Rayar's mess — Restaurant in Zone 9 Teynampet

Rayar’s Mess is located in the not-so-quiet lanes of Mylapore, nestled amongst the jumble of clustered houses and businesses. Don’t worry if you can’t find its exact location right away. As you arrive in the vicinity you will see bunches of food delivery agents hanging out at the beginning of the narrow lane that leads up to this eatery. The place was crowded on this Sunday morning and so our prospective wait time was 25 minutes for a table inside. However, once they heard me speak in Kannada, they asked if I was willing to stand and eat inside (if you are from Bengaluru, you will have no qualms about standing & eating like at a darshini). The banana leaf service follows a nice sequence with flavorful Pongal at the beginning, served with chutney (and sambar, Chennai style). Then comes the medu vada and finally the meal is rounded off with idlis. They also serve chutney pudi with a choice of ghee or oil. The idlis were not big, but were fluffy and the sambar made the perfect pairing with them. The service is continuous and never is your plate empty till you desire it to be. What you finally end up eating is what you pay for on the honour system, as no one is keeping count of food served other than the person eating. You can buy a bottle of water or just get water served in a steel glass. The coffee can be black or with milk and sugar. There is extra decoction in the serving tray for those who might want their coffee stronger. While I was waiting for my coffee, I heard the server call out for a customer who had asked for coffee with extra sugar. The wait for my black coffee was in the lane outside, and it gave me time to contemplate on my food experience.

It might not be too far-fetched to say that the unassuming doorway to Rayar’s Mess is a portal, as once you enter, you are transported to the world of pure south Indian fare served fresh and piping hot like at a home. This modest place is owned and run by a family who understand the importance of feeding the best fare they can rustle up, day after day, to whoever comes asking for it. I sincerely wish for them to get a larger place for their operations. It does not look like the food has changed much in the 80 plus years of the eatery’s operations and it doesn’t...

Heard about it's quality & táste but never got an opportunity to visit. This time I made it a point to go. The place is extremely simple, looking like a backyard of an apartment complex and no one can guess such an restaurant was running there.

I went around 9.45 am and went straight in to find a chair, unlike others, who need to register their name in a old note Book and wait for the signal from Rayar uncle.

Quite busy even at closing time, lot of take home orders were executed while serving sitting customers.

Without asking me what I want, a half leaf was placed in front of me and a guy served HOT PONGAL. Though I have no intention of having Pongal somehow I have accepted their ways of practice.a Kara chutney (hot) was served apart from regular chutney & sambar. And hot vadai arrived in the middle and i was mesmerized to say YES whatever was offered, like Ketty chutney ( someone murmured it's extra- who brothers) my taste buds had a good time and i ordered ( first time) Crispy vadai which was hot & crispy just taken out of kadaai. Then came HOT IDDLY! You don't mind, the order, and i keep on saying yes. It was also served hot. Chutney boy and sambar boy was fighting to serve again & again with pleasure and i eat more sambar than required!

Finally coffee came! Followed by a boy asking for EXTRA DICOCTION which is not required as it's strong enough!

You need to inform the Bill counter for preparing bill. payments were made instantly with smile. I asked the person, if anyone missed an item then isn't a loss? He said simply IF THEY MISSED ANYTHING THEN IT'S NOT UPTO THEIR EXPECTATIONS AND IT'S MISSED OUT. HENCE WHATEVER HE REMEMBERS IS BILLED!!

I can go on wondering about the many features of Royar mess, but it's MARVELLOUS if I want it express in one word!!

Keep on your service!! Royar family deserves appreciation for their dedication!! Don't miss it next Time when you are in...

This restaurant boasts a charming traditional ambiance and offers a limited menu, but the food is quite delicious.. 😋🤤 For those who enjoy traditional South Indian dishes like Idli, Dosa, and Vada, I encourage you to try them. If not, it might be best to avoid them.. 👍🏻

In the morning, they offer only three items Idli, Pongal, and Vada, with Ketti Chutney and Podi available separately for an additional charge, But seriously, don’t miss out on the amazing taste of ketti chutney! You’ve got to try mixing it with sambar and Pongal for that divine Rayar's mess experience..🫠🤗

One of the best things is they serve it super hot, which makes it taste even better..!🔥 So, if you're getting a parcel or ordering online, you won't get the real restaurant taste. You should definitely try dining in..👌🏻 Don’t leave without trying the filter coffee, it’s like a hug for your taste buds from Mylapore!😘☕

Additionally, the service provided by the staff at the hotel is consistently excellent, they are usually polite and always willing to help.. 🙏🏻😊

It's a tiny place where only 12 people can eat at once, and it has this old-school vibe with tables and chairs, sure, it’s not a five-star setup like those big veg joints, but the flavor is a hundred times more awesome!!! 😊

And the prices..? It's just the cherry on top, totally reasonable for a budget-friendly place!😎 They are accepting UPI payment and cash..

It's a really tiny street, so finding parking on the main roads is tough and Usually, there are about 10 to 20 people hanging out outside, and you’ll probably wait around 20 to 30 minutes to get seated.....