(347) 901-4964

246 E 51st St (nr. Second Ave.)
New York, NY 10022 40.7559 -73.9694

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Neighborhoods: Midtown East (Turtle Bay), Midtown, Midtown East

AMMANYC.COM

Hours:

Daily 12pm-2:45pm

5pm-10:30pm

Last updated 10.17.11

Category:

Restaurants, Ethnic Food Markets

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Business Dining, Romantic Dining

Cuisine:

Indian

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Amma

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – A discerning crowd of mostly families comes here expecting--and receiving--food that's a cut above. The small, peaceful dining room is peach-colored with handsome fabric art and a general air of spotlessness. The hovering service staff describe everything in detail. Dishes are served individually, rather than family-style. – – The Food – The clean-flavored, delicate version of Indian cuisine served here is impressively tasty; several discrete notches above the average decent neighborhood establishment. Spinach chaat--peppery, batter-fried leaves topped with…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
Two tasting menus are available, one vegetarian and one not. Both are on the threshold of being excessive, with 8 or so medium-sized courses. But at $50, this is a great chance to sample the kitchen's range; an additional $35 secures a wine pairing for each course.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “Decor + ambiance was cool, food was great.”
  2. “the food, decor, music, service, everything was superb!”
  3. “The food was extremely good, the service was excellent with a smile and Ah the music went with the great ambiance.”
  4. “Pretty good food, pretty good decor, polite and quick service, but I don't see how the previous reviewer only spent $28 for dinner for 2.”
  5. “i'm indian, my husband is an indian-food enthusiast, and we both thought that the food was absolutely amazing, as was the ambiance and the service - so thoughtful!”
  6. “The ambiance is great and relaxing.”
  7. “Prices were pretty good considering the location and the amount of food given is huge!”
  8. “the location is great and the food is simply heavenly.”
  9. “The decor was great--warm colors, nice lighting.”
  10. “like the non-traditional décor and atmosphere.”
  11. “The place is pretty, very comfortable and the service is first-rate!”
  12. “It's definitely a romantic date place.”
  13. “The restaurant is cozy and warm and very clean.”
  14. “To top it all off the ambiance was romantic.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “Everything from the Bhel Puri and the crispy okra to the lightly decadent mango cheesecake was perfectly timed and just the right amount.”
  2. “am a self-declared cheesecake connoisseur and the mango cheesecake was divine.”
  3. “The crab cakes were light and packed with crab flavor and the malai chicken had a nice delicate flavor.”
  4. “Everything from the soup to the dessert was wonderful and its a steal at 24.07 for 4 course meal.”
drinks
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “They also need a full bar.”
  2. “The food, wine pairings, the attentive service, the charming & self effacing chefs/owners were a surprising treat in the world of Indian restaurants.”
  3. “best wine service”
  4. “the wine service is very attentive.”
  5. “Not only was the food mind-numbingly delicious, but the wine parings were perfect!”
  6. “he recommended a very good reserve wine for us.”
food quality
85.74999809265137% positive
  1. “had the colossal spiced halibut which was absolutely delicious.”
  2. “Everything was fresh, very tasty and beautifully presented.”
  3. “Prices were pretty good considering the location and the amount of food given is huge!”
  4. “Pretty good food, pretty good decor, polite and quick service, but I don't see how the previous reviewer only spent $28 for dinner for 2.”
  5. “liked the mint paratha to start with, the kachori was also good, but spicy.”
  6. “was taken here on a date so I don't know about the pricing, but the food is not very good at all.”
  7. “so I've had lots of great Indian food.”
  8. “The menu is innovative and features more than just the usual dishes and the food is tasty.”
  9. “Everything from the soup to the dessert was wonderful and its a steal at 24.07 for 4 course meal.”
  10. “Its an excellent place to relax and the food is one of the best in the city of New York.”
  11. “other fine indian restaurants have much more flavorful food.”
  12. “Cheesecake was mucho mango-ey and light, the kalfi with citrus soup was rich, tasty, memorable and Indian from another world.”
  13. “really enjoyed the subtle spicing of the chicken and while I did not prefer the lamb (I just don't really like the flavor of some of the gamier meats) my beau declared it delicious.”
  14. “went there today for lunch for restaurant week and the food was seriously AMAZING!”
  15. “Each entrée came with a side of rice and bread (most places you have order the bread separately), dal (lentils) and fresh vegetable.”
  16. “don't usually write reviews but the food was just that good.”
