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All Reader Reviews of...

Haveli

100 Second Ave., New York, NY, 10003
nr. 6th St.
212-982-0533

Avg. Rating

7
Food: 7
Service: 7
Décor: 6
"Recommended"

Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10.

86% would go back.

 Write your own review

Poor Service with an Overpriced Menu

By AverageManhattanite on 9/13/2010

  • Overall Rating: 3
  • Food: 4
  • Service: 1
  • Décor: 2
  • No, I would not go back!

I went to Haveli with my wife this past Friday night to celebrate my birthday. The food was decent, comparable to the dishes that can be found at any of the multitude of Indian restaurants in the East Village, but the prices were high and the service was terrible. The waiter tried to up-sell us when we ordered a bottle of wine, the service generally was indifferent when it wasn't rude and the waiter had the audacity to question my 16% tip after the waitstaff forgot to bring out a birthday pastry as requested by my wife. The manager was quite useless when we complained - I would never, ever go back to this restaurant, even if it were the last Indian restaurant in Manhattan. I wouldn't even recommend this place to my worst enemy.

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37 out of 56 people found this review helpful.

Tasty Indian

By krodster on 6/25/2009

  • Overall Rating: 7
  • Food: 7
  • Service: 6
  • Décor: 6
  • Yes, I would go back!

Overall I enjoyed this place, it's a bit cavernous despite it's tiny door entrance. I particularly like that they offer both Southern and Northern Indian cuisine which, for whatever reason, is nearly impossible to find. The Dosa was perfectly oversized, the coconut samosas were fried to perfection and of course the mandatory King Fisher beer was as tasty as one could expect. the staff can be a little oogly, which can be a bit unnerving as a female, but it isn't terrible. all in all the food was tasty and I wouldn't mind going back, but it's nothing super fancy, in my opinion.

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58 out of 113 people found this review helpful.

Best Kept Little Secret From India!!!

By ywwan on 12/10/2005

  • Overall Rating: 8
  • Food: 8
  • Service: 9
  • Décor: 7
  • Yes, I would go back!

Now this place is a real find. The decor is nice but not over the top and the food is fantastic and reasonably priced. Service is very good, the staff is very attentive and makes wonderful recommendations of their best dishes with a lot of enthusiasm. My personal favorites include the Channa Chat to start, followed by anything lamb (usually vindaloo), a masala dish and some dhal. The menu has most of the traditional favorites as well as some more unusual dishes. I am not a big (red) meat eater, but they prepare the meats (especially the lamb) very well, - it is well seasoned and comes out juicy and tender. I have also had a few very satisfying vegetarian meals there. This is low pressure, relaxing place to enjoy delicious Indian food. And while maybe not East Village cheap, for what you get, it is very reasonably priced.

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371 out of 714 people found this review helpful.

Great Service

By cego820 on 10/5/2004

  • Overall Rating: 9
  • Food: 9
  • Service: 10
  • Décor: 8
  • Yes, I would go back!

WOW I have traveled more than 80 countries in the world and one of my favorites past times is try new restaurants from evrywhere in the world, 7 years ago I had dinner at this restaurant and since my traveling had prevent me to go back to Haveli's, so my boss a lady in her 80's Founder/CEO od the www.navh.org, asked me to find an Indian restaurant in the area I said, I remember this lovely place on second avenue and I havent had the chance to go back, and I started looking for it again so I did found it and my boss now is making dinner arragements for others friends and family so when they visit New York we will taken then to Haveli, that tells you how god the food and the service was so anyway I wont way for another 7 years we will be back soon...... Good work. Thank you .

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300 out of 600 people found this review helpful.

Good Find

By SSheth on 6/29/2004

  • Overall Rating: 9
  • Food: 9
  • Service: 9
  • Décor: 7
  • Yes, I would go back!

Very few people know this, but the top floor of this restaurant is actually hanging from the ceiling like a swing rather than resting on beams extending from the floor. I was therefore not surprised to experience a slight sense of finding my feet at sea at first, but it was also exciting. You can spy the hidden welding if you look closely. The food is excellent- very different from the normal Indian restaurant fare, not boring but not likely to burn a hole in your stomach either! Neither will this place burn a hole in your pocket. This place is definitely worth a repeat visit. Having said that, the bright lights hung all over DO need to go though.

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254 out of 529 people found this review helpful.

Pass the Samosas please!

By hey_hon on 11/24/2003

  • Overall Rating: 8
  • Food: 7
  • Service: 9
  • Décor: 7
  • Yes, I would go back!

This cut-above the usual Indian restaurants has good food at decent prices. The Samosas are tasty and not greasy (although they could have used a bit more filling), the Chicken Madras was good even without being spicy as advertised. The decor is pleasing and not tacky, this place is well worth checking out, you will want to make a return visit.

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332 out of 646 people found this review helpful.

One of the best downtown Indian restaurants

By zeecee on 3/30/2003

  • Overall Rating: 7
  • Food: 7
  • Service: 7
  • Décor: 6
  • Yes, I would go back!

If only because it has no Xmas lights strung up, you know you're in a better Indian restaurant. In fact, it's not unattractive and is quite comfortable - even has a few outdoor tables when it's warm. For my money, it has the juiciest, best tandoori chicken anywhere. I'm not nuts about the liver appetizer, but I've liked everything else -- the curries, meat dishes, rice and breads. Service is pleasant and professional. There is an upstairs, so you can usually get in without a wait. It's much higher quality and not that much more costly. Dinner might be $20 each (with a glass of beer). Food isn't overly spiced.

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297 out of 581 people found this review helpful.

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