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    Thelewala

    4.1 (584 reviews)
    InexpensiveIndian
    Open 11:00 am - 3:00 AM (Next day)

    Order Thelewala Takeout or Delivery

    Thelewala Photos

    Business Info

    THELEWALA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Thelewala

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    Mercy K.

    Service was great. Food tasted good. I came here 3 years ago and the size of the rolls seems to have gotten smaller. Indoor seating is available but it is up a set of stairs

    Menu and inside
    Dipali G.

    Cheap and good! But greasy Good: we got the gobi paneer roll and it was good but very greasy! I wish it had a bit more paneer and less onions! It is definitely spicy and it comes fresh, so be aware of how hot it is! For the price, I think it was really great Service: good and fast Ambience: it's a small shop with a few indoor seats and a table outside! It is definitely meant to be a takeout shop

    Jaal Muri
    Neil M.

    The spice level here is something to be wary of. If you can't handle spice, make sure you tell them that many times. I was sweating fire on my commute back (and loving it). The jaal muri was tangy and spicy and everything you want if you need your sinuses opened. I tried the okra roll and paneer roll and loved both of them.

    Okra roll
    Ashwini A.

    SERVICE - located near washington square park - small store with food packaged to go - open late night - good for a very casual meal MENU - Indian Kati roll wraps - vegetarian/vegan options available - well priced ($10 per wrap) FOOD - achaari aloo tikki (9/10): mashed potatoes spiced with chili and tangy pickle. This tastes like an aloo paratha but as a roll. The potato is soft and absorbs a lot of the masala flavor it is cooked with. The bread is chewy yet crisp making it the ideal vehicle for the potato filling. - aloo gobi (8/10): mixed potato and cauliflower. This one felt like a hybrid between the achaari aloo and the smoky gobi so if you want a taste of two by only ordering one get this. - smoky gobi (8/10): roasted cauliflower with spices. I was not expecting this one to be as flavorful as it was since cauliflower can sometimes feel bland. The smokiness really came through and went well with the slightly sweet wrap. - okra (9/10): crispy okra with spices. This one was definitely my favorite. The okra was perfectly cooked and had no sliminess. It had more texture than the potato and cauliflower ones and felt spicier. WOULD I GO BACK? Yes! It's a great spot for a quick late night bite. The only reason I did not give it five stars is because i wished it had a vegan option with more protein like a channa masala roll

    Thelewala Chicken Roll
    Cole D.

    I'd save your $11 and head to taco Mahal over this place. I think this is place is too simple to be a restaurant. In Waze, I feel like I could make this dish myself. I think that every dish needs cheese as well as some sauces. It's very dry. It's not a lot of food. I feel like this is more breakfast food, like an Indian breakfast burrito. I wasn't particularly wowed with this place.

    Chapli Roll and Achari Aloo Tikki Roll
    Will N.

    Fun late night snack--open late. Easy to take on the go. Made fresh to order. Kind workers as well. Seems like prices rose throughout the years though, but that's likely the case for every restaurant on this busy street.

    Sanjay G.

    West 8th Street and MacDougal Street- this street in Greenwich Village is full of eateries ranging from the luxurious Minetta Tavern (famous for its Black Label Burger) to the cheap Pommes Frites (a well-known French fry establishment). Thelewala- Hindi, it means roadside vendor. a compact joint tucked into MacDougal Street. They are well known for their fresh and spicy chaat, but most importantly their Nizami rolls--a grab-and-go restaurant serving Kolkata Nizami Rolls and other Indian street foods. We ordered its famous Thelewala Chicken roll and masala chai The roll was fresh, long pieces of marinated chicken, they cooked in front of us (which means it was not cooked earlier) and I could taste the freshness. something about their green mint chutney was different for me (it might be Amla /Indian gooseberry), but that tasted different. Masala chai was horrible though, not at all good. The shop is not spacious though, It's mostly grab-and-go, but there are a couple of stools seat to sit on. wall-size mirror makes it look bigger, decor is simple but beautiful. not sure why I had not heard before about it, but I got some options other than Kathi roll.

    Menu
    Gin Y.

