I'm not usually a buffet person, but having skipped a meal, this made an excellent stop. It's a vegetarian restaurant that offers a lunch buffet every day. You have to come hungry to be worth the price, but I got my money's worth. There was a chaat station, several appetizers, and numerous entrees. Some were labeled as being free of onion and garlic and there were certainly vegan options as well. Having said that, I like garlic, and the Indo-Chinese noodles appealed to me. The signage promised a dosa, and I was beginning to wonder if it was true but they make them in batches I guess, and eventually a fresh masala dosa was brought to my table. I got a day's worth of food and probably two days' worth of salt (as is typical for the cuisine), but it was a great mix of flavors and textures. read more

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Went here around 2pm and they had a variety Indian vegetarian selections like samosas, pani puri, dosa/masala dosa, chow mein, Naan, Paneer Butter Masala, Vada, Gobi Manchurian, Idly, sambar, etc. They also had dessert- Gulab Jamun, Payasam, and Carrot Halwa. For drink they had Apple Juice and Mango shake. Service was good and prompt. It was a pretty neat restaurant. The Buffet was only $20.99. For the price and the variety that was available I'll say it was more than worth it. You can also not do the buffet and order individual items. read more

Had delicious vegetarian food here, nothing that will blow your mind, but the Samosas + Sauce were definitely very good. So good that if I craved it, would definitely come and order just that to go. We are lactose intolerant and the waiter was very accomodating and diligent in ensuring we understood the ingredients and provided suggestions of alternatives. Great service! Plenty of parking. Below is what we tried: - Veg. Samosas - Puri Special w/ Channa - Veg. Korma - Mulligatawny Soup (very flavorful but it's just liquid, wished there was actual content in it, ended up adding some rice into it to eat lol) read more

Love this place for my south indian fix. The thali and masala dosas are great. Additionally, they do a buffet which has a lot of good options. This is vegeterian so just a heads up. read more

Saravana Palace - Masala Dosa - Vegetarian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Came in for lunch on a weekday - Getting there soon after they opened, but by the time I left, they were quite busy. They offer a buffet which was filled with many appetizing items. But I chose to order from the menu, as I was in the mood for saag. Started with their pakora, the chili and the mixed veggie pakoras and both were pretty decent, but the batter didn't have the spice level I'm used to from pakora. Their samosa was perfectly seasoned and tasted great. Their naan was on the dense side, not fluffy and airy, which was a little disappointing. I did try their saag and it was really good! So was their channa and puri. Aloo mutter was really tasty and seasoned nicely as well. I tried their rice pudding for dessert and this was a warm rice pudding, definitely not resembling kheer, but it was decent. Overall, nice spot for some nicely seasoned vegetarian food. read more

Saravana Palace - Channa & Puri - Vegetarian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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For my birthday, I was craving some decent dosas in the Fairfax area, and this restaurant did not disappoint! The server was so kind and attentive. He answered all of our questions and in the kindest way invited us to come back and try their buffet, which we absolutely plan on doing. I wish I caught his name so I could give him a shout out. Additionally, the space was quiet since we went early but clean and cherry space. I could see this place getting busy during their lunch buffet. Going here really made the day a special one! read more

Love their Dosas. Friday evening in a hurry went to this restaurant.We ordered paper masala Dosa and Gobi Manchurian masala Dosa.Both were yummy full of flavor .I love my Paper butter masala Dosa .Manchurian was ok not too bad . read more

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We've been coming here for over 10 years. The food is consistent and so is the service. You cannot go wrong with a good dosa.

We've been coming here for over 15 years now and I only JUST realized I hadn't yet posted a review so here goes. This is hands down - and I mean hands down - the BEST South Indian/vegetarian in northern Virginia. Close your eyes and order any dosa (they do have a wide variety)... or pretty much anything off their menu, and you won't be disappointed. read more

Haven't been back in a while so while in tho area stopped in for lunch and not disappointed. Great vegetarian and some vegan offerings, i especially liked the cauliflower and onions in the spicy tomato sauce, or at least that's what I think it was. Can't name you the dishes but they were all fantastic. The staff were very nice, the restaurant was very clean which I appreciate for high turnover seatings. Weekend buffet was a little over $25 so a little pricy for veggies but worth it. read more

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Everything continues to be great. Fresh hot food. Quality and quantity still good. Quick service. Keep up the good work. Clean and comfortable dining room. read more

Saravana Palace - Masala Dosa - Vegetarian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Excellent food and friendly service. Would go back. Really enjoyed the eggplant curry in sesame and peanut sauce- a dish I've never had anywhere else, and the paratha with korma was very nice too. read more

