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Masala Dosa
Category: Restaurants Indian Indian
1375 9th Ave(between Irving St & Judah St)
San Francisco, CA 94122
Neighbourhood: Inner Sunset
(415) 566-6976
- Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sun 11:30 am - 4 pm
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 11 pm
Tue 11 am - 4 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
92 reviews for Masala Dosa
Review Highlights
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"I almost always get chicken tikka masala at every Indian..." In 18 reviews -
"Garlic lovers should definitely get the garlic naan." In 11 reviews -
"This is my new favorite place in the sunset." In 3 reviews
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92 reviews in English
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Review from Rachel F.
San Francisco, CA
5/19/2012
Mmm, this is such a good find. It feels like this is somewhat of a secret hideaway, because it's always pretty empty when I find myself here. But don't let that fool you--Masala Dosa serves up some great South Asian cuisine.
Admittedly, I've only tried two things here, mainly because of two reasons: I fear change. And I love paneer.
I get the paneer tikka masala and garlic naan with a side of rice. The naan is incredibly fresh, and the garlic is roasted just right. Now, I really love garlic, so my idea of "just right" might be "Hell no" to someone else. Keep that in mind. Luckily, they have an assortment of breads to choose from--including onion, goat cheese, and aloo (potato-stuffed) naan.
The paneer is served with the most delicious, creamy, full-bodied sauce ever. I usually get it mild because I date a spicy-phobic person, but it's still got a great kick regardless.
The service is unbelievably attentive and quick, and it's very well-priced for a sit-down restaurant. Definitely an Inner Sunset favorite. -
Review from Anjali V.
San Francisco, CA
5/20/2012 3 Check-ins Here
When you have over a billion people in a country, you're gonna find at least half a billion ways to cook the food. This is a given. Resistance is futile.
I wanted to love MD. I wanted to make it my one-stop-shop for desi food, but alas it is not meant to be.
Ambiance: lovely
Food: good
Price: moderate
Service: sweet and often oddly timed
Overall: 3.5 stars
The bad:
Ironically, the south indian food ('dosas' and 'uttappam'), in my opinion, does not make the cut for the following reasons:
- the 'dosas' are not thin and crispy - they're rough in texture & (truly sorry to say this) cardboard-like
- the 'sambar' accompanying the 'dosas' is catered to the neighbourhood's spice level (ie, not authentically spicy), and tastes more like 'daal' and less like 'sambar'
- the 'uttappam' (cauliflower one we got in particular) seriously lacked spice/flavour and the cauliflower seemed very raw and overly crunchy, which means it really didn't fuse well with the 'uttappam' it was being cooked into
(If you're looking for good South Indian food, I have to say that the 'dosas' and 'uttappam' at 'Dosa-Valencia' & Dosa-Fillmore truly excel in taste, authenticity, and presentation)
The ok:
- samosas (I prefer the crispy/fillo-dough based ones they serve at 'Rotee')
- rice that comes with the curry entree
- chutneys that accompany the 'dosas' + 'uttappam'
The good:
- the chicken tikka masala
- the naan (albeit a little too crispy, still tasted good)
- the tandoori sampler platter
- the 'bhindi'/okra curry
In comparison to the rest of the indo/pakistani food in the area?
It's good. Check it out and form your own opinion. It's better than Naan'n'Curry (isn't everything?!), not as forgettable at Curry Village across the street, and not as over-priced as 'Masala' down the street. Plus, the owners who are frequently there seem super sweet and nice, so go show some community support and love.
Will I be back?
Sure, but will most likely stick to the North Indian side of the menu.
Again, over a billion and counting ya'll...and I'm just one of them! -
Review from susan c.
Orinda, CA
5/11/2012
I get my Indian fix here! Food is great, interior is clean but the service can be hit or miss.
I've had most of their dishes and it's all great. There are a few dishes I repeat time and time over: Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Vindaloo and Baigan Bharta. I usually ask for the lamb vindaloo extra spicy!
They don't have their drink license so we usually walk up the block and pick up some beer to enjoy with our dinner. -
Review from Jackie A.
San Francisco, CA
5/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Loved the interior. The food was good, big portions and reasonable price. We will definitely be back.
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Review from Hemanth K.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 5/21/2012
Suddenly everything changed (Chef)... Taste is not as good as earlier...
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/29/2012
One of the best Indian food in the neighborhood.... Everything tastes delicious... but the quantity… Read more »
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Review from Lana L.
