Punjabi Grocery & Deli

So you most likely aren’t going to end up at Punjabi’s in the day time. Which means if you’re like me you’ll be inebriated and you won’t even remember reading this review and wanting to go.
However if you do find yourself on a drunken late night walk through e. houston street trying to get somewhere or wandering aimlessly and see a bulk load of cabbies parked outside a green awning — you’re here so don’t pass it up.
The food is par for the course Indian food. It’s delicious, spicy and just the right about of grease to soak up all that dubious Russian vodka.
So i’ll try and do this by level of drunken-​ness.
High school drunk — Grab the Samosa chaat. The 2 samosas with a chick pea topping, yogurt and a couple of chutneys. It will give you the sweet, tangy, savory taste that will get you home smelling of food and not tequila shot.
College Drunk — Grab small bowl of rice w/​2 dishes. It’ll get you sober so you can actually make the moves on the chick you’re «walking home». Grab the meal and eat it on the stairs next door. Don’t forget to grab the chai combo and take sips sharing the milky goodness.
Working Drunk — Nothing but the large plate w/​3 veg or the chapatti and 2 veg will do to get you right so you can go punch that clock and put in the good work.
Writer Drunk — Save the money and have another drink. It’s all this life is good for.

The chai is very good but the food is unreliable. I had a samosa that was decent around 1pm but, buying another around 4, the inside was completely uncooked. The dough on the inside was still sticky and raw. The fried foods are often soggy so I’m not sure how long they’ve been sitting out. Chai is good tho.

I live really close. This place is awesome. It reminds me of my moms cooking. Go here its a must. I don’t let them nuke the food at the shop I just take it cold to go, that solves the styrofoam microwave crisis that are on peoples minds. $ 20 will get you food for a week if you are lazy like me! The people that work here are awesome.

I never give 5 stars, this is the first and only place I have given 5 stars to. As an Indian, who loves to cook, this place is phenomenal! I love that the food tastes homemade (not full of cream and sugar like typical Indian restaurants). Besides it tasting like Auntie just made it in the back kitchen, the staff is incredibly nice. The prices – don’t even get me started. There is no way I can make all of that with that little in price. It’s literally amazing and a life saver for this Indian who wants homemade food all the time. LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! Thank you… and I will come again: P

I go here a lot and I don’t think it’s too often. You get a large platter with three dishes on top of rice for $ 6! I don’t think you can beat that at any place. It’s honestly better than some of the sit down restaurants that I’ve been to of the same cuisine. It’s quite flavorful and tasty, they don’t skimp out on flavor. Also, the people that work there are super nice and friendly, I always end up chatting with them.
Side note: You can ask for raw onions on top, changes the whole meal.

one of the best hole the walls ever
in the city
get two rotis and 3 curries best deal ever for only 6 $
eat with your hands if you a real fodie

Your best bet for quick and cheap Indian downtown. Fast and friendly service, super affordable. Great for takeout, but wouldn’t recommend eating there unless you want to stand up.

One of the best samosas I’ve had for $ 1.50, how can you beat that? Not too greasy and has deliciously spiced potatoes and peas inside with the sweet and hot sauces on the side, of course! Love the vibe in this tiny spot, I make it a regular stop when I’m in the neighborhood. I’ve also had the Chana masala and malai kofta in a rice bowl which was good. Chana was a little stale, and I wish the rice was freshly cooked instead of microwaved, but it’s more of a quick pit stop than a full-​on restaurant. Malai kofta had a great texture and was very tasty (I taste a lot of paneer in theirs, which is different). Can’t beat it for the price, will always recommend!

291 Reviews! I thought not a lot of people know of this place other than Indians. It is my friend’s go to place for dinner post workout OR post getting drunk OR post crappy date OR just for whatever. I liked it so much that despite so many options in NYC, I just chose to go here multiple times when I was there.
The food here is delicious. Chai/​coffee not so much. Sweets $ 1 per piece makes my life easy.
I like the environment here. We end up having crazy jokes with the guys who work there — they are super fun and friendly or perhaps they’re friendlier to me because I got to know them through my friends — who are daily visitors here and also punjabi.
People who are vegan, vegeterian — this is the spot for you.

