Chennai Masala

Reviews 5

GU

Gunjan Vaishnav

Why do you go out for lunch, with friends and family on a christmas like occassions (in this case it was Diwali)? Celebrate? Food? Service? Ambience? Space? or mix of some or all of these.. We also went - keeping these in mind - to celebrate! Unfortunately for us it turned out to be NIGHTMARE.. We ended up getting sub-standard food, unjustified and partial treatment, absolutely HORRIBLE service (or none at all) and to top everything up THEY KICKED US OUT WITHOUT LETTING US FINISH OUR FOOD.. Now if you end up paying $15/meal for such a horrible experience + RIDDICULOUS 18% gratuity on buffet.. It is painful. It should not happen even to your worst enimy when they are with their friends and family to celebrate something! Well, may god be with you if you go there. This is how it looks like- - When you enter on a crowded day, a lady welcomes you with that fakish pro smile - after all you are customer! - She would give you a buzzer - which would never go on in the order that you are expecting - You would think your turn would come eventually in that order. But BEWARE, you would be caught by surprise if you arent paying attention. She would take other people OUT OF TURN (not sure what is the winning combination to be such lucky guy!) and you would keep waiting.. and waiting.. - Once you get place to sit, thats pretty much end of all the service they provide. Rest all is horror. - You get your meals, eat and spare few minutes to decide whether you want to go for next course or Indian Tea.. AND THIS IS WHERE SHE COMES AGAIN, REMINDING YOU THAT SHE OWNS THIS PLACE, SHE NEEDS THE TABLE FOR OTHER CUSTOMER, YOU PLEASE GO.. Remember, you have not finished all that you paid for already! - If you try to talk to her to explain, she would push all the burden on to you "HOW DO I MANAGE THIS CROWD, TELL ME?", "I HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE WAITING" ... as if you are the expert consultant on Food channel. Restaurants have right to refuse the service. But once you pay it is your right and they cannot deny what you have paid for! May be such a hopeless and horrendous treatment to customers would be pretty much a walk of life in "Chennai" but that is not how entire India is. If you want to see the beauty if customer service just try going in other superb restaurants around the town. And mind well, staff over there would keep on talking in their local Indian language around you. Dont be fooled by their tone and facial expressions, chances are that they are swearing on you! May be just because you came few mins before closing bell.. Thats another icing on already "delicious" cake that they serve in the form of food and service.. Chef Robert Irvine, are you listening? This is the restaurant for you, if so much comes out in front of hundreds of customers, I cannot imagine what would be going inside the kitchen.

---

AT

Atit Thakar

We were at this restaurant for Festival lunch with friends & family. After waiting for almost an hour with a buzzer in hand watching people coming after us being made to sit before us was upsetting to begin. Finally after asking at least thrice why we were not being accommodated, the manager decided to give us our place. There was a long Que for the buffet & I had barely made to seat the owner asked one of our friends to hurry up as she had other people waiting...Really.... Well to add to horror one of friends had to leave & he made all the payments...Our Bad luck....as the lady came again in 5 mins knocked on the table & asked the rest of us to hurry up....... This made me get up to tell her it was rude to ask customers to rush their meals. To this the manager said " I have been doing this to everyone today You tell me how to manage?" I told her it was not my business.....to which she got furious & said "Never come back again if you dont like this!! We all got upset & we left the place without finishing our meal which was all paid for. I have been to busier food places in more than 5 countries...I have never had anyone say this to me..I guess people from "Chennai" are fine with being treated like Filth at this place... I am still wondering this happened to me in US... Please dont go to this place to get insulted.... I hope a legal entity is reading this so they can do something about this. I am guessing how this kind of businesses are allowed to run in our country

---

A

A Private User

Ive always had really good experiences at this location. You have to realize that their culture is not our culture, so they arent the over smiley type. They wont do things the "American" way, but they are reasonable if you are, too. The first time I tried their "mild" version of Paneer Tikka Masala, I soon found out that it was still too spicy for my tastes. They wanted to make me another one without spice and apologized profusely that it was too spicy for me to eat. In addition to that, they ended up giving me a free Mango Lassi to help get the spicy oils off my tongue and throat. This, of course, was a good move for them since I had never had a Mango Lassi before and quickly fell in love with it from that moment on and always get it everytime we visit there. In addition, ever since finding out that their "mild" version was too spicy for me, Ive been able to request an "extra mild" version which they always get right. They are very accommodating and friendly. I think theyre decor is simple and fits with their family-style Indian restaurant. Give it a chance and as with any restaurant, be patient and understanding. You never know what is going on behind the scenes, Im sure theyre doing the best they can and that compassion will be rewarded with a wonderful meal.

---

A

A Private User

I tend to agree with some of the Indian food lovers below. This place has very good food, but no atmosphere - whatsoever. There was still a poster of OR Min wage since 2007 in the front, walls were dented with sheet rock showing through, non-smiling attendants who seemed like they were there by force and not by choice, foil wrapped around a food holding unit. What are you guys doing?? India is a country of colors and creativity and is this the best display of your culture you can provide. Comeon there are only 12M people out there who would love to have their jobs. I dont know why, but a lot of the Indian joints in town dont pay attention to customer service details and maintaining an ambiance to keep up their business. If the owner ever reads this, my only advice is please take some pride in owning a place that people like, specially in this economy when most food service places and the QSR industry is out to get their market share. I would love to support you again, but I will have to see a significant change in display of your service. BTW, all 4 stars are for the food. I had to take out 1 star because the sambhar was way too spicy for my kid. Thanks and please dont take this negatively. I care about your business and wish for your continued success.

---

HR

hrushikesh kulkarni

Okay food, but ridiculously rude service. I have never been treated so rudely in my life. We, a group of 4, reached the restaurant close to their closing time. I asked the server if they are still taking orders, and they said yes. We quickly gave our orders, and then they served all starters, dosas, biryani, coffee all at the same time. Later they gave me the check and asked me to sign while I was still eating, which I politely did. Until this, it was okay, did not mind. But later the waiter, who claimed to be the manager, told us that their restaurant has already closed and his words implied that we should leave right way. He did not even cared if we have finished our food or not. I did not paid $62 for a pathetic service. The waiter did not even cared to keep aside his phone when I went to talk to him. I will NEVER visit this restaurant again.

---

---