Banana Leaf Restaurant

It was our first time here and we loved the food. Warm hosts and great ambience. The only thing that I didn’t like was that the tables were a little too close to each other. Apart from that, delicious food and a great experience. All of us were vegetarians and we legit were heavy after trying out such different options. The food quantity varied in each dish. A couple didn’t feel enough but the rest of them were good. Highly recommend checking this place out. Do reserve a table as this place is pretty busy.

Very popular restaurant, some dishes are better than others but flavors fall a bit short of Malaysia imo. Mixed satay takes a while but is grilled quite well. The roti is a little too crisp and papery on the edges. The char kway teow was tasty but could have had a bit more wok hei. The kangkung with belacan is a generous portion and not too funky. The beef rendang lacked a bit of depth and beef was perhaps a little too tender to the point of shredding. The assam pomfret was decent tasting but on the bony side. Skip the Kueh dessert, it's not right at all.

Good Parking, But Poor Value and Service Needs Improvement ​Overall Rating: 2.5/5 (Okay for a one-time try, but not returning) ​We made a reservation for four people several hours in advance (4:00 PM for a 7:00 PM sitting) and found the telephone booking process smooth and efficient. Another significant positive was the ample parking available in the shared lot—always a plus. ​Ambiance and Seating (3/5) ​While we were seated immediately upon arrival, the table provided was unfortunately in a high-traffic area, right next to the kitchen and employee station. For a reserved party, this was a disappointing location, making it difficult to enjoy the meal as we felt constantly in the way. I highly recommend that management prioritize giving reserved guests quieter, better-located seating areas. ​Service Experience (2.5/5) ​Our waiter approached us almost instantly, but the service felt passive-aggressive and extremely rushed. Despite clearly communicating that we needed a few minutes to decide, the waiter returned multiple times in rapid succession, pressuring us to place our order quickly. This lack of patience and pushiness significantly detracted from the start of our evening. ​Food Quality and Value (2.5/5) ​We ordered the pineapple rice (which was beautifully presented inside a carved pineapple) and another entrée. While the food was decent and perfectly "okay," it was by no means "super great." The main issue, however, was the value for money. We found the dishes to be overpriced, especially when considering the insufficient portion sizes provided. Given the cost, we expected better quality and more generous servings. ​Final Thoughts ​The restaurant is acceptable for a single visit, especially if you are craving that type of cuisine, but the combination of poor seating, rushed service, and a high price point for small portions means that the overall experience was ultimately underwhelming. I will likely not be coming back again.

I came back here after a while, and the food is still just as delicious as I remembered. It does get busy quickly during lunch, but since I arrived around 11:40, I was seated right away with no wait. I love that you can try a variety of dishes, and everything tastes great. The prices are very reasonable too. Some items felt a little on the salty side, but overall, the flavors were really enjoyable. Definitely a place worth coming back to.😋

Super popular lunch place in Milpitas, and after the meal I understood why. The flavors in each dish were great and tasted very authentic. Although the place was packed during peak lunch hour, the service was still very attentive and the food arrived very quickly. Can’t wait to go back and try more Malaysian dishes! Large and free parking lot nearby.

I would rate this a 5/5 on food only problem(that wasn't my fault) was that the phad Thai was a little too spicy. Also service was awesome, we had good waiters and also got a mango sticky rice dessert on the house. I really enjoyed it. The vegetarian dishes and options are also really good. Would highly recommend to people who like Indian food. Also would recommend the parotha, spring rolls, and the fried ice cream. Thank you😋

Decided to come here for dinner. This place closes at 8 and arrived at 7:15. They added us to waitlist and we got seating outside around 7:30. This place was packed on Friday evening but the hosts were prompt to get you added to waitlist. Ordered a few things : 5/5 Roti prata which is flaky bread with a malay curry which went really well. Enjoyed this one. 4/5 veg mee goreng - It tasted bit peanuty with tomato base sweetness and had big chunks of vegetables. This was an okay dish. 4/5 Chicken laksa - This was great with big pieces of chicken, tofu, bamboo shoots, okra. The soup curry is really flavorful and a very large quantity. I was so full after this. Food coma! 3.5/5 Pandan panacotta - this was an alright dish that dominated with pandan taste over the coconut. Overall lot many dishes to try and go for. Would recommend it.

We had penang sizzling scallops, black pepper beef, belachun kangkung, black sticky rice with mango, and roti prata. All of which were amazingly good! The scallops were huge and the meat was lightly sweet. Absolutely my favorite restaurant in San Jose area so far! Owner was very kind and moved the tables around a bit to fit the baby stroller.

