Insider Pages Reviews for Dawat

4 Stars: one of the best (by AshishM84)

AshishM84 — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

In NYC there are many many Indian places.... Dawat is on my top 5.

I live very close to Dawat and even though it has Chola and Yuva on the same block.. Dawat stands out by itself. The food is amazing and the service is great. My GF and i always switch up between Dawat and Bukhara Grill on 49th as she lives by it. Dawat is deff worth the money

4 Stars: Good Food (by Ravi S.)

Ravi S. — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:05:00 GMT

Dawat is known for its good food as is reflected by its City Search Best Indian Cuisine in NYC Awards for 2004. Indian restaurants are very common in New York City but Dawat is sure to provide a tasty Indian meal.

5 Stars: delicious indian food (by siroliveoil)

siroliveoil — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Everything about this place was great.... the location near to the 4/5/6 train line, as well as N/R/W.
I shared a few indian dishes with my friend... we tried a few rice curries, coconut pakori, chicken tikka massala...
all in all great food and service!

3 Stars: Bad Service!! (by member005)

member005 — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 01:00:00 GMT

I went here for restauarnt week 2008. I didn't even order from the prix fix menu, BUT my order was the same size as the prix fixed menu's. I know bc my friends order the same dish as me, but i ordered the entree, but all came in a small bowl. I was VERY disappointed. The food was pricey, i had one entree my friends had the prix fixed, each of us paid $45 each. It was crazy!! I didn't even have dessert. By the way, we ate at this restaurant for almost 3 hours. The service was terrible, it took forever to get the dessert & the check. If you have a lot of time and like small portions, this place is great for you. By the way, the food wasn't bad.

4 Stars: Amazing atmosphere and customer service, food and price are average. (by wisebrain)

wisebrain — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:00:00 GMT

I went here for restaurant week, the portions were really small and pretty average to me, though the atmosphere and service is what you pay for. I would recommend for a romantic dinner.

3 Stars: RUDE RUDE RUDE (by bc929)

bc929 — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 02:00:00 GMT

I went here on a date the other night and the staff was nothing but rude to me! They were outwardly friendly to my date, but were extremely rude to me! They took to ignoring me, asking how HIS food was but not mine, snatching the menu from my hands, and giving me absolutely distasteful stares! It ruined the whole experience!
The food, however, was great, and it would be the ONLY reason why I would reccommend this restaurant.
They do, however, need to update their decor. It is severely lacking, and there is little to no ambience.

4 Stars: good experience (by abhiy1)

abhiy1 — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 02:00:00 GMT

I went to Dawat with a bunch of my friends for my friends birthday. It was very busy good thing we made a reservation. the sevice and food were both good. 4/5 the place was a bit tight but. other then that its the best out of the other 3 indian on 58th street.

5 Stars: Best chat in NYC, service with a smile (by 10016)

10016 — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 02:00:00 GMT

My experience here at Dawat was exceptional. Try their chat its awesome. Their lamb off the bone is good and its well done. I specially like their species and chef is great. Vinny the manager is a seasonaed professional ask for him, he took care of me.

4 Stars: Gourmet Indian (by charlesmstam)

charlesmstam — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Dawat is the best tradtional Indian restaurant in the city. The food here is not creative or interesting, but it tastes very good. The service is attentive and professional. I always order the tasting menu, so it takes a long time to be served, but I always come away pleased. The only downside is the decor. The room is essentially all white, with Indian masks on the walls. The masks are illuminated by the lighting. It is like eating dinner in an upscale Indian art gallery, which does not reflect the luxury of eating at such a fine (and pricy) restaurant.

5 Stars: Best Indian food (by dotsdude92)

dotsdude92 — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Last week, I had the best Indian food I have ever had. Excellent service, outstanding food, worth every penny. Far better than any Indian restaurant that I have ever dined at. Highly recommended.

5 Stars: Delicious indian (by mimic47)

mimic47 — Mon, 21 May 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Wow, this place was great. Hubby and I were craving indian food, and we were STARVING. Loved the coconut shrimp (konju pappas) and the chicken/spinache dish (dhaniwal korma). Make sure to get rice and bread, since it doesn't come with the meal. We also enjoyed the dahi allo poori as an appetizer wich we thought should be called"indian nachos". We will definitely be back even though it is a bit higher priced than other indian joints. The front of the resteraunt is a bit lacking in ambiance...quite plain, but who cares when the food is that good?!

