Varam

hundred_men

We got to try Varam for a quick bite and absolutely loved the food. This review is for their 5 star worthy masala dosa that would make you want to come back and try other stuff on their menu. Located in a central location of Redwood City downtown, right opposite to the theater, this place is a hidden gem for the Indian food scene in Bay Area. Will go back again to try more of their menu. Kudos on a good masala dosa, chef!

Vedant Daga

Genuinely great food, every dish was definitely prepared fresh given how long it took to make but it was worth the wait for the most part. To start we got the Hyderabad sharbath which had a unique combination of 5 strong but complementing flavors. The Sona More Tiranga was cooked really well and the cauliflower manchurian was very crispy and flavorful. However, the chilli paneer did not match and was kinda mediocre, just due to the sauce. Otherwise starters were great. The mains we got were the Bharwan Aloo, the Kadhai Panner, and the khatti daal, all 3 excellent and uniquely prepared well. To pair, we got Laccha parathas, Garlic naan, and Peshawari naan, all 3 I enjoyed a lot. We also ordered the gongura paneer biryani, which was spicy but expected. Service was pretty good, but could be slow at times, but I appreciated not being rushed and pushed to leave the table. Atmosphere was also nice, modern yet decorated, although I would say it missed that upscale charm. Overall, 4.7/5 I'd probably come back here again.

Kevin Hamilton

Excellent new Indian restaurant in RWC. Tasty, good service, nice space. Butteriest butter chicken ever! Unique appetizers and a samosa worthy of French pastry status. Two thumbs up, way up for Varam.

jinesh dhruv

Amazing Indian Fine Dine Food. They also have few Jain food options like Daal, Dosa and uthapam. The Veg Thali was super delicious. Would recommend everyone to try once. Its a bit expensive but worth the experience.

Gautam Yadav

Chicken and cauliflower appetizers were great, rest were good, paneer kinda tasted funny

Adeel Ahmad

The food was amazing, probably the best gol gappa and biryani I’ve had. The presentation of the dishes was also really nice (see pictures below) made the whole experience feel a little more higher end compared to something like Zareen’s (also delicious but different vibes). Side note, I think they also do the best garlic naan in the bay, at least that I’ve tried 😅 Our server (Kirti I think is her name) was friendly and took time to walk us through the menu and give recommendations based on our preferences. We didn’t have time to try any of their dessert but the options sounded delicious, will be back to try them along with the gol gappa!

Abhimanyu Sachdeva

If you’re a fan of South Indian cuisine or just looking to try something truly authentic, this place is an absolute gem in California! I’ve explored a lot of Indian restaurants across the state, but this one stands out as one of the best for South Indian food. The flavors are bold, the ingredients fresh, and the dishes carry that unmistakable homemade touch. We ordered the Appam, Varam Chicken Curry, and Kal Dosa — and every bite was phenomenal. The Appam was perfectly soft with that slight crisp on the edges, pairing beautifully with the rich, flavorful chicken curry. The Kal Dosa had just the right texture — soft and spongy — and soaked up the curry like a dream. One of the biggest surprises was the Hyderabadi Sharbat. If you’re in the mood for something spicy, tangy, and totally refreshing, this drink is a must-try. It’s not your usual sugary sweet drink — it packs a punch and complements the meal perfectly. The ambiance is cozy, the service warm and attentive, and the food speaks for itself. Whether you’re South Indian or simply a food lover looking for an authentic experience, this place is worth the drive. We left completely satisfied and already planning our next visit. Highly recommend this spot to anyone craving soul-satisfying, delicious South Indian food in California. Don’t miss it!

Tried Varam Indian Restaurant recently and honestly had a solid meal. We ordered the chicken dosa, lamb biryani, double chicken kebab, cauliflower Manchurian, and palak paneer — everything came out flavorful and portions were generous. The chicken dosa was huge and fun to share, while the lamb biryani had a nice spice level without being overpowering. Cauliflower Manchurian was crispy and probably our surprise favorite. Shoutout to Rocky for being super friendly and checking in on us — made the experience feel welcoming. Casual vibe overall, good spot for a relaxed family dinner if you’re craving Indian food.

Ankit Shah

Amazing and authentic Indian food. I was impressed by how many unique vegetarian options Varam has compared to typical Indian spots. The Methi Malai Mutter Saag (spinach & peas) was incredibly creamy and flavorful. We also ordered the Paper Dosa, which was huge and crispy. The presentation is beautiful. they really put effort into plating (like the stone-cooked dishes). A bit pricey, but worth it for the quality and portion sizes.

Bright orange kitschy accents, vivid seats, and colorful murals – give this restaurant a cheerful, lively vibe. Service was quick, and punctuated with smiles, which made the experience even nicer. The mango lassi comes with an interesting swirl of syrup. The goat biryani has soft fragrant rice, and tender pieces of goat meat that are nicely cooked. The vegetarian platter is generous enough to share. I particularly enjoyed the Hyderabad sharbat, it has a refreshing zing to it.

