Saravanaa Bhavan

Great food. Vegetarian options. Good flavor. Loved the masala dosa. The paper one is so big ! But little burnt. There’s a bathroom. The space inside is nice. Close enough walk to metro and Central Park. Wasn’t busy for lunch. The service is good. I liked everything. Would come back to this chain. Maybe just a bit pricey compared to other places.

The food is flavorful and has great heat (recommended only for those with a good tolerance for spice). The South Indian thali ($23.49 plus tax) made for a satisfying meal. Unfortunately the air conditioning is inadequate for peak summer conditions. And with ongoing construction indoors, you may be better off dining outside actually.

This was a 5-star vegetarian dining experience with excellent service. We dined at the Amsterdam Avenue location. The food was fresh and flavorful, and the serving sizes were just right. The dishes that were advertised as spicy were in fact spicy. Five-star reviews are rare but Saravanaa Bhavan is deserving. This place was recommended to us a by a food critic yet the google ratings average 4.2. We had more faith in the food critic and that faith paid off! For a party of 4, we ordered Vegetable Butter Masala, Palak Paneer, plantain bajji, paper masala dosa, bullet naan, garlic naan, bisibelabath, and two orders of mango lassi for a total of $108 without tip. Everything was delicious. Definitely recommend this restaurant.

We thoroughly enjoyed the diverse selection of dosas and the delicious tea at this eatery! The food truly stole the show, with each dosa variant offering a unique and flavorful experience. However, the atmosphere fell short of expectations. The compact space had a slight lapse in cleanliness, with the bathroom and floors requiring more attention. Despite this, we remain hopeful that the establishment will prioritize tidiness and maintain a cleaner environment for future patrons. Rating: 5 stars for food and service and 2 stars for atmosphere. We look forward to returning and enjoying another tasty meal in a cleaner setting!

I ordered an Uttapam, the taste wasn't that great compared to their outlets in other countries. Their service was slow, I had to ask for every little thing from the water to the check. The ambiance was underwhelming. The AC wasn't working and the washroom was also untidy.

This is our second time here. As soon as we walked in Sarath remember my husband and I and treated us with so much attention, care and always with a big smile. Sooo sweet ! He did not rested until I get satisfied with my choices( since Im very sensitive to Chilli) . Food is always great. Dosa is a dream . The manager was also stopping by. Thank you Sarath for giving us one of the most kind services that we had in Ny . We will always come back ! First Review : We simply loved the food ! We had dosa masala and lasi and felt immediately transported to India. The chutney flavors are unbelievable! The dosa quality as well . We will be back to try the food . Service is very friendly. Sarath was great and helped us ! It’s a simple place but don’t get discouraged about that !!!! Our dosas were excellent!

The food quality was great and much better than other places I have been to in NYC. I had their paper dosa which was crispy as it should be and the accompanying chutneys and sambar was delicious too.

Mini idli was not good, but Dosa's were really good. Do try onion rava masala dosa.

I really love dosa but hadn't found a good spot in the city, UNTIL NOW! My friend recommended this spot and thankfully they have multiple locations because I luv run Brooklyn and this one's a bit far. Dosa is thin and crispy and all of the dipping sauces (sambar maybe? Coconut chutney?) are great. I went to Bangalore for a work thing once and the food was incredible. Most Indian spots (at least in the tristate area) are North Indian though, so I've found it hard to get dosa / other South Indian dishes. Glad I found this spot!

Meh. Could have been better. Could have had better service. Could have had a better ambiance. The food wasn't bad... but it wasn't good. Just a meh experience all around. 3/5. I wouldn't say I'd never go back, but I'm not likely to.

Absolutely love this place. I order from here at least once a week and have visited this location multiple times, and it never disappoints. My favorite is the Mysore masala dosa and the mulgapudi onion dosa.

After living in India for almost 2 months, I really came to appreciate this spot on the UWS. Unassuming with plenty of selection for south Indian dishes , abundant with vegetables, lentils, and well seasoned grains. What you have to appreciate about this place is it's simplicity and authenticity. Even when serving masala chai tea and water, the liquid comes in a silver goblet that mirrors many places on the streets of South India like Chennai. Yes, I would agree that the interior needs more work and may feel less polished compared to other restaurants. But if you're looking for an authentic vegetarian South Indian restaurant type of an experience, then I would highly recommend this spot.

