Adyar Ananda Bhavan

This has been one of our favorite dosa spots for a very long time. I give it a 5 star for the food but I do think there were a few things they could improve on and that's why overall I gave it a 4 star. Food: We ordered the dosas, I asked for them to be spicy and told them we actually want it spicy and unfortunately they just didn't do it. For the chili rava dosa we asked for extra chili and honestly we could barely see any chili in the dosa to begin with. The sambar was really good but needed a little bit of salt. I loved all the different chutneys and one of them was a bit on the spicer side. My husband got the uttapam and he said he really liked it. We usually get their cocktail idili here as it's one of our favorites, I highly recommend you try it. This time we got the cauliflower manchurian, it was fine, an average dish. Service: We came for an early dinner and it seemed like they might have been short staffed. We didn't have to wait long to be seated or get our food but for ordering and other basic service needs like refilling water, it would take a long time. Price: The food portions are very big here and considering this, the prices are very reasonable. Ambiance: This is a fairly casual restaurant but comfortable. Insta: @TheShahLALand

Pretty average Indian Restaurant for what we ate and paid . Agree it’s NYC but other similar places on Lexington Ave are 10 times better than this! Dosa chutneys were served like tiny bit of tasters , Sambhar didn’t have any taste and heavily watered ! We ordered the Paneer Special Dosa , the paneer was served inside the dosa with the potatoes mix served on the side ! Only good thing was the filter coffee which was made well but overall one restaurant that I won’t be coming back soon!

This place has been our mainstay for south Indian food in NYC over the years. After a hiatus of several years due to the pandemic, we revisited A2B for indoor dining and greatly enjoyed ourselves. The idli vada combo, the Rasam, and the butter masala Dosa were excellent as always. The Rava Masala dosa felt a tad chewy (not as crisp as I remembered) but overall, we were very pleased with the experience. The Gulab Jamun was a nice way to round out the meal. This place is worth a visit if you're craving South Indian food in NYC! Update: Went back for more great food! The experience was great, even though they had issues with sending the food to the wrong tables, which led to longer than expected wait times. Hope they resolve this quickly! We had the Rocket Dosa, the Bullet Dosa (dosa with Pav Bhaji Masala inside it), and the South Indian Thali. All were excellent!

I gave this place 3 tries. One person for lunch (me). Each time I walked out of there spending around $50 on just myself and never felt satisfied. A few items got me to come back to see if I just ordered the wrong thing but NO disappointed every time with both food items and quantity/price ratio. It never worked out to be worth it. Last week was the last straw. Again another $50 lunch I could have gotten for under $20 someplace else. I. basically had white rice with chickpeas 2 pieces of bread and a tiny soup which I didn't finish for $50. Hell No. Dosa bread is good here but the filling looks like it was dished out with a tiny coke spoon attached to a key chain. I am done with these types of places.

Second time at Adyar Ananda Bhavan and had an excellent meal. For appetizers we shared idli and vada combo and it was delicious. For mains we got ghee masala dosa and rava onion chilli dosa. Both were excellent. We asked for some dosa podi on the side (gun powder masala mixed with ghee). Way better than Saravana Bhavan. Enjoyed our meal. Ended up trying utthapam and was amazing as well.

I have been ordering from here for years through the delivery apps. The food is always tasty, and the portions are good. I am from Chennai in India, and this food always satisfies my craving for South Indian food

Great food! Hands down the best Indian on the UES if you are vegetarian/very vegan friendly and they even offer Gluten Free & Nut Free options. However, the service is extremely slow and almost non-existent. Also they have weird quirks like an extra charge for using credit card, no sharing and take out is $1 extra charge for containers. Hence taking down 1 star from my review. Even with their weird quirks, the food is so delicious and since I live in the neighborhood, I keep going back. Just don’t expect 5 star service and bring cash. Their food is so good that you will forget the bad service and their weird quirks.

Service was friendly and the food was good with very large portions. Staff was kind and the manager/owner was very kind to our kids during our experience. Space is well decorated and clean. Prices generally in line with typical South Indian in NYC.

Good dosa! I would definitely recommend the South Indian specialities here, the masala dosa was so crunchy, flavorful and delicious especially when paired with chutney! The papdi chaat we ordered was okay, so I would definitely stick to South Indian style dishes here. The service was awesome, they gave us extra chutney and brought the food out pretty quickly. I will say that they close their kitchen 5-10 minutes before the actual time they close, so come here before 9pm!

