Ihave eaten at Bangalore Blues 3 times in the last 2 weeks - you can tell that I like the food! It is south Indian, so different from many of the Indian restaurants in the area. GREAT Dosa, yummy biryani, and don't miss the pana cotta for dessert. It doesn't have a liquor license yet, so bring your own! read more

Bangalore Blues came as a recommendation from my friend, who wanted us to try it together. I am not familiar with South Indian cuisine but thought it was fine. We arrived on a quiet weekday evening. The entire restaurant is so blue! It feels like you're in a casual yet more upscale spot with the decor and ambiance. The service was quite peculiar. One staff member was helping us. She was very attentive at first with explaining and taking our order, but after we got our food, we weren't checked on. Our water was empty quite often, and we had to flag her down even though we were one of the only customers dining in. I got the Tenali Kura and my friend got the Butter Masala, both curries with chicken as our protein. We also got a side of Rice. We both have low spice tolerances, so my curry was quite spicy. If you're okay with spice, you should be fine. The chicken was very tender. The curry was bold, savory, and well-spiced and seasoned. The rice was good, and I enjoyed the bite of my friend's curry. For the price though, I'd expect more. They also add a service charge so that it can add up. Bangalore Blues is a lovely restaurant on Solano Ave. with street and residential parking around. I enjoyed coming, but I thought the food was just okay and a bit pricey. Not sure if I'll be back, but it was worth a try! read more

Bangalore Blues - Tenali Kura - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I really wanted to like this place but my order was very average and the price seemed a little steep. I ordered butter masala Kathi roll, and vada pav. The Vada Pav was decent, but lacking heat in my opinion. I'm not sure if I got the Kathi roll I ordered but the chicken was very bland and almost tasteless and the texture was a little off. I didn't want to finish the rolls. I just felt like it could have been seasoned better... read more

Bangalore Blues - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

3.5 stars $18 Butter Masala Chicken with Bagar Rice: interesting rice; loved it. Chicken was very flavorful and spiced. $5 Masala Chai: no sugar, as chai should be. With tax and tip: $30. Didn't feel like value for money. Perhaps inflation is outpacing my expectations? 4 stars for the food at least read more

Bangalore Blues - Butter Masala Chicken with Bagar Rice - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Bangalore Blues is indeed extremely blue! Both the dark, refined interior and the outside entrance of the restaurant are decorated with blue, and the menu features specialties from Bangalore in South India. Their two lunch specials were the Tenali Kura, a village-style curry with ground herbs and spices, which we ordered with chicken; and the Butter Masala, a tomato, cashew, onion, and butter curry, which we got with paneer. The Tenali Kura featured lots of herbs, and the Butter Masala had a slightly chunky texture that was different from a typical North Indian makhani curry. Both lunch specials were served with Bagar Rice, a deliciously fragrant rice cooked with peas, herbs, and spices. The South Indian menu here also featured tiffins, and the Pudi Masala Dosa was a thick, crispy crepe made of rice and lentil batter fried in ghee, stuffed on the inside with masala potatoes and dusted with a spicy crunchy lentil mix. The benne dosa was served with coconut chutney and spicy sambar (a hot lentil soup) on the side, which both paired nicely with the dosa. Overall, the food here was tasty and made with high-quality, freshly-ground spices. That said, the portion sizes were small for the relatively high prices, and the service was a bit aloof. read more

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The ambience and service are 5/5 but 4/5 for food. Potentially because we have really high Expectations of Bangalore food. Tenali food was the best among the ones we tried and the cardamom mango lassi. Not sure if I will go again, but definitely worth to go there once. read more

Bangalore Blues - Gobi Manchurian and chicken kehaby - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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We stumbled across this place when we were in search for south indian food in Berkeley. We were pleasantly surprised when we walked in the restaurant. The interior is amazing with beautiful blue color, great lighting and ambience. The seating is also very comfortable with couches and wooden tables. We were promptly seated and the server gave us the menu. We ordered Chicken Manchurian, Idli and Ghee dosa. The ghee dosa was really crisp and delicious, so was the chicken, soft and flavorful. I was specially blown away when the idli arrived. It was so soft, fluffy and melt in the mouth. I had a word with the owner and he explained how they make everything from scratch, get all the spices from India and everything is authentic. It clearly shows in the food, it was really different and delicious. Overall we had a great time and will definitely be back to check more options on their menu. read more