San Francisco, CA
5/1/2012
Food was good, interior was clean and modern, prices are very fair :)
I liked all the food we got: samosas (use the sauces), garlic basil naan, "roti", spinach and cheese curry, and the masala dosa (for the sake of the restaurant being named after it). If bringing in out-of-towners, I recommend this place over Naan and Curry for its tidier interior. -
Review from Christy L.
San Francisco, CA
5/13/2012
I am sad that my experience here wasn't better. I went for dinner on a Saturday night. The food was good, we had the Chicken Tikka Masala, Regular Naan, Garlic Naan, and Masala Dosa. The inside of the restaurant is clean and modern. The big disappointment was the service. There were plenty of employees working, but they were just kind of standing around, we had to work hard to get them to bring us rice (which does NOT come with the entrees) and refill our water glasses. The restaurant was only half full, so it wasn't that they were busy. The waiter wasn't friendly at all. I think that if I eat here again I will get my food to go so I don't have to tip poor service.
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Review from Bill T.
San Francisco, CA
4/28/2012
Had an early dinner, good food and decent service.
My friends and I ordered quite a bit of items and I can't remember specific ones except maybe samusas and curry.
Would definitely recommend this place for Indian food. -
Review from Karen C.
4/8/2012
When you walk in, you'll notice the ethnic smell is really strong but after you sit there for ten minutes, you won't notice it anymore.
Masala Dosa: I don't remember what was in this but it was tasty. I'd recommend it.
Garlic Naan: They really overdid it on the garlic. It was so garlicky that it was spicy almost and all you could taste, was the garlic. This was the only thing my friend and I did not finish.
Chicken Tikka Masala: I thought the sauce was flavorful and the chicken was juicy. It wasn't the best food I've ever tasted but it was definitely good. My friend however noted that she's had better elsewhere.
Basmati Rice: Is basmati rice supposed to have a crunchy texture? I wasn't sure but it felt like the rice was undercooked.
Price: My friend and I shared and it was only about $10 between the two of us. The portions were just enough to fill the both of us. I think the portions would be a little small for men or any bigger eaters.
Parking: IT LITERALLY TOOK ME 40 MINUTES on a WEDNESDAY NIGHT at 8:30PM to find parking. I wasn't aware this restaurant was in this area but if I had known, I would have never picked it. Once I got there, I figured it wouldn't be that bad seeing as it was past the busy time and a Wednesday night but boy was I wrong. Unless you're carpooling, driving a taxi or taking the bus, I wouldn't ever recommend anyone to come to eat in this area. They really need to figure something out. -
Review from Dennis L.
3/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
LUNCH
I don't know enough about Indian food to go wildly selecting different things on the menu. The one thing I'm sure of is that I really enjoy chicken tikka masala. If I order this dish and some nan with satisfaction, you can expect my repeated patronage.
I ordered the chicken tikka masala and was surprised to find a slightly think non-uniform consistency, sort of like the oils had separated from the curry sauce already. The chicken pieces were nice and generous in size and portions. The curry was served with basmati rice but I went ahead and ordered a garlic nan for $3 anyway. I enjoyed the nan but couldn't get over how I didn't fully enjoy dipping it in the curry.
If someone told me they really wanted to eat here, then I think I'd give them another try. But unprompted, I might have to pass.
Reading other reviews, I think it's pretty cool of them to let you bring your own wine without corkage fees. -
Review from Saumita P.
San Francisco, CA
3/23/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This tiny restaurant is the first treasure I've found while exploring SF! The Indian food is rather great. And I will be the first to admit that finding good south Indian food is harder then hard. Being Indian I've had my fair share of Indian food within the states and out side of the states, yes I do mean in India, but also other countries, and they have their menu down to a science.
My favorite to get is always Masala Dosa but Ive been enough times to taste their curries, naans, appetizers and Uthapam. Their whole menu is made with a perfect balance of spices, oils, and meats/veggies. The biggest treat for me is not seeing a giant film of oil floating on top of any of their curries or sambars. Why? Because it lets me know that the cooks are in tune to their food and not just tossing everything in without a care. Another major plus is that everything doesn't taste the same... Curries should not have the same tastes, nor should the Dosa's, Uthapam or any other item on the menu. When I get two curries that are true to their taste I know Ive found an Indian restaurant I'll be addicted to.
