Panna II Garden Indian Restaurant
Category: Indian/Pakistani [Edit]
Neighborhood: Manhattan/East Village93 1st Ave
New York, NY 10003 (212) 598-4610
- Nearest Transit:
2nd Ave-Houston St (F, V)
Astor Place (6)
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: None
57 Reviews for Panna II Garden Indian Restaurant
Party, Party, Party, Party!
Eric introduced me; I always have fun.
The food is okay, makes me full.
Party, Party, Party, Party!
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"Where chilli pepper lights meet christmas tree lights"
With a motto like that how can you not like Panna II. Like some who have already posted I think this place is more about the experience than the food... but the food is alright too!
The size of Panna II is slightly larger than a big walk in closet, but with a huge mirror on one wall, a ridiculous forest of lights hanging from the ceiling, and shiny wrapping paper cover the walls, it's kind of hard to tell...
I went here with a party of 5 and sat very cramped (it is impossible not too) we ordered dishes from the chef specials which were all pretty standard. The portions were a good size, i.e. they didn't put you into a food coma if you finished it and you left feeling satisfied. The naan is nothing too special. But the food does come fast and piping hot!
If you go tell them it's your birthday cause they play a crazy techno birthday song and all the lights start freaking out simultaneously, it's enough to give anyone an epileptic seizure.
All this said it was super fun, they gave us free ice cream and I would definately come back!
I don't like this place at all. One time I brought a bunch of colleagues down to this area from 10th & B'WY after we'd played a rehearsal at a church there and I'd told them how great "the place on the left", Milon was. Well, unfortunately, this was before Milon was open for lunch so we just gave in and ate at Panna II.
Hmmm... well, the food was cheap, and it tasted cheap also. The flavors of the dishes were ham-handedly (un)balanced and did not taste good at all. The Tikka Masala was like chicken & ketchup. As far as the many dishes we had went, it seemed like the "cooks" were lazily just "phoning it in" for the novices and very haphazardly, too!
Yeah, they have a lot of shit hanging from the ceilings but you know what? Before they started to use that schtick, you didn't have to deal with all that kind of BS at Milon (right next door and to the left at the top of the stairs). It was only after the massive heards started migrating to the bright lights of Panna II that Milon eventually gave in with the same kind of crap.
Milon's food has always been light-years better and their menu superior, but this other inferior place has always been there next door to throw a monkey wrench into the works as a second (or even THIRD) rate foil.
So, Milon succumbed with all the lights and theatrics. The food is still terrific there, but because of Panna II's scourge, the ambiance and atmosphere are now so effed up as to distract your attention from the quality of their great food due to the Panna II-like decorations.
Panna II is a waste and is gross. I'll go to Milon for quality Bangladeshi food any time.
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Following a tip (upper right!!) from a random person from high school, we checked this place out and I'm glad we did, although I'm still wondering what kind of food we would have had if we had gone upper left or lower right. The decor was like nothing I've ever seen before and truly a feast (?) for the eyes, haha.
Hedging our bets we got the dinner special of:
* appetizer (we chose samosas: very hot (temp) and delicious)
* soup (very delicious with a lot of cilantro)
* panatha (not the naan that by boyfriend was hoping for, but it was better for scooping the food up in my hand)
* two entrees (i got the chicken tikki, i couldn't finish! and he got chicken vindaloo)
* mango ice cream (the perfect little amount to clense the palatte and cool off after all that flavor)
all for 19.95 which isn't bad in this city.
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In its favor:
cheap, satisfying, not too oily, big portions
amazing, ridiculous, oddly romantic decor
byob!
they play you a snappy little song and make everyone clap while you blow out the candle in your ice cream when someone tells them it's your birthday
not so hot:
the waiters touch you. a lot. like, a lot a lot.
kind of bland...
the waiters touch you. a lot.
but when the cheap wine is flowing and the chili peppers lights are a -twinklin on your fake birthday, it's kind of nice to be touched by a complete stranger. am i right?
