Himalayan Yak

Jackson Heights, United States

3.7

Open now

23 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

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Telephone:
+1 718-779-1119
Address:
72-20 Roosevelt Ave, Jackson Heights, NY, 11372
Elmhurst
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
410 ft74th Street-Broadway
470 ftJackson Heights - Roosevelt Avenue (E,F,M,R)
0.2 mi69th Street
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
Yes
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
Yes
Dogs Allowed
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes
Accepts Apple Pay
No

Today

Today 12:00 pm – 1:00 am
Open now
Local time (Jackson Heights) 14:33 Friday, 18 July 2025

Business hours

Monday 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Tuesday 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Wednesday 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Thursday 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Friday 12:00 pm – 1:00 am
Saturday 12:00 pm – 1:00 am
Sunday 12:00 pm – 1:00 am

Description

Specialties

Come to Himalayan Yak Restaurant for a truly authentic dining experience with our diverse menu of Tibetan, Nepali, Bhutanese, and Indian foods.

In the heart of the world’s most culturally diverse neighborhood, you’ll find the Himalayan Yak Restaurant. We specialize in truly authentic cuisine from some of the countries that the vast mountain range touches. We were the first Nepali restaurant in New York and are one of the oldest running Himalayan fusion restaurants in the city! Enjoy a traditional Nepali dish like Daal Bhat Tarkari with rice, lentil soup, and vegetables, or something a little more adventurous like Gyuma — our homemade Tibetan-​style sausage filled with beef blood. Whatever you try, you can be sure that you’ll experience delicious traditional meals as diverse as the nations that span the Himalayas.

Our exotic cuisine and cozy ambience make us a true hidden gem in the Jackson Heights area. Stop by during the week for our incredible lunch specials or explore our weekend buffet. On weekend evenings, grab a drink from our full bar while you enjoy classical and modern music from Nepal, Tibet, and India performed by a live band. Are you in the neighborhood but looking to have a quiet night at home? Take advantage of our free delivery!

After just one visit, you’ll understand why the Village Voice has named us the «Best Tibetan Restaurant». The Himalayan Yak is a home away from home for local Himalayans and a treat for all!

History

Established in 2004.

Himalayan Yak was New York City’s first Nepali restaurant and is one of its oldest Himalayan fusion restaurants! The Village Voice recognized us as the Best Tibetan Restaurant in 2008 and we have been featured in The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, as well as on the hit TV show Ugly Betty. We pride ourselves on our delicious, authentic Himalayan food, great entertainment, and quality service. Here’s to many more years serving New York City!

Meet the Manager

Gyaltsen G.

Manager

Himalayan Yak Restaurant envisioned a restaurant that would serve as a home away from home for local Himalayan. We strives to create a friendly, welcoming atmosphere with great customer service and live entertainment. We are passionate about Himalayan Yak retaining its authenticity even in this day and age and also we are proud to serve up traditional, exotic Himalayan dishes to regulars and new-​comers alike.

We are now, coming up with Yak meat dishes that is rarely being serve in Restaurants in United States.

