This Pakistani restaurant was very basic. This is why if I eat halal food outside, I prefer Arab food, gyros, burgers etc. For the most part, Pakistani and Indian food is very basic at restaurants and Dera was no other. It was dirty and the food was just okay. In other words, I won't be returning there again. Maybe it's good for take out for certain dishes but nothing I ordered was that good. read more

Something thrown together by a toddler would be less disappointing than the faluda. Ok that's an exaggeration, but still you get the point, when you go to an establishment such as this one as a patron you come to expect a certain degree of "ok this isn't bad but I probably won't be back." That isn't the case, this is much WORST! Now in my humble opinion this place should not have this type patronage given their utter disregard of any attention to their product. I guess they're ok with that, even the waiters honestly do not stand by the food, simply saying "they don't eat here, but people buy it" read more

Dera Restaurant - Faluda - Indian Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

I bought 2 orders of beef biryani at this restaurant, they cooked what looks like brown paper towels or a big piece of a brown paper bag into the meat, I pulled it out of my biryani, that is absolutely unacceptable and disgusting. I have pictures that I will post of the nasty brown paper towels that I pulled out of the meat. I called the restaurant to complain and the guy gave me attitude, didnt even apologize. I will never buy from these people again, and I will be calling the health department. This is the most disgusting thing I have seen from any restaurant. read more

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Ive been here before and remember the food was good/ok. This time I had some Goat Karahi (I thought it was lamb when ordering but it was definitely goat) and the Butter Chicken. Both were good but not great. The service on the other hand is awful. The staff isn't exactly rude, they just don't seem to care, are unorganized, seem forgetful. I didnt have a bad time but I don't think I'll come back. read more

Dera Restaurant - Goat Karahi & Butter Chicken, both are okay but not great. Chicken was a little bland. - Indian Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

I tried Dera yesterday with my friends. Im not big fan on Indian, Pakistani food but I bit the bullet because it was my besties bday celebration and that is where she chose to eat. I ordered garlic naan and a simosa (veggie), they were both good. One of my friends didnt like the customer service and both of my friends are of Pakistani backgrounds and they thought the food wasnt all that. They are hard critics but I trust their judgement for food. All in all I had a good experience I just dont like that kind of food. read more

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Served old and burnt food. Not recommended for sure. Probably they recooked old food. Food department and CDC should look into it. read more

Dera Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

The best and most authentic Pakistani food in the area. Highly recommend the Reshmi Thikka and Butter Chicken. Rasmalai is my favorite dessert from here. You really can't go wrong with most of the items here. Bonus Bank parking next door helps for people driving here. read more

This place needs to close down. If you're looking for the worse food with zero taste and microwaved two day old uncooked meat, this place is the one. I'm surprised this place is even open. Pros Fast service Cons Hispanics cooking authentic Indian food?! Zero taste Uncooked raw meat Diarrhea curry The curries are all watery with oil layer floating on top Food is not fresh- it's microwaved! Talk about serious health issues. Hard old dry desserts Overcooked biryani Dirty tap water served to customers-beware of mold Terrible terrible Indian food. Do not you waste your money. You want good food, try Kabab king over this. People pay for good food and nothing was good except the naan. read more

Although I know that there is not a single Pakistani Restaurant I found in NYC that is even close to what a real Pakistani food is, yet I still believe to give businesses a second chance. That's why I went back to Dera a.k.a. Shaheen in Jackson Heights. And again I found that same old "Dabba Masala" receipies, thrown at us. Service is OK if you're there second time to figure it out. But this time I had to use their bathroom room because it took me an hour to find parking. (They don't have that parking facility any more). So the bathrooms were occupied and finally when I got my turn, it was one of the most fillthiest bathrooms ever I experienced in NYC. read more

The food is amazing. No complaints. BUT THE SERVERS ESPECIALLY THOSE GIRLS WHO WORK THERE, THEY JUST NEVER SHUT UP. They would rather mess up your order than stop talking. They shout and talk to their friend whose standing on the far corner. It's just too much. They would delay in getting your order out because they are too busy talking. Their food is good though. read more

WORST SERVICE EVER!!! I am not the one to bash on anyone but this place possibly has the worst service I've ever experienced. 1) twice we have gotten take out and we always get charged for it but get half of the ordered stuff. Best is if you call them they keep hanging up on you! 2) ridiculously rude staff! God forbid you ask them for a glass of water!!! 3) you are seated on dirty tables which no one ever cares to clean. 4) the servers throw the menu at you which simply could be handed to you. I'm not expecting a 5 star hotel service but give some damn respect to your customers! We are the reason you are able to pay your bills!!! Don't bother wasting your time to go here! read more

they use leftover food and give to customers besides the weekend food and leftovers from cus is given to new unsuspecting customers

