For Sri Lankans visiting New York, this restaurant is an essential destination. The culinary offerings are exceptional, showcasing authentic flavors that resonate with home. Prices are quite reasonable, making it accessible without compromising quality. The ambience is thoughtfully designed, reflecting a traditional Sri Lankan aesthetic that enhances the dining experience. However, what truly sets this establishment apart is its outstanding hospitality. Julia and her mother, whom we had the pleasure of meeting during our visit (5/12/26), exemplify warmth and friendliness. Their courteous demeanor is balanced with a commendable level of professionalism, creating an inviting atmosphere that fosters connection and satisfaction. This restaurant is not just a meal; it's an experience that captures the essence of Sri Lankan culture in the heart of New York. read more

Took 15 minutes to get seated despite a table being free and nobody sat down there the 15 minutes we waited. We were ready to leave but they said they'd have a table ready for us. The inside is overwhelming full of statues and Sri Lankan decor. It wasn't too big inside but it was big enough despite all the decor. Hated all the meat options here. I saw this on a blog saying it's one of the best buffet options in the five borough. No thanks, I would not come here if you're a huge meat eater, as I am. I love curries, but the meat and meat curry options were just not the best. (Honestly think there was only 2 meat options vs like 6 vegetarian options.I saw the reviews said the vegetarian options were amazing, but I thought they were just okay, but definitely better than the meat options. The best item was probably the dessert. Can't say I loved the food here, but if you're vegetarian and love curries, you'd enjoy this place. read more

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WEEKEND BUFFET REVIEW ONLY Came on a weekend with some friends to try out the much touted weekend buffet. Overall, I think it all just fell short for me. Every dish just felt bland. From the egg curry to the lentils to the kale & coconut, nothing was particularly memorable. I also found the desserts... just not good. The mango mousse and sago pudding were passable, but I think everyone at the table universally though the caramel pudding was terrible. Buffet is cash only. After tax and tip, it shook out to be about $30 per person. I definitely had some buyer's remorse and instead wished I had done a la carte. I saw a few people ordering kottu for example that looked DELICIOUS. Definitely something I'd do if I were to ever come back. The service though was great. Quick to refill water and clean plates. Always checking in on us, these folks were great. The decorations inside the restaurant were also definitely unique. A very rustic vibe. TL;DR - Don't go out of your way to go to the buffet, but the a la carte items are pretty good and worth checking out if you're not too far away. Definitely a very uniquely decorated restaurant with very nice staff and owner! read more

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This review is for the weekend buffet only. Unfortunately I can't say I loved the food, but I also didn't hate it. There was a wide variety of dishes: 2 meat dishes + lots of vegetarian and vegan option. The egg curry and mixed vegetable curry both seemed to be in a bland coconut curry sauce. I can't comment on the pork curry but the deviled chicken sauce was like a sweet and sour sauce. The eggplant dish was very thick and slightly sweet. I could only taste the pineapple in the pineapple curry (which isn't bad). The rest of the dishes (kale + coconut, another coconut, lentil) were also not very flavorful. I wished we had ordered something off the à la carte menu just to see if maybe other dishes had more flavor. The buffet had various peppers and pickled vegetables on the side that helped add some kick, but none of the actual dishes were spicy to me. My favorite thing was probably the fried rice, followed by the mixed vegetable curry. I think I would have liked the deviled chicken if I had the meat dishes. For dessert they had various mousse and tapioca. The fan favorite was the tapioca, and then the mango or chocolate mousse. The custard/flan was not good. I would like to say that the service and ambience of the restaurant is really great. The staff were friendly, cleared our table of empty dishes, and refilled our water quickly. The interior decor is also very unique and cozy. The bathroom sink is so cute! There's also a sink outside the restroom to wash your hands. . In the end we paid $30 pp (cash), including tax and tip read more

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Went there on a Saturday, it was a buffet. The place is charming and decorated very nicely, it feels like a Sri Lankan museum. But the food was bland and there wasn't a particular dish that I can say was to my liking. I found that it was too expensive for my taste. The service was not that great either. Just basic not pleasant. Also the only desserts at the buffet were also bland. I thought I was going to really enjoy it but unfortunately was disappointed. read more

