Can I go 3.5 on this one? The food is really solid, and a steal at $7.99 for their lunch specials, but I think I'll round down as the service is a bit lacking (I need my water refills when eating spicy) and I think the overall star rating here is a bit too high. We arrived for lunch around 11:45am only to find the door locked. After closer inspection of the sign we noted that 11:30am opening had been crossed out and 12:30pm written instead. We were about to walk out when one of the staff (and perhaps the only staff member) popped his head out and told us to give him 10 mins. So we opted to wait. Now, as others have mentioned, this restaurant is inside a seedy, budget motel, that seems to cater to the trucker crowd who are looking to get a few hours sleep. No biggie, but maybe not the best waiting environment, and certainly don't bring a first date here lol. Check out the pictures of the restaurant, my best guess is that an Americanized food place was getting ready to open here (hence the plastic modern seating, fish tank and blue sky ceiling), pulled out, and the Indians snatched up a finished restaurant and opened up. Again, not complaining, but it's a little odd. The Bollywood music videos on the tv though did keep us very entertained - much like watching a telenovela and trying to understand what's going on without speaking a word of Spanish. So, after sitting, we were encouraged to come up to the register and take a look at the 10 options as part of the $7.99 lunch special (includes rice and naan). There were 5 vegetarian options and 5 chicken options. I went with the black daal, and interestingly enough all my dining partners also went with veggie options. The food was pretty solid, and at $7.99 it's a good deal! My black daal was good, not outstanding, but decent, but I did taste Steve D's potato dish and his was a solid 5 stars - I'll be getting that next time! Portion size was just right, and if you're trying to be good and save calories I think you could definitely make it into two meals. The helping of naan served to us was also a good portion, though slightly more burnt that I like, it was tasty. And the end of the meal we headed back up to the register, unsure if we should wait for a check or signal our departure that way. Again, service is pretty lacking, and I do think it was just one guy running everything, but we were the only table in there, and getting a water refill would have really upped my impression of the place.
(3)
Jim M.
When you walk in the place looks very strange very modern. The service was great and the food was also very good. Authentic and fresh Northern Indian cuisine. Will come again..
(4)
Alex P.
I was hungry and tired of eating at the same places so just driving around, saw this restaurant and decided to try it out. It had just opened recently as I had not seen it before. At first ,I was jittery going in but as I entered, the ambience was quite nice especially with the big fish tank. The waiter was hospitable and friendly, we ordered our food and it was quite delicious. I am definitely coming back.
(5)
S M.
Four stars for taste, two stars for ambience and decor. Not the place for a romantic dinner by any means. Food is prepared fresh and the variety was good. Price was on the high side, each by at least two or three dollars more than they should be charging for a place like this.
(4)
Rose R.
Just had lunch there. Food was quite good, lunch special was priced reasonably, but ambience not great. In my opinion this is a good choice for lunch but their main menu for dinner and regular takeout has prices too high for takeout and way too high for eating in. Don't get me wrong, place is clean and bright, but restaurant is in a budget motel lobby with truck rigs parked outside for the motel. Staff friendly. I'll be back but for lunch special takeout.
(3)
Star A.
One of the best Indian meals I've had in Broward County! From the wonderfully prepared samosas to the dangerously spicy (two chiles!) Chile Chicken and the divinely flavorful Chicken Chutney Wala, everything was fresh and truly delicious. While the atmosphere is rather cafeteria-like, the food is exceptional. Astoundingly, the restaurant was empty except for the chef, outstanding server and our small group at 7:15 on a Thursday evening. With the quality of the food, one would think the place would be stuffed to the rafters with customers; it leads us to believe it is the best kept secret in the area. Perhaps the truck-stop atmosphere of the hotel - a Budgetel - is to blame. The restaurant is just off the lobby of what appears to be a very inexpensive place to spend the night. I urge you to get past the looks, though, and try the food. If you are looking for fine Indian cuisine, run - don't walk! - to Punjabi Dhaba. You'll be glad you did.
(5)
Brent M.
