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This place had nice plating that was traditional! The pomfrets were silver from India instead of the less tasty yellow variant. Need to come back and try more! Pros: well grilled and good flavor Cons: little pricey Ambiance: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Taste: 5/5 Value: 4/5
OMG the fish and shrimp here is so good! My mom and I came here on a busy Sunday lunch hour. The food and customer service were worth the wait. Even with a 15min wait the time went by fast and we were promptly seated, order taken and our order came FAST. The owner was there talking to guests and making sure the whole restaurant was working flawlessly. The servers and support staff were fast and efficient as well. They were all working together to clean the tables to seat the next guests and take orders. I loved watching everyone work together and while I enjoyed all the delicious dishes. I really like spicy and savory shrimp and fish. I specifically looked up Kerela food on my yelp search to find this place. We tried the king fish and pomfret thali and prawn kebabs. Everything was delicious and fresh. I will definetly be coming back and recommend this place to savory seafood lovers.
Authentic Goan/Maharashtrian seafood fare. Better than any other I've been to. They have specials during dinner which you should try! We got their Surmai rava fry, Pomfret masala (daily special), pandhara rasa and another fish curry with steamed rice - loved them all. Took us back to the coastal fish we had in India. Highly recommend if you're craving good home-style Konkan seafood. Service is very efficient and attentive. They were quick to seat us even though the place was basically packed on a Friday night at 9.30pm. The ambience is casual dining where the food takes center stage. Parking is available outside the restaurant.
4.5/5 stars rating! Specializing in Indo-Chinese cuisine and def did not disappoint. You know it's good when you are only southeast asian eating here LOL. Rava Fish Fry ($19.99) 9/10 OHHHH this was delicious! So flavorful and seasoning was on point, the fish wasn't too dry and it paired so well with the green sauce it came with. I really wanted to try the paplet fish fry so I gotta get that next time I come. Garlic Burnt Fried Rice + Egg ($17) this was also so bomb, they gave us a side of sichuan sauce on the side and it was super spicy, so use to your liking! This was a perfect mix of Chinese fried rice and biryani that's how I would describe it. I could eat this whole bowl if I could, paired so well with the fish as well! Service was good and everyone was super nice. It's def an unassuming restaurant in a tucked away plaza on Lawrence, and glad I was able to try!
Nice ambience and authentic Maharashtrian flavors. The king fish was fresh and most of the Surmai Thali was good, although the Sol Kadhi was a bit too sour. The biggest issue is the price. Two thalis with extra rice and roti cost almost $90, and the portions were fairly small. Worth trying once for the authentic food, but the pricing definitely needs some reconsideration.
Being on my list for a long time, we finally got to try this out. On a Friday evening we got there just before rush hour and were seated promptly. Service was very quick and the servers were attentive. Food was amazing. Ambience was good too. We got the Surmai Thali, shrimp thali and the Special Thali. All were great. Would have skipped the tomato Saar if that was an option. Pandhara and Tamda Rassa were a huge hit. Mutton was perfectly cooked and tasty. Rice flour Bhakri was the best I have ever tasted in US. Dessert options were a little disappointing. Would have love Ukadiche Modak or Puran Poli or Gul Poli offered to give a more Maharashtrjan effect. Next time more dessert options please.
This place transported me back to Mumbai!! We got here around 8 pm on Friday and were able to snag the last few tables, their menu has all the seafood options you would find in a Konkani restaurant. The restaurant has a simple ambience, the star of the show is clearly their food. I would highly recommend getting one of the thalis, it comes with fried fish, curry, dal, rice and kadi. I got the prawns thali and my husband got the paplet thali. They were both so delicious. We though the portion size was great for the price. I wish I lived closer so I could visit this place more often!
As someone that grew up in Mumbai and lives in Denver, I really appreciate good seafood. Surmai was one such place we were excited to visit during our week long stay in SF. We tried many things - majority of the items we tried were good. I got the surmai thali and I loved how fresh and soft the rice bhakri was. The solkadhi was so authentic. The surmai was good but I wished it was a bit fresh, the flavors were good though. My husband got the pomfret fry and that was good. We got the crab masala and the masala was so hottt but so tasty! Overall, I really enjoyed my meal here and hoped the fish would be fresh. Service was good.
