Went here on a saturday morning as soon as they opened, and most tables were already full. If you plan on dining in, make sure to order at the counter--I'm pretty sure the kiosk is only for takeout orders. I got the Thatte Idly combo, which comes with two idly, one bowl of sambar, one tomato chutney, and one coconut chutney. It was delicious and filling! The idly was so fluffy and much bigger than I expected, especially for such a reasonable price! The idly itself had a subtle yet pleasant flavor to it, and honestly I could eat it plain. The sambar was hearty and flavorful, perfect for dipping or eating by itself! Definitely check thus place out if you're craving some South Indian food in the east bay. read more

Idly Express - Berkeley - Thatte Idly Combo - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

I'm no expert on South Asian cuisine, but I have a fond long-ago remembrance of the breakfasts I had when I was touring the Grand Trunk Road. That was back when I was young and adventurous. Part of me is still that way. Not the young part but I was willing to try Indian specialties I hardly ever have, especially at a locally popular chain like Idly Express. The name struck me as ironic because the staff here appeared anything but lazy and aimless. I had no idea what to order, so I asked for the Combo. The server suggested I get the $10.95 Super Tiffin Combo Meal to get a true sampling of what they do best. He was right. It consisted of three items plus three condiments. The first thing that flew in my mouth was the Medhu Vadai because it was a crispy, savory donut made of lentils. Tasty delight. The next item was the Thatte Idly, a flat, steamed rice cake that reminded me of a mochi pancake. The main event was the Mini Masala Dosa, which was ironically the largest item, a buttery crepe filled with potato masala that was a bit challenging to pick up. I ended up using a fork to dip it into the three cups of dipping sauces. The biggest serving was the Sambar, a spicy soup of vegetables and lentils. This was flanked by the Coconut Chutney and Tomato Chutney (Photo 8). Along with the smoothly sweet $4.75 Rose Milk (Photo 7), it worked for me. FOOD - 4 stars...South Asian specialties done with panache AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...fast food setting, grab any seat available SERVICE - 4 stars...guided me to the right intro meal TOTAL - 4 stars... perhaps there's a little adventure left in this old boy yet RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's my collection of places l've patronized and reviewed: https://yelp.to/YxrSeG2ltX read more

See all

Finally a good idly spot in Berkeley! I've been to to the same chain in Livermore but glad there's one close by. I've ordered the idly and uttapams. The dishes are very consistent between locations. They have one of the best sambars in the area (including Fremont, Sunnyvale). Service was standard for an Indian restaurant. I've already been back more than once, so stop reading this and give the place a try! read more

Whenever I am in the Bay Area, I want to stop by at Idly express coz they made the BEST idly!! This location was closer to San Francisco airport compared to others. Parking can be tricky as it's very close to UC Berkeley. There are a few tables if you want to sit down. We had idly and Vada both were excellent, just like their other locations. read more

See all

Legit good food. Had the Super Combo. Very fresh food. So many textures and flavors bursting in my mouth. Green Chutney was DELICIOUS. The Idly didnt taste too fermented. It doesnt look like a lot of food but I was so full afterwards. Limited Seating! Almost all seats were full during a tuesday dinner time. Love the warm cumin water at the end. read more

Idly Express - Berkeley - Super Combo ($10.95): One Thatte idly, one medhu vadai and one mini masala Dosai. Served with Sambar & Chutney - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Had the spicy Ghee mini Podly Idly for $12. It was filling, affordable, and unique to me. A nice quick bite but too carb forward for my overall diet. Idli is a steamed fermented rice dough with a slightly sour taste but bland on its own. A breakfast dish from India. Healthier than rice because it's easier and gentler on the stomach. read more

Wonderful Thali lunch, which you can see from the picture. Great service, casual atmosphere. Loved the spouted mung beans. Delicious and complex, with lots of textures and flavors without been overly spicy hot. Great mouth-feel. read more

Idly Express - Berkeley - Thali-style lunch - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Probably the best benne dosa and tasty South Indian food anywhere All idlis are good, unlimited sambhar chutney makes it even better read more

Delicious and authentic South Indian cuisine. The vada and sambar combo tasted delicious. The super combo was a great deal for lunch! My fave item is the bene dosa and ask for podi sauce to make it spicy! The lunch thali is a good deal if you are looking to eat a full meal and have a little of everything. Staff was nice and helpful on selecting items. Limited seating and no reservations. read more

