Saravanaa Bhavan Reviews

We visited this place today the 25th September after finishing our shopping at New York...If you are yearning for vegetarian food, then this is the place place to,peep in...The evening snacks, food is very tasty even though I feel there is slackness in their service...They have to cater to a customer promptly which is where their service quality is observed....At times you have to remind them to keep water and the food you have ordered ....Otherwise the food is extremely tasty ....Good vegetarian joint....

The quality is good however the south indian food taste is average, not really like a typical south indian dishes.

I like to support vegetarian restaurants, but only if the food is really good. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, as did my eating companion. In my travels to India, I have always felt a home with the food. This restaurant serves the authentic dishes of South India.

Very good authentic south indian food. Nice platter (thali) and uttapam. Friendly staff. Good location. Found a bit expensive, but its ,in the downtown NYC, so may be expected to be like that. Coffee was also same as you would find in south India.

We visited this place again and found it as good as ever. According to my friend from Chennai, it is the best vegetarian in the world. He won't eat at any other restaurants on Lexington Ave. And we have had the privilege of having his wife make dinner for us and Saravanaa holds up pretty well to really great homemade Indian food. We are not vegetarian, but recommend this to meat eaters as the food is bursting with flavor. We had an opportunity to compare the food head to head with a really good restaurant in Stamford CT. The dosa is crisper on the outside and juicy inside. The Potato Bonda is also crisper outside and the chilies fried in batter are bigger and juicier. And few places serve better chai or South Indian Coffee.

Very nice place to have a good vegetarian meal. There are 300+ dishes to choose so come with an idea 💡 of what you want. Very nice sauces, samplers, breads and rices meals. The super dishes include unlimited refill. No complaints. Just nicely cook. The bread 🍞 may be a bit oily but it taste really nice.

I was there some time ago with family. Very nice and simple place. Most important, amazing food. Dosas cant be better. If u wana try something different - try chana bhatura and you will be amazed by the bhatura size. Lovely place, will be back.

A friend who lives in NYC took me to Saravanaa Bhavan several years ago. Each day there are different small dishes offered on the thali. The masala chai is good too - especially on a cold day. Great no nonsense Indian food with good service. Love the atmosphere. Business meets Indian meets tourist. Sign of a a great restaurants. I listed this as a cheap eat - only because it's amazing to get the thali for 13.99 that you could easily share in the middle of Manhattan!

Visited for lunch. Dish : Lunch Thali Many options in thali - Poori, rice, 2 sabzis, 2 curries, rasam, sambar and a sweet. The sweet (keasri) was delicious!! Food was served hot !! Service : Food was out in few minutes. Billing was quick. Have a good number of staff on board, making sure people get in and out quickly.

If you like a good, fresh breakfast this is the place to go. Breakfast all day! The only thing I wish is they had some seasonal variations. But they are true to South India, which has very little seasonal changes from summer to winter and therefore the same food all year round.

Good food, fast service,served hot & tastes quite authentic.Dosas & Idli are particularly good .Thali also is okay.

Sat at our table for 45 minutes and no food even after repeated waiter requests. We had to leave. They used to be good. Not going back.

Poor service..received my Chai almost by end of breakfast...!! No ones bothered to ask? Usually i like eating at this chain but not at this joint. Sorry but disappointed this time.

We visit Saravanaa Bhavan whenever we are in Manhattan and the place doesn't disappoint at all. It is a true fact that most Indian Restaurants are absolutely off the compass on authenticity but Saravanaa Bhavan sets the standard way too high. It tastes just as it would taste in Chennai and I don't mind paying for Uber to get to this place to eat and, its only a couple of blocks away from Flatiron and Empire State. So its good exercise to burn off the extra calories. Love this place for food, service and energy!

The Batata Bonda are the best anywhere. The size is enormous. The texture perfect, not mushy but soft. The crust is firm, but not crisp and the flavor is to die for. Be a little careful if you don't like spice as these are perfectly spiced for a South Indian palate. Very spicy but with no harshness. We had the mandatory Masala Dosa which was about 3' long and perfectly textured, crisp at the ends and soft in the middle with a perfect potato filing served with 4 tasty sauces including delicious sambhar. Washed down with Chai and South Indian coffee, we were disoriented when we exited on Lexington Avenue thinking we must be in Delhi, where the original of this chain began

A very hearty meal of dosas, idlis and sambar vada. Will definitely recommend the place to anyone who wants to eat authentic south indian food.

Great south Indian food, plenty of options. Clean place, great service. South Indian options are great. Closes 3 PM for Lunch.

Sarvana Bhavan is famous around the world for authenticity in their flavors and this chain is definitely one of the best to try south Indian flavours. Their Ghee Idli with Podhi is my favourite.

Visited Sarvana Bhavn, New York in the 1st week of September 2016, Had been to Sarvana Bhavan in Malaysia and in Qatar, Had high expectations, Finding the restaurant is not at all difficult , as it can be reached by just entering the GPS co ordinates,We were family of 5 , to our surprise the attitude shown by those serving was over the top, Which wasn't pleasent at all , We ordered couple of Thali ( a mixed platter) and Dosas for kids,Thali came with a Papad on top of Hot Rice , Obviously softening it in no time , upon asking them about the Papad we were explained the chemistry of papad, as to why it has softened which was weird,I asked to get other one which didn't come till I reminded them again,We never expected this kind of behaviour specially from those staff who are considered very hospitable , I have never encountered such service in Qatar, were I often visit, after the experience I am in now mood to even visit their branches anywhere in the world, which they boost on there menu card. Sorry guys but wont recommend Sarvana Bhavan for those expecting good Indian Food with a smile and a decent Hospitality , these people behave as if they are doing some kind of `charity per say , I fail to understand and only conclude the lack of motivation amongst those serving the guest, We being Indians staying abroad are very well accustomed to the kind hospitality, Also the Menu wasn't impressive either , the cost of the most common of the dishes were as if it was coming straight from a Michilan rated restaurant which this is remotely NOT. I recommend other restaurants around laxington Avenue Over Sarvana Bhavan , New York , Sorry , but I had to Pen it down after the experience we had in Sarvana Bhavan , New York.

$14 thali lunch special is great. Vegetarian meal with lots of dishes. Authentic and tasty. Restaurant is clean and bright. Service is good.

I was here today for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed similar kind of food which i had in chennai last month. Though it was not as spicy as in India, the taste extremly reminded me of India, Our group was three of us and we had Kaaram Dosa, Rava Dosa and some pongal

Great place to get Dosa's and other South Indian cuisine. Dosa is a thin crepe make of ground rice and it can be filled with spiced potatoes and you get that with lots of chutneys and sambar. This is a vegetarian restaurant and you can get everything made vegan if you ask them. On the weekends there is always a few mins wait to get seated but they are generally really good and usually everyone there is to eat a tasty quick meal and leave. The place is nice, the food is great and the prices are good. @traveleen_gurl

RESTAURANT CLOSURES (?): Restaurant was closed on a Wednesday, when we went by at 5PM. There was no note on the door about any mid-day closure. 'Not sure what happened. ?? Lesson learned. Call first (and don't just assume that they don't answer, because they are too busy with guests to get the phone. ;) Be prepared to potentially pick another restaurant, nearby, if closed. There a lot of other Indian restaurants in the area, and a couple vegetarian, South Indian ones, too. We ended up at Curry in a Hurry, and enjoyed some quickly, and well-prepared Dosas (in a very casual setting). FOOD: We were able to eat here for dinner the following day. There is every kind of Dosa imaginable -- a nice selection of South Indian food. (We brought a family that had never had Indian food before, and they loved it.) RECOMMENDATION: We would eat at this restaurant again. WAIT TIME: Busy restaurant, but were seated quickly (within about 10-15 minutes). AMBIANCE: The seating area downstairs feels a lot louder than the area upstairs (as you enter). It is nicely decorated and appears clean. SERVICE: The wait staff are busy -- but friendly -- and really m o v e quickly (!), to service the guests. Waiters all seemed to pitch in to help all the tables (not just their own), bringing additional water, food, etc... Kudos to them. :D

If you are looking for the best South Indian or vegetarian meal in the city look no further ! This place tastes as good in New Delhi as it does in New York Without a doubt one of the top 5 places to grab some global grub in the city Try the Masala Dosa,Mango Lassi and a South Indian Thali

Fresh, tasty and pure veg. The had been there for dinner almost every weekend during my visit to NYC. If you love south Indian food then you shouldn't miss this place. Price is reasonable but great treatment.

