Haveli Restaurant

A true New Yorker, born and raised in the Lower East Side (L'z) up!!! I've tried Indian food all over the world and Haveli has so many excellent exceptions. by far it is one of the best Indian restaurants to date.

WHOEVER HASN'T BEEN THERE, SHOULD CHECK IT OUT.

Pros: GREAT FOOD GREAT SEVICE

Cons: IS THERE ANY? LET ME KNOW

Posted 10/20/09

This is very very authentic indian cooking, and the flavors are delicious.

Pros: Everything tastes good

Posted 10/19/09

I loved the food, this is the best Indian restaurant in town. I would recommend anyone to go with family and friends.

Posted 10/18/09

My hubby and I went there on a whim (just wanted Indian food and boom saw it!) for our anniversary. We didn't wait long to be seated, and then we ordered some "love concoction drinks" and decided that we would order the Haveli chef's dinner for 2-very impressive! Quickly a very delicious tomato based soup with cinnamon overtones came out-nice start! Then they brought out 4 different appetizers, all very delicious! (banana fritter, beef and pea samosa ??, a piece of lamb, and a fried potato thing) Next came the steaming main course of tandoori chicken and some lamb dish,rice, naan, other stuff--unbelievable amount! My hubby was full at this point, which is NO easy feat! The tandoori chicken was absolutely my fav, I have never tasted tandoori chicken that was so flavorful and moist-hands down their tandoori chicken is the best! We at this point decided to wrap up the remaining food and carry it home to finish later! We ordered some banana fritters and naan to go go as well(our son loves banana!) I was pleasantly surprised to see we needed to choose a dessert as well! Obviously we asked if we could take it home, there was no way I could down another bite! I highly enjoyed our evening there, and felt it had the right romantic atmosphere for our special occasion. I am craving more of that chicken right now! This place has definitely became our fav Indian food place! The service was excellent and the waitstaff was very attentive to us! Beautiful experience! Thanks Haveli!

Pros: Tandoori Chicken, Naan Everything!

Cons: none

Posted 10/14/09

As a born and bred New Yorker of South Asian (Indian) descent, I feel that I can provide relevant feedback on one of NY's finest Indian restaurants. Being a NY'er, I can say that we are not easily fooled by the gimmicks, or Xmas tree lights that the other Indian restaurants in this neighborhood employ- we look for substance behind the facade, which Haveli has been able to provide consistently great dining experiences year over year. I have been going there since the early 90's, and can?t recall one bad/marginal dining experience. Maybe (???) the street parking can be tough at times- but all of the other restaurants in the area suffer the same negative
From a diner's perspective, I can only speak highly in that: I have always been seated within 5-10 minutes of arrival, the food has always been consistent and fresh, the service from the host/hostess and the waiters and busboys have been great, and the tasteful decor has won me hand's down against their neighborhood competition. Writing this review, and reminiscing over past experiences at Haveli is making me crave it now- wonder what time they close tonight?

Pros: Decor/Ambience!!, Food, Staff

Cons: N/A

Posted 10/10/09

everything is absolutely delicious and the service is phenomenal

Pros: fantastic selection

Cons: none

Posted 10/10/09

this great indian establishment is my favorite restaurant, not only for indian, but overall. I love indian for and have been having for all my life. I've also tried many other place and they do not come this mouth watering indian restaurant. The flavors here are vibrant and tremendous. Tandori items are cooked to perfection. The curry dishes, whether creamy or with out are soo good you cant go wrong with anything. The Chicken Tika Masala and the Madras dishes are by far the BEST anywhere. The service here is polite and attentive without being overbaring. Ask for specials, the Shacuti is really "WOW"! I gave five stars because this place has never failed me, whether with a large party or just for two, they great.

Pros: overall great food and stellar, accomodating service

Cons: non from what've seen or heard

Posted 10/07/09

This restaurant is simply amazing from its amazing service to its delicious food. I have been to my share of restaurants around nyc and this has been my favorite by far. the food is amazing, and the service is even better. the chicken tandoori is a favorite dish where the chicken is very tender without it being overcooked and dry. everything here is great! wouldn't go anywhere else in the world!

