Brick Lane Curry House

The food was delicious! We got the Maya’s Paneer and Vegetable Biryani with garlic naan. The drinks were good too! The only strange thing was it too a really long time to get the drinks. They came after our entrees arrived. Everything else was great!

The restaurant decor gave me the strangest idea, that I was walking on a giant crossword puzzle!! Then suddenly!! From nowhere, a robot!!! (Which looked like a headless Darlek) Turns up with food!!!!… What ever happened to the real authenticity of the waiter donning a bow tie, and offering more food ideas from the menu!!? The food was ok. The complimentary mini tomato soup, along with poppadoms was a nice gesture. I ordered (Every London boy’s favorite) Chicken Tikka Masala. But very disappointed. I didn’t understand the white cream swirl on the top of the dish!?!?.. my wife ordered the chicken Jalfrezi!!. Which actually tasted very good. Nice spice. The waitress kept turning the lights down?? I think her boss was trying to save on his/her power bill!???..what a joke! We needed containers for carry out. Which they gladly gave. But the tin foil/plastic leaked in the bag. Any true restaurant should know that any form of takeaway should be firmly contained in tight fit plastic container/s. All-in-all. Three stars. The food was ok. But nothing like the real “Brick Lane” I know back home in London.

Wonderful food! I ordered the aloo gobi, vegetable pakora, and onion bhaji. The soup they brought to the table prior to us ordering was absolutely mesmerizing. A couple of things: -the papadum served at the table was unfortunately not vegan, and we were not told otherwise until I took a bite and immediately tasted shrimp/fishy flavor. I was pretty disappointed with that because the server knew I was vegan -there should definitely be more non-alcoholic drink options! They only have soda and mango lassi (but nonvegan) -I was also saddened to see that they had no vegan bread option. All of the naan, paratha, and tandoori roti on the menu had dairy. This is the first time I go to an Indian restaurant without a non-dairy bread option

We had an amazing experience dining here for lunch. Kunal was a great server! He was extremely attentive and accommodating. The food was extraordinary and you got so much of it for only $16 which is their lunch special. Comes with appetizer, veggie, lentils, entree, naan, and dessert. In addition to a small cup of tomato soup and crisps we received upon being seated. Will definitely be recommending this place to others!! Music was also great and the bathrooms were clean which is always a plus!

A handful of interesting new flavors, and a whole lot of dishes you'll recognize. They have a robot bring your food, a crowd pleaser. The dishes are good sized. Try the palak paneer chicken Tikka, and the samosa chat, all were good. The paratha is also worth ordering. Service is attentive, ambience is dark of the attempting to be romantic variety.

Definitely a heavy hitter for the area. The food was spiced well and deeply, although doesn't taste strictly traditional. The portions were generous, with lots of meat and chunks of lamb in the biryani. The staff also went out of their way for requests. We asked for an espresso since we saw a machine in the resturant. You could tell they were uncomfortable but made it for us anyway. Truly felt like they went out of their way for the customer. I'm giving it 5 stars but in reality I'd give this resturant a 4/5. It doesn't many things well but not something that is a game changer or blowed my mind. A very solid and great Indian restaurant.

Delicious Indian food! To begin our meal we were offered a small cup of tomato soup, with cummin crisps on the side and sauces. The combination of flavors is wowing and super comforting. Appetizers were really good, samosas a bit too big but had leftover to take home. Main dish was Shrimp tikka masala, served with rice and we ordered naam on the side. Naam was to die for with the tikka masala sauce. Cant wait to go back. They also have a robot bring your food to the table, cute modern touch to our visit. Music was upbeat but subtle at the same time, great atmosphere!!

