Desi Galli

On curry hill it is sometimes hard to find a small quick bite. This is great. Simple and delicious. Well seasons. Lovely staff. Cute seating area downstairs.

Liked that they have plenty of vegan options! Small dining area in the back. Enjoyed the pani puri & beyond kati roll.

We stumbled upon this place quite suddenly. The love for Indian food and price point made us try it out. The restaurant is one stairs down but you'll love the interior. The setup is very comfy and if you're a fan of Bollywood music, you'll love their Playlist. The menu is available on scanning a QR code and the variation of the food will spark up your taste buds for Indian food. We ordered Samosa Chaat - the best I had in NY, Rasmalai - perfect softness and very flavorful, Bihari Kathi Roll - good blend of spicy chicken filling. I must mention about the staff who served us, she came down the stairs for 5 times to bring us food, offered to help with the menu and everything. She's the best! Would definitely come back.

I can’t speak to the food of the service because I’ve only gotten takeout, but this is one of the best Indians I’ve had in a long time. I was very pleasantly surprised by the chicken tikka masala. It’s very delicious, robust and a bit sweet. They also have gluten-free bread, which is a godsend because it is impossible to find anywhere and the portioning is really great for the bread. The create itself is perfect portion, especially when delivered. I would definitely order this again and the pricing is pretty pretty good for the area.

Visiting NYC from LA and decided to give this restaurant a try. The food sucked. The dishes we ordered came with some chutney and it had no flavor except it was too tangy, when I took a bite of my pav vada it had grittiness (sand) in it. Same with pani puri and dhai puri chaat. Don’t waste your money here. Wish I can get my $40 back.

Good spot for fast casual Indian street food. I cannot comment on authenticity but thought the flavors were good. I enjoyed the vada pav and kathi roll. Masala fries were crispy and hot - total perfection. Skip the pav baji which I was most excited about, unfortunately!

I’m so happy that I found this place! I’ve been hankering to find a good kati roll (or is it Kathi?) for years. I found the chicken roll here to be superior to the kati roll company and had way more flavor. The staff were very friendly and the place was well taken care of. I’m going to make sure I swing by next time I pass through nyc! ✌️

A lot of places were packed and me and my friends wanted somewhere to sit and eat and break our fast so we came here and there was plenty of space food wasn’t bad but I wanted spicy but it was like medium spicy. I got a aloo paneer kathi roll with the drsipouttine fries and green chutney on the side and my friends got a tikka chicken kathi roll and samosa chaat. The only reason I’m giving four stars because they charged nearly 3$ for a 1$ dollar bottle like what’s with the bottle price inflation?

This is my go-to place for chicken tikka masala! I've never had a bad experience here, the service always brings the food out quick and the ambience feels nice.

PROs - good Kathi rolls , good location CONs - taste in some items , a little expensive combos Desi galli has been around for a longgggg time . Their Kathi rolls are very famous and fills up your stomach . Very good location .. right on heart of Lexington Avenue where all other restaurants are . No parking available . Good for visitors who walk around in Lex ave . There was some road work going on . It was very dusty outside and we could hardly see the shop . Inside the shop, there are no seats when you enter : I thought it was To-Go only but they said there are seats at the basement . Nice seating arrangement inside . Few seats but it looked comfortable . Went inside looking at Maggie samosa menu outside . It was very average . Maggie wasn't tasty inside the samosa.. it was quite bland and no spice or salt . .. chutneys were good though. Would not recommend Maggi samosa . I loved their aloo paneer tikki kathi roll ... for 8$ it was worth it . I actually just got a roll and samosa and the lady in counter said it's better to get the same as a combo. I believed her and it looked like I paid more on a combo - which was about 15$.. Kathi roll plus samosa was 12$ !! I got confused when she offered the combo offer but it was just to get charged more . I still recommend their Kathi rolls . Really good . I think for 18-20$ it was expensive ! In other places around you will get a big fat meal for the same money ! 3 stars !

