I'm vexed on a fair rating, because this fake name thing has to stop. I ordered from Mantra on Doordash, but the actual delivery isn't from the JC restaurant by that name on 253 Washington St. It's actually from 806 Newark Ave., the home of lower-rated Golconda Chimney. I checked Google street view and images and it's not a Brill Building situation, there's just one restaurant there. But I have no quarrel with the vegetable Manchurian itself, more intense and complex than usual in a onion-laden sauce. Out of fairness I suppose I'll check out the biggest brand in fictional names, Wonder, and sample Lockhart Super-Authentic Legitimate Real Texas Brisket Y'All and The Fair Dinkum Straya Vegemite Hut. read more

#TandooriBrothersReview So my buddy and I are on a mission to find the best Tandoori chicken in the country so it's no surprise we're checking out all the places in NJ. We decided to come here during lunch so there is a chance the actual chef wasn't here and it was just a helper because we were the only ones in the entire restaurant. It was awkward because the tandoori chicken came on some stale chopped coleslaw style veggies and then we could tell some pieces were fresh and some were microwaved. Disappointing but we also saw Pesto Chicken Tikka on the menu and we decided to try that. That's where this place wins it's stars... this was clearly fresh and it was probably some of the best chicken I've ever had at an Indian restaurant. We'll have to come back here during a dinner service and see how they do. read more

See all

We love Mantra! It is the best Indian Restaurant in New Jersey and the service and ambiance are excellent. Highly recommend!!

So happy we stumbled on this place. We were in the mood for warm and comforting Indian food and we found it here! They have a couple of tables outside where we sat. We were brought water - water bottles to be exact (no charge!) right away. I got the butter chicken and my boyfriend got bagara baingan. We also got naan stuffed with potatoes. The bagara baingan is an eggplant dish with rich spices and it was so good. He really enjoyed it and I actually liked it more than the Butter Chicken. My butter chicken was a bit too spicy for me and some pieces of chicken where chewy. It didn't stop me from eating it though and still dipped plenty of rice in the sauce. They also brought us more rice when they saw it was low. Customer server is 120%. The owner/manager I believe served us and he was so kind. He also brought us out the chutney my boyfriend asked about and didn't charge us extra. The naan has such a good flavor and was crispy and had a thin perfect layer of potato filling. Will definitely come back and eat outside again or order food. Come and try! read more

Mantra - Butter chicken rice and bagara baingan in thr back - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

See all

Me and my daughter went for the first time and we loved it and Aaron our sever was awesome and attentive .We will for sure be back read more

Mantra - I had the shrimp and noodles and they were yummy - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

See all

I was super hungry today and wanted to try something new in my area. I was excited to finally have some authentic Indian food, rather than my usual go to- Taste of India at Newport mall. I ordered the chicken tikka, and I was expected to be blown away by flavors as I usually am when I eat Indian food. (Also, I think it is important to mention that I have had a good enough variety of Indian foods growing up, as my mom's boss is Indian and would usually treat us to food.) I paid around $20 dollars which I did not mind... I came home thrilled to eat my food and my first bite was sooooo sad. Oily. Dry. Flavorless. (This sounds so dramatic but I need you to feel what I feel lol). This chicken is so under-seasoned, the cilantro sauce was alright, but the worst part about this is that half of my food was burnt. It seems as if the cooks were in a rush as closing hours were approaching when I came in. I waited for 20 minutes for some burnt chicken. No matter who your clientele is, or the hour of the day, you should give 100% into whatever you are cooking. After not eating all day I am high-key mad that I wasted 20 beans on this when I could have gotten some Taco Bell. read more

Mantra - Chicken Tikka - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

Wanted to have some nice Indian / Indo - Chinese recently I remember this place as decent food with great ambience from many years ago Now as everything is delivery/pickup ordered a delivery recently Quite disappointed with the food quality w.r.t pricing Ordered Manchow soup - great Fried rice - not bad Hakka noodles - bad with too much salt Vegetable Manchuria - ok with salt Couldn't enjoy the dishes .. hope they fix things up post Covid read more

