This is a review not only of the restaurant, which is of course great, but the CATERING, which was simply magnificent. Vanakkam brought an absolute feast down from Portland to Eugene for our wedding. They not only transported a huge buffet, but also did live dose (dosa) and even added a live appetizer station last minute, fearing that the appetizers would be soggy. That means they were cooking on a huge griddle, cranking out crispy dose, frying paneer 65, wok-tossing gobi manchurian, all on the spot. Every single dish was SO GOOD. Our guests said it was the best food they had ever had at a wedding. People are still raving about it. We had many guests from India who were thrilled as well. Ganesh at Vanakkam was a pleasure to work with throughout the process. So responsive, kind and understanding, and his staff worked incredibly hard. It honestly blew us away. You should hire Vanakkam for your special event. 5 stars is not enough. 20 maybe. (This event just happened, but I'll update this review with mouthwatering pictures as soon as I have some...) read more

We are blessed to have a number of excellent Indian food options in the Beaverton / Hillsboro area. While searching for a lunch buffet option, we came across Vanakkam PDX and decided to give it a try. This restaurant, located in a strip mall area, doesn't really seat that many people, but for less than $16, you can experience a really amazing lunch buffet option here. Seriously, for the price of your average food cart entree these days, you can have an all-you-can-eat, high-quality, high-variety lunch. And this restaurant doesn't just churn out the basic stuff, either. You might get a bhindi masala, or goat biryani, along with some of the more typical plates like butter chicken. They mix it up, which is the sign of a great buffet. Honestly, they do something truly special with their tandoori chicken. I'm normally pretty lukewarm on that entree, but Vanakkam's version is a really sensational one. Samosas, Naan, Raita, etc. all available too. I hope they can keep this going at this price, and if so, we'll soon be a regular, no doubt! read more

This small restaurant is in a strip mall with limited parking. There are eight indoor and five outdoor tables. Seating, water, Chai, extra-cost drinks, dishes, and dish bussing are all self-serve. The restaurant is kept clean. I've never been to India, but I do love Indian food, and this seems to be very authentic. I saw a few people eating only with their hands, so there's another sign. I tried a little bit of each one of the 20 or so dishes, and didn't like only two of them. About half of them I've never before seen on a buffet line. Here's what was on offer: Rice Specials: Chicken Biryani | Chettinad Veg Biryani | Coconut Rice Curries & Specials: Mango Tikka Masala | Kadai Goat | Mutter Paneer | Lobiya Masala South Indian Specials: Beans Usili | Pappad | Sambar | Rasam Appetizers: Chicken Ghee Roast | Veg Spring Rolls | Veg Manchurian Accompaniments & Sweets: Fruit Salad | Semiya Payasam | Masala Tea The naan seemed straight from a Sysco bag, with extreme uniformity and no crispness like you'd get from a tandoori oven. Overall, it's a delicious bargain at $15.49 plus 10% tip (an option for which actually pleasantly shows up on the checkout screen!), and I'd definitely return if I'm again in the area. read more

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I wish I could give something less than this. This is the most horrible place. Its ok if you are ordering something then probably try doordash. They don't believe in customer satisfaction nor they care about responding respectfully. Don't believe in any paid reviews above. read more

Vanakkam Pdx - Indian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We were in the area craving dosa and decided to drop by as they had a variety of dosa on their menu. When we got there, we found out that we could only do the lunch buffet for dine ins at that time so we chose to go with that. Apart from the confusion about the menu, the checkout process was pretty simple. You pay for the buffet, find a table, get some plates, get your food, then bus your table after you finish eating. The lunch buffet was $16.99 per person and had a lot of options to pick from. Carb-wise, they had white rice, naans, dosas, and a few different types of biryanis. They had different meat options as well as fish and vegetarian options. Their dessert section had vermicelli kheer, gulab jamun, papadums, hot chai, and mango juice. The place is not that big so if you are going during peak lunch hours, it could be difficult to find seating as soon as you get there. They have some seats outside too. They were pretty packed when we went but still did a great job of cooking more food and replenishing whatever dish was almost gone. The standouts for me were the dosas (I might be biased because I love dosas), goat biryani, goat curry (so tender and not gamey at all), veggie korma, chicken tikka masala (the sauce is SO GOOD to dip the dosas in), and the sambar (unexpectedly and pleasantly spicy, also great to dip with dosas). I was a big fan of their desserts and mango juice as well. For the price, variety, and taste, I would definitely go back here again! read more

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my favorite restaurant. for south indian food in portland this is the best spot by miles. the buffet has high turnover so the food is always fresh. the weekend buffet always has a couple new items i never tried before, so its great for someone tired of the standard options. the servers are all extremely kind and go out of their way to make sure the experience is wonderful. the restaurant itself is also very clean and cozy. read more

It's the best Indian food & buffet in the Hillsboro & Beaverton area. Friendly & professional staff.