Ahh I really wanted to love this place but I felt like the flavors just weren't hitting. I got the Triple Schezwan Fried Rice with egg which came with a side of Manchurian Gravy which I was very excited about since Gobi Manchurian is my favorite dish. My partner got the pomfret fish fry thali. However, similar to another review, I felt like they were just a little too spicy and also had a strange bitter aftertaste, almost like it was slightly burnt. The egg on top was a little bland and didn't really go with the rest of the dish (which also had egg mixed into the rice). The manchurian gravy was great on it's own (borderline a little too spicy but I feel like that is the manchurian way) but mixed with everything else was weird. I didn't taste anything Schezwan in the fried rice. Service and ambiance wise was honestly great. Everyone was very nice! I also loved the decor and the water pitcher + matching glasses that they had at every table.
For people that want to try different kind of Indian food this is the place! This is coastal region food from the west of India. Order fish thalis (platters), fried fish entrees and appetizers. We have been here several times, this time we got triple schezwan fried rice and fried prawns (Kolambi fry). Triple schezwan fried rice with chicken - was close to the authentic taste one will find in Mumbai. Chicken manchurian served on the side was succulent, well spiced, garlicky and a perfect compliment. Rice and noodles mix was tasty as well. The best of the lot was fried prawns - 8 good sized prawns coated with dry spices and rice flour and sooji (cream of wheat) coating. juicy, succulent inside and perfectly crispy on the side. The chutney served with was fresh! and not one of those been sitting around chutneys that just taste stale. Thank you!
The food is so delicious. There are so many choices on the menu. I had to limit myself and promise myself I'd return to try other options. There was plenty of seating but there was also a line. Naturally because the food and service is top notch. There is plenty of parking in a lot just outside of the restaurant. In addition to returning to Surmai, I am excited to try their sister restaurants: Puranpoli, Solkadhi and Frankie.
We really wanted to love this place but the fried fish was not fresh, and way too fishy. It threw off the whole meal for me. The coconut side dish and shrimp kadai curry was REALLY good though. The spices in the curry were really hitting and the shrimp was super fresh.
Reviews are largely positive. Diners highlight the authentic coastal flavors, friendly attentive service, and a welcoming clean ambiance.
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6 months ago
Do not go to this resto. Disguising food, pomfret curry was smelling of old/used oil and when I was sharing my feedback, the owner Rohan Shivalkar (as I saw online) started yelling and was asking for feedback from other tables. Highly unprofessional! I understand that restaurant food can be a hit or a miss, especially when it's busy but what stood out was that this guy was full of arrogance. This is coming from someone who has met Sanjeev Kapoor and Vikas Khanna when visiting their restaurant - they came to our table and asked if they can do anything to enhance flavor of the dishes we ordered! read more
2 months ago
2 years ago
This is the first time I tried maharastrian non veg food along with my friends who were trying this cuisine for first time too.I was amazed by their food options.many options fish and chicken/goat.Good potion size for protein. I ordered the special thali and loved everything about it.my friends got pomfret thali and they serve you a whole fried fish.they were happy too. Service was quick given the restaurant was bustling with people. Ambience is okay . Huge peacock wallpapers on all the walls. read more
1 year ago
This is the updates of the reviews. The after taste of the foods were considerably delightful, and make you want to try other items. read more
2 years ago
This was our first time trying Surmai and we were really in the mood for some seafood so came here for that. The service was really good and we were seated immediately followed by quick orders. We ordered Surmai fish, pomplet thali and Kolambi Shrimp. The shrimp was literally one of the best shrimp dishes we have ever had. The flavors were great, crispy, nice and juicy. The Surmai fish (king fish) was ok and was little bitter. We liked the thali but probably will opt for a different one next time to try something else. I wish the various fried fish dishes had different flavors and were marinated differently. They literally all had the exact same marinade and so you don't really feel like eating a different dish. Would def come back for the prawns. read more
1 year ago
