I'm a Keralite, and I approved this place as one of the places with the best food ever. The service is honestly pretty horrible, but the food is so damn good that you have to get past the service to appreciate it. That's the tradeoff here. The food completely outshines everything else. I love this place and keep coming back because what comes out of the kitchen is worth it. If you can overlook the service, you'll find some of the best food around. read more

Went there for Buffett lunch. Got to taste a variety of Indian food. Three different chutneys, two different rice, curry chicken and goat/mutton. Far exceeded my expectations. Having lived in LA, Seattle, NYC, San Jose, my bar is high. Clean, well decorated and buffet was well stocked. Mutton was done well, melted in my mouth. Pet friendly as other Indian restaurants in DTPHX would not entertain my trained German shepherd. Great service. Place for office parties too with well stocked Bar. read more

Decent food. I had one of the curries and it was pretty good. the sides were tasty too, though I'm still not sure what they were. We asked, but it seemed the young lady didn't feel like explaining. After taking the first order, she just looked at us and said "AND...?". I guess we were supposed to all fire off our orders and hope she could keep up..? and it must be the kind of place where if you want your drink refilled, you have to yell to get someone's attention. The lunch trays, which I imagine must be like a bento box kind of thing, were odd. Made for small-ish portions. It was more like 3 sides than a main and two sides. I would have liked nearly twice as much of the main curry, though the sides seemed appropriate in portion. Like I said, decent food, but I think I'll try somewhere else rather than come back here again. I don't like feeling like I'm inconveniencing the staff by just trying to order. read more

Vayals Indian Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Ambience below average. Food pretty good Service, minimal, begrudging & unfriendly. Cashier /server seemed to really not care about us as customers. Wouldnt take the time to explain confused menu. No offers to refill drinks. Came away annoyed. Will not return. Life is too precious to spend time & money where it is not appreciated. read more

As you step in the restaurant, you get a warm the South Indian visual welcome. I was pleasantly surprised by the visual contrast between the usual Phoenix desert interiors. Food came in large quantities, other than the pictures we also got a chicken curry. Food appeared to be of good quality and tasted great. And spice levels were customized as requested. I'd go back with my friends again read more

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Disappointed with the Chicken tikka lunch thali fare that I ate. The potato dish was good and simple but too oily. The paneer was a huge let down as the curries were too sweet. The chicken tikka did have a good amount of caramalized garlic taste which I liked but the sugar content in the curry offset this. The cooks are Tamilian so next time I will order their south indian fare and make the judgement to make this a place to return to or miss. read more

Everything was so good. Literally everything. I went for dinner one time before this and it was also so good. I wish I lived closer cause I'd eat here literally everything day! read more

The food is delicious here! We loved the garlic naan, the dosas, a curry fish dish -all of the food was tasty. We went on a Friday night for dinner and the location was super busy with in-person and take-out dining. Service was incredibly slow and we had to remind our servers of food we had ordered so we had the complete meal. If I returned, it would definitely be for takeout! read more

I stopped in to Vayal's Indian Kitchen to test it out for my lunch group. We support local family owned Mom & Pop restaurants. I was hoping for a win with this one, and I was pleasantly surprised. I was warmly welcomed, and the interior has an easy comfortable feeling. Their lunch menu offers a wide variety of items at a reasonable price. I tried the chicken Tikka Masala Platter, and it was absolutely delicious! I made a reservation for our group on the way out and can't wait to try the next great thing on their menu! read more

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This is a little hole in the wall spot by my work, but don't let that keep you from trying a meal from here. I came here one night for a quick bite to go out of convenience, but the Indian food here tastes like it's made with love in every sense--slow-simmered sauces and carefully layered spices. It's the kind of cooking that wraps around you, warm and comforting. I didn't know that this spot would start my obsession with Indian Cuisine. Staff are attentive and more than happy to answer questions to guide with ordering. read more

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Odd service. Slow to take order, then over 30 min for food to arrive, brought appetizers one minute before meals, brought bread after we were done, never checked on us. Nice people but seemed disorganized. Food was great!!!! Reasonable prices. read more

