Chowpatti Vegetarian Restaurant

The customer service was very welcoming upon arrival. The food was good but a little dry and overpriced. Better to have extra chutney sauce with samosas. Very private and quiet location.

Absolutely love this place. Super friendly staff and a really extensive menu. The falafel is amazing as well as the samosas. Even if you aren't vegetarian, you will love it.

I felt like I was eating at a spa. Super relaxing and amazing service. Best gluten-free/vegan option outside of the city, hands down!!! It is so difficult to eat out with my dietary needs, but this restaurant has menu options that expand, pages and pages just for me!! MUST try the Indian NACHOS,👍👍 every bite was perfect. Hubby says it was the best and his new favorite dish.

The food was very good, I felt awkward in ordering because I didn't know what the dishes were. The menu was experimental to me because it was good combinations that I hadn't tried before. We did have photographs but I was still confused! I did enjoy what I ate and would go again. Next time I would like to try a different dish. I have nothing negative to say about the restaurant or the service. Prices were OK a little high but not bad!

We were driving around town on a Friday night in search of Vegetarian Friendly dining. Most of the large chains will have 1 maybe 2 options. Or worst yet only sides. We found this gem on Google and are so glad that we stopped by. The atmosphere whispers serenity and comfort and the menu was just what we were looking for. I thoroughly recommend this restaurant. We will definitely be back.

My wife and I had dinner here tonight and I have to say, they can do much better. We both ordered Indian dishes - we both like Indian so we thought, what the heck, we order the combination platter and a plate of curry for the wife; the place and waitress was nice enough but the food was super-bland (the microwave curry we have at home had more flavor than some of the dishes we had) and while at first glance it may seem relatively affordable, but they charge a separate amount for everything - every other Indian restaurant we went to would just serve rice if we ordered curry - not here. After adding up all the separate items we had to pay for, it was a bit pricier for the two of us than other comparable places in the area. Very disappointing. I saw that they had won a few awards (but it was more than a decade ago) so I had my hopes up but I'd say avoid.

We went with high expectations and even before we came out felt disappointed to the core. The ambience felt like a medical dispensary. Over priced and tasteless food, quantity is too less and the server lady's attitude will make you feel like an worthless species. I'd never come back to this place again. One of the worst places to hang out and enjoy your food peacefully. Unworthy to be even rated. Never visit ppl!

Chowpatti is literally the best vegetarian/vegan restaurant that I have ever been to! It has been over a decade since I have last had the pleasure of dining here (I live out of state), but this place is somehow even more amazing than it was before, which I did not think was even possible. I just enjoyed their homemade veggie burger and chili and it was absolutely fantastic. This superb food is prepared with the utmost care and attention-you can tell from the quality of the food and how amazing it tastes that it is sincerely made with outstanding passion and skill. The service was also phenomenal and professional. Our food came out quick and the server was very courteous and thoughtful. Overall this place is my favorite place for vegan food, and trust me-I've been to my fair share of vegetarian/vegan restaurants!

Living in the city, we don't typically venture out in the suburbs for dinner, but since we were on our way back and needed a restaurant with vegetarian options, Madura kitchen seemed promising. Overall, I have to say, this food ranks as some of the best Indian food I have had in the Chicagoland area. I was pleasantly surprised considering it's such an unassuming location. They have a mix of South Indian, Punjabi and Indochinese. For our starter, we ordered Gobi Manchurian. This was super flavorful, and had prominent ginger elements. The South Indian options were amazing. The dosa was perfectly cooked and the sambar had an amazing flavor. We were left practically licking our plates. My sister had the rasam vada, which was perfect for a cold night. The chana bhatura was delicious. One piece of advice is they do offer this and all other options with varying spice levels. For the Chana, we ordered a mild for my nephew and medium for me. The medium was pretty hot but the flavors were unmatched. The mild was a bit too sweet for my taste. Other honorable mentions worth trying were the chicken kadai and veg noodles. Probably the only disappointment was the paneer tikka. The flavor was off and almost inedible. Overall, I highly recommend this place for Indian food lovers! I know I will be back.

