I'm South Indian. The place is great. All the (very few) Indians I know who live in this neighborhood are regulars there and one friend even had them cater her wedding. (Also to other reviewers - stop ordering North Indian food at this South Indian restaurant and then reviewing them as not as good as if you had gotten them at other North Indian restaurants?) The only reason I'm reviewing this is because I'd like people to be aware that dosa is a brunch item!!! My white partner told me that white people don't know that, and that's why every time we go there for brunch we have no wait, and there are only other brown people there at brunchtime! I've waited a while to write this because it's GREAT to go to a brunch place with no line in Fort Greene! But then I decided that I do like the restaurant and want them to succeed, so as a service to them I'm letting you all know to please start going there for brunch which is a very logical and normal time to be going to a dosa restaurant :) read more

Delicious! Dosas are spot-on, appetizers delicious. We got the masala Sosa, spinach dosa, lentil donut app and popcorn chicken app and it was definitely too much food for two--but I was happy to take leftovers. Service is wonderful and attentive and the decor is super cute. There's also a beautiful garden out back that's great for group hangs. Will be back soon! Don't forget to visit the ATM before you leave - cash only! read more

Dosa Royale has such a steady slew of positive reviews so far for a new restaurant that I was starting to think all the owner's friends were just writing good reviews to help a brother out. Whether or not that's the case, EVERYTHING YOU'VE READ ABOUT THIS PLACE IS TRUE. This really is exactly what Carroll Gardens, or really anywhere outside of Curry Hill, needs. Dosas, glorious dosas! This place is maybe a bit more expensive than your typical Indian joint, but this place is also much better than your typical no-frills Indian joint. The atmosphere is upbeat and lively, decked out with basic but modern touches, and Dosa Royale is creatively written on the brick wall in Tamil. We dined here on a Monday night and just barely beat the crowds - I can't imagine most places get this busy on a Monday. We started with a few drinks, but I really did have a hard time choosing just one (it was just a Monday after all). I decided on the Pondicherry Punch, which was nice and fruity but not too girly because of the bitters. The Gimlet Royale also looked good, mostly because it was made with actual pink peppercorns, and the traditional mango lassi looked frothy and festive with some freshly grated nutmeg on top. We decided to go with the place's namesake, the Dosa Royale, a massive dosa stuffed generously with 3 different fillings - spinach and paneer, mixed vegetables and potato masala. Seriously, this thing was maybe a foot and a half long. I'm not sure where one filling started and the other one stopped, but every bite was delicious. The dosa was thin and just crispy enough on the edges but soft enough in the middle to hold it all together. I love a meal you can eat with your hands. As big as it was, the 2 of us somehow had no problem finishing it off. We also shared the Chettinad lamb which was perfectly spicy and bursting with complex flavors. We were just full enough at this point but couldn't say no to some gulab jamun for dessert. These three small balls of honey soaked fried deliciousness was just the right amount - what a nice way to end a great meal. I'm already thinking about the things I'm going to order when I come back, which will be very soon! read more

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Incredibly lackluster and disappointing. The chicken korma, my girlfriend's favorite dish, was very watery, with neither body nor subtle interplay of tastes. I can't even remember what I ordered, merely that it was a waste of money. read more

I'm a Brit. Brits know curry. These guys also know curry. We'd passed a few times and thought about going in. This time we passed at around dinner time and there were a few people inside. We thought we would give it a try and we were not disappointed! The food is reasonably priced and absolutely excellent. The menu isn't huge but that means that they can really focus on the dishes they do to the exclusion of all else. I can honestly say that the dosas my wife and I had were the best we had ever had. HUGE, packed with filling, served with flavourful sauces and delivered by smiling and pleasant staff. What's not to like? A big group of parents with kids came in part way through our meal. We offered to move table so they could all fit better. The waitress was so appreciative they gave us a free dessert - even though we made the offer to move ourselves and it didn't inconvenience us in the least. We'll go back. We'll probably go back a lot! read more