Friendly service and nice vibe, on the quieter side. Food was fine, will probably come back. read more

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Vayals is my favorite Indian restaurant close to downtown. I love mom and Pops, but sometimes feel that when I share a great restaurant that some who don't appreciate good Indian food will have other expectations. That being said, Vayals is authentic, flavorful, and extremely affordable for lunch during the week. I would also add that their best menu is their lunch menu simply by the volume of lunch visitors they have. I believe I've only gone there once and haven't seen the place entirely packed, but there is enough seating for groups of four. I usually get the buttered chicken or chicken tikka, which is accompanied by two flavorful sides that are usually tofu and spinach or onions and potatoes. The protein is served with rice and naan bread. There's additional parking on the south side of the property with access to the Greek restaurant in 5th Ave., Café. The portions are outstanding and I recently took two friends who never had Indian food before and now I want to go back. read more

Fantastic food! It's so hard to find good South Indian food in Phoenix and this place delivers! Everything we've had has been fantastic! My go to is the chicken milagu curry and Kerala porotta. The erral thokku (spicy shrimp) is really good too, as are the dosas. It tastes exactly like it did growing up in India. The wait staff are attentive and friendly. This is one of our favorite restaurants! read more

Overall a solid Indian restaurant with many South Indian options. I had a masala dosa and cup of chai. I'll start with the chai... it was good! A bit too milky for my taste, but still a good cup of chai. Keep in mind they make it with sugar, so taste it first before adding any more. Now, the masala dosa. The dosa was HUGE and it came with four chutneys + sambar. I appreciated the portion size. The dosa itself was nice and not too oily... it did taste like it was made fresh, but I wonder if it sat for a few minutes before being brought out to me because it wasn't that piping hot temperature I was hoping for. The coconut chutney was delicious, and the sambar was very good. The other three chutneys were meh. Most disappointingly, the aloo masala was just fine... I was hoping to be wow'd by it. read more

Vayals Indian Kitchen - Masala Dosa - Indian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I'm not sure how I haven't written a review for Vayal's yet! This is a family favorite and I have one incredibly picky eater who will ALWAYS choose Vayal's, and in fact, asks to come here almost every week. At our last visit the waiter knew what my kid was going to order, which is hilarious. We've tried several Indian restaurants in the area and this is by far our favorite, and conveniently located near our home which is a bit of an Indian food desert in midtown Phoenix. Kids always order butter chicken and love it. Parents always order garlic naan and it's hot and fresh and delicious. I just tried the saag paneer and it was INCREDIBLE. I was trying to be "healthy" and get some greens in and expected it to be the usual slightly bitter taste, but this one was INCREDIBLE - the spices were just right and the texture perfect with absolutely no bitterness. Samosa chaat is also great if you're not sure what you want - it has a lot of flavors and textures and hits just right when I'm indecisive. Spice level is 0 to 10 and pretty accurate. We stick with 3 and are happy. I love that there are unique South Indian and other regional dishes here. There aren't a lot of local Indian restaurants that serve a variety of dosa, plus there are things I've never tried or seen anywhere else in restaurants. I appreciate the variety even if we order the same boring North Indian dishes that we love. My mom, who is from South India, also likes it, and we've eaten here with her a few times. That's high praise because she cooks excellent food herself. We always eat there though they do a lot of takeout orders, and though it's small, if we go early, there's always space. Lunchtime is another great time to go as well. There's a huge parking lot in the back so it's easy - don't bother trying to find a spot in front as that's trickier. Highly recommend it. read more

So delicious! Had the Masala Dosa (which was cooked to perfection and each of the sauces delicious!), the Chicken Tikka Masala (always a favorite with rich spices and fairly spicy), and Sambar Vada. I can't wait to go back and try more! Portions and service were good! It was a little warm when we got there but doable. read more