I've heard a lot of great things about the lunch buffet here so finally got to come try on a Tuesday for the weekday lunch buffet. It's a pretty small place with limited seating but there are some small tables outside for nicer days. Drinks are not included but I got my toddler the mango lassi and it was super creamy! I would say for $15, there was a good selection of apps, Briyani, naan, and vegetarian and meat curries. My friend is gluten-free and she was able to eat most of the buffet items. Service was friendly but they did seem to get busy with takeout orders and there was a constant stream of lunch patrons while we were there. Bonus they had their tv playing baking videos which kept my toddler entertained so thank you for that lol It's a great value for the variety of food you get. My favorite wad the goat curry. Come support this local business when you're craving Indian food! read more

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#notapaidreview #regularcustomer The best dosas in town! Tried the Masala Dosa and the newly added Benne Dosa and both were amazing. The sambar is delicious and so is the Coconut chutney. The Idlis are soft and freshly prepared. The Podi masala is authentic and taste great. Gobi Manchurian was tasty as well. We have been there many times before and they never disappoint. The service is friendly and fast. Filter coffee is a must try! read more

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The tiny but mighty lunch buffet that can! Delicious and spiced for westerners but also fairly authentic in depth, it's a superb bang for the buck if you are craving a quick in and out Indian Buffet. Chicken 65 and goat biryani are my favorites but the vegetable pastry is a must try. Chicken curry is legit! I wish they would serve mango lassi as part of the buffet but they have premade drinks in the fridge for a small price. Definitely coming back for the buffet. But normally don't entree Indian cuisine even for takeout. Calibrate your expectations, this isn't a large spread by any means, but IMHO it's also priced to reflect this. Pro tip: use the bowls! They serve their purpose very well!!! read more

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Good lunch buffet, although small, crowded, and limited choices. Would be better if their food offerings were refreshed / refilled more often. When I arrived, there was no goat biryani. By the time I saw it, the few lamb pieces were picked over. read more

super nice people i could not wait for this restaurant to open I live behind it. They were very kind but the one thing that kind of turned me off was goat and that's just me. I used to have a goat for a Pet other than that everything is great they're very giving very kind. Good for our community, but I have to say the goat did me in. read more

One of the better Indian restaurants in Portland area. I would rate most of the other Indian restaurants around 2-3.5, but I rated this as a 4 in comparison. I got the food delivered and the packaging was good. They did not have Hyderabadi Biryani, so I got chettinadu chicken biryani, which was well balanced and flavorful. Goat sukka was flavorful as well with tender meat but it was a buy one dimensional when it came to taste. I would try out other options at the restaurant for updated review. read more

Exceeded Expectations -- A Must-Try Spot in Portland! We were on vacation in Portland and decided to try this place based purely on Google reviews -- and oh boy, it more than lived up to the hype! What We Tried: Idly, Mysore Masala Dosa, Pepper Chicken, Mango Lassi The Verdict: Idly - Perfectly fluffy with just the right tang. Paired beautifully with the chutney and sambar (which, by the way, has that signature Tamilian flavor that really hits different!) Mysore Masala Dosa - Crisp, flavorful, and the potato stuffing deserves a special mention -- spiced just right. Pepper Chicken - Spicy, bold, and absolutely delicious for those who like a kick. Mango Lassi - The jewel in the crown! Smooth, sweet, and heavenly. Don't leave without trying it. It's a no-nonsense restaurant, so don't expect fancy ambience -- but the food speaks for itself. Service can take a bit during peak hours, but honestly, when the food is this good, it's more than worth the wait. Final Word: This is definitely going to be our go-to whenever we're in Portland again. Highly recommended for anyone craving authentic South Indian flavors with a punch of spice and soul! read more

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Small South Indian restaurant with very good food. Medium Spice level was a little higher than typical American medium spice levels. I also ordered the mysore podi Masala dosa which was tasty and a pretty good portion. Their Mango lassi was yummy. The biryani combo was well worth the money spent, a wholesome combo with dessert. Service was quick with courteous staff The place was clean and neat with lot of parking. Definitely worth a visit! read more