Large and diverse menu, with pretty much everything on it I ever tried, good to great. You basically can't go wrong. It's not a Michelin star restaurant, but for casual dining with friends or colleagues at a reasonable price, it's top-notch. Service is reasonably efficient and unobtrusive. Ambiance is nothing extraordinary, but not in any way unpleasant. The place is usually quite busy (it's popular!), so reservation in advance is recommended (the alternative being a potentially long wait.)

Everyone who works in Milpitas probably knows this popular spot. It gets busy fast during weekday lunch hours, so try to come early if you can. They only seat full parties, which makes sense given how packed it gets, and it is that popular for a reason. I have been coming here for over ten years, and the manager (possibly the owner?) is always there working alongside the staff. The service is consistently great, even when the place is buzzing. The Hainan Chicken is my favorite. The meat is tender, and I love that they offer a deboned option for an extra charge. The Nyonya Shaking Beef is another solid choice, with tender, well-seasoned beef. The Roti Prata is one of their most popular appetizers. It is light and fluffy with beautiful layers, and served with a rich and flavorful curry sauce. Banana Leaf also has a nice outdoor setup with shaded seating, perfect for anyone who prefers dining outside and enjoying the weather.

I still don't know why this place has only 3 stars. I've been here 3 times and every time it's been great. The flavors are bold and authentic, the execution of everything is near perfect, and well service. I guess that's why it's not higher than 3 stars. If you get here at the wrong time, you're going to be waitinga while. When we got there, we sat down, ordered and the waiter said they just had their dinner to go order rush go through and it was before the in house dinner rush hit. We ordered and literally got our food about 5 minutes later. The waiter wasn't surprised either. When I say our food, I don't mean only a couple dishes, I mean all 4 dishes. I'll definitely come back. Now that the kids are older, maybe with them. Their taste buds are more mature now.

I love Banana Leaf and have been going here for years. And in all of those years I only order two things because I really enjoy them here: Roti Prata and Huat Dan Ho noodles. I am a sucker for gravy rice noodles, and Banana Leaf has never failed me in portion and flavor. I always ask for the Huat Dan Ho with no seafood because I typically don't eat seafood, and the plate always comes out looking just as full as it would if ordered with no modifications. I love how garlicky the sauce is, and you can literally see so many pieces of diced garlic in it. The roti prata speaks for itself, in my opinion. It's on every table you see if you look around, and I love that you can see them making it as well.

This place is not upgraded or upscale looking. However, our family loves the food here always since 2008! And it is surprising but someone in waiting with us didn't know how popular it was until she was asked to wait for 30-40 min! Banana leaf should start accepting reservations!

Plenty of authentic dishes to choose from and their service was speedy despite being almost at full capacity during weekday lunch hours. Roti Prata ($5.25 each): crispy and airy with that sweet curry to dip to start the flavors experience, 4/5 stars. Malay Sizzling Chicken ($18.50): sizzling with savory spices with tender chicken, 4/5 stars. Hainan Seasoned Rice (+ $3.25): the rice was fluffy but only mildly seasoned. Still better than plain ol' basmati rice, 3.5/5 stars.

