I love the clucking waffle sandwich- it's my fav item on the menu! But. The mac&cheese is just horrible... I hate saying this about food.. but there was no cheese that I could spot; taste/feel/see...if you're craving mac&cheese, I'd recommend chikfilA.. this was just pasta in milky water and I really hope they either improve their recipe or remove it from the menu..They have lots on the menu that actually works in their favour! Nashville sandwich, the smash burgers-- all classics and they do them sooo well! Also, I did, in my previous review, suggest not to do pickup and mentioned that you'd have to check your order before pickup because sometimes things can be missing. They reached out and tried to make it right.. I am reposting this review because I had added that review for the wrong branch. Nevertheless, I hope the staff all over will be more careful when packing paid orders.. & I would still suggest rechecking orders just in case. Service is okay, sometimes slow.. they did reach out to me regarding making things better because I was not happy with my last order, so that was very nice.. the ambiance is great.. love the vibes inside; minimalistic, modern, Pakistani read more

I had the waffle chicken sandwich with mild sauce along with the chicken Dhamaka fries and chicken tikka mac&cheese. All the food was delicious, well seasoned as well as great portion sizes. My wife and I split the chicken sandwich and I was full after eating half and a few fries. The mild was already spicy as from my perspective, so you will still find that mild has quite the kick. All in all the food was delicious and I would definitely go again. read more

Without a doubt the food is good and the price was reasonable. I don't think it's distinguishable or necessarily way better than other places but it is a nice addition to the many varieties in Metuchen. Primary reason for a subpar review is their service and attention to customers. We arrived before they opened and not knowing that, we entered since the door was open. We were immediately given the wave not knowing exactly what it meant but later realized after noticing their posted hours on the door. We were peeved and thought it was a very rude since they could've said something instead of just wagging their hands and fingers in the air. After they opened and we were seated, everyone including some of the cooks were constantly on their mobile phones and paying very little attention to any of the customers which at that time were only 2-3 tables. We constantly had to get our servers attentions to get extra napkins and water since he was just sitting at one of the open tables busy looking at his phone. Definitely will not be coming back as there isn't anything here that would entice us to. read more

Dined here for lunch and Namkeen did not disappoint. This is a very spacious spot with ample seating to enjoy and the venue was filled with natural sunlight. It's a casual spot with an upscale interior. We ordered the chicken tikka Mac and cheese which was very saucy and tasty in my opinion every bite had a different flavor. The clucking waffle sandwich we were able to customize the heat level. My partner got the hot Blaow which is the hottest flavor and I got the mild to balance it out. Let's just say the Blaow did not disappoint and I would order that with caution unless you can really handle heat. We also opted for dessert and shared the Gulabi waffle which had kulfi ice cream on top and was topped with pistachios and rose petals. The waffle itself was infused with gulub jamun which is a popular Indian sweet. Surprisingly the dessert was well balanced and not overly sweet but I did add syrup and it was amazing. I would stop by again. read more

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Great food. Always consistently well prepared and on time. Beware the host is actually quite hot!!

Located in Metuchen, New Jersey, Namkeen offers a delightful blend of traditional and contemporary halal Pakistani cuisine. From flavorful fries to crispy chicken sandwiches and refreshing mocktails, every dish is crafted with care and authenticity. With impeccable service and a welcoming ambiance, Namkeen is the perfect spot for enjoying a memorable dining experience with friends and family. We ordered the Tikkaville sandwich, Dhamaka fries, chicken tikka Mac n cheese, chicken & waffle and the mint tamarind smash burger. Everything was fantastic and the whole family enjoyed it. Also ordered a Rooh Afza refresher and chai to top of the meal. Exceptional food and a wonderful experience. read more

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Very good and flavor full also good portions, great service, nice setting cute place. read more

Namkeen - Chicken tenders, Dhamaka Fries, and Pataka Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

