Dosa

Walked in (3 of us) exactly at 7:48pm to be told that a table would take 20 mins. We nodded politely at each other in agreement and indicated that we'd wait at the bar. At 8:37pm one of us went up to the Maitre'd to inquire and was told ""table would take 20 mins"". Decided to give it another 15 or 20 mins. Talked to the hostess again at 8:55pm who coolly (with not so much as a single apology) tells us -- ""Oh, I suggest that u just eat at the bar. I'm not sure I can get u a table"". So why in the #$@& didn't you tell us that at the beginning? Instead of giving us the 15 to 20 min routine? Atleast show us the courtesey of coming up to us with an update instead of us having to get it by ourselves u stupid idiot.\r \r Anyway, the bar is well stocked (a most definite blessing -- since otherwise i just might have smashed a plate over her head). And the ambiance (though a bit yuppie and filled mostly with ignorants) is actually very decent.\r \r Food's half decent -- I am south indian and a discerning one at that. Dosas are (surprisingly) well made and sambar tastes like sambar should. Uttappam could be better. Coconut and Tomato Chutneys are a bit of a joke. Dahi vada (Thair vadai) is decent (but not authentic -- you dont pour tamarind/date sauce and mint paste on thair vadai.. ugh but whatever). I avoided the plain vadai itself -- since almost no place can get it right and I didnt wish to subject my taste buds to such masochism, at least not until i had some reasonable proof of the chef's abilities...\r \r Final analysis: Good if you've never had south indian food before. As for me, the yearning (in the city) continues... Pros: South Indian, Bar Cons: everything else starting with the stupid hostess more

Food was outstanding. Cool place, BUT the music was horrible! The place has a great international, hip vibe, but the music is lame KFOG-like vanilla, pop music. If they'd play some world or even lounge music, the place would get a 10. Pros: food, service Cons: music more

Above all else the food here is consistently outstanding. I always enjoy coming here and bringing friends and family. The have a great selection of affordable wines with nice little tasting notes to guide you through the wine list. The experience and ambiance itself is very unique. Yes, you can drive across the bridge for sub-standard South Indian food, awful ambiance and crappy service. But why bother. Did I mention the food here is always amazing!!!! Some of favorites are the Onion pakoras, Mung Sprout salad, Dahi Vada, Paper Masala Dosa, Chile and Coriander Uttapam and the Chicken. Though this is not a fine-dining restaurant, the service is always stellar. Everyone is super nice and very attentive. Anyone who has joined me here has consistently had a great time. Definitely NOT to miss if you haven't been there already. Get there early on a weekday if you want to beat the rush. Pros: Food, service, ambiance, neighborhood feel Cons: Wait during rush hour more

Definitely my favorite restaurant in San Francisco and it could be because I grew up in Southern India (as a Gujrati) and find most Europeans cuisine very bland and boring. I go there often when I'm not traveling outside SF with my consulting gig. I recently went there with a few of my American colleagues and we hung out for almost three hours, consumed almost everything on the menu and drank some amazing white and red wines. It was ""oral ecstasy"" as they described it! :-) This place is definitely an experience with great, friendly service, but most importantly the food is absolutely amazing. If you're new to South Indian food, or visiting with people who are, I'd definitely recommend their very extensive and reasonably priced tasting menu. Pros: Delicious food, Very Authentic, Great Ambiance, Great Wine list Cons: Wait on the weekends more

As a South Indian, I was initially thrilled to come across this place because there are so few South Indian restaurants in this country. However, after waiting over 2 hours for a table and being addressed in an extremely rude way by the management, I was sad to find that the food was the biggest disappointment of all. The dosas were soggy and bland overall. The spring dosa in particular was just plain unappetizing. The desserts were the only redeeming qualities. If you want real South Indian food, this is not the place to get it. If you want to feel like you are eating somewhere trendy, then go for it. I think the only reason that this place survives is because they have zero competition and most people don't have any experience with South Indian food. Pros: Desserts Cons: Wait time, service, food more

