A2B Adyar Ananda Bhavan

Authentic south Indian taste with nice decor,with ample parking.The restaurant is practicing touch less ordering,but looks short-staffed which is understandable considering the labor situation. We had the dosas,and cauliflower 65 which were excellent but the chutneys that come with the dosas come in little quantities.

We went in for lunch on a weekday. Food we ordered was delicious as compared to another Indian restaurant. So glad we chose to have lunch here. We didn’t have to wait too long. Waiters are polite, atmosphere is lovely. Clean restaurant with nice decor and seating👍👍👍

A2B in Virginia is a fantastic spot if you love South Indian food or just want something flavorful and different for lunch or dinner. The place has a warm and welcoming vibe — it’s clean, organized, and has that calm, family-friendly feel. The menu is full of great options, from dosas and idlis to North Indian dishes and even some fun snacks. Everything tastes fresh, and the spices are balanced just right — flavorful without being too heavy. The staff here are super polite and attentive. They’re quick to get your food out and always happy to explain dishes if you’re trying something new. The portions are generous, and prices feel fair for the quality you’re getting. The chutneys and sambar are amazing — you can really tell they’re made with care. Whether you’re dining in or picking up takeout, the service runs smoothly and the packaging keeps the food hot and fresh. It’s a great place to bring family or friends when you’re craving authentic Indian food in a relaxed setting. Definitely one of the better Indian restaurants in the area!

My wife and I were stuck at a hotel during a snowstorm in Chantilly and A2B was the only place willing to take an order and deliver it to us late in the evening. We appreciated this willingness to get our food to us and the food itself was excellent (Dhaal Makhani and Kadai Paneer, mixed vegetable pakoda and garlic naan). Highly recommend!

Review of Adyar Ananda Bhavan We recently had lunch at Adyar Ananda Bhavan with our family, and it was a delightful experience. The restaurant's decor is truly impressive, with beautiful large lamps, charming dolls, and lovely flower arrangements that create a warm and inviting atmosphere. We ordered a variety of dishes, including onion pakora, masala dosa, puri with curry, idli, vada, and appam. Every dish was delicious, bursting with authentic flavors that we thoroughly enjoyed. The service was generally good, although our waiter seemed a bit serious, likely due to the high number of tables he was handling. Despite the busy atmosphere, we received our food quickly, which was quite impressive considering the restaurant was fully packed. The only minor hiccup was the wait time for the idli and vada, which took longer than expected. The waitress explained that they had a high demand for idlis and had temporarily run out, which was understandable given the crowd. We also appreciated the military discount, which added a nice touch to our overall experience. All in all, we had a fantastic time and enjoyed the food thoroughly. We’re already looking forward to our next visit! (Attached are a few pictures from our visit.)

Had a pleasant experience at Ananda Bhavan. This was our first time here as we were visiting DC. We were seated fairly quickly and our food arrived sooner than expected which is nice. I liked the dosas but I was underwhelmed by mysore masala dosa (didn't taste like Mysore I have had before several times and masala also was absolutely bland). Noodles were good and so was the filter coffee. Even though service was quick but it seemed like servers were all over the place, rushing through kitchen and tables without any orderly fashion. One server even nudged our table while rushing which dropped the salt dispensers, he looked back but didn't apologize and kept going. Strange. The lady taking our order was very sweet and friendly (cheers to her).

Authentic Tamilnadu cuisine. Enjoyable. Great for family

Awesome place and great ambience the food is good too but it could be better. I felt the sambar and chutni was not up to the mark

Definitely a cool sisterly good South Indian/vegetarian restaurant in the area . The prices are slightly high. Service is generally good but when it gets busy, expect a slow down in service. The wait staff and bussers work hard - you can see it and they try. Favorites: Rava Dosai ; masala dosai; vada; thali. The chutneys are fine but not spectacular.

