JACKSON DINER - INDIAN CUISINE

I took my girlfriend out for her birthday on aug 2, 2007 and in the middle of the meal, i noticed that the restaurant only accepts cash. We ate, and that was quickly, because the waiter was rushing us, because it was closing. The bill came up to $40.50 and i gave the host $41.00 and he asked where is the tip, yelling and shouting. I couldn't believe my eyes. I was in shock, but i proceeded to explain to him that i thought the restaurant accepts credit card, but honestly i didn't have enough cash for a tip, but told him i will come back the next day to give tip, because at that point i felt afraid for our lives. I was assaulted by the host, man with a poney tail, who threw my fifty cents change at me and my girlfriend, and uttered very nasty things under his breath, and i couldnt believe it. We were so much in shock to see that we are decent tax paying american citizens that were treated like we were animals or that we came in for a free meal at the jackson diner in jackson heights, just because we didn't have a tip to give. I spend hundreds of dollars every month tipping people, as i do dine out alot, but never had such a horrific experience. If you want to dine out to an indian joint, please dont go there. This is with all honesty. I called to speak to a manager the next day, but wasn't able. If someone in management sees this review, please respond/ Cons: worst service and we were assaulted with two quarters more

My wife and I had been looking forward to the opportunity to try the much-ballyhooed Jackson Diner for some time. While the food was good and service was typical for a crowded restaurant, I can't help but acknowledge there wasn't anything unique about the whole experience that would entice us to return there over any other Indian restaurant. Word-of-mouth alone appears to have been key to their success.\r \r The majority of patrons appeared to be from outside Jackson Heights; in other words, plan on being surrounded by yuppie culture vultures if you're dead set on going. On the other hand, if you want great Indian food that's reasonably priced, don't scrap coming to Jackson Heights altogether. Just be sure to give equal consideration to some of the other great Indian restaurants in the area. Pros: Variety of dishes; air conditioning. Cons: Crowded; no credit cards. more

I like the way the place is decorated it is very modern and not dark like the old style indian restuarants that my parents use to go to when I was young. This is a very clean place too. I also enjoy that they can make my food very very very spicy hot for me and not picy for my American friends. They make awsome cocktails too. It is a very good place to bring your non-Indian friends to introduce them to Indian Cusine. Pros: Wonderful Decor and Great modern Indian Food Cons: parking is a little hard more

JD rocks. i have been there only like million times and will keep going there. I feel at home whenever i go to jackson diner. more

I have been here for lunch buffet and thought it should be a good treat on diwali, so here we go but my utterest disappointment the service and the food were nightmareous....the idly is the fastest you can get but it seem to be prepared ages ago....very sour. the only good thing is baghia...next to the main course, next the service time is around 20-25 minutes which you have to wait. the people sitting next to us have left before their order arrived. also the main course is nothing special or great, just average and very expensive. The mood of the restarunt itself in the night transforms into to an old filmi type restarunt...my advice avoid it in the night and specially on holidays Pros: nothing in particular Cons: Too many to list more

I saw lot of people complaining about food, service, bathroom etc etc. Let me put it this way, any place you go its not perfect all the time. There are some days where things are not going to be right but then again we all are humans. Just cauz you been there once and you had bad experience doesnt mean place is bad. I have been going there for almost 10 years now and every time I go there its same as last time. Yeah maybe I might have had bad experiences here and there but this place serves best frickin Indian food then any other Indian restaurant around there. I do recommend this place to everyone, please dont listen to someone who has no idea on what Indian food is all about. People eat food to live, I live to eat food which puts me ahead of others when it comes to judging food. more

The food was okay, service was non-existent, and bathrooms were silly, with anti-Bush grafiti. It was a nice, gigantic diner. I wouldn't go there again...Too expensive. You could get the same stuff for a lot cheaper on Curry row in Manhattan. Pros: spacious, close to subway, funny bathrooms Cons: too expensive, average food more

I've been going to the JD since it used to be a diner. I've had tastes there that I've never had anywhere else. Since it became ""discovered"" I think the quality has suffered a bit but it is still among the best Indian restaurants I've ever eaten at. more

This is one of the few places I'll venture out of Manhattan just to eat their Sunday buffet. While the prices have just recently risen to $9.95, it remains a reasonable price for all that you get. Always a treat, the butter chicken, palak paneer, and goat curries are sensational, while the tandoori, samosas, and chana aloo are a bit dry. You'd expect one to have more dessert options, other than rice pudding. One thing that is great is there is a pitcher of water at each table, great for people who can't handle the spices. The decor is among the funkiest if not some of the most peculiar ambiance I've seen in an Indian establishment. The service is so-so at best and the most inconvenient is the inability to use credit cards or check, as Jackson Diner is strictly cash only. Pros: Buffet, Prices, Variety Cons: Cash Only, Service more

