We had an incredible time celebrating a friends birthday recently and it turns out we will be going again soon and I can't wait. The food was so authentic and flavorful- we had lamb, beef and chicken mixed with all the dishes you might expect from potatoes eggs and vegetables. [[HIGHLIGHT]]While the restaurant is located in a strip mall, you'd never know it. The ceiling is covered in cloth coverings that you know are authentic.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The dance floor is so inviting-we spent the night between dancing and eating[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. The servers were fantastic. We look forward to our next visit read more

Old Bukhara - Halal Near Me - River Edge, New Jersey

Great food. Reasonable Prices. Service needs a little bit of improvement. Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday. Happened to be on Wednesday night. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Place wasn't packed but there were some customers there.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]So the restaurant is not much for decor IMHO but has excellent food.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Even on Wednesday night. Chuchvara, Lagman, Shurpa, Achik-Chuchuk, Various Kebabs, Beef Tongue, and most importantly Cheburek. The only dish that can go wrong like a puffer fish. Underdo it and it's inedible, overdo it the same, wrong oil or too much oil and your customers will run screaming for the hills. This was actually done so well we went for seconds, light and crispy on the outside and nice and juicy inside. I'm drooling just writing about it.... A great place to visit, service on the slow night could've been a little better but I can't really complain. read more

Before 1991, one may recall that this country was one of fifteen nations that gained their independence after the fall of the Soviet Union. Once a key stop on the Silk Road, Uzbekistan, being doubly landlocked, is the most populated Central Asian country. Its diversity can be observed in food across different regions sourced from farms, such as bread, rice, noodles, and sheep. It is a blend of the cooking traditions of Turkic and Persian peoples with a history dating back thousands of years. Located on Kinderkamack Road in River Edge, my partner, our friends, and I were excited to try this local establishment. A reservation was easily made by calling Old Bukhara (an ancient city) for a party of four Saturday evening. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Upon arrival at two levels of seating, we were greeted inside to a welcoming, surprisingly spacious vibe with intricate decor and traditional furnishings that added to the overall dining experience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were led to a table in the back on the main floor as a large birthday party occupied the main dining room. As appetizers, we decided on the Cheburek, Tandoori Crispy Samsa, and Cheese Stuffed Mushroom. For our main meal, we opted for the national Uzbek dish--Samarkand Plov, Beef with Mushrooms in a white sauce, and Grilled Branzino. The ingredients used were fresh, and everything was cooked to perfection. However, some of the dishes came out very oily and had fatty pieces in the meat. Timing is very important, especially in the food industry. While we were enjoying our appetizers, our main meals arrived shortly thereafter. We learned that one of us didn't receive his meal and watched us eat. When the server finally brought the grilled branzino to the table, we refused it. To add insult to injury, that item was never taken off the bill. I went to the manager, and he accommodated me by taking that item off. The staff wasn't attentive and never showed his present afterwards; our server was "Austin." Old Bukhara didn't deliver that authentic Uzbeki culinary experience that we had hoped for and left us disappointed, which we cannot recommend. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]There was live singer at dinner time and it set a good ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] the staff are very friendly and the food is halal as well. i particularly liked the kebab combo platter with a side and also the uzbek rice pilaf with beef. the bread was a bit hard and dry but the rest of the food was brilliant. i especially liked the sauces that came with the dish it was 3 different sauces and paired nicely. they also serve ice in a nice tray. top tier eats and affordable i'll go back for sure. read more

Old Bukhara - Kebab Combo Platter - Halal Near Me - River Edge, New Jersey

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice ambiance and excellent Uzbek cuisine.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Excellent friendly service. Highly recommended read more

Excellent food!! I have to dock one star for service as there were so many workers there but we had to search multiple times for someone to get us water, then a fork, then the dessert menu, etc. I found that very frustrating. Aside from that, wow was the food delicious and nice portions! Really enjoyed: Borscht with beef and veg (though $12 is quite steep!) Steamed dumplings both with veal and pumpkin - delicious. Veal liver kebab and grilled veggies. Loved!! We tried their 3 homemade desserts and most enjoyed the Bukhara cake and napoleon. read more

