Punjab Cafe

This restaurant holds a special place in my heart as an avid lover of Indian cuisine. I had fond memories of the previous owner, and recently, I decided to return after a long time. I had the pleasure of speaking with the owner's daughter, who impressed me with her kindness, professionalism, and natural leadership qualities. The food was absolutely fantastic. The garlic and coconut naan were perfectly prepared, full of flavor and texture. We ordered the dinner for two, and I must say, the portions were incredibly generous—enough to comfortably feed four people. I will undoubtedly be returning, and I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for delicious Indian food and exceptional service.

Got the Royal Chaat (with samosas), Vegetable Momos, Punjabi Kadhi Pakora, and Garlic Naan. The Punjabi kadhi was the standout dish; the yoghurt-based curry was delicious! The garlic naan was also pretty good. The Royal Chaat was pretty good, but slightly bland. I liked the samosas, but I wish the sauces were slightly tangier and spicier as they were on the sweet side. The vegetable momos tasted weird because of the excessive amount of ginger in them. They would’ve been great without too much ginger as the dough was really well made.

The Punjab Cafe has never disappointed. Service is great and the food is always a delight. Try the vegetable samosa, the garlic nan, and the chicken tiki marsala.

The best indian cuisine 🤤 Everyone is so nice. Such a good taste and portion!

Delicious food! Particularly the chicken dishes. The vegetarian dishes were also pretty good but the baingan bartha wasn’t the best. Would still recommend. I’m sure I’ll come again.

Okay, so I'm going to answer some questions about this place I had before going here based on reviews. 1. They do dine in and take out. 2. They have bottled beer, wine, spirits and cocktails. 3. The food is really good and has a lot of flavor. One of the best Indian places in boston in my opinion (based on my one experience today - I will be going back) 4. They do a lunch buffet on Saturdays and Sundays. 5. Friendly, quick and attentive service. 6. Clean restaurant, with a cute interior. And one question I had based on my experiences in other Asian/Indian restaurants. 7. They don't make the food less spicy because they assume as a white person you can't handle it. ❤️ Overall 5/5

The food here is very good. The samosas were big and the stuffing had a lot of flavor. The paneer masala paired with the garlic naan was also tasty. The butter chicken was a little disappointing however.

Had a pretty good lunch at Punjab Cafe. You are allowed to park in the parking lot next door, which is shared with the liquor store. The inside is spacious with lots of tables, but I did takeout. The ordering process was straightforward, and the person working at the front was friendly. The portions for the appetizers were good for the price, but I felt like the main dishes were expensive at ~$20 each. The garlic naan was okay. The naan was a bit tough and could have been more garlic-y. The samosas were okay as well. I liked the sauce that came with them; almost like a sweet BBQ sauce. The chicken in both the murgh makhani (butter) chicken and chicken saag was tender, and the sauces were flavorful but too salty on their own. I also felt like medium was too mild of a spice level, so I wish I went hotter. Overall, it was a solid meal. Just some minor tweaks would have made this a five.

I cannot believe I've never been here until now. Actually, yes I can. I'm someone who is loyal to a place if I tried and loved it. For Indian cuisine, I only go to one place in the South End, Mela. And my friends have been accommodating me by going there when we decide on Indian. However, I've heard them talk about Punjab Cafe and I just go yeah yeah yeah. My husband randomly took me here since we were nearby. I had zero expectations of this place. Upon entrance, there is an area where all the awards they've received were. Then, we were greeted with a smile. We tried a cod pakora, garlic naan, and three curry entrees. The curries were very tasty. But that garlic naan, is HEAVEN. I've never had better naan than this! It was so fluffy. I can't stop thinking about it. If you're in the area, you have to do yourself a favor and try them out!

