Great Indian lunch buffet with surprisingly good selection! Been coming here for many years and consistently good food. Had several veggie options (saag paneer, chole, some Thai veggie mix, and a Malai kofta) and chicken tikka masala, chili chicken, and tandoori chicken. The veggie dishes were all solid but nothing stood out. The chili chicken and the tandoor chicken were bomb! Well seasoned, tender juicy meat, hella flavorful. Chicken tikka masala didn't shine but was solid as well. Overall, great food, good selection, and good mango lassi will keep me coming back for more. Did I mention it's cheap AF? Pros: Cheap Selection Chicken Service Cons: Bathrooms are small and not exactly the cleanest. Can't hate too much tho. read more

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Jackson Diner has the best Indian food in NYC. My family has been coming here for years and they're not easy to impress. At my last visit, I introduced 6 of my friends to this spacious, well-decorated Indian restaurant. Food: They start you off with you complimentary papad (crispy wafers) and multiple chutneys, which make the perfect light appetizer. Curry entrees came with your choice of rice or naan. Paneer Pasanda - class Indian curry w Paneer cubes. My holy grail of Indian dishes! Malai Kofta - my friend loved the kofta and gravy Palak Paneer - really good spinach gravy Masala Dosa - crispy on the outside and well-seasoned potatoes on the inside Samosa Chaat - huge portion, tons of flavors and textures Regular Naan - crispy, buttery, soft goodness Service: The staff is friendly, but not overbearing. They didn't refill our water constantly, but they left us a pitcher and checked in on is. My friends and I loved eating here and will likely be back! read more

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The Best Biryani's, I always have Chicken Biryani, and is the Best, I brought some for my Co-workers and they loved it, so I'm picking up today....... Mmmmmm!!!!! read more

Friend's recommendation for Indian Buffet. Very spacious cafeteria- like dining area. Large selections of food. Complimentary naan bread served. Everything was just mediocre in taste and service. Never miss out on the goat curry. Its the best. And their only desert for their buffet was the kheer which was awesome. Easy accessible food and with no supervision. The most dismay part was the food is a bit more on the cold side. The rice and some food selections was cold. Could be just my preference but I like my food hot even prior to serving to you but their rice and some food became cold before reaching to my table. Maybe buffet style is not to my preference. Overall everything was acceptable for $11.95. We ate enough just having the goat curry and desert which we kept filling on. But probably wont be going back as we prefer restaurant cooked served style. Cold food is a total turn off. read more

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This is a good Indian restaurant. The food was great. The chicken tikka was veryyyy spicy. The lamb was good. The only problem was the food took a long time to come out and the waiter took forever. read more

Jackson Diner - Chicken Tikka masala - Indian Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

Delicious Indian food, spice was perfect not too intense, we had Lamb Vindaloo, Chicken Tikka Marsala, Garlic Naan, Somosa's it was all great! A Kingfisher beer was fantastic along with the food, no buffet service right now but hopefully it will return soon. read more

Jackson Diner - Lamb Vindaloo was out of this word! - Indian Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

How can you come to Jackson Heights and not dine here? Yes, it's been Yelp-ified, but that doesn't make it any less fun. We got: Samosa Chat - Topped with chickpeas, chutneys, yougurt, onions, and tomatoes - Delicious, like what you'd get on the streets on Delhi Crispy Okra - Coated with spiced chickpea flour, chopped onions and tomatoes - Delicious Machi Amritsari - Fish marinated lightly with ajwain and spices - I wanted five portions of this, it was so good Pani Poori - Hollow crackers stuffed with potatoes, chickpeas, and tangy tamarind water - Not my favorite, but I appreciated what it was read more

My favorite place in Jackson Heights, Queens to have authentic Indian food. I absolutely love their vegetable samosas for appetizer and their lamb vindaloo with basmati rice as my main meal. Their serving portion is just perfect for a hungry person. If you plan on having a taste of alcohol with your meal, definitely order a King Fisher. Don't worry about the space, lots of room for a big party if you are planning on having a group lunch or dinner. Should you prefer to go on a Friday night, they usually have live music. They are located very close to public transportation such as the 7/E/F/R/M trains and cabs can be easily accessible. While you are there, I'd recommend you window shop and see what the Bollywood community offers with their exotic jewelry, clothing, music, and vegetable supermarkets. The staff is absolutely lovely and the prices are reasonable. read more

