Suvai Bar & Restaurant in Essen

Great vegan selection, friendly staff and pleasant service

The food was delicious. We made a last-minute reservation and went with the kids. There was something for everyone. The kids were given a very friendly welcome. The food was very good, especially the deviled chicken. The service was very friendly and attentive. Unfortunately, we thought of taking photos too late.

A very warm welcome and attentive service – we felt welcome right from the start. We arrived at 5:00 p.m. and didn't have to wait long for our food. From 5:30 p.m. onwards, it started to get noticeably busier, which speaks volumes about the restaurant's popularity. From the starter to the dessert, everything was truly delicious and freshly prepared. The ambiance feels very authentic and contributes to the pleasant atmosphere. We came on a recommendation and can only pass it on – we will definitely be back! A small note: Parking can be a bit tricky later in the evening. Highly recommended! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 A very warm welcome and attentive service – we felt welcome right from the start. We arrived at 5:00 p.m. and didn't have to wait long for the food. From 5:30 p.m. onwards, it started to get noticeably busier, which shows how popular the restaurant is. From the starter to the dessert, everything was truly delicious and freshly prepared. The atmosphere feels very authentic and adds to the pleasant dining experience. We came here based on a recommendation and can only pass it on – we will definitely be back! One small note: parking can be a bit more difficult later in the evening. Highly recommended! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Super nice and delicious Indian restaurant. Outdoor seating in the summer. The food is really good. The cocktails are highly recommended.

Everything was delicious. Great service, we definitely recommend it.

I ordered a chicken biryani on Uber Eats, and the portion was so incredibly small, I wasn't sure if it was a joke. A mere four cashews, a tiny piece of chicken, and a bit of rice. For the standard price of €19. Wow. The taste was okay, nothing special, but not bad either. When I called the restaurant to complain, I was told I could get more biryani in a future order. How about delivering my actual portion so I can fill up? Incredible, really.

Summary: You wouldn’t 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 served 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. 😀

We ate at Suvai today after attending the summer festival. The food and cocktails more than exceeded our expectations. The staff is very friendly and accommodating!

The staff was very friendly and we enjoyed the food.

We had a lovely evening at Suvai with authentic South Indian cuisine. Our table offered a variety of starters and main courses, all of which were delicious and aromatic. We were also pleasantly surprised by the wine selection. The spiciness of each dish is indicated individually on the menu. The atmosphere in the restaurant is pleasant, and the service attentive and unobtrusive. To finish, we ordered two different desserts, which also impressed us.

Yesterday we had a wonderful evening at Suvai in Essen – and we are absolutely thrilled! The food was simply fantastic: authentic, aromatic, and full of flavor – just like in Sri Lanka! Every single dish was lovingly prepared and cooked with high-quality ingredients. You can immediately tell that the food here is made with heart and passion. A special highlight was the surprise for a birthday child in our group: The Suvai team surprised us with a charming greeting from the kitchen – a very personal and heartfelt gesture that made the evening unforgettable. The atmosphere in the restaurant is warm and inviting, the service attentive and friendly. You simply feel at home here. In conclusion: If you want to experience or rediscover authentic Sri Lankan cuisine, Suvai is the place to go. We will definitely be back – we highly recommend it!

The food was average for me. The prices, however, were steep! A "large" Coke was €6, and a mango lassi was €9(!). The dishes were also too expensive for the portions. I'll stick to my regular restaurants in the immediate area.

Doesn't live up to the good reviews or the prices. Absolutely average.

Excellent service excellent delicious foods.during the Europe holiday last second destination Essen. I try to eat some Sri Lankan style foods in Europe. I find the Google this restaurant. it was so nice restaurant. friendly service.delicious Sri Lankan Kotu Special. Who travel in the Europe countries someone wants to eat spicy. You are a stay in Essen Don’t forget this restaurant. Excellent super delicious food in this restaurant, especially Asian spice foods.. Highly recommend for this Restaurant and everyone tried it . Thank you Suvai Restaurant teams

Stuffy air, completely overpriced drinks (a 0.2l Coke costs around €3.70), and bland, flavorless food. Pan-fried dishes start at €20.50 – a disaster for the price. There are much better restaurants in Essen with good food and fair prices. Here, you're only paying for the ambiance – and even that doesn't save it.