2 Stars: Average (by eatinny)

eatinny — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 01:00:00 GMT

The restaurant looks great, but I didn't find the food to be worth the price. Nothing tasted bad, in particular, but I can honestly say I've had far better Indian in the city for much less. There was nothing here that fit the concept of "Haute Indian Cuisine" (whatever that's supposed to be). It was Curry in a Hurry on fine china with nice tablecloths. The best dishes we had were Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Tikka Naan (appetizer), which can be done well just about anywhere. Otherwise, a fairly dissappointing experience.

5 Stars: We had a great time (by bwapainshofa)

bwapainshofa — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Last saturday, we went to Dowat for Dinner. The place was busy and bustling with activity . After a short wait, I was escorted to our table by the hostess, who was pleasant, courteous and polite. The waiter who attended on our table was friendly and knowledgeable he recommended to us seafood, chicken and lamb dishes which was well liked by all of us at the table. The food was great and the staff was attendtive and friendly . We had a great time.

5 Stars: Loved this place (by billy622)

billy622 — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Our office crowd wanted to try our ethnic food and we decided on indian cuisine. A colleague suggested Dawat as the very best and that's how we landed at Dawat. We were happy with our choice ... Right from the time we were welcomed by the hostess. To the time we were seen off after dinner ... at every step we had a good experience Though the decor is a bit plain but the food is amazing and the service is gracious. It is definetely amongst the best indian reasturant in New York.

3 Stars: Discriminating Hostess (by mclapham)

mclapham — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Reservations mean nothing at this delectable Indian restaurant.
We made our reservations a week in advance. However, although the restaurant is wonderful at taking reservations, not so great about HOLDING them.

It was a zoo on Saturday night, with dozens of people (all with reservations!) waiting. It looks like they overbook considerably. People arriving after us - admitting to the hostess that they are half-an-hour late - giving her hugs - got seated prior to people who had arrived in time! And no apology or explanation.

They keep telling you - it'll be a FEW more minutes - and you're next. A few minutes turned to 45 minutes. And only after we lost our cool, did they finally seat us.

I can understand that restaurants can be busy. But they should not be overbooking, and should also have the decency on telling you how long the wait will be. Also, they should not be discriminating on who they choose to seat first - people arriving first for their reservations should be seated first.

The only reason I give this restaurant an avg rating is that the food was good. But our mood was spoiled due to the lack of professionalism shown.

If you really want to go - avoid Fri, Sat nights.

4 Stars: Fantastic meal, great atmosphere and good service (by mweitzman)

mweitzman — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 01:00:00 GMT

I ate here on a Saturday night and found the meal to be quite enjoyable. To me, its always a great sign when I walk into an Indian restaurant and there are Indians enjoying meals at other tables, so this was the first clue that this place was the real deal. The service was great, very attentive staff and we lingered for an hour after finishing our meal and they didn't try to rush us at all. The food was also excellent. Lately, my girlfriend and I have been eating more vegetarian food, and this place had many vegetarian options. The baked eggplant was delicious! I would recommend this place to anyone looking for some high end Indian, with a bit of a twist on the traditional fare.

2 Stars: Resting on old laurals? (by kirshm)

kirshm — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 02:00:00 GMT

There was a time Dawat had a big name, looks like now, just a past glory, we were very dissappointed and they charge you an arm and a leg, & the mediocre food, service is slow, besides the food isnt real indian desi food that they claim to be, its more like fusion.
Na..not going again. We even noticed the disparity in the quality of service given to indian tables v/s american tables, which is not a fair idea to begin with. Besides, I need authentic desi indian food, with decent service and unbiased attention. sorry guys.

4 Stars: Better than others (by 145kim)

145kim — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 02:00:00 GMT

A person here left this review which i definately agree with. I dont know y i decided to go here, one reason i think was City search another was just me being dumb. Iv tried all the restaurants on this street including Chola and Ada. With tough competetion... 4 indian restaurants on the same street i expected them to have good food or service or quality of presentation; i mean at least something. None of these restaurants would qualify for being there. I believe they should get a new Management, chef or something. There is something just lacing here. Dawat however had good service may be because it was empty and food was good too. The dessert there was delicious. Dawat is a one time place.. Every one should go there.