Coming here is like stepping into Sri Lanka. The owners decorated every square inch of the place down to sink faucets and paper towel dispensers. Came here for the weekend self serve buffet and it did not disappoint. Every bite I had was better than the next. My favorites were the daal, vegetable curry and eggplant. The desserts were an assortment of mousses and rice. This was one of the best meals I've had in a while. read more

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When I first saw the exterior of this restaurant, I was absolutely intrigued. The ornate carvings, majestic statues, and shimmering golden doors beckoned me to come in. The place was crowded and everyone seemed to be enjoying their meal. Upon being seated in these elaborate chairs, I had to pause and take in all the exquisite tchotchkes adorning the wall, hanging from the ceilings, and just a visual stimulus all around. I was greeted by the hostess and told I could either scan the code or have a wonderful buffet for $21. I went during the weekend during lunch time, so I do not know if there is any price difference at other times during the week. I noticed everyone was enjoying the buffet, so I opted to follow suit, and I'm so glad I did. They have hot entrees in shallow cauldrons, and they are constantly refilling them. The buffet consisted of many vegetarian delights along with a couple of meat entrees, such as deviled chicken and pork curry. My personal favorites were the eggplant, dal lentils, and kale and coconut salad. Their papadam was light and delicious, so don't skip on those. Along another wall, they have the dessert station featuring sago pudding, chocolate pudding, caramel pudding, mango pudding, and gooseberry pudding. My two were the last two flavors. I am a huge fan of Sri Lankan cuisine. The interior is cozy, adorned with 360° stunning ornate collectables from Sri Lanka. read more

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SERVICE - located on Staten Island - unique decor with lots of wooden features and what seems to be Sri Lankan cultural figures - tables are tight and close to each other - can seat smaller groups of 2-4 diners - restrooms available - friendly service is helpful with clarifying ingredients in dishes - unclear as to whether they took card or were cash only - good for a semi casual meal MENU - Sri Lankan local foods with a weekend buffet - vegan and vegetarian options available - average price FOOD - we went for the Sunday buffet which makes it hard to rate any one particular item. Overall, there was a good mix of vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes. A few of the more unique dishes had labels to explain what they were and what the key ingredients were. My favorites were the eggplant moju, a fried eggplant dish similar to Indian Baingan bhartha. This one simmered the eggplant until it was thick and jam-like. When paired with the dal and rice, it made for a comforting meal. There was only one vegan friendly dessert which was a coconut milk pudding. It was sweet but not overwhelming and made for a subtle end to the meal. My only complaint is the layout of the buffet makes it hard to get food since it is on the side behind people eating. WOULD I GO BACK? Yes! Although it was a bit of a trek from Manhattan, the taste was very homely and the buffet had a lot of options. read more

Lakruwana Restaurant - Weekend buffet vegan options (dal, coconut curry vegetables, kale salad, eggplant moju, red rice, cassava, applam, sambal) - Sri Lankan Near Me - Staten Island, New York

I recently visited this restaurant and it was such a fun experience. The space is cozy with very cool decor. I waited about 20 minutes to be seated as I went during the evening and the restaurant was a bit busy. The staff seated us and let us know they had a buffet style serving which was great because there was a lot to choose from. There was a variety of curries, from egg curry, to vegetable curry and pork curry. They also had several types of rice, red basmati, white and fried rice. I tried a little bit of everything and the egg and vegetable curry were my absolute favourite. There were other options like deviled chicken, pineapple curry and tons of peppers. They had some fun desserts as well that are great to pair with the food. The seating time for each group is 1.5 hours and they only take cash! read more