A2B has been our go-to spot for authentic South Indian cuisine in NYC for years. After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, we returned for indoor dining a fee times and have enjoyed our experience, even though there is certainly room for improvement in some areas. The idli vada combo, the Rasam, and the butter masala dosa were as excellent as ever. The portion size of the Rasam is quite generous (enough for 2-3 people) and has a strong, spicy kick to it, so order it only if you can handle it. The Rava Masala dosa was a bit chewier than I remembered, lacking its usual crispiness. The idli wasn't as soft as i expected. The Rocket Dosa, the Bullet Dosa (filled with Pav Bhaji Masala) and the South Indian Thali are all excellent. Would highly recommend the Gulab Jamun to wrap up your meal. Service has been a bit of an issue each time i have visited. One time, they sent our food to another table. Another time, they started serving food without cutlery on the table and kept bringing us more food without paying heed to our multiple requests for cutlery. Some of the staff seems a bit inexperienced and they likely get overwhelmed by the demand the restaurant sees on weekends. I hope they resolve the service hiccups soon! If you're craving South Indian food in NYC, this place is definitely worth a visit! The need to overlook a few things on the service front, but it continues to be among the best South Indian food that Manhattan has to offer.

As a South Indian, I do not recommend this place. We came in at noon on July 4 and noticed only 2 other tables occupied yet had to endure a full 50 min wait to get our meals. For a brand like Adyar, I thought they are way understaffed. The food itself was less delicious than most average South Indian spots. The only salvageable items were the uthapam that came with the thali and the paneer and chana curry. The dosa had shredded paneer which was not applied evenly throughout the dosa. It was stir fried and with no masala. Big boo! The major disappointment for me was the sambar which was bland and watery with large chunks of melon in it. If you're a fan of that style of sambar, you might enjoy it. Overall, if you're visiting NYC and looking for South Indian places, this one is totally passable. Sorry, Adyar team.

This has been one of our favorite dosa spots for a very long time. I give it a 5 star for the food but I do think there were a few things they could improve on and that's why overall I gave it a 4 star. Food: We ordered the dosas, I asked for them to be spicy and told them we actually want it spicy and unfortunately they just didn't do it. For the chili rava dosa we asked for extra chili and honestly we could barely see any chili in the dosa to begin with. The sambar was really good but needed a little bit of salt. I loved all the different chutneys and one of them was a bit on the spicer side. My husband got the uttapam and he said he really liked it. We usually get their cocktail idili here as it's one of our favorites, I highly recommend you try it. This time we got the cauliflower manchurian, it was fine, an average dish. Service: We came for an early dinner and it seemed like they might have been short staffed. We didn't have to wait long to be seated or get our food but for ordering and other basic service needs like refilling water, it would take a long time. Price: The food portions are very big here and considering this, the prices are very reasonable. Ambiance: This is a fairly casual restaurant but comfortable.

Yummy place for dosas. Service was slow and the ambiance is nothing special but the gunpowder dosa was delicious and huge!!! If you are in the area and craving a dosa this place is a good bet!!

Everything was great. Staff was a little bit confused as to when things were going to come out but otherwise were super polite and considerate. I would definitely go again when craving South Indian food.