Food deserves a 2, the experience deserves a 4. If you're looking for fantastic Indian food you'll be a bit disappointed (though the food isn't horrible). So with this in mind lets talk about the experience of coming here...
It all starts when you're outside about to come in. There are three Indian restaurants here (this one is up the stairs and to the right, there is another one up the stairs and left and another one down a couple steps) there will immediately be an Indian guy who jumps out of each restaurant and try to get you to go to their place, they'll promise you the world to get you to go to their place (it isn't hard to get them to give you a small complimentary glass of wine). When you go in its like you're in a midgets house who loves tijuana and birthday parties (sparkly lights and shinny decorations that cover the place and line the ceiling). This place is cramped and tiny and is cash only but you cant stop looking at all the lights and laughing to yourself remembering the guys outside the restaurant.
Panna II is super cheap so you've got to come here just once and experience the fun.
6/27/08, 8pm - dinner for 4
After dodging the bickering shopkeepers for our business, we climbed some rickety wooden stairs and were seated immediately. You cannot believe the sheer volume of novelty lights around the place. You literally cannot stand up for all the chilies and soccer balls at your head. There is a thin path through the strings of lights for you to walk through. Unfortunately, all those lights have created a housekeeping disaster. There are cobwebs and dust bunnies clinging to all the lights. It looked like it had been quite some time since anyone had cleaned. I imagined crap falling into our food as the lights were jostled by the waiters' hands.
All the food tasted good, although I have to say that every Vindaloo I've had before was much, much spicier than theirs. I was expecting searing, sinus draining heat but was pleasantly surprised by a tasty, spicy but not outrageous dish. I suspect it was not authentic, but it was to my taste. The breads were excellent, try the mixed bread basket.
The best thing about the place is the price. The four of us ate very well for $54. Our water glasses were never empty and we were treated like important guests.
As an out-of-towner, I enjoyed the visit to Curry Row and to Panna II. I think New Yorkers would appreciate the good service and great prices.
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I LOVE THIS PLACE! Every time someone visits me from out of town, I take them there, and it becomes their new favorite place. Great for birthday parties, every time the birthday music comes on I start cracking up. The food is also delicious. It's not the absolute best in new york but its good. I've been there many times and have tried different menu items and theyre all lovely. Service is nice and fast... and it's cheap! I've never had to wait for a table, either.
As for the rivalry with Milon and the two restaurants downstairs? I'm not sure what to think, but I suspect it's an act. The reason being I went there for lunch with my mother and aunt, and the two door guys got in an "argument" outside... and then 10 minutes later the milon door guy sauntered into panna and went back into the kitchen and was all friendly with the panna crew! Whatever their relationship is... it's awesome.
If anyone has ever told you that Christmas is only in December, then they have never stepped foot into Panna II before. Seriously decked out in Chili like Christmas lights, this EXTREMELY narrow little joint is good for its prices and for its service. As you walk up the stairs into this restaurant and not the one to its bottom right, bottom left or the one to its immediate left (NOT THE SAME PLACE, despite how it looks like an extension of the same place), you're almost immediately seated with a menu in hand.
They have a dinner special for ten bucks (3 small dishes and dessert) that you'll find quite small but will actually fill you up! The food they bring out is piping hot, the marsala is alright, but their naan is spectacular. If you're a meat eater, the chicken is a safe choice and the beef is on the two extremes; it can either be overcooked or cooked to perfection. Skip the dessert and go somewhere else!
The BYOB is a must - it adds taste to the meal (reds are better for this meal) and makes the lights, noise and narrowness a little less painful. The waiters are more than excited to see their guests inebriated and enjoying themselves, as you can tell when they promptly refill your glasses.
If you're looking for an excellent and cheap night out, Panna II is a must for its way specTACKY decorations, service, BYOB and good food.
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There is seriously no joke about how you get bombarded by Indian men, trying to, unsuccessfully, lure you into their restaurant. "No thanks, we have reservations..." does not work. Annoying.