Besides the food though, the service is really friendly. Everytime I go in there is always someone ready to seat me and take my order. And when I go with friends who arent so Indian food saavy, the waiters take their time to explain what each dish is and what it will pair well with. On another note the area is great for a bit of mellow night life. BUT parking is impossible, dont bother driving, take the N train in or one of the many MUNI buses that stop through there.
P.S. Typing this made me hungry ... I think I'll put in an order for pick up now. :P -
Review from graham c.
San Francisco, CA
5/15/2012
It's really hard to find a good Indian restaurant in the city. There are other places in Fremont that are really good but too far... I happened across this place next to Cybelle's Pizza and decided to stop in for an early dinner on a Sunday. We waited to be seated for a while and were pretty close to walking out but my sticktoitiveness and straight craving for Indian kept us there. We finally got seated and ordered we had the Shrimp in a spicy sauce and the chicken vindaloo since we are not a fan of the lamb. We were loving our entrees, the shrimp were clean and easy to eat and the chicken was supposed to be spicy but it was not quite up there in heat but still moist as meat in curry is almost always dry. We ordred regular na'an and the Garlic na'an and I have to say the na'an is ok. It's very similar to just medi flat bread. I look for my na'an to be fluffy and help pick up the rice and curried meats from my plate. Ahh I think next time we'll order for pick up and just bake our Trader Joe's na'an and enjoy at home. Definitely will try this place again though...
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Review from Angelica Y.
Daly City, CA
3/18/2012
I came here with a fairly large group of friends (since it is a somewhat small restaurant), and I'm not typically a fan of Indian food, but the food here was good. We tried a couple chicken and lamb dishes, and I left satisfied. The only downfall, for me, was the serving sizes were pretty small considering the prices.
But overall, if you're in the area, I definitely say this is a place to try at least once =) -
Review from Elizabeth R.
San Francisco, CA
3/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
We were pleasantly happy with Masala Dosa. The garlic naan was perfect, the portions were generous and the wait staff helpful. My tikki masala was yummy (the chicken was very tender) and my bf's dish (can't remember the name) was great.
They do NOT charge a corkage fee (they don't serve alcohol) so we enjoyed our food with a wine we brought. -
Review from Kaitlin P.
San Francisco, CA
4/27/2012
Delicious food and good service. A "recovering vegetarian" as my brother says: I don't usually go for meat things... but he got the tandoori chicken and I've never tasted chicken that good. I got matter paneer which was perfect! Gluten Free friendly too!
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Review from TwinPeaker J.
San Francisco, CA
3/29/2012
Indian and married to a south Indian so know a bit about Dosas and such :)
Bland food. Sambar did not have salt. Dosas lacked taste. The chutneys were bland. My fish masala wasn't anything to write home about. Overall, seems like a mom-pop amateurish production. -
Review from Addie E.
San Francisco, CA
2/12/2012
I often find my gluten-free friendly spots with a simple yelp search. Though, sometimes it can be hard to tell how good the options will be. I found a review for Masala Dosa that referred to a gluten-free menu, so I thought there must be something good there for me. Sure enough, the dosa section of the menu noted that all dosas were gluten free except for one kind. Fun! I had options!
Often times in restaurants where the owners and waitstaff do not speak English fluently, I have a hard time inquiring about whether the food is really gluten-free. With a lack of public knowledge of gluten-free issues, plus a language barrier, it can be hard to get the reassurance I need. I asked the waiter, a very nice guy with an accent, about whether any meats were prepared with flour, or if there was any flour added to the sauce. He said no, but he seemed to understand the importance of the questions, and said he would double check with the chef. He came back confirming that all the curries were gluten-free - no flour on the meat or in the sauce. Since I didn't get to talk to the chef, I have no idea if they really "got it." I can only trust that the waiter conveyed the importance.
My friend and I shared a masala dosa with chutney and a spinach and chicken curry. While not the most amazing Indian food I've ever had, they were both very tasty! The flavors were fragrant and rich and the quality of the food was quite good.
As I don't seem to be having a gluten reaction, I think the food was free of gluten contamination. I will definitely be going back to my new gluten-free Indian hot spot!
I can't eat dairy either, though I think it's easy to avoid the creme sauces and the paneer. I wonder about which items include butter that is not stated in the description. I'll have to ask about that next time. -
Review from Jimmy M.
San Francisco, CA
3/16/2012
Went here on a Thursday night around 9pm with my girlfriend. We made reservations although getting a seat was no problem. There were only a few other groups of people inside eating. Decor is nice, very modern, simple and CLEAN.
