Amma’s Kitchen

So I work in Reading and there aren’t a ton of food options in that area if you don’t want fast-​food. I feel lucky to have found this place. For under $ 10, I had a pretty tasty Indian buffet lunch. Amma’s is also vegetarian and has some vegan options. Everything I ate tasted good, not really spicy, but flavorful. The breaded cauliflower was awesome and so was the eggplant curry. I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here, but I definitely enjoy that it’s close to me now. The part of town restaurant’s in isn’t exactly scenic.

Amma’s kitchen has the most delicious vegan indian food! Our friends from Cincy introduced us to Amma’s the last time we were in Cincy and it was soooo delicious! It’s also great for big groups and fun celebration dinners! There are SO MANY vegan options and the staff is so nice!

YES YES YES YES YES!!!
Sooooo gooooood!
Everything my friends said was true! This place is AWESOME~!!!

Not my cup of tea but it seems like vegetarians craving Indian food absolutely love it. I might have enjoyed it more if we had ordered from the menu. Instead, we went with a big group and ate from their buffet. Nothing stuck out to me. I prefer Shaan or any other delicious Indian options in Cincinnati.

Cincinnati has quite a few solid Indian buffet options, and Amma’s is no exception. The lunch buffet is all vegetarian but if you don’t see that as a perk, don’t let it dissuade you, I can tell you my meat-​eatin’ friends loved it all the same. If vegan they clearly label the items that are vegan friendly, super helpful.
When I went to Amma’s they had quite the crowd, and a diverse one at that (multiple families with young kids, what I assumed was a large group of coworkers out for lunch, a few groups of an older generation) — I definitely take it as a testament to the food. The service was pleasant & the buffet was kept stocked.
Check out Amma’s next time you’re craving some tasty Indian cuisine.

OMG
Yes. This is a good place to go. Like this is a real dump city for veggie food, in general, but this place is amazing. I was just here for the lunch buffet. Everything vegan is clearly marked. Doesn’t that make it easy? Well, don’t think too hard, because I’ll tell you. It makes it very easy. Also, don’t worry about taking your gross meat-​eating friends and family here. My meat-​eating friends told me about this place. Yes, it’s so delicious you might die and it’s good for the gross meat-​eaters in your life, too. YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO ALONE. YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY THAT YOUR IDIOT FRIENDS ARE GOING TO LIKE IT. I think this is the absolute best Indian food I’ve ever had.
And guess what! Wednesday buffet is vegan! Like I’ll never be able to make it for that because of working and stuff, but if you’re in this area, then you should go. Like OMFG I’m not even joking around. I’m still on vacation tomorrow and my husband and I are going back. I’m even blowing my damned diet. Like I’m losing a lot of weight, so whatever. I would totally gain back a pound to eat this buffet two days in a row. I didn’t even think of counting calories. The food was so good that I forgot. Well. I guess you better go here ASAP.

Let me preface this review with the facts… I’m not a vegetarian, and I’m no expert on South Indian cuisine. My experience at Amma’s for their lunch buffet was good, not great. But if I were a vegetarian living in Cincinnati, I think I would have a very different opinion!
First of all, everything here is vegetarian which is kind of a non-​starter for my husband (make sure you tell your less adventurous friends before you take them here…). So I came to Amma’s with a few girlfriends for lunch. The buffet was kind of small for an Indian buffet… I’m used to seeing many more items. The quality of the food was pretty good… I particularly liked the paneer dish which seemed to be served in some sort of butter curry sauce, like a makhani. I also liked the beets. But the naan was not warm, and some of the fried foods were kind of flavorless.
The best part of our lunch was that the buffet came with a complimentary dosa, which is like an Indian crêpe filled with curry-​flavored potatoes (sorry, I know this is not a very good explanation, but it’s the easiest approximation I have for a dosa…). I happen to really like dosas, so I know it’s hard to find South Indian cuisine like Amma’s has, so I appreciate that. The next time I’m craving a dosa I will be back.

Food is good. But the people who work there are so rude. The lady who works there is rude to almost every customer.

Before our first trip to Amma’s, we debated. Two family members didn’t like it; ratings of Cincy’s Indian restaurants put it in the top 10. Luckily the ratings were spot on.
Amma’s is not fancy but it is simply good. Our service was friendly and helpful.
We shared the dinner special for 2, which was a great way to try some new things. We liked everything and loved the paneer butter masala and the dosas. The paneer was «lick the bowl good» according to my husband!
Total was about $ 34 for enough food to feed at least three adults.
There are many other items on the menu I’d like to try on another visit.
Tip: if it is cold outside, try not to sit near the front door as there is a draft every time it opens.

Amma’s Kitchen is legit. One of the only South Indian restaurants in Cincy (other than Udipi Café and Ruchi Mess) and all vegetarian too. I’ve only been here for the lunch buffet. Usually there are at least 1 or 2 lentil based dishes but there is a ton of variety to choose from, and all very tasty. I can’t remember all of them but the cauliflower dish is good! Also 1 free dosa is included with the buffet (but you have to ask for it) — the free dosa is a very thin, crisp crêpe made from lentils and they stuff it with spiced mashed potato.
Service could be better. Last time when I asked for our free dosas, I thought the woman either didn’t hear me or was ignoring me because she didn’t acknowledge me at all. But she brought the dosas to our table a few minutes later.
This is a favorite of mine especially when I’m eating with a vegetarian. If you get the buffet, prepare to be stuffed!

Authentic! Amma’s Kitchen looks, feels, and tastes like restaurants I tried in India. It wasn’t overly clean and the décor seemed a bit worn but that added to the experience.
I had lunch on a weekend and the restaurant was packed with folks who seemed to know Indian food well. I had the lunch buffet. The food was fairly fresh and there was a good variety. The service was quick and got the job done.

