I was super excited to try out this restaurant with some coworkers as I had heard great things about it. We made a reservation but day of had a last minute meeting so we called to reschedule and they said no problem. When we arrived to the restaurent they had not actually told any of the wait staff that our reservation was changed so we had to stand in the door and wait for them to figure... more

I've been to many Indian, South Indian restaurants and I'm sorry I did not find this worth visiting again. First, the food was very overpriced. 17 dollars for a dish of curry and 21 dollars for a Thali! All of the food was a bit bland... similarly flavoured. The chicken in the Thali butter chicken was in large pieces and didn't taste marinated, lacked flavour. Sauce was OK. Overall for the... more

The food was very bad. This food did not represent the true indian cuisine. Sambar and dosa were both tasteless and everything has ginger in it. But the worst of all was the mango lassi. :(

Amazing dosas, both veg and non veg. Sambar was also excellent. Staff are very courteous and give quick service even when the restaurant is packed. Have gone many times and will continue to patronize!

Came here for dinner on Family Day, and for a tiny restaurant in the middle of nowhere, it's very popular. Thankfully we were able to get a table right away. I had the Ooty Mushroom Curry and got rice instead of the parathas. My partner ordered the Chicken Thali (which is basically small portions of all the popular dishes served with rice and parathas). I enjoyed my meal, although I confess... more

In town on business with two colleagues and picked this place because of the reviews from my fellow Yelpers. I had the Spicy Goan Chicken Masala with was very good (and spicy). My two colleagues had the Lamb Kurma and Butter Chicken. Each were very happy with their dishes.

The place isn't very large, so it got fairly noisy with the other patrons. Now to be fair, there was a larger group eating... more

Went here one evening and noticed how quickly the placed filled up even on a Monday night. I had a hard time finding it at first as the sign wasn't well-lit, so I had to circle around to find it after passing Montreal Road and realizing I'd gone too far.

This place is fantastic. Don't let the exterior of the building fool you- what's plain outside is amazing inside. The staff there was kind... more

Great southern Indian cuisine here. We had the Lamb Thali for 21$ with some extra porthas. This was between two people and it filled us just fine. So many different kinds of sauces and ranges in flavour. There are even yogurt sauces incorporated in the dish giving it a cooling sensation.

Great atmosphere here. Very Bollywood-esque inside with an almost stereotypical Indian experience. They do... more

The butter chicken was amazing! Stopped here in our way back to Toronto on the advice of a friend, and it was more than worth the detour!

I have been to the coconut lagoon many times over the years and have made it one of my go to dining options when i have a visitor from out of town. The food has been excellent each time. Service is very quick and servers can give you helpful recommendations. Some of the dishes are quite spicy so watch out if you don't have tolerance for spicy food.

I look forward to many more visits!

I visited Coconut Lagoon while in town on business and was very impressed. The waiter was attentive, but not overbearing, and the food was delicious. I will definitely return if I ever visit Ottawa again.

One of the best Indian places in Ottawa, the nan bread is the best I had so far. I had the sampler platter and everything was excellent.

Wow! My wife says this was the best Indian food she's ever had. I would reserve that for my own mother's Indian cooking, but I would rate this place at the top also.
I had the peppered lamb, she had a coconut chicken dish; they came with pouris and rice. My lamb was tender and delicious, not tough and chewy as I've had so often. Her dish likewise exploded with spicy flavors; both of us sobbed... more

I love this restaurant. I have been there several time since I've discovered it. Lunch buffet is awesome. Can't wait to return. Especially for the egg curry.

i have been dying for a good Halal Indian joint and it saddens me that I found one in Ottawa because it means I can't eat there as often as I'd like! This place is....AHMAZING!

Service was fast, quick, friendly. Restaurant was clean, decor was very inspired. I wish the lighting was a bit bright (I hate dim lit food places) but that doesn't put a dent in my review.