Amazingly enough, it's been nearly three years since we were here last. Our friends made reservations for 6pm on a Saturday night and we avoided having to wait. The outdoor seating apparently wasn't being used because the pop-ups were all in a lowered position. There appeared to be a small wait from the time we arrived until we left but certainly not the crazy lines that we used to see. There were a few open tables inside when we arrived and we were seated immediately. Over the next 10 or 15 minutes, the dining room appeared to be full. We were given the option to use our phones for QR ordering or to see regular menus. I will always prefer the regular menu just to save eyestrain. Roti Telur - 3 - and drinks were the first things we ordered while we looked over the rest of the menu. This is the first time that we did not love this dish. It felt like it had been sitting around because it was not hot in temperature. For whatever reason, the egg flavor didn't "pop". Grilled Pineapple Salad - 5 - this dish was spot on with a blend of hot and cold, sweet and not sweet, slivers of nuts. Penang Sizzling Scallops - 5 - the scallops were sweet and cooked well. the size is U-10 which means under 10 to the lb, a good size! The sauce is amazing and just a little really adds flavor to steamed or brown rice. One downside is that there were only 4 scallops on this order. That's one each for the four of us. While priced comparable to Seafood restaurants for the quality and quantity, I would have happily paid more for more. Not another full order though, maybe 1/2 at the same price point per scallop. Malay Sizzling Lamb - 5 - another winner flavor wise. The lamb was tender, and the sauce was also delicious. Banana Leaf wrapped Grilled Chilean Seabass - 5 - tender, well cooked fish in a complex sauce made of chopped herbs, spice, lemon grass, sambal chili, and okra. Our order taker tried to convince us to order another fish instead because this one would take at least 30 minutes. We weren't in a hurry and I'm glad my wife stuck to her guns. He had also told us that the other fish would be a different flavor but just as nice. Pass! Huat Dan Ho - 3 - I believe that the last two times I had this dish, it was easily a 5. This trip was disappointing. I'm not sure if it was a matter of timing or just bad luck. The flavors weren't as strong as before and the serving temperature was less than idea. Were we too slow to eat it? Or had it sat at the pass for too long? It certainly looked hot when delivered to the table and the server was very careful when placing it on our table because this dish is very liquid and full to the edges. Deep-Fried Mango Ice Cream wrapped in Taro Cake, Deep-Fried Banana with Whipped Cream & Chocolate - 5 - is a wonderful dessert and more than enough for four to share. Yes, I could have ate more, but I really don't need it. Service was pretty good. Empty plates were taken away promptly. An eye was kept on our drinks to make sure that we stayed hydrated. It was disappointing that the Roti Telur and Huat Don Ho were not hot, especially when I had been bragging that these two dishes by themselves would bring me great satisfaction. :::sigh::: Yes, we'll be back again. Hopefully the misses this time were just a fluke. In general, the flavors are kick-butt and in your face, not at all shy.

I have been coming to Banana Leaf for my whole life, and it's just as good every time. The roti prata+sauce is amazing and when I've had it anywhere else it doesn't compare. The Indian mie goreng is unique and delicious as well. I also like the mango curry with rice and pineapple fried rice. There's lots of vegetarian options here which is great. All the food comes out fast and the service is great too. Everything is plated beautifully and the mango and pineapple rice dishes come in an empty mango/pineapple. There's lots of parking near the restaurant. It does close a bit early at 8, even on Saturday's so keep in mind.

The service was so so as it took us a bit for us to get our order taken. Once we got our order placed, the food came out quick. Comparing it to the equivalent - Layang Layang, I will say I like this place more significantly. The food is much better and the beef rendang specifically is much softer and tender. The gado gado was very solid and the jicama was less starchy which I liked because I have sensitive teeth. Took my grandma here and she loves this place more than Layang Layang and always asks to come back and why we stopped going years ago lol. Will continue to go back! The place was a bit cramped though and lots of talking around so it was definitely a bit hard to talk with my girlfriend and grandma, but otherwise great experience!

I was craving for Singaporean food so decided to try out this Singaporean/Malaysian restaurant. It was crowded for a Saturday lunch, but still had seats available. Their menu had a wide variety of options, from noodles, vegetables, to seafood/chicken/beef entrees. We got the Hainan chicken rice, Chow Kueh Teow (stir fried rice noodles), and Belachan Kang Kung (Ong Choy with shrimp paste). The food portion was pretty generous. Hainan chicken was super tender. It came with sweet and sour dipping sauce and chicken rice. Kang Kung was my favorite veggie and it came out great with the shrimp paste. Chow Kueh Teow was not bad too, although it was a little too oily for me. Chiw Kueh Teow was topped with many veggies and seafood such as shrimp, squid, eggs, bean sprouts, and onions. Overall I think the food was decently authentic. I'd like to come back for other dishes in the future!

I ordered Pineapple Fried rice - the food was good and filling. The place gets really busy during lunch time and the place gets really crammed and the tables are very close, it's like you are eating with your friends on your table along with some random people on the table that's few inches away from yours! The food service is fast, because they want you to eat and leave asap as there are several people waiting. The ambience isn't that good due to the crowd and lack of space - that's the reason I gave this place 4 stars.

I like this place. My family went there very often since they opened. From one side and expand to the next and now outdoor seating. The restaurant is always packed. I always like their pad Thai and roti. This time I finally tried their mango chicken and it was good! They have many dishes to choose from. And also you cannot pass their dessert menu! Fried banana or fried ice cream are the best! Service is always wonderful!

Because Layang Layang has fallen off a bit and raised its prices to be near equal that of this place, I am back here for Malaysian and Singaporean bites. Service was gracious and efficient, and all my dishes were delightful. I'm sorry I stayed from this perfect chow bee hoon for so long, and will be back more frequently to redress that mistake.

