Raj Mahal: A Taste of Authentic Indian Cuisine in the East Village

Raj Mahal Introduce

Nestled in one of Manhattan's most dynamic neighborhoods, the East Village, Raj Mahal stands as a long-standing fixture of New York City's vibrant and diverse Indian food scene. This Indian and South Asian restaurant offers a comprehensive and authentic culinary experience, drawing diners in with its aromatic spices and classic dishes. Known for its extensive menu that caters to a wide range of tastes and dietary needs, Raj Mahal provides a true taste of traditional Indian cuisine. It’s a place that has become a go-to for locals seeking comfort food and for visitors looking for a memorable, flavorful meal.

What makes Raj Mahal a must-visit spot is its dedication to classic recipes and the sheer variety of its offerings. The menu is a journey through the rich and complex flavors of India, from rich, creamy curries to fiery vindaloos and a stunning selection of tandoori bread. This establishment is not about reinventing the wheel; it's about perfecting the classics. The atmosphere is consistently described as casual and cozy, providing a welcoming backdrop for any occasion, whether it’s a quick solo meal, a lunch break, or a relaxed dinner with a group of friends. The restaurant’s popularity is a testament to its consistent delivery of delicious food and its role as a reliable, friendly neighborhood spot.

Location and Accessibility

Raj Mahal is conveniently located at 322 E 6th St, New York, NY 10003, right in the heart of the East Village. This area is famously known as "Curry Row" for its high concentration of fantastic Indian and South Asian restaurants, and Raj Mahal fits right in with its commitment to authentic flavors. The restaurant is easily accessible by various public transportation options, including the subway and bus systems that serve this central Manhattan neighborhood. This makes it a great choice for a spontaneous meal after exploring Tompkins Square Park or a planned dinner before catching a show in the area.

The restaurant's setting is designed to be a comfortable retreat from the busy city streets. While it may not feature all the modern amenities of larger, newer establishments, its focus is on providing a warm, cozy dining environment. The casual atmosphere makes it easy to feel at home, and the focus on table service ensures that every diner is well taken care of. For those who prefer to dine elsewhere, Raj Mahal offers excellent services for both takeout and delivery, ensuring that you can enjoy their delicious food from the comfort of your own home, office, or anywhere in the city.

Services Offered

Raj Mahal offers a variety of services to accommodate the needs of its diverse clientele.

Dine-in and Takeout: Enjoy the full, cozy dining experience or order your meal to go for a convenient and delicious option on the move.
Delivery and No-contact Delivery: Get your favorite Indian dishes delivered directly to you, with the option of a safe, no-contact delivery for added peace of mind.
Reservations: Raj Mahal accepts reservations, making it a reliable choice for planning a dinner with a group or ensuring a table during a busy evening.
Table Service: The restaurant provides traditional table service, with an attentive staff dedicated to making your meal as enjoyable as possible.
Catering: While not explicitly stated on the provided information, many Indian restaurants of this nature offer catering for events. It is recommended to call ahead to inquire about this service.

Features and Highlights

Raj Mahal’s appeal is built on a number of key features that make it a favorite among locals.

Extensive and Authentic Menu: The restaurant offers a massive selection of dishes, covering a wide spectrum of Indian cuisine. From rich curries and tandoori specialties to a large variety of Indian breads and vegetarian options, there is something for everyone.
Dietary Accommodations: With a focus on authentic Indian cuisine, the menu includes numerous healthy, vegetarian, and vegan options. The "Fresh Vegetable Specialties" section alone is a highlight for plant-based diners.
Late-Night Food: For those craving a flavorful meal late in the evening, Raj Mahal is a perfect choice, offering late-night dining options.
Fast Service: Customers often note the efficiency of the service, making it a great option for a quick bite during a busy day or a hassle-free dinner.
Casual and Cozy Atmosphere: The ambiance is relaxed and comfortable, making it a great place to unwind and enjoy a meal without feeling rushed.
Good for Groups: With its classic, straightforward setup and large menu, it’s a great spot for groups of friends or family to share a meal together.

