Service and Ambiance is great. Taste was not as expected. Food is not authentic North Indian. It…read morehas Hyderabadi touch.

Now I finally understand why every time I drove by this strip mall, there was a long line out the…read moredoor and people waiting on the sidelines just to get their name on the list. LOL I really liked how easy the waitlist process was. You show up, scan the QR code, add your name, number of people in your party, and get updates while you wait. Super simple and convenient. The owner, Syed Afzal, was up front checking on things while guests were being seated and to-go orders were flying out the door. He was incredibly pleasant and took the time to chat with me about the most popular items, especially for a busy Friday night after 10pm. He went over the top sellers, the most unique dishes, and he even shared a funny story about a couple who had apparently gotten into an argument/fight a few weeks back over a reserved table. LOL He also mentioned the other restaurants he and his partners have opened throughout NorCal and SoCal. Such a cool, welcoming guy, and you can tell there's a lot of pride behind what they're building and they love what they do. Now let's talk about the food and the atmosphere. Everything came out hot, fresh, and beautifully plated. The whole restaurant had such great energy, with so many guests clearly enjoying their food just as much as I was, and some were celebrating something special by the way they were dressed. I had the goat dum biryani, and while it was packed with flavor, it eventually got a little too spicy for me, even with plenty of raita on top. So I happily took the rest home for a visiting sibling who loves spicy food. The chicken malai kebab, though? Absolutely to die for. Tender, flavorful, and easily something I would order again and again. The service was top-notch and the staff always came with a smile. Multiple people checked on me throughout the meal, and the entire restaurant ran like a well-oiled machine. I can't wait to come back with a big group so we can order a ton of different dishes and try even more of the menu. This place is popular for a reason. Couldn't be happier!

Amazing food and excellent service 10/10 recommend Get the…read moregarlic cilantro naan its amazing

Just moved to the area and was pleased to discover my new go to Indian restaurant. The samosas were…read moreinsanely delicious. They came with this wonderful spice I don't think I've ever experienced on a samosa before, and was blown away by the flavor! The paneer tikka masala was very filling and perfectly cooked; the only thing I might try to modify next visit is the spice level, they could take it up a notch, so I'll be back to try that soon! :D

Madras Cafe was absolutely unreal -- oh my god. We went as a group and everyone ordered something…read moredifferent, and it was honestly crazy how good everything was. I had the Mysore Masala Dosa, thali, and filter coffee, all of which were phenomenal. The dosa was perfectly crisp and spicy, the thali had so much variety and comfort, and the filter coffee was strong and nostalgic in the best way. But truly, every dish that hit the table looked and tasted amazing. Authentic South Indian flavors, generous portions, and one of those meals where you're just constantly passing plates around saying "try this." Absolute must-visit.

I got the Chana masala and my dear friend got the butter chicken. This restaurant slaps. If you…read morelive in the San Diego area and know it's good for you. You'll eat here. "They could butter my chicken any day." DAIRY FREE AND TREE NUT FREE OPTIONS OUT THE WAZOO! (2)

I come here as a graduate student on campus a couple times per week. Service is always quick, and…read moreYamhara is always friendly!

Outstandingly savory. My butter chicken came in a separate plastic container filled to the brim…read morewith chunks of delicious morsels of chicken. I swapped my chili garlic naan with Doc and used hers to eat with my hands. Doc ordered a plate that consisted of four items along with a naan. We were both filled with the generous portions. I have 2/3 of the container left of the butter chicken for another meal or two. Our order was delivered still hot and fresh. Thanks for dinner Doc.

Was craving Indian food and decided to give this place a try. I ordered their dinner plate, which…read morewas under $12 and came with rice, two curries, and naan--definitely seems like a great deal for the price. Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed with the flavor. While the portion and value were solid, the curries were very bland and lacked the bold spices and depth of flavor I usually expect from Indian food. The naan ended up being my favorite part of the meal--it was the standout on the plate. Overall, great value if you're looking for an affordable meal, but I was hoping for much more flavor.