Pros: everything!

Cons: NOTHING!

Posted 10/07/09

I like this place,went there with a friend.Nice variety of meats , they serve alcohol and have an extensive bar.Had a martini made with Vanilla Stoli and a Taj Mahal beer.Nice ambiance and you can also sit by the window facing the street.Also there is a beautiful picture on the wall when you enter depicting an authentic Indian Mural,very lovely. Definitely a very clean place too,its an upscale restaurant no doubt. Had onion kulcha with a fantastic red dipping sauce ,i think it had a some mango chunks in there.Also tried some sort of a Lamb Sautee,my friend had 2 different kebabs ,had good spice to it. We also shared a Tikka chicken with rice that was properly prepared.Though our food took a little long ,we were able to pass some time by drinking some of those huge Taj-Mahals and people watching which is always fun in NY. I recommend this place to everyone.

Pros: everything

Cons: none

Posted 02/07/09

Went on a sunday afternoon and the place was almost empty. My party of 3 was seated near the bar. The waitstaff was loud and noisily cleaning glassware next to us. We had to say excuse me 2X after trying to flag ther attention, to receive brusque service. After speaking the whole time in English, we were given our check with an "Arigato". Though East Asian, we told them none of us are Japanese. Food was warm but not the right temperature. I've frequented other places on 6th street (ie. Mitali East) that was less "upscale" with improved service and food. Silverware and decor was nice though, I will not return because of the shabby service.

Pros: Decor

Cons: Poor Service

Posted 02/07/09

After reading the high ratings, I decided I must eat here. I love Indian food - it is my absolute favorite. I eat Indian food frequently and have tried many different places. I've been to India several times and enjoy eating. I went with two freinds that also really like Indian food.
Our collective opinion is that the food is average. I cannot comment on the inside because we ate outside, which was fun. We had good people watching from our seats and lots of people passed by. It is by no means a bad choice and the food was fine. However, there are other places where the food is outstanding.

Posted 06/25/08

We went at 6:30 on a Thursday evening. The place was dead and seemed dated. Perhaps if we went later in the evening when it was dark out and the restaurant was fuller the ambiance would have been better. There were plenty of waiters but it was never clear who was our waiter and who was our busboy because no one said much of anything to us. It was clear that we were new to Indian food but yet there was no attempt to help us with our order and again, not even clear who our waiter was. The condiments we received were wonderful and that is what prompts me to give the place a few stars. All three of them were fresh and had delicous complex flavors. Naan is always wonderful because it is so fresh baked and I am not going to say I was unhappy with it but the naan we ordered - an onion one and a potato one was not as good as other places I have had it. My dinner, chicken tikki was dry and lacking in flavor. Perhaps that is the nature of that particular dish but except for the condiments nothing I tasted had much if any spice or flavor. My husband wasn't unhappy with his food but he had "bathroom problems" from it shortly after we left. We were never offered the complimentary ice cream others described and in general I would describe the service far below average, the food average and the condiments (again, I am new to Indian food - not sure what they were at least one was a chutney).... excellent. The bill came to more than I expected and more than the food was worth though not outrageous for the city. I was really hoping this would become a favorite for me. Maybe the few times I have Indian food before I got lucky and went to extraordinary places rendering this one just average or perhaps they had a bad night. Either way it was a disappointment.

Posted 04/19/08

I've been eating indian food my whole life and I want to inform you that this place is the best indian restaurant in manhattan. Not only is the place super nice and accomodating to groups, couples, and business meetings...but the prices are very reasonable and the taste is excellent. The host at this restaurant is great, as well as the waiters. My favorite dish at this restaurant is definitely the lamb chops, they're amazing! The full bar also comes in handy if you want to have a few drinks. The first time I came here it was for a friend's bday on a tuesday night which was a slow night so the owner let our party of about 12 people have dinner upstairs with our own waiter staff, now that's what you call service! We had the luxury of being as loud as we wanted and didn't have to worry about bothering others. The chicken makhani is also absolutely great. DON'T THINK TWICE, IF YOU LIKE INDIAN FOOD GO HERE!

Pros: food, ambiance, staff, EVERYTHING

Cons: NOTHING!

