Review Nair Mess - Chennai (Madras)

The mess is located opposite to the Chepauk stadium and is an excellent option for lunch and has a different varieties of vegetarian and non vegetarian side dishes Tried the fish gravy, chicken and mutton gravy as well as the prawns roast.The fried fish was one of the best dishes. All these dishes were so hot which gave it a special taste . They served in banana leaf which adds to the aesthetic! It is difficult to reach the place however it is worth the visit. Also parking is difficult. Better is to park along the main road and walk till the place. The place is always crowded and their food has a huge demand. The early you come the more easier it is to find a seat

Food is awesome and the way they treated us and each and every customer as friendly and regular customers. We tried mutton fry/Fish fry/prawn thokku. Quantity is very less to have and prices are got higher from.the last visit before covid. Now the ambience is quite better and we could see a lot of regular customers in the Nair mess. One of the most wanted to try non veg hotels in Chennai. Negative feedback for parking As they don't have parking for this hotel even for 2 wheelers we have to park on the street.

"Nair Mess in Chennai stole my heart! Indulged in their heavenly vegetarian meal and savored the exquisite 2-piece King Fish. As a passionate traveler, this experience is one for the books! A must-visit destination for all food enthusiasts!"

If you are on your way to Marina Beach from the Chepauk Stadium side and want to try an authentic experience dining on a Banana Leaf , please hop in to NAIR MESS, their Mutton Biryani hits the spot just right, and ask for fish fry along with it, you will have an eventful flavour full experience on a fine lunch.

The place has history written all over it, from the by-lane that it's located in, to the way the restaurant is laid out. I can imagine what it must have been when the legendary MGR may have visited here. The food was average, they served me a beetroot prep, a mixed veg prep and a fish gravy to go with the steamed rice. And of course the pickle. I ordered a seer fish fry to 'indulge'. The fish fry and the first curry were nice although the vegetarian options were average at best. Oh yes, and I also called for an omelette alongside (not in the pic) as everyone around me was ordering one. Well, one can't go wrong with a freshly made masala omelette, complete with fresh green chillie, yummmm! The service team were Bengalis, speaking in tamil 🤩, they seemed totally localised and full of energy and speed. Overall a nice place to experience!

Quantity is okay but taste is good. Vanjaram fry is best. Costly but must try. They serve all varieties. 500rs per person if u are a foodie like me. Who wants to try three to four varieties.

Nair mess is one of the best restaurants in and around the M A Chidambaram stadium locality. The food which they serve is authentic South Indian cuisine. I also love the taste and the hospitality. You get stomach full of food in a very decent amount. Love the non-veg meal in particular (Rice, Fish Curry, omelettes, prawns fry, chicken 65, mutton 65, rasam, and so on..) they also have biriyani and other parota as well! A must visit restaurant if you’re looking for a homely meal!

An authentic kerla food served in banana leaf 🌿 Amazing feel and very pleasant staff. The food is delicious, you should try their prawns masala, omelet, chicken 65, surmai fry and a few other items all were delightful to have. Must visit here with family very neat clean with a real mess lunch feeling. Amazing experience.

Briyani was good . All side dish are great especially prawn and brain. Meals we didn't like that much.

Awesome hotel especially for vanjaram fish. Literally you can see a vanjaram / king fish in every plate in this restaurant. Must try and also other items like chicken 65, mutton and much more. Nice hotel and must visit in chennai if u r a non veg lover. Rating 4/5 since crowd management is bad and non ordered. Needs a token system or proper waiting system to understand the crowd when they will get the table next. We are forced to wait for long and be desperate for a table on our own which is bad and May irriatate some people. Especially large families. Otherwise it’s the awesome hotel !

Little difficult to reach, no parking. Other than that the place is wonderful. Fish curry was wonderful. Mutton curry had little too much of coconut, though different taste. Quantity of Mutton Chukka and liver is very less for price. Taste is good. Overall exciting experience

Visited the place twice and loved the food. The place is clean and the service is really good. Recommend it.

Good taste fish fry and curry. Suitable for seafood lover. Only drawback is car parking.

Unique flavour brought out mainly by the coconut oil used in their cooking. No car parking space strictly but sufficient space for dining. No chicken biriyani like all seasoned non veg restaurants. Definitely give it a try.

Nair mess is the oldest mess in Chennai since 1961. The taste of food is very Good and the quality is very nice but the quantity of food is less We had tried a taste of meal and fish fry, prawns, Omelet chutney and veg Currys mutton curry with soup The Google location is not accurate It is better to take help of auto vala There is no parking, The mess is in a small gully. It is very near to stadium

Food Was Pathetic. only fish fry is okish and it costed damn 210 rupees. really not up to the hype. and never order biryani here.

Very satiating yet leaving for wanting more kinda experience....<br/>Rates are reasonable but provide very quantity of mutton in Curry and fried option.<br/>Different flavors than chettinad, siders weren't tasted.<br/>Even owner didn't wish to reveal which style of cuisine it was 😜😜<br/>Whatever it was, one of best ever had....