Once you get into Panna II, it is literally a trailer park home, very narrow, and if you are the slightest claustrophobic, STAY AWAY. The chili pepper lights, clearly the main attraction, provide the only light in the room, so it's quite dim. However, they were festive, and kind of fun. I give props to whoever thought to put these obnoxious lights up.
I and 5 other guests, including one birthday girl, made our way to our table, and because this place is BYOB (the main reason we came here) we whipped out our bottles, but not before we were notified that there would be 5 dollar corkage fee per bottle. I thought it was free, but whatever, 5 bucks isn't that bad. And we get one discounted because it was S.S.'s birthday.
Being that this was my first time trying Indian food, I was a little nervous and made sure to pick one of the safest meals. I chose chicken tandoori. It came out sizzling, scarily close to my head, and placed on my plate for my consumption. And I gotta say, it was pretty good. A little hard to eat, but still, it was good chicken. I made sure to also try a little bit of everyone Else's dishes, which were also on the milder side, and enjoyed them. Pretty decent Indian food, not that I've ever had any before - but for these ridiculously cheap prices, i'll probably be back. But let me just tell you, I found love here at Panna II. Love in the form of bread aka NAAN. What is this delicious, oily concoction I have never before been aware of? WHY IT'S NAAN! The Naan gets 5 stars, but everything else a 3.
They did play a light show which was nice, but after it was over, we all felt a little nauseous, and unfortunately were sitting next to the light switch that one of the waiters were clicking on and off. Mystery, gone.
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This place is quite picturesque, to say the least... It is hard to miss: the window is fully covered with Christmas lights (tacky... but so over the top that it's actually fine). I'd walked past it many times, but had never given it a try until recently when I went there with three friends. The funniest part (which I hadn't noticed before) is that there are actually three different restaurants (two upstairs, and one downstairs), all with the same ridiculous decor, and as you get their the owners are standing at the door trying to lure you into their restaurant.
Panna II (upstairs, on the right), is actually very small, and the interior decor is just as ridiculous the window is: the ceiling is completely covered with dangling Christmas lights... you have to see it to believe it. It's a little cramped (it kind of feels like you're eating in a dining train).
Interestingly, the food is actually quite good. We got a bunch of dishes to share, and everything was tasty... My favorite among the ones we tried: the vegetable korma. Note that the waiter will try to talk you into ordering appetizers, but the portions are big enough that you probably don't need one unless you're really hungry.
A big plus also: it's BYOB... and not only did we bring wine, but my friends and I also brought a bottle of vodka and mixed our own cocktails at the table... Not too sure if that's actually permitted, but the waiters didn't say anything. How awesome is that?
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Panna II's site and business card state, "Where chili pepper lights meets Christmas-tree lights". They're not shitting you: there are pepper lights ALL OVER the restaurant.
This amazing Lower East Side Indian joint shares space with two others. All three aggressively vie for attention, so don't be surprised if you're approached by a greeter while waiting. And wait you will (they are popular), so make reservations! Last I checked, Panna II opens 7 days a week, from noon until midnight.
Their menu's surprisingly inexpensive - seriously, dirt cheap by any standard - even for Indian cuisine. Our group shared many appetizers ($3/pop, or less) and entrees (try their chana shag; $5.25) - everything was freaking outstanding. Some dishes were spicy, and the naan was good. Service was fast, too!
Panna II may be cramped but hey, you're here for the food, not dancing!
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Panna II: great restaurant, or greatest restaurant?
In a world where cheap Indian food is rare, you can get an unremarkable but blandly taste entree and rice for six dollars. (I usually go vegetarian there, but I hear the chicken is decent as well.)
But Panna II isn't about the food. It's about going around the corner, buying a five dollar bottle of wine, and getting BYOB-belligerent. The staff will even open your wine and pour it into glasses for you. (Not to mention the staff's attentiveness in, no matter how crowded the restaurant is, bringing you more water, chips, free ice cream, and occasionally shoulder massages if they like you.)
