Chennai Express Restaurant

Chennai Express is honestly a pleasant surprise now. It used to be a bit worn down and I mostly stuck to takeout, but after their major interior renovation around January 24, 2026, the place feels completely refreshed. Super clean, bright, and actually very comfortable to sit down and enjoy a proper meal. It finally feels like a restaurant you want to dine in, not just grab food and run. I ordered the masala paper dosa and it was really good, crispy, light, and nicely done. I still personally think Woodland Veg Restaurant has the edge when it comes to dosa, but for Chantilly, especially if you are visiting Costco nearby, Chennai Express is a solid option. The chutneys were decent, though a bit on the bland side for my taste, but still enjoyable overall. I also had the fish fry, forgot to take a picture, but wow, that was excellent. Properly cooked, flavorful, and easily a 5 out of 5. Yummm is the only word that fits. Food gets a 5, service was friendly and smooth so another 5, and cleanliness now is also a solid 5. If you visited before and were turned off by the old ambiance, I would strongly recommend giving Chennai Express another try. The upgrade makes a big difference and the food still delivers.

If I rated this lower my in-laws might disown me. It's tough to find good South Indian food, but this place hits the mark. The dosa is amazing and the biryani is delicious. The chicken 65 is also a most have. Only down side is that it looks run down from the outside.

A hidden gem. The store serves food with paper plates, plastic cups, and plastic forks and spoons and looks pretty run down from the outside, but the food is extremely good. The food tasted like authentic South Indian food like ones I have tasted in India. My mother ordered the dosa and it was the biggest dosa I've ever seen. I ordered the mutton chettinad and it was very spicy (as I would expect from chettinad) and what I liked was that it had dry red chilis floating in it (which made me feel like it was authentic). Would recommend

I’ve ordered food from this place and I can vouch for the Thalapakati goat biriyani and the chicken 65. The goat biriyani is flavourful, has generous portions of meat, and is more than enough for two people to share. Same with the chicken 65 — generous quantity for sharing but it’s not the usual chicken 65 which is slightly gravy-ish. This is just boneless chicken pieces, marinated in spices and deep fried — but it does taste good. I tried the ambur chicken biriyani but it was quite meh imo. The rice was unnecessarily spicy and it lacked flavour. Better to avoid the ambur style biriyani. When I had visited the restaurant a few months ago, it had glaring hygiene issues in the dining area but the management seems to have finally taken that into consideration. Earlier, many people would simply order takeout instead of choosing to dine in. However, the dining space layout has changed and the place looks cleaner, more hygienic, and well-maintained than before! Hoping that they keep up this streak for long. :)

Food was Heavenly!!!! One of the best South Indian food…I tried their chicken 65, veg Kothu parotta and chappathi… quantity was very good amount of food for the price. Chicken 65 was piping hot and tasted very good. Kothu parotta was Fabulous ( we travelled 4 hours just for that) and chappathi was very soft and felt fresh no oil was there but gravy that they gave for chappathi was okay. Would Highly recommend this place… Has limited seating and gets crowded easily… As for Ambiance it was not great but Food was too good to notice the Ambiance.

I stopped by this restaurant for Indian tea in the late afternoon while in the area for car service. I ordered snacks and tea to-go and was told it would take 5-10 minutes. After checking at the 10-minute mark, I was informed it would be another 5-10 minutes. While waiting, I noticed a sign advertising tea for $2 during happy hour. I asked the staff about the price difference, as my to-go tea was charged at $3.50. The person at the counter explained that the $2 price was for dine-in only. I found this confusing, as the tea was served in the same paper cup for both dine-in and to-go orders. This experience left a poor taste, and will not visit again.

Best Dosa in the DMV area. Seating is very limited. And had to wait little longer than expected. But it worth. Food was delicious. Fall in love with their Dosa. Parata was good too.

Best South Indian food in the area, must try the thalappakatti goat biryani available only on weekends, we’ve been ordering it every couple of weeks for 5+ years now! Very flavorful and the meat is soft. We also regularly order the kotthu parata and enjoy trying the holiday specials, it’s the best way to try something new instead of being tempted by the usual favorites

Was googling for some South Indian restaurant near chantilly and found this place . The food and overall experience was ok . I thought of giving a 3 star but bumped it upto 4 .. actually a 3.25 restaurant . Service could be better . Ambience wasn't that good . Tables were close to each other and hardly any space to move around . Food wise it was ok. Chutneys weren't that good . I liked kal dosa and chick curry . Chilly parotta was average . Cheese dos was good . Wish the chutneys were a bit more spicy/ tangy and had some salt in it . Overall a ok experience . 3/5 but bumped it to 4 !

