Honestly, I'm surprised by the glowing reviews for this place. From the outside, it's hard to even tell it's a restaurant. The building is heavily tinted with black windows and doors that give it more of a storage unit vibe. Walking in, the left side of the entryway was stacked with boxes and catering packaging and the staff didn't notice we were there. The place was busy, but mostly with catering pickups. We had to approach the counter ourselves to just get acknowledged. The dosas were decent but the chutneys and sambar were disappointing. If you're craving good dosas with the right chutneys and sambar to match, skip this one. The atmosphere, service, and sides are not worth it. That said, given how much catering activity was going on, maybe their catering experience is a different story. read more

This place is consistently delicious. They recently did some renovations and rearranged a bit. It looks good. The food is amazing as always. The service is great, though we did ask for everything to be served at once and that didn't happen. It wasn't a big deal, especially with food this good. It's ready when it's ready! read more

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Chicken kothu parota is good and this is the only place that we can go for kothu parota Next is the Andhra chicken 65 . It is quite similar to chicken 65 which is dry and Andhra chicken is mixed with gravy Both are good and definitely worth trying .the service was great and everybody has been very welcoming and cooperative Ambiance was great and they have renovated it now read more

Chennai Express - Chicken kothu parota - Indian Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

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They renovated the place, looks much nicer and cleaner. Super tasty dosas... great customer service . Thank you! read more

Bustling, authentic South Indian dosa spot! While the restaurant is a hole in the wall, it was packed - I can see why! The crispy Masala dosa was flavorful and ginormous, 2 feet long! I really enjoyed the Peanut sauce on the side. The spiced potato Masala had a mild kick. The Chennai Dosa Special was fun to try with thicker spongy dosa like large circular pancakes and Mixed Vegetable Korma sauce. While the enjoyed it, I would save my appetite for the crispy Masala Dosa. The staff was really nice and patient. My little tots got antsy and restless, and made a bit of a mess on the seats and floor, and the staff humbly cleaned it up. There are Happy Hour specials and also Daily specials. Excited to come back to check out the specials and get some Masala Dosa! read more

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This review is solely for their veg kothu paratha and nothing else haha. Got it for a nye party, and it was easily the best item on the table! Loved it :) read more

This place is quite bare-bones, the small shop being taken up by people lumbering through with what looked like a large catering order and offering little in the way of ambiance. The food, though, was legit. I had not tried it anywhere before, but the chickpea salad with shreds of coconut and raw mango they say is a beachside special is the sort of thing I suddenly wish was offered at American beaches. The more obvious order of a dosa yielded a large creation (and this wasn't even the paper dosa) which generous and varied chutneys and a mouthwatering potato masala inside. They cautioned me that the lentil powder inside my crepe would be spicy; it certainly didn't exceed my spice tolerance, but as with any decent South Indian meal, was an explosion of tropical flavors. read more

Chennai Express - Podi Masala Dosai - Indian Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

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Food was Heavenly!!!! One of the best South Indian food...I tried their chicken 65, veg Kothu parotta and chappathi... quantity was very good amount of food for the price. Chicken 65 was piping hot and tasted very good. Kothu parotta was Fabulous ( we travelled 4 hours just for that) and chappathi was very soft and felt fresh no oil was there but gravy that they gave for chappathi was okay. Would Highly recommend this place... Has limited seating and gets crowded easily... As for Ambiance it was not great but Food was too good to notice the Ambiance. read more

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We came here after 2 separate groups of friends recommended it, saying it was so delicious and very spicy. This restaurant is located in an industrial type area, between other businesses. Unless one knows the restuarant is here, it would be easy to miss. I know I have passed it many times driving on Lee Road and never knew of it's existence. Zero ambiance, random decoration, very high ceilings. The place doesn't look very well organized. Sweets on the counters, an unopened pack of water bottles on the counter, some decoration, etc. There was one employee at the counter, who handed me a menu. We must have come during non-busy hours, which was fine. If we came during "peak" hours, we probably would have dealt with a long line and crowding at the table. Another employee was just sitting behind the counter, watching something on his phone. Customer service isn't the best, but if something is needed, they will assist/provide. We seated ourselves, but I ordered at the counter, then they brought the food to us. I wasn't really sure what I "should" have ordered that was considered delicious and spicy, so stuck with our usual orders of chicken biryani and masala dosa. The presentation was nice, but the the biryani was plated on a disposable paper plate, while the masala dosa was on a steel tray with sections for the sambar and chutneys. The masala dosa was okay nothing to really brag about. The chicken biryani was a little bland with 2 chicken legs under the rice. Would I return? Not really sure, maybe if I'm on this road and am extremely hungry. There are so many other better options in the surrounding area for South Indian food. read more

