Darbar Fine Indian Cuisine

The customer service by Manek. I was so happy and the food was awesome.

Pros: Best food and SERVICE

Cons: None

Posted 11/16/09

Had my parents Wedding Anniversary. We were a party of 55 people.The food, the service was really great.Hat's off to them,they did a great job.

Pros: Great Service & Great Food

Cons: Plain Decor

Posted 11/08/09

Went there for Lunch Buffet: food was pretty average and uninspired.

Pros: Cheap Lunch

Cons: Nothing special

Posted 08/26/09

Have tried many Indian restaurants but none came close to Darbar's food and service. Reshmi Kebab and Tandoori Lamb Chops were to die for. Service was very prompt simply impeccable. Always ask to be seated upstairs as the ambiance is amazing!!

Pros: Nice, comfortable chairs

Cons: Not handicap accesible

Posted 01/09/09

I have tried many Indian restaurant in NY city and have been disappointed either with the food, the service or the ambiance. Last two weeks I have been to Darbar 3 times and every single time the food and service has consistently great, No one can touch their Reshmi Kebab, Tandoori Lamb chops and beet-root Malai Kofta. However I did not care much of there rice pudding. I would defiantly keep going back......

Posted 12/15/08

First I tried Darbar for lunch - their buffet is awesome, especially the tandoori chicken and the fresh naan -yummy! Came back there for dinner, when we entered the place looked totally empty (unlike lunch time crowd), but then we were seated upstairs, where the atmosphere with its candles and music was nice, cosy. Service was friendly and attentive, following the advice of our waiter we chose to split tandoori mix grill and chicken la jawab - and never regret about our choice, the lamb and chicken kebabs were wonderful, chicken entree was just what we were looking for - perfect combination of spices and rich flavor. I would strongly recommend Darbar to anybody.

Posted 11/11/08

Just came back for Darbar, it was recommended by co-worker as "real" Indian food. I can' say it was worth the trip to Midtwon. The place looks worn down, smells bad on the entrance, not attractive at all. Food was ok...but nothing I was really craving from that cusine. Desserts: pretty bad. My rice pudding was more like a sweet milk with nothing in it and the rest was not good either (we tried few "local" desserts) Service was decent. Overall, I would not recommend it for dinner out. Lunch would probably be ok.

Pros: food - ok

Cons: not clean overall, bathrooms dirty, desserts, ambiance (simply missing)

Posted 11/07/08

this place was recommended to me by my sister and we subsequently had an awesome dinner...the service was prompt, the ambience was nice, and the food was gloriously mouth-watering...we started with vegetable samosas (which is a staple in almost every indian restaurant) and then we decided to mix it up and also order potato croquettes stuffed with goat cheese...it was great! i couldn't believe how good it was! afterwards, we ordered lamb vindaloo and chicken tikka masala and trust me, they will not disappoint...all in all, i think i may have found my new indian spot! i highly recommend it...!

Pros: everything!

Cons: i can't seem to think of any...

Posted 09/03/08

My girlfriend discovered this place by mistake and it turned out to be a pleasant one we ordered starter (reshmi kebab) & it litterally melted in our mouth our 2 entree & bread was excellent as well however we did not care much for the rasmalai but gulab jamun was really good will definetly go back

Posted 05/13/08

I totally disagree with reviewer Mr. Brendan Moyer, if you are looking for moms curry and chai, then I guess your home is the best place for you to dine. I too fell for the ratings of Darbar and now I've fallen for the food. Its truly the closests you could get to home cooked indian food. Iam a regular at their lunch buffets and can't beat the value for money aspect in Midtown, the friendly staff add to the family style atmosphere. Great job Darbar, keep it up, we are your loyal food fans!!..
P.S. Don't miss their Lamb Chops & yellow lentils.!!.. yummm

Pros: everything

Cons: nothing

Posted 05/13/08

I strongly feel that the two ratings of 10 that this resturant has are rigged ! I fell for the ratings and wasted my dough there. Not only was the chicken curry stale it also had the wrong spices. I grew up in a family of excellent authentic Indian cooks and I know my masalas (spices), but the cooks at this resturant dont. Also, this resturant doesn't offer any Indian chai which is the mark of hospitality for and good Indian resturant.