Vanakkam Pdx - Filter Coffee (8 Oz) - Indian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Best Indian buffet in the PDX area! I was surprised with how many options they had for such a small space, and they are always making sure that everything is coming out FRESH and hot- even when it was closer to closing time! Most of the time when you go to buffet within the last hour all of the food is dying and dry, but that's not the case here. Everyone working is very kind and you can tell they want to make sure you enjoy your meal. The price cannot be beat either. I went 3 times in a week to this spot and I can't wait to go back. read more

Vanakkam Pdx - Indian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Amazing lunch buffet, had few different choices of meat, different veggie curries, all the dishes had distinct differences in flavor (). Everything tasted fresh and the place felt very clean. Guy behind the counter was friendly, we didn't need much attention from him but it looked like he was servicing others at the table when the depleted dishes became available. Also one of the most reasonable prices that I'm aware of in the area. Will definitely come back again. read more

Vanakkam Pdx - Just some of the selections from the buffet. - Indian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

vanakkam main cook - Bala is extra ordinary skilled cook because his cheerful giving vibes we can taste in food He makes. He is very hard working, he does cook for customers going out of the way and making them very happy. food is memory and he makes that for all. Thank you bala spreading love through food. read more

Very good buffet. Multi-cuisine: poori, sabji, Dosa, Upma, sweets and many more options. Nominally priced. read more

Vanakkam Pdx - Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

went for dinner, my friend was more familiar with the cuisine and ordered for us. we got a variety of dishes and my favorite was the curries! they also gave us a complimentary dish on top of the amazing service! the place gave a homey restaurant type of vibe i heard there was a buffet they do for brunch so im hoping to go back and give that a go! read more

I came in on a weekday to try their buffet for the first time. I would say it was a satisfying experience. Just the right amount of items(not too many), the tamarind rice was flavorful, the non veg curries had a good South Indian flavor, very flavorful rasam and dessert was just the right amount of sweetness. They could turn up the flavor quotient on the veg curry though, which was paneer at the time. Overall I enjoyed the food and the server asked me if wanted some food to go and graciously offered some for free. Come in here for a soul satiating food experience, I would again!! read more

Vanakkam Pdx - Indian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Authentic south Indian food at its best. I wonder why Seattle restaurants don't have such quality, and Portland ones do !

Sunday brunch at "you're welcome!". Tidak kedekut for sure. GOAT, chicken, even crab! Papadum very fresh. One of the best prices in town for the food quality and portion. Thank you to my Punjabi friend for introducing us to this restaurant. A good meal after a good hike at Washington Park. Families eat here. read more

Vanakkam Pdx - Sunday brunch buffet - Indian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

One of the best filter coffee in the Portland area that I have tried so far. I am going to go back and try out their food too. The coffee was strong and served in the traditional style. Try it out. read more

First things first, a new place altogether. Feedback is based on the service. Been to this place couple of times, and each time they had some or the other changes in the way the food is available. We tried buffet both times, the food is good with good portion sizes. Veg and non veg has decent amount of items. Definitely try their filter coffee, it's amazing My only request to the people is to update online about your specific offerings because every time they had some or the other excuse for something which was in their menu. We went in the morning time for some breakfast and they mentioned that they aren't serving breakfast and they only have buffet in the morning which doesn't have any breakfast items. Second time, the chef wasn't available until evening 6:30 pm for ordering dosa's. Either have them or add a note on google about these or remove them from menu. I hope they resolve these things and be a little consistent with the new place. Ambiance is really good. Although space inside is limited which I guess will be improved based on the demand. read more

Vanakkam Pdx - Indian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Good food and service, along with a tasty selection for the buffet. There's a few tables outside, but the inside has only 12 seats. Yesterday, they had a children's birthday party, so they'd be happy to accommodate. read more

Vanakkam Pdx - Hours - Indian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Ads, Menu, and time of serving is their issue. I went in when it's open for the evening at 5. Was told Tali is for lunch ok I get it. I want fried fish they said it's dinner. That's specific 6pm. Ok so I run out of what I wanted in mind so let's do the "special" on the poster in the front and nope... they have other reasons that lost me now. So I ended up ordered things I didn't come for... Biryani. On menu 13.99 chicken, 14.99 goat. I went with goat but they geared me away to lamb said goat has bones. So I went with that with idly and dosa. Found out later that my bill was a little high because the biryani was 17.99 it's not on menu but they should inform customers. The portion isn't generous as our supermarket biryani and not quite tasty but it's enough to give another try. So it comes lunch hour for Thali. I just remember those silver trays pictures and imagine my lunch with Chai. They can't serve Thali inside, I have to do take out. What? No I won't eat Thali in to go boxes. It's a kind of traditional plate that is good for dine in. Why have location but make people feel like self service food with pre-tip, just not in form of food carts. Omg I can't believe all the rules and times they stuck themselves into. Besides lunch rules, some snack items are 4-7 some are 6pm yet they are close between 2:30-5:00. If they think this is strategic to get people back different times they are so wrong. We're out. read more

We had biriyani at their stall at the Pioneer courthouse India day celebrations today. The chicken biriyani had 2 half inch pieces of chicken. A total rip off! read more

Good food, nice vegetarian food in buffet. So many veg curry options. Worth to try if you are in this areas.

