Chennai Hoppers

“Awesome food and awesome service. Especially mohan ji and raj ji. No swaminarayan options (no onion, no garlic) except palak paneer(saag paneer). Preparation was good. Vegetarian friendly !”

“A True Taste of Home (Chennai) in Maryland! As someone originally from Chennai now living in New Jersey, I’ve tried countless Indian restaurants across NJ and Virginia. Chennai Hoppers is easily one of the most unique and authentic experiences I’ve had in the U.S. Whether you are dining with family or just stopping by for a solo meal, this place is a must-visit. Here’s why: • Unique & Authentic Menu: They don't just serve the standard fare. I was blown away by the Seppankizhangu Roast, the Vazhaipoo Bonda, and the Srivilliputhur Palcova (which is hard to find done right!). There were so many other items I wanted to try, but I simply ran out of room in my stomach. I’m already planning my next visit for a full lunch meal. • Wonderful Ambience: The decor is very nostalgic and neat. I loved the brick walls and the old black-and-white photos of Chennai; it really sets the mood. • Exceptional Service: I had the pleasure of meeting Sharath, who runs the place. He is incredibly kind and clearly cares about his guests. The waitstaff were also very warm and welcoming, making the whole experience feel like home. • Cleanliness: It’s rare to find such a well-maintained spot; the dining area is pristine and even the restrooms were very clean. If you are in the DC, Maryland, or Delaware area, do yourself a favor and eat here. You won't regret it!”

“Today during our DC visit we had a chance to visit Chennai Hoppers.Masala dosa was excellent. My friends told me fish and parotta was excellent and biryani was top notch One thing we didn't like is the mushroom starter which had too much sauce and I ordered it since menu mentioned Chennai style but I never had that in chennai and that I never had anything in chennai with this much sauce Kottu parotta was good but little dry may be because of egg but not exactly sure Customer service was great but little slow may be because of crowd I would also stick with the average good rating of 4.6 and this can go to 4.8 to ,5 Overall this is one of very good place for Indian food”

“Bustling atmosphere, serving south India cuisine. The food here is good but could be spicy for mild palettes. I really liked the appam and the desert, both are delicious and worth visiting for! I We ordered what was called dumplings and they were nothing but vadas. We also ordered a vegetable coconut based curry - I personally can’t handle a lot of spicy and felt the spice could be toned down a bit. Overall, decent food and good service.”

“After having come across multiple reviews about this place, I decided to drop in on a Friday for lunch. We all were seated promptly and started off our orders with soup and appetisers — murungai keerai soup, goat paya soup, idli, cheppankizhangu (taro fritters) and the vanjaram podi varuval (king fish fry). Both the soups were good and they were served in huge bowls (two people can share easily), the taro fritters were crispy and were perfectly marinated to snack on. The idli with the sambhar and chutneys were really good. However, the king fish was a massive disappointment. Yes, the portions were generous (they give 2 pieces of fish) but the taste was dismal. I couldn’t taste any special masala or seasoning in the marinade except a lot of chilli powder and turmeric. For entrees, we had ordered, kothu parotta, pottalam parotha and the goat dum biriyani. I wanted to try their thalappakatti biriyani but it’s only available on weekends. The pottalam parotta tasted okay and the biriyani was decent as well — nothing extraordinary about either item. We decided to end this with jigarthanda and were sorta let down by that too. The jigarthanda was nothing close to being authentic nor did it taste good. All in all, for all the reviews about this place, my experience was a letdown mostly because the food was just average and not authentic as it claims to be. Also, the prices are really high for everything on the menu but the dishes don’t live up to the rates or taste!”