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Came again to try more Uzbek/ Central Asian/ former USSR items: Apps: -Meat Mantu - 10/10 -Meat Samsa - 10/10 -Fried Meat Chuchvara - 8/10 Main Dishes: -Braised lamb shank - 8/10 -Samarkand Plov - 8/10 -Tabaka Chicken with fries - 9.5/10 -Kazan Lamb - 10/10 -Uzbek Lamb Lula Kabab - 10/10 Dessert: -Honey cake - 10/10 read more

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The food was great - unfortunately the service was awful. Normally I ignore reviews that talk about service because I think it's specific to the server. Not here. The system they have set up - at least downstairs - is that you don't seem to have a specific waitperson. It seems to be whomever you can flag down. Someone brings out the food and stands there looking befuddled until you recognize what you ordered. Sometimes your food goes to other people. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The decor downstairs is dismal compared to upstairs.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]They had dancing going on upstairs and it looked fun.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Old Bukhara in River Edge, NJ. Have you ever had Uzbek cuisine? I've never had it until I went here! Very authentic, beautifully decorated and you feel totally transported. Uzbekistan's signature dish is Plov-a combo of pilaf, meat, raisins and fresh herbs. There's live music on Friday and Saturday nights and it's BYOB! The service is amazing! Insta: @thehungrysw Tandoori crispy samsa (Signature Uzbek puff pastry stuffed with veal, lamb, onions, and traditional spice blend) Toki Dolma (Uzbek grape leaves, stuffed with rice, lamb and beef, served with a side of sour cream) Achik chuchuk (Tomato, chili, onions and basil) Shepherd bag (Fillet mignon cut into small pieces, fried with bell peppers, tomato, onions, garlic baked into wrap) Mantu (Steamed Uzbek dumplings filled with choice of veal or pumpkin) Samarkand plov (The Uzbek national entrée made with short grain rice topped with a succulent blend of slow-roasted lamb and beef, complemented with savory steamed carrots, chickpeas, raisins, and fresh herbs) Shish Kebab (Lamb and Kufta) Homemade fruit compote read more

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It was a Thursday night and I was looking for something new and ethnic to try within 30 minutes of my house. We're kind of spoiled in that way, lots of great choices. I saw Old Bukhara on Yelp and I knew where I was headed. My daughter was willing to join me and the plan took shape. Old Bukhara has been open for a a couple of months as of August 2024. The restaurant is pretty big, it's nice and bright, and the decor is authentic and vibrant. It looks like there's speakers set up for dancing on the weekend nights. The gentleman who took care of our table (seemed like an owner) was nice and knowledgeable. He pointed me in the right direction with my selections. I had the cold beef tongue and horseradish appetizer and it was delicious, great texture on the beef and the horseradish kicked it up. A pumpkin samsa came with three excellent dipping sauces. The red pepper paste is zesty and packs a bit of heat. We had Uzbek bread and it was served hot and fresh. I had the Samarkand plov for an entree. Really nice portion of lamb, perfectly cooked rice, and additional peppers etc. Word of warning, the little peppers are unsurprisingly spicy. (At least to my palate) My daughter had a chicken Caesar salad, chicken made fresh. They have a solid menu for less adventurous diners. Dessert was the "Old Bukhara" cake, it was worthy of its name. Nice crispy layers, chocolate, and a tasty filling. Washed it all down with a Borjomi mineral water, nice and refreshing. Menu is authentic and has lots of options, plenty directions to go in for next time! read more

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The staff was professional. The food quality was high. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great experience in a beautiful restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Quickly seated. The orders were taken quickly. The food came out at a perfect pace. We split the whole Tabaka chicken with fries. The chicken was a good size. It was very tasty and fried perfectly. There was no breading and it was juicy. My wife had a samsa veal which she enjoyed. She said she would order it again. I had the samsa pumpkin. The pastry had a nice texture. It was tasty inside. I would order again. I would try a different chicken next time. But we would order the samsa again. I will avoid French fry dishes, as I didn't love these. The water is bottled, so I might get a drink next time as I try to avoid microplastics in water bottles. read more

Wish I known this place sooner. Great service, great food, must try the lamb, either lamb chop or the kebab. Definitely deserve more visit read more

