Really enjoyed our meal here! The food was excellent and tasted genuinely authentic, with great Indian flavors and spices. Everything we tried was flavorful and well prepared. It's refreshing to find a restaurant that stays true to traditional Indian dishes rather than toning down the flavors. Highly recommend this place if you're looking for authentic, delicious Indian food. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

I'm pleasantly surprised that this place isn't full every time I have dinner here. The flavors in their dishes is incredible, and yet there isn't a line out the door. Their entrees are well priced, especially as a restaurant in Marin. Service is prompt and friendly. We eat here regularly so the staff are familiar with us. They have an amazing lunch buffet during weekdays and weekends until 2:30. The entrees differ on a daily basis. Sometimes they have mango lassi, sometimes they have rice malai. There's usually some type of fruit and salad as well. The setting is calm and the dining area is well lit since they updated the lighting a few months ago. Our usual dinner order is chicken dosa, chicken biryani, and masala dosa. For the buffet, my faves are the coconut chicken curry and the chili chicken. Enjoy! read more

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Buffet every day, which is great. Used to go more often a few years ago under different ownership and tbh, it used to be better. I don't mind spicy, in fact, I like it. But, some things are not meant to be overly spiced. Things like vegetable korma, saag paneer, samosas, basmati rice, these are not items that should be spicy but at Suvai, EVERYTHING is spicy. It's a bit too much honestly. It's not that it's too spicy to handle, it's just the fact that sometimes when eating butter chicken or veggie pakoras I was a mild taste. That doesn't exist here read more

This is a long pending review. We celebrated our son's birthday in Novato and ordered food from Suvai. We had about 40-50 guests. The food was absolutely delicious. All the guests loved the food and the dishes were well packed and delivered on time. read more

Was disappointed with Suvai, as I always have high hopes for Indian food. I had the lunch buffet, which I found everything to be really watered down, and heavily salted instead of tasting of the delicious seasonings and spices consistent with Indian food. Nothing seemed that fresh, and not of good quality. The man that waited on me was very kind, and the restaurant itself was clean and decorated nicely. Need to sleep on it to decide if I'll return and give it another try at some point. read more

First of all I was really stoked to discover that there is a South Indian restaurant in north bay! Secondly, the food tasted pretty decent- even the sambar was quite good to compare it with other vegetarian South Indian restaurants in the Bay Area! Fried podi idly - I thought this was going to be chopped idlis tossed in some podi/gunpowder. But it was a plate of deep fried mini idlis smeared with gunpowder. Although this was not what I expected, the idlis tasted nice after deep frying. But wouldn't order again. Tacos dosa- this is a unique dish, with thick dosas filled with some excellent filling. They do look like tacos and this was a fun twist! Parotta- this was soo good! Took me back to childhood days with some mouth watering kurma! Would definitely be back if in north bay! read more

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I had an allergic reaction to some food I ordered. I contacted the restaurant, and the owner was incredibly involved and supportive throughout the process. They were detailed, honest, and transparent about what happened, which I really appreciated. Excellent customer care. read more

Food excels any expectation of the buffet genre. Then again, so do the chairs and the silverware. They not only have a greater array of items on the steam tables, but the precision of the execution is beyond everything. I can't speak for the tofu biryani I didn't try, but the chicken biryani was savory with a redolence of cardamom hovering above it. Savory and sopped with juicy bits, all the while individual grains of basmati kept their texture. Goat curry was luscious and flavorful since anything with goat in it will be flavorful. To it was added something called drumstick. A vegetable that looks like a cucumber but tastes and feels more like a thistle. Creamy sweet veg flash hidden behind a fortress of fiber. Chicken coconut curry was sleepy and bland as was spinach daal. In contrast, the baingan bartha, or eggplant masala, as they called it, packed chili heat, richness of ghee and an earthy sweaty cuminy breath. Another revelation from the steam tables was a simple green bean and carrot stir fry. Delicious and uplifting from the richness of other offerings. They do great pakoras. Not pancake doughy like others. The onion and fennel were delicately battered so they fanned out in the hot oil, leading to a plethora of crisp edges. Light and crisp too were cauliflower pakoras, albeit with more substantial breading. They also had these gulab jamun like donuts, except dry and not soaking in syrup. Inside they had something of a savory tart flower bud, less like a caper and more like the loroco added to Salvadorean pupusas. Damn, did I mention the chicken wings? I nearly left out the chicken wings. Fried chicken wings in a hot n' sour sauce. Sorta Chinese. But hey, the two countries are neighbors after all. read more

