Varam Indian Restaurant & Catering - Redwood City (CA)

2 /5 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)

2 /5 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.

3 /5 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.

5 /5 Tsty_byte: We came for dinner experience here, the menu offers a nice variety across regions dishes. Overall, the food was flavorful and well presented, There’s some dishes that really stood out and are worth recommending. The tomato carrot soup was rich and comforting with well-balanced flavors. The Neptune platter is a great option if you want to sample multiple starters in one go. The Bombay beet slider was surprisingly good light, healthy, and flavorful. For mains, the Kaikari Kurma was so rich in coconut flavor which was perfect when paired with parota. The Creamstone chicken was also very good, and the Pathar ka Gosht had nice flavor without being overly spicy. We’ve also heard they are especially well known for their veg and non-veg lunch thalis, which offer a wide variety and are quite popular. The drinks and desserts were enjoyable, and all dishes were presented beautifully. Service was exceptional attentive and polished, similar to what you’d expect from an upscale restaurant. The ambiance is pleasant, with both indoor seating and outdoor options available. Overall, a solid dining experience with standout flavors and thoughtful presentation.

3 /5 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 (thats 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.