And if it's not your birthday, lie and tell them that it is. It'll be worth it, and make your experience complete. One of the greatest cheap night out with friends on the Lower East Side.
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Oh dear, it's really a tossup between three of four stars but I decided to round up since I walked-- no, stumbled-- out of here using Stefanie M as my crutch (in life?) Okay so I came late. That's allowed right? It's my birthday, I can be late if I want to... late if I want to?
I felt really bad about it, but I was taking the train in from Jersey, still had two different subways to take until walking the few blocks over in a brand new pair of heels. I was very embarrassed to see the other four people (Aleks K came in tow) already there.. looking a little scared. So we attempt to make our way up and surely several Indian men proceed to tell us to come to their place of business.
K LISTEN FUCKER, MY FEET HURT, I'M 15 MINUTES LATE AND I HAVE RESERVATIONS FOR THIS CHILI PEPPER LIGHT COVERED CABOOSE. SO GET OUT OF MY WAY!
We made our way in.. slowly. You guys said it was small but hey the pictures deceived me a bit. No matter, we were seated at a table closest to the kitchen and apparently closest to the contraption behind the "amazing light show." I was drunk when it began and we all listened for the clicking of the light switch being turned on and off. Nifty.
Okay so back to the beginning. We are seated and bring out the vino. And are promptly told there will be a corkage fee. Que? Granted it was only $5 and I really didn't care, I was armed with mucho dinero knowing this was going to be an inexpensive meal. But the wine-- red, to my surprise--started flowing and several glasses later I was loving it all.
All as in their attempt to con us out of our hard earned cash, the mediocre naan (it was more crispy than fluffy-- what the f?), and their gratuitous "discount" of not charging us for the second bottle of wine because it was my special day. Thanks, Panna staff. Thanks a lot.
I had the Chicken Kashmir and it was good. It was a safe choice, I normally go for more exotic dishes but I was not among a particularly adventurous crowd. At least not that night. Indian food is not for the faint of heart, and it was my special day. I'm not about to risk the appetites of my friends.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand then it gets kind of blurry after we left. But fear not. There is photographic documentation.
Bring alcohol here, it's pretty creepy otherwise.
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Word of advice, DO NOT hang around right outside the restaurant all by your lonesome. As I was waiting for my party to arrive (and they were LATE) I was literally harassed by the other 3 neighboring Indian restaurants. "No thank you," I said, "I'm meeting people at this one" as I pointed to the Panna II sign. Obviously I was speaking gibberish, because the other restaurant owners ignored my pleas and continued to hassle me. Apparently, they believed that I would ditch my party to have dinner at one of their places instead. Alone.
When my party finally arrived, we quickly moved upstairs and into the cramped restaurant. I seriously think there is a competition as to which restaurant can display the most lights. It's pretty hilarious and we had to duck down in order to avoid hitting our heads on the glowing chili peppers hanging from the ceiling.
The food was pretty good. I've never had Indian food before, so I would say that this is a good place to start. Everything is really cheap, but be careful, because the waiters will try to squeeze every dollar out of you that they can. If you don't want appetizers, then don't order appetizers. And if you want to split a dish with your friend, then split it. The portions are big enough for two people. I don't care what they say. The place is also BYOB, which is nice, but be aware of the $5 per bottle corkage fee.
Oh, and the "light show" is just some guy switching the thousands of lights on and off. Oops, did I just ruin it?
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Wow all I can say is wow.
Wow to the chili and Christmas lights.
Wow to the bickering to get customers in in lieu of going one of the place next to or below it.
Wow to the loud bunghra music pumping.
Wow to the small cramped space.
Wow to the $15 per person for a fun birthday.
Food was really only about 2 Stars.