We were a group of 4 and... more

This was a okay (but pricey) place until recently. After eating at Kochin kitchen, near downtown Ottawa, I realize coconut lagoon is not worth debating. The food is "okay". The buffet is very monotonous; nothing for an Indian (like me) to brag about. The owner/staff can be a arrogant and cocky at Coconut lagoon. No justice for the high prices either !
Kochin kitchen though new, is much better... more

This was my second time here and I had an overall good experience in terms of food, customer service and ambiance. The service, although not that friendly, was prompt. The menu has a variety of dishes but would have benefited from some photos to give newcomers an idea of what to order.

I ordered the butter chicken with porathas. It was served to me in a small bowl and it looked like a very... more

Went here with a large group from work, for lunch. At lunch, they do a buffet - and it was delicious!

Décor is nothing of note. It's functional/untilitarian and is the type of décor that happens a bit organically over the years. Staff who served us were very helpful and happy (always a good sign). I enjoyed everything I tried. I'd like to be more specific, but I really don't know the names of... more

Great food at 14.50 all you can eat cmon man <3 will return with more people; please reserve your seat btw you will thank me later

Pretty average dosa, some bright spots

We went to Coconut Lagoon in the end of June with a friend to finally try one of the dosa spots in Ottawa. Being from South India, I consider myself a little bit of a dosa snob so I have pretty high standards when it comes to my favourite south Indian crepe.
The medhu vadas and sambhar were what we... more

Great Indian Cuisine in Ottawa

In Ottawa it is difficult to find reasonably-priced restaurants that also serve good food. I have found many mediocre restaurants that are reasonably priced and many expensive restaurants that are just okay. However Coconut Lagoon meets all needs. One does not go there for the decor but the food is sublime. Wonderful flavours, excellent menu choice and very good servers.... more

Good but not waaw

We asked them to be sure to not add too much spicy to our dishes because our kids do not like it, but the food was so spicy, but the waiters was so nice and he changed the dishes to mild ones.
The best dish we ordered was the chicken butter with nan ( testy) , shrimp & cchicken biryani... more

Only one good dish

The Kerala fish curry - all the others seemed like standard Indian fare ! Aggressive wait staff. Parking is limited.

A south Indian gem in an unassuming locale

Don't be fooled by the rather ordinary plaza the restaurant is located in. Though it is not a big restaurant, it certainly packs a punch. The menu has more winners than losers and that is high praise coming from a native South Indian! The mango lassi is great (the mango beer not so much). The best thing were the piping... more

Best Indian food in Ottawa

Very good service and absolutely delicious food! We met friends here for dinner and were not disappointed- I wish I'd discovered this place years ago!
The lentil doughnut appetizer was very generous, and the light and fluffy texture divine.
The veg thali plate was resplendent with 7 different mini-dishes (along with rice and porathas); the delightful hint of coconut milk... more

Very Good South Indian Cuisine

This was our first visit and definitely won't be the last. My wife and I shared Onion Fritters as an appetizer. Very good with a terrific mint chutney sauce. She had a Kohzi Curry (chicken in a coconut sauce) which was extremely tasty. I had a Lamb Thali, their signature dish which was so good it will be hard to... more

Food is great. I really like the lunch buffet each time I go I feel satisfied, the food seems to digest very good.

Been there for the buffet lunch and a la carte diner, both was excellent. Clean and friendly place :)

This is the best Indian food restaurant in the Ottawa area. great food and staff

Excellent service, delicious food, and lots of it

The Coconut Lagoon is a small Southern Indian style restaurant in a rather out of the way location. But, it is definitely worth the time it takes to find it. Two of us ordered their special Thali, one vegetarian and one lamb. Both were absolutely delicious, with a subtle blend of different spices in each and every one of the... more

I've been here a number of times and always leave happy. The wait staff is attentive and more than willing to provide suggestions or answer questions.

The food is excellent and I have yet to try a dish I don't like. Perhaps even more astounding this that their lunch buffet is also quiet good. The various curries are quite flavourful and their is something for every palate.