One of the famous in Chennai. Though there is no parking facility available.. you will find enough space to fit in inside.<br/><br/>Coming to food.. had vanjram fry, chicken sukka, mutton meals, one fish meal and a mutton biriyani.<br/>All mutton pieces well cooked and tasted gud with mild in masala..<br/><br/>Their Vanjram was top notch and it was purely fried in coconut oil..tasted soo gud.<br/>All the other items tasted equally gud.<br/>Worth every penny.

Everything here is super tasty and well cooked with love. So just dig in onto your vanjaram or try the mutton curry! Everything is yummy!

Went there on a busy Wednesday.  The place was super packed. Got a table in 10 minutes are standing behind someone finishing up (Am sure they must have had stomach pain because on us looking at their food lustfully lol). The second we sat down we were served in minutes.. Ordered mutton curry meals along with Prawns, Mutton Sukka, Vanjaram Fry, Brain Fry & Omlets.. All this came like in 6 minutes except for the Omlets which took a little time but was out of the world... Strongly recommend this place..

Overhyped? Yes<br/>Overpriced? The nonveg.<br/>Portion size? Unlimited rice. But too thin fish slice.<br/>A small cube of fish in a sambhar like curry, no thank you.<br/>The taste? It definitely was really good.<br/>But spending more than 1k in a mess for a family of four? Ugh, excuse you.<br/>They don't even have a menu, so I don't know how they charge me, what they charge me.<br/>The side items were too dilute.<br/>North Indians may not enjoy it.

Absolutely love this place! Hot steam white rice is unlimited refill. There were two levels in the restaurant and I went to the second level with is with AC. The grilled fish was delicious, crispy and tender. However, it’s was quite pricey compared to other food. I am not sure if it’s because of the AC room or it’s an upmarket restaurant. We didn’t see the menu, so we just got the total price at the end. <br/><br/>It was a bit difficult for us to find this place but it’s a hidden gem for sure!

This place is a GOLDMINE for meat lovers. Try the amazing meat fries, and curries. All the side dishes have unique flavours. I always have the mutton fry which is spicy, it goes really well the mutton curry meal which is creamy and really mild. The prawn fries have a rich coconut essence that really gets your mood up!

Nair mess Situated in a narrow lane near Chepauk, Chennai.The place gets crowded in the afternoon too soon that recommend you to reach atleast by 12.30- 1 pm. They serves varieties of sea food dishes as well as non veg dishes.The quantity is comparatively less for the price we pay but the quality is really good. Definitely a worth try. The fish fry is a must try

Myself and my friend visit Nair mess in Triplicane especially to try their non veg foods which is famous for cooking in coconut oil.We ordered below non veg items.<br/><br/>1) Non Veg meals<br/><br/>2) Fish Gravy (Coconut oil)<br/><br/>3) Fish Fry (Coconut oil)<br/><br/>4) Egg omelette (Coconut oil)<br/><br/>5) Prawn (Coconut oil)<br/><br/>6) Mutton brain<br/><br/>Non Veg meals was served with mutton gravy,chicken gravy,rasam,butter milk and two vegetables, the taste was really good and you can feel the cocconut oil dominates <br/><br/>the dish and once that touches your tongue you will feel the great taste of Nair mess.<br/><br/>The dish quantity was very less and not sufficient, but the taste was superb.I would recommend that everyone should try this restaurtant.<br/><br/>Happy Eating!

Maze through the lane opposite to MAMC Cricket stadium, you would arrive at nair mess. Order fish or chicken dishes alongside meals. You will feel that the price you pay is worth. Fish fry and fish kolombu is famous and all non veg ingredients are fresh. They don’t use artificial coloring agents as well.

I was already late to dine-in at the legendary, much hyped, Nair Mess in Triplicane; but nevertheless finally made it here.<br/><br/>The modest 'mess-style' restaurant is tucked away within a narrow unassuming street in the MCC vicinity.<br/><br/>Food is served in traditional banana leaves and a variety of non-veg options are available. Try the prawn thokku and liver fry.... simply yummm... Paya is also worth a try.<br/><br/>Expect local Chennai standards of service and ambience is best ignored.<br/><br/>Service: 3.2/5<br/>Ambience: 2.3/5<br/>Taste: 4.5/5<br/>Hygiene: 3.9/5<br/>Budget: 4.1/5

I have been eating in this restaurant for past 20years. Just don’t know how they still maintain the taste of their mutton kuruma and fish curry. May be I would have visited this place for more than hundred times. not even once their mutton was over or under cooked. The tenderness has never gone down. Where as the fish fry I always admire how they cut it evenly. Mutton chukka, awesome as always. Forgot to take a picture of the egg omelette. Every dish is cooked with coconut oil. Really a yummy restaurant. Must visit

