Dhamaal was a good hangout place for Indian food in Montclair. The space itself sets the tone -- colorful murals, hanging greenery, and a lively but intimate vibe that works whether you're out for a casual dinner or celebrating something special. It's BYOB but they have some very creative drinks - you will find pictures of those here Probably the best part is the drinks even though Mon alcoholic We tried Anarkali , Passion Project , Mango cooler and a drink where the fibre melts away with fire like wow For starters we tried a bunch The Rawalpindi chaat looked interesting and was tasty, the paneer PinWheels , the Kale Pakoda and the chicken croquettes were all good So lot of variety to choose from On the meat side, -- We tried the Kohlapuri chicken and Methi chicken for entrees , which had a nice kick without overwhelming the other flavors. For vegetarian options, the paneer tikka was smoky and well-charred, and the saag was creamy without losing that earthy greens flavor. The Jackfruit curry was a nice try and well-spiced -- simple done right. We also loved the fusion touches. Portions were generous, the naan was fresh and hot, and the service was attentive throughout. A great mix of authentic flavor and creative twists -- highly recommend for a night out in Montclair. read more

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Reasons why I need to take 3 stars away - 1. For marketing yourself as upscale with NYC prices, the ambiance and experience are definitely not up to par for the price. 2. The quality of the food is very much similar to all the other indian restaurants that are good so not sure they charge 2x the price. Maybe for making some non-creative things like naan pizza - people just want quality and it missed the mark. 3. Service is blah - not what you expect for charging 30-40$ entrees - seems so lazy! It's fine - do what you want - just don't expect return customers. read more

Dhamaal delivered when it came to flavor. We started with the garlic naan and Chicken Malai Tikka, and wow--the chicken was incredibly tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. Definitely a standout starter. For our entrees, we ordered the Kokam Branzino and Shrimp Gassi, both served with basmati rice, and they were absolutely divine. The branzino was beautifully cooked with bright, balanced flavors, and the shrimp gassi was rich, comforting, and deeply satisfying. The ambiance was nice--warm and inviting--and while the service was okay, the food truly stole the show. This is the kind of place you return to for the flavors alone, and we'd happily go back again just for the meal. read more

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BYOB guys! I'm posting that here because it seems like a lot of people do not post this information especially if you are new to the area. The place was very clean on the inside although if you have read my reviews you know that I usually comment on the bathrooms however I did not get the chance to check out the bathroom this time lol. They have fun little mocktails that I saw other people ordering and other people seem to really enjoyed it however my husband and I decided that we were going to bring a bottle of wine for ourselves to enjoy which we did. The food was delicious and you can also change the spice levels on the food based on how you like it. There chettinaad chicken cutlets were delicious and I enjoyed the Pulav as well. I think for the amount of food that you get the prices a little bit on the pricier side and if you are expecting to be full from here that will not happen unless you're ordering a bunch of bread. Presentation was also great so I am giving this place a four star. read more

Dhamaal - Indian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Such a wonderful experience! The food here is amazing with so many options to choose from! I definitely recommend visiting if you're in the area. I will absolutely return to try some more lovely dishes. read more

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As I was looking for a nice restaurant to take my wife to for Valentine's Day, a friend suggested this spot since it's Indian cuisine, which my wife loves. Walking in, we were greeted by the staff and directed to our seats. The restaurant had nice floral and traditional decor, along with nicely painted murals on the walls. The menu had a decent amount of options and was slightly different from what I'm used to seeing at Indian restaurants but I kept an open mind and tried some new things. The mocktail menu stood out as well with drinks that incorporated traditional flavors and had great presentation. For appetizers, we ordered the heirloom tacos with curried chicken. For entrees, we had the Afghani lamb chops, saag barata, garlic naan, and Kerala pulav. These aren't my usual go-to dishes but I definitely left satisfied. All the food was really good. read more

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It's a spacious spot that is nicely decorated inside. The service was attentive and the waitress was helpful in providing suggestions of what to order. This establishment is byob and they have a list of mocktails. For appetizer we ordered murg tikka and the paneer tikka dhamaka. The murg chicken was juicy and tender which we enjoyed with the green chutney. The paneer tikka had a little kick to it which was good. For entree, we got the methi chicken which had flavor. We enjoyed it with the garlic naan. read more

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Great Indian place in Montclair. Every dish was good. Duck Pepper Fry was a bit salty. Place was not busy. BYOB.