I was at this South Indian restaurant with some others. I'm a fan of dosas among other South Indian treats and I was looking for another spot and while I didn't find the dosa in particular to be that good, the other stuff wasn't bad. To drink I had a Chaas which is listed as Chass on the menu and is $5.45. Said drink is a yogurt shake (or rather buttermilk) with salt, ginger, and spices. You can think of it as a slight variant of a spiced more sour version of a lassi and it was fine. For food, I believe two of us went with I went with the Thalis which are all $20.95 or a buck extra for takeout (likely due to the number of containers necessary.) I went with the Bhavan Grilled Thali with 1 idli, 1 vada,1 masala dosa, 1 vegetable uttapam which was served with sambar, three chutneys (coconut, tomato, and cilantro,) and dessert. Another person got the South Indian Thali and the last person had some type of curry. My favorite of the group by a good amount was the Uthappam (or more commonly spelled Uttapam) which is kind of like a thickened pancake/crepe and is considered to be a variant of a dosa. The mixed vegetables consisted of carrots, cilantro, peas, onion, and tomato. This was well flavored especially from the onions and had a pleasant texture and I would definitely order again solely for lunch. The Dosa was alright. It was a bit softer than I would like and the (aloo) masala filling was sparse and not particularly well flavored at that. The Idli (soft steamed cake made of lentils/rice) was a bit bland though I tend to find the case though this one in particular was a bit softer than usual. The Vada (or Medu Vada) which is a fried lentil flour donut was well textured though a lot less spiced than other versions I've had. The Rasam was alright. It could have used a bit more vegetables and was like everything else a bit less spiced. Of the chutneys, the Coconut was a tad watery, the Cilantro was a bit light as well, and the Tomato was the best of the bunch being well flavored and thicker. For dessert it was Kheer but due to the vermicelli and the fact that this place is Southern Indian, I would call this Payasam. I presume it's not listed as such as it might be confusing to some of the locals who don't know Southern Indian words. It was not overly sweet and unlike most of the other dishes pretty well flavored and I would get again. I'd go back for the Uthappam/Uttapam and the dessert wasn't too shabby either. The food here is less spiced then I would like with even the dishes that I tend to find a bit bland being even more bland than usual with a very good example being the aloo masala having less cardamom and just less well masala than usual. If you don't mind a lighter style of Southern Indian, it's not bad.

I love this place! Great food, flavorful and perfect balance of spices. I am so happy to have found authentic Dosa in the city. I will definitely be back. Attentive service.

The place doesn't look like much from the outside and has limited seating inside but the quality of food is exceptional. Their menu is extensive so there is something for everyone, lots of vegetarian and vegan options. South Indian dishes are recommended. The service is good. There is no parking at this location. It can be seen from regular traffic. They offer dine in, Togo and delivery through all major apps. I highly recommend their Sambar. They have restrooms open to public.

If you're looking for delicious and authentic food, this is the place! The decor isn't anything to brag about and service can be a really slow/hit or miss, but the food is fresh. All vegetarian w vegan options.

This vegetarian restaurant, which serves tasty and reasonably healthy Indian food, was one of my regular spots from which I ordered delivery at least once a week during the stay-at-home days of the COVID-19 pandemic. I especially love their breads (phulka and paratha), although the phulkas are best when eaten at the restaurant when they are served hot and fresh to dine-in guests. The aloo palak is my favorite main dish, and pairs well with the yellow daal. As fate would have it, the one time I brought my mother here, everything was undercooked and underseasoned, which was a major letdown. Usually, the food is great. Service tends to be a little abrupt, but I never have high expectations of congeniality from the staff here, so I am OK with the curt behavior.

The food here is amazing. Dosas are to dye for. So far, my favorite Indian restaurant in NYc. Today today we had this lace cheese dosa

I don't think this place is part of A2B chain. food is ok but not like A2B .. small place tough to get parking around tough it's in New York no closer parking available around. Hygiene is good and ambience is nice .. Service is good as well. If you are expect A2B taste not the place

If I could give zero stars i would. This place is below average. Not what it used to be. The dosa was cold and when I addressed it with the server, she refused to do anything about it. There are better Indian restaurants for dosa! Avoid this place and save your money!!! Worst experience ever!!!!

I did not receive my order of Bhel Puri. The Onion Rava Masala Dosa was so hard I could not even take a bite. The Bhindi Masala was so soggy and just a pile of mush. Very big disappointment. So I spent money to not be able to eat.

If you want to understand this organization where you will never require a reservation, I promise, just look at the negative ratings and then read the establishments rebuke of anyone who wrote them. There is only rebuke. That's the customer service sentiment of the place. even before Roth explain you're issue the manage will have judges your motive. if food is raw you are looking for a free meal. Food isn't always bad but nothing to write home about . we used to go there a lot coz it's never full, but after we were screamed at for pointed shortcomings in our meal, we stopped.

I've been here multiple since this review and the service has gotten a lot better. The food remains to be the hands down BEST South Indian food in NYC.