Visited this legendary, most talked about, most hyped restaurant on a Friday for lunch. Me and my family are huge fans of meals, how can you not be. I had hyped it so much, I decided to take my mom and dad with me.<br/>The restaurant was quite packed, but we managed to get a table within a couple of minutes.<br/>We opted for 2 veg meals and 1 non veg meals.<br/>Before ordering, I specifically told him it was my first time, and to suggest some dishes, which he did not do.<br/><br/>Starting with the basics, the sambaar was extremely watery, the rasam was very average. No appalams, no Ghee and podi, no kozumbu. I couldn't believe that what ever I asked for the waiter said no🤔<br/>The meals they provide is simply, rice, sambaar, rasamam and pickle, foot and poriyal and nothing else 😬<br/>With the nonveg meals he gave me a Mutton gravy and fish gravy with one tiny small pice of fish. The Mutton gravy was rubbish 1/5, whilst the fish gravy was great.<br/>I ordered a side of chicken 65 and fish fry.<br/>The fish fry was top 5/5, it was a pomfret that was cut uniquely and the blend of spices it was cooked in was great. The chicken 65 2/5, was very average it was over fried and very dark in colour.<br/><br/>So overall a bad bad experience with below average and mediocre food.<br/><br/>

I went to this place after looking at the ratings, and i was not quite satisfied. The taste is average and too costly. Worst part is they don't have printed menu card and it was so difficult to order. Veg meals consist of just sambhar, rasam, poriyal, kootu, buttermilk (which was too sour) not even papad or sweet and they charge Rs 67. In non veg meals they just provide the gravy either mutton or fish...and for pieces we have to order prawns or fish fry or mutton chukka separately. So non veg meals cost around 130 and when we order any of these separately which is around 200, we end up having meals for around 350 (including taxes).

Went there for dinner after a tired day with my friends.. we ordered fish meals..to our sad part fish fry wasn't available on that day..so much we just had the meals and ordered chicken fry..the meals was very tasty..u feel at home.. price was okay.. quantity can be little more.. service is excellent

I heard a lot about this place before visiting it. I tried fish meals, mutton fry, prawn masala fry and Sankara fish fry. Meals were average, prawn and mutton dishes tried were good. But the quantity served is very less when you compare it with charges. <br/><br/>The ambiance is average, staff service is good. But overall I am little disappointed with the experience.

I went this mess along with my friends for Sunday lunch. Heard a lot about their longevity and unique taste. We ordered their non-veg meals along with Mutton and fish kulombu. Both are good. Thala curry, liver fry and fish fry were superb taste. Prawn fry was outstanding. Most annoying thing is they serve much limited with a huge price. The prices are not affordable for day to day dining when they call themselves as Mess.

One of the oldest and most famous pit stops for lunch in Chennai!<br/>The Nair mess serves Biriyanis, meals and some really good sides for lunch.<br/><br/>Located :<br/>Close to the chepauk stadium, make sure to use the maps .<br/><br/>The food :<br/>We tried the Meals with mutton and fish kolambu.and as sides the prawns and the mutton curry! The meals I felt was quite average and so was the kolambu. But the prawns curry was off the hook! So tasty and well spiced too. So was the mutton curry! They serve it in small leaf pots so you will definitely have to ask for another serving. We also went for a mutton biriyani. The mutton inside was well cooked but the biriyani felt quite average<br/><br/>Thefoodfella rating : 3.5/5

Best place for lunch in Chennai. Have been visiting this place for many years and it doesn’t disappoint! Best part is they cook with coconut oil 👍🏻

Nair mess is located in the bylanes near chepauk stadium, Triplicane. It's very difficult task to find this place, you have to be patient. If you want to have everything on the menu then it's better to visit at afternoon. Most of the items aren't available at night. Unfortunately biryani was not available at night time. So we ordered meals, prawns fry and mutton fry. I felt meals here was okayish, my favourite dish was mutton fry. Ambience of this place was good, nothing fancy.

Very very very busy restaurant but great service. Great food and service, would highly recommend. I have been a customer for years now, and the food is always the best - however, it is a dampener for vegetarians; they will not be able to understand why people rave about this place. The sea food dishes are out of this world - don't miss the fish curry. Location is a big concern. You will have to park a few streets away and walk up the narrow lane.

If you want great food, but are willing to walk through bylanes for it AND wait to get a table, head to Nair Mess.<br/><br/>The crowds there just keep increasing as does the wait for tables . When you finally manage to get a table and eat the food , you know why.<br/><br/>The food is simply outstanding! Special mention to the Fish Fry and the Mutton Gravy and Prawn Fry.<br/><br/>Hygiene is high and the service is super quick!<br/><br/>.

Poor choice from vegetarians. The 'meals' consist of only rice, sambar, rasam, one gravy, one poriyal and unchurned buttermilk - all for ₹85. No applam, pickle, kalan, olan, avial, chips, sweet, banan, etc. It's a shame in the name of Kerala meals. And day light robbery. The attitude if waiters was inexcusable.<br/><br/>Nonveg was no better. My Malayali husband had nothing to praise about. Side dishes were watery and he said taste was not bad. But not worth the money.<br/><br/>Don't know what the hype is about. Not worth even a star.<br/><br/>

I went to this hotel seeing the review<br/>The food is not at all tasti like kerlalian food<br/>We had ordered 4 veg dish and 2 fried fish which costed us 788..

Meals at its best. The vanjaram fish fry here is the best. Really good home made kerala type food (use of coconut oil). Price is okay for the quality of food they serve. Best to come early because after 2:30 they seem to run out off food.