The culinary experience was nothing short of exquisite, with the masala paper dosa presenting a symphony of flavors, expertly layered within its crisp, golden exterior. The bonda, a delectable sphere of spiced potato, was a masterful blend of textures and tastes, complementing the dosa with its hearty, comforting essence. Accompanying these delights was the filter coffee, a robust and aromatic brew that served as the perfect epilogue to the meal. The service was commendably swift, ensuring a seamless flow of dishes to the table. Moreover, the ambiance was a transportive delight, evoking the vibrant essence of Southern India with its thoughtful decor and warm hospitality. Truly, it was a dining experience that spoke to the soul of South Indian gastronomy.

I have been curious about this location for a really long time. I've been to the location downtown with a large group of people and had a nice time with wonderful service. I was wanting to see what my local location (this Amsterdam location) would be like. I knew that it wouldn't be as "new" as the downtown location. I've been eyeing the reviews here for a couple of years and haven't really noticed any steady reviews so here we go - hope this helps some folks! We dined here this evening as a party of two on a Wednesday night at about 5:30pm. I could smell the dosa from two blocks away!!! I'm not even kidding. We were really ready for this experience and I was wearing my "neighborhood walking coat" - my coat did smell of spices when I arrived home but I don't mind. It was very hot inside and I was hoping to sit near the window away from the kitchen in hopes the glass would be nice and cold but the table available was for four people so we were not allowed to sit there. The location fits about 8 tables so we basically sat right near the kitchen. When we sat, two tables were occupied but understand as it can get busy. A lot of families dined here with their children and this was nice to see. When we ordered, we ordered one paper masala dosa and one idly. The idly was an appetizer and we had asked to have them both come at the same time. The waiter did not fulfill our request so we had the idly first. We were wanting to share both. We were served two idly with the chutney and lentils. It was very tasty and the chutney had a lot of flavor and heat. When the masala dosa came, it was a beautiful presentation and the chutney that came with the idly was the same. They have a beautiful dessert menu but we decided to wait until next time if I return to this location. The women's restroom was very clean. I did see a lot of dishes piled with food still on top in the basin outside the bathroom. It was not the most appealing to see but it may be a smaller staff and they may tend to it later. We almost gave the rating a three star and the three star would have been because of service and ambiance (3 stars are not bad in my opinion - it does mean "okay") We gave four because we did enjoy the food and it was all hot and fresh. One point that I would like to make and I was hesitant to mention this but feel that it is important... especially on the UWS and in America itself. It could be cultural but I do feel that as a female I was treated differently...... Poorly. My partner, a male, noticed this. It doesn't mean they are not kind but not the warmest serving experience. We have a couple of examples but I prefer not to list here. I'm thankful for a nice meal and I'm always looking to support local businesses. Some room for improvement but you will have a good meal if you are craving dosa.

Totally authentic South Indian food with a good spice level. Glad that everything is priced inexpensively and the quality of the food is always on par

Their food can be FANTASTIC, but they can be a bit inconsistent. Sometimes their dosas are super crispy and thin (see photo) but I've also gone and had dosas that were soggy with zero crisp. But the good days are so good that I take my chances. (And i suggest you do too!) The thalis are also fantastic and flavorful. Great casual spot for Indian food.

You know an Indian place is good when it leaves your fingers yellow! I'd give it a 3.8/5, round up to 4. Most places in the states are North Indian, so it's lovely to go to a South Indian restaurant and try the different foods. I have a more sensitive stomach and the masala dosa was the perfect thing. Light but still packed with (non spicy) spices and flavor. The food came out super quickly, which is always a plus. They have better outdoor seating than indoor seating, but it's all pretty good for a casual spot.

Came here with friends for a quick dinner after drinks...wasn't too busy since it was almost the end of the evening. Was able to get a table and order quickly before they closed. Place is not that big so seating is limited. Vegetarian South Indian food with selections to share with the table. The mini tiffin good - the different dosa designs were very interesting. Some of the food was a bit spicy for me, preference for mild to not spicy for me. Did feel a bit rushed given they were trying to close soon, but all was ok. Would come back to try other dishes.

