This is some very interesting Indian food - and it's very good. The service is nice. The decor is not.

Went here for dinner with friends last night and it was great! We had Dosa to start and it was great! Love their potato filling! The ambiance is nice too. Would definitely go back. Friendly service too. The best Indian I've had in NYC. read more

I never thought I would recommend skipping Chola for greener pastures but I have had three mediocre meals there in a row. The quality has declined sharply in recent years and I can no longer recommend it as the best place on the block; it's still good but is no longer great. read more

I promised the owner I would write a review on the way out as the food was really top knotch. The naan was definitely some of the best, piping hot, and soft. I liked the garlic naan the best, also tried the cheese naan. For a main dish I enjoyed thoroughly the minced cauliflower over basmati cumin rice. Together these were amazing, but topped with the yogurt sauce was fantastic! The service also is worth noting that with a little friendliness our server opened right up and guided us through some great choices on the menu with a full house on Saturday night. read more

Probably a 3.5 star..... We ordered malai kofta and chilli paneer dosa. While the malai kofta was great (kofta balls were soft and tasty in a very well made gravy) ,the dosa was burnt and didnt taste good at all. The service was slow. We waited for our check forever until we decided to get up and pay at the counter. read more

This is one of the best Indian Restaurants that I have been to in NYC thus far. The food is a bit pricey but its worth it. The food is very authentic. I love how the menu is setup it gives you different flavors of India. read more

I went here with great expectations, the food wasn't that great. The service was really good! The lack of spices was what made me not excited about this place. read more

Wow. This place was so good! I had the chicken tiki masala and my friend got the vindaloo. Both dishes were very very tender and flavorful. I also ordered mine spicy, and it came with a kick but nothing debilitating. This is how I prefer it! Good job on level of spiciness, that is not an easy thing to do. I am leaving this place on the menu for a while until I can same everything! I can't wait to sample more of these flavors. Thanks for reading and enjoy. read more

Decent Indian food if you like Indian food to begin with, I personally is not a huge fan of Indian food, but this one blew me away. The restaurant decor, ambiance and service is also very good. read more

I've never tried the buffet, but I've ordered dinner off the menu and it was delicious! The biryani was a little on the oilier side, which I wasn't a big fan of but it was still good. However, I got delivery once and the biryani wasn't that great at all; not sure if it was an off day or what. However, my restaurant experience was good, I'll definitely go back. read more

I love that this restaurant has menu options categorized for vegetarians and vegans. The naan is incredible, and our entrees had great flavor, although they were a tad greasy. The place has a really cool ambiance, but it's a bit ruined by how incredibly loud it gets. On a Friday or Saturday night it can get too hard to hear the people you're sitting with. If possible, don't settle for the three tables in the front by the bar - it gets incredibly packed over there with people waiting in line to be seated an your dinner will feel cramped and far from intimate. I'll come back for the paneer/vegetable masala and deliciousss naan. read more

The food is pretty good, and there are load of options, but it seems to be a fancier indian food place while not really making the food any much better. I do think the servers are nice, and I bet if I went to their lunch buffet I would give a higher rating, but to be fair I felt I paid about $8-10 more than I felt the quality was worth in my food. To their credit I did say i want my food spicy and they did hit the perfect level on request. Perhaps my grade is a little harsh, but definitely not a 5 stars, even though an option I do recommend if you are caught in the area looking for food like I was. It comparitively is probably better than other restaurants in the area. Portions are kind of small also. read more

Nice range of selections at the lunch buffet but to be honest the food was just okay overall. Also, the fact that chicken tikka masala wasn't an option at a lunch buffet was rather mindblowing to me. I would come again if I were craving indian lunch buffet but would also want to try other options first. This was the first time I had tried Indian food in New York City, and it definitely made me miss the much better and cheaper options back in California. read more

Very good Indian lunch buffet! They offer a variety of dishes at the buffet as well as bring sides to your table of chicken tikka and pancake, which is a very nice personalized touch. Very good price for the buffet at $15. I can see that their prices for dinner are quite high by comparison (as with most restaurants in this area) so I recommend coming on a weekend or lunch for the buffet first so that you know which dishes you like before ordering for dinner. The ambiance inside is very pretty and they have comfortable seating- overall, a nicely designed layout. read more

This is a nice place for Indian food. They have a lunch buffet and the menu is always good. They also give extra box for desert for lunch to-go. The only downside is the food is too oily to be consumed on a more frequent basis. For once in a while, this place is good. read more

