Summary: Best dosa place I've ever tried! Favorite dosa: Chili Paneer. Favorite appetizer: Dhai Puri/Fried Idly. A-ok customer service. My experience in South Indian food is limited, but out of the South Indian places i've been, this has been the best. It's my grandmother's favorite place and only place she likes dosas. That says something. We came here for my grandmother's birthday and she loved it. Other places are typically too spicy for her since she's reduced her spice levels. I got a chili paneer dosa and for appetizers we shared bombay bhel, dhai puri, and little mini fried idlys. Bombay bhel is like a little mixture of nuts and little mini fried puff things. It's a light starter. It tastes better with yogurt mixed into it. The dhai puri (yogurt and little puffs filled with nuts) was our favorite. It tasted amazing! And the little mini idlys (which are I think of made of lentils) with spicy fried onions were amazing! The dosas are all really huge so it is much advised to share with someone. Chili paneer, despite spicy, was amazing in flavor! The coconut chutney (Sauce) is my favorite because it's not spicy, but all the other sauces are spicy. My family got rava dosa (a little different, because it is crispier), palak paneer dosa, and regular masala dosa. All were great in their own ways, but I still liked the chili paneer one the best. For dessert, we got a falooda ice cream and pista (pistachio) kulfi. I wasn't a fan of the falooda, but the pista kulfi (like an ice cream) was pretty good. It is inconsistent because I heard it use to be a lot lighter, but last night it was really heavy. Still good though! Just glad we only got 1-2 desserts because we were stuffed at that point. Service wise, a-ok. Nothing extraordinary, but they were nice and helpful. We had asked to move to a bigger table worried about our plates running into each other and they said they wanted to save the big tables for big parties, but big parties never came. And they had multiple big tables. Also, they don't do anything for birthdays unless you bring a cake from outside. I'm sure they would probably charge a fee though. Also, this place is a little hard to find via Google Maps, because it says you are at the location before you turn into the plaza, but it is located in the same shopping center as Goodwill. Once you take the Druid Hills exit off 78, and take a right, it is that first shopping center on the right side. read more

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This is my go to in the Decatur Area for Indian vegetarian. Fantastic lunch buffet! They always are rotating lunch buffet items. Nice folks! read more

Their lunch buffet was great, decent spread and tasty food. The restaurant has taken good safety and sanitary measures. This place doesn't disappoint, this was my 2nd time here, and have liked it both times. read more

This was my favorite vegetarian Indian restaurant in Atlanta area. On my recent visit to the restaurant I found an insect in my dosa. I brought it up to my server and he replaced my dosa but still charged me for it. I later spoke to the manager about it and she took off the dosa from my check but was unapologetic about it. Another lady standing with the manager even asked me for the picture of the insect because she didn't believe me. Well, I had the picture and showed it to her. Both of them then started giving explanations that something might have just flew in and still no apologies. Never going back to this place. Dirty food and bad service. read more

Madras Mantra - Indian Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

was looking for a veg restaurant and found madras mantra. its a hidden gem honestly, very chill, good food, would def recommend trying the chili paneer dosa read more

Madras Mantra - Had the Chili Paneer Dosai and it was amazing! - Indian Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

This restaurant is consistently good with both service and food! I brought two friends with me who never had Indian food and they enjoyed their meals. read more

The food was good. I wish the buffet had a few more choices. All in all a great experience. Thank you for we really felt more like family than customers. The staff is amazing. read more

Absolutely the best Indian buffet I've had in ATL. Great variety and everything was delicious. Just a heads up that you pay in advance and the water is served without ice. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

Down grading to Two Stars. Tried it again, and it was not very good. The issue is; the spices had not bloomed, so they were basically raw, in my opinion. Was so bad, my stomach was extremely upset before I could even leave the restaurant . Will not return...!!! read more

Finally some good authentic South Indian cuisine in Georgia! This restaurant is located in Decatur. I had the south Indian Thali and it is the closest to the real thing I've seen in a while. The thali comes with rice, bhatura, sambar, rasam, pulao, dal and curries that varies everyday. I also got the chili idli which was very tasty. I recommend this place for anyone who wants to try South Indian cuisine. This place is vegetarian unfortunately though so you'll be able to try half of the south Indian cuisine if you come here! read more

Decent food in this part of town. Service is good as well. Nothing wow about the food.

