DOSA on Fillmore

Overrated, service is good. Food is not up to the mark
Nice decide and location. But the dosage are too crispy and not what u expect. Pander Frankie was a disaster, made with tamarind chutney. Someone tell them that Frankie is not a chat item.

5 stars for Brunch! Pleasantly surprised at the tastiness and uniqueness of their brunch menu items. Easy online reservations – this is more often a lunch/​dinner restaurant, so get in now while brunch is still under-​popularized. Huge restaurant, especially for this Fillmore location.
Service is attentive, manager is welcoming, and waiter was knowledgeable and informative.
Mango Lassi ($ 5) — mixed really well, one of the better mango lassi’s that the hubby and I have had. (He ordered this – I opted to wait until after brunch and instead get T4 a block down the street. :))
Bombay Eggs ($ 15) — extra flavorful, reminds me of a tastier spicier version of Moroccan baked eggs. Comes with 2 eggs baked atop a thick tomato curry concoction, a ~half-​sized garlic/​onion uttapam, and a couple sauces (mild green, spicy red). Great recommendation from our waiter! Makes my mouth water just thinking of this dish.
Wild Mushroom & Truffle Oil Uttapam ($ 15) — flavorful with tender deliciously prepared mushrooms. Not your typical button mushrooms – these are beech, maitake, and trumpet – yum! Impressed at how well they cooked the mushrooms, especially considering truffle oil/​mushrooms aren’t your typical Indian fare. An uttapam is a white slightly spongy/​chewy pancake. Comes with 2 sauces (including a sweeter and less spicy red sauce) and a cup of stewed veggie curry soup.
Generous, extra flavorful dishes. Great service. Easy reservations. And to top it off, boba down the street. What else could you ask for?

I came in with a party of three at 6:45 on Monday. The restaurant was starting to fill up. They sat us right away. By a little after seven the restaurant was pretty full.
I ordered the following.
Mango Lassi — 4.5 stars — one of the best I have had. Nice mango purée folded into organic straus yogurt.
Roasted Chile and Garlic Dosa — 4.5 stars — my favorite out of the three dosa I tasted. Wonderful flavored dosa batter! The chile and garlic flavored come through wonderfully. The dosa are served with a tomato, coconut and lentil dipping soup. All delicious!
I also had bites of the following.
Sprouted mung bean and paneer salad —
Masala
Spicy mung bean masala
Both were very good. I like the plain masala better!
Our server was Chi! He was very nice, knowledgeable and attentive.
I will definitely be returning! I give this restaurant 4.5 stars.

This review is for the poor service we experienced.
We were brought to a table and I asked the hostess if we could sit in another booth that was also open — she said, «I’m not sure, I’ll be right back.» Didn’t see her again.
We’re at our table, and after 5 – 6 minutes a man silently puts 2 waters on the table (one of the glasses was literally only half full), and walks away. We wait for 7 – 8 more minutes for our server — nothing. Finally I flag down a busser and ask him to get us our server. It turns out to be the guy who brought us our waters. He stares at us, and silly me, I’m expecting some sort of «Hi», or «Hello, how are you». All we got was «are you guys ready?»
He drops off our food, and doesn’t even bother to check in and see how it is/​how we’re doing, nothing. What’s even worse is that he definitely wasn’t as stiff with the table right next to us.
Food was nice, but I don’t like being served with an attitude like I’m some sort of inconvenience.

6 discerning eaters: prefer organic, some wheat/​gluten intolerances, one can’t do eggs, one avoids meat when able, blah blah blah…
And we were ALL totally satisfied & impressed with their patience, service & communication. We had new twists on several old favorites and it was down right Delish! Can’t wait to take my son & hubby! Or just another group of picky girlfriends … Cuz I know everyone will enjoy it!

We went with our entire family including kids to this place.
If you are Dosa Lover and looking for a good dine out experience, then avoid this place. Let me explain.
The staff is very arrogant. May be they prefer white skinned people as we could see the difference.
They ran out a lot of dishes. Common!!! Wish they told us while we were waiting for 45 min.
Definitely not coming to this place again.