Idly Express - Berkeley - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Delicious and comforting chaat on this cold winter day. Service was friendly and my order came out fast! I ordered the medhu vadai. A savory fried donut fritter with tomato and coconut chutneys. It also came with sambar. Warmed my soul. A good addition to the university area. read more

No chai, why? I am so sad about this. If there was chai I would come more often. I had the mini tiffin thali (idli, vada, mini dosai) and it was very good along with complimentary mysore pak pieces. read more

Service was very fast. Dosa was crispy and delicious. They even have oat milk chai and oat milk filter coffee!!! As a girlie who can't do milk this is the best. Super yummy and delicious. Clean restaurant and fast service. read more

Idly Express - Berkeley - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

I took the family to try the new idli express in Berkeley and it didn't disappoint. We tried the masala vadai, poori kurma, kal dosa, Chinna vengaya sambar sadam , thatte idli and filter coffee. The vada, idli and sambar rice arrived within a couple of minutes while the dosa and puri took some time- clearly freshly made. My wife was very appreciative of the eco friendly Areca leaf plates and my 7yr old had everything a 20 fingers and toes up for taste. Drinking some filter coffee to some Carnatic mandolin tunes piped from the speakers was a perfect exclamation mark to end the meal on. Space is limited- We went on a Sunday early evening circa 4:30pm and we had to wait a couple of minutes for a table for 4 to open up. The staff are very polite and I appreciated the complimentary taster servings of pongal read more

Great smell as soon as we walked in. Humble place but I enjoyed the atmosphere. Idly has great texture. Masala dosa--good amount of masala potato so the dosa is still crisp. Great service. Jaggery available in addition to regular sugars is a nice touch. Highly recommend as best South Indian in Berkeley for food/price/service. read more

Delicious South Indian food. We had idly, pongal, curd rice, and upma. Everything was excellent and fresh - I especially loved the curd rice. I've also gotten their dosa batter to cook at home and that was a hit, even with my picky parents. Service is efficient and effective. I've never seen it full seating wise, so I'd aim to dine in one day. Only downside is very limited street parking in a busy stretch of university. This will be a regular in my rotation. read more

Their thatte idli is too notch as well as pongal. Large quantities make it very affordable.

​I stopped by Idly Express in Berkeley on Tuesday evening (Mar 10) while driving from San Francisco to Sacramento. I'd been wanting to try their Tuesday $5 Special Pesarattu with ginger chutney, so this was the perfect chance. I ordered the Pesarattu, and my husband got the Parotta with Kurma plus a Pesarattu. I tried some of his Parotta/Kurma and it was really good. The Pesarattu itself was nice, but the ginger chutney was a letdown. ​ It was overly sweet and had no ginger flavor at all. It was missing that classic balance of tangy, spicy, and just‑slightly‑sweet that makes ginger chutney shine. It didn't quite hit the traditional profile. I'm hoping they tweak the recipe to bring out more of the ginger heat, brightness and touch of sweetness. I'll definitely give it another try soon ​.The staff and service were wonderful. Saravanan was especially friendly -- always smiling and taking great care of customers. read more

Nice to have a spot like this downtown, with a much-needed departure from heavy curries and tikka masala everything. The staff were so sweet and very accommodating, I look forward to dropping by again on my way home after work! read more

It is so nice to finally have a solid South Indian joint right here in downtown Berkeley. The thatte idly is incredibly soft and the sambar has the perfect amount of kick to it read more

I'm a fan- the idly was delicious and my 8 year old keeps asking to go again. I got their to go pre-packaged food and it was so delicious and well priced. This is going to become one of my regular spots. read more

This place is new in Berkeley and I am so glad I got to try it during the first few weeks of opening this location. Being from South India, this place just got all the taste that good South Indian food should taste like without modifying to match what Americans like to taste like Viks does. I ate Idli dipped in Sambhar and Benne Dosa. Idli tasted so heavenly and the green chutney is the best I have tasted in my life! The quality is great and the price is just right! Benne Dosa however was very heavy for me since I fell so full already with the Idli so I could not eat it all and took half home and we ate the rest without any doubt with dinner. I can't wait to try their regular Dosa next time! So so happy that we got a cute, little, great South Indian restaurant in Berkeley!!! Oh and the service was great too. The waiter was very polite and very kind in giving me the extra green chutney I requested in the end! Left with happy heart. read more

Wow! Some of the best South Indian food I've eaten in US. Delicious & fresh food was full of flavor. Great service and nice clean place.