Reviews Rayar's Mess

Zomato
Arihant Bardia
+5
The magic is in the special thick chutney. Sambar is not up to the mark, but the Chutney more than compensates.
Pongal just melts in the mouth.
2 days ago
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Arun Rajesh
+5
Good
one month ago
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Anish Commuri
+4
• RAYAR'S MESS •
Rayar's Mess has been around since the pre-independence era and gained popularity from the 1950s. Located in Arundale Street in Mylapore, this eatery has seen a lot of famous footfalls over the years, including Tamil actors such as Suriya and Simbu, who are regulars. Although this place is not open throughout the day, it serves one of the best South Indian breakfasts in the city! A plate of idli or dosa would cost you hardly INR 40. We swear by their delicious Pongal, which comes at a mere INR 50. Wash it all down with a tumbler of filter coffee for just INR 30! .
5 months ago
Zomato
Dharani Kothandapani
+5
Breakfast at Rayar had been on our list for a while. So on Sunday, my husband I showed up for breakfast. It began with a welcoming reception from the lady and
after a 15 minute wait, we went in. Pongal was hot and delicious, the idlis soft, the vadais crisp in a way we often
never achieve at home. Getti chutney, podi and ghee - superb, all rounded off with hot filter coffee. Something about the community eating atmosphere, made me eat a big helping of Pongal, 4 vadais and
iddli and I am a small eater, usually restricting myself to two iddlis for breakfast. The most important point is that I did not feel stuffed and there were none of unpleasant after effects that usually accompany eating out. The bill for
stuffing our face came to ₹320 only. Amazing! I must commend the maami, she was so nice and seeing that I am
a senior citizen gave me a high stool to sit on. Must try their evening tiffin next.
7 months ago
Zomato
Essakkiappan
+5
Idly with podi, Vada and Pongal. The best breakfast combo you get. The place is little crowded throughout and hence the Pongal gets over at the earliest. Visit early as possible to have the best breakfast.
7 months ago
Zomato
Sridhar Venkatachalam
+4
Very tasty. Pongal Rava dosa , Mysore bonda , Idily is a must eat here . And finally end with a strong coffee . The staffs are courteous and place is maintained well. Though parking is a challenge . It's really worth
8 months ago
Zomato
Vasant Subramanian
+5
One of the classic breakfast eateries of Chennai. I visited the place on a weekday around 7.20 am but still there was a crowd waiting outside.
They serve around 15 ppl at a time and they follow the "kalyana pandhi" style of serving. Now let's get down to the food. The banana leaf is spread out and they bring out the hot and delicious Pongal first. Two generous ladles of Pongal is served and then coconut chutney and sambar are poured over the Pongal. All mixed together gives a brilliant taste.
Then they bring the piping hot idlis and vadas out. I had 2 idlis and 3 vadas. The idlis were very soft and ghee was poured over them as well. Vadas were super crispy and soft on the inside. Ask for the Getti Chutney, Podi and Kaara Chutney to get the various combinations for the idlis. (Getti Chutney and Podi are extra charges)
Then you can polish off the meal with a very strong filter coffee. When you come out of the place you do not feel like you visited a restaurant. But you feel like you had breakfast at a relatives place. The traditional nature of the food and the serving style makes you feel warm on the inside. Never change Rayar's Mess.

Pick of the Meal : Pongal with Sambar and Coconut Chutney. Special mention to the Podi as well.

Cost : Rs.145 only. (Pongal, 2 Idlis, 3 Vadas, Podi, Getti Chutney, Coffee)
9 months ago
Zomato
Bapcha Man
+4
Absolutely awesome food. One star less - because the sambar is abhorrent bad compared to the elevated nature of the other dishes

The menu has but four items, and they are all brilliant (breakfast menu). Pongal, idlis, vada and coffee. Chutneys and fixings are awesome

Avoid the sambar. It detracts from the breakfast
9 months ago
Zomato
Swetha Rakhecha
+5
Whatever I say will not be enough. Please go and have their food. There are only two things that I care about when I eat out: Food and Hygiene. This place delivers it. It is a hole in the wall place with character.
10 months ago
Zomato
Varun Iyer
+4
The Most Iconic Breakfast Place in Chennai...

Rayar's Mess...

Crisp and piping hot Vada with watery but flavour packed coconut chutney, and the muru-muru Adai with creamy and veggies jammed avial.....