This is the best Indian food I've had in Brooklyn. The Chettinad chicken is very tasty. Dosa Royale gets the flavors right. The dishes taste very distinct from one to the other, unlike your typical Brooklyn Indian restaurant where everything seems vaguely similar. The only problem is that dosas don't travel very well for delivery. That's not the restaurant's fault though. I recommend you eat-in for those. read more

Wow. Where to begin. Tried this place out at Smorgasburg so I will say that there's a good chance that it may not have delivered on the same level as the actual restaurant. The dude making the dosas was way too overconfident in his abilities and ended up burning/breaking our masala dosa TWICE (busy having side conversations, taking deliveries, and flirting with neighboring vendors as the hot plate was left ignored). After the first flub, he offered us a free cucumber mint lemonade in remorse (hence the two stars) and after the second time, he tried to play it off like it didn't happen again, but at that point I was just interested in eating it regardless of how pretty it looked, so I didn't say anything. And he kept repeatedly (4 times) asking me if I wanted my masala dosa spicy... I was plenty loud and clear each time, so I'm not sure what that was about. Bottom line is, it wasn't worth the long, drawn out wait since the dosa itself was totally bland (masala-less masala dosa, yum!), the sambar (curry) on the side was freezing cold and tasteless, and the coconut chutney (also had no flavor) did nothing to cool down the spicy red sauce. I've had way better dosa experiences for a lot less trouble and money. read more

terrible service, one tall guy who consistently treats me and my partner poorly. love the food so keep going back but always leave feeling disrespected. read more

By far the best Indian food I've had in New York in years. It's run by the loveliest people, and the service is very attentive. It's all very, very good. They serve the most incredible lamb curry, delicious dosas--get the big one, the Royale--with a nice wine list that includes Lambrusco and what looks like delectable cocktails. We will be back until we try the entire menu. Then we'll start over again. read more

Tasty -ish but way way OVER priced! Their prices have surged in the last year, and the quantities are ridiculous. $20 for a small bowl of shrimp curry and extra $5 for rice. Ultimately not worth it read more

Overpriced, and not very good. We ordered the veg samosas to start and they were bland. I had to cover mine in chutney completely, and they still weren't very good. Followed with the staple, a lamb curry. The lamb was "gamey", and considering you purchase rice apart from your meal, it's quite expensive for the size. My wife had a dosa. Very cool looking, but nothing special as well. Wouldn't recommend. read more

The only Indian thing about this place is the name Dosa! Everything else is mediocre at best, this place caters to hipsters who don't know any better. The worst thing at Dosa Royale is the cold sauces served as stews. Do yourself a favor and stay away unless tasteless and stale dishes are your thing. I would give this place no stars if I could. read more

If you are interested in dining at dosa royale, you should go. Food is good, especially for Indian food in that neighborhood. It looks good enough in there and there are some interesting food options that you can share with friends. Having said that, there are definitely some ridiculous things going on there. First, the place looks like it's falling apart... AND they just opened a couple of months ago! Second, the service is kind of a mess and it starts with the manager/owner type who almost knocked me over and said "excuse me", then almost pushed me over again to get to the back for some urgent reason. Third, the boring & typical Pandora/Spotify music was way to loud. I know that may sound trivial and too bitchy, but who wants to go deaf listening to hits from 8 years ago?!? And by the way, too many restaurants these days rely on those internet radio channels for their source of music. C'mon man!!! Pretty cheap and uninspiring. Why should I believe that the same people who won't take the time or care to make a curated playlist, would then take the time & care in every other function of a restaurant? Fourth, why do all of these new restaurants insist on adopting a corporate chain identity? Logos everywhere: t-shirts on servers, on the walls, on the menus. Please! I know where I'm eating at, there's a plain font sign right outside. It's as if they don't want you to forget, think that we are too stupid to remember or that they don't have any ideas on what else they can do. Either way, it's insulting and lame. A lot of these popular restaurants these days are guilty of this generic business practice. I choose to not give my time & money to Applebee's, why should we bludgeoned into boredom with uncreative business models? So there! Visit dosa royale. read more

