Suvai Bar & Restaurant in Essen

Very tasty food and great service, just as you would imagine a visit to a restaurant to be! We'll be back!!

We ordered Ceylon chicken curry, roti and Long Island iced tea. The Ceylon chicken curry was very special. It tasted what authentic home cooked chicken curry in India tastes like. Light and not spicy yet flavourful. Not the typical restaurant mush you normally get. The roti was paratha but we couldn’t complain as it was one of the best parathas I’ve ever had in Germany. The LIIT was very potent. I’m Indian and this was my impression of the place. 10/10 would recommend. A bit pricy but one main dish is enough for 2 people with a side.

Suvai Bar & Restaurant is a must-visit for anyone in Essen looking to enjoy flavorful Indian and Sri Lankan dishes in a warm and welcoming setting. Whether you’re a curry enthusiast or just looking to try something new, this restaurant is sure to impress.

The restaurant is centrally located near the main train station. The layout/furnishings are modern. The service was very friendly and competent. The dishes we ordered were certainly tasty, but they don't stand out particularly well compared to similar restaurants. In my opinion, price/performance is just okay. You can't go wrong with visiting the restaurant, but traveling from distant cities just to do so doesn't make sense in my opinion.

Only go for Tea. The rest is not Indian food. Maybe the Sri Lankan palate is way different but we (in a group of 30) did not enjoy it.

Kennt wohl ein jeder, wenn man tolle Urlaubstage in der Fremde verbracht hat, sich dem Gefühl insbesondere über die dort kennengelernten Speisen, wieder ein wenig zurückzuholen. Umso enttäuschender, wenn dieses bei einem Besuch dieser Lokalität schlicht erlischt. Beginnend bei der Ausstattung, welche auf den ersten Blick harmonisch und auch hochwertig herüberkommt, sich beim genaueren Hinschauen dann als billige Fassade herausstellt, sobald man Platz genommen hat. Die Atmosphäre quirlig, laut - störend. So etwas haben weder in Indien noch Sri Lanka kennengelernt. Das poltrige Personal dürfte wohl überwiegend aus Minijobbern oder Familienangehörigen bestehen, denen die Identifikation zur Tätigkeit abhanden gekommen ist oder einfach nicht vorhanden ist. Die von uns bestellten Speisen wurden zum Teil lauwarm serviert, waren überwürzt und mächtig ölig. Wer einmal die indische, srilankische und balinesische Küche in dem jeweiligen Land erfahren durfte, versteht was wir meinen. Bis auf den Preis, ist es im Grunde nichts anderes, als wenn man bei Temu preisgünstige Kopien bestellt. Schier schleierhaft, wo diese hochlobenden Bewertungen herkommen. Wir hätten so da eine Vermutung. Somit können wir dieses Lokal *nicht* empfehlen, freuen uns auf unseren nächsten Urlaub, wo in der dortigen einheimischen Küche weder Geschmacksverstärker noch Convenience oder eine Mikrowelle zum Einsatz kommt sondern echte kulinarische Speisen mit der zugehörenden Gastlichkeit serviert werden.

Great service, ambience, and amazing Tamil and south indian food! The chicken curry with the biryani was well spiced. Milk tea reminded me of the tea I get back in Malaysia and Singapore, after I had to ask it to be remade stronger. The roti or prata was flaky, soft and fresh. This is the best Tamil Restaurant I've tried in Europe and I'd recommend paying a visit!

Visited as part of a friend meeting. Since I eat vegan, I was pleased with the menu. Everything I ordered, see photos, was very tasty and visually beautiful. Nice, friendly service, attentive but reserved. Well and comfortably furnished. Very crowded on a Friday but not disturbing. I would recommend a table reservation.

Food was ok, but very small portions. The service was a complete flop, we didn't even get the normal menu, only the special menu so that we could be processed as quickly as possible. Neither worth a visit nor the money.