I went to this place for a friends b'day. After walking pass the sparkling lights for years. This place reminds me of that song in Chicago "Give them the old Razzle Dazzle, Long as you keep 'em way off balance
How can they spot you got no talents?" With the lights and the narrow path i don't know how this place hasn't been shut down by the fire marshal
On a Friday nite, it was a long wait and packed. After bout 30mins we get in. 9 of us climbing over people as they try to eat, to get to a tiny row of tables. (I actually got stuck leaning over a really cute guy as the waiters past, we were so close we had to introduce ourselves, his name was Rick btw) .
We sat by the kitchen BIG MISTAKE! There is ONE PATH in the whole place, all i heard/felt all nite was sizzling plates sideswiping my head!
We were a table of 9, and they have a "rule" that you have to eat off the party menu which was $15per person. Here's the problem with this
1.no one knew about this "party menu" , only the manager
2. there was no tangible menu, its the manger telling u what he has tonite
3.Its family style and they didnt bring out enough for everyone, and they didnt bring out seconds.
4. I didnt like aying 15 bucks to be told what to eat. It felt like whatever extra they had they gave to us, asif we were the lucky ones to be asked to eat there.
Once u get inside, it is a mad dash to get u fed, and get u the fuck out. The Staff was rude as hell, and the food was only so so. he food that i was able to grab, I did make me want to try real/better Indian food, and also gave my friends and i something to laugh about! So for that this place gets 2 stars!
I would say if ya wanna check it out, do it with as few ppl as possible and very early in the day.
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We (http://www.yelp.com/us...) came here after the Yelp Elite Event at the East Village Yacht Club. I think we originally meant to go into Sigiri, which is next door, but got suckered in thanks to a couple of shady-looking, aggressive hawkers out front. It's hard to say no when you're drunk, as we all know.
There's not much that I can recall from that point in the night, thanks to the complimentary sparkling vodka at the Yacht Club (which I drank straight, on the rocks), except for....THE LIGHTS!!! The entire ceiling was covered in christmas lights and chili pepper lights. It was quite surreal. At one point, I had to double check to make sure if it was Christmas again.
However, once the food came, I realized the lights were there to distract. Something along the lines of: "Don't look at the food! Look at the lights! Look at the lights while we feed you crap!!" The naan was thin and almost dry, the chicken was at best mediocre, and the rice was a bit stale. I still ate it though; like I said, it's hard to say no when you're drunk.
When we found out they didn't serve alcohol, Gretchen B. rushed off to acquire some. I was impressed with the speed with which she got the alcohol (apparently it was just downstairs), though kind of bummed that she chose Smirnoff Ice (boooo). Still, it was hard to say no, so I drank it. I probably shouldn't have.
All in all, a pretty crappy restaurant, but I'll give this place two stars instead of one due to BYOB. I'm pretty sure I'll never come here again.
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the food is okay. wasnt really filling or great tasting.
but its about bringing beer over from the liquor store below (which knows you can bringing it to one of 3 brightly lit with red christmas lights indian restaurants nearby)
from what i hear. this one (top right of all of them) is the best one.
they brought us birthday ice cream, but no one at our table was having a bday or did any of us mention anything. we joked about faking someones bday, but that was silent and to ourselves. they mustve heard our minds. but they didnt hear the section about it being a joke.
Christmas threw up but in a good way. This place will surprise even the most skeptical when it comes to Indian cuisine. This place is THE definition of hole-in-the-wall dining. It's covered in Christmas lights and will cause epileptic seizures if you're not prepared, but hey that's what gives this place personality. Be sure when you're facing the restaurant from the street that you make a bee-line to the top right place because all the impostors will lure you into their happy-place with promises of immediate seating and 48 virgins.
2 Things are for certain:
Get the tandoori chicken and chicken or lamb briyani.
Go for your birthday (they'll play an 8-trac Punjabi idol and flash the lights to celebrate)
The items are so good you'll be breaking plates and firing your AK-47 in a fit of joy.
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A friend took me to this place for the first time 10 years ago. It was the first time I had Indian food and it was a wonderful experience. The decor was great and the food was good.