Must eat place . A little pricey..but always crowded. Liked what we ordered. Rik our server was very helpful. .

Tasty yummy South Indian food . Dosas are delicious. Good ambiance and service . Great convenient location

Excellent, authentic dhosa. Best we’ve had outside Indian Subcontinent and London. Also the top choice of our Indian friends.

The only excellent dosa/thali restaurant we’ve found in many decades of living in NY. Reminds us of the many similar meals we’ve enjoyed in India and London. Also efficient, friendly service. Bravi!

Best South Indian Food. Mini Tiffin was amazing with Dosa, Idli, Rava Kichdi and mind blowing Moti Chur Ladoo. Great service from Raj and Bachhan. Will return soon!

Well, as per the reputation maintained by Indian Saravana Bhavan aka HSB, the hotel serves authentic south Indian cuisine. We were so impressed, went back again and again for all three times over our stay. The taste, quality, quantity, and presentation were all very good is an apt statement. Be it iddlies, Vadas, Dosas, Oothappams, Business Lunches, Pooris, Chole Baturas, et al. Accompaniments of Chutney, sambar and other dishes were also good. The Rava Kesari was very nice too. They do cater to takeaways and deliveries, though at a cost. On the pricing side, its indeed a shade higher and falls in to the fine dining rates. But worth giving for a good quality food. There are some chinks in the armour too. The service is not so very good. Personally, they kept handicapped wheel chair bound customers , one old and one with walking disabilities, waiting for 30 minutes without giving a seat even though there were seats. Their claim was that they cannot block seats until the other three members arrive and needed the seats for customers arriving. I guess, this is an attitude problem of some staff. Well as with other restaurants, the gratuity is also 18% and your pockets become lighter after the meals though...:)

Stayed near Times Square searching for an authentic vegetarian south Indian restaurant. Need to take a taxi and go to this place. Worth the trouble. Variety of homely tasty food. Enjoyed the south Indian delicacies.

been to Edison's Saravanna Bhavan and somehow I did not like a few items there, still wanted to try NYC's famous Saravanna. it's not near to the " NYC Tourist area" but you do wanna try it if you are in this area. this area is full of South Indian restaurants and some of them are fabulous. we were in the area for some visa work and suddenly remember "Hey Saravanna is near" Though it was 5 PM, I decided to have their iconic dosa. as it was off time, the restaurant was not crowded. I ordered - Milagaipoda Dosa: though my fav is Mysore masala but tried this one. dry masala with mashed potatoes - superb!! I liked their sambhar and 3 diff chutneys which was not the case at Edison's one. I asked for another Katori of Sambhar and I got one (nope, they did not charge). Wish I could ask for more :P also filter coffee - is good as well! Ambiance: neat & clean, Service was good too. you definitely wanna try this, for sure!

This delightful Indian vegetarian restaurant is located on Lexington avenue only a mile and half from the time square! We enjoyed both South and north Indian dishes. I loved their vegetarian Uttapam with three different chatnies (souce). My family enjoyed Mysore Dosa that also comes with 3 different chatnies plus sambhar, and of course Chole Bhature was great. Their service was equally good. Normally I don't repeat the place unless food is exceptionally good and this was my second time at this place!

Saravana Bhawan is a must try if you are a fan of South Indian food. I have tried it at its birthplace in Chennai as well as Sunnyvale,CA. So on a cold and chilly evening, I decided to try the NY one which is a mile from Penn Station and 0.5 miles from Madison square garden. The place is well maintained given that it’s one of the old restaurants. It’s remodeled and quite clean. It was almost full at 7 PM on a weekday. All of the menu items were tempting but I decided to try my favorite, Onion Rava Masala Dosa and Mango lassi. The Dosa was crisp to perfection and tasted same as the typical authentic South Indian Rava Dosa. There were at least three different chutneys to accompany the Dosa and all of them were good. The only thing that I was bit disappointed was the sambar which had slight burnt flavor. Mango lassi was standard and cannot go wrong unless you are highly skilled :). Bottomline- Try this out for sure if you are in & around in NY and love South Indian food.

The food was amazing. We had Onion Rava masala , plain dosa and Paneer variable of the speciality dosa. Everything was so good. The chutneys were fresh and almost authentic. We were given outstanding service, despite huge weekend ( Friday evening) guests to the restaurant.

Food Was fantastic. The restaurant is small in size. The staff was very efficient and customized our order to our tastes. There is no ambience. But Sarvana is known for the food. I wish the sambar bowls were bigger but you can always order more. Little expensive as compared to Tampa but it is NY!

The dinning hall was comfortable and the servers were polite and helpful. The food was served pretty fast. The dishes we ordered were good for fast food. The filter coffee was pretty good also. We had their rice and lentil dosa. My son had a Masala Dosa which wrapped inside were cheddar cheese, potato and onion. I had their vegetable dosa, in which I was a bit disappointed. There was not much vegetable inside.

been to many restaurants over 40 years in nyc. The food here is simple vegetarian . first the service is so bad .every item that came out of the kitchen when we were having our meal,was going to the wrong table, i guess waiters don't have table assignments. all the food we got and our next table food was so cold .looks like food is prepared ahead and as the orders come in they are served ,we got both appetizers and our main course within a two min ,we ordered wine which the waiter was sloppy in serving. for vegetarian food the prices they charge, the food should be hot and served much better

The original flavor of South Indian dishes brought very honestly by Sravana Bhavan to the big apple. Kudos to Sravana Bhavan for being authentic in its approach without compromising in its style and approach. Conveniently located with ample space for seating and efficient service, Sravana Bhanvan is an attractive location for both small and big meals. If you ever want sample typical south Indian dishes without leaving the shore of US, then Sravana Bhanvan is your best bet.

This is a very good South Indian Restaurant. In fact, this joint is better than their outlets down south in India. Their breakfast is really good.

South Indian food at its ultimate best. Must have the idly, Mysore dosa & Rasam when you dine there. We enjoyed ourselves with such delicious South Indian food in NYC

Went to Saravana Bhavan, for South Indian food. Ordered Dosa, and Bisebellebath. The food was tasty and service was quick. Must visit place

It is place where you can get authentic South Indian food in US. Food, listed in Menu served hot and delicious b and worth visiting. Food item listed in the Menu Card are little expensive. They have very good Thali wherein you can taste different dishes.

The food was awesome and authentic. We ordered Paper Roast Dosa (the Big dosa) and Chola bhatura. Everything remained me about the food i had in chennai. Same taste, event sambar and chutney. We got lucky and got seat quickly. i noticed people were waiting anywhere between 30 -45 mins. A chinese person seated near me ordered parota and it looked very bad. Glad i dint order. I saw there food truck open late, around 11 PM. Go inside and ask for seats, Do not wait: Unlike American restaurants, where you wait to get seated, no one was at entrance nor came to ask how many seats required. A person who came after me went straight and asked the serving person for seat and he got them. Slow service: We had to wait for 20 mins for water. We had to disturb another server and ask for refill.