I've been here a few times. Once during the all you can eat brunch for $9.99 and several times for dinner. The brunch was well worth the money. Food was great and lots to choose from. For dinner I had the seafood moilee, which was sooooo yummy! If you can't handle spicy, this is a great choice!!! Not spicy at all, and very creamy. (I can't handle spicy...) My friend decided to do the Phaal Challenge, which this place is famous for. It is a super spicy concoction of 13 different peppers to make a death bowl of fire. If you finish it, you get your name on the Phaal of Fame, a certificate, and a free beer. DEFINITELY DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU DONT WANT TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!!! My friend was able to finish it, but not without sweat, blood, and tears!!! ok...maybe not that dramatic, but the instant he stood up, he said he felt like his stomach was eating itself. And was bedridden for the rest of the night HAHA!!! But if the pain is worth the satisfaction of finishing it and a free beer, then go for it!!! Overall, food here is very good, service here is great, and the atmosphere is classy and pleasant. I would definitely recommend this place for great indian food :)

VERY KIND ! My wife and I were on our way to dinner at a restaurant around the corner from here...opens at 5pm. We were running a little early and I needed to find a restroom. Not every business will let strangers or non-customers use their restrooms we have found out. I popped in here and asked a male server could I use the restroom.....no prob. VERY CLEAN TOO ! After exiting I asked the guy what type of Indian cuisine they served...I loved his answer. The restaurant looked pristine and as you can see by my pics of the menu.....all the good stuff ! NOTE - Of course with 20 million views of my Yelp reviews and pics world wide in 2023 I can tell you what is great !

Bricklane is a classic indian spot in st marks place. It is a real nice spot with nice lighting and fancy tables and decor. The ayce lunch buffet has recently returned after not being around since Covid-19 so I had to return to try it again. It is available 12-4pm everyday. It is cheaper on the weekdays and is 19.99 on the weekends. The waiter was prompt was responsive with taking our plates and refilling our water. Food highlights Garlic nann- hot and fluffy with massive garlic flavor Tandoori chicken- tender and juicy well seasoned Sanng paneer- smooth and creamy Curry lamb - flavorful Butter chicken- creamy tangy and tender Dessert Rice pudding Fragrant sweet and creamy floral taste

This wonderful curry house offer amazing Indian food. I had the lunch special. My meal started with the trinity of sauces served with papa dam and an amuse bouche of a tomato soup. My main course was a chicken bhuna whose flavors exploded in my mouth. It was right on the edge of spiciness, with enough heat to get my taste buds going, but not enough to burn them out. This came with Naan, and daal and saag that were both flavorful. The meal finished with a "cake" that was basically pure sugar. I cannot believe that I was the only person enjoying this reasonably priced meal.

It is unusual to find Fish and Chips on an Indian restaurant menu. They must know what they are doing. So I gave it a try. What I got was two tiny fish triangles that is so over cooked. It literally like eating dry and tasteless cork board. They didn't even give me a piece of lemon with this. Absolutely inedible! Their Tikka Masala also tasted a little funny. Not as creamy as I used to. The little cold and crusty rice didn't help. Other items are ok at best. Over priced bad food with $7 fees and $10 tip for delivery. Never again!

This was some of the best Indian food I've had. We had the samosas, chicken tikka masala and saag paneer. Our friends had lamb jalfrezi and chicken tikka tandoori. We shared garlic nan. All of it was nicely spiced and delicious. The staff was helpful and friendly. We enjoyed every bite!

Overall very bland food. No area to indicate spicy is requested, so a lot of mild food shows up. The flavours could be great, if they dialed up the spice level

It's a great time. I went for the Phall-got a beer and a spot on the wall!

Delicious Indian food with courteous service! Super duper spicy curries! Home of the Spicy Phaal Challenge-- the "hottest curry in the world." Winner gets a free beer and joins the Phaal of Fame. We weren't feeling that brave, but we're excited to try the side portion they offered for $6. It's extremely hot but fragrant and great for dipping! The curries in general are spicier that the average Indian joint. The vindaloo was perfectly spiced and even the butter chicken had a kick. Lots of stuffed naan options too. Overall, a great dining experience.

I've eaten at all the Indian restaurants in the East Village over the years, and the Brick Lane Curry House is the best by far. The ingredients are always fresh and every dish is tasty and well prepared. From the Somasa Chat to the Chicken Tikka Masala to the Garlic Nan and Shrimp Coconut Curry Dishes every morsel is a delight. To add to the experience, the decor is light, spacious and nicely designed. And the waiter was very friendly and helpful. I've been here several times since I discovered it, first for a birthday party of 8 and recently with a few friends and everyone loved the food. I can't wait to go back.