1 Stars: Why lie ? (by ahmed_javed)

ahmed_javed — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 02:00:00 GMT

My question to all the reviewrs is that why do you guys lie. If these reviews here were true then i wouldnt be whining about it. Dawat was most definately a mistake. There are far better choices on the same street. The Food was bad and cold, when asked to replace it i was told that the kitchen is closed. The service was slow and u all say its good? Never going back. Yuva is beeter.

4 Stars: Dawut: Done right. (by dinardnj)

dinardnj — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 02:00:00 GMT

After having no luck trying to find a whole other place entirely, a friend and I inadvertently ended up at Dawat (pronounced da' vut), a fancypants Indian restaurant on East 58th Street, where we were pleasantly surprised by the yummy eats and incredibly attentive service, not to mention finding out that this eaterie was the brainchild of Madhur Jaffrey, the film and television actor who, in Britain, is also known for her role as an acclaimed chef and hostess of her own cooking show.

We started with Dahi Aloo Poori, a mixture of potatoes and chickpeas housed inside savory, crispy "cups" atop a clean, yet flavorful tamarind and yogurt sauce and Baghari Jhinga (shrimp bathing in a mild garlic, mustard seed, and curry sauce). For my main course, I stuck with the tried-and-true Chicken Tikka Masalawhich did not disappointwhile my friend ordered baked eggplant in a sweet and sour tamarind sauce. Finally, for dessert, I ordered Special Kheer, an extremely watery Indian rice pudding which I found to be quite bland despite the fact it was supposed to be garnished with cardamom and pistachios, so I was thankful that my gal pal offered to share her fabulously sweet eggless ice cream dish with me.

Dawat also offers a tasting menu priced between $45 - $75, depending on the course amount, and, while the prices of the entrees off the regular menu are in the moderate range of $17 - $27 a plate, it just might be worth giving the tasting menu a try next time.

3 Stars: another example of mediocre upscale indian (by trainsaw)

trainsaw — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

There's just nothing all that great about this place. The spices are bland, the service is mediocre and tries to shoo you out the door... get much better Indian at, say, Jewel of India, or most likely at some downscale places in Jackson Heights (though I haven't tried them)

5 Stars: Best Authentic Indian Restuarante in NYC Hands Down (by asehiten)

asehiten — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Everything was absolutely amazing from the atmosphere, to the service and of course the food. You will not find a place like this any where else in the city.

5 Stars: best place ever (by smrutixo)

smrutixo — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Oh.. the best indian restaurant ever! where to begin? The food was super and the service was great. Busy place but worth it. We liked it so much that we returned the same night! (actually, my mom kinda left a gift there and we had to go back to retrieve it LOL). Definitely the best place to take your family to.

5 Stars: Fantastic Tandoori Specialties (by nyindiv1983)

nyindiv1983 — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

An avid fan of the traditional Indian clay oven, the tandoor, and the many specialties that come from it I decided to visit Dawat on Friday night a few weeks back. I called early and made sure that they had seating, and was greeted by a pleasant individual who noted that seating would be available. After I arrived I made sure to try the Boti Kebab Masala and the Lamb Chops, which were absolutely succulent. The waiters were prompt and courteous and I truly enjoyed my meal, will return!

5 Stars: Overall Awesome (by mrmarine223)

mrmarine223 — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

The hospitality and service was phenominal. Food preperation was fantastic. Taste was GREAT. Overall Dawat is one of the best Indian restaurants i've been to.

5 Stars: Indian Food with Character (by donraja)

donraja — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

As a well traveled socialite, I have had my share of Indian cuisine. From NY to San Francisco, I have been to the so-called best fine dining Indian restaurants all over the US. In NY is where things get difficult. With a plethora of places to choose from, selecting a spot with a taste that sticks out is not an easy task. Indian food has the same base anywhere you go, but its the character of the food that leaves an impression. When I say character, Im talking about the texture, the aroma, the presentation, the taste, and the authenticity. Dawat clearly provided Indian cuisine with character that proved to be unique. If you want Indian food with flavor, this is your place.