Love their dosas we order from here every week!! I just hope they don't keep forgetting to check the order notes- we love getting tamarind sauce with our meal read more

I eat a lot of dosas, generally in life. Dosas, as a food item, should be tangy, spicy, have a light crunch to the edges, and go great with a coconut chutney. The fillings can range from simply a bit of lovely potatoes, to a nice medley of spiced vegetables and meats, and dosas can even come with he dough spiced. What I had here at Dosa Royale, unfortunately, was pile of unseasoned vegetable mash contained within a flavorless tortilla. I had the namesake menu item, the Dosa Royale. I poured all the chutney on top of it and still it wasn't enough to bring enough flavor to this (I should mention, very expensive) item. The place gets a star because the little side cup of soup was decent and the vegetables were clearly fresh, thankfully. Makes me feel bad to write this because the guys who work there are really nice, and I once had a great dosa from their Smorgasberg food stand, where I had the Masala Dosa. If you do go here, maybe just get a the Masala dosa and report back with findings. read more

I've been here only perhaps 5 times in the past year, but only because it's not in (or near) my neighborhood. This is the place I bring friends who are visiting to show them how amazing the food in NYC is. I have absolutely nothing critical to say about this place. The portions are pretty big, the food is fresh, the place seems super clean, and the service has always been spot-on. I've never had an issue getting a table either, though for the quality of food and service, I don't understand why there isn't a line out the door. Again, can't say enough good things. Wish there was one in Bushwick (actually, guys, I think you'd probably do really well around the Jefferson L....). Go there, now! read more

Promising but let's you down if you're excited for dosas. Let me start with the good. Definitely the most inviting Indian restaurant I have been to. The staff is super friendly. And they have decent cocktails and a bar! Well, the reason one might go there, for the dosas - is where you're let down. The dosa was undercooked, tasteless and bland. Trust me, I have been eating dosas almost all my life, I can tell good from bad. The dosa was way too chewy. And quite honestly cardboard would have been a better substitute. The chutneys were average. Sambar tasted good. When I gave my honest feedback, I was told that the weather was affecting it. I mean, seriously?!? That's your flagship menu item. Your name has dosa in it. Try harder. read more

Dosa Royale, it's unfortunate that I have such a big appetite because whenever I eat out I hope for food that is nutritious and filling and after leaving Dosa with a vegetarian lunch platter with rice I had to stuff my face with two donuts from Dough (I love those donuts but it's not right that one should feel so hungry as to eat two of those gigantic doughnuts) because Dosa Royale lunch just was not filling - it seemed of cheap quality ingredients (no complex flavors) and simple, very few vegetables, mostly very liquidy and very saucy - large amount of rice that keep you full for an hour but the vegetables size and portion in the curry is so small...the largest and most interesting aspect of the meal was three cauliflower pieces...two star review. read more

Very pleased with a Saturday lunch. Keema samosa was light and greaseless -- the mint and tamarind sauces tasted homemade. A lentil vada was crisp, accompanied by spicy coconut chutney. The massive royale dosa easily serves two for an entree as it should at $18. The masala and vegetable fillings were combined, something that wasn't explained properly. It came with 5 sauces -- an eggplant sambar, tomato cream, coconut, mint and a hummus colored sauce. A large and delicious dish. Service was good. The only disappointment was a small mimosa read more

The fact that there were no other indian guests when we arrived should have been the red flag that made us leave but unfortunately we didnt. overpriced. samosas were not spicy at all and the filling was so plain. mango lassi was fucked up... how do you fuck up mango lassi... $13 dosa was no more than average however the sambar was a weird texture and tasted off. we wont be returning unfortunately. read more

