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    The Chennai Cafe

    4.2 (129 reviews)
    Open • 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
    Updated 3 weeks ago

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    THE CHENNAI CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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    Dogs allowed
    Happy hour specials

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    Medhu Vada
    Medha B.

    More like 3.5/5 Dropped by this place after seeing some Instagram reels featuring their South Indian food. As someone who absolutely loves Medhu Wada, I was excited to try it. I'll admit I was a bit disappointed. The coconut chutney and sambar were really good and full of flavor, but the wada itself felt a little too dense for my liking. My daughter ordered the idli -- it was soft and almost melt-in-the-mouth, though still slightly denser than what we're used to back home in India. We also tried the filter coffee. It tasted good, but it was served in a glass instead of the traditional brass tumbler and davara, which took away a bit from the authentic experience. The baby corn was the highlight of our meal -- absolutely delicious and something we truly loved! The masala dosa arrived quite late and was served slightly cold, although the taste itself was enjoyable. Service was quite slow overall, and in the end, we decided to walk up to the cashier to settle the bill instead of waiting at the table. That said, I do see potential in this place. The flavors are there, and with some improvements in texture and service, it could be excellent. I'd consider visiting again to try some more options! The place itself is quite clean and maintained!

    Christopher D.

    Indian Spice Bistro was a nice surprise. The shahi paneer was really good, and the mango lassi hit the spot. Service was good, no issues there. The ambiance feels nostalgic, like the kind of Indian restaurant you might have gone to as a kid. Cozy booths, laminated menus, just straightforward and familiar. Nothing over the top, just solid food in a comfortable setting. I would come back.

    Vada
    Harshmeet S.

    A great place to try South Indian which is not that far from Seattle. The place is big with a lot of tables and has a lot of parking near the restaurant. We tried the vada and also I had the ghee masala dosa. Though sambar was a bit bland but everything else was great! I would highly recommend this place. The staff was nice but the service was a bit slow probably because there were a lot of people.

    Mint chicken

    Tasty and flavorful food with live music on Friday. Relax ambience. Friendly service.

    Garlic Naan
    Ada M.

    I just discovered this Indian food place in Shoreline! Indian Spice Bistro is a total hidden gem. If you're looking for authentic Indian flavors and generous portions, this is your spot! It is definitely a good contender with Everest Kitchen. I like the Goat Biryani and Lamb Vindaloo which are both huge and full of flavor! The restaurant was a bit cold and needs better lighting. The service is quite fast and everything was hot!

    Lamb Tikka Masala
    Loriana L.

    On this cold and somewhat rainy Saturday evening, we decided on Indian cuisine. We were recommended a South Indian Bistro in Lake City by a friend. We had to try their standards: dosa, curry, naan, and chai. The menu was extensive with some unlikely items such as fish and chips. There is definitely something for everyone. Samosa chaat: 3.5/5 needs more substance in terms of samosa, garbanzos ( chole), and fresh ingredients such as onions and coriander. Too much tamarind sauce, some yogurt, and not enough textures. The sprinkles of sev( chickpea crunchies) kinda melted after mixing the sauce. Chutneypudi masala dosa: 5/5 crunchy, savory with ample spiciness, aloo masala filling not too salty, and generous condiments. We enjoyed the freshly prepared coconut chutney and sambar. Highly recommended. Lamb tikka masala ( mild 2*): 4/5 somewhat underwhelming sauce. Ample amount of lamb enough for 2 with the rice. Garlic naan: 4/5 mild garlic spice, soft, and not burned underneath. Masala chai: 5/5 a proper cup with refill. Staff was attentive and kind. Restaurant had plenty of seating, washrooms clean, and good parking in back. Overall price was reasonable for dinner and entertainment. There was live music this evening, a guitarist and singer. We were told there is a guitarist and/or singer every Friday-Sunday 6pm- 9pm. This restaurant seems like a neighborhood gem.

    Coconut curry.
    Maureen M.

    I found myself sitting in a window booth at Indian Spice Bistro this afternoon enjoying the coconut curry. Classical Indian music in the background. Very pleasant and professional waitress. Delicious coconut curry with tofu and basmati rice. I'll be back.

    Butter Chicken
    Peter M.

    Indian food with good serving size, friendly service and savory tastes. Would return. Tried this a few months back, our first visit under the new ownership. Parking in the back lot was easy. We were greeted and seated promptly. They have a large menu, we went with some non-spicy choices and they were accommodated. For starters we tried the pakora. Some places have vegetables or chicken. Not Indian Spice. They have a gamut of pakoras and we chose egg. It was wonderful. Lightly breaded and with a savory blend of hard boiled egg and spice. Would try different varieties. For entrees we tried butter chicken and chicken Saag. Butter chicken had large tender pieces of chicken in a creamy tomato sauce and was mildly spicy. Chicken Saag had tandoori style chicken in spinach sauce. Both entrees had enough portions for leftovers. We also had garlic naan on the side and it was delicious. Would return if in the area.