If you like in... more

Lunch group

I went to Coconut Lagoon with my lunch group today. The buffet was excellent. I started with a carrot soup, then salads and a spicy bean dish, all good, moved on to various chicken dishes,, a lamb curry, not so good, a terrific salmon curry, vegetable curry and the most delicious potato and spinach little rolls that were excellent. Dessert... more

Always consistently good

We go at least once or twice a year to this Indian restaurant. Mainly for their buffet lunch but have also been for their dinner (a la carte menu.) This is the best Indian restaurant we have found in Ottawa so far. The buffet has a good selection and all the dishes are superbly cooked and very tasty. The service... more

Best Indian buffet I have had in Ontario

Let me start by saying that this is one of the best Indian buffet place I have ever been to in Ontario. I enjoy eating Indian food, but for the most part, lunch buffets have been average. Coconut Lagoon blows my expectations out of the water. I went there with several coworkers for a lunch outing. I am not an... more

Excellente nourriture, prix raisonnable. Belle ambiance. Recommandé

Excellent Indian Food with Wonderful Service

After some navigational failure on behalf of my girlfriend (!) we finally found this lovely little place, just off the beaten path. It was such a pleasant surprise to find excellent Indian food cooked authentically. Travelling predominantly around Europe, good Indian food is tough to find but this place combined rich, diverse flavours, a long and varied menu with brilliant... more

What a pleasant surprise

My son and I went to this restaurant two weeks ago at lunch time. The place was busy and fairly full. In fact, we had to park the car on the road and had to walk about 3 to 5 minutes to get to the restaurant. Once inside, we really enjoyed the food. There was a choice of 2 soups,... more

Joe, you are awesome

I remember when Joe first opened the place, just over 10 years ago....I was one of his first customers....taking a beaten down old pub and turning it into an authentic Kerala Cuisine restaurant....now, that was a vision that no one could have made reality, except Joe !
Today, when one visits the restaurant and tries out the parathas, vegetable stew... more

Definitely worth the while

I had Naddan Khozi Curry and it was by far the best Indian meal I've eaten in Ottawa! Don't miss out!

It is pretty good but not spectacular

My review is actually two reviews in one.
I was at coconut lagoon for lunch buffet once, approximately 8 months ago. The lunch buffet is better that the average Indian fare. Good selection of dishes and better than average sauce to meat ratio.
Also I was here for a Sunday dinner. The service is spectacular, at times maybe even too... more

Awesome South Indian with a few added favs

We'd been hearing about Coconut Lagoon from friends so we decided to try it out! It was well worth the effort! We started with Vadas which were nicely done but nothing special. This was more than redeemed by the mains – a fish thali and a masala dosa. The thali was excellent; the fish was awesome, the sambar, chutneys and... more

So far Best Dosa in Ottawa

Me and my Husband went to kerala in 2005 and since then we love South indian food and the owner is from kerala.This is the best masala dosa in ottawa. The place is clean , good decorations and very friendly service.

Cheap and cheerful buffet lunch

Went on a Friday lunch. The restaurant was packed, a good sign that the food is going to be good. I asked for an a la carte menu, and was promptly dissuaded by the server who clearly didn't wish me to have this option. The buffet at $14 is extremely good value, with a great variety of dishes to choose... more

Good for a small group

We were a group of 15 and used the back room. The setting is nice and quiet enough we can hear each other talk.
Food was good... ordered from the menu. Everyone in the group enjoyed it.
Not much parking... thankfully parking is available on the streets (more challenging however in the winter).

Probably the best South Indian cuisine I've had (including the food I had in South India). I will admit that the price is a little high but it's well worth it. Also being Celiac I haven't had any issues with the food. Everything is amazing. The service could be slow sometimes but it's always worth the wait.

some what good

butter chicken is excellent , but there are no much of variety of food only few options to choose from in the buffet , also it is expensive with a comparison with others , the buffet never get changed 3 items butter chicken , meat dish , and seafood , if you want other types of chicken or beef you... more

Coconut Lagoon - Really Disappointing

A few years ago, we celebrated at this restaurant and found the food very disappointing. Recently, we noticed good reviews, therefore decided to return. When we reached home we had to take digestive pills immediately. Overall, we do not understand why there are so many good reviews.