The place is nice - looks small from the outside, but decent space on the inside. The servers are polite, yet it took a while for us to get silverware and plates for our appetizers. Plates are served in nice looking metal dishes and all dishes were flavorful. Portions are not very big compared to other places and plates that normally would come with white rice we had to pay extra for. What really is unique about this place and dynamite is their mango lassi! It's not super sweet and has a really nice spice balance. The best in my wife's and my opinion around!!

Just dined here for the first time (Saturday 2-8-2025)! Had their brunch buffet--it was DELICIOUS and had MORE than the photo I just posted! I especially loved that they had Tindora as part of the buffet; I haven't seen any other Indian restaurants serve that in about 20 years (Gaylord in Schaumburg did, but haven't done so, since then!) Anyway, I had just about every item in their spectacular buffet --I almost ended up napping in my truck afterwards! The service here is spot-on: friendly, professional and attentive! Although they didn't have any soft drinks or juices, they did have a chikoo shake (which I never had before, and ended up really enjoying)! They also have mango lassi shakes too, btw! In addition to the great food and service, the restaurant is clean (as are their bathrooms)! Anyway, I do plan on coming back! Glad I was following them on Facebook!

Madurai Kitchen is a good restaurant to grab quality South Indian food. They have a good variety on their menu, and the food is freshly prepared. On my recent first visit, I found the restaurant to be inviting and having a nice ambiance. It was clean and well lit. My party and I had a late dinner. We received good service. We were seated promptly upon arrival. We were served water right away. One of the staff members informed us to scan a QR code to get the menu of the restaurant and place our order from our mobile device directly. We ordered South Indian dishes such as dosas and uttapam. Dosas, for those who may not be familiar, are like savory crepes made from rice batter and uttapam are like savory pancakes made from rice and urad dal (an Indian grain) batter. The uttapams my party ordered were of the onion and chilies kind and came with dipping sides of sambar (lentil and veggie stew) and three chutneys (coconut, peanut, and one other kind that I can't remember). The dosas also came with the same sides. My order was different from the others. I ordered Madurai Kitchen's special dosa made with minced mutton (goat) in spices. I was expecting a traditional dosa with mutton stuffed inside, but no. This dish looked like thick uttapam but smelled like dosa, and it came with a side of curry dal as a dipping side instead of sambar and chutneys. I inquired about it, and one of the staff members said that that's how it served. Strange but cool, I guess. I found my dish to be okay in taste. It lacked a bit of salt, and the flavor wasn't quite what I had expected. I had thought that it would be spicy, but it wasn't. I used the chutneys from other members of my party's dishes for an enhanced tasting experience. The rest of the folks in my party liked their dishes a lot. Their dishes were good. Overall, we had a good experience. The menu pricing is on the expensive side (more than I expected), but the food quality and service were good. If you like South Indian food, then this restaurant is definitely worth checking out. I will be going back to try other menu items.

Ambiance: simple, and clean, however it was bit hot even though not many people in the restaurant (they have standing fans to air out the area). 4/5 Service: Bit slow on a Wednesday evening, however our server Akash was approachable, polite and quick to provide requested service. 4/5 Food: we ordered kids come dosa, mysore masala dosa and chilli paneer...mysore dosa was ok (not crispy enough and not a fan of the flavour of mysore...usually I love it at other restaurants). However, star of the dinner was chilli paneer and lime masala soda :). Rating 3/5. Will visit again and try a different type of dosa next time.

Tried this place recently again and was disappointed in both the service and quality of food here. The portions are smaller and pricey for what you get; probably won't be back soon.

South Indian Cuisine at its BEST ! If you are craving South Indian food then Madurai Kitchen located in Arlington Heights is the place to be. They serve authentic and delicious South Indian cuisine. Check it out today. First time here and really enjoyed it. The food and service was great, we had a big group as the server was patient with all our requests. They have side selection of menu items , we tried the Vegetable Pakora, Idli, Medu Vada , Masala Dosa, Chicken 555, Mutton Chukka, Karaikudi Curry, and Thalapakkati Goat Biryani. The Thalapakkati Goat Biryani , Medhu Vada, Cone Dosa & Chicken 555 were my favorites. Will definitely be back for their Thursday Dosa night.

