Shri Masala Cafe Chettinad — Restaurant in Chelmsford

Edit: The owners responded 3 months after this review was posted so obviously they're lying. I had the same server the whole night. Don't come up with excuses and just apologize and say your staff will do better.

After a long day of traveling, I was expecting with the high ratings for this place, that the food would be really good and that the service would be exceptional. When we were seated, the table was so wobbly that we knew we wouldn't be able to eat comfortably, so we asked to be moved and they were more than happy to accommodate. That's where things went down. We asked for one samosa set (it comes with 2 samosas). They ended up bringing two and our server apologized saying that she accidentally put in two orders. We only ate the two samosas, but they ended up charging us for two sets DESPITE US TELLING THEM WE ONLY WANTED ONE. Then all three of us ordered our food, my friend ordered his chicken Tikka masala first and she asked for his spice level, then my other friend ordered and stated she had an allergy and then I ordered. One, it seems like they have no idea how the food is made and they don't know what dishes contain peanuts and which don't. Two, they never brought out my first friend's order of the chicken Tikka Masala. The server then proceeded to blame us for not confirming the order when I asked where his food was. And not once, but twice did they bring something that we didn't order. One, they shouldn't have charged us for the extra set of samosas. Two, they shouldn't have blamed us for something they failed to do. The food was okay. It wasn't even made as it should have been made. Still unclear how this place has high ratings for sub par quality of service and food. (This is coming from someone who is...

If you’re looking for the best authentic Tamil restaurant in Massachusetts, this place is an exceptional choice. Despite my son not being an adventurous eater, he now eagerly anticipates our visits here. Whenever we mention dining out, he always requests Mamas Spicy Chicken, his favorite dish from Masala Cafe, which has also become a staple for us.

The menu features a variety of outstanding dishes, including Bhai Veetu Biriyani, Mann Satti Soru, and Kudal Kuzhambu—all consistently top-notch. Though we don’t often visit Indian restaurants in Massachusetts, we find ourselves drawn to Masala Cafe almost every week, sometimes even on weekdays.

What truly distinguishes this restaurant is its authenticity and genuine hospitality. The dishes are served with true native flair, making you feel as though you’ve been transported straight to Tamil Nadu. The staff, owner, are exceptional—friendly, attentive, and deeply committed to creating a memorable dining experience.

Every visit feels like a special occasion, and we often forget we’re in the USA, feeling instead like we’re in Tamil Nadu. The vegetarian options are equally impressive, with the Pongal being a particular highlight. Each visit to this restaurant is a culinary delight and a cherished experience for our family

Consistency is pretty impressive and last but not least I would like to thank Chef...

01/19/2025: Anyone missing Chennai, Tamilnadu food and ambience must come here to dine. The Thalapakatti mutton biryani tasted like the one that we had in Chennai many years ago. The mutton was tender and so delicious. The seeraga samba rice was cooked right and it blended in the flavors. The other dishes were also delicious especially the Schezwan chicken rice was cooked with nice Indian Chinese mix. Also heard that mutton kothu barota is very good. I would request the owner to look at Clover card payment device which is charging additional money while paying using any kind of card. This I found very unusual in these days. For higher payments this could charge a lot. Use cash to avoid this if you’re carrying a lot of cash. Otherwise everything else was very good in terms of the ambience and pleasant instrumental playing in the background. Also the menu card and the walls are filled with funny thamizh...