A compulsory must try for a those who come to Chennai or live in Chennai...

Although they do serve evening tiffin but that is nothing like the rush in the morning hour's especially on weekends.

Just have to bare the rush and wait for your turn patiently to enjoy this experience..

Eating here is a feeling i did want to give it a five star but i find the sweets they serve in the evening (jangri) is bit chewy.

Well you don't go there for jangri.. you go there for Vada and adai...
10 months ago
Zomato
Foodie_by_hobby
+5
What can i say about this place. Amazing, we went here on a rainy day and it was worth it. Morning 8 ish and thankfully had to wait for only 15 min (which is not their usual waiting time).they started with pongal and then they add a spice chutney which is super spicy.
They they have hot vadas coming in. The vada is accompanied by liquid chutney and sambar. Their vafa is a master piece. They arent big size vadas. Proper iyer style vada without the pepper corns.
Then comes in the best idli i have ever had. They are so soft and tasty that you can never ever imagine how they make it so soft and spongey.Must visit in mylapore. At one sitting inly 16 peole can sit but that gets over powered by the taste.
Last but not the least the coffee. Iyer style coffe. The milk and the decoction are a secret
10 months ago
Zomato
TheHungryBlue
+4
A very old and small place but good South Indian tiffin. Homely place with everything cooking in front of you and served steaming hot on your plate. Two things not to miss out on are the vada and the kara chutney. Very few places left in the city where the vada doesn't feel oily but is extremely crispy.
11 months ago
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Sonal Jain
+5
Best for breakfast
Oct 01, 2019
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Rohit K Moorthy
+4
Rayar mess is a simple tasting experience. Its a typical mess from the olden days type place. One of the best chutney is available here, and it's a must have experience of a South Indian food.
Sep 21, 2019
Zomato
Kishore
+4
This is all one can ask for in a heritage walk through the aromatic chiming streets of Mylapore. This extremely pocket friendly place precisely caters to the idly craving population of the city. With the stringent working hours and a favourably constrained menu, we can safely bet on this one to serve the best south indian food like it is from our kitchen.
Aug 06, 2019
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Padmapriya
+4
Tasty food with economical pricing.
Adai avial , coconut chutney are mouth watering.
I guess the timings for online ordering is very limited.
Aug 01, 2019
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Renu Bhatewara
+5
They serve the best pongal with the delicious kara chutney, the idly is served piping hot. Don't go there for the ambiance but the food is finger liking good!
Jul 07, 2019
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Vivek Sundaram
+5
Excellent Food. Their Pongal and getti chutney is to die for. If you are visiting this place during weekend, be ready to wait for 30 mins to get a place.
Jul 03, 2019
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Aksshay Sainath
+4
On place where the rava dosa is as same as the one I get at home. This small place is located in the interiors of Mylapore! They have a very limited menu, tried the rava dosa and plain dosa over here. They are really good and tasty, I did not like the sambar though. It was very different, okay sambhar. The cost for 30 for both the dosas, for podi there is no extra charges. A pure veg place, do check this out!
Jun 30, 2019
Zomato
Madhuri
+4
Heard so many good things about this place. Finally we went for breakfast on Saturday morning around 9AM.

This is one of oldest restaurants/ Mess in the city. It is located in a small lane of mylapore. They are still serving food in a tradional way in banana leaves and with limited items.

They have a seating arrangement for 16 people and they will serve food to all at once.

They have served hot pongal,vada & idly with ghee along with coconut chutney ,sambar, Gatti chutney, chilli chutney & podi.

All are tasted so delicious and tasted like home food. Vada is so crispy and we want to eat more. Idly is soft with lots of ghee is also tasted yum.

We can have filter coffee in the end.

Value for money. Good homely food experience.

Jun 29, 2019
Zomato
Vinay Varma RudraRaju
+5
This is an iconic place for breakfast in Chennai, recommended by many folks, we have set to visit this place.

This place is situated in a small lane.

It's typical home set up.

You will be called to the dinning hall with bunch of people, the seating is limited and consumers are called batch by batch

We were first served Pongal which was hot and mouth watery.

Then vada which reminded me home made vadas

We had idly with generous amount of ghee poured on it.

The best part was food was made fresh and hot.

The service was great.

Only thing which was a concern was sambar which was not great as per my taste pallet.

We ended the sumptuous breakfast with traditional filter coffee which was great.

