I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because the service and the ambience is not top notch but it's great for the price. The food is one of the best indian food this side of the river and would even give the high end new york indian restaurants a run for their money. A caveat here - this is punjabi cuisine and this place is best at that- the owner and the chef are both punjabi. So for folks from Delhi and punjab who miss authentic tandoori chicken, butter chicken or dal makhani - it does not get better than this place. read more

Disclaimer: This is only a review of the lunch buffet. This was a really great Indian spot. I wandered in during lunch hour to find a great, expectation-exceeding buffet awaiting me. For a buffet, I was truly shocked at how distinctly flavorful each dish was; there was attention being paid by the kitchen staff. Adding to my surprise, upon returning from my first trip to the buffet line, a warm basket of naan awaited. I was thrilled! And, the naan was tasty too - perfect for soaking up all that aforementioned flavor. There were a few different dishes available: (1) a standard salad bar; (2) vegetable samosas; (3) rice; (4) achari mushroom; (5) Chana Masala; (6) Aloo Vindaloo; and two meat dishes, (1) Tandoori Chicken; & (2) Chicken Hyderabadi. Finally, there was a dessert station w/ a delicious treat - the name escapes me but they were fried cheese balls in a honey sauce. Buffet or a la carte, the Chicken Hyderabadi was simply phenomenal. This is a must try for any Indian food fan looking for a great, inexpensive lunch spot in Hackensack. The ultimate test of a restaurant, in my opinion, is whether or not I would ever come back - and I've already decided this buffet needs to be a weekly or biweekly occurrence. The decor and atmosphere were delightful and worth mentioning. It's a nice escape from the cubicle/ desk/ etc. Finally, all this food was only $7.95!! read more

Our family friend had recommended this place to us. We ordered in from this restaurant, Goat Curry and Hyderabadi Fish. Fish was really awesome and very nicely cooked, although curry was little on sweeter side for me. While goat curry was oily, but tasted really good. Both dishes came with basmati rice as side dish, quality of the rice was OK, not great. Quantity was sufficient enough for two persons for lunch and dinner. We also thought prices were little on higher side, order of these two dishes costed us around $36 with taxes. Overall liked the food, will definitely order in again. Perhaps will write another review if we visit the restaurant. read more

I had an excellent meal here. Very quite last night. Brought a wine and shared an appetizer as well as the Chicken Tikamasaala plus Garlic naan and so was satisfied. The garlic naan was fluffy and toasty. The whole meal was delicious and I will definitely return. read more

I rarely leave reviews and am rarely impressed but I just had to do my part in boosting this restaurant after the AMAZING QUALITY of food they served us. As an Indian myself, no joke in the 24 years of my family living here this is the best most flavorful north Indian food we've had at a restaurant. Cannot believe we discovered it so late after moving farther up north. It was a 50 minute drive each way for us but I can say is it well worth it (and I hate driving just fyi). Only issue is parking as this is a downtown street. We got a double order of Malai Kofta, Paneer Makhni, Dal Makhni (most authentic we've ever had) and the Bread Basket (onion kulcha was to die for). Also the entrés tasted individual from each other and weren't loaded with a bunch of heavy cream to create volume, nor were they all taste the same as if from one base gravy which is incredible. Quality ingredients, quality technique, quality taste. Just such an exceptional experience, wish we discovered it sooner. Beats Jersey City and Oak Tree by a long shot. read more

First time ordering from Tandoori Chef but decided to give it a try and boy am I happy I did! I ordered Chicken Tikka Masala, Tandoori Naan and Garlic Naan and I have to say, everything was Delicious! The Chicken Tikka was piping hot, creamy and flavorful and delicious. The Tandoori Naan and the Garlic Naan could not be more fresh. I do not write too many reviews but this place definitely earned it. Everything was was as fresh as if I was at the restaurant. Will highly recommend it and will definitely order from here again. read more

