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    Madras Cafe

    3.8 (2.2k reviews)
    ModerateIndian, Vegetarian
    Open 8:30 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    MADRAS CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Madras Cafe

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    Onion Rava Masala Dosa
    Ruhi S.

    Starting with ambiance - this place is unclean with dusty air filters, lamps, and surfaces. There is no door between the bathroom and restroom and the open seating concept seems haphazard and worse than a fast food restaurant. I tried the onion rava masala dosa that came with sambar and three chutneys. Overall, the dish lacked taste and freshness. The onion rava dosa was too oily, and the chutneys offered no flavor whether it be tomato, coconut, or whatever else. The price here was reasonable - $9-12 for most things which reflect the quality and taste.

    Tiffin lunch combo - idly, vada, pongal, and plain dosa.  Plus a sweet lassi

    My go-to South Indian in South Bay! This is now my comfort food. They've recently introduced lunch tiffin combos, in case you need a little more food and variety!

    Masala Dosa Mango Lassi
    Megan F.

    This is my go-to dosa spot in the area. The masala dosa was crispy and flavorful. Very comforting. The orders always come out quickly. Inside is light and airy.

    Interior
    Maribel M.

    Visited for friend's dinner with South Indian food. * Restaurant: 2 sizable indoor seating areas, generally clean with cutlery and hand sanitizer at each table. * Order up front, seat yourself, food delivered to your table * Tried the Onion Dosa and Masala Chai. * Dosa was crispy. Chutneys & sambar were all tasty without being too spicy. Chai is served unsweetened so you can add sugar/Splenda to your preference! Will stop in again when we're in the area.

    Paper dosa was great
    Anagha J.

    Staff is super friendly, food comes out pretty fast once ordered Love their mini idlis, dosa and coffee. Poori kurma is also pretty delicious. Now they also serve fresh sugarcane juice.

    Kothu Paratha Specials
    Saanvi S.

    My family and I have been customers for a very long time and we still love the food. I always order the Kothu Paratha, even though I don't see a difference in quality I do think they were a bit more efficient in the past. There is less crowd than before, but the wait times for the food can be long sometimes (my dad's dosa came out by the time everyone else finished their food already).

    Inside of Tomato Masala Dosa
    Leo L.

    Can't remember the last time I had dosa. And tbh I'm pretty apprehensive about visiting Indian restaurants (except buffets) since I don't really understand what to order. The fact that Madras Cafe has a pretty limited menu helps! So brought the wifey and the mother unit here. I got the tomato masala dosa. They got the spring dosa and masala dosa. On a side note, I asked the employee what the difference between tomato masala and just tomato is, and it's the addition of potatoes. I really enjoyed the tomato masala dosa! It was falling off the edge of the plate giant. The edges were crispy. The filing was nice and savory. The sauces(?) were also really good. The two on the side that were orange and green were very flavorful. Slightly spicy but a good amount. I don't know if that small bowl was soup but I downed that thing. The clientele were predominately Indian when we were there, which seems like a good sign. Such a flavorful and filling meal. All for a very reasonable price. Definitely recommend and will be back next time we have a dosa craving.

    Biryani 11/10
    Don L.

    The biryani was a flavor bomb with the creamy white yogurt and veggie sauce spread on your vegetable rice. So good. Masala dosa was crispy and had five dips. I liked them all. So good, filling, and only $10.

    Masala Tea. $3.25.
    Krishna C.

    Still a great place to dine at. Authentic Madras style tiffin place. I am reviewing this place exactly 10 years later. Taste is the same, portions are the same, pricing is marginally more than a decade ago. It is a miracle the way they crank out all these tasty dishes at such affordable prices! Great job Madras Cafe team! Proud of you guys!

    Onion Rava Masala Dosa
    Arsha T.