The food is always made fresh to order. My order is always consistent and I love trying new things off the menu. The smash burger is amazing way better than others that I won't name. The fries are always hot and my favorite is the pataka fries with naked chicken. Milk shakes are basic but consistent. I love this place! I have and will continue to recommend this spot to everyone that I know. read more

Namkeen - Smash burger - Chicken Shop Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

A lovely chicken sandwich in a nice and clean new establishment! I tried the tikkaville sandwich and really enjoyed it. Also tried the dhamaka fries which were yummy as well. Service was great and quick as well. What a great addition to Main Street Metuchen! Looking forward to trying additional items on the menu. read more

I tried the dhamaka fries (minus the chicken) and it was super flavorful and delicious! The service was a bit slow, but still would check it out in you're in the area. read more

Namkeen - Dhamaka fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

Amazing food and drinks. Tastes fresh. There is only one server and does an amazing job taking orders. Quality of service and ambiance is perfect not over the top.... Love the music they play read more

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Always a good place for take out or eat it. It does take a little long to get the delicious food whether you are eating in or out. We always go back! read more

Nice people, friendly service, good quality food, what's not to like? The interior is clean with minimal design, the high ceilings are great and it's very spacious. The menu is limited but they do everything well read more

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The food is really good. Ordering online is really simple order is ready on time. Kids love it

Been here a few times. Food is usually good, but often a weird vibe w/service (Im AA) n usually have upse t stomach later.

Food was really good. Ambience is nice, bright and welcoming, loved the music. Service was nice .... they're still working out some kinks. However our server was friendly and the place is very clean. Definitely a recommend and a return visit. read more

Namkeen - Chicken Shop Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

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Werst place . Over charges . Wrong orders . Rude staff, unhygienic place. Credit card fee charge. Expensive food. still Charges you forceful surcharge charges in the the name of service charges. No other Pakistani restaurants charge ever this kind of fee and charges. Never recommend read more

Their chicken is so good and crispy... I've tried so many halal chicken places but this one is top of the list i really recommend it read more

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We've been long time customers of namkeen and have liked it however the signature issues that always come with a visit to namkeen truly surpassed acceptable today. I got the tikkaville sandwich which came with a set spice level. It was drowning in sauce to the point where I literally couldn't taste anything else. The chicken was practically nonexistent and most of the volume seen on the sandwich is all breading and maybe a fourth of the "chicken" is actual meat. I would never order this again and after this experience don't see myself coming back. Namkeen has always had a bad chicken to bun ratio and while the breading is flavorful, the actual chicken never is. Gravely disappointed read more

Namkeen - Tikkaville Sandwich - Chicken Shop Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

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Holy Hannah this food is good. NGL to you if you don't like spicy this place is for you. If you like spice this is right down your alley. That being said I recommend every to try this place. The food was fresh and tasted amazing. Each bite spicier than the last making me desperately crave water and craving another bite. Also chai was read more

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At a loss for words honestly. I can't even begin to describe how good this food was. Look, I believe soul food is some of the best food in the world , so whenever I see someone put their own spin on it I'm always up for it. Some people fail at it and some people succeed. Namkeen DEFINITELY succeeds. I got the chicken and waffles , extra hot because I decided to be bold. Needless to say, my mouth was on fire. But I would and will do it all over again because that chicken was THAT good! From the juiciness to the seasoning and crust; the chicken was perfect for this dish. The waffle...let me say I love a good waffle but this was GREAT. This waffle is up there with the waffle from the Legendary Roscoe's in LA. The fries were absolutely delicious in both of the sauces they came in and were not soggy at all by any means. The tikkaville sandwich was just as good as the chicken and waffles in all honesty. The flavors that were in this combined with the bread that holds like a bed, it's easily now one of my favorite sandwiches anywhere in New Jersey. The seating of the inside is always very good as there's space for a table of one or a party of 8-10. Looking forward to coming back read more

Namkeen - Chicken & Waffles HOT - Chicken Shop Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

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OMG!!!! I can't believe my eyes. I am an EYE WITNESS. not only was the food good but they also let the customers control the aux. i requested FE¡N and they REALLY played it!! no way . I am 100 percent coming back here for more read more

