Chettinad House Restaurant

Chettinad House Restaurant

Al Karama

Chettinad House Restaurant in Al Karama serves Tamil Nadu-style Chettinad and South Indian food, from breakfast mini tiffin to substantial thalis. Reviews make the mini tiffin, Chicken Kothu Porotta and banana-leaf meals worth considering, while the atmospheric Chettinad-inspired interior adds to the dine-in experience.

Reputation Score
3.8
★★★★☆
346 ratings
5★
42%
4★
24%
3★
15%
2★
8%
1★
12%

Source: Google Maps

The Good Stuff

Showing 2 of 6
01

Mini tiffin

The mini tiffin pairs masala dosa, crispy vada and a distinctive coconut sheera.

02

Fresh thalis

One review found the vegetarian, mutton and chicken thalis freshly made, with the vegetarian version not too spicy.

Let's go!

What to Eat at Chettinad House Restaurant

Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of Chettinad House Restaurant, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.

Food 2

  1. Mini tiffin Net +3
    “Enjoyed my Friday breakfast with a mini tiffen.”
  2. Chr special meal Net +2
    “We had CHR Special meal .It has 18 different items including chicken,mutton ,sweet dish and it is perfect for your lunch .It has authentic chettinad dishes .Their starter mutton podimass item was unique and tasty.Definitely this restaurant is worth trying and their customer service is commendable 👍”
Honorable mentions (33)
  1. Aatukal soup Net +1
    “Happy to meet Sathish (cashier) where I had came to know about him a lot. He is an experienced guy in UAE. I had a aatukal soup and mutton kola urundai which was really tasty. Thanks for serving and would suggest you all to visit and have the food once from this restaurant.”
  2. Brainmasala Net +1
    “The brainmasala, fish, paratha, idly all were perfect.”
  3. Chapatti Net +1
    “Chapatti only was soft.”
  4. Chettinad chicken Net +1
    “Nice Restaurant and most important warm and welcoming staff. Indian taste buds will love this place. Spicy aromatic and nice food. tried chettinad chicken with chappati & Dosa, Chicken with Dosa was yummy combination. Will suerly make an effort to try there other dishes. Must try.....👍 27th Nov. Visited again for special Meal. It was good. But could have better. Staff is warm and welcoming...must visit”
  5. Chicken 65 biriyani Net +1
    “Quantity is comparatively less for the price. I liked chicken 65 biriyani and kheema dosai. Mutton kola, tender conount payasam were not good as expected and disappointed only with those dishes.”
  6. Chicken chettinad masala Net +1
    “Chicken Chettinad Masala is my favorite pick. Must try the dine-in experience.”
  7. Chicken karama Net +1
    “Authentic chettinad food with super friendly staff. My favorite dishes are the Chicken karama, Crab Omelette & eloneer payasam( which is tender coconut 🥥 based dessert) This is the first time i had Sevarotti melagu varuval which was very healthy and tasted amazing. Best place for dinner with family and friends.”
  8. Chicken kothu porotta Net +1
    “Outstanding service, commendable atmosphere. The food was good. The Chicken Kothu Porotta was especially great.”
  9. Chicken thali Net +1
    “We ordered mutton thali , chicken thali and vegetarian thali. Vegetarian Thali was very tasty - it was not too spicy. The best part was everything in the Thali was freshly made🌟 The same was with mutton and chicken Thali🌟🌟”
  10. Chicken with dosa Net +1
    “Nice Restaurant and most important warm and welcoming staff. Indian taste buds will love this place. Spicy aromatic and nice food. tried chettinad chicken with chappati & Dosa, Chicken with Dosa was yummy combination. Will suerly make an effort to try there other dishes. Must try.....👍 27th Nov. Visited again for special Meal. It was good. But could have better. Staff is warm and welcoming...must visit”
  11. Crab omelette Net +1
    “Authentic chettinad food with super friendly staff. My favorite dishes are the Chicken karama, Crab Omelette & eloneer payasam( which is tender coconut 🥥 based dessert) This is the first time i had Sevarotti melagu varuval which was very healthy and tasted amazing. Best place for dinner with family and friends.”
