Never had this sort of experience with Indian food before. Madras specializes in Southern Indian cuisine. The business operates a grocery store, a food court, and a cafe/restaurant. Everything was no frills with ordering at the counter and then sitting at a table for your food to be served. They're typically very fast and efficient even during busy lunches. Everything was excellent but the Chappathi-chana really stood out to me with freshly fried and puffy dough balls served with the most delicious chana I've ever had. Just one bite and I wanted to buy a bucket of it. The Onion Rava Masala and Masala Dosas were also delicious. Crispy and light dosa batter surrounding flavorful potato filling. I had a lot of fun eating them with all the chutneys that they gave you. All these amazing food with fun spices paired with a side of Mango Lassi was quite a memorable lunch. Also, they're super affordable and generous with their portion! Can't go wrong here, I'll be thinking about them for days to come. read more

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F O O D +++Menu is vegetarian, South Indian cuisine Dosa is like a crepe but made with fermented rice and lentil batter +++ Special rava masala dosa: with cashews and veggies. FYI takes extra time to make + Paper dosa: thinnest and crispiest dosa + Ghee dosa + Tomato dosa +++ Pongal: A rice dish that's like an anesthesia. You'll need to order an XL poori to use as a comforter afterwards. Closest thing I can compare to is mashed potatoes but rice? Poori is a deep fried bread +++ Poori kurma: Poori with a vegetable gravy +++ Poori channa: Poori with chickpeas + Idly: Steamed fermented rice and lentil batter + Onion and tomato uthappam: It's like dosa but thicker. Give extra time for this dish to be prepared. + Masala chai S E R V I C E + When your party is all present, order at the counter and wait to be seated + Operations amaze me. How they always get the food to the right table is a mystery. + Not too crowded and fairly easy to secure a table on Wednesday around 7pm with our large party of 8 A M B I A N C E + The parking lot can be difficult depending on when you visit. Weekends tend to be the busiest. Weekday evenings are less crowded. + Casual, no frills restaurant + Great for friends and family. Had a great time for my husband's birthday! T L ; D R Long-time fans of Madras Cafe, my favorite South Indian restaurant in the Bay Area. Eagerly waiting for them to open shop in Newark. read more

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Dosa tasted much better dining in than order to go. Here is how you order. 1. Go line up. 2. Pay and order your food at cash register 3. Wait outside for table. 4. Once you are seated wait a while for your food. 5. Server generally ignore you, get your own water. 6. Eat and leave. But man, the taste is so worth it. read more

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Had dosa with masala on side. And 1 vada. Chutneys are amazing. Chutneys at other places are like puree. Place was very busy however their service was quite fast. read more

Solid tiffins here - we ordered on doordash! Recommend getting dishes that travel well. We got the masala dosa (which was soggy by the time we got it) and the chole batura. AWESOME chole batura: the pooris were fluffy and big and chole was tasty, not too spicy. Love the mint chutney, tomato chutney and sambar that the dosa came with too. read more

Madras Cafe - Masala dosa, chole bhatura - Indian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

Wow- this place transports you back to India! Be it the number of people waiting to be seated or the simple ambience just like a small cafe back home! This is one of my favorite indian restaurants which have cracked the code of crowd management. You first order your good, make payment and then for table assignment. Once seated, they are so efficient, never had i have to wait for more than 5 minutes. Additionally, all servers are very polite, will ensure to promptly give any extra chutneys or sambar. Now onto the food- taste is superb for everything we have tried to date- masala dosa, vadas, idlis, mysore masala dosa, rava dosa- you name it. Another plus is that, while waiting to be seated, you can also combine this with a quick grocery run at the neighboring madras groceries where you always find great indian vegetable. Yes, the ambience could have been better but food and efficient service makes it a 5 star experience! read more