The food was bad and the prices were too expensive. We felt really sick after eating there. Not recommended!

Want to eat chicken biryani without chicken? Then order from Suvai Bar and Restaurant. Absolute crap. A chicken biryani without chicken cost me €15. After calling the restaurant, they said they couldn't do anything because it was an Uber Eats order. I strongly recommend everyone look for other options in Essen.

Definitely worth a visit. Great food and very friendly service with great tips. We were extremely satisfied, but it's a shame we were already full and couldn't try more.

Really delicious! The lunch menu is such a good value. Both the lentil soup and the chicken rotting were superb. A great solo dining experience.

A great Indian restaurant—we'll be back! Delicious food, extremely friendly service, and a lovely atmosphere.

Very friendly and attentive hospitality!

Very tasty food and friendly service. We were there for lunch in good weather and enjoyed the lovely outdoor seating. We'd love to go back!

The service was very friendly and we enjoyed the food very much

Best food. Real Sri Lankan taste. Would recommend this place.

Not far from the main train station is Suvai, which makes a great first impression with its beautiful ambience. The food tastes good, although there are better Indian restaurants in the city area. A big negative point is the price-performance ratio. You pay significantly more for comparable food here than in other similar restaurants. You probably won't leave this restaurant dissatisfied, but there are other places worth visiting.

We had a great time here! The food was really amazing, really tasty. The restaurant is nicely decorated and the waitresses were really nice. They even explained the dishes to us because we are not that familiar with Indian food. I can only recommend the restaurant, even if I am not an expert on Indian cuisine!

The Suvai Bar attracted us with top reviews. The food is good, but not exceptional or outstanding. Service at the beginning (until the order was placed and then until the appetizers came to the table) took quite a long time, even though there weren't many guests there yet. Afterwards things went faster. In my opinion the prices for the dishes are a bit too expensive, but still ok. Overall it was good, but not 5 stars either.

We come to the city of Essen regularly and then a visit to Suvai is part of it. The food is always great and the mango lassis even more so. A visit is absolutely recommended.

Subdued light. Very attentive service. Exceptional menu. All very tasty. The garlic flatbread is awesome. We'll be back.

Unfortunately, the announcements on the menu regarding the variety of spices and the taste experience differ widely. We were there as part of a visit to the Lichtburg. There I had the lamb Madras for 24.90 euros and my companion had the okra jackfruit curry with rotti for 22.50 euros. Both were disappointing in terms of taste. The okra jackfruit curry in particular had a completely bland taste. I'm surprised again by all the positive reviews. If I compare this with the Curry Masala Dortmund, the Suvai comes off very poorly. It's cheaper there and the sauces have a much more differentiated and stronger taste. It's a shame, but not worth a second visit.

Unfortunately it turned out very bad. Unfriendly. Not recommended.

Never had Indian food so good. Food star-worthy⭐️⭐️⭐️, staff were so friendly and accommodating🫶. Thank you for having such great people. 🫶 Even though it's very far from Zweibrücken...We'll be back. Thank you for an exceptionally good and wonderful culinary evening🕌🫶⭐️

The food is by far the best of its kind in the Ruhr area. Everyone MUST eat the braised eggplant once in their life. An absolute plus in my opinion are the very special and delicious cocktails! Thank you very much and see you soon!

Overpriced mediocrity served with a pinch of arrogance. Success has clearly gone to your head. You act like you're the only restaurant in town, like we should be grateful to even breathe your overpriced air. A tip: If you're going to act like you're doing us a favor by letting us eat here, make sure the experience doesn't feel like punishment.

