Let me preface this by saying I'm 7 months pregnant... I placed an order on Grub Hub. Waited almost a full hour before getting a notification that my order was cancelled. I called the restaurant and they told me I was too far (I live in Bayonne). First point here is that they accepted the order, and waited almost a full hour before they cancelled it. The person who answered the phone said the manager made the decision. However, when I asked to speak to the manager they told me he wasnt there. Never at any point did they offer to make good on this situation. They didnt even ask if I wanted to come pick it up. This is by far once of the worst customer service experiences I have ever had. Even after telling them I was pregnant and waiting an hour for this food just to find out it was cancelled, they still did not even try to rectify the situation at all. read more

Good indian buffet! They have plenty options, both veg and non veg. Food was hot and the ambience was casual. Wasn't too impressed by the service though. Also would have preferred some more dessert options. Have had better for the price. A good restaurant to bring friends or family. Not a date spot. read more

Mantra - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

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I've only come here for lunch for both dine-in and take out. Dining in provides you with the option to engorge yourself in its all you can buffet or if you're not interested in that, for $9 they give you a take out box where you can load up with the buffet foods. They'll even pack you some naan separately. If dining in, I recommend you arrive slightly before noon before any potential lunch rush. I've seen this place get fairly full and there is a line that wraps around the dining room tables to just get a plate of food from the buffet. You don't want to be in that line. You also don't want to arrive too early (the place opens at 11:30am) because sometimes on a slower day they may not have everything placed out yet. That's understandable since when I came here once to pick up a takeout lunch, the place was empty. No restaurant wants food sitting out in the open for too long especially when there are no patrons. I waited probably 10-15 minutes for them to finish setting up which wasn't a big deal. The food is north Indian which means the options are creamier. I have a low spice tolerance so I'm glad there were a lot of non-spicy options and my guest is vegetarian and he noted there were plenty of vegetarian options to choose from. The dine in service slowed as the place filled up and flagging down a waiter to get additional naan for the table became harder than when we first sat down as one of the first few customers of the day. But if your goal here is to try out a decent variety of Indian foods or eat for two meals, then this is your spot. Just watch out for the impending food coma that will hit you a few hours after. read more

Mantra - Mantra lunch special take out container for $9 - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

This place is amazing. Seriously I don't understand why the ratings aren't higher - I've eaten at so many Indian restaurants in JC and haven't found another place that had such a good use of spice and flavor. read more

Visited here after attending a Yelp Elite event here. I really liked the experience during the event. During this visit, there was a party hosted. It was a bit odd that the party was hosted in the main dining area on the first floor while we were seated downstairs in the basement. I would think it made more sense to seat people upstairs and host the party downstairs to get more business. After waiting for 40 minutes to an hour, our food was finally ready. If it wasn't for the coupon, we would have left after 20 minutes of waiting. The food was great though. I liked the cheese naan, which the naan stuffed with cheese. It was probably the best naan that I ever had. read more

We really liked this place the first time around, during their grand opening with Yelp. However, it's clear to me that the event was a one off experience, where they gave it all their best, and not typical of a usual day. Since then, the two times we tried revisit this place, they were hosting a large party on the main level. The second time around, they still let us in, and brought us down to the basement dining area, along with a few other tables. Wouldn't it make more sense to host the party in the basement and free up the main dining area for regular walk-ins? In any case, this experience was abysmally slow. I don't even want to think about how long they made us wait for everything. When we finally did get the Goan shrimp, there were only three pieces of shrimp in the dish. What a ripoff! I'll admit one thing though (hence the two star rating, rather than one) -- their cheese stuffed naan is pretty damn good. Addictively good. read more

I got a Groupon here, so my girlfriend and I stopped in for dinner last month. Let me preface this review by saying I'm no expert in Indian food - I enjoy it, but I rarely eat it for some reason. That being said, we both really enjoyed the food here. The atmosphere is a little upscale, well designed and nice for a slightly more-than-casual dinner spot. Staff were friendly and welcoming, and there were no problems at all applying the Groupon. For my meal, I got the Chicken Kolhapuri. I was warned that it was very spicy, but I didn't find it too spicy or over the top at all. That being said - for those who don't really like spicy, you may think so. This is from a guy who collects hot sauce. Anyway - I really, really enjoyed it. One thing I also liked about the presentation was that the rice and the chicken itself came in different serving bowls, so you could dish the exact amount and mixture you wanted out onto your plate. I found that this made my meal stretch longer since I served it to myself in a few separate helpings. Added bonus - Mantra is BYOB and there's a liquor store right around the corner. We enjoyed the food and the vibe here and will definitely consider it the next time we're looking for a flavorful Indian meal. read more