    Madras Cafe is my go-to spot for dosa in the Bay Area. The service is always great, and the food hits the mark every time. I usually pair my dosa with filter coffee or lassi (their chai is just okay). My absolute favorite is the Onion Rava Masala Dosa -- crisp, flavorful, and consistently good. I also love the Mysore Masala Dosa, and when I'm in the mood for heat, I'll go for the Kara Masala Dosa with ghee -- but fair warning: it's spicy and might not sit well if you have a sensitive stomach . The potato filling here is better than most places, and while the chutneys are decent, they do the job. FYI - they use steel utensils. Wait times are reasonable, but weekends are usually busy, so expect a short wait. On weekdays, seating is easy to find. If you're with a pet, they do have limited outdoor seating -- it's right by the parking lot, so nothing fancy, but it works. The place has classic Indian street-corner cafe vibes, except this one's well-known and usually buzzing.

    Mysore Masala Dosa
    Meghna N.

    They make the best dosa in the bay area their mysore masala dosa (with potato on the side) is to dieeee for. All the other dosas and idly is also good. I really wish they made vegan filter coffee someday Vegan review

    Dahi Vada Plate - mediocre. The yoghurt was so cold. And the wada inside was cold and bland.
    Ani J.

    I love South Indian food and love my dosas. I remember coming to San Francisco years ago and eating some amazing dosas. This time, I decided to try this place after work. I should have read the reviews in details. Because even though the reviews are good, the whole experience was horrible. First of all, it's not really a proper sit down place. You order and pay at the counter, and the food comes to your seat. The ambiance is not that great. The chairs are ok, not very comfortable. The people working there were not friendly at all. I ordered the following: - Dahi Wada : so bad. It felt like they took it out from the freezer and served it. The yoghurt was ice cold and because of that, the wada inside was cold too. So bland that I could barely eat it. I've had some amazing dahi wadas before. - Onion Rava Dosa : the dosa was good, but the onions were not cooked at all. As seen in the picture, you can see that the onions were thrown on the dosa, but never cooked. Eating raw onions was not what I was expecting. I left half the dosa and left the restaurant. I don't care about the ambiance if the food is good. But for me, both the food and ambiance were mediocre. Definitely not coming back.

    menu
    Tessa L.

    onion uthappam 5/5 masala dosa 5/5 As someone who loves Indian food, I can't help but be biased and give this place a good rating. Prices are great for what you get. A meal/significant snack for ~$10 nowadays is a crazy deal! It's a very casual place - think food court but with only one food stall. You order your food at the counter and then choose where you want to sit. They will bring your order out to you and there's a self service counter for utensils, water, napkins and then dirty dishes. We went for a late dinner ~8:30p and it wasn't too crowded. Service was quick.

    Dosa Vegetable Dosa

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    Madras Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Madras Cafe

    Don't south Indians cook with coconut oil? What kind of oils used In various dishes?

    No, they don't cook with coconut oil. They cook most dishes with vegetable oil, if not peanut oil.

    Is the sambar provided with all the dishes vegan? (ie., cooked in oil instead of ghee) If not, can vegan sambar be arranged on request?

    I am not sure about it. But as a regular for 10 years I haven't smelled or tasted ghee in it. But please keep in mind that they do have dishes in which dairy is one of ingredients much like in Indian dishes. So, vessels may not be separate for vegan… Read more

    Does Madras Cafe take reservations for outdoor seating?

    No, does not take reservations

    What is in the "spring" dosa?

    It's similar to masala dosa but instead of potato stuffing, it's melody of vegetables like carrot, spring onions, cabbage etc.

    Is it open? Take out or dine in?

    Yes it open for take out and recently they added a couple of tables outside for dine-in

    Is there a banquet hall of the restaurant?

    No..at least Q1 2019. I don't think they have enough space for banquet hall as their regular seating usually fills up.

    Any vegan options here?

    This is a vegan paradise ! Lots and lots of options to choose from. (Their entire vegetarian section is Vegan.)

    Are they open by 9:00 am on the weekends?