What was surprising was the billing part, the owner asks you want you had and bills it, which prompts you to be honest and good human being. These people are simple, warm and friendly to you, it's so hard to live like that in today's world.

Big shout to this great human beings and service they offer.

Food 5/5
Service 5/5
Value for money 5/5
Overall 5/5.
Jun 27, 2019
Zomato
Sonu
+4
Rayar Mess is located in the bylanes of Mylapore. I was excited because I heard so much about this place. I had Mysore bonda, rava dosa and gulab jamun, but I felt all those items were average. Next time I would like to visit for breakfast to try their signature dishes idly and vada. I won't recommend this place to families because hardly three to four tables were there. I want to give 3.5/5 but it's not possible that's why I gave 4/5.
Jun 10, 2019
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Manoj Mohapatra
+5
Best Pongal in Chennai. Simplicity, feel home atmosphere, long awaited queue in early morning is testimony. A joint since Pre Independence India 🇮🇳
May 06, 2019
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Subham
+5
Very traditional food from Tamil Nadu.staff courtesy unexpected they treat as like you are having in your home very familiar to guest.highly recommend.sorry i can't give more than 5* 🤣🤣🤣if it is there of course I will give .one more thing not on list the person gave some pongal to taste for free bcoz we are last Bach on that group of table they are about to close so.thanks for that and that too tasty.nandri🙏
Apr 28, 2019
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Manikanta Doradla
+5
If you are at Chennai, you Should definately visit this place. 

Rayar's Mess is all Time Favourite. Extraordinary Service. The taste here is unbeatable and I strongly recommend this mess Small place but Amazing

Soft soft  idlis and they are so hot,that the servers can’t even hold it not more than 3sec!

Vada - best crispy hot vada with chutney and sambar over the vada never miss this!
Apr 22, 2019
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Karthi Chockkalingam
+5
Must try for its hygiene and taste.

The food served here was extremely good. The taste is at its paramount. You can sense the feel of home cooked food. Though the place is quite small to accommodate many, still for sure you can wait and have the food just for its hygiene and its taste.

Everything is served hot. Sweets are extremely Delicious.

Coffee, just the auroma makes you crazy to gulp it. Coffee is fabulous.
Apr 01, 2019
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Sasken Shiva Rams
+5
Awesome mess in India I would say. Even for door delivery they use banana leaf which is good for brain. Pongal with vada taste is incredible ..
Mar 21, 2019
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Manju Muthu
+5
Rayar's Mess is all Time Favourite. Great Service. Small place but Amazing Food is offered. In Live with Onion Rava Dosa and Getty Chutney, Adai, Gulab Jamun are most Favourites. Price is very Reasonable and quality is Great. Must Visit.
Mar 17, 2019
Zomato
Kartik Sarma (Kary)
+5
After visiting the famous Kapaleeshwarar Temple in the early morning, I decided to have my breakfast nearby. On my friends suggestion, I choose this place. Place has look of 80's mess and service was good. Idly is unbeatable while Onion Dosa is straight from the paradise. Pocket friendly and would recommend this place for breakfast in Mylapore.
Feb 21, 2019
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Shobitha Shankar
+5
saw a program in travel xp anchored by nanjil vijayan around two years back and made a note to visit this small hotel. last week when i went to this hotel in a narrow lane (i am from hospet, karnataka 700 kms away from chennai) i was pleased with the taste and warm courtesy shown by the owner and staff. do visit this hotel to experience the real guest hospitality and the quality of brahmin food.
Feb 07, 2019
Zomato
Mohamed Junaid
+4
We can't expect great about the place! When u had the food!! It makes me and my father to recollect the 80's flash back. U could feel agino Moto free and healthy food!
Feb 02, 2019
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Venkatesh Ravi
+5
who ll miss this place for a sunday morning breakfast 😍 one of the best 😍 accommodating customers could ve planned better... bit expensive but taste worthy...
Jan 31, 2019
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Rohit Verma
+4
Cozy place with authentic south Indian delicacies.

This is the place where you will get tasty, healthy and delicious food. Not much options are there, sweet, bonda, dosa, adai and idli vada, coffee, that's it. All food is prepared without onion garlic.