Craving some coastal Maharashtrian cuisine? Look no further! We went here on a Saturday for lunch as a group of 6 and were seated after a 15 min wait. We had the Surmai thali, Special thali, Kolambi masala, and Surmai fry with rice and rotis, and of course, Sol kadhi. The thali has rice and bhakri with either fish or chicken and mutton accompanied by some Sol kadhi. The fish curry that came with the thali was okay, but the rest of the thali was good with a decent spice level. The group enjoyed the Kolambi masala for its spice and flavor. The Surmai fry had 2 pieces that were quite large and more than adequate for 2 people. The service was prompt and courteous despite the restaurant being quite full. The special thali was okay, with the fried shrimp being the favorite but I'd recommend sticking with the sea food offerings when you visit. Will look forward to trying their other offerings next time. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
My first-ever meal at Surmai... the indoor ambiance, endearing service, and bathroom cleanliness were all top-notch! The surmai thali and the "pomfret" thali were both delightful visual treats, as my dinner pics would attest. The fried Surmai fish pieces were marinated in lip-smacking spices; however, the semolina-basted pomfret was bland and somewhat disappointing. The curried lentils daal and the pink solkadi were superb! Our server Trely Oliver's gracious hospitality, bubbly conversation and charismatic persona, greatly enhanced a memorable birthday dinner experience! read more
Delicious first visit to this restaurant! I went with the kolambi thali and all the food was wonderful and plentiful. Fried shrimp, cooked shrimp in a flavorful, thick curry, tomato curry (my favorite! bright and tangy taste), daal, rice, bhakri (rice flour flatbread), and solkhadi (coconut milk drink). My partner ordered the Surmai Thali which came with all the same items except fried fish and a fish curry instead of the shrimp dishes. There was a nice heat to the spice combination across dishes. Nice, casual dining area. Easy strip mall parking. Efficient service. Will return! read more
5 months ago
The restaurant was quite slammed when we arrived due to a bus load of tourists from ilIndia. Understandably, the order was not perfect, yet the service was so engaging and generous that we were more than willing to overlook the small issues. We got prawns thali and fish thali, along with the small included dishes. Everything was very good. Ww we're not charged for our dessert, most likely to thank us for our patience. I would definitely go back for this very unusual, coastal.Indian food that specializes in corn meal coated, deep-fried fish and prawns. read more
4 months ago
This is authentic Indian restaurant with great Thali dishes, seafood and more, catering to Indian diners from the state of Maharastra. There are many things on the menu that non-Indian diners may not be familiar with and that are not described in the menu. But do your research, or come with someone who has spent time in India, or just ask the wait staff for recommendations. The food here is very spicy. Just be prepared for that. We loved it, but those curries were the spiciest dishes I've eaten in a long time. In the Indian tradition, be prepared for proteins not to be deboned before they are chopped up and put into your curry. I'm not sure what the protocol is for eating that way, but I guess you just have to take a bite, then remove the bones from your mouth. One of our breads was undercooked, but everything else was perfectly prepared. and they have a very nice Indian ice cream selection to cool down your pallet after the meal. This includes a saffron pistachio ice cream, we really wanted to try, but they were out. It doesn't say "saffron pistachio" on the menu; it gives the Indian (Hindi) name for everything so we Googled most things on the menu to see what they were. Still, the ice cream we did order was excellent. I would say that they should have an "Americanized" menu as an option, but they really don't need it. The place was full. All tables inside and outside were occupied and there was a line to get in. The patrons were 95% Indian, and many were dressed in beautiful Indian clothing. The cornmeal-crusted shrimp that came with my Special Thali dish was amazing, and my wife absolutely adored her whole fried fish. Maharastra is coastal, so this place specializes in seafood. Our waiter gave great advice on what we might want to order and helped us make the best decisions, even on our beverage options. The only beverage I recognized was the mango lassi. But we tried new this and we enjoyed ourselves. read more
5 months ago
1 year ago
Great Food & Amazing Service from Dixon! We had a wonderful experience at Surma! The staff was friendly, and our waiter, Dixon, was truly amazing - so patient, clear, and friendly. The food was great! We loved the Special Thali for its excellent mix of dishes, and the Garlic Naan and Garlic Fried Rice with Shrimp were delicious. We also enjoyed the Mango Lassi and citrus drink. The only slight oddity was no ice. Highly recommend Surma for delicious food and fantastic service, especially from Dixon! read more
Going strong. Improved taste. The Special thali came with distinct & tasty Mutton & Chicken gravies. Paplet thali came with a decent sized fresh Pomfret made to perfection. Both a must try. Neat place, friendly service. Recommend off peak days & hours. read more
11 months ago
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1 year ago