Stumbled upon it by accident few days ago and am glad I did! As reviewed by other yelpers its really good when it comes to comfort or street desi food. Their rolls are divine! I think even better then Kathi roll LES. They have really good combo deals of rolls/fries/drink. Food is great for price. Loved their pani puri too. Can't wait to try their Maggi samosas and gulab jaman cheesecake next!! Must try!

I ordered the chicken tikka Kathi roll combo. The Kathi roll was yummy but the masala fries were a waste of calories. I really didn't notice any special flavoring and they were pretty much just bad diner fries. I wish the Kathi roll were a little more substantial so it would be more filling. Another ounce or two of filling might help. The downstairs dining area was cute but kinda stuffy and undeniably a basement. The staff were very friendly and helpful.

I really wanted to like this brightly lit joint and its take on Indian fast food, but my omelette kathi roll was...tasteless. Neither the egg nor the veggies had any spice, not even salt. And the paratha was...greasy, excessively so. The coriander chutney was good, but I'd rather have a flavorful kathi roll plus chutney - not just chutney. Maybe it was an off night...

Did I "like Desi Galli?" Hell yes I did! I'm not happy with a masala chai spilled all over the bag but I'll still be back, the tikka masala was delicious, the pani puri, everything rocked Just not the masala chai

Best tikka masala in the city. Fast delivery and 3 options for spice level. All for a decent price.

I was pleasantly surprised by the desi poutine. It was extremely filling and you can easily get two helpings out of it. Fries were hot and crisp, paneer was shredded on top, and the "gravy" was a chicken makhani (which is one of my favorite curries). On a cold day, it'll warm you right up. The gulab jamun is something I wouldn't recommend ordering because it was unfortunately not good to put it gently. If you're new to trying it, it's not the most favorable introduction. But it's free with your first Yelp check in, so try it out but don't let it be the only gulab jamun you ever try. The seating area is downstairs and there's water available with plastic cups (which was so appreciated as I'm someone who forgets to bring their water bottle).

I get tikka masala here all the time through doordash and it's honestly very tasty and filling. The chicken is also nicely cooked and the flavors of the dish is great.

The food was very tasty at a low price and the service was very nice and neat. Hope I will go there again and again!

Hands down the best desi food in curry hill! The restaurant features authentic dishes with a modern taste and has classics like authentic khati rolls and unique dishes like the famous desipoutine.

Great neighborhood place that never disappoints. Variety of flavorful Kathi rolls with great vegetarian options. Love the samosa chaat.

Yeah don't get the chaat here - it's stale. The puris (pani puri) and spinach chaat were both fried in bad oil. We couldn't get past the first bite. The rolls were better - we got the paneer bhurji and chicken tikka roll. They honestly aren't anywhere as good as Kati, thelewala or masala times - but it was better than the chaat.

So a friend and I were planning to go to Sarvanna Bhavan for dinner, but saw this little shop next door(on one street before) and we decided to do a mini-stop for chaat! We ordered three things: 1. Pav Bhaji - it was amazing! The bhaji was fresh and flavorful. The pav were well done and the onion-lemon portion was good. We ordered extra pav later, to finish up the bhaji! 2. Gol gappe - they were good. The paani(water) to fill up the puff balls was slightly less, but it was very tangy & spicy! We liked it a lottt! 3. Paneer-aloo kathi roll - as vegetarians, this felt like a good option. I would say, the kathi roll was ok. Not that great. I felt that the filling inside was good, but the roll was a little uncooked. It slightly felt like pre-made and heated again. Decor - classic chaat house decor, minimalist . Do not expect anything fancy, and the place was super clean and hygienic. Price - for NYC, the price is good. You can order everything online through the bar code, and everything is smooth and convenient. Overall- 4/5 for this place. I would definitely go back for the gol gappas/pani-puris and the pav bhaji!