This is hands down the most amazing Indian cuisine I've tasted in all of NYC!!! The ingredients used are so fresh and the aromas that come out of the kitchen each time the food is wheeled out are mind blowing. Everyone that works at the restaurant is super friendly. Prahlad in particular is always welcoming and attentive. During our last two dining experiences we received dessert on the house - the honey balls are a must try!!! Prahlad goes out of his way to ensure your dining experience is one of a kind. Our favorite dishes include the Baghari Jhinga, chicken tikka masala, nimbu salmon, the coconut rice, and the garlic naan. If you are considering Chola do not hesitate you will not regret it. We just took some friends who have never had Indian food and they could not stop talking about how this is their favorite meal in a very long time! read more

The food tasted stale and oily. Almost made my stomach feel uneasy thereafter. The masala chai is one of the worst I have had in my life. Overpriced for the quality of food. read more

Yum! One of my new favorite haunts. If you can count it as a haunt, when you sit in your warm office and order from Seamless Web. The tikka masala lunch special is more than enough food and absolutely yummy. No more rubber chicken, these are monstrous chunks of chicken that are as big as my hand. Not sure if the buffet is still going, worth calling the restaurant before you roll up starving. read more

I ate here twice within my 4 day visit to NY last week- that should tell you something about how I feel about this place. The food is amazing- I tried the spicy chicken appetizer (pahadi chicken kabob) and some goat curry the first time and then had the same appetizer and the lamb chops and baigan bharta. I took a friend the second time just so I could eat more. I was torn between 4 and 5 stars only because there is a funky antiseptic smell when you first walk in. It might not be a permanent issue, but if they can just light some incense this place is a 5 star eatery! read more

This was very good Indian food! Waiters are extremely attentive. My glass of water was always kept full. I went during lunch time on Sunday and I ate from their buffet. I'm guessing they also have a menu but I didn't see one. I will be coming back again for sure!! read more

I expected much better, especially with all the reviews. I'm a regular at Indian restaurants and this one just didn't cut it. nothing special, kinda bland if anything. Usually Indian food is much more flavorful. read more

I have yet to step foot in this place, but as I sit here savoring every spoonful or delicious and SPIZY rasam soup, I must leave a review. The prices are definitely a bit above average, but so is the the flavor. The rasam is truly divine--tangy, spicy, aromatic. Little bits of fresh herbs and spices leave each spoonful with a slightly different taste. Really, really wonderful. I decided to temper this spice with an order of the Thair Pachadi, and it is also wonderful. Creamy and tangy, which strips of fresh ginger and slices of okra. I don't like to eat a lot of Indian at the office for fear of offending the sensitive folks nearby (bland tasters), but I might have to forgo being polite next week. This will be the perfect winter soup. read more

Food here is top notch! When they brought out the bread I thought it was ordinary bread served at Indian joints but that all changed when I took my first bite. The bread tasted amazingly fresh and a perfect mix with the food you get from the buffet table. read more

The service is incredible, the prices are typical to midtown Manhattan prices, the location is close to public transportation. Their food is sometimes bland depending on what you order (if you want taste, stay away from their eggplant appetizer). Their somozas are amazing! I had the lamb Korma and it LOVED it, the coconut rice is very good and i typically don't like coconut in my food but I would order that again. They have a vegan section on their menu and i really liked that. I've been recommending this place to others, it's a must try at least once. read more

Nazer the manager is fantastic !! The service and food specially is great !! Paneer Khucharn is shredded cottage cheese with red tomato curry !! A must have !! Paneer cheese nan and garlic nan is to die for !! read more

I have lunch here often. The buffet is quite good and the service is pleasant and attentive. An enjoyable and convenient option.

I don't often write reviews on any medium, but in this case I feel compelled to. Out of all of the Indian food I've had in the City or anywhere else Stateside, this is easily #1 - and that's out of 20+ restaurants that I had researched prior to trying. It may not be the cheapest option around, but it's certainly not exorbitant, and I've had a number of more expensive meals of significantly lower quality (even nearby). The service is also wonderful, with kind, attentive, and courteous staff. Lastly, the venue itself is truly lovely, with an upscale-and-yet-approachable vibe that makes me feel like I'm having a really nice night out without that feeling of stuffiness that is sometimes associated with nice decor and cloth napkins. I am blown away every time I come here, and would highly, highly recommend it to anyone who wants damn good Indian cuisine (and real tasty cocktails, as well). read more

