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best biriyani in Chennai 2026 for a visitor?
Cash only, and go before noon.
Worth adding that the queue peaks around 12:30, so 11:30 is the sweet spot. I've seen them turn people away once the mutton runs out, which happens most days by one.
Good to know on the cash part, I'd have walked in with just a card. Do they have an ATM anywhere close by, or should I pull cash before heading over?
before noon is right but aim for 11 rather than 11:45, the parotta tray refills slow and the first batch is the soft one. also carry small notes, they get grumpy breaking a 500 for a 180 rupee plate
Pull cash first, the nearest ATM is a few streets off.
Mutton runs out early; chicken's the safer bet.
Chicken's fine but ask for the leg piece, the breast dries out by the time you sit down.
yeah leg piece is the move, breast really does dry out sitting there
The safer bet is asking for leg piece specifically, since the breast sits dry under the lamp by 12.
Fair warning though, asking for leg piece is half the battle. They sometimes claim it's gone even when a few are sitting back there, so point at the tray if you have to.
Best way to pay at Chennai bars in 2026?
upi one-time setup needs an aadhaar, no way around it
tbh even with aadhaar the otp goes to an Indian number, so a tourist sim is the other wall u hit.
only with an aadhaar linked to an Indian phone
Passport works for the tourist sim though
Cards work at most sit-down bars but smaller places near Hoooli will push UPI. As a visitor you can't easily get UPI without an Indian bank account, so plan on cash from ATMs (usually around 20 to 25 rupees per withdrawal fee).
Some places only take cash after 11pm.
Makes sense, last orders kick in around then and the till guy switches to cash only so he can close out faster.
yeah the ATM fee is small but your own bank back home will likely slap a foreign transaction charge on top, so check that first. Also many ATMs in Chennai run out of cash on weekends, so pull during the week if u can.
good point on the withdrawal fee but the bigger hit is the DCC prompt at the machine, always decline the conversion and let ur home bank do it. also keep small notes handy since bars rarely have change for a 2000
Carry a card too, many bars add a 3% surcharge on it.