I go back and forth on how I feel about Tamarind. I love their Chicken Tikka Masala and their Samosas. Delicious. That's pretty much what I get every time. When I deviate from that, it's hit or miss for me. With that said, everyone I've ever taken there has liked it.
The vibe of the place itself is nice. There's always some entertaining Indian music video airing in the back corner, and the tables are nice. Portions are generous, and there's always leftovers for the next day. (Nom!)
However - and this is a big however:
The employees are really unfriendly. Like, unfriendly to the point where I wonder if I'm supposed to apologize for coming in to patronize their establishment. Combine that with the extremely high prices, and I come away feeling a little fleeced.
If Udipi were close enough to order from all the time, I probably wouldn't go to Tamarind again. Alas...