5 stars for sure. The number of 5 stars reviews that I write have gone down sharply since I have started writing more reviews. I try to reserve them for something special and unique. This place deserves 5 stars for its combination of wonderful food and amazing ambience. I can nearly say that this place has the best ambience amongst the Indian restaurants that I have been to in the US, till now.
For people of Indian origin, I would recommend this place for taking non-​Indian friends out to and especially if you have to take your parents or relatives out for a meal. This will definitely be a place that will leave a good impression. For everyone, this is the kind of ambience and food that I want every Indian place should have. Gets busy over the weekend so make a reservation.
Now that I have commented enough about other things let’s get to the food.
Appetizers: order the Fried Idllis, and chennai chicken. Both are nice and good.
Main course: being named Dosa, we had to try some dosa’s and they turned out to be pretty good. Over two visits we have tried Mung dosa, Rava dosa, and Paneer Dosa. I liked the Mung and Rava dosa more than the Paneer dosa. We tried some other entrees also: really loved the Prawn masala and the Channa Bhatura. If you don’t want to have a dosa I would recommend either of these two. Both had wonderful flavor.
Sweets: Ras malai was good.
Mango lassi was also good.
Enjoy the food and the environment.

I wanted to 5-​star this spot, just like the one in the Mission.
It’s just the little things: I asked the hostess for a table where our little one could have a high chair and not be in the way. She was very accommodating, but then didn’t bring us a high chair? I asked for chutneys for the pappadam (the usual coconut and red chutneys we ask for at Dosa on Valencia), and she offered me the chutney sampler). Maybe no one asks for those there? She obliged but seemed kinda annoyed.
The food was great, although I’m gonna keep it real, and say Valencia still edges them out in the taste and presentation of their dosas.

So disappointed with my recent visit. This was my favorite south Indian place. The sambhar and red chutney were EXTREMELY SPICY! the waiter could not change it. The paneer dosa and masala dosa were okay. The idli was not too soft. Would prefer the Jay Bharat dosa over this now. Please bring back the less spicy versions! :(
PS: NEVER order the panipuri here! By far the worst I have eaten.

My review here is for the bar only as we just stopped in for cocktails after having dinner elsewhere. The ambience at Dosa is upscale but chill and welcoming. The bartenders are very personable and friendly and after a short conversation about cocktails it is apparent they know their stuff. The cocktail menu has several speciality cocktails that are a fitting match to the theme of Dosa and are all quite nice and unique served in a decent portion size which has become rare in San Francisco. No half filled glasses here! Dosa was a great spot to hang and have a drink. I will deffo be back.

Checked in on June 2, 2016.
I went as part of a group celebrating a friend’s birthday. I’d read other Unilocal reviews and was glad that I decided to go to DOSA. Here’s my rating:
1) Food — ⁵⁄₅
2) Service — ⁵⁄₅
3) Bar/​drinks — ⁵⁄₅
4) Ambiance — ⁴⁄₅
We ordered:
1) Vada Pao — we ordered two of these to be shared among the table. It was perfect. The serving size is big, so it can easily be shared. Taste was very good. I would definitely order this again.
2) Spring tasting menu — I might skip this next time and just order of the regular menu. In the first course I ordered English Pea and Broccoli Soup. This was probably the only item I was disappointed with that evening. In second course, I selected Roasted Chile & Garlic Dosa — was very good. Third course was Karaikudi Chicken Korma. This was a good dish, but nothing outstanding about it. Also, the serving sizes are decent, so tasting menu can easily be shared between two.
3) Drinks — various drinks were ordered. Steph Curry, Peony, Uncut Old fashioned. My favorite would be Peony followed by Steph Curry.
4) Rasmalai — very good
DOSA is pricey, but classy. It’s a place to go to celebrate special occasions. Food is good, but I do not think they are charging us only for the food. If they were, the prices would be lower. They charge for the total experience.
Reservations are a must!

Excellent south indian/​north indian fusion fare that is consistently good. I have been here a few times now and never been disappointed. Service is quick and they have a nice bar as well. It’s not cheap by any standards but most nice places in SF aren’t!
Reservations are a must!