The quality of the food has gone down not gonna lie but it's still okay now. It just seems not as fresh and the flavors aren't that authentic. The restaurant also isn't that clean and nice. read more

Worst halwa puri ever! Don't waste your time coming here. I don't even have words to describe the taste of the food! read more

Dera Restaurant - Indian Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

Delicious So many varieties of mithae Everything was so fresh n tasty Family environment Clean inside Customer service is awesome read more

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Not the best place to go I guess people go there cause it's the only place open at nights. The nan (beard) had to much butter. The chicken briyani had a long bone and no meat on it. The salad did not even taste fresh. read more

Even one star is overrated for this place. The servers are pretty stupid and dumb. They can't take an order properly and when you complain about that a guy from the kitchen comes and asks us leave. Yes you heard it right THEY ASKED US TO LEAVE THE RESTAURANT. And the reason they gave us we were loud. No it's not true. It's a restaurant and people will be there they will laugh and enjoy theirs meal. It was embarrassing and I would like to request you all to be careful. I couldn't talk to the manager but theirs service WAS REALLY BAD AND THEY DON'T DESERVE GOOD CUSTOMER. read more

This place is always popping at night with South Asian families and friends. It's got a great vibe. The food is always on-point. The haleem is great, the kebabs are flavorful, and the sweets are dope. For drinks, their falooda is a pink masterpiece, and their mango lassi is the perfect tribute to this tasty fruit. This is food that will ravage your stomach, and the bathroom reflects this. It's all part of the experience :) read more

Went there with our entire family. Food was great especially the goat feet (payay). Tried achari gosht, Chana chat, behari boti and chicken kebob. Everything was good. The reason I gave three star is because they were playing inappropriate songs on TV which made me comfortable while dining with my kids and parents around. The owner should understand that it's a Pakistani restaurant and we should stick to our culture and values. If they want to keep this place a welcoming for families they should check their on screen programs before putting them on. read more

Being a Lahorite this is the closest to the food back home. Ordered goat paya- just Fabolous Loved the falooda and kulfi. Next time time for kheer when I return from Cali . read more

The worst food. Chicken tikka melts in your mouth in a bad way. 1/10. Other things are oily beyond but this dish in specific is ugh disgusting never eat it I would die them if I didn't have a heart.Chicken Tikka Masala. Also bad service they gave me small plate with small pieces of chicken. read more

The food here is absolutely authentic Pakistani food. I have no idea why this place wouldn't have more stars. I could only imagine that it may be because of the service. I had a great experience with the service but the people next to me did not. The trick is to just wave at the servers and they are very receptive. The bottom line is that I came here for the food and the food is absolutely unequivocally amazing authentic finger lickin good. The servers are nice but it may not be your traditional way of service. read more

Dera Restaurant - Goat korma, goat karahi, chapli kabob, chicken makhni - Indian Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

Awesome food, love their Haleem, chicken makhni, kababs, biryani, halwa puri, and Kheer.

You don't need a solid review to get this place, just step inside a take a look around.The floor is absolutely filthy. The waitresses outfits are absolutely filthy. The water pitchers are filthy. The guy behind the counter touches food with NO GLOVES! Sometimes the food is so good you might, just might, overlook the possible sanitary conditions (aka the 53rd st. cart) but the food isn't all that. The curries are over oiled. The beef kababs are dry. The samosas are over fried. The rice is more cold than hot. The chicken kebabs were very good though - and at least they don't pretend to be all that, hence the mainly sub $6 menu items. I would eat here again if I were starving and couldn't find any other place near by. read more

I see the low ratings, but I've been coming here for years and have a very different take on this place. Of all the eateries in Jackson Heights, this place serves an array of the usual Indo-pak fare, but the way in which they stand out is their selection of kebabs, and they serve haleem everyday! Their service is quick and attentive. It is a large restaurant and always packed, but the servers are always hustling and you never wait too long. The food is hot, it's spicy and portion sizes plentiful. I've been to all the other eateries and the food is not consistent as this. Now ambiance wise, it isn't the most romantic spot. It's great for families and large groups bc of the seating. It's my go to whenever I'm in the Heights. read more

This place is fantastic! Without a doubt one of my favorite spots to go when I'm in Queens with the peeps. There chicken Tikka & Bihari kebob are to die for. I've been going to that spot for as long as I can remember, especially when it used to be "Roti Boti" and with there commercial with the dancing chicken botis hahahaha loved it though. Highly recommend everyone and anyone to stop on by. read more

