Amaya Indian Cuisine

The Bar Area at Amaya, Feb 2012

Locations

1900 South Clinton Avenue, Brighton, NY 14618

1425 Jefferson Road, Rochester NY, 14623

Brighton Plaza Hours (as of July 2024)

Monday: 5:00PM to 9:00PM

Tuesday to Sunday: 11:30AM to 2:30PM (Lunch), 5:00PM to 9:00PM (Dinner)

Saginaw Plaza Hours (as of July 2024)

Monday: 11:30AM to 6:00PM

Tuesday to Sunday: 11:00AM to 7:30PM

Phone

585 241 3223

Wheelchair Accessible

Yes

Alcohol

Yes

Website

http://amayaindiancuisine.com

https://www.amayaindianstreetfoodandsweets.com/

Facebook

Twitter

Amaya Indian Cuisine is an Indian fusion restaurant that opened September 2011 in the former location of Mysore Woodlands in Tops Brighton Plaza. Until 2014 they were known as Amaya Bar & Grill.

Their menu features many vegetarian and vegan options. They also offer take out and catering services.

On March 7, 2024, they opened a second location in Saginaw Plaza called Amaya Indian Street Food and Sweets.

Comments:

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2011-09-30 15:19:35   Too much money for too little food. Food is not bad, but portion sizes should definitely increase if they want customers to keep coming back. —docsd29

2011-10-02 10:50:37   What a nice dining experience we had last night at Amaya Bar and Grill. Interior design was comparable to a Chicago, LA or NY restaurant. The dishes were delicious, sophisticated and beautifully plated. Service was attentive but not hurried. Highly recommended. —eccomi1

2011-10-02 13:17:51   docsd29, have you had dinner at many indian restaurants? Their prices are identical for a little bit less food, but I don't think this restaurant is going for the "gorge yourself" crowd. Prices are higher because they obviously do not take any shortcuts in their preparation.

I thought this place was fantastic, there is no other indian place in rochester quite like it. The food is undoubtably indian, but the presentation and some of the refined techniques are influecned by western dining. However, don't be chased away by that comment, I hate fusion cuisine and this place is not fusion in the most obvious sense. They just have a more delicate hand reminiscent of french techniques while still keeping with the bold flavors of india. I think that with time, this could be the most exciting place to eat in Rochester. The only criticisms I have are that the fruit and cucumber free starter makes no sense in relationship to the rest of the meal. Also, I am sure the dessert was free because they just opened, but the chocolate "samosa" was not too good. Otherwise, an amazing meal! —jberna

2011-10-05 15:47:13   I love it here! The atmosphere is GREAT, refined and modern (nothing like other Indian places in the area). Its similar to the NYC Indian bistro (minus the really close tables). The good was divine. It was tasty and different. A majority of the menu looked innovative and differed from the traditional indian menu; however, I was still able to find some classics like chicken makahani. The presentation of the food was superb...something straight from the food network. I have already recommended this place to many friends and collegues. It is refreshing to be able to find a place with modern style, trendy aviance, and SUPERB food!

Do not let the location fool you....its a gem in the middle of a strip mall. Not all places need to be on Park Ave in order to be a fun place! —foodienyc

2011-10-07 11:39:50   Had no expectations prior to trying this place out... and Wow! This restaurant looks about 10000x better than the place that was there before. They really gutted this place and created a whole new look. The others are right when they say that this is unlike any other Indian restaurant in the area. Completely different menu choices, and presentation is stellar. Portion sizes are on the small size, but I was still quite full towards the end thanks to delicious appetizers. I never usually order dessert at restaurants, but the "chocolate samosa" intrigued me. Damn, that was soo good. Highly recommended! One thing to note: There was only one dish at our table that I was not too fond of, and to our surprise, they did not charge us for that on the bill. —TippingPoint

2011-10-09 17:39:02   Atmosphere is A+. Food is good. Limited menu. Loved the chocolate Samosa. Interesting they are trying to make an Indian restaurant trendy. I will probably be back. I do like the more traditional Indian places around town better. This would be a good place to bring out of town guests. —ScottHendler

2011-10-11 20:37:32   My wife and I went there for dinner. Having been at Mysore Woodlands in that location a number of times we both said WOW! The decor was amazingly different. The food was very good... wonderful Indian flavors. It was a fine dining experience we would highly recommend. —JONeil