Delicious food and good service ... We recommend it highly. Thanks for the good meal. The tandoori fish and eggplant were very good

Thursday is dosa day! At lunch or dinner, you can choose the dosa buffet. Dinner costs more. Here, you can order unlimited dosai, choosing various kinds from their dosa menu. Buffet also has pre-made self-serve sides, rice, deserts and masala chai tea on a table. A dosa is a thin pancake in South Indian cuisine made from a fermented batter of ground lentils and rice. Like small savory crepes. We love the masala dosa. Sugar dosa just had sugar sprinkled inside; made a good desert. Not keen on chocolate (just syrup) and onion dosa. We also like the mango lassi [best made fresh] and biryani--it's basmati rice with other food mixed in. Kinda like a stir fry. All the wait staff is nice. Happy to answer food Qs. Small tables of ~4 chairs. It's wheelchair accessible inside and in the bathroom too. But it's tricky outside; no wheelchair accessible parking space and the parking has cement blocks in front. To get in, I need to squeeze between the cement blocks. My small power chair fits, but idk if my newer one can.

I really really wanted to love it but holy cow it's SPICEY!!! yes, I am a baby so take it with a grain of salt but I told them mild-no spice on all the dishes (I know I am weak) and even my husband who LOVES spice was sweating but he really enjoyed it!!! I just don't know if I can order again and trust it be something I can enjoy too. Picture for reference on my order

Lucky for us we discovered this place on Thursday night, when they have all you can eat Dosa night and buffet. I went with my wife and daughter who wanted to get the food from the menu instead of buffet but I picked the buffet. Best decision. Their buffet have only vegetarian options but they do have non-veg dishes on their menu. I enjoyed all the items on their buffet and ordered 4 Dosas as well. Everything tasted really good, fresh and authentic. Buffet also included desert and cardamom chai. Their serving staff was pleasant and very accommodating. It is a smaller place but has good ambiance and vibe, although parking is bit tight. We will definitely go there again and try other dishes on their menu.

Lately there has been so many Indian restaurants that have opened up in Chicagoland and neighboring suburbs. I have been to mostly all of them and can with confidence say this is one of top ones out there when it comes to flavor and quality of food. Not only you get tasty and yummy food but also in terms of value it's priced right for the quantity they serve. The way they serve food in stainless steel brings back childhood memories when growing up in India. Please don't get discouraged by the interior in comparisons to the new ones as you would miss out on flavor that reminds you of home!

The Google reviews are satisfactory, but the food quality does not meet expectations..

This restaurant is consistent in their quality and flavors! Very yummy and is one of the top Indian restaurants in the suburbs I recommend to everyone who asks!

Madhavi Sumalatha nuthi i visited Madurai kitchen it's nice environment to have delicious food good team members and nice service so go and have delicious food once u will visit you will definitely will go more times because the food is very taste and both grand thalli veg and non veg is very yummy thanks

I've been here twice with my wife. We generally really like the food, particularly the Butter chicken, parotta, and chicken biryani. Last time they were out of biryani (early Saturday evening). That's a little disappointing since they label themselves a biryani place. Last time, we only go one side of rice for two full entrees (butter chicken and chicken tikka). Overall, we like it and will be back.

Their special festival and weekly buffet is very good. Friendly service. Wish would label choices in buffet better. Like if soup was chicken please indicate or not just mark pickle as pickle but indicate specific as mango or lemon.

Grand Thali at Madurai on the weekends is an experience you cannot miss! The service was warm and welcoming, everyone took the time to chat with us and explain each dish while asking about our preferences. I felt totally relaxed here. Each platter came with 15+ dishes/curries including rasam, sambar, goat, chicken, and fried anchovies. You can eat it with the provided rice, chappati, and pappadam. The rasam is some of the best I've tried-tangy and generously spiced with cumin. I also ordered some filter coffee which was another hilight. If you haven't tried this Tamil Nadu specialty drink you absolutely need to it was so flavorful. Thank you to all the staff for making our experience so enjoyable on top of all the delicious food. This is an establishment that cares very much about its customers and the quality of its food.