Contact Information

To get in touch or place an order, you can reach Raj Mahal at the following:

Address: 322 E 6th St, New York, NY 10003, USA
Phone: (212) 982-3632

What Is Worth Choosing

When it comes to deciding what to order at Raj Mahal, the sheer number of choices can be daunting, but a few categories stand out as particularly worth exploring. The "Chicken Specialties" menu is a great starting point for first-time visitors, with a variety of flavors ranging from the classic Chicken Curry to the intensely spiced Chicken Vindaloo. The Chicken Tikka Masala is a popular choice for a reason, offering a creamy, rich tomato-based sauce that is both comforting and delicious. For those looking for something different, the Chicken Bhona and Chicken Saag offer complex flavors and satisfying textures.

The vegetarian and vegan options are another major reason to choose Raj Mahal. The "Fresh Vegetable Specialties" menu is a treasure trove of delicious, plant-based dishes. Options like Saag Paneer (with Indian cheese and spinach) and Chana Masala (chickpeas in a flavorful sauce) are staples, but the more unique offerings like Bhindi Masala (okra) and Malai Kofta (vegetable balls in a creamy sauce) are equally compelling. The Indian breads, from the simple Naan to the garlic-infused and cheese-stuffed varieties, are perfect for soaking up every last bit of curry. The menu is designed to be shared, so ordering a few different dishes and breads is the best way to experience the full breadth of what Raj Mahal has to offer. Despite some mixed reviews, the overall consensus points to a restaurant that provides a substantial, authentic, and satisfying Indian dining experience in a neighborhood full of choices.

Raj Mahal Vibe

Appetizers
Papadum $2.25
A bean wafer. Thin and crispy Indian style bread.
Vegetable Samosa $4.95
Turnover filled with vegetables.
Meat Samosa $4.95
Turnover filled with meat.
Coconut Samosa $4.95
Turnover filled with coconut.
Vegetable Pakora $4.95
Mixed vegetable fritter served with string beans, carrots, broccoli and celery.
Banana Pakoras $4.95
Banana fritters.
Begun Pakora $4.95
Eggplant fritters.
Chana Bhaji $7.95
Fried chickpeas, served with poori bread.
Mushroom Bhaji $7.95
Fried mushrooms, served with poori bread.
Sag Bhaji $7.95
Spinach cooked in light spices, served with poori bread.
Chicken Liver Appetizer $7.95
Chicken liver with sauteed herbs and spices, served with poori.
Fried Shrimp Appetizer $8.95
Fresh shrimp cooked Bengali style, served with poori.
Assorted Indian Hors d'Oeuvres $9.95
Samosas, pakoras, shami kebab and papadum, served with mint sauce, tamarind sauce and onion relish.
Tandoori Platter $9.95
Served with chicken tikka, bati kabob with lamb and sheek kabab.
Sheek Kabab Appetizer $9.95
Minced lamb with onions and herbs, roasted on skewers.

Soups
Yellow Lentil Soup $4.95
Mulligatawny Soup $4.95
Delicious lentil soup with tomatoes, lemon herbs and mild Indian spices.
Vegetable Soup $4.95
Mixed fresh vegetables soup with Indian spices.
Coconut Soup $4.95
Delicious coconut in hot milk.
Chicken Soup $4.95
Chicken soup with tomatoes, garlic, ginger and some Indian herbs and spices.
Chicken Noodle Soup $6.00

