Clove

To be honest, we came in mainly to use the bathroom, but after sitting down and ordering their Shrimp and Vegetables Curry we opened the door to one of THE MOST WONDEROUS under acknowledged spots in Harlem!Customer service was great! Food great! Bathroom EXQUISITE!!

I came here for drinks and appetizers on a Sunday after 6 pm, and the appetizers were delicious! And the drinks are very strong. I decided to come and try their mains on a Tuesday around 3 pm. The protein and rice tasted reheated. The baked wings were not good. The bread is the standout item on this menu.

I love this place. So close to my university and I catch myself coming here way too often. The food is fresh and I always get a friendly conversation out of any staff member. I came in today with my mom for the first time and we have a lunch special. She had the chicken curry and I had the chicken masala like always. So affordable and great portions. Thank you, everyone! You guys are amazing and my mom is going to want to come back every chance she gets lol. Thank you Narinee and Darmin!

This was our second time at Clove Indian Restaurant. You can order anything off the menu and thoroughly enjoy it. Not only that but the service is top tear! Habib is so welcoming and attentive, making the experience that much greater.

I love this place. During the week, I love coming for the very generous, low-priced and well-balanced lunch specials. The food and the friendly staff are nourishing me beautifully. (They have many options for the lunch specials, from vegan, vegetarian, to meet and seafood. I can choose brown rice for no additional fee. I even get some ice tea/hot tea with my food. Meals are big and diverse and delicious. The people who work here are extremely nice and attentive, excellent service.) One of my favourite places in this city. Highly recommend. Thank you for all the warm welcomes.

I would give 10 status for the service if I could . Mr Habibi was so kind, intentional, thoughtful and wonderful with his service. You could tell he wanted us to have an experience and not just to sell food. I would absolutely go back just because of him. The atmosphere is also very relaxing , something about the ceiling fan, lighting and vibe just makes you feel very calm and relaxed , all my friends said the same thing. Unfortunately we could not get the lunch specials on the weekend and that was a bummer . I won’t say the food was over the top but it was pretty decent .

I’ve been to Clove a couple of times and would definitely come back. They have a lot of vegetarian options clearly marked. The curry is especially yummy and the prices are better than most spots in the area. The uncle serving our food was kind and friendly and taught me a couple of Urdu words.

I love this restaurant. I come here all the time for the lunch special and get salmon tandoori which comes with garlic naan, and a really good iced tea. The staff is super friendly and it’s a nice vibe in this place.

Worst meal ever! I feel like the good reviews are fake. Food was cold severed with an attitude. Avoid at all cost.

Went with my son and my parents to celebrate fathers day since my father said he wanted Indian food. Our waiter was very warm and informative. He helped me gauge the spice level for everyone at the table. I and my dad like it spicy and my son is mild and my mom now likes also no spice. I ordered lamb korma for my son which he ate. I and my dad ordered Bombay chicken to share. This is chicken stuffed with lamb and biryani. Chicken stuffed in this manner usually ends up dry. However, their version was flavorful and moist. The lamb biryani in it had the perfect amount of spice. My mom had the lamb biryani which my mom said was a bit too spicy for her. However, it could have been the heat from the very spicy appetizer sauce they served that she put on her food. We also shared malia kuftha which are vegetable ball. The drinks were a bit weak. My parents did enjoy their mango lassi. I would go back to try a few more things on their menu.

Best Indian lunch special around and excellent quality of food and service. Around $15+ depending on what protein you like. I usually get the medium spicy shrimp korma. The set comes with fragrant rice, a samosa, some addictive warm naans- perfect for dipping into the curry. Also a tangy complimentary drink in a plastic pint. Great deal and very filling. I can't wait to come back for more. (Only item I didn't like was the samosas- the outer layer is too thick and doughy=not my thing) The man at the front is always kind and provides prompt and warm service without fail. Also, I miss their lunch buffet from like 5 years ago.

