Rotee Express

Very fresh and tasty indian food, CTM is a little on a spicy side but that’s the way I like it!

This is a decent quick lunch option near my office. I’m surprised by the reviewers who called the food bland. I had bangan bartha (sp??) and it was smoky, spicy, and bright. The channa masala was zippy too. Neither dish was overly greasy, which is a plus for me. Vegan & veg options are conveniently labeled.
The two-​item combo was a BIG portion. I didn’t finish everything.
I will work this into the lunchtime rotation and perhaps update the review when I’ve had it a few more times.

Pretty bland food. Rubbery bread. Questionable sanitary practices (A health score of 74 really should scare anyone away). They always run out of naan but fail to tell you so until you’re checking out. The staff here are inattentive on their best days. And none of them seem to be of South Asian descent.
Despite these shortcomings, I’ve been a semi-​regular here for a couple of years. It’s close to my work and its’ pretty much the only game in the area if you want a quick bit of Indian food.
But today, they screwed up my order — I ordered the Paneer Masala but they gave me the Chicken. I didn’t figure this out until I’d eaten several bites. And I’m a vegetarian. Awesome.
That’s the last straw. I’m done with this place.

Probably the best Indian food you can get around Embarcadero. Try the palak paneer and chicken tikka masala. Considering that the restaurant is run by non-​Indian staffs, putting up such tasty food deserves 4.5 stars.

Solid Indian fast food. The palak paneer and chicken tikka masala are good. The bengan bhartha is a bit to smoky for my taste.

The palak paneer was all spinach and no cheese, the chicken tikka masala was all sauce and no chicken, and the meal was all goop and no flavor.

Good portions, but incredibly bland. Had the Chicken Tikka Masala and Palak Aloo. Naan was very flat and not very flavorful. It’s Indian fast food, so I shouldn’t have expected too much. Won’t be back.

I love me some Indian food and I was lucky to find this spot near my office. Reasonably priced and the food is very food. The owners are very nice as well. It’s rather small and even during the lunch rush doesn’t get overly crowded. I’m hooked on this place. Check them out.

Gross old raita zero stars
Pea and potato 3 stars
Chickpeas 1.5 stars watery no flavor
Nasty naan 1 star flat gummy and opposite of real naan.
Mostly what you get is rice even when ordering vegetarian which involves very cheap ingredients
Atmosphere/​ambiance/​dining experience 1 star
No for here plates. Waste of plastic and unaesthetic.
Crummy super cheap plastic utensils.
Tiny cramped not clean tables
Wall chipped and dirty
Overpriced 25.00 for two lunch plates and one mango lassi (also watery) and the scary raita.
Avoid. You have many much better options.

Five star for Yummy lunch food. Good quantity, you won’t be hungry after that !

Wow. What a rip off… and I was caught unsuspecting. Don’t let it happen to you.
First thing to know. They apply a 10% service charge to all orders, so if you decide to tip, they’re making serious bucks.
Second thing. They up charge if you ask for «no rice». Your order becomes a «meat only» order and they presumably give you more so your plate doesn’t look empty. I didn’t ask for more meat. I just didn’t want them to waste rice on someone that wasn’t going to eating it. The result? «An extra $ 1.50 please. Here are your 3 extra pieces of Chicken Masala. «
Last thing, the food is decidedly mediocre. Definitely not worth returning to, despite all the up-​charge shenanigans.
Oh, and before I forget. They only give you half of a very small naan with your meal…

My only update is that I wish Rotee would see Samosas. They could sell them for $ 1 – 2, and it would be a great addition to the meal.

I almost threw up — my colleague just came back from Rotee with take-​out, and found what looks like a rat head in his food. Not a joke. You’ve been warned.

What a terrible place to eat.
Out of naan, out of one of their four vegetarian options.
No discount offered on their combo which is supposed to include naan.
No replacement offered.
Bad service, mediocre food. Don’t come here.

Went there for a second time just to make sure… the food looks like a dog got sick in a bowl. The naan is clearly made from cardboard. The service is the worst part. I spent nearly $ 16 for a two combo meal and a drink. THEY CHARGE 10% SURCHARGE JUST BECAUSE…[insert excuse here from owner]. So rather than have accurate prices, they hide the cost in ‘surcharges’. The owner was very defensive when I approached him about the hidden (or maybe not so obvious) fee. I’ll never eat here again.

Okay, I actually love the chicken masala here. The guys are super nice, here is what needs to be worked on:
1. The rice is not flavorful at all
2. Naan, you get half of a piece. Everyone loves naan, we just need more!
One of my favorite places to eat in the FIDI, but after trying more Indian food … I now know that other places give more naan and better rice.

Ordered lunch today and found a cockroach in the chicken curry — after eating two-​thirds of it. They did refund the money for my lunch, but didn’t even offer to do so for my coworker who’d ordered the same thing.

Bland Indian food. Came here with a friend who works nearby. I decided to go with palak-​paneer and paneer tikka masala with rice and naan. I was very tempted to order Baigan bhartha (eggplant dish). The flavors were mild and too bland for me (I like spicy food). While the Rotee might be a good restaurant, this location will not work for me. The food is pre-​cooked and served chipotle style. Therefore, it will not be customizable or made to order.
You should ask for extra sauce/​gravy if you enjoy milder flavors. Another customer did that. Not a bad idea.

EEEEEK.
It’s hard to mess up indian food given its naturally flavorful spices. Well, this place did. Bland food. I had palak paneer and chicken tikka masala. Both were tasteless. The naan was soggy and too thick, with no flavor. The chutney in the bottle tasted old — like it was made three days ago. It tasted like flavored green water. Yuck. I won’t be going back.

Really a hit and miss place, probably more misses than hits.
This is a quick and dirty lunch spot for when you just feel like curling into a ball after eating a heart meal of curry.
To be fair, the food is fairly decent and ok. Not the best in the world, but it will do to satisfy your cravings. Their rice is always fresh. And they’ll always have plenty of Chicken Tikka Masla, if that’s your thing.
The sauce vs meat ratio is definitely more on the sauce side rather than meat. Though it suites me fine as I love mixing my sauce with the rice and naan. If that’s not for you, stick with just the veggie curries, you’ll get more for the money.
They are pretty high price, but they pretty much are the only Indian in a 4 block radius. Though if you want something better, check out Curry Up Now, which is a food truck that stops by every now and again on 1^st and Mission.