Last week, my partner and I went to Nirvana Indian Kitchen for dinner - what a fantastic find! We were looking for a place to celebrate a special occasion, but on a weeknight, and wanted to try someplace new for us. We decided to check out Nirvana in Allendale. On a weeknight, there were more guests for dine-in than I thought there would be on a Thursday night. I noticed that they have a consistent stream of takeout/doordash orders being picked up - so it's popular in the area. I can see why with the food - delicious. Here's what we ordered: - Samosas (Two thumbs up - nice spices with the perfect amount of kick) - Kale Pakora (I haven't seen this kale-only fritter before at other places that we've been; a new favorite. recommended app!) - Bagara Baingan (Eggplant in creamy tomato-based sauce; it's rich and flavorful, despite it being vegan. This will be a repeat order for me.) - Saag Panner (My partner's go-to intro dish when trying a new Indian spot; this SP was partner-approved) The dine-in experience had a cool, chill vibe and nice decor inside. With the lighting and music playing in the background, you kind of forget that you are in a strip mall. You're just immersed in this nice Indian dining experience with friendly staff and delicious food. On the weekends, there's a brunch buffet. That's a must-do on our list. Loved Nirvana and will be back to try other items on the menu for sure. read more

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Nirvana Indian Kitchen was a place we wanted to try because it looked a bit more upscale than other nearby options. The restaurant definitely delivers on that image -- great decor, linen-covered tables, table lighting, and a cozy, even romantic atmosphere. What didn't match the setting was the music. It was pumping the entire time like you were in a club, similar to the music during peak hours at the last Indian wedding I attended. It didn't fit the kind of quiet dining experience the space seems designed for. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the menu is extensive with plenty of options -- chicken, lamb, goat, seafood, and vegetarian dishes. We started with the calamari cochin, which was excellent. It came out hot and crisp, coated in a flavorful sauce, and felt like a unique take compared to typical fried calamari. For entrées we ordered eggplant bharta and goat curry with tandoori naan. We clearly asked for the eggplant medium spicy and the goat spicy hot, and the server repeated it back correctly. Neither dish had any heat. Instead, we were given a small bowl of chopped peppers to add ourselves, which isn't the same thing. The eggplant initially tasted good but became overly smoky as the meal went on. The goat curry was tender and nicely cooked. Unfortunately, as we continued eating we both started feeling increasingly queasy, so something clearly wasn't sitting right. In the end it was a mixed experience for us and not a place we plan to return to. Lastly, it's BYOB and there's no credit card fee! read more

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Oh man, what has happened to this place!! I have been here roughly 7 times since my initial, enthusiastic review and it has gotten progressively worse with each visit. The Service here is not just poor, it is NON-EXISTENT! Expect to sit a good solid 25 minutes before anyone steps up and at that point they are in a big rush to take your full order. How about opening our wine bottles first? Or asking if we have any questions. This is a BYOB and when it is this painful to get a bottle opened, you resort to bringing your own corkscrew as I did last night - problem solved ( with the exception of not being able to get wine glasses for another 15 minutes or so.) It seems the only person who hustles here, is the guy that works the front end and appears to be the owner. He should not have to do double and triple duty because the wait staff is awful. The once great food has changed as well. This was hands down the best Vindaloo I ever had, but this time there was NO spice at all! And the portion was reduced as well, I counted 3 pieces of Lamb and one measley sliced in half potato. And, it was a Saturday night and 3/4 empty, which speaks volumes. And the crack wait staff couldn't even keep up with this low volume. I won't be back. read more

Came for a family birthday dinner on a weeknight and it was mostly dead. We made a reservation as a precaution, we were seated immediately as we walked in. We were given menus and sat down for some time before anyone came and took our drink order. We ordered multiple bottles of the filtered water which is was surprising to me every time they brought a new bottle it was unopened as well as they did not fill our glasses. We started with two appetizers which were different. The Calamari Cochin was my preferred as it was well flavored and had a great crunch. The Onion Pakora was different but not my favorite as some of the larger onion chunks were raw onion battered and then fried. We ordered an assortment of entrees all served family style. The biryani here is fantastic and a must have. I ordered the Paneer Makhanwala that came with a side of basmati rice. The sauce was amazing and so flavorful. Very unfortunate here they don't bring alot of naan with orders or just to the table in general. This a BYOB establishment. Parking is easy as there is a large lot out front. Service got very slow after they were eager to take our half eaten appetizers away from us. Which felt rushed while trying to enjoy the meal. Then it seemed a very long time before our entrees came out and the staff seemed to disappear. When getting our Togo containers I asked for a dessert menu was told they don't have one and that was it. I also ordered a tea which was great and delicious but they definitely should add a beverage and in house dessert section to the menu. Good meal but not sure if I will be returning again as the experience wasn't what other reviews seemed to have. read more

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Amazing food and easy to make reservations. So delicious. Service ok. Drink options not great.