Great restaurant in upper west side with amazing food. If you are looking for a solid south indian resturant that hits the taste of home, this is the place to go. The dosas are large and filling, and might be some of the most cost effective indian food in NYC. The dosas come out hot and ready, with different chutney and sambar, and can tailor the spice to your request. The dosas are quite large, but leave me wanting more. The ambiance is nice, small and informal. The service is solid, and accomadating, the only issue I faced was that they mentioned an 10pm close them. They were shutting down at around 9:30, and lied to us, saying it was closed. They later decided to change their minds, and let us in, but they only let us order dosas. So this was a very odd experience. Other than that limitation, which is different from the information mentioned at the front of the store (and everywhere online). The food is amazing, the prices are cheap, and I will be coming back.

As far as I know, this Saravanaa Bhavan is the only dosa place on the UWS so it was great for satisfying a craving with a friend. It's not much to look at on the inside, but that definitely evokes the modest vibes of the original franchise in India, where it is basically their fast food. Perhaps fittingly, the food comes out very fast, but other than that service isn't too attentive so you'll need to flag a server down if you need one. I ordered the mini tiffin to try several things, and definitely think that is the best move whether you're a first timer or just plain hungry. It comes with a "mini" masala dosa that was honestly not much smaller than my friend's full dosa (served with the usual sambar and chutneys), four idli (steamed rice cakes) covered in a stew or sauce, as scoop of kitchari (like grits but made with rice), and a carrot pudding for dessert. Forgot to take a photo but you can tell it was a lot of food! The dosa was as good as any I've had, though the portion of potato masala inside was a little small for the size of the dosa (then again, the dosa itself was bigger than I expected). My favorite was surprisingly the kitchari, which had a really pleasant soft texture and warm flavors. The carrot pudding was also the perfect little portion of sweetness to finish off the meal. You can get more affordable South Indian food in more interesting environments out in Queens, but for the area, Saravanaa Bhavan does a good job repping the cuisine and hopefully enticing newcomers to try it, as well as serving a convenient niche for dosa lovers who don't want to schlep out.

Being greeted at the door with a smile and made to feel welcome and appreciated is one reason we travel an hour to eat at Saravanaa Bhavan. The other is the wonderful food - seriously flavorful, perfectly spiced and always satisfying. We love the place and heartily recommend it.

This place is our favorite for vegetarian food. Food is always fresh and service is timely. Their dosas are the best so far in the city. Their thali's are also very generous portions. Safe bet if you wanna eat healthier but less pricier food. Very close to Columbia university campus. Nice options on the menu.

The place is pretty small and also quite popular so do expect to wait 10-20 minutes for a table if it's busy. I got the paper masala dosa and it was BIIIIGGGG. I did not finish haha. The dosa was definitely very thin and super crispy. I was also able to try to onion dosa and I actually preferred the normal dosa to the paper dosa since you get a good combination of crunchy and chewy textures with the regular dosa. The paper dosa may have been too crispy! The potatoes inside of the dosa was super yummy. Well seasoned and flavorful. There were four sauces that came with the dosa but I do not know what each were. At least 3 of the 4 were mildly spicy so do note that! Many families and friends who come here in groups.

Go-to spot if you're looking for South Indian delicacies all for a reasonable price. Dosa, idli, thali are all great options. Place is fully vegetarian.

Absolutely love this restaurant/cafe for its South Indian cuisine. All their locations have consistent taste and quality. The service is fast and friendly. Depending on the location there is indoor and outdoor seating. It is not very noisy but not quiet either. The quality of food is exceptional. I've tried a bunch of their dishes where I dined in or it was Togo and that didn't affect the quality or the temperature of the food served. Highly recommend their Mini Tiffin and filter coffee. It's a must visit if in the area. Kudos to the staff and management!

Saravanaa Bhavan has great food and service! The ambiance is fast casual but there is ample seating. Our party of two had dosas and thali. The server told us that it would probably be too much food for us which I appreciated. It was a lot of food but it was also nice to try a variety of options. The cheese dosa is very delicious! Crispy and a little tart. Would recommend!

