Jackson Diner

Wow, how far the mighty have fallen. It used to be a place you know the food was above par and you can get a good value for what ordered. Food is not complex and just watery. I used to be able to get a consistent meal here, no wonder the local Indians are not here. They must know of a better place since this is not it. FYI, the mango lassi is $ 5!

Foods cheap and good. It’s what you normally would expect from around that price range.

My husband and I came here for dinner after hearing from friends over the years about how great the food was. We left dumbfounded as to why this restaurant even remains open when it is surrounded by so many other Indian restaurants. The first red flag was when we saw that it had a B health rating while every other restaurant in the vicinity had an A, but we went in anyway because of the good reputation we thought it had. It was 8:00 pm on a Saturday night and it’s a big place which was almost empty. The atmosphere was dingy and dark. We were still thinking that the food must be good. We started with a «crêpe with vegetables on top» from Southern India. It tasted awful and had no vegetables-​just sauce. I ordered tandoori chicken and my husband ordered tandoori salmon and we also ordered rice and roti as nothing is
included with the dishes. Bland tandoori, bland rice and bland roti. Bland Indian food! It was actually the worst Indian food I have ever eaten. I was thinking of getting Chai tea at the end if the meal and there were various desserts on the menu but the waitress just put the check down on the table when we were finished and didn’t ask whether we wanted anything else or how the food was, so that was that. Disappointed to say the least. Will never go back.

I have always enjoyed my meals at the Jackson Diner. I do much prefer the larger, newer location although they probably have been here for well over a dozen years. I was disappointed that the buffet was only available during the day and I had to miss it. I started my dinner with one of my favorite soups, the Mulligatawny. It was made with much care, but was a little on the creamy side for my taste, and lacking a little kick to it. I then had the Chicken Curry Kauai, which was well prepared, and included a nice mixture of boneless white meat, and thigh cuts. Again, the sauce was a little on the heavier, creamy side for my tastes. I have to make another trip to try the cheap lunch buffet, which has always been my favorite in this bustling, Indian Jackson Heights neighborhood.

Yummy food… Mouthwatering food… I love their pickled onions n papad to start with… Their buffet is excellent… they cater to all so their food is mild but you can always dictate ur spicy level… Love their chicken tikka, chicken makhani, mutton, malai kofta, etc…

I wouldn’t say this is the place to come to when you’re craving authentic, Desi food; however it is a nice place to take your non Desi friends. The food is okay, nothing out of the ordinary. Food isn’t spicy, even upon request.

One of my Indian co-​workers who lives in Queens told me to come here when I asked her for some Jackson Heights recommendations. The space is lofty and bigger than I expected. Quite the mixed crowd inside, which had me a little cautious at first for some reason. The menu is not huge, and seems a little watered down to be honest but there’s some good picks. The food was better than expected. Although not the best you’ll ever have, it’s maybe above average. Unfortunately the service is not very existent here, but the food is still above average at least.

The worst. Service is a –5. Waitress took us to the table and disappeared without even giving us water. We had to flag down a second server for water and then yet another server to get us a menu. Then we decided we’d do the buffet cause it seemed too good to be true at 11.95 all you can eat.
Lesson learned here is that if something seems too good to be true then it probably sucks. Like the food here. Every item in the buffet was either overcooked, or bland. Skip this place Jackson heights and Murray hill both have better Indian restaurants.

This is iconic Jackson Heights… Of yesteryear. Food is bland — major spices missing. It’s just not what it was decades ago. Or even 7 – 10 years ago.
Haveli in Kew Gardens is even a step up. That’s my chosen average lunch buffet spot in Queens.
Overall — I’d say skip it if you have a desi palate. Even the achar was bland.

Review solely reflects on their buffet lunch.
First of all, almost everything is great here for lunch. It will be easier to point out what I personally didn’t like as much. The first item on that list would be the naan. Totally limp and unflavored. People who prefer soft bread would enjoy the mushy texture. I can see the argument for having the naan being under-​flavored, since it will be dipped in the various sauces. But I like it being flavored and the sauces adding that extra different flavor (savory, curry, spicy, etc). The next item to nitpick on is the chicken tandoori. Way over cooked and tough imo. Flavor is excellent and the onion slices are grilled exceptionally, just sitting on the hot plate slowly being grilled (mix the onions into the various sauces).
Other than those two, everything else is excellent. The times I went, they always had goat (my favorite). On weekends, the difference in going at noon vs 1pm is huge. Goes from empty to being packed.