We really had good time having lunch here. Food was tasty and delivered so quickly hardly have to wait. Dosa, veg thali, papad, idli , medu wada, noodles all tasted good. Kids loved food too. Place is nice. It get little noisy during rush hour but spacious and good tasty food. Service was good too.recently we had it again and we live it

A2B is a vegetarian place that captures the essence of South Indian cuisine with its delectable and authentic dishes. The restaurant's commitment to offering exclusively vegetarian options sets it apart, providing a haven for plant-based food enthusiasts. The menu showcases a diverse range of South Indian specialties, from dosas and idlis to flavorful curries and rice dishes. Each dish is prepared with traditional recipes and fresh ingredients, delivering an explosion of flavors that tantalizes the taste buds. The restaurant's warm and welcoming ambiance creates a comfortable and enjoyable dining experience. The attentive and friendly staff further enhances the overall visit, providing excellent service and helpful recommendations. This is a destination for those seeking a delightful vegetarian culinary journey through the flavors of South India. Its authentic dishes, inviting ambiance, and top-notch service make it a true gem for vegetarians and food enthusiasts alike.

The ambience was very warm and welcoming. The manager was not very nice though, when I received my tomato soup it looked more orange/yellow than red. When I tried to return it, the manager made eye contact but did not come to address it and sent a server. All the servers had better attitude than the manager. We also got tri-color paneer tikka, masala dosa, and dahi bhalla. Paneer tikka was not very well cooked. We all tried it but left half of it as it was not very appetizing. All the other things we ordered were flavorful and delicious. You just need to know what to do here and it will be good. Facilities were also clean and well kept. I would have given more stars if it wasn’t for the manager’s attitude.

First time experience in a South Indian restaurant where the sambar is not served piping hot & the size of vada are small. Very pricey menu and the quantity of food served does not make it worth the cost. Filter coffee was dull and cold $5.25 Uttapa had only onions like a small pancake no cilantro no tomatoes or green chillies. The entrees are not professionally served not fresh and are like warm instead of hot & freshly cooked. Very disappointing experience spent $50.00 and I'm regretting. No manager on site to complain simply 2 servers handling the business.

Hospitality/Service does need some work. I learnt something - that is don't order everything you want to eat. Because, all of them will be in your table at the same time, by time you get to your main course, it is already cold. Being, attentive and phasing out bringing in the meals at appropriate time will be good. Price parity, compared to NY is on the high side.

We brought our entire family here to celebrate Father’s Day. When you walk in the ambiance isn’t bad and it’s a nice open space. The food however is mediocre complimented with awkward service. For instance, the traditional South Indian food like Dosa and uthapam lacked flavor. The potato filling (masala) that goes in the dosa was also very bland. My father ordered a rava dosa wasn’t crispy at all. On a positive note, the chutneys were very tasty and the North Indian (Punjabi) food was very good as well. From a service aspect, it was strange because when we asked to get an extra side of something and asking if we can pay out of pocket for it, the restaurant said “no we cannot do that.” I ran out of the small cup of chole that came with my disproportional amount of chole / bhatura. I asked if I can pay for one more side of bhatura and I was told that it’s not possible for them to do that. I don’t understand why…. Overall, it’s an average place with higher prices than other competitors in the area.

Visited Anand Bhavan today, the largest vegetarian restaurant in Northern Virginia. Always packed during weekends. First the good parts…Sindu the server was excellent correcting several mistakes from the kitchen servers. Sand the Host greeting and placing customers at tables was great and seeing my reservation and giving us the booth we had requested. The appetizers, medhu vadai served quickly and excellent and mixed veg pakoda (served later) were excellent. However for main course things got a bit haywire. First we always try to get the 3 small poori with chole rather than potato masala. Normally this isn’t an issue but our usual server wasn’t there so we agreed that for the substitution we would pay an additional charge. However the servers brought 3 LARGE pooris with the potatoes so Sindu had to go back to the kitchen and bring the chole out. We noted the larger pooris were not fresh and cold so clearly lying around. These should be served fresh and smaller. Hopefully our next visit things won’t be so busy that the food can be as good as our server Sindu

As always the food was excellent but the service in A2B has been below par and my recent visit, it was horrible. We ordered 4 things ( 2 each of 2 items to be precise) they brought each one seperately. With long gaps. The last persons order was brought when all others had finsihed eating already. The servers were appearing to be confused and serving with bit of chaos. The appetizers were served without any sauce. They need more servers for peak time and better managed service Revisiting after many months. Had much better service this time. Our server was excellent, although they missed beinging some side items . And Bhaturas were awesome. A2B dosas are always the best!!

