Hotel Sagar — Restaurant in Kerala

A Mixed Bag at Hotel Sagar – Great Flavors, Room for Improvement We recently dined at Hotel Sagar with high expectations, and while some parts of the experience delighted us, others left us tapping our fingers and raising our eyebrows. First things first, the wait. Yes, we understand a popular place attracts crowds, especially in the air-conditioned dining area. But what really tested our patience was watching familiar faces of the staff breeze past us… and somehow magically seat guests who arrived well after us. It’s one thing to wait your turn, it’s another to feel invisible while VIPs get priority. Not the best first impression. Now let’s talk food, because here’s where things pick up. We ordered the chicken biryani, and while it wasn’t anything groundbreaking, it was decent. Flavors were balanced, though we wish the chicken had been a bit more tender and the spices a touch bolder. Next came the caramel custard, and it was genuinely good, smooth, creamy, with just the right sweetness. Unfortunately, they only had one left The fruit salad with ice cream was a refreshing treat. Fresh fruits, chilled creaminess, and generous portions made it a lovely pick, especially on a hot day. But the true hero of the meal? Without a doubt, the chicken lollipop. Perfectly fried, crispy on the outside, juicy inside, and carrying that punch of spice that makes you nod in satisfaction after every bite. Highly recommended! We also tried the fish karimeen, and it was delicious, tender, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. A bit on the pricier side, but if you're in the mood to splurge on good seafood, it’s worth it. Service, however, could use some serious polishing. The staff seemed overwhelmed and under-trained. There were long gaps between ordering and getting served, and at times it was hard to even flag someone down. More hands on deck and better customer attentiveness would go a long way in elevating the overall experience. Final thoughts: Hotel Sagar has the culinary chops to shine, but it’s the service and seating etiquette that need some love. If they can sort out the crowd management and service speed, this place could easily become a go-to favorite.

Food: 4/5 Service: 2.5/5 Ambience: 3.5/5 Value for Money: 3.5/5 Overall: A good experience with standout dishes, just come with patience and a bit of luck...

I would say we visited it out of nostalgia, having first visited the place about 20 years ago. Not sure if we visited the OG branch, so I am not sure how much it is relevant. The food did not taste as good as we remember, to be honest. The roots felt the same but the flavours stood one step ahead all those years ago. We tried chicken biryani, porotta and fish curry. Biryani lacked the heavy spice puch we were expecting; rice was a bit dry with less than desired ghee and was underwhelming in terms of quantity. Porotta was the best dish we had that day, it was flaky, soft and felt like it melted in the mouth with fish curry. On that topic, the seer fish (aykoora) curry's gravy was mild and almost as good as I remember but it was the fish piece that felt lackluster since it was ever so slightly slimy and didn't feel very fresh. We were there at the wrong time in the noon so had to wait roughly 10 minutes to find a place. The waiters were fully engaged most of the time and were hard to come across, but courteous. We had to wait about 10 to 15 minutes for them to complete serving, but no complaints given the crowd at the time. On the topic of parking vehicles, only limited space is available so they have valets that park our car elsewhere for free and bring them back after we are done at...

I visited this restaurant on 13/09/2025 during lunchtime. As expected, the ground floor was crowded, and it was difficult to get a seat. The staff guided me to the first floor, where seating was available without much wait.

The waiters came promptly to take the order. Since we were very hungry, we chose items that are usually pre-prepared: two chicken biriyanis, one beef biriyani, and one Kerala meal. Soon after, glasses of water were served. About 15 minutes later, pickles, salad, papad, and chutney were brought to the table.

However, the main dishes took much longer. The biriyanis were served only after nearly 30 minutes, and the Kerala meal came another 15 minutes later. The biriyani was tasty, but the kerala meal quality was disappointing as it was overcooked and clumpy. The salad was served in a small portion, and even upon request, it was not refilled, which felt unsatisfactory.

Overall, while the food was flavorful, the delays in serving, portion sizes of accompaniments, and rice quality need improvement. With some better attention to service and consistency, this restaurant could offer a much better...