5 STARS! I love this place, I've been close to 50 times already and I'm not even exaggerating. The lunch special is awesome from the food to the price. During the hours of 12-3pm, weekdays and I believe weekends too there is a buffet style option, which includes servings of bread, soup & salad, with a selection of meats and veggies. I tend to skip over the salad and soup and try to save room for two, maybe three plates of substantial food. The service is really good and the staff is friendly. The atmosphere is quiet and somewhat dim; you can hear faint sounds of Indian music in the background. I wasn't extremely satisfied when I went for dinner (no buffet), it was extremely pricey and I believe you get more "bang for your buck" at lunch. read more

I've ordered from here a dozen times and every time I look for something wrong, I can't. I've had almost all their chicken curries and they're all amazing. I love that they're pretty spicy too. I can handle spiciness well (to give you an idea, Tabasco has the same effect on me as some mint gums) but I mostly stick to their default spice levels. The curries have good consistency and aromas. They just warm my stomach right up and I can't stop eating. And it might not seem like anything, but I really appreciate how neat and clean the packaging is when they deliver. It's just a tiny bit pricey, but completely worth your money. I've had Indian food at many places and this is right up there with some of the best I've tasted. read more

Ordered Pick Up Paneer Makhani - delicious but a bit too much sauce Shrimp Biryani - while the spices were quite good, the rice was not basmati I was disappointed because i have tasted their biryani before and it was awesome. The rice was substituted with a short grain rice that you would find in any chinese restaurant....points off! Onion Kulcha - fresh and delicious The flavors of their dishes are very good. However, the prices have gone up dramatically. I would tolerate the prices, if the ingredients weren't compromised. too bad, really wanted this spot to be my go-to indian read more

I had high expectations of this place due to all the positive Yelp reviews. My mom & I came here for the buffet. Things weren't labeled very well & it seemed like the food was sitting there. We had the Chicken Tikka Masala (ehh), some naan (good but how can you mess up naan), some unidentifiable potato dish (alright) & some lentils. The day after I feel horribly sick. I text my mom to see if she had similar symptoms, which she did. Though we can't say with 100% certainty Tandoori Chef got us sick it we both are putting this on our "never again" list. read more

foods always delicious when i come. usually i get the chicken soup & garlic naan for when i want something lighter but still filling, but this time i got the chicken tikka masala and garlic naan. very good read more

Tandoori Chef - Chicken Tikka Masala Garlic Naan Bread - Indian Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

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They really don't know the definitions of "mild" and "no spice." The food is otherwise good, but pricy for lunch unless you're going to the buffet. I'd stick to dinner here for value. read more

Amazing food! Our company caters from this place almost every Friday (my favorite day of the week). Over the last year I have sampled almost all the dishes on the menu. I haven't been disappointed yet. read more

Delivery - good, arrived on time. Service - friendly. Value - reasonable. Ingredient quality - good. Food items; Garlic Naan - Very good. Chicken TM - fair. Lot of cream and onions, not much tomato or spice. Kind of bland. Chili Chicken - poor. Threw it out after a few bites. Tandoori chef has a lot of potential. But with current recopies, too bland to be good Indian food. Its more like a Wisconsin suburban housewife version of Indian food. I'm stunned by all the raves. Go figure. Best in Bergen Co? Guess its a trip to NYC next time then. read more

Best local Indian food out there. I come here all the time. Food is always great! I always order the goat biryani and it never fails to disappoint read more

Been coming here for years. I always loved it . People have known me for years there. I love them so much. I even love samosa chatt. I love their tea soooo much. Its really my fav place ever. read more

I've been to southern India, London, Manchester and go to work in NYC near Curry Hill. This place is by far the most authentic India restaurant in Bergen county. Their curry chicken is amazing and authentic always tender and perfectly seasoned. Buffet is always worth it as the food is always fresh. Chicken vindalo is nice and spicy, and lamb biryani always flavorful. Service is excellent. Go in and you will see that at least half of their customers are indian. read more