Excellent Hotel,,,,,,,,, food was very tasty as compared to indian branch in Chennai..... dined two days back to back ... had ghee sambar idly,...no words to say still the taste i feel............

We went there for lunch, which was a treat after eating so many burgers, hot dogs, pizzas, wraps etc. Delicious mini idlis in sambar, masala dosa followed by south Indian coffee in a steel glass! I have to say, however, that the New Delhi branches have much more flavourful food as they cook in asli ghee! But all the same it was a real pick me up for the good old taste buds....

We had been to this place in the night with family, Myself had Puri and Coffee which were Fantastic. My parents had Idly and to my surprise it was overpriced and just normal in taste.

This branch of the famous south indian chain Saravana Bhavan does not fail to tick the boxes. Very good quality popular south indian dishes. Had the occasion to visit for breakfast and enjoyed the Kichadi and dosa , washed down with filter coffee . The management doesn't accept Amex, which was a first during my 10 days of stay in manhattan. Located not too far from tourist trail of Macy's etc. so not a bad idea to pop in for morning breakfast before proceeding to shop.

Service very poor .. Waiters do not Not listen .. very unhygienic .. Vada was not very fresh .. You must try DOSA DELIGHT in Jackson heights .. It is 1000 times better .

Arrive for an unannounced Saravanaa Bhavan, Monetesque illusory experience, a pond to excite your vision. Taste delicious uttapan, brown, orange, white peering at you. Glance at the companion dining room next door, slightly lower. As its lights flicker off the room goes missing, unseen. Lights go on and it touches your eyes, showing only the reflection of where you currently eat and exist. It’s Wednesday, noon; only a few tables carry diners. Quite rare. The forever armory across the street marches on, shadowing everything nearby. Returning to your abode, pass a truck named Panakeia. Will it save your true vision?

If you arrive at 2,45 pm they make you wait for 5 mins whie you are seated then tell you there is a diff menu from 3pm onwards. NO DOSAS.if you tell them its not yet 3pm they ignore you. this is like going to Mcdonalds and be told you can get anything except hamburgers. Jhameel is the main chap and rude. Food is great but staff needs to understand the word POLITE. and dosas must be offered regardless of time.

Well known place to enjoy authentic south Indian food. Mini Idaly's & podi dosa can't be missed. North Indian dishes available but not that great.

Having visited and enjoyed Saravanaa Bhavan numerous times doesn’t preclude making new discoveries at the restaurant and enjoying those discoveries. This time our visit fell on a religious holiday so we had to select the food carefully to follow the guidelines. Beautifully, the waitpersons knew exactly what choices would fit various religious limits and helped us locate those choices on the menu. Thank you! They guided us to steamed raw rice and lentil with scrapped coconut, cashews and South Indian spices: delicious and newly exciting, served with sambar and chutneys. Steamed rice, a lentil patty, and a lentil doughnut also joined and celebrated with us. The restaurant has its own special inner geography. We always knew there was an additional entrance and exit other than just the front door facing Lexington Avenue. Noticing a spruced-up diner move a thin frame out the quasi-hidden side exit door felt mysterious and, yes, a feeling of loss as the elegantly clothed diner disappeared from our sight forever, apparently scooting out and then moving eastward so not visible from our window view. Still, from our home-aimed taxi (yes, taxis are very available here) ride the ancient Popeye’s and Subway nearby still thrive, as does the building diagonally opposite Saravanaa Bhavan, the military painted exterior architecture of the Lexington Avenue armory. Newly and refreshingly seen en route home this day’s return voyage was Blank Café. This odyssey brings discoveries of the newly occurring and rediscoveries of past voyage history. Saravanaa Bhavan is always a place to voyage to and from, learn from, and renew oneself.

Have visited with family and like all other Saravanaa Bhavan hotel in other countries ( have visited in India 🇮🇳 and London) this is class apart. Loved the food 🥘. We had South Indian dishes like idly, Vada, kara Dosa and tomato 🍅 onion uttappa. Very testy served with 3 types of Chatney and sambar. Good sitting place and very good service.

This is a South Indian chain providing standard vegetarian fare, served in stainless steel trays (thali). Most of their restaurants are located in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu with a large majority being in the city of Chennai and a few in the national capital in Delhi. Outside of India Saravanaa Bhavan has restaurants in the Middle East, parts of EU, UK and the USA, among others Their main fare is the dosa which is a gluten free, thin crepe made from a batter of naturally fermented rice and lentils. And the dosa is presented in their menu in every conceivable permutation and combination - with and without spicy, mashed potatoes (masala), cheese, clarified butter (ghee), onions, sesame and so on. The dosa is served with three different coloured dips and a mild stew of lentils and vegetables (sambhar). Stainless steel forks and tablespoons are provided though these Indian dishes are traditionally best consumed using fingers of the right hand to tear a small piece of the dosa, dipping in the dips before savouring the blended aroma and flavours that fill the mouth. Also included in their menu are a few items of North Indian cuisine like the bhatura which is a deep fried, leavened sourdough flat bread served with chick peas. The bhatura is best eaten while it is still hot because else it tends to become rubbery in consistency. Basically however, the Saravanaa Bhavan is the home of the dosa.

I'm not an expert on "authentic Indian food" but this place has great South Indian dishes, and unfortunately it's difficult to find south Indian cuisine in the city. Although the service is just ok (I think they're understaffed), the food is so good I keep coming back anyway. My favorite is the ghee masala dosa but everything I've had so far was really good. I honestly just wish the service was a bit better but that is all I can complain about.

Nice restaurant in Little INdia...have eaten at the New Delhi restaurant and loved the one NY. Great dosas! I had an enormous paper thin dosa which was excellent, a bit spice3 for may husband. The sambar was delicious and hot (temperature) and spicy as it should be!

I was brought here by my friend who lives in NY and has been before. It was actually my first time having South Indian food! It was very interesting and the dosa was lovely!! I also tended to think that it must be really authentic as it's filled with Indian customers!!

Fantastic food and the ghee pongal was mind blowing. Tried Idli, Rava kichidi, parotta kuruma, lassi, the food was simply awesome!!! Kuruma was too good😎. Keep up the great work.

My family loves Indian food, we're vegetarian, and Saravanaa Bhavan was only a block from our hotel. We had to try it. The portions are plentiful -- too much for me -- and the food not particularly tasteful. But none of that matters because of the cacophony. Bare floors, walls, and ceiling -- the sounds echo. It's about 10x as noisy as your average fast food store, and made it impossible for me to enjoy a bite. If you confuse "noisy" with "vibrant" and "lively" you may love this place. Me, I prefer a calmer environment, and my stomach was hurting by the time I left.

The Chain itself needs no introduction, Saravanaa Bhavvan is one of the best, high quality south indian food chains out there. This place is no different, with great tasting food 🥘and decent service. The service people can tend to be a little rude owing to the busy schedules. My only qualm with this location is the price, it is too high even for Saravanaa Bhavan

Lovely place to have lunch or dinner with family, friends or business associates. This place is Kosher certified too. The service is super quick, food is very tasty & fresh.

Saravanaa Bhavan is as authentic as South Indian food gets. Everything on the menu is delicious and very satisfying to the wallet. WiFi is not offered and all major credit cards are accepted. The staff is pleasant but not very attentive. With that said it’s worth the go and spend to have a South Indian dining experience. Bon Appetite!

First of all, this review does not reflect the quality of Saravana Bhavan. Their food is pretty good in every restaurant you go. I am here to review their Service attitude. We had a heavy lunch on a Sunday and came back to have a nice cup of filter coffee after a long walk on a chilly NY afternoon. They were not ready to accommodate 10 of us just for coffee!! Why serve coffee if you cannot give it? Poor attitude and we ended up ordering 2 appetizers to have their coffee. This kind of attitude is very rude and we will never go back to Saravana Bhavan in Lexington.