Stand out Indian food, head and shoulders above anything nearby - impeccably maintained. I'd be an Auntie type in South Asia, so recently took a young woman there for buffet

Naan was okay, but Lamb vindaloo was very bitter, with zero flavor. Super spicy (which is okay by me; I like heat and you can adjust to taste) but heat was the only "flavor" going on in this dish. The sauce and meat were tasteless and bitter. Disappointing for the price. Papadum tasted old and fishy.

I dined here during restaurant week and was able to enjoy the Malai kofta lababdar, rice pudding and mango kulfi. The lababdar was really good and reheated well after a few days. Prior to I've never eaten rice pudding and their's was really good/creamy. The mango ice cream can be eaten by 2 people. My friend had the lamb chop roganjosh which I sampled and the lamb was very soft. Their plain naan was disappointing because the was basic but that's what came w the special.

Visited the older location years ago. That left a 5star impression. Sadly, the flavor distinctions are no longer as exaggerated as they were in the past. I am aware of what the base is supposed to be but this time the dishes all tasted the same. Service was good, portions are fair and food was a notch above average. Tandoori dish was the highlight and folks remember your entrees come with a side of rice. Servers tend to forget for some odd reason.

I love the British Indian food here! I had paneer dhansakh with naan, and it was delicious. I also decided to try a small side of the phaal, which was deathly hot as the menu warned. The food is of very high quality.

Their chicken tikka masala is Also truffle naan - so yum! They are beer and wine only but their beers are all very authentic and go with their British curry house vibe. Love it there

I was here a week and a half ago for an early dinner with a friend. We were seated immediately as we were the first ones for dinner. We were given menus and asked about drinks. We ordered drinks while we decided on food. I had the vegetable pakoras; my friend had the meat samosas. The pakoras came with some sort of hot and spicy chutney. The pakoras were crispy battered tastiness. For entrees I ordered the shrimp jalfrezi, a medium spiced dish. My friend had the seekh kebabs. Both came with rice. My friend also ordered naan. The entrees didn't take too long to come out. Generous portions. The shrimp were tender. The sauce had tomatoes, onions and bell peppers with a sauce not too hot but hot enough. My friend enjoyed his kebabs. When were full there was leftovers. Rather than waste the food I asked for to go containers. I also requested the check. We were brought the containers and the check. There was a bag specifically for the naan. I paid the bill and left a good tip. I thanked the waiter for dinner and said we enjoyed it.

I started with the complimentary soup and papa-dams with 3 chutneys. And my brain thought...all the Indian food I w enjoyed in the past, was supposed to taste like this. Delicious food. Gorgeous ambiance. Lovely servers. And a robot delivering your food. Look no further. This is your new Indian Food spot.

We had the most lovely dining experience at the Brick Lane Curry House! We were tired from a long 24 hours of traveling, getting settled into our hotel, but were hungry and excited to enjoy a good meal based on reviews of this restaurant. We had no idea that we would have such a great meal! First, the decor is beautiful, clean, fresh and inviting. Go in the evening to see the patterns the hanging lights make on the ceiling. But the food was soooo good. We started with a small tomato soup, which was a delicious prelude to the appetizers of keema samosas, goat cheese vama, and a cauliflower dish in garlic tomato sauce, which I can't remember the name of but will not forget the taste. Yum! Our server Chitra was so fun and helpful. She explained each dish and sent over a refreshing mango drink that paired well with the spiciness of everything. Our main dishes of Madras goat curry, lamb Lababdar, Saag and Sikh kababs were spiced perfectly, beautifully served. Honestly I didn't think it could get any better but was surprised by a Mothers Day trio of desserts- a Kheer rice pudding, galub jamun, and halwah. You simply must try. Sweet and just the perfect finish to a wonderful meal! Wishing that I didn't live three thousand miles away, this restaurant would be on my monthly list of places to go. Try everything in the menu! And ask Ruby the robot to bring it out to you. Such a fun addition to a great team of servers and chefs. Thank you for a wonderful Mother's Day meal I won't soon forget!

