Ninan's Restaurant — Restaurant in Zone 5 Royapuram

Ninan's Restaurant is touted to be one of the legendary eateries of Chennai that has a huge fan following with several celebrities crushing over it. Located in N.S.C. Bose Road within the YMCA Building, which itself is an Architectural beauty, this restaurant literally transports you back in time with large rooms with high ceilings, stunning stained glass , old black and white photographs of the restaurant that has been open for since 1956. The highlight apart from the food were the uniformed service staff who have spent decades here mastering the art of service and were extremely polite and helpful.

I was a little late to the lunch party, around 3 PM, so some items that I wanted to try like the mutton biryani were unavailable. I settled down with a Chicken fry meal, and a masala omelette and later went for a Chicken biryani too and ended with their iconic caramel custard. The chicken fry meals came with their signature chicken masala which was a semi gravy thokku style with some potato chips on the side, with a mound of rice in a plate, a flat bowl of chicken curry without meat, a poriyal and pickle in small plate, poppadoms, and two glasses containing rasam and buttermilk each. It was a very Kerala infused meal, the chicken curry was very flavourful without the heat, but the chicken masala was nice and mildly spicy and went wonderfully well with the rice. Rasam was decent especially with the snake gourd poriyal and that lime pickle was superbly tangy. While I chose to drink the buttermilk, I also chose to sample their biryani and asked for it, hoping to pack the remaining home later. They only had chicken biryani then so I tried this nice and mildly flavoured biryani. It was something between a Chennai and Kerala style biryani, with a good quality of chicken pieces, though I could not finish and I packed it home.

For the finale, I chose their iconic caramel custard and found it extremely satisfying in the Chennai heat. It was sweet, less eggy, jiggly and made to perfection, something they have been crafted and perfected over decades. Even if you are not here for lunch or dinner, you must drop in just for the caramel custard, it is something you cannot miss on your next trip to Chennai. I hope I get to visit them soon in my next visit and...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5

One of those heritage restaurants that truly lives up to the hype! After seeing it on Instagram, my friend and I had to check if it was really worth it and it absolutely was. The ambience, service, and overall experience were fantastic.

The restaurant has this classic, almost military-style charm, maintaining its legacy beautifully. The vintage atmosphere instantly takes you back to a 90s-style dining experience-nostalgic, authentic, and unforgettable.

As for the food, it was equally impressive. The biryani was perfectly spiced, fragrant, and flavorful. The non-vegetarian meals were rich and satisfying, cooked to perfection with just the right balance of spices. And the custard for dessert? Absolutely divine creamy, smooth, and the perfect ending to a memorable meal.

Highly recommend this place if you want to enjoy both a taste of history and some truly delicious food...

I had a disappointing experience at Ninan's Restaurant in the hotel. The food quality was subpar, and I found it to be overpriced. It's disheartening when you pay a premium for a meal and it doesn't meet your expectations. The flavors were lacking, and the presentation was underwhelming. Additionally, the prices on the menu were quite high, making it even more disappointing when the food didn't justify the cost.

I had higher hopes for a restaurant in such a reputable hotel, but sadly, it fell short of my expectations. I hope they can improve the quality of their dishes and consider adjusting their pricing to better match the dining experience they offer. Until then, I'd advise potential diners to explore other dining options in the area for a more satisfying and reasonably...