Back when my wife and I lived in Springfield, VA, pre-COVID, we used to drive 14 miles to this restaurant in Gainesville because it was and still is so good. It has been the only place where we could find authentic South Indian Masala Dosa. The dish features a crispy, fermented crepe (dosa) made from rice and lentils that is filled with a flavorful potato and onion curry (masala). The restaurant also has a wonderful buffet of the most delicious Indian food that you can imagine. Saravana Palace has always been immaculate and the service has always been outstanding. Now, post-COVID, that we have moved 32 more miles further away, nothing has changed. We still go to Saravana whenever we drive up to Northern Virginia to go shopping. When my wife and I last visited Saravana Palace, our waiter surprised us by recognizing us as regular customers pre-pandemic and welcoming us back. Really, it doesn't get much better than that. We highly recommend Saravana Palace and we plan to go back soon. read more

Very nice food, I went for their buffet and really liked it. I think their weekend buffet is better.

They have a lunchtime vegetarian buffet and offer free masala dosas with those who dine in for lunchtime. The food wasn't the most amazing Indian food I've tried but for its proximity near my workplace, it's pretty decent. There's a good variety of dishes served and I really enjoyed the onion pakora. They do have chai and mango lassi available for the buffet. Service was great! Overall, a good spot if you have a craving and want to fulfill it quickly. read more

Best vegetarian Indian restaurant in the area. Their Dosas are crispy and delicious. Never had the luncheon buffet but have had dinner with dosas numerous times. The manager and staff are quick and friendly plus they answer all the questions. I rarely go to restaurants more than once. This one I go to often read more

My family loves coming here for the BEST dosas in the area. Seriously, they are worth the nearly 2hr round trip drive for me and I seldom eat dosas elsewhere because they rarely live up to the quality at Saravana's. The masala dosa is my favorite and paper dosa is a close second. Also 5 stars for the channa masala, aloo gobi, and gobi 65. Portions are generous - great value for money - and the flavors never disappoint. The service is always very friendly here - super amenable to little kiddos, even ones that yell and spill water everywhere... Haven't been to the buffet in a long time (since before Covid) but it was excellent in terms of freshness and diversity of options. If you love traditional Indian cooking and want to support a longtime family business, it's hard to do better than Saravana's Palace! read more

I'm not usually one for Indian food BUT LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THIS PLACE!! It was to die for and I would 1000% be back! As someone who has many allergies (nuts, lentils, chickpeas) the owner and waiters were on top of it. They walked me through the menu and ensured I was not allergic to any other ingredients that were added into the food. I ordered the Gobi Manchurian Dry and a surprise entree (unfortunately I never got the name...) the Gobi had the perfect spice and was not too salty or sweet. The entree had cheese blocks within it and was in a curry/tomato sauce. read more

Saravana Palace - Gobi Manchurian Dry - Vegetarian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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One of our go to places for dinner. Service is always good. Love the Dosas, but everything I have tried has been great.

I've only been there once, but the lunch menu wasn't bad. The cauliflower dish was so delicious that I felt like I was eating chicken. I think it's impressive that something made only from vegetables can taste better than meat. read more

Loved the MASALA DOSA. The servers are friendly too. The masala dosa is huge and is good for two people. I also tried samosa chaat and pani puri which was just average. So i would only recommend masala dosa from this place. read more

Saravana Palace - Masala Dosa - Vegetarian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

This is a strictly vegetarian Indian restaurant! The service was satisfactory. Water was in a pitcher and lukewarm. No tablecloths. Servers were in plainclothes instead of uniforms. This place is not fancy and does not need to be. The prices are neither steep nor cheap. Throwback 90s Hindi movie songs were playing overhead. We ordered: ---Idli (pillowy savory rice paddy made from steamed batter of fermented black lentils and rice) ---Paper masala dosa ---Rava masala dosa (paper masala dosa but with roasted semolina added into the batter) ---Mango lassi ---Salted lassi Food was very good, not too spicy, and the biggest takeaway is that there was a TON of masala (the central mixture of potatoes, onions, peas, spices), far more than expected. The dosas were crispy but as they always are, got cold fast. The peanut-based chutney and tomato-based one weren't my cup of tea--they just didn't complement the crepe well and were such a tiny portion. I dislike it and it was gone before I could give it another chance. The coconut-based one was fine, as expected, and paired well. There are so many Indian restaurants in Northern Virginia; therefore, I wouldn't particularly hurry back here BUT you will definitely feel full, not ripped off, and well taken care of by the staff, if you dine here. read more