Amazing South Asian restaurant. Ambiance feels like you are in India with the decor, paintings and music. Restaurant was vegetarian only, which is a tell-tale sign that it would be amazing. Dosa was huge, flat and crispy, although I wish there was more potato filling to accompany each bite. We tried the Mysore Rava Masala Dosa which came with a potato filling, onion with gunpowder spread. Super delicious. Dosa was served with coconut, tomato, cilantro, and sambar. Recommended Dishes: Mysore Rava Masala Dosa

Super mediocre food, horrible service. Even if you like stale chutneys and bland sambar, do NOT go here. The manager or the old man running the place has a terrible attitude. If you are indian you will get shouted, scolded. If you are white, you will be treated with a smile. Either way, the food is $hit. Dosas made of rubber, chutney made of stale frozen coconut, Gobi manchurian made of rotten cauliflower. I wonder if they even have a real connection to Chennai adyar anandabavan. Even after reading this, if you want to eat here, do online orders. If you call to place a takeout, you will hear an earful from the old man, and he will hang up before you finish talking.

Totally loved the food here. I came here with a friend, and we got the cocktail idli which was so good! Fried idli mixed with a great blend of masalas served with chutney and sambar. I also had the onion chili rava dosa and I have nothing but praises for it. However, I would avoid it if you can't have spicy food. Definitely one of the best South Indian meals I've had in Manhattan.

Visiting NYC for a short visit and this place caught our eye. All vegetarian South Indian restaurant. Plenty of options for dosa, uttapam, thali, etc. The uttapam was one of the largest I've ever seen, but absolutely delicious. Had a few bites of the gunpowder masala dosa - also scrumptious. Idli were perfectly made and the chutneys and sambar brought everything together. Definitely marking this place down for the next visit. Highly recommend!

Very good, no nonsense South Indian spot with delightful Dosas! Just as I finished mine, I saw a huge & tempting plate of Chola Bhatura served on the next table Guess what I am trying next!

Very rude and non attentive staff. Don't seem to have any training with customer service and hospitality. Refused to listen to basic requests we made and came across as condescending. Mediocre / average food. Have eaten much better south Indian food in NYC. The chutneys tasted stale / not fresh. The dosa felt like chewing on cold rubber.

There were many reviews criticizing this place for service when I looked up this place. Hence, I decided to order it through delivery to solely focus on the taste of the food. I tried many Indian food but this place sells Southern Indian food, which is slightly different from the typical food we know. One thing to note is there is no option for beef/chicken, but lambs are available I think. Anyways, I was amazed by how good the dosa and curry were and definitely checking this place out at least thru delivery to try some of their food if you are worried about their service experience. Hopefully they get more positive reviews from people who dine in in the upcoming months and years so that people can check their amazing food out!

Service was really good, we left with belly full of yummy food and great hospitality!

If you are looking for great South Indian food on the Upper East Side/midtown East then come here! It has great dosa and other South Indian specialties. I've gotten both takeout and dined in, the service could have been a little better, but the food quality made up for it.

Mgr is a rude lil mofo. Started yelling at us as we sat down. Hardly any filling in the dosa. Extra charge. Tiny sambar. Another 4% for cc. Caveat emptor

Came here for lunch and everything was really good. We got the dosa which came out pretty quickly. Definitely eat them as fresh as you can since they're nice and crispy once they come out. If you're not ina rush try out the coffee there it was a nice finish to lunch.

As an Indian who grew up in India the only Indian food I really go out to eat is Dosa. When I found out we had an option in the midtown area and that too a place with a name that reminds us of a prominent South Indian restaurant chain, we headed there. The place had just opened for the evening and we were the first walk-in customers. The service was quick. We ordered a masala dosa and a rocket masala dosa (their version of paper masala dosa). There were 3 types of chutneys and sambhar which all tasted fresh and good. But the shock awaited us wrapped inside the masala dosa. The quantity of the potato based masala was ridiculously small in proportion to the dosa. I wondered if it was an error and asked the manager. He said this is their regular portion. I then requested an extra portion of masala, which of course was charged extra. I have no complaints about the quality of the food or the ambience of the restaurant, but this disappointing quantity of potato masala totally left a bitter taste in what was otherwise a delicious meal. As someone who goes to every restaurant that serves dosa around the city, I have never had this experience before.

