Govinda's Vegetarian Buffet

I really wanted to like this place more than I did :-/It is off the beaten path, with a quiet & serene ambiance. The shopkeeper is super cute, and the buffet had 10-12 items to pick from, including rice, salad, samosas, dal, spiced potatoes, mixed veggies, and a few rotating special kinds of curry.The downside is the food really did not have flavor. You can tell it was "made with love" (as the sign says at the front of the buffet) but some salt & pepper would have been nice too!

I've been looking for authentic Indian food and I as impressed with GovInda's. Got there about 1:30 pm (closes at 2:30), it's buffet style, pay something like $11.99 per pound. The young lady gave us paper plates and cups. It's all vegetarian, very flavorful and fresh. There's a quaint dining area to sit in. The food included a refreshing ginger iced tea that you can help yourself to.

Located at a temple. Beautiful large garden to sit in. You go there, fill a plate, and they weigh it to determine the price. It is located in a residential area with no other businesses around. Parking is no problem on the premises. I used to go to their food truck at UH Mānoa more than 20 years ago. Delicious.

I've meant to do this review for a while. About 12 years ago, this company donated food for my Syrian children fundraiser without even batting an eyelash, and their food was sooo good. The quality is incredible and you can tell their food is made with love and aloha. Highly recommend!!

Haven't eaten here in a long time, but they upped their game. Loved it before, but they said the got a new chef from India & it tastes like it. Even the samosas came with mint chutney.

Vegetarian buffet is back! M-F 11-2:30This is located in a temple (which looks like a house from the street) and is in a quiet residential area. You don't have to be the religion they believe in, just remove your shoes before you walk in. You might get stares but they are friendly and harmless.After being closed for much of the pandemic, this place finally reopened in March 2022. Check their website for updated closures as they are hosting a huge global anniversary of some sort this week. I hadn't been here for probably a decade but when I saw that they were open again, we went after a round of golf, because I really want to see these little local places come back to life. The buffet is now by weight (long ago when I went it was AYCE) $11.20/lb and choices change daily, Mondays are vegan and other days are vegetarian. The flavors are Indian inspired, so think "curry and cumin" type flavors. They don't use garlic or onions, I'm not sure if that's a religious thing or not (if you know why, lmk!), but they make note of that on signs and on their website. It's not as extensive or as unique as Down to Earth's vegetarian buffet but it'll be enough. I'm definitely not vegan or vegetarian (I am 99% carnivore, every meal) but I can appreciate a meatless meal every now and then, and this was fine.You can take your food and eat on plastic picnic chairs in the back under the large banyan tree, this is actually my favorite part of this place. You can meditate if you want, or just eat your food in a throwback to old Hawaii. I didn't take any pictures like I usually do, I guess I was immersed in the throwback.

An absolutely lovely Indian buffet. All of the food looked beautiful, fresh, was aromatic, and tasted incredible. This looks like a big old estate that has been turned into a business. The grounds are really pretty and the entire place has such a peaceful vibe. I was greeted very politely, and can't wait to go back. Everything was delicious. There's a sign that says that the food is made with love and I believe it!

Been here a few times and the food is delicious. 4/5 good. The price is by weight per plate. They have a good daily mix of Indian and Italian vegan buffet. The con is it's expensive, otherwise I'd come more often. I'm a small woman, I'd always need to spend at least $20-25 per plate to get full. (Rice and pasta is heavy) For the same price, you can easily go buy larger plates or go to a fancier restaurant. Why do I keep coming back? I love the view of the big tree in the back, and the vegan Italian food! The Italian/Pasta dishes are better than the Indian food here. (I cook Indian food at home) The restaurant is inside a Hindu temple. The strange thing is there's hardly any Indians that come here, it's mostly Caucasian people and yogis that visit regularly. I wish they had a richer Indian culture and community here.

Excellent vegan and vegetarian food in a very peaceful and friendly environment. Love this place!

Best Indian food on the island. I would eat there everyday if Govinda was closer to my home. Having lived in Nepal & India, it is a wonderful treat to have these authentic dishes available. A lot of Indian folks come to Govinda and that says it all. Namaste.