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Madras Cafe

3.9 (185 reviews)
ModerateIndian
Closed • 11:00 am - 2:30 pm, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Updated 2 months ago

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MADRAS CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Classy
Happy hour specials
Good for groups

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Idk what kind of curry this is because the host wouldn't tell me what was in my 'surprise bag' from the Too Good to Go app.
Marie M.

Chicken curry with no chicken, only bones and a chunk of cartilage. I ordered off of the app Too Good to Go which is an app that helps reduce food waste and let people try new places for cheaper, so this was my first impression. I'd rather spend $20 and go to Charminar down the street instead and have something edible with leftovers. If you don't want to participate on the Too Good to Go app, then don't. But don't give someone a discount and then give them something you would not serve to a regular patron. And if this is what you would actually serve, then I don't know how you're still in business. And the server/host would not even tell me what kind of curry it was, just kept repeating non-veg after I asked him several times. He seemed annoyed that he had to talk to me or something. Very stingy restaurant. Who is paying $20 for this??

Chana Masala
Leah C.

I got the Chana masala and my dear friend got the butter chicken. This restaurant slaps. If you live in the San Diego area and know it's good for you. You'll eat here. "They could butter my chicken any day." DAIRY FREE AND TREE NUT FREE OPTIONS OUT THE WAZOO! (2)

Aditi D.

Madras Cafe was absolutely unreal -- oh my god. We went as a group and everyone ordered something different, and it was honestly crazy how good everything was. I had the Mysore Masala Dosa, thali, and filter coffee, all of which were phenomenal. The dosa was perfectly crisp and spicy, the thali had so much variety and comfort, and the filter coffee was strong and nostalgic in the best way. But truly, every dish that hit the table looked and tasted amazing. Authentic South Indian flavors, generous portions, and one of those meals where you're just constantly passing plates around saying "try this." Absolute must-visit.

Nell E.

Madras Cafe is such a great meal deal! get a rice and chicken plate with a tasty sauce at ~$6/meal with the too good to go app. every bit was so flavorful and it was delicious and filling! lots of seating but pickup is very easy and convenient, loved it!

Masala Dosa
Poonam M.

I ordered a onion rava mysore masala dosa , it took a little longer to get then my friends masala dosa, but mine was definitely tastier out of the 2 . Sambhar was a little spicy but also a little saltier. It came with tomato and coconut chutney.

Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken 65 Biryani, Garlic Naan
Sofia G.

Stopped by over the weekend & had a great experience! The server was very kind, and helped us picked out dishes that fit certain dietary needs. We ordered Chicken Tikka Masala, Boneless chicken biryani, and garlic naan. The food was very flavorful, the Chicken Tikka Masala was hands down my favorite. The restaurant was surprisingly quiet for a sunday afternoon, with mostly takeout orders coming in and out. Very lowkey spot, with delicious food

Paneer Tikka masala
Arnold T.

I would have given this place 4 stars but they were slightly rude to my friend for trying to use the restroom on a to go order. For a South Indian restaurant, I thought they would make the dish a lot spicier. However , I thought it came out as medium spice when I ordered it with the highest spice level. The paneer Tikka masala was good...I would order it again but for lunch it was around $18 with rice but no naan bread. I think it is pricey.

Chicken tikka masala
Meghan W.

This Madras Cafe is located in a business area. Traffic is light. Parking is easy. I did take out on a Wednesday night. The order was ready quickly. I got the chicken tikka masala. It was OK. I thought the portion was small for the price of 16.99. There also was a higher ratio of potato to chicken. I would give it another try.

Dosa (very left) garlic naan (top) pepper chicken (middle left) paneer (middle right)
Jarren G.

We ordered the idla vada combo, kadai paneer, pepper chicken curry, garlic naan, and chef special dosa. The sambal that came with the idli and dosa were demicious. Def want to try more Dosa. The paneer and pepper chicken were seasoned perfectly, the only downside would be having to pick the bones out of the chicken. The naan was also very good when paired with the paneer and chicken. Our host helped us pick our dishes and was very descriptive. Service was quick and food came out hot. It's a cute lil store, def gon come back.

Margo C.

I found this modest and quiet little restaurant near my hotel and dined here twice with my family...we loved it! The five stars are for the peaceful, low-key, and cozy ambience, and the good value for the several yummy dishes we tried--chicken biryani, chicken tikka masala, andhra chicken curry, vegetable makhani, mixed veg uthapam, veg samosas, and garlic and plain naan...and mango lassi and the chai...all delicious, the curries with lots of tasty sauce! I loved the little light that was provided at our table when it became dark, and we all appreciated the kind, friendly, quick and efficient service...the mark of a truly good meal IMO is when everyone is happy and enjoying both the food and company, with no stress from staff, prices, noise (or even other diners)...all was good here! There was plenty of food to take home, especially the biryani, and I hope to be back again to try yet more dishes...