This place is pretty awful. I got lamb vindaloo and garlic naan for $24 during lunch, they don't do buffet during the week anymore. Vindaloo consisted of a few pieces of overcooked lamb mixed with under cooked potatoes floating in hot, but otherwise flavorless sauce. Rice was bland, and I didn't find any spices mixed in. For $4 you get one piece of garlic naan that tasted like it was microwaved. Since they are charging premium for food I would add a few words about decor. It's drab, outdated and borderline depressing. I have a pretty bad experience with this place every year but sudden cravings for Indian food and their proximity bring me back. This time was the last. read more

Tandoori Chef - Unpalatable lamb vindaloo with uncooked potatoes. - Indian Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

We went for dinner. There were three people working/ serving. But inspite of waiting for 30mins and asking one of the server we were ready for order, they would not pay us attention for 10 more mins. But anyways we ordered when they got sometime for us. The restaurant was not busy and we were the only customer they had that time. The food came out in sometime. Meanwhile we were given some papad to munch on, which wasn't fresh. The main course was okay: ordered bhindi daal rice and naan. It is expensive for the quantity they provide. We are not visiting again! read more

Love this place!! Food is very delicious. I and my husband came this place many times and this is our 4th visit but checked-in yelp and writing review for 1st time. We ordered vegetable samosa, garlic naan and malai kofta. Everything was very good, we love their malai kofta so much, we order it every time we are here also we got rasmalai as free desert for yelp check-in. We keep on coming here!! read more

Wow. We literally called in advance to see what time this place opens because their site conflicts with Yelp. They assured us that they open at 11. We drive through the snow ready for some Indian buffet only to walk in and have them tell us that they don't open until 12. We said, "We just called and you guys said 11," only to have them keep repeating that they open at 12. Great communication. Thanks for wasting our time! read more

Great food! As everyone else says, their buffets are the best deal- with usually three vegetarian dishes, two chicken curries and tandoori chicken, white rice, salad and one dessert, and not to mention fresh, fluffy naan, its an unlimited about of great food for I believe 9 dollars. Service is great too. Their chicken biryani and chicken/paneer makhni would probably be the go-to thing for people unfamiliar with indian food to try. Prices are probably a bit less than other Indian food places. I've come with friends and family and definitely will continue to! read more

We ordered delivery twice from here now and each time it is a struggle to understand the person taking my order but the food is excellent so who cares. read more

i love this place! if i want Indian this has always been my go to! Some Indian places will use old chicken in their Chicken Tikka Masala if the Kebob doesn't sell, but they don't! they are so kind and sweet. I either sit down or order for delivery, delivery does take awhile maybe like 45-55 but they always tell you before hand. Their garlic naan is the bomb.com, the best ive had at any Indian place. I haven't tried their desert but im sure its great. The weekend buffet is great, this is definitely a must try. read more

This place is great! Just had it for the first time with my sister who has never really liked Indian. She got the chicken Kashmiri, I got the lamb kofta. Both were amazing. The kofta was the best Indian food I've ever experienced. She can't wait to come back to tandoori chef again! read more

Once I ordered their biryani and was not at all happy with the dish..It was a very unhappy experience

Very disappointed.waste of 60 bucks and could not even finish 10% of food.please dont waste ur money and time

Ultra impressed with this place. The food was Fantastic! I've basically eaten indian food my entire life so having tried everything from home cooked to fancy restaurants in NYC. I was blown away with the exquisite flavors. I will be a returning customer guaranteed read more

Best kept Indian Food spot in Bergen County hands down! This place always pleasantly surprises me even when I'm looking and tasting for faults. I've been here for parties. I've taken out from here. I've dined in as well and the quality of food is at a very high level. Friendly service for sure. Flavor profiles are perfect for every curry and the tenderness factor is perfect in every one of the kebabs. Their dals and breads are done exquisitely as well. Conveniently located close by Hackensack Hospital and the courthouse on Main Street in Bergen County's capital city! read more

Tandoori Chef is a great place to eat! The food is very good. Took the family there and it was reasonably priced. It's byob so even better. The staff is friendly and Chicken Tikka Masala is crazy awesome...one of the best I have ever had. I am Indian and I know that stuff is good!! read more

We had ordered food once, and they delivered an uncooked naan. Since , the food was already delivered, we couldn't get it returned or exchanged. As we informed the restaurant, they said they will waive off the naan's price. However, second time we had been to restaurant assuming the food served will be better. But, it was stale. Nothing was fresh. Especially the chicken tikka masala. Was very disappointed! read more

run, just run for your life. This was by far the worst indian food I've had in a really long time. To add to it, service was pathetic.

