Located in downtown New Brunswick, this Pakistani restaurant is a cute addition for college students to go to. The best thing about this place is the decor as it's bright and colorful. There are so many decorations to look at, and you'll never get tired of the art. As for the food, it was just mediocre. I ordered the Chicken Tikka Chutney Roll ($5.99). It was good, but a little too greasy. My friends ordered the Paneer Karhai ($14.99) with Garlic Naan ($1.99). As well as the Aloo Papri Chat ($4.99). The Paneer had a lot of onions in it- maybe more onions than paneer, and the garlic naan wasn't very garlicky. I've definitely had better of both dishes. One downside of this restaurant is that they don't have free water. They only offer bottled water for $1.99. This is a big issue, especially if you get something spicy. Even though the decorations here are nice to look at, I would not particularly recommend this restaurant for the food. read more

See all

I've been here a few times in the interest of supporting South Asian businesses. The chai is mid but some of the food is tasty and I love the decor. But unfortunately the service here is horrible and the man standing by the door (who I presume is the owner/manager) is extremely rude. I came in around 9 pm and he curtly asked us if we wanted to order food or dessert/chai. I said we wanted to order some dessert and he rudely told me take-out only. What kind of rule is that? We drove all the way here for falooda, but apparently not. Multiple tables were open and there were no other patrons waiting--not sure why we couldn't be seated but he offered no explanation--just rude and dismissive. I've had a few other experiences with him declining to let us order with over an hour before closing and thought nothing of it, but this will be my last time here. This establishment has no respect for customers. read more

Food and ambiance were great, however not a fan of an older female behind the register who took our cards to pay the bill (visited second to last Monday in May 2021. She appeared to be an owner/manager) Our server was attentive and he was running all over the restaurant because he was the only one truly working. Woman behind the register stated "the amount was too low" to take two cards and split it. If that's a policy, okay, I accept. However, there is no reason to be to adopt a rude tone and be condescending about it. If I come with one other person with the intention of a small lunch/snack, I shouldn't have to spend over $50 or a certain amount to be spoken to as a person and entitled to basic respect. I'm someone who wanted to experience your restaurant. I did. The make or break of the experience on if I'd return is basic customer service, particularly from what appears to be your higher-ups. Talking to people as if they are insignificant ensures this is a place you just visit for the pictures and stay away from after. You do a great job of highlighting your culture through the decor and art, however basic adab would be a better way to do that. read more

I wish i could give more than 5 STARS, this place is amazing with best staff. they have good options for vegetarians, i ordered paneer tikka roll and Nutella paratha and it was very tasty, that was my first visit to this restaurant. Abu ji is very nice, all the best to all the staff. read more

We stopped here on the way back to DC from NYC and we were so happy. We called ahead of time which was a good idea since we were a party of 9. The staff was courteous and prompt. The food was delicious...almost everything we had was so tasty. I recommend the samosa, bun kabob, chicken garlic paratha roll, and charsi muragh karahi. Their falooda was hands down the best falooda I have ever had. We kept the servers on their toes with multiple non-stop orders and they did not fail us once. Always on top of it; I was very impressed! read more