The restaurant was within walking distance from our Hotel. It was clean and not too crowded due to the time of visit. Service was quick, staff attentive and food tasty and reasonable. We ordered Mysore Masala Dosa, plain dosa and rava dosa. On our next visit we ordered the mini south indian meal.

Kids enjoyed onion masala dosas and mini-idly. Chutney and sambar were really good (am a mallu so know what I'm talking about!). Dosas were crispy and the masala was moist and tasty. Coffee unf came luke-warm and service was not prompt. We did not get a dish we ordered, nor did we get extra napkins that were requested. When we shared that even the medu-vada was cold, the server said that the sambar was hot to compensate. Luckily he delivered this with a sense of humor that acknowledged that the kitchen was busy. We were in a large group and had some fun with him, we weren't too too upset!

This was a treat - we do not really get a lot of South Indian food in AZ. Since they do not take reservations, there was a long wait for us. The restaurant kept it pretty organized, but there is no waiting area/space inside. The food was absolutely amazing. The service was good - even with a great rush.

From your Manhattan start-up point, whichever one, expect discovery. On this particular voyage to Saravannaa Bhavan in two different spots one meets and learns that NYC’s Department of Sanitation trucks as Friday evening covered in darkness collect garbage, slowing and halting area other transport. Even taxi and Uber drivers exude surprise. Reaching the restaurant’s 26th street quarters find Saravannaa Bhavan embedded with a diversity of Indian diners formed in a different special unique Indian aura at each table; example, an elderly American man totally at ease with, apparently, his Indian wife. Each table presents similar diversity be it cultural, age-related, much more, squared, cubed, and way beyond. Uttupan retains its visual and taste appeal for me. Fellow diners experienced vada, tiffin, and dosa. Saravannaa Bhavan stands out physically especially at night, the various dark heavy, somber apartment buildings throughout the neighborhood and beyond etching a constant overall darkness. Does that explain why many apartment sites are named literally “houses,” among them LaGuardia houses, East River houses, many more? Napkin for the first time one side stays totally spotless. ☺ This restaurant brightness lights both individual diners’ spirit and also the surrounding environs. Do not, Saravanaa Bhavan, cease emitting this glorious light.

The South Indian food was served hot and well, worth the visit, though a little to the expensive side.Lot of dosa & uttapam varieties .Thali is ok.

For dosa lovers who do not live in the NYC area, Sarvana Bhavan is a great place for some very affordable vegetarian Indian food. My work takes to Manhattan sometimes. however due t the packed work schedule the few blocks that separate my office from SB is still not doable. My colleague and I ambled down the few blocks one fine summer evening and easily found a table for 2 around 630 pm. (SB is walk in only). We had a variety of what can be billed as "small plates" and had great conversation over a bunch of enjoyable items accompanied by chutneys and dipping sauces (sambhar etc). for NYC a bill of $25 pp was very tolerable. My colleague who lives in the city had heard of this place but never eaten there. He too went home a happy camper. We both missed our colleague code named "Iona" who has always wanted to eat here but has not struck luck. this one is to you "iona" - may be next time we visit HQs for meetings we can all eat here again.

The awesome combo of dosa and filter coffee is just serene.. One literally gets the feeling of sipping coffee sitting in Chennai and well for dosas, no comments.

This restaurant is very well located.Food served by them has authentic taste of South Indian food.Idly,and meduvada were very good, which were served with three types of chutanies.Other north Indian dishes are also available.

Service is good. Food is awesome. We ordered idli, masala dosa and mango lassi. Everything is delicious. Portions are good. Price is reasonable.

We went there after a hectic evening for dinner.Their dosas and mini tiffins were good. Thali they said takes time because rice has to be cooked and may take time,since we were in a hurry to get back ,we ordered for dosas,mini idlies and mini tiffins which we enjoyed but little overpriced.

We saw that restaurant during lunch time and it was packed, so we decided to come for supper. There were a queue as usual (mostly non-caucasian) which means it must be authentic South Indian food. We loved the place and what we ordered. It is a family restaurant , so it is loud and you will witness the art of eating with your hands. We intend to go back next time we are in NYC to experience this "vedic wisdom" of eating with your hands. And please do not forget to try the Tamil filter coffee .. Thumbs up !!!!

We being resident of Memphis, TN - were told a lot about the South Indian food chain. We went with a bag full of expectations, but did not get the same response from this restaurant. The food (sambhar - dosa) were served COLD .. as if they were all ready made and waiting to be served.

To speak-- or Not To Speak (I don’t say or speak; therefore I am not.) ☺ We excitedly return to Saravanaa Bhavan for repeat tastes of the cheese masala dosa that caught attention of and excited us on our recent previous visit, “thin rice and lentil crepe filled with grated shredded cheese,” as per the menu. Waiting for the dish to arrive, one can glance at nearby visages as they await and then taste. At the table closest to us reside three personas each wearing glasses. For most of the time they play tap tap with their phones and don't speak a word to each other. After about half an hour they finish eating and leave. Two people replace them at the same table and simulate them, playing mostly with cell phones rather than speaking. At another table nearby: three people with faces similar to each other all wear glasses. Further away, another table holds four Chinese diners, one of whom had actively dyed their hair blonde. From visages back to victuals: the Cheese Masala Dosa (CMD) that still held above average appeal seemed somehow to lack some of the uniqueness of the same dish it possessed on our very recent visit. Let us return for another hopeful meet-up with CMD.

We came here for an early dinner as it was our first day in New York. Had the dosa & thali which were excellent as well as salt lassi to finish. Really enjoyed and recommend the food. The prices were reasonable too.

Good fare for any South Indian craving for dosa, idil, filter coffee among others. My bisi bele baath was not upto the mark. The dosa we ordered came out well and ofcourse the vada and idli combo. Smaller restaurant with additional room that is opened up if needed. Weekends are busy. My server was a bit chatty. Overall good food you won’t be disappointed.

Went to this place for a date because the girl wanted to try "dosas" (a South Indian speciality). The food was good and the service was prompt. Had a good time!

Very good south Indian food. their north Indian fare is just average. the staff can be more courteous. arrive early or their is wait time to be seated.

Friendly staff, but the place is so noisy - this is not a place to go for a quiet dinner or if you want to carry on a conversation. Biryani was way over-spiced, to cover for the tasteless ingredients it seems. Appetizer was bland and we didn't finish it. Ridiculously overrated place.

Was taken here by a colleague who is Indian. He helped me order and it was fantastic. Had a dosa with various things in it that were fantastic. We also started with rasam and a sambar. I very much enjoyed all of it and look forward to trying it again. It gets very busy at lunch time when we were there, but service is pretty quick and pleasant.

Wonderful idlis and dosas that come with great sambar. Lunch time meal platters are a better deal - even though they are slightly pricier than the nearby restaurants. Will continue to visit this place periodically. Very Casual service. I have been eating here for several years. Seems the prices are going up while the quality has decreased ever so slightly.

We found this place in our guidebook, dropped in for a quick lunch and told the waiter that we had to be at the theatre fairly soon. He was friendly and obliging although the place was very busy. The masala dosa was filled with spiced mash potato which I have not had before even in India, but it was delicious as was the sambal and coconut chutney. Loved it, will go back.

This place overprices every dish they have! I bought small and simple dishes from this place with my family and spent 196$ and THEY CHARGE TIP WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!! Normally anywhere I go, I can chose to give tip, but the waiter just said "I added the tip already"! WE DIDN'T EVEN SAY THAT WAS OKAY!!