Tried several dishes with my family this weekend. The salmon was the standout — super flavorful and seasoned perfectly. The cod came in a close second with its unique blend of spices and a nice touch of olives. The Chicken 65, cauliflower and shrimp were decent, but not as memorable as the fish dishes. It may have been busy when we arrived, but one of our dishes and my drink were forgotten. Service could definitely improve — hiring a busser and leaving water pitchers on the table would make a big difference. That said, the restaurant itself felt warm and welcoming, with comfortable, nicely set tables.

Bottom line the food was pretty decent. The haleem that we ordered was good, not too spicy. The samosas were well made as well. To add the garlic naan was fantastic! Overall it wasn't bad and I would come here again.

The food was delicious. Ordered the chutney sampler, bread basket, chicken tiki masala, yellow lentils and lamb biryani. All very delicious and spicy. Service is also very good. Will be returning.

Their food is delicious, but their service needs improvement. It’s very slow. We tried their Gobi Manchurian, veg platter and paneer biryani and everything tastes good.

Luis Navarrete

The food was delicious. Ordered the chutney sampler, bread basket, chicken tiki masala, yellow lentils and lamb biryani. All very delicious and spicy. Service is also very good. Will be returning.

Tarun Emany

Their food is delicious, but their service needs improvement. It’s very slow. We tried their Gobi Manchurian, veg platter and paneer biryani and everything tastes good.

The appam was very good, especially paired with the coconut milk and veg korma, a great combination. The Varam special chicken curry was flavorful and a must order. It was spicy, but not Indian spicy, which worked well and still had excellent taste. For appetizers, we ordered the mixed grill. The shrimp was outstanding, very flavorful and perfectly cooked. The lamb was also good. The chicken tikka and paneer tikka were just okay compared to the rest. Ended the meal with rose falooda, which was delicious and had the perfect level of sweetness. Overall, a solid experience with some standout dishes.

Food is ok, but definitely better options around. We were able to walk in around 5:30 on a Sunday and even though it was completely empty, there was still a table full of dirty dishes that was kind of off-putting. That being said, the space was really nice. The dosas were cooked nicley (that's what we came for) , but the curries were too bland - the coconut curry I normally love dipping my dosa in felt under spiced. The goat curry was good, and would recommend that. The service was very nice and attentive once we sat down.

🍽️ Food Quality: The food at Varam Indian Restaurant tasted good during our meal. The flavors were enjoyable, and the dishes seemed well-prepared on the spot. However, I didn't feel great the next day, which was a drawback. 🥛 Limited Lactose-Intolerant Options: As someone with lactose intolerance, I found the menu to have surprisingly few clearly marked or easy-to-identify options that were suitable for my dietary needs. This made ordering a bit challenging and limited my choices significantly. 😊 Service Experience: The staff were relatively friendly. However, the service itself was inconsistent – at times it was very quick and efficient, but then it would slow down considerably, leading to some waiting periods. Hygiene & Facilities: A minor point of concern was the cleanliness of the menus at our table, which appeared a bit dirty. Additionally, the restrooms were located quite a distance from the dining area, down what felt like a relatively eerie hallway. Overall Impression: Varam Indian Restaurant offers decent-tasting food, but the aftermath was less than ideal. The limited choices for specific dietary needs like lactose intolerance, coupled with inconsistent service and minor issues with cleanliness and facility access, make it an average experience. While the immediate taste was good, these factors would make me consider other options in the future.

Raina Bhadlawala

The appam was very good, especially paired with the coconut milk and veg korma, a great combination. The Varam special chicken curry was flavorful and a must order. It was spicy, but not Indian spicy, which worked well and still had excellent taste. For appetizers, we ordered the mixed grill. The shrimp was outstanding, very flavorful and perfectly cooked. The lamb was also good. The chicken tikka and paneer tikka were just okay compared to the rest. Ended the meal with rose falooda, which was delicious and had the perfect level of sweetness. Overall, a solid experience with some standout dishes.

Mrinalini Loew

Food is ok, but definitely better options around. We were able to walk in around 5:30 on a Sunday and even though it was completely empty, there was still a table full of dirty dishes that was kind of off-putting. That being said, the space was really nice. The dosas were cooked nicley (that's what we came for) , but the curries were too bland - the coconut curry I normally love dipping my dosa in felt under spiced. The goat curry was good, and would recommend that. The service was very nice and attentive once we sat down.

Sohrob H

🍽️ Food Quality: The food at Varam Indian Restaurant tasted good during our meal. The flavors were enjoyable, and the dishes seemed well-prepared on the spot. However, I didn't feel great the next day, which was a drawback. 🥛 Limited Lactose-Intolerant Options: As someone with lactose intolerance, I found the menu to have surprisingly few clearly marked or easy-to-identify options that were suitable for my dietary needs. This made ordering a bit challenging and limited my choices significantly. 😊 Service Experience: The staff were relatively friendly. However, the service itself was inconsistent – at times it was very quick and efficient, but then it would slow down considerably, leading to some waiting periods. Hygiene & Facilities: A minor point of concern was the cleanliness of the menus at our table, which appeared a bit dirty. Additionally, the restrooms were located quite a distance from the dining area, down what felt like a relatively eerie hallway. Overall Impression: Varam Indian Restaurant offers decent-tasting food, but the aftermath was less than ideal. The limited choices for specific dietary needs like lactose intolerance, coupled with inconsistent service and minor issues with cleanliness and facility access, make it an average experience. While the immediate taste was good, these factors would make me consider other options in the future.

