Takes Reservations: Yes Take-out: Yes Good for Groups: Yes Waiter Service: Yes PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
Leticia Clayborn
I have been coming to Panna II for over ten years. What makes me choose it over all of the other nearby Indian spots where staff are trying to lure you in? Nothing, except that it is the one I always went to and was never let down. First off the prices are reasonable. While the portions look small they all come with rice and wind up being filling.
Secondly, its BYO which is rare. Beer is located close by but you have to walk a few blocks south on 1st before you find the liquor store if you want wine. Half the time, I decide once I get there that I want an alcohol and just make a run for it while my dining partner waits. They don't seem to mind.
Third, the decor is hard to beat. It is in your face, loads of christmas lights, chili lights, blinking lights, and all sorts of random paraphernalia on the walls, and hanging from the ceilings. To complement the visuals, the music is incredibly loud and obnoxious, creating a party atmosphere.
Don't come here trying to have a romantic dinner. You have to be willing to deal with the crowd. Speaking of crowd, it always feels crowded because the tables are on top of each other. While this may sound unappealing for some reason it is forgivable. I suppose cheap and BYO take precedence over some inconveniences for me!
I visited this reataurant twice. The first time was with my boyfriend and the second time was with 15 friends. I found that this restaurant was more touristy with their eye-catching decor than authentic with true-to-goodness Indian food.
STAFF I found the staff super nice and helpful. They greeted us with big smiles. They even pushed some tables together so my friends and I could sit together, even though we did not make reservations. Our server explained the dishes, noting which were spicy and which were vegetarian.
FACILITY The decor is cool with so many Christmas lights. It felt we stepped in a kid's fantasy. Super cool! But the restaurant is narrow and space is tight. They squeezed in many tables in such a narrow space that it felt like we were sitting elbow to elbow with our neighbors. If you want to check out this restaurant, I highly suggest going during their off-peak hours.
FOOD The best thing on the menu are their coconut samosas. They're delicious and unique. I haven't found them anywhere else. Besides the samosas, the other dishes are mediocre at best. I couldn't tell if I was eating chicken or pork because the dish was slathered with sauce. Not even my friend who is from India could tell me what it was. Don't get me wrong: I love sauces. But please don't drown my food passed the point of identification.
i really like the food there and it s an experience to do. It s a small place so you won't have to much room to eat comfortably. I was touching my friend elbow. The lights are very cool if you are jot epileptic. I took of 2 stars because i think that the hospitality is forgotten. Waiters are rude and they are making you feel like it s time to go bc some customers are waiting for their table. Really. ? 🙁
CASH ONLY! Everything about this place is amazing. There are 4 Indian restaurants next door to each other and you can tell a place is good when 1 of the 4 is jam packed with a line out the door. The decor is so fun and crazy, with Christmas lights overtaking the entire ceiling and hanging so low you have to duck through the restaurant. It's a very narrow restaurant with barely any room between tables. Food is delicious and it comes out so quick. We ordered some cheese naan bread, some onion balls, a chicken curry dish, and a butter chicken dish. Everything was amazing, no complaints!!! This place is crazy, it's hectic, but it's a good time.
Came here with some friends last night! Although I was warned of the long wait times but I actually lucked out. A group sitting at the table up front by the window were leaving as we were asking for seating. We were wondering why their were so many people waiting out front as we grabbed the front table so quickly but I soon found out why. The front seat is the unpopular seat I assumed because the hostess kept opening (we were near the entrance) & closing the door screaming at the waiters & the table "cloths" were located behind my seat. So a lot of traffic moving around us & I can see why some groups wanted to wait for more inner seating. Nonetheless the food was good, portions are a little on the small side. The décor is great & makes for solid pictures with friends. Had at least three birthday celebrations going on the same day celebrating at the same time. And every time they were about to sing happy birthday they played this special Indian song really loud (its nice they acknowledged it). One big turn off was the service. Although me & my table were left alone to enjoy our meal we felt a bit rushed at the end trying to pay the bill (remember CASH ONLY). Waiter kept coming back & forth asking for the check & not even a smile or anything. Me & my friends put the money inside. As we were situating the tip the waiter grabs the check a bit aggressively & walks off without a word. So he didn't get a tip through his own fault for not being patient. I'll be back since the food & atmosphere was good. Hopefully the waiters learn how to smile & ask for things politely.
The reason why I went here is because the show Daredevil was filmed here. I wanted to see all those lights. The restaurant is upstairs. It is a small place. The staff was so welcoming. I had a chicken samosa, garlic naan and a chicken curry dish. It was all very tasty. The best part is that is BYOB but cash only. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. It is a tasty and fun experience.
Cramped little Indian place that is fun for the experience. Tons of Christmas lights practically hanging into your food, but definitely sets a fun atmosphere. BYOB, which is great. Very large menu, and everything is decent. Not the best Indian food I've ever had, but you come here for the BYOB and the experience. Service leaves a bit to be desired. Not a ton of space, so I wouldn't recommend coming with a large group or with someone like my dad who hates feeling cramped.
My friend Ryan and I had SUCH a wonderful time here! The food is good, but the ambiance is INCREDIBLE! Everyone around us seemed to be enjoying themselves and having a great time too. The lights in this place make it SO unique and pictures look awesome! I will DEFINITELY visit here again on my next trip to NYC! The prices are very reasonable and the portions are large! The service was great too!
