#PeachysPicks A Peachy's Pick Since 2019, #BukharaGrillIndianSpiceRave Since 1999 by #RajaJhanjee #AkshayJhanjee and #ArnavJhanjee #Winter2026 #120East39thStreet between Park and Lexington #Manhattan #NorthernIndian
Founder and Owner Raja Jhanjee with the majestic Chicken Handi Biryani with Raita, a favorite of Peachy Deegan's! The absolute winner and still champion is the Dal Bukhara:
It's not who you know, it's WHOM YOU KNOW and we know RAJA and his sons! We told you about their new location in the beginning of 2025, and we were delighted to return recently to the gorgeous bastion of Northern Indian excellence totally designed by this Indian family. Bukhara Grill Indian Spice Rave is at 120 East 39th Street between Park and Lexington and we were honored to be the very first to review it at this new location. We particularly like the layout of the venue. Also new is their stellar Grokipedia! Along with Spiga and Langan's, it is among the few Restaurant Easters of the Peachy's Picks that have evolved: this means it came back! Raja has a storied, highly acclaimed history here and was first featured in January 2017, again in October 2017, in May 2019, and it earned Peachy's Pick status in September 2019. Deciding what bread to have here is one of the best problems you can have and we narrowed it down to the pillowy, versatile Onion Kulcha, served piping hot. It was perfection standalone or with any of the array of talented dishes you'll meet below.
As avid readers know, Peachy Deegan is a huge proponent of seafood. If you tell Raja that, you might discover that the Methi Machli entree, above, is available in terrific Salmon! The menu describes this dish as fish cooked in fenugreek: a specialty of the house. We understand that sometimes the type of fish offered may differ however the Salmon is a fantastic choice. It arrives every 3 days and there are around six succulent pieces weighing in at about three ounces for each piece, yielding a total of 18 ounces of salmon in your Methi Machli! It is enchanting to discover. We would love to see Bukhara Grill have more than two seafood entrees and would love to see them start a fresh green salad section because it would nicely balance out all the spices in a nutritious way.
The golden standard of Indian cuisine is Chicken Tikka Masala, and not all of it is created equally.
Some is just superior!
Pictures don't lie and we don't edit pictures: you excel like Bukhara Grill or we do not publish!
Onion, red and green bell peppers and an amalgamation of premium proprietary spices elevate this quintessential chicken dish roasted in the clay oven and tossed in a luxurious creamy tomato sauce.
It is simplicity at its best.
Bukhara Grill does not rest upon its laurels.
It comes out with new dishes, and as we had not visited in over a year, it was time for Peachy to say enchante to some new friends of plates. Meet Palak Ke Kotfa: spinach and cottage cheese rounds, reminiscent of golf balls in the world of Peachy Deegan, in a mild sauce. If Indian cuisine is new to you, we suggest this as a mild start as well as the Chicken Tikka Masala above.
The absolute best thing at all you can eat is the Dal Bukhara at Bukhara Grill. We always must have it and we always miss it. You have to order at least two so you can hide one in your fridge because our studies show this dish is so spectacular you will actually dream about it like Peachy and you will be able to make your dreams come true when you have the prepared extra in the fridge! Every bite of the succulent little black lentils is a rapturous experience as they are carefully cooked over a slow fire to bring them into their greatest glory.
The creativity with chicken dishes is highly laudable at Bukhara Grill, and another new item that jumped out at us that Peachy chose (Peachy chooses everything!) was the Tariwalla Kukkad. This is a wonderful chicken curry and our second favorite item of the menu after the aforementioned black lentils. Here, tomatoes and onions saucily smile at the chicken flavored with a proprietary blend of ginger, garlic and spices. And another vegetarian entree is the Subz Ki Tarkari: freshly mixed vegetables including cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and bell peppers in a mild sauce to wow you.
The final firework was the exquisitely moist and flavorful Chicken Handi Biryani! The aromatic basmati rice is like a hidden treasure underneath the cover, and the fragrant array of spices will envelop your tastebuds and inform you that you are indeed on a spice vacation with your palate in partaking in this excellence by our friend Raja!
Peachy Deegan and Founder and Owner Raja Jhanjee
Bukhara Grill Indian Spice Rave by Raja Jhanjee and sons continues to be Highly Recommended by Whom You Know!
120 E 39th St
New York, NY 10016