The best thing about Brick Lane is the lunch special, which is available Monday-Friday from 12-4pm. For only $14, you get a curry of your choice, plus an additional vegetable curry, lentils of the day, rice, and naan. A great deal that has me taking days off from work just so I can experience it. The food is quite good but not extraordinary. The curry choices are arranged from most mild (tikka masala) to most spicy (the legendary phaal curry). I opted for the vindaloo, the second spiciest, which was too clove-heavy for me to really enjoy. The next time I came, I got the madras, which is the third spiciest one. It was a delicious and modestly spiced rich orange-colored sauce. I also couldn't resist ordering a side of the phaal curry (since I wasn't brave enough to commit my entire entree to it!) and it was very spicy as promised. I couldn't have eaten an entire plate of it, but I enjoyed using it as a garnish on my milder curry and on the lentil soup. It also has a lot of garam masala/clove notes - again, not my favorite flavor profile. (But I did bring the leftover phaal home to add a little fiery garnish to all my meals for the rest of the week!) Apart from the lunch special, I'm not really in the biggest hurry to come here, because $17 for a vegetarian curry or $20+ for a meat curry just seems like a little too much. Finally, it is worth noting how cute the interior of the restaurant is - perfect for a date spot, especially if you want to have a spice endurance competition!

This place doesn't look like much from the outside so I was expecting the classic white tablecloths and little candles that most Indian restaurants utilize, but I was so wonderfully surprised by the inside! It has a gorgeous black and white marble theme that I felt super bougie. All the food is halal and service is really laid back so you can sit and enjoy your meal with no rush. This place is quite famously known for their spicy phaal curry (apparently the spiciest curry in nyc so much so that you have to sign a waiver if you choose to enter the challenge). I just got it as a side dish of the sauce only for $6 to try. It's spicy in the dried pepper sense that's been blended in the sauce. It's the type where you feel the burn going down and not necessarily in your mouth right away. We mixed it with the other curries we got and that was a game changer! It's like hot sauce for curry to amp up the flavor! They should really bottle it up and sell it like that because most hot sauces are vinegar based and don't work well with curries. We actually took the leftovers home and have been enjoying using it that way! The rest of the curries I tried were pretty standard. I got the chicken korma and butter chicken. They got the job done but needed a bit more spice (ahem use the phaal). Both came with very well cooked rice. We also tried some of the cheddar cheese kulcha and the potato kulcha. We liked the cheddar cheese more but both lacked flavor/seasoning. It's fine since we were dunking it in our curry but if you just wanted to eat it plain then I would pass. Overall it was a great experience and would come back again!

Absolute solid curry spot. All the curries I have tried are packed with flavor and large chunks of white meat. Vindaloo is pretty spicy. Delivery is always fast and fresh.

I came here for a birthday dinner on a Tuesday night with a group of 6 people. We ordered the samosas appetizer (minced lamb and potato with peas), chicken 65 appetizer (fried chicken with spices), the butter masala (mild tomato gravy), the lamb korma (almond saffron gravy), the meat sizzler (tandoori chicken/lamb/kebab), chicken biryani (basmati rice with spices), garlic naan bread (oven baked bread), and garlic paratha (stuffed fried bread). I enjoyed the lamb korma and the garlic paratha the most. The lamb korma was very flavorful and rich. The paratha was stuffed with so much garlic that I went home smelling like it (my husband doesn't mind). It's a bit on the pricier side compared to other Indian restaurants but the food quality was higher. Service was great, fast and friendly. I would come back, maybe to do the phaal (spiciest curry) challenge?

Came for a quiet weeknight dinner (pre-pandemic) with a dear friend. It was 6 pm, there was no one else in the restaurant, and it was quiet but not uncomfortably so (definitely no stock jazz or pop music playing in the background). Ordering was simple and straightforward, with our food coming out soon after. I had ordered a medium spicy chicken jalfrezi, which was chicken and a bunch of vegetables in a red curry sauce (nothing quite special, but flavors were good) - def get an order of garlic naan, it's fresh made and delicious! I did not finish my meal (had snacked some beforehand) and they packaged it nicely to for take away. Not the best Indian food I've had, but the price is fair and the location is convenient - solid Indian food choice in the EV for sure.