I am completely speechless! I did my research before coming here and when my meal was completed, I realized this restaurant more than exceeded all my expectations. I haven’t stopped thinking about it ever since and I’m already planning my next visit!
Wow! From the moment we walked in, we were immediately acknowledged by the bartenders even though we didn’t stop at the bar. We were seated upstairs (our choice) which was great because we had a wonderful view of the entire restaurant, which is aesthetically pleasing, decorated with amazing artsy chandeliers and in gorgeous hues of orange! Our waiter was super friendly and the service was great!
We all ordered specialty cocktails. Mine was a gin and tonic, mixed with a house made fig and cardamom tonic. Best gin and tonic I’ve ever had. We ordered many shared plates. They were nothing short of amazing!!!
Spring Fruits and goat cheese salad — So good I had to order a second one! Visually beautiful with Strawberries, oranges, greens, peas, sweet roasted walnuts, goat cheese fritters, and edible flower petals in a spicy avocado coconut dressing! Superb!
Sprouted Mung Bean & Paneer Salad – with chunks of watermelon, tofu, mung beans, coconut and kale with a spicy Apple dressing. Yummmmm… So fresh!
Five Moons Uttapam Sampler — -just beautiful! Little pancakes with toppings. You dip them in tomato and coconut chutneys and lentil sambar (which is a hot lentil soup)
Shikampuri Kebab Sliders— minced lamb slider on a sweet roll with a spicy dipping sauce. My mouth was on fire but it was worth it!
Chennai Chicken — Succulent shreds of deep fried chicken with a cool coriander cumin sauce. Mmmmmmmmmm!
And as if that wasn’t enough, our waiter brought us a complimentary dessert!!!
Our tab was very reasonable and I left extremely happy!
This was so worth coming all the way from Napa Valley for! Like I said, I’m speechless and happy to have found this restaurant. I’m coming back as soon as I can!!! Thank you so much for enlightening me!

I recently had their food and had to post a Unilocal review. It is so delicious. Service is really awesome too!
Highly recommend Tasting Menu if you are up for it/​
They give you pappadam as a complimentary appetizer.
FOOD:
1. Vada Pav Veg — This is one of the bests!!! It comes with only 1 of them. Ask for 2 if you have 2 people
2. Dahi Vada — one of my all time favorites! Awesome Presentation
3. White Truffle Masala Dosa — to die for!
4. Spicy Mung Masala — Really yummy!
DRINKS:
1. Bali Hai — My favorite!
2. Steph Curry — really good cocktail with Bourbon
3. Mango is the New Black — It’s okay for once but wouldn’t get it again!

Tea horrible ²⁄₁₀ tasted stale and as if boiled and left out for hrs
Vada can’t eat, smelt of old oil, bad consistency
Oh and server pulled out menu from my friend who was still reading it
Never coming back

Had reservations yesterday for 5:45 on a Saturday and was told there was a parking garage next door. But when we got there it was full due to Cherry Blossom Festival so we spent 30 mins looking for parking. We ended up finding parking 13 mins walk in the rain from the restaurant.
Got to Dosa 10 mins late but the friendly promptly seated us upstairs. It’s a lot quieter upstairs because you don’t have the hubbub of the bar downstairs going on. Our server Christi was patient and informative since we are newbies to Indian food. We notified her we had to be at Orpheum for a show so we needed to be done by 7:15. She said no problem and in the end that was a true statement.
My friend ordered the Channa Bhatura which came w/​some garbanzo stew which you dipped your doughy baked thing into. She liked it and it was pretty tasty and not too spicy. I ordered the Mushroom Uttapam which is like a dosa but thicker like pancake and came w/​three dipping sauces. I don’t recall the names of them but they were all good w/​my preference being the sweeter one. I love mushrooms so I was a happy camper. Serving sizes didn’t leave me hungry so that’s also a big plus.
I took off one star only for the parking. I hate wasting time looking for parking… especially when I’m hungry. Wish there was more parking available close by. All in all a good experience and I’ll be back to explore more of menu.