Posted 05/12/08

We had dinner at Darbar on a quiet Sunday evening. We're in New York for a week each January, and we like to mix up our dinners and Sunday was decreed Indian Night. The interior atmosphere was one of calm and tranquility, softly lit and overall very relaxing. We were seated upstairs near the front, so we had a nice quiet table. To start, I ordered the green salad and my beau ordered the Mulligatawny soup. My salad was wonderfully simple, almost deconstructed. All parts were arranged precisely on the plate, and it made for a wonderful presentation. I dipped into the dressing (an amalgam of a light-yellow and a dark-orange sauce, one poured inside of the other) and found it to be delicious - tart, yet smooth and a perfect foil for the veggies on my plate. My beau's Mulligatawny soup was delicious, yet puzzling. It did not taste like any other Mulligatawny soup we've tested - it truly tasted like a Thai coconut curry soup, and had a velvety consistency. Next came the chicken Tikka Masala. It was good, but pretty average as far at that dish goes. A plus, the chicken was all white-meat, which is a personal preference of mine.
The crowning glory was a dish of Kulfi for dessert. It has a wonderful dense consistency and finished the meal perfectly. Definitely give this place a try!

Posted 01/31/08

This place has big portions for take out, good menu, fast service, good price.

Posted 01/13/08

I ordered take out last night. We had Lamb Vindaloo, Palak Paneer, Mushroom and Peas Pilaf and Naan. The Vindaloo was fantastic, not to spicy, but the heat stuck with you and lingered in your mouth. Even when washing the dishes, smelling the Vindaloo made my nostrils flare and my mouth water. I mixed the Paneer with the Pilaf and was definitely satisfied. The prices are decent for Indian. It's not cheap, but unless it's a buffet, there's no good, cheap Indian around here. Meat dishes are $14, Veggie $10. I would like to go back and eat in the restaurant. I recommend Darbar.

Pros: $10 Vegetarian Dishes, Everything Well Spiced

Cons: I wish there was more meat in the meat dishes

Posted 12/24/07

Best damn indian food ever!!!!....
Iam pretty choosy with my Indian cuisine, do not experiment, but after reading many good reviews about this joint I decided to try it out.... and boy iam sooo happy!!.. they had the best damn lamb chops ever!!.. also the friendly service and pleasant ambience made the night even better. !!.. We were a group of eight, so tried a variety of dishes and it was simply DIVINE!!.. trust me guys... if you feel like some good Indian food .. this is the place to be!!... Great Job DARBAR!!...

Pros: EVERYTHING

Cons: NOTHING

Posted 12/07/07

I have been to Darbar, it was a good experience, the service was very good and the place itself is nice. the food is just okay not somewhere i would go to impress someone. price wise its good

Pros: service

Posted 07/11/07

Four of us went to Darbar for the first time a few nights ago to celebrate a friend's retirement, and everything I read in the reviews was true. The service was excellent and unobtrusive. The waiters were friendly and helpful with our menu choices, even making suggestions when asked. Every dish we ordered was delicious. After eating all the wonderful food, we were too full for dessert. Imagine our surprise and my friend's delight when the waiters surprised us with a complimentary assortment of ice-creams with a candle on it! They had asked what the occasion was when they saw us writing our messages in a greeting card, and they provided that special addition at the end of the meal. It was a nice touch to a good evening with friends. We will definitely return.

Posted 05/24/07

I cannot speak to the service as I ordered takeout. I ordered the goat, and though it was absolutely excellent. I will definitely visit the restaurant for dinner. The flavors were just perfect, and not too spicy for a westerner.

Posted 03/11/07

Had one of the best dinner experiences for an Indian restaurant in the US. The service, the drinks (highly recommend MumTaj) and the food was excellent. Went back after a couple of days to try the lunch buffet and it was very ordinary. The food in the buffet was not that fresh. I still highly recommend the place for Dinner and will definitely go back .