Excellent South Indian Meal

We had the Coconut Lagoon's Signature Thali which offered an assortment of 7 side dishes and it was served with Basmati Rice. It was just as good as what we had when we were in India. Would highly recommend this restaurant and will return.

Great dinner, great recommendations from the waiter

I picked up my partner after work and we just didn't feel like going home and possibly having left overs or take the lazy route and fry up some eggs. We were on St. Laurent Blvd anyway so we took the longer way home but didn't get far as we came up to Coconut Lagoon and we pulled up.
It... more

A curry with the British stamp of approval

My British partner and I have been looking for a proper curry in Ottawa for awhile, and this is the first time we've left an Indian Restaurant with satisfaction! We felt taken care of, the staff very thoughtfully answered all of our questions, and the food really was excellent. I went to South India a few years back and it... more

Excellent South Indian Food

The whole meal was delicious and the service top notch. For starters we shared the Aloo Tikki appetizer (potato patties with paneer and coriander with chili lime aioli). It was just one patty each, but we knew we’d go onto a filling meal. For our main course we chose the same thing, which was the Coconut Lagoon's signature Thali. This... more

Gaga over Coconut Lagoon

Coconut Lagoon is one of the best Indian restaurants that you can find in US/Canada. Normally the flavour of Indian dishes in these Americanized restaurants is compromised. If you want to try real,authentic South Indian food,a visit to this restaurant is a must. I and my husband were totally taken aback by the wonderful flavours of each dish in our... more

best indian restaurant in town

This is the best indian food I ever had so far. The service is very fast. The restaurant doesn't look luxurious but the fooood will make you forget you are eating somewere in Canada. The chef is a famos one and you will understand easilly why after the first bite. Parathas ... never had such amazing parathas in my life... more

Very tasty Indian cuisine

Was celebrating my birthday and decided to try this restaurant since it got pretty good reviews on various websites.
It was easy to find,but not so easy to park since they have limited spaces.
We were quickly greeted and sat down. at a table for two.. The restaurant is small but very clean and not too ornate..as some can be..and... more

Unassuming place with great food

This is the best Indian food in Ottawa, in my opinion. The food is South Indian, with lots of coconut dishes, few spicy curries. They also serve excellent Butter Chicken, even though it is not from South India. The breads are fresh and wonderful, and the service is efficient. I recommend this restaurant for its food, without hesitation, but do... more

Good Service, Fairly Good Food

I'll temper this review based on the fact that we're very particular about our Indian food so the criticism is very much about the food and the pairings and the quality we would expect for "GREAT" Indian food. It may very well be that most Indian restaurants serve lacklustre food. I wish there was a simply "Good" option instead of... more

fantastic food

We love going to this place every time we have a craving for Indian Place. A dish to die for is Shrimp Moilee. It is fantastic and the coconut sauce is super tasty. Have it with rice or paratha or both, and you will be in another world. We also had lamb vindaloo and butter chicken - they were good... more

Really really good

I had the lunch buffet. The food was very good and everything was fresh. It was interesting how they served paratha at the buffet instead of nan. Also, the paratha was included as part of the buffet unlike East India Company.
Service was ok. They use cloth tablecloth, and instead of putting a fresh one after they clean the table,... more

great lunch buffet

I have tried both the lunch buffet and the dinner menu. They are both excellent. The lunch buffet is one of the best indian buffets in Ottawa (if not The best). It is more expensive than your typical 10.99 lunch buffets, but it is worth it. The food is just fantastic. The service is ok, but they are really busy... more

Best South Indian in Ottawa

The food here is amazing, you will not be disappointed. Servers are also very attentive. Parking is limited at side of building, in saying this, side street parking is available. Great buffet at lunch with many options available for vegetarians. Private dining area available for special occasions.