Don't forget to take their thick chutney which comes with minimal extra charges, this chutney is the star item and totally mesmerising.
Dec 12, 2018
Zomato
Vineeth Veerisetty
+5
Try their idli with ghee and hard chutney.Hard chutney is chargeable separately,but worth it to spend.Every time I visit this place I get crispy and hot vada
Dec 07, 2018
Zomato
Pratheesh
+4
Excellent breakfast. Feel like you are eating at home. Opens at 7.30am and closes around 10.30am. Best place to have breakfast/ snacks at mylapore when compared to other hotels.
Dec 02, 2018
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Naveen Suresh (Bangalore Epicure)
+5
Chennai is abode of good South Indian eateries just like Bangalore. Precisely speaking, there are lot of whole in the wall kind of places which are appreciated by native People as well as travellers. Being a frequent visitor to Chennai, I was told to visit few must try ones like Ratna Cafe, Rayar’s Mess, Palm Groves and few more.

Somehow, I made up my mind to visit Rayar’s Aka Rayaru Mess in Mylapore. The vicinity is more of vegetarian population and certainly make you feel that you are in actual Chennai. Rayar’s Mess is located in the narrow lanes of Mylapore, difficult to locate if you are visiting for the first time. But, don’t worry you can easily notice people in long waiting queue to savour the breakfast at Rayar’s.

It’s not a place for the people who expects great ambiance and service. As the interiors are very minimalistic. Imagine how the 75 years Place would be. Also, they are serving food prior to Indian Independence. The people who manages & owns this place are originally from Karnataka and later relocated to Chennai.

The dining area has 4 tables, which can accommodate 16 people (Approx) and people will be eager to get a seat whether it’s a weekday or weekend. Ideal time to visit Rayar’s Mess would be at 7.30am especially for the melt in mouth Pongal. They do serve some snacks in the evening which I am yet to try!

Well, the menu is simple with Idli, Vada and Pongal during breakfast. The accompaniments are Gatti Chutney (Thick Chutney), Khara Chutney (Green Chilli), Ghee, Podi and Sambar.

Pongal over here is soft and tastes outstanding. I have had Pongal at various places like Madurai, Tiruvannamalai and Kumbakonam. However, here it’s tastes unique and most likely Kannadigas will appreciate more than anyone. Idlis are piping hot and comes immediately from Cooker, which are exceptionally soft and just melts with Gatti Chutney or Ghee Molagaipodi. Medu Vadas are medium sized and tastes pretty decent though. If you want to have spicy, then ask for Khara Chutney which is just brilliant. I somehow dint enjoy the Sambar, feel little watery.

You must end your breakfast with authentic big tumbler South Indian strong filter coffee!
Nov 27, 2018
Zomato
Meetsats80
+4
Been there from 2012 and it is one of the conservative vegetarian restaurant in Chennai.You get simple home made idly,Vadai,Dosai ,Keti chutney,podi and filter coffee.And the taste is similar to what we have at home .One of Chennai’s landmark tradition hotel in Chennai/Mylapore
Nov 16, 2018
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Darshan Jain
+4
Situated in Mylapore,a good place for South Indian breakfast,friendly staff, good taste and Mainly coffee and thick chutney... Must visit...
Nov 11, 2018
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Gowrishanker
+5
Had been here quite a few times . I should say that this is a legendary outlet . Although it’s a small place , it’s always on demand and quite crowded . I love the breakfast here . Especially the Idly , Pongal and vada . The service is prompt but you are expected to queue up early if you need a spot on time . You wouldn’t find any wide parking space anywhere around/near the mess . Two wheelers/walking is advisable if you are getting here . Absolute value for money and one of a kind experience .

Food : 5/5
Service : 5/5
Ambiance : 2.5/5
Value for money : 5/5

- Foodie From Madras
Nov 03, 2018
Zomato
Arun Kumar
+5
A place not to miss in chennai..
They allow people in batches.. its always crowded in morning.. very limited menu but all are super
Their service very good.. taste n quality - always consistent and good.. price s very nominal
Their idly n getti chutney(based on pottu kadala) sema.. usually don't like pongal, but prefer to eat here.. and finishing touch s their coffee, one of best in chennai.. they do provide snacks in evening, which also good.
Oct 31, 2018
Zomato
Priyanka Venkatasubramanian
+5
The best ever place to have your breakfast and evening tiffin! 🍴
Though they have limited menu, the taste is just amazing that people can’t resist to make it here the next time ☺️

Located at the arundale street, few kms away from the marina beach 🏖, this is the best breakfast spot for all the morning walkers 🚶🏼‍♂️🏃🏼‍♂️🏃🏼‍♀️🚶🏼‍♀️and also for the Jains, who have a special Jain sambar available here! 😬

Here goes the menu:
Idli
Pongal
Vada
Getti chutney ( thick coconut chutney)
Kara chutney (made out of green chillies)
Sambar
Idli podi
Ghee
Coffee

And for the evening tiffin , you will have a sweet for the day, rava dosa, adai Avial, bonda .