Adyar Ananda Bhavan is a hidden gem! I never even noticed this place in the neighborhood until someone recommended it, but now I'm planning on making it a weekly habit. The best part of the meal was the onion chili rava masala dosa. This is the semolina version of their dosa, and it comes with pieces of onion and chili embedded in a giant crisp sheet that takes up half the table. Hard to decide which of the four dips was my favorite. Possibly the coconut chutney. The rest of the meal didn't quite live up to the dosa, but I won't hold that against them. We got aloo chana (chickpea potato curry) that was good. The paratha was very forgettable. (Should have just gotten a second dosa instead!) The mumbai royal thali is excellent and includes two delicious curries. The vegetable biryani is good but not that memorable. The masala tea is delicious (not overly sweet). The badam milk was not my favorite.

I have tried rava dosa in 5-6 different places in NYC and finally found the one! Adyar Ananda Bhavan was worth the 25 mins walk from my place, early last Sunday For appetizers we got the Medu Vada (which are fried lentil flour donuts served with sambar and chutney- they were crispy and hot! Really good!) I got the Paneer Rava Masala Dosa (Semolina crepe stuffed with cottage cheese and potato filling)- Best in the city! and my partner got the Mysore Masala dosa (Rice flour crepe stuffed with potato filling and a spicy paste spread) Must try! And don't forget to order their filter coffee! South Indian filter coffee are just the best!

If you want a quick south Indian fix, this is a convenient place based on the location. We tried masala dosa and Idli. This near location has to be the bottom rated compared to the other ones but due to the fact that the Parsippany location was closed for a while we had to come here. This place is a hit or miss, the quality is not very consistent. It's just running on the whole A2B brand. The staff is not very friendly.

The food is consistently good (been coming for 7+ years) and we've tried the gamut: idli, vadas, various dosas and the surprisingly good Chhola Bhatura The main problem here is the douche bag restaurant manager. He's rude, unfriendly and a general a-hole Yet, place is packed

Let's see. This restaurant has a great name back in Chennai so we thought of giving it a try. So 5 stars to begin with. It's a mile from our hotel so we walked there around 3 pm. When you enter you have to write the name and address and they check your temperature. So still good. But the tables were definitely not 6 feet apart or with any partitions so I would have preferred little more apart but with restrictions loosening I guess it's not a big deal. Now let's go to the food. We ordered: Mango Lassi - 5/5 Poori with masala - 1/5 - it was confusing. Generally im used to having small pooris with aloo masala. In USA I am seeing pooris are huge. But problem was with the masala. Generally it's always aloo masala. If you have something else, mention it on the menu. Anyways I didn't know what was vegetable masala. The aloo masala was actually the masala you put inside the dosa. It didn't have any taste. This was a total waste. Butter masala dosa - it was good 4/5 So food in average was 3 star They had too much restrictions as to one card per table, extra surcharge on credit cards which inconveniences customers. So taking out one star. So in total I would give 2 stars.

I recently dined at Adyar Ananda Bhavan , a fantastic vegetarian restaurant, and it was a delightful experience. The ambiance was cozy and inviting, and the staff were exceptionally friendly and attentive. The menu was a plenty of flavorful and innovative dishes that catered to a variety of dietary preferences.

Service was very pleasant. The server was attentive enough and offered recommendations when asked. We got a rose milk, gunpowder dosa, the appetizer Golab Manchurian, and a chana saag. We at first wanted the ... Bhindi/okra dish, but server was quick and apologetic to inform us it was not available. The food itself was ... Bizarrely not spicy, at all. The seasoning of the gunpowder dosa has a savory tangy powderyness like ... A doritos or Pringle seasoning. No spice whatsoever, and I'm a weakling with spicy foods! So it truly wasn't present. Rather quickly, the dosa was difficult to eat because of how strong the salty flavor was. It even seemed to conflict with the flavors of the different dips offered. The appetizer was pretty good, also mild. The chana saag was totally mild as well, but the flavor was creamy and pleasant, so lack of spice wasn't as egregious. The rose milk was lovely. But overall, having tried other Indian food options in the city, the food here felt like ... Maybe a 6/10. The lack of spice seemed to make every dish have a little something missing.

Don't know where to start with the worst service ever. We were seated by someone and later on I believe the manager comes and says you need to show your vaccination card and we were like no one asked us before seating us. Then we showed the proof and she was very rude and said it was New York State rule which I know it as well but no one even asked us so how is that our mistake. Later another non-Indian group entered and she was very kind and polite with them, so why this discrimination? We were so scared to ask for extra chutney or anything because she was very very rude. The food is good but that doesn't mean you have to be so unprofessional and discriminating. Please moving forward be nice to people because even we pay money to eat.