THE PLACE Came here with two (male and female) co-workers for lunch. The restaurant is in a very questionable area and it is situated inside a Budgetel. You enter in the Budgetel lobby, which we didn't know. Our female co-worker says to the guy behind the counter, it will be for 3 of us. He looked a little shocked. (I don't know why, I assume threesomes often come to get a room at the Budgetel.) Then, he realized we were there for the restaurant and pointed us to the left of the lobby. It appears they are trying to revamp the whole area and make things nicer. Buildings seem newly renovated and they are taking time to plant some actual landscaping. The look of the place is odd. The table and chairs look more like a office lunchroom than a restaurant. There is PLENTY of space between tables. They could easily add 50% more tables and you would not feel crowded. There are a couple of TVs hung up high, playing Indian music videos. Interesting. THE SERVICE The way it works is that you go up to the counter (in the restaurant, not the hotel lobby LOL), and order your food from the guy behind the cash register. Just like you would if you were getting fast food. Except, he doesn't collect any money from you when you order. Don't know why not. After taking our orders, he brought us to our table. I am not sure if it is a seat yourself place or not. Maybe we looked confused, so he sat us. He was very polite and seemed to go out of his way to be helpful to us. It could be 1 of 3 reasons. 1) My male co-worker is Indian 2) My female co-worker is very attractive 3) We looked clueless on how it all worked. Maybe it was all 3 reasons. THE FOOD They have about 10 things on the menu for lunch. Five vegetarian and five for us meat eaters. Each of the meals comes with Rice and Naan. My female coworker and I both order Tikka Masala and my male Indian coworker ordered Chicken Vindaloo. The Tikka Masala had a deep rich flavor that was complex but not heavy. The accompanying naan was hot and properly cooked. All three of us like spicy food. Although we thought the Tikka Masala was very good, it was not spicy. The Vindaloo on the other hand was spicy (as you would hope). We watched our coworker sweat through his meal. Totally need to get back to try the Vindaloo. Oh. The soda machine was broken, so we just ordered water with our meals. They don't have a pitcher for water refills, so the poor guy runs back and forth to the kitchen with the glasses to refill. SUMMARY I drive by here every day to and from work. Because of it being in a not-so-good area, I never considered stopping before last week. I am glad I did. This was the first time there for all three of us and we all want to come back and try some other items on the menu.
(3)
Terry W.
Not what you would expect for the location. Years ago this was a run down Days Inn hotel, but no more. You enter the restaurant from the hotel lobby, both the lobby & restaurant are modern, bright & clean. The food & service were very good, we ordered the Chicken65, Garlic Naan & Butter Chicken We will be back
(4)
Jessica G.
Well I'm just gonna say it, this place is weird, but the food is pretty good, especially their lunch specials. We decided to venture to Punjabi Dhaba for lunch, and it was a good thing it was a Friday (we sometimes allow ourselves a little extra lunch time on Fridays) as despite the website stating they opened earlier, we were not actually able to enter the restaurant until about noon (we had arrived maybe 15 minutes prior). You enter the restaurant through the Budgetel lobby, so at least we were able to take a seat in the lobby and enjoy the parking lot view to wait for them to open up. We were seated, but the lunch specials are not printed on the menu, so we approached the board and each chose a lunch entree. It seemed to be pretty much a one man operation, and I'm not sure the man was entirely comfortable with human interaction, but we made the best of it and received our meals. I had ordered the punjabi koda pakora which was onion fritters in a creamy yogurt curry sauce served with a side of basmati rice. We were also given naan for the table. For $7.99 is was a great deal, and I found the flavors to be quite good. I really didn't hold back on 4 stars because of the food, as while our table had mixed opinions of their dishes, I felt mine was quite good, no one seemed to have a problem finishing, and the prices are certainly reasonable. I held back because of my first line in the review. The vibe here is very weird, and although the atmosphere is new and clean the modern somewhat industrial furniture with the fish tank and cloud ceiling is just strange. I can forgive atmosphere also, but the service was just so strange and uncomfortable I'm not sure I would dine in here again...I think I would prefer to keep future interactions to phone and pickup orders. I do hope Punjabi Dhaba is successful though. If the service weirdness were corrected it would be fun for this to become a regular spot, how often can you say you had a good dinner and drinks at the Budgetel?
(3)
Daniel A.
Do not let yourself be fooled by the location. It's a scatchy area, I know, but once you go in you will be glad you did. The restaurant is located inside/at the front of the Days Inn Hotel. Lots of parking space, and lots of trucks around. The staff is very friendly and fast. The environment looks very clean and well kept. Food is delicious. Very well prepared, authentic Indian food at its best. They also carry typical Indian beer and sodas. I tried vegetarian samosas, and the Lemon Rice. Both delicious choices. I will be back for sure, many many times!
(4)
Mark B.
WTF. Why this place is not bursting to the seems with people makes no sense. The food is very well prepared and the flavors are great and authentic. . All food is made fresh and it shows. If you understand Indian food you must eat here. Don't be put off by the location. This relieved my 2nd only 5 star I don't give these out easily In addition I found out they kept the kitchen open for us
(5)
Asad R.
Don't understand why this place was empty. The food was really good. Had the chicken kadai and lamb sag. It was a little on the salty side so you may want to let them know if that would not work for you. The people working here were awesome. Very polite and accommodating. Ignore the shady exterior. You will not be disappointed.
(4)
Sergio R.
Really good place to eat lunch special for 7.99. It's good for spicy lovers. Be careful it's super spicy. Great customer service. Nice place. :)
(4)
Manas K.
Hole in the wall but Excellent and authentic food, you will not be disappointed for a great lunch.
If you know Indian from England you will love the Phaal option. That's hotter then vindaloo! Excellent garlic naan. Chicken korma was superb with lovely pieces of cashew and ginger lacing the curry. If you are hungry order chicken 65 as an appetizer. Prices are what you expect for Indian. The hole in a wall feel is accentuated with trucks surrounding the Budgetel entrance. Don't be scared. Get a bite of authentic fare!