You can’t resist to lick the mixture of sambar and chutney! The mess is so tasty that you will never mind to wait and have their brilliant food. 😃

Soft idlis, hot, directly from the pan 🍛 Hot enough that the servers can’t even have it in their hand for more than 3sec!
Vada - best crispy hot vada with chutney and sambar over the vada 👌🏼 never miss this!

Pongal is subject to availability! You can get it only if your firs among the crowd! 😝

This mess has been serving people for ages together , that now it’s the 3rd generation that is witnessing all the eminent yesteryear actor and actress coming here to have their food, though only a limited menu! 😁

Never miss this place! 👊🏻
Oct 30, 2018
Zomato
Priya
+5
After hearing a lot of great reviews about this place, got to order from here. I ordered Idli, Vasai and getti chutney.

The food had a homemade feel which is the best aspect. Everything was wrapped in Vazhai yelai 😍 (plantain leaf), which is rare in these days of aluminium foil and plastic.

Everything was relatively low priced.

The vadai and chutney were delicious. The sambhar was something you would find in rural Tamil nadu. The idli was a little spongy but it's these little imperfections that give this place the home feel.

This food simply connects you with your roots.
Oct 20, 2018
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Anbarasu Madhan
+5
Proper Iyer aathu saapadu. Rayars mess tucked in a small street of Mylapore serves authentic south indian break fast and tiffen. Good place to start your day with a great appetite. Pocket friendly.
Oct 13, 2018
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Suraj Jaison
+5
Tucked in a small lane in Mylapore, this 12 seater eatery is run by 4th generation owners. Kabaleeshwar Temple and Rayar's Mess is one of my favorite routines that I wish to have for a long long time.

They are open for just 3 hrs in the morning and evening, has a very limited menu and a crammed eating space - Rayar's Mess is an unassuming, honest and endearing place serving simple food.

The place has it's loyal customers - customers who are willing to wait 20-30 mins for a seat despite knowing you are only going to have to choose between idli, vada and pongal every single day. No frills, no confusion, not too many things on the menu, you go there to get fed some simple tasty food.

The man who serves you food ensures you get the freshest and hottest idlis or vadas (which btw is cooked fresh few feet away). He once, despite our insistence, denied serving us 5 min old idlis because there were fresher ones in the kitchen. He may force you to have an extra idli or vada, which I have never regretted. They haven't increased their price in a while when they can easily charge double and still have people coming because they don't want their regulars to suffer. That's not just great service, that's care. That's the kind of care your grandmother will have for you.

You should go there for their simple food and the great service. You may have to ask people around or can rely on Google Maps for directions. Be there by 7 am to avoid waiting. You might miss the pongal if you go later than 9 am. Haven't tried the evening fare to comment.
Oct 02, 2018
Zomato
Cheenu Gladist
+5
Eating ever since I landed in Chennai in 1975.

So cheap that often I feel whether the unit breaks even at all.

By far, the most affordable and enjoyable eat out.

Sep 22, 2018
Zomato
PalS
+4
I have tried this place many a times and the food is good, cost effective and tasty.. .. Limited menu and exprienced cook has resulted in a regular customer base and nice food.. Both the morning and evening dishes are must try... Ambience can be a problem for a few but i have no issues.. I have done online order also but prefer dine in only as it taste bests when served hot
Sep 13, 2018
Zomato
Sharanya Sambantham
+4
One of the iconic breakfast spots in Chennai that attracts people from all over the city for their authentic south indian breakfast .

The place is located in one of the narrow bylanes in Mylapore and is quite difficult to locate , there is no provision for car parking so I suggest you go there in a bike . The place opens at 7 am for breakfast but i suggest that you go there a little ahead of time around 6.45 am as it gets crowded pretty soon . We went there around 7.05 and we got a table half an hour later , long waiting time . The staff are very friendly and chatty , they gave us a brief history of the place , it's usually very crowded during the weekends but it was less crowded today because of Janmashtami.