We visited this restaurant for the first time to celebrate my husband’s birthday and had made a reservation well in advance. Despite the restaurant being mostly empty, it took a very long time to place our order and even longer for the food to arrive. Since we weren’t very hungry, we initially didn’t mind the wait. We ordered Bombay beet sliders, boneless chicken biryani, chicken zalzala, pesto naan, and butter naan. The food was just average—nothing stood out. The beet sliders were dry and lacked chutneys, making them far from “Bombay style.” The biryani and curry were okay, the salan was disappointing, and the naan was good. The service was extremely poor. Staff appeared only to take the order, serve food, and collect payment. We had to wait just to get our water refilled. We wanted to order dessert, but no one came, even after informing our server. He asked us to wait, then never returned. We felt disappointed and ignored, so we paid and left. While paying, another customer complained that no one had come to take his order either. Overall, the service was unacceptable, likely due to prioritizing online orders. I wouldn’t recommend this place and won’t be returning. This level of service needs immediate improvement.

Went here on a Sunday evening — only a few tables were taken. We started with a fresh lime soda, but it tasted just like store-bought lemonade and had to be remade. For starters, we ordered Chicken 65 and Paneer Tiranga — these were honestly the only saving grace of the night. For mains, we had Paneer Kadai and Varam Chicken. The chicken had just three small pieces, and both gravies were thin and watery with barely any flavor. The Laccha Paratha was dry and hard to eat. Overall, pretty disappointing experience — the starters showed some potential, but the mains and service definitely need improvement. To top it off, they added an 18% gratuity even though we were only four adults with two toddlers and a baby. Most restaurants don’t usually apply automatic gratuity for such a group size(considering all kids were below 3)

Anu Rao

We visited this restaurant for the first time to celebrate my husband’s birthday and had made a reservation well in advance. Despite the restaurant being mostly empty, it took a very long time to place our order and even longer for the food to arrive. Since we weren’t very hungry, we initially didn’t mind the wait. We ordered Bombay beet sliders, boneless chicken biryani, chicken zalzala, pesto naan, and butter naan. The food was just average—nothing stood out. The beet sliders were dry and lacked chutneys, making them far from “Bombay style.” The biryani and curry were okay, the salan was disappointing, and the naan was good. The service was extremely poor. Staff appeared only to take the order, serve food, and collect payment. We had to wait just to get our water refilled. We wanted to order dessert, but no one came, even after informing our server. He asked us to wait, then never returned. We felt disappointed and ignored, so we paid and left. While paying, another customer complained that no one had come to take his order either. Overall, the service was unacceptable, likely due to prioritizing online orders. I wouldn’t recommend this place and won’t be returning. This level of service needs immediate improvement.

devika shah

Went here on a Sunday evening — only a few tables were taken. We started with a fresh lime soda, but it tasted just like store-bought lemonade and had to be remade. For starters, we ordered Chicken 65 and Paneer Tiranga — these were honestly the only saving grace of the night. For mains, we had Paneer Kadai and Varam Chicken. The chicken had just three small pieces, and both gravies were thin and watery with barely any flavor. The Laccha Paratha was dry and hard to eat. Overall, pretty disappointing experience — the starters showed some potential, but the mains and service definitely need improvement. To top it off, they added an 18% gratuity even though we were only four adults with two toddlers and a baby. Most restaurants don’t usually apply automatic gratuity for such a group size(considering all kids were below 3)

I ordered Chicken dum biryani from this Varam Indian Restaurant through doordash. But food delivered was "Raw Chicken meat biryani" because chicken meat was completely raw and was not cooked at all. The chef/cook of the restaurant did not even borthered to check if meat is cooked or not before packing the food. Never had such worst kind of food in my life.i have attached the pictures of the chicken meat and bill receipt.

For our anniversary, we thought of trying a new restaurant and came across Varam, The restaurant was empty, the girl - hostess/ waiter.. did not smile even once.., 90% of food items had nuts, found something without nuts.. however it was extremely spicy. They did not have wine in stock . Even though it was on menu. We paid for appetizer and drinks we consumed and left. We walked in to another restaurant and enjoyed our dinner.

Vishal Haswani

I ordered Chicken dum biryani from this Varam Indian Restaurant through doordash. But food delivered was "Raw Chicken meat biryani" because chicken meat was completely raw and was not cooked at all. The chef/cook of the restaurant did not even borthered to check if meat is cooked or not before packing the food. Never had such worst kind of food in my life.i have attached the pictures of the chicken meat and bill receipt.

Sandeep Bhalla

For our anniversary, we thought of trying a new restaurant and came across Varam, The restaurant was empty, the girl - hostess/ waiter.. did not smile even once.., 90% of food items had nuts, found something without nuts.. however it was extremely spicy. They did not have wine in stock . Even though it was on menu. We paid for appetizer and drinks we consumed and left. We walked in to another restaurant and enjoyed our dinner.