Awesome modern Indian restaurant with a good selection of food! They serve huge portions! The interior of the restaurant was decorated beautifully. It's byob, but they have good mocktail and international soda options. Food was quite good, nothing overly spicy but everything was flavorful and had great presentations. read more

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This restaurant is gorgeous. Beautiful murals and a beautiful floral tree in the middle. Our serve was so friendly and gave us excellent recommendations. The food itself was delicious. Every single dish we got was so so good. Can't wait to return. read more

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I went here for the first time and I love the food so much that I look forward to coming a k again. I recommend the chickpea flour kale app and the their garlic naan. The garlic naan tastes so fresh and crispy. My favorite dishes are the shrimp curry and the tikka paneer. Their deserts were exquisite, especially the pistachio mouse and rose petal ice cream. Everything was perfect, the food, the service and the atmosphere. read more

Loved the food and the ambiance! We had a great time dining here. Great service as well! read more

Dhamaal - Indian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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AMAZING EVERY TIME!!!!! Food, Service, Ambience, Consistency, All 10's across the board!!!! read more

Our first visit was more successful than the second. While the space is fun, engaging, and a treat for the eyes, I'm not sure how their service can be so spotty and hesitant even as they have so many staff walking and hanging around. I do think they try but they truly need intense training. Our first visit was lovely and our family didn't have any issues with service (a bit slow and potty but ok overall) and we found the food to be pretty good. The lamb was ok at best. On our second visit - If 5 staff members watch me picking up the placemats from the "clean table" we were just sat at and shaking crumbs off them - then one of them should have enough sense to help and clean the fingerprinted table! Thank goodness I had wipes. Never a good start. The goat curry was a bit rubbery and had too many bones on our second visit yet the rest of the dishes were enjoyable. I recommend trying their homemade rose ice cream. If they can focus on in-depth staff training and consistency in their dishes - this place can be truly a gold mine. read more

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This restaurant has such a variety of options we didn't even know where to begin! I was so glad we were a big group of people (9) because that allowed us to try so many different things. I absolutely loved the tofu, pizza and desserts pictured. The only thing I didn't love was the paneer pinwheel, but not because it wasn't good, it just wasn't my type of dish. We also got the chicken tandoor and that was so unique and different compared to the typical with a peanut sauce and the cabbage slaw. We also got the traditional dishes like paneer, chicken tikka and dal and they were all really good. I would come back and just do appetizers since I felt they were the most unique ones and super delicious read more

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Great ambiance, amazing staff, and delicious food. We went to Dhamaal for my husband's birthday lunch. Our server was Nayan and he took great care of us. He was professional and very attentive. He recommended to us what we could order and it did not disappoint. For the starter, we ordered pinwheel paneer - great. We loved it. For the main course, we ordered jackfruit kofta curry that was super flavorful and dal frontier - it was a blend of dal makhani and dal tadka. Not too creamy but very tasty. Naan was crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. For dessert, we had kulfi falooda which was yum. The kulfi tasted good and it was all made at the restaurant. Worth the visit. read more

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Super crowded on a Saturday night, we had reservations but still had to wait 10 min to be seated! Everything after that was such a breeze. I have to say I haven't seen such prompt service anywhere else. Absolutely no wait time between orders. Paneer pizza- they used thin slices of paneer to look like mozzarellas and it was a nice twist. The tomato sauce base was good, maybe if I asked for oregano and chilli flakes, it would have taken the flavour a notch up but overall a good take on pizza. Tofu - we were accompanied with vegetarian friends so that explains this choice ;) we all loved this one, I always appreciate when tofu is paired up well with sauces/ dips else I don't enjoy tofu much. Jackfruit kofta curry- love seeing jackfruit coming up on menus nowadays. Again a great take on presenting them as koftas. Home style chicken - true to its name, the flavours were subtle, no over the top masala or oil oozing out. Simple traditional chicken without any frills. Daal bukhara- this should have been named as daal makhni instead. Wasn't the bukhara flavour that we expected. Nonetheless good daal but just not bukhara. The ambience was cozy, the space was small but it made the place more lively. Overall great variety and I'm sure we will go back again and try more on the menu! read more