Suvai - Indian Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Made a stop here while on our way to Sonoma. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. The dosas were great and service was attentive and friendly. I am a fan. read more

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This place deserves all the great reviews! Been saving this buffet as a reward for a big workout. And today was the day! I know food tastes better when you're hungry, but the two of us were equally delighted on the second round of filling the plate. There were things there that I would have simply never ordered from a menu - so many unexpected flavors. Really darn delicious. read more

Suvai - We took "all you can eat" very seriously. - Indian Near Me - San Rafael, California

We returned to Suvai early (5:30) on a Sunday night with two of our friends in tow, so we could turn them on to this new restaurant we loved so much during our first visit. Unfortunately, our experience this time was less than stellar. We received the same warm and friendly welcome. Then our server came to our table before we were really ready to order (we were too busy talking and catching up). He suggested we order appetizers first and would come back for the rest of the order. We ordered several dishes plus some naan. All four of us ordered chai. Rather than the standard coffee cup it was served in at the previous visit, it came in very small (4oz?) cute glass mugs. I figured at this size, refills must be free... Our server never returned to check in with us about the rest of our order. Finally I flagged him down and asked if I could get a menu. He must have forgotten again since he never returned with it. About 10-15 minutes later, another server stopped by and I was able to order one more dish and what I thought were refills on 3 of the 4 chais. They brought us new glasses. We were charged $5 each for the 7 servings, or $35. I know it's a new restaurant and they're probably still working things out. It was busier this time than last, which might be why the service felt subpar. Food was still great, except for the calamari, which had a mealy soggy texture beneath the outer crisp. So, off night? Growth pains? Poor decisions on their part in choosing cute tiny chai mugs over the standard ones (the first visit, the serving size was large enough that no need for a refill)? We'll wait a few months and try again and see. read more

Decided to grab a quick meal. Glad we did. Great pizza -- specifically the crust and sauce. Waiter was very polite. Atmosphere was relaxing definitely not too bright like another review mentioned. If the pizza could be a tad bit bigger it would have been the perfect night. A very nice addition to the neighborhood. Give it a shot. read more

This was an amazing meal!! Called the Kari Dosa. Filled with chicken and vegetables. Honestly, one of the greatest things I've had in a while. I believe they consider this southern Indian, which I've never had before. I totally recommend the restaurant. It had a good ambience and vibe. I'll definitely go back again. read more

Suvai - Great meal! Full of flavor. - Indian Near Me - San Rafael, California

I feel like I've been here before under a different name. I came in for the dosa. They serve them as part of the lunch buffet, so that was exciting. (Cheaper if you just order them off the menu, but this gave me a chance to try other things.) It was really fun having the live dosa making as part of the buffet. They were about half the size usually served at Indian restaurants, so order accordingly. You could order what you wanted and they would make it and bring it to your table. The staff were friendly and attentive. Items on the buffet were not all kept as warm as I would have liked. The chana was cold and some of the rice dishes were... mildly warm. The items were labeled gluten free and dairy free and vegetarian, although I'm not sure how accurate they are as the rice was not labeled as any of those things. (Maybe they assumed you could tell the rice was vegetarian and gluten free?) We enjoyed our meal. The dosa was my favorite part. Next time I would just order that off the menu. read more

Food = 12+ stars Ambience = 3 Best chicken tikka I've ever had and I'm looking forward to inhaling my leftovers for dinner tonight. I wish I had an extra order of garlic naan to go with it cuz that too was seriously fantastic. Will absolutely go back for another meal soon. But the insides are kinda worn out. Not a pleasant place to spend time over dinner (maybe lunch is more lively with the buffet?). And yet... that tikka... OMG! read more

Blown Away! The quality and taste of the dishes we had is far superior to other local businesses. Unique menu items. I was told that this business is under new management. We ordered the Idly with Sambar, saag paneer, ennai kathirikal kulakbu, white rice and Gulab Jamun. Everything was hot, correctly seasoned and delicious. Add this to your list of places to try! read more

