Probably one of the best meals I've eaten. Two entrees, and a bottle of wine, roti and naan all came to less than $130 including tax. We left a nice tip, as the gratuity isn't auto added. This place as classy as heck. Beautiful atmosphere. Friendly wait staff who are eager to see you have a good time, and a good meal. Spices were balanced, and the ingredients were fresh and vibrant. Herbs were bright beautiful green and fragrant. Bread was chewy and soft. If you see it, try the bottle of Montepulciano. It's a hidden gem. Garnet colour with fresh fruitiness, and subtle tannins. Also. None of the dishes were greasy. If you've ever had Indian food at a bad place, there's always a pool of oil floating on top. None of that happened here. You could taste every ingredient. Your water glass is empty? No worries. One of the wait staff was right there to fill my glass when it was less than half full. Wine glass running low? No worries. One of the wait staff swing by and refill you. Need the cheque? Make eye contact with anyone, and request it. It zooms over to your table. Music is soft and lets you hear your dining companion but not the next door table. Vegan dishes are clearly marked. The only issue I have is that the entrees don't come with rice or roti. You have to buy those separately. Idk what you're meant to eat your daal with, but be prepared to spend extra on rice. Other issue is that the heat level is very low. My companion got a meat dish, and I got a vegan dish. Both were extremely mild. Also, they don't bring onion and green chili to go with the food. It was weird to order like a Punjabi chhole dish, and have it be mild and have none of the onion/green chili that you see at Punjabi restaurants. That said, would 100% come back. read more

Service was a PREMIUM. Let that be the first thing you hear about this restaurant because they were on top of it. This was an unexpected stop for us after a very long day and I looked bedraggled, but they were incredibly attentive and polite! The food was fantastic!!! Several dishes were marked as Martha Stewart's favorite so we went ahead and had her recommended butter chicken and it was delightful. The portions were fairly substantial. I highly recommend this place! read more

See all

I reunited with college friends with dinner in the Upper East Side. My friends who are Indian recommended this spot as they have dined here several times. This restaurant has been around for over 20 years so they must be doing something right. Service could be better. Food was good and ambiance was ok but better than most spots in Queens. Standouts were the fried okra and fried shrimp. read more

See all

A surprise find near the Roosevelt Island Tramway station in New York. Chola is actually a Michelin recommended restaurant. The prawns on sizzling plate are excellent: tender and juicy. Great upscale ambiance. Good service. Though their accent made it a bit hard to understand if they were serving goat or something else. read more

See all

Nice spot. Meals are om the heavy side, more than you can eat. Overall very professional service. read more

See all

Excellent service; fresh delicious, piping hot food! Lychee martinis perfectly balanced, not sweet! Chicken dishes perfectly prepared! read more

See all

Reviewing only for delivery so take this with a grain of salt as it is always better to dine in. Ordered lunch delivery (they do not have a lunch special) and tried the chili paneer, shrimp jalfrezi, lamb vindaloo, manglorean chicken coconut curry (Lata Shetty's Kori Gassi), aloo paratha, garlic naan and kheer. Everything was tasty, albiet some dishes were a bit oily like the vindaloo and jalfrezi. I wish the vindaloo was a bit spicier, but that is a minor complaint. Overall the food was very flavorful and I really enjoyed the manglorean coconut chicken curry, I had not had a dish like it before and it was the best dish we ordered. The chili paneer was delicious, I just wish there was a bit more paneer and less onions/peppers. The kheer was tasty, similar to other places I have tried. Chola is a bit expensive and if you are ordering in Indian for lunch, you can find other places with better deals. However, the food is very good and I would definitely go here for dinner. read more

Quick service, even though we came in not long before closing time. My goat biryani was well made with very tender meat. Yummy Chai, would have liked it a bit sweeter, attentive service and fresh food, will definitely visit again when I am on the area. read more

Excellent Indian cuisine The only dish missing is butternut squash soup, which is a traditional item in Indian restaurants. Could Chola include it? read more

I have been there for years but this time I was little disappointed. I felt it was not like this before = the last time we had was in 2022, though. Previously food was delicious while prices have been at higher side. Shrimp vibdaloo has a serval of very tiny shrimps. Appetizers were not impressive and looked interesting. Nan was not also impressive. We ordered the 2nd nan but somehow paratha came. Everything was off and very expensive. read more

Elegant setting. Attentive but unobtrusive server. Convenient location, a short walk from the trains at 59th & Lex. Not wildly pricey, considering the area. Loved the menu, with some familiar foods and many options that I'd never heard of. I wound up ordering the "Savitri Amma's Mor Kuzhambu: A buttermilk churn, okra, white pumpkin, and coconut." It was an unusual choice for me and very tasty. read more