The food here was amazing, I also had this place cater an event of mine for 400 people! the service is awesome and I will definitely come here again! I recommend you try the Chilli gobi it is to die for!!!

Food is absolutely fantastic! Love this place. The staff is super sweet and so patient. The grand thali was amazing. Each item was delicious on its own. They were super kid friendly too. The nannari sharbath and biryani is yummy. Prepare to wait for a bit because good things take time. Madurai kitchen have us a very good dining experience.

Super impressed! We went on a Thursday which has the Dosa buffet that is vegetarian! Being a vegetarian this was a huge plus for us the menu is huge too if you don't want to do the amazing buffet. They have meat dishes if you rather that on the menu. The food is very flavorful and fresh! One of the best Indian restaurants I have ever been too. The staff is all super friendly and very on top of things. Totally going to come back and try something off the menu.

Great food. Friendly service. Enjoy going here whenever I'm in the area. Recommend trying the poori

We had an incredible dining experience at Madurai Kitchen! South Tamil Nadu cuisine, especially Madurai's culinary offerings, are renowned for their rich flavors and authenticity. Biryani, parotta, and chicken combo indeed sound like a delightful combination, each dish carried that distinctive Madurai flavor. Excellent service can truly enhance the dining experience. When the staff goes above and beyond to ensure your satisfaction, it adds a special touch to the meal. It's great that the couple running Madurai Kitchen were not only serving delicious food but also took the time to personally check in on their guests. That kind of attentiveness and humility can make all the difference. It sounds like they are passionate about their food and genuinely care about their customers' experience. Totally loved the the experience, Sindhujaa Nee

Our Family had an ambient & pleasant evening at Madurai kitchen. It kind of took me back to the past of visiting Madurai and Chennai as a child with their service and warmth. Moreover, the cuisine was top end and had a great touch of authentic Indian traditional food with their Chettinad chicken curry & fluffy Porottas. I would definitely recommend this restaurant and would consider them as one of the top Indian cuisine restaurants in the Chicagoland Area!!!!

Based on good reviews visited for lunch. Totally disappointed . Food was not fresh, lacked flavor or any authenticity . Better to avoid. Very slow customer service. Food came after an hour and plates were not given which took another 15 minutes.

If you are coming for South Indian food, this is the place to go! Dosas we're on point. Kids enjoyed the cheese dosas and adults had the mysore masala dosa. Staff was nice and accommodating! We will be back!

Had the veg thali! Food was great, perfect amount of spice! The servers very attentive and the place was packed with families

Bad Hygiene . Saw roaches near the table. Food quality not good. We ordered non veg thali and some other items from the menu. Shrimp was good

We ate here upon first opening and the restaurant was very dirty, food was tasty. We decided to give it another try this past weekend and unfortunately we left with out ordering due to the cleanliness of the table, placemats, door, windows, etc. This is unacceptable in the food industry. Not sure we will return.

We were there not too long after opening. Easily seated, we ordered via the server and we shared that one of us really could not eat super hot food. We ordered two orders of Chat as our appetizer and the restaurant continued to fill in with other groups. While the butter chicken was lovely with a rich thick savory gravy, our Chicken Tikka Masala was only fine - not truly hot (as in warm) when served. We also ordered a vegetarian dish with cauliflower and potatoes that was so spicy we could not eat it - even with rice and naan to help dilute the spice. We ordered three servings of naan - the buttered didn't have enough butter ( was not really present) and the garlic was fine - but nothing special. Garlic did not appear to be fresh. Our chat (appetizer) was delivered right before our check - and it was so spicy, again we could not eat it. There was a mumbled apology about it being late and they appeared to be insulted that we were not taking it with us - but no one checked on why or how the meal was. If we return we would have to ask for everything to be mild which really makes me sad - but there appears to be no set scale for heat. We've eaten at most of the Indian restaurants in the NW suburbs and have not found that to be typical. Maybe a messy night for them, but expensive for us based on what we just couldn't eat.

yesterday I visited to the restaurant and the food quality was very good. I like the ambience of the restaurant and service was also good. I tried non veg thali and rotis which was tasty.

