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    Chola

    4.0 (752 reviews)
    ModerateIndian, Soup, Seafood
    Closed 12:00 pm - 2:45 PM, 5:00 PM - 10:45 PM

    Order Chola Takeout or Delivery

    Chola Photos

    CHOLA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Chola

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    Reviews With Photos

    Chris P.

    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.

    Alice J.

    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.

    Heather W.

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

    Good portions!
    Shivani P.

    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!

    Amélie B.

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

    Eric B.

    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!

    Exterior
    Kathy X.

    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.

    Malai Kofta, excellent !
    michelle b.

    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!

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    2 years ago

    Both the unique dishes as well as the common ones were top notch. Will be back the next time I visit NY

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    6 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Always some yummy Indian cuisine - very tasty. The service is very accommodating and we had a lovely time.

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Very good and consistent throughout food very well prepared, service on spot, nice atmosphere, tables not close together

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    1 year ago

    Food and service were very good. We ate another Indian restaurant 2 days later and Chola was so much better. So many choices on the menu.

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    2 years ago

    The best service I have had in years. One of the most memorable Indian foods I have had in over a decade

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    Page 2 of 19

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    Ask the Community - Chola

    Is there a buffet in 2023?

    They didn't have a buffet when I was there

    Do you guys still offer the lunch buffet as of Sept 2021?

    Unfortunately, the buffet concept has come to an end.

    Are there vegan options on the lunch buffet?

    Yes, We do have vegan options for the buffet and since the buffet selection changes everyday, it would be better to call the restaurant at 10:30 am so that we can let you know the vegan dishes that we will be serving on the buffet.

    What time is the lunch buffet?

    The timing for the Lunch Buffet starts from 12 Noon till 2:45 pm.

    Is this place halal?

    Yes, the meat served at Chola is Halal.

    View All 7 Questions

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    Crab House NYC

    Crab House NYC

    4.4
    (1.4k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$$$

    I think this is the only seafood restaurant I've ever been to that has a bidet, which definitely…read moregets bonus points. That said, I didn't come here for the bathroom. I came here to throw down on some seafood and that's exactly what we did. I found out about this place because one of my favorite TikTok foodies posted that she came here when she was visiting from Chicago. It was also my friend's birthday so we figured we'd check it out. If you come with a group of 4 or more, including the birthday person, they eat for free, which is a pretty nice perk. This place lived up to every bit of the hype. We did the $125 option which includes lobster. If you have people in your group who are on the fence about spending the extra money, just remind them it's only about $35 more and that's basically the cost of one lobster anywhere else. Here you're getting unlimited lobster. The food literally just kept coming. At one point we were running out of room on the table. One thing I really appreciated was that the staff noticed and started putting multiple items on the same plates instead of bringing everything out separately. It sounds small but it actually helped a lot and showed they were paying attention. The drinks weren't super strong but they definitely weren't weak either. If you love seafood, come hungry and bring a group. The vibes were great, the service was on point, and we left absolutely stuffed.

    I had a great experience here. There are so many food options to choose from, including lobster,…read moreshrimp, all kinds of crab legs, and even blue crabs. It's honestly a seafood lover's dream. I highly recommend coming with a large group so you can try a bit of everything. They also offer an option to pay an extra $45 to take your leftovers home, which is absolutely worth it. I ended up with so much food that my fridge is still full. The service was impeccable from start to finish. The staff was attentive, friendly, and made the whole experience even better. I would definitely come back and highly recommend this place to others.

    Photos
    First dining room when you walk in, more space down the stairs farther in
    First dining room when you walk in, more space down the stairs farther in
    Cajun butter shrimp
    Cajun butter shrimp
    Salt & Pepper Fried Lobsters

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    Salt & Pepper Fried Lobsters
    Fish Cheeks

    Fish Cheeks

    4.4
    (2k reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$

    What an incredible Thai experience. This was our first time and definitely cannot wait to go back…read more The service was amazing and the dishes we ordered were like none other. The crab noodles were amazing alongside the pork salad we had. We cannot wait to try their other items!

