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Babu Ji

Babu Ji

(Now Closed)
Indian Restaurant$$$$
Alphabet City, New York
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  • Anne C.
    Anne ConnerAugust 30, 2015
    Get the chef's tasting; you'll get a little bit of everything. The lentil dhal & butter chicken were amazing. Gol gappa was surprising in a great way. The naan is hot and to die for. Great new place!
  • Raquelle J.
    Raquelle JessieJune 13, 2016
    holy holy, go here like YESTERDAY. Get: gol gappa, colonal Tso's cauliflower, prawn curry, all naan, duck curry & tandoori chicken. Have your friends lie & say it's your bday so you can wear the hat.
  • Eater
    EaterDecember 14, 2015
    Enter Australian import Babu Ji, whose self-serve beer fridge, casual vibe, and dashes of creativity –– lobster-stuffed potato croquettes! — have generated epic waits for dinner.
  • Carolineheart icon on user image
    CarolineJune 15, 2015
    The service is wonderful as well as the food, and it's a much needed spot in Alphabet City. The chef and staff are so great! The goat curry is amazing (and the home made ice cream comes on a stick!).
  • Rajesh M.heart icon on user image
    Rajesh MidhaNovember 8, 2016
    Colonel Tso's Cauliflower is my favorite dish on the menu. Also try the Gol Gappa, Tandoori Chicken, Seafood Curry and Unauthentic Chicken. The kulfi is a great way to finish dinner off.
  • Ranu R.heart icon on user image
    Ranu RajkarnikarJanuary 10, 2016
    Delicious! If you book the tasting menu ($60/p) you can make reservations and it's a good way to try everything. Scallop curry, butter chicken, papadi chaat and don't miss the rice! Lively atmosphere.
  • Raphael L.heart icon on user image
    Yes, Babu Ji is a bit pricey and quite loud. BUT you get fantastic food, super friendly servers, and a self-serve beer fridge. Who can stay away from that!? Definitely coming back. Fave Indian in ABC.
  • Anissaheart icon on user image
    AnissaDecember 22, 2015
    Papadi chat was a great starter (think Indian nachos with a ton of flavor). Get the butter chicken with sides of naan and basmati rice! Note the portions are very filling!
  • ᴡ E.heart icon on user image
    ᴡ ElliotNovember 3, 2015
    So happy to have this in the neighborhood. While the East Village is already foodie heaven, this adds something I didn't know we lacked. Service was friendly and invigorated, menu is fresh, food is 👌
  • AmateurConciergeheart icon on user image
    AmateurConciergeNovember 21, 2015
    Start with golgappas/pani puri (off menu). All the tandoori items are great (especially the lamb chops) and the butter chicken is top notch. So NOT heavy (vis a vis most Indian restaurants)
  • Lee H.
    Lee HoffmanFebruary 9, 2016
    Virtually everything we had on the tasting menu was phenomenal. And they will do it without seafood. Highlights: gaus cauliflower, chicken tikka masala, the salad, the ball.
  • Justin B.heart icon on user image
    Justin BretonJanuary 15, 2016
    Pro Tip: Order the Chef's Tasting Menu. It includes a tasting of almost all of the most popular dishes on the menu, including the Colonel Tso's Cauliflower and the Gol Gappa.
  • April Kate 🍴heart icon on user image
    April Kate 🍴August 22, 2015
    Authentic Indian street food. I can't wait to come back. We ordered the chefs prix fix and it's a great option for first timers. I think I'll get the whole fish next time. The staff is incredibly nice
  • Meredith B.heart icon on user image
    Meredith BlechmanMarch 24, 2016
    Highly recommend the tasting menu. Let's you try everything in smaller portions. My favorites: gol gappa, butter chicken, naan, daal, & kulfi for dessert (garnished w/ pistachio and cardamom: A+!)
  • Nickleshheart icon on user image
    NickleshJune 19, 2015
    A contemporary (and delicious) take on some classic Indian dishes made with fresh ingredients. Decor and ambiance are a perfect fit for the East Village. Start with the Papri Chaat and Paneer Tikka.