Waited 40 minutes this Saturday for an order to arrive and the waiter just dropped biryani lots of rice and 2 small pcs of chicken with little warm as if it was prepared long time back. Also ordered mango juice and it had never arrived but billed. Waiters never comes back for any query. Very bad service and very bad food plus small place with lots of public talks loudly without any manners. Peace of mind will lose with poor taste, quantity & louder noice and finally bigger price. Need improvement. Will never go again.

Madurai is a large city in the state of Tamil Nadu of India. The city has historical significance to the origins of Tamil culture. Seeing this name 'one can expect' good South Indian food. This restaurant and owners are new to the biz, so you'll have to give them time to get it together. The restaurant style is casual and waitstaff do a decent job of explaining their foods. If you have questions about the taste of an entree or ingredients, definitely ask. I'm familiar with South Indian food but some of the entree names are so new, I wasn't quite sure. Spice levels: They can cater to your needs, so if you aren't sure just get mild. I don't suggest ordering medium if you aren't prepared to sweat. And if you find yourself in a predicament where the food is just hella spicy. Ask for raita or curds. Raita is usually sour cream or that mixed with a bit of buttermilk. Curds is a thicker yogurt. On your plate add the raita to the curry or rice and that should cool out your taste buds. Families will often mix curds with white rice and have the curry on the side for their young children. On the other hand, a tasty dessert or dessert drink like Mango lassi will cool you down and please the belly. Either the menu or a sign inside has a slogan that says "good food takes time." Sure and with that mention time can draaaaaaaag. Dinner service with my fam' the other night took many hours, more than I would have liked to spend tbh. When orders hit the table they were out of sequence. ie Appetizers and dinner entrees arrived when they got there. We were at the tail end of dinner when desserts orders were placed and just then an appetizer & main entree finally arrived at the table. A waiter with serving knowledge would have asked whether we still wanted the items or to cancel them out. Some food items need more care and prep time than others, these details are just an unknown since their staff serve multiple positions. Servers may go missing for awhile because they are in the kitchen prepping a plate. If you can be extra patient you may get to experience a different Indian cuisine that entices. My family enjoyed the food and ability to chat with restaurant staff in our native south Indian language. Food specials: There are some nights where special food items are offered in a buffet style. Mid week they offer an AYCE dosa special. I hear it can be a good time if you can manage to get a table. Looking at ratings they are both high and low. South Indians and those familiar with the cuisine have a higher bar for what's acceptable. I can agree with many of the differing reviews. With this said, I'll probably give them a year before returning. I expect since they have a following, they will still be around and hopefully learn to expedite.

Ordered Garlic Naan: 5/5 Paneer Tikka Masala: 4/5 Gobi 65: 3/5 Palak Paneer: 5/5 Paneer Manchurian: 4/5 Kids Penna in Tikka Masala with Paneer: 5/5 Everything was good.

Ordered by Uber eats. You feel cheated at the minuscule quantity. I wouldn't order again. Taste is just ok.

Although not very fancy place, food was very tasty. Their prices are quite reasonable and the staff is friendly!

Good food and service. Little spicy for my daughter. Try this place if you want to try thali or Thalapakatti chicken biryani.

The food is delicious. The partita and salna combination is something which you will find in a good Tamil Nadu non vegetarian restaurant. I will definitely go again

Food is tasty ..Service was slow Chicken 65 was very yummy and we ordered goat Donne biryani it was very tasty

Madurai Kitchen offers a truly authentic South Indian dining experience. The food is bursting with flavor, the ambiance is inviting, and the service is top-notch. Whether you're a dosa aficionado or a parotta/biryani lover, this restaurant has something for everyone. A must-visit for anyone craving South Indian cuisine done right!