Old Bukhara - Halal Near Me - River Edge, New Jersey

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The food is hit or miss; it's the only "Russian-speaking" restaurant in the town and the entire area; therefore they have tons of Russian-speaking customers who have no clue what's real Uzbek cuisine should be. Being in Uzbekistan few times, this place is very far from real genuine Uzbek food cooking. The service is very slow and not efficient. read more

1. Food is nice 2. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Decoration is nice[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 3. Service is awfully 4. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Too crowed and loud[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 5. Made reservation and did not receive it in time 6. Be aware of this place read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great food and a nice place to dine in.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice ambience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]food is excellent. Had the lamb chops yummy read more

Tasteless food.[[HIGHLIGHT]]empty restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was ok. Won't return anytime soon. Nothing memorable about this place at all read more

The place is super nice and authentically designed and the staff were super nice and friendly. We got seated pretty fast although we did not have a booking. The food was awesome and it was super delicious. read more

Old Bukhara - Samarkand Plov - Halal Near Me - River Edge, New Jersey

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Updating my review to deduct 2 stars for service and ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]I was excited to return here for a family birthday celebration and had promised the kids there'd be a DJ and dancing. Disappointed to find the dance floor covered with tables, and the DJ only providing quiet background music.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I get more tables = more revenue, but the service definitely suffered, as did that Russian restaurant feel. The waitstaff tried their hardest, but the place was packed with large tables, and they needed more staff or less tables. There were a few errors with ordering and timing. Luckily, most of the food was still delicious, the soups, plov, and kebabs. The cheburek were mostly dough and lacked stuffing, the kids burger was burnt/charred, and we were never offered dessert. I'd like them to have continued success, but they need to be careful and balanced as they build their reputation. Sometimes more/bigger is not necessarily better. read more

First time this evening. Quiet night. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Cool decor/music and interesting music.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Menu has photos of many dishes. Huge selection. We ordered so much food. It was all delicious. I loved the sauces too. Favorites: Fresh salad Borsch Cheburak Uygur Lagman Three different cakes for dessert Teenagers had never had Uzbeki food and loved it. Devoured it. read more

Food come out too fast. You did not finish even half of your appetizer and main course already arrives. But the problem is that the waiter does not take empty plates and just dumps food on top of each other. Few items we wanted to try were not available. Had to send one dish back. I have no idea how you can prepare beef so tough. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Also did not care for music. Same eighties Soviet Union repertoire.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Old Bukhara - Halal Near Me - River Edge, New Jersey

Horrible night. Had to wait 2hours for our food to show up. They said they were busy....

It can be good or bad depending on what you are looking for. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The live music is very loud, making it difficult to have a conversation at the table.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The people at the dance floor did seem to have fun though.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food is pretty good although some items are very salty. I would probably do a takeout unless I just want to dance all night. read more

Simply epic. Have you ever eaten Uzbek food? Actually, let me rephrase that. Have you ever eaten food? If so, you need to come here. This is not just an optional stop on your life's culinary journey. No, this is a milestone, a checkpoint, or that roadside attraction you couldn't resist and swerved into an exit lane to visit. Because this is the food of Central Asia at its succulent best. Pillowy mantu filled with spiced pumpkin and onion delivered in a bamboo steamer, crisp samsa with savory meat fresh from the oven, mouth-coating aromatic roast lamb, delicate plov (pilaf) studded with sweet carrots, hearty chunks of bread straight out of the tandoor... are you hungry yet, person who claims to have eaten food? The setting is traditional, the service polite and efficient. If you want to feel like a Silk Road sovereign for once in your life, then bring along some Georgian or Armenian wine and feast, feast, feast - all for much less money than you'd expect. Your life's culinary journey will be incomplete until you do. read more

Accidentally stumbled on this amazing restaurant and so glad we did! Everything we have tried was delicious, been to the restaurant twice in the past few weeks. Can't wait to come back again and try more! Ambiance is lovely , they have live music Friday/Saturday/Sunday. Service was good, very attentive read more

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First time having Kazakhstani food and wow I love everything I had. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They have a singer on weekends so you really get to experience their amazing culture.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I highly recommend the Kuzacha Soup, I had it as a starter and it really hit the spot on a cold winter day. Can't wait to go back and try other dishes! read more