  • Giovanni D.heart icon on user image
    Giovanni D'PalmaJune 15, 2015
    Exquisite Indian food! The ingredients were fresh and flavorful. The food wasn't oily or greasy. The goat was so tender and perfectly cooked! Definitely try the naan as well.
  • Prateek R.heart icon on user image
    Prateek RungtaAugust 28, 2015
    Absolutely love this place. Easily the best Indian food in NY. Get the Chai, the Paneer, Dal and Garlic Naan. The Chicken tikka is pretty good too. Kingfisher on the side to ease it down.
  • Divy T.heart icon on user image
    Divy ToliaOctober 9, 2015
    Everything from the beer to the appetisers also the vegetarian options are dope. The beer selection is great and the place is always lively the food is very fresh and tasted amazing
  • Lauren S.heart icon on user image
    Lauren SmithOctober 30, 2015
    You must go! Such friendly staff and amazing food. Definitely try the Papadi Chaat, Yoghurt Kebab, Roasted Squash Coconut Curry & Butter Chicken.
  • Bitches Who Brunch
    Bitches Who BrunchDecember 16, 2016
    The Bitches say: A. We’re ecstatic that one of our favorite dinner spots now serves brunch. We weren’t disappointed by the creative, flavorful Indian fare and lively ambiance in the East Village. Read more
  • Joshua H.heart icon on user image
    Joshua HaftelFebruary 5, 2016
    Without a doubt the best Indian food I've had in the city and one of the best I've ever had. The chef's table was amazing, great spread and fantastically presented. 10/10
  • Ashley R.heart icon on user image
    Ashley RoseJanuary 31, 2016
    The chef's tasting menu for $60 takes the guess work out and leaves you full. Pray they bring Colonel Tso's Cauliflower and chicken from the grill. As far as pots: butter chicken and coconut curry😻
  • Evieheart icon on user image
    EvieOctober 23, 2015
    Do yourself a favor and start with the Gol Gappa. Butter chicken was great, but definitely more interesting things on the menu. Anjeer Kofta was delicious. Oh, and killer wine selection.
  • Leonheart icon on user image
    LeonNovember 18, 2015
    The yogurt, cardamom and mint treat is die for, follow it up with some lamb curry and butter chicken, coconut scallops. Best Indian imaginable and the staff are fantastic!
  • Kiran N.heart icon on user image
    Kiran NambiarAugust 27, 2015
    Great authentic Indian food! Dal makhani is one of the best I've had! Butter chicken is amazing too. Service was terrible though, after our original order no one even spoke to us!
  • Rachel P.heart icon on user image
    Rachel PortJuly 21, 2015
    We got the Papdi Chat, Butter Chicken, Mutter ke Kofte, and the Scallop Coconut Curry... Best scallop dish I've ever had in my life.
  • Julius T.heart icon on user image
    Julius TarngJuly 4, 2015
    Dope - expensive. Grab a beer from the fridge, get an app, butter chicken is super sweet, and the softest basmati rice. It'll run you $100 for two but so so good. Eat slowly.
  • Sonya S.heart icon on user image
    Sonya SinghJanuary 13, 2016
    They're riding a wave of popularity so they will rush you. There was a line to get in all night. Punjabi kadhi and butter chicken are great. Wash it down with a Taj Mahal beer.
  • Amruta B.heart icon on user image
    Amruta BugeAugust 2, 2015
    Get that Chef's Special for $50. So worth it! We were served five appetizers, yolo?! ➕ Mughal-e-Azam 🎥 was playing in the background.
  • Michael J.heart icon on user image
    Michael JacobsonAugust 15, 2015
    The tandoori chicken is perfect. The naan is perfect, the beer fridge has variety. The butter chicken is amazing. Go here. Don't think, just go.