Posted 02/24/08

Here is one honest scoop! I've read the many amazing reviews this restaurant received, I've heard about the hype, so as Manager @ The Mandarin, I decided to experience it myself.
As precise a person I am, in simple words, this restaurant is NOT a must see but in fact is a MUST FREQUENT! The affordability makes doing that, that much easier.
The ambiance, the decor, the space is all so very accommodating. As per the food, I can see why "Indian" people themselves may not appreciate this place since the food is prepared for their predominant "Caucasian" clientele, who would prefer less then the usual dump of 289 different spices. However, one of the members of my party of 5, preferred the food to be prepared much spicier then usual and so he got a big fireball of an entree. So yes, be careful when you ask the waiters to fire up your dish, they will truly have a field day with you!
The service! OK here is where we can all expect to be pampered and taken care of. In all honesty, the service in my opinion needs a bit of a touchup. I know I did expect a lot and did get so much more in every other aspect of my experience there that the not so perfect service stuck out. The waiters were absolutely wonderful, kind and caring people, except I felt as though a bit more attention to detail would have been nice. Like watch out for emptying water glasses. Other then that, What I got from this place, was a beautiful 2 story establishment with one floor overlooking the bottom floor, Wonderful martinis to taste, an extensive menu with various options, a lovely staff, amazing food, and a not so heavy check of $281 for a party of 5 with 6 main entrees, 4 apps, sides, breads and drinks!!
This place is perfect to take your family, friends, business, ANYTHING! Except KIDS!

Pros: Too many

Cons: Very busy on weekends

Posted 02/24/08

Really good, inexpensive Indian food. Go for this over the ones on India Row (first ave.) It wasn't too spicy, and everything was fresh and delivered on-time.

Posted 11/18/07

Perused many menus on here before choosing Haveli for its good reviews, better prices and location. The ambiance is beautiful. BUT THE FOOD WAS NOT GOOD!!!! I've had Indian at other places that's made my toes curl it's that good. THIS FOOD was absolutely bland. My dish tasted just like my friend's on my right (and they both tasted like something Chef Boyardee made), while my friend on my left struggled through too-tough chicken. I'm not sure where all these great reviews come from? But if you want GREAT Indian Food in the city, this is NOT THE PLACE!!!! TURN BACK!

Pros: Nice interior ambiance

Cons: BLAND HORRIBLE FOOD - don't bother!

Posted 11/13/07

amazing food...amazing service. highly recommended. cant go wrong if your in the mood for authentic indian. loved it.

Pros: good food

Posted 11/03/07

Had dinner here last Saturday night with a reservation. After reading the Citysearch reviews, including the Best of Citysearch 2007, I was excited to possibly find a good, reasonably priced Indian restaurant in the city. Haveli was nothing close to that. The ambiance of the place was not bad, and it was crowded and lively. But the food and service were truly horrendous. There were four of us, and we got a couple appetizers and four main dishes, a vegetarian dish (Malai Kofta), 2 lamb dishes (Kahari Ghost and Lamb Do-Piaz), and a chicken dish (Chicken Saag). Each dish was tasteless and almost indistinguishable from the next. Forget about spice, there was just not any flavor at all. At the end of the meal I had the odd sensation of being full but not having tasted anything while eating - which is exactly what happened. Additionally, the service was terrible. Our waiter was patronizing when we asked a few questions, even though two of us were Indian, so we knew what we were talking about. No one stopped by to ask how our food was after it came out - good thing for them, because I was ready to tell them how tasteless the food was. I cannot believe that this place won best of citysearch 2007 - does not come close to deserving it. Absolutely not recommended.

Cons: Truly tasteless food.

Posted 09/16/07

Really disappointing after previous reviews. Ordered various types of chicken and lamb curries that all had close to no taste, and certainly no distinct taste. Service was also quite poor. We had a question on the one of the dishes which was responded to with annoyance, while the meal took over two hours with the slow service throughout.