(4)
Khushboo S.
I believe this place should only be considered if you have no options left...I agree with others the price value point but rest all is were I would differ...If you really wanna have your proper lunch nd enjoy Indian food will suggest this is not the place whatever we ordered was very average in fact my husband ordered tandoori chicken which he could not eat rather they add color in the food which certainly was seen everywhere in the plate...I wish they could be more careful and make dishes better...
(2)
Ron L.
This is a strange place. Let me be upfront that the food is terrific and I expect to be a return customer. The setting, however, is not at all what you'd expect. The restaurant is connected to a truckers motel just south of the Florida Turnpike exit ramp. The area is a bit deserted and not at all where you'd think to find a wonderful Indian restaurant. It gets a bit weirder when you go inside. The room is completely done in plastic. Plastic tables, plastic chairs and a linoleum floor make up the decor. There's one table made up for 8 and about 10 tables for 4 that go around the perimeter. Our first reaction on entering the place was that we should leave and go to the Madras Cafe where I'd eaten before, but we were quickly greeted by one of the owners family and decided, with hesitation, to stay. I'm very glad we did. We started with Chicken64, a fried chicken nugget appetizer, that was spicy and delicious. For dinner we ordered Chicken Saag, Lamb Vindaloo and Shrimp Bayani along with an order of garlic Naan. Everything was delicious, and very spicy, just the way I like it. I'd advise you if you want something prepared to be milder, you'd best tell your server as the food here is genuine Indian. Don't let the location or decor turn you off to this place. It's off the beaten path and the decor would make you think you're eating in a diner in a small town in the midwest, but the food is really wonderful. You won't regret your trip to Punjabi Dhaba.
(4)
Josh Z.
Not your typical Indian restaurant and not just because it is an Indian restaurant in a trucker motel. I found this place after getting lost while biking. It was lunch time and I was nowhere near home. My other food options were all fast food. Strangely enough, I once had a great meal in a truck stop Indian restaurant in Indiana, so when I saw this place I was like why not? A small family owned place, I believe they own the motel as well. The staff was friendly and food fresh. I got the Chicken Tikka Masala, and to my surprise, it was green! Ate it anyway and turn out to the be best I've ever had. A google search after the fact revealed the color was probably due to cilantro and mint puree. Don't let the location put you off, this place is a gem.
(5)
Daniel D.
Nice lunch specials for 7.99, but if your hungry I recommend ordering two of them. I had the shahi paneer and tadka dal. The paneer was really good. The person that I had lunch with ordered the dal tandoori chicken and he said the chicken was also good.
(5)
Sisir A.
Absolutely delicious food. I have tried almost all the restaurants in the Fort Lauderdale, sunrise, and Miami area. This was the best I have had. The customer service is great. Its value for money and the food portions are big! I recommend the chicken 65, chicken phaal, garlic naan and of course the biryani!
(5)
Wilbur C.
Ok, let me start by saying this is one of the best meals I've ever had anywhere, & definitely the best Indian food by far EVER. This place is authentic, no buffet, everything is made fresh upon ordering.**WARNING** This is some of the spiciest food I have ever had, & I have only ordered items with one chili pepper next to it on the menu. I can't even imagine how hot items with 2 or 3 chili peppers could be, & those with 4... well your talking about total insane hot, like PAIN, you would have to be a masochist to order anything with 4 chili peppers. I know there are a lot of Indians in Broward, or of Indian descent whether Guyanese, Trini or Indo Caribbean, so my advice to any of you reading this is if your within 30 miles of this place it is absolutely positively worth the trek. That said, I agree with the previous reviewers about the totally weird surrealism of this place, it was either an ex Travelodge, or HoJo hotel rebranded "Budgetel" with the restaurant adjoining the lobby, & surrounded by semi's & truckers. Too weird. Last place you would ever suspect a phenomenal Indian restaurant to be hiding but indeed it is there, & I will attest to being there twice now although it all seems like some kind of bizarre dream. My first time there I ordered from the super friendly "Rahul" at the funky cool fish tank cash register (see photo), what I did not realize was that it was 10 min after 3pm, & they close, Rahul told me this after taking the order & said he would check, turned out to be a no, so a heads up about their hours, be warned to be there before 3pm or after 5pm when they reopen. Needless to say I was not happy, but Rahul was so cool about it apologizing, I decided to return. This time I was there just after 2pm. So true to my words, if the food is good (in this case fantastic) it wipes out any negatives for me. I tried the Gobi Manchurian appetizer, this is different depending what region of India the preparer is from, in this case Punjab (hence the name) it is Northern Indian food here BTW... cauliflower, tomato, onion, bell pepper, garlic, herbs, spices...very, very spicy but soooo good. Main course ordered the butter chicken which is tandoori chicken ( no butter in this) onion, bell peppers, in a creamy mild spicy sauce & coconut rice: aromatic basmati rice cooked with coconut, mustard seeds, dry chilies, fresh curry leaves...it is truly authentic tasting, as though you were in India. The Roti was perfect too. They have Taj or Kingfisher Indian beer, & Limca (Indian "Fresca") & Thumbs Up (sometimes) no doubt imported, haven't seen this anywhere outside of this place. You are surrounded by flat screen TV's playing Bollywood music videos too, to add more authenticity to the experience. PLACE WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY, LOL ! Means nothing to me in South Florida, where I have discovered empty restaurants that are fantastic on a regular basis & the packed ones often suck. Further testimony to the follower mentality down here. Believe me this place will catch on once the word gets out, I hope to be a voice that helps. It is near "Cheetahs Gentlemens Club" for those of you in Pompano. It is also exit 67 Coconut Creek exit off the Turnpike, stay in right hand lane, on your right after the traffic light.