Indian Breads
Naan $3.50
Unleavened bread freshly baked in the clay oven.
Chapati $3.50
Light, unleavened, baked soft bread.
Paratha $3.50
Butter fried layered bread.
Poori $3.50
Puffy bread fried in oil.
Coconut Poori $3.95
Deep fried poori bread stuffed with coconut.
Cheese Poori $3.50
Deep fried poori bread stuffed with cheese.
Alu Paratha $3.95
Paratha bread stuffed with mashed and spiced potatoes.
Keema Paratha $3.95
Paratha stuffed with mildly spiced chopped meat and peas.
Keema Naan $3.95
Naan stuffed with minced meat, baked in the clay oven.
Garlic Naan $3.95
Unleavened naan with garlic, baked in the clay oven.
Onion Kulcha $3.50
Naan stuffed with mildly spiced onions and peas, baked in the clay oven.
Peshwari Naan $3.50
Unleavened naan with almonds and raisins baked in the clay oven.
Mughlai Paratha $5.00
Paratha stuffed with mildly spiced chopped meat, peas, eggs and herbs.
Cheese Naan $3.95
Unleavened naan with cheese.
Alo Naan $3.95
Unleavened naan with mashed potatoes.
Tikka Naan $3.95
Unleavened naan with chicken tikka.
Saag Nan $3.95
Unleavened naan with spinach.
Butter Naan $3.95
Dal Paratha $3.95

Fresh Vegetable Specialties
Served with saffron rice, dal, cabbage, onion relish, tamarind and hot mint sauces. Choice of Saffron Rice: Brown Rice - $2.95.
Mixed Vegetable Curry $11.95
A combination of fresh vegetables in a lightly spiced sauce.
Nabaratan Curry $11.95
Ten fresh vegetables cooked with nuts and mild spices.
Vegetable Vindaloo $11.95
Highly spiced fresh vegetables cooked in tangy sharp spices.
Chana Saag $11.95
Chickpeas and spinach cooked with mild or hot spices.
Mushroom Saag $11.95
Fresh mushrooms and spinach cooked with mild or hot spices.
Saag Paneer $11.95
Fresh spinach and cheese cooked with mild or hot spices.
Mattar Paneer $11.95
Green peas and cheese cooked with mild or hot spices.
Aloo Palak $11.95
Potatoes and spinach tastefully sauteed with herbs and Indian spices.
Aloo Matar Gobi $11.95
Potatoes, green peas and cauliflower cooked with mild or hot spices.
Bhindi Masala $11.95
Fresh okra cooked with tomatoes, onions and Indian spices.
Vegetable Dhansak $11.95
A combination of fresh vegetables cooked Persian style with lentils and spinach.
Tarka Dal $11.95
Lentils delicately tempered and seasoned with herbs and spices.
Vegetable Kurma $11.95
Cooked in mughlai style with almonds and mild creamy sauce.
Malai Kofta $11.95
Fresh mixed vegetable balls cooked in a mild creamy sauce.
Begum Bhortha $11.95
Whole eggplant baked over a clay oven, blended with herbs and sauteed with onions and tomatoes.
Vegetable Karahi $11.95
Vegetables cooked with tomatoes and onions in curry sauce.
Chana Masala $11.95
Fresh chickpeas cooked with tomatoes, onion and Indian spices.

Chicken Specialties
Served with saffron rice, dal, cabbage, onion relish, tamarind and hot mint sauces. Choice of Saffron Rice: Brown Rice - $2.95.
Chicken Curry $12.95
Boneless chicken cooked in a mildly spiced sauce.
Chicken Madras $13.95
Boneless chicken cooked with tomatoes and medium spices.
Chicken Vindaloo $13.95
Chicken cooked with potatoes and hot peppers in a highly spiced sauce.
Chicken Bhona $13.95
Chicken cooked with tomatoes, onions and green peppers in medium spices.
Chicken Dopiaza $13.95
Cooked with onions and tomatoes in a spicy flavored sauce.
Chicken Saag $14.95
Chicken cooked with spinach in a mild sauce.
Chicken Mushroom $13.95
Chicken cooked in mild spices with mushrooms.
Chicken Dhansak $14.95
Chicken cooked Persian style with lentils and spinach in medium hot sauce.
Chicken Bhindi $13.95
Chicken cooked with fresh okra in a mild or spicy sauce.
Chicken Shree Mangal $13.95
Chicken cooked with pineapple nuts and mild sauce.
Chicken Sobzi $13.95
Chicken cooked with fresh vegetables in a medium hot sauce.
Chicken Kurma $13.95
Cooked mughlai style with almonds and a mild creamy sauce.
Chicken Malai $13.95
Cooked with coconut in a creamy sauce.
Chicken Kashmiri $13.95
Cooked with bananas and raisins in a mild creamy sauce.
Chicken Tikka Masala $13.95
Boneless broiled chicken cubes cooked with a special mild spicy tandoori sauce.
Chicken Tikka Makhuni $14.95
Tandoori chicken tikka cooked with almonds in a creamy special sauce.
Chicken Karahi $13.95
Chicken cooked with tomatoes and onions in curry sauce.
Chicken Jalprizi $12.95
Boneless cubes of chicken cooked with onion, tomatoes and green peppers, Mughlai style.
Chicken Balti $14.95
Boneless cubes of chicken cooked with onions, tomatoes, green peppers and balti sauce.
Butter Chicken $14.95
Boneless chicken tikka cooked with pure butter and almonds in a creamy and special sauce.