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great generous portions [[HIGHLIGHT]]music and dancing starts to early on weekends[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] service is fine read more

We went for a girls night out and had a great time. Food was delicious and ambience is great. The place is very spacious and even thought it was almost full to capacity, it didn't feel crowded at all, tables are far apart from each other. Service was good, it's a new place and they are working out a few kinks. I will definitely come back!! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Festive atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Great service. Delicious food and tea. Kebabs were wonderful and juicy. The potatoes and mushrooms were excellent. Cheburek was golden and meaty. The Manti soup dumplings were superb. Highly recommend this establishment. Would definitely dine here again. read more

Great spot and had live entertainment on Saturday night! Good was great. Had the coolest ceiling tiles I've ever seen. read more

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Food was really good as was the ambience, it was also really busy and had multiple large parties. read more

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I went there because friends said it is look. I ordered 2 appetizers and 4 entrees including their national dish, chicken kebab... I specifically told the waiter we do not want noodles. None of these were flavorful except chicken kebab and the fried rice. We got a dish with COLD soggy noodles that we could not have courage to continue after 1st bite. When the check was presented to us, we noticed one of the two appetizers that we never received was on it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The music is fun but too loud to bear.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My son had to get out and waited for us in the car. Luckily, it was tuned down a bit later. The waitor was nice but either his English is limited or the music was too loud, our order was not right. I still gave him $20 tip for his good attitude. read more

The food at Old Bukhara is phenomenol. If you have never eaten Uzbek food, you're missing out. I'm so glad that such a great restaurant opened locally. We will be back many times. [[HIGHLIGHT]]My kids also loved the decor of the restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Old Bukhara - Halal Near Me - River Edge, New Jersey

Great food. Feels like it's home made. Good service. Love the soup and salads. Would try it again for sure. read more

This was some of the worst customer service I've ever seen. We (a party of three) came without a reservation, and the maître d' said it was pretty full tonight but ultimately found us a table at 5:40 p.m. that he said needed to be freed up by 7 p.m. for another party. And we then saw him specifically go over to the waiter and, pointing to our table, presumably explain the issue. So, understanding time was pressing, we ordered quickly. We ordered three appetizers -- one eggplant salad, three manti, one plate of liver -- and three entrees: two orders of plov and two skewers of chicken kebab. The eggplant salad came out quickly, but we waited a very long time for the other appetizers despite reminding the waiter that only one appetizer had arrived. Finally, at about 6:30, the two other appetizers came out at the same time as two of the entrees, which were the two orders of plov. We mentioned to the waiter that there was one more entree that was still missing -- the two chicken kebab skewers -- and he said he knew. But that order never came, despite our mentioning it a second time. Finally, a bit after 7 p.m., the maître d' came over and said he needed the table now for the other party that was here, so he'd bring out our check. We said that only two of us had gotten our entree, and we were still waiting for the third entree. He said that that would have to be "to go" at this point. We protested that one of hadn't eaten an entree, and it wasn't our fault, as we'd mentioned the issue to the waitstaff several times. Instead of being apologetic and accommodating, as any normal individual working in a customer-service-oriented industry would have been in this situation, he immediately became apoplectic, saying, he told us the table was only available until 7 p.m., and he wouldn't have seated us had he known we'd overstay our welcome. We asked what he'd expected us to do when we'd asked for the food several times. Getting angrier, he said we should've told him rather than the waiter and that we're going to delay a whole table over one stupid chicken kebab? He said he'd comp us the chicken kebab, but we had to take it to go. At this point, feeling like this was just too absurd even to argue about, we said sure. He went off in a huff, presumably to get us the check. Almost the moment he'd stepped away from the table, the chicken kebab was brought out -- and not in a to-go container but in a plate meant for immediate consumption. We asked the waiter whether we should eat it now, and he said yes. So we ate, while the maître d' came back with the check, which did NOT comp for us the chicken kebab. The whole experience was something out of the Twilight Zone, with clearly, a total lack of effective communication between the maître d' and the waitstaff, as well as constant flubs in communication between the waitstaff and the kitchen. We've heard from some relatives who went to this place that the restaurant also kept messing up on their order as well and bringing out the wrong things at the wrong time, etc., so this is clearly not a one-off issue. As for the taste of the food, the chicken kebab, ironically, was delicious (succulent and perfectly flavored), the plov was okay but nothing special and not nearly as good as many of the Uzebki or Bukharan places in Brooklyn or Queens (the meat was tender but the overall flavor was lacking, and maybe it's that they're not using the correct oil, which is supposed to be sesame oil), the liver was very good, the manti weren't bad and the eggplant salad was decent as well. But, of course, the godawful customer service overshadowed the whole experience. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Decor is wonderfully ethnic and colorful,; well-maintained and comfortable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Owner/manger could not have been more gracious or helpful. Attention to details such as clear menu descriptions and layouts, table side politeness and patience of service personnel to customers and food being served at proper temperatures was good. Good food preparation and presentation. read more