(5)
Sid M.
Location (2 stars) but food is good (4 stars)! Awesome local indian food taste! Would pick lunch special, mango lassi, appetizers when I go next time! Very few options to pick from for lunch- just 5 veg and 5 non-veg options - too less when you go with a party of 5 or more.
(4)
Sai P.
Excellent food. Asked the chef to make it mild. The flavors were awesome. Would highly recommend the butter chicken with garlic nan. Love the open kitchen layout.
(5)
Nitin M.
Amazing food tried Dal makhani and paneer tikka masala - were amazing really delicious and very close to how they make it in a real Punjabi Dhaba
(5)
Beth O.
Just moved to Pompano and craving good Indian food, and this place HIT. THE. SPOT!! Is it surrounded by a trucker spot? Yes. Is it worth venturing into this awkward neighborhood for delicious food? Yes. Rahul had impeccable service and was very attentive. I love a big "D", Delicious!!! We were there for dinner but they apparently have an amazing lunch special of $7.99. Support this local restaurant.
(5)
Manosh V.
Great food! My wife and I are both Indian and we both agreed the food was very good and very authentic! One of the best indian restaurants we have been to. The place is super clean and the waiter and chef were very nice (the waiter was taking care of a large table and the chef came and took our order so we could get it in before the large group). As many others mentioned, the set up of the restaurant is little odd. Doesn't strike you as a restaurant. And not particularly full. Maybe because of the location but the food is worth it! I recommend it!
(5)
Gregory D.
I love indian food and this place is as authentic as it can be! It looks clean and modern and really a good value. Dont be fooled by the location, give it a try!
(4)
King D.
The food here is amazing, Fresh, and hot.. By far the best food spot ive food in a while, Ive tired the appetizers to the vegetarian to the Chicken lamb & goat, All Amazing, All Fresh. and the nan bread both garlic and spicy are on point. I highly recommend this place if your ready for an amazing experience of food porn.
(5)
Bhavini P.
I absolutely adore this place. I am from Orlando and was craving some Indian food during my visit to South Florida. Yelp was how i ended up here. It didn't look busy so I was having my doubts. But once I got inside, I couldn't resist. The food was absolutely delicious with reasonable prices. It is very contemporary, much different than any other Indian restaurant I have ever visited. The ceiling was quite the sight. There was a huge fish tank as the main counter and it was unlike anything I have ever seen. The place was very nice and I will definitely be visiting again. I got a taste for many dishes off the menu that my friends and I ordered and none of them disappointed me one bit. I also ordered this pizza thing that was off the menu advertised in the hotel lobby's white board and it was phenomenal. I don't think Dominos will be getting anymore calls from me. I also like the fast food way the restaurant is run. Very efficient! Pulling in to the hotel may make you question going inside, but I recommend for everyone to walk into the hotel lobby and enter the door to the left for some amazing food you will not regret trying!!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Divey Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
India is the birth place of Chicken Tikka Masala and Curries. Indian foods are prepared with a blend of finely mixed spices quite popular across the region. The spices develop the rich taste in Indian food enough to boggle your mind. The ever-increasing fan base of Indian food around the New York city is steadily increasing because of the large number of Indians who traveled to the land of dreams. The Indians also brought their very own vibrant, colorful, and aromatic authentic dishes for the people in the West. While most of the Indian population is Vegetarian, Indian food is great for people who are looking for vegan or vegetarian food option. If you are a Meat lover, don't get disappointed yet. Indian food also boasts of some popular non-vegetarian dishes too. Few examples are the famous Butter Chicken, Mutton Biryani and Tandoori Chicken are enough to satisfy your taste buds.
Indian food has gained reputation all over the world especially in the United States. You can find many places serving the appetizing Indian food across all major cities in the US. India is a diverse country with different food culture originated from different parts of the country. While the Northern region boasts tandoori dishes and korma offering royal taste, the Western Ghats offers sea foods that is made in naturally sweet tender coconut milk. The South Indian food servers a quality of different dishes made from rice accompanied with spicy chutneys, curries and famous sambhar. Also, the Indian sweets are a delight to relish. If you ever want to have a burst of sugar syrup in mouth, don't forget to try few Bengali Sweets. Be it spicy, tangy, or sweet flavor, you can find everything in the Indian cuisine. Be assured that the melody of spices will surely bring delight to you.
