasant. The price was also great. The food I think is probably really good if you like that type of cuisine. Its also a BYOB. I say most definitely give it a try.
(4)John G.
My new favorite Indian restaurant! Everything I tasted so far has been excellent.
(5)Alli V.
The lunch we had was flavorful... Lamb kofta, mango feta salad and cheese naan. The lettuce in the salad wasn't all that fresh or I'd give it 5 stars. Server was very knowledgeable and prompt.
(4)Charles R.
Been to all the Indian restaurants on MainLine, Etka, etc., and they were very good. However, Bangles is a slightly different Indian experience. Our waiter, who was Indian told us upfront that this was Southern Indian cuisine which was different than the normal Indian dishes we're used to. I like Vindaloo which they don't serve, but if you're like me and want spicy they can make sure you get enough spice. The fried chicken in lettuce leaves was great, spciy, not at all greasy, and plenty of kick. The califlower also had plenty of spice to it. I can't remember the one dish that comes with what tastes like a popover, only it's like a hollow tube about 30" long. Very good and never seen this before at an Indian restaurant. I had the lamb that was close to Vindaloo in heat. Service was very good, plenty of free parking in the strip mall parking lot. Would absolutely go back and try some of the other dishes.
(4)Anjali A.
Everything was impeccable! The service is great, the food is fantastic and the overall experience is really good. Everything we ordered tasted like an authentic home-cooked Indian meal. The vegetable biryani was AMAZING and the onion rava dosa was perfectly made. The only thing I wasn't a total fan of was the sambhar; it tasted more like a thick rasam (tomato-y), but it tasted good with rice. Their tamarind and mint chutneys are made from fresh ingredients, not frozen, and it makes so much of a difference in the flavor. The biryani came with a spicy peanut based chutney which was so tasty. I will definitely be coming back here to try some more north Indian and seafood options!
(5)Ed L.
I nearly did back flips because there is FINALLY an Indian restaurant in Downingtown! If you like Indian food, we highly recommend it. They brought an architect from India and a chef from Dosa in San Francisco. For a non-glamorous location (next to Best Buy), it's a really high-end place without being too expensive. The manager, staff, and owners were all really nice. I will definitely be going back.
(5)Falguni K.
Love it. Absolutely Love this place. Upscale Indian restaurant with amazing food, just what Downingtown needed. I got a chance to dine here last week. Service was great. For being a brand new restaurant they sure know what they are doing. My favorite on the dish was Curry Leaf Fried Chicken and Lamb Pepper Fry. Flavors were so authentic, reminded me of India. Highly recommend this place to everyone. Try it!!
(5)Andrea A.
They get a little weirded out if you actually want to spend time reading through their menu. But, they seem very nice and eager to be sure you order something you'll like. Maybe they assumed we had never eaten Indian food and were lost. I don't really know, but if anything it was an over abundance of helpfulness. I like to try new things and was looking for a sample of dishes I hadn't tried elsewhere in a same or similar style. They have lots of options; many of which are vegetarian and sound delicious. We tried a sample of dishes to get a flavor for the place, and everything was incredibly yummy! We'll be back! Soon! If the service hadn't been a little odd over the fact that I wanted 5 or 10 extra minutes (after ordering an appetizer) to read through and consider a plethora of appealing options, I would have given it 5 stars.
(4)Raj N.
Bangles is amazing Indian restaurant that me and my family had the pleasure of dinning. Excellent food and service I would recommend this restaurant to all . My favorite dish Is their tandoori chicken and murgh makhni well prepared so go in check it out I know I did....
(5)Jill G.
Not only was this the best Indian food I've ever had, it's probably one of the best meals out I've ever had. There are now at least 5 Indian restaurants in the Exton/Downingtown area, and this is hands down the best. (and that's saying something, because the others are excellent too!) The food is just incredible. My sister had the Baluchi Murg Tikka and I had the Paneer Makhani and we shared. To. Die. For. The Beet Halwa was...different. Not bad, but definitely something to get used to. The servers were fantastic, very friendly. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Raj K.
We went with some family friends for mother's day lunch to Bangles and had a very bad experience. First the positives, the decor is very nice and the table was ready when we got there (with reservation). The food is decent. Everything else unfortunately was not good. We ordered appetizers which started arriving after a good 30 mts, literally one every 5-10 minutes. Looking at the pace of service we ordered the entrees soon - however we had to wait more than 45mts before they started serving. Similar to the appetizers the entrees also arrived one every 5-10 minutes. It just ruined the lunch because some in our party had already finished, while others were still waiting. We had to get the last one packed as it was past 4:00PM (we started at 1:00). We were having a bad experience so we asked for the owner. The person who came to our table as the owner (he later said he was the manager) apologized but with a lot of attitude. Adding he is doing everything he can. He said he will not charge for entrees that have not been served and take 10% off the bill. Which he did - but added 18% towards required gratuity. The compulsory gratuity is not mentioned anywhere on the menu (not even in small print), when we mentioned it to the "owner", he said he is only the manager and does not make the policies. This does not appear legal, one cannot tag on charges without clearly disclosing them in advance. We never saw the real owner, we were told he left a while ago. Needless to say we are never going back, and do not recommend it.