Our waiter was very nice, helpful and not pushy at all. We both ordered curry dishes the Chicken Makhni and the Chicken Tikka Masala. we also added a side of garlic naan bread. Our waiter asked how spicy each of us wanted our entrees which I thought was nice.
Food came out quickly and was all delicious. Serving sizes where large for the prices they charge. We had some leftovers to bring home. This was the first time my girlfriend and I have had authentic Indian food, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but we are definitely coming back. The only negative thing I can say is that it was too warm and stuffy inside the restaurant. The windows were fogging up.
p.s They take debit/credit here! -
Review from Pat L.
San Francisco, CA
5/10/2012
A Indian friend just back in town wanted to get together over lunch, and her first choice was Masala, which led to a little confusion, since while she was away the owners had shut down the original Masala to concentrate on this one. But all is well. The new place is uphill and upscale. The old one had a crowded dining room and a patio nobody seemed to use; this version has a spacious and elegant room. If Curry Village across the way is for large hungry groups, Masala Dosa is a date night restaurant, where you would not feel out of place in a suit or cocktail dress (though they don't serve alcohol). Not that they have an actual dress code, with Craigslist next door that would not be a good idea, since the scruffy Indian guy next to you is probably a software engineer if not a UCSF med student. And they happily seated two women in the window. OK, the food. Said friend is from Kerala, makes great dosas herself, and considers the food here both tops and authentic. The dosas are like crepes or a wrap, with various meat or veggie fillings. The uttapams are made from the same chickpea/rice flour base (gluten-free), but with the fillings baked on top - some people call them an Indian pizza, but don't mistake that for anything like what a couple of Sunset restaurants serve as "Indian Pizza". There are also various biryani and curry dishes, plus appetizers such as iddly, which looks like a large marshmellow, and which is used like a chip for dipping. I really like the chicken biryani, and am disappointed that one dish to have disappeared is the veggie Kashmiri Biryani, with dried fruits & nuts. But it was North Indian, so it didn't make the cut. As with most Indian restaurants, desserts are not much. Sometime maybe I'll order a plain dosa with the mango ice cream and see how that goes as a dessert crepe. The chai is made fresh by the cup, and with a strong ginger flavor. It was an enjoyable meal as always, and we will both be back.
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Review from Always H.
Tempe, AZ
5/7/2012
Delicious! Loved the Paneer Tikka Korma, yum!
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Review from Terese T.
San Francisco, CA
12/5/2011
Two things I feel people have not mentioned on their review for Masala Dosa,
1. they do not serve alcohol, but you can bring your own bottle of wine and there is no corkage fee!
2. they serve some gluten free food!
The food was very good, great price, and very friendly staff! For sure a place I will be going to again! -
Review from Paul W.
San Francisco, CA
1/19/2012
Pretty solid Indian food I have to say. I always order Tikka masala when gauging a new place and it was very good here. The curry had the right consistency and was flavorful. I've had a few better ones in the city but I would order it again here. The garlic naan had a slightly doughier texture than I'm used to but it works.
I think this will be my go to Indian place in the Sunset from now on! I also tried the vindaloo and was more than happy. You really can't beat the price here either. You can get curry, rice, and naan for less than $15. I'll have to try some of the dosa next time around. -
Review from Jennie K.
11/1/2011
Beautiful decor - a nice cozy date spot.
Nice waitstaff, although I could use a more frequent water refill! *fans mouth*
But how is the food, you ask? Fan-freaking-tastic. While I didn't care for the dosa (it's not my preference), the curries are really delicious. The chicken korma is, hands down, the best I have ever had. The chicken mahkni was also amazing. The +1 and I are slowly making our way through the curry menu, and loving every bite of it. From the appetizer menu, I can attest that the pakora is also quite tasty.
Also, it's inexpensive. $9 gets you a great portion of curry, with plenty of meat - and rice is included! That's cheaper than when we order delivery from India Clay Oven.
I got a new love, and its name is Masala Dosa. Welcome to the neighborhood! -
Review from Julie F.
11/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
3.5 stars
This used to be the spot for Tasty Curry. New re-model and design look great! Not sure if its the same owners or new ones. But definitely an updated modern look with warm colors are easy on the eyes.