The service at the counter was notably poor, marked by an unprofessional attitude from the staff member present, who was quite rude. Her behavior was disappointing and detracted from the overall experience, suggesting that management should reconsider her role. On a brighter note, the chicken tikka Kati roll was delicious, well-prepared with a perfect blend of spices and cooked to perfection. The food itself would definitely bring me back, hoping for better service next time.

Go to spot for kathi rolls in the neighborhood. It's flavorful, rolled-to-order, and always hits the spot when craving street food. This is a take away spot. No sit down. They deliver fast and food is always hot. Ask for it spicy, if you can handle it. Ask for extra spicy green sauce (spicy mint chutney) on the side if you're adventurous like me. Note: you can order a pint of just this Green Chutney sauce (which I have done) We have been here many many times. I can't believe it has taken me this long to write a review! Between all our visits, we have tried 80-85% of the menu. The things we keep going back to: Chicken Tikka Kathi Roll (GF) Aloo Paneer Kathi Roll Vegan Channa Kathi Roll (V / GF) Aloo Channa Kathi Roll (V / GF) Paneer Bhurjee Kathi Roll Lamb Biryani Saag Paneer Curry Chicken Tikka Masala Saag Curry Dal Makhani Yellow Dal Curry Fries Desi Poutine PINT of spicy mint cilantro chutney

Amazing and flavorful pani puri and desipoutine (tikka fries)!!! Food was hot and fresh, staff were nice and attentive.

I ordered food online to pick up. It was very easy to order their food online, plus I received a small discount. Their food is very tasty and it is just enough for one person. I highly recommend this restaurant.

I went to Desi Galli over the summer. The tasting menu was ok and a little pricey in my opinion. I also found the service to be average. The owner didn't seem warm or welcoming either.

Ordered for dinner through DoorDash, took some time - but def worth the wait!! We had the chicken tikka Kathi roll, and the lamb bhuna Kathi roll.

Used to be good until they got lazy. They don't take your order anymore - not even if you dine in - and try to get you to use a junky app which is also a way of getting your personal information and try to hit you up for a 20% tip as a default. So you sit in a basement with no Wi-Fi trying to get a lousy app to work , trying to evade a demand for personal info , until the whole thing stalls out and you leave.

As you can see from my previous reviews, I've been a big fan of Desi Galli historically... until tonight when I found pieces of plastic- think packaging or tape- in my Chicken Tikka Kathi Roll. At first I thought they might be chicken skin, but no... definitely plastic. Most likely my last visit.

I've ordered from here several times. Usually it's good. This time the portion was laughably small, like not even appetizer sized.....and the food quality very poor. It was dried out and yucky. Basically it was a dried out pita bread with some shriveled stuff inside. Really not good. What's more frustrating is I called to inquire and speak directly to someone at the location.....and "conveniently" nobody answers their phone and they only take online orders or walk in. So here I am with my negative review. Desi Galli no more.

Ordered the "Galli omelette Kathi roll" - was bit bland for my taste. Would like to try few other options next time I am in NYC.

We stopped by desi galli , a small place in Indian street in New York. We only ordered 1 paani poori. Paani poori was AMAZING- filled with mint chutney and with tamarind chutney! The paani was perfect.- a must try! But service was very slow. It was super hot so we did not go down stairs to sit( yeah we sat on a small bench next to the counter) Tip 1: If you buy anything you $10, you get 1 gulag jamun free Tip 2: They give 10% student discount

I can't possibly say enough nice things about Desi Galli - every single thing I've tried there has been delicious!! Plenty of amazing vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options, and incredibly friendly people. Try the kathi rolls and Desipoutine - you won't be disappointed! This is our neighborhood go-to; they knock it out of the park every single time and we're lucky to have them around!!

