Utsav

I really like the atmosphere very nice decor. I tried butter chicken and a few other things for the first time with my mom! the food was good and tasted authentic! i recommend this place if you wanna try indian food!

We were on vacation in New York, and my husband’s friend suggested this place for a friends’ reunion. He was very excited about it. The ambiance and staff were good<br><br>There were only 6 of us, and we ordered chili garlic cauliflower, mango shakes, biryani, naan, French fries, kadai paneer, chicken curry, rasmalai, mishti doi, halwa, and golgappa.<br><br>The bill came to $298 plus tax, and an 18% gratuity on top of that, bringing the total to around $380 USD for 6 people, which worked out to about $65 per person.<br><br>Overall, the ambiance was nice and the staff were friendly, and the food was also good.

We hosted a welcome dinner for our out-of-town guests who had flown in for my granddaughter's Navjote (initiation into the Zoroastrian religion) ceremony. It was the first time I was organizing a dinner in NYC and I was glad that I received good guidance from the hands on owner. Was surprised at the size of the restaurant with its big and small party halls in addition to the restaurants and bars. We were only a party of 30 guests but they willingly gave us the whole large party hall so we could mix and mingle and then sit down to a sumptuous dinner. The starters circulated with the drinks just kept on coming. Succulent hariyali kababs, salt and pepper shrimp, fried wantons and other tasty tit bits. There was enough variety in the dinner to suit all tastes. But the lamb biryani and the Chettinad chicken emerged as universally popular. Both bar and food service was impeccable and the bill was definitely great value for money.Thank you Utsav.

This place is fantastic. Truly a gem, and we didn't know it existed until tonight. Our whole party agreed we will return as soon as we can “Gilifton “the server was the best! Food and service were excellent, decor understated and modern, each of our dishes tasty.<br>What's interesting is they have some Chinese items as well as an extensive more traditional Indian/bengali menu.<br>Try the fried rice (white )which was beyond delicious, a perfect end to a wonderful meal.

Today was a hectic day — spent almost an hour driving around just to find parking , but dinner at Utsav completely made my day.<br><br>A special thanks to Gilifton for the warm hospitality and great service. We ordered biryani and fried rice, and the fried rice was honestly outstanding — perfectly cooked, flavorful, and really satisfying. The biryani was delicious too.<br><br>Great food, great service, and a perfect ending to the day. Definitely looking forward to coming back again!

Food was super delicious, probably needed a little more salt. Service was great and staff was courteous and helpful, though initially there was a confusion regarding the availability of the bengali thali. Overall, I must say a must go to, especially for the bengali cuisine.

We returned to Utsav for a second time, primarily because the fried rice left such a great impression during our last visit. Located right in the heart of NYC’s tourist hub near Times Square, the layout features a bar on the first floor and a more spacious dining area on the second. The ambiance is decent—not overly fancy or extraordinary, but comfortable enough for a mid-city meal.<br><br>The Food: From Highlights to Heartbreak<br><br>Shrimp Egg Fried Rice: Hands down the best of the four dishes. Each grain of rice was distinct and perfectly amalgamated with fried egg and shrimp. It’s a dish that truly encourages your taste buds and offers great value for the money.<br><br>Kolkata Fish Fry: I suspect they used Basa rather than the traditional Bhetki fish. The fish was not well-marinated defying moisture retainment. However, the fish fry accompanying Kasundi mustard sauce was the perfect touch to enhance the overall experience. Having been spoiled by the pioneer of the Kolkata fish fry, my taste buds remain loyal to Mitra Cafe; no successor has been able to eclipse that original experience<br><br>Chilli Garlic Fish: A solid starter made in the Indo-Chinese style. The sautéed onions, chilli peppers, and spring onions provided a nice kick and a great texture to the fish.<br><br>Butter Chicken: Unfortunately, this was the worst part of the meal. It felt like they didn't know how to make a proper Butter Chicken. If you’ve never had REAL Butter Chicken in India, you might find this acceptable, but it was far too sweet—likely amplified with sugar. It completely lacked the balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy that defines this mighty recipe.<br><br>Final Verdict<br>Utsav is a conveniently located spot with a decent atmosphere, serving mouth-watering fried rice and descent Bengali/Indo-Chinese options. However, the Butter Chicken failed to excite my taste buds entirely. If you want the real deal, I’d suggest trying Chatpata Delhi in NJ instead. Taste is subjective, but for me, this was a mix of good, average, and disappointing.

went for lunch on a sunday, not crowded at all. pretty good food but portions were a bit small for the price. the servers were super nice and accommodating.

Yummy good quality food. If you are coming for the buffet, it is only available Monday thru Friday.

Great experience at this restaurant! We ordered egg devil, veg Hakka chowmein, and Schezwan chicken. The food was so good that I forgot to take pictures, managed to click one of the egg devil.<br><br>The chowmein tasted like authentic Indian Hakka Chinese, something I hadn’t had since leaving India 7 years ago. Really satisfying and nostalgic experience. Highly recommended!

Visited for dinner - started with an appetizer - Konjee vegetable crispy and then for the mains - Malai Kofta and 2 breads - Garlic nan and Jalapeno Cheese nan (spicy)<br><br>Food was amazing and our server Mr Naseem was really hospitable and suggested good options per my palate.<br><br>Ambiance is pleasant, spacious seating. Recommend for sure.

I dined at utsav Restaurant in times square , and it was an unforgettable experience! The ambiance was warm and inviting, but it was the food that truly stole the show. The butter chicken, bunna gosht, and chicken biryani were absolutely divine - the flavors were so rich and authentic, I couldn't get enough! The portions were generous too. The lady at the front desk - anchal was extremely courteous; she made us feel so comfortable and frequently checked if everything was fine. Highly recommend this place for authentic Indian cuisine.

This was my first time dining in at this location. I’ve tried their chicken fried rice several times as takeout and always enjoyed it, so I went in with high expectations.<br>However, the dine-in experience was disappointing. There was a private party happening, and while the noise wasn’t an issue at first, the loud music and the crowd at the entrance made the entire space feel congested and chaotic. It felt like we were seated inside the party, and no one acknowledged or apologized for the inconvenience.<br>The tables were extremely close together, to the point where it felt like I was sharing a side table with another group. As for the food, the flavors were good, but my chili garlic noodles (ordered vegetarian) had no vegetables at all, which was unexpected.<br>I wouldn’t call it a bad experience, but it definitely fell short. At the very least, the staff should have informed us about the private party and potential disturbances before seating us. I’ll likely continue ordering takeout because the food is reliable, but I wouldn’t choose to dine in again, it simply wasn’t worth the time or discomfort.

Utsav made an excellent experience for us with vibrant celebration of flavors, bringing the bold, aromatic spices of India right to the table. They have a specific menu for Bengali delicacies. Don’t forget to try Nolen gurer icecream. Would love to come back again

My wife and I were in New York City for a date night. After walking around and exploring different parts of the city, we were really hungry and craving Indian food. That’s when we decided to try Utsav Restaurant.<br><br>Our server, Kumar, was incredibly friendly and helpful. Since we’re vegetarians, we asked for recommendations, and he suggested a variety of dishes that turned out to be absolutely delicious. We ordered the Chinese Bhel, Crispy Chilli Babycorn, Burnt Garlic Coriander Rice, Mixed Vegetable Subzi, and Tandoori Roti, along with a Sweet and Mango Lassi to balance the spices.<br><br>The food was flavorful and satisfying, and the ambiance and service were top-notch. We truly enjoyed our dinner and would highly recommend Utsav to anyone looking for authentic Indian cuisine in the city.