We came in for a weekday dinner. Only one other couple was in the restaurant. I really liked the remodel (new owners too?). Very modern and clean. We tried to samosa, chicken tikka masala, lamb birayana and garlic naan. We liked all except the lamb birayana. Definitely like the mint spicy sauce that they bring to your table! yum!
Service was a little slow considering there were only 2 parties in the restaurant while we were dining. -
Review from Kimya P.
12/22/2011
I don't usually eat Indian food, so it's hard for me to compare quality and taste to other places I've eaten. That said, good food is good food? And I think Masala Dosa fits.
The four of us shared the bhindi (okra) vegetarian dish, chicken tikka masala, and chicken vindaloo (comes with potatoes). The bhindi was sweet and the okra was cut up into perfect bite sized pieces. The vindaloo was surprisingly spicy. We also ordered regular, garlic, and onion na'an to go with it. The garlic was extremely flavorful and the onion was exceptionally bland.
It felt like comfort food - the food came out fast, the waiter was really nice, and the place clean. -
Review from Ms. Hala A.
San Francisco, CA
12/10/2011
Great service, check! Great food, double check! Take out, check! Delivery... needs to happen soon!
They are the better Indian place in the Sunset area, PERIOD! -
Review from Hanna K.
San Francisco, CA
3/21/2012
The curry sauces are lip-smacking, but what particularly sets Masala Dosa aside as my absolute favorite is their use of tandoori chicken in their korma, tikka masala, and other curry dishes! Truly decadent!
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Review from Tiffany C.
Daly City, CA
11/8/2011
This is my new favorite Indian place!!! Yea-uh!
I've come here twice but wanted to go back immediately after the first night. Each time I've come, it's been empty but fills up as it gets later. You know what they say, the night is young, but I am not.
Decor: Dim. You can either take this as romantic or just dark. I like that the tables are dark wood and the stuff on it is simple and minimal.
Service: They seem to have one main guy who knows a lot and at most 2 other waiters. Since I go when the night is young, they have nothing else to do but wait on me.
Food:
- I CRAVED naan the first time so I had both the regular and garlic naan. Garlic lovers should definitely get the garlic naan. It is so powerful vampires would die. For me, I prefer the regular naan to dip with the curries. Mmmm naan.
-Samosas: 2 big ones for each order. I like that there's a kick in it but it's not overly spicy.
- I asked the main dude what he prefers and he went through the WHOLE menu section by section saying what he liked in each. It almost sounded like everything but I don't blame him b/c it's all pretty good. Overall, I love the paneer tikka masala. It's cheese only but they make it themselves, which is pretty impressive! There's a slightly sweet taste to it as well. I've also tried one of their chicken curries and a spinach one (which isn't as bad as you'd think), but I always go back to the cheese one. Cheeeeeeeeeeeese. All curries come with their special rice. The secret to their rice (besides the spices)? Butter. Thanks Paula Deen!
Price: Definitely affordable! For 1 order of naan, 1 order of samosas, and 2 curries, the total cost was about $26. Nom nom.
Overall, I'd give it 5 stars but I know they're still working out some kinks in a new restaurant business. Thank you Masala Dosa. I will be back. -
Review from Michelle Z.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 10/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
This time around the food was just as good. Chicken tikka masala was on point. BUT the service was deplorable. We could not figure out who our waiter was. It was a different person each time. No one knew our order and every one seemed so confused as to what to do. They were running around with their heads cut off. Granted it was much busier this time around. But there is no excuse.
Dont get me wrong. Best Indian food in the neighborhood. But they need to get service in order.Listed in: Inner Sunset Living
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/2/2011
Yayyyyyyyy! Finally, a honest to goodness, yummy, and clean (big yay here) Indian restaurant in the… Read more »
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Review from Kristen B.
San Francisco, CA
10/22/2011
Praise the Indian food Gods! I am a happy customer. You see, I am a white person, and I love Indian food. Here's the thing about some white people, we have been infected with a terrible, inexplicable, and seemingly incurable aversion to that little green herb known as cilantro. I am one of those millions that just can't stand the taste, and if it touches my tongue I want to die a little. I cannot tolerate any amount of fresh cilantro in my food.
So as a die hard curry and dosa lover, I've been wishing for the past few years that I would find a magical Indian restaurant that did not use it, or at least only put it on top of the food instead of mixing it into every freaking dish. I thought it was a pipe dream, but I finally found Masala Dosa! After asking about several dishes including the dosas, uthapam, samosas, and sambar, none of them contained cilantro! Even that mint sauce on the table that contains cilantro most of the time was A-OK! Oh, happy day! Cilantro hating Indian food lovers rejoice!