Alan S.

So for the first time trying dosa and it was a great experience, I also got the cutting chai and that was nice and piping hot. I will say that the portion is large but the taste was okay, I was told by my South Asian friend that the dough was actually a bit thicker and the taste did not meet standards. As a result I found it pleasant with the sauces but the potatoes did seem a bit dry and though it did have flavor because of the seasonings it was as GenZ says "mid". I was left with wanting more and hope to try other Dosa that can hit the spot.

Filter coffee
Pranjali S.

3.5 stars overall. We came here on a Sat afternoon and there was only one other occupied table. I assume it gets busy during the week with the work crowd in the area. We got the samosa Chaat, the bezwada biryani and the paneer biryani. We also got a filter coffee. The samosa Chaat was good but it was more Chaat than samosa. The filter coffee was pretty good too. The biryanis were good but could've been much more spicy (especially since we asked for spicy). The bezwada biryani would probably rank at 4 on my biryani list for San Diego (I have about 6 places in my list). It was miles away from the top 2 biryani options. My friend said their paneer biryani was pretty good. I'm glad there is an Indian restaurant in this region and I'll be back to taste their south Indian food next time.

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Varun D.

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We ate dosa and chole bhatura over here.. bhatura was good but does was ok.. service was good and coffee also was nice

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This place was a whole adventure…read more Food 4/5 Service 2.5/5 Ambiance 3/5 Loud, bustling, and slightly overstimulating. The space is beautifully curated but between the music and all the loud dialogue from both the diners and the front staff, it felt difficult to hear each other. In retrospect, perhaps that was why it took us four attempts to get to-go containers for our leftovers. It didn't matter how we said it over the course of 15 minutes, the dude simply could not hear us. Service was slow but it was also pretty busy when we went. We ordered saag paneer, dhaba chicken, two naan, a side of rice, and raita. When our food eventually got to our table half an hour later, it was hot, perfectly spicy, and delicious. We were surprised how generously sized the servings were...except the dhaba chicken literally had four small chunks of chicken swimming in a sea of curry. That was a major bummer. However, with the rest of the stuff we ordered, it still felt like plenty of food. We left with full bellies and feeling frustrated. Like I said, this place was a whole adventure.

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We had such a great experience at Dosa Studio! It's a vegetarian spot, and the dosa was honestly SO…read moregood. We went in the morning, but because we had our pup with us, we decided to get our food to-go and eat outside. The workers were incredibly nice and welcoming, which made the experience even better. The food tasted really fresh and healthy, and one of my favorite things was that it wasn't salty at all. The dosa was amazing -- almost like eating a delicious, savory sourdough pancake! The sauces that came with it were also really unique and flavorful. Everything tasted so fresh and different from the usual. And the mango lassi was really good too! It was creamy, refreshing, and, best of all, not overly sweet, which I really appreciated. You definitely need the lassi after dosa it just brings all the flavors all together. We also found out there's another Indian restaurant right next door that's owned by the same people, which was a fun surprise. We'd definitely love to come back to this plaza and try more food next time. Such a lovely vegetarian spot with great food and genuinely nice people. Definitely recommend!

This place has gone from being the only reliably decent South Indian restaurant in town to a…read morecompletely underwhelming disappointment. The restaurant itself now feels neglected, and unfortunately the staff presentation reflects that. Several employees appeared unkempt and poorly groomed, which does not inspire confidence in the cleanliness or overall standards of the establishment. They desperately need showers, shaves, hair cuts, deodorant, clean clothes and shoes. As for the food -- the decline in quality is impossible to ignore. What used to be flavorful and authentic now tastes rushed, cheap, and poorly executed. The coconut chutney barely tastes like coconut anymore. Instead, it tastes overwhelmingly of chickpeas, seemingly used as a filler to support the "unlimited chutney" concept at the buffet bar. There's little to no proper tempering or seasoning, leaving you with what feels like bland chickpea paste masquerading as coconut chutney -- a key accompaniment that South Indian food simply does not work without. Their "Chaat Night" is equally disappointing and honestly an insult to authentic North Indian chaat. The flavors, textures, and freshness that make good chaat enjoyable are completely missing. The idlis were cold and hard as rocks, while the dosas arrived cold, soggy, and utterly lacking flavor or crispness. What a fall from grace. This place clearly can no longer maintain the standards and quality that made it popular when it first opened.