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I been sitting on this review for a good month now trying to find the right words. So I'll just keep it simple. The food here is ridiculously good! At the time of this review, there are is no alcohol but it is BYOB. We raw dogged it our first time and had their beautiful drink menu. I mean when I go back I won't bring my own alcohol either - there is something very refreshing about cool coconut and mango to calm your taste buds. A part of me feels like alcohol would just ruin the flavor vibe tbh. We enjoyed the fusion part of this - the saag burrata improves as the cheese settles into the spinach. The shrimp dishes were absolute standouts. Who doesn't love giant prawns? Tons of different naan - get them all. We did. Aesthetically, the restaurant is just so beautiful - so many cute photo spots (be sure to look up!). A little busy during the dinner rush but you could play Annie Leibovitz to your heart's content during a sleepy lunch. I don't remember the names of all we got. I do have all the pics though. Enjoy! Oh and come with deep pockets. Four of us for dinner was just shy of $300. read more

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A modern twist on Indian dining. Everything was delicious but slightly over the top in presentation. Chicken on boats and fried kale on giant pottery. Kills the space you have at the table. Goat was great. Lamb chops good. Service was questionable. They were okay, just some of them were like zombies. read more

The ambiance is beautiful! Everyone was in good spirits. I knew I messed up the moment I realized it was a BYOB spot. Speciality mocktails are great but too sweet without alcohol IMO. Small bites (chicken dish) was a big portion. We ended up ordering vegetarian entrees and had the chicken as part of our entrees. read more

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Tried out this new Indian fusion restaurant in Montclair two weeks ago after the Montclair Flea (which I would highly recommend!). We ordered: Kale pakoras - This was probably the favorite dish for the whole table with a fun presentation in a boat.  Rawalpindi Channa Chaat - This is a fusion chip and dip style chaat. The "dip" was really good and had a nice kick, but the chip (papri) to dip ratio was off. This would definitely be better with either more Papri or something else to add more crunch.  Paneer Tikka Pizza - Fusion pizza using paneer sliced in thin layers to look like mozzarella and an "Indian spiced tomato sauce." The tomato sauce didn't taste all that different from a standard pizza, and I would have preferred chunks of paneer plus a few more toppings that you would expect to find in paneer Tikka. I would skip this.  Jackfruit Kofta Curry - I love jackfruit's versatility and wish it was on more menus. This was a solid dish that I would definitely order again. Samvedi Baby Eggplant - Sadly, too sweet, but, like a true Indian family, we took it home and doctored it to add spice and reduce the sweetness. Chili naan - The only genuinely spicy item we ordered. I loved it and would order again! Dhamaal just opened recently, but already seems very popular. The staff was really friendly and accommodating when we came in with a stroller and no reservation. The interiors pay tribute to the vibrant colors and crafts of India in a modern and tasteful way. BUT, I do think they could tone down the fake flowers which make the space feel smaller and more cluttered. Also, Dhamaal is definitely on the pricier side with pricing close to what you would find in NYC.  They're still new, so I hope they continue to work out the kinks as I think the concept has a lot of potential! read more

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Food: Goat curry and homestyle chicken were very tender and favorful. Kale pakora was great and chutney gave a nice acidity to balance out the appetizer. Definitely would recommend all these dishes! We felt that the portions would great. Definitely also recommend the naan, 1 order was enough for two people. The dishes also come with basmati rice. Service: Everyone was friendly and helpful with the menu. We did not feel rushed and enjoyed the great ambience inside. BYOB and were able to enough a bottle of red wine with our meal. 10/10 would recommend! read more

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Nice ambience, vibrant decor, BYOB and good food. We took a reservation for a dinner and got seated right away. We ordered few mocktails, rawal pindi channa ( spicy chickpea mash with chips), Tofu for appetizers, Saag Burrata, jackfruit kofta, tawa planner and butter chicken for entree. Appetizers were tasty and flavorful. Entrees were good as well except saag Burrata which was bland and cold. Overall, it was a nice experience. read more

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The best new Indian place in town! Samosas, Saag paneer, garlic naan, yum! We really enjoyed the food.