Punjabi is my delicious go-​to place when i’m broke and hungry, or when i’ve got cash and a friend from out of town, or when i just crave it (which happens several times a month). Open and friendly ²⁴⁄₇. I always get a small combo and an alu tikki (but they won’t mind if you just call it a potato pancake). Spicy but worth it! Take your time and enjoy!
First timers– try a samosa over chickpeas WITH EVERYTHING (yogurt, chopped onions, tamarind, et al.).
Confidently order a small with 2 & 6, and a chi, or if in the summer grab a pistachio kulfi &they’ll remember you lovingly forever.
Forget $ 20 sandwiches at Katz’s across the street. Do a quick Google search and understand the adversity this place has suffered. Punjabi wins due to the community it lovingly fosters and its own lasting drive.
If you want a true NYC meal: This is the place to go! Long Live Punjabi!

SPOONjabi me some of that vegetarian curry. seewhatididthere.
if i had typed POONjabme, this review would definitely seem NSFW or a future Nicki Minaj chart toppa! T R U T H
the veggy curries are numbered on the glass, so you don’t actually need to know the name of what you’re ordering to order it. there are typically between 5 – 6 curries or eats to choose from.
the eats are cheap. appetizers i don’t do here – idky. too fried for moi.
the rice with two veggies or rice with three veggies are my go-to’s. i stick with the rice bc the turnover on it is high bc of the cabbies and neighborhood flow. it’s cheap rice… not the high-​end stuff your brown-​ma slings at home.
i don’t do the chickpeas (chanas) here as they look a little ripe and to me, doesn’t seem to be in demand. i will regularly go for the bitter melon (different flavor. i like it though); the dahl (umm yella’ split peas to you «non-​initiated folks»); and the gloppy saag (spinach glop). rice + two side: 4 bucks. rice with three sides: 6 bucks. if you’re looking for spicy hot… look elsewhere. it ain’t happening here.
i take everything to go here because this place is super narrow, super cramped, and has only a few seats. the cabby regulars tend to linger, so it gets too crowded too fast.
very hole in the wall. not dirty, but the space has definitely seen cleaner days. the digs are a super narrow space. cashier and food area to the left with a ton of snacky packaged food options on the left and right. idk if there’s a bathroom here. maybe, but i advise you probably use the one in your home.
for cheap, vegetarian takeout food – this place is a thumbs up. price is right. food is warm via microwave. and it fills your belly with a daily recommended amount of veggies.
Punjabi Grocery and Deli is 24/7…so whether you have a morning rice-​n-​curry jones or a want of late night vegetarian fare… this place has got what you’re probably looking for…
drops mic so i can curry, err hurry, up and go home!
i out.
zzz.

The secret’s out. Everyone in NYC on a budget (re: anyone that has to pay rent in Manhattan and also find sustenance) knows that this is the best place to get a hot plate of vegetarian food. This is the spot I’ve been going to for ten years.
Cash only… but otherwise no complaints. The best.

My friend told me he wanted to take me to the best indian food I’ve ever had. I was picturing a fabulous sit down place with exquisite cocktails and an extensive menu, but as we walked up I became very apprehensive. This place, from the exterior, looks like a sketchy convenient store. «This is it?». My friend laughed, nodded, and said «You’ll see.».
I ordered a single samosa covered in chickpeas. He asked me if I wanted «the works», and I said why the hell not! This included chickpeas, sauce, onions, other veggies, and a spicy red sauce. Served in a styrafoam bowl with a plastic spoon.
It was. amazing. The best. So good, and so fresh — the samosa must’ve been fried minutes ago, and the chickpeas tasted gourmet. This place is the perfect example of NEVER judge a book by its cover.

This is what a proper «hole-​in-​the-​wall» Indian spot looks like. Everything is vegetarian. One of my favorite Indian snacks is samosa chaat (I think they call it «samosa w/​chickpeas» here). This place totally, totally nails samosa chaat. If you like samosa chaat at all, make the trek down here.
It isn’t the cleanest place, nor is there a ton of seating. It’s typically pretty crowded. There are so many things going on with this place that could make it a bad experience. But they work magic behind that counter — I can’t justify giving this place anything lower than a 5 star rating based on the food. This is a fantastic place to get a cheap meal.