Have been here 2 times since this location is just 3 miles away from my office in downtown and our experience has been great as of now. I highly recommend this place. I may be trying to go here almost everything when I feel Indian food craving while being in office. Here are my takes: Food/Drinks: The lunch special is great here it lets you choose your choice of curries and comes along as a plate combo including naan. I have tried chicken and lamb curries, both were good tasting. Even the samosa chat was good tasting. We also took mango lassi one time and it was great tasting as well. Service: Quick service and nice welcoming staff. Ambiance: Not a very big establishment but it can accommodate a good amount of guests. It is well decorated inside with an Indian theme. Hygiene: Overall, everything was clean and tidy. Price: Reasonably priced in the area for good Indian food. read more

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We tried it on a whim, and were so glad we did! The food was amazing!! Fresh, flavorful and the spice level was accurate. We accidentally went in during the last hour and they still served us four fresh, warm dishes. read more

This is a really cute place in a strip mall. Their lunch specials are amazing and the service was very good. I will be back. read more

Vayals Indian Kitchen - The vegetarian lunch special. - Indian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Vayal's is delicious! We are so happy that we stopped in tonight. We got the butter paneer, Chana masala, butter chicken, and naan. Everything was delicious, the serving sizes were great and the price was more than fair. The service was great too, everyone was very nice. We will definitely be back again! read more

Very disappointing experience placing an order over the phone. The person taking my order seemed to have very little knowledge about the menu and was unable to answer basic questions about the food. She was also rude and unprofessional during the call. Customer service is just as important as the food, and unfortunately this experience fell far below expectations. Because of this interaction, I decided not to proceed with the order. I hope the management improves staff training and customer service. read more

This place is amazing. i've never had any food before and this is the most amazing food. The hospitality here the people here are so friendly but this food was so delicious. It's a nice quiet beautiful place and I just absolutely enjoyed this so much. I will definitely be back here. read more

The service was attentive, and the ambiance was pleasant, creating a comfortable dining environment. I ordered dishes with a medium spice level, but they were still too spicy for my palate. It's worth noting that Vayal's specializes in South Indian cuisine, known for its bold and spicy flavors, which might be intense for some diners. read more

Vayals Indian Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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A new Indian restaurant in central Phoenix, sign me up! There was definitely a need in the area. South Indian focused and we went with the chef favorites. We will be back ! read more

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Hands down some of the best Indian food I've had. The depth of flavor in every dish was unreal -- rich curries, perfectly cooked naan, and spices that hit just right without overpowering. You can taste the authenticity and quality in every bite. read more

I always like to support a small local restaurant. I enjoyed the chicken tikka masala and the garlic naan. It's not super fancy, but it's nice authentic South Indian food. The tap water was horrible though. The service was quick and nice welcoming staff. Overall, reasonably priced in the area for good Indian food. Will be back to try other dishes. read more

This place was REALLY good and lived up to the somewhat muted hype. Had the Masala Dosa and the Saag Paneer and both were amazing. The chutneys that came with the dosa were also remarkably good. Will update after trying again but this was the best Indian I have had in Phoenix so far. read more

After visiting India this past year, I can easily say this is the best Indian food I've had outside of India. I took my girlfriend here and I was so excited to introduce her to some authentic Indian cuisine. We started with a ghee roast masala dosa and onion chilli tomato uthappam. South Indian specialties!! Both were freshly made and served with Sambar and chutneys. SO GOOD. For entrees we ordered saag paneer and chettinad chicken (recommended by our server). Both of these dishes were incredibly flavorful and went perfect with our breads, wheat paratha and kerala parrota. The chettinad chicken was one of the best chicken dishes I've ever had. The flavors were deeper the Indian Ocean. My girlfriend said the saag paneer was the best she's ever had too! And of course, we ended the meal with a chai. Overall, this meal brought me back to being in India and I can't wait to go back! Thank you guys for bringing real Indian food to PHX! read more

Anyone who rates vayals less-than 5 stars has bad taste buds. Everything at this restaurant is mouth-watering deliciousness. Don't forget to try the kerala perotta you will fall in LOVE. read more

They were busy when we went. Dosa was great. I loved all the chutneys except coconut as that was way too watery. But the taste was amazing. Pav bhajji was disappointing because the masala was not mashed properly. Overall it was good. I'd come back for dosa. read more