  12. Dosa Net +1
    “Nice Restaurant and most important warm and welcoming staff. Indian taste buds will love this place. Spicy aromatic and nice food. tried chettinad chicken with chappati & Dosa, Chicken with Dosa was yummy combination. Will suerly make an effort to try there other dishes. Must try.....👍 27th Nov. Visited again for special Meal. It was good. But could have better. Staff is warm and welcoming...must visit”
  13. Idly Net +1
    “The brainmasala, fish, paratha, idly all were perfect.”
  14. Kheema dosai Net +1
    “Quantity is comparatively less for the price. I liked chicken 65 biriyani and kheema dosai. Mutton kola, tender conount payasam were not good as expected and disappointed only with those dishes.”
  15. Medu wada Net +1
    “If you want to enjoy the south Indian delicacy then head to this place i have tried several times their mini tiffin so delicious that I keep on ordering extra chatni and sambhar the medu wada is so soft and crispy also during Pongal i tried thali which was served on banana leaf it was the best very very delicious. Staff are very friendly the ambience especially the yellow truck is an Insta spot so go for it and enjoy”
  16. Mutton briyani Net +1
    “Loved the food. Ordered Non veg special meals, Mutton Nalli, mutton briyani and Elaneer payasam. All were good.”
  17. Mutton kola urundai Net +1
    “Happy to meet Sathish (cashier) where I had came to know about him a lot. He is an experienced guy in UAE. I had a aatukal soup and mutton kola urundai which was really tasty. Thanks for serving and would suggest you all to visit and have the food once from this restaurant.”
  18. Mutton kothu idiyappam Net +1
    “The mutton Kothu idiyappam was very nice.”
  19. Mutton nalli Net +1
    “Loved the food. Ordered Non veg special meals, Mutton Nalli, mutton briyani and Elaneer payasam. All were good.”
  20. Mutton thali Net +1
    “We ordered mutton thali , chicken thali and vegetarian thali. Vegetarian Thali was very tasty - it was not too spicy. The best part was everything in the Thali was freshly made🌟 The same was with mutton and chicken Thali🌟🌟”
  21. Non veg mini tiffen Net +1
    “Restaurant serves chettinad style Tamil Nadu foods. It has good number of variety like pal panayara, Briyani, chettinad masala, non veg mini tiffen is best always. Thalicha idly is fav breakfast in the list. Chicken Briyani was ok, prawns paper fry ultimate.”
  22. Parotta Net +1
    “Parotta and mutton curry was good”
  23. Pongal Net +1
    “Must try pongal for break fast and CHR spl. Meals in the afternoon.”
  24. Prawns paper fry Net +1
    “Restaurant serves chettinad style Tamil Nadu foods. It has good number of variety like pal panayara, Briyani, chettinad masala, non veg mini tiffen is best always. Thalicha idly is fav breakfast in the list. Chicken Briyani was ok, prawns paper fry ultimate.”
  25. Sevarotti melagu varuval Net +1
    “Authentic chettinad food with super friendly staff. My favorite dishes are the Chicken karama, Crab Omelette & eloneer payasam( which is tender coconut 🥥 based dessert) This is the first time i had Sevarotti melagu varuval which was very healthy and tasted amazing. Best place for dinner with family and friends.”
  26. Starter mutton podimass Net +1
    “We had CHR Special meal .It has 18 different items including chicken,mutton ,sweet dish and it is perfect for your lunch .It has authentic chettinad dishes .Their starter mutton podimass item was unique and tasty.Definitely this restaurant is worth trying and their customer service is commendable 👍”
  27. Thalicha idly Net +1
    “Restaurant serves chettinad style Tamil Nadu foods. It has good number of variety like pal panayara, Briyani, chettinad masala, non veg mini tiffen is best always. Thalicha idly is fav breakfast in the list. Chicken Briyani was ok, prawns paper fry ultimate.”
  28. Eloneer payasam Net 0

