Banana Leaf Thali
The thali is served on a leaf, with reviewers praising its traditional presentation and unlimited rice.
Godavari Andhra Restaurant
Al Karama
Godavari Andhra Restaurant in Al Karama serves Andhra food alongside Hyderabadi biryani. The draw is its traditional thali on a banana leaf, including an unlimited-rice option, while dishes such as gongura mutton biryani and chicken pulusu with chitti garelu give spice-seekers more to explore.
Reputation Score
4.0
★★★★☆
1,305 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Authentic Flavours
Multiple diners describe the Andhra food as authentic, with coastal Andhra and Telugu-style dishes available.
Breakfast Variety
The menu includes a range of dosa, idli and puri options, making breakfast a notable alternative to the thali.
Named Specialties
Gongura mutton biryani stood out to one diner as a distinctive alternative to more familiar biryanis.
Friendly Staff
Several reviews mention helpful or friendly service, including staff who assisted with menu choices.
Affordable Meals
Reviewers repeatedly describe the food as economical or good value, particularly the unlimited vegetarian meals.
What to Eat at Godavari Andhra Restaurant How we choose these items We use AI to find praise and criticism of specific foods and drinks in a selection of Google reviews. For Godavari Andhra Restaurant, this list is based on 50 reviews, not every review of the restaurant. The score is positive reviews minus negative reviews. For example, two positive reviews and one negative review give +1. Each review counts once per item; neutral comments do not change the score. A zero score is not a positive recommendation. “Only neutral feedback” means there are no positive or negative votes. “Mixed feedback” means equal numbers of positive and negative votes. The quotes are examples of what people said, not every comment we counted. We use different reviews where we can. We normally show up to 10 foods and 5 drinks with non-negative scores. Items with the same score stay together. If a tied group would go past the limit, that group and the lower non-negative scores go into Honorable mentions. If an overflowing positive top tie would leave the list empty, we show up to 10 items from that tie and keep the rest in Honorable mentions. Foods and drinks with a negative score are under What to Avoid. Use this as a guide to what reviewers liked, not a guarantee that you will like it too.
Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of Godavari Andhra 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 10
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Butter chicken Net +1
“We tried ghee sambar rice with chicken it’s too salty ,,they changed it but still not that tasty,,butter chicken is good ,,not much of seating area .”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We tried ghee sambar rice with chicken it’s too salty ,,they changed it but still not that tasty,,butter chicken is good ,,not much of seating area .”December 2024
-
Chicken pulusu with chitti garelu Net +1
“Chicken pulusu with chitti garelu (chicken curry (spicy 🥵) with mini vadas , I had the vada of course 🤣 they were lovely)”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Chicken pulusu with chitti garelu (chicken curry (spicy 🥵) with mini vadas , I had the vada of course 🤣 they were lovely)”May 2026
-
Chicken thali Net +1
“I tried the chicken thali, and it was a delicious feast with a mix of flavorful items like chicken curry, chicken fry, and a perfectly boiled egg. Each dish is unapologetically spicy, bringing a level of heat that even as a Malayalee, I found intense but deeply enjoyable.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I tried the chicken thali, and it was a delicious feast with a mix of flavorful items like chicken curry, chicken fry, and a perfectly boiled egg. Each dish is unapologetically spicy, bringing a level of heat that even as a Malayalee, I found intense but deeply enjoyable.”November 2024
-
Double ka metha Net +1
“Double ka metha was good 👍🏼 Since the place was small, you will have to wait more to get your seats.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Double ka metha was good 👍🏼 Since the place was small, you will have to wait more to get your seats.”June 2023
-
Fish meals Net +1
“Tried the fish meals and kabab, it was nice! Not sure if they add soda to the rice, because felt full after two rice servings.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Tried the fish meals and kabab, it was nice! Not sure if they add soda to the rice, because felt full after two rice servings.”August 2024
-
Gongura checked biryani Net +1
“Authentic Andhra biryani taste. Best restaurant for Andhra cuisines. Try gongura checked biryani. Best of the lot.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Authentic Andhra biryani taste. Best restaurant for Andhra cuisines. Try gongura checked biryani. Best of the lot.”December 2021
-
Gongura mutton biryani Net +1
“The best part of my lunch was the gongura mutton biryani, really a must try one. Tastes different and not like all normal biryani’s.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The best part of my lunch was the gongura mutton biryani, really a must try one. Tastes different and not like all normal biryani’s.”June 2023
-
Guntur dosas Net +1
“Dosas (Guntur dosas 🥵 have egg in them but you can ask for an eggless option)”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Dosas (Guntur dosas 🥵 have egg in them but you can ask for an eggless option)”May 2026