Excellent food as always. My dad and I are obsessed with their lunch buffet. There is always a variety of options and they switch up the selection every day or so. Our favorite dish right now would definitely have to be the manchurian mushroom! Will be returning again soon! read more

Madras Mantra - Indian Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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The best South Indian restaurant in the area! There is plenty of parking available as it is in the Goodwill strip mall. We got here around 9pm on a Saturday night and there was no wait. Food: **Rasam soup - my husband says it is "simple and good for the soul, not overwhelmingly spicy". **Hot and sour soup - this was spicier than I was expecting. It was served piping hot and I could only take a few sips until it cooled down because the temperature plus the spice was just too much. It did clear my sinuses and it was quite delish. It was full of chilis, onion, and corn. Perfect for a winter night. I would get this again. **Cheese dosa - yes, I ordered this off the kid's menu. I've been a cheese dosa connoisseur since I was about 5 years old. This was simple and tasty. They used a monterey jack cheese and used the right amount of it too. Perfection. I can't stand it when restaurants put mozzarella in their cheese dosas! **Pav bhaji - YUM. My husband thinks this was a tad sweeter than he was expecting but this hit the spot for me. I doused it with lemon juice and topped it with red onion and it warmed my soul. They also have an option to get this with naan instead of buns but I lovedd the buns. Plus this dish is traditionally meant to be eaten with buns. **Chettinad masala dosa - the SPICIEST dosa on their menu. Not for the faint of heart. We had to order a mango lassi after we got this. My husband really LOVED this though and is already asking when we can go back to Madras Mantra. The service is fast and the waitstaff were great. My parents are quite picky about South Indian restaurants and this is also their go-to for dosas. Needless to say, we will all definitely be back! read more

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Good food and fast service. Could be a little cleaner around the food area but overall we had a good experience.

SOOOOOO GOOOOOD!!! I've driven past Madras Mantra hundreds of times, flirted with walking into this place in the past, but on a Friday evening after work, we decided to go pay them a visit. Let me tell you right now, if you go on Friday, it's going to be slammed. Every table was full, there was a line waiting, and although there were two of us, it still took about 20 minutes to get a small table. Worth it though? Oh yeah! We decided on a few items today, and got the following: Vegetable cutlets ($4) Masala Idly ($5) Bhindi Masala ($11) Madras Mantra Special Thali ($13) The Idly were these fried pieces of heaven. Fried, light pieces tossed in chutney powder and herbs, but also accompanied with a couple of dipping sauces, both being very good. The Idly came with an onion like slaw that was flavored very well. I wanted to go to the grocery store and buy it. Would happily get this app again. The Vegetable cutlets were three decently sized breaded and deep fried minced veggies that were served with a chutney dipping sauce, although we both thought it tasted like a sweet ketchup. The cutlets, though fried, were very easy to fall apart, and while the flavor was good, they really didn't have the "wow!" Factor as the other dishes. The Bhindi Masala was my dish, which came with okra, sautéed with onion, green and red peppers, all in a North Indian gravy. This also came with rice. The flavor of the bhindi Masala was solid...very flavorful, the okra were not slimey and this simple dish worked for me. It has a slow burn to it so that if you keep spooning the dish in your mouth, the heat will catch up to you, but if you just want to try your friend's dish, one bite wont set your mouth on fire. I liked this dish. The star of the night seemed to be the Madras Mantra special Thali. This is a house special that came out with a deep fried puffed whole wheat flour bread. When I say puffed, it LOOKED like a balloon of sorts, and the bread was surrounded with an assortment of vegetable khorma. Two people literally could order this one dish and walk away satisfied with all the sampling on it. Surrounding the bread were three chef's choice curries, sambar, Rosamund, plain rice, special rice, a choice of naan or poori, vada, raita, pickle, fruit and dessert. It's a LOT of food, but more importantly, it's a lot of GOOD food that I don't think one person can finish off. The interior seats a lot of people. Much more than I thought it would based on the store front. Customer service was good. Staff, when they were busy and we were waiting, had no problem walking through the menu with us since it was my first time there, and our server was sent to ask about food allergies in dishes, which she did with a smile. Located off of lawrenceville Highway in the same shopping strip as goodwill, Madras can be found immediately to your right as you turn in from lawrenceville highway. Parking is shared between multiple businesses, so parking is no problem, although you may not get a spot right in front of the restaurant. . I came away impressed with Madras Mantra. It's a little removed from the Patel plaza and all of the indian restaurants that surround that part of town, but it still holds that same spirit of really good indian with a focus on quality products. I like it and certainly will be back. If you like indian, please check this place out! read more