Pros: Excellent food, cocktails and service during dinner

Cons: They charge ( $4- 5) for each accompaniment like Papad, Pickle etc so watch out for that

Posted 01/16/07

Don?t get wrong impression with the small entrance guyzz.. Once u enter the restaurant u can feel the authenticity of INDIA.. The beautiful brick walls decorated with amazing artwork are enough to capture ur attention but guess what you get trapped in the aroma of delicious Indian food. I mean at the end of a tiring day the one thing that I want is good food and when I got the BEST food in darbar with such a lovely decor and genuine people serving the food for me I felt I was being served in my own house. I love the tandoori chicken and that gulab jamun cooked in ghee is so tempting that I just can?t wait to go there again.

Food is so affordable that I must confess I have found an exact match for my search of a restaurant that I can recommend my family members and where I can throw all those special parties with a confidence that the party will be a huge success.

PLZ PLZ PLZ don?t forget to have their gulab jamun, chicken tikka masala and crab kulcha :-)

Pros: Mouth watering food, homely feeling, Beautiful decor

Posted 11/16/06

I think this restaurant does deserve high praise. I was really hungry and i know all the Indian restaurants are closed by evening but to my surprise I found this restaurant open and with full service. I ate the buffet and I took their lassi (salted), which was very good.
If you need to go to some place at odd times in a day and to eat good Indian food then darbar is the place to go. I loved it and will definitely go there again.

Remember to ask the staff there to get yourself seated upstairs. That?s a total different experience in itself.

Pros: Lamb Chops, Good place, excellent service, yummy food

Posted 11/16/06

Enjoyed the buffet, tried it for the first time.. was a little crowded, guess it would be ..since the taste beats the price for a manhatttan haunt!!.. did'nt mind waiting a little bit, coz the wait was worth it!.. great spread of excellent Indian food.. fast service... got fresh soft nans off the tandoor before my fingers could dry!!.. which generally happens in most indian restaurants!.. the meats were tender and juicy, cooked with the right amount of spice!!.. closest to anything i would find in India!!.. I will surely give this two thumbs up and five stars!!...

Pros: Everything

Cons: could'nt find any

Posted 11/16/06

FOOD: Extraordinary....fresh, and actually taste like REAL Asia Indian food!! The tandoori is skewed to perfection....tender and juicy. The mango lassi is so yummy, I have to have it everytime I am there.

ATMOSTPHERE: It is really suitable for both big or small groups. They have big round tables that can fit 6-10 people....everyone won't have to shout from one end to the other just talk!!

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Well, it's kinda busy, so don't expect first class attention from the servers....it's not French Cuisine.....it's buffet!!

If you like spicy, authentic asian food....you HAVE TO try DARBAR!! You'll not regret it!!

HIGHLY....VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!! YUmmmmmmmmmmY!!

Pros: Spice, Food, Good for big groups, Mango Lassi, Affordable

Cons: Need more servers

Posted 11/11/06

Had dinner here last night. the food was really great, but really no atmosphere at all to speak of. Go here for a good meal if you're not all about the "feel" of the place.

Posted 11/07/06

If you want value for your money with authenticty grab the buffet at this place. After trying it, I had to go there again, this time with my friends for dinner. Great ambience, classy decor... innovative cocktails and a good wine list. The Lamb chops for appetizer were to die for, the kababs are by far the best I've ever had, juicy and well marinated really prepared to perfection, unlike the dry and not very well seasoned tandoor items you get in most Indian restaurants. Enjoyed the main course with courteous service they offered. Iam a bread lover, relished their assorted breads with chicken tikka masala and their chef recommended chicken malai ... hmm yumm ....my mouth waters as Iam writing about it!!.. All I'd like to say is great job these guys do in that place with food and the works. So, I had to share my pleasant experience, thankfully I found this hide in city search...! Try it guys, you won't regret it!!.. Bon Appetit. ... foodies!

Pros: Thumbs up

Posted 10/31/06

i went to darbar about 3 months ago not bad i would say the food was just ok and service was alright. But not somewhere i would go back

Posted 10/18/06

This is a great restaurant with a very interesting menu and a very friendly staff. I look forward to going back soon!

Pros: Value, Ambience, Service

Posted 06/27/06

I really loved this restaurant. The staff were friendly and approachable, and offered polite advice on the menu. The decor was modern and understated, with a low-light, lounge atmosphere suitable for intimate or casual dining. The food was inexpensive, and exceptionally good, with strong flavours. The dishes we had used citrus fruits for flavouring which meant they tasted quite different from those we have had at other Indian restaurants. The food was very mild in spice, although apparently they can make it hotter, as you please.

