Rayar's Mess

J Arun Prakash

3 years ago

5.0

In the beautiful bylanes of Mylapore is this legendary breakfast place where some of the regulars have been coming back for more than decades. That is the level of customer loyalty Rayar’s Mess is built upon. Situated in Arundale street, Mylapore, this narrow space that leads to mildly conjusted seating is where people head to after their morning walk, either for a cup of strong filter coffee or for a full blown breakfast. The name Rayar’s mess will mislead you into thinking it is a place serving non-vegetarian, but this pure vegetarian space serves minimal dishes for breakfast and does them extremely well. I was almost near to their closing time and decided to sample a bit of everything that they have to offer, starting with a few idli’s and vada that gets served with a thin coconut chutney and a watery tiffin sambar. I did ask for the extras that includes a special green chilli chutney, thick coconut chutney and the idli milagai podi. The green chilli chutney was fabulous and I loved the thick coconut chutney too, perfect with the idly as well as with the pongal. The milagai podi was wonderfully coarse and was a perfect accompaniment to the idli’s of which I tried to make the famed podi idly all by myself The idli’s were soft and fluffy and felt very homemade, the pongal was my favorite and it was divine, perfect with that crispy vada and that chutney sambar, it was a perfect breakfast that was extremely delicious. Ended this with a superb filter coffee that reminded me of some of the best coffees that I have grew up with. For this hearty meal I paid ₹180 rupees and it was definitely a very affordable for a tasty spread like this #apjprecommends

Pranave Nanda

2 years ago

5.0

Found my favourite breakfast spot in Chennai! Rayar Mess is more than 80 years old - an unassuming eight seater establishment in a cranny flanking Mylapore's Arundale street. The breakfast menu is just three items - idli, vada, and pongal (and rounded up with coffee ofcourse). These are served with a thick chutney and spicy chutney, some pudi/ghee and a Jain sambhar. In a quintessential banana leaf 😁 I absolutely loved every item - the idlies were super soft, the vadas were crispy, the pongal had the temple style charm. The pudi however was the ultimate best, I kept asking for more. On conversing with the current third generation owner, I found out that they belong to the Kannada Madhwa Brahmin community - also known for the many Udupi establishments in the country. The servers too give a feeling of home: absolutely kind and welcoming. And they fluently converse in Hindi and Kannada, so outsiders would not have any trouble placing orders. Will visit this place every time I'm in Chennai ❤️

Srivatsa Venkatachalam

3 years ago

4.0

Hi we ordered after seeing reviews and also watching lots of you tube videos . We were not dissapointed , the idlis were soft and fluffy and coconut chutney was also good and also sambhar . The best was Pongal which was made to perfection perfectly cooked and tasty . Vadas were good . Only blemish was green chutney which was too spicy for comfort . Overall a great experience and amazing value for money maybe the cheapest food I have had in chennai . Would specifically recommend not to miss Pongal .

Balaji Venkatachalam

3 years ago

3.0

Rayer mess. Too crowded always. Poor crowd handling. Billing, taking orders or delivery could be more organised and professional. This just requires an extra bit of effort from the owner. Idli, vadai and Pongal were taken as parcel. They forgot to pack sambar. ! Pongal - nothing extraordinary. Like any other hotel. Idli- fluffy and soft. Vadai - crisp but not oily. Cocunut chutney was yummy. Overall, an average experience. Not worth the hype it receives.

Kartik Natarajan

2 years ago

3.0

Went there for breakfast after watching few videos stating this place is a must visit. Service was good but didn't find anything different in terms of taste. Pongal and idli were ok but Vadai was good and was served hot. Sambhar and chutney didn't meet my expectations. Maybe we should have tried something else.

Raji

2 years ago

3.0

Taste is same as any regular mess. Food was hot and freshly served. Slightly overrated for taste but the service was very good and organised.

Shankara narayanan

2 years ago

2.0

I went there owing to the internet hype and tried their Mysore bonda and rava onion dosa. Neither of these dishes stood out. If at all there is something positive, it is their ghatti chutney, which in itself is not so special. Overall, a hyped up place. Not worth going

Rajiv Kanth

4 years ago

2.0

Pongal is average but sambar is watery. Idly is waste. Vada taste average. Overall quality is not good.

Milletmaagicmeal

2 years ago

1.0

Went there to experience the legacy and authenticity of the restaurant one Saturday morning recently . The waiting time was a major let down , the quality of food at best is average . The standout item was the Podi and Dosa. For a homely eatery the prices are on the higher side . Overhyped to the core , one time visit if u want to eat with a waiting time 2 hrs and eat standing .

Ashwinie Subramanian

4 years ago

1.0

The chutney which is been served for extra amount is too salty and other chutneys sambar were not of good taste. Pongal is not upto the standard. Overall had a very bad experience. Overhyped restaurant