Ordered takeout from the restaurant. Was looking for Indian food around Washington Heights and this was one of the highest rated restaurants. Got chicken and samosa chaat. I can't comment on the chicken since that was for my friends. As for the samosa chaat, I was disappointed. Coming from New Jersey which has excellent Indian food, I've been struggling to find one in NYC that meets those standards. The samosa chaat wasn't made by the standard recipe. There were cucumbers and the chole (chickpea) were extremely spicy without further taste of the Indian spices. The sev looked like it was bought from an Indian store and the yogurt/tamarind chutney mix was essentially nonexistent. The samosa were standard but nothing remarkable. If you want okay Indian food, I wouldn't recommend since they just simply don't get the spice or taste right. It tasted like only red chili spice and nothing else. I had to dig and find the samosa on its own. I will most likely not be ordering from here again.

Food is great, service is always warm and inviting. Secret gem uptown is the house tea, hot or iced, it's pitch perfect.

The food was good. My favorite was the chicken dansak. I can't pass up a good chicken curry with lentils and spinach. The chicken madras was super flavorful. In both dishes the chicken was super tender and flavorful. I have had better chicken tandoori though. The flavor and seasoning was good but the meat was a bit dry. The service was 5 stars. The gentleman that served us was super nice and attentive.

I love the people of this restaurant, I love the decor of the restaurant, oh and the food is pretty good too!! It is very elegant and very beautiful. Tablecloth on every table with fresh flowers on every table and fresh flowers on the bar every time I've gone there. Looking forward to trying the lunch specials Monday through Fridays. I've given a few reviews of this restaurant and happy to do so. Lovely area I'm right across the street from the newer large Whole Foods store so it's extra convenient. Barbara

I've been ordering from Clove for years. It has always been delicious. For the first time, the order I received from them wasn't just bad, it was ATROCIOUS. The naan wasn't cooked! It felt like I was eating a 30 second microwaved paste. The lamb kebabs were grey! They weren't cooked. I had to put them in my own pan at home and cook them myself. Even after that it was flavorless. The chicken tika was so bad I could taste the milk/cream. Felt like it was out of a can. I can't describe it adequately - just felt like a child had poured all the ingredients in to a bowl and barely mixed them. I would usually not take time out of my day to write such a bad review but this was SO bad that I think ownership should be aware. I don't know if you've changed cooks recently or have been understaffed but until I have some form of confidence you are taking your customers seriously I'm never ordering again.

I have been eating at Clove for several years now and have never been disappointed with the food or service. It is a small easily overlooked gem in my neighborhood. The decor is simple but cozy, and the food is ample, delicious, and reasonably priced. The staff are friendly and attentive but be sure to ask for Habib if you dont know what to order-he has never steered me wrong, and if you are lucky, the owner Sammy may stop by. I go there for a quick meal, their lunch special or special occasions and my friends all love it too. Be sure to stop by. You won't be disappointed.

This is a great option for Indian food in Harlem. I had the vegetable thali with mutter paneer. The food was all of great quality, somewhere between standard restaurant fare and home cooked food. The prices were reasonable, and the owner is very sweet. Absolutely worth a visit if you're in the neighborhood!

Only ever gotten take out from here, but it's my go-to indian place. I've tried others around the area or within delivery distance, but this is my favorite. I like how they can make the dishes spicy (or not). Also, the food has never been watery or watered down. Very flavorful. Portions are nice and I often have enough for two meals (or at least 1 meal and the rest for a snack later). My gripe is with the delivery - they don't deliver to your door. Instead, you get a call from the delivery guy just being like "I am downstairs" and then I need to go meet him on the street. Beats the point of delivery. But the food is so good I repeat the same nonsense over and over.

Went during lunch on a Friday and was seated very quickly and warmly by a very friendly host. Inside the restaurant can be cramped if it gets crowded, but thankfully it wasn't too bad when I was there early for lunch. The saag paneer was tasty and portions were more than enough for lunch (ended up taking home leftover rice and bread). Would recommend!