Great food Great service This place should be packed Our go to for great Indian cuisine

At the time I'm writing this review.. this place has 4.5 stars out of 650 reviews. It blows my mind ! I've had frozen Indian food from trader Joe's better than this. My husband and I came here for their lunch buffet. We were one of the first seated, so the food was seemingly fresh. We thought the goat curry and mixed vegetable sabzi werr decent. Everything else was just BAD. The chicken tikka masala tasted of canned tomatoes. The chicken in all the curries was dry and rubbery. So was the tandoori and malai/ boti pieces. Saag looked and tasted old. The pakodas were dense and oily. The potato garlic soup (? I don't even know what Indian person makes this?) tasted of butter and salt. I didn't know what to make of it really. I've had Indian food in Italy better than this. No I don't own a rival Indian place. I'm actually here working for a few months and just flabbergasted as to how bad the food was ESPECIALLY for the price : lunch buffet 20$per person!? We've tried many desi places in Boston and I guess I'll have to still drive to Singh's dhaba- it's not as fancy but damn the food hits the spot. So disappointed.

It had been a while since we had food from a Panjabi Indian restaurant and were looking forward to the experience at Punjab Cafe, but it was rather a surprisingly disappointing experience. We ordered the Lamb Masala (lamb marinated in yoghurt and cooked with herbs), Butter Chicken (staple at a Punjabi restaurant), a tandoori roti and a garlic naan bread. The curries were surprisingly very disappointing. The lamb masala gravy was heavy on cream and low on flavor. Even a medium plus spice level hardly felt hot. The meat pieces were ok. The butter chicken was also very low on spices and hardly packed any heat. And who puts raisins in butter chicken!!! The naan bread and tandoori roti were very dry and hard. Overall disappointed to visit again.

This is my new go to spot for Indian takeout! Their lunch menu is pretty extensive with over 15 different options for only $11. I ordered directly from their website. This restaurant is right past the Goodwill and there is easy street parking. I got the chicken masala (extra spicy) with white rice lunch special it was delicious! It felt like a good deal as usually Indian food goes for higher prices. For lunch on the weekdays, their is a thali (round platter) special available that comes with 7 items for $17. They have a buffet option on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 - 2:30pm for $19.95. The service was quick and friendly, my order was ready without 10 minutes! The lighting inside is dim with classical peaceful Indian music in the background. I will be back here due to their good quality and cheap lunch specials.

If you are craving for the buttery and flavorful Indian food, this is the place to be. The lunch buffet makes my day. The lamp and chicken are all great.

Awesome food, great atmosphere, friendly service. Been to many Indian restaurant but this is gotta be a first where they give you options for white meat or dark meat for the chicken. They ask whatnspicy level you wish your meal to be prep in. Very attentive. Upon walking in, I was already impressed with all those awards they have won. Zagat best restaurant for 12+ uears running and I wouldnt be surprise if the streak continues. You dont want to miss this gem.

Been here once many moons ago and this is my second time here. The service was good the place looks dated but clean. The garlic naan was very good but the onion naan we didn't like. Too much onion and bland. The non vegetarian platter meats were dry. The rest of our orders, chicken masala, lamb vindaloo and chicken makhani were very flavorful and tasty. The mix drinks were too light and tasted like juice. It will be many more moons before we would come back again.

Had a pretty good lunch at Punjab Cafe. You are allowed to park in the parking lot next door, which is shared with the liquor store. The inside is spacious with lots of tables, but I did takeout. The ordering process was straightforward, and the person working at the front was friendly. The portions for the appetizers were good for the price, but I felt like the main dishes were expensive at ~$20 each. The garlic naan was okay. The naan was a bit tough and could have been more garlic-y. The samosas were okay as well. I liked the sauce that came with them; almost like a sweet BBQ sauce. The chicken in both the murgh makhani (butter) chicken and chicken saag was tender, and the sauces were flavorful but too salty on their own. I also felt like medium was too mild of a spice level, so I wish I went hotter. Overall, it was a solid meal. Just some minor tweaks would have made this a five.

Restaurant is still take out only. Luckily it is the best Indian take out in Quincy. All the entrees are well seasoned and you get plenty of rice on the side. I forget the name of the dish but the cauliflower was my favorite. Chicken Tikka Masala hits the spot.