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I came here specifically to try a new dosa place. Doses are a South Indian dish which is essentially like a crepe. I tried the masala those up. It was okay. The filling was very good. I really like the sambar. What bothered me a lot was the presentation. The dosa came on a plate and it was mostly dangling off of the plate. When the server put the plate down the dosa touching parts on the table. They also don't have the buffet anymore. Which I can understand given the pandemic, but I would hope there would be a way to serve the buffet without getting people sick by restricting it to the servers who could provide guests food on the plate. The other thing that is missing is the spices that you get at the end of the meal for digestive purposes. They didn't even offer any packets to give Guests at the end of the meal. Price is okay given the quantity of food and quality of food. Parking is free in the lot outside. There is plenty of it. Service no issues however the one guy who was serving was a little bit off.some of his responses to questions were a little strange. Ambiance Very nice decor. Clean. The bathroom was nice as well. overall, I'm glad I tried it but I don't think this is the best dosa in the area. I'm not sure I would come here again. read more

Fantastic vegetarian Indian Cuisine! I dined here recently with some friends and it was such a nice experience. The restaurant itself is clean and simplistic with light decor, and the staff are friendly and professional. This place is covid conscious as they offer take out, delivery through Grubhub, and you can order through their online site! For dine in, there is a hand sanitizer station, socially distanced seating, and masks. They also adorn each table with one large water pitcher. We were given laminated paper menus and the server quickly noticed we didn't know what the items were so he offered us a menu with item descriptions. The menu is quite expansive with delicious choices for all palate types (sweet, spicy, chili, mild). We ended up getting a Dosa, Sarson Ka Saag, and I believe the Shahi Paneer. All items were priced fairly and we were given a great portions. I am not 100% confident with the names of the dishes because we went with the server's recommendations. Everyone enjoyed their meal and the Service was extremely attentive. I was only able to try to Dosa and the Shahi Paneer. The Dosa was extremely tasty and I was surprised I would like the minced up raw onions. The Dosa came with 4 absolutely delicious dipping sauces. I would come back just for these sauces. All in all, if you're looking for an Indian vegetarian restaurant, you must come here!! The servers will help recommend dishes and ask you questions to help them find the best dish for you :) read more

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Went for buffet lunch by myself this week. All the food is Terrific but place really does need an update and a deep clean. The buffet line is clean and there are plenty of options to satisfy any meat eater! The cauliflower was my favorite, crunchy and spice and delicious. The Rasam tomato soup was awesome spicy and loaded with garlic and cilantro. The dosa was crispy and hot. Really Great with all the chutneys offered. So great. Mango lassi On Tap was a great surprise. But...There's patching tape on booths and walls and wall paper was a ripped by my booth. Just a little renovation and clean up would be nice. read more

Saravana Palace - view of checkout/entry - Vegetarian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Been there 5 times in the last one year. Every time the food and service were very good. Ambiance is good too.

Great south Indian restaurant. You will be pleased. Food always tasty and consistent. Primary waiter is superbly courteous and attentive. I look forward to the buffet again in the future. It was always excellent in the past. Pros: Many vegan options. Restaurant is vegetarian. read more

The food here is so delicious! I am addicted to the Mulligatawny soup. It is sublime. The dosas are fantastic and the veggie samosas are to die for. The service couldn't be better. read more

Saravana Palace - Vegetable samosa, Mulligatawny soup and chai masala tea. - Vegetarian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

I have been going to this South Indian restaurant for over 15 years and prefer their dosa over any other restaurants in the area. They have had the same owner and the restaurant over the years have improved in terms of their decor and cleanliness. They have a couple of good Indian beers however I wish they would add a few others to bring some variety in their offerings. Moreover, their drink menu can use some fresh options as well because coke and sprite are not the best options these days from a health perspective. Overall, I would recommend this place for mainly their South Indian cuisine. read more

Saravana Palace - Paper Masala Dosa - Vegetarian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Came here on a Sunday and was seated right away. Weekend buffets have a variety of vegetarian Indian entrees (e.g., paneer masala, gobi manchurian, etc.) and dosas. They also serve mango lassi at the station. My friends asked for chai separately. The pakoras were my favorite and the panipuris were delicious too. read more

Spoiled by many dosa places with gluten-free options, my biggest disappointment is not being able to eat dosas here on their extensive menu of a bazillion dosas! With that out of the way, the food is delicious, flavorful and very veg. If you wanted meat or seafood, sorry, not here. Only go for veggies! They have street snacks and dosas, then there are curry/ entree dishes and even some Chinese/ Indochine inspired foods like fried rice and veggies (broccoli) with tofu. Really though, my heart just wanted potatoes, fluffy basmati rice and some soup. Score on all fronts! I don't make basmati white rice ever, but when I have it, it is delicious when done correctly. I could eat it plain - it is so fragrant and fluffy! The potatoes are also so well done. We had some alu gobi and alu matter - the sauces were practically the same, one (former) had a bit more tomatoes in it, but both were well seasoned and potato chunks in generous sizes were perfectly tender. I am a sucker for cauliflower and am happiest with giant pieces - happiness achieved here. We finished up the array of food with some biryani, though their many rice options did make it hard to go with my go to rice dish, and some dal - my favorite yellow dal done very well here with a balance in the blend of some tomatoes, spinach and onions along with spices. Perfect! The soups are perfect with the classic sambar for dosas, the lentils in mulligatawny and a rasam if you want a sweet and sour. All my favorite soups! Yum! They have puri and idly and vada for your snacking/ appetizer options to accompany and preface your meal. I just wanted the entrees though, but another day or at a buffet day, I would be very happy for idly! Portions are traditional - just right to have you feeling satiated and not bloated. The prices are fair, better than DC. The decor is sufficient for dining, nothing fancy nothing awful - just pleasant. So very happy for this place. So sad it's so far from me, but probably my waistline appreciates that. The folks here are very friendly and accommodating to my request to keep it all vegan and gluten-free. I wouldn't hesitate to go back. There are so many options, everyone will find something. Delicious! read more