Savanna M.
Can I go 3.5 on this one? The food is really solid, and a steal at $7.99 for their lunch specials, but I think I'll round down as the service is a bit lacking (I need my water refills when eating spicy) and I think the overall star rating here is a bit too high. We arrived for lunch around 11:45am only to find the door locked. After closer inspection of the sign we noted that 11:30am opening had been crossed out and 12:30pm written instead. We were about to walk out when one of the staff (and perhaps the only staff member) popped his head out and told us to give him 10 mins. So we opted to wait. Now, as others have mentioned, this restaurant is inside a seedy, budget motel, that seems to cater to the trucker crowd who are looking to get a few hours sleep. No biggie, but maybe not the best waiting environment, and certainly don't bring a first date here lol. Check out the pictures of the restaurant, my best guess is that an Americanized food place was getting ready to open here (hence the plastic modern seating, fish tank and blue sky ceiling), pulled out, and the Indians snatched up a finished restaurant and opened up. Again, not complaining, but it's a little odd. The Bollywood music videos on the tv though did keep us very entertained - much like watching a telenovela and trying to understand what's going on without speaking a word of Spanish. So, after sitting, we were encouraged to come up to the register and take a look at the 10 options as part of the $7.99 lunch special (includes rice and naan). There were 5 vegetarian options and 5 chicken options. I went with the black daal, and interestingly enough all my dining partners also went with veggie options. The food was pretty solid, and at $7.99 it's a good deal! My black daal was good, not outstanding, but decent, but I did taste Steve D's potato dish and his was a solid 5 stars - I'll be getting that next time! Portion size was just right, and if you're trying to be good and save calories I think you could definitely make it into two meals. The helping of naan served to us was also a good portion, though slightly more burnt that I like, it was tasty. And the end of the meal we headed back up to the register, unsure if we should wait for a check or signal our departure that way. Again, service is pretty lacking, and I do think it was just one guy running everything, but we were the only table in there, and getting a water refill would have really upped my impression of the place.
(3)Jim M.
When you walk in the place looks very strange very modern. The service was great and the food was also very good. Authentic and fresh Northern Indian cuisine. Will come again..
(4)Alex P.
I was hungry and tired of eating at the same places so just driving around, saw this restaurant and decided to try it out. It had just opened recently as I had not seen it before. At first ,I was jittery going in but as I entered, the ambience was quite nice especially with the big fish tank. The waiter was hospitable and friendly, we ordered our food and it was quite delicious. I am definitely coming back.
(5)S M.
Four stars for taste, two stars for ambience and decor. Not the place for a romantic dinner by any means. Food is prepared fresh and the variety was good. Price was on the high side, each by at least two or three dollars more than they should be charging for a place like this.
(4)Rose R.
Just had lunch there. Food was quite good, lunch special was priced reasonably, but ambience not great. In my opinion this is a good choice for lunch but their main menu for dinner and regular takeout has prices too high for takeout and way too high for eating in. Don't get me wrong, place is clean and bright, but restaurant is in a budget motel lobby with truck rigs parked outside for the motel. Staff friendly. I'll be back but for lunch special takeout.
(3)Star A.
One of the best Indian meals I've had in Broward County! From the wonderfully prepared samosas to the dangerously spicy (two chiles!) Chile Chicken and the divinely flavorful Chicken Chutney Wala, everything was fresh and truly delicious. While the atmosphere is rather cafeteria-like, the food is exceptional. Astoundingly, the restaurant was empty except for the chef, outstanding server and our small group at 7:15 on a Thursday evening. With the quality of the food, one would think the place would be stuffed to the rafters with customers; it leads us to believe it is the best kept secret in the area. Perhaps the truck-stop atmosphere of the hotel - a Budgetel - is to blame. The restaurant is just off the lobby of what appears to be a very inexpensive place to spend the night. I urge you to get past the looks, though, and try the food. If you are looking for fine Indian cuisine, run - don't walk! - to Punjabi Dhaba. You'll be glad you did.
(5)Brent M.