Suvai - Gulab Jamun - Indian Near Me - San Rafael, California

There are good biriyani places in the Bay Area; the goat biriyani here probably beats most of them! Amazing flavor, mutton was cooked great, omelette was nice add on. Rest of the food was good too! Good pit stop if you're in the area. Buffet looked fine, we opted for à la carte. Service was prompt and had a nice vibe overall PS: Paid street parking but with strict enforcement read more

Suvai - Dynamite Chili Chicken - Indian Near Me - San Rafael, California

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The food here was so delicious. The buffet includes all you can eat dosa, chai, coffee, mango lassi, and uttapam... and so much more. But these stood out to me because its quite a special addition that I haven't seen yet. The ambiance was lovely, the decor was all natural woods and beautiful Indian art. The only downside is that it's a bit of a distance from me but just gives us more of a reason to make the trip down to San Rafael. I love that they are sharing fantastic South Indian cuisine with us all because it's not easy to spot in the North Bay! Get the chicken chettinad, it was read more

Best Indian buffet in town! The spices and selection are not just the typical Indian fare. The vegetable and meat dishes were delicious and fresh. They have free coffee AND chai. (Check out the photos!) The samosas were good but could be crunchier and include potato/pea filling. I should also mention the staff were wonderful, checking on us regularly. We loved the 90s Indian music, too; the volume was just right. The buffet menu changes regularly so (although we were satisfied and happy) we will check back for days they also have fish. We give this place an A and plan to come back weekly. read more

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My first lunch buffet at Suvai, and I'm so impressed! It has such a big lovely dining room. The service is excellent. And the food is unbelievable! So many choices - more than the other SR Indian buffets - and all so tasty. The others are definitely very good, but this is, in my opinion, the winner. It seems to have twice as many dishes to choose from, and all are so perfectly prepared. You must have lunch here - I promise you will love it! read more

Suvai - Incredible lunch buffet - so many delicious choices! - Indian Near Me - San Rafael, California

I've eaten at suvai twice- craving dosa after a month in India. The dosa is too fermented too sour for me. Sadly. But I will try thier lunch buffet soon. A bit trepidous after reading a review that it's watered down overly salted. read more

I remember this place when it was Taj. It had the best lunch buffet in the Bay Area, but Suvai May be even better! Wonderful service, a sparkling buffet with a great variety and extra tasty! The only thing that was off was the air conditioner was too cold, but that still didn't stop me from enjoying the wonderful meal with my wife! We highly recommend Suvai! read more

SUCH fresh ingredients. Incredible spice profiles. What a hidden gem. The food display was clean and modern. A+ Chana masala (sauce heavy aka not dry). B+ dosa (great -just not the best on the planet). A+ chutneys (not watery or old or pre-canned like a lot of places; absolutely seemed fresh and consistent). A+ Garlic naan. Wish they also served craft IPAs but that's a me thing not a them thing. Kingfisher did us right anyways. read more

Suvai - A cute design detail. - Indian Near Me - San Rafael, California

There are still signs outside that say "Taj of Marin" but it's actually "Suvai". You can access the restaurant from 4th St or the city parking lot behind the restaurant. We ordered spinach dosa with paneer, chicken tikka masala and the vegetable pakoda. The pakoda was an appetizer and came out first with some type of slightly spicy hot white sauce. The dosa was very tasty and unique. It came with three sauces: red, green and white (same as the aforementioned sauce). I was pleasantly surprised that all of the sauces were spicy but not overwhelming hot. The tikka masala was also very good. It stood out because it's a typical Indian dish but the flavor is different from most. I would order these dishes again, but would want to try something different next time. I really like this restaurant because it has some of the typical Indian dishes but has many other ones as well: dosa, pakoda, etc. I will be back. This place is very good. Just a couple of notes to management: 1. The very loud ringing phone was extremely annoying. 2. Please present the details of bill before requesting payment. I like to know what I'm paying for. read more

Very nice people, good food too. We were worried when Taj of Marin changed owners and names, but Suvai is good. Suvai's style of cooking is from a different region than Taj was--not better or worse, just different, so don't be surprised. Sometimes a buffet dish is a little drier from being out a little too long, but there's a very wide selection of things and they do pay good attention to what is out in their buffet. read more

First time eating here. We had the masala dosa, gobi manchurian ( cauliflower) and the veggie Chinese chow mein with naan bread. Everything was really good, the gobi manchurian was crisp and had a wonderful sauce that wasn't overly sweet. The chow mein was similar to what I had while visiting Kalkota, which I have never seen locally at an Indian restaurant, and the dosa had a nice spice to it and was served with 5 great sauces, the cilantro was my favorite. We will definitely return soon! read more

Suvai - Masala Dosa (V) - Indian Near Me - San Rafael, California

Very slow service. Food is not bad, but servers are rude and give reasons for slow service ex. Naan service took 30 mins.