The food was awesome. The ambiance was low lite and easy on eyes. The service was relatively fast. The stars of dinner were the lamb chop lollipops, butter chicken, and tandoori dishes. Highly recommend!! read more

Came here for lunch with friends the day of the NYC Marathon. Beautiful interior with excellent service. Complimentary pappad is provided with the meal. We started with the chili paneer which was excellent! Great texture and the perfect amount of spice. We then followed with the rasam, 3 curries, onion kulcha and rice. All delicious. Good spot for both vegetarian and vegans - something on the menu for everyone. Highly recommend! read more

Chola - Good portions! - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Absolutely delicious food and amazing service ! We tried the Dak Bungalow Murgh Curry and the Melugu Kozhi Chettinad. Both were exceptional! read more

Chola - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Excellent food, excellent service, great place to meet a friend and actually be able to have a conversation. Will be back!

10 thumbs up. I have lived in NYC for over 30 years. This is by far the BEST and MOST delicious Indian food I have ever had I can't wait to go back. I highly recommend. read more

A recent Yelp friend request read: I saw your reviews on the Restaurant Reviews group and was really impressed with your knowledge of food. I'm not sure about that as although Gayle and I enjoy our share of dining establishments, we definitely don't have the palate to run with the culinary elite. Which brings us the Chola, voted by my dear Wife and I as the best meal we experienced during our 3 week trip to NYC and Canada. Gayle also gives Chola her coveted (and seldom awarded) - "Lick the Plate" prize. We found Chola via on online search (from our Hotel room) for nearby restaurants. This place was a bit of a schlep, but well worth it for the exercise and what was to come. It's just past the out-of-business Indian place next door. Here's what we enjoyed: - Bombay Breeze Martini (Gayle) - Taj Mahal Beer (Eric) - Basamati Rice - Lata Shetty's Kori Gassi (Gayle) - Aunt Murli Shrimp Malai Curry (Eric) The last dish in particular was outstanding. It was most enjoyable to move beyond Chicken tikka masala. Our table was nice, the service was attentive with pride of ownership, and our evening together sparkled. Things went so well that I should have proposed marriage to Gayle again! read more

Chola - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

Tried coastal Indian food for the first time--delicious, good service, and a slightly upscale vibe. The onion naan was the highlight!

I no like food.service is very slow. I'm Indian so the food I'm expecting is not like that sorry

My friend came here for dinner. This place has an elegant interior and peaceful ambiance. They serve elevated Indian cuisine. Instead of getting my usual Mango Lassi, I decided to try the Indian coffee. This was mixed with milk and had faint aroma of spices. The coffee was smooth and creamy. My friend and I shared the Garlic Naan, which was pretty good, but didn't have enough garlic taste for me. It was nicely buttered, as well as slightly crispy though. For my entree, I ordered the Lamb Biryani, topped with bread, which I absolutely loved. The bread was soft and delightfully warm. The Lamb Biryani was delicious, but a bit spicy for me, so I took bites with the raita (yogurt sauce), which definitely helped. The lamb was wonderfully tender, well seasoned, and plentiful. The rice was perfectly cooked, full of boldly flavored whole spices, along with garden herbs. The combination of rice and lamb made for mouthwatering bites. I also tried the dessert, Gulab Jamun, which are kind of like warm milk based balls in sweet soup. It only came with 2 balls in a sugar syrup with cardamom, rose, and coconut. The balls were sticky, chewy, and satisfyingly yummy. However, the syrup it came in was too sweet even for me. Service was solid. Our waiter was welcoming and attentive. Prices are on the expensive side, so I would only return once in awhile to treat myself. Next time, I would like to try the Lata Shetty's Lobster Ghee Roast or one of the Fish dishes, and of course, the Mango Lassi. read more

See all

good food good service. I like the way they fixed up the space--it seems to work and feel better.

Went shopping for a mattress which is always a stressful decision and was ready for a late lunch. Walked around the corner and found Chola, and was pretty happy we did . Smart, tasteful interior . Excellent service and really exceptionally tasty dishes! I've eaten in a lot of Indian restaurants and this would definitely be one of the best. Lots of vegetarian options as well as vegan options which is great! read more

See all

This place is SO good. Was told that the cuisine is authentic southern indian cuisine and was really pleased to discover new tastes that I had never had before but thoroughly enjoyed! Interior was beautiful and service was attentive. Came for lunch on a Saturday at opening and there was plenty of room. There is a complimentary tamarind sauce with light chips! Ordered the rogan josh lamb curry and one of the fish curries that was recommended. Each was a little under $30 but SO so good! Powerful but not overbearing flavors. The fish curry reminded me of some southeast asian cuisines! Basmati rice and garlic naan came separately, probably could have done without the naan this meal. Will definitely return to try more! (: read more