Update September 24th The lunch menu is also worth recommending. Delicious and the service is a dream. Thanks. Were there for the first time today. What can I say, it was a completely successful stay. The food was delicious and the service was friendly and attentive. Thanks for that. We'll definitely come back

As a Tamil I can only say that it is one of the best South Indian restaurants I have ever been to. The ambience is a perfect mix of traditional and modern. The menu is clear and not as busy as others. And if you can't decide, the service will give you very good advice and a lot of patience. The food was just great and there was something for everyone. I can only recommend Suvai Bar.

I ended up here by accident and we loved it! The last time I had such good Tamil/Sri Lankan food was actually years ago on the island. Unfortunately, I didn't know enough about Tamil history back then - today it's different and that's why I'm even more pleased to have stumbled upon a restaurant with Tamil cuisine :-) The service was very courteous and the food was great. For me it could have been a bit spicier, but all in all a really great culinary experience in a lovely atmosphere!

I was there twice within a very short time. The atmosphere is really very pleasant. The food was really great and the unobtrusive, competent service. There will be a few more visits.

Absolutely great!!! Everything freshly prepared, fresh drinks and delicious food 👍🏻👍🏻, very friendly service. Absolutely recommended and authentic

Good food but not for South Asian taste. It’s adjusted to German taste, a bit bland in terms of spice

Superb Indian food and very good service.

The service was excellent and the staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating. However, the food was disappointing, lacking taste and creativity. For the price, I expected a better dining experience. Unfortunately the food couldn't keep up with the high standard of service.

Ich liebe das Essen von Suvai! Seit Jahren essen wir hier oder holen es ab. Der Service ist superherzlich, das Essen fantastisch. Nach einem Auslandssemester in Sri Lanka habe ich lange vergeblich in Deutschland nach dem landestypischen Geschmack gesucht, den ich so sehr vermisse. Bevor es Suvai gab, musste ich hierfür nach Dortmund fahren. Die Kommentare, die keine Gewürze gefunden habe, kann ich 0 nachvollziehen. Ich könnte mich reinlegen, weil es so lecker ist! Und eine Portion Kothu Rotti reicht für 2 :)

We got a table at Suvai at short notice with two people on a Saturday. We were there 4 years ago. A lot has happened since then - especially in terms of interior design. The restaurant is tastefully decorated and there is air conditioning or outdoor seating for warm summer days. The menu is clear, varied and there is something for everyone. The service was attentive and quick and our drinks came quickly and were really tasty. The food didn't take long to arrive either. The portions were really big, even if you don't think so at first. Price performance is great. That wasn't our last visit.

We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary at Suvai. The service was incredibly nice and helpful/creative with special requests. The food was excellent - I have never eaten such well prepared and tender chicken in my 70 years. And at the end the house treated us to a dessert as a congratulation! Admittedly, the prices are high. But everything is actually worth the money!👍

Delicious food with friendly atmosphere.

Very convenient location near Essen main train station, I decided to drop in before my train to Berlin. Situated on a quiet street, I had a pleasant breeze which made the feeling of being in a South Indian / Sri Lankan restaurant all the more authentic! The service was excellent, the food Kothu Rotti Vegan was absolutely heavenly and truly a delight. Really recommend this place!

All the cuisine were perfectly cooked and authentic Indian Style. Thanks to Shiva Shankari mam for the friendly serving.

Very tasty food in a cozy atmosphere and friendly staff. Also very good value for money. Really highly recommended. We'd love to come back.

Very cozy and upscale restaurant decor. We reserved a table for two online and this worked smoothly. Unfortunately, the waiters were a bit overwhelmed, and not all of the tables were occupied by guests. The portion is a bit small for an adult and re-ordering rotti (flatbread) took over 15 minutes.

Sehr lecker, freundlich, schnell und nicht überportioniert. Preis ist OK. Können wir nur empfehlen. Hübscher Garten für die Stadt.

I haven't eaten so badly in the last 30 years. Soup looked like dishwater. Chicken had a mush poured over it €21.90. I'll never again.

The best restaurant in Essen. It doesn’t matter whether we eat in a restaurant or take the food away. The quality is just right. Very friendly employees too.

