Devi

We ventured here on a Tuesday night and did not require any reservations for a 7 pm arrival. I am a definite lover of India food. Devi has officially earned a spot on my list for Best of Indian food experiences.

When I begin to tell you that I wish I could have eaten more but the limitations of my stomach prevented me from inhaling more food, that's how good it was.

The lamb vindaloo was great. This dish is for the lover of SPICY food because it had my lips tingling throughout my meal and I loved it even when I had to pause at moments or grab a tissue since I felt my sinuses were being cleared.....lol.

The basmanti rice was perfect, grainy, warm and a hint of time.

The Goat curry was also delicious, but much milder in spice.

The mint limeade was similar to a mohito. You have a choice of mango, guava or pineapple. I had the pineapple.

Ambiance is always a huge deal for me. I took notice of the over-sized doorway upon entry, the candles that lined the stairs to the loft second level, the highly positioned bulb lights that were colorfully adorned with Indian accents, The red drapes that sectioned off the back seating area that could be for a couple or for a group. I especially liked the black leather upholstery cushioned seats that lined the far wall and the over-sized gold plates that were for plate setting presentation purposes. The music was also very soothing, mostly instrumental tunes so conversations didn't have to complete with the soundtrack.

The bathroom was reasonably clean with a peach scented burning candle and the Baylis & Harding Hand soap and lotion were also a nice touch.

How could I forget dessert? We had the mango cheesecake which was a burst of flavor. I tasted so many delectable combinations of spices. But the downside was the size since it was half a 7.5 mini coke can. So although I was happy with the burst of flavor I was not happy about how small the serving was.

It is definitely on the pricey side but I think it is worth it for sure.

I wanted to get this review in while I still remember the good details, I took my mother here for her birthday this past friday with my sister and bf. I mentioned to the girl while I made the reservation that it was her birthday in passing and we had an early reservation for like 6:30 which was great since the place wasn't busy, as soon as we walked in the hostess and the floor manager welcomed us and said happy birthday to my mother which was a very nice touch. The space itself is also very pretty, we were seated towards the back where they had some velvet benches and it was a bit more private.

All four of us decided to do the 4 course design your own tasting menu with dessert included which was a decent price of $55 per person. We pretty much got to taste everything on the menu, so if you are here with a few people this might be a good option to go. We also wanted to get a bottle of white wine since the food would be spiced a bit and the waiter recommended a very good bottle which was a reasonable $35 (I didnt get the name since you can never find those bottles in the liquor store anyways). My mother got the mumbai margarita which was pretty tasty and the dash of cayenne gave it an interesting flavor.

Appetizers -- I had to try the cauliflower based on previous reviews and it was GREAT, I dont know how they cooked it but it had a nice consistency and the flavor was a bit general tso-esque. My sister got the calimari and shrimp which was yummy, bf got salmon cakes which had some spicy peppers in the sauce, mom got some light salad which was OK.

First entree -- I tried the tandoori shrimp which were large and cooked great, sister got lamb stuffed chicken which wasn't to bad, mom got jackfruit and rice which was eh and bf got the fish of the day which was halibut over butternut squash which was excellent.

Second entree - My sister and I had similar dishes, the yam and the paneer, sauce was good and went perfect with the naan, mom got the lamb chop..there was nothing left on her plate so I think she liked it, bf got the quail which was served lightly fried and whole, it was pretty juicy and tasty.

Last but not least was dessert the hostess said the mango cheesecake was their signature dessert so I had my mom order that, we also got the bread pudding, black forest cake and I got some noodle thing. They brought out an additional little ice cream thing with a candle in it for my mom with a trick candle..they also messed up and brought me the wrong dessert which was a mango cheesecake...after I tasted it I did not want to send it back but to make up for it they brought out another black forest cake with another trick candle in it.

All in all I am very happy we went here to celebrate my mom's birthday they made it a very memorable and pleasant night.

Word has it that Devi is past its prime. A former Michelin star restaurant, Devi was the hippest Indian restaurant in the city, for a significant length of time. However, the management seems to have failed to keep up with other options such as Junoon, and is doing little to stay fresh and new.

The space is impressive. And the staff is generally quite friendly and accommodating. The menu is innovative in places--it is not often that you would find jackfruit biryani or masala roasted beets in an Indian menu. Their weekend brunch is a great value at $18. And their daily lunch special is priced competitively at $20, and includes an appetizer and entrée that you can pick from a long list of options. Dinner at Devi is classic North Indian fare. There are no standout dishes, at least from the ones I have tried.

I have fond memories of going to Devi in years gone by, and wish they are able to rekindle people's interest in visiting. It is time for a "devine" intervention.

A playground for your tastebuds.

we enjoyed the lunch menu started off with the tangy cauliflower which you need to try, has a great tangy taste.

We shared two dishes, a traditional chicken tikka masala and the grilled bass in a tangy tomato broth that was heavenly. The fish is poached which made it so incredibly soft and light.