You may want a reservation on a Saturday evening! I didn't have a reservation and showed up around 6pm on a Saturday evening (group of 3). The host was taken aback at first but asked us to wait 10-15 minutes and got a large table (for 6) ready for us. The spaces were tight even though the table was for 6. Table in the back would have been a better fit for us but it was covered in cleaning supplies. At our table we were greeted by several people but weee unsure who would actually take our order. It took a very long time for that to happen (maybe 20-30 min). The food itself was fantastic. We ordered samosas for an appetizer and chicken saag, chicken tikka masala for entrees along with delicious garlic naan. I'd go back with a reservation! Or do takeout! read more

Nirvana Indian Kitchen - Chicken sagg & chicken tikka masala - Indian Near Me - Allendale, New Jersey

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Ordered chicken vindaloo to go. Love the spice. It was not spicy. This is the second time that has happened in the last several months. Was my favorite dish at Nirvana. I think I need to look elsewhere to find authentic vindaloo. read more

I recently visited Nirvana in Allendale and unfortunately had a less-than-pleasant experience. The ambiance, described as not crowded and not loud, was on point. However, the dim lighting made it a bit challenging to not fall asleep, and the service did not meet expectations. The staff seemed pushy, making the dining atmosphere less enjoyable. I liked the quiet setting, the service did not contribute positively to the experience. It's disappointing when a restaurant falls short on both ambiance and service. Food, subpar at best. I came here before and thought I would give this place another chance given that it was highly recommended by 2 people. However, after visiting twice, I know that there are other better places for Indian food. I would love to give this place one more try, however, this would only be the case if they upped their game. read more

On a Wednesday evening around 7pm, the restaurant was t busy at all. Really nice ambiance inside, BYOB, and a great selection of items on their menu. There were 6 of us that usually get together once a month for a friends gathering and we thought we'd start the year off here. First- they weren't busy. At all. There was only 2 other parties (parties of 4) other than us so service shouldn't have been rushed at the end of the evening. Service started off great in the beginning...greeted like you'd expect and was given ample time to look through the menu and place our orders. Toward the end of the night, the server kept coming back, rushing my friend to finish her food when she clearly still had a significant amount on her plate. He must've came back at least 3 times to try to take her plate away. Why? They weren't even closing and as patrons, I can stay until closing if I felt like being an a-hole. Second- food was amazing. Except for the chicken appetizer that we got. We got an assorted chicken skewer appetizer but the chicken was definitely undercooked. It had that weird hard/chewy taste to it and I immediately stopped eating it. Yes it looked cooked but it definitely didn't taste that way. The rest of the food was amazing. I got the Aloo Golbi and their garlic nann was one of the best I've had...fluffy and thick and had the right amount of garlic. My moth is watering just thinking about it. The rest of my dinner party thought the food was great too, with assorted meals from chicken tikka masala, to lamb, to vegetarian, etc. No complaints for our main entree! Also BYOB. Lastly- the ambiance was fine. Lightly dimmed of with an intimate feeling, I can see this place being busy on the weekends. The place was clean enough but since I came here on a Wednesday evening, it's hard to say how they keep up during their peak hours. Overall I thought this place was fine- server could've been more attentive to our water refills and reduce the amount of times he came over to ask if my friend was done with her food.. but other than that, I would come back. I'd come back for the garlic nann alone! read more

Service was excellent and the BYOB was a real treat. The pourri bread and raita was a perfect start. Followed by one of the best chicken vindaloos' I've ever had. The bahgnan burta was a perfect complement to the vindaloo. Both dishes were spicy without being mouth numbing, think aromatic instead of fiery. We will definitely be back! read more

I actually discovered this place because I ordered takeout. Everything was super tasty. When I went to pick up my food, I noticed what a nice ambience the restaurant had and I will definitely be coming back to sit for dinner. The staff were extremely kind while I waited for my order. read more

The staff is very kind and good at recommending food from their menu. The menu is comprehensive. The spices and the seasoning are what you would hope for in an Indian restaurant. The food was not over seasoned. Even the rice was delicious. We went for a family birthday. We will be coming back! read more

Door dashed from Nirvana while visiting NJ. What a good choice. Chili chicken with garlic naan and potato samosa. All perfect with great flavor and terrific spice. It was delivered quickly and fresh and worth every cent. I will order there again my next visit! read more

Nirvana Indian Kitchen - chili chicken with garlic naan and samosa - Indian Near Me - Allendale, New Jersey

Good selection of lunch buffet menu on weekends. Clean, nice decor, and friendly staff.