  17. “They tried hard to wrap bad food in fancy package (crow in peacock feather comes to mind).”
  18. “The tomato soup had a wonderful afterburn and a terrific layering of flavors.”
  19. “The mix of dishes is great and our waiter has always made great suggestions.”
  20. “In fact, while leaving the place we saw two people looking at the menu, and I couldn't help telling them that the food was horrible.”
  21. “the food is awesome.”
  22. “So far the best indian food in nyc”
  23. “We chose the Cochin Crab Cakes (chef spices and ginger infused golden crusted patties) and Kesari Malai Tikka (chicken breast in saffron yogurt marination) appetizers and both were just wonderful.”
  24. “If your in the mood for good food and lots of spice, check this place out.”
  25. “Decor + ambiance was cool, food was great.”
  26. “Suggestions were made to compliment our meal which turned out to be one of the best indian meals for a long time.”
  27. “the location is great and the food is simply heavenly.”
  28. “Most amazing lamb dishes!”
  29. “The rice with fresh vegetables was way too greasy and fried.”
  30. “Good Indian food”
  31. “i'm indian, my husband is an indian-food enthusiast, and we both thought that the food was absolutely amazing, as was the ambiance and the service - so thoughtful!”
  32. “The food is o.k., but not any better than what you get at a good neighborhood restaurant.”
  33. “the owner recommended a dish from his own menu, and it was heavenly- chicken bhosha or something like that.”
  34. “Whoever posted saying that the food wasn't outstanding must've ordered the wrong thing or caught them on an off day b/c the food was soo flavorful.”
  35. “Chicken and lamb entrees were wonderful and the rice side (curry, tomato and lemon) was colorful and delicious!”
  36. “They were so accommodating and made substitutions for the naan bread and made sure that everything was just perfect.”
  37. “being indian i am very picky about finding good quality food.”
  38. “boy, were we blown away by not only the food but the stellar, attentive service!”
  39. “We found dining here to be enjoyable - the service was polite and the food was commendable.”
  40. “we had tasting menu but didnt enjoy the food at all.”
  41. “The food was extremely good, the service was excellent with a smile and Ah the music went with the great ambiance.”
  42. “Decent food, nice place”
  43. “the menu at amma certainly piqued my curiousity as it is devoid of the typical chicken vindaloo and instead has the more interesting regional variations.”
  44. “The food was absolutely horrible!”
  45. “cold food”
  46. “I'm Indian so I know what good Indian food should taste like and this definitely is not it.”
  47. “Each dish was excellent!”
  48. “The food is fantastic.”
  49. “They have done a great job in creating the great combination of different dishes into each of their dishes.”
  50. “like the service and the food presentation.”
  51. “The grilled lamb chops and the apricot stuffed lamb fillets are both absolutely AMAZING.”
  52. “Both dishes were outstanding!”
  53. “Great food, sexy setting.”
  54. “would highly recommend Amma for great upscale Indian food.”
  55. “And their prices are very high - they actually think that they can get away with charging such prices for such terrible food and service!”
  56. “The crab cakes were light and packed with crab flavor and the malai chicken had a nice delicate flavor.”
  57. “The food, wine pairings, the attentive service, the charming & self effacing chefs/owners were a surprising treat in the world of Indian restaurants.”
  58. “the rice choices were very good as was the lamb, the fish and chicken disappointed as they did not live up to their namesakes.”
  59. “Worst food quality, Poor Service.”
  60. “Great food and service”
  61. “Everything is great - very friendly people, good explanantions to the food, very authentic flavours from various regions.”
  62. “My meal at Amma has now taken the lead as my all-time favorite culinary event.”
  63. “The chicken soup was good, but lacked any real flavor other than chicken.”
  64. “And more importantly, the food was delicious--I had an incredible chicken dish with onion kulcha.”
  65. “awesome service and food”
  66. “the food, decor, music, service, everything was superb!”
  67. “We actually gave 10% tip (which we have never done despite mediocre food and service), because we felt totally ripped off.”
  68. “Great service and the food was great and very reasonably priced!”
  69. “Not only was the food mind-numbingly delicious, but the wine parings were perfect!”
menu variety
84.61999893188477% positive
  1. “absolutely loved the tasting menu.”
  2. “the owner recommended a dish from his own menu, and it was heavenly- chicken bhosha or something like that.”
  3. “The tasting menu was fantastic.”
  4. “had always loved Amma's lunch menu, but was nervous about explaining my restrictions.”
  5. “we had tasting menu but didnt enjoy the food at all.”
  6. “recommend the seven course tasting menu (there is also a vegetarian counterpart on the menu); it's a great way to get a feel for what this unique restaurant has to offer.”
  7. “The menu is innovative and features more than just the usual dishes and the food is tasty.”
