March 2016 Chatni is on what may be called Restaurant Row in Montclair, NJ, and has competitors in the same type of cuisine on the same block. The restaurant changed owners/management in the last year, and we are glad to say for the better. We eat out several times a week, and Indian food is among our favorite cuisines. We have eating at a number of Indian restaurants in New York, uptown to down and New Jersey from Hoboken to Bridgewater and Chatni stands out as a rare find. Chatni offers a regular menu, lunch specials Monday through Friday, and a buffet Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The food at Chatni is mild but flavorful to start but made spicy or milder upon request and you get a fair portion for your money. Chicken dishes price at around $16.00, and vegetarian dishes at around $15. We are in love with Chicken 65, Chicken Tikka Masala and Sag Paneer. All dishes are successfully made mild for the fearful, or authentically spicy (as should be) for the adventurous. The buffet is a terrific price for a variety of fresh, tasty options at around $11.00, with free unlimited Papadam and 2 desert options of Kheer and Gulab Jamun or Gajar Halwa! Some of our favorite buffet offerings are Curry Goat, Dal, Tandoori Chicken, Chicken 65 and Chicken Tikka Masala. Again, all of these options are always flavorful, fresh and they are willing to make it your liking. The management and wait staff at Chatni are warm, friendly, attentive and accommodating. They are willing to make your dining experience a wonderful one. What stood out abut the people at Chatni compared to other restaurants of this cuisine, is that during our menu dining they actually offered to give us more of the free Papadam without us asking! If you have ever eaten at Indian restaurants, many do not give you Papadam, with all the fixings, for lunch, much less free or offer to give you more. So if you are looking for an Indian restaurant that offers flavorful fresh items in an inviting atmosphere at a reasonable price, then look no further, Chatni is the choice for you. read more

This was the worst indian food I've had in a while! My boyfriend and I were outside trying to decide between the two indian places and then a man popped outside of Chatni and awkwardly forced us to pick his place. We ordered the samosos, which were dry and a bit soggy. We each also ordered kormas (I had the chicken and he the lamb). The korma was sweet! And not in a good way. The lamb was gray looking and tough and even the garlic naan was disappointing. I would never recommend this place. If you like authentic Indian food, DO NOT GO HERE. read more

I came here with my parents this past Memorial Day. Our usual go to Indian food place in Montclair was closed for the holiday and with the Yelp deal ($19 for $25) we figured we would give another place a try. There is both indoor and outdoor seating so we choose an outdoor table in their spacious patio. We were seated next to two couples who were making short work of the bottles of wine that they brought. We brought our own beer. We ordered a paneer tandoori dish, two orders of naan, and a alu gobi dish. We weren't very hungry so we didn't order more. We are Indian and can handle hot and spicy food, so we asked for all the dishes to be extra hot and spicy. We were given papadum with a variety of chuntneys. I found the papadum to be extremely bland, almost like eating communion bread. The main dishes came out and we were disappointed in the portion sizes for the prices we paid. However, the worst part was that the food was not spiced and was mild. I had to walk up to the manager and complain. The best he was willing to do was give us hot sauce on the side to mix with the dish. They also forgot to give us the second of the two naans that we ordered so I had to go up to the manager and complain again. To their credit, I did enjoy the paneer dish despite it not being spicy and they gave us the order of naan they forgot for free. With all the other Indian food choices available in Montclair, I see no reason why I should give this place another chance. read more

Chatni's interior is simply decorated, but very inviting. We ordered a LOT of food and left completely overstuffed. For 3 of us, we shelled out $30 each (includes tips) so it wasn't what I would consider to be a cheap meal, but it is affordable for the amount of food you get. The consistency of the Daal Soup wasn't very good. The daal fell to the bottom and there was a layer of soup water on top (not very attractive). We ordered their Chicken Tikka Masala, Saag Paneer and Chana Masala plus some Cheese and Garlic Naan. The sauce for the Chicken Tikka Masala was beautiful and goes well with just about anything. Their Saag Paneer was good, but quite chunky (different than what I am accustomed to, but good nonetheless). There wasn't anything outstanding about the Cheese Naan, but the Garlic Naan was quite good. I cannot say that I was a big fan of the Chana Masala, but this was my first time ever tasting this so I think I may not be a fan of Chana Masala overall. Our server was really nice and always made sure our waters were filled. There were definitely moments where I would have liked more space just because my group and I were pretty deep in conversation. Would definitely come back if I were back in the Montclair area. read more