The atmosphere of the restaurant was amazing - beautiful decor, amazing music, nice ambiance and lighting. From the moment we stepped in, we were greeted nicely by the staff and delicious smelling food. The waitress was very welcoming and was readily available to give help with the menu. The staff in general were very observant and efficient - refilling our waters when they got low, taking plates away as we finished, and asking if we needed anything else. My favorite part of the night was definitely the drinks - although the food was delicious too, my favorite being the Jackfruit Kofta Curry. The presentation of the drinks was BEAUTIFUL! I got the Anarkali that the waitress recommended and she did not disappoint - it was on a floral swing and tasted sweet, just the way I like my drinks! read more

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This place kinda funny crazy. You get solid indian food served on these crazy plates. Don't get the mocktail it is so watered down and flavorless, that was the biggest shame. You get the bill inside this metal box that I don't know anything about but it was weird and hilarious I'm actually writing this review months after my dining experience here which hopefully speaks to its memorability P.S. I'm pretty sure the art on the walls is AI generated? Just a hunch read more

This restaurant has phenomenal food, exciting, colorful decor, and although it was quiet on a Sunday evening, I can tell that the ambience is very lively. Every single dish we ordered was spectacular. The flavors were prominent and the execution of each dish was so impressive. They also put a lot of effort into presentation. Even the mocktails were delicious, remember, it's BYOB so you can spike your drinks. The reason for three stars is the lack of training and organization by the staff. It seems like no one has experience in hospitality and was simply hired to run food from the kitchen to your table. From the moment we entered the restaurant, the hostess took a few mins to consult with someone else on where to sit us, even though the restaurant was empty and we were the only ones there. We asked if the Sunday live violin was on that day, as they promoted on their lG, and she simply said no. Awkward. Then it took about 15 minutes to get someone's attention to place our order. The waiter didn't introduce himself or explain the menu. No problem, we asked questions ourselves. We ordered two appetizers and two entrées. The burrata and crabcakes were so yummy. Loved the creamed spinach under the burrata. We ordered the goat curry and branzino for entrées, but I only received the fish. We waited about 10 minutes for the second entrée to arrive. Normally they bring entrées out together. Finally, we asked where it was and they had no idea what we were referring to, even though we had a full-blown conversation about the goat curry and they repeated the order back to us. It was very disappointing and they didn't even offer to remedy the situation. They didn't offer anything; no apologies, nothing, they seemed genuinely confused as to what they should do. Giving us a deer in the headlights look. Again, lack of experience in hospitality and service. Lack of service can really take away from the overall dining experience that makes a restaurant stand out. I believe with proper training they can turn things around. read more

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The atmosphere was nice overall, beautiful restaurant, food was good. I think the server was in a bad mood, she snatched the receipts from out our hand it was the woman who worked Saturday night between 6-8:30pm the receipt said Avin but not sure if that's her name. I think management should talk to her it ensure that she is being respectful to people to leave a positive impression. The bussers were nice as well as the other servers. Definitely still try the restaurant. read more

As others have said, the flavors here are amazing. The food is incredibly tasty and the crab cake was by far the best I've had. It's not your run of the mill Indian restaurant, and the fusion of other cultures makes the perfect tastebud compliment. Ordered the crab cake for pick up and I was surprised that (for a $25+ dish) it didn't come with any sides. When I called to inquire, I was told to request rice if I'd like it. And just to cover my bases I also ordered a side of naan. Had I not, I'd have simply be given the 2 crab cakes solo with a slice of lemon...no bueno. It was also pretty spicy which I loved, but something to be aware of- since the item didn't specify the heat level. The restaurant tends to be pretty booked up esp on weekends, so make a reservation. The ambiance inside is warm, flowery and tasteful. Free Parking isn't great in the area in general, but the paid parking lot is literally across the street. read more

Dhamaal - Indian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

I was not sold on the idea of having Indian food, but after reading Yelp reviews and photos, I decided to give it a try. I was glad I did. The presentations were excellent, as was the flavor of the food. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone hesitant about Indian food. read more

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I wasn't sure what to expect, and dropped by to check out their catering potential. Every dish was delicious, authentic. The meat was very juicy. The kale fritters were hard to make. The chef is from a 5-star hotel in Pune, India. You can tell. The only thing is, the decoration on the walls is very casual for a formal party. But I guess it's the new, "street" style decor that is becoming popular. read more