Great food and good service. Staff is very receptive. Menu has lot of options. We get delivery from this place all the time

Not the best Indian food we've tried but it was decent. The lamb Rogan Josh tasted more like a tomato sauce but with hints of Indian spices. The lamb curry I wouldn't order again it was just off for me but my husband seemed to like it. We also ordered a few breads. We had the naan which was pretty good, paratha which was also decent then roti that was quite a bit dry. To be fair we did order to go so maybe it being in the foil messed with the texture. However, in all it was pretty decent anything to make this quarantine time a little better read more

Food - The bugget is good. For appetizers the sabu dana vada, chilly chicken and kababs are good. Puri bhajji and daal rice along with the chicken kadai makes a good meal. The paysam is way to sweet. Ambience - Its well lit spacious dining area. Service - Nothing to boast off. Knocked a star for the plastic piece in the chutney. Cost - ~15$ per person. read more

Mantra - Puri bhaaji, Sabudana vada, chilly chicken - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

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It's consistently fine. Love the family basket. Paneer Bhurji may not look good but it was good. Nani's chicken curry had the expected homely feel to it. read more

Mantra - Paneer Bhurji - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

As someone who has tried almost every Indian spot in Jersey City neighborhoods, Mantra is a tier above the rest. Don't forget to try their dal fry, kurkuri bhindi, and goat kali mirch. Taking away one star due to the service but I understand they are short staffed, hoping them all the best! read more

Average food , poor service, nothing specials compare to Indian restaurants in Newark ave , jersey city , restaurant interior and decoration is nice but not the food , their is no taste and it's very blond. We placed order at 9:25 pm, they force us to place the order very quickly , got food after 20 minutes, again they are saying I have to finish my dinner by 10pm. ,, instead of forcing like this better say no , so will go somewhere ,,,,,, waste of moneyyyyyyyyy, I never turn back here ,,,, read more

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I order goat dum biryani and chicken tikka masala The food was disgusting no taste nothing Not even worth the money I paid for , if you love Indian food this restaurant definitely not recommended horrible customer service and food I will never go there again read more

I have been in jersey city for over three years and somehow I did not know about this gem. The food was so fresh! The staff were warm and accommodating. we did all vegetarian dishes for the night and honestly nothing disappointed. My favorites I would recommend were the the samosa chaat appetizer, mushroom methi malai, and bagara baingan. And the garlic naaaaaan. Thank you for a great dining experience! Can't wait to come back. read more

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We visited Mantra for the first (and second time). The food is really good and I found it to be one of the best in the NJ and NY area that I've tried.The staff were very friendly and helpful. I like that the food doesn't come out immediately and tastes very fresh. It's also BYOB now - win - with a wonderful well stocked liqor store around the corner with a substantial offering available. Food -------- The portions are very generous. I struggled to eat my starter and main, so on my second visit, I kept some of the starter to take home. The best part was the lamb and tikka foods. The fresh garlic and cheese Naan was so good I ordered double portions. So. Good. Here's what we ordered and how I recommend it: Samoosa Beautiful - really pyramid shaped (not just triangular) - a thick, crunchy pastry with a delicious interior. The serving sauce is divine. Comes out fresh and hot. We ordered this twice. Chicken Trio Kebob Divine - juicy, tender chicken with beautiful marinades. Very big, about 4 generous pieces. Fantastic flame grilled taste. Lamb Boti Lovely, large chunks of lamb, nicely cooked with tonnes of flavour. Tasted as though it had come out of a genuine flamed oven/grill. Kheema Muttar Very tasty, fragrant and spicy version of the classic - This was so good and even though I could only eat half of it, it was just as good the following day microwaved. Rice I thought the rice was very good and large - we only eat half the bowl between two of us. Very moist, not dried out Chicken Tika So good - fresh from the flames - it, like the lamb and other chicken was nicely and gently blackened from flames - without making it taste like charcoal or ash. read more