I've gotten takeout from here several times. The food is solid- with my personal favorite being the aloo paneer kathi roll. I prefer these over the ones from the original "Kati roll" chain because the paneer stuffing is better here and also they incorporate the right amount of onion so it's flavorful but not overpowering. I also really enjoy their vegetable samosa. Today I had a ritual order that was supposed to be ready at 1 pm but when I showed up at 1:15 it still wasn't ready. Took them about 5 mins to prepare it. Even on my previous visits I've noticed it takes them a while to prepare the food so just keep that in mind. UPDATE: placed an order on all set today and it was ready when I got there! Thanks Desi Galli

I've been a loyal customer here for many years. Most of the Kati rolls they serve are delicious, others not so much. The other dishes here are all very tiny for the price you pay, so I cannot recommend them. Ordering from them online has always been a nightmare. Use GrubHub or another popular option and the food is not ready for 15-30 minutes after the pick-up time. Alternatively, use their website (which has always been a nightmare) and it'll constantly reject your orders, bug out when you try and pay, and otherwise just waste half an hour of your time. Last time I ordered here I specifically selected the Lexington location and (after fighting with it to even let me pay) when I go to pick it up they tell me it was sent to the Avenue B location. Over the years, I've waisted countless hours waiting for the website to work or for the food to finally be made, and now I'm wasting money too. Will never come back here again.

We have now used Desi Galli twice to cater parties. Pria took all the stress out of it and made recommendations, helped me pay and order online, and assisted down to the very final detail (on a weekend!) until my food was delivered. It was hot, well packaged, and so tasty that all of it was eaten up by my guests before I even got to try. I highly recommend these guys for a top-notch experience that is delicious and stress-free.

Value for money Loved the Chicken Tikka Roll and Paneer Roll The Biryani quantity is also pretty good

Eh - I've lived in India most of my life and can't really say the flavors are very authentic. The chaats in particular are a let down. The rolls on the other hand are of decent quality and good enough for a full meal. They have a good variety of options too but definitely not my favorite restaurant in the area.

Made a quick stop by earlier during the pandemic (in April '21) to get a plate of deconstructed pani puri to-go. The carefully packed the puri with the stuffing and gave the pani (two of them, one sweet, tamarind based and the other green and somewhat spicy). The puris were crisp, and the potato masala stuffing and the panis were a little bland due to the subtle spice but overall it was a decent attempt!

My review is basically off a Mealpal order. Stepping up, I didn't realize this is a small hole in the shop almost like a deli scene. I didn't care either way as long as the food is good. So it wasn't long that I received the food order of chicken briyani. While the portion is expected that of a Mealpal meal, the food was just alright. It had flavor and few pieces of chicken and a large white sauce. Nothing special about the place so give it just average review.

Best COVID measures and really flavorful Dishes . I love the vada pav and pav Bhaji .. I give a yay

If you like curry... If you like vegetables... If you like to eat... In any of these simple cases, you need to fly your ship over to Desi Galli and get eatin. Cause this place will change your life. I am serious as cancer here. They are so incredibly delicious. I first discovered them up on Lexington. I was working at 33 & Park and would walk over to that location and get my kati roll action on. This east village location is cute and open late too. I like the 7 vegetable kati rolls although there are many others such as Channa, Aloo, Paneer and more. For the meat eaters, you have chicken and lamb to choose from. There are many other curry flavors, and Biryani as well. So you're gonna have to go back many many times to feel like you got the real experience. It's the food that keeps on giving!

I work very close to this place. And I come here often. Try their veggie kati rolls they don't disappoint. Meat ones are good not great. Chicken biryani was good for the price. The rice had good flavor but chicken was dry. Iced masala chai needs a try surely. I also got a large order from them. They were exceptionally good with service and had everything ready. The rolls were cut in halves. They have a chutney too.

No matter how rough the service is, the food just keeps on getting better all the time. Even though there was a big delay with delivery tonight, the food was not cold. I was very happy. I really enjoyed the new Beyond Kathi roll.