We came here after 2 separate groups of friends recommended it, saying it was so delicious and very spicy. This restaurant is located in an industrial type area, between other businesses. Unless one knows the restuarant is here, it would be easy to miss. I know I have passed it many times driving on Lee Road and never knew of it's existence. Zero ambiance, random decoration, very high ceilings. The place doesn't look very well organized. Sweets on the counters, an unopened pack of water bottles on the counter, some decoration, etc. There was one employee at the counter, who handed me a menu. We must have come during non-busy hours, which was fine. If we came during "peak" hours, we probably would have dealt with a long line and crowding at the table. Another employee was just sitting behind the counter, watching something on his phone. Customer service isn't the best, but if something is needed, they will assist/provide. We seated ourselves, but I ordered at the counter, then they brought the food to us. I wasn't really sure what I "should" have ordered that was considered delicious and spicy, so stuck with our usual orders of chicken biryani and masala dosa. The presentation was nice, but the the biryani was plated on a disposable paper plate, while the masala dosa was on a steel tray with sections for the sambar and chutneys. The masala dosa was okay nothing to really brag about. The chicken biryani was a little bland with 2 chicken legs under the rice. Would I return? Not really sure, maybe if I'm on this road and am extremely hungry. There are so many other better options in the surrounding area for South Indian food.

Ambiance: It's a very simple restaurant, with emphasis on food over ambiance. We have to order and pay up ahead. Food: This is my review after two visits to this place We had gobi Manchurian which was soo good that we ordered it twice in the same visit. Kotthu parota was okay. Chicken noodles lacked salt and flavors, we asked them to redo it and it was tasty, just like Indian street style noodles. Biryani was okay as well. Chicken lollipop was a disappointment. On second visit we tried dosa and it was really good. The noodles were amazing. But the gobi Manchuria was made very different from previous visit and we could not even finish it. I think the food here is a hit or miss. If they get the consistent with flavors, this will be a great place for street food. Parking: there is ample common parking

Good food with lots of people cooking food in the kitchen. We tried take out and dine-in both the times we enjoyed the food, if you like spicy food don't forget to mention about the spice levels. The pricing for the food was great and worth every penny. The food we tried smells very fresh and matches with what we can get in India. We tried their family packs for vegetarian and non-vegetarian it was lots of food. Since we liked the food, we ended up eating at the restaurant too, except the ambiance of restaurant the food was good. Please go there to get best south Indian food.

excellent food!! we arrived here right when it opened and were glad we did because it got busy fast! after tasting the dosa and filter coffee i could see why it's so popular - the portions are large and everything tastes amazing. i liked all the chutneys and the sambar, and the dosa was delicious and crispy. the only meh thing was the ambience of the place; the floor was not super clean and the tables and chairs weren't that comfortable, but the food is so good that it makes up for all of that! i will definitely return when i'm in the area!

Another unassuming hole-in-the-wall spot with bomb food. I'm not sure why but I feel like South Indian restaurants are harder to come by or at least authentic ones. Chennai screams authenticity with their "no need for frills, we know our food is dank" vibes, that we'll blissfully take. Service has always been kind, and they offer a small discount if you pay in cash. I literally drive 35 minutes out for this spot whenever I'm in town--hands down the best chili paneer I've ever had. Fair warning: spice level not for the faint of heart, and I say that as someone with pretty frickin' high tolerance.

This is one of my favorite South Indian restaurants in the DMV area. This reminds me of food from my home town. So authentic. I am usually in this area to play pickleball. Every time I go there, I ensure that I stop here for a nice post game meal. Staff at the front is very welcoming. If you go here, please remember to order at the front and then sit at one of their seats. They don't have service at their seats. Some of my favorite recommendations are - mutton biryani, medu vada (fried lentils and veggies with coconut Chutney), mutton leg soup (pretty spicy but I love it as it helps unclog my sinuses), Kal dosa (crepes made with rice batter and served with lentils and coconut chutney - very delicious). You can also order kal dosa with chicken or goat curry (highly recommended), special chicken biryani is awesome too and chicken 65 or chicken lollipop is my go to appetizer here. Nice and crispy from the outside but juicy and tender from the inside. Overall, just try anything here and you will not be disappointed.