Outstanding South Indian food bang in middle of New York Very authentic and swift service Very tasty and fresh Dosa Idli and Thali meals Masala Dosa was great Through an external service we even got delivered second day to down town in a Manhattan hotel ! If you are South Indian vegetarian foodies great place Don’t go for ambience Go for quality of food

Very expensive and not at all worth the quality and service they provide. We were in group and most of us were south indians and love the food served in Saravana Bhavan in TN. We visited with lot of expectations it was very disappointing. Upma was not cooked properly, yellow partially cooked rava was served as upma , besibele bath was more like rice and sambar. 2 start is for ambiance and pulav which was just OK.

Absolutely terrible experience. 30 minutes to take the order. 45 minutes for food to arrive - food arrived cold & was awful ... avoid going here

South indian delicacies absolutely authentic and traditional in all aspects. Revival of the indian taste buds with tingling tangy spicy dosas, idlis, pongal and the business thali after a long western world travel. The filter coffee is an icing to the experience. This chain keeps all indian travellers going in so many parts of the world.

Chain with locations in 30 countries. Spotless, terrific Indian veg menu, swift service. Seems popular with young professionals. Hefty portions.Menu could have been a little more detailed but pictures and pointing got the job done. Two locations in NY, LES and UWS. Will return.

A typical vegetarian restaurant known for south indian delicacies - snacks like dosa, idli, vada, pongal or the combo (mixed main course) - thali. One of the references of well known restaurant chain. Wine/beer card on demande.

We met friends here for Sunday lunch and sat and chatted for a long time. The menu is basically only dosa, so if you don’t like dosa, don’t eat here. The menu is extensive, with every imaginable combination of fillings available. The desserts were delicious also. The doses were huge, hot and crunchy.

Few things about this place- 1. The waiters are extremely rude and have strange /crazy attitude. 2. If you still want to go there despite my review, avoid going there 1-2 hours before closing.eg they close at 10 pm on week days..dont enter after 8,30 pm as waiters get upset to see you coming close to their closing time and tell you with body gestures and sometimes via words to leave. 3. 1-2 hours before closing, cold food will be served to you. 4. If you ask for bottled beer..they will bring the beer in a glass without letting you witness the bottle or opening of the bottle! v v weird! 5. They have only one Indian desert! v strange! 6. In this day and age, they dont have a portable credit card machine.they still expect you to let them take yr card somewhere far/out of your sight to make the payment! The good 1. Spicy food is avbl 2. Food quality can be ok if you come in arly afternoon or evening hours. DO NOT go there after 8 pm. NEVER.

It was great seeing people had great love and affection for the cusine. .....it serves Indian traditional south Indian delicacy .. Dosa/uttampam are served with 3 different dips (chutney) & sambar ......I had ordered onion uttampam which tasted great .....they almost take 15-20 mim for rava items . Do a prior booking to skip the waiting que

It's always a welcome sight in any city across the world. Yesterday, after meeting friends in the evening, I popped across to Saravanaa Bhavan. Its after coming to NY that I discovered( at the other Saravanna Bhavan, on Upper West) the magic of 13 mini ghee-idlis dunked in sambhar. And thats what I went for. Never disappointed

This was our first time to Saravanaa Bhavan in New York City. SB is a haven for authentic, clean tasting, fresh vegetarian South Indian food amongst the 'thousands' of 'meat, meat & more meat' eateries in the city. My wife is vegetarian Indian and I am a fish eating Scot. The restaurant was full. We both left happy!

I ordered onion chili rava dosa Not at all worth the price Quality was just ok Lot of hype No original taste of sambhar If you see the size of rava dosa Quantity of chutney and sambhar are just couple of spoons How many times will you ask for extra chutney and sambhar Total dissatisfaction

We, a party of two walked into this on Saturday night at around 6:30 pm. The restaurant told us they don't take reservation when we called. The restaurant was moderately crowded but we were seated right away. We ordered onion masala dosa, adai aviall and vegetable utthapam and a draft beer. They do serve beer and wine. The server told us that the masala dosa will come as appetizer and the other two later because they take time to cook. The dosa was great and adai aviall was great . They come with three types of chutney. The vegetable utthapam had vegetables on side with some coconut mush which was rather tasteless. Utthapam was fine. I probably had another beer but the servers don't come around. I guess you have to hail them. Also, after we finished, the check cam right away. The servers didn't ask if we want dessert and coffee. I guess the style is to order everything at the same time. It is a good and popular restaurant. I will go again.

We went for lunch on 7/5 just y wife and myself along with our 2 children who already finished their lunch at their Favorite McD. The tables were not cleaned even though the dishes from previous customers were cleared, they are cleaning only when a customer looks for a table, not hygenic. We ordered our South Indian Thali, and the kids asked for some sweets (Kesari) so we ordered each one a kesari to munch while we eat our lunch. We have to follow up mutiple time before we get our food served. The restaurant charged automatically 18% gratuity on our bill and we inquired about it they said it gets automatically added for 4 or more. Most restaurant adds automatic Gratutity only for 5 or more, seems like SB has its own rule, Irony is poor customer service and I have to pay them automatic Gratuity. I was talking to one of my friend about it and he had the same experience, he was also charged automatic 18% gratuity and he had only 3 people eating and he was given an answer that 3 or more there is an automatic gratuity. Clearly this seems cheating the customers, they should have the right to decide what should be the gratuity based on service they received. On top of this when you order Thali watch out for ay extras you may be ordering, a small may be 2 ounce Sambar is $2 and extra Papad is $2.99, I could order a snack for this money, so they charge more than what the food worth ad give poor customer service. Stay away.....!!!!

The best south Indian food in New York city. The dosas, idlis, thalis are all equally divine. I have no favorites, because I find them all to be pretty good. Everything is usually accompanied with generous rounds of Madras coffee. This is a vegetarian place, and only for someone of Indian origin or a connoisseur of Indian cuisine. The breakfast is definitely the best value for money. Watch out, this cuisine is heavily spiced and carb based.

Of the menu options Saravanaa Bhavan we thoroughly enjoyed and shared vegetable uthappam, described as thick rice and lentil pancake topped with mixed vegetables, the tasty masala dosa, and mini tiffin with mini idli, sambar, masala dosa, upma, kesari and chutneys. Even more tasty beyond the food is what observant eaters will hear and see, taste, and seem to palpably “touch” as follows. Other than one actually being in Delhi, Kolkata, etc, the best, most tantalizing display of amazingly varied visages of the Indian customers and waitpersons themselves at Saravanaa Bhavan touches you. As they chat with each other their faces show an amazingly varied field of Indian human expression; every kind of human emotion leaps from person to person and arrives for inspection by those at other tables nearby; the multiple cultures peer from all eyes and from all shaped faces for everyone to taste. The very open and totally visible spaces include not only these stupendous visages but also the unique, precisely colorful, varied shapes of clothing each customer carries about; it’s better than any clothing department store you have ever seen! Shop the fashion with your eyes; retain in your vision each diner’s multi-colored, multi-shaped apparel. The persons contain a wide range of age so that a rich angle of generations leaps forth, children, elderly, and those in mid-life. This is more accurate and bountiful than any census anywhere. The architecture of the space is unique; from the street level dining room vantage point one can look at the rich sculpture of another side dining area one level below; of course it presents equally or even more varied visages and dress heightened by the angle of vision above; watch people leave the floor you inhabit and then peer below to catch their arrival, their entrance, their return; motion, motion, and more motion, all delicate. The verisimilitude steadily calls you: both real and true. Footsteps, walking, etc.: not necessary. Eat of course, but watch, listen, observe, peer, notice…. the forever valuable and unforgettable

Saravanaa Bhavan serves best authentic South Indian food in the town. However there are some issues which I don't like personally: 1. They say they serve jain food (no onion garlic food). However, apart from plain dosa, idli and vada there is nothing else. 2. They charge for extra sambhar, which is so unlike the south indian food culture. No where else I have seen that. Moreover, the complimentary sambhar they give with order is very less in quantity. 3. There desserts are average.

