PONGAL

My wife and I had a wonderful dinner here! We are both vegan, and the restaurant serves many vegan dishes which are all very tasty. The servers are so polite, and they served us a complementary rich and creamy vegan ice cream with coconut milk—honestly the best vegan ice cream I’ve ever had. Pongal is excellent. I highly recommend!

We are novices when it comes to Indian cuisine and our server helped explain everything to us with such patience and care.<br>He also gave us tea and a dessert on the house and was super sweet. The food itself was just delicious and I will be craving the spicy curry yogurt! It was divine!

Delicious dinner for 4! We got a dosa, a mixed appetizer platter, and 3 entrees and everything was so good, spicy, wholesome and filling. Service was warm and fast, loved our complimentary dessert as well :) Can’t wait to return!

Pongal has been a Lexington Avenue staple for decades, and for good reason. The Mysore Special Thali is the order: idli, vada, dosai, sambar and coconut chutney all arriving together, each component earning its place. The sambar alone is worth the trip. Tipu was attentive, warm and steered me right on the Tishbi Sauvignon Blanc. Honest South Indian cooking at a fair price, with service to match.

The BEST Indian food in Manhattan! We come here every time my family comes into the city and it has never disappointed. They don’t employ many servers but they always give us our food in a timely manner. The food itself is so good that I have made multiple trips (3-4hrs each way) just to eat here. The vibes inside are also really nice. Definitely come to Pongal if you get the chance!

Loved the variety that this restaurant offers. Some dishes were good, some didnt live up to the expectations. All in all a decent experience

Last night, we had dinner @ Pongal while visiting NYC, and was really fascinated with the quality of their pure vegetarian food. it’s the best South Indian food that I have ever eaten in a while. So if you want to eat pure vegetarian Indian food while in New York City, then there is no better place than PONGAL.

We had a wonderful dining experience at this traditional Indian restaurant. The South Indian thali was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented, offering a perfect balance of flavors—from aromatic sambar and chutney to flavorful vegetable curries, soft idlis, crispy dosa & Medu Vada. Each item tasted fresh and authentically prepared.<br><br>The portion size was generous, making the thali very satisfying and great value for money.<br><br>The atmosphere of the restaurant was warm and welcoming, with a calm traditional vibe that made the meal even more enjoyable.<br>What truly stood out was the staff—polite, attentive, and always ready to help with a smile.<br><br>Overall, it was a delightful experience, and I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking to enjoy authentic South Indian food in a comfortable and friendly setting.

Such an underrated gem. Me and my husband would anyday skip sarvana bhavan and go to Pongal. Authentic south indian food and top of the chart hospitality. We tried their mysore thali and most recommended Madras Rava Masala dosa. Crispy till the last bite loaded with flavors!<br><br>Their idly needs to get better - it was cold and dry so avoid that. Great food and good service!

This place came highly recommended by my friend Mohini, and it truly lives up to the praise. Pongal is a gem for authentic Indian cuisine. The food is purely vegetarian and absolutely delicious, with a comforting, homemade quality that really stands out.<br><br>Their dosas and thalis are among the best I’ve had in NYC fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. The service is another highlight: attentive, friendly, and patient, especially when helping navigate the extensive menu.<br><br>The ambiance is cute and colorful with comfortable seating, making it a relaxed spot for both casual lunches and dinners, whether you’re dining solo or with a group. If you’re looking for authentic Indian vegetarian food paired with great service and a cozy setting, Pongal is a must visit.

Visited Pongal for lunch today. We ordered the Mysore thali - the food was overall good, though the Idli was very dry and flaky.<br><br>It is on Lexington Ave - tough to find street parking in the neighborhood.<br><br>Service was friendly & good. The seating was warm and inviting.

OMG ❣️ By far the best Indian Food in Curry Hill! The addition of Bombay Street Food is awesome. Mutter Paneer off the charts. Bhel Puri fantastic. We have been coming for over 20+ years and they have NEVER disappointed! In fact my wife went into labor shortly after an amazing meal here and we gave birth to a beautiful baby girl who loves Pongal. HIGHLY RECOMMEND 💯

I had one of the worst Pongal dishes ever — ironically, at a restaurant named "Pongal." The quality was extremely poor, and the food tasted cheap and uninspired. To make matters worse, they added a gratuity charge for a party of just three people, which goes against NYC regulations that typically apply automatic gratuity only for groups of five or more. Very disappointing overall.

Pongal has been one of my favorite eateries for YEARS. Their rava masala dosa is my favorite, and their chef Dipti is simply amazing. Thank you to Pongal’s Manager Tipu and his team including Rahul for their excellent customer service!

This place is a complete rip-off. The food is ridiculously overpriced, and the quality is terrible. They served us cold, sour idlis—an absolute disgrace to South Indian food. To make it worse, the waiter (who admitted he was from Bangladesh) had the audacity to lecture me, someone from Bangalore, on how idlis are made. We returned the idlis, yet they still charged us for them shameless! On top of that, they sneakily added $4 each for extra rasam and sambar without even informing us. The quantity is tiny, the quality is awful, and the pricing is absurd. Save your money, there are far better places than this restaurant.