Ever since they opened I have been going to Chai Chenak. During their opening week I was one of their first customers and also one of the first ppl to give them a review on google. Gave them 5 stars in that review and promoted them heavily to fam and friends. Ive been going here pretty often over the last 3 months, have spoken to the owner almost every time Ive gone and always complimented him and his restaurant. The owner is a great hardworking person who is always looking to improve his food and restaurant. Ive seen the improvements in food over the months, for pakistani food he has some of the best you can find in the area. For the food they are deserving 5 stars. It is the service where they are lacking. They are super busy every day and they struggle to handle the amount of volume of ppl they get each day. The service seems to get worse each time and it really stinks for them because the food is really good. I try to give restaurants the benefit of the doubt, rarely do I give negative reviews but their service does hinder all the great things the owner is trying to accomplish. They are understaffed at times it usually takes atleast 45 mins to get your food, if you get everything you have ordered. The biggest downfall of their service is the host, the older gentleman with the mustache. When they first opened he seemed friendly but since then hes been on a roll with his rudeness. The restaurant is super busy we understand it may get frustrating, but dont take your frustrations out on loyal customers. Heres a couple of the recent rude interactions we've had with him. First example my son waited an hour for his food to come out but his order never came out, the host begins to show my son some attitude each time he walks by since my son is getting restless and gets out of his seat and happens to get in his way. All that could have been avoided if my son got his food, your at fault but instead of apologizing you start showing attitude to a young child smh. Second example on a separate visit the same host tells me to wait 10 mins since you are only a party of 2 then makes me wait an hour and gives a table to a party of four over me that came in 30 mins after me saying well the table that opened was for 4. Sorry its not a table for 4 when you separate tables all the time and that table could easily be separated for 2 ppl but his logic is no its for 4 ppl. For a restaurant that doesnt take reservations you still give a table to someone you know over a loyal customer smh. This host does some illogical things to really tick ppl off and then makes himself look worse when he has to flip pages on his wait list and announces the name of the person who came after us when we finally get seated. Of course theyd be announced after us since they came after us but you chose to accomodate them first, atleast cover yourself by crossing their name off. The table we are sent to is set up for 4 but then they separate it for 2. Seriously cant make this up, something he said couldnt be done 30 mins earlier is what is allowed 30 mins later. I have more examples of this host being rude but ill move forward and just wish they improve their service. The owner is a great person I am wishing him the best. Improvement of the host's behavior and the service ill update this review. This place deserves 5 stars, please sort out the service and get the 5 stars you deserve. read more

Chai Chenak - The Host picking and choosing who gets a table instead of going by the wait list. - Halal Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Amazing customer service the staff was very friendly and the foood was just wow. I definitely recommend this restaurant. The owner is just an amazing person.. read more

Chai Chenak - Friendly person and funny. - Halal Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

This place is an excellent addition of a fun Pakistani place to go to that is presentable. The chai is excellent. The Karahis are sold, the Sindhi biryani is great and so are the bun kebabs. Been there a few times! read more

I've been there twice. The food is okay at best. Great ambiance is why this place is very over hyped. I'm still going to give them 4 star instead of 3 because you never see creative side of desi restaurants. Hopefully this could be the beginning of some decent desi restaurants. So far there are zero in the US. Anyway, I tried 3 karhais. Black Pepper Karhai which was not bad. Balochi Karhai was average at best. Namkeen Ghost ok okay. My wife who is pushto speaking parhan said it was nothing like in northern areas. All their foods are super oily which is unnecessary. I also tried their bun kabab which isn't authentic Karachi wala bun kabab. Beef boti wasn't bad but nothing special. Chicken tikka wasn't bad either but don't expect authentic tikka. Same old red food coloring. Aalo paratha was definitely authentic homemade style. Club sandwich I'd rate 2 out of 10. See the attached picture to see why such low rating. They automatically put so much oil on regular naan. At least ask or let the customer decide. You don't automatically put garlic or other ingredients on the naan either so why not ask if you want oil dripping naan? About customer service. The main girl who stands at the counter was very professional on our second trip. It was just me and my wife. It was a weekly. But when my family had gone in a large group it was jam packed and she was making weird faces trying to deal with all the desis lol. Yes. I understand your pain. But fake it. Its your business. But overall I was happy with the service. And even though the food wasn't authentic, its still better than any desi food joint in Jersey. At least the place is nice and clean and properly decorated. Faaluda wasn't good but my favorite thing was Doodh Patti. It was amazing. Definitely 100% authentic. I'd say even better than the Dhaaba in Karachi. Yes, I grew up there and make special food trips because I absolutely hate desi food in the US. I also like the fact that they give you raaita with karhai and rolls. If you haven't been there, I'd suggest you definitely go. People definitely have hyped this place a bit too much. I guess desis are too desperate for decent food in the US. Unfortunately, our people don't care about the quality otherwise we'd have decent restaurants. I wish this restaurant all the best. Hope they reduce the oil and also improve the taste. We need more proper restaurants in the US. This is a casual place by the way, so please don't over dress like you're attending a wedding or something lol. A jeans would be perfectly fine. You don't need your wedding sharara/gharara lol. In conclusion, I wouldn't repeat this place again but I'd highly encourage others to visit and then you decide. read more

See all

I loved this place! I've tried a lot of food in the New Brunswick area and Chai Chenak is definitely in my top five. The food was delicious, our waiter was friendly and helpful, and the decor was fun. I definitely recommend a trip there! read more

