Cheery, casual kitchen dispensing eclectic Indian fare, including dosa, tandoori dishes & biryani.
Harsha
We started with two appetizers: chicken drumsticks and the special chicken roast dry of the day, both of which were good. For the main course, we first had parotta with chicken salna, which was the best dish we ordered. Next, we tried the Thalappakkattu mutton biryani, which was quite good, followed by the special chicken roast fry biryani—unfortunately, this was a big letdown and a disappointing affair. We ended our meal with filter coffee, which was superb.
Overall, I would recommend this place for its excellent appetizers and well-paired combinations like parotta with non-veg curries, as well as select biryani options. Don’t miss their filter coffee if you’re a fan of it.
… moreTruNorthLight
Strange place – hidden in a back alley of a strip mall. Was in the area servicing car and wanted to find somewhere close. Service was good. Was instantly interested in the Vegi Thali which is my favorite – it’s like a sampler plate. It was OK, lot’s of variety but nothing really stood out in the tray. Nice that there was rice, and two types of breads. Not that spicey.
I have to say I’m a bit picky about Indian food having worked in Silicon Valley for most of my career. It was OK but not good enough that I’d try it again.
… moreShantanu Agarwal
Chettinadu Indian Restaurant in Rockville is truly a hidden gem! Since my last visit, they’ve completely overhauled the ambience, and it looks amazing—modern yet still cozy and welcoming.
We tried Chicken Sukka, Chicken Kothamalli, Chicken 65, Chana Masala, and the Bread Basket. Every dish was packed with authentic flavors and spices that really stood out. Honestly, the food was so good that we didn’t just enjoy it—we loved it so much we’ve already been coming back a few times in the past couple of months.
The Chicken Kothamalli and Chicken Sukka, in particular, are my absolute favorites. Bold, flavorful, and perfectly balanced.
I’ll definitely be back again to explore more of their menu. If you’re looking for authentic South Indian food with great taste and a refreshed ambience, this spot is a must-visit in Rockville.
… moreTanya Hoodbhoy
The staff is super friendly and accomodating. Genuinely good people! My husband and I found this place about 6 weeks ago and since then it’s been a weekly dining affair. The masala dosas are thin and crispy. There are four chutneys that come with the dosas and they are all excellent. Typically we only find two chutneys. The sambar is really good too. My personal favorite is the Nandu (crab) Poriyal. If you are a crab lover, this is a must. Just crab meat delicately seasoned with spices. If I had to choose a last meal on this earth, it would be this. The Chettinadu prawn masala is another favorite. I typically go for the South Indian fare but my husband likes the chicken tikka masala. It has so much more flavor than what I have had at restaurants in the US that specialize in North Indian food. Another reviewer was right, Chettinadu is a hidden gem!
My only dings for atmosphere is I personally do not like the music videos on all the time, and volume can be a bit loud.
… moreSurya Teja
Really disappointed with the taste of the vegetarian food. I’m writing this review with the hope that they improve the taste and quality of the food rather than quantity (their menu was having a long list of items). I think those 5 star ratings were misleading people from reality.
“I don’t know about non-vegetarian food but I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant for the vegetarians.”
I was expecting it to be good by looking at the reviews and menu but the food was way below sub-standards.
We initially ordered tea for 3 of us, tea was just warm and highly overpriced. If the tea was made long time ago, at least consider making it hot by placing it in a microwave. When you have $3.99 on that item, we expect it to be much better and also not the premade one.
We ordered karivepaku baby corn and Manchurian Gobi, along with veg korma.
Out of those baby corn was okay (2 stars for that). Manchurian Gobi really needs to improve, it just felt like an uncooked Gobi with tomato sauce.
Veg korma was even worse – the gravy was sweeter, vegetables were like Walmart frozen veggies, and while eating it just felt like both vegetables and korma sauce/gravy were cooked separately. Vegetables did not had any gravy flavor and the worst part was those vegetables were uncooked as well. No salt/spice, I’ve asked for the medium spice though. It just felt like I’m having a Kesari gravy dessert with some uncooked vegetables.
… moreAnushaa Shiv
Really enjoyed this place. Went after ordering online and wanted to see the place. I’m glad I found an Indian place which is authentic by DMV standards. Will be coming back! The owner is also so nice and kind and really everything about this place was lovely. They truly care about your food experience
… moreshun dwe
I came in expecting a normal wait, but this was far beyond reasonable. I waited about 1.5 hours, only to be told they were too busy and my food hadn’t even been started. After nearly 2 hours of waiting, I finally got a refund and left with nothing. No proactive updates, no apology until the end. Poor customer service and poor time management. Will never be back!
… moreBryce Boyle
This place is incredible!!! Got a great recommendation from my server to try the kara kulambu okra and it is my new favorite dish! The biryanis are also amazing here and the service is always great. They have a huge menu too and everything I’ve gotten has been super good.
… moreVarma JYSN
We have ordered Nellai Chicken Fry – Excellent, Chicken Lollipop – Good, Parotta with Chicken Salna – Very Good, Thalapakattu Mutton Biryani – Very Good, Vijayawada Boneless Biryani – Poor, Shahi Tukra – Poor for the price (You literally get two small pieces of bread with runny Badham milk for $9.99. The manager was considerate to give us a 2nd plate otherwise it’s not worth the price), Filter Coffee – Must Try.
The service could be improved with better communication.
… moreUzair Ahmad
Dosa was very nice. I also had fried rice with chicken and it was okay.
… more