Shadman

Pakistani restaurant · Jersey City

Shadman

Pakistani restaurant · Jersey City

293 1/2 Grove St, Jersey City, NJ 07302

Highlights

Discover authentic Pakistani and Indian eats in a cozy spot, featuring freshly baked naan and a vibrant array of flavorful dishes sure to satisfy.

293 1/2 Grove St, Jersey City, NJ 07302 Get directions

shadmanrest.com

$$$$$$ · Menu

@infatuation

"A long-time resident of Grove Street, this Downtown Jersey City Indian-Pakistani restaurant has become a neighborhood favorite. While their interiors and menus have been updated over the years, their biryani remains a classic, along with their chicken karahi and reshmi kebabs. Make sure to save room for dessert here—their gulab jamuns are buttery soft when eaten hot. " - nisha vedi pawar

The 10 Best Indian Restaurants In Jersey City

View Postcard for Shadman

@infatuation

"A long-time resident of Grove Street, this downtown Jersey City Indian-Pakistani restaurant has become a neighborhood favorite. While their interiors and menus have been updated over the years, their biryani remains a classic, along with their chicken karahi and reshmi kebabs. Make sure to save room for dessert—their gulab jamuns are buttery soft when eaten hot. Head here for a sit-down lunch or casual dinner any day of the week except Mondays, when they're closed." - matt tervooren, nisha vedi pawar, kendal nicole lambert

The 21 Best Restaurants In Jersey City 2024

View Postcard for Shadman

@infatuation

Shadman - Review - Downtown - Jersey City - The Infatuation

View Postcard for Shadman

Syed Sohail Akhtar

Google

Looking for Desi Punjabi food? I believe this is one of the best in town. Recently got a chance to eat from Shadman restaurant Jersey City. As a tourist i eat from several other restaurants too, but without a doubt i had the best experience with this one. I loved the smell of the food at first and the good taste was a cherry on top. Highly recommend to all the Sub continental food lovers.

Ivy Chen

Google

Authentic Indian cuisine. So yummy. The mango juice is strong recommended.

Navaneetha uppu

Google

Searched in Google and visited this place. It's not worth the hype. The choose and buy option saves food wastage but doesn't fulfill any hunger. They have few options to. House from but the quantity they give for the price they collect is not worthy at all. We spent $30, and it didn't even fill 1 persons hunger. One of the guy working there was scared to talk to customers or answer their questions. May be a new employee. Anyway, overall, I do not recommend it if you want to enjoy a good, fulfilling meal. Yes, u can go and eat if u just want to taste a few pieces of kabab as a snack or samosa chaat, which was not too good but is ok. Parking is an issue again.

Vivek Jaiswal

Google

Overall nice place to get quick Indian lunch with some variety of chicken and stuff. Clean and precisely served in boxed plate. I’ve been here several times back in 2016-20 but place have changed a lot. More clean (positive) Pricey than before. Quantity reduced. Taste - same as before

Udit Anand

Google

After numerous unsuccessful attempts at finding delicious North Indian / Mughlai / Pakistani food in Jersey City, we are glad that we finally found Shadman. Dining here has restored our faith in Jersey City's ability to serve quality desi food. We tried the Bihari Tikka (extremely tasty and full of flavor), the Chapli Kebab (delicious, perfect if you have low tolerance for spice), the Chicken Biryani (the chicken pieces were perfectly marinated and the rice was flavorful with great aroma). We also tried the Chai (very well made but a tad more milky than I'm used to) and the Gulab Jamun (very soft and delectable, but could have been more warm). All in all, we are very excited to have found our go-to for Kebabs, Tikkas, and Chicken Biryani in Jersey City. Looking forward to returning and trying more dishes on the menu. Highly recommend!

Shabbir Akailvi

Google

Best desi food tried so far in New Jersey area. It's spicy and makes you wanna eat more even when you're full. Naan is freshly baked and for the first time eaters, since the cooked food is displayed in the glass shelves, they also get to see how the food looks like even before ordering the food.

