The food and service was wonderful! We got the sweet corn soup and Kholapuri Misal and it was great! The soup was sweet and creamy with a good touch of spice in there. While the Kohlapuri Misal had the flavour filled beans and the delicious curry with the warm buttery bread. For the entree we got the Kekada Kari which had the tender crab with the perfectly spiced sauce which hit the spot with the butter roti. If you eat that while drinking a buttermilk it would make it a game changer! I will definitely come back to this establishment and recommend people to go and have a good time here.

My friend is from India and this is our favorite Indian restaurant in all of Manhattan. The food is very authentic, well-spiced, and delicious. I love their aloo tikki, shahi paneer, and kulfi in particular. The staff is incredibly friendly as well. I personally don’t understand some of the other negative reviews I’ve seen on here, and I wouldn’t listen to them if I were you. They don’t reflect my experiences in the slightest. I’ve done lots of hunting around NYC for good Indian and so far Benares is the best veg-friendly option I’ve had! Keep it up!

Come here for a family dinner. The food here is delicious. The portions are ample and the staff is VERY ATTENTIVE. They checked in on us multiple times throughout the meal. Will definitely come back. They have outdoor and indoor seating. There is ample street parking in the evening.

One of the best Indian food restaurants we've had in the city because the flavor of the food was actually memorable (so nicely spiced!). On top of that the service was attentive, especially our server Harish who had great recommendations and was careful with our dietary restrictions. Tons of vegetarian and vegan options and portions were generous. Look forward to coming back to try other options on three menu.

Good food with really chic interior decor. The quantity is generous and a great value especially at lunch time. I ordered the non veg combo and it tasted like home cooking. My only feedback was the lack of welcome. I was there alone. The manager informed me that they were closing soon so I ordered right away. I sat at the front and tried to engage him in short conversation. He responded with one word answers (if that) and turned away. Warmth and communication is so important to me when having a restaurant experience. So while I did enjoy the food, this manager failed to earn my loyalty and ongoing business.

We ordered dahi kebab which were nothing like dahi kebab but frozen cheese nuggets given to us and tasted disgusting We ordered paneer tikka masala and ended up returning it as they gave us the wrong dish, which again tasted disgusting 🤮 the dal makhani was so salty and nowhere near to what actual makhani is. A lot of people have given this restaurant a 4+ rating, but if i had an option if have given a negative. They are nowhere near Indian restaurant standards.

Came here on a Sunday night for a quick dinner. Staff were friendly and let us decide for while from their extensive list of menu. We got one butter chicken (one of the staff’s recommendations) and a vegetarian curry with bell pepper and cottage cheese. Rice was included and the curry makes you full faster than you think since it’s quite dense and rather oily. Want to try their appetizers next time.

This place started off very shaky to the point where I was going to leave. However they did redeem themselves frim the middle to end. I think they overly booked themselves and were very understaffed however the food was impeccable and the manager went out of his way to make things right in the end. Thank you for an amazing time and I wish you another 70 years in business. I would recommend going to this place for a very nice dinner

Benares unquestionably has the best traditional Indian food in all of Manhattan. The aloo baingan (potatoes and eggplant) and chicken tikka masala were amazing and the Punjabi goat curry was divine. They have an impressive cocktail list and the masala vodka (chutney and mint forward) was refreshingly unique and tasty. Our server, Ramita, was incredibly attentive, kind and helpful with recommendations. After one visit, I’d confidently choose Benares over any of their competitors (especially those with much higher price points).

The flavors were rich and distinct! Overall very delicious food and comfortable atmosphere. Lots of seating options, either cozy booths, spacey tables, or seating at the bar. The waiter was exceptionally friendly. The Lamb Kourma was my favorite dish. Dessert was on the sweet side, but delicious. However, the bathrooms were in a strange location and not very clean. Also, we had to ask for the water to stay at our table when we got our drinks.

I bought the Aloo Baingan for takeout, which is a vegan dish, it's an eggplant curry with potatoes and a side of rice. It was thick, delicious and, spicy. The rice was cold which is why the 4 stars. I also bought the lentil soup, haven't tried it yet. Very good food, highly recommend.

My friend recommended this place to me and it did not disappoint! The wait staff was friendly and attentive and were happy to make food suggestions. Our three guests had never had Indian Food before - this was their first experience - and they absolutely loved it. We all enjoyed the flavors of the dishes. The naan was so fresh and yummy and I was able to box it up for lunch the next day with my leftovers - so good! However, my FAVORITE part of the night was the cocktails! Affordable, unique, and delicious! I know where we are going the next time I am craving Indian!

The best Indian food I have ever tried in my life and best service ever PEOPLE SHOULD TRY THE MASALA VODKA the best drink ever People try this place very first HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Nice Indian Food Option in Manhattan Downtown. Manager was very friendly and assisted in reservation and setting up our team. This is one of our surprise dinner event for our manager, it turned out to be great location and food. Nice options for Veg and Non-Veg folks, definitely will recommend this hotel for the folks in the area.