8:30 - ordered and paid for delivery 9:30 - followed up on status and was told food was on its way 10:00 - restaurant closed 10:10 - resigned to the fact that the food is never coming read more

I've been coming here for the lunch buffet about twice a month for the past year, so this review is backed up by a lot of data. Their food is always delicious with variety. Free nan. There is seldom disappointment in food. Price is very friendly. Huge space. The boss there is very nice and knows how restaurant business works. The reason that I'm taking off one star is because the staff's service is sometimes not so consistent. I'd say definitely give Mantra a try. read more

Food was really good and the menu has some great dishes you won't find on any old Punjabi restaurant menu - such as the Kolhapuri Chicken and Rohan Josh. read more

There are a few things I love about this restaurant- the dahi ke kebabs with tomato chutney are just mind blowing, the management is super friendly too. The things I hate about mantra - wayyyyy too much artificial red coloring in food. It leaves a weird color on your palms even after repeatedly washing them with soap. The second thing is the excess use of MSG- monosodium glutamate in their dishes. Not going there again for heath reasons . Taste wise it's okay! read more

For a vegetarian Indian cuisine lover in jersey city downtown, I could not be more happy and thankful for Mantra. My husband and I are absolute fans of their Aspargus Kofta, Gulab Jamun and Lasuni Gobi. Shoutout to Mr.Rana (Manager) for his hospitality and friendly nature which makes a person feel comfortable instantly. They are currently provide delivery, take out and outdoor seating services. Just wear a mask and you are good to go! :) read more

The worst place and worst service ,this kind of service I never expected in this country and the staff was very rude. And their ratings is totally fake.They don't know how to manage the restaurant. It's totally wastage of money. I would never recommend this place to anyone !! read more

Me and Wife always enjoy eating at Mantra. We came to appreciate Indian food through co-workers over the years. Mantra's food is always good and the little bar area is very nice. The staff is very good and can really help making suggestions or warning you about a dish you may not like based on your taste. The atmosphere of the restaurant is also quite nice despite it being located in a small shopping complex. If you want great food with great service and a nice evening out you do not need to look any further, read more

They are deleting the recent reviews because they are simply horrific. This place looks legit from the outside but food taste like poop and service is just as bad. Run, run away! read more

When I'm in town, I typically order my food from this place for delivery via Yelp. The delivery times are not great. My most recent order was placed online a few minutes before they opened with a 38 minute time to deliver. It took 90 minutes. That's the only thing bad I can say. The food is excellent. Authentic Southern Indian food. They Biryani is fantastic. The garlic naan is very good. The chicken tikka masala is also great. The samosa are a dream. Each dish had complex, harmonious flavors, good heat/spice, and a generously sized portion. I'm glad I order each and every time. I hope you all enjoy this food as much as I do. read more

Every time I've walked by this restaurant on the way home from work, it's usually pretty dark and empty, which is the primary reason why I never gave this place a fair shake until recently, despite having lived here for several years. Anyway, I ordered the cheese and garlic naan, the Tandoori mixed grill, and the shrimp Balchao appetizer. The Balchao appetizer was a plastic carton of spicy sauce with 2 shrimp floating inside (at $9, this was vastly overpriced). Despite being a lover of garlic, I found the naan to be overpowering and difficult to enjoy. The mixed grill was, suffice to say, mixed. Some of the kebabs were great, but others were bland, dry, and/or overcooked. I really wanted to like this place, too. I love spicy Indian food, but this place wasn't it for me. The food quality (and quantity) is out of sync with the high price point, which makes it hard for me to consider eating here again. read more

The food was well prepared, great taste and ambience. Last but not the least service was excellent.

This place is always hosting a party on the weekends! Every time we come here for a brunch, there is something going on that takes over the entire place. The waiters sit you in middle of the party or take you down to the basement where it's just weird. The food for brunch buffet is alright, never hits the spot. I wish the waiting staff was a little more accommodating for customers that are not with a big party. I have been here three times for brunch now, and I have finally decided to just spot coming here to give them another chance. It's just not worth it. read more

I was eating the lunch time buffet at Mantra when when I started chocking on a bone that was in the curry I was eating. They seemed more concerned with getting out of the way, didn't apologize and charged my friends full price before I had been taken away in ambulance. Avoid it if you can. They don't seem to care one bit about their customers. read more