Overpriced food. Each dish was at least $20+. Partner and I got the phaal (side sauce), fish vindaloo, lamb bhuna and garlic naan. Phaal (the really spicy curry) : extremely spicy, I was glad to have tried this. came here with my partner and he loves spicy food but this was way too much for him. We ended up taking it home. Fish vindaloo : fish was not a good meat for this dish. I believe it would've tasted better with chicken or goat. However, there weren't many pieces of fish and the vindaloo didn't suit our tastebuds. Lamb bhuna : the best dish of the night (aka meaning average). The lamb was really gamey and chewy. Pass... get another meat. The sauce really made the dish though. Garlic naan : it was $5 and it was so disappointing. There wasn't much garlic on it and I LOVE garlic. It just felt like they slapped on butter and a sprinkle of minced garlic.. huge wtf. I don't know, we walked out with like a $60 bill. We were full, but not satisfied. The meal did not match up with the amount of money we spent on. I'd love to pay a lot of money for top notch food. This wasn't the case. If you're here to get the phaal aka the spiciest curry, then go for it. But the food? Pass.. especially if you're in the area, you can definitely find better food.

I came on tuesday for a friend birthday dinner. Place was pretty empty so we kind of had the whole place for ourselves. The food was really good. We ordered nan bread, samosa, lamb curry, chicken curry, basmati rice, chicken biryani, stuff naan bread, fried chicken and the sizzling meat platter. The fried chicken and the chicken tandoori were my favorites but the curry were really good too, with a great kick but not too spicy. Service was ok.

Had a mealpal from here and it was super good flavor and a very large portion. The deal here on this day was lamb Bhuna lunch box. It came with a chickpea Marsala, lamb bhuna, rice, naan, and a swish cup of kheer. No complaints and there was a nice heat level associated with the meal. Pickup was a breeze as well. It sells out daily so that definitely tells you something.

Amazing curry spot. Best Indian food in NYC. Hidden gem. The Nilgiri chicken is to die for. The Rasmalai topped it all. Definitely returning

Incredibly delicious. Every plate, every bite, every sip. We cleaned out our plates. The service was great. They had a Valentine's Day menu, as well as the regular menu unlike some places, specifically the restaurant we initially made reservations for (baar baar) They started us out with a DELICIOUS tomato soup which they apparently just added to the menu yesterday. They ended with chocolate covered strawberries. Not sure if the extra things are part of Valentine's Day, but they definitely did an incredible job! Thank you!!

Delicious curry in a charming restaurant in the East village. Has a wide menu of options to try and share with the full table.

Someone recommended this to me as best curry in NY. Stopped by after a comedy show in the area and WOW! I chose the nilgiri and my partner in crime chose the madras. It starts mild and more heat is added as you go down the menu. Delicious is all I have to say. The meal came with rice and a small cup of curry appetizer as well as cracker with 3 different sauces. We ordered some naan and that was a nice dinner.

When I first walked in it was completely empty so I was instantly greeted by the waitress. She was very friendly. While dining it a few other people trickled in but I still received great service. I ordered the veggie samosas and they were very hearty. The sauces that came on the side were great for dipping and the variety of flavors as well, They come in a pair and with the garlic naan on the side was a great lunch for me. I wasn't even able to eat everything and took it for later to eat. I didn't feel heavy or tired but very satisfied.

I remember when I was in school, this place was the bomb for lunch buffets. I never got to go but the name stuck with me. One day I am craving Indian and spicy food so we decided to give this place a go, especially wanting to try the Phaal because we both love spicy food. We know we want to enjoy our dinner so we only opt for a side of the Phaal. We also got Korma with chicken and Madras with fish with chicken tikka paratha. Everything was yummy and flavorful. The portion was generous. The Phaal was definitely not suite for consumption as a curry dish. It is more like a hot sauce so we both just took spoonful of it on our curries and we also ended up ordering the raita to cool us down. The mango lassi did a good job of that too. This spot is a solid option for India food but I probably won't go out of the way for it again. Do give it a go if you are in the area.

Ambiance was laid back and comfortable. Food was beyond delicious. Service was superb. The robot was a cute touch.