I tried this place and it was bad the gulab jamun was almost a pinkish weird color of which i never seen before. I couldn't finish it. The tandoori chicken had such a thick dusty seasoning on it but the mango lassi was very good.

I LOVE CLOVE. it's a local spot i often go to during the weekend, always has impeccable service, and great tasty food x

We went with family and friends. 7 star service. Delicious food.Ambiance was nice too!!!! I strongly recommend this place.

the lunch special is great, the servers are friendly and the ambiance is comfortable. only qualm is that "very hot" isn't hot enough for me personally, but the food is still fantastic.

We just ordered dinner. We ordered chicken tikka marsala, saag paneer Papa Dam and coconut raisin naan. Both entrées came with basmati rice. Now we don't regularly order from here but we've ordered multiple times and also ate at the restaurant over the years. Sad to say nothing was good and nothing is what it used to be. I don't know if there's a new chef, but our experience was not good. The tikka marsala had lemon in it. I've never tasted that before in marsala. Very surprised and disappointed. Not sure if we'll order again from here.

Where do I even begin. The staff are literally the best people ever. I come here every week for years now, and the staff is always so welcoming. They are funny and make the restaurant so great to be in. The food is also wonderful, portion sizes are great and filling. The chefs are masterful and will cook up the best cuisines you will taste. The bar tenders are great and have such a large variety on the menus. Thank you Clove for getting me through the past few years of school!

I was planning to try out this establishment's Sunday afternoon brunch buffet with my roommates, however New York went on Pause due to COVID-19 before that happened. I actually visited the restaurant the night before restaurants closed their doors to only take out and delivery. The interior was lovely, with green and blue lighting, brick walls, booth seating, as well as a nice picture of a nature setting on the wall to the left side. On the first night I went, I only ordered a mango lassi, which I took to go. The drink was deliciously smooth, sweet and refreshing with juicy taste of mango. About a week later, my roommates and I stopped by to do take out for dinner. I selected the Assorted Appetizers and Mixed Tandoori. Our meals were made in a timely manner. The appetizer platter consisted of samosa, papadum, piazi, and banana pakora. This came with onion chutney and green coriander sauce. I enjoyed the onion chutney more, which had a nice sweet and slightly sour taste. The somosa was vegetarian and filled with potato, peas and great seasoning. The papadum is a thin, crispy flatbread, which was just okay - a bit bland. The piazi is a fried vegetable fritter, which was satisfyingly crunchy and yummy. I even liked the banana pakora, even though I am not a big fan of bananas. The outer shell was delightfully crisp and there was warm, soft banana filling inside. My Mixed Tandoori meal included chicken, lamb, beef marinated in herb sauce, baked in a special clay oven, along with raw onion and green pepper. All of this was wonderfully flavorful and the tamarind dipping sauce that accompanied it added to the deliciousness. I particularly savored the lamb and chicken, which were extremely tender and succulent. The beef was decent, but probably my least favorite out of all the meats. The person behind the counter was friendly and kind. I would definitely like to return when it is fully opened so that I can take advantage of their Sunday brunch.

The food was only okay. We had lamb biryani, which lacked the fragrance and complexity I usually love in the dish. Anywhere else in the US, it would be great, but in NYC, there's lots of better options.

We rarely get Indian food but when we do we have not been disappointed. Honestly, we don't remember what we got because it was a Buffet style when we went there with some friends so we got a little bit of everything. We loved it! It wasn't too spicy. We know for sure we tried their samosas and they were savory and flaky. The filling you know was well-seasoned and flavorful. We had the Naan which is amazing. We love eating that bread while scooping it up with the rest of the food on our plate.

The food is great! U can't say anything negative about it. We ordered so many things and they were all great. We came in with three kids and they all ate their food up nothing was too salty or too spicy for them it was great The service was fantastic and very attentive! My favorite though was their music I walked in and it was super chill Hindi music which I love so I was happy groovin while eating a good meal!