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Punjabi Tandoor is one of my favorite Indian restaurants in San Diego and it is truly a hidden gem…read morein the neighborhood of Miramar. A family friend introduced me to this restaurant many years ago and I have since been back many times. It is different from many other Indian restaurants I have visited as it functions more like a fast casual restaurant than a formal sit down one. You order first and then wait at one of the tables for your food to be ready. I have never had to wait more than 10 minutes for my food. The menu is large with both meat and vegetarian options. The standout entrees in my opinion are the curries, specifically the chicken tikka masala and the chicken makhani. They are both some of the most flavorful curries I have had while not being super spicy at the same time. I quite like the chana masala as well. You can order a single entree or a combo plate with multiple entrees. I like the combo plates because I can get multiple entrees that I like and the specific combo I always order (#4) also includes rice, naan, and kheer. Kheer is a sweet rice pudding that comes in a small cup on the side and it is very delicious! I never see kheer included in the price of a meal at other Indian restaurants but Punjabi Tandoor's version is the best I have had.

I have not had Indian food in 10+ years! But I recently went to Punjabi Tandoor, and it reminded me…read moreof how much I enjoy Indian food. What my brother-in-law and I ordered: chicken pakora, lamb vindalu, and chicken tikka marsala. We had to order basmati rice, which didn't come with the entrees, and we also got garlic naan. It was all so flavorful and pretty good portions of food. The naan could've definitely been more garlicky though! We had dinner later in the evening so it was not too packed at all. It's a very casual, laidback place to eat and the people are super nice!

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Came here with a friend and her kids to try dishes that our colleagues recommended had such a great…read moreexperience at Pista House! Everything we ordered was delicious. The garlic and cheese naan was SO good! It was warm, flavorful, and cheesy and paired perfectly with the butter chicken. The chicken biryani and samosas was also packed with flavor and definitely one of our favorites! The customer service made the experience even better. Everyone was very friendly, attentive, and quick, and our food came out fast. Great food, great service, and an overall wonderful experience. We'll definitely be back and highly recommend Pista House if you're craving delicious Indian food!

One of the best Indian meals I've had!…read more We started with the aloo puff, a golden, flaky, multi-layered pastry filled with deliciously seasoned mashed potatoes. You must order this--it was so good! I'm especially glad I came with a friend who's an expert in Indian cuisine. She actually texted me beforehand and recommended this place specifically for this appetizer. I didn't even see it on the menu, so finding it was an unexpected bonus! For the main course, we ordered the Amaravathi Fish Biryani, featuring tender pieces of fish layered with fragrant basmati rice. It was absolutely delicious--not too salty, with just the right amount of spice. I normally order chicken masala at Indian restaurants, so this was my first time trying a fish dish, and it was definitely the right choice. The portion was huge--easily enough for two people, with plenty of leftovers. The restaurant has beautiful décor, and I really loved the ambiance. I'll definitely be back to try more dishes!

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I love everything egg-related; I can eat them all day. As soon as I saw this restaurant name, I…read moreknew I had to go! (Plus I love indian food!!) Saw a post on Instagram that sold me. I came here for lunch and it wasn't busy so I was able to take my time to look at the menu before ordering at the cashier. We split one of the sandwiches with potatoes and a 2-part curry dish with naan, called the bullet fry. The potato sandwich was delicious!!! Crunchy yet super soft bread, excellently seasoned potatoes, and a creamy finish with cheese and mayo. This is something I could imagine eating at home --- combine random ingredients until they work! The bullet fry had 2 different styles of curry/mixture. One was more herby with green garlic (kinda tasted like spinach), and the other was a little spicier with chunks of hard-boiled egg inside. The entire dish had two sunny-side up eggs on top.. a perfect way to dip into it with your naan! I really enjoyed the food and there's so much on the menu that I want to try.. especially the panipuri. I tried some in Nepal last year and I really loved it, so I cant wait to try again.

We came here for dinner on a Wednesday evening around 7pm and there were a lot of tables an…read moreavailable. This place has a good amount of space for a casual restaurant. The woman at the counter where we ordered was very helpful and friendly. At her suggestion we got the Dahi-Puri for an appetizer. We haven't heard of it before and wanted to try it. It was a good light appetizer. The sauces on top were quite tasty. We also got Samosas, Butter Chicken Masala, and Chicken Biryani. Everything tasted pretty good. The chicken in the biryani was cooked well. Most places seem to dry out their chicken for this dish but not this place which was good. The only thing is that we were told that the two chicken dishes would not be spicy at all but they both were a little bit more than mild and at the upper limit of my tolerance level. We also tried a small Chikoo ice cream which was very good. Not too sweet. Parking here can be a little challenging since there are several businesses.

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Madras Cafe - indpak - Updated October 2026

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