Chennai Hoppers

We're lucky to have so many Indian options in MoCo. One of family favorites is Chennai Hoppers, a light-filled and cozy spot that's surprisingly never packed. A few weeks ago we came in extra hungry amd decided to order several dishes: masala dosa, palak methi paneer, dum goat biryani, murg tikka masala, garlic and butter naan and mango lassi. The medley of chutneys that came with the monstrous dosa was a parade of bright flavors that satisfied even the pickiest among us. Best to have a crowd to tackle this or you can make a meal of it. Their street samosas which are served in a little wire basket in the shape of a bicycle are also fabulous.While all of the dishes were delish, the other star of the night was the dum goat biryani. We savored the flavorful tender goat meat and rice. Their service is also attentive and friendly. Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs because we had enough leftovers for another family meal.Extra tip: They have generous coupons for $15 off a $60 gift card or a free mango lassi or naan with a minimum $20 purchase.

Chennai Hoppers is a charming little spot in Gaithersburg that serves up some fantastic South Indian food.I ordered the Mysore dosa, and it was perfect--crispy, flaky, and packed with flavor. The sambar was also spot on, with a well-balanced taste that wasn't overly spicy but still had a nice depth of flavor. Everything tasted fresh and authentic, and the service was friendly and attentive.For dessert, I tried the cardamom crème brûlée, but it was more of a flan than an actual crème brûlée, which was a bit disappointing. While it was still tasty, it wasn't what I expected, so I'm taking off a star for that.Would come again!

This is a smaller restaurant with minimal seating but they have an easy reservation system to secure your spot. The service is great, the waiters and staff are very friendly and helpful. I want to like this place but the food unfortunately doesn't cut it. It's average at best. The problem that I have is mostly with the tenderness of the meats. I got their lollipop chicken and while the flavor of their chicken was the skin of the chicken was so hard to eat, I've never experienced eating the skin to be that hard and unchewable. So I feel like this could be a 10/10 but with the skin texture its just make it 2.5/3 out of 5. I have gotten their goat Biryani and chicken biryani and unfortunately while their flavor was amazing, the meat was dry on multiple occasions. Similar as before, it could be a solid 10 but unfortunately doesn't hit the mark because of the meat dryness. Im willing to keep going to try different dishes until I find the best ones because their service is so good and tastes great, just wish their tenderness of their proteins would be better

Lunch Dates are fabulous and quick service ones are even better!We ordered: an okra appetizer, garlic naan, and butter chickenEverything was tasty and we were checked on during our meal. The butter chicken was a bit more spice-infused than I'm used to (even my sis agreed who loves Butter Chicken anywhere).The portions were quite small in comparison to the price, so my only qualm was the teeny tiny butter chicken dish (and little bits of chicken) we got.

Vibey Indian spot with a rare mix of South Indian and North Indian dishes! The decor feels like an off-the-beaten path cozy cafe. The food is unique and delicious, and the menu flags many vegan items. The staff are also very courteous and kind- we had an allergy in the group and they took it really seriously.Some hits were the Marina Beach Salad and the Thattu Nei Podi Idli- both can be shared as appetizers. The place is definitely a crowd pleaser- I would come back!

Delicious South Indian food in Gaithersburg! Went here on a Sunday evening and the place was packed at 6.30. reservations are must but still expect to wait for a little while. We had the kaalan Manchurian which was tangy and a little sweet and we couldn't tell that this was made from mushroom. Also had the Thattu idli, chicken biryani and chicken parotta! The food was delicious and the quantity was more than average. The swing in the waiting area adds a nice touch to the general theme of the restaurant. Definitely coming back to try more of their delicacies.

This South Indian restaurant offered a pleasant dining experience in terms of ambiance and service. The staff were attentive and the atmosphere was welcoming. However, the food unfortunately didn't live up to the same standard. Our appetizer, the mushroom manchurian, was surprisingly sweet, almost like a dessert, which was quite off-putting. We also tried three other dishes. The Mysore masala dosa had a flavorful and well-spiced filling, but the dosa itself lacked crispness, which was disappointing. The uttapam with podi was bland and lacked any real depth of flavor. Finally, the kothu parotta with vegetable gravy was simply average, with nothing particularly exceptional about it. Overall, while the restaurant excels in service and atmosphere, the food needs significant improvement to match the overall dining experience.