Manjari Das

Google

Went for dinner since we were in the neighborhood. The service was excellent. The Achaea chicken and goat curry were cooked to perfection. The basmati rice was long grain and flavorful. I also recommend the lassi and the dessert since the balance of sweetness is perfect and not overly sweet.

Y B

Google

I think 4 stars is spot on what this place deserves. The prices are very fair and I appreciate that they use real spices and do not tone it down to be American - Indian. That being said, this is very much a buffet type of food place, not fresh made to order and you can taste that. Still for a buffet this is great quality and nice service.

Darlini D.

Yelp

The only dish that keeps me coming back to this restaurant is the rice. Most others have been subpar compared to other Indian food I've consumed. 1) curry pakora - I don't know what this was. To be blunt, it looked & tasted like a mushy pile of crap. 2) palak paneer - very inconsistent. 3) chicken tikki masala - surprisingly, pretty good. 4) shami tiki - flavorless. 5) red lentil daal - meh. 6) rice - 5 stars. I ghee

Ambika S.

Yelp

I had heard good reviews of this place long back so ordered it for lunch while in office once and didn't like it. Food was stale, i ordered a meat platter which had goat curry, chicken biryani n chicken tikka masala. I added a separate order of salad as I wanted to eat veggies. I just barely ate the food, didn't like anything, matbe it used to be good before but i'm not trying again after bad experience

Imtiaz S.

Yelp

Punjab, the land of five rivers in South Asia, has history dating back to the 3000 BC (Indus Valley Civilization). From this land comes a hearty breakfast consisting of Fried Bread (Puri), Sweets (Halwa), Muddy Chickpeas (Chikar Cholay) and Aloo Burji (Tangy Potato Stew). They call it Naashta (Breakfast). This breakfast is so popular all-over South Asia, that every region has taken the liberty to tinker with the recipe. But, if you really want to appreciate what the fuss is all about, then at the very least, you need to have this breakfast with the Chickpeas made as they are done in Punjab. Three things make Muddy Chickpeas distinct. 1) It is made from extra small white chickpeas (3 mm chickpeas). 2) It is not a stew; It is braised chickpeas. 3) Chickpeas AND a paste made from mashed chickpeas & mashed potatoes blended together are braised with onions, tomatoes, black pepper, salt, and spices. One of my favorite places to score this breakfast is Shadman (293 Grove Street, Jersey City, NJ). It is available only on weekends (till 2:00 PM). I also like the Samosa Chaat and Sesame Naan at Shadman.

Qasim I.

Yelp

Went here with a group of 4 friends and had a phenomenal meal. Definitely some of the best fast-casual desi food I've had in Jersey City, and DEFINITELY one of the best values in the area. I now make the commute over on the PATH train from Manhattan on a weekly basis just for the food. Must-haves dishes based on our experience: 1) Kheer (the rice pudding dessert, I have no idea how they do this as well as they do - everyone at my table asked for seconds) 2) Nihari (if it's available, the bone marrow stew is so thick, rich, and flavorful, it was an immediate favorite) 3) Tandoori chicken (fresh, flavorful, and pairs really well with garlic naan) 4) Chana (just enough spice to pair well with keema naan)

Vaibhav S.

Yelp

Food quality has gone down and food tastes stale and cold. I'll avoid it from now on.

Jonathan C.

Yelp

. Pros 1. Fridays are the Best Day to Indulge in Delicious, Unlimited Rice Noodle Pudding (Kheer). It's sold on Weekends. 2. Clean and well maintained restaurant for years! 3. Mama Shadman and her team are Friendly! 4. Curry Goat is Tender, Savory and Spicy! 5. Cashew Curry Chicken is so Sweet, Savory and lightly spicy. 6. Chaplin Kebab is deeeelicious. 7. Chicken Kebab is good. Cons 1. No Buffet anymore after pandemic..

Alex C.

Yelp

A wonderful gem downtown. South Asian food at it's best - the flavors are rich, complex and really exotic. Everything is good, from the Garlic Naan to the Chicken Tikka Masala and Goat Curry, or weekly go-to for takeaway. Add a couple of Pakoras and Mango Lassi and it's an incredibly satisfying, complete home-cooked meal. I consider this the best kind of fastfood.

Sal A.