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I've been wanting to try this Sri Lankan restaurant for a while, as it came highly recommended. Finally had the chance to go by car with a small group. We arrived for the weekend buffet ($22 CASH ONLY) on Saturday afternoon around 1PM, and much to my surprise, there was barely any wait for a table. The space was ornately and beautifully decorated, full of color and life. There was a peaceful, welcoming ambiance. I had to get the Mango Lassi, which was one of the best I've tasted! It was thick, creamy, refreshing, with just the right amount of sweetness and bursting with pure mango taste. The buffet offered a lovely selection of mostly veggies and some meat dishes. These included pork curry, chicken, minced meat, dal, egg curry, lentils, cassava, eggplant, vegetable curry, greens with fried egg, coconut chili chutney, thin crispy pancake, as well as a few types of rice. Everything was cooked perfectly, well seasoned, with unique spices. I especially enjoyed the pork, which was delightfully tender and juicy. Other stand outs included vegetable curry consisting of broccoli, carrots, cauliflower; cassava with onion, along with the egg curry. As for dessert, there was Chocolate Mousse, Caramel Pudding, Sago Pudding, Mango Mousse, and Quinceberry Mousse. Each were quite yummy. Chocolate Mousse was rich, smooth, and oh so chocolate-y. The Sago Pudding was made with coconut milk, with sago pearls, like mini tapioca balls. There was a satisfyingly sticky and chewy texture to it, as well as a delicate feel to it. Quinceberry Mousse was green in color and yummy. It tasted of like a mix between apple and pear, with a hint of citrusy tartness and floral notes. Service was solid. The staff were friendly and attentive. Since it is a little out of the way, I'm not sure when I would return, but I would like to try some items from their a la carte menu at some point. read more

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Honestly a must try. Our first time trying Sri Lankan food and it didn't disappoint. We ordered the pork and beef lamprais along with the mango lassi. The flavors of the lamprais blended well together and the portion sizes were pretty big. Both the pork and the beef Lamprais were extremely flavorful and had a curry taste to it. The mango lassi is also a must order. Just the right amount of sugar and yogurt. Service was excellent! It is owned by a kind family. The interior of the restaurant was insane! Super cool and had multiple Buddha statues around the restaurant. If I didn't live so far, I would definitely come here more often. Would recommend! read more

Lakruwana Restaurant - Mango Lassi - Sri Lankan Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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I spent 2 hours commuting here on public transit from queens to try the buffet, and I'm very happy that I did. Lakruwana has a grand entrance of huge gold doors and a maximalist interior which I personally enjoyed. The cash only AYCE buffet is available Saturday and Sunday all day and extremely affordable. I'm not familiar with this type of food at all, so I tried a little bit of everything. I had an extremely satisfying meal overall, with some stand out dishes. The pineapple curry was an amazing blend of spicy and sweet. I loved the pieces of juicy pineapple. The daal here was incredible- very flavorful and rich with a perfect creamy texture. I also really enjoyed the coconut thing, allow I'm not sure what it was exactly. It was more savory than I anticipated, which was well suited to the meaty texture and nutty flavor of the coconut. The only dishes I found to be lacking were the only meat options available, the deviled chicken and pork curry. Both of these had delicious sauces, but the meat itself seemed incorrectly prepared and had unpleasant textures. Perhaps it's best to stick to a vegetarian diet at this restaurant. The meal was so affordable, and I went back to the buffet multiple times. I had to cut myself off at some point but I could have easily kept eating. I think the perfect bite was some rice with some daal and a bit of the pickled onion condiment. The service was friendly and pleasant and I fully enjoyed my experience here. Completely worth the trek. read more

Lakruwana Restaurant - Collard greens, Daal, Egg curry, Pineapple curry, Deviled Chicken, Cassava, Pappadam - Sri Lankan Near Me - Staten Island, New York

Great spot for authentic Sri Lankan food in Staten Island. The atmosphere is warm and beautifully decorated, giving the whole place a unique and cultural feel. Can't wait to go back to try more dishes! read more