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As many others have probably stated, Jackson Diner used to be a normal American-style diner and then was taken over by new peeps (who I think we can assume are Indian) and they kept the name. I'll admit, Indian is not my forte nor do I know really anything about it. Rarely do I ever say "hey I want Indian food"... but my friends organized a Saturday lunch here this past weekend and I thought, why not? I'm glad they did! Again, Indian food = NOT my thing. Still, I enjoyed all of the food the AYCE buffet had to offer. And for about $11 a person, I thought it was a great deal. Yes I only had one plate of food, but that plate was packed with everything they had. It was great trying old things and new things. Naan, Tandoori Chicken, green stuff, curry, orange stuff, goat stew, more green stuff, etc. Special shout out to the Tandoori Chicken which was very juicy and flavorful as well as to the high rotation rate of dishes! Bottom line, the Jackson Diner will give you a good Indian food bang for your buck. read more

Jackson Diner - Woooo - Indian Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

Jackson Diner offers an non-stop, wear-sweatpants-to-lunch AYCE buffet from 11:30-4:30pm for $11.95. I love soul feeding conversations with good friends and dipping JD's fluffy naan into rich curry. We must have sat and ate for 3 hours. Very inexpensive lunch for the quantity. Jackson Diner's best dishes were the creamy spinachy Saag Paneer with firm chunks of tofu, their crispy made-to-order Masala Dosa and the creamy cartilaginous Goat stew. I had the Tandoori chicken, vindaloo, Chana Masala, Saag Paneer, Masala Dosa, Kheer Rice Pudding, Goat stew, and Naan. The tandoori chicken was a little dry, and so was the chicken in the masala. Tip: Arrive around 11:30 or 12pm. It gets really busy around 2:30 and 3pm. And the Kheer Rice was chewy broken-down-rice with a hint of cinnamon, making the rice pudding a slightly sweet dessert. Very nice way to end a 3 hour lunch. read more

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I ordered delivery (Uber eats) from Jackson Diner and was very happy with my meal. The sag paneer and chicken tikka masala were excellent, so creamy and fresh tasting, as was the naan bread. The portions are huge so I now have delicious leftovers! I will definitely be ordering from here again, and hopefully visit in person one day too. read more

Jackson Diner - Samosa, Sag Paneer, chicken tikka masala, Garlic Nan Bread - Indian Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

Pretty good spot for lunch if you skipped breakfast, had some long back to back meetings, performed manual labor, and then were aching for some Indian food, buffet style in the late afternoon (before 4pm) during the week. Love this part of Queens aka the "World's Borough". The lunch buffet is a good mix of protein and veg. When you walk in they serve you a fresh batch of regular naan and an entire pitcher of water. Not sure how this water policy came about, but its a pretty uncommon one and I kinda like the efficiency of it. The food is solid, spiced but balanced just as you'd expect from an authentic place. I also like the efficiency of service. I came in with the goal to really fill up the tank and wasn't in the mood of eating "properly", engaging in small talk, or even to wait for food, so this was the exact place I needed. You dont' have to speak a word to anyone, you grab food whenever you want, the busboy clears your table as soon as you stand up to go for 2nds (or 3rds for some) and the check arrives 15 seconds after you ask for it. A well oiled institution serving good, honest homestyle Indian in the heart of Queens. read more

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The food was ok but when my boyfriend and daughter came home, they had diarrhea. Not a great experience for us

Been: 2x My first time here was with my boo on 02.25.17 We shared the patpri chat and I ordered a mild chicken korma with rice. I forgot what he had, but my boo enjoyed. They have three levels of spiciness: mild, medium, and spicy. If you have the tastebuds to handle spicy foods, I recommend the spicy, which I got my second time there: 03.02.17. The medium gets spicier as you go but that's only if you wolf it down. The spicy lingers more, which helps one to eat more slowly and savor the dish more. I did the spicy without rice (very filling) and ate it with plain naan instead. I also tried the pani poori. It was a cute little dish with stuffed crackers and some kind of sauce to pour over it. I found the sauce to be too salty for it, so instead I used the green and red sauce they serve as the "bread" of the table. It was awesome! The naan is delicious and the gulab jamun, not so much. It has a great aftertaste, but the during taste is kind of weird. It's not bad in any way, just an odd flavor that is hard to describe. If the chef reads this, I recommend adding (more) cardamon to the recipe! I love the ceiling of this diner. They made the HVAC look like leafy branches! I took a panoramic photograph of the space here, but unfortunately, Yelp! doesn't accept panoramic views yet! :( Happy eats! :) read more

We seriously miss the AYCE buffets. But, now that we can take out, we order the three things we miss the most at the buffet and pretty much have the same experience for just a slightly higher post-Covid-inflation price: chicken masala, sag panneer, and tandoori chicken. The tastes are SO distinct, nuanced, and memorable. We have been coming here for years and highly recommend this for tourists / out-of-towners as a must-visit experience. It's right next to the express train 74St-Roosevelt station with a huge dining room. read more