Came here on a Saturday night and was able to get seated immediately. Service was friendly and quick. We ordered: Lamb rogan josh: tender pieces of lamb in a tangy curry sauce. I was told the chef cooks the lamb for 3-4 hours to achieve that level of tenderness. However, the curry sauce was a little too oily for me. $17 Saag paneer: my favorite out of everything we ordered. Smooth spinach in big chunks of paneer. $14 Chicken tikka masala: chicken breast marinated in a creamy and delicious tomato based sauce. I could drink the sauce by the cupful! $15 The food is quite pricey, especially compared to what you can get at journal square. However, they have a $40 Groupon deal (dine-in only, not valid for lunch buffet), which made the prices comparable to JSQ. read more

See all

Mantra is our favorite place since years together now . They have unique variety of items which only they deliver in NJ Asparagus kofta and dahi kebabs and many more. They have awesome quantity too . All their desserts are nice . Staff is very friendly and accommodating . read more

Delicious Indian food!! I'd normally just order regular samosas, but instead opted for an open faced samosa dish (blanking on the name right now) which had crumbled pieces of samosa topped with chickpeas, tomatoes and some sort of crunchy topping. So unique and definitely something that I'd order again. For our mains my fiance and I shared chicken bryani and chicken tikka masala. Tikka masala is always my favorite and this was no exception. The sauce was thick and creamy and there was a generous portion of chicken. The bryani was good but I wish there was a little more chicken and less rice. These dishes were similar so next time I'd probably order one of their seafood or veg dishes - the menu had a ton and they all sounded great. Fair prices, friendly service and BYOB so make sure to bring your favorite bottle of wine. The space is large and inviting with beautiful decor. When you walk in there is a large glass case with enclosed flames. Solid Indian food in Jersey City - I'll be back for sure! read more

Mantra - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

See all

The food is now terrible. I'm not sure if the pandemic killed this place or what did it but the food is greasy, salty, and awful.

Everything we had was absolutely amazing! One of the best Indian place I've been to. Will visit again for sure! The garlic naan is to die for! read more

Mantra - Chicken Tikka Masala Garlic Naan Lamb Biryani - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

We went here for a private party and the food was delicious. But none of the food-handlers were wearing any gloves or hair-caps. Had a lot of food that day but the minute I put the mango mousse in my mouth, I knew it had been contaminated as I felt something in my throat and sure enough I got flu the next day. Will not return nor recommend read more

I came here on a Monday night, and it was empty but started filling in after 7:30pm. The wait for the food is ridiculous but this is primarily due to not having enough staff. There was one server for pickups plus 4 tables. We had to keep asking the server for glasses and water after patiently waiting for 15+ minutes. We placed our order right away although it did take a while for the entrees to come out, the food was delicious. I would come back here again for takeout. read more

Thank you Mantra for helping us with a custom order of just finger foods ( guac puri, dahi ken kebab and pesto chicken ) all the 3 were incredibly tasty and our guest loved it too. Special call out for Mr Parveez he has been extremely helpful, accomodating and kind .. read more

Food was okay. Service was minimal. Ambiance did not catch the eye. Certainly not priced accordingly for what they are offering. A lot of great restaurants I would rather go to for half the price. The dessert earned the restaurant an extra star. Good place to try but something needs to be added to make this a "go a second time" spot. read more

Truly atrocious and unprofessional behavior. I had frequented this restaurant quite a bit and it was always decent food wise, but anything positive this place has going for them is completely erased with the service. I had called in an order for delivery and upon arrival realized they sent me the wrong dish, when I called to see if I could get my correct dish as I am vegetarian I was met with a lot of disdain but nonetheless they agreed and I even offered to pick the item up myself - big mistake. Once I went back, the manager (I presume?) decided the best remedy to delivering me the wrong order would be to embarrass me in front of the entire restaurant. He opened up my entire packed order and sarcastically asked me if this was the right order and I said yes which didn't satisfy his ego. He then proceeded to open the item up and demand that I try a bite so that I would not come back saying it was the wrong item. Completely humiliated, I obliged since I just wanted to leave the restaurant at this point. I was truly embarrassed and vowed to never go back there. At the end of the day your food can be great, but if this is how you handle yourself professionally it won't get you far. read more