(1)Frank W.
This was a very nice experience at a new place. Presentation of the dishes was very nice and pleasantly surprising. Food was excellent. It is spicy so be aware (this I enjoyed). Service was attentive. I will be back soon.
(4)Aravind G.
Absolutely delightful food! Their madras fish curry and kerala chicken are to die for...They have thali for lunch and each dish is authentic and cooked to perfection. I would have given five stars if not for their prices!
(4)Christine C.
It's the curse of the Craig LeBan good review. The restaurant can't handle the added volume. We arrived at a bad time. We had reservations so we sat down in reasonable time. Water glasses filled right away. There nothing. After almost 15 min(!) we had to ask a server (who wasn't ours, it turns out) for wine glasses and the appetizer thing they give out complementary. We also asked for our waiter. Nothing . After almost 10 min, when we were asked if we wanted more water, we asked for our server. Nice water filler obliged. Still took another 5+ min for out waiter to arrive, feigning surprise that we were his table. (He was paying a lot of attention to a huge table on the opposite end of where we were) Food was pretty good. Loved the scallops, naan, shrimp entree. Not thrilled w the chaat I picked or the fish appetizer (too bland). Note to bangles: I get that you are now busy. That's ok. Please teach your staff to apologize and say I will be w you as soon as I can. And the management should be on the lookout for the forgotten tables like us. We couldn't even drink to pass the time bc we had No wine glasses. We will return .. But not for awhile. Work those service kinks out please!
(4)Irv E.
Wife and I went for dinner last Friday night we are not extremely familiar with Indian cuisine and therefore this was a new experience for us. We found the food to be excellent the waitstaff very knowledgeable and the atmosphere super pleasant. We were extremely surprised that there were not more people at the restaurant. It's a great Indian BYOB and if you're in the Downingtown area looking to try something new or enjoy Indian food I recommend Bengals.
(4)Rafmatazz M.
One of the finest restaurant in this area! The ambiance, service and food is exemplary! All star and a must go place! It's our favorite Indian cuisine!
(5)Nirmal K.
My goodness, this is fantastic, amazing food. Best ever in Philadelphia
(5)Gulshan I.
I tried Hyderabadi Biryani yesterday. It was authentic & delicious and I went back today to try other items. I was pleased with taste, quantity, presentation and decor. It's close to my place so I will be visiting frequently. So far I have been getting take-outs so I can't comment on service. Hope they can maintain the food quality. Five star for now.
(5)John G.
My wife and I dined here Friday night (8/22). We both ordered the taste menu at a fixed price of $29pp for 3 dishes each. My first dish was supposed to be 3 scallops and instead were 2 miniscule. I asked the waiter what happened to the 3rd, which he initially said I was to receive, and never mentioning the size, only received his apology. The rest of our food was fine, except a little bowl of soup which was exceptionally spicy. All considered, the full menu which other than our dinners is a la carte, and the fact that we had no beverages with a bill of $71 including an 18% tip, one cannot beat the food and price of the Himalayan lunch Buffet in Frazer. If you are a foodie, and do not need the " overpriced food and dim ambiance" of Bangles for dinner, I suggest you try it. Bangles even charges for naan bread, while at Himalayan you can feast on 2 kinds, which are on the buffet. The total cost for lunch $19 for 2 people.
(3)Kim B.
Delicious! I highly recommend this Indian restaurant. Beautiful inside and the service was wonderful. I ate lunch today and the value for the price is outstanding. Everything is made fresh to order. The Paneer is out of this world. Possibly the best I've tasted anywhere in the country. It's tucked back in the corner of the shopping center but there is good parking. Congratulations to the owners on opening a wonderful new Indian restaurant in Downingtown!
(4)Sera R.
I went to this restaurant on Friday night with my family. When I walked in I was amazed at the decor, felt like a top class NYC restaurant. The hostess was so friendly and got us seated quickly. I couldn't stop looking at every little detail about this place. I have travelled a lot and I've seen restaurants of this class only in major cities. The dinner menu was awesome, so many different options!! The servers gave us a quick intro into the most popular dishes. We ordered the roasted fennel soup, tandoor platter, lamb pepper fry and the Hyderabadi biriyani. again I was so thrilled with the presentation and the taste. The staff, owners were all so friendly and made us feel so special - an experience that is a rarity these days. The prices were also very reasonable. Since its BYOB just grab your favorite wine and go give this place a try - its every bit worth it. Keep up the good work guys. I would surely be back - would be one of my favorite weekend destinations.
(5)