Zero at best this time around. I have been to this place several times and have also ordered take-out on numerous occasions. I have never had any complaints until I decided to celebrate my husband's birthday here this past weekend. Food: usually the food is very good here except this time it was ehhh at best, overcooked, dry, missing sauces, over salted and the dessert....wasn't great. They don't allow outside food so I was only able to order an arrangement of their in-house desserts...outside cake would have been much better and faster since it took them 30 mins to bring 2 pots of tea and a few pieces of cake. Service: beyond terrible, as if people forgot they reported to work that day altogether. Waitstaff was passive-aggressive, always had some odd remark anytime you asked for something, dismissive of simple requests like when asked to bring the missing complimentary sauce that goes with appetizer (missing on several dishes) and just completely unavailable since no one ever checked-up on our party of 10. We had to wait 20-30 mins for them to bring wine glasses (we ate 1/2 the salads by the time glasses came) and another 30 minutes for menus so guests can pick entrees. Once they finally brought the menus, waitstaff never came back to actually take any orders. We only got to eat because I preordered appetizers that morning. Oh and forget about eating at a clean table, they did not clear most of the dirty/empty plates even after we requested this so my husband had to collect dirty dishes and place them at an empty table himself. Management: I addressed my disgust at this experience with their manager. Although at first it felt like my concerns were being laughed-at, it's remains unclear if he bothered to understand just how appalling this experience was for my guests. After maybe 2 hours of this, my guests refused to order entrees and only stayed for the dessert to sing happy birthday to my husband because rushing to leave. What I initially thought was a wonderful place has become such a disappointment all around it's sad. Beware!!! read more

we loved everything about Old Bukhara! Service was great, Ambiance is spacious.The detailed traditional decor immerses guests creating a total dining experience. Every dish coming out the kitchen is well balanced, well seasoned, traditional and of course delicious. We had a party of 8. Young and old dinned, danced and where thoroughly entertained by live DJ who also serenaded guests. BYOB kept the bill reasonable. Amazing experience cant wait to return read more

Old Bukhara - Halal Near Me - River Edge, New Jersey

If i were to rate this restaurant a number out of 10 ill give it a 15/10!!! Its so goodd. I was born in Uzbekistan and grew up eating this food. When i moved to New Jersey it was my dream to have an Uzbek restaurant near my house however, I always had to go to brookyln to have it. Now its finally five minutes away and im so happy! Everything is perfect; live music, great service, and great people!! 100/10 recommend to go! read more

Great spot in NJ! If you like good food this is the spot to come to. Try some of the meat options they have, beef and lamb skewers are amazing! Weekends have live music starting around 3-4pm. I've been there twice in as many weeks and looking to go there again soon with family and friends! read more

We were very excited to try this new local restaurant. Unfortunately the meal went from bad to worse. We were a party of five and when we were seated we were not given menus. When the waiter finally came over to take our orders we said we weren't ready because we never got menus. We finally got menus and order a few appetizers and our entrees. The appetizers that came were ok but they forgot to give us a few but still tried to charge us. The entrees were delivered one at a time and there was a full hour difference between the time the first and last person got their meal. Our waiter completely ignored us as we saw tables that came in after us being served. When we called over the manager he said that our meals were entered as individual tickets and not as a group which was why they weren't served together but really didn't apologize or offer any compensation. We will NEVER go back. I added one 1 star because you can't leave zero. read more