Decided to come here for dinner. This place closes at 8 and arrived at 7:15. They added us to waitlist and we got seating outside around 7:30. This place was packed on Friday evening but the hosts were prompt to get you added to waitlist. Ordered a few things : 5/5 Roti prata which is flaky bread with a malay curry which went really well. Enjoyed this one. 4/5 veg mee goreng - It tasted bit peanuty with tomato base sweetness and had big chunks of vegetables. This was an okay dish. 4/5 Chicken laksa - This was great with big pieces of chicken, tofu, bamboo shoots, okra. The soup curry is really flavorful and a very large quantity. I was so full after this. Food coma! 3.5/5 Pandan panacotta - this was an alright dish that dominated with pandan taste over the coconut. Overall lot many dishes to try and go for. Would recommend it.

Banana leaf has been one of my favorite Malay/thai food spots in the Bay Area. Their roti pratas are crisp and peanut sauce is delicious. Their Tom yum soup is great. Satay is also pretty good. Sometimes it can be dry but most of the times it's good. It's not a fancy place but the food is delicious. Their tofu in Panang curry was sooooo yummy. Pad Thai is also great. Service is not bad.

Roti 4/5 - this was good and the curry was flavorful. It was just really pricey for the amount that you get. There's a lot of curry left over Chow kweh teow 3/5 - this was disappointing. Nothing special about it and flavor was okay. I wish there was more protein Nasi lemak 3/5 - I didn't like this one as much either. The flavor was different than what I was expecting and underwhelming. We got seated right away and most tables were filled. But I don't think I'll come back here. Very pricey for what you get and the food isn't anything special

Located in Milpitas, parking is plentiful and easy to find. Noise level is average. There's a lot of seating both inside and outside. Staff was very attentive and kind. Even though our entire party wasn't present they let us get seated. Food is absolutely delicious. I loved the laksa even though my spice tolerance is non existent. The beef rendang was so yummy too. It was really tender and full of flavor. Overall, Banana Leaf has some amazing Malaysian and Thai food. Service is also very good. However, they do get quite busy during peak hours.

Had a party of over 20 people and they were so accommodating for us. We were seated in the back as one row so it didn't feel crowded. Our server was so patient with us since we had a big party. I rarely have Malaysian food so this was definitely a treat for me. Everything was so flavorful and hearty. We ordered family style and just shared everything.

Where can solo diners discover a welcoming, community-driven atmosphere that feels like home? My top recommendation is Banana Leaf in McCarthy Ranch, Milpitas, where the staff knows your favorite dishes by heart and the ambiance is so warm, you won't even need a menu - your senses will be your guide! Tom Yum Soup, Passion juice with lots of pulp, hot kalamansi juice, veggie tofu Gadoe Gadoe, Coconut rice in Coconut milk, Kankung & okra in Belachan sauce; Fresh stir fried crab in Belachan sauce! Now that is Lunch like a King!

I ordered the Roti Pratha, Indian Mee Goreng with Seafood, and Penang Sizzling Chicken. I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious the Mee Goreng was. It was full of flavor and had a generous amount of seafood. The Penang Sizzling Chicken was a bit too oily for my taste and could use a bit more seasoning. The Roti Pratha was decent, nothing particularly special but still enjoyable. Overall, a solid meal with the Mee Goreng being the standout!

Ordered: Roti Prata, Rendang with Beef Shank, Pad See Ew A little gem in Milpitas! I've tried other dishes here, but none hit the same as the 3 i would go back for. The Roti Prata is thin, crispy and chewy all at the same time and paired with the curry sauce, it's so flavorful! The Rendang was one of my favorites here because the meat was very tender and the sauce it was in was not salty and yet still so flavorful. We paired this with their turmeric rice and everything was such a good balance. Last, the pad see ew would probably be my favorite ever. I'm the type of person who really likes a smoky pad see ew and this was perfectly smoky, delicious and packed with flavor. Everything here is easily shareable so I'd recommend going with a big group to try everything! Overall, would come back to get the same dishes. Maybe would like to try but so far im loving what i get here :)

We like this place. The GF typically frowns when I pick Chinese food but she lights up coming to Banana Leaf, because she says "it is not Chinese." I agree. This location is busy on weekends and on some weeknights too, so practice that deep breathing exercise if you feel you're about to get worked up. I always like their pad Thai and roti. The GF likes it on the sweater side so mango chicken was good! Fried banana or fried ice cream are the best! The food portion was pretty generous. Hainan chicken is juicy/tender and flavorful. It came with sweet and sour dipping sauce and chicken rice. Parking is plentiful, Noise is average, staff is fast & efficient. Overall, Banana Leaf has some amazing Malaysian and Thai food.