2011-10-13 23:10:27   We went to this restaurant a few days after it opened in September. It is located in the Tops Plaza in Brighton. I've been told that a lot of the restaurants that existed in this location havent fared too well for one reason or the other. I hope that Amaya bucks this trend because quite frankly it is unlike any other Indian restaurant in the Rochester area. We would have liked to try the mussels and calamari appetizers but they were not available the first week. Instead we were offered complimentary Gobi Chilli Chat, which my wife liked immensely. (I thought it was just a tad salty but certainly above average). We ordered a dirty martini and a Gin and Tonic. The drinks were perfectly mixed although the waitress apologized because they had delays in receiving the right stemware for the martini. Having said that, the hostess and the waitress both had a very warm disarming demeanor that was refreshing. Even the chef came out to check on us - I thought that was pretty neat. On to the food...We were hungry and so ordered 1) Seekh Kabob - Not Bad 2)Tandoori Lamb Chops - This was a truly magnificent dish with the chops seasoned, spiced and cooked perfectly. I daresay I have not had better lamb chops in the Rochester area at any restaurant, Indian or otherwise. 3)Shrimp Dab - Succulent shrimp reminiscent of a Thai preparation and presented in a coconut shell - clearly one of the highlights of the evening as far as presentation was concerned. We also had Naans to go with our meal. These were fluffy and warm. We were offered a complimentary chocolate samosa for dessert which was not bad but which my wife did not take to because it had coconut flakes in it. The decor in the restaurant was very tasteful and understated with photographs of various places in India that were taken by the owner (according to the hostess). Overall a very good dining experience - We will go back sometime in October hoping that all the appetizers/desserts and drinks are available. Here's my rating vs other Indian restaurants in the area. Ambience - More like a Toronto/NYC restaurant - better than anything else we have in Rochester 2) Bar - Better than any Indian restaurant bar 3)Service - Very friendly and warm/inviting 4) Food - Limited Selection but it looks like they are going for quality rather than quantity. Also the hostess indicated that they would be changing the menu seasonally.I would give it 4 stars out of 5 - at least for Rochester, maybe 3.5 vs other bigger cities. Will re-evaluate after our second time there because appetizers and desserts were not avaialable. I am glad they are staying away from the buffet format because that just results in a lower quality product as is evident at several other indistinguishable greasy spoons around. —YankeeFan

2011-11-01 17:51:07   Please correct Hours as follows:

Open 6 days a week
Tuesday to Friday 11 am to 10 pm
Sunday 12 noon to 9 pm
Monday Closed. —nlaroia

2011-11-02 19:21:48   This place was simply fantastic. The first impression was the decor, which is clean and stylish. Very warm interior. The service was fast and friendly. They did not have a drink menu available, but our server was happy to check over at the bar for available beers and wines. The bar was stocked with a rather impressive array of liquors, which is nice to see. The food was outstanding. We shared a couple of appetizers, both of which were nicely seasoned and served in good-sized portions. Our entree was equally delicious — for my money, the best curry in Rochester. I would highly recommend this restaurant. —CaptainKarl

2011-11-12 12:06:47   Some friends recommended Amaya Bar & Grill in Loehmann's Plaza to us a couple weeks back and we finally got a chance to go there last night. What a pleasant surprise to find a new Indian place nearby that offered such different and interesting takes on the cuisine. Altogether, I can't say the four of us were terribly adventurous, preferring to try somewhat familiar items for a 'first time' at this new place. We weren't disappointed though. The food was delicious, the service friendly and solicitous and the prices reasonable. We'll definitely be back. —MichaelBrisson

2011-11-20 16:16:13   The tandoori chicken was dry, and the curry was bland. Enough said. —garykeith

2011-11-20 16:48:22   Ok to be fair - the decor was nicer than most indian restaurnts in the area... but c'mon people - restaurants should be more about food, and not the plates! —garykeith

2011-11-21 13:27:10   Amaya is fantastic. The ambiance is tasteful, the food is tasty, the service is great, and the owners are warm and personable. Amaya offers dishes that have a hint of tradition and a lot of creativity. It's a wonderful addition to Rochester's culinary repertoire! —MalikaKapadia

2011-11-24 22:31:39   Enjoyed the unique and creative menu — unlike all the other Indian restaurants in Rochester. Appreciated the highlighting of vegan options on the menu (just be sure to request vegan, as some of the highlighted options are also available non-vegan). We particularly enjoyed the eggplant entree. —Roddy

2011-11-28 12:23:47   Anyone who hasn't been here needs to go and try this place. It does suffer from the fact that it was the home/location of a number unsuccessful restaurants previously (including at least one Indian one), which might lead to some trepidation or at least confusion but this one is completely new and totally different from anything that was there before. The decor is very well done and the tables well spaced so unlike many places in Rochester you can have a conversation and enjoy yourselves.Too many places in Rochester are far too loud and have the ambiance of a shopping mall food court.
The the decor and atmosphere is really just the wrapping for what really matters- the food.
The menu has items from many different areas and influences and also shows some subtle (not -shudder- fusion) influences of other cuisines but only in a complimentary accent or manner. All the ingredients are extremely fresh and well prepared - even the fish ( a highly problematical problem in Rochester (IMHO) .The prices of the entress for what you get in quality and quantity are quite reasonable and it is a lovely dining experience altogether with a courteous and attentive ( but not intrusive) staff. Easily some ( if not the) best Indian food in Rochester AND served in a nice place. Great vegetarian and vegan options and plenty of non alcoholics drinks options, all made from equally fresh ingredients so just about anyone could find something they would like. Highly reccomend for quality, price, and dining options. —ChristopherCarlsson