Beef Specialties
Served with saffron rice, dal, cabbage, onion relish, tamarind and hot mint sauces. Choice of Saffron Rice: Brown Rice - $2.95.
Beef Curry $12.95
Tender pieces of boneless beef cooked in a lightly spiced gravy.
Beef Madras $13.95
Cooked with tomatoes in medium hot sauce.
Beef Vindaloo $13.95
Highly spiced meat cooked with potatoes in a spicy tangy sharp sauce.
Beef Bhona $12.95
Cooked with chopped onions, tomatoes, green peppers and medium hot spices.
Beef Saag $14.95
Cooked with spinach in fresh Indian spices.
Beef Dhansak $14.95
Cooked Persian style with lentils, spinach and medium-hot spices.
Beef Bhindi $12.95
Cooked with fresh okra in mild or spicy sauce.
Beef Shree Mangal $13.95
Cooked with pineapple, ground cashew nuts and mild spices.
Beef Sobzi $12.95
Cooked with fresh vegetables.
Beef Kurma $13.95
Cooked Mughlai style with almonds in a creamy sauce.
Beef Malai $13.95
Cooked with coconut in a creamy sauce.
Beef Kashmiri $13.95
Cooked with bananas and raisins in a creamy sauce.
Beef Karahi $13.95
Beef cooked with tomatoes and onions in curry sauce.
Beef Tikka Masala $13.95
Boneless broiled beef cubes cooked with a special mild spicy sauce.
Paneer Korahi $14.95
Homemade cheese cooked with tomatoes and onions in curry sauce, with beef.
Beef Balti $14.95
Boneless beef cooked with onions, tomatoes, green peppers and balti sauce.

Lamb Specialties
Served with saffron rice, dal, cabbage, onion relish, tamarind and hot mint sauces. Choice of Saffron Rice: Brown Rice - $2.95.
Lamb Curry $12.95
Tender pieces of boneless lamb cooked in a lightly spiced gravy.
Lamb Madras $13.95
Cooked with tomatoes in medium hot sauce.
Lamb Vindaloo $13.95
Highly spiced meat cooked with potatoes in a spicy tangy sharp sauce.
Lamb Bhuna $12.95
Cooked with chopped onions, tomatoes and green peppers in medium hot sauce.
Rogan Josh $12.95
Cubes of gosht cooked with onions, green peppers and tomatoes in a lightly spiced gravy.
Lamb Saag $14.95
Cooked with spinach in fresh Indian spices.
Lamb Dhansak $14.95
Cooked Persian style, with lentils, spinach and medium-hot spices.
Lamb Bhindi $12.95
Cooked with fresh okra, with mild or spicy sauce.
Lamb Shree Mangal $13.95
Cooked with pineapple, ground cashew nuts and mild spices.
Lamb Sobzi $12.95
Cooked with fresh vegetables.
Lamb Kurma $13.95
Cooked Mughlai style with almonds in a creamy sauce.
Lamb Malai $13.95
Cooked with coconuts in a creamy sauce.
Lamb Kashmiri $13.95
Cooked with bananas and raisins in a creamy sauce.
Keema Curry $13.95
Minced lamb cooked in spices and herbs with green peas.
Lamb Karahi $13.95
Lamb cooked with tomatoes and onions in curry sauce.
Lamb Tikka Masala $14.95
Boneless broiled lamb cubes cooked with a special tandoori mild spicy sauce.
Lamb Pachanda $13.95
Boneless lamb pachanda cubes marinated in yogurt and tandoori spices.
Lamb Balti $14.95
Boneless lamb cooked with onions, tomatoes, green peppers and balti sauce.