Good food at reasonable prices. Their thali plate is a great way to try different things. Made the mistake of ordering dessert at the end and waited a very long time to get it. That was really the only negative. read more

My family and I have never had Indian food except for my sister and we were pleasantly surprised by the flavor of the food. The service was very different. We were brought out waters and the server told us to order from the app and they would bring it out to us. It was weird at first because usually, people are would wait on you, refill your waters and take your order from there. In the end we were full and pleased. read more

Every single item on the thali was perfect. Appetizers and main course, All turned out to be the right balance of flavors. Similar to eating at an Indian restaurant in India. read more

Excellent South Indian Vegetarian restaurant. Ambiance is great. Food is good. Great service.

We've been to this place several times now. It can get very busy on Sunday. The food is decent and the service is fine, but I wish they would put some spinach and okra dishes out on occasion. They seem to focus on eggplant and potatoes mostly. read more

Shitty service. Tried to get catering from them and they kept hanging us by a string. We waited one week and they kept telling us they'll call us back. They never called us back! We live really far away and we're tired of waiting for them. We even went there to talk business. Don't ever get catering from them. Terrible customer service. So unprofessional :( read more

Despite being avid carnivores, my fiance and I adore the legit, vegetarian fare served at Madras Mantra in Decatur. This place serves up some of the better dosas I've had in the States. Whether you go for the standard rice-based fermented batter or the nuttier semolina rava, the dosas here strike an excellent balance between an eggshell thin, crackly crust and tender, nearly fluffy innards. Dosas come in ample varieties including your standards (e.g. nutty sweet onion rava, comedically large and crispy paper) as well as some unique twists (e.g. chili paneer, pav bhaji). The potato masala is better seasoned than at most other dosa spots and the chutneys add a good amount of zest to each bite. Don't sleep on the chaats either. They're all good and bursting with flavor, and we are particularly fond of the eggplant chaat with deft combination of meaty, earthy fried eggplant and vibrant chutneys. This place swells to capacity with Indian families on the weekends, so expect a wait. Service here can run a little slow when the restaurant is at capacity, but the food is always fresh and hot. We do tend to avoid this place for lunch, as the menu of dosas is more limited compared to dinner service. The lunch buffet selections, while tasty, do not quite hit the spot in the same way the dinner options do. Madras Mantra totally merits a visit if you want to explore a type of Indian cuisine that isn't super well represented in the Atlanta area or just want a tasty, reasonably priced meal. read more

Wonderful food, great selection and excellent service. Took visiting relatives and enjoyed great vegetarian options.

The menu gives excellent descriptions of each dish and it denotes whether or not it is vegan. Food was delicious. I had the veggie samosas Spinach pakor on another yelper's recommendation and the chole bhatura. I will definitely be going back. Service was good and quick. read more

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"PAY BEFORE YOU EAT" is the policy of this restaurant for lunch. What if I dont like the buffet ? Is the restaurant now going to ask for my credit to plan a refund which can take a week or so. Food is A-OK Thanks but I am going passover moving forward read more

In my childhood I was a heavy smoker. At least a pack a day from around the age of 18 through my late twenties. I was able to kick the habit for a few years but eventually started back up. I never got back to the pack a day habit I once had but I've been an on and off again smoker as long as I can remember. Lately I only smoke a cigarette or five when I'm out for some light binge drinking. One day I might kick it entirely again but today is not that day. Aside from the permanent lung damage and high likelihood of cancer, the biggest concern I have about being a (former) smoker is whether my tongue nubules or "taste buds" have been dulled as a result. I'm sure there is science that knows the answer but I've never been a big fan of science. When you're eating Madras Mantra it doesn't matter what state your flavor nubs are in THEY WILL COME ALIVE AND BEGIN TO SING YOUR NAME!!! You will discover flavors you never knew existed. Your mouth will fill with the most delicious southern Indian food you have ever had and you will never want to swallow. Every bite is a sensation unlike any other in this world. Every swallow a regret. Did I mention this place turned me completely vegetarian? For like a whole 3 hours I didn't eat ANY meat. UNREAL!!! Five stars. Highly recommend. read more