I left feeling satisfied and happy! Customer service is so very important to me and the staff here met my high expectations. They were courteous, patient, helpful when asked for recommendations and identifying dishes in pictures on Yelp. The food was flavorful and each dish unique in flavor profile. If you like cilantro please try the Chilli Chicken apart of their Indochinese section, my bestie was pleasantly surprised and we shared our dishes, as we normally do. She's crazy about rice, like, crazy and was very impressed with their white rice. It was tender, fluffy, delicious. I really enjoyed the Naan, the best i've had, ever. Wether it was the garlic, rosemary or onion naan the they are not skimpy and it paired very well with the masala 10/10. I love a place that uses real linens! The restaurant is beautiful, spacious and can accommodate groups of all sizes. We witnessed many people coming in to grab dinner to go, a green flag in my opinion. This was my second time here and there will be a third, fourth, fifth and.. Go! read more

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When I say that this restaurant right here made me fall in love with Indian food it would be an understatement. My best friend brought me here for a friends night out not knowing that I have never tried Indian food before. At first I was a little hesitant, but boy, it did not disappoint these palettes. I travel all of the US for work and when I eat Indian, nothing seems to compare. The servers and owners are very kind and always checking up on their tables to make sure that everyone is enjoying themselves. It is a BYOB restaurant which is great. Right next door there's a liquor store, grab what you like to drink and go enjoy your dinner. Excellent choice for a night out with family, friends, and even a date night. read more

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The food was very delicious. The Samosas were huge, from the first bite I could smell the herbs and the steam was aromatic and the sauce was perfect. The main dish was very filling and had lots of meat In it. Grabbed the basket of naan and they were all so good!! Have to take your own alcohol (store walking distance) but Vikram was amazing. He cares about the place and makes sure you are taken care of. Great place. I could eat there every day. Yum! read more

My Family was looking for a good Indian Spot for my Aunts Birthday. If your in the same boat, look no further then Nirvana Indian Kitchen. Located in the nice Bergen county NJ, this place might look normal from the outside, but the inside is a whole meal in itself. The Servers greet you immediately, and get you set up in a beautiful ambiance of so many cultures and Flavors. (perfect for insta pics ) The food Came incredibly quick, and packed a punch. Every meal was delicious, but different in its own way, (we had 20+ people, so we ordered quite a bit). The lamb korma stood out to me. The lamb, savory and melting in your mouth, pairs perfectly with the sweet, yet salty korma, with just the right amount of heat. Paired with the Garlic Naan, I'm drooling over it right now. Dessert also lived up to the expectations, coming out delicious and flavorful, the mango lassis was great, and the drinks were also well prepared. Overall, a great service, with great food and a great ambiance, 11/10, perfect for any event, or just going yourself (YES, it's that good ) read more

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Fresh delicious food and the service is awesome butter chicken and beryani great BYOB read more

Absolutely delicious!!! Highly recommend!! Looking forward to trying more menu options

Nice local indian restaurant with delicious food! Parking situation is also a plus because it is right next to a supermarket. Started with the palak chaat which was way heavier than i thought it would be. There was so much sauce and other ingredients the crispy spinach wasnt able to shine and most of it got soggy. The lamb biryani was super delicious if you enjoy the taste of lamb. The amount of lamb was very generous and it was so soft and tender just like their tandoori chicken (which was the star for me). lastly we got the chicken vindaloo which is a spicy chicken and potato dish. Was def SPICY so be prepared. Flavors were good but chicken was a bit dry. One if the better indian restaurants in the area I would say! Service was decent and ambiance was pleasant and quiet. read more

Nirvana Indian Kitchen - Indian Near Me - Allendale, New Jersey

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Best Indian food around..delicious authentic Indian cuisine with great service. Portions are generous and full of flavor. Bring a nice bottle of wine and enjoy!! read more