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23 reviews of Himalayan Yak

No registration required
Place rating: 4
Manhattan, NY
The food is fine but not overwhelming. The pork momo was awesome. The packing of food for delivery was very nice. I am rating it 4star because I was disappointed just in chowmein with sukuti, i thought its goat sukuti but it was beef which i never eat. They should write clearly on the menu about meat if its lamb/​chicken/​beef whatever. Everything apart i enjoyed the pork momo lot.
Place rating: 5
Alhambra, Los Angeles, CA
Just tried the fish thali, amazing! I really like it, planning to come again. BTW, l love the music too.
Place rating: 3
Long Island City, NY
The yak Momos were incredible, perfect texture and flavors, nothing too exotic despite their protein choice. Everything else was missable. Next time I’ll go here for appetizers and then move on to another place for mains
Place rating: 3
New York, NY
What makes this spot stand out most in the culinary destination that is Jackson Heights, Queens is it’s décor and physical appearance, since most of the restaurants in the neighborhood take casual dining to new levels of unrefined. I’m far from a Himalayan food expert, as this only being my second time having it, but I was slightly underwhelmed by my experience at Himalayan Yak. The service was great, along with the beef Momo (dumplings), but the Phaparko Shendo Platter was kind of a disappointment; we ordered the chicken version, which didn’t have a particularly impactful flavor and the sides were just OK. Plus, perhaps I’m too accustomed to the guilty pleasures that are paratha, naan, roti, etc. but the buckwheat pancakes were not appetizing. The Yak Shapta was our favorite dish but we both felt the bread it came with wasn’t the best fit and we wished it had come with rice. I’m guessing this is just the traditional way to serve this type of dish so I am in no way criticizing this choice, but rather offering my honest feedback.
Place rating: 4
East Elmhurst, NY
I came here on an impulse for lunch and I have to say the food was very good! The waitress was pleasant and answered all of my questions because I had never had Tibetan cuisine. She suggested the «momo’s» (vegetable dumplings) for an appetizer and the «Chicken Thali» which was the most traditional dish with white rice stewed chicken and an array of different vegetables prepared to sample including yummy rice pudding dessert. This is a great hidden treasure in Jackson Heights which I will definitely come back to visit!
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Right off the Jackson Heights subway hub on Roosevelt and Broadway is one of my favorite places to chill. When you walk in, the traffic noise fades out and you get a whole new vibe. I love going here in winter especially because everything is so savory and warm. Get a plate of momos and a kettle of bocha (butter tea) and you’ll be all set. Also, winter is when yak is in season. So if you want to eat their yak dishes, this is the time to go!
This place serves Tibetan, Nepali, and Indian dishes in a dimly-​lit, relaxing space. The peace is only disrupted when families bring noisy little kids sometimes. Service is OK – sometimes you gotta flag someone down if you need something. I suppose the staff is taking in the relaxing space, as well (jk, they are busting ass like most waiters).
Place rating: 5
Westbury, NY
My friend and I came here for lunch and I never thought I would try yak (even though the restaurant is called Himalayan Yak). I have to say, tastes just like chicken.
No complaints on the service. The tibetan tea is pretty interesting, not your average tea. Also the gulab jamun, delicious.
Place rating: 4
WOODHAVEN, NY
Went here on a Saturday night and it was very lively. Had the Dhaal Bhat takari with goat and it was delicious. Tried the red snapper as well and it was good. Would definitely go again and reccommend it.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Love the buffet on the weekends! They have a pretty good variety of things like curry goat, veggies, chicken chili and such. They change it up every time, omg the butter tea is to die for! The best I have tried, it is more sweet rather than salty compared to other places. Oh, and their rice pudding desert is delicious!
Place rating: 4
Savannah, GA
There are not a lot of places where you can find momos but the momos are on point here. It reminded me of the momos back home. I ordered steamed chicken momos and they were delicious. My friend who was eating this for the first time said it was really similar to Asian dumplings, which I disagree because I feel these have more flavor. The sauce they come with is really good too. I would definitely recommend this place if you’re looking for some good momos.
The prices are a bit high as compared to other places around but definitely worth it. The service is horrible, we had to ask for water ourselves because they failed to get it when we entered. One less star just because of this reason.
Place rating: 5
Flushing, NY
Tucked under the train tracks lies an ornate door from which melodies slowly seep out onto the bustling street outside. Open this door to find a dozen tables, most packed with families and friends devouring plentiful tingmo and thali. You have found the ultimate casual restaurant when you’re hungry, the ultimate date restaurant when you don’t want to break the bank and a darned good place for herbivores, omnivores and carnivores alike.
Himalayan Yak is my go-​to for those nights when I can’t pick what restaurant I should try. A few blocks away lies Terraza 7, a local bar with live jazz. The pattern is easy to fall into: stop by Terraza for beer at 9, listen to music for an hour, walk (quickly, it’s cold, but not too quickly because the Arepa Lady is here, too!) to the Himalayan Yak, find more live music awaiting you here, sit, order a butter tea, warm up with the coziest food imaginable.