I have been coming to this location many times and it always satisfies my dosa cravings! The food is always reliable and have tried many items and they're all good. I've only had the South Indian dishes here so not sure how the North Indian dishes are. The service is always good as well as they are pretty attentive even when they are super busy. We were waiting for a dish for one of the people on our table so the server gave her some sweet for free so we all could start eating and she wouldn't feel left out. The place is small so be prepared to wait for some time if it gets busy but once seated the service is very fast! Overall love coming here from time to time!

We were visiting NYC from the SF Bay area on a multi-generation trip and staying in hotel beacon close by. We were so excited to see Saravanaa bhavan close by however the service, seating, food was so disappointing. The inside seating is very dirty, and outside was super hot with an exhaust running over your head. The service was completely apathetic and we had to struggle to get the servers attention The food was disappointing. We ordered a bunch of different things but nothing stood out.

This is a great place to get South Indian food in UWS. I love the Mysore masala dosa, set meals, poori, and chaas in particular. The prices are a bit high, but it's worth it for a little taste of home in the neighborhood.

Such a disappointment over the years, the quality and service have both gone to hell Came here to eat, sat outside, went to wash my hand and when I got back, there were no chairs to my table! The staff guy, who refused to tell me his name, I had to take a picture, kept coming and standing over me and yelling they had to accommodate a table of ten and took my chairs away, so I have to eat standing??? He was super rude, kept yelling and being rude, until I asked his name, then he disappeared and refused to tell me his name. I asked to speak with the owner multiple times, but they refused saying the owner is not around If you are only interested in parties of 10 Or more to make money, just don't have others sit at your restaurant! There were other parties of two waiting, and the staff did not care about them either, making them wait and being super rude with them One poor couple was waiting for their to go order, and got only half of it, with this rude guy ignoring them completely Last time I come to this place, and I will submit an complaint with the BBB regarding this fellows threatening and rude behavior

Had the potato bonda and the kadai paneer tikka masala. Both were very good and would go back to try other items for sure.

Great and cute little restaurant serving South Indian traditional breakfast foods on the UWS. We got the rava onion masala dosa (pictured) and onion peas uttapam (not pictured) and both did the trick. They came quickly and were hot, with decent quality Sambar, tomato and coconut chutney. The third yellow chutney, made with lentils and coconut, was really good. Sambar and chutneys are definitely not spicy so keep your expectations aligned with that. I'm pretty sure you could get exactly this kind of thing in Edison/Parsippany and it's nice to have it in Manhattan. Service was speedy and attentive. Prices are reasonable for NYC - and since portions are so large (we split 2 items x 3 people) it was actually quite economical.

Prices drastically increased, making it no longer worth it to dine at. $17 for basically bread and a pittance of vegetables is a scam. Hate being stood over while tipping on an electronic payment system, it's predatory and their service never warrants above a few dollars of a tip, if that.

After hearing so much about this spot I had to take my family visit NYC to try this place out! Stopped by here on a Sunday evening around 8 pm and got seated immediately. Didn't realize they have two seating areas. One that's nicer and the other that's a little dated busy. We ended up sitting in the more fated area, not realizing that there was a nicer area on the other side. My family and I were just trying to avoid the crowds and decided to sit a bit far back. We ordered the rava ghee dosa, the masala dosa, the paneer dosa, and the ghee dosa. Portions were huge and filling and food arrived fast. Each and every dosa was delicious and came with 3 really spicy dipping sauces. I recommend getting the sweet lassi to digest and cook your stomach after the spicy dosa and sauces. Overall, great experience and would definitely come back to try more!

2023/08/22 - Early dinner on a Tuesday evening, there was a rush starting around 5:45. Vada was the best part of the meal. Dosas were good, but the amounts of sambar and masala were disappointingly low. The Podi Kara Dosa was a little disappointing; the podi was not as spicy as we hoped. The dosas here are NOT gluten free, but many other dishes are. Overall, not too impressed; food is decent, but not worth the price.

