Hyderabadi Biryani & Chat
“Bear in mind that if you're familiar with *real* Indian food (such as in Jackson Heights, or if you're actually Indian), this might not be your cup of tea.”
“I got the chicken tikka masala over yellow rice with an eggplant side.”
“I get the fact that Indian cuisine is typically spicy, however though now tasty, it still borders on being inedible.”
Hyderabadi Biryani & Chat
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
8 reviews
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Some of the best curry in the entire USA. Get here and try it. But if you are an evil crime lord in a movie, and you're in need of a henchmen, you should go to "Hire-a-baddie." They'll provide you with some randomly evil, superficially menacing guys that nobody will miss when the clichéd hero shoots them or does whatever the hero does. However if you want a delicious curry that will absolutely rock your world, come to Hyderabadi Biryani instead.
What to get: the Chicken Tikka Masala lunch special
What else: Adam Sandler is the Donkey Kong world champion
What does that have to do with the price of bacon: there's no bacon in these dishes
How can you be sure: No pigs were harmed in the making of this curry
By the way, if you do get a henchman, make sure you give the henchman water. You must always remember to "Hydrate-your-baddie." Anyway back to the review.
I've tried a lot of Indian food in NYC, and I have a clear "fave five" which are Seva, Biryani Cart, Ganesh Temple Canteen (which I'll review soon), Kati Roll, and of course, Hyderabadi. Of the five, these owners are the sweetest. It's a little family making their delicious home-made dishes each day and serving them up to you at very fair, competitive prices with large portions that will fill you up. It's always a pleasure to come in here, and sadly (unlike the other four places) it always seems to be quiet, which just makes me want to come here more. Easily one of the best curries in the country, and some of the nicest service too. Although I may be biased by the fact that I was shamelessly flirting with the daughter of the owner. I have a thing for Indian girls, what can I say. They taste like Frooti.
So I have a friend named Patrick from Ireland who constantly acts like he's on methamphetamines or something. He never shuts the f*** up. He bounces off the walls 24/7. He must be manic, seriously. But anyway, his nickname is "Hyper-paddy" and this restaurant is named after him.
I compare this place very directly to Seva in Astoria, which is fancier, better for dine-in, and far more "restauranty" whereas Hyderabadi is just a hole in the wall (that one's for you, Garland). However, decore aside, much like Seva, this is some of the best British-Indian food anywhere in the USA. It's one of the most delicious Chicken Tikka Masalas I have ever eaten, including all the ones in England. It's a dish that was invented by immigrants to England from India and Pakistan, which were regrettably colonized by the bastards, I mean the British. I apologize. But thanks for the amazing food and I hope you're at least enjoying the cricket, the Vimto, and the Queen's version of English (ew).
So did you know that Natalie Portman can read Egyptian cave paintings? That's how she got the nickname "Hieroglyphic-natty" which is what this restaurant is named after. She's also super smart in general and very attractive. Especially in "Closer." Speaking of Closer, if you come any closer while I'm reading this review to you, I'll pour curry paste on your head. No, not that head. Jeez.
Easily some of the best Indian food I've *ever* eaten in the US. Bear in mind that if you're familiar with *real* Indian food (such as in Jackson Heights, or if you're actually Indian), this might not be your cup of tea. It's the kind of British Indian food that the UK is famous for, which was invented by Indians but aimed at the Brits. For some reason most of the USA has "americanized Indian food" which I find to be incredibly bland and awful and lacking in flavour. British Indian on the other hand rocks my world and drives me crazy and may actually be my favourite cuisine *in the world* maybe, possibly. It's that good.
So me and my Dad used to share this really hot girl from across the street. I guess she liked the generation gap fetish or something, idk. One time, my mother came home early from the pub, right when we were in the middle of, well, sharing her. He had the idea of throwing her out the window (my Dad is a jerk), and the girl was like, why can't you just hide me in the closet moron. And I was like, yes, yes, "hide-her-daddy."