The locality of the place is a bit bad and is hard to find it the first time you go. But the food is worth the price. Very very economical. Had a filling meal. Meen kulambu and prawn thokku is just unbeatable!!😋

One of those old traditional must visit restaurant in Chennai. Located right next to Chepauk Stadium in a gully. <br/><br/>What: 3 Mutton meals, Chicken Masala, Chicken 65 and 2 Omelettes.<br/><br/>Mutton meals - Traditional veg meals with option to choose Mutton or Fish gravy. We went with Mutton. ~60Rs for Meals and ~60 for choice of Mutton or Fish. First serving has a big chunk of mutton piece. Subsequent servings are unlimited.<br/><br/>Chicken Masala - Well made with tender meat pieces. No complaints here.<br/><br/>Chicken 65 - Boneless and perfectly made. Only issue was that we finished eating by the time it arrived. lol.<br/><br/>OmElettes - Made with generous amount of coconut oil and the aroma just kills it. Must try.<br/><br/>Forgive yourself if you assume the ambience or cleanliness will go for a toss by looking at the lane which leads to this place. Once you enter the restaurant you'll be surprised how spick and span the place is. Really well maintained. We went it at 11AM as mentioned in Zomato but was told to comeback by 11:30. <br/><br/>Total Cost - 707 for 3 people. They accept cards.<br/><br/>Verdict: If you live in Chennai and want to explore food scene then this is one place you should never miss. If you're just visiting Chennai then you should definitely visit the place.

Lovely food especially the mutton dishes ! Even their chutneys are great with the tiffin. Dosas, iddiyappam, idlies etc are very soul touching. The touch of coconut oil in many dishes adds to the depth of flavour for eg. the prawn fry, the omelette etc.

Had a really satisfying and awesome meal this weekend at Nair mess !!!<br/>Meals with authentic kerala style meen kulambu and mutton kulambu never fails to control your cravings. Sides like vanjaram fish fry, prawn thokku, chicken 65 and omelet were also fantastic.<br/>Being a big fan of coconut oil foods, I did love them all.<br/>Rates were economical. Only problem is you won't ever find a place to park even your bike 😑, but never mind, you will find a way to reach it after your first visit.

Nair Mess. One word to explain : WOW. Meals are the best here. Can never beat it. Ambience is quite okay. Chicken and mutton biriyaani were really delicious. The sides dishes were awesome too! Must try place in Triplicane.

The place may be nice but there were some serious issues which the restaurant management needs to take up :<br/><br/>1. The location is really on one of the gali and there is no proper signage to reach.<br/>2. They do not have a printed menu. This is really disgusting guys. Everybody doesn't knows Chennai local language and none of the waiters are hindi speaking. We really had tough time ordering stuff<br/><br/>Frankly speaking.. Nothing very great about the place

Very old Restaurant, now they renovated, past 10 years visiting to this place. Still jam-packed crowd. Fish fry, fish gravy and mutton gravy also will cooked by coconut oil.. Especially in omlette u will feel the coconut oil flavour. Personally felt nowadays gravies are not in the same consistency in those days.. but still they they service is superb. Must visit Restaurant in Chennai.

Pakka mess dining experience, crowded and loud. The trend is to dinein at such places but this place has got purely regular visitors. My friend itself is frequent visitor since 20yrs. They have been maintaing the traditional banana leaf service with the very casual service of food, if sambar got over or the waiter is busy, he will pick your boul if you don't want to have it. 🤣<br/><br/>Preparation is with coconut oil, you get a kootu, poriyal and pickle<br/><br/>Then you have to choose your meal - fish or mutton curry meal. Sides are Vanjaram fry, chicken deep fry, mutton sukka and omelette - choose your favourite one. Service will be quick and unlimited on rice , sambar rasam<br/><br/>It was fun seeing staffs closing the restaurant entrance door, as people are rushing in even if there is no seats available. People were shouting from outside to let them in.<br/><br/>Overall it was a fun filled dining experience

Must try folks !! Highly recommended. Excellent service !! Fish fry is something which melt in ur mouth ! Value for money !! I didn’t try any thing else other than meals there ! Happy dinning !

This place cannot be called as mess. This is full fledged restaurant with 2 floors ( First floor serves AC). This place is must go for people who enjoys rice along with fish curry and fish fry. Apart from that mutton curry and chukka and brain fry is just about ok. Nothing special. This place is always over crowded and I somehow feel this is place is much over hyped ...<br/>Also no space for car parking.

Well .. I stepped into the restaurant at 11.45 am.. and hardly there was only one person dining in . After washing my hands I sat in the main hall.. in front of the billing counter.. felt as if am the centre of attraction and that they would come and serve me in a giffy.. but unfortunately none of them turned to me until 12.05 pm... Everybody was busy folding tissue papers for the hand wash area.. it was hilarious and ridiculous.. A very disappointing service and I would not recommend this place to anybody in future..

Headed to this place for lunch on a hungry afternoon, we got seated in first floor. Seeing through the fishy fry going around all tables we ordered 2 meals along with mutton curry, fish curry, seer fish fry and prawn thoku. Meals was okayish I liked sambar and more which was really yummy, mutton nd fish curry was not upto the mark, as they develop the restaurant people compromise on their taste and quality!! And to mention about the quantity of prawn thoku gave was a big let down was so disappointed to see very less quantity!!! Hardly spoon of prawns we're kept!! Rate was high comparitively!!