After years of wanting to try this place, I finally did. I called them on a Friday night maybe 45 minutes before they closed and asked if it was okay, they said "absolutely, please come". We race to Jackson Diner for Mission: Indian Friday. I've passed by this place many times, the venue is huge. Like cafeteria huge. The prices here are quite reasonable, we still did manage to over order though. It was a few months back so I don't remember too much. Definitely grab a King Fisher and the lamb kebab but the star for me is.. Chicken Tikka Masala and have the make it spicy. Don't be stupid like me and wait 5 years, go! read more

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The newly opened Jackson Diner is better than ever! We ordered Samosa Chat for starters, and it was divine. The flavors are delicate and special, and great for lunch. We also had chickpeas and rice ,Chana Masala, with potatoes. We enjoyed the service, too. The restaurant is not crowded early in the day, and the waiter was very helpful ! We will go again and try the spinach dish. The Tandoori bread was delicious, too. read more

Inexpensive, Indian Lunch Buffet. Overall, a very decent place for anyone to sample different curry dishes! My usual Indian Buffet spot in Jackson Heights. I am still not very impressed with the decor - dark lighting, old decor, and food court-feel to it. This is an Indian buffet - you start by grabbing a plate on the left side of the food area. You will see the Tandoor chicken and various of curry dishes. The Tandoor chicken was very dry as other Yelpers have already mentioned. The taste had a bit of spicy to it - flavorful and not too bad. The Naan and pilaf comes next. Both are very mediocre - a hit or miss sometimes. It can be the softest naan and the next one you grab is very dry. Decent quality. I would grab the non-burnt ones - more chances that they are fluffy and soft! What makes Jackson Diner stands out to me is the variety of curry. I love the Chicken Makhani curry best. It is the orangey-reddish curry with chicken. Creamy, rich, and flavorful - my favorite curry to dip my naan in. Sag Paneer is the dark green curry - I love that dark leafy green - spinach taste. They added little tofu cubes into it - although the little cubes have not fully absorbed the flavor of the curry. This curry was also creamy and thick that goes great with naan. Fish Curry was a special for Jackson Diner this weekend. The fish meat was covered with white flour to hold the mini filet together and then added in the curry - which was a golden brown color. This dish was very unique to me and tasted pretty good - a great alternative for the health conscience. Mango Lassi - mango pulp & yogurt was a sweet treat for us after my meal! A very refreshing drink after the spices you ate from the buffet - helps clear your palettes & cools you down. A must-order! There is barely any waiter service - they aren't very attentive. Should they have a cashier podium and for customers pay up front instead? Probably a better idea than trying hard to flag down one. read more

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Wonderful old Jackson Heights standby with fresh food and generous portions. No one rushes you. Clean bathrooms. Good vegetarian options, fresh good breads. read more

My review is for the buffet, as I have never ordered off the menu.This place is my favorite all-you-can-eat Indian place in Jackson Heights. It's been there for over 20 years. I used to live in the area when I was a little kid. This place is huge inside with high ceilings and is perfect for groups. The $10.95 buffet offers stuff like naan, goat curry, tandoori chicken, and more. There is also a guy that stands on the side that will make dosas for you. In terms of taste, I woudn't say that the quality is exceptional. Some of the other all-you-can eat Indian places in the area taste just as good, and Jackson Diner's food could be spicier. It's just that this place has a slightly bigger variety, much more space inside, and they replenish the buffet very quickly. There are also servers walking around to refill your water. read more

* review is for my take-out order only* Jaimin S. and I ordered a papdi chaat and samosa chaat to go from Jackson Diner. Out came our brown paper bag about 7 minutes later. I was NOT expecting the portion sizes to be as big as they were. Samosa Chaat - nice and spicy. Plenty of chutneys and chickpeas accompanied the samosa pieces. Papdi Chaat - cripsy wafers and flavorful/spicy chickpeas, just wanted more yogurt in the dish. read more

Jackson Diner - Papdi chaat to go - Indian Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

I'm so disappointed that JD has gone so far off course. From reading other reviews, it sounds there has been substantial improvements to their lunch buffet. I wish they would put some of that intervening investment into their dInner. Both the gobi manchurian and the hakka chili chicken were ordered dry but came in very ketchup heavy sauce. Naan was eh and the lamb curry fell flat. This place was once a keystone of the neighborhood. There's no reason to do dinner here with so many superior options in the neighborhood. read more