I have been coming to Panna II for over ten years. What makes me choose it over all of the other nearby Indian spots where staff are trying to lure you in? Nothing, except that it is the one I always went to and was never let down.
First off the prices are reasonable. While the portions look small they all come with rice and wind up being filling.
Secondly, its BYO which is rare. Beer is located close by but you have to walk a few blocks south on 1st before you find the liquor store if you want wine. Half the time, I decide once I get there that I want an alcohol and just make a run for it while my dining partner waits. They don't seem to mind.
Third, the decor is hard to beat. It is in your face, loads of christmas lights, chili lights, blinking lights, and all sorts of random paraphernalia on the walls, and hanging from the ceilings. To complement the visuals, the music is incredibly loud and obnoxious, creating a party atmosphere.
Don't come here trying to have a romantic dinner. You have to be willing to deal with the crowd. Speaking of crowd, it always feels crowded because the tables are on top of each other. While this may sound unappealing for some reason it is forgivable. I suppose cheap and BYO take precedence over some inconveniences for me!
I visited this reataurant twice. The first time was with my boyfriend and the second time was with 15 friends. I found that this restaurant was more touristy with their eye-catching decor than authentic with true-to-goodness Indian food.
STAFF
I found the staff super nice and helpful. They greeted us with big smiles. They even pushed some tables together so my friends and I could sit together, even though we did not make reservations. Our server explained the dishes, noting which were spicy and which were vegetarian.
FACILITY
The decor is cool with so many Christmas lights. It felt we stepped in a kid's fantasy. Super cool! But the restaurant is narrow and space is tight. They squeezed in many tables in such a narrow space that it felt like we were sitting elbow to elbow with our neighbors. If you want to check out this restaurant, I highly suggest going during their off-peak hours.
FOOD
The best thing on the menu are their coconut samosas. They're delicious and unique. I haven't found them anywhere else. Besides the samosas, the other dishes are mediocre at best. I couldn't tell if I was eating chicken or pork because the dish was slathered with sauce. Not even my friend who is from India could tell me what it was. Don't get me wrong: I love sauces. But please don't drown my food passed the point of identification.
i really like the food there and it s an experience to do. It s a small place so you won't have to much room to eat comfortably. I was touching my friend elbow. The lights are very cool if you are jot epileptic. I took of 2 stars because i think that the hospitality is forgotten. Waiters are rude and they are making you feel like it s time to go bc some customers are waiting for their table. Really. ? 🙁
CASH ONLY! Everything about this place is amazing. There are 4 Indian restaurants next door to each other and you can tell a place is good when 1 of the 4 is jam packed with a line out the door. The decor is so fun and crazy, with Christmas lights overtaking the entire ceiling and hanging so low you have to duck through the restaurant. It's a very narrow restaurant with barely any room between tables. Food is delicious and it comes out so quick. We ordered some cheese naan bread, some onion balls, a chicken curry dish, and a butter chicken dish. Everything was amazing, no complaints!!! This place is crazy, it's hectic, but it's a good time.
Came here with some friends last night! Although I was warned of the long wait times but I actually lucked out. A group sitting at the table up front by the window were leaving as we were asking for seating. We were wondering why their were so many people waiting out front as we grabbed the front table so quickly but I soon found out why. The front seat is the unpopular seat I assumed because the hostess kept opening (we were near the entrance) & closing the door screaming at the waiters & the table "cloths" were located behind my seat. So a lot of traffic moving around us & I can see why some groups wanted to wait for more inner seating. Nonetheless the food was good, portions are a little on the small side. The décor is great & makes for solid pictures with friends. Had at least three birthday celebrations going on the same day celebrating at the same time. And every time they were about to sing happy birthday they played this special Indian song really loud (its nice they acknowledged it). One big turn off was the service. Although me & my table were left alone to enjoy our meal we felt a bit rushed at the end trying to pay the bill (remember CASH ONLY). Waiter kept coming back & forth asking for the check & not even a smile or anything. Me & my friends put the money inside. As we were situating the tip the waiter grabs the check a bit aggressively & walks off without a word. So he didn't get a tip through his own fault for not being patient. I'll be back since the food & atmosphere was good. Hopefully the waiters learn how to smile & ask for things politely.
The reason why I went here is because the show Daredevil was filmed here. I wanted to see all those lights. The restaurant is upstairs. It is a small place. The staff was so welcoming. I had a chicken samosa, garlic naan and a chicken curry dish. It was all very tasty. The best part is that is BYOB but cash only. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. It is a tasty and fun experience.
Cramped little Indian place that is fun for the experience. Tons of Christmas lights practically hanging into your food, but definitely sets a fun atmosphere. BYOB, which is great. Very large menu, and everything is decent. Not the best Indian food I've ever had, but you come here for the BYOB and the experience. Service leaves a bit to be desired. Not a ton of space, so I wouldn't recommend coming with a large group or with someone like my dad who hates feeling cramped.
My friend Ryan and I had SUCH a wonderful time here! The food is good, but the ambiance is INCREDIBLE! Everyone around us seemed to be enjoying themselves and having a great time too. The lights in this place make it SO unique and pictures look awesome! I will DEFINITELY visit here again on my next trip to NYC! The prices are very reasonable and the portions are large! The service was great too!