Nair's mess - Its one of the iconic non veg outlet in Namma Chennai, which is in action since 1961. <br/><br/>On a sunny noon during a weekend, stepped into Nair's mess for lunch during their wee hours of closing. It's located quite opposite to Cheapauk stadium in a small lane which leads to this hidden gem. Was relieved as it was less crowded and got table easily. There is no specific menu cards and their itineraries being quite generic Non Veg menu. <br/>Went for Meals along with Fish fry, Chicken Fry and Mutton Curry. Its always ecstatic to have meals in thalai vazhai leaf( Banana leaf). Hot rice served on the banana leaf gives its exuberant effervescence to the food. Soon aimed to the table was kootu and poriyal, followed by Mutton curry and Fish Curry.<br/><br/>As we were quite late, kolambu meen(Curry fish) was not available. Started my meals with Fish curry and man it was bloody awesomatic. Though the curry was quite watery, the rich flavor of the fish and the perfect masala tinge to the curry just elevated the taste to the next level. Now the Vanjiram slice(Seer fish) was the pick of the lot. It was not deep fried, rather it was shallow fried in tawa. Not to mention, it was less spicy and am not sure if it would go well with ppl who expect their fish fry to be spicier. But sure did it satiate me, the succulent meat with a scoop of the fish kolambu rice was pure bliss. The mutton curry was just fine and the Curry was quite thicker. It had a mutton piece and it didn't went good with rice. May be with Idiyappam or Appam it would have been a best combo.Chicken fry, was a letdown. The tanginess was missing, less spicier with scantily populated chicken pieces. Rasam too was just average, nothing much to barge.<br/><br/>The service was quite impeccable here, thanks to the effusive waiters. I would recommend to go with their Fish curry meals and fish fry, indeed it’s their USP. Rest of the menu was just average. Overall bill came for 440 for a Meals, Mutton Curry, Fish Fry and Chicken fry and its slightly overpriced. But for the quality they render its acceptable and could be tried once.<br/><br/>VFM - 3/5<br/>Quality - 4/5<br/>Taste - 4/5<br/>Quantity - 4/5<br/>Service - 4/5<br/>Ambience - 4/5<br/>Parking - 2/5

This place is located very close to the Cricket ground; tucked inside a small alley. The food was fresh, hot, clean and tasted very yummy. As the name says it’s Nair (from the state of Kerala), so you will taste coconut in their curries. Reasonably priced - for the location and the crowd. I liked it but if u ask me will you revisit - hmmmm I may not because I have been to much better places and I prefer them over this place for mess food.

This was my Second visit after 8 years and it has changed a lot.<br/>Renovated and looks good but there is no information/menu for first timers.<br/>Servers are well mannered and Orally give you the menu but in the chaos of Popularity they bring you every other dish to try even if u don't order it Incase your senses want them after you look at them.<br/><br/>The Menu is simple they have standard Meals which are mash up of #Kerala or #Chettinadu cuisine. That's INR 95<br/><br/>You can order Chicken/Mutton/Fish curry in a small bowl and can request them to give extra too. That's around INR 95<br/><br/>Or thick Masala Prawn too which we didn't try<br/><br/>You can add Fish fry for 200 and an Omelette .<br/><br/>You got Chicken and mutton Biriyani.<br/><br/>Tasty food and awesome new decor but the quantity of sides are so less in other words it's expensive for the serving.<br/>This old classic is situated in a not so good narrow road. No parking nearby.<br/><br/>My suggestion is to increase quantity/servings.<br/><br/>Put a menu board even if it's limited menu and make your servers to inform the same and accommodate the guests

This place is super hyped up for its nostalgia. Located right opposite chepauk stadium, inside a small lane, you will find this iconic establishment.<br/>The biriyani was average, the quantity for the prawns was like a serving of pickle. Seer fish fry was okay. Overall good mess food! Is it worth the hype, absolutely not!

Firstly this is not a Kerala style restaurant contrary to what is implied by other reviews. We went during the lunch time (around 1:00pm), only meals and mutton Biriyani was available. As there was no variety we were forced to order meals. We ordered mutton curry, fish curry, fish fry and egg omlett as extras. All the extras or specials were tasty, especially the fish fry, but none of it justifies its huge price. The meal by itself was not tasty. The staff seemed not to be bothered about the customers, they were only interested in taking orders for extras and specials.

Food:<br/>It was lunchtime so went after the meals. A banana leaf serving with two sides (Spicy Beetroot was so good, I personally loved it) and pickle. Went after the chicken fry and Mutton kurma. The first bite of the chicken was celestial. It was soft, spicy and easily breaks into your mouth as you quaff them in. One of the best fries I've tried. The Mutton was well cooked, mild spice and with the rice and chicken, the gravy went great. Both the rasam and buttermilk tasted like home-cooked and you could literally gulp them. Lime pickle went great with the buttermilk even without the rice at the end.<br/><br/>*Unlimited refills for rice and other gravies which you could order*<br/><br/>Ambience:<br/>Frankly speaking, this place gets beefed up with people during peak lunch hours especially on a weekday. You've to have an eagle's vision and a squirrel's agility to get a chair as soon as someone gets up. After all, the name does indicate that this is a MESS and not a restaurant. In spite of that, the service was appreciable and the waiting time for dishes cannot be more than a minute. Off street Two-wheeler parking available to lucky people since it's just a small lane and not a street. <br/><br/>Price:<br/>I'm sure that you couldn't find a place like this at this price, it's a cheapo. Located in the heart of the city, this place is worth every penny and lives up-to-the tag of LEGENDARY OUTLETS.