I cannot WAIT to come back and eat a masala dosa all by myself. For those of you who are not Indian (like me lol), the menu might be a bit intimidating bc you might have no idea what most of the items are, but basically, you can't go wrong ordering a dosa to start. It's a big thin crepe made from fermented lentils and the masala dosa is just that crepe wrapped around some HEAVENLY BUTTERY SPICED POTATOES. If you have a picky kid, can't go wrong with a ghee or cheese dosa. Yes, two of the three chutneys are spicy, as is the sambar (a veggie soup) that is served alongside. South Indian cuisine is not for the faint of tongue! But my husband, who is even weaker against spice than me, still enjoyed his tomato masala dosa. Don't be scared to step out of the butter chicken zone and try a dosa today :) read more

This place is a 45 min drive for me but it's hands down the best dosa restaurant in the Bay Area! My family has been coming to Madras Cafe for the past four years and it never lets us down. I'm thankful they have a relatively large parking lot and large dining room to accommodate lots of people because this place is super popular on the weekends. You start by viewing the menu and ordering and paying before you're seated. They have two dining rooms and some outdoor seating as well. Water is self serve and coffee/tea are usually served after you eat. I like to get the idly vada combo which comes with two idly and one vada so me and my husband can share as an appetizer. We usually get a ghee masala dosa and a mysore masala dosa. While the dosa is perfectly cooked and crispy and thin, the real star here are the chutneys and the sambar!!! Each chutney has so much flavor they complement the dosa so well and switching between each is so delightful to get a different bite each time. My husband is also a fan of the biryani which is only served on the weekends, and my family loves the channa bhatura which is only $9! My only issue is if you order coffee or tea with your meal it is disappointing when the wait staff doesn't keep track of the drink orders because they're so busy running back and forth delivering food. It can be so difficult to flag someone down to bring the drinks because they're not really checking on every table to see if everything has been delivered or not. read more

Madras Cafe - Ghee Masala Dosa and Mysore masala dosa - Indian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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Delicious food! I tried the cheese masala dosa! It's delicious, it had lots of cheese and seasoned potato in the center! I loved the dips to pair with it. read more

Madras Cafe - Cheese Masala Dosa - Indian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

This pretty much feels like you're stepping into a South Indian restaurant in India! No nonsense, quick, delicious food! Tried the mysore masala dosa, idli sambar and upma. Everything was great! The coffee is great too and is served in the traditional authentic steel glass with bowl which I just love. I keep coming back to Madras Cafe, it's just wonderful! read more

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Overall good service, plenty of seating, and my go to is the paper masala dosa or idli/ vada combo!

Love the food here!! Amazing taste and decently priced. We ordered Idli Vada and Mysore Masala Dosa. It comes with 3 chutneys and Sambhar! Everything was just so yummy! Also there's enough outdoor seating available so didn't have to wait for long! read more

This is my second visit to this place. Last time I didn't review it because it was during the pandemic and I did a takeaway and I thought the time it took me to come home impacted the quality and taste. Today we did a dine-in. It was a Sunday. So long lines to order and then wait to be seated. Our order was served at the table and was delivered one dish at a time. So while I ate, my husband had to wait till I finished which was when his order got served. What we ordered. Masala Dosa. Even though we ordered a regular dosa this was paper thin. I like my dosas to be thick in the centre and not very crispy like this one. It crumbled when one took a piece of it. Not a fan. Onion Rava Masala Dosa. This comes with onion sprinkled on top - I expected it to be cooked with the batter. Ok but not great. Idli Vada combo. Menu doesn't mention how many you get but it's two idlis and one vada. Filter coffee. Very good. Excellent. Was tempted to order another but was put off by the long line for placing the order. All the snacks were served with Sambar and three kinds of chutneys( each quantity was around a tablespoon). Sambar was very average. Chutneys were nothing to talk about. There are other breakfast places in the vicinity I have eaten and reviewed which are way better and hence only 3 stars for this one. Would I go again?. Most likely not. And definitely not on a weekend. I must say the crowd reminds me of places back in India which are chaotic like this so if that's the ambience you are looking for, do drop in. read more