Our first attempt at trying to dine at Dosa did not go so well because there was a two hour wait and we didn't want to wait that long. The second attempt was a 30 minute wait and out it the cold, along with many hopeful diners. So was the wait worth it for us? Definitely. We first started off with the Chennai Chicken- chicken cubes marinated in yogurt and with flavored with cilantro, coriander, cumin and curry leaves, lightly fried, served with mixed greens. It was delicious. We then picked our dosa- my boyfriend had the Masala\r filled with creamy, spiced potatoes, onions, and cashew nuts and I had the Chatni Masala \r dosa with a spiced chutney spread of blended baby eggplant. Both were tasty and filling. There is a descent wine list and they offer various Indian beers. The servers were pleasant and you are not rushed eventhough there are plenty of people waiting for your table. Since they don't take reservation for groups less than 5 people, my advice would to get there early or you will be waiting a very long time. Pros: Food, Ambience, Service Cons: Wait, No reservations more

My boyfriend and I always sit at the bar since we usually arrive around rush hour. It?s a great way to have an easy meal at Dosa. The bar tenders are well informed and always take great care of us. Get the Organic Green & Mango Salad, Chennai Chicken and the Tamil Lamb Curry with a side of raita. For you vegetarians, try the Mung Sprout Salad (or any salad they have on the menu), the Dahi Vada and the Rava Masala Dosa. Pair it with nice cool glass of a Riesling Kabinett, which balances the spices amazingly well. We absolutely love this place. Their new tasting menu is great way to explore the South Indian food if you?re a newcomer or even if you?re not. If you really want a table, get their early or get there late! I once got seated at 10:50 pm on weekend night. Pros: Tasty food, great cocktails, wonderful bar tenders more

I grew up in L.A. in a South Indian family and was appalled that SF did not offer any South Indian food. Then I found Dosa! Not only is it the only South Indian in town it is also the best South Indian I?ve ever had. I?ve taken my family - some of whom grew up in Karnataka in Southern India - , my American friends, my vegan friends and my friends who don?t like Indian food. Across the board it has always been a success with anyone I take there. If you truly understand or grew up with Indian food you will appreciate the very well-flavored dishes and realize this is the way it is supposed to taste?not that greasy s**t you get in the Tenderloin. It doesn?t hurt that it?s also a hip little place with a great drink list. I always have a great experience when I?m there. Be prepared for fun, bustling evening since Dosa is not your quiet evening out. Pros: Great food, wine, cocktails and service. Parking garage around the corner Cons: Busy on weekends at rush hour more

I'm of South Indian origin and I've been going to Dosa almost once or twice a month for the past 8 months since I first discoverd it. I go back with all my Indian brethren and we're never ever dissapointed. The dosas are amazing, the sambar is better than anything I've ever had and the non-veg dishes are outstanding. My favorite is the Prawn Coconut, but the Tamil Lamb is a pretty close second. They also have great salads, which is very unusual for an Indian restaurant and a phenomenal wine list that pairs very well the food. Their Soju and Lillet cocktails never fail to impress the women. One of my favorite restaurants in SF. I'm glad they're getting the recognition they deserve. Arrive early to get a table. more

I've been here 3 times and can believe I now have an accurate rating - it's overrated.\r The last time I was here we had a reservation and still waited over an hour for our table. Finally we were given the worst table in the house next to the door with the hostesses standing behind us. Service was mediocre - she had almost nothing to say about the menu except for doing a good job of selling the most expensive wine. Appetizers were boring, dosas were bland. Prices are simply out of whack for an indian restuarant. I can't understand what the excitement is over a crepe with some pureed vegatables. These guys are really milking the fact that they were voted top 100 by bauer this year.\r I live up the street but don't think I'll be coming back... more

When I saw that the Chron named Dosa as one of the top 10 restaurants of 2006, I almost dropped the paper. Sure, it's got the right location and the right clientele (Mission hipsters, anyone?) but the food is nothing short of terrible. The chai was awful, the bhatura arrived cold and deflated, and the tomato chutney tastes more like Ragu than anything you'd get out of India. I'll take the long wait and plastic sporks at Vic's anytime. Pros: Decor, located near a parking lot Cons: Terrible food, overpriced, long wait more