It's BYOB, so grab a beer at the liquor store at 6th and 1st. They have a vast selection of Indian beers.
I normally like to go into great detail about a place, it's decor, food, staff, and so on. This place is different.
I really can't describe this place and feel I am doing it justice, a truly must see, must eat.
Take the trip it's totally worth it and enjoy the adventure!
It is BYOB, but I believe there is a Grocer around the corner that has some imported beers,some from India that pair well with the food. When I went with my Brother this is what we did, we stopped for beers before heading over to Panna II
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The one star is for the insane decor. The food was seriously sad, the service was the worst I've ever had, and they don't serve wine. WTF! I wouldn't send my worst enemy (our server) there.
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Panna II is the most fun and ridiculous place ever - nevermind the food - just get ready for Christmas lights, mirrors, and general mayhem in every direction.
This is a great place to take out-of-town guests because it is incredibly cheap (each person can have an appetizer, entree, and naan for under $10), veggie friendly, BYOB (Trader Joes wine shop isn't far so stop off and grab some Three Buck Chuck on your way!), fun (watch for birthdays when the lights get low and disco balls and disco music start bumping), and the food really isn't bad (and by not bad I mean surprisingly good).
I personally have been to Panna II (the one on the right) and Milon (on the left) and I feel the food at Panna II is much better and the atmosphere is cleaner and more well-kept, but both restaurants will fight for your business so you can make the call yourself.
I would definitely not go if you hate fun, but if you're a chill (or broke) person looking for something different you will love it.
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I don't know, I'm teetering between 2 and 3 stars, and I guess I'm going to stick it at 2.
We hit up Panna II after a drunken fest at the Yelp Elite Event hosted at the East Village Yacht Club http://www.yelp.com/bi... and, well, I suppose we got what we wanted, which was a bit of food and more drinking.
Yes, the lights are crazy. But listen, someone's got to pay for all that electricity and yes, folks, it's coming out of your pockets. All right, maybe not directly, since the joint is pretty cheap, but in the following indirect way: If not for the poor to average food, also for the overpriced booze from the convenience store a couple of stairs down - I'm sure they have some sort of a pact together.
We shared a plate of mixed appetizers, chicken tikka, and naan - despite our waiter's insistence that it wasn't going to be enough food for 4 - and, well, it was a great drunken feast at the time, but in reality, I think it was pure mediocrity at best.
Would I do Panna II again? Okay, probably, since it was kind of fun - but only when I'm trashed and in the neighborhood. Which, apparently, happens a lot.
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Came here this weekend for my birthday and it was perfect! I suspected that all of my friends were the kind that would appreciate the random decor- and they sure did. The food was great and they even do a funky routine with the lights for birthday celebrations. 4 stars because they were literally pulling the table cloth out from underneath us the minute we finished our food, but it added to the whole situation, and besides- we felt it was our duty to allow others the enjoyment of Panna II.
This place is awesome. I mean I can get over the fact that my food was overly salty and greasy simply after having the experience of being shoved into the back area to wait for a table so that another one of the identical indian restaurants next door couldn't snatch my friends and i up. so there we were in the back, with our bottle of wine and some appetizers, in the way of the servers.
and obviously we were seated at the smallest table in the world because all the tables inside were small, and close together so that the person behind you and next to you were practically touching you completely. but nevermind that because the next best part was even better, and that was when the waiter came back 8 times to check on us to see if we were ready to order because he wanted us to HURRY HURRY HURRY.
eventually we ordered and then we got our food quite fast and were eating. and when our forks went down, our plates disappeared and our complimentary ice cream came out and again they wanted us to hurry again.
oh i almost forgot the best part- the christmas lights are the best.
but really- i recommend this place for the experience- not the food, as along as you have a strong will, and can stand up in the face of those that will be rushing you a lot, and as long as you will have a good time if you're crammed up against lots of loud birthday people.
enjoy!