SO MUCH POTENTIAL: So I order from mantra often via seamless. We love their food but lately there is a reoccurring thing that I hope Mantra fixes. We love their chicken tikka but for $17.00, I opened up our takeout container and i sifted our the chicken and counted nine (9) pieces of small cut pieces of chicken and majority of the rest was sauce. It's like they throw all that sauce in there only to cover how much chicken they threw into it. Mantra, If you're reading this, you have so much potential because the food is delicious but consider making sure the costumer gets what they paid for. read more

Mantra - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

Me and my husband were struggling to find a place at 9:30pm bcoz everything was closed and we just stumbled upon this place. We thought to try one last time and to our luck this place was our savior. They were also going to close by 10 but still they accommodated us and we were very thankful for that. The food was fresh and delicious and the staff was very friendly. Would definitely go back again. read more

See all

This is one of my favorite local Indian restaurants that I like to frequent. They are a little bit pricey but given the location, quality and quantity of food I believe this place is worth It. I've tried a bunch of different dishes here throughout my multiple visits. My favorite dish here, despite not actually being on the menu, is the classic Chicken Tikka Masala ($16). Just ask for It and they will make It and it's delicious. Portions are honestly large enough for 2 people which is why the price is worth it. The chicken tikka Malala comes in a rich tomato based sauce full of flavor with chopped onions and peppers. Spiciness is mild but still has a little kick. I've also tried the Lassuni Chicken ($16) which comes in a yogurt based sauce with garlic and onions (very delicious). I always order an order of their delicious Naan bread ($4.50 for 4 pieces). The Fish Tikka Jalfrezi ($25 + $2 up charge for salmon instead of tilapia) was good but not amazing. And the Goan Shrimp Curry ($21) was also pretty good and tasty curry sauce but still not as good as the Tikka masala sauce. Each order comes with a bowl of rice and remember portions are generous here. Look out for a Groupon special here too and save money! Staff is very friendly and food comes out in like 15-20 minutes. read more

The pesto chicken was freaken amazing. Creative and one of the best dishes I've ever had at an Indian restaurant. The tandoori chicken was subpar. The staff was friendly. Friendly + having a dish that I think is exceptional deserves 4 stars. Yes to Mantra, Yes to Pesto, skip the tandoori. read more

After enjoying Mantra's original location in Paramus, NJ several years ago, I was delighted to learn that they had a second restaurant in Jersey City, closer to my house. My brother had heard me rave about the Paramus one many moons ago, and had since wanted to pay it a visit. We took the quick trip to the Exchange Place Path station and began to walk towards the restaurant. While on the move, we happened to look the restaurant up on Yelp to confirm the directions and came face-to-face with a less than stellar overall ranking. We debated shifting our dining destination, but decided to give the restaurant the benefit of the doubt. We were able to easily locate the place, with its trendy lounge in the front and classy dining room just beyond that. The decor was trendy and stylish, but also maintained a very mature vibe. Before our order arrived, we were gifted an amuse bouche of some sort of crunchy, edible bowl that had been filled with shredded potato and topped with a sweet tamarind sauce. It was an interesting and generous way to kick off our experience. Next, we had selected the Mango Shrimp, which had been over-sauteed in a very sweet and syrupy sauce of mango, ginger, garlic, and white pepper. Despite being overcooked and candied, the measly 3 shrimp were flavorful. For our entrees, we shared the Tandoori Mixed Grill, which included several variations of chicken, as well as a variety each of both shrimp and lamb. The lamb was the least appealing of the 3 proteins, but was not horribly prepared either. We also split the Chicken Kolhapuri, which used an extremely spicy sauce containing roasted garam masala, ginger, garlic, and chilies. The side of Basmati Rice was perfectly fluffy and included green peas. Since no Indian meal would be complete without bread, we opted for the Naan Stuffed with Dried Fruits and Nuts, which was the highlight of the meal. The soft and doughy flatbread was packed with sweetness and also possessed a bit of a fennel flavor. Overall, we had mixed feelings on our Mantra Jersey City experience. We loved the hip decor, but found the food mediocre, and service abysmal. There were definitely better alternatives in the area or, better yet, in Manhattan. read more