Chola - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

I love that Chola has reinvented its menu with a focus on cuisine from the coastal states of India. From Gujarat on the Arabian Sea to the west, down to Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the deep south in the heart of the Indian Ocean, over to the Bay of Bengal on the east, India's coastal states have a delightful variety of seafood that is largely overlooked in the menus of Indian restaurants in this part of the world. Chola has changed that, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I am partial to the flavors from the southwestern states of Kerala and Karnataka, so my favorites are the fish moilee and the allepy fish curry. The allepy curry harmonizes the tartness of unripe mangoes with the heat of chili peppers to produce a deliciously complex flavor profile, and the creamy coconut milk and diced onions lend a great texture to the mild but flavorful moilee sauce. They use branzino (a fish native to the Mediterranean Sea, rather than one from the Indian Ocean) for the fish curries, but I think the mild flavor of the branzino actually works really well with the bold flavors of these curries. Service is polite, and the layout is spacious and bright. read more

See all

Came here spontaneously the other to get dinner. It's a nice looking but smallish place. Service was attentive but not the very quickest. The food was spot on though: the mushroom matter was creamy and packed with flavor without being too spicy and the kulfi was the perfect sweet treat to round out a lovely meal. read more

I ordered vegetarian food - two curries, rice and tandoori rooti. Food was below average with very low amount of salt and spices were moderate. When I added little more salt, spoiled the taste. They might be serving good non veg food but vegetarian food was just okay not great. Service was good and ambiance was nice too. read more

Chola - Infront of restaurant. - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

My cousin ordered delivery from Chola on my last visit to NYC and I loved it! This is what we had: Samosas (potato and cauliflower) Lasoni Gobi (roast cauliflower) Malai Kofta (vegetable croquettes) Chole Punjabi (curry chickpeas) Saag Sabji (pureed spinach and egetables) Lamb Rogan Josh Chicken tikka masala Chicken biryani Turmeric lemon rice Price point is perfect for what you get and everything was absolutely delicious, particularly the cauliflower, chickpeas, masala, and biryani. We finished every last bit between the six of us. Would definitely go back on another trip to NYC. read more

Chola - Takeout order for six - everything was great! - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

Food 3.5/5 Service 5/5 Ambiance 4/5 I think the food was good here but not anything super special and because I've had far more flavorful Indian dishes in Queens for much less. The pain puri was my least favorite thing, the butter chicken was pretty good and the jhinga bhuna mirchwala shrimp packed a good punch and loved the masala but still feel like I've just had better. Maso Lassi was good! Service was absolutely wonderful though. read more

See all

The street gains charm from this restaurant. Chola accommodates social outings well. Employees were prompt, skilled, and delivered orders correctly! The food has great spices. Bills are reasonable and staff is friendly. The spot has special qualities. read more

Most delicious Tikka Masala I've ever had. The perfect combination of spices and so fresh I have to get take out because I love to wolf it down. Combined with the fluffy butter Naan and rice I'm in heaven. Generous portions too, I always have enough for dinner than lunch the next day. They remodeled and it looks great plus they are soooo nice. I'm so lucky I live a block away and so happy happy happy when I eat their food. read more

Chola - Take out. - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

Little more upscale than the average Indian place and with a great menu, this is definitely worth a shot if you like Indian food. We loved the chicken kebab and biryani and both were great. Service was good. Would recommend. read more

Had delivery from here. They offer less common Indian dishes than most in the US know. Ordered two entrees, two types of naan, and samosas. I thought the entrees were decent. Chicken Korma and Chicken Andra Mirapakaya Kozhi. These mains were pretty good. Flavors and portion size were good, and the Korma was spot on. Not too many complaints here. They came with rice. The naan was disappointing. Both were not cooked well enough. The paneer cheese naan was bland and clumps of paneer vs. more melted like I've had elsewhere. The garlic naan was similarly disappointing. The samosas were ok. Hard to mess those up. They come 3 to a portion. All in all, I will try some other dishes and see if they improve my take on Chola. Otherwise, Jackson heights is a short subway ride away. read more

Chola - Paneer Cheese Naan - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

Every dish was exceptional (and for 8 people we shared at least a dozen dishes) Service was attentive and friendly. And the ambiance was a delight-hip, stylish and pristine! read more

Really great Indian food at a rather great price. Small, and quant in size but large on the flavor. Went the vegan route (against my better judgement) and honestly the food was dynamite. Seasoned and prepared perfectly. Great portion and again, packed with flavor. The cocktails were amazing. Everyone was extremely nice including accommodating us without a reservation. Reservations are definitely recommended. read more

