“ Uzbek cuisine may not be as familiar to New Yorkers, but once you're introduced to it, it's hard to forget and the food at Tandir Express is certainly memorable. Tandir Express is a nondescript restaurant devoid of frills and fanfare, but it's packed to the brim with flavor. The food here is quality, delicious, and very much a bang for your buck. You simply cannot avoid samsa when you eat Uzbek food and the samsa here is perfectly flaky and generously stuffed. The mantu is also stellar but be warned that the samsa and mantu are going to fill you up so get both if you are dining with a group. The shashlik here is tremendous and the chicken and lula kebabs I tried were melt-in-your-mouth tender and delicious. They unfortunately ran out of plov but my friends and I tried the layman and enjoyed it very much. The ambiance is non-existent, and that's ok considering the prices and emphasis is on quality food and not the setting. The service is a bit spotty but this isn't the place you come to for white-glove service a little patience and understanding is a must. Overall a great Uzbek dining experience and I would rate the food very highly. ”

“ Had something to do in the area, I'm not from the area so I always make sure when I'm in the neighborhood I try food I can't get in other parts of Brooklyn. This was my first time trying Uzbek food, this is definitely a locals spot as most customer who came in seem to know the workers. It also is almost an all male environment, despite that I still receive good service, and everything was super delicious. The beef and lamb kabob had the smoky grilled flavor I loved and missed and the manti surprised me with how big they were. The manti with the sour cream and the kebab with the bread and slightly pickled onions 10/10. Although, I don't have any other Uzbek restaurants to compare to. ”

“ The best Uzbek plov and samsa. Great service. Highly recommended. ”

“ I went here last night unplanned with three friends. We go out once a month to try different foods. Originally we planned to go to a Korean Uzbek place in another neighborhood, but it was closed when we arrived and we saw this restaurant on Yelp. I'm so glad we came here! At first we felt a little out of place being two white women and two East Asian men in a small restaurant that was 100% male, and appearing to also probably be 100% Uzbek, but the staff was so nice and we managed to get around language barriers pretty well. The food was so good and very reasonably priced, and we got to try a bunch of different dishes all for just over $20 for each of us, including tax and tip. When we left, a couple of the patrons said goodbye. I know nothing about Uzbek culture or cuisine, but this felt like a really authentic experience, and it was a lot of fun. ”

“ First time trying Uzbek food, owner was kind enough to guide me through what was on the menu. Not a fan of lamb, but I really enjoyed their manti! ”

“ This place is an experience to say the least. No one really speaks English which is fine but know what you want because they can't describe much to you. I am the only woman ever in here. I love it though. We come for the amazing plov. It's fatty and warm and delicious. The carrots are so tender they melt. Come in the mornings for lunch before they run out. It's one of my favorite dishes in NYC. And the yogurt they serve with pickled vegetables is the thickest most delicious yogurt ever. We often order one to go. Overall a great place to groan a lunch you can't find many other places in NYC. ”

“ Wow found this place to eat lunch around Brooklyn area i was visiting. Food is home cooked and excellent quality and good prices. Chef was super friendly and we had good talk about Uzbek food. Next time in NY we defiantly coming again. Thank You Tandir and keep up good work!!!! ”

“ I have stopped here a few times and each time I have been blown away by the quailtiy and prices. The kebabs are freshly grilled, flavorful and tender. I am not familiar with Uzbeki food but what I tasted I thought was great. The spices added to the meat are subtler than those used with Turkish food. They remind me of Persian kebabs but with their own unique flavor. I have also tried the Tandir Samsa which is a spicy pastry with chopped meat, onions and parsley. It also was quite flavorful but the kebabs are what to come here for! As Kevin M wrote in his review, the clientele is like an Uzbeki Boy's club but today I did see a few females come in for takeout so maybe it is a cultural thing! I surmise this is a family business. Service is friendly but it is a small local restaurant that seems to be more geared to takeout. So if you are expecting Per Se (not that I have ever been to Per Se...) you might want to go elsewhere. That said, when I have eaten here it has been clean and there are several tables at which to sit and as I noted earlier, the food is fantastic! Oh yes, they do take credit cards and do not have a minimum which was nice today when I was short of cash. Prices are very reasonable. So, next time you are in the mood for a delicious and affordable meal of grilled meats (though they do also have other appetizers, soups, salads and desserts on the menu that I am sure taste wonderful), give Tandir Express a try! ”