Great South Indian fare in Arlington Heights. This used to be Chowpatty before. We had a variety of dishes and they all tasted good and prepared well. This is classic Tamil non vegetarian fare and the type of biryani is different. This place is good for vegetarians as they have a variety of options for non meat eaters. I do see that this is a fairly new place and they may struggle now and then with getting food fast enough due to staff shortage. They were apologetic and more than made up with the food. Please support this local establishment with your patronage. Even though I no longer live in the Chicago area, I wish we have South Indian restaurants like this in Atlanta.

Outstanding Delicious food! It will blow you away. Super flavor's almost indescribable perfection! The quality and quantity is awesome. We found our favorite place for Indian Cuisine!

It is great for South Indian food lovers. Been here 5 times and tried a new type of dosa or curry, and each time has been a big hit! This may be the best South Indian food place in Chicagoland!

Great service and amazing food! My fist experience trying Indian food and I loved it! The chicken tikka masala was so good it's a must try. Food can be spicy so be ready for that, but you have the ability to choose your level of heat which is nice. I love spicy food so no complaints from me. Nice vibe very relaxed and very nice decor. Overall great experience!

The food was fresh & hot as in temperature when we picked it up. Flavor was good. This is a different region that I never had before. While I was waiting, I met a gentleman that drove in from Indiana just to try the food from the Madurai region. I wish much success for this place.

Real madurai food.service was good. Good place to go after a long day. kalaki was good.

Great South Indian Restaurant in Arlington Heights Veg and non veg Grand Thali meals are excellent over the weekend. Great and relaxed atmosphere at very competitive prices. The convenient location with good parking demands that you give this hidden gem a try

Delicious and fast. Was surprised we had to order using our phones. Hope this changes. We enjoyed the vegan appetizers and mains.

Oh, man. Where to start? 1. There is no "Madurai" in this kitchen when they make biriyani with basmati rice like in a "New Delhi" restaurant. I am from Madurai. I know a bit about south Indian and north Indian biriyanis. 2. Taste is just mediocre with less salt and lesser quantity too. 3. Staff initially offered to sit exactly opposite the dinner service entrance and she said she don't want to give a 6 table since it will become busy. After insisting, she talked to a co-worker and got special 'permission' to get a 6-seater table for us. And guess what happened next? A single person sat next to us at a 6-seater table. 4. I am not a negotiating/argumentative person but this irked me. When I asked she kind of basically said " anyway I finally offered you something better than the previous one, right". I did not say much. 5. We went on Thursday for an unlimited dosa buffet. I have been to many dosa dinners. It has very mediocre. The limited option tiffin buffet is only vegetarian and the dosa is also vegetarian. I am a vegetarian so no issues for me. Sambar is like something you get at a Kannadiga hotel. Where is the Madurai-style sambar? As usual, chutneys are kept cold - not to spoil. Every restaurant does this. So can be excused. But I don't like cold chutneys. Pongal looked like already eaten- it was just a mush of something like baby food. 6. Someone please change the containers you keep buffet items in. You cannot lift that big lid with one hand with the plate in another hand. And where to keep that lid man? If you change at least one thing, please do this for god's sake. 7. Andhra Chicken curry (Spicy) nothing but a thick rasam. It is an insult to Andhra and Madurai at the same time. 8. Mutton fry biriyani and the veg biriyani in the buffet were no different. They mixed some mutton in the same veg biriyani itself. 9. Service Charge - 5% of the bill for to-go boxes since they serve in a small piece of banana leaf. When asked the owner said every other restaurant adds it to the price itself. 10. Owner asked me how the food was. We said it was just awful. She did not internalize what I said. She did not even show 10% interest when she enthusiastically explained why they charge service fees. Never mind. Not my problem except - I wasted money here. 11. Parking is not friendly. When we got parotta + chalna for the first time some 6 months back we liked it very much. It is very pathetic that many restaurants start with an edge to give an authentic regional taste and then go astray to satisfy a larger demographic audience. Wake up Madurai Kitchen. You can do better.