Dhamaal - Lamb chops (3) - Indian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Came here for the first time and enjoyed my dinner with my husband! When we walked in, I immediately enjoyed how bright and vibrantly decorated the interior was. The hostess was pleasant and seated us right away. We ordered the kale pakora, butter chicken, homestyle chicken, and butter naan. Everything came out rather quickly and it was presented very nicely. The temperature and taste of the food were great! Service was very good. We had multiple people come by to make sure we didn't need anything and cleared away plates. I liked the warm towel at the end, which was a nice finishing touch. The resturant was a little more pricey than your average Indian restaurant but definitely a fun atmosphere and a great option for a special outing. Would definitely come back. read more

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I love this place! The atmosphere is very nice and decor is beautiful. The Butter Chicken (GF) and Garlic Naan was AMAZING. The drinks are also so fun and delicious. Definitely a must try in Montclair read more

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We came here unexpectedly when we had some extra time away from the kids on date night. We ordered two Mocktails (I personally loved them!) and a dessert and we loved the atmosphere and service was excellent. We had already eaten dinner nearby when we came but decided to order a few items to go. I ate them the next day for lunch and the flavors were still amazing. I love Indian food so I will be back for a true sit down dinner hopefully soon! read more

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**Back at Dhamaal with the Khichdi Lover!** **Mapo Tofu** - 4/5 Delicious and perfectly spiced. A suggestion would be to crisp the tofu differently rather than frying it. **Bharat Khichdi** - 5/5 An interesting take on traditional khichdi with gunpowder and sesame seeds, served in a hot pot. It was scrumptious. **Saag Burrata** A fascinating Indo-American fusion, combining the flavors of perfectly spiced spinach with the heartiness of burrata. **Anarkali Drink** An intriguing mix of sweet pomegranate, rose, and lime flavors. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the meal, service, and interiors and the vibe, I will definitely return for more. read more

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Heard about this place via insta and since it's in my neck of the woods, decided to check it out for some Friday night eats. Staff were friendly and patient. Always a plus at a new place and I'm trying to decide what to get. The decor was lovely and compliments the seating/tableware. Now onto the food. I ordered the Kolapuri Murg Tikka and garlic naan. The Kolapuri was akin to roasted chicken with Indian spices and came with a spicy slaw on the side. It was really good but a tad (really only a tad) bit salty. The garlic naan was great and so was my cocktail. All in all it was a great experience. By the time I left, they were getting filled up. Definitely the new local place to check out. read more

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Heard really good things about Dhamaal so wanted to try it out. Wasn't really sure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised at the beautiful interior and place settings on the table. Staff was lovely and accomodating. The food is not your typical Indian fare so take notice if you are looking for the same items you usually get at your local Indian take out. This is more of a fusion with Indian/Italian and Indian/Chinese. We had the paneer pinwheels for appetizer and it was unique and very tasty. Highly recommend. For the main course we ordered the three variety naan- Butter, Rosemary and Chili. All very good and we had to much and had to bring home. I had the Eggplant with peanut which was outstanding and hubby had the chicken curry which he really liked as well. read more

Beautiful space, very hip and sophisticated experience. Wonderful new addition to Montclair's restaurant scene. Indian fusion makes for some interesting dishes - all our dishes were not too spicy. I loved their plain basmati rice which I think is spiced with coriander. Enjoyed the kale pakora and mapu tofu. Would pass on the mocktail next time - seemed like just a glass of juice with a little spice. BYOB. read more

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Looked good with good choices but very limited seating place In Montclair and reservation recommended on weekends read more

Being Indian food lovers, we wanted to check out Montclair's newest Indian spot. I'll start by saying that Dhamaal did not disappoint! The inside has a fun, vibrant atmosphere making it feel very modern. We started with the chicken croquettes which we enjoyed. We ordered the naan sample and the Arabic naan was by far our favorite. Don't even hesitate, just get it and thank me later. Out of the 3 entrees ordered, the goat curry was my favorite. The meat was flavorful and tender although we did have to fight through some bones, no biggie. We also had the paneer and home style chicken. The home style chicken was my least favorite but still tasty! I would definitely order the goat curry again at my next visit. We had a sweet tooth after all the savory dishes and decided on the churros. The churros took forever to come out and were a bit soggy but the ice cream it came with was fantastic! Be sure to make a reservation, the restaurant for pretty crowded for a Thursday evening. read more