Vayals Indian Kitchen - Masala Dosa - Indian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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I love Vayal's. I've only ever ordered to-go, but I have more times than I'd like to admit. I'm not kidding when I say this, I would drink that Chicken Tikka Masala gravy straight from the to-go bowl. Like, sometimes I consider telling them, "Hold back on the meat." But not really, because I need the protein. AND I have never ever had a weird piece of meat from here (texture eaters - iykyk). It's always super tender. Also every flavor of naan is insaaaane. read more

Food and service are always very good. I met a friend here for lunch today and the staff were attentive and also let us linger over a much needed conversation. Thank you for taking care of us today. read more

This is a cute little Indian restaurant that serves atypical restaurant style Indian food - atypical as in non-greasy but yet tasty. Their lunch platters used to be awesome - you choose an entree which is served with rice, naan and 2 curries/sides. Not awesome any more because they no longer serve the saag paneer as one of the sides. The server stated that the curries were potatoes with cauliflower (aloo gobhi) and shahi paneer. What was served was 2 or 3 small pieces of paneer with some peas (therefore, nor shahi paneer but mattar paneer which also was not fresh or tasty). My entree of Chana masala was awesome though. While leaving the restaurant the main host/server informed me that on account of cost they do not plan to offer saag paneer on their lunch platters but it could be ordered off the menu. This is ridiculous for 2 reasons. First - you are offered the lunch menu that does not list saag paneer on the menu. The dinner menu is not offered so how is any customer expected to know that it is even an option? Second - order a lunch platter and then add a dinner entree if you want saag paneer? Seems crazy, right? That being said the service is friendly and for the most part the food is quite good. I hope the restaurant survives because there are many Indian food choices in the area - and many serve food that is as tasty if not better than here and in many places at better prices. read more

*do not go here!* first impression they get no stars walk in to go order with naan & veg samosas waited more than 35 mins. no apologies given first time customer they gave our orders to other indians first or they choose who they want to serve. no explanation given. couple still waiting to order was ignored and they have been waiting for over 35 mins. then the staff asked them to move to accommodate a large indian family. wife went out twice to look at the picture posted outside. a delivery driver was waiting for a customer order and they did not tell the driver that the customer canceled their order. they cherry pick who they want to serve based on certain features and attributes. you are better off going to avondale, tempe or mesa. never will go back here no matter what other people say. read more

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We go to Vayals a lot. The food is amazing. We ordered the potato dosa, chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, goat masala, and another shrimp curry dish. We also ordered the garlic naan and mango lassis. It's not super fancy and it's in a strip mall, but it's nice authentic South Indian food. Pro tip: check out their lunch buffet. read more

Excellent food and service. Don't let the area and exterior facade fool you. Once you get inside, the environment is cool and menu is quite extensive to choose from. Try this place. read more

We ordered our meal which came over $70. At no time did anyone ever come over and say how is everything? At no time did anyone ever come over and say can I get you anything more to drink? After the meal was ordered it was like we were nonexistent. VERY POOR SERVICE. I WILL NOT BE GOING BACK THERE EVER AGAIN read more

Ordered takeout from here tonight. The restaurant is located in a quant no-frills strip which I can appreciate. My order: Saag Paneer - extremely flavorful with a good amount of paneer. 8.5/10 Butter Chicken - good flavor with a good amount of chicken. A little on the sweeter side. 7/10 Garlic Naan - warm pillow like naan with strong garlic presence. 9/10 Butter naan - standard naan, would go garlic or some other flavor next time. 6.5/10 Rice - perfectly cooked white basmati rice. 9/10 Overall good experience and good portions for what you pay, which was less than $45 for my total order. Will be back again. read more

Vayals Indian Kitchen - Butter Chicken Masala Saag Paneer Garlic Naan Butter Naan White rice - Indian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Highly recommended! The naan had a nice crispy bottom and went so well with the Paneer. The Lamb was super tender and the goat briyani was very flavorful. We stayed in the 3-5 spice range and could have went spicier but I enjoyed being able to taste all the flavors of everything we ordered. read more

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