The food is really really good. We ordered for delivery and the food was still hot and fresh. We loved their kolambi prawns and chicken. The paneer was a little hard but the flavor was on point. If you like spicy food the kolambi prawns are a hit. read more
9 months ago
everything about this restaurant is amazing. First of all, their fish is shipped from India, and it tastes extremely fresh and super flavorful! It took maybe five minutes to get the food and it was a perfect blend of spices, but not too much! But be careful of the bones in the fish! The green chutney was also 10/10! we pretty much were drinking it. Additionally the workers are extremely sweet. We got to talk to both of the owners and the servers and they were extremely kind and also super funny! this place feels like an extremely homey area and i would love to go again! read more
2 years ago
This place went crazy on za internets!! Service was so good, staff was very friendly :) Disappointed that were only 2 veg dishes but it's mainly focused on maharastrian coastal cuisine so can't complain too much. A veg version of the thali would honestly slap thooo. Anyways I got the kadai paneer and garlic naan. It tasted pretty good but wasn't as spicy as I would like and more on the sweeter side. Naan was soft but couldn't detect much garlic flavor tbh. From what I know kadai paneer is supposed to be less gravy and more spices. But ingredients were pretty fresh love the silverwear or should I say copperwear that they had! XD Bathroom was pretty decorated as well. Cute spot but would say it mainly caters to pescatarian/non veg populations so just ok for a veg :") read more
A decent place to grab Indian food with unique menu options! They specialize in Coastal Indian cuisine, and they also have Indo Chinese food too. I got the Paplet Thali becuase I really wanted to experience their seafood dishes! The Macchi Cha Kalvan was VERY SPICY, but packed with a lot of flavor. The paplet fish was deep fried with a crispy breading. This was delicious! However, the rest of the thali fell short for me. Nothing special. I'd recommend just ordering the Paplet Rava Fish Fry instead of the thali. We also got a Chicken Tikka Masala to share! This was different than others that I have had. The gravy was VERY THICK, which I liked - easy to pick up with naan. The spices were very strong though. Not very creamy, and more tomato in the flavor. Spicy as well! read more
1 year ago
We had a great experience at Surmai. We ordered the Surmai Thali, which came with fish fry, dal, and two types of fish curries - all full of flavor and really well done. We also tried the Triple Schezwan Rice with chicken, which came with a side of Chicken Manchurian. Super yum! Our server, Trely, was great - friendly, helpful, and recommended the fried rice. Overall, delicious food and welcoming ambiance. We would definitely come back! read more
2 months ago
Mr. Roshan Shivalkar did not disappoint! After Puranpoli, Surmai that he has recently opened is best place to go and savor some very authentic Maharashtrian coastal cuisine, here in the Bay Area! The pescatarian fare served here is true-blue cooking as I would have at my friend's place along the Malvan coast where mothers' lovingly cook such fare for their children and their friends, A picture says a thousand words, so I will let my photos do the talking! Just a note for our friend and Yelp Elite @Cherylynn : Can Bee n me be your guide the next time you visit so that we can curate your order to have you savor the best Malvani cuisine , that we have enjoyed in a while! With an awesome and friendly service and with Marathi chattering all around us creating an ambience of the Malvan coastline, we are willing to come from East Bay to Santa Clara and savor this fare anytime ! We will be visiting this place again frequently and very very soon ! read more
2 years ago
Went to Surmai on a Friday evening for dinner and was seated right away, though most of the seats were full. The place is small, neat, cozy and has parking space right outside. Very good service by Trely, who took our order and provided info from the menu. They also kept checking on us to see if we wanted anything more and if the food was good. We ordered a Kolambi fry as appetizer, a Special thali, a side of chapati, Kokum sarbet and Aamras for dessert. Loved the rava battered tiger prawns that came with green chutney and veggies. Special thali is a shareable plate for two and all the sides were yummy, especially the mutton and chicken curries. Also we asked for a side of yogurt for our kid and they gave it for free. Finally the price was a bit above average but the quantity was good too. A nice place to check out for couples, friends and families for a good dine out. read more
Had a great time here with our thalis. I think the fish / prawn fry / lamb meat that came as a specialty in our thali were great. I also got a fish curry that didn't have any flavor of the fish in it, so felt like any regular curry. The rice roti that came with the thali was soft and fresh. I tried 2 Maharashtrian restaurants lately, and I feel like the overall experience of the other one was better. I did like many of the items here, and definitely recommend this place to my frnz. But few things weren't as delightful as I mentioned. The ice cream options were good. PS. Think twice or thrice before ordering paan ice cream, as every spoon will feel like a whole Paan in your mouth, super strong. read more