The reviews are flat out wrong. This is the best Indian in NYC. It sure what the 3.5 stars are about! Can't go wrong with chicken tikka massala, samosa, naan, lots of veggie options! read more

Good Indian food at a good place, Buffet is the way to go when trying out new cuisine. A little bit of everything without being dedicated to one, this is why I like going to Jackson Diner. Have the traditional favorites like goat curry, saag paneer, chicken tikka, vegetarian options, naan and rice pudding. Food is fresh but it won't wow you and your guest. You will get full and for $11.99, you cannot go wrong. read more

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Went for lunch with a friend. We both ordered vegetarian dishes, the aloo gobi and black lentils (can't recall the Indian name of the dish). The food was so spicy we could not eat it. Granted neither one of us eats spicy food and didn't ask when ordering but EVERY menu on Earth notes spicy dishes with asterisks or red peppers or states spicy in the description. What made it worse was the waiter passed our table twenty times with untouched food and never ever came to ask us how everything was or if we needed anything. Not one word. The young man who finally came to give us the bill over an hour later said he would speak to the manager but then he just came back and put the bill for the full amount on the table without saying anything. If you go make sure you ask about spice level but they really should notate spicy dishes on the menu. read more

The food is tasty and wonderful. The staff are attentive and patient. Drink are also good!

Great food and good service. Been coming here for years. The food is always fresh and on point.

From the time I was seated to when I paid the check was a total of 30 min . Which I love. The food was as great as the presentation and the service . Definitely check them out ! read more

Came here for lunch. When I entered, there were several parties inside. I was able to get a table right away. This is the first Indian all-you-can-eat experience in Queens as I usually go to the ones near Baruch College. When I got seated, I was given a jug of water. The items are similar to the all-you-can-eat buffets near Baruch. What is different than the others here is that it also offers fritters that can be flavored with chili powder and chaat powder, which can be eaten as an appetizer. The restaurant is right next to a supermarket. This one is often requested by non-Indians, where I was the only Chinese diner. Would come again. read more

I'm sad to be giving Jackson Diner such a low rating, but it's my duty as a Yelper to do so. Jackson Diner has been a staple in Jackson Heights for years and was consistently my local go to Indian spot. My husband and I went here for a 10-year anniversary dinner since this is where we went on our first date. I knew going into it I hadn't had the drive to go there in a while, but the visit was more nostalgic than anything. The Food: I've never needed to ask for salt or hot sauce at an Indian restaurant, but I needed to this time. When I hung my head low to tell my husband I was going to ask for salt he agreed and had the same sentiment that it was odd to have to ask for salt in an Indian spot. The food was bland at best. We ordered some appetizers, a dosa, tandoori chicken, and lemon rice. They got the chicken right in that it was moist. The appetizers were alright, the chicken lacked flavor, the dosa was dismal and the lemon rice was yellow with a slice of lemon on top. NEWS FLASH - being yellow doesn't mean it has lemon flavor. The Service & Decor: The restaurant hasn't been updated in over 10 years but my guess it's closer to 15-20 years. It clean, just dated and blah. The service was lacking, our waitress, in particular, was odd and seemed a bit off, maybe she was surprised that people were actually dining here. With the plentiful amount Indian establishments in Jackson Heights, I must say I will night be returning. read more

Average Indian food. It was edible. I have heard about this place for YEARS. I finally decided to try it. I find that Indian food when done right, it's amazingly delicious. Jackson Diner I guess, it's more of an institution now that a Mecca of deliciousness. It's been here before the boom of Indian eateries in NYC. Perhaps their a la carte menu will be better our next visit, but the buffet was average at best. read more

Jackson Diner - A little of everything round 2 - Indian Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

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Located in the heart of Jackson Heights on the very busy 74th street, is this Indian restaurant that has a very popular and cheap lunch buffet, authentic dishes, and a long history in the area dating back more than 30 years. One of my best friends and fellow Yelper, Yani S., claims that Jackson Diner offers some of the most authentic Indian food available in the 5 boroughs, at very affordable prices. He swears by the goat curry, which is his go-to dish when eating there. I'm open-minded and I love Indian food, so I decided to trust my friend's advice and join him and his girl for dinner at Jackson Diner. Outside, parking is a b!tch..LOL Good thing he has his p.d parking plaque..which comes in handy! Once inside, the dining room is spacious, with enough room between tables to be quite comfortable. It's a very casual setting, decor is not fancy or anything. There's a decent size menu with many options to choose from. Of course, we ordered the goat curry, along with chicken tikka masala and a chicken biryani. For refreshments, we had the mango lassi. Food came out in good time; we only waited about 15 minutes. Goat curry was indeed delicious! We had gotten the goat curry with medium spice, which was a good choice; the spice was no overbearing at all. Combine the goat curry sauce with the aromatic basmati rice and it was a perfect marriage of flavors! Chicken tikka masala was standard; I've definitely had better and I didn't care for the chicken biryani; that dish was for my friends. Jackson Diner's mango lassi is OKAY. I've definitely had better. I felt the mango flavor wasn't strong enough. However, the star of the meal was definitely that amazing goat curry! :D I would recommend anyone to venture out to Jackson Heights for some authentic Indian food at Jackson Diner. Go for dinner or their very affordable buffet-style lunch! read more