    The food was delicious but not in the mindblowing way that other reviews seem to rave about. My…read moreparty of 3 ordered the shrimp in 3 crab sauce (raw marinated shrimp), grilled pork cheeks, crab coconut curry, crab vermicelli noodles, and steamed whole fish. The server highly recommended we order another appetizer, since they suggest 1 app and 1 entree per person given their smaller portion sizes, but we had just come from afternoon tea so we didn't need the full size meal. The two crab dishes we ordered, sadly, did not taste much like crab. The texture was fresh and all good there, but I could only taste the curry and the noodle sauce in both dishes. Granted, the flavors were good, just not crabby. The grilled pork cheek was delectable and possibly my favorite dish there, in competition with the raw shrimp which had a sauce so good I was scooping it off the plate with my spoon. The steamed fish was deboned(!) and perfectly tender, bathed in a super savory herby sauce. Surprisingly, despite being a huge crab fan, the two crab dishes were my least favorite. The restaurant itself was adorable! Bright colors everywhere, with accompanying brightly colored dishes. It was huge inside so you could easily bring a larger party, but beware the wait time because this place is popular. Definitely make a reservation if possible. Here you can find unique menu items that specialize in seafood, so if you're looking for thai food beyond your usual pad thai order, come try Fish Cheeks.

    Photos
    Coconut crab curry
    Coconut crab curry
    Grilled branzino with garlic peanut sauce
    Grilled branzino with garlic peanut sauce
    Goi nuaa- beef tartare

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    Goi nuaa- beef tartare
    Cap't Loui

    Cap't Loui

    4.5
    (101 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    Been here multiple times now and each time I leave filled and fulfilled! My favorite item to get in…read morethe boil is the crab legs - they're always fresh! The desserts are delicious too. The beignet really bring me back to when I visited New Orleans.

    We came here for my friend's birthday dinner and of course I was excited, I love seafood! I'd…read morechecked the menu to contemplate choices (I hate inconveniencing others). The staff was professional and efficient with all functionsof service. We were seat once everyone had arrived and were given menus. Everything was good until she asked if we had allergies..... pork. She flips my menu over and stated I could only order the fried foods. They cook everything together, sausage seafood etc, in her words, cross-contamination. I was crushed! Im so glad my friends were distracted. Lost on what to get, I asked for a recommendation and went with the wing basket, while the rest of the table did the 3lb boil with a calamari basket. The boils comes out very fast, fry baskets about 10min longer. The food was fresh, hot, but lightly seasoned (the wings). I requested ranch for the wings, they didnt have any. There was a spicy mayo to dip but it wasnt my cup of tea. As long as the birthday girl had fun, thats all that counts. Im grateful the server asked about allergies. Saved me a trip to the emergency room.

    Photos
    Seating inside, looks like there is also a second floor
    Seating inside, looks like there is also a second floor
    Lobster Roll
    Lobster Roll
    Cap't Loui

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    Lobster Place

    Lobster Place

    4.2
    (1.6k reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    I finally brought my nephew here so he could try their 2 lb. steamed lobster, and it was just as…read moredelicious as I remembered. I've been coming here for years, and the quality of the food continues to keep me coming back. During this visit, I ran into a recurring issue with my lobster. It was carrying a large amount of roe, which I was actually happy about because I enjoy it and didn't want any of it to go to waste. However, the roe deep inside wasn't fully cooked during the initial steaming process. I had to go back and forth with Ash and the kitchen staff several times, but they remained patient, attentive, and committed to making sure everything was cooked properly. Ash, one of the managers, provided excellent customer service throughout the experience. While I was waiting, he kindly offered me a complimentary cup of New England clam chowder, which was absolutely delicious and very much appreciated since I was starving. Before leaving, I also ordered two more 2 lb. steamed lobsters to go. I explained my concern, and the staff made sure they were thoroughly cooked before packaging them. Both were perfectly prepared and absolutely delicious. I truly appreciate the team's dedication to customer satisfaction and their willingness to make things right. Their excellent service, combined with consistently great seafood, is why I've remained a loyal customer for years. I highly recommend this place and will definitely be back. Thank you!

    I have nothing bad to say about this lobster roll. It's fresh and delectable…read more We didn't have to wait too long for our order either. The place is very busy inside Chelsea Market.

    Photos
    A fun and relaxed raw bar atmosphere.
    A fun and relaxed raw bar atmosphere.
    The raw bar spread.
    The raw bar spread.
    Great craft beer selection.

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    Great craft beer selection.

    Chola - indpak - Updated July 2026

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