Madras Cafe Indian Restaurant & Catering — Restaurant in San Diego

This is really sad because their pani puri are the best around... but this restaurant is a big risk for cross contamination, vegans, or anyone with a serious dairy intolerance or allergy. Please be careful even though they mark items as vegan there is a risk they may still cook them in ghee.

We ordered dosa and utthapam. Our server was very helpful when we noticed our food came out drenched in ghee, he noted there was ghee in it and offered to take the food back and ask the chef to remake it. Then unfortunately the chef argued and refused to remake the dish and claimed there was no ghee. We weren't sure but we ate some more, thinking we should trust what the chef says. Unfortunately it really was covered in ghee. Perhaps they didn't add it directly, but whatever they cooked on the grill beforehand was heavy in dairy.

The food was SO greasy and buttery that we had to wash our hands and faces a lot to remove the grease and butter smell. I get extremely sick from dairy so within half an hour I got very sick after leaving the restaurant. I haven't had such a terrible experience from a restaurant in several years.

Dairy allergies are really serious, but they don't take it seriously at Madras Cafe. I'm so sad that we can't trust this restaurant after today. The servers are pretty helpful but the chef can't be trusted. Just wanted to share this warning in case it's helpful for anyone else!

(Edit to add: the restaurant posted a reply claiming they "looked into it right away" and found no dairy (?!) which doesn't make sense as the food in question was long gone by the time I wrote the review. Shame on you guys for these bald-faced lies... hope you try...

We had Madras cafe cater for our son’s wedding in San Diego in May 2023. From the initial consultation, we were impressed by the professionalism and creativity of Prakash and the catering team. He took the time to understand our vision, dietary preferences, and budget, and then crafted a menu that was nothing short of spectacular. The variety of options they offered was impressive, ensuring that there was something for everyone, whether they were vegetarians, meat lovers, or had specific dietary restrictions. On the day of the wedding, the catering team arrived punctually and immediately set to work, transforming the reception venue into a gastronomical wonderland. Our guests couldn't stop raving about the visually stunning and mouthwatering appetizers, entrées, and desserts. The quality of the food itself was top-notch. Every bite was bursting with flavor, and it was evident that only the freshest and finest ingredients had been used. Our personal favorites included several types of Dosas, and chaat bar and the traditional Indian buffet

In summary, we cannot recommend Madras Cafe highly enough. Their dedication to excellence, exceptional culinary skills, and unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction made our wedding day an absolute triumph. If you're looking for a catering company that will elevate your special day to a culinary masterpiece, look no further. Thank you, Prakash for making our wedding day truly...

There is a reason why I am giving all 5 stars to this restaurant, which is simply awesome in all aspects including food. Others are their wonderful hospitality, genuine intention to serve good food, authentic Cafe atmosphere and cleanliness. It's been over 1 year since I've been living in San Diego, 6 months back I moved my family. This was one of the first restaurants I took my wife to when she craved authentic indian cuisine, and guess what? This place is an instant hit. They have a selective menu that is to the point, and not once they disappointed us in any way. Madras Cafe has been our go to place for lunch or dinner whenever we pass by Mira Mesa, we drive all the way from Escondido. Today we had an opportunity to enjoy their hospitality and authentic Thali on account of Pongal, they were busy, but didn't fail to impress us with their wonderful hospitality.

If you are with family, friends or colleagues, Madras Cafe is a restaurant I would strongly recommend. Please note, their menu not only covers South Indian, they have a decent selection of North Indian varieties where they still deliver excellence. BTW, I've seen them cater to party orders.

Madras Cafe is our go to Indian restaurant, and I rate it best as currently they stay on top of our list. I'm from Chennai (Madras) myself, and get nostalgic with not just seeing their name,...