It’s been hard on this foodie since going vegetarian over a year ago. Carnivorous food lovers quickly grow tired of Dosa Hutt or Buddha Bodai. This place allows me to order my veg while they can get their sizzling platters of meat, or juicy momos. For the vegetarian, I would advise passing on the ever popular momos. Go to nearby Phayul or Tawa for your momo needs. Stick to the entrees here. Get the thali if you’re a first timer. The Tse Phing will cast out any ice demons left in your bones with its blend of herbs, ensuring you’re warm after your long walk from the bars. If you want spice, ask for the sauces and mix in the red (spicy) or sesame (yellow). The Sho-​go Khatsu (potatoes) will clear your nostrils, though it may only be a one note dish good for groups. Order a butter tea (ask either for Nepalese or Tibetan tea, depending on whether you like sweet or salty tea). Enjoy the music. Enjoy the beautiful artwork.
Basically, every veg dish here is delicious. I’ve never tried their Indian dishes, but I’ve had most of their Nepalese/​Tibetan ones. I’ve also previously (a few years ago) tried their meat, which was also good. Between the families enjoying the long tables and the couples enjoying the live music, this place will likely become a favorite of any Queens Unilocaler.
Place rating: 4
Madison, NJ
I am a regular at Mustang Thakali, so this was a change in first place. The décor and ambience is slightly better. We ordered the Thalia, one being the Himalayan thali and another a regular dal bhath thali.
I am a big fan of sampling multiple dishes so I enjoyed the thali especially the dal (lentils) the mustard green and the pickle .
The lamb and chicken gravy was ok but wasn’t bad either. Overall this place is good, with fast service and delicate nepali flavors .
I will come again for sure.
Place rating: 1
Manhattan, NY
This place don’t even deserve a review so I’ll keep it short.
I ordered the Yak Stew. The meat was so hard my boyfriend was dissatisfied with his meal as well.
The waitress never never never asked us how was our meal or asked if we would like anything else. I had to get up from my table to find someone to give me the bill. Overall service and food are poor.
Place rating: 1
Manhattan, NY
The Yak stew was meh at best. Super grisly and chewy but I guess that’s a product of the type of meat. I wouldn’t recommend.
The goat curry was okay… if you enjoy picking bones and cartilage out of our mouth after every bite. Same as above, wouldn’t bother with this one either.
The chicken lollipops were actually pretty good; had a good crunchy fried batter on the outside and relatively juicy and flavorful.
DO NOT get the apple fritters. Straight up bad food. Tasted like soggy potatoes with a hint of old apple flavor haphazardly drizzled with Hershey’s chocolate syrup. An extremely lackluster dessert item not worth the money.
The worst part is the service. PAINFULLY slow and very inattentive. The servers just don’t seem to care and glance over tables they don’t feel like attending.
Not sure why this place has such a high rating but if you feel like having a bad meal with even worse service, check this place out.
Place rating: 3
New York, NY
If you are ever in the neighborhood, it is worth stopping by. They have a lunch buffet for $ 9.99/person. The selection didn’t look that special so we opted to order a la carte.
Get the lollipop chicken and chicken tiki masala! The lollipop chicken was perfectly cooked, tender meat and extra crispy skin. The meat was perfectly marinated, I didn’t even need the sauce and I love sauce! Himalayan Yak is very generous with the chicken in their chicken tiki masala. I am used to getting a few pieces of chicken and a lot of sauce. They gave a lot of chicken and a lot of sauce for $ 9.95! Perfect to dip with our side order of naan. However, their pork momo and goat curry thali was disappointing. The pork momo was pretty flavorless, tasted like your typical Chinese dumpling. The goat curry did not taste like curry at all and the pieces of goat we got were extremely overcooked. The presentation of the thali looks cool, it comes on a giant silver platter with different side dishes to try. The side dishes included lentil soup, a veggie potato dish and rice pudding. I didn’t like anything on the platter besides the rice pudding.
Place rating: 3
Manhattan, NY
3.5 stars
Walking in through the lovely door, we were greeted by a well-​decorated and spacious interior. My co-​worker and I shared the pork dumplings (steamed) and the goat curry, which left us satisfied but not full. In retrospect, we should’ve ordered more food. :P
The pork dumplings have thick skin — not your Chinese dumplings — but they work well with the generous meat fillings. The three sauces at the table, in order of increasing spiciness, are green, orange, red. They complement the meaty dishes very well, and are more tangy & sweet than spicy. The goat curry flavor is on point, but to our disappointment, has a lot more bones than meat.
Bonus: 10% off lunch with Unilocal check-​in. I’ll definitely be back to try other dishes … I’m eyeing the platters!
Place rating: 3
Woodside, NY
I’ve been here at least 3 – 4 times now because I want to like it more. The place itself is nice, nothing fancy but fine for a casual date or catching up with friends. I love the copper cups, they’re a cool little detail. The staff has always been nice and accommodating, one time being nice enough to let me sit at a table drinking water by myself for about a half hour while waiting for my poor friend to find parking («I swear she’s coming soon!»). They also have good beer buckets (6 bottles of San Miguel for $ 25).
All that said, the food is just okay. The vegetarian dishes actually seem to be consistently better than the meats. Wasabi Point’s got them beat hard, even on the basics (didn’t like the momo or tingmo at Himalayan Yak much at all). Plus the staff completely botched our group’s order last night, only getting 2 – 3 of the 5 dishes we ordered correct. At least it’s cheap!
The only reason to come here instead of WP is the proximity to the train — definitely a plus.
Place rating: 5
Astoria, Queens, NY