Caved into my Indian food craving, and so glad to have finally tried Punjab Cafe! My partner and I ordered vegetable samosas, hot lamb saag, hot paneer masala, chicken biryani, garlic naan, and aloo parantha - TASTE: 4/5 - everything was wonderful! My favorites were the strong garlic & cilantro flavors in the naan, potato stuffing in the aloo parantha, and spinach-y savoriness of the lamb saag. The biryani was just alright. The chutney sauces on the side were great complements to everything. Note: we ordered the saag and masala as "hot," but neither were that spicy. Will definitely select the hottest option next time! TEXTURE: 5/5 - the samosas were perfectly fried, the lamb was tender, and paneer was chewy PRICE: 4/5 - prices were a little more than I expected, but solid for the amount of food we got SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - ordered this for Friday night dinner, and still had plenty of leftovers! SERVICE: 4/5 - easy to order on the Toast takeout app, and our food was ready 10min earlier than indicated PARKING: 4/5 - some lot spaces available, as well as street parking, for a quick pickup

Great food , excellent service, new menu with new owners, I like the old one better . Decent prices . Cocktail was not nice , way too much syrup not enough alcohol.

Punjab cafe has been my fiancé and I's go to place whenever we're craving Indian food. We like to order the biryani, vindaloo, and korma each prepared spicy but sometimes we get extra spicy when we're feeling sadistic (be careful since they 100% deliver on the spice!). Oh and can't forget the garlic naan bread! The chicken biryani is flavorful and aromatic, with perfectly cooked long-grain rice and tender pieces of chicken. The blend of spices used in the dish is *chefs kiss*. The chicken vindaloo is also fantastic and a favorite of my fiancé's. The spice level is intense but the vindaloo sauce is rich and tangy and still super flavorful. Finally, the chicken korma is my personal favorite from here. The korma's creamy coconut milk-based flavor/texture is oh so rich and comforting. Overall, I would highly recommend Punjab Cafe to anyone looking for delicious and authentic Indian food. The prices were also very reasonable, and the portions were generous. You won't regret it!

I am writing this review based on the "past" owners AMAZING restaurant/cooking! I will write another review when I try a meal with the new owner's food So if it isn't as AMAZING... I'll definitely let ya'all know! Believe me..I don't mince words (Say it isn't so!) I FINALLY found a wonderful Indian restaurant (there are PLENTY of bad ones out there!) And today I just read that the owner is retiring and going back to India! So I quickly called to place an order ..before he was gone "for good" And NOOOO! He had already sold it -and the new owner is already there! If he was at Least staying in MA -I could have tried to bribe him with a huge big wad of cash... to cook up his tasty dishes for me if I was having a hankering for authentic Indian cuisine! Unfortunately.... India is a bit too far to scheme up a plan for dinner! His food was out of this world delicious!! -Naan was cooked light and airy with garlic and fresh herbs -the chicken masala was just the perfect blend of heat and umami flavor -veggie Samosa was flavorful and not at all greasy -lamb curry(my friend had) was so tender that it melted in your mouth like butter! -lamb meatball(my friend had) was moist and the spices were spot on w/just the right amount of heat! Even bland/run of the mill rice was brought up a notch with the addition of clove and almonds! EVERY dish was unique for its flavor profile You didn't just have one overwhelming flavor throughout all the dishes (which tends to happen in other Indian restaurants) All the ingredients were fresh/never frozen It's as if you always had a personal chef cooking for you when you ordered take-out You could practically see him creating his culinary magic with each bite you savored! Needless to say, I am heartbroken that he is leaving I wish only the best for he and his family Thank you for the wonderful food and amazing culinary memories!

Love the chicken curry! Excellent food with friendly staff. Highly recommend The Punjab Cafe in Quincy.