Excellent food, everything freshly cooked and cleverly seasoned! Very, very friendly staff, very nice atmosphere! We have been there many times and have always returned home full and satisfied. Quality has its price and you are often annoyed by high prices in restaurants, but the prices there are definitely fair, there is a lot of love and work and good ingredients and spices in it. Clear recommendation! 👍👍👍👍👍

This place is an absolute scam. The food is too basic, overpriced, and served in miserable portions. The so-called kothu rotti tasted like cheap instant noodles lazily tossed with bland chicken chunks—charging €19 for something that isn’t even worth €5 is pure robbery. The Chettinad chicken was passable, but for the ridiculous price, it should have been exceptional and with a larger portion. Atleast with a larger rotti so that It can atleast fill one person. On top of that, they force you to buy water or drinks, charging an absurd €4 just for water, and they even have the audacity to put your own water bottle away! No other restaurant in Germany pulls this kind of extortion—demanding that customers hide their own water bottles just so they can squeeze more money out of them. This place is run by shameless crooks who have zero respect for their customers. Avoid at all costs.

A great shop! I had the Colombo Beef Curry - a Sri Lankan curry. The beef was buttery soft - just as it should be. Not dry or too soft that it falls apart - so perfectly braised. The sauce was really good! Only 1. A little too little and 2. It could have had a little more power. That was a tiny bit underseasoned. And it should be spicy - it was as good as not at all. But that's complaining at a high level. Great shop - I will definitely come back!

The service is good and food tastes authentic South Indian.

We really enjoyed the Sri Lankan Rice and curry at perfect spice combination. Staff is very friendly and helpful

Food was very tasty, even for vegetarians. Service excellent. Worth a visit

I visit this little restaurant regularly and am impressed every time! The food is excellent, always fresh and tastefully prepared. I particularly appreciate the friendly and attentive employees, who always make the stay pleasant. A real recommendation for anyone who wants to enjoy authentic South Indian cuisine!

Very tasty, extraordinary food - from the greeting from the kitchen to the starter and main course, everything impressed us! Very fresh vegetables and the chicken was very tender 😊 we'll be back 🧡

Very very tasty. There is also enough quantity for a normal mortal. Otherwise, order a starter.

Disappointment across the board :( The food, both the starter plate and the main course (Kothu Rotti) were so bland in terms of taste. I had the impression that the food was just carried past the spice rack. Normally Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine is all about spices and flavor, but here, zero. When I pointed it out, the waitress explained several times that it wasn't a dish with chili, but that wasn't the point. It's about the taste itself, that it at least tastes like something. The food is disproportionate to the price. It's probably only so expensive because the restaurant is at the train station. In the future I'd rather cook this myself, but I definitely wouldn't recommend it.

Incredibly delicious and super friendly people! Always happy again!

Everything worked out, thank you very much.

Delicious food with good ambiance

January 2024: 4 stars: Ambience top, food top, spiciness level ideal, drinks top. Very friendly and attentive staff. Points deducted because the waiting time was very long/45 minutes for starters and drinks and dessert was too expensive. Clean sanitary facilities. Nevertheless, I would love to come back 👍 January 2022: 5 stars Very tasty food and drinks. Very friendly and attentive staff. Nice ambience. Moderate prices. Very quick preparation, decent spiciness! Gladly again 👍

We went to Suvai for the first time today and will definitely come back. The service was very attentive and friendly, the selection of food wasn't huge - but varied and that's always a good sign. The starter platter was already very tasty - but was topped by the main courses. Both Chicken Biryani and the Ceylon Chicken were very tasty. Tip, however: If you want it really spicy, you should mention this when ordering. However, the mild spiciness was enough for us. We'll definitely be back in 2025!

We were surprised and thrilled. Delicious food and attentive staff. We also really liked that the tables were cleaned thoroughly after each guest.

Großartige indische Küche. Der Service war toll & die Location! Wir waren mit Freunden recht spät (nach der Philarmonie) dort und hatten einen sehr schönen Ausklang des Abends

Be careful with allergies or vegan/vegetarian dishes! You cannot rely on the information. When delivered via Wolt, bottled food is also often brought. The staff cannot help with any questions.

Hier kann man sehr schön sitzen und excellen essen. Wir wurden rundum versorgt von sehr netten Gastgebern. Da werde ich bald wieder hingehen. Die Karte ist sehr abwechslungsreich und es gibt noch viel zu entdecken.

Taste 🔥..love the atmosphere. Felt the authentic tamil food..

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 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!👍

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.

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.