  8. “the rice choices were very good as was the lamb, the fish and chicken disappointed as they did not live up to their namesakes.”
  9. “the menu at amma certainly piqued my curiousity as it is devoid of the typical chicken vindaloo and instead has the more interesting regional variations.”
  10. “My boyfriend and I each had the tasting menus, which were fantastic.”
  11. “Be there early to try the full course menu.”
  12. “In fact, while leaving the place we saw two people looking at the menu, and I couldn't help telling them that the food was horrible.”
  13. “My friends and I spent 4+ hours partaking of the flavorful tasting menu.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “If your in the mood for good food and lots of spice, check this place out.”
  2. “recommend the seven course tasting menu (there is also a vegetarian counterpart on the menu); it's a great way to get a feel for what this unique restaurant has to offer.”
  3. “Decent food, nice place”
service
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “Everything is great - very friendly people, good explanantions to the food, very authentic flavours from various regions.”
  2. “awesome service and food”
  3. “The staff is friendly, and seem to be very experienced.”
  4. “The food, wine pairings, the attentive service, the charming & self effacing chefs/owners were a surprising treat in the world of Indian restaurants.”
  5. “sometimes when it gets little busy then the service might be little slow however it is a small place, so considering that its worthit to visit atleast once.”
  6. “the food, decor, music, service, everything was superb!”
  7. “We strongly advise to stay away from this unpleasant restaurant with no concept of customer service.”
  8. “Pretty good food, pretty good decor, polite and quick service, but I don't see how the previous reviewer only spent $28 for dinner for 2.”
  9. “The service is excellent.”
  10. “The place is pretty, very comfortable and the service is first-rate!”
  11. “i'm indian, my husband is an indian-food enthusiast, and we both thought that the food was absolutely amazing, as was the ambiance and the service - so thoughtful!”
  12. “the service was awesome !”
  13. “And their prices are very high - they actually think that they can get away with charging such prices for such terrible food and service!”
  14. “The waitstaff was pleasant, helpful, and attentive.”
  15. “like the service and the food presentation.”
  16. “The decore was very pleasant and the service was great!”
  17. “Great food and service”
  18. “In fact, while leaving the place we saw two people looking at the menu, and I couldn't help telling them that the food was horrible.”
  19. “Most of the reviews that I read did not give this place a good rating but I did not experience any rudeness of any kind and the staff was qu.”
  20. “best wine service”
  21. “The mix of dishes is great and our waiter has always made great suggestions.”
  22. “boy, were we blown away by not only the food but the stellar, attentive service!”
  23. “The service is extremely friendly, and don't be afraid to ask for reccomendations.”
  24. “Great service and the food was great and very reasonably priced!”
  25. “The food was extremely good, the service was excellent with a smile and Ah the music went with the great ambiance.”
  26. “We found dining here to be enjoyable - the service was polite and the food was commendable.”
  27. “The service was excellent--waiters were courteous, prompt and helpful.”
  28. “the wine service is very attentive.”
  29. “We actually gave 10% tip (which we have never done despite mediocre food and service), because we felt totally ripped off.”
  30. “The service was amazing.”
value
32.5% positive
  1. “was taken here on a date so I don't know about the pricing, but the food is not very good at all.”
  2. “Amma has the worst value for money I have experienced in NYC over the past 2 years.”
  3. “altho it was a little pricey, it was well worth it, servings were huge.”
  4. “old reviews clutter wall of restaurant. owners ought to find value in discovery. enough advertising! far too classy for that.”
  5. “Prices were pretty good considering the location and the amount of food given is huge!”
  6. “The tab is a bit expensive for middle of the road Indian dining so beware”
  7. “And their prices are very high - they actually think that they can get away with charging such prices for such terrible food and service!”
  8. “There are many many good Indian restaurants in the city to don't waste your money at Amma.”
wait time
75.0% positive
  1. “Pretty good food, pretty good decor, polite and quick service, but I don't see how the previous reviewer only spent $28 for dinner for 2.”
  2. “sometimes when it gets little busy then the service might be little slow however it is a small place, so considering that its worthit to visit atleast once.”
  3. “Suggestions were made to compliment our meal which turned out to be one of the best indian meals for a long time.”
  4. “We have looked for a long time for a good indian restaurant in NYC.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/24/11