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Tried this restaurant for the first time based on a friends recommendation. The restaurant is very tiny but seemed very busy in the early afternoon on a Saturday. Ordered the special goat biryani (weekends only), masala dosa and paratha and chicken curry. The food was good especially the biryani and dosa but the chicken was a total rip off. Paid $15 for chicken curry and 3 paratha and literally got one small piece of chicken in it. That is totally unacceptable and unbelievable that they would charge that much for one tiny piece of chicken. The ambience is like a road side shack. Not sure if I will give it another try based on this experience. read more

Best Indian food I've ever had. They also helped me with the menu and encouraged me to try eating with my hands. They were all so happy to see me try, that it didn't make me embarrassed how messy I was in the attempt. Wonderful people, and better food. Be sure to try the appetizers. They are the size of meals, and flavor packed! The entrees are likewise huge but thick with gravy. Entrees are best for sopping with rice. read more

Authentic South Indian food!!! We ordered Chicken 65, Chicken Kothu Paratha, Mysore Masala Dosa, Thalpakkati Goat Biryani and finished meal with awesome Filter Coffee The place is little small but the yummy food compensated everything. Friendly staff, simple ambiance and decent price. Totally worth trying if you love some South Indian food. read more

Some items are good. Being vegetarian have no idea about those items but I usually only go there for Kottu parothas which are very good.

This is one of my favorite places for a snack or meal in Northern Virginia. I always get the masala dosa and hot chai. It comes with a giant crepe filled with flavorful potato and spices. Then you guys various dips and stew on the side. It's enough for two people to share if you're not that hungry, but I can eat an order all by myself. Service is fast and efficient. Sometimes the restaurant can be very busy and they can run out of tables, so on occasion I just order to go. But I love eating in the restaurant because sometimes I want to order more! It's so good. read more

Chennai Express - Delicious chai - Indian Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

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Ambiance: It's a very simple restaurant, with emphasis on food over ambiance. We have to order and pay up ahead. Food: This is my review after two visits to this place We had gobi Manchurian which was soo good that we ordered it twice in the same visit. Kotthu parota was okay. Chicken noodles lacked salt and flavors, we asked them to redo it and it was tasty, just like Indian street style noodles. Biryani was okay as well. Chicken lollipop was a disappointment. On second visit we tried dosa and it was really good. The noodles were amazing. But the gobi Manchuria was made very different from previous visit and we could not even finish it. I think the food here is a hit or miss. If they get the consistent with flavors, this will be a great place for street food. Parking: there is ample common parking read more

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Was googling for some South Indian restaurant near chantilly and found this place . The food and overall experience was ok . I thought of giving a 3 star but bumped it upto 4 .. actually a 3.25 restaurant . Service could be better . Ambience wasn't that good . Tables were close to each other and hardly any space to move around . Food wise it was ok. Chutneys weren't that good . I liked kal dosa and chick curry . Chilly parotta was average . Cheese dos was good . Wish the chutneys were a bit more spicy/ tangy and had some salt in it . Overall a ok experience . 3/5 but bumped it to 4 ! read more

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My family and I tried this restaurant for the first time and to say we loved it is an understatement. The food and customer service were impeccable. We ordered the veggie corn soup, califlour manchurian, veggie samosa, fried podi idly, onion samosa, channa masala, rose milk, mango lassi, and a few other dishes I can't remember. My favorite dishes were the califlour manchurian (I will be dreaming about this dish) and channa masala. Everything was amazing and so delicious. We will definitely be back soon and continue to do so in the future. So, if you're in the area this is a must try!! read more

This is my favorite place in NOVA for indo chinese. I always get the chilli chicken and the flavors are so perfect with a good proportion of sauces and spices. I've tried other dishes too and everything tastes great but it is a different palette of flavors as it is has some Tamil Nadu influence which is something I have limited exposure to. The best part is the portion size, for the affordable price, the portions are really large. It is a self-service place which is why its called Chennai express but the staff are really kind. Overall, one of the most consistent and money for value indian restaurants in the city. read more