I came here on a weekend specifically looking to eat the vindaloo. I had heard about this place a long time ago because it's a staple in a really popular area of town, but I rediscovered it because I saw someone attempting the phall challenge. For those of you who don't know, the phall challenge is a super spicy curry challenge. I figure at some point in the future I will try the phall challenge, but since the next spiciest thing is the vindaloo, I figured I would try that. You can get whatever you want in the curry, so I opted for chicken vindaloo. It was actually the perfect amount of spice, and I was pretty happy with the heat level. I actually wasn't a huge fan of the natural taste of the curry itself, as it was kind of sour... and the chicken lacked texture somewhat... though it is probably just 100% white chicken breast meat, so at least I know what i'm getting. The thing is though I actually found out upon arriving that they have a wonderful looking buffet here. I fully plan on coming back here and trying it, since it looks so good, so I'm willing to round up the star rating just in anticipation of eating it.

Very very cool spot my husband says very nice Definitely will come another time hopefully they will have lamb. Individual items are pretty pricey

What an incredible first experience I had with Indian food. The environment in the restaurant is very dim, almost night life vibes. Oh yeah, I went here for dinner mid-day, so the fact that they were able to make the atmosphere so mysterious and fancy is a win win in my book. Food here is wonderful! We got the samosas and of course the Naan as our start. You have a choice of either plain/sesame/onion seeds/garlic Naan. My family chose garlic and it wasn't overpowering at all. My sisters got the English Mint Martini and it was also a nice starter before the warm curry! As for curries, you have a choice of tofu/vegetable/paneer (cheese curd) which are $17-$18. The chicken is $20. Lamb is $21. Goat and Fish are $22. And Shrimp is $23. You then get to choose what type of curry. I got the Tikka Masala, which was perfect with the side of rice it comes with. Also, the restaurant doesn't have dessert. But the best thing to end with after all of that curry is to end it with a shake. Just say the shake from Man vs. Food and they know exactly what you're talking about. :) Overall, good experience with good service. Definitely would come back!

Im so happy to discover the most beautiful, restrained Indian restaurant in the East Village is right in my neighborhood. The restaurant is beautiful, amd very elegant, all white space that is really serene, amd conducive to conversation with well spaced tables. I've only water there twice, but the food was delicious both times, and the staff is really courteous and attentive. I'm really rooting for this place because small businesses are struggling in the East Village, between covid, and the NYU student lowest-common-denominator crowds, more interested in dollar slices and frozen yogurt. This is a nice place to eat, and the food is great.

If you are craving some good Indian food or simply want to become a statistic, this place is it! The home of THE spiciest curry in the universe. Where mortals come to be brave and in the end many walk away with nothing but pain and misery for few days on end. Oh, and bragging rights. Yeah. I was one of those! I too attempted the challenge. What surprise, right?! Needless to say in the end, the curry bloody won!! Hands down. But no worries I didn't go down without a fight. (Ok. I'm not gonna lie, I did cry like a 12 yrs old with a skinned knee. But you didn't hear that from me!) Food is delicious. Service is great! Prices are comparable. So if you're around the neighbourhood, give this place whirl. Just a heads up, that Phaal is no joke! It is fire in a bowl! Literally.

I love this place, always a treat to go there. Ordering can be a little tricky for but otherwise a great spot and one of my favorites in the neighborhood.

My family and I went here specifically for the phaal curry and boy does it live up to its title! We heard about the Phaal being in the Guinness Book of World Records as the hottest curry in the world and decided to give it at try. Now, I'm all about spicy food for flavor but this just tasted like straight acid and pepper sauce. It wasn't tasty...it was torture. My nose was a bit stuffy that day and my sinuses were all cleared up after eating it! If you go, I think it's worth a try just to say you tried the worlds hottest curry lol We did order some other curries and the mango lassi, which was delicious!

