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. read more

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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) read more

Madras Cafe - Chana Masala - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

Masala dosa was a nice big portion. Sambar was good. The chutneys were only OK - the coconut one tasted more like cucumber although the tomato one was decent. But the dosa itself was a good deal. I tried the kesari for dessert and it was not my favorite. I love Indian desserts but this was carby and not very flavorful. I decided not to waste calories on it. But I would order a dosa from here again - filling and with good sambar. read more

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! read more

Madras Cafe - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

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. read more

Madras Cafe - Masala Dosa - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

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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 read more

Madras Cafe - Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken 65 Biryani, Garlic Naan - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

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. read more

Madras Cafe - Paneer Tikka masala - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

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. read more

Madras Cafe - Chicken tikka masala - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

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. read more

Madras Cafe - Dosa (very left) garlic naan (top) pepper chicken (middle left) paneer (middle right) - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

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... read more

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Amazing food & fast service. Staff is really nice and the place is very clean & welcoming. I've been looking for some good South Indian food in San Diego, & compared to other places we tried, this place is super clean & serves a verity of delicious foods. Their portions are very generous! read more

I stopped in here because it was the only place open in the neighborhood that time of evening that wasn't a bar and grill (except the very good Gravity Heights but I wanted a change of pace). It's a small and unassuming place tucked in a strip mall with hodgepodge decor, but I knew upon seeing that the place was crowded and we were the only non-Desi customers that I'd chosen wisely. Speaking of which if you're not from a culture that eats food that can peel paint off walls, tell them you want between mild and medium. My kids, who are not wimps when it comes to spicy food, had to hit the mango lassis hard as they put the food away. The chili and cheese dosa was great, loved the sauces, our various curries were rich and flavorful, and the aforementioned lassis were, well, pleasingly mango-y. The one thing I'd ask is that staff stand in plainer view for when you need stuff: they're attentive but when not running dishes congregate in an area that's not in line of sight of the row of booths. Next time I'll Uber so I can have a few Taj Mahals and try some of other dosas. read more

I came to pick up my to go order that I reserved a day before and as I came to pick up my food many groups came in got seated, ordered, and they received their food. I waited almost over an hour and when I came home my food was so fucking salty don't go here. That is actually ridiculous. read more

enjoyed the late lunch at this quiet South Indian restaurant. Customer service is great. Food was decently delicious, some salt issues with vada and chutney. But podi dosa was good, the vegetarian thali was good.. Found the Sambhar to be decent. I can totally see myself eat here again. read more

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. read more

Madras Cafe - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

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One of our fav South Indian restaurants. We travel from LA to SD for the food! Comfort food for our family. Food is always on point Egg briyani, dal fry, dosas and paneer butter masala. read more

Bruh... this Flakky Parotta & Chicken Korma is bomb. Highly recommend. Tooo goood!!! The masala dosa is great too!! read more

Madras Cafe - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

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

We dined at Madras cafe over the weekend and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. We were a party of 15 with age group from young adult to elderly parents. All dishes we ordered were packed with flavor. The crispy masala dosa had just the right crunch, paired beautifully with their perfectly spiced sambar and an assortment of chutneys. The large fluffy uttapam made with a tangy fermented batter stuffed with veggies was just per,The portion sizes are really good too . We also ordered Kadai goat and 3 goat fry dishes .The Mutton was fresh and cooked in saucy and flavorful curries . The Hot piping Bhatura with paneer curry was delicious and my son devoured the huge steamy crispy bhatura . The Service and the staff was warm and so welcoming, ensuring we had everything we needed. If you're craving authentic South Indian food, this place is a must-visit. Whether you're a dosa lover or a fan of rich, aromatic curries,this place won't disappoint!Highly Recommend read more

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. read more

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The masala dosa is legit. It's one of the only foreign foods that my whole family enjoys! Yes, my teenage son goes through two full sized dosas, but it's real food and it's super yummy! read more