Chennai Express - Indian Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

Been here a few times now over the last few years. Food was great. We got biriyani, chicken lollipop and the aloo dosa. All was good. We ordered everything medium and it was spicy. The service was good. The ambiance was low key. We went in sweatpants and nobody cares which is great lol read more

This is one of my favorite South Indian restaurants in the DMV area. This reminds me of food from my home town. So authentic. I am usually in this area to play pickleball. Every time I go there, I ensure that I stop here for a nice post game meal. Staff at the front is very welcoming. If you go here, please remember to order at the front and then sit at one of their seats. They don't have service at their seats. Some of my favorite recommendations are - mutton biryani, medu vada (fried lentils and veggies with coconut Chutney), mutton leg soup (pretty spicy but I love it as it helps unclog my sinuses), Kal dosa (crepes made with rice batter and served with lentils and coconut chutney - very delicious). You can also order kal dosa with chicken or goat curry (highly recommended), special chicken biryani is awesome too and chicken 65 or chicken lollipop is my go to appetizer here. Nice and crispy from the outside but juicy and tender from the inside. Overall, just try anything here and you will not be disappointed. read more

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I have been going here for several years. I have not cone across any Indian restaurant that maintained quality for so many years. My fav items are kozhi veepudu , chicken sukha, Kadapa chicken curry, cherries chicken, kothu paratha, chicken fried rice etc.. there are other items we like too, but these are our absolute favorites. Also best part is they are also willing to take any suggestion u may have .. highly recommend this place!! read more

Good food with lots of people cooking food in the kitchen. We tried take out and dine-in both the times we enjoyed the food, if you like spicy food don't forget to mention about the spice levels. The pricing for the food was great and worth every penny. The food we tried smells very fresh and matches with what we can get in India. We tried their family packs for vegetarian and non-vegetarian it was lots of food. Since we liked the food, we ended up eating at the restaurant too, except the ambiance of restaurant the food was good. Please go there to get best south Indian food. read more

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excellent food!! we arrived here right when it opened and were glad we did because it got busy fast! after tasting the dosa and filter coffee i could see why it's so popular - the portions are large and everything tastes amazing. i liked all the chutneys and the sambar, and the dosa was delicious and crispy. the only meh thing was the ambience of the place; the floor was not super clean and the tables and chairs weren't that comfortable, but the food is so good that it makes up for all of that! i will definitely return when i'm in the area! read more

Chennai Express - masala dosai - Indian Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

Brought the parents here at an off time (about 4:30 PM) and it was still busy. Amazing how popular this place seems to be. Unfortunately the staff is unable to keep up with the cleaning, and it shows. My biryani was just ok (mostly rice), my mom felt the dosa was too oily. The ras Malai was just ok as well. The highlight of the meal was the coffee afterwards, it was amazing! read more

Another unassuming hole-in-the-wall spot with bomb food. I'm not sure why but I feel like South Indian restaurants are harder to come by or at least authentic ones. Chennai screams authenticity with their "no need for frills, we know our food is dank" vibes, that we'll blissfully take. Service has always been kind, and they offer a small discount if you pay in cash. I literally drive 35 minutes out for this spot whenever I'm in town--hands down the best chili paneer I've ever had. Fair warning: spice level not for the faint of heart, and I say that as someone with pretty frickin' high tolerance. read more

Most of their food is good and tasty but only little spicy but manageable. Their food basically suits south indians customers. I normally do a take out because the restaurant is always packed most of the time but I enjoy their food for even a take out read more

So...right up front I will tell you there is no ambiance here. The restaurant is in an industrial/warehouse type park and is easy to miss. Much of the food is served in take out containers or on plastic plates, except for the dosas with their metal trays. You order at the counter, seat yourself, and help yourself to napkins and plastic flatware. But 'express' is in the name so what did you expect? However, the food is delicious! The dosas are fantastic and huge and come with a variety of chutneys and a small cup of sambar. I also love the sambar with vada (savory lentil donuts). The dosas are of course prepared fresh and come out quickly. This is my favorite place to stop when I'm in the area. There are lots of vegetarian and vegan options here! read more