Very very nice staff. Great food.

Food was good and tasty but very expensive. 7eur for a small bowl of lentil soup and 24eur for veggie curry is A LOT

The food is delicious, the service and staff, especially Sulax was very helpful and the atmosphere is very cozy. Highly recommend!!

Super delicious food and drinks, the staff are extremely friendly and accommodating, they give you a warm welcome and you immediately feel very comfortable and in good hands. We drive about 1 hour there because we think it's absolutely worth it.

Highly Recommended! The food is extremely tasty and the staff are extremely friendly.

First time being here and it was great! It's preffered to make a reservation just to make sure there is a table available. The food tastes amazing and the restaurant is very cozy and comfortable. I also recommend cocktails, especially during happy hour. The prices are a bit high, but the entire experience was nevertheless great!

Delicious food and drink, good ambience

The food was tasteless (unfortunately there was no salt & pepper at our table) and we had a stomach ache after eating it. The service and ambience were good. We actually ate Indian food several times in different restaurants, whether north/south Indian. Fact is North India is a 10/10.

Liebes Suvai-Team, ich möchte mich herzlich für den tollen Besuch in eurem Restaurant bedanken. Das Essen hat super geschmeckt, das Ambiente war wunderschön und der Service war wirklich sehr nett. Ich habe mich rundum wohl gefühlt und freue mich schon auf meinen nächsten Besuch bei euch. Vielen Dank für einen gelungenen Abend!

Looking for a new culinary experience, we visited Suvai today with a total of four people. We started with the mixed platter for four people. Each dish on the plate had a different taste, which was also excellent. For the main course, we had exactly the same experience with four different dishes chosen. The food was really excellent, the service was very friendly, accommodating and polite. The level of spiciness of the various dishes was taken into account when ordering. The dessert chosen afterwards was also a taste explosion that was in no way inferior to the main course. The only point I would like to deduct relates to the pricing of the drinks. The cheapest drink is a beer. We find non-alcoholic drinks to be overpriced above average. Contrary, the prices of the food were very moderate and reasonable. The seating quality is the best but is sufficient for a stay of one and a half hours. The ambience and atmosphere were very, very nice.

Here goes the review for best South indian and srilankan cuisine in Essen . Frist of all , the ambience is very soothing and charming. The person attends with smiling face and helps you to understand the cuisine and recommends his best dishes according to ur taste and mood. About the food : the food is really well equipped with the understanding of the spices and very beautifully presented on plate. The highlights of the restaurants is my favourite kothuparotta ( which is an srilanka and Indian street food ) . There is another appealing dish which is unique is mango chicken salad and I bet it's of a very huge quantity. The drinks and cocktails are also top notch. Totally it's worth visiting and definitely looking for more visits. Recommendations : kothuparotta, chicken mango salat and mango lassi

A nice place to eat in Essen, service was good must try the local Sri lanca street food

Great food, super fresh and delicious! Amazing service. Very friendly staff, willing to help and serve you with joy. Lovely terrace

Very tasty food, extremely friendly staff. Beautiful ambience. The starters and main courses are very tasty 😋 The food is a bit small compared to other Indian restaurants. As well as the side dishes. Drinks aren't exactly cheap either. A little tip: pre-order on the weekend. We'd love to come back.

The food was simply inedible and without any spices!! The chicken was definitely not fresh!!!

Too expensive and very worst food

Very nice restaurant with a great atmosphere. The food was above average and the service was first class.

Even though the spiciness was too much for me personally and "Indian doesn't feel spiciness" doesn't agree with my opinion at all, I can only say: it was wonderful! Excellent service coupled with genuine hospitality and truly delicious food. The friendly waiter/employee even brought me new sauce because he spilled some of the sauce on the table when he put it down and said he had touched the sauce with his finger. For my taste he shouldn't have done it - but of course there are hygiene regulations. Thanks . We would love to come more often, but unfortunately a 4-hour drive is a bit far for dinner. We really felt very comfortable and the food was worth every euro. If you appreciate quality, hospitality and good Indian food, Suvai is the right place for you.