Located at walking distance from one world, Benaras was our pick for the dinner spot. Their veg dum biryani was delicious. Misal pav was not what i was expecting ( had chickpeas),but still it was very tasty and flavorful. The other appetizer we tried were dahi kabab,papdi chaat and kachori. Kachori stood out the best. Desserts were not as great as their appetizer but still good enough.overall good food and good vibe and friendly staff.

Benares is a nice Indian restaurant in New York and offers a good collection of North Indian dishes. Khasta Kachori is a must try. Malai Kofta is also very good. The waiter Harish hails from Delhi and is a very friendly person. I had a great experience dining at Benares. When looking for vegetarian food options, I would definitely recommend this place.

Made reservations for Friday at 7pm. When we arrived they didn’t even check if we had reservations. The place was maybe half full. Around 8 it was packed. The food is very good and the portions are huge. I ended up taking home half of my entree. I think I would definitely go back here. The reason I’m not giving 4 or 5 stars is because service was incredibly slow. We had to wait about 15 minutes for anyone to take our drink order and after the food came out we didn’t get a water refill for probably an hour. We also had to chase someone down to bring us a check. I suppose there are worse things, at least we were not at all rushed to leave and could enjoy our meal. I noticed that many other tables had extremely long waits for drinks and appetizers so I was glad we got there “early” and that our food came out pretty quickly once we ordered. Perhaps this is solely related to being understaffed which I understand. The phone was also ringing off the hook and there were a ton of delivery orders being prepared so that also probably affected the service for diners. It didn’t ruin my experience. Food was really really good. I will definitely be back!

Great place to go for a quick lunch if you’re in the neighborhood. The lunch prix fixe is beautifully catered and the selection is quite impressive. I would definitely come here again.

Great place, good food. Their chicken dishes are especially good, Malai kab and chicken 65. Misal pav is okay, it has chickpeas in it and is served with bread. The tipsy gulabo is great, perfect blend of lassi and alcohol. Overall,a good place to satisfy Indian food cravings.

We just loved the place. Food was amazing. We ordered vegetarian dishes and it turned out wow. We asked them to make a bit spicy and it was perfect. We will surely visit again.

Great experience at Benares! Definitely the most authentic North Indian food we’ve had so far in New York with great service. Must-try dishes include Chicken Korma, Dal Makhani and Paneer Bhurji.

The chicken 65 was completely bomb. I also try some butter chicken and some fish they are all delish. Saag paneer could be better, maybe needs more creamy and rich texture.

We stopped by on our way to a comedy show. Hadn't heard of Benares before. My wife and I had a wonderful time. Varied Indian menu with all the favorites. The service was thoughtful, attentive and just right (not too much). Complex, balanced flavor profiles. Fresh ingredients. The manager stopped by to ensure we had great time. Clean restaurant & restrooms. We will definitely return and highly recommend you try it out. Signage is limited. I recommend they put out a sidewalk sign or add a lighted sign in the window.

Recently visited Benares and was absolutely delighted by the experience. The food here is exceptional, particularly the Kachori, which was perfectly spiced and crispy. The Spicy Naan and Laccha Parantha were soft and flavorful, complementing every dish beautifully. The Amritsari fish and Chicken Kali Mirch were standout dishes, each offering a unique and rich taste that was simply unforgettable. But the highlight of the evening was the surprise from our waiter who brought out a delicious Gulab Jamun cake for my birthday, making the occasion even more special. The service throughout was impeccable, adding to an overall fantastic dining experience. Highly recommend Benares for anyone looking for exquisite Indian cuisine and top-notch service.

Thanks to Benares my 2 year old daughter who has a deadly food allergy to cashews and pistachios was able to eat Indian food at a restaurant for the first time without having to worry about having an allergic reaction. The server and staff were well aware of her food allergies, and made sure everything she ate was safe. The staff was wonderful/attentive., and food was amazing. Thank you so much for the wonderful experience, and for giving my daughter a safe experience!

We went here for Lunch, they have an option called Lunch Prix Fixe Lunch options include 1 appetizer, 1 entree and are served with dal, naan, and rice They have 3 options VEGETARIAN NON-VEGETARIAN SEAFOOD We chose the Seafood option. The Appetizer were amazing and make you want for more till you get your main course and ends with a Desert A delicious and appetizing lunch which does not make you feel drowsy at the end Options we chose for Appetizers Salmon Tikka and Amritsari Fish Entree Goan Shrimp and Shrimp Vindaloo Desert : Rice pudding All in all a great experience

The Best Indian Food I have had in ages. We came from NJ and noticed Benares. The flavors were extraordinary. The Chat, Fish Tikka, Beetroot and Chicken Sag were out of this world. Cannot wait to go again!

Very good ambience, delicious foods, and kindest staff. Cleanliness and service can be improved as suggested by others in the list of reviews.