I have been eating here quite frequently over the past year, and have ordered take out several times. My last two take out orders of chicken tikka masala were very disappointing. The chicken chunks are quite big, and the meet was strange, it was dry but at the same time very rubbery. I am the least picky eater ever and nothing grossed me out, but I actually had to spit it out as I got grossed out. I have found a new place just few blocks up on Broadway and their food is AMAZING! Wishing you all the best!

Right across the street from City College, Indian Clove is a gem. I met up with two friends here. The vibe here is friendly and welcoming. There is plenty of outdoor space. And there is no loud music here, a great place to talk with a new person you are meeting, or with friends and family. The food is delicious, my friends and I loved the food. Don't miss this place! I will be taking a trip back here soon.

Went once for dinner and found the food to be a bit tasteless. Heard from friends in the area that they are better for lunch since the food tends to be fresher. The sign outside says the lunch special is until 4. Walked in at 2:40ish and the lady said that it the lunch special is over and it ends at 3. When I told her the time she said if I wanted to eat it would be at the dinner prices...... They were only two tables being used so I really didn't understand what that was about.

CHICKEN TANDOORI!!! Fiyaahhhh!!!! Margaritas too buenoo!! Habib the host is really cool he doesnt do too much and comes when he needs to. Trust me this is essential no one likes to be bothered or upsold while eating... As a first timer here, Habib made me feel welcomed and helped me order what I wanted depending how I felt that day. The only bad thing is that its next to Chinese cuisine restaurant which sometimes has couriers waiting outside... Other than that... nice to bring your date out for some nice indian food at an affordable price and drinks are great and nice price.

This place confuses me. The chicken madras is ENTIRELY different from the lamb madras. The lamb version is a rich red color and is full of spice and flavor. The chicken version is a drab light brown color and has no flavor whatsoever. These two should not share the same name as they are completely different dishes. I was never a fan of clove until trying the lamb madras, and so far it's still the only curry I've had there that tastes good.

Really delicious food and the perfect spice level. Kindest people ever. Love this place!

GREAT spot. Food was delicious and it paired perfectly with the excellent service and cozy atmosphere.

Ordered again from this place, again delivery, and with all new dishes. I ordered chicken jalfrezi, aloo chole grams, malai kofta, aloo paratha, and vegetable samosas. Again, I ordered all very hot! The delivery was fast, well packed, and like last time, was well hot! The samosas were crisp on the outside, creamy and well seasoned on the inside. The aloo chole grams, which is roasted chickpeas and potatoes, was my favorite. So smoky and spicy, and as before, very hot, but pleasantly so. The chicken jalfrezi was tender and juicy and well seasoned. The malai kofta, which I am used to being handmade cheese, was made out of vegetable balls. They were also very tasty! The aloo paratha is an Indian bread product stuffed with potatoes, and it was so soft and chewy and delicious! This place was better than even the first time!

I ordered the Vegetable Samosas and Tandoori Chicken. The vegetable samosas looked deceptively crunchy. I was so disappointed when I bit into them and was met with cold, chewy dough soaked in condensation. The Tandoori chicken was bland to say the least, and most definitely not cooked in a tandoori oven. Rather it had been baked in a standard oven and severely lacked the charred flavor I was craving. It tasted as if the chicken had been cooked the day before and thrown into a microwave right before being sent out for delivery. The Basmati rice was slightly mushy and seemed to be soaked in butter. I will never order from Clove again. I had such high hopes for this place. And now I'm stuck with subpar leftovers that I wouldn't even feed to my dog. If I wanted microwaveable "Indian Cuisine", I would've went to Trader Joe's. But then, at least I'd have some flavor.

Still one of my favorite vegan friendly Indian restaurant in the whole city. Fantastic price and quality. While they didn't have the buffet anymore, the lunch special is an equivalent incredible deal. The staff were even able to modify the bread to make it vegan by omitting the butter and dairy and I'm very thankful. The inclusion of the Indian ice tea in the special has always impressed me as well. If you miss the lunch specials, interior decor also makes it a cute dinner date spot as well!