Posted 09/16/07

We came here for dinner with a reservation. As someone else mentioned, they consider the tables by the door to be their best tables, but the restaurant is so large, that it wasn't a problem getting a different table towards the back. The service is very good and polite. The food is probably the best Indian food I've ever had. The shrimp in yogurt sauce was simply amazing. It was not hot at all, but at the same time brimming with spice and flavor. It was what I had often wished Indian food would be. The lamb was extremely soft and tender. I found the spices there to be more in line with other Indian restaurants, but nonetheless good. Even the Samosa had something special in it. It was not over-fried and the vegetables tasted fresh. The decor is tasteful and authentic. Perhaps the prices are a bit higher than average, but not noticeably so. I am definitely coming back.

Posted 08/16/07

went and it was super good ,beautiful setting and great food.( i just pressed the escape button by accident so the next time ill go i ll write a full review.

Pros: the best food

Cons: creepy waiters

Posted 07/27/07

RECOMMENDED

Taste and Presentation 5

Service 5

Value 5

Location and Interior 5

Outstanding Indian food. Everything is perfectly spiced: aromatic, filled with flavor, and just enough heat. Do not come expecting a quick meal, but know that when you can see your Samosa being constructed behind the counter moments before it reaches your table, you will not think twice about investing a bit more of your time for a meal here.

Posted 07/20/07

If you enjoy Indian food, Haveli is definitely the place to go. It provides a great dinning experience with the perfect combination of food, service, and atmosphere to rejoice one's mood. It truly elucidates the cultural authenticity you?d look for in an Indian restaurant. The sensational food served so delightfully in a beautifully decorative setting is definitely worth trying, if you haven?t already. At Haveli, your dining experience can't go wrong!

Pros: tasty food, friendly service, elegant setting

Cons: parking as in anywhere else in NYC, however not so difficult

Posted 07/19/07

As an Indian-American its very hard to find good Indian food in New York City. After all, its compared to what one receives at home. Haveli is one of the few that delivers quality food in a comfortable setting. Parking can be an issue but what restaurant in Manhattan has good parking? Try the saag (spinach) - yummy! If you are going for the spicier dishes - like vindaloo - be forewarned, unless you tell the waiter you want it milder - it's hotter than a Texas summer.

Posted 07/17/07

I love this restaurant, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, the service is prompt and efficient. I had the Dumpakd one of their special dishes and it was very good. It is a place I would say is universal romantic, and for large groups.

Pros: speaks volumes of city night life

Cons: there is none

Posted 07/16/07

My husband and I were visiting the city for the weekend, and reluctantly we entered Haveli. You see we are originally from Albany, New York and have tried an abundant amount of restaurants all over the state. Many of which have left us disappointed. However we were recommended this particular restaurant by a friend she could not stop talking up the food, so i had to admit I was intrigued. Haveli invitied us warmly into a candle lit environment, a wonderful start to a romantic evening. I had the vegetable tandoori and I have to tell you I was impressed. I have never tasted anything so delicious. My husband had the Dumpakhd (both specialty dishes), and he was speechless. I highly recommend the Haveli restaurant and challenge anyone who would disagree. The Haveli restaurant envigorated our holiday.

Pros: Ambience, friendly service, great food need I say more

Cons: there are none

Posted 07/16/07

I love eating indian food and Haveli Restaurant is the only place that has great taste that will last forever in your memory. No matter where you are, or what you are in the mood for, Haveli Restaurant it diffinately worth it.

Pros: great tasting food, outstanding service

Posted 07/16/07

This is truly the best indian restaurant i have EVER been to...a great atmosphere with inviting waiters and the owner is such a gentleman! Always DELICIOUS, the authentic taste is one of a kind. DEFINITELY my top choice for ANY type of indian food :)

Pros: FOOD. AMBIENCE, PARKING, SERVICE, EVERYTHING!!!

Cons: NONE!

Posted 07/16/07

Havelli's not only has a great atmosphere, but also great food. What sets this restuarant apart is the authenticity of the dishes. I would highly reccomend this restaurant to any lover of Indian food!