So stuffed after eating all the yummy things!…read more We ordered garlic naan, vegetable pakora, gobi manchurian, butter chicken, paneer tikka masala, paneer saag, kheer, gulab jamun, and ras malai. Our order also included a large to go container of basmati rice. There was plenty to feed our family of 5. We ordered mild for everything. The butter chicken was our favorite savory dish. We loved the garlic naan, for obvious reasons (garlic lovers here). The gobi manchurian was a new dish for us. It sounded good so we tried it and happy that we did. It was fresh and flavorful. We hadn't ordered Indian desserts before so we tried a little of everything. Hands down the gulab jamun was the winner! So light, fluffy and soaked in a delicious syrup. I kinda wish there were more but am glad there wasn't because I don't know if I could control myself (ha)! We ordered online and had it delivered. The wait was a little long but that is to be expected at prime dinner time. I can't speak to the service other than how they prepared and packaged the food, both of which were good. The food arrived still hot and ready to go. Overall, I think it was well priced, worth the wait and delicious. We will likely order from here again!

Kebabs done right, curries full of soul, and naan made to tear & share…read more Kebabish = always a good idea. Come check out @kebabishsd

Too bad it's far from my house otherwise I would go here more often. The food is delicious! The…read moreservice can use some help though. Special dishes here are the biryani and haleem. I get a small tub of haleem to go and have it for breakfast as a comfort dish. The kabob platter is great also

This review is based on our visit during the Christmas-New Year week of 2025, so things may have…read morechanged since then. We were visiting San Diego from the Bay Area and planning to head to the San Diego Zoo from our hotel. We wanted to grab a good meal before entering the zoo and found Dosa Studio on Google -- it was a small detour and absolutely worth it. We went on a Saturday and they had a brunch buffet from 11 AM to 2 PM. We were pleasantly surprised by the wide spread of dishes covering both North and South Indian cuisine, along with tea included. The pricing was very reasonable -- if I remember correctly, it was around $10 for kids under 12 and about $18 for adults, which felt like a great deal for the variety offered. We were a bit rushed that day and had to eat quickly and leave. On our way out, we noticed they had just started a samosa chaat counter that was part of the buffet -- which we unfortunately missed! We ended up coming back the next day to enjoy the buffet in a more relaxed way. This time, we finally got to try the samosa chaat we had missed the day before, and it did not disappoint. Since San Diego was new to us, this restaurant became our go-to spot for the weekend -- and it happened to be the last day of the brunch buffet, so we made sure to stop by again. Hopefully they still offer this brunch buffet. If they do, it's definitely a great value for the price. Even if a few dishes aren't to your taste, there's enough variety to fill up on what you love.

This place has gone from being the only reliably decent South Indian restaurant in town to a…read morecompletely underwhelming disappointment. The restaurant itself now feels neglected, and unfortunately the staff presentation reflects that. Several employees appeared unkempt and poorly groomed, which does not inspire confidence in the cleanliness or overall standards of the establishment. They desperately need showers, shaves, hair cuts, deodorant, clean clothes and shoes. As for the food -- the decline in quality is impossible to ignore. What used to be flavorful and authentic now tastes rushed, cheap, and poorly executed. The coconut chutney barely tastes like coconut anymore. Instead, it tastes overwhelmingly of chickpeas, seemingly used as a filler to support the "unlimited chutney" concept at the buffet bar. There's little to no proper tempering or seasoning, leaving you with what feels like bland chickpea paste masquerading as coconut chutney -- a key accompaniment that South Indian food simply does not work without. Their "Chaat Night" is equally disappointing and honestly an insult to authentic North Indian chaat. The flavors, textures, and freshness that make good chaat enjoyable are completely missing. The idlis were cold and hard as rocks, while the dosas arrived cold, soggy, and utterly lacking flavor or crispness. What a fall from grace. This place clearly can no longer maintain the standards and quality that made it popular when it first opened.

I've been coming to this location for over 25 years, because of the food is always on point and…read moretastes amazing! The Chicken-Tika-Masala, Beef Keema Curry, and Vegetable Khorma or my go-to dishes. The garlic naan is among the best that I have ever tasted among all of the Indian restaurants in San Diego. I had the pleasure of watching the owner prepare it in the back of the house, and it was nothing short of a masterpiece! If you're looking for fast casual Indian food, then this is your place. The food is a little bit spicy, so be prepared... Royal India Express is a train that will take you on a one-way trip to food paradise!

I tried the chicken korma and chicken tikka masala…read more Good job on keeping the chicken juicy and tasty. The flavor was spot on, and thanks for naan fresh made. I have zero complaints about this place. Great job! You guys went way above expectations for a food court experience.