Pros: Price, taste

Posted 06/11/06

I have never physically been to this restaurant, but I always order their boxed lunches to be delivered. These box lunches are fantastic. They come with a meat curry, a vegetable curry, rice with Daal, and Naan. The portion is fairly large and I usually barely finish it (I believe they have a few options that you can choose from with the box lunches). I must say that I love their chicken Tikka Masala. Many places do not marinate the chicken enough before cooking, which makes the meat dry, but Darbar's chicken tikka masala is marinated very well, resulting in the meat being very tender and juicy. It is my favorite Indian place to order lunch from.

Posted 06/07/06

The lunch buffet is amazing. The staff is nice and the atmosphere is pleasant. Def. check out this place on the east side.

Pros: inexpensive

Posted 03/29/06

We stopped in for the buffet one Saturday and though the food was quite good, the selections were rather limited. I frequent the Indian restaurants in Jackson Heights, and am accustomed to a choice of at least 10-15 entrees, naan, samosas and other little extras, plus chaat. Here, there were only about 5 entree choices (all of them standard - goat curry, chicken mahkani, saag paneer, dal) plus naan. The food was good but for the price, I expected better. I'll stick with Jackson Heights in the future!

Pros: Food

Cons: Price, Limited options

Posted 03/29/06

I was there at this restaurant on several occasions with different groups. Never has it failed to impress me. Great food, excellent service, beautiful ambiance and properly priced is how I describe it. The outer looks dont tell a lot about this restaurant but once you are in you will really like the place. I highly recommend it for family outing, friends and even to share a dinner with your business clientele.

Posted 03/28/06

This was perhaps the best Indian food I have ever had. The dishes had distinctive, distinguishing tastes, and weren't simply the same old takes on these dishes. The owner and staff are very accessible.

Posted 10/30/05

between the lovely service, delicious dishes (you MUST try the beetroot-- trust me!) and the relaxng atmosphere, i begin craving darbar the minute i finish my meal there! each time it gets better, and the owners make you feel incredibly welcome. probably the tastiest indian food i have ever had!

Posted 09/15/05

I went at about six on a friday night and it was empty except for Happy Hour going on downstairs. The service was great-the waiters brought the food quickly and politely. The food itself was amazing, rich sauces and tender meats. I could've eaten the whole resturaunt if I had the chance. Everything was excepional at this resturaunt!

Pros: great food, polite waiters, fast service

Cons: loud downstairs, few people dining

Posted 07/24/05

i have been there about six times & every single time it got better, every single dish i have eaten there has reminded me of back home specially of reshmi kabab, cihcken tikka masala , goatcurry, garlic shrimp bhuna , goa fish curry have been simply outstanding service has been consistently very attenttivethe ambience is simple yet very trendyit was a pleasant
surprice to see couple of bollywood & hollywood stars dining in at couple of my visit always insist on seating on upper level diningroom

Posted 04/13/05

This place, although tucked away on a funny block of 46th street, is probably the best Indian food I've had in my life. I've been there at least 10 times now, and am always impressed. Everything is incredibly fresh, the staff is friendly and helpful, and the smell of the food alone is enough to get you hooked. I've done the buffet once, and it was awesome (and incredibly cheap) - probably the freshest Indian buffet I've ever had. All in all, knowing this place makes me feel like I'm on to something. I've been dissapointed by almost every other Indian restaurant I've been to since trying Darbar.

Posted 03/08/05

I highly recommend Darbar. For New Years, they worked with me to prepare a special evening for my someone special. They even lent me their fancy dishes, cloth napkins and silverware and offered to bring it over to my apartment for me. On the day of the event, the food was late and I got worried but the manager ended up coming to my apartment to explain and apologize. The brunch deal here is incredible and the staff is wonderful. Sit upstairs on the balcony for the best view.

Pros: brunch deal, food, friendly staff

Cons: (rarely) disorganized

Posted 02/28/05

This is by far one of the best deals in Midtown. Their $9.95 Lunch Buffet is full of variety and flavor. The setting is modern but casual and the servers were eager to help. Be sure to get there early, though, or there can be a wait.

Posted 01/22/05