I've never had a problem here, and the buffet is a rather good deal. I always get Chana Masala and the Chicken tikka. They also have a good tandoori chicken. The waiters are always nice and if you want fresh and fluffy naan, order it separately instead of taking from the buffet. Also, the Mango Lassi is a nice mango smoothie type drink that I saw many ordering and decided to try myself. It was nice and sweet and went well with the spicy flavors of the food. Also sat next to 007 Pierce Brosnan last time I was there. read more

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My first time dining here in many years, and at their newly opened location just across the street from their former spot on 74th Street. Bright modern interior and quick service, and the food (we ordered a little bit of everything: vegetarian, chicken, and fish) was wonderful. read more

Cant believe this place is rated so low. This is and has been for a while some great indian food. The fried okra is fantastic. The Mullagotoni soup was perfect. The veggie somoza also really good. Had the lamb vindaloo (extra hot)with roti and both were very good too. read more

I was craving for some authentic Indian masala and came to Jackson Diner because they had the most yelp review in the neighborhood. I was a little surprised that we spent $70 for a dinner for two! We ordered a baby lamb chop for appetizer ($11). It was 3 baby lamb chops on a skillet. The lamb chops were tasty and crispy, but I think it was a little over priced. For the entrée, we had the Indian style BBQ mixed grill ($17) with a side order of lemon rice ($4), and a lamb masala ($16) with a side order of naan ($4). The masala was amazing, very flavorful and creamy, I wish it was slightly bigger though, it was enough to go with my rice and naan. On the other side, the mixed BBQ didn't look not taste too good. All the meat was extra salty. It came with a piece of chicken leg, chicken skewer, and a sausage. I could have gotten unlimited amount of the BBQ in all the other Indian restaurant next door for $11.95 all you can eat. For dessert, we tried the Indian ice cream ($4), that was the highlight of the meal. It's not like tradition western ice cream. It's more popsicle/ice texture with a rich taste of condense milk. There was some pink chewy string like toppings on the ice cream which was something I never had but fun to eat. Overall, the dinner was alright. I don't think it was that much better than the $11.95 all you can eat in the other Indian restaurants next door. read more

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After all the bad reviews I wrote here, I'm overjoyed to, finally, write something nice about my recent experience when I visited Jackson Diner yesterday! Although, per COVID regulations they had to suspend their wonderful buffet service and I had to order a la cart, all dishes were cooked to perfection and the service was excellent! Their Chutney starter was not too hot even for my sensitive palette, I enjoyed Goat with Sag and Aloo Partha with Raita and, surprisingly enough, it didn't cost me an arm and a leg, because I was NOT charged "convenience fee" or a mandatory "tip"... of course I left a nice one voluntarily, but my gripe is - if they can do it (and they are in business many years), why others don't? - I guess the only answer is GREED! So, if you're missing good food and good service in America, you must go to Indian restaurant :) :) Well, I was told so many times: "New York is not America"... read more

We went around 8:40 and they sat us down. We ordered samosa, chana saag and chana masala. Food was SO TASTELESS, I almost cried. I went there craving indian food. There was no salt, no spices nothing. read more

Jackson Diner - Indian Near Me - Jackson Heights, New York

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Spacious, good for groups, nice ambiance Food was fantastic! Short and sweet I'll add more but I honestly think most other reviews hit it. Curry goat was so smooth even found a golden piece with marrow. Also the Saag Paneer was perfection. Tasted a friend's baby lamb chops and keema nan w/raita. Which I highly recommend for starters. Also forgot to take a photo of the mango lassi, looked refreshing. I plan on taking a date here soon followed by going the Mahajara bakery! Thanks to my dinnermates for the rad company! read more

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I go for the buffet a lot. I'm in a routine - protein rich chicken tandoori and nutrient rich saag paneer. So many great restaurants in the area but Jackson Diner might be the most comforting. It's a spacious dining room, a great place to take a small group. And the food is always on point. The buffet is a bargain. read more