Great Tibetan option with a decent amount of seating. The yak momos (like a dumpling/​bun but just full of a large piece of yak) were awesome as was the goat curry. Wonderful flavors. The yak was like a better beef. Make sure to use all the sauces! I was especially partial to the red one.
The chicken lollis were moist and thick with flavor. They made a great appetizer, the dish comes with six small pieces of chicken.
This was a great place to try himalayan and it was easy to get a table even on a busy Friday night.
Place rating: 5
New York, NY
This was my first time trying Nepalese cuisine and I was very happy I did. I was ecstatic that they had plenty of vegan options on the menu. Even happier to discover that they have live music on the weekends.
My bf and I came here one Sat. evening, a spur of the moment decision since we were craving some sort of Asian cuisine.
We were greeted by the FOH staff, and seated immediately. We found our way upstairs where the band was playing. There were plenty of seats in both floors, and it appears to be a perfect setting whether your on a date or accompanied by a group of friends.
The music was lively and definitely got the crowd going (Boo was ready to dance).
We told the waitress that we were vegan, and she helped us maneuver through the menu. We had the vegetable thali: which includes different types of vegetarian curry, papadum and pickled veggies. It was a delectable and satiating meal.
I would not hesitate recommending this establishment. This is truly a gem!
Place rating: 4
Sunnyside, NY
As my first foray into Tibetan cuisine, Himalayan Yak went above and beyond the call of duty. A VAST variety of tasty dishes for very reasonable prices, you certainly can’t go wrong with this place if you’re craving a filling dinner in Jackson Heights. Unlike most NYC restaurants, Himalayan Yak has two floors of plentiful seating. The walls are decked out with Tibetan art and screens showing documentaries about the Himalayas. It all makes for a nice atmosphere.
To start, we ordered the chicken «lollis,» which I’d definitely order again. Think crispy, juicy chicken on the bone. However, what really makes this appetizer (along with all the other dishes here) really special are the sauces. The spicy orange one they serve with the chicken makes the dish. Flavorful, but not in a way that ever overpowers the chicken.
This also applies to the entrees. The momos (think a cross between a dumpling and an empanada) were generously portioned, but the filling a little too meatball-​like for my tastes. Still good overall though. The momos featured yak, as did my shapta, and each time the yak tasted a lot like a beef. By no means a bad thing, just surprising.
I thoroughly enjoyed the way they prepared the vegetables and meat in the shapta, which was more or less a stir-​fry dish — the vegetables crispy, not overcooked, the meat sliced thin. The accompanying bhaley (a Tibetan biscuit) was perfect for soaking up the sauce, which was spicy and flavorful.
I definitely recommend Himalayan Yak for a tasty, filling meal, even if I’m not convinced it’s the best Tibetan restaurant out there.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Came here for a private dining event and was very impressed with the chefs skills. We tried a variety of dishes and I must say the tripe was excellent.
We had Yak Meat and tried many different parts. The dumplings were great too. We had tongue and blood sausage as well.
The second floor had a large space and we got to experience a lovely live singer and drummer for a fundraiser.
I think the flavors were great, I’ve tried Café Himalaya in the village and this place was excellant as well. I raved about this place to many friends and will be back for sure.
Place rating: 3
New York, NY
The food we tried was okay. I just think I might not like Himalayan/​Nepali/​Tibetan food and flavors. I found the food only okay.
I tried my first momo here and I was not impressed. I find the skin and filling not as enjoyable as Shanghainese Xiao Long Baos or the fried tiny pork buns. I didn’t enjoy the meat mixture inside and I was definitely not into the gumminess of the skin. I found the meat inside blah and not juicy.
I wish they had a good Shanghainese place around this neighborhood to get good Xiao Long Baos (Soup Dumplings) and Saang Jeen Baos (Fried Tiny Pork Buns). They need really good dumplings in this area. I miss Chinatown.
Place rating: 5
Brookline, MA
Himalayan Yak is a great place to venture if you’re feeling a little adventurous as it specializes in Nepalese and Tibetan food. Had it not been for my Nepalese friend bringing me here, I would not have given this place a chance. It’s always a blessing to have international friends :) Located in Queens within an ethnically rich neighborhood, it’s a stretch to travel from Manhattan, but an experience to remember.
Go all out. We ordered 4 different types of meats: lamb, goat, pork, and yak!
++Personal Rec: any of their ‘momos’. Nepalese momos are like Chinese xiao long bao dumplings, minus the soup. A former Nepalese co-​worker told me that back home, they love to gather friends and have momo parties where they chat and make mountains of momos lol. I just think the word ‘momo’ itself is so cute!
Other recs:
++Khasi ko masu– goat curry. Taste is similar to Indian curry, but not as strong. Goat meat is lean, the texture is similar to the Cantonese «ao lam»
++Charred lamb appetizer– (I do not recognize the Nepalese name). This is served on a bed of rice crispy with a spicy dip consisting of bell peppers and onions.
++Yak shapta-​sliced yak sautéed with garlic, ginger, red onion, green and red bell-​pepper served with bhaley (Tibetan bread). I’ve learnt that in Nepal, bread is one of their main diet staples instead of rice given the rough terrain unsuitable to grow rice. The yak meat is lean and tough, hence why it’s thinly sliced.
The place was surprisingly PACKED on a Saturday night. There is a 2nd floor for private functions and live music. Ambiance is excellent for conversation, clean, with a touch of Himalayan décor. Staff are authentically Nepalese.
Himalayan Yak was definitely a fun experience!