5 Stars: simply great (by iheartnyc46)

iheartnyc46 — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

great authentic food
great service
great atmosphere

what more can u ask from a restaurant? it will surely become one of your favorites!

5 Stars: Great Food! (by rosh)

rosh — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Great decore, fast and professional service. Good place to bring a date. I will be going back very soon.

5 Stars: i'm an indian food fanatic - this place is the best (by desiqween)

desiqween — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

all i can say is this place was phenominal from start to end. Attentive service - clean and neat atmosphere...decor is simple...food is mouth watering...the best

5 Stars: Indian food at its best (by hyperness51)

hyperness51 — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Dawat is one of the best restaurants ive been too - very prompt service, nice decor, wasnt too noisy, and the food was Great! The waiter was courteous enough to spend time with us to tell us his suggestions because we were unsure of what we wanted to order - and we were definately satisfied! Theyre desserts were amazing!

5 Stars: Great Food + Good Service = Dawat (by nyabhi98)

nyabhi98 — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

ok, now i've been to my share of indian resteraunts in NYC, had all types of indian food at weddings etc etc... the taste and quality of the food here is amazing. its acutally what QUALITY indian food is supposed to be. the staff was very helpful in describing the items (although i knew what they were... its fun to test them once in a while). all in all, they do provide a creative spin on the usual indian food but without really breaking the boundries. was there for my anniversary, and the manager and head waiters came by twice to make sure we were taken care of and that everything was ok. Def worth springing the extra bucks to check it out.

5 Stars: Summer Saturday, Tasty Tandoori (by rhonn412)

rhonn412 — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

On a recent Saturday evenining, I treated my friends to a different type of grilling: I invited them out to dine with me at Dawat. We enjoyed many of the items prepared in the Tandoor--definitely a superior alternative to grilled steaks and burgers. The taste was superb, and the quality of the meat surpassed that of other Indian dining establishments. Afterward, we cooled off with some of the very interesting Indian desserts; the item my waiter recommended me was agreed upon to be the best tasting by the table.
Dawat offers up great summer dining options, and I look forward to return and sample some of their curries.

2 Stars: ???? what happened (by luckydesi101)

luckydesi101 — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 02:00:00 GMT

i went here, after my dad told me like every week "its awsome"
Food was cold as hell
service could have been better
but its deff better then the other three indian restaraunts on 58th street.

2 Stars: there are better (by sweetiepriya4u)

sweetiepriya4u — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 01:00:00 GMT

- i went march 11th for my b-day
- slow service
- food was ok.. very spicy we told them mild
- pricy
- bad birthday = (

5 Stars: Best Indian Food ...I have had till date (by hungrybird)

hungrybird — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 01:00:00 GMT

In course of my work I travel the world over.Recently I had some business associates from India visiting us...decided to have the best indian food in new york. We were recommended Dawat by one of our office colleagues. The place lives up to its reputation as the best Indian Restaurant.The food is great,the service impeccable and the atmosphere warm and friendly. It exceeded my high expectations..which speaks volume about this place...will definitely go more often to this place

3 Stars: horrible time (by jaysc)

jaysc — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 01:00:00 GMT

well first of all my day wasnt going good... so i decided to go to dawat. little did i know going here would make it worse. i went with a group of friends that wanted to make me feel better. we got there and were seated within 10 mins... waiter was stuckup and did not come for 10 mins. he took our drink order and came back 15 mins later and forgot my drink. then the starters were cold and had way to much salt in them. yuck.. after this we dint even bother with starters instead we paid for the rest and left for another restraunt.

5 Stars: Great food, just not authentic Indian... (by vivekjp)

vivekjp — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Dawat has some very good food, unfortunately it's not very authentic indian. It's really more Indian-American fusion, than anything else. The food is very tasty, the atmosphere is quite nice, and service was excellent. Of course, it's quite expensive as well, but on the whole worth it...

5 Stars: Very excellent (by yukyee69)

yukyee69 — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 01:00:00 GMT

The food here is so good. Very flavorful and tasty. The waitstaff is pretty nice and friendly. I would highly recommend the chicken saag and the leechee martini.