Delicious and you never would have guessed. This 100% vegetarian Indian cuisine is located in the basement right off the street.
From the outside it presents itself like any other hole in the wall quick-​e-​mart but when you go down the steps and go inside you are emerged in a smell of Indian spices and see an array of vegetarian options to choose from. I got a mix of 3 and topped with onions and yogurt.
The place was completely packed with people eating or ordering and the workers were very intent on making you a great dish. Once I received my dish I start eating right away and the burst of curry and other spices in your mouth are amazing (don’t worry it will be bursting out the other way soon enough). I will definitely be back here and if you are a vegetarian lover I highly suggest it.

Some of my puns upset people. In that sense, I am a little «Pun Jabby.» I apologize for that.
My friend who I sometimes go on food tours with is a Samosa Chaat fanatic. I saw that this place is 24 hours and serves samosa chaat, so we went and bought one. The price was average for NYC. She took one bite. She threw up in her mouth.
She couldn’t have any more, so I tried some, and I see what the problem is. I think some of the ingredients were rotting. Either that or it was just absolutely awful.
Usually I will never give less than a 3 to a family owned business, but serving us this was both disgusting and unacceptable and probably a health hazard. The fact that they were less than friendly too leaves me little qualms about giving this place the lowest rating of the low.

This is the ultimate ‘hole-​in-​the-​wall.’ Dirt cheap and sooo good. I got the rice and three vegetable dishes for $ 6. A friend got the samosas in chickpea curry and it was equally amazing.
Indian sweets, which are very sweet and very delicious and generally under the radar in the U.S. food scene, run $ 1 each and are well worth it, IMO. ~treat yourself~
There are no seats, and while they do have counters you can stand and eat at, your best bet is to ask for a takeout container rather than a plate and eat on a nearby stoop.

The best around. And a true NYC experience to walk over after a LES art opening, get a small bowl (2 sides on fresh rice, $ 3) from the friendly counter person, maybe a buttered roti (he Highly encourages the Butter), and sit on a stoop or those cement construction barricades that are now on Houston, eat your fresh vegetarian indian food with a spoon under the stars, amongst NYC traffic, cabbies standing around chatting, and drunken bar hoppers walking home. A chai for dessert.
Try the: saag (spinach), black chickpeas (when they have it), ANY chickpea, super spicy vegan potato croquette, potatos… just about anything. Spice Level: mostly medium-​high.
#savepunjabideli There’s a short film to save the Punjabi Deli.

This place is just amazing.
A friend of mine introduced me to it. Not being a big fan of Indian food, I was leery.
Now? Obsessed.
For the price of a happy hour cocktail (yes, you read that correctly) you can get a full meal and a chai tea from this place.
Actually, it can end up being 3 – 4 meals if you eat small portions.
Insanity.
Hearty, filling, & spicy.
The guys behind the counter are great. Warm & welcoming.
I’m a complete fan.

I’m a sucker for Indian food and especially when it’s cheap and vegetarian. My husband is the exact same way. Our friend from Seattle told us about this place when we were home for the holidays. He explained that it was where all the cabbies lined up to eat at. We were so surprised we had not heard of it or been there. How does this place not have a line out the door? Especially when people are paying Manhattan rent then this is exactly where to go to pinch the pennies. Anytime I have Indian, I get the cauliflower side and maybe lentils. There was so much talk about the garbanzos that I went for it. And I couldn’t resist the samosas for only a buck 25. Damn! Talk about a steal of a deal.
They basically have 7 – 8 dishes to pick from on the top shelf. And they are all numbered. And you can get a small plate, that is 2 sides over rice. And yes, it is heated up in the microwave but who doesn’t microwave there lunch at work sometimes. Don’t be so scared. Microwaves happen. They can be hard to avoid. The food itself however, tasted like it was all made from scratch and then reheated. It was delicious and just what the doctor ordered. And I loved the garbanzos!
My husband and I went home plated our under $ 10 for two meal and watched some Netflix in the comfort of our own home. Can’t wait to try the other numbers!
Now let’s spread the word! Why should cabbies get all the good grub?