    We were in the area on sixth avenue to get in our Joe's Pizza fix (so good!), but I did find through my research that, a block behind sixth avenue on MacDougal St, there were a bunch of eateries that we needed to try out. Since there's only so much real estate in our stomachs, we settled on trying this inexpensive hole-in-the-wall spot called Thelewala that served Indian wraps/rolls. I thought it was unique. Inside, it's very cramped and there's barely any room for seating. I would say this is more of a grab-and-go spot. The staff was friendly and steered us away from the chicken phall roll, which they stated would be too spicy for us. Instead, they recommended we try their chicken pata chicken roll with their habanero chutney sauce on the side to dip it in - just in case it would be too spicy for us. Well, the roll was pretty good. The habanero chutney was, in fact, quite spicy. But, we enjoyed it. It was also easy to eat and not too messy. Next time, I plan to try out their vegetarian rolls to see if their Indian spices stand out more. If you're in the area, come and check them out.

    Vaibhav M.

    Oh Boy! This is a hole in the wal but the food is FIRE(literally). Inside there is only enough standig room for 3-4 people at a time and sitting space for another 2. So make sure you are okay to get your food to-go and eat somewhere else. We got the ragda patties and the chicken phal roll. The chicken phall roll is absolutely wild! It has the spiciest peoper (think ghost). The server did a good job by making sure we knew what we were ordering and how hot it was going to be. We wanted it so we got it. And boy was it HOT! It was loaded with the peppers and the sauce and we had smoke coming out of all our pores. The ragda patties were a lot more normal and it was authentic! You should definitely add this to your list if you like Indian street/comfort food

    Chicken Phall Roll
    Falguni T.

    FIRE!!!!! This place and its food is fire! It's a small shop that cannot accommodate more that 4-5 people at a time. But most people came for pickups, so it was great. We ordered ragara patties and a chicken Phalke role. The Ragara Patties tasted great. Just like in India. It had the right amount of spice and flavour. Thoroughly enjoyed it. But it was the roll that set this experience apart from any other. The guy behind the counter warned us that the Chicken Phalke role was going to be really spicy. Even the menu says "it's fire!! . But we wanted to try it anyways. I think we were a little too proud of our Indian spice tolerance, and also were excited to give this a try. The very first bite had us hiccuping and dying of the spice! Like right off the bat. The guy told us to take off the chillies if it got too unbearable, but we were liking the killing heat, but more than that the flavour of the roll, that we decided to continue eating it on the streets of the city (God knows we couldn't sit still after the first couple bites). By the end of the role, I was pretty delirious, and in need for something sweet. My mind kept going blank for a few seconds every now and then. And my lips were on fire for the rest of the day. But I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking to eat a nice Indian chaat. Even if you don't get the Phall role, they have other options that I'm pretty sure are going to be just as good. And anyone who loves spicy, give the roll a go.

    Chatpata Chicken Roll
    Samantha D.

    I was in the neighborhood studying. I wanted a quick bite before going home, so I ended up going to Thelewala. It is a fast-casual place that I could get something to eat by myself. You can tell they make it fresh and to order because it took them about 15 minutes to make after I ordered. The place is a bit cramped, and they only have a handful of seats, so most people order to go. It's not hard to eat and walk if you get a roll. Chat pata chicken roll was okay. Pretty spicy for me, and I didn't really taste much variety of spices. I do think the roll itself was mostly one note. However, it was filled with chicken and eggs. They didn't skimp on ingredients. It gets pretty messy if you eat it on the go because the roll is oily. There's a tiny discount if you pay with cash. The roll itself was cheap, less than $10 when I paid with cash. It's satisfying enough if you aren't a big eater.

    Lime Paneer Roll

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    28 days ago

    Really good spot !!! I had the chicken wrap ! I really enjoyed it. I will be back to try the lamb !

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    6 months ago

    Online menu has incorrect.prices! Found out after ordering. I will taste the food later

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    1 year ago

    I had paneer roll, aloo gobi roll and they were awesome!! Remember, spice level is what is stated.

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    2 years ago

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    11 months ago

    Been coming for years. The employees are always SO welcoming and kind. The customers are great too. Highly rec.

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    1 year ago

    They have amazing food that to ovals Kati. Very spacious eating area. I will be back there sometime soon!

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    The food is great, always has been, but with the recent price increases it's cheaper to make it at home.

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    Page 1 of 15

    Thelewala Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Thelewala

    Is the meat halal?

    Yes

    Is the bread gluten free?

    Unfortunately no, only regular flour.

    Is the meat halal?

    Yes the chicken and lamb

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Bengal Tiger

    Bengal Tiger

    4.5(2.5k reviews)
    2.7 miMidtown West
    $$

    Great service and good …read more Love the poppadums are more UK style than usual US papads . I opted for Chicken Tikka Masala with plain naan and rice . Rice comes with the meal . Overall great entrees. Meat was great and sauce was perfectly spiced per my medium request . Service was prompt and overall definitely a go to place for a well priced Indian meal .