2011-11-28 12:26:04   Anyone who hasn't been here needs to go and try this place. It does suffer from the fact that it was the home/location of a number unsuccessful restaurants previously (including at least one Indian one), which might lead to some trepidation or at least confusion but this one is completely new and totally different from anything that was there before. The decor is very well done and the tables well spaced so unlike many places in Rochester you can have a conversation and enjoy yourselves.Too many places in Rochester are far too loud and have the ambiance of a shopping mall food court.
The the decor and atmosphere is really just the wrapping for what really matters- the food.
The menu has items from many different areas and influences and also shows some subtle (not -shudder- fusion) influences of other cuisines but only in a complimentary accent or manner. All the ingredients are extremely fresh and well prepared - even the fish ( a highly problematical problem in Rochester (IMHO) .The prices of the entress for what you get in quality and quantity are quite reasonable and it is a lovely dining experience altogether with a courteous and attentive ( but not intrusive) staff. Easily some ( if not the) best Indian food in Rochester AND served in a nice place. Great vegetarian and vegan options and plenty of non alcoholics drinks options, all made from equally fresh ingredients so just about anyone could find something they would like. Highly reccomend for quality, price, and dining options. —ChristopherCarlsson

2012-02-22 12:47:27   The only positive thing I can say about this place is that the decor is "upscale". Unfortunately, the prices are upscale too (comparable to a trendy Manhattan establishment) but the quality and quantity of the food DO NOT match. The main course was OK, but the portions were WAY too small. The plate included a decorative dab on the side that seemed sloppy. The dessert was poor. Fountain drinks are 3 bucks. Service was polite and timely. Overall 4/10, I WOULD NOT recommend this place... you can get better Indian food for 1/2 or 1/3 the price elsewhere in Rochester. —GordonFreeman

2012-02-27 22:41:50   We ate here Sunday night and were quite pleased. We had three small plates, which ranged from excellent (Gobi Chilli Chat) to very good (Grilled Fish, Momo), and one entree (the Hyderabadi Pepper Chicken, also good). Entree size was reasonable for an Indian restaurant (i.e. adequate but not huge). Decor and food presentation were also strong. There were a couple of off notes - our free starter was 4 orange slices and a small pineapple wedge with a decorative drizzle of chocolate syrup, which just seemed odd, and the wrong entree was delivered (but replaced with apologies within minutes). Prices were not excessive - you could certainly pay a lot more in Rochester for a less interesting meal. —MarkJackson

2012-03-10 08:19:30   I went here the other day because I heard very good reviews and overall, the experience was pleasant but certainly nothing amazing in any way. The ambiance and decor is modern, elegant, and refined. The plating is better than most places in Rochester. Serving staff is nice. The food, however, is nothing to write home about. Like another commenter said, you can get better Indian at most other Indian restaurants in Rochester. If this really is authentic, I'd be quite surprised because the spice levels were tame (ordered chicken chettinad) and the flavors were overall bland. The basmati rice especially had no flavor to it whatsoever. The prices they're asking fit for everything else in the restaurant, EXCEPT for the food, which is a true shame since they seemingly do everything else right. —AGoldman

2012-03-11 15:48:52   A lot of people on here say the food is "meh" but .. we just went here today and it was really good! We got the vegetable manchurian (dumplings) and a dal entree and they were both delicious. We also got an okra starter and vegetable shaslik, both were really tasty, esp the okra + chili sauce. The atmosphere is cool, and our server was super friendly. Prices are a bit high, and may keep us from coming back as much as we want to, but we certainly will be back soon. Also, A++ for the vegan marked items! —BrianHahn

2013-01-20 09:57:11   Good décor and acceptable flavor, but with small portions and high prices. My wife and I spent $61 last night for a mediocre dinner that left me hungry (even after I ate some of her food). I had the bhindi kurkuri appetizer (crispy okra). It took a LONG time to come out and was very light & insubstantial. My main course was the masoor dal boron bilahi tenga (lentil dumplings in tomato sauce). The food was served in a giant (oversize) bowl that only served to accentuate the smallness of the portion in the bottom of it. The sauce was reminiscent of Buffalo wing sauce. It wasn't exactly bad, but... it didn't taste like something you might expect to get at an Indian restaurant. The lentil dumplings were quite dry and crumbly. The amount of rice was far too small. The meal was unsatisfying. I came home and immediately fixed myself a sandwich.

The waitress was nice, and the atmosphere was better than you'd find in most of the other Indian restaurants in Rochester. But still, we won't be coming back any time soon. —Rochester-Native

2014-05-04 12:16:43   Recently enjoyed the $10 lunch buffet here. Good variety of options but would have liked a bit more "heat" in the dishes. Service was attentive and professional. The restaurant has more of a contemporary atmosphere that many local Indian spots. —jgerek