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Came back from a snowboarding trip with an empty stomach. Had to wait in a crazy line (PM) but Madras NEVER disappoints. Got the spicy Podi masala dosa with a side of mini idlies (lentil donuts) and was in HEAVEN. I mean I couldn't stop saying mmmmmmmmmmmmm. Place is insanely good everytime I go there. And a good reason why the lines are always long. If you want a perfect dosa, this is the spot. I GUARANTEE IT!!!!!!!!! read more

Madras Cafe - Indian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

I am definitely a fan of Madras Cafe! My boyfriend and I were in the area and decided to try Madras Cafe. We came in and ordered and were given a number. You get to choose where you want to sit and the tables are socially distanced. We ordered the paper dosa and masala cone dosa. The dosas come with 3 chutneys and 1 sambar (I think, correct me if I'm wrong). The masala cone dosa came with a potato bhaji masala. All of the chutneys were delicious! The dosas were HUGE and were so crispy! I am not too familiar with South Indian Vegetarian food, but my boyfriend and I absolutely loved it! So, I don't see anywhere on the menu which chutneys the dosas were paired with, but with research I believe they were tomato, coconut, and mint (please correct me if I'm wrong! I would love to know what they are). Service was friendly and efficient. I would totally come back! read more

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Always fresh. No one can beat their crispy paper dosa and house-made chutneys. There quality is really good and consistent and hence you are always in queue. Their kothu paratha is mouth watering. A must try if you visit this place. Filter coffee is also too good. In general, highly recommend this place for most of their items in menu. read more

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Had a really decent experience here and I'm glad I gave it a try, the space felt clean and organized which already makes a big difference for me, the team working there seemed like they actually cared, they weren't just going through the motions, they paid attention and smiled and were patient even though I took a bit long with the menu, I tried a couple different things and I'd say the flavors hit the right spots, especially the way the food had this homemade kind of feel, not fancy but made with purpose, you could tell it was put together by someone who actually wanted it to be good, the timing between everything was smooth too, didn't feel like I had to wait long or like things were rushed either, just steady and natural, the people were helpful throughout and didn't hover too much, they had a way of making you feel comfortable without trying too hard, I liked that a lot, by the end I felt full and relaxed and not like I had to be anywhere else. read more

Perfect place for authentic South Indian food. My go to is the Mysore masala dosa. The uttapam is pretty good too. The sambhar and chutney are very flavorful and taste authentic. The filter coffee is the perfect end to the meal. The customer service is also great, they do a great job keeping up with the busy flow and not compromising on service or quality. read more

Madras Cafe - Indian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

Good Indian food. There is an Indian grocery store connected to the to go food area. Also a separate dine in area restaurant. Love the grocery store, plenty of variety Indian snacks. read more

Crowded on a weekday evening but good, reliable South Indian fare One note, the toilets could be maintained better. read more

Madras Cafe - Lobby - Indian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

This place is a gem for south Indian food in bay area. I've been there so many times (that I can't even remember). What makes this place unique: Kothu parantha (this is a like into pieces and mixed with spices, veggies). I'm not able to find it any other place so far. This tastes super yum. In general their Idli, vada, dosa, uttapam, mini idli- everything is good. This does get crowded on weekends around 11am and can be a wait time of 20-30 easily. read more