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Lakruwana was on my list to try in Staten Island for 1.5 years. We live 20 mins away and we finally decided to try it yesterday (on a Saturday) because I wanted to try their infamous buffet ($25/person plus taxes). Upon arrival, you will notice Lakruwana stands out with its god-like doors. Once you open and walk through those doors, you will feel like you've transferred into a different world. Because this restaurant's decors are very unique. All decors look like a combination of Egyptian, Thai and Indian culture meshed together. You have elephants, Buddhists, wooden handmade clay cups, water kettles, and spices. It is very interesting. I thought the chairs were very unique too, it offers a spot for people put their coats on it. It is multi-purpose. The space is not big but it is homey. The buffet stared right when we arrived at 12:30pm on Saturday. We were immediately greeted and seated by the waitress in a corner. It was private. We didn't know exactly how the buffet works but we were like, "Do we pay first or do we eat first?". The answer was, you eat first. Additional drinks that were not the water will be charged separately. For example, I ordered an extra black ginger tea, it was charged an extra $3.5. So make sure you to ask as well. Overall, the food was great. It's not a huge buffet like what you'd expect from an American styled buffet but it is a handful. You get a taste of everything there is to offer from a small Sri Lanka restaurant. For us, there were curried eggs, lentils, cauliflowers, chickpeas, broccoli and yucca. The mains were three types of basmati rice, marinated chicken and pork with onions. There was also a coconut dish like the shredded kale with coconut pieces. I am unsure if the menu changes or not. But the flavors were there. I normally would say go hungry for buffets, but for Lakruwana, I'd say go there hungry for the flavors. My favorites were the mousses dessert: Chocolate, caramel (this one is mixed with eggs so it tasted like a custard), gooseberries, and mango (amazing!). There were also coconut sagos. 3/4 of the mousse tasted like puddings. I liked it a lot and I think I had 3 small cups. Overall, a very good introduction to Sri Lanka food if you have never had it like me. I would also say just go during Tuesday through Friday and order what you like to try if you're not into buffets. Very cool experience overall. PS: For those who don't live in SI. The orange NYC (the big recognizable Staten Island) ferries from Whitehall Manhattan is free if you're coming in from Manhattan. It runs every 30 mins, including federal holidays. This restaurant is a 25 minutes walk from the St. George terminal on the SI side. I recommend programming it into the bus app to take the S51, S76 or S81 bus and get off on Bay Street and Broad St to get there if walking is too far. Otherwise, there is an option to take a free transfer train (if you already paid for the train on the Manhattan side) on SI side to Tottenville direction. Get off at the Stapleton station (2 stops), and walk over to the restaurant. read more

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The best Sri Lankan food I've ever had (granted it's also the first time ivr had Sri Lankan food)! It was well worth the 2hr train/ferry/Uber trip here; the ambiance and decor are stunning. The surrounding area is a bit questionable at night (there was a homeless woman blocking the door and we had to call the staff to enter the restaurant). The $22 buffet (Saturday and Sunday from 12:30pm-9:30pm) is why you go, and it's arguably the best value I've seen in NY. It may look slightly underwhelming, but the food is incredible. I especially loved the deviled pork and lentil curry. The papapdam (a large tortilla shaped chip) tasted like a shrimp chip and helps to mute some of the sharper spices. The tastes, flavors, and spices blend perfectly together. The buffet also includes 5 desserts (all various puddings), which were all delicious. Just remember that it's cash only. The entrees are also very good but not as great in terms of value ($15-20 each). It's perfect for a trip with friends, and there are plenty of vegan options available. Staff is very pleasant and helpful. Would highly recommend. read more

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The restaurant is obviously gorgeous and the servers are very nice. But this place has a lot of hype, Ive now had it twice and I think its more about me than them. Its just not my thing, I come away thinking the food has heat but not a lot of flavor. Im a huge fan of food from this part of the world, and maybe one day Ill try it again. I will say, the curry in my dish was tasty, but there wasnt enough of it and the protein itself was a bit under seasoned for me. read more

Lakruwana Restaurant - Chicken Biryani - Sri Lankan Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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The ambiance is very crowded with all kind cultural stuff filling up the place that maybe a little too much. However the food is less than lackluster. Missing flavor and spice. Most notably the food on two of the dishes was cold! That is a huge No No and everyone on the table was confused as to how it can be possible to serve cold food unless it was pre made and then someone forgot to warm it up ? I specifically asked for spicy food when asked how spicy I liked my food. And let's say my food was a less than mild. My friend wanted to throw up after eating the food and said it was the worst food he had ever had. This was not at all what we expected and left a really bad taste, especially since I had flown from Santa Barbara California and driven well over 40 min in traffic with friends to try this food that was some of the worst food I've had. If they spent more time on serving better food than the crazy presentation of the food and let the flavor of the food speak. It would be better. For anyone who thinks this is a proper representation of Sri Lankan food. I would say that it's not and it's probably the worst SL food you can ever consume. I do hope the owners look into this. Dial down the stupid fancy stuff and work on serving property flavorful food that's not cold. Cheers read more