TLDR: Mediocre food, terrible manager, laughable delivery times. Like many others have said, the portions are small and the service/manager are terrible. The delivery took 1hr 55mins! They had a promo for a free item so we ordered that (multiple) and other regular item. They changed the order from 5 items to 2, didn't call us, manager was unrelenting, took 2 hrs to get this food. Any other respectable would call you to let you know if there is any variation to the order. Not this place, they couldn't care less. Better options in the area.

Love Desi Galli! I typically get the Vegan 7-Vegetable Khati Roll which is really flavorful and fresh. I appreciate that they don't get into the whole "how spicy" question, and just make it delicious. I'd say it's spicy, but not crazy spicy. They don't "dumb it down" or anything. This is Curry Hill, after all, not freakin Olive Garden right? I've had the Vegetable Samosas and would order them again for sure. Solid. And I got fries once as part of a combo. The fries were the sort of thicker and roughly textured kind. I liked them a lot; just be aware if you're expecting like shoestring fries or something; that's not what these are. The employees have always been genuinely friendly to me; I go in a fair amount as it's pretty close to where I'm working. Can't speak for the non-vegan menu items.

Was around the area and stumbled upon this restaurant. Yelp reviews seemed interesting so thought of checking it out. It was a Saturday afternoon and the place was pretty empty which seemed weird. They boast a lot about their features from different magazines on their menu. I got myself the Chicken Keema Kathi Roll for takeout and it was ready within a few minutes. The Roll was really filly and absolutely lip smacking! The Keema is a flavorful minced Chicken gravy which was rolled in a Paratha. The side of green chutney was yummy too!

Whenever I'm in the mood for Indian fast food, I think I'll return here! The food is delicious, fast and inexpensive; the staff is nice; there's plenty of seating downstairs (newly updated with black lacquer tables); and the place is clean. There's also free WiFi and 1 tiny single-stall BR downstairs. I got the following for free or nearly free via PayPal mobile app promos. I took the orders to go and each came with a little cup of tasty green chili sauce: -#3: Aloo & Paneer Tikki (This got a TimeOutNY mention, according to their menu board): You can get this as either a Slider or Kathi Roll: ---as a Slider: Although it's small compared to the supersized everything Americans are used to, this was actually pretty filling. And tasty! It comes on a Mumbai Pav bun. ---as a Kathi Roll ($5.43 total): Delicious and very filling. -Galli Omelette slider (Serious Eats mention): Yum! Same notes as above. This one is my favorite so far. So good! -#23: Palak Patte Ki Chaat ($5.34, Serious Eats mention): Delicious fried spinach with lots of toppings. Like loaded nachos, but spicier and more interesting. -Hot Masala Chai: Spicy tea, so not really my cup of...tea. -Gulab Jamun: No no no no no. Gross. Sickeningly sweet and bitter like cough syrup - nearly pesticidal I imagine - and that's saying something for a sugar addictive . There are only 3 balls, but one bite was enough. -Saffron Kulfi ($3.80): Wonderfully creamy vanilla-like ice cream bar on a stick. More popular than the mango flavor, according to the cashier. FYI: -$10 minimum to use a credit card. -Free WiFi available, plus a pitcher of water downstairs for free refills. -Check in via Yelp for a free coffee or Hot Masala Chai. -LevelUp also offers $2 off. -Monday special: 2-for-1 Kathi Roll w/ the purchase of a drink. -And don't forget to pick up a loyalty punch card: Buy 6 Kathi Rolls and your 7th is free!

It's a small take out place that offers rolls, chaat and some entrees. The chicken tikka rolls are great - served with yogurt and coriander sauce on the side - and you can choose whole wheat or vegan bread which are all different. I haven't tried the other rolls but it all looks and smells great and there are vegan options. One unique thing they offer is marinated chicken that's ready to grill at home. I got some rice on the side, picked up a head of cauliflower at the supermarket, and we had a great meal.