Very tasty and very friendly staff. Definitely go there! We've been there several times now and are always thrilled.

The depth of spices and the richness of the dishes that this restaurant offers enchanted me. In every detail you can feel the warmth and hospitality of Indian culture, which further enhances the taste of the meal. The variety in the menu is designed to suit different tastes and each option tells its own story. Especially as a technology enthusiast, I was impressed by the restaurant's modern and user-friendly reservation system. In addition, the presence of bicycle parking promotes the use of environmentally friendly transport in the city. The atmosphere of the restaurant is reminiscent of an art exhibition; every corner reflects the colorful and vibrant aspects of Indian culture. The quality of customer service and the attentiveness of the staff strengthened my attachment to the restaurant. Combining technology and traditional values, this place offers a retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Delicious food that fills you up well. Unfortunately the food, but especially the drinks, were more expensive than expected and desired. Still recommended.

We ate at Suvai for the first time about two weeks ago and were thrilled. Very authentic cuisine and super tasty! A very clear recommendation! The service was very nice.

We celebrated my 40th birthday there and definitely didn't regret it. I ordered the food in advance via email, which worked perfectly. The food was checked directly at our table and we received our first dishes within 10 minutes. The service was first class! Friendly, quick and incredibly attentive. Even though we hadn't mentioned it was my birthday, the staff noticed and brought me a greeting from the kitchen. The food....without words! An absolute taste experience! Very fresh, tasteful and very well prepared! If I could give more stars, I would. Thank you! We'd love to come back

Very good and tasty food, excellent conditions. Very nice staff. We recommend. As a tip. Reserve a table.

Friendly staff, food from Sri Lanka and North India, tastes good but it's a bit expensive.

Stale chicken, tasted so bad could not eat it, for that price definitely not worth it.

Small but fine Indian restaurant with a cocktail bar. The staff was very friendly and helpful and is a real plus point. I can't comment on the authenticity of the Indian food. In any case, everyone at our table enjoyed it very much.

Leckeres südindisches Restaurant und toller Service 👍😀

Price-performance is really very bad. We received children's portions. Really a disgrace for the price! Unfortunately, an inauthentic mini salad on the plate doesn't make much sense as a visual filler. Unfortunately, the taste of the food was just ok. €4.50 for a small masala milk tea? The waiter could only explain this to me as “prepared by hand”. So I'm wondering which teas are not prepared by hand? Sorry, but I'll never come back at these rip-off prices. Fortunately, there are now enough alternatives in the Ruhr area.

We ate with our colleagues at Suvai and were totally satisfied👍 The food tasted very good, the service was excellent and very friendly! We had a very nice evening 👍🙂

Very tasty food and friendly, courteous service! The food was very well seasoned and balanced. We tried the entire menu and were thrilled.

Vriendelijke en goede bediening, lekkere drankjes, heerlijk eten! Gezellige sfeer en schoon. Koffie mag verbeterd worden, bakkie slootwater.

Delicious and tasted good, the service was very, very nice, and the atmosphere was cozy. Definitely come again

My wife and I were there for the third time now. Since we eat a vegan diet, we were very impressed with the selection of food in this area. The waiters are very friendly and you are well informed about the ingredients and preparation of the food. Our stays so far have always been very satisfactory. Thank you very much for that and we will definitely be back

Highly Recommended!! Fresh, tasty and diverse. We would love to come back with the whole family.

Make a reservation because it is always very busy.

The food was very tasty!! Nevertheless, there are a few stars less because we had to wait 1.5 hours for our food🥲

Good quality, but in my opinion price-performance cannot be justified, especially the drinks prices.