-
Guntur roast chicken Net +1
“Food was good. Telangana Chicken Gravy and Guntur Roast chicken as a starter.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food was good. Telangana Chicken Gravy and Guntur Roast chicken as a starter.”April 2025
-
Hyderabad biryani Net +1
“Very nice restaurant , friendly staff , delicious food , super testy food pakka Hyderabad biryani”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Very nice restaurant , friendly staff , delicious food , super testy food pakka Hyderabad biryani”September 2020
Honorable mentions (12)
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Kaju drumstick curry Net +1
“Except for the Kaju Drumstick curry, the other dishes were not up to the mark, and the daal—as usual—had a tangy taste.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Except for the Kaju Drumstick curry, the other dishes were not up to the mark, and the daal—as usual—had a tangy taste.”January 2026
-
Mutton gravy Net +1
“Had a mutton gravy which was really good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Had a mutton gravy which was really good.”June 2023
-
Nellore style mutton curry Net +1
“Try the Nellore style mutton curry!! Good price and very tasty!!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Try the Nellore style mutton curry!! Good price and very tasty!!”April 2023
-
Non veg thali Net +1
“Non veg thali was very good, kind of spicy and tasty… go with empty stomach and smack the meal.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Non veg thali was very good, kind of spicy and tasty… go with empty stomach and smack the meal.”June 2023
-
Puri Net +1
“Among numerous South Indian eateries, their Puri is my absolute favorite, surpassing any other.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Among numerous South Indian eateries, their Puri is my absolute favorite, surpassing any other.”February 2024
-
Sambar rice with ghee and papad's Net +1
“Mostly if I go there I will try native chicken or sambar rice with ghee and papad's.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Mostly if I go there I will try native chicken or sambar rice with ghee and papad's.”August 2020
-
Special festival భోగి menu Net +1
“Ordered special festival భోగి menu. Menu having many traditional varieties and all are tasty with hygienic.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Ordered special festival భోగి menu. Menu having many traditional varieties and all are tasty with hygienic.”January 2022
-
Special weekend unlimited thali Net +1
“Don't miss the special weekend unlimited thali for an added layer of indulgence.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Don't miss the special weekend unlimited thali for an added layer of indulgence.”February 2024
-
Telangana chicken gravy Net +1
“Food was good. Telangana Chicken Gravy and Guntur Roast chicken as a starter.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food was good. Telangana Chicken Gravy and Guntur Roast chicken as a starter.”April 2025
-
Unlimited full meals veg Net +1
“Awesome Unlimited Full meals veg. @30 aed (Especially the weekend special one) must try & some good tasting foods, authentic Andhra Items find in one place.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Awesome Unlimited Full meals veg. @30 aed (Especially the weekend special one) must try & some good tasting foods, authentic Andhra Items find in one place.”November 2023
-
Unlimited thali Net +1
“What makes this place unique is the unlimited thali, available during both lunch and dinner. It's a culinary celebration with choices in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“What makes this place unique is the unlimited thali, available during both lunch and dinner. It's a culinary celebration with choices in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options.”February 2024
-
Special non veg thali Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“Had the special non veg thali was average. Don't think I will have it again.”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
What to Avoid (7)
Food 6
-
Andhra meals Net −1
“We tried the Andhra meals. The pappu was nice and the rasam really good and the pachadi (a chutney) was excellent but the vepudu (fried spinach bhajji) was served cold, the eggplant curry was okay and the tamarind rice had gone bad. So overall not a great experience.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“We tried the Andhra meals. The pappu was nice and the rasam really good and the pachadi (a chutney) was excellent but the vepudu (fried spinach bhajji) was served cold, the eggplant curry was okay and the tamarind rice had gone bad. So overall not a great experience.”June 2026
-
Chicken 65 Net −1
“Chicken 65 was little hard and average.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Chicken 65 was little hard and average.”June 2023
-
Ghee sambar rice with chicken Net −1
“We tried ghee sambar rice with chicken it’s too salty ,,they changed it but still not that tasty,,butter chicken is good ,,not much of seating area .”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“We tried ghee sambar rice with chicken it’s too salty ,,they changed it but still not that tasty,,butter chicken is good ,,not much of seating area .”December 2024
-
Godavari special meals Net −1