Lakruwana Restaurant - Lamp rice and appa - Sri Lankan Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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Came here because it was HEAVILY recommended by a friend, and we had a nice experience! It was a bit out of the way for us, but we still made a fun little trip out of it. Lakruwana offered a great first introduction to Sri Lankan food. The restaurant is so beautifully decorated, it's almost like you are transported into another country. Everything is super clean as well. We went pretty soon after they opened, and the buffet was fully stocked. There was no shortage of anything we wanted to try. All the flavors were wonderful and the items paired nicely together. Towards the far end of the buffet, there was a platter of round chip-like things (I think it was papadam but don't quote me) that were AMAZING. The texture complimented everything on the buffet line. My one complaint is that some of the meat was hard and difficult to chew. I was also pretty impressed by the dessert bar-- they have a variety of flavored mousses. read more

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Been seeing Lakurawana for ages in my feed and decided to finally venture out to SI to check it out. It's so hard to find Sri Lankan food in the area, so was surprised to find out that there's a big population in SI. Opted for the lunch buffet and gotta say that it's fantastic value for like $20ish. Food was alright, not the best Lankan food I've had, and definitely missed some of the heavy hitters that I was looking forward to like hoppers and Kothu. But otherwise, they had a selection. Not much meat and the meat dishes weren't amazing, but the vegetable dishes were defo better. Nothing was really spicy - I suppose to appeal to everyone. Overall, good value since you get to try to so many things. Ambience is pretty cute. Featuring local Sri Lankan artifacts and statues. Tables were a bit cramped. Service was pretty good and they were so great with clearing plates! read more

Lakruwana Restaurant - Buffet - Sri Lankan Near Me - Staten Island, New York

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I'd rate Lakruwaka three and a half stars. Sri Lankan buffet with a vegetarian leaning selection. Fair variety of options at the buffet. Three different rices. Pork curry, vegetable curry, lentil curry, and boiled egg curry. Yuca, deviled chicken, and sautéed eggplant. Lots of accompaniments too. My favorite dishes were the vegetable curry and the eggplant. They had five dessert options consisting of puddings and mousses. Service was attentive and quickly cleared our plates each time we finished one. There was one small, single occupancy restroom. The restaurant was casual but very decorative. read more

Wanting my girlfriend to experience Sri Lankan food, I decided to take her to Lakruwana, knowing its reputation for good food and its unique interior. The fact that it was featured in the New York Times Top 100 also made it an easy choice. Once we arrived, we were seated once they saw us, and the atmosphere instantly stood out. The interior was beautifully decorated with culturally significant Sri Lankan pieces, which added an authentic touch to the dining experience. Since it was a Saturday, they offered a buffet, but we decided to order from the regular menu instead. We tried the assorted Sri Lankan appetizers, godamba roti with lamb curry, hoppers with chicken curry, and vegetable biryani. The food was flavorful and well-prepared, and my girlfriend enjoyed it. It wasn't too spicy, which made it good for her first time trying Sri Lankan food. Overall, Lakruwana is a great spot if you're looking for authentic Sri Lankan cuisine paired with a beautifully curated atmosphere. read more

Lakruwana Restaurant - Sri Lankan Near Me - Staten Island, New York

Delicious Sri Lankan cuisine in a beautiful authentic setting! We visited Lakruwana for a father-daughter catch-up evening in May 2024. We chose it based on reviews, looking to try Sri Lankan cuisine for the first time and check out the nice decor we saw on the pics. What a great choice we made! The restaurant was small, beautifully decorated, cozy, and quiet. The interior was gorgeous, the food was tasty, savory, and interesting. Our waitress Julia was super friendly and helpful. She explained the dishes, gave recommendations, and told us about restaurant history and the owners. Overall, it was absolutely perfect place for our get-together! We definitely recommend trying Lakruwana restaurant if you are in the area! Dishes ordered Malligatawny Soup with Chicken - perfectly balanced with spice and mild heat level, having pleasant texture this cream soup was delicious! Hoppers with Fish Curry - this is traditional Sri Lankan "crepes" dish. We really liked the softness and texture of the hoppers and fish curry accompanied them very well. The King fish in the curry was quite tough and dense like a meat, but were told it was traditional Sri Lankan, and hence we were glad we tried it. Kottu Roti with Chicken - this was soft and savory. I would say a bit mushy, but it was my first time trying it so I suspect that's how it's supposed to be. Lamprais with Lamb - this one was delicious! The combo of lamb, eggplant, cashews, caramelized onion over soft rice. I initially planned to leave the rice and just eat the combo on top, but the rice complimented the combo so well that finished it all! The sauteed eggplants were so good I would take them a separate dish. The only component I personally didn't like was fish cutlet. The texture was too fine to my taste. Mango Lassi - we took it for dessert and didn't regret! It had very fresh mango taste and was very sweet (perhaps too sweet for me:)) and smooth! read more