We were 2 and ordered dahi kebab, malai kofta, 2 garlic naan and mango lassi. Everything was perfect and tasted so good. 1 garlic would be enough for us as after finishing 2 garlic naan, we couldn’t had rice.

The food was really great! Our waiter gave great recommendations on which foods to get. The food was fresh and came out in a timely manner. The drinks were also really good and fresh. The place was really cozy and was a lot of space. For my first time eating at an Indian Restaurant, I had such a great experience!

Only the chicken was good. Rest of it was bland. Service needs to be improved. We had to keep reminding about the food that is not brought to us about 4 times. It was still forgotten so we just didn’t ask again. When requesting the check, we told them not to bills us for items not brought and then they gave us those packed without charge, but the mood was killed. We also had to keep looking for someone to attend us, like hey I want salt but I have stand and look around to see if anyone is there. Same for the check.

Warning! If you're looking for a elegant and hospitable restaurant, this is NOT one of em. There was a big group of very unruly undisciplined customers shouting and laughing very loudly (probably bday celebration). Along with us, multiple other customers were frustrated and the management didn't handle the situation even after multiple requests. One of my friend started having a headache because of them. Subway in a hood is more peaceful than this place. Should have left as soon as we entered. Food - mixed reviews. Chicken Tikka was the best; it's a def try, as well as Dal. Do not order any Paneer curries. We had ordered Paneer bhurji, a white Paneer curry and Paneer tikka (attached pic - that's not how a tikka is & should be). Mutton dum biryani was average. Seems they used enough ghee to keep it nice n moist which made it taste better than dry biryanis. Mutton pieces were rubbery. Tea was nice as well. Lunch prix fixe is a good deal for 1 person, but be careful in what you order. Waiters were doing their best in serving our table; quite speedy service. So kudos for that. 5/5 - that's why they at least made it to 1 star.

Really cheap lunch specials. (Otherwise may not be worth the money.) Around $20pp all-in for brunch prix fixe👌🏼 lamb skewer appetizer & lamb entree were good, but naan was subpar. Staff is attentive but didn’t notify us of auto-tip, so I ended up double-tipping

Wow!! The service was great, the host or maybe manager was so friendly and quick with my request. I needed to come in and out for a quick bite, 5 mins everything was served and I had came in to eat and out within 20 mins The food was so yummy

Yummy yummy food! I'd heard a lot about this place and glad that we found time to squeeze this visit in. Reserved a table since it was Sunday but it wasn't needed as they had quite a few open tables. We were seated immediately and the order was taken super quickly. I primarily went there for the Benares Kachori and Kolhapuri Misal. The Misal was fabulous and the bread was super tasty. The Kachori was thin but yum. We got the prix fixe vegetarian platter. All the curries were flavorful and on point. Knocking off a star for the lack of ambience in terms of bad music choice and extremely loud cutlery noise while clearing tables and around the kitchen. They had a wonderful percussion artist while we were there but couldn't hear a thing as there was blaring music in the background. If you're someone who doesn't mind music choices, go here and taste that Misal Pav!!

It was my very first time trying Indian food and I was not disappointed. The food here was so good and the staff was phenomenal and very friendly. They answered whatever questions I had about their food and at the end, I ended up enjoying my meal. The decor is very nice and it's a place I'd definitely like to come back to. You get a lot of food and it was not very expensive at all. I definitely recommend this place. Everything good in these reviews that you see about this place is true. Definitely visit them, especially if it's your first time trying Indian food.

Amazing! The only restaurant I go to for authentic & delicious Indian food. Wonderful, friendly & attentive staff & the food speaks for itself. The drinks are out of this world (try the lychee lover or the Varanasi). The Salmon tikka…so juicy & full of flavor! Do yourself the favor & visit!

A place to visit to taste Indian food. We tried - Kashmiri Kabab: beet root made kabab. Bit sweet and was very soft. taste delicious. - Achari Bhindi which came with rice: it was full masaledar - Dal tadka: it was ok, we found it blend - Naan : this was tandoori like any other naan -Bullet Naan : must try thing in the restaurant. It was crispy namak mirchi paratha kind. - mango lassi: it was more sweet than expected. Ambience was elegant. Service was prompt Overall we loved it.

One of the best Indian 🇮🇳 restaurants in New York. Love the location and the staff was super friendly. It is a well kept neat and clean restaurant and food tastes delicious. We ordered paneer tikka and chicken tikka masala along with some naan. They gave us complimentary rice with the food as well.

My first experience in an Indian restaurant and it was amazing… From the food to the service to the owner! Highly recommended…great Indian food at an amazing price!

Very good Indian food. Staff is nice.

Amazing all around. The food looked and tasted amazing, the drinks were good and definitely not watered down. And the service was attentive and fast.

Food was excellent, drinks were ok. Nice and quiet place to have a family diner or a date night. The service is fast. My favorite dish was the coconut salmon