    Mixed feedback

    “Loved the food. Ordered Non veg special meals, Mutton Nalli, mutton briyani and Elaneer payasam. All were good.”
  29. Mutton chukka Net 0

    Mixed feedback

    “The ambience of this restaurant is good but the service is very slow and the food taste is average only... out of the dishes I order only mutton chukka is good... rest all tastes not good.. overall if you don't have other option and you are badly hungry you can go there... starters what you order will be served in the last only that much the service will be... not happy....”
  30. Mutton curry Net 0

    Mixed feedback

    “Parotta and mutton curry was good”
  31. Chappati Net 0

    Only neutral feedback

    “Nice Restaurant and most important warm and welcoming staff. Indian taste buds will love this place. Spicy aromatic and nice food. tried chettinad chicken with chappati & Dosa, Chicken with Dosa was yummy combination. Will suerly make an effort to try there other dishes. Must try.....👍 27th Nov. Visited again for special Meal. It was good. But could have better. Staff is warm and welcoming...must visit”
  32. Chicken briyani Net 0

    Only neutral feedback

    “Restaurant serves chettinad style Tamil Nadu foods. It has good number of variety like pal panayara, Briyani, chettinad masala, non veg mini tiffen is best always. Thalicha idly is fav breakfast in the list. Chicken Briyani was ok, prawns paper fry ultimate.”
  33. Vada Net 0

    Only neutral feedback

    “Today i order Vada & Idli Plate. Vada was average taste but Idli is not good and they are serving dal as a sambar, How can be eat dal with Idli.”

Drinks 1

  1. Filter coffee Net +1
    “This place is really good, reasonably priced, Uncle Rajan is very hospitable and good service by team, please try the biryani and filter coffee”
What to Avoid (18)

Food 18

  1. Biriyani Net −1
    “Overly priced but below average taste. Biriyani was so bad, i don’t know how they’re calling themselves as Chettinad House. Don’t waste your money.”
  2. Bun parotta Net −1
    “Pathetic is an understatement.. for all the money you pay the food was below par. Bun parotta was half cooked and the chicken crumb fry for the kids was awful.. Best advice Stay away !!!”
  3. Carb omelettes Net −1
    “On August 12th, 2021, I was there, and it had a nice ambience, however there were some delays in obtaining meals, and the food was of average quality. Customer service has to be improved. Please avoid carb omelettes, kari dosas, and five-color uthappam.”
  4. Chettinadu chicken gravy Net −1
    “Chettinadu chicken gravy was too watery. All bone pieces.”
  5. Chicken 65 biryani Net −1
    “Such poor service and completely disappointing food. I was served Fried Chicken in my so called Chicken 65 Biryani. I was more like Rice and Chicken order separately and just put together as they were running late on orders.”
  6. Chicken biryani Net −1
    “i will never recommend this restaurant.very expensive and very very less quantity. i ordered mutton curry item priced at 21aed and hardly had hidden very small 4mutton pieces bone hidden inside curry leaves,onion and tomato pieces floating. also chicken biryani which we ordered was not good.paratha is size of papad priced 2aed per piece. regret why i didnt opened reviews prior going this restaurant.”
  7. Chicken crumb fry Net −1
    “Pathetic is an understatement.. for all the money you pay the food was below par. Bun parotta was half cooked and the chicken crumb fry for the kids was awful.. Best advice Stay away !!!”
  8. Crab gravy Net −1
    “Very worst restaurant with zero taste..ordered our dinner and waited for around 45 minutes..crab gravy was very salty and they took one hour to make crab gravy and parottas,very slow service. Never recommended this restaurant to any one in karama.”
  9. Five-color uthappam Net −1
    “On August 12th, 2021, I was there, and it had a nice ambience, however there were some delays in obtaining meals, and the food was of average quality. Customer service has to be improved. Please avoid carb omelettes, kari dosas, and five-color uthappam.”
  10. Fried chicken Net −1
    “Such poor service and completely disappointing food. I was served Fried Chicken in my so called Chicken 65 Biryani. I was more like Rice and Chicken order separately and just put together as they were running late on orders.”
  11. Idiappams Net −1
    “Ordered for 8 idiappams. Delivered without any plain curry! Such daylight robbery Such small size idiappams priced a 4 dhs and that too without a Curry. Cheaters.”
  12. Idli Net −1
    “Today i order Vada & Idli Plate. Vada was average taste but Idli is not good and they are serving dal as a sambar, How can be eat dal with Idli.”
  13. Kari dosas Net −1
    “On August 12th, 2021, I was there, and it had a nice ambience, however there were some delays in obtaining meals, and the food was of average quality. Customer service has to be improved. Please avoid carb omelettes, kari dosas, and five-color uthappam.”
  14. Mutton biryani Net −1
    “I ate mutton biryani today, taste was ok but mutton piece looks old stock i think so..”
  15. Mutton kola Net −1
    “Quantity is comparatively less for the price. I liked chicken 65 biriyani and kheema dosai. Mutton kola, tender conount payasam were not good as expected and disappointed only with those dishes.”
  16. Paratas Net −1
    “So small paratas charged 3 dhs.”
  17. Prawns 65 Net −1
    “prawns 65 was half baked and smelled raw.”
  18. Vada & idli plate Net −1
    “Today i order Vada & Idli Plate. Vada was average taste but Idli is not good and they are serving dal as a sambar, How can be eat dal with Idli.”