Website shows it is open, they don't answer calls. when you go in personally to place order at 4:10...the guy says we will take order only after 4:30, asks me to come back then...while he serves coffee and pakora to customers dining in. read more

We recently dined in at Madras Cafe, and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. We ordered a variety of dishes including Naan, Chicken Tikka Masala, Hyderabadi chicken dum biriyani, and dosas, and each one was flavorful, well-prepared, and beautifully presented. The Hyderabadi biriyani was aromatic and authentic, with tender chicken and perfectly cooked rice. The Naan was very soft and fresh.The dosas were crispy and the sambar and chutneys on the side were very flavorful and authentic. It felt like I was in India. The service was fast and the staff were very attentive, which made the dining experience even more enjoyable. For the quality and portion sizes, it was definitely a great value for money. I would absolutely recommend Madras Cafe to anyone looking for authentic Indian cuisine in San Diego, and I'm already looking forward to going back! read more

Recently had lunch here with my family. None of the dishes served here resembled anything from chennai. The veg thali was below mediocre and the dosa was average too. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant for someone looking for authentic chennai food. read more

This was one of the better South Indian culinary experiences that I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying! The Paneer Butter Masala is superb, and it is even better than the Chicken Tikka Masala, if that is even possible... These two dishes were the highlight of the evening with their fullness and rich taste. The Lamb Rogan Josh was very spicy, despite the fact that I requested mild spice, but it was savory and full of flavor. This dish was prepared in a homemade and authentic Southern Indian fashion. If you like spice, then this is your dish... The Cocktail Naan is a spicy version of the Garlic Naan. It had green chili peppers as a topping, and it would be perfect as an appetizer to accompany a glass of wine. The regular Garlic Naan was also good, but it was substantially burned on the bottom and edges. The Raita was an interesting take on this side dish, because it contained chopped onions. Although the yoghurt was at an acceptable consistency, the lack of herbs and abundance of onions in this version of Raita left it a bit bland and dry. The Customer Service here was great! Akni was very helpful... I would have given them 4.5 stars if I could, as they are definitely an up and coming restaurant. read more

When I'm in the area I stop by for some masala dosas but this time I tried the chef special dosas. Highly recommend it. The added veggies are a perfect match. Server was pretty busy but made time to answer questions, make recommendations and check everything was good. read more

Chicken biryani was soooo good! Tikka masala was a bit too sweet for our taste, but overall not bad. Garlic naan was delicious as usual. Service was decent. Good place to try if you're craving Indian! read more

Madras Cafe - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is our new favorite Indian restaurant..The food is awesome and the service is very friendly and attentive. This is our second time eating here. We got an assortment of 5 different dishes each time and all were great. My favorite are the dosas but the Chicken Tikka Masala is the best I have had. read more

A general tip which in my opinion is typically true - if you see a restaurant named south indian like this one is the mantra should be to stick to the south indian stuff like dosas, idlis, wadas etc. They may make decent typical Indian restaurant fare like tikka masala, tandoori, paneer dishes etc i.e stuff you eat with a naan, but its like going to Italy and looking for good tacos - you might get it but why take a chance? I had the mysore masala dosa and the medu wada. Both were pretty good, but i think theyre a tad bit too expensive compared to other options around San Diego for the same thing. Knocking off a point for just that, especially since its right across a lot of offices and probably targets lunch crowds. read more

Madras Cafe - Medu Wada - fresh, crunchy - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

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I came into town on a Sunday. I was craving Indian food. I noticed this was right across the street from my hotel and open on a Sunday, which is rare for the area of San Diego that I stay in. I placed an order online for the paneer butter masala, samosas and naan. The paneer came with rice. No need to order separately. I appreciated this. I took it back to my suite and served myself a plate. It was pretty good. I ordered it mild and it was definitely mild almost even no spice. The butter tikka sauce was a tad salty but still delicious. I will be trying more dishes when I'm in town. I love the convenient location. read more