Great food, even better service

by PrincessDi

I went here last night and was pleased to see that they still had a Restaurant Week menu. The atmosphere is amazing, the waiting staff was very fun and friendly and the food was GREAT! I plan on returning here in the near future

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

05/27/10

Amma

by YinYang

I have celiac disease so that means I cannot eat any food that has gluten (wheat, rye, barley, soy sauce, etc). I had always loved Amma's lunch menu, but was nervous about explaining my restrictions. They were so accommodating and made substitutions for the naan bread and made sure that everything was just perfect. They even tried to give my friend a free appetizer!

Highly recommend.

  • Pros: Accommodating, very nice people
  • Cons: None
1 Star Rating: Poor

08/27/09

Don't Waste Your Money - Bad Food and Worse Service

by Tizzo

We went to Amma thinking it would be a jewel we can visit on a regular basis. We ordered some okra and chicken tikka masala with naan and basmati rice. The okra came in the style of shoe string fries and tasted like grass. Most Indian restaurants have chicken tikka masala as their signature dish, however, Amma's tasted like the chicken was raw and had a foul smell to it.

We spoke to the Manager who stared at us and made absolutely no attempt to bring an alternate dish or apologize for the food.

We strongly advise to stay away from this unpleasant restaurant with no concept of customer service. There are many many good Indian restaurants in the city to don't waste your money at Amma. They're also quite pricey and not at all worth it!

  • Pros: None
  • Cons: Bad Food Quality with No Taste and Worse Service to Indians
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/07/09

Blown Away by the Food and Service!

by TheTripChick

We made a reservation at Amma during Restaurant Week. That said, we knew going into it not to have high expectations....boy, were we blown away by not only the food but the stellar, attentive service!

We started with the Tomato Rasam and Mughlai Chicken Shorba soups. The tomato soup had a wonderful afterburn and a terrific layering of flavors. The chicken soup was good, but lacked any real flavor other than chicken.

We chose the Cochin Crab Cakes (chef spices and ginger infused golden crusted patties) and Kesari Malai Tikka (chicken breast in saffron yogurt marination) appetizers and both were just wonderful. The crab cakes were light and packed with crab flavor and the malai chicken had a nice delicate flavor.

For our main course, we chose Stuffed Chicken Breast (garam masala, paneer onion tomato sauce) and Tandoori Lamb Chops (ginger garlic yogurt marination); both were served with naan, raita, Manchurian cauliflower and jackfruit biryani. The raita was fantastic! I really enjoyed the subtle spicing of the chicken and while I did not prefer the lamb (I just don't really like the flavor of some of the gamier meats) my beau declared it delicious. The other standout was the Manchurian cauliflower...we are always trying to come up with new and interesting preparations for cauliflower and this one was amazing!

We finished our meal with a trio of Kulfi and the mango cheesecake. I am a self-declared cheesecake connoisseur and the mango cheesecake was divine. The Kulfis were good as well, there was a trio of original (pistachio) flavor, strawberry and mango. While the fruit flavors were nice, I really loved the pistachio best.

We paired our meal with the optional wine flight which included a white, a red and a dessert wine. The staff was unfailingly gracious and attentive, and we truly felt as though we were their top priority. I would highly recommend Amma for great upscale Indian food.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

01/27/09

amazinggg food!! soo flavorful! my 1st time trying indian food and i'm def. going back!

by catheyk

went there today for lunch for restaurant week and the food was seriously AMAZING! I don't usually write reviews but the food was just that good. Me and the bf decided to take full advantage of restaurant week and this was the 3rd restaurant we tried and it was undoubtedly the best. Whoever posted saying that the food wasn't outstanding must've ordered the wrong thing or caught them on an off day b/c the food was soo flavorful...not to mention they didn't skimp on the portions like most restaurants do for restaurant week. Everything from the soup to the dessert was wonderful and its a steal at 24.07 for 4 course meal. If you're going to try any restaurant for restaurant week--go here!! btw, you must try the chili shrimp appetizer, sea bass main course, and chicken soup! sooo goood

  • Pros: amazing food, nice decor & ambience, prompt & friendly service
  • Cons: noneee!

The Details on Amma

Place Categories:

  • great quality food
  • great wine service
  • good indian restaurant
  • mediocre food
  • very tasty everything
  • great upscale indian food
  • great ambiance
  • memorable kalfi
  • worst poor service
  • great warm colors
  • incredible chicken dish
  • helpful waitstaff
  • fantastic tasting menu
  • always loved lunch menu
  • nice fruit flavors
  • recommended owner
  • terrific dining experience
  • unpleasant restaurant
  • fresh vegetable
  • very good reserve wine
  • cool decor
  • spicy kachori
  • recommend date place
  • warm environment
  • worst experience
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