    Aloo Masala Dosa
    Isaac T.

    This place changed chefs and / or management and it's very mediocre now. The curries used to be the best in town and now they're not better than some lunch buffets while costing more. The biryani and dosas were still good last I went so it may be worth going for a few select items but I cannot recommend this restaurant anymore due to how sharply it fell off. The previous time I went here the food was so bad and over spiced that we sent both curries back to the kitchen. The butter chicken had too much butter in it and was a thick unpalatable sludge the likes of which I've never seen before or since. We were comped a dessert but still charged for the meal. This time was an improvement from that low point but considering how our food was inedible last time it's a low bar to clear.

    Interior (9/22/23)
    Marie B.

    I'm often driving on Hwy 522 and new signage caught my eye at the former location of Yu Shan. I decided coming back from Lake Forest Park to detour and check out, Indian Spice Bistro (9/22/23). I was warmly greeted and handed a menu which I perused in the reception area. I decided to go with fave baseline entrees to experience their versions of Lamb Korma, Lamb Tikka Masala, basmati rice, and Garlic Naan. I was able to chat with the gentleman at the host stand. He has been here for 1.5 years with previous stays in Bermuda and Bahrain, if I recalled correctly. Clearly resourceful having taken my order, dealing with a finicky POS system, and other phone orders all with a professional demeanor. I would have preferred to dine onsite, especially in a bright dining room filled with natural light. But with perishables in the car trunk on this warm sunny afternoon, I opted for takeout for this initial visit. While I was waiting, I was offered a refreshing glass of ice water served on a cloth lined tray. A nice and welcomed gesture. This spot is indeed new having had their soft opening last Saturday. I am amazed how vast the interior is, which I was told underwent a major renovation. They are awaiting their liquor license, so hopefully their bar counter area will be up and going too in the near future. The food was freshly prepared, piping hot, and nicely packaged for takeout, which was greatly appreciated. The accompanying basmati rice was generous for the two entrees ordered ($22 each). I enjoyed the Lamb Korma, creamy flavorful sauce with tender, succulent chunks of lamb. I tried a small piece of the garlic naan ($5), that too was spot on. Later The Homie, reported that he too enjoyed the Lamb Tikka Masala, basmati rice, and garlic naan. He especially pointed out that the garlic naan was "the real winner". We will definitely return to dine onsite. In addition, the menu piqued our interest about Indo-Chinese entrees also listed. Plus we'll have to try some chai and their dessert offerings. Indian Spice Bistro is located adjacent to Flo-Anna's and Botteco Brazil on Bothell Way, close to 145th at the Seattle - Shoreline border. Parking is located at the back of the building. A welcomed culinary spot in Shoreline!

    Very good food. Highy recommend for paniyaram and mutton biryani and to try their buffet . With live dosa counter. Service was too good and ambience was so quiet.

    Chicken

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    11 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Really good dosas and great service. Definitely on par with the best South Indian places on the east side. Would come again!

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    2 years ago

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    Mamatha R.

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    Mamatha R.

    Thank you Alice for the great review and the wonderful photos!

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    1 year ago

    Food was great, perfect level of spice and flavor that I was craving. Great staff and appreciated the ambiance.

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    Great unique Indian food with a huge variety of Indian dishes. Very nice people, clean.

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    Page 1 of 4

    The Chennai Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

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    The Everest Kitchen

    The Everest Kitchen

    3.8(457 reviews)
    1.5 mi
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    Late dinner and craved Indian food. Everest menu highlights Indian, Nepalese, and Tibetan so let's…read moretry it! I felt adventurous so tried a veggie vindaloo (3 of 5 stars) and chicken momos. Vindaloo came with rice and I would try 4 star next time. Zesty as listed in the menu is spot on. Love it! I was worried the momos (10ish) would just be standard dumplings and was pleased with the ingredients before trying the sauce which complimented them nicely. The dish would be an excellent appetizer to share for 3-5 easy. I would have ordered a smaller portion but maybe I missed it. Take home it is! Big enough place for several groups and the tables are spaced so it doesn't feel crowded. I arrived towards the end of the night so not busy, but still several parties. Prompt service, cozy lighting, and casual pop sounding music at conversation volume. Part of Lake Forest Park Town Center, there's plenty of parking. Temperature was a bit warm for my liking but not a distraction.

    The vegetarian momos were the highlight. The sauce was flavorful and complimented the momos nicely…read more Sadly the paneer saag, naan and samosas were a bit of a let down. The paneer was a little rubbery, the naan was somewhat tough and crunchy on the edges, and the samosa dough was too thick. In the future, would come back for the momos. Service was quick and friendly. Called for a pick up order and it was ready in 25 min. We did not dine in, but it looked like plenty of seating available inside.