If you love Indian food please check out this spot. I love Indian food and this place really did it for me. My bf and I ventured out to this spot all the way from the dirty jerz. (The E or 7 spot is right there). We both had a mango lassis ($4) to start- so creamy and delish. Nice portion too. I had the goat curry ($10) to eat and oh man....those bones though! The meat surrounding the bones was so tender and you can't beat (if you are lucky) the bone marrow treat in some of the bones. The curry itself was full of flavor and not too spicy. We also had the garlic naan...recommended but only if u don't mind having stanky breath. There is legit pieces of garlic on top of the naan and it is awesome. My boo thang had the chicken tikka ($6) and it was very moist with a nice flavor. Good amount of chicken for just $6. We also had the Chapli kebab ($1) which was a nice addition to the meal- a stick of kebab. Yum. Smush all those flavors together and you have magic. And finally we had the Kheer $7-large, $3- small. Just sweet enough and a great way to end our meal. We will be back!! read more

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Why when you go to eat in a restaurant the servers are so rude. Your staff are RUDE. If you dont like your job dont make others miserable. Also clean your bathroom. The heaalth inspector should visit your place. If a bathroom is filthy image the kitchen. Disgusting. You don't deserve a star. Gross. read more

Omg yas haven't had Indian food in forever....Craving fulfilled! Their specialty is nana bread and curry dips... The also sell desserts...chicken/beef/goat on skewers... And random fried foods.... They have good side items like fresh vegetables...salads...and white rice...I love goat curry...it was suppose to the spiciest item at the restaurant... i thought it was just good...not spicy at all... the texture was great... the seasoning is perfect... the goat was not dry at all...then i got this wired thing called coffin...it's pure milk ice cream...more of a dessert than a side dish.... As far as atmosphere goes it's just like a fast food restaurant...But you still have to tip... area is extremely cowered and rowdy and i came here around 10:30 pm...the chairs and tables are too close together felt squished... I think overall the food was good but the service and atmosphere kinda sucked... I would go back just for the food! read more

If I am ever in Jackson Heights then I have to come eat here! Great people Great food! Cant get better than that. Food is resonably priced and tastes delicious. Its a very clean restaurant and the service is very quick! read more

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Dude. The chicken I was served was old. Visibly old. Like it looked like it had been sitting in the trays for forever. I told the guy behind the counter(twenties, south asian, brown complexion, heavy accent) give me chicken fresher than this, he replies with no one else complains about the food. Really bro? My man had the nerve, I said I always used to come here, the quality of food was never this bad?? And my man had no chill, he told me "this was the first time ive seen you here." Wow. Even if it was the first time he's seen me here, you just don't say that to a customer. This guy should teach a class on customer service, and if everyone else wants to eat old chicken, that's fine by me, but i wont do it. That guy should be fired, I should have taken a photo of him. I hope he was fired or got demoted to dish duty because he sucked. No customer service skills or he had a stick up his butt. I used to frequent this place a lot with my family(back in the 90s and early 2000s) and the quality used to be GREAT. Not anymore. Many of my friends swear on Dera. It's always packed. I'd rather go to the cart on the corner in front of Kabob King or go to Kabob King instead. After this incident with that guy, I won't step foot in Dera again and I will let everyone know of my terrible experience here. read more

Food usually tastes good but quality is almost always low. More than once the food has come cold. Today I ordered a salty lassi because I can't have sugar and it was super sweet. I called to get it replaced and they said they don't serve salty anymore and they must have grabbed a sweet one instead. read more

Can't get more terrible. Great service and bad bad food. And not a good bang for the buck. I would not go unless I was really made to. read more

I am from asia n i have been in evry Southeast asian country...n at our home we eat this type of food....but trust me this place sukz...tho its crowded n people come over hr..n its open olmost ol night long...but they dont serve any type of quality food................n i dont think till now they have passed the test frm nyc santation n food department n gt any grade...... unfortunately dis wkend i went thr. coz nothing was open.......n still it sukd horrible food...........n service was toooooo slow...... __(minus) STAR.......srryy.. :(. read more

Drive here all the way from Jersey for their butter chicken and fresh baked naan.. Service is quick and friendly. Prices are average..paid $19 for two orders of butter chicken and two pieces of naan, which equates to about 4 servings. not bad! Will definitely continue to visit here :) read more