Pros: Good food, great ambiance, great location

Cons: there are none

Posted 07/16/07

fantastic food, great environment especially for a first date and second date experience. Great location for the eating out crowd, maybe even a start for the night out on the town crowd. I recommend the vegetable tandoori it is especially delicious. Wonderful friendly service, and very fast which is perfect for the New York idea of time

Pros: great location, and food

Cons: there are none

Posted 07/16/07

For Indian food lovers or the novice who want to experience great indian food for the first time, Haveli has the BEST indian food in NYC or elsewhere (variety, taste, price), and excellent service. TRY IT! can't go wrong (take it from someone who's had indian food around the country in ATL, SF, LA, Boston - nowhere as good as here)...

Pros: great food; great atmosphere; great location; friendly staff

Cons: may be tough to find parking, but usually can within a couple of blocks...

Posted 07/16/07

Haveli has taste of good Indian food, great customer services and nice atmosphere. Absolutely good choice and conveniently located!

Posted 07/16/07

I came to eat at this restaurant with my husband and we really enjoyed ourselves. It was romantic, the resturant had a nice decor. The service was fast, which was good because we were starving! and the food was really good! We might return in the near future and I recommend that anyone should give it a try.

Posted 07/02/07

restaurant is clean and food was good. i wanted a quick service which was what i got. i was there for a quick stop for work lunch and needed something fast. i would try the place again in the future with coworkers.

Posted 05/29/07

I have been eating at Haveli for over 10 years now I it is the best in the area. The waiters are always attentive and prompt, even on busy nights. There has NEVER been a problem with the food - not even once. I do not agree with the neg. reviews at all. They are more than willing to accommodate their customers.I have been to Indian rest. all around NY and this place outshines them all!

Posted 05/17/07

I'm Hispanic, and took my mom and dad to Haveli for dinner on a Sunday at 6:30 pm. The place was practically empty (only about 4 tables were occupied), but they wanted to make us sit by the door. When I asked if we could sit in the main room (where you get a taste of the decor) , the waiter had to first get permission. We should have left right then and there, but my folks were really excited. Our waiter wasn't thrilled about serving us when he realized my folks didn't speak English, and he did not replace our crispy bread after we were done. (I'd been there once before with a Pakistani friend, and they replaced our bread twice without us even asking.) As for the food, they took it upon themselves to make it NON-spicy! Thankfully, we had that green, spicy sauce at the table, so we added that to everything to give it some kick. When the waiter came to clean up, I asked him why the food wasn?t spicy, and he just smiled. I said, ?was that on purpose??, but he just kept smiling. I was very disappointed, and truly believe that they had a problem with us being Hispanic.

Pros: nice decor

Cons: unfriendly waiters

Posted 05/13/07

My wife said Haveli was her favorite Indian place and we dined there on the weekend. I made reservations and we arrived promptly, but a walk-in couple ahead of us was given our table and we had to wait or be seated in the less appealing upstairs dining room. (We chose the latter.) Our four waiters (yes, four) were disorganized and generally inattentive. The samosa appetizer was excellent and a good value; the iddly was average and served on a sad bed of shredded, wilting lettuce. After finishing the appetizers, we waited almost 20 minutes to receive our main courses. My wife's vegetable curry was decent, though tepid and not as flavorful as she remembered. My madras (lamb 'stew'), recommended by one of our waiter crew, was decent but not remarkable. After dinner, the waiter brought us two free drinks as an apology for the slow service and food presentation. It was a nice gesture, but even those were late. I don't expect a lot from moderately priced Indian places, but at a minimum I expect average service and our reservations to be honored. Time for the wife to find a new favorite Indian place...

Pros: Excellent Samosa

Cons: Service, host staff

Posted 01/07/07

Haveli's food is superior (and pricier) to the other Indian restaurants on 6th St. and in the area. Service is very uneven. One time we paid in cash and our waiter came over before we got up to leave and counted the money right in front of us. That was so rude it was funny.

Pros: atmosphere (no xmas lights!)

Cons: poor service

Posted 11/14/06

I used to be loyal to Mitali, but I've come over to Haveli's fan-club. Everything is so good and not greasy at all. They really know how to make paratha!