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Amazing ambiance- so many cool details to take in while dining on delicious flavorful food!! You are best to bring several friends so you can sample the many different dishes they offer. Vegetarian friendly as well as a variety of meats including lamb. You can't miss the Mulligatawny soup. So good!! read more

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I will start by saying the decor is fascinating! The pictures that other Yelpers have posted are extensive and accurate, It is beautiful and interesting. Service was pretty fast and friendly. The food is good, I did not know what to expect so I kept an open mind. We shared the fish kuttu appetizer, they were served hot and fresh and the flavor was excellent with a bit of heat. For my main dish I chose the chicken curry and roti, it was delicious! My husband had the pork Lamprais he enjoyed it, he said it was full of flavor. This restaurant has a weekend all you can eat buffet on Saturday and Sunday. I think we'll check it out. read more

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This place is great to go to on the weekends for their all you can eat buffet. The price per person is reasonable. It's family friendly. And you don't have to wait long to get your food. read more

Had made reservations for 3 pm on a Sat and the place was at 40% occupancy. The people I was with had tried this place before and spoke very highly about their food. We were seated right away on an 8 person table and the overall restaurant setup is very welcoming. Noise levels were on the quieter side. We tried their $21 buffet ($10 for kids) and one thing you can never go wrong with is the deliciousness that Sri Lankan food brings with it. From the very first time I had Kothu Roti (not on buffet) to trying out their various curries, Sri Lankan food never disappoints. Lakruwana has raised the bar further higher with their amazing buffet selection. Being a vegetarian, I can't comment on their rather inviting Pork Curry, or Egg curry - but what was interesting was my table, who is primarily meat eaters were enjoying their vegetarian entrees more! The Pineapple Curry, Mix Vegetables curry, and Egg Plant (the best eggplant I've ever had) - were packed with spices. Egg plant never tasted better and now, I can never enjoy egg plant any other way! Their Kale salad and coconut salad, along with the spicy chillies brought absolutely fantastic flavors with every bite. Spice levels were on the milder side, and the chicken actually was on the sweeter side (per our table). Their dessert included an extremely delicious Sago Pudding which takes you by complete surprise with its extremely balanced sweetness which comes through in the second or third bite. I will highly recommend this place for anyone who appreciates and likes flavorful food. This was a perfect five star experience for us. read more

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came here on a Saturday and they had buffet available for $20.99 per person. there were many curry options and dessert options available. It was definitely a great value to try out the food. The interior was clean and decorated. the staff were also kind and great service! I'm glad I checked this spot out while visiting staten island read more

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We came here on a Saturday to experience the all you can eat brunch buffet! We commuted all the way from Manhattan, took the Staten Island ferry, and walked all the way to the restaurant (about a 20-30 min walk?). I highly recommend calling to make a reservation especially if you are coming with a large group. I had made a reservation online but on the day of, they lady said they did not see our online reservation so we had to wait an extra hour to be seated. To be safe, I would just call to confirm reservation instead! As soon as you walk into the room, you feel like you're transported to a foreign place. The restaurant is decorated with Sri Lankan decors and feels very homey. It is traditional in Sri Lanka to eat with your hands. However, they also provide you disposable gloves if you don't want to use your bare hands. They also have utensils provided as well. I opted for the glove option. We were amazed at the various food selections they provided for the buffet. There were many different rice, bread, curries, meats, cooked & pickled vegetables and spices to pair with your food. They also have a desserts bar with amazing pudding and mousse selections. (Mango, gooseberry, chocolate, sago & caramel pudding). The mango and gooseberry mousse with sago pudding combo is amazing. I probably ate 3+ cups. For the food I ate around 2-3 full plate. I was so full I could barely stand by the end of the meal. The one item that I am obsessed with is the eggplant dish. The food was so delicious I purposely choose to stuff myself and suffer later. I would love to come back to try their regular menu or even the buffet again. There's not a lot of Sri Lankan restaurants and this one is a must try! For those that haven't had Sri Lankan food, I would say it's similar to a blend of Indian and Thai food. However it is it's own unique cuisine and it's definitely worth a trip to Staten Island just to eat here! *CASH only read more