Good service, awesome food and homely hospitality It was a Friday evening when me and my classmates decided to eat out at Madras Mantra at Decatur. It had been highly recommended by our friends so we absolutely wanted to check it out. And it didn't disappoint. We ordered for some paneer chilli as starters which was tasty. Then for main course I had coconut rava masala dosa which was new combination for me. The coconut was so yum that it reminded me of home food. We ended with rasmalai and carrot halwa. I would highly recommend this place for anyone looking for soulful food. Do check it out. read more

Madras Mantra - Onion rava masala dosa - Indian Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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I'm telling you, as a diehard omnivore, I totally didn't miss the meat. Madras Mantra, I tip my hat to you. Madras is a sibling restaurant to Alpharetta's Madras Chettinaad which I've never been to but have heard positive things about. Unlike Chettinaad, this Madras is strictly vegetarian. They have a lunch buffet, but I was here during dinner on a weeknight. A vegetarian pal was in town, so I suggested Madras Mantra because some Indian veggie friends had raved about the restaurant, and my friend loves Indian cuisine. The roomy dining room was filled with families and groups of friends. We were amused that even though it was two of us, we were seated at a giant U-shaped booth. I was warned about lags between ordering and receiving food, but we didn't feel like we had been waiting too long. The two of us ordered way too much food just so we could sample many dishes, but hey, nothing wrong with that since I got to take lots of leftovers home. I did note that the menu on the website differs from the actual menu. Masala idly ($5)--Idly is?/are? rice and lentil cakes. This version consisted of fried idlies which were then dusted with herbs and chutney powder. These were my friend's favorite. Nice way to begin the meal. Paneer pakoda ($5)--These were paneer cheese triangles that were deep fried, like an Indian mozzarella cheesestick. You can't go wrong with fried cheese, though they were a little salty. Chole dosai ($8)--Chickpea crepe, essentially. It's pretty delicate. Dosai are a specialty here. There are a billion different kinds of dosai on the menu. I'd like to try some others in the future. Maybe not extraordinary, but I was glad to try it. Eggplant potato curry ($10)--The curries might've been my favorite part of the meal. Just like the name says, it's eggplant and potato so basic but in a very yummy way. Methi Malai Mutter ($11)--This curry consisted of peas and fenugreek in a creamy sauce. This was probably my favorite dish of the evening. Delicious! We also ordered some naan, no qualms there. Rice was included to round things out. Oh, so stuffed. The servers could've stopped by a bit more regularly, but each fellow seemed quite eager to please. Parking was a cinch since the shopping center has allotted billions of spaces for cars. Next up: the lunch buffet! read more

Worst food service . Food is served cold . No taste nothing . We ordered dosas and Nan. None of them tasted good . Nothing has salt

AMAZING AND DELICIOUS VEGETARIAN MENU!! I can't wait to go back when Covid is done and over with. The interior doesn't match the exterior. It's quite beautiful inside!! read more

My favorite vegetarian spot !!! Great variety and service. Fairly priced for the quality and quantity.

Incredible South Indian food, the best I've ever had. Also, fantastic if you are gluten free since you can request almost all of the the Uthappam and Dohai gluten free. We typically go with our friends who are from the Gujarati region and give it their stamp of approval. FYI - it is vegetarian, but even if you are a big meat eater, you will enjoy it. And nothing super glamorous about the environment, but you will see a lot of people and families laughing and enjoying themselves. I go back once every couple months. I've tried take-out, and it is definitely better in-restaurant. For whatever reason it doesn't keep as well. read more