Posted 11/06/06

i really like mitali east and my friend highly recommended this sister restaurant. i came here with two other people for sunday night dinner. the decor is nice and the overall ambience was quite romantic. the three of us decided to split the beef vindaloo (($11), murgha tikka muslam (chicken tikka masala, $13), and the mushroom shaag (mushroom with spinach, $9), along with poori, stuffed naan, and plenty of basmati rice. the vindaloo was very spicy but it was so flavourful that i just kept eating. the masala was milder, with juicy chunks of tender white meat in a creamy sauce. the mushroom shaag felt slightly oilier but was nicely spiced. everything went well with the sides of carbs. theres a lot of variety on the menu and prices are reasonable. bill came to ~$55 (including tip) and we were extremely full. service was non-obtrusive but efficient.

Pros: reasonable prices, variety, ambience

Cons: food can be heavy

Posted 05/07/06

My wife and I go out to Indian on regular basis, but at one point I wanted to go somewhere romantic. This place was perfect.

The candle lit tables were as if you were in a restaurant about to drop $100 per person. The service was great. The food was nice, not too spicy and very flavorful.

Now you can go and eat a romantic Indian dinner.

Pros: Romantic, Clean, Flavorful

Cons: Waiting Time Sometime

Posted 04/10/06

I've been going here for years and all I can say is the food is the BEST! I still have yet to find a place that serves true Indian cuisine minus the grease. Great spot for vegetarians! The place is always quiet and romantic. I'm a little apprehensive about the comments on the service - b/c every time I've been there the service has been up to par.

Pros: food, service, atmosphere

Cons: none

Posted 02/27/06

Ok........ so everything was bad when i went....... the food was cold...... really bad service took half an hour just to get a drink... 20 mins to get me a plate.... the waiters were talking amongst each other rather then working......... so ya... i dont reccomened

Posted 01/31/06

I've been going to Haveli for years and they have had consistently good Indian food. The menu has a nice variety of options: vegetarian, seafood, meats, north and south indian food. I've always had very tasty, filling meals here. The service can definitely leave a bit to be desired, but the food is much better than its 6th st counterparts, and a little more expensive (but still very reasonable). If you like your food spicy you should definitely let them know, their standard is relatively mild (for indian food).

Pros: Food, Price, Ambiance

Cons: Service (sometimes)

Posted 06/07/05

Haveli and Mitali are real Indian food, not the mock-Indian greasy Bangladeshi crap which, in general, makes up 90% of the 6th street "Little Bangladesh" area.

Excellent food, but quite definitely overpriced.

I spent a year learning to cook Indian because I loved the Mitali/Haveli dishes so much, but got tired of paying $6 for a 50 cent dal, hehe.

You get what you pay for.

Posted 06/12/04

Haveli was a good neighborhood alternative to the embarrassing Indian restaurants that surround it; if you're looking for quality Indian food, best not to go to those. The food at Haveli, however, was quite good, if a little more expensive than necessary. It was the service, however, that ruined the dining experience: they simply don't have enough servers in the dining room to do anything efficiently. Ordering takes forever; food delivery takes forever; getting the check takes forever, etc. etc. With a few extra waiters and some consideration, it could be a pretty good restaurant.

Posted 02/19/04

We were promptly seated, we were given explanation of the different foods and spices by our waiter. He was extremely friendly. Though, there was a little confusion w/the serving of the food, they quickly made up for it w/a complimentary Mango Ice Cream Dessert. It was excellent!

Pros: Inexpensive

Posted 01/26/04

This is definitely better than Balucci's, its neighbor. The food was delicious and the chicken in the chicken tikka masala tasted like it was cooked in a real tandoori oven(a rare find).

The nan was a little too greasy, but the rice was good. I definitely recommend this place to anyone who is looking for good indian food. Unfortunately, you have to pay a lot more compared to the other indian restaurants on Indian row.

Pros: food, service, atmosphere

Cons: price

Posted 04/24/03

This is the real stuff. I do like going into the really cheap and tacky indian places on occassion, but it's so dark you usually can't identify what type of meat you are eating. So, for the most part I hit Haveli. It is clean, nicely decorated, staff is attentive and the food is delicious. A big beer, two apps and two entrees will run you a mere $45 at most. I go for the biryani, vindaloo, and stuffed breads. It's worth your while to try it out. It won't break your piggy bacnk. Believe me.

Pros: cheap

Posted 01/30/03