THE PLACE Came here with two (male and female) co-workers for lunch. The restaurant is in a very questionable area and it is situated inside a Budgetel. You enter in the Budgetel lobby, which we didn't know. Our female co-worker says to the guy behind the counter, it will be for 3 of us. He looked a little shocked. (I don't know why, I assume threesomes often come to get a room at the Budgetel.) Then, he realized we were there for the restaurant and pointed us to the left of the lobby. It appears they are trying to revamp the whole area and make things nicer. Buildings seem newly renovated and they are taking time to plant some actual landscaping. The look of the place is odd. The table and chairs look more like a office lunchroom than a restaurant. There is PLENTY of space between tables. They could easily add 50% more tables and you would not feel crowded. There are a couple of TVs hung up high, playing Indian music videos. Interesting. THE SERVICE The way it works is that you go up to the counter (in the restaurant, not the hotel lobby LOL), and order your food from the guy behind the cash register. Just like you would if you were getting fast food. Except, he doesn't collect any money from you when you order. Don't know why not. After taking our orders, he brought us to our table. I am not sure if it is a seat yourself place or not. Maybe we looked confused, so he sat us. He was very polite and seemed to go out of his way to be helpful to us. It could be 1 of 3 reasons. 1) My male co-worker is Indian 2) My female co-worker is very attractive 3) We looked clueless on how it all worked. Maybe it was all 3 reasons. THE FOOD They have about 10 things on the menu for lunch. Five vegetarian and five for us meat eaters. Each of the meals comes with Rice and Naan. My female coworker and I both order Tikka Masala and my male Indian coworker ordered Chicken Vindaloo. The Tikka Masala had a deep rich flavor that was complex but not heavy. The accompanying naan was hot and properly cooked. All three of us like spicy food. Although we thought the Tikka Masala was very good, it was not spicy. The Vindaloo on the other hand was spicy (as you would hope). We watched our coworker sweat through his meal. Totally need to get back to try the Vindaloo. Oh. The soda machine was broken, so we just ordered water with our meals. They don't have a pitcher for water refills, so the poor guy runs back and forth to the kitchen with the glasses to refill. SUMMARY I drive by here every day to and from work. Because of it being in a not-so-good area, I never considered stopping before last week. I am glad I did. This was the first time there for all three of us and we all want to come back and try some other items on the menu.
(3)Terry W.
Not what you would expect for the location. Years ago this was a run down Days Inn hotel, but no more. You enter the restaurant from the hotel lobby, both the lobby & restaurant are modern, bright & clean. The food & service were very good, we ordered the Chicken65, Garlic Naan & Butter Chicken We will be back
(4)Jessica G.
Well I'm just gonna say it, this place is weird, but the food is pretty good, especially their lunch specials. We decided to venture to Punjabi Dhaba for lunch, and it was a good thing it was a Friday (we sometimes allow ourselves a little extra lunch time on Fridays) as despite the website stating they opened earlier, we were not actually able to enter the restaurant until about noon (we had arrived maybe 15 minutes prior). You enter the restaurant through the Budgetel lobby, so at least we were able to take a seat in the lobby and enjoy the parking lot view to wait for them to open up. We were seated, but the lunch specials are not printed on the menu, so we approached the board and each chose a lunch entree. It seemed to be pretty much a one man operation, and I'm not sure the man was entirely comfortable with human interaction, but we made the best of it and received our meals. I had ordered the punjabi koda pakora which was onion fritters in a creamy yogurt curry sauce served with a side of basmati rice. We were also given naan for the table. For $7.99 is was a great deal, and I found the flavors to be quite good. I really didn't hold back on 4 stars because of the food, as while our table had mixed opinions of their dishes, I felt mine was quite good, no one seemed to have a problem finishing, and the prices are certainly reasonable. I held back because of my first line in the review. The vibe here is very weird, and although the atmosphere is new and clean the modern somewhat industrial furniture with the fish tank and cloud ceiling is just strange. I can forgive atmosphere also, but the service was just so strange and uncomfortable I'm not sure I would dine in here again...I think I would prefer to keep future interactions to phone and pickup orders. I do hope Punjabi Dhaba is successful though. If the service weirdness were corrected it would be fun for this to become a regular spot, how often can you say you had a good dinner and drinks at the Budgetel?
(3)Daniel A.
Do not let yourself be fooled by the location. It's a scatchy area, I know, but once you go in you will be glad you did. The restaurant is located inside/at the front of the Days Inn Hotel. Lots of parking space, and lots of trucks around. The staff is very friendly and fast. The environment looks very clean and well kept. Food is delicious. Very well prepared, authentic Indian food at its best. They also carry typical Indian beer and sodas. I tried vegetarian samosas, and the Lemon Rice. Both delicious choices. I will be back for sure, many many times!
(4)Mark B.
WTF. Why this place is not bursting to the seems with people makes no sense. The food is very well prepared and the flavors are great and authentic. . All food is made fresh and it shows. If you understand Indian food you must eat here. Don't be put off by the location. This relieved my 2nd only 5 star I don't give these out easily In addition I found out they kept the kitchen open for us
(5)Asad R.
Don't understand why this place was empty. The food was really good. Had the chicken kadai and lamb sag. It was a little on the salty side so you may want to let them know if that would not work for you. The people working here were awesome. Very polite and accommodating. Ignore the shady exterior. You will not be disappointed.
(4)Sergio R.
Really good place to eat lunch special for 7.99. It's good for spicy lovers. Be careful it's super spicy. Great customer service. Nice place. :)
(4)Manas K.