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This was a phenomenal experience. went for the buffet on Saturday. For just $22, there's an enormous variety of dishes, especially vegetarian ones (though there are a few meat options as well). On the day went there were three types of sambol (coconut and veggie salads), an egg and coconut milk curry, vegetable fried rice, red basmati rice, papadam, vegetable and coconut milk curry, eggplant curry, yucca, dal, fried chilies, chutneys, gooseberry mousse, mango mousse, caramel pudding, chocolate pudding, and sago pudding. Every single dish is absolutely packed with flavor, it's evident that the dishes are prepared with care. And the variety of dishes hits the full spread of flavors, from the sweet and sour eggplant, to the creamy coconut milk curries, to the refreshing symbols. And the dessert options aren't too sweet either. I arrived around 12:30 PM, but the restaurant started getting really busy after 1 or so. There was a line out the door by the time I left. It's cash only on the weekend, so keep that in mind. This is posted at the restaurant and on the website. read more

The atmosphere of this Sri Lankan restaurant is unlike any other I've experienced here in NYC - it is charming and beautiful. The entrance doors are gorgeous, along with the mural and elephants gave me a hint of the experience that was awaiting inside. Once inside, I was exposed to the beauty of this place - it almost felt as if I were in a museum (kudos to the person who had this vision and the one who designed it - bravo and well done!). I won't go into details as it would not do it justice, so check out my pictures instead. Also, the pictures I've taken, although great, don't capture the true experience of seeing it in person - so I encourage you to check it out yourself. The service could use some improvement. When we initially walked in, there was no one there to greet us. After grabbing the attention of one of the owners, we were told to sit at one of the empty tables available. Our server (the daughter of the owners) was polite and she took the time to explain some menu items we had questions about; however, it appeared that she was in a rush while taking our order. I must mention that the food presentation is superb, and the water is served in clay cups - this is an unique experience. As for the food, I wanted to love it, but I didn't - I didn't even enjoy it. I tried the lampreis, which was wrapped in a banana leaf, as well as the kottu roti. Both lacked the flavor I was expecting from traditional south Asian dishes and the spice level was mild, although we did request spicy when placing our order. We ordered a la carte on a weekday, but I am curious about returning on weekend for their buffet. Maybe our food experience would possibly be different!? I don't know, but it definitely seems like it is the best option in regards to price and the variety of dishes to try. I want this restaurant to improve in food quality and service, as there are very few like this one on Staten Island. Like fine wine, I hope they get better within time. read more

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My friend was visiting from out of town, so i took him and my son on the staten island ferry so we could go past the statue. I wanted to do something different, so i chose this restaurant to take them to which is a short cab ride from the ferry. We were greeted by the father and his daughter Julia. They gave everyone a glove & mask to wear when handling the buffet foods. They have many different vegetarian and meat options on the buffet. My son and my friend opted for the buffet. The server showed me some nonspicy items for my son. My friend and my son loved what they had. They also had different flavor desserts at the end of the meal. I had to try a menu item; the pork lamprais with special basmati rice and curry fish cutlet, seeni sambol eggplant moju, cashew nut curry, banana curry and egg. This is all wrapped and baked in banana leaf with your choice of curry. I asked for spicy, and the lamprais was tasty. I loved the exotic decor and teakwood furniture. They even have a Sri Lankan museum here. I would come back if I find myself in staten Island to try some other traditional items like the string hopper . read more

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Food lacked flavor and was disappointing overall. Pity since the service and ambience was good.