YUM to the Clove Iced Tea! That was a spiced up flavor I wasn't quite ready for after my first sip but I found myself drinking all of it by the end of the meal and taking some to go with me! It was refreshing and sweet too. This buffet is a bit smaller than some others I've been to but I did have some favorite that I kept going back for on my third and fourth servings so not complaining here. I felt like all dishes needed more seasoning or the hot sauce they serve for an extra kick. The chicken of the korma and the beef balls of the saagwala were both tender. Good thing it was a win win on that because those were the protein options of the line. The channa masala and other saag didn't do much for me. The naan is actually sweet here and the samosas are mini. Now even though they are mini like little baby pizza pockets, they are mighty crisp and have great flavor. I did dip it in their hot sauce but I was also just eating them by themselves because they were that good! I also think they because they were smaller size they didnt need to help of the sauce as much. Their hot sauce has habaneros and it was a pretty strong flavor so note that. But all of the other sauces are on the sweeter side. The dessert is like a rice pudding with some spices but I felt like the rice broke down too much and it was a bit watered down so I just ate more naan to end on a sweet note. Service here is good about taking the plates away as you go back. They didn't ask us how the food was even though it's a small place. Consistently restocked the naan and the samosas from what I saw. They also gave us our bill on the table before we even started eating but I saw other people who sat down, ate, and then went up to the counter to pay so I'm not sure why we got it first thing. I'd come back for lunch buffet and on a sunday since it's only a few bucks more for all you can eat and bottomless mimosas and the clove iced tea!

Another Indian restaurant in the area that is more interested in making their dishes look colorful than imbuing spices and flavor in them. Ordered chicken makhani and got a watery, tasteless dish and the pieces of paneer in the saag paneer were hard and chewy in yet another bland gravy. The brown rice and garden salad were alright.

I come here all the time! If you're looking for a quick sit in place, with great food and nice atmosphere, this is for you. 1. I'm not a buffet person, but I actually will recommend the lunch buffet. Indian food is probably the only exception for my buffet rule. They typically serve samosa, naan, chicken tikka masala and a veg dish, dessert, and a complementary iced tea (not your typical iced tea). My partner and I go for dinner as well. I love the chicken tikka masala, chicken makhani, and chicken malai. We also love their Chana masala and saag (palak) paneer for veg dishes. EVERYONE loves the banana pakora, and poori bread. I actually prefer the poori over the naan, because the poori has a subtle sweetness. Decor is pretty cool and it's a nice place. I haven't had drinks here but hear they are really good. The only downside is that the tables are close together but that's nyc for ya! Also sometimes the service can be a little spotty, like really attentive some times and then neglectful other times.

This place never disappoints, I always get the chicken tikka masala with a side of white naan and it's great every time. I've visited a few Indian restaurants but this place is by far my favorite and the service is always pleasant.

I ordered the chicken du piazi - it was ok. I normally order Tika misala but wanted to try something different. I also ordered samosas- chicken and veggie. They were good but small lol. Preferred the veggie. The service was excellent!

Best Indian food in the neighborhood! Friendly staff and yummy margaritas! The restaurant itself is cozy and nice ambiance! I try to go at least twice a month.

Great service/ awesome lunch buffet / Awesome happy hour from 12 noon to 7 pm: The food is very fresh and the naan is excellent Another must have is the home made masala chai

I expected more from seeing how diverse the menu was but unfortunately this place needs to think more about nuance. The lentil patties and Pakoras were dry, cold and hard. We couldn't finish them. The mint "roti" was one I've never had at any other Indian place, made from white flour not wheat plus took on the feeling of a Greek pita. Come on guys, who are you kidding? The Cauliflower curry, bland... The only food that I'd eat again was the salmon tikka which was good! Look maybe we just ordered the wrong 4 things... I'd give it another shot after a few months...maybe a different chef...

