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Hours
Sun
17:00 - 22:00
Mon
17:00 - 22:00
Tue
17:00 - 22:00
Wed
17:00 - 22:00
Thu
17:00 - 22:00
Fri
17:00 - 22:00
Sat
17:00 - 22:00
Ratings and reviews
4.5
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Food and ambience
Indian, Asian, Balti, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Is this restaurant good for large groups?
Details
About
Berkhamsteds best Indian Restaurant with exquisite food and service. Takeaways available also. A unique and delicious experience awaits you
PRICE RANGE
£10.00 – £30.00
CUISINES
Indian, Asian, Balti
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
FEATURES
Delivery, Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Highchairs Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
Contribute
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4.5
552 reviews
Excellent
375
Very good
79
Average
39
Poor
27
Terrible
32
Carl H
London7 contributions
Jul 2020 • none
No wonder this restaurant can be booked up so much at the weekends one has to book weeks in advance.
Popped in yesterday on the off chance and was treated to a cracking dinner.
Rather than go for 'the usual', we discussed with Fahim what sort of food we liked and he recommended the Chicken Chilli Masala and the Lamb Channai for two mains. We were really in for a treat. So tasty and just had that extra taste and authenticity that one doesn't often get at Indian Restaurants. Mebs, an equally attentive member of staff explained how and why they're different and how they cook things a little differently. I won't spoil it, go there and ask him.
Yes, it was slightly more expensive than we would normally pay but considered well worth it and we will be back!
Written 31 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HSW
1 contribution
Feb 2020 • friends
If you like Indian food, great atmosphere, attentive (but not pushy) staff head to The Fat Buddha. I had a great evening there with a couple of friends. Our waiter was Mebs who was delightful from beginning to end. His recommendations for dishes were spot on. He was happy to bag up the food we were unable to finish (generous portions 😋) and we were given plenty of time at the table to enjoy our meal and catch up without feeling hurried. We were even given a private area to sit whilst we carried on with out catch up! Couldn’t recommend enough. Well done.
Written 4 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TonyDrum1
Hemel Hempstead127 contributions
Jan 2020 • none
This was our first time at this restaurant. We found the food was fantastic (please try the Tandoori Broccoli.) Service was polite and friendly and the mood was relaxed.
We found the portion sizes were more generous that other Indian restaurants and the cost was reasonable.
We found parking a little tricky and had to park a short distance away
Written 19 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sharonn11111115
Hemel Hempstead3 contributions
Mar 2020 • none
food was overpriced served in basic white bowls not even a hotplate .No hot flannels after or after mints . Probably the worst Indian I have had . Don’t know why all the good reviews. Also staff was shouting in background not very pleasant . Never go back .
Written 15 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
karen c
14 contributions
Oct 2020 • none
Very disappointing and felt uncomfortable the whole time we were in the restaurant.
We were made to feel that we were being hurried the whole time we were there, we had not finished our poppadums when our starter turned up, then no sooner had we finished our starter then the main arrived. I have no idea why we were being rushed as there was only 1 other table of people. We felt we were constantly being watched by the waiters. When it came to our bill the person, who could have been the manager, said "you can keep the table longer theres no rush". Obviously realised that we had been rushed throughout our visit.
The starter was delicious however the chicken tikka masala and onion barjee were totally tasteless, no spice, nothing.
When more people arrived we could not believe that they sat them immediately next to us on the same table, when the rest of the restaurant was empty. Very strange under the current Covid rules.
Would definately not recommend and will not be going back
Written 28 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pyke8
85 contributions
Apr 2020 • none
I was always a regular at this restaurant although had noticed a deterioration in standards over the last year. I had a meal delivery last week and the experience was truly awful.
I could have forgiven the fact that the food was nearly half an hour later than the stated maximum wait-time had the meal compensated, but it didn't...quite the reverse!
Being late the food was cold but the main issue was that the two main dishes were swimming in about an inch of oil. The "vegetable" bhuna consisted of just potatoes and cabbage..no other vegetables!! The vegetable korma was marginally better as a couple of pieces of broccoli popped their heads above the oil.
This place is not cheap either as a couple of pappadums 1 starter 2 main veg dishes and 1 rice came to almost £30!!
This week I went to my local takeaway and had the same dishes for half the price and 100 times better in quality. Needless to say I will be avoiding the Fat Buddha in future.
Finally environmentalists beware. The food comes in non-recyclable black plastic!!
