Restaurant Finder

Udupi Palace

Cuisines: Indian Vegetarian/Vegan Neighborhood: Takoma Park

Based on 8 reviews.

Address	1329 University Blvd., E, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Phone	(301) 434-1531
Fax	(301) 434-4139

Rater Comments

These comments express the opinions of individual Restaurant Raters, not those of Washington City Paper.

Review by foodfiend on March 21, 2008

My family has been going to this place for years. We are all vegetarians and absolutely LOVE that we can chose anything on the menu and it's guaranteed to be veggie. Everything is so delicious and addictive! There is plenty of seating so you hardly ever have to wait to be seated and the waiters are very gracious and quick. We went for my birthday this year so the cost of the dinner is just an estimate..

Review by tuffemme on July 7, 2007

I love Indian food. I have tried some of the most famous and highly-rated Indian restaurants in DC, as well as NYC and Chicago. This is hands down the best Indian restaurant I have ever eaten at. Even friends who generally don't have any use for vegetarian food have taken my recommendation and tried Udupi Palace, and have loved it. I recommend you try a Dosai (we love the spinach and mushroom variety), an Uthappam (we love the vegetable one), and some of the paneers (my favorites are the Palak Paneer and the Paneer Makhni). Also get some mango chutney to go with your meal. The mango lassi is delicious also. Some bread of your choice, and you are a very happy camper. I only go here when I want to blow my diet, because I find myself totally unable to stop eating once I start :) They are also happy to make your order to-go, so you can lie back on the couch after gorging yourself, feeling that bloated euphoria that accompanies a really great take-out meal.

Review by sdaspit on August 30, 2004

This South Indian vegetarian restaurant is a good value. My mysore masala dosai was spicy, but not too hot. I also had samosas, which were good, though they did not seem to be freshly made. The staff was amiable, and the place was friendly. They also have a wide selection of things I imagine you'd find in a tradititional Indian bakery.

Review by mcclive on June 2, 2004

The prevalence of the vegetarian Sihks in southern India have led to its own food tradition, and there are a few restaurants in the area that cater to this. The party faithful will love these places, but it doesn’t matter if you’re a veggie or not; the food is cheap and decently good. Udapi sits comfortably in a mostly Hispanic strip mall, just a stone’s throw from the (slightly better) Woodlands Indian vegetarian restaurant. You’ll walk in past a large display case of Indian sweets (more on these later). The menus in these places are similar, lots of fried appetizers such as samosas and pakoras, a range of dosai (rice-lentil flour crepes), a range of uthappam (another type of large, folded wrap, a bit thicker), and some curries. In parts of southern India, you’d eat with your hands, but not here.

You have your choice of six or seven fillings for the dosai and uthappam. My general rule is: the more the better. Get your dosai with tomatoes, peas, carrots, and onions, or your uthappam with a layer of hot chutney and potatoes and onions. There are a range of dishes familiar to those who have looked over the “vegetables” section of a more mainstream Indian restaurant: palak paneer (spinach with fresh cheese), mattar paneer (peas with fresh cheese), Kadai Bhendi (okra with spices), and other items whose ingredients would sound at home on an Italian menu. Go for the more esoteric. Perhaps you’re a veteran at this, but for some of us Udupi is a good place to try something new.

For all it has going for it, Udupi lacks some spirit. The food seems fresh and well-made, but the flavors aren’t quite bright and vibrant. The staff seems a bit tired, and the atmosphere somewhat stale. The food was decent but now on I’ll stick to the competing Woodlands Indian restaurant across the intersection, though I’m sure there are some who have reached an opposite conclusion. Their menus are remarkably the same. My decision about Udupi was reinforced after taking home some of the desserts displayed in the entranceway. It’s like a candy counter, selling brightly-colored pieces by the pound. They are small and deadly sweet, like baklava or other middle-eastern treats. We chose a selection of colors, shapes, and flavors, and found that they were priced a bit more than we would have thought, and had little flavor besides sugar.

Review by saswat on May 31, 2004

Funny that being a "pure vegetarian" place, Udupi Palace cannot cook a pure veg food. They refused to cook anything without onion and garlic and two of my colleagues who don't eat onions and thought a pure veg place can cater, had to return sans any food. the customer service was also poor as they remained indifferent. the food is good and the ambience is better, but it's time they experimented or rediscovered what it means to say pure veg when an Indian says pure veg. The guy taking order would not talk to the chef and vice versa...pathetically funny

Review by Alicia on May 25, 2004

Udupi is a vegetarian's heaven. All of the dishes are veggie and delicious. Very authentic Indian food served with flair and plenty of delicious spices. The atmosphere is plain and the tables are close but the food is well worth any slight discomfort.

The prices are very reasonable, the whole family of four, ate for under $60.00 and that included the three baskets of onion samosas for appetizers. Those samosas were scrumptious!
Great place for the family!

Review by bart on May 25, 2004

There’s not much I can say that’s bad about this joint. I’ve eaten here many times, but the last time was my first lunch buffet. I was skeptical, expecting tepid, soggy food. I was wrong in my expectations. The food was as good as their dinner servings, which are delicious. There are only three reasons I can think to not go to U.P.: 1) you must eat meat each meal (it’s vegetarian cuisine only, but Tiffin is just down the street); 2) you don’t like Indian cuisine (I’m so sad for you); 3) you need alcohol with your meal (if that’s the case, visit Tiffin). There is only one thing that doesn’t float my boat at U.P., the desserts, though I'm sure many love them. But after gorging yourself on delicious food that would take hours, maybe a day, to prepare, who needs dessert? A dinner for two will probably run you $35.

Review by stinejc on March 13, 2004

This is the sister restaurant of Tiffin located just down the street. Although this restaurant is located in a rather funky part of Maryland don't let that stop you if you are vegetarian. The food is delicious, service is friendly especially if you are a repeat visitor, and prices are reasonable. Whenever I eat at this Indian restaurant I feel immediately soothed by the interior and smell of spices. A worthwhile experience.