Dosa Royale has a creative cocktail list as well as a variety of non-alcoholic options to choose from. The majority of the menu options were Dosa's-like the name implies. The Dosa's are of generous portion and are crispy on the outside and moist in the middle at the same time. Staff members are extremely friendly here and very willing to help. When I looked up for my table to request an extra spoon the bartender came out from behind the bar right away. The bar by the way, is a beautiful and inviting asset to the restaurant and apparently after next week outdoor dining will be available in the back. Overall I enjoyed my experience because of the creative menu, the friendly atmosphere and the variety of options under each section of the menu. read more

Yum! I would give 4 and a half stars if I could. What a relief to get some updated and fresh-feeling Indian food in the neighborhood. We had the spinach-paneer dosa which was thin, crispy and came with outstanding dipping sauces; and the lamb curry which was spicy and full of flavor, if a little meager portion-wise. Turned out to be enough for 2 people with a side order of the buttery ghee bread. Although if you were really hungry and ordered this as your main course it may not be enough. The kitchen very sweetly make us a side order of stewed spinach for our kid. I hope these guys do well. We will definitely be back to try some of the other dishes. Great selection at the bar including our favorite beer, Sixpoint Crisp. Delightful experience which is impressive for opening week. read more

Great dosas. Starters and desserts are average. Service is curt/impersonal but efficient enough. Space is nice but very noisy when full- nothing to absorb sound. Cash only- ??? Very annoying. read more

Having watched this place open, I felt it was necessary to check it out. It sounded great, the reviews were also pretty good, and come on... what's not to love about a dosa? I had high expectations because the prices, the atmosphere, and the reviews lead me to believe it would be great. However, I was misled. The dosas are pretty sparse and slightly on the expensive side. While I'm sure the owners have all the best intentions, I just cannot say that many positive things, which is a big problem because I love most types of Indian cuisine. Things that felt were in need of some improvement: Quantity of filling in the dosa, and better condiment options, the chutney's were boring. Was still hungry. Comfort (tables are crammed in, probably to fit the huge bar) Anyhow, I will return on a stealthy mission to see how things improve, because I really want this place to stick around. Look for an updated review, eventually. read more

Disappointing start to finish. The positives: The wait staff are friendly, helpful, and mostly efficient. The garden space in back is quite nice. Everything was clean and well maintained. The rest: The cuisine is rather lacklustre. The thali is a mishmash of small little servings on one platter. Each serving is about the size of a small ramekin or a large condiment cup. Each dish is utterly bland. There were as well 2 soups included in this. Both in the same small ramekins as the other items. One tasted of canned minestrone, the other of nothing. Oh, and we never did get spoons. The dosa are, to be sure, quite massive. Think of a giant crepe cooked until it begins to get crunchy, then rolled over servings of whatever is on offer. Ours was the signature Dosa Royale containing for all intents and purposes under seasoned home fries with a whip of curry flavour, stewed mixed veggies that tasted of little more than overcooked vegetable medley, and something I never could quite identify - either by its appearance or its total lack of flavour. At least the beer was cold. read more

More like 3.5 stars. Basic Indian food featuring dosas. I tried the cauliflower , Which tasted like faux buffalo wings rather than cauliflower. I would skip that . I also tried chicken korma which was good, needed more spice if you ask me as dosa with curried potatoes which was also good, next time I'd try a different filling. It's cash only -which is inconvenient . Inside looks more like a take out place. Overall it was good/okay. read more