Amazing dosa ! Got the spiced dosa and cheese dosa, loved them both! Also mango lassi was bomb

This is definitely one of the hole in the wall restaurants that can be easily be missed but I'm thankful it came on to my radar. They are known for their dosa plates. They have a large variety from plain to masala to aloo(potato) and each are so yummy. Each Dosa comes with 4 chutneys to pair with. I also had Channa Masala which also doubled for my lunch the next day. Their masala chai tea was the perfect accompaniment to wash it all down. I also had the mango lassi which was pretty average but still good because mango is always great. I asked for their recommended beer which is pretty popular in India and I can totally see why. It's a tasty lager. For dessert I had the gulab jamun which are fried dough-balls in a sweet sauce, a very very sweet sauce xD. All in all, I would definitely recommend going here if you love dosa.

I ordered the masala dosa to go via their website for to go. When I arrived, the waiter was confused about it. I was curious as they should have a device to let them know. I showed him the email and he confirmed, but I ended up having to wait for them to make the order from scratch which was another 15 minute wait. A bit frustrating as ordering online to go for pickup should be smooth, but it honestly wasn't. The masala dosa was good and definitely hit the spot, but I am going to reflect the reviewers and say that their service, operations, and other aspects of running a business leave much to be desired. One of those places where the food has to be so good to outweigh their service cons. Also, I read reviews of them leaving things out so I checked to make sure I got 3 chutneys and my sambar with my order. Also, I opened my to go container to make sure there was actually the filling in the dosa as a review below me mentioned of getting only a crepe and not the filling inside. The prices of my pictures are as of December 2022. Also, I submitted the most updated website for to go ordering as the current link looks is shady.

The food here is AMAZING! I got a mini tiffin and my date got the veg uttapam. Very falvorful and filling south Indian delicacies. The menu is so overwhelming, but it seems all good. I would totally come here again. The service is just okay. We had to wave down our waiter several times to place an order and settle up the tab, but the food definitely made up for it!

Wow the food here is so good!! We had the thali, paratha, ghee idli and uttapam. The uttapam especially was delicious and spicy. Also the ghee idli is always our favorite!! This place is awesome for authentic South Indian cuisine.

My friend and I came here on a Friday afternoon. It wasn't crowded or too busy so the service was fast. We ordered a plain dosa and Kara dosa which came out quick. The Kara dosa was spicy, but not too spicy that you were dying. They were both really yummy. My friend also ordered a tea that she said was really small for the price paid. (Not pictured)

Great place ! Authentic , been there many times , outstanding quality , service and value

Great dosa and decent service! No, you're not going to get the best service of your life but will you get fed and seen after in a timely manner? Yes! Are the prices decent for the portions? Again, yes! Well worth a visit - tons of choices for various dosas and other South Indian food items. I love the chili dosas the best.

- Rude staff, also forced tip of 20% after providing bad service - Food quality was pretty bad so possibly this is not an original chain (if you look at hygiene reports they even have vermin reports as well) - They keep everything pre prepared so will offer no customizations (like no chill/no garlic etc) ~ nothing is freshly made!

I'm so so happy that my favorite dosa place is my favorite dosa place again! I have no idea what happened there for a while, but because our daughter is a huge dosa fan we had to revisit Saravanaa and I was quite hesitant because of previous service and food issues. Thankfully, the goodness that was once before has been restored and we are back to dining here often again! They always make sure my daughter's dosa is exactly how she likes it, and now our son is a fan too and loves pulling food off his sister's plate. The paper dosa and the cheese masala dosa with a mango lassi are our staples and do not disappoint! Thankfully the sambar and all the chutneys are full of flavor again and always fresh. Thanks Saravanaa for making a come back!

Not so world no.1. Especially dosas . They were bland and no taste . Service was quick though and on time .

We're traveling via NYC and were craving some good Indian food thoroughly enjoyed the lunch there. Food was very tasty. The customer service was just ok but with good food didn't worry much. They had outdoor seating which was plus at these times. Tried their mini meals, dosa and rasam vada. Liked all of them.