    Cuisine: 6 Service: 5…read moreDecor: 7 Value: 4 Overall: 6 I tend not to trust ethic food Yelp reviews in touristy areas because they tend to be skewed by tourists, and not locals. However, sometimes you just take a chance and pray it lives up to the hype. Having a short period of time before our show at Radio City Music Hall, two of us shared a quick bite here after a few snacks on the nearby street fair. Just one order of Chicken Tikka Marsala, Garlic Naan, and a Mango Lassi. I'm actually not a big fan of Chicken Tikka Marsala because it's often too sweet and creamy for me. Though the chicken was overcooked, I did find this version quite differernt, in a good way. It had depth, and definitely a lot of heat, even on the medium level, the spiciness was very noticeable. My dining partner would have died without that Mango Lassi, which was yummy. Lmao On the other hand, the Garlic Naan was horrible. Instead of being a pillowy soft bread with some chew, it was stiff and cardboard-ish. This is one of the worst versions I had in NYC. Not sure how this major blunder can be overlooked. Naan is such an important part of Indian food culture, I can't believe they haven't realize that they need to fix this matter. Btw, service was efficient, almost too efficient that it felt rushed. One minute after we were seated, we were asked if ready to order. Again, we were asked literally one minute later. Then, just as we were finishing our meal, and while I'm still chewing my final bite of food, the bus boy cane to take our plates away. I was technically done, but would have like to have had a minute. Finally, without asking about desserts, another server came by with our check as if to say, "Please pay and make room for the next guests." I know we wanted a quick meal, but never thought we would be in and out of a situation down restaurant in less than 30 minutes. Hahaha Anyway, I live in Queens where we have same quality Indian restaurants at a much lower price point. Portions are bigger too. For me, this is an attempt at finding a gem that everyone seems to suggest. Unfortunately, it's hard for me to return to an Indian restaurant knowing they can't properly make naan.

    Photos
    Bengal Tiger  - Inside  Nice decor, upscale

    Inside Nice decor, upscale

    Bengal Tiger  - Tandoori Chicken Tikka

    Tandoori Chicken Tikka

    Bengal Tiger  - Chicken tikka masala

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    Chicken tikka masala

    Dhamaka - Paneer Methi

    Dhamaka

    4.1(847 reviews)
    1.0 miLower East Side
    $$$

    Gola Party @dhamakanyc…read more Squinty smiles reserved for fun cocktails and delicious dishes at my all time favorite spot. If you don't like Indian food, you're not hitting up the right ones. Also, I meant to photograph the Paneer Tikka before biting into it but I was just too excited and forgot. - Dhungar Gosht - Short Rib Pulao - Butter Pepper Garlic Crab - Kashmiri Gosht Chaamp - Paneer Tikka - Rabdi NYC

    Dhamaka is a modern yet upscale Indian restaraunt tucked away in the back of Essex market on the…read moreLower East Side. Because of its location, it may appear unassuming and underrated, but the food is bold, spicy, flavorful, and packed full of rich cultural elegance. On my first visit, I was able to try a few different dishes, both veg and non-veg, as well as one of their signature cocktails. We ordered to start the Kale Pakora Chaat (fried kale, tamarind chutney, with a sweet yogurt) and it was perfectly crispy, flaky, and delicious. Next, for main dish we ordered the Paneer Methi (fried paneer in a fenugreek and tomato blend) and I honestly can never complain when it comes to any paneer dish and I have to say this one was absolutely no exception. The paneer was so soft and tasty with the sauce and other spices that I couldn't help but feel like I was eating a home cooked meal. Lastly, I ordered the Shami kebab because I wanted to try a non veg dish. This item consists of lamb, minced and blackened, paired with a green chili sauce with mint. I have to say this was a complete miss for me; the lamb was so dry and mealy I couldn't finish it at all, on top of that it had too many spices and was a bit salty in my opinion so I needed a lot of water. I would seriously consider altering this dish before keeping it on the menu in its current state or removing it completely. If you're thinking of ordering this, I wouldn't recommend it as I'm sure they have other protein dishes on their menu that are far better. I'm looking forward to trying some of the others the next time I go. Lastly for cocktails, we ordered the Monsoon wedding (Indian gin, lychee, curry leaf, and lime). I thought the cocktail was alright, it didn't stand out too much to me as it was a fairly decent lychee drink that had a slightly muted flavor. I've noticed that Indian restaraunts often struggle to make good cocktails because too often they rely on mixing things that shouldn't really be mixed and adding unnecessary ingredients. Overall though, the time spent there was worth it and I appreciate that it's relatively easier to get a reservation here than at some of the other Indian spots in New York currently. Based on my experience, Dhamaka should be considered highly rated on that list.