The seating area is quite small and can accomodate only a crowd of maximum 10 people , typical retro mess style tables and chairs . The food is served on a banana leaf , their menu is very limited and they offer only idli , Vada , Pongal and coffee for breakfast .They are also open in the afternoon 3-6 pm where they serve Bonda,dosa , sweet and coffee .

We started with the Ven Pongal and it was served piping hot , it was quite mushy but tasted decent and the portion was good too . Next came the Vadas , super hot and crispy , it was so good that we ended up eating more of it . The idlis were uber soft and served hot . The sambar was quite watered down with a strong flavour of asofatieda , the green chilli chutney and white chutney were watery but good , I really liked the green chilli chutney as it was super spicy . They also serve getti chutney (₹5) and Idli podi (₹20) separately on a chargeable basis , I would definitely recommend the getti chutney , not to be missed ! We ended our breakfast with some strong good old filter kaapi .

Since this was our first visit , we ended up gorging on 6 idlis , 5 Vadas , 2 pongals and 4 coffees , the bill came up to ₹310 for the two of us and both of us are heavy eaters. The pricing is very affordable and value for money for the quality of food they offer .

If ambience , waiting time and hygiene doesn't matter to you and good food is your only priority then it's Definitely worth a visit !
Sep 02, 2018
Zomato
Sharan Kumar
+5
Went to raayar mess yesterday after long time. Food was just as good as the previous times I have been here. Especially the idli's softness and vada's crispness ensured I was craving for more even after 4 of each.

Each day of the week has a speciality chutney. Yesterday was the day of onion chutney. The chutney complemented the idli and vada well. I like their sambhar though not as much as the other items but that does not stop me from enjoying the food in anyway.

Place opens by 6:50(approx) and the crowd starts standing outside even before that time in anticipation of the great food. The ambience is cozy and comfortable. If you are a food lover it is a definite place to visit. The space might not be big enough for a family outing. All food are hot and fresh as they are consumed as soon as they are made.

Writing this review is makes me want their food now. Will have to go there soon.
Aug 30, 2018
Zomato
Rama Rao Nalam
+5
An absolute authentic South Indian breakfast joint, down to earth without any frills attached, tasty heavy on the stomach light on the wallet. Must visit in your chennai itinerary, avoid rush on weekends.... My second visit in a month
Aug 18, 2018
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Bhagyashree Rath
+5
Taste-4.8/5
Price-5/5
Ambiance-2.5/5
As it is a very small place where only-10-14 people can eat together at one. But the food was simple and will remind you of your home food... Simple and tasty.
Try vada and sambar for sure.. simple ponga.. Filter coffee can make you smile for the whole day...
Aug 09, 2018
Zomato
Aarthi
+5
The absolute Chennai experience all packed into one tiny little place that's become a legend in the local circles. Someone preserve this place under world heritage site... Must visit if you love and want to experience authentic Chennai breakfast
Aug 09, 2018
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Anirudh
+5
Best place for early morning idly, vada and pongal. Though the menu is extremely limited, there is so much crowd here before it even opens.
It opens at 7 in the morning, and by 6.50, there's already a good crowd.

Try their idly, vada and the pongal. They are the best ones there. Don't forget to ask for their Thick chutney and Podi. They're classics that one should have.

Best part of this place is that you can fill yourself to the brim with just 100 bucks.
Aug 07, 2018
Zomato
Josereby
+4
Where📍: Rayar's Mess

What⁉️ : Idli's☘Crispy hot vada☘Pongal☘Getti chutney

This quaint old mess is famous for their crispy hot Vada and Getti Chutney💯❤️
The crowd here is mind boggling despite the ambience and limited spread available.
No matter where you go or how much your willing to spend the vada's here are the best 👍🏼crispy and served hot.
The Pongal is melt in the mouth good with generous amount of ghee and nuts😇The perfect ending to a good breakfast is the filter coffee here made as per your liking. Perfect tambram South Indian breakfast ☕️💯😍

💰 Range : 10 - 50

Ps: They also serve Rava dosa and Adai in the evenings. FYI no matter what time or day there's always a huge crowd waiting to get their daily fill from this tambram mess😜If your planning to visit them make sure you're ready to wait for 20-30 mins max to get your seats😊
Jul 29, 2018
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Jaisinh Vaerkar
+4
Rayar mess is simply a great place for great South Indian tiffin.
From their Pongal, idli, Vada and coffee everything is served piping hot. Food is bloody good. The podi, ghee on the hot idli all make for a great breakfast joint.
No frills place with very basic seating in a place that can you can only find in an authentic mess setting.
Coffee is served outside while you sit on the steps opposite the mess.