This place fills up quickly so make recommendations.

4 Stars: Exceptional food, poor service (by commandoinaction)

commandoinaction — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 02:00:00 GMT

I reserved a table for restraunt week June '05, the lady did not take my name down when I got there. Seated quickly, atmosphere is the hustle/bustle of the people/waiters around. Service is POOR, after each course, we waited 30min-1hr. Otherwise food is great for the taste buds and less on the actual burning sensation of the spice like in other less quality restraunts. I enjoy Indian food and this is the one for a must try. But the restraunt itself is quite small for a romantic setting since the tables are very close to each other, no room for intimate privacy.

4 Stars: Great food, but rice/bread are not included (by nyeats)

nyeats — Sat, 09 Jul 2005 02:00:00 GMT

I went to Dawat with a couple of my friends. We made reservations and were promptly seated. The decor of the restuarant is simple, but classy. The menu is pages long (a plus) and the legend will help navigate you through it depending on your tastes. The food was really good, but my party and I did not know that rice and bread are not included in the meals. We unfortunately discovered that we would have to pay an additional 9 dollars for rice and 13 dollars for bread when the bill came. This may be typical of Indian restuarants, but quite costly given that the dishes themselves are not inexpensive.

4 Stars: Excellent service (by cs_oz)

cs_oz — Sat, 05 Feb 2005 01:00:00 GMT

This place defintely stands out for its service among all the Indian restaurants in NY, NJ area.We tried the "Tasting menu', and the manager offered to select the items to be served after taking inputs from us ( Choice of meat, allergies etc..).

They have parking nearby (Ikon on 2nd Ave between 58 and 57) and validate the parking for the full price. The fish and chicken kebabs are very good. On the expensive side though.

5 Stars: must go (by brianmiller)

brianmiller — Sat, 05 Jun 2004 02:00:00 GMT

I went to dawat along with a couple of friends to celebrate my promotion.The whole experience was great.The staff was courteous and polite. The food was superb.Try the Baghari Jhinga Appetizer and the Lobster main course.It was a sheer delight.On the whole it was a memorable evening for all of us.Thank you Dawat for a job well done

5 Stars: YUM YUM IN MY TUM! (by shirin79)

shirin79 — Wed, 12 May 2004 02:00:00 GMT

The food and service is fantastic. The best indian food I have had since I have been in new york. You have to try the mango martinis-yum!

1 Stars: Do not go there (by nalinirubenstein)

nalinirubenstein — Mon, 26 Apr 2004 02:00:00 GMT

I went there with my husband and it was a terrible experience. The food was mediocre, the service poor, inexperience waiters. The waiter brought the wrong dish to my table and didn't apologize. After I was half way through my dish, then they brought out the rest of the items that came with my meal. They never once came back to the table to ask how we were doing. Don't go here for Indian food, try Tamarind instead.

2 Stars: What a disappointment! (by liutawey)

liutawey — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 01:00:00 GMT

Having read so much about this restaurant as the best Indian in town, i was thoroughly disappointed. The food are mediocre and the service extremely choppy. Tries too hard to be upscale, and falls short and becomes way overvalued at best...

5 Stars: Restaurant Week (by connoisseur54)

connoisseur54 — Mon, 16 Feb 2004 01:00:00 GMT

We went to Dawat two weeks ago. The food was exquisite and the service was very good as well. The shrimp and chicken dish was awesomely delicous. I highly recommend paying a visit to Dawat.

1 Stars: Restaurant Week at Dawat (by a1bc)

a1bc — Thu, 05 Feb 2004 01:00:00 GMT

Dawat was very disappointing. The appetizers were average. The entrees:The chicken in the chicken dish was undercooked. We had asked for the Rogan Josh-goat but we got what we think was either lamb/bad goat. The shrimp in the shrimp curry ($5extra eventhough it was on the Restaurant week menu) were either undercooked/bad shrimp (they tasted fishy). They brought out rice&naan enough for about three people so we ordered extra (there were 6 of us). The carrot dessert was mediocre. The service was poor. The server kept giving the wrong dish to the wrong person with every course & would hastily remove dishes we were not yet done with (which might seem hard to imagine considering that the portions were small and undelectable). If you want upscale Indian food try Ada (which is 'better' and next door) or save yourself the anguish & just go to Tabla--second to none.