We got take out from here and we were so disappointed with the food. I had to call the restaurant to make sure this wasn't a mistake. I included a screenshot of what we ordered and then what we got. ONE piece of chicken that also had a bone in it for $14!!!! Ridiculous, will not be going back here again or recommending it to anyone. They also need to work on adding pictures and descriptions to all their items on the website.

This restaurant continues to be our family's favorite South Indian restaurant in the DMV. The food is super authentic and is a bit of a dive with regards to ambience. It's mostly self serve and you need to order at the front counter and discard your trash at the end. The service is quick and the food, and in particular the dosas are OUTSTANDING!! If there's an important aspect that needs their attention...their restroom is not the cleanest and is often short of soap which is a wee-bit troubling.

Ordered chicken noodles and was wondering about the amount of chicken in it. Please your stuff is good but put appropriate amount of chicken. It's CHICKEN NOODLES not Noodles chicken

Ordered the goat biryani and they said they don't have the dum biryani and suggested the Chennai style goat biryani . They got it it my table immediately but it was mutton pulav with very dry goat pieces . It was short grain rice and not the basmati rice . It was flavorful but the meat was dry. They forgot about my other chicken noodle order . Reminded them twice about the order . They got it once we and everyone else around us who had ordered after us , finished their food . The noodles were horrible and dry . No flavor . Has to ask them for soy sauce still did not taste good . Do not recommend these entrees.

Brought the parents here at an off time (about 4:30 PM) and it was still busy. Amazing how popular this place seems to be. Unfortunately the staff is unable to keep up with the cleaning, and it shows. My biryani was just ok (mostly rice), my mom felt the dosa was too oily. The ras Malai was just ok as well. The highlight of the meal was the coffee afterwards, it was amazing!

Gargantuan dosa with the best flavor I've ever had! My camera couldn't even capture the whole dosa without using panoramic setting... it's served with three sauces and each was divine. I'll definitely be back but I'll bring friends!

This place has their must try items. The Chennai chicken fried rice and noodles are any-day a must try item from them if you are craving for some "street" side noodles/fried rice. I recently tried their thalapakatti goat briyani, (sadly I don't eat goat and only chicken so ended up just eating the rice) wish they would make it with chicken. About the meat wasn't pleasing and didn't look like a well cooked mutton. Their chettinadu chicken curry, parotta are a good options. I tried their aachi country chicken last week unfortunately didn't make it to the cut. I wouldn't recommend that. Overall this place is go to when you crave for some eating "local" food.

A true hole in the wall place that could be missed if you drive by too fast! Don't go by hours listed on the door, as we almost turned around and left when it listed it wasn't open on Monday. Glad we saw someone exiting the restaurant and hurriedly ran in. Very informal setting but very yummy food! We got idli and sambar (asked for it in the side and got coconut chutney as well), chicken biriyani, lollipop chicken, chili shrimp, and masala dosa. Service was fast and friendly. Will definitely return to try more items!

Chennai Express is great. We stopped here for lunch after visiting the Udvar Hazy museum. The chicken biryani, in addition to the dosa, was great.

Authentic South Indian food, Tamil or Kerala style. I went here for two days, took Adai Aviyal, masala dosa, chili bajji, Set-Dosa with Vadakari... All good. Very reasonably priced. Try once, you might go there repeatedly.

It was packed on a weeknight. We ordered dosa, chicken 65 and Chettinad. It took some time to get our food but it was flavorful and the quantity was good. I wish the seating was better and the ability to reduce the chaos between carry out and restaurant customers.

We went on a Sunday at two and ordered seven dishes. Unfortunately, the biryani basically was just rice with no meat, the curry's had no vegetables, it seems like they ran out of food and watering everything down. They are very busy and my recommendation is to buy food on Friday or on Saturday, but never on Sunday. The food is very good, I just feel ripped off by a bunch of water and rice.