We came to Madras Mantra on a Friday night at 8pm with a group of about 15 people. I had called a couple weeks in advance to make sure that they could accommodate us and would have a table ready for us. We were not disappointed. The place is located in a strip mall on Lawrenceville Hwy not far off of 285. There is plenty of parking and the place looks rather bland from the outside. However, when you come in, they have a large open dining space with lots of tables and booths. It is big on the inside and can accommodate a large party. The server immediately brought us out glasses of water. Don't be shocked but their water is served room temperature and is not cold or iced. You can ask for a glass of ice and they will bring it to you. They have a variety of different things to drink on the menu and a small selection beer and wine to choose from. I was impressed with the variety of non-alcoholic beverages including some drinks that are exclusive to India like Limca, which is this citrusy soda that is a stronger version of Sprite. It also tastes a little gingery to me. They also have milkshakes (Mango, Pineapple, and Chickoo) They also have Masala Tea ( I had 2 of these, they were so yummy), Masala Coffee, Lassis (Mango, Sweet, and Salted), Rosewater, and a few other things besides your regular Americanized sodas. This place is all vegetarian. However, I do not think that you will miss the meat. They have such a good variety of foods. I think that this may be the best South Indian restaurant I have ever been to. Whether you want dosai, uthappam, or a curry dish, there is a lot to choose from. Here is what I tried: Appetizers: Veggie Samosa Sambar Vada Sambar Idly Dosai: Ghee Masala Dosai Palak Paneer Dosai Bread: Poori Garlic Naan Honestly, everything that I had was fantastic. The veggie samosas were hot and fresh and full of yummy curried potatoes and peas.The sambar ( lentil-based vegetable stew) was yummy and spicy and I had it with one vada ( fritter made from legumes) and one idly (cake patty made with rice and fermented lentils). They were both fantastic. The Dosai ( Crepe or pancake made out of rice and lentil batter, naturally fermented overnight) were also fantastic. My ghee masala dosa was huge! It was cooked with Ghee (super concentrated Indian butter), stuffed with spiced potatoes masala served with sambar & chutney. The crepe part was way bigger than the actual stuffing but since it was cooked with ghee it was very rich and flavorful. It was served with sambar (which I love) and mint chutney, tamarind chutney, a gingery nutty sauce, and a coconut chutney. I loved the mint and tamarind! I also liked the gingery sauce. I have never had that at any other Indian spot. I didn't care that much for the coconut one, but I am picky about my coconut. The palak paneer dosa was also very good although it reminded me more of a Indian type of quesadilla because it was a crepe served with Palak paneer (south asian cheese cooked in a thick paste made from puréed spinach and seasoned with garlic, garam masala, and other curry spices). So the curry really soaks into the dosai. It was very good and very different that the other dosai I have ever had. The bread was yummy and fresh and light. I particularly liked the poori which was this fried puff bread that was super tasty. The service was decent, even though we were a big demanding group. I would 100% recommend this place. read more

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Excellent for vegetarians! I recommend going for buffet. The mini idlis and the folded Masala Dosas were authentic. The service is poor. No one came to our table to ask for drinks etc. the entire time. The dessert options were also limited in the buffet. The mango custard was light and refreshing. they have parking and plenty of space to sit. Don't have to make a reservation. Make sure you go on an empty stomach and bring a good appetite! read more

I stopped by for lunch and was pleased to find they require masks - particularly since this is largely a buffet restaurant. They have a huge selection of dishes available - all vegetarian, which is fine with me. The naan and dosa were good; several of the curries and desserts were pretty watery, compared to what I've had other places. And be forewarned, the takeout buffet price is based on the weight of your containers, not the normal price of eating at the buffet, which I thought was a little sneaky. read more

The buffet has a very nice selection of vegetarian dishes. The food is vegetarian. This is Southern Indian (Madras was the former name of Chennai, in the far south). The clientele includes many Indians, and so the temperature is not toned down. It is not overly hot ... not Goa. There is always a nice supply of large and small plates, silverware, and small metal bowls. The desserts were nice, but could be improved upon in terms of quantity. My new favorite Atlanta buffet. read more

Madras Mantra - Excellent flavorful vegetarian buffet - Indian Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

Food is delicious. We ordered Dosa, thali, idli, and MEDU VADHA. All are better compared to down the street Chapati and price is reasonable. Will be back again. read more

Excellent selection of flavorful Dosas and accompaniments! Delicious food, must come back for more. read more

Madras Mantra - Paav Pav Bhaji Dosai - Indian Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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Had lunch buffet today. Vada, Mysore Bonda, Masala Dosa, Mini Uttapam were too good... Tamrind Rice was kind of strange... ghee was used ... & the rice was neither tangy nor spicy...Sambhar can be better & will be good to have minimum two chutney...instead of one... read more

Madras Mantra - Indian Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

This is an amazing South Indian restaurant in Decatur. I wish it was closer to Atlanta so I could go here more often. I've heard the buffet is really good value, but I have not had the chance to try as I usually go during dinner time. I really like their dosas and my favorite is the Onion Rava Masala Dosai. They have really high quality food that tastes great and is not too expensive. read more

Madras Mantra - Gulab Jamun - Indian Near Me - Decatur, Georgia