Okay, so like everyone else it seems, we trekked from not Staten Island into Staten Island in order to try out this much talked about Sri Lankan restaurant on a hot Sunday summer afternoon. Worth it? Yeah, I'd say so. But it didn't quite blow me away in the way I expected. When we first showed up for the Sunday buffet around 1pm, the place was already packed. We walked in, and there's no host's stand anywhere. So we waited by the door for someone to acknowledge us. Several waitstaff and even the owners looked in our direction multiple times, and then just went about with what they were doing, completely ignoring us. Finally, the owner gave us a wave, then sent a waitress over to take down our name to wait for a table. We waited about 20ish minutes, and finally brought to our table, which was unfortunately by the self-serve buffet area and the bathroom/kitchen, so there was tons of foot traffic and people bumping into our table (staff more than patrons). Things weren't off to a great start. Thankfully, things did turn around a bit when we tasted the delicious food, which we quickly learned lived up to its hype. Everything was very flavorful! I especially appreciated that I was able to try everything as they didn't like make anything too spicy. For the spice-heads, don't worry, you have the option of adding additional spices, incl sauces, peppers, and other condiments. Also, the decor was beautiful. Lots of cultural relics on the walls, and even the furniture was all very unique and beautiful. read more

Lakruwana Restaurant - Sunday buffet - Sri Lankan Near Me - Staten Island, New York

Sri Lankan restaurants as a whole are difficult to come by and so it was quite exciting for my partner and I to come here (he is Sri Lankan) We trekked and took the ferry and it was a whole adventure in and of itself! Interior here- wow! Such a beautiful setup it almost felt wrong to eat in such a setting. Very much appreciated the individual gloves they had laid out for those who choose the buffet option- we love staying clean! First time trying lamprais and it was very good- I wished the food itself was more warm, but a lot of great flavors and just so beautiful in its presentation. I particularly enjoyed the cashew curry as Ive never had anything like that before. The kottu roti was interesting- I'm not sure what I expected but it was a lot more noodle like and less roti-like than I was expecting. Definitely preferred the lamprais, but still good! read more

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Sadly this was one of my more disappointing restaurant experiences in recent memory. Perhaps I had romanticized the notion of a ferry ride to Staten Island followed by Sri Lankan brunch and let my hopes get the best of me. But needless to say I would advise my fellow adventurers to perhaps try one of the other Sri Lankan restaurants on the island. I knew we were in for trouble when I saw a heaping of broccoli in the "veg curry". One rarely sees the vegetable in South Asian cooking, and I couldn't help but wonder why it had decided to make an appearance here. The veg kottu roti came out with similar tell-tale signs of trouble, including carrot cut in the shape of a flower. I don't know about you all, but I have never in my life had a delicious dish that was accompanied with a carrot flower. All-in-all, the flavors just seemed off. The kottu roti, which I was especially excited about, seemed to use a host of vegetables and legumes not traditionally associated with the dish, and it was bready without packing any punch. The hard boiled eggs in the egg curry were overdone. The only dish I really enjoyed was the eggplant curry, which was fragrant and offered a perfectly soft texture. Perhaps the food here is better on the weekdays when they aren't serving the buffet? read more

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Being Sri Lankan coming to this restaurant makes me feel like I'm home. The decorations, ambiance, food was amazing!!! read more

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Very nice place to come and eat. I come with family and liked it. I had spicy chicken kottu and my brother who is on a diet now had the vegetable lamprais and was very happy and satisfied. The ambiance is also top notch. Very nice food presentation. We had a beautiful time. Will come again read more

Wow , excellent place! From the moment you walk in, you feel like you are in another world. Much care and thought went into designing this place. We had the Buffett on the weekend. All dishes authentically made with love and care. Will be back again! read more

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As you can see from the pictures, the ambiance and decor is INCREDIBLE !!!! I have never seen anything like it. Truly a diamond in the rough. Everything fit the theme and felt like we were being transported into a new world. The food was DELICIOUS. SO. GOOD. So unique and flavorful. Exactly what I was looking for. We ended up going with the buffet and got a great taste of all the different sabjis/foods. I highly highly highly recommend coming here and bringing family and friends. Sooo worth the journey over. read more

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Meeting up a friend who lives in SI and i suggested we meet up here for lunch on a weekend. Made reservations and im glad i did. The place was packed to overflowing. The resto has to call me to push back my time because they have no tables available. No highchair or kid chair so prepare for that too. I like spicy food & i was expecting everything to be fiery but it is not. i feel they tapered it to accomodate western palate but otherwise i enjoyed our meal. Lots of veggie flavorful delicious sidedish, salad & condiment. i think on the buffet table theres only 2-3 meat dishes available so meat lovers might get dissapointed. One thing i like too is the decor. everything looks exotic it's like we are dining in a far away land. There were also wall art outside perfect for picture taking. Enjoyed my first Sri lankan experience we are most likely coming back read more

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