Udupi Palace

Really wonderful place, consistently good vegetarian food that is interesting, tasty, and satisfying. Bonus also is that it is very well priced!
My daughter and my latest visit had us eating the special vegetable curry dosa, tomato and chili uttapam, and a bowl of rasam. All were absolutely delicious! We’ve eaten there many times, and never been disappointed.
Some say the place should be fancier, or the service should be more efficient, or the menu should be more exotic.
I say this is a great place to come for a wonderful and cheap meal, super tasty, spiced as you ask, kid friendly, not stuffy, and it is true, maybe you get an extra 5 or 10 minutes to talk to your family or friends before the food comes. That sounds pretty good to me!

Great food as always, but the ambiance is pretty bad. I took my boyfriend after months of talking about this place, and we were both surprised by how dated and uncomfortable it was inside. If I’m going to eat the best Indian food in California, I’d prefer an atmosphere that invites me to stay and enjoy my dinner. The food is worth 5 stars. Try the Samosas and pretty much all the curries across the board are delicious. The lengthy menu is fantastic.

The food was good but extremely spicy that day. There are better places. Parking was a bust. over all… I have had better in Berkeley. I think i could have just across the street and made a better choice.

Usually when we’re in the mood for South Indian, my family finds its way to Vik’s chaat house. But hey, variety, spice of life, and all that stuff made us remember Udupi. Glad we did, it was an enjoyable time.
Pros:
The dosa are just as good as Viks, with a much wider variety. And other South Indian items and a great thali combination round out the large menu.
Beer and wine!
A calmer, more relaxing, table service atmosphere.
Walking distance from the heart of the UC Berkeley campus
Cons:
The small dining room can become noisy when full, and servers work hard but can get overwhelmed.
Those bathrooms… let’s just say they ain’t exactly the Taj Mahal.

Came here with some friends and my boyfriend. I had number 47 and it was yummy. Never tried it before until I came here. Was also my first time trying the Mango Lassi. I love mangoes, so obviously I really liked the drink. Creamy.
The restaurant is not too fancy, but has very nice decorations. Not that, that’s important, just thought I’d put it out there. It’s very specious too. The people that work there, are very helpful. Give it a try if you like Indian food, or want to try something different.

Sometimes we just crave the dosas at Udapi. They have a great selection of dosas, vegetarian, makes for a fun lunch or dinner. We had a variety of dosas yesterday, all perfectly prepared. We also tried the special vegetable curry with the puffy bread, so good. The dips accompanying the dosas are very good. We hadn’t been there in a number of years, they now have beer and wine. We used to bring beer, yesterday they let us have our beers, brought out chilled glasses, and only charged $ 10.00, basically corkage fee. Service is very good, need to put this yummy dosa spot back on our radar. Kids love the dosas, fun foodie experience.

One step into the place and the setting & ambiance reminded me of the typical Udupi restaurants back in India. Now all we had to see was, if the food was as good or not. We seated ourselves and our server was prompt enough to help us with the menu.
I ordered for the UDUPI COMBO which had an ONION UTHAPPAM, MEDU VADA & IDLY along with some chutney and sambhar. The Uthapam turned out to be quite delicious and I finished it within minutes of its arrival. The Medu Vada and Idly were on the other hand were a little disappointing. The Medu Vada was chewy and lacked flavor, while the Idly was not as soft as it was supposed to be. The Sambhar & chutney were just about average.
I also tried the MYSORE MASALA DOSA that my husband ordered for and the Dosa was nice and thin. I would’ve preferred it to be slightly crisper but it was well-​made nevertheless. The Masala (stuffing) and the Mysore chutney on the dosa were just perfect.
I really wanted to have the FILTER COFFEE but to our dismay, the coffee had been discontinued. What’s an Udupi restaurant without their signature Filter Coffee!
Anyway since there was no coffee, we ordered for GULAB JAMUN to end our meal with. The GULAB JAMUNS were piping hot and delicious to say the least. This dish was definitely the winner amongst all the different items we tried.
So barring the Gulab Jamuns, I found the food to be just about average with a few hits and misses. I might just go back in case I have those South-​Indian food cravings to be satiated.

I’m not sure how to rate this place. It was one of my favorite restaurants for awhile — I’m a vegan and the food here is tasty and affordable. I like the Masala Dosas, aloo mutter, channa masala, and samosas (especially good).
But the last time I went was for my friend’s birthday. She took leftovers home and found a bug in her food. Haven’t been back since and don’t plan on returning.