And this restaurant is named after those famous words of mine. (Btw he didn't hide her, Mum walked in, a divorce ensued. Probably for the best. If the girl who we failed to hide is reading, hi! I'm single! I have the same email! Get in touch!)
I'm not sure why people say I had an unusual and mentally-scarring upbringing, seriously.
Oh and then, not long after that, my Mum was stabbed with a knife (surface wound only, she's fine). It was kind of my fault. I had a friend named Cal from India. I told him that my Mum had said some nasty things about India, and he took it very personally. So one night when he was visiting me and I was in the bathroom, Calcutta.
Pretty good Indian fast food spot. Cheap prices and yummy food.
Hot table has plenty to choose from and you definitely get your bucks worth! If your craving Indian food, stop by here!
What we ordered:
Pain puri: not the best. Wouldn't recommend it here.
Chaat: small portion and it was ok, not the best.
I had 2 meats for the entree. Chicken tikka masala and goat curry. Both were good, just lacked the spicy-ness I was craving. Came with rice, naan and papadam. Large quantities and good price!
I'd come back here again!
I stumbled here on a late night and ordered my favorite chicken tikka masala. I was a bit skeptical because I usually dont eat indian food from everywhere however the food was very tasty and flavorful and enough for me to eat off of for two days!! Cant wait to go back.
Ordered delivery through grub hub with a friend. Took an hour and half to get the food (friend lives like 2-3 blocks away from the shop but figured to order because of the heavy rain). We got the vegetable samosas (1.99 for 3 pieces), chicken tikka masala (8.99), & grilled shrimp (12.99)
All of the food was really cold and shrimp was overcooked.Guessing this was because the food seems to be pre-made in the morning and left buffet-style behind the counter throughout the day (Judging from pictures).
Also expected the shrimp dish to be a lot bigger. Completely underwhelming (came with lettuce, cilantro, onions, & lime). Looked more like an appetizer and my friend agreed that the best part of the dish was the onions.
Overall was a bit disappointing but I guess it's edible and tasted ok. Wouldn't recommend or order again personally.
Hyderabadi Biryani & Chat was surprisingly good. All the dishes were flavorful and saucy. The rice was great too. The naan was just okay and that's partly because it was cold when I got it. We called for a pickup order and the food was ready on time and packed extremely thoughtfully and we were even provided plates, napkins and utensils. There isn't much room to eat inside so it's best to get take out from this place.
We had the channa masala and we were happy that the chick peas were well cleaned. Some places don't bother to take the shell off. It wasn't very spicy though so I am going to ask for it hotter next time. The chicken tikka was on point. Well marinated and nicely charred on the grill and the pieces were meaty and juicy. It comes with lemon, some lettuce, onions, and cilantro. The Shrimp makahani was super creamy and slightly sweet with a decent amount of shrimp inside. The shrimp was medium to large in size and cleaned well. The food came with white basmati rice.
I'm definitely going to come back and try some of their other dishes.
This is a great hole-in-the wall, family owned and run establishment. It's small and well kept, the food smells delicious, and the prices are reasonable. You eat off of takeout containers (which comes to your benefit when you want to take home the leftovers, just ask for a lid and you're ready to go!) and plastic forks and spoons. Only downside is that there's no bathroom… which is pretty big but the food and service is good nonetheless.
Here's what we ordered:
– Chicken tikka biryani: This has to be one of the best biryani I've had. The rice is so flavorful and you can tell they used whole spices rather than pre-packaged seasoning because you can find them scattered around. Some people might be annoyed that there's a tamarind fruit and seed in the middle of it and some bay leaves… but c'mon, the chef back there is their mom and I actually like the homey feel from it. I asked for the rice to be medium spicy and it really did have a wonderful kick. There were chunks of chicken tikka, which I was surprised because biryani often comes with a few shreds of meat scattered here and there.
– Lamb vindaloo: This was also delicious. The lamb was very tender and the vindaloo was spicy but not overwhelming. There's a lot of curry, which is perfect for sopping up with your naan or rice.