It's been a while since I was in Punjab Cafe. I know since Covid hit, Punjab was big on the take out and took a while to open again. I'm very happy they were able to re-open their doors for dining in! nothing wrong with take out (we did it tons of times) but dine in is dine in. The place is run by a lovely family, the waiting staff is always very professional and welcoming, and the restaurant is nicely decorated with some shiny pieces and giant peacock in the window. I hope it still there! The food is absolutely delicious, throughout the years I've been loyal customer to Punjab Cafe, I built an obsession with Paneer Do Piazza and garlic naan. It is the best thing ever and doesn't taste the same anywhere else I went and ordered this. I can't wait to come for a dinner again!

After 5-6 orders, it's a hard no for me. I wanted to love it as much as I did under the old ownership, but the food is not good. We've tried their chicken chili, masala, do piaza, jalfrezi, madras, and vindaloo. Every dish is either watery, flavorless, or chicken is dry. Ordered naan bread once and never again. They also can't get the spice level right - mild is sometimes medium or hot and medium is mild. It's unfortunate Punjab's food is not what it used to be.

My favorite Indian Place around. Always great food, and friendly staff. I order from here all the time.

Worst buffet ever tried, new owner messed up. Tasteless and cold food. Will never try again. Sorry but one more restaurant nearby is turned into worse.

Great food, great staff. A little pricey but on par with most Indian food. But the price was worth it. You can taste the quality

Food and service were amazing. My niece and I ate so much and she was still asking for more the next day.

One of my favorite Indian places in the Boston area! We came here after a hiking trip and I got a Chicken korma with garlic naan. The korma was so delicious and flavorful- nutty and creamy and perfectly spiced. The chicken was also super tender and fell apart in my mouth. It tasted delicious, both with the naan and the rice- and I ate till I was stuffed. The garlic naan was also delicious- just the right amount of salty, buttery, and garlicky-ness. It was also really big and I took almost half it of home since I couldn't finish all of it. It is a little pricey at ~$17-25 a dish, but the portion sizes are big enough to last more than one meal. I already can't wait for the day that I can come back to eat here!

Food was good. We always love getting takeout from here. We did dining inside this week. And while the food was great as always, the prices have gone up significantly. Chicken tikka masala was $20 per person. It used to be closer to $15. When you go out with a family of four for lunch, we didn't expect to pay close to $150 for two apps and 4 orders of the chicken. Note: we only drank water. I just think a 25% increase on prices is a bit much. Giving 3 stars based on the prices.

We order here several times a year. The food is delicious, & well cooked. Recently, when requesting mild the vegetable pakora were not at all mild.

Fantastic weekend buffet. Much better since new owners took over. Staff is friendly and helpful. The food is fresh, with different selections frequently added to the expected staples. Check it out soon.

Amazing!! Punjab Cafe is currently only accepting takeout orders. The server was very nice and we got all of our food piping hot in about 15-20 minutes. Prices for chicken dishes are around $17, an increase over recent years, but I guess inflation accounts for a large part of that. Punjabi Curry (Chicken): Super delicious and perfectly balanced curry. The chicken was SO tender. It comes with a giant container of rice. This is some insane flavor Korma (Chicken): Very smooth and refreshing, even on a summer day. The chicken is just as tender as in the punjabi curry. So good! Naan (Paneer, Garlic): This paneer naan was next-level. I've never had something like this before, but it is pretty genius. It's like a naan quesadilla! The garlic naan is also really good and rich in flavor. Each order is $4 and comes with two large pieces of naan. Each dish is probably more than you can eat in one meal. One dish together with an order of naan is probably enough for 2 meals. All in all, this is one of my favorite Indian restaurants in the Boston area.