I heard about this place via friends, magazines, etc. and finally made the trek out to JH for ""the best"" Indian food in the city. Other reviews rave about the lunch buffet, but while it looks fantastic, it was surprisingly VERY average. Not great, not bad. Basically, the food was not memorable. I remember my buddy (who is Indian) and I eating our food in bewildered silence. Maybe it was just the buffet. An Indian couple next to us were eating dosas that seemed decent. Super disappointed... Pros: Hype, Weird decor Cons: average food, hype more

A really nice buffet spread. Indian lunch buffets are a dime a dozen but I found the quality of all the dishes here to be a cut above the usual. Chicken makhani, vegetable pakora and saag paneer were all delicious. They also had a much wider variety of things than many buffet places do. The restaurant itself is sort of odd-looking, and the clientele runs heavily to families with screaming brats (make sure you're seated at a free standing table and not one of the tables that shares a communal long bench), but the food makes it well worth the visit to Jackson Heights. Beat the rush by arriving around 11:45am-12pm. The strip of sari shops out there makes for a fun afternoon of window shopping, too! Pros: Food more

After reading reviews here, I had to check this place out. I went there for dinner yesterday, and was very disappointed. I am Indian, and the food was nothing compared to the actual taste. In fact, I have had much better food in Jersey City and New York. I was very disappointed, since I had heard good things about this place from Indians! The malai kofta was not that tasty, chicken makhni was improperly cooked, samosa chaat and masala dosa were okay. The only thing I liked was bread and mango lassi. I loved the lassi! The bread was very good, fresh, and soft. In fact, we even got a bread on the house! But I was still disappointed. Pros: Service Cons: Food more

well what can i say i have eaten indian food all over the world and i have never ever had indian food this good!!!!My husband and i are not much of a buffet lover, but that all changes the second you walk into this place, their variety,consistency, and quality are mind blowing....their buffet has the best variety, something for everyone, i love the kadhi, the chaat, and the chole those are my favorites...my husband loves the chicken makhani and chole....and we savor their kheer and gulab jamun........they have a perfect mix of spice and flavor...and once you are there you will be suprised how many plates of food you can actually consume-excluding dessert of course...so if you want some authentic delicious tasting indian food check this place out no matter how far the commute may be....its well worth it........ Pros: delicious, consistent, good variety Cons: none, far from where i live more

OUT OF INDIA EXCELLENT CHOICE VERY TEASTY INDIAN FLAVOURED FOOD EXCELLENT MALAICOFTA.EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY LOVES TO GO THERE. Pros: INEXPENSIVE, ONE CAN TALK LOUD!, FRIENDLY STAFF Cons: , SAME OLD MANUE, PEOPLE NEEDS VARIETY! more

For the price ($8), the quality of the buffet is great! They have samosas, chicken tikka masala, and a lot of other dishes you can think of. I recommend coming here if you have some time for lunch! Pros: price, food Cons: location more

Some Advice: Staff is very rude if you enter the restaurant between 9:55 PM - 10:05 PM. So if thats the time you are hitting Jackson Dinner ~ Think again & make another choice. Food is OK! Pretty hyped but nothing spectacular. Limited choices on the menu. Try the sampler platter and some variations if you are going in a large group. Whatever you do DO NOT ASK FOR RECOMMENDATIONS. Service is effecient but misses the personal touch, it's all about the order and once you have placed an order, Boy it can take you ages to catch staff's attention for something else (They are all glued to the big Screen Indian TV on the ceiling). Make sure you are wearing Not the best of your wardrobe or the food smell will embrace your clothes and all you know you will end up giving your clothes for Dry Cleaning. more

Jackson Dinerm compared to its surrounding restaruants, is a fairly modern looking Indian restaurnant in the heart of Little India/Pakistan. The lunch buffet is a great deal but you get better deals in many of the surrounding restaurants. I highly recommend this place for people who want to go to Jackson Heights for its very South Asian bazaar like feel (the sights, the smells, the people - its all there!) but who are a little afraid to go into the other establishments where the locals flock and which don't look as 'nice'. My favorite dish at their buffet is the karhi (or kardhi) which is basically made from yogurt & graham flour and is eaten with white rice. However, if you'd like to be a little adventerous, Kebab King Palace around the corner is a great deal for really authentic South Asian (specifically Pakistani) food. more

Jackson Diner was my first intro to true Indian food and its been 10yrs since and I cannot go one month without some of this unbelievable food. My faves are the mixed grill, lamb korma and the chiken tikka makhanwalla is divine. The friendly and courteous staff is a wonderful compliment to the food. Pros: food, food, service Cons: tough parking more