“We ordered the “Godavari Special Meals,” assuming it would reflect the restaurant’s core strength. Unfortunately, almost every dish was excessively salty — not slightly off, but overwhelmingly so (easily 30–40% more salt than acceptable). It completely ruined the balance and authenticity you expect from Andhra cuisine.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“We ordered the “Godavari Special Meals,” assuming it would reflect the restaurant’s core strength. Unfortunately, almost every dish was excessively salty — not slightly off, but overwhelmingly so (easily 30–40% more salt than acceptable). It completely ruined the balance and authenticity you expect from Andhra cuisine.”April 2026
-
Natu kodi biryani Net −1
“Ordered the Natu Kodi Biryani where the chicken was very tough and the pieces were so small, however on calling the restaurant they gave me a Chicken Dum biryani.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Ordered the Natu Kodi Biryani where the chicken was very tough and the pieces were so small, however on calling the restaurant they gave me a Chicken Dum biryani.”June 2023
-
Non-veg thali Net −1
“I ordered a non-veg thali and it was insanely spicy. Not flavorful spicy, but pure red chilli and masala overload. The masala completely overpowered everything, you can’t taste the food, only chilli.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I ordered a non-veg thali and it was insanely spicy. Not flavorful spicy, but pure red chilli and masala overload. The masala completely overpowered everything, you can’t taste the food, only chilli.”January 2026
Drinks 1
-
Lemon soda Net −1
“Overall, it was an average experience until I ordered a lemon soda, which was filled with sugar syrup. That completely changed my review from “average” to “disappointing.””
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“Overall, it was an average experience until I ordered a lemon soda, which was filled with sugar syrup. That completely changed my review from “average” to “disappointing.””January 2026
Tips for a Better Visit
Expect Heat. If you are not comfortable with heavy chilli, ask about spice levels before ordering; the non-veg thali can be intensely hot.
Try Breakfast. Look beyond lunch and dinner: reviewers specifically recommend checking the breakfast menu for its puri, dosa and idli choices.
Choose Thali. For the clearest introduction, consider the leaf-served thali, which reviewers describe as an authentic Andhra experience.
Allow Waiting. The small dining room can mean a wait for a table, so avoid arriving hungry if you are visiting at a busy time.
Check Your Order. Keep an eye on service and ask for missing sides promptly; several diners say dishes were forgotten or served late.
Plan Parking. Parking may be inconvenient around the restaurant, with one review noting that open parking can be difficult.
Plan the visit
Practical details
12C St
Al Karama, Dubai
| Mon | 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM |
| Tue | 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM |
| Wed | 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM |
| Thu | 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM |
| Fri | 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM |
| Sat | 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM |
| Sun | 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM |
Common Concerns
Very Spicy
The chilli level can overwhelm the food, especially in the non-veg thali and Guntur-style dishes.
Hygiene Concerns
Two recent reviews report poorly maintained washrooms, unpleasant smells and concerns about serving hygiene.
Uneven Quality
Reviews report specific problems including cold vepudu, spoiled tamarind rice, excessive salt and a spoiled dessert.
Slow Service
Some diners say staff forgot side dishes or dessert, leaving them to remind the team repeatedly.
Limited Seating
The restaurant is described as small, with waits for seats and a dining area that can feel cramped.
Customer-reported prices
These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.
around the 40 AED
Non veg thali weekend special
“We ordered the Non veg thali weekend special, they charged around the 40 AED”Google review · August 2023
49aed
Festival thali
“The thali is much expensive @49aed, I can say with the menu they should have reduced the price of thali”Google review · January 2022
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Godavari Andhra Restaurant is a small Al Karama spot for traditional Andhra and Telugu-style food, with Hyderabadi biryani also part of its identity. The most distinctive order is the thali served on a banana leaf; the unlimited-rice version is repeatedly praised, and both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options are mentioned. Breakfast is another strong reason to look at the menu, particularly the puri, dosa and idli choices.
For a more specific meal, reviewers mention chicken pulusu with chitti garelu, Telangana chicken gravy, Guntur roast chicken and gongura mutton biryani. The latter was described as notably different from standard biryani. Portions and pricing are often viewed as affordable, including a reported AED 30 unlimited vegetarian full meal and roughly AED 40 per person for a meal featuring chicken dishes.
This is not a gentle introduction to spice. Andhra heat can dominate, especially in the non-veg thali and Guntur dishes, so ask before ordering if chilli is a concern. Service is inconsistent: staff are often described as friendly, but diners also report forgotten dishes and delays.
Recent reviews raise concerns about washroom maintenance and unpleasant smells. Seating is limited, and parking can be awkward, so busy visits may require patience.