Gokul Chat — Restaurant in Hyderabad

For seafood fanatics, GAJALEE, (A branch of the iconic GAJALEE Restaurant at Vile Parle, Mumbai) is the place to head to in Mangalore.

The restaurant is perched on a small hillock, set in an old building in the Govt. Circuit House compound near Kadri Park. The architecture of the building is reminiscent of the Pre-Independence (pillared, tiled and whitewashed) Christian houses of Mangalore.

The main entrance opens out on either side to spacious verandahs where tables are laid out next to large windows. This served as the smoking area and I opted to sit here as it was airy with good views framed by the windows. Further inside, the central hall that housed the bar (now closed down thanks to the “My way or the Highway ruling of the Supreme court) is flanked by two large air-conditioned halls, packed with families in spite of being a weekday afternoon. But overall, the place had an easy, laid-back charm.

Narayan, the waiter was an old hand and happily gave me a tour of the exhaustive menu. You don’t come to Gajalee alone, you need to come in a convoy to do justice here.

I picked a Squid Ghee Fry, a Ladyfish Tava Masala Fry and Neer Dosas.

Unlike the deep fry technique that is common in most Southern kitchens, the Konkan folk fry seafood in a fiery ‘Wet Masala’ that is shallow fried in coconut oil and generously piled on the dish. The masala retains it wetness even when the dish is served. You can wipe the masala off and get the original taste of the fish, or wrap your neer dosa around a chunk of fish and masala (which is what I did) and chew on the deliciousness that just melts away. The squid was soft yet firm, cooked just right. The Ladyfish flaking delicately at every bite. The fluffy Neer Dosas providing just the right accompaniment.

Though the servings were generous, I was ready for another go. As I glanced through the menu again, I noticed the tagline ‘More than just a seafood restaurant’. I asked Narayan what was the best option in the non-seafood range and he pointed to Mutton Dum Biriyani, without even a blink. The biriyani came in a jiffy, dum and all. Narayan opened the pot with a flourish and the smell of the spiced meat wafted out. The mutton was falling off the bone, the long grain rice cooked just right and the spicing to die for. I scraped the pot clean, thanked Narayan and walked out thinking… Seafood and Mutton Biriyani don’t go together, said no one...

Gokul Chat in Koti is truly a landmark in Hyderabad’s street food culture. With a legacy of nearly 50years, this place has been serving delicious chaat and snacks that have remained consistent in taste and quality over the decades. Walking into the stall felt nostalgic — nothing much has changed in the last 20 years, which in a way preserves its charm. The food is as mouth-watering as ever, and I would rate the taste alone a solid 5/5.

However, while the food continues to impress, the same cannot be said about their payment system. In today’s world, where even small roadside vendors accept UPI and card transactions, it was disappointing to see that Gokul Chat still operates on a cash-only basis. This became a hassle, especially since I wasn’t carrying cash. I had to step out, transfer money digitally to an auto driver, and take cash from him just to pay for my order. That really took away from the overall experience.

Considering the high sales volume a place like this handles — possibly running into lakhs every week — it’s surprising that digital transactions are not being encouraged or enforced here. With India rapidly upgrading to digital-first facilities, one would expect iconic food joints like Gokul Chat to set an example. The lack of digital payment options raises questions about why establishments of this scale are still allowed to avoid adopting modern systems. Shouldn’t the authorities look into this and ensure compliance for customer convenience?

All in all, Gokul Chat remains a fantastic spot for food lovers, and I’ll always recommend it for its taste and nostalgic value. But the outdated payment system definitely needs to be addressed. Until they upgrade, the customer experience will continue to suffer, no matter how good the food is. For this reason, I’m giving it 4 stars out of 5 — full marks for food, but a star less for not moving...

Gajalee is one of the restaurants to lookout for if your taste buds are craving for Sea food and authentic mangalore cuisine. If you are looking for place to relax and peacefully enjoy the food without any chaos compared to so called " word famous sea food joints in Mangalore" then look no more, this is the place to go. Bonus they serve alcohol!!

The Ambience is simple yet elegant and the best part was the soft music played at the back which takes you to the calm vibe while enjoying the food.

The quality and taste of the food were no less than 5 star rating. Ordered 4 different dishes with 0 complaints on the taste. The chicken was perfectly cooked, tender and juicy with the perfect balance of spices and heat. The fish was amazing and reasonably priced. The quality is amazing , the quantity is decent however they could work on food presentation.

I would like to take a star off this restaurant purely because of safety. Think i will be the first person to point this out. Outside the restaurant in the yard and i believe we have tabes out for dinner in the evening, found 3 pet dogs. One of the dog , not sure about the breed but it definitely looked like a guard dog was not in leash, found it charging towards us while we were roaming around the place. One of the waiter did say it doesnt bite , but for most of the customers it will be too much for thier liking. The restaurants cannot be considered as kid friendly unless they mitigate the safety concern by atleast leashing the dog.

Ample of parking space for the 4 wheelers and 2. Will definitely recommend this place to all due to the ambience, food and...