Its a decent south indian place. We enjoyed the food here and would have given 4 stars but they need to be more careful with cleanliness. Also it is strange that they don’t serve unlimited sambhar with dosa like other places.

Best halal Pakistani food!
Very fresh meats and I love their naan. Been coming here for years, especially when i lived in the Bay. Now whenever I am home I have to eat here. The chicken boti is my fave dish as well as the biryani. Def worth a try if you can handle a little spicy.

Some days Udupl Palace is a five star experience, and some days it’s three stars.
Pro:
Food is typically consistent
Open in the afternoon, unlike buffet places (this is a star on its own)
Food is fresh tasting
Restaurant is cozy when not busy
No odd look if it is just one diner
No throw away utensils
Con:
Service! Be patient. I don’t know if it’s because I’m solo, but I am always waiting and waiting. Especially for a check. Pushing a plate to an edge of the table helps. It’s hard to get a refill of water or chai.
Sambar/​rasam serving is a bit small. (I’d take more broth in the soup and less potatoes in a dosa) but just a bit.
I was introduced to South Indian cuisine in Boulder, at Masalaa. That is a spot that needs help with service!
So I have a baseline in my head for dosa, idli, vada and such.
At Udupi Palace, they manage to make the food just as tasty but less heavy. I’ve taken idli home for breakfast many a time, and they are still good. Vada, mostly good. So long as I don’t refrigerate the vada, only the soup, it’s fine.
Yes, next day taste and texture matters!
The vibe inside is so much calmer than Vik’s. No smells of cooking meat. No loud speaker announcer mangling your name when it was written phonetically.
Someone actually smiles when they see you.
Once your order is taken, the food comes out quickly, on metal trays. Sometimes there’s an «is everything all right» stop, but not usually. But the food is always good. Some days the oil is heavier, but it’s never been inedible or even soggy. It is what it is. This isn’t fast food. Don’t expect that speed, or bland consistency. Expect a range of results that are still good. Like your own kitchen.
Udupi Palace is a good, solid spot for a vegetarian lunch without mock anything, with good spiced tea, and plenty of protein and veggies.

Very oily greasy dishes
And during the rain there are many leaks in the ceiling during rainy nights

The first time I went here with my parents … after such a long time found a place where every thing is amazing … every thing … Had rasam, mendu wada and dosa … their combo is good as well …
If you’re vegetarian … you’ll love this place … total vegetarian food … and yes its tasty :)

My mom was sick and I wanted to get her something that would clear her sinuses, so I ordered to pick up and it was great! we got spicy chana masala and medium special vegetable curry. The chana masala went very well with the poori, and the vegetable curry was slightly sweet and full of interesting textures from all of the different veggies. Everything was very flavorful, food like this makes being a vegetarian easy! definitely coming back soon!

I have on occasion really liked the food here. The problem is the inconsistency. Some days it’s the absolute pits. The idli-​vada-​sambar is a really good deal though. It’s very filling, healthy and inexpensive and it’s my favorite quick lunch. Most of the Indian restaurants in Berkeley only serve North Indian food so if you want a change you really don’t have many options. If you go to the South Bay though you will have plenty of great options for South Indian food.

Reasonably price bland food. If you’re really crazy South Indian food then this should be okay. My mom and I stopped here on a Saturday night, and it wasn’t too busy.
I ordered the masala dosa and it came with its regular soups. My dosa had way too much potatoes. I asked for a plain dosa without any filling so I could finish my first one with the fillings I had barely managed to make a dent in. And this is what was frustrating, masala dosa with filling $ 8.50−8.75 plain dosa without filling: $ 7.50. So you’re telling me your soups and potatoes are only $ 0.75. My mom ordered the thali and that was good.
Would I come back, NO.

Came here twice. Had the idli sambhar, plain dosa, and thali. None of the dishes were good. Don’t expect to come here and find the same taste as the SF branch, which is much better.

I had the bisebela baat and it was very tasty. Affordable Indian food in Berkeley.

So I’m going to brace myself and be completely honest here: I’m not a fan of dosa. Or at least I wasn’t until trying Udupi Palace! I had the spinach masala dosa, which was filled with spinach and potatoes. The dish was pretty satisfying, and comes with really good chutney and sambar on the side. I recommend the dosa here over Vik’s any day.
I think it’s also worth mentioning that the service is really fast too! After ordering, it only took 4 minutes to bring out our food.