    Yes, 8:30am

    What is the sabzi served with Malabar parantha called?

    I think it's called Veg Kurma

    I enjoy bhatura and naan, but would love to enjoy the dosas, breads and other dishes here. Can you share your top 5 items a first time customer should order from this cafe? What time is the least busiest so I do not feel rushed.

    Onion Rava Masala Dosa , Madras filter coffee , Idli Vada combo plate , Kesari and Ghee Dosa

    Is there any delivery at home option?

    Not directly from them. Maybe check with UberEats, DoorDash, etc.

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    Satkar Indian Cuisine - Cholay with Kulcha Naan

    Satkar Indian Cuisine

    4.2(875 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    I've been buying Satkar food for a couple of years now when they are at the Saratoga Farmer's…read moreMarket at West Valley College. Always tasty and excellent. I buy several days worth to hold me into the week. Always very fresh. For example, if I buy at 9 in the morning my experience is that the Samosa's are still warm from cooking when I get home to eat at 10am. The conscientious chef is up much of the night before, or early in the morning, to cook fresh for the day. His sauces are so excellent. I sometimes stretch his dishes by pairing with my own vegetables as his sauces are so good. I highly recommend Satkar.

    Came with a coworker who was curious to check it out since we're both veg*n only to find a sign on…read morethe door that they've started serving meat, so that was a little disappointing. But we were undeterred and ordered anyway. I'd gotten the palak paneer, my favorite Indian dish and my usual basis for comparison, with kulcha naan and it was okay, but nothing to really write home about. The palak paneer was a bit sweeter than I had expected, but other than that, just fine. My coworker and I also split vegetable pakora that came with a somewhat spicy sauce (I am a spice wimp, but he is very much not), and those were pretty good. I don't quite remember what my coworker got as his main, maybe one of the dal dishes, but he also thought it was fine. The location itself is pretty small, and seems to be more for takeout than sit down diners, although that is what we did. Parking was pretty easy in the plaza, but that might be because the pizza place next door appeared to be closed? Things felt slightly dingy, but I think maybe in truth things were just a bit worn, right down to the Corelle plates which seemed like they had been in service for a long time. Decor is pretty sparse, but the lady behind the counter was nice enough when we were ordering. Overall, not a bad experience, but also not much of a draw for me. But if you like your Indian food a little on the sweeter side, maybe this is the place for you.

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    Satkar Indian Cuisine
    Satkar Indian Cuisine - Baingan Bengan Bhartha

    Baingan Bengan Bhartha

    Satkar Indian Cuisine

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    Nalapaka

    Nalapaka

    4.7(38 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    The BEST onion pakora in the bays area - hands down! It's a cloud kitchen place - just come in and…read morepick up your order. I have got it for 2 parties and it's a hit! My only request would be to have them provide a chutney / sauce with it. The pakoras are gone before I can photograph them

    Flavors: 10/10 Portions: 10/10…read moreCustomer experience 10/10 Drive from Hayward to Sunnyvale to pick this up: totally worth it. Tonight I was craving a home style chicken and rice dish similar to what my mom makes . Now I know it's not possible to get that from a restaurant, but the closest to that is the Donne biryani preparation that a few places offer in the Bay Area. So I looked up Yelp and found this spot. The fact that it already had 4.9 stars was reassuring but I didn't put too many expectations on it. But what I did was call the place and make sure they'd be open by the time I made that 28 mile drive. I spoke to a person named Sagar who took my order and told me to take my time getting there and drive carefully! Husband and I got there around 9:30pm and it's a cloud kitchen setup with kitchens in the back and a point of sale kiosk and counter at the front. As instructed I called Sagar and he came up to the counter with my food, and also let me know he had added a free dessert since I drove all the way from Hayward . Husband and I got home and immediately dug in and what can I say, the flavors totally took me back to my mom's kitchen. The Donne biryani was bursting with taste, and what made it superb was that the flavors were in balance, with neither the spices nor the aromatics being overpowering in any way. The other dish, the pepper chicken was epic by itself, and should have been enjoyed with a bread of some sort, because the biryani didn't need any accompaniment. As if this meal wasn't divine enough the cherry on top was the pineapple kesari dessert that Sagar kindly added to our takeout bag. Thanks Nalapaka, for a taste of home, away from home !