This is my favorite Indian restaurant in jersey city. And I've tried everything! Their Chinese is also really good! And my favorite is the lamb Xacuti. read more

The young manager is extremely rude and lady server with short hair is extremely rude. The waitress dumps food on the table and makes weird faces when we ask for something and the manager supports her and behaved rudely with us. The owners may not know about their behavior but hopefully they seee this review and note the point. read more

My goto spot for Indo Chinese. Can't go wrong with the Veggie Fried Rice with Egg and Black Pepper Chicken

Was delivered food that was stale. Was a delivery at approx 3pm. Upon prompt calling them back to provide feedback they were closed and didn't pick evening calls. The call next day was received by the manager with sheer deflection and frankly an element of rudeness. No apologies or refund were extended. He asked me to place feedback on the site and said he didn't care, was happy to look away. Wondering on health and hygiene standards of the restaurant. Good luck on future orders. read more

This is a wonderful BYOB restaurant with traditional flavors and upscale vibe. My fiancé is absolutely in love with their Chicken Khadi and usually orders it for take out as well. The dine in portion is great for large parties or intimidate date night. I do wish they would provide papadium and chutney without an additional charge as in customary in Jersey but other dishes make up for this detail. read more

Rudest customer service. They will hang the phone on your face without even answering anything. Not going back read more

Long story short, avoid this place. And the long story is - Awesome decor - service was decent - food was just ok - slow service Believe me, am a big foodie and I know Indian food We order 2 appetizers, Barah kebab and kakinada shrimp. Barah kebab had lot of flavored masala, but not on the lamb :) the meat was bland. The masala was literally coated on top. Shrimp was just ok Ordered 2 entrees - Kerala fish and rogan josh. Kerala fish was bad. tomato purée at its best. This south Indian fish dish should have a good tangy tamarind flavor, which I thought was completely missing. Rogan josh was the best dish of the night, meat was tender, the spices were just right, not too overpowering. The server was good, but messed the appetizer order, and to return and get the right one took another 20 minutes. The service was in general slow I know a lot of places to spend my well earned $100. Go somewhere else. I would have rated this place 1 star, but for the awesome ambience and the Rogan Josh read more

Beautifully designed, classy new Indian restaurant on Washington Street. White tablecloth service, elegant decor, and banquette seating. There was also an enclosed private room for parties and a lounge area for drinks. We were impressed with Mantra at first glance! The service was attentive but unobtrusive, and there was a complimentary app of puffed dough with plain yogurt, tamarind sauce, and spices. A great little bite! We shared the asparagus kofta and chicken korma with naan. Both dishes were delicious - complex blend of spices was well balanced with just enough heat. Also, the portions were very reasonably sized but not too enormous as to leave you too stuffed or with tons of food leftover. We were too full for dessert because we had some drinks at Barcade before dinner, but we would definitely come back to Mantra! By the time we left, it was semi-full with multigeneration Indian families trying all sorts of delicious-looking dishes! read more

Went here last night for dinner after getting a Groupon offer. When we got there, we found out they have only been opened for 3 months. I was impressed with the decor and the whole ambiance of the place. Sleek and modern. The food also did not disappoint. For an appetizer we ordered the Table Side Chaat which was amazing. I could have eaten the entire bowl myself! Tons of flavor and a great way to start the meal. We then order some Rosemary Naan. I do have to say I have had better Naan, but still, it wasn't the worst I've ever had. Tasty and served its purpose. For dinner, I ordered the Chicken Kolhapuri (Chicken cooked with roasted garam masala, ginger, garlic & chilies). I asked for it to be very spicy, but it wasn't as spciy as I would have liked. But the flavor was there and it was excellent. The longer we stayed, the busier it got, which is always a good sign to me. It's a place that I will definitely go to again. The good was great, the service was great and the place was very nice. A nice little gem in downtown Jersey City. read more

The naan is fantastic, especially the cheese and garlic naan. I don't really like okra but their fried okra is very good. It is served room temperature but surprisingly it is still crunchy and more importantly not greasy. My first time here for dinner and will come back again. Service is friendly and attentive offering suggestions that a tasty. read more

Mantra - Fried okra - Indian Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

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Definitely one of my favorite restaurants. I had my lunch buffet there and everything is good. Delicious curry, a wide variety to eat, and fair prices. read more