Rush hours starts from 7.00 am when hungry walkers and runners start filing in.
Jul 21, 2018
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Ajith AK
+5
good
Jul 19, 2018
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Samarth Madhusudan Rao
+4
Hidden away in the lanes of Mylapore, as if it's a secret society, Rayar's mess for any South Indian breakfast lover, is a must visit.

Served on BaaLeyele (Banana leaf), the breakfast menu consists of the qunitessential trio of South India- Idly, Vaday and Pongal.
While the Idly and Pongal are tasty enough, the Vaday is a revelation. Fried fresh to a unique crisp, it has a very interesting taste making it a must try. 
The watery chutney and a not so sweet sambar(yeah, I made that accusation), make for a delightful combination with the idlies.  

Gatti chutney made of Roasted gram (Hurigadale) is another must try for newbies and is available at an extra charge of just ₹ 5/- 😛, along with some Molagapudi/Chutneypudi, which is ridiculously priced at ₹20/- is served with a dollop of ghee on it.

These 'extra' items as the menu calls it, completes the meal making you want to burp out loud to celebrate the South Indianness dancing in your tummy.

Here's an interesting trivia: Rayar's mess gets it name from Raghavendra Rayaru(a saint from 16th century), is run by Madhawa Kannada Brahmins who settled in Chennai three generations ago.

The present owners are extremely sweet and treat you well befitting the 'Athithi devo bavah' tag and even insist on serving more to ensure one leaves the place with contentment.

Breakfast for two heavy eaters like me and my colleague cost us around ₹200/- and was well worth the money and time we spent finding the putani place. 