Yelp

Prices are unreasonably high compared to other desi restaurants. They charge way too high for a kabab roll or a keema naan. If you buy 30-40$ stuff you shouldnt have to pay for chutney they literally give you two little chutnye packs. Guess they are catering to new customers or maybe think it's ok to charge high prices. The food have went down from Over the years. Service is not bad. Some of them are rude.

Aqib A.

Yelp

Terrible staff, the cashier girl was very rude , and dont want customers to go to their restaurant,

Sandi K.

Yelp

Picked up mixed platter here for lunch, which is one veg item, one non-veg and rice or biryani. I had chickpeas, chicken karahi and rice. Perfect portion for lunch. Chickpeas and rice were good but chicken karahi had no flavor.

Ross C.

Yelp

food served on paper plates, water in a plastic cup. bland food, dull decor and atmosphere. there are much better South Asian eateries in the area.

Chaimae D.

Yelp

Best Pakistani food ever! They have various dishes from chicken to goat and the spice level is just perfect. The kabobs are very juicy and seasoned perfectly. Everything was delicious. Deff will be back

John L.

Yelp

Too expensive. I got small pea/Patatoe carton and one potato cake. 12 dollors. Outrageous. Never again

Syed I.

Yelp

the sesame naan is delicious, as is their bihari chicken! Fast service... Reasonably priced...great staff! Its a relaxed place for a nice meal.

Mo M.

Yelp

So I'm rating this a 2 because on the average their food is a good go to when it comes to Authentic tasting Pakistani food. It's not particularly spicy, but it fits the bill. My family loves the samosa chaat, Sikh kebabs and naan from here. Today just like any other day I ordered the samosa chaat, and found a fun little surprise.... 2 SMALL ROCKS...... Unfortunately this is not the first time I've found some strange things in their food.

Jeff P.

Yelp

Good food here is delicious. I live in Florida then came up here to visit some family. Then I tried this place. Which was amazing.

Katherine Z.

Yelp

Portions are extremely small for the price, taste is quite authentic, orders will not come with rice unless you ask. Get the mango lassi!

Anshmeet A.

Yelp

Best Desi food in whole jersey city area. There Kadhi Pakoda is very authentic. Love it! The size of aloo parantha was massive. It was very tasty. Usually I eat 3 normal size paranthas but this time I was done in one

Stephanie M.

Yelp

Made literally the worst naan I've ever had. Was made with minced raw garlic in the middle. Soggy, no crunchy parts at all. To add insult to injury, guy at front desk only had his mask half on. Will never go back

Someguy F.

Yelp

I ate here 20 year ago, the food was authentic, amazing and fresh. I went back last night and although the quality has declined, the customer service is missing and the food is microwaved...the taste is still there. Prices have gone up big time but that's expected in this day and age. This is a take out spot, if you dare to eat inside, keep in mind...your food will be microwaved right in front of you.

maria m.

Yelp

I was very upset because my dad said this restaurant was so good when he used to live in jersey back in 2012, but I just had the chicken karahi and it has no flavor or spice at all.

Abdullah Y.

Yelp

This place has lost its taste and quality. The food is microwave and portion of the food has been cut down. The salad was supposed to be include in the meal but they charge you extra 5 dollars. This place need to improve their service and food quality before it too late. I Can't believe I drove 2 hours for this place. Disappointed

Murman T.

Yelp

Everything Ive tried here is delicious but Go to is butter chicken or Curry goat. Either way you cant go wrong

Brian M.

Yelp

Came on a Saturday night after eating the same food at one of the establishments in the mall food court. I preferred the mall, oddly enough? But would come back here. When we first walked in, the place was packed with people making To Go orders. HUGE orders. The people dining in were kinda placed on the back burner. Once all those people cleared out, the experience was much more tolerable for those of us eating in. We placed our order and sat down and had to go up and get our food. The food was good, but I preferred the mall alternative. Price was great for what you get though. I'd come back for lunch. The place got too crowded as two families came in and rearranged all the seating to sit together. Getting to the counter felt like a Spartan Race.

Varun S.