So...I got a little bit overexcited and ordered a lot of food last night. Uthapam, pakoras, samosas, sambar, and a paratha.
-The samosas were great. Well spiced and crispy.
-The chili pakora were...weird, and not like any pakora I've had before. I did not enjoy the batter, and they were very bland and under-spiced.
-The paratha was really excellent. Very crispy and croissant like!
-The onion and hot chili Uthapam was cooked very evenly - crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I would have liked for the bread itself to be a bit more sour, and for the "hot chilis" to have actually been spicy.
- I love those little bowls of sambar served with the uttapams and dosas. This sambar was very well flavored and creamy.
It also seems like most everything here is, or can be made vegan. But I only asked about anything listed above and the dosas.
I will definitely be coming back. I'm so excited I don't have to go to the Mission to get my South Indian fix! -
Review from Allan L.
11/8/2011
Masala Dosa has quickly become our go-to place for Indian cuisine. I used to go to Naan N Curry down the block but after reading the recent reviews on Yelp, I decided to try this place (and it didn't disappoint). We've eaten here twice and both times they've given us window seats. I have this theory that they put their best looking customers near the windows.
Their paneer tikka masala is legit. We've also had the chicken tikka masala, which is good, but their homemade cheese is too awesome to pass up. Their garlic naan is fresh and fantastic but might be strong for some people, so if you're on a hot date I'd stick with the naan. Each curry comes with a huge bowl of rice. If you're in the mood for curry but aren't hungry enough for naan, I'd just use the complementary rice.
The staff has been friendly and has always taken the time to answer our questions.
My tummy gives Malasa Dosa...4 Stars! -
Review from Nina Y.
9/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Having some northern indian food here in the states was a reminder from my trip in asia.
First off, the people there are super kind, but since we had gone when they first started, their wait staff was still a litttttle under trained.
The food there is pretty good. Not the best, but it was good. I would definitely go back to get more.
The place is kind of set up weird. There's like an area that is a step up from the rest of the restaurant. They also have this weird peach colored cloth too. It's just a little weird. -
Review from Kris L.
9/5/2011 8 Check-ins Here
I've been craving some naan for the past few days, so A and I decided we'd have some Indian food sometime this long weekend. Well, last night was the night! I did a Yelp search for Indian food and found Masala Dosa.
Note: The last time I had a craving for Indian food, we went to Naan n Curry and I had a grumbly stomach for DAYS afterward. We decided we'd cool it on the extra spicy foods and see if I'd have a better experience this time.
We walked over to Masala Dosa and were greeted by the man at the front (I noticed each employee didn't really have one specific duty. They could be the host/hostess, server, table clearer - basically, whatever was needed.) We had the option of being seated at a table further in the restaurant or wait for them to clean one of the window seats. I opted for waiting for the window seat. It's bright & airy and under this canopy of curtains. The rest of the restaurant was darker and had a more romantic feel to it.
We ordered the Garlic Naan, Chicken Vindaloo, and Lamb Tikka Masala. I also had the Mango Lassi and A had the Lemon Ginger Tea. Oh yes, and we decided to order a Dosa! We'd never had a dosa before, so thought we'd give it a try. I can't remember which one we ordered though. It was a gigantasaur triangle filled with meat & veggies and came with three dipping sauces/soup. Definitely yummy, but too big for us to finish with everything else we ordered.
The naan was tasty and comes with 4 pieces. Good to dip in the dosa sauces or the sauces for the Vindaloo or Tikka Masala. I liked the Lamb Tikka Masala. Creamy sauce, very flavorful, and not too spicy. The Chicken Vindaloo was really good, but too spicy for me. I just had a couple pieces of the chicken and let A eat the rest of that.
The service was excellent. They kept coming to check on us and make sure we were doing okay. They packed up our dosa with the dipping sauces at the end of the meal so we could take it home to munch on.
Total cost for two people ~$45 plus tax/tip. -
Review from Brooke T.
2/20/2012
Masala Dosa was very good! My boyfriend, the garbage disposal, and I went there because they specifically have gluten free items. (I know Indian food is pretty gluten free as it is, minus the naan, but peace of mind is important here.) They had great service and reasonable prices. We had the standard white people dish: Makhani (butter) chicken ($9, includes rice) and a seasonal vegetable uttapam ($8). Both dishes were awesome and it ended up being the perfect amount of food. We walked from Noe Valley to try something different and were so happy to stumble upon this place! I wish I would've known about it when I was at UCSF!!!