I have been driving by this place for a while and never knew how good it was, but we went there for dinner the other day and it was a fantastic experience, the food was perfect, the kabob platter and the panneer curry were fantastic!Service was a little weird they asked for our number when we walked in (we did not provide) usually when they do that it is because there is a wait but the place had plenty of seating, they did not push it after we declined, the actually table service was good.Great atmosphere inside.You will not be disappointed with the food here.

New go-to Indian restaurant alert? Was craving Indian and browsing Yelp as usual. I wanted to try something new but didn't feel like driving far. We decided on Chennai Hoppers!It was a Saturday night around 8 pm, which, I think is late for dinner, so I was surprised to find that the restaurant was still packed. We sat and waited for about 10 mins before being seated at a table by the window. They have a QR code scanning system and I think you can order from there too, but our waiter took our order. MAN is the menu HUGE! We ended up getting the Street Samosa, Old Delhi Butter Chicken, Dum Goat Biryani, Garlic Naan and Mango Lassi.Street Samosa: So cute that it comes in a truck! Comes with white and brown sauces. While I'm not quite sure what they are, I liked the brown sauce better as it was sweeter and balanced out the samosa. The inside of the samosa is just potato, I'd say relatively average for a samosa and nothing super mind blowing.Butter Chicken: Wow! At first I was disappointed by the portion because the chicken came in a tiny bowl with a side of rice but I WAS MISTAKEN. So full. And so delicious too! The chicken was cooked perfectly and that butter chicken sauce....the depth of flavors was incredible. Pair that sauce with the biryani for an even more flavorful bite! The pieces of chicken were big too. I was impressed.Goat Biryani: I usually don't like biryani, or maybe I just haven't had a good one. But this was probably my favorite biryani yet! The rice was so yummy I probably could have had an extra side of it. One thing we didn't appreciate was the tiny bones from the goat pieces...watch out! Also the pieces of goat were a bit dry and hard but given that this is still a 4 star review, the flavor of the rice definitely made up for it trust me! Comes with a yogurt sauce to balance out the heat, but honestly I didn't really need it. It was nice to mix it but it wasn't quite that level of spicy. Next time David says he'll try the chicken!I'm so glad to have visited this place, definitely can't wait to come back when the next Indian food craving hits!

Came here for the first time for dinner with a group of friends, one of whom, recommended this place. We ordered several dishes- their coffee, chai tea, mango lassi, mushroom fritters, taro chips appetizer, samosas, Kashmiri naan, garlic naan, palak paneer, masala dosas, chicken parotta, bread basket, and Kashmiri lamb roganjosh. Total for 6 of us came out to approximately $217, which included an automatic 18% gratuity.What's hot- Quality. Delicious, flavorful, and comes with a good degree of heat. All of our dishes were well-seasoned. We could definitely taste the spices from the dishes and there is a nice degree of heat that comes from the food, that heats up your throat. It's like a low-level spiciness that continues to build, which adds to the flavor. - Menu variety. There's an excellent variety for all dietary needs- meats, veggies, and vegans. Based on what one of our friends told us, who is from India, this restaurant is very good in that it caters more to the southern Indian cuisine, versus the northern Punjab region. As such, there are dishes on their menu that one may not ordinarily come across in a more mainstream Indian restaurant, such as their mushroom fritters and taro chips.- Service. Good and reliable.- Layout. Fairly decently space. Their tables don't appear to accommodate large groups, probably no more than a party of 6 people. Definitely make reservations if you come with a large group.- Price. The value for money, especially given the portions, is pretty good. Each of our curry dishes came with its own bowl of rice, as well. For example, my palak paneer came out to around $17, my husband's lamb roganjosh was $23, 3 samosas came out to $9.- Location. Fairly easy to find and parking is convenient. It's also located in a plaza with other restaurants, shops, and even a couple of bubble tea cafes.What's not- Rush. This restaurant isn't very large. Most diners appear to come in small groups. This place is definitely not one where they'll allow you to linger to continue small talk. After we paid, their staff pretty much asked us to leave, because there were other diners waiting. On the one hand, I get it. On the other hand, it felt kinda rude.- Price. Our tab included an 18% gratuity charge. I'm uncertain whether it's an automatic gratuity for all diners or for groups over a certain number, or whatever other reason there is. Just be aware there may be an automatic gratuity factored in, which means there's no reason for you to add even more.Final answerWould like to come back again, but it's a little out of the way.