We had a takeout feast (for two days) from our order! The food is great and packaged well so there were no leaks. We tried the Masala Dosa and Royal Mumbai Thali. There were so many containers of deliciousness and sauces and it was fun to sample them all. The only challenge was fitting everything on the table!

My coworker from India recommended I check out this place for dosas, knowing that I love them, and this place did not disappoint. When the waitress brought out the Mysore Rava Masala Dosa I ordered and the Masala Dosa that my friend ordered, the person from the table next to us literally turned and said out loud, "Are you going to eat all that?" Mine had onions and the masala paste, and was crunchy and flavorful. I tried my friend's masala dosa and it was lovely and flaky, and I would definitely consider getting that next time. I normally get masala dosas, but am glad I branched out. The portions are huge and perfect, and well worth what you're paying. This is probably one of the best dosas I've had, and I'll definitely come back when I have a dosa craving. Decorwise, I liked how much light there was in the space, and the way there was ambient music but at a nice volume to be able to have a proper conversation.

Honestly, as far as South Indian food goes in NYC, truly horrible. As a South Indian myself - their fried Idli was good but that about all that was good. Service was very poor. They told us they wouldn't let us order until every single member of the group arrived. Once everyone arrived they said we have to put all parts of the order in right away and that we weren't allowed to order again later. The filter coffee was bitter. The dosas were truly horrible, thick flat batter and the masala was entirely without flavor. We tried to ask for more Sambar to soak the dosa but they refused to give us refills or pack us sambar to take home. Honestly for anyone looking for decent South Indian in NYC - go to Saravana Bhavan. Better food, better service

Exotic South Indian food with a menu entirely vegetarian based that particularly touts an assortment of dosas paired with strong side condiments. Not quite the caliber of New Jersey Indian market but definitely has one of the strongest in the city (try the Rava Masala Dosa). $15 a dish. 4.5/5 stars as a lunch spot.

Solid 4.5 stars. The food was amazing and so was the service. It was unusual to have a 15% service charge added to the check for only 3 people. Also the server gave us one plastic takeout box with great reluctance- quite strange.. The onion rava masala was everything I had expected and more- it was crispy with passable aloo masala, amazing chutneys and sambhar. I cleaned my plate- which is something as the size of dosa is substantial! Other items on the table were butter paneer, parotta, and paneer rava masala dosa and Gulab jamun- all top notch. Will be back for sure!

Absolutely the best Dosa in this (Upper East) side of Manhattan. Good service and OK ambiance; but then come here to enjoy Dosa.

History of Present Indulgence: A couple and their puppy looking for some Indian fare, just happened to find this totally missable gem of a restaurant near where we live. Additionally wanted to find some good vegetarian food in the area. (Warning, not everything is vegan, though many options can be.) Physical Exam: Environment - It's a tiny restaurant near the 59th and 1st with an unassuming storefront. Outdoor dining in the current state of COVID is not totally ideal, but they bring out a few tables as needed to the sidewalk. Presentation - Indian food lends itself to beautiful presentation given all its colors. Thali lunch sets come with a ton of food and probably enough for two people - though they make note that they are not for sharing on the menu. Dosas are HUGE. Also one order can probably feed two. Most things will come in their silver dishware and ordering more than a few things will crowd the entire table. Any meal you have will look like a feast. Taste - Hands down one of the best Indian restaurants we've been to in our lives when it comes to taste. The dosas are crispy, with enough filling to accompany each bite. Would recommend the Pondicherry Masala Dosa. The curries are packed with fragrance and flavor. The samosas are definitely #1 out of any we've had. The samosas are about fist-sized, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The dough itself was also flavorful and not bland. The thali lunch we tried was the Mumbai Royal Thali and every bit of it was delicious. It was also apparent the difference in spice level between South and North Indian food. Most Indian restaurants are typically North Indian and don't pack the same heat as South Indian. I'm a big fan of spicy though so it really just made the meal even better. Assessment/Plan: Five out of five golden-brown samosas!!! Adventurousness pays off once again. Since we had never been to a specifically vegetarian, South Indian restaurant, we wanted to have a try when passing by. It's a restaurant that is easily missed and one I feel people wouldn't go to unless someone specifically recommended it. Take this as your official recommendation.