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This place is AMAZING. My friend actually found this place right here on Yelp (and you can tell we Yelp people love it because the second you walk in, there's a sticker on the door proclaiming so) so we gave it a shot. It's true that the guys literally pull you off the street to come inside. Once you're inside the first thing you notice are the lights. Christmas lights, chili pepper lights, ornaments, balloons, you name it, it's there. You're quickly seated (if there's any room) and realize that the place is the size of a subway car. Actually, I think the F train we took to get there was bigger than this place.
Moving on, we quickly ordered and the food was amazing. I had had Indian food before, however, my friend had not. I had the chicken Tandoori and she had the chicken Curry. Phenomenal. We got to watch them celebrate a birthday which was funny since a special happy birthday song plays and the lights start to flash. We were afraid to look at the check because we knew it would be super cheap, and it was!! $10 each plus $5 for the tip. Where else can you get a 3 course meal for such little money?
Keep in mind, they only accept cash. Also, it's BYOB so bring your own drinks to add to the fun.
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I went to this place with a group of people from out of town. It looked like a Christmas tree exploded. Food was good, sat by the front door on a cold night which wasn't too fun but got over it quickly. For 6 people food/drink came out to be $140, we did order plenty of beer FYI.
Tyra Banks was there but due to the smushing of people nobody seemed to notice. She blended in with the decor, I just discovered her by that signature 'do of hers.
You want to go somewhere like nowhere else for some cheap eats and randomness - this is a place to hit.
Pros: good food, cheap, fun place and a non stop music party atmosphere.
Cons: If you are prone to seizures or are claustrophobic, you may want to reconsider.
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This place is so much fun! You have to go here to celebrate your birthday at least once in your life. So my friend and 15 of his closest friends, including me went here for his birthday party - it was insane, it's super small and decorated to the gills and the food is nothing to write home about but the experience is one of a kind. We must have witnessed 5-10 other tables celebrating birthdays and every time they would turn off the lights, spin the disco ball and dance & sing for the birthday person, the whole restaurant would participate. Too much fun. So, in closing go here for the experience and you won't be disappointed but as far as the food, I've had much better Indian.
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It's churn and burn.
Panna is pure hustle, zero dining joy. Lights pretty? Check. Are the rival barkers at the top of the stair funny men? They are funny men.
Jane and I take the bait. It's the one upstairs to the right. We ask the barker, "Bring our own wine?"
"Yes!" he says.
We should have asked whether we'd get to finish the wine. For the hustle becomes obvious the second we're inside and realize -- despite the aggressive barking -- this is the only one of the four restaurants on the corner that has no available table. We have to wait.
We wait.
We wait.
We sit, order, eat. The waiters are zipping everywhere with a lot of vehemence. It's scary. I'm also slightly stoned.
We're done eating when plates start trying to fly off the table. We seize the plates. We begin getting huffy. But I'm high and scared. And the wine Jane brought sucks.
She's an indignant little trooper though, and she'd like to finish that bottle.
The plates finally go. Free surprise mango ice cream shows up -- but it's delivered with anger and significance: "Eat and BE GONE."
The check comes, unsolicited. Various waiters peek inside it several times to see if we've paid. They come try to take the wine bottle. It's ugly, tense. Finally the old dude rushes up to cross the Rubicon, saying, "You're here too long! You must leave."
I tell Jane we should. I just cave. I want out. It's frightening and unpleasant in here.
While she's off using the bathroom the geezer returns to cross a second Rubicon I didn't even know it was possible for restaurant-folk to cross: he rejects our tip. The buck-thirty wasn't that kind of us, admittedly, but it felt about right. So he's waving the little wallet-thing in my face and I get to say, "You don't like that tip?"
"No!" he says.
"Fine." I adjust the tip, more to my own satisfaction than his, and we scamper the fuck out of there amid a lot screams.
This place is a nightmare.
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If you like Christmas and shiny things and bright lights and chili peppers and glittery wall paper and dangling decorations, then PLEASE do yourself a favor and go have a meal at Panna II.