After all these years and the roti is still very good!! We also got Singaporean blackened chicken, very good with. Coconut rice!

Pan South East Asian + Indian cuisine. Unfortunately the food is pretty average & inauthentic. Having lived & travelled in that area, I am pretty familiar with the cuisine & taste. The highly rated Roti Prata was paper thin & the gravy pretty ordinary. Rempah Calamari was just tossed in a Sweet-Sour sauce. The $27 Malay Sizzling Lamb was just an ok dish, not sure if it was Black bean sauce with Pepper, but the lamb was chewy. The worst dish was the Singapore Chili Prawn, it was dunked in a Sweet & Sour gravy, more like a dessert dish, nowhere near the original. The Menu is quite elaborate, with no focus on any particular cuisine. Will have to try some classics like Tom Yum, Green Curry, Chilli Crab, Rendang, Nasi Lemak etc. to see if I change my opinion. I guess, the extensive Veg options & portion sizes seem to bring in a section of the crowd. Place was bustling on a Friday night & Service swift. Pretty letdown after high exceptions & a 45 mins wait.

So I was craving Hainan chicken rice and I vaguely remember an ex-coworker telling me that this place has really good Hainan chicken rice so I thought I'll give it a try. We ordered chicken satay, hainan chicken rice, pad Thai, and chow keuh teow. The order was placed through their website for pick up. I thought the food was just okay. The Hainan chicken, rice, and chicken satay lacked flavor. The noodles in the pad Thai and chow keuh teow was too soft for my taste and the flavor was mediocre.

Tip- Make a reservation. Lunch, dinner weekday or weeknight this place gets BUSY. Now onto the food...so I've never actually had Malaysian food before so I couldn't compare the quality per se. However I did fully enjoy my meal selections. Everyone was getting the roti prata around us and rightfully so since this Asian flat bread was paper thin, yet chewy a with crispy edges. Used the leftover curry sauce and added it to my tumeric rice. Sizzling beef was full of sauce which was also soaked up with my rice. Vegetables were tender and chicken wasn't dry which was a plus. Food came out fast and the turn around service was efficient. A table left and within a minute or two the table was getting cleaned. We were right by the kitchen which made it difficult to hear when my friend was talking. It is on the louder side of a restaurant, but maybe if we were on the other side it wouldn't have been so loud. White table cloths with white butcher paper on top of that. Seating outside as well. I would come back to try more dishes.

this place is always packed & ihave no idea how lol overall 3.5 stars maybe but will round down for safety issues bc i literally saw plates break at two diff tables, at diff times, when being bussed away, whilst I was there during lunch - some shards got kinda close to a lil kid & I felt bad ; maybe the waiters are overworked or trying to bus too many things at the same time :( roti prata - 10/10 no notes, always slightly sweet & the perf amount of crispy; yummy both with & without the sauce ; I didn't even take pics bc I ate it so fast pad thai - 4/10 at no point in the menu was it mentioned that this had a spicy level but it was spicy so idk lol - also the noodles were kinda overcooked & mushy green curry - 5/10 came in a big bowl w small bowls to share ; shrimp was overcooked & everything else was mostly canned baby corn & soup mixed BBQ skewers - 8/10 fresh but still soft & juicy, flav was nice too (I didn't try the sauce that came w it, but the skewers came pre marinated) they also gave a dish of....something hot and boiling but it wasn't something we ordered so I have no idea what it was - later they came back to take it away (hopefully not to give it to another table) so idk saw quite a few flies going around, prob bc all the doors were open they gave a dessert (tiny lil coconut mango rice) on the house for the table to split so everyone got like one mouthful lol was a lil iffy bc they acted like it was to compensate for stuff getting messed up w our order but 100% theyve given this free dessert every time I've come here so iono

overall: 4/5 came on a sunday afternoon and it was pretty filled but we did get seated immediately roti parata: 3.5/5, it was good but i think i like mine more flakey/softer? i think this was more crispy. not bad but def just a preference. i do wish it came w a bit of potato or something in the curry singaporean beef cube: 5/5, i think this was a sleeper for me super good and tender, would get again pad see ew: 5/5, no notes! indian nasi goreng: 5/5, i love this would order again and again!