Yelp

The interesting fact their chana masala is also a non-vegetarian. Be careful while ordering any vegetarian dish. I noticed several small chunks of some non-veg fat kind of thing. And they don't mention in detail what they put into their chana masala.

Fawad M.

Yelp

8 dollars for keema nans. Very little keema too much nan. I really am saddened keema name were good in the past. The other food is mediocre at best. The ultimate determination of excellent desi food is freshness. The rest of the food will be heated for you in a micro wave. While this practice is widespread among desi restaurants this restaurant has gentrified its prices along with the gentrification of jersey city. Fool someone non Pakistani can't fool your own people.

Patrick W.

Yelp

Have been here many times because for a long time it was one of the only Indian/Pakistani places around downtown JC by Grove. It does its job for when you have a craving but as others have mentioned, they're just real sticklers here. They'll serve you their portions and then scoop out a tablespoon worth for whatever reason. With other places having opened up in the area, I'd go for a different spot.

Santanu B.

Yelp

Awesome Desi food in the area. If you ask me, I would rate it as the best desi non veg food place in the Jersey area. Try these: Saag goat Saag paneer Biriyani Kabab Naan Keema Everything else. I love the food and the service is decent. The place is clean and theres no dearth of a decent crowd always keeping the place occupied.

Jedsada Y.

Yelp

You can't go wrong with the $10 lunch buffet at Shadman. The Goat curry was really good as I kept going back for more. You can also ask for naan if you need sone. Service didn't seem to exist since I saw dirty plates left on the tables, and empty water bottles which weren't refilled. A minimum charge for credit cards is $20!

Glenn S.

Yelp

This place has gone downhill in a bad way. The price for the lunch buffet increased and the food quality decreased to the point where I will never return and I've given them a few chances. The food is overly oily and they are just dumping in frozen vegetable and food service giant cans of sauces. What a shame because we used to frequent this place.

Abhinav D.

Yelp

Food - 4 Ambience - 4 VFM - 5 Service - 3.5 We had buffet lunch here. This closes at 3pm so plan accordingly. The buffet spread was great on the main course part but didn't have starters. We loved their mutton curry, chicken achari curry, chicken biryani and Naan. The standout item for me was the Chole, flavors of authentic pindi Chole. The Naan here is different from the regular one, it's quite fluffy and round. Roti was a bit too thick for my taste. Best part is they serve Naan and Roti piping hot from the oven. They had sewai for dessert and was too sweet and creamy. Overall the spread and taste was good.

Monish S.

Yelp

Went there on a tip from my Pakistani Uber Driver, and was fairly impressed. The place seems more like a take out joint, and the setup is pretty unusual. We went for dinner and you order from bins with different items. We ordered "platters", which featured rice or Biryani, with two additional items. I got the goat curry and chicken curry with rice. Added a beef sheekh kabob. So after a bit, they scooped all the items onto a plate (heaping portions) and microwaved the plate. Not really expecting much but was pleasantly surprised. The goat curry was really good, not stringy, or gamey, with lots of evenly cooked pieces. Loved that it wasn't a bunch of bones and cartilage, like other places. The kabob was also very good! Very reasonably priced as well.

Adele P.

Yelp

I didn't expect much when first walking in, but this place is great! They have a nice variety. It's a storefront restaurant with steam trays behind the counter, but the guys are extremely friendly, will walk you through all the food choices, and they treat you like gold. The food is delicious! The four of us (we went with friends) ordered a large variety of food: lamb, eggplant, chicken, samosas, kebabs, etc. We all shared and there was a ton to bring home. Everything was good with a nice amount of spice. The prices are extremely reasonable, too! Try it, you'll like it.

Jenniffer S.

Yelp

I wanted to leave this review bc of the amazing job they're doing during this pandemic. Thank you for taping my grubhub order with the tamper evident tape. It made me feel so at ease! Also 10000 points for spelling my name right! Shadman has a great buffet and very good palak paneer. I do wish you guys weren't so cheap with the imily chutney, I paid for 3 on my last order and instead you guys decided to send me 1 tamarind and 2 green chutney. This always happens, so I wasn't so shocked, but it would be nice if you were more generous, specially now that you charge for it.

Amit K.