Everything about DOSA on Fillmore is outstanding!!! The food is excellent, the staff was helpful and really knowledgeable of the menu. The restaurant is a little dark, I felt like I almost had to read the menu with my phone’s flashlight, but it’s really beautiful inside.
We started with vada pav and the Channai chicken. I had the spicy basil Dosa as my entrée and would definitely recommend it. My friend also mentioned that all of the drinks really capture the essence of the Indian fusion style of the restaurant so I tried the Forbidden City. Definitely worth ordering.

Being an Indian food fan, I am so happy I have finally come here. We came for my husbands birthday, had a great night. The service was absolutely perfect. They make you feel special, and you can tell the servers here love their job.
We started with cocktails, they were so good, there is a reason they have a good reputation for cocktails. South Indian food is so tasty. We had the uttapam sampler, the rava masala dosa and the famous chicken dish. The starter was the papadem chips with the delicious chutneys. Everything was so good, I can’t wait to go back.
The atmosphere is really beautiful, great spot for date night, very romantic setting. The bar is beautiful, just really well done. This will be my new spot to take friends, especially friends from out of town.

TLDR — Delicious, flavorful South Indian food. Go for the dosas, maybe the appetizers, and skip the entrees. Definitely more on the fancy/​trendy end of Indian food so expect to pay more than the classic Indian joint
Came with a group of 5 for SF Restaurant Week on a Saturday night. Not sure if it was because of SFRW or if it’s always like this, but this place was really busy. I could only get a reservation at 5:45pm or at like 9pm a few days in advance. We ended up coming at 5:45 and by the time we left around 7:30, there was a long line of people waiting to be seated.
Ambiance here is very lively and energetic. There’s a huge bar and some communal tables on the first floor and tables on two floors. Tall ceilings, dim lighting and chic décor scream nice and trendy.
We decided to order 2 sets of the 3-​course SFRW menu, 1 appetizer and 2 dosas to split between everyone for a total of 3 appetizers, 4 dosas and 2 other entrees, which was plenty to share. The menu can be a little overwhelming if you’re not familiar with Southeast Indian cuisine. They’re known for their dosas, which are large, crispy Indian crepes generally filled with potatoes and/​or other fillings, all of which are served with coconut and tomato chutneys and a vegetable and lentil dipping soup. If you can’t decide what to get, you can always opt for their seasonal prix-​fixe tasting menu to help narrow down your options!
Some of the portion sizes were pretty small, especially the appetizers, so they were a little hard for sharing. The dosas were very large and filling though, especially the masala (potato-​filled) ones. I’d recommend skipping the other entrees though. They were still good, but they were much more expensive than the dosas and rather small in portion size.
Overall, everything was pretty tasty. Lots of flavor and all the meat dishes were cooked very well, but most of the dishes didn’t leave a lasting impression. Standouts of the night were definitely the Green Mango & Paneer Dosa (from the SFRW menu) and the White Truffle Masala Dosa. Definitely would want to return to try some more of their dosas.
** APPETIZERS **
–SHREDDED DUCK ($ 14) — ⁴⁄₅
[spicy vindaloo-​style, chiles, ginger, garlic, vinegar, caramelized onion uttapam]
Tender, spicy, flavorful.
–COCHIN CALAMARI ($ 12) — ⁴⁄₅
[sauteed with mildly-​spiced coconut milk]
Super tender, lightly sweet, full of flavor
–SOUTH INDIAN SEAFOOD CIOPPINO ($ 17) — 4.5÷5
[coconut stew, shrimp, mussels, calamari, scallops]
Delicious! Light, fragrant, coconutty broth with a slight kick.
** DOSAS **
–GREEN MANGO & PANEER DOSA — ⁵⁄₅
[spicy, pickled mango relish, shredded farmer’s cheese, cilantro]
MMM absolutely amazing. I don’t know where the mango was in this, but it was lightly sweet and the cheese wasn’t overwhelming. If you’re not a fan of potatoes, this is definitely a good dosa alternative. Not quite as heavy as the masala dosas either.
–WHITE TRUFFLE MASALA DOSA ($ 15) — ⁵⁄₅
[classic masala dosa, truffle oil]
I love truffle oil so I loved this! But only the parts of the dosa that actually had the truffle oil. The truffle wasn’t very consistent in the dosa so a lot of it was just a normal masala dosa. But the truffled parts were delicious!
–LAMB KEEMA DOSA ($ 15) — ⁴⁄₅
[plain dosa, side of minced lamb & diced potatoes]
The lamb was yummy, but as a dosa as a whole, it wasn’t quite as special as some of the others. Worth a try, but if you’re a more adventurous eater, it might be a little disappointing.
–SPICY BASIL DOSA ($ 13) — ²⁄₅
[masala dosa, fresh basil chutney, cashew nuts, shallots, ginger, curry leaves, chiles]
Meh. Tasted like a regular masala dosa to me. I don’t think anyone in my group got any of the spicy basil part of it. No idea where that basil chutney was. I’d pass on this in the future.
** ENTREES **
–HYDERABADI LAMB BIRYANI ($ 31) — ⁴⁄₅
[basmati rice, spiced sauce, raita]
The lamb was soft and tender, and the rice was nice and fluffy. Delicious overall, but for $ 31, I was definitely expecting a bigger portion size. At least more rice if not more lamb.
–KERALA FISH MOILEE ($ 32) — ⁴⁄₅
[coconut milk, curry leaves, ginger, coconut rice]
Wow, that fish was cooked soo well. So soft and moist. The curry part honestly was just okay, but the fish was definitely the star here. Again, small portion size for the price.