Been there twice. It’s an awesome place where it tempts u to hav binge eating. Love the fish Nd the prawns with coconut oil smell. A must place in Chennai to hav a mouth watering non veg meals n that too at an affordable rate ( which is another plus point of this place)

I have grown up enjoying the great taste of Nair Mess. A great place for tasty kerala meals with awesome fish fry. Lovely to see them on Zomato.

Worst experience ever, yesterday we planned to have dinner here, as we entered inside there was not that much crowd, we were sitting for almost 20minz no one bothered to take orders, when 1 guy told the waiters to take order, no one responded, we waited for some more time and walked out.<br/>It was totally waste of time to travel from Ashok Pillar to Triplicane. We were very excited to have  dinner but the people over there ruined it.

One of the best places in India if your are looking to have nice home style mess sort to food.<br/><br/>Ambience and Location- 3/5<br/>The place is not easy to find and is located inside a small street. You will have to part your vehicle on the main road and go inside<br/>The interiors are not 5 start style. Its basic, neat and well done. It a typical mess setup with no plush sofas etc. A place for hard-core foodie. But this should not stop u from going there. Best is to visit in a batch or with friends. Family if 3/4 Might find it difficult<br/><br/>Food - 10/5<br/>The food is absolutely amazing. Especially the non veg food is great. Have to fish fry, mutton dry which are a must have there. Served on authentic banana leaves, you will not stop eating that easily.<br/><br/>Service - 5/5<br/>The service is super fast and you will not have to wait even for 5 mins for the food.<br/><br/>Overall, a great place and a must visit if you love good food with fish and mutton. The place gets noisy and is always full.<br/>

I got to eat their Fish gravy meals , with vanjaram fish fry and prawn. Should say the meals was okayish , but you should certainly visit here for the fish fry it's amazing .

There are only 2 places that you get served authentic fresh tender Paya in Chennai, this is one of them. It happens only in the evenings though. Then come mutton korma. Coconut based gravy. Mutton Fry. Completely hooked on. Fish fry...preferably during lunch...freshest in Chennai. <br/>Lunch - order meals and they give u just gravy...best to order actual mutton korma and chiken gravy with fish fry, liver. Eat, go home and sleep. period!<br/>Dinner - egg dosa with mutton fry, idiyappam with paya and with fish fry (if avail) will make ur day. Mutton chops is average. opens at 7pm and everything will be over by 8PM so plan. <br/>Prawn fry Kerala style very bland. Fish gravy is also so watery and bland.....but the freshness of the meat cannot be challenged. However, the qty of servings are on the smaller side...so if ur going with friends...absolutely no sharing. Not had opportunity to have biryani...

I had been living in Triplicane, for the past 60 years and I did not know about this place. I came to know about this place a few years ago, from my s.i.l. , who is living in Thiruvanmiyur.<br/>After wards one day visited for lunch, and had biryani & omelette, then only I knew about the wonderful taste of this mess. Since I do not take sea foods, I do not know anything about it. But my wife and mother love their fish gravy and Sora (shark) puttu. Now days they pester me to buy this as parcel for their lunch.<br/>The biggest pro is the price. It is one of the most economical place for non veg. food.<br/>The biggest con is the lack of parking.<br/>Few years back getting a seat for lunch and dinner was quite difficult. But now they have expanded, and you can get a seat for lunch. For dinner I am yet to visit after the expansion.<br/>People who love non veg food, please visit it, you will certainly not disappointed, You will come back for more.

Mealst taste s good... Other wise side ok..average.... So much of coconut oil.... Very less quantities...... 2 meals,4 prawn fry,2 chicken fry,1 mutton fry,1 fish(small)... Bill amt 1300rs....

Nothing extraordinary,if you are fan of bland,spice less fishy flavors,you might love this. Their buttermilk is one of the worst,it's just like flavored water.

The dishes are of kerela style.We can see a hint of coconut oil in almost all their dishes. I had Mutton meals, prawn gravy and omlette. The Mutton kuruma they give for meals has only one piece and priced 65. The prawn gravy was ADIPOLI,but quantity was very less for 85 bucks.Omlette was served less warm and lost its taste too.But we can try this hotel at least once.

The best place...for food...an unbeatable one..a foodie place ...where everyone must try at least once...tastes like heaven... unlimited food..and high on taste..

Good place. Authentic food must visit. Tried fish it was good I will come back again will tell friends but it's too far for me but spicy too

This restaurant sets an example to all the other restaurants who serves south indian dishes. The meal is just great here especially the meen kolambu, prawn fry, fish fry, omlette and mutton chukka is out of the world. Please do visit this place atleast once to experience real south indian dishes. The ambience isn't much just like a nornal mess. The service is amazing here very friendly servers. Price point is economical i would say.