Good food but sleazy billing. The waiter tried to get me to double tip by showing me the electronic bill which asked for a tip, without telling me that a tip had already been added to the bill. We were a party of three, so this was completely wrong. Luckily i asked to see the original bill. read more

Came here with a girlfriend for some chai and some small bites. We shared a plate of the papdi chaat. It just didn't do it for me. Lots of excessive masala powders on top and barely any imli chutney. I had the Bihari kabab roll. Again it had a lot of masala spice on it and I had indigestion later on at night. Food came out fast but it was packed so we had to flag our server a few times. I had the doodh patti chai -- it was the best part of my meal. The ambiance and artwork inside is great and is what makes this establishment distinct and unique. read more

Ordered so many items off their menu - from appetizers to dessert - and each item was extremely delicious. My whole family really enjoyed the taste and ambiance. Definitely recommended if you're looking for a place with authentic Pakistani flavors. We especially loved their chicken tikka cheese rolls, bun kabobs, nihari, chicken tikka, and falooda! read more

Five stars if the owners would cut the menus and offer you only the food they actually serve. Or if they did serve biryani just on the weekend. read more

One star just because some of dumbass policy. Main course is not being served today so you can only pick from appetizers, chai, or a roll (which is an easy dish to make btw) That is all okay if you want to run a take out place however you claim to be a restaurant and you just don't want to serve dinner just because? It is the most moronic thing I ever heard. It seems like what people said before, these idiots do not know how to run a restaurant. And even if they want to be a take out place, your prices for too high for small portions. Seems like a place run by a bunch of greedy people looking to cut costs. read more

This place is incredible. This is hands down the best restaurant I've ever been to especially in New Jersey. The meat was tender and juicy and the naan and parata were warm, fluffy, and delicious. The wait staff was inviting and have amazing recommendations. Definitely try the kati roll because it's only $7 and amazingly seasoned and filling. Will definitely be coming back and ordering takeout !! read more

Crazy, crazy, crazy good. Super good. I don't know the names of the foods enough to list which ones I had, but the wait staff patiently explains what's what. (They can get a bit overwhelmed with too many customers sometimes, but when they brought me the wrong item one time, which I devoured not realizing it wasn't what I ordered, they didn't charge me, even though I said I'd be glad to pay for it since it was so good.) I wish they delivered to Metuchen. read more

5 star price, 1 star service. On average the food comes to be about $20 per head, which needless to say is exorbitant, especially for the service, or lack thereof, provided. Our food order took over an hour to come and when it finally came, half of it was cold on arrival. Nothing came in pairs. Half of the table was waiting for the food and the rest of us had only half of what we ordered. I think the place has legs as it's trendy for now but being trendy alone isn't a sustainable business model. You need to have repeat customers and the way our experience went today, not a single one of us is planning on returning. read more

Having been here several times since they opened this summer, I'd have to say this restaurant is just too good to be true. An authentic pakistani food spot in the heart of New Brunswick, nothing could be better. Their chaat is delicious, both regular alu papri chat and special alu chat where the chick peas are oven roasted I believe ( I prefer the regular one). My favorite item is their chicken garlic mayo paratha roll. It's the perfect street food item and the chicken tikka is just so flavorful, you cannot go wrong with it. Chicken Dhaka is another favorite of mine, it's crispy fried chicken strips with a delicious chipotle mayo type sauce on the side. The qeema paratha are also good although the serving size is not as generous. Moving on to their main karahi entrees- we've had balochi Tikka Karachi, charsi Karahi, and kali mirch Karahi with a side of garlic naan. I don't think you can go wrong with any of these dishes, they were all delicious in both chicken and lamb options. Drinks are very refreshing, the mint mojito and mango lassi. As for their signature drink the chai, I cannot speak to it as I am not a chai lover but my family members tell me it's good- both the kashmiri chai and regular chai. If The food here doesn't blow you away, the decor and Pakistani ambiance definitely will. My first time in this restaurant, I was blown away by the colorful and beautiful artistic decor. There are hand painted murals of Pakistani singers in addition to beautiful artwork and knickknacks that remind you of pakistan. Even the serve-ware is made of hand painted florals/birds in the brightest colors. What's even better is the Pakistani music playing while you enjoy your food. When you are here, it's almost as if you have been transported back to pakistan. I think the owners have done a fantastic job of doing just that. On the main floor you will find tables and chairs and upstairs you will find the traditional sitting area with rugs where you can lounge and enjoy a hot cup of tea with friends. I highly recommend this Pakistani restaurant to everyone! Their service is great in addition to their food and restaurant as a whole. Every time we come, we are treated with great hospitality. The servers do a great job of making sure we have everything we need. If you plan on coming here on a weekend, make reservations ahead of time as they receive high traffic during those times. read more

Absolutely loved this place! Amazing ambience, similar to chai spot in NY...but better! Oh and great music selection!