Food was terrible for the price. Also customer service was rude and I am almost certain it was from ownership. Will not be back if it's the last place open on earth. read more

Gargantuan dosa with the best flavor I've ever had! My camera couldn't even capture the whole dosa without using panoramic setting... it's served with three sauces and each was divine. I'll definitely be back but I'll bring friends! read more

Chennai Express - Mysore masala dosa - Indian Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

We have been to this restaurant multiple times over the past couple years. Although the restaurant is small and kinda cramped, the service is decent but the food is authentic and delicious. The price is on par with other Indian restaurants and the portions are decent. Our go to items are the Ghee roast dosa, the chicken 65, thokku Paratha and the mango kesar. If not for the distance, we would be here fairly often. read more

I got puri bhaji in take out. The packaging was good for takeout and Bhaji tasted decent. The puri has a very think base and so greasy! I had 1 puri and saved the other one for later. After about 1 hr I had really bad heartburn and indigestion which lasted the whole day. I trashed the rest of the puri. Very disappointed as this is one of my go to Places for Indian food. read more

We got take out from here and we were so disappointed with the food. I had to call the restaurant to make sure this wasn't a mistake. I included a screenshot of what we ordered and then what we got. ONE piece of chicken that also had a bone in it for $14!!!! Ridiculous, will not be going back here again or recommending it to anyone. They also need to work on adding pictures and descriptions to all their items on the website. read more

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Chennai express is the best South Indian food joint in the entire DMV area. No other restaurant comes close to the quality of their food. It is a simple restaurant setup nothing special setup but the food is mind blowing and all dishes are authentic and amazing ! If you have never eaten here you are missing out on some mouthwatering delicacies. read more

Ordered chicken noodles and was wondering about the amount of chicken in it. Please your stuff is good but put appropriate amount of chicken. It's CHICKEN NOODLES not Noodles chicken read more

Chennai Express - Indian Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

Ordered the goat biryani and they said they don't have the dum biryani and suggested the Chennai style goat biryani . They got it it my table immediately but it was mutton pulav with very dry goat pieces . It was short grain rice and not the basmati rice . It was flavorful but the meat was dry. They forgot about my other chicken noodle order . Reminded them twice about the order . They got it once we and everyone else around us who had ordered after us , finished their food . The noodles were horrible and dry . No flavor . Has to ask them for soy sauce still did not taste good . Do not recommend these entrees. read more

Chennai Express - Chennai style chicken noodles - Indian Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

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The food was terrible and had to wait such a long time. There was almost no seating inside the restaurant. The food also had no flavor. I do not recommend. read more

This restaurant continues to be our family's favorite South Indian restaurant in the DMV. The food is super authentic and is a bit of a dive with regards to ambience. It's mostly self serve and you need to order at the front counter and discard your trash at the end. The service is quick and the food, and in particular the dosas are OUTSTANDING!! If there's an important aspect that needs their attention...their restroom is not the cleanest and is often short of soap which is a wee-bit troubling. read more

A true hole in the wall place that could be missed if you drive by too fast! Don't go by hours listed on the door, as we almost turned around and left when it listed it wasn't open on Monday. Glad we saw someone exiting the restaurant and hurriedly ran in. Very informal setting but very yummy food! We got idli and sambar (asked for it in the side and got coconut chutney as well), chicken biriyani, lollipop chicken, chili shrimp, and masala dosa. Service was fast and friendly. Will definitely return to try more items! read more

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This place rocks. Came here during dinner time on a Saturday and there was a long line. There isn't a whole lot of seating in here and every seat was taken. Decided to order our food to go. Cashier said it would be a 1 hour wait for our food to be prepared. He was friendly and helpful. Their Chennai Thalappakattu Biriyani (Weekends Only) is excellent. Such depth of flavor and so aromatic. Their dosas are a hit as well. There was a dosa place when I lived in NY that I loved going to and now I've found a place close to our crib that offers equally tasty dosas. Score! Everything we ordered was incredibly flavorful and perfect for sharing. read more

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Chettinad-Street food at its best. Has the same spice level and flavor as any other street side joint in TamilNadu. The food is just irresistible. Must have: Chicken FriedRice, Parotta+Saalna, Prawn Thokku Avoid: Biryani, Dosas [Not their speciality] read more

Chennai Express - Indian Near Me - Chantilly, Virginia

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