The first time I ever had a dosa was at Saravanaa Bhavan and it absolutely changed my life. I've come back countless times since then. My favorite dosas here are the Mysore masala dosa and the onion rava masala dosa. I'm very partial to dosas with masala in it because potatoes are basically my favorite food in the world. The masala to dosa ratio for the paper masala dosa was too small for me though. The onion chili rava dosa was super spicy since it's chockfull of chilis. I also love their uppatham though they really do take a while to come out, as noted on their menu. Highly recommend the tomato onion chili uppatham. It's packed with flavor! I finally tried their curries recently. The palak paneer was solid, and comes with a side of rice. While it was good, it wasn't amazing so I'd come here for the dosas and look elsewhere for curries. Service here can be spotty. It took us a while to get our menus and a while again to order. Food came out pretty promptly though.

Not having an air conditioned dining space is inexcusable. Combine that with the poorly kept interiors and indifferent service and you got yourself a very subpar experience. Decent food, that's about it.

As you walk around this block of the UWS Amsterdam Ave, you get amazing scents of India and great south Indian cuisine. I'll give you a heads up that most of the negative reviews are related to the service at this restaurant. I honestly expect poor service at most NYC restaurants. I expect worse service if I ever go to an Indian restaurant. However, read all the reviews for Saravanaa Bhavan. VERY FEW are negative about the food. The food is awesome. It's authentic, it's flavorful, it's CHEAP, and it's fresh. The place itself is small, service is slow/inattentive, but the focus is on getting your order right and done WELL. I personally have no major complaints with this place. It's great Indian 'soul food' with great prices for NYC and fresh quality and good location. You can't miss the smells wafting down amsterdam!

It's the end of July 2020 and I came by with a friend for dinner. The food: the food was pretty good. It's South Indian, which I think I like more than central/North Indian since it's more veggie and curry based. We had the rice meal (a bunch of sides and rice). The yogurt with onion spread was amazing! It was good overall. We also had the plantain dish but it was disappointing- I love plantains but it didn't taste anything like it and the sauces were also bland. The service: service was good. Atmosphere: this is the part that gets me. Everything we used was disposable! I know it's Covid time and it's scary for many people, but it is so wasteful and such a poor dining experience when I am drinking out of plastic cups and eating out of to-go containers. I don't think offering table service is beneficial - just have people grab the food and let them use the tables. Also, soap kills Covid so I really don't see the value of using to-go containers for dining guests.

I have always been a fan of saravana Bhavan in India and California. It was disappointing to learn that our dinner was prepared early in the morning in queens b or Long Island and trucked into Manhattan. Other than the snacks which was prepared on the premises, the actual thali dishes, chutney and sambar were prepared 12 hours earlier. Concerned about safety.

This is my hometown chain (Chennai) and so I always have a soft corner. I usually go the one on Lex since I used to live very close by in Kip's Bay. I was in the area here in UWS and gave it a shot. The food itself is pretty good but I would rather do takeout or delivery than eat here. They were understaffed and so service is slow and rushed. They have no liquor license - I am not a big drinker so it doesn't bother me but it might be a pain for some people who may want to eat dinner here. Inside seating is limited. Outside seating is okay but looks like you may need a reservation. If you just want good dosas and South Indian without much expectations for dining experience , this is a good place.

Came here on a casual Monday evening with a friend who had been here before. He wanted to us to experience dosas and had raved about different locations before. We walked in and were promptly seated at a table of four. I cannot remember any of the names of the dishes, but we ordered an appetizer commonly eaten in India that resembled dough balls floating in a green curry type soup. This was shared between all of us and was pretty good. We then ordered 2 different types of dosas and shared all of them. My favorite sauce was the yellow potato mixture and the green sauce. However, overall, everything served to us was EXTREMELY salty. I cannot understate how thirsty I was and how much water I chugged while there and immediately after I left. As a result, I don't think I will be back and would not recommend a friend come to this location. Even my friend who had wanted to come here was disappointed by the food.

Bad tasting food and deserts. The appetizers had no flavor and I threw out gulab jamun because they were so bad. Not worth the money.

This place is a tight slap to authentic South Indian food. Horrible food. Too oily. Mostly raw. It's like they don't even try anymore. Sarvana Bahavan is a trusted brand but this place is a sham. Will never ever go back. My stomach still hurts after eating the shitty food

Got the veg Thalis and Dosa, very good for a great price! A real veg gem in NYC, properly spiced food. Will come again!