Hole in the wall but Excellent and authentic food, you will not be disappointed for a great lunch.
(5)Kim T.
This little gem is hidden away inside the lobby building of a Budget motel. Most days you'll see plenty of semi trucks parked in the lot but don't let that scare you away. The service is quite nice even if the restaurant itself is lacking a bit. If I could I would rate this a 3.5. Between 11 and 3pm they have a lunch special that is $7.99. You can pick from several entrées, including vegetarian options all of which include rice and naan. Of the few times I've been here I've always ordered the chicken korma which is full of flavor had comes with a good portion of meat to rice. The amount of food you receive is a good size and enough for me to make into two meals. If you're like me and can't take too much heat, have no worries as they have always asked what spice level I'd like. The restaurant it self is very clean, spacious and well kept although it is on the dim side lighting wise. The ordering counter has a cool tropical fish tank built into it that is rather neat. The staff is always polite and courteous and the food comes out in good time.
(3)Jane B.
If you know Indian from England you will love the Phaal option. That's hotter then vindaloo! Excellent garlic naan. Chicken korma was superb with lovely pieces of cashew and ginger lacing the curry. If you are hungry order chicken 65 as an appetizer. Prices are what you expect for Indian. The hole in a wall feel is accentuated with trucks surrounding the Budgetel entrance. Don't be scared. Get a bite of authentic fare!
(4)Khushboo S.
I believe this place should only be considered if you have no options left...I agree with others the price value point but rest all is were I would differ...If you really wanna have your proper lunch nd enjoy Indian food will suggest this is not the place whatever we ordered was very average in fact my husband ordered tandoori chicken which he could not eat rather they add color in the food which certainly was seen everywhere in the plate...I wish they could be more careful and make dishes better...
(2)Ron L.
This is a strange place. Let me be upfront that the food is terrific and I expect to be a return customer. The setting, however, is not at all what you'd expect. The restaurant is connected to a truckers motel just south of the Florida Turnpike exit ramp. The area is a bit deserted and not at all where you'd think to find a wonderful Indian restaurant. It gets a bit weirder when you go inside. The room is completely done in plastic. Plastic tables, plastic chairs and a linoleum floor make up the decor. There's one table made up for 8 and about 10 tables for 4 that go around the perimeter. Our first reaction on entering the place was that we should leave and go to the Madras Cafe where I'd eaten before, but we were quickly greeted by one of the owners family and decided, with hesitation, to stay. I'm very glad we did. We started with Chicken64, a fried chicken nugget appetizer, that was spicy and delicious. For dinner we ordered Chicken Saag, Lamb Vindaloo and Shrimp Bayani along with an order of garlic Naan. Everything was delicious, and very spicy, just the way I like it. I'd advise you if you want something prepared to be milder, you'd best tell your server as the food here is genuine Indian. Don't let the location or decor turn you off to this place. It's off the beaten path and the decor would make you think you're eating in a diner in a small town in the midwest, but the food is really wonderful. You won't regret your trip to Punjabi Dhaba.
(4)Josh Z.
Not your typical Indian restaurant and not just because it is an Indian restaurant in a trucker motel. I found this place after getting lost while biking. It was lunch time and I was nowhere near home. My other food options were all fast food. Strangely enough, I once had a great meal in a truck stop Indian restaurant in Indiana, so when I saw this place I was like why not? A small family owned place, I believe they own the motel as well. The staff was friendly and food fresh. I got the Chicken Tikka Masala, and to my surprise, it was green! Ate it anyway and turn out to the be best I've ever had. A google search after the fact revealed the color was probably due to cilantro and mint puree. Don't let the location put you off, this place is a gem.
(5)Daniel D.
Nice lunch specials for 7.99, but if your hungry I recommend ordering two of them. I had the shahi paneer and tadka dal. The paneer was really good. The person that I had lunch with ordered the dal tandoori chicken and he said the chicken was also good.
(5)Sisir A.
Absolutely delicious food. I have tried almost all the restaurants in the Fort Lauderdale, sunrise, and Miami area. This was the best I have had. The customer service is great. Its value for money and the food portions are big! I recommend the chicken 65, chicken phaal, garlic naan and of course the biryani!
(5)Wilbur C.