Nirvana Indian Kitchen - Nirvana - Indian Near Me - Allendale, New Jersey

Dined here a few times before but ordered take out from here today. Our dining experience and food quality was far better than our take out experience for some reason. Took about 1 hour for our food to be ready for pick up. I've been to fair share of indian restaurants and I liked Nirvana - despite the very very dimly lit space. The service is good and overall lovely ambiance, with plentiful parking in front. Our family typically always orders Aloo Gobi (dry), Malai Kofta, Paneer Makhni and one different item like Saag, Daal, Baigaian etc. We did the same tonight for take out and even after clear instructions repeated back to us, our Aloo Gobi was not dry as requested and we did not receive Veg Manchurian. Furthermore, from our previous experience the vegetarian entrees are usually much more flavorful and unique - tonight I felt like everything was just doused in heavy cream. The Laccha Parantha wasn't a true tandoori cooked either - very flat, chewy and quite frankly probably reheated. It was a little disappointing because during these quarantine times we were really looking forward to our take-out meal. Nothing beats the restaurant experience but our meal tonight definitely missed the mark. I would recommend this spot for anyone that wants a very mild Indian cuisine experience. read more

We came to celebrate our anniversary and really loved this place. I am vegetarian and have always been a big fan of Indian food, and Nirvana was fantastic. I had never seen kale pakora on a menu before, and that was great! It has all of the flavor I'm used to from pakora, but without the heavy/greasy quality. The restaurant has a great ambiance and i enjoyed the music and decor as well. It looked like many people were ordering take out, which I'll have to try, but I do think it's worth dining in if you have the time. We'll definitely come back! read more

Order take last night. Everything was delicious. Can not wait to try other items on the menu.

This is where I go when I crave Indian food. I could drink their chicken tikka masala sauce. It had the perfect amount of sweetness and is pretty mild. So creamy and decadent, and the basmati rice is always cooked to perfection. I have not dined in yet so cannot speak of the service. The naan is a perfect addition to mop up all of the extra sauce. I usually order my food, shop at Acme and it is ready by the time I am done grocery shopping. Very convenient location for me! I have also tried the lamb vindaloo, which is delicious too and is on the spicier side. read more

Nirvana Indian Kitchen - Takeout tikka masala and garlic naan - Indian Near Me - Allendale, New Jersey

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Ordered takeout from Nirvana and the food was ok, but nothing spectacular. I would give it another shot and try some of the other dishes. What we ordered: Rogan Josh - Sauce was good, but the meat wasn't tender enough. A few pieces were tough to chew. Kalmi Kebab - The wings were perfectly cooked, but next time I would ask them to kick up the spice level one more notch. Chicken Tikka Masala - Pretty standard fare. I was neither impressed nor disappointed. Onion Naan - Really good. Texture was on point and the onion gave it additional flavor and aroma. read more

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Indian food is not my favorite but I do enjoy Nirvana. My favorites are the Gobi Manchurian, garlic naan, and Chicken Vindaloo. Service is always friendly and atmosphere is inviting. read more

We love nirvana. They have a tent in the side lot for outdoor dining, but since there was no one inside, we took our chances. No lunch buffet due to covid19 so we got the kabob sampler, chicken Makhani and naan. Everything was yummy and we had enough leftovers for a few more lunches read more

Nirvana Indian Kitchen - Chicken Makhani - Indian Near Me - Allendale, New Jersey

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Ordered dinner online from Nirvana tonite. Curbside was an option so I checked it and checked car type and car color as requested. A perfect option as I was in sweats ! Pick up time was 40 minutes later. I got there on time and waited for my order, and waited and waited. Finally I called them and was told I must come in. When I did, I asked the gentleman inside who had my order what happened to curbside and he looked at me like I had two heads. I asked again, explaining it was an option when I online ordered. Once he finally understood what curbside was, he told me they do not offer curbside ! I said OK and asked him to please remove the option from the website so people don't sit in their car waiting while their food gets cold ! When I got home I realized not only was my soft warm bread (Naan) now cold and hard but part of my order was missing... the papadams (savory lentil wafers) I checked my receipt and saw that they took the liberty of substituting them with dessert balls... which I had absolutely no interest in. If I wanted dessert I would have ordered it ! That was an odd substitution... They had my contact information and should have let me know rather than charging me for something I did not get and substituting with something i did not want. Do better Nirvana !! read more

Tonight we decided to dine at nirvana kitchen We told the waiter we liked chicken and lamb and preferred not spicy or hot The waiter asked us to "trust" him and he would bring a chicken and a lamb dish and if we did not like it he would bring something else He brought chicken tikka masala and bhuna ghosht , both of which were delicious The atmosphere was nice ; quiet with nice music We would definitely return to this great spot read more