I really like this place, especially before they raised their prices $2-3. It's good as a fast food Indian style but if they charge restaurant prices it's not that worthy. Update: May 2019 Prices keep going up. For those who came after 2016, the food sizes they serve now are half of what it used to be. For those who want to have a unique traditional North Indian gastronomic experience and have some time to go to Queens, go visit India Cafe on Leffers blvd. This is not a fancy place but it's cozy, clean, on the budget, and they serve amazing food

Discovered another awesome hole in the wall thanks to Paypal! On my first visit, I came about 10 mins before opening (I just happened to walk by the area, didn't really check the business hrs) and the boss lady was nice enough to open up early just for me. So far I've tried two of their sliders - #11 lamb strips + egg and #10 slow cooked spiced lamb - Not only are they generously loaded with meat, (I honestly think they should be called a burger rather than a slider), these sliders were perfectly seasoned and delicious! For $3.99 + tax, they are definitely a steal! Friendly, fast service (the boss lady is the sweetest and always seeking to learn more about each of her customer - must be a Canadian thing hehe). I can't wait to try the rest of the menu - will definitely return on my off day to pick up another delicious slider!

My experience at Desi Galli was disappointing. There were some dirty pots and pans on the floor, right at the top of the stairs, so that was gross. I don't know if they ran out of room in the sink or what, but it was not a good look. Then, it took forever for our food to arrive. The food was pretty good. Nothing to write home about, but tasty enough. The fries were okay--just frozen fries with some spicy seasoning sprinkled all over. I'd ordered an appetizer and they brought me the wrong menu item, but by that point I didn't want to wait another 25 minutes just to get what I ordered. It would've been nice for them to get our order right after we waited nearly half an hour for it, and at least throw us a mango lassi for the inconvenience of waiting. There's better Indian street food elsewhere.

I really wanted to love this place and I'll definitely return to make a better assessment, but I came here awhile with my boss who really likes their kathi rolls. I had never had a kathi roll (yah, yah, laugh away) so I was excited to see what the hype was about. My boss ordered a chicken tikka masala kathi roll and something else. I ordered the same type on a romali roti. A romali roti is a thin flat bread that is nicely seasoned and thinner and more pliable than na'an is. They have plain and whole wheat roles, but I would definitely recommend going with the romali. My roll was undeniably delicious but I felt like it wasn't really very large for a price point of $6 something. The chicken itself was very flavorful but not very moist...some pieces were actually pretty dry (see photos). Their spicy mint and cilantro chutney is super spicy but delicious. Lot's of things on their menu look really great and I love how they specialize in Indian street food since this stuff isn't always as readily available. I mean, they have chicken tikka sliders..SLIDERS. I checked in on Yelp and gave my boss the complimentary mango lassi. After I paid I learned that they had a promotion with LevelUp (which I don't use and don't plan to use) but they'll give you $5 off your order if you pay with PayPal...yeah okay, that I will use. Next time I return I'm getting 2 kathi rolls (since one isn't big enough to be a real meal) or 1 kathi roll and a slider...I definitely do want to come back here though. Their staff was so friendly that it definitely warrants another chance.

Great aromas and even better customer service as soon as you walk through the door! Lamb Biriyani was ON POINT. We were recommended the Desipoutine and it was an amazing appetizer. Definitely my new regular Indian joint!

Everything was amazing, full of flavor. Amazed at the American/Desi twists especially with the beyond kaati roll and Desi poutine. This location has an open kitchen, you can see your food being made fresh! Def the place to hit up when craving Indian street food. Hit the spot and left us full, without that icky feeling of consuming too much oil. Can't wait to come back!

We ordered Vada Pav, Pani Puri, Desi Poutine. Desi Poutine was good but rest of the things were okay. Also the dine in area had a weird smell and you have to go past the kitchen to sit in the dining area. Overall it was okay.