Dhamaka

One stop destination for great North Indian Punjabi food. Bursting with flavors and loads of butter, every bite is a delight. You will be lucky if you get a reservation. Too much in demand. The vibe is unique here. Full on bollywood music. We had a fun time while we were here. Also, the portions are huge and most people were taking food home after the meal. Which I think is an added plus. Go for it!

Incredible flavors and loved the originality of the dishes. I particularly loved the lamb ribs and stuffed peppers but the famous biryani is also really worth the try! Definitely more of a relaxed and laid back ambiance with a bustling atmosphere and located in the Essex Market.

Sometimes you eat at a restaurant and wonder "why on earth is it packed at 9PM on a Tuesday". Then you dine at a place like Dhamaka and realize some places are worth the hype. In your face spices, INCREDIBLE homemade paneer, and a style of food I haven't found elsewhere in NYC. We enjoyed the off-the-grill items the most, but pretty much loved everything they put in front of us. Definitely making a return visit (if I can ever get a reservation)

Their chops are the best in the town. It Carries mouth watering flavors and is from a special cut. Apart from that all other items are greasy and over spiced with masalas, especially the pamphlet fish fry was very greasy. Customer friendly staff. Definitely Needs improvement on seating for a Michelin star restaurant.

Tried this place because many people recommend it. Very friend service and great staff. The dishes were very spicy (even for someone like me who LOVES spicy foods). If you don’t like gamey meats, many of their dishes are lamb/mutton/goat inspired so it’s a bit challenging to get around. Everything is very flavourful and spicy! Definitely a different Indian cuisine than I am use to. Most likely a “one and done” type of place for myself.

An awesome Indian restaurant serving up some wonderful dishes that are all a departure from the typical Rajasthani staples you find at most Indian restaurants. All the dishes were flavorful and delicious - but among my favorites was the minced goat belly kebab. Be warned though - the menu does lean heavily towards mutton and goat - so if you’re not a fan, perhaps not a place for you. Also the dishes can be spicy, which I love. If you’re not sure if you handle the spice level here, go nearby for lunch to their Rowdy Rooster chicken sandwich place and order the medium spicy - that’ll tell you.

Had been wanting to try Dhamaka for quite awhile and got a reservation for a Saturday night. All the dishes were tasty but the Goat Neck Biryani and the Lamb ribs were my favorite. Honorable mention to the homemade paneer and prawn. Spice level was very manageable. Highly recommend.

Took me a month (of semi-trying) to get a reservation here. So glad to finally have made it. Restaurant inside Essex Market with a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating. Menu leans heavily lamb and goat but there are some vegan and veg options. Cocktails were all complex and scrumptious. The mezcal drinks were incredibly smoky. For 3 people, we ordered: Ajwani Paneer Tikka - absolutely amazing. Soft, freshly made paneer grilled crispy on the sides served with mint chutney and pickled onions. I’ve never had fresh paneer before and our party wanted to order another!! Mild in flavor profiles compared to the other dishes we ordered. Ragda Pattice - a crispy potato patty served in a gravy loaded with crispy bits, peas, and serious chunks of green chilis. Delicious. Really spicy. I would also order this over and over again. Murgh Kofta - a chicken mince scotch egg bathing in curried gravy. Pretty spicy. Our server recommended we order a side of pao to eat with the gravy and it was a very good suggestion ? Goat Biriyani - smelled amazing. Tasted amazing. Goat neck meat was very tender. Though delicious, it was my least favorite of all the dishes we ordered. Pao - soft bread toasted in butter I would eat on their own