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Good South Indian flavors and style, but the menu options and service don't justify the cost IMO. I appreciate the fresh ingredients and their homemade approach. Still, at least two other Indian restaurants on Solano, including the one across the street, are better picks for me. Here's why, with the note that one of our guests was dairy-free: - They have just one entree option that's non-dairy. - No rice options under $12. The biryani rice is good, but I'd prefer a basmati or brown rice option (even at $4) for entrees. - The dosa is flavorful but hard to cut or tear. We ordered the dairy-free option. - The chicken was good but not good enough to justify $18 plus $12 for the rice. - The server was very nice, but they need some help. Dinner got busy and we had to wait for a few simple things. (Gratuity of 20% is included in the bill.) Overall, we didn't feel we got $110 worth for 1 dosa, a vegetable biryani, and a chicken and rice dish plus a glass of white wine. More menu options might help. It was good but not good enough. read more

Normally I hate writing bad reviews as I try and give the food a chance but this was beyond saving. It's a new restaurant with really good ambiance which is why I gave it 2 stars but the food is just not good. We ordered 3 things all of them were mostly bland, Kathi rolls were cold and had dry chicken and to top it all they charge you 20% service charge irrespective so you can't even give them a bad tip. It's best to avoid this place and it's an injustice to the great food and city of Bangalore. read more

Excellent food, service, and ambiance! The owner came by twice to make sure we were satisfied. Will definitely return!

One of those days where we wanted to explore a new restaurant on our way back from Napa and Bangalore Blues was straight out of the blue. The restaurant does explicitly mention about the scratch made freshly milled spices which are slow cooked and as a result the wait time was expected. I ordered the Paneer Kati roll and it was one of the best I ve had . The roti was so soft , the gravy filling perfectly spiced and cooked and the paneer well cooked and soft. It did not make the Kati roll mushy and the paper wraps were also meticulously done . We also ordered the mango milkshake which I thought was a little milkier that I'd imagine but was still tasty . All in all , it was a great experience dining by the window and a shoutout to the kind hostess ! Would recommend this place to friends and family family :) read more

Ordered masala dosa and no way close to bangalore masala dosa. Chutney was bad, sambar was gOn top of that, they charged a 20% service fee. Aravind, I am also from Bangalore and I know how the ghee masala dosas are. We came as a family yesterday afternoon. I am not expecting any refund. Best would be to improve the quality of the dosa and the chutney so we can proudly say it is Bengaluru dosae read more

Overpriced with ordinary food. No Bangalore style sambar or chutney. On top of it, the service charge is levied even for 2 persons, which is not acceptable. Would not recommend if you are really looking for Bangalore style food. read more

Bangalore Blues in Albany was amazing. The food tasted incredibly fresh, and you can really tell they use quality ingredients. Everything was flavorful, and the roti was especially delicious. I'll definitely be back. read more

The inlaws from Bangalore gave this place two thumbs up, and they are very good cooks and picky. Chicken 65 is my personal favorite, and my mother in law says she used to make it for parties in the 80's. I love that the food isn't overly greasy, and we were able to get an extra spice blend to add to the biryani which my husband and I appreciated. This is our new Indian spot. read more

Best dosa and chutney in the bay hands down. Cool atmosphere super friendly staff and all home made with fresh ingredients. Authentic excellence. read more

My husband and I just had our first dinner at Bangalore blues. We were very happy with our selections! We had a dosa, curry, and light as air lentil cakes. As we waited for our dinner, we could smell the freshly ground spices being roasted. Everything was clearly handmade with love, and really delicious. We will be back to try their other offerings. Our waitress was so helpful and friendly! The ambience is very blue and very pleasant inside, with comfortable chairs and tables. If you are a fan of Indian food, this is a must try in Berkeley. read more

First, I love the blue interior. Second, our waitress was soooo helpful with the menu. Third, the food was very good. I like spicy food, but my curry was a bit too spicy. I would check the spice level of the entree you're ordering. The dosa and dessert were amazing. I would go back and try other things on the menu. read more

What an amazing dining experience! I love Indian food and have been eating at numerous local Indian establishments for 40 years. Bangalore Blues is a cut above all of them. Everything is made by hand. The owner and executive chef Aravind is an absolute gem and he only serves what he personally approves of and enjoys eating. read more