This might be the most happening restaurant in this quiet corner of Sunnyvale - it was packed to the brim but thankfully the wait was not too long. I'm not usually the biggest fan of seafood but my partner is so we gave this place a shot and ordered the Paplet Thali, the Crab (a temporary special), and the chicken tikka kebab. Everything came out fairly quickly and was packed with flavor. The thali was very authentic and reminded me of a similar dish I had at a roadside thali house in Goa. Even the chicken tikka (which doesn't really belong in Maharashtrian cuisine but was perhaps included to make the uninitiated more comfortable) was charred to perfection and was juicy and tender. Be warned that the default spice level is high so let the waiter know ahead of time if you want to make a change! read more
2 years ago
Very flavorful Indian food. The shrimp was a tad over cooked, but everything else made up for it read more
Fried seafood but with an Indian twist. Today my friend and I decided to dine here. We were both hooked by the photos on Yelp. I love flavorful dishes and thought this would make a great spot for dinner. They have plenty of seating and are usually busy during the weekend. During the week days it's pretty empty. The food was delicious! I highly recommend their special thali to share and ordering a couple sides; like garlic nan or the garlic fried rice. Fried seafood is always a great way to enjoy warm weather! I am coming back here forsure! read more
Was really excited to try this place because of all the raving reviews! Service is direct. The flavors were definitely there, we ordered the shrimp thali and the fish thali which were both flavorful. However, it was pretty salty and for me, I could not tolerate the spice. The salt was more overwhelming for me but the Bhakri was incredible! read more
This for sure ain't your regular watered down Indian restaurant. We came with a group of 4 and were seated quickly on a Friday evening at 5:45 pm. There were already other tables and by 6:30 the place was all packed with ppl. The tables are pretty close together and they do it on purpose to get as many tables in. The service was quick and to the point. A few times they did bring another tables dish over. But they are a new restaurant. As for the food, think heavy spiced and flavored. The chicken tikka masala was a different texture than used to. Definitely not the smooth and creamy kind. The waiter suggested the Bhakti to go with my prawn masala. I wasn't really a fan, it is a rice flour thin bread but it was a little too chewey. The prawn masala was good. This was spicy with good amount of prawns. The chicken kabobs were great with the chutney that the provided. Huge parking lot If you want to try something different, try Surmai. read more
2 years ago
Excellent service and taste. Trely was very quick to pick up the order and get the food. Appreciate. Thanks Trely read more
1 year ago
Cute little hole in wall, tucked away off Lawrence. Stopped by for quick lunch while running errands with mom. Friendly and helpful staff. We ordered mango lassi, fish fry and shrimp curry. Delicious and nice portion. Looking forward to trying Briyani and other dishes next time. read more
The food here is very flavorful and plated very nicely. My friend and I were met with great service from server, Dixon, whom was very knowledgeable about the menu and took the time to explain what the items were as first time guests. The total vibe of the restaurant is very warm and welcoming. It is a plus that the tables are already prepared with plates, utensils, cups, and a filled pitcher of water! Now back to the food we had ordered Thali's which appears to be a platter of food which is filled with rich flavor. To complete this meal we ended with trying the Kesar Pista ice cream delicious and refreshing! I would come back! read more
My first visit to Surmai can be summed up by flavorful food and great service. We sat outside and it was pleasant. I had the Surmai Thali- the Surmai fry was fresh, didn't have any "fishy" taste, was perfectly crispy and a great portion. The fish curry was also delicious and had pieces of green mango. We got the Konkani chicken curry to go and I can't wait to try it. The staff were friendly and attentive. Special shout out to Chef Tushar for his kindness and hospitality. Can't wait to go back! read more
More info about Surmai
500 Lawrence Expy
Ste C
Sunnyvale, CA 94085
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(408) 736-2411
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http://www.surmai.us
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Do they serve beer?
They do now! They have Kingfisher, Taj, and some other options.
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44 reviews that are not currently recommended
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