Updated: 09/07/2023 -- Recently the last 2 visits including today's visit, food Quality has gone down. Taste has changed and Service has degrading. This was was our Go To place, now have to think twice. ☹️☹️☹️ Initial Review: Yummy South Indian food. Dil Khush / Soul food. This is Jewel for South Indian Food. Definitely try varieties of Dosa, my favorite Mysore Dosa, Rava Dosa and Paper Dosa (almost 2 feet long). Coconut Chutney is Fresh and Yummy Taste. South Indian Thali, mouthwatering. Don't forget to send the Meal with Filter Coffee ☕

Authentic Udupi restaurant ambience - from decor to music! Food was strictly ok. The Uttapam was thick and crunchy instead of usually fluffy. Accompanied chutneys were delicious! The service was VERY slow. Restaurant wasn’t super crowded but still took them over 30-40min for the curry. Rest of the table was done before the curry was served.

We went on a Saturday evening to this restaurant. The restaurant is quite large with ample seating. The ambience, decor and lighting is quite good and it felt pleasant when we entered. The good: The restaurant had lot of items to choose from ranging from mostly different South Indian dishes along with some North Indian ones. The seating was decent with availability of child seats. The food was served in less than 15 minutes. The restaurant also featured robo servers bringing side dishes which was quite a novelty in itself. Things which need to be improved: The food choices need to be revisited by the chef especially the portion sizes. All the dishes we got the serving size of sabji / chole was quite small compared to the Dosa and Bhatura. The restaurant staff needs to check if we could get larger bowls for curries. The Dosa size also was smaller than expected. There was no option to ask for less or more spicy, the only answer we got was the curry is prepaid and they cannot do anything about it. Pricing: The restaurant for what it offered was on the expensive side. There is also a 3% surcharge on using a credit card which was quite odd. Overall it was a decent experience but would definitely get better if the restaurant works on some of things pointed.

A2B – New Jersey vs. Virginia We recently dined at A2B in New Jersey, and the experience was exceptional. The thali there was served hot and fresh, with every item tasting delicious and well-prepared. It was generously served with ghee, podi, pickles, and a wide variety of items on the plate. The staff was extremely friendly, attentive, and accommodating, which made the overall dining experience even better. It truly set a high standard and left us impressed. Based on that wonderful experience, we expected the same level of quality and service at the A2B location in Virginia. Unfortunately, our visit there on New Year’s Day turned out to be a complete disappointment and a very unpleasant way to start the year. The staff appeared untrained and struggled to handle orders properly. The thali was brought out with several missing items, and when we pointed it out, the server responded by loudly screaming at another staff member instead of addressing the issue professionally. To make matters worse, the food itself was subpar—the thali items lacked freshness and were poor in taste, nothing like what we enjoyed in New Jersey. Overall, it was one of the worst dining experiences we’ve had. Given the quality of food and service at the Virginia location, we would not return or recommend it. The stark contrast between the NJ and VA locations is disappointing, especially for a restaurant operating under the same name.

The A2B I used to know around Herndon was one of the best 2 years back. Now the food is bad, no taste. My normal menu is gobi65/mushroom65, Hakka noodles. This time the flour was smelling, it tasted really bad. And their new Paneer Momos looked delicious on plate that was it, tasted really bad. Quality is really going down.

Is this a good place to eat dosa? Yes Would I recommend other dishes? No Does the lack of hospitality equates to a very flavorful and authentic dining experience? No Will I be eating here again? Probably not Dishes tried : Paneer masala dosai, Chili Parotta, kothu parotta, filter coffee, medu vadai, vazhaipoo vadai Even the filter coffee didn't feel authentic, it felt like someone attempted to make filter coffee but it failed so they tried adding some instant coffee powder at the end. I'm trying to find an analogy for the experience I've had here... You know those complimentary breakfast places in some hotels which have the all you can eat format? This is the same, it felt like eating a mediocre complementary buffet except you were paying al carte prices. Everything gave me fresh off the microwave vibes except for the dosai same with the service, it feels like the waiter is there just for serving some legal obligation of having a waiter in a dine in restaurant. Terrible service.