I came to Chatni with a large group and we all had a great experience. The server handled our many requests quickly and courteously. The food was delicious. Many people who were new to Indian food enjoyed the Chicken Tikka Masala. Other Indian food vets loved the Lamb Biryani and Chicken Tikka Kebabs. We all devoured both plain and garlic naan. The texture and taste were amazing. My only complaint was that I asked for my Chicken Vindaloo spicy, since I've been to India and love spice. Though it had some heat, I could have enjoyed spicier. read more

Brick Lane in Upper Montclair has been my "go to" Indian restaurant but we went last night and were confronted with a 30-minute wait -- ugh. so we decided to try Chatni and I'm so glad we did. While the service was a bit slow (actually, it was the kitchen, not the servers), the wait was worthwhile. The samosas were extra crunchy and good but you could serve a bit more mint sauce with it! The mains -- chicken tika masala, aloo gobi and shrimp jalfrezi were all delicious and the naan was perfect. We'll definitely be back. I want to try the buffet but work in the city and it's only available at lunch. read more

Not coming here again. Ordered chicken momos & goat biryani. Goat was not fresh at all! I couldnt eat any of the goat meat in the biryani. Had to eat only the rice. They gave me a 10% discount when I pointed this out but no restaurant should be serving this poor quality meat. The momo wrapper was dry and hard. The only saving grace was the chicken stuffing inside the momos and the spicy chutney that the momos came with. read more

My husband and I came in to Chatni before a concert at the Wellmont. We had seen some iffy reviews but we were SO happy with our choice! The food was fresh, very spicy (we ordered medium and it was perfect), and the portions were plentiful, we even took some home for leftovers. I got the bhindi masala, my husband got the butter chicken - both of us were very satisfied and full. We also started with some samosas which came out quickly and were hot and delicious. The roti and garlic naan were also fresh, hot, and tasty. The service was great - there was only one person seating tables, taking orders, running food, and taking payments, and he did a great job balancing everything even though I could tell he could probably have used some help! Literally zero complaints about Chatni, we will come back here next time we're in Montclair for sure. read more

Passing through Jersey on the way home, Chatni came up on Yelp. I was expecting a nice authentic Indian taste and I was impressed. The spices in the dishes were done to really nice subtle effect. They also have a nice selection of Nepalese and Chinese fusion dishes in addition to the traditional North Indian cuisine. I had the Nepalese noodles and loved them. The staff was really attentive and the food came out very quickly. And the outdoor patio seating is well appointed. Highly recommended. I wish this place was closer to Queens :( read more

Stopped in during off hours to get support for a local business and a guy by the name of Krishna completely blew me off. Rude and a fail. Don't support this business since they don't support the community. Then on November 11th I see a ValPak coupon in the mail for this restaurant which is exactly what I was giving this business for free to support a local community business. Amazing how short-sighted. read more

I went back for dinner at Chatni. And I ordered the same exact entrees as my previous visit. And it was excellent!!!!! The chicken Karahi was tasty and spicy (as I requested). The chicken tikka masala was creamy and flavorful. The garlic nan and rice were as expected. I will definitely be back again. The service was superb. No complaints. read more

Go there! Its definitely worth trying if youre into trying something different. First thing's first, the people that work there are very pleasant and friendly. Customer service at its best. The food, amazing! If you like Indian cuisine this is the place for you and your friends and family. Try the cauliflower as an appetizer! My coworkers and i ordered a bunch of different meals and ended up sharing. Beware of the spicy range. Last but not least, the ambiance was very soothing. The music wasn't too loud and the decor was pleasing to the eye. If you're ever in the Montclair area, try this place. You wont be disappointed! read more

A nice and quiet place to have an appetizing meal. I went to Chatni with my family and we ordered an appetizer, 3 dishes to share, and dessert. To start off the service was fast and efficient. It wasn't too busy and had an ambient atmosphere when I went around 6 PM but it was definitely getting more crowded around 8. For the appetizer, we ordered vegetable Pakora. While the Pakoras tasted good, they were all of the same variety (i.e. not distinctly onion, potato, etc. but all just mixed vegetables) and I feel like we didn't get the amount we should have for the price we paid which was $6. The main dishes however were delicious. We ordered the chana masala, navratan korma, and aloo gobi along with garlic and plain naan. The dishes were done to perfection and they were all mixed in with just the right amount of spice. It was all served with Basmati rice and in actuality there was so much food for the 4 of us that we couldn't finish it all. The only complaint I had was that they made the chana masala too spicy even though we asked for "medium" spiciness. For dessert, we ordered gulab jamun and mango ice cream. While the gulab jamun was delicious, the ice cream felt like it just came out of the freezer and felt hard when eating. They should have definitely left time for it to thaw out before serving it. All in all though I think Chatni is definitely one of the better Indian restaurants in the area and I plan on going back in the future to try out their other dishes. read more