I think this is a solid Indian restaurant with a few caveats. Nonetheless, this place is a great introduction into the vegetarian Indian arena, and I definitely would recommend trying it out.
First things first, I am a HUGE Indian food fan. I would eat it at every meal if that was even possible. And I’ve been wanting to try Amma’s out for quite some time but somehow no one will eat vegetarian Indian with me. However, my mother and her husband came into town this past weekend and what do you know, they ONLY wanted vegetarian food. So I jumped at the opportunity.
Food: Since we were all quite hungry, we started with the Samosa Chat with a few Mango Lassis. Both were awesome, but the samosa appetizer in particular was cool because it appeared to have broken up samosas cooked with a bunch of different yummy ingredients. It was definitely unique. Then for the entrees, we got the Vegetable Briyani (interesting use of mint), Mutter Paneer (rich and creamy), and the Dal Palak with a few sides of Naan. I thought all of the entrees were great, however, it immediately struck me that they could spice a lot more aggressively than they do (particularly the briyani). I really enjoy the flavors of Indian food but these were seasoned on the tamer side. Not the end of the world but still quite noticeable. Also, I wanted my meal extra spicy, and it definitely did not come out extra spicy. I think they thought they gave me extra spicy, but my tolerance must be unusually high. Finally, their naan is not my favorite. I really like a soft naan with some good garlic in it, and theirs was more like pita bread or something. What I really enjoyed though was their selection. I couldn’t quite make up my mind on what I wanted, but I sure as hell am coming back to try those dosas. The table next to us was crushing it on the food ordering, and the dosas looked killer.
Service: A few people mentioned this and it’s accurate: You don’t appear to have just one server. There seemed to be a million people working there, and a different person brings out the drinks than brings out the food than brings out the bread. It didn’t really affect service, but it makes you wonder how many people are hiding in the back room.
There are a few other places in the area that similarly serve all vegetarian Indian cuisine. I am going to check them out for comparison but I’d say that Amma’s is a great place to start. Enjoy!

This is one of Cincinnati’s «secret» places where you would never expect really good food. Only discovered it this week! You wouldn’t expect a place with food this good to be in such a slime-​pit of a neighborhood.
However, be prepared. They have RULES there. And you had better obey or that guy in the guard tower gunna take you down, bruh. These guys have more rules than HowAffle House. Firstly, no reservations. Second, it’s a buffet, so take a hanky or a box of latex gloves, because fifty people just touched that ladle you just grabbed, and half the men just got through snotting their noses with that hand. Third, you can put as much on your plate as you want, but the sign says you have to eat it all. Don’t waste, you stupid Americans. Fourth, do not EVER ask for any items on the buffet to be take-​out. It’s dine-​in only. Fifth, BYOB. Sixth, guys, when taking a leak, flush the urinal once and only once. Yes, there is a sign that actually says that in the men’s room.
The hours are kind of weird too.
But the food is deeeee-​lishus! (Seriously, it’s good!)

Unbelievably good. I’ve been there many times, always for the buffet and it’s always a wonderful experience. Everything is fresh and flavorful. The Vegan Wednesday buffet is greatly appreciated!
This is a favorite of the entire family.

On a recent trip to Cincinnati, me and my family went out to dine at Amma’s kitchen. The experience was a let down. We ordered 4 dosa and paneer chettinad. The dosa, sambar and nariyal chatni were at the best, average. The spices were not hitting the right notes. Paneer chettinad was worst. Chettinad curry was done by an amateur and rice was course. Service and location were below average. Overall an opportunity to have nice dinner was wasted.

But for real. I love Amma’s.
Now I’ve only ever been here for buffet, but it is fantastic. Even if you are a meat eater or a vegan-​food-​general-​disliker I promise you will still like Amma’s. Here’s the explanation for that: most Indian restaurants can rely on the use of lots of heavy cream and ghee and the natural flavors that come with meats to make their dishes taste good, but because Amma’s is veggie/​vegan, it allows you to really taste the flavors of your favorite Indian dishes (plus some you’ve never heard of) to their fullest. As my traditional-​pot-​roast-​loving father said: I really wouldn’t have even noticed there wasn’t meat unless you told me. Score one for the herbivores.
Oh, always remember to order a spicy dosa if you go for buffet. Mmmmmm good.

Not too familiar with this cuisine yet.
The spices a a treat to experience, my palate had fun!
I will be back. Loved it.
Fr. Dave

«Beets poriyal? Exotic!» — My Mom
That’s my mom’s response to the question, «What should we say in the review?» She ate them for the meal, then ate more for dessert. This is not our first trip to Amma’s and it won’t be the last. Besides being all vegetarian, we love that everything on the lunch buffet changes every time we’re here. And it’s all good.
Best Indian in Cincinnati? Absolutely.

This place is amazing. Every weekday that my boyfriend has off for lunch, which unfortunatley is only once a month, we go to the lunch buffet. Being vegetarian, it is so nice to have so many delicious options. The Vegan Wednesdays are great and noone would be able to tell dairy is not used! This is hands down the best Indian restaurant in the city.
The cauliflower dishes are delicious and the options on the buffet are plentiful. We wish the location was closer to us in the Oakley/​Hyde Park area!

This is by far my favorite Indian place in Cincinnati. It’s all vegetarian, which might turn some away, but I love it. Their chili paneer is one of my favorites. Their malai kofta is the closest I’ve had in Cincinnati that tastes like the same I’ve had in India. It even comes with sour pickle on the side! Yum! Try the dosa too. My favorites are mysore masala dosa and just masala dosa. I skip the buffet and always order dishes.