I’m one of those customers who got carried away by the special Pongal Thali offer at A2B today (Pongal Day – 01/14/2026). Unfortunately, for $28, what we received was nothing but disappointment. For context: we are from Chennai, so we are very familiar with A2B’s quality, authenticity, and consistency—both in India and abroad. That’s exactly why this experience was so shocking. Here’s what was served: Sakkarai (Sweet) Pongal – barely sweet, missing the very essence of what it’s supposed to be. Ven Pongal – jeera was almost impossible to find, and there wasn’t a single black pepper in either my cup or my spouse’s. Poriyal / curry - carrots, beans, and something labeled “Podimas.” Honestly, they should try Podimas elsewhere - or even in their own Tamil Nadu branches—to understand what it’s meant to taste like. “Limited” Thali – requests for extra servings were flatly declined, even for sambhar and rasam, which were already served in tiny cups. Seriously? For $28? Vada and Pongal with no chutney – hard to imagine a South Indian meal without it. The only consolation in the entire meal was the vadai and avial. A2B - We’ve been loyal followers of your restaurant, both here and back home. Experiences like this are deeply disappointing and not what your brand stands for. Please take this feedback seriously. Otherwise, I’m sure you’ll lose many ardent fans like me.

I am not sure whether the food is always like this or if it was just that day. We ordered kadai vegetable and it was very disappointing. It tasted like boiled bell peppers mixed into an onion tomato chutney with some kadai masala sprinkled on top. None of the items we ordered tasted good that day. Based on this experience, I would not order North Indian food from this restaurant again. Maybe their South Indian food is better here.

The staff were extremely rude. If they are unable to manage the crowd, they should not allow customers to place orders. I had already waited 45 minutes, and when I checked on the status, they casually told me to wait another 20–30 minutes. For pre-cooked meals, an additional wait of nearly an hour is unacceptable. The staff’s behavior was very discourteous throughout. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. I also strongly suspect that this is not an original or authentic A2B outlet, as this restaurant does not appear on the official A2B chain website.

I visited this restaurant two years ago and remembered the food being amazing and affordable. Never have I ever paid $17 for a dosa—and for it to be that bad. I was shocked when my bill came over $60 for two dosas and one vada. The portions were very small, and I’m still in shock. Look at the picture of that dosa, does it even looked like it’s Cooked? I wouldn’t have been as disappointed if the food at least tasted good. The dosas weren’t even crispy, and the filling was bland and under-seasoned. I had dinner at another restaurant afterward, paid less than $50 for twice the amount of food and better service. Overhyped, overpriced, and probably my last visit.

*WE WILL NEVER GO TO THIS PLACE AGAIN.* Pathetic Service Pathetic Service by Raju If you have had food from A2B, unlike others the food they serve at this outlet pretty average. SERVICE IS PATHETIC We were served by a very rude guy called RAJU (easily identifiable by his un groomed looks [over grown beard and hair]) I'm not sure if the name is correct, when I asked another server about this guys name. He told me the name and in the local language asked another person standing nearby "Now what has he done" We were 13 - 14 people who visited together and in the span of taking order (2 - 3 minutes), no one wanted to speak to this guy. Very rude, does not know how to speak. While discussing with a friend (who lives in the area) about our experience, it seems this guy is pretty famous in the area for his rude and unruly behavior. We will never go here again advice strongly against visiting.

Food is very average. Went for Pongal thaali today. Service was non existent for large group of 10+ people but 18% service charge and 3% credit card fees were added on top of $2 banana leaf fee. For $28, thaali had small baby containers filled with small quantities. When we asked for second helping on one or Two items , they were declined or came late. The food served also had very cheap vegetables nothing related to Pongal tradition. Very disappointed and will never visit again

I won’t be returning again. Today went for dinner with family and we ordered four Dosas. All the Dosas were cold and pale taste. Stuffing of potato masala is just like they have given boiled potatoes inside. Tasteless food and no veggies in Sambar at all. It’s not worth it to come and spend money here. And it’s way expensive. Quality of food is very bad compared to the last time went 3-4 months back.