    Photos
    Dhamaka - Interior

    Interior

    Dhamaka - Paneer Methi

    Paneer Methi

    Dhamaka - Nalli Biryani

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    Nalli Biryani

    Sathi - The mouth watering FOUR COURSE MEAL for $19.95. The feeling portion with an authentic taste.

    Sathi

    4.6(380 reviews)
    0.9 miGramercy
    $$
    Vegan friendly
    Takes reservations

    Best Indian food I've had in a long time and I go to London and Hyderabad frequently…read more The samosa was literally the best samosa I've had in my life. The chicken tikka masala was very good and the lamb vindaloo was fire. Spicy as heck but not insanely so. The naan was a bit thick. We ordered way too much rice because the DoorDash menu didn't make it clear that our mains came with rice.

    Sunday evening 8/23/2026 Place was pretty empty except for 2…read moreother tables...but, the place filled up quock and the table turnover was amazing. There was a lot of take out and delivery orders but, that kitchen kept up with everything. Friend ordered a lime iced tea which they made and sweeten perfectly. We started with the chicken samosa and steamed lamb momos. The samosas are huge, tasty, and filled to the capacity of shell. The lamb momos were delicious alone but use the spicy dip it comes with and the dish is a flavor bomb. Entrees were Tandoori chicken which comes with a huge bowl of rice. The chicken was fine by itself but put the yogurt sauce on it and it is like a totally different dish. So tasty and delicious. Lamb biryani...Plenty of lamb throughout this dish the spices and flavors blended well and were spot on with just that hint of heat to break a sweat. Garlic Naan... when you first bite into it you get a hint of garlic then you get a nice pop of garlic. They start you with a courtesy flat thin bread with 2 dips...very nice. Staff is very friendly courteous and attentive. We never felt rushed or in the way. Very cool spot to chat chew and catch up.

    Photos
    Sathi - Tikka Kebaab

    Tikka Kebaab

    Sathi - Chicken Biryani.... slow cooked rice with fresh touch of flavorful spices and chicken.

    Chicken Biryani.... slow cooked rice with fresh touch of flavorful spices and chicken.

    Sathi - Chicken Samosa

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    Chicken Samosa

    Red Onion - Stir fry cauliflower peas, turmeric, Indian spices.

    Red Onion

    4.6(177 reviews)
    0.9 miEast Village, Alphabet City
    $$

    The best Indian food I've ever had. The very best. I considered shedding a tear at the lamb…read morerajasthini. The lamb was perfect. The food was perfect. The interior might not be up to HGTV standards but we can't all be the property brothers. Some of us need to just go with the flow and that's exactly what the owners did here. The furniture is cute, inoffensive, and nothing special. The service? Immaculate. Mostly because they gave our table a free mango lassi. That's how FREAKING kind and friendly the staff are!! They are tremendous. Best place ever.

    Most abysmal service I have experienced in NYC. There's long waits, wrong dishes, or slow service,…read moreand then there's the racist owner who straight up lies to you. After an hour of waiting for our food, the three tables around us who arrived after us already got their food and were nearly done with their meal. We ask about this twice, and each time the owner says all three tables "pre-ordered" their food. I was confused and asked every table if this was true and obviously it was not. Before leaving, we confront the owner about the inconsistencies in his story, but he just double downs on his lie, alleging that we don't understand how a restaurant is run. For some reason, he even started to yell at the busgirl who was trying to get him to apologize? In addition to holding us hostage for an hour and continued lying, he tries to make the racist point that Indian food is more sophisticated and takes longer to prepare than other types of Asian food. I feel there are certain standards in the NYC service industry given the competition, and this was a confusing and unacceptable experience. The food was admittedly good, but not good enough for them to have the attitude they had.

    Photos
    Red Onion
    Red Onion - Fresh garlic topped naan.

    Fresh garlic topped naan.

    Red Onion - Fresh spinach and spices ground and cooked with cubed homemade cheese

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    Fresh spinach and spices ground and cooked with cubed homemade cheese

    Thelewala - indpak - Updated September 2026

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