I do not have Indian food often. The food was very good, and well-prepared. Warning: I ordered the goat with the Indian rice, and even the medium spice was hot enough to clear my sinuses. The food was very delicious. The only issue was not biting into to bones, and risk chipping a tooth. I do recommend this restaurant for dinner, if you want a good dining spot before a show at the Wellmont Theater (across the street). read more

Chatni is my go-to for Indian in Montclair, hands down. Their lunch special is a great deal, and everything is prepared fresh to order. What may be lacking in atmosphere is definitely made up for with what comes from the kitchen. read more

Yuck. Move along! Can we not give ZERO stars?? Disappointed beyond belief! Here we gave initial review below, but we call and get attitude when ordering onion chutney (" it will back up your order as I don't have time to make onion chutney now.") whaaaaat??? Then we call back - TWO HOURS after placing order - still no food and no sign on the way. We cancelled order. There are just WAAAAY too many Indian restaurants in Montclair w/o this one. Had our dinner delivered. Reasonable wait time given Friday pm. Top notch chicken tikka kabobs! Tender moist and flavorful. Runs circles around the Indian that garners the premier attention (and over the top pric read more

My daughter and I were wandering around Montclair because it was a BEAUTIFUL day. We were looking for lunch and not necessarily Indian food but after walking back and forth a couple of times on Bloomfield Ave, I was like, let's just get an Indian buffet. It'll be cheap and plentiful. We walked into an empty restaurant (there's a massive construction project and traffic outside was diverted) and were informed by the waiter that they no longer do lunch buffet but a lunch special. Well, the lunch specials were amazing. I had the chicken vindaloo and saag paneer and my daughter had the chicken korma and dal mahkni. The lunch specials came with everything: rice, naan, papadom and the mint and onion chutneys and tamarind sauce. We even ordered extra naan, no charge. The only thing that wasn't included was the mango lasse that my daughter ordered. Everything was delicious. The vindaloo has just enough spice to put a sheen on my forehead but not so much that you couldn't taste the other flavors. There were whole slivers of ginger and the cardamom was just the perfect compliment to the whole flavor profile. My daughter's meal was equally rich. She doesn't like as much spice as I do but the dishes she ordered were complex without being muddled. On top of everything, including the drink, the whole bill came to $26 including tax. I was astonished. There was so much food that we couldn't finish it. I would highly recommend Chatni, and would urge anyone reading this to brave the construction. You will not be disappointed. read more

Chatni Indian Restaurant - My daughter and me. - Indian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Love this place amazing food and service.......Garlic roti, Afgahni roti, samosa and chicken tika masala, chicken valudoo! Chatni never disappoint - it's BYOB! Amazing food and great service!!!! read more

Chatni Indian Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Ordered Kaju butter masala. Didn't like it at all. Looked like eating tomato soup with cashews. read more

This place is great. I usually go to the one by world trade center, but this one has an amazing vibe inside and out. You have to walk through the kitchen to get to the back patio which felt like I was trespassing but everyone I met had smiles, and the kitchen was presentable. The food is good with the mild sauce (could use some more seasoning to flavor it up) I didnt dare to try spicy because I cant handle it but for first timers I recommend the mild for starters. This is definitely a date night place when the sun goes down inside or out on the patio, mostly people come in pairs buying bottles of wine (dont expect any margaritas, or a sex on the beach drink). Will definitely recommend and go back. Used a restaurant.com coupon today and it was a easy process other places seem to throw a fit when you give them the discount coupon. read more

Chatni Indian Restaurant - Garlic naan....cheese naan...grilled chicken sorry I forgot the names - Indian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

My friends and I ordered from Chatni Indian Restaurant today at 10/11/2019 7:50 PM. At 8:23 PM, Chatni Indian Restaurant reached out and gave me an option to have the food delivered in 2.5 hours or refund my order. Their reason: They are busy, they have 1 driver, and the delivery guy doesn't want to drive that far. As per google maps, the mileage is approx 19 minutes and within BeyondMenu's bounds. I advise the rep to update those bounds if they cannot service. To refund my order, I'd have to call BeyondMenu myself. This is a nuisance because it would be my word against theirs whether my food was ever delivered to me. Also, there isn't a contact number since I can only use their comment form which means I won't be able to speak with a live customer representative right away. After explaining this to them, the manager reached out to BeyondMenu to have my order refunded. I will have to wait to see if the pending charge drops off. The Rep stated he did his best to service me. I had to explain, he did not serve me - it was pretty much a refusal of service (he hung up). They cared more about how to serve more guests than to fix their operations or make it right with me. read more