– Garlic naan: Parts of it was fluffy and parts of it was crispy, the perfect combination. The garlic and butter added such a mouthwatering aroma that I could eat it by itself and be just as happy.
Overall, this place is a winner. The daughter works the counter and there's also a guy. Both were extremely friendly and patient as we were trying to figure out what to order from the extensive list. The food comes out piping hot and the biryani is made to order because it took 10 mins for it to be prepared. Can't wait to go back!
Yay! I'm so excited I found a delicious Indian spot a little closer to home so I don't have to trek all the way to Seva in Astoria. This is a take-out kind of restaurant, however there are a few tables and chairs that can sit up to about 16-18 people for those who choose to dine-in.
I came in during lunch hours and ordered the chicken lunch combo. That combo comes with a choice of chicken curry, a vegetarian side, rice, and naan. I got the chicken tikka masala over yellow rice with an eggplant side. I noticed on my receipt it said it was $7.99, despite a chalkboard advertising chicken lunch combos to be $6.99 which was a little strange. Perhaps it was because I ordered yellow rice versus plain rice? Nonetheless I was not feeling particularly confrontational today so I didn't bother asking but that is something to take note of.
The older lady who took our order was very motherly and cute. I could see why some reviewers may think she is rude since she does not smile at all. She let us sample some chicken to decide which we wanted and was sure to give us recommendations as well as warn us as to which are spicy. Friendly staff.
The chicken tikka masala was flavored very well and the chicken was actually very moist! The eggplant had a nice kick to it, I recommend it. The yellow rice, superb. I actually do not think the portions are that huge like some Yelpers say, you just get a lot of rice… or maybe I'm just a beast. The garlic naan was made to order and was probably the best garlic naan I've had to date. It was plenty garlicky, just the way I like it. When you eat the naan immediately after it's made, the naan has an ever so slight crunch like a perfectly baked thin-crust pizza. Garlic naan for $1.99, what?!… I'll take it!
You know this place is legit when all the customers coming in are Indians. I know where I'll be going the next time I'm craving Indian cuisine.
My friend found this in Eater so we all decided to make the trek over here for dinner tonight. I'm writing this as we're in the car back to the city and all of us are feeling like pure gluttony.
You could classify this place as a hole in the wall type of restaurant, which is essentially a takeout place with a few tables (think of your local Chinese spot). I believe it's a family owned restaurant and in some of the dishes, you can smell and taste the tlc of a home cooked meal.
The four of us definitely over-ordered, hence why we are in food comas, because we finished it all.
Bhel – not gonna lie, excellent! Some of the best bhel I've ever had, and trust me, I've had a lot. It was flavorful, had a lot of spice and sauce, and still had a nice crunch to it…the worst is when it's soggy. The peanuts are a pleasant addition.
Papdi chat – eh, underwhelming. Not memorable and a bit dry.
Egg Biryani – the egg was tasty but the biryani itself was lackluster. There wasn't anything in the dish except colorful rice, egg, raw onions, and this spicy sauce that was really good. The rice itself wasn't tasty and had no flavor.
Vegetable Biryani – this was a bit more tasty, as it had other veggies and nuts mixed in the with rice. Again, not a big flavor profile, but better than the egg biryani. However, when you take the egg and mix it with this, it's good.
Paneer butter masala – this was good…wasn't how I normally think of paneer butter masala, as it had onions and peppers in it. The paneer was cut into smaller cubes which was nice. It was spicy, but not to the level we would've liked.
Jalapeño naan – this was fantastic! I don't know why more Indian restaurants don't do this, but it's a great concept and tastes delicious. It was definitely spicy as there are finely diced jalapeños all over the naan. Tasted really good with the paneer butter masala – nice combo.
Lamb Biryani – my friend who got this said it was delicious and the lamb was tender. He added a lot of hot sauce and had peppers to make it better.
Overall it's not bad. Glad we made the trek out there as I definitely had a satisfying meal and am full, but wished there were more flavors.