Tips for a Better Visit

Showing 2 of 6
1

Allow time. Build in extra time for your meal; one review reports a one-hour wait and poorly timed side dishes.

2

Visit weekdays. A weekday visit may make parking easier; one diner said parking was easy then.

Plan the visit

Practical details

Shop No. #7 Shamma Building - 17 A St
Al Karama, Dubai
Get directions

Common Concerns

Showing 2 of 5

Slow service

Several diners report long waits, including roughly 45 minutes to an hour for food.

Inconsistent taste

Reviews range from authentic and tasty to meals with little Chettinad flavour and average or watery gravies.

Customer-reported prices

These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.

3 dhs

small paratas

“So small paratas charged 3 dhs”
Google review · September 2023

21aed

mutton curry

“i ordered mutton curry item priced at 21aed and hardly had hidden very small 4mutton pieces bone hidden inside curry leaves,onion and tomato pieces floating”
Google review · December 2019
DXB
LOCAL

The Bottom Line

Chettinad House Restaurant is a Tamil Nadu and South Indian restaurant in Al Karama, with a dining room built around Chettinad-themed décor. The menu gives you several ways to explore the cuisine: breakfast-style mini tiffin, chicken or mutton thalis, Chicken Kothu Porotta and the CHR Special Meal. Reviews also mention mutton nalli, mutton kola urundai and tender-coconut Elaneer payasam.

The strongest reports are quite specific. The mini tiffin comes with masala dosa and crispy vada, while one diner found the vegetarian, chicken and mutton thalis freshly made. The setting is part of the appeal, with wall paintings, cultural reminders and a large lorry front; another review calls it suitable for a family meal.

Service is also described as warm in several visits. The main caution is inconsistency. Multiple diners waited 45 minutes to an hour, and one table received biryani before its raita, curry and rice.

Other reviews mention watery gravy, half-cooked bun parotta, salty crab gravy and food that lacked Chettinad flavour. Portions and value divide opinion too: a 29 AED meal reportedly had no refills, while another diner found a special thali expensive for its quantity. Go with time to spare, ask about meal-sharing and refills, and consider the better-reviewed tiffin or thali options.

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