Visited for the First time today with my Dad...But I felt like If I'm allowed to dine outside daily...I would definitely prefer this place!!! Best Hotel for Non-Veg Lovers!!!

First and foremost, Please update the per person charges from Rs.100 to Rs.400. The food is undoubtedly good, but for the charges as high as Rs.305 for a fish curry meals(excluding fish fry of Rs.200) the food isn't worth it.

This is one of the popular mess in triplicane so myself and my husband went here for lunch.. we have ordered their special vanjara meen fry, half boil and briyani.<br/><br/>To start with half boil, it is cooked properly with all required flavours. I liked that tatse of coconut oil very much as it gives extra pinch to this dish<br/>(I had two half boil).<br/><br/>Vanjaram fish fry..I could see this item in most of the plate as it is their speciality. It was good and not so excellent.<br/><br/>Other than this we have ordered briyani and parotta chicken kuruma which was just decent.<br/><br/>Quantity and quality:3<br/>Taste:3<br/>Parking:No<br/>Ambience: very normal mess<br/>

It is a great place to have Kerala cuisine. Fish fry is a must try. How much food you order don't skip omlet. It is very rushy during 1 to 3pm. Literally you have stand behind chairs while people are eating to get a seat. Whatever it is great place to go as a group.

one of the best and fantastic mess i have visited....located just in the opposite narrow lane to the chepauk ground... fully crowded in the afternoon... the restaurant is known for their meals, fish fry and prawn fry...i ordered a mutton biriyani , a vanjiram fish fry and a prawn masala....

The famous Nair Mess. Located in a small street in triplicane, this place offers lovely food for South Indian cuisine lovers. The mutton keema, fish fry, fish curry are some of the best u can get here. During the lunch it can get crowded and the service might not be up to the mark.I Recommend this place for good food

Visited Nair mess because it showed up in the legendary list on Zomato and being married to a Malayalee, I have a weak spot for the Kerala cuisine.<br/>The first impression is not great as it is located in a dingy lane, however, the Zomato rating made me overcome any reluctance and reach the Mess. <br/>Nair Mess is clean and hygienic with friendly and cooperative staff who are comfortable in Hindi and Malayalam, apart from Tamil.<br/>Food is authentic, mind blowing Kerela meal- as expected. We ordered a meal for my husband and I had iddyappams with chicken khurma, prawns and fish fry as we went on with our meal. Fish fry was heavenly!<br/>All this for Rs. 480!

Tharam! Meen kuzhambu was subtle and delicious. Can improve chicken 65. Mutton biriyaani was different and good. Courteous staff . One full meals, chicken 65, 2 omelette and one mutton biriyaani for less than 600rs. Worthuu!

Having heard a lot about the place from lots people, this has been in my list for quite a while now to try! And Finally I did go today, but was a bit disappointed. Maybe I just expected much more...<br/>We were a group of 5 so tried a variety of sides with our meals!<br/>The place itself is more a restaurant than a mess... Not quite what I thought it would be!<br/>I had a mutton curry with my meal. The gravy was ok. We had the following sides..<br/>Fish fry - fish was fresh and grilled without any batter<br/>Prawn sukka - was decent but the prawns a tad over cooked for my personal preference<br/>Mutton chukka - decent<br/>Omelette<br/>Brain - needed more spicing to pep it up!<br/>Although nothing was bad, nothing was exceptional to remember. Just feel there are better options for a mess meal in tamil Nadu, specially if one needs to travel a bit to get there... But not a bad option if your in the area!<br/>

Nairs mess is a place which was elusive for alittle while although heard a lot of good things about their food...Finally we reached the favourite destination for homely meals...Their service is very prompt and need not had to wait at all for getting a table or to get the ordered items on our table...had a wholesome meal with mutton curry,mutton brain,yummy fish fry, super delicious prawn masala and a normal omlette.. Quantity is very limited... but taste was supreme..gonna have a second visit for sure in the near future..

This is one place that one can visit for a wholesome seafood meal. I am a big fan of their fried fish and fish curry. <br/>The fish curry is watery and mild but has a delicious taste and fantastic aroma. Just the aroma can leave you feeling heady. <br/>I have tried their prawn and omelettes as well. They are ok.<br/><br/>You need to be patient as it is extremely crowded during lunch with waiting time exceeding 15 minutes. <br/>

I have been searching for some good food in Chennai. Especially local delicacies. OMG this was a sheer surprise for me. This restaurant was inside some dark lane with hardly any lights. When i saw the board i was like it would be a decent or disappointing meal. But this place is a hidden gem. Tried mutton meal, mutton sukka amd fish fry. All the dishes are authentic and local style food. Dont forget to order a Omelette here and follow me on Zomato.😎

Authentic kerala restaurant, nice ambience, good hospitality. Food items are really good, especially prawn fry and fish both are awesome. It budget friendly.

Tastes like home food but one has to strictly compromise on the quantity. Vanjaram fish fry must try. Try avoiding Sundays to enjoy proper lunch.