Decided to pop in for the lunch buffet and it was great. Good selection and excellent value. I'll definitely come back!

Monday, 7 October, 2024, at around 11:15 AM, I dropped by for an early lunch, and this place looks really closed. See photo. Lights off, tables pushed to one side, no staff. Supposed to be open at 11 AM, M through Friday. Maybe hours have changed? read more

Vanakkam Pdx - Closed? - Indian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This place is SO ridiculously good! Since I am Vegan, I got the daal and it was so delicious. I even had leftovers. Just a heads up for anyone who can't handle spicy. It is definitely spicy. We also got the onion samosas and they were some of the best samosas I've ever had in my life. They were very honest and when they accidentally took my order for naan, they delivered it to the table for the non-vegans and let me know that there was dairy in it and that they would give me a bunch of chapati instead. The service was very decent. You order at the counter and they deliver your food to you. You get your own water, napkins and utensils. Ambience isn't really there. It's not a romantic restaurant. It almost feels like a takeout counter with just a few tables. So it's definitely not a good place for groups. There were definitely some people who wanted to dine in there, but because there was nowhere to sit they ended up just choosing to leave so they could die elsewhere. But if it's just a party of two or your dining alone or would rather do takeout then definitely come here. It is so ridiculously amazing. read more

Tasty new spot! We got our food to-go, the garlic naan wasn't super garlicky but butter chicken, saag paneer, and other chicken thing hit. Took a little long to prepare but was still very yummy. read more

Vanakkam Pdx - Butter chicken, saag paneer - Indian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We came on a weekend afternoon assuming they would have a -la-carte options . we were told that they only do buffets for weekend lunches and other menu items are available after 6 PM . We weren't really in the mood for buffet and were about to leave but the staff convinced us to try some food from the buffet . It was almost 4 o'clock and past lunch time so they were out of a lot of stuff from the buffet as well but they offered to give us a slight discount to accommodate that and so that we don't have to go somewhere else . We decided to stay and try what they had - most of the menu items were delicious and were served hot. There was a variety of both veg and Non-veg options however as I had previously mentioned the food was limited and at times there was only gravy and no protein left or the container was all empty. The head chef was more than generous and was very apologetic about the lack of options. The rest of the staff was MIA however for most of our visit. Plenty of customers who came in ,just couldn't find anybody because nobody came out of the kitchen to talk to them . I would definitely return to try some of their other offerings because the food did seem promising . read more

Food served freshly made and PIPING hot. I ordered the special appam with vegetable curry. The appam was perfectly flavored and they brought them out fresh from the pan one at a time. Portions are very generous so come hungry or share. read more

Service is lacking. But honestly who cares, they have the best Indian food in the state in my opinion. The buffet, and their prices are shockingly low. The food though. Omg. My mouth is salivating thinking of all the flavors. read more

Buffet review only . Limited items but all kick ass !! Many Indian places have like 25-30 items but find it difficult to keep the flavor profile or the refills right . You have 2 halves for Veg/ Meat . Meat has small 4 pans while veg has 6 and small section for chutney and single dessert . This is really value for money . The ambience , the plates / cutlery is all bare minimum but this hole in the wall setup , makes up in the quality and flavor of the food . read more

Food was good. Service was really bad. My dasher / driver was waiting there for 1 hr 45 mins!!!! Yes you heard it right. When it happened second time I called the receptionist to ask why it is getting late every time..... and his response was I already told your dasher that it going to take 30 mins more. Actually his 30 mins means 1 hr 45 mins in normal world. Regarding food : I ordered mirchi bajji and it was really good with all the stuffing with peanuts , sweet - sour sauce and something else. However when I ordered it second time it was not at all same!!! They just offered with no stuffing and simple besan fry bajji with chillies inside! read more

Really liked this place. Had the Falooda, a Bombay treat. The tikka masala was the tastiest I have had and THEY HAVE DOSA!!!! The family staff were extremely friendly and polite read more

Vanakkam Pdx - Royal Falooda (16 Oz) - Indian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

The best Chettinad food ever.... And there are other surprises I think they used to be at the intersection of Walker and Murray and now have moved here at the new location read more