Een heerlijke avond gehad met lekker eten! Het is een mooi restaurant met een gezellige ambiance. Het ligt iets buiten het centrum (andere zijde van het station), maar is prima te doen te voet. Het personeel is gastvrij en servicegericht. Ook niet onbelangrijk: De wc's waren heel netjes (deze zijn beneden). Wij hebben een voorgerecht en hoofdgerecht genomen. Als voorgerecht (tip!) hebben we gedeeld (zo'n plaat) voor twee personen. Dit is wel echt een aanrader: Zo ervaar je van alles wat en is echt lekker. We hebben een heerlijke avond hier gehad, lekker genoten van heerlijk eten en van een goede service. Chapeau voor de mevrouw die hier werkt!

The food was ok. Kothu rotti was great but all other dishes we ordered were just ok. For the taste and quantity the price was too much. Way above the normal price range for Indian food with comparable Indian restaurants.

Uns hat das Essen sehr gut geschmeckt, der Service war auch gut. Die Cocktails waren sehr lecker.

Immer sehr lecker und super Service ❤️ in der Nähe vom Essen Hauptbahnhof. Gerichte aus Sri Lanka. Mit und ohne Fleisch.

Sehr schönes Restaurant mit gutem Essen und fantastischem Personal.

Zwischen Bahnhof und Aalto-Theater liegt das kleine Restaurant. Eine freundlich helle, nicht überbordend asiatische, Ausstattung zeichnet das Lokal aus und wird ergänzt durch einen sehr freundlichen Service. Die Speisekarte hat einen angemessenen Umfang, Vegetarier und Veganer werden hier auch gut fündig. Wir hatten uns alle für Kothu Rotti entschieden, wodurch die Bewertung des Essens vielleicht etwas ungerecht ausfällt. Wir hätten etwas mehr Vielfalt der Gewürze erwartet, die beigefügten Saucen glichen dieses Manko nicht ganz aus. Insgesamt würden wir beim nächsten Besuch anderes aus der Speisekarte wählen. Gut ausgesehen hat es an den anderen Tischen auf jeden Fall.

Great food. Super friendly staff. Sufficient options for kids too who don’t like spicy food

Excellent appetizer platter, and the Ceylon Chicken Curry was delish! Could have had a bit more heat…will ask to amp it up next time!

Wir waren heute in diesem wunderbaren Lokal und haben uns mit diversen Speisen aus Sri Lanka verwöhnen lassen. Ein einmaliges Geschmackserlebnis! Der Service war auch sehr freundlich und aufmerksam.

Gut zu erreichen und wirklich leckere Küche.

Leckeres Essen mit langsamem Service Die Weihnachtsmusik passte nicht ganz zum indisch/Sri Lanka-Ambiente und wiederholte sich auch

Extrem leckeres Essen und super freundlicher Chef :)

Home like yummy south indian, i could say best ever indian food in essen, germany. Must visit for indians and tamils. Very friendly staffs. The customise the food according to your preferences. Loved the ambiance. The bartender was really pretty and made us wonderful cocktails. No preservated ingredients, Every food fresh made which is very amusing . . Felt like home ✌🏼😌😋

Absolut lecker! Der Service war top, und die Atmosphäre super gemütlich. Definitiv das beste Sri Lanka Restaurant! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sehr lecker gegessen und bestens bedient.

Tolle Bedienung, sehr aufmerksam. Schöne Atmosphäre und seehr leckeres Essen!

Das Ambiente ist ganz okay, auf der Sitzbank saß ich allerdings semibequem, da mir das lose Sitzkissen verrutscht war. Das Essen ist tatsächlich eine geschmackliche Erfahrung, aber die Portionen könnten für Leute wie mich ruhig etwas größer sein. Der Service ist wirklich sehr nett. Ich komme wieder, um noch mehr neues Essen auszuprobieren.

Der Service war gut, das Restaurant war an einem Sonntagabend auch nicht sehr voll, und das Essen kam schnell an und war lecker.

Leckeres Essen und toller Service. Ziemlich hohe Getränkepreise (zB kleine Cola 0.2L für 3,80€) sowie höhere Preise für das Essen. Sonst hätte ich 5 Sterne gegeben.

Sehr leckeres Essen, viele vegane Optionen.

Sehr nettes Personal, gemütlich eingerichtet. Leckeres Essen. Große vegane Auswahl. Hier stimmt alles. Wir kommen gerne wieder.