We Love Nirvana. We have been visiting it since it opened. Lately we've been back often and trying new things. Had the fish special. The whole fish with this fantastic sauce. Our friend had lamb Bhuna Ghosht , I took a taste, will definitely have it next time! My usual go-to are Saag Murgh , Murgh Makhani. This time I tried chicken Ammuala, it was a lovely sweet sauce. I don't like spicy , but I think this dish you can go with a little heat , as the sweetness will balance it out. Want to be daring ? Try the goat if they have it. It was a special and my husband loved it! Lastly we were given a taste of a naan I've never had before . It had cilantro and it was amazing!!!!! We love the eateries in our town and we feel lucky to have Nirvana. read more

I ordered from here on DoorDash and thought it was amazing (ordered the saag paneer). So then, I came with my fiancé on a Saturday and we shared a meal outside . We got onion pakora as an appetizer. It is very crispy and tastes good with the triple side of sauces and spreads that they give you. They serve you a crispy bread with triple side of sauces and spreads that include mango chutney, a green sauce, and a brown sauce (all complimentary). For entrees, we got chicken tikka masala and one of the vegetarian eggplant dishes in peanut sauce. Both were very good. As a side, we ordered garlic naan. If I was just rating the food, I'd give 5 stars for sure. Everything is made extremely well and fresh, with tons of flavor. This is the only Indian food my fiancé's ever had and he loves it. I am giving 4 stars though because they had 2 Poland spring water bottles at the table when we sat down, waitress didn't say anything about them, and charged us $1.50 for each one. I thought they were complimentary and I didn't even open mine, so I was a little surprised to see them on the bill at the end. It's not a big deal or a large amount of money but I don't see other places doing this. We will definitely be back, nonetheless, just because the food is too good. read more

Nirvana Indian Kitchen - Chicken Tikka Masala Garlic or Onion Naan - Indian Near Me - Allendale, New Jersey

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Did not want to overeat. Ordered Masala Dosa instead of the buffet. The fillings were great, although the dough is a bit too thick. I had more crispier ones. read more

Nirvana Indian Kitchen - Masala Dosa. - Indian Near Me - Allendale, New Jersey

Amazing food!!!! Really nice and timely service. Good ambiance. But did I mention the good food? Rogan Josh- chef's kiss! Naan so tasty. Chicken tikka deeelish. The dal!!!! Omg! read more

Nirvana Indian Kitchen - Chicken chicken tikka masala, naan basket, dal tarka, aloo gobi, rogan josh..,, - Indian Near Me - Allendale, New Jersey

Sent out for 8 of us as a birthday dinner. Without listing each item, no need; I can say that everyone enjoyed. Often take out if that size is difficult to pack, get home (without spilling, leaking and dripping), but everything was sealed, fresh and hot. So if you have to stay in (and you do), I'd say to that... Nirvana. And don't forget the Naan. read more

the lamb madras and saag paneer was good. the garlic onion naan was not what i expected thin and the taste felt off. the tikka masala was ehh. Waiter was polite and didnt stand out. The ambiance didnt stand out and was appropriate to the theme. I did not get drunk this meal. read more

Nirvana Indian Kitchen - garlic naan, rice, lamb madras, saag paneer, chicken tikka masala - Indian Near Me - Allendale, New Jersey

We had a wonderful experience at Nirvana. Food was excellent and the service was so warm, so welcoming and helpful. The atmosphere was lovely. All five of us enjoyed our meals. They had a wonderful vegetarian options. We will definitely be going back ! read more

Great food, pleasant ambience, and polite attentive service. If you haven't tried Indian cuisine, this is a perfect place to try first.

Would give it 10 stars if I could. No need to trek into Manhattan for awesome Indian food...this restaurant has delicious food and the friendliest staff. The best part (for me) is that they have Vegan (and Vegetarian) options. On the menu! No asking the chef to make a dish that wasn't on the menu- that's Heaven right there. We had the Onion Pakora and the Uttapam for apps, and I had the Chana Masala for dinner...it was flavorful, fresh and the Onion Pakora was the best app I've had since I went Vegan a few years ago. Will no doubt become our go-to restaurant. The atmosphere is relaxing and the music adds such a nice background to the dining experience. The staff is attentive (your water glass will always be full) and they will answer all of your questions with enthusiasm and a smile. You can dress casual, and it's a BYOB. 8/26/17: Went there for dinner again, and it was just as wonderful as the first time. Food is outstanding, and the staff is awesome. I was told they are adding a few more Vegan items, so I can't wait....if you love Indian food (regardless if you are vegan or carnivore), this place has it all. Fresh, prompt and knowledgeable...it's a gem. read more