Located in an industrial strip mall across from Costco and Target sits a humble eatery where the interior is as questionable as the exterior. But not all facades tell the complete story. We recently ventured to Chantilly by invitation of a friend who missed food from her childhood. As someone who believes food provides a strong bridge to memories, I completely understood. We ordered a variety of tiffins, appetizers, and dosa. Everything tasted amazing! The first time I had Idly, it was dry, crumbly, and tasteless. This Idly was moist, spongy, and carried the sweetness of ground rice. It was an absolute pleasure eating on its own but also came with chutneys of varying spiciness to give it an extra dimension. The dosa is one of my favorite Indian dish. This did not disappoint. The ghee gave the crepe a nice buttery flavor and was packed with delicious potato masala. Everything we ordered offered very distinct textures, flavors, and experience. By the end of our feast, we were all ready for the kind of nap that only falls after a satisfying meal...but not before indulging in some dessert! This is a hole in the wall with minimal service but hey, that's not why we eat here. I'm thinking I need a dosa right about now!

If you are of a discerning palate in authentic Indian cuisine, you will LOVE Chennai Express! Tucked away off the beaten path, don't let Chennai Express fool you. It has an incredibly small interior with just a few tables. But BOY is it popular. No matter what time you go, there are people streaming into the restaurant, either hoping to grab a table or to carry out. Personally, we have always eaten in, because our drive is long and the Dosa is best eaten fresh! If you are concerned with the level of spiciness, you should BEWARE. The level of heat is not for the faint of heart. Go ahead and ask for dishes to be mild and they may or may not fully accommodate, lol! But it is DELICIOUS. Here are some of our favorites: Paneer Chilly (this is how they spell it, lol), Masala Dosa, Chicken Biriyani, Vegetable somosas, Chicken 65, Mutton Chettinad, and Channa Masala. Get the Ginger Lime soda, too! Go and enjoy!!

Astounding. Magnificent. Sensational. Chennai Express. We opened with maroon bronze Chilli paneer that had the umami of a Japanese soy farm. Delectably delicious was this dish then flanked by a spicy gobi Manchurian with a similar sauce. Next we had scrumptious fried donuts with chutneys that would take you straight to Chettinad. Our appetite swooned as we devoured a Mysore masala dosa that must've been blessed by Lord Murugan. Finally we finished off which a sultry, creamy chole bhatura, as our taste buds entered nirvana via the fiery spice palate of this masterclass in South Indian cuisine. Undoubtably the best Indian food in the DMV. 5 STARS - CHENNAI EXPRESS

Great good and sizeable portions! We dined in and finding seating would have been a problem if it was more than 2 of us.

Get ready for the spice! Delicious, harder for me to choose what to order. I was used to a different region Indian food, so not the same korma, butter, masala chicken, etc. still great, no naan . A warm inside experience in the summer. Just the big fan moving the air, but no frills for ac. Lots of business came through here. They're doing something right. Great value.

This place was once know for very good tasty inexpensive South Indian food. What happened? Did the cooks and owners change. The food had great spice but was filled with oil. I ordered Chapathi and was instead given oily Paratha made obviously with shortening instead of butter. Yuck. The food is still cheap, but somethings aren't worth buying at any price. The Vadai was the highlight of our meal. Exceptionally large and good. Not excellent. I hope the owners see this review and make some desperately needed changes or they will be out of business soon.

Great takeout for South Indian food, everything is super fresh. The only thing I wouldn't order for takeout again is probably the fish 65, since It was soggy by the time we got home (a solid 30 minute drive). I'd love to eat here in person once dine in is available again!

I love Indian food but don't get it enough. We had a date lunch takeout from this place/my wife researched and surprised me. Definitely a hole-in-the-wall type place with eat in but we ordered to eat in our car. I went to my go to veggie Biryani and it was good. I wanted to try their specialty but it had goat and I'm a vegetarian. Biryani took longer 25 minutes but that is too be expected. Very flavorful/hot but they supplied the requisite yogurt to take the edge off. Portions OK. Service was good. Value was good. One of the better Biryani's I've had which could tend to be bland, especially by itself. Not really a date place, a bit run down inside but doesn't bother me. Plenty of people/traffic so a good sign.