This is one of an international chain, but don’t let that put you off. It is an excellent south Indian pure vegetarian restaurant, with lots of vegan options. It’s also kosher and convenient to Baruch College. The action here centers around dosas (savory stuffed crepes). In India these are often eaten for breakfast, so a dosa restaurant is a sort of “breakfast all day” place. Dosas are usually made with rice and lentil flour which makes them suitable for people who are gluten intolerant. However, semolina and other wheat flours are used in some dosas, so check the menu carefully. The most common filling is potato, but onion, cheese, and plain dosas are offered. Here large dosas are served generously with three chutneys and, as is traditional, with a small portion of sambar (thick lentil soup). Start in the middle and eat with your fingers as is acceptable in Indian restaurants. This will enhance your experience of the texture of the food. In addition to dosas you will find idly (rice and lentil patties), vada (savory donuts), bajji (battered and deep fried vegetables) and uthappams (savory pancakes). There are a few items on the menu I haven’t seen elsewhere such as plantain bajji. There are set meals (thali) and traditional desserts. Check out the beverages. Wine and beer are available, but I recommend the non-alcoholic drinks. For a long time I thought salty lassi (yoghurt) would never be replaced in my diet, but that was before I discovered chaas, buttermilk flavored with cumin, coriander leaves, and other spices. Have it as it comes (thick) or dilute and cool it with ice. Before a friend recommended the madras filter coffee here I couldn’t imagine ordering any caffeinated drinks at an Indian restaurant except masala chai. Trust me. Try the coffee. It is similar to cappuccino but arrives very hot in a small steel glass sitting in a little bowl. Carefully pour out some of the coffee into the bowl, add sugar or sweetener if you like, and allow the coffee to cool a bit. I’m so sorry I missed this stuff when I was in India. Outside India this chain caters to the immigrant community, providing excellent, traditional food at attractive prices in impeccably clean surroundings. If you don’t happen to be Indian you will be welcome here, too. Service is very good. The dining room is cheerful, well lit, and rather noisy because this place puts its customers in a good mood and everyone chats away (no pun intended because chaats are not served here). Normally I don’t write such long reviews, but there is so much to say. The restaurant is in a mini-Indian neighborhood with groceries, traditional clothing stores, and many other restaurants. Have fun and come back! There is a downright soap operatic back story about the founder of this chain. Look it up on-line.

One of the most unfriendly staff especially mahendra….he was very rude to my wife when she asked for a table of 4 when i was parking my car. He refused to give a table till i arrived. Where in the world this behavior is acceptable…they should be ashamed of themselves especially when they are reprenting a country like INDIA….they offer a bad reflection of our hospitality and what we mean when it comes to courtesy and hospitality. The management shld take serious note of this so that the name if saravana bhavan does not go down. Else god help you guys!!

Worst customer sevice, no food, long wait. Have been sitting here for over 90min. They don't know who came when. Total chaos. Will NOT recommend this place.

Came with a 6 person group during dinner. The place wasn't busy at all, but the service was still filled with errors. The food was decent, but they never came around to ask how we're doing, never filled our water, etc. It's a completely vegetarian restaurant which is awesome but I really don't think it's as good as everybody says it is. Everyone I know is obsessed with this place and I just really can't figure out why. I mean don't get me wrong It's a pretty solid Indian restaurant on curry hill but I wouldn't say it's the ABSOLUTE best. Finally, the prices, holy hell...$9 for a plate of idlis!!? Bordering highway robbery.

Very good authentic South Indian food. Idli, masala dosa, utapam etc. Quick service and good location.

I ordered food from Saravanaa Bhawan as it’s a known brand in India. I had their masala dosa which maintained the same taste as back home and was given with a tomato, green and coconut chutney along with sambhar. The food satiated my cravings for South Indian food.

I'm from Boston and it is very hard to find an Indian restaurant that is not North Indian. Saravanaa is the real deal. I've eaten at their chain in India and this compares well. I like their Business Thali is good and the paper dosa masala is excellent.-great Sambar. Be prepared to wait for a table during peak hours and weekends, but the line moves fast.

I looked up the breakfast menu on their website before I went. All combos were $10.40 or $11.49 HOWEVER, when I arrived, the price on the menu that was placed on my table was $14.99 for all breakfast combos. Based on this, I would assume ALL prices shown on their website menu are OLD, OUTDATED, INACCURATE, and MUCH higher than you might expect.

Went there the day after running the New York Marathon, with a ravenous appetite! They have a very good Thali, and their lunch Sambar was da bomb, excellent! Along with the Thali, we ordered Sambar Vadai, which was also fresh and at least an 8.5/10. We went there when it was not too crowded, so service was decent, no major issues. Overall enjoyed the food.

For good south Indian food you need not worry in New York city. Freshly cooked delicious food available. Good service.

I eat at the Saravanaa Bhavan locations in Doha and was happy to see it in NYC. The restaurant has the same welcoming family feel and the staff is equally friendly and warm (in fact so were the other guests). The food quality is excellent as well. I do believe the Qatari menu has more diverse options and that would be my only aside. I highly recommend this restaurant and look forward to returning soon.

This is my nostalgia trip; this chain originated in the same city I grew up in. Lo and behold, I moved a couple of blocks away. First time, I was there during lunch time and ordered a thali - which I didn't enjoy at all. A lunch thali with coffee and tips comes up to $30 and I expect more for that kind of money. There was not even a poriyal. Whoever heard of a South Indian Thali without poriyal, aviyal, or pachadi! I was a bit heartbroken and even called my mother to whine but then the next week, I tried pongal and vada for breakfast which was fantastic. Feedback, reduce pongal quantity, be a bit more generous with ghee instead!

Recommended place : HSB Lexington NewYork 👍🏼 One of main attractions I planned to visit for my NewYork. I loved South Indian thali meals and my mom tried poori masala and mango lassi. It was less crowded in weekdays lunch time!

very disappointing, South Indian coconut chutneys are the best, the the ones served here were just simply pathetic, watery dehydrated coconut mixed with water! the tomato chutney was terrible too. we lobe South Indian food, but this was indeed a huge disappointment

Saravana Bhawan is a well-known restaurant which stands out in the clutter of many Indian restaurants on the Lexington avenue. It serves great delicious south Indian food, I have been here many times and will continue to go. The regular Idli, Dosa Uttappam are all tasty as expected. My favorite is Kaima Idli which is their unique dish which is a variant of the regular idli which is fried and a little spicy. I also love the tea here and have every time I come to this place. Overall its an excellent restaurant with great service and food.

I knew that this famous South Indian hotel had branches in NY but somehow it skipped my mind to check it out until my last day in NY. And went with a work colleague for dinner, not disappointed. I am from Chennai and so it was nostalgic to taste the Onion Rava Dosa with assorted chutneys and sambar. Plus the Bisibelabth. It was a delightful experience.

Very famous for south Indian breakfasts such as idly, uthappam, dasa, vada etc. I tried most of their breakfast menu as I had all my breakfasts in this place during my recent stay in New York and liked all of them. Especially pongal is really yum! Dosa, mini idli, poori are equally good. Little expensive.

I'm a tamizh, so no brainers for guessing what i ate from my childhood. The reason i'm saying this is i know what's a authentic tamizh food, this one is the best ever i had, even better than any i had in South Bay Area(where i ilve). Just don't miss it if you are around.

It is a Saravana Bhavan! What is there to review or write. Either you know about it or you do not. If you do, you do not need any reviews. If you do not, make a bee line for this place for lip smacking, authentic and best South Indian cuisine around the world. On a Sunday evening I was surprised to get a table without a wait.

The dosa, idli and vada are well made. However, the Bisibelibhath was a major disappointment. The dish was khichdi masquerading as Bbbhath! I have had better in Air India and that is saying a lot! We sat outside and I must say that their huge dosa attracted a lot of attention.