This was a 2 star review amended to 3 because the owner seems like a great guy that would have been happy to make a return visit worthwhile! I should have left when I was informed that the 25% off happy hour lunch special advertised was actually only 15%. Admittedly, it takes a deal for me to walk into a place without a recommendation or reading reviews. But since I was gimmicked into the empty place, I placed an order for lamb vindaloo and garlic naan. The lamb was chewy and stringy. My mother (who tasted what I brought home) swears it was beef! When I order a lamb dish, and the lamb tastes old and microwaved, there's a problem. I'll try the Indian buffet a few doors up that actually had customers next time. read more

Their food was good. I ate the malai kofta, the paneer makani, and the vegetable briyani. The naan was decent but the curry was very tasty. Their customer service though can be improved greatly. I called and picked the food up but they did not tell us that rice came with the meals despite asking them that question. So we ended up with too much rice because we had order the briyani. Also, I only went here because I had a Restaurant.com certificate that was valid for dine-in or pick-up but they did not honor the certificate. I will not be returning. read more

We just came back from having lunch here. There were only 3 other couples in the restaurant. The only way the service could have been slower is if they had been walking backwards! Absolutely terrible. RonWB read more

Good, solid Indian food. What gives this place the full five stars is that the owners and servers are incredibly nice and polite people. It really made a difference to me that evening because my wife and I tried to go to another place earlier in the evening and we left because we were rudely treated. I thought our night was going to be ruined because of the bad experience, but this placed turned it around and saved it. Also, the Samosas have an interesting salt garnish that I enjoyed. read more

I came here for dinner with my two friends. I never had Indian food before and was so happy with my dish. We started out with the samosa appetizer which was great. Two large samosas come with that order. I ordered chicken tikka kabab which is basically grilled chicken with the sauce on the side. I had an order of the garlic naan on the side. I highly recommend this dish. I asked for mild spice which was basically not spicy at all. Next time I'll ask for medium spice. My friend ordered the chicken tikka masala. This dish was slightly over salted. Overall, the food came out quickly and they provide you with a small treat before your meal and a small dessert at the end. But each dish is about $15 for a rather small portion. read more

A nice place for a quiet, delicious meal with the family. The staff are polite and courteous; the gently dimmed light and beautiful decor contribute to a calm and comfortable atmosphere. In the end, though, it really all comes down to the food. We recently sampled the sagwala paneer, which was deliciously more spinachy than regular palak paneer. We also ordered the lamb bhuna gosht, delicately spicy and extremely flavorful. We sampled both the plain naan and the keema naan, which was filled with herbed lamb patty. Both were appropriately buttered and spiced. Our appetizers were the chicken momo, which came with an interesting sauce on the side. The samosa chat was, to put it in our own words, like a chickpea pot pie with samosa crust. The sagwala paneer and samosa chat are highly recommended; the lamb bhuna gosht was good, but is a little spicy for the less adventurous diner. I've visited Chatni many times, and it has never disappointed as a place to enjoy some traditional Indian comfort food. To be honest, I'm already scanning the menu for what I'll order next time I come! read more

Too many things were ordered for me to go down the list of what was best and which flavors resonated most, but as a whole Chatni offered up some amazing Indian food. The depth of flavor in every sauce I tried was impressive. The aromatic nuances of spices made my palate go crazy in the best way. I also really enjoyed the outdoor seating. With these super warm and gorgeous summer nights, there's no reason you shouldn't take advantage of the extra space. It really added to a great experience in the company of great people. read more

Found this restaurant through a Groupon. We were pleasantly surprised at how good this place was! We ordered the Samosas and something called Chicken 65 as appetizers. They were both delicious! We got the curry lamb and the lamb Madras as entrees. Also fabulous! I honestly thought the lamb could have been a little more tender but the sauce definitely made up for it. The garlic naan and mango lassi were also great. We'll absolutely be coming back here in the near future. read more

The Tarka Daal and Chana Masala are both sooo good. Super flavorful and aromatic. This is my favorite Indian restaurant. Yum!