This place rocks. Came here during dinner time on a Saturday and there was a long line. There isn't a whole lot of seating in here and every seat was taken. Decided to order our food to go. Cashier said it would be a 1 hour wait for our food to be prepared. He was friendly and helpful. Their Chennai Thalappakattu Biriyani (Weekends Only) is excellent. Such depth of flavor and so aromatic. Their dosas are a hit as well. There was a dosa place when I lived in NY that I loved going to and now I've found a place close to our crib that offers equally tasty dosas. Score! Everything we ordered was incredibly flavorful and perfect for sharing.

Chettinad-Street food at its best. Has the same spice level and flavor as any other street side joint in TamilNadu. The food is just irresistible. Must have: Chicken FriedRice, Parotta+Saalna, Prawn Thokku Avoid: Biryani, Dosas [Not their speciality]

This is a restaurant I will go far out of the way to visit, and if you've never had great South Indian food (and most American Indian restaurants are Northern Indian/Punjabi style), I highly recommend trying Chennai Express! I'm vegetarian, so I can't speak about any of their meat dishes, but I've been happy with everything I've ordered in the multiple times I've visited. My personal favorite items are the Fried Podi Idly, Mysore Masala Dosai, and Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu. The portions are generous and the prices are fantastic! As of November 2020, it looks like they're open exclusively for takeout due to COVID, but once in restaurant dining is open, don't expect a high end atmosphere and service. It is a very casual location that is usually pretty busy, and the actual location is tucked into an odd industrial area (across from Costco). However, I don't visit for a fancy night out; I visit frequently for some of the best food and one of the best values you can find in Virginia!

Chennai Express is fastly moving out of quality station. Consistently ghastly spice taste in every dish. Will miss the quality TamilNadu food these folks used to serve.

Not impressed at all. Cleanness required. Vada was doughy. Sambar and chutney quantity was same. Chutney was too watery.

This has been my go-to Indian place for the past couple of years. Almost everything I order there just DELIGHTS me. I may just be tickled by the South Indian flavors vs. the North Indian palette (which I hear is more common in US Indian restaurants), though. I'm just an absolute sucker for idli, soups, and a generous sprinkle of curry leaves and mustard seeds. I'm still trying to work my way through the menu, but here are some of the dishes that come to mind: ++ Buttermilk -- I could have this all day, any day ++ Sambar idly -- see above comment about being a sucker for idli and soups ++ Parotta and chilly parotta -- soooo buttery and flaky, and when you can have a dish that is just chopped seasoned carbs? yes please ++ Any dosa -- we had the onion chili masala dosa -- half of it is eating with your eyes because it's the biggest freshest dosa I've ever had ++ Any thali -- especially the goat one -- I lovely little bites of a bunch of things in any cuisine, and this one is such a great deal during lunchtime ++ Adai avial -- how can you go wrong with coconut and carbs + Any biriyani -- we've had the shrimp and the goat -- flavor bomb + Attukal soup -- spicy and goat-y and herb-y + Mango lassi -- just a given for me at any Indian restaurant, and theirs is nicely balanced + Ennai kathirikai -- slightly sweet and rich; loved it but would have appreciated more eggplant though ~ Paneer Chilly -- when we first got this we loved it, but has recently gone down in my favorites list (i.e. too sweet, not as crispy as I'd remembered it) Note that service can be slow sometimes, but I think with takeout-only during covid it's a little better. One time (pre-pandemic) we stood and sat around for like... 45 minutes until we had a table and could eat. But we couldn't really complain because we chowed down and the food was carefully made and delicious. It was worth it for me (although, pre-pandemic, I much preferred going during lunch vs. weekend dinnertimes if I could help it). I can't wait for the time when we can dine-in again because their dosa and parotta are really best eaten hot out of the kitchen. Also I really appreciate that they don't dumb down the heat levels. In any case, their raita is delicious and perfectly balanced (so much so that I reach for it more than the 'more flavorful' coconut or peanut chutneys) and helps you out if your mouth is on fire!

Liked the chicken fried rice...biryani was ok...overall good food...worth the improptu stop we made here

Today I picked up veg bucket briyani combo.. This is really horrible food. I would not recommend this food for anyone.. it is just waste junk

We visited Chennai Express with a plan to celebrate a birthday in the family. It is located close to Costco. The first thing I noticed is that the restaurant is very smelly with a dirty floor. I abandoned the idea of dine in and did carry out instead. The ghee dosa we ordered was not bad. However, I have no appetite left to revisit. The restaurant owner should put some attention to the cleanliness and hygiene.