I have over the years visited Punjab Cafe on occasion, both for takeout (including many times during COVID, which was a life-saver). They have in my experience always been a solid choice for authentic northern-Indian food, though I found their lunch buffet somewhat lacking and unimaginative. Then, in recent months I learned that the ownership has changed and their buffet has opened once again (it was closed during COVID because the state would not permit buffets for some unconvincing reason). Anyway, I was eager to try the new buffet in the hopes that they have improved on the rather uninspiring effort of their predecessor. I have now been to the "new" buffet at least 3 times, and suffice it to say it has improved in leaps and bounds. Tasty vegetable samosas. Vegetable pakoras, soya bean bhujia, baby samosas, aloo gobhi, dal makhani, saag paneer, chicken tikka masala, punjab special chicken, goat curry, chicken kali mirch kabob and chicken tandoori just on this day alone. Selection changes slightly each day. Rotating soups. Naan is good and luckily not too much butter. Also chai (masala) tea and Gulab Jamun for desert. In my opinion all of the food is fresh, well-prepared and tasty here at Punjab Cafe. Their masala tea is the best I have had at any Indian restaurant, hands down. Also, unlike most buffets it is typical to find some food spicier than mild - which I think is a real accomplishment given the prevailing assumptions about the average American pallet. Will also point out that the staff is quite friendly and helpful. Particularly Yuvica. One other observation: I routinely see patrons here from all regions of the world. Obviously they all have great taste as well! I plan on returning to Punjab Cafe regularly. The buffet is served only Saturday and Sunday.

my husband and i have tried every indian restaurant in boston, cambridge, and somerville. This restaurant is by far the best and is the only place we get take out from. We haven't had anything bad but standouts are 1. apps: fish pakora 2. dal: dal makhani. we tried the rajma but it was a bit too different than how we make it at home so it wasn't for us. but the makhani is really really good. 3. saag paneer: always a go to for us. the paneer is perfectly soft and not chewy. it is a very creamy version which we like. 4. lamb vindaloo 5. chicken curry. sound not exciting compared to the other options but this one we ALWAYS get. their naans are very large and fluffy. they also reheat well. we usually order like 2 apps. 2 veg options. 2 meat options and 4 naans. this usually lasts us 3 meals. we come here like once every 2 weeks, its that good. they also pack everything really well and nothing is cold by the time we get home. they don't do in door seating so i suggest ordering early or you'll be waiting like 30 min.

Very nice people & good food I go there often and for years Can't wait to go again I hope we can eat there in the restaurant soon, the buffet was always great!

Must get: Chicken tikka Marsala medium spicy dark meat with garlic naan. Not much other places let's you choose if you want your chicken dark or white meat !

On point from service to the food chefs . My server was helpful and attentive, food tasted like something I would get in India

The food was excellent. We felt that the food was authentic Punjabi food. The service was also great! When we were there, it seemed the owner herself was in the restaurant and taking good care of the guests. She was very friendly.

Its March 2023, the Pandemic is pretty much over guys. Warning to all unfamiliar/new customers. TAKE OUT ONLY - March 2023. On it main web page the 1st thing listed is its hours and says there is on street parking. Nowhere does it say it is only doing Take-Out. We drove here as we were missing Indian food and there is nowhere local that serves good Indian food. We were looking for a nice sit down meal, not take away. Why is this not stated on your web page. Makes me so upset that I am unwilling to try you food anytime in the future. Disclosure? Why not let customers know.

Great food. Fine service. Highly recommend. Nothing says Saturday night in Quincy quite like some Indian food! Stopped in with my roommate for dinner and was seated promptly. Lamb vindaloo was perfectly spicy and tender. Roommate tried the chicken korma for the first time and enjoyed it it's balance between creamy and nutty. Order your garlic naan with butter to mop up the delicious sauces. Washed it down with a chai milk tea for good measure because my venmo transfer just hit my checking account and I was feeling like a king.

I used to like this place , but since one of my friends who drive ubereat and told me he went to kitchen and how nasty it was.. I can't image what I eat before

This place is has the best Indian food in the area. Very nice people, great service for sit down and They always get delivery right.

Ordered takeout a few weeks ago with my mom - let's just say...it was everything and more. We were looking for just a little something that night, and decided to try Punjab Cafe's chicken tikka masala. The meat was DELISH and the SAUCE was to DIE FOR. Such a great spot, we will be back.

Great service and food! Staff was friendly. Loved everything about this place. Chicken tikka masala was amazing! Highly recommend coming here for Indian food as it's authentic! Parking was kind of limited so be prepared for that.