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    Indian-Nepali Kitchen

    Indian-Nepali Kitchen

    4.7(173 reviews)
    2.4 mi•Haller Lake
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    The momos from this Indian-Nepali restaurant (kitchen?) had been something I've heard things about…read more So when I came up here, I was quite excited to give them a shot. Not exactly sure what to get, we ordered the momo combo, the malai momos, and the tandoori momos - all chicken. These did more than live up to the hype. They're simply the best momos I've ever had. The sample size on that isn't huge, as I've only had it from about three or four different places, but these blow those other places out of the water so much it's crazy. The quality here is simply spectacular - every kind of momo present is so delightful to consume. The level of marination on each of these is highly impressive. The momo combo comes with sandheko, steamed, chili, and fried types. Each of these are awesome. The fried momo has a great crunch without being overly bready. It reminds me a little of a turnover, but savory. The sandheko momo is dripping with a nutty, oily flavor. The chili momo isn't super spicy, but contains just enough for your tongue to feel that it's there - and it has a beautiful deep red color. The malai momos are also awesome. These are nutty and creamy to the max - drenched in sauce yet the dough still stays firm on the outside. The combination of flavors with the chicken feels like it shouldn't work, but it just does in a way that's purely addicting. Out of the three orders though, my favorite has to be the tandoori momos. These are plump, juicy, and the reddish brown exterior feels like they actually were cooked in a tandoor. They're the only ones crispy on the outside, yet the chicken on the inside stays the same level of soft and juicy as the other ones. I should mention how good the filling - despite being ground chicken - is. It tastes better than a lot of the pork filling I've had in other dumplings. We also had the garlic basil naan, with tomato achar. While the achar wasn't my favorite as it felt too liquidy, the naan was quite soft and enjoyable to even eat plain. Also the momo sauce wasn't my favorite either as it felt too tomato-forward. Each order was around $15-17, which for 10 pieces, I'd say is a decent enough price. Overall, I find it hard to believe that these momos will be topped anytime soon. 9.15/10

    Great place for momo lovers! This is probably one of the best spots in WA for authentic Himalayan…read moremomos. I mainly came here to try their momo variety and I really enjoyed them. The combination platter is a great option if you want to try different dumpling flavors. I especially liked the chicken filling. It tasted fresh, flavorful and delicious. I also tried their Chowmein which tasted really good and had the street style flavor which I was expecting. They have a good variety at good prices, which definitely impressed me and I hope they don't raise it as they get more popular. The service was polite and friendly and there's plenty of seating. The only downside is that the location isn't the greatest, but the restaurant itself is nice and comfortable inside. I'll definitely be coming back to try more of their momo.

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    Samburna Indian Restaurant - Pongal, vada combo

    Samburna Indian Restaurant

    3.8(350 reviews)
    6.4 mi
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    We were in the area and decided to finally give Samburna a try. I've been hearing about this place…read morefor a while, so it had been on our list for some time. It's a small, casual restaurant, and overall, I'm glad we checked it out. The food was very tasty, with a few hits and misses. One thing that took some getting used to was the ordering process--you scan the QR code at the table, order everything online, and pay before your food even arrives. Not necessarily bad, just a little different for a sit-down restaurant. We ordered the idiyappam with coconut milk after seeing the photo on the menu, but apparently that's not actually how it's served. The portion of coconut milk that came with it was tiny, so we asked for another cup, which they graciously brought out. The medhu vada was crisp and delicious. The Gobi 65 was a little too dry for me, although it was very crispy and almost more like a pakoda. The Mysore masala dosa was just okay. The dosa itself was excellent, but the masala could have been more flavorful--and there was surprisingly little masala for such a huge dosa. The burnt garlic noodles were probably my least favorite. They tasted like fairly standard Indo-Chinese noodles, and I really didn't get much of that burnt garlic flavor I was expecting. But the parotta with egg pepper curry was the winner. Spicy, flavorful and SO good. Definitely my favorite thing we ordered. And the mango lassi was exactly what a mango lassi should be. No complaints there. Service was quick and courteous, and despite a few dishes that didn't quite wow us, there was enough good food here to make me glad we finally stopped in. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the Bothell area and craving South Indian food.

    Food- good. I've tried their dosa a couple times and it's good and I'd be back for it…read more Prices- they're not bad for the quality and quantity you get. Service- I had a lady (assuming the owner), she was a bit pushy in having us order more. Other than that nobody bothered us during our meal. I did however notice how most of their attention was towards their regulars (giving them a benefit of doubt) which happened to be anyone that wasn't Indian/brown. We had zero check ins during our meal but there was a couple right next to us and almost every server there, and another family that had all their attention. Place- it can get a bit crowded and feel like the tables are set a little too close together. Overall, come for food.

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    Comforting Masala Dosa

    The Chennai Cafe - indpak - Updated October 2026

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