Indian Fast food! I had Roti and Chicken ground and shredded in spices. The food is not bad. The prices are reasonable. Plates and silverware were real and the cups were plastic with some paper plates for the breads. Odd but ok. I think the service is mainly from Nepal and are ok. They gave us a big pitcher of water so that was good too. They turned on their TV for Indian shows for us when we asked them to do so. Halal meat only! That is good! This isn't the most awesome restaurant ever, but it was ok. read more

I had lunch during a non-busy, lazy weekday with my parents and brother. Ambiance: was sorely lacking. Tacky wood veneer plastic tables, oversized million inch flat-screen TV broadcasting some Indian variety show or music video, speakers blasting crappy Bollywood music...old-school Jackson Heights. It appeals to the majority demographic: middle-aged Desi families out for a cheap dinner or taxi drivers on their coffee break. Service: was pretty much terrible. We were served a stack of paper plates, napkins and silverware to distribute. Seriously, you expect your patrons to set their own tables? I guess business was slow for a reason... we were given cheap picnic cups and a pitcher of cool (but not ice-cold) water. Not to beat a point to death, but when it's 90-plus degrees out in the dead heat of summer noon, you'd like some evidence of effort, no? Maybe some transpiration action going? Lastly, we were not given separate serving spoons. If we weren't family, having to share would be highly inappropriate and unhygienic, much less blameworthy. Food: was okay (redeems the entire experience, honestly). We got some tandoori roti (very gluten-y, also slightly charred) and chicken makhni (butter chicken) and daal (brown lentils). All were fine, considering it was split by four people decently. My only complaint here is the restaurant does not offer plain white rice, instead you are forced to buy your choice of seasoned palao/biryani or rice with peas for $5.00. For a plate of rice with peas. Gimme a break...if I could deduct another star, I would! All in all, you're better off going to Kabab King (if you don't mind the lack of hygiene, haphazard ordering area and crowds) or Sammy's Halal (famous gyro stand), winner of the coveted Vendy Award. read more

Food is good. Service and cleanliness are not. Last night had to be my fourth or fifth time coming this past year and I think it was the worst service-wise. My girlfriend called over one of the girls to order and when asks whether she can order with her she replies "I believe not" but takes the order anyway. I then asked to order chai to which the waitress responded, "Do you even know what that is?"- like what? We were finished eating and wanted to take some food home but it took nearly 25 minutes for someone to come around. But the food is cheap and they give you a lot. Chicken palak was good. I'm reading some reviews saying they don't give you a lot or the portion sizes shrunk but maybe they're adjusting. The Naan had just come out so it was soft and warm. However, the bathrooms are nasty-I mean nasty. Having been in the restaurant industry some time ago we were told that the cleanliness of the restroom correlates to the cleanliness of where they prepare food-let's hope this isn't the case for this establishment. read more

10/08/2012 :One of the best Authentic Pakistani Restaurants in NYC. They have hands down the best Sesame Naan. It's like you are having the Naan from Lahore. Excellent food ... Attentive staff and food is reasonably priced. On weekends you get more traditional stuff like Steam Roast and Fried Lahore style Fish & Chapli Kabab. They also have Rabri waali Kheer sometimes. One of the best Goat Pullao's outside Pakistan. Excellent Lahori Choolay. Now not every thing is great. The Goat (Mutton) dishes are most of the time are miss. Cause the meat provider tends to lack the quality. Since I am a regular and they know me well ... so they tell me before hand not to order it. Else they know I will complaint. Over all very good food. Good for guys to hang out and enjoy flavorful BBQ. read more

So I finally made a trip to Dera for something OTHER than Ras Malai. My two friends and I split an order of chicken tikka, chicken makhni (butter chicken), rice, and naan for a total of around $25 (not including tip). While the food wasn't amazing, it was good and cheap. Chicken Makhni-Yum! One of my favorite dishes at any Pakistani restaurant. It wasn't as creamy as I expected it to be. The consistency seemed a tad bit frothy, almost as if it was mixed in a blender. However, this may be a good thing because it didn't seem heavy while we were eating. The sauce went really, really well with the hot rice and naan. The chicken itself was really tender. I wish the sauce had more of a kick to it, though; it wasn't spicy at all (again, this may be a good thing for those who don't like spicy food). Overall, this was a good dish and I would get it again. Chicken Tikka-this was good as well. However, it seemed to have a heavy hand of spices/masala (just a little bit). I can't quite put my finger on what it was, but it tasted like a heavy hand of chaat masala (I could totally be wrong). Overall, I was pretty satisfied with the food, and will be returning to try some other items off their menu. read more

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