This is a hole in the wall Indian restaurant which is fine. Usually they have the best food. Unfortunately not the cleanest place and my water had some guck in it. The waiters were surly and the food was just OK. Not coming back.

Food was good. A little spicy. The wait wasn’t too bad. Prices weren’t too bad either. Waiter was okay. As far as Thai places go it was on par.

This experience is not only Amazing but it’s was amusing. It’s the fastest place to serve dosas in the world.
Family dinner with the kids. Wanted the kids experience South Indian fare.
So I asked the server, who owned the joint. None the owner n the chefs were Indian, Sri Lankan n Nepali owned n run this place.
Quality is very good of the dosas n sambar — I would rate them as spot one.
But the most amazing thing is the serve. It takes less then 30sec to get your dosa on the table.
It’s like the chef is reading your mind. I can’t believe it, it’s crazy
McDonald has something to learn here.
The restaurant had 25 guests n only one server who was the busses and the host
That man was just amazing — running around like buzz bee n not one customer unhappy. Phenomenal efficiency
So end of that this place has two things to offer great dosas n one speedy service. It’s truly worth a visit, especially from those senior managers from McDonald’s

Udupi Palace reminded me greatly of my native place and native food. Visited here recently along with my husband and I must say that it is one of the best authentic South Indian vegetarian food spots that we’ve ever tried.
Food — Like I said earlier, this place brought a strong native feeling whether it’s their food or the way they serve or the typical Indian cultured cutleries they use for serving. We stopped by for lunch & tried Rasam (Soups) as a starter, Masala Dosa and Bisi Bele Bhath & Bagala Bhat from their rice specialities. They all tasted good & yummy, definitely rich & flavorful.
Ambience — It’s not a fine dining restaurant. Outlook of the place looks simple & ordinary. Basic cleanliness is maintained.
Price — Decent pricing, average cost per two will range between 20 $ to 25 $ approximately.
Staff & Service — Food was served quick and the staff were helpful & attentive.
Overall — I surely recommend this place for people who are looking for simple yet good & tasty South Indian vegetarian food, similar to original taste of the homeland.
Hoping to revisit sometime soon !

Priced higher than other similar South Indian vegetarian places, maybe because they are in an expensive location.
We tried Thali and Spinach Masala Dosa. Both were alright, nothing special. Thali comes with tiny portion of rice, I had to ask for more. Filter Coffee was ok.

I’ve been here a couple of times and the service is always soooo slow — no matter when you come, busy or not.
My favorite is probably the paper dosa, just the plain one. I like the white (coconut?) dipping sauce the best.
I’ve also had the samosa which was pretty good. The vegetable curry which was not that great. The donuts in sauce appetizer, sauce was like guacamole. And one of those combination things where you have 10 small dishes — also not a fan.
I think I’m dosaed out for now.

Udupi Palace is an excellent vegetarian spot: serving South Indian food, everything on the menu is vegetarian. Of course, it also has strong flavors and spices that you’d probably come to expect from Indian food.
My friend and I split the house curry dosa and the mixed vegetable uthappam, which was quite filling for two people. Because of the variety of chutneys and sauces, we also got a real diversity of flavors too. The house curry dosa got a bit soggy and felt like eating a giant burrito — next time I’ll probably stick to a dosa that doesn’t have such a wet component. The uthappam was like a top notch pancake, and I definitely recommend trying uthappam if you’ve never had it.
Overall, with quick and helpful service (waiter charged my phone for me during the meal), Udupi Palace paired excellent vegetarian food with quality service.

Do not judge by street appeal.
Amazing & attentive staff and food worthy of writing home.

Man the portions are HUGE here. I always leave so full haha and then food coma hits me on the way back. Don’t eat here if you have stuff to do later hahaha unless you have self-​control and can promise yourself to take half or a third to go. Clearly I do not.
I’ve tried the Mysore Masala Dosa and the Spinach Masala Dosa and both are very good! The crêpe is made very well with it being crispy on the edges and softer towards the middle. Haha when the dosa first came, I was like pshh i can finish this, it’s like eating a burrito. Wow was I wrong. I was SO FULL… haha I underestimated all the potatoes. But so yummyyy with all the sauces and spices! They also give you two sauces on the tray to eat with the dosa that are hella bomb… a white one and a reddish-​orange one. Plus lentil soup that was super tasty too!
My friend and I tried the lentil donuts and the Idly as well. The idly was kind of interesting but i LOVEDDD the lentil donuts. two thumbs up!