Yelp

Great friendly place. Came in your a small snack and it was great. The food looked great. I will be back to have a full meal.

Fauzia N.

Yelp

Delicious desi (native from Indian subcontinent) restaurant in JC. Ordered a platter with rice, chicken karahi, and eggplant. It was so good that my husband and I decided to do a platter to go. We also tried their mango lassi. Total was around $23, which is pretty reasonable. $20 minimum for card so be aware, but with so much delicious food, it's no problem hitting that. Try it out when you're in the area and decide for yourself if this will become your go to!

Kiran B.

Yelp

AMAZING FOOD. The vibe of the restaurant and the taste of the food made me feel like I was in Pakistan. The staff is super nice and cooperative. The food is reasonably priced and pre cooked

Kamal K.

Yelp

Best palak paneer and beef kebabs in town! Rotis are good too. The only downside is it's not made fresh to order, which is kind of ok for me atleast.

Shaarif Z.

Yelp

Yes, they microwave their food but its daily made, and you can taste that. It's a cafeteria style restaurant. Totally worth the money, given it is so cheap. $9 Platter is a steal. But this has one of the best pakistani food I have had. The Haleem is really good, along with Chicken Achari. The Kadi Pakora tasted like home. Definitely visit, if you are visitng the area.

Neel M.

Yelp

Although the food tastes good, they often skimp you on the portions. For this entire palak paneer meal I ordered I got 2 cubes. If you want to eat at this establishment, monitor them serving you and make sure they don't make a fool out of you.

Qurat K.

Yelp

Shadman always has reliable Desi food that you can sit and eat in their rustic style seats or to go. They have always a selection of meat and veg options, naans are made fresh - and there are microwaves to heat the food. It's a good mix of JC. Go here. Everyone will be happy.

Priti K.

Yelp

I'm updating my outdated, old review for kind, speedy service (everyone is busting their butts), tasty food, and maintaining dirt cheap prices. Use the microwave all you want Shadman, you dish your delicious, authentic food for a good price and the people keep coming. Do you.

Rashid M.

Yelp

For a cheap Indian restaurant, this wasn't bad at all. I ordered their Chicken Tikka Masala with rice, Naan, Aloo Tikki, and a soda for a total of $11. Service wasn't as bad as others mentioned.

Jen C.

Yelp

This is my GO-TO Indian place on my indian dinner circuit. There are a few places on Grove street but I like this one the best. They remodeled a while back and the place looks much better. I think the staff is really nice here. For 7 bucks you can get rice with two side dishes. I usually get the chicken tikka masala and okra (their okra is really good) I also Palak Paneer is really tasty too. Their Naans are made fresh in the back. Their samosa are vegitarian and very fullfilling and everything else is heated up in the microwave for you. When you eat there, they take care of cleaning up after you too. Sometimes it can get a bit crowded but I've never had to wait in line.

Pranjal S.

Yelp

This is probably the best desi food in jersey city. The food is delicious and the prices are really cheap compared to other desi restaurants in Jersey City Recommended: 1) Onion Naan and Chicken Achari 2) Kheer

Samira J.

Yelp

I came here with my mother today and we don't know much about Indian food, however, they were very helpful. We each paid $10 for the buffet which is a pretty good price. The owner was always there and he was the one that helped us out in figuring out what everything was. Overall the food wasn't really spicy. We could barely feel the spicy, which is good for someone that doesn't like spicy, but we were hoping for more. He was pretty aware of everything going on, every time I got up he would look at how much I was getting which was a little uncomfortable for me.

Ana J.

Yelp

I use to go to this place since it first opened in 1998! I don't think any one has given them more money then me. Ever since the area has gotten more expensive the owner of the restaurant has became more selfish! I can't believe the things they are charging people for. They make way more money then the restaurant next door. They are charging for sweet sauce which comes with every order for free! All the sudden they want to be cheap and charge for it! Fuck you shadman you just lost another costumer! Your food is so shitty with out the sweet red sauce! Shahtaj get ready to become rich because I'm coming to you!

Randhir N.

Yelp

I thought of going there to experiment with the food for the first time. But the service and food quality both is not up to the mark. Highly disappointed. Won't recommend it to anyone!!