We came in for lunch at the end of their lunch shift. It was winding down inside, but we had the best Indian food we've had yet in Jersey City! Super friendly staff. Heads up: they close between lunch and dinner! Pricey, but worth it for the large portions! read more

Food is ok not bad. Service could be a lot better. Feel like they take too long to give the food and don't really care for their clients

We hosted a small party at Mantra. The food was amazing. Their dishes were tasty and we all enjoyed the food. I would recommend their indo-chinese menu - to name a few - Chicken 65, Chicken Lollipops, Chilly garlic noodles, Chicken Manchurian. They have a great ambience, with a small conference room that can fit 15 people or their basement that can hold upto 40-50 people. read more

Stopped by Mantra for the lunch buffet on a Saturday afternoon. The location is quite good, right by the exchange place area. The ambience of the place is nice. It is quite spacious with ample seating and unlike other Indian restaurants in the Jersey City area, it seems quite clean. The food itself was as good as any Indian Restaurant fare I've sampled. Lots of oil and butter in everything! They had a decent spread for the buffet about 3 appetizers and 6 or 7 main courses. They had a good vegetarian selection. The dessert was the carrot halva and wasn't that great. I'd visit the place again, but the richness of the food isn't good on the midriff. read more

Mantra - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

3.5 Stars. We came here as a group of 4 for their buffet. All the standards are there (except for onion fritters or samosa) Tandoori chicken, chicken tikka, biriyani, a couple of desserts (all good). They had one bread that looked and tasted like a hamburger bun which I didn't care for but they did have naan which they kept filling the table with. Good service, but when we decided to give our 4 credit cards to them it appears they added a tip automatically so beware of that. read more

Very flavorful Indian food. Some choices I hadn't seen before and everythjng has been delicious. Service was also great. read more

Mantra - Paneer appetizer... very good - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

Food is okay but the service and ambiance is too poor. Not suggested at all. There is a party over there at the ground level so you have to go to the basement right from the middle of people dancing then after ordering you have to wait for 30 mins to get it served Though the food taste good but service is too poor that you can't visit this place again read more

Gross Cheap frozen wings ( dark old meat) marinated in sauces and heated to called appetizers. Shame on you!!!! This was really bad experience, the quality of meat , quality of spices and preparations were both subpar. Have order the same from here and multi other india places. My bar is generally very low but this was disgusting read more

I really wanted to love the place but I could not... My husband and I came here for the weekend buffet brunch ($12.95). I would rather pay more to have more meat choices, the only thing they had was 3 chicken dishes and all of them were very dry and flavorless. I am not sure why they use chicken breast exclusively for the curry dish, as the way they cook it take out all the juice in the meat. Service was amazing and the place is very nice and clean. Their naan came out hot and delicious. read more