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    Nalapaka
    Nalapaka
    Nalapaka

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    South Indies Veg - Mini sambar vada

    South Indies Veg

    4.4(49 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    If you are looking for that elusive combination of home-cooked taste and simple, soul-warming food,…read morethis place takes the cake. It has officially become our family's go-to dinner spot, and for good reason--they truly never miss a beat. The Standout Dishes The menu is a celebration of authentic flavors. Some of our absolute favorites include: Millet Dosa: Perfectly crisp and a great healthy alternative. Mini Idli Podi: Bite-sized bursts of flavor with the perfect spice blend. Pesarattu: Authentically prepared and incredibly satisfying. The Pro Tip: The real star of the show is the ginger chutney served with the Dosae. It is the perfect zesty accompaniment that ties the whole meal together. Service & Atmosphere Beyond the food, the service is exceptionally efficient. Even during busy dinner rushes, the staff is attentive and ensures that nothing is overlooked. It's rare to find a place that feels this consistent and welcoming. Highly recommended for anyone craving a nutritious, delicious, and soulful South Indian meal!

    Weekday lunch in this neighbourhood- as name suggests this restaurant has delectable menu items…read morecovering 4 southern states of India- Karnataka, Andhra/telangana, tamilnadu & Kerala. Quickly seated in this no fancy, no frills with fast service. Being on a thali quest - this was more than enough for me and no need for any extra servings..ordered..while eating noticed they had ragi mudde (made of ragi millet flour- steamed and interesting method of eating) along with bassaru (soupy dal/ green soup) and with a dab of ghee. I had not had this item in over couple decades, ordered for takeout for later evening meal. However, best to have it hot and fresh when served.‍ All items were adequate, tasty and spice level is slightly on higher side..in case if you prefer mild. The menu itself is exhaustive and will have to come try exploring their dosa offerings next visit. Plenty of parking in this little strip of variety of stores including the pool / billiards lounge next door.

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    South Indies Veg
    South Indies Veg
    South Indies Veg - Exterior: cycles waiting patiently by entrance

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    Exterior: cycles waiting patiently by entrance

    Zareen's

    Zareen's

    4.4(2.3k reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $$

    Awesome food! I enjoyed the Pakistani-flavored, spicy, and mouth-melting Gola Kababs and the…read moresizzling grilled chicken--both were delicious. The service was great. One thing to note: they used to have a proper dine-in space before, but now it's mostly takeaway. However, you can still eat on-site as they have chairs and tables set up. Neat ambience overall.

    I'm a huge fan of the Palo Alto location and was excited to visit another Zareen's location. In…read moregeneral, it was a great experience. There was plenty of outdoor seating, and the service was speedy. You order on a kiosk, which makes for a streamlined ordering process. The food is always solid - I love all of their thali selections. This location was much more peaceful compared to the Palo Alto location. I stopped by on a Saturday evening, and there were only a couple tables that were occupied. I will say I feel like the portion sizes here are noticeably smaller than those at the Palo Alto location. This might be because all of the orders are packed to-go, so maybe there's less space for food? For instance, the thali from the Palo Alto location includes a side salad, which was not included in my order here. The other sides (pickled salad and daal lentil), along with the entree, were also significantly smaller here. The prices are the same, so I do think the Palo Alto dishes are more worth it.

    Photos
    Zareen's - Chicken Tiki Masala

    Chicken Tiki Masala

    Zareen's
    Zareen's - Chicken Tikka, rice, daal, salad

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    Chicken Tikka, rice, daal, salad

    Madras Cafe - indpak - Updated May 2026

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