Ok, let me start by saying this is one of the best meals I've ever had anywhere, & definitely the best Indian food by far EVER. This place is authentic, no buffet, everything is made fresh upon ordering.**WARNING** This is some of the spiciest food I have ever had, & I have only ordered items with one chili pepper next to it on the menu. I can't even imagine how hot items with 2 or 3 chili peppers could be, & those with 4... well your talking about total insane hot, like PAIN, you would have to be a masochist to order anything with 4 chili peppers. I know there are a lot of Indians in Broward, or of Indian descent whether Guyanese, Trini or Indo Caribbean, so my advice to any of you reading this is if your within 30 miles of this place it is absolutely positively worth the trek. That said, I agree with the previous reviewers about the totally weird surrealism of this place, it was either an ex Travelodge, or HoJo hotel rebranded "Budgetel" with the restaurant adjoining the lobby, & surrounded by semi's & truckers. Too weird. Last place you would ever suspect a phenomenal Indian restaurant to be hiding but indeed it is there, & I will attest to being there twice now although it all seems like some kind of bizarre dream. My first time there I ordered from the super friendly "Rahul" at the funky cool fish tank cash register (see photo), what I did not realize was that it was 10 min after 3pm, & they close, Rahul told me this after taking the order & said he would check, turned out to be a no, so a heads up about their hours, be warned to be there before 3pm or after 5pm when they reopen. Needless to say I was not happy, but Rahul was so cool about it apologizing, I decided to return. This time I was there just after 2pm. So true to my words, if the food is good (in this case fantastic) it wipes out any negatives for me. I tried the Gobi Manchurian appetizer, this is different depending what region of India the preparer is from, in this case Punjab (hence the name) it is Northern Indian food here BTW... cauliflower, tomato, onion, bell pepper, garlic, herbs, spices...very, very spicy but soooo good. Main course ordered the butter chicken which is tandoori chicken ( no butter in this) onion, bell peppers, in a creamy mild spicy sauce & coconut rice: aromatic basmati rice cooked with coconut, mustard seeds, dry chilies, fresh curry leaves...it is truly authentic tasting, as though you were in India. The Roti was perfect too. They have Taj or Kingfisher Indian beer, & Limca (Indian "Fresca") & Thumbs Up (sometimes) no doubt imported, haven't seen this anywhere outside of this place. You are surrounded by flat screen TV's playing Bollywood music videos too, to add more authenticity to the experience. PLACE WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY, LOL ! Means nothing to me in South Florida, where I have discovered empty restaurants that are fantastic on a regular basis & the packed ones often suck. Further testimony to the follower mentality down here. Believe me this place will catch on once the word gets out, I hope to be a voice that helps. It is near "Cheetahs Gentlemens Club" for those of you in Pompano. It is also exit 67 Coconut Creek exit off the Turnpike, stay in right hand lane, on your right after the traffic light.
(5)Sid M.
Location (2 stars) but food is good (4 stars)! Awesome local indian food taste! Would pick lunch special, mango lassi, appetizers when I go next time! Very few options to pick from for lunch- just 5 veg and 5 non-veg options - too less when you go with a party of 5 or more.
(4)Sai P.
Excellent food. Asked the chef to make it mild. The flavors were awesome. Would highly recommend the butter chicken with garlic nan. Love the open kitchen layout.
(5)Nitin M.
Amazing food tried Dal makhani and paneer tikka masala - were amazing really delicious and very close to how they make it in a real Punjabi Dhaba
(5)Beth O.
Just moved to Pompano and craving good Indian food, and this place HIT. THE. SPOT!! Is it surrounded by a trucker spot? Yes. Is it worth venturing into this awkward neighborhood for delicious food? Yes. Rahul had impeccable service and was very attentive. I love a big "D", Delicious!!! We were there for dinner but they apparently have an amazing lunch special of $7.99. Support this local restaurant.
(5)Manosh V.
Great food! My wife and I are both Indian and we both agreed the food was very good and very authentic! One of the best indian restaurants we have been to. The place is super clean and the waiter and chef were very nice (the waiter was taking care of a large table and the chef came and took our order so we could get it in before the large group). As many others mentioned, the set up of the restaurant is little odd. Doesn't strike you as a restaurant. And not particularly full. Maybe because of the location but the food is worth it! I recommend it!
(5)Gregory D.
I love indian food and this place is as authentic as it can be! It looks clean and modern and really a good value. Dont be fooled by the location, give it a try!
(4)King D.
The food here is amazing, Fresh, and hot.. By far the best food spot ive food in a while, Ive tired the appetizers to the vegetarian to the Chicken lamb & goat, All Amazing, All Fresh. and the nan bread both garlic and spicy are on point. I highly recommend this place if your ready for an amazing experience of food porn.
(5)Bhavini P.
I absolutely adore this place. I am from Orlando and was craving some Indian food during my visit to South Florida. Yelp was how i ended up here. It didn't look busy so I was having my doubts. But once I got inside, I couldn't resist. The food was absolutely delicious with reasonable prices. It is very contemporary, much different than any other Indian restaurant I have ever visited. The ceiling was quite the sight. There was a huge fish tank as the main counter and it was unlike anything I have ever seen. The place was very nice and I will definitely be visiting again. I got a taste for many dishes off the menu that my friends and I ordered and none of them disappointed me one bit. I also ordered this pizza thing that was off the menu advertised in the hotel lobby's white board and it was phenomenal. I don't think Dominos will be getting anymore calls from me. I also like the fast food way the restaurant is run. Very efficient! Pulling in to the hotel may make you question going inside, but I recommend for everyone to walk into the hotel lobby and enter the door to the left for some amazing food you will not regret trying!!
(5)