I posted this on Google Reviews as well and wanted to show how terrible the service and management is. They seemed to have blocked or reported my review for telling the truth. I wish I could have given it a zero star Post***So I went to Adyar Ananda Bhavan with my mom and aunt for lunch today. We had initially ordered 3 dosas, one for each. 15 seconds later, we specifically asked the manager IF we could change one order to the South Indian Thali. Only after he confirmed that it was okay, did we proceed with the change and went ahead. We received one dosa and the south Indian Thali. We waited for over 25 minutes for our second Dosa and finally asked the manager about the status. He first said that the server was new and had accidentally given our order to some other table. We understood that and waited for another 10 minutes before we went and cancelled the order because we were fed up, leaving my mom hungry. Finally, while paying the bill we told the manager that we were unhappy with the service and so he CHANGED HIS STORY and told us that it was because we had changed the order that he had also cancelled the 2nd dosa and blamed it on us. He was justifying his actions by blaming it on us, DESPITE us asking if it was okay if we changed it before changing it. Then he started arguing with us that it was our fault, and went back on his original statement that it was the new server's fault. What an absolutely rude and unprofessional manager. Safe to say we didn't even want to be there another second and walked away as soon as we paid. This really left a a sour feeling and we will definitely not go back there. I recommend doing a pick up or delivery instead because the staff is rude, mean and inhospitable. DO NOT RECOMMEND. ***Edit 1 in response to the owner's response: Excuse me, first of all GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT. If you don't believe us, check your damn cameras. There was no food that came out that was returned. In fact your manager is an absolute moron for canceling the order on his own. Multiple negative reviews should mean that there is some bullshit happening at this restaurant. We aren't idiots here in New York. You are a terrible owner- instead of listening to your many customer complaints, you backlash against us. You weren't even there to see the situation- if you were, shouldn't you have come out and handled the situation despite it becoming such a big issue. Let me also tell you that my order of rava dosa was wrong. My order number is 41 on your menu, which is a onion dosa with no fill in, which I even asked your manager to not include the fill in. It came with the potato fill-in and we let it go. You screwed up our entire order and we let it go, so learn about all the damn facts before backlashing us. Don't tell me to tell the truth, check your cameras if you don't believe us. And regarding your 'Discount' talks, your lax service caused my mother to miss her meal and go without lunch. If you had some humanity in you, you would have offered something instead of us asking you. In addition, you lie about your 5% cash discount- a discount is a % taken off your total, not removing an ADDITIONAL credit card fee that you already include in your bill. Do your research before creating such false advertising.Horrible damn place. Go to Sarvana Bhavan instead. The service is awesome there.

Was the first person to walk into the restaurant at noon yesterday, and the second party to order. We watched the restaurant fill up and other parties starting to get their food before us. After waiting almost an hour, our 2 dosas came out. One of them was not what we ordered. We tried to tell our server that it was wrong and he argued with us in a nasty tone and refused to fix it for us. We didn't want to wait another hour for a fix anyways, but an apology could have been nice. That ruined the whole experience. I'll be back never. Beware of this server (he's an older man) and seems to have bad manners in general

This NYC outpost of the restaurant chain serves the best South Indian fare in Manhattan and is head and shoulders above its Murray Hill rivals, including the more famous Saravana Bhavan. Across idlis, dosas, uthappams, curries, rice preparations, and thalis, A2B as it's more popularly known in India, serves standard Indian fare with a special emphasis on the South Indian dishes. It's dosas and sambar, the usual barometers of southern authenticity taste, are excellent.

The Kala Chana was hearty- but lacked flavor. I couldn't taste any coconut. I also wasn't asked how spicy I'd like it. They must have assumed I would want it mild and it could have used more spice. The dosas my friends had looked delicious. I hoped to be impressed by my dish since it took me awhile to decide on it- but the ambiance actually impressed me. I also appreciated that our group wasn't rushed. I'm sure on weekends they are full, but pretty intimate enough on a weekday.

I really misunderstood this place with other places in New Jersey. They have a lot of area to improve when compared to their locations in NJ.