See all

General note: Shrimp dishes are skimpy. Would recommend other stuff. Also this place specializes more as per the name in dishes along the coastline (i.e. areas such as Goa, Kerala, and Manglore.) I have been here several times and I'm surprised I never wrote a review. The prices are on the high end but what do you expect as it's a Midtown East Indian spot? They're comparable to the much worse Dhaba and some other places and as the food quality is much better here, I think it's more reasonable here outside of a few dishes. Overall the service has been friendly though they were overwhelmed one night I went with a group. They have a unique drink selection including a kokum and coconut drink as well as a pretty good sweet or salty lassi as well as some cocktails and other alcohol. From the various times I have been here, the appetizers I have had have included the following: Kurkuri Bhindi (Crispy okra, besan flour, chaat masala, lime,) Lasoni Gobi (Tangy cauliflower, ginger, garlic,) Bhel Puri (Savory crunchies, puffed rice, onion, chutneys, (Purani Dilli Ki Papri Chaat (Flour semolina chips, yogurt, tamarind green chutney,) Pani Puri (Potato & chickpea stuffed crisp puris, tamarind water,) and the Ragda Patties (Potato patties, spiced chickpea, chutneys.) Of all the appetizers, the kurkuri bhindi and the various chaats are my favorite. The Lasoni gobi is also quite good with a good hit of spice. From the mains, I have had several. The most recent time was the Meen Polichattu, a Kerala dish consisting of a pan fried fish topped with a house blended masala cooked in a banana leaf and served with fried eggplant, lemon, and tomatoes. The usual pomfret is replaced here by the more high end branzino which is why the price is higher but the fish is of outstanding quality. Great flavors. Would recommend heavily along with their fish curries. Their "Lata Shetty's Kori Gassi" is also alright though on the sweeter end. The Allepy Konju Pappas is not worth it for the price as noted in the notes above. Otherwise they make a very good chicken tandoor in terms of tenderness though I would say it's not as spicy as some other spots (blame my obsession in this case with spicier Indian food.) Their lamb/goat dishes tend to be very tender though a bit boney. Outside of a couple weaker dishes, this is an excellent Indian restaurant. The prices are a little bit high but it's it's Midtown East. Good spot and a whole lot better than most Indian food in the area. read more

See all

Small restaurant - make reservations ahead of time especially for large groups on Friday or Saturday night. I would not recommend getting the Ikali Hiro drink nor the Sweet Potato Bharta. FYI the rice is enough for 4 ppl and naan is 4 pieces. I would highly recommend the Paneer Malai Tikka, Lasoni Gobi, Malai Kofta, and Bhoger Khichuri. They give you gulab jamun dessert if it is your birthday. Nice and clean restaurant. read more

This place has great reviews and I'm not shocked as the service was impeccable. The restaurant itself was a bit touristy, but this is nyc so what can you expect. It was a bit on the pricey side. Anyways, apparently they renovated the place so glad to see how it looks like now. I wasn't surprised that the new york times wrote a review on this place. Regarding the food, they gave us this fried up bread which came with two condiments that made it even more appetizing. For food we had ordered the butter naan which is tandoori fired with white flour bread and butter. It came with this jam. Also, got the coconut rice which came with fried lentil wafers. For entrees we ordered the Dilliwali Butter Chicken in it which has a creamy tomato sauce, bell pepper, fenugreek, and green chilis. The flavorful Chicken Tikka Masala had creamy tomato sauce which was so hearty and tasted similar to the chicken butter dish. Last, but not least we got the Kadhai Gosht which is wok tossed Lamb chunks, onions, and bell peppers. This dish made my mouth water. All in all, I may return one of these days. read more

See all

The food is outstanding. I had one of the best meals in years. We had the Bengali shrimp, Martha Stewart butter chicken, lamb rogan Josh, saag paneer, naan, rice, pakora for an appetizer, beer, cocktails. 10 stars all around. The dining room was nearly full - it's pretty, elegant, with the cozy chatter of conversation. Prices were reasonable. read more

The short: Unbelievably delicious Indian food, fast & efficient phone order delivery -- all at great prices. The longer: We ordered a *bunch* of Indian food to have for a few meals. We heard from a friend that this place is top notch, so we called and ordered - our food came in about 40 minutes. We started with appetizers: lasoni gobi & tamarind eggplant. Eggplant was a little too sweet for me, but gobi was perfect. Then, we had the Chole Punjabi (amazing!), lamb biryani (delicious!), dak bungalow murgir curry (favorite dish!!), and saag paneer (good, standard). I'd like to eat the murgir curry for every meal... Breads, we tried naan, chapati and the parotta. I'd never had the parotta and would highly highly recommend. Overall, incredible meal and my new go-to Indian delivery spot in the area! read more

Chola - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

Consistently excellent quality and taste. Delivery orders always packed well. Good job chola team!