Madras Kafe

This restaurant offers a great dining experience with a welcoming atmosphere and attentive service. The menu has a nice variety, and the dishes are well-prepared, flavorful, and nicely presented. Portions are satisfying, and the ingredients taste fresh. The staff is friendly and makes you feel comfortable

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I had a wonderful experience at Madras Kafe in Vernon Hills! The dosas were incredible crispy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. Every bite was a delight. The service was exceptional too; the staff were friendly, attentive, and made the experience even better. The ambiance was cozy and inviting, making it a perfect spot for a great meal. I can’t wait to return and try more of their menu. Highly recommended!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Quality food and great service.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Once upon a time this was my was most favorite restaurant. However over the last few months, the quality of food and service has gone downhill. I have stopped visiting it.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 2

Service: 1

Good food and friendly staff.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 4

Great tasty south Indian food

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Mysore Masala Dosa

Had breakfast with friends, authentic Indian food, great in Chaats and Dosas. Idlis were a little hard and raw, but the service was very friendly, and the atmosphere was very warm and welcoming!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Madras Kafe is one of my go-to spots in Vernon Hills when I am craving real South Indian food. The dosas & biryanis are consistently good — and the sambar/chutneys hit the right “back home” flavor. Their filter coffee is also a must if you grew up on it.

For a small, non-chain place, maintaining consistency in food is not easy, but Madras Kafe does it really well. Prices are very reasonable and portions are solid. If you are new here, start with a Mysore/masala dosa or the veg thali. And if you see the owner, Pramila, don’t miss saying hi — she’s genuinely warm, comes by to check on you, and makes the place feel welcoming.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I visited Madras Kafe today and had a truly amazing dining experience. The restaurant has a warm and welcoming atmosphere that makes you feel comfortable right away. I ordered the masala dosa and biryani, and both dishes were outstanding. The masala dosa was perfectly crispy and served hot with tasty chutneys and flavorful sambar. The biryani was aromatic, well-cooked, and full of rich spices, making every bite enjoyable.

The service at Madras Kafe was excellent and really stood out. The staff were polite, attentive, and very quick to serve, ensuring everything was fresh and on time. Their friendly attitude made the experience even better. Overall, the food quality, service, and ambiance were top-notch. I highly recommend Madras Kafe to anyone looking for delicious food and great hospitality, and I will definitely visit again.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The place looked run down to begin with but wanted to give them a chance. The server could not explain the entree items when asked about different ones to choose from. The price point was misleading and overpriced for similar cuisine. Another point is they charged a surcharge for 5 people as opposed to 6 people eating. Overall, atmosphere, service and quality of food was very bad! Would not ever go there again or recommend this place!

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 2

Service: 1

Tried masala dosa, enjoyed the food.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 5

Their dosas and pooris are always good, just like usual. The food always comes out hot. I wouldn't try non-veg at a Udupi spot. The owner came over to ask about the food. The thaali is pretty good too.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

I recently dined at Madras Cafe and ordered pani puri and idli.
The idli was good — I would rate it 8/10. It was soft and enjoyable. However, the pani puri was very disappointing, and I would honestly rate it 0/10. The pani (water) was completely tasteless — there was no salt, no spices, and no flavor at all. It honestly felt like I was just drinking plain water.

I am a big fan of pani puri and have tried it at many different places, but this was by far the worst pani puri I have ever had. Even the puris themselves were tasteless, which added to the disappointment.

On a positive note, the service was great. The staff was friendly, attentive, and open to feedback. The restaurant was clean and well-maintained, and the overall atmosphere was nice.

Overall, everything was good except the pani puri quality, which really needs improvement.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 4

Surprised to eat pretty healthy yet tasty rava and plain dosa. Practically no oil/grease. That's a big difference. Great coconut and peanut chutney.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

They have reduced the quantity drastically!!!!
*****updating my review from 5 to 2 ⭐️ ******
We ordered mysore masala dosa, 2 onion uttapams, punugulu and medhu wada.
-Mysore Masala dosa: very thin( not enough for single person) potato curry was excellent though!
-Onion utappam: size reduced and thin(not enough for single person)
-Punugulu used to be better than this time.
- Medhu wada was too flat.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 2