Sabina K.

Yelp

This place is mainly getting points for decor. I appreciate the art work on the walls, as well as the general cleanliness of the restaurant. The food itself...less impressive. We ordered the bihari kebab, which I usually love. It was dry and tasteless- essentially just roast chicken. The nihari was average, pretty thick. Their naans were warm and fresh but very dry. I ordered a garlic naan that didn't seem to have any garlic favor, just a strong garlicky odor. The one food item we enjoyed were the seekh kebab- they were fresh and flavorful.

@infatuation

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Syed Sohail Akhtar

Google

Ivy Chen

Google

Authentic Indian cuisine. So yummy. The mango juice is strong recommended.

Navaneetha uppu

Google

Vivek Jaiswal

Google

Udit Anand

Google

Shabbir Akailvi

Google

Manjari Das

Google

Y B

Google

Darlini D.

Yelp

Ambika S.

Yelp

Imtiaz S.

Yelp

Qasim I.

Yelp

Vaibhav S.

Yelp

Food quality has gone down and food tastes stale and cold. I'll avoid it from now on.

Jonathan C.

Yelp

Alex C.

Yelp

Sal A.

Yelp

Aqib A.

Yelp

Terrible staff, the cashier girl was very rude , and dont want customers to go to their restaurant,

Sandi K.

Yelp

Ross C.

Yelp

food served on paper plates, water in a plastic cup. bland food, dull decor and atmosphere. there are much better South Asian eateries in the area.

Chaimae D.

Yelp

John L.

Yelp

Too expensive. I got small pea/Patatoe carton and one potato cake. 12 dollors. Outrageous. Never again

Syed I.

Yelp

the sesame naan is delicious, as is their bihari chicken! Fast service... Reasonably priced...great staff! Its a relaxed place for a nice meal.

Mo M.

Yelp

Jeff P.

Yelp

Good food here is delicious. I live in Florida then came up here to visit some family. Then I tried this place. Which was amazing.

Katherine Z.

Yelp

Portions are extremely small for the price, taste is quite authentic, orders will not come with rice unless you ask. Get the mango lassi!

Anshmeet A.

Yelp

Stephanie M.

Yelp

Someguy F.

Yelp

maria m.

Yelp

I was very upset because my dad said this restaurant was so good when he used to live in jersey back in 2012, but I just had the chicken karahi and it has no flavor or spice at all.

Abdullah Y.

Yelp

Murman T.

Yelp

Everything Ive tried here is delicious but Go to is butter chicken or Curry goat. Either way you cant go wrong

Brian M.

Yelp

Varun S.

Yelp

Fawad M.

Yelp

Patrick W.

Yelp

Santanu B.

Yelp

Jedsada Y.

Yelp

Glenn S.

Yelp

Abhinav D.

Yelp

Monish S.

Yelp

Adele P.

Yelp

Jenniffer S.

Yelp

Amit K.

Yelp

Great friendly place. Came in your a small snack and it was great. The food looked great. I will be back to have a full meal.

Fauzia N.

Yelp

Kiran B.

Yelp

AMAZING FOOD. The vibe of the restaurant and the taste of the food made me feel like I was in Pakistan. The staff is super nice and cooperative. The food is reasonably priced and pre cooked

Kamal K.

Yelp

Best palak paneer and beef kebabs in town! Rotis are good too. The only downside is it's not made fresh to order, which is kind of ok for me atleast.

Shaarif Z.

Yelp

Neel M.

Yelp

Qurat K.

Yelp

Priti K.

Yelp

Rashid M.

Yelp

For a cheap Indian restaurant, this wasn't bad at all. I ordered their Chicken Tikka Masala with rice, Naan, Aloo Tikki, and a soda for a total of $11. Service wasn't as bad as others mentioned.

Jen C.

Yelp

Pranjal S.

Yelp

Samira J.

Yelp

Ana J.

Yelp

Randhir N.

Yelp

I thought of going there to experiment with the food for the first time. But the service and food quality both is not up to the mark. Highly disappointed. Won't recommend it to anyone!!

Sabina K.

Yelp

Shadman

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