Superb, eclectic Indian cuisine. The goat biryani is outstanding! A neighborhood institution at this point, anchoring the block along with its more traditional rival in Indian cuisine, Dawat, Chola is also a destination venue, well worth a visit. Reasonably priced, especially considering the stratospheric levels some restaurants are charging in the well-heeld environs of East Midtown. read more

Just in from out of town & our must go to lunch - Chola is amazing - the quality & variety is excellent. Very friendly and accommodating staff. The tastiest & best bang for your buck Indian lunch in NYC. read more

i got this chicken in "jogurt pineapple and cardimom" sauce. it sounded amazing on the menu and it actually was pretty good, but i was suprised that i literally got just two pieces of chicken - no rice, no veggies just two pieces of chicken for $20ish i was expecting a bit more but the chicken it self was very nice I was expecting some thing dripping in the sauce but it was just marinated and grilled - a surprise but still nice. my friend ordered the tandoori mixed grill which was quiet nice for a meat lover, nice flavor and tender. we also ordered the tomato rice (decent nothing more to elaborate on) and some paneer naan (very bland). we got the rice pudding for dessert which was a nice way to top the meal off - leave feeling refreshed rather than hot and heavy. overall food was good. but not worth the price. read more

I went here for lunch today. The food wasn't too bad. I'm still alive to write this review. The food was warm. The green goo veggie tasted decent. The yellow chicken was par yummy yum yum (is that a word? ). Indian bread - warm and edible. Service? Eh. That's a different story. 30 min in, these guys are rushing us to finish. I only had one plate, cause I'm not a big eater. I'm not a big fan of inhaling my food either. So, now I'm sitting with tummy ache for eating too fast. Damn you Chinese-looking waiter! --- one thing I forgot to mention - the normal spice I usually get from other Indian restaurants wasn't there. read more

I know there's hundreds of great and cheap Indian food in the city, esp for lunch. But if you're ever in the mood for a massive buffet of like 15 different curries with white rice or veggie fried rice and baji and this white bun thing they have besides naan and have them serve you tandoori chicken and samosa as a part of it all and all these side dishes that go with all that food and eat it in kind of a semi upscale restaurant with attentive service as part of their AYCE lunch for $15...then come here. read more

Authentic and inexpensive lunch buffet! For $8 you can fill up a large to go container with excellent chana masala, chicken tikki masala, lamb vindaloo, etc. The buffet menu always varies which can be good for those new to Indian food. If you love Indian food and want variety at a bargain, definitely go here! read more

The last time I visited Chola I found it to be over-rated and the food was bland, just the South Indian food was good. However, I ordered delivery recently and the food was pretty good. I also went for their weekend brunch which was delicious! I was very surprised. My only complaint with delivery was that the dal was not cooked well and since I requested spicy they dumped green chillies on the top and that was it, it ended up being so spicy that I had to pick out the small chilli pieces while eating. Other than that, I recommend this place especially for their lunch buffet. Regarding service, I have yet to come across an Indian restaurant with good service. Not that there was anything to complain about at Chola, there was nothing to write home about either. They kept coming to clear the table while I was eating, and when we needed it to be cleared there was nobody around. Again nothing to complain about, happens everywhere. read more

Chola has THE BEST CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA! Super tender. You can cut the chicken with a fork, and the sauce is absurdly creamy and flavorful without being overwhelming. They actually listen when you request very spicy so order wisely :) read more

Last min dinner plans so found this place in yelp with great reviews. Was not disappointed! Gold portions and delicious food. Would definitely come back and bring friends read more

Great selection, good service, nice ambiance at an amazing price! The best part of the buffet is that you get to try different things you might not normally order. Then you can get another round of the things you did enjoy (or as many rounds as youd like for that matter). The food was very authentic, and tasty. I especially loved the chicken dish, and I got to try some dessert items which I had never had before. Best of all, was that for around $15/person, you will be stuffed with delicious food!!! read more

Some of the best Indian food that I have had. Went here on a recommendation of someone who knew the Chef. Had the Chicken Tikka Masala and it was incredable! Service was excellent. read more

My experience for a Sat lunch buffet was only so so. It was nice that they brought small plates of appetizers to your table, and the service was good. However, the food was a disappointment. Most dishes were too salty but not much flavor for my taste. Then, there is this strange smell of cleaning bleach solvents that lingered, especially strong whenever a restaurant staff opened/closed the door to the kitchen. Overall, the food = 2 stars service = 4 stars read more

Good Indian food. They didn't have idli & dosa on the menu, but made it for us. Vegetarian friendly. Quick service. Pleasant atmosphere.