Mantra - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

See all

So far the Best Quality of Indian Buffet in Jersey City so far!! Pros 1. $12.00 All You Can Eat is Awesome. 2. The Interior has a Luxury Residential Vibe to it.. (I just want to kick off my shoes and pour myself a glass of wine.) 3. The Servers are Genuinely, Friendly. 4. The Chicken Pulao (Chicken with Rice aka Arroz con Pollo) is very Flavorful and Tender. Honestly, I prefer it over Any Chicken Biryani. 5. The Chicken Tandoori's New Display is breathtaking and the Chicken is still Flavorful and Juicy! 6. The Mango Mousse is Refreshing and Addicting it's like Baby Food for Grown Ups.. 7. The Naan is good and not thick. 8. The Kadai Chicken is Deeeeelicous and Tender! 9. Lamb Madras is good and tender. 10. The Chicken Tikka Massala sauce was Deeelicious. I drizzled it over my Tandoori Chicken. 11. The Chicken Fried Rice is good and Cooked well but needed more Salt. 12. The Rice Kheer was Loose as if it was Rice Noodle Kheer which I LOVE but it had a strong Cardamom taste. 13. The Chicken Lollipops are Tasty. Cons 1. I wish the owner collaborate with other owners and opened up a Small Luxury, Boutique Hotel above the restaurant. Call it..... wait for it... The Mantra Hotel. Bam! read more

See all

Mediocre. The place was empty. It appears to be mainly a takeout joint. Just one person who's dealing with the takeout orders, deliveries and pick up while also trying to wait on the 2/3 tables with dine in guests. Not a great dining experience read more

Excellent food. Delicious drinks and great service. What more could you ask for ??? Looking forward to trying the buffet today. Not well advertised but if anything like the dinners I'm sure it will be a first class dining experience. read more

Mantra is a fine Indian Restaurant that attempts to offer flavorful Indian food with great service and rich ambience. It more or less succeeds with occasional blips here and there. Food in general is really good but some dishes are disappointing. This place is popular for lunch buffet that offers unlimited food for under 15 dollars. It's a great value for money in the area where dinning tends to be not so cheap. There is a bar which offers extensive range of liquor and cocktails. Also, they have a small party hall where private parties can be hosted with an awesome pre-fixe menu for only 25 dollars per person. Overall this is a great restaurant to visit if you are in Jersey City! read more

See all

Lovely staff and great food! Highly recommended trying this place for some yummy Indian food.

Went for dinner on Monday evening with 3 people @5:30. No one in restaurant. Took 30 minutes to receive any food. The Bhindi and mixed grill came out barely warm. The soup came out after main course. Ordered mattar paneer and received peas palao. Saag paneer and garlic naan were good. A plus was being able to bring our own wine. read more

Mantra is worth a trip for good food. The taste is a quite authentic. Portions are big. All the curries are NOT the same gravy as a lot other Indian places. I have been to these place a couple of times. Both on weekdays. So it was relatively quiet. Don't know if it really ever gets busy. The place is quite big enough. It doesn't seem to be one of those hip places as u find in Hoboken or downtown JC. But the food is GOOD. However some things that plague all Indian restaurants in US are present. Such as large pieces or chicken in lots of sauce. Excessive use of food colors. Food a little too heavy. But overall a lot better than other curry houses! read more

Ordered takeaway menu last night,and very disappointing not a place to order/visit next time. Starting from beginning got wrong appetizer ordered veg panner and got chicken. Which is unacceptable if they market them as a finest restaurant. Called to inform restaurant they weren't helpful, refused to deliver even though I only leave 2-3miles from there location. Later at dinner time again we got wrong order no garlic naan as we ordered. Called again to notify Mantra took them 15min to find our order and see the mistakes. Finally they ended up delivering in after 45min extra chewy panner chili which was worthless to wait. read more

Mantra - Original order - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

I find this place as one of those rare combination where the food is delicious but the service is horrible. We usually try the tandoor fasal and dahi kabab which are amazing ! Added with garlic nan, paneer lababdar, Punjabi kadi, chilli garlic noodles, asparagus kofta. The food is so delicious. The wait time for food in-house is extremely long and hardly find any server to even ask for chutney after being served appetizer. The main manager therein sometimes is rude and argues back with the customer. He is sometimes nice and offers a free dessert to make up for the extreme long delays in food served. I have now switched from going to the Restuarant to ordering take out! read more