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Review from Sarah K.
San Francisco, CA
12/23/2011
I used to be a big fan of Tasty Curry back in the day, but noticed it had gone downhill over the past couple of years, so I was excited when I saw that Masala Dosa had opened up.
The ambiance is excellent. They did a great job renovating the old Tasty Curry space. It's very clean and modern. The service is top notch. The staff is super friendly and attentive. The food was ok - it lacked a little kick, but the waiter said next time I can request the dishes to be spicy, so I'm definitely planning on going back. -
Review from Sandra L.
San Francisco, CA
8/27/2011 3 photos
Wow, they really turned this place around. Don't know if the owners are new. Prices are very reasonable.
DECOR:
The place is clean, new, modern, & tastefully decorated. White table cloth napkins on top of black table top with silverware and white dishes.
Sorry - my spelling of some of the food words might be slightly wrong
FOOD:
What we ordered:
1) Garlic Naan - $3
2) Aloo Naan (one with potatoes) $3
both of the naan breads are very good and they can go with dipping sauce or eaten by itself.
3) Tandoori Section: Chicken Tiki Kabobb ~$10
Arrived in a sizzling hot plate with onion and a slice of lemon. Taste great, but I was expecting some thing with a sauce so that I can dip my naan in, but taste good by itself too.
4) Curry Section: Lamb Vindaloo (spicy) comes with basmati rice ~$11
This dish had sauce and it taste great with both the rice & naan. The rice serving was generous, almost two rice bowls worth and was delicious.
All this for 2 people. We had a lot of left over and it will be enough for another meal.
DRINKS:
Didn't see booze of any type on the menu, but I did notice that someone had a bottle of wine on their table. So they must allow you to bring your own...don't know if their is any cost to that
SERVICE:
Our waiter guy was super friendly and polite. Might be the owner or associated with the owner. Water filled promptly. He asked how we liked the food. They always said things like, take your time.
Would definitely come back to this place. Another place we want to try is Naan & Curry down the street, but I like that this place is not a chain. -
Review from Maneesh S.
San Francisco, CA
2/20/2012
For a restaurant named after the Masala Dosa...you would expect its Dosas to be the bomb. I was very disappointed, though, with the dosa, the masala (potato filling) and the sambhar. I will not go back here again for South Indian food.
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Review from Dante and Alleliah G.
San Francisco, CA
12/2/2011
The first time we came here, we were rather tipsy, and we ordered our palak paneer "extra extra spicy...really, don't hold back." It was kind of painful to eat, just past our high tolerance for spiciness. But hey, we asked for it, we won't fault Masala for our hubris.
The second time we came here, we ordered the mattar paneer. We found that it actually wasn't spicy enough for us...hmm. We like this place alright but will continue to explore other Indian restaurants.
Free delivery if the order is at least $20. -
Review from Arun W.
San Francisco, CA
12/1/2011
Growing up eating dosa my mom cooked every weekend, I'm always psyched when a new South Indian place opens up in the city. With a name like "Masala Dosa", I want to come and eat the dosa - not all the other north indian dishes, no matter how tasty they might be.
Overall, I was happy with the food at Masala Dosa but not enthralled. The pakoras and vada we got for appetizers were really tasty. Not the most authentic you'll find, but with an added sweetness that hit the spot. Pretty impressive. The Mysore Masala Dosa, however, was somewhat lacking in flavor. Definitely not the best around - no competition for Udupi Palace. Hence the three stars - dosa is the focus of this review.
Service and decor were both on the money. Price point is right for a South Indian joint (i.e. dosas ~$8 or $9). Right now big ups for being BYOB (though not sure how long that will last). -
Review from Jason H.
San Francisco, CA
8/20/2011
This is by far the best Indian restaurant overall I've dined at in a long while.
Right when we walked through the door we were greeted very courteously by the host.
The dishes we ordered: curry lamb, tandoori chicken, & a Bhindi dish took a while to come . . . but when we ate, it was apparent why : they took the time to prepare food just right; and it was delicious -- so good that I over-ate.
A waiter periodically asked if all was well.
The boss' wife Sima, also came to greet us personally.
Thumbs up! Yummy food!
