OLD BUKHARA — Restaurant in Marlboro Township

Where to being? This Father's day my in-laws wanted to bring my fiance and I to this restaurant... Them being 100% Russian it was meant to be an exciting experience.

The table we had was placed awkwardly in the center of the restaurant where the walkway is. Having to slide in, chairs bumped and one time having to get completely up to allow someone through was fun.

The lighting was more intense than a tanning salon.. kind of felt like we were being interrogated.

The a/c was below subpar, infact we we're not the only table to have issues with how hot it was in there.

When it came time to order we were advised they were out of lamb... 50% of their menu contained lamb! So we changed the lamb kabobs to beef. I asked for mine to be medium rare. We also ordered an appetizer. My in-laws and my fiance's orders came out... Mine 25min later... How was it cooked? Medium at best.. However before all this took place when my dish did arrive they placed a oval shaped dish on top of a square pizza tray holder. They must have skipped that day in kindergarten when shapes was the lesson. I barley touched the skewer before the dish slide off splashing myself and fiance with red sauce.

Expecting someone to come over immediately was foolish. Their level of hospitality is within the negative.

After laughing as much off as possible I noticed a table that was seated 20-30 minutes after us... What did I see on their dishes? LAMB!!

Remember the appetizer we ordered in the very beginning? Well it decided to show up at the very end of our meal after reminding them that we had an appetizer.

Other than that it was a...

We recently visited Old Bukhara after a long day at Six Flags, and it turned out to be a delightful experience. It was one of the few restaurants open until 2 AM, so we were thrilled to find it just in time. We were unsure of what to expect because the restaurant was located next to a gas station and was open so late, we were expecting something more like mediocre fast food, but quite the opposite!

Initially planning to grab takeout, our hunger got the best of us by the time we arrived at 1:40 AM. The staff was incredibly sweet and accommodating, allowing us to dine in despite the late hour. The restaurant's decor is charming, filled with cultural items that create a warm and inviting atmosphere.

We started with the fried mini dumplings filled with beef, which were absolutely delicious—crispy and totally addictive! They provided four different sauces (tomato, spicy, sour cream, and creamy herb), all of which enhanced the flavors and made for perfect dips.

For our main courses, we ordered the kazan kabab (lamb baked with onions and tomatoes), lula kabab (beef kefta with mashed potatoes and a tomato sauce), and plov (a beef rice dish with carrots and chickepeas and qual eggs). Even thought it was takeout, the presentation was very neat and the portion sizes were good too. Each dish was packed with flavor, and the meat was incredibly tender. Often, lamb can be too gamey or chewy, but here it tasted homemade and was simply perfect.

Though Old Bukhara is 1.5 hours from our home, I’m seriously considering bringing my entire family here someday. It was that good! Highly recommend if you're...

We celebrate my birthday every year in the courtyard of our home. This year, we decided to give the event a special cultural touch by hosting it in a traditional Uzbek style — with a beautifully set Uzbek table and, of course, authentic plov cooked over an open fire.

To make this happen, we turned to "Old Bukhara" restaurant. On the day of the celebration, their chefs arrived well before the guests and brought everything needed to prepare plov and kebabs outdoors — including ingredients, some of which were imported directly from Uzbekistan.

Watching plov being cooked over a fire is an art in itself. It starts with heating oil in a large cauldron, followed by searing the meat and carrots in stages, then adding a blend of fragrant spices. The aroma fills the entire neighborhood. The most delicate part is adding the rice at the right moment and covering it in time to achieve perfect texture — not undercooked and not mushy. Plov is cooked without stirring and served on large dishes, making for an impressive and authentic presentation.

While one chef focused on the plov, another tirelessly grilled fresh portions of kebabs, ensuring there was always hot meat on the table.

Our guests were absolutely delighted — not just by the rich and delicious flavors, but also by the live cooking show that unfolded right before their eyes. We are truly grateful to Old Bukhara and especially to manager Anvar for his professionalism, punctuality, and warm attitude. Thanks to them, our celebration was a...