3 Stars: Most Expensive Indian Food on Earth (by livinginfrance)

livinginfrance — Sat, 31 Jan 2004 01:00:00 GMT

Dawat is a beautiful restaurant with generally impeccable service (exception in a minute), however the food is no better or worse than your average Indian place, and the prices are astronomical. We went during restaurant week, and even with the special paid $50 per person for vegetarian food! Seriously, you may want to go just to laugh at the prices... $5 for a small bowl of plain Basmati rice with no saffron!!! Also, while we were trying to finish our wine after dinner the manager came up and asked us to please move to the bar- very rude! Apparently we were lingering too long in their fine establishment! Overall, I won't go back- just too expensive.

4 Stars: Great Indian food in Manhattan (by jzafar)

jzafar — Sun, 14 Dec 2003 01:00:00 GMT

New to Manhattan and having problems finding kickass chicken tikka masala and seekh kabobs. I ordered takeout from this place. So far, this is the best I've had. The seekh kabobs are seasoned well. The chicken tikka masala is very good. The raita is awesome; kind of tangy too. The restaurant was very lively and full for a Wednesday night. I definitely will be back to dine in. Kind of on the expensive side, but what do you expect for midtown??

3 Stars: Different dish, same sauce (by restaurant_goer)

restaurant_goer — Tue, 09 Dec 2003 01:00:00 GMT

My parents were visiting from India, so I took them to New York's best rated Indian restaurant. Amongst others, we ordered two completely different dishes, one chicken and one shrimp, from different parts of India, and they arrived with the exact same sauce. There are so many better Indian restaurants than Dawat!

5 Stars: head and shoulders above others (by goldstein7)

goldstein7 — Fri, 31 Oct 2003 01:00:00 GMT

The food and service at Dawat is great.I have had a brief tenure in India and in the short period I was there I fell in love with Indian Cuisine.The food at Dawat is amongst the best I have had.The service staff is polite, gracious and well informed.Over all a great place to savour Indian cuisine.

3 Stars: Overpriced and Unimpressive (by pshah12)

pshah12 — Tue, 28 Oct 2003 01:00:00 GMT

The food is good, but the service is cloying and pushy. The waiters try their hardest to sell you the most expensive option on the menu. In light of the price, you will absolutely be happier somewhere else. Even Chola next door is better. If you are looking for an elegant atmosphere try Tamarind and if you are looking for just really good food in a fun/hip atmosphere, try Mirchi. Don't go here - so overrated!

3 Stars: Jaffrey for real? (by beatlesguy)

beatlesguy — Wed, 22 Oct 2003 02:00:00 GMT

Food was nothing I expected it to be.
Taking a clue from Tamarind and Amma, I thought Dawat would be similar.
Nada!
Old school and old food and service that would have been tolerable if the food was good.

5 Stars: Kassim is wrong (by mmcdet)

mmcdet — Wed, 06 Aug 2003 02:00:00 GMT

I have been going to Dawat for the past four years. In a city where Indian food is polarized betweeen dives in Littel India and upper price disappointments, Dawat is the consistent and tasteful frontrunner. The waiters are attentive, and will accomodate diet requierements and taste preferences. The food is consistently high quality. I strenuously disagree with the reviewer KASSIM. Dawat is worthy of an initial visit as well as repeated ones.

5 Stars: consistent (by lana3344)

lana3344 — Thu, 24 Jul 2003 02:00:00 GMT

Returning to New York after 2 years, I once again went to Dawat at midtown. This bustling Indian restaurant is still pleasing. The food was marvelous, service was outstanding. Before I leave town, I will not leave without dining at Dawat.

2 Stars: Bad Experience at Dawat (by kassim10)

kassim10 — Mon, 21 Jul 2003 02:00:00 GMT

Though the food was reasonably good, the decore decent and the ambiance inviting, I would have to state very strongly that this place is over-rated. The value isn't that good for the money, and one of the waiters not only aggressively pushed a wine that I didn't want but also insisted I change my choice to a more expensive wine. This sort of behaviour is not only embarrasing but also insulting. I for one do not plan to go back, there are many other places in Manhattan that have just as good food if not better, at the same prices with much better service.