Water was not served. When we asked for a cup, the cup was dirty and had crap inside. Ordered their lunch special and the chicken protein portion was a joke. It was literally two tiny pieces of chicken. Other chicken item was one piece and another piece that was predominantly bone. Not coming back. I was left hungry after lunch and I just paid $18. Was not cheap and portions are awful. No idea why I request to tip in advance before getting any service or the food. I basically tipped (nicely) for bad food and bad service. read more

We came here for dinner on Saturday evening. They were not very busy and there was plenty of parking. This place is a casual sit down restaurant with a comfortable atmosphere. We ordered the Chettinadu Chicken and Paneer Butter Masala which both came with rice. The chicken was a bit spicy for me but the paneer dish was delicious. My husband who doesn't mind spicy enjoyed the chicken. I wish they asked about what spicy level we wanted. The menu had very interesting options. We love Indian food but I guess we haven't had south Indian food because there were a few items we had never heard of. But the waiter was very patient with us and explained the menu items we were unfamiliar with. I liked that they had a pitcher of water at each table but our bottle was a bit warm as it had been sitting on the table with the sun shining on it. Overall we were satisfied with our meal. read more

Great Indian food in SD! Ordered takeout here and got the Butter Chicken and Butter Naan. The portions were huge and this could honestly be two meals. The butter naan was my fav, and paired perfectly with the butter chicken sauce. The rice was okay, as some grains felt a bit hard. The chicken could be more tender, but still delicious nonetheless. Happy to try this place! read more

Madras Cafe - Butter Chicken and Butter Naan - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

Worst food ever!! And a total insult to Indian food every where. We ordered Dal, Okra curry and idly. God knows where they got the Okra from, because it was barely edible. Dal had no taste. The idly had the consistency of a hockey puck and the taste of one as well. If you are ever in San Diego avoid this place at any cost. read more

A friend and I drove 10 miles to try their thali lunch special. I'd been wanting to try a thali plate ever since seeing it featured on a Top Chef episode last year. I was not disappointed. Everything on the plate was so flavorful and delicious. I could eat this every day. The staff was so sweet to us, explaining what each item was and answering our questions. Madras Cafe is my new favorite restaurant for Indian food. Bravo! read more

Madras Cafe - Non vegetarían thali - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Disappointing food. Ordered the bezwada biriyani, paper dosa, rava dosa and idli. The chicken in the biriyani was just bones , as though the meat was stripped off to make some other dish. The dosas were dripping in oil. The good reviews are quite misleading. read more

This my third time and as last two visits ended with great disappointment. The first look when I saw the plate: this time they gave full gravy( last time was so little with barely any chicken pics) They give 2 rotis and some rice. I don't understand why 2 rotis are given with such little gravies, raita is more of buttermilk than raita. The andhra chicken curry was bland, no salt. Chicken tikka masala was doable but very tiny PCs of meat were present. My fav is rasam, rice and the fyums. The rest are disappointing. The only reason I see crowd is it situated near the offices and there is lunch deal. I would not eat the thali again untill and unless I crave to eat the rice and rasam. read more

Madras Cafe - Roti, rice, Raita, desert, Andrea Andhra Chicken curry, Chicken Tikka Masala.fyums - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

I love coming here during the week for their lunch specials especially with it being so close to work for me. I normally get the biryani and even if you get the special it comes with a lot of food. The dosas here are also good and so is the mango lassi. With that said, the food is good but nothing amazing. It's a great place to grab lunch if you're in the area but it's not a place I'd go out of my way for. The service is also extremely slow. Even if I'm the only person there I've received super slow service. read more

Madras Cafe - Goat Dum Biryani - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California

Really good food and service . Enjoyed every bite of the biriyani . The ambience was also good

Always a great experience with excellent service and meals. I love the goat biryani. I highly recommend this place. read more

Madras Cafe - Always an excellent service, and tasty meals. I love the Goat Biryani. I highly recommend this establishment. - Indian Near Me - San Diego, California