Must order item - prawn fry.<br/>The coconut oil addition,makes this dish special and unique.rest of the items are passable.visit this restaurant if u are bored of the usual non veg taste u've had from ur fav ones.<br/><br/>

Looking around to have lunch and upon checking Zomato found this gem. We reached around 1:00pm and the place was full,they have 2 floors,the ground floor is non a/c and the 1st floor is a/c.We went to the 1st floor and found seats in a few minutes.They have set thali and biriyani for lunch.Biriyani was over by the time we reached. The only option was to have thali. A simple thali with rice,beetroot thoran,veg curry and pickle. they also give you mutton curry and fish curry on the side.We ordered Fish fry,chicken fry and mutton fry. All of them we delicious and tasted home made. The fish (thread fin bream) was fresh and fried properly. Overall a great experience,service is very fast.

Today wantedly went to Nair mess ordered egg biriyani but waiter intimated that only Mutton biriyani Available and then I have chosen chicken and prawn fry chicken fry plate and quantity was good but prawn plate was very much Tiny waiter suggested to me to choose fish fry as well but I didn't tried .Taste was excellent everybody must try here once and ambience was good.<br/><br/>Once i entered this mess i felt vomiting Sense because that much raw meat smell was coming but after starting having food I couldn't feel that raw meat smell and first floor is air conditioned

As for me this is the best place to have non-veg meals. Only 2 options in meals either mutton gravy or fish gravy. Taste is amazing. My pick was mutton gravy. No heavy flavours as it is in some non-veg restaurants. Other sides were chicken fry , vanjiram fry and omelette which was ok. No complaints.

Went based on the reviews and was totaly disappointed. Server had no intention of asking what we needed. Food was mediocre to too bad. Ordered basic meals with mutton curry. When u can't serve your basic menu right no further review is needed.

Yes this place is really great ..<br/><br/>When we enter place having good aroma at I felt feeling like anything taste is awesome service peoples are really matured and they are suggesting all food items...<br/><br/>Food 5<br/>Service 5<br/>Price compare to local joined little higher side...

Nice food authentic TamilNadu seafood <br/>Quick and friendly service <br/>I have tried fish thali prawns masala and fish fry.<br/>Cheap and good quality of food.<br/>Must visit.

My Sundays do not pass without a meal from Nair Mess ever since I moved to Chennai. A must visit for everyone who dies for a nonveg thali. Order the Vanjiram fry, Mutton Chukka, Fish Curry, Prawns fry. Earlier this place was only operating on the ground floor which did not have air conditioning, you literally would sweat while eating. Now, they have opened up on the first floor with A/C which is much more convenient. Thank You for existing, Nair Mess!!!

Super tasy nonveg food. Cooked in Indian style. Very nice and fast service. Awesome place to visit. Nonveg lovers can find this place as heaven.

Name is deceptive, it's not a mess in any means. Maybe over the years it has risen in the standard of a mess..<br/>5 rating for a mess standard<br/>3 rating for a restaurant standard<br/><br/>Prices match a normal restaurant selling south indian food.<br/><br/>I can totally co-relate with hotel Ponnusamy in every aspect to Nair Mess.<br/><br/>Location - Ok. A little inward from the main road, so seems a house converted into mess and now running full fledged.<br/><br/>Food - veg people will be totally disappointed. For non veg eaters it is a decent place. Fish fry was tender n juicy. Prawn and mutton mansala fry were the key Rockstars of the meal.<br/>Curry mutton was just average, not tasty.

Too much rate.give a cup of fish kulambu with small piece of fish and cost 62rs.one omelette cost 30rs.i suggest this place for meals only.side dish rate are very over.service is also not good

Located in a non-visible small street in triplicane. Very much crowded due to its demand and parking is one hectic trouble. Coming to food, we had meals which had no complaints. Mutton kolambu was fantastic, fish fry and mutton gravy were extraordinary. No complaints to the food, but the way we get treated there is a letdown.

Visited this place for lunch with my colleagues, as I was in Chennai for a business trip, my colleagues recommended me to have lunch at Nair's mess which had the reputation of having a perfect 5 score on Zomato (Now at 4.1)<br/><br/>This restaurant is opposite the M. A Chidambaram cricket stadium and is usually jam-packed. This is a kerela style restaurant with a meal system and you can order extras depending on your preference. The meal which is standard comes with piping hot rice, sambar, rassam and one veg vegetable with pickles to go with it.<br/><br/>I ordered Mutton Sukka and Fish Fry as extras as this restaurant is known for these two delicacies! I really liked their portion size which was very limited and small, as I have observed when eating meals one is so inundated with existing options that ordering any things extra is daunting due to its portion size, but these guys have purposely kept the portion size very small for any extras you wanna order so that you get to taste the delicacy without having to waste a large portion of it.<br/><br/>Quality wise everything served here is super fresh. The spices, the ingredients are all well chosen. I wasn't particularly very happy with the Fish fry as it was soggy and wasn't as hot as I wanted it to be. It felt like the fish has been fried long time back.<br/><br/>I liked the mutton sukka for it's spices,the mutton pieces were tender and made for a good combination with rice.<br/>

For the love of vanjaram meen you should visit this place. It's a"mess" so need to ignore the amience and relish the mouth watering meals.<br/><br/>It's simple home style food. The fish will cost you 60-80rs/-<br/>