I went to Dosa three times last weekend. The manager or the owner was kind enough to let 6 of us in a minute before opening. I was craving great South Indian food and this place certainly hits the spot. It's casual yet very charming and the cocktails were seductively great that none of us could stop at one. Everything we had worked perfectly! My mate and I had to go back several times that week because once you crave the food there is absolutely nothing like it anywhere else. Everyone there was very warm and friendly. Pros: Great dishes, service & cocktails Cons: Loved it all! more

My favorite spot in the Bay Area. Much better quality than the hole-in-the-wall disgusting swill you get at most of the other Indian places all over the Bay Area. I'm South Indian though I grew up here, and I know that Dosa makes their food fresh everyday since you can certainly taste it. The owners are always wonderfully caring when I've gone there and the wine list is affordable and outstanding. Pros: Great authentic fare, wonderful service, nice wine list Cons: A hectic during rush hour more

I've never had South Indian food until I came to Dosa. It was a pleasant surprise. The lamb curry is spicy and flavorful. My favorite dosa is the masala dosa - so very creamy (potatoes, cashews, spices) - I wanted to horde it all for myself. The service is inconsistent - the first waitress we had was a doll, even on a super busy night but the second thought she was too cool for school and was more interested in gossiping. Overall, definitely worth a try! I plan on going back and getting the masala dosa and not sharing. Pros: food, ambiance Cons: sometimes the waiters, parking (duh) more

What a treat this place is! I know it's good when I become aware while I'm eating that I am both so happy to have such deliciousness and also so sad it has to end! Please treat yourself to their masala dosa. more

your citysearch site says you open at 5pm your receptionist (friday night at 5pm) when answering the phone says you open at 5:30????-frustrated more

The food at this place is overpriced and extremely overrated. I see a lot of reviews by people saying this is the best Indian food in SF, but that may be because Indian cuisine is one of the SF food scene's weak points. The dosas here are average at best, the idlis are among the worst I've eaten (and at $7 a plate, probably the most expensive idlis in the bay area.) If you want to eat a good dosa, drive across the bridge to Vik's in Berkeley. You might have to eat it standing up, but you won't feel ripped off. Pros: Good ambience Cons: Lousy food; overpriced; mediocre service more

Not only is Dosa the best Indian restaurant in the Bay Area it is one of definitely one of my favorite restaurants period! They have taken amazing cuisine (South Indian) and lifted it to another level. The food is not dumbed down and every course has amazing things to offer. They also have some amazing salads, which is somewhat unusual for the Indian restaurant. The spices are complex and fresh and create an unbelievable effect on every corner of your palate. The delicious wines are well selected and well priced. The ambiance is relaxed, warm and lively, as is the service, which is also very attentive. This is definitely the quintessential San Franciscan experience. Very, very nice!!!!!!! Pros: Excellent food, great wine, great ambiance Cons: Go before 7:30 or after 9pm to avoid waiting more

As the name suggest, a South Indian place with panache. 'Dosa' is definitely a class apart from the usual south indian places due to its great service, warm hostess, clever ambience and awesome food. \r I could smell the aroma as we entered the restaurant, which had a warm atmosphere and was crowded with people, as they were savoring the food. We were promptly seated on a Sunday night. The menu ranged with variety from the dosas to chennai chicken and an interesting wine menu. We delved right into the entrees. The preparation was excellent and surprisingly better than most south indian places in the bay area. I would highly recommend the 'paneer dosa' and their 'gulab jamun' for dessert. The entire experience was splendid and the hostess made our evening even better with her recommendations.\r This place deserves kudos for its excellence.\r Pros: The awesome food, great ambience and lovely service more

Nothing makes me happier than delicious, affordable food and great service so this is why Dosa is my new favorite restaurant. I went there with a group of friends and Dosa got rave reviews all around. The space is casual and inviting. The hostesses were gracious and seated us promptly. We started off with a round of cocktails. I had the mango one and it was one of the best cocktails that I've ever had. My friends got the lychee ones which were great too. Our server was attentive and helpful. Most of us were novices to South Indian food and she made some good recommendations which we appreciated. We ordered the dahi vada, chatni masala dosa, various uttapams, the prawn coconut curry and the pepper chicken curry. Everything was great! I will definitely be coming back to Dosa again - soon! \r \r Pros: Delicious, affordable food, Great service Cons: They only take reservations for parties of 5 or more. more