We visited Saravanaa Bhavan in New York expecting a good dining experience from such a well-known brand but were left disappointed. The queuing of patrons was not handled effectively, as the seating was managed by a server who seemed overwhelmed with multiple tasks. The restaurant was not clean, which was a major letdown. While their dosas and chutneys were good, the rest of the food did not meet our expectations. The dishes were costly considering the service, ambiance, and quantity provided. I have never had such a dense and thick uttapam before—it was supposed to be fluffy and soft. Our entire table received orders scatteredly, not together as a whole, which disrupted our dining experience. Additionally, there was a significant delay in serving coffee and water, even after asking multiple times. Several areas need improvement. I’d highly recommend avoiding this restaurant as it is not worth the time and money.

Very average taste. Everything on the menu is USD 10 and above. Disappointed with the taste. Tried Mini tiffin, Pongal and upma combination! Though Pongal is ok! Only if you are craving for South Indian visit this place else give it a miss!

The dishes were authentic and the dosas and uthappams were great. However, adai did not meet our expectations.

We had lunch at this nice simple south Indian Vegetarian Restaurant on Sunday July 17th. We were with some friends of my wife who suggested we have lunch there. Reached at 11 am and sat down for lunch at 11.30 am when all were assembled. The place is clean, fairly accomodating and simply furnished but adequately comfortable. They serve every south Indian food item imaginable and would satisfy any demand and taste. Not having eaten South Indian food for several weeks we were very pleased to find this treasure island and ordered vada, idly, mysore masala dosa and masala dosa for a very satisfying lunch. The Madras coffee was hot and bitter as it should be and I loved that. The costs are reasonable and would suit all budgets. A must visit.

My party ordered three different dishes and split them among us, including a Vegetable Dosa and Vegetable Biriyani. The dishes were all delicious, and the portions were generous enough that we were all satisfied at the end of the meal. Food was very tasty! Service was a bit slow, however, including waiting a long time for water to be refilled, but was otherwise a pleasant experience.

Good location. Taste like Indian preparation. Lunch worth for the money paid. Service is very good. Service , hygiene, cleanness are the good indicator of the management.

The food was good and food was filling,thethe place was OK not really clean !the service was fine and weekends lunchtime can get really crowded

My family and I were visiting New York for a couple of days and we googled around the area for vegetarian restaurants and found this branch of Saravana Bhavan by chance! Who would have known there was one in the States too?! Food was delicious and we all had a lovely dinner before heading back to our hotel. Service was also quick and staff were friendly. Would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes Indian food and wants to try typical South Indian food.

If you are in New York city and wanted to have some good south Indian style vegetarian food, this is one place one should try. They offers some excellent options

No frills version of a fast food vegetarian restaurant. Not a bad food. Just convenient. Mostly visited by people of Indian culture.

A visit to this place was impressive. All airy, clean and spotless. Service was attentive and uniformed waiting staff were very helpful in deciding what to order. The Saravanaa Bhavan dosas are truly amazing. The dosas themselves are over-sized crepes made from a fermented batter of ground rice and black lentils. Reading the menu, the dosas are available in differing kinds and have varied descriptions. They all appear authentically South Indian, except for the cheese dosa which may well be an American adaptation because cheese is hard to come by in the native land of the dosa in South india! At the end of a delightful gastronomic experience, one had the urge to visit the rest room. The male toilet had graffiti above eye level (photo being uploaded). The reason this review falls on stars is because the toilet paper dispenser was sadly empty. One was thus caught short at the hour of need! That was seriously wrong and inexcusable! In summary, Saravanaa Bhavan has flavoursome paper dosa! Sans paper in the loo!

Peopleized Be only what you are. That’s the missive Saravanaa Bhavan’s Lexington Avenue persona sends out now and always. Even the eternal scary shadow of the armory across the street cannot compete. Know that you have entered not merely a restaurant but a people gallery. Tonight the gallery housed an Indian couple typically arrayed centered in the space; another Indian personage, dining alone and fully emitting contentment; two North American new yawk women, one mostly in white, conversing seriously at the table adjoining ours; all together a delicious array of all genres of humans. Oh, yes, victuals, of course. Two of our three went for tiffin; the remainder one-third dove into the tender onion uttapan. We surpassed our self-expectations and the waitperson by ordering a non-dessert post meal dish: dahi vada, delicious and special. Eschew your commonly visited museums. Saravanaa’s people gallery calls you. Answer them. people watcher

Amazing south Indian restaurant. All the dishes we tried were authentic, and tasty. Highly recommend.

A must visit for South Indian vegetarian food. Had the Adai served with avail and gur(jaggery). This dish was very tasty and wholesome. The Mysore masala dosa was well made . The sambhar was tasty though the coconut chutney was not wow . The only poor dish was the Rava chilly dosa which was overinflated with black pepper and green chillies overwhelming any other taste in that dosa. All in all a must visit in New York if you have the craving for this food.

We had heard a lot about Saravana Bhavan an d decide to go for Lunch. The place was crowded and had to wait for nearly 30 min. We ordered Idli, Mini Ghee Idli, Tomato Onion Uttapam and Milagaipodi Onion Masala Dosa. We were totally disappointed with the quality of the food. Idlis were OK. Uttapam was Good, Mini Ghee Idly was very Average with no taste of ghee atall. Worst was Dosa, which we had to leave. For four people it costed nearly $97/- and it was not worth the money and time

The location was easily accessible for anyone visiting NYC. The food was good and tasted somewhat close to what you get in a Saravana Bhavan in Chennai. Well lit and clean area. Service was fast. We ordered Parotta which was good, but a bit different from usual fare at their Indian locations. Overall, definitely recommended for a tasty south indian fare.

Nicely crisp dosa. Chutneys were flavorful. Reminded me of my first encounter with dosa in Bengaluru. Very satisfied for a quick lunch.

I am not a dosa expert. Here you can get many varieties,though most contain mashed potatoes, accompanied by four dipping sauces. This branch of the worldwide chain is always crowded.

Authentic Indian Vegetarian restaurant in New York downtown. Don't miss to have good food. You will find all vegetarian options here.

stopped by for lunch with family..on rainy day..south indian food at its best.. mysore dosa was huge..so was onion rava dosa..thali was full of variety of items..amazing..not excessive oil..no colors..

You have to try Saravana Bhavan wherever its available. After trying it in Paris & Frankfurt, was desperate to visit in NYC and i was not disappointed. Went there for breakfast with a dutch friend and loved the food as usual. Its the best south indian restaurant you can find anywhere. Highly recommend it. :-)

Things that haven't changed in the last four years - Service. We waited and waited and waited for anyone to acknowledge us. All the while, people coming in after us just walked past us and got seated 🤷🏻‍♀️ Things that have changed - Kaima idly. Absolutely not the same. Not in terms of taste or texture. Couldn't see the onions and tomatoes as I usually did, back in the day. I used to dig their Kaima idly and was so disappointed to have dry-ish crispy idli that weren't a match to what they served before. - Kara dosa. The presentation and the taste. While not bad, it wasn't the one I used to die for. The gulab jamuns weren't properly warmed up. The rava kesari didn't have that perfect texture. I'm not sure if the change in taste was only for that day or temporary, owing to staff shortage but I was disappointed, to say the least. We always went there for the good food, knowing the service will not be as good. Not sure about the food there either, now.

Tasty south indian food. We wnt ther for lunch in between the conducted tour, sight seeing , New york. A must for only vegetarian food eaters. Recommend all veg indians to visit when thwy come to New york. my wife loved the food.

Ordered the big ring of different flavors most were good. Did not like the sweet flavors. Rice bread was really good. Did not settle with my System afterwards

we did have a dinner with family. it was less clean then ususal. I found during rush hours the food quality also gets effected. Other than that its great.