3 Stars: Mmmmm.... (by gsp209)

gsp209 — Tue, 01 Jul 2003 02:00:00 GMT

The food was delicious at Dawat. I feel it's one of the better Indian places in Manhattan. However, the prices for these dishes are INSANE, relative to other Indian places! Even though I enjoyed my experience, I don't think I would go back.

5 Stars: outstanding (by tennis1972)

tennis1972 — Sun, 01 Jun 2003 02:00:00 GMT

Last night, I treated my mother to a dinner at Dawat for her birthday. My mother, who loves Indian cusine, said that the dishes at Dawat were probably the best she had tasted. We both agreed that the lamb chops cooked in the tandoor were best we had ever tasted. As for the service, the waiter was very informative about some of the exoctic dishes. Friendly ambiance and ample wine list. Overall, amazing dining experience.

2 Stars: slow and rude (by sephorablue)

sephorablue — Wed, 19 Feb 2003 01:00:00 GMT

My boyfriend and I came here for Valentine's Day and were pretty disappointed. The food was really nice, but not good enough to justify the price or the crummy service. In their defense, they were definitely very busy, but not only did we have to wait an absurdly long time for each course, but they left out two of the items which were supposed to be included with the second course. The final blow was when the waiter brought us the check before we had even finished dessert--never mind that the only reason we were taking a long time to finish the meal was because of the extreme delay in the service of our food. I would have expected much better from a restaurant with Dawat's reputation, even on a busy night.

4 Stars: 1st quality Indian (by metropical)

metropical — Sun, 09 Feb 2003 01:00:00 GMT

Although dinner for 4 (4 beers, 2 drinks, 3 apps, 4 entrees, 3 coffees and one dessert) hit $220, Id still go back. Real estate in this neck of the woods is no doubt expensive. The food was all excellent save the dessert, Kheer, was very weak. Steamed in banana leaves with coriander and other spices salmon was excellent and a huge piece. Chicken saag was also very good and a nice portion. Shrimp in a coconut sauce was delicious and a good sized potion. Cornish hen was said to be very good too. Apps were veg pakora, aloo tikyas and shrimp (I forget the prep) were all excellent and arrived at the table within 10 minutes of ordering. Onion kulcha and tandoori roti were both amongst the best Ive ever had.
But as I said, at $220 for 4, I feel it was a bit overpriced.

5 Stars: Outstanding (by PigOutNYC)

PigOutNYC — Tue, 03 Dec 2002 01:00:00 GMT

Dawat is one of the finer dining experiences I have had in a long time. The food and service are both top-notch. I don't think there's much more to say than that.

4 Stars: Divine Dawat (by Katjh80)

Katjh80 — Tue, 19 Nov 2002 01:00:00 GMT

Everytime I have been to Dawat the food has been superb. The chef's specialties are just that and I recommend ordering them. The Chicken Tikka Masala is delicious and so are the scallops. The service is also outstanding! I have been to a lot of Indian restaurants and this one ranks in my top three. The combination of the service and the food and the courteous waiters make this whole experience a must for Indian food lovers.

5 Stars: wait staff was great (by ricochan)

ricochan — Tue, 01 Oct 2002 02:00:00 GMT

I dined at Dawat a couple of weeks ago, and I thought the wait staff was very professional. It is an over-priced restaurant, but you pay for the excellent service and food. I felt like I was in Bombay's highend restaurant again.

4 Stars: excellent! (by pnanda)

pnanda — Mon, 30 Sep 2002 02:00:00 GMT

The food is exceptional and very tasty and even though they do take-out, it is quite an experience to dine-in! A must-do and very reasonable.

5 Stars: Divine Dawat (by nazreena)

nazreena — Wed, 03 Jul 2002 02:00:00 GMT

Eating at Dawat has is always a treat to the senses . It is an elegant restaurant and never disappoints in serving up flavorful indian specialties that you will not find anywhere else. The portions are huge for a restaurant in this price range. For the meat eaters out there, try the lambchops or the Raan. Just writing this makes me hungry!