I've gone to a lot of different Indian Restaurants in NYC. I will have to say this is the best one I've been to in awhile. Happy hour is everyday from 12pm- 7pm. That had me sold right away. The drinks are made great. The appetizers are to die for. I'm vegan so I just had the coconut poori(forgot to take the picture), the veg samosas, and another person in my party had poori & shrimp. The main course everyone just went crazy for. The food is delicious and you can tell it's made fresh. The rice is soft and not hard like most places I've gone to. The service is superb!! My view is long enough. Just come visit and taste the food/drinks for yourself!

Good food presented well. Not greasy, not salty, good flavorful Indian food much needed...love those spices! I will return! Thanks! Eleanor

How fortuitous that we discovered this restaurant close to where my husband works (Professor of Biology, City College NY) - this will be a regular spot! We were immediately welcomed by the Host, leading the way on a wheelchair-friendly ramp for a cozy indoor dining spot. Even more fortuitous was that we arrived within Happy Hour specials for very reasonably priced cocktails and well drinks. I've observed that because of the diaspora that comprises Indian cuisine, every menu in each and every restaurant I've dined - is truly unique. The menu categories (all Halal) include not only the usual Tandoori, Biryani and Curry; but also Du Piazi, Malai, Madras, and most helpful for us, Vegetarian. We settled for the Vegetable Dinner for One: vegetable pakoras (crispy outside , tasty inside), Mulligatawny Soup (tomato based - a first!), garlic naan (so flavorful , even without the condiments), the okra bhuna (delicious and not too oily), jasmine rice (the Host shared an extra plate), and the heavenly Rasmalai for dessert. Water was always provided in a carafe and perfect metal cups that keep it cool. The food is worth a return, but more than anything, the Host was so welcoming and attentive. He made terrific suggestions and all in terrific spirit. And funny! We had to order the cilantro chutney to go. It is like heaven on anything, and he sent us home with exactly this - a bit of heaven for our day.

Habib was one of the best servers I have ever had in New York City. He provided us with an incredible, unforgettable experience, provided us with the best food and drink recommendations, and was so attentive. the food was impeccable, the ambiance was perfect and lowkey for a friday night after a long work week. 10/10 experience - great happy hour deals a plus!

Good food and really great drinks! Excellent service and a great happy hour that goes from noon to 7pm! Highly recommended

Food is ok, the experience underwhelming. The server brought out the wrong main course but I didn't say anything because I was hungry. The Chicken Malai was tasty. The meat was soft and juicy but the portion was small. This is coming from someone that doesn't need a big portion. The Sahinas were bland and dry. And the table chutney looked like they have been sitting out for a while, as they started to dry up. The server was overly talkative and kept interrupting my guest and I, to the point where one of us had to ask for space. The glasses were some kind of painted metal to look like copper and it was coming off. The forks were so light and thin that it felt like they could be snapped in half. (Made you feel like you were eating take-out and not at a restaurant. Lastly, the bathroom served as storage room for extra chairs and supplies. The beers were good! Sadly, I wouldn't come again :(

I order dinner and the price and food were ok. I would like to eat in for lunch since the reviews for eating in are great. The paper thin cracker and Banana Pakora were great. The samosa and fried vegetables were not so special.

I dined there yesterday but order very often. I've been ordering from them for a year. I've tried every vegetarian option on the menu. To keep it short, if you're vegetarian, you're in luck. They have amazing options. My favorite app is the samosa chaat and my favorite entree is chana or paneer sagg. In you're dining in, definitely get the vegetable thali. The servers who work there are incredibly sweet and helpful. The food is great. I love a good neighborhood restaurant and I'm glad I don't have to travel far for Indian food.

I've been going to Clove since they had their lunch buffet! Their samosas are perfectly spiced and have a beautiful crunch, never burned. Naan is soft, albeit a bit small. However you can't go wrong with their curries - my particular favs include almost all of their veggie curry as well as their shrimp. Got their lunch special chicken makhni, which was a large portion for one person. I never got delivery but always had good experiences dining in. Would recommend!