Written 26 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patricia
11 contributions
Oct 2020 • none
An oasis in a storm best describes our evening spent at The Fat Buddha. Welcome perfect, warm and friendly, our table comfortable and socially distanced, the menus, food and drinks, both with many delicious choices brought to the table immediately followed by our drinks order being taken by a pleasant young waiter and delivered to us very quickly. Mebs took our order. He was very helpful and efficient. Our food was absolutely delicious. Thank you to the chefs. The service we received from Mebs and the team was excellent. I look forward to our next visit.
Written 24 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah B
Hemel Hempstead28 contributions
Mar 2020 • couples
Tasty curry with 2 other couples but we all blanched at paying high prices for what is essentially curry in a fancy surrounding. It was noisy as pretty busy that Saturday night. Service was ok. Menu looked good but when the bill came we were pretty shocked.
Written 11 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BucksTraveller99
157 contributions
Aug 2021 • none
My wife and I went to The Fat Buddha for dinner after quite a long absence, mainly due to Covid restrictions. The service was good but the ambience rather less so, as not only was there a very noisy party of about 15 young men constantly shouting to each other but also the lighting was incredibly dim - so much so that even the waiter had difficulty reading the menu and had to hold it up near a light. My wife and I each had 2 poppadoms, and chose a main dish each and a vegetable dish each. We shared one pilau rice, and drank one Cobra and one bottle of water. I readily acknowledge that of course the prices are stated on the menu, but nevertheless we were very startled by the bill which was over 85 pounds. For a simple one course curry that's much too expensive, and we won't be returning.
Written 15 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Voyage761873
Berkhamsted9 contributions
Mar 2020 • none
A very disappointing meal which was home delivered. Two items were wrong boiled rice instead of pilau, some horrible aubergine mess instead of mushroom baji. Naan bread was ok. The worst onion bajis ever - just like boiled onions with hardly any batter. Two mains very bland, sauces too thin and meal overpriced.
Written 29 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mandy J
United Kingdom3 contributions
Aug 2020 • family
We went to the Fat Budda last night for my husbands 60th birthday this was instead of the big party that had been planned. Six of us went and I was a little nervous because of social distancing, I need not have worried I felt safe all the time.
It was absolutely wonderful. Often when you go for an Indian curry you are a bit bewildered as to what to order but not at the Fat Budda, Mebs answered all our questions about what each dish actually was. I'm vegan and he carefully went through exactly what I could have. He was so helpful and did not tire of our numerous questions.
The service was absolutely excellent. The food, well this is now my favourate curry restaurant.
The premises were spotless.
A huge Thankyou to all of the staff, the chef and especially Mebs.
We will be back for more 😄
Written 2 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travel474294
130 contributions
Aug 2021 • family
Arrived at far Buddha told to sit and wait until our table was ready so seeing as there was 10 of us we thought we would order a bottle of rose and a few pints. We wasn’t given a wine list to choose from just offered a bottle wasn’t until the bill at the end that the bottle of rose was actually 55 pounds which we would not of ordered at that price! The food was good and plates hot and service is excellent, but we warned it’s expensive. Nearly 500 for 8 of us. Nice treat but had nicer food and half the price. Would we Return ? Probably not. The ambience is lovely and and nice outside seating area so we can’t knock everything just found it very pricey.
Written 31 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jessica123D
4 contributions
Aug 2020 • couples
First time at The Fat Buddha and would definitely go back. The food and cocktails were delicious and our waiter Mebs was so friendly and very helpful, explaining the menu and recommending our dishes. Felt very welcome.
Written 15 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sophie S
8 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
Overall the quality of food was good, and service was ok. Friendly but not overly attentive. Also bit shocked to not see wait staff in masks unlike all other restaurants. Fundamental down side was the huge cost for small items such as pomadoms, we were charged £2.70 for 3, plus an additional £5 for the chutney tray, which we weren't informed off at the time we stay down. Net net the overall experience was very expensive and we didn't feel the experience/food warranted almost double the cost of other places in town.
Written 21 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julia D
St. Albans4 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
This was our first visit to the Fat Buddha, we met family who have eaten there before and thoroughly recommended it. We enjoyed a great meal, my daughter who eats a Gluten & Dairy free diet was well catered for, the staff were knowledgeable about the content of each item and took time to explain her choices. Mebs really looked after us, he was attentive, funny and made our visit all the more enjoyable, in fact, we have already booked to go again!
Written 21 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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