Came here at 10:15pm on a Saturday night and we still needed to put our name down for a waitlist (25 min). I couldn’t believe people were still lining up for dinner this late. This is how you know you’re for a mind blowing meal.
The interior was swanky, but still welcoming enough where the average diner didn’t feel too out of place. Somehow I felt soothed the clinky clanky, dim-​lighted, up-​scale feel. Once seated, we looked through the menu and decided to go family style with our ordering (we were a group of 6). There is also a prix-​fixe option, but that wasn’t for us.
The food arrived very quickly and everything was absolutely amazing. I was told that the food wasn’t very authentic Indian cuisine and it was more of a fusion style. Regardless, the food was absolutely delicious and we were starved and tired from the day. I loved the lamb shank with dosa combo the best. Our other lamb dish was also really tender and tasty.
Our dessert, the Rasmalai, was the perfect combo of creamy and lightly sweet — highly recommend ordering it. Though dinner was relatively short because it was late and we were exhausted, I would love love love to come back again to try other menu items and enjoy the atmosphere and a nice drink.
Ambiance: ⁵⁄₅
Food: ⁵⁄₅
Service: ⁵⁄₅
Overall Experience: ⁵⁄₅

Ambiance (⁵⁄₅): Walking into this place, I had no expectations. My gf just said it was a nicer Indian restaurant, so I just expected that. Boy was I wrong. This place is super chic. Besides the cool artwork hung around the area, or the chandeliers above, I was enamored with my experience here just looking around. My personal favorite was the automatic door in the front. Definitely a nice surprise.
Service (⁴⁄₅): Our server was extremely sweet. She was very patient with our decision-​making process on what to order as well as checking in with us from time to time. I did like how since we did order more than our table could hold, she actually staggered the meals so that we could have ample space to enjoy one, and promptly have the next one as soon as we finished. Also, another kind gentlemen came by for our drink orders while we were waiting to be seated. How rad is that to be treated well even before your seated.
Food (⁴⁄₅): We shared the idli fries, sweet potato dosa, and lambed keema dosa. The fries were coated with this powder, which had a nice kick to it. The sweet potato dosa came out first and I loved the presentation. The sweet potato filling was hidden inside the nicely wrapped dosa. I liked the sponginess of the dosa, rather than the crispy sections. But that’s just my preference. The sweet potato still had a savory flavor to them that I really enjoy. Plus the chutneys that came on the side also was a nice touch. We were pretty full by the time the lamb keema came out. I was a tad disappointed since the lamb was really finely diced, so you don’t get the texture of the meat, but you can still taste it. It was a bit spicy, but we did enjoy it as well.
Drinks (⁴⁄₅): I normally don’t order drinks, but somtimes you have to treat yo’self. Being a huge Warriors fan, I knew I had to go with the Steph Curry. My gf also ordered the mango is the new black. I will say these drinks are strong, so you do get your moneys worth. But I did enjoy both drinks and I could see why Steph Curry has been one of their more popular drinks.