This restaurant is a hidden treasure. It's located in a small strip mall in Fairfax. The food is always delicious. There's a wide variety of tastes that I've rarely seen any other Indian restaurants. I've rarely had to wait longer than 10 minutes for my food to arrive and if you want to try many dishes, try the lunch buffet. Amazing! I've never had a bad meal or experience here. They serve vegetarian and vegan and will also accommodate many other dietary restrictions, allergies etc. the first time I dined here I shared that I had an allergy and every visit since then staff still remember this. They are attentive, helpful, kind and absolutely lovely humans working here. read more

Most authentic south indian restaurant in America. I am a south indian. Dosa, sambar idli, vada, spinach pakora, all are amazing. read more

Saravana Palace - Vegetarian Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Fantastic Indian food. There's a wide variety of dishes and they're all amazing. If you're not sure what to order, I'd personally recommend the Paneer Jalfrezi or the Gobi Manchurian Dry - the first has a delicious mix of flavors and textures, and the second is always perfectly crispy, with a sweet and slightly spicy sauce that just really hits the spot. Options for the lunch buffet and dinner are all great, and at a great price. The staff and owners are incredibly friendly - I've never had a bad experience and I come here often :) read more

Came here on a weekday evening for dinner with my parents, also because really wanted dosa that day. Sad to say that we left disappointed. Food: -bhel puri: puffed rice with vegetables and tamarind sauce. I enjoyed this. -jaipuri paneer dosa: dosa came out to the table with bowls of soup and chutneys ON the actual dosa. Not on the plate, there was no space for it, not separately but ON the actual food (see pictures attached). How are you just going to put bowls of chutneys and soup on the food to be eaten??! The dosa itself seemed like it might have been on the pan a little too long. The paneer in the dosa has too much turmeric and that is all you could taste. Had to keep wondering if it was actually paneer. It was also so drenched in oil, the plate had coating of oil all over it. Do not recommend it. Batura: large puffy bread that comes with chole (chickpeas). I would recommend this. Batura came out nice and hot and chole was good. Came here really wanting some good dosa, but that wasn't the case. This is a vegetarian restaurant and they have many items on the menu to try. Not sure if I will be returning any time soon though. read more

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So I tried the food buffet for the first time and I kind of wish the menu was a little bigger buttttttt its all about the food. And they definitely delivered! And for 12 dollars bruhhhh me and my friends ate GOOD! And this place VEGAN FRIENDLY! I really appreciate the fact that they labeled the food and specifically mentioned which food was vegan and they had a lot of vegan options so I was very happy. Will be back 100% read more

Food is not fresh at all , buffet is completely Unhealthy Food . Service in this place is done , based on your appearance. Our family went to this place and got sick because of food. Felt very bad due to bad service . This is a Honest Review. read more

What a bang for your buck! Meal highlights were the veggie pulav and malabar paratha. The dosa could be crispier and the idli could be softer/fluffier. The rasam was really thick which is different than what I've had but still really good and cleared my sinuses. Great comfort food! read more

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Saravana Palace is strictly a vegetarian Indian eatery, serving various soups, appetizers, dosas, non-meat items, rice entrees, and desserts. The hubs and I came here to check out their lunch buffet, and I have to say, it is pretty extensive in terms of the variety and in the selection. The hubs enjoyed his experience more than I did. He loved the huge paper masala dosa that comes complimentary to your meal, which is paper-thin, crispy, savory, and filled with some type of a custard. I enjoyed the samosas and the spicy green beans; there were a variety of spice levels. You really don't miss the meat, being a carnivore and all! I like how they leave a pitcher of water at your table, so you don't have to wait for refills; I love that it's ice cold, too! I'm glad I was able to check the place out, but not sure if I'd return. +strictly vegetarian +offers a lunch buffet +parking in shared plaza lot read more

We've been long time customers but are done. They totally and completely messed up a catering order which was a huge disappointment and the guests couldnt eat the main entree. Besides that, the last two dining experiences (one was an invite) were mediocre to bad. Very salty food and sambhar and more so chutney were rationed. Done with this place. read more