  • Aditiheart icon on user image
    AditiNovember 17, 2016
    Get the chefs menu! If not just try - gol guppa, yogurt kebab, colonel cauliflower, unauthentic butter chicken, and dal! Nan melts in your mouth.
  • Renae M.heart icon on user image
    Renae MasonMarch 22, 2016
    Indian food served with real creative flair, everything is delicious and goes well with an Aussie bottle of wine. Much ❤️ for Babu Ji.
  • IrmaZandl Z.heart icon on user image
    IrmaZandl ZandlSlantOctober 14, 2015
    Amazing food, service. Best Indian food I have had in a long while. Will def be back.
  • Andres N.
    Andres NovoaNovember 23, 2015
    Their goat curry is great! Pairs very nicely with the garlic naan. Bar seating is limited but available if you don't want to wait for a table.
  • AmateurConciergeheart icon on user image
    AmateurConciergeJune 27, 2015
    Solid and relatively light (ie not too much cream) Indian food. The Chef's tasting will get you all the chaat you want, but the entrees are not the choice ones!! Go a la carte instead
  • Elyse P.heart icon on user image
    Elyse PfeifferNovember 22, 2015
    Loved this place! Highly recommend the cauliflower starter and squash curry. Staff and service was wonderful. Can't wait to go back.
  • Leah H.heart icon on user image
    Leah HammerschlagDecember 30, 2016
    Miso duck curry is delicious. Cauliflower is great, large serving, better for 3+ people
  • Katie C.heart icon on user image
    Katie CongletonNovember 19, 2015
    Highly recommend the chef's tasting menu. 3 appetizers, an entree sampler and dessert for $50 - so delicious and fun!
  • Tom D.
    Tom DiMaggioJuly 23, 2016
    Love the food and plating aesthetics! Try the butter chicken, my favorite dish on the menu, and pair it one of their many beers
  • DoubleDeuceheart icon on user image
    DoubleDeuceSeptember 29, 2015
    The noise here is deafening if you sit in the middle of the restaurant. But the food is amazingly delicious and the self-serve beer cooler is fun!
  • Justis G.heart icon on user image
    Justis GeorgeSeptember 27, 2015
    Yogurt kebab and scallop curry were excellent. Even the simple rice was flavorful. Pistachio and honey kulfi makes for a great finish.
  • Melody H.heart icon on user image
    Melody HanDecember 31, 2015
    Everything is slightly sweet, so be aware that staunch savory-only folks might be turned off. The pistachio kulfi alone makes the meal worthwhile.
  • Emily W.heart icon on user image
    Emily WilsonOctober 4, 2015
    Perfect meal = start with gol gappa, then get butter chicken, basmati rice, daal, naan, and finish with kulfi
  • Fred W.heart icon on user image
    Fred WilsonSeptember 5, 2015
    Been here 5+ times
    You can't go wrong with anything here but my favorites are the Basmati rice (Selle) and the scallop curry
  • Sabrina M.heart icon on user image
    Sabrina MajeedJuly 4, 2015
    The chaat, goat curry, and butter chicken are all delicious. The butter chicken especially.
  • Lee G.
    Lee GrovesJuly 17, 2016
    Tasting menu was really great. Very noisy though. Definitely will return though and try a la carte stuff. Superb!
  • Nadia R.heart icon on user image
    Nadia RiepenhausenJuly 28, 2016
    Wonderful Indian streetfood vibe. Very busy and crowded but great food!
  • lauren
    laurenOctober 23, 2015
    Papadi chaat, yoghurt kebab & squash coconut curry were incredible. Butter chicken & naan are par for the course.
  • Rewan P.heart icon on user image
    Rewan PartiAugust 15, 2015
    Overly priced spot with really small quantity. Though the food is delicious, I wouldn't say its worth the price. Order the gol gappa and papadi chaat. For main course order butter chicken and daal.
  • Dalal A.heart icon on user image
    Dalal AlGhanimDecember 11, 2015
    The staff are very friendly .. Really good contemporary Indian food!
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