I only write reviews for really good places or really bad. Unfortunately, this is on the really bad side. I was here about 5+ years ago with friends and it was really good. Today, I decided to pop in for a quick lunch. After being seated it took over 10 minutes for someone to acknowledge my existence. It turned out to be the waitress helping the table right next to me, but she never said, "i'll be with you in a moment" or anything. And not like they were real busy. That should have been my first clue. I ordered the green curry, (she never asked for how spicy I would like it, so it came out way too spicy) and then she said if I wanted rice, and offered the coconut rice, but neglected to tell me there was an upcharge on that. Aside from the service, the food was, well, ick! As I mentioned, the green curry was way too spicy (I usually like mid/medium, this was not that) the vegetables were way too mushy like it was yesterdays mix, and even the rice was mushy and didnt taste right. On the 'bright' side I did get 1 solitary piece of tofu just to remind me that I was eating "authentic" curry???? She never came to check on me and I had to ask for more water. It was so bad, it wasn't even worth talking to a manager. Too bad, this place used to be really good with lines out the door, I can now see why its no longer like that.

Walk-in wait times can be quite long. The restaurant is always SUPER packed, so plan ahead of time. The BEST fluffy and large roti with curry sauce. Flavorful pad thai and noodles. Rice filled up to the brim. Scrumptious fried bananas with ice cream. Note: The pineapple fried rice here actually comes in a whole pineapple! Nice presentation. I've tried this many years ago, but it was good to come back! Their food is still delicious.

FLAVOR (3/5): For some reason none of their food stood out as yummy. It was more so food I would say that fills your stomach but not anything you would crave again. Their roti wasn't super flakey, their vegetables were just subpar and their wet hoa fun wasn't kidding when they said wet. It was almost a soup noodle. INSTAGRAM WORTHY (3/5): We sat outside because we had a dog and their outdoor seating isn't really built out. It's just tables and a tent in the sidewalk /parking lot area. Their food also doesn't come out really aesthetically pleasing. SERVICE (2/5): There's plenty of open tables and they still make you wait. The manager spoke Cantonese to the host thinking we don't understand but he specifically told us to wait. Even flagging down someone to order outside was a whole exercise. TAKEAWAYS: Don't understand why they have so much business. Very average food and not cheap either.

Food: 2.5/5 - very average, don't know why always busy and been here over 20+ years. Service: 2/5 - our female server never says hi, how's the food, anything else I can get you and never smile, looks like she's not happy working or be here. Ambiance: 2.8/5 Parking: 5/5 Location: 5/5 Price: 4/5-if food taste better than average would be 4.5 * very unusual see the Asian restaurant not adding tips or service charges on the check and suggest tips are from 15%-20% before tax - great job that's way suppose to be, customer don't need to pay tips to Uncle Sam

Banana Left is Resturant located in Milpitas,CA. Resturant has lots of delicious food items to order on menu. I it's been years since I've been to this resturant. Most recent in 2019 for my daughter's birthday as I had made table reservations to dine outside seating area to enjoy the nice August weather. They do have outdoor patio heaters for later in the night time if those whom choose to eat outside. It's been years I had not revisited Resturant or had ordered anything for take out to go for quite sometime.-Christina ( updated on 6/3/2025)

Apparently this is a San Jose staple that the true locals know about. My friends and their families have been going here for over 20 years. On a Friday night, this place was PACKED. I mean, every single table was taken with customers waiting outside. This is an impressive feat because the interior has a lot of seating and space. Banana Leaf's menu is massive and is a blend of Thai, Indian, Malay, Chinese cuisines. There is definitely something for everybody. I came with a group of 12 friends and we were sat at a long table. I noticed that there are similarly large groups of families - Banana Leaf has enough capacity and long tables to fit all these larger groups. Out of everything we ordered, these were the standouts for me: -- pineapple fried rice -- black cod: this had some kind of black bean pepper sauce on it and was the BEST thing I ate all night. It is SO delicious with perfectly cooked fish -- roti: comes with a peanut sauce! -- pepper eggplant: has a similar black sauce to the cod Everything else (curry, stir fries, Tom Yum, pad Thai) were also pretty good. The soup was spicier than expected though and the meat quality in some of the dishes were just okay. I did like that Banana Leaf is pretty generous with the protein in dishes. Banana Leaf also has an entire drink menu which spans from beer to fancy cocktails to sake to soju. The pineapple coconut drinks made me feel like I was on a fancy island lol. However, the interior of the restaurant is nothing fancy. I probably wouldn't come here on a nice date night, but Banana Leaf is perfect for a casual hangout with a large group of friends.

Pleasantly surprised with the quality and taste of my meal at Banana Leaf. Super authentic and great service.