Stellar Indian Food

This is a regular restaurant for my wife and I, and one of the top Indian restaurants in the city. The service from Joe and his team is always superb, and the food never disappoints. Cooked to your level of spicy (mild, medium or hot) and with a broad selection of dishes. Probably the only negative is lack of vegetables... more

Everything was delicious

We came to Coconut Lagoon on a Wednesday night as a group of 6. They were able to seat us immediately. We ordered quite a few plates and took recommendations from the waiter.
We are big fans of indian food and we have to admit this is some of the best that we have had. Rarely do you eat a... more

A wonderful meal

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal here, we had two appetizers and four entrees to share between the four of us. The amount of food was more than enough to fill all of us up! Each dish was quite tasty and spicy, though not inordinately so. We also shared two creamy desserts with just a hint of sweetness. The chai tea... more

Excellant Indian food

Hey what a great spot beware you need reservations busy all the time .
Luved the food and I dont even like Indian food.
OHHHHH the Naan bread to die for !!!

Only South Indian choice in Ottawa

This restaurant is small in size but they have very interesting menu. If you are looking for South Indian dishes- this is the place to go. Food is good but as authentic as in India. Service is also good but they need to train their serving staff of “ nuances of swerving for fine dining”.We tried Uthapam, dahi vada and... more

Good Food But Very COSTLY

On a recent vacation to Ottawa, we came across this restaurant and decided to try it out.
Pros:
1. Food is good. Tasted authentic South Indian.
Cons:
1. Waiter was not friendly
2. Very costly. One plain dosa wa $10.99. Probably the costliest dosa ever for me.
3. Parking was challenge (Many seemed to have street parked).

Good food - Service - not so much

The food is good and we enjoyed it. However, out waiter was not very friendly and the food took a long time to get to us. Our waiter didn't come by to check how things were and we had to ask 3 times for our bill. The restaurant was certainly not at full capacity - so I sure would not... more

Disappointed

We have tried this restaurant twice and have been disappointed both times with the selection and flavor of the lunch buffet. I think it is just we are not fans of southern indian cooking.

Since moving to Ottawa a couple of years ago, we hadn't had a really great Indian meal - until we went to Coconut Lagoon a few weekends ago.

Coconut Lagoon serves South Indian food, so while they do serve butter chicken it wasn't originally on the menu (it is a Northern Indian dish). If butter chicken is normally your go-to dish, do yourself a favour and branch out - the heavily coconut... more

A good find

Great food, nice to have another good choice for Indian food.
Quite pleased with all aspects of the visit.

Authentic

Delicious food - I try to visit this restaurant as often as possible, as I love the food. So authentic, so delicious. The food "sings" in your mouth - full of flavour and subtle spices. Just typing this is making my mouth water! :)
It's a rather casual atmosphere (decor), and we often go for the lunch buffet (around $15... more

Great Indian food that is not downtown

Went for the lunch buffet. Everything was good. Not a big buffet but when everything is so tasty you don't need so much. Not overpriced, very good quality.

Great Indian food

The "thali" dish is not to be missed - it allows you to sample seven things on the menu, with tiny portions of each so you don't get tired of anything.
The dishes run from sweet to mildly spicy, and all are pleasant. I especially appreciated the chicken option, though a bit pricier than the rest of the menu, at... more

Quick service - Food Pretty Good

I have been here on three separate occasions, all three times for the lunch buffet. They do have different dishes than the norm. Today the tandoori was too hot (spice wise) for my liking, but their rice was good and so was the mango tapioca pudding. Their naan is different, not the typical naan, but it is a nice change.... more

My favourite Indian restaurant

Delicious Indian food! I almost always order the same thing, the vegetarian Thali, which allows you to sample many dishes. The price is very reasonable, and the servings are extremely generous. The thali can probably be shared with two people, especially if ordered with an appetizer.

Great indian food

We thoroughly enjoyed eating at coconut lagoon and have been back since our first visit.
Authentic South Indian food, lots of menu options, including vegetarian options.
No complaints, everything we've had has been great!

Really good South Indian food. This place is awesome

Really good South Indian food. This place is awesome