Having visited San Francisco and having lived on non-​spicy food for days, we were in the mood for some spicy Indian food. We wanted to avoid the standard restaurants in the South Bay and focus on something in downtown. A friend of ours had recommended this place, so I was completely down to give it a try!
DOSA has a very festive resort lounge vibe. There are huge ceilings with a very spacious bar area, couch seats like Starbucks, and then there’s the main dining hall. The hosts were very professional — as soon as you enter, you are ushered in, seated and promptly handed the menu.
I decided to go with the Mixed Chile Uttapam, which is a thick dosa-​pancake with 3 types of chili. I was warned this would be spicy! I rounded up my meal with some ginger chai tea, which was great! They do take a while to bring out the orders, but once it came out, it was magnificent. Perfectly cooked, perfectly arranged and the chutneys and sambar they serve with the dosa were impeccable.
I can’t say enough good things about this place. It’s bright, vibrant, and hip with good quality food. Whether it be for family dinners, birthday dinners, or casual get togethers, it makes for an excellent place to gather.

Dosa is a place that I’ve had bookmarked for some time. When a friend suggested it as her birthday dinner locale, I jumped right into the group reservation.
Our group saddled up to the bar about 15 minutes before our reservation. The drink «Spice Route Cocktails» menu is unique, filled with hot and cold fruity, spicy, and exotic drinks. Notable drinks include the Port of Call, a warm drink, and Emerald Monk, a fruity vodka cocktail enjoyed by the birthday girl.
Our table decided to feast family style with a selection of dosas, bhaturas, and three main dishes. We also split a bottle of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The food arrived in phases and in a very timely manor. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and very attentive.
The meal began with wine and a bowl of snack chips. It was long before our first round of dosas and uttapam arrived. Wow– these are excellent. We tried a variety and sincerely enjoyed them all. I particularly enjoyed the truffle uttapam and the quinoa thinnai uttapam. All of these were served with a delicious array of chutneys.
The bhatura arrived, which is a fun giant puffy bun, along with our three main entrees. The bhatura was a delicious device to soak up sauces in the main dishes. I sincerely enjoyed the mango prawn dish, but felt as though the shrimp was slightly overcooked. Our table enjoyed the Tamil Lamb (I skipped this dish because I don’t care for lamb, I sampled the sauce by dipping a piece of bhatura in the entrée)
Side note: I just discovered that this place has a happy hour menu! I would love to try happy hour here– the discounted drinks and small plates look like a great deal.

Super Resto «indien «avec des plats dont ont goûte la gastronomie Indienne, par contre les plats sont souvent fort piquant ou épicé. Cadre et service rien à dire. Adresse à recommander

Came on a Wednesday night with a group of about 20 (office holiday party) — they sat us upstairs, so we had a fantastic view looking over the main dining room and bar area. The décor and lighting here is gorgeous!
The house cocktails revolve largely around gin and bourbons (like most of SF), but the rum-​based Ginger Ante ($ 12) was great — dark rum mixed with ginger and ginger ale, decorated with a rosemary sprig. They also have wines, beers, a virgin mocktail list, lassis, and chai.
The service here was friendly and helpful to our group. We got lots of great drink recommendations, and even though our menu was prix fixe, they were attentive to whether or not there were any allergies or diet restrictions in our group.
I can’t at all speak to how authentic/​legit/​real the food is — it looked and tasted like real food to me, it just wasn’t really anything that I’d be returning for anytime soon. Dosas are essentially potatoes wrapped in crêpe and served with chutneys; this carb bomb was by far the best part of our meal, although reading other reviews makes me think I should come back and get my hands on an actual menu.
Our first course was a brussel sprout dish that seems like it belonged with a Thanksgiving spread, and the none of the curries (lamb and shrimp) were finished. We ended up picking the shrimp out, and left a lot of the lamb.
While there was good heat in a lot of the dishes we had, the flavors didn’t particularly compliment each other, and it was weird receiving all of our food in courses. Given the prices of this place on a regular night, I can’t really justify coming back on my own.
If you’re looking for a unique place with a beautiful atmosphere though, check em’ out!