CASH ONLY! no fee ATM INSIDE. I rarely carry cash on me. Why? So people can't rob me, and I have no opportunity to help the poor who walk from the front to end of the subway asking for money. Thankfully, this place has an ATM inside if you're like me, who only carries plastic. I had a hankering for indian tonight, and bf wanted to try a new place. I also wanted to introduce him to dosas, so I sneakily convinced him that there were heavier items as well if the dosas were too light. We decided to order for carry-out bc we had to repark the car. ORDER - Spinach & paneer dosa: a bit soggy. Lesson learned, dine in and eat dosa. There was lots of spinach, but very little paneer shreds. I'm sure it'd taste better if it was right off the stove and crispy. - Chicken 65: very little portion for the price. Bf didn't like it much. It looked pretty much like fried chicken with a red sauce. Prolly try chicken tikka next time. - Uttapam: Bf loved this with the side sauces. For the size, it's quite filling. - Spinach paneer + rice: Bf ordered this the 2nd day. It's much smoother like a puree compared to the other places we've been to. We agreed that we like our spinach to be not fully pureed so it doesn't feel like soup. The huge chunks of paneer were great though. - Sweet potato masala dosa: Dosa was so much better eating in. I loved the crispiness. And I love sweet potato too bc it's packed with vitA. The spice mixture wasn't hot at all, which I loved. My friend ordered mysore, which to him wasn't spicy either. So if you want to turn up the heat add on the chiles. On the expensive side. Most likely due to the neighborhood rent. I probably will just save my dosa eating at NY dosa cart near Washington Park and just eat the curries, etc here in brooklyn. What I didn't like was that you had to pay extra for rice. Sure, there are flavored rices, but I think all entrees should come with plain. Rice is cheap and should never be charged if unadultered. Service was ok. We had to wave our hand to flag the waiter a couple times. If you eat in, you can keep asking to refill chutneys and soup. There's a small outdoor garden out back where you can sit and eat. read more

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The place is good ,if you want to eat only dosa. I ordered chicken 65, which was made with sweet teriyaki sauce. read more

The most disgusting Indian food ever. Even Trader Joe's frozen curry is better than what they serve here. The spinach paneer was so oily where you can see the layer floating on top. And there is literally so much salt I felt like I could taste the graininess of it. I don't know how a restaurant can make such bad tasting but expensive food. Don't ever go here. read more

I wish Yelp allowed half stars! I want to give Dosa Royale a 3.5 overall for the food and the warm service. My wife and I randomly met Emily, the manager of this restaurant at a New Yrs Eve party on the Lower East Side and she did a great job of marketing the restaurant! Given that we are both super into trying out new places, we thought we'd give it a shot. We roped a few of our friends in to make the trip to Brooklyn. We found the restaurant fairly easily, and it was nice to see Emily when we walked in. Since we arrived rather late for lunch (2:30), we were able to find a place immediately. We first ordered masala chais and Madras filter coffees which were really good. The filter coffee in particular was a big hit. For starters, we ordered the Kothu Porotta and the Sukka Varuval. I thought the Kothu Porotta was just OK but the Sukka Varuval was above average. Not exceptional, but pretty good. Our entre orders comprised of an assortment of Dosas, a Lamb Chettinad and a Chennai Fish Curry. I thought the lamb curry was pretty decent, but again, not exceptional. The Fish curry was also, well, not bad. The dosa eaters, however were not too pleased with their dosas. I had a few bites and thought they were fine, but not as good as Kokum or Sarvana Bhavan on Murray Hill. The potatoes were a bit undercooked and the dosas, when cold, became a bit chewey. After we finished our entres, one of the staff brought us a small assortment of curries to taste, which I thought was a particularly nice gesture. When we were done, we ordered the Parippu Payasam and the Carrot Halwa as dessert, both of which I thought were pretty good. The Payasam in particular brought back fond memories. Overall, we had a decent experience. Dosa Royale fills a void in this part of Brooklyn and caters to those with an affinity for decent South Indian food. Would I travel from Manhattan to Brooklyn just to eat here? Probably not - I think the places in Manhattan are a little better. However, this restaurant does serve good food, and the staff is warm and friendly. If you live in the area, it is def worth a try! read more

Hmm if you play with my dosa you make me angry and top of it waitress was on the phone continuously and not bothered to attained us makes me more sad .anyway here is honest review about this place I ordered masala dosa idli Sambhar and masala chai ..dosa taste good but sambhar and idli were tasteless..masala chai was good service was not good though ..over all not so good experience..for South Indian food we hv better options in Lexington Avenue place called Sawanaa Bhavana.. read more