Tandoori chef continues to be a place I keep coming back whenever I am in mood for authentic Indian food. Having grown up in India, I have different standards for how Indian food should taste and find most of the Indian restaurants in the NJ - NY area to be losing the "Indian touch" and mostly getting lost in trying to create a fusion between Indian spices suited to western taste. Tandoori Chef, in my mind, is as authentic as Indian food gets, at least in Northern Jersey. The true test for me, whenever I go to Indian restaurants, is how the Tandoori Naan and Maa ki Daal taste. It takes long years of dogged tenacity and painstaking practice to get the ingredients right in a perfect simmer to make a good Daal. So if you are someone who, like me, amidst every shifting flavors and crass commercialization of Indian food, are looking to sit down and have a good "Daal and roti", pay Tandoori Chef a visit! read more

Ordered delivery on a weekday at 6:45. After waiting for an 1hr I called to check on the status and got a very rude response, after being put on hold for 5 minutes he came back with the response "we don't know where the delivery guy is, we don't know how long it will take". I waited another 30 mins before making the second call and got the same rude, vague, irresponsible behavior. Finally after 2 hrs the delivery lady calls and asks for directions to the apartment which is very straightforward and right on the main street. After 10 minutes of this she still could not find the place and my husband had to drive down to where she was! Most ridiculous service! If you are not capable of delivering do not claim to provide the service and cause more inconvenience to your customers. read more

My family decided to try this place due to the positive reviews. Uh I think we must have gone to a different restaurant. When we arrived we were the only people there. There was also only 1 waiter/ host. While the restaurant was empty there seemed to be a great deal of take out/delivery orders.. So great that it took the waiter 20 min to get to us. Once we placed our order it was another 30 min for our food. The food was just ok. We also only received one small plate of rice for 2 entrees. We got the free dessert through yelp and good thing it was free because it was old ice creme with frost on it. read more

The best Indian food I have tasted. It is my boyfriends and mine favorite spot to go to after work. It helps that it is a byob. My mom cosigns on this place and she's had plenty of Indian food experiance. When you see natives eating there you know it is GOOD. I Hhve tried many things on the menu never left disappointed. The chef always gives us complimentary appetizer. read more

The food was tasteless, uncooked and a lot pricey for the quality they provided. A big no no for it

Great place with awesome food for lunch special, at least! They have moved next door to a smaller place and lunch special is now $11.95 and on WEEKENDS ONLY! read more

I didn't even think I liked Indian food until my Indian friends had me try this place. I now order from this place on the regular. I love the chicken or the lamb vindaloo (it's got the perfect kick of spicy), the samosas and the Tandoori chicken is NUTS--it's so super flavorful and juicy. I've even had some of the vegetarian dishes and, although I really don't exactly know what I ate, it was a party in my mouth I never wanted to end. read more

Looks like I am the first Indian to review this place so I guess the Indians will get a real review. First of all, the food here is absolutely amazing... Its cooked to an Indian taste and not the American taste like some of the other restaurants around in Bergen County. The Tandoori dishes are by far the best that I've had in NJ. The Aachari Mushrooms, Paneer Tikka, Chicken Tikka and the Tandoori Chicken are mouth watering. Ah - and the Tandoori Butter Naans with Butter Chicken the are just to die for. It reminds me of the food back home. Ive also tried their Veg Briyani and their Chciken Biryani - Both are extremely good. The Chaat's here are yummy too - Dont forget to order them as an appetizer if you like "chaat" food. The lunch Buffet is pretty decent choice when you are hungry and willing to do justice for a cheap price. However I prefer the à la carte. read more