The overall experience was very disappointing. We had to wait close to an hour just to get a table. The portions were minimal, the food lacked quality, and basic items like spoons were unavailable even after asking the staff. The pricing felt excessive given the poor standards. On top of that, the restrooms were unclean, and the restaurant was clearly understaffed, which led to poor maintenance and service throughout

Based on owner’s response I am writing the detailed review here. 1. My table was not cleaned after previous party was done. 2. The vada curry I served with was very sour and tangy. I never knew that tamarind was added to vada curry. Though I told 3 of the representatives, all I heard was “they will look at it “. There was no resolution given from any one of them. 3. No one came to check once the orders were arrived. It was not crowded if that was an excuse. 4. I purchased Bombay halwa. It was old and fungus were formed when I opened them at home. Hope this helps.

I had a very disappointing experience at A2B. After waiting for 15 minutes, the staff told us they didn’t have veg biryani — the main reason we came. We ordered dosa as an appetizer, and only after we finished eating it did they inform us that they didn’t have biryani available at all. The dosa we received was pale, not crispy, and had no real flavor. Even the pickle tasted bland. We also ordered the Koon curry, which was just okay — the only dish we could actually eat. The overall service was unorganized and the food quality was extremely poor. Definitely need improvement.

We waited almost one hour to be seated. The food quantity was very small and the quality was very bad. There were no spoons in the restaurant, and when I asked for one, the staff said they didn’t have any. The prices are very high, and the bathrooms are extremely dirty.

Been here a couple of times over the years and felt I have to review this place based on my recent experience. 1. Food and taste can be good to horrible, no consistency 2. Expensive and not worth the $$ spent for food and service 3. Worst service, not accommodation or consideration for whatsoever you request! Best thing is avoid this restaurant as no one here cares for the brand name A2B.

I had an extremely disappointing experience at A2B in Herndon, VA. We made a reservation for 18 people at 9 PM on a Saturday, but the restaurant seemed completely unprepared for our group. There was only one person taking orders, and despite the confirmed booking, they didn’t have enough food to serve everyone. Its a basics tiffin place famous for but they ran out of basic stuff of chutney and sambar.The dishes that did arrive were either mixed up or incorrect, and the service was painfully slow. For a restaurant that claims to handle large parties, this was a total letdown. Definitely not worth the trouble — poor service, poor preparation, and overall a frustrating night.

This used to be one of the most trustworthy places for yummy South Indian food, and we were regular visitors. But things have changed drastically in recent months. Not sure if there’s new management, but the overall food quality has dropped while the prices have skyrocketed. We ended up paying as much as we would at a fine-dining restaurant in DC during our recent visit, and it just wasn’t worth it. I hope the management addresses these issues and that the place regains its original vibe soon.

We had a disappointing experience during our visit. We ordered two special thali meals and waited over 45 minutes without being served. Upon checking with the staff, we were informed it would take an additional 20 minutes. It would have been helpful if the delay had been communicated earlier. Unfortunately, due to the extended wait, we had to leave without having our meal.

This is the most pathetic Indian joint i have been to in the area. We ordered Rava masala dosa , and chole bhatoore. Rava masala dosa was neither crisp but uncooked indeed. Potato Masala was bland and chutneys had no tempering. Basically they screwed each and every item one looks forward to that too being from the land of Dosas. I was recommended to try their Chole bhatoore and hence i tried it. The quantity of chole served was simply a joke. I could not understand why the quantity of Chole was so little. Smaller portion than a kid side plate. Bhatoora was thick and nothing close to what i was expecting. Well there are enough negative reviews on food but i believe this is not reaching the owners running the restaurant and hence it’s still the same. If you want to save some foul experience feel free to skip this one or rather try it yourself. Tiffin hut near by is much more pleasant experience taste wise and vibe wise.

Bait and Switch - went for a Thali for Pongal. Advertised $28. Charged $40. The food here is half decent - the smallest of serving sizes I have seen, and I won’t be coming back. When the bill arrived, I noticed several extra charges that were never mentioned by the server or listed on the menu. It feels incredibly dishonest to sneak extra costs onto the check and hope the customer doesn't notice. I don't mind paying for quality, but I do mind being misled. Total lack of transparency.