I came here soley to try the vindaloo spicy challenge. This restaurant is in the trendiest spots in LES called Indian row.. the smell of food wafts around the corner.. leave your coats in the car!! With the vindaloo challenge, you try their spiciest dish made with ghost peppers.. you finish the place under 30 minutes you win a drink and certificate.. Obviously only cared about the bragging rights. As soon as the food came, the smell of spice made me sweat. literally sweat, and i don't sweat!! I tried to continue after 3 spoonfuls and i couldn't. No amount of water or naan was able to stop the burning of my mouth. I would come back to try other foods- my mouth was too much in pain to try other foods on the table.

Don't be deceived by the outside... QUALITY service, food, and atmosphere. Their butter masala is OG/next level/delicious. Looking forward to coming back.

This is THE Brick Lane Curry House featured on Man vs. Food hosted by Adam Richman. After hearing about this place from a friend a while back, my friends and I decided to pay this place a visit yesterday. I stupidly decided to try out their Phaal curry and boy, was I wrong to do so. I came prepared (so I thought) and was ready to conquer their hellish inferno. I took Pepcid Complete tablets to minimize the heartburn, drank a lot of water and even purchase a container of milk from the deli across to street to bring with me into the restaurant. When it was time for me to order the Phaal, the server even warned me that the dish was "VERY spicy." I still went ahead and ordered it anyways. The chefs that prepare this dish even wear gas masks to prevent themselves from coughing and choking in the kitchen while cooking it! After about 15 minutes, my Phaal curry came out and it looked and smelled extremely spicy. The server advised me to take a small bite to see if I could handle it. That one bite of the chicken pretty much ruined everything for me. I couldn't handle it anymore. I was met with a carnage of fire and rage as the Carolina Reaper pepper paste made it seem like my tongue was getting slit with a thousand sharp knives. Drinking water, eating the rice and eating the pita bread didn't really help. The staff didn't let me drink the milk I brought with me (claiming that it wasn't "covered under the insurance") so I ended up buying a glass of iced milk from them for $3. I later gave up on trying to finish my dish as I handed the barely touched dish back to the server. I later asked him how many people actually finish the whole thing and learned that only 1-2 customers a week out of 15-20 or so actually complete it. As advertised on their menu, there's more pain than enjoyment for the dish. I do however look forward to trying their AYCE buffet that they offer for $12 the next time I come back. The other "normal" food that they offered looked and smell delicious. The servers were courteous and the venue was pretty decently sized. I look forward to returning in the near future.

Came here to try the phaal but not as a challenge. We were just curious to see how spicy it really was. They were not lying. It literally didn't taste like anything except spicy. And it wasn't even a good taste. My friend died after a tiny bite. I died after taking two large bites because I thought it wouldn't be that spicy but I was wrong. :( My other friend died as well. Basically, we just died and for the rest of dinner, we were just recovering. We did get some regular food as well but I wasn't too impressed with any of it. We got the spinach curry with goat which was probably my least favorite. The goat was too gamey. We also got the tikka marsala which tasted too sweet and not at all spicy but it was good overall. There was a third curry that we got but I forgot which one. The best part of the meal was the mango lassi and the different types of naan. So good! Otherwise give this place a pass.

Brick Lane is best known for their phaal - that's weapons grade Indian curry, for the uninitiated - and their "phaal challenge", where one can gain fame and fortune[1] by downing a whole bowl faster than an episode of "Friends". Of course I went for it. Wouldn't you?[2] If you decide to do this, be prepared to enter a WORLD OF EVERLASTING PAIN. Scarily, I found the phaal's taste fairly agreeable, and it grew on me even as it literally burnt my lips and ate away at my stomach. After 45 minutes of trembling hands and hallucinations, I made it through 80% of my bowl before throwing in the towel. Even with my heat tolerance, I had to mix in rice and globs of yogurt, and chug two mango lassis. It was a humbling, hard phaal[3] of an experience, but I'd do it again. [1] Well, a beer and your name on a wall. [2] If you're not clinically insane, just get the vindaloo and the biryani. Them's good eating. [3] Don't you love bad puns? Oh? Phaal whale?