Decent service. Whenever I'm in Quincy I get the Chicken Curry and it's AMAZING Also the manager was very nice and accommodating

Lamb curry was horrible. Gravy and meat did not go together at all. Butter chicken was just okay.

So good, the staff was nice and the food was authentic enough. Would come here again anytime!!!

After many years of being a customer here I still say that this is the very best Indian restaurant around. I was in the mood for some Indian food for dinner so I went ahead and ordered some food for takeout from this place this evening. I went with the vegetable pakoras for an appetizer and I had the chicken korma with basmati rice as my main course. The pakoras were delicious and the chicken korma and rice were just as delicious. For dessert I had the rice pudding and I really enjoyed it. The ordering process went smoothly over the phone and the person who took my order was professional. She answered a question that I had about what I was ordering and gave me an estimate on when my order would be ready for pick-up. I arrived a few minutes earlier than I was expecting my meal to be ready and it was already there waiting for me which was great. My order was still hot and it was nicely packaged. The owner always sees to it that things are running smoothly in the restaurant and that his customers are happy. If you want some very good Indian food I highly recommend coming to this place. It has been around for a very long time and the food is always delicious, the prices are reasonable, the portions are great and the service is always friendly.

Love getting takeout from here! Things to order: Chicken Korma Garlic Naan Chicken Tikka Masala Coconut Korma

We have a new favorite Indian restaurant with the advantage of its being an easy drive from where we live in Dorchester/Lower Mills. It was the middle of a weekday and we wanted a lunch in a quiet setting. The server was gentle in her attentions to us as we considered a full menu of Indian favorites. She explained a term like "korma" when I was focused on a mixed vegetable curry. Jim had little trouble finding a tandoor chicken to match his preferences. Garlic naan completed the order. Within an appropriate amount of time the meal arrived -- care had clearly been taken preparing each of the dishes. The sounds from other tables told us we were not alone in enjoying our time at Punjab Cafe. We'll be back!

The best. I can't say enough good things, must try!! Chicken Tikka Masala, Garlic Nan, and any and all apps. All is good, those are just my go-tos

We have only gotten takeout here, but that is very good. I like the lamb vindaloo and garlic naan. They always have it ready to go on time, as promised, and are helpful and courteous. The parking off Southern Artery is sometimes crowded and can be a little scary getting in and out.

Best Indian food in Quincy. Open for takeout only, service is quick and their employees are fantastic.

I love Indian food but can be picky about the actual flavor and taste of the dishes. I recently moved into the area and this place was our third try and now I have an obsession! We order from here once a week because it is so good we just can't get enough! The spice levels are accurate, food is super tasty, and they offer dark meat chicken in their dishes which most places don't. Very glad I found these guys, food is A+!!

Used to be my favorite Indian food place. However my recent visit was just okay. I ordered lamb curry at the highest spice level they had and it tasted mild at best. Very disappointed because they used to have the best spicy curry. Indoor dining is not available but the guy handling the food (Mandeep) is not even wearing a mask . He wasn't the friendliest guy either so I had to knock down a couple of stars for food and service.

This is one of the best Indian restaurants in Massachusetts. We absolutely love this place for any Indian food. They do everything the right. We've lived in the south shore for 2 years and this is absolutely our go to for Indian. We drive from Hingham to get this food in Quincy and it's so worth it. I'm so impressed with their biryani. For the price - it's a very reasonable amount of meat and rice. The portions are fair at this establishment. They are big portions and you do pay for them, so it all works out. The food is always extremely fresh, clean and flavorful. Their recipes are tried and true and the quality is extremely high. If you are concerned that you haven't found good Indian food in Massachusetts, come here. This will cure all of your deepest, most desperate Indian cravings. Definitely try the biryani - lamb or chicken, omg it's so good. Also their chicken korma is NEXT LEVEL. Love their butter chicken and their chicken masala. The owner is super friendly and always greets me with a smile. The food is always ready on time and the orders are correct. It's a well run establishment.