Came here for lunch on a Friday afternoon. The spot was moderately busy. (Many had just finished their lunch.) We ordered a masala Dosa with ghee (not enough potatoes) and another puffy fried dish that came with a tasty garbanzo dish. Service was slow. Two guys served the floor and seemed a bit overwhelmed with their duties. Overall, the food was filling and delicious. I would come back again.

Awesome authentic Indian food, and smiling faces to welcome you. Plain and Rava dosas are my favourite. Mini ghee idlis are good add on try for kids. Masala tea is also worth to try. Overall very good food experience.

Excellent little place. Their food is delicious South Indian food. Seems like there is a more extensive menu after 11a. But there were plenty of choices before. Their sambar was delicious! The coffee is real South Indian coffee! So delicious. The wait staff is a bit harried and not very gracious. Asked for a second cup of coffee..never got it. Would definitely go back though

Average food. Too many things in Katoris ( bowls). All taste the same. Vegetables drowned in cream, hardly any vegetables. Two bowls of Yogurt. Why 2 bowls is beyond me. Recommend to reduce the number of servings almost, similar tasting. Improve the quality and the flavors. Maybe up the price for better quality. Suresh Chawla Toronto, Canada

Hey of your choice of food is crepe then you may have to visit this place. Their accompaniment called as chutney is always awesome. You get only south Indian Thali. Not north! It's a best choice after too much of walking in and around the New York city. This is an excellent vegetarian food choice to make. I've the pictures of the food and the place. Hope the picture helps. Eat in charges and tax apply. We've been to this restaurant at Paris, London and its home town Chennai branches of Saravana Bhavan where there was warm welcome by the staff but it is only here it seemed so strange to us that the staff are either new or are still developing the skills to interact with the customers. They didn't care to let us know why it had changed its timings and a courtesy of talk of an apology for opening it on different timings while opening the door. It sounded like customers come to eat and that they will obviously wait until the restaurant gets opened why to waste energy on talking! After seating arrangements were allotted, we placed the order, it was like they didn't bother to take an order although we were the first to enter in after its opening. So, I give this place a 2 rating for customer service and 4star for the food. (One of the reviewer has mentioned that the same kind of accompaniments was seen and also most tasted nearly the same from one bowl to the other. This is true!!) As well, do not expect a seated waiting space or kind of a thing here so you can sit and wait. It's quite close to the pavement. No Car park available either. Note : Remember to call for their opening hours before you go. This is because the restaurant makes time changes without notice on the website and we ended up waiting for about 30 minutes outside. It was a rainy day and winter night, upon our reach we found out that it was closed. This is a disappointment. Though we tried to call them upon reach there was no answer. We also tried to request them by sign language to open the door while waiting standing outside on the pavement by their door and window but none cared despite they had changed the timings.

The papad was crisp and tasty. We shared the medu wada which was immersed in sambar. Chef R had a roti with chole (curried chickpeas) and potatoes. I had the Rava Masala Dosa with coconut chutney and sambar. It was quite good but is far superior in India. Service was quick.

Despite the overpriced offerings, keep going there and the South Indian food - particularly Masala Dosas - are simply very good. Perhaps the vegetable potato filling can be increased commensurate with the size of the dosa. The place is busy and finding a place can be tough. Overall, if you know what you want among South Indian dishes and stick to it and don't try to deviate from these, you won't be disappointed.

I usually try and avoid the lunch crowd and come slightly for a later lunch after 130pm. That way I can eat in peace with no wait and also be really hungry as the food servings are plentiful! I have read some of the reviews about the precooked sambar ... Well I would hope sambar is prepared in advance...that's the only way to experience the best flavored. My stable order is the mini then idli in sambar and a Rava masala dosa. I can never finish the entire dosa.... Wish the was an option to get a minim dosa hahaha! I love adding this to the rotation when visiting New York!!

I was last here in Oct 2016 on a rainy night and enjoyed hot South Indian food. Missed this place during last couple of visits, but wanted to make good this time. Had a rather spicy Onion Chilly Rava dosa and was not disappointed.

We ordered Chole Bhatura and Mysore Onion Masala Dosa and we loved the taste of both the dishes. Most of the dishes are priced over $11 but it’s a good place to eat South Indian food.

The food comes quickly, but it’s often cold, making you wonder if it’s just sitting around before being served. The toilets are a disaster—dirty and stinking of urine. This is Manhattan, not some far-flung place, so it's hard to accept such poor standards. After our meal, the bill was $19.59, and we handed the waiter $25. Instead of bringing back the change, he assumed the remaining $5.41 was his tip. When we asked for $3 back, he brought $2 and left without another word. This isn’t the first time this has happened here. The service is disappointing, and they seem to expect a big tip without earning it. We won’t be returning.

One of the best South Indian Thalis I have eaten, everything was very tasty and there was a lot of variety. Service was excellent too.

En Route From whichever neighborhood you voyage to/approach Saravanaa Bhavan, while burrowing through the various locales en route savor the exciting combo of newly birthed businesses, companies, and start-ups mixed with stalwart veteran survivors still striving to lure customers. On our path to Saravanaa these include hang-in-there breakfast spots such as La Bonbonniere; defunct med facilities, St. Vincent’s hospital for example; and infinite pizzeria names, many still unknowingly recalling Famous Ray’s Pizza, and multitudes of unique titles—fill in those you know--coined to catch everyone’s attention. Arrival The 69th Lexington Armory (Harm ory) across the street sends a hefty military feeling through the restaurant window. A boring and borne-into by time building. the effect of its presence on Saravanaa eaters continues heavy and demoralizing, reminding one of the omnipresent military feel that formerly filled society. Which armory this version or the similar Park Avenue Armory one on 65th and Lex wins the contest for imposing more heaviness? In Saravanaa The window view from our table draws instinctive idiotic attention: three complex no parking mini signs co-exist as part of one sign, as follows: no parking anytime for the space near the corner; 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. no parking, aka street cleaning; two hour parking 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. all days. Better, watch the people within as they eat and wait to eat. Who are they this day at 11:30 a.m.? People eating: a man alone toward the front center with backpack sitting in the other seat at his table; ear phones add to his more than social distance isolation. A woman in the same row of tables but at the other end fills an all-white dress; both personages, albeit unknown to and unaware of each other, have the exact same look and flavor. Still another diner shows a short skirt and cute hair bob, all mingling to give her a unique presence. Find salvation, redemption, and hope in the food itself. Food Masala Dosa (mashed potatoes and onions) has too much potato and too many empty spaces; feels somehow unlike South Indian cuisine, too much North American. The onions from the dosa on their own, however, are delish. Overall, the dish needs more mustard seeds, grated coconut, turmeric powder, coriander leaves, and lemon juice. The uttapams are tastier and visually more vivid. Don’t overlook as we did the Rasam (Lentil Soup) that in retrospect seems more worthy and tasty Departing Leaving, one feels sympathy for Saravanaa, seeing the nearby “neighbors” it has to “live” with. Nearby spots seen on leaving the area, downers, eateries such as Popeye’s and Subway nearby, ruin any exaltation carried from Saravanaa. At least Blooming Nails and Spa discovered while homeward bound lead to a laugh or two.

Stopped off for lunch and despite the crowd, we were quickly seated and served. We all got dosas and everything from the chutney, sambhar to the actual dosa was delicious. Reasonable pricing as well.

We like Indian food but weren't familiar with many of the dishes - the waiter was not helpful at all. So, we just randomly ordered four dishes and they were all very good. It's all vegetarian so lots of lentil-based dishes. Each dish came with different types of bread.

I've been coming here for years, and recently took my wife here for dinner. The menu is really not all that big, heavy on starches, only one dish with cheese. The dhosas are fantastic, and the South Indian thali platter is a dish I can never finish, but always enjoy. The one soup is salty but good.