Jackson Diner offers an non-​stop, wear-​sweatpants-​to-​lunch AYCE buffet from 11:30 — 4:30pm for $ 11.95. I love soul feeding conversations with good friends and dipping JD’s fluffy naan into rich curry. We must have sat and ate for 3 hours. Very inexpensive lunch for the quantity.
Jackson Diner’s best dishes were the creamy spinachy Saag Paneer with firm chunks of tofu, their crispy made-​to-​order Masala Dosa and the creamy cartilaginous Goat stew.
I had the Tandoori chicken, vindaloo, Chana Masala, Saag Paneer, Masala Dosa, Kheer Rice Pudding, Goat stew, and Naan.
Tip: Arrive around 11:30 or 12pm. It gets really busy around 2:30 and 3pm.
And the Kheer Rice was chewy broken-​down-​rice with a hint of cinnamon, making the rice pudding a slightly sweet dessert. Very nice way to end a 3 hour lunch.

Went here twice for Indian lunch buffet and their buffet choices was really delicious. It’s a huge restaurant so when we came here we were only one who was eating here since we got to Jackson Dinner around 4pm. Everything in the buffet is really good and tasty, you can’t really complain since the food is delicious. Definitely coming back here again

So, I had come to Jackson Diner before. Didn’t enjoy the food or the service. After a phone call from my cousin, the plan was to eat back at Jackson Diner. Not thrilled, I agreed. I’m happy I did. The service had turned around and the food was amazing. We ordered Naan, Fish Masala, Amristi Fish, Alu Gobhi, Lucha Naan, idly and kulcha naan. The only fail was the idly. Too small and the sambar and chutney were not at all good. Everything else was spot on. We all locked out plates clean. They have definitely redeemed themselves enough for me to come again.

Being a fan of their buffet, I would have to say that I genuinely like this place. The aroma of Indian herbs infuse into your hair and fabrics adorned which makes you recall your tasty experience even after you have left. I remember wandering down the street hungry and unknowingly walked into this restaurant with friend. I came here for the buffet which was decently priced. I was disappointed that I could barely fit anymore after my first plate, but then I said it is still a very good deal especially, since I like Indian food and want to try it all. I should mention that they also have cocktails which were mostly $ 10 and under. Every time I arrive, there has not been a wait, and I find the service great. Plus, it close to the train station which definitely matters if you are going in the freezing cold. It is 17 degrees outside! One thing I wished was that it was open later than 10:30 pm!

One of my favorite Indian venues in Jackson Heights. The food and service have always been spectacular. I’ve been coming here for over 5 years and I have no complaints. The chicken tikka masala with some garlic naan and a mango lassi will leave you in good standing.

After years of wanting to try this place, I finally did. I called them on a Friday night maybe 45 minutes before they closed and asked if it was okay, they said «absolutely, please come». We race to Jackson Diner for Mission: Indian Friday.
I’ve passed by this place many times, the venue is huge. Like cafeteria huge. The prices here are quite reasonable, we still did manage to over order though.
It was a few months back so I don’t remember too much. Definitely grab a King Fisher and the lamb kebab but the star for me is. Chicken Tikka Masala and have the make it spicy.
Don’t be stupid like me and wait 5 years, go!

I actually liked their buffet! Ok, you have to come knowing that it’s a buffet and alter your expectations to match. You can’t expect the best Indian food of your life.
You can expect yummy Indian food of a wide variety. I especially liked the saag paneer and the make-​your-​own chaat. I liked, too, that they have kheer. It’s a perfect way to end the meal (so save a bit of room in your stomach!).
It’s not a bad deal for all-​you-​can eat, and it affords you the option of having a little bit of all of the most classic Indian dishes. It’s not spicy, though — expect more northern style food.
Overall: I would definitely come back if I’m in the area and am both starving and indecisive.

Jackson Diner I probably will not return. Your food was decent but I had a few issues here. When we first sat at our table there was a fly in our pitcher of water. Which was pretty gross, so I politely asked for another pitcher. The lunch buffet was okay. My favorite thing was the chilly chicken, and rice pudding. Other than that, there was really nothing that I would come back for. The place was a little run down too. The bathroom was so filthy and I definitely judge a restaurant by that. The staff was very pleasant though.

My favorite place in Jackson Heights, Queens to have authentic Indian food.
I absolutely love their vegetable samosas for appetizer and their lamb vindaloo with basmati rice as my main meal.
Their serving portion is just perfect for a hungry person.
If you plan on having a taste of alcohol with your meal, definitely order a King Fisher.
Don’t worry about the space, lots of room for a big party if you are planning on having a group lunch or dinner.
Should you prefer to go on a Friday night, they usually have live music.
They are located very close to public transportation such as the 7/​E/​F/​R/​M trains and cabs can be easily accessible.
While you are there, I’d recommend you window shop and see what the Bollywood community offers with their exotic jewelry, clothing, music, and vegetable supermarkets.
The staff is absolutely lovely and the prices are reasonable.

Tried their lunch buffet. Did not enjoy it at all. They do have a large selection but I did not find the quality of the food to be that great.
The ambiance and the service was OK.