Great ambience and good service. Food was very flavorful also. Ordered a Bihari Boti wrap and would definitely get it again!

Amazing food with an authentic experience! We sat on platforms on the second floor surrounded by beautiful, colorful decor. We ate aloo paranthas, chicken tikka boti, chicken biryani, and papdi chaat. They were all delicious but I'd have to say the aloo paranthas were my favorite. We tried three kinds of chai (masala chai, dhood chai, and Kashmiri chai), and they were all flavorful in their own ways but the masala chai was my personal favorite. The service was great as well - the servers were very attentive and friendly. I would definitely highly recommend this restaurant for both the food and for your Instagram! read more

Authentic Pakistani cuisine. Beautiful decor inspired by the streets of Karachi and greater Sindh. The spices taste organic - not your typical Shaan masala song and dance. Pakistani fare of this caliber is sadly hard to find. Reminded me of my trips to Pakistan and the delicious food I grew up on at home. I tried the qeema paratha, mutton karahi, reshmi chicken karahi and the almond kheer and doodh pati for dessert. Hope it becomes a New Brunswick staple. Great job! read more

AMAZING atmosphere and food! Chai Chenak may be a new establishment but it's already cemented itself as a staple in Pakistani cuisine. They spared no expense in making it an authentic experience and definitely have some of the best chai around! I recommend this restaurant to anyone, near or far. A must visit. read more

The food was so flavorful it was amazing- you can see from our bill what we had. This was my first Pakistan establishment and what a experience the place was clean, colorful and every table was filled with guests. The service was not what I would say is outstanding. If you are not with someone who can speak the native language you may struggle to speak to server. Also, if you are not familiar with these dishes you may not get the time from server to explain what is in it. There is no description to what the dishes are. The flavors, spices really popped and The hot is a different kind of spice, hot" the potatoes on the tray had a kick! Meat kabob had a wonderful after taste that made for you to want more and more! The breads were the most amazing I have ever had amazing how they make it so perfect. The Lacha paratha is good to start or finish off your visit. YouTube how it is made and you will appreciate the bread even more! The teas are strong be sure to know flavor to order as it is not your typical teas. The lentil dish was by far the best lentil dish I have ever had!! The way they serve the food, you feel like your in someone's home, just wish our server felt like we were a guest he wanted to serve. The tip was added on the bill for larger groups and was not much for our group of 7 15%- If we had better service we would of left at minimum of 20%. What a Struggle to get water which is bottled and very good price considering what places charge for bottled, I drank two as you need it if your not use to the hot kick flavors in certain dishes- ordered more tea but never got it ( it was rather reasonably priced too). My spouse felt like they did not like us as we were a sore thumb BUT I did not notice, I think they were just busy and they need to sharpen skills to what service is suppose to be. At the end of the day that did not matter at all due to those flavors!!!! Would give 5 stars but cannot due to the lack of service. read more

its not like it use to be very poor service and bad food parath was dry couldn't even bite disappointed read more

See all

I visited this place with my family of 4. The food was fantastic but to my suspicion the bill was higher than expected. When I inspected the invoice, they charged 15% gratuity on top bill and sales tax, even though I tipped separately. When I called them to ask about the additional charge in name of gratuity, they replied that every party of more than 3 persons is charged additional 15% gratuity on total bill and that is already mentioned at the end of menu. Well, initially I thought the menu is all about the food & price but I learned a new lesson. "Do not just read the menu, also read the terms and conditions, before ordering" read more

This is a good place to eat. The atmosphere is quite fun and family friendly, the staff is kind as well. The main dishes, as well as the snacks, are very colorful and delicious. The drinks are nicely made and are very refreshing. All in all, this is a very authentic Pakistani experience. Although, it is incredibly packed and busy, especially at night. This place also gets a deserved five out of five. read more