Hidden gem. Food was amazing. We had dosa, idli, biryani, chicken 65 and uttapam. Service was excellent. Very friendly staff. The best south Indian food I've ever had so far in USA. Definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to have authentic South Indian food experience. 5/5

Stopped by this place on my way to Dulles airport. I was visiting with my in laws who prefer the food of the homeland so I was happy to see the selection of thalis on their menu. We got the chicken, mutton, and fish thali and I got the paneer masala dosa. The fried items in the thali were very good but I felt all the vegetarian items had a similar taste. The goat curry was very good! My paneer dosa was very crispy and scrumptious. I enjoyed the masala as well but I feel a tikka style inside would have tasted better. We would definitely stop by again considering I enjoyed the flavors at this restaurant more than some of its competitors in the NOVA area.

Great food but service needs upgrade. The place is small and long wait times are the challenge. This place would thrive if it was bigger or in a different location.

I was very disappointed this time. We had to dispose one large tray of chicken biryani and one small tray of veg biryani because of quality issue. We felt food was not fresh. I have attached few pictures here just to prove my point. My entire party was ruined because of this. I would not expect this from Chennai Express.

Decent food but dismal service times... Takes ages to get an order of soda delivered... 25 mins or so! Staff have no clue - they smile and feign no knowledge.

I cannot wait to comeback here again! The manchurian cauliflower is addictive!!! I also had the chicken thali lunch special which was really great. Super nice staff. Tip: get a side of rice and yogurt with the cauliflower, so so good!!!!

4 stars for excellently crispy dosa and crispy spicy gobi manchurian! Loved it! Ive never ventured to get the paneer masala dosa before - I did get it here and the masala was dry, would recommend go for the regular masala dosa. My only complaint is the restaurants use of styrofoam takeout containers and also excessive single use plastic utensils and straws. When we sat down we were given plates and utensils we didnt need (our dishes came on plates and with plastic utensils). In addition the chai they brought me had 4 single use plastic straws! Their take out containers are also made of styrofoam. Would encourage businesses like this to reduce their carbon footprint!

Awesome food but little spicy , I liked their food. Quantity is good. Need to work on cleaning up space a bit.

I have been here just once and already in love with this place. This is a pretty new place with a solid menu of amazing food. We ordered - Chicken Lollypop - 4.8/5 Goat Curry - 4.9/5 Very impresses with the food ! Its a pretty new place and I hope it continues to maintain their standard. My worries will be - They need to do a better job in managing. They were not talking order till you get a table and it takes a while to get a table (atleast on a Sunday evening) - They are out of food very quickly. We are trying to get goat curry after reading the reviews. We have tried 3 times without any success. I will let these pass giving them benefit of doubt as they have just started recently.

Fresh foods made to order. A lot of variety in curry bases. A lot of veggie options too. Popular place that's always busy at dinner time. Not a lot of seating so plan ahead.

We ordered pick up couple times here. Dosas are the best we have seen in this area. I would order dosas for sure. Chicken 65 was different than what I am used to eating but not that spicy or flavor. Biryani was good. I would come for pickup again. Keep doing the good work.

Ordered talapakatu briyani and goat thali. Both were good but we found hair in the goat curry, we told the staff and it was promptly replaced. Overall good experience and good food. Would recommend for authentic South Indian food.

Amazing food and good portion size. Most of the dishes are authentic in flavor too. Takes me back to Chennai, India. Only issue is the condiments like chutney and raita are too less in quantity for a to-go order.

This is chettinad kind of food !! Which means spicy but they were nice to tone down the spice for a couple dishes for my family . I will have to return soon because I had heard reviews of their dosa and when I was given the menu - the biryani menu was right on and i couldnt see anything beyond that :) ..we did get the mutton sukka and kuttu parota . All the dishes were authentic. The service was good and I was impressed by the server's willingness to adjust the spices and he also recommended which dishes we could pick with less spice level . That willingness to work with the customers palate is very rare to find these days and is much appreciated ! Thank you !