Dakshinayan

We were a party of 3 for lunch on a Wednesday . Getting a table was easy as we were there around 12.00 noon. Around 12.30pm the restaurant was practically full. The seating is spread out , the space is nice and bright and very clean . The aircon facing us was on high cool so we had them turn it down and they obliged . The food was amazing - for drinks we had the fresh sugar cane juice ,filter coffee and fresh lime soda , all of which were really good - the coffee could have been hotter . Starters we had rasam vada & kancheepuram idli to share - both were well made - vada was soft and so was the idli. The rasam was top notch. Mains we shared a ghee masala dosa , masala vada and pesarattu -all three were really good . Desserts we had were falooda kulfi, kesar pista kulfi and filter coffee affogato. All three did not disappoint. Service would have been 5* except for a very reluctant server who stood across the table staring at everything but did not take orders or help. The restaurant sells two kinds of podi and rasam/ sambar powder in their own brand .

Ambience: ambience was more of a casual dining area with even the cutlery, plates used were of inferior quality Parking: Parking available in the premises of the restaurant. Waiting time: we had a waiting time of 10-15min but were comfortable during the waiting time as there were sofas near the entrance for people who wait for the restaurant. Service: Service staff were attentive and quick but need a serious training on hygiene. For instance, while serving sugar on the table alongside filter coffee the service staff holded the usable end of the spoon with bare hands and inserted it in the sugar bowl. By the way, the sugar bowl in itself had some water droplets fallen in it as the sugar was in clumps. Just this instance showed how serious they could be while serving 'n' number of items to multiple tables throughout the day with their bare hands holding everything in sight. Food: We tried their idly, wada, bisibeli hullianna and Mysore masala dosa apart from filter coffee. Idly was fresh but not served hot. It was already cold by the time it reached our table. Accompaniments included coconut chutney,sambar, Tomato chutney and another red chutney (unsure what it was,as it was tasteless). Most of their accompaniments were really delicious and the restaurant is overall generous on serving the chutneys/sambar. Wada was not over oily and didn't have signs of excessive baking soda usage. It is good to find wada made in homestyle that is not so airy/oily. Bisibeli rice was delicious with lots of veggies added in it accompanied by a crispy papad. Mysore masala dosa was also thinking but soft with a tasty filling. Raita was extremely thick and tasty. Filter coffee was a highlight of our visit. Overall the food was on the healthier side with adequate portion sizes. If the cutlery, plates or ambience improved further then the prices of the items could be justified. Otherwise,it is not value for money when the cleanliness/hygiene is compromised. For the items on the menu that are mostly tiffins (idly,wada sevai,dosa, etc) and the ambience being okayish (seating, crockery and cutlery used kind of hygiene in service staff), the prices of the items was way too high. There are many other south Indian restaurants in other parts of Mumbai for people to explore south Indian whether in a casual dining style or a fine dining one. Maps and route: Maps was incorrect with respect to guiding a vehicle to the restaurant. It constantly showed that we should turn towards a smaller gully that was a dead end to jump and reach the rear end of the dakshinayan restaurant probably and seriously needs some correction on the location of their front entrance.

Visited Dakshinarayan Restaurant, just a short walking distance from Mukteshwar Mandir. Tried their Paniyaram (rice vada), crispy masala dosa (on request), and mini steamed idlis. The food was beyond my expectations ~ fresh, flavorful, and authentic. I especially loved their coconut chutney and sambar ~ not too spicy, just perfect. The dosa was crisp and well-made, though personally, I prefer dosa without masala inside. The fresh lime soda (salted) was refreshing, and the sugarcane juice was absolutely fresh and energizing. The restaurant is simple, not fancy, but well-maintained with decent hygiene. Washing area is outside, and service was prompt and polite ~ not like a high-end fine dining setup, but focused on good food, which is exactly what I came for. Parking is available, which makes it convenient for visitors. If you’re visiting Mukteshwar Mandir, I’d definitely recommend trying this place for authentic South Indian food. I was fully satisfied and would love to visit again!

Must try south dishes Recommended if you are Dosa Uttapam lover u will get limited but nice Variety of dishes only south Indian dishes

The food is tasty. Their butter podi idli is top similar to Rameshwaram cafe’s ghee podi idli. Chatney sambhar etc was good too. Must go place for south indian food lover. Staff is courteous and overall experience was pleasant.

Dakshinayan is one of my absolute favourite places for South Indian food. Their mini podi idlis is my absolute favourite. We tried their ambassador idli which is their mini idlis dipped in sambar with some onions which was super flavourful and also had their Mysore masala dosa. On weekends it’s a bit crowded so account for some wait time.

Its a must try place for south indian food lovers. We ordered mix uthhapam, triangle masala dosa, onion tomato idli, and filter coffee. Their chutneys are a notable highlight. Plus it's right by the Iscon Temple in Juhu. The decor is subtle but comforting with all the thanjavore paintings. Overall it's a great place.

Have been to Dakshinayan many a times and always found the food to be very average, the staff is overworked, and ambience is very very noisy. I prefer to cook south indian dishes at home and eat at peace.