When I visited my cousin who lived in the Lower East Side at the time, we scoped online for a good place to eat Indian food. With no idea what we were getting ourselves into, we walked over. As soon as we arrived in front of the place, three Indian men attempt to allure us into 3 separate Indian restaurants (2 right next to each other upstairs, 1 downstairs). We went with Panna II since that's the one we found online.
It's tiny and awesome. And almost empty! We sat down immediately. Sitting by the window, we could see every time someone was spotted on the street and lured into one of the three joints.
The food was amazingly inexpensive. I think 3 of us ate for like $20? I distinctly remember having something with bananas (friend bananas maybe?) and definitely some hot fresh naan bread. The most recent time I went, I think I had something curry related.
Back to that first time... Suddenly, all the lights went off and some sort of Indian techno started blaring. Then some of the dudes walked into the dining room with some sort of dessert with a candle in it. They sang and clapped and cheered for the birthday of a patron at another table. That was cool with us though, and really added to the experience. I think we cheered and sang right along with them.
Basically, it's just what their business card says: "Where the Christmas lights meet the chili pepper lights."
I may never know or understand how their theme came about, but I don't care. I will never be able to go to NYC and skip a meal at Panna II.
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Dear lord, I wonder what this restaurant's electricity bill is. It must be through the roof because it's entire ceiling is covered with glowing pepper lights. But even so, the prices on the food are LOW, but the food is STILL delicious and flavorful, and trust me...that's a hella hard combo to find in NYC. And bonus: it's a BYOB so you can bring your favorite wine! So these many aforementioned lights actually make the place a bit warm so don't wear that turtleneck sweater, even in the winter, okay?
I also worry that maybe all the lights could be a fire hazard. Maybe we should all start coming in with little mini hydrants so this lovely restaurant never burns down. Oh, yeah, you can bet their hard core competition would be spookily laughing and rubbing their hands together if that happened. :( Loved that they had interesting nan types, such as coconut. Oh you can bet I ordered that and was happy. Despite being crowded, the service was quick. My friends got engaged here, so it'll always be that special restaurant that Karl and Natalie, the couple from Canada, love.
Also, does an actual Panna I exist? And is it just me, or does the restaurant "Panna" sound a little more Italian than Indian?
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Please do not go here if you are prone to seizures. Please do go here if you like authentic, no frills, no fancy tricks Indian Food.
Also, it's uncommonly cheap and you can bring your own booze (read: spend 9 dollars on a decnet bottle of wine instead of a bad glass of wine.)
If you bring someone here for their birthday (and a large group and large amount of wine) you will have so much fun it will be unreasonable. They play insane techno-bollywood music and sing some kind of happy brithday song and make all the lights flash on and off (at a seizure-inducing frequency, so be careful) and it is great fun for all the sixty other people in the closet-sized room.
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good, cheap food.
Beware: You will get fought over by 3 different Indian men to the point of disorientation. Just remember that you want to go to Panna not the other two.
Love it here! It was very tiny but everyone was really nice (meaning the patrons). The close quarters would normally be off-putting for me but I loved the atmosphere. The lights and decor that look like a Big Lot puke fest, the tiny isle, the waiters body odor. It felt very authentic to me. I enjoyed walking up to the place and having the other restaurant owners try to get us to go to their Indian places. They told us they would give us free wine or free naan. We ignored their pleas. I really don't know of Panna II is any different than the restaurant next door or below it or the one next to the one below it. There are four Indian restaurants all right next to each other but I did enjoy Panna II immensely.
Main reason that I liked it so much was the atmosphere. Also the service is very efficient. I've had better Indian. I don't know where but the food didn't knock my socks off. It was good but nothing to rave about. It is just a really fun place. It was someones birthday and they turn off the lights and play some Indian birthday song and everyone (the whole restaurant) clapped for that person. How fun! I really enjoyed going here and look forward to coming back.
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