TLDR - toxic coffee, pale limp dosas, over priced orange juice, rude condescending staff. If you want good dosa and coffee, go to Murugan Idly or Ulavacharu Tiffins or hike your way to Milpitas and eat at Masala Dosa. Madras cafe can't hold a candle to these places. Where do I even begin. Tried this place after nearly 5 years and oh boy have they gone downhill in terms of food and service. Firstly the lady at the cashier was condescending when I asked her a question about an item that that they had on their menu. I chalked it up to just over worked staff. But the food came unusually late. The staff were quarreling about who should bring the food out to the table. And each item came with about 15-20 mins gap between each ( even two of the same item). I had to go remind them about missing food at least 3 times. The dosa - had not seen any oil or ghee. It was limp, pale and dry as a bone. It crumbled into saw dust. The bajjis were doughy and each plate of bajji had different chutneys on it. And the straw that broke my back was the filter coffee. They forgot to give us the coffee, eventually brought the wrong number of coffees from the grocery store next door and blamed each other for the mistake. And the coffee was Luke warm and it tasted like toxic industrial waste. The color was something in between black/brown. None of us could drink this more than a sip. When I asked them about why it was so bad, the cashier lady said she can bring more milk to balance it out. And there was no answer to why it was luke warm. Should I be making my own coffee in this restaurant after paying for it? They did offer to make it again. But by this time I had spent a good hour in this restaurant eating limp masala dosa, doughy bajjis and over priced orange juice. So I asked them to take the coffee back and give a refund - which they did. When I told the cashier that they have to be at the top of their game in a competitive Indian restaurant market like the South Bay - my feedback was just ignored. This place has either gotten complacent or greedy. It is just a food counter attached to a grocery store now. Save yourself and find a better place to eat your dosa. There are plenty of better restaurants in South Bay. read more

This place is always pretty packed - it's definitely a popular spot to get your fix of dosas, idlis and vadas! It's cafe style, so you order at the front and then get seated at a table. I had the Mysore Masala Dosa, which was very crispy, flavorful, and filling - I enjoyed the sambar and chutneys on the side! Hoping to try a different style of dosa next time - will definitely be back again soon! read more

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This was my first time here. We came to have breakfast. There was now wait at the front to order. We picked our seats and within 5-10 mins our food came out. We tried their paper masala dosa and it was crispy and airy. The only complaint was I wish they filled it with more masala. Their veggie biryani was spicy and enough for 2. Their mango lassi was fresh and sweet enough to end our breakfast. I would come back and try other dishes read more

Madras Cafe - Paper Masala dosa - Indian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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Best dosa place in Bayarea!! I've been here over 4 years almost every other weekend. Tried many different kind of menu, but my favorite is Masala dosa which has potato inside of dosa. Food is excellent and customer service is always great! Since this place is very popular, you might need to wait a little bit on weekend, but it's not that bad. I feel like as if I'm in India at this restarant. Highly recommended. read more

Madras Cafe - Masala dosa and paper masala dosa! - Indian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

Okay wow. The food here is exceptional, very worth the hype. The standouts were the rava masala dosa, Chana bhatura, and the uttapam. The rava dosa was so crispy and flavorful, the uttapam texture was spot on and very tasty. The Chana was sweet and spicy, different than what I'm used to but I enjoyed it thoroughly! Their chutneys are all actually amazing and perfectly spicy. Definitely one of the best South Indian places I've been to! read more

This place is not expensive. And you get what you pay for! I had masala dosa at the place and ended up with an upset stomach! read more

Back again for more. I wish this place was closer to me..Whenever I crave delicious, hot Indian food and masala tea I think of madras cafe. It's dangerous to come hungry..everything looks inviting on the menu and I cannot control myself! I bring my puppies and we usually find a spot outside. It's a lot harder to find a table on weekend though. My pups love the idly read more

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Dined here with my wife. We ordered a cone dosa, paper dosa, onion tomato uthappam, poori-chana and ginger tea. We forgot to order dosas with the masalas so requested it separately for $2. The dosas were alright. The masala(potato) lacked flavor. The poori was made of wheat flour (not maida) however the chana again lacked flavor. The ginger tea was ok, nothing special. Time of visit: Lunch Ambience: Good. They also have tables set up for dining outside on the patio/walkway Process: You need to order and pay at the counter as you enter. Food is served at your table. Quantity: Good Times visited: 1 read more

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Looong wait on a Saturday morning. We came here at 11:40 a.m.. placed our orders, and had to wait until 12:20 p.m. for a table. There is no decor to speak of- this is a big hall The place seems very popular because all the patrons seemed to expect the wait outside the restaurant. It took another 15' for our orders to arrive. The service was mediocre. My husband had ordered a rava masala dosa which was crisp and tasty and came with fresh coconut chutneys. The rasam was over salted, and the sambar was OK. The remaining two orders did not come out even after my husband had finished eating. Overall, an OK experience. read more