Namkeen - Chicken Shop Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

Came here the second night they opened and was pleasantly surprised to find no line and was seated promptly (heard there was a line out the door on opening day). Went into the restaurant with this knowledge and expecting some opening week jitters. On first glance, the interior was super aesthetic and modern looking. Our waitress was very friendly and gave a little background on the restaurant and recommended her favorite dishes which was nice. We ended up getting the Nashville sandwich, Chicken Tikka Mac and Cheese, and the Masala fries. Nashville sandwich: 4/5 A solid chicken sandwich - would not mind ordering again, but would definitely want to try some of the other options as this seemed to be the most basic one. Chicken Tikka Mac and Cheese: 2.5/5 A little disappointed in this dish, was very heavy on the sauce and didn't really get to taste any cheese flavor. This dish specifically also came out cold and seemed like it was sitting out for a while. Masala fries: 5/5 Fries were perfectly seasoned and super addicting. The best thing we ordered and would reorder again next time! I am excited to come back and try other dishes on the menu - this is a great addition to Metuchen's downtown! read more

Horrible service. Mediocre food. Save your money. Go to Popeyes and order spicy chicken sandwiches. 20% gratuity included to the server who literally threw 3 napkibs at a rable of 6. Thriwbup on sidewalk walking in should've been the warning sign not to go in...thought I'd support a fellow brown person doing business in Metuchen. Big mistake. Never again! The waitress, amika? Was horrible. read more

Namkeen - Chicken Shop Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

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Food is fresh and delicious and service was quick. I had the Nashville sandwich. Quiet atmosphere while I waited for my order. I will definitely be coming back. read more

Waffles and fried or breaded chicken--if that's your thing, you'd like this place. Super clean including the bathrooms. Good service. Friendly but a bit anonymous feeling--I guess that's the norm today. Nobody gets too up close and friendly. Seems like a young people kind of place for dating and hanging out with your buddies. Metuchen is a happening town with lots of food choices. A bit fast-foodie feeling so not necessarily the place to propose marriage. Busy--looks like the locals are taking to it. read more

Fabulous food (the chicken sandwich was incredible) and very kind service. This place is great!

Best burger. Fries r best too Choose ur spicy level. Try best dessert too.. Nice ambience best service economic price what else you want Plz do try read more

Food is amazing. I got the classic smash burger. They season the burger to perfection. Their chipotle sauce is a bit spicy. My friends got the clucking waffle sandwich and also loved it. Milkshake is just soupy ice cream. Virgin mojitos were extremely minty. Docking a star because they really should have another waiter. He takes his time waiting his tables. Food was amazing though 10/10 read more

My visit was on a Saturday night, so we were anticipating a wait. The place was packed! If you are eating in, they do seat you and have table service. You can also walk directly to the counter for takeout. We only waited about 5 mins for a table, there is a lot of room inside and with the type of meal I do not think people are staying for hours on end. The service was pretty good with the number of people inside. I had high expectations for Namkeen. I do not think it hit all cylinders for us. We did not expect the volume on the music when we walked in. We are not an older couple, but the music was very loud. Hard to talk, hard to hear. The Mac n Cheese was delicious. The sauce was almost like gravy, it was pretty thick and had a flavor I was not expecting, it was not just cheese. The fries were good, hot and crispy. The smash burger was cooked very well. The edges had a little crust on them. My eyes were happy to see it, but the meat was bland. It may be the seasoning or the meat blend, but it wasn't as flavorful as we would have liked. I tried the Nashville chicken with mild heat. It was a nice amount of spice; I would get the higher level up on my next visit. The chicken was crispy and juicy inside. Again, it wasn't bursting with flavor, but it was a good sandwich. There are some other items I would go back to try. Tikkaville Sandwich, Clucking Waffle Sandwich, Spicy Maple Wings, Mint Tamarind to name a few. Namkeen is a great addition to downtown Metuchen. read more