Have been there twice already. Going there again very soon.
Jul 08, 2018
Zomato
A Gautham Rao
+4
Rava dosa was good but could be less hot (less chilli preferred )
Jul 03, 2018
5
Pramod Srikanth
+5
A nice experience having some snacks at Rayar mess. The food is delicious and service is fast. The place is quite old so you can go with that expectation.
5
amar p
+5
The food was tasty here. We tried idly, ghee podi, pongal, vada with thick chutney served on a banana leaf. No cutlery and bowls for sambar and Chutneys. You gotta manage the flowing sambar and experience everything mixed together with your hands. It's not like wow and melt in the mouth taste, but the food is simple, flavour full and served well. Tummy khush definitely ! Having had south Indian breakfasts at multiple places, I could feel the difference . Majority of the breakfast places of late add a lot of ghee and butter, be it pongal or idlis that makes them tasty obviously. But this wasn't the case here. You don't feel that heaviness throughout the day if you have breakfast here. While the industrial kitchens and modern cafes have their place, I hope these traditional mess that serve food with love continue to serve. Regarding the place, it's pretty tiny.. probably can seat around 16 people at a time. 4 tables in a tiny room. The breakfast has only idly, vada, pongal till 10 AM. Few varieties of dosas and a sweet are available from 3 to 8 PM. You gotta remember what you eat and while exiting give the list to calculate the bill. UPI payment was available. The place is difficult to locate if you are a first timer. They don't have a board on the main road. Google location gets you to the main road little away from the lane. Lookout for a tiny lane between Taj Biryanis and Ramu Electrical works. Enjoy the experience!
5
raghavan srinivasan
+5
Excellent tasty food. Value for money. Good quality. But very small place. Lot of crowd. Many a time, you should stand and eat. But people don't mind because of the taste. Lovely...awesome....
4
M Yunes
+4
Excellent breakfast spot. Need to be there early as only 16 ppl can sit in at a time. Can order via swiggy or zomato too. Staffs are friendly and caring. Must try their vadai, simply delicious. P.S. if u r particular abt d environment than u better not go here. However, is a must try at least once!
4
Nithin Kriz
+4
A highly hyped place in the social media arena, especially from the chennai makkal on many platforms.. Located on a narrow lane at the arindale colony, Mylapore, it is hard to notice it on one's own but the fame of it makes it easy to locate just by identifying it.. Had to wait for almost 30 mins as there were already 20 people ahead of me waiting there from 7 am and 20 people following me while I was waiting to dine-in 😂😂 Finally when my name was called, I entered right away and made my seat at the table.. though I was shut tired from travel, the ambience there made me rejuvenate.. Only 2 items were served in the morning which were idli and pongal, vada as an add-on. Dosas were served only at the evenings. The pongal was authentic, ghee-ful but lite and the watery chutney they provided was complementing it every bit. Also the vada which was grit crispy and passed for a good snack. Idli was as average as you could find on any typical tamilnadu tiffin center.. nothing much to brag about.. Getti chutney (thick 🥥 chutney) was the next best thing there, as it was charged separately, so to speak of its fame. Compared to dine-in Parcels were fleeing away in swiggy and Zomato plus people coming directly to buy them as well.. Overall a classic experience in this decades old mess... The owners were so sweet and welcoming each and every customer with a smiling face, which reflected a bit in their filter dabara coffee as well.. Do check them Seer 💛
5
Venkataramanan V
+5
Healthy and homely food. Great service. The owner is really friendly. Be prepared to wait for a few minutes outside before going in, because it's always crowded. Morning: Idly, Vadai and Pongal. Vadai is one of the best in Chennai.
5
sahil
+5
At a reasonable price. You'll reach heaven. Heaven is not a place where you'll get air conditioner and all. This place feels home. I don't understand why there's just 5 starts for service. I want to give 100 stars for service. The way they smile and serves like we are family. They also trust you completely with the money. So you only have to pay after enjoying the delicious food. They even say that " If you won't give money, it's fine because we all are one" 😶 that was heartwarming. This made the food tastes even better. The waiting for an hour or 2 is absolutely worth it
5
Rajiv Gopinath
+5
Classic veg breakfast to have in Chennai. The waiting time at 730 am was just 5 min. The breakfast on banana leaf moves like clockwork.... the pongal first, then the vadas, then the idli's. The thick chutney was worth it, as was the ghee. They offer spoons as well. Do try when you are at Chennai.
5
Bharath Sundararaman
+5
Awesome food. Go to the beach for sunrise and come to this place for breakfast. Vadai , Pongal , Idly and Filter Coffee. 🔥 The best option is to opt for delivery. This place has only 16 seats for dine in , Reservation needs to be done and average waiting time for dine-in would be around 30 mins. Get the parcel from here and go to the beach and enjoy your breakfast there. Sambar tastes so good over here and goes by with Pongal and idly so well. They have thick chutney, Ghee and podi which costs an extra 5-10rs per item. This place is very budget friendly and it has been there for so many years. Try visiting this once.
5
Krishnamurthy Sridhar
+5
An iconic restaurant operating out of a small space. Very limited seating facilities available. The quality of the food is exceptional and service is quick and friendly. Not suitable for disabled and wheelchair. Due to metro work parking is a challenge. A must visit place for some hot South Indian food. Try Pongal and Vada!
4
Sanjay sg
+4
#located within a small street, but family friendly #map will take you nearby but not to the exact location #good tasty fresh food ( pongal, vada, idly, coffee available for breakfast) #good customer friendly service #but for dine in you have to wait for long time during peak hours, or you take a standing place to have food or preferably choose take away #prices are a little high and waiting time is an issue #takung cars are not advisable due to place congestion, prefer bikes
5
Manjunath G Hegde
+5
Amazed by the fresh and crispy Vadas we get here. Maybe the best in Chennai I would say. Idli and Pongal are also good. The price is very reasonable. In summary, if you want to enjoy some home-style Southern food, you should definitely give it a visit. The best part- the owners and workers here are so kind and mindful.
4
Sindhu Kannan
+4
Mess open by 7am. But there will be lot of rush, people are allowed to dine in by first come first basis. Only 4tables will be there to sit and dine. Food : First served Pongal - taste is yummy Served with chutney and sambar Idly is super soft. Podi , thick chutney - extra charge Dont miss : filter coffee Parcel is also there. Good service. Traditional place. Worth it. Value for money.
5
Monisa Ramesh
+5
Went there at 4pm They served dosa, bonda and coffee in the evening. We tried ghee dosa and rava onion dosa. Ghee dosa was so crispy and very yummy similar to what we taste in big restaurants. Rava onion was good not so crisp. Very affordable option for tasty dosa. Filter coffee is also good.
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