Been there few times with family and each time the buffet food selection were fresh and clean. Except most of the main dishes are overly salty in each time and ruins the flavor of good food. read more

My South Indian husband approves this place. Best sambar, excellent idlis, cauliflower pakora, chicken tikka, and several dosas have passed the test with flying colors. Spicy but complex seasoning is authentic and satisfying. I agree and appreciate the friendly service and pleasant ambiance too. The best Indian food we have tried in the North Bay! read more

Food is delicious. Service is great . I love their Saturday's buffet menu . Live dosa was great . Live dosa's chef was very helpful . We had butter dosa , masala dosa and some other kind of dosa . I had to wait for chai but it was worth it . I love their chai . Friends staff and good food . I will come back again . I highly recommend. read more

Excellent food and Services. Dosa and Medu Vada were crisp as we like and yummy too. We also had a great experience to their catering service at friend's kid wedding. read more

Recently opened restaurant with good ambiance and buffet everyday - 16.95$ Liked their unique dosas in alacarte 1. Taco dosa 2. Pizza dosa read more

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is this a north indian place trying to also serve south indian dishes or vice versa. unfortunately they missed the mark on both 1) Bland soggy masala dosa with the dosa itself being way too thick..yuck! 2) the saag paneer has a sugary taste to it and clearly paneer cubes were thrown in at the last minute into a pre made saag broth of sorts 3) the daal actually taste decent but awful texture of smashed thick lentils 4) tandoori chicken was not good at all and not even prepped like real tandoori chicken 5) chicken corn soup was not bad 6) garlic naan the only actual taste was the garlic and butter. the naan itself was tasteless 7) jeera rice was ok the search for decent indian in north bay continues read more

Suvai - Indian Near Me - San Rafael, California

Have eaten here three times, for dinner. The food is consistently excellent, with a great mix of selections from northern and southern cuisine. Best butter chicken ever! If you love dosas - this restaurant really knows how to make delicious ones, with great sambar and coconut dip. Superb garlic nan and mango lassi. Beautiful decor. Friendly and respectful service. Definitely recommend! read more

We went there again today and they did not disappoint us I been there with my whole family and everybody liked their food

Golden, thin dosa. Chutney's spicy kiss awaits. "Hands-on" dining bliss. Yelp does not like haikus so am extending this to thwart them. read more

First and last time going to this place, I got the chicken masala thinking that it was chicken only to receive one piece of chicken I was basically charged $17 to only receive the sauce read more

Suvai - Chicken Rasmalai - Indian Near Me - San Rafael, California

I tried the buffet which is ONLY good when the food is fresh and if you get there when the trays have just been refreshed. I found the experience was much better when you go to a refreshed tray. The masala dosa in the buffet was disappointing -- the dosa was much too thin and not crisp enough. The sweets Ras Malai and Kheer were both good. I also ordered the Pizza Dosa which was interesting but not a hit in my view but could be a winner with kids. Chai was burnt and not good read more

Food, presentation, service and the vibe of the place everything was unique, special and enjoyable during a day out in town. It was nice to do a day trip to San Rafael from the Sacramento area to enjoy a decent lunch meal in a plush artistic ambiance read more

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Exceptional and authentic South Indian food, the first of its kind in Marin County. Between the choice dishes, delicious flavors, friendly and genuine service and reasonable prices, I for one am thrilled about Suvai's much needed addition to the North Bay's limited dining scene. Earlier this week, they offered a special menu to celebrate Pongal, a Tamil festival celebrating spring (yes, it comes early to India.) Suvai has fast become my go to Indian restaurant of choice in San Rafael. read more

Suvai - Suvai San Rafael. - Indian Near Me - San Rafael, California

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