London style Indian food?! i don't know what that entails, but we were craving curry! you can choose your curry AND the type of meat that goes into it (ask the waiters for suggested pairings) ---BHUNA CURRY w/ lamb: the lamb wasn't gamy at all & the curry was flavorful!!! one curry seems a bit pricey at $17 BUT it's enough for 2 ppl to share & comes w/ white rice!... or come for the lunch buffet! ---naan stuffed w/ chicken tikka masala: the naan wasn't crispy the way i like it BUT i should have known not to order it stuffed!! .... next time i'll try the sesame or rosemary! ---complimentary appetizer of cracker like crisp w/ dipping sauces! HUGE GRIPE: they made us feel rushed out!! the waiter took our plates away the minute my boyfriend grabbed his last bite of naan & they kept eyeing our table after we paid.. RUDE... 3.5 stars for that! NOTE: make an opentable RSVP in advance if you don't want to wait!!

I'm so, so, SO torn as what to rate this place...in my heart I feel that this was truly a solid 3.5 experience but I feel odd going to 4 stars. Decided to round down to 3 at the last minute on account of a terribly unexciting beer selection and because beers and mimosas are both the same price ($8), WHO DOES THAT?! Kay, now on to the food... I came in a group of 7 and 4 of us went in on their "Phaal Curry Spice Challenge". I was not one of those people, my taste bud sensibilities prohibit me from abusing them and thus I opted (along with my friend Anna F.'s boyfriend) for their much more appetizing $9.99 lunch buffet, huzzah! Our of the 4 people who decided to order this rather gross looking, foul smelling, uber spicy, soul-sucking dish only 2 finished. So proud of Ingrid S. and my boyfriend who tried to kiss me after finishing only to taste like fire... The spicy challenge eaters all came to the consensus that this dish was not just insanely spicy (and got spicier as they continued to shovel it into their poor, unforgiving mouths) but it was just NOT GOOD. Adjectives that flew out of their mouths in mid-challenge were: disgusting, flavorless, awful, soupy, so much sauce and then other phrases such as: mother of God, why did we do this, I'm going to throw up, this is so nasty and then finally after about 20-25 minutes we shouted "BOWL CHECK" for the 2 that finished and their "Phaal Curry Monster" certificated were bestowed upon them. You'd better believe they earned them, I'm still impressed because I simply dipped a piece of buttery na'an into my boy's dish and needed copious amounts of water to regain my sense of taste. ICK. As for my food, it wasn't the best Indian food I've ever had in my life, but certainly not the worst. I chowed down on tandoori chicken tikka masala, white basmati rice which I drowned in perfectly seasoned korma sauce, saag paneer, that crunchy flat bread stuff with yummy chutneys, buttery na'an, some of my boy's basil na'an (so amazing!) - YUM! I do wish the chicken would have been juicy white boneless chicken breast, but it was dark meat and I really HATE finding bones and boned chicken in a saucy dish...but the tikka masala sauce was delish, not as creamy as other places and had a little kick to it - in a good way. For dessert the lunch buffet offered rice pudding. It was okay tasting but EXTREMELY watery. Yeah, just thinking about that makes me feel better about rating this place 3 stars...it was tasty though and actually tastes EXACTLY like the sugary, leftover milk you get after eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes. I kid you not. That being said, I would probably give this place another chance, but I'd still opt for their $9.99 lunch buffet which seems to take place every day. Happy eating!

Review for the Lunch Buffet which runs everyday for $10. CHEAP! All you can eat for $10 for lunch! Drinks include chai milk tea or just regular tea. After you get a table, you go to the buffet area and get your own food. Pick and choose whatever you crave for. The spread is usually the same but sometimes it's different. I've came here on different days and they usually have something else that wasn't there before. The usual spread they have: Chicken Tikka Masala, Saag Paneer, rice pudding, Tandoori Chicken, fish curry, basmati rice, or rice with peas and carrots. Came here for dinner once and it was so not worth it. $20 for a simply curry dish was just too expensive. I don't get how lunch is only $10 and AYCE, yet dinner you get the same amount of curry, not AYCE and double the price?! wth.. But taste wise it was pretty authentic and definitely filling, especially when I have been going through curry withdrawals for about two months. Staff is attentive and they clear your plate pretty fast when you get up to get your next round.

Excellent Indian cuisine served by polite staff in a clean, quiet setting. Would definitely recommend/return!