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Our go to place for South Indian food. It's one of oldest restaurant still going strong. The food quality is still good after many years. I love all their chutneys. It's usually crowded over weekend. Once seated service is hit or miss. Many time food comes early other time you need to chase them for your order. Service need improvement. read more

Man I love this place - vada that is not oily, crisp dosa and delicious sambar-chutney! Vada is deep-fried, so it takes special skill to make it not oily. Madras cafe always delivers on that note. Crisp sada dosas and the potato masala (especially with gunpowder) is really good. I always get extra sambar to drink. Their filter coffee with stainless steel glass and 'saucer' reminds me of home! Not the biggest fan of their kothu paratha or their Mysore dosa, but other than that - go get some good tiffin food at Madras Cafe! read more

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My colleagues asked if I wanted to order in lunch with them today even though I had brought lunch. Sure, why not! We've had this to go before for our Friday work lunches. I was told this needs to be eaten right away and famous for their Dosa. I got the super veggie with lentils veggies potatoes cashnuts and raisins. Gave this review 3 stars just because the crepe was too soggy for me. I love mine crispy and flaky but that also goes to say if you dine in, that's a different story but if you take out all kinds of no telling what happens to your food. All in all, the flavor and fillings were consistent so my tummy is happy. read more

Madras Cafe - Vegetable dosa work lunch - Indian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

Food tasted pretty tasty this time. They are better off serving in disposable plates and cutlery as the stainless plates and cups don't seem very hygienic. Restrooms can be so much cleaner. read more

Madras Cafe - Plain Dosa - Indian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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I love Madras! It's delicious and fresh every time. I wished I lived closer as I would come here more often. Service is fantastic and always helpful. read more

While the food was good, my experience was overshadowed by the rude behavior of the staff. I do not plan to return.

Best and fresh South Indian food center ..... you can feel, taste and smell that freshness .....

Not 4 star- Unpopular opinion i know! Read on... This food is good not great. They make good dishes that even otherwise are hard to make bad. Considering service,ambience and wait times to this- This actually comes to a solid 3.5 stars at the most Lets start with idly chutney. I did not have any major complaints. In fact, the chutney i got here were just amazing (5 star)... except the podi. The podi was way too finely ground. This needs to be coarser and for a reason (as is tradition). Else the finely ground dal powder forms a thick paste which is notvery pleasant to eat or easy to spread (and probably why they give it on side too). Idly was good, but not very light probably needed just a little more fermenting- i am nitpicking. Dosa is decent. I have had it numerous times. It is crispy, buttery and no complaints. Medu vada- its fried well, not too oily but where is the spice, where are the curry leaves, where is the chilli? I assume maybe this is personal taste preference. But i for one have had better medu vada. Filter coffee is good but i suspect the coffee beans were maybe different than ones you get from india. So the process may be same but flavor is just a bit off...thats my guess...i may be stupid and wrong here. read more

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The food was excellent. I had the house special - I highly recommend it - Kothu Parotta, a popular South Indian street food. It is shredded parotta (a type of flatbread) mixed with vegetables, eggs, (and sometimes meat),all cooked with spices - known for its spicy and flavorful profile. But it wasn't 'hot' spicy - just very tasty. The service was good, the ambiance was cafeteria-like. read more

Ordered: Butter Masala Dosas Never had dosas before? Go and get your hands on some here at Madras Cafe! Ever since we had our first dosa in NYC, we were on the lookout for a dosa that was up to par with what we had! What is in this scrumptious dosa? First off, this Indian crepe is vegetarian filled with rice, lentil & stuffed potatoes! You dip this delicious dosa in the 3 chutneys and sambar (lentil soup) that come with the dosas you order! We finished all the chutneys and sambar because yum! And we may have came back again a few days later for more . $8-10 for a dosa :) Make sure you try to eat in person because your dosa will be more fresh and crispy. read more

Madras Cafe - Butter Masala Dosa - Indian Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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