Saravanaa Bhavan Karama

Name: Saravanaa Bhavan Karama
Address: Abdul Aziz Mirza Bldg - Shop # 6 & 7, Al Karama, Dubai, AE
Telephone: +97143345252

Al Karama

Vegetarian restaurant Closed 04 334 5252

Saravanaa Bhavan Karama is a long-running vegetarian restaurant in Al Karama focused on South Indian food. Reviews point to crisp dosas, soft idli, thali meals and filter coffee, making it a practical stop for breakfast, lunch or a familiar vegetarian meal.

Reputation Score

4.1

★★★★☆

4,374 ratings

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The Good Stuff

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Authentic Dosas

Masala dosa has crisp edges and a nicely spiced potato filling; paper roast is served with three chutneys and sambar.

Thali Meals

Traditional thali meals are a reliable lunch choice, with one reviewer especially praising the super thali for a grandmother.

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What to Eat at Saravanaa Bhavan Karama

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

Food 5

Dosa Net +5

“One of the best South Indian dosa and talli’s in the Karama area. Check out the special coffee as well.”
Masala dosa Net +5

“Saravanaa Bhavan is always my go to and safe option whenever I am craving masala dosa or any South Indian dish. Over the years, no matter which branch I visit, it has never failed to impress me, both in terms of the taste of the food and the service provided by the waiters.”
Idli Net +3

“The food was generally good, as expected. In my view, dosa and idli seem to be their specialties, and those are the dishes I usually order.”
Uthapam Net +2

“Uttapam - kids favourite. They love the Uttapam that Saravana Bhawan serves. Again they serve this with 3 chutneys and sambhar.”
Vada Net +2

“Especially the masala dosa and vada — both were super tasty.”

Honorable mentions (31)

Benne dosa Net +1

“The masala dosa had a nicely spiced potato filling with crisp edges, the benne dosa was rich and buttery just as it should be, and the uthapam was soft, flavorful, and satisfying.”
Button idly sambar Net +1

“I would highly recommend button idly sambar and Wada which are top notch as part of the breakfast menu.”
Cheese dosa Net +1

“We had the cheese dosa, idly and a plain vada - highly recommend the cheese dosa.”
Classic paper roast Net +1

“Ordered in the classic Paper Roast from Saravanaa Bhavan and it truly hit the spot! Crispy, golden, and stretched out impressively across the plate, it came with three flavorful chutneys and a warm, comforting bowl of sambar that brought everything together beautifully.”
Executive meals Net +1

“Executive meals 4/5 - puri served hot, 2 sweets too.”
Fried mushrooms Net +1

“The food were super delicious especially fried mushrooms were the best!! You must try!!”
Ghee roast Net +1

“We had ordered ghee roast instead of Ghee dosa.But i have a doubt, whats the difference in both dosa and huge different in price also. We all know in south india ghee roast and ghee dosa is same.Dont confuse in the menu please. Otherwise in taste and flavour the food is awesome.”
Idli & vada combo Net +1

“Idli & vada combo - idlis are very soft. Not to miss are their Vada's . Crispy, yummy and delicious. You just feel like eating more and more.”
Idli wada Net +1

“Feel like Orginal taste of Breakfast, Idli wada, and Masala dosa with different options”
Idlis Net +1

“Idli & vada combo - idlis are very soft. Not to miss are their Vada's . Crispy, yummy and delicious. You just feel like eating more and more.”
Idly vada sambar dip Net +1

“Their idly Vada sambar dip was good and very filling but there is no spice in their food.”
Kerala dosa Net +1

“Kerala dosa as it is with many options.”
Mini idlis Net +1

“The nostaglia factor hits hard when the delectable flavours of south india hit the palate. A plate of crispy vadas , a hot sambar, a papery dosa and an assortment of chutneys set the stage for mini idlis , pongal and a sweet treat of sheera to end your meal.”
Mini tiffin Net +1

“Delicious Dosas.one of the busiest restaurents in karama.i really like the Mysore masala dosa and really like the ribbon pakoda as snack.Mini tiffin is also a must try if you want to try small portions of different meals.”
Mysore masala dosa Net +1

“Delicious Dosas.one of the busiest restaurents in karama.i really like the Mysore masala dosa and really like the ribbon pakoda as snack.Mini tiffin is also a must try if you want to try small portions of different meals.”
Paneer 65 briyani Net +1

“We ordered Paneer 65 Briyani and Ghee Pongal. My first time trying the Paneer Briyani - definitely not my last. Both dishes were delicious”
Paneer and spinach curry Net +1

“Paneer and spinach curry was also nice. All food was rich taste but not heavy.”
Plain dosa with ghee Net +1