The place is mainly South Indian or Sri Lankan cuisine dine in restaurant. Food is tasty and service is really good. They also have vegetarian and vegan options.

An sich ein schönes Restaurant, was aber leider sich von der Optik her Indisch anfühlt - wenig authentische Gerichte -unser Vorspeisenteller hatte überraschend viel frittiertes und dazu sehr trocken. Auch unser Hauptspeisen Grillteller hat vom Fleisch nicht überzeugt. Und mit Gewürzen war man eher sparsam - leider nichts für uns und dazu war das Essen noch sehr teuer.

Perfekter Abend! Danke für dieses kulinarische Erlebnis!

The best Indian restaurant in Essen. I have tried few other Indian restaurants in Essen, Suvai by far stands the best. Hospitality and service of Niro and team adds more flavour.

Sehr gutes Essen, schmackhaft und frisch.Familienfreundlich.

Very small portions for a very high price. Perfect rip off of customers.

Summary: You would miss anything if you don’t visit this restaurant. Staff: greeted by one, we said we wanted to sit outside. He was offering us a table for 2, added a chair and said this is your table for 3 people. Upon requesting to join two single tables, our request was rejected, on the grounds of space (the table being big enough) and reservations. We sat inside. No surprise, while leaving the restaurant, those tables were not taken. Food: Average. Poppadom was swerved on the house -2x for 3 people in a basket, no quarter plates. Main course: quantity was such that you would be possible hungry after finishing your meal. Gimmick to force you to order starters? May be! Not for me since I wouldn’t visit again. Waiting time was long too. Came hungry, left hungry 😀 Price: extremity! Be prepared to pay over 20€ for a dish. I wonder how frequently do the locals visit. Even for someone living in Munich, where the prices are relatively high, I found the prices of this restaurant unreasonable. They charged us extra 3,5€ for a Raita, a staple side/sauce, which comes for free with the food. Never again. Only positive experience: well, I guess the company I had, in the selection of which the restaurant din‘t contribute. 😀

Das gesamte Servicepersonal war sehr bemüht und freundlich. Das Essen war total lecker. Die Lage des Außenbereichs an einer großen Straße und nah des Hbf ist nicht ganz so toll.

Das Essen war den Preis überhaupt nicht wert. Sehr überteuert für das, was es war... Der Reis hatte schlechte Qualität, das Curry war ok aber überhaupt nicht besonders und nicht authentisch. Bei 17€-20€ pro Gericht erwartet man viel mehr.

Wir waren hier am Samstag. Obwohl wir keine Reservierung hatten, wurden wir sehr herzlich und zuvorkommend empfangen. Der Servicemitarbeiter wies uns einen Tisch zu und kümmerte sich um uns trotz des vollen Restaurants sehr aufmerksam und ohne Hektik. Da der Laden inkl. der Terrasse, wie üblich am Wochenende, voll waren, hat es ein wenig mit der Hauptspeise gedauert, aber die Zeit konnten wir gut mit leckeren Vorspeisen überbrücken. Auch die Hauptseisen sowie Getränke waren authentisch und köstlich. Wir waren zum zweiten, aber ganz sicher nicht letzten, Mal dort. Hier stimmen Service UND Qualität- dadurch war das kulinarisch Erlebnis perfekt. Danke für den wunderschönen Abend!

Mein Freund und ich haben meinen Mann am letzten Sonntag als kleines Dankeschön dort zum Essen eingeladen, nachdem wir einen Spaziergang durch die Margarethenhöhe gemacht haben. Das Restaurant ist sehr gepflegt, das Serviceperosnal professionell und herzlich. Unser Essen war köstlich und es war ein gelungener Ausklang für einen wundervollen Tag. Vielen Dank.

Ich hatte einen vegetarischen Teller und fand es sehr teuer und nicht gut gewürzt.

0,2er Cola hat 4€ gekostet. Essen war langweilig, trocken und mit 20€ auch zu teuer.