We were outta gas and passed on a dessert which Devi is known for, to our surprise our server Mark had a special dessert packed for us to take home for later.

Another great experience.

Btw, a delightful decor and light jazz style Indian music which complemented the meal.

the service was nice.. BUT..
it was kind of funny, my "meat" meal bowl was actually a LOT of bones, and I couldn't believe I was chewing one ..and it was a bone, another one.. and it was a bone.. all wow nicely covered with a nice (nice tasting sauce..).
I understand a couple, maybe 3. I had to take a picture of my bowl, afterI had what I could swallow as meat.. I al including a picture, as it may sound impossible..

After being rejected by Japonica, we ended up here. We had no patience to wait 2 hours for table at Japonica, but honestly this place was a flop.

I don't think I like couture Indian. It just doesn't work. The best Indian is always in some hole-in-the-wall with no frills and usually in Queens.

The place is nice enough with great decor and beautiful staff, but that's where the charm ends.

For starters, we had the tamarind chicken wings. Our wings were not thoroughly cooked, so we had to send it back. I hate sending things back, but what can you do? It is either send it back and have all the kitchen staff come out and stare at you or put yourself at risk for a night of praying to the toilet God.

For the entree, I remember getting one of the spiciest vegetarian dishes on the menu. They weren't joking about the spiciness, so I give them props for that. But I can't even remember what anything tasted like in the dish because my mouth was screaming for FDNY to come put out the flames.

I came here months ago, and had to really push myself to write a review. This place is just not that good. Better to take your date to a hole-in-the-wall and have her rave about the food than to bring her here and impress her with decor and have nothing else to show for.

Sometimes a pretty face is just a pretty face with nothing underneath the surface...

A large group of my sister's friends came out for her birthday dinner this past weekend and we were seated very comfortably in the upstairs section of the restaurant. It's a great place for a party of our size (about 15 or so).. it felt secluded but open at the same time since we were afforded a birdseye view of the lower floor of the restaurant as were in a balconied section. Impressive decor. I was in total awe over the beauitful hanging lamps throughout the ceiling in Devi.

The restaurant was extremely accomodating in allowing us to dine family-style. We had a few courses -- apps and entrees for the table to share -- and everything was served smoothly and without any hiccups, which is a tiny miracle in and of itself since larger groups are harder to appease. The waitstaff was highly attentive and helpful.

Since I've turned vegetarian for the month of Feb, I can't comment on any of the meat dishes that our table got, however, the veggie plates were satisfying and the garlic naan was warm, soft and delicious. From my observations, everyone seemed to have enjoyed the shrimp and lamb entrees but as far as food presentation, I'd have to say it was only mediocre. I was not impressed with the plating as none of the dishes looked particularly appetizing.. such a shame since the food was fairly good. My beverage was the most memorable part of my meal.. I had their chai tea which was excellent.

To end, I felt I was more engrossed in the ambience and physical decor of Devi rather than the actual food. I have definitely had better Indian, but I would like to come back and give Devi another shot, when I'm back to my omnivorious ways!!

My cousin and I came here for the first time and we loved the atmosphere!
We got the cauliflower best selling dish on the Yelp free offer and it was amazing!!
We also got the lamb shank which was too good to be true.

The eggplant with peanut butter sauce though... Not so good.

Service was okay, but would love to be back for more lamb! The pita was cooked to perfection!

The reviews on the Manchurian cauliflower are right. "It's nothing I've ever had before!' because chances are, you probably have never had sweetened ketchup poured all over slightly fried cauliflower. It's not delicious. It's okay if you're hungry, but at the end of the day, it's still ketchup. Cauliflower. Kind of gross, kind of hate yourself for eating it, but I'm hungry, so lay off me ! (RIP, Chris Farley!)

Also got chicken vindaloo. Waiter warned me, "It's spicy !" - yeah. Dude. I know. But you know, it wasn't that spicy. It's fine. You'll live to realize that the dish is just okay, but for $24, you should just go to Curry Hill and eat some proper tasty eats there. And for $24, it doesn't come with rice, why? Oh -- so you can charge us $6 for a side of basmati rice. I get it.

I would recommend never coming here, but you probably will because it's in Union Square, and you probably will say, "I've had a lot better," and that's because you have.

First off I'm an Indian foodie and I think Devi is one of the best Indian restaurants in the city!

The bartender is top notch and if you are a bourbon fan try the cumin old fashioned.

We came here for restaurant week and there was a decent selection.

The tandoori green pepper is amazing. It's a bit filling for an appetizer and it certainly has a kick but it's full of flavor.

The chappli kabob appetizer is also very tasty, better proportioned and also a little kick with heat spice but not overdone.

For main course, the only way to go is their amazing lamb chops. They were marinated in yoghurt and cooked in the tandoor. Not heat spicy but full of delicious Indian goodness.

Dessert here is fine, nothing to write home about but it's definitely worth dining for their drinks, apps, and main course.