Awesome place with delicious food and amazing ambiance. Paratha rolls are a hit, and the samosas and qeema paratha are great. Decorations are awesome. Things to improve: * understaffing during weekday afternoons * Masala and Kashmiri chai: bit too much milk, former tastes just like doodh pahti * ventilation Otherwise, highly recommend this spot for brunch, lunch or dinner! Make sure to visit the upstairs area if you plan on eating up there or not. read more

My friends and I ordered the karahi mutton, chicken biryani, garlic naan, and doodh pati chai. The food, in my opinion, is the best Pakistani food in Central NJ (my "street cred" to opine is marriage to a Pakistani). I had the Kashmiri chai to-go a few weeks ago and while it was good, I think the doodh pati chai is superior. Like an earlier reviewer had described, service is attentive and nice but can seem a bit rushed at times. They asked us to pay for the check right when we started drinking chai and were planning to stay for 20 minutes to chit chat over chai. I would have preferred that they bring the check when we were done with drinking chai. I'm glad they're attracting vibrant, late night life to downtown New Brunswick that isn't a bar nor club. It's apparent they're having a few blips, but overall, they're great. I look forward to going again and I hope they continue to become successful. read more

Only had tea so far (to go). Zafron tea and Kashmiri tea, both are best my wife and I have had, but remember its like 5$ a cup. When in the neighborhood, will be getting it again. read more

Their chai is real authentic desi chai and is exactly what I wanted in terms of masala chai. Highly recommend!

This restaurant is new for sure, but they already have the makings of a great establishment. The theme of the restaurant is very cultural, artistic, and fresh. The bottom floor has your traditional table and chair seating arrangement, while upstairs has a large area to lounge around and eat with your friends and family. I ordered several items, the best being the chicken sandwich since it had a very unique blend of sauces and spices. The entrees are also very authentic and each spice used in the dishes is there for a reason. Although my general experience was very good, I had a few ideas to offer to the staff. Surprisingly, the manager himself came and sat down with me to discuss my thoughts and suggestions, and told me honestly about which aspects they're still fine-tuning. He even asked me to return at a later date to see if they were able to properly implement some of those changes. It's actually kind of rare to see that kind of receptiveness, especially from head management. The best part though, is how many of my friends were asking where I'm eating at after they saw my stories on Instagram of the food and the interior design lol. If you haven't been, Chai Chenak is definitely worth checking out! read more

See all

This was a great is a great restaurant that just opened recently in New Brunswick we went there I think the second week after they opened and the food was very good very spicy very well prepared very fresh and the service for a restaurant that is just opening was it was relatively good I would certainly recommend it read more

Great food and decor. Service was great too! Their ambience for a local food joint and food quality especially the Kabab's, Kadhai and Tea are worth repeating each time. read more

The cutest place in New Brunswick!! Such an aesthetically pleasing environment, filled with culture and taste! Would highly recommend this place, the staff is so sweet and accommodating will definitely come back read more

All their food is very fresh. This place is instagram worthy. The chicken garlic mayo roll is so tasty. The masala fries were really good. All their mojitos are refreshing. The upstairs lounge area is very artsy. I would definitely go there again. read more

Beautiful spot, great atmosphere. Servers were super friendly and food was phenomenal. Definitely coming back soon iA

Comfy place with colorful and vibrant decor.We dropped in for a quick bite and loved the juicy and nicely spiced chicken tandoori kebabs and chicken tikka chutney kathi rolls and behari beef roll.both therolls were amazing with perfect bite size servings than the obnoxious stuffings in other places that claims to make it. We were transported to the street kathi rolls that we were used to in Bangalore topped with great flavors.LO had a chicken cheese paratha that was good and they were kind to keep the spice mild for her on request. We were served tea in pretty little tea pots along with a cookie on the side. And colorful teapots do take up an entire wall of decor on one side of the open kitchen..cant wait to go back for more Only con being the parking..had to park a block away and walk down!wish there was option to put 4.5stars read more

If you are ever looking to celebrate an event such as birthday.. wedding anniversary with a group of people. Please please do not go here. They rush you through EVERYTHING!!! They expect you to order and quickly eat and be done within an hour or less. We were a group of 7 celebrating a friend's birthday. We were asked 4 times to leave from different waiters.When I brought this up to management the old man was so rude about it. Punjabi ki saying hai "thore viche bota paygeya"...be humble and respectful to your customers. read more