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Best experience I like it soo much we drove from PA and I like tikka ville and dhamaka fries read more

Namkeen - Chicken Shop Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

My recent order was a pickup but was made in -time and the food was warm. I have been to Namkeen in Chatham so can say that the food flavors were the same but the dining experience here at Metuchen looks more appauling since its spacious with lots of seating. The restaurant looked clean and the pickup space was well defined with my name on the order bag written so gracefully in calligraphy, that it put a smile on my face. Coming back to food, I ordered clucking waffle chicken which was wholesome, spicy and delicious. If you arent too hungry, it would suffice 2 people. Grab a booba tea (from a nearby store) and its a perfect evening to spend on Main St. Metuchen. read more

Love the experience!! Tasty Nashville chicken sandwich. Place is tidy, clean and wonderful hospitality experience read more

The burger was very tasty and the pickup service was very fast. I have tried the chicken previously and it is delicious as well. Will definitely order again. read more

Service is pokey and needs to improve for in store dining. Food is excellent and can't complain. Server in s more interested in chatting with staff than serving and attending customers. read more

This was the most flavorful sandwich. Plus, it wasn't greasy and the chicken was moist. I don't even like chicken sandwiches that much but damn!! read more

A Jersey version of Dave's hot chicken. Good food and reasonable prices. If you are hungry then go for the waffle sandwich.

So far I have had food from this establishment twice. The first time we got take-out from here, and then the second time we decided to eat-in at the establishment to experience the food quality, service, ambiance, and entire experience to be able to judge it more holistically. Here are some observations Food: - food seems fresh. - However, the food is hotter/spicier than what one would eat at most other restaurants. So be prepared for higher heat levels in the food and order accordingly. Both the times we ordered any item with Mild sauce heat levels it was much hotter than expected. - the lower part of all the sandwiches (bread or waffle) were soggy which made it hard to hold the sandwich together - the base kept disintegrating and falling apart making for a messy eating experience. - the chicken fillet is big and fat and crispy. Great if one is eating fried chicken but an inconvenience inside a bread or waffle sandwich cause it's harder to hold things together. - in the waffle fried chicken (Clucking Waffle) sandwich the top waffle later was golden and crispy, but the base waffles were soggy and had tons of green chilies blended into the waffle batter. This probably contributed to the heat and the sogginess of the base waffle, which made the whole sandwich harder to eat. - the fries were soggy both times. The first time the fries were soggy, inconsistent size and too salty. I guessed that the fries were soggy because it was take out (steam build up in packed food). However the second time too, at the restaurant, the fries were soggy and too salty. This was disappointing. Fries are not complicated and easy to do right. Service: - The staff is quick and efficient. You get seated promptly and the service is fast - the restaurant wasn't at full capacity when I was there, but I'm guessing they are equipped to handle full house. Ambiance: - the interior is minimal and newly done up. Nothing fancy. - due to the choice of interior and furnishing the voices/sound echos and don't expect a quiet dinning experience. - it's an open kitchen and the fumes and food smell wafts freely into the dining area. Some may find that oil/fry smell bothersome. The restaurant should consider enhancing the air filtration systems, and vents to make the air a little better. Overall - I took out 2 star due to the food quality issues - soggy base, excessive spice, and soggy salty fries. In summary, I would say that they scored below my expectations and didn't make the experience compelling. As there are several other options in the extended neighborhood, I won't be back here unless i hear amazing stories of improvements from different sources. read more

love it, great spicy food and service. Will definitely come again Drinks were okay but the fries were the highlight for sure read more

We tried this place as our friend recommended it and it just opened. The place was quite busy when we went for dinner around 5:30-6PM. The staff were friendly, but maybe since they are newer - they seemed to need more training as our food was just sitting there while they were sorting out which table it was for and we were brought wrong food a few times. Hopefully, the staff gets more training and it gets better. Mac and cheese was good, but very heavy. The chai was nice but not strong enough flavor for me personally. Chicken and waffles was the best out of the food we got. Fries were seasoned well but not crispy. read more