Fantastic new restaurant in Berkeley. Everything is interesting, fresh, flavorful .Dosas that give new meaning to what a perfect dosa is. Very friendly staff. Outstanding experience! read more

The dosa I ordered was strictly okay, the potato filling had no flavor. The serving size of chutney and Sambhar was minuscule. Sambhar was over salty. When I requested for additional Sambhar, I was warned that it would be an additional charge. Almost all places provide extra Sambhar and chutney with no additional charge. On top of having high charges they add 20% service charge. There so many places now with better food I know when I post this review, the owner will respond that everything is made fresh and is cooked by hand. But I don't buy that. The food did not live up to expectations. read more

We came to try a new place and we loved it - will definitely be back! Everything was fresh and very tasty in generous portions. Really loved the Gobi Manchurian and Tenali Kira rolls. The panna cotta was delicate and not too sweet. The mango milkshake and masala chai were divine. We look forward to coming back and trying more dishes! read more

Thier dosa was delicious. I was really craving dosa since I returned from s India and after trying a few places that didn't satisfy me I finally found Bangalore blues. It was great! Only 4 stars bc thier proportion was kind if small. Big enough for me but almost not. The restaurant is quite beautiful as well. read more

Really excellent Indian cuisine. The dosa is one of the best around, pav bada was really good, tenali chicken curry with begar rice was fragrant with spices. Waitress was super friendly. Not cheap, but made from scratch with quality ingredients. read more

The decor is nice. But: A lunch that was a small somewhat oily serve with a small dosa and skimpy potato filling, The very small cup of chai is $5 and no refills. At the at the end a 20% hidden gratuity, while trickily at bottom of bill asking foir tips. Not my cup of chai Rani D read more

My friend and I had a very delicious lunch at the new Bangalore Blues restaurant on Solano. We had chicken biryani and masala dosa. The spices were perfect and the dosa crisp and tasty. They have excellent chai as well. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I will definitely go back and try other dishes on the extensive menu. read more

The food was hot and the service was good. The spice level was too much for us though we asked for mild. Otherwise a lot of fun.

Food is very very spicy, even when we asked for mild. Service was fine. Owner was nice but was unable to adjust the spice level.

Wonderful service, extraordinary food, a beautiful experience. I just wishes we lived closer. But we'll go back every time we're in Berkeley. read more

Wanted to love it. Great menu, finally someone is exploring and offering more "regional" cuisines. Though i think it is a bit overpriced and aiming to be fine dining read more

Tasty South Indian food but small quantities considering the relatively high prices! Decor of overwhelming blue needs a soft touch.

Eating at Bangalore Blues is a fabulous experience! it is a good idea to order two dishes that can be shared by two people. the special cabbage dish is spicy but overly so. the lentil soup with dumplings is mild. together they make a very complete meal. read more

Bangalore Blues is a newly opened gem that feels top-notch from the moment you walk in. The moody blue ambiance immediately invites real conversation--a refreshing contrast to the harsh, overly bright dining rooms everywhere else. You can taste the commitment to quality: pristine ingredients, hand-milled spices, and a clear focus on experience. Service is still being fine-tuned, but it's thoughtful, and the owner even checked in on our meal. The cuisine is unlike anything else--from a crispy, pancake-like dish with cheese and savory sauces to beautifully spiced chicken with complex depth. Our second visit was even better than the first. Perfect for date night or family dinners. read more

Based on good reviews, we tried Bangalore Blues last night and were sorely disappointed. The staff is nice and clearly invested in the place, but we found they checked in with us too much and talked too much. Before I even got completely seated, a server was asking questions like "have you ever had dosa before?" And recommending things. I didn't even have my jacket off and we hadn't seen a menu. They recommended things we felt we should order, like the idli, which was so dull and lifeless. They promised flavor in the chutney and sambar, but those had no punch. Very subtle and pale. The potato dosa tasted good, but was VERY oily. We also got a paneer curry that was not saucy or creamy but was brown and mushy. And they serve NO alcohol, which is probably their lifestyle choice, but not mine. They have Coke and Sprite on the menu, with a note that they are an unhealthy choice. Though I know they lovingly make this food, I can't imagine why I would return. read more

curries have actual spice and depth. breads are cooked fresh. service is friendly and knowledgeable. place has casual neighborhood vibe.