I and my husband checked this place out last week, on a busy Friday evening. Overall it was alright, we left this place with some mixed feelings though. They take only CASH- what an inconvenience! Food- great taste, very pleased with the flavors, portion was alright. Service- I give 2 starts for the mediocre service, the lady server was not attentive, did not even ask how the food was.. she was busy.. maybe that's why?? Hmm... We decided to plan to go back and give another chance since the food was great. read more

Was very excited to be have a south Indian restaurant so close to me in BK. Went with a couple friends to try it out. First of all we waited quite a long time to get seated which we didn't really mind as they have a good drink and wine selection at the front bar. When we finally got seated and ordered a round of cocktails, we were told one of them wasn't available. I ordered another one on the menu with pink peppercorns and although it was good I kept getting husks of the peppercorns in my mouth which wasn't pleasant. The food itself although fairly good needs further work. Having traveled around south India for a while I was excited for the idly (steamed rice dumplings) which were rather heavy and didn't come with enough coconut chutney. The dosa I ordered was large and tasty although overpriced for the what it was. The dipping sauces had large chunks of dried peppers that we had to work around. The service was courteous although a bit inefficient. Hopefully this place will come into it's own in the coming weeks and months. I look forward to another visit once they have their back and front of house in harmony and good working order. read more

Eaten here a few times with a small group. The dhosas are the things to get, and I would recommend sticking to them. Beverage service is limited and one has to pry a bit to get all the info. Service is somewhat slack but it gets done. read more

I went to Dosa Royale went it was in Cobble Hill. I was in the mood for dosa and some friends recommended we go to Dosa Royale. I was thinking "dosa in Brooklyn?" I was thinking of going to Jackson Heights (Queens). Well, I decided to go along with Dosa Royale, not expecting much, in terms of authenticity, from a place located in a gentrified neighborhood. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The décor was elegant. I ordered the sweet potato dosa and was very satisfied. We also ordered a paneer dish to share which was also delicious. Also, the staff was very helpful in helping my friends choose a dosa (both never had dosa). Overall satisfied and will definitely go to their new location. read more

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Not the best Dosa I've ever had, but certainly edible...though the one I ordered (Spinach & Paneer) was a little light on the spinach & paneer...not much filling. I'm sure I'll be back, but not my favorite. Warning: cash only...but they have a cash machine with no fee. read more

How have I not been to you sooner Dosa Royale. With your paper thin crepes and assortment of curries, you are a standout in the neighborhood. Start with a mango lassi, or glass of wine or beer. For $12, the spinach and paneer dosa was large enough to share. The chennai fish curry ($16) was delicious but could have benefitted from a few more pieces of fish for the price. Plain rice costs an additional $2. Save room for gulab jamon or coconut rice pudding. read more

It is great to have a place for dosas nearby. I have to say I still prefer Hampton chutney. I found that the filling in the dosas was sparse. But it was flaky and yummy. The outdoor garden was a relaxing place to sit and the waitstaff was attentive and understanding that this was a quick bite before heading to the movies and that we were short on time. My son was happy with his dosa and felt that his also lacked the amount of filling that we are used to at Hampton chutney. read more

Awesome service and great food. Ashok and Arun are doing an amazing job! Great masala dosa and beer served

Dosa Royale is a great spot in the 'hood to hang out and have an affordable and delicious meal. I will definitely be back! Atmosphere: The inside is nice, but if its a nice day definitely head out back for the awesome backyard patio scene. It's beautiful and quiet and very serene. Service: Relaxed. Friendly. Efficient. Food: Awesome. I shared the Dosa Royale with a friend and it was plenty of food for the both of us. We both noted that the dosa itself was relatively bland, but it's served with a bunch of chutneys and whatnot which push the flavor up substantially. The fact that there are so many different sauces means you won't get bored flavor-wise. Drink: Good selection of beers including some great craft options. We did not try the cocktails, but they sounded great and seemed to be well-paired to the Indian flavors of the food. read more