“Im fun of plain dosa with ghee that make it more crispy.”
Plain vada Net +1

“We had the cheese dosa, idly and a plain vada - highly recommend the cheese dosa. There is an area for washing hands, this was essential for us. Overall an excellent Indian restaurant. Will definitely visit again.”
Pongal Net +1

“The nostaglia factor hits hard when the delectable flavours of south india hit the palate. A plate of crispy vadas , a hot sambar, a papery dosa and an assortment of chutneys set the stage for mini idlis , pongal and a sweet treat of sheera to end your meal.”
Puri Net +1

“Executive meals 4/5 - puri served hot, 2 sweets too.”
Ribbon pakoda Net +1

“Delicious Dosas.one of the busiest restaurents in karama.i really like the Mysore masala dosa and really like the ribbon pakoda as snack.Mini tiffin is also a must try if you want to try small portions of different meals.”
Sheera Net +1

“The nostaglia factor hits hard when the delectable flavours of south india hit the palate. A plate of crispy vadas , a hot sambar, a papery dosa and an assortment of chutneys set the stage for mini idlis , pongal and a sweet treat of sheera to end your meal.”
Tamarind rice Net +1

“During my wife's pregnancy, she often craved authentic South Indian food, especially delicious tamarind rice and other traditional vegetarian dishes.”
Tamil nadu meals Net +1

“Tamil Nadu meals 3.5/5 Tried Tamil style meals for the first time and it was decent. Not spicy..even the gravy curry they said is spicy gravy wasn't spicy.”
Thosai Net +1

“We had the lunch special meal and it was super delicious. Highly recommend you try this place for the meals and thosai. Make sure you go before 3.30 to eat the meals.”
Tonato onion utappam Net +1

“My kid liked their Tonato Onion Utappam as we asked them to make it in ghee.”
Vada's Net +1

“Idli & vada combo - idlis are very soft. Not to miss are their Vada's . Crispy, yummy and delicious. You just feel like eating more and more.”
Vegetable butter masala Net +1

“Vegetable butter masala was yummy!! We love that curry most.”
Neer dosa Net 0

Only neutral feedback

“Neer Dosa was Ok.”
Rasam Net 0

Only neutral feedback

“We visited twice during our stay. Our first visit was very pleasant. We particularly enjoyed the rasam, which was served as a soup and was full of flavour. Our second visit was a different experience. The restaurant was much busier and noisier, which made it feel a bit chaotic. We ordered the rasam again, but it was quite different from what we had the first time. We later learned that the recipe varies from day to day, so it simply wasn't to our personal taste on this occasion.”

Drinks 2

Mango lassi Net +1

“The mango Lassi was very creamy and rich.”
Tea Net +1

“The tea was also amazing — a perfect finishing touch! ☕”

What to Avoid (1)

Food 1

Onion rava sada Net −1

“We tried their Onion Rava sada, it was too sada… very dry.”

Tips for a Better Visit

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Arrive Early. For lunch meals, try to arrive before 3:30pm; a late visit had only meals available and missed sambar rice.

Avoid Peak Times. Expect a long weekend queue, even outside standard meal hours, so visit off-peak if you want a quicker table.

Plan the visit

Practical details

Abdul Aziz Mirza Bldg - Shop # 6 & 7

Al Karama, Dubai

04 334 5252

Mon	7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Tue	7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Wed	7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Thu	7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Fri	7:00 AM – 11:30 PM
Sat	7:00 AM – 11:30 PM
Sun	7:00 AM – 11:30 PM

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Common Concerns

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Busy Service

The restaurant can become crowded and noisy, with several reviews reporting delays for drinks and snacks.

Inconsistent Food

Rasam differed noticeably between two visits, and other reviews report both overly spicy sambar and a dry onion rava dosa.

DXB
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The Bottom Line

Saravanaa Bhavan Karama is a South Indian vegetarian restaurant in Al Karama, and its strongest draw is familiar, traditional comfort food. Dosa and idli are the safest starting points: reviews describe crisp masala dosa, soft idli, vada, flavorful chutneys and sambar. The paper roast comes with three chutneys, while mini tiffin suits anyone who wants smaller portions of several dishes.

For a fuller meal, try the Ghee Pongal or a thali. Lunch meals are popular, but one review advises arriving before 3:30pm because later visits may have fewer choices. Filter coffee is a consistent favourite, and the special coffee makes an easy finish to breakfast or dosa.

The branch has ample seating upstairs and downstairs, is described as spacious, and has a kids menu. It can also be very busy, especially at weekends, with occasional delays for drinks and snacks. Home delivery has been described as quick.

Quality and service are not completely consistent. Diners have reported changing rasam, very spicy sambar, a dry onion rava dosa, and concerns around washroom smells and seating-area cleanliness. Check bottled-water charges before opening a bottle, and clarify the ghee roast versus ghee dosa pricing if ordering either.