My only regret was that I didn't realize the owner is from Nepal. They have some dishes from there. Next time I go, I will try them. The Indian dishes were fine, but I will always long for memories of my first Indian lunch in Hampstead, London and dinners near Euston Station. read more

Had the lunch special with chicken vindaloo and saag paneer. Everything was very good. Also appreciated that it came with naan and all for under $10. I will definitely be back. I have gone to the Indian restaurant next door (Satish) for years and they are different and both great in their own ways. There are actually three Indian restaurants all in a row so it will be interesting to see if the area can support them all. read more

Chatni Indian Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Chatni is among several other Indian restaurants that are in Montclair area. From my own and several other friends' experiences, I can certainly say that there is a unique blend of Indian, Nepali and Tibetan flavors in the food they serve at Chatni! This, added with the ever pleasant and helpful staff, makes this stand out from any other Indian restaurant in the area. Food wise, they have great selections, some of my favorite items are chicken tikka masala, lamb saag ( tender lamb cooked with spinach), momo( dumplings that will make you feel like you are in Nepal), and so many more. My personal favorite are the dumplings( momo) hands down, one of the best things you can eat in this planet, and Chatni, has that down pretty good! Go see it for yourself, I can guarantee you will have an awesome time! I go there almost 2-4 times a month! Bishrut read more

An excellent first time experience with absolutely delicious food! I'm quite familiar with Indian restaurants as I'm from Birmingham in the UK where there's a big cultural influence. I'm not very adventurous though but have found that the mark of a fine place is usually the basic and ever popular, chicken tikka masala. Tonight my husband and I ordered that to go. It came with rice and we also ordered 2 naan and a mango lassi. We were also given free popadums and sauces without even mentioning it. Everything was fragrant, flavorful and satisfying. The curry included a generous amount of white meat chicken (a rare find) and it even had peppers and onions in it too which was a pleasant suprise. There was a decent amount of heat from the spices without it being overwhelming and more noticeably, the curry looked natural. So many tikka masalas I've been served before have been bright red which I'm sure is due to a little added food coloring. The naan was soft and chewy, cooked beautifully with a crispy char on the edges and the mango lassi (which I don't usually order) was gorgeous too. Sweet and fragrant - I actually think of it more as a dessert than just a regular drink - it was that good! Above all, my husband and I were most impressed with the price. Out total, including tax, came to just over $25. Since moving to Montclair, we've been frequent customers at the Bricklane Curry House. The staff there are so friendly and accommodating and I hate to say anything negative because they're so nice, but their prices never seem to stop increasing (currently their tikka masala -which doesn't include chicken is $17! To add chicken there is an additional $3 charge. Their plain naan also, is $5. For bread! By comparison, the same items from Chatni were $15.95 for the masala, chicken obviously included, and $2.95 each for the naan. I'm pretty sure the taste at Chatni was better too and definitely more authentic. I'll be back again soon as were now sitting here feeling very happy after a delicious meal! read more

Chatni Indian Restaurant - Simple but delicious chewy naan bread - Indian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Had lunch here the other day. They have Avery good deal for lunch which is the 10.99 all you can eat weekend buffet for lunch. I had dinner here many years ago and thought it was a little better. However, lunch as good and the buffet allows you to sample the different meats. Food quality was about average and I would come back again because of the price and I live locally. read more

Chatni Indian Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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I check out the Chatni Indian Resturant yesterday for the lunch specials and I have to say there food is excellent. Made to order with option of how spicy you like it. I like it very spicy. Good sized lunch portions, great menu selection, excellent lunch prices. Check it out. read more

Disappointed with their foods. Ordered their non-veg sampler, which turned out to be very bad, could not eat. When I told them about their food nicely, the front desk guy told me " this is how we made our food bruh" bruh - seriously? They are not at all receptive to any comments and so defensive about their food. Momo too I would say is below average. They need to look around and improve their cooking skills, get their chefs some training and as well as improve their customer service skills . If there is any business district out there in Montclair, they should reach out to these guys and help them. read more

I love this place. I always stop in after work for takeout. Have eaten in a couple of times. Food selection is consistent with most Indian restaurants. The staff is attentive and it's BYOB. read more

I've been to Chatni a few times and it has been very consistent. Their staff and is courteous and very attentive. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful with the menu questions. The food is very authentic and delicious, This time around I ordered the Tandori Mixed Grill and it was tasty and there was plenty to take home for snack. They gave us a rice pudding dessert on the house. I don't eat cream so I couldn't accept it, however I thought it was a sweet gesture. I can easily recommend and look forward to our next visit. read more

Ordered at 6:15. Food arrived just before 9PM. Everything was decent, albeit cold, except the chicken saag. Watery, flavorless, just plain bad. I'd be willing to forgive a bad delivery if the food was good, but I can't abide by an Indian restaurant that can't get Saag right. read more