Seafood Specialties
Served with saffron rice, dal, cabbage, onion relish, tamarind and hot mint sauces. Choice of Saffron Rice: Brown Rice - $2.95.
Shrimp Curry $14.95
Shrimp cooked in a spicy flavored sauce.
Shrimp Vindaloo $14.95
Shrimp cooked with potatoes in a highly hot spicy sauce.
Shrimp Madras $14.95
Cooked with tomatoes in medium hot sauce.
Shrimp Bhona $14.95
Cooked with tomatoes, onions and green peppers in medium hot sauce.
Crab Meat Curry $14.95
Cooked with a mild or spicy flavored sauce.
Crab Meat Saag $14.95
Cooked with fresh spinach and mild spices.
Shrimp Saag $15.95
Shrimp cooked with spinach and tomatoes in a delicately spiced sauce.
Shrimp Bhindi $14.95
Cooked with fresh okra.
Shrimp Patia $14.95
Shrimp cooked with lentils in hot sauce.

Raj Mahal Details

Service options
No-contact delivery
Delivery
Takeout
Dine-in

Highlights
Fast service

Popular for
Lunch
Dinner
Solo dining

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Offerings
Alcohol
Beer
Coffee
Comfort food
Healthy options
Late-night food
Quick bite
Small plates
Vegan options
Vegetarian options

Dining options
Lunch
Dinner
Dessert
Table service

Amenities
Restroom

Atmosphere
Casual
Cozy

Crowd
Groups

Planning
Accepts reservations

Payments
Credit cards
Debit cards
NFC mobile payments
Credit cards

Children
Good for kids

Raj Mahal Photos

Raj Mahal Location

Raj Mahal

New York New York County New York East 6th Street

322 E 6th St, New York, NY 10003, USA

Raj Mahal Reviews

An average rating of ★3.7 from 140 user reviews.

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★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

Ordered a Chicken Biryani and a Butter Chicken. The biryani is very bland and the butter chicken tastes like tomato soup.
April 27 · Dana Vaziri
I have never had worse naan tikka. They didn’t even bother to put chicken in it they splatter the oil on the naan and charged me for it. It didn’t taste good at all. Don’t go bother.
January 17 · Angie Edmund
We’ve been going to this place for years and the staff is always so kind and welcoming and the food is delicious. The samosas are fabulous. The butter chicken was decadent and so comforting. And they always give you a free, little dessert after your meal. I highly recommend!
May 06 · Maria Scully
My nose brought me here while walking down 6th and I'm very glad it did! The $20 dinner special is a great value backed up by the amazing food. Pakora and samosas were great appetizers and the onion chutney was out of the world. The soup is a lentil soup that's been blended giving it the perfect texture. Main courses were the lamb kurma and vegetable dhansak. The vege dhansak was amazing! One of the best dishes I've had at any Indian restaurant anywhere! I'd go back just for that! Mango custard was a nice way to finish but paying extra for a serving of rasmalai rounded out the meal in a way I wanted. It's very quiet inside the restaurant and fun chili pepper lighting helps the ceiling feel not low and gives an intimacy to the space. Would go back here again, especially for the vegetarian options
May 18 · Arik Sokołowski
It was truly the worst Chana sag I’ve ever eaten. It had no flavor and was basically just boiled chickpeas and spinach. Texture was horrible. Couldn’t even eat it. Server was very nice but seemed mad I wasn’t eating. I just wanted to pay and leave - I didn’t even want to exchange it for anything else.
December 19 · Audrey Becker