This is my go to spot when feeling like we want a nice sit down with the family. The staff is always so friendly and takes care of you and acknowledge your kids too with lollipops. The wait is never long, and get seated right away. Favorite dishes here, the indian mee goreng, and love that we can adjust the spiciness, and still just as flavorful with or without the spiciness. Love their eggplant and green beans in black pepper sauce, very flavorful. The fried banana and ice cream for dessert is a must.

Excellent pan Asian menu! Decent wine and beer list. Vegan accommodations are possible

Here to celebrate company team birthdays (Party of 7 people). Food was good. Customer service was good. Prices on the higher side, while portions on the smaller side. Good experience overall.

This is a wonderful little eatery that specializes in tasty Malaysian cuisine. You'll find exceptional Thai and Indian food, too. How cozy do you like/hate it? Come here on a Friday night, they have to jam the tables so close to each other, you feel related to the folks next to you! Packed! That's how we used to meet people, back in the day. It normally is very cozy. The staff were all terrific. So helpful and attentive. Friendly. We like this. Service was fast, too. Considering the crowd? That's astounding. I tore up the Utama Basil Beef. The Penang Poh Piah is also excellent. It's a steamed spring roll with egg, jicama and dried shrimp. Really every dish at the table exceeded my expectations. I feel it a must visit. They also have some very unique cocktails, if that's your thing.

The one thing that stood out at this restaurant was how extensive the menu was. They have tons of options for vegetarians. They were packed on a weekday for lunch so do make a reservation even for weekdays. Their roti paratha was good but the thickness of the paratha was different than what I have had at other places. For main course, I tried their Mango Prawns and Pad Thai and both were delicious. Their basil fried rice was pretty good too. Their sizzlers seemed to be quite popular as almost every other table had ordered that dish. I would be interested in trying it next time. I would definitely be back here to try more dishes. Although, I do think the restaurant is a bit pricey for what it offers in terms of quantity.

The Singaporean black pepper eggplant dish is SO GOOOD that I literally have dreams about it. Any dish on this menu is an absolute score and the service is always attentive and quick. I've been a patron since I was a kid and I am gladly splurging as an adult on the roti, eggplant, pad thai, and sea bass (A MUST TRY) at Banana leaf. This is the type of reaturant you travel elsewhere and tell others about!

One of the best Malaysian curry dishes and singapore stir fried dishes to try in the south bay. Roti parata - 5/5 I go to this place just for having this item. Pine apple fried rice -4/5 served the pine apple shell Stir fried black pepper chicken -5/5 I have been going to restaurant since 2014 and the taste never changed and the popularity of this restaurant just increased over the years. Pro tip: visit the restaurant over the weekdays for less wait times and faster service.

We came in as a group 5 for an early dinner and were promptly seated. Our group ordered a roti Prata to get started and loved it so much we ordered 3 more. It's one prata per order. We also tried the egg prata which was tasty too. For mains we shared a nasi lemak, okra dish, mee goreng, and chicken rice. Everything was super tasty and flavorful but my favorite was the mee goreng- noodle dish. I loved the ketchup-y flavored sauce. We also ordered the pandan panna cotta which was super creamy and topped with a bright jam and the mango sticky rice both delicious and to our meal. Highly recommend!

I've been here several times throughout the past year and have always enjoyed the food and service! This time, I went at opening time for dinner (5PM) and some people were already seated early. We ordered 5 dishes to eat family style for a group of 4 and we left with to go boxes. My go-to order is the mee goreng, beef satay, roti prata, and singaporean black peppered beef or lamb (lamb today). I usually order two of the roti prata - it's very hot and fluffy and the sauce paired with it, is delicious! The beef satay also came with a well paired sauce and was very tender. The mee goreng is probably my favorite dish, and the singaporean back peppered beef/lamb is always a good option for me to get as meat and veggies since it comes with string beans and eggplants. The lamb was good and didn't leave a strong gamey taste for me. I tried the pineapple fried rice dish again (haven't had it in a year or two) and felt indifferent about it - my brother said the rice was really mushy at the restaurant but said it tasted really good as leftovers.

Came here on a Saturday night with a party of 5, made reservations about 30 mins beforehand. Our order: Chilean sea bass, another order of chilean sea bass without eggplant, pineapple fried rice, roti prata, roti canai, rendeng beef, lamb curry. We also got the mango sticky rice and the fried banana with ice cream for dessert. Each person also got either an alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink (including 2 coconut lattes, I got a cucumber cooler). We also got 2 side orders of rice to eat with everything. The waitress asked if we preferred to have all our non-dessert food come out all at once, so we said yes. Our total was $64 per person after tax and tip. Pros: - Pretty good place to do family style, so you can try a bunch of different things. My husband hadn't tried Malaysian food in America before, so this was a solid place to try a bunch of new stuff. - The dishes that were super solid and my favorite were the rendeng beef, the roti canai, and the chilean sea bass. All were super delicious and the sea bass was very well done, super soft, and came with veggies. - Since we came at 6:15pm, it was easy to get a table inside despite our party of 5. It did get quite busy after though when we finished - Decently clean bathroom in the back - Solid curry comes with the roti. I could eat like 10 of those Vibes: - casual, family dinner vibes. Great for double dates or friend hangouts, especially since it's in the same plaza as a bunch of other establishments. Cons: - The portions felt small, and it felt like everything could have been a little larger (especially the pineapple fried rice). We didn't really leave full, despite the dessert and drinks added on. - Our drinks weirdly didn't come out at the same time, a few of them came out before the food, and then mine came out much later after we had already finished eating a couple dishes. - Room for improvement - the menu is organized by category, but within the categories there's a lot of dishes that I think would be helpful to either organize alphabetically or by ingredients or something. It felt like it took a long time for us to decide since we had to scan everything and read the ingredients etc (especially since there's no pictures or anything) - this could be a personal preference on my part lol Not a huge con but a heads up: - Unfortunately, a lot of the dishes we ordered had eggplant in them and my friend is allergic (eggplant came in the lamb curry as well as the chilean sea bass). So I would recommend that if you have any allergies, to double check and ask if it can be removed from the dishes. Overall, I don't think a 3.5/5 rating on Yelp is that bad for an Asian restaurant - it usually means the food is good but the service is subpar. Which honestly is to be expected right?

Banana Leaf is one of my favorite restaurants in the Bay Area for Asian comfort food. The menu is packed with flavorful Malaysian and Indonesian dishes that never disappoint. My favorite dish is the fried wide rice noodles with shrimp and egg gravy--it's comforting and full of savory goodness. I'm also obsessed with the Nasi Lemak, which pairs perfectly cooked coconut rice with crispy anchovies, peanuts, and a spicy sambal. The roti canai is crispy on the outside and soft inside, perfect for dipping into the curry sauce. The laksa, with its spicy coconut broth and noodles, is another go-to of mine, especially on a chilly day. Generous portions, delicious food, and quick service make Banana Leaf my go-to when I'm craving a comforting, flavorful meal.

We walked in and patiently waited to be seated. After being seated, we noticed that three other parties who arrived after us had their orders taken before ours--and not only that, all three of those parties received their food before we did. This was incredibly disappointing, especially considering we've been loyal customers for a long time and have always supported this restaurant. We even love the owners, but the frequent changes in staff seem to be affecting the quality of service. Today, we felt completely ignored. When I brought it to the attention of the supervisor and our server, they both acted as if they didn't understand me and pretended not to understand English well. Regardless of language barriers, no customer deserves to be disregarded--especially when we are all paying for service. To make matters worse, the manager approached us afterward and mentioned that they have to charge extra for cashews, as if implying we were concerned about the cost. That moment felt dismissive and unnecessary. But what was most upsetting is that no one ever apologized or acknowledged the mistake of serving and prioritizing three other tables before us. As someone whose ancestors experienced discrimination and being ignored, I find this especially disheartening. We should not be made to feel invisible. As long-time customers, we expected better. Today's experience was unacceptable and deeply disappointing.

I came here on a Friday at 5:30/6pm before there was a line out the door! Good thing I had a reservation so highly recommend doing that! Upon entering, the restaurant smelled so good, I got hungry immediately lol. I never had Malaysian food but from my experience, it's similar to Thai food. I ordered 4 things on the menu with my friend. We had the roti prata which was super crisp and thin. We moved on over to the eggplant/green beans and it was so flavorful & saucey (would be perf to pair with white rice) and shaking beef. We ate this with their pad see ew. The chow fun noodles were flavored perfectly, not too salty so I really enjoyed it since we didn't have rice. I'd come back again to try other things on their menu!

We've been coming to Banana Leaf for the past 10 years, and it never disappoints! Their Tom Yum soup is always spot on, and the